Chapter 6
Our Discord Server: https://discord.gg/PazjBDkTmW
Qi Wuhuo, holding the jade pillow, returned to his bed. As soon as he closed his eyes, he fell into a deep, drowsy sleep. The jade pillow seemed to be hollow inside, appearing to grow larger and larger until it suddenly enveloped him.
Qi Wuhuo felt as if he were falling into an abyss, and a cold sweat broke out all over him.
In the midst of the daze, it seemed as if he opened his eyes and saw that the sky had turned to dusk. He had slept for a long time, and outside, a heavy snow was falling, covering the world in silence.
Qi Wuhuo raised his hand to press his forehead, trying to gather his thoughts. When he looked to the side, he saw that the package was still by his side, containing books, clothes, and coins, all intact. He then recalled that Teacher Su had delivered things to him earlier, and he had fallen asleep alone at home in a daze.
This was indeed not what should have happened.
The food and drink on that day were needless to mention.
With the coins given by Teacher Su, Qi Wuhuo, in this cold winter, no longer needed to do odd jobs in town for money. This allowed him more time to study diligently. Moreover, the annotations in the books were very detailed, which helped him make faster progress.
When spring arrived the following year, Teacher Su indeed recommended him.
Qi Wuhuo won first place in the spring examination, and his reputation spread all over the world. After bidding farewell to Teacher Su, he went to the city to continue his studies. After three years, during the autumn examination, he also achieved victory, with his literary skills refined and his writing sharp. His reputation spread throughout the region, reaching the governor of the prefecture.
In his dealings, he interacted with high-ranking families and distinguished individuals.
Even the officials of the prefecture treated him with considerable respect.
However, Qi Wuhuo’s upright nature made him unwilling to accept support from aristocratic families.
Even if there were aristocratic families interested in his talents, hoping to bet on him early and adopt him as a member of the main branch of their family, Qi Wuhuo would not agree. The young ladies who had shown affection towards him found themselves frustrated by his aloofness and chose to ignore him from then on.
In literary circles, Qi Wuhuo also gained a reputation of ‘either being a gentleman who is not fond of sensual pleasures or someone like Long Yang’. When young ladies from aristocratic families talked about him, they would all laugh, but there was often a hint of dissatisfaction in their laughter, showing their frustration with his lack of romantic interest.
He had friends who inquired about his disposition. Qi Wuhuo would respond with confusion:
“I simply haven’t encountered [mutual affection] yet.”
“If I were indeed a ‘longyang’ type.”
“Then you would be in trouble.”
The friend’s face turned pale, covering their rear with their hand, and they recoiled several steps in fear.
Later, when he went to the capital to further his studies, he lived in a remote area near the surrounding mountains. One night, while asleep, he was suddenly awoken. As he was still in confusion, he heard a knock on the door.
Since this was the outskirts of the capital. Those skilled martial artists from the Jianghu, or those who know a bit of magic or Daoist and Buddhist spells, indeed have some abilities to come here.
At this hour, it certainly wasn’t a normal visitor.
Seventeen-year-old Qi Wuhuo drew his sword and stood up. One hand rested on the hilt of his sword, while he used the other to lightly open the door. He expected to see a thief or troublemaker, but instead, he was slightly stunned when he looked up.
Standing under the moonlight was a young girl, no more than sixteen or seventeen years old.
She was dressed in green, with an elegant demeanor. Upon seeing Qi Wuhuo open the door, she immediately bowed respectfully. Her lips were red, her teeth white, and her smile was full of charm. Her elegancy and beauty surpassed that of aristocratic young ladies, and her noble bearing was even more striking.
Qi Wuhuo was traveling alone to study, so Teacher Su taught him swordsmanship. The sword in his hand has slain people, and he even encountered ghosts while studying in ancient temples. He studied from a young age and nourished his Yang Qi, he was not afraid. He simply cupped his hands and asked:
“May I ask why the young lady is knocking on my door at this hour?”
The beautiful girl with her hair hanging loose smiled slightly and said:
“Such treatment is too much for someone like me. I am only a maid.”
“My young lady has heard of Junzi‘s words before and has been hesitating for a long time. Today, upon hearing Young Master playing the qin so beautifully, she felt joy in her heart and could not contain her desire to meet you. She wished to befriend you to enjoy your company. I am here to inquire whether it is too forward of us.”
