Be Modest,My Master of Imperial Guards

Chapter 21 Afraid of Pain

It was already afternoon when Gu Yunxi finished lunch with the Master, Chiliarch and, captains, and returned from Training Field to the Eastern Depot.

The Master cared for his disciple, so he asked her to have a rest in the room. After she took medicine, took a bath, and changed her clothes, it was already at night.

The first time Gu Yunxi entered Training Field, in the face of thousands of troops and horses, just looking at them with her eyes had already made her tired. However, she had not only stood there for the whole morning but also learned archery for a long time.

She didn't feel any discomfort when she had just got back. Until she took a bath in the afternoon, she felt every bone in her body rather painful, especially the two arms. As she held her arms up and down, they kept trembling slightly, making her almost unable to hold up the teacup.

Looking at her open hands inadvertently, she was startled.

Her left hand palm and the five fingers had grown some blisters, large and small. Through the protruding white skin, the oozing strands of red blood could be seen inside a few blisters.

The condition of the right hand was a little better. There was no blister, but because of blindly supporting the bowstring, a clear purple mark was left on her index finger. It was a bruise, but the skin hadn't been completely broken.

These scars were the consequences of archery practice in the morning. Gu Yunxi's skin was smooth and good, so any minor damage would be immediately apparent.

She didn't care much about it, and though it hurt, it wasn't exactly unbearable. If one had wanted to do a good job, it wouldn't have been just a simple talk. In addition to one's own efforts, one always needed to pay some price for it. For her, this kind of pain now had been a rather small price.

The moment she thought of the Master, Leng Qingtang, Gu Yunxi's pain seemed to be much reduced. She came to understand that a lot of outrageous actions the Master made in front of Lord Ming today were aimed at protecting her.

In the past, with a handsome and white poker face, his expression was as cold as his last name indicated("Leng" means "coldhearted" in Chinese), just like a prim, otherworldly old deity. That did make her feel awestruck.

Not until she entered the Eastern Depot did she realize that he was actually a man who loved smiling.

The way the Master smiled was not like a common person who grinned or laughed heartily. It was a light, delicate and elegant smile that gave people a warm, dependable feeling.

There was the sound of knocking on the door.

"Girl, have you slept?"

It was the Master!

Gu Yunxi hurriedly put on her guard cloak to open the door.

As she moved her body step by step, she felt like her body was falling apart. She dragged slowly to the door and opened it.

"Master, you haven't rested?"

"I have just finished public affairs. So I come to see you."

Leng Qingtang changed into a pale green robe. On his right hand was a small roll of fine linen, and a small bottle with a long neck of white jade suet. Its mouth was sealed with a wooden stopper wrapped in red cloth.

"Sit down, please."

Leng Qingtang tilted his head to the chair beside him after sitting down. Gu Yunxi followed his words and sat next to him.

"Put out your hand!"

"What are you going to do?"

Gu Yunxi felt embarrassed. A pile of blisters on the hand was too ugly, and she really didn't want to let the gentle and considerate Master see that.

Leng Qingtang only felt amused. His long eyelashes blinked like the wings, and he looked at her softly, with a voice full of irresistible magnetism,

"Hold out your hand to me. Be good."

"Okay," she held out her left hand as he said, looking flustered.

He held her small, porcelain hand under the candlestick, observed it carefully and frowned.

"It was really worse than I thought. Girl, you are too honest. Your hands were bruised so seriously, but you even didn't ask others to send you some medicine."

He finished his words lovingly, eyelashes blinking. Then he glanced at Gu Yunxi and began to pick off the silver needles on the linen.

"Master, what...what are you doing?"

Gu Yunxi suddenly frowned. With her bright eyes staring at the shiny, sharp silver needle head, she felt scared.

"Of course I am going to pierce the blisters on your hand. If you just leave them there, they will become thick callus over time."

Leng Qingtang took the silver needle, and put the needle head in the flame, burning it repeatedly.

Gu Yunxi asked curiously,

"Master, how do you notice the blisters on my hands?"

"Everyone who has learned archery knows that."

Gu Yunxi supported half of her cheek with the right hand, her elbows on the table. She gazed at Leng Qingtang, who took the candlestick closer, and then held her injured left hand, piercing the blisters one by one with the needle.

She didn't feel any discomfort.

Under the candlelight, Leng Qingtang lowered his head, and the long, thick eyelashes blocked the light in his eyes. His facial features were beautiful and flawless by nature, and the way he did things tranquility now made him look more elegant. She could not help but look at him for a few more times, then she felt her throbbing heartbeat.

Gu Yunxi suddenly realized the unusual silence in the room, making her a little uneasy, so she began to look for some topics for chatting.

"Master, when did you start practicing martial arts?"

"When I was six." He answered without looking up, continuing what he was doing now.

"Who's your master?"

"The former Master of the Eastern Depot."

"What's his name?"

"Bian Mofei."

"Where is he now? Is there also a tradition of retirement at certain age in the Eastern Depot as there is in the Palace?"

Leng Qingtang didn't answer her, showing an uncertain look on his face. His long eyelashes blinked, and he put forth much of his strength in his fingertips.

"Ouch! It's so painful!"

Gu Yunxi felt some sharp pain from her left palm. She couldn't bear it anymore and cried, retreating her hand subconsciously.

Leng Qingtang took her hand tightly, saying in a low voice, "Don't move! The blood is coming out!"

"It's too painful! Master, could you reduce your strength a little?" Gu Yunxi pouted in grievances, red-eyed.

"You feel painful?" Leng Qingtang was surprised. He looked up at her aggrieved face, "I don't know you are so afraid of pain."

As if thinking of something particularly interesting, Leng Qingtang narrowed his eyes, and a cunning smile emerged on his face.

