《Triplets: Lucky Mommy is a Beautiful Badass》 Chapter 1

Chapter 1: Triplets 1

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion It was the Eighth Year of the Great Xing Dynasty. ¡°Have y¡¯all seen that silly girl from the Qi family and her three babies? I haven¡¯t seen ¡¯em in a while.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you know?¡± ¡°Know what?¡± ¡°I heard that Old Man Qi got fed up with his stupid daughter and her three burdens. She ain¡¯t gonna get married again anyway, so he secretly threw away the girl and her kids.¡± ¡°Hah?¡± ¡°It sounds cruel, yeah, but think about it! That¡¯s four mouths to feed! He can barely feed himself, much less four other freeloaders.¡± ¡°True¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m impressed Old Man Qi fed the four of them for three whole years before he gave up!¡± Everyone in Linquan Vige knew that Old Man Qi had a daughter as beautiful as a flower. Unfortunately, she fell seriously ill as a child and it affected her mind. She became a foolish half-wit. Four years ago, the family went to Qingzhou vige to visit their aunt, and not long after they came back, the girl turned out to be pregnant. Old Man Qi was ashamed and tried to give her medicine to abort the baby, but she would not take it! Well, there was nothing else for him to do then. Their family figured that she was not getting married anyway, so she might as well have the kid. What she did not expect was for her to have three kids. The triplets left the entire vige stunned. Usually, even twins were a rare sight. Inparison, the girl turned out to be pretty fertile despite her low wits. She had three children at once! Although she was rtively good-looking, there was no denying that she was half insane. Even if her family wanted to sell her, who would buy a madwoman? A madwoman who had three children, no less! In a way, it was good that they threw her away. It was the middle of winter, so they would freeze to death even if they did not starve! One mile away from the vige entrance¡­ A woman wearing a rough cotton shirt that was faded from all the washing walked through the thick fog with three toddlers in thin, short-sleeved clothes in tow. They approached the vige slowly. One of the children tugged at the woman¡¯s hand and said softly, ¡°Mommy~~~¡± After a pause, the child asked clumsily, ¡°Are we really going back to the vige?¡± The woman patted his head with a smile. ¡°Our hut is in the vige. If we don¡¯t go back, we¡¯ll keep sleeping in the abandoned temple. Do you guys want to sleep in that rundown ce?¡± ¡°I prefer our hut,¡± Xiaobao said, pouting. ¡°But¡­ Grandfather doesn¡¯t like us¡­¡± Another child muttered. The woman said calmly, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, children, you have me. No one will give you a hard time ever again.¡± The three children looked up at their mother in confusion and admiration. Their Mommy was really different from before. She looked the same, but her personality¡­ So cool! So reliable! Qi Qingyao did not know that her three children¡¯s respect for her was increasing by the second. She had just transmigrated here three days ago, and she had tried her best to ept the fact that the original host of this body was mentally challenged. She epted the fact that she was now an unmarried mother of three, and even the fact that she had been kicked out of her maiden home! When other people transmigrated, they would somehow end up as the oldest daughter of an esteemed noble in the capital city, or the emperor¡¯s daughter, or at least the beloved jewel of a tight-knit family. Yet, look where she hadnded! Her grandparents hated her, her parents abandoned her, and she took the stage with three burdens weighing her down! She did not even know who the children¡¯s father was¡­ What a terrible opening hand. Qi Qingyao looked at the vige, fuzzy in the fog, and sighed. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Triplets 2

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion The host¡¯s family name was Qi. She did not have her own name, but everyone called her Eleventh Daughter, and her courtesy name was Qingyao. She was the third child in Old Man Qi¡¯s family and eleventh in her generation amongst the extended family. Ever since she was a child, she had been mentally challenged. Nevertheless, she was truly a beauty, with fair and smooth skin. When she turned fifteen, Old Man Qi had wanted to sell her to Master Liu from the town center, but before they could sign her indenture, the entire family had made a trip to their aunt¡¯s home in Qingzhou City¡­ What happened next was obvious to see. The host could not remember anything about the Qingzhou trip. She did not even remember who had taken her virginity. After she gave birth to the three children, her own parents hated her for being stupid and worthless to sell. She even created three more mouths to feed and leech off the Qi family. Last year, Old Man Qi had spent some money at East Vigeside to buy a small piece ofnd. He built a grass hut and threw the woman plus her three children inside, leaving them to fend for themselves. At the time, the host¡¯s father thought that the four of them would starve to death, but the host happened to be quite a stubborn candle to snuff out. A yearter, they were still alive and kicking! As a result, the host¡¯s father finally gave in a few days ago. With the help of her oldest brother, Qi Yuancheng, he dragged the woman and her three children, abandoning them in a rundown temple thirty miles away. He was hoping the four would just freeze to death there... This time, his n worked. The host did indeed freeze to death¡­ After that, her body was taken over by Qi Qingyao, a transmigrator with the same name. The moment she arrived here, she stripped clothes off a corpse and put them on. The next thing she did was feed the three children, who were on the verge of starving to death. Finally, they spent a day walking back here. The three children walked alongside their mother back to the vige. They had not experienced much warmth in their lives since the day they were born, so they were very mature for three-year-olds. None of themined that they were tired, working their stubby little legs. Their faces were red from the cold, and there was frost on their bangs, brows, andshes. Even so, their ck eyes were bright. They were finally going home. The hut was a little less than presentable, but it was home. As soon as the four of them entered the vige, some women noticed them. ¡°I-Isn¡¯t that the Qi family¡¯s daughter?¡± ¡°I think so, but¡­ is it? The fog is too heavy, I can¡¯t see.¡± ¡°Of course it is! Look at the three brats with her!¡± ¡°But the Qi family¡¯s daughter has always been half-addled. That woman over there is standing tall, her back straight, her strides bold and self-assured. No matter how you cut it, she¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°She¡¯s normal!¡± ¡°That¡¯s weird¡­¡± The women stared as the woman took her three children to the East Vigeside. As their figures slowly vanished into the mist, one of the vige women suddenly pped her thigh and eximed, ¡°Oh, if that really is the Qi family¡¯s Eleventh Daughter, we gotta go tell Old Man Qi at once! The burdens he threw away are back again!¡± * With the three children in town, Qi Qingyao followed the host¡¯s memories to the East Vigeside. She looked at the straw hut beyond the fence. ¡°That house is¡­¡± Her first reaction was how it looked exactly like the hut at Yinxing Hill from My Fair Princess. ¡°It¡¯s pathetic.¡± Xiaobao saw how disappointed his mother looked and hurriedly tried tofort her. ¡°It¡¯s not that bad! It¡¯s kinda nice.¡± ¡°It¡¯s our home,¡± Erniu said with a nod. Dabao was nodding incessantly too. Qi Qingyao looked down at the three of them. ¡°...¡± As she brought the three of them inside, she swore an oath. ¡°We¡¯ll get settled down first, but once we earn more money, I¡¯ll get a bigger house and hire servants to take care of you three.¡± Dabao burst outughing when he heard that. ¡°Mommy, it¡¯s not even night yet but you¡¯re already dreaming.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! It¡¯s better to dream at night,¡± Xiaobao chimed in. Only Erniu looked at her mother in disbelief after thetter made such a bold deration¡­ For some reason, she felt as though what Mommy said woulde true. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Triplets 3

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion After they went in, Qi Qingyao looked around her. It was truly a ¡°shack¡±. All they had was arge bed-stove, a short table that was so dirty she could not tell what color the wood used to be, two long stools, and a chest to keep clothes in. The y oven was outside, under a simple roof made of straw. There was a dirty pot on the oven and a water vat next to it. There was no water in the water vat or rice in the rice one, though. The temperature inside the house was not that different from the temperature outside. Qi Qingyao first put the three children onto the bed-stove and covered them with a nket. She then nced at the corner of the wall and picked up her ax, saying, ¡°Wait here, I¡¯ll go out for a bit to get some firewood. Then we¡¯ll heat up the bed for you!¡± As soon as Qi Qingyao left, the three children shivering on the bed-stove huddled together. ¡°Mommy¡¯s¡­ acting really weird.¡± Dabao scratched his head, perplexed. ¡°She¡¯s not weird, she¡¯s reliable,¡± Erniu said solemnly. ¡°Mommy used to be nice before this too, though,¡± Xiaobao said. Erniu pouted. ¡°She was nice, but Grandfather said she was a half-wit, a madwoman.¡± Dabao licked his lips. ¡°Mommy¡¯s not mad. She went to get us firewood so we can heat up the bed.¡± ¡°Mommy¡¯s the best,¡± Xiaobao said. Erniu hugged Dabao, on the verge of tears. ¡°Big Brother, I¡¯m so cold.¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright, just hang in there. Mommy will be back soon,¡± Dabao said,forting his younger sister. ¡°What if Mommy doesn¡¯t want us anymore? What if she left us and won¡¯te back?¡± Erniu suddenly looked at the door worriedly. Dabao paused and went silent. Their mother often behaved oddly in the past, and more than once she could not recognize them. What if¡­ she did not know how toe back? Xiaobao blinked and said in terror, ¡°No, no way! She¡¯s our Mommy!¡± Besides, Mommy had been really reliable the past two days! She definitely would not abandon them. Dabao became uneasy as well. Feeling hurt, he wailed in the direction of the door, ¡°Mommy, where are youuu~~¡± Qi Qingyao had just pushed open the gate and was walking into the yard when she heard the crying from inside the house. With augh, she replied, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, kids, I¡¯m back.¡± The three children inside the house were instantly stunned. Why was she back so soon?! She pushed open the wooden door, letting in a gust of cold wind. Carrying a bundle of firewood on her back, Qi Qingyao said, ¡°I¡¯ll light up the bed.¡± She even put two wild chickens down on the floor. ¡°I was pretty lucky just now. I found plenty of firewood and even found two wild chickens that had frozen to death!¡± The three children were gobsmacked. Good heavens! Mommy was so cool! She got meat!! They could eat meat now!! After all, the three children had grown up on rice congee since they were born. They barely had any milk. After they turned two, they recognized the smell of meat and thought it was delicious, but they had never actually eaten any meat before! The three of them stared at the chickens on the floor, their faces full of anticipation as they wondered what meat would taste like in their mouths. Meanwhile, Qi Qingyao had gone out and around the wall so she could heat up the bed-stove. As she fiddled with the fire igniter, she mused about her recent encounters. There was a corpse with clothes she could wear as soon as she transmigrated. After that, they met a rich young daughter who had climbed the mountain to pray and give out buns for charity. Just now, she went to get firewood and had barely walked to the woods outside the vige to find firewood when she realized something strange about the ce. There were fallen branches everywhere and even dead chickens on the side. Of course Qi Qingyao was not going to say no to these ¡°treasures¡±! She just harvested everything and brought them back. After she lit the fire, she fed more firewood into the bed-stove as she looked at the ends of the fallen sticks. It looked like the branches had been cut off with a sword¡­ Was there a battle between martial arts masters in the woods just now? These branches must be the rubble left behind after their vicious war! Just then, Qi Qingyao noticed some dark red stains on a few of the branches. It looked like¡­ Blood! Uh-oh... Chapter 4

Chapter 4: Triplets 4

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Many different possibilities urred to Qi Qingyao, but she shook her head and all the ideas out of her brain. Whatever happened, that did not matter for now. She just knew that these branches were now her firewood! She poured all the firewood into the bed-stove¡¯s hearth and made sure that the fire was crackling away before she closed the little door attached to it. After that, she went to the front door and had barely opened it when she saw the three babies looking at her tearfully. ¡°What happened?¡± Qi Qingyao said, walking to the bed. ¡°Mommy~~~¡± Dabao looked up at Qi Qingyao as she stood by the bed-stove, his eyes sparkling. ¡°Mommy~~ You¡¯re the best mommy in the world!¡± Erniu¡¯s face looked soft and squishy now that she was warm. ¡°Mommy, I love you!¡± Xiaobao wormed out of the nkets and hugged Qi Qingyao¡¯s leg, rubbing his cheek against her like an adorable little animal. Qi Qingyao exasperatedly stuffed Xiaobao back under the covers and rubbed his head. ¡°I just heated up the bed. Why are you all so excited?¡± She tucked the three children in and ran her head down the nket to gauge its warmth. ¡°The bed is all warm now, so stay here. I¡¯ll go get some water so we can boil it, then we can ughter the chickens, pluck them, and make chicken soup! How does that sound?¡± The three children all raised their chubby, soft little faces and said in unison, ¡°Whatever you say, Mommy!¡± Qi Qingyao was certain that these three children were not naughty or spoiled, so they would definitely stay put. She heaved a sigh of relief and turned around to leave. As she stood in the cold at the door, though, Qi Qingyaomented her fate. She had to serve these children as soon as she transmigrated here! The three childreny on the hot bed-stove, savoring its warmth. It was the first time they had a warm bed to lie on, they thought, since they moved here to this hut. ¡°Mommy¡¯s changed so much!¡± Dabao could not help but sigh. Erniu and Xiaobao tilted their heads, their red faces full of excitement. * Madam Guo was Qi Yuancheng¡¯s wife and Qi Qingyao¡¯s oldest sister-inw. She had just carried the food to their dining room when she saw Madam Li sneaking inside, acting all mysterious. Madam Li went to her and whispered something in her ear, almost making Madam Guo drop the te she was holding. Madam Guo forced herself to calm down and turned to look at Madam Li. Her eyes were asrge as saucers. Madam Li patted her shoulder and said with certainty, ¡°It¡¯s true, your youngest sister-inw is back.¡± ¡°What are you talking about? She died outside ages ago.¡± Madam Guo red at her. Madam Li pressed her lips together and shrugged, ¡°Don¡¯t me us for telling you. I saw her with my own eyes, she walked back to their East Vigeside ce with her kids.¡± ¡°What nonsense! I don¡¯t believe you. It¡¯s misty out today, you must have been mistaken!¡± Madam Guo said. Madam Li hastened her. ¡°Go see for yourself if you don¡¯t believe me.¡± Madam Guo looked at Madam Li in semi-disbelief. While she called her husband, children, and inws toe out and eat, she headed outside herself. She had decided to see for herself. Madam Guo walked to East Vigeside. When she saw the smokeing out of the hut¡¯s chimney, she frowned deeply. ¡°Is she really back?¡± No way! Her father-inw and her husband had personally sent these dead weights away. It was the middle of winter right now! How could they be back? This had to be a joke. If they had reallye back, that would truly be something else. Madam Guo walked to the door, bewildered, and pushed it open. She immediately saw the three children sleeping on the bed-stove, all lined up. Their little heads stuck out from the nket, and they seemed sound asleep. Chapter 5

Chapter 5: Give Her A p 1

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Because the door opened, the cold wind blew into the house and chilled the triplets¡¯ heads. They could not help but look toward the door. The sun was behind her, so they could barely make out the silhouette of a woman with her hand on her waist. She seemed to be looking at them usingly. That pose was far too familiar. Dabao was the first to react, shrinking into the nket instinctively. His lips trembled as he called, ¡°A-Aunt-inw¡­¡± Madam Guo¡¯s eyes widened. When she looked at the three children on the bed-stove, her expression instantly turned ugly. Were these b*stards really back again? She took a few more steps inside. ¡°How did you get back?!¡± ¡°We walked back.¡± Dabao turned around under the covers, replying somewhat indignantly. Madam Gup spat on the ground. ¡°What a joke! There¡¯s no way you little brats could walk back here from so far away. Don¡¯t lie! Hurry up and tell me the truth.¡± Lie? Why would they lie? They were telling her the truth. The three children immediately felt hurt. Aunt-inw was their uncle¡¯s wife and she never really liked them. As far as they could remember, she had always called them little b*stards who had no father. That was why the three of them were actually a little scared of their mean, nasty aunt-inw. When Madam Guo saw that they were not saying anything, she finally seemed to remember something. ¡°Hey, where¡¯s your crazy mother?¡± Dabao and the others were still too afraid to speak. Madam Guo harrumphed coldly and continued, ¡°I know, she must have frozen to death out there. Right?¡± Dabao tugged at the corners of his lips and instinctively wanted to say something, but Erniu stopped him. Erniu gave her brother a look that said, ¡®Don¡¯t argue back. Let the hag talk to herself all she wants so she¡¯ll leave.¡¯ Madam Guo knew that the triplets were afraid of her. In her mind, that idiot Eleventh Daughter must have frozen to death. Maybe there was some kind outsider who found these b*stards and sent them back here! Well, no harm done. As long as that stupid Eleventh Daughter had frozen to death, it would be easy as pie to kill these brats. She was about to turn and leave when she suddenly saw the two wild chickens at the door. Madam Guo¡¯s eyes nearly popped out of her head. Wild chickens!! At this time in the winter! She grabbed the chickens excitedly and yelled at the children on the bed, ¡°You little b*stards, where did you steal these from?!¡± Steal... They had been falsely used out of nowhere. The triplets looked at Madam Guo pitifully, with tears in their eyes. They could not say that their Mommy was still alive, that Mommy was the one who brought the chickens back. After all, they knew that Aunt-inw hated them and hated Mommy even more. They did not want her to bully Mommy. All they could do was puff up their cheeks and stare at Madam Guo, hoping she would leave soon. Since they did not say anything, Madam Guo took the chickens and said with a smile, ¡°I don¡¯t care if you stole these wild chickens, but you b*stards have no right to eat chicken meat! I¡¯ll take these back and make soup for the Old Master and his real grandchildren! It¡¯d be good for them in this cold winter. As soon as she said that... Dabao could not take it anymore. He sat up in bed and roared at Madam Guo, ¡°Stop right there!¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Madam Guo turned around and looked at Dabao with some surprise. ¡°To think you dare to yell at me! You¡¯ve gotten braver these past three days, you little b*stard!¡± ¡°Mommy hunted those chickens for us! You can¡¯t take them away!¡± Dabao was so angry that his eyes turned red. Chapter 6

Chapter 6: Give Her A p 2

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Erniu and Xiaobao looked at their brother in excited admiration, too scared to speak. To the two of them, their oldest brother was so cool! He actually dared to talk back to Aunt-inw! Was he not afraid she would hit her? Dabao¡¯s furious retort sounded like the year¡¯s funniest joke to Madam Guo. ¡°Your mother hunted those chickens? Ha, hahahahaha!! I¡¯ve never heard something so funny before! Hahahaha, you¡¯re killing me!¡± Madam Guo wasughing so hard that she ran out of breath, holding her waist and panting. Once she was about doneughing, she finally said, ¡°Could that stupid r*tard ever catch you lot a chicken? Just tell me the truth already, stop lying.¡± Just then, her expression changed and she red at Dabao. ¡°You deserve a smacking on the mouth for that. How dare you talk back to me!¡± With that, she rushed at Dabao angrily to beat him up. Dabao hastily hugged his head and ttened himself against the bed. Xiaobao and Erniu burst into tears. ¡°Sooooob¡­¡± ¡°Mommy, save us!!!¡± Madam Guo was ticked off when she heard the children wail. She grabbed Dabao with one hand, nning to smash this disobedient b*stard onto the floor first. Erniu and Xiaobao were next! Before she could do anything, though¡­ There was a sound from the door. It was the sound of a water bucket being ced on the ground. After that, someone walked in nonchntly. She said flippantly, ¡°Oh my, I was only gone for a few seconds. Do we already have a guest?¡± Madam Guo froze when she heard that voice, her left hand letting go of Dabao¡¯s shirt. When Dabao saw that it was his mother who hade back, he pped his hands to his mouth and burst into tears,?jumping back under the covers. The triplets looked at Qi Qingyao, who was standing at the door, as though she was their savior. ¡°Mommyyyy~~¡± Erniu¡¯s voice was choked as she howled. She sounded so pitiful. Qi Qingyao nced at the triplets, their tears and snot flowing freely. She then looked at the open door before walking in calmly, closing the door behind her. Finally, she patted the dust off her body and smiled as though nothing was wrong, looking up at Guo Lianying. ¡°I wondered who it was. Hello, Big Sister-inw.¡± Madam Guo had never seen her youngest sister-inw look this confident before, and she was taken aback for a second, unable to respond. Her eyes widened, and she looked at Qi Qingyao a little dazedly. ¡°It¡¯s the middle of noon and still foggy out, so why are you here kicking up a fuss? Do you have nothing better to do?¡± Qi Qingyao knew that someone woulde by to check on them eventually, but she did not expect to see Madam Guo. Madam Guo looked Qi Qingyao up and down. Once she recovered from her shock, she asked in disbelief, ¡°A-A-Are you really Eleventh Daughter?¡± Qi Qingyao dug her ear with her finger boldly and smiled at Madam Guo¡¯s utter shock. ¡°Is your memory failing you already, Big Sister-inw? Even though you¡¯re so young. What a shame, you¡¯re deteriorating far before your time. As your sister-inw, should I book a flower wreath for you? In preparation for the day you¡¯re put six feet under!¡± ¡°You idiot, what are you talking about?¡± Madam Guo was caught off-guard by Qi Qingyao¡¯s snappy wit. Was this really her stuttering, semi-moronic younger sister-inw? There was something different about her. ¡­ Dabao and the others hid under the covers, staring at the two women. When they heard what their mother said, all three of them instinctively stretched their necks to get a better look. They knew that their mother had changed, but they did not expect her to stand up to their Aunt-inw so bravely¡­ In the past, Mommy would cower like a tortoise ducking into its shell whenever Aunt-inw scolded her, unable to say a word in response. Chapter 7

Chapter 7: Give Her A p 3

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion ¡°Tsk-tsk-tsk! So not only is your memory going, your ears are failing too! Oh, poor you! How sad, how tragic! You¡¯re about to die in the spring of your youth. Has my brother prepared a hole in the ground for you? What wood will your coffin be made of? Have you made all the ns?¡± Qi Qingyao continued to calmly fire off one barb after another. Madam Guo, ¡°...¡± What was the half-wit saying? D-Did she say that her memory was failing? That she would due soon? Madam Guo¡¯s first reaction was, ¡°You can¡¯t be Eleventh Daughter!¡± Qi Qingyao raised a brow at that, curling the corners of her mouth and saying casually, ¡°Your brain and ears are gone, and now your eyes too¡­ Sigh¡­¡± What on earth was she sighing about? The madwoman was even worse than usual today. Madam Guo felt a burst of anger explode within her when she heard Qi Qingyao¡¯s strangely emotional sighs, and she jabbed a finger at Qi Qingyao¡¯s nose, scolding her furiously, ¡°You witless fool, you get worse by the day! We didn¡¯t freeze you to death this time! But we¡¯ll get you next time.¡± ¡°Oh, thank you for the kind words!¡± Qi Qingyao bowed at her sardonically. Kind words? She had just cursed her to die. This fool was truly beyond saving. Madam Guo felt like she was insane just for trying to talk to a r*tard like Qi Qingyao. How could she take Qi Qingyao seriously and waste so much breath on her? Something must be wrong with herself. Madam Guo shook her head exasperatedly, taking the chickens as she turned to leave. Just as she was about to step out of the door, a footzily stood in her way. ¡°Are you going back, Big Sister-inw? In that case, put my chickens down.¡± Qi Qingyao¡¯s tone was as flippant as ever. Madam Guo gave her a vicious look. ¡°An idiot like you has no right to eat these chickens!¡± ¡°So I take it you won¡¯t put them down?¡± Qi Qingyao asked with a smile. ¡°You¡¯re a moron who¡¯s about to freeze to death. Go eat your own farts! Chicken, my *ss! Ha¡ª¡± Madam Guo taunted Qi Qingyao, but before she could finishughing, she felt a tight p across her left cheek. Her body spun through the air and she copsed against the wall! The world was turning around her. Madam Guo was instantly too dizzy to stand. ¡°Who did you tell to her own farts just now?¡± Qi Qingyao sauntered over to her and crouched down in front of Madam Guo, all smiles as she said, ¡°If you like farts so much, Big Sis-inw, I¡¯ll give you one! No need to thank me.¡± As soon as she said that, she turned. Pffft~ Madam Guo was stunned. It was only when she smelled that stench that she realized what had happened. That idiot had pped her and even farted at her! Madam Guo scrambled to her feet, holding her stinging left cheek as she yelled, ¡°You¡¯re mad! Madwoman,?nutjob!!¡± She ran off while yelling. The way she stumbled and limped as she ran made Qi Qingyao smile. She pointed in Madam Guo¡¯s direction, addressing the triplets. ¡°You three, do you see that?¡± ¡°?¡± The triplets looked at their aunt-inw¡¯s vanishing back and then looked at their mother, confused. What was Mommy asking them to see? ¡°Look at how weirdly she¡¯s running, how she¡¯s yelling at the top of her voice. Look at her distorted expression. Now that¡¯s a true madwoman. Understand?¡± Qi Qingyao smiled at them innocently. The triplets, ¡°...¡± I-If she put it like that, Aunt-inw did look like a madwoman right now... But more importantly, Mommy was so cool! The three of them looked at Qi Qingyao with stars in their eyes. Mommy actually dared to hit Aunt-inw! However¡­ Oh no, oh no, Aunt-inw would definitely run home and call for reinforcements after she was pped! Even though Mommy had the guts to hit Aunt-inw now, if Grandfather, Grandmother, and everyone else cameter to teach them a lesson¡­ Mommy would not be able to handle all of them herself. Erniu tugged at her lips, hesitating for a while before she could not help a whisper. ¡°Mommy!!¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°If Grandfatheres here with Aunt-inwter to make you pay¡­¡± Qi Qingyao nced at Erniu¡¯s little face and anxious expression, then stepped forward to rub her little head. ¡°Aw, my adorable little daughter. Don¡¯t worry, your mother ain¡¯t no docile herbivore!¡± Erniu¡¯s head was full of question marks. Herbivore? What did that mean? Chapter 8

Chapter 8: Give Her A p 4

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Qi Qingyao was starving now too. She did not waste too much time talking to the children, asking them to wait while she went outside and boiled some water to wash the pot. After that, she boiled more water and deftly plucked the chickens! Once the feathers were all gone, Qi Qingyao looked at the wounds on the chickens and fell silent for a long time. This was¡­ There were two extremely thin cuts on the chickens. Rather than saying they were cut by actual des, it looked more like they had been killed by a razor-thin de aura! Were there really legendary martial arts masters getting into a duel around here? Were these chickens caught in the crossfire? She was curious, but it was more important for her to fill her stomach now. Hence, Qi Qingyao did not spare the matter much thought. After she butchered the chickens, she heated up more water to make chicken soup¡­ * On the other hand, Madam Guo ran back home with her hand on her face, by which time her cheek had swollen up. She did not dare to let Qi Yuancheng see her injury. If anyone found out that she was reduced to this state by that half-wit, she would be ashamed for life! The rest of the family was having lunch indoors, so Madam Guo snuck into the backyard and scooped up some cold water into a wooden basin. She then wet her handkerchief in it and tried to use the wet cloth to reduce the swelling in her left cheek! Imagine putting water on your face in the winter. The cold went straight to her heart! Madam Guo let the swelling recede slightly before she went into the house through the back door. There was no one there, so she slipped inside her room. After the meal, her mother-inw Madam Wu began clearing the table since Madam Guo was nowhere to be seen. The moment Qi Yuancheng entered their room, he saw Madam Guo sitting on the bed-stove. Her face¡­ was hard to ignore! It was swollen like a steamed dumpling now. ¡°What happened to your face?¡± Qi Yuancheng was shocked. The next second, he asked, ¡°Who bit you?¡± ¡°Your idiot sister, of course.¡± Madam Guo held her face, her tone sarcastic. Qi Yuancheng immediately said, ¡°What are you talking about? She died outside.¡± ¡°Died? My foot!¡± Madam Guo¡¯s temper red at the first mention of this, so she jumped off the bed-stove angrily and shoved Qi Yuancheng, saying, ¡°You cursed fool, you and your father must not have sent her and her three b*stards far enough away! Otherwise, there¡¯s no way they could have walked back here.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Qi Yuancheng was left dazed by herints. ¡°Wait, what, huh? Say that again. She¡¯s back? Back where? I don¡¯t see her.¡± Madam Guo raised her chin and rolled her eyes at her husband. ¡°Where do you think? Back at that small hut at East Vigeside, of course.¡± ¡°But that¡¯s impossible¡­¡± Qi Yuancheng thought his wife had to be pulling his leg. ¡°Who else do you think hit me, then?¡± Madam Guo was properly incensed now. Qi Yuancheng saw that his wife was on the verge of losing it and said as patiently as he could, ¡°Tell me everything in detail!¡± Madam Guo pursed her lips and pulled Qi Yuancheng to sit with her on the bed-stove before whining the entire story at him. She exaggerated the parts where Qi Qingyao treated her badly and did not say a word about how she had tried to take their chickens. Qi Yuancheng stood up immediately once he heard the story. ¡°I¡¯ll call Dad, we¡¯ll go see what¡¯s up at once.¡± Madam Guo was d that her husband could get her revenge for her, but she then remembered something and pulled Qi Yuancheng back. ¡°You idiot, why are you going there now?¡± ¡°She¡¯s not dead, so of course we have to¡­¡± take that idiot and her three dead weights away again. ¡°She¡¯s not dead, but can¡¯t you pretend she is?¡± Madam Guo said seriously. ¡°As long as she doesn¡¯te here herself, we can pretend we don¡¯t know she¡¯s back. What if she freezes to death over the next two days? Wouldn¡¯t that be just right?¡± That got Qi Yuancheng thinking, too. ¡°...¡± Chapter 9

Chapter 9: Catching A Koi Fish 1

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion ¡°If you go now, no matter how you slice it, her three children will still call you their uncle. From a moral perspective, if we ignore thempletely, we¡¯ll be known as the bad guys here! That¡¯s why we should just feign ignorance,¡± Madam Guo said without batting an eyelid. Qi Yuancheng was in full agreement. ¡°You¡¯re right, absolutely.¡± In that case, they should keep this from their parents for now. * Not long after Qi Qingyao started brewing the chicken soup, the intense aroma of chicken soup wafted through the house. It smelled so good that the triplets jumped out of bed excitedly and ran outside without even putting on their clothes, all so they could take off the cover and look into the pot. Qi Qingyao, who was trying to clean up the house, stopped them. ¡°Don¡¯t run out without putting on your clothes first. It¡¯s cold out, thest thing we want is for you to fall sick.¡± The three toddlers obediently let their mother dress them in cotton clothes before they finally ran to the oven. They stretched their necks, not brave enough to take off the lid. They just tried to inhale as much of the chicken soup vaporing from the pot¡¯s edges as they could. ¡°So that¡¯s what chicken soup smells like.¡± Dabao stared at the stove until his eyes were about to fall out. ¡°Have you never had any before?¡± Qi Qingyao looked at the triplets, asking them with some pity. The silly triplets just turned to look at her, their eyes pitifully teary. As their tears were about to fall, Erniu was the first to wipe them away. She hugged Qi Qingyao¡¯s leg, her voice blurry with tears. ¡°Grandfather shaid, we¡¯re b*shtards so we have no right to drink chicken soup.¡± Dabao and Xiaobao pressed their lips together too, but they held back their tears and refused to let themselves cry. Qi Qingyao looked at the adorable children and wiped away the tears pooling in their eyes, trying to calm them down. ¡°From now on, as long as I have a bite to eat, so will you! We¡¯ll do our best to have meat and fish every meal, drinking chicken and fish soup every time!¡± Xiaobao was the fastest to recover from his emotions. He immediately leaped up and said, ¡°Yay! You¡¯re the best, Mommy!¡± Dabao patted Erniu¡¯s head, consoling his sister. Erniu rubbed her red eyes and puffed up her cheeks, her small hand holding onto Qi Qingyao¡¯s tightly. Qi Qingyao led the three of them into the house and put them on the bed again before continuing to clean up the ce. The three children were stunned. They had no idea that this little hut could be so clean with some cleaning! M-Mommy really had changed this time! Qi Qingyao tidied up their little ¡°shack¡± before going out to check on the pot. Once she was sure the chicken soup was done, she grabbed a few small ceramic bowls with chips on them. A momentter, Qi Qingyao brought the bowls of chicken soup into the house on a wooden tea tray. The children instantly surrounded her. Each of them held a small bowl, staring at the chicken soup inside adorably. They sniffed and smelled it, like little animal cubs. They wanted to drink it, but they were also worried that they would scald themselves, so they simply held onto the bowls for a while to warm up their tiny hands. Once they were sure it was drinkable, they carefully began to drink the soup. Qi Qingyao looked at their faces. They looked like her original host. She had to admit that while the host was a half-wit, she was also truly beautiful. If she really was part of the Qi family, she had to be a gic anomaly! These children had perfectly inherited the host¡¯s wonderful looks too. Even at this age, they were nothing but adorable. At the same time, there were downsides to how they looked exactly like the host¡­ because there was no way to tell who their father was by looking at them! That made things awkward. Qi Qingyao saw that the children had finished the chicken soup in one go, so she asked them, ¡°How¡¯s it taste?¡± ¡°It¡¯s soooo good!¡± Erniu licked the bowl, looking like a hungry cat. She smiled wide, her brows arching and her tone innocent. Chapter 10

Chapter 10: Catching A Koi Fish 2

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Qi Qingyao scooped them each another bowl of soup, this time even giving them some chicken meat. She sat at the short table, drinking the soup with her three children. She had only put a bit of salt into the soup, so it retained an authentic taste! Drinking it in the cold of winter made their entire bodies warm up at once. ¡°Don¡¯t just drink the soup, eat some of the meat too. You¡¯re already three, which means you should have stopped drinking milk ages ago. Look at you, you¡¯re the size of other two-year-olds. You¡¯re obviously small because of your constant malnutrition. From now on, I¡¯m gonna give you all the nutrition you missed out on.¡± The silly children had just drunk two consecutive bowls of chicken soup. When they heard their mother¡¯s promation, the pain they had suffered at the hands of their grandparents, uncle, and aunt-inw over the past two years boiled over all at once. The tears flowed as though a dam had been broken. ¡°Soooob!¡± The three children wailed in happiness. Qi Qingyao asked, ¡°Why are you crying?¡± Erniu jumped into her arms, hugged her, and showered her with kisses. ¡°It just feels too good to have a mother who spoils us.¡± Dabao and Xiaobao ran over for a hug too. ¡°Hahaha, silly children.¡± Qi Qingyao held all three of them in her arms. After she transmigrated here, she had thought that she was rather unfortunate to be saddled with three children from the start. In that moment, however, Qi Qingyao wondered if perhaps these three were a gift from the heavens¡­ The three children actually ate both chickens in one meal. It was only after they were all full and satiated that Qi Qingyao realized the enormity of their appetites! Looked like she had to figure out how to earn more money from now on. Otherwise, it was a matter of time before the four of them starved to death! After Qi Qingyao cleared the cutlery, she went to the bed-stove¡¯s hearth again and added more firewood. She had to run about a bit more before she finally had time to sit on the warm bed and rest for a while with the three children. Qi Qingyao suddenly remembered something. ¡°We can¡¯t keep calling you Dabao, Erniu, and Xiaobao. Those are nicknames. Don¡¯t you have real names?¡± She could not find anything about their real names in the host¡¯s memories. The three children lowered their eyes without a word. ¡°...¡± Qi Qingyao blinked and said softly, ¡°So you really don¡¯t?¡± Dabao and Xiaobao were boys, so they would not say it even if they were hurt. Erniu was a girl, so she thought it over and then said in a clingy voice, her mouth trembling as she sniffled, ¡°Grandfather and Uncle and the others said that we¡¯re b*stards without a father, so we don¡¯t need names.¡± Qi Qingyao said, ¡°Alright, then I¡¯ll give you names.¡± ¡°Yayy!¡± The children¡¯s eyes twinkled with excitement. Qi Qingyao mused for a while and then said, ¡°Dabao, you¡¯re Qi Sixuan. Erniu, you¡¯re Qi Yuanxi. And Xiaobao is Qi Jingyi. How¡¯s that?¡± Dabao¡¯s eyes were wide and moist. After a long time, he finally came back to his senses and stammered, ¡°I-I-I¡¯m Qi Sixuan. I have a name now.¡± ¡°Big Brother, my name is Yunxi!~¡± Erniu blinked herrge innocent eyes. ¡°I-I¡¯m Jingyi, Jingyi~~~ Mommy, how do you write those words?¡± Xiaobao was very curious. Qi Qingyao got off the bed and picked up a branch, writing the words on the ground next to the bed. ¡°Here, let me teach you to recognize your names!¡± The triplets were especially serious as they watched Qi Qingyao write. It was as though they did not want to miss a single stroke. Once they were done watching, they continued to mimic drawing the strokes of their names on their nket. They were only three, but they were already so serious about learning. Qi Qingyao looked at their diligent behavior and said with satisfaction, ¡°Remember, you¡¯re children with names now! If anyone asks, tell them your names with pride!¡± The triplets were over the moon. As they continued to practice the words, they told themselves, We¡¯re children with names now! We¡¯re not b*stards any more! We have both a first andst name! Chapter 11

