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Chapter 471: Xiaojiu's Mother
Chapter 471: Xiaojiu's Mother
When Yan Madam returned to the courtyard, Meng Qianqian was diligently drying medicinal herbs as instructed.
Ever since entering the Thousand Mechanism Pavilion, Yan Madam had only assigned this task to Meng Qianqian, not even allowing her to move around. Day after day, she toiled at the monotonous task of drying herbs.
Meng Qianqian knew that Yan Madam was doing this intentionally, but she never slacked off or bargained with her.
Whatever task was given, she would do it.
This kind of forbearance reminded her of her former Senior Sister.
Yan Hanshuang's mother had passed away early, and her father sold her for ten taels of silver. She couldn't remember which family she had been sold to.
She only knew that she had been sold several times, serving as a child wife, a maidservant, and even performing with a theater troupe in the jianghu.
In the troupe, she learned some martial arts, and the old master, seeing her potential, sent her to the Thousand Mechanism Pavilion in exchange for twenty taels of silver.
Initially, she was just an outer-door disciple, but through hard work and diligent practice, she gradually stood out among the other outer-door disciples.
During a fighting competition in the Thousand Mechanism Pavilion, she, as an outer-door disciple, defeated three inner-door disciples in a row, causing a sensation within the pavilion.
She thought that her fate would change from then on, and she eagerly awaited being accepted as an inner-door disciple. However, what she didn't expect was the bullying that nearly took half her life.
"Who do you think you are, daring to embarrass Senior Brother Hao Ran and Senior Brother Huaian in public?"
"Exactly! And what about Senior Sister Li? Do you think you can humiliate her? Senior Sister Li is magnanimous and doesn't want to hurt an outer-door disciple like you, but you, you're so presumptuous, taking advantage of the situation to attack Senior Sister Li! If it weren't for her holding back, do you really think you could handle her moves?"
As they spoke, they landed punches and kicks on her body.
The Hao Ran Senior Brother, Huaian Senior Brother, and Li Senior Sister they mentioned were disciples of two elders.
During the competition, the two elders had praised her for her extraordinary talent, not disgracing the Thousand Mechanism Pavilion, and even in front of the old pavilion master, they competed to take her as their disciple.
The two elders argued until their faces turned red and necks thick, and it was only after another elder intervened that the dispute over accepting her as a disciple temporarily subsided.
Her face flushed, and her heart pounded rapidly.
But it turned out... it was all just an act.
They never intended to take her as their disciple.
They were putting on a show for the old pavilion master.
She had defeated their disciples, causing them to lose face.
This was the Thousand Mechanism Pavilion, and this was the reality of the jianghu's major sects.
How ironic.
She gave up resisting and let the snowflake-like punches and kicks fall on her head and body.
Gradually, she became a bloody mess, and her consciousness grew hazy.
She was probably going to die...
Death might be better.
Every day she lived was so difficult.
What meaning did such a life have?
"What are you doing?"
A stern female voice echoed behind the crowd.
The beating seemed to stop.
Her eyes were badly swollen, and through a blurry slit, she vaguely saw panic on everyone's faces.
It was laughable; with blood covering her eyes, how could she see their expressions clearly? Perhaps it was just her imagination.
She was truly beyond help, for even at this point, she still hadn't realized the evil nature of humanity.
A person as aimless as her, how could anyone stand up for her?
She was indeed bold to even think of it.
"Yuan... Senior Sister Yuan?"
One disciple spoke up in panic.
The others quickly stood up, using their bodies to block her curled-up figure on the ground.
Zhongli Yuan's stern gaze swept over the crowd, "What are you doing?"
"N-nothing."
A female disciple replied softly.
Zhongli Yuan's expression turned serious, "The Thousand Mechanism Pavilion prohibits private duels and the abuse of private punishment.
"It was her who made the first move."
"Yes, Senior Sister Yuan, she hit us first and even insulted us relentlessly. We had no choice but to fight back..."
"Senior Sister Yuan, please be the judge..."
Zhongli Yuan said, "You lot, follow me to see the Pavilion Master."
"Senior Sister Yuan, spare us!"
"Senior Sister Yuan, please let us off this time! We promise we won't dare again!"
"Senior Sister Yuan, I beg you, for the sake of my master, please be merciful!"
Everyone started pleading for mercy.
Would she offend the two elders within the pavilion for the sake of an outer-door disciple?
Yan Hanshuang thought that if it were her, she would never be so foolish.
As soon as this thought crossed her mind, she caught a whiff of a warm and fragrant scent.
A pair of soft arms lifted her up from the ground.
Her heart skipped a beat, and she couldn't help but recall the feeling of her mother.
"Mother..."
Her nose twitched, and she could no longer hold back the grievances in her heart. She burst into tears in Zhongli Yuan's embrace.
Afterwards, she regretted this incident countless times.
It was so embarrassing and foolish of her.
She had called a girl who hadn't even left the pavilion 'Mother'. What if the girl despised her and threw her out? Fortunately, Zhongli Yuan didn't do that.
Holding the dirty her, Zhongli Yuan went to the Pavilion Master's courtyard.
She was the Pavilion Master's most favored disciple, and he doted on her. But the Pavilion Master was also an old fox who had seen it all. Clear waters have no fish; he only wanted to give a small punishment as a big warning.
The master and disciple probably thought she was asleep.
In truth, she wasn't.
Right after, she witnessed a scene that would forever be etched in her memory.
The senior sister, who strictly adhered to the palace rules in public, actually grabbed the Pavilion Master's ear: "Old man, are you going to discipline them or not? If you don't, I won't call you Master anymore! I'll sever ties with you and find another master!"
The Pavilion Master was furious: "Nonsense! Once a master, always a father! If you dare to acknowledge another master, I'll break your legs!"
Zhongli Yuan: "Whose legs will you break?"
The Pavilion Master pointed at her: "Hers."
Yan Hanshuang, caught red-handed while eavesdropping, was speechless.
Everyone in the Thousand Mechanism Pavilion believed that the Pavilion Master took her as a disciple to compensate her and to deter the two elders. But she knew that the Pavilion Master didn't want her to spread the story of him getting his ear pulled.
"We had an agreement, no backing out."
"Mhm, mhm."
She nodded vigorously, "My lips are sealed, Master, rest assured! Master is mighty and awe-inspiring, and Senior Sister is as obedient as a quail before you!"
The Pavilion Master patted her head: "Worthy of teaching, that's enough. Go and practice martial arts with your Senior Sister."
The Pavilion Master only wanted her to keep the secret and didn't truly consider her his disciple, so her martial arts were taught by her Senior Sister.
She already had remarkable talent, but she never imagined that her Senior Sister's skills were like clouds above mud.
Zhongli Yuan often complained: "Such a simple acupuncture technique, why can't you grasp it even after three attempts?"
"Frost, you're too slow. Xiaojiu already learned it last time."
"Yan Hanshuang! Did you secretly feed Xiaojiu tanghulu again? She's ruined all her baby teeth!"
When she made a mistake, her Senior Sister never hit her. Instead, her Senior Sister would reflect privately.
Gradually, she became afraid of making mistakes.
Because her Senior Sister was her most vulnerable weakness.
Yan Madam gazed at Meng Qianqian, quietly drying medicinal herbs in the courtyard.
Senior Sister, tell me, what should I do?
How should I handle this? Waiting online, urgent! Double bonus for the last day, everyone, please vote!
(End of Chapter)
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