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Qin Guan twisted her brow into a stern expression.
Is Chen Mo saying my composition was poor?
“No, your composition is flawless.” Qin Guan’s every word was more profound than the last, but it was as if from this verse that she truly began to recognize the man beside her.
Standing alone amidst falling petals, paired swallows fly through drizzle.
Originally, she composed this with her lover. In Star World, even Star Generals who were skilled in all kinds of poetry would not necessarily be able to match the couplet. She thought that she could challenge Chen Mo, but the moment Chen Mo opened his mouth, he startled her. If it was not for her being very clear about Chen Mo’s history, Qin Guan would nearly have believed that Chen Mo was somewhere nearby watching when she met her.1
In the world of Chinese poetry, “standing alone amidst falling petals, paired swallows fly through drizzle” was considered a perfectly graceful and subdued song. However, there was another reason that Chen Mo’s recollection of it was very deep, and that was because on certain very sensitive websites, “standing alone” and “paired flight” were both flagged as suspect phrases and filtered away. Chen Mo always treated it as a joke, so it remained fresh in his memory.
“Why are you able to answer the couple so quickly, can it be you have heard this before?” Qin Guan pursued the question.
Seeing her expression, Chen Mo could not easily find an excuse about hearing it in a dream. He reacted quickly and smiled: “This place has falling petals, and there is an elegant young lady standing in front of me. Isn’t your ‘standing alone amidst falling petals’ precisely this scenery?”
“Paired swallows fly through drizzle.” Chen Mo hinted to the surrounding mist of the cold spring. Considering the feeling and scene, he blurted it out.
Qin Guan was taken aback, as if she was back to the scene when she originally met her. A multitude of emotions swirled through Qin Guan’s heart, and Chen Mo’s figure overlapped with hers. For a moment, she stared with a dazed expression.
“If you’re dissatisfied, then I can compose another.” Chen Mo blinked.
“Perhaps it actually is a coincidence” Qin Guan returned to her senses, inwardly cursing herself for what happened just now, to unexpectedly treat Chen Mo as “her.” Perhaps it had been too long since they last saw each other, and with Dew Water and Fateful Marriage damaged, she was pining too much for her.
The woman had found herself a reason to have an “affair,” but she recovered her former indifferent elegance. “The drizzle portion is passable, but how do you explain the paired swallows. There are certainly no swallows here.” Qin Weiyu seemingly smiled, an expression eager to see how he would explain this away.
This actually was not difficult for Chen Mo.
“No swallows, but there is a handsome man and a beautiful woman, flying wing to wing.” Chen Mo chuckled.
“You would actually dare to tease me, Qin Weiyu. Chen Mo, Your Servant acknowledges herself unable to compare to your style.” For an instant, Qin Weiyu’s heartbeat accelerated. Shortly after, she was back to normal.
The two of them made a racket, talking and laughing as they left the Lover Unexplored Region.
When they were nearly at the Eight Receptions Miao Village, the guard spotted Chen Mo and hollered, “Village Lord Chen Mo and the Lady have returned.”
In a flash, the Miao village roared with activity, and a crowd walked out.
“Oh, these people.” Chen Mo said.
Qin Weiyu pursed her lips, not caring about this. She was soon to leave Nan Jiang, anyways.
“We pay respects to the Village Lord and the Lady.”2
When they entered the Miao village, all of the villagers greeted them one after another. News that Chen Mo defeated Jinhuan Sanjie had already spread through Nan Jiang’s villages. With the Southern Barbarian Commander personally escorting and announcing the news, Chen Mo becoming the leader of Nan Jiang was a foregone conclusion. They were only waiting for the final coronation ceremony.
After a quarter of an hour, Chen Mo finally walked back to the treehouse that Yeyao lived at.
Outside, Ting Nanyuan and Miaoling were chatting. Seeing their return, the two stopped their conversation. Ting Nanyuan dashed over to Qin Weiyu’s side like a cheerful bird, “Shaoxu, you’re finally back. I missed you so much, and I was so scared that you were taken advantage of by this lecher.” Ting Nanyuan was very jealous to see Chen Mo and Qin Guan’s close appearance.
However, if she knew that Chen Mo had surprisingly obtained Qin Guan’s true name, she would probably be heartbroken to death.
“Chen Mo would never do such a thing.” Miaoling defended Chen Mo.
Chen Mo recalled what happened last night and felt a bit guilty.
To recount, he indeed did not take advantage of her. It seemed he was the one that was peeped on.
“Magpie Bridge Immortal” Qin Weiyu recalled his very masculine body. In particular, that lethal weapon between his legs was imprinted directly into her mind, unable to be dispelled. The man and woman each harbored their own thoughts, producing a dubious atmosphere.
A woman’s thoughts and intuition were the most precise. Seeing them like this, Ting Nanyuan’s jaw dropped, and she shouted: “No way something actually happened between you two.”
“As I can do anything.” Chen Mo unhappily said. “Weiyu is a Star General, don’t tell me you actually treat me as someone who has the strength to push down a Star General?”
“Yeah.” Ting Nanyuan realized she was overthinking. How could a man push over a Star General.
“Eh?” Miaoling blinked, and her jaw slightly dropped, as if she had heard incredible news.
“That’s not right. Weiyu…Ah, you called Shaoxu ‘Weiyu.'” Ting Nanyuan was startled upon noticing this. “Shaoxu, can it be you told your True Name to Chen Mo.” The girl harbored a bit of hope.
“He deduced it.” Qin Weiyu did not want to lie, so as to avoid a guilty conscience.
