Volume 1, Chapter 28 – Getting Her Way

Bai Zhuqing did not obediently back off; on the contrary, now that her suspicion had been laid bare, she watched Bai Xiang in daily life more openly and boldly than ever.

When Bai Xiang rose early to clean, she rose early to help.

When Bai Xiang went to the kitchen to assist the two aunts, she ran over to lend a hand.

When Bai Xiang went in the afternoon to consult Bai Shengju, Bai Zhuqing—unable to enter—sat in the outer hall with a Buddhist sutra, studying as she waited for Bai Xiang to come out.

The moment Bai Xiang emerged, Bai Zhuqing picked up her sutra and followed; whether Bai Xiang went to the grove to meditate or back to her own yard to practice sword, Bai Zhuqing was nearly inseparable.

That her daughter had grown even closer to Bai Xiang naturally made Zhu Ying happy.

By the time Bai Guanshan cast aside the sword dao after that incident, he had already married her. She wasn’t some heiress of a great house; you could say her family was decent, well matched with Bai Guanshan, so she wasn’t overly strict about pedigree.

She saw that Bai Guanshan disliked Bai Xiang. But she genuinely pitied the abandoned girl; with a simple, domestic way of thinking, she believed descendants should get along in harmony. So every time she saw the two “sisters” joined at the hip, Zhu Ying and Shen Xuelan would drift together to whisper, breaking into unrestrained laughter now and then.

Before Bai Xiang could raise an objection, Bai Leying and Bai Maoxu were already displeased.

Bai Maoxu had just started junior high this year, attending the middle school division of No. 1 High’s branch. A boy that age on break was all about play; meditation and sword practice didn’t last half a moment. Even with Bai Lianzhou cutting off his room’s internet, he preferred to roam outside under the pretext of “seeking the Dao,” when in fact he went to the city with Bai Leying and Bai Zhuqing.

Either buying tickets for a movie, or prowling parks to chase dogs and birds.

Now that Bai Zhuqing had latched onto Bai Xiang, Bai Leying had no elder sister, and there was no way she’d share her heart with Bai Maoxu; she suddenly felt wandering around was no fun and stopped inviting Bai Maoxu out.

As a result, Bai Maoxu stewed at the dojo for nearly two weeks and was forced to undergo Bai Lianzhou’s special sword training alongside Xu Shu, getting worked like a dead dog every day.

He was a little afraid of Bai Xiang and dared not complain; Bai Leying was more forthright—one day she finally couldn’t stand it, ran straight to Bai Xiang’s courtyard, grabbed her hand, and shouted that Bai Xiang should “give her sister back,” or “take her out for a walk to clear her head.”

Bai Xiang was practicing Shenming Sword; hearing that, she glanced toward the edge of the yard.

Bai Zhuqing, in a dress that blended faux-ancient and modern styles—flowing yet not dragging—sat with her legs laid together at a slant, paging through a Buddhist sutra in the sunlight.

Anyone observing the scene would praise it as elegant and delicate.

But Bai Xiang saw through her younger sister’s nature, knowing all this was just a surface disguise.

The real Bai Zhuqing was perhaps more stubborn than anyone in the Bai family.

After having spelled it out for her, why wouldn’t she listen…

Something white flickered before her eyes. Bai Xiang’s gaze dropped involuntarily to see Bai Zhuqing’s white-silk-clad little feet in red-thong sandals, toes flexing up against the constraint of the stockings.

A split-toe design separating the big toe from the other four.

Oh—seems one of the three pairs she gave me was the same style?

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I didn’t understand why the middle had to be split—turns out it’s for wearing these thong sandals.

“Sis~! Are you even listening to me!”

Bai Leying was anxious now, hopping in front of her to block her view.

“This isn’t up to me,” Bai Xiang said leisurely, sliding the wooden sword back into its scabbard. “If you want to go out, you’ll have to ask Grandpa.”

“Using Grandpa to brush me off again!” Bai Leying stamped her foot.

“Fine, I’ll ask!”

“Let’s see what excuse you come up with later!”

She came in a whirlwind and left in a whirlwind, making Bai Zhuqing cover her mouth with a soft laugh at the side.

“The gift I gave Auntie—why haven’t I seen Auntie wear it?”

Seeing Bai Xiang look over, she met her gaze without the slightest retreat and even pressed her—why wasn’t she wearing those three pairs of stockings?

Bai Xiang said nothing and continued practicing.

Today she’d swapped into a gray sweatshirt on top, with still the cautious black trousers below.

Undaunted, Bai Zhuqing kept smiling. “Why don’t we make a bet, Auntie? If Leying gets permission from Grandpa, then when Auntie accompanies us out, Auntie will put them on—how about it?”

This little minx—around others she calls me “Sister Xiang,” but one-on-one she calls me “Auntie.”

Bai Xiang frowned, paused, and asked, “If I truly were Bai Nianchan, wouldn’t that be upending the proper bonds and rites?”

“Yes—and so what.”

She’d thought invoking propriety would put pressure on her; unexpectedly, Bai Zhuqing didn’t shy from it at all and answered at once.

“Love is love.”

“Maybe I don’t love Auntie that much yet—but if even love has to be mixed with rules, what meaning is left in the word?”

