Chapter 14: The Kunwu Saber

The eighth day of the twelfth lunar month, a quarter past noon.

Lin Dafu arrived at the Prince’s Mansion wearing the exact same armor as last time, but this time, he also carried an ancient-looking precious saber at his waist.

Inside the dining hall of Huguai Garden, Lin Hansu was already waiting.

“Greetings, Father~”

Upon meeting, Lin Hansu clasped her hands in front of her chest, bent her knees slightly, and performed a standard solemn bow.

This was the grand bowing ceremony to a father, as prescribed by the State Religion, more formal than the ‘Wanfu’ salute.

“Aye~ Aye~”

Lin Dafu responded repeatedly. Although Lin Hansu looked down, avoiding eye contact, and her expression was cold, not exactly warm.

But being called ‘Father’ brought Lin Dafu considerable joy.

Perhaps his daughter’s attitude today gave him some confidence in mending their relationship, so Lin Dafu hastily said, “Hansu, last month I was in Central Heaven when I heard the Prince of Lanyang had passed away. I rushed over that very night. I haven’t been able to eat or sleep well these past few days. Fortunately, His Majesty’s grace allowed my daughter to escape this calamity!”

“I haven’t seen Father lose any weight; you’re still as… corpulent as ever.”

Lin Hansu replied indifferently, causing Lin Dafu, who was wiping tears and trying to be sentimental, to freeze awkwardly.

“Cough, cough~” Lin Dafu pretended to cough to cover his embarrassment, then added, “Hansu, don’t disbelieve me! If anyone dares to harm you, I’ll fight them to the death! Look!”

Lin Dafu stood up and patted his chest twice with a ‘bang, bang.’ His rotund figure immediately rippled with waves of flesh. “Father came to the City in armor, prepared to fight for you!”

Oh. So this old fellow has been wearing this set of armor all along, just to put on this show for his little daughter!

“Who knew that by the time Father arrived, the Emperor’s imperial decree had already come! Alas~”

Lin Dafu’s fleshy, fat hand slammed on the table, as if he was immensely regretful that he couldn’t stage a scene of a benevolent father saving his daughter.

Lin Hansu slightly raised her Phoenix eyes, her delicate brows arching. “If Father wants to fight for his daughter, it’s not too late. It was Madam Wu who tried to harm me. She lives in the six-courtyard Mianze Pavilion. Will Father go kill her immediately, or have a bowl of Laba porridge first?”

“.”

Lin Dafu quieted down, his face slightly red, lost in thought.

Lin Hansu’s sudden visit to him today naturally had an ulterior motive, so she didn’t let the atmosphere become too stiff. “Father, I heard you brought some Medicinal Pills with you this time to the City?”

“Hmm, yes!” Seeing his daughter actively speaking to him, Lin Dafu’s smile returned. “I originally intended to use them to smooth things over and save you, but they weren’t needed in the end. What’s wrong? If you need them, Father will have someone send them over.”

“Yes, I need them.”

“Alright!”

Lin Hansu asking him for something seemed like a huge favor to Lin Dafu, who immediately sent his attendant to the inn to retrieve them.

“If it’s not enough, I’ll send you more when Father returns to Central Heaven.”

Lin Dafu thought he had found a Breakthrough to thaw the ice between father and daughter and was about to strike while the iron was hot, but Lin Hansu’s gaze had already fallen on the precious saber at his waist. “I also heard Father rode Mythical Beast here?”

“Indeed! Father was anxious then, and Mythical Beast is the fastest.”

“Then, Father, please leave the Kunwu Saber and Mythical Beast with me.”

The joy on Lin Dafu’s face stiffened.

This Kunwu Saber was an ancestral heirloom, said to have a great history.

In his early years, Lin Dafu bought a Qiaodao Local Army Commander position, which allowed him to carry this treasure, primarily for showing off.

