Chapter 6, Fate is predetermined, while marriage is a human affair

I called out "brother" in a daze, feeling that the figure before me was hazy and noble, somewhat unlike a real person

The master slammed the door and left. In all my years, it was the first time I had seen the master so angry. I watched the master's silhouette, my throat choked with countless words, yet I could no longer utter a single one

I felt my face flush and my heart race as I pushed him away, opened the door, and left, leaving the Chongshan Sword Manual behind for now. Just now, I truly touched something, but it was definitely not the Chongshan Sword Manual; it was, it was a small bump

The sky has darkened, please, Your Highness and the Princess, return to rest. I, as a humble disciple, will properly discipline them later. I ask for the Princess's understanding.

Seeing Yunzhou, my heart feels as if it has solidly settled back into my chest from the ethereal half-sky. He did not go to the waterside with the young lady under the moonlight; he has returned. I do not know whether to feel joy or sorrow. He is speaking to the young princess, his back turned to me, so I cannot see his expression, but his tall and graceful silhouette suddenly brings me a sense of peace.

I let out a bitter laugh as I stepped down the stairs and cupped my hands in salute to the young princess, saying: "Princess, you must have misunderstood. As for the pearl necklace, I would not even want it if you were to give it to me, let alone steal it. I never wear such things."

I shouted fiercely but with a trembling heart: "Quickly return it to me! You must not tell anyone!"

I whispered, "No." At this moment, the night and the moonlight were both like a thin mist, hazy and indistinct, even my own voice felt somewhat unreal.

Yunzhou remained silent

The young princess's voice lowered by another twenty percent, softly saying: "Follow me."

Yun Zhou glanced back at me and said to the young princess, "Yu Yao, stop messing around."

This voice deeply moved me and filled me with envy. When I called him Brother Yunzhou, it was indeed powerful and resonant like a great bell. When will I be able to call him Zizhao in such a soft and delicate manner? I silently tried it in my heart, but not only did it give me goosebumps all over, it also stirred a bitter sense of sorrow within me. Those two characters are ultimately not what I should call him.

I hurriedly responded, yet felt a bit flustered inside

The young princess, however, ignored him, casting a disdainful glance at me before turning to Yunzhou with a mocking laugh: "Zizhao, you have a good eye." After saying this, she instructed the maid beside her, "Let's go."

The master looked awkward, his face slightly pale. He clasped his hands and said to the onlookers, "Well, my disciple Yun Mo and Jiang Chen have already made a marriage pact last month. In the days to come, I will invite everyone to the Xiaoyao Gate to celebrate the wedding."

The eyes of the crowd widened even further

I followed my master into the room in a daze. My master slammed the door shut with a loud bang, which jolted me awake. I tugged at my master's sleeve and lamented, "Master, what did you just say? When did I become engaged to Jiang Chen?"

Suddenly, there was a commotion in the courtyard, and to my surprise, it was the voice of the young princess. I immediately closed the door to my room, intending to stay inside. It seems that whenever I encounter her, it never leads to anything good

The night is so quiet that one can almost hear the sound of breathing

The young princess sneered and said: "I don't care what you stole, anyway, you are the most suspicious. If you have nothing to hide, then let them come in and search."

The master supported his brow and said, "Ahem, you all should go to sleep."

He actually hugged my waist with a sly smile! I was so furious that my vision went dark. When I looked again, his collar was half-open, and I could clearly see the Heavy Mountain Sword Manual inside. I decided to go for it, closing my eyes and reaching in.

The young princess turned her face and said to the young prince, "Brother, you must make a decision for your sister"

Only the young princess in the courtyard shouted: "Call that girl out, it must be her who stole my things"

I said fiercely: "You don't want to marry me, and that's just fine; I don't want to marry you either"

I wiped the cold sweat from my forehead, stammering: "I, I am not afraid of them seeing, seeing you, I am afraid of them seeing..."

