Chapter 45 Feather Fall

“Young Master, you have just recovered and need to rest well. Today’s diet should be light,” Meng Zhelan said, pointing to the menu. “Then I will trouble Doctor Meng to take a look,” Prince An said, bowing to Meng Zhelan.

“Alright, I’ll take care of it,” he said, calling over a waiter to order a few light dishes. “Young master, you don’t have any dietary restrictions, do you?” “No.” “Hmm, good…” The atmosphere suddenly became a little strange. Meng Zhelan racked his brains but couldn’t think of anything to say, and the two sat facing each other in an awkward silence.

"Um, young master, I don't know your surname yet." "Oh, my name is Qi Yu. And you are, Doctor Meng?" "Yes, my name is Meng Zhelan. Greetings, young master Qi." Meng Zhelan nodded in acknowledgment.

"Dr. Meng, I will forever remember your life-saving grace. If there is anything I can do to help in the future, please don't hesitate to ask." Qi Yu never liked owing favors. Although he had given a considerable amount of money for the consultation, he still felt it wasn't quite enough.

"Young Master Qi, you flatter me. I am a doctor, and you are a patient. It is only right and proper for me to save you, especially since you have paid for the consultation." Meng Zhelan dared not take credit. Treating the sick and saving lives is a doctor's duty. Moreover, the fact that the other party paid for the consultation already fulfilled this favor.

Fortunately, the waiter started serving the dishes, and Meng Zhelan breathed a sigh of relief. Li Xi, having finished tidying up the items she had just bought, also arrived at the restaurant. She sat down with the Yu siblings and said, "Eat more, you're both too thin. Don't be shy here, just tell me what you want to eat."

“Yes, young master,” Yu Meng said gratefully to Li Xi. Li Xi was looking around for Meng Zhelan when he found her dining with a man.

"Lan'er, who is this...?" Li Xi asked in confusion, wondering when Lan'er had met such a handsome and refined young man. "This is Young Master Qi, have you forgotten? You were the one who discovered Young Master Qi." "Oh, my apologies, Young Master Qi," Li Xi recalled the young man who had been chased.

"So it's Young Master Li. I haven't had a chance to thank you properly yet. I'm so grateful to both of you for allowing me to sit here today," Qi Yu said, rising to bow to the two of them. Li Xi and Meng Zhelan returned the bow, knowing that Young Master Qi was no ordinary person and that they couldn't accept his courtesy.

Li Xi excused himself and left; interacting with the ancients was exhausting, with endless bows and salutations. He was just about to go for a walk to digest his food when he unexpectedly ran into Qin Xiaolin. "Brother Qin, where are you going?" Li Xi asked, noticing Qin Xiaolin heading towards the river.

"Oh? It's Brother Li. I was just about to take a stroll by the river. Would you like to come along?" "Then I'll gladly oblige," Li Xi said, stepping forward to follow.

There's a different kind of sound at night, like the gentle breeze and the rustling of clouds, which only accentuates the tranquil atmosphere. The lanterns along the street cast a faint glow on a small patch of land, while in the distance lies deep darkness. The moon, shrouded in misty clouds, casts an eerie, hazy light.

"Young Master Li, if I may be so bold as to ask, who is your teacher?" a deep, mellow voice said as Qin Xiaolin looked at Li Xi.

"Huh? I've forgotten a bit too. I only remember that he was a martial arts master my father found. He taught me for five or six years. He left after my parents passed away a few years ago." Li Xi tried hard to search her memory of the original owner, but her impression of her master was always vague, and she couldn't make out his face.

"I see. I'm sorry, I brought up your painful past," Qin Xiaolin said somewhat embarrassed. "It's alright, it's been many years," Li Xi replied, also sympathizing with the original owner's family's plight. Her parents died young, and the original owner was murdered by someone she trusted. Perhaps a grand conspiracy surrounds her…

As they spoke, the two brushed shoulders, but Li Xi didn't notice. She was thinking about where to find Uncle Zhao, wondering if there were any intelligence organizations like detectives in this world.

As Qin Xiaolin watched the two of them with their sleeves intertwined, a slight ripple stirred in his heart. His deep eyes seemed to be shrouded in mist and rain, appearing hazy, yet when he saw her, they shone with a clear and gentle light.

He knew she was a woman from the first time he met her. He was ordered by the emperor to disguise himself as a bandit in a mountain stronghold, secretly searching for a register. He encountered her when she drugged the bandits, rescued his sister Shen Xu, and even tied up the bandits. Luckily, he was far away and had held his breath beforehand, preventing her from killing them all.

Fortunately, she intervened and successfully found the roster when they returned to the bandit's den. It must be said that although her martial arts style was chaotic, it was full of power, and he almost couldn't withstand it.

During our fight, I caught a faint scent emanating from her. Later, I encountered her again at Shen Xu's restaurant, and then, by the river...

Li Xi had no idea that Qin Xiaolin was preoccupied with her affairs. If she found out, she would definitely call her a "pervert." Right now, all she wanted was to become a master among masters so that one day she could meet that Uncle Zhao and smash his head in.

The two, each lost in their own thoughts, arrived at the riverbank. Qin Xiaolin stepped onto a pleasure boat. Although the river was frozen over, the pleasure boats still had to operate; they needed to make money.

"Um, Young Master Qin, are you going to visit a brothel?" Li Xi recalled seeing him on a pleasure boat once before, which made things a bit uncertain.

"Oh, Young Master Li, are you perhaps afraid? It's just to listen to some music and drink some wine," Qin Xiaolin said with a slight smile, raising an eyebrow. "Why wouldn't I dare? Let's go," Li Xi replied, also curious about what ancient brothels looked like. Though he said he wouldn't go, his body betrayed him, and he strode onto the deck. Qin Xiaolin followed behind, giving him a meaningful glance.

The ship is inlaid with exquisite carvings and paintings. Stepping into the cabin, you'll find screens, tables, chairs, and tea sets. Behind the screen is a bed with a charcoal fire burning warmly inside.

"Please have a seat, gentlemen," the words had barely finished when a woman emerged from the inner room, carrying a pipa. She was dressed in fiery red, her eyebrows like distant mountains, her eyes like flowing autumn waves, her skin like jade, and her lips red and teeth white.

"Young Master Qin, is this your friend? What a handsome young man!" The woman's smiling eyes made Li Xi a little embarrassed. It turns out that being stared at by a beautiful woman can make you shy.

"Brother Li, this is Yu Luo. Her pipa playing is unparalleled in the capital." "Young Master Qin, you flatter me. I dare not accept such praise," Yu Luo said with a smile.

The beauty's smile was especially pleasing to the eye. A maid brought over warm sake and two dishes of dried fruit. Yu Luo's fingers deftly plucked the strings of her zither, and a beautiful melody flowed from her lips.

"Winter snow blankets the mountains, the biting wind chills to the bone. The world is draped in silver, frozen solid."

The pines and cypresses stand tall, the plum blossoms bloom alone. Snowflakes blanket the forest path, travelers tread through the snow.

The river is frozen solid, fishing boats await mooring at the shore. The winter night is silent, countless stars hang in the sky.

Raising our glasses to the moonlight, the melody of poetry lingers in the air. Even in the cold winter, warmth resides; poetry warms our hearts.

The song ended, the wine glass was empty, half a cup remained, but the tea was still there...