Food Fairy Lord

Chapter 758 Conscience
"No, is it not allowed? I'm sorry..."

Pei Ye looked at the girl, who looked at him somewhat nervously.

"Where do you want to touch?" he asked in a wooden voice.

Nan Yingzhi tentatively extended her hand: "May I...shake Young Master Pei's hand that holds the sword?"

"..."

Pei Ye hesitated for a moment before offering his hand to her. Nan Yingzhi gently shook it, a fleeting touch, and then a happy smile immediately bloomed on the girl's face: "Thank you, Young Hero Pei!"

"You're welcome."

“When you arrive at the Imperial Academy… you can ask me for help if you need anything.” Nan Yingzhi said quickly, “Will we arrive in a quarter of an hour… I’m sorry, I’m leaving now, Young Master Pei Ye.”

Pei Ye thought that half an hour or so didn't need to be so strict. He silently withdrew his hand, watched the figure quickly walk out of the house, and before closing the door, he looked up and secretly glanced at him again. Seeing that he was still looking at him, he suddenly slammed the door shut.

Pei Ye thought to herself that this person was quite innocent and cute, but why hadn't she asked her a single question about swords?

He pondered for a dozen breaths with some confusion when the door was pushed open again, and another elegantly dressed woman walked in.

"..."

For the better part of an hour, Pei Ye thought that something must have gone wrong.

Every woman who entered was in the prime of her life, some as young as sixteen or seventeen, others in their early twenties. They certainly didn't seem to have had the opportunity to learn swordsmanship; only a few showed some signs of holding a sword, but even then, they were only at a level where they could dance around with it.

Pei Ye had prepared to offer guidance and encouragement. He never imagined that he would get stuck while chatting with people about swords, but now almost no one talks to him about swords—they just keep mentioning swords.

Of course, Pei Ye kept her doubts to herself and continued to greet everyone who came in with a cheerful smile, gently asking them why they had come and what difficulties they were facing. However, most of them did not seem to have any difficulties, as each of them looked much richer than Pei Ye.

Moreover, they were all in good spirits and did not seem depressed or disappointed because they couldn't practice swordsmanship. For a moment, Pei Ye wondered if it was something to be proud of that he had mastered swordsmanship so well.

Of all the topics Pei Ye initiated, Qu Xin's three suggestions were always the most useful and allowed the conversation to proceed most smoothly.

Everyone was eager to tell how they met "Young Master Pei Ye".

Most people have a few favorite swords in mind, half of them are Flying Feather Immortal and Snow Sword. Pei Ye suspected that they would not recognize [Divine Duke Washing Sword], so no one mentioned it.

When it came to the wish section, the wishes came up in all sorts of ways. Some wanted to shake Pei Ye's hand, others wanted Pei Ye to answer a question, and still others wanted Pei Ye to write their names on the sword manual on the table and give it to them... In short, everyone had a wish that they had been thinking about for a long time.

Pei Ye was somewhat bewildered but politely saw off the lively dresses. Several of them were touched and said sweetly, "Young Master Pei Ye, you are even better than I imagined."

Pei Ye had no idea what they imagined her to be like.

To be fair, these girls were quite energetic, adding a touch of fragrance to the room and also lifting Pei Ye's spirits considerably. Especially after offending Yun Lang and being ignored in the garden, encountering such a group of enthusiastic and smiling faces was quite comforting.

However, Pei Ye truly did not know where they came from.

He looked down at the kitten, which was lying on the table and didn't seem to want to answer his question.

Then the door was pushed open again, and Qu Xin walked in.

It was rare for Pei Ye to see a pair of slightly gleaming eyes on that cold face, as if covered with a layer of starlight. In the past, this only appeared for a fleeting moment when facing his severely injured and bloodied body.

"Are you in a good mood?" Pei Ye asked curiously.

Qu Xin was slightly surprised and lowered her eyes: "No... You must have worked hard. Everyone is very happy."

"..." Pei Ye was surprised to detect a hint of gentleness in the girl's tone.

"It's not hard work at all," he said.

Qu Xin nodded, took his sleeve, and walked out: "Then you should hurry up and go. The Sword Cultivation Academy must be getting impatient waiting for you."

"Huh? They sent someone to call me?"

"No."

"..."

“They must be getting impatient.” Qu Xin led him outside. It was past noon, and the spring sunshine was just right. Pei Ye could hear faint chatter coming from the building over there.

"Why the rush?" Pei Ye laughed. "Where did you meet all these people? How come they all recognize me?"

“You’re very famous now, everyone must know you.” Qu Xin led him to the courtyard gate, raised her hand to touch his chest and waist—Pei Ye flinched, but was pulled back by her, “Are you feeling alright?”

