“Your honorable little brother’s sneaky behavior made me mistake him for an assassin. I’ve offended you just now. Please forgive me,” Xiao Jian suddenly cupped his palm over his fist in salutation and explained in a solemn, differential manner.
“This smelly little brat got ashes all over me. I was going to give him a spanking but unexpectedly, he escaped even faster than a hare. Serves him right that he got frightened by you. Ultimately, it was all a misunderstanding, General does not need to be so courteous.” Feng Xi also cupped her palm over her fist and returned the courtesy.
“Miss has seen through both of our identities, but we still don’t know who you are. It seems that when it comes to having an eye for understanding people, I’ve lost,” Huang Chao said as he gazed at Feng Xi intently, as if trying to figure her out.
“Since I figured out Prince Huang’s identity on my own, naturally my identity should also be left to Prince Huang to figure out on your own. Only in this way would it be fair, don’t you agree?” Feng Xi asked with an indifferent smile.
“In this world, there aren’t many women with such high martial skills. First and foremost, there’s Bai Feng Xi. Next, there’s Princess Xi Yun and my kingdom’s Qiu Jiu Shuang.” Huang Chao looked at Feng Xi suspiciously as he tried to narrow down the list. “Jiu Shuang is my subordinate so naturally I would recognize her. However, I have never met Bai Feng Xi before but it’s rumored she wears plain robes, snow-moon white, with a bearing of utmost elegance. Miss….”
Huang Chao stopped for a moment and looked at Feng Xi’s dirty appearance. Her features couldn’t even be distinguished, let alone any traces of elegance.
“I, this ugly person, can’t be the Bai Feng Xi with ‘utmost elegance’ you spoke of, right?” Feng Xi chuckled upon hearing his words but her face did not reveal any traces of displeasure.
“Miss is not Bai Feng Xi. Neither, can you be Princess Xi Yun. Though Feng2 Kingdom’s Princess Xi Yun is known to have built Feng Yun troops, I’ve never heard that she has set foot into the Jianghu. Though she’s the commander of the army troops, it doesn’t necessarily mean she would possess high martial skills. Having not seen her personally, it’s difficult to discern the level of her martial skills. However, the princess was born to a noble family, raised up in wealth and fortune. How could she appear here,” Huang Chao asserted.
“Hmm.” Feng Xi nodded as if agreeing with his conjectures.
“As for other women with high martial skills in the Jianghu…,” Huang Chao listed, “Shan Fei Xue of Fei Xue(Flying Snow) Temple. She’s also known as the cold-faced Rakshasi(mythological demon in buddhism).But Miss is always smiling and Shan Fei Xue has become a nun, so you can’t be her. Mei Xin Yu of Mei Hua Ling(Plum Blossom mountain??). In the Jianghu, she’s well known for her special move, Plum Blossom Rain(Mei Hua Yu). However, she married the hero Tao Luo of Nan Zhao three years ago. The two of them are married and in love, it’s unlikely that she would appear here on her own. Jun Pin Yu of Pin Yu Pavilion. She’s skilled in medicine and has a heart of Buddha. There are many people who come to seek her medical expertise every day. How can she have time to roam this mountain wilderness… “
Huang Chao listed all the known female heroines in the Jianghu, but he still couldn’t find one who could match up with the woman in front of him. His heart grew more suspicious. “Miss’ surname is Han. Forgive me for my ignorance, but I’ve never heard of a heroine with the surname of Han with such high martial skills in the Jianghu.”
“He he(laughing)…. I’ve never said my surname was Han, ” Feng Xi replied with a smile but did not take the initiative to reveal her identity. “Prince Huang grew up in the palace but you seem to be well informed of the Jianghu, it’s just…..there are many people in this world that neither you nor I know.”
“Miss must often wander in the Jianghu since you’re quite familiar with it as well. With your talent and skills, you’re unlikely to be a nameless heroine,” Huang Chao affirmed, looking at Feng Xi unblinkingly. “If you are willing to wash your face and let me take a look at your true appearance, it’s not difficult to distinguish who you are.”
