Volume 1: This Heart's Inclination Chapter 20: A Beautiful Companion

  "This thing" fluttered between her fingers, and everyone staring at it had their eyes widened in shock.

  Light blue soft satin, shiny and smooth, floating like clouds, obviously extraordinary material, but the shape is a bit strange, rectangular, with horizontal folds, and strangely cut off two corners, looking like neither a handkerchief nor an apron.

  But no matter how bizarre the shape is, it can't hide its stunning embroidery skills.

  Golden threads embroidered the sky's vast light, silver threads embroidered the clouds' endless shadows. Skillfully using the most difficult "chaotic stitches" in embroidery, the two colors of gold and silver silk threads intertwined and layered, just like layers of cloud shadows, a thousand miles of sky, sunlight and cloud colors shining together, majestic and beautiful. As soon as it's unfolded, it seems to see the vast sky washed clean, flying clouds crossing chaotically.

  Heavenly light, shadow of clouds.

  Almost legendary god brocade, with simple two-color auxiliary ultimate embroidery method to create an absolute masterpiece, even if the shape is strange, even if it's wrinkled, even if it's stained with a suspicious purple stain, but that needlework, color matching, and embroidery are unparalleled.

  Many people rubbed their eyes, and then rubbed them again, wanting to say it was impossible, wanting to say that this was the waistband of Duke Jin just now, but just now under everyone's watchful eyes, that waistband was torn to shreds, everyone saw it with their own eyes, now it must have been thrown away together with those trampled fruits, how could it possibly reappear intact?

  Moreover, after everyone looked again and again, they found that this embroidery was also a picture of heavenly light and cloudy shadows, but it seemed to have fewer clouds than the original picture, so it shouldn't be the original product.

  Everyone was shocked beyond words - could it be that this Miss Wei, whose name was still unknown, was actually the truly hidden and extraordinary female master of the red high hand?

  Rong Chu slowly narrowed her eyes.

  Only he knew that this was the one that had just been torn apart.

  Even if Tai Shi Lan disguised it, unfastened the double-layered belt, cut off two corners randomly, and altered part of the embroidery to change its original pattern, he could still tell at a glance that it was his.

  Because that light blue soft satin is not an ordinary product, he can be sure that at least in this Anzhou, no one can take out the same thing.

  What's more important is that all his personal belongings actually have his mark on them, it's just that others can't find them.

  "Guo Gong, this..." The prefect of Anzhou and Tai Bai both walked over, the former with a strange expression, the latter with joy mixed with hidden anger.

  Chui Bo is both delighted and worried at the same time - Chui Shi Tao's promotion is a good thing, but Shi Lan is the emperor's abandoned concubine, how can she have any involvement with any man? That is a crime punishable by confiscation of property and extermination of the clan!

  It would have been best if Shi Wei had won, marrying a concubine to the Duke of Jin and not losing face as the Governor of Anzhou. But then Shi Lan suddenly appeared... Yi Bo's expression changed, his heart filled with suspicion and resentment, looking at Tai Shi Lan's cold eyes.

  Rong Chu's face was seen at the bottom of his eyes, and a faint light flashed in the bottom of his eyes. He smiled and said, "The outcome has already been decided, why ask me?"

  Yi Shixu, who had been listless and dispirited all along, suddenly let out a sharp cry, covered her face and rushed out, colliding with a woman, causing the hairpins to fall off. She seemed unaware of it, stumbling and staggering away into the distance.

  Tai Shi Lan's expression didn't change, amidst the crowd's astonished and eager gazes, she withdrew her hand, suddenly felt an itch in her nose, grabbed that piece of shallow blue soft satin worth a fortune, and was about to wipe her nose with it.

  Before the crowd's sighs had even risen, her arm was suddenly held in place. The unique fragrance of Chinese angelica and osmanthus wafted over, as the person leaned in extremely close, whispering softly by her ear: "Miss, tell me, how did you restore my waistband?"

  ……

  His voice was soft and gentle, whispering in her ear, his expression ambiguous, looking more like a couple's intimate whispers than someone trying to uncover her secrets.

  The women around immediately had their eyes turn blue, with a layer of lightning covering an area of three feet in diameter, enough to chop Taishi into tens of thousands of pieces.

  Tai Shi Lan disdainfully shook his head, yielding the range of his aura, and turned to face that person's autumn water-like yet profound eyes, his gaze not retreating in the slightest, "Want to know?"

  Rong Chu was slightly surprised that she didn't deny it, and smiled, "Our hearts are as one, why must we hide?"

