Cherry Blossoms Upon a Wintry Sword

Chapter 44: Luo Shen, Luo She

Lin Rufei looked at Luo Shen and his expression was frozen. He almost called out a “sister-in-law,” but fortunately, in the end, it swirled around in his mouth a few times before he swallowed it back down: “Ms. Luo Shen, come in to talk.”

Luo Shen floated in and she also didn’t forget to politely close the window. 

“I don’t know what kind of favor Ms. Luo Shen wants me to do?” Lin Rufei asked.

Luo Shen hesitated for a moment. Her eyes were half-lidded and she said softly: “Lin gongzi, do you know that in a few days Rugong is getting married?”

Lin Rufei nodded his head, indicating that he did know. No, to be precise, there were only a few people in this Gusu city who didn’t know that Liu Rugong was getting married. Luo Shen bit her lower lip, showing a bit of shyness. She looked a bit embarrassed and hesitated for a long time before she spoke the words in her mouth: “Lin gongzi, to be honest …… Rugong has not seen this appearance of mine before.”

Lin Rufei froze.

“I am a sword blade specially created for him. I have been accompanying him since he was six years old all the way until now.” Luo Shen smiled and said, “He has treated me extremely well, but even so I never thought that he would …… want to take a sword as his wife.”

When she said this, Luo Shen’s face was already blushing and she continued: “No one has ever seen me before, so I didn’t have the idea to meet with him. However, I didn’t expect Lin gongzi to be able to see me.”

When Lin Rufei heard Luo Shen’s words, he secretly said in his heart, “You’re totally right, I was called a sword person by Gu Xuandu, how could I not be more special than normal people?”

But on the surface he could not say this out loud, so he still looked like he was listening quietly and asked in a warm voice: “Then the reason Ms. Luo Shen came here to find me, is that you want me to tell Liu gongzi about your existence?”

Luo Shen nodded. She said in a low voice: “I know, I know that some people will laugh at Rugong for going off the rails and marrying a sword …… but……at least I want him to know….. ” know that it was not just a sword and that she was accompanying him.

Gu Xuandu, who had been sitting next to him watching the show, suddenly came up with a sentence: “Why bother, I have a way to make Liu Rugong see Luo Shen.”

Lin Rufei asked curiously, “Really?”

“Naturally.” Gu Xuandu said, “But ……”

Lin Rufei said, “But what?”

Gu Xuandu smiled faintly, “It’s nothing.” He obviously remembered something but did not say it.

Lin Rufei had long been accustomed to Gu Xuandu’s profound and inscrutable appearance and when he did not say anything, he also didn’t bother to ask.

Luo Shen looked bewildered and said, “Lin gongzi, what did you say?” She was unable to see Gu Xuandu, so she thought Lin Rufei was talking to himself.

Lin Rufei turned his head to look at her, “Luo Shen, I have a way to make Rugong see you, do you want to see him?”

Luo Shen froze for a moment and then a look of surprise appeared on her face: “Lin gongzi, are you serious?”

Lin Rufei nodded his head.

Luo Shen said, “That would naturally be the best—” she murmured with great excitement, “I’ve always wanted to meet Rugong, but he can’t see me. If I could, if I could…” as she said this, she was already in tears.

“Then what should I do?” After Luo Shen finished her excitement, she was busy asking Lin Rufei.

Lin Rufei looked at Gu Xuandu, who then told her to go back and wait for a few days. He needed to prepare some things and he would talk to her in a few days. After Luo Shen received Lin Rufei’s promise, she happily turned around and left. She opened the window and floated away as if she was really that captivating Luo Shen.

(t/n: In case you guys forgot, it’s referring to the Goddess that she was named after uwu)

Lin Rufei turned his head and looked at Gu Xuandu: “What do you need to prepare?”

Gu Xuandu said, “Go buy some cinnabar and talisman paper and draw a talisman according to the pattern I tell you.”

Lin Rufei said, “That simple?”

Gu Xuandu smiled and said, “It is indeed simple to draw this talisman, but there is one more thing that needs to be prepared in order to see the sword spirit.”

Lin Rufei said, “What is it?”

Gu Xuandu said, “A person who can see the sword spirit.”

Lin Rufei: “……”

According to Gu Xuandu, there were only one in ten thousand people who could see the sword spirit, so obviously, this method was not commonly used. If not for Lin Rufei here, then most likely that Liu Rugong and Luo Shen would not be able to see each other until they die.

A gentleman was always ready to help others attain their goals. Furthermore, this was not too much trouble so Lin Rufei decided to help Luo Shen.

