chapter 6

Chu Changge condescendingly stared at Murong Yun Shu for a while, and then suddenly lowered his eyebrows and smiled: “Since you insist, I’ll agree with your statement for the moment.”

Murong Yun Shu knew her explanation was not convincing, but she was frustrated that Chu Changge talked in a tone as if he was pitying her, hence she childishly said: “If you disagree, then I’ll break our betrothal!”

Chu Changge was shocked at first, then he speechlessly laughed: “I didn’t say I disagreed.” he said sweetly with a helpless face.

“You looked like you were forced.”

“Then take it as if I were forced to agree.”

“You’re unreasonable!” as Murong Yun Shu talked, she immediately regretted her outburst, she felt so guilty that she didn’t let him continue the topic and interrupted: “Those men, take them back with you.”

Chu Changge remained calm and raised his eyebrows, he lightly said: “They’re my betrothal gifts.”

“I’ve already said before that I can’t marry for another three years.”

“Betrothal gifts can be sent to your house first.”

“This is going against tradition.”

“I know.”

“But you are still doing it?”

“I’ve always been doing things that go against tradition.”

Murong Yun Shu was dumbfounded, how could he say such a thing with such a self-righteous tone?

As Murong Yun Shu was stunned, suddenly, she felt a warm, moist feeling on her cheek.

Murong Yun Shu opened her eyes widely and with a face of shock, stared at the handsome man who was smiling proudly over his accomplishment, her lips quivered for some time and finally she was able to speak a complete sentence: “What…what are you doing?!”

“Doing something that goes against tradition.”

“You……”

“Wifey, you’ll slowly get used to it.” the words were said to Murong Yun Shu, but Chu Changge’s gaze was squarely on Hua Ling Tian instead, his demeanor was as if he were proud of himself, deliberately provocative and in fear that the world wouldn’t descend into chaos.

“Yun Shu, I’m returning to the palace, send me a letter if anything happens.” Hua Ling Tian said depressingly.

Murong Yun Shu nodded her head blankly, she didn’t understand why he was in a rush to return to the palace, but she didn’t ask further.

“Wife, I’m leaving too, remember to miss your husband.”

Murong Yun Shu didn’t have time to react, Chu Changge had already disappeared into thin air. She looked at Hua Ling Tian again, he had just walked to the gate.

Moving in and out with wizardly elusiveness, perhaps this is also a way to express Chu Changge.

Murong Yun Shu stunningly stood at the place Chu Changge was standing before. As if she had lost something, she had the feeling that Chu Changge shouldn’t have left so fast.

“Madam, what do we do……. about them?” East Guardian asked.

Murong Yun Shu got back her attention and said: “Let them go back to wherever they came from.” she had no intention of accepting the “betrothal gifts” right from the start.

“But our leader said, once the betrothal gift is delivered, it cannot be returned……”

“There is a graveyard mountain outside the city within 8 miles of the Northwest, everyone please help yourself.” after Murong Yun Shu finished talking, she turned around and left the scene, leaving the crowd looking at each other.

East Guardian looked at the butler for support, we have got to find a place to put these “betrothal gifts” right?

The butler replied to him with a ‘willing to help but powerless to render assistance’ gaze. “Currently, Murong house cannot support idlers.” meaning all of you should listen to miss and go back to wherever you came from.

“Brother East, this is a serious matter.” North Guardian frowned his face and said.

East Guardian heavily nodded his head: “I didn’t expect our leader would come here today.” Originally, after the ‘red clothed’ men, there was to be a real ‘ten miles of red betrothal gifts’ prepared to come after, which they could simultaneously have entertained themselves with and at the same time also finish the task handed over by their leader. However, they did not expect a devil to appear and interrupt their plan……

“Speaking of which, didn’t the leader say he is going to attend the martial arts world tournament at Shaolin Temple on the fifteenth of August? Why did he take such a long detour to come to Jin Ling Province?”

“How can a tournament be more important than his wife?”

“I guess you’re right. However, if our leader hadn’t made an appearance today, that ‘what childhood what friend,’ would surely still be showing off in front of us!”

