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Chapter 14 Targeting  Zhǐ Gē
Lou Chen was used to getting up early every day in the morning. She will be up even before her father was up when she was still in Prime Minister’s Mansion. In the morning she would practice with her sword for an hour before breakfast but today she is in no mood to practice but just holding Cang Feng and wiping down the soft blade with cloth, but this time she has a faint expression in her face, her eyes linger on the sword’s blade full of curiosity.
After a while, Lou Chen wrapped the sword around her waist, opened the courtyard door and went out.
Just out of the inner room, she was immediately greeted by Xiao An, smiling: “Miss Lou, good morning.”
Lou Chen nodded slightly at the Xiao An, whose face is now blushing unaware. He grew up in the town and he has not seen such a beautiful and elegant girl. Although she is little aloof, but not the kind of arrogant snob, she just does not like to speak a lot.
“Breakfast is ready, the young master asked me to come over and ask you over to eat.” Xiao An without looking at Lou Chen quickly took two steps to lead the way.
Lou Chen’s initial impression of House of Thousand Grass was big. Xiao An leads her from the outside, after a turn it leads to another courtyard with a larger backyard and on its center is a stone table with food on them and three people sitting around.
“Good morning, Chen Er.” Jin Yan Hen raises from his seat and greeted her full of smiles.
Jin Yan Hen’s face looked a lot better than the night before, it is still a little pale but he looks his usual self in general. Lou Chen gaze fell on his bandaged arm, pointing with her mouth, replied, ” You are in good spirit, it seemed the medicine helped.”
Jin Yan Hen’s whole body stiffened, he began to feel the searing pain of the wound, he cleared his throat, straightened his face and said, “Chen Er, the medicine is very good, of course, it is very good.” Fang Ru Hui was looking at Jing Yan Hen at the corner of his eyes and thinking to himself, that this man was howling last night while his wound was being cleaned, his ears are still sore after listening to those cry of pain. It is good that he forgot how painful it was, but Fan Ru Hui did not bother to remind him of it.
Fang Ru Hui smiled at the Lou Chen, “Miss Lou, ah, sit.”
Lou Chen nodded but her eyes were looking around for someone. She did not see Qu Ning Shuang and she did not find that strange. She is the daughter of a magistrate and it is not unusual if she can’t really live in a hospital.
When Lou Chen sat down, a bowl of porridge was quickly handed in front of him, “Chen Er, what do you like to eat? How about porridge?”
“Cough, cough!”
When Lou Chen took the porridge, Jin Ru suddenly has a fit of coughing, then calmly and collectedly herself drank the porridge.
Jin Yan Hen magnificently passed another bowl of porridge before Jin Ru, laughing, “Aunt, you also eat more.”
Jin Ru glared at him, did not say anything, while giving a slight bow to the porridge, she was stealthily eyeing Lou Chen at one corner of her eye.
This girl is quiet, graceful, and dignified in demeanor while having a meal. She dined with her at the same table, unconsciously relieved. Jin Ru has to say that this girl is extremely well educated and her upbringing is extremely good, that worries her much more. Jin Ru turned to Jin Yan Hen and sure enough, the boy’s stare was glued to Lou Chen, his eyes are not even blinking!
Jin Ru stepped on Jin Yan Hen’s foot without mercy,” Aww…” after taking a mouthful of air, he whispered, “My aunt, I am your favorite nephew!” Dare to mention it. His eyes were still glued on Lou Chen as he was talking and refusing to come to his sense making Jin Ru was so irritated to death by him!
Miss Lou was leisurely drinking her porridge, but the faint smile on the corner her mouth shows that she is in a very good mood.
As the group was having a’ lively’ breakfast when Xiao An came back running and whispered, “Master, that person woke up.”
Fang Ru Hui wave the spoon he was holding in his hand and said, ” He won’t hurt anyone again”.
” No, he said he would like to see … … ” Xiao An hesitated for a moment, looked at a Lou Chen sideways and whispered,” He wants to see Miss Lou. “
Beside Lou Chen, those three other faces around the breakfast table became frantic and bemused. Fang Ru Hui gave Lou Chen a questioning look and asked, “Miss Lou?”
After eating the last mouthful of porridge, Lou Chen put down her spoon, wiped her mouth with the clean cloth and just nodded.
Fang Ru Hui just wanted to tell Xiao An to go back and tell the man to wait but Jin Yan Hen suddenly said,” Xiao An, help him come here and have breakfast together with us .”
“Yes.” Xiao An did not think much of it and ran out again.
Fang Ru Hui glanced Lou Chen but the expression on her face is the same. She did not look like she disapproved of it and also she made no comment about the arrangement.
In a short while, Xiao An came back escorting the man into the courtyard. The man has changed into a white dress, his face is still gray, he is not in a very good mood, if it is not for the small help from Xiao An, he may not be able to walk so far. However, even in his weak state, he still held the ink black sword in his hand.
The moment the man walked in, his stare is already glued at Lou Chen who just finished her breakfast and now sipping her tea ignoring the man’s persistent look. Jin Yan Hen found himself in the middle of a tense and awkward scenario.
In order not to make the atmosphere more embarrassing, Fang Ru Hui smiled towards the man, “How do you feel? Do you have breakfast yet, sit down and eat.”
The man sat down on the stone bench, his eyes finally moved away from Lou Chen’s face but rather turn his gaze on the soft sword around her waist with the voice of urgency and perplexity asked, “Why Cang Feng is in your possession?”
