Martial King's Retired Life

Every Lady will Have a Crush

In spite of her best effort, Song Yanluo could not maintain her demure mannerisms. While pinching his lips shut and futilely trying to resist her cheeks turning rosy, she thundered, “What do you want from me in the middle of the night?”

Ming Feizhen could see her body’s subtle trembles and smell her heightened emotions, but he was unaware of the catalyst. “Miss, pwease et oh o at I an peak (please let go so that I can speak).”

Song Yanluo released her hold. “Out with it, and then get out.”

Ming Feizhen rubbed his facial features back into position and then smiled graciously. “I have a request. Upon completion, we will split the spoils half and half.”

Perhaps the government would have provided prize money for apprehending Hua Yumeng, but that was a paltry sum Song Yanluo did not care for.

“You want me to lure Hua Yumeng out?” Song Yanluo asked with a frown after hearing Ming Feizhen out. “Who do you take me for? Why should I seduce a lecher? I’m not broke.”

“What if I told you that I could also hand you the one responsible for Wang Sanping’s death?”

According to what Ming Feizhen picked up from eavesdropping, Song Clan was busy investigating Wang Sanping’s death, and Patriarch Song placed enough weight on it to send Song Yanluo to Hangzhou. However, the fact that he sent her instead of openly investigating it himself meant that he was battling a dilemma. The solution to their headache was the only bait he could think of that could make Song Yanluo bite.

“I refuse! I’ve already requested your young master’s help. Why should I give myself more problems to deal with? Besides, how do you, a mere servant, have the ability to resolve the matter? Stop acting tough, will you? I won’t fall for you no matter if you capture Hua Yumeng or become a superstar. Look after yourself before worrying about catching criminals.”

What? Are we even talking about the same thing?

“No deal?”

“No deal.”

“Okay… I’ll think of something else.”

Song Yanluo lifted her chin higher. “Then why are you still here?”

“Okay, okay.”

As Ming Feizhen walked off, he rummaged through his brain for another candidate whilst mumbling, “Miss Ling should be okay with it seeing as she’s approachable… I’ll write her a letter when I get back. She should be able to arrive the day after if she rushes over…”

Bang! Song Yanluo pressed her hand on the door as Ming Feizhen went to reach for it. He turned around and asked, “Miss?”

Song Yanluo pursed her lips whilst wearing an unclassifiable expression. “Did you just say, ‘Miss Lin’?”

“No, Miss Ling.”

“’Miss Lin’?”

“Miss Ling.”

“’Miss Ling’?”

“Why are you using dialects now? I’m talking about the ‘Ling’ character in Ethereal Maiden of the Water.”

Song Yanluo scrunched her face up as if she swallowed a bug. “What’s… her name?”

“Ling Jialan.”

Based on Ming Feizhen’s understanding, Song Yanluo was now hostile.

“Why are you looking for her? What’s your relationship? How do you know her? You’ve been with her already, haven’t you? Are you trying to anger me or trying to make her disgust me? Huh?!”

Rather than seem heated, Song Yanluo’s world appeared to have collapsed. Song Yanluo’s beauty, intellect, martial prowess and family background were always second fiddle to Ling Jialan. Song Yanluo was no martial arts fanatic, but she forced herself to train so that she would not be inferior in every way. Ming Feizhen was a nobody, but why should Ling Jialan get to steal her fanboy? He liked her, so what qualified Ling Jialan to suddenly have him?

Scumbag! You were willing to sacrifice your life for me yesterday, yet you’ve now chosen to join the dark side just because I rejected you, not to mention that lass of all people?! You traitorous-shameless-betraying-two-faced-playboy scumbag!

Ming Feizhen could virtually hear himself being cussed out just hearing Song Yanluo’s heart beats, but she had already seized his lapels before he could digest it all.

“Tell me!”

“Tell you what?”

“What’s your relationship with her?”

“Uh, we just got to know each other a few days ago and worked together.”

“Hmph, worked together? You make it sound so trivial.”

“I guess it is.”

“What about me?”

“Uh…”

“What do you think of her?”

“Straightforward, cool and has a strong sense of comradery.”

“What about me?”

“Uh…”

Song Yanluo had a hand charged up for a knockout blow as she widened her eyes. “You want to die?! She has a strong of sense comradery, but I’m ‘Uh…, uh…’?! You’re trying to humiliate me, aren’t you?!”

“Well… she would help me if I asked for her help. As for you, there have been no such signs, so…”

“What is it?”

“What is what?”

“How do you want me to lure Hua Yumeng? You have a plan, don’t you?”

Ming Feizhen erected a thumb. “You are a true embodiment of high-moral integrity, generosity, understanding, purity and grace. Most importantly, you are prettier than Miss Ling.”

“Hmph! No need to point out the obvious!”

With that, the deal was sealed.

“That’s all? There’s no challenge whatsoever. Trading this task for Wang Sanping’s culprit is your loss.”

Ming Feizhen formed a small smile. “It would not be possible without your help, though.”

For some reason, Song Yanluo sensed a touch of melancholy in Ming Feizhen’s smile, reducing the visual disaster that she always saw him as. For some reason, she started spacing out and blushing.

