From that day on, Yan Huirou’s sword practice improved significantly. She was completely focused on imitating Jiang Xidai.
She was intelligent and perceptive, with a high aptitude for learning. Combined with her improved physical conditioning, she grew more adept at controlling her body.
This day-by-day progress was very gratifying.
Even if Jiang Xidai wanted to find fault with her, she couldn’t pick out any mistakes for the moment.
Yan Huirou had always been a sweet-talker. When Wen Xianyin and Bi Luo praised her, she would always humbly say, “It’s all thanks to the Sect Master’s excellent teaching. It has very little to do with my own talent.”
These words naturally drifted to Jiang Xidai’s ears through Wen Xianyin.
Being praised to one’s face versus being praised behind one’s back were two different things. With the former, one always had to carefully discern the flattery. As for the latter—
It was much more likely to be the truth.
Jiang Xidai smiled upon hearing this, thinking that the little brat not only spoke pleasant words but was also quite grateful.
She liked sensible juniors, but she looked down on those who were too weak or did nothing but grovel.
Miraculously, however, Yan Huirou struck a perfect balance, hitting all the points that Jiang Xidai liked—she was sensible and tactful, yet neither servile nor overbearing.
“That little thing… the effort I spend teaching her each day hasn’t been in vain.”
Jiang Xidai was currently admiring some jewelry she had looted from a dead person long ago, specifically a brilliantly shining red gemstone.
She placed it on the back of her hand, appreciating the gem that was as translucent as a drop of blood, quite satisfied. “Wen Xianyin, is this beautiful? How does it suit me?”
Wen Xianyin knew the Sect Master’s temperament and naturally said, “The Sect Master’s grace is unmatched; anything you wear is beautiful. However, this disciple doesn’t know much about appreciating jewelry. I hear that Miss Yan has some thoughts on the matter…”
“How perfunctory. Now that I’ve looked at it for a while, I find it rather ordinary.”
Jiang Xidai was quite fickle. Perhaps she had spotted a flaw, because she nonchalantly let the gem roll into her palm and tossed it to Wen Xianyin. “Here, a reward for you.”
Wen Xianyin hurriedly caught it and said respectfully, “Thank you for the reward, Sect Master.”
“Wen Xianyin, call Yan Huirou here. I gave her a day off today, why has she completely disappeared?”
“Miss Yan went to the foot of the mountain early this morning to buy a few books of poetry and some ingredients.”
Ever since Yan Huirou had gained some cultivation to protect herself, she could go alone to the areas near the Shasheng Sect, at least to the places where no other sects had influence.
“Is that so? No different from any other day. Summon her here.”
The woman on the seat yawned, then picked up a jade thumb ring from the box, idly examining its quality against the light from the window. The garish green likely didn’t appeal to her, as she tossed it back and gave Wen Xianyin the order.
Wen Xianyin was sharp and understood immediately. “Yes.”
As she turned and walked out of the hall, she let out a sigh of relief. As long as Yan Huirou wasn’t around, the Sect Master would demand compliments from her. Racking her brain every day to praise the woman was truly a headache.
Thank goodness for Miss Yan.
Wen Xianyin had grown used to this easier life and would mention Yan Huirou from time to time in front of Jiang Xidai.
Each time, the Sect Master would nonchalantly summon Yan Huirou over.
After that, at least when it came to keeping the Sect Master happy, Senior Sister Wen was no longer needed.
Wen Xianyin stood at the entrance of Bright Moon Pavilion, silently observing the mess of puddles on the ground, the frantic Bi Luo, and the exhausted-looking Yan Huirou, who was squatting on the ground holding a bone to coax a dog…
Yan Huirou was drenched, looking a bit disheveled. She used her sleeve to dab at her temples, only to find she was making it wetter, and let her hand fall with some embarrassment.
She looked back and greeted Wen Xianyin, “Senior Sister Wen? You’ve come at an inconvenient time.”
Bi Luo was fuming at the side. “Ahhh! Miss Yan, I just mopped the floor! Can you please make these puppies behave!”
Living together every day, the two had grown much more familiar. Yan Huirou had no airs and wasn’t much older than Bi Luo. Their relationship was more like sisters than that of a master and servant.
Yan Huirou said apologetically, “Bi Luo, you’ve worked hard. You can go rest. I’ll clean this up later.”
Under the bed, a mixed-breed dog with gleaming green eyes cowered with its tail between its legs. It protected three small puppies under its belly, growling and baring its teeth at Yan Huirou, refusing to let her take a single step closer.
“Strange. It was quite obedient when I just brought it back, it didn’t even bite. Why did it become like this as soon as I tried to give it a bath…”
Unable to get Yan Huirou to leave, Wen Xianyin hurried back to Qionghua Hall to report the matter to Jiang Xidai.
Sect Master Jiang was already boredly fiddling with a string of red beads. Hearing that Yan Huirou had disappeared all day to—wash dogs?
Then, hearing that she had gotten a face full of dirty water from said dogs, her expression was first indescribable for a moment, then she let out a laugh. “How embarrassing.”
Jiang Xidai’s lips curled. She pretended to be unconcerned and played with the beads a little longer before rising and heading out of the hall.
“I’ll go see for myself just how embarrassing she’s being.”
Yan Huirou was still trying to lure the dog out with a bone, but with little success. Although the large dog was drooling with temptation, it remained stubbornly under the bed, not moving an inch.
