Chapter 32 Mentor for A Day, Father for Life
2125 Words
The Imperial Palace.
Under an unfrequented quillaja, a slender dark shadow lingered. He looked up at the trunk, with his hands folded behind his back.
After the morning ritual, Leng Qingtang did not return to the Eastern Depot right away. Instead, he stayed here, waiting for someone to arrive.
Not after long, a young man wearing a crimson taoist tunic and a tall purple hat walked slowly from the corner of the palace wall, looking spiritual and extraordinary.
When he stopped before the quillaja, he saluted Leng Qingtang,
"I'm the Taoist priest Yu Xuanji. Good morning, My Master." His clear voice was elegant and cadenced as if one jade had been dropped on another.
Leng Qingtang looked back in response and pursed his thin lips into a smile,
"You are too kind, High Priest."
Good-looking and well-mannered, Yu Xuanji originated from the Imperial Taoist temple, the Pengxian Temple. At a young age, he was appointed as High Priest in Country of Dayi by Emperor Jingxiao, who was obsessive with religion and alchemy.
Every time Emperor Jingxiao retreated to a temple, it was High Priest, Yu Xuanji, who accompanied him inseparably.
On the surface, Yu Xuanji was the Emperor's favorite. But secretly their relationship was quite unusual. Among the whole court, only Leng Qingtang and the Eunuch Superintendent, Lord Hu, knew the truth of their religious practices.
"His Majesty is on retreat today. Please take care of His Majesty, High Priest."
Leng Qingtang deliberately raised his tone when he said the word "serve". His long thick eyelashes drooped, casting two dark shadows under his eyes. In an instant, his handsome face showed unspeakable treachery and cunning with the two shadowy lines.
Yu Xuanji nodded quickly, all respectfully and submissively. His hands were cupped together in the wide red sleeves sewed with golden threads,
"Be assured, Master. Everything has been arranged as you wish. The Shejin Elixir has been successfully made. I only await Master's order to act."
Yu Xuanji raised his pair of beautiful foxy eyes to look at Leng Qingtang as if he was asking for a reward.
He always understood that he was a spy in the court placed by the former Master of the Eastern Depot. Like Imperial Doctor Jiang and Cheng Wanli, he was at Leng Qingtang's service and an implement for his revenge.
"Good!" Leng Qingtang nodded approvingly. With a faint smile, he turned his head and reminded,
"Take it gradually and steadily. Do not haste lest others find our mistakes."
"Rest assured, Master. I will remember your commands in my heart."
.
"What are these?"
Back from the court, when Leng Qingtang entered the Southern Residence of the Eastern Depot, he was immediately dazzled by the exquisite pink and white desserts on the table.
Gu Yunxi was holding a cup of tea before the table. Her face was comely and smiley, and her eyes were radiant and clear.
"Today is the Double Ninth Festival. I made these sticky rice cakes and sugar cakes by myself in your honor. I also sent some to captains!"
Peaking, she held the cup to the Master's hand and explained,
"This is fresh Silver Needle tea. Good temperature. The pastries are sweet and the best to go with the tea."
Double Ninth Festival.
Leng Qingtang stared at the plate of pastries in a daze. Gradually, voidness crawled onto his face.
He vaguely remembered that the last time he celebrated the Double Ninth Festival, he had been a carefree child, surrounded by a loving father and a gentle mother.
At the age of four, when he saw the clear and bright moon above, he applauded and laughed happily. He had no clue it represented almost desperate loneliness when it shined in the vast and empty sky of a foreign country!
"Look, Your Majesty. The crescent moon in the sky is so beautiful, just like Her Majesty's eyebrow!"
His father nodded with a smile, and his big soft hands stroked the top of his head.
His mother hugged him in her arms, kissed his face, and whispered to remind him,
"Heer, did you forget again? This is not our country. You must not call us Your Majesty or Her Majesty anymore. Just call us dad and mom..."
His tender face was full of confusion. Hesitated, he couldn't help looking to his father and asked,
"But Your... dad, where is our country?"
His father sighed at the moon, tearing...
.
"Master? Master!"
The calling pulled Leng Qingtang back to reality from his memory.
In a trance, his eyes met Gu Yunxi's.
Her clear eyes landed on his face, moving with curiosity.
Seeing his look got more solemn after composing himself, she asked with concern,
"Master, what's going on?"
Uneasiness loomed in Gu Yunxi's heart.
Just now Xiao Xiaoshen came to tell her that the captains enjoyed her Double Ninth Festival cakes very much and all appreciated her thoughtfulness.
Gu Yunxi's mind was pure and simple.
She thought the Master would feel the same joy as the captains when he saw the pastries.
After all, except for New Year's Eve, the Eastern Depot never celebrated any festivals throughout the whole year. An occasional small surprise would always be amazing. People could relish luxurious leisure time sparing from the busywork, and no one could refuse this kindness.
Gu Yunxi had been in the Eastern Depot for two months. She realized that the Master treated her wholeheartedly.
So she decided to take the opportunity to please him and beg him to set free her elder sister Gu Yunyao and Zhao An. Not long ago, she sneaked into the Royal Prison in the Eastern Depot. But she had fainted because of the blood phobia before she could find her sister's beloved Zhao An. Time passing by, she had not forgotten the request of her sister Gu Yunyao, and she never gave up on seeking a chance to get her out.
Yet now, the Master was gazing at the plate of cakes blankly, showing no trace of surprise! Could it be that she had done something wrong and provoked him?
"Master, don't you like... pastries?"
During these days with the Master, she basically understood his dietary preferences.
