Chapter 52: Solo Journey (2)

  Wen Ping let out a soft cry and exclaimed, "So there's another cave here!" Duan Yu gazed at the mountain valley, her eyes narrowing slightly as she hesitated, but didn't immediately enter. Wen Ping looked back at her in surprise and asked, "Miss, aren't you going to take a look inside?"

  Yan Dai thought for a moment, then smiled and said: "Since we've come all the way here, if we don't go in to take a look, it would be like entering a treasure mountain with empty hands! Let's go in and take a look! However, we must be careful not to damage the flowers and trees inside!"

  Wen Pingyuan was originally clever and quick-witted. Upon hearing this, she suddenly seemed to have an idea: "Miss, are you thinking that this place also belongs to that noble person in the palace?"

  "Indeed, it must be so! Let's go and take a look inside!" she said, no longer hesitating, and stepped into the valley. When the two of them looked in from outside, they didn't feel anything special, but as soon as they walked in, they felt a sense of sudden clarity. The flowers and trees inside the valley were just as lush and dense as they had seen from the outside, with many varieties. A small brook babbled and flowed through the entire valley, its crystal-clear bottom visible to the naked eye. The winter sun shone down in the afternoon, casting golden rays on the water, making it sparkle and shine, exceptionally clear and calm.

  She gazed around, her eyes sparkling with amusement. "It's quite like a paradise on earth, only we've arrived a bit too early! If we'd come in another two or three months, when the peach blossoms are in bloom, this place would be even more breathtakingly beautiful!" Her gaze was piercing, and at a single glance, she knew that most of the flowers planted in this mountain valley were peaches and plums. Although there were also some plum blossoms scattered about, their numbers couldn't compare to those of the peach and plum trees.

  Miss said that there are indeed people living here. From here, you can see that the wooden house is about 7 or 8 rooms in size, all of which are very simple, and some of the wood used to build the house has not even been stripped of its bark, giving it a rough and rustic feel.

  Yan Dai smiled and said, "It's not surprising that someone lives here, but now looking at this wooden house, I just think that if the person living here is really a noble from the palace, then this noble is quite interesting!"

  Wenjing thought for a moment, and couldn't help but smile. Just as she was about to respond, a gentle and warm male voice suddenly spoke up: "In your opinion, Miss, what kind of house should be built here to make you feel that the words of the nobles in the palace are truly worthy of their reputation?"

  This sound came so suddenly, but it made Wenping involuntarily tremble, and her pretty face also turned pale.

  Yuandai was also surprised, but quickly calmed down and turned back to look at the person who spoke. The speaker appeared to be around 27 or 28 years old, with a very fair complexion, and although his features were not particularly outstanding, he had a pair of slender, deep-set eyes that added color to his ordinary face. When his gaze fell on Yuandai's face, a faint look of disappointment flashed across his eyes, as if he had not expected Yuandai's appearance to be so plain and unremarkable.

  She took in her opponent's expression, but Far Dai didn't mind, only smiling faintly: "A young woman spoke rashly, I hope the gentleman will forgive me!" As she spoke, she again gave a slight bow to her opponent: "This humble girl and her maid happened to enter this place, feeling that the scenery here is extraordinary, and suddenly had the heart to take a stroll. If there's any disturbance, sir, please don't mind!" Wen Ping saw the situation and hastily followed suit with a bow.

  That person's expression didn't change in the slightest. He returned the courtesy with a slight bow and calmly said, "Miss is intelligent and astute, you should be able to see that I am not the master of this place!"

  Yan Dai heard this and couldn't help but smile wryly. The person in front of her was not the master of this place, she had already seen through it, but for a moment she couldn't grasp the other's intention, so she spoke to test them.

  She slightly frowned, but the man had already spoken again: "My master has owned this valley for three years now. In these three years, you are still the first person to enter this valley without anyone guiding you. Therefore, my master has a word and would like to invite you over to meet him!"

  When these words came out, Yuandai was still okay, but Wenshu's side took a step closer to Yuandai with a vigilant expression, as if she had the intention of protecting her. Yuandai saw this and couldn't help but smile, then comfortingly patted Wenshu's hand lightly, indicating that she shouldn't be frightened. She herself looked up at the man and said calmly: "In that case, I'll trouble you to lead the way!"

  That person didn't say much, raised his hand to invite the guests and then led the way himself. Yuandai didn't hesitate either, and took a step forward to follow him. Wenshuang was actually quite worried in her heart, but seeing that Yuandai had already taken a step forward, she could only steel herself and follow along.

  That man led Yu Dai and the others to bypass the stream, heading south into the valley for about a hundred steps. Yu Dai carefully observed the other's route, feeling somewhat strange in her heart, because this person seemed to be going in the opposite direction of their own journey. Continuing in this direction, they would probably not go far before reaching the bluestone where she had rested earlier.

  She thought to herself, and couldn't help but look around. As she looked around, she was taken aback again, only to find that the man had already led her outside a bamboo forest. Just as she was filled with doubts, the man stopped in his tracks and said calmly, "My master is inside the forest, please enter by yourself, miss!" The implication being that not only did he himself have no intention of going in, but also Wenjing was not allowed to enter either.

  Wen Ping heard the sound and rushed out, shouting: "Miss!" with a tone that was somewhat obstructive.

  Yuandai suddenly felt the anxiety in her heart, and couldn't help but smile slightly. She shook her head gently towards Wenping and said calmly: "Don't worry! Just wait here at ease. If the master of this place has any ill intentions, there's no need to be so roundabout!" After all, they were just two weak women. Having said that, Yuandai didn't look at Wenping again and walked straight in.

  Inside the bamboo forest, green bamboos swayed gently. The sunlight at noon shone through the gaps between the leaves and branches, casting golden spots on the ground. Along a winding path paved with cobblestones, she walked slowly. She hadn't gone far when she saw someone sitting quietly in the woods. A few more steps later, Yuandai finally got a clear view of the person. The person sat at the edge of a stone table, staring intently at the tabletop, seemingly contemplating something. Because he was facing away from Yuandai, his face couldn't be seen clearly. After walking a few more steps, Yuandai finally knew what the person was doing.

  He is playing chess.

  About ten steps away from him, she stopped and said in a low voice: "I don't know why you invited me here, what's the honor?"

  That person still didn't turn around, only slightly raised his hand and pointed to the opposite side: "Sit!" His attitude was casual, as if all of this was a matter of course.

  She raised an eyebrow unexpectedly, and the next moment, Yuandai also did not hesitate, but walked forward slowly, sat opposite the man, and her eyes casually swept over the chessboard on the table. To be strict, the chess was not a match between the two of them, but a game of Weiqi.

  Just as Yu Dai was thinking about it, she heard the man ask, "Do you understand chess?" Without any pleasantries or small talk, he simply asked a straightforward question.

  The corner of her eyebrows moved unexpectedly, and Yuandai finally spoke up: "As a child, I did learn a few days' worth!"

  He nodded and said, "Is it possible to break this stalemate?" As he spoke, he finally lifted his head and his calm gaze fell on Yuandai's face. His eyes were peaceful and serene, gazing at Yuandai with a steady intensity that showed no signs of wavering.

  …………

  Today is my uncle and aunt's 70th birthday, went back to the old house and was busy for a whole day, came home completely exhausted. Stored drafts are all I have, really don't have the energy to write more. Will make up for it with two updates tomorrow.

  Exhausted and crawling down to rest.