Reborn: Revenge of the Concubine’s Daughter

Chapter 28 A second-rate martial master
In the previous life, He Danggui used to practice some martial arts. By that time, she had entered Lord Ning’s Mansion and gained the favor of Zhu Quan (Lord Ning), then she learned some martial arts from Zhu Quan’s followers. In order to help Zhu Quan better manage the affairs of “Wuying Tower”, she began with the most basic steps called Mabu (a basic standing position of martial arts in China) at 19, a very “old” age to practice kongfu.

Since the Masters were all the subordinates of Zhu Quan and He Danggui was Zhu Quan’s concubine, it was inappropriate for them to teach her many martial arts which required to be taught intimately. Therefore, they only told her to hold a pile of books to study by herself. If she couldn’t do it, it would prove that she was not good enough to practice martial arts.

She studied dazzled like this for several years. Fortunately, the five Masters who taught her the longest were all first-rate seniors, and they taught her a wide range of martial arts which were all excellent skills. Besides, she insisted on using gold needles to promote her blood circulation every day. As a result, she finally became “a second-rate martial master” in 5 years, and she could also say to others that she was a martial master.

As a second-rate martial master, she wasn’t good at fighting, not to mention lifting and using any weapon weighting more than 20 jin. Only some swords and spears that weighed 7 or 8 jin were suited for her. But she had some internal force at this time, so she could jump over walls and run on rooftops like a senior. Also, her horsing and shooting skills had improved a lot. She often walked day and night in the state highway between Lord Ning’s Mansion and Yingtian Prefecture, doing her duty as a shadow of the owner of Wuying Tower.

In this life, she wanted to recollect her martial skills. Even as a second-rate martial master was good enough for her for self-protection. However, she hadn’t begun to practice yet because of her sick and weak body condition.

The big hand around her kept passing Zhenqi into her body, making her feel warm and cozy. Someone did this to her in the previous life, too, but she never felt as comfortable as today.

He Danggui was aware that if Zhenqi was passed into a person who had no idea of martial arts, it would flow into his limbs and viscera and finally disappear as air. On the contrary, if a person who knew how to utilize the Zhenqi that he received, then the person could lead the Zhenqi into his own body channel and eventually into Dantian.

The precious Zhenqi was streaming in her body from her hand. “Now is the time!”

He Danggui held her breath and concentrated on her Dantian, leading the Zhenqi inside her limbs into every channel and gathering it into her Dantian in the end. With these Zhenqi in her body, she wouldn’t have to start with Mabu in the future and it would be much easier for her to restudy martial arts. Qi created spirit, spirit made energy. One was the child of the divine law. After one came two, after two came three, and after three came all things. Yi had Taiqi, which gave birth to two states. Two states were then developed into four images; the four images gave rise to eight hexagrams; and the eight hexagrams finally turned into everything in the world.

With this internal force seed, she could create more internal force through sitting in meditation for her own use. When that time came, it would be much easier for her to wave swords or sticks, climb walls or fly on roofs than her previous life.

After a while, He Danggui couldn’t help becoming greedy for more seeds—who would say no to this? So, she just let the big hand hold hers and enjoyed the benefits.

Lu Jiangbei sat against the bed with the lovely girl leaning on him. He felt he was in a beautiful dream and it was so unrealistic like he just drank a huge glass of high-quality wine.

Peeping the girl within his reach, he noticed her eyes were slightly closed. Her slight breath with nice scent came out like it was about to enter his bones. He finally acknowledged that Duan Xiaolou wasn’t the only one who fell in love with this girl.

He couldn’t remember when this girl walked slowly into his heart, and stole his love forever. And since when the girl’s appearance became more and more clear in his mind, making it impossible for him to lie to himself anymore?

A poem said, “What a pity that we didn’t meet before you and I were both married”. When he read this before, he didn’t take it into his heart. How could a moment of crush guarantee a lifetime’s loyalty? Even if they met when they were both single, so what? But now he just wanted to write “What a pity that we didn’t meet before I married my wife.”

Duan Xiaolou could go downhill to prepare the bride-price, and simile happily as he begged Master Geng and him to act as his matchmakers. He could fly over the walls to get the girl a clock to keep out the coldness, and dress and tie her up personally… What Duan Xiaolou did were exactly what he wanted to do for her. But he’d already had a wife.

Since He Danggui accepted his Zhenqi, there was a natural powdery color on her delicate skin. Her black hair were entangled on the side of her pink face. And there were still a few glistening drops in the ends of her hair, making people want to dry it. A drop of rain slowly crept down her pale blue collar, fell and disappeared. Lu Jiangbei noticed that her blue Beizi (a traditional cloth in Han Dynasty) was half wet, which outlined her slender figure. She was like a begonia in the autumn wind, which would easily break up in the wind.

Lu Jiangbei wished he could take her in his arms. But he had a wife. Who could bear to marry such a girl as a concubine?

Although Lu Jiangbei knew his internal force wasn’t overbearing like that of Gao Jue and Jiang Yi, he was still afraid that the Zhenqi would travel too fast to burn the girl who was like a begonia. So, he slowed the transmission speed to the slowest.

However, he didn’t know that He Danggui was not afraid of that, and she even hoped it could come more.

For a low level like her, every drop of Zhenqi was as precious as blood. However, for a senior like Lu Jiangbei, the consumed Zhenqi would be regained easily and even become stronger through eating a few meals, sleeping for a few days, and adjusting the breath at most two times. Alright, although it was a little bit shameless for her to accept his Zhenqi after she refused the marriage proposal and silver and showed that she would draw a clear distinction… No one forced him to do this after all.

