Chapter 38

Xiao Changyuan watched as Yun Pianpian stood in front of him, defending him.
He couldn't help but curl his pale, thin lips into a smile.
His wife looked adorably imposing when she was fierce, like a little white rabbit with reddened eyes.
Though delicate and fragile, he could crush her with one hand, she had unhesitatingly stepped in front of him, fiercely demanding justice on his behalf.
Xiao Changyuan had initially been somewhat displeased at not having defeated the old man.
But that slight displeasure vanished instantly because of Yun Pianpian's actions.
Yun Pianpian took the pickled vegetables Jiang Cuicui had given her, carried them to the corner, and crouched down to sort through the pile of broken jars and containers on the ground. Pickled vegetables and sauces had spilled everywhere, all of it ruined. Yun Pianpian's small face scrunched up, her heart aching as if bleeding.
“My white radishes, my pickled vegetables.”
Xiao Changyuan lowered his head and admitted his fault. “I'm sorry, wife.”
Yun Pianpian felt that Xiao Changyuan was also a victim, so she didn't blame him. Instead, she said softly, “Don't fight in the courtyard next time.”
Xiao Changyuan replied, “Okay.”
Over the next two days, Wan Shanke frequently troubled Xiao Changyuan.
When Xiao Changyuan was chopping firewood, Wan Shanke said his technique was wrong and explained how to chop properly to achieve twice the result with half the effort.
When Xiao Changyuan went to the river to fetch water, Wan Shanke said his skills were inadequate and demonstrated how to channel the water into the bucket correctly.
When Xiao Changyuan was repairing the wooden window, Wan Shanke said his posture was incorrect and showed him how to direct his strength into the nails.
Wan Shanke was extremely eager to offer guidance to Xiao Changyuan.
But Xiao Changyuan showed no appreciation whatsoever.
Xiao Changyuan lowered his gaze, focusing intently on the task at hand, paying no attention to Wan Shanke, not even a glance in his direction.
Wan Shanke said angrily, “Young friend, did you even hear what I said?”
Xiao Changyuan finally set down the tools he was using to repair the wooden window, raised his cold eyes, and looked icily at Wan Shanke.
“If you want to fight, then make your move. Why waste words?”
Wan Shanke replied, “How is this a waste of words? I am offering you guidance. Your palm techniques may be sharp and fierce, but there is still room for improvement. If you would only listen to my advice, you could one day establish your own school and become a grandmaster!”
Xiao Changyuan said indifferently, “I have no interest in becoming a grandmaster.”
Wan Shanke was taken aback, frowned, and said, “Your bone structure is exceptional, you are a natural martial arts prodigy. With my guidance, within ten years, you could dominate the martial world. Even Ji Wuliang might not be your match. To not become a grandmaster would be a waste of your heaven-sent talent.”
“I am Heaven itself.”
Xiao Changyuan raised his dark, profound, and icy ink, black eyes, his gaze cold as he looked at Wan Shanke.
“To me, heaven-sent talent is nothing but a tool.”
The aloof and solitary young man stood in the fenced courtyard, his expression filled with arrogance.
His cold eyes held not a trace of warmth, his detached and merciless gaze as if he were looking down upon all living beings.
“How could I possibly be interested in a mere tool?”
Wan Shanke stared blankly at Xiao Changyuan.
This kind of look, this kind of tone, he had seen it fifty years ago, on Ji Wuliang.
That man, known as the world's number one, Ji Wuliang, had ultimately lost his way in the pursuit of supreme martial arts. He had fallen into a state of derangement during training and accidentally killed his wife and child, after which he disappeared without a trace.
Rumors spread in the martial world that Ji Wuliang had gone mad, some said he had died, and others claimed he had become a monk.
Since then, no one had seen Ji Wuliang again.
Xiao Changyuan looked coldly at Wan Shanke. “Whose shadow are you seeing in me?”
Wan Shanke was startled, not expecting this young man in black to have such astonishing insight, able to see through everything. He whispered, “I was merely thinking of an old friend. It's been decades since we last met, and I wonder how he is doing now.”
Xiao Changyuan had no interest in Wan Shanke's old friend.
He slightly lifted his pale, gaunt chin, his ink, dark eyes profound and cold as he stared at Wan Shanke.
“Do you still want to fight or not?”
Wan Shanke, filled with a fervent desire to nurture talent, could not be easily deterred by Xiao Changyuan's indifference. Seeing that words alone could not move him, he decided to guide Xiao Changyuan through martial arts. Wan Shanke said softly, “Let's fight.”
Xiao Changyuan said indifferently, “Don't fight here. If the jars break, my wife will be angry.”
Wan Shanke was taken aback, then chuckled teasingly, “I never expected you, young friend, to be afraid of your wife.”
Xiao Changyuan replied coldly, “What's so funny about being afraid of my wife?”
Wan Shanke was left speechless by Xiao Changyuan's words.
Back when his late wife was still alive, his so, called friends in the martial arts world often mocked him for being afraid of his wife. After hearing it so many times, Wan Shanke began to care about it. To prove he wasn't afraid of his wife, he deliberately stopped going home, spending all his time fooling around with those friends outside.
His wife noticed his coldness but never said a word. Every night, she would light a small lamp and wait quietly for him to return. In his youth, he didn't know how to cherish such moments, always thinking that romantic attachments would hinder his path to fame and success.
But when he finally achieved fame and success, he realized that what he truly wanted was just that small lamp waiting for him.
Wan Shanke thought that after all these years, he should have long moved on from the pain of losing his wife. Yet, when memories were stirred, the heart, wrenching agony reminded him that he still hadn't let go.
He would never be able to let go in this lifetime.
As Wan Shanke recalled the past, his aged, turbid eyes grew slightly red, and his tone was filled with bitterness.
