{"id":549,"date":"2022-12-06T00:41:27","date_gmt":"2022-12-05T16:41:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/amarukei.com\/?p=549"},"modified":"2023-09-15T17:18:43","modified_gmt":"2023-09-15T09:18:43","slug":"mhm-chapter-21-winter-draft","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/amarukei.com\/?p=549","title":{"rendered":"MHM Chapter 21: Winter"},"content":{"rendered":"

Lingzhu had his calculations worked out, but there was still the risk of his theory being wrong since practical applications seldom went according to plan.<\/span><\/p>\n

Still, he\u2019d done what he could to make it work.<\/p>\n

Taking a short break, he hummed as he lined up the set of wooden animal figurines on the window sill Mie\u2019er bought for him the other day. He stuck a colourful pinwheel in an empty medicine bottle and hung up a fish-shaped lantern at the door. The floor was covered in wool rugs and a hot water bottle sat on his table as a warm paperweight. A new set of clothes and blankets sat on a chair next to his bed.<\/p>\n

A tea set from Lady Xilian, a stack of books from Lord Guishou and a dozen knick-knacks from Mie\u2019er, there wasn\u2019t an empty corner in this room anymore.<\/p>\n

It was beginning to feel like\u2014<\/p>\n

He shook his head and stopped his thoughts. What he needed to do right now was to obtain a stable spirit core suitable for Mie\u2019er\u2019s little sister. He\u2019d calculated every outcome with every parameter he could think of.<\/p>\n

Just in case he wasn\u2019t able to make it, he left a letter with instructions on how to complete his plan.<\/p>\n

He sealed the room and began.<\/p>\n

*<\/p>\n

\u201cDamn it,\u201d cursed Mie\u2019er when he felt a barrier in place in the guest room.<\/p>\n

He tried to look inside, but the doors and windows were sealed shut. The barrier was at full power and he wasn\u2019t able to crack it.<\/p>\n

\u201cMister Lingzhu said not to disturb him until he finishes the work he wants to do for Lady Xilian,\u201d said Heigou, pulling him back from breaking into the room. \u201cI think we should wait.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat if he\u2019s doing something dangerous?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThen all the more we shouldn\u2019t interrupt,\u201d said Heigou. He looked at Mie\u2019er\u2019s worried face and gave in. \u201cWe\u2019ll check on him again later and break in if he doesn\u2019t let the barrier up by tonight?\u201d<\/p>\n

Mie\u2019er reluctantly nodded. Still, he wasn\u2019t about to sit idle. He began gathering supplies and piled them outside the door as they waited.<\/p>\n

Heigou blinked, surprised, but did not comment.<\/p>\n

After a few hours, Mie\u2019er knocked on the door, trying yet again.<\/p>\n

\u201cHey, Lingzhu, let up your barrier and let me in already,\u201d Mie\u2019er called out. Then added for good measure: \u201cIt\u2019s just me. Heigou won\u2019t come in. We won\u2019t disrupt your work, promise.\u201d<\/p>\n

As if in response to that added bit, the barrier yielded and he was allowed into the room.<\/p>\n

Mie\u2019er pushed open the door slowly, peering in.<\/p>\n

Lingzhu was standing over the table, focused on containing the spirit aura within shards of crystallised spirit essence. His hands were covered in blood and he was breathing laboriously through his mouth. His eyes were narrowed and it looked dangerous to disrupt him.<\/p>\n

Mie\u2019er beckoned Heigou over and whispered: \u201cGo fetch Physician Hong and wait outside for my signal.\u201d<\/p>\n

Heigou took one look and obeyed, quietly shifting into a large black dog and bounding off.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m coming in,\u201d said Mie\u2019er, carefully making his way in and closing the door behind him.<\/p>\n

Lingzhu was standing over the table, half-undressed. There were bandages around his stomach, but from the wet trail of blood down his pants, Mie\u2019er could see he was still bleeding and sorely in need of treatment.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou just keep doing whatever you\u2019re doing. I\u2019ll put some pressure on your wound, okay?\u201d said Mie\u2019er.<\/p>\n

\u201cMn,\u201d said Lingzhu off-handedly, not even looking at whoever was talking to him.<\/p>\n

