Food Fairy Lord

Chapter 757 Young Hero
Pei Ye found it hard to describe how he felt when he heard those words. The girl looked at him earnestly and calmly, and her clean face made it hard to doubt her.

Actually, when Pei Ye was lying in the hospital bed, looking up at his face, he quite liked seeing it like this.

No matter how high one's martial arts skills are, once lying in a hospital bed, one inevitably feels like a fish on a chopping board. The body is no longer one's own; people undress and loosen their belts, knead and rub it, tap on the bones and feel the tendons. They don't treat you as a conscious being, so you try your best to act like a mindless piece of flesh.

At this moment, Pei Ye liked Qu Xin's indifferent face, as if he were no different from a piece of wood. Pei Ye was very uncomfortable with her bare chest and legs spread wide apart in front of her, but when she looked up and saw her face, she felt much calmer.

The way he looked at me as if I were a maggot was so comforting that I felt no guilt whatsoever.

But when he stood there properly dressed, Pei Ye became wary of that face.

You would never guess what shameless things this seemingly respectable young girl is thinking—of course, she thinks it's perfectly normal.

"Do you think I'm thinking about something shameless?" Qu Xin asked, looking at him.

“No,” Pei Ye said.

“We’ve shared hardships and faced life and death together in the Daming Palace. You shouldn’t keep doubting me like this.”

Pei Ye felt a little guilty: "Really not—you said you were doing a good deed, what kind of good deed were you referring to?"

Qu Xin asked, "Pei Ye, do you know who else came to the garden today besides the various sword sects?"

Pei Ye thought for a moment: "Some famous figures in the martial arts world, or powerful and influential people in the capital?"

"That's good. What else?"

"Besides... what else?"

“There are also many people who love swordsmanship but cannot practice it,” Qu Xin said. “They went to great lengths to get into this sword banquet, but no one recognizes them, and they can’t see those famous swordsmen.”

"..."

“They are all young, and they are all sincere. Many of them even snatched an invitation from their families and came secretly. You tell me, if they come all this way and can’t even get a word in with a famous swordsman, how heartbreaking would that be?” Qu Xin said. “I came here for them.”

Pei Ye immediately pictured the faces of a group of young men like Kong Lanting and Cui Xiaoyan. They hadn't mastered their swordsmanship yet, but they were full of enthusiasm, just like he had been a few years ago.

“Oh,” he understood, “you mean you want me to go and meet with them?”

Qu Xin nodded: "That's right. You're quite famous in Shenjing now, and you have a very kind heart. You'll definitely be willing to chat with them."

He Yaoyao watched the girl from the side, stunned, thinking that this person's way of speaking was just like her reciting lines...

But Young Master Pei didn't see through her. He seemed to be secretly pleased, nodding with a smile: "That's fine, as long as they recognize me."

Qu Xin nodded: "I'll definitely recognize you."

Pei Ye smiled.

Since the New Year, more than two months have passed, and Pei Ye has not set foot in the capital city.

He knew in his heart that he had become famous last December, but he did not really feel the atmosphere of being the center of attention at that time. After the New Year, he was transferred to the palace by Xu Chuo, and he knew nothing about the clamor outside the palace after that.

So at this moment, Pei Ye was not aware of his status as a celebrity. He was somewhat pleased and surprised that his reputation in swordsmanship could influence some younger generations. They admired him but dared not show it too much, and he would give them a few gentle words of advice. It was truly a friendship between gentlemen that was as light as water.

What a fine and virtuous thing to do, just like promoting younger generations in the literary world.

He adjusted the sword at his waist and said, "Now, will you take me there?"

Qu Xin nodded and pointed, "Bring her along too."

He Yaoyao lowered her head and followed behind Pei Ye after being pointed at like that.

The garden was now filled with people and voices all around. Qu Xin did not stop and led the two southwards, gradually passing through trees and flowers. As the voices behind them faded, a two-story pavilion with a fairly large area came into view.

Pei Ye seemed to hear some faint female voices chattering inside, but Qu Xin did not take him in. Instead, she went around him and led him to a side room next door.

Pei Ye looked at the girl curiously, but she didn't stop. She opened the door and pulled him inside.

