There are too many female protagonists with deceased husbands in the Qin Dynasty's Past Books.

Even though they are still far from being top-tier masters, they will never be as pathetic as they are today.

The internal energy circulated through his body through one cycle after another, but the blocked meridians remained sluggish and difficult to open. On the contrary, Jiang Mo's internal energy and blood appeared weak and restless after repeated unsuccessful attempts to open the meridians.

This even caused Jiang Mo to feel dizzy and unable to continue practicing his internal energy.

After all, he was still recovering from an injury and was not in his peak condition.

Helpless, Jiang Mo had no choice but to stop circulating his internal energy. He opened his eyes, but still felt as if he were submerged in the endless night.

Is it ultimately due to a deficiency of Qi and blood, or a deficiency acquired later in life?

Feeling the lingering internal energy within him, Jiang Mo smiled bitterly to himself. This body might possess some talent, but it had suffered too much during his youth. In modern terms, long-term malnutrition had hindered its development.

For those who practice martial arts, this is an even more fatal constraint.

"If the main road is blocked, then we can only try unorthodox methods. Fortunately, this is Baiyue, so it's not difficult to pick up some witchcraft and sorcery..."

Chapter 4 A Parrot

In the back garden, Hu Meier was leaning lazily against the railing.

After several days of wind and rain, the weather finally cleared up again. When I opened my eyes in the morning and saw the bright sunlight streaming into my bedside, my mood instantly improved.

Butterflies don't need to seek shelter from the wind, and birds don't need to hide from the rain.

Like a husky that had been cooped up in its room, Hu Meier couldn't wait to rush out of her boudoir and come to the back garden to breathe in the fresh air.

Even after a storm, the ground here is covered with fallen leaves and the last traces of red petals.

Even though the scene before her was one of desolation and mess that no one had cleaned up, Hu Meier remained composed and showed no sign of frustration or disappointment.

Squinting my eyes, I enjoy the feeling of the sunlight falling on my skin.

Today she changed into a light green dress. The craftsmanship of the dress is beyond question, and the color is a rare tender green, like the tender buds quietly sprouting on the branches in early spring. Just looking at it gives you a feeling of vibrant spring.

It made her fair and rosy skin appear even more delicate and smooth.

It shines brightly in the sunlight.

But green leaves are always just a backdrop for flowers, and even more so on Hu Meier, who is more beautiful than flowers, her exquisitely crafted and expensive dress is inevitably overlooked.

I still remember the green silk skirt, and everywhere I look, I cherish the fragrant grass.

What people remember most is not the ever-changing fashion trends, but the people who once amazed the world.

Standing in the pavilion by the pond, Hu Meier leaned forward against the railing, absentmindedly watching the ripples that occasionally appeared on the water's surface.

The gaze seemed to follow the colorful koi swimming underwater, yet also seemed aimless and without direction.

Perhaps it was the warmth of the sunlight that inevitably made people feel tired. Although she had come out of her boudoir full of enthusiasm, Hu Meier's energetic feeling gradually disappeared after staying here for a short time.

Instead, there was a sense of listless laziness.

Even her originally graceful figure unconsciously shifted its weight onto the railing in front of her, as if her shoulders could no longer bear the weight of a day's toil, placing the heavy burden on her chest on the railing, which was slightly deformed by the forward leaning motion.

Even the palace dresses that don't usually accentuate the figure can't hide the curves of her curves at this moment.

The pressed-together snow-like fat resembled an excessive amount of cream injected into bread, trembling and swaying slightly with every movement.

It could overflow from the gaps at any time.

"Ahem, miss, I've brought you the bait you requested."

Hu Meier, who was originally listless and almost collapsed along the railing, immediately perked up when she heard Chunlan's voice.

She suddenly stood up straight, and the large white rabbit that had been lying on the railing jumped up as if startled.

Even though Hu Meier tried to appear calm, she couldn't stop trembling. Every unintentional movement of hers exuded an exceptionally alluring and seductive charm.

"It's just to get some bait, Chunlan, why are you in such a hurry?"

With her pink lips slightly pouting, Hu Meier looked at Chunlan, who had appeared behind her, her tone tinged with a hint of resentment.

If the other party hadn't complained, how could she have been grounded for so many days?

Finally, they managed to get some fresh air on a nice day, but Chunlan was still inseparable from them. Even though Hu Meier made an excuse to send her away, she didn't get much time to catch her breath.

Under Chunlan's watchful eye, she had to maintain the dignified demeanor of the second young lady of the manor.

We cannot relax even for a moment.

"The weather is fine today after the rain, and I thought you would come here to feed the animals, so I made the arrangements in advance."

Chunlan noticed the resentment in her young mistress's voice, but she ignored it. However, she didn't pursue the matter of Hu Meier's languid demeanor and unseemly posture earlier.

The second young lady was still young and very lively, so it was inevitable that she would have some complaints about the rules.

Chunlan, who grew up with Hu Meier since childhood, often turned a blind eye to her behavior, and often bore the pressure and punishment from the master.

But if it were anything else, it would be fine.

However, since the Second Miss was already being targeted by thieves, she still pretended not to know. Chunlan could no longer pretend not to know.

