Return 2

But Li Changhai waved a hand at the tent flap immediately after he said that. And from the curt bow that he gave Qin Feng, the latter could sense that the Second Ducal Prince was about to spring an unpleasant surprise at him.

Fortunately, it was more unexpected, rather than unpleasant. "My Grandmother has asked to see you. I think she wants to thank you personally, for saving my life. And maybe question you about the motivations of the Heaven Sword School. As you can guess, she had arranged for one of their more senior experts to take care of my safety during ... that last battle. And she wasn't too pleased with the results of that. So ..."

Qin Feng was more than delighted to throw stones. Especially when it was going to end up destroying Nu Yuanqing's reputation. "She wants me to give my own account of the fight? I would be glad to. But I think I shall have to change first. This is hardly the sort of attire that you wish me to wearing when I appear in front of Lady Xie Nianxue, hmmm?"

Li Changhai laughed again, and waved a hand at him, as though acknowledging his point. "You are correct about that. I shall send someone in with clothes that are ... more suited for the occasion," he smirked, as he turned and moved towards the tent flap.

"But don't take too long to get ready. My grandmother tends to be a little impatient, so you don't want to have her dropping in on you, with your trousers down!"

*

In the end, he rushed to get himself dressed, and appeared in the large tent that he took to belong to Lady Xie not too long after Li Changhai left. And found himself facing the redoubtable woman there alone! Which was enough to make him a little anxious. He had been expecting the Second Ducal Prince to be present, for support. After all, wasn't it a little improper, for someone like him to be together with the Old Marquis' wife, all alone in a tent?

Well, as it turned out, Lady Xie Nianxue didn't seem to care about the propriety of the situation at all.

In fact, she had seated him down in front of her, and spent a good bit of time, running her eyes all over him. Which was more than enough to make him nervous. But Lady Xie nodded at him at the end of her scrutiny, with a slight air of approval.

"You have your wits about you, I will grant you that. Ming Guanhe was not mistaken, when he mentioned that you knew when to advance and when to withdraw. And Xuan Weizhong claimed that he lost a good son-in-law, when his daughter left to the East. Which leads to the question that I have been meaning to ask you:

"You would stand to rise in the Heaven Sword School if you remained there, perhaps even rise to become an adjunct Elder, if you carried on. Why then did you choose to leave? What was it that drove you to take that step? I have found no fault in any of your actions thus far. And uncovered no real conflict."

Qin Feng gave out a sigh as soon as he heard her question. Fortunately, he had been prepared for something like this. And he was probably young enough to get away with the excuse that he was intending to use.

Besides, he doubted that Lady Xie Nianxue was going to be too hard on him, if he pursued an argument based on the emotional angle. After all, hadn't she already shown how much of a romantic she was?

"That is ... Since Lady Xie has been to Heaven Sword School already, I suppose you have already ... you already know about the Rear Gardens, and the small number of female disciples there? That is where the Elders' female offspring are taught ... some of the School's martial arts."

The Old Marquis' beloved wife gave him a slightly crooked smile as soon as she heard that. "I have. Just as I have heard about your ... romance with one of the disciples there. A young woman named Lingxi, if I am not mistaken? You two have a certain ... history, if the stories that I have heard are true."

Qin Feng nodded, even as he sent a stream of qi up into his head, and circulated it so that his cheeks would start to glow. Enough to give an impression of an embarrassed blush. "They are true ... to a large extent. We have ... somewhat complex feelings for one another. And our affair is not much of a secret."

"But I think she is not the reason for your sudden withdrawal from the School. And in such an inopportune time. Leaving that place in such a hurry, and in the Winter Season, leads one to believe that there are ... extenuating circumstances? Another male disciple perhaps?"

Qin Feng sighed, and quickly shook his head. "No, not a male disciple. Senior Sister Lingxi and I had already known that our ... dalliance would not last long, and she had always pushed other female disciples from the Rear Gardens at me. However, things did not ... end up as she had hoped. I ended up ... falling for someone outside her expectations. And mine."

Lady Xie gave out an exclamation, a knowing one. As though she had figured things out on her own. And the look that she threw at him held a hint of sympathy.

"Then ... it was Xuan Weizhong's daughter, Xuan Mei. I can see why you say it was inappropriate. Xuan Mei is a genius, who has already mastered four different Secret Arts of the School. I have heard that the Left Guardian has even offered to take her as his personal disciple, against all expectations. You should have known that your romance was doomed, when that happened."

Qin Feng shrugged, and shot the older woman a sad smile. "That is true. Besides, Senior Sister Xuan has been teasing Lingxi and I for some time now, and is well aware of ... what has been going on between the two of us. But Elder Xuan has been supportive of our relationship. So it was going well, for a while. We were even betrothed.

"But she had been selected to join another Sect - a more powerful one! So she broke off our engagement, and left without a word. So how could I not leave, when I learned that she was going to be raised so high, out of my reach, even if I were to become an Inner School disciple. Or even a Core Disciple?" he gave out in a loud sigh.

Lady Xie's voice was grave, when she finally acknowledged his point. It seemed rather clear that she was sympathetic towards him, and could see that he was referring to the pointing fingers and the mocking smiles that were sure to be directed at him, for something that was beyond his control. Thankfully, she did not bother to ask for proof, as he doubted that any of the Elders that she had spoken to would have been open enough to cite examples of his humiliation.

"It is rather hopeless, I will admit. And I can see why you chose to leave, when you did. Of course, I shall not bother to add that my grandson has benefited from this sad turn of events. You did manage to save his life, as I had mentioned earlier.

"And I believe that we were talking about a suitable reward for your efforts. So, to go back to our original topic ... Have you decided what sort of prize you would like? I think that it is only fair that I gift the reward to you, rather than to the Heaven Sword School, since you are no longer a part of that institution. What do you say? What reward would you desire?"

* * *