Little Bookworm

I am an orphan, adopted by the head of the family at a young age. Because I was about the same age as the two young ladies, the head of the family made me their page, a servant. Later, as I grew older, I gave myself the name Long Aotian. This year marks my fourteenth year in this place. Perhaps due to my environment and some personal reasons, I feel I am quite precocious, very attentive to the people and things around me, and mature in my dealings. Therefore, I am quite popular here, and my life is pretty good. However, things are unpredictable, just like life itself.
This day, I came to Ziyun Pavilion as usual. Ziyun Pavilion is the most elegant courtyard in the mansion. Behind the arched gate, a winding path paved with colorful river pebbles meanders across the emerald lawn. Various exotic flowers and plants grow on the lawn; it is early summer, and all the flowers are in full bloom, vying for attention. To the right of the path, in the center, is a large artificial pond. In the pond stand several exquisite yet magnificent artificial hills, surrounded by lotus flowers. A few blooming lotuses added even more vitality to the scene. One couldn't help but sigh, "Rising from the mud, yet remaining unstained; pure and unblemished, yet not seductive." Schools of fish chased and frolicked beneath the lotus leaves. All of this, bathed in the vibrant colors of the morning sun, resembled a beautiful painting.
I strolled along the path, enjoying this beauty. A sharp "whoosh" sounded in the distance; without a doubt, it was the Second Miss, Nangong Yun, practicing her sword. I hurried forward. Before me, a petite figure danced in the light of the sword, the blade reflecting the sunlight like a ribbon, tracing graceful arcs with each movement. I was stunned, as if in a dream. This wasn't a person wielding a sword; it was a fairy dancing. I had never imagined that swordsmanship used for killing could be so beautiful. This sword technique was the Nangong family's heirloom, with a beautiful name: "Floating Shadow Sword Technique." As the name suggests, this technique emphasized movement. Its lightness and unpredictability, often striking from unexpected blind spots, make it utterly impossible to defend against. Nangong Yun's father, the head of the family who adopted me, has dominated the martial world for many years with this sword technique, ensuring the enduring prestige of the Nangong family, one of the four great martial arts clans.
As I watched, a longing welled up within me, followed by a sense of helplessness. Although I am an orphan, the head and mistress of the family treat me like their own child. The head even wanted to take me as his disciple, passing on all his martial arts skills. However, fate played a cruel trick; just as I began practicing, I discovered I had contracted a strange illness. Actually, it wasn't really an illness, but rather I was born with the "Six Yang Meridians Severed." Not only was I physically weak and unable to practice martial arts, but even surviving was a question. The head of the family was helpless; the "Six Yang Meridians Severed" is possessed by only one in a million. It is truly a rare and precious condition, and even he only learned of this strange "illness" from books. As a young boy, I didn't understand the reasons behind it all; I only felt regret that I couldn't practice martial arts. My mistress, clinging to a sliver of hope, sought out many renowned doctors for me, but unfortunately, none could cure me. From then on, they took even better care of me. Unable to practice martial arts, I could only study. As if to compensate me, the head of the household gave me the key to the manor's library, allowing me to read at any time, and even provided me with a small, secluded room to avoid being disturbed. I was very grateful to them and studied even more diligently. As I grew older, I gradually understood many things I hadn't understood before. I began to study medical books. As the saying goes, "long illness makes one a doctor," and that was absolutely true. After several years, my medical skills had improved considerably. At the same time, I learned many things, which greatly helped my mental development.
"Brother Tian, you've come." Nangong Yun had stopped sometime earlier; her slightly flushed face was covered in sweat, and she was slightly out of breath as she spoke. It seemed that even with her current abilities, practicing this sword technique had consumed a great deal of energy. A hint of affection flashed in my eyes as I said, "Yun'er, look how tired you are. Take a break and rest for a bit." I wiped the sweat from her face. Her large, watery eyes looked straight at me, and she smiled sweetly, "Thank you, Brother Tian. Brother Tian is the best." Looking at her two adorable dimples, my heart filled with joy. She was two years younger than me, and although she was the second young lady, she never put on airs in front of me. She had loved following me since childhood, doing whatever I did, right up until now. I liked her very much, treating her like a younger sister, caring for her and protecting her. I tried my best not to let her suffer, always finding ways to make her happy and fulfilling all her requests. You could say she was an indispensable part of my life.
