290 Xuan Mei 1

"Where is Qin Feng?"

The girls that Li Changhai asked simply shook their heads and walked away. But what frustrated him most was the fact that he had no idea if they were unwilling to talk to him, or if they did not know?

The Second Ducal Prince bit down on his curse, holding it back before it could slip out of his mouth. Where was that troublesome fellow? It had been three days since they arrived at Snow Swallow Mountain Palace and he had already lost all contact with him! How could he have disappeared like that? It was almost as if Qin Feng was trying to break off all contact with him!

And that Lin Liushui! He had vanished too! But he had at least left a note, claiming that he was looking for the love of his life. Since Li Changhai was aware that the handsome fellow was searching for his old flame, who was supposed to be a disciple there, it had made some sort of sense.

Still, why was he being abandoned like that? What was he supposed to do, in this place that was filled almost entirely with women? Not to mention women who avoided him as though he was the plague! Why was he stuck in a spot like this?

"Why are you looking for Qin Feng?"

Li Changhai looked up in surprise, and saw that it was one of the Inner Court disciples of the Snow Swallow Palace who had asked him that question. At least, that was what her purple-hued dress declared. He had come to understand a little about their dress code, in the three days that he had been there.

So he clasped his hands and greeted her a little more politely. Anyone who showed that much curiosity about him and Qin Feng deserved that much.

"This one is Li Changhai, and I am seeking Qin Feng to ask about his quest."

"Ah. Second Ducal Prince Li Changhai, from the Duchy of the Westlands, in the Kingdom of Shu. I have heard of you. And I have visited your Duchy as well. Or should I call it your father's Duchy?"

That was a surprising reply. Then Li Changhai remembered something that Qin Feng had told him. "Ah. Then you must be one of the two who came to look on, when we were fending off the Barbarians. I had heard Qin Feng mention that. I hope you were not too inconvenienced?"

"By the Barbarian Invasion? Not at all. But I was rather curious about Qin Feng himself back then. And his unusual martial arts. I trust he mentioned that too."

"Ah, well. I believe that your fellow disciple - your Junior Disciple Sister? Well, Xu Yanzhi tested him with regards to that. Something about some White Jade Hands? I believe she might have mentioned their so-called fight, back in Ningfei Town?"

"That she did. Oh, I believe I had forgotten to introduce myself. I am Xu Qinghua. And yes, Xu Yanzhi is a fellow disciple of mine. My Senior Disciple Sister, to tell the truth. She joined the Snow Swallow Palace earlier than I did."

"Ah."

Li Changhai found himself giving out a short bark of laughter. "Oh! You are the one who crushed him in four blows! He was boasting about that, before he fought Xu Yanzhi."

"Boasting? That is a strange way of putting it."

"Well, you would need to have been there, to understand. It was a very curious exchange, back then."

"Oh?"

She had a rather curious expression on her face then, which Li Changhai attributed to the different versions of that epic fight that must be circulating in the Snow Swallow Palace. He had been a victim of that sort of gossip before, so he was more than happy to clear it up.

That must have shown in his smile, because this Xu Qinghua gave out a chuckle then, and pointed at one of the many pavilions that he must have passed earlier, searching for his friends.

"This looks like it may be a long and convoluted tale, so I believe that we might as well make ourselves comfortable first, before we begin. I am certain that I will end up asking you a great number of questions later on.

"So shall we?"

Li Changhai naturally agreed. After being avoided by the rest of the Snow Swallow Mountain Palace disciples as he had been for the last three days, he found himself more than ready to enjoy some proper conversation.

This Xu Qinghua was a rather good listener too, he had to admit. And he ended up telling her about their little trip to Ningfei Town, and the great tournament-like atmosphere to the fight there. Something which had her breaking out into a laugh, when she heard about how Xu Yanzhi had played Qin Feng in the last bits of the same.

Something that amused Li Changhai a great deal. He had not expected to enjoy being the focus of a pretty woman's attention like this. Possibly because it was rather clear that he was the target of match-makers and such, the last time that he had a chance to speak to some girl, back in his father's Duchy.

Talking to Xu Qinghua didn't give him that sort of pressure, to be honest. Perhaps because he knew that he didn't stand a chance? The girls of the Snow Swallow Palace were generally not allowed to leave and get married, after all.

Besides, this was only a conversation, where he can poke fun at his two friends, in retaliation for their abandonment.

It would not do any harm, since it was only sharing rather common gossip on the two of them. While there was a chance that the girl would pick up on the pair's secrets if he went too deep, that was their fault entirely, wasn't it? Who told them to completely ignore him like this?

Besides, if they had intended to search for someone in the Palace, wouldn't it be easier if they simply asked about the girl?

And he said so too, in one of those lulls after he had completed his last anecdote.

"Wait. So are you looking for Qin Feng or for Lin Liushui now?

"Or are you helping them search for their friend in the Palace?"

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