Lou Chen, who is frivolously sipping her tea finally turned to the man and look at him in the eyes, ” Why should I tell you? “
Just by looking at her beautiful eyes, the man’s brows gradually wrinkled and he realized that if she can’t get those things she is interested to exchange, she will never tell him the answer.
He looked at the sword again in one corner of his eyes, he thought for a moment, then said, ” If you want to know something, you can ask and I will answer your question, then I will ask, then you in return should also answer my question.”
Lou Chen was very satisfied with this arrangement. She put down her teacup and threw out a string of questions at once. “Who are you? How did you know ‘Cang Feng’? Why are you being chased? Who is chasing you? What’s the origin of the sword in your hand?”
The man’s frown became tighter, hesitated for a moment before he replied, “I am Xing Mu, the Young Master of Xiao Jian Villa (or Sword Manor). I knew Cang Feng because my father often mentions it and there is a picture of Cang Feng in the Villa, so I recognize it at a glance. “
Sword Manor? The group of people looks at the man in astonishment.
Lou Chen is not from Liao Yue but she also heard of this Sword Manor. Although it is in a place of rivers and lakes of martial arts or called the pugilistic world, it is famous in all countries because Sword Manor has possession of countless good swords, famous swords. Swordsmen from all over the world were attracted to this place seeking to get a sword, even if they could not, just getting a glimpsed of famous swords will be good enough. Swordsmen regarded Sword Manor as the holy land of swords. Lou Chen originally wanted to see a glimpse of it also, unexpectedly today, he meets the Young Master of the Sword Manor. But how can this young master appear awkwardly in the border town of Liao Yue? Lou Chen actually was very curious also and eager to know the answer.
Lou Chen lightly strokes the soft sword around her waist and whispered, “Who is its original owner.?” The man answered without thinking, immediately shook his head, “I actually do not know.”
A lie. If you do not know who the original owner, why would you ask then? “Why Cang Feng is in your possession?” If he refused to confess it, Lou Chen did not pursue any further.
When he saw Lou Chen’s silent demeanor, Xing Mu was worried that she would refuse to tell her something about Cang Feng. He quickly added, “Whoever is chasing me is not clear to me either. The reason they were after me is probably that of this sword. “
After he finished speaking, Xing Mu placed the sword on the stone table. The sword looked darker and visible during the day. It is a modest sword. During the day, this sword black color is darker, just ordinary. Generally, it can be looked upon only as a sword, if it is done meticulously and exquisitely, people can see it at one glance, like Cang Feng, it has a beautiful white blade and when the edge of the blade shines, it exudes it coldness everywhere highlighting its uniqueness. But this sword in one look, there is nothing special about it, it was very ordinary.
After seeing all the people’s attention was focused on this sword, Xing Mu continued, “This sword is called Zhi Ge ( Counterpart of Hidden Brilliance).”
Xing Mu was talking and also secretly observing the facial reaction of Lou Chen. He saw that she only slightly swept a glanced and have no special expression.
Lou Chen did not respond. Jin Yan Hen, however, was very interested as he was looking, smiling he said, “This sword is called Zhi Ge? Quite interesting! Is this Lord Xing Zhuang sword?”
Xing Mu shook his head and sighed before replying, “No, it is my father’s best friend. He asked my father years ago to keep it in custody. My father has always been cautious, all these years it has been fine, but recently I do not know what happened, the secret leaked and my father was afraid to keep it because he may lose it and asked me to take it to the safe place as soon as possible. Our party of twelve, I am the only that remains.”
Send it away? Jin Yan Hen laughed, “You want to send the sword to Qiong Yue?” Otherwise how else they would end up in this small border town?
He doesn’t know if he already divulged so much, but he wants to make things clear so he does not hide anything and said it plainly, “Yes, to Su Family of Qiong Yue.”
Lou Chen clenched her fist on the teacup she was holding when she heard a low expel of breath, “No!”
Everyone’s eyes fell on her. Jin Ru stiffened, she lightly cleared her throat twice, replied, “I mean, your father’s friend is a resident of Liao Yue, since the owner is Liao Yue’s citizen, how can he casually send it to Qiong Yue? In doing so, is it not turning one’s back to a friend who entrusted him? “
Xing Mu looked at her sideways, he felt that her reactions are just too intense, but her facial expression already calmed down,” The reason why my father is sending Zhi Ge to Qiong Yue, he said his father’s friend said if he could no longer protect it, send it to Su House in Qiong Yue.”
” So it is. “Jin Ru nodded and said nothing more.
Jin Yan Hen saw more dark secrets into it but he did not also ask anything anymore.
When everyone has settled on the issue, Xing Mu eagerly look at Lou Chen and said, ” Young Miss, it is your turn to answer my question.”
Lou Chen readily gave him a reply. ‘ Cang Feng is a gift from my father. “
” Who is your father? “
” You just asked one question before and I have already answered. “
The chilly voice now unexpectedly has a tone like that of a scoundrel, Xing Mu stared at her and angrily, ” How can you…”
Anger extremely worked up his heart, Xing Mu expelled a mouthful of blood. Fang Ru Hui hurriedly got up and persuaded him, ” Xing, my boy. Your poisoning is not yet resolved and you can’t be angry. “
Just then, Xiao An came running in again and said, ” Lou Chen, someone is looking for you outside. “
Lou Chen slightly raised her eyebrows, today is not just another day, it was bustling with noise and excitement. It’s incredibly lively.