Ming Feizhen put the lack of response down to Song Yanluo’s prideful nature and forced a smile. “What did you promise T-, Young Master, for your request?”

Song Yanluo giggled. “How do you know I promised him something? I don’t need to offer anything to have people fulfil my desires.”

“That may be true for others, but he is a special case. He would not help anyone without something to gain, not to mention he is already taken. Though you are pretty, he might as well be blind to you.” Receiving the silent treatment again, Ming Feizhen queried, “What is the matter, Miss?”

There she was, sitting primly but as red as a ripe tomato and muttering something indiscernible. She was getting ready to inflate her ego when his sudden praise for her beauty caught her off guard.

“N-nothing!” Song Yanluo jumped to her feet and then walked off a few steps whilst fanning herself. “It’s too stuffy and hot in here.”

Autumn had just walked in, and Song Yanluo was dressed appropriately for the cooler weather, yet her cheeks suggested she was struggling. Ming Feizhen brushed it off and said, “It is. However, it would be better to not leave the windows open when we are discussing something so important.”

Just as Song Yanluo scolded him for earlier, there were already several servants around the room’s vicinity. Though they were not glued to the walls, there were more than twenty pairs of ears focusing in their direction. Her martial arts were not developed to hone her senses, so she was unaware of the situation outside. Nevertheless, she agreed with his point, not to mention she cared for more about her image than Ling Jialan.

“Where were we?”

Following a brief moment of reflection, Ming Feizhen answered, “I just mentioned how he might as well be blind in front of y-”

“Okay, okay! Can we skip over that?” It was probably the first time in Song Yanluo’s life not coveting praise and being unable to accept praise without losing her composure.

“S-sorry. I will not bring it up again. So, I was saying th-”

“I never said you can’t bring it up again! S-sometimes is fine…”

“… I will sometimes mention it, then. Sometimes. We were just talking about Young Master Tang.”

Song Yanluo finally smiled with confidence. “Liu Shan Men’s constable is plagued with a health issue. I know he is struggling to control the yin and yang qis in his body. I tested him numerous times prior due to my curiosity in his circumstances.”

It was not strange for Song Yanluo to identify Tang Ye’s condition visually. What was bewildering, though, was how she could compel him to carry out her will.

“I offered him a pill that can fuse his two qis into one, which resolves his problem. Do you think that’s motivating enough for him?”

“You mean… Golden immortal’s autumn flame pill?”

“You know of my clan’s ‘Golden immortal’s autumn flame pill’?”

Ming Feizhen even knew it was originally called “golden immortal’s sandwind pill” since it was originally Mount Daluo’s concoction. The formula that took thirty-three years to be transformed into a pill was considered a treasure in the martial world as it could synthesise blood and qi, as well as drastically improve one’s progress. Technically, it was akin to reincarnation since it modified one’s body and attributes. Part of Hero Shenzhou’s sudden and immense growth was attributed to him accidentally consuming one in his younger years.

It was said that Hero Shenzhou gifted a pill to a young man who inherited the Song surname. Conjecturing based off ages, the young man in question was likely Patriarch Song – Song Lian. Nobody knew what became of it afterwards, though it was now evident that he had held on to it all this time.

Ming Feizhen heard about the story during his sixth year seeing winter by a fire. That time, his shifu was telling stories in high spirits, while his second shiniang was caressing a chubby infant joyfully. Ming Suwen clapped from her embrace as if she was able to understand what was being said, bringing laughter to the hall. Where was Ming Feizhen? Wiping the floor after adding wood to the fire. He, unfortunately, was ordered to go fetch more wood before he could finish overhearing the story.

“My family’s pill can most definitely treat his problem… It would even be considered a waste. Miss Song, you sure are generous.”

Shifu said it was worth tens of thousands back then. If I sold it as an antique now, it should be worth several times more, right? How about I try treating Tang Ye myself? As for the pill…

Upon detecting a dangerous gaze on him, Ming Feizhen dryly chuckled the thought off. “I was just joking, just joking. I know very well that is but a daydream.”

Hang on. I didn’t speak my thoughts out loud, did I? How does she know I was planning to embezzle and sell it to repay my Dongpo debt?

Song Yanluo, face beet red, stamped her feet as she felt her chest thump. “Y-y-you… you think too much, don’t you? What do you mean ‘my family’? Who are you calling family?! Weirdo!”

Song Yanluo seemed to want to draw her sword, but did not have it on her, want to punch, but feared killing him.

“Hmph!” Song Yanluo chose to hide her face and walked off.

“… That’s a respected martial artist’s daughter for you, cracking the ground with her stomps. That’s some leg strength she has. Miss, wait, this is your room. Where are you going?”

Glossary

Golden Immortal’s Autumn Flame Pill – There’s a section lost in translation because “autumn” and “wind” share the same pronunciation. They both enunciate it as “feng”, but each is referring to different characters. In the context of the conversation, it bears no important meaning (unless the author decides to utilise it later). I had to translate them identically in their conversation itself, or it’d go over everyone’s head.