Chapter Three: Shoes Overlapping, Heels Touching

Back in the room, Qiufen kept her head lowered, not daring to utter a sound. Her hands twisted the hem of her garment as she stood obediently in place.

Xu You asked in surprise, "What's the matter?"

Qiufen slowly knelt down, pressing the back of her hand to her forehead as she bowed to the ground. "This maid was reckless and has caused trouble. I beg young master to punish me!"

Xu You shook his head with a smile, pulling her to her feet. "Silly girl, for a young maid like you to face someone as wicked as Chen Mu without flinching, and to defend the honor of the Xu family—such merit deserves a grand reward… Well, we’re penniless right now, so let’s put your reward on record and pay you tenfold when times are better!"

At this time, men were generally addressed as "young lord" or "young master," and women as "lady" or "missus." The term "miss" only became common during the Song dynasty, and even then, it was often used to describe courtesans. In the Yuan dynasty, when the Mongols conquered the land, ignorant yet eager to emulate Central Plain culture, they mistakenly believed "miss" to be an elegant title and used it for noblewomen. The term was then misused and gradually spread. By the era before Xu You's transmigration, "miss" had once again become synonymous with a fallen woman, which in a way brought it full circle.

"I don't need any reward. As long as young master isn’t angry with me, that’s enough," Qiufen said, sticking out her tongue and looking up at Xu You. "Young master, you’ve really changed from before…"

"There you go again—you’ve said that already," Xu You replied, his body still terribly weak. After the recent commotion, he was finding it hard to catch his breath. With Qiufen’s support, he made his way to the bed to rest. Once under the covers, warmth returned to his limbs and he smiled. "Tell me, what else do you find different?"

Qiufen brightened with excitement. "Just now, the way you spoke to that villain, the talk of propriety and breaking the law… In just a few words, you left him pale with anger, suffering a loss with nothing to be done about it. You have no idea how arrogant he was before! He strutted about, intimidating everyone into silence…"

"He’s just a thug—only bold because he borrows authority from others. Frighten him a bit and he runs. It’s nothing!"

"No, if it were before, young master would have said nothing and simply beaten him to a pulp—beaten him to…" Qiufen faltered, searching for words.

In truth, for a noble house like the Xus, even though their family was known more for martial prowess than scholarly pursuits, after a hundred years in the county, their household learning was not shallow. The personal maids of the main branch were all supposed to be well-read and properly educated. But Xu You had always preferred martial arts and chivalry over literature, so even his maids learned more fighting than reading. Thus, Qiufen came up short for words.

Xu You finished for her, laughing, "Beaten until even his own mother wouldn’t recognize him!"

Qiufen’s eyes sparkled, her brows arching, lips curving into a small smile. "Yes! That’s perfect—beaten until his mother wouldn’t recognize him, ha!"

Xu You teased, "So which do you prefer—the young master of before, or the young master of now?"

Qiufen tilted her head, thinking earnestly, "Before, young master liked fighting, not talking. Now, young master likes talking, not fighting. I think both are good!"

In truth, as long as young master can stand again, no longer bedridden and covered in blood, this maid is happy from the bottom of her heart…

Xu You smiled at that. "You’re quite the sweet-talker. Tell me, where did you learn your martial arts? That Chen Mu is no weakling, yet you took his whip from him in a single move."

Qiufen looked puzzled. "Young master, wasn’t it you who saw me idle every day and secretly taught me? You said it was the Xu clan’s ancestral ‘White Tiger Strength,’ passed only to direct descendants, and warned me not to speak of it or I’d bring trouble on myself. Today was the first time I ever used it—I just couldn’t hold back! I didn’t expect it to work so well, heehee!"

Xu You massaged his temples. This was the trouble with merged memories—unless something was especially memorable, it took effort to recall. Only now did Qiufen’s words remind him: it was indeed his former self who’d taught her martial arts, out of boredom and a rebellious urge—if family rules forbade others from learning, he would teach an outsider, and not just any outsider, but the most delicate, lowly maid!

He hadn't expected Qiufen to have such talent—not only mastering the secrets of White Tiger Strength within three years but reaching the second stage, barely qualifying as a lower ninth rank expert.

The so-called Nine Ranks List was a grading system devised by martial artists, modeled after the official nine-rank evaluation system. Ranks went from one to nine, with ninth the lowest, and each divided into upper, middle, and lower grades. In all Chu, countless people took up martial arts, but most never reached the ninth rank in a lifetime. For Qiufen to reach it at thirteen was a talent no less than Xu You’s own.

"White Tiger’s Nine Strengths…"

Xu You raised his hand. The higher one's mastery of White Tiger Strength, the more translucent and white as jade the palm became. His own, however, was now dull and gray, nothing like its former radiance at his peak.

