A Match Made In Heaven (Jiuyue Liuhuo)

When Ming Huashang heard the word “baby” being called out in that sonorous voice, she immediately felt uncomfortable all over.
She looked at Ming Huazhang and Xie Jichuan in surprise.
Xie Jichuan smiled and pointed to the grinning lynx in front of her.

This lynx was four feet long, and when it leaped, it was tall as a person.
Its four claws were sharp and pointed; one claw could take out one Ming Huashang.
In what way exactly did such a ferocious and agile killer look like a baby?

Ming Huazhang explained to Ming Huashang in a low voice, “This Jiang Ling person… isn’t very well read.
After he got the lynx and leopard, he loved so very much that he named one Baobao and the other Beibei1.”

The corners of Ming Huashang’s mouth twitched, and she suddenly understood how Ming Huazhang felt when he heard her maids’ names.

With Jiang Ling’s naming ability, only her Zhaocai and Jinbao can compete.

When Jiang Ling got the message from his servants, he ran out in a hurry and found someone actually persecuting his Baobao.
Jiang Ling was so angry that he gritted his teeth and shouted angrily, “Who are you, how dare you do something to this Shizi’s beloved pet? Stop immediately!”

Usually, this trick of Jiang Ling’s never fails; as long as he announces his name, the opponent will either bow down to please him immediately, or quickly stop to raise their white flags and still their drums in surrender.
After all, Jiang Ling was the only son of Marquis Jiang’An, and offending Marquis Jiang’An was akin to offending Taiping Gongzhu, and if Taiping Gongzhu was unhappy and casually says something in front of the Empress, then their whole family can just wait to get sacked.

But today Jiang Ling’s trick did not work.
After he announced his identity, the opponent didn’t stop.
Instead, the spear attacks became more intense.
Jiang Ling thought that this country bumpkin didn’t recognize his face, so he called again clearly, “This young master is Jiang Ling, the Shizi of the Jiang’An Marquis, so why don’t you quickly kneel down and beg for mercy?”

What Ren Yao disliked most of all were annoying hedonistic sons.
Especially Jiang Ling who was ignorant and incompetent, a piece of trash who got it all just because he was a man.
She drew back the spear with a twirl and rested the red-tasseled spear on her back and said with a sneer, “Turns out this evil creature belongs to you then this Miss will eliminate it on behalf of the heavens!”

As she spoke, she swung her arms and raised the red-tasseled spear high.
Just by looking one could tell that the force would not be light.
The lynx sensed the danger and ran towards Jiang Ling, but Ren Yao would not let it escape.
She let out a loud shout and launched the red-tasseled spear at the lynx heavily with all her strength.

Just now, Jiang Ling only saw someone playing with a spear making it whistle in the wind, and he subconsciously thought it was a man.
Only now did he see clearly that it was a woman! Jiang Ling’s eyes widened, and he watched in shock as the woman threw the spear at the lynx with strength that was not at all like a woman’s.

Ren Yao’s shot was full of momentum giving the people of the Jiang’an Marquis manor no time to stop it.
Jiang Ling watched helplessly as the tip of the spear approached his beloved Baobao and his mouth opened wide unconsciously.

Just when Jiang Ling began to despair, a golden light flashed across the snow, and then there was a sharp clang.
The tip of the spear was deflected a few inches, scraping past the lynx’s fur, and pierced deeply into the snow.

The barrel of the spear shook violently and the red tassel sank into the snow, its bright color stung the eyes until they hurt.
It was only at this moment that Jiang Ling realized that he was holding his breath.
He inhaled deeply, and quickly held his hunting pet, “Aiyo Baobao, are you okay? Let me take a look.
Why do you have so many wounds on your body, even a patch of fur has fallen off, aiyo…”

Jiang Ling hugged the lynx and sighed in grief, but unfortunately, except for the servants of the Jiang’an Marquis, no one cared about Jiang Ling’s mood.

It was the middle of the day at this moment, and there were many distinguished guests, so the villa was already full of people coming and going.
Their area was very active, and it quickly attracted a lot of attention.
When everyone saw the scene just now, they were all surprised and shocked, and for a while, no one spoke.