“Chen Mo, I hate you.” Ting Nanyuan bawled, tears streaming down her face as she dashed away.
Everyone was speechless.
“She’s only fourteen, after all. It’s a first love.” Chen Mo could understand.
Qin Guan disapproved and followed after her.
“What is the matter with Ting Nanyuan?” Yeyao walked out at this moment, just in time to catch sight of Ting Nanyuan running away while sobbing.
“She feels that the thing she loves most was stolen by me.” Chen Mo was helpless.
Thing she loved most.
Yeyao first looked to Qin Guan. She knew that what Ting Nanyuan loved most was this Earthly Ecstasy Star, the Magpie Bridge Immortal. In Nan Jiang, the noble Wuyang Princess had suffered great hardship.
“Seems like the medicine has already been absorbed.” Yeyao looked Chen Mo up and down, noticing that the young man before her had an indescribable masculine beauty. Though he appeared young, he felt more comforting than any other man she had seen.
Chen Mo suddenly recalled the words that Daoist Skyless uttered when he ingested the pill. He wanted to go ask the Wuyang Princess, but seeing her current state, he would need to slowly process this. “Maybe you should go console her?” Miaoling suggested.
Chen Mo asked Qin Guan. The woman shook her head; she was fated to leave, and Ting Nanyuan was fated to an unrequited love. It was better to strike sooner than later.
“Chen Mo, you have received Jinhuan Sanjie’s approval. Tomorrow, there will be a leadership coronation ceremony at the One Worm Miao Village. After receiving Nan Jiang’s seal of leadership, you will be considered our true leader.” Yeyao said.
Chen Mo nodded and looked to Miaoling.
“Miaoling, I’ll have to trouble you in the future.”
Miaoling mumbled: “I’m willing to do this. You don’t need to worry about me.”
Chen Mo smiled. Ever since the girl inherited her Star Name, she had greatly matured. She was no longer as rude and unreasonable as when they first met.
After a few more words, Chen Mo went to see Qing Wan in the room rested in.
Yeyao already used Fu Qi’s blood to cure the Blood Death Gu, but that had only just taken place. The girl’s body was relatively debilitated and required a period of recuperation. In contrast, the Blood Death Gu in Chen Mo was supposed to disappear on its own.
The power of Star Energy was obvious at a glance.
Qing Wan’s complexion was pale, but she finally had a bit of color return. When she saw Chen Mo, she wanted to salute.
“Is there still any need to be formal between us.” Chen Mo promptly stopped her.
“Apologies. Qing Wan was incompetent and caused Your Highness worry.” She had heard everything from Yeyao regarding Chen Mo’s matters the past few days. She knew that about Chen Mo’s hair-raising challenge to three Great Star Generals, and she also knew about his final shocking bait to lure out Fu Qi. All of this was committed to her memory.
“Don’t think yourself incompetent from now on. I don’t like to hear you talk like this.” Chen Mo wrinkled his brow.
“Yes, Qing Wan absolutely will never let Your Highness worry ever again.” Qing Wan solemnly said.
Chen Mo showed a smile: “Alright, no need to be so serious. You aren’t just my subordinate. We’re friends, aren’t we?”
Qing Wan grunted in affirmation.
“Tomorrow, I’ll be at the One Worm Miao Village to hold a closing ceremony. I can take you back, but do you want to stay in Nan Jiang? I can allow you to take charge of all of the Southern Suppression Camp’s ten thousand soldiers and help Miaoling here.” Chen Mo said: “Nan Jiang’s terrain is poor, its unexplored regions are many and varied. This is actually a good place to train and gain experience.”
“Qing Wan had the same idea.”
Outside the room.
Miaoling played with Momo. On one hand, she was curious and chatted with Qin Weiyu about all kinds of sights she had seen in the Star Fields. Qin Weiyu spoke about everything, but in the end, Miaoling still could not help but ask about the “True Name” matter.
Qin Weiyu thus told her about the couple.
After hearing her words, Yeyao also showed astonishment. “This truly is a good couplet. I never imagined Chen Mo’s poetry composition was so excellent. This man truly is unfathomable.”
“Indeed, I actually am very eager for the day he enters the Inner Star Fields.” Qin Weiyu admitted.
“The Inner Star Fields.” Miaoling was in a daze. Given her current capabilities, she basically did not have the qualifications to enter the Inner Star Fields. Even Qin Guan herself was quite afraid of the Inner Star Fields.
“Miaoling, don’t worry. Now that Chen Mo has already taken Nan Jiang for you, if you operate Nan Jiang well, you will achieve a magnificent feat one day. This can help your Star Name mature faster. After Chen Mo enters the Inner Star Fields, you can become his wife.” Qin Weiyu smiled.
Wife.
Miaoling’s face slightly blushed. She muttered, “I can’t compare to you, Lady of Nan Jiang.”3
Qin Weiyu could not help but laugh.
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It’s funny; I was going to comment on this last chapter, but decided against it because I thought it was too mean-spirited on my part — but it seems like even the Chinese readers took enough notice that the author had to explain himself this chapter. Boy, that Chen Mo is sure well-versed in his Tang- and Song-era poetry, isn’t he? Most students will barely remember the names of the most important poets, never mind a couplet from one. They are much more likely to remember the lyrics of pop songs, instead, if they are inclined to memorise poetry at all.
The thing that surprises me is that Chen Mo is supposed to be a martial arts otaku. I guess training martial arts comes hand in hand with poetry? Maybe he gleaned something while circumventing the Great Firewall of China.