“Oh?” Feng Xi’s dirty hands stroked her face covered with ashes. She then looked down at herself and couldn’t help but laugh. “Ha, I not only want to wash my face but also take a bath. If Prince Huang wants to see my true appearance, do you want to come along?”
“Huh?” Huang Chao was momentarily at a loss for words. Born in a noble family, he has met all kinds of people who have acted in accordance with courtesy and respect towards him. The women he knew were all gentle and well-bred young ladies from prestigious families. Even those heroines, with the heroic spirits of men, in the Jianghu, though they aren’t bothered by trifling matters, but they would never behave like the woman in front of him now whose words and actions were so unbridled. In this world, was there such a daring woman who would invite a man to come watch her bathe?
Huang Chao couldn’t help but become taciturn. With a seriousness he didn’t have before, he carefully sized up Feng Xi. Was this a lascivious person? No, she doesn’t look like it! That pair of eyes held no traces of obscenity and was clear as water. On her face was a shallow smile, magnanimous and tranquil. Though she looked dirty, she had an air about her that was clear as ice and clean as jade.
All of a sudden, a brooding look surfaced on Huang Chao’s handsome, noble face. He then smiled gently and said, “Since Miss has extended an invitation, I naturally am willing to boil the water, pour the fragrance and hold the towel for you.”
“Eh?” This time, it was Feng Xi’s turn to be at a loss for words. Up until now, besides that black fox, there were very few people who were able to respond to her crude words and actions so casually and magnanimously. If it had been Yan Ying Zhou, his face would’ve surely turned crimson red by now. As for that beautiful snowman, his expression was ice-cold, not even sparing her a glance yet this Huang Chao….. Oh! As someone named as one of the four great gongzi, he surely cannot be looked down upon!
“What? Miss doesn’t dare to? ” Huang Chao teasingly asked upon witnessing Feng Xi’s surprised expression.
“Hmm, it’s not that I’m afraid.” Feng Xi rubbed her hands then scratched her head. “But to let the prince of Huang come and serve me, even the Emperor in the palace of the Imperial City doesn’t have such an honor let alone this ordinary commoner. I merely don’t wish to lose my life!”
Ha ha…” Huang Chao laughed resonantly. Then he extended his hands and said, “I shall turn this barren mountain wilderness into a clear lake one day. At that time, I shall invite Miss again to come wash your face, how about that?”
“Turn this mountain wilderness into a lake?” Hearing this, Feng Xi stared at Huang Chao but could not discern the slightest ounce of jest from his expression. Though slightly taken aback, she felt this person was a man true to his words. “If you really turn this place into a lake, even if I’m at the far ends of the earth, I will surely come to wash my face!”
“Good! It’s a deal then!”
“It’s a deal!”
They clapped their hands at their pledge. Afterwards, they looked at one another and suddenly bursted out laughing heartily, gazing up at the skies.
Xiao Jian looked at the two people laughing and his bright snowy eyes flashed with a pensive look. He then fixed his attention on Feng Xi and carefully assessed her from head to toe. In the end, his eyes lingered on the ornament on her forehead for a moment as if trying to find some sort of clue from it.
Once Feng Xi stopped laughing, she bluntly said, “I’m starving. Invite me to a meal.”
“Meal?” Huang Chao asked, “How can you switch from bathing to eating so fast?”
“What? You’re unwilling to invite me, this commoner from the mountain wilderness?” Feng Xi questioned with a glare.
“Of course not! I am just like Miss. Some people, I won’t spare them a glance even with their noble identity. But other people, even if they’re a servant, I’ll still be willing to share a bowl of water. I invite you to have a meal with me!” Huang Chao said with a faint smile.
Piao’er, we can eat now.” Seeing that their next meal had been settled, Feng Xi stretched her arms and gave Han Piao, who was currently staring at Huang Chao foolishly, a knock on the head.
