笑裡藏刀

covering the dagger with a smile

Add the confidence of the adversary and inspire him with peace; then, carry out your hidden plans. Having prepared everything as it should, attack without hesitation. And do not let the enemy come to their senses.

 Niu Yu Tao, hearing that he is not understanding, pretended that he did not understand anything. Otherwise, how a simple village guy can understand the things of the upper cla.s.s of people.

Having chatted a little to no avail, Niu Yu Tao returned to his courtyard. He walked around the yard a bit and then returned to the peach garden. He went to the prayer rug, next to which stood a basket with all the little things. There were needles, scissors, everyday things. Among them lay two bronze mirrors. Just one of them was the same as the one that Dong Guo Xao Ran pa.s.sed to him.

He left Dong Guo Hao Ran's mirror here because the safest place is the most dangerous place. And if he hides the mirror well, and someone finds it, then he will suspect something.

Taking the mirror in his hands, Niu Yu Tao looked at him and did not understand what was unusual in this mirror?

Dong Guo Hao Ran sacrificed his life for this mirror. *Why is it so important?* Niu Yu Tao, in a past life, was a famous robber but with high moral qualities. No wonder he was called the lord of Tao. Only Tan Mu died, and Dong Guo Hao Ran said to give the mirror only to Tan Mu and no one else. And now Niu Yu Tao is in a quandary.

He already thought of giving a bronze mirror to the sect of the Highest purity. Only the sect of the Highest purity keeps him in custody, does not trust him, and hides something from him. Therefore, Niu Yu Tao first decided to find out the secret and then, looking at the situation, decide whether to give or not to give the bronze mirror.

These days he was burning, and immersing in water and lighting, and knocked on the mirror. Only no reaction from these actions followed. This bronze mirror seemed to be out of reach. Niu Yu Tao tapped the mirror and realized that there was no mechanism inside the mirror. He already began to doubt. Maybe this bronze mirror is just some sign or evidence. Turning over and looking at the mirror again, Niu Yu Tao, grinning his teeth, threw the mirror back into the basket.

He spent the following days as well. He trained, tempered the body, sat on the twine, wore weights on his back. However, he did not try to pump the body with brute force but instead harden it. Based on his experience in sword fencing, besides to strike with the sword, he also needs to dodge the blows himself. It doesn't matter - in a village or a sect of the highest purity, he often heard that now was a hectic age. Therefore, he needs to prepare himself.

In addition to tempering the body and training various methods, Niu Yu Tao, in his spare time, copied works of military art that were in the palace. After all, he knew the Xiaozhuang style, because, in a past life, he had read many ancient books. Therefore, with writing and reading ancient literature, he had no problems. Only the brush that was in the courtyard was different from the brush of the modern world so that he couldn't write out xiaozhuang characters.

However, he tried every day, and a month later, he got used to writing. Now, near the Niu Yu Tao desk, there was a brazier on the side. Having written hieroglyphs, he immediately threw them into the brazier and burned his masterpieces of calligraphy. Fortunately, the sect of the Highest purity well supplied him with material for calligraphy.

Although there was a lot of free time, Niu Yu Tao still planned his day quite fruitfully.

One day they brought a new couch, which still smelled of wood, and put it under a peach tree.

Cheng Gui Shuo, winking at Niu Yu Tao, said:

"Brother, your couch has arrived."

Niu Yu Tao did not think that they would bring her so quickly. And knowing himself that he had requested this couch for Cheng Gui Shuo, he said with a smile: "Thank you, brother."

This time, Song Yang Qing, who had not appeared for a long time, came, and his mood was good. He, smiling and clapping on the shoulder of Niu Yu Tao, asked:

 "Brother, how do you live here?"

Niu Yu Tao:

"Good good. The food here is much better than in the village. Only boring from the fact that you can not go out and walk."

Song Yang Qing laughing answered:

You will not here for a long time. First, calm down, get used to it. For cultivation, you need a calm heart, and then you can advance further - having said this, he, with his hands behind his back, went to the cliff. He looked rather joyful, only suddenly sighing said: "It's a pity that this is not the capital!"

Niu Yu Tao came up and asked curiously: "Brother, what is the capital?"

Song Yang Qing replied:

"Deserts and mountains can compare with beautiful verses of the capital s.h.i.+ Ci Ge Fu!"(four genres of poetic works, the primary forms of Chinese poetry and rhythmic prose)

Niu Yu Tao froze: Nu Yu Tao said: * s.h.i.+ Ci Ge Fu? Where in your cultivation world is s.h.i.+ Ci Ge Fu revered? *

Cheng Gui Shuo grinned to himself from behind. He and Xiu Yi Tian clearly understood what was happening. Song Yang Qing has been admiring Tang Yi for many years. To achieve her favor, Song Yang Qing learned that Tang Yi liked poetry. So he arranged so that if a verse appears in the capital, then immediately someone informs him of this verse. And then he recites poetry by Tan Yi. However, new poems have not come from the capital for a long time. So he has decided to write poetry himself. And as soon as he wrote, he asked the opinions of Xu Yi Tian and Cheng Gui Shuo. And they can be told they were his servants. Do they dare to say to him that poetry is terrible? So they said that verse was written cool. And Song Yang Qing went to recite the verses of Tan Yi. However, after the meeting, he returned not in the mood and scolded Cheng Gui Shuo and Xiu Yi Tian. It's not hard to guess how the meeting went.