“Besides.”

With proud grace, Bai Zhuqing stroked the lock of hair that fell before her.

“Auntie and Zhuqing share no blood now.”

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“Even if Auntie complained to Grandpa—or even to Governor Fang—it wouldn’t count as upending bonds and rites.”

Good grief.

Bai Xiang widened her eyes a fraction, then asked, “If I really am your aunt, don’t you resent me for taking your Sister Xiang?”

“At that, Zhuqing has thought it over and concluded it can only be that Auntie and Sister Xiang are one and the same.”

Bai Zhuqing ticked off points on her fingers.

“Zhuqing has observed that Auntie’s words, deeds, and bearing differ slightly from Sister Xiang’s, but the changes are limited.”

“Add that Auntie clearly remembers certain things from the past—this shows Auntie didn’t seize a body from nowhere. It can only be that the Sister Xiang Zhuqing admired was Auntie reincarnated, and that the changes after Auntie entered the Dao were due to a sudden awakening of past-life wisdom.”

“Even so, the person is different.”

Bai Xiang told her, half serious.

“I took your sister—you should resent me, really.”

“Is that so?”

Bai Zhuqing started, then covered her mouth with a laugh.

“If Auntie took Zhuqing’s sister, then Zhuqing should resent Auntie.”

“I say, better not.”

“Auntie can make it up to Zhuqing—by giving herself to her.”

She was obviously teasing; Bai Zhuqing didn’t believe her line at all.

Shaking her head, Bai Xiang couldn’t stay in this yard another moment; she sheathed her sword at once, intent on going to the edge of the grove to gaze out and clear her mind.

Seeing this, Bai Zhuqing rose as well.

Bai Xiang ignored her.

She resolved that from now on, whatever she said, she wouldn’t respond.

But just as she was about to go out, a figure barreled straight toward her.

Quick as a flash, Bai Xiang caught the person’s wrist, pulled her half around to unwind the force—and saw it was the other younger sister.

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“Grandpa agreed!”

Bai Leying had run the whole way; her forehead and cheeks were flushed rosy.

“Grandpa said he just happens to be writing a letter to Master Cizheng of Yinling Temple—he’s authorizing us to run the errand!”

Yinling Temple?

Bai Xiang narrowed her eyes.

To her, that temple was anything but ordinary.

“Oh, right!” Bai Leying added. “He also wants you to go over right away!”

“There’s a trunk over there—it might be something good for you!”

Two minutes later.

Bai Xiang reached Bai Shengju’s yard; with permission she entered the side room and at a glance saw there really was a black suitcase on the floor.

“This is the letter for Master Cizheng. Keep it safe.”

Bai Shengju first handed the sealed letter to Bai Xiang, then asked, “Any questions left about flesh-tempering?”

“None.”

Bai Xiang answered.

Just yesterday she had formally broken through to Nurture the Spirit tier four; the polishing of skin and flesh could be called complete, and she could begin training the viscera.

The speed of this progress was frightening. By Bai Xiang’s own estimate, with the strength of her skin and flesh as they stood, even a head-on clash with “Yang Xing” wouldn’t put her at a disadvantage.

“I’d taken you for mediocre—but I didn’t expect that after entering the Dao you’d be reborn! A shade more forceful than your aunt even.”

Bai Shengju sighed.

“A few of your questions about viscera-tempering yesterday—my stock of knowledge almost couldn’t answer them.”

“I realized at once that if I kept teaching you like this, I might hold you back.”

“Grandpa.”

Bai Xiang frowned.

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These days Bai Shengju had been grinding powders, boiling medicines, and explaining the Nurture the Spirit method for her—busy day after day; even his coughing had grown more frequent. How could he say he was holding her back?

“Enough!” Bai Shengju raised a hand.

“I know what I am.”

“Truly formidable figures can, by their own strength, carry a fallen dojo back to its peak. Your grandpa is still far from that; I’m afraid it will fall to you all to achieve it.”

“And this letter I’m giving you is to entrust you to Master Cizheng.”

“Master Cizheng’s line not only excels in the Dharma; they have unique studies on the Nurture the Spirit method. Your questions yesterday matched their approach quite well in conception. Whether it really suits you—we’ll only know by asking. Don’t feel embarrassed.”

Having said as much, Bai Xiang could only nod her agreement.

As for “matched”…

Yesterday I’d only casually asked why the viscera-tempering was so “slapdash,” hardly worthy of being called “thorough warm-nourishing,” and he’d already seen I wasn’t satisfied with the current method.

Yinling Temple.

Master Cizheng, then.

While Bai Xiang’s mind wandered, Bai Shengju strolled out again.

“Open the trunk and take a look.”

“What’s inside was tailored for you at your elder aunt’s request.”

?

A question mark popped up on Bai Xiang’s forehead. She stepped forward, knelt, opened the lid—inside was a neatly folded set of white, antique-style cloud-sheer long dress with black edging.

Ah, right.

By the rites of Great Yu, temples, daoist shrines, and dojos were all solemn places.

Among one’s own, it was casual—but if you went to someone else’s place, you’d best wear formal dress.

And beneath a woman’s formal dress, trousers and bare legs were not permitted.

Which meant… Bai Zhuqing was going to get an eyeful.