Palace Coup 21

The sword was perfect!
It was neither too light nor too heavy. As long as she practiced diligently every day, even if the day came when she had to fight on the battlefield and wield it for long hours, it would be just right.

When she saw the sword, Miaoxuan’s heart burned with an inexplicable sense of destiny, as if fate itself had destined her to learn the blade.

As for the young man, well, she could only apologize to him. Since he had the skill to forge this sword, once he woke up, he could always make another one. Whether he would survive his current state of bleeding out was no longer her concern. She had already left him a gold coin in accordance with the chivalrous codes of the martial world.

Miaoxuan fondly toyed with the sword in her hands.

Ding—

A gust of wind brushed past her ear, stirring the strands of hair by her cheek.

Her expression changed, and she bent down to dodge.

Yet, even though she reacted in an instant, she could not match the ghostly speed of the person behind her. A cold hand had already clamped around her neck.

A warm presence pressed against her back, lingering just enough to be felt—not oppressive, but undeniably present.

Da Niu reacted quickly, attempting to step forward to rescue her, but with an unpredictable kick, he was sent flying to the side.

“Who are you?” came the cold question right behind her ear, the heavy, metallic scent penetrating her nostrils.

Miaoxuan couldn’t help but roll her eyes at the cliché. That line—like he knew everyone in the world, as if no one could escape his recognition.

Unexpectedly, this man was incredibly tenacious, with a uniquely deceptive agility.

His fighting style differed from Xie Yuanju’s domineering approach; he moved with a lightness and grace. Miaoxuan’s eyes rolled around twice thoughtfully.

When the enemy is strong and you are weak, feign weakness.

She softened her voice, trailing off delicately like an innocent, naive girl, “Young hero, please don’t kill me. I only came to see the mountain flowers—I mean no harm, sob sob...”

Miaoxuan lowered her thick lashes, her pale profile glowing softly, exuding the fragile, pitiful aura of a delicate flower.

The grip around her throat tightened. “Shut up. I heard everything you said earlier. You’re wicked at heart! Don’t pretend—tell me, who exactly are you?”

Miaoxuan was suddenly enlightened; he hadn’t fainted earlier, he was awake. Not only awake but enduring the pain of broken fingers, holding back until she and Da Niu turned to leave before making his move.

If he had to wait until now to attack, there were two likely reasons: one, to see what she was really after and whether she posed a threat; two, despite his excellent skills, he deliberately held back until he was at his limit—otherwise, with his agility and power, he wouldn’t have needed to endure for so long before striking.

Such cunning. Her judgment was correct—this man was truly a formidable adversary.

Her mind racing, Miaoxuan hesitated. “You told me to shut up, so should I speak or not?”

Her playful remark clearly fell on deaf ears behind her.

The chokehold tightened further, the air thinning around her throat.

Da Niu charged again but was kicked aside once more. Still, he remained vigorous, ready to rush to her defense, not gravely injured.

Such restraint...

“Da Niu, stop! Don’t come any closer.”

The weight in her hand reminded her sharply. She patted her thigh and thought, well then, since it’s handed to me on a silver platter, it’s him.

He insisted on coming after her.

Miaoxuan composed herself, her voice steady. “I am the daughter of the Xie family who owns this estate. You’re gravely injured and won’t last long. If I’m correct, you’re not only badly hurt but poisoned as well. How about this—we make a deal? I have excellent healers and top-notch medicine. I only ask for one condition: you teach me swordsmanship for three months. During that time, I won’t ask who you are or interfere with your affairs. After three months, we’ll part ways, no questions asked. How does that sound?”

The cold reply came from behind, “Your life is in my hands, and you still dare to bargain?”

“Yes, my life is in your hands, that’s true. But what benefit do you gain by killing me now? You waited so long to make your move because you wanted to see what I would do. And as you can see, I have no interest in who you are, what you want, or where you’re going. If you hadn’t grabbed me, I would have gone home already. There’s no irreconcilable conflict between us. Why not cooperate for mutual benefit?”

The faint warmth at her back gradually faded, the cold from his blood loss pressing against Miaoxuan like a block of ice, making her uncomfortable.

She tried to shift but couldn’t.

“I promise to heal you properly and give you the best medicine to restore your strength. While you recover, you can teach me swordsmanship. It’s a fair trade, isn’t it? If you think three months is too long... how about two?”

She had been contemplating whom to seek for sword training. Since she now had a ready-made master, why not take advantage?

If he wanted to simply let her go, he wouldn’t have bothered to capture her or spare her and Da Niu’s lives. They both had their own purposes.

Silence lingered behind her. Despite all she said, except for the initial threat at her throat, she hadn’t sensed any killing intent.

She continued coaxing gently, “If I wanted your life, I would have taken it by now. Likewise, if you wanted mine, you wouldn’t have listened to me drone on. My terms are on the table—it’s up to you to accept. Let me remind you, nowhere else but the capital can you find better medicine or more skilled healers than me. In your state, forget about surviving to the capital; even if you do, you likely won’t be able to go. I’m just someone wanting to learn a little martial skill, no threat to you. You teach me, I heal you—no debts between us.”

After a long while, so long that Miaoxuan thought he wouldn’t agree, a single word came: “Li Ge.”

Miaoxuan turned her head to look at him. The young man was leaning on her shoulder, staring intently with ink-black eyes that seemed to hide a trapped beast.

“Alright, Li Ge, the deal is made.” Her voice was clear, tinged with a hint of joyful certainty.

Her breath brushed warmly against his ear, moist and hot.

Closing his eyes, the youth seemed to finally give in, collapsing heavily onto her back.

Miaoxuan staggered, narrowly avoiding a fall. His right hand swung against her thigh; the bent knuckles were slightly reddened. She awkwardly rubbed her nose and didn’t retort.

“Da Niu, are you alright?”

“I’m fine, miss.” Da Niu got up, his face flushed with shame, blaming himself for failing to protect her several times.

The sky was already darkening. Miaoxuan, not noticing Da Niu’s unusual demeanor, said, “He’s too heavy. Come, help me carry him back.”