  "Half a catty of rouge, half a catty of deceit," Tai Shi Lan stretched out his finger and poked him in the chest, "A heart like this, don't bring it to compare with me."

  "Oh dear, you're making me heartache and also making my heart skip a beat." Rong Chu smiled, puffed out her chest, with a half-true, half-false tone.

  Tai Shi Lan glanced at him indifferently - this man seemed to still be selling cute!

  Quickly withdraw your finger, "Want to know, rely on yourself to find the answer." Stretch out your hand to those ten silent guards, turn around and leave.

  She is not afraid of Rong Chu's regret, this kind of person, even if teased by all means, is proud to the bone and has no equal.

  Behind him, the footsteps were neat and tidy. Those elite guards had indeed followed, and Tai Shi Lan felt the gaze on his back was not kind. He also felt a slight sense of surprise in his heart. It seemed that Rong Chu's subordinates were very fond of her. Seeing her attitude towards Rong Chu was not good, they also didn't have a good expression for her. It was really unexpected that Rong Chu, who was so lazy and sinister, could gain such loyalty from others.

  However, in those neat and well-trained footsteps, there seems to be a slight discord...

  Tai Shi Lan turned around and saw an out-of-place person behind her.

  "What did you come here for? I don't have time to take care of you." She frowned.

  Rong Chu glanced at her, in this world there are people who love him, people who hate him, and people who care about him with jealousy, but no matter what kind of emotion it is, they all care about his existence. Only the strange woman in front of him truly treats him as if he were nothing.

  That's not disdain, but her world without his existence.

  He suddenly wondered if that world was only black and white, if the mountains were forever frozen, if one sword could hold up the sky, and if two peaks would never stand together.

  "I have time to roam the mountains." He smiled slowly, "And let my guards lead me on the way."

  He smiled at Tai Shi Lan, who was now standing ahead of the guards, looking like his scout.

  Tai Shi Lan gave him a glance, and without saying a word, turned her head away.

  She didn't want to argue, but she had the chance to severely scold her.

  "What's his name?" Rong Chu asked casually after walking for a while.

  He knew that when asking Taishi Lan questions, it was better to be more direct, or she would ignore him.

  Tashalan immediately replied: "Li Jinsnow."

  Rong Chu went through this name in his mind and felt unfamiliar. He stroked his chin, thinking that people with the surname Li were indeed not good things.

  Tai Shi Lan was observing the guards, and as they climbed up the mountain, she soon discovered that Rong Chu's "one against a thousand" elite guards were indeed not just boasting.

  She had barely taken a few steps when the guards surpassed her pace, and she also found herself hindering everyone. She pointed out the direction where Li Jinsnow fell, and after the guards understood, a captain-like person issued a series of commands, and immediately these people dispersed on the mountain path.

  They watched as they swiftly leaped over the grass tips, their green figures transforming into flowing lights. Half of them charged towards the mountain crevice, while the other half swept towards the creek below. They saw that even in mid-air, they still formed a formation, able to call out and support each other at any time. They saw that after reaching their destination, with one whistle, they dispersed, each person unhesitatingly choosing a search point. Every search point was strategically located at the most suitable hiding spots on the entire mountain, radiating outward to cover all possible areas where Li might be able to fall.

  The whole setup took no more than half an hour.

  Accurate, swift, efficient, and seamless collaboration.

  Ten genuine men can resist an army of thousands.

  Seeing such "bodyguards" would only make people feel a chill in their hearts towards their master.

  Tai Shi Lan raised an eyebrow, his expression somewhat displeased. He watched with his hands behind his back as his subordinates took action, but he didn't seem to be enjoying it, and even furrowed his brow slightly, appearing not quite satisfied.

  She shifted her body, moving a little further away from this dangerous person.

  The sky grew darker, and the sound of reports echoed through the air.

  "There is none in the stream!"

  "No cracks!"

  "There is no valley on the left!"

  "Not on the right bank!"

  Tai Shi furrowed his brow - how could it be? None at all?

  She believed in the ability of these elite guards, and with their search, let alone a living person or corpse, even a finger could be found.

  The sky gradually darkened, and the crowd at the foot of the mountain could be vaguely seen leaving. A faint mist rose between the mountains, and the scenery around was shrouded in a light blue hue, like a famous painting covered with dust.

  "It seems your friend has left, the sky is already late, and it's said that this place is not peaceful at night, we should head down the mountain." Rong Chuli stood at the edge of the mountain crevice, with green trees, blue flowers, and black rocks as his backdrop, setting off his white clothes like snow, his eyebrows and eyes like a painting, refreshing to the point where one's eyes seemed to be washed clean.