\u201cAll right, then,\u201d said Mie\u2019er, grabbing some linen from the supplies he\u2019d prepared. He reached around the taller man and pressed a folded strip of linen firmly over his right side.<\/p>\n

Lingzhu grunted slightly but did not flinch. He carefully balanced the ingredients and the crystallised spirit aura contained within. He muttered to himself as he channelled aura into completing the circuitry. He murmured something about dosage and split the spirit essence into two before refining them into pearl-like spheres.<\/p>\n

When he completed his task, he carefully placed the pills in a lacquered box. His eyes lifted from his hands and he finally noticed someone at his side wiping the perspiration off his brow.<\/p>\n

\u201cAre you done?\u201d said Mie\u2019er, trying hard not to sound nervous.<\/p>\n

\u201cMn,\u201d said Lingzhu, feeling cold and dizzy. \u201cI need to lie down a while.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOf course you do,\u201d said Mie\u2019er, giving Heigou a signal.<\/p>\n

The next moments were like a blur\u2014he felt Heigou\u2019s arms around him and heard physician Hong complaining.<\/p>\n

\u201cI changed the circuitry, I need to add instructions\u2014\u201d muttered Lingzhu, deciding that he needed to get up.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat can wait. Lie down and let me take a look,\u201d said physician Hong.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s not necessary,\u201d said Lingzhu.<\/p>\n

Physician Hong felt a vein pop and took out his set of needles.<\/p>\n

The last thing Lingzhu saw was a big needle aimed between his eyes. He felt the tension drain from his body as the needle sent a warm vibration down his meridians, swiftly sending him to sleep.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019ll teach you to argue with me,\u201d grumbled physician Hong. He rolled up his sleeves and got to work treating Lingzhu\u2019s injury.<\/p>\n

*<\/p>\n

Lingzhu woke up, feeling groggy. Layers of blanket covered him to his neck and there was the smell of medicinal herbs in the air. He pushed himself up and looked around. He groaned when he felt a dull ache in his side. Checking himself, he saw that his stomach was bandaged and his hands were free of blood.<\/p>\n

He felt something warm next to him and saw a hot water bottle at his side. He picked it up and put it on his lap, enjoying the heat on his legs. After a while of soaking in the warmth, he decided to get up. He put his feet on the floor and realised it was warm and soft.<\/p>\n

He took another moment to enjoy the texture of the soft rug while he looked around the room. A stack of books sat on the table next to a tea set and a bowl of fruit. His work table was tidied up. The papers, some stained with blood, were arranged neatly with a carved wooden sheep sitting atop it as a paperweight. The lacquered box was gone, as were the papers with instructions in them.<\/p>\n

He wondered if he needed to look for Lady Xilian to check her daughter\u2019s progress\u2026<\/p>\n

He heard the door open and then found himself meeting Mie\u2019er\u2019s golden eyes.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re awake already?\u201d said Mie\u2019er, blinking in surprise.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe pills\u2026\u201d said Lingzhu, looking at the table.<\/p>\n

\u201cMother took the elixirs,\u201d said Mie\u2019er. \u201cLittle sister took a turn for the worse so my parents are treating her now.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lingzhu pushed himself to stand and hobbled over to the table, looking through his papers. He took out a new sheet and started writing more instructions, muttering about the possible outcomes and countermeasures. After a while, he handed the papers to Mie\u2019er.<\/p>\n

\u201cGive this to them.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSure,\u201d said Mie\u2019er. \u201cI\u2019ll have Heigou deliver these immediately.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lingzhu tilted his head, puzzled.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy are you staying here? Shouldn\u2019t you be with Little Sister?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFather, Mother, even old man Hong are all with her. I trust them to do a good job,\u201d huffed Mie\u2019er. \u201cThey\u2019re worried about you so I told them I\u2019ll be here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThey don\u2019t have to be worried. I\u2019ll ask Lingfeng to make sure the Border Mountains Sect won\u2019t give Night Vigil City any trouble.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat on earth are you talking about?\u201d said Mie\u2019er, raising a brow. \u201cCome on, let\u2019s get you back to bed.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHm?\u201d said Lingzhu, looking a little confused, but allowed himself to be ushered back to bed.<\/p>\n

