Chapter 144: The Copper Coin

When Xu Zhihu awoke, she sought her younger brother’s presence. Upon leaving Xieyi Garden, she spotted two figures inside a pavilion, red-faced and glaring at each other in mutual disbelief. Qingniao, her maid, smiled slightly at the corners of her mouth while bowing to the elder princess, which eased Xu Zhihu’s concern. She had thought the two inside the pavilion might come to blows. It seemed the Tangxi Sword Immortal had failed to prevail in their argument, and now departed coldly with a flick of his sleeve. Seeing her younger brother wearing an expression of feigned innocence, Xu Zhihu curiously asked, “What was that all about? Surely Master Tangxi isn’t about to draw the Bashow Sword to deal with you?”

Xu Fengnian replied with a mischievous grin, “Not quite. We were just discussing the Hongjia Northern Exodus. We had some disagreements, and it gradually turned into an argument. I don’t think it’ll come to swords—at most, we’ll continue our debate later. It’s just Tangxi Sword Immortal; if it were any other famous scholar from Jiangnan, I’d have already drawn my blade.”

Xu Zhihu poked her finger at her brother’s forehead, “You, you—you really should act more respectful and obedient in front of elders.”

Once his elder sister had sat beside him, Xu Fengnian squinted and asked, “Still hiding like a turtle in its shell, that Lu Xuanlang?”

Xu Zhihu sent him a coy glance, speaking earnestly, “Manners, manners! Show some respect. Don’t be so disrespectful. Remember, next time you meet him, don’t wear that sour face. The Lu family is a proper aristocratic clan after all—not everyone is as easygoing as Uncle.”

Xu Fengnian shrugged indifferently, rolling his eyes. Xu Zhihu rubbed her thumb gently against his forehead, marveling, “Rubbed it all night last night, couldn’t wipe away this beautiful purple mark. It must be real then. I can wear this makeup from now on—it looks good. Might even become the rage across Jiangnan.”

Xu Fengnian felt a wave of helplessness and brushed away her teasing fingers without a word.

Xu Zhihu asked, “Are you hungry? If you’re up to it, I’ll take you to Baoguo Temple for vegetarian meals—they’re delicious.”

Xu Fengnian nodded. This trip out of the Lu estate, besides the leisurely brother and sister, Yu Youwei did not accompany them. Qingniao had been asked to stay behind and rest. Thus, only Master Wei Shuyang, Ning Emei, and the old sword saint Xiaoniren were invited along. The light cavalry of Fengzi Camp were left behind, but the Jing’an Princess still had her maid Xiao Qiao rouse her. Princess Pei had finally found a decent bed to sleep on after leaving Xiangfan, and longed to sleep for days on end. She was reluctant to rise, and still drowsy when climbing into the carriage. The group split into two carriages, driven respectively by the great halberd-wielder Ning Emei and the old sword saint. Though originally meant to avoid her, Princess Pei was specifically chosen to stay by Xu Zhihu. Inside the carriage were only the siblings and this fallen noblewoman, who had fallen from a lofty branch. Xu Zhihu sized her up rather boldly and remarked, “No wonder she’s a beauty on the Rouge List—even I, a woman, feel tempted.”

Xu Zhihu reached out to pinch Princess Pei’s fair skin, but it was evaded calmly and politely by Pei Nanwei, who harbored no particular ill will but certainly no fondness for the widow so scandalously maligned even in Qingzhou. She dared not show her dislike openly, however. Seeing her evade her touch, Xu Zhihu felt somewhat disappointed. Turning to Xu Fengnian with a wicked grin, she asked, “Tasted her yet?”

Xu Fengnian replied grumpily, “No. If you want her, have her sleep in your quarters tonight. Just don’t bring her to bother me.”

Xu Zhihu burst into laughter, almost to tears, her ample bosom shaking wildly. She leaned wantonly on Xu Fengnian’s shoulder, panting with amusement, “Forget it, forget it. I’d rather sleep with you. Sharing a bed with such a peerless beauty isn’t bad, but how could it compare to sleeping together with you?”

The Jing’an Princess’s eyes widened in shock, her gaze toward the siblings filled with undisguised loathing, clearly believing them to have an incestuous and immoral relationship. Xu Fengnian, his eyes darkened, struck her cheek heavily with the sheath of his Xiudong sword. Xu Zhihu, ever the mischief-maker, snuggled even closer into the Prince’s bosom, watching the Princess with gleeful amusement. Her posture was no longer that of a sister, but rather of a concubine flaunting her favor over a defeated rival. Xu Fengnian sighed inwardly, but since it was his sister’s antics, he let her have her way—her happiness mattered most. As for the Princess’s disgust, what did he care? Xu Zhihu, emboldened, wrapped her arms around Xu Fengnian’s neck and, refusing to behave, playfully nudged the frost-faced Pei Nanwei with her foot, saying with a smile, “Princess Sister, how about I teach you some seductive arts that will serve you for life? It’s good to maintain dignity outside the bedroom, but if you’re still so reserved inside, you’ll only annoy the man. At your age, if you still can’t loosen up, you’re wasting the prime of your womanhood—thirty like a wolf, forty like a tiger.”