But now looking at Leng Qingtang, Gu Yunxi became more and more uncertain. The long-lasting silence made her uncomfortable, so she couldn't help asking aloud again.
"How did you come up with it? To make pastries yourself. Your hands are quite skillful..."
He cast a look at her, asking back unintentionally. He still looked tired and absent-minded, as if only his flesh had been back in reality but his soul had been left in the world full of grief and suffering.
"Huh? Well... Isn't it the Double Ninth Festival today? I was orphaned young and had no one but my sisters in the Garden, and Nanny Gu and you, who fostered me..."
Gu Yunxi told him slowly, and her eyes kept studying Leng Qingtang's change of expression.
The tone of his question just now was too bland. She could not tell if he was happy or sulking.
Stopping momentarily, Gu Yunxi took a breath and continued,
"I am alive, thanks to you. In the Eastern Depot, you take care of me. I wanted to repay you, but couldn't find a decent gift. All I have are my skillful hands, so I made the pastries to express my gratitude to you. As the saying goes, mentor for a day, father for life. In addition to staying with family members, the Double Ninth Festival is also a day for appreciation and gratitude. Thus, it matters not how much time I spent to serve you!"
Saying it all in one breath, Gu Yunxi felt much more relaxed.
He shouldn't be able to pick holes in such flattery.
Leng Qingtang remained silent. His eyes were fixed on Gu Yunxi, who was speaking eloquently. His heart gradually warmed up because of the pastries, but he refused to elicit the slightest emotion on his face.
"Mentor for a day, father for life..."
Suddenly, he repeated her words lightly and inquired,
"You see me as your father?"
"Yes... right..."
She looked into his eyes innocently. Her voice was eclipsed by his sharp and observant eyes,
"You... Didn't you take me as your apprentice? I... am not well educated. Still, I know the meaning of the saying. I..."
Gu Yunxi dared not to go on. She saw that her Master had stood up and strode to her. His handsome face was long with gloom.
"Ma... Master..."
Gu Yunxi panicked for no reason. She stepped back as the Master went nearer with her fists clenching uncontrollably.
"What is this? Angry for no reason? How did I provoke him? Could it be that he got angry on the morning ritual, and now he is venting on me?"
Her back was against the wall, and there was no more space to fall back.
Leng Qingtang stared at Gu Yunxi's delicate and beautiful pointy face that was full of panic and innocence. Suddenly he laughed in his heart.
"Silly girl, you are so naive and cute. Your choice of flattering words was unwise. Have you seen such a young and handsome father before?"
To think about it, it was not her fault. He could only blame himself for confessing his affection when she fell asleep in his arms due to medication! Whatever he had said failed to enter her ears.
Did a 27-year-old look that old standing by a 15-year-old girl? Not really, right? He was only a little older than her.
Leng Qingtang was instantly hit by curiosity. He wanted to find out how the girl would react next. So he continued to fake his anger, questioning,
"You see me as your father? I'm so old that I can be your father, isn't it?"
Feeling wronged and resigned, Gu Yunxi shook her head vigorously.
God! He really knew how to find faults. How did he pick this question!
Looking up at the chiseled and gentle face in front of her eyes, Gu Yunxi complained mutely. Her clever and sharp eyes turned in search of a countermeasure. Finally, she forced a smile and praised him,
"You are handsome, dashing, and tall. How could you look old?! Being old has nothing to do with you! Nothing! Not at all."
"Hmm?" Leng Qingtang didn't buy it. He raised his eyebrows in scorn and doubt.
"Wants to brush me off? No way."
Under the circumstances, Gu Yunxi had to act soft to get through.
"Master, I'm wrong... Sorry..."
She looked at him pathetically. Her watery eyes were sparkling and enticing.
Leng Qingtang's heart was trembling, hearing her soft and clear voice for forgiveness. Not to mention that he was not angry, even if he had been, the anger would have easily surrendered under her pure plead.
When he was about to let her go, his eyes were attracted to something again.
Gu Yunxi leaned against the wall. Her white upper teeth were biting her lower lip so deeply that a bloodless pale thread was imprinted on her soft lip.
Leng Qingtang could not turn his eyes from the two pink lips. He felt that their color was like that of the sugar cakes, so enchanting that it induced a compelling desire to take the lips in his mouth. Would they share the same sweetness of the pastries?
Gu Yunxi was extremely scared. She panted ceaselessly with her back against the cold hard wall. Her chest palpitated up and down with her breaths, bringing out the delicate outline of the bosom under the baggy uniform.
Leng Qingtang was instantly aroused by her seemingly reluctant gesture.
In front of him, Gu Yunxi was silent. She still looked frightened and alert, watching closely on the Master's next move. She saw his shudder and comprehended it as madness.
"It's over!"
"We are so close. If he throws his iron palm on me, won't it kill me on-site? With the wall behind, I can't escape even if I want to..." Gu Yunxi thought.
He finally took the lead to reach for her.
"I'm dead"
Gu Yunxi screamed inside and closed her eyes in horror.
Her lower lip was touched gently by his fingers, rescued from under her hard white teeth.
Gu Yunxi quickly opened her eyes.
"Doesn't it hurt to bite like that?"
In front of her, the Master asked softly, with his breaths slightly hurried.
"..."
With her fear diminished by half and her eyes locked with his, Gu Yunxi's cheeks blushed like a peach.
Curving his thin lips, Leng Qingtang gave a playful smile. He pinched her perfect small chin, gradually lowered his head, and whispered in a soft and teasing voice,
"Annoying me during the festival... Tell me, how should I punish you..."
- Writer
