Chapter 46: Sticky

Qiu Che stood in the backyard of Linglong Pavilion, watching Li Qingwu move hurriedly from one place to another. The young shopkeeper's gaze followed her, shifting wherever she went, and every so often, his face would flush red.

Li Qingwu, oblivious, kept her head down, speaking with the maid beside her.

Feeling bored, Qiu Che let her gaze wander. Suddenly, she noticed something, because Li Qingwu had pinned up her hair after marriage, whenever she lowered her head, a glimpse of her fair, delicate nape was exposed.

It was breathtakingly beautiful.

No wonder young men harbored such thoughts.

Qiu Che had never paid attention to such things before, but for some reason, today she suddenly realized that her gaze had lingered on Li Qingwu for most of the time.

Lowering her eyes in contemplation, she waited for a long time before Li Qingwu finally finished her tasks.

Yao Tai had already noticed Qiu Che standing there. Seeing that Li Qingwu still wanted to busy herself with more work, she put on her veil, smiled, and gently pushed her forward. "There's nothing urgent left for you to do today. You should go. Look, even Lord Qiu is getting impatient."

Li Qingwu hesitated. The remaining tasks were minor and could be handled by Yao Tai. Thinking of how long Qiu Che had been waiting, she nodded and apologized, "Then I'll leave things to you. Thank you."

Yao Tai shook her head and chuckled. "No need to be so polite. If anything, I should be the one apologizing today, for meddling in that girl's affairs and dragging you both into it. Enough of that, though. Go home."

Li Qingwu nodded, finally able to breathe after her long day. She turned to Qiu Che and spoke softly, "Did I keep you waiting too long? I'm sorry... We can go now."

Qiu Che said, "Not at all."

As she stood up, she noticed that the young shopkeeper behind the counter was still sneaking glances at Li Qingwu. An odd, indescribable feeling rose in her chest. Without thinking, she subtly stepped to the side, blocking his view as if by coincidence.

"Let's go."

On their way out, Qiu Che asked casually, "Who is that young shopkeeper?"

Li Qingwu glanced back, just as the young man dejectedly turned away, missing his shy, awkward expression.

She answered absently, "He’s Zhu Zhu, the son of the previous owner, Boss Zhu. His father is getting on in years, so he took over Linglong Pavilion."

With a smile, she added, "He’s very clever and picked up the business quickly. It's just a pity he doesn’t like studying. Otherwise—"

Qiu Che watched her talk so animatedly, a feeling of familiarity washing over her.

She walked alongside Li Qingwu, waiting for her to continue. When the words never came, she tilted her head and asked, "Otherwise?"

Li Qingwu had been about to say that, otherwise, he might have had a chance at becoming the top scholar. But just as the words reached her lips, she stopped. After all, the person beside her was the actual top scholar of this year.

Saying something like that in front of Qiu Che would only serve to belittle her while elevating Zhu Zhu. Even though Li Qingwu knew she didn't mean it that way, if there was even a chance Qiu Che would misunderstand and feel hurt, she refused to say it.

Realizing this, she tensed slightly.

Since when... did she start caring so much about Qiu Che’s feelings?

Pulled from her thoughts by Qiu Che’s questioning gaze, Li Qingwu quickly recovered and shook her head. "Nothing, just a passing thought."

Qiu Che gave a noncommittal "Oh," as if she wanted to say more, but before she could, Li Qingwu lowered her head, lost in thought again. Seeing this, Qiu Che stayed silent.

Before leaving, Li Qingwu took her to visit the young girl who had been caught up in the earlier incident.

The girl claimed to be only seventeen. She had a sickly mother at home, and her father had been their sole provider. However, he had recently fallen ill and died suddenly. They were so poor they couldn’t even afford a burial for him.

Desperate, the girl had decided to sell herself in exchange for the money to lay her father to rest.

Such tragedies were far too common in this era.

If a wealthy family only had daughters, and the mother couldn't bear more children while the father lacked the means to take a concubine for a male heir, the daughter was left with no other option.

A slow, bone-deep chill spread through Qiu Che.

The girl explained that she had been weeping and begging on the streets when a group of hedonistic noble youths happened by. The Crown Prince had ordered her dragged into Linglong Pavilion, promising that if she danced at the restaurant, they would give her the money to bury her father.

But no one had told her what kind of dance it would be.

"Was it a spur-of-the-moment decision?"

"...It didn’t seem premeditated."

The girl sobbed. "I had no other choice... But since it was His Highness the Crown Prince, if you could reach him, could you please have mercy and send me back home?"