\u201cHere, drink some water,\u201d said Mie\u2019er, passing him a cup.<\/p>\n

Lingzhu took the cup, but fumbled and dropped it, spilling the water over his lap. He shook his head and looked away when offered another cup.<\/p>\n

Mie\u2019er huffed in amusement, feeling this scene somewhat familiar. He left the room and soon came back with a bowl and spoon. He filled the bowl with water.<\/p>\n

\u201cHere, I\u2019ll feed you,\u201d he said, bringing a soup spoon to Lingzhu\u2019s lips.<\/p>\n

Lingzhu hesitated for a moment, then drank spoon after spoon.<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t drink too much,\u201d chuckled Mie\u2019er as he saw Lingzhu\u2019s eyes follow the bowl. \u201cYou\u2019ve still got to drink your medicine.\u201d<\/p>\n

He didn’t know why, but he felt a slight twinge of guilt seeing how thirsty Lingzhu really was.<\/p>\n

*<\/p>\n

When Lady Xilian came by, she found Lingzhu sitting on the bed reading a book. Her silver-haired son was sprawled out over the blankets next to him, fast asleep.<\/p>\n

\u201cLooks like Mie\u2019er likes you quite a bit,\u201d whispered Lady Xilian.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe says huddling together is a good way to keep warm,\u201d said Lingzhu, quietly.<\/p>\n

Lady Xilian snorted behind her sleeves at his reply. She then took a moment to compose herself and cupped her hands in a formal greeting as she spoke.<\/p>\n

\u201cSir Lingzhu, I apologise for coming at this late hour. I thought it would be good to inform you that my daughter\u2019s spirit core formation is going smoothly.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat of the demon aura?\u201d said Lingzhu, not bothering with any decorum in speech or manner.<\/p>\n

Taking a cue, Lady Xilian pulled up a chair to the bed and made herself comfortable.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy husband is helping her with that. Her body is still attracting and accumulating demon aura but at a much slower rate. With the spirit core, that small amount of demon aura doesn\u2019t hurt her body.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShe should be given regular treatment until her core is fully stabilised,\u201d said Lingzhu.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy husband and I are part-human, and our daughter ended up pretty much human and allergic to demon aura. We had originally planned to settle her in a human town but the Border Mountains Sect generously offered her a place as a disciple,\u201d said Lady Xilian, smiling gently. \u201cYou didn\u2019t have to, but you\u2019ve personally helped my family so much. Is there anything you would like?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThere is one thing,\u201d said Lingzhu, looking her straight in the face. \u201cI want to marry you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201c\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201c\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh dear, I\u2019m afraid I\u2019ll have to refuse since I already have a husband and can\u2019t take one more,\u201d said Lady Xilian, after a moment of careful thought.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh,\u201d said Lingzhu. \u201cWhat about Lord Guishou? Can he take one more?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou could try asking him,\u201d said Lady Xilian, amused. \u201cHe might refuse as well, though.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMn. I\u2019ll go ask him,\u201d said Lingzhu, looking ready to do it.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s no hurry,\u201d said Lady Xilian. \u201cWhy don\u2019t you wait until he comes back to the castle with our daughter some days later?\u201d<\/p>\n

Lingzhu thought about it for a moment, then nodded.<\/p>\n

After Lady Xilian left, Lingzhu remembered something he read\u2014\u201cAh, I made a mistake. I should\u2019ve prepared gifts beforehand\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHmm? What\u2019s going on?\u201d yawned Mie\u2019er. He sniffed the air, recognising his mother\u2019s perfume. \u201cWas Mother here?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMn,\u201d said Lingzhu. \u201cLady Xilian rejected me. Maybe it\u2019s because I forgot to prepare proposal gifts.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cEh? What are you talking about?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIf I am to stay here, I have to get one of them to agree,\u201d said Lingzhu, sounding strangely determined.<\/p>\n

\u201cI have no idea what you\u2019re talking about,\u201d said Mie\u2019er, stretching and flopping over Lingzhu\u2019s blanket-covered lap. \u201cWhatever it is, it\u2019s gonna have to wait till morning.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMn,\u201d said Lingzhu, putting his book aside and extinguishing the candles in the room with a wave of his hand. He absently stroked Mie\u2019er\u2019s head as they rested that night.<\/p>\n