Qi Wuhuo sensed something unusual and glanced up at the moonlight.
He thought to himself that if a demon or something strange was coming, he could not avoid it anyway. He smiled and said: “It is exactly what I wish for, though I dare not request it. I will wait here. May I ask when and where will the young lady and I meet?”
“Pfft, do not worry Junzi, it will be today.”
The girl in green smiled and then turned to leave. Qi Wuhuo pondered for a long time, sitting at a stone table outside his door, dressed in his blue cloth robe. Not far away was a great mountain. He closed his eyes in contemplation, his long sword resting across his knees. The wind blew, and the bamboo forest swayed. Although he knew something unusual was coming, he felt no fear.
Soon enough, he indeed heard someone approaching.
Qi Wuhuo slowly opened his eyes, and his sword let out a faint hum.
Even though he was prepared, he was still slightly surprised by the grandeur of the visitors. Under the moonlight, hundreds of people arrived, all dressed in fine silks and satin. A sedan chair was being carried, with lantern-bearing maids in front and behind, all looking radiant and charming, their ornaments jingling. To one side of the sedan chair stood the previously seen girl in green, her mouth curved in a smile.
The place where Qi Wuhuo was staying was already on the edge of the capital’s outer city. Although it was called the outer city, it was merely a gathering area surrounding the capital, close to the mountains and with flowing water. The visitors had set up many luxurious items here, laying out blankets made of the pelts of three hundred kinds of precious exotic beasts, as well as various spiritual fruits, fine wines, and delicacies. In an instant, it resembled a banquet of high officials and nobility.
Even the spring outings of the prefectural governor were not this extravagant.
Qi Wuhuo was slightly surprised but maintained his composure and took his seat calmly.
The [young lady] did not come down from the sedan chair but said: “Having been in the house for a long time, hearing young master’s qin music today made me very happy. The reception is humble, and I hope Junzi will not find it lacking.”
After some polite conversation, the young lady remained inside the sedan chair and played several pieces of music on the qin, all of them masterful. Qi Wuhuo, though not fond of playing the qin himself, had been compelled to learn it by Teacher Su, who insisted that a Junzi must master the Six Arts. Although he had heard many performances, the qin music of this young lady was the most exquisite he had heard throughout his studies.
Qi Wuhuo attempted to probe her with conversation, but the young lady, though unseen, was perceptive and articulate. Her insights and judgments on the current state of affairs were precise and even surpassed those of Qi Wuhuo’s teachers.
The young lady seemed occasionally startled by some of Qi Wuhuo’s remarks and would sigh from time to time.
Their conversation flowed effortlessly, and before they knew it, dawn was approaching. They parted ways as the sun rose in the east, with mist rising in the forest. Qi Wuhuo, holding his long sword, saw the young lady off as she departed in the sedan chair, pondering deeply.
After that, the young lady often visited, always arriving at night and leaving at dawn. This continued for several months. Qi Wuhuo gradually lowered his guard, occasionally playing the qin and engaging in leisurely conversations. With this good friend to discuss and exchange ideas, his knowledge and understanding of the world improved.
He knew in his heart that this young lady was no ordinary person.
Yet, despite not being of his kind, she maintained an upright demeanor, so it was not a concern.
On the 15th night of the Mid-Autumn Festival, after finishing tea and exchanging a few words, Qi Wuhuo was tuning his qin.
Suddenly, the beautiful maid in green, with a faint smile, listened attentively to a few words for a moment. She chuckled softly, and strong men on either side began to lay thick carpets on the ground. The young woman in green then looked at Qi Wuhuo with a sly and mischievous smile. Holding a golden jade ruyi scepter, she bent down to hook the curtain of the sedan chair with it, gently drawing it open.
Qi Wuhuo, who was in the midst of playing the qin, was initially calm as water, but his heart was surprised at the sight, causing a slight interruption in his music.
Before the discordant notes could settle, the person from the sedan chair had already emerged.
Her delicate silk slippers lightly tread on the carpet, and then her voice, soft yet poised, playfully said:
“Why does your qin music sound so disordered, Wuhuo?”
✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦
Long Yang – a term for someone with homosexual tendencies
Junzi – a person of noble character
qin – a type of zither
Orluros’s Vault of Secrets: If you liked the chapter feel free to donate 🙂 and if you find any errors in the translation please mention them in the comments here or in discord
