Title : Luo Yu’s & Qin Jianyue’s Story
Author : PurpleLy
THIS IS FAN FICTION!!! Click here to read the full disclaimer
Two years had passed in Lesser Jade House since the group of five had entered. During this time, all five of them had gotten very close and enjoyed each other’s company. They’d often talk about their plans after leaving Lesser Jade House and afterwards they’d share stories of their respective experiences before they’d joined.
Apart from Wang Ke who’d decided to return to his family and hometown, the rest of their current circumstances were the same. Their families wouldn’t accept their relationships any more than the realm would. In the end, the four of them had decided to find somewhere secluded to settle down and once they’d done that, they would then roam the Jianghu together.
They’d spent a few months deciding between the best regions and districts. None of them had travelled much, so their knowledge in that respect was rather limited. Wanjuan Pavilion only housed martial arts techniques, methodologies and medical-related texts, so it wasn’t much help on determining possible locations for them to reside.
As they were nearing their wits’ end, Luo Yu had an unexpected visitor one morning. Shizun’s little green bird had come bearing a folded letter in its beak. The bird flew off the instant Luo Yu took the letter. He unfolded it and read Shizun’s typical punctuation-free script:
“Ah Yu I know you havent had much success in finding a suitable place for once you leave Lesser Jade House Id once established a small school atop Yuqiong Peak on Yulian Mountain It hasnt been used for several years and is currently unoccupied but its isolated and has a hot spring pool which I know you will make use of You and the others may reside there Do be prepared for the chill Immortal Qingbo”
Luo Yu immediately shared the news with Qin Jianyue and the others. They were immensely grateful for Shizun’s assistance and naturally everyone marvelled at her omnipotence. Now that they’d settled their plans, they could fully focus on completing their training.
Su Huaizhu, Gu Ruohai, Luo Yu, Qin Jianyue and Wang Ke had managed to complete their discipleships within a month of each other and they all decided to leave Lesser Jade House on the same day. Today was that day.
After breakfast, each of them packed up their belongings, tidied up their rooms and made their farewells to their shixiongs and shijies. There was no graduation ceremony, no parting banquet. They exchanged some heartfelt words and the five of them descended Meizhu Mountain together.
Once they reached the foot of the mountain, Wang Ke turned to the rest of them and said his goodbyes. He’d promised to stay in contact with everyone. After he’d left, the four of them went to Meizhu town to purchase some horses.
They’d planned to first accompany Gu Ruohai to Tengyun Pavilion where he would settle his affairs, then all of them would head to Yulian Mountain together. Once they’d established themselves there, Qin Jianyue would head to the capital to meet with the emperor.
Qin Jianyue had been insistent and wanted to provide his emperor brother a due explanation while hoping against hope to obtain his blessing to be with Luo Yu. At the same time, they would continue to roam the Jianghu together.
Since it was already getting dark, they decided to stay the night at an inn before departing for Lanyang City the following day.
The next morning when they were readying their horses, Luo Yu felt a tap on his shoulder. He instinctively turned around and to his astonishment, standing before him was a young girl about sixteen dressed in Central Plains clothing, her hair done in a local fashion and accompanied by a man in his twenties.
“Jin’er?!” Luo Yu gaped. The rest of the group looked on quietly.
Eluojin smiled and she hugged her brother, “Ge! I’ve missed you terribly.”
Then she turned to the man who was with her and said, “You can leave. I’m with Eluoyu now. He’ll take care of me.”
The man gave a slight nod before disappearing into the crowd.
Luo Yu looked her up and down, “How did you find me?”
Eluojin said, “I overheard our king brother complaining that you’d snuck out of Eluo and our spies in the Central Plains had followed you to Meizhu Mountain before losing track of you. They’d mentioned that you’d probably entered this Lesser Jade House place. So I slipped out of the palace to look for you.”
“You travelled all the way here alone? Jin’er, do you have any idea how dangerous that is?” Luo Yu wanted to shout but controlled his tone.
Eluojin brushed it off saying, “I wasn’t totally alone. I got one of the palace maids to follow me as far as Eluo’s border with the Wasteland. Fortunately, we met some Black Feather troops there and just so happened that my maid’s brother was one of the lieutenants in charge. He was nice enough to provide me an escort all the way here.”
