I, Qing Huan (Modern Chapter) 9

Chapter 9

“Master?”

　　”Master!”

　　Nanyang returned to her senses and look at the disgruntled Yun Tang.

　　”Master, why are you in a daze? How can you be distracted while teaching?” Yun Tang couldn’t laugh or cry. She saw a lot of masters teaching on top while the disciples were distracted below, but she had never seen the master themselves be distracted during the course.

　　Bianzi, who was sitting next to Yun Tang, yawned.

　　”Where was I?” Nanyang lowered her head and flipped through the book, but the book was just tussled by the blowing wind and she was unable find the place where she just stopped.

　　”Page one hundred and five of The Ten Directions of the Big Dipper, the Ten Directions of the Birth Gate Judgment.” Yun Tang reminded.

　　Bianzi took advantage of the confusion to take another yawn and rub his sleepy eyes.

　　”Oh… I’m looking for it.”

　　Nanyang is not always so distracted, but her heart had been weighted down these past two days. She never stopped thinking about a certain thing, even when she was eating or sleeping.

　　Yun Tang complained: “Fortunately, Junior Sister Qing Huan was sent to study at Hongfei Pavilion. If she followed you, she probably won’t be able to learn anything for another 20 years.”

　　Bianzi murmured while staring at her. “Don’t worry, Qing Huan wouldn’t listen to something as boring as ‘Heavenly Dipper Ten Square Formation’ in Hongfei Pavilion. I’m afraid she’s just dozing off like me.”

　　”Keep being lazy, one day you will be in danger and regret not learning the formation method!” Yun Tang pushed Bianzi around.

　　Nanyang opened the book, but couldn’t read a single word. She simply closed the book and stood up: “Forget it, we’re done for the day. You will practice swords after class. I still have something to do.”

　　She wanted to visit the sword casting pond to have a look.

　　Tomorrow is Qing Huan’s sixteen-year-old birthday and she hasn’t figured out what birthday gift to give her. It would be great if the sword that had been casting for last six years could be completed today.

　　As soon as she walked out of the pavilion, the disciples of Beifang who were near and far knelt down when they saw her and greeted, “Greetings to Esteemed Lord.”

　　She is also accustomed to other people’s bowing to her. As a lord, it is common to be worshipped wherever she goes.

　　When she came to the sword pool and opened the stone door, a scorching heat wave rushed toward her face. Rong Huai was standing by the pool in a thin shirt, holding a book in one hand and touching his chin in the other, as if thinking about something. Hearing the sound behind him, he came back to his senses, smiled and said greeted Nanyang: “You’re here.”

　　”My sword…”

　　”Well, well, I know. Your sword is your sword. Every time you speak, it is about your sword. Look at what you did to yourself because of that sword.” Rong Huai swept a glance at the scar on Nan Yang’s left wrist that was burned when she casting the sword. “Don’t hold too much hope. I think it will take over a year to heal.”

　　”Another year?”

　　Nanyang was worried.

　　”What’s the hurry, Qing Huan is only fifteen years old. She is so young and has so little skill that she won’t be able to hold it even if the sword is cast.” Rong Huai looked at Nan Yang’s expression and felt a little funny. This clear and cold Lord of Beifang has always been estranged and indifferent to others, but she cares so much for her little apprentice. Every year, before Qing Huan’s birthday, Nanyang will frown for several days and search for something to give.

　　”Why don’t you give her a copy of your calligraphy. Your calligraphy is famous all over the world, she can use it as an heirloom.”

　　”…she is still young, this is not very practical.”

　　”Then… you can let Hongfei Pavilion give her on a day off and take her out to play. She will definitely be very happy.”

　　”So…I think so too.” Nanyang nodded and accepted Rong Huai’s suggestion.

　　Since tomorrow is her birthday, it should be possible to give her a holiday starting from this afternoon.

　　Nanyang bid farewell to Rong Huai and went directly to Hongfei Pavilion.

　　When she got there, class was still in session. Seeing her walking into the class, Ping Zilai put down everything in her hand and hurriedly knelt down to her while in mid-sentence. All the disciples in the class also knelt down at their desks. At once, the floor was covered by the bowing figures, but in one corner, there was a young girl soundly sleeping on the table.

　　”Esteemed Lord is here, what are your orders?” Ping Zilai asked respectfully, leaning on the ground.