Chapter 11: Catching A Koi Fish 3

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Qi Qingyao nced at the thick fog outside through the crack of the door and thought, ¡®It¡¯s already noon, but the fog is still showing no signs of dispersing. It must be because the terrain is surrounded by mountains on three sides and a river on one. I¡¯m afraid that it might even snow tonight.¡¯ It seems that she would have a restter, then she would have to go out again in the afternoon. It was best to get some food for the children before it started snowing. It was a good thing she had drunk some chicken soup and ate some meat. She was afraid that she would not be able to carry through with the continuousbor with the host¡¯s slightly weaker constitution otherwise. Qi Qingyao was thinking that the babies who had been fed, clothed, and tucked into the bed-stove must be sleepy, as theyy on both sides of Qi Qingyao. The mother and three children all drowsily dozed off. Qi Qingyao¡¯s alertness was very high. She had woken up after a short doze. She looked at the sleeping children, thought about it for a moment, then gently woke up Dabao. ¡°Mm~¡± Dabao rubbed his eyes sleepily. ¡°Dabao,¡± Qi Qingyao called out. ¡°Mom¡­ Mommy~~~¡± ¡°It¡¯s good that you¡¯re up, now listen to Mommy. It may snow tonight, and we don¡¯t have food at home, so if it starts snowing, we¡¯ll starve tomorrow. That¡¯s why Mommy¡¯s going out to get some food for us. It¡¯ll take a few hours, so when your younger brother and sister wake up, tell them not to cry and wait for me at home.¡± ¡°No!¡± Dabao started to panic when he heard that it would take a few hours. ¡°You¡¯re not being a good boy,¡± Qi Qingyao said as sheughed. Dabao anxiously exined, ¡°No, Mommy, Baby is afraid that Uncle and Grandfather wille over and they might beat us...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Mommy, I¡¯ve slept enough. ¡®I¡¯ll wake the both of them up, so let¡¯s go find food together. Baby don¡¯t wanna leave Mommy¡¯s side for even half a step!¡± Da Bao said that rather pleadingly. He did not want to stay at home with his younger brother and sister, because a home without Mommy was a ce that was not safe. ¡°...¡± Qi Qingyao felt that the bed was very warm and wanted them to stay in a warm ce such as this. Dabao saw that his Mommy did not seem to relent, so he whispered, ¡°Mommy, think about it. Thest time when you went out for just a moment, Aunt-inw came over...¡± The emotions in Qi Qingyao¡¯s eyes stirred for a moment, and after a brief silence, she said, ¡°In that case, wake the two of them up, and once we¡¯ve gotten ready, the three of us will go out to find some food.¡± Dabao hurriedly shook his younger brother and sister awake, pleased. Erniu and Xiaobao¡ªwho had been sleeping soundly¡ªwere naturally a little dissatisfied after being shaken awake, but when they heard their older brother say that they could go out with Mommy to find food, the three little buns happily began to dress! Qi Qingyao got out of the bed-stove and was about done getting ready. An axe hung around her waist, and she even brought along a fishing rod! Just as she turned around and was about to help her three babies, she saw it. They were just three-year-old little kids, but they did not ask her for help. Maybe it was because they did not have a mother to coddle them before, so the three children learned to help each other since they were young, helping each other to put on their clothes and fastening their buttons! At this sight, Qi Qingyao felt a pang in her heart. They were only three years old, an age where they should enjoy being spoiled by their parents. Physically, they were still as small as a two-year-old child, but they were forced to mature like a seven or eight-year-old child. They had gradually learned to be self-reliant. Qi Qingyao sighed with a smile as she walked over to help them fix their outer padded jackets and fasten their belts. The four of them were done getting ready. Qi Qingyao carried two buckets and left the house with the three children. The three little beans followed her, unable to contain their excitement. They did not feel cold at all. Dabao looked at the axe and fishing rod that hung from Qi Qingyao¡¯s waist and asked puzzledly. ¡°Mommy, are we going hunting?¡± ¡°It¡¯s freezing cold out here, so there¡¯s no prey in the forest for us to hunt as they¡¯ve all went into hibernation.¡± Qi Qingyao calmly said, ¡°My n is to go to the Jiuli River and catch some fishes. What do you guys think?¡± ¡°Fish!¡± Three pairs of eyes lit up. Dabao then asked why she brought an axe along... Qi Qingyao easily said, ¡°Of course, it¡¯s for self-defense! If we were to encounter any bad guys, there¡¯s no way we could defend ourselves with a fishing rod!¡± The three little ones had a sudden realization on the spot. Wow. Mommy is so clever! Chapter 12

Chapter 12: Catching A Koi Fish 4

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Qi Qingyao¡¯s instincts told her it was pure luck that she had found firewood and pheasants previously. That had been unexpected luck, the remains left behind by powerhouses at the scene after a fight. There was no way that more than a dozen pheasants were still waiting for her to gather them up, right? It was winter, so there were no wild fruits for them to collect. Even less so any grains... In that case, the only thing left was the river. Although it was not the flood season, catching a few fishes was ¡°the only feasible operation¡±, aka n C! Linquan Vige was nearby Jiuli River. Jiuli River was a river that flowed through the entire Qingzhou City. Women in the vige often went downstream to wash clothes in the summer, while some people liked to go upstream to fetch water! Following the route in her memory, they walked to Jiuli River, and choose a spot. At a nce, the whole river was shrouded by fog. She could not see how wide the river was. Qi Qingyao put her wooden buckets, axe, and fishing rod down. Then, she settled down the three little ones. ¡°The riverbank is cold and dangerous, so the three of you just sit here under the tree and wait. Mommy will fish there alone.¡± ¡°Okay, we¡¯ll wait for Mommy obediently!¡± The three little ones sat tightly next to each other. Seeing that the children were being so obedient, Qi Qingyao was able to leave them with ease and went to one side of the wend with her axe to dig for bait. She had to get some earthworms. If there was no bait, then there would be no fish that would get caught! She was not?Grand Duke Jiang, after all...1 After digging up arge nest of earthworms, Qi Qingyao happily hooked the earthworm on as bait and started to swing the rod! As the saying goes, one has to be patient when fishing. After casting her fishing rod, she turned her head and nced at the little children who were obediently sitting in their spots, and thought to herself that as an adult, she could not be impatient. She had picked up some fishing skills while in ska in her previous life! This time, it finally came in handy. She had to sit tight and fish, just like Grand Duke Jiang! Qi Qingyao held the fishing rod tightly and waited patiently. She felt that everything was difficult at the beginning. She had to wait at least ten minutes for the first fish to take the bait, but within two minutes, there was a fish biting the bait! Qi Qingyao was dumbstruck for a moment, but she quickly pulled the line, then stood up abruptly to lift the fishing rod up. She saw a golden light passing by in front of her eyes. Qi Qingyao stared at the koi fish, startled. The three little ones had not expected that their Mommy would catch something so soon. They stood up excitedly and rushed over. Erniu¡¯s dark eyes were wide open. ¡°Mommy, it¡¯s a golden fishy!!¡± Qi Qingyao scratched her head, looked at the Jiuli River, and muttered, ¡°Koi fish. There are koi fishes in this river?¡± ¡°Koi fish??¡± Xiaobao did not understand what a koi fish was. In his eyes, this was just a golden carp. ¡°What¡¯s a koi fish?¡± Erniu asked as she tilted her head. ¡°I know!¡± Dabao remembered something suddenly, and said like a little adult, ¡°Grandfather once said that there are four koi temples in Qingzhou City, and one of them is in Baishui Town! ording to the rumors, whoever is able to catch a koi fish will be able to receive supreme fortune! They¡¯ll receive the blessing of the Koi God.¡± ¡°Is there such a legend?¡± Qi Qingyao asked with a smile as she looked at the koi fish with its mouth still hanging open. ¡°Is this type of golden fishy a koi fishy?¡± Erniu asked extremely innocently and cutely. Dabao drawled with a thick nasal sound, ¡°I also don¡¯t know... Anyway, there¡¯s a temple fair at the koi temple every month. Grandmother used to go shopping with Auntie-inw and the others at the temple fair and worshipped the Koi God while they were at it!¡± Erniu smiled particrly happily. ¡°Mom Mom Mom~~ Mommy, we have Mommy, so we¡¯re very blessed babies.¡± Every sentence was like candy dripping with honey. ¡°That¡¯s right, we don¡¯t need the blessing of some Koi God, we have Mommy!¡± Xiaobao also agreed. Qi Qingyao smiled and said, ¡°You guys don¡¯t need the blessing of the Koi God, but Mommy needs it! ~~Come on, I¡¯ll put this koi fish in the bucket first.¡± Chapter 13

Chapter 13: Save the Sick Beauty 1

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion She put the golden carp into the bucket and thought to herself, ¡®O, Koi God! Since you¡¯re so awesome... ¡®Bless me once more and let me catch a few more fishester! ¡®So that the four of us won¡¯t go hungry these few days!¡¯ Qi Qingyao muttered in her heart as she instructed the three children. ¡°If you guys want to watch, then stand behind.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± The three little ones did not stand under the tree this time. They just leaned on the side of the bucket as they stared at the golden carp in the water. To the children, this koi fish was like a rare and peculiar toy. They could not help touching it with their hands, but the water in the bucket was so cold that they retracted their little paws. It was fine even if they could not touch it. Just looking at it was enough to make them feel how rare it was. ording to the story of the koi temple that Grandmother used to tell, this koi fish must be amazing! When the three little children were watching the koi fish, Qi Qingyao¡ªwho was at a side¡ªcaught another fish, causing the three little buns to stare in shock. So quickly? Never mind the fact that they were surprised. Even Qi Qingyao herself was surprised. Her fishing skills were average. Could it be that the Jiuli River was full of fishes? When she stuck her head out and looked into the water, the river water was fairly clear, but... it looked like there were barely any fishes! Could it be that the fishes in the river did not have any bait food in the winter, so when she cast her earthworm bait, the fishes took the bait immediately! Qi Qingyao ced the crucian carp in another bucket, doubtful. Out of the corner of her eye, she nced at the koi fish that was in the bucket. She furrowed her brows. As a scientific pioneer and future sessor of socialism, how could Qi Qingyao believe in such nonsense? She put on more bait and continued fishing as if nothing had happened. As a result, something dumbfounding urred. She caught a fish every thirty seconds on average. Basically, as soon as the rod was cast, the fish took the bait. After a while, the bucket could no longer fit any more fishes, and seven or eight fishes were thrown on the grass next to the buckets. Both Qi Qingyao and the three children were speechless. They all stared at the struggling fishes on the ground, wide-eyed. Dabao scratched his head and said, ¡°Mommy, this should be enough for us to eat.¡± Qi Qingyao looked at the fishes and thought, ¡®It¡¯s fine even if the fishes die. In this sub-zero temperature, the whole world¡¯s a ¡°natural-branded freezer¡±. It doesn¡¯t matter even if we leave it for a few days! Now, we finally got some ¡°foodstuff¡± stored up.¡¯ While feeling relieved, she nced at the koi fish that was alone in the bucket. Could this really be rted to it? No, no way. There was no way she would believe in such nonsense! Qi Qingyao counted the fishes. ¡°Except for this koi fish, we caught a total of thirteen fishes today, including crucian carps, grey mullets,mon carps, and ck carps. In short, we won¡¯t have to starve for a few days!¡± Looking at today¡¯s harvest, the three little children showed the most satisfied smiles of their lives. They were going to eat fish!! And it was what they had caught with Mommy today! Qi Qingyao decided to take the bucket back first, then bring a pack basket with her when they got home to pick up the rest of the fishes. When they returned, Qi Qingyao decided to take a shortcut and walked past the bushes with her three little babies. When passing by a small pile of rocks, Dabao looked around restlessly. He had happened to see a pair of boots behind the rock pile, which made Dabao freeze in fear. ¡°Mommy, it seems like there¡¯s someone behind the pile of rocks.¡± His fingers trembled. ¡°What?¡± Qi Qingyao said. Erniu reacted quickly. ¡°Could they be out to rob our koi fish?¡± Chapter 14

Chapter 14: Save the Sick Beauty 2

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Xiaobao nodded nkly, ¡°I bet so.¡± When Dabao regained his senses, he said, ¡°Koi fish is so valuable! I bet if anyone found out about it, they would certainlye to rob us!¡± Qi Qingyao set down the bucket that she was carrying. Her brows furrowed, she lifted the ax which hung by her waist. She looked incredibly nervous. While she stood in front of the three children, she said, ¡°Just wait for a moment, Mommy will go over and have a look.¡± The three children were so terrified theyid down within the bushes, neither daring to move. Qi Qingyao calmly held the ax as she walked forward and was greeted by a pair of ck boots. Her heart tightened and she followed closely. She found that the other person was lying down. Qi Qingyao was immediately greatly relieved. As she rounded the pile of rocks and saw what the ¡°object¡± was, her face rxedpletely. A man¡­ A dead person? She subconsciously used her hand to feel for the man¡¯s breath. It seemed that he was still breathing. Qi Qingyao frowned. She then took the time to assess the person¡¯s attire and appearance. If people in the vige woremon coarse linen, then this man was wearing fine silk satin! Just the material of his clothes was enough of a shock. His clothes were made of high-quality silk and satin that had dark patterns embroidered on them. Although his clothes have been badly dirtied, the fine texture of his clothes was still quite pristine. He wore a pair of sheepskin soft leather boots on his feet. Just a nce of his appearance was telling enough that he was a big shot. He was not like them. Much like mustard beans, they were just tiny people¡­ Such contrast, such a gap! The three children who stood behind the bucket quietly peered over at her side at quite a distance away. They waited for a while. Seeing that Qi Qingyao did not respond, they raised questions anxiously. ¡°Mommy, is it a bad guy?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a dead person,¡± replied Qi Qingyao. ¡°Ah!!¡± Dabao was stunned for a moment. Qi Qingyao added, ¡°My statement was too general. This person is not dead, but he will be soon.¡± The three children looked at each other and then walked over cautiously. Peering from behind Qi Qingyao¡¯s back, a look of wanting to take a nce but not daring to, and after a moment¡¯s dawdle, only then did Dabao nervously grab Qi Qingyao¡¯s calf and quietly look over. After a while of assessing the bloodstains and wounds on the ¡°corpse¡±, Dabao muttered to himself, ¡°This uncle is so badly injured.¡± Erniu was slightly frightened. She tugged on the corners of Qi Qingyao¡¯s clothes and said quietly, ¡°Mommy, let¡¯s go. Let¡¯s hurry home.¡± Qi Qingyao was silent for a moment. ¡°Bring him home with us.¡± ¡°Ah!¡± The three children were so shocked their jaws almost hit the ground. ¡°Saving a life is better than building a seven-story pagoda!¡± Qi Qingyao said, extraordinarily high-sounding! Xiaobao pressed his lips together and asked puzzledly, ¡°Mommy, we already don¡¯t have enough to eat. Do we really want to save this man?¡± Qi Qingyao chuckled as she said, ¡°Earlier when we caught a koi fish, we also caught so many fishes. Now we turn around ande across a big fish, of course, we¡¯re saving it!¡± Dabao echoed, ¡°Big fish?¡± Erniu tilted her head and asked nkly, ¡°Is he a fish?¡± ¡°Perhaps he is fish essence!¡± Xiaobao eximed after pondering. The little children¡¯s pure innocence and wild imagination caused Qi Qingyao tough. Qi Qingyao had never been all that devout, so she never showed any kindness and thought of saving people. Looking at the person¡¯s attire and appearance, his family should be quite well-off. After saving the man, she could ckmail him for some property. No, it cannot be described as ¡®ckmail¡¯. It would just be some ¡°treatment fees¡±, which was certainly reasonable. Maybe this could be her chance to hit the jackpot! Finally, there was yet another important reason. This person¡¯s appearance was¡­way too excellent! Even just by lying there, she could tell that he had an excellentplexion. Qi Qingyao could not bear to just leave such a beauty behind! Chapter 15

Chapter 15: Save the Sick Beauty 3

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Thinking of this, Qi Qingyao instructed the three children. ¡°Mommy will carry the two buckets home first. You stay here and guard this big fish! Mommy will fetch youter, okay?¡± ¡°Okay, we will help Mommy guard this big fish.¡± ¡°Very good children.¡± Qi Qingyao carried a bucket and headed home first. The little children silently and obediently guarded the ¡°big fish¡± at his side. Erniu¡¯s big, round eyes blinked. With her small, fleshy hands, she held her round and meaty cheeks as she watched the man who seemed to be deady on the ground. ¡°Big brother, although Mommy said we should save him, but¡­¡± ¡°But what?¡± Dabao asked. ¡°But we already don¡¯t have enough to eat, now there¡¯s one more to feed¡­¡± Erniu retorted, the corners of her mouth ttened. Dabao thought for a moment, then said, ¡°We have more than ten fishes now. There¡¯s enough to eat.¡± Xiaobao also patted Erniu¡¯s head and said, ¡°Mommy just said that he is a big fish.¡± ¡°A big fish cannot be let go,¡± Dabao chimed in. ¡°Listen to Mommy, surely she¡¯s not wrong,¡± Xiaobao said, a little loudly. Erniu dared not refute Dabao and Xiaobao¡¯s words, but she secretly thought to herself that they along with Mommy had rtively small appetites. The person in front of her was a man, and men generally have bigger appetites! They eat more! Erniu¡¯s little heart was full of worries. Qi Qingyao was already exhausted after two rounds of carrying the bucket. This time, she had to go back and carry a man home. Just the thought of it already had Qi Qingyao¡¯s scalp feeling numb. After she put the fish away, she rummaged through the whole house. She found a piece of wooden board and she took two more ropes. After returning to the rock pile, the three children eyed the provisions in her hands, looking confused. Dabao asked with concern, ¡°Mommy, this man is so tall. Can you move him?¡± ¡°With this wooden board and these two ropes, I can move him!¡± While Qi Qingyao spoke, she moved the injured beauty onto the wooden board. She then tied the ropes on both sides of the board and followed closely. She looked like an old bull pulling a cart. With the rope tied around her waist, she pushed forward forcefully. The three children watched as their mother¡¯s face grew redder and felt distressed. They were too young and could not offer much help. They could only silently cheer for her along the way. Qi Qingyao persisted, and finally dragged the man who had suffered a thousand swords back home. When she got home, she was also barely alive. ¡°I¡¯ve finally dragged him home. I¡¯m exhausted.¡± Sitting on a small bench, Qi Qingyao wiped beads of sweat off her face. It was a cold winter¡¯s day, and everyone was half-dead from the cold. She was the only one who was so hot that she was drenched in sweat. Qi Qingyao filled the bed-stove with a few firewoods to heat it up. She then exerted more strength to haul the injured man onto the bed-stove. The three childrenid at the side as they watched the unconscious man. Xiaobao scrunched his brows and said, ¡°Mommy, he¡¯s almost out of breath.¡± Qi Qingyao sighed and felt for his pulse. She then raised his eyelids to check his eyes and then proceeded to check his nose. D*mn, he has been poisoned! She swept a nce at the sky. The fog was growing heavier, and the sky was getting hazier.?She could not wait for the snow to cover the mountain. Then it would be toote. Although she did not get to rest at all today, there was no other way. After Qi Qingyao had made her mind, she filled the bed-stove with more firewood. Then she said, ¡°I¡¯m going out to collect some medicine to treat his injuries. Rest with him first. If someone were toe in, use him as a shield. Got it?¡± After ensuring that the children were obedient, Qi Qingyao took an ax and shovel, carried a small back basket, then turned to leave the house. As she walked, she muttered to herself. ¡°I could have steamed some fish and had a meal. Yet, I rescued an uncle and brought him home. Now I have to wander out again to gather some medicine. What a tough life I have!¡± Little cabbage, the ground is yellow! (TN: These are lyrics from the Chinese folk song ¡®Cabbage¡¯, which originated from the Hebei province. It tells the story of a young girl whose mother has died and whose father has remarried a woman with a son. She is given less food, shabbier clothes, and less attention than her brother. In the song, she cries for her dead mother in anguish.) Pity me! What crime have Imitted! What was that saying about catching a koi fish and getting lucky? This luck was clearly dog sh*t! Chapter 16

Chapter 16: Save the Sick Beauty 4

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Due to the terrible weather, the vigers did not go out. Hence, no one noticed Qi Qingyaoing in and out of the vige. She carried her back basket and quickly walked into the mountain. The nts on the ground were all covered with thickyers of frost. The fog was so heavy that one could barely distinguish a male and a female from ten meters away. From twenty meters away, one could hardly distinguish a human and an animal. Qi Qingyao followed the chaotic memory of the host. Once she entered the mountain, she dared not dy by a single step. ¡°The medicine must be gathered before the snow covers the mountain. Otherwise, this big fish will just be awaiting death.¡± How can the cooked duck fly to one¡¯s mouth? (TN: A Chinese saying whereby an opportunity slips through one¡¯s fingers.) Since the man had been rescued, then she must certainly save the cash cow. She thought, fortunately, she had been born at the foot of the Changbai Mountain in her previous life and had learned medical skills from her grandfather for more than ten years. Hence, she knew a little about pharmacology and medicinal properties. Otherwise, this big fish would have to die! * Although the weather was harsh today, it also meant that there would not be any beasts wandering about! There were generally no decent medicinal herbs at the foot of the mountain. To find better herbs, she would have to ascend a little higher. Qi Qingyao cursed in her heart while she cautiously climbed the mountain. It took about an hour before she started to find very beneficial herbs. This piece could be due to the terrain, which had grown a lot of useful herbs. Qi Qingyao spent another half-hour gathering them. Just as she was about to return, she was careless for a moment and the bottom of her feet slipped. She immediately slipped down the pit beside her. The fall almost scared her to death. She thought that she was going to fall into some valley or cliff, and her fun with her little life would just be over like that. When the fall came to a stop, she realized that she was merely at the pit in the mountain. She released a breath of relief. It really was the d*mn blessing of the Koi God. She had fallen under the roots of a huge banyan tree. She wiped the rotting branches and leaves, and frost off her face. She staggered as she struggled to stand up. Qi Qingyao then quickly checked the herbs in her back basket to make sure that they were still there. She observed her surroundings, then got ready to descend and continue down the mountain! As a result, she unexpectedly saw something. ¡°F*ck!¡± Her eyes were not ying tricks on her, were they? She hurried forward to check the size of the ginseng then rubbed her eyes again. This ginseng¡­ ¡°The Koi God must have blessed me! Goodness, I¡¯ve hit jackpot!¡± Others would be blessed if they survived a disaster! She, Qi Qingyao did not die when she fell into a pit, but she had found ginseng! No, that would not be an urate description. It should be described as God deliberately letting her fall into a pit to see such a big treasure! Qi Qingyao smiled from ear to ear as she carefully picked the huge ginseng. ¡®Ginseng, oh ginseng. My family fortune is pointing at you!¡¯ she thought. She just needed to sell this ginseng. Not to mention instantly building a big house, even if she immediately wanted to buy a small two-story building in Qingzhou City, it would be more than enough. Qi Qingyao packed the ginseng beautifully then happily went down the mountain. Under the heavy fog, snow particles gradually began to float. Qi Qingyao followed the trail that she had taken and maintained full concentration, for fear that she would take a wrong step. In this harsh winter, the mountain was about to be heavily covered in snow. If she took a wrong step and got lost in this mountain, she was afraid that she would starve and freeze to death. When Qi Qingyao descended the mountain, the sky had already gotten dark. The sky was covered with ck clouds and thick fog, and it was almost impossible to distinguish north, south, east, and west. The moment Qi Qingyao arrived at the door of her house, her tensed nerves immediately rxed. She pushed open the door. The little children atop the bed-stove lifted their heads and looked towards the door in surprise. They made sure that it was their mother. Xiaobao spoke first. ¡°Mommy, you¡¯re back!¡± ¡°Why are you so worked up? Unless the person we picked up has died?¡± Qi Qingyao asked hurriedly. Chapter 17

Chapter 17: Save the Sick Beauty 5

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Erniu answered weakly, ¡°He didn¡¯t die. But he kept talking in his sleep! His lips have turned ck too.¡± Qi Qingyao stepped forward and assessed the situation. She thought to herself, ¡®Oh no, the poisoning is not shallow.¡± Dabao observed Qi Qingyao¡¯s expression for a moment then asked, ¡°Mommy, this big fish, can it still be saved?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Qi Qingyao did not speak, she merely silently rummaged through the medicinal herbs in her back basket. She then fell into deep thought. ¡°Mommy?¡± Dabao called out uncertainly. ¡°He can be saved, but¡­¡± Qi Qingyao dragged on, her tone full of entanglement. The triplets were dumbfounded. What did her ¡°but¡± mean? Qi Qingyao contemted for a long time. Then she clenched her fists and said in a heavy tone, ¡°It seems that today,?one who is not prepared to risk their child will never catch the wolf.¡±1 Once she spoke those words, the triplets got very scared. With tears in their eyes, they cried out, ¡°Mommy, don¡¯t sell us off!¡± Qi Qingyao replied, ¡°Ah.¡± Xiaobao¡¯s stark eyes were filled with a clear and innocent light, and there were pitiful tears in them. ¡°Mommy, I will be very well-behaved and will listen to your words. So Mommy, can you not sell us off?¡± Dabao and Erniu imitated his gesture of nodding like pounds of garlic. Qi Qingyao was defeated by their innocence. Sheughed for a moment, then exined. ¡°¡®One who is not prepared to risk their child will never catch the wolf¡¯ doesn¡¯t mean that I intend to sell you off. ¡®Child¡¯ in this context refers to shoes in the proverb! This saying means that to hit a wolf, you must not be afraid of running and you should not be afraid of using your shoes. Generally speaking, a simr price must be paid to achieve a certain goal.¡± The triplets heard clouds and mists of words, seeming to understand but not, and looked at Qi Qingyao with a cute expression. Qi Qingyao immediately pointed at the other half-dead ghost on the bed-stove. ¡°And the wolf is referring to him.¡± ¡°Him?¡± The triplets turned their heads to look at the same time. Qi Qingyao decided to let the children make the decision. First, she would exin the harvest she got from the time she went to gather medicinal herbs, only then would she pose her question. ¡°We have two options before us. Firstly, we will use this ginseng to save him. Once he awakens, he will give us a big sum of money. Secondly, we will sell this ginseng, and we will also get a big sum of money. If it were you, how would you choose?¡± The triplets secretly rejoiced that they were not being sold off after all. At the same time, they racked their brains and thought about it seriously. They weighed the pros and cons. Dabao had no idea and looked at Erniu weakly. Erniu quickly turned her head toward Xiaobao and threw the question to her younger brother. Xiaobao was aggrieved. At a loss, he fumbled with his fingers for a long time. He turned his head to look at his mother¡¯s dark eyes and tightened his lips pitifully. He then carefully spit out four words. ¡°Let us save him.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Qi Qingyao smiled as she caressed his head. Xiaobao said tearfully, ¡°Because just as Mommy caught the koi fish, we picked up this person. This means that God ced him to be saved by Mommy.¡± Dabao nodded, agreeing with his younger brother¡¯s words. Erniu also chimed in, ¡°Didn¡¯t Mommy say that saving one¡¯s life is better than building a seven-story pagoda?¡± Dabao said immediately, ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Qi Qingyao saw that the children hade to a decision, and only then did she hold the ginseng. With a reluctant and pained expression, she gritted her teeth and said, ¡°I will listen to you all. We will save him.¡± In the end, she added quietly. ¡°Ginseng ismon, but beauty is rare.¡± The triplets were silent. Beauty? Who was the beauty? The little children were still young. Still unable to distinguish beauty and ugliness, they scratched their heads. Chapter 18

Chapter 18: Save the Sick Beauty 6

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Since they had decided to save the man, Qi Qingyao dared not dy. She took out a small medicinal pot to prepare the decoction. At the same time, she ughtered three fish. After the medicinal concoction had been prepared, the fish was also ready. Two fish had been steamed and the fish bones had also been crisply and neatly cut off. Additionally, a pot of fish soup had been stewed. When they were served at the small dining table, the triplets jumped three feet high in excitement. They ate the fish carefully and cutely. Qi Qingyao who watched them was a little puzzled. ¡°Have you never eaten fish before?¡± Near the Jiuli River, there was a lot of fish. The fish bones were quite small and were suitable for the children to eat. Erniu¡¯s eyes were watery. She smiled charmingly and shook her head. Xiaobao smiled innocently. ¡°I have eaten fish, but I have not eaten them fresh.¡± Qi Qingyao was puzzled by this statement. Who ate fish that was no fresh? Dabao scratched his head and exined to his mother a little embarrassedly. ¡°Mommy, have you forgotten? Before, when we were at Grandpa¡¯s house, we usually ate leftovers from others. After moving to this small hut, we also ate leftover food from here and there. Although some tasted a little strange, they still filled our bellies.¡± asionally, there were wild vegetables! Qi Qingyao was speechless. Holding back the sour feeling in her nose, she forcefully withheld the desire to cry. Qi Qingyao feigned an air of calmness and gently caressed the triplets¡¯ heads, motioning them to continue eating. Even if she had not given birth to them, they were the host¡¯s children. The host was a lunatic, but the three children were innocent. Qi Qingyao felt a heavier sense of responsibility. Even if it was to repay the host for giving her the body to be reborn, she still had the responsibility and obligation to work hard to raise the three children. After the meal, the medicine was also almost ready to decoct. Before Qi Qingyao prepared to save the man, she contemted for a while. She asked Dabao to hold the kitchen knife at home against the man¡¯s neck. ¡°Mommy?¡± Dabao held the kitchen knife nervously, feeling incredibly afraid. What was Mommy going to do? Qi Qingyao exined, ¡°This person has been so badly injured. I¡¯m afraid that he will suddenly awaken. If he thinks that we are bad people and want to kill us, Dabao, you can just use the kitchen knife and swing towards his neck!¡± As the triplets heard that, they felt that their mother made sense. However, Qi Qingyao¡¯s worries did not happen. After feeding the sleeping beauty some medicine, the beauty still did not awaken. ¡®Gosh, my ginseng,¡¯ she thought. ¡®I have fed it to you. If you still die anyway, I will have to chop you into a meat sauce!¡¯ After Qi Qingyao picked up the medicinal pot, she swept a nce at the sky outside. It had already started to snow, and the snow was not small. The ground was already covered in a thickyer of silvery white. The wind and snow were gradually growing stronger. It seemed that only slumber was left. After Qi Qingyao washed her feet, she rubbed her sore shoulders. She then added more firewood before returning to the bed-stove. Theatose man was moved to the edge of the bed-stove while she and the three children slept on the interior. Qi Qingyao fell asleep in a daze and even dreamt about what would happen if the cash cow were to awaken. She did not know how much medical fees could be charged¡­ ... Madam Guo and Qi Yuancheng got on the bed-stove and nced at the sleeping triplets and tucked their nkets. Madam Guo then quietly said to her man, ¡°The snow is so heavy tonight. I don¡¯t believe that she will live till tomorrow.¡± Qi Yuancheng nced at the wind and snow outside the window. If this snowsted for two or three days, then we only need to collect the corpse in two days!¡± Madam Guo thought about it and was immediately delighted. She could finallypletely get rid of her idiotic sister-inw and her three pre-marriage children-inw. Chapter 19

Chapter 19: Collecting The Full Set Of Five 1

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion The next early morning, Qi Qingyao was shaken awake by the children. All three of the cute babies were hungry. Qi Qingyao enjoyed sleeping in in her past life. When she was woken from her slumber forcefully, the first thing she did was check the man by the y stove after she gave a good yawn. The man was still unconscious but his lips were not so ck anymore as they now had a slight shade of red. This meant that the poison was slowly purging. It looked like she had to boil another pot of medicine today! It was until the third afternoon that there was movement by the y stove after Qi Qingyuan had cleared the snow from the courtyard and was having some fish soup with the three babies by the short table. Qi Qingyuan flew next to him like the wind and reacted the moment the man opened his eyes. ¡°You¡¯re finally awake.¡± When Jiang Yeqian¡¯s eyes opened, they looked nk and in a daze. It seemed like he was not fully conscious. Qi Qingyuan suddenly realized something. ¡®Hey, this man was pretty good-looking¡¯. He looked cute when he was sleeping, but he looked even more handsome awake! She wondered if this was a powerhouse from the pugilistic world. Jiang Yeqian observed his surroundings and when his gaze fell upon Ji Qingyuan, he was momentarily taken aback. ¡°How are you?¡± Before Qi Qingyuan could reply, he asked again, ¡°Where¡­where is this?¡± His voice was low and husky. There was a maic charm to his voice. It was quite mesmerizing. Qi Qingyuan patted herself on the chest in delight. ¡°I¡¯m your savior! Remember my face clearly and don¡¯t you forget it.¡± The three babies ran over to him. They climbed onto the y stove and pulled on the man¡¯s hand as they introduced themselves earnestly. ¡°We¡¯re your saviors too!¡± Jiang Yeqian, ¡°¡­¡± Qi Qingyuan said, ¡°Since you¡¯re awake, let¡¯s settle your medical fees now. I¡¯ve used quite a bit of effort trying to save you. I went up to the mountains before it was sealed up by snow to get you medicine and I¡¯ve even used a ginseng! Besides that, I¡¯ve also been taking care of you day and night for the past two days. You should be paying me extra for mybor too, right?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Ginseng? Jiang Yeqian finally figured out his current predicament. He was aware of what had happened to him before he fell unconscious. ¡®Someone¡¯ came after him all the way from the Capital City to Qingzhou City. That person had sent dozens of assassins after him from the very beginning and this time, a child was sent out to poison him. A group of assassins attacked him while he was circting his internal energy. He had never thought he was able to make an escape! He did not die! He was saved by someone. He was saved by a young married woman from the vige¡­ When Qi Qingyuan noticed the man staying silent with a dazed look on his face, she began to feel anxious. ¡°Say something!¡± Jiang Yeqian, ¡°¡­¡± When Qi Qingyuan stared into his drifting eyes and his pretty yet somewhat distant expression, she hit him on the thigh and said dejectedly, ¡°You don¡¯t have amnesia, do you?¡± Jiang Yeqian, ¡°¡­¡± The man did not say anything, but looked at her nkly. Could it be¡­ Qi Qingyuan pped herself on the forehead. ¡°Big Brother, you¡¯ve got to be kidding me. It took me so much effort to save someone, and it turns out he has amnesia?¡± She gave pause. She could not believe this was happening. Qi Qingyuan swallowed. ¡°Do you really not remember who you are anymore?¡± Jiang Yeqian continued to stay silent. Qi Qingyuan pushed him. ¡°Think harder. I have confidence in you. You can remember your past.¡± The man continued to be quiet. Qi Qingyuan felt that she had lost all hope. She fell sitting next to the y stove in disappointment with her hand against her forehead. ¡°There go my medical fees, even my ginseng is gone. I¡¯ve even wasted a few days taking care of him. I¡¯ve suffered really have losses. Dear heavens, could you not y such a joke on me?¡± When Dabao saw his mother¡¯s sad expression, he quickly consoled her. ¡°Mummy¡­¡± Qi Qingyuan squeezed an embarrassed smiled onto her face despite feeling sorrowful. ¡°I¡¯m fine, mummy just have a slight headache.¡± Jiang Yeqian, ¡°You¡¯re a physician?¡± Qi Qingyuan shook her head brusquely. ¡°If I¡¯m not a physician, would I be able to cure a wretched man like you?¡± Chapter 20