Mythical Beast is a four-and-a-half-year-old mare, completely black like satin. It was a precious steed he spent a lot of effort to acquire from the northern lands. Last year, his superior wanted to buy it, but Lin Dafu, who was usually good at flattering his superiors, couldn’t bear to part with it.

“You’re a young lady, what do you need these things for?” Lin Dafu’s face showed his heartache as he coaxed, “Father will give you a few sets of palace-made head ornaments.”

Before Lin Dafu finished speaking, Lin Hansu had already covered her face with a handkerchief and began to sob. “Father said he would fight for his daughter, but now he can’t even bear to part with a saber and a horse…”

Oh, Lin Dafu hadn’t heard the affectionate ‘Father’ from his daughter in six years.

For a moment, his whole body felt weak.

“Here! Take it, all for my Hansu. Daughter, don’t cry, Father feels distressed seeing you cry.”

This time, Lin Dafu genuinely squeezed out a few tears.

It was unclear whether he was distressed for his daughter or for his precious saber and fine steed.

The fifteenth day of the twelfth lunar month, approaching the end of the year.

A biting cold front swept south from the distant northern lands, engulfing Lanyang Prefecture.

Overnight, Lanyang Prefecture’s blue tiles were covered in frost, and trees were adorned in silver.

The brief, severe winter of the southern country had finally arrived.

That afternoon, Lin Hansu lay on a long couch, propping her head with one hand and holding a romance novel with the other, but her beautiful eyes stared blankly at the plum blossoms in the vase.

She seemed quite distracted.

A moment later, Lin Hansu suddenly sat up and called, “Yi Huan, Wansu.”

The two servants waiting outside heard her and entered. “Does Your Highness need something?”

“Let’s go to Diying Garden.”

“Should we call Granny Xu?”

“No need,” Lin Hansu always felt that Granny Xu had guessed something, and she couldn’t help but feel guilty, only saying, “Bring the things.”

The mistress and her two servants braved the north wind, exited Huguai Garden, passed through the hanging flower gate to the south, and entered Diying Garden.

The weather was cold and windy today, so the An Squad members were not training in the martial arts field.

Wang Xigui, who was on duty at the courtyard gate, saw the Princess Consort arrive and led the three into the front courtyard, shouting from afar towards the tightly closed bedroom, “The Princess Consort is here! Cough, cough, cough! The Princess Consort has arrived!”

As it was a Soldier’s quarters, Lin Hansu found it inappropriate to enter directly. While waiting outside the door, she heard a chaotic sound of moving tables, chairs, and hurried footsteps from inside the bedroom.

Then Ding Suian led his subordinates out in a line to greet her. He was fine, but his subordinates… each had red faces and panicked expressions.

They looked like a group of mischievous children caught in the act by an adult.

“I didn’t know Your Highness would grace us with your presence and couldn’t greet you from afar!”

Ding Suian cupped his fists, rigid and proper.

Lin Hansu scoffed inwardly. This little rogue dared to secretly pass her such a daring note, but now he was acting so prim and proper!

At the same time, this illicit, taboo sense of stealing brought an indescribable sweet thrill.

Who couldn’t act proper? Lin Hansu also put on the aloof and cold demeanor befitting a noblewoman, her cherry lips slightly parting. “This Princess has a matter to discuss with Squad Leader Ding.”

“Your Highness, this way, please.”

Ding Suian extended his arm, leading Lin Hansu to the main hall of Diying Garden.

The biggest advantage of moving here was the spaciousness, with a martial arts field and a reception hall.

Ding Suian still had his own small courtyard, but it was much better than the West Courtyard. It had winding streams and pavilions, and the living conditions of Chest Hair and the others had also improved significantly.

The Soldiers standing in place all craned their necks, their faces full of gossip.

Chest Hair, who spoke without much thought, whispered, “What do you guys think, could the Princess Consort be interested in our leader?”

“That would be great! With the Princess Consort’s backing, the leader might have a good future!”

