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墨書 Inktalez
A new day began, and as I looked at this body, I realized I was thirteen and starting to develop. My chest was delicate enough to be held in one hand, and my slender waist had curves that were becoming more pronounced. After a year of careful nourishment, I had transformed from a pale and thin figure into someone strikingly beautiful. The contours of my beauty were beginning to show, and as I gazed into the yellowed bronze mirror, I discovered that I truly looked like a celestial being. While I may not be as stunning as the most beautiful women in the land, I certainly surpassed Second Sister's elegance.
Sometimes, I noticed Brother Three and Sixth Young Master staring at me with increasingly dazed expressions. The Demon Child's gaze grew deeper, perhaps filled with guilt for not realizing before that I was also beautiful, only seeing me as a mischievous girl.
Hmph, to me, being an invincible little sorceress was far more appealing.
Today, I would embark on a grand tour of the city with Yun Ying, which would be a perfect opportunity to test out my newly learned Disguise Technique.
After being cooped up in my room for quite some time, I fidgeted and finally appeared before Yun Ying as a handsome young man. Dressed in a dark red patterned deep robe with gold-threaded cloud sleeves, I had striking features and an energetic demeanor, yet my face bore a rare warmth that distinguished me from other young men.
Yun Ying's gaze was filled with astonishment; she seemed unable to believe that this unfamiliar young man was actually her mistress. Even the Adam's apple at his throat resembled hers so closely it was uncanny.
However, if he were a man, he was far too beautiful.
I smiled seductively while the Old Demon Lord chuckled slyly beside me, though there was an elusive expression in his eyes that I could not decipher.
I laughed proudly a few times and asked, "How do I look? Not bad, right?"
"From now on, I shall be An Jin."
As soon as the words left my mouth, my voice came out low and husky, nearly causing Yun Ying to faint.
She struggled to maintain her composure and stammered, "Mistress, what happened to your voice…"
I smiled sweetly and glanced at the grinning demon beside me. "You should ask my dear master about that. Thanks to him for providing me with this Voice-Changing Pill. As long as I don’t take the antidote for a day, my voice won’t revert back. Quite safe, right? No one will recognize me. Oh, Yun Ying, don’t space out; you mustn't fall in love with me."
"Mistress—"
"What are you calling me? It's not mistress; it's An Young Master. Remember that."
"Yes, An Young—no, An Young Master."
"Good job! Now let’s go. Oh right, don’t forget to hang up the rest sign." My only request to Brother Three and Huan Wen was that as long as the rest sign was hung up, it meant I had something important to attend to; they should never disturb me for any reason.
Locking the door from the inside, I helped Yun Ying change into the latest men's outfit I designed, casually adding some embellishments that would go unnoticed by acquaintances who might see him.
I lifted Yun Ying over the back wall (thanks to my master's skills, the benefits of ancient lightness techniques) and we strolled together to my shop.
They had never seen my true face before; I had only told them that seeing my token was like seeing me in person. It was a jade seal made by a Jade Processing Shop, resembling a badge, intricately carved with the strange Black Lotus and featuring a unique totem alongside my name. I was confident that no one else could replicate it.
The shop manager was a young man with a round face and a handsome, doll-like appearance. One day, while I was out, I happened to save him from some thugs. I heard he was a failed scholar who had nowhere else to turn and, out of gratitude, stayed on as my accountant, managing the shop's business and acting as my representative. I made him a special waist token based on the four auspicious beasts: Azure Dragon, White Tiger, Black Tortoise, and Vermilion Bird; I gave him the Vermilion Bird one. Later on, he became my right-hand man in the clothing and silk business, almost like family and one of my trusted aides. I discovered he had a keen business sense; after I roughly taught him modern accounting methods and business concepts, he quickly mastered them and developed his own strategies. In this regard, I felt somewhat inferior.
Mai Qi. In the future, he would become known throughout the country as the Vermilion Bird King. My steward.
Upon arriving at the shop, I kept things low-key and casually revealed the jade seal to him. He nodded knowingly; although his expression was excited, he didn’t show it too much. I smiled at him and walked into the inner reception room, casually finding a place to sit. He quickly brought over the account books. After glancing through them, I noted that his handwriting was very neat; these simple calculations were far too easy for me. In just half a tea's worth of time, I had everything sorted out. The profits were quite good; if this continued, expanding the scale of operations would be just around the corner.
"You’ve really worked hard, Little Seven."
"Boss, this is Little Seven's duty; it’s an honor to assist you. Besides, Little Seven hasn’t yet had the chance to thank Xie An for saving my life." He lowered his head respectfully, his tone sincere as he knelt straight on the ground.
"Call me An Jin. No need for such formality." In business dealings, one couldn't use their real name as a lady; thus, I had to resort to using my modern name. To be honest, although I had met him several times while conducting business, I always wore a veiled hat and never revealed my true face. Perhaps he was just excited to see his esteemed boss for the first time; his hands trembled slightly at his sides.
