Chapter 77: Protecting

 Chapter 77: Protecting

Chu Yunmu was satisfied and about to leave, but unexpectedly, Shen Shi spoke again: "Mu Ge'er, before you go out the day after tomorrow, you must finish your homework for today and tomorrow."

"Chen Jie'er, if he hasn't finished his homework, don't mind him."

Shen Shi said this with a playful tone, her elegant and beautiful face full of smiles. In truth, she was dragging Chu Qianchen into the mix as well. Since Chu Qianchen was going to take Chu Yunmu out to play, she of course had to keep an eye on his homework.

When Chu Yunmu met Chu Qianchen's phoenix eyes, he felt a jolt in his heart: he had escaped his mother’s supervision, but he couldn't escape Second Sister’s "clutches"!

He wanted Second Sister to take him out to have fun, not to make her check his homework!

Chu Yunmu swallowed nervously, a bad premonition rising in him.

His premonition turned out to be true. For the next day and a half, Chu Qianchen kept a close watch on him. Apart from eating and sleeping, he was constantly reading, writing, and memorizing.

It wasn’t until the morning of the day after tomorrow that he finally felt like he was alive again.

That day, Chu Yunmu got up early, skipping breakfast, rushing to Wanyan Courtyard, afraid of missing the excitement.

As a result, both of them had their breakfast in the carriage.

Luckily, Chen Mama understood Chu Yunmu’s temperament and had already prepared a food box in advance, filled with snacks that were easy to eat on the go, such as small dumplings with thin skins and tender meat, sweet and soft sugar-coated millet cakes, and crispy fried cream cakes.

The carriage was filled with a delicious aroma.

By the time the carriage reached the southern city gate, they had finished their breakfast.

Chen Mama glanced at the street outside and smiled, "Second Miss, Fourth Young Master, this servant has specially booked a private seat at Fuyue Teahouse, right by the street. The view there is excellent, and from there, we can see the entire South Street clearly."

Chen Mama had made good preparations, but plans couldn't keep up with changes.

Before they even reached South Street, the carriage started to slow down, and eventually, it came to a halt.

Outside, there were loud voices from the crowd, coming from near and far, filtering into the carriage:

"Why are there so many people ahead?"

"Don’t you know? The foreign envoys are coming to the capital today. They're from a place called the West Tribe!"

"Weren’t they supposed to arrive at noon? I thought I’d leave the city before they got here."

"…"

Chu Yunmu quickly pulled aside the curtain and looked outside. He saw that the street ahead was packed with people, bustling and noisy, a scene full of life.

Chu Yunmu became anxious, chattering away, "Good thing we came out early, or we would have missed it."

"This carriage can’t move anymore, Second Sister, let’s walk."

"Old Li, stop the carriage!"

Even if Chu Yunmu hadn’t shouted, the carriage was moving so slowly that it could barely be called a crawl.

Chu Yunmu grabbed Chu Qianchen's hand and eagerly hopped out of the carriage.

With so many people around, Chu Qianchen tightly held his hand, not letting go for a moment.

The area around the South City Gate was becoming more and more lively, and excited shouts like waves from the sea were heard coming from south to north: "They’re here, they’re here, the foreign envoys are here!"

The crowd along the street was all excited, their eyes shining, each person craning their neck to look toward the city gate, including Chu Yunmu.

Before the people arrived, the flowers had already come.

In no time, pieces of bright red flower petals were blown over by the wind, and a light shower of petals fell from the sky.

However, unlike the day Gu Jue entered the city, where the people of the capital had thrown flowers, today, it was the foreign envoys who were scattering the petals.

The people of the capital instinctively moved aside, and soon they saw several camels with magnificent saddles making their way through the crowd. The large camels were carrying people dressed in white robes and hats, with strikingly prominent noses and deep-set eyes, most of them holding flower baskets and tossing petals into the air.

The air was filled with a sweet fragrance, and the sound of camel bells rang out clearly and melodiously with each step.

