Duan Ning puffed out her cheeks in annoyance as she stomped into the Palace Master’s study alongside the other Protectors. She flopped down into a chair with a heavy "Hmph!"
Nangong Yan teased her, "Why are you acting like a child again?"
"I just can't wrap my head around it!" Duan Ning snapped.
Nan Muxue asked tonelessly, "Where is Ruo'er?"
"I beg of you, there are several living, breathing people standing right here! Seeing me like this, you could at least show a little concern. But no, the first thing out of your mouth is your precious disciple—no, your precious husband?"
"Since you are here, why bother asking?"
"You—! I was bullied by your husband. Are you going to do anything about it or not?"
To her frustration, Nan Muxue simply continued flipping through the book in her hand, replying with a flat, "Mm."
"That’s it?"
"As long as Ruo'er is fine, it is enough."
"Listen to this!" Duan Ning pounded her chest in exasperation. "The few of us grew up together, yet you’re so... so biased toward your lover over your friends!"
Even Yin Liuli joined in the teasing. "That’s quite enough from you. You’re just upset because your disciples lost the sparring match to hers. Is there any need for such drama?"
"Liuli, you’re not helping either! I just can't accept it. Why? You see her every day, taking them out to catch fish and climb trees. All they do is eat, drink, and play. How on earth did they win?"
"You’re one to talk," Yin Liuli countered. "Among the four of us, you’re the most lenient with your own disciples."
"True, but even I’m not as bad as her! I used to suspect she wasn't teaching them martial arts at all. Every time I saw them, they were playing. Fine, she has good luck—those disciples have decent natural talent. Especially that one, Nan'er. That girl is something else."
Nangong Yan smiled. "I have to hand it to her. I originally thought the way she taught would ruin them, and I felt quite sorry for those kids. Who knew they’d actually turn out quite well?"
"I told you long ago," Nan Muxue added calmly, "Ruo'er is the best."
"Yes, yes, she’s perfect in every way. I still don't get it, though."
Nan Muxue added another comment out of the blue: "Ruo'er says this is called 'balancing toil and leisure.'"
"Ruo'er, Ruo'er... you really can't go three sentences without mentioning Chu Ruo. You’ve been married for so long; haven't you had enough of her yet?"
Nan Muxue’s tone turned quite serious. "Never enough."
"Fine! I’ve had enough! I’m leaving. I’m going to find somewhere to go be miserable in peace."
Everyone knew she was just looking for an excuse to head down the mountain for some fun. Yin Liuli, naturally, followed after her.
"I say," Nangong Yan said with a chuckle, "you really should rein that woman of yours in. Even if her teaching methods are effective, the other disciples are starting to get envious. They see her group playing around all day; if this continues, those kids will grow wild hearts."
"Ruo'er may do as she pleases."
Nan Yunshuang, ever expressionless, asked, "And the other disciples?"
"The rest of you can handle them. Ruo'er is right; we suffered too much in the past. It is good for the younger disciples to have a proper amount of relaxation."
Nangong Yan teased, "So, you agree with this 'toil and leisure' nonsense? This really is a case of 'the wife following the husband's lead,' isn't it?"
"Are the two of you any different?" Nan Muxue retorted.
Nangong Yan’s face flushed. "Muxue..."
"There is little to do in the Palace lately. If you wish to go down the mountain for a stroll, you may."
Once the others had left, Nan Muxue rose, intending to find Chu Ruo.
At that moment, Chu Ruo was huddled with her disciples in her old quarters to escape the heat. She had provided each of them with a bowl of iced bean curd, chilled with ice from the cellar—a refreshing treat in the sweltering weather. "There we go. Since you beat the Third Protector’s disciples today, Master is treating you to something delicious!"
"Master, Master," a young disciple chirped, "why do some of the older sisters call you 'Holy Envoy'?"
"Ha! Because Master used to be the Holy Envoy!"
"Then why did you become the Palace Master?"
"Because I married the Palace Master," Chu Ruo said, her eyes darting around playfully as she added, "Actually, I married your *Shiniang*. In the future, when you see her, you have to call her *Shiniang*, understood?"
Another curious disciple asked, "But why did you marry *Shiniang*?"
Chu Ruo laughed and pulled the inquisitive child onto her lap, addressing the group with grand exaggeration. "Alright, Master will tell you why I married your *Shiniang*. It was because she begged me, with snot and tears running down her face!"
Suddenly, Nan'er shouted, "Master, your bean curd isn't cold anymore!"
"In a minute, in a minute! Let me finish!" She continued her rambling tale. "Your *Shiniang* cried and screamed that she just had to marry me. And Master—well, how could I refuse? So I agreed, and ended up stuck on this 'thief's boat.' *Sigh*~"
The young disciples gasped in wonder. "Wow, really?"
"Of course it's true! Truer than pearls, definitely not as fake as a turtle shell! So, what are you going to call the Palace Master next time you see her?"
"Shiniang~!"
*Creeeeeak.*
The door was pushed open. One look at Chu Ruo’s horrified expression was enough to tell who was standing at the threshold. She scrambled to her feet. "Uh, about that... *Shiniang*..."
"Hahaha...!"
Amidst the disciples' boisterous laughter, she hurriedly corrected herself. "Xue... Xue'er."
Now, these disciples had been specially handpicked for her. Their personalities were already a bit lively, and after spending time with Chu Ruo, their mischievous streaks had been fully coaxed out. Seeing Nan Muxue, they actually had the guts to shout in unison, "Shiniang!"
Nan Muxue kept her hands behind her back. "Everyone, out."
Of course, they knew when to obey. "Yes!" Only Nan'er, before leaving, cast a look of pity mixed with "I tried to warn you but you're hopeless" disdain at Chu Ruo. Then, she too departed.
As soon as they were gone, Chu Ruo began to panic. "Um, you... how much of that did you hear?"
"From the 'snot and tears' part... to the 'crying and screaming'..."
"I was wrong!" She nearly dropped to her knees in terror. "Wife, I was wrong!"
Nan Muxue approached her step by step. "Since you know you are on a 'thief's boat,' do not even think about getting off."
The disciples outside whispered: *Sigh, Master is getting beaten again. So pitiful.*
Nan'er thought: *I can't carry her. She's simply impossible to carry.*
***
Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation
---|---|---
师娘 | Shiniang | Literally "Master's Wife." In this GL context, the disciples use it to refer to Nan Muxue because Chu Ruo is their Master (Shifu).
劳逸结合 | Balancing toil and leisure | A phrase meaning to combine work and rest effectively.
贼船 | Thief's boat | A metaphor for being stuck in a difficult or irreversible situation/relationship.
带不动 | Impossible to carry | Modern slang (often from gaming) meaning someone is so incompetent or prone to trouble that no amount of help can save them.
