The Counterfeit Madam Hou Chapter 6

*Unedited

Ning Hong bit down on his lips, his face changing into various shades of color. He then turn and grab Xue Mu’s leg, blinking his huge eyes at him.

” Uncle! ”

Hoh hoh, complaining is it? Liu Qinghuan looks at him, as if she is going to impart something important to him.

” Life is unexpected. Even if you know swordsmanship, you might just fall into a river and drown to death. Even if you know how to swim, you might just choke to death while eating, or drinking, or hit your head while you walk…. ”

After going through a hundred and one different ways to die, she finally got to the meaning behind this story.

” So, rather than practicing martial arts the entire time, what you should do now is to just grow up safely. ”

Ning Hong ” …… ”

He sure is awesome to be alive to this ripe old age of six.

Ning Hong pout and turns his head away, and at that moment, he catches sight of Madam Ning heading this way with a few of her maids. His eyes shine and he jumps forward.

” Grandma! ”

Madam Ning stroke the top of his head, smiling wildly.

” You have grown taller again! ”

Liu Qinghuan and Xue Mu both went up to give their greetings. Supporting her, Xue Mu ask.

” Mother, why did you come out? ”
” Today’s weather looks nice and I heard the both of you are in the garden, so I came out to take a look. It isn’t good to stay coop up in the room all the time as well. ”

Finishing, she pull Xue Mu in front of her.

” Look, your cousin’s boy had grown so big and I guess you haven’t even touched your own wife’s hand! ”

Liu Qinghuan ” ……. ”

Old Madam Ning sure spares no expenses when she is scolding her own son. Liu Qinghuan sneaks a look at Xue Mu and sure enough, he is not looking too good. Seeing Xue Mu being scolded, Ning Hong hurriedly stands up for his beloved uncle.

” What is so good about touching Aunt’s hand? Anyone of those in the Ping Kang Courts are cuter than her! ”

Liu Qinghuan ” ……. ”

Looks like she did not do down hard enough.

Ning Hong, immensely pleased with himself, shoots Liu Qinghuan a look but it is Madam Ning who feels slightly embarra.s.s instead. She pulls Ning Hong’s hand, smiling.

” Hong-er, come along with Grandma, I prepared a lot of treats for you. ”

Ning Hong happily agrees and after the both of them left, Liu Qinghuan looks at Xue Mu, stretching her hand out.

” Have a touch, so that Mother can’t use this excuse to laugh at you the next time. ”

Xue Mu look at her, chuckling as he takes hold of her hand.

” Better than the girls in Ping Kang Courts? ”

Xue Mu is stunned for a while before smiling.

” Don’t listen to Hong-er ramblings. ”

He pauses, before asking.

” Did you tease Hong-er because you’re unhappy that Mother invited him over? ”

Liu Qinghuan pouts at Xue Mu’s question.

” I am not that petty. ”

Yes she is.

Xue Mu looks at her, amus.e.m.e.nt visible in his eyes.

” You haven’t change a bit. ”

Light glimmer across Liu Qinghuan’s eyes as she stays silent. Thinking about it for a bit, Xue Mu ask.

” Tomorrow the Emperor, Princess and I are heading to the West Mountains to hunt, would you like to come along, Qing Qing? ”

Liu Qinghuan blinks.

” Can I? ”
” I’ll bring it up to the Emperor. ”
” That’s great! I’ll go prepare now! ”

Liu Qing huan beckons to Ci Tao Qing Zhi and prepares to head back to her room. Xue Mu stops her.

” First, let’s go to the stable to choose a horse. The rest you can just leave it up to Ci Tao Qing Zhi to prepare. ”
” Sure! ”

Meanwhile, in the palace, Emperor Yan is reviewing all the written reports as Princess Fu Yong stomps in angrily.

” Royal Brother, I heard that Xue Mu is going to bring Liu Qinghuan along to the hunt? ”

Emperor Yan nod, his eyes fix on the reports.

” That is correct. However, where have all of your manners gone? Why did you not report that you are coming? ”

Fu Yong is not in the mood to talk about manners with him at this moment. She walks up to Emperor Yan, frowning.

” And you agreed to it? ”
” Un. ”

Fu Yong bristles with anger.

” You know what is it like between me and her, why did you agree?! ”

Emperor Yan frown and finally lifts up his head to look at her.