Chapter 20: Collecting The Full Set Of Five 2

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Jiang Yeqian looked at this vige woman with slight surprise. She actually had some medical skills? He was really lucky to be alive. Qi Qingyuan said, ¡°Don¡¯t think you can worm your way out of my medical andbor fees just because you think you are good-looking. I¡¯ll find a day to drag you away and sell you off! Regardless, spit out whatever you¡¯ve eaten at my expense.¡± Jiang Yeqian smiled but said nothing. He was not bothered to ce himself on the same level as this vige woman. He would leave once his health recovered. He had no choice but to pretend to have amnesia temporarily. Qi Qingyuan looked at this man cautiously. ¡°What stupid luck I have that you¡¯re suffering from amnesia. You wouldn¡¯t be freeloading at my ce for the next few days, would you? Let me tell you something, all I have in my house are four walls. There¡¯s no ce for you to be freeloading here.¡± ¡°If you can¡¯t even remember your name, we¡¯ll call you Dog Balls¡­ Or Leftover Dog! Take your pick.¡± Jiang Yeqian immediately pretended to remember something when he heard this. ¡°I¡­ I think I¡¯m called¡­ Jiang Bai.¡± Jiang Bai? It seemed to suit the way he dressed. Qi Qingyuan did not doubt him on this. Dinner was steamed fish againter in that day. She was in a bad mood and had nowhere else to vent. ¡°Damn it, there isn¡¯t enough good in the first ce. Now, I have to feed an extra mouth!¡± The extra mouth, ¡°¡­¡± Jiang Yeqian, who was not able to move yet, sized up the house. It was a very pathetic-looking small hut and there was only the mother and three children. He did not see any signs of a man. ¡®Could the man of the house be dead?¡¯ He thought. Qi Qingyuan fed Jiang Yeqian some fish during dinner. There was not enough to eat, but she did not let Jiang Yeqian gopletely hungry. Another bowl of medicine mixed with ginseng was poured into him. After their meal, Qi Qingyuan cleaned up the chopsticks and bowls. Jiang Yeqian, who was lying on the y stove, and the three babies stared at each other for a while before he asked curiously. ¡°Does your mummy have a bad temper?¡± Xiaobao said with a sweet smile on his face, ¡°No, she doesn¡¯t. Mummy is the most patient.¡± Jiang Yeqian, ¡°¡­¡± Was that someone who seemed patient? He hesitated before asking again, ¡°Is there anything else to eat besides fish?¡± He did not see any other dishes during dinner. There was no rice nor noodles. He found this quite strange. It was not a famine year. Dabao and Erniu pressed their lips and stayed silent. Xiaobao¡¯s meaty cheeks puffed up as he smiled. He looked especially innocent. ¡°Mummy¡¯s brains weren¡¯t too bright before. We¡¯ve been picking up leftover rice and dishes from others. It¡¯s actually pretty good now that we have fresh fish to eat!¡± ¡°I¡¯m talking about grains,¡± Jiang Yeqian said. Xiaobao said pitifully with tears in his eyes. ¡°There¡¯s no grains nor vegetables¡­¡± Jiang Yeqian kept silent before slowly mumbling, ¡°Is that so?¡± The babies¡¯ eyes widened as they nodded seriously with their little heads. Jiang Yeqian, ¡°What about your father?¡± Xiao Bao frowned with his tiny brows. ¡°Grandfather says we¡¯re bastards because we don¡¯t a father. We¡¯ve never met our father before.¡± Jiang Yeqian, ¡°¡­¡± What kind of person had he been picked up by?! This was unbelievable. * A few days had passed and Madam Guo still did not dare enter East Vigeside. All she dared was to ask Qi Yuancheng after lunch, ¡°What do you think? Could she still be alive?¡± Qi Yuancheng replied, ¡°How could she be still alive after these few days?! She must have frozen to death.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go over now to take a look,¡± Madam Guo tried to pull Qi Yuancheng along to take a look at the situation as she said this. Qi Yuancheng was the eldest of the Qi family and had some smarts about him. He stopped his wife and reminded her not to act so brashly. With that, he got his son to get Uncle Wu over. Madam Guo was puzzled, but Qi Yuancheng exined, ¡°Let me go over to take a look first.¡± Madam Guo, ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± Chapter 21

Chapter 21: Collecting The Full Set Of Five 3

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion After Qi Yuanye arrived, his oldest brother whispered into his ear and Qi Yuanye instantly exploded. ¡°What? Nonsense! The idiot can¡¯t possibly be alive.¡± ¡°My wife saw her before the snowstorm. It¡¯s up to you if you want to believe us,¡± Qi Yuancheng said. ¡°I¡¯ll never believe it.¡± That was what Qi Yuanye said, but his feet were already taking him to East Vigeside. Qi Yuancheng and Madam saw their fifth brother¡¯s reaction and knew that their n had seeded. Fifth Brother must be itching to check if the fool and her burdens were dead. If they were¡­ That would be best. If they were not¡­ Fifth Brother could check out the situation for them! Old Man Qi had five children, namely the oldest, Qi Yuancheng; the second, Qi Qingzhu; the third, Qi Qingyao; the fourth, Qi Yuanxiu, and the fifth, Qi Yuanye! The second daughter, Qi Qingzhu, had long since gotten married to a man from the neighboring Xingli Vige. Even the fifth son had gotten a wife. Now, Qi Qingyao the ¡®fool¡¯ was the only one left, an insult to the Qi family name and a burden to them! She had three children before even getting married¡­ Everyone in the Qi family looked down on her. Qi Yuanye was no exception, of course. Once he heard what his oldest brother said, he immediately hurried to the small hut at East Vigeside. It was a distance from the vige with no neighbors nearby, so almost no one knew what was going on in there. When they first built the hut, they had wanted to set it up next to a house in the vige, but no one wanted to be neighbors with a madwoman. That was why Qi Qingyao¡¯s home was so far away from the vige! Qi Yuanye paused when he saw the smokeing out of the chimney on the hut. The smoke meant that there were people living inside. When he approached the hut, he saw that the snow in the yard beyond the fence had been cleanly swept away. There were even two snowmen in the courtyard, clearly built by children. Qi Yuanye¡¯s heart instantly sank. The fool and her three burdens just would not die! First Brother had said that they had been tossed away, yet the godforsaken trash just ran back here again. Now they had even survived the snowstorm! Qi Yuanye pushed the fence door open and immediately found himself face to face with Qi Qingyao, who was boiling water on the stove. Qi Yuanye felt his brow twitch. ¡°You really aren¡¯t dead.¡± Qi Qingyao patted the pot ash from her hands and smirked. ¡°You¡¯re not dead, so why should I be?¡± ¡°Qi Qingyao, you¡¯ve learned how to talk back, haven¡¯t you?¡± Qi Yuanye was somewhat taken aback by Qi Qingyao¡¯s retort. Qi Qingyao nonchntly rolled her eyes. ¡°The dog at the gate keeps barking pointlessly. It must have forgotten to take its medicine again.¡± She had called him a dog! Qi Yuanye felt his blood pressure rising. ¡°What¡¯s with your tone, Qi Qingyao?¡± ¡°Oh, I wondered who it was. Turns out it¡¯s my beloved younger brother.¡± Qi Qingyao syed her hands and calmly gave him a sideways look. ¡°When you meet your older sister, you shouldn¡¯t immediately wish for her death. I should be telling you off! Instead, you¡¯re questioning my tone?¡± Qi Yuanye almost burst outughing when he saw the fool iming superiority. ¡°My older sister? Ha! A fool is a fool. Now you¡¯re calling yourself my older sister? What a joke.¡± Qi Qingyao said coolly, ¡°If I¡¯m a fool then you¡¯re insane. Oh, how it pains me to have a madman as my younger brother! Our parents¡¯ genes must be terrible. That¡¯s why their children are madmen and fools!¡± Qi Yuanye did not quite understand what she was saying, but he could tell that he was being repeatedly insulted and it was making his head hurt. He barked at her, ¡°Qi Qingyao, what nonsense are you spouting now?¡± ¡°I¡¯m a fool, aren¡¯t I? And you¡¯re a madman, so take your insanity elsewhere.¡± Qi Qingyao¡¯s every word easily incensed Qi Yuanye¡¯s temper. Furious, he roared at her, ¡°You¡¯re really driving me insane!¡± Chapter 22

Chapter 22: Collecting The Full Set Of Five 4

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Xiaobao waddled out of the hut and leaned against the door, his head tilted as he looked at the man running away into the distance, confused. ¡°Mommy, who was that just now?¡± ¡°No one,¡± Qi Qingyao said with a smile as she continued to boil the water. After Qi Yuanye left the hut, he ran straight to his oldest brother¡¯s house. He told his oldest brother and sister-inw everything that had happened, while Qi Yuancheng and Madam Guo were stunned to hear his story. Qi Yuancheng did not expect that fool to have such a way with words now. His wild and cocky Fifth Brother could not get a word in edgewise. Madam Guo was feeling a little scared in retrospect. That fool really was not dead! Thank goodness she had not gone there today, or she would be on the receiving end of that tongueshing instead. Qi Yuanye ranted and spilled all his dissatisfaction before he gave it a bit more thought. Addressing Qi Yuancheng, he said, ¡°Big Brother, I think that fool isn¡¯t so foolish anymore.¡± ¡°No way! She insulted you like that! Of course she¡¯s still an idiot.¡± Qi Yuancheng was angry on his fifth brother¡¯s behalf. Qi Yuanye mumbled, ¡°What she said was terrible, and I didn¡¯t understand all of it either, but she seemed really sharp. She doesn¡¯t look as half-witted as she used to look.¡± Qi Yuancheng said angrily, ¡°How is she not mad, then? She¡¯s barely even understandable! Of course she¡¯s insane.¡± Qi Yuanye did not say anything. When Qi Qingyao had butted heads with him just now, he remembered how she leaned against the door and spoke with an air of ease¡­ She was not quite the same half-wit he remembered from before. Qi Yuancheng said, ¡°In any case, we have to tell Dad that the fool and her burdens aren¡¯t dead yet. He¡¯ll decide what to do.¡± Qi Yuanye nodded. When Qi Yuancheng and Qi Yuanye both told Old Man Qi what happened, their father was still in disbelief. Nevertheless, both of his sons had confirmed it, and they could not both be lying. He soon epted the truth, after which he asked his oldest son to call his fourth and fifth sons over. It was time for a small family meeting. Qi Yuancheng was the most unhappy of them all. He was the oldest, and their parents stayed with him, so he was the first to lodge hisint and broach the subject. ¡°Dad, if that idiot isn¡¯t dead yet, we¡¯ll have to help raise her and her three burdens again!¡± ¡°The three b*stards are three years old now. If they don¡¯t die soon, they¡¯ll grow older and bigger. When they get to seven or eight, they¡¯ll have a growth spurt and eat us out of house and home.¡± Madam Liang was the fourth son Yuanxiu¡¯s wife. She had never liked her second sister-inw, who was both stupid and insane! That halfwit was a burden to the entire Qi family! After she spoke, though, she instinctively nced at her husband, Yuanxiu, worried that he would scold her for butting in. Since he did not say anything, she felt slightly relieved. Immediately after that, Madam Guo gave everyone an exaggerated recount of her encounter with Qi Qingyao too. Qi Yuanye hastened Old Man Qi. ¡°Dad, hurry up and decide.¡± ¡°Decide what? She didn¡¯t die even after we threw her away. What are the odds?¡± Old Man Qi frowned and said impatiently, ¡°We can¡¯t exactly try to suffocate her in secret!¡± Madam Wu was Old Man Qi¡¯s wife and Qi Qingyao¡¯s birth mother. Whenever she remembered how the entire Qi family could not show their faces anywhere around Baishui Town because of Qi Qingyao¡¯s existence, and how her mother-inw had scolded her several times because of Qi Qingyao, Madam Wu could not help but feel upset and frustrated. Last time, she had been the one who suggested that the men of the family throw Qi Qingyao and her three b*stards far away. In the end, the half-wit survived even that. Madam Wu stewed in her anger for a while before she told Qi Yuancheng, ¡°Why don¡¯t you and your brother sneak over to her ce in the middle of the night and smother her to death? It¡¯s extremely cold out these days anyway, so we can tell everyone that she froze to death.¡± Her sons and daughters-inw all froze for a second when they heard her suggestion. Only Yuanxiu openly supported his mother, saying, ¡°That¡¯s a good idea.¡± Chapter 23

Chapter 23: Collecting The Full Set Of Five 5

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion ¡°So you like the idea, huh?¡± Old Man Qi patted Qi Yuanxiu¡¯s shoulder, all smiles. ¡°In that case, we¡¯ll leave this honorable yet challenging mission to you!¡± ¡°Dad, I¡­¡± Qi Yuanxiu almost choked on his saliva. Before he could finish that sentence, Old Man Qi interrupted him. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m sure you can do it.¡± Qi Yuanxiu said, ¡°...¡± He was just trying to be supportive. He never said he wanted to volunteer for the honorable yet challenging mission! Qi Yuancheng could not hold back hisughter when he saw that Qi Yuanxiu had taken the difficult task, his shoulders shaking as he giggled. Madam Wu was worried that Qi Yuanxiu would fail, so she went ahead and said, ¡°Aren¡¯t you happy, Yuancheng? I¡¯m sure you want to go with your Fourth Brother, right?¡± Qi Yuancheng¡¯sughter died in his throat. Old Man Qi said, ¡°We¡¯ll leave this to you two, then. Bring us good news tomorrow morning.¡± Qi Yuanye was worried that their father would order him to tag along for the murder too, so he kept his mouth mped shut. After the family meeting¡­ Everyone else left the hall, leaving Qi Yuancheng and Qi Yuanxiu alone. They stared nkly at each other, wondering where they should begin. After a long silence, Qi Yuanxiu said to Qi Yuancheng, ¡°Big Brother, I can¡¯t do it.¡± ¡°Do you think I can?¡± Qi Yuancheng rolled his eyes and sighed heavily. Qi Yuanxiu held his forehead. He could not even begin to describe how he was feeling right now. ¡°She¡¯s our sister from the same father, after all. Yeah, she¡¯s insane and stupid and silly, but to kill her¡­¡± After a pause, he mumbled on the verge of despair, ¡°What if she dies andes to haunt me every night?!¡± Qi Yuancheng said with full confidence, ¡°She isn¡¯t right in the head, so even if she does die, I don¡¯t think she¡¯ll be able to find the way home in order to haunt you.¡± Qi Yuanxiu, ¡°...¡± His oldest brother¡¯s inexplicable confidence only made Qi Yuanxiu even more guilty. He remembered how Qi Yuanye had said something about the fool not being foolish anymore¡­ Could it be true? ... That afternoon, Qi Qingyao looked at her freeloader and solemnly set down the rules with him. Mostly, she just said things like, ¡°Don¡¯t think you can stay in bed just because you have amnesia! ¡°Once you recover, you get your butt out there and chop me some firewood! ¡°Starting today, you¡¯re my servant! You obey my every order, got it? ¡°Work harder if you don¡¯t wanna be sold off. When the timees, you¡¯ll be in charge of chopping wood and boiling water. ¡°Once springtimees, it¡¯ll get rainier. You gotta bring more wood to fix the holes in the roof! ¡°You know, after all that, I¡¯m still worried you¡¯ll ke out on your debt. Let¡¯s sign a contract! Say that ginseng was worth 1,000 taels. You¡¯ll be free once you settle that debt!¡± ¡­ Jiang Yeqian could not help but raise a brow after he was ¡°forced¡± to sign an ¡°IOU¡± with Qi Qingyao. She was the first person to ever suspect him of running out on a debt. Interesting. Whatever, he might as well hide in this small vige for now. That person¡¯s minions probably would never guess that he was here. After sundown, Qi Qingyao added more firewood to the bed-stove and returned to the house. When she saw the man, who was still finding it difficult to move, she pouted for a while. She could not sleep with him as she had before. So Qi Qingyao calmly pointed at the floor. ¡°You. Sleep on the floor.¡± ¡°...¡± Jiang Yeqian nced at the ice-cold floor. When he did not say anything, Qi Qingyao continued, ¡°I¡¯m a woman, and you¡¯re a man. We¡¯re not married either, so I can¡¯t lie in the same bed with you. That¡¯s unbing.¡± ¡°I¡¯m unwell,¡± Jiang Yeqian said. ¡°So you want me to sleep on the floor? Don¡¯t forget, this is my house!¡± Qi Qingyao raged. Jiang Yeqian said confidently, ¡°I owe you money, and I¡¯ll pay you back. I¡¯m not staying here for free.¡± Qi Qingyao said through gritted teeth, ¡°This has nothing to do with that!! You¡¯re still in my house!¡± After a moment¡¯s silence, Jiang Yeqian said, ¡°The bed is big enough for all of us.¡± Qi Qingyao repeated, ¡°I¡¯m a woman, and you¡¯re a¡­¡± Jiang Yeqian was unfazed, though. ¡°I¡¯m not interested in married women, especially women who have already had children!¡± Qi Qingyao nearly cked out from anger when she heard that, but then she curved her lips into a lusty smile. Chuckling utterly shamelessly, she said, ¡°But I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll be interested in you. After all, you¡¯re a sight for sore eyes.¡± Jiang Yeqian, ¡°...¡± Chapter 24

Chapter 24: A Dark and Gusty Night 1

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Qi Qingyao looked at his brow as it twitched slightly, and she knew that she was winning this battle. All she had to do was keep increasing the dosage. ¡°I¡¯m a thirsty young woman whose husband died, you know! To have such a strong young man here~~~ It¡¯s only natural that my mind starts wandering! If you want to retain your purity, you¡¯d better listen to me and sleep. on. the. floor.¡± Jiang Yeqian watched Qi Qingyao quietly for a while as she strutted about triumphantly, but then he paused and looked as pitiful as he could manage, his voice barely a weak whisper as he said, ¡°If I sleep on the floor, my wounds will get worse. If they get worse, I¡¯ll keep freeloading here and living off your food and shelter. It¡¯ll take a lot longer for me to clear my debt then, so long that you might never see the day.¡± ¡°...¡± Qi Qingyao took a sharp intake of breath. Dang it. He did that on purpose. If he did not recover, she would have to keep taking care of him. At the same time, she wanted him to recover soon so she could make him her house servant. After she weighed the pros and cons¡­ Qi Qingyao clenched her teeth and then gritted them. ¡°You, take the innermost corner. Dabao, Erniu, Xiaobao, you three lie in the middle. I¡¯ll take the side!¡± ¡°Alright! ~~~~¡± The children had long since been listening in on their mother¡¯s conversation with that man, but Mommy looked rather upset so they did not dare to interrupt. Now that Qi Qingyao had given the order, Jiang Yeqian nodded without a word and shimmied to the wall, while the three children happily brought their little pillows to the center of the bed. They lined up in the middle, leaving plenty of space at the side. Qi Qingyao washed her feet and jumped into bed! The warm bed-stove wasfortable to lie on. Jiang Yeqian had one nket, the three children shared another, and Qi Qingyao had one for herself. The three children had been sleeping in the center for the past few days, so they had gotten somewhat used to it. However, Jiang Yeqian had been sleeping at the outer edge all this time, and now suddenly he was next to the wall. The children were a little unustomed to that, but then they turned to their right and came to a sudden realization. They thought to themselves, ¡®If we had a Daddy, that¡¯s where he would sleep! ¡®Daddy and Mommy would sleep on either side of us! ¡®Wouldn¡¯t that be nice¡­¡¯ Qi Qingyao had no idea what her children were thinking. She fell asleep in no time at all, and then Erniu wandered away from the children¡¯s covers groggily, squeezing into her nket instead. Qi Qingyao hugged Erniu¡¯s warm body. It was like a nice soft pillow, and she slept even more soundly after that. Dabao and Xiaobao were feeling left out, though. As they slept, they instinctively squirmed toward the wall until they ended up under Jiang Yeqian¡¯s nket. Jiang Yeqian, ¡°...¡± When he opened his eyes, he saw a toddler sleeping on his chest. After a pause, he pulled the kid off and carefully put him back under the nket next to him. The next second, however, another one crawled onto him. Before he could get this one off, the one he had just pried off mbered over him too. One of the toddlers hugged his leg and the othery on his chest, both of them sound asleep. He could smell that faint aroma of milk that naturally came with young children. There was also the smell of medicine emanating from his own body. As a result, Jiang Yeqian could only stare up at the pitch-ck hut, utterly silent. It was a cold winter night with a harsh northern wind blowing outside. Eventually, Jiang Yeqian fell asleep. However, he was not unconscious this time. His innate senses and constant alertness meant that he immediately noticed the people approaching the hut. Three secondster, he heard soft footsteps amidst the northern gale. Jiang Yeqian turned around and murmured to Qi Qingyao, ¡°I think I heard something outside.¡± Chapter 25

Chapter 25: A Dark and Gusty Night 2

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Qi Qingyao had always been a light sleeper, so she woke up immediately. She nced at the man at the window under the faint moonlight and then sat up, listening carefully for two seconds. After that, she jumped off the bed, waking Erniu up in the process. Qi Qingyao said softly, ¡°Don¡¯t make a sound.¡± Erniu, ¡°???¡± Hmm? Qi Qingyao quickly put on her clothes and grabbed an axe from a corner of the house. By then, someone had already sawed through the door handle with a knife. Qi Qingyao stood behind the door carefully without saying a word. Finally, the door was forced open. When the two men in ck rushed into the hut stealthily, Qi Qingyao raised her axe and brought it down above one of their necks. The cold northern gale blew into the house, clearing Qi Qingyao¡¯s mind even further. She said snidely, ¡°Cursed thieves, how dare you sneak into my house in the middle of the night! Are you tired of living?¡± The axe was now right above Qi Yuancheng¡¯s neck, scaring the wits out of him. He instantly screamed, ¡°Gah!!¡± Without a moment¡¯s dy, he told her who he was. ¡°It¡¯s me, it¡¯s me! Your older brother!¡± Qi Qingyao said, ¡°The other guy over there, put your knife down or my axees down!¡± Qi Yuancheng and Qi Yuanxiu exchanged a nce and had no choice but to put down their weapons. After that, they helplessly pulled the ck cloths over their faces down. Qi Qingyao had never thought her host¡¯s blood-rted older brothers would try to kill her in the dead of the night. She used a second to gather her thoughts and then feigned ignorance, asking with a smile, ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you be sleeping at this time of the night? Why are you here in my house instead?¡± Qi Yuancheng realized that the axe was not moving an inch from his neck, and a bead of cold sweat slid down his forehead. With an awkwardugh, he said, ¡°We¡¯re your brothers! Of course we¡¯re here to visit our dear sister!¡± ¡°You came to visit me in the middle of the night, with masks over your faces?¡± Qi Qingyao¡¯s smile did not reach her eyes. ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re not here to kill me and bury my corpse while the sun is out?!¡± ¡°Ah, hahaha! You have such a sense of humor, Big Sis.¡± Qi Yuanxiu¡¯sugh was extremely forced. Qi Yuancheng looked at the axe, the cogs in his brain turning. With a sh of inspiration, he said, ¡°We heard that someone¡¯s out for you and your three kids, so we came to prevent such a tragedy.¡± ¡°Oh, is that so?¡± Qi Qingyao said nonchntly. Qi Yuancheng nodded furiously. ¡°Yeah, of course. But now that we¡¯ve seen you standing here, all safe and sound, we know you must have taken down the bad guys, Lil Sis.¡± Qi Yuanxiu could see that Qi Qingyao was not moving that axe at all, so he pulled Qi Yuancheng two steps back. They finally escaped the threat of the axe, and he told Qi Yuancheng, who was so scared his knees were weak, ¡°Big Brother, Big Sis looks perfectly fine and more than capable of protecting herself. Her life doesn¡¯t seem to be in trouble, either. In that case, let¡¯s just go back for now.¡± Qi Yuancheng wiped the cold sweat from his forehead as Qi Yuanxiu forcefully dragged him away. Qi Qingyao watched the two of them stumble away and then closed the door behind them. When she threw down her axe and returned to the bed, Jiang Yeqian asked, ¡°Aren¡¯t you going after them?¡± ¡°I might not lose if we really fought! But those two are Qi Qingyao¡¯s blood-rted brothers. If I killed them, Old Man Qi will sue me in court, then I¡¯ll be the one in trouble,¡± Qi Qingyao said calmly after shey down. Jiang Yeqian, ¡°??¡± Those two were ¡°Qi Qingyao¡¯s¡± blood-rted brothers? Not ¡°my¡± brothers? For the first time, Jiang Yeqian found himself ever so slightly curious about this woman. Qi Qingyao seemed to be worried he would ask more questions, so she said, ¡°Go to sleep.¡± With that, she hugged Erniu and promptly went back to sleep. Chapter 26

Chapter 26: A Dark and Gusty Night 3

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Old Man Qi, feeling confident his sons could carry everything out smoothly, went to bed early. Madam Wu, on the other hand, could not fall asleep no matter how hard she tried. She anxiously paced around her home, afraid that Qi Yuancheng and Qi Yuanxiu would do something wrong. It was understandable. The old man and their eldest son mucked everything up thest time she asked them to do something ¡ª the fool had managed to bring her children home even under such difficult conditions! What if an ident happened this time around as they attempted to suffocate her to death? Madam Wu was kept awake by her anxiety. However, they did have two men on their side. Killing a woman with something wrong in the head and then finishing up with the three little children was surely not a high order... Madam Wu finally heard the sounds of disheveled footsteps outside. ted, she pulled her cotton robe tighter around herself and opened the door. Seeing her two sons, she asked happily, ¡°Have you finished what I asked you to do?¡± ¡°Far from it! Mother, you won¡¯t believe it! Both of us fell into the fool¡¯s trap instead!¡± Qi Yuancheng rubbed his face, ice-cold to the touch. He looked displeased; whether it was because of the cold or his fury, one did not know. ¡°What do you mean, ¡®fell into the fool¡¯s trap¡¯?¡± Madam Wu was puzzled. ¡°Yuanxiu, tell me!¡± ¡°This happened.¡± Qi Yuanxiu licked his lips before starting on a long-winded exnation of everything that had just happened, scratching the back of his head all the while. Madam Wu looked calm at first, but her expression morphed into astonishment when the story ended. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Mother, everything I said was true,¡± Qi Yuanxiu said. Madam Wu was now thoroughly confused. ¡°The two of you entered her room in the middle of the night, and quietly at that. And you tell me the fool was waiting for you behind the door, brandishing an ax? That¡¯s impossible.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I thought too, but the reality is really that bizarre.¡± Qi Yuancheng pursed his lips. He thought about it again. He had been at the scene himself and still found everything extremely strange. Madam Wu¡¯s face was somber. She sat still,pletely silent. Qi Yuanxiu said after brief consideration, ¡°Mother, maybe what my fifth brother said was actually true.¡± ¡°What did he say?¡± Madam Wu asked. ¡°Didn¡¯t he mutter something like ¡®Qi Qingyao¡¯s not stupid anymore¡¯?¡± Qi Yuanxiu¡¯s voice gradually lowered to a whisper as he spoke. Before he could finish, Madam Wu¡¯s cut him off, her voice rising an octave higher than usual. ¡°That¡¯s impossible¡­¡± Qi Yuanxiu could only offer silence in return. That was the truth! Why did his mother refuse to believe it? Qi Yuancheng thought about his brother¡¯s words. After a long time, he asked, ¡°If¡­ Mother, I¡¯m just saying, if¡­ if she¡¯s really not a fool anymore, what should we do?¡± ¡°If she¡¯s really no longer a fool¡­¡± Madam Wu had not considered this possibility at all, so when Qi Yuancheng brought it up, shepletely froze. She sat there, silent for a long time before speaking reluctantly, ¡°That¡¯s impossible!¡± Qi Yuanxiu shrugged, defeated. ¡°I know that¡¯s impossible too, but there¡¯s the slightest possibility that it¡¯s true. What if it is? What if she¡¯s no longer a fool anymore? What are we gonna do then?¡± Once again, Madam Wu fell quiet. This time her silence persisted for much longer, and she paced around the room as she had before her sons¡¯ return. After a while, her eyes glinted deviously. ¡°We do nothing!¡± ¡°What does that mean, Mother?¡± Qi Yuanxiu questioned. Madam Wu regained her calmness. She sat with her hands concealed under her sleeves. The candlelight flickered before her, alternating between fading over and spotlighting her face. Her smile was one full of cunning and evil. ¡°If she¡¯s not stupid anymore, the Qi family will no longer need to take care of her.¡± Qi Yuancheng and Qi Yuanxiu froze. Madam Wu said with conviction, ¡°Think! Even though the girl hasn¡¯t gotten married yet, she¡¯s already neen! Most other girls are married with kids at this age!¡± Chapter 27

Chapter 27: A Dark and Gusty Night 4

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion ¡°She should live by herself now. We won¡¯t need to mind her. We can all live our own lives separately. If she¡¯s sopetent now, she should bring up her three bastard children by herself!¡± Qi Yuancheng stroked his 5 o¡¯clock shadow. ¡°Mother¡¯s quite right.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll go to the east side of the vige together tomorrow morning to take a look.¡± Qi Yuanxiu felt at ease all of a sudden as he spoke. ¡°We won¡¯t need to kill the idiot if she¡¯s no longer an idiot, Mother already said that! Now we just have to see how she¡¯s supposed to bring up her three bastard children by herself! I¡¯ll just wait and watch her humiliate herself!¡± ... It was morning. The sun rose from the east, driving away the fog. The weather was great. After Qi Qingyao woke up, she did a quick cleanup around the house. She eyed the koi fish she had left in a bucket. ¡®I can¡¯t just put it there, what if it dies?¡¯ she sighed. She turned to her three children, ¡°We¡¯ve eaten up all the fish at home! I have to go fishing or maybe hunting too. If not, we¡¯ll go hungry this afternoon.¡± Hearing her, the children immediately sat up on the bed-stove and stared at their mother with big eyes. Qi Qingyao continued, smiling, ¡°You three will stay at home with this uncle, how does that sound?¡± Xiaobao pouted. He stared at her with his pleading, watery eyes. ¡°Mother, we wanna go hunting too.¡± Qi Qingyao eyed the ground outside and sighed. ¡°Snow¡¯s been melting for the past few days, the ground is muddy and wet. If you three mess about and dirty your shoes and pants, I have to wash them. It¡¯s too much of a hassle, so you all be good and stay at home with uncle, okay? You only have to wait till I get home!¡± The man, who had been lying helplessly on the bed-stove the past few days, sat up all of a sudden. ¡°I can move now.¡± If he remained immobile, he would have to continue eating fish and drinking medicine every day. He would not have any chance to eat a good meal! ¡°Huh?¡± Qi Qingyao was so shocked, she could barely react. ¡°I can move now,¡± Jiang Yeqian repeated, pulling the nkets aside and hopping down from the bed-stove. ¡°Damn it, why didn¡¯t you tell me earlier?¡± Qi Qingyao was so furious, she did not even realize she should ask him how he was stillpletely immobile the day before. She tossed a bucket, a fishing rod, and an ax hurriedly at him. ¡°Out, out, out! If you can move now, you¡¯d bettere fish and hunt with me! As a man, you should also carry some firewood and help me with the bucket when we return!¡± Jiang Yeqian stood in silence in the face of it all. This woman had not even bothered to feign courtesy. Neither did she bother to ask him if he had enough strength to go. Jiang Yeqian quickly cleaned himself up and took a deep breath. Evaluating the situation he had just gotten himself into, he followed behind Qi Qingyao, hauling the ax and the fishing rod over his shoulders and carrying two buckets. He suddenly realized that there was a koi fish in one of the buckets. Jiang Yeqian paused. ¡°Uh¡­¡± ¡°We¡¯re releasing it into the wild!¡± Qi Qingyao exined. ¡°It¡¯s a rare fish. It¡¯d be better if we eat it instead.¡± Qi Qingyao rolled her eyes in response and headed out. She was already outside the gates. She turned back to look at her three kids, who were peering out of the doors. She reminded them earnestly, ¡°Wait at home obediently, okay?¡± ¡°Okay, we¡¯ll wait for you toe back!¡± They grinned cutely and waved their pudgy hands at her. Qi Qingyao headed to the Jiuli River with Jiang Yeqian in tow. As they walked, she reprimanded, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me earlier that you could walk?¡± Jiang Yeqian said, ¡°It just got better recently.¡± Qi Qingyao curled her lip. She nced at the man beside her out of the corner of her eye. He was decent-looking enough, but he had somehow offended a group of assassins. He must have failed to pay back his debts to them! It was nice, though, having someone to do odd jobs for her. Chapter 28

Chapter 28: A Dark and Gusty Night 5

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Qi Qingyao and Jiang Yeqian were en route to the Jiuli River together. Jiang Yeqian eyed the woman next to him, trying to act casual about it. The house was too dark before, and so everything was shadowy and hard to see. Now, under the morning sunlight, he could see her much clearer. She appeared to be around the age of eighteen, with pale skin as delicate as porcin. Her eyshes were like little fans, and her eyes, half-closed, were fogged with a touch of careless indifference. Under the thin fog, she seemed to light up. The sun shone on her face, entuating her seductive beauty. Though beautiful, she was also sharp in a way that could not be concealed, a hint of jade-like coldness. Jiang Yeqian did not understand. From what he had seen of the past few days, Qi Qingyao was an extremely intelligent woman. How did she end up living in a straw hut? She was someone who could dig up ginseng roots easily without even trying. Was her luck so bad that she had identallynded herself into such a pitiful life? Was she unable to purchase even the smallest portion of food for herself and her children? All these questions flooded his mind. She was thinking. He was looking at her. The vigers watched them from afar. Several women had been straightening their fences outside their homes early in the morning, gossiping as they worked. Suddenly, they caught sight of a man and a woman together on the road. They were both extremely good-looking, as if sculpted by the gods themselves. They were certainly not difficult to admire as a couple. However, as they came nearer, they suddenly realized the woman¡¯s face was familiar. ¡°Oh my god, what did I just see?¡± ¡°What are you so surprised by?¡± A woman beside her asked. ¡°Just now, I¡­ I¡­¡± ¡°Quit stammering, just tell us.¡± ¡°They¡¯re right there. Take a look for yourself!¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t she the lunatic from the Qi family?¡± ¡°It¡¯s her! Why¡¯s she going to the Jiuli River with a man?¡± ¡°Maybe it isn¡¯t her? Perhaps we¡¯ve mistaken her as the lunatic?¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t mistake the lunatic for anyone else, even if she turned into ash. It¡¯s definitely her!¡± ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± ¡°Maybe she¡¯s married and we didn¡¯t know?¡± ¡°The Qi daughter is a lunatic. That¡¯s something everyone knows! Who would marry a foolish woman with three kids?¡± ¡°This won¡¯t do. Let¡¯s go. We should go to the Qi house and ask Madam Wu what¡¯s up. She¡¯ll know, since it¡¯s about her daughter.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± The women had no time for their fences now. They nned to head straight to the Qi house together to get some answers. Did the Qi lunatic really get married? Qi Qingyao, along with Jiang Yeqian, were near the Jiuli River when she inhaled a lungful of cold air and sneezed. She rubbed her nose and gestured for Jiang Yeqian to set their buckets down on the shore. Qi Qingyaoy down on her stomach beside the buckets. She looked at the koi fish she had fed for the past few days and sighed. She reached into the bucket and caressed it, murmuring, ¡°Fishie! Although you¡¯re a koi fish that brings luck, I have no fish tank or pond with flowing water for you! I¡¯ve had to put you in a bucket of still water, and I can¡¯t bear to do it to you any longer! I¡¯m afraid you¡¯re going to die! So today I came here to set you free!¡± Jiang Yeqian stood at her side. He asked with a serious tone, ¡°Are you really not gonna eat it?¡± ¡°Food, food, food! That¡¯s all you know! This is a koi fish!¡± Qi Qingyao could not help teasing him. After berating him, she looked back to the fish. Ignoring the cold, she kept running her hand over it, sighing, ¡°I can¡¯t bear eating you, and I can¡¯t raise you either. I can¡¯t bear letting you go like this even more, but I have no other way! Please understand...¡± Chapter 29

