Chapter 112: World Three [26] Part 1

No refusal meant that Master had tacitly agreed.

Luo Yuezhu, feeling exceptionally good about herself, prepared to continue. But after kissing downwards two more times, she suddenly stopped again.

The Erotic Scroll only had simple images, and the storybook’s content was also written ambiguously. After kissing, Luo Yuezhu didn’t know what step to take next.

It seemed like they were supposed to press together? But she was already pressed against her Master’s body; her breathing and heartbeat were indeed flustered and chaotic.

And then? What was she supposed to do then? Take off her own clothes too?

Luo Yuezhu began to think. She tentatively tugged at her Master’s inner garment, then similarly untied her own clothes, letting their warm skin touch.

“Master?” Luo Yuezhu called out.

“Mm.” Jing Ke slowly exhaled a breath, forcefully suppressing the discordant thoughts stirred up by her little disciple’s clumsy actions.

It was truly sinful. Her little disciple was only fifteen, just fifteen! Even if one could marry and have children at this age in the current era, she wasn’t some old fuddy-duddy! How could she treat a fifteen-year-old child as an adult!

“Alright, let’s sleep.” Jing Ke tried her best to make her tone sound calm and rational.

Skin-to-skin contact was just skin-to-skin contact. She hadn’t lost anything. She could just treat it as pre-warming the bed for the coming cold weather.

Jing Ke indulged her little disciple immensely. Realizing her little disciple didn’t know how to proceed further, she just silently refastened her clothes.

“Yuezhu, good night.” Jing Ke patted her little disciple’s shoulder. After hesitating a moment, she still placed a very light kiss on her cheek.

Kissing on the lips was not allowed, but a kiss on the cheek to show closeness and affection was permissible.

“Okay, Master, good night.” After successfully cuddling and receiving her Master’s active kiss, Luo Yuezhu felt incredibly happy and exhilarated.

It wasn’t until the night watchman announced the arrival of Zi Hour (11 PM – 1 AM) that Luo Yuezhu reluctantly closed her eyes and fell asleep leaning against her Master.

–

When Jing Ke set principles, she was truly very principled.

For example, she had said she would only be in a romantic relationship with her little disciple at eighteen, so she stubbornly insisted that their current relationship was not of that kind.

Even if her little disciple still snuck into her room after the Mid-Autumn Festival, Jing Ke refused to admit they were already partners. They were just a Master and disciple with a very close relationship!

As for her other principle, naturally, it was her principle of limitless and unconditional indulgence towards her little disciple.

From the moment she was first kissed, Jing Ke could now calmly and peacefully let her little disciple pull her into cuddles, even taking baths together.

A clean conscience fears no accusation. As long as she held onto her final bottom line, her still unenlightened little disciple couldn’t do anything to her.

And so, time passed by in a blur until it was winter again, the twelfth lunar month with the north wind howling.

It’s said that a timely snow promises a good harvest, but the first snow this year seemed to have come too early, falling for a full three days and freezing the official roads solid. Many passing merchant caravans were forced to stay in Peace Offering City for several extra days.

Experienced old farmers had already started using their hidden savings to purchase charcoal and grain, preparing for the potential snow disaster.

Although Luo Yuezhu hadn’t expanded her business territory, she could still glean some clues from the account books sent by the shopkeeper. Sales at the grain store were nearly double compared to previous years, and both the purchasing and selling prices had risen to a certain extent.

Originally, Luo Yuezhu wanted to maintain the original selling price. She wasn’t short on money now, and letting the common people enjoy some benefits wasn’t out of the question.

But if all other grain shops raised their prices and only hers didn’t, everyone would come to her shop to buy rice, flour, and grain, causing her inventory to deplete at an extremely rapid rate.

To avoid her shop front being mobbed daily, Luo Yuezhu had no choice but to follow suit and raise her selling price, just to prevent the shop from closing its doors early within a month.

–

“Master, I want to go to Jiangnan after the snow melts to purchase more grain.” Detecting the possibility of a snow disaster, Luo Yuezhu had no intention of sitting idly by.

The climate in the Jiangnan region was relatively warmer. It hadn’t experienced large-scale snowfall, so grain prices there were comparatively stable.

If it were an ordinary merchant caravan, the round trip would take at least a month. But if Luo Yuezhu rode a fast horse there and then directly hired people to transport the grain back, she could complete the trip before the New Year.

“You want to go personally?” Jing Ke asked. “For this kind of matter, you could try cooperating with Heroine Ye. Let her write a letter back, and naturally, someone will deliver grain here.”