” Is this the att.i.tude you are giving me? ”

Fu Yong bit her lip, staying silent. Emperor Yan looks at her, thinking that he has really spoil her rotten.

” If there is nothing else, you can go back. ”

He lowers his head and continue reviewing all the reports on his desk. Fu Yong looks at him for a while, and after seeing that he is really planning on ignoring her, she then stomps away angrily.

Liu Qinghuan has chose her horse at the stable which Xue Mu then said that that horse is then hers. Whenever she needs to travel, it will be ready for her.

She laughs gleefully in her heart. But to deceive both feelings and money from the Marquise is eating at her.

Just a tiny little bit.

Back in her room, Ci Tao and Qing Zhi is busy preparing the clothes that Liu Qinghuan is going to wear for tomorrow’s hunt while she laze on the couch, fanning herself. Just then, a shadow flash across the window still.

” Master wants you to make use of the hunt tomorrow and do it. ”

That person spoke extremely fast and after leaving that message, she disappears like she is never there. If Liu Qinghuan hasn’t remembered her voice, she would have thought that she is hearing things.

Her brows slightly wrinkle up. It has only been hours since it is determine that she will be joining the hunt and their master have already lay down an order. His information sure comes fast. Plus, she seen the three besides Xue Mu. All three of them have quite the skills so have they really not notice the spy or are they letting her go on purpose?

” Madam, would you like to give this outfit a try to see if it fits? ”

Qing Zhi walks in with a men clothing, following by Ci Tao. Liu Qinghuan stands up and allows them to help her into it. As for the whatever Master’s order… to the h.e.l.l with it.

On the second day, in her male hunting attire, Liu Qinghuan rides on her horse all the way over to the West Mountain. Beside her, Xue Mu also brings along a lynx, a hunting leopard and a few hunting dogs.

Hm, this squad feels weird.

Liu Qinghun is thinking that Xue Mu has gone slightly overboard with the animals but when she arrive at the destination, she realize that everyone have lynxes and leopards, some even have hawks-like birds.

The so-called hunt is just hunting down the animals that had been gathered into designated areas beforehand by their servants. The animals are injured in the first place and now, they even have to face all the lynx and leopards…. They will most likely faint in fear instead.

Such a non-challenging exercise, this is.

Liu Qinghuan rides besides Xue Mu, chasing down a deer in front of them. Xue Mu has arrange a lynx running behind her, it’s face a mask of docile. She suspects if it can even protect her when she is in danger.

Soon, Fu Yong’s horse catches up to them and she has not forget to shoot a glare at Liu Qinghuan when she pa.s.ses by her. Liu Qinghuan smiles wryly and ignores her.

Shouts and drums noises raise up in volume all around her and all of a sudden, Liu Qinghuan’s horse buckles, it’s front hooves giving way as it kneels down on the ground. Her grip on the rein loosen and just as she is about to get flung way, Xue Mu’s sharp eyes and nimble hands got the hold of her as he leap up from his horse, and they both land on the ground.

After stabilizing themselves, Xue Mu checks the person in his arms with a frown.

” Qing Qing, are you hurt anyway? ”
” No. ”

Liu Qinghuan let out a breath, luckily everything’s okay. A very rea.s.suring thing is, the lynx following behind her, leap to it’s feet in an attempt to help the moment she fell. She must make sure to reward it richly when she gets home.

Just when Liu Qinghuan wants to get back up onto her horse, she sees a hunting leopard dashing towards her in a flash. She froze for a second before sub-consciously wanting to push Xue Mu out of the way. Who would have know that Xue Mu is one step faster than she is and stands in front of her, giving a solid punch on the leopard’s head.

The hunting leopard let out a long and loud roar, the volume deafening. Then, as if someone pluck it’s soul out, it crushes onto the ground with a loud ‘thud’, causing dust to billow out under it.

Liu Qinghuan is so shocked by the scene in front of her that she is stuck in a daze. She has always felt that Xue Mu is missing all the bloodthirstiness of a typical general but that aura that came out from him at that moment stuns her so much that she is unable to move.

The huge noise attracts a lot of attention and Fu Yong, who heads back to see what the noise is, cries out when she sees the dead leopard on the ground.

