Nan Muxue brought Chu Ruo back to the Hundred Flowers Palace.
While there were still those who supported Nan Menghua, reclaiming the palace was a simple matter for them. The Hundred Flowers Palace had changed hands once again, though for the ordinary disciples, it made little difference.
"How do you plan to deal with Mo Fei?"
Nan Muxue looked over at her. "How do you want to deal with her?"
"Me?" Chu Ruo laughed. "I’m asking you, so why are you turning it back on me? Aren't you the one in charge of the Hundred Flowers Palace?"
"I ask you one question, and you give me a dozen back."
"You—"
"Let her stay," Nan Muxue decided. "She isn't bad as the Fifth Protector."
"Tsk," Chu Ruo remarked. "Master certainly knows how to appreciate talent."
The sour, jealous tone made Nan Muxue chuckle. "When I ask you, you won't say. When I make a decision, you aren't satisfied. Have you developed a habit of being duplicitous lately?"
"I only said one thing, and you come back with a lecture," Chu Ruo leaned in close. "Can't you just give in to me a little?"
"And why should I give in to you?"
"Because," Chu Ruo brushed her lips against the other woman's, "I am your disciple."
Nan Muxue turned her head slightly. "Since you are my disciple, hurry up and practice your martial arts..."
"And I am also your beloved."
Nan Muxue arched an eyebrow. "Has this Master ever admitted to that?"
Chu Ruo stubbornly took Nan Muxue’s face in her hands and turned her back to face her directly. "I say you are, so you are."
"You really are..."
*Mwah.*
The room suddenly fell silent. Nan Muxue stood up, the blush still lingering on her cheeks even as her expression turned serious. "Practice."
Chu Ruo followed her. The master and disciple moved with a synchronized, rhythmic grace—but it only lasted for a moment. A second later, Nan Muxue felt two restless hands wandering over her. Despite the touch, Nan Muxue kept a straight face. "Focus."
But the person behind her was never one to behave. One hand rested on her waist, while the other slid from her shoulder up to the curve of her neck. "Xue'er..."
"Be serious when practicing."
"I don't have the heart for it right now."
Nan Muxue turned her head again to meet her gaze. "You—"
Their lips met. This time, Nan Muxue no longer hid her feelings. She leaned in softly and gave her a playful nip.
"Little Scorpion, you've learned some bad habits. You actually bit me."
"Blame yourself for leaning in."
Chu Ruo pulled her into a tight embrace from behind, grinning. "Fine, then I'm going to take my revenge now—"
A slender jade finger pressed against her lips, much to her dissatisfaction. "What are you doing? Let's continue..."
"How is Yunshuang?"
"You're such a killjoy, bringing up someone else all of a sudden."
Nan Muxue pinched her ear but allowed herself to remain in the embrace. "Did you think everything would be fine just because we returned?"
"I know we can't let our guard down. But don't you think mentioning others right now ruins the mood?"
"Mm..." Nan Muxue’s breathing grew unsteady as Chu Ruo’s hands continued their mischief. "You truly can't stay still for a moment. Returning to the palace doesn't mean all is well. There are still others to consider."
Chu Ruo sighed idly. "I wonder how the others are doing."
"By 'others,' do you mean your precious Miss Zhi'er?"
"I swear, if other people are jealous like vinegar, you're like sulfuric acid... Ow! You hit me again!"
"Since that's the case, why don't you go find your gentle and virtuous Zhi'er?"
"Alas, it's a pity. I've already boarded your pirate ship and fallen for your tricks. It's too late to get off now."
Nan Muxue’s voice took on a domineering edge. "Once you are Nan Muxue’s person for a day, you are mine for a lifetime. You aren't even allowed to think about leaving!"
Chu Ruo was about to lean in for a kiss when the sound of a chaotic skirmish drifted in from outside. It seemed they really couldn't afford to be too careless.
"What is all this noise? Where is the decorum?"
"Holy Envoy!" The disciples bowed respectfully upon seeing her. Xiao Guo'er, watching from the side, couldn't help but marvel. Having spent so much time around the Young Palace Master, Chu Ruo had indeed picked up a bit of an imposing aura in front of outsiders.
