The Concubine's Daughter Comes Around Chapter 35: Practicing Qing Gong

Wu Jitian stopped and gave a complicated look. He replied, "Sure, I do."

"Then when can I be a general?" asked Dong Ling worriedly. She couldn't wait to punish the Dong family. 

"Don't worry. You helped me so much. I'll keep my words!" Wu Jitian replied and took her to the pavilion in the middle of the yard, sipped his tea and continued, "But you know my father just fired me today. Don't rush. You can now stay in the capital, in the name of my lifesaver."

Dong Ling replied nothing, with her lips pressed.

Wu Jitian looked at her and said, "Just rest a.s.sured. I will pay you back! You have nowhere to live, don't you?"

"No, I don't. But…" answered she when she nodded.

"Well, don't worry. This is a big place. Just stay and I'll take care of everything." proposed Wu Jitian.

Even if he said so, Dong Ling stilled expected an exact time. She murmured, "But I…"

Before she finished, a guard rushed in.

He reported, "Your Highness. The guests have arrived at the study."

"I see. Leave us alone." Wu Jitian waved at the guard and turned to Dong Ling, "Dong Ling, just live here. Ask the butler for whatever you want. I have some business to do."

Dong Ling watched him disappear and was at a loss what to do. She had no choice, but to live in his mansion for the time being.

Dong Ling had sat in the pavilion for a long time before she stood up. Staring at the stone paths leading in all directions, she didn't know where to go. She stopped a maid and asked, "Excuse me, where is my room?"

"Miss Dong, please come with me." Replied the maid when she saluted to Dong Ling politely and led the way.

Dong Ling reached her room, got washed and sent away the maids before she took a good rest.

When she woke up, night fell.

After the dinner, she looked at the maid beside her and suddenly asked, "Have the guests gone?"

"Yes, Miss Dong. They left at about Shen ( the period of the day from 15 p.m to 17 p.m. )." answered the maid respectfully when she saw Dong Ling's broadsword.

Dong Ling asked again, "Then where is Prince Jitian?"

"I'm not sure. In the study maybe." replied the maid.

Since so, Dong Ling planned to go and have a conversation with him. But she returned half way. She thought, "Well, I don't think I should go find a man in the late evening. I'll just go tomorrow."

The next morning, Dong Ling got up early. After having breakfast, she asked where Wu Jitian was, only to be told that he had left earlier.

But he suddenly visited her at nightfall.

They sat face to face when Wu Jitian asked with concern, "Dong Ling, how do you feel when living here?"

"Everything is fine. Thank you for your concern." replied Dong Ling while she was thinking about how to ask about the general stuff.

"You're my lifesaver and this is what I should do. Don't worry. I'll pay you back." said Wu Jitian. Obviously, he knew what she was going to ask. Thus, he said so to keep her out of worry.

Dong Ling was about to ask when a guard suddenly walked to Wu Jitian and whispered to him. Then he looked at Dong Ling with apologetic eyes and murmured, "Sorry, I…"

"Your Highness, go if you have some business." said Dong Ling when she realized he must have something else to attend to.  

Wu Jitian nodded and left in a hurry.

Dong Ling, left alone, enjoyed her tea and lost herself in thought.

In the following few days, Wu Jitian seemed to be as busy as a bee. He visited her every night, fatigued. And he left hurriedly before he made a long conversation. 

Well, this wasn't helpful. Dong Ling understood he was busy with work. But she didn't want to wait and do nothing. What a waste of time!

The next morning, Wu Jitian left early in the morning again. Dong Ling planned to show herself around his mansion. As she walked past practicing field, she saw a familiar guy.

"Lin Zang!" Dong yelled and walked to him, "What are you doing here?"

"Oh, hi, Miss Dong." said Lin Zang when he looked back and was happed to see her.

As he wiped the sweat off, he answered, "I'm not strong enough and I'm practicing."

"Practicing? Well, why don't you practice Qing Gong (a kind of Chinese ancient Kung Fu, more specifically Lightness Skill, which enables people to move quickly like flying) with me?" Dong Ling proposed as she looked around the whole practicing field.

"Really? That'll be great!" Lin Zang asked with disbelief! When Dong Ling nodded, he nodded, too. To be honest, he had been admiring Dong Ling's Qing Gong on the way back to the capital.

If she could teach him, that would be awesome!

Lin Zang asked anxiously, "When shall we start?"

Well, he couldn't wait!

Dong Ling teased, "How about now? Are you okay with that?"

Lin Zang didn't want to be cowardly in front of Dong Ling. He replied immediately, patting his chest, "Sure! Don't underestimate me!"

Dong Ling smiled and then asked the servants to prepare the sandbags for their training.

Mm, servants at Wu Jitian's mansion were activists. Only a few minutes later, they found some sandbags in different sizes and shapes and put them in front of Dong Ling. 

"What are these for?" asked Lin Zang curiously?

"Tools for practice." replied Dong Ling. 

She tied two big sandbags to her shanks and some small ones to the thighs. Then she jumped to check if they were fixed. 

"Hurry. Tie them on!" she reminded Lin Zang impatiently when the latter was in a daze. 

"Are you sure they work?" asked Lin Zang as he tied the sandbags as Dong Ling did. 

Well, Dong Ling didn't want to explain too much! She just said, "No more questions and just do as I tell you to!"