Luo Yu folded his arms, “I find it hard to believe that none of our people from Eluo didn’t stop you when they knew who you were and where you were heading.”
Eluojin fiddled with her little braid over her shoulder and said in a hushed tone, “Since they knew who I was, they naturally wouldn’t want to get on the wrong side of an Eluo witch, right?”
Luo Yu felt that he was going to have a headache soon. He turned to the group and said, “Everyone, this is my younger sister Eluojin, also known as Luo Jin.” He went round making the introductions. “This is Qin Jianyue, Gu Ruohai and Su Huaizhu. They’re all my shixiongs from Lesser Jade House.”
Eluojin glanced over at the three men with her brother and smiled, “Nice to meet all of you.” She turned back to Luo Yu, “So, where are we going?”
Luo Yu pointed at himself and her, “We are not going anywhere.” He gestured to the group and himself, “We have some matters to attend to. You are going back to Eluo right now.”
Eluojin stomped her foot. “Ge! You’re so heartless. I came all the way here to find you and you want me to go back? Can’t I travel with you for a little while first?”
Luo Yu shook his head, “It’s not convenient for a young lady like yourself to be travelling with so many men. Think of your reputation.”
Eluojin was persistent, “No one knows me here. Isn’t that wonderful? How can it be inconvenient? I have you and all your shixiongs to protect me. Besides, if I go back now, our king brother will surely lock me up until the end of time. At least let me enjoy myself before I’ve to go back and face him. Pleeeaase!”
Luo Yu closed his eyes and rubbed his temples. Qin Jianyue put a hand on his shoulder, “Ah Yu, since this is your meimei, we can’t just leave her here to wander the Jianghu alone.”
Gu Ruohai spoke up, “He’s right, Luo Yu. It’s just one more person travelling with us. She won’t be a bother.”
Eluojin immediately beamed, “Gu DaGe* is so magnanimous!”
(*big brother)
In the end, Luo Yu was convinced to allow his sister to tag along.
Their first stop was Lanyang City. In order to avoid any unnecessary trouble along the way, all of them travelled in disguise. The Jianghu was relatively uneventful at that time. While no one would expect the young masters of Tengyun Pavilion, the Devil Sect, two princes and a princess to be journeying together, it was better not to take any chances.
After several days on horseback, they reached the gates of Lanyang City. This was the stronghold of Tengyun Pavilion and the moment they’d set foot inside, Tengyun Pavilion’s guard in the guise of a street merchant caught Gu Ruohai’s attention. They moved to an inn managed by Tengyun Pavilion a few streets away.
After ensuring that his companions would be well looked after during his absence, Gu Ruohai made his way to Tengyun Pavilion. The four of them cleaned themselves up, had some food and rested while waiting for Gu Ruohai’s return.
Naturally, the most anxious of all was Su Huaizhu, who’d intended to follow Gu Ruohai but was advised against it. Gu Ruohai wanted to speak with his father alone. He knew his father’s temper and blatantly showing up with the Devil Sect’sYoung Saint in tow wasn’t the best way to break the news to Tengyun Pavilion Master of his intentions to travel the Jianghu with him.
Several hours later, Gu Ruohai hadn’t returned and there had been no messages from him.
“Why are we here?” Eluojin asked Luo Yu. “And why did Gu DaGe leave us?”
Luo Yu replied, “Hai Ge has some business to discuss with his father alone.”
She looked puzzlingly at Su Huaizhu who was pacing up and down in the room after they’d had dinner together and whispered to Luo Yu, “Why is Su DaGe so agitated?”
Luo Yu gave a light cough, “He’s very worried about Hai Ge.”
Eluojin continued to whisper: “He looks like he wants to kill someone.”
Luo Yu was about to say something when Qin Jianyue came over and sat down beside him. Eluojin straightened and greeted, “Qin DaGe.”
Qin Jianyue smiled, “Su Huaizhu is acting like this because he is afraid Gu Ruohai’s father will punish him for being together.”
Eluojin cast Luo Yu a bewildered look: “Together?”
Qin Jianyue explained, “Su Huaizhu and Gu Ruohai are a couple.”
