Chapter 103 - The Cause of Frustration

In a daze, Su Yi had no idea how he had arrived home.

He put down the bag of medicine in his hand and sat at the table. As Ye Beizhi's advice echoed in his ears, his mind was filled with the image of that woman from before.

Ms. Yu was cooking in the kitchen when she heard her son return. She wiped her hands and emerged.

As soon as she came out, she saw that Su Yi looked like he was going crazy. Ms. Yu hurriedly asked, "What’s wrong with you? Have you lost your mind?"

Su Yi was startled by Ms. Yu. He rubbed his face vigorously and turned to smile, "Nothing, Mother... What’s for dinner tonight?"

Ms. Yu glared at him, "What else could it be? Rice porridge! Do you think we are like you, eating delicacies daily?"

Su Yi smiled wryly. He ate rice and pickled vegetables every day at the Hanlin Academy. Where did all those delicacies come from? It seemed that his mother was still a little upset with him.

As he was thinking, his mother said, "Go pick some garlic from the vegetable garden outside." After saying that, she turned and returned to the kitchen, where she busied herself.

Su Yi shook his head with a bitter smile. His mother was unaware of the idea that gentlemen should stay away from the kitchen. Of course, he would still do whatever she asked of him. [ref]This is a Chinese saying that gentlemen/scholars should stay away from the kitchen, not because they shouldn't do cooking or that only women or non-gentlemen/scholars should be doing the cooking, but because there is the killing of life in the kitchen and supposedly gentlemen/scholars carry a heart of benevolence or compassion and would be unable to bear seeing the taking of any life.[ref/]

Just as Su Yi was squatting down to pick garlic outside the door, he turned his head and saw Ye Beizhi walking out of the neighboring door, still carrying a strong medicinal scent.

Upon seeing Ye Beizhi, Su Yi couldn’t help but recall the words he said this afternoon.

"This woman is no weakling, if you want to stay alive... it’s best to stay away from her."

"You..." Su Yi called out to Ye Beizhi, but as soon as he spoke, he found he couldn't continue. He didn't know how to start. He had just scolded Ye Beizhi as a reckless fool in the afternoon, and now he was trying to initiate a conversation. Su Yi felt awkward and embarrassed.

"

Hmm

?" Ye Beizhi turned around, curiously looking at the person squatting in the vegetable garden.

"That..." Su Yi clenched his teeth and thought to himself,

A true gentleman can adapt to circumstances.

"

Ahem

..." Su Yi stood up with an air of nonchalance and brushed off nonexistent dust from his sleeve. "Were you trying to tell me earlier this afternoon that the woman possesses martial skills? Is that true?"

Ye Beizhi blinked but didn’t pay him any attention, apathetically turning around and walking into the house as if to say, "Believe me if you like."

"Hey! You..." Su Yi was dumbfounded. He never expected that after he had so graciously decided to overlook his grievances and speak to him, this person would treat him this way.

"A reckless fool is a reckless fool!" Su Yi muttered under his breath, his voice barely audible. He didn’t dare let Ye Beizhi hear it, the memory of nearly meeting the king of hell was still fresh in his mind.

However, it seemed true that the woman possessed martial skills... Su Yi reflected on how she had pushed him and made a judgment in his heart. If he wanted to get to know this fair maiden, he needed to consider it carefully.

National affairs were his first priority right now. He silently hoped that the woman was a local resident of the capital so that he could find her after he finished his investigation.

As Su Yi thought this, a smile unconsciously appeared on his lips, and he started imagining an ageless love story between a talented scholar and a beautiful woman.

"You little brat, are you daydreaming?" A voice interrupted Su Yi's reverie. "Why haven't you brought back any garlic yet?"

It was old lady Yu, who had come out looking for her garlic after waiting in the kitchen impatiently for a while.

Jolted awake by her scolding, Su Yi hurriedly grabbed a few cloves before taking them inside, shouting, "Coming, coming!"

***

Creak—

The door was pushed open from the outside, and a graceful woman, Alluring Elegy, walked in with a bag of medicine.

Baili Gucheng turned his head to look at her and casually asked, "Why did it take you so long to buy some medicine?"