Then she ran quickly around the practicing field! Lin Zang watched for a few minutes! Thinking of what Dong Ling was capable, he soon joined her! 

They ran round and round. Lin Zang breathed heavily. He wanted to take a rest, but he didn't dare to, because Dong Ling was still running. 

He asked, "Hey, Miss… Miss Dong… How long, I mean… When shall we stop?"

"After the last round." replied she as she speeded up. 

Lin Zang didn't catch up with her until Dong Ling stopped and untied the sandbags. He finally stopped and gasped. 

After having enough rest, Lin Zang untied the sandbags on him and said, "Wow, Miss Dong. You're amazing!"

"Come for the same practice tomorrow!" she announced and left. Lin Zang sighed miserably!

Such practice lasted for a few days and Lin Zang truly made progress in the swift moving skillQing Gong!

In fact, Dong Ling didn't come to the practicing field for practice. Instead, what she meant was to ask about Wu Jitian's schedule secretly. Luckily, he was okay lately. Busy working, though. 

In Wu Jitian's study. 

"Looks like she's in no hurry to be a general." reported Lin Zang. 

Wu Jitian stopped his right hand when he was practicing calligraphy. The ink stained the paper. 

"I'm glad to hear that!" said Wu Jitian, "Anyway, I still don't know how to persuade her not to be a general. Remember! Keep an eye on her and let me know if anything happens."

"Yes, My Lord." answered Lin Zang. He gave a salute before he left. 

The room was so quiet that even the noise of the handwriting could be clearly heard. 

Finis.h.i.+ng the last stroke, Wu Jitian put down the writing brush. 

"Mm…" he sighed, "Dong Ling is really a mysterious girl!"

He squinted and a glimmer of fieriness flashed in his eyes quietly. 

In the capital, there were so many affluent main streets. Dong Ling was on the street today. 

Recently, Dong Ling did nothing, but teach Lin Zang the swift moving skillQing Gong or saunter in town. After all, she wasn't a quiet girl who enjoyed doing embroidery at home. 

She was enjoying herself in front of a stall for clay figures. 

Suddenly, she saw people gathering at a short distance. It really made her curious. She grabbed a guy near her and asked. 

So, the Poetry Compet.i.tion was being held near the East Lake. People, cultivated or not, would like to join it. Not for fun… but for the most beautiful girl in capital and Four Great Scholars. 

In addition, the winner would be awarded every year. And for this year, the prize was a rainbow dress. The one and only rainbow dress in the capital! 

Humph! Girls or scholars didn't interest Dong Ling at all! But honestly, she was excited to see the legendary rainbow dress. 

The place was so crowded that Dong Ling failed to see where she could sign up. She asked someone, "Excuse me, could you tell me where I can sign up for the compet.i.tion?"

Well, the man she was asking was going to get angry. But he calmed down as soon as he saw Dong Ling's pretty face. 

He then answered, "Oh, if you want to sign up, go along the road. See? In the pavilion over there!"

He pointed and Dong Ling saw many people standing in a line in the pavilion. Without hesitation, she walked up! 

It took Dong Ling totally one hour to stand in the line before it was her turn. She said, "I'm signing in."

She took out a small ingot of silver and put it on the table. 

"Okay. Tell me your name and take your number." replied the man for registering who was surprised to see such a brisk girl. 

He wrote down Dong Ling's name on a small plank and gave it to her. 

Finally, it was her turn to give a performance. But she was about to walk up the stage when a middle-aged man in a fine robe stopped her. 

Dong Ling looked at him in confusion. 

He explained, "Sorry, everybody! The Four Great Scholars and the most beautiful girl are coming! We're making room for them. You may leave!"

As he spoke, he bowed to the audience politely as apology. 

What the h.e.l.l! He was really a killjoy! Everyone's enjoyment was spoilt. 

They argued, "Sir. We paid for the compet.i.tion and waited for so long! Finally, it was our turn to show up! But you're just expelling us! Why do you think you can do that?"

Dong Ling was angry, too. She wanted the prize! 

"Sorry, but this is the rule." the man in charge explained perfunctorily. He didn't want to argue much, or people would complain about them. And the compet.i.tion would be ruined, too. 

A moment later, people stopped when a girl in a pink dress arrived. She stood elegantly in a boat. The breeze rustled her long hair so that people could see her gorgeous face. 

The boat came closer when a delicate fragrance could be smelt from her. That was really attractive! 

"Look! The most beautiful Pan Qiyi!" someone yelled, "Look at her perfect body! I'm sure she'll be a hit!"

Well, people kept talking about her. They shouted and yelled loudly by the lake. In the crowd, Dong Ling was embarra.s.sed. Seriously? Did the girl have anything to do with them? What made them so excited?

The most beautiful girl in capital? Such ostentation?

Did the men only like her because of her beautiful face?

Or did such nerds adore her because of her talent? Dong Ling would rather think they adored her for her appearance. 

The man in charge     said, "You must be waiting for the moment when the Four Great Scholars compose poems with the most beautiful girl. But before that I have to clear some of you out. Or there's not enough room for them."

After he finished, he looked at the servant around. Soon, many     compet.i.tors were expelled.    

They sighed with disappointment. But Dong Ling remained where she stood. Those servants were even scared by her cold eyes and they didn't dare to kick her out.