I hurriedly got out of bed and opened the door, finding Yun Zhou standing under the corridor with his back to me

Hmph, so it's not just about petty theft, but also about stealing people, huh? The young princess laughed in a sarcastic manner.

The moonlight is serene and clear, spreading like water across the courtyard. Beneath the corridor, a wind lamp flickers with a soft glow, casting its light upon his shoulder. A gentle breeze lifts the corners of his garment, only to let them fall lightly and gracefully. He appears as an immortal standing upon the water's surface, effortlessly transcending the mundane.

I stared blankly at his back; he called me out just to ask me such a question? Meanwhile, my heart was filled with curiosity about what the little princess and he had discussed, yet I lacked the courage to ask him, leaving me in a turmoil of thoughts.

The master angrily declared: "Very well, if the two of you are unwilling, from today onwards, you shall no longer be disciples of my Xianyao Sect, lest others speak of your good deeds and tarnish the century-old reputation of my Xianyao Sect."

He turned around and looked at me

I let out a heavy sigh and decided to sleep after all

Zizhao, you only know how to favor them; you have not intervened even once or twice when they bully me

I watched his figure pass by my window, and I truly wanted to open the door and ask him, what did the young princess say to him? However, in what capacity and from what standpoint should I pose this question?

I was momentarily taken aback, having never seen him with such an expression, faintly weary, carrying a hint of shallow solitude, like the only star in the sky, bright and resplendent, yet serene and distant

The master looked at me with anger and said: "Yunmo, the female hero, a living man, in broad daylight, has come out of your room disheveled and alluring. Who could it be if not your husband? If you wish to hold your head high in the martial world in the future, there is no other way but to quickly marry Jiang Chen.

He is actually holding the Chongshan Sword Manual in his hand

I am filled with shame and anger, yet that firm and smooth texture feels as if it is glued to my fingers. I ran to the stream to wash my hands repeatedly, but the more I washed, the hotter my fingertips felt

The master glanced around a bit uneasily, coughed twice and said: "Xiao Jiang, such remarks are more suitable for a private conversation between two people. It is best to discuss them under the moonlight or by the flowers for a more effective outcome"

Suddenly, a voice behind me, casually reading poetry and lazily playing the zither, said: "It's really annoying to disturb people's sweet dreams so early in the morning"

I became increasingly embarrassed, and the little grappler bravely stepped forward

I smiled and said, "Very well. Please proceed, Your Highness."

Jiang Chen did not know when he had slipped into my room, and at this moment, he was lazily leaning against the frame of my door, his clothes in disarray, indeed very disheveled

The next day, I obediently sat in the room in a daze, waiting to have lunch before descending the mountain with my master and senior brothers to return home

Only Jiang Chen and I were left in the room. The thought of marrying him sent a chill down my spine

No, you cannot enter to search

He looked aggrieved: "Xiao Mo, I just saw you refusing to let them in, and I guessed that there must be some unspeakable secret in your room, so I jumped in through the back window to take a look. I did this only to divert their attention and protect you; I truly have no intention of marrying you."

I returned to my room feeling dejected and lay down, yet not a trace of sleepiness came over me. Because Yunzhou was called away by the young princess, what would she do to him?

I dare not look into Yunzhou's eyes, for even if I were to jump into the Yellow River now, I would only become even more yellow.

I nearly spat out a mouthful of blood. He has tarnished my reputation and then comes out with such a remark

He let out a barely audible sigh and turned to descend the steps

I was stunned, staring blankly at Jiang Chen, unable to speak. I truly did not know; I knew nothing at all. What was he doing dressed like this in my room? Since he was dressed like this, why did he come out?

I looked at my master with grievance and said, "Reputation is more important than life. Marrying Jiang Chen preserves my reputation, but one cannot prioritize reputation over life!"

He chuckled and said: "Desire and seduction are also forms of art"

I was taken aback; he must have heard my sigh, right? His internal strength is exceptional, and the night is so quiet.

