chapter 11

“Brother, the Peach Forest is on fire!”

Feng Cheng heard his most favorite peach forest was burning. His handsome, feminine face immediately turned dark as if he were going to kill somebody. He did not hesitate and leaped towards the forest.

When he found the origin of the fire, he saw a young woman with plain clothes sitting under a peach tree– enjoying the cool air. He wasn’t trying to be funny, but her emotions seemed to really be at ease. She looked as though she had deliberately broken into his peach field to enjoy the breeze.

“Did you start the fire?” He asked.

Murong Yun Shu was shocked by the sudden voice. When did this person walk in front of her? She stood up and patted the dust off her body and raised her head and asked: “Are you the owner of the Peach Forest?” Did she make a mistake? Could it be that this place wasn’t a bandit’s den, but instead a hideout of a superlunary master? This person in front of her, his skin was as white as a corpse but was as beautiful as a woman. She couldn’t find any aura of a thief on him.

“Did you start the fire?” He repeated.

“Are you the owner of the Peach Forest?” She continued asking without replying to his query, her gaze wasn’t angry or frustrated, staring directly at him.

Feng Cheng was stunned. This woman looked soft and weak, but she was stubborn to the bone. “That’s right, I am the owner of the Peach Forest. Did you start the fire?”

“No.”

“Then what is this?” He pointed at the direction where a pile of branches were billowing smoke and said.

Murong Yun Shu slightly raised her left eyebrow and replied: “Branches billowing smoke.” It was also her signal to seek for help.

Feng Cheng was so speechless that he laughed: “You are so humorous.”

Murong Yun Shu did not deny it: “Do you know where the bandits are gathered in this Hua Tuo Mountain?”

Feng Cheng suspiciously stared at her from top to bottom and said: “Did you come here to catch the bandits?”

“I am here to get robbed by the bandits.”

Once again Feng Cheng laughed out loud: “Do you know whose territory you’re standing in right now?”

Murong Yun Shu was stunned for awhile when she heard the word ‘territory,’ then she understood something and said: “You are the most decorous bandit I’ve ever seen.”

“You are the most interesting woman I’ve ever seen.” Feng Cheng looked at her as if she were no better than him.

Murong Yun Shu had successfully walked out of the peach forest under the lead of Feng Cheng, She entered the bandits large base—three cottages, it matched him well.

Entering into one of the cottages, Murong Yun Shu looked around the empty four walls and curiously asked: “Is your treasures hidden or there’s no treasure to expose?” If it’s the after choice, that was quite a failure of him as a bandit.

“Why did you find me for?” He remembered she said she was here to get robbed by the bandits, which means she came to look for him, the ‘boss of mountain’.

“I still have two servants who are halfway up the mountain, please rob them there.”

“I don’t plan to rob today.”

“Why?” If bandits don’t rob, then what are they going to live on? Murong Yun Shu suddenly understood why the bandit’s den looked so poor and shabby.

“Today is not an auspicious day.” Feng Cheng realized that he had gotten affected by her. The words he had spoken had also made him dumbfounded.

Looks like even bandits need to choose an auspicious day to rob. It’s not like he’s robbing a mistress to be his wife! Murong Yun Shu had already suspected that he wasn’t an ordinary bandit. Now she further affirmed her suspicion. “I heard Imperial envoy came here as a guest, could you ask him to come out for a meet?”

Just as Murong Yun Shu finished speaking, she heard a high-pitched voice arrogantly chirping like a sparrow coming from the door: “Who are you? Why do you want to find Nie Qing? What is your relationship with him? You, you, you…… Don’t tell me you’re his woman?”

“Ling’er, don’t be rude.” Feng Cheng scolded in a low voice.

“I’m just worried about him!” Feng Ling mumbled softly. She didn’t dare to be impudent. A pair of pure black eyes innocently stared at Murong Yun Shu. After a second, she angrily mumbled again: “Long feet, tiny waist, large chest, small face, and big alluring eyes. Hmmph! Nie Qing is such a Casanova, a Casanova!”

Murong Yun Shu burst into laughter and said: “Who doesn’t meet a few Casanovas when young? Young girl, you don’t have to take it to heart.”

“What young girl?” Feng Ling opened her round eyes widely, then she solemnly said: “I’m twenty this year!”

“Uhh……” She looked like she was twelve.

“How old are you?” Feng Ling asked, she thought maybe Murong Yun Shu was younger than her.

“Older than you.”

“You’re lying.” Feng Ling didn’t believe.

“Mmhmm.” Murong Yun Shu confessed immediately.

Feng Ling couldn’t believe her eyes. How could there be someone who could lie and confess so fast?

Murong Yun Shu smiled but did not say anything,. It’s true that she wasn’t much older than her. She’d be eighteen in September.

Feng Ling pouted her lips and asked: “What is your relationship with Nie Qing?”

“Strangers.”

Feng Ling was stunned, after a second, she suddenly squealed: “Could it be a prenatal betrothal?!”

Prenatal betrothal? She couldn’t believe that she could come up something like that! Murong Yun Shu couldn’t hold it in anymore and laughed out loud: “I didn’t know bandits could have such a rich imagination!”

“Who is the bandit? I’m not a bandit! If it wasn’t because brother lost a fighting contest to……”

“Ling’er!” Feng Cheng halted Feng Ling from continuing: “Go and ask Nie Qing to come out.”

