Chapter 35 - Practicing Qing Gong

Chapter 35: Practicing Qing Gong

Translator: Sherry Wang

Wu Jitian stopped and gave a complicated look. He replied, “Sure, I do.”

“Then when can I be a general?” asked Dong Ling worriedly. She couldn’t wait to punish the Dong family.

“Don’t worry. You helped me so much. I’ll keep my words!” Wu Jitian replied and took her to the pavilion in the middle of the yard, sipped his tea and continued, “But you know my father just fired me today. Don’t rush. You can now stay in the capital, in the name of my lifesaver.”

Dong Ling replied nothing, with her lips pressed.

Wu Jitian looked at her and said, “Just rest assured. I will pay you back! You have nowhere to live, don’t you?”

“No, I don’t. But…” answered she when she nodded.

“Well, don’t worry. This is a big place. Just stay and I’ll take care of everything.” proposed Wu Jitian.

Even if he said so, Dong Ling stilled expected an exact time. She murmured, “But I…”

Before she finished, a guard rushed in.

He reported, “Your Highness. The guests have arrived at the study.”

“I see. Leave us alone.” Wu Jitian waved at the guard and turned to Dong Ling, “Dong Ling, just live here. Ask the butler for whatever you want. I have some business to do.”

Dong Ling watched him disappear and was at a loss what to do. She had no choice, but to live in his mansion for the time being.

Dong Ling had sat in the pavilion for a long time before she stood up. Staring at the stone paths leading in all directions, she didn’t know where to go. She stopped a maid and asked, “Excuse me, where is my room?”

“Miss Dong, please come with me.” Replied the maid when she saluted to Dong Ling politely and led the way.

Dong Ling reached her room, got washed and sent away the maids before she took a good rest.

When she woke up, night fell.

After the dinner, she looked at the maid beside her and suddenly asked, “Have the guests gone?”

“Yes, Miss Dong. They left at about three.” answered the maid respectfully when she saw Dong Ling’s broadsword.

Dong Ling asked again, “Then where is Prince Jitian?”

“I’m not sure. In the study maybe.” replied the maid.

Since so, Dong Ling planned to go and have a conversation with him. But she returned half way. She thought, “Well, I don’t think I should go find a man in the late evening. I’ll just go tomorrow.”

The next morning, Dong Ling got up early. After having breakfast, she asked where Wu Jitian was, only to be told that he had left earlier.

But he suddenly visited her at nightfall.

They sat face to face when Wu Jitian asked with concern, “Dong Ling, how do you feel when living here?”

“Everything is fine. Thank you for your concern.” replied Dong Ling while she was thinking about how to ask about the general stuff.

“You’re my lifesaver and this is what I should do. Don’t worry. I’ll pay you back.” said Wu Jitian. Obviously, he knew what she was going to ask. Thus, he said so to keep her out of worry.

Dong Ling was about to ask when a guard suddenly walked to Wu Jitian and whispered to him. Then he looked at Dong Ling with apologetic eyes and murmured, “Sorry, I…”

“Your Highness, go if you have some business.” said Dong Ling when she realized he must have something else to attend to.

Wu Jitian nodded and left in a hurry.

Dong Ling, left alone, enjoyed her tea and lost herself in thought.

In the following few days, Wu Jitian seemed to be as busy as a bee. He visited her every night, fatigued. And he left hurriedly before he made a long conversation.

Well, this wasn’t helpful. Dong Ling understood he was busy with work. But she didn’t want to wait and do nothing. What a waste of time!

The next morning, Wu Jitian left early in the morning again. Dong Ling planned to show herself around his mansion. As she walked past practicing field, she saw a familiar guy.

“Lin Zang!” Dong yelled and walked to him, “What are you doing here?”

“Oh, hi, Miss Dong.” said Lin Zang when he looked back and was happed to see her.

As he wiped the sweat off, he answered, “I’m not strong enough and I’m practicing.”

“Practicing? Well, why don’t you practice Qing Gong (a kind of Chinese ancient Kung Fu, more specifically Lightness Skill, which enables people to move quickly like flying) with me?” Dong Ling proposed as she looked around the whole practicing field.

“Really? That’ll be great!” Lin Zang asked with disbelief! When Dong Ling nodded, he nodded, too. To be honest, he had been admiring Dong Ling’s Qing Gong on the way back to the capital.

If she could teach him, that would be awesome!

Lin Zang asked anxiously, “When shall we start?”

Well, he couldn’t wait!

Dong Ling teased, “How about now? Are you okay with that?”

Lin Zang didn’t want to be cowardly in front of Dong Ling. He replied immediately, patting his chest, “Sure! Don’t underestimate me!”

Dong Ling smiled and then asked the servants to prepare the sandbags for their training.

Surrounded by her maids, the most beautiful girl Pan Qiyi minced into the pavilion.

Behind her walked four men with folding fans in their hands. Dressed in different robes, they seemed to have different temperaments.

Pan Qiyi smiled gently and saluted to them politely.

They had a small conversation. But it was so noisy that Dong Ling didn’t hear anything.