"What is the meaning of this?"
Xiao Guo'er stepped forward. "Reporting to the Holy Envoy, the disciples of the First Protector have had a conflict with the others."
Nan Yunshuang? Chu Ruo knew this might not have been at Yunshuang's direction. The Protectors personally chose their own disciples, and those lineages were fiercely loyal to their respective leaders. Somehow, the news of Nan Yunshuang’s betrayal had leaked out. Now, the other disciples were ostracizing and bullying her branch.
Chu Ruo felt a headache coming on. They had already purged Nan Menghua’s confidants upon their return, but as for Nan Yunshuang, they hadn't officially broken ties yet. The "Love Flower Drunk" incident hadn't succeeded, and Nan Muxue hadn't explicitly stated how to treat her, implying she was still the First Protector. Regardless, the internal fighting had to stop.
Chu Ruo stood on the steps with her hands behind her back, projecting the full authority of the Holy Envoy. "I am aware of this matter. You know the rules of the Hundred Flowers Palace as well as I do. Internal strife is strictly forbidden. I will act as though today's incident never happened, but I do not wish to hear of anything similar occurring again. Dismissed."
The disciples didn't dare say another word. Chu Ruo’s words might have seemed soft, but they knew better than anyone who stood behind the Holy Envoy—the Young Palace Master, who was known for her ruthless and cold nature. Those gathered here to fight were not ordinary disciples; their wits and martial arts were above average. Now that the Holy Envoy had spoken, they didn't dare be presumptuous and quickly retreated.
"Hey," Xiao Guo'er sidled up once everyone was gone. "You're getting more and more imposing. Not bad, not bad at all."
"You have the nerve to say that? You just watched them riot without doing anything?"
"How was I supposed to stop them? I tried to persuade them, but they wouldn't listen. You know the state of the palace right now. Besides, most of them have better martial arts than I do."
Chu Ruo sighed. "I know. But these are troubled times. Aside from Nan Menghua’s inner circle, we don't have many elites left. We have to be careful of other sects seeking revenge. We can't afford internal attrition at a time like this."
"Didn't we already explain to those sects that the old Palace Master was responsible and offer them olive branches? Besides, the survivors aren't necessarily a match for us."
"Even so, people might get ideas. It's better to be cautious." What Chu Ruo feared most was the sects joining forces while Nan Menghua struck from the shadows. Like Nan Muxue, she had a nagging feeling that Nan Menghua was still alive, hiding in the dark and waiting for her moment.
"My, you're sounding more like the Holy Envoy every day." The teasing voice belonged to Duan Ning, who was, as usual, accompanied by Yin Liuli. Duan Ning walked over and patted Chu Ruo’s shoulder with a laugh. "However, you can breathe a sigh of relief for now. We just received word that all the sects in the martial world have collectively issued a Kill Order."
"A Kill Order? For Nan Menghua?"
Duan Ning nodded. "Mm. The Hundred Flowers Palace was already unpopular, and she went too far this time. The outsiders don't know the truth about the treasure, and the people she took with her have vanished. Now that Xue'er has returned to power, the world thinks Nan Menghua has lost her standing, so they've joined forces to hunt her down."
"I don't care about that," Chu Ruo said. "I'm just afraid they'll target the Hundred Flowers Palace together."
"That won't happen. Every sect has been severely weakened. They're just looking to kick her while she's down. With you, Xue'er, and us Protectors here, they won't be stupid enough to offend the palace right now."
"So, does this mean we're the dominant power now?"
Yin Liuli smiled faintly. "Not exactly. The Four Great Manors and the Flying Eagle Fort are still formidable. We must remain vigilant."
Chu Ruo nodded, then looked at Duan Ning. "Was the disciples' rioting something you permitted?"
Duan Ning remained silent, and Yin Liuli looked at her as well. "You're just making trouble at a time like this."
"I'm just angry! It's lucky I didn't step in myself. She tried to harm us time and time again."
"But this isn't the time. You know Nan Menghua only chose the best for her inner circle. Now that they're gone, how many capable people do we have left? Encouraging internal strife now is just asking for chaos."