Therefore, Cheng Gui Shuo understood the mood of Song Yang Qing. If there were a capital here, then with his influence, he would find some poet. And the poet would write poetry for him. And Song Yang Qing would pa.s.s them off as his own. This is how Tan Yi would have been favored.

Song Yang Qing seemed to come to his senses and, waving his hand, did not speak anymore. He entered the courtyard and began to check it. He had a duty to keep an eye on Niu Yu Tao. And if something is wrong, then he must immediately make a decision.

Standing outside Niu Yu Tao and Cheng Gui Shuo were talking:

 "Brother, why does brother Song teach s.h.i.+ Ci Ge Fu?"

Cheng Gui Shuo whispered back:

"Our teacher has one talented student. He was not only vigorous in cultivation but also gifted in poetry. He composed poems. Sister Tan was with him and became infected with poetry, so she likes s.h.i.+ Ci Ge Fu!"

Niu Yu Tao understood how Song Yang Qing wants to achieve Tan Yi, and Cheng Gui Shuo immediately asked:

 "I don't know which older studied poetry with sister Tan?"

Hearing about the eldest, Cheng Gui Shuo got scared and let Niu Yu Tao understand that this was a forbidden topic. He should shut up, not talk about it. Having issued a warning, Cheng Gui Shuo immediately entered the courtyard. Niu Yu Tao also followed him.

Having walked around the courtyard, Song Yang Qing gave some instructions to Cheng Gui Shuo and was about to leave:

"Brother Song, when I was in the village, I learn several verses that my teacher wrote. I don't know if you would like to evaluate them? "Niu Yu Tao, seeing that Song Yang Qi was leaving, quickly caught up and shouted.

Song Yang Qing did not even stop without interest, said:

 "What good can a lost scientist write?" Song Yang Qing spoke with contempt.

"The lost scientist in the village?" Niu Yu Tao felt cold in his heart. He has already seen what const.i.tutes the sect of the Highest purity. He knows about his teacher, how Dong Guo Hao RAn was strong.

Fortunately, did he leave the village? He brought the body of Dong Guo Hao Ran, and what is the result? He was locked up and not taught at all any methods. Did he go through a lot of difficulty for this? Niu Yu Tao was not going to lose any opportunity:

 "My teacher was once in the capital and wrote love poems there. His verses had once won more than one woman's heart for him."

From his words, Song Yang Qing slowed down, and Cheng Gui Shuo looked cautiously at him. This imp seems to be doing it for a reason.

"A!" "Well, write what your teacher composed" - turning, Song Yang Qi asked with interest.

Niu Yu Tao immediately returned to the peach room and, sitting on his knees, pulled out accessories. He took out a piece of paper, pressed down the ends of the paper on the sides, dipped his brush with ink, and began to write out carefully the characters of xiaozhuan.

"Worthy of an educated person. Hieroglyphs look beautiful!" - approached Song Yang Qing began to praise Niu Yu Tao. Song Yang Qing continued to read what Niu Yu Tao writes:

"Porous clouds, rapidly rotating stars, the Milky Way. The golden wind with jade dew can inflate the beauty of the many connections of human relations ... "(p.p. in Chinese may sound prettier) As he read, a sparkle appeared in the eyes of Song Yang Qing. Although he is not a poet, he can read poetry and understand a little about them. At least, he can distinguish the bad from the good.

When Niu Yu Tao stopped writing, Song Yang Qing quickly picked up his sheet and, with trembling hands, began to read:

"Soft as water, a happy day can be a dream. Will the magpie's bridge stand the way back? Will loving hearts be able to spend days and nights together again ... Will loving hearts be able to spend days and nights together ... (myth. Magpie bridge (built by the magpies supposedly at the behest of the  across the Milky Way to meet the Shepherd))

After rereading it several times, Song Yang Qing eventually shook his head slightly:

"Good verse, what a good verse!" This verse suited him.

Niu Yu Tao laughed to himself. He put down his mascara and brush, pretending not to understand, and asked:

"Good verse?"

Song Yang Qing nodded his head and, rereading several times, suddenly hesitated. He, looking at Niu Yu Tao, asked:

"Magpie's bridge, where is it? What does it mean?"

"Eh ... " - Niu Yu Tao did not find words. It seems that here they do not know about the legend of weaver and Shepherd: " The teacher wrote. I do not know where is this magpie's bridge. (myth." Shepherd and weaver (stars located to the west and east of the Heavenly River - the Milky Way. According to legend, the lord of heaven for zeal allowed the weaver to marry Shepherd, who lived on the west bank of the milk river. Having married, she stopped weaving, and in punishment, the lord of heaven returned her to the east coast, allowing her to meet with her husband only once a year - on the 7th of the 7th month))

Song Yang Qing thought a little and then signaled Cheng Gui Shuo. He realized it and immediately left. Without witnesses, Song Yang Qing smiled and said Nu Yu Tao: "Did your teacher write poetry a lot?"

Niu Yu Tao thought to himself: * I know a lot of poems and will tell you how much is needed. *

He nodded his head: "It seems so."