The master angrily said: "Xiao Mo must not be willful! A woman's reputation is more important than her life. Would the master ever harm you?"

Yuyao, my junior apprentice enjoys joking with people; he is just teasing you and means no harm. Please do not be angry, I apologize on his behalf.

His hair was loosely tied back with a single band, glossy and black, cascading over his shoulders. The white inner shirt, made of satin, was soft and draped loosely, with a gold lock hanging casually around his neck, exuding an indescribable charm and elegance. This appearance clearly suggested a spring night spent in revelry, just awakening from a spring slumber, unaware of the dawn, pondering how many flowers had fallen.

I do feel guilty, but not because I stole something; rather, it is because the Chongshan Sword Manual is currently under my pillow. My master instructed me not to let anyone know, and at this moment, they are rummaging through my room, so they will definitely check under the pillow. Therefore, I cannot allow them to enter, but I cannot explicitly state this reason.

The few men from Wuyamen laughed and dispersed, while the two beauties from the Yuanshan Sect and the Taoist priest from Wudang exchanged a few words of congratulations before also leaving. In the courtyard, only a few senior brothers remained, staring at each other with wide eyes, looking at the master, me, and Jiang Chen.

Suddenly, I remembered something and quickly reached out to grab the arms of the two girls. As a martial artist, I was more than capable of handling two young maidservants, and I immediately held them in place.

Girl? In this courtyard, apart from me, there are only men. The girl mentioned by the young princess must refer to me, but when did I steal her things?

Suddenly, his body stiffened, and my fingers also became rigid

He passed by the young princess, casting her a cold glance and said: "Princess, if you wish to search, feel free to go in."

I looked over my master's shoulder at Jiang Chen, who wore an expression of innocence and surprise, as if he were also a victim, ready to share in my plight and offer mutual comfort

"Well, if you dare not let anyone in, just admit that you are a thief"

Jiang Chen was taken aback and said to his master, "Master, do you have experience?"

Yun Zhou frowned and said softly, "Yu Yao, stop making a fuss. Even if Yun Mo passed by your courtyard, what evidence is there to prove that she has been to your room?"

Jiang Chen touched his brow and muttered, "Isn't my reputation still a reputation?"

Is the young princess perhaps taking advantage of the dark night and strong winds to confess her feelings to him? My heart tightened, and it felt as if a fishbone was lodged in my throat, unable to swallow or spit it out, just stuck there.

This is truly baffling, coming on strong yet ending abruptly, and before leaving, they said such a thing to Yunzhou, which is indeed peculiar

The young princess nodded slightly to Yinghong and Yingcui. The two maidservants walked straight towards my room

Absolutely not! I looked at Jiang Chen in astonishment, sincerely pleading: "Senior Brother Jiang, I think it would be better if you categorize me with the other girls."

I stumbled to the entrance of the Bamboo Courtyard in a daze, and to my surprise, I found several people standing there in a lively manner, including my master, Yunzhou, the young prince, Jiang Chen, and a few maidservants

The Huai'an Wangfu has always harbored considerable ambitions. This time, the young prince has come to celebrate Master Yuanzhao's birthday, but his true intention lies not in the wine. He aims to recruit some factions from the martial world for his own purposes. I deliberately provoked the young princess to encourage the Xiaoyao Sect to distance itself from these disputes

The master gritted his teeth and said to Jiang Chen and me: "You two come in here." It was the first time I had seen the master fly into a rage; it was very impressive and quite shocking

I understand now; it turns out that I merely loitered at her yard entrance last night and have now become a thief.

"I did not take your things, so why should I let you go through my room?" Initially, I was fearless, but now I have developed some reservations, and for no reason, my confidence has weakened, making me appear somewhat guilty and uneasy. This is truly unjust.

The master first pointed at Jiang Chen, then at me, and succinctly stated: "You two, starting now, are not allowed to step out of the bamboo courtyard until tomorrow afternoon."

