Ten Moves

Dozens of people, servants and masters alike, were crammed into the schoolhouse, forming a circle. Since the courtyard wasn't very large, it felt quite crowded.

The moment Gu Shenwei entered, he was pushed and shoved into the circle. The students shouted excitedly, "He's here, he's here!" and "How many rounds can he last this time?"

The hands on him left one by one, and he finally broke free. Standing alone, he looked at the boy opposite him in confusion, his heart pounding.

He remembered feeling astonished at the Great Head God's true appearance, wondering how anyone could look so fierce. Now, a similar thought crossed his mind: how could such an exquisite and beautiful creature exist in the world?

The boy looked about ten years old, his skin so fair it seemed to glow, as if carved from a single piece of the finest jade. A faint blush, like two drops of fresh blood dissolving on clear water, colored his cheeks from exertion. His ink-black eyes were strangely large, like those of a toddler beast, filled with both curiosity and a desire to control the world. His small nose, slightly upturned, conveyed disdain for the surrounding crowd and his new opponent.

Gu Shenwei was no stranger to the world; he had seen countless children of the Central Plains' nobility. Yet, now he stood dumbfounded, like a country boy unexpectedly granted entry into the imperial palace. It wasn't until the mocking laughter around him grew louder that he snapped back to reality. His face flushed involuntarily, and he quickly knelt on one knee, lowering his head to say:

"Huan Nu greets the Young Master."

The surrounding noise abruptly ceased. "I am not the Young Master," a clear, annoyed voice said, emphasizing the word "Young."

Gu Shenwei looked up in surprise. He had naturally assumed this child, dressed in men's clothing and surrounded by everyone, was the Young Master Shangguan Fei. Only now did he realize: how could such a delicate being be a boy?

His mind raced. This wasn't the Young Master Shangguan Fei. It was likely Shangguan Ru, the girl of the twins. How should he address her? Miss? Dressed as she was, she probably wouldn't appreciate that title.

Gu Shenwei was lost in thought again. There were clearly subtle rules in the schoolhouse, but he had only been here for less than half a day, and no one had told him.

Shangguan Ru raised her eyebrows, and the onlookers, delighted by the unfolding drama, began to laugh again.

Gu Shenwei's gaze swept around, searching for help. Finally, behind Shangguan Ru, he received a silent cue. It was another girl dressed in men's clothing, about his age. She was slender but remarkably tall, standing out like a crane in a flock of chickens. She mouthed three words silently: Ninth Young Master.

"Ninth Young Master, Huan Nu greets the Ninth Young Master."

Shangguan Ru's lips curved slightly, but a child beside the tall girl looked displeased. "Look at the good servant Brother Ba sent me. Trying to please others, he doesn't even recognize his proper master."

The child's features were very similar to Shangguan Ru's, but with a touch more heroic spirit. Without a doubt, this was Gu Shenwei's true master, Shangguan Fei.

Shangguan Fei was the elder twin, Shangguan Ru the younger. If one were to use the title "Young Master," Shangguan Ru should be the Tenth Young Master. Why was she called the Ninth?

Gu Shenwei was confused. He had been ordered to please the Young Master, but his mission had gone awry from the start, offending both of them on his first meeting.

The tall girl was likely one of the young ladies of the fortress. Among the group of boys, she and Shangguan Ru were the only two girls. Their status wasn't the lowest, but the highest. She spread her arms, shielding Shangguan Fei behind her, and declared loudly, "Come, the next round begins! I bet ten moves. This kid will be down within ten moves."

The students began placing their bets, some on Shangguan Ru, others on the new servant.

Gu Shenwei understood he was about to spar with the Ninth Young Master, Shangguan Ru. He knew without thinking that he had to lose. His opponent was a delicately carved little girl, and he would have to pretend to be clumsy.

But things weren't that simple. The twin brother, Shangguan Fei, didn't bet on his sister. He walked over to Gu Shenwei's side. "Don't you dare fall within ten moves, or I'll have Brother Ba deal with you."

Gu Shenwei was in a dilemma. Qing Nu would surely know how to handle this situation, but he was outside the main gate, unable to help at all.

Shangguan Ru was getting impatient. She assumed an attacking stance and shouted, "Move aside."

The onlookers cleared a space. Before Gu Shenwei could steady his footing, Shangguan Ru leaped forward, kicking at his face in mid-air.

This was not the skill expected of a ten-year-old girl. Her movements and power were fierce; even seasoned martial artists might not achieve such a level.

Gu Shenwei, who had initially planned to conceal his strength, now had to use all his skills just to narrowly dodge the kick.

After her first move, Shangguan Ru's attacks came relentlessly, her ferocity completely contradicting her appearance.

Gu Shenwei had no time to think. He dodged and weaved, doing his best to protect himself. His martial arts were average, and his Tiger Subduing Fist was a powerful style, better suited for offense than defense. He dared not use any serious moves, putting him at a further disadvantage.

After five or six moves, the cheers from the crowd intensified. The tall girl and Shangguan Fei were the main cheerleaders for their respective sides, shouting themselves hoarse.

It was almost the tenth move. Shangguan Ru's attacks grew fiercer. Suddenly, she employed a deceptive move, turning as if to create distance, then abruptly lowering her body and kicking backward.