Yu Yan, who had been guarding her, grew angry at her words. "We went through all this trouble to save you, and now you want to throw yourself back into the lion’s den?"

The girl hesitated, then turned shyly toward Qiu Che. "Of course, if this young master desires, I would willingly serve at his side as a humble servant..."

Li Qingwu’s heartbeat stuttered.

But before the girl could finish, Qiu Che coldly cut her off. "I already have a wife. I’m afraid I’ll have to disappoint you."

The girl bit her lip, then glanced at Li Qingwu, who maintained her gentle smile. Though she neither looked at Qiu Che nor reacted outwardly, an inexplicable chill spread through the girl.

She shivered and fell silent.

After asking a few more questions, Qiu Che and Li Qingwu left, leaving Yu Yan in charge of returning the girl home.

As they walked, Yu Yan muttered, "What kind of person is she, really?"

The girl paled further.

Qiu Che glanced at Yuming, who understood and hesitated for a moment before handing over a pouch of silver.

The girl’s eyes lit up with gratitude as she bowed repeatedly, swearing to remember their kindness.

Qiu Che waved a hand dismissively and left without a word.

Li Qingwu watched the scene unfold and quietly followed her. After a while, she murmured, "I thought you wouldn’t care."

Qiu Che shrugged. "You seemed to care a lot. It was just a small effort on my part."

Li Qingwu hesitated, as if she wanted to say something, but in the end, she only sighed. "Forget it."

Qiu Che raised a brow. "Forget what?"

Li Qingwu looked at her and chuckled softly. "You’re always like this."

"Like what?"

Li Qingwu simply smiled and turned her gaze forward. "Not telling you."

Qiu Che blinked, then laughed, quickening her pace to catch up. "I don’t know what you mean, but I gave her the money so she wouldn’t have to sell herself just to bury her father."

"If she really had no other choice and ended up going to the Crown Prince, wouldn’t that mean we saved her for nothing?"

Li Qingwu gazed at her silently.

Her eyes seemed to say three words: You’re just making excuses.

Qiu Che scratched her nose, looked away, and coughed lightly. "Fine... Maybe I did feel a little sorry for her."

After a pause, she suddenly said, "Let me teach you martial arts."

Li Qingwu blinked, unsure why Qiu Che had suddenly brought this up. "...Huh?"

Qiu Che flicked her sleeve, recalling everything that had happened today.

She was simply reminded of what Yang Qiu had said.

Even though she had refuted him, she had to admit there was some truth to his words.

This time, she happened to be by Li Qingwu’s side, but what about next time?

Li Qingwu had no skills to protect herself, and Fu Feng couldn’t follow her around forever.

There was always the possibility of an accident.

Just the thought of Li Qingwu getting hurt right under her nose made Qiu Che’s chest tighten.

The feeling came swiftly and left just as fast, indescribable yet unsettling, almost identical to the moment she had seen Qiu Zhe pounce toward Li Qingwu earlier. Just thinking about it made her feel restless and uneasy.

Li Qingwu blinked slowly. Though she hesitated, the light in her eyes betrayed her anticipation. "I suppose I could… But isn’t it too late for me to start learning martial arts at my age?"

"The master who taught me said the same thing back then," Qiu Che raised an eyebrow. "And look at me now."

Li Qingwu smiled. "Alright, I’ll listen to you."

Without delay, they returned to the Princess’s residence only briefly before heading out again.

This time, they dressed even more inconspicuously and made their way to Hongxiu Pavilion.

Fu Ling’s disguise skills had recently improved significantly, and when she heard that Qiu Che wanted a disguise, Li Qingwu willingly became her test subject.

She was transformed into a young man, her long hair tied up with a white jade crown, dressed in a light moon-colored outfit that accentuated her slender and upright figure. Her gaze, usually soft and composed, now carried a sharp edge.

Even the small tear-shaped mole at the corner of her eye was expertly concealed by Fu Ling.

Anyone who looked at her now would never associate her with the graceful and dignified 'Eldest Princess.'

Qiu Che’s disguise, on the other hand, was entirely different. Draped in a black robe that exuded a chilling aura, she carried herself with effortless elegance, embodying the image of a dashing young master.

The carriage stopped at the back alley of Hongxiu Pavilion, and the two avoided the crowd as they slipped into Yeming City.

…

Meanwhile, at Linglong Pavilion.

After Qiu Che left, Yang Qiu drank in silence, his thoughts seemingly elsewhere.