In her presence, I could rediscover my lost childlike innocence; I could open my heart without reservation; I could experience a kind of care I had never felt from anyone else.
"Brother Tian, what are you thinking about? You seem so engrossed," Yun'er asked, waving her hand in front of my eyes. I snapped out of my reverie and quickly shook my head, saying, "It's nothing." Yun'er looked at me suspiciously and said, "Fine, don't tell me then." She paused, then said softly, "Brother Tian, in a few days I won't be able to see you, talk to you, or play with you." Yun'er's unusual sorrow surprised me, but her next sentence made me even more anxious. I quickly pressed her for an answer, "Yun'er, what happened? Why did you say that?" Seeing my distress, Yun'er chuckled and said, "Brother Tian, don't worry, it's like this. Father said that I'm at the perfect age to practice martial arts, and to keep me focused, I need to go with my sister to the stone chamber behind the mansion for secluded training. I can't come out until I've mastered it, so that's why I said that." After hearing Yun'er's explanation, I felt relieved. Although this meant we wouldn't be able to see each other for a while, there was nothing I could do. As a descendant of a martial arts family, I understood that a solid foundation in martial arts was essential. Thinking about it, Yun'er's older sister, Nangong Yuyan, should feel fortunate for Yun'er. As the eldest daughter, the older sister has so much to learn. Not only must she master martial arts, but she also needs to acquire knowledge in many other areas. Therefore, unlike Yun'er, she has no time to play and studies all day long. "Yun'er, when will you start your seclusion, and when will you come out?" I asked helplessly. "Brother Tian, don't ask me, I don't know either. Father will arrange it." Yun'er's low voice carried the same helplessness and reluctance as mine. For a moment, we were both silent. After a while, I broke the silence and said, "Yun'er, I'll take you somewhere." Yun'er asked curiously, "Where to?" I said, "Don't ask, you'll know when we get there." After saying that, I pulled her and ran out of the mansion.
Luoyang is an ancient capital with a long history, which has stood firm after experiencing countless wars and storms. The city's streets and alleys were laid out in a neat and orderly fashion, with all kinds of businesses lining both sides of the streets. People came and went in a constant stream, and the bustling traffic showed the prosperity of this ancient city. It was no accident that the Nangong family could dominate here.
After passing through several alleys, we arrived at a dilapidated temple that had been deserted for a long time. After catching my breath, I said, "We're here, this is it." Yun'er, after all, was a martial artist, and she wasn't out of breath at all after running all the way. She looked around carefully and asked in confusion, "Brother Tian, why did you bring me here?" I smiled without answering and stepped into the temple. "Boss, what are you doing here? Come out quickly, come out quickly, all of you come out quickly. The boss is here." A group of people rushed out amidst a burst of shouts. Then came "What book did the boss bring to read to us again? Ugh. I'm so tired." "Did the boss bring any good food?" "..." A bunch of noise made it impossible for me to have any peace and quiet. I waved my hands twice and said in a deep voice, "Stop, everyone. Listen to me." The crowd stopped, and I nodded in satisfaction. "I brought a friend with me to introduce you all." Seeing their puzzled looks, I smiled mysteriously and said, "Yes, a friend." Then I turned and pulled Nangong Yun, who was still standing awkwardly outside the door. Meeting so many young people of similar age for the first time, Nangong Yun seemed a little shy and uneasy. It was understandable; she usually played with Brother Tian. Besides, there were the servants, who were all very respectful to her. They wouldn't dare stare at her so rudely. When the crowd saw me pull a little girl out from behind me, they were all very curious. They all widened their eyes and stared intently. She was beautifully made up, with bright, intelligent eyes, like a fairy from heaven. For a moment, everyone was speechless with astonishment. I couldn't help but chuckle to myself upon seeing her, and introduced her: "This is the second young lady of the Nangong family, Nangong Yun." "Ah!" Everyone finally came to their senses and bowed, saying, "Greetings, Second Young Lady." Yun'er blushed slightly, glanced at me, and then returned the greeting, saying, "Greetings to you all." After speaking, she lowered her head and hid behind me. I whispered to comfort her, "Yun'er, don't be afraid. They are all my good brothers and good friends." Then I pointed to a boy on the right and said, "This is Wei Ping, the second oldest. He usually takes care of them." Then I introduced them one by one: "He is the third oldest, Wang Xiaohu; the fourth oldest, Zhang Jie; the fifth oldest, Zhang Ming; the sixth oldest, Xie Yang; the seventh oldest, Sun Xiu; and the youngest, Yu Xiaodie."
