Da Xuan Martial Saint

Chapter 94: Chapter 90 Conflict

South City District’s Main City Street.

In Yu City, the most bustling areas are actually the Main City Streets of the East, South, West, and North districts.

In terms of luxury, spaciousness, and environment, these areas naturally can’t compare to the Inner City, but if we talk solely about lively atmospheres, the Main City Streets are actually much busier than the Inner City. After all, although the Inner City is prosperous, it is ultimately a place for the wealthy and noble. The total population of the Inner City doesn’t even match the population of any one of the four outer districts.

“Candied hawthorns, get your sweet candied hawthorns…”

The wide market street was filled with the sound of vendors hawking their wares.

Chen Mu, dressed in an unremarkable simple blue shirt, walked through the market streets with Chen Yue and Yu Ru, passing by a candied hawthorn vendor. He turned his head to Chen Yue with a smile, “Want one?”

Chen Yue rolled her eyes in a childish manner and said, “I’m not a child anymore.”

But after a pause,

She added seriously, “Yes, I do!”

Chen Mu laughed, unable to help but feel nostalgic for the sweet little girl who clung to him all day years ago. In the blink of an eye, she had been training in martial arts in the Inner City for over a year and had changed from a well-behaved and lovely girl to somewhat quirky and spirited.

“Two sticks, please.”

Chen Mu took out a string of copper coins to pay and handed a stick of candied hawthorn each to Chen Yue and Yu Ru.

“Thank, thank you, Brother Chen.”

Yu Ru took the candied hawthorn with a soft voice, her cheeks turning a slight red.

“No need to be so formal, just think of me as your brother.”

Chen Mu gave a small smile and continued to lead them forward. After walking around, he came to a somewhat quieter side street off the Main Street. The flow of people here was much less, but correspondingly, it was cleaner and tidier.

The reason for the sparse crowd in the side street was that the shops were essentially not what ordinary poor people needed. Either they sold high-end silks and satins, or various jade ornaments and trinkets, mostly higher-class shops.

“I noticed you both liked those accessories earlier, but the jade on the stalls outside is mostly low quality. The craftsmanship here is much more exquisite. Actually, if we talk about class, the Inner City shops are the highest quality.”

Chen Mu looked up and saw an ‘Ancient Jade Pavilion’, so he stepped in.

Chen Yue followed closely behind Chen Mu. As soon as they entered the shop, she began to eye the exquisite jade ornaments with wide eyes. Yu Ru, on the other hand, didn’t show much reaction. As a wealthy daughter of the Yu Family, she wasn’t too concerned about whether things were expensive or not. Now, following Chen Mu into the shop, her gaze was mostly stealing glances at Chen Mu, seemingly indifferent to the ornaments in the shop.

“Lord Chen graces our humble shop with his presence; it’s truly an honor.”

The shopkeeper of the Ancient Jade Pavilion personally greeted the guests and recognized Chen Mu instantly. After all, there weren’t many Prefecture Chiefs in the South City District, and though Chen Mu had only been promoted not long ago, his reputation had already spread throughout South City.

An ordinary person might not recognize Chen Mu in casual clothes at a glance, but as the shopkeeper of the Ancient Jade Pavilion, his business was recognizing people.

Chen Mu waved his hand and said, “I want to pick out some jade ware for my two sisters. Show me what’s suitable.”

The shopkeeper glanced at Chen Yue and Yu Ru, and with a smile, suggested, “The young ladies are as beautiful as celestial beings. The few common jade ornaments in my shop can only serve as modest adornments. Ah, this red jade hairpin here is made of high-quality ‘Flame Jade,’ which remains warm even in the cold of winter, suitable for wearing during winter days. And this black jade bracelet here is made of superior ‘Black Jade,’ which retains a cool feeling even amid the heat of summer.”

While speaking, the shopkeeper began to take out various ornaments suitable for ladies to wear.

Chen Yue, a bit dazzled by the selection, eventually asked for the price and then stuck out her tongue, running back to whisper to Chen Mu, “They’re so expensive, it’s not worth it.”

Chen Mu chuckled and said, “Didn’t you say before that you wanted to be dressed up beautifully? Go ahead and choose; I think that red jade hairpin is quite nice. If it’s top-quality Flame Jade, a hundred and eighty silver isn’t too expensive.”

Had Brother already become so affluent that a hundred and eighty silver was no longer of concern to him?

Chen Yue blinked her eyes.

She sneakily returned to Yu Ru’s side, “Yu Ru, which one do you think looks good?”

“Ah, I… um, this one is nice.”

Yu Ru, who had been secretly looking at Chen Mu, was startled by Chen Yue’s sudden question and commented in a fluster.

Chen Yue looked at Yu Ru, then at Chen Mu not far away, and couldn’t help but purse her lips.

But she said nothing.

She continued to peruse the jade ware.

After a while, Chen Mu came over and asked, “How is it going?”

Chen Yue’s face showed a troubled expression, “This red jade hairpin is nice, but it would be uncomfortable in the summer. Plus, this green jade bracelet is a bit chilly to wear now, this…”

“…”

Chen Mu was at a loss for words.

The scene reminded him of some not-so-pleasant long-ago memories from a previous life. What was he thinking, bringing two girls to roam the market streets? Wouldn’t it have been better to enjoy the scenery somewhere else?

Chen Mu’s gaze swept over various pieces of jade ware, finally resting on a pair of delicate small white jade pendants made of ‘Spirit Jade’ of low grade. Spirit Jade was a highly valuable and rare type of jade known for its calming and spirit-quieting effects. Even a low-grade Spirit Jade was worth more than a high-grade Flame Jade or Black Jade.

“These Spirit Jade pendants are quite nice.”