She was slow on the uptake, still wondering why Hu Meier had suddenly become concerned about the defense of the manor.

Looking back now, all those actions, such as purchasing crossbows and feeding hunting dogs, were nothing more than playing a cat-and-mouse game with that thief.

What they enjoy is seeing the other person's pathetic state as they are manipulated by them.

Chunlan understood that Hu Meier was just bored and looking for fun, but this was not child's play, and the cunning little thief would not be able to be fooled by Hu Meier forever.

At that time, the consequences would have been unimaginable.

Hu Meier has lived in Huoyu Manor since she was a child, unaware of the wickedness of people outside. She is prone to thinking too simply about many things, and may have already walked to the edge of an abyss without realizing it.

Those dangerous factors could only be nipped in the bud by Chunlan.

Even though the thief she discovered that night was hit by an arrow, Chunlan did not let her guard down; on the contrary, she became even more vigilant.

After all, the fact that the other party could enter and exit the manor several times without alerting too many people is a testament to their strength. Such a person would likely not be seriously injured by just one arrow.

Therefore, Chunlan has been on high alert these past few days, wishing she could stay by Hu Meier's side at all times.

We are inseparable and never let up.

However, perhaps that arrow that day made the thief realize the danger, because even though Lord Huoyu has strengthened the defenses of the manor in the past few days, there has been no news of any suspicious people appearing.

In the end, he was just a petty thief; as long as one is careful, he will not amount to much.

Thinking this way, Chunlan specially pleaded with Huoyu Gong to allow Hu Meier to end her confinement today.

Unfortunately, the other party didn't appreciate it much.

Standing quietly in the Hundred Brocade Pavilion with impeccable poise, Hu Meier picked up a small amount of bait with her delicate white fingertips and gently tossed it into the pond. She looked down at the colorful koi carp gathering in the water, her face expressionless.

Hu Meier was quite interested when she came out of the house, but she quickly became bored.

A life without ups and downs, peaceful day after day.

It was rather boring.

Hu Meier looked down at the koi swimming in the pond and suddenly felt that she saw her own reflection in them. They were indeed well-fed and clothed, and seemed carefree.

But they were still trapped in this pond, day after day.

Suddenly, a blurry figure appeared in her mind. He always came and went in a hurry and was hard to find. So much so that all Hu Meier could remember at this moment was a pair of dark eyes that she had once looked into.

I wonder how that guy is doing...

Could he really have died from that arrow?

Hu Meier was lost in thought when she suddenly saw a colorful blue feather drift down, and her beautiful eyes immediately lit up.

The *Classic of Mountains and Seas, Western Mountains Classic* records:

"There is a bird in Huangshan that looks like a parrot, with blue feathers and a red beak. It has a human tongue and can speak."

At this moment, Hu Meier looked in the direction the feathers were falling and saw a rather beautiful parrot, spreading its wings and circling continuously above the back garden.

Its feathers are mostly emerald green, with some crimson tinge on its chest and abdomen.

It looked more like she was wearing a brightly colored bow tie.

The fine downy fur covering its head is grayish-blue, and its not-so-large pupils are pale gold, shimmering softly in the bright sunlight.

The hooked beak had a deep red tip, resembling that of deep-sea coral.

But at the very front, it is adorned with a touch of elegant ivory.

It is quite large, with a body length comparable to the forearm of an adult. When it spreads its wings and soars through the air with its long and colorful tail feathers, it looks quite majestic.

It even has a kind of aristocratic air about it.

It's important to understand that in an era when dyeing technology was far from mature, eye-catching, vibrant colors were often a symbol of wealth, power, and even status.

Otherwise, the humble term "a commoner" would not have appeared.

The parrot that appeared before Hu Meier truly showcased her ingenuity in the use of natural colors.

Its use of color is extremely generous and bold.

Fresh green, vibrant red, clear blue, dazzling yellow, and even the occasional black and white accents on its wings—a multitude of vibrant colors gather on its body.

Yet these colors blend together remarkably well.

Far from creating the awkwardness of "red and green clash like dog poop" due to the overuse of colors, it actually makes the colors very layered.

The more closely you observe, the more pleasing it becomes to the eye.

After seeing the parrot's appearance, Hu Meier instantly fell in love with it. She stopped casually tossing food and even breathed very softly.

I was afraid that if I made even the slightest movement, I would scare the parrot away.

At this moment, Hu Meier had not been drinking, so her mind was naturally clear and calm enough. Even though she was very tempted, she did not rush to pounce on him.

She doesn't possess any extraordinary lightness skills.

They lacked the ambition and aspiration to rival the eagles in their soaring ambitions.

From childhood to adulthood, whatever Hu Meier wanted, she only needed to ask, and someone would prepare everything for her without her having to give any special instructions.

At this time, Hu Meier still did not need to do anything herself.

With just a slightly coquettish glance at Chunlan, the latter couldn't help but reveal a helpless yet doting expression on her face, and in the silent exchange, she agreed to Hu Meier's request.

Anyway, this wasn't the first time I'd helped the second young lady catch birds and dogs.