Yun'er nodded and greeted everyone as I introduced them, and now everyone finally knew each other. Perhaps because we were all young, we quickly became familiar with each other and weren't as awkward as before. We started talking much more casually, and the most mischievous of us, the youngest sister Xiaodie, exclaimed first, "Big brother, how could you keep something from me?" "Keeping something from me?" I was puzzled. "Yes, weren't you keeping something from me? Then why did you only bring Sister Yun'er now? What about before?" I was both amused and exasperated. This was what they called keeping something from me? The head of the household had always been very strict; even I had to sneak out of the manor. How could I dare bring Yun'er out to play? If the head of the manor found out, I'd be in deep trouble. If it weren't for Yun'er's seclusion to practice martial arts, she might not have been able to play for a long time. I wouldn't have dared to risk bringing her out. I just hoped she would have fun this time. Seeing the deep dimples on her face, I knew I had done the right thing.
Seeing that I didn't answer, Xiaodie thought I was guilty. My voice grew even harsher: "Hmph, I hit the nail on the head, didn't I? Speechless now, and you call yourself the eldest brother?" I glanced around at everyone, seeing they all looking on with amusement, even the usually strictest second brother, Wei Ping. I could only sigh inwardly, lamenting my bad choice of friends. Not wanting to cause more trouble, I reluctantly abandoned my dignity as the eldest brother and bowed my head in apology. "Hehe..." Everyone chuckled strangely, while Xiao Die's face wore a smug look, as if to say, "See if you dare do it again." They're always finding fault with me. I'm wronged, more wronged than Dou E. Humiliated, I swallowed my tears. "You all remember this, don't give me a chance, or I'll make you suffer a terrible death," I thought bitterly. Seeing my wronged expression, everyone laughed even more arrogantly. Even Yun'er, who had been holding back her laughter, couldn't help but burst out laughing. "Haha..." My intention was to make Yun'er happy, so I joined in the laughter.
The happy moment seemed particularly short-lived, passing in an instant. On the way back to the manor, Yun'er smiled and said, "Brother Tian, I had so much fun today!" I smiled back and said, "That's good, your happiness makes me happy too." Yun'er said, "Brother Tian, you're so kind. Brother Tian, can you take me out to play with them more often?" I patted my chest and said, "Of course, I can take you anytime you want." Yun'er's face lit up at first, then darkened, and she fell silent. I understood what she was worried about, but there was nothing I could do. After walking a few steps, as if she had thought of something, she turned around and asked, "Brother Tian, how did you meet them? Why do they all call you 'boss'? It's so funny, hehe." Seeing that Yun'er had recovered, I felt much relieved. I recalled how I met them.
It was two years ago, one winter, when I secretly slipped out of the manor to play. As I passed an alleyway, I heard a series of shouts and curses. Curious, I went to investigate. Two groups of people were facing each other, one side consisting of older individuals, around seventeen or eighteen years old, while the other side consisted of younger people, roughly my age. There were seven of them, including two girls. Despite the cold winter, they were only wearing thin, tattered coats, their exposed skin already turning purple from the cold. Standing at the front was a tall, thin young man, who looked no older than me. He demanded, "You're being unreasonable! Why won't you let us beg here? Is begging a crime?" Opposite him stood a long-faced youth, holding a bamboo stick that reached his waist. Hearing the youth's question, he glanced at him contemptuously, laughed wildly, and said, "Reason? What reason? We, the Beggars' Sect, are the reason! You begging on my turf is a crime! You've broken my law!" His arrogant attitude infuriated the youth, who glared at him angrily. The long-faced youth, as if provoked, chuckled maliciously, rolled up his sleeves, and took a step forward, seemingly about to attack. However, he didn't step forward again, instead sneering, "Kid, what if you're not convinced? Hmph, I'll make you submit today. Kid, you'll be fine if you say so, but don't blame me for my merciless fists." Ignoring the young man's threat, his anger burned even brighter. This action undoubtedly added fuel to the fire, and the long-faced youth's face darkened. Just as he was about to rush forward to attack, he was stopped by a young man with a pockmarked face to his left. The long-faced youth was very displeased at being stopped and glared angrily at the pockmarked youth. He was so frightened that he hurriedly said, "Big brother, you don't need to handle this blond-haired brat yourself, just leave it to me." The long-faced youth then let him go, saying, "Okay, it's up to you. Teach him a good lesson for me." Another opportunity to make a name for himself, the pockmarked youth said obsequiously, "Yes, don't worry, I will definitely teach him a good lesson. Let him know how powerful you are."
