Why do I have so many masters?

679: Chapter 10: The Sound of Qin on Jiangnan Road (2 in 1) 679: Chapter 10: The Sound of Qin on Jiangnan Road (2 in 1) Master’s literary skills were unparalleled, his new work praised by all under heaven.

With a flick of his sleeve, he opened the white clouds to reveal the plain zither, playing it to the tune of the Three Gorges’ flowing springs.

A stream descended from the heavens, surging ceaselessly, flanked by steep green mountains.

Here, the river journeyed from the Northern Lands, deep in snow throughout the year, rushing onward to loop around this area for more than a thousand miles.

The towering cliffs and exquisite scenery were truly magnificent.

A light boat approached from beyond the mountains.

There was no boatman aboard; instead, a dashing young woman stood at the bow.

She was only seventeen or eighteen but possessed an extraordinary presence, having the delicate features typical of women from Jiangnan Road, yet an air of courage rivaling any man’s.

She carried a long blade on her back.

Stationed at the boat’s bow, she made no visible movements, yet the boat shot forward like an arrow, swiftly covering a dozen yards.

Remarkably, it glided smoothly without a ripple, trailing only a few ripples on the water’s surface.

The girl’s long hair fluttered behind her, facing the vast ten-mile river wind, she shouted aloud:

“Why hurry so, my little boat?

Let us pause for a moment.”

“Heaven is but a step away!”

The boat moved forward smoothly, covering a dozen more miles.

From atop the green hills, one could see a handsome young man in glamorous red attire.

It was nearly summer, and here in Jiangnan, the temperature was stifling, even more so than in the Northern Lands.

Yet, the young man was wrapped in layers of thick clothing, as if extremely frail and sensitive to cold.

Despite this, his face was deathly pale.

He held a bronze Bi’an beast head furnace in his arms, from which wisps of blue smoke emerged, giving off an air of elegance.

Several beautiful women accompanied him at his side.

Some were graceful, others had picturesque features; there were those who were innocent and charming, either holding swords or carrying zithers.

A woman with a voluptuous figure and skin as white as mutton-fat jade knelt beside him, lowering her eyes as she offered up incense.

The young man seemed to be suffering from a cold, coughing heavily.

His eyes, filled with indulgence, watched the approaching young girl in the boat.

He outstretched his slender right hand in a gentle beckoning motion, smiling warmly and said:

“Come here.”

Upon the river, the speed of the light boat suddenly increased, churning up layers of white waves.

The vigorously dressed girl leaped up and strode across the waves, lightly touching the water’s surface twice, before soaring up and landing firmly on that patch of green hills.

The young man’s companion curtsied gently and said in a soft voice, “Greetings, young lady.”

The girl waved her hand dismissively, stepped forward, and opened her arms like a gallant hero from Jianghu, giving the handsome young man a bear hug.

She stepped back, flashing a radiant smile and exclaimed,

“It’s been too long, brother.”

“I knew it.

You always cared the most about me, waiting here early on.”

“Father never bothers to pick me up.”

A hint of helplessness appeared on the young man’s face as he responded, “Father is the head of our family, often entangled in mundane affairs, naturally he can’t come to meet you.

Besides, if he saw you carrying a blade again, he would probably be furious.”

The girl disliked hearing such sermons, puffed her cheeks, and kicked a stone, retorting:

“I love sharpening blades, and he can’t stop me.”

The young man smiled warmly and said,

“Of course, father can’t control you.

Who in our family can?

But being born into the Xiahou family and disliking the zither for the sword, you’ve indeed been a singular case over the years, giving father endless headaches.”

The girl snorted, seemingly proud.

The young man’s tone shifted, speaking cheerily:

“However, being able to chase Huangfu Xiong, the indolent Second Young Master of the Huangfu Family, all the way from Jiangnan to the Northern Lands, forcing him into a corner, is a feat unprecedented in the history of the Xiahou Family.

Over thousands of years, you alone have achieved this.”

Xiahou Jie stomped her foot, glaring at him and said,

“Brother, if you keep this up, I’ll stop caring about you.”

“Another day I’ll find mom and dad and get a new brother!”

The young man laughed heartily, but it seemed to strain his lungs, causing unstoppable coughing; his face turned even paler.

Xiahou Jie instinctively stepped forward, her face full of concern.

A naïve-looking girl by his side had already taken out an elixir from her snow jade vase, fragrant and clearly exceptional.

The young man, however, did not take it, merely waving his hand.

After his coughing subsided somewhat, he said with a smile:

“Put it away.”

“Although precious, this medicine does not build castles in the air, but fans the flames, creating a momentary splendor that is false, so there’s no need to deceive ourselves.

It’s better saved than used.”

“As my friend said, if it’s useless, then don’t eat it; it will at least save some silver coins.”

Xiahou Jie said with worry:

“You should eat more of it; surely it’s good for you.”

The young man laughed, “How could I not know?

I also have some knowledge of medicines.

However, ultimately, they do not solve the root issues but make the body dependent, unable to do without them.

It would have been better not to use these medicines from the start.”

After a brief discussion, he did not wish to delve deeper and changed the subject:

“Speaking of which, that lazy Huangfu Xiong was so terrified by you that he was driven up a wall.

His family tradition is the heavy blade technique of Splitting Mountain and Severing Mountain, yet he specializes in the Steel Fist Technique, but oddly ended up seeking refuge with those known for their Sword Intent and Sword Techniques at Qingfeng Edge.”

“Spending his days in misery, previously he had Yuchi Family’s prodigal to casually chat with; however, after that person left the mountain, he was left alone with no wine to drink.”

“That day in Wangxian County, when we three were listening to Master Liu discuss martial arts, I had a wide array of interests.

At that moment, I was dazzled by the variety, wanting to listen to this and that, unlike him who gained the highest intent, his fist technique manifested like the pressure of the heavens, stifling everyone’s breath.”