Chapter 29: A Dark and Gusty Night 6

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Qi Qingyao felt she may not have beening off sincere enough, so she continued, ¡°I¡¯m not living in good conditions now. I swear, when everything gets better and I can move to a nice big house with a pond, I¡¯lle here and take you home with me. If you like me, let me fish you again then! I¡¯ll rear you in a big pond and feed you delicious food every day! Does that sound good?¡± The fish did not reply. ¡°I¡¯ll assume you agree with me if you don¡¯t speak!¡± This was Jiang Yeqian¡¯s first time seeing a woman who talked to fishes. Hemented, ¡°Fish don¡¯t speak.¡± ¡®And it can¡¯t understand you too, woman!¡¯ he thought quietly. Qi Qingyao looked serious when she replied. ¡°It¡¯s a koi fish! Nearby here there¡¯s a temple of the Koi Fish Deity, it¡¯s very effective. You were saved because of the deity¡¯s protection. If I hadn¡¯t fished this little fish up that day, I would¡¯ve left you here to rot. You should thank it too, understand?¡± Was that so? Jiang Yeqian raised a brow. His gaze swept over the koi fish inside the bucket. ¡°It must understand me,¡± Qi Qingyao said with conviction. Then she went on, talking to the koi fish, ¡°Yeah? You understand me, right? I feel like you definitely do!¡± The koi fish shook its tail. Qi Qingyao thought she might have just hallucinated that. She rubbed her eyes with her left knuckle. Did she see just see that correctly? ¡°I¡¯ll set you free now, little treasure¡­ you have toe to me next time I look for you!¡± As she spoke, she tilted the bucket a little and upended its contents into the river. The golden koi fish spilled into the river along with the rest of the water inside the bucket. Qi Qingyao looked at the koi fish swimming in front of her and waved. ¡°Goodbyeeee...¡± She extended thest syble, making it sound as sticky as sugar. The koi fish swam around in the area in front of her, making several loops back and forth. It looked at peace, as if it had never left this river at all in the first ce. This scene surprised Qi Qingyao. She asked Jiang Yeqian, ¡°Say, it misses me, doesn¡¯t it?¡± ¡®Is this koi fish really intelligent?¡¯ he pondered. This was his first time seeing a fish that did not swim away the moment it was set free. It was really as if it did miss this woman¡­ Strange! The koi fish finally swam away after circling the area a few more times. After she finished grieving her loss, Qi Qingyao sat on a boulder by the shore and started fishing. Jiang Yeqian was curious, just how many fish would this woman catch after letting the koi fish go? Something miraculous happened next. Less than ten seconds after Qi Qingyao attached some bait to the fish hook and tossed it into the river, a fish bit on it. Jiang Yeqian could not help frowning. He wrinkled his brow. Qi Qingyao seemed to not realize how shocking her actions were. She pulled her fishing rod up calmly, tossed the fish into her bucket, and continued fishing. She went on. About fifteen minutester, she had dozens of fishes in her bucket. Jiang Yeqian wentpletely still. He could not say a word. Songhe Inn, the most popr inn in the capital, has hired fishermen to fish at the Qinglong River. Despite being professionals, the fishermen were not even up to par with her astounding skills. Jiang Yeqian stepped forward. ¡°How did you do that?¡± ¡°Do what?¡± Qi Qingyao tossed a fish onto the ground. ¡°Fish like that¡­ quick, urate, and brutal!¡± Jiang Yeqian did not know how to describe the mix of emotions he was experiencing right now. ¡°The fish are willing to be fished, so they are fished,¡± Qi Qingyao said calmly. ¡°Do you include the koi fish in that as well?¡± Jiang Yeqian asked. Qi Qingyao said, calm andposed, ¡°Yeah. That day I saved you, it was the first fish I caught.¡± Jiang Yeqian was stunned into silence. She was not lucky because she had caught the koi fish ¡ª she had caught the koi fish because she was lucky! This woman... what was up with her? Chapter 30

Chapter 30: Break Off All Rtions 1

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Noticing she now had enough fish to eat, Qi Qingyao stopped fishing. She had to set herself a slower pace. What if she caught all the fish in the river? While Qi Qingyao sorted through all the fish on the ground, she turned to speak to Jiang Yeqian. ¡°That should be enough for a few days. Let¡¯s go. We can go home now!¡± Jiang Yeqian stared at the fishes. After a moment¡¯s silence, he asked, ¡°Are we not going to hunt?¡± ¡°The fish should be enough for us to eat,¡± Qi Qingyao said. ¡°Aren¡¯t you bored after eating fish for so many days?¡± Jiang Yeqian said with a calm tone, trying to pretend as if he did not care about what he ate either. Qi Qingyao shrugged. She said casually, ¡°I¡¯m sick of it too, but I have no other choice. What if there¡¯s wild boar on the mountains? I wouldn¡¯t be able to defeat them. Only fish¡­ it is much easier to catch.¡± Jiang Yeqian thought to himself, ¡®So it¡¯s because she can only bully the fishes?¡¯ Attempting to regain her dignity, Qi Qingyao said, ¡°And don¡¯t these animals need to hibernate?¡± She sounded sure of herself. Jiang Yeqian red at her out of the corner of his eye. ¡°Only cold-blooded animals like snakes and frogs need to hibernate. Other animals can move around normally.¡± Qi Qingyao pouted. ¡°I can¡¯t fight them either way!¡± Jiang Yeqian¡¯s pupils turned dark. He replied easily, ¡°Although I¡¯ve lost my memories, my cultivation prowess is still intact. Hunting a few animals is nothing.¡± Hearing him, Qi Qingyao rushed forward excitedly and patted Jiang Yeqian¡¯s shoulder, as if they were best friends. Her grin was transparently an attempt to tter the man. ¡°Brother! It seems like I didn¡¯t save you for nothing after all!¡± She pointed at the pile of fish excitedly. ¡°Let¡¯s go. We¡¯re taking them home first.¡± ¡­ While Qi Qingyao and Jiang Yeqian were on their way home, another group of people arrived at the straw hut before them. The Qis ¡ª Old Man Qi, Qi Boli, Madam Wu, together with their several sons and daughters-inw ¡ª stalked over to the fence ferociously. Qi Yuancheng shouted, ¡°Qi Qingyao,e out here this instant!¡¯ There was no sound from inside the hut, so they waited. Suddenly, the door opened. The three toddlers stood inside the fence, peeked outward pitifully, and then fell to the ground, shocked by the group of people outside. Madam Wu said, annoyed, ¡°These little beasts are indeed still alive.¡± Old Man Qi palmed his forehead. ¡°They really are quite lucky.¡± The entourage walked over slowly to the door. Madam Wu¡¯s gaze swept over the little bastards in front of her and asked coldly, ¡°Where¡¯s your mother?¡± The children did not dare respond. They stepped backward toward the bed-stove and mbered up it, huddling at the corner and not saying a thing. Qi Yuanye tried to put on an air of menace, demanding threateningly, ¡°Speak up, or we¡¯ll kill all of you today!¡± As the eldest brother, Dabao allowed Erniu and Xiaobao to huddle behind him. Although cowering from fear, he said, without any more prompting, ¡°Don¡¯t kill us. Mother will be back soon.¡± ¡°Waaaaaahhh¡­ Mother, help us!¡± Erniu held Dabao and cried to her heart¡¯s content. Xiaobao pursed his lips tightly. Tears fell from his eyes. He dared not speak or cry out loud. Madam Wu said impatiently, ¡°Crying again! All you do is cry! Cry more, and we¡¯ll toss you into the Jiuli River as sacrifices to the River God!¡± The children shut up instantly. Qi Yuancheng sniffed around. He then ran to Old Man Qi. ¡°Dad, it smells like medicinal herbs here.¡± ¡°It seems like the fool was injured recently.¡± Old Man Qi smoothed his goatee. Madam Wu did not care if she was hurt. She only cared about one thing. She went forward to sit on the bed-stove. Realizing that the bed-stove was still warm, she instantly became eight times more alert. She eyed the children disdainfully and asked, ¡°Is your mother no longer stupid?¡± The children looked back at her, not replying. Madam Wu roared, ¡°Answer me!¡± Chapter 31

Chapter 31: Break Off All Rtions 2

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Dabao pouted. ¡°Mother¡¯s not stupid...¡± he said pitifully, tears brimming in his eyes. Madam Guoughed in his face. She looked at her mother-inw andughed uproariously again,?¡°Look at them! They¡¯re iming their mother isn¡¯t stupid! How foolish they are!¡± Madam Wu asked, ¡°What have you eaten for the past three days?¡± Dabao wrinkled his brow. He said very softly, ¡°Mother fished. We ate fish for days.¡± Madam Wu went silent. Madam Guo frowned. ¡°She can fish?¡± Qi Yuancheng said, ¡°She¡¯s really no longer stupid if she can do that...¡± Qi Yuanxiu and Qi Yuanye shared a look. Their wives had no authority to speak in their family, so they merely watched as everything unfolded. Madam Wu hopped down from the bed-stove, looking calm. She sat down at the short table, rapping her knuckles rhythmically against the wood. ¡°We don¡¯t need to be so nervous, we¡¯ll wait here. She¡¯ll surely be back in a while.¡± Old Man Qi and the men sat down as well. The other women dared not sit with their father-inw and their husbands, so they went to stand guard at the doors. Old Man Qi asked Dabao, ¡°What did Qi Qingyao go out for?¡± Dabao muttered, ¡°Mother went out to fish for us.¡± ¡®Is she no longer a fool and now capable of fishing and hunting? That surely must be a lie!¡¯ Old Man Qi shook his head. Qi Yuanxiu¡¯s wife, Madam Liang, and Qi Yuanye¡¯s wife, Madam Tian, gossiped together by the entrance. They exchanged only a few sentences before Madam Tian turned back and called Madam Wu. ¡°Mother, she¡­ she¡¯sing back with a man¡­¡± Had she seen things wrongly? ¡°A man?¡± Madam Wu stood up from her chair abruptly and headed outside. Madam Liang muttered, ¡°It¡¯s really a man!¡± Madam Guo scratched her head. ¡°He¡¯s pretty tall.¡± ¡°And he¡¯s handsome!¡± Madam Tian said softly. Madam Liang red at her as soon as she said that. Madam Tian stuck her tongue out. She thought, ¡®He¡¯s quite good-looking, how can that be?¡¯ He did not look like he was from the vige, but instead, from the city! Qi Qingyao spotted her family from afar. She did not feel too nervous at the sight of them. Arriving at the house, she gestured for Jiang Yeqian to put the buckets down. She put the bamboo basket she was carrying on her back on the ground as well before she drawled casually, ¡°You¡¯re already here so early in the morning!¡± Jiang Yeqian¡¯s gaze swept over the group of people. He made no sound, standing by the corner of a wall instead. The children sobbed with happiness as they heard their mother¡¯s voice. They hugged one another and stealthily wiped away their tears. Qi Yuanye pointed at Qi Qingyao and said to Madam Wu, ¡°Mother, check out her attitude! She was like that during that day as well.¡± Qi Yuancheng took the chance to speak as well. ¡°She threatened us with an ax!¡± Qi Yuanxiu mimed vomiting. ¡°She was like a devil!¡± The menined to Madam Wu one after another, aside from Old Man Qi, who observed his daughter silently. He then eyed the man standing quietly in the corner. The man had a pretty and refined face, like a foggy and rainy spring day in Jiangnan. He was calm and collected, casual and indifferent. He had never encountered a man with such an aura, even in Qingzhou City. Madam Guo was more concerned with the fish in Qi Qingyao¡¯s basket. She asked curiously, ¡°Where did these fishese from?¡± ¡°They said she could fish. Who¡¯d believe that?¡± Madam Liang ridiculed, thinking of what the children had said about Qi Qingyao¡¯s fishing abilities. ¡°She must¡¯ve stolen them from someone else,¡± Madam Tian added. While they gossiped happily, Old Man Qi pointed at the man and asked Qi Qingyao, ¡°Who¡¯s this man? Qi Qingyao, you better exin this.¡± ¡°None of your business!¡± Qi Qingyao¡¯s almond eyes glinted as she replied calmly. Chapter 32

Chapter 32: Break Off All Rtions 3

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Old Man Qi had never before been sniped like that by a ¡®fool¡¯. He was instantly confused. He stared at Qi Qingyao,pletely still. Madam Wu was always a fierce woman. She reacted quickly, fury growing. ¡°Qi Qingyao, what¡¯s with this attitude? Your parents havee here to visit you, and this is how you wee us?¡± ¡°Parents?¡± Qi Qingyao did not care at all. She shrugged with a big grin on her face, brows furrowing. She said casually, ¡°Hehehe, I don¡¯t have any! Who are you? I don¡¯t know you people.¡± Madam Liang was speechless. ¡°Who said she wasn¡¯t stupid anymore? What intelligent person would speak this way?¡± Qi Qingyao¡¯s words werepletely illogical! Madam Tian whispered, ¡°Can a fool fish? Can a foole back with a man? What are you talking about?¡± Old Man Qi kneaded his aching temples. He interjected, trying to put an end to this mess, ¡°Qi Qingyao, what¡¯s up with you? Tell us everything now.¡± Qi Qingyao curled her lips tight. ¡°You all are making so much ruckus here so early in the morning! Are you finished yet?¡± Everyone was speechless. She said that they were making a noise! This fool! Madam Wu took a deep breath. Her gaze was as sharp as a knife when she red at Qi Qingyao, ¡°You fool! If you¡¯re not stupid anymore, let¡¯s have a proper chat. We¡¯ll talk everything out today once and for all.¡± Mirth remained in Qi Qingyao¡¯s eyes as she replied. ¡°Talk everything out? Good. Let¡¯s.¡± Madam Wu stared at the girl¡¯s face intently, as if trying to decipher her emotions. After a while, she asked, ¡°Are you really not stupid anymore?¡± ¡°Anything you say. Thank you for your kind words.¡± Qi Qingyao answered with a serious tone. Madam Wu frowned and said nothing back. Madam Liang muttered, ¡°She¡¯s not stupid anymore? That¡¯s impossible.¡± Everyone else observed her with a weighty gaze. Madam Wu thought about it for a while. ¡°You still have the Qi surname. Let¡¯s discuss everything honestly today and settle this.¡± ¡°Honest? What for? Do I need to give you a report about what I¡¯ve been doing?¡± Qi Qingyao was rxed as she spoke. ¡°A few days ago, Qi Boli and his good sons tossed Qi Qingyao and her three children into a dpidated temple thirty li away from here. Luckily Qi Qingyao was fortunate enough not to die there! I¡¯m so sorry, I must have disappointed all of you by surviving.¡± Madam Wu¡¯s temple throbbed. She did not expect the fool to uncover everything they had nned. Hurriedly, she said before Qi Qingyao could go on, ¡°What are you thering about??You¡¯re my daughter, would I really kill you?¡± Old Man Qi nodded immediately in agreement. Qi Qingyao did not listen to Madam Wu¡¯s attempts to rid herself of any wrongdoing. She continued immediately, ¡°Last night, Qi Yuancheng and Qi Yuanxiu, armed with knives, pried my door open, nning to kill me and my children. Hehe, but I discovered your evil ploy... sorry about that!¡± She exposed everything they had carefully orchestrated, in just a few sentences. Madam Wu almost vomited blood on the spot. Old Man Qi looked displeased. How did this fool know everything? They could not admit that they did anything wrong! Old Man Qi said furiously, ¡°Qi Qingyao, don¡¯t use us of such crimes!¡± Madam Wu said, after regaining her senses, ¡°Yes, you must have proof behind your usations! You can¡¯t just make something up out of thin air! Why would your father harm his own daughter? Your father took you to Bailong Temple to honor the gods. He left you there because he was afraid something might happen to you, but when he finished praying he couldn¡¯t find you. You ran off somewhere yourself, and now you have the gall to me everything on your father? Do you even have a heart?¡± She continued, ¡°As forst night, your brothers heard that thieves snuck into the vige. They were afraid you would get hurt, so they came to take a look. They entered quietly, trying not to alert the thieves. Little did they know you would take their kindness as an act with bad motives! How could they guess you would use them of prying your door open and attempting to kill you! Who was it that put an ax against their own brother¡¯s neck?¡± Chapter 33

Chapter 33: Break Off All Rtions 4

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Madam Wu¡¯s rant continued with more gusto, ¡°And you im you¡¯re not a fool! If you weren¡¯t, would you misunderstand your own parents and brothers?¡± After that, Madam Guo scolded, ¡°You¡¯re blinded by your own stupidity! You cold-hearted bastard!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you feel ashamed, ndering your family like this?¡± Old Man Qi cradled his chest, looking in pain. Qi Qingyao froze. She had not expected them to turn everything around and make it seem like she had been in the wrong the whole time! Even though she had revealed the truth, Madam Wu still retaliated from another angle, twisting her words¡­ She had to put a stop to this now, instead of pointlessly going back and forth with her ¡®parents¡¯ ¡ª this was a waste of her time! Qi Qingyao raised her head. Her gaze was cold and her pupils dark as she stared at Madam Wu and dered, ¡°Qi Boli, Wu Yulian, I want to break off all rtions with you!¡± Madam Wu acted hurt. ¡°You insolent brat! You want to break off all rtions with your father and mother? Your heart must have been eaten by the dogs!¡± Madam Guo, Madam Liang, and Madam Tian looked at Qi Qingyao with identical expressions of disappointment. Qi Qingyao was not annoyed by them. She suddenly grinned cheekily. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to, you¡¯ll be taking care of the three kids. Without them holding me back, I can marry someone else.¡± Madam Wu¡¯s smile slipped off her face. She curled her lips and gave Qi Qingyao a look full of hatred and mockery. She replied, saying, ¡°You want to break off all rtions with us? Now that you¡¯re no longer a fool, let¡¯s do that ¡ª but if anyone asks, don¡¯t tell them that we didn¡¯t raise you as a kid.¡± Seizing his chance before it could slip away, Old Man Qi interjected. ¡°Your mother is right. You¡¯re already neen. If you want to break off all rtions, we¡¯ll fulfill your wish. We¡¯ll live separate lives from now on. As for you, take care of your children well.¡± Qi Qingyao¡¯s eyes glinted with glee as she finally got what she wanted. However, she put on an expression of sadness, of someone that had lost hope and was crying to the gods for help. She cradled her chest and fell to the ground on her knees, muttering, ¡°I was just joking, but my parents truly want to cut off all ties with me. You must be ying a trick on me, right? Will we have to write an agreement now? Don¡¯t write an agreement, please don¡¯t, Daddy and Mummy! Please don¡¯t be so cruel to me! I don¡¯t want to face the brutal truth!¡± Old Man Qi and Madam Wu had not thought about writing an agreement. After Qi Qingyao¡¯s tantrum, they realized it would be best to draw one up, so Qi Qingyao could not go back on her word if she tried to. Madam Wu said decisively, ¡°An agreement? Of course we should write one.¡± Old Man Qi reassured his daughter, putting on a show of gentleness. ¡°You¡¯re an adult. You¡¯re neen, and your children are already three years old. You¡¯ll have to live your own life in the future sooner orter. This is not cruel or brutal.¡± Madam Wu gave her sons a beckoning look. Qi Yuancheng shared a look with his brothers. He said, feeling embarrassed, ¡°Mother, I only know simple words and I don¡¯t know how to write. There¡¯s no one else in the family that knows how¡­ What should we do?¡± Jiang Yeqian, who had been coldly standing by and watching everything unfold, said, ¡°If you want to write an agreement, I can do it.¡± Madam Wu red at Jiang Yeqian. ¡°Who are you to meddle in our family business?¡± Qi Qingyao said calmly, ¡°He¡¯s a schr!¡± Madam Wu jabbed, ¡°He¡¯s merely a poor schr.¡± Qi Yuancheng asked, ¡°Why is there a schr here in your hut?¡± Tears brimmed in Qi Qingyao¡¯s eyes. She looked at Jiang Yeqian pitifully and pleaded dejectedly, ¡°O Schr, please don¡¯t write the agreement! My parents and I merely have some misunderstandings. They¡¯re going to help me take care of my kids!¡± Upon hearing that, Old Man Qi felt his blood pressure skyrocket. Madam Wu rushed Jiang Yeqian anxiously. ¡°Write it! Quick! Poor schr, quickly write the agreement!¡± Chapter 34

Chapter 34: Break Off All Rtions 5

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Heeding her request, Jiang Yeqian asked where the stationery was. Madam Wu scanned Qi Qingyao¡¯s straw hut, finding nothing. She had Qi Yuancheng borrow a set from the vige chief, who got the materials back in fewer than ten minutes. Jiang Yeqian wrote quickly. The agreement was finished within a matter of minutes. As he wrote, Madam Wu chittered beside him, urging him to do a better job. After Jiang Yeqian was finished, Old Man Qi stuck his head in. ¡°Are you done?¡± Jiang Yeqian handed it to Old Man Qi for a look. Old Man Qi did not know many words, so he tossed the sheet of paper to Madam Wu. Madam Wu did not know many words either, so she handed it to Qi Yuancheng. Qi Yuancheng had gone to school for a few days, so he knew a handful of words. He stammered through the agreement for a while. The brothers taught one another how to pronounce some of the more difficult words before they could read out the whole agreement in one go. ¡°From today onward, Qi Boli and Qi Qingyao are formally no longer father and daughter. It is hoped that all grudges are cleared and all hatred is forgotten.¡± Qi Qingyao examined his handwriting. It was neat, but at the same time had a style of his own. It was indeed the handwriting of an educated man. In her perspective, she felt his writing could be exhibited in museums and perhaps even sold for millions. The agreement was done, but that was far from enough to seal the deal. There were no signatures yet. Qi Qingyao could not ask Old Man Qi for his signature if she wanted to keep up her ruse. She reacted quickly, cradling the agreement in her arms and sobbing, ¡°Daddy, no! I¡¯m still your daughter! I will never sign this agreement, never! Please don¡¯t sign it either!¡± She hugged the sheet of paper tightly, as if she did not want anyone to take it from her. Seeing that, Madam Wu seized the agreement from her arms immediately and flung it toward Old Man Qi. ¡°Old man, quickly sign it!¡± Despite being mostly illiterate, Old Man Qi still knew how to write his own name. He wrote it down in crooked handwriting, leaving a thumbprint by it as well. Satisfied, Madam Wu handed the agreement to Qi Qingyao. She pressured Qi Qingyao, worried she would not sign it, ¡°It¡¯s your turn. Draw a cross now.¡± She knew the girl did not know how to write, so she asked her to draw a cross instead of signing her name. Qi Qingyao clutched the sheet of paper tightly and refused to draw anything. ¡°I won¡¯t. I won¡¯t! I was born as a member of the Qi family, and I will die as one too!¡± She appeared to be so faithful and loyal, as if she really wanted to be tied to the Qi family for all her life. Old Man Qi was so furious he roared, ¡°You won¡¯t be my daughter anymore after this! You won¡¯t even have the right to be buried in the family graveyard with the rest of us!¡± Qi Qingyao sat on the ground, looking hurt. She asked, through tears, ¡°Dad¡­ why are you so heartless? I¡¯m your blood daughter! A few days before you went to pray to the gods for me, andst night you sent my brothers to see if I was harmed by those evil thieves. Now, you want to break off all rtions with me? Why is my life so hard? Why!¡± Qi Qingyao had a pretty face, so her crying was a sight that inspired pity in others. For one second, Old Man Qi felt sympathetic. Qi Qingyao observed the hint of sympathy in his eyes, and with that knew that she had overdone it. If that was so, she better deliver the final blow, and make it a fatal one at that. Determined, she mbered forward andtched herself onto Old Man Qi¡¯s leg, sobbing for mercy, ¡°Dad, I¡¯m hugging your leg so you can¡¯t leave! You will be my dad for my entire life! I only want you, Dad! Daaaaaaadddd...¡± Madam Wu was so furious, she urged Qi Yuancheng and Qi Yuanxiu forward. They seized Qi Qingyao¡¯s hand and forced her to draw a cross on the agreement. Madam Wu bellowed without mercy, ¡°As we¡¯ve broken off all rtions, we¡¯ll leave now!¡± Chapter 35

Chapter 35: Break Off All Rtions 6

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion ¡°Go, go, go! Don¡¯t just stand there. I want to throw up just at the sight of her face!¡± Madam Guo spat on the floor. Old Man Qi looked at Qi Qingyao, who was slumped on the ground like soggy mud, and her three little burdens. He quickly followed after Madam Wu. Their sons and daughters-inw followed suit, all leaving the hut. Qi Qingyao got up, the corners of her lips pulled up with amusement. At the same time, she screamed ¡®dejectedly¡¯ outside, ¡°Brothers, don¡¯t go! You all will be my brothers for the rest of my life! I will always love you!¡± Hearing that, the entourage picked up their pace. They were on the verge of breaking out into a run. Once they were far away, Qi Qingyao stopped yelling and begging for them toe back. She brushed the dust off her knees calmly. She had nned to take a rest before heading out to hunt, but when she tried to move she discovered that her leg was trapped. She looked down. It was her three children clinging on. Dabao pouted sadly like he was about to break out into tears. ¡°Mother, you said just now that you don¡¯t want us and you want to marry. Is that true¡­?¡± Erniu and Xiaobao were already crying. Qi Qingyao paused for a moment after she heard what he had to say, but soon broke out into peals ofughter. ¡°Hahahahahaha! You¡¯re so cute!¡± This confused the children. Qi Qingyao sat down serenely and poured some water into a cup. She drank a mouthful, shocked by the coldness. Qi Qingyao drank another mouthful despite the chill of the water. After that, she muttered, ¡°All the uninvited guests have left. I¡¯m so happy.¡± Dabao pinched the hem of Qi Qingyao¡¯s dress with his meaty little fingers and asked softly, ¡°Mother, were you just acting in front of Grandpa, Grandma, and our uncles?¡± ¡°If not, then what?¡± Qi Qingyao eyed her three children. ¡°They came here to give me trouble, and I took the chance to get an agreement from them so that we never have to speak again. From now on, I¡¯m not rted to the Qi family anymore. When I get rich, they¡¯ll have nothing! They are no longer your Grandpa, Grandma, and uncles too, so don¡¯t go around calling them that!¡± ¡°But Mother, when something happens to us, they¡­¡± Wouldn¡¯t help us. Erniu was not brave enough to speak thest three words out loud, but she did not call them her family, either. ¡°Rx, nothing will happen to us!¡± Qi Qingyao mussed Erniu¡¯s hair tofort her. She then stood up and patted Jiang Yeqian¡¯s shoulder. ¡°This man here owes us a thousand tael. He¡¯ll surely pay us back once he recovers his memories.¡± Jiang Yeqian, who had been silent till then, had only one thing on his mind. ¡°They said that you used to be a fool...¡± Qi Qingyao said with a grin, ¡°That was before. Now I¡¯m not. I¡¯m clever and intelligent! How can youpare me to a fool?¡± She raised her brow, her gaze alight with vivacity. He observed Qi Qingyao intently, saying nothing. Was that so? Qi Qingyao said to her children, ¡°We brought the fish back home first. Stay here, okay? Mother¡¯s going for a hunt! We¡¯ll bring a wild boar back home with uster. Maybe we¡¯ll get to eat braised pork for dinner tonight!¡± ¡°Mother¡¯s amazing!¡± Xiaobao stopped crying and broke out into a smile. He was so excited he could not stop pping his hands. After Qi Qingyao sorted the fish, she grabbed an ax. She also managed to find a cleaver in a dusty corner. She and Jiang Yeqian left, heading into the mountains. ¡­ The Qi family was already far away from the hut when Qi Yuanye suddenly pped his thigh, saying, ¡°We left so hurriedly! Didn¡¯t she just bring dozens of fish back?¡± Chapter 36

Chapter 36: Big Money-making ns 1

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Qi Yuanxiu said, ¡°But we already broke off all ties.¡± ¡°Even if the father and daughter severed the rtionship, she has to contribute something. Besides, it¡¯s just about a dozen fish. Can she and those brats finish everything?¡± Qi Yuanye could not stop thinking about it. He really wanted to eat fish. It had been half a year since he ate any. The family members had tried fishing and could spend all day at it, but no one caught anything! When Qi Yuancheng thought of fish, he also craved it, and said, ¡°Yes, let¡¯s go back and get some fish!¡± Madam Wu looked at her useless sons. ¡°You want fish? Are you sure? If you turn back and she tears up the severance papers, hugs your thighs, and asks you to feed her again, what are you going to do?¡± The three sons were speechless. The eldest daughter-inw, Madam Guo,forted her man. ¡°Mom is right. Just in case, let¡¯s not go back. And stop thinking about the fish.¡± ¡°Maybe the fish belongs to that poor schr. They might not be hers!¡± The fourth daughter-inw, Madam Liang, also hurriedly added. The fifth daughter-inw, Madam Tian, said, ¡°Yes, that fool must have signed the indenture with the poor schr! So, the poor schr got a dozen fish to feed the three little brats!¡± Madam Wu nodded as she listened. Qi Yuancheng and the rest had no choice but to give up. At the thought that he was not able to eat fish, Qi Yuanye grumbled indignantly, ¡°Without the Qi family to protect her, she¡¯ll drown in the vigers¡¯ spittle in a few days. I want to see how she can survive.¡± Madam Wu said cheerfully, ¡°A woman with three young kids. If she can survive until the New Year, I will take my hats off to her!¡± Madam Guo and the othersughed. It would be great if the little fool of the Qi family died. * After Qi Qingyao got the severance papers from the Qi family, she was in a wonderful mood. She even felt as if she was walking on cloud nine. Walking behind her, Jiang Yeqian silently nced at the delighted Qi Qingyao and swallowed all his doubts. After entering the mountain, Qi Qingyao acted as if she was taking a leisurely stroll. She must be mentally prepared in advance. ¡°I won¡¯t be sad if I can¡¯t hunt anythingter, because we already have some fish to eat. Wait for tomorrow morning. If the weather is good, we can go to the market fair at Koi Temple.¡± ¡°The market fair?¡± Jiang Yeqian was momentarily stunned. Qi Qingyao thought that he was just curious about the market fair, so she exined. ¡°I haven¡¯t been there either. I heard from Madam Wu before that the market fair is held on every first and fifteenth of the month. The vigers from several viges near Baishui Town will go to the fair and bring out their goods to exchange. If we bring our fish there, we can definitely sell it.¡± There must be a lot of people at the market fair. At that time, if he met an assassin there, things would be troublesome. Jing Yeqian fell into deep contemtive silence. Seeing that he did not say anything, Qi Qingyao nudged his arm with her elbow and said, ¡°Say something.¡± Jiang Yeqian said, ¡°What do you want me to say?¡± Qi Qingyao almost got angry and rolled her eyes. ¡°What a nerd.¡± Jiang Yeqian coughed and changed the subject. ¡°If you just sell fish, you may not be able to sell it for much.¡± Qi Qingyao immediately said with a dark face, ¡°But you ate the ginseng!¡± After a pause, Qi Qingyao said viciously, ¡°If you¡¯re good enough, you¡¯ll hunt me a wild boarter! When we get home, we¡¯ll kill the pig and take the pork and fish with us tomorrow to sell at the temple fair. This should get us some money.¡± Jiang Yeqian was speechless. Chapter 37

Chapter 37: Big Money-making n 2

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion The temple fair, huh? For the time being, his meridians had not fully recovered, and neither was his cultivation level. If he ran into an expert at the temple fair, things would be troublesome. Most importantly, would the other party take the opportunity to kill her? When Qi Qingyao thought of making money at the market fair tomorrow, she was full of passion, running around in the mountains looking for prey. As a result, she wasted one hour scurrying around. ¡°Not even a chicken feather, let alone a pig.¡± She sighed dejectedly. Jiang Yeqian was shocked by how shameless this woman was. Was it the same for all the women living in the mountain wilderness? ¡°Do you think it¡¯s because I threw that koi away before? That¡¯s why I can¡¯t even find a pig now.¡± Qi Qingyao turned around andined. ¡°Maybe.¡± Jiang Yeqian did not want to sound too certain. Qi Qingyao felt gloomy. She sat on a tree stump, looked at the towering woods, and sighed. ¡°If I knew this would happen, I¡¯d have listened to you and eaten the koi. Eating it is like eating good luck into your stomach. Then, my luck can definitely get better.¡± Jiang Yeqian was speechless. ¡°s, I¡¯m just too kind.¡± Qi Qingyao shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m reallypassionate, the Bodhisattva who descended on earth!¡± Jiang Yeqian could not help himself. ¡°What a boast.¡± Qi Qingyao turned around instantly. ¡°What did you say?¡± Jiang Yeqian blinked. ¡°I said you look like a rose.¡± Qi Qingyao raised her eyebrows. ¡°This Qi Qingyao is originally as pretty as a rose, just too stupid and too silly back then, looking like a crazy woman. Just look at me now. When the mind is in the right ce, it¡¯s natural to look more energetic and more beautiful. Isn¡¯t it normal to look like a rose?¡± Jiang Yeqian asked, ¡°May I ask you a question?¡± ¡°Go ahead.¡± Qi Qingyao was in a good mood after being praised. Jiang Yeqian said, ¡°You mentioned ¡®this Qi Qingyao¡¯ and ¡®look at you now¡¯. These two phrases sound like you and Qi Qingyao are not the same person.¡± Qi Qingyao¡¯s face paled for a second before she said stiffly, ¡°Did I say that?¡± Jiang Yeqian replied, ¡°Yes.¡± Qi Qingyao blinked and then calmly said, ¡°You can just think that I¡¯m still crazy and said some crazy things.¡± There was a problem. Very problematic! Extremely problematic! Jiang Yeqian knew he could not get any results even if he continued asking, so he decided to stop and find another opportunity next time. Qi Qingyao was afraid that Jiang Yeqian would continue asking questions, so she rushed to find food again, but she dared not go too far away from this man. She knew her ability. She only knew some simple Muay Thai and Taekwondo moves. It was enough to handle some petty thieves, but in front of real experts, those would be useless. The host¡¯s physical fitness was too weak. She could catch a fish with no problem, but against wild boars and cheetahs or even wolves, she could just wait to be eaten! As for this guy next to her, he may look extraordinarily handsome, but he could escape a catastrophe under the pursuit of an assassin, so he must have some tricks up his sleeve. Despite his memory loss, it was not as if he forgot his martial arts skills. His hamstrings and tendons were still intact too! Thus, Qi Qingyao thought that she must not let this useful resource go to waste! Jiang Yeqian allowed the woman in front of him to do as she pleased, jumping up and down like a monkey one minute, climbing up a tree the next, and looking around on top of a hill after that. She was not steadfast at all andpletelycked a young woman¡¯s gentle grace. It was an eye-opening experience for him. He had seen the youngdies in the capital city, every single one gentle and soft-spoken, casually reciting poems and ying music, well-learned in the four arts of guqin, Go, calligraphy, and painting. As for the young marrieddies, he had seen his fair share of them too. All day long, they would either be busy taking care of the children, or busy with embroidery, or at the very least, apanying the younger generation of the noble families. There was no one like this woman. Loud voice, not right in the head, and poor upbringing. As expected of a countrywoman. Huh! Chapter 38