*<\/p>\n

It was the height of winter and there was a rare snowstorm raging outside the castle. The people of Night Vigil City were warned about it beforehand and some of them decided to take shelter at the castle saying it would be fun.<\/p>\n

Lord Guishou, known to the cultivation world as the demon king of the north, was the leader of Night Vigil City and lord of this castle. He had a quarter human in him and thus had strong human features. He was a tall man with silken raven hair, golden amber eyes and an impressive pair of curled horns on his head. Dressed in black and gold, Lord Guishou was a picture of regal beauty.<\/p>\n

He was the complete opposite of the people in this room\u2014who were busy putting out mats and setting up a stove to prepare snacks. They were certainly making themselves very comfortable in the main hall of his castle.<\/p>\n

Lord Guishou let them enjoy their picnicking as he continued to discuss with his guards the increasing dead aura that was spreading from the southern spirit meridians. After an hour of discussion and writing down his strategies on paper and handing them to the vice-captain, he looked at the water clock and dismissed them to get ready for his next appointment.<\/p>\n

Everyone in the hall watched as the Hermit Moon Peak Lord walked into the hall, dressed in black with a veil covering the lower half of his face. Heigou followed behind him, looking somewhat perplexed. The Hermit Moon Peak Lord, a human guest of Night Vigil City, was dressed formally\u2014with a crown in his hair and a formal outer robe. There were added accessories on his sash and in his hair.<\/p>\n

\u201cSir Lingzhu,\u201d greeted Lord Guishou.<\/p>\n

Lingzhu put his hands together to return the greeting.<\/p>\n

\u201cLord Guishou.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI heard you wished to discuss something with me. Please, take a seat,\u201d said Lord Guishou, looking a little surprised as he hadn\u2019t expected such decorum from his guest.<\/p>\n

Lingzhu ignored the offer and took out a bound stack of talismans from his sleeve, holding it out with both hands to Lord Guishou.<\/p>\n

\u201cI have prepared a hundred talismans of various uses as a gift for you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cEh?\u201d said Lord Guishou.<\/p>\n

Heigou quickly went over to help hold the talismans for Lingzhu so his lord could have some time to react.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, right,\u201d mumbled Lingzhu to himself as he reached into his other sleeve and pulled out a pouch box containing some reels of spirit threads. \u201cThese threads can be woven into spirit nets or sewn into clothes to be used for enchanting purposes.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThese are precious gifts. I\u2019m afraid I do not understand their purpose,\u201d said Lord Guishou, looking perplexed.<\/p>\n

\u201cThese are wedding gifts,\u201d said Lingzhu.<\/p>\n

\u201cWedding? For\u2026?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLord Guishou, I want to marry you.\u201d<\/p>\n

There was a large collective gasp from everyone in the room. A few dozen pairs of eyes in the great hall were now upon their lord and a most unexpected suitor.<\/p>\n

Heigou stared at them, jaw dropped in surprise.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2026I am not quite sure what you mean,\u201d replied Lord Guishou.<\/p>\n

\u201cPlease consider my proposal,\u201d said Lingzhu. \u201cIf my gifts are inadequate, I shall go prepare more.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lord Guishou opened and closed his mouth a few times, not knowing what to say. From the corner of his eye, he saw Lady Xilian snickering behind her sleeve in a corner of the hall.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy lady, please come here,\u201d said Lord Guishou.<\/p>\n

Lady Xilian stopped her snickering and walked out gracefully, putting on her game face.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat is it, my lord?\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis isn\u2019t a matter to be taken lightly. I wish to consult you,\u201d said Lord Guishou. As he faced her, his eyes were wide and pleading.<\/p>\n

Lady Xilian coughed in her sleeve to hide the smirk on her face.<\/p>\n

Like mother like son<\/em>, thought Lord Guishou.<\/p>\n

\u201cI believe we should discuss this in private,\u201d said Lady Xilian. \u201cWith sir Lingzhu as well, of course.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCertainly,\u201d said Lord Guishou.<\/p>\n

