43: Ximen Chuxue: Is it that funny?

He closed his eyes to rest, but his mind kept replaying Ye Gucheng's Celestial Flight sword strike. Experiencing it firsthand was completely different from observing it from the side.

The angle was different, and the feeling was entirely different.

About an hour later, the sun outside the window was almost at its zenith.

A faint sound of footsteps, like fallen leaves brushing against the courtyard, approached from afar and stopped at the entrance of Listening to the Waves Garden.

A moment later, Li Zhong's respectful voice sounded from outside the door: "Sir, Great Hero Lu Xiaofeng and Young Miss Shangguan Xueer have arrived."

"Please come in," Lu Jiuyuan opened his eyes.

The door gently opened, and Lu Xiaofeng stepped in first, still adorned with six silk ribbons, with Shangguan Xueer following closely behind.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk, what a great place, Old Nine."

Lu Xiaofeng strolled in, unceremoniously sat on the soft couch, and picked up a pastry, stuffing it into his mouth:

"The old emperor is quite generous. Listening to the Waves Garden in the east of the city, this is a geomantically auspicious place. Back then, many Young Masters coveted it but couldn't get their hands on it." His tone carried his usual teasing.

"Whether it's valuable depends on what's being bought."

"Buying your life? Or buying your sword?" Lu Xiaofeng asked, taking a gulp of tea.

Lu Jiuyuan didn't answer directly. He walked to the desk and picked up the two brocade boxes.

One contained two hundred-year-old ginseng roots of excellent quality, and the other held the deed to Listening to the Waves Garden.

"Xue'er, examine this. If there's no problem, stew it with an old hen." Lu Jiuyuan handed the brocade box containing the ginseng to Shangguan Xueer.

"As for this deed, just keep it."

Shangguan Xueer took it and carefully examined it, even plucking a rootlet to taste. She nodded and said, "It's good stuff, a hundred-year-old ginseng. No problem.

It's a bit of a waste to use it for stewing chicken.

I know a recipe; with some other medicinal herbs, I can make you some pills to regulate your body and replenish your Qi and blood."

"Alright, just handle it as you see fit."

"Okay!"

Shangguan Xueer responded, hugging the brocade box like she had found a treasure, her eyes sparkling as she ran off to find Li Zhong to arrange for a medicine stove and the other necessary herbs.

For her, being able to help, especially with preparing medicine, was something that made her very happy.

Only Lu Jiuyuan and Lu Xiaofeng remained in the room.

Lu Jiuyuan looked at the six silk ribbons on Lu Xiaofeng: "They still found you."

Lu Xiaofeng gave a wry smile, untied the six silk ribbons, and placed them on the table: "Wei Ziyun found me. The Forbidden City is, after all, not like other places; it's impossible to let everyone in to watch the battle.

So he gave me these six silk ribbons, which are unique palace silks and cannot be counterfeited outside.

These six silk ribbons are six tickets to watch the battle in the Forbidden City.

I originally intended to distribute them to a few respected friends with sufficient martial arts to protect themselves, as a form of witness and to prevent scoundrels from sneaking in.

But who would have thought..."

He sighed: "Before they even warmed up in my hands, trouble came.

It seems that all of Jianghu suddenly knew I had these six tickets.

Some wanted to buy them, some wanted to steal them, some wanted to snatch them... In just one morning, Lu Xiaofeng became like a child crossing the street with a gold ingot."

Lu Jiuyuan picked up a silk ribbon. It felt cool and smooth to the touch, and its color changed with the sunlight—truly a fine item.

"These six silk ribbons have now become a hot potato, and also the best bait to lure out experts and those with ulterior motives!

Some people can enter or not, but some people must enter no matter what..."

As soon as he finished speaking, a gentle breeze swept past the window, and a few leaves swirled down.

Lu Xiaofeng's ears twitched almost imperceptibly, then he resumed his usual carefree demeanor, squatting on the chair, holding a teacup, and sipping water noisily:

"Fishing, I like it and I'm good at it. Someone has already helped chum the water, so I just need to fish.

Just make sure the net doesn't leak!"

Just then, the steward Li Zhong's respectful voice sounded from outside the door: "Master, the medicine stove and the herbs Young Miss Xue'er requested are all prepared.