I nodded repeatedly, feeling that my fate was incompatible with that of the young princess. Even without my master saying so, I had already decided to shut myself in and no longer see her.

I cupped a handful of stream water and washed my face, taking a long while to cool the heat on my face. ... Whenever I am with him, I become easily impulsive; when I am impulsive, I lose my composure; when I lose my composure, I lose my purity; when I lose my purity, ... . ... The consequences are unimaginable

Yun Zhou softly said, "May I ask, Your Highness?"

Little Mo, did you happen to run into Miss Shui today by chance

After a long while, I heard a soft sound at the gate of the courtyard. Yunzhou has finally returned

Why?

Jiang Chen turned to look at me and smiled, saying: "Apart from having a little spat with Xiao Mo, I can't be bothered to pay attention to the other girls."

The moon is bright and the stars are few, on the ground stands a solitary figure, lonely like a wandering soul. At this moment, I actually wish my master would punish me properly, so that I could cover up those inexplicable feelings of sadness and heartache.

The master gritted his teeth and said: "You two, aside from getting married, is there any other way?"

The princess's face flushed crimson as she glared at him with resentment

The young prince said: "Sister, we are here to celebrate Master Yuan Zhao's birthday. This is Tai'an, not Huai'an Prefecture. Let's forget it; we will descend the mountain tomorrow"

I squeezed out a harsh remark from between my teeth: "Jiang Chen, do you want to kill me?" If possible, I would wish that every word carried a small dagger, piercing him with countless little holes

Unexpectedly, I was here with the door closed, not intending to cause any trouble, yet trouble found me.

I glared at him and said, "I have no money!"

Yun Zhou hesitated for a moment, but ultimately followed the young princess and the young prince.

Senior Brother Zhao replied gloomily, "I have no experience, how would I know."

He remained silent, turning his back to me

He sat in the armchair, squinting and smiling: "Xiao Mo, when it comes to wanting someone to keep a secret, it usually boils down to four words: coercion and temptation. Your skills in coercion are unlikely to succeed, but as for temptation, I might consider it."

Jiang Chen took something out from his pocket and held it under my eyes, grinning as he said: "Xiao Mo, are you hiding this to keep people out?"

Accused of being a thief, I could no longer sit still and got up to open the door

I stepped forward to snatch it, but he quickly tucked it back into his embrace. My hand reached for his lapel, yet it abruptly halted three inches away, not daring to advance further. He must have anticipated my hesitation, wearing a smug smile on his face.

In the courtyard, it was so quiet that even the falling needles could be heard, and everyone's eyes appeared larger than usual. Even He Xiaole, who usually has small eyes, was indistinguishable between whether his eyes were open or closed; I could see his pupils.

He walked up to me, gently patted my shoulder, and with a soft laugh said: "I have already come out, what are you still afraid of? Weren't you just afraid they would see me inside?"

Yun Zhou stared at me blankly for a moment, his gaze extremely complex. I also looked back at him, my feelings equally complicated

I quickly said, "No."

His expression was unprecedentedly stern, exuding the aura of a master.

Suddenly, a low voice came from outside the door: "Xiao Mo, are you still awake?"

He said with a smile: "That won't do, you are one of a kind in both heaven and earth, and I just enjoy bickering with you"

Who caused the commotion last night? She was sneaking around at the entrance of my courtyard, and these girls all saw her. When I returned, I discovered that the pearl necklace in my room was missing. If it wasn't her, who else could it be

He elegantly adjusted his clothing, smiled gently at me, and with a tender gaze said: "Do you not know why I am here?"

"Zizhao." The young princess stamped her foot and called out to Yunzhou.

Hmph, you need not defend her. If she did not take my belongings, why is she afraid to let anyone in to check? Is she feeling guilty for stealing?