As they walked to his chambers, he wondered why he didn\u2019t outright reject Lingzhu then and there. Perhaps it was out of surprise that he froze, or because of the look on his wife\u2019s face, that he thought he had to handle this delicately.<\/p>\n

Lingzhu went with them, his eyes flitting between the both of them like a lost lamb. Heigou carried the gifts and quietly followed behind.<\/p>\n

Once in Lord Guishou\u2019s room, he closed the door shut and gestured for them all to take a seat.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo,\u201d began Lady Xilian, mischief creeping up her face. \u201cIt\u2019s common for a man of noble status, such as yourself, to take second or third wives\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m fine being a concubine,\u201d added Lingzhu.<\/p>\n

The frown on Lord Guishou\u2019s face turned into a look of sheer horror. His wife finally took pity on him and stopped her teasing.<\/p>\n

\u201cSir Lingzhu,\u201d said Lady Xilian. \u201cWhat do you understand of \u2018marriage\u2019?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTo marry is to \u2018become related\u2019*, isn\u2019t it?\u201d<\/p>\n

*Literal translation of \u2018\u6210\u4eb2\u2018(marriage)<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cYou proposed to me the other day as well, so it doesn\u2019t matter which one of us you marry, does it?\u201d continued Lady Xilian.<\/p>\n

Lingzhu nodded.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf it\u2019s your desire to become related to our family, we could become sworn brothers,\u201d offered Lord Guishou.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat wouldn\u2019t work,\u201d said Lingzhu. \u201cI\u2019ll be made to return.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI see,\u201d said Lady Xilian. \u201cWell, if you wish to stay here at Night Vigil City, we can put heads together and think of something.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShort of marriage, that is,\u201d added Lord Guishou.<\/p>\n

\u201cLet\u2019s not rule that out,\u201d grinned Lady Xilian. \u201cWho knows if one of our children takes a liking to him in future?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s highly unlikely,\u201d said Lingzhu.<\/p>\n

Lady Xilian raised a brow at his response.<\/p>\n

In the end, they couldn\u2019t think of anything and Lingzhu went back to his room. Rumours flew among the people of Night Vigil City that the human cultivator had proposed to their lord and then became a shut-in from the shock of being rejected.<\/p>\n

The rumours even reached the Border Mountains that Qing Lingfeng, then vice sect leader of the sect, quickly sent the Mad Tiger Peak Lord to go investigate.<\/p>\n

*<\/p>\n

Ye Mingzhu, the Peak Lord of Mad Tiger Peak, was a formidable-looking woman. She was stout, dressed in black and red leathers, and looked ready to charge into battle on a horse.<\/p>\n

\u201cI heard you became a shut-in,\u201d said Ye Mingzhu, pouring herself a cup of tea and making herself comfortable in his room. \u201cI\u2019ve told senior brother Bai to put a stop to the rumours since they were getting out of hand.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHm? Rumours?\u201d said Lingzhu. Even with a visitor, he continued with his task of tediously materialising and spinning his gathered spirit aura into spirit thread. Ye Mingzhu watched the growing number of thread reels on his lap and wondered if Lingzhu knew he was spinning thread that was more expensive than gold.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s one crazy story where you attempted to seduce Lord Guishou by offering to become his concubine, got stabbed in the gut by an angry maid, and were put under house arrest,\u201d said Ye Mingzhu.<\/p>\n

Lingzhu thought for a moment and replied, \u201cHm, a part of that\u2019s true.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201c\u2026which part?\u201d said Ye Mingzhu. \u201cWait, don\u2019t tell me. I don\u2019t want to know.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lingzhu shrugged. \u201cI hope you\u2019re not here to take me back to the Border Mountains.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTsk, it\u2019s bad news,\u201d said Ye Mingzhu, shaking her head. \u201cSect Leader Qing thinks it\u2019s better for you to be back under the sect\u2019s direct supervision and has ordered me to fetch you back once winter\u2019s over. The other clans have expressed their distrust in you as a diplomatic guest. There\u2019s that rumour of you seducing Lord Guishou with your pretty face behind that veil\u2014they\u2019re terrified of that being even\u00a0remotely<\/em>\u00a0true.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSeduce\u2026? If my face was\u00a0remotely<\/em>\u00a0pretty, I wouldn\u2019t have to cover it,\u201d huffed Lingzhu, shaking his head. \u201cAnyway, what of Little Sister\u2019s arrangement with Lingfeng?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s going well,\u201d said Ye Mingzhu. \u201cInstead of Crystal Peak as you\u2019ve requested, Vice Leader suggested it would be better for Lord Guishou\u2019s daughter to stay with you for a time at the Hermit Moon Peak until she\u2019s fully recovered.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lingzhu went quiet for a while, mulling over his options.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s no avoiding going back,\u201d said Ye Mingzhu. \u201cBut if there\u2019s something Vice Leader or Sister Ye here can help you with, you just have to ask.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lingzhu looked around his room.<\/p>\n

