Ye Qingyun turned and left.
He took two steps, then stopped.
When will the training uniforms be distributed?
Liu Laosan leaned on his wooden cane, not even raising an eyebrow.
"Send it only if you win the small game."
Ye Qingyun glanced at the wooden sign at the entrance, then at the few porters still setting up stakes in the courtyard.
The porters' legs trembled violently, sweat dripped down their necks and into their collars, and the smell of meat porridge mixed with their sweat wafted out from the courtyard.
His Adam's apple bobbed.
"Good."
Shuhe followed behind him, her lips parting and closing repeatedly, wanting to advise, "Young master, don't take this so seriously," but afraid that something she said might offend him.
The two exited the alley.
The footsteps were quickly drowned out by the shouts of vendors on the street.
In the back room of the tea stall, Boss Zhao spoke in a low voice.
"Your Highness, he's tempted to win."
Gu Moran lowered the window paper, and the smell of meat porridge outside was still seeping into the room.
"He came with a winning mentality; we simply helped him take a step forward."
Uncle Fu stood by the door.
"What's next?"
Gu Moran up and brushed the dust off his sleeves.
"Let the coach continue teaching as usual."
Boss Zhao looked at him.
"No extra ingredients?"
"No."
Gu Moran pushed the teacup back onto the table.
The cleaner the rules, the less fault he can find. If he's going to lose, he should lose because of his own actions.
Uncle Fu picked up his coat for him.
"Has Your Highness returned to the residence?"
Gu Moran glanced at the sky.
"Return."
Boss Zhao was taken aback.
"Leaving already? Aren't you going to look around again?"
" Ye Qingyun has already joined the queue, so I must join it too."
Uncle Fu couldn't help but look at him.
What is Your Highness's rank?
Gu Moran walked out.
"They'll line up to get beaten."
Uncle Fu: "..."
Boss Zhao coughed lightly, his shoulders twitching slightly, but he didn't dare to laugh.
Half an hour later, the door to Iron Plum Courtyard was pushed open.
Lin Qingdai placed the wooden stick horizontally in front of Gu Moran's shoulder, and the end of the stick stopped very steadily.
Gu Moran glanced at the end of the stick, then at her wrist.
Lin Qingdai stared at him.
Why are you looking at my hands?
Gu Moran raised the wooden stick and held it in front of her chest.
"Your hands look beautiful today, madam. I'm afraid I'll hurt them and then I won't have the energy to praise you."
Lin Qingdai pressed down with her wrist, and the wooden stick slid down along his shaft.
"Stop being so poor, step your left foot back."
Gu Moran did as instructed.
Don't stiffen your back.
What happens if I get an erection?
"They'll get beaten down."
"Then I'll be softer."
Lin Qingdai ignored him and swung the stick at him.
Gu Moran's feet gripped the blue bricks.
He shifted his waist to the side, the wooden stick brushing past the edge of his clothes, making a slight rustling sound.
Lin Qingdai stopped and her gaze fell on his ankle.
"You practiced secretly last night?"
Gu Moran a surge of vigilance rising in his heart.
She has a sharp eye.
He planted the stick on the ground and rubbed his side.
"I practiced it in my dreams."
Lin Qingdai looked at him but didn't reply.
Zitang held the medicinal oil under the eaves, her shoulders stiff from trying to suppress her laughter.
Lin Qingdai asked, "Who taught you in the dream?"
Gu Moran answered very seriously.
"Lady."
Lin Qingdai pointed the end of her stick at his feet.
"Do I have so much free time in my dreams?"
"The lady was fiercer in my dreams than during the day. She chased me from Iron Plum Courtyard all the way to the gate of the Prince's Mansion, and even said that if I didn't bring my elbow tomorrow morning, she would break my legs."
Zitang finally burst out laughing.
Lin Qingdai turned around.
Zitang held up the bottle of medicated oil.
"Miss, I checked the bottle opening, there's really no laughter."
Lin Qingdai withdrew her gaze, and the wooden stick was raised again.
"It seems the teaching in the dream went well."
Gu Moran the stick tightly, smelling the lingering aroma of braised pork knuckle wafting from under the eaves. His stomach betrayed him, remembering that he hadn't eaten enough for breakfast.
Lin Qingdai saw him glance at the food box.
"Want some?"
"Practicing martial arts is strenuous."
"Block three attacks, then together."
Gu Moran nodded.
"This lesson, Madam, is more interesting than the one at the Imperial Academy."
What does the Imperial Academy teach you?
"Teach me to sit and take the scolding."
"I'll teach you how to stand still and take a beating."
"Then Madam is truly remarkable."
The first blow presses down on the shoulder.
Gu Moran didn't block directly; instead, he angled the stick and let his shoulder sink down with the force.
The wind whistled past his ear as the wooden stick fell, but he didn't blink; instead, he scooted his foot halfway into the crack between the blue bricks.
Lin Qingdai saw it.
The second blow is a sweep to the waist.
Gu Moran took a half step back, her heel brushing against the dew, almost slipping.
Standing still will expose your true colors, but actually falling will be embarrassing.
Using the slight wetness as leverage, he tilted half his body and managed to stop by holding onto the wooden post.
