"Yes, provoking him in that situation wouldn't have been a good idea. Wen Yu's actions tonight were despicable, but at least he isn't a ruthless scoundrel. Otherwise, you'd be in serious trouble."
Qing Yao coldly warned the maid beside her. Her heart had been in her throat earlier. This girl was truly a handful.
Little Yu'er, seeing how worried Qing Yao and Mo Chou were for her, felt a warmth spread through her. She quickly ran to Qing Yao's side, wrapped her arms around her neck, and said word by word, "Don't worry, I'll be careful from now on. I won't be careless like tonight."
"Mm," Qing Yao nodded, then remembered something and looked up at Mo Chou.
"Mo Chou, starting tomorrow, you will teach Little Yu'er martial arts. Start with the basics."
"Yes, Miss," Mo Chou replied. Little Yu'er furrowed her delicate brows slightly, looking displeased. She disliked practicing martial arts. "Mom, I don't want to learn."
Qing Yao's expression turned stern, leaving no room for negotiation. "If you don't learn, don't even think about leaving the valley with us again."
Little Yu'er dared not say another word. She had been planning to leave the valley to explore. Since that was the case, she supposed she had to learn. Even so, her little face remained unhappy.
Learning martial arts was such a bitter undertaking, requiring years of persistent effort.
"Fine."
With a tone of reluctant compliance, Qing Yao ignored her. Mo Chou glanced at the night sky outside the window and gently reminded them, "It's late. You should rest early."
"Mm," mother and daughter nodded in unison. Little Yu'er cheerfully scrambled onto the bed. Qing Yao watched her motionlessly. "Little Yu'er, where is your room?"
"Tonight I'm staying with you," the girl said, then turned and blinked her big, watery eyes, feigning a wistful tone. "Let two lonely hearts keep each other company."
"You," Qing Yao knew she was being mischievous and didn't bother arguing. "Just for tonight. Don't find excuses every day."
"Yes," Little Yu'er smiled, contentedly climbing into bed to rest. Qing Yao also washed up and went to bed.
The next day, Little Yu'er began her martial arts training with Mo Chou. Because she was young and her body was supple, she learned everything with ease. More importantly, Mo Chou dared not make things difficult for her, so the daily lessons were not overly taxing.
The valley returned to its quiet state, now livened up by the presence of over a dozen young beggars and the audacious Little Yu'er, making it bustling every day.
Wu Qing was very happy. This was the peaceful life he truly desired.
In these ordinary and stable days, Little Yu'er's first birthday arrived.
On this day, from early morning, Wu Qing Valley was filled with joy. The birthday girl, Little Yu'er, dressed beautifully like a colorful butterfly, received congratulations from many people and abundant gifts.
Two banquet tables were set, and the festivities continued from noon until evening. The dozen or so children were especially delighted.
Laughter soared, drifting through the lush green mountains and clear waters.
In the evening, the children all returned home, and Little Yu'er was tired. Qing Yao instructed Mo Chou to take her to sleep. In the vast open space, only Qing Yao and Wu Qing sat together, smiling at each other. At this moment, Wu Qing slowly spoke.
"Qing Yao, I'll take you to see the secret base and introduce you to the people in the organization."
Although the secret base was located behind the back mountain, the organization itself was a shadow from the dark corners of society, so very few people had ever seen them.
They trained at night and slept during the day, and since it was a bit far from their living quarters, no one knew that there was actually a hidden mechanism within Wu Qing Valley, where a portion of people were practicing and drilling for unforeseen circumstances.
"Alright, I've been wanting to see it too."
Qing Yao's lips curved into a cold smile, her eyes filled with killing intent. Those people were likely not easily swayed, so she anticipated having to put in some effort. As Qing Yao mused, Wu Qing spoke softly beside her.
"You must show your strength today to gain their trust. And don't be soft-hearted. The stronger you are, the more they will respect you."
"Yes," Qing Yao nodded, turning to gaze at the vast night sky. A fierce, bloodthirsty aura flashed on her stunningly beautiful face. She then lowered her head and pushed Wu Qing towards the back mountain. Wu Qing faintly said to Qing Feng, who stood behind him.
"You don't need to go."
"Yes, Young Master," Wu Qing's voice trembled slightly. Although he knew this was bound to happen, facing the situation directly still made his heart ache.
He wondered what kind of furious rage the other party would unleash if they knew their master was directly defying his orders. Would it harm Miss Mu then?
Qing Feng's dark pupils were grim. He looked up at the sky, thinking this was truly a fated misfortune. Ever since they had entered Wu Qing Valley, the cycle of destiny, everything had deviated from its original course.
A cool breeze gently caressed their faces.
It was already winter outside, but the valley remained as warm as spring. This was because the temperature beneath the marsh was higher than elsewhere, and Wu Qing Valley occupied the warmest soil within the marsh, thus enjoying birdsong and fragrant blossoms year-round.
Behind the mountain, Wu Qing directed Qing Yao to push him through the herb garden and around a small grove of trees. To their surprise, behind the trees stood an iron gate shaped like a lion's head. Next to it, on neatly arranged stones, was an inlaid mechanism. Turning it left twice, then right twice, and left again, the stone gate let out a loud "boom" and opened.
What appeared before them was a long, brick-paved corridor extending downwards. As they stepped inside, the stone gate automatically closed. Torches were planted along both walls, illuminating the corridor clearly.
As Qing Yao pushed Wu Qing, she surveyed the area, marveling at its construction. The walls of the corridor were not merely earth but were built with stone bricks. Smooth bluestone bricks were adorned with exquisite patterns.
Above their heads, the stone walls formed a semi-arch, also decorated with floral and avian motifs. The sheer grandeur of just the walls hinted at the magnificence within.
The two walked downwards, hearing the distant sounds of voices and the clang of weapons. They were indeed training.
However, the sound of the stone gate alerted those inside. A tall, cold, and charismatic man, accompanied by two others, came forward. Upon seeing Wu Qing, he immediately bowed respectfully and greeted, "Master."
Wu Qing did not speak but simply nodded, gesturing towards Qing Yao beside him. He spoke softly, introducing her, "This is Qing Yao. The Tiger Tally is now under her command. From now on, all of you are to obey her orders."
The man was stunned. A flicker of disbelief crossed his stern face as he looked up at the woman beside his master. She was a woman of clear, cold, and stunning beauty, slender and delicate.
Despite her proud and defiant demeanor, it was hard to believe that such a striking woman was to command a large group of men like them. Not only he, but the entire group below would likely find it hard to accept.