Early the next morning, just as Ji Bozai was getting up, he sensed someone in the room.
Half-closing his eyes, filled with the grogginess of waking, he raised his hand—
“There’s still a competition today. You should conserve your strength,” Zheng Tiao revealed himself.
Ji Bozai lowered his hand but remained displeased. “Why are you here?”
“I heard the person in your courtyard can use Yuan Power,” Zheng Tiao said vaguely. “I originally wanted to challenge her, but Bu Xiu stopped me, saying you wouldn’t allow it. So I came to find you.”
Mentioning this only irritated Ji Bozai further. “I told you to check on her early on, and you said she couldn’t use Yuan Power.”
“Even experts can be mistaken, especially since she’s so good at disguising herself,” Zheng Tiao said, somewhat guiltily. “Let me go one more time. I guarantee I’ll uncover the truth for you.”
“No need,” Ji Bozai rose to dress, speaking listlessly. “I’ve already investigated. She’s been poisoned with Heaven of Parting Sorrows. Her meridians are completely ruined. She might manage against ordinary people, but against even a slightly formidable duelist, she wouldn’t survive.”
Zheng Tiao was stunned, his eyes momentarily clouding with confusion.
Such a formidable person, just like that, rendered useless?
“What’s with that reaction?” Ji Bozai put on his inner robe, noticing Zheng Tiao’s expression with slight displeasure. “Feeling sorry for her?”
“Aren’t you?” Zheng Tiao sighed.
They would never see Ming Xian at future Six Cities Gatherings. It was a loss for all duelists. He greatly admired Ming Xian. Even if he couldn’t defeat her year after year, it didn’t stop him from respecting her as a worthy opponent.
The martial artist, his mind full of combat techniques, didn’t realize anything wrong with what he’d just said. He couldn’t understand why Ji Bozai’s face had darkened upon hearing his words.
“Are you feeling unwell?” he asked, puzzled.
Ji Bozai’s lips twitched. “How could I be? My body naturally needs to be healthy. Otherwise, with spring blossoms all over, I’d have no strength to brush them away.”
What did that mean? Zheng Tiao didn’t understand. What spring blossoms?
Ji Bozai didn’t elaborate further. After dressing, he strode out, sleeves swishing. Zheng Tiao followed him out to see Ming Yi already waiting by the door, dressed in even more splendid attire.
Previously, he hadn’t paid much attention to this young woman, only finding her lively and cute. Now, knowing her identity and seeing her in such fine silk robes, Zheng Tiao felt somewhat uneasy.
How could she be a mere girl?
In past battles, Ming Xian had always worn armor, exuding a heroic spirit, either laughing heartily or mounted on horseback with a sword in hand. But now, Ming Yi stood by the door, holding a magpie-patterned silk fan, her hair adorned with pearl-bearing golden flowers. She lowered her head shyly and smiled, her radiance outshining even the peonies on her dress.
He couldn’t connect these two personas at all and couldn’t help but scratch his cheek in agitation.
This anxious demeanor, in Ji Bozai’s eyes, became a look of unfulfilled longing and restlessness.
He sneered, grabbing Ming Yi by the waist and placing her in the beast-drawn carriage. Then he turned to Zheng Tiao and said, “You can ride your horse.”
Zheng Tiao was bewildered. Yesterday, with overcast skies and cool weather, Ji Bozai had specially invited him to ride together. Today, under the scorching sun, why was he being told to ride a horse?
Ji Bozai didn’t care. As soon as he got into the carriage, he ordered Bu Xiu, “Don’t look back. Go.”
“Yes, sir.”
The carriage moved so quickly that Ming Yi had to lean to the side. She steadied herself on the cushion and asked curiously, “How did Lord Zheng offend you?”
“You seem quite concerned about him.”
“Not really,” Ming Yi stared at him. “It’s just rare to see you so flustered. I’m merely curious.”
Flustered? Impossible. He was always composed and calm, unmoved even if a mountain collapsed before him. What could fluster him?
Smiling calmly, Ji Bozai said, “Why don’t you worry about your fate today?”
Although the Grand Duke intended to promote her, it wouldn’t be easy to stand out at the welcoming banquet. If someone challenged her to a duel, her life would be in danger.
Ming Yi looked perplexed. “Won’t you protect me, my lord?”
“Why should I protect you?”
“Even if you don’t consider our intimate relationship, don’t you still need me to do things for you? If I die, who will carry out your tasks?” She stamped her foot.
Ji Bozai looked leisurely at the swaying carriage curtains. “If you’re alive, I need you to do things. If you die—well, then you’re dead.”
“…”
Even though she no longer held any expectations of him, hearing such cold words directly from him still left Ming Yi unable to smile.
She lowered her eyes, quietly gazing at the patterns on her fan.
The carriage fell silent for a moment.
Ji Bozai moved the tip of his shoe, speaking carelessly, “After all if you can’t even survive the banquet, how could you possibly carry out tasks for me?”
Ming Yi nodded, indicating she understood, then turned her face away, leaning against the carriage wall to rest.
“…If the situation becomes truly dire, I won’t just stand by and watch,” he said vaguely.
The person beside him didn’t respond, as if she had already fallen asleep.
Ji Bozai felt somewhat irritated. “Rest assured, even if I could watch you die, Zheng Tiao would step in to save you.”
The carriage passed through a bustling morning market, and the shouts of vendors from both sides suddenly filled the carriage.
“Winter melons and eggplants for sale—”
“All kinds of goods from the Six Cities, take a look, customers!”
“Candied hawthorn skewers—”
Ming Yi suddenly opened her eyes.
She lifted the carriage curtain and peeked out, about to reach her hand out, but the hawthorn skewer stand had already been left far behind by the swift carriage.
Withdrawing her hand dejectedly, she continued to sit in sullen silence.
“Stop the carriage,” Ji Bozai called out.
“My lord?”
“We left in a hurry without breakfast,” he got down and walked towards a nearby wonton stand. “Let’s have a bowl before we go.”
Ming Yi’s eyes lit up, and she quickly followed him out of the carriage. “I’ll go look around nearby.”
Bu Xiu was about to stop her, but Ji Bozai called to him, “Go keep an eye on the pot for me. Don’t let the wontons overcook.”
“Yes, sir.” As Bu Xiu walked, he looked back to see Miss Ming, adorned with jingling jewelry, flying like the wind towards the candied hawthorn stand. She bought the biggest, reddest skewer, and ran back happily holding it up.
Jingle jingle—
The ornaments on her body made a joyful sound.
Ji Bozai had his back to the direction she was running from. The corners of his mouth lifted slightly, then quickly lowered again. He picked up a pair of chopsticks, ate a couple of wontons, and said indifferently, “The taste is not bad.”
This wonton shop had been on the verge of closing due to poor business. With his one comment, the owner was overjoyed. After Ji Bozai left, he immediately had someone write a sign — “Wontons praised by Ji Bozai as tasting not bad.”
This move successfully revived his shop, but that’s a story for another time.
When the two returned to the carriage, the atmosphere had improved considerably.
Ming Yi crunched on her candied hawthorn, joy evident in the corners of her eyes and brows. It wasn’t that the candied hawthorn was particularly delicious, but rather that she had finally bought one herself, crossing off another item from her list of regrets.
In a good mood, she even found the person opposite her more pleasing to the eye. She smiled and asked him, “Would you like to try one, my lord?”
Ji Bozai normally wouldn’t care for such things. She asked only out of politeness and good upbringing.
However, he nodded. “Alright, I’ll try one.”