Eluojin’s confused expression turned to shock, then surprise as she looked at Qin Jianyue and Luo Yu. She eyed Su Huaizhu for some time.
Luo Yu frowned and elbowed Qin Jianyue. “She’s too young to understand all this.”
Qin Jianyue put his arm around Luo Yu, “She seems very smart for her age and she would’ve figured it out sooner or later.”
Eluojin’s mouth fell open a little as she looked back and forth at her brother and the man holding him, “Ge……you and he……are you……also?” She put her hand over her mouth as she tried to stifle a laugh, but it came out as a snort anyway.
“You laugh now. When it happens to you, we’ll see who’s the one laughing then.” Luo Yu swatted her on the shoulder.
Not long after that, there was a knock on the door and Su Huaizhu answered it. It was an elderly man who said he was from Tengyun Pavilion bearing a note from Gu Ruohai. Once he’d left, Su Huaizhu hurried to unseal and read the note.
Gu Ruohai wrote that he’d argued with his father and had been punished to remain in his courtyard. Luckily, he’d managed to send a missive through his trusted steward. He told them that he’d planned to escape Tengyun Pavilion and informed the group to meet up with him somewhere outside the city gates later that night.
Su Huaizhu and the others quickly packed their belongings. They hastened out of the inn and left Lanyang City as discreetly as they could in order not to alert Tengyun Pavilion’s guards. Once they were safely outside the city gates, they made their way to the rendezvous point and waited for Gu Ruohai to show up.
At the agreed time, Gu Ruohai finally appeared. Upon seeing Su Huaizhu, he rushed into his arms and they both embraced for a while. Su Huaizhu held him tightly and whispered in his ear.
In case Gu Ruohai’s absence had already been detected and Tengyun Pavilion instigated a manhunt for him, they decided to continue travelling at night and didn’t stop until they reached the next township.
The next couple of days were spent travelling from one town to another, only sleeping in inns at night before continuing their journey.
It was mid morning when the group arrived in Xunshui City. They could’ve continued onto the next town but Eluojin had been complaining that they’d been rushing most of the way and she hadn’t any opportunity to do much sightseeing. They then all agreed to spend the day there and continue their way the following morning. So they all found an inn to stay and went walking around the town after that.
Luo Yu had to keep up with his rambunctious sister as she flitted from stall to stall. Perhaps her life as a princess in Eluo was fairly mundane because she acted as if she wanted to buy everything there all at once. Luo Yu had to continually dissuade her, telling her that she wouldn’t be able to bring everything back with her. She was fascinated by all the trinkets and snacks she’d never set eyes on before.
For the most part, she listened to her Ge and didn’t bother when he told her off. But she was mischievous and would badger Luo Yu over and over just to get a rise out of him.
Ultimately, she reached a stall selling accessories and a hairpin caught her eye. She held it up and tugged incessantly at Luo Yu’s sleeve.
“Ge, I really like this one. Buy it for me, please.” She begged.
“Jin’er, you already have so many back home. Why do you need this one?” Luo Yu took it from her hand and examined it. It wasn’t very fancy but it was carved from ebony and had a decorative jade flower at the end.
Eluojin pouted, “You’ve already denied me everything else. This is just a hairpin and I really, really want it. Please. Please. PLEASE.”
She snatched it back, held it up in her hair and turned to Gu Ruohai. “Gu DaGe. Doesn’t it look pretty?”
Gu Ruohai smiled, “Yes, very pretty.”
Su Huaizhu, who was next to him said, “Hai Bo’er, if you like it, I’ll get you one too.”
Gu Ruohai turned and gave him a tender smile.
Eluojin made a face, “Can you both flirt somewhere else? Help me convince Ge to buy this for me. Ge….. Ge……Ge……”
Qin Jianyue patted Luo Yu on the shoulder, “It’s just a hairpin.”
In the end, Luo Yu couldn’t stand her pestering and gave up, “Alright, quit your whining. I’ll buy it for you.” He grudgingly took out his purse and gave some coins to the vendor. The vendor placed the hairpin in a box before handing it to Eluojin. She took it gleefully.
“Thank you, Ge!” She squealed happily, holding it to her chest and skipping around.
Luo Yu grumbled under his breath, “Just to shut you up.”