Chen Mu held them in his hand, feeling their texture, and then turned to hand one to Chen Yue, saying, “Ever since father passed away, I’ve been thinking that I must take good care of you. As you’re practicing martial arts in the Inner City, this Spirit Jade pendant can calm the mind. It complements the Kan Water Sect’s swordsmanship you’re learning, suitable for comprehending sword momentum. Your birthday is coming up soon, so let’s consider this the first gift I’m giving you.”

Chen Yue dazedly took the Jade Pendant, staring at Chen Mu’s face, and without realizing it, her big eyes brimmed with a mist of tears. She pursed her lips, vigorously rubbed her eyes, and mumbled, “Brother is really mean, always saying things that make people want to cry.”

As she spoke, her hand gripped the Jade Pendant tightly.

Chen Mu smiled, then turned to Yu Ru, handing over another Jade Pendant, and said, “Xiao Ru, you and Yue’er are as close as sisters, and I regard you as my own sister too. This Jade Pendant isn’t anything particularly precious, just take it as a plaything.”

“Ah, I…”

Yu Ru’s face flushed red all at once, as if emitting steam, and her mind was suddenly filled with a jumbled mess of words like ‘token of affection.’ By the time she regained her composure, the Jade Pendant was already in her hand, but it seemed she hadn’t yet thanked Chen Mu, so she bolted out the door in a panic.

The result was that in her haste, she collided with another young girl coming from the opposite direction.

Chen Mu stood by the doorway, watching as Yu Ru ran out flustered and bumped into the unfamiliar girl, a look of helplessness crossing his face. Just as he was about to say something, he noticed Chen Yue’s expression froze, her eyes suddenly changing.

“Ouch, who’s that?!”

The girl who ran into Yu Ru was dressed in a luxurious silk dress; after being collided with, she immediately shoved hard, pushing Yu Ru back, making her stagger several steps and nearly fall.

After seeing Yu Ru’s appearance more clearly, the girl also started, and then snorted, “I was wondering who it was, turns out to be you, who grew up without a mother and thus lacks manners, not even watching where you’re going.”

Yu Ru was already somewhat bewildered, and hearing this, she stood rooted to the spot, her face flushing with anger and her eyes misting over:

“You…”

“Yu Yun! Mind your words!”

Chen Yue could not hold back any longer, she stepped forward, pulling Yu Ru to her side, and scolded the girl across from them angrily.

Chen Mu had initially wanted to see what was going on, but upon seeing this scene, he immediately understood and watched pensively from behind with a thoughtful expression.

With a family as large as the Yu’s, it was naturally impossible for there to be complete unanimity and brotherly respect. Moreover, the martial arts ethos inherently encouraged competition, particularly in the Martial Arts Institute, where both the male and female divisions were rife with overt and covert struggles.

The girl called Yu Yun was clearly a member of the Yu Family, and the fact that she dared to speak harshly to Yu Ru meant she wasn’t from a side branch; no doubt, she was a direct descendant of the Yu Family, and not on the same side as Yu Ru.

“Since when is it your place to speak here, being an outsider?”

Yu Yun looked at Chen Yue with arrogance, her gaze seemingly condescending despite being shorter in stature.

After she spoke,

several girls immediately stepped out from behind her, blocking Chen Yue off to one side.

“Chen Yue, you don’t have the right to talk back to Sister Yun. Don’t think that just because you’re favored by the instructors at the Martial Arts Institute, you can strut around. In the end, you’re still just an outsider.”

“Would the three of you like to try and see if you can overcome me, ‘just an outsider,’ when joining forces?”

Chen Yue, facing the three girls of her age, was not afraid, speaking only in a cold tone.

“Arrogant.”

The three opposite her immediately showed their annoyance.

As both sides seemed on the verge of clashing, Chen Mu finally spoke up.

“Enough.”

Chen Mu stepped forward calmly, eyes sweeping indifferently over Yu Yun and the others: “Quarreling in the street, is this how the institute’s instructors teach you?”

Yu Yun frowned, but she didn’t recognize Chen Mu, and asked, “And who are you?”

“I’m just another outsider.”

Chen Mu said indifferently.

Yu Yun looked back and forth between Chen Mu and Chen Yue, and then it dawned on her, “So you’re Chen Yue’s brother.”

She examined Chen Mu more closely and then a proud look appeared on her young face, tilting her chin up slightly, she sneered, “I heard Hongyu holds you in high regard, but I don’t see anything outstanding about you. What kind of talent could possibly come from some poor place in the Outer City.”

After speaking,

she turned around and walked away.

The several girls from the Yu Family’s collateral branches looked at Chen Mu curiously. Although they lived in the Inner City Martial Arts Institute, they were not completely ignorant of the outside affairs; they had heard Chen Mu’s name numerous times, rumored to be favored by Xu Hongyu with the intention of arranging a marriage between him and one of the Yu Family’s young ladies.

But to them, besides his handsome appearance, he didn’t seem all that special, and just as Yu Yun said, what can one expect from someone from the remote and impoverished areas of the Outer City?

The girls quickly turned away, following Yu Yun.

Chen Yue watched this scene, frowning, and then turned to Yu Ru, whispering, “Xiao Ru, she’s always been spiteful with her words, just ignore her…”

Yu Ru bit her lip, her eyes still glistening with tears. Hearing Chen Yue’s words, she raised her sleeve to forcefully wipe away the tears, and said,

“Yeah.”

Chen Mu watched as the group of Yu Family’s young ladies departed, shaking his head slightly. He wasn’t interested in getting angry with a few young girls, but this Yu Yun did indeed leave a bad impression on him.

That kind of pride inherent in family scions, as if etched in their bones, was similar to He Mingxuan, full of condescension and disdain for everything, very much resembling a certain kind of spoiled brat.

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