Behind the camel caravan was a procession of carriages, each one distinctively different from the ones used in the Central Plains. These golden, ornate carriages moved slowly forward, glittering under the sunlight, their luxurious appearance strikingly extravagant.

The onlookers were all excited. The arrival of the foreign envoys to pay tribute to the capital was a symbol of the growing strength of the Great Qi Dynasty.

A strong Great Qi meant peace and stability for the people.

The street was filled with a lively buzz.

When the camels passed right in front of the siblings, Chu Yunmu couldn't bear to blink. His little face seemed to glow with excitement as he pointed at the camels and said, "Second Sister, look! Camels! They're much taller than horses!"

Chu Qianchen was also smiling, but it was because of Chu Yunmu. Her beautiful eyes softened, and her gaze became gentle and full of warmth.

The foreign envoy procession gradually moved further away, leaving behind a carpet of flower petals and a lingering floral fragrance in the air. The atmosphere on the street hadn't yet cooled, and the onlookers seemed reluctant to disperse.

A woman in the crowd raised her voice and said, "Why are these foreigners wearing white clothes and white hats? They look like they're in mourning—it's so unlucky!"

"Exactly. I heard that people from the Western regions have blue eyes, green eyes, and yellow eyes, but those people we just saw all seemed to have black eyes," another man grumbled in a deep voice.

Chu Yunmu felt a pang in his heart, and couldn't help but listen closely.

Soon, an elder countered, "Not all foreigners have strange-colored eyes. I heard that the people from the Anxi tribe have noses that are higher than ours and deeper eye sockets..."

"Yes, I think there are some tribes in the northeast whose people have blue or green eyes..."

"..."

So that's how it is, Chu Yunmu thought, listening intently.

Unfortunately, the conversation started to disperse as people continued talking and laughing, and the crowd began to thin out. The once bustling street quickly became sparse, a noticeable shift from the earlier excitement.

The lively event was over, but Chu Yunmu, who had rarely left the house, wasn't ready to return just yet.

He glanced around and remembered seeing a tea stall on the way here. Pointing in that direction, he suggested, "Second Sister, I’m thirsty. Shall we go to that tea stall down the street for a cup of cool tea?"

Chu Qianchen looked down at him, gazing at him intently... so much so that Chu Yunmu almost began to feel guilty. He wondered if he should bribe her with a few grass-made toys to distract her. Just then, Chu Qianchen cheerfully said, "Let’s go."

Holding Chu Yunmu's hand, Chu Qianchen led him toward the tea stall.

For today’s outing, Chu Qianchen had chosen a robe for Chu Yunmu the night before. The siblings were dressed in similarly colored clothes, a simple and clean aquamarine shade. The robes had delicate floral embroidery on the edges, making them look like young people from a modest household.

Soon, the siblings arrived at the tea stall at the end of the street.

It was a small roadside stall with a blue oilcloth canopy, with only six or seven tables. At the moment, half of them were already occupied by customers.

Afraid Chu Qianchen might change her mind, Chu Yunmu eagerly pulled her down to sit and ordered two pots of cool tea.

The owner responded with a grunt and quickly brought them their tea.

But Chu Yunmu wasn’t paying attention to the tea. His gaze was fixed on the performers next door.

There were four or five people performing tricks beside the tea stall. First, a young man performed sword swallowing. Then, a girl around ten years old, dressed in red, effortlessly performed acrobatics on a platform, her slender waist and flexibility allowing her to bend and twist in impossible positions. Her graceful movements were captivating.

"Impressive!" Chu Yunmu clapped happily, his palms turning red from the applause.

When the monkey kept by the troupe came over with a straw hat, Chu Qianchen handed him a piece of silver, her phoenix eyes gleaming with understanding.

Chen Mama also saw through it. Fourth Young Master didn’t come to drink tea; he had just wanted to watch the performance.

Chu Yunmu smiled cheekily at Chu Qianchen and took the silver piece, tossing it into the monkey’s hat.

The monkey, clearly used to gauging people's reactions, lightly hopped onto the table in front of Chu Yunmu and continued performing.