Just as she was pondering other methods, a familiar voice drifted in from the window.
“Yan Huirou, why don’t you crawl in there and grab it? You might even get bitten.”
Yan Huirou looked up and saw the woman’s beautiful figure in the window.
Yan Huirou said, “I’m not as skinny as that dog. I probably can’t fit.”
So she actually considered it.
Jiang Xidai couldn’t help but roll her eyes. Yan Huirou’s face was covered in water droplets that dripped down. She lowered her head to wring out the hem of her clothes, then squatted down again to speak to the dog. “Good girl, come here. If you don’t take a bath, you’ll have to sleep outside. What if it rains—”
“Woof…” came the same low growl.
Yan Huirou was preoccupied. Normally, she wasn’t like this around Jiang Xidai. Even when met with disdain, she wouldn’t care. But now, she gave Jiang Xidai a single-sentence reply and immediately went back to her own business.
In the entire Shasheng Sect, the only person who would dare to prioritize a few dogs over Jiang Xidai—
Other than the audacious Yan Huirou, it was impossible to think of anyone else with such nerve.
The completely ignored Sect Master Jiang was, naturally, a little displeased.
She stood by the window for a long time, her gaze sweeping over Yan Huirou’s back. “Yan Huirou?”
Yan Huirou was still speaking gently to the dog. “If it rains, you might be fine outside since you’re used to it, but your three children might catch a cold. It’s very hard for puppies when they get sick.”
“…”
Is there something wrong with this little brat’s head? Can a stray dog she picked up understand human speech?
Yan Huirou was completely oblivious. She asked again, “Good girl, are you so afraid of water because someone tried to drown you before? I just want to help you get clean…”
The large dog with its tail between its legs had been glaring fiercely, but for some reason, its growls softened after hearing those words.
Yan Huirou’s heart leaped with joy. Just as she was about to say more—
Her bed flew out of the room.
Before the four dogs, large and small, could react, they were swept up by a long silk ribbon that wrapped around their bellies several times, tying them up like a rice dumpling.
Yan Huirou turned around, stunned, only to see Jiang Xidai holding a long silk ribbon that she’d pulled from who knows where, having bound them as if she were restraining a dragon.
With another flick of her wrist, the woman sent the four bundled dogs flying into the half-filled bucket of water Yan Huirou had prepared nearby. With a huge splash, their struggling whimpers filled the air as they were turned into perfect drowned rats.
“Isn’t this much better? See, they’re not even barking.”
She lowered her lashes, glanced at the wooden bucket, and chided, “What kind of stray dog dares to bare its teeth at people.”
Jiang Xidai released the silk ribbon in her hand, letting it fall to the ground.
Yan Huirou carefully observed them for a moment. She saw that although they were terrified and didn’t want to stay in the water, they were so intimidated by Jiang Xidai’s overwhelming presence that none of them dared to move, becoming docile.
She finally breathed a sigh of relief and smiled at Jiang Xidai. “You always have a way.”
Yan Huirou rolled up her sleeves and could finally approach to wash her four dogs. She felt the three malnourished puppies and found no injuries, just matted fur that was tangled and filthy.
The remaining large dog had one lame hind leg, which it kept tucked under its belly. Yan Huirou had applied medicine to it a few days ago, and the wound looked much better now, with a layer of fresh pink skin growing over it.
Its back was also a mess of matted fur. Unable to untangle it, Yan Huirou had no choice but to cut it all off. This took some effort; it was a living creature, after all, and it would shake and struggle. Yan Huirou called out, “Sect Master Jiang—”
“Could you stand a little closer.”
“No.”
Jiang Xidai had no desire for the dirty water to splash onto her.
But Yan Huirou, for once, misunderstood her meaning. Whether intentionally or not, she got up, moved a chair for Jiang Xidai, then placed her hands on her shoulders and pressed down lightly. “Then you can just sit.”
Jiang Xidai was inexplicably pushed down into the chair, her elegant brows furrowed slightly. “…What are you doing?”
“When they see you, they won’t dare to bite me. It’s perfect.” Yan Huirou, sleeves rolled up, squatted on the ground and quickly scrubbed the dogs’ fur with a cloth. She was very deft when she worked, possessing a certain indescribable vitality.
Perhaps sensing Jiang Xidai’s reluctance, Yan Huirou held down a dog with one hand and a cloth with the other, resting her arm leisurely on the edge of the bucket. Her tone softened considerably. “Could you help me, please? Sect Master?”
That “Sect Master,” spoken in her gentle voice, floated through the damp air of the room to Jiang Xidai’s ears. It sounded less respectful and much more intimate.
“So I suppose I came here today to be your dog-warden.”
Jiang Xidai closed her eyes and scoffed lightly.
“Then what did you come to see me for today, Sect Master Jiang?”
Yan Huirou asked casually, glancing up at Jiang Xidai. “Didn’t you say you were giving me the day off?”
Usually, Yan Huirou loved to chat with her about anything and everything, but today, she didn’t continue. All that could be heard was the sound of splashing water. With another splash, Yan Huirou changed the water for a clean basin.
Jiang Xidai waited for a moment, slightly puzzled.
She raised her eyes and studied Yan Huirou. It was still the same old Yan Huirou, with nothing out of the ordinary.