Also, lunch is ready. Would you like to have it in the flower hall, or should I have it brought to your room?"

Lu Jiuyuan's gaze swept across the doorway, and he calmly said: "Bring it in."

"Yes." Li Zhong responded and withdrew.

Lu Xiaofeng picked up a silk ribbon and played with it between his fingers, casually asking: "Your new steward looks quite capable."

Lu Jiuyuan's gaze fell on the six colorful silk ribbons on the table, and he said lightly:

"The imperial household carefully selected him; he's tight-lipped. Not just capable, but extremely capable."

Lunch consisted of four dishes of seasonal vegetables, a bowl of clear chicken soup, three bowls of rice, and a pot of warm yellow wine.

Li Zhong, with the servants, quietly set the table and then silently withdrew.

After Shangguan Xueer came and sat down, she discreetly checked everything before starting to eat.

Lu Xiaofeng picked up a piece of tender bamboo shoot with his chopsticks, chewing it with a crisp crunch: "Tomorrow is the last day. I guess Ximen Chuixue will definitely come to find me today."

"Perhaps he's coming to find me!" Lu Jiuyuan said lightly: "He needs to be in good condition, and I can provide that."

"You two have always been at odds with each other. Why would he come to find you?" Lu Xiaofeng laughed.

Ximen Chuixue found his Dao of the Sword impure, and Lu Jiuyuan found Ximen Chuixue too fussy, needing a cure for his mental 潔癖.

When the three of them were together, it was all thanks to him mediating.

"I bet Ximen Chuixue won't come to find you; he'll only come to find me."

Before Lu Xiaofeng's words even finished, an extremely subtle aura instantly enveloped the entire flower hall of Listening to the Waves Garden!

It wasn't Killing Intent, but it was more unsettling than Killing Intent.

A figure, as if walking out of ice and snow, slowly entered the flower hall.

White clothes purer than snow, without a speck of dust.

His face was stern, devoid of any expression, only his eyes were deep, cold, and sharp, like a cold pool, reflecting no trace of human life.

Ximen Chuixue!

However, what was even more shocking was that he was not alone.

Beside him, half a step behind, stood a quiet woman.

She wore an elegant, simple green dress, her figure slender, her face delicate and gentle, with a maternal soft glow between her brows.

Her slightly bulging abdomen, though largely concealed by her loose dress, could not be completely hidden.

Sun Xiuqing!

One of the Four Beauties of Emei, for some unknown reason, at some point, had gotten together with Ximen Chuixue again.

"Hahahahaha!" Lu Jiuyuan threw his head back forty-five degrees and burst into laughter: "Ximen Chuixue, ah, Ximen Chuixue, this time it's my turn to mock you!

Where is your purity? You're so pure you have a child!

Women only slow down my sword drawing speed! Hahahahaha!"

Lu Xiaofeng's mouth was wide enough to fit an egg, his eyes were wide and round, and his chopsticks clattered onto the table.

He looked at Ximen Chuixue, then at Sun Xiuqing's noticeably bulging abdomen, and finally his gaze fell on Lu Jiuyuan, who was laughing so hard he could barely breathe.

His face showed a spectacular array of emotions, mixed with shock, absurdity, and intense schadenfreude.

"My goodness..." Lu Xiaofeng murmured, his voice changed pitch, "Ximen... Ximen Chuixue! You... you... you actually... became a father?!"

He slapped his thigh abruptly, pointing at Ximen Chuixue, as if he had discovered some earth-shattering secret:

"No wonder! No wonder you've been so elusive lately! No wonder Wanmei Villa has been closed to visitors!

So you were hiding a beauty, no, hiding a beauty in the capital, and waiting for the birth! Hahahahaha!

Old Nine is right, women really do slow down the sword-drawing speed! Is your sword still fast enough now? Pure enough? Hahahahaha!"

Ximen Chuixue's icy gaze swept over Lu Xiaofeng, that look as sharp as a solid ice pick, causing Lu Xiaofeng's laughter to cease abruptly, and he awkwardly stroked his beard.

"Is it that funny?" Ximen Chuixue said with a dark face.

"Yes!"

This time, all three spoke in unison. Even Shangguan Xueer blinked her big eyes, her face full of curiosity and excitement. Mocking Ximen Chuixue, oh, it was just too thrilling!