Wu Yiqi initially tried to persuade him, exhausting every possible argument. When that failed, he gave up and simply joined him, drinking alongside him.

They sat there for an hour, long enough that the restaurant patrons had mostly come and gone.

A dance performance had ended, and Yao Tai, who usually only managed the kitchen, came upstairs after hearing from the maids. She lifted her skirt slightly as she knocked on the private room’s door. Upon entering, she found the two men surrounded by empty wine jars.

Wu Yiqi was completely drunk, mumbling incoherently, looking as though he might pass out at any moment.

Yang Qiu, however, simply stared out the window, seemingly lost in thought, showing no obvious signs of intoxication.

When he turned and saw her, he reacted a beat too late, attempting to stand and offer a respectful greeting. The moment he moved, the wine jar slipped from his grasp and shattered on the floor.

Wu Yiqi jolted up like a startled fish. "What? What happened?"

Yao Tai flinched as well.

The three of them exchanged awkward glances, an air of silent embarrassment filling the room.

In the end, Yao Tai helped Yang Qiu, while a waiter took care of Wu Yiqi, escorting them out of the private room.

Why didn't she help Wu Yiqi? Well… because he looked rather unsightly when drunk.

Compared to him, Yang Qiu was much more presentable.

Once they were handed over to their respective attendants outside, Yang Qiu seemed to regain some clarity. With a slight flush, whether from shame or intoxication, it was hard to tell, he cupped his hands and murmured, "Apologies for the trouble, miss…"

Yao Tai waved him off casually. "It’s nothing."

But then she noticed his gaze fixated behind her, as if he had seen something.

She turned to look but only caught a glimpse of a tall figure disappearing into the private room next door.

"What is it?" she asked.

Yang Qiu hesitated. "Pardon my curiosity, but who is staying in that private room?"

Yao Tai shook her head. "I’m not sure. I only know that his surname is Yu. He’s a distinguished guest, very generous. He arrived this morning and even booked the room for the whole evening… Is there a problem?"

She knew this man, Minister Yang Qianjiang, whose achievements were second only to Chancellor Qiu, a man whose name was immortalized in history.

He was known for his upright and principled nature, often clashing with Chancellor Qiu over policy matters. Some rumors even claimed that he resented Qiu Che and wanted to strip her of her position.

However, after working with Qiu Che, Yao Tai knew he was also an ally.

Their differences lay only in their approaches.

Yang Qiu, unaware of her thoughts, simply shook his head and left without further comment.

He thought to himself, perhaps he had seen wrong?

Why would Cui Wenshen, His Majesty’s trusted commander, be here?

…

Li Qingwu had always known about Yeming City from Qiu Che’s accounts but had never set foot in it herself.

This was her first time experiencing it.

The tunnel leading into the city had been manually excavated, stretching long and deep into the ground, devoid of luminous pearls, leaving it in complete darkness.

Due to certain precautions, everyone entering understood that lighting a flame would trigger a chain reaction of mechanisms, causing a cave-in.

They had to traverse the tunnel in absolute darkness to reach the underground city.

Normally, the senses are heightened in the dark.

Li Qingwu, already tense from the lack of visibility, found the silence even more unnerving. The pathway was solid earth, absorbing all sound—there wasn’t even an echo.

After walking cautiously for a while, she suddenly felt as if she were alone.

Her heart pounded as she whispered hesitantly, "...Qiu Che?"

Her voice echoed in the tunnel. No response.

A buzz filled her head, and she instinctively reached forward, only to grasp nothing.

Had Qiu Che walked too fast and left her behind?

As soon as that thought surfaced, a few hurried, muffled sounds reached her ears.

Someone was approaching her. Fast and silent.

Li Qingwu staggered back in fear. "Who—"

A firm hand caught her wrist.

Qiu Che’s voice, slightly rushed, reassured her, "It’s me."

"I called for you, but you didn’t answer, so I turned back to find you…"

She paused.

Then, a faint glow illuminated the tunnel.

Qiu Che held a handful of small luminous pearls, letting just enough light escape through her fingers.

Her refined features were accentuated by the interplay of light and shadow, momentarily resembling the solemn, emotionless deities of a temple.

Seeing the tears welling in Li Qingwu’s eyes, Qiu Che hesitated. "Are you afraid of the dark?"

Li Qingwu didn’t answer.

Instead, she took a step forward and threw herself into Qiu Che’s arms.

She was trembling, Qiu Che realized.