“Indeed, it's not laughable. You, young friend, are far wiser than this old man.”
Such a simple truth, and he only understood it after losing his wife.
He truly was not as good as this young man in black.
Xiao Changyuan had no interest in Wan Shanke's loves and hatreds.
He said calmly, “I'll let my wife know, then go to the mountains to fight with you.”
Wan Shanke replied, “Alright.”
When Yun Pianpian learned that Wan Shanke and Xiao Changyuan had agreed to a duel, she asked worriedly, “How long will you two fight? Will you get hurt? Should I go with you to keep an eye on him, so he doesn't take advantage of his age to bully you?”
Xiao Changyuan, concerned that Wan Shanke might accidentally harm Yun Pianpian, refused, saying, “I'll be back before the sun sets. Nothing will happen.”
Hearing this, Yun Pianpian had no choice but to relent and urged, “Then you must come back before the sun sets.”
Xiao Changyuan nodded, turned around, and strode out of the house, leading Wan Shanke to the mountains for their duel.
The two fought in the mountains for a long time, with no clear winner. Just as the battle reached a stalemate, Xiao Changyuan suddenly withdrew and glanced at the evening clouds in the sky. He said to Wan Shanke, “I'm done fighting. The sun is about to set, and my wife is waiting for me at home.”
Wan Shanke tried to stop him, “Just three more moves, only three! I'm sure I can defeat you!”
Xiao Changyuan replied indifferently, “My wife told me to return home before the sun sets, not a moment late.”
With that, Xiao Changyuan lightly tapped his feet, leaped into the air, and flew over the forest toward home using his inner strength.
He left Wan Shanke alone, standing there listening to the rustling cold wind and the sound of falling leaves.
“Never mind.”
Wan Shanke sighed softly.
He had previously worried that this arrogant and unruly young man in black might follow the same path as Ji Wuliang of the past, leading to the tragedy of mistakenly killing his wife and child. But now, seeing how deeply this young man cherished his wife, he was certain he would not repeat that mistake.
A sharp, cold, and gleaming long sword should be sheathed to avoid harming others and itself.
And now, this sword named Shitou had finally found its scabbard.
Yun Pianpian finished washing the rice and chopping the vegetables, then sat in the courtyard waiting for Xiao Changyuan. When she saw him return, she immediately went up to him.
“How did it go? Are you hurt anywhere?”
Xiao Changyuan shook his head and said, “Aren’t you concerned about winning or losing?”
Yun Pianpian replied, “Winning and losing aren’t that important. You can’t win forever, and you can’t lose forever either. What matters most is your health.”
Hearing her words, Xiao Changyuan’s lips curved almost imperceptibly.
“You’re right, wife.”
The next day, Zhou Qiren hesitantly asked Chen Fashan, “Your Majesty, are we really going to do this?”
When they had first arrived in Jiangjia Village, it was the village chief who had kindly taken them in, and Jiang Cuicui was the village chief’s most beloved granddaughter.
Zhou Qiren couldn’t help feeling uneasy.
Chen Fashan’s expression darkened as he said, “I am the ruler of a nation. Countless people have died by my hand. There’s no reason for me to grow soft-hearted now that we’re in Jiangjia Village. Jiang Cuicui is just a village girl. If she can die for the sake of Chen, it would be her fortune.”
Zhou Qiren had no choice but to lower his head and say, “Your Majesty speaks wisely.”
“Wan Shanke is currently a guest at Jiang Cuicui’s house. We cannot personally lure her out, lest we arouse his suspicion. I have observed Jiang Cuicui for a long time, this village girl has feelings for Jiang Sheyu. And every month on this day, Jiang Sheyu goes to the county town to sell the calligraphy and paintings he’s made. I will use Jiang Sheyu’s name to arrange a meeting with Jiang Cuicui today beneath the pomegranate tree on the back hill.”
Chen Fashan handed the written note to Zhou Qiren. “Find a child to deliver this note to Jiang Cuicui. Make sure no one else finds out about this. We cannot reveal our identities.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Jiang Goudan was six years old and known throughout Jiangjia Village as a little troublemaker. That day, while he was playing with mud on the road, a man wearing a light veil hat suddenly called out to him, “Goudan, do you want some candy?”
Jiang Goudan looked up. “Yes.”
Zhou Qiren handed the note to Jiang Goudan. “Take this note to Jiang Cuicui at the village chief’s house, and I’ll give you this bag of candy.” Zhou Qiren shook the bag of candy, then grabbed a handful and gave it to Jiang Goudan, speaking gently, “Go quickly and come back soon. Tell her I am A’Yu. Don’t say another word.”
Jiang Goudan took the note and the candy from Zhou Qiren and was about to leave when the man called out to him again.
“And one more thing, when you come back, throw a stone at the roof of Shitou’s house.”
“Okay.”
Jiang Goudan nodded, clutching the candy in his hand, and skipped happily toward Jiang Cuicui's house.
Zhou Qiren watched his retreating figure, his face hidden behind a veil, murmuring softly, “I've done all I can. The rest depends on whether Jiang Cuicui's fate is strong enough.”
Jiang Goudan cheerfully handed the note to Jiang Cuicui.
“This is from A’Yu for you.”
With that, he bounced away from the village chief's house.
Before leaving, Jiang Goudan playfully tossed a stone onto the roof of the Shitou family's house.
He had completed all his tasks exceptionally well.
Returning to the narrow path, Jiang Goudan took a bag of candy from Zhou Qiren's hand.
“Thank you, Uncle.”
Zhou Qiren reached out and patted Jiang Goudan's head. “Don't tell anyone you saw me. I'll bring you more candy next time.”
Jiang Goudan obediently nodded. “Okay.”