Chapter 116: Doubt

Riding a tall, fine horse, Zheng Hu, who fancied himself a dashing and charismatic figure, wore a pale cyan gown. Though he had yet to pass the scholar’s examination, he still donned such scholarly attire, which he found immensely pleasing and popular.

Having passed the preliminary qualifying exam at sixteen, he was now twenty-four and still had not attained the title of a scholar. The stagnation weighed heavily on him, filling him with secret resentment and helplessness. Had it not been for the time he witnessed cheaters being dragged out of the examination hall during a previous attempt, he might have been tempted to gamble on such crooked methods himself.

With an elder brother at home who managed everything with ease, the position of family head was destined for his sibling. For himself, there was nothing left. If he didn't enjoy the good life now, when would he?

Thinking of this, he grew sullen. The memory of his elder brother’s casual, effortless way of stripping him of his power, followed by looks of utter disdain, made his already sour mood plummet.

"Damn that mother of his." Since they didn't share the same mother, such an insult felt inconsequential, though the thought of his brother’s mother’s wrinkled face made him lose interest in further cursing.

He spurred his horse onward. Farmers passing through the village looked at him with profound awe, a gaze he found immensely satisfying. Suddenly, his eyes lit up. He stared blankly at a figure in a distant field, unable to pull his gaze away.

"A beauty like this in such a village?" Zheng Hu doubted his own eyes, yet he quickly urged his horse toward her. The young woman clearly noticed him and looked up.

Watching the girl—who smiled with an exquisite, enchanting charm—Zheng Hu swallowed hard. He quickly dismounted and approached to strike up a conversation. "Young lady, I am passing through and find myself quite thirsty. Might I trouble you for a cup of water?"

The girl smiled but said nothing.

Watching that smile, Zheng Hu felt an unbearable itch, a tingling sensation spreading through him, and a surge of lecherous heat rising in his lower belly. Unable to restrain himself any longer, he stepped forward, wrapped his arms around the girl’s slender waist, and blurted out, "I am Zheng Hu, son of the wealthy Zheng Kang from the city. I have long admired you. Would you care to share some private words? I am certain—ah!"

He felt a sudden, sharp pain in his lower body and snapped back to reality. He realized that what he was holding was not a breathtaking beauty, but a large, greenish boulder. Beneath the stone lay a scorpion’s nest, and a large scorpion had crawled out, stinging him. The pain originated from there.

Zheng Hu was terrified. His lower half began to swell, and waves of agony surged through him. Drenched in sweat, he frantically shook off the scorpion and glared around him. There was no beauty in sight, only a young man standing not far away, watching the spectacle. He grew pale, wondering if he had encountered a ghost or a spirit—how else could this have happened?

Seeing the faint smile on the young man’s lips, Zheng Hu felt a surge of rage. He was about to scold him, but upon closer inspection, the man’s cyan gown and refined air made him swallow his words. He stumbled back to his horse and fled in a disheveled panic.

Liu Ping watched the young man depart and shook his head slightly. If you don't court death, you won't die; why is it that so many people fail to understand this?

This, he mused, was simply the folly of lust clouding the mind.

"Hmm?" Liu Ping stared intently at the black miasma gathering above the young man’s head, which was rapidly displacing the faint red aura of his fortune. He couldn't help but chuckle. "Serves you right."

***

With a carefree mind, he walked to the garden fence, bowed slightly, and said softly, "Miss Yingning, long time no see."

"Who are you?" The girl’s voice was crisp and clear, like the song of an oriole, filled with confusion. She appeared out of thin air in the vegetable garden, looking at Liu Ping with slight surprise. He had seen through her invisibility and even knew her name? Wait, he looked familiar. Isn't he...

"Er..." Faced with the question, Liu Ping felt a moment of awkwardness. It was true, after all; their meeting last autumn had been a fleeting encounter, lasting less than half an hour. How could she possibly remember him?

The girl, Yingning, was someone he had met while traveling to Firecloud Mountain with Wang Hong the previous year. She had been with Bai Zhi at the time, and he hoped there might be a connection. Liu Ping had intended to ask about Bai Zhi’s whereabouts, but the cold, three-word inquiry—"Who are you?"—had left him at a loss for words.

Seeing Liu Ping’s awkward expression, Yingning burst into a giggle. She had been smiling before, but now her laughter made her frame tremble, and Liu Ping couldn't help but feel his eyes brighten; she was indeed a rare beauty.

Yingning said, "I do remember you, young master. We met once at Firecloud Mountain last year, didn't we? Are you Young Master Liu?"

"So you do remember," Liu Ping sighed in relief. It had been a joke.

Yingning continued, "Why has Young Master Liu come here? Could it be that you still wish to play the hero saving the beauty?"

Liu Ping’s face flushed. In truth, aside from asking about Bai Zhi, that was exactly what he had intended. Not wanting to be caught out, he replied, "Of course. How could I see an injustice and not draw my sword to help?"

Yingning said, "Then Yingning shall thank Young Master Liu."

Liu Ping smiled. To retaliate for her earlier joke, he shamelessly pushed his luck. "How about you repay me with your hand in marriage instead?"

Yingning’s eyes twinkled. "Alright."

Liu Ping was stunned. "Really?"

Yingning replied, "As if."

Liu Ping laughed. "That is quite a breach of promise."

Yingning countered, "It is only our second meeting, and you are already talking of marriage. Doesn't Young Master Liu find yourself a bit abrupt? Why don't you reveal all your secrets—your hidden arts, your treasures, and give them all to me? Only then would it be time for us to cultivate together."

Liu Ping said, "Alright."

Yingning held out her hand. "Hand them over."

Liu Ping said, "As if."

Yingning said, "Then you, too, have breached your promise."

Liu Ping said, "Shall we call it even?"

Yingning felt she had once again underestimated the extent of the man’s shamelessness. She sighed helplessly, but just as she was about to speak, a middle-aged woman walked out. Upon seeing Liu Ping, she froze, raised her brows slightly, and commanded, "Yingning, come back here at once!"

"Yes." Yingning turned to leave, and Liu Ping walked in as if he were entering his own home.

The middle-aged woman immediately scolded, "Stop! Who are you?"

Liu Ping replied, "I am Liu Ping from Qinshui County. I wish to ask Miss Yingning a few questions, and I hope you will grant me your permission."

To Liu Ping’s surprise, the woman did not immediately refuse or consent. Instead, she frowned, as if pondering something deeply. Then, her expression shifted into something extraordinary. With a look of disbelief, she repeated, "You say... who are you?"

"Liu Ping," he replied, feeling rather strange.

The woman asked again, "Is your mother Qin Yan?"

"Ah?"

"Is she or is she not?"

"She is." Liu Ping grew even more confused. How could she know his mother’s name? The situation was becoming completely inexplicable. He couldn't help but ask, "How do you know that? Why do you ask such a thing?"