PFC Chapter 508 An unexpected encounter with the Kidney-Deficient Young Master? Gouge out his eyes!
Chapter 508 An unexpected encounter with the Kidney-Deficient Young Master? Gouge out his eyes!
"Have you heard? Zhao Wuji, a guest elder of the Northern Royal Palace, was just defeated in three moves by a woman in white on the arena!"
A rough voice rang out, filled with barely suppressed excitement.
"Three moves? Impossible! Zhao Wuji is a second-grade expert!" another voice chimed in, full of disbelief.
"I saw it with my own eyes! That woman in white defeated him in just three moves. Her sword flew away, and she cut his wrist, leaving it bloody. He surrendered on the spot!" The first voice rose a few decibels.
"Who is that woman in white? Which sect does she belong to?" a third voice chimed in, filled with curiosity.
"I don't know! I don't recognize her! She's definitely not from our Northern Territory. She's completely unfamiliar, and incredibly beautiful, like a fairy. I've lived half my life and never seen such a beautiful woman!"
"She's beautiful and a great fighter; whoever marries her is incredibly lucky!"
"Come on, you think you're worthy? That woman in white is accompanied by a young master, one man and five women, all stunningly beautiful. They're clearly not ordinary people. You'd better give up!"
A burst of laughter came from downstairs.
Jiang Zhaoyue held the teacup, took a small sip, and smiled slightly.
She didn't speak, as if she hadn't heard anything.
Qin Mu leaned back in his chair, looking at Jiang Zhaoyue, his smile deepening. "Listen, he's praising you."
Jiang Zhaoyue put down her teacup, looked at him, smiled, and said, "But they envy you even more, young master."
Qin Mu smiled, said nothing more, picked up his teacup, and took a small sip.
After finishing the ribs, Han Xin'er put down the bones and wiped her mouth and fingers with a handkerchief. Her movements were slow and careful, like a well-bred young lady from a respectable family.
Her face was still red, but she couldn't suppress the smile on her lips.
Chen Wanqing finished the chicken leg, put down her chopsticks, lowered her head, and didn't say anything.
Her heart was pounding, her face was burning, and her mind was a complete mess.
Qin Mu put down his teacup and stood up. "Let's go."
The women stood up with him.
Qin Mu took out a silver ingot from his sleeve, placed it on the table, and turned to walk downstairs.
The women filed out and followed behind him.
The waiter stood at the top of the stairs, staring wide-eyed at the silver ingot on the table.
He opened his mouth, as if to say something, but it felt like something was blocking his throat, and he couldn't squeeze out a single word.
He had worked at this restaurant for over a decade and had seen many generous customers, but he had never seen anyone so generous.
The entire meal cost less than an ounce of silver, yet this young master threw away a full fifty ounces.
Qin Mu walked out of the restaurant, the sunlight shining on him, making his moon-white figure stand out clearly.
He raised his head, gazing at the vast northern horizon, a faint, indescribable light flashing in his eyes.
After finishing their meal, Qin Mu led everyone straight to the carriage and horse shop in the city.
The carriage and horse shop is located in the west of the city. The storefront is not large, but the courtyard is filled with all kinds of carriages, from simple handcarts to luxurious sedan chairs.
The shopkeeper was a middle-aged man with a round face. When he saw Qin Mu and his group, his eyes lit up and he quickly came forward with a big smile.
"Sir, are you looking to rent or buy a car?"
Qin Mu's gaze swept across the courtyard and landed on the largest carriage.
The carriage was entirely black with a glossy finish. The carriage was nearly twice the size of an ordinary carriage, with carved windows inlaid with transparent glass, and copper bells hanging from the four corners of the roof.
Three chestnut-colored horses were already harnessed, swishing their tails and snorting.
"How much is this one?"
The shopkeeper held up three fingers, swallowed hard, and cautiously announced the number: "Three...three hundred taels."
Qin Mu took out three silver ingots from his sleeve and threw them to the shopkeeper.
The shopkeeper hurriedly caught it, but one of the ingots rolled to the ground. He quickly bent down to pick it up, wiped it with his sleeve, and held it in his arms like a son.
"That's too much, sir, two hundred and eighty taels will suffice..."
Qin Mu waved his hand, refused the change, and walked towards the carriage.
The shopkeeper stood in the courtyard, holding the silver, gazing at the pale white figure. His lips trembled as he tried to say something, but he couldn't utter a single word.
He had worked in this carriage shop for thirty years and had never seen such a generous customer.
Yunluan stepped forward, inspected the carriage and horses, and only stepped aside after confirming that there were no problems.
Qin Mu lifted the carriage curtain, bent down, and climbed inside.
The carriage was covered with thick brocade cushions, so soft it felt like walking on clouds. There was a row of seats on each side, more than enough for seven or eight people.
The car windows are inlaid with glass, allowing light to pass through but not wind, making them both bright and warm.
The women filed in.
