Chapter 127: A Fair and Gentle Maiden

A beautiful voice carries immense power. As it stands, the attention of Wei Wuji and his men was completely captivated.

With a single "Wait," over a dozen burly men were brought to a standstill. The guards halted not because they were afraid, but because they recognized the identity of the person who had arrived. As for Wei Wuji, he stopped simply to gaze at a beauty—a woman, indeed, who made his heart race and left him utterly unable to compose himself.

Wei Wuji felt certain that this was the most breathtakingly beautiful woman he had encountered in this life or the last. Phrases like "a lotus rising from clear water, natural and unadorned" and "the spirit of autumn waters with bones of jade"—all the poetic praises he could muster seemed tailor-made for her. Ultimately, however, all he could manage to blurt out was, "Damn, she is fucking beautiful!"

Zheng Dali, standing by his side, chimed in, "Young Master, didn't you say that my speech was crude? Why would you use such vulgar language yourself?"

Wei Wuji had no intention of entertaining Zheng Dali; his entire focus was fixed on the beauty. She appeared to be no more than sixteen or seventeen, dressed in a green silk robe, accompanied by two maidservants as she walked slowly toward him.

"So it is Miss Cao," the captain of the guards said, sheathing his sword and cupping his hands in a respectful salute.

Seeing the captain salute her, the beauty returned a faint, indifferent smile and continued walking toward the gate.

"Commander Wu, you are too polite," the beauty replied. To Wei Wuji's ears, her voice sounded like celestial music.

Determined to maintain a good image, Wei Wuji shed his look of a hungry wolf and adopted a posture of refined elegance. He puffed out his chest, sucked in his stomach, tilted his chin slightly, and cast his gaze forward. With one hand resting on the hilt of his sword and the other gripping the reins, anyone who saw him would surely give a thumbs-up and exclaim, "Is this not a true hero?"

"Miss, why did you stop me? If these rogues are not apprehended, will it not tarnish the dignity of the gentlemen and ladies inside?" the man addressed as Commander Wu asked in a deep voice.

By this time, Miss Cao had reached them, and Wei Wuji could see her delicate features even more clearly. He swallowed hard, and once again, the thought echoed in his mind: *Damn, she is fucking beautiful!* A strong desire took root in his heart: *This woman... she must be mine!*

"Commander Wu, I wasn't stopping you; I was saving you!" Miss Cao stood gracefully, her words soft and gentle.

Commander Wu, of course, did not understand. *Saving me? Are my dozens of men unable to handle these ten or so people?* Feeling slighted, the commander’s mood soured instantly.

Glancing at Wei Wuji, who sat atop his tall steed as if he were radiating light, Miss Cao added, "Commander Wu, if I were you, I would kneel immediately and offer a formal apology to the Fifth Young Master..."

Upon hearing this, Commander Wu felt a sudden chill. *The Fifth Young Master? This man? How could that be?*

In that moment of hesitation, the commander slapped his forehead, cold sweat breaking out across his brow. If even Miss Cao said so, then the identity of this young man was beyond doubt. Unless Miss Cao was joking with her own family's official standing, he could see no reason for her to deceive him.

The sweat on Commander Wu’s forehead intensified. He wanted to kneel, but his legs felt frozen. With a sharp *clack*, his sword slipped from his hand and clattered to the ground, and he followed, dropping heavily to his knees.

"This lowly one has eyes but failed to recognize greatness! I beg the Young Master for mercy!" Commander Wu pleaded, his face streaming with tears. The guards behind him, sensing the panic, hurriedly followed their leader's example and knelt in unison.

Seeing this, Wei Wuji felt a wave of disappointment. So much for the grand confrontation he had anticipated; it had all been rendered pointless by this turn of events.

Wei Wuji vaulted off his horse, handed the reins to a guard, and walked slowly toward the commander. The man, usually so overbearing, was now on the verge of tears. He had pulled every string he could to secure this position, only to run into such a disaster today. A high-ranking young master, not arriving with a grand procession, but instead choosing to travel incognito—this "Fifth Young Master" was someone he had never heard of. *Could he be the one causing such a stir these past few days?* The thought only added to the commander's terror.

Standing before the commander, Wei Wuji noticed the man was trembling like a leaf. *It seems the status of a young master is equally daunting to those in the lower ranks,* Wei Wuji noted to himself.

Picking up the fallen sword, Wei Wuji drew it from its sheath. A cold glint shimmered along the blade. "A fine sword," he praised, before sheathing it again. He thrust the sword into the ground, stood tall, and said in a deep voice, "Everyone, rise!"

He then turned to the commander. "Swords should be turned against enemies, not one's own people."

Having survived a brush with death, the commander nodded like an obedient child. Wei Wuji waved him away; he wouldn't let this man ruin the scenery while he was trying to woo a beauty.

Wei Wuji smoothed his attire once more and turned toward Miss Cao. "Wuji is truly grateful for your... Miss's... intervention." Not knowing her name, he could only address her as "Miss."

The beauty remained composed and bowed deeply to him. "This humble one greets the Young Master."

*She should have called me 'My Lord,'* Wei Wuji thought to himself.

"Miss, please, no need for such formalities. Wuji is dull-eyed and does not yet know your name," Wei Wuji said, stepping forward as if to help her up.

But the beauty had already straightened herself, denying Wei Wuji the opportunity. Though it was somewhat rude, Wei Wuji had been rude first—asking a respectable lady for her name and attempting to touch her. He sheepishly pulled back his hand and let out a nervous laugh.

A flush of red graced the beauty's cheeks. "In reply to the Young Master, this humble one is named Cao Xin," she said softly.

*Cao Xin...* Wei Wuji repeated the name in his mind. "What a wonderful name," he said with a smile.

"The Young Master is too kind," Cao Xin replied gently, devoid of the boldness she had shown when stopping the guards.

After that, the conversation stalled; they had no common ground. Wei Wuji, unwilling to let the moment pass, scrambled for a topic. "Is Miss Cao here for a stroll?" He had deduced as much from the commander's attitude.

"Indeed. Is this the Young Master's first time here?" Cao Xin asked, tilting her head. If she hadn't seen him before, things might have gone very wrong today.

"Yes! If my Fourth Brother hadn't invited me, I wouldn't even know this place existed," Wei Wuji said cheerfully.

Cao Xin looked at him with surprise. It was true, as the rumors suggested: this young master had been completely unknown until now.

Seeing her fall silent, Wei Wuji took the initiative. "If Miss Cao doesn't mind, perhaps you could show me the way? I’d rather not be stopped by the guards again."

Amused by his wit, Cao Xin let out a bright smile that left Wei Wuji completely transfixed.

"Then, Young Master, please lead the way," she said playfully, gesturing forward.

Wei Wuji, still mesmerized, nodded repeatedly. "Miss, please, after you..."

"Young Master, please, after you," Cao Xin insisted; she could not overstep her place.

"Miss, please, after you," Wei Wuji countered, lifting a hand. Teasing a beauty was indeed quite fun.

In the end, Cao Xin had no choice but to yield. She stepped forward, leaving a trail of fragrance in her wake as she walked past him.

*A graceful lady, a gentleman's perfect match,* Wei Wuji thought. He took a moment to savor the scent before hurrying to catch up.