“Oh.” Feng Ling did a grimace then she ran off. Brother is so dictatorial! After some time, Feng Ling rushed back to the door and said urgently: “Brother, Nie Qing is gone!”

Murong Yun Shu’s heart sank. Looks like this trip to Hua Tuo Mountain was a waste……

“Look around again, he doesn’t know about five phrase astrology so he won’t be able to walk out of the peach circle……”

Feng Cheng hasn’t finished talking when suddenly a bantering voice sounded from outside of the house: “Are you talking about a skinny and weak, white-faced scholar?”

As the sound of the voice faded, the person walked in as if he had descended like the wind. His long cuff fluttered along with his extraordinary presence.

Murong Yun Shu was shocked. She did not think that she would bump into him in this kind of place, but her expression was still calm as always. Her sight did not stay on him for long.

Feng Cheng: “Brother Chu, long time no see.” He gnashed his teeth in anger.

Chu Changge: “Brother Feng, how are you?” He hid a dagger in his smile.

These two men must be as incompatible as fire and water. Murong Yun Shu had a thought. She remained calm and composed while waiting for the pair of ‘old friends’ reunion to end and pull out their swords.

However, although she waited quite a long time, the scene did not go the way she imagined. Suddenly, Feng Ling spoke softly beside her ears: “Look, my brother is going to lose again.”

“Has the competition already started?” Murong Yun Shu was confused.

“It’s going to finish soon.” Feng Ling blinked her eyes and asked: “Don’t you know martial arts?”

Murong Yun Shu shook her head, she didn’t understand at all.

“Oh, no wonder then.” Feng Ling shrugged her shoulders and said: “My brother and Brother Chu are competing with their inner power Look at my brother sweating like pouring rain, his muscles are tightened and his face has become pale. Brother Chu, on the other hand, looks so relaxed. It’s obvious who’s winning and who’s losing.”

Looks like a gentleman also fights in a gentle way. Murong Yun Shu was actually disappointed. In her imagination, the duels in the underworld should involve glints and flashes of cold steel. Combat should be death and life. It should be more horrifying than a cockfight.

“Puu—” Feng Cheng spat out blood from his mouth. Both his legs were so weak that he almost fell down.

“Brother!” Feng Ling immediately went up and supported Feng Cheng to sit down. Her pink lips moved and acted like a spoiled child to Chu Changge: “Brother Chu, you’re so mean! You always forgot to show some mercy.”

Chu Changge smiled charmingly and said: “It’s your brother’s fault for not making any progress.”

Feng Cheng humphed grumpily with a gloomy face.

“Brother Chu, where have you seen that weak scholar before?” Feng Ling asked.

“Peach Forest.”

“Then where is he?

“He got driven away by me.”

“Huh?!!” Feng Ling was so shocked that she almost cried: “You drove him away?!”

Chu Changge raised his eyebrows: “I’ve helped you drive away an intruder in the Peach Forest, what are you crying for?”

“Nie Qing wasn’t an intruder, he is my…… my……. Aiya, why did you help him escape?!” Feng Ling hastily ran into the Peach Forest to find him. Not even a few minutes later, she came back with her face burnt smoky black: “Brother, the Peach Forest is on fire again! And this time it’s for real!” Then she rashly ran out again.

Feng Cheng really wanted to kill this time. He didn’t even need to think all that hard to already know who set the fire. He even knew that unless God showed mercy by pouring heavy rain, the peach forest will be burnt to ashes.

“I did not breach my promise!” He angrily said: “In all these three years, I haven’t taken a single step out of Hua Tuo Mountain nor did I accept any requests to heal sicknesses. Sometimes I even acted like a bandit and robbed some passers-by. I’ve done everything that you told me to do!”

Acted like a bandit……Murong Yun Shu was suddenly enlightened. No wonder even though she swaggered through the streets on her carriage which was inlaid with gold and jewelry and even had a bell tied to it in case the bandits couldn’t find her, she was still able to stay safe.

“I know.” Chu Changge said.

“Then why did you burn my Peach Forest?!” Feng Cheng grunted.

Chu Changge laughed softly and said: “The things that Madam desires to do but can’t complete, as a husband, of course I should help her fulfill them.”

“Madam?” Feng Cheng couldn’t understand, he looked at Chu Changge’s sight which was bluntly staring at the one and only woman at the scene. Suddenly, he figured out what he meant. Feng Cheng looked at Murong Yun Shu with a complex look: “You’re his wife?”

“No.” Murong Yun Shu calmly denied.

“We already have a betrothal.” Chu Changge said with an overbearing tone.

“Betrothals can be broken at anytime.” She had been returned once.

Chu Changge frivolously laughed: “Now the whole world knows that you and I, Chu Changge, had a betrothal. Except for me, who else dares to marry you?”

“I’ll accompany the green lamp lights.” Murong Yun Shu’s tone was light from beginning to end, as if she were a pond, a gentle breeze, and calm waves. Even if other people tried to stir her up, they still couldn’t stir away her calmness.

Chu Changge was like an unstoppable hurricane instead, he wouldn’t give up unless he crumpled the pond water. He raised the corner of his mouth, faintly smiling while staring at her and said: “I didn’t expect that Madam had already decided not to marry anyone besides me, I am so happy.”

When did she say she didn’t want to marry anyone besides him? Murong Yun Shu realized that she couldn’t handle his thick face at all and hence, she decided to ignore his words—she should take no offense at a child’s babbling—she’s an adult, she shouldn’t fuss over a minor man.