Jiang Zhaoyue sat to Qin Mu's right, Han Xin'er sat to Qin Mu's left, Xu Fenghua sat next to Jiang Zhaoyue, Yun Suxin sat next to Han Xin'er, and Chen Wanqing sat in the innermost corner.
Yunluan sat on the carriage shaft, holding the reins, and gave them a gentle shake.
The three horses started moving at the same time, and the carriage smoothly drove out of the carriage yard.
Sunlight streamed through the glass windows, casting soft patches of light inside the carriage.
The wheels rolled over the bluestone slabs, making a rhythmic "clunk" sound, like a lullaby.
Qin Mu leaned against the car wall, propping his chin up with one hand, his gaze fixed on the rapidly receding street scene outside the window.
He did not choose to stay in Qing Shi City.
With a horse-drawn carriage, we can travel at night, so there's no need to waste time in this small town.
With the martial arts tournament drawing ever closer, he wanted to see more scenery and visit more places.
This feels really good.
Before, when I went out, I either flew in the sky, covering thousands of miles in an instant. Although it was fast, it lacked the feeling of traveling.
They either travel with a large entourage of guards, surrounded by a retinue, making it impossible to keep a low profile even if they want to.
Never before have we been able to do this: a carriage, a few people, go wherever we want, stop whenever we want, and leave whenever we want.
Feeling relaxed and at ease, as if a burden has been lifted.
A slight smile played on his lips, and a hint of satisfaction flashed in his eyes.
Han Xin'er sat beside him, her gaze fixed on his face. Seeing the smile on his lips, her own lips unconsciously curved upwards as well.
She didn't know what he was laughing at, but when she saw him laugh, she wanted to laugh too.
Jiang Zhaoyue closed her eyes, leaned against the car wall, and breathed steadily, as if she were dozing off.
Her eyelashes were long and drooped slightly, casting two fan-shaped shadows under her eyes.
Xu Fenghua lowered her head, her fingers gently stroking inside her sleeve, lost in thought.
Her expression was calm, but her brows were slightly furrowed, with a very faint knot between them.
Yun Suxin leaned against the corner, arms crossed, eyes closed, like a cold porcelain statue.
Chen Wanqing sat at the innermost part, her veil removed, revealing an exquisitely beautiful face.
Her gaze fell on the fields and villages rushing past the window, and a sense of peace settled over her.
She found that she liked this feeling too.
The carriage drove out of Qing Shi City and onto the official road.
The official road was wide and flat, with rolling hills in the distance, covered with maple trees whose leaves had turned red, like clusters of burning fire.
Qin Mu's gaze fell on the maple forest, a hint of interest flashing in his eyes. "Stop the car."
Yunluan pulled on the reins, and the carriage slowly came to a stop.
Qin Mu lifted the carriage curtain, jumped off the carriage, and walked towards the maple forest.
The women looked at each other, wondering what he was going to do, and then got off the carriage.
The maple forest is beautiful.
The maple leaves have turned red, densely packed, like a burning cloud.
The ground was covered with fallen leaves, which felt soft and rustling underfoot.
Sunlight filtered through the gaps in the branches and leaves, casting dappled shadows on the ground.
Qin Mu stood with his hands behind his back, gazing at the maple forest, and took a deep breath.
The air is filled with the fresh scent of fallen leaves, the fragrance of earth, and the unique, crisp, and refreshing atmosphere of autumn.
He turned his head, looked at the group of women behind him, and his smile deepened. "Do I look good?"
Jiang Zhaoyue stood beside him, her gaze sweeping over the maple forest, and nodded. "Beautiful."
Han Xin'er's eyes sparkled, like two brightened stars. "So beautiful..."
Xu Fenghua raised her head and looked at the maple forest, the gloom in her eyes dissipating somewhat.
Her lips twitched slightly, as if trying to form a smile, but the smile vanished before it could take shape.
Yun Suxin stood at the very back, arms crossed, expressionless.
Her gaze fell upon the maple forest, and a sense of peace settled over her.
She had seen even the most beautiful scenery.
Once, she stood on a higher mountain and saw even redder maple leaves.
At that time, she thought she owned the whole world.
Now, she has nothing left.
Chen Wanqing stood beside Han Xiner, the veil of her hat fluttering in the wind, revealing a glimpse of her fair chin.
Qin Mu bent down and picked up a maple leaf from the ground.
The maple leaves are fiery red, with clear veins and slightly curled edges, like a burning butterfly.
He turned around, walked up to Han Xin'er, and handed her the maple leaf.
"This is for you."
Han Xin'er was stunned.
Her eyes were wide open, her mouth was slightly agape, and a blush spread from her cheeks to her ears.
She reached out and took the maple leaf, her fingertips touching his, as if she had touched a flame.
Her hands were trembling slightly, her heart was pounding, and even her breathing became rapid.
She lowered her head, looking at the fiery red maple leaf in her hand, and the corners of her mouth slowly turned up, the curve growing wider and wider, impossible to suppress.
"Thank you, young master." Her voice was very soft, as soft as a petal falling on the water.
Qin Mu smiled, turned around, and walked towards the carriage. "Let's go, let's continue our journey."