“Hmmph! If he dares to lay a finger on madam, sooner or later we’ll turn that man into a eunuch!”

“That’s right, turn that man into a eunuch, turn his whole family into eunuchs.”

*

Chu Changge had not planned to appear in front of Murong House today. According to his plans, he was originally planning to meet her the second time on their wedding night. However, that Hua Ling Tian kept calling himself a close childhood friend and made Chu Changge feel frustrated, so he appeared in the flesh, and kissed Murong Yun Shu in front of everyone.

Although the kiss was to show off to Hua Ling Tian that Murong Yun Shu was his… but the sensation felt……great.

Chu Changge softly rubbed his lips, and started to smirk.

“Knock, knock-“ outside there was someone knocking on the door.

Chu Changge immediately stopped smiling, he calmly replied: “Come in.”

“Leader.” It was the East, South, West, and North guardians that came in.

“Speak.”

“Yes.” East Guardian started to report: “Hua Ling Tian is madam’s cousin brother, he is also the current majesty’s illegitimate son. Four years ago, he was taken to the palace and granted the position as a crown prince. Before that, he grew up at Murong Sect since he was young and had a close bond with Madam. Except for Murong Yun Shu’s father that has just passed away, Hua Ling Tian is the only male confidant close to madam.”

After listening to East Guardian’s report, Chu Changge’s face turned cold and he was silenced for some time and finally spoke: “Did he take any local specialty from Jin Ling when he left?”

“No.”

“Very well.” Chu Changge smiled devilishly, his tone harbored evil intentions: “Send him some local specialty from Mount Heifeng, and tell him it’s a token of filial piety to a brother-in-law from his little cousin sister’s husband.”

The four guardians understood the meaning behind the gift, and they smiled devilishly together.

*

Murong Yun Shu locked herself up in her bedchamber, she blankly stared at herself in the reflection of the mirror. She raised her hand and touched her cheek on the same spot where Chu Changge kissed her, as if she could still feel the warmth.

Chu Changge……Why did he kiss her? Was it to prove that he only ‘did everything that went against tradition?’ Or perhaps…….Was there another reason behind it? …… Had they met before in the past?

But, if no, where had they met before?

Murong Yun Shu closed her eyes and focused on searching her memories to see if she could remember where she had seen Chu Changge’s appearance in the past. Suddenly, a scene flashed in her mind—

Deep in a remote bamboo forest, a man with disheveled hair entered her small bamboo house, his body was drenched in blood. The man looked at her eyes for a second, then he couldn’t stand anymore and fainted on the floor.

“Oi, if you want to die, die outside. Don’t make a mess in my house.”

“Oi, did you hear me?”

“Forget it, I’m giving this bamboo house to you.”

“The kitchen has water and food, if you end up surviving, then eat whatever is in there.”

“There’s a small medicine box under the bed, with many types of medicine that Lu’er stored in it. Take a look for yourself and if its usable then use it, it’s all yours.”

Murong Yun Shu pondered awhile, she ended up taking the medicine box out and put it beside him: “Nah, it’s all here. Handle it yourself.”

……

She remembered everything, so the man who was badly injured and entered her house without permission was Chu Changge! Although he was almost on the brink of death and his body was covered in blood, it still couldn’t conceal his beautiful face. Comparing the man’s face with Chu Changge’s, she realized the faces were similar, and in fact were the same people!

Murong Yun Shu immediately stood up, she went to find the butler and asked: “Are the people from Mojiao sect still here?”

The butler shook his head and said: “All of them have left.”

Murong Yun Shu disappointedly looked down, after a few second of silence, she asked again: “Is the distance from here to Mount Heifeng very far?”

“Miss, are you going to look for your husband?”

“Yes.” Murong Yun Shu was too lazy to correct her butler in the correct way to address Chu Changge, her only thought was to find him.

“Miss, I think master did not go back to Mount Heifeng, I heard he is on his way to Shaolin Temple to attend the martial arts world tournament on the fifteenth of August.”