Chapter 38: Big Money-making n 3

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Qi Qingyao had been running all around the area for a while when she finally heard a shrill screaming from the woods, followed by ¡°Ah¡ªhelp me!¡± It was an exceptionally youthful and high voice of a teenager. Qi Qingyao¡¯s ears pricked up like a donkey¡¯s when she heard the sound. She pointed to a certain ce and hurriedly dragged Jiang Yeqian with her as she ran in that direction. ¡°Someone¡¯s calling for help. C¡¯mon, let¡¯s go and check it out.¡± Jiang Yeqian rarely had such close contact with women. After being pulled along by the arm so brusquely, he frowned very unhappily, but since he was pretending to have lost his memories, he could not give her the cold shoulder. He could only follow her as they quickly rushed over. After bypassing a bush, they finally saw a young man in a white shirt, stumbling around in the forest and rushing in her direction. A ck wild boar followed not far behind him. At the sight of the wild boar, Qi Qingyao started to salivate. ¡°Meat, meat, it¡¯s meat.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a human.¡± Jiang Yeqian stared at the young man firmly. Qi Qingyao¡¯s eyes were still fixated on her target. ¡°I¡¯m talking about the ck wild boar following behind him. Do you see it?¡± ¡°I see it,¡± Jiang Yeqian said. Qi Qingyao was still staring at the wild boar as she excitedly said to the young man, ¡°Hey buddy, just hold on. We¡¯lle to your rescue right away.¡± ¡°He doesn¡¯t seem to be a human.¡± Jiang Yeqian¡¯s words seemed to be muffled. He could not sense any human aura from the man that a human should have. Could he be some wild mountain spirit or monster? ¡°You¡¯re still saying it¡¯s a monster?! Don¡¯t tease me.¡± Qi Qingyao patted him on the shoulder. ¡°Hurry up and save him. Even though you¡¯ve lost your memories, I¡¯m pretty sure you¡¯re still better than me.¡± ¡°...¡± This woman was always testing his patience! Who did she take him for, patting him so casually¡­ Why did it feel like she already considered him herrade?! But then again. Jiang Yeqian did think that he did not look too bad. In the Capital City, whenever he made an appearance, practically all the wealthy and well-known women would start screaming, and they would pretend to slip and fall, feign dizziness, or pretend to be thirsty as an excuse to get closer to him. He had seen a lot of those. He also knew the tricks of women. Even though she was a ¡°widow¡±? It did not seem right! However, it was pretty much the same. This woman had three children, but she only looked to be about eighteen or neen years old. Therefore, she should be at an age where she should be looking for a partner, but she was actually quite good, as she did not see him as a man at all. She had no intention to find a husband and settle down whatsoever, and her mind seemed to be filled with nothing but thoughts about earning a fortune... It utterly confused Jiang Yeqian. He could only think to himself, ¡®It¡¯s definitely not because I¡¯m not charming, it¡¯s because this woman is too dumb...¡¯ The young man ran straight toward Qi Qingyao and hid behind her, asking for help in a pitiful manner. Qi Qingyao did not pay any heed to the young man. She just stared at the wild boar rushing toward them and asked Jiang Yeqian to quickly kill it. Jiang Yeqian gave the morous woman a sidelong nce, then calmly swung his ax. The ax spun in his hand twice, then swiftly struck the boar¡¯s neck. Qi Qingyao thought that he was going to fight fiercely, but after the ax swung down, it directly struck the wild boar¡¯s neck. The wild boar¡¯s head fell off, and its whole body instantly fell on its side. The wild boar rolled on the ground until it finally hit a tree. The few sparse leaves still left on the tree fluttered down onto the ground. After all the leaves fell onto the ground... Silence befell the world... Chapter 39

Chapter 39: Big Money-making n 4

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion The seconds ticked away. After about thirty seconds. A cry of exhration sounded in the silent forest. ¡°Holy sh*t! I managed to kill such a fat wild boar! We can eat meat every day from now on, hahahahahahaha!¡± Anyone who heard this madughter would be shocked. Only theughing person herself remained unbothered and rushed over to the half-dead wild boar excitedly. She first examined the wild boar¡¯s condition and determined that it was notpletely dead yet. Then, with the machete in her hand, she hacked the boar¡¯s neck three times without mercy! Only when Qi Qingyao made sure that the wild boar had breathed itsst did she stop. Supporting herself on a tree, she stood up. She then turned to look at Jiang Yeqian. ¡°Jiang Bai, we¡¯ve gotten ourselves a great harvest this time!¡± Only after speaking did Qi Qingyao notice the boy in the white shirt. He was staring at her with a pair of extraordinarily round eyes as if in a curious daze. That was not the main point. Most importantly¡­ Qi Qingyao realized how beautiful the boy was. He was like a clear, flowing mountain stream; at the same time, like a forest fairy shrouded in a cool mist. His aura was as chilling as spring water. Qi Qingyao was stunned for a while. More surprisingly, he looked too¡­ It was a unique kind of graceful and delicate boyish beauty. He looked more like a fish instead of a human¡­ The boy pressed his small, full lips together and stared straight at her with clear eyes. The two of them gawked at each other for a moment. Qi Qingyao could not help stepping forward. ¡°You¡­¡± ¡°Mm.¡± The boy nodded slightly, gazing at her silently with his lips pursed. Qi Qingyao stared at him without blinking. ¡°You¡¯re as beautiful as a male fairy.¡± The boy¡¯s pupils abruptly shrank for a second and turned golden, then instantly returned to normal. There was still a gentle smile on his mouth. Jiang Yeqian, ¡°...¡± What kind of woman wouldpliment others like this? This woman was definitely mad. Qi Qingyao looked at the boy intently. ¡°What did you eat to be this beautiful?¡± Jiang Yeqian¡¯s dark eyes locked on her, and he scolded her in a low voice. ¡°What¡¯re you doing, harassing the poor boy?¡± ¡°I¡¯m just concerned about him because he looks so pitiful. After all, how dreadful it must be to be stuck in the mountains during winter and chased by a wild boar nheless. We should show some concern.¡± Qi Qingyao¡¯s eyes were still fixed on the little beauty in front of her as she spoke. Jiang Yeqian said, ¡°He doesn¡¯t need your concern.¡± ¡°I¡¯m his savior; of course, I should be concerned! If he wants to repay my kindness, I can ept his gratitude ordingly. Maybe he¡¯ll give me a few hundred taels; then I¡¯ll be rich!¡± Qi Qingyao smiled nonchntly. As soon as she uttered these words, the pure, white-shirted boy fell on his knees with a thump, calling out, ¡°My savior!¡± ¡°...¡± Qi Qingyao felt her heart skip a beat from hearing him call her savior so sweetly and wildly. Damn¡­ What a charming fairy! The boy raised his head, his eyes as clear as water. ¡°Thank you for saving my life. I¡¯m willing to repay you with my body!¡± Qi Qingyao¡¯s first reaction was, ¡°So you¡¯re not married.¡± ¡°Mm.¡± The boy nodded. Jiang Yeqian could not help saying, ¡°Although she¡¯s also not married, she already has three children, so don¡¯t even think about repaying her with your body.¡± Chapter 40

Chapter 40: Big Money-making n 5

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Qi Qingyao rolled her eyes at Jiang Yeqian, then turned around and crouched down to the boy¡¯s eye level, asking with a smile, ¡°How old are you, beauty?¡± ¡°Eighteen.¡± The boy¡¯s gaze had a hint of shyness, and he pressed his lips together. ¡°Just in time to get married!¡± Qi Qingyao said while patting the boy on the shoulder with a troubled expression, then continued in a forthright tone, ¡°But I don¡¯t need you to repay me with your body; I¡¯m a decent person. Although I saved you, all you need to do is repay me with some money! A decent person like me will never let you do something like repaying me with your body.¡± The boy said with tears in his eyes, ¡°I¡¯m not talking about that kind of repayment; I¡¯m talking about the other kind.¡± ¡°Which kind?¡± Qi Qingyao was puzzled. Was there any other meaning to repaying with the body? Was she that ignorant? The boy lowered his gaze as his eyes reddened, and he began to speak slowly, ¡°I was a court official¡¯s son, but after my family¡¯s financial situation declined, I was sold to another family to be their servant. I recently escaped, but I somehow got lost in the mountains and chased by a wild boar. Now that you saved me, I¡¯d like to ask you to take me in and let me work in your house. All I need is a bit of food.¡± ¡°...¡± Qi Qingyao¡¯s mind went nk in that instant. Was she lucky? Or was she unlucky? Meeting such a gorgeous boy begging to work for her for just a bit of food was a one-in-a-million chance. It was almost impossible toe across such a low-maintenance ything a second time. The sad thing was¡­ she was too poor. She could not afford to raise so many freeloaders, and besides, there was no more space at home! Qi Qingyao did not know that while she was deep in thought, Jiang Yeqian was staring at her side profile unconsciously and thinking to himself, ¡®Beauty this, beauty that; this woman is at a horny age and goes crazy every time she sees a man! How shameless! Now that one has shown up for free, she¡¯ll definitely ept him unconditionally!¡¯ Qi Qingyao stroked the boy¡¯s face and spoke calmly. ¡°I¡¯m too poor now, and my house has nothing but bare walls. I really can¡¯t keep a pure beauty like you. Now that I¡¯ve saved you, you should go and find another family to take you in!¡± ¡°But¡­¡± The boy seemed to have not expected this answer, and his eyes started anxiously brimming with tears. Qi Qingyao said lightly, ¡°No buts, my child, you¡¯re still too young. Don¡¯t go around telling people that you¡¯ll repay them with your body in the future. You¡¯re so beautiful; it¡¯ll be terrible if you get sold off to a brothel! Some rich people are very fond of toying with male prostitutes. Since you¡¯re still young, if you really want to make money, you can find a job or go to a brokerage house and let the broker rmend some suitable work for you!¡± After she had finished speaking, she turned away calmly and walked toward the wild boar. Jiang Yeqian followed her unhurriedly and whispered to her. ¡°I thought you¡¯d ept his request.¡± ¡°Do I look like a fool?¡± Qi Qingyao rolled her eyes. ¡°You called him a beauty.¡± Qi Qingyao muttered, ¡°I just got lucky recently and met two handsome men. Is it wrong to praise beautiful people?¡± Jiang Yeqian, ¡°...¡± Qi Qingyao shot him a sidelong nce. ¡°Do you think that just because I called him a beauty, I¡¯d take him home graciously and feed him or let him repay me with his body?¡± ¡°... Isn¡¯t that what you wanted?¡± ¡°Hmph! How foolish!¡± Chapter 41

Chapter 41: Finally Got to Eat Pork 1

Qi Qingyao knew what he was thinking with a nce, even if he had not spoken at all. She had been a secret agent working for the police force in her past life, or rather, what we called a spy. In the process of working as a spy more than thirty times, she had mastered many espionage skills, including psychology. Qi Qingyao said, ¡°I don¡¯t know how clever you were before your memories were gone, but now it seems that you must¡¯ve been pretty stupid.¡± Jiang Yeqian took a deep breath. He managed to hold his temper with all his might. He would not argue with this woman. He would expose himself if he did. Qi Qingyao continued, ¡°The clothes he¡¯s wearing are quite high in quality, and his appearance is not one of a servant working in a wealthy family for years. It¡¯s that of a person who has lived a good andfortable life. His skin is delicate, and his eyebrows are as dark as ink. He¡¯s like a noble young man. Although he looks pitiful, I don¡¯t believe every word of his so-called pitiful background at all. He might¡¯ve thought I¡¯m from a wealthy family because of my appearance, and he wanted to work for my family and steal some money. He¡¯s got the wrong idea though. I¡¯m not from a wealthy family, and I can¡¯t take him in.¡± Jiang Yeqian, ¡°¡­¡± She couldn¡¯t take him in! He had only taken note of the aforementioned five words. After Qi Qingyao was finished, she pointed at the wild boar and said to Jiang Yeqian, ¡°Jiang Bai, take this boar with you, and we¡¯ll go home.¡± Jiang Yeqian was silent for a while. He said, ¡°I can¡¯t haul it up with my current stamina.¡± Qi Qingyao remembered that only part of the venom in his body was removed and that he was not fully healthy and with an iplete memory at that. Her face fell. ¡°You can¡¯t do it, and I can¡¯t either. What should we do?¡± ¡°Do you want this wild boar?¡± A crisp voice sounded from behind them. Qi Qingyao and Jiang Yeqian turned back. The boy¡¯s smile was gentle, and the tips of his ears were red. He appeared to be embarrassed. ¡°I look thin, but I¡¯ve worked for several years. I am quite strong. With two lengths of rope and a stick, I can carry the wild boar down the mountain along with this man here.¡± Qi Qingyao was inspired. ¡°This is a great idea. You can carry this boar home for me, as a repayment for saving you earlier.¡± The boy said gently, ¡°Thank you.¡± After that, Jiang Yeqian went to cut a small tree down. He dulled the two tips of the trunk and made it into a stick. Qi Qingyao unraveled the rope around her waist, and along with the boy tied the boar¡¯s legs and head up with the rope. When Jiang Yeqian came over with the stick, they tied the legs and the head on it. Then Jiang Yeqian and the boy walked forward, both of them carrying one end of the stick. Qi Qingyao realized that she did not need to do anything. ¡®This must be the protection of the Koi Fish God¡¯, she thought, while she muttered excitedly, ¡°It¡¯s nice, having two servants with me.¡± Jiang Yeqian pursed his lips. ¡®This woman is really treating both of us as servants!¡¯ There was already him, but she was still thinking about having another servant. She totally forgot how poor she was! ¡­ After lunch, several women visited Qi Yuancheng¡¯s house. They sat on Qi Yuancheng¡¯s warmed bed-stove, chatting with Madam Guo and at the same time weaving the bottoms of pairs of shoes. They masterfully held the bottom stable with a needle, while piercing another needle through the thick bottom and scraping the needle on the top of the shoe. ¡°Madam Guo, your family went to the east side of the vige for a long time just now. What did you do there?¡± ¡°Madam Yang, I shouldn¡¯t keep this a secret. It¡¯s like this¡­¡± Madam Guo and the other daughters-inw had already conspired with their mother-inw Madam Wu. If the women in the vige brought this up, they would spread the news out through them. Everyone knew that those women loved gossiping with their families! Madam Guo took the chance to tell them all about how they ¡°broke off all rtions¡± this morning at the east side of the vige. The woman from the Yang family said, ¡°What? You broke off rtions with the little fool?¡± Chapter 42

Chapter 42: Finally Got to Eat Pork 2

¡°It¡¯s not right, isn¡¯t it?¡± Old Li¡¯s daughter-inw felt like this was not right. ¡°Yes.¡± Old Wang¡¯s daughter-inw nodded. Madam Guoughed. ¡°You didn¡¯t know. The little fool is no longer a fool anymore.¡± ¡°What? What? She¡¯s not a fool anymore? Really?¡± This was big news. The woman from the Li family was so shocked she pricked her finger with the needle. Madam Guo took the chance to tell them more. ¡°Really. I¡¯m not fibbing. Not only that, but she wanted to break off all rtions with her family. She ns to survive by herself and take care of her three children at the same time.¡± The woman from the Yang family was speechless. Madam Guo sighed. ¡°We went over to take her home, but she was screaming and insisting on breaking off rtions with my father-inw! Seeing that she¡¯s no longer a fool, and that she¡¯s insistent, Father and Mother-inw had no choice but to sign the agreement to break off rtions with her.¡± Old Yang¡¯s daughter-inw asked, ¡°Is she really no longer a fool?¡± Madam Guo added fuel to the fire. ¡°Not only that, she was able to catch more than a dozen fishes by herself! She¡¯s like a normal person now.¡± It was actually the schr who caught the fish, but who cares? Madam Guo thought of herself as a very clever person. She attributed everything to Qi Qingyao and made it seem like she was like a normal person. When Qi Qingyao would freeze to death, it would be seen as a usible consequence. The women chatted for more than four hours on Qi Yuancheng¡¯s bed-stove before having to leave. On the way back, they came together and started to gossip about what Madam Guo had said before. ¡°You heard what Old Qi¡¯s daughter-inw said just now.¡± ¡°She¡¯s good at lying. She said that Qi Qingyao¡¯s no longer a fool!¡± ¡°We can¡¯t take what she said seriously. You¡¯d be the fool if you took her words to heart!¡± ¡°Yes, yes. What¡¯s with the Qi family? They tried all sorts of ways to break off all rtions with Qi Qingyao. Now that they¡¯ve finally made an agreement, they told everyone that it was Qi Qingyao who wanted to break off all rtions with them. Look at them lie! They really think of us as fools!¡± ¡°They¡¯ve always wanted to dispose of the fool. Now that they¡¯ve finally found a reason, they tell us that the fool has be intelligent again! This is the funniest joke I¡¯ve heard all year!¡± The women became more excited as they chatted. This was what the women living in a vige were like. They had nothing to do during the winter, so they gossiped about other families,ughed at the funny things they had done. This is what everyone liked to do. The fool from the Qi family had been the butt of their jokes for years. She was often what the vigers talked about after finishing their meals. As they chatted excitedly, Old Yang¡¯s daughter-inw stopped speaking, and Old Wang¡¯s daughter-inw paused as well. Old Li¡¯s daughter-inw was speechless at their antics. She asked the two of them, ¡°Why are you standing here like that¡­¡± Old Li¡¯s daughter-inw¡¯s back was facing the other side, and so Old Yang¡¯s daughter-inw said dazedly, ¡°Look there¡­¡± Old Li¡¯s daughter-inw turned to the other side, baffled. When she saw the entourage of three, she asked, stupefied, ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Old Yang¡¯s daughter-inw scratched the back of her head as she tried hard to describe the scene unfolding in front of them. ¡°Qi Qingyao is leading the way for two men, who are carrying a wild boar on their backs¡­¡± Was this an illusion? ¡°This¡­¡± Old Wang¡¯s daughter-inw did not know what to say. Old Li¡¯s daughter-inw said with difficulty, ¡°Or is what Madam Guo said just now real?¡± Old Yang¡¯s daughter-inw asked, ¡°What did she say?¡± Old Li¡¯s daughter-inw said seriously, ¡°She said that Qi Qingyao¡¯s not a fool anymore! And that she ns to live on her own!¡± Everyone was speechless. Really? As the truth unfolded in front of them, the three of them turned tail and headed to Qi Yuancheng¡¯s home. Seeing them turn back, Madam Guo wanted to ask them what had happened when Old Yang¡¯s daughter-inw said excitedly, ¡°Madam Guo, guess what we saw just now?¡± Chapter 43

Chapter 43: Finally Got to Eat Pork 3

¡°Huh?¡± Madam Guo was confused. ¡°You just broke off rtions with the fool and said that she was nning to live on her own. And then, in the blink of an eye, she has two men with her, and they were carrying a wild boar on their backs. Amazing! We were just saying that she would totally be starving, but now she has pork to eat! This is shocking!¡± Old Yang¡¯s daughter-inw was envious. The other women eximed in envy too. After Madam Guo heard her, she said, ¡°What?¡± and then rose up from the bed-stove, dashing outside. Several people were standing at the side of the road, looking at the east end of the vige. They were discussing how heavy the wild boar was. Madam Guo knew instantly that the women were not joking. The fool had gotten herself a wild boar. A wild boar! After winter fell, only several people who were either skilled at hunting or had rations left got to eat meat. The other people had not even gotten to smell the aroma of meat. Them, for example, had to go hungry sometimes. Meat¡­ What did meat taste like? Everyone had almost forgotten. Madam Guo had no time to head to the east side of the vige to confirm it for herself. She headed immediately to her parents-inw¡¯s home. ¡°Mother? Have you heard what they were saying just now?¡± ¡°What?¡± Madam Wu was making clothes for her grandchildren to wear during the New Year. Madam Guo said quickly, ¡°They said that Qi Qingyao brought two men back home, and most importantly with a wild boar!¡± ¡°A wild boar?¡± Madam Wu looked up instantly. Madam Wu looked at Madam Guo, surprised. The two women¡¯s gazes met for a while. Madam Guo licked her dry lips and nodded heavily. ¡°How is this possible?¡± Madam Wu got up and put her cotton robes on. Madam Guo said, harried, ¡°I thought so too, but Old Yang¡¯s daughter-inw and so many people in the vige saw them! They said that they had really brought a wild boar back!¡± ¡­ Qi Qingyao had the three childrene out to take a look at the wild boar after she and her two ¡°servants¡± returned. The children had never seen a wild boar before. They opened their eyes wide and looked at the ck-skinned animal with astonishment. ¡°Mother, what boar is this?¡± Xiaobao blinked his big eyes with curiosity. Qi Qingyao pointed at the boar they had put down on the ground. ¡°This is a wild boar. It is ck in color and its meat tastes delicious!¡± A wild boar? The children walked circles around the boar curiously. Erniu was more concerned with something else. ¡°Did Mother hunt it?¡± Qi Qingyao wanted to take the credit for herself, but she knew her limits. She also did not want to make herself a superwoman in her children¡¯s eyes. So she patted Jiang Yeqian¡¯s shoulder hard and said, ¡°This is all thanks to our servant!¡± Jiang Yeqian was speechless. If the people at the capital learned that he, the Head Grand Secretariat of the court, had be a servant, they wouldugh their teeth off! After the children finished looking at the boar, they saw a boy beside it. The boy was wearing white clothes. He stood under the roof, silent. His clothes, however, seemed to be scraped to shreds by tree branches, making the slender boy look raggedly. The boy had a delicate and pretty face. His eyes were like twin balls of ck mercury wrapped in twin pools of white mercury, and also like two mysterious obsidian pearls. ¡®This man is so young and pretty!¡¯ This was what the children thought. At this moment, Qi Qingyao ordered Jiang Yeqian around. ¡°You, kill the boar!¡± The corners of Jiang Yeqian¡¯s lips twitched. He forced the words out, ¡°I don¡¯t know how¡­¡± Qi Qingyao red at him. ¡°If you don¡¯t know how, learn.¡± Just as Jiang Yeqian was at a loss regarding how to refuse, someone spoke, ¡°I know how.¡± Qi Qingyao and Jiang Yeqian turned back at the same time, only to see the boy with an innocent smile on his face. He smiled cutely and said, ¡°I¡¯ll kill it.¡± Chapter 44

Chapter 44: Finally Got to Eat Pork 4

Qi Qingyao had no time to think about whether he really knew how to kill a boar. She said immediately, ¡°The reward for saving you is only to the extent that you help me carry back this pig. There is no reward for helping me kill the pig.¡± ¡°You only have to make lunch for me this afternoon.¡± The young man smiled and grinned with a mouthful of small white teeth. Just the afternoon meal in exchange for killing the pig? This was a good deal. Qi Qingyao stretched out her fist, and the teenager froze for a while before bumping fists with her. ¡°I don¡¯t know what to call you yet, this little, little brother,¡± Qi Qingyao said. ¡°My name is¡­¡± Qi Qingyao, ¡°?¡± Jiang Yeqian was also secretly waiting for the teenager to say his name so that he could investigate himter. The teenager was dumbfounded for a moment and ended up saying nothing. His face was red with embarrassment. He scratched his head, embarrassed. ¡°I have no, no name¡­¡± ¡®What do you mean, no name?¡¯ ¡°How about your previous name, that is, the name your parents gave you? How can you say you have no name, little brother? You¡¯re just lying at this point!¡± Qi Qingyao said without mercy. ¡°I¡¯m afraid of being discovered by my enemies if I tell you my name.¡± The young man lowered his head in embarrassment, seemingly not daring to look at Qi Qingyao, and then, with a stroke of genius, grabbed Qi Qingqiu¡¯s sleeve. ¡°Why not give me a name?¡± Give him a name? Qi Qingyao subconsciously nced at Jiang Yeqian, who was standing next to her. The guy was named Jiang Bai. Then she turned to the boy in front of her. ¡°He looks like a fish.¡± She muttered these words, and then said casually, ¡°I¡¯ll call you Sijin, then.¡± She felt like the young man in front of her had an aura that was very much like some kind of creature in the water ¡ª cold and gorgeous. The teenager was satisfied. ¡°Thank you. Sijin. Jin¡­¡± He constantly murmured his new name. Afraid of being discovered, Qi Qingyao added, ¡°Jin is definitely not the meaning of koi, don¡¯t think too much about it, Jin here means nothing more than to describe distinct and gorgeous colors!¡± The young man became a little childish after gaining a new name. The first thing he did was to show off his new name to the three children and exchange names with them. Then the boy named Sijin took the whetstone and went to the side to sharpen his knife! Qi Qingyao began to kill the fish and cook them, and she also told Jiang Yeqian to boil water. Jiang Yeqian, who was forced to sit in front of the stove and boil water, had an unprecedentedly dull face and was depressed while burning the fire. He was the Head Grand Secretariat of the court. He had never done housework like this! If he had known, he would not have faked losing his memories! He should have revealed his identity and let this woman feed him well! Qi Qingyao did not know the sorrow in Jiang Yeqian¡¯s heart, and soon after steaming the fish, she shouted, ¡°Let¡¯s eat!¡± She had steamed seven fishes at once. There were three adults and three children, a total of six people who had to eat. Eating fish without other food was not enough to make them full. So, they could not skimp out on the food! However, at dinner, Sijin looked a bit embarrassed. Qi Qingyao asked him what was wrong. Sijin said, ¡°I can¡¯t eat fish.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°After eating, red spots will appear on my skin.¡± ¡°Oh, allergies. Then you can only starve.¡± Sijin, who did not eat, went to kill the boar. Chapter 45

Chapter 45: Finally Got to Eat Pork 5

The three children in the house were at first very afraid of bloody scenes such as this, but perhaps it was because of the fine and beautiful way that Sijin killed the boar, or perhaps it was because they were full of thoughts about eating meat, and the excitement of eating meat ended up being greater than the fear of blood; the children were now looking unblinkingly at the half-killed pig, and they had already begun to drool. When Sijin was still busy, Erniu, who was standing on the threshold ying alone, suddenly shouted towards Qi Qingyao, ¡°Mother, many people are rushing to our ce.¡± Qi Qingyao finally moved her eyes away from the pork and swept a nce at the scene in the distance. ¡°It must be because they saw that I caught a wild boar, and they all came here to watch.¡± Jiang Yeqian pondered for a moment. ¡°Maybe they¡¯re here to share the spoils.¡± Qi Qingyao sneered. ¡°They want to share the spoils? Only if they can!¡± Dabao felt like there were dozens of people here. Afraid, he grabbed Qi Qingyao¡¯s pant leg. ¡°What if there are too many people? Mother, we are outnumbered.¡± Qi Qingyao picked up Dabao, her gaze fell on Jiang Yeqian. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Dabao, we have fighters!¡± Dabao¡¯s eyes lit up and his little hand patted Jiang Yeqian¡¯s shoulder, imitating Qi Qingqian¡¯s usual pattern. ¡°Uncle, we¡¯re all depending on you.¡± Jiang Yeqian was just about to make a sound in protest. Qi Qingyao also followed suit. She narrowed her eyes and said, ¡°Yes, uncle, it all depends on you.¡± This woman was totally taking advantage of him deliberately! He was only two years older than her! Sijin was still concentrating on killing the pig and did not pay attention to the others. The vigers, alongside the Qi family, rushed over. They did not first break through the fence wall, but stood outside the fence wall and looked for a long time. They said, in awe, ¡°It¡¯s really Qi Qingyao!¡± ¡°She looks normal, can¡¯t see anything different!¡± ¡°It¡¯s strange because she looks normal! Wasn¡¯t she stupid and crazy before?¡± ¡°Old Qi said she¡¯s not even crazy anymore and has taken the initiative to break off rtions with the Qi family in order to stand on her own feet.¡± Hearing them, Madam Guo and Madam Wu looked cross. One of the vige daughters-inw said, ¡°Qi Qingyao, are you really not stupid anymore?¡± ¡°Fellow vigers and fathers, it¡¯s noon, whye to our house?¡± Qi Qingyao pretended to have only seen them. She raised his head, smiling around a circle of all heads. After she said that sentence, all the vigers were puzzled. They frowned and began to discuss. ¡°She sounds normal.¡± ¡°Are you really not stupid?¡± Another person asked. Qi Qingyao raised her eyes in a calm manner. ¡°Look at what you guys are saying!¡± Everyone, ¡°¡­¡± Madam Guo did not even care what Qi Qingyao said. Her eyes kept falling on the half-killed boar and the young man who killed it. Qi Qingyao was rxed. ¡°Everyone didn¡¯te here just to see us ughter the boar, right?¡± Madam Wu reacted quickly and stood in front of the vigers, asking as if questioning, ¡°Qi Qingyao, who wants to see you kill a boar? Tell me first how you got it.¡± Qi Qingyao shrugged her shoulders and said calmly, ¡°I caught it.¡± Madam Wu rolled her eyes in total disbelief. ¡°You, hunt a wild boar in the forest? Don¡¯t joke with us.¡± The wild boar eating you would be more believable than this! The crowd nodded their heads. The vige chief Ma Sanye was forced to stand out. His focus fell on the two men. ¡°Qi Qingyao, whether you¡¯re stupid or not, this is not important. The important thing is: what is with these two men?¡± After a pause, he continued, ¡°Qi Qingyao, outsiders have entered the vige. Have you reported them to us?¡± Qi Qingyao¡¯s dark pupils were flooded with a fine light, and she introduced them without panic, ¡°These two are the servants I just bought.¡± Madam Guo¡¯s eyes almost bulged out at once. ¡°Servants? You, have servants? You¡¯re so poor, and yet you say you have bought servants!¡± Madam Wu was furious. ¡°You said that he¡¯s a schr before! Since when did a schr be your servant?¡± Other vigers, ¡°????¡± What was with that? Qi Qingyao said as if nothing had happened, ¡°A schr can¡¯t be a servant? The schr owes me money! He¡¯s working for me to pay off the debt.¡± After saying that, she also cast his eyes on Jiang Yeqian. Jiang Yeqian nodded lightly in order to avoid more trouble. Madam Wu was speechless. Chapter 46

Chapter 46: The First Crock of Gold 1

Madam Guo looked Si Jin up and down and said in an incredulous tone, ¡°Are you one of her servants?¡± He blinked and nodded slightly, and then continued to work on the pork! The three little children were hiding behind the door, staring out nervously. They wanted to go out and give their mother a hand, but they also feared that they would end up doing the opposite instead, so they could only watch in silence. The vige chief looked at Jiang Yeqian, and then at Si Jin. ¡°Where did you hire these two¡­ workers!?¡± The word ¡®handsome¡¯ was on the tip of his tongue, but he could not say it out loud. Qi Qingyao smiled casually. ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about this, vige chief. There is always a way.¡± The vige chief was silent. What way? Madam Wu looked at Qi Qingyao with contempt. ¡°You, hire servants? Don¡¯t you know how poor you are? Can you even pay their monthly sries?¡± The vige people nodded their heads. The vige chief said with a serious look: ¡°Little maiden, don¡¯t be crazy. You¡¯re so poor you can¡¯t even feed yourself. Your family doesn¡¯t even have half a mouthful of rice, and you still have to pay your servants. How can you even pay them?¡± ¡°The employment contract is voluntary. Is the vige chief saying that if someone hires a servant, the entire vige has to convene and agree? If I move to Qingzhou City tomorrow, do you have to agree to that too?¡± Qi Qingyao asked in return. The vige chief was slightly embarrassed. ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant.¡± Madam Guo said sarcastically, ¡°You are so poor, and you still want to buy a house in Qingzhou City? You¡¯re not awake, are you?¡± ¡°Poor people can¡¯t even afford to eat, and they still think about living in Qingzhou City¡­ This is already crazy and hopeless.¡± Other people echoed her words. Seeing how so many people were present, Madam Wu threw a tantrum directly. ¡°Qi Qingyao, since you are no longer stupid¡­ As a daughter of the Qi family, you¡¯ve caught a wild boar. Do you not know you should share some pork with your elders?¡± ¡°Share?¡± Qi Qingyao pondered over the word, and anger began to build upon her brow. Madam Wu¡¯s voice was harsh. ¡°Yes, you are a member of our Qi family. I am your own mother! If you have something good and don¡¯t give it to your own mother, you are unfilial! Qi Qingyao was used of being unfilial, just like that¡­ The other people in the vige watched the drama unfold. Qi Qingyao picked her ear leisurely and said carefreely, ¡°Thisdy here seems to have forgotten that the Qi family has severed rtions with me.¡± Seeing as how this was a family matter, the vige chief helplessly turned around and intended to leave, giving a final salivating look to the pig being ughtered. ¡°Vige chief, don¡¯t leave first.¡± A delicate and sweet voice shouted behind him. The vige chief turned around and saw the beautiful young girl smiling sweetly at him. The vige chief froze for a moment. He thought, ¡®This child was always silly and stupid before. It affected her aura.¡¯ ¡®Now that she¡¯s not stupid anymore, her smile is really pretty¡­¡¯ It really was pretty. Qi Qingyao went forward and took the vige¡¯s chief hand in hers. Her voice was as gentle as a birdsong. ¡°Since we have severed our rtionship, I am not a member of the Qi family. As you are here today, please witness this. When you leaveter, I will give you two catties of pork so you can have another dish at dinner today.¡± At the sound of ¡°two catties of pork¡±, Ma Sanye¡¯s eyes lit up. He stopped in his tracks. Qi Qingyao entered the house, winked at her children, and hurriedly took the agreement out from under the mattress and handed them to the vige chief. ¡°This is the agreement.¡± Jiang Yeqian stood leaning against the door, sizing up the woman who had so easily begun to curry the vige chief¡¯s favor. He thought to himself, ¡®Can a fool who has suddenly be smart possess such tact and scheming abilities? I¡¯m afraid it¡¯s impossible!¡¯ Chapter 47

Chapter 47: The First Crock of Gold 2

As the vige head, Ma Sanye often mediated disputes in the neighborhood. He took a nce at the severity paper and turned to ask Madam Wu. ¡°Was this personally written by Qi Boli?¡± ¡°It is, but¡­¡± Madam Wu did not expect Qi Qingyao to immediately retrieve the document. She felt embarrassed. ¡°But what? You¡¯ve signed this severance paper yourself and your fingerprint is even on it. You can¡¯t possibly have been forced to do this!¡± the vige head eximed, exasperated. A busybody in the crowd joked sarcastically, ¡°Wu Yulian, didn¡¯t you previously say that Eleventh Daughter was no longer a fool and had decided to turn her life around by herself, hence why she severed ties with your family?¡± ¡°You all only wanted to sever ties to get rid of these bastards. Who would expect her to no longer be a fool? Hahaha.¡± ¡°How funny. Aren¡¯t you trying to take advantage of her now? How amusing!¡± ¡­ Theughter and their mockery filled their ears, causing embarrassment to rise in Madam Wu¡¯s and Madam Guo¡¯s faces. Madam Guo wanted to hide in a hole. Madam Wu gritted her teeth, extended her neck out, and spoke defensively. ¡°So what if we¡¯ve signed a severance paper? Our Qi Family raised her for so many years. Are you telling me she doesn¡¯t have to repay her debt? So what if we just want a little pork? This is our own family matter, do any of you people have the right to yap away about this?¡± ¡°Woah, now you¡¯re getting angry¡­¡± Old Man Yang¡¯s wife said cynically. Madam Wu red at Old Man Yang¡¯s wife and turned to look at Qi Qingyao as she said firmly, ¡°Qi Qingyao, don¡¯t y possum! If you don¡¯t give me any meat today, I won¡¯t leave.¡± Qi Qingyao paid no heed to Madam Wu. She swept a nce across the crowd of bustling vigers, a n forming. She smiled calmly and generously. She pped her hands, motioning for the vigers to direct their attention to her. Her voice was full of passion. ¡°My dear vigers, we¡¯re all from the same vige. If you want some meat, a catty of meat in the market is 2 Mace. How about this? I was only nning to sell this boar at the market tomorrow. Since everyone hase over here, I¡¯ll offer a lower price to everyone. A catty of meat will be 1 Mace of silver. Those who want to buy it, please be quick.¡± Catching free-range meat in ancient times was unlike modern captive farming. The meat yield was not too high. A person who specialized in rearing pigs was called a swineherd. On top of that, pigs usually ate filth, so nobles and richndlords avoided eating pork and ate beef and mutton instead. For the rich, pigs were usually used as sacrificial offerings. For peasants, a regr household¡¯s yearly ie could only afford to buy three pigs. A Tael was the equivalent of ten Maces or a thousand copper-cash. A Tael was also equal to a string of Maces. A Mace was a hundred copper-cash. A copper-cash was almost 2 RMB cents. To reiterate, a catty of pork was 2 Maces. It was not cheap. It was normal for tenants and the poor to not be able to afford pork. When the vigers heard what Qi Qingyao said, they were stunned for a moment. Everyone turned their heads, exchanging nces with each other. ¡°You¡¯re really going to only charge us one Mace?¡± Someone suddenly stepped forward to inquire. ¡°We¡¯re all vige folks. Even if you didn¡¯te here, I would have asked you all.¡± Qi Qingyaoughed in a rxed manner as she said casually, ¡°Everyone is aware that I only have my small four walls, and I¡¯m impoverished. I don¡¯t even have a mouthful¡¯s worth of grains in my rice jar. Even though that¡¯s the case, I don¡¯t wish to earn from my fellow vigers. So I¡¯ll offer everyone a price at just A Mace of silver. Those who wish to buy, please line up.¡± When she finished speaking, without caring what the vigers thought, Qi Qingyao gave Si Jin instructions. ¡°Si Jin, slice two catties of meat for the vige head!¡± Si Jin followed orders and cut a string of meat neatly. Without weighing it, he hung the meat on a straw rope and gave it to Qi Qingyao. Qi Qingyao smiled delightfully and politely delivered the meat to vige head Ma Sanye with both hands as she said, ¡°I wasn¡¯t sure if I could borrow the vige head¡¯s weighing scale¡­¡± Chapter 48