“If we do that, won’t it cause some unnecessary misunderstandings?” Luo Yuezhu said thoughtfully. “The Martial Arts Alliance has already partnered with the Four Seas Pavilion. If Heroine Ye sends a letter, it might make the Imperial Court misunderstand that we want to hoard grain.”

Jing Ke stroked her chin. “You plan to hide your identity and go purchase grain as an ordinary merchant?”

Luo Yuezhu nodded. “Mm. It’s not just Peace Offering City; grain prices are rising all around this area. So, there are many merchants trying to be opportunistic and profit from the price difference. If I blend in among them, it won’t be too conspicuous.”

“Alright, then we’ll do as you say. Are we leaving today or tomorrow? Let’s pack our luggage in advance.” Jing Ke didn’t object.

Since her little disciple was willing to make the trip personally, she would just accompany her on the journey. They could also see what the winter scenery in Jiangnan looked like along the way.

“Master, your disciple wants to go alone.” Luo Yuezhu said, her gaze very determined. “Master, I’ll be very quick. Twenty days at most, and I’ll be back.”

“You, going alone?” Jing Ke subconsciously frowned. Rationally, she knew her little disciple was already very capable. Just going to Jiangnan to buy some grain wouldn’t cause a major problem.

But emotionally, Jing Ke was still uneasy. The habit of guarding her little disciple had been carved into her very bones. She always felt that once her little disciple left her side, she would face all sorts of dangers.

“Master, don’t forget, your disciple is the Champion of the Martial Arts Tournament and also your only disciple. Even if someone recognizes me, no one will want to go against me.” Luo Yuezhu said, her tone extremely confident.

Although she would soon be sixteen, there were still two years until she turned eighteen. If possible, she wanted to make herself grow up quickly in her Master’s eyes, so she could finally complete that final step.

Indeed, after secretly researching for several months, Luo Yuezhu had finally obtained the ‘true scriptures’. She now knew how intimate matters were performed between women.

But it was useless to be one-sided in such things. Her Master had to be willing and take initiative for it to be truly accomplished!

Facing her little disciple’s resolute gaze, Jing Ke was the first to back down.

“Fine. Make sure you pack the weapons and pills I prepared for you. Don’t forget the silver either. And the Devil Sect Left Protector’s token—take that too, it might come in handy at some point.” Jing Ke instructed, becoming somewhat nagging.

“Master, don’t worry, I’ve already prepared everything. I’ve also confirmed the route with the Rice Shop Manager. There won’t be any problems.” Luo Yuezhu said, an eager, testing look appearing in her eyes.

Luo Yuezhu wanted her Master to perceive more clearly that she was already an adult capable of handling things on her own. At the same time, she also wanted to know what degree of capability she could achieve once she stepped out from under her Master’s wing.

“Alright, then when do you plan to leave?” Jing Ke asked.

“Tomorrow. Tomorrow, I’ll take my luggage and set off. Once the purchase is complete, I’ll send a letter ahead, letting the Rice Shop Manager bring people out early to meet us and provide support.” Luo Yuezhu said.

Luo Yuezhu hadn’t decided this on a whim; she had been silently preparing for it for several days. Only once the plan was flawless did she bring it up to Jing Ke.

Jing Ke nodded gently. “Good. Tomorrow is the third day of the lunar month. If you haven’t returned by the twenty-third, your Master will come looking for you.”

“Master, rest assured, in twenty days, I will definitely bring back the grain!” Luo Yuezhu promised with a smile.

–

Many people saw that Peace Offering City might face a snow disaster. The government Yamen didn’t ignore it either, sending people to monitor the prices at the city’s grain shops.

Appropriate price increases were acceptable. But if a grain shop doubled or tripled its prices, don’t blame them for being impolite and inviting the Shopkeeper to spend a few days in jail.

Yamen Runners couldn’t beat martial arts masters, but dealing with some merchant families wasn’t a big problem.

After watching her little disciple ride a white horse out of Peace Offering City, Jing Ke began worrying about her safety. If Yin Honglian hadn’t come to her house looking for a chess game, Jing Ke would probably have been pondering whether to sneakily follow behind her little disciple.

“Enough, your little disciple isn’t so little anymore. She’ll be sixteen after the New Year.” Yin Honglian couldn’t help but say. “Think about what you were doing at sixteen? Your little disciple is very capable.”

From Yin Honglian’s perspective, she felt Jing Ke was simply too indulgent with her disciple.

Letting her disciple push her luck and be with her as her Master was one thing, but now it’s just a trip to Jiangnan to buy some things. Was it really necessary to start worrying the moment her little disciple walked out the door? Her little disciple wasn’t going there to kill anyone.