eurekapd Chapter 7 My Beloved Concubine is Indeed Guilty! Jiang Qingxue was deeply shocked!
Chapter 7 My Beloved Concubine is Indeed Guilty! Jiang Qingxue was deeply shocked!
Unlike the other concubines' palaces, the courtyard of Yuxiu Palace was not as lush and vibrant as the others; instead, it possessed a quiet and elegant charm.
Several stalks of green bamboo stand against the wall, their leaves rustling softly in the morning breeze.
The ground paved with bluestone slabs was clean and tidy, with only a few magnolias planted in the corners. The flowering season had passed, but the leaves were lush and green.
Jiang Qingxue stood in the courtyard, dressed in a moon-white outfit, her long hair tied up with a simple wooden hairpin, a few strands falling around her cheeks.
She held a three-foot-long green sword in her hand, its blade gleaming coldly in the morning light.
This is the "Frost Flowing Sword" that Xu Longxiang specially found for her before she entered the palace. The sword is as thin as a feather, suitable for women to use, and can be disassembled into three sections for easy concealment.
A morning breeze swept by, lifting the stray hairs from her forehead.
Jiang Qingxue took a deep breath, her eyes clear and focused.
Her initial movement was slow, the tip of her sword trembled slightly, drawing an arc of light.
This is the "Winter Plum Sword Technique" that Xu Longxiang taught her. It originated from a martial arts manual collected by the Zhenbei Prince's Mansion. Although it is not a first-class technique, its moves are exquisite and it is especially suitable for women to learn.
The sword moves with the body, and the body moves with the sword.
The first few moves were a bit awkward.
After all, she hadn't practiced swordsmanship for half a month, and she had been restless these past two days since entering the palace.
But gradually, his physical memory returned, and his sword techniques flowed out like a torrent.
Point, stab, flick, chop.
At first, she could still make out each move, but gradually, the sword shadows multiplied and transformed into a silver light curtain that enveloped her entire body.
The bamboo leaves were stirred by the sword energy, fluttering down and being shredded into pieces the moment they touched the sword screen.
Her breathing was steady and long, with wisps of white steam rising between her breaths.
This is a sign that internal energy has reached its peak.
A cultivation level of Rank 3 is already quite rare for a woman of this age.
His swordsmanship was gradually improving.
Jiang Qingxue was completely absorbed in the swordplay, temporarily forgetting the oppression of being in the deep palace, the mission she bore, and the longing buried deep in her heart.
At this moment, she was simply herself, a woman practicing swordsmanship.
With a change of sword technique, he entered the most exquisite third level of the "Winter Plum Sword Technique" - "Searching for Plum Blossoms in the Snow".
This technique consists of nine moves, each faster and more dangerous than the last. When mastered, all nine moves are unleashed together, like plum blossoms blooming in the dead of winter, with sword energy crisscrossing and penetrating everywhere.
She had seen Xu Longxiang use this technique before; all nine moves were unleashed simultaneously, turning the falling snow within a ten-zhang radius into water vapor.
She knew she couldn't reach that level, but after three years of hard practice, she was able to unleash seven moves in a row.
Jiang Qingxue was completely immersed in the moment, her sword moves becoming faster and faster, and the sword light becoming brighter and brighter.
The seventh move, "Braving Snow and Frost".
This is the last move she has mastered so far, and also the most powerful one.
The sword vibrated and emitted a soft buzzing sound.
He channeled his inner energy into the sword tip, and the sword light surged three feet!
She pushed off with her feet, leaping into the air and performing a graceful spin, her sword following her movement, tracing a perfect arc.
Wherever the sword light passed, the air was torn apart, emitting a shriek.
The bamboo leaves were whipped up by the sword energy, transforming into a green vortex that swirled around her.
She had never practiced this move so smoothly and perfectly.
Just as the sword's momentum was about to dissipate, at the very moment of the transition between old and new forces—
"Excellent swordsmanship!"
A clear cheer suddenly rang out.
Immediately following was a crisp clapping sound.
Pop, pop, pop.
The rhythm was gentle, yet it resounded like thunder in Jiang Qingxue's ears.
She was utterly shocked!
This was no small matter.
Those who practice swordsmanship should avoid being distracted, especially since she is currently at an awkward juncture where new strength has not yet been generated and old strength is about to be exhausted.
When the body's vital energy stagnates, its circulation immediately becomes disordered.
She stumbled as her feet landed, and her once light and graceful figure suddenly lost its balance.