The next day, Lin Rufei intended to go out to buy some talisman paper. Coincidentally, he met Fu Hua and Yu Rui squatting in the corridor, boiling medicine for him. When they saw Lin Rufei, Fu Hua hurriedly collected her sad face and smiled, asking him where he was going.

Lin Rufei said he would go for a stroll on the street.

“Then young master remember to come back early.” Fu Hua urged, “Pharmacist Wan Yao sent some medicine down from Kunlun. I am boiling it, when the young master returns he’ll be just in time to drink a dose.” 

What else could Lin Rufei say, he could only nod his head and say yes.

He went to the door but heard Fu Hua lower her voice and said to Yu Rui: “This medicine must be boiled more carefully. Young master’s hysteria has worsened again …… he seems to have started talking to a third person.”

Lin Rufei: “……” How in the world was he going to explain clearly to Fu Hua and Yu Rui.

Gu Xuandu laughed out loud.

The two went to the street and bought what Gu Xuandu wanted. He also bought the usual number of snacks and ate them with relish. When passing by the roadside stalls, he just so happened to hear the vendors gossiping, saying that the Liu family’s son was really getting scary. Yesterday he even flew across Gusu City half-naked and was seen by many girls. He was going to get married, how could he still do such ridiculous things.

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As the culprit, Lin Rufei did not dare to listen more. His feet could not help but pick up the pace.

Today, Gu Xuandu just focused on being happy. He was laughing back and forth and said that Xiao Jiu really had foresight. Fortunately, he stripped Liu Rugong’s clothes or the one walking back half-naked was the fourth son of the Kunlun Lin family. 

Lin Rufei made a look of innocence and said he had no choice. If there was always someone unlucky, it was better to die a friend than to die a poor man[1].

Back at the inn, Lin Rufei began to draw the talisman under Gu Xuandu’s guidance. 

It was his first time fiddling with this stuff and his drawing was crooked, almost like a ghost had drew the talisman.

When Yu Rui, who was carrying the decocted medicine, came in and saw the yellow paper and cinnabar on the floor, she almost dropped the medicine in fear, “Young master, what are you doing?”

Lin Rufei did not raise his head. He said a sentence that Gu Xuandu often said: “Catching ghosts.”

Yu Rui: “……”

She silently put down the medicine, turned around, and went out. Before the door even closed, the sound of her frantic footsteps and frightened shouts could be heard from outside: “Sister Fu Hua, it’s not good. Gongzi is not hysterical, he’s obviously bewitched—drinking medicine seems to be useless, we should invite a Taoist priest!——”

Lin Rufei’s hand movement paused for a moment. When he paused his hand, the talisman was ruined, making it another fail. He thought that he should find an opportunity to explain to Fu Hua and Yu Rui, but how should he explain it? Was he supposed to say that there was a big living person standing beside them that they couldn’t see? However, if he said that, wouldn’t that make him seem like he was really bewitched…… 

The talisman was drawn for several days and finally, a working one was drawn. At this time, Liu Rugong’s wedding was imminent and the Liu residence was awfully busy.

Lin Rufei met with Luo Shen again and set up an appointment with Liu Rugong, saying that it would be the night before the wedding. Luo Shen was overjoyed and was at a loss for words. She gave a big salute to Lin Rufei and thanked him repeatedly. Lin Rufei had a kind expression like the Moon Elder[2] holding a red thread. He said that he would come to the house on the day and told Luo Shen to just wait.

So in accordance with their agreement, on the day before the wedding, Lin Rufei went to the Liu residence and with the help of the steward, he was able to meet Liu Rugong. He was lying on a soft couch, eating iced grapes with a depressed look. This Liu family’s gongzi was indeed very good at enjoying. There were four or five beautiful maids with fans standing next to him, fanning him with docile looks. There were also a few pots of cooling ice in the corner of the room, making the whole room incomparably cool, without a trace of heat.

When he saw Lin Rufei coming, he didn’t even raise his head and said, “Lin gongzi is finally willing to return my clothes?”

Lin Rufei walked straight to Liu Rugong and sat down in front of him, saying nonchalantly, “Then Liu gongzi must first compensate me for a set of clothes.”

When Liu Rugong heard this, he glared: “Lin gongzi, it’s not that I want to scold you, but if I lost then it’s my defeat. However, you should at least talk about the rules of Jianghu, what kind of hero strips people of their clothes?!”

Lin Rufei said: “This is why I left you with pants.” 

Liu Rugong: “……”

Lin Rufei said: “Besides, you are not a maiden, so why are you fussing about?”