In this way, they silently leaned against each other with totally different ideas. One hour, two hours, three hours… Five hours later, the rain stopped, and the midday sun came out. He Danggui finally realized she had robbed too much Zhenqi. So, she pulled back her hands. Lu Jiangbei did the same in silence. Then he sat beside the bed and began to adjust his breath.

He Danggui went outside the door, and started to feel a little awkward and uncomfortable. Because she was too focused on adjusting her Zhenqi to think about time. Before she realized, it was already noon… Why hadn’t Zhen Jing come back from fetching water? Or had she come back, but seen them together with hand in hand, so she naturally scared her away?

Seeing Lu Jiangbei was about to finish his practice, He Danggui wanted to find out if he knew that she had collected Zhenqi for her own use just now. She remembered vaguely that a master once said some top master-hands could release their six consciousness to spirit, and they could feel the flow and change of any subtle breath.

It happened that Lu Jiangbei also looked up at her. His eyes were very gentle and he smiled brightly. Then she felt that she could not ask any questions.

He Danggui sent Lu Jiangbei to the gate of the yard, and apologized, “Please tell Childe Duan, I’m so sorry that I let him down. I’m not his good match.”

Lu Jiangbei shook his head and said, “You have to tell him this in person. And with all due respect, he will be more than just disappointed… It’s obvious that it is not a whim for him to propose marriage to you. He’s determined to have you. I’ve known him for years, but never seen him fall in love with any woman like you.”

He Danggui was silent.

“Miss He, I have a word for you.” Lu Jiangbei said gently, “No matter how clever and independent a woman is, she will eventually have to get herself a spouse. Now you don’t like Xiaolou, only because you don’t know him well. When you are cold and tired, he is worth to rely on. No woman would refuse such a man. If you marry him, you will live a different life and he will protect you from everything.”

He Danggui lowered her head and replied sullenly, “I won’t go anywhere. I will go back to Luo’s Family.” She stared at the ground, thinking that she must revenge.

Lu Jiangbei’s eyes were a little distracted, and he unconsciously made an action of raising his hand to hold her in his arms. Just when he was about to touch her, he regained his attention, clenching his hand into fist slowly and pulling back into his sleeve.

After seeing Lu Jiangbei off, He Danggui stood silently in front of the withered locust tree in the yard for a while, and then turned back to the room to cook. Before this, seeing the box which was full of cheques and the title deeds, she suddenly realized that she didn’t have any money now. Once she returned to Luo’s Family, the range of places she could go would become very narrow, things she could do would be limited and it would be more difficult for her to go out to earn money.

Therefore, she must make some money before her returning. He Danggui fell into contemplation.

When the meal was almost prepared, Zhen Jing came in from the outside and grinned from ear to ear.

He Danggui turned a white eye at her, “Silly girl, what are you laughing at? Where had you been all morning, and where is the water I asked you to fetch?”

“Leave the water alone, Xiaoyi, Luo’s Family sent someone to pick you up!” Zhen Jing waved her hand and smiled.

He Danggui shuddered slightly, and the spoon in her hand clattered into the pot.

Zhen Jing looked at her strangely, “You can go home now. Why do you look unhappy?” As soon as He Danggui was about to speak, she saw Zhen Zhu walking into the room with a small bag in her hand.

Zhen Zhu smiled and asked, “Congratulation! Have you packed your bags yet? Is there anything else I can do for you?”

He Danggui hesitated for a moment and said, “Sister, you are here just in time. I would like you to meet the people sent by Luo’s Family and tell them that I will not leave. Let them go.”

Zhen Zhu felt slightly surprised, but Zhen Jing began to shout. Zhen Zhu appeased Zhen Jing a few words, and then sent her to cook. He Danggui took Zhen Zhu’s hand to whisper, finally Zhen Zhu nodded and left.

Zhen Jing was still doubtful and raised a series of questions to He Danggui, “Xiaoyi, if you miss your mother very much, why don’t you go back home to see her? Were your family members mean to you so you don’t want to go back?”

He Danggui smiled, “I really want to go back and I miss them all. But before that, I need to do some preparations and still have two unfinished things to do in the Taoist Temple.”

Zhen Jing wanted to continue her questions, but He Danggui just let her wait and see. So, they began to eat lunch.

Since their pots and ingredients were very simple, they only had brown rice congee and mixed rice with splendid achnatherum as lunch. Zhen Jing felt so sorry for He Danggui. As a rich young lady, not only did she have to cook herself, but also eat such coarse food. Moreover, these pots, spoons and grains were not provided by the Taoist Temple, but were bought by Sister Zhen Zhu. Because of this, some people even said bad words to Sister Zhen Zhu.

Since Zhen Jing moved to the East Wing-room and lived with He Danggui, they had never got lunch from the kitchen. The other day, Zhen Jing carried a basket to get some food in the kitchen for two or three times, but she got none in the end. Later, He Danggui forbade Zhen Jing from neither the kitchen nor getting her big pot rice dishes. So, Zhen Jing was hungry and couldn’t save her own food like she did in the previous life to help He Danggui.

He Danggui also felt a little strange. According to her memory, in her previous life, many Taoist nuns resented her because her rebirth prevented the temple from earning another 150 liang, but they had never gone so far. At least she got two meals of breakfast and lunch to live. What He Danggui didn’t know was that because of her being familiar with the imperial guards, a lot of Taoist nuns who secretly admired them felt obstructed. She should think of them as kind ones for they didn’t send any poison mixed rice to her.

However, He Danggui just experienced life and death. She didn’t think that eating potherbs were unbearable. The mixed rice with splendid achnatherum was good enough for her, and she even praised her cooking skills.

He Danggui said with a smile to Zhen Jing that she would invite her to eat Stewed Pork Ball in Brown Sauce and Roast Suzhou Duck tomorrow in Qunxianlou Restaurant.