The pockmarked youth approached the boy step by step, but the boy showed no fear and also got into a fighting stance, ready to fight to the death. With a sinister laugh, the pockmarked youth pounced on the boy like a wolf. The boy, surprisingly, didn't back down and fought back. His companions, who hadn't expected him to be so fierce, could only stand by anxiously, praying for him. The two were vastly different in strength; the thin, weak boy initially fought on with sheer courage, but gradually lost his footing, his face bruised and swollen. He collapsed to the ground, blood trickling from his mouth. The pockmarked youth still wouldn't stop, and his companions, unable to bear it any longer, rushed forward to block him. The pockmarked youth and his gang were enraged; they hadn't expected these blond-haired brats to be so troublesome. Led by the long-faced youth, they disregarded all code of honor and swarmed forward. If they really fought, the boys would definitely suffer, and I couldn't bear to see them beaten. Besides, the long-faced youth and his gang were far too arrogant. I couldn't stand it any longer and shouted, "Stop it!" As soon as the words left my mouth, I realized the gravity of the situation. I spoke up to stop them just now out of youthful impulsiveness, and now I don't know why I should help them. I outnumber them, and my physical strength is worse than average; I can't even withstand a slightly larger movement, let alone a fight. But at this point, I have no choice but to grit my teeth and endure. Just
as the long-faced youth was about to attack, a loud shout suddenly rang in his ears. He was startled, not knowing who the speaker was or whether he could afford to offend them. He turned around and saw me, the one who had stopped them, a hint of doubt flashing in his eyes. He asked, "You were the one who shouted 'Stop!' Who are you?" He was still relatively polite, not knowing who I was. I knew I couldn't panic now, or the consequences would be severe. I walked confidently up to him and said seriously, "That's right, I was the one who shouted. Don't worry about who I am; I want to ask what you're doing here. Do you even know where you are?" The long-faced youth was a man who knew how to read the room; otherwise, he wouldn't have gotten to where he was today. The boy before me, though dressed plainly, possessed an air of authority, unlike a child from an ordinary family. I was merely a lowly leader of a branch of the Beggars' Sect, capable of fooling ordinary people. But if I encountered someone I shouldn't mess with, I really had to know my place. Just as I was unsure what to do, the pockmarked youth impatiently cursed, "You little bastard, get out of my way and mind your own business. If you upset me, I'll cripple you too."
The boy who had been lying on the ground was helped up by his companions. Hearing the pockmarked youth's threat, he walked over to me, patted my shoulder, and looked worried, clearly not wanting me to be implicated. I shook my head, indicating that I was alright. I was already furious inside; I had just managed to intimidate their leader, only to have him completely undermine him. I said sternly, "Who do you think you are, daring to speak to the young master like that? Ha, just because the young master doesn't show his power doesn't mean you're a pushover. If you displease the young master, I'll throw you into the river to feed the turtles." The pockmarked youth was a brainless bastard, used to running rampant, and had never been taught a lesson by a mere punk. He was furious and was about to lash out without saying a word. Luckily, the long-faced youth pulled him back in time and gave him a fierce look. The pockmarked youth shrank back in fear. The long-faced youth ignored him and instead spoke kindly to me, "Young brother is right, he's a scoundrel." "Pah, who's your young brother?" I showed no mercy to this kind of person. "You still haven't told me what you're doing here?" "This..." He was speechless.
Of course I knew what they were up to, but I didn't expose them. I glanced at them and said, "You're from the Beggars' Sect, aren't you?" Before they could answer, I continued, "You know the Nangong family, right? You know this is their territory, right?" I'd heard people talk about the Beggars' Sect in the manor. They held a place in the martial arts world because of their numbers, but this was Luoyang, the Nangong family's territory. I believed that even if they were arrogant, they would still have to consider the Nangong family's feelings. The Nangong family was not to be trifled with, and that's exactly what I was looking for, so I wasn't worried at all about what they might do.