The women followed behind him, their footsteps rustling through the fallen leaves.
Sunlight filters through the gaps in the maple leaves, casting dappled shadows on them like a flowing painting.
The carriage restarted and continued north along the official road.
Qin Mu leaned against the car wall with his eyes closed.
Han Xin'er sat beside him, clutching the maple leaf in her hand, reluctant to put it down.
She held the maple leaf up to her eyes, looking at it against the sunlight; its veins were as clear as a map.
She didn't know where the map led, but she felt that as long as she followed him, it didn't matter where she went.
Chen Wanqing sat in the corner, her gaze fixed on the maple leaf in Han Xin'er's hand. She looked at it for a long time before shifting her gaze to the window.
Jiang Zhaoyue opened her eyes, glanced at Han Xin'er, and then closed them again.
Her lips curled slightly upward, but she said nothing.
Xu Fenghua lowered her head, her fingers gently stroking inside her sleeve.
Her mind was in turmoil, like a crumpled piece of paper that could not be smoothed out.
She didn't know what she was thinking, or what she should be thinking.
All she knew was that she didn't have that maple leaf.
Yun Suxin closed her eyes and leaned against the car wall, as if she were asleep.
Her breathing was steady and long, but her brows were slightly furrowed, with a very faint knot between them, clearly indicating that she was preoccupied.
The carriage sped along the official road, its hooves shattering the sunlight on the ground.
The wheels rolled over the loess soil, raising fine dust.
The road ahead is still long, and the northern sky is still far away.
But Qin Mu wasn't in a hurry.
He has plenty of time.
The further north you go, the colder it gets.
The wind blew in from the north, carrying a biting chill, seeping into my collar and cutting into my skin like a knife.
The leaves on the roadside trees had all fallen, and the bare branches pointed towards the gray sky, like countless withered hands.
The number of pedestrians on the official road was increasing, and they were no longer ordinary people, but mostly martial artists with swords hanging from their waists and walking nimbly.
Some in twos and threes, others in groups, all headed in the same direction—the North.
They were quite strong, with a calm demeanor and sharp eyes; they were clearly not ordinary people.
Qin Mu leaned against the carriage wall, looking through the glass window at the martial artists hurrying along, a slight smile playing on his lips.
After switching to a horse-drawn carriage, it became impossible to travel along the side roads.
The official road was wide and the wheels of the carriages were smooth, so it was fast to travel on, but it was also conspicuous.
During the rest period, Yunluan parked the carriage in an open space beside the official road.
The women got out of the car, started a fire to cook, washed vegetables and chopped meat, and busied themselves with their tasks.
Qin Mu sat on a rock, leaning against a tree trunk, one hand supporting his chin, watching their busy figures.
Han Xin'er squatted by the stream washing vegetables, her fingers red from the cold, but she didn't complain about the cold.
Jiang Zhaoyue was cutting meat on the side, her knife skills were so good that the slices were as thin as cicada wings.
Yun Suxin sat by the fire, adding firewood, her face expressionless.
Chen Wanqing stood not far away, her face hidden by a veil.
Xu Fenghua stood by the stream, gazing at the flowing water, lost in thought.
Yunluan wasn't there; she went to patrol the surrounding area.
A man walked along the official road with several maids.
The man was around thirty years old, with delicate features, but his face was bloodless, as white as paper, with heavy dark circles under his eyes and purple lips. He looked like he was seriously ill, or like something had hollowed out his body.
He wore a moon-white brocade robe, a jade belt around his waist, a jade crown on his head, and black boots on his feet. However, the clothes were loose and baggy on him, as if they were hanging on a clothes rack and couldn't be straightened up.
He was followed by six maids, each with a beautiful face, dressed in the same light blue dress, with long swords hanging at their waists, and moving with light steps, clearly skilled in martial arts.
The man walked up to Qin Mu and stopped.
He took a slight breath, as if he had walked a long way and was quite tired.
He glanced at Qin Mu, then his gaze shifted from Qin Mu to the women, from Jiang Zhaoyue to Han Xin'er, from Han Xin'er to Xu Fenghua, from Xu Fenghua to Yun Suxin, from Yun Suxin to Chen Wanqing, and then from Chen Wanqing back to Qin Mu.
A hint of amazement flashed in his eyes, along with a barely concealed envy.
He swallowed hard, clasped his hands in a fist salute, and spoke in a weak voice, as if squeezed from the depths of his throat.
"Young master, I greet you. May I ask which sect you belong to? With such a beautiful lady by your side, you are truly the envy of all."
His gaze drifted back to the women, clinging to them as if glued on, impossible to pull away from.
Qin Mu looked at his appearance, a smile appeared on his lips, and a playful light flashed in his eyes.
He recalled a classic character—the Prince with Kidney Deficiency.
Qin Mu leaned against the tree trunk, not even lifting his eyelids, and spoke in a calm voice.
"Gouge out his eyes."
Before the pale-faced man could react, Yunluan had already moved.