"Little Seven dares not do so. Since you are my Mai Qi's savior, it is only right that I remain respectful." His tone grew even more deferential.
I sighed in exasperation; ancient people could be so rigid. "Then just call me 'Young Master.' Boss feels a bit awkward."
"Understood, Little Seven will comply."
"By the way, how is everything going with the new shop?"
"The storefront, renovations, and workers have all been arranged as planned. I've also followed your advice to make it more accessible for common folks; I'm sure it will provide great convenience for many ordinary families."
"Good. We can't just focus on making money from the wealthy; it's also nice to allow common people to wear good clothes. Isn’t this what they call sharing joy with the people?"
Yun Ying, who had been silent all along, suddenly burst into laughter. "Young Master, you can't say such things lightly; those are words meant for the Current Emperor! Don’t scare us!"
Little Seven struggled to suppress his laughter as he lay on the ground.
"Is that so? Little Seven, get up. Have you checked out the big houses I asked you to look at?"
He stood up as instructed, walked to the side, and replied, "I visited a few, and they all seemed quite good. I think it would be best if we went together when you have some free time to decide."
"Alright, I'll come with you in a few days. Not today, though; today is my birthday. We’re going to Spring Garden later. Would you like to join us for some fun?"
"Ah—Spring Garden," his face flushed bright red as he awkwardly declined, "My lord, Little Seven is a scholar and shouldn’t accompany you. Here’s wishing you success in your career and continuous advancement."
Seeing his amusing demeanor made me smile involuntarily. I teased him, "What are you thinking, Little Seven? We're just going there to listen to some tunes and enjoy the courtesans' charm. Why can't you come?" Noticing his face turning crimson, I decided to let him off the hook. "Just kidding! If you don't want to go, I won't force you. You can stay busy; I'm leaving."
Yun Ying beside us couldn't help but laugh out loud. This girl had become increasingly bold under my guidance.
As I turned to leave, I glanced back at him and said softly, "In a few days, bring your mother from your hometown over."
Mai Qi stood frozen in place, tears shimmering in his eyes as he choked out, "Thank you, my lord."
With misty eyes, Mai Qi gazed at the master he had chosen for a lifetime.
His deep, cool eyes and luxurious Deep Robe made him appear extraordinarily noble and imposing. It seemed that anyone who dared to offend him would be committing an act of sacrilege.
I remembered the time I was robbed in an alley. Clinging desperately to the bundle containing the family heirloom my mother had given me when I left home, I endured their punches and kicks without uttering a word. At that moment, he descended like a divine son, casting a cold glance at the thugs. Dressed in black gauze and a wide-brimmed hat, combined with the dimming light of dusk and blood trickling down from the corner of his eye obscuring his features, I couldn’t see his face clearly but distinctly remembered him saying in an icy voice, "How dare so many bully a frail scholar? Despicable." Before Mai Qi could even comprehend what was happening, those men fell to the ground in pain.
Mai Qi felt he was as elegant as a chrysanthemum yet as fierce as a sword. Those men were spared their lives but left with broken right arms. Strangely enough, despite his usual aversion to violence, he found no disdain for this side of him; instead, he felt deep admiration.
Finally, he spoke softly with no warmth in his voice: "Get lost." Though his tone was gentle and melodious, Mai Qi felt the air around him freeze solidly cold enough to make him shiver.
Mai Qi stumbled slightly as he got up from the ground. He didn’t seem to mind Mai Qi’s bruised and battered appearance; instead, he approached and handed him a pure white handkerchief embroidered with Black Lotus.
He stared at Mai Qi for a long moment. Mai Qi remembered being so tense that he held his breath and didn’t dare move an inch. Then he smiled lightly; his voice was surprisingly gentle: "Are you scared? Don’t worry; with me around, no one will bully you again. Tomorrow bring this note to Jin Jun shop on Huiren Street to find me. I’ll make sure you live differently; one day you'll stand above those fellows and see how they beg you." His tone was calm yet made Mai Qi feel as if his entire body was ablaze with excitement; it felt like finding faith in a divine son. At that moment, Mai Qi realized that failing an exam didn't matter anymore; losing all his money was insignificant too. What mattered was that from now on, he belonged entirely to him—no matter what happened, he would follow him for life.
Mai Qi stared blankly at his departing figure, not expecting him to suddenly stop and say with a light smile, "I like your stubbornness. A true man never gives up or compromises. Heh."
He came like the wind and left like the wind. Mai Qi had no idea who he was, but she tightened her grip on the strip of paper and the white handkerchief in her hand, secretly hoping to see him again tomorrow.