Duan Ning curled her lip. "Fine, fine, I get it. Xue'er is the same—she comes back and says nothing, just letting that woman stay as the First Protector like a stick stirring up trouble."
Yin Liuli sighed helplessly. "What kind of metaphor is that?"
Chu Ruo shrugged. "Xue'er has her reasons. It's freezing; let's go inside to talk."
"Eh, no thanks. We just came to tell you about the Kill Order. If we go in now, we'll just have to watch you two show off your affection. If the disciples are acting up, she'll probably scold me too. I'm not going to go looking for trouble. The message is delivered. Liuli, let's go. Let's get out of here."
"Hey! What's wrong with showing off? You're just jealous! Hmph!"
Chu Ruo returned to her room and immediately shut the door, shivering from the cold.
"Is it handled?"
The voice drew closer, but Chu Ruo instinctively moved in the opposite direction. "Mm."
Nan Muxue chuckled softly. "Why are you hiding? Did you do something wrong and fear my punishment?"
"No, I was standing outside for too long and I'm covered in a chill. Let me warm up before you come over. Your body is usually cold enough as it is... You!" Chu Ruo watched as the woman walked straight into her arms. She was speechless. "Why are you so disobedient?"
"I'm cold."
"You..."
"Hold me tighter."
Chu Ruo finally smiled and kissed her beloved’s forehead. "Fine."
...
"Sister."
Nan Muxue looked at her with amusement. "What are you calling me? Little sister?"
*Cough.* When she called her "Sister," it sounded normal enough, but hearing herself called "Little sister" gave her goosebumps. "Who's your little sister?"
"What? You called me 'Sister' yourself, and now you're going back on it? If not a sister, then what are you?"
Chu Ruo leaned in. "Don't you like me calling you 'Sister'?"
"Offering unearned flattery... you must be up to no good."
"You..."
"If you want something, just say it."
"Hehe, actually, it's nothing much. I just wanted to invite you to sleep in my room."
Nan Muxue was curious. "Didn't you move all your things into my room before? You were always complaining that your place was too small. What's changed today?"
Chu Ruo muttered, "Your room is the one reserved for the Palace Master. I don't know if your mother stayed there or not. I'd rather not."
Nan Muxue laughed. "Are you afraid, or..."
"Oh, just come to my room. Come on, come on!" Without another word, she pulled Nan Muxue along. "Don't you miss it? That's how we used to be. At night, Yan'er would sneak into the room to see me. Those were the happiest times for me back then."
With just that one sentence, Nan Muxue willingly let herself be led out into the vast, snowy landscape.
Once outside, Chu Ruo let go of her hand and walked ahead, their two figures becoming silhouettes against the snow. Nan Muxue turned her head and saw the girl walking with a silly grin on her face. She couldn't help but feel happy too. "What are you laughing at?"
"Look."
Chu Ruo’s gaze was fixed on the ground. Nan Muxue followed her eyes and saw that although two people were walking, there was only one set of footprints. Chu Ruo was carefully stepping exactly into Nan Muxue’s tracks. Nan Muxue reached out and brushed the snowflakes from Chu Ruo’s hair. "You silly girl."
"This way, it's like we're one person, and we'll never be apart again."
Nan Muxue stepped forward and embraced her tightly. "Yes. Always. Forever."
Those happy days didn't last long. One day, while Nan Muxue was in the study, Chu Ruo slept in a little late. When she finally got up and saw the object and the note on the table, she immediately summoned a disciple. "Who entered my room?"
The disciple was bewildered. "The disciples have been on guard. Aside from those delivering meals and cleaning, no one has entered the Holy Envoy's room."
"It's nothing. You may go."
Chu Ruo gripped the object in her hand so tightly her knuckles turned white. It was a gold hairpin and a note. *If you want to save her, come alone. Do not tell anyone.*
She recognized it instantly. This was the gold hairpin she had found in the treasure hoard and given to Bai Zhi'er. She tore the note into tiny pieces.
Nan Menghua!
***
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Master, Spare My Life: A Disciple's Sweet Rebellion | Chapter 205 | Footprints in the Snow | Novela.app | Novela.app
