Chapter 73

73 Is Your Highness courting me? Part II

“Your biaojie will be the one who teaches and trains you.”

Bai Yu turned her attention to the lieutenant-general who suddenly came to watch her today. Now she understood why the woman who seemed to hate her guts would be standing, glaring at her from beside the training ground.

“Apart from your mother, Ling-er was a woman I’ve trained to become stronger than anyone. And she will train you to be unrivaled as well.”

“Yes, grandfather.”

“Remember, Yu-er. No matter how hard training is, don’t forget about your mother’s expectation.”

“Yu-er understands.”

Yue Chen put his hand on Bai Yu’s sweat-soaked head. He gazed at his granddaughter, the daughter of his beloved daughter. “I hope you won’t go down the same path as Mei-er.”

“I will never take that path. And I will also take mother away from it too, grandfather.”

“As expected of a member of Yue family.”

.....

Yue Chen left with a smile, an unusual sight for everyone who knew his intimidating reputation. Only people within his family would know his kindness and warmth.

“Grandfather may have accepted you. But that doesn’t mean I do.”

When they were finally alone, there was no need for Yue Huiling to keep her hatred silent any longer. Still, Bai Yu’s skill had surprised her.

The reason why Yue Huiling had to teach Bai Yu instead of Yue Chen was that she had disparaged Bai Yu to her grandfather. That led to the betting that if Bai Yu could destroy all dummies in one shichen within one month, she would teach Bai Yu’s sword fighting and if Bai Yu could not, Yue Chen would stop teaching her martial arts altogether.

Obviously, Yue Huiling lost, because Bai Yu could destroy all magic dummies in one shichen today. However, the cause that propelled her training progress was only known to Bai Yu that it purely came from her anger toward Ouyang Feilong.

“Then what should I do I be accepted by biaojie?”

“Defeat me.”

A wooden sword was thrown at her. Bai Yu could catch it easily because of her basics from training with the sword for action scenes. Still, the European style sword was different from the Chinese ones that were much thinner and longer. She was not confident in how much she could apply those skills here.

“I’ve never seriously held a sword before. I’ll have to ask for biaojie’s guidance from now on.”

“Prepare yourself!”

Damn your sister!

Even while cursing internally, her reaction did not delay. The wooden sword that was directly swung forward was stopped by Bai Yu’s own wooden sword. Her one hand gripped the hilt, while the other held the tip of the sword. The woman in front of her was as slender as her, yet the strength pressed onto her was immense. Even after regular training, Bai Yu’s arms still shook.

“If this sword were a real one, your left hand would have bled waterfall.” What Yue Huiling said was true. Bai Yu only defended herself with her instinct.

“Use your eyes. By being to see the course of the blade, you’re able to defend yourself in time. But your form is wrong.”

“Then what’s the correct one?”

“You should hold your sword correctly first.”

Small but coarse hands full of calluses from the sword helped arrange Bai Yu’s pose. Bai Yu intently listened to her teacher’s brusque explanation. Yue Huiling’s coming to teach her like this must mean that she had become somewhat softer toward her. Bai Yu herself saw no need for acting rude. Her biaojie might be a little too straightforward, but she had already set her mind on gleaning everything she could from the lieutenant-general.

“This time try stabbing your sword toward me. As fast as you can.” Now that she knew the correct form, the lesson continued.

The older cousin had spoken with an irritated tone from the start. But after two shichens of training, she discovered that Bai Yu was focused on learning and did not act argumentative like when they first met. Though her forehead was full of sweat, and though she panted and heaved every time she practiced defending form, she showed no sign of weakness.

Without realizing herself, frustration slowly faded away from Yue Huiling’s voice and was replaced by seriousness. It was the truth she did not know...She was pleased with this smart pupil.

Bai Yu had to thank the team of stuntmen who had taught her how to gracefully hold a sword. Because of them, she could apply that to today’s lesson on defending stance.

“You still have a long way to improving your stamina and strength. But right now you’ll use your sharp eyes to compensate for that flaw. Honing your body’s reflex can become your other strength.”

“I understand.”

“If you understand then we’ll go another round. Prepare yourself!”

——————–

“I’ll beg grandfather to let me train you instead.”

“Big brother has to manage the matters within the army. You don’t need to increase your burden.”

“But if you continue to train with Huiling, you’ll always be full of bruises like today.”

“Because it’s training.”

“But Huiling doesn’t think that way.”

Bai Yu stared at her brother’s serious expression. Lately, he had been coming to Yue mansion more than usual. It must be because of something about the army since she had also seen Ouyang Feilong from afar many times.