To make matters worse, the Frost Flowing Sword in her hand went out of control due to the disorder of her true energy, and the tip of the sword actually slashed towards her own chest!
Jiang Qingxue's pupils suddenly contracted.
She saw it clearly, but it was too late to change anything.
With old strength exhausted and new strength yet to emerge, he couldn't even dodge to the side.
They could only watch helplessly as the sword tip drew closer.
At this critical moment—
A dark figure flashed by like a ghost.
Jiang Qingxue felt a sudden tightening around her waist as she was pulled into an embrace by a gentle yet irresistible force.
At the same time, a slender hand reached out, its index and middle fingers precisely gripping the blade of the Frost Flowing Sword.
hum-
The longsword trembled, emitting a mournful cry of resentment, but could not advance any further.
All actions occurred in the blink of an eye.
When Jiang Qingxue came to her senses, she found herself leaning against a broad and firm chest in an extremely ambiguous position.
Her back was pressed against the man's chest, and she could clearly feel the warmth of his body and the strong heartbeat beneath the fabric.
An arm was wrapped around her waist, rendering her unable to move.
In her other hand, she still held her sword.
A faint scent of ambergris wafted to my nose, mixed with an indescribable, refreshing aroma.
Jiang Qingxue stiffly raised her head.
What came into view was a handsome, smiling face.
With sword-like eyebrows, bright eyes, a high nose bridge, and slightly curved thin lips, he exudes a playful yet languid air.
It was none other than the Emperor of Qin, Qin Mu.
He was not wearing a dragon robe today, but only a black casual dress.
Her long hair was tied up with a jade crown, with a few stray strands falling across her forehead, adding a touch of casualness.
The morning light shone down from behind him, gilding his entire body with a golden edge.
Jiang Qingxue's breath hitched.
The two were standing way too close at that moment.
She was so close that she could see her own panicked reflection in his eyes.
She was so close that she could feel the slight rise and fall of his chest as he breathed.
She was so close that she could smell his unique, masculine scent.
What terrified her even more was that he caught the sword she thrust out with all her might using only two fingers.
Although the power of this sword was greatly reduced due to the disorder of her true energy, it was still a full-force strike from a third-rank martial artist. Ordinary people would be hard-pressed to avoid injury, let alone catch it with their fingers or even if they held the sword tightly to receive it.
But he did it.
It's understated, yet effortless.
Jiang Qingxue's heart was filled with turmoil.
This emperor... is indeed not as simple as he seems!
"Your Majesty, Your Majesty..."
Her voice trembled, and she instinctively tried to break free.
The arm around her waist, though not exerting any force, remained as still as an iron hoop.
Qin Mu looked down at her, his smile deepening.
"My beloved concubine's swordsmanship is truly excellent, but... how could you be so careless?"
His voice was warm and pleasant, with a hint of playfulness.
Jiang Qingxue's cheeks flushed red.
Half of it was shyness, and half of it was anxiety.
"Your Majesty... Your Majesty was unaware of your arrival and has disturbed Your Majesty's presence. I deserve to die..."
As she spoke, she tried to break free again.
This time, Qin Mu loosened his grip.
Jiang Qingxue felt as if she had been granted a pardon. She staggered back two steps, steadied herself, and knelt down without hesitation.
The Frost Flowing Sword clattered onto the bluestone slab.
She prostrated herself, her forehead touching the ground, her voice still trembling:
"Your Majesty, I have committed a crime of violence in the palace and offended Your Majesty. I deserve to die. Please punish me, Your Majesty."
My mind was in complete turmoil.
When did he arrive?
How long did you watch it?
Did you notice anything?
Although this sword technique was taught by Xu Longxiang, there are many people in the martial arts world who know it, so it shouldn't be exposed, right?
But the move he just showed was clearly that of a master!
Has he been hiding his true strength all along?
Xu Longxiang's plan...
The more I thought about it, the more panicked I became, and cold sweat broke out on my back.
Qin Mu did not immediately wake her up.
He bent down and picked up the Frost Flowing Sword from the ground, his fingertips tracing the blade.
The sword is a fine sword, forged from cold iron, light and sharp.
Two small characters are engraved on the hilt of the sword: Flowing Frost.
The handwriting is delicate and elegant, suggesting it was written by a woman.
Then, he walked up to Jiang Qingxue and squatted down.
This action made Jiang Qingxue freeze.
She could feel his gaze fixed on her head, so real that she had nowhere to hide.
"My beloved concubine is indeed guilty," Qin Mu said slowly.
These words struck Jiang Qingxue like a bolt from the blue, causing her heart to stop!