Chapter 48: The First Crock of Gold 3

The meat was delivered into the hands of the vige head. Fishbone-like crinkles appeared at the corners of his eyes as he smiled happily at the meat. As he looked for his wife in the crowd, he replied, ¡°It¡¯s just a small matter. Send someone to my house and get it from my wife. I¡¯ll stand here and help you maintain order.¡± ¡°Thank you so much, Ma Sanye!¡± Qi Qingyao eximed. Thereafter, she locked eyes with Jiang Yeqian who was standing by somewhere quietly. ¡°Jiang Bai, go get the scale for me! Please return quickly.¡± Ma Sanye¡¯s wife was a fiery woman. Otherwise, how else could she be the vige head¡¯s wife? She carried the string of meat, her eyes narrowing into fine lines as she smiled happily and looked at the immensely handsome young man trailing behind her. She was so shy her face sported a slight blush. ¡­ Upon witnessing the drastic turn of events, Madam Wu grew furious. With her hands on her hips, she stood in front of the crowd. ¡°This is our Qi Family¡¯s pork. Who dares to buy it?!¡± ¡°Oh, Madam Wu. ording to our Northern Liangw, you¡¯ve already signed a severity paper. The ties between father and daughter have been severed. You causing trouble here is unjustified.¡± The vige head originally did not want to get involved in this unpleasant matter. However, since Qi Qingyao was so generous and had given him two catty of meat without asking for a single copper-cash, he had to say a few words! However, such words fell harshly upon Madam Wu¡¯s ears. She did not care that she in front of arge crowd, and rebuked him angrily, ¡°Oh, vige head. You can¡¯t be bought over to her side just because she gave you pork.¡± The look on the vige head¡¯s face suddenly changed and he bellowed, ¡°Madam Wu, you should be more careful with your words. Qi Qingyao gave me a string of meat as a neighbor. How can that be considered a bribe? Everyone is neighbors. Your Qi Family, on the other hand, disliked that this child was a fool and a lunatic, and severed ties with her. Now you¡¯ve discovered she¡¯s caught a wild boar and you¡¯re throwing a crazy fit just because she refused to give it to you!¡± Madam Wu eximed, horrified, ¡°Ah, vige head! You¡¯ve gone too far with those words.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve gone too far?¡± The vige head asked Qi Qingyao irritably, ¡°Qi Qingyao, tell her yourself as their child. Why does Old Man Qi¡¯s family want to sever ties with you? Was it really because they realized that you¡¯ve gotten brighter and that you wanted to turn your life around? Is that why the Qi Family wanted to sever ties with you?¡± ¡°No,¡± Qi Qingyao said as her eyes reddened. She lifted her hands and wiped at her eyes. In the eyes of the vigers, that pitiful look of hers told them that it was a situation where a pretty, youngdy had been bullied. Madam Wu did not think that the vige head would allow Qi Qingyao to speak in such a straightforward manner. ¡°Qi Qingyao, you need to speak with a conscience. When have the Qi family done you wrong? How dare you lie in front of the vige head! Could it be because we didn¡¯t take the initiative to sever ties with you?¡± She did not believe that Qi Qingyao would tell them the truth. The Eleventh Daughter was an extremely conscientious person. She would not tell the truth. Qi Qingyao spoke as she cried, ¡°Madam Wu, didn¡¯t I hug my father¡¯s leg for forgiveness and ask for him to not sign¡­¡± ¡°Even though you hugged his leg¡­¡± Madam Wu could not finish exining. The littledy with a pitiful expression grabbed the vige head¡¯s hand. The rims of her eyes were red and her face held an expression as though she was begging for justice. ¡°Vige head, you need to find justice for me. I cried so terribly. I wailed for my older and younger brothers, for my father and my mother. They ignored my cries, ignored my screams, and just left me mercilessly. My fragile heart was so broken that day. That¡¯s why I no longer want to have anything to do with Old Man Qi¡¯s family.¡± Those words were heart-wrenching. They were essentially calling for the listeners to shed tears. Chapter 49

Chapter 49: The First Crock of Gold 4

The vige head watched the littledy weep, her eyes red and full ofment. It pained his heart, and he patted her hand sympathetically as he spoke to her soothingly. ¡°Good child, we all know how much you¡¯ve suffered throughout the years. It¡¯s good that you¡¯re no longer a fool. I will definitely find justice for you. I will no longer let Old Man Qi¡¯s family bully you.¡± The rest also felt emotional. Thinking of the years of suffering this youngdy of the Qi family had endured, they all chimed in one after the other. ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± ¡°We will also fight for justice for you!¡± ¡°All these years, Old Man Qi¡¯s family never treated the Eleventh Daughter as a daughter or even as a human. She often ate leftover rice and vegetables and was raised like a pig. When she bore children by ident, she received even worse treatment. We¡¯ve witnessed it all.¡± ¡°Child, you used to be part of Old Man Qi¡¯s family. We, as vigers, could not speak on your behalf then. After all, those were your family¡¯s matters. That¡¯s no longer the case now. They don¡¯t want you. You don¡¯t need to fear Old Man Qi¡¯s family. All of us along with the vige head will stand by your side.¡± ¡­ Qi Qingyao wiped her red eyes and said softly, ¡°Thank you, vigers!¡± Jiang Yeqian who had just returned with Madam Ma witnessed the scene. What a terrifying woman. Suddenly, a shallow sob came from behind him. Jiang Yeqian turned around and saw that the young man, who Qi Qingyao had named Si Jin, was crying because he felt ¡®touched¡¯. Jiang Yeqian stayed silent. This person was a fool! No. That was not right. Si Jin did not know that this woman was acting! Sigh, yet another fool who was being tricked! Madam Wu did not expect every viger to speak for Qi Qingyao. This struck her like a sh of lightning. She was so angry she pointed at Qi QIngyao¡¯s nose. ¡°Fine. You¡­ you sly little b*tch. How dare you join forces with the vige head and these people to deal with me!?¡± Qi Qingyao smiled and spoke with her hands sped together, ¡°What are you saying, Madam? I¡¯m merely asking for justice.¡± The vige head felt irritated looking at Madam Wu¡¯s shameless expression. He spoke with little concern in his voice toward her. ¡°You people from Old Man Qi¡¯s family, if you don¡¯t want to buy any pork, just hurry up and leave. Don¡¯t bother those of us who want to buy it!¡± ¡°Yeah, scram!¡± The rest of the vigers shouted in agreement. ¡°You, all of you¡­¡± Madam Wu did not expect to be pointed at and shouted at by the vigers to leave. The anger in her chest grew increasingly unbearable. Madam Guo knew that they would only be subject to more hatred from the vigers if they stayed any longer. She quickly dragged her mother-inw Madam Wu to leave. The vige head eventually saw that they had walked quite a distance away. He became more rxed. ¡°The uninvited guests have finally left. Everyone, line up properly. I¡¯ll help with the weighing!¡± The vige head had initially wanted to drag Qi Qingyao along to weigh the meat with him. However, upon seeing the littledy¡¯s fair and clear face, he said a little affectionately,¡± Littledy Qingyao, just stand by the side and collect money.¡± ¡°Thank you, vige head, ¡± Qi Qingyao said as she gave him a sweet smile. The vige head picked up Qi Qingyao¡¯s pork and naturally got to work. He happily weighed and distributed the meat. The vige head watched Si Jin, who was standing by his side. As he watched the pretty young man carry out the deed of ughtering the boar, he could not help but let out a sigh. He smiled as he patted his shoulder. He would first give his fellow vigers instructions. ¡°My fellow vigers, if you don¡¯t have any money, quickly run home and bring some!¡± After all, the vigers were all one vige together. Upon hearing that a catty of pork was going for 1 Mace of silver, they were all inexplicably delighted. They excitedly raced home to get some money. Qi Qingyao walked to Si Jin¡¯s side and mouthed two words to him, ¡®Thank you¡¯. Si Jin let out a wide smile and showed his set of pearly whites. He also mouthed two words back, ¡®Afternoon meal.¡¯ Soon after, he cooperated well with the vige head. He was in charge of cutting the meat while the vige head was in charge of weighing! Peering from behind the door were the three little children. Their heads tilted as they watched the scene, their eyes wide with uncertainty. Chapter 50 - The First Crock of Gold 5

Chapter 50: The First Crock of Gold 5

Dabao, Erniu, and Xiaobao were initially hiding by the door. However, the three children were terrified of the crowd who had gathered outside while holding money to buy pork. Theyid by the threshold in a daze and looked at themotion outside, stunned. A catty of pork for a Mace of silver was a wonder that could note true ¡ª not even in a dream. Over twenty families in the vige had spent their money to buy a catty of pork. Among them were her uncles, both older and younger. After all, their surnames were also Qi. When they came to buy pork, they seemed a little apologetic, appearing a little afraid of their transaction being rejected by Qi Qingyao. That was not the kind of person Qi Qingyao was. She had a conflict with her family, but not with these uncles. Anyway, there was no need to make things difficult with money, was there? Of course, she had to keep one eye shut when dealing with them. As the saying goes, only a fool would not take the money that they could earn. ¡­ When Madam Wu and Madam Guo arrived at home, Old Man Qi had also returned. Madam Wumented to Old Man Qi tearfully, ¡°Oh, Old Man Qi! Our family really is unfortunate!¡± Old Man Qi had initially not taken his wife¡¯s ramblings seriously. However, the solemn expression on his daughter-inw¡¯s face looked as though her father had just died. He could not help but ask, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Why do both of you look so serious? Did something happen?¡± Madam Guo made a cup of hot tea for Madam Wu. While Madam Wu held the cup in her hands to warm herself, she grumbled, ¡°That sly little b*tch, she really angered me to death¡­¡± ¡°Let¡¯s talk about what happened first¡­¡± Old Man Qi asked frantically. ¡°Father-inw, let me.¡± Madam Guo sorted out her emotions then began to talk about what had just happened. This time, she did not exaggerate the details. There was simply no need to. The story itself was interesting enough. After Old Man Qi heard about what had happened, his eyes almost popped out of their sockets. He turned to look at his wife, ¡°You offended the vige head and half the vigers, yet you still thought about eating?¡± ¡°But that boar¡­¡± The mere thought of the boar filled Madam Wu¡¯s heart with rage once again. ¡°We¡¯ll talk again at night.¡± Old Man Qi appeased her. Madam Wu and her daughter-inw Madam Guo met eyes and thought that Old Man Qi¡¯s behavior was a little odd. Did he have a backup n in case the first one did not work out? ¡­ After the twenty-plus vigers bought the pork, they happily returned home. Before they left, Qi Qingyao cut another string of meat for the vige head, Ma Sanye, as a sign of gratitude. Ma Sanye smiled from ear to ear and instructed Qi Qingyao that she should inform him immediately should anything happen in the future. He would support her. Qi Qingyao smiled as she led the vige head away. After the crowd had dispersed, the three children came out from their hiding spot. They watched Qi Qingyao count the money with excited expressions. Xiaobao tugged on Qi Qingyao¡¯s calf. His eyes were twinkling, and his brows arched as he smiled widely. ¡°Mommy, how much did you earn?¡± ¡°Not much. Just a little more than two strings of Maces!¡± Qi Qingyao said with a smile after counting twice to ensure she was correct. ¡°It¡¯s more than two Taels,¡± Jiang Yeqian said. Qi Qingyao said with her lips pursed, ¡°Only two Taels of silver. What is that even sufficient for?¡± The two talked, while the three little children felt a little sluggish as they listened. Two Taels of silver this, two Taels of silver that! Mommy was amazing! Xiaobao felt emotional and his eyes shimmered as he cried out, ¡°Mommy!¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Qi Qingyao hummed as she picked up Xiaobao and embraced him. Dabao whispered falteringly, ¡°Last time, I heard grandmother say that in a year, the family only spent three Taels of silver. Mommy, it¡¯s already a lot that in just a short time, you¡¯ve earned two Taels of silver. It¡¯s already a whole lot and enough for us to spend for a year!¡± Erniu was so emotional that tears had streamed down her face. ¡°That¡¯s right, mommy! It¡¯s already enough for us to buy more than a hundred catties of grains!¡± Chapter 51 - The First Crock of Gold 6

Chapter 51: The First Crock of Gold 6

¡°More than a hundred catties of rice? We can eat them for a long, long time,¡± Xiaobao said dazedly. The image of over a hundred catties of rice appeared in his mind, but he could not quite visualize it in his little head, so he made it up. Qi Qingyao rubbed her chin calmly. ¡°Two taels of silver seem pretty useful. Let¡¯s sell the remaining meat at the market tomorrow then. We¡¯re sure to earn a lot of money for it.¡± The three toddlers looked at Qi Qingyao¡¯s extremeposure and felt confused. Dabao asked, ¡°Aren¡¯t you excited, Mommy?¡± ¡°Look at you three, silly kids!¡± Qi Qingyao put Xiaobao down and crouched down to look the three children in their eyes. Perfectly unfazed, she said, ¡°I told you, right? We¡¯re gonna buy a big house and then move to Qingzhou City one day! The houses there are really expensive. What¡¯s two taels in the face of that? Think about it. If we get excited over two taels now, won¡¯t you guys faint when we earn thousands and tens of thousands of taels in the future?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Thousands? Tens of thousands? The three toddlers¡¯ eyes widened as they looked at Qi Qingyao in disbelief. ¡°Someone¡¯s here again.¡± Si Jin was about to clean up the remaining pork when he suddenly sensed something approaching. He looked up and nced at it before turning around and informing Qi Qingyao. Jiang Yeqian immediately looked up. He saw a woman approaching from a faraway distance. After that, his thoughtful gaze fell upon Si Jin. Qi Qingyao happily ran to the fence to greet her newest customer. It seemed the woman was a widow from West Street who lived with two young children and her inws. When the widow saw Qi Qingyao, she began haltingly, ¡°Eleventh Daughter, I-I don¡¯t have money.¡± After a pause, she handed over a small bag of rice, saying awkwardly, ¡°Can I give you some rice in exchange for the pork?¡± ¡°Sure, of course! No problem.¡± Qi Qingyao epted the rice with a smile. There was a few catties¡¯ worth. She then asked Si Jin to cut the widow a catty of meat! The widow left with the meat, grinning from ear to ear. Qi Qingyao was feeling pretty good after obtaining the rice, too. She told the ones waiting in anticipation, ¡°For lunch today, we¡¯re having rice and braised meat!~¡± ¡°(£Þ£­£Þ)V Yay!¡± The triplets bounced around the yard happily. They had rice to eat! It was cold out, but everyone felt warm inside. Qi Qingyao said they were having braised meat, but she had no spices or herbs in her kitchen at all. There was only salt! It was fine for steaming fish, but braised meat would taste terrible without sugar and some simple spices¡­ She could not buy those in the vige, and the town was too far away. While Qi Qingyao was feeling troubled, someone else arrived. He leaned against the fence for a long time but did note in, looking hesitant. Qi Qingyao watched him for a long time before walking over to him in exasperation. ¡°Sir, are you loitering at my door because you want to steal something or buy some meat? Just tell me.¡± ¡°I-I¡­ I¡¯m not here to steal.¡± ¡°So you want to buy meat.¡± ¡°¡­But I don¡¯t have money.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Qi Qingyao fell silent for a moment, but then she had an idea. ¡°I can give you some meat even if you don¡¯t have money, sir.¡± ¡°Ah, really?¡± ¡°You can exchange other things for it.¡± ¡°But I don¡¯t have anything valuable at home.¡± ¡°I need some spices, like star anise and cassia bark. Oh, rock sugar, soy sauce, and yellow wine too. I don¡¯t need too much, just a bit of each. If you have them, you can exchange those for the meat.¡± ¡°Okay, wait for me!¡± Chapter 52 - The First Crock of Gold 7

Chapter 52: The First Crock of Gold 7

The older man was surprised to hear that he could exchange those things for a catty of meat, so he happily went home to get what she wanted. Just like that, Qi Qingyao received herbs, rock sugar, soy sauce, and yellow to make braised pork for free. The man even gave her a few potatoes¡­ making her grin from ear to ear. After that, she told Jiang Yeqian it was time to start cooking! Jiang Yeqian went back to starting the fire, while Si Jin went to get water. Qi Qingyao began washing the rice, while the three children sat on either side of Jiang Yeqian, warming themselves in front of the stove. The fire left all three of them flushed and absolutely adorable. Jiang Yeqian gave the three toddlers next to him a sideways nce or two. He felt ratherplicated right now. The children from the noble families he had seen in the capital city were constantly kicking and hitting their servants. They were bundles of terror, tearing down their houses and throwing monstrous tantrums. The young princes and princesses in the pce were even more unreasonable. As a result, Jiang Yeqian was not fond of children at all. As for marriage¡­ He never even gave it a thought before. Strangely, however¡­ He was a young man who had never been married and used to hate children. Right this second, however, he suddenly thought these children were quite cute. After Qi Qingyao soaked the rice, she began steaming it on the stove. Soon, the fragrance of rice wafted from the pot at the back of the house. The three children drooled openly. ¡°The rice smells so good.¡± ¡°No, it smells heavenly.¡± ¡°We can eat it soon, right?¡± Qi Qingyao nced at the triplets and burst outughing. Meanwhile, she quickly dipped the meat she had cut up into the boiling water. After removing all the impurities from the pork, she poured away the water in the pot and began caramelizing the sugar¡­ By the time she started braising the meat, Qi Qingyao the eternal carnivore was starting to salivate as well. Ever since she transmigrated here, she had only ever eaten in dumplings and fish. Her mouth craved something more vorful. Once the meat was braised, the rice was long since cooked. Just a momentter¡­ The three adults and the three children sat in front of the short table. The house was barely furnished at all, but the three toddlers suddenly felt warm and at ease. Everyone gathered around the table, eating the braised meat. The children¡¯s faces oozed satisfaction. When Si Jin ate the meat, he looked somewhat confused. It seemed he still preferred rice. Jiang Yeqian had eaten all sorts of delicacies in the capital, and he never thought of himself as a gourmet. After so many days of nothing but medicine and fish, however, he suddenly felt that the braised meat she made tasted even better than the food his chef used to cook. Once they finished all the meat, Jiang Yeqian abruptly looked around him. ¡°¡­¡± How could he think that a woman in this vige out in the middle of nowhere could cook better than his chef back home? He must have been too hungry. There was no way a fool like her could cook well! Something must be wrong with his tastebuds. In her past life as a spy, Qi Qingyao had once infiltrated the kitchens of a certainrge hotel in Hangzhou. That was why her cooking skills were the real thing! After learning from a professional chef for half a year, she had picked up some techniques of her own. Qi Qingyao watched Si Jin polish three bowls of rice and then said with a smile, ¡°After this meal, kiddo, it¡¯s time we went our separate ways.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Si Jin froze, abruptly putting down his rice bowl. He looked at Qi Qingyao without a word. Tears even appeared in his eyes. Looking utterly pitiful, he asked, ¡°Can¡¯t I stay? Please, prettydy?¡± Chapter 53 - Nighttime Scare 1

Chapter 53: Nighttime Scare 1

Having such a beautiful young man call her ¡°prettydy¡± made Qi Qingyao feel quite good about herself. She took a deep breath and resisted the urge to let him stay, saying solemnly, ¡°Look, I¡¯m dirt poor over here. We¡¯re staying in a straw hut! I can¡¯t bear to let you stay here as a servant.¡± ¡°But you told everyone that you hired me as your servant just now.¡± The corners of Sijin¡¯s lips wobbled. ¡°Aw, you¡­¡± He was too good at acting pitiful, so she had to hang in there. She could not let him trick her. Qi Qingyao put down her foot and said, ¡°I only did that because I had no choice. But you¡¯re acting too suspicious. No normal person would ever beg to be a servant. This guy here, for instance, he owes me money and I even saved him! He lost his memory, though, so he¡¯s paying back his debt with his body! If you don¡¯t believe me, ask him. If he has the money to pay me back, he¡¯ll be gone in an instant!¡± ¡°B-But I don¡¯t have a home to return to.¡± Si Jin lowered his gaze. ¡°How about this? I¡¯ll give you some coins and you can stay the night at Baishui Town. After that, you should look for a job.¡± It was easy bringing him in, but it was much harder to get him out. Qi Qingyao took a few coins from her can helplessly and put them in front of Si Jin. ¡°I don¡¯t want money.¡± Si Jin¡¯s brow was tightly furrowed. He looked upset. ¡°Alright then, what do you want?¡± Qi Qingyao asked. ¡°I-I just want to be your servant,¡± Si Jin said seriously after some hesitation. ¡°¡­¡± Qi Qingyao looked at him without a word and then looked around her. ¡°You really won¡¯t leave, will you? We can¡¯t afford to pay you here, honest.¡± Si Jin said softly, ¡°I don¡¯t need pay. All I want is food and shelter.¡± ¡°I¡¯m dirt broke. Look, I only have one bed-stove. I can¡¯t give you shelter.¡± Qi Qingyao pointed at the bed,pletely exasperated. ¡°You¡¯ll get a huge mansion and strike it rich eventually,¡± Si Jin mumbled. Qi Qingyao, ¡°¡­¡± He could tell? She could not be bothered to debate him anywhere. ¡°Fine. Let¡¯s make a deal. Once I can afford it, I¡¯ll hire you as my servant. How¡¯s that sound?¡± Si Jin was silent for a moment, but eventually he agreed. They even pinky-promised on it. After that, Si Jin left with great reluctance. Qi Qingyao watched the boy walk past the gate and disappear into the dusk. By the time Qi Qingyao sat back down, Jiang Yeqian said, ¡°He must have an ulterior motive.¡± Qi Qingyao gave a long sigh as she cleaned up the cutlery. ¡°He must have fallen for my breathtaking looks. That¡¯s why he¡¯s so desperate to be my ve!¡± Jiang Yeqian, ¡°¡­¡± How narcissistic could she be?! ¡°You think I¡¯m narcissistic, don¡¯t you?¡± Qi Qingyao could tell what he was thinking, so she turned around and asked. Jiang Yeqian pursed his lips and said nothing. Qi Qingyao harrumphed. ¡°I have nothing to offer, but he insists on serving me. If not my looks, what else could he be after?¡± He could be after¡­ Jiang Yeqian thought it over, but he could note up with anything more logical. That boy¡¯s origins were utterly mystifying. When he ate, he barely took any meat at all, obsessing over the rice instead. Perhaps he really was a servant, the type who usually ate rice and was not used to meat. At the same time, perhaps he was sick of meat after eating too much of it. In that case, though, he had to be from a good family. There was no way he could have ughtered the pig so neatly, then! He looked like he was used to roughing it out. Did that mean he was not lying about his past? Did he really work as a servant for a long while? ¡­ After Si Jin left Qi Qingyao¡¯s house, he ran right back to Jiuli River. Once there, he stood on the bank for a long time. Just then, there happened to be an old man fishing nearby. He nced at the boy and went back to retrieving his fishing rod and bucket. It was gettingte, and he had caught a fat, fleshy ck fish today!~ He had fish to eat for tomorrow, now. As he was clearing up and about to go home, from the corner of his eye he saw the young man abruptly leap into Jiuli River. The old man was so shocked that he dropped his fishing rod. ¡°The river, someone jumped into the river!! It¡¯s a suicide!¡± The old man hurried to the ce where he had jumped and looked into the water. He wanted to save the boy, but¡­ There was nothing in the river and no traces of the boy. Shivers ran down the old man¡¯s spine. Had he seen a ghost in the middle of the night?! The old man scrambled back home with all his things in tow. Not far away, under the surface of the river, an adorable little golden koi danced in the water happily. At the same time, he thought, ¡®Suicide? As if¡­¡¯ He just rarely left the water, and suddenly spending half a day onnd left him feeling ill-ustomed. All he wanted was a quick swim or two! Chapter 54 - Nighttime Scare 2

Chapter 54: Nighttime Scare 2

Night. Late night. The weather was terrible, the northern winds harsh. At midnight, three men snuck to East Vigeside, pulling their scarves around their necks. As they looked at the solitary cottage in the distance, Qi Yuanye hurried his two older brothers. ¡°Be careful, you two.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you going along too?¡± Qi Yuanxiu blinked and asked his brother. ¡°I¡¯ll stay here and keep a lookout for you.¡± Qi Yuanye stood beyond the gates and chuckled. ¡°Lookout? What for? It¡¯s not like anyone else wille here in the middle of the night to try and kill them.¡± Qi Yuanxiu dragged Qi Yuanye along crossly. ¡°Hurry up! We¡¯re brothers, so we gotta go together.¡± Qi Yuancheng was not nning on letting his younger brother escape alone either. All three of them were in this together. This time, nothing should go wrong. However, on the off-chance that something did¡­ He would at least have one more meat shield. That should prevent what happenedst time from repeating. ¡ªOn the bed-stove, the order remained the same. Qi Qingyaoy on the edge, with the three toddlers next to her, and Jiang Yeqian at the wall. This was truly the best arrangement. However, usually as the night went on, their positions would change. Qi Qingyao would be hugging Erniu like afy pillow, while Dabao and Xiaobao would mber over Jiang Yeqian like octopi. After the braised meat he had, Jiang Yeqian felt considerably more nourished. Add that to the effects of the ginseng, and his internal injury was rapidly healing. His cultivation necessarily meant that he was much more alert than Qi Qingyao. All of a sudden, Jiang Yeqian sensed almost inaudible footsteps outside the window. In an instant, he sat up with Dabao and Xiaobao in his arms. The two children were sound asleep, so they did not react at all. ¡°I hear something,¡± he said, shoving Qi Qingyao. ¡°Huh?¡± Qi Qingyao woke up blearily. ¡°Lie down and don¡¯t move.¡± Jiang Yeqian carried Dabao and Xiaobao to the other side. Qi Qingyao hugged Erniu, pulling the nkets around her as she sat up in the darkness. As she was about to ask Jiang Yeqian what was happening, she heard the man next to her say, ¡°I see, so it¡¯s a little snake~¡± Qi Qingyao immediately shuddered,pletely terrified. She was properly awake now. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± she muttered. Under the dim moonlight, she saw three slippery creatures slither in through the window. Their bodies squirmed in the moonlight. ¡°Ahh¡ª¡± Qi Qingyao could not help it. She fainted on the spot. Jiang Yeqian hit the snakes¡¯ weak points and casually captured all three snakes. After he killed them, he threw them off the bed and looked at the unconscious woman, murmuring to herself, ¡°She fainted after seeing a few snakes? What a¡­ weak-hearted woman.¡± He nonchntly pushed the window open slightly and nced outside. Three sneaky figures ran out past the fence, their whispers traveling to him in the wind. ¡°Now we just gottae by tomorrow morning to collect their bodies.¡± ¡°Yeah, we¡¯ll handle the bodies and then take the remaining pork back.¡± ¡°Are you two stupid? The woman sold a ton of meat yesterday, she must have money too!¡± ¡°Hehehe, when that happens, all of it will be ours.¡± ¡­ Jiang Yeqian shook his head andy down exasperatedly, going back to sleep. ¡ªWhen Qi Qingyao woke up, her head felt extremely heavy. She sat up and realized that the three children were surrounding her, wide awake. ¡°Mommy, you¡¯re awake.¡± ¡°I slept in.¡± Qi Qingyao sat up and rubbed her head, only to notice that the children were all dressed. Did that guy help dress them? She turned around to look for him, but the moment she turned, her heart nearly stopped in her chest. She hurriedly pulled her nkets up to wrap herself tightly, her face deathly pale as she asked, ¡°W-W-What are you holding there?¡± Chapter 55 - Nighttime Scare 3

Chapter 55: Nighttime Scare 3

¡°Rx, the three snakes are dead.¡± Jiang Yeqian waved the three dead snakes. As Qi Qingyao looked paler than a sheet, he calmly skinned the snake. ¡°I¡¯ve taken out the poison nds and galldder. The galldder is good for me so you can put it in the medicer. As for the meat, you can make a snake stew! It¡¯s really nutritious!¡± ¡°¡­¡± S-Snake stew?! What, seriously? Qi Qingyao swallowed for some reason. After she told Jiang Yeqian to take the snake outside, she carefully got out of bed and suddenly remembered what she had seen yesterday before passing out. Hastily, she checked the bed-stove and then ran the whole house through a fine-toothedb twice. She only let out a breath of relief when she was sure there were no slithering things around. By the time she cleaned herself up, she realized that Jiang Yeqian had kindly sliced the snake meat up for her. Even so¡­ She did not dare to touch it with her hands. Instead, she sat in front of the stove, boiling the water. Nevertheless, by the time the aroma of meat wafted into the air, she had long since forgotten her fear. The rice congee in the back pot was done. The snake stew at the front was finished, too. The three children held their bowls of congee and sat obediently in front of the short table. When Qi Qingyao served up the snake stew, all of them looked at the food in the bowl with wide eyes! After Qi Qingyao gave them each a scoop, everyone dug in happily. She thought to herself, ¡®As expected of children.¡¯ They were not scared in the slightest. As for her, forget it¡­ Jiang Yeqian wordlessly scooped her a bowl of soup. She looked at the small bowl in front of her, the corner of her mouth twitching slightly. Halfway through their meal, they heard footsteps from the door. Qi Qingyao turned around. The crowd that greeted her gave her a shock. She did not know what had happenedst night, so she stood up and greeted them rather warmly. ¡°Madam Wu, thanks for bringing the whole family over to visit me! I¡¯m honored.¡± Old Man Qi had taken his sons out to capture some poisonous snakes yesterday afternoon and had them release the snakes in her housest night, so he had assumed they would only need toe by to take the meat and money this morning, perhaps bury Qi Qingyao if they felt like it. To their surprise¡­ ¡°Y-Y-You¡­ Why are you alright?¡± Qi Qingyao, ¡°¡­¡± ¡®Hmm? Why shouldn¡¯t I be alright? What was he talking about? ¡®Wait.¡¯ A thought urred to her. Could it be¡­ Well, she was wondering. It was winter, so the snakes should be hibernating now. Why would a few of them enter the house out of nowhere like that? As she mused it over, Qi Qingyao instinctively nced at Jiang Yeqian, who gave her a small but meaningful smile. Qi Qingyao fell silent. They were here to organize her funeral! Yet she had not died¡­ ¡°What¡¯s that smile?¡± Madam Wu could smell an intense aroma of meat in the air, and she frowned. ¡°Why, it¡¯s snake stew,¡± Qi Qingyao said with aposed smile. She held up the soup bowl and asked calmly, ¡°Why don¡¯t you all give it a taste?¡± Old Qi¡¯s family, ¡°¡­¡± Everyone was stunned. Qi Yuancheng and the others were especially bbergasted. They had gone to all that effort to dig up a snake nest and catch those three snakes, even going so far as to let them loose in the house at night. In the end, however, the snakes ended up on the menu!! No, the bigger question was, those snakes were poisonous. How did they catch them? Qi Yuancheng and the others had no more words for this. Madam Wu took a deep breath, her eyes bloodshot as she went on a rant, ¡°Why¡¯s this poor schr at your ce this early in the morning?¡± She jabbed her finger at Jiang Yeqian. Qi Qingyao shrugged and said coolly, ¡°He¡¯s my servant. Where else would he be?¡± Madam Guo had always been on her mother-inw¡¯s side, and when she saw thetter aiming at the man, she quickly reacted with an usation. ¡°Qi Qingyao, don¡¯t tell me he stayed herest night.¡± ¡°Do you have a problem with that?¡± Qi Qingyao put her bowl down without breaking a nerve. Chapter 56 - Ten Taels 1

Chapter 56: Ten Taels 1

¡°You only have one bed here. It¡¯s freezing cold at night, so there¡¯s no way he¡¯s sleeping on the floor!¡± Madam Guo bombarded Qi Qingyao with usations and then turned around toin to Old Man Qi. ¡°Dad, not only did she have children out of wedlock, she¡¯s even hooking up with a random man in front of the children despite being a mother! She even tells outsiders that he¡¯s her servant, hahahahaha! What a joke!¡± Old Man Qi and the other men in the Qi family instinctively looked at Jiang Yeqian, and Old Man Qi barked, his expression dark, ¡°What a shameless woman.¡± Qi Yuanxiu spat on the ground. ¡°The man is no better, where¡¯s his shame? Who knows where he¡¯s from, but here he is hooking up with a widow.¡± Qi Yuanye said in a voice full of contempt, ¡°What are you talking about, Brother? When two pieces of trash get together, of course they wouldn¡¯t care about their shame. They¡¯re stupidly undignified.¡± Qi Qingyao was still all smiles despite their words, as though she was not angered in the slightest. As a result, Madam Wu grew even angrier. ¡°Look at her face! We¡¯re right here, yet she can pretend she¡¯s not hearing any of this at all!¡± ¡°Even babies know shame. There¡¯s nothing you can do to someone so nakedly shameless,¡± Madam Guo added. Madam Tian pulled her mother-inw aside and said softly, ¡°Mom, there are no cracks in her armor at all. We can¡¯t do anything at this rate.¡± Just as Madam Wu was about to nod, she nced at her husband and then at Qi Qingyao. An idea urred to her. ¡°What do you mean there¡¯s nothing we can do?¡± Madam Wu straightened up and stuck out her chest, looking down at Qi Qingyao. ¡°Qi Qingyao, you broke off all rtions with our family, right? In that case, you have no right to stay in our house.¡± ¡°Madam Wu, I moved out of your house ages ago.¡± Qi Qingyao¡¯s drawl had a chilly edge to it. ¡°You moved?¡± Madam Wu was like a ferocious dog dying to take a bite out of Qi Qingyao. ¡°Open your heartless eyes and look carefully. This hut belongs to us too!¡± ¡°¡­¡± Qi Qingyao raised her brows. Madam Guo suddenly realized what her mother-inw was talking about and jumped to her aid. She said viciously, ¡°Your father and brothers worked together to build this hut, and thend belongs to our family too. If you don¡¯t believe me, Yuancheng, go get the deed for thend and show this woman.¡± Qi Yuancheng burst outughing. It seemed like they were getting the pork and the money, after all. Qi Qingyao frowned and looked around at the worn hut. Calmly, she said, ¡°Since you im this ce is yours, madam, we¡¯ll move out.¡± ¡°Sure, you can move.¡± Madam Wu was not going to let this slide so easily, her voice vicious. ¡°You can break off your rtions with us too.¡± With that, she pinched Old Man Qi¡¯s thigh. While the old man yelled, she said quickly, ¡°Qi Qingyao, you must first pay us back for everything we did while raising you all these years.¡± ¡°How much money do you want?¡± Any problem that could be solved with money was not a problem. ¡°Oh, not too much. Ten taels will do.¡± Madam Wu smiled, holding up ten fingers. Everyone else in the family widened their eyes once they heard the figure she demanded. Mom was amazing. How could she ask for such an enormous sum?! There was no way the little fool had that much. Hehe, so what if she did be smarter? There was no way she could escape their control. Chapter 57 - Ten Taels 2