She emphasized the words “elder sister” and “younger sister,” which rang particularly harshly in Princess Pei’s ears, especially the mention of her thirties and forties. Even the most broad-minded woman would find such words distressing.

Dressed simply with wooden hairpins, Princess Pei turned her head away, lips tightly sealed and silent.

Xu Zhihu sighed, “Beautiful she is, but not a trace of charm. No wonder my brother, who always eyes other people’s bowls while eating his own, hasn’t taken a bite of you.”

Xu Fengnian finally spoke, “Alright, sister, stop teasing this chaste and virtuous Princess of Jing’an. Keep going, and she might swallow her hairpin to die.”

Xu Zhihu feigned surprise, “Didn’t know the Princess was so resolute.”

Xu Fengnian grinned, “Princess, why don’t you swallow the pin and show my sister?”

Princess Pei’s eyes brimmed with sorrow, her teeth clenched as she turned her back to them, two clear tears streaming down her cheeks.

Xu Zhihu whispered into the Prince’s ear, “Turns out she’s a pitiable soul too.”

Xu Fengnian made no comment.

They arrived at Baoguo Temple early, the temple gates still closed. A dozen or so pilgrims were resting and chatting outside. Most were familiar faces from Huting County. Upon seeing the widow Xu Zhihu step from the carriage, they immediately fell silent. Compared to their earlier mocking attitude, after yesterday’s events, the other counties of Huting were fine, but all the well-informed aristocratic families of Yangchun City had already been stunned into silence by the Prince’s ruthless methods. After killing a scholar in the street and then recklessly scattering several times his number of city guards, even tearing down the Lu family’s main gate, he had dragged the corpse of Master Chengzhai into the city and discarded it at the doorstep that very night. What kind of conduct was that? Words like “horrifying” couldn’t even begin to describe it. The elders of the city families had risen in the night to hold candlelit discussions with their old friends, all lamenting that this was a disgrace unseen in a hundred years in Yuan Province. Rumors spread that Dong Gonghuang, the general known for his iron-fisted approach to powerful clans within the province, had already received orders and would arrive in Yangchun today with six hundred elite soldiers from the provincial capital. Everyone knew that this Dong, who had barely taken office before beating to death the third son of the Gusimu Xu family, was closely tied to the Yu family and had once been a trusted subordinate of General Gu Jiantang?

The temple gates remained shut. After Xu Fengnian stepped down from the carriage, he noticed a small square pool at the foot of a hill in front of the temple. Green trees surrounded a spring, and a twisted, ancient pine stood nearby. Xu Zhihu affectionately linked her arm with his as they walked toward the pool. On either side of the pool were stone-carved dragon heads, their mouths dripping spring water drop by drop. The water was clear, and the scattered copper coins thrown in by pilgrims were clearly visible at the bottom. Xu Zhihu picked up a dry branch, squatted down, and stirred the water. When she stopped, a thin silver-like line appeared on the surface.

“See that?” she smiled, looking up. “They say it’s because the two different kinds of water—mountain and spring—don’t mix well, creating this effect. Interesting, isn’t it?”

Xu Fengnian squatted down, trying to reach into the water to pick up some coins, but Xu Zhihu tapped his hand with the branch, laughing as she scolded, “Have you gone mad with poverty?”

Still, he picked up one copper coin, pinching it between his fingers with a grin, “Better to save when you can.”

Standing up, the air outside the temple was fresh, birds calling to each other in layers. Looking up, the temple’s greenery rose in tiers. He turned his gaze back to the ancient pine beside him. Indeed, it was no ordinary tree. Its thick trunk twisted left and right, bending painfully into several layers like a sleeping dragon. Whether by divine will or human hand, none could say. The old sword saint and Jiang Ni stood beneath the tree. The old man in sheepskin sighed, “If it’s by heaven’s will, it’s too emotional. If by human hands, it’s too cruel.”

Xu Zhihu pointed at the pine with her branch, explaining to Xu Fengnian, “The locals call it the Sleeping Dragon Pine. They say if you break a branch, it will bleed. But I’ve never seen anyone actually try.”

Xu Fengnian grinned, “Shall I try?”

Xu Zhihu glared, “You dare!”

Xu Fengnian pouted.

Beside them, Xiao Qiao saw this and smiled gently. The Prince was clearly very affectionate with Miss Xu. Perhaps noticing her quiet laughter, Xu Fengnian made a face at the girl, scaring her into hiding behind Xu Zhihu. The girl’s heart raced—not out of fear, but as if something soft had brushed her heart, leaving her unable to calm down. Xu Zhihu turned to see the girl’s dazed expression and smiled knowingly. Of course, no woman in the world could resist her younger brother. But outwardly, Xu Zhihu still gave Xu Fengnian a seductive glare for his thoughtless act, waving the branch as if warning him not to flirt in this sacred Buddhist place.

