Chapter 123: Bad Luck

Before crossing paths with Guo Dongdong, Qin Cheng truly had no intention of taking advantage of her. When Guo Dongdong was sparring with Gongsun Ce earlier, Qin Cheng had watched with an appreciative eye, drawn entirely by her alluring posture and temperament; his intentions were genuinely pure. However, when the "oblivious" Guo Xixi interrupted his appreciation of beauty, Qin Cheng felt annoyed—not to mention a lingering regret that he could no longer admire the scenery that any man would adore. Consequently, when he began explaining the nuances of Tai Chi, he did so with a bit of a hidden agenda. Yet, at that moment, he really hadn't planned on getting physical—well, unless one counts the sparring itself. If anything, the situation simply unfolded with a sense of inevitability.

By the time Qin Cheng and Guo Dongdong had exchanged over fifty moves, she had moved from being flustered by his Tai Chi techniques to finding a rhythm. Yet, toward the end, she inexplicably grew flustered again, her face flushed red and her breathing ragged, unable to look him in the eye.

Those familiar with Tai Chi know that the movements—pushing, pulling, and guiding—require close physical contact and, inevitably, a fair amount of friction. With Qin Cheng’s movements becoming increasingly fluid, they eventually morphed into deliberate, playful touches; it would have been a miracle if Guo Dongdong hadn't noticed. However, she could hardly say anything, given how solemn Qin Cheng’s expression remained and how "Tai Chi" every move appeared to be.

Qin Cheng knew when to stop; he didn't want Guo Xixi or Gongsun Ce to discern the "lewd" thoughts currently occupying his mind.

"General Qin’s martial arts are truly formidable. I have learned a great deal," Guo Dongdong said, cupping her hands in a salute. Her face was still flushed enough to drip water. She looked down at Qin Cheng's feet, then, feeling it was impolite, looked up, catching the faint smile at the corner of his mouth.

"I actually practice very little Tai Chi; I am merely a beginner, not particularly skilled," Qin Cheng said, whether out of genuine modesty or false humility, it was hard to tell.

"Haha! Brother Qin, this art of yours is truly remarkable. I wouldn't dare claim to know every martial art in the world, but I know seven or eight out of ten, and I have never seen anyone wield such subtle force so exquisitely. It is truly extraordinary!" Gongsun Ce walked over, clapping Qin Cheng on the shoulder in admiration.

Qin Cheng looked at the heat in Gongsun Ce’s eyes and raised an eyebrow. "Brother Gongsun, can you no longer contain yourself?"

"Heh, naturally!" Gongsun Ce decisively cupped his hands. "I ask Brother Qin for your instruction!"

"Easily done, easily done."

...

When dealing with Gongsun Ce, Qin Cheng was far less courteous. Within less time than it takes to brew a pot of tea, Gongsun Ce had been sent flying a dozen times. Soon, he was bruised and battered, his robes covered in dust, looking thoroughly disheveled.

Yet, once in the zone, Gongsun Ce didn't care. Every time he was tossed, he scrambled back, only to be tossed again. Through this repetitive cycle of being thrown, Gongsun Ce’s grasp of Tai Chi rapidly improved, his movements becoming more agile until, eventually, it wasn't so easy for Qin Cheng to throw him anymore.

Qin Cheng was quite satisfied with Gongsun Ce’s talent, thinking to himself that if he had been trained by a master, his martial arts might not be much inferior to Wei Qing’s.

The entire morning was spent in mutual sparring. Near noon, the group sat by the riverbank to rest. Having spent the morning standing to spar and sitting to discuss the Way, their relationship had naturally grown closer.

Just as they were talking, a melodious sound of a zither suddenly rose in the distance, piercing the tranquility of the sky, crossing the river, and enveloping Qin Cheng and his companions.

The music was ethereal, winding as if it had drifted from a secluded valley; it was like a spring breeze brushing over fields, like bamboo shoots sprouting through forest leaves, like the harmony of frogs, like the sound of waves hitting the shore. It felt incongruous with the mundane world, yet it didn't feel abrupt. As the melody spilled forth, Qin Cheng and the others felt their minds grow strangely still.

Gongsun Ce craned his neck, looking around for a long time without spotting the musician. "Who is playing the zither?" he muttered.

Receiving no reply, he looked at the other three, only to find them with their eyes closed, savoring the music, completely ignoring the "idiotic" question of a man as boorish as he. Qin Cheng didn't bother looking; this wasn't an ambush, so as long as it sounded good, why bother finding the source? And what if he did? That was why he ignored Gongsun Ce.

As the music faded, Qin Cheng slowly opened his eyes and naturally glanced toward a small, isolated courtyard on the opposite bank. As he watched, a window facing the river opened, and a woman in plain clothes appeared, standing silently as if lost in thought, gazing at the river.

Clearly, she was the one who had played. She stood alone, possessing an indescribable, ethereal charm. Perhaps sensing Qin Cheng’s gaze, or for some other reason, she looked toward them. Because of the distance, Qin Cheng couldn't see her face clearly, yet he felt a strange sense of familiarity.

Just as he found this odd, Guo Xixi murmured beside him, "Isn't that Xiao'er?"

Xiao'er?

Qin Cheng recalled the woman from the previous night who had tried to assassinate Xue Ping—the woman who had held her zither with such calm indifference. He suddenly found the situation interesting.

He turned his gaze toward the sisters, Guo Xixi and Guo Dongdong. Though his expression remained neutral, the sisters felt a chill rise from their feet, as if they had been plunged into an ice cellar.

Guo Dongdong suddenly realized something and panicked. "We... we didn't know Miss Xiao'er lived here," she hurriedly explained.