Everyone turned to look, and I also turned back upon hearing the sound. If I had not looked, it would have been fine, but upon looking, I was startled

Jiang Chen snorted and said, "If you cannot find anything, do not blame me for being rude to you"

Jiang Chen and I both fell silent. For nearly a century, the Xiaoyao Sect has flourished with its iron trees growing in abundance, leading the world to perceive its members as exceptionally sacred, almost rivaling the Shaolin and Wudang sects. Having been raised by my master for over a decade, I cannot allow the reputation of the Xiaoyao Sect to be tarnished by my actions

His voice is deep and melodious, like an ancient zither in the night breeze, distant and pure

Upon seeing me, the young princess immediately pointed with her jade hand and said: "Yinghong, Yingcui, go search her room!"

He stands right in front of me, within reach, yet also out of reach

I could no longer endure it and charged at him with bare hands. He dodged while laughing and shouted, "Master, Master, help! Xiaomo is assaulting me."

Outside the door, the faint sound of sighing from Senior Brother He Xiaole could be heard: "Zhao Yebai, is this what they call 'to hit is to care, to scold is to love'?"

I watched him smile as flowers bloomed in April, bright and resplendent, and suddenly felt a sense of foreboding about the future

The figure of Yunzhou faded into the night, gradually moving further away. I watched with wide eyes, my heart heavy as if burdened by the deepening darkness of the night

The courtyard was once again so still that not even a breeze stirred

I see, I also believe that Jiang Chen is not such a petty person. If he dislikes someone, he usually ignores them completely, does not bother to speak, and certainly does not stoop to physical confrontation

In the courtyard, there were unexpectedly many people gathered. In addition to the four maidservants brought by the young princess, there were three heroes from the nearby Wuyamen, two beautiful women from the Yuanshan Sect, and three Taoist priests from the Wudang Sect in the back courtyard. They were all likely drawn here by the young princess's loud voice. The master, Yunzhou, and several senior brothers had also come out, surrounding the young princess.

I let out a bitter smile as I looked at Yunzhou. He was also looking at me, his gaze profound, and I could not discern whether it was doubt or trust.

Jiang Chen, however, said: "Master, I did it on purpose to provoke her."

I exclaimed, "Master, I haven't done anything at all."

I cannot utter the four characters "Heavy Mountain Sword Manual". Therefore, this explanation is tantamount to saying nothing. I noticed that, apart from my master, everyone's gaze became ambiguous, filled with profound meaning as they looked at me and Jiang Chen. The heroes of Wuyamen stifled their laughter, seemingly unafraid of injuring themselves in the process. The two beauties from the Yuanshan Sect displayed expressions of surprise, envy, and regret.

I long to hold his palm. He seems like a serene mountain far removed from the hustle and bustle, evoking a desire for attachment and a search for a paradise. However, my fingers are tightly clenched into a fist, and in the end, I lack the courage to reach out.

Stealing, stealing someone! I was taken aback, swallowed hard, and said with a trembling voice: "Jiang Chen, what are you doing in my room?"

After the master saw off the young princess and the young prince, he urgently convened the second small meeting

He said with a smile: "If you have any good things, you must be hiding them under your pillow, and I naturally know."

Jiang Chen leisurely mocked the young princess, saying: "Princess, would you like to search my body yourself?"

Yun Zhou said softly: "I have something to tell you"

I am so astonished that I am about to faint

I do not admit to being a thief, yet I cannot allow anyone to enter and search. Standing there stiffly, I find myself at a loss for words and without a solution.

The young princess sneered and said: "Why? Are you feeling guilty?"

Upon hearing this, the master immediately became calm and benevolent, smiling as he said: "Xiao Jiang, you have truly made it difficult for yourself. I was just wondering why you suddenly became so petty, why would you hold a grudge against a little girl!"

I whispered the question: "How did you find it?"

The young princess remained indifferent to her master's apology and softly said to Yun Zhao, "Zi Zhao, I have something to ask you."