Chapter Twenty: The Way of Love and the Way of the Sword

Tang Xiaoqi sat quietly beside Lu Liaoliao, looking like a pitiful little kitten. It seemed that only by staying close to him could she feel at ease. Sensitive as she was, she sensed Lu Liaoliao’s unstable mood and absent-mindedness. She reached out her small hand to hold his beneath the table, scratching it lightly.

Lu Liaoliao snapped back to himself and, as if casually, began to inquire about the lecherous thief known as Lord Cherish-Flower. He also took the opportunity to praise the gallantry and fearlessness of the young men present.

Fat Cheng Changmu became spirited at once. He rose from his seat, drew out a folding fan, and, striking a refined pose, began to fan himself with an air of nonchalant elegance.

“Speaking of that Lord Cherish-Flower, Gu Xichao, he’s truly something remarkable. Not long after arriving in Chang’an, he first duelled with a disciple of the Chess Sage Wang Jixin. Though he ultimately lost, he was lauded for the elegance of his game, the beauty of his formations, and the ancient charm of his style. Later, he accompanied the courtesan Xu Hezi’s song with the qin, painted a dance for Xie Aman, inscribed the name plaque for the Xianyi Temple, and his fame for talent and artistry spread throughout the capital.

If that were all, it would be nothing much. But this Lord Cherish-Flower is also said to be as handsome as Pan An, and roguishly charming. With a single line—‘I come treading moonlight’—he caused half the noble ladies of Chang’an to leave their windows unbarred at night.”

Seeing Tang Xiaoqi utterly enraptured, the fat man felt a touch of pride. He took a sip of wine, shook his fan, and sighed regretfully.

“Alas! A figure of such unrivaled grace as Lord Cherish-Flower, yet he had to provoke our Chang’an Lizheng Academy. He even dared to declare, ‘I have long heard of Lady Qin’s famed beauty throughout Chang’an. I wish to come treading moonlight, to drink wine with her and dispel her lonely nights.’

With three hundred disciples of the Daoist schools and a thousand voices from the Academy—how could the wife of our Academy’s Lecturer Jun Nan Feng be subject to his insult? Amidst the uproar of righteous outrage, Lord Cherish-Flower fled in panic.

Later, it was discovered that after his secret rendezvous with various people, Lord Cherish-Flower always pilfered a few valuable items as souvenirs of longing. When word of this spread, his reputation as a lecherous thief was solidified.”

Lu Liaoliao gave a slight smile. “So, you young heroes, having heard that Lord Cherish-Flower might appear in Chengdu, chased after him here?”

The fat man’s expression grew serious. “It’s not that we’re idle or meddlesome. It’s that our good brother, Lord Ruochén, could not bear his mother suffering such humiliation and swore to capture that villain. How could we stand by and do nothing?”

“This Lord Cherish-Flower must be quite formidable, to make such a stir and still escape Chang’an,” Lu Liaoliao remarked, sounding casual but clearly mocking these pampered youths for their impulsiveness and lack of self-awareness.

Unexpectedly, the fat man caught the hint and puffed up his chest with bravado. “It’s said that Lord Cherish-Flower was trained at Ten Thousand Flowers Valley in the Qin Mountains. His fighting style is ethereal and elusive—many fall to him, bewildered. He’s also a master of disguise and transformation. He may not be able to change into a thousand forms, but it’s not easy to catch him.

However, Miss Qianqian, daughter of Master Dongfang Qiushui, Valley Lord of Ten Thousand Flowers, firmly denies that Lord Cherish-Flower is one of their disciples. She has personally come here with Lord Ruochén, and with the help of us brothers, if Lord Cherish-Flower shows himself, he won’t get away so easily.”

As the conversation drifted toward disagreement, the gathering cooled and soon dispersed.

Back in his room, Lu Liaoliao was preoccupied with his thoughts and couldn’t focus on the “Commentary of Master Guan.” Unexpectedly, Tang Xiaoqi knocked and entered, offering to massage his shoulders.

“Everyone else avoids me because I smell bad—how can you stand it?” Tang Xiaoqi asked with a warm, smiling face.

“After a while, you just get used to it,” Lu Liaoliao replied lazily, eyes half-closed.

“But at first, I stank even worse, and you didn’t shy away,” she said, her tone turning a little hurt.

“I’ve smelled far worse things than you—yours is nothing in comparison,” he answered, still with his eyes closed, his mind drifting to the time in the Five Poisons Sect’s mountains, when he concocted a foul-smelling medicine meant for Lady Fang but ended up being the one affected. His body tensed involuntarily.

“Whose smell was that?” Tang Xiaoqi asked, unaware of the underlying meaning.

“My own,” Lu Liaoliao replied with a smile, recalling how Sister Fengyao had cared for him tenderly, never minding the stench. He wondered how she and Sister Wuya were faring now.

Seeing Lu Liaoliao’s dazed smile, Tang Xiaoqi couldn’t help herself; a hint of jealousy tinged her voice. “That Geshü Xiaoye may be proud, but she really is beautiful. You stole more than a few glances at her.”

“To rule the world sober, to lie drunk at a beauty’s knee—she’s the General’s daughter, of course she’s beautiful,” Lu Liaoliao answered easily.

“Hmph! Are only the daughters of the powerful pretty?” Tang Xiaoqi protested.

“Of course. When the father is influential and the mother beautiful, and the child is raised in luxury, it’s rare for them not to be good-looking—unless things go strangely awry,” he said as if it were obvious.