Ye Mingzhu followed his gaze.<\/p>\n

She saw the little animal figurines on the window sill and the stack of books at the foot of the bed. A quilted blanket was draped over a chair and a hot water bottle sat upon it. An assortment of carved paperweights and an exquisite tea set were set on the table. A cute fish lantern hung at the door next to some wind chimes.<\/p>\n

She gave a bittersweet smile as she realised he had made himself a home here\u2014something he didn\u2019t have back at the Border Mountains.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ll bring all these back to your hut and ask them to write you letters,\u201d said Ye Mingzhu.<\/p>\n

\u201cOr I can just defeat Qing Wangyue,\u201d muttered Lingzhu to himself. \u201cIf I can find a way to amplify demon aura through Ashfire and throw him off guard\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

Ye Mingzhu pretended not to hear his plotting.<\/p>\n

There was a knock on the door, followed by Lord Guishou\u2019s son walking in. He was smiling but his eyes watched her like a hawk.<\/p>\n

\u201cPeak Lord Ye,\u201d said Mie\u2019er, cupping his hands to greet her. \u201cPardon my intrusion. I always come in to visit at this time of the day.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ye Mingzhu stood up as well, greeting him in return.<\/p>\n

\u201cYoung master Mie\u2019er. I am grateful for your care of our Hermit Moon Peak Lord,\u201d said Ye Mingzhu. Seeing she was no longer welcome, she smiled and bid Lingzhu goodbye.<\/p>\n

Mie\u2019er watched her leave and then dropped his polite smile, turning to Lingzhu.<\/p>\n

\u201cIs she here to take you away?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMie\u2019er,\u201d said Lingzhu, looking at the silver-haired boy. \u201cWill you come with me to the Hermit Moon Peak?\u201d<\/p>\n

\n


\nTranslator\u2019s Notes<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m fine being a concubine,\u201d added Lingzhu.<\/em><\/p>\n

The frown on Lord Guishou\u2019s face turned into a look of sheer horror.<\/em><\/p>\n

I\u2019d imagine the look of horror on Lord Guishou\u2019s face to be the screaming hamster face\u2026<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Lingzhu had his calculations worked out, but there was still the risk of his theory being wrong since practical applications seldom went according to plan.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-549","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-my-hermit-master"],"yoast_head":"\nMHM Chapter 21: Winter - Kei's Novels<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/amarukei.com\/?p=549\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"MHM Chapter 21: Winter - Kei's Novels\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Lingzhu had his calculations worked out, but there was still the risk of his theory being wrong since practical applications seldom went according to plan.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/amarukei.com\/?p=549\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Kei's Novels\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2022-12-05T16:41:27+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2023-09-15T09:18:43+00:00\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"admin\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"admin\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"17 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/amarukei.com\\\/?p=549#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/amarukei.com\\\/?p=549\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"admin\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/amarukei.com\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/f608dfc2d071c0362d53d7b15302ff50\"},\"headline\":\"MHM Chapter 21: Winter\",\"datePublished\":\"2022-12-05T16:41:27+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2023-09-15T09:18:43+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/amarukei.com\\\/?p=549\"},\"wordCount\":3784,\"commentCount\":0,\"articleSection\":[\"My Hermit Master\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/amarukei.com\\\/?p=549#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/amarukei.com\\\/?p=549\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/amarukei.com\\\/?p=549\",\"name\":\"MHM Chapter 21: Winter - 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