bookbashuk Chapter 101 The Enchantress Who Was Sulking with Her Blanket
Chapter 101 The Enchantress Who Was Sulking with Her Blanket
Chapter 101 The Enchantress Who Was Sulking with Her Blanket
As Shen An carried the newly forged heavy sword into the inner courtyard, he saw his room door open and a petite figure bustling about inside.
Qu Feiyan was clearly not used to these kinds of tasks, and at the moment she was struggling fiercely with a quilt cover.
She buried herself almost entirely in the duvet cover, leaving only her two slender arms sticking out as she flailing about, trying to tuck the four corners of the duvet into the correct positions.
However, the soft quilt seemed to have a life of its own, always slipping away from another corner just when she was about to succeed, making her huff and puff in frustration.
Seeing her clumsy yet earnest expression, Shen An couldn't help but smile.
He gently placed the heavy longsword against the corner of the wall without making a sound, and then walked over silently.
"Getting angry over a blanket isn't like the style of a witch from a demonic sect."
A gentle voice sounded in her ear, startling Qu Feiyan. She suddenly poked her head out from under the covers, her hair disheveled and covered with cotton fibers. Her face was slightly flushed for some reason, probably because she had been stuffy under the covers.
"An, Brother An!" Upon seeing who it was, she immediately became a little embarrassed, instinctively putting her small hands behind her back, and hurriedly explained, "You're back. I saw your room—well, it must have been a long journey—so I...I just wanted to help you tidy up, even though Sister Xiaocao's tidying was quite simple—"
Is "travel fatigue" a description of the room?
Shen An's eyes were full of undisguised laughter.
"I'll do it."
He stepped forward, skillfully unfolded the duvet cover, found two corners, and had Qu Feiyan hold the other side. With a gentle shake, the duvet insert slid smoothly into the cover, neat and tidy.
Although Wang Xiaocao had done most of the work before, he shouldn't be so incompetent as to not do it so difficultly. Shen An thought it was probably due to his height and arm span.
He quickly laid out the bedding, told the girl to wait obediently, and then began to pack up the other things.
Qu Feiyan said "Oh" and stood obediently to the side, watching him work in an orderly manner.
Sunlight streamed through the window, casting a soft golden hue upon him, while tiny dust particles danced quietly in the beams of light.
She suddenly felt that if she could just keep watching him like this, even if she never saw any excitement in the future, and just live a simple and peaceful life, that would be quite nice.
"All done." Soon, the room was completely transformed.
Shen An wiped his hands, walked to the corner, and untied the luggage he had brought back from Xiangtan.
He took out a square packet of medicinal herbs carefully wrapped in oiled paper. The oiled paper was neatly wrapped with clean edges.
He genuinely didn't know how to do the delicate work of packing bundles and wrapping oil paper. He had never done this before, or Qu Feiyan couldn't stand it and took over the task for him before he left.
The medicinal herbs inside were specially purchased by him in Xiangtan. They were herbs that helped to promote blood circulation, strengthen muscles and bones, and were very beneficial for practicing martial arts and strengthening the body.
"I wonder how Sister Xiaocao is doing at Hengshan Sect," Qu Feiyan sighed softly, looking at the familiar medicine packet, a hint of worry in her eyes. "She's all alone there, unfamiliar with the place. Won't she be bullied?"
"No, that won't happen." Shen An shook his head, his tone gentle yet firm. "Master Mo genuinely wants to take her as his disciple, so naturally he will protect her. The atmosphere of the Hengshan Sect is relatively upright, unlike the complicated atmosphere of our Songshan Sect. She is safe there, at least in terms of safety."
He paused, a hint of helplessness in his eyes: "But—yes, it's a pity we probably won't see her again until she truly masters the art. Before going to Xiangtan last time, I went to Hengshan to see her. But the disciple in charge of receiving guests at the sect said that new disciples must cultivate diligently and isolate themselves from external influences, and are not allowed to see any outsiders during this period. This has been a rule of the Hengshan Sect for hundreds of years."
"So many rules." Qu Feiyan pouted, but then seemed to have figured something out, and nodded gently, her tone carrying a hint of expectation, "But it's good, this way she can concentrate on practicing martial arts, and no one will be able to bully her anymore."
Shen An nodded, took the medicine packet, and walked out of the inner courtyard. People were coming and going in the front courtyard of Bailian Workshop. He called out to a disciple who usually seemed quite clever, handed him the medicine packet, and gently instructed, "Go and deliver this to the Hengshan Sect's mountain gate, and ask them to pass it on to a newly entered girl named Wang Xiaocao."
The apprentice respectfully accepted the medicine packet, not daring to be negligent, and left to carry out the order.
I hope she can have a happy time in Hengshan.
Shen An stood under the eaves, watching the apprentice's departing figure, and thought to himself.
Over the next two days, Shen An and Feng Changrong were not idle.
Invitations to Liu Zhengfeng's "Golden Basin Retirement Ceremony" have spread throughout the martial arts world, and its momentum far surpasses that of the previous Sword Testing Ceremony.
It is foreseeable that in the next month, the entire city of Hengyang will transform into a giant inn for江湖 (jianghu, the martial arts world). At that time, people from all walks of life and from all corners of the world will gather here, and the prices of rooms, taverns, stables, and even grain, meat, and vegetables will all rise sharply.
It would be laughable if a large group of uncles, aunts, and fellow disciples from Mount Song came and had nowhere to stay.
After a quick discussion, the two decided to act decisively and swiftly acquire several houses around Bailianfang that were already for sale. These houses were in excellent locations, adjacent to each other, and could form a contiguous area.
On the third day, just as dawn was breaking, Shen An and Feng Changrong stood in the courtyard they had just acquired, directing the craftsmen who had been hired early that morning.
"Master Wang, tear down this wall and that one over there. Rebuild the gate with the finest blue bricks, make it spacious and grand," Shen An said to a seasoned foreman, pointing to the partition wall between the two houses. "Pave the entire courtyard with bluestone slabs, leaving flower beds and walkways in the middle. Expand the woodshed and stable in the backyard to accommodate at least fifty horses."
Holding a sketch, Feng Changrong instructed another group of people: "Renovate all the side rooms to the standard of the main rooms. Order the tables, chairs, and beds from the best woodworking shops in the city. Be quick! Also, immediately recruit a group of clever waiters and cooks. Pay them higher wages, but they must be honest and reliable!"
For a moment, the entire neighborhood was filled with the clanging of hammers and the shouts of craftsmen, creating a lively and bustling atmosphere.
Just as Shen An was examining the blueprints and planning the layout of the famous room, a series of rapid hoofbeats approached from afar. A knight dressed in the robes of a disciple of Songshan Mountain reined in his horse and stopped in front of the gate, dismounted, and headed straight into the ward.
A moment later, the disciple, carrying a letter bearing the sect leader's seal and sealed tightly with sealing wax, hurried through the noisy construction site to Shen An.
"Senior Brother Shen! Orders from the sect!"