"Is there something wrong with my health?" Pei Ye looked at her warily.

"Didn't you go out of town on a case? You weren't injured, were you?"

“…I’ve been back for five days already, why didn’t you wait until the New Year to ask?” Pei Ye frowned. “Besides, can’t you tell at a glance whether someone is injured or not?”

"I was just expressing concern."

"You only showed concern in your tone."

Qu Xin paused for a moment, pondering, "How do other women please you?"

"...You absolutely must not consider this question."

Qu Xin thought for a moment and said, "I'll give you something."

“No need—um—” Pei Ye’s voice trembled and tightened at the end, turning into an upward tone.

Qu Xin presented a large, gleaming ingot of silver.

"..."

"..."

"Twenty taels of silver. As my patient, I didn't treat you this time because of your injury, and the marks look quite bad," Qu Xin said. "Little duck, take this and buy some medicine to help you recover. Here's a prescription I wrote for you."

Pei Ye then noticed that there was a piece of paper lying unnoticed underneath this large lump.

"This...this..." Pei Ye was bewildered, "Twenty taels?"

Qu Xin took his hand, unfolded it, put the silver and prescription inside, and closed it. Then she looked up and saw the boy's trembling eyes.

She analyzed it for a moment and judged that the expression was one of being moved. So she thought for a moment, lowered her head, and picked a small white flower from the flower bushes.

Then, he stood on tiptoe and placed the hairpin in Pei Ye's hair bun.

"Qu Xin..."

"You must live well," Qu Xin said calmly. "Let's go."

She pushed the boy out the door and then closed the gate.

Pei Ye looked at the heavy weight in his hand, feeling as if he were in a dream.

He glanced at the black cat on his shoulder and held the silver to its mouth: "Take a bite."

The black cat rolled its blue eyes and turned its head away.

Pei Ye took a bite herself, and it was true.

"Why did she give me so much money?" Pei Ye held the silver ingot in his hands. "I feel unworthy of this..." "It's money to buy my life."

"Whose money is this to buy their life?"

"Her own."

"..." Pei Ye didn't understand. His eyes were drawn to the glittering silver ingot again. He turned around and took a step back in a daze. "It really is twenty taels."

He took the silver and walked about seventy or eighty steps toward the garden, then suddenly stopped, his teeth clenched.

The black cat looked up: "What's wrong?"

“As the ancients said, one should not accept rewards without merit.” Pei Ye took a deep breath. “Although I am poor, I cannot accept so much money from others for no reason.”

The black cat looked at him and said, "Good boy."

He paused for a moment, then said, "Then why don't you turn around?"

I'll make up my mind in a bit!

Pei Ye took another deep breath and turned around with firm steps: "Qu Xin herself has always been short of money. I don't know what difficulties she is facing, but today she gave me such a large sum of money... I cannot accept it so easily!"

He gripped his sword and walked back step by step.

……

“Every joint can move; it’s a complete and realistic replica.” Qu Xin stood on the stage with a calm expression, like a teacher giving a lecture. “Look, even the finger joints the size of a grain of rice can move.”

"Wow!" People gathered around a table, their heads craning upwards.

“Each box, in addition to the doll itself, also comes with two sets of clothes, one is the sword uniform of the Sword Cultivation Academy, and the other is everyday clothes, both of which I sewed myself. And a finger sword, the ‘Daosheng Sword’ of the Chang’an Sword Cultivation Academy.” Qu Xin picked up the two small clothes in one hand and the other in the other. “And after you go back, you can also sew clothes for Young Hero Pei Ye and buy him a new finger sword.”

“He will be very happy,” Qu Xin said calmly.

"Dr. Qu, is there really only eight boxes?"

"Hmm, these puppet shows are very difficult to make. I've only made eight boxes in my spare time these past few days," Qu Xin said. "Each box costs one hundred taels of silver. There will be no bidding; those with the means should draw lots to determine who can purchase them. He Yaoyao, bring the lot-drawing tube for them—where are they?"

Qu Xin looked around and saw the woman in the yellow dress hurriedly walking out the door. He ignored her, took the fortune-telling tube, placed it on the table, and said, "I have already provided everyone with a five-inch winter portrait of Young Hero Pei Ye. Only one portrait is available per person, and there are no extras. Next, I will introduce a unique item prepared specifically for this sword banquet. There are only five of them—'Pei Ye's Sword Wound at Night's Bare Body."

Pei Ye walked into the courtyard and heard faint chatter inside again, but this time it seemed to be very orderly, with a chorus of "Wow!" sounds.

Pei Ye became increasingly curious about what was going on inside, but at this moment, his main goal was to find Qu Xin and return the money to her.