However, it accidenseal knocked over a teapot, and the cool tea spilled, quickly flowing toward the edge of the table...

Chu Yunmu jumped up in a hurry, trying to dodge the spill. In his haste, he bumped into the bench behind him, causing a loud "clunk."

The bench he was sitting on collided with the one behind it, prompting a round of coarse curses.

Chu Yunmu turned around and realized that a table of people had been seated behind him without his noticing.

The tallest man at the table stood up, his large frame towering at over eight feet. His broad chest was stained with light brown tea, a stark contrast against his deep blue robe.

The man’s sharp eyes narrowed, glaring fiercely at Chu Yunmu.

Realizing that the monkey had caused trouble, it quickly fled, abandoning its attempts to collect more silver.

The atmosphere in the tea stall grew tense, with all the other customers turning to look at Chu Yunmu and the tall man, most of them clearly anxious.

The difference in their physical strength was obvious.

Chu Yunmu and Chu Qianchen, one a young girl and the other a child, looked delicate and defenseless. Meanwhile, the three foreign men were all large and imposing—if things escalated, the siblings would clearly be at a disadvantage.

The man with the bushy beard cursed loudly in a language Chu Yunmu didn’t understand, raising his hand as if to strike Chu Yunmu...

Chu Yunmu froze for a moment, not understanding what the man had said.

Fortunately, Chu Qianchen, seated to his right, quickly reacted, pulling him to her side.

While Chu Yunmu didn’t understand, Chu Qianchen recognized the language as Nanhou. It seemed this man was from Nanhou.

At the end of the previous dynasty, the imperial court had become corrupt, and the people were suffering. The founding emperor of the Great Qi Dynasty, Taizu, rose up in rebellion and established control over half of the empire. In a desperate bid, the last emperor of the former dynasty retreated south of the Yangtze River, establishing the capital in Lincheng, known as the Southern Wei. However, this Southern Wei only lasted for half a year before being destroyed by the Wuhe tribe, who then founded the Great Hao Dynasty. The Great Hao and Great Qi now faced each other across the river, their national strength evenly matched. The Southern Hao, however, was far stronger than a small border tribe like the Anxi people.

The relationship between the Northern Qi and Southern Hao was very delicate. In the first thirty years after the founding of the Northern Qi, the two nations had frequent small-scale conflicts. It wasn’t until twenty years ago, during the reign of the previous emperor, that a ceasefire agreement was reached.

Though the two countries had been at peace for the past two decades, no one knew when this fragile peace might shatter.

For the Wan Shou Festival, Southern Hao had also sent envoys to congratulate the emperor, though their emissaries had arrived half a month earlier.

It was clear that the men before them were likely members of the envoy delegation.

"Little brat, still trying to hide!" the burly man with a bushy beard angrily cursed in the language of Southern Hao, advancing toward Chu Qianchen and Chu Yunmu. He pointed a finger at Chu Yunmu’s nose, looking as if he wouldn’t let go without giving him a lesson.

Chu Qianchen stepped forward half a step, positioning herself to shield Chu Yunmu behind her, and subtly retrieved a few silver needles, hiding them between her fingers.

Her martial arts were nowhere near the level of skilled fighters like Yun Zhan, but in her previous life, she had learned some basic self-defense from the prince.

The prince had once said that since women were physically weaker than men, they should learn more skills to avoid being taken advantage of.

Chu Qianchen kept her lips pressed tight, standing upright and silent, exuding an air of calm that came from her very core.

The burly man with the bushy beard completely disregarded the small, delicate girl standing before him. He continued to approach, extending his hand toward Chu Qianchen with malicious intent.

"Duomo," a soft, clear male voice suddenly interrupted, as refreshing as a mountain spring in the tense air.

Although the voice was in the language of Southern Hao, most of the people in the tea stall didn’t understand, yet they all felt a soothing tranquility in the calm and unhurried tone.

The burly man and those around him, including the Chu siblings, turned toward the source of the voice.

A young monk in his twenties, dressed in a pristine white robe, white socks, and white shoes, stepped forward. He was spotless, his appearance almost ethereal.