The room was decorated quite interestingly, with sword manuals on the table and swords hanging on the walls, creating a really atmospheric setting... Qu Xin led him to the table and pressed him into a chair.

"..."

“Just sit here and wait, and don’t leave,” Qu Xin said earnestly. “If you meet them all at once, they might be too shy to tell you what’s on their minds. So I thought of a way to let them come to see you one by one, so you can talk to each of them individually—don’t worry, there aren’t too many people.”

Pei Ye was slightly taken aback, finding it a bit strange, but also finding it somewhat reasonable: "That's fine... but should we talk to each of them?"

He felt they had run out of things to say.

"Hmm." Qu Xin replied casually, "It's very simple. Just ask each person, 'Where did you learn about me?' 'Which of my sword styles do you like best?' 'Do you have any wishes?'... Ask four or five questions and you'll be done. By the way, try to keep each one under half an hour. Don't take too long, or it will affect efficiency."

“…Oh.” Pei Ye replied blankly.

...What kind of efficiency?
He glanced down at the black cat in his hand; the cat looked at him with pity.

Qu Xin tilted her head and looked him up and down, then surprisingly reached out to straighten his hair and adjust his collar, finally nodding in satisfaction: "Then you can wait here—oh, come with me."

She took He Yaoyao's hand and walked out.

With Qu Xin doing the work for him, Cui Zhaoye was too lazy to go downstairs again. He remained on the terrace, gazing at the now empty pond and reminiscing.

Her eyes were narrowed like a cat's. In reality, she was not too willing to go to Pei Ye, because the two immortal figures on the pond were so vividly etched in her mind that she was now somewhat reluctant to see the real boy, lest she ruin the image of those two jade-like figures in her heart.

So she didn't take what Qu Xin said too seriously.

“President Cui, I’ve called Pei Ye and He Yaoyao here, but I think there’s a problem,” Qu Xin said. “Pei Ye doesn’t know about our club, let alone that it’s become so popular.”

"Ah."

"Has Pei Ye really drunk wine with courtesans?"

“…No. Why are you suddenly asking this?” Cui Zhaoye frowned.

Qu Xin said calmly, "Then he definitely won't be comfortable being surrounded by a group of women. He usually shrinks back when I try to take off his pants."

"..."

Changsun Jue stared wide-eyed and covered his ears.

“That makes sense.” Cui Zhaoye nodded.

“To prevent him from being frightened and becoming angry, and taking his anger out on Chairman Cui and Miss Changsun, I’ve come up with a brilliant idea,” Qu Xin said.

Changsun Jue's eyes remained fixed on him, but he lowered his hands: "What does this have to do with me?"

Cui Zhaoye said, "Don't interrupt—go ahead."

"I think it would be better to change the joint meeting to a one-on-one meeting."

"..." That makes sense, Cui Zhaoye thought.

"That way everyone can see the little male duck, and I can give each of them a few more instructions without scaring it."

Changsun Jue asked blankly, "What is a 'little palace maid'?"

"I meant Xiao Peiye."

"They're not even pronounced the same thing."

Cui Zhaoye nodded in satisfaction and said lazily, "This is a good idea. You take everyone there. If this is done well, you can become a vice president."

Qu Xin said, "Thank you for your kindness."

She turned and walked downstairs, leaving more than twenty dresses scattered in the hall.

He Yaoyao stood behind her, so when she gently knocked on the wooden railing, all eyes turned to her.

"The agreement made before has been fulfilled." Qu Xin greeted the pairs of bright eyes, like a monarch inspecting a kingdom. "Young Master Pei is now waiting in the room next door. Those who wish to meet him should line up quickly. It will be a private meeting, without any barriers. Ten taels of silver for half an hour, plus two questions from He Zhen's teachings." He Yaoyao: "Huh?"

The colorful skirts and ribbons fluttered like fallen flowers gathered by the wind, or like a flock of chirping birds, and in the blink of an eye, they formed a long line accompanied by surprised tones.

And they all looked at the physician Qu, the personal physician of Young Master Pei, with great admiration: "Dr. Qu, you are amazing!"

"Dr. Qu, I like you very much."