This kick was unexpected, but Gu Shenwei wasn't entirely unable to avoid it. However, he hesitated, unsure whether to lose or win. Logically, his task was to please Shangguan Fei, but this Shangguan Ru seemed more favored than her brother...

In that split second of hesitation, Shangguan Ru's foot landed squarely on his abdomen. Gu Shenwei flew backward, crashing into a student who had been cheering enthusiastically.

The student was caught off guard, but fortunately, he was sturdy. With a yelp, he stumbled back several steps, supported by others. Gu Shenwei used the rebound force, staggering in another direction. Just as he was about to fall again, someone pushed him from behind, and he stood up.

"Ten moves, ten moves! He didn't fall, we won!"

Shangguan Fei emerged from behind Gu Shenwei, shouting excitedly.

"Hey! That's cheating! He was clearly about to fall, and you pushed him to stay up!"

The tall girl strode up to Shangguan Fei, hands on her hips, and yelled aggressively. She was likely also a daughter of the Unrivaled King, daring to stand her ground against the Young Master.

The two groups began to argue. Then, everyone remembered that the person involved hadn't said a word. Shangguan Ru pointed at Gu Shenwei. "Tell me, were you pushed up?"

Shangguan Fei leaned close to his ear and commanded loudly, "You stood firm on your own, didn't you?"

Coming full circle, Gu Shenwei found himself in an awkward dilemma again, only able to stammer non-committal answers.

Shangguan Ru pushed through the onlookers and stood before Gu Shenwei, facing him. Her porcelain-like face flushed with anger. "Are you refusing to concede?"

They were very close, her angry breath fanning his face. Gu Shenwei felt unable to refute her question. "I..."

At this critical moment, someone finally spoke, rescuing him.

"Ahem. Everyone, back to the schoolhouse."

The speaker was an old gentleman with a dignified air, hands clasped behind his back, looking disdainfully at the students in the courtyard.

The old gentleman's words had a powerful effect. A dozen or so students, along with their accompanying scholars, and even the Young Master Shangguan Fei, scattered like mice before a cat. They immediately quieted down, turned, and headed towards the schoolhouse, not daring to take large steps.

Only Shangguan Ru, who liked being called "Ninth Young Master," remained in place, glaring angrily at the impudent servant. She had clearly won, and he dared not admit it.

"Go back!" The old gentleman's voice grew stern. Teaching at Golden Peng Fortress required a certain presence.

Shangguan Ru's face grew redder, like a jade cup filled with wine. But she could not defy her teacher's command. She turned towards the schoolhouse, then suddenly spun back, grabbed the new servant's ear, and gave it a sharp twist.

The Unrivaled King's most beloved daughter had thus left her mark on Gu Shenwei. The pain quickly faded, but the gloom in his heart did not.

As he walked out of the schoolhouse, Qing Nu, who had been listening from outside, severely reprimanded Huan Nu for his lack of discernment in offending both young masters. "Why not just call him 'young master'? Why call him 'younger young master' and 'Ninth Young Master'? We privately refer to the young lady as 'younger young master,' and when speaking to her directly, we call her 'younger young master.' Only the young lady likes to be called 'Ninth Young Master.' How could the younger young master be happy hearing that?"

Qing Nu rambled on nonsensically, and besides himself, probably no one could understand him. Gu Shenwei inwardly disdained such a fuss over a mere title.

According to Qing Nu's explanation, Shangguan Ru had been raised as a young master since birth. As she grew older, she became even more boyish than her elder brother, Shangguan Fei, and was particularly competitive, always wanting to rank higher than him. She never admitted to being a sister, which led to the chaotic way she was addressed.

The tall young girl was not the Unrivaled King's biological daughter, but the elder of the twins, named Shangguan Yushi. Her temper and disposition were also like a boy's, and she was best friends with Shangguan Ru.

"You must call her 'Young Master Yu.' Never call her 'young lady,' or you won't just injure an ear, you might lose your life."

No matter how much she liked being called "young master," it didn't change the fact that she was a young lady. To the point of taking a life over it, Gu Shenwei scoffed again.

The disciples of the Shangguan Family studied in the morning and practiced martial arts in the afternoon. At noon, the students dispersed. The two young ladies were accompanied by many attendants, over a dozen of them. Qing Nu kept a few and sent the rest away.

Gu Shenwei was not chosen and returned alone to see Xue Niang.

After Huan Nu recounted his experiences of the first day, Xue Niang scolded him a few more times, blaming him for not pleasing the master effectively. However, like Qing Nu, she avoided the most crucial question: when the twins disagreed, who should he side with?

Gu Shenwei had to find a way to solve this dilemma himself.

Old Zhang went out to tend to the horses, and Gu Shenwei lay alone in the small stone house. How to please the master had always been a hurdle for him. He wasn't Yao Nu, a born servant whose instinct was to flatter and fawn. He was no longer the young master of the Gu family, yet he couldn't calmly accept the status of "Huan Nu."

For fourteen years, he hadn't known how to please others; he only knew how to be pleased.

Gu Shenwei sat up abruptly. That was right. He might not be familiar with the rules of servitude, but he understood the master's thoughts. What kind of servant would truly make a master happy? He had plenty of experience with that.

He made a bold decision.