The temple gates slowly opened, and two young monks bowed together in greeting. However, when Xu Zhihu’s group took their seats in the side hall where vegetarian meals were served, no one else dared to enter. At Xu Fengnian’s table, Xu Zhihu sat beside the old Taoist Wei Shuyang, with an empty seat. The maid Xiao Qiao and General Ning Emei stood, while the Jing’an Princess, aware of her own position and having been bullied mercilessly on the journey, refrained from sitting. Xu Zhihu, who loved company, invited Jiang Ni from the neighboring table. After a moment’s hesitation, the girl did not refuse. As she approached, Xu Zhihu pulled her onto the bench beside her, smiling as she said, “Jiang Ni, you’ve grown even prettier. You were already beautiful as a child, the only one who could rival Fengnian back then. At first, I worried about the eighteen changes a girl goes through, fearing you’d lose your looks when you grew up. But now I see I worried for nothing. Come, tell Sister if Fengnian has been bullying you.”

The fiery girl who was bold in front of the Prince and the old sword saint now blushed and remained silent.

Xu Fengnian teased with a grin, “Look at her blushing—rare, rare.”

Jiang Ni didn’t glare, but kicked him under the table.

The Prince lifted his feet, chuckling, “I dodge, I dodge, dodge again. You think you can challenge me, my dear?”

With Xu Zhihu present, Jiang Ni didn’t move her lips much.

Xu Zhihu smiled gently, “Looks like she’s been bullied often. Don’t worry, I’ll help you deal with him later.”

Jiang Ni remained silent, head bowed.

Xu Fengnian muttered, “Who’s the sister here, her or me?”

Xu Zhihu raised her hand as if to strike, but the Prince dodged slightly. Lovingly, she patted Jiang Ni’s slender shoulder, “Jiang Ni, I heard you’ve been reading for this rogue since leaving Beiliang? That’s a good thing. For this period, come read Wang Dongxiang’s *First Snowfall* for me, and I’ll double the pay—taken straight from his pocket. He won’t dare refuse.”

Jiang Ni lifted her head and nodded heavily, smiling for the first time this month.

Xu Fengnian, ruining the moment, teased, “Dimples, two little dimples—ha ha, I saw them! Alright, double pay it is—worth it.”

Jiang Ni immediately turned serious again, but her eyes still held a smile, all thanks to Xu Zhihu, and not a penny of it because of that scoundrel.

Xu Zhihu laughed, “Our little Jiang Ni’s smile is the most beautiful in the world. No woman can compare. So smile more—you won’t age so quickly.”

The old man in sheepskin, sitting cross-legged at the neighboring table, chuckled, “Xu lad, your sister’s figure isn’t wasted. She’s got a better heart than you.”

Holding Jiang Ni close, Xu Zhihu turned her head with a seductive smile, “For that remark from Master Li, ten jars of fine wine.”

The old sword saint raised his thumb, “Magnificent! I’ll drink it for sure. These days in Jiangnan, anyone dares to cross you, I’ll be the first to oppose him.”

Xu Fengnian groaned, “Why do I feel like I’m the only one who’s not a decent person here?”

Holding onto Xu Zhihu, Jiang Ni laughed, “Only now realizing it?”

Xu Fengnian exclaimed in delight, “Look, the dimples again!”

As Jiang Ni turned her head, about to frown again, Xu Zhihu gently poked one of those dimples that could charm all men in the world, teasing, “You adorable girl, I’d be reluctant to let you leave Jiangnan even if I could part with that guy.”

Xu Fengnian stretched out his hand, slapping the copper coin he had fished from the spring onto the table in front of Jiang Ni, shamelessly declaring, “Here, for you. Am I not generous?”

Jiang Ni hesitated, perhaps for Xu Zhihu’s sake, then reached out and took the coin, holding it tightly in her palm.

When the vegetarian meal was served, Xu Zhihu ate her dumplings and said, “There’s a debate on kingship and hegemony at Baoguo Temple today. Want to listen?”

Xu Fengnian shrugged indifferently, “Up to you.”

Xu Zhihu emphasized, “You can listen, but no fighting.”

Xu Fengnian, chewing on a vegetarian bun, replied, “Don’t worry. Master Tangxi will be watching me.”

After breakfast, Xu Zhihu took him to see the peonies in Baoguo Temple. Jiang Ni and Li Chungan followed behind. The girl took a furtive glance at the sweaty copper coin in her palm, then quickly clenched her fist, as if committing a crime.

The old sword saint, pretending to look around, sighed inwardly. “Heavens above, you silly girl, you’ll be completely under his thumb for life.”

Seems a tiny copper coin was worth more than my entire lifetime of sword cultivation?