Then his gaze settled, and he saw He Yaoyao, in her delicate yellow dress, descending the steps. Upon seeing him, she hurriedly lifted her skirt and ran towards him.

"Why are you in such a hurry?" Pei Ye laughed. "He Zhenchuan, do you know where Qu Xin is?"

He Yaoyao stopped in front of him, looked up at him with her lips pursed. Her eyes were like two jars filled with water, which became shimmering and sparkling after she ran over.

"What's wrong?" Pei Ye composed himself. "Did something happen?"

“Young Master Pei Ye, this is my first time in Shenjing…” He Yaoyao seemed to have just witnessed something shocking. “You, you… are famous swordsmen in Shenjing going to be stripped naked, have their portraits made, and be played with by people?”

She hugged herself tightly, feeling quite uneasy.

"..." Pei Ye was stunned. "Huh?"

"Young Master Pei, how... how did you accept this? I can't even bear to look." She lowered her head in grievance and quickly left. "I'm leaving, Young Master Pei, I can't stay here any longer."

"I accept—I accept what?" Pei Ye asked blankly, grabbing her forearm. "Don't go! What are you saying—where is Qu Xin? Did you see her?"

He Yaoyao raised her head and pointed, "Young Master Pei, Qu... Qu Xiaoyaojun is in this building, selling your portrait!"

Pei Ye still didn't understand, and laughed: "Selling my portrait... what portrait of mine? The one of me practicing swordsmanship at the pond just now? Who would buy that, except for Cui Zhaoye..."

He paused, then said, "She wouldn't actually go and do business with Miss Cui, would she?"

He Yaoyao pursed her lips, grabbed his forearm, and walked up the steps. Pei Ye was about to enter when He Yaoyao pulled him to the window.

Pei Ye curiously peered over, and then his entire body transformed into a wooden sculpture.

Some sat, some leaned; a group of beautiful women, each of whom Pei Ye had just met.

They were laughing and chatting, their faces were flushed and their eyes were bright, they were dancing and gesturing.

Qu Xin stood at the front, unfolding a painting on the wall behind him, pointing and gesturing with a thin stick, like a physician explaining acupuncture points.

...a huge Pei liquid.

He lay supine on the painting, half-leaning against the bed. His chest was completely open, his upper body almost naked, revealing hard muscles and bright red blood. The mottled red and white cloth, after being wiped clean, was scattered, and the dim candlelight cast a hazy veil over everything.

Pei Ye recognized the scene immediately; he spotted the bed right away.

That was the side chamber of Zhu Jingdian, the night he came ashore from the South Pond. He remembered that his face and head were soaked, his expression droopy and listless, perhaps still covered in seaweed. But this painting changed his head, showing only half of his cold and handsome profile, the shadow of his hair covering the other side of his face.

"...I personally drew the original of this painting. Afterward, I asked the famous artist Zhang Qiuwan to make five copies, and I added many details based on my memory. It took two months to complete, and every inch of it is filled with my thoughts." Qu Xin's convincing voice resounded in the hall. "After the painting was completed, she kept one for herself as payment. The other five are all here."

"This painting, along with the puppet just now, will only be sold at this sword banquet. No more will be added at future gatherings of enthusiasts. The price is one hundred and twenty taels per piece, and bidding is open."

"This painting is just too... too pitiful."

"That wound is terrifying, Young Master Pei Ye, does it hurt?"

"...I really want to touch Young Hero Pei Ye's belly...it feels so real..."

"I'll buy the first one, one hundred and thirty taels!"

"Oh dear! This guy has stripped Pei Ye, the young hero, naked!" a girl exclaimed, peeking out from behind the camera.

The other person quickly hid the doll behind their back, and said with a shy smile, "Let me see if it's really... a perfect replica..."

Qu Xin said calmly, "I don't carve things that the world considers filthy."

Pei Ye now truly felt that he was dreaming; otherwise, how could there be such a torturous hell?

In an instant, he inexplicably recalled the sight of his brother Zhu, covered with a small red quilt, when he followed a group of people into the Fenghuai County Courtyard.

He's really powerful, Pei Ye thought.

He Yaoyao stood to the side, watching the boy's face change from a smile to a daze, and then to a stiff expression.

His mouth opened little by little, then pursed into a tight line; his eyes first surged with towering waves, then turned into flames, and finally into a block of ice.

Then his vision went black, he swayed twice, and passed out.

"Young Master Pei!" He Yaoyao quickly helped him up.

The boy didn't actually fall backward; he grabbed the woman's shoulder and stood up firmly.

Then he placed the silver ingot in his hand heavily into the woman's hand, his face expressionless, his eyes fixed on the hall.

He pressed the window sill, lifted his foot, and crawled inside.

(End of this chapter)