In the silence, Ming Huashang fixed her somewhat loose bun, and said hesitantly, “That, my hairpin…”

It was pure gold and quite valuable.
Can she get it back?

Just now, Ren Yao’s spear was aimed at the lynx and in that moment of imminent peril, Ming Huazhang pulled out Ming Huashang’s hairpin and threw it towards the tip of Ren Yao’s spear.
He caused the red-tasseled spear to deflect by more than an inch, just enough to save the life of the lynx.

Ren Yao had been training in the art of the spear for many years, and the Ren family spear was her conviction and her pride.
Yet today a young man nonchalantly countered it.

He didn’t even use a weapon but pulled out that hairpin from the girl next to him.
For Ren Yao, this was a great shame and humiliation.

Ren Yao drew her spear with a cold face, and asked Ming Huazhang, “Who are you?”

“This is Ming Huazhang.” Ming Huazhang didn’t feel that what he had done just now was formidable at all.
To him, it was as if he had just picked a flower in passing.
He crossed his hands behind his back and said calmly, “This is Taiping Gongzhu’s villa.
The fifteenth has passed, so it’s not suitable to see blood.
The lynx is more or less a life.
Since it didn’t hurt anyone, it’s enough to punish it slightly; there’s no need to kill it.”

Ren Yao’s expression was extremely ugly.
She exerted strength with her arms, and the tip of the spear made a swift and fierce gust of wind, quaking the snow off the ground.
She pointed it at Ming Huazhang and declared, “My Ren family’s spear would rather be broken than bent.
I swore an oath in front of my patriarch’s monument, and I dare not lose without a fight.
Your distinguished self can force my spear away, so I can tell that you are not an ordinary person.
Please enlighten me.”

Ming Huazhang was about to speak when someone grabbed his arm suddenly.
He was taken aback, subconsciously looked back, and saw Ming Huashang grabbing his sleeve, shaking her head at him with eyes that seemed to speak.
Then she walked towards Ren Yao with a smile, and her tone was relaxed and happy, “Meeting for the first time is like fate, why should we battle and kill? Miss Ren, thank you for saving me just now.
You are very skillful with the spear; I have never seen such majestic marksmanship.”

Ren Yao could unceremoniously challenge Ming Huazhang to a battle, but when a delicate, pretty and smiling young miss walked over, Ren Yao didn’t think that keeping a cold face nor starting a fight were right, so she said stiffly, “This is between me and him.
Don’t come over here.
Knives and swords have no eyes, so if you get hurt, I won’t care.”

“My second elder brother was just being kind-hearted, so he couldn’t bear it.
He didn’t mean to target Miss Ren.
Is Miss Ren also going to put away your luggage? Which courtyard are you staying in? Maybe we are going the same way.”

Ming Huashang didn’t pay attention to the gleaming and cold tip of the spear in Ren Yao’s hand and walked towards her with a smile.
They say you don’t hit a smiling face; Ren Yao felt bad about pointing the spear at Ming Huashang, so she could only put away the red-tasseled spear and say, “Wuyin courtyard.”

Ming Huashang’s eyes widened in surprise, and then she said happily, “It happens to be the same courtyard as mine.
Miss Ren, let’s go together.
If you have time, can you teach me some self-defense skills…”

Ming Huashang took Ren Yao’s arm affectionately.
Ren Yao had always regarded herself as a man all these years.
There were many women who hated her and mocked her, but there were very few women who approached her proactively like Ming Huashang.
Ren Yao froze and was dragged away by Ming Huashang somewhat helplessly.

It was only when Ming Huashang touched her that she realized how big the difference was between a heroine and a good-for-nothing like her.
Ming Huashang pulled Ren Yao with great effort, not forgetting to give Zhaocai a meaningful look.

Her hairpin was still stuck in the snow, be sure to get it back!

Footnotes

By adding the two names together = 宝(Bao) 贝 (Bei) we get “baby” or “darling” (it can also mean treasure depending on the context), so “Baobei” is used to call someone you cherish…so clearly Mr.
Jiang cherishes his pets.
Note that Baobao on its own can mean “baby” as well, however “Bei” has to be paired with “Bao” to mean “baby” (Bei on its own means “shell”).