“What are you thinking! Don’t talk nonsense!” The cautious Wang Xigui rebuked in a low voice, then continued, “In over forty years of our dynasty, there’s never been a precedent of a Princess Consort remarrying. If you can’t control your mouths, you might harm our leader!”

Hu Jiangjiu, however, gazed foolish at Ding Suian’s retreating figure, completely oblivious to their conversation, only lamenting, “The Princess Consort came at the worst time. Jinlian has just been tied to the grape trellis, and who knows what new tricks Ximen Qing will play…”

“Your aunt’s milk! Jiangjiu, don’t look at your young age, you really are a bed-wetter. You’re a pervert!”

Diying Garden, Halberd Hall.

Lin Hansu sat at the head of the main seat, and Ding Suian stood in the hall.

Since the Prince of Lanyang’s official funeral, without a legitimate reason, their meeting frequency had sharply declined. If one didn’t count those distant glances on the second floor of Ji Pavilion, Lin Hansu hadn’t seen Ding Suian in five or six days.

He had passed the note first, he had flirted first, so Lin Hansu felt she held the initiative, and her gaze upon Ding Suian grew bolder.

Ding Suian did not flinch, returning Lin Hansu’s gaze with equally unbridled intensity.

He wanted to remind Buttocks that they had agreed to settle the money after Du Jue’s funeral. Sister, it’s been several days now, when are we going to complete the transaction?

In the end, it was Lin Hansu who couldn’t bear Ding Suian’s naked, longing ‘adoring’ gaze and was the first to lower her eyes.

“Wansu, Yi Huan, put the things down and guard outside the hall.”

Only then did Ding Suian notice that Wansu was holding a brocade box, about four feet long, which seemed quite heavy.

Yi Huan was also holding a square brocade box.

They looked very luxurious.

After Yi Huan and Wansu left the main hall, Lin Hansu lowered her gaze and said primly, “Open it and take a look.”

Ding Suian stepped forward and opened the rectangular brocade box first, his breath catching.

There was even a long-lost excitement.

A precious saber, its hilt about nine inches, wrapped in black thread, with a black tassel at the end.

The scabbard was covered in python skin, inlaid with black and white precious jade. Judging by the wear on the jade, it had some age, but the python skin was new, as if it had been recently refurbished and wrapped.

Ding Suian, delighted by the hunt, immediately picked up the saber and drew it from its sheath. The blade was about three feet long, straight-edged with a thick spine, and a slanted tip. It was entirely black.

He didn’t know what kind of craftsmanship was used, but the blade’s cold gleam was restrained and non-reflective.

He swung it once; the weight was moderate, the center of gravity about two fingers in front of the guard, making it powerful and suitable for both chopping and thrusting.

What surprised him even more was that the saber made no sound when swung through the air.

Black blade, matte finish, silent—it was practically a great weapon for night combat!

Lin Hansu, seated at the head, saw Ding Suian’s delight and unconsciously her own brows curved into a smile.

“Does it please your eye?”

“Divine weapon!” Ding Suian’s praise was brief and powerful.

Martial Artists in the Manifesting Elemental State realm cannot yet manifest Elemental State Qi into their bodies; when facing an enemy, they must infuse Elemental State Qi into their weapons to be effective.

The material and quality of the weapon directly determine the effectiveness of Elemental State Qi utilization.

While standard Goose Feather Sabers can be used, they are only barely functional.

For a Manifesting Elemental State Martial Artist, a precious saber is like sildenafil to a weak old man.

“How much do you think this saber is worth?” Lin Hansu slowly spoke again.

Huh, does this mean she plans to sell it to me?

Or does she want to use this saber to settle the debt?

A precious saber is good, but I also need money.

“Your Highness, I truly wish to purchase this precious saber so that I may guard you more effectively in the future.” Ding Suian’s face showed difficulty. “But I am very conflicted. If I offer a high price, I cannot afford it; if I offer a low price, I fear it would insult your precious saber. After much thought, may I ask, Your Highness… could you gift me this saber?”