” General Speed! ”

Fu Yong dismount in a hurry and rush over but the skull of the hunting leopard laying on the ground has been crushed. She look up and glare at Xue Mu angrily.

” Did you do it?! ”
” General Speed rushed over suddenly and attacked me. In a panic, I accidentally hit it too hard. I hope the Princess can understand. ”

Fu Yong look at Liu Qinghuan, whom is protected by Xue Mu at the moment, and a fire rage up inside of her.

” It must be because of Liu Qinghuan again! ”

Standing up, Fu Yong dash over to Liu Qinghuan.

” You caused the death of General Speed! I want you to pay with your life! ”
” Fu Yong, what are you going on about now? ”

Emperor Yan too, came back because of the racket and seeing the scene lay out in front of him, he could somewhat guess what happened. Fu Yong did not answer him, simply staring at him with her bloodshot eyes.

Xue Mu walk forward and kneel down.

” I am chasing a deer when I fell off my horse. General Speed must have thought I am a prey, thus attacking. In a panic, I killed it with punch. ”

When the last note of Xue Mu’s sentence fall away, all the officers, who came back with the Emperor, gasps in astonishment. What?! General Xue actually killed the Princess hunting leopard?! No…. General Xue actually killed the Princess hunting leopard with a punch?!

….He sure lives up to his t.i.tle of being a War G.o.d.

Hearing his excuse, Fu Yong snort.

” Falling off your horse with your level of martial arts? It must be because of Liu Qinghuan! ”
” I am the one who killed General Speed. If Princess plans on punishing someone, please punish me. ”

Fu Yong bit her lip and never said another word. Emperor Yan let Xue Mu stand up before turning to Fu Yong.

” Although Xue Mu is in the wrong, you, who did not pay attention to your own leopard and allow it to harm others, are not entirely innocent as well. ”

Fu Yong shoot Emperor Yan a glare and said angrily.

” So I am suppose to let it go just like that?! ”

The Emperor could only turn to Xue Mu again.

” You killed the Princess’s leopard, how are you going to pay for it? ”

Xue Mu thinks about it for a bit.

” I have a leopard cub I caught, back in my mansion. If Princess don’t mind, I am willing to give it to the Princess as a form of apology. ”
” I asked you many times in the past for the that leopard cub and every time you rejected because of how attached you are to it. Now, for her, you are sure willing to do anything! ”

Xue Mu look down, staying silent. Fu Yong flips and mount back onto her horse. After squeezing it’s stomach with both of her legs, she turn back to Xue Mu.

” I will send someone to collect that leopard cub from your mansion! ”

Fu Yong, along with her servants left the area and the Emperor order people to clean up General Speed’s corpse and lead the rest back into hunting.

Liu Qinghuan walk over to Xue Mu, glances at his right hand and sees that it is sc.r.a.pped and looks to be bleeding anytime soon. She frowns at this sight.

” Marquise, the earlier wounds are bandaged, the better. ”
” No matter. I faced worst when I’m on the battlefield. ”

Liu Qinghuan pursed her lips. She thought back to that day when she saw how Xue Mu teased and played with the little leopard cub and feels really guilty.

” I am sorry. To give Dots up when you like him so much….. ”

She is then cut short by Xue Mu.

” No matter how much I like him, it can’t be compared with how much I love you. ”

Liu Qinghuan blink as she feels like she is doomed.

To lie without batting an eyelid is the basic of the basic for a qualified swindler. To a swindler, betraying the trust of others is nothing to them and they would only feel grateful and never apologetic to those who fell for their tricks.

But the her right now when she is facing Xue Mu, only feel ashamed and guilty.

If her teacher knows about this, she wonders if she will be beaten to death….

Since Xue Mu is injured, they head back to the Yong Ning Mansion where Liu Qinghuan bandages his wound and even remind him not to let it touch water these few days. On this side where they have just went back to their mansion, on that side Tang Zhibo knows about the matter already.

Knowing that Xue Mu have return back to his mansion safely, the color of Tang Zhibo’s face is not so good. The one above him sees him and smile with ridicule.

” Didn’t you say that Liu Qinghuan loves you and can die for you? Why hasn’t she done anything you told her to do? ”

Tang Zhibo glances at that person, his hands slowly gripping into a fist behind his back.

TN: Ping Kang Courts is a brothel.
And yes, Xue Mu is the immediate successor to One punch Saitama.