After everything was ready, the man in charge yelled, “Well, since you all come to watch the competition between Miss Pan and the Four Great Scholars. Please calm down and watch. If you talk too loudly, you may possibly fail to hear them! So, please kindly cooperate.”

He sounded quite reasonable. The audience fell silent immediately!

The man in charge sighed with relief. Luckily, no one tried to make trouble this year. Otherwise, the competition would have been stopped!

Competitors, who had been expelled, whispered in the crowd, “It doesn’t matter if we make good poems. Obviously, one of the five guys will be the winner. We’re nothing, but foils!”

“Yeah. Frankly speaking, Pan Qiyi will finally have the award. Even if the other four wins, they’ll give the prize to her. For she’s the most beautiful girl in capital, isn’t it?”

“Mm. Everyone likes her! We don’t stand a chance!”

Dong Ling stood and listened to them. It was then did she finally know the truth. She balled her fists secretly!

She hated it most when those in charge fawned on government authorities in such unfair competitions! If they wanted to give the award dress to Pan Qiyi, why didn’t they do it directly? Why did they waste everyone’s time?

Suddenly, someone chanted a poem in a low voice. Everyone else looked at the man in white and listened to his poem with great interest.

He chanted, “I look into my mirror bright; From where comes autumn frost in sight?”

After he finished, people looked away at Pan Qiyi while the latter looked as calm as before.

She took a sip of her tea, looked at the calm lake before she said, “What a charming picture when spring comes to the lake! Amid the rugged peaks water’s smooth without a break!”

INTERESTING! Dong Ling choked back her laugh and forced herself to look away in case she might burst into laughter.

Come on. Even a poor poem from the modern Chinese textbooks would be better than theirs!

“Oh, you really are the best! I lose.” Said the man in white. He lowered his heads and waved his fan. He pretended to be thinking about it before he admitted defeat and saluted to Pan Qiyi.

“Don’t say that. You four are famous in the capital. How dare I compare myself to you?” replied Pan Qiyi politely. She chuckled secretly in her heart.

Dong Ling, stood off the stage, listened to their poems.

Most of them made poem about romance, which sounded really boring. They knew nothing, but bombasts and didn’t even live up to their reputation.

Dong Ling wasn’t an encyclopedic girl, even back in the 21st century. But she still read quite a lot of books. She had the total confidence to defeat such so-called most beautiful girl in capital!

“Oh!” Suddenly, Pan Qiyi gave a cry when she was reading her poem. She stopped, got off the boat and walked up to the bridge.

Dong Ling looked where she was heading for. Across the bridge, a graceful man walked forward. The tall and thin man had black hair and was dressed in black. Looked like he kept a low profile, but he still looked powerful.

Followed him was a guard in green who also looked righteous!

Sadly, Dong Ling was stuck in the crowded so that she couldn’t see them clearly!

“Ah, he looks really cool!” Dong Ling said to herself. No wonder girls around were attracted and gossiped.

“Look at him! He must be from a rich family!”

“You bet! But don’t dream to get him. Who else will he like, expect the most beautiful girl?”

“The man in green looks cool, too!”

As the two men walked nearer, the crowd got restless. Dong Ling looked at them in the distance and found them a little familiar.

Dong Ling suddenly realized them as they came closer! Wu Jitian and Lin Zang!

Whispers from the women annoyed Dong Ling a lot. She got angry out of no reason and failed to restrain it!

“Shut up!” she yelled coldly and looked at them with fierce eyes. Everyone was too scared to keep chatting.

The yell made them all looked at Dong Ling. It was just then did they realize there was a better girl on the spot!

Pan Qiyi was gorgeous. But Dong Ling, standing in front of them, looked just a fairy!

Why would such a perfect girl live in the secular world and take part in the same competition with them?

When the crowded calmed down, Dong Ling ignored them and looked back at Wu Jitian and Lin Zang with great confusion.

They were supposed to be busy working, weren’t they? What brought them here?

She was a little far from them, but she was relieved to see Wu Jitian’s poker face.

Soon, she saw Pan Qiyi smile to Wu Jitian sexily. She couldn’t help getting angry again!

She knew they were talking, but failed to hear them. The anxiety nearly killed her!

She looked at the crowded. Hum… it was impossible to jump there! Nothing could support her and she was standing by the bridge. She didn’t want to make a fuss for this.

Well, she had no choice, but to walk through the crowd patiently!

When she was a few steps from Wu Jitian, she stopped.

At this moment, Wu Jitian was staring at the lake coldly and totally ignored Pan Qiyi, however pretty she might look.

Dong Ling let out a long sigh, which even shocked herself!

Since when did she care for someone like this?

Was she restraining herself just for Wu Jitian? That wasn’t a good thing for her.

As she finally got closer, she heard Pan Qiyi’s sweet voice, which quite disgusted her!

“I guess I’ll be today’s winner and I’ll get the rainbow dress.” said Pan Qiyi as she winkled and made a best pose.

Wu Jitian remained poker-faced. Come on. What a shameless girl! Did she think he knew nothing about the inside story?

Pan Qiyi thought it was his acquiescence and got prouder!

She continued, “Why don’t I get the dress now and enjoy it with you? What do you think?” She was eager to try it on!

To show off that she won the competition, and also to attract Wu Jitian!