Bai He sighed. “I wanted to protect you from that reckless woman until the end.”

“Protect me from biaojie? What do you mean?”

“Huiling doesn’t like you. Do you know that?”

“I can somewhat guess that.”

“It’s because we’re mother’s children.”

Bai Yu frowned. Did people really hate each other over a trivial detail like this? There must be something else. “What does that mean, brother?”

“You know that mother is strong in both martial arts and magic. But everything was put away because she married into the Bai family. Yue Huiling had aspired to be like a mother ever since she was little, but before she could become lieutenant-general, she had to prove to everyone that she’s not just a sheltered young lady. Above that, she also had to prove to grandfather that she would not go down the same path as a mother, as someone who will end up marrying and giving birth no matter how strong, skilled, or talented they are.”n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

“And how does that involve us?”

“First, she thinks that if mother did not marry and give birth to us, grandfather would not be tormented by what happened to her, and so he would not try to stop Huiling from training martial arts when she was young. Especially you, the renowned beauty. She feels that you should not be a daughter of such a competent woman like mother, and that makes Huiling hate the behaviors of noble ladies.”

Bai Yu nodded, considering what she was hearing. Seeing that his sister did not interrupt to protest, Bai He continued.

“Second, she thinks that if she was born from our mother, her path in the military would be easier.”

“She really loves and respects mother,” Bai Yu muttered to herself. Bai He sighed at her words.

“I see it more as her loving herself.”

“Brother, at least one of the reasons she hates us is because she both loves and resents mother.”

“Where did my spoiled, rowdy little sister go? You should be going to pick a fight with your biaojie when you hear this.”

“If I go then I’ll be sliced in half.”

“And you still train with her, even when you know that?”

“If I’m half as strong as a brother, biaojie may hate me and look down on me less.”

“That’s right. The only way for Huiling to accept us is to become stronger than her.”

Bai Yu furrowed her browed. “I still need her to teach me stances and forms. What do I have to be superior to her?”

“Your magic is stronger than hers, isn’t it?”

“You’re right!” Bai Yu’s eyes widened. “I still have to practice guqin, otherwise mother will never forgive me.”

“Why don’t you practice tomorrow? You’re covered in bruises. Hurry to bed.” Her brother’s large hand gently stroked her cheek. He counted the bruises on his sister who he had cherished for all his life with a troubled heart.

“I can’t. I’m hyped up.”

“Hyped up?”

“That means I’m fired up.”

“What is ‘fired up?”

Bai Yu stared at her brother. She was out of the explanation.

“Let’s pretend that I understand what you just said.” And then Bai He returned to Bai family’s mansion, full of bewilderment at his sister’s strange vocabulary. Now that he had some time to think, he felt that seeing her bruised but cheerful was at least better than seeing her crying for that man.

Bai Yu did not go to see her brother off at the front gate since her body still hurt, though less than when she had first started. A while ago she had just finished her bath and was going to put balm on bruises caused by her biaojie. Shortly after that, her brother walked into the building with a solemn face, not saying a word.

Fortunately, he seemed to become more relaxed after their conversation. Bai Yu could finally feel relieved. Bai He was already stretched taut by matters that happened within the army. She did not want to become another cause for him to further worry.

After capturing the spies last time, Bai Yu stayed in the area of her own building, only going out to parties but still had not met many people. Still, she could guess that something was happening in the army, including Rui Wang’s grand army, grandfather’s royal-protector army, and the armies of four cardinal points. Not only soldiers’ movements of entering and exiting the mansion was noticeable to her, but also her brother’s and Ouyang Feilong’s, not to mention the captains from various troops.

If she remembered correctly, a war would break out at the end of this winter. Da Yang would have to face the fight within the palace and at its border.

“Miss”

“What is it?”

“A letter came from Wei Wang’s palace.”

Bai Yu took the letter and opened it up. “Something so urgent that he needs to contact me at this hour?”

In the letter were a time and place. Bai Yu already had an inkling of what the secondary male lead wanted to speak to her. It was difficult for him to come and meet her here, so he had to use this method of meeting up with her outside.

Bai Yu’s heart throbbed at the sight of the delicate and familiar handwriting. She knew well that he was not Li Wenrou. The soul might be the same, their appearances might be similar, but ultimately, they were not the same person.

Still, having to see something familiar made it even harder for Bai Yu to sever her feelings toward him.

So, it was understandable to see some people throw away gifts from an ex-lover, or burn every picture they had taken together.

.....

But she could not burn away this man.

Bai Yu sighed. The letter in her hand was lit up by a small candle before slowly turning into ashes.