“Big Sister, this is Huang Chao! Prince of Huang Kingdom! He’s one of the top four gongzi who’s as well known as Hei Feng Xi!” Han Piao exclaimed after a while of silence, his eyes wide with reverence as he stared at Huang Chao.
Well, such appearance, such bearing, such conduct…… as expected of a prince! With this kind of presence, he certainly lives up to his reputation, unlike….his eyes then swept over Feng Xi. Ai(sigh), why did I find someone who doesn’t live up to their reputation and claimed her as my big sister!
“So what? Wipe your saliva!” Feng Xi gave Han Piao’s head another knock. His foolish appearance was truly a huge disgrace!
Little brother, with such a big sister, in the future, you will surely be like the saying goes ‘though originates from blue, green exceeds blue(idiom: student surpasses the master)” The Huang Chao said as he faintly smiled at Han Piao.
“Let’s go eat,” Feng Xi said as she waved her hand forward.
Xiao Jian led the way and walked in front. After walking no more than a mile, they saw 4 people ahead, standing on a relatively flat grass land.
“Gongzi,” they said and bowed upon seeing Huang Chao return.
“Hmm.” Huang Chao nodded gently in acknowledgment.
“Wow! There’s so much food!” Han Piao was the first to exclaim.
On the bed of grass in front of them, a large purple carpet had been laid out and on top of the carpet were various displays of dishes, snacks and fine wine.
“I want the roast duck!” Han Piao announced as he quickly pounced on the roast duck in the middle of the carpet.
“The roast duck’s mine! Kong Rong gives up pear1, understand? ” Feng Xi also flew towards the roast duck.
(1: story about Kong Rong, who picks up smaller pears and leaves the bigger ones to his older brother. This saying is used to educate the young on courtesy)
Two figures, one big and one small, hurled themselves at the roast duck but just as their hands were about to land on the duck, they both suddenly stopped at the same time.
Not because they remembered to be modest but because their four hands were so dirty!
“I’ll borrow your clothes for a moment!”
Before Xiao Jian even had the time to sit down, he was dazed. Feng Xi had rushed in front of him, pulling at his sleeve. When he looked down, his eyes widened in shock, she…she actually wiped her dirty hands on his sleeve! The snow-white sleeve was immediately stained black!
“You…. You… ” Xiao Jian couldn’t even speak.
“Don’t be stingy! If my clothes were clean, I wouldn’t rub them on you! Anyways, you have money. Just buy another one later! ” Feng Xi said carefreely while wiping the dirt off her hands.
“You…you ….you can wash your hands!” Xiao Jian finally roared. His voice was a deep contrast to his delicate appearance. His eyes were even emitting an unusual pale blue.
“Wow! It changed again! It changed again!” Feng Xi exclaimed excitedly as she pointed at his eyes.
“What’s changed? What’s changed?” Han Piao asked. He was washing his hands with the wine in the wine bottle but upon hearing Feng Xi, he quickly ran over with the bottle.
“Little Brother ..you..you’re washing your hands with wine?!” When Xiao Jian saw the bottle in Han Piao’s hand, his beautiful eyes were almost bursting out of his sockets, and the blue shade grew increasingly darker. “Heavens, this is Yan Zhi wine!”
“Wow! His eyes turned blue!” Han Piao exclaimed.
“Yan Zhi wine? A thousand pounds of gold per bottle, that Yan Zhi wine?” Feng Xi snatched the wine bottle from Han Piao’s hand and took a sniff. “Oh, it really is Yan Zhi wine!”
“You’re also aware it’s a thousand pounds gold per bottle?” Xiao Jian muttered unhappily with a humph. He thought they finally knew what was what and that she would be full of regret but who knew…..
“I’ll wash my hands too!” As soon as her words fell, the bottle of wine was tilted over and the rest of the wine had been poured onto her hands.
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