"Actually, I am not afraid of anything except pain."

Gu Yunxi giggled. Watching the Master applying the powder on her hand, and then tying it with soft linen, she didn't even notice his evil, joking smile.

Secretly lifting his eyes to look at Gu Yunxi, he saw her look down a little with her apricot-like eyes. A pair of beautiful watery eyes appeared bright and clear under the flickering candlelight. Her innocence and loveliness contrarily made him feel how filthy his thoughts were as he imagined too much just because of one sentence said by her.

With a slight cough, he let go of Gu Yunxi's left hand and said seriously,

"This hand is okay. Hold out the other hand."

Gu Yunxi adjusted her head and held out her warm right hand, which was pressed by her half cheek.

"Oh, your skin was almost cut by the string."

Seeing the marked bruises on her fingers, Leng Qingtang showed a grave facial expression and reproached her in a low voice,

"Don't you cry for fear of pain? You don't feel pain after enduring it for a whole day?!"

"Haha..." Gu Yunxi knew he was out of the good intention of caring for her, his disciple, so she giggled,

"At that time, there were so many people watching me practice archery on Training Field, and they were cheering for me. I was so happy that I almost forgot everything."

"You have just got better. You want to pretend to be brave?"

"I didn't pretend to be brave. I just cannot bear being mocked by Lord Ming! Isn't it just archery? I admit I am not able to do that, but I can learn it well! Master, I still hope you can teach me to practice martial arts!"

Leng Qingtang shook his head, smiling softly,

"You are too old to practice martial arts."

"Really? How can that be!"

Gu Yunxi was anxious. She slanted her neck, unconvinced, then said angrily,

"Look at the two obstinate servants this morning! And Lord Ming's words were just helping them stir up trouble. I can't control my anger as long as I think of them."

Leng Qingtang smiled disapprovingly,

"Just ignore his bullshit. For a girl, being able to ride a horse and draw a bow is enough. If you really want to learn, what about teaching you some defensive tactics sometime?"

"Great!"

Gu Yunxi answered quickly, and the anger on her face immediately turned into joy. The moment she gazed at the Master, she showed resolution on her face,

"Master, I am your disciple, but I don't always want to be protected by you. You once told me that I must march forward on my life road by myself. I followed you to the Eastern Depot in order to become stronger. When others see me, I want them to praise, 'Look, he is the disciple of Master Leng of the Eastern Depot!' "

Looking at her blinking eyes like the twinkling stars, Leng Qingtang was shocked and a little moved in the heart. He had never thought that the girl in front of him could say something so ambitious.

Much care would disturb himself. It seemed that he had worried too much!

The girl did have a strong heart.

Leng Qingtang leaned forward slightly to Gu Yunxi. Looking straight at her clear eyes, he also showed inexpressible determination,

"Girl, you should also believe that I will absolutely protect you! Whenever you want, I will protect you!"

There was a sudden silence. They just looked at each other.

Gu Yunxi's beautiful face was reflected in Leng Qingtang's eyes. She had slender, light eyebrows, nice nose and reddish lips. Her big, apricot-like eyes were watery, glittering and translucent.

At the moment, her exquisite facial features were tinted with a stubborn momentum, ethereal yet tempting.

Gu Yunxi's vision was filled with the Master's handsome face. His slender eyebrows were close to his temples, like an ink painting. The bridge of his nose was high, and his lips were rather thin. What a clear white face! Gu Yunxi looked at him, craving, immersed in his supreme beauty.

Outside, a sudden gust of wind blew. "Creaky," the door made a slight noise.

Both of them re-concentrated.

Gu Yunxi lowered her head, silent. The light in her eyes was flickering.

Leng Qingtang moved his lips a little as if smiling like a flash in the pan. Then he began to pick up the linen strips on the table, and covered the wooden plug of the medicine bottle.

"I have applied medicine to your hands. Tomorrow they will be all right. For safety, you'd better keep your hands out of the water. Go to have a rest. I am going back."

The medicine bottle and the gauze were left on the table. Then Leng Qingtang stood up, ready to leave.

"Master, I will see you off."

Gu Yunxi also stood up, but as she used too much strength, her joints were so painful that she clenched her teeth.

"What's wrong?"

"That's all right. I used too much strength in practicing archery, so my shoulders are a little painful. They will be fine after one night's sleep."

"Sit down. Let me give you a massage."

After thinking for a while, Leng Qingtang turned back and asked Gu Yunxi to sit down, rolling up his cuffs. But she stepped back, frightened, and shook her head violently.

"No! Master, you have been busy for the whole day. Please take a rest early."

"Come on, you'll feel better if you loosen up."

He was used to lifting a finger. He pulled her, but she hid.

"I, I feel awkward."

With her eyes drooping, she faltered, and her little face, glittering and beautiful, changed the expression due to anxiety.

Leng Qingtang turned a little solemn, and smiled understandably,

"It's up to you. I will go back."

"Hum..."

Gu Yunxi answered vaguely, unwilling to look up.

"Close the door and go to sleep. Don't run about with me tomorrow if you still feel tired. Have a good rest for one day."

As Leng Qingtang went to the door, he couldn't help looking back.

"Girl, you have grown up a lot in the past one month since you came to the Eastern Depot."

"Grow up?" Gu Yunxi thought.

Her heart rippled just as stones fell into a limpid and still lake.

She suddenly looked up, beholding his tall and beautiful figure.

Gu Yunxi stood at the door silently. Her long black hair fluttered with the wind, dancing in the night.

Hands over the chest, she clearly felt that there was something burning hot inside. "Pitpat," it thumped, making her hard to calm down.

To grow up was to put a person in heart. Whenever she thought of it, her heart would throb strongly like a frightened deer running in it.