(t/n: the maiden here refers to a virgin)

Liu Rugong gritted his teeth and said, “If I don’t fuss then why did you take my clothes?!” When he returned yesterday, it caused him to receive a lot of frightened looks.

Lin Rufei said, “I’m still young and thin-skinned.” After saying that, he coughed twice. His thin shoulders couldn’t stop shaking and he looked like a frail sick beauty.

However, after this battle, Liu Rugong had long seen through Lin Rufei’s deceitful appearance. He was so angry that he almost directly drew his sword, but the worst part was that he had nothing to say to refute it because, in terms of age, he was indeed much older than Lin Rufei.

“Fine—” Liu Rugong decided not to continue to dwell on this topic with Lin Rufei, “Tomorrow I am going to have a big wedding. Lin gongzi’s early arrival isn’t because he wants to deliberately bicker with me right?” He waved his hand and the maids in the room retreated discreetly.

Lin Rufei said, “Naturally not.”

Liu Rugong sat up from the soft couch and leaned back. He looked at Lin Rufei with a tilted head: “Then what is the reason?”

Lin Rufei said, “I want you to meet your bride.”

Liu Rugong: “Hm?”

Lin Rufei didn’t say much. He and Luo Shen planned to give Liu Rugong a surprise so it would be meaningless to say too much. Thus Lin Rufei reached out his hand and smiled, “Can I borrow Liu gongzi’s Luo Shen for a while?”

Liu Rugong said, “What do you need Luo Shen for?”

Lin Rufei said, “You will know later. Liu gongzi, don’t worry, I am here, I won’t run away with Luo Shen.”

It was an offensive thing to borrow someone’s sword, but Lin Rufei looked sincere and did not look like he was joking. Liu Rugong hesitated for a moment, but eventually took off the sword at his waist and handed it to Lin Rufei, wanting to see exactly what Lin Rufei was going to do. 

Lin Rufei carefully took Luo Shen. He was a little worried that he would not be able to hold Luo Shen, but when the sword fell into his hand, he did not feel that it was too heavy so his heart relaxed.

After taking Luo Shen, Lin Rufei went behind the screen. Liu Rugong looked at Lin Rufei and did not stop him, but the interest in his gaze was even stronger.

After walking behind the screen, Lin Rufei called out Luo Shen’s sword spirit and then took out the talisman he had drawn. He carefully affixed it to the hilt of Luo Shen’s sword and as soon as the talisman was affixed, Luo Shen’s body swung and the originally indistinct spiritual body actually became solid.

Luo Shen’s wish finally came true. She was so ecstatic that she couldn’t wait to go out immediately and give Liu Rugong a big surprise! Since Liu Rugong liked Luo Shen so much, he would most likely be very happy to see her as Luo Shen thought this sourly and sweetly, she remembered that tomorrow was the day of their wedding ……

Lin Rufei saw Luo Shen’s smile and the corner of his mouth also hooked up. He thought about it and decided not to go out. He waved his hand at Luo Shen, signaling for her to go and surprise Liu Rugong.

Luo Shen nodded, grabbed the hem of her skirt, and flew out like a cheerful bird.

Liu Rugong, who was sitting outside, froze. He didn’t understand how a woman could suddenly appear behind his own screen. Although she was extremely beautiful, the way she looked at him seemed wrong. Her eyes contained a kind of awe-inspiring fervor and even Liu Rugong couldn’t help but shrink his neck.

“Rugong!” Luo Shen called out sweetly.

“You are?” Liu Rugong frowned, “Have …… we…… met?”

Luo Shen said, “Naturally, we have met.” Her face showed some girl-like shyness, “Guess who I am?”

Liu Rugong: “……” He was afraid that this person was a madwoman.

In the end, Luo Shen had been with Liu Rugong for so many years. When she saw his expression, she knew that he was a little upset, and did not dare keep him in suspense again. She said in a trembling voice: “It’s me, Rugong …… I am Luo Shen.”

Liu Rugong’s expression froze. He seemed to ponder what the words from the mouth of the self-acquainted woman in front of him meant. Obviously, every word was understandable, how come when they were connected, it felt incomprehensible? What did it mean that she was Luo Shen, his Luo Shen was a sword, what did it have to do with the girl in front of him?

“I am Luo Shen’s sword spirit, Luo Shen is me.” Luo Shen did not see the color of surprise that should be on Liu Rugong’s face. She thought Liu Rugong couldn’t understand this great joy in the moment so she hurriedly explained, “I am formed from Luo Shen.”