Qin Cheng had a principle: he never hesitated to assume the worst of others. He had just wondered if the sisters had intentionally chosen this spot for their sparring, then arranged for Xiao'er to play, just to draw him in and then... he didn't know what the "then" was, but if it were true, it was definitely a scheme.

In the underworld, one must be cautious. Qin Cheng disliked being used, so even though his face hadn't changed, his aura had turned icy. Guo Dongdong, sensing this, had spoken up to explain.

Hearing this, Qin Cheng smiled but said nothing, turning his gaze back to Xiao'er. She was still at the window, but no longer looking at them; her gaze had returned to its previous spot, as if seeing them had made no impression on her, nor did she have any intention of greeting them. She remained standing in solitary silence.

"So it is Miss Xiao'er!" Gongsun Ce exclaimed, finally realizing. "What marvelous zither skills!" He then seemed to remember something. "Miss Xiao'er must know martial arts, too, right?"

Before the others could respond, Gongsun Ce leaped up and vanished, reappearing on the bank directly opposite the courtyard. To the astonishment of the group, he waved his arms and shouted, "Miss Xiao'er! Miss Xiao'er!"

He was very excited. He shouted for a long time, but Xiao'er didn't react. Gongsun Ce didn't give up, continuing his boisterous cries. He had encountered many martial artists lately and assumed everyone in the martial world would be happy to spar with him. For a man who had been struggling in the martial world for twenty years, this was nothing; he figured if he just shouted loudly enough, she would respond. And if she responded, there was hope. After all, they did have a life-and-death connection, didn't they? Even if it wasn't exactly a pleasant one.

After a while, perhaps unable to bear him any longer, Xiao'er moved. She took a step toward the window. Gongsun Ce, thinking he had moved her, beamed and shouted even louder.

Suddenly, a black shadow leaped from the window, landed on the riverbank, let out a roar, and charged into the water, rushing toward Gongsun Ce! The speed was incredible, far beyond what a human could achieve!

When Gongsun Ce saw the shadow clearly, the joy on his face froze. His mouth hung open wide enough to fit an egg. It wasn't a person—it was a massive black dog, half the height of a man!

The dog was clearly more excited than Gongsun Ce. It paddled across the river with ferocious momentum, looking as if it intended to spar on behalf of its master.

"Mother of mine!" Gongsun Ce shrieked, leaping a yard high in terror before scrambling back toward Qin Cheng and the others.

...

Qin Cheng and the others rode slowly through the streets of Chang'an. Beside them, a bedraggled Gongsun Ce hung his head, clearly disheartened. The sparring tournament had ended abruptly with the arrival of a giant black dog.

"General Qin, Brother Gongsun, let us part ways here. We shall meet again!" At a crossroads, the group bid farewell. Guo Dongdong, who had been quiet, offered a salute, while the usually lively Guo Xixi remained silent. As they rode away, Guo Xixi cast a long, melancholy glance back toward Qin Cheng.

...

In the bustling city of Chang'an, the most magnificent architecture was, naturally, the Weiyang Palace, followed by the Changle Palace. Beyond the imperial residences, the most impressive structures were the mansions of high-ranking officials. The estate of the former Chancellor, Tian Fen, was the epitome of luxury, unmatched by any private residence. In contrast, the mansion of the current Chancellor, Xue Ze, seemed rather modest.

Whether in scale, layout, or decoration, the Xue residence was unremarkable. Having succeeded Tian Fen after his death, Xue Ze had taken heed of the lessons learned from his predecessor's greed and extravagance. His life was far from luxurious, and he was known for being cautious in both his life and his duties.

After Xue Ze left for the morning court, a roar echoed from an isolated courtyard, making the entire household tremble. Servants and slaves kept their heads down and hurried about, knowing that the young master, whose temperament was the polar opposite of his father’s, was throwing a tantrum. When the master rages, it is the dogs at his feet who suffer.

"Damn you, Li Li! You always brag about how capable you are, so why couldn't you handle a few petty thieves last night? You bastard, look at what I’ve been beaten into! Do you still want to survive in this city?!"

Since waking up, Xue Ping had been cursing Li Li, who stood nearby with his head bowed, not daring to breathe. Had Xue Ping not been so physically drained, he might have cut Li Li down with a sword.

After the incident at the tavern, Li Li had known he was in trouble. He hadn't been able to do much; he had simply taken Xue Ping to a pharmacy to treat his injuries before bringing him home. He had been waiting in the courtyard ever since, expecting a reprimand. To him, a scolding or a beating was a small price to pay to keep his connection to the powerful Xue family.

Li Li was only a minor local strongman, and Xue Ping was the powerful tree he had spent much effort to climb. He had gained much from this connection, but last night had been a disaster. He felt aggrieved, but had to swallow his bitterness and endure Xue Ping’s rage.

Xue Ping, feeling he had suffered a great loss, grew angrier as he cursed. He grabbed a medicine bottle and hurled it at Li Li, but the exertion caused him to strain his back, leading to a fresh round of agonizing wails.

After a long while, Xue Ping finally caught his breath and demanded, "Have you found out who those people were? Especially the two bastards who kicked me—who are they?"

Li Li wiped the sweat from his forehead, looking awkward. "Still... still investigating."

"Still investigating? You bucket of slop! Why are you still standing there? Get out and find them!" Xue Ping roared, spittle flying. "Get out!"

"Yes... I'm going now!" Li Li nodded and scrambled out.

Once outside, Li Li spat and cursed under his breath, "What a piece of trash! If you weren't the Chancellor’s son, I wouldn't give a damn about you! Cursing me all morning—what a disaster!" With that, he vanished from the courtyard.