Chapter 57: Ten Taels 2

Madam Wu was all prepared to negotiate with Qi Qingyao. She had evene up with an entire repertoire of cunningebacks. To her surprise, however, Qi Qingyao just said calmly, ¡°If you¡¯re so certain, madam, let¡¯s call the vige head over as a witness. That way, we won¡¯t have to keep quarreling over debts like this.¡± Madam Wu paused and then said, ¡°Yuanxiu, go call Ma Sanye!¡± While they were waiting for Ma Sanye, the visitors from the Qi family stood at the door while Qi Qingyao told everyone else to go back to their meal. They finished up the remaining snake stew. The whole house smelled like meat, making everyone from the Qi family hungry. All of them drooled at the aroma, but they could not say anything. After the meal, Qi Qingyao calmly washed the bowls and just sat there, looking at the visitors with a smile on her face. Five minutester¡­ Ma Sanye arrived in a hurry. ¡°Why are you calling me over again this early in the morning?¡± He sounded hasty, but once he saw Qi Qingyao standing there, pretty as a picture, Ma Sanye felt his temper fading away. Qi Qingyao quickly gave Ma Sanye a brief recap of the events. As the vige head, Ma Sanye immediately flew off the handle. ¡°Ten taels? That¡¯s daylight robbery!¡± After a pause, he said, ¡°Qi Boli, Madam Wu, you two are far too greedy! It¡¯s one thing if you want to stop raising your daughter, and yes, thisnd belongs to you. But now you¡¯re demanding ten taels for raising her! Everyone willugh at you if this gets out. You¡¯d better think it over carefully.¡± Madam Wu gave him a sideways nce, not taking his words to heart. She said boldly, ¡°Vige head, I asked for ten taels, so ten taels it is! This is a matter within the Qi family. We only asked you here to be our witness, not for you to lecture us.¡± The vige head nearly choked on his rage at Madam Wu¡¯s snidement, his head hurting from his anger. ¡°Everyone knows your family only ever fed her leftovers! And now you¡¯re asking for ten taels. Your family has never seen ten taels in your lifetime!¡± Madam Wu snapped back, every word she said aiming to infuriate. Ma Sanye wanted to argue back, when¡­ ¡°Thank you, Ma Sanye.¡± Qi Qingyao smiled and patted his shoulder before pulling him aside, her tone negotiatory. ¡°Could I borrow ten taels from you first? I¡¯ll sign an IOU, and we¡¯ll make the interest another 100%. In other words, I¡¯ll return twenty taels to you. What do you think?¡± Ma Sanye was the vige head, but as a viger in the mountains, even he did not have ten taels. Instead of rejecting Qi Qingyao outright, though, he thought it over and said, ¡°Hang on for a moment, I¡¯ll go collect some money for you. Once the contract is written up, don¡¯t hand it over to her immediately. We¡¯ll discuss this when I get back.¡± ¡°Thank you, Ma Sanye.¡± After he left, Qi Qingyao did not sit back down. Instead, she calmly began to pack her things. As she was about to pack up their clothes, however, Madam Wu immediately said that their Qi family had bought those clothes for them. She was not going to let Qi Qingyao take anything away! Qi Qingyao was silent for a moment. After that, she told Jiang Yeqian to tie up the unsold pork and the remaining few fishes up with rope. The three children did not make a sound the entire time. They were young, but even they knew that things were looking back. Mommy had fallen hard for a dastardly scheme. The entire family surrounded her and demanded ten taels¡­ Ten taels!! Last night, the three of them had been in awe over her two taels¡­ Yet now, all of them agreed that two taels were so little, barely anything at all. Not even enough to pay back the family with! An hourter, Qi Qingyao heard footsteps. When she nced at the road, she saw that Ma Sanye was back with a posse of vigers. Madam Wu was stunned by their numbers. Even Old Man Qi quivered slightly. When Ma Sanye and the vigers walked past the fence, Madam Wuunched her offensive first, screeching, ¡°Ma Sanye, why did you bring all these people? Are you trying to beat us up? I¡¯m warning you, I, Wu Yulian, have proof of everything! Qi Qingyao came from our family, and she¡¯ll need to repay her debts to us if she wants to cut ties with us. If you dare to do anything to us, I¡¯ll sue you in court! You won¡¯t stay vige head for long!¡± Ma Sanye could not be bothered to deal with her nonsense. Instead, he stood in front of Qi Qingyao with all the vigers in tow. He had a tea tray in his hands. The elmwood tray was stacked with a small pile of copper coins. Ma Sanye wiped the rims of his eyes. ¡°Here you go, girl. The entire vige came together to gather these funds for you! I noted down exactly how much each family offered, so settle your debt with the Qi family first!¡± Qi Qingyao blinked. When she looked at the mountain of copper coins, she felt moisture welling in her eyes. Chapter 58 - Ten Taels 3

Chapter 58: Ten Taels 3

After that, she showed Ma Sanye the contract Jiang Yeqian had written. Ma Sanye looked through it and determined that Qi Qingyao would have nothing to do with the Qi family and vice versa before finally putting the copper coins from the tray onto the table. The vigers had all lent Qi Qingyao some money, and now they were furious just looking at the members of the Qi family. ¡°They¡¯ve fed their dignity to the pigs.¡± ¡°It¡¯s one thing if they don¡¯t want to raise their daughter after they gave birth to her, but now they¡¯re extorting her for money!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Eleventh Daughter! You have us! You¡¯ve regained your wits, and we¡¯re all your neighbors. So what if they want you to return them the money? From now on, you just gotta stay as far away from them as possible.¡± They did not lend Qi Qingyao the money because of the high interest rate the vige head mentioned, but because they had bought meat from Qi Qingyao yesterday. They knew she was good at earning money. Now that she was no longer a fool, all the vigers agreed that she would not stay poor for long. The fact that she could hire two beautiful men as her servants was proof of her skill. After some time, Qi Qingyao should be able to earn enough money to pay back what she owed everyone with double the interest. ¡­ Not one member of the Qi family cared about the vigers¡¯ insults. All of them stared at the coins until their eyes bulged. They barely dared to breathe, as though afraid the coins would vanish with a poof. Three secondster, all of them began counting the coins like a family possessed, led by Madam Wu and Old Man Qi. Qi Qingyao watched their insanity without a word. Tsk, such was humanity! As Qi Yuancheng counted the money, he eximed, ¡°Wow! So much money, and it¡¯s all ours!¡± ¡°It¡¯s all ours! Hahahaha!¡± Qi Yuanye was over the moon. Everyone in the family had sparkling eyes. Not a single one cared what the vigers were saying. Ma Sanye chatted with Qi Qingyao for a while longer and she told him to keep the IOU for now. She would definitely return the money within a month, she said, and he just patted her shoulder with augh, telling her there was no need to hurry. While the Qi family counted their money, Madam Guo actually stood up, barking at Qi Qingyao and the others to get out of the house. Qi Qingyao shrugged. Calmly, she gave Jiang Yeqian his orders and picked up the remaining half of the pig carcass. They were leaving. Ma Sanye asked her where they were going, so Qi Qingyao told him her ns. Firstly, she was going to the market at the temple to sell the remaining pork¡­ and she would decide on her next step after that. While they were talking, Qi Qingyao noticed that a young man dressed in white brocade clothing had approached them from a distance. His clothes were even worn and torn. Qi Qingyao asked, ¡°When did you get here?¡± Si Jin scratched his head awkwardly. ¡°I just¡­ got out of bed¡­¡± He then nced around at the Qi family lined up in front of the house, before looking back at Qi Qingyao and her seemingly homeless crew. ¡°What on earth happened here?¡± ¡°Well, I lost the house and owe them twenty taels now.¡± Qi Qingyaoughed and gave him a brief recap. ¡°So these shameless humans stole your house?¡± Si Jin¡¯s little face was filled with fury. ¡°It¡¯s alright! The house looks like it¡¯s gonna copse anytime anyway, you can¡¯t stay here much longer.¡± Qi Qingyao just smiled. After they walked a dozen meters away¡­ There was suddenly a loud crash behind them, scaring Qi Qingyao so badly she leaped into the air. The three children were even more startled, and Xiaobao burst out crying. Qi Qingyao hurriedly gathered him into her arms andforted him. Si Jin crouched down and patted Dabao¡¯s and Erniu¡¯s heads. Miraculously, the two children instantly stopped crying. Ma Sanye and the vigers were the first to turn around. When they saw the source of the noise, their mouths fell open. Once Qi Qingyao calmed Xiaobao down, she turned around to look as well. What she saw left her gobsmacked. ¡°Do my eyes deceive me?¡± She elbowed Jiang Yeqian. ¡°No.¡± Jiang Yeqian looked in the same direction, exasperated. The Qi family was still counting pennies in the front yard. However, the hut behind them hadpletely copsed¡­ Chapter 59 - Ten Taels 4

Chapter 59: Ten Taels 4

The whole scene was deathly silent. A strange awkwardness had fallen over everyone in an instant. No one dared to make a sound. Until¡­ ¡°What the heck?! Hahahaha, the house freaking fell.¡± Qi Qingyao burst outughing, and the crowd was once more taken aback. Once she caught her breath, Qi Qingyao grinned at the Qi family, who were still frozen in shock. ¡°You guys wanted the house, right? Ten taels in exchange for my life? Why the frick not!¡± The Qi family, ¡°¡­¡± Each of them swallowed their saliva in trepidation, staring dazedly at the copsed hut. If anyone else in the vige had their roof fall down over their heads, the vigers would surely pitch in some help. This time, however, everyone just looked away. Ma Sanye even dragged Qi Qingyao and the others away as fast as possible. Qi Qingyao gave Si Jin a sideways look. ¡°You just had to jinx it, didn¡¯t you? Once you said that, the house fell apart.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Si Jin scratched his head a little awkwardly. Ma Sanye leaped to his defense. ¡°Eleventh Daughter, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s the boy¡¯s fault. Think about it, the house didn¡¯t have very strong foundations to begin with, and they used the cheapest wood too. Maybe your no-good father was even waiting for the day the roof fell on you and your kids, killing you all. He just didn¡¯t think it wouldst this long without copsing. The roof was made of straw, and it rained so heavily during the summer. Plus, there¡¯s been so much snowtely too. The summer rain must have eroded the foundations, and the consecutive days of snow took down the roof. It¡¯s perfectly normal for the house to copse all of a sudden like that.¡± Qi Qingyao said, ¡°Vige head, you¡¯re taking this really seriously, huh?¡± ¡°I¡¯m just analyzing it logically,¡± Ma Sanye said with augh. The other vigers thought his reasoning made sense too. It was natural for the house to copse. Thank goodness Qi Qingyao and her children had moved out of it. Otherwise, they would have been killed by the rubble! Ma Sanye said, ¡°Eleventh Daughter, just work hard for now and earn enough money to raise your three kids. Don¡¯t worry about the money you owe us! You can return itter, now you just gotta focus on keeping yourselves alive.¡± Qi Qingyao nodded slightly. Ma Sanye looked at the three silent children and said suddenly, ¡°Eleventh Daughter, if you really want somend to build a house, I can use my position as vige head to invite everyone to a meeting. We can give you somend so you can build your new house!~¡± Old Yang¡¯s wife added, ¡°That¡¯s right. The other girls don¡¯t havend because they married into other viges. You¡¯ve always been here, so you¡¯re one of us. It¡¯s only right we give you a piece ofnd.¡± The vige rules stated that any man who grew up and started his own family could get somend for him to build a house on. As for the women, most of them married away from the vige once they came of age, so they did not get anynd. Nevertheless, rules could be changed. If the entire vige agreed and the vige head put his stamp of approval, she could definitely get her share. ¡°Thank you for your kindness, vige head. But let me focus on paying everyone back first,¡± Qi Qingyao said. After she bid the vigers goodbye, she led the triplets, Jiang Yeqian, and Si Jin to the temple fair at the koi temple. People were already setting up stalls at the marketce there. If they arrived toote, they might not even get a good spot. Jiang Yeqian was carrying the pig, his expression stormy the entire way. Inwardly he wondered if he had ever been in such a pathetic state, carrying half a pig carcass on his back¡­ If his subordinates happened to see this, he would never be able to show his face around them again! Si Jin seemed to notice Jiang Yeqian¡¯s foul mood, so he happily volunteered to take the pig instead. Jiang Yeqian handed the pig carcass over to Si Jin expressionlessly. Si Jin looked especially happy to carry the pig, even chatting andughing with the triplets as they walked. Jiang Yeqian pulled Qi Qingyao aside and asked her in a low voice, ¡°Why is he following us?¡± ¡°I thought he wanted something from me before, but now I have nothing for him to take. In that case, what¡¯s wrong with getting another servant to order around for free?¡± Qi Qingyao was pleased with herself. Jiang Yeqian, ¡°¡­¡± She already had him to order around, so why would she want another mysterious stranger?! What was this woman thinking? Qi Qingyao gave him a sideways look and said with a ghost of a smile, ¡°If you still refuse to pay me back, I¡¯ll sell you first once I¡¯ve truly hit rock-bottom. If that happens, I won¡¯t have a servant anymore¡­ so I should prepare a spare, right?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll return the money as soon as possible,¡± Jiang Yeqian said through gritted teeth. ¡°What?¡± Qi Qingyao was shocked. ¡°Are you really nning to sell yourself?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Or at least a kidney?¡± Chapter 60 - Setting Up A Market Stall 1

Chapter 60: Setting Up A Market Stall 1

Even when the triplets were exhausted from all the walking, they would not ask Qi Qingyao to carry them of their own ord. At the most, they would mumble that they needed a break because their leggies were tired. It was only when Qi Qingyao saw that they could not walk no matter how much they wanted to that she finally remembered they were too young. Their legs were not as robust as an adult¡¯s. She bent down and picked Erniu up, but that meant she could not carry Dabao or Xiaobao anymore. The two boys pursed their lips, blinking theirrge, adorably expressive eyes. Although they did not ask him to carry them, they grabbed one of Jiang Yeqian¡¯s legs each anyway. Jiang Yeqian looked down and met their big round eyes, their pleading gazes. Exasperated, he crouched down and wrapped each one of hisrge arms around the boys, letting them sit in the crook of his arms. All three children fell asleep not long after they were picked up. The three adults carried each of their heavy burdens and hurried to the vicinity of the koi temple. Qingzhou had four koi temples, and they were very popr among the local citizens. Apparently there was a beautiful legend from three hundred years ago, when a young woman fished up a beautiful koi but released it instead of eating it. After that, the girl who was raised poor found fortune flowing into her family. She even made it from her vige straight into the capital city, marrying the emperor of Northern Liang and winning all his favor. That was not where the story ended, either. After the emperor passed away, the girl personally killed her own son, the crown prince at the time. She eventually took the throne of Northern Liang for herself. Since then, Northern Liang had been ruled by a line of female emperors. The current one was the seventh. The koi temples were established by that girl from the legends. To be precise, there were five koi temples, including Bailong Temple at the center of them all! The four koi temples were located at the north, south, east, and west of Bailong Temple, as though Bailong Temple ruled over them all. The vigers said that it was because of the old saying. ¡°A koi that leaped through the dragon gate would be a dragon.¡± That was why these koi temples were always popr with the popce. There was a constant stream of devotees on the quieter days, and during the temple fair on the first and fifteenth days of every month, there would be a veritable crowd around them. When Qi Qingyao andpany arrived, the stalls with a good location around the koi temple had already been imed. The three of them randomly chose a spot, and Qi Qingyao quickly bought a piece of wood to rest the pig on. Once that was done, the cautious Jiang Yeqian noticed that a lot of stall owners were already looking at him. He held his hand out to Qi Qingyao, saying, ¡°Give me a copper-cash.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Qi Qingyao demanded fiercely. ¡°I want to buy a mask,¡± Jiang Yeqian said. ¡°Why do you want a mask all of a sudden? You¡¯re not exactly painful on the eyes.¡± She was hoping he could use his face to attract a few female customers. How was he supposed to sell his looks if he wore a mask? ¡°I think it was a powerhouse who injured me that time. Now that I lost my memory, I can¡¯t be sure if my enemies will show up at this fair. Just in case, I should wear a mask,¡± Jiang Yeqian said calmly. That made sense to Qi Qingyao. He still owed her a thousand taels. If he was killed before he regained his memory, all her ns would go to naught. In that case, Qi Qingyao gave her a dozen copper-cashes and hastened him to buy a new set of clothing as well as the mask he wanted! In no time at all, Jiang Yeqian bought two sets of new clothing from nearby stores. The clothes were very simple, gray outfits washed with starch. After he put them on, he quickly blended into the surroundings like a chameleon¡­ and then he bought an ox-head mask at the mask stall! He put it on and quietly walked back to the others. Qi Qingyao jumped in surprise when she saw him. Chapter 61 - Setting Up A Market Stall 2

Chapter 61: Setting Up A Market Stall 2

Her mouth twitching, she gave him an insincerepliment. ¡°That mask sure is intricate.¡± Si Jin looked at the mask and told Qi Qingyao, ¡°I want to buy a mask too.¡± ¡°No, you can¡¯t wear one.¡± Qi Qingyao shot him down resolutely. ¡°?¡± Si Jin pursed his lips, hurt. His gaze seemed to use her of choosing favorites. She had given Jiang Yeqian money, but she would not even let him buy a mask. Qi Qingyao did not feel the slightest bit guilty. ¡°You¡¯re basically a walking signboard. Just stand there, and people mighte to buy our pork just based on your looks alone.¡± She already lost one mascot, she could not lose them both! Si Jin¡¯s shoulders slumped. He said in a low voice, ¡°I used to be a servant at a wealthy family. I¡­ I just escaped from there, so if my previous master finds me¡­¡± ¡°Fine, fine. Get yourself a mask.¡± Qi Qingyao waved her hand, distraught. A whileter, Si Jin came skipping back with a horse-face mask. Qi Qingyao looked to either side of her. One had an ox-head and the other a horse-face. Her face fell. ¡°Hey, you two! Why Ox-head and Horse-face? What does that make me, Yanluo Wang the King of Hell?¡± Neither Jiang Yeqian nor Si Jin said anything. Qi Qingyao rolled her eyes exasperatedly and turned around to tell the three sleepy toddlers, ¡°You three, sit under that tree over there and y nice. Your two uncles and I are in charge of selling the meat. Si Jin, you cut the meat. Jiang Bai, you weigh it. I¡¯m the cashier. No objections, I take it?¡± ¡°No objections!¡± The three children grabbed some straw and sat under the tree obediently. ¡°I object!¡± Jiang Yeqian said. Qi Qingyao narrowed her eyes and grinned at him. ¡°Are you saying that you¡¯re all style and no substance? You don¡¯t know how to use the weighing scales?¡± A-All style and no substance¡­ Jiang Yeqian nearly had an aneurysm. Qi Qingyao stared at his ox-head and said kindly, ¡°Oh, just so you know, don¡¯t tell me you don¡¯t know how to use scales because you lost your memory. If you don¡¯t know, freaking learn! If you can¡¯t figure it out, I¡¯ll sell you to the brothel as a gigolo to pay back your debt!¡± Jiang Yeqian, ¡°¡­¡± Si Jin¡¯s expression under the horse-face mask was one of admiration. ¡°So cool.¡± ¡°You think so?¡± Qi Qingyao harrumphed. ¡°Don¡¯t act cute to try and affect my judgment. Slice up the meat, get to it.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Si Jin immediately got to work. The corners of Jiang Yeqian¡¯s lips twitched. ¡°Don¡¯t you think you¡¯re like¡­¡± ¡°A pimp forcing nice girls into prostitution? That¡¯s what you wanted to say, right?¡± Qi Qingyao asked nonchntly. Jiang Yeqian hastily shook his head. ¡°No, no. You¡¯re not a pimp, and I¡¯m not a prostitute!¡± ¡°Hmph.¡± ¡­ The triplets sat under the tree, watching Qi Qingyao as she stormed around in front of the stall. Xiaobao whispered to his older siblings, ¡°Is it just me, or is Mommy especially worked up today?¡± ¡°Worked up? More like explosive.¡± Si Jin was done cutting up the meat, but there were no customers yet, so he walked over to join in the conversation. ¡°Uncle, why¡­¡± do you think so? Before the toddler couldplete that sentence, Si Jin interrupted him. ¡°Call me Big Brother.¡± ¡°But you¡¯re not that much younger than the other uncle.¡± Xiaobao pointed at the Ox-head pitifully. Erniu added, ¡°He¡¯s almost twenty years older than us. Of course we should call him Uncle.¡± Si Jin, ¡°¡­¡± Jiang Yeqian could hear what was going on behind him, so he said evenly, ¡°Uncle Si Jin, cut the nonsense and get back to slicing up the meat.¡± Si Jin, ¡°¡­¡± ¡­ While the two of them traded barbs, Qi Qingyao sat in front of the stall, deep in thought. She had no idea how much they could earn today, but it would definitely not be enough to repay her debt to the vigers. At this rate, she would have to delve into the mountain again. If she could just find another ginseng¡­ ¡­ On the other hand, after Qi Qingyao¡¯s small hut copsed, the Qi family were not unduly bothered. They simply returned home gleefully. Once in the main hall, theyunched into a heated discussion. Everyone had to put a word in to decide how to distribute the ten taels! All of a sudden, there was a knock on the door. It sounded slightly familiar. Madam Wu frowned. Chapter 62 - Setting Up A Market Stall 3

Chapter 62: Setting Up A Market Stall 3

The familiar knocking made everyone pause their ¡°loot division¡±. Old Man Qi gave Qi Yuanye a look, and thetter pursed his lips. Qi Yuanye walked hurriedly walked to the front door and asked through the door boards, ¡°Who is it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s me!¡± Qi Yuanye recognized his older sister¡¯s voice, so he opened the door. The one outside was none other than the second child of the Qi family, Qi Qingzhu. From the oldest to the youngest, Old Man Qi¡¯s children were Qi Yuancheng, Qi Qingzhu, Qi Qingyao, Qi Yuanxiu, and Qi Yuanye. The second child, Qi Qingzhu, married into another family ages ago. She married into the Sun family from the next town, Xingli Vige. The Sun family used to have their ownnd, but their old father fell sick and needed money for his treatment. Her husband Sun Shuli sold their little bit ofnd for money, but they still could not save his father. After Old Man Sun died, Sun Shuli took what little money they had left and rented somend from the Zhou family in Guanli Town. Now, he was a sharecropper and their family finances were terrible. Qi Qingzhu was working for arger family in Qingzhou City to earn what she could for the family. This time, she was back to visit because her masters had given her some time off. After she dropped by to see her son and daughter, she thought she might as well visit her maiden family too. Madam Wu heard her daughter¡¯s voice and walked out of the hall. When she saw Qi Qingzhu, she looked overjoyed. ¡°My, my, my daughter¡¯s back.¡± ¡°You sure are back right in time, lil sis.¡± Qi Yuancheng shrugged, his tone somewhat cynical. His wife Madam Guo wore a smile that did not reach her eyes as well. The fourth and fifth son¡¯s wives did not look particrly pleased either. All of them were thinking that their sister-inw showed up today of all days, just when they were about to split the ten taels. What a coincidence, eh?! ¡°??¡± Qi Qingzhu could not understand why her brothers¡¯ wives were all looking at her like that. It was slightly annoying. She was only here to see her mother as usual. Why were her sisters-inw turning up their noses at her? Did she offend them in some way? Only her mother was ecstatic to see her. In fact, the woman looked a little full of herself¡­ Qi Qingzhu could not hold back her curiosity, so she asked, ¡°Why do you look so happy? Did something good happen?¡± ¡°Oh, yes! Definitely!¡± Madam Wu was all smiles. She pointed at the ten strings of coins on the tea tray. Qi Qingzhu followed her gaze and froze. She blinked, her mindpletely nk. She had no idea how to react. Madam Guo shoved her husband hard, and Qi Yuancheng hastily cleared his throat. ¡°Qingzhu, you married away from the family, so of course you don¡¯t get a share of this money.¡± Qi Qingzhu had to know what had happened. Madam Wu took her hand and told her about everything that had happened. Of course, she selectively failed to mention the part where Old Man Qi threw Qi Qingyao out to fend for herself. Madam Wu thought that Qi Qingzhu would be happy for the family after she heard the whole story. After all, they had gotten the money and rid themselves of those burdens. It was nothing but good news. However, Qi Qingzhu¡¯s expression turned solemn and she said, ¡°Mom, there¡¯s something I have to tell you alone.¡± ¡°Why can¡¯t you tell me in front of your brothers?¡± Madam Wu was in a hurry to split up the money. She did not want to leave the ten strings of coins!¡± ¡°I want to talk to you about Lil Sister, Mom,¡± Qi Qingzhu said, emphasizing her words. ¡°¡­¡± Madam Wu had no choice but to turn to the others. ¡°The rest of you, wait here for now. I¡¯ll go inside and talk to Qingzhu for a while.¡± Chapter 63 - Setting Up A Market Stall 4

Chapter 63: Setting Up A Market Stall 4

After the two of them went inside, Madam Wu read her daughter¡¯s gaze and knew what she wanted to say, so she took the initiative and broke the silence first. ¡°I know what you want to say. She¡¯s your sister, right? You think we¡¯re being cruel and going overboard. If that¡¯s what you want to say, you can save it. I don¡¯t want to hear it.¡± ¡°But Yaoyao is still your daughter. What were you and Dad thinking? How could you disown her?¡± Qi Qingzhu was frustrated. Her head even hurt slightly. ¡°Qi Qingyao doesn¡¯t respect your father and me at all. She has no right to be my daughter,¡± Madam Wu said remorselessly. Qi Qingzhu was exasperated. After a long silence, she said gently, ¡°Mom, you¡¯re her mother. Parents shouldn¡¯t hold such grudges over their children. Yuancheng, Yuanxiu, and Yuanye were rude to you two countless times, and they nearly gave Dad a heart attack out of anger! Why didn¡¯t Dad try to disown them? Is it because Yaoyao is a girl? Is it because you think of her as a burden? Is that why you were so cruel to her?¡± ¡°Qingzhu, you don¡¯t understand.¡± Madam Wu¡¯s gaze wasplicated. ¡°You¡¯re right, I don¡¯t.¡± Qi Qingzhu said painfully, ¡°If one day I do something to harm the Qi family, Mom, will you disown me too?¡± ¡°Qingzhu, you¡¯re not like Qi Qingyao.¡± Madam Wu held her daughter¡¯s hand andforted her. ¡°How are we different? Yaoyao and I are both your daughters.¡± Qi Qingyao thumped her chest, her eyes filled with tears. ¡°Mom, I married away from the family, so Yaoyao is your only daughter left. Yes, she did some terrible things in the past, but she¡¯s a fool. You know that. Even if she is, her children have our Qi family blood. Theirst name is Qi, they¡¯re part of the family!¡± Madam Wu immediately said, ¡°No, they¡¯re not. Her b*stards aren¡¯t part of the family. All they ever do is leech off of us.¡± ¡°If you hate them so much, why didn¡¯t you drown her in a pig cage once you realized she had gotten pregnant out of wedlock?¡± Qi Qingzhu asked. ¡°You think I didn¡¯t want to?¡± Madam Wu retorted almost instantly. Qi Qingzhu¡¯s pupils dted. ¡°Mom, you¡¯re scary.¡± Madam Wu noticed that Qi Qingzhu looked somewhat distant from her now, so she hurriedly said, ¡°Qingzhu, you¡¯re my only real daughter. Don¡¯t hate your dad and me.¡± As soon as she said that, someone opened the door. Old Man Qi poked his head inside and asked, ¡°Are you two done talking yet?¡± Madam Wu hastily pulled Old Man Qi inside and said helplessly, ¡°Hey, old man, Qingzhu¡¯s starting to think that I¡¯d kick her out of the family someday.¡± Old Man Qi was surprised. Madam Wu¡¯s voice grew smaller as she said, ¡°Should we¡­ tell her the truth about Qi Qingyao. At this rate, she¡¯ll think we¡¯re made of stone.¡± Qi Qingzhu, ¡°???¡± And so Madam Wu told Qi Qingzhu about the truth from back then¡­ Neen years ago, in thest month of the year, there was a night with extremely heavy snow. In the middle of the night, the Qi family heard a baby¡¯s wail from the door, scaring them all. Qi Boli¡¯s father, Qi Yunzhen, had been an infamous thug in town at the time, and he had put on his clothes to open the door. He found a bundle on the doorstep, with a baby that had almost frozen to death bundled up inside. The old man had no choice but to bring the baby inside. She had been only a few months old, and after he wrapped her in a nket to warm her up, he undid her dirty covers, only to discover that the material was surprisingly soft and delicate. Inside the bundle, he found more than ten taels of silvers, a jade pendant, and a white jade ring. It just so happened that Madam Wu had been staying at home breastfeeding for most of that year. She had not gone out at all. When she saw the money, she excitedly volunteered to raise the child in exchange for the money. The old man had agreed¡­ and he told everyone else that the child was Madam Wu¡¯s. Since there was a precedence with Qi Qingzhu¡¯s name, he christened the baby Qi Qingyao. As for why he chose the name Yao¡­ It meant ¡®without a trace¡¯, referring to how no one knew who her real parents were. Chapter 64 - Setting Up A Market Stall 5

Chapter 64: Setting Up A Market Stall 5

After Madam Wu exined everything, she was worried her daughter would not believe her, so she even went through the box under the bed-stove and rummaged through it for a while before emerging with a handkerchief. She unfolded it carefully and revealed a beautiful jade amulet and the white jade ring. Qi Qingzhu took the amulet. It was cool to the touch, and she examined it closely. Rather than an amulet, it was more like a jade tablet. The tablet was the size of her palm and had a phoenix engraved on it. There were words carved in the back, in what looked like seal script. She could not read them, though. Qi Qingzhu then looked at the white jade ring. There was another engraving on the inner side of the band, but she could not read that either. ¡°So you¡¯re saying Yaoyao isn¡¯t my younger sister by blood,¡± Qi Qingzhu said slowly. Madam Wu lowered her voice. ¡°If she really is my daughter, would I treat her like that?¡± ¡°But she¡¯s still part of our family,¡± Qi Qingzhu said. Madam Wu took the keepsakes back from Qi Qingzhu and said, ¡°When she was younger, she was really pretty. She grew sweeter with every day, and all of us thought that with her looks, she would definitely be able to marry the son of a wealthy family in Qingzhou City! But then she lost her wits! And she even gave birth to three burdens!¡± How unlucky! Qi Qingzhu said furiously, ¡°Yaoyao lost her wits because you two wouldn¡¯t get her treated in time when she fell ill! The fever addled her brain!¡± ¡°What¡¯s the point in mentioning that now?¡± Qi Boli held his head. ¡°In any case, we raised her, right? We¡¯ve done all we can.¡± ¡°Have you?¡± Qi Qingzhu watched her mother hide the items into the box again and said, ¡°They gave you so much money to raise her, and you¡¯re still demanding money from her!¡± ¡°We raised her, and that counts for more than money! It¡¯s only right that she pays us more in return! Does she have any idea how much trouble she caused our family after she became a fool?¡± Madam Wu said matter-of-factly. Qi Qingzhu could not believe how unreasonable her mother was being. ¡°Dad, Mom, if you want to cut ties with her, shouldn¡¯t you give the tablet and ring back to Yaoyao? She has the right to know her real identity.¡± ¡°Know what?¡± Madam Wu¡¯s gaze turned wary. ¡°I told you about this today, but don¡¯t you go telling anyone! I n to make that ring and tablet our family heirlooms. At worst¡­ When we really have no choice, we can pawn it at the store for money!¡± Qi Qingzhu, ¡°¡­¡± ¡­ At the market¡­ As time ticked past, the sun somehow came out at noon! As a result, even people from other viges nearby came to visit the temple fair. Qi Qingyao had been all hyped and ready to do business, but after a long time, she did not receive a single client. She then turned around to look at Ox-head and Horse-face on either side of her. ¡°Your masks must be scaring them away. No one¡¯s buying our meat.¡± Jiang Yeqian, ¡°¡­¡± Si Jin, ¡°¡­¡± Si Jin scratched his head awkwardly and shouted of his own ord, ¡°Fresh boar meat, freshly hunted. Two maces per catty, hurry up while stocksst! If you¡¯rete, there will be nothing left but bones!¡± The young man¡¯s voice was clear and sweet, quite pleasing to the ears. However¡­ Once others saw his horse-head, they simply turned away. Qi Qingyao grew anxious like a cat on a hot tin roof. She looked at her fresh pork and gave it some thought. Then, she stood up and yelled at the crowd, ¡°Free-range pork, the first of its kind in Qingzhou! ¡°You are what you eat! The fresher the food, the younger you look! ¡°Of all the delicacies under the sky, pork is the healthiest!¡± Chapter 65 - Setting Up A Market Stall 6

Chapter 65: Setting Up A Market Stall 6

¡°Healthy pork! Nothing but the best for your family! ¡°Natural is good! Keep your family happy and healthy! ¡°The best pork for the best people! ¡°Your family¡¯s health is our guarantee! You can¡¯t beat this quality!¡± ¡­ Her barrage of advertising slogans, not one of them repetitious, made Jiang Yeqian¡¯s eyes widen. As he watched her yell at the top of her lungs in the middle of the road, he could not help but frown. What a strange woman. At first, he thought she was just an undignified woman who was stupid enough to get pregnant out of wedlock. However, she took him by surprise over and over again, overturning all his presuppositions. Qi Qingyao¡¯s new and unprecedented slogans attracted a lot of curious onlookers. They walked over to her stall to look at the pork she was selling, and they even stole a nce at the person in the Horse-face mask slicing up the meat! ¡°This pork does look good,¡± a woman said approvingly, holding up a piece of belly meat. Qi Qingyao rubbed the head of the child in the woman¡¯s arms and beamed as she said, ¡°You¡¯re pretty,dy, and your kid¡¯s cute too! Do you want a catty of pork? You can braise it for your husband and children back home~¡± ¡°Sounds good, gimme a catty!¡± Jiang Yeqian quickly weighed out the meat. When the woman took the money out of her wallet, she counted it twice and made sure she had exactly the right number of copper-cashes before she handed them over to Qi Qingyao. Qi Qingyao bowed and thanked her. ¡°Could you give us a discount?¡± An older man came up next. Qi Qingyao¡¯s eyes immediately reddened. She wiped her red-rimmed, tear-filled eyes and said pitifully, ¡°Sorry, sir, but look behind me. I have three toddlers to raise! You have your kid with you too, so I¡¯m sure you know it isn¡¯t easy raising children. My husband worked so hard to get this wild boar, and it even bit half of his leg off. See the two men behind me? They went hunting with him, and the boar bit their faces off. That¡¯s why they¡¯re wearing masks. I¡¯m just a woman, and all I can think of is earning money to help treat my husband¡¯s leg. Sigh, at this rate he¡¯ll have to rely on a cane for the rest of his life. That hunt¡­ will probably be hisst!¡± Jiang Yeqian was in awe at the way she could spin tall tales at the drop of a hand. She did not even have a husband, so how could he have lost a leg? As for needing money for treatment¡­ The woman was an aplished storyteller. ¡°Poor thing. Give me two catties, then.¡± ¡°I want two catties too.¡± ¡°I run a small restaurant in town. Give me five.¡± ¡°One for me¡­¡± The stall soon became crowded with paying customers. Qi Qingyao could barely count the money fast enough. The three toddlers under the tree at the back were stunned by what they saw. They could not believe their eyes when they saw the money umting in their mother¡¯s hands. ¡°Mommy¡¯s amazing.¡± Erniu¡¯s eyes widened as she gasped in adorable awe. Xiaobao was so excited at the back that he could not help but apud quietly. ¡°We earned so much money.¡± Erniu turned to look at Dabao, her voice sounding a little stuffy as she ventured, ¡°Dabao, do you think I could ask Mommy to buy me a candied hawter?¡± ¡°I want some too. Let¡¯s ask Mommy togetherter.¡± With all the money Mommy was earning, Dabao thought they should be able to afford a candied haw. Xiaobao¡¯s expression turned stern and he said stubbornly, ¡°Have you two forgotten? Mommy owes the vigers twenty taels!¡± ¡°¡­¡± Dabao and Erniu froze at the same time. Dabao¡¯s eyes filled with tears as he looked at Xiaobao resentfully. He forced a smile, saying, ¡°Xiaobao, a candied haw costs barely anything.¡± ¡°Every coin counts!¡± Xiaobao insisted single-mindedly. ¡°Alright.¡± Dabao sighed. Xiaobao added, ¡°We don¡¯t even have a ce to live anymore. We might have to spend the night outdoors, yet all you can think about is candied haws!¡± Dabao and Erniu both reddened from shame at Xiaobao¡¯s lecture. Chapter 66 - Setting Up A Market Stall 7

