The Rebirth of an Ill-Fated Consort (Chapters 1- 203)

Chapter 111 : Slander

Translated by : Mazu 

Edited by : Anks & Ely

**********

Mt. Jianan was covered with snow year-round. The mountain was high and its valley was deep. It was already summer, but only a patch of ice had started to melt. Water, mixed with broken ice, slowly flowed down the mountain in a stream, scouring brightly colored pebbles on both sides of its bank. The pine forest was covered with sparkling ice crystals. At first glance, the scenery was like that of the North.

Xiao Shao passed an array of plum blossoms at the foot of the mountain on his way up towards the Lu Yang Villa that sat at the mountain top.

The array was the formation that Teacher Ba Qi personally laid out. It had a total of eight loops, arranged from the foot of the mountain to its peak. Except for the sect disciples, outsiders could not break the formation. Xiao Shao had been here many times and was familiar with the road. Just as he entered the gate outside the Lu Yang Villa, the large green parrot kept at the doorway started to flap its wings and screech loudly. "Someone is coming! Someone is coming!"

Unlike the scenery on Mt. Jianan, Lu Yang Villa was filled with birds and flowers. All kinds of flowers were blooming, just like in early spring. Xiao Shao walked in. The huge villa was renovated exquisitely, but at the moment nobody seemed to be present. After a brief moment, a deep voice came from the courtyard. "Ah Shao?"

That voice, as mellifluous as a bell, was close to his ears. But when he listened more carefully, it was vague and faint as if it came from a faraway place. Xiao Shao walked towards the courtyard. Under a pear tree, a white-bearded old man in a grey shirt sat in front of a chess table, holding a box of chess pieces in his hands.

"Master." Xiao Shao walked over to him.

The old man in grey was Teacher Ba Qi, now in his seventies, and he had the appearance of a sage with astute and wise eyes. Without raising his head, he studied the chess game in front of him. "Are you back from South Xinjiang?"

"Yes." Xiao Shao answered. After coming back from South Xinjiang, he had been busy handling all kinds of things and Teacher Ba Qi was also in seclusion. But now that he had found the opportunity to go to Mt. Jianan, by chance, Teacher Ba Qi had also come out of his seclusion.

Teacher Ba Qi put down the chess box and finally raised his head. Teacher Ba Qi accepted a total of eight disciples and Xiao Shao ranked third among them. At that time, when Xiao Shao first went up the mountain, he was just a withdrawn and taciturn teenager. He came together with Guan Liang Han. Guan Liang Han studied battle formations[1] while Xiao Shao learned Qi Huang's Inner Classic[2]. However, within a few years, the old Jinying Wang and his wife met with a mishap and Xiao Shao became even more desolate. He took the initiative to ask Teacher Ba Qi to stop teaching him medical skills and only studied the art of assassination from then on.

[1] 行军布阵 (xíngjūn bù zhèn): military's battle formation, arranged according to the specific conditions such as the topographical conditions and the strength of the enemy and its troops.

[2] 岐黄之术 (Qí Huáng zhī shù) : the book of the dialogue between Huangdi and his official Qibo.

Xiao Shao was extremely talented. He showed a disposition for practising martial arts and it seemed as though killing people was very easy for him[3]. After he finished learning, in his first year down the mountain, he penetrated South Xinjiang alone and at that time decapitated South Xinjiang's leader . He was cold and fearless. He killed with a blade in hand without any concern. There was no man in the world better suited to be a killer than Xiao Shao, but Teacher Ba Qi only remarked. "Ah Shao, you are not meant to be the best assassin in the world."