"Doctor Qu, how is Young Hero Pei feeling now? Has he been affected by that old man Yun Lang?"

"Master Qu, Master Qu..."

Qu Xin spread out his notebook on the table, tapped the surface, and said calmly:
"Young Master Pei comes from a poor family and is penniless. Sometimes he can't even afford decent clothes. Many friends have told me they want to donate to him. But Young Master Pei is an upright and strong-willed man. If we offer him gold or silver when we meet for the first time, he will refuse it firmly and may even feel humiliated. So if you really want to, you can put it in this basin—He Yaoyao, bring me that porcelain basin—I will pass it on later and persuade him to accept it."

He Yaoyao moved over in a daze.

The girl in the first line had expressive eyes, which were now slightly red. Clutching her small purse, she said, "Doctor Qu, is it really true that one person can only give a maximum of twenty taels? Can I give fifty taels instead?"

The second person said, "You can't give so much by yourself—Doctor Qu, in addition to the twenty taels, how about I also give Young Hero Pei a sword? It's the one my father used when he was young..."

Qu Xin raised his hand: "Stop talking. Each person can only give twenty taels of silver. But at the same time as the meet-and-greet, I will also release a new batch of information about Young Hero Pei Ye. You can continue to support him there."

"it is good!"

"Come on, the first one—isn't it Nan Yingzhi? The daughter of the Imperial Censor. If you meet her for half a moment, you'll receive twenty taels of silver. Go on." Qu Xin picked up his pen and wrote.

……

Nan Yingzhi walked out of the small building with a beaming smile.

The magnificent scenery and the melodious warbling of orioles couldn't stir her pounding heart. The moment she stepped outside, the bright sunlight almost made her dizzy, before she realized it was just her blood rushing to her head.

Unlike many friends in the same hobby who could understand people and discuss swordsmanship, she knew nothing about the affairs of the martial arts world. It was only after her friends at the Imperial Academy told her about Young Master Pei's debate on the Two Heavens that she became curious and joined, and then became more and more deeply involved.

Standing here today is like opening up a new world. In just one hour, she has changed her admiration for countless people. When she looks at the thousands of dazzling sword lights in awe, she almost forgets about the young hero Pei Ye.

But then Pei Ye, the young hero, left the scene.

All the countless white sword shadows in his mind vanished upon the smiling figure on the pond.

Nan Yingzhi now truly feels that coming to the Tianshan Sword Banquet was the most important decision she has ever made in her life. Having seen this wonderful world, she now knows just how powerful and upright Young Hero Pei Ye really is.

What's even more surprising is that the Fellowship also has a highly skilled physician like Doctor Qu, who is Young Hero Pei Ye's personal healer. Not only does he usually bring everyone so many items and news about Young Hero Pei Ye, but today he even managed to invite Young Hero Pei Ye to meet him.

Only ten taels of silver!

What a kind hearted doctor.

The wing room was right in front of them. Nan Yingzhi remembered that she was the first person to meet Young Hero Pei Ye, and her heart pounded even harder. Young Hero Pei Ye was obviously also receiving everyone for the first time. She wondered what he looked like up close, and whether he spoke with the same chivalrous and awe-inspiring manner as Chi Shang...

Pei Ye sat in the quiet room.

He flipped through the sword manual in front of him. The contents were quite strange, mostly introductory textbooks and basic sword principles, and there was no writing or ink beside it.

He then looked at the swords hanging on the wall. Many of them had little collectible value and hadn't been used recently. They seemed to have been moved from the storeroom and were newly hung up.

He frowned and pondered for a while, but couldn't come up with anything, so he sat back down at the table. The black cat's clear blue eyes met his gaze.

"What are you looking at?"

"Look at this idiot."

Nan Yingzhi stood in front of the door, took a few deep breaths, and carefully checked her clothes one last time. Then she pushed open the door with a creak.

For a moment, she held her breath. The room was filled with swords, and various profound sword manuals filled the bookshelves and desks, creating a truly elegant and solemn atmosphere. In the center of all this, the young man was quietly leaning against the table, looking tenderly at the little black cat on it.

"Young Master Pei Ye," she said timidly.