After a moment’s pause, she prepared to let go of her wrist and offer a reassuring pat on the shoulder, only for Li Qingwu to clutch her tighter. "Don’t let go—"

Meeting Qiu Che’s gaze, Li Qingwu pulled back slightly, her tears fading. In a small voice, she murmured, "I don’t want to be left behind again."

Qiu Che fell silent. "Alright."

And so, she split the pearls, letting Li Qingwu hold half, and led her forward.

For the rest of the journey, their hands never parted.

Qiu Che coughed lightly. "Let's go. I'll lead the way."

Li Qingwu fell a few steps behind her, pressing a hand to her chest, trying to calm the rapid beating of her heart.

But it was futile.

She absentmindedly gazed at the slender yet upright figure ahead of her, more captivating than any protagonist from the novels she'd read in Yao Tai. She couldn't help but wonder:

Is this fear?

If it is, then this lingering fear has lasted far too long.

Not wanting to alert Qiu Che to her unease, Li Qingwu took a deep breath, wiped away the dried tear stains from the corner of her eyes, and once again forced herself to maintain a calm expression as she continued to follow.

The bustling crowd around them consisted of all sorts of strange and unusual figures. Although they were both strikingly beautiful, among such eccentric characters, they were hardly the most noticeable.

After winding through several alleyways, the two arrived at an underground casino.

The casino owner appeared to be familiar with Qiu Che and greeted her with ease, "Oh, Lord Qiu, back again to practice your martial arts?"

Qiu Che nodded.

The casino owner then glanced at Li Qingwu, who was silently following behind her, and raised an eyebrow. "Brought a subordinate? Are you personally guiding them?"

Qiu Che clarified, "Not a subordinate."

Then she hesitated.

If not a subordinate, then what?

She found herself at a loss for words.

The casino owner, uninterested in such details, waved his hand dismissively. "Alright, alright, weapons are ready. Go ahead and practice with your disciple."

Li Qingwu followed her as they climbed the outdoor stairs at the back of the casino.

It was then that she realized they had entered a mountain area outside the city.

Night Bright City had repurposed this place into a moderately sized martial arts training ground.

Because it was so remote, few people came here, and no one would notice that a training ground was hidden deep in the mountains.

Li Qingwu hadn't expected Qiu Che to go all the way out to the countryside to teach her martial arts.

She surveyed the surroundings. "Do you come here often?"

Qiu Che shook her head, dusting off the sleeves of her robe. She had already started to select weapons from the pile beside her. "Occasionally. My martial arts are already at their peak; it’s hard to make any more breakthroughs. Practicing more wouldn’t really help."

Besides, she was usually too busy to come here for training.

Sometimes, she only practiced swordplay in the courtyard when leaving for the morning court.

Li Qingwu nodded thoughtfully, eyeing the variety of weapons around them. "Do I need to pick one?"

Qiu Che nodded. "That's what we're doing. Since you’re learning martial arts now, you won’t have time to start with basic training, so you’ll have to focus on techniques. As long as it’s something that helps you survive—"

"For close combat, a dagger would be best. But it depends on your agility. I wouldn’t recommend it. Spears and sabers are too heavy and conspicuous. Do you have any preferences?"

Li Qingwu scanned the weapons and suddenly her eyes brightened.

However, she glanced at Qiu Che and didn’t immediately speak.

Qiu Che nodded. "Go ahead, which one?"

Li Qingwu licked her lips, hesitantly pointing to a bow and arrow set in the corner.

The bow had golden floral patterns engraved on its back, which looked quite gaudy. The bow itself was almost as tall as Li Qingwu.

"You want to learn this?" Qiu Che asked, surprised. "Bows and arrows aren't much lighter than spears or sabers. You need strength to pull the bow, and using a bow for survival isn’t the wisest choice..."

Li Qingwu lowered her eyes, as if already anticipating the response, but didn’t argue. "Hmm..."

Before she could finish her sentence, Qiu Che noticed her clearly disappointed expression. With a change of tone, she said, "It’s not impossible to learn it."

Li Qingwu’s eyes sparkled with renewed hope as she looked up at Qiu Che.

Qiu Che hummed. "But you have to tell me why you want to learn it."

Li Qingwu fell silent for a moment, her brows knitting together.

Qiu Che thought she had asked the wrong question. Just as she was about to say something to break the silence, Li Qingwu spoke.

She reached out and touched the bow's back gently, speaking softly. "Perhaps what you can’t have is always the best. I’ve always loved bows and arrows since I was young... Watching the Crown Prince and Third Prince practice with their martial arts masters made me envious."