Sure enough, upon hearing the name of the Nangong family, he was greatly surprised, his face changing drastically. "You're from the Nangong family?" I feigned praise, "Not bad, you have good eyes, unlike some people who are blind." The pockmarked youth trembled with anger, yet was helpless. The long-faced youth chuckled awkwardly. I asked the tall, thin boy, "Who are you? Are you from the Beggars' Sect like them?" The boy snorted disdainfully. "Why aren't you from the Beggars' Sect?" I asked knowingly. "Then what were you doing here just now, engaging in a brawl?" Then, speaking only loud enough for the long-faced youth to hear, I muttered to myself, "Could it be them? But they don't seem like it. Then why did the Lord of the Prefecture send out the Silver-Clad Guards? Oh well, let's wait for the Silver-Clad Guards to arrive." As I muttered to myself, I observed the long-faced youth's expression, noticing that he was trying hard to hear what I was saying, especially when I mentioned the Silver-Clad Guards, his face changed again. This change gave me a clue.
I asked, "Who exactly are you people? Why are you fighting with the Beggars' Sect here?" The question was directed at the boy, but my eyes were fixed on the long-faced youth. The boy seemed to understand something and quickly replied, "We're all orphans. As for why we're fighting them, you'll have to ask them." The long-faced youth was currently pondering what I had just said, because my words were vague. He only vaguely sensed that those young men seemed to have some background, having even alerted the silver-clad guards of the Nangong family. He had heard of these silver-clad guards; they were said to be personally trained by the head of the Nangong family, Nangong Tianxing. They were specifically responsible for guarding the inner palace, somewhat like the imperial guards. Who was Nangong Tianxing? His trainees were all exceptionally skilled in martial arts. They were practically the family's ironclad force; anything that warranted such a fight from them must be of great importance. But these young men looked like beggars; what connection did they have with the Nangong family? However, recently there had been quite a few Silver-Clad Guards going in and out of the city, seemingly searching for something, so he couldn't help but believe it.
Seeing the question in my eyes, he quickly replied, "Misunderstanding, a misunderstanding. I don't know them at all, and besides, how could we mess around with a bunch of brats?" Lying through his teeth, shameless indeed, I cursed inwardly. But on his face, he feigned understanding and said, "Oh, so you don't know each other. Then we can all be friends now, as they say, 'No fight, no friendship.' Come on, apologize to each other, and we'll be friends from now on." He then burst into laughter. The long-faced youth was as anxious as an ant on a hot pan. He was genuinely afraid of running into the Silver-Clad Guards; if something happened, his life would be miserable. But now he had run into this slow-witted doctor, and he couldn't refuse, so he could only say perfunctorily, "Young master is right, 'No fight, no friendship,' indeed. Little brother, I'm really sorry about earlier. Hehe!" The young man disgustedly avoided the hand that was extended to shake his. He looked at me with a mixture of admiration and confusion, utterly bewildered as to why the fierce-looking youth was so polite, even fearful, towards this boy who appeared to be just like them.
The long-faced youth's hand froze in mid-air; he hadn't expected such ruthlessness. He was momentarily stunned, looking rather embarrassed, but being a seasoned veteran of the underworld, he simply chuckled twice to cover it up. Without changing expression, he said, "This young brother has quite a fiery temper. Young master, I think this young brother looks down on us, so let's not get in his way. Oh, I just remembered I have some business to attend to at the gang. Ah, look at my memory. Well, I must hurry and leave, farewell everyone." He kept glancing around as he spoke. I really didn't want to deal with this kind of person. Now that I had achieved my goal, I was naturally very happy that he was leaving. I wouldn't try to stop him, saying, "Since you have important business to attend to, I won't keep you. Go ahead. I'll contact you again if I need anything later." Hearing the last sentence, his face immediately darkened. I felt a secret thrill watching them; I had deliberately tried to scare them and avenge that boy. After their somewhat disheveled figures disappeared, I burst into laughter, causing the remaining boys to stare at me like I was an idiot. Unable to bear their gazes, I stopped. I first checked the tall, thin boy's injuries, determining they were just external wounds and not serious, then explained the situation to them. Afterward, they all laughed again.
From then on, I became their friend. I often visited them and offered them some help. Later, because they admired my intelligence and were grateful for my long-term care, they forced me to become their leader.
"That's the whole story," I sighed. Yun'er exclaimed admiringly, "Brother Tian, you're so amazing!" Her undisguised praise made me blush. I quickened my pace and strode towards the Nangong family residence.

URL 1:https://www.sexlove5.com/htmlBlog/178387.html

URL 2:/Blog.aspx?id=178387&aspx=1

Previous Page : 【The Crazy Legend 1】

Next Page : 【Human Desire and Divine Desire: Defying Heaven's Tribulation】

增加

comment Open a new window to view comments

Contact Information

Little Bookworm

comment Open a new window to view comments