"Sun Lord’s pure yang returns to the Scarlet Palace, Moon Lord’s pure yin returns to the elixir field. Gather true yang to spirit and shine among the stars; gather true yin to form and strengthen the earth…" As he triggered the familiar flow of White Tiger mystic energy, a sudden pain shot through his lower abdomen. His blood surged in reverse, and a chill, as if a venomous snake, invaded his body via his meridians.

In nearly an instant, Xu You’s face changed. His whole body felt drenched, and had he not bitten his tongue, he would have fainted.

Qiufen, startled, rushed to support him. "Young master! Young master!"

"Cough, I’m alright…" As long as he didn’t try channeling energy, the chill receded after a moment. Yet Xu You felt as if he’d just survived a serious illness. His already weak body seemed on the verge of collapse. "Help me sit up."

Qiufen quickly stacked the bedding and pillows at the bed’s head, propping him up to recline, then crouched at his side, worry clouding her face. "Young master, what happened just now?"

Xu You shook his head. He didn’t know either. "When Doctor Wen came to treat me, did he say anything about my sea of energy or meridians?"

Qiufen frowned in thought, then suddenly stood. "I remember! Once, young master’s whole body went cold, as if your face had frozen. Doctor Wen used some method to save you, and afterward I overheard him mutter, ‘What a pity, what a pity. With breath reversed and meridians in chaos, all martial arts are lost…’ I was too worried at the time to think about what that meant for you!"

Xu You fell silent. So, he’d not only crossed over into a body gravely injured and at death’s door, lost his noble family’s support, and become a thorn in the side of both crown prince and Shen clan, but now, even his only pride—martial arts—was lost to his injuries.

No wealth, no power, no strength—truly, he had nothing left.

"Ha, ha!" Xu You coughed harshly. Yet having lived two lives, he was not as obsessed with martial arts as his predecessor. Not every scion of a great family practiced martial arts—many became marquises, ministers, and left their names in history without ever wielding a blade.

"Let’s not dwell on it. Surviving is miracle enough. If need be, I’ll relearn it all."

"Mm!" Qiufen found martial training easy and didn’t think much of it. Since young master was a hundred times smarter than she, regaining his skills would be no trouble. She soon put the matter aside.

After all, as young master said, to be alive is fortune enough. People should not be too greedy—a lesson she’d learned young.

"Oh no, the fish! I forgot about the fish…" Qiufen sprang up to dash out, but Xu You grabbed her sleeve. The girl was so strong he was almost pulled out of bed, pain shooting through his wound and triggering a cough.

"Don’t bother. That fish was trampled to bits; it’s not fit for food."

Qiufen gently rubbed his chest until his breathing steadied. "It’s only a bit dirty—I’ll wash it clean and it’ll be as good as fresh. You’ve only had thin porridge for more than twenty days; your body is so weak. I’ll make a fish stew to nourish you…"

Xu You sighed inwardly. In his past life, he’d been an orphan, enduring countless hardships. He’d eaten not just stews made from battered fish, but even scraps scavenged from trash. Yet after he grew, his life became smooth and prosperous, money too abundant to count, and while he never lived extravagantly, he was never frugal either. Who would have thought, after crossing into this world, it would be like reliving his childhood.

"Very well—just cook it soft, add extra broth, and we’ll each have a bowl," Xu You instructed. "Remember, one bowl each. If you won’t eat, I won’t either!"

"Alright, I promise!"

Qiufen turned away, her eyes misting over. She didn’t know why, but ever since young master awoke, every look, every gesture, every word seemed to brush the softest part of her heart. She, who’d never shed tears, found herself on the verge of crying time after time.

As for Qiufen’s cooking—how it compared to others of this era, Xu You couldn’t say. But in his own time, she’d be at least a Michelin-starred chef. A simple fish stew, with nothing but scallions and ginger, was so savory and smooth that it tasted like nectar and left one wishing to swallow their own tongue.

Hearing Xu You’s praise, Qiufen’s heart swelled with joy, though she protested, "You used to always scold me, saying I was a silly girl with clumsy hands and feet. You said if I’d served another household, I’d have been beaten to death by now."

Xu You nearly choked on his soup. "Did I?"

Qiufen nodded vigorously, her pouting lips making her look especially charming. Xu You ruffled her hair, deliberately messing up her bun. "See, I wasn’t wrong—what kind of maid can’t even tie a proper ringed hair bun?"

Qiufen blushed scarlet and hurried outside to redo her hair at the water basin. Only then did Xu You realize there wasn’t a single bronze mirror in the room.

Bronze mirrors had become common household items since the late Western Han. Xu You pressed his temples, feeling much better. He called Qiufen back in. "Is there not a single coin left?"

Qiufen bit her lip and nodded. "Since that night… the house was raided. Everything, even the rewards I’d collected over the years, was taken away…"