Lin Qingdai raised an eyebrow.
"Was this taught in a dream too?"
Gu Moran leaned against the wooden stake, his face not flushed, and his breathing was steady.
"This is a name I created myself, called 'Saving Face for the Lady'."
Zitang hugged the medicine bottle even tighter, trying to suppress her smile for a long time, but still couldn't.
Lin Qingdai did not land her third blow.
She lowered the stick.
" Gu Moran, you're getting better and better at dissipating force now."
Gu Moran patted the hem of his clothes.
"One always learns something from being beaten by his wife so often."
Lin Qingdai stared at him for a long time.
The courtyard smelled strongly of metalware, while the aroma of braised pork knuckle, carried away by the wind, wafted back again.
She tossed the wooden stick to Zitang.
"Alright, you're even better than I thought. That's enough for today. I'll teach you the real stuff tomorrow."
Gu Moran immediately looked at the food box.
"But there's no third move yet?"
Lin Qingdai picked up a piece of pork knuckle skin, placed it on the plate, and then pushed the plate over.
"Alright, I knew you could dodge it."
She wiped her hands with a cloth as she spoke.
"Going to Azure Wolf Courtyard this afternoon?"
"Go."
"She teaches better than I do?"
Gu Moran stopped his chopsticks in front of the pork knuckle skin.
If you say the wrong thing, you'll get beaten twice as badly tomorrow.
He said, "My wives are all very well."
Lin Qingdai glanced up.
" Zitang, see the guest out."
Before the door closed, Gu Moran didn't forget to add a sentence.
"I'll send two portions of braised pork knuckle to Madam tomorrow."
The door closed.
Afternoon, Azure Wolf Courtyard.
Murong Xue tossed a leather rope to Gu Moran's feet.
"Tie him up."
Gu Moran looked at the leather cord.
Where to tie it?
Murong Xue pointed to her waist, then to the saddle.
"To learn to run, you must first learn to fall."
Batuer opened his mouth with a piece of beef jerky in his mouth.
"Your Highness, the princess is in a good mood today."
Gu Moran looked at the knife in Murong Xue's hand.
You call this good?
Batuer nodded.
She didn't make you run three laps first.
Murong Xue mounted her horse, her riding boots stepping on the stirrups, the hem of her red skirt fluttering in the wind.
"Come up."
Gu Moran grabbed the saddle and flipped onto it; her leaping motion was much smoother than in previous days.
Murong Xue saw it all.
"Did Lin Qingdai beat you up?"
Gu Moran spoke after she had settled into her seat.
"The ladies each had their own strengths; one taught me to stand, and the other taught me to run."
Murong Xue clamped her horse.
As the horse charged forward, the wind blew dry grass clippings onto Gu Moran's face, and he almost got grass in his mouth.
"Shut up."
It's already closed.
On the first turn, Murong Xue gave a quick elbow twist.
Gu Moran was thrown halfway off the horse, his hands gripping the saddle, his feet loosening the stirrups, and he was hanging precariously on the side of the horse.
The heat from the horse's belly pressed against his legs, and the leather made his palms numb.
Murong Xue reined in her horse.
"Get down."
Gu Moran landed, his shoulder bumping into a haystack, and hay dust covered his face.
Batuer's assessment.
"First fall, survived."
Gu Moran climbed out of the grass.
"You Northern Territory really know how to use few words when praising someone."
Batuer chewed on some jerky.
"Saves effort."
Murong Xue ignored them.
"The second time."
This time, she didn't give Gu Moran time to settle in, and the horse spun rapidly around the wooden stake.
Gu Moran glanced at her shoulder beforehand, and clamped her legs around the horse's belly, but was still thrown to the ground.
Pressing dry grass on my back reduced the pain considerably, but the smell of horse manure remained.
He sat up, his face looking very pale.
" Batuer."
Your Highness?
"Was this haystack not changed yesterday?"
Batuer looked down at the dried meat.
"Your Highness has a very nice nose."
Gu Moran wiped the bits of grass off his sleeve.
"I'd rather have a slightly flawed nose."
Murong Xue suppressed a laugh and tapped the horse's back with her scabbard.
"The third time."
Gu Moran stood up and first looked at the belt around her waist.
The Northern Territory leather belt is wide, and the copper buckle is thick, making it easy to grip.
If you try to grab the saddle, you'll be thrown off.
Grabbing her belt would be offensive.
Falling a third time would be too embarrassing; being caught at least keeps me on the horse.
He glanced at the knife in Murong Xue's hand.
The knife was not drawn.
Let's take a gamble.
The third time the horse was started.
Before the bend, Murong Xue leaned forward, and the horse swerved to one side.
Gu Moran was pulled outwards, his left hand grasping empty air, while his right hand directly grabbed the edge of her belt.
The leather was taut, and the brass buckle touched his palm.
He was half-hanging off the side of the horse, his legs still in the stirrups, but his hands were still on the ground.
Murong Xue looked down at him, her gaze first lingering on his hands, then moving to his face.
That hint of surprise, carried by the hot wind, spread from her ears to her cheeks, more radiant than her red dress.
" Gu Moran, where are you grabbing?"
(`⌒´ メ)