　　Nanyang’s gaze was fixed on the sleeping girl in the corner and she waved her hand to signal everyone to get up. With her clasped behind her back, she leisurely made her way towards that inconspicuous corner.

　　The sunlight from the window shone on half of the girl’s feminine face and every eyebrow was clearly lined with warm light. She had her face on a book, her opened mouth was staining the book with her drool.

　　The corners of Nan Yang’s mouth moved, as if she was smiling but she was not smiling. She stretched out her hand, squeezed the girl’s soft face, and whispered to her: “Qing Huan.”

　　Qing Huan opened her eyes in confusion and saw Nanyang’s blurry figure. She was so frightened that she quickly got up from the table, lifted her robe, and knelt down in an instance: “Master…”

　　Nanyang supported her arm and didn’t let her kneel down completely. Qing Huan’s expression was still a bit dazed, a large red print appeared on half of her face and the trail of drool at the corner of her mouth was illuminated by the sunlight.

　　Nanyang took out a handkerchief and gently wiped the corners of Qing Huan’s mouth, helping her clean it.

　　Qing Huan didn’t dare move. She looked at Nanyang’s eyes carefully. She thought that her master would be angry when she bumped into her sleeping in class, but Nanyang didn’t seem to be angry and there was still no expression on her face.

　　After wiping, Nanyang held Qing Huan’s hand and took her straight to the door.

　　”Give her a day off.” A cold voice sounded when the two passed by Ping Zilai.

　　Being led by Nanyang, Qing Huan became dizzy with joy for a while and couldn’t help but gently squeeze the back of Nanyang’s hand. Nanyang’s hand is very soft because she is the Lord and doesn’t need to do any work. The only place where there is are callouses is the area from her index finger to her thumb. She practiced with swords the year round and after a long time she would have such callouses Qing Huan likes to touch it very much, she likes the feeling of her soft fingertips scratching against the roughest part of Nanyang’s hand.

　　Nanyang felt Qing Huan pinching her. She didn’t like such frivolous behavior but she didn’t say anything, nor did she let go of Qing Huan’s hand. She just asked, “Tomorrow is your birthday, is there anything you want?”

　　”I like everything Master gives me.” Qing Huan said with a smile.

　　Nanyang expected that she would say so. Qing Huan is always tolerant towards Nanyang. She will return all the questions of choice to Nanyang and go with whatever Nanyang chooses.

　　”I’ll take you down the mountain for a day.” Nanyang said lightly, “However, I can’t go too far, so we’ll just go around the village at the foot of the mountain.”

　　”Okay, I have always wanted to go there to see it.”

　　Sure enough, she expressed her expectation with a happy face.

　　”Tomorrow is your birthday, this time I won’t say anything about you,” Nanyang’s cold voice sounded again, “but the next time I find you sleeping in class, I will take out the ruler.”

　　”I see. “

　　Qing Huan curled her lips. She didn’t believe that her master was really willing to beat her.

　　Beifang has never allowed underage disciples to go down the mountain. There are more than a dozen disciples are stationed at the gate of the mountain to guard them all the year round. Adult disciples who want to go down the mountain must have a task and hold a badge given by the Lord to pass. When Qing Huan was young, she was picked up by Nanyang to join Beifang and has never stepped outside before. Although they can’t go beyond the mountain, Qing Huan was still satisfied.

　　The village at the foot of the mountain has been blessed by Beifang for many years and therefore hold the members of Beifang in very high regards. When Nanyang brought Qing Huan into the village, everyone who saw them would bow their heads to say hello.

　　It was in this small village that Nanyang met Qing Huan for the first time. It because of Qing Huan stealing two steamed buns that caused her to be beaten almost to death. She had always been reluctant to take care of mundane things, but she took the young Qing Huan back to Beifang. Not only was she saved by Nanyang, she also became her third direct disciple. Ordinary Beifang disciples cannot even dream of being taught by the Lord, but Nanyang easily broke her own principles and accepted Qing Huan’s arrival.

　　Back in her hometown, Qing Huan somewhat impressed the streets here. This village has left her with some not very good memories and she was a little uncomfortable in heart. But looking at Nanyang next to her, she said nothing.

　　She didn’t want to ruin Nanyang’s good mood.

　　”I have a thatched house here,” Nanyang walked in front and pointed out a direction with her chin. “Sometimes, I will rest there for a night when it’s too late to go back to the mountain. Would you like to come with me?

