Chapter 3, Disguise
According to what is stated on the bamboo slips, there is one essential item for this disguise technique, which is honey. In such a hurry, where could Wei Luo possibly find honey? The only effect of the disguise method she is now preparing to use can only be to change the color of her skin.
Wei Luo tilted her head, gazing at the reflection in the water, and the more she looked, the more satisfied she became. She had once been strikingly beautiful, but now, even before her features had fully developed, her appearance surpassed that of her former self.
After she collected these three items with leaves, she returned to the pond.
Wei Luo reached out to tear off the jade piece from the shoe, then carefully stored it along with the coins, and turned to walk towards the official road
Wei Luo memorized the contents of the bamboo slips thoroughly after reading them several times. She placed the bamboo slips back into the wooden box and turned to walk deeper into the woods
Wei Luo admired for a while, then opened the wooden box and took out the bamboo slips. Each bamboo slip had about twelve characters, and the eight slips together amounted to just over a hundred characters. Wei Luo thought to himself: The art of disguise? What a mysterious phrase, but isn't the content a bit too sparse?
The most urgent matter at present is to get a pair of straw sandals to wear. And then? The coarse-clad man made it very clear that there are hidden reasons behind her marriage, and she cannot return to the State of Yue. Moreover, even if she could return, she is merely an imposter herself
These hundred or so words consist of more than twenty words as a general outline, while the subsequent seventy or eighty words serve as a detailed explanation. Although referred to as a detailed explanation, in Wei Luo's view, this is also a summary that could not be more concise.
Although it is an official road, it is uneven and filled with potholes, consisting of yellow earth. Wei Luo has firmly decided not to go to the State of Yue. Yue, hmm, it should be around Jiangsu and Zhejiang, right? That would be in the southeast direction. It seems that I can only head northwest.
In the clear water, a tall girl, approximately fourteen or fifteen years old, appeared. She had a fair and delicate complexion. Her almond-shaped eyes were particularly dark, as if devoid of any impurities. Her nose was straight, and her lips, though not the traditional cherry-like small mouth, were thick and full, unfortunately lacking in color. The girl in the water had elegant brows and beautiful eyes, with a gentle and graceful demeanor that concealed a hint of indifference and a touch of youthful innocence yet to fully blossom.
After searching in the woods for a while, Wei Luo found a half-broken sword blade. He used a piece of iron to cut away some of his robe, then shortened and tightened his lower garment, securing it tightly with a drawstring. Although this process of tearing and cutting transformed his decent robe into that of a beggar, it finally fit him well. After changing into a male robe, Wei Luo appeared to be a genuine boy of about thirteen or fourteen years old when seen on the water's surface. However, upon closer inspection, one could still discern traces of elegance and a captivating charm in his features.
Out of caution, Wei Luo applied the substance to her neck, behind her ears, at her collarbone, and on most of her arms. Before long, a delicate yet slightly dark and rough-skinned face appeared on the water's surface. The contrast of the dark and rough skin made her appear particularly slender. However, paired with her clear, cold black eyes, the rustic-looking youth reflected in the water gained an added touch of elegance.
It is now around 2 PM, and the sun is gradually setting. On the ancient path covered in yellow dust, as far as the eye can see, there are only vast stretches of primitive forests and boundless grasslands; where are the travelers?
Wei Luo walked quietly through the blood-stained grass, a thread of sour bitterness entwining her heart. After walking less than fifty steps, she was choked by the stench of blood and turned to leave. She had originally hoped to find some gold, silver, or jade ornaments here, but now seeing everything cleaned up too thoroughly, she no longer indulged in such futile thoughts
Wei Luo walked with a stagger, her swaying figure elongated in the sunset.
The direction she headed towards was the place where the team was ambushed and killed. Her body was frail and pampered, yet it took Wei Luo more than half an hour to cover just three miles.
Wei Luosheng was naturally cautious. When she changed into this male robe, she even tore apart the outer garment she had originally been wearing. However, the embroidered shoes on her feet remained luxurious, even inlaid with jade pieces. Such shoes were indeed too conspicuous, but Wei Luosheng did not know how to weave straw sandals, so she had no way to change them.
Wei Luo glanced towards the west, feeling somewhat anxious as he thought: with this broken body of mine, I fear I won't be able to walk even seven or eight miles before the sun sets.
After searching in the woods for half an hour, Wei Luo finally found a type of easily bleached stone and the sap of two plants. On a bamboo slip, there was a record of a method for disguise using these three items
Under the cover of her long, jet-black hair that reaches her shoulders, her skin appears particularly fair; however, it lacks a bit of rosy color, giving it a somewhat unhealthy look
Wei Luo stepped onto the raised hard soil of the pond, tiptoed to the puddle, stretched his head forward, and eagerly looked into the water.
Wei Luo gazed intently, her brows gradually furrowing. She thought to herself: In such a chaotic world, it is absolutely imperative that no one discovers I was originally a woman. I must, on this journey, learn more about the art of disguise, gather more materials, and ensure that the delicate aura between my brows and eyes is thoroughly concealed
However, this garment is now large and long, completely covering the feet. From the water's perspective, no matter from which angle a person appears, they all resemble a poor young boy.
After Wei Luo adjusted those few items, she slowly wiped them on her face against the lake water. It is quite interesting to mention that this seemingly inconspicuous substance, once applied to the face, not only has a very even color but is also quite difficult to remove when she rubs it with her hand
The scene had long been cleared by the Chu people, and even the horse-drawn carts carrying the bodies had been removed. On the vast expanse of grassland, if it were not for the large patches of bloodstains and the remnants of broken swords still remaining, no one would know that a tragic incident had occurred here today
It is uncertain whether it is due to the shock, but Wei Luo has not eaten anything and does not feel hungry at all. She is currently only thinking about quickly changing her appearance before going out to search for food and meet others.
After admiring the face for a while, Wei Luo put on the male robe. The robe was blue, extremely large and long, clearly belonging to the burly man himself. After putting it on, Wei Luo looked as if a child had donned an adult's clothing
As he looked around, Wei Luo suddenly realized that the ornaments on his head were gone, presumably having fallen off when the burly man in the coarse clothing took him away from the scene of the stabbing
Wei Luo lowered his head to look at his reflection and thought to himself: It seems I need to pay more attention to getting some sun. No wonder the saying goes: "A fair complexion covers three flaws." I truly look like a different person now compared to just a moment ago
In the text of about a hundred characters, there appeared around ten peculiar nouns. However, Wei Luo only glanced at these nouns and immediately understood their meanings. It seems that the original consciousness of this body is still influencing me
I do not know what place this is. In which feudal state is it located? Hmm, there is the State of Jin, and there is the State of Yue. Could it be that I have traveled back to the Spring and Autumn Period or the Warring States Period?