"Of course. Otherwise, where do you think my reputation as the Saint Hand of the Sword Realm comes from, Miss?"
Zhao Shuning smiled but said nothing.
Wen Bo said, "Miss, is there anything wrong with what I said?"
"Those big, boastful words come from your mouth. Your sweet talk is like a musical instrument, and you have no shame."
"What does it mean?"
"Nothing. I'm praising you."
Wen Bo was overjoyed and quickly said, "In that case, Miss, you must admire me, Wen Bo?"
"Shuning is unlearned and unworthy of your reputation as the Saint Hand of the Sword Realm, Young Master Wen. Naturally, I dare not aspire to such a high match. If there's nothing else, I'll go back to my room with Huan'er."
"Alright. I'll come to see you later."
Zhao Shuning didn't reply and left with Huan'er.
Wen Bo leaned against the door of the front - yard courtyard. He didn't turn around until Zhao Shuning's figure was out of sight, still feeling reluctant to part.
"This Zhao Shuning is truly a beauty. But she's just like an ordinary woman. When she saw me, she was clearly overjoyed. She even knows she's unlearned and thinks she's not good enough for me, the sect master. How shallow - minded! If it weren't for her being so well - educated, she would quite suit my taste."
"I never thought that this girl, Zhao Shuning, knows so much about swordsmanship."
Hearing Wen Bo say these words, the concubines who came with him couldn't help laughing.
"Little beauties, what are you laughing at?"
The woman in red said, "Sect Master, you should think carefully about the swordsmanship issues the young lady discussed with you earlier."
"What's there to think about? It was just about the falling sword, the silver sword, the drunken sword, and the unity of man and sword."
After saying this, Wen Bo finally realized what Zhao Shuning's words meant.
"What does the line she said later, 'Those big, boastful words come from your mouth. Your sweet talk is like a musical instrument, and you have no shame,' mean?"
The woman in purple said, "It means she's indirectly saying that you're arrogant, boastful, and shameless."
Wen Bo's face changed.
He roared, "Get out all of you."
The concubines who were laughing had to stop. Reluctantly, they slowly swayed out of the room.
Wen Bo was extremely angry.
Then he walked alone towards his own courtyard. As he walked, he thought that being teased by a woman like this was really disgraceful. But after all these years, he finally met a different "well - bred young lady".
"She's quite interesting."
"I'll go and meet you tonight."
Zhao Shuning returned to her own courtyard. Huan'er quickly closed the door.
"Miss, you're so brave."
"What's wrong?"
"Everyone in the world knows that Young Master Wen Bo is a lecher, but he's also really powerful. That's why that old scoundrel, Lin Feng, wants to win him over by using you. Although he hasn't realized it yet, the confidantes around him aren't idiots. Sooner or later, they'll tell him that you've been teasing him. If he pursues this, won't we be in big trouble?"
Zhao Shuning tilted her head.
"Huan'er, you seem to be getting used to calling Lin Feng an old scoundrel."
"Miss, I..."
Zhao Shuning looked away and said seriously, "It doesn't matter. If those women don't tell that lecher, I'll have wasted my efforts today."
Huan'er couldn't understand what Zhao Shuning was up to.
So she could only stay with Zhao Shuning and grind ink for her.
In the evening, someone came to deliver a message, saying that there would be a banquet in the front hall tonight to welcome Wen Bo from the Celestial Fairy Sect. Everyone in Zhao Shuning's courtyard was asked to go to the front hall quickly.
Huan'er said, "Miss, I'll go and get you ready."
But Zhao Shuning shook her head.
She said to the messenger, "Please tell the master that I'm not feeling well today and can't attend the banquet tonight. Also, please apologize to Young Master Wen on my behalf."
"This..."
"What? Do I need to tell the master myself?"
Zhao Shuning's tone was gentle, and the servant quickly said, "Of course not. Miss, if you're not feeling well, go to bed early."
After the servant left.
Huan'er looked at Zhao Shuning and said, "Miss, aren't you afraid that Young Master Wen Bo from the Celestial Fairy Sect will be dissatisfied if you openly don't go to the banquet?"
"Yes."
"Ah?"
"Not only will he be dissatisfied, but he'll also think that I'm deliberately targeting him or that I despise him and look down on him."
"But Miss, didn't you say before that Young Master Wen has a very strong personality and values his self - esteem the most? If you do this, aren't you making an enemy of him?"
"Yes."
"Miss - you -"
"Huan'er, I'm a bit tired today. I want to sleep first."
"Okay. Then I'll go and get some foot - washing water for you and wait on you to rest."
Zhao Shuning nodded and let Huan'er go to boil water.
She looked at her beautiful face in the mirror and smiled, "So it's such a tiring thing to pretend. Xia Wanning, you've been pretending for so many years. Aren't you tired?"
Beneath the smile, the girl's smile was cruel.
She slowly stroked the mirror surface.
This mirror was her favorite when she was Ye Ling. She often kept it in her bedroom.
After that fierce battle, they must have divided up all the items in the female emperor's palace, right?
Zhao Shuning touched the patterns on the bronze mirror.
It was so familiar.
"Miss, it's ready."
Zhao Shuning put away the expression on her face, turned around, and said, "Huan'er, after I wash my feet, you go and rest. You don't need to accompany me tonight."
"But..."
"No buts. No matter what sounds you hear later, don't come out. Just pretend you didn't hear anything. Do you understand?"
Huan'er looked at Zhao Shuning.
Then she nodded firmly.
She would do whatever the miss said. This was what she had promised the miss.
"By the way, Huan'er, I heard that the two daughters of Lady Begonia have come back this time?"
"Yes, Miss. That's why that old scoundrel, Lin Feng, has released that evil woman, Lady Begonia, today."
"I heard that she has a younger daughter named Lin Qingying. She's also back."
"Yes. Miss Lin Qingying has been interested in Young Master Wen since she was a child. It's a pity that later, because of a family alliance, she was married off to the border by Lin Feng."
"Okay. Go and invite Miss Lin for me. Tell her that I have a fine dress, exquisitely made by a famous embroiderer, and I'd like to give it to her."
"Miss! She's not worthy. You don't know how vicious that woman is."
"Do as I say."
"This - alright."
At night, Zhao Shuning was lying in bed, staring blankly at the shadow of the tree branches projected on the table by the moonlight through the window.
Outside the courtyard, there came the rustling sound of footsteps.
It seemed that the person coming was drunk, so his steps were so unsteady.
"Lin Feng, you've really gone to a lot of trouble to tie me to the Lin family completely and to win over the sect master of the Celestial Fairy Sect. You've transferred all the maids and servants out of my courtyard. Isn't it just to let him succeed?"
"But this time, you may be disappointed."
Zhao Shuning looked at the window. The main door was locked, and this should be the second choice for the sect master of the Celestial Fairy Sect to come in.