Liu Rugong’s expressionless face finally reacted, “You? Are Luo Shen?”

“Yes.” Luo Shen said, “I am the Luo Shen you want to marry.” She lowered her eyes and said in a warm voice, “Although you can’t see me, I know you must be able to feel my presence, so …… that’s why you chose ……” to marry me, right, Rugong? 

Liu Rugong still had no expression. He slowly turned his head, looking at the screen, and called: “Lin Rufei!”

Lin Rufei came out from behind the screen.

Liu Rugong pointed to the girl Luo Shen: “You turned Luo Shen into her?”

Lin Rufei nodded his head.

Liu Rugong said, “Can she change back?”

Lin Rufei deliberately shook his head.

Liu Rugong got up and left, shocking the room full of people as their jaws dropped. Luo Shen reacted first and grabbed Liu Rugong, screaming, “Liu Rugong, where are you going!”

Liu Rugong said expressionlessly, “Who are you?”

Luo Shen: “……”

Liu Rugong said, “My Luo Shen, how can you have such a delicate look?”

Luo Shen: “……”

Liu Rugong: “Even if you become a sword spirit, you should be a heroic woman or a long-bearded man!”

Luo Shen: “……”

Liu Rugong continued to ridicule: “You have such a weak little body, I’m afraid you can’t even carry a sword scabbard.”

The room was silent and Lin Rufei, who was also small in stature, finally stood up and glared at Liu Rugong: “Liu Rugong, when will your snobby nature change?” He thought that Luo Shen would cry when she was scolded by Liu Rugong, but who knew that the pitiful expression on Luo Shen’s face was gone. She looked at her master expressionlessly and that look, at first, actually looked a bit similar to Liu Rugong. Indeed the object would resemble its owner. 

Liu Rugong then remembered that there was another body in the room that was even thinner and said: “Lin gongzi, you are not the same ……”

Lin Rufei said: “You ……”

Before he could finish his sentence, Luo Shen, who was holding onto Liu Rugong and refused to let go, asked quietly, “So in fact you were completely unaware of my existence?”

Liu Rugong said, “Why would I know?”

Luo Shen: “You just wanted to f**king marry a sword???”

Liu Rugong couldn’t make sense of her: “You should have known about this long ago—you were also the first to know.”

Luo Shen sneered: “Then did you ask me, this sword’s opinion?”

Liu Rugong: “……”

Luo Shen said, “If I were a long-bearded man, am I still expected to marry you?!”

This scene should have been sad, but for some reason, Lin Rufei, who was enjoying the show, saw a hint of comedy in it. He had to say that in some ways, Luo Shen and Liu Rugong were really too similar. When she found out that Liu Rugong actually just really wanted to marry a sword and was indifferent to her beautiful self, she instantly started criticizing Liu Rugong.

Liu Rugong said, “Then I don’t care. What a sword spirit looks like doesn’t matter to me. I just want Luo Shen.” He reached out his hand and gestured for Lin Rufei to give Luo Shen back to him.

Lin Rufei sighed and had to hand it over.

“There are thousands of beautiful women in the world, yet to me, they are all just a pair of skin. Since I dare to marry Luo Shen, it is for no other reason than this sword.” Seeing that Luo Shen was still there, Liu Rugong’s expression softened. However, his words were not very pleasing to the ear, “Everything has a spirit, so why do they all have to take on a human form.” He re-hung Luo Shen on the side of his waist and gave it a docile gentle stroke. It was a completely different attitude compared to the one he gave to this Luo Shen girl in front of him.

When Luo Shen heard Liu Rugong’s words, the unwillingness on her face surprisingly also dispersed. She looked at Liu Rugong and sighed lightly: “I thought you would be happy to see me.”

Liu Rugong said, “If you are really Luo Shen, then as long as you always accompany me, I will be happy.” He was born in the Liu family, so naturally, he could not escape from the involvement of all things. Marrying Luo Shen was not an act of passion, he just wanted to tell everyone that the sword was the only thing in his heart.

Luo Shen suddenly reached out and cupped Liu Rugong’s face. She took advantage of Liu Rugong’s startled surprise, moved over, and dropped a tender kiss on his forehead. Her hand then reached for the sword at Liu Rugong’s waist and under Liu Rugong’s unsure gaze, tore off the talisman that Lin Rufei had affixed. The talisman could have kept Luo Shen’s form overnight, but now in Luo Shen’s opinion, it was no longer necessary.