Tang Xiaoqi fell silent, but her hands pressed harder.

“You, of course, are more enchanting—a little fox sprite, seductively charming. I don’t know how you turned out this way. I wonder which rich family will take you in someday, using you as a pillow for their drunken nights,” Lu Liaoliao quickly added, teasing.

He couldn’t see Tang Xiaoqi’s face turn pale at the words. She suddenly scolded him, “Shameless! You lay across my lap in the carriage!”

Lu Liaoliao retorted shamelessly, “That was payment for detoxifying you, you know.”

Sensing her sulking, he added mysteriously, “I noticed that Marquis Yin Feng kept sneaking looks at you at the banquet, and the fat man was trying to show off in front of you. Both families are well-born. Maybe you should consider them?”

“Pah! I despise those types. Aside from their ancestors’ fading glory, what do they have?” Tang Xiaoqi retorted with contempt.

Lu Liaoliao turned, grinning teasingly. “Then what kind of man would you marry?”

Tang Xiaoqi lifted her pretty chin and recited, “‘A thousand riders to the east, my husband at their head. What need to know his name? White horse with black, blue ribbon for the tail, gold for the brow; a Lu-forged sword at his waist, worth a fortune; at fifteen an officer, at twenty a courtier, at thirty a chamberlain, at forty a governor. Fair of face, with a noble beard; dignified in the hall, graceful in the court. Of thousands present, all declare him outstanding.’”

Lu Liaoliao laughed. “You do dream big. If such a perfect man existed, would he really be yours?”

Tang Xiaoqi protested, “You’re always looking down on a humble girl like me. Can’t I dream a little?”

Lu Liaoliao couldn’t help himself. “A humble girl? You?”

“What’s wrong with being a humble girl?” she replied, missing his mocking tone.

“If you’re a humble girl, then I’m a lawless rogue—I’d have snatched you away long ago.”

Instead of anger, Tang Xiaoqi felt a faint sweetness and blushed. “What use would there be in snatching a rough country girl like me?”

“Buy a few acres of land, a small courtyard, and plant it full of flowers,” Lu Liaoliao began, then abruptly stopped.

Tang Xiaoqi’s face lit with longing. “And then?”

“You’d serve me tea and water, massage my legs and shoulders,” he finished, then burst into laughter.

Tang Xiaoqi didn’t reply, instead grabbing his ear and twisting hard, making him yelp. A subtle feeling shimmered between them.

To avoid suspicion, the door to the room was left open. Young Daoist Gu Ye happened to walk by and saw this scene, feeling awkward.

“Brother, Miss Xiaoqi, I hope I’m not interrupting,” he said.

Tang Xiaoqi fled, face flushed, covering her face as she ran.

Lu Liaoliao composed himself as if nothing had happened. “Gu Ye, have you forgotten the rule we set last time?”

Gu Ye was momentarily confused. “But today, when you introduced yourself, didn’t you call yourself my junior?”

“There’s an order to discipleship. One must not neglect respect for age and seniority. Before outsiders, I naturally give you face.”

Seeing through Lu Liaoliao’s posturing, Gu Ye’s gratitude vanished, and he grumbled, “You truly have a way, brother. That Miss Xiaoqi kept her distance from me for days, always proper and polite. Even when I offered her new clothes, she wouldn’t accept. But you, whom she’s known not even ten days, she’s already massaging your shoulders and holding your hand in public.”

Lu Liaoliao put on an innocent face. “Holding hands? That never happened.”

Gu Ye smirked coldly. “Are we all blind, then?”

Lu Liaoliao shamelessly waved him off. “You must have been seeing things. What did you want with me anyway?”

“I came for your advice, of course,” Gu Ye replied, instantly putting on a smile.

“I’ve already given you the sword manual. What else is unclear?” Lu Liaoliao asked, surprised.

Gu Ye laughed awkwardly. “It’s not about swordsmanship. I want to ask… how can I find the right moment to present the Mo Xie sword to Miss Geshü Xiaoye?”

Lu Liaoliao was puzzled. “How should I know?”

Gu Ye kept his ingratiating smile, glancing meaningfully at Tang Xiaoqi’s room.

“You can’t be serious! You’re asking someone who spent four years in the remote mountains for advice on matters of the heart?” Lu Liaoliao felt a headache coming on.

“Master Taibai said that the way of love is like the way of the sword; the way of the sword is like the way of love. Since your swordplay is unmatched, naturally I should ask you,” Gu Ye replied, closing the door gently and looking at Lu Liaoliao with hope.

Lu Liaoliao slapped his forehead in frustration. He’d entered Dongchang Cliff at fifteen and stayed four years. He had no experience in such matters—he was as clueless as anyone. How could he teach this lovesick youth?

Still, from his own observations, Geshü Xiaoye seemed proud and aloof; she joked with Gu Ye and the others but showed no special regard for him. The Ganjiang and Mo Xie swords symbolized conjugal fidelity. To offer it openly might be a bold declaration, while giving it in secret would be a subtler approach. Either way, a misstep could breed new entanglements.

“Does Miss Geshü Xiaoye have anyone she favors?” he asked cautiously after thinking a moment.

Gu Ye scratched his head, baffled. “I haven’t noticed. But Lady Qin, Lord Ruochén’s mother, does seem to favor her. However, Lord Ruochén has a childhood friend, Miss Qianqian, always by his side; other girls can hardly get close.”

“You’ve mentioned this Lord Ruochén several times. What kind of person is he?” Lu Liaoliao, always one to plan ahead, wanted to be fully informed.