The monk’s features were striking, with eyes like clear stars and eyebrows like ink strokes. His face was sharp and handsome, his presence like a jade tree, standing out among the crowd.

The white robe suited him perfectly, not making him appear mournful, but instead exuding a pure, otherworldly aura, as serene and radiant as the moon.

He looked at the burly man, Duomo, with gentle eyes, a faint smile playing on his lips, making him immediately likable.

Duomo pointed to the brownish tea stain on his chest and, speaking in the language of Southern Hao, said to the monk, "He has stained my family crest. I must make him pay the price!"

The stain was right on the tiger-head design on his chest.

Chu Qianchen sighed inwardly, silently mourning for Chu Yunmu’s bad luck. People from Southern Hao were fiercely proud of their family crests. To dirty one was to insult their entire family.

Chu Qianchen then turned to Duomo and said loudly in Chinese, "I heard that in the Hao Kingdom, the strong are respected. Since that's the case, let’s settle this based on strength. What do you think?"

She was confident that Duomo would understand Chinese.

After the Wuhe clan founded the Hao Dynasty, they began to adopt Chinese customs, learning the language. Since these men had family crests and were acting as envoys to the Great Qi, they were clearly noble figures from Southern Hao.

Her words stunned the other tea drinkers around her.

Lately, many foreign people had come to the capital, speaking in unintelligible tongues. The locals had grown used to them, often looking down on these small border tribes and nations.

But Southern Hao was different.

Southern Hao had long harbored ambitions toward the Great Qi, with half of the Central Plains already under their control. The people of the Great Qi secretly harbored a hope that one day the Great Qi army would march south to reclaim the lost territories. Yet, they also feared that Southern Hao might one day launch a northern campaign.

Like a stone dropped in a lake, the news that Southern Hao people were present spread quickly, creating ripples. Curious onlookers gathered around the tea stall, and soon the stall was surrounded by a thick crowd.

Duomo stared at Chu Qianchen in shock.

The young girl before him was strikingly beautiful, her features radiant and incomparable. She barely reached his shoulder, seeming as fragile as a delicate flower, easily broken with a single hand.

"You..." Duomo pointed at Chu Qianchen, asking in perfect Chinese, "You want to challenge me?"

He smirked, his expression tinged with mockery, as though saying, "This little girl is clearly overestimating herself."

Chu Qianchen gestured toward the bow and arrow set aside by Duomo and asked in return, "You’re good with a bow, ar

/\en’t you?"

Her challenge was clear—she wanted to settle this with archery.

The two other men from Southern Hao understood her challenge. They exchanged a look, their faces showing clear disdain.

Duomo was incredibly strong, and while not the best archer in the Great Hao, he was still a formidable shooter. No way would a slender girl like Chu Qianchen be a match for him.

To put it bluntly, it was like comparing a little girl to a grown man—this wasn’t a fair fight to begin with.

Just as Duomo was about to respond, Chu Qianchen smoothly reached for a bow and arrow from a nearby street performer’s troupe, choosing a smaller bow that suited her better. With a swift motion, she strung the bow, pulled the string, and shot an arrow at a distant target—a leaf tied with a red ribbon.

The arrow pierced the leaf and stuck it to the tree, causing the branches to shake as the leaves rained down.

The onlookers gasped in surprise, applauding her incredible shot. Even the street performers were impressed, clapping for her.

Duomo was stunned, not expecting such precision from a young girl.

His respect for her grew, recognizing that her archery skill was exceptional. At her age, he had been nowhere near as good as she was.

With a slight smirk, Duomo said, "Alright, I won’t make your brother apologize."

Afterward, he turned and left the teashop, his companions following him.

The monk, who had observed the entire scene, gave a single-handed Buddhist gesture to Chu Qianchen, offering a gentle smile that seemed to melt away the tension in the air. Then, with graceful steps, he left the teashop, his robes swaying like a cool breeze.

"Second sister," Chu Yunmu rushed over to grab her hand, his eyes wide with admiration. "You’re amazing!"