　　” Okay, I’ll go wherever Master goes.”

　　Nan Yang smiled without a trace.

　　This sticky little guy.

　　The thatched house had not been visited for a long time and as soon as they entered the house, a strong smell of dust came over their face. Qing Huan pulled Nanyang out and asked her to sit on the stone steps outside: “Master, please have a seat while I fetch water to clean up the house.”

　　”Yeah.”

　　So Nan Yang sat there waiting for Qing Huan in peace. She raised her eyes and watched Qing Huan carry the bucket in and out and she had no intentions of helping. It’s not that she doesn’t want to help, but that she doesn’t have the concept of helping at all. In her world, such labor services like washing, cooking, and sweeping have nothing to do with her. It was natural for others to do it since she was the Lord.

　　This is the case for people in high positions. They are used to being dignified and have noble spirit in their bones.

　　Qing Huan was finally almost completely done with wiping the room. The small face was completely gray. Before the water on her hands even had the time to be dried, she heard Nanyang say: “I’m hungry.”

　　Qing Huan immediately put down the water basin and wiped the sweat from the sides of her face “I’ll cook for you.”

　　Nanyang nodded: “Yes.”

　　Qing Huan has always been good at cooking and she is especially good at catering to Nanyang’s taste. She knew that Nanyang was addicted to sweetness and had to eat sugar every day. If she didn’t eat sugar today, she would have to have a lot of sugar in her dishes. Nanyang’s indifferent temperament meant that she has almost no likes or dislikes and her only preference is to eat sweets. Of course Qing Huan took it to heart.

　　”I’m going to buy some ingredients.” Qing Huan put down her sleeves, “I looked at the stove and there was nothing.”

　　It’d be strange to have anything since Nanyang never cooks for herself.

　　”I’ll accompany you to buy it.” Nanyang stood up from the wooden stool that was brightly polished by Qing Huan.

　　”Okay,” Qing Huan has never refused any of Nanyang’s requests, “Master, you pay for it. I’m poor.”

　　Nanyang glanced at her coldly.

　　Poor? What poor, she gave her a large bag of silver every month. Hongfei Pavilion is made of famous family sons and daughters, naturally there is no shortage of money in their pockets. Since Qing Huan is an orphan, Nanyang was afraid that she will be discriminated against among the other disciples so she generously provided her with a lot of money. She didn’t want Qing Huan to have to bend down in front of others.

　　　How much money did she give her? All that money alone could create another sect. If she shouted poor again, there would be no rich people in Beifang.

　　What Nanyang didn’t know was that every time Qing Huan received money, she would secretly send it back to Rongku Pavilion again. For so many years, it was basically the same bag of silver that Nanyang sent over that she sent back. She knows that Nanyang is not short of money, but she still wants to leave all the best to her master. Even if it is redundant and unnecessary, she wants to leave it all to her.

　　”Master, what do you want to eat?” Qing Huan walked in front, tilting her head to figure out what to buy.

　　”Anything.” Nanyang replied lightly.

　　”Okay, I’ll see what I can buy,” Qing Huan pursed her mouth and was silent for a while. She smiled, “I always cook for Master. It’s my birthday tomorrow. Can Master also cook for me? Your birthday gift?”

　　”No.” Nanyang simply refused.

　　”I teach you.” Qing Huan said softly.

　　”I don’t want to learn.” There was no expression on Nanyang’s face.

　　Qing Huan stopped talking. She closed her mouth and didn’t mention it again.

　　Nanyang’s hand is used to hold the sword and hold the pen. With such a beautiful hand, how can she bear use it to cook?

　　Qing Huan sighed silently in her heart. It’s just a pity that she’ll never have the opportunity to eat Nanyang’s personally cooked rice in her life.

Author’s Theater
Three thousand years ago (indifferent): No. Don’t want to learn.
Three thousand years later (raising the porridge bowl and crying): Please have a bite

TL note
Wow, this chapter hit hard. Flashback to their first life. This scene is in prequel novel to Modern Chapter, if you’re interested you can give that a go. I plan to translate that one after this, but I kinda suck at ancient terminology and all that.

Qing Huan: *randomly pinching Master’s hand*
Nanyang: How frivolous, what horrible behavior

Nanyang really out here making her future wife cook and clean on her birthday tho, didn’t even try to help ;-;

TL’s basement
Currently waiting for editor to come back

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