"The Six Arts of a Gentleman were what the princes had to learn. I was a princess. A princess didn’t need to practice archery."

"I used to daydream, wishing I could at least touch Second Brother’s bow. It was so beautiful."

Qiu Che listened quietly. "And then?"

Li Qingwu chuckled bitterly, lowering her eyes. "I did touch it... but Second Brother found out."

"He had someone smash the bow into pieces and said that even if it was broken and discarded, he would never give it to me."

Qiu Che’s fist clenched.

"When the Empress found out about it, she punished me by locking me in Fengyang Hall for a month with no chance to leave."

"That wasn't the worst part, though. The worst part was that they never lit lamps in Fengyang Hall at night," Li Qingwu spoke softly. "I spent so much time in that dark place, I gradually became afraid of the dark."

Even though… she had nearly merged with the darkness by now.

"I don’t know why I loved that bow so much… It seems like such a small thing, but I still remember it clearly," Li Qingwu added, giving a self-deprecating laugh. "Looks like I have a good memory."

"I’ll teach you." Qiu Che's voice cut in suddenly.

Without noticing Li Qingwu’s stunned expression, Qiu Che spoke again, "If you want to learn, I can teach you the Six Arts of a Gentleman."

She walked over, picked up the bow and arrows with one hand, and casually wiped it with a cloth.

As she approached the training field, she glanced back at Li Qingwu. "What are you standing there for? Don’t want to learn anymore?"

Li Qingwu blinked slowly, replying in a soft voice, "But... didn’t you say archery isn’t useful for survival?"

"That’s another matter," Qiu Che said leisurely, rolling up her sleeves with a half-smile. "This is private tutoring. I decide what you’ll practice."

Li Qingwu hesitated, then bit her lip, unable to hold back the smile that spread across her face.

Qiu Che stepped back a few paces and gestured for her to stand in front of the target and try drawing the bow.

Li Qingwu carefully followed suit, taking the bow and arrow. It was a bit difficult, but manageable.

Qiu Che spoke. "The Six Arts of a Gentleman refer to rites, music, archery, charioteering, calligraphy, and mathematics… Archery includes techniques such as Bai Sha, Can Lian, Xian Zhu, Xiang Chi, and Jing Yi."

"You don’t need to master all five techniques. Knowing a little about each is enough. Bai Sha, Can Lian, and Xian Zhu are more practical skills, while ‘Xiang Chi’ is all about etiquette. The so-called Xiang..."

Li Qingwu listened intently until Qiu Che finished, then said, "Now, draw the bow and try shooting an arrow at the target."

Li Qingwu quietly raised the bow. Before she could aim, Qiu Che spoke.

"Wrong."

Qiu Che frowned. "Your grip is wrong. Hold the bow with your right hand, palm facing up, thumb pointing left..."

Li Qingwu tried again, but her posture was still a bit awkward.

After watching for a while, Qiu Che couldn’t stand it anymore.

She stepped forward, corrected her grip, and said, "Like this."

Her fingers were long and slender, a beautifully elegant pair of hands.

When her warm palm gently touched Li Qingwu’s hand, Li Qingwu froze, a jolt running through her.

Her focus shattered, and all she could see was the side profile of Qiu Che, sharp and graceful, with a breath brushing against the back of her neck.

She unconsciously stiffened.

Qiu Che, oblivious to her discomfort, frowned as she noticed Li Qingwu hadn't moved. "Did you hear me?"

Li Qingwu looked up at her, voice sincere, "I... didn’t."

"Why not?"

Qiu Che tilted her head, looking down at her with a puzzled expression. Her words caught in her throat when she saw Li Qingwu's face so close.

She stared at her ear, then blurted, "Why are your ears so red?"

Before she could finish speaking, Li Qingwu’s ears flushed crimson, the color spreading from her neck all the way to the top of her head.

It was a soft, delicate pink...

Qiu Che absentmindedly thought, Huh... looks quite nice.

Note:

• Bai Sha: The arrow pierces through the target, and the arrowhead turns white, indicating accuracy and force.
  
  

• Can Lian: One arrow is released first, followed by three more in quick succession, creating a chain-like effect.
  
  

• Xian Zhu: Refers to releasing the arrow quickly, shooting immediately after aiming, with a short interval between actions.
  
  

• Xiang Chi: In archery between a subject and a ruler, the subject must step back one foot to let the ruler shoot first.
  
  

• Jing Yi: Four arrows in a row, all hitting the target accurately.