He quickly asked, "Can you teach me archery when we get home?"

"I’m so smart, I’ll definitely learn fast!"

Chu Qianchen chuckled, ruffling his hair. After giving the bow back to the monkey who had lent it to her, she handed the monkey a plate of plums as a thank-you gift.

"I know, I know." Chu Yunmu puffed out his chest, acting like a little adult. "Mother said, 'The one who endures hardship will become the greatest!'"

After the brief excitement, the old maid, Chen Mama, still a little shaken, turned to the two siblings. "Miss, young master, the carriage is here."

The carriage had arrived, waiting outside the teashop.

Chu Yunmu had seen enough excitement and was eager to return to the mansion to learn archery from his sister. He immediately climbed into the carriage.

Chu Qianchen followed, but as she stepped onto the carriage, her eyes accidenseal met the figure of Gu Jue sitting in a wine house across the street.

He sat lazily in a second-floor window, his expression cold and indifferent, as if he were looking down from the heavens, unbothered by the world.

Chu Qianchen blinked in surprise. She hadn’t expected to run into Gu Jue here.

Her luck today seemed to be incredible!

Chu Qianchen smiled sweetly, her expression soft and gentle, radiating an air of delicate charm.

Was she really that happy? Gu Jue couldn't help but tug the corners of his lips upwards, his cold, indifferent brows softening just a little.

For a moment, Chu Qianchen’s smile remained, but then it faltered. She grew quiet and thought to herself, I guess I’ll have to leave today, such a pity! She couldn’t help but glance at the side at Chen Mama, silently regretting her decision to bring her along. If only it were just her and Mu Ge’er, she could have taken him to see the prince and spoken a few words with him.

Hindsight is always 20/20, Chu Qianchen sighed internally, feeling a little deflated as she leaned on Hu Po’s arm and boarded the carriage. At least she could console herself with the thought that in two days, she’d be seeing the prince for his medical checkup again. She’d get another chance to talk with him... oh, and she could bring him a box of walnut pastries too!

Leaning against the window, Gu Jue placed his right fist near his lips and let out a soft chuckle, as though he was watching her tail, metaphorically drooping in frustration, clearly a contrast to the confident, proud posture she had when shooting the bow earlier.

“Yun Zhan,” Gu Jue said, glancing at the arrow that had lodged itself in the tree trunk, “Her aim is even better than yours.”

Both Gu Jue and the others in the private booth, Yun Zhan and Mo Chen, had witnessed Chu Qianchen’s shot.

Yun Zhan nodded calmly. “Indeed.”

Yun Zhan believed that the bearded man had made the right decision by not challenging Chu Qianchen on aim. If they had continued to compete based on precision, it would have been hard for the bearded man to win.

However, if they had competed in horseback archery, distance, or shooting at moving targets, Chu Qianchen would have found it much more difficult to match them.

But since Chu Qianchen had already shot her arrow first, the bearded man was now in a passive position. He would have to win by shooting standing still to be considered victorious.

Gu Jue raised his teacup, sipping slowly.

The second daughter of the Yongding Marquis' family, Chu Qianchen, not only possessed extraordinary medical skills but was also quite proficient in archery. Clearly, she had been practicing for several years.

Gu Jue, thinking about her situation in the Marquis’ residence, became even more curious about where Chu Qianchen had learned such excellent archery.

This girl was full of mysteries, yet she harbored no ill intentions toward him. In fact, her demeanor seemed filled with... respect, admiration, or perhaps... affection?

Below, the Marquis’ carriage had already moved down the street, and Yun Zhan’s gaze shifted to a group of people on the other side. His eyes landed on the white-robed monk, and he couldn’t help but ask, “Your Highness, that person... could he be...?”

“Yes,” Gu Jue nodded, confirming Yun Zhan’s guess. “He is Jia Lou.”

The monk, dressed in pure white, was none other than Wu He Jia Lou, the eldest prince of the Wu He Clan from Southern Hao.

Southern Hao and Northern Qi were two equal nations, somewhat like the southern and northern dynasties of ancient China.

(End of this chapter)