Yang Lu walked to the table, sat down, threw the bag on the table, poured herself a cup of tea, and after slowly finishing it, she said, "I ran into a lecher who wouldn't let me go."

"A lecher?" Baili Gucheng frowned and turned to look at Yang Lu, noticing that she was staring at him with a smile that was neither here nor there.

Baili Gucheng awkwardly pursed his lips and said, "You're trying to get a rise out of me."

"It's true! Who would waste time lying to you?" Yang Lu lightly huffed.

"Oh? Really? And then what?" Baili Gucheng shrugged his shoulders, looking nonchalant.

"And then?" Yang Lu smiled charmingly. "

Hehe

~ would you believe me if I said I killed him?"

Baili Gucheng turned his head aside, and for a moment he felt dazzled by her alluring smile. Trying to cover his embarrassment, he said, "

Ahem

... that's a good kill. Such people shouldn't be left alive... What a decline in morals, in the grand capital, under the Emperor's feet, there are still those who dare to do such filthy things..."

"

Heh

... how could I kill someone on the street? What we're doing cannot see the light of day. Are you afraid the authorities won't notice us? Can't you think? Or are you~"

Yang Lu leaned sideways, fixing her gaze on Baili Gucheng with an indescribably charming expression. "Are you concerned about me~?"

"

Ha!

Worried about you?" Baili Gucheng turned his head and looked directly into Yang Lu's eyes, their noses almost touching.

This sudden closeness made Yang Lu's cheeks flush, a hint of panic flashing in her eyes, but she didn’t shy away, staring back at him defiantly.

"Ha..." Baili Gucheng stared into Yang Lu's eyes and slowly said, "I'm worried no one will treat my wounds."

"Is that so~?" Yang Lu's eyes darted, and she gently pointed a finger at Baili Gucheng's chest. "Your heartbeat... has sped up~"

"

Hmph

... that's because my injuries have not healed!" Baili Gucheng turned his head away, no longer looking at Yang Lu's mischievous smile.

"Alright, it is what you say it is~" Yang Lu spread her hands, stood up, and gently patted Baili Gucheng's shoulder. "Don't worry, after the matter is done, I will treat you."

"Then... what if it doesn't work out..." Baili Gucheng looked out the window, his voice turning a bit somber.

Yang Lu was taken aback, she didn’t know what Baili Gucheng was thinking about, suddenly becoming like this.

"If... if it doesn't work out..." Yang Lu looked at the back of the man in front of her and took a deep breath. "I will still treat you."

This time, Baili Gucheng didn’t respond, just silently nodded.

"And... and besides..." Yang Lu shook Baili Gucheng's shoulder, "Even without Stormqueller's help, as long as you are willing to draw your sword, it will be a walk in the park...

"Isn't that how we originally planned it? Moreover, once I master the Spring Zephyr Art, I will surely heal the hidden wounds you incur after drawing your sword..."

"Do you know why I am looking for Stormqueller Ye Beizhi?" Baili Gucheng's voice interrupted Yang Lu.

Yang Lu was momentarily speechless, and after a moment she said, "He... Stormqueller Ye Beizhi has profound martial skills and can aid us in—"

Before she could finish, Baili Gucheng shook his head to interrupt her. He placed his sword flat on the table and tapped lightly on the sword's hilt lock.

"Do you know what this lock is made of?"

Yang Lu was taken aback for a moment, and in her heart, she vaguely knew the answer. "I don't know."

"Then do you know why I had to obtain the Deep Sea Profound Iron from that drunkard?"

Yang Lu's expression instantly changed, and she grabbed the sword on the table, staring fiercely at the lock that lacked a keyhole.

"Could this be?!"

"Ha..." Baili Gucheng chuckled self-deprecatingly. "That's right... I had this sheath forged as a lock out of Deep Sea Profound Iron specifically to prevent myself from drawing my sword in anger.

"Until the day I fully master the Concealed Sword Art, I won't have the strength to break it open forcibly.

"The piece of black iron that Ye Beizhi took was what remained after I forged the lock. The reason I need to find him... is this lock. Only his blade, that was forged from the same material, can cut it open."

Yang Lu sat down in despair, and now she finally understood the fundamental reason for Baili Gucheng's restlessness these past few days.

"Without Stormqueller... I cannot draw my sword."