The two maids were respectively Qiu Yue and Qiu Shui, outstanding maids trained from their childhood by the Holy Hall. Not only were they excellent looking, but they also had prodigious talent in cultivation. Both of them were at the peak of the Skysoar Realm.
Reaching such levels at such a young age, they would be considered elites even in tier-6 and tier-7 organizations. Xiang Shaoyun stood his ground and insisted on taking the bath himself. But when they saw the pleading expressions of the two women, he clenched his teeth and agreed to have them help him.
Soon, he was cleanly stripped. He could feel the cold breeze brushing against his skin. His body was one that had been tempered by lightning. It was well-proportioned, robust, slender, and fit, causing the emotions of the two to ripple at what they saw.
The braver of the two, Qiu Yue, said with a red face, “The holy son-in-law has an excellent figure.”
She even reached out and gently scratched Xiang Shaoyun’s skin with her finger, causing him to shiver and say, “Cough, cough, I’m going into the bathtub.”
He quickly jumped into the bathtub. Qiu Yue and Qiu Shui walked over with their faces red. They still needed to scrub his back, and since he wasn’t given an option to refuse them, he could only allow them to do as they wished.
The two went to work. One was in charge of kneading Xiang Shaoyun’s head while the other was gently rubbing his back. A certain pleasant fragrance was constantly invading Xiang Shaoyun’s nostrils. He did not know if the fragrance originated from the bathwater or the two, but it did cause his blood to boil. He started getting the urge to drag both of them into the bathtub as well.
Fortunately, he was able to put his urges under control. He started chanting the Serene Clearheart Mantra, suppressing his desires. No matter how the two teased him, he would no longer feel anything.
After about an hour, the two women were done and left the room after dressing him up. Standing outside the room, they looked at each other with a crafty look on both their faces. They then headed toward a nearby room.
That room belonged to Tuoba Wan’er. She was currently seated before a dressing table, looking into the mirror with mixed emotions in her eyes. As someone born in a family of rulers, she lived a life of luxury. However, she also lived the life of a caged bird with no freedom. In a way, her life was sad.
Qiu Yue and Qiu Shui entered the room after knocking on the door. They saluted Tuoba Wan’er and said, “Greetings, young lady.”
“Um. Are you done attending to the holy son-in-law?” asked Tuoba Wan’er.
“Yes, young lady,” answered the two.
“How did he act?” Tuoba Wan’er asked.
Qiu Yue answered, “The holy son-in-law is a gentleman. At first, he was somewhat stiff, but he later eased up and allowed us to help him with the bath and dressing up.”
“Exactly. The holy son-in-law is an upright person, always treating us with respect,” said Qiu Shui.
Tuoba Wan’er sank into thought before she said, “Ok. You two will continue attending to him for the next few days. Agree to all his requests.”
“Yes, young lady,” the two answered obediently.
After sending the two away, Tuoba Wan’er sighed and muttered, “Being together with a man I don’t know is easier said than done.”
Meanwhile, Xiang Shaoyun looked extremely bored in his room. His mind was completely on the matter of escaping. Thus, he wasn’t even able to focus on cultivation.
That damnable Old Urchin is actually not coming to see me. What should I do now? Xiang Shaoyun cursed inwardly.
In truth, he was entirely capable of leaving undetected now, but he still couldn’t bring both Liang Zhuangmin and Wu Zhijun with him. His only hope was Old Urchin, and he could only hope that Old Urchin would show up and take him away soon.
Otherwise, he would be paraded around with Tuoba Wan’er in half a month, having his identity as the holy son-in-law announced to the entire city. At that time, leaving would no longer be an option.
While pacing the room bored, Xiang Shaoyun noticed a zither resting before the window. He walked over and sat down before it.
He softly ran his finger through the zither strings, causing melodic sounds to ring out in the air. It reminded him of Gong Qinyin, and he muttered, “I wonder how her zither skills are, nowadays.”
At that thought, he started plucking the strings, playing a song. He had barely touched a zither after his escape from the Ziling Sect. Thus, his skills with the zither had deteriorated somewhat. However, his basics were still solid, and he quickly regained his familiarity with the instrument. A song titled “Free and Unfettered” started playing from his fingertips.
The joy of the free and unfettered, the boundless freedom, the boundless delight. Moving alongside the wind, roaming the world…
A cheerful song traveled out of the room, reaching a certain room nearby. Tuoba Wan’er started listening out of curiosity, and it did not take her long to be completely engrossed.
Freedom was exactly what she wanted.
The song seemed to be describing the exact kind of life she longed for. Thus, she was completely pulled into the world of the song, slowly losing herself in it.
After an unknown amount of time, the song changed. It became a song of longing. It was obvious from the tune that the one playing the song was missing someone far away. Within the gentleness of the song was a trace of sorrow.
After the song ended, Tuoba Wan’er left the room and walked toward Xiang Shaoyun’s room.
Instead of knocking, she used voice transmission and said, “Is the holy son-in-law willing to meet me at the garden?”
Soon, Xiang Shaoyun left the room. Tuoba Wan’er no longer had the veil on her face, and he was slightly stunned by her beauty. With a smile, he said, “I was bored inside, so your invitation came at the perfect timing, young lady.”
The two headed toward the stone table and chairs in the garden before sitting down. After getting the servants to deliver some fruits and liquor, she sent them all away.
Xiang Shaoyun lifted the cup and said, “A toast to thank the young lady for saving my life.”
He then downed the liquor in the cup. Whatever happened, Tuoba Wan’er was indeed someone who had once saved his life. Thus, he was grateful toward her.
Tuoba Wan’er lifted her cup and drained the liquor as well. After putting the cup down, she looked at Xiang Shaoyun and asked, “Are you proficient with the art of the zither? The song I heard earlier is very beautiful.”
Xiang Shaoyun had a self-mocking laugh as he said, “During my frivolous youth when I was without learning or skill, I was great at all forms of entertainment. Yes, I know a little about the zither.”
Up until his teenage years, he had spent his life eating, drinking, and fooling around, wasting all those years not cultivating. Every time he recalled his past, he was filled with regret.