Once the talisman fell, Luo Shen’s figure began to fade rapidly, but she sighed with relief and muttered: “There doesn’t seem to be any benefit in being a human, but fortunately I was able to touch you so it wasn’t regretful…… since childhood, you obviously liked beautiful girls, but now you want me to turn into the appearance of a long-bearded man…… Liu Rugong, you are really annoying ……”

After the last sentence, Luo Shen disappeared in front of Liu Rugong.

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Lin Rufei and Gu Xuandu both did not expect things to develop this way and the atmosphere in the room was suddenly awkward.

Liu Rugong returned to the soft couch, sat up, and continued to eat his grapes without greeting Lin Rufei.

When Lin Rufei saw his appearance, he thought he was angry, so he stepped forward and was about to apologize. However, Liu Rugong waved his hand, indicating that Lin Rufei did not have to do so, and said, “Thank you for your good intentions, Lin gongzi.”

Lin Rufei said, “Sorry, I acted on my own.”

Liu Rugong smiled and shook his head, seemingly not minding.

Lin Rufei then got up to say goodbye and when he walked to the door, he heard Liu Rugong say something.

He said, “People can’t always be too greedy.”

Lin Rufei’s footsteps paused.

Liu Rugong’s tone was lazy: “I am already very good now, any more, I’m afraid I can’t hold it. Lin gongzi, I won’t see you off.”

Lin Rufei went out the door.

The sun had already set, but the Liu residence was lit up with lights. The servants were busy preparing for their second young master’s upcoming wedding tomorrow while the person in question was still in the room behind him, leisurely eating grapes and enjoying the bright moon.

Lin Rufei went all the way out of the Liu residence and he did not return to the inn. He casually found a stone step[3] on the roadside and sat down.

The moon was just right tonight. It was clear and cloudless and the sky was full of stars—it was a brilliant river of stars across the sky, absolutely beautiful.

Lin Rufei then looked up. Gu Xuandu stood next to him and suddenly said he wanted to eat chilled lotus seed soup[4].

Lin Rufei said, “I want to eat it too.”

Gu Xuandu said, “Unfortunately, the vendors have all closed their stalls.”

Lin Rufei said, “Is Liu Rugong really unhappy?”

Gu Xuandu did not say anything.

Lin Rufei looked at him again, “I think he’s still happy.”

Gu Xuandu looked back: “Maybe.”

Lin Rufei felt that humans were really complicated animals. It was obviously a very simple thing, but they must make it so complicated. He propped up his chin and asked: “Senior, you have lived so long, have you ever been separated from your beloved person before?” 

Gu Xuandu nodded his head.

Lin Rufei said, “What is that feeling?”

Gu Xuandu pointed to the stars in the sky and pointed at himself, “I am here, he is there. I can’t find him nor can I touch him. I can only look at him from far away.” In the end, they were mortals. No matter how powerful the cultivation, they couldn’t touch the stars in the sky.

“Then what should be done?” Lin Rufei asked.

“What should be done?” Gu Xuandu said, “Either forget or go crazy.”

No matter how Lin Rufei looked at Gu Xuandu, he didn’t seem like a crazy person so he thought that he probably forgot. Who knew that he would let out a smile and said gently to Lin Rufei, “Unfortunately, even if I die, I can’t forget him.”

Lin Rufei listened and was somewhat confused[5]. Gu Xuandu also no longer elaborate and urged Lin Rufei to go back to bed. He said that if he went to sleep too late, he would make Fu Hua and Yu Rui worry. 

Lin Rufei hummed in agreement and went back to the inn. He was somewhat regretful for asking that question just now. He even preferred if Gu Xuandu did not answer. This unruly senior rarely showed such an expression. Although he was smiling, it would’ve been better if he cried.

If some old things were not mentioned, then so be it. But if it was mentioned, it was like uncovering an old scab. You would think that the wound under the scab had healed, but in fact, the bloody flesh had rotted to the bone. 

Back at the inn, Lin Rufei rested early. He was thinking that since tomorrow was Liu Rugong’s wedding day, he certainly could not go too late.

********

The author has something to say:

Lin Rufei: If you found out that your sword also had a sword spirit, how would you react?

Gu Xuandu: Not interested at all?

Lin Rufei: ? ? ? ? ?

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[1] It means that for the sake of one’s own interests, one does not hesitate to harm the interests of others. 

[2] The old man on the moon is the matchmaker. He is the one in charge of all the red strings uwu 

[3] Something like this. 

[4] Lotus seed soup. 

[5] Didn’t know how to fit it in, but it is implying that after listening, he didn’t know the reason why (I’m assuming why GXD couldn’t forget)