Pei Ye was somewhat surprised that this was a young girl, and a beautifully dressed one at that, who had never practiced martial arts. However, according to Qu Xin's previous explanation, there were indeed some people who admired the way of the sword but had no way to practice it. Thinking of this, Pei Ye smiled, stood up, clasped his hands, and said, "It's a pleasure to meet you. I am Pei Ye. May I ask your name, young lady?"

"I... my name is Nan Yingzhi." Nan Yingzhi felt her steps were light and unsteady. She subconsciously walked forward and then sat down in the chair opposite Pei Ye's desk.

Look at him steadily.

This person seemed almost as nervous as He Yaoyao, Pei Ye thought to himself, somewhat puzzled, but smiled and said, “Hello, Miss Nan. Even if you can’t cultivate swordsmanship, it doesn’t prevent you from appreciating the beauty of the sword. The ‘Talking about Swords at Xi Ri Ge’ says that appreciating the sword is a common ability among people.”

Nan Yingzhi was slightly taken aback: "Hmm...yes, I...I felt the beauty of Young Master Pei's sword. I love it to the core."

“…Oh, thank you.”

"Ah."

Pei Ye hadn't expected the room to fall silent for a moment. After thinking for a moment, he picked up a topic: "Miss Nan, why haven't you been able to learn swordsmanship?"

"Ah... because I went to study, and I'm currently studying at the Imperial Academy."

"Oh... the Imperial Academy, I was fortunate enough to study there. I might go again when I have time, and then I might even ask Miss Nan for advice."

Nan Yingzhi's eyes widened: "Really?! Really... is it possible?"

Pei Ye was slightly taken aback, thinking that it was just a polite remark, so what was the truth about it? He paused for a moment and said, "If we happen to meet, I might have to bother Miss Nan."

"..." Nan Yingzhi felt as if she were walking on clouds.

The room fell silent again. Pei Ye frowned slightly, thinking that if he had the chance to ask his admired senior swordsman for guidance, he would have so much to say. Why was this person so quiet, just staring straight at him instead...

But he always played the role of the one who kept the conversation flowing, and now he didn't know what to say—he really couldn't bring up any more topics about studying at the Imperial Academy—so he remembered Qu Xin's advice from back then, which now seemed like a perfect solution, so he smiled and said, "Miss Nan, how did you know about me?"

Strangely enough, Nan Yingzhi seemed to feel comfortable all of a sudden. Her eyes lit up, and she began to talk non-stop: "The first time I heard the name of Young Hero Pei Ye was from a classmate at the Imperial Academy. Later, I went to inquire about it and met her... and then I learned that she also admired Young Hero Pei Ye... and then... and finally I met President Cui Zhaoye, and she told me a lot about Young Hero Pei Ye."

Pei Ye looked slightly bewildered: "Oh, so you do recognize Cui Zhaoye."

"...Of course."

"Oh, then, which of my sword techniques do you like the most?" This question actually made Pei Ye feel inexplicably embarrassed.

Nan Yingzhi's eyes lit up again: "My favorite is the one with wings on its back, it's that one..."

“It’s Fei Yu Xian, that’s the sword of Shaolong Jade Jade Mountain.” When talking about swordsmanship, Pei Ye was more at ease and told her about the origin of Jade Jade Mountain.

"Yes, I know, that's the sect of Sect Leader Li!"

"..."

"How does she know everything?" Pei Ye frowned, wondering.

"Then, do you have any wishes?" Pei Ye asked the last question.

He found this question quite strange. Since everyone loves swords but is unable to practice them for various reasons, their greatest wish is naturally to learn swordsmanship. But how can he fulfill this wish?

However, since Qu Xin had provided the answers and had performed exceptionally well in the first two questions, Pei Ye humbly accepted them.

And surprisingly, it really did have a remarkable effect.

Pei Ye didn't see the expected slight disappointment in the girl's eyes, but instead saw a look of surprise and delight in her pupils.

"Is it...is that alright, Young Master Pei Ye?"

"...Why not?"

"Then, Young Master Pei Ye," she said, her head bowed, her cheeks as red as apples, "may I...may I touch you?"

“…” Pei Ye stared, “Huh?”

(End of this chapter)