  Tai Shi's eyes didn't even flicker with surprise, as if he hadn't heard the words. He raised his head to look at the mountain top and suddenly said: "There is a house there."

  Near the mountain top, among the green trees, a corner of a thatched cottage roof is indeed exposed, in this misty and hazy mountain, it appears and disappears.

  "It's already gone over the mountain and your friend has fallen down, not flown up to heaven." Rong Chu looked at the corner of the roof, slightly furrowing his brow.

  "Go ahead." Tai Shi Lan didn't refute or agree, she bent down to tie her pant legs. She was wearing a riding outfit under her cloak, which was from the Yan and Yun provinces. Although Southern Qi wasn't good at martial arts, they were influenced by their neighboring countries, so it was fashionable for women to learn horseback riding and archery.

  Rong Chu knew she was going to have to go up the mountain herself just by looking at her expression, she must have said something useless again.

  "Master..." Guard Zhao Thirteen walked over, his expression solemn and speaking in a low voice, "This house doesn't seem quite right. When we came to Anzhou, we searched the entire mountain and didn't find this house at all. Your esteemed personage is worth a thousand pieces of gold, it's not suitable for you to take risks lightly. Please allow us to escort you down the mountain."

  "You're absolutely right." Rong Chu smiled and replied. Zhao Thirteen was delighted and surprised that his master was being so affable today, when he heard him say slowly, "We've searched the mountains, occupied our territory, and suddenly a bamboo house appears, but we didn't even know it existed - isn't this an insult to me? To encounter an insult and retreat silently, is that really Rong Chu?"

  Zhao Thirteen: "......"

  The guard who had been knocked to the ground retreated with a humiliated expression, loyally raising his head and avoiding letting a flash of disdain appear in his eyes towards his master.

  Actually, perhaps, probably, seemingly... encountering humiliation first silently retreats, then when the opponent is proud, suddenly comes out and kills him, isn't that your style?

  ……

  The humiliated Duke of Jin walked beside Tai Shi Lan, without a hint of anger at being humiliated, gazing at the flowers and water along the way, pointing out the scenery with a carefree air.

  Tai Shi Lan hurriedly walked in front of him, this time seemingly acting as his tour guide.

  The mountain road was not easy to walk on, and Tai Shi, the "tour guide", was also in pain all over his body. He walked crookedly, stumbling from time to time, but Rong Chu didn't help him up.

  "The spring flowers are so beautiful..." Yan Chu looked around left and right.

  Taishan walked her way.

  "The clear water is so beautiful..." Yung Chu gazed at the rippling water.

  Taishan walked her way.

  "This snake is quite lovely." Rong Chu exclaimed in admiration.

  Tai Shi Lan jumped up and avoided a poisonous snake that was hiding in the grass, staring at her ankle with malice.

  "This is what was left by whom...". Rong Chu pondered slowly.

  "Plop." Tai Shi Lan's foot landed in a pile of animal dung.

  "...smells so bad." Rong Chu finally finished the second half of his sentence.

  Rong Chusheng

  Tai Shi Lan's face was expressionless as she took out a "Tian Guang Yun Ying" brocade and wiped it clean.

  Then she was held by Rong Chu, after haggling, and exchanged for a clean cloth strip and a pair of boots with a guard, Ta Shi Lan wore them outside her shoes, those boots were almost military boots, sturdy and durable, and she walked more steadily.

  Tai Shi Lan wins.

  ……

  Before nightfall, the two stood outside the bamboo hut with their guards.

  This is a dilapidated bamboo hut, with dark mildew stains everywhere that have been seeped by the damp air in the mountains. It was also built very loosely, and when the mountain wind passes through, the whole house makes all sorts of faint, strange noises, making people think of all the terrifying legends about the great mountains and moonlit nights.

  Rong Chu stared at Tai Shi Lan, thinking she would recklessly rush in to search for her friend. Unexpectedly, Tai Shi Lan stood steadily and took off the boots on her feet, weighing them as if preparing to use them to knock on the door, causing the hapless guard who had surrendered his boots to twitch repeatedly.

  Rong Chu felt satisfied - still quite careful.

  He was immediately dissatisfied - Ta Shi Lan was searching for the most reasonable position to smash the door while quietly moving behind him.

  This almost made Rong Chu's face twitch - what does it mean? Are you afraid that after blasting open the door, there will be a mechanism shooting out, so you're using me as a human shield?

  The boots hadn't been thrown out yet when the door suddenly opened silently.

  Everyone's eyes widened in shock and they all froze.