The next day, she indeed saw him again. Although he still wore a veil that obscured his true face, her heart was already filled with gratitude. He handed her a token, and when Mai Qi looked at the totem, she recognized it as the Vermilion Bird.
As he passed it to her, he said lightly, "You’re all set now; this will be your status from now on."
Although Mai Qi didn’t fully understand its significance, she nodded firmly.
She left the shop with Yun Ying.
As they strolled along, she found herself less curious about the wares sold by street vendors than she had been during her first disguise. Yun Ying bought two skewers of candied hawthorn for her to hold, attracting quite a few curious glances. It was indeed unusual for a grown man to eat candied hawthorn like a child, but she didn’t care much about that anymore. She had already enjoyed most of the fun this place had to offer.
After wandering for a while, she grew hungry. Although Yun Ying had been reluctant to eat at restaurants since she started cooking, in Mai Qi's opinion, the delicacies at restaurants were far superior to her homemade Chinese and Western dishes.
She insisted on dragging him to the best restaurant in Jiankang City—Friend Gathering Pavilion.
They found a private room and were about to head inside when suddenly a young man appeared out of nowhere, trying to claim the room Mai Qi had just reserved. She watched as he whispered something to the restaurant owner, Ear. The owner's expression changed as he turned apologetically to Mai Qi and said, "My apologies, young sir. That private room has always been reserved for that gentleman. I thought he wouldn’t come, so I—I'm truly sorry."
What a sycophant.
Following his direction with a cold gaze, she looked over and disdainfully locked eyes with what she assumed was some spoiled rich kid. But as soon as she noticed the strange color of his eyes—pale purple and silver—she realized how wrong she was. What kind of eyes were those? They were dark like twilight whispers yet clear as if they enveloped everything around him. He wore an apparently ordinary dark long robe, but around his waist was a rare golden belt adorned with peculiar patterns. His handsome face was framed by long black eyebrows that swept into his casually draped hair. His deep-set eyes sparkled like obsidian, exuding both authority and curiosity as they scrutinized her. He carried an air of nobility mixed with danger.
Mai Qi paused slightly but quickly regained her composure and replied indifferently, "In this world, we are all brothers. I believe this gentleman understands the order of arrival; let’s not ruin our peace over this."
The young man who had blocked their way wore a stern expression as he glared at them and threatened, "What kind of status does my master have that he should yield to you? I advise you to be sensible before I take action."
Instead of getting angry, Mai Qi smiled unexpectedly with an alluring charm and coldly replied, "Oh really? What if I refuse to yield? I don’t care who this gentleman is; as the saying goes, every guest is welcome regardless of status. Besides, gathering together is what friends do; if we start distinguishing between high and low here, how can we continue doing business?"
Seeing her resolute attitude made the owner frown in distress; he could only look toward the cold-faced guard beside him. The guard angrily exclaimed, "You little brat—" and drew his sword to charge at her. She scoffed at him disdainfully; what an ignorant fool.
Just as I was about to teach this arrogant fellow a lesson, he suddenly spoke up: “Shen Qing, do not be unreasonable.” He then smiled at me, but it was a smile that sent chills down my spine—cold and devoid of any warmth in his eyes. I couldn't help but shiver; this person had an intimidating presence, and I couldn't tell where he came from. “This gentleman just said that all under heaven are brothers. If you don’t mind, why don’t we go have a drink together?”
I looked at him, feeling somewhat hesitant, and softly replied, “Then I shall gladly accept.”
“Sir—” Yun Ying beside me pulled at my arm with concern. I gave her a reassuring smile and turned back to stubbornly meet the dark gaze of the man. I didn’t notice the flicker of interest that began to rise in his eyes.
Fortunately, he was quite composed and elegant, more agreeable than I had imagined. Once we reached the private room, he dismissed Shen Qing with ease, and reluctantly, Yun Ying followed suit. After a few cups of Osmanthus Wine, we had already warmed up to each other; the defenses and coldness around him gradually faded away. It was true what they say: you don’t know someone until you’ve fought with them!
Eventually, someone suggested that it seemed destined for us to have such a connection and proposed that we become sworn brothers. Initially, this mistaken brotherhood was filled with jest; neither of us took it seriously at that moment.
I boldly took a large gulp of wine and laughed, “I’m An Jin. I’m fifteen this year. How about you?” Not wanting him to call me a kid and due to my natural wariness, I didn’t want him to know how young I really was or anything more. Everyone has their secrets; I figured he would keep his from me as well.
He raised his cup in return and toasted me. Though his voice was still cold, there was now a hint of warmth in his eyes. “I am Sima Langye. Five years older than you; from now on, I’ll be the elder brother, and you’ll be the younger brother.”
“Sounds good! Brother Sima, not bad at all.” After drinking for a while, we both felt slightly tipsy.
“Brother, let this wine witness that from now on we are brothers.”
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