Chapter 66: Setting Up A Market Stall 7

The temple fair of the Koi Temple was held on every first and fifteenth day of the month. It was extremely crowded to the extent that everyone was almost shoulder to shoulder. The bargains that go as cheap as only a few cents made the fair a crowd favorite, thus causing the entire ce to be jam-packed with people. Erniu suddenly noticed something. A raggedly dressed and bearded man who looked as poor as them was looking in their direction. She nervously pulled the corner of Dabao and Xiaobao¡¯s clothes. ¡°Dabao, Xiaobao, you two look over there.¡± Dabao and Xiaobao curiously looked over at the same time. Dabao cocked his head and said, ¡°That strange old man keeps staring at Mother!¡± Xiaobao pondered for a moment. ¡°Maybe he¡¯s just hungry and wants to buy meat¡­¡± Just after she finished talking, the old man looked towards them with envy in his eyes. He then felt his pockets, looking conflicted. He looked up at thest few pieces of meat Qi Qingyao was selling, smacking his lips. Finally, he started making small hesitant steps until he was in front of Qi Qingyao¡¯s stall. Qi Qingyao looked up from the money she was counting. She did not discriminate against the old man because of his tattered clothing, but asked with a smile, ¡°How many catty of meat do you want to buy, uncle?¡± ¡°I, I don¡¯t have any money,¡± The poor old man said. ¡°¡­¡± ¡®Are you joking around with me? I assumed that you could afford the meat despite your tattered clothing, but you can¡¯t and you¡¯re telling me that you don¡¯t have the money! What now? Are you asking me to do charity?¡¯ Qi Qingyao¡¯s expression was stone cold. If she was rich now, she could give him a catty of meat without a problem. Unfortunately, she was now as poor as he was. She had not cleared all her debts and she had nowhere to live for the night. The money she earned today was not even enough to pay off her debts! There is no way she can give him the meat for free! Qi Qingyao would not reveal her honest thoughts to the old man, as he had to her, of course. She calmly replied, ¡°Uncle, you¡¯re such a charming man. You¡¯re so unique, so extraordinary! Look at your mncholy eyes, your stubble, and not to mention your elegant and bold fashion choice! They are all deeply astonishing to me! I am fairly confident that you are notpletely devoid of any valuables!¡± Jiang Yeqian, ¡°???¡± Sijin, ¡°¡­¡± The three children, ¡°Wow!¡± Mother is so good at praising other people! The old man was so touched upon hearing that. He puffed up his chest and stopped slouching. He said, ¡°If I don¡¯t have money, can I exchange the pork with something?¡± ¡°Exchange?¡± Did the old man really have something valuable? Qi Qingyao said calmly, ¡°Of course I can, but I have to see if what you have is valuable enough.¡± ¡°How about this?¡± The man rummaged around in his clothes for a while and took out a dragon jade pendant. Qi Qingyao¡¯s brow twitched. A dragon jade pendant! The old man handed the pendant to Qi Qingyao. ¡°I came across this a while ago. I want to exchange it for two catty of meat. It should be no problem, shouldn¡¯t it?¡± Qi Qingyao took it and checked it over repeatedly to ensure that it was real jade. ¡°Old man, I can¡¯t be sure of the origin of this pendant.¡± She asked cautiously, ¡°Are you sure you didn¡¯t steal it?¡± ¡°Do I look like a thief?¡± The old man eximed confidently, ¡°I picked it up by the river some time ago!¡± ¡°¡­¡± Qi Qingyao smiled and said nothing. Just when she wanted to speak¡­ ¡°You can exchange this for meat.¡± Jiang Yeqian tied up some meat with rope for the old man. ¡°Two catty of meat, take it.¡± ¡°This¡­ man with a bull¡¯s head is better at doing business,¡± The old man praised Jiang Yeqian, and then left happily. Chapter 67 - Inside the Temple of the Koi Fish God 1

Chapter 67: Inside the Temple of the Koi Fish God 1

After the old man left, Qi Qingyao looked at Jiang Yeqian and asked crossly, ¡°Who told you that you could give him meat?¡± ¡°That pendant looked quite valuable. With its quality, it¡¯s easily worth even the meat of ten pigs.¡± Jiang Yeqian put on a facade of calmness. That dragon jade pendant was given to him by the emperor the past year. His name was written on its back with seal script, but this woman would surely not recognize it, considering how illiterate she was. He had thought that it had fallen into the river, but it was picked up by an old man, and now it had made its way back to him. This was fate! ¡°What if it¡¯s stolen goods? I would be getting into trouble!¡± After she said that, a thought appeared in her mind. ¡®This pendant was picked up by the river. Was it something he had lost? Was that why he was so desperate to get his hands on it again?¡¯ Qi Qingyao thought about it, her face filled with doubt. ¡°Toss it back into the river then,¡± Jiang Yeqian said calmly. ¡°That can¡¯t do. I gave out two catty of pork in exchange for this. How can I toss it into the river?¡± If this pendant really was something this guy had lost, she would be able to get some money out of him after he regained his memories. Hehe! Qi Qingyao said, ¡°If the material¡¯s good, I¡¯ll keep it.¡± And then she stuffed it into her clothes. More people came to purchase meat. Qi Qingyao had wanted to reserve two catty for herself, but she failed to in the end. All the meat was sold. After that, Jiang Yeqian and Sijin took a break at the side while Qi Qingyao alone held a huge pile of copper coins in her arms. She started counting the money in front of the three children. She counted twice and looped all the coins with rope. She ensured that she had thirteen loops in her hand. She eximed in her mind, ¡®If I didn¡¯t boast this morning and say things like ¡°I¡¯ll return double¡±, I can clear all my debts by now!¡¯ ¡®And after adding the two loops of coins here, I would¡¯ve had money remaining too!¡¯ Ah, whatever. Qi Qingyao was about to get up when Erniu pulled on the hem of Qi Qingyao¡¯s shirt and looked at her with her watery big eyes. She said softly, ¡°Mommy, I¡¯m hungry.¡± Qi Qingyao froze. She then looked at the sun. It was already three in the afternoon. They had not eaten since breakfast earlier. Sheughed embarrassedly, ¡°Ah, hahaha, look at me! I¡¯m doing business and I forgot about you three! Let¡¯s go, everything¡¯s sold out, so we¡¯ll go eat now. And we¡¯ll enjoy the temple festival too!¡± The children were so happy. Their faces were all blushing. It was a cute sight. The temple festival was more vacant by now. They had just taken a few steps into thepound when Dabao stopped in his tracks, staring at the hawker selling sugar gourds. He stared at them greedily. ¡°Mother~¡± ¡°You sound so cute. What do you want, Dabao?¡± Qi Qingyao squatted down and asked amicably. ¡°I want a sugar gourd~ Can I have one?¡± Dabao was staring at his fingers as he said this. He peeked at Qi Qingyao carefully, afraid that she would be angry at him. Erniu said adorably, ¡°Mother, the three of us will share one. We don¡¯t need more. Can we have one?¡± ¡°Of course?¡± Xiaobao was just about to say something when Qi Qingyao generously said, ¡°Each of you will get one!¡± Xiaobao, ¡°¡­¡± Would he get one too? He was about to tell his mother that this was a great waste of money and that the four of them could share one, but he swallowed all his words when a sugar gourd was handed to him. He could see nothing but the sugar gourd in front of him. Ah. She had already bought it¡­ He would just eat it. The children were so excited as they held one sugar gourd each. Even Qi Qingyao did not resemble an adult at all as she bit on a sugar gourd happily. It was only after she had finished hers that she remembered the existence of the two adult fools behind her. She turned back and asked while nibbling on her sugar gourd, ¡°Do you want one?¡± Jiang Yeqian and Sijin shook their heads. Qi Qingyao grinned. ¡°I offered you so generously but the two of you refused to have one. Don¡¯t say that I don¡¯t buy things for you.¡± Jiang Yeqian said, ¡°Childish.¡± Chapter 68 - Inside the Temple of the Koi Fish God 2

Chapter 68: Inside the Temple of the Koi Fish God 2

Qi Qingyao was in a good mood. She shrugged, uncaring. She brought the children to a food stall nearby and picked a long table to have a seat. Jiang Yeqian and Sijin also sat down unceremoniously. Qi Qingyao had them order whatever they wanted. Jiang Yeqian ordered a bowl of wontons and Sijin ordered a bowl of Yangchun noodles. The children, who had not eaten out before, did not know how to order. They imitated the two adults; two of them ordered wonton noodles and one ordered Yangchun noodles. Qi Qingyao ordered herself a bowl of douhua from the next stall along with a bowl of soy sauce and shredded scallion noodles as well! There was also a bowl of duck blood vermicelli soup. When the meal had not been served yet, Qi Qingyao strolled around a little, and came back with some fuling cakes, dragon beard puffs, six tea eggs, and a packet of sugared chestnuts! The three children were bbergasted when Qi Qingyao set everything on the table. Xiaobao, ¡°¡­¡± Mother was a total expert at spending money! Before he could say something, his Yangchun noodles was served. ¡°All of you get a tea egg each, and you can eat everything else as much as you want. I¡¯ll buy some when you think it¡¯s not enough,¡± Qi Qingyao said. Jiang Yeqian, ¡°¡­¡± ¡®Just what is this woman? Why is she skilled at everything now that she¡¯s not a fool?¡¯ Dabao, ¡°¡­¡± ¡®Mother¡¯s amazing!¡¯ He picked up a fuling cake and took a small bite. Erniu, ¡°¡­¡± ¡°What¡¯s a tea egg? That dragon beard puff looks good!¡± Everyone¡¯s dishes were served. ¡°Mother! The wontons are so good!¡± Dabao was shocked after he drank a mouthful of wonton soup. It tasted so vorful! This was his first time eating something so delicious! Xiaobao let Dabao feed him a spoonful of wonton soup. He nodded. ¡°I like the Yangchun noodles more!¡± ¡°I think the wontons are delicious too,¡± Erniu said with a smile as she ate her wontons. Qi Qingyao pointed at the huge pile of food on the table and said excitedly, ¡°After we finish these, let¡¯s go buy some sugar people there. How does that sound?¡± ¡°Great! Mom, you¡¯re the best!¡± Dabao was the first to show his support. Only Xiaobao paused in the process of eating his noodles. He thought, ¡®Are we spending money again?¡¯ Qi Qingyao had bought too much food, and so the children¡¯s tummies were bloated when they finished the snacks on the table. They were so full. Dabao burped, feeling satisfied. The group of six headed toward the temple of the Koi Fish God. They passed by an old man selling sugar people. When the old man saw the adorable children, he said, ¡°You¡¯re all so cute. Here, these sugar people are for you.¡± Dabao looked at Qi Qingyao¡¯s expression. He only took the sugar person from the old man after Qi Qingyao gestured for him to take it. He said demurely, ¡°Thank you~¡± ¡°What an obedient boy.¡± The old manughed happily after he saw the children¡¯s smiles. ¡­ Jiang Yeqian sensed a murderous aura nearby. He turned back instinctively and saw about six young men dressed in blue. All of them had a serious look on their face. Jiang Yeqian¡¯s gaze lightly scanned across the market. On all the men¡¯s arms was a special badge. The badge was made up of only one word, Li. They were working for Li Ruoxuan, the State Preceptor! Jiang Yeqian did not expect the State Preceptor to be so persistent. It seemed that he would not rest until he found Jiang Yeqian¡¯s body, and he was nning to find him until the end of all time. He was merely the Head Grand Secretariat. Who was he to have the State Preceptor do so much for him? Tsk! Chapter 69 - Inside the Temple of the Koi Fish God 3

Chapter 69: Inside the Temple of the Koi Fish God 3

Jiang Yeqian was about to avert his gaze when the men looked at him. Their gazes paused at the sight of his bull-head mask for a while, and then they turned to the man wearing a horse-face mask beside him. Their gazes shifted to the prettydy between them and the three cute children. After that, they averted their eyes. Jiang Yeqian, ¡°¡­¡± They had probably assumed that Qi Qingyao was a noblewoman in disguise who came out here for some fun and that the two of them were her strange servants! Their group of six had taken a few steps when Qi Qingyao spotted someone who was selling osmanthus cakes. She turned and asked the children, ¡°Do you want some?¡± Dabao was still licking his sugar person. Erniu was hesitating while patting her little tummy when Xiaobao said seriously, ¡°Mother, we still have to pay off our debts. If we spend our money carelessly, we won¡¯t have enough to pay our debts. It¡¯s better that we don¡¯t spend carelessly.¡± Qi Qingyao looked at the osmanthus cakes hungrily. She had just transmigrated here and had not had many good meals. Now, she only wanted to eat some osmanthus cakes, but she ended up being scolded by her son. She felt so bad. Qi Qingyao licked her lips. ¡°We have to pay off our debt, but we have one month to do so. Your mother will be able to pay it off in seven days!¡± After she said that, Xiaobao still rejected her suggestion seriously. Qi Qingyao exined softly, ¡°It¡¯s because I want to eat osmanthus cakes.¡± Xiaobao paused for a while and said weakly, ¡°Uh¡­ If you want to eat, then buy them.¡± His big crystal clear eyes were hesitant, as if he was feeling conflicted when faced with his mother¡¯s craving for food. Qi Qingyao was overjoyed after gaining permission. She bought six osmanthus cakes and gave each of them one, including Jiang Yeqian and Sijin. ¡°You two have one, too,¡± Qi Qingyao said while eating. Jiang Yeqian, ¡°¡­¡± ¡®Just how greedy is this woman?¡¯ He had never seen a woman who could eat so much. She ate a bowl of duck blood vermicelli soup, a bowl of soy sauce scallion noodles, and a bowl of douhua¡­ And now she ate and ate and ate. Her mouth had not stopped at all! Dabao held his sugar person in his left hand and an osmanthus cake in his right. Dabao never had so many snacks before. Right at that second, he was so touched that he could cry. They ate as they walked, and they soon reached the temple of the Koi Fish God. Qi Qingyao, who was ahead of everyone else, rushed inside the temple. When she reached the front of the queue, she eyed the statue of the Koi Fish God that was at the front. She put a loop of coins inside the money box devoutly. Then, she ced her palms together and prayed silently. ¡­ The children and the two adults waited outside the temple. Sijin, who was wearing a horse-face mask, looked at the temple with a smile. The temple was a typical one constructed from wood. The two big pirs in front of the doors stood majestically. They were painted with red paint, and beautiful golden koi fishes were carved onto the pirs. They looked grand. As a huge number of people came to the temple to pray, the temple was clean and maintained well. The corners of Sijin¡¯s lips pulled up. Joy filled his cold eyes. Suddenly, he closed his eyes and focused. His pupils turned gold and the pilgrims¡¯ wishes surged into his mind like water flowing in a river. Most of them prayed for children, for wealth, for marriage, or for revenge¡­ They were all quite conventional. Suddenly, a familiar voice surged into his mind. ¡®O, Koi Fish God, I caught a small koi fishst time. I didn¡¯t eat it! I was so lucky before I let it go, and after that I got unlucky! I lost my house! I may have to stay in the streets tonight!¡¯ ¡®Please let me get rich!¡¯ ¡®If you don¡¯t, I¡¯ll eat your descendants if I happen to catch them! This is not a threat, this is a discussion! You better act as I said.¡¯ Sijin almost cracked up. He could not help opening his eyes, coughing. Jiang Yeqian sensed the shift in his mood. He asked, ¡°What are youughing at?¡± Sijin coughed. ¡°Nothing.¡± Qi Qingyao was so hrious. Who would say that to the deity they prayed to? That was obviously a threat, not a prayer! Chapter 70 - Inside the Temple of the Koi Fish God 4

Chapter 70: Inside the Temple of the Koi Fish God 4

When Qi Qingyao exited the temple, Jiang Yeqian asked, ¡°What did you pray for?¡± ¡°For fortune,¡± Qi Qingyao replied matter-of-factly. Jiang Yeqian, ¡°¡­¡± He was wearing a mask, but Qi Qingyao felt like the expression on his face would be one of speechless disdain. He would probably think that praying for fortune was of poor taste. She was in doubt. ¡°What did you think I¡¯d pray for if not that?¡± Jiang Yeqian said, ¡°For marriage.¡± Was it not that? She was only a woman, and she had to take care of three children¡­ ¡°??¡± Qi Qingyao rolled her eyes to the sky. ¡°Only fools would pray for marriage!¡± Jiang Yeqian, ¡°¡­¡± ¡®A normal woman would totally pray for marriage in this situation, wouldn¡¯t they?¡¯ Si Jin chuckled. Qi Qingyao said ndly, ¡°Men cannot be depended on. In this world, I rather depend on myself than on anything else.¡± Jiang Yeqian said nothing while he thought about her words. Si Jin said seriously, ¡°Jiejie, you can depend on me. I¡¯m yours.¡± Qi Qingyao waved her hand. ¡°What are you talking about? You¡¯re still a kid!¡± Si Jin pouted. He was not a kid! He was already several hundred years old! When Qi Qingyao came out, the children wanted to pray to the Koi Fish God too. Qi Qingyao knew that the children were still too young and knew nothing, so she told them about what they should do inside the temple and gave them a few coins each. The children looked at the coins in their palms. Xiaobao thought about it for a while before returning everything to Qi Qingyao aside from one coin. Upon noticing that, Dabao and Erniu also picked out the extra money and returned them to Qi Qingyao. Looking at the children¡¯s serious and cute faces, Qi Qingyao kept the coins well. Hand in hand, the children crossed the threshold of the temple and prepared to pray to the Koi Fish God earnestly. After they entered the temple, they imitated the other pilgrims, walking with their short legs to stand in front of the cushions and kneeling down obediently. They tossed one coin into the donation box before sping their palms together to pray. ¡°I pray that the Koi Fish God will protect my mother¡­¡± Dabao muttered. Erniu suddenly turned to him and asked, ¡°What should we have the Koi Fish God bless Mother with?¡± ¡°The health of our family,¡± Dabao said. ¡°Then I¡¯ll pray for¡­¡± Erniu thought for a while. She looked at the statue of the Koi Fish God with a smile and said devoutly, ¡°I pray that the Koi Fish God will bless my mother, so that she will find Father one day. Qi Yunxi also wants Father to kiss and hold me in his arms~¡± Her voice was so soft and cute, like a soft bun. Xiaobao looked at Dabao and Erniu silently. He thought about it for a while before praying with a furrowed brow, ¡°Please, Koi Fish God, bless Mother so that she can clear her debts soon, and so that the Qi family will note to give her trouble. I also pray that my family will live peacefully.¡± ¡®Xiaobao¡¯s prayers are so practical,¡¯ thought Dabao and Erniu after listening to his prayers. ¡°Xiaobao, should I change my prayer too?¡± Erniu pouted, blinking her big round eyes. ¡°We¡¯ve already made our wish. We shouldn¡¯t change it now! Each prayer will only be responded to once even if we make it multiple times,¡± Xiaobao said softly. Dabao and Erniu realized that he was right. ¡­ Outside the door, Qi Qingyao looked at the inside of the temple. A smile graced her lips when she saw her children praying in front of the statue. Qi Qingyao suddenly thought about something. She turned to the other adults. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to pray to the Koi Fish God?¡± Jiang Yeqian said, ¡°I don¡¯t believe in gods.¡± ¡®Also, this is not even a god, only a fish!¡¯ Chapter 71 - Inside the Temple of the Koi Fish God 5

Chapter 71: Inside the Temple of the Koi Fish God 5

Qi Qingyao shrugged and said with a ghost of a smile, ¡°That¡¯s why you lost your memory and ended up in such a sorry state. Because you¡¯re not superstitious.¡± Jiang Yeqian, ¡°¡­¡± She just had to poke him where it hurt! Qi Qingyao asked Si Jin, ¡°What about you?¡± Si Jin said, ¡°I don¡¯t have anything to ask for.¡± Qi Qingyao beamed at his horse-face mask. ¡°What a nice kid, you have no desires! You¡¯re noble and pure in mind. Unlike me, I¡¯m a normal materialistic mortal. All I ever want is money!¡± Si Jin said, ¡°You asked for money just now, right? I think you¡¯re gonna strike it rich soon!¡± ¡°¡­¡± Qi Qingyao looked at him suspiciously. She thought, ¡®He and his big mouth brought a ton of trouble before. Now he¡¯s saying I¡¯ll strike it rich? Will it work?¡¯ When the three toddlers were about to step out of the temple, a few people dressed like guards suddenly walked out of the side hall, swords hanging from their waists. Their get-up made Qi Qingyao blink for a bit, and she overheard their conversation. ¡°The Heir might not survive this time.¡± ¡°If he dies, we¡¯ll be buried alive with him.¡± ¡°But we can¡¯t find any good physicians in this backwater ce¡­ Sigh!¡± ¡°We came all the way here from the capital city because the Marquis said he wanted to be closer to the koi temple. He was hoping the Koi God¡¯s luck would help the Heir recover! ~~He even said that we might encounter some miraculous physician who could treat the Heir¡¯s illness. Wouldn¡¯t that be nice?¡± ¡°Well, I hope that works too.¡± ¡°Just now, I prayed to the Koi God for a miraculous doctor who can heal our Heir! ~¡± ¡­ The men had already walked some distance away as they chatted. An Heir? Money? A disease to treat? People who could afford to pay for treatment?! A n urred to Qi Qingyao and she hurriedly caught up to the men, starting a conversation with them. ¡°Are you guys looking for a physician?¡± One of the guards looked the girl up and down. She was dressed in in clothes and held a small bag, but she was pretty as a picture withrge expressive eyes that seemed toe alive. She looked especially adorable and intelligent. The guard gave her a fist in palm salute and said politely, ¡°Youngdy, do you know a miraculous physician anywhere?¡± Qi Qingyao patted her chest confidently. ¡°I don¡¯t want to toot my own horn, but I¡¯d like to visit the Heir and volunteer my diagnosis.¡± ¡°You are a miraculous physician?¡± the guard asked. ¡°In the flesh!¡± Qi Qingyao said breezily, ¡°I heard that your Heir is already on his deathbed with one foot on the coffin. What do you stand to lose by letting me try? If I do save him, your Heir will get another lease at his sorry life! Ah, I didn¡¯t mean to say that! Sorry, it just slipped out! Hahaha!¡± The guard¡¯s expression shifted when she said ¡°sorry life¡±. ¡°Young miss, you sure sound confident. What¡¯s your name? I¡¯m not sure if I¡¯ve heard of your title before.¡± Qi Qingyao did not panic either, asking calmly, ¡°Does that perchance mean you have approached every famous physician in thend?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± The guard¡¯s tone was a little high-and-mighty. ¡°We¡¯ve approached our Northern Liang¡¯s Godly Physician Lu Li and Demon Physician Jiang Xun, Eastern Ling¡¯s top physician Gu Yue, and even a few renowned physicians in Southern Ming. We¡¯ve asked seven of the continent¡¯s top ten physicians, but none of them could treat our Heir¡¯s illness.¡± ¡°If even the famous ones can¡¯t do it, why do you insist on knowing my name and title? Low-key people like me don¡¯t care about rankings. That¡¯s so lowbrow.¡± Qi Qingyao gave the guard a look of contempt, her attitude turning high-and-mighty as well. ¡°Fine, if you want your Heir to die so badly, pretend I never said anything.¡± Chapter 72 - Inside the Temple of the Koi Fish God 6

Chapter 72: Inside the Temple of the Koi Fish God 6

After the triplets walked out of the koi temple, Qi Qingyao hugged them and gave them each a peck on the cheek. Dabao and Erniu were fine, but Xiaobao¡¯s little face turned red in an instant, like an apple. Even the tips of his ears blushed. ¡°Oh? Why are you so embarrassed by a kiss from your mother?¡± Qi Qingyao could not help teasing him, scratching Xiaobao¡¯s nose with her finger. ¡°M-Mommy, you gotta warn me in advance before you kiss me next time!¡± Before this, Qi Qingyao would only rub their heads at the most. She had never kissed them so intimately before! Of course Xiaobao could not help but be shy and shocked. ¡°If I tell you in advance, it wouldn¡¯t be a surprise anymore!¡± Qi Qingyao said. Xiaobao rubbed his red ears and lowered his head. He was so embarrassed that he ran behind Jiang Yeqian and hugged his legs. The guards witnessed this scene unfolding. They exchanged a look. The woman was beautiful and had eyes as dark as ebony. Although she could be a little rude, she did have the aura of a master. As for those three adorable children with her, could they be adopted? What about the Ox-head and Horse-face? They almost made her feel like King Yanluo of the Tenth Hall, overseer of life and death. Could it be that she was not bluffing, after all? Was she really some hidden master healer? A mysterious physician? The guard stepped forth and said, ¡°Miss, please wait.¡± Qi Qingyao had just turned around and was about to reply when Jiang Yeqian murmured to her, ¡°Are you really going to be a physician?¡± Qi Qingyao gave him a sideways look. ¡°I saved your sorry life. What do you think?¡± ¡°¡­¡± His s-sorry life¡­ The corners of Jiang Yeqian¡¯s mouth twitched uncontrobly. ¡°I didn¡¯t get a single coin after treating you, and that really ticks me off! Now I finally have a chance to earn money, so why should I turn it down? This could be a real cash cow too!¡± That Heir they keep talking about must be loaded! Jiang Yeqian could not get a word in edgewise. However, he thought to himself, ¡®The patient is Heir Pei. Apparently, he was poisoned in Qingzhou City four years ago, and he¡¯s been visited by an endless stream of physicians since, but they couldn¡¯t do a thing for him. ¡®He¡¯s on hisst legs now, and he probably¡­ won¡¯t make it.¡¯ If this woman insisted on treating Heir Pei, Jiang Yeqian was even more adamant to keep his mask on¡­ After all, Heir Pei knew him! ¡°This must be the Koi God¡¯s blessing!¡± Qi Qingyao dropped another kiss on Erniu¡¯s cheek and mumbled, ¡°Dear god, when I make it rich, I¡¯ll definitely pay you back with more incense and candles!¡± The guard looked at Ox-head and Horse-face following behind her and asked, ¡°Are these two your servants, ma¡¯am?¡± ¡°Yep, yep.¡± Qi Qingyao nodded fervently. The guard, ¡°¡­¡± If she had Ox-head and Horse-face trailing behind her, she had to be a skilled genius! Only a genius could be so entric. The guard gestured at her, inviting her toe with him. ¡°In that case, pleasee with us to the Heir¡¯s vi.¡± Qi Qingyao nodded. Dabao cocked his head curiously. ¡°Mommy, where are we going?¡± ¡°To earn money.¡± Qi Qingyao winked her left eye at him and added two words with emphasis, ¡°Big money!¡± The guards exchanged another look filled with contempt. The woman was entric, yes, but the way she imed she could cure the Heir¡¯s disease¡­ She may be biting off more than she could chew! Well, they just had to hope she was the real thing for now. After they left the koi temple, Qi Qingyao realized that the guards were nning to walk to their destination. Exasperated, she asked, ¡°Is it far away?¡± ¡°It¡¯s in Baishui Town, so not too far,¡± the guard replied patiently. ¡°Don¡¯t you have a carriage?¡± Qi Qingyao asked again. ¡°We do.¡± The girl sure had a lot of demands. That was reminiscent of those other miraculous physicians, all of whom were strange and troublesome! ¡°Please wait, madam physician.¡± The guards¡¯ attitudes turned respectful instinctively. Not longter, one of the guards went to hire a carriage. In no time at all, tworge canvassed carriages stopped in front of Qi Qingyao. Qi Qingyao and her crew took the one at the back. Meanwhile, the guards took the one at the front. Chapter 73 - Miraculous Healer 1

Chapter 73: Miraculous Healer 1

After the triplets piled into the carriage, they looked around curiously, touching whatever they could. They behaved just like curious little babies, leaning out of the window to look at the scenery outside. Qi Qingyao was worried they would fall out, so she pulled them back down. Once she had carried them away from the window, the toddlers sat in their seats obediently. Their legs were too short, so they swung them back and forth. ¡°The horse carriage is so spacious.¡± Erniu¡¯s face was still adorably red from her excitement. Qi Qingyao asked, ¡°What types of carriage have you taken before?¡± ¡°Nothing, we just walked¡­¡± Erniu lowered her gaze after she said that. Dabao and Xiaobao looked at her solemnly too, as though saying how this was a first for them too. Qi Qingyao rubbed Erniu¡¯s head. ¡°You¡¯ll have plenty of chances after this. Once we have the money, we¡¯ll buy a big house, hire a few workers, maids and servant boys. When that happens, my babies won¡¯t have to exert their little leggies anymore, alright?¡± ¡°Alright, yayy! ~~We wanna buy a biiig horse carriage too~¡± The triplets leaped up in joy and hugged Qi Qingyao, kissing her. Jiang Yeqian raised a brow as he watched them. The koi temple was quite close to Baishui Town, so they arrived in no time. After they came down from the carriage, Qi Qingyao blinked in awe when she saw the size of the mansion. ¡°I had no idea Baishui Town had such an extravagant manor.¡± One of the guards asked, ¡°Are you not from her, madam physician?¡± Qi Qingyao nodded slightly and said without missing a beat, ¡°No, I¡¯m not.¡± Jiang Yeqian, ¡°?¡± The guard exined, ¡°Since Qingzhou City has the koi temples nearby, a lot of merchants and court officialse here to retire. They want to be closer to the Koi God so they can pray for their descendants¡¯ futures more often.¡± ¡°Oh, right.¡± So that was why. A butler led the guests through the door. He did not bat an eyelid at all when he saw Ox-head and Horse-face behind Qi Qingyao, his expression saying he had long since gotten used to this. After Qi Qingyao went inside, though, she was like a country mouse in the city. She could not help a few gasps of sheer awe. Seriously, was she in one of Suzhou¡¯s famous gardens now? There were arches everywhere, beautiful fake mountains and bridges over flowing water beyond them. Qi Qingyao could not help but breathe, ¡°See, this is a house worth living in.¡± ¡°The pond here has fresh flowing water!¡± Si Jin pointed at the beautiful little pond excitedly. Qi Qingyao pouted, jealous. ¡°This is a rich man¡¯s house. Of course the water here is fresh. They must have channelled a stream from Jiuli River into this pond to keep it flowing!¡± The mansion itself probably cost tens of thousands of taels to build, huh? As expected of a Marquis. Their family was loaded! The guards led the crew to an ornate hall and told Qi Qingyao, ¡°Pleasee with me to the Heir¡¯s chambers. The rest of you, could I trouble you to wait here? We¡¯ll serve you cakes and tea.¡± The toddlers were reluctant to leave her, but Qi Qingyao eventually shook them off and followed the guard to the Heir¡¯s chambers. His garden was filled with plum blossoms, and since they were in the middle of the winter, the flowers were in full bloom. All her eyes could see was a rain of red. When they arrived at the Heir¡¯s door, the guard asked Qi Qingyao to wait for a moment. He knocked on the door and hastily went inside to report to the Heir. ¡°Lord Heir, I found you a young female physician. Is it alright if shees in to check on you?¡± The guard at the door had barely spoken before a teacup came flying at him from the bedside. ¡°Out of my sight!¡± The person on the bed seemed to be in a bad mood. Chapter 74 - Miraculous Healer 2

Chapter 74: Miraculous Healer 2

The guard was shocked into silence. ¡°All of you, go away!¡± Another teacup came flying. It was followed by a barrage of curses. ¡°You¡¯re always finding random quacks to treat me, and they make me eat all sorts of weird medicines! All of you, scram!¡± ¡­ Qi Qingyao stood at the door, chatting with one of the guards outside. ¡°Your Heir seems to have quite a temper.¡± She resisted the urge to roll her eyes. ¡°Please forgive him, madam physician.¡± The guard seemed very awkward. ¡°Allow us to persuade him.¡± The guard inside was still trying his best. ¡°Lord Heir, we found this young female physician while we were doing our daily prayers at the koi temple. She isn¡¯t very famous, but she looks very sharp. Could you¡­¡± ¡°What about the koi temple?! They¡¯re all fraudsters, out of my sight!¡± the man in the bed roared with what little strength he had left. ¡°Prayers? To hell with your prayers! You¡¯ve been praying for half a year, but has anything worked? Cough cough! Cough cough cough cough!¡± After yelling all that, his body could not take it any longer. His intense coughing cut the oxygen from his lungs, and Heir Pei copsed onto his bed. His guard approached him anxiously. ¡°Lord Heir, please calm down. Here, have some medicine.¡± ¡°No, I won¡¯t drink anything! All of you, get out of my room! Stay out of my hair.¡± With that, he smashed yet another bowl of medicine. ¡°But sir, you¡­¡± ¡°I told you to go away! Didn¡¯t you hear me? Cough cough, cough cough cough cough cough!¡± Outside the door, Qi Qingyao listened to that coughing and thought to herself, ¡®Geez, are you gonna kick the bucket before I even get to diagnose you? If you do, I won¡¯t get a single coin of this. ¡®Hang in there! ¡®Survive! ¡®Lord Heir. ¡®I¡¯ll stand here and pray for you to live until I can treat you. ¡®You¡¯ll be my ticket to fortune. ¡®You can¡¯t copse so easily now!¡¯ As though someone heard her prayers¡­ The guard emerged from the room, looking awkward. ¡°Sorry, our Lord Heir won¡¯t take physicians right now. You¡¯ll have to¡­¡± Qi Qingyao ignored his long-winded excuses and calmly walked inside. After she nced at the shattered cups on the floor, she walked toward the bed single-mindedly. The guards were stunned and terrified by her actions. How could the youngdy physician be so fearless? Their Lord Heir used to have a reasonable temper, but after being ill for several years, his temper took a turn for the worse. The guards did not even dare to approach his bed! After Qi Qingyao entered the room, she said mildly, ¡°You¡¯re already on your deathbed, but you can still yell so loudly. Not bad, you.¡± When she walked closer to him, she saw that the man in the bed was shockingly pale, whiter than a sheet. He looked like the god of death had already left a mark on him, and the deity could send his Ghosts of Impermanence to fetch the patient¡¯s soul whenever he wanted to. The Heir¡¯s hair was pitch ck, as were his eyes. They were a pair of cold onyx, bright and intimidating. He wore a snow-white inner garment andy under a pure-white brocade nket embroidered with a koi in gold thread. He simplyy there, but when he looked at her, he felt like a deity from the Celestial Court descending upon the human realm. There was no trace of blood in his lips. His gaze was borderline vicious. ¡°Who are you? Get out!¡± Heir Pei barked at her. Qi Qingyao crossed her arms nonchntly and drawled, ¡°I¡¯m King Yanluo here to harvest your soul.¡± ¡°Cough cough, cough cough cough! King, cough, Yanluo? Someone like¡­ cough cough!¡± Her bold im made Heir Pei choke on his own saliva, and he could barely get a word out. The guards outside were unbelievably anxious and antsy right now. They did not dare to go in, but they did not dare to leave either. All they could do was pace on the spot, hoping against hope that the youngdy physician could pull off a miracle! Chapter 75 - Miraculous Healer 3

Chapter 75: Miraculous Healer 3

Qi Qingyao nced at the patient and taunted him, ¡°You¡¯re on the verge of death, so save the emotional outbursts. You act like you ate ck powder. Shouldn¡¯t you save some energy to maintain your sorry life?¡± Sorry life? ¡°Y-you little cough cough cough¡­¡± Pei Fengtang nearly passed out from the anger. ¡°I¡¯m a physician! And I¡¯m here to save your life. You don¡¯t have to reject me so violently.¡± Qi Qingyao walked up to his bed as she spoke, even sitting boldly on the side of his bed. Heir Pei was still coughing his lungs out, the intense fit turning his eyes bloodshot. When his eyes were red like this, he looked like a trapped beast. Qi Qingyao patted his thigh as thoughforting a child. ¡°You don¡¯t have to re at me, either.¡± Heir Pei continued to cough and re at her. ¡°To be honest, I can¡¯t be bothered to deal with grumpy rich kids like you. If they hadn¡¯t told me that they¡¯d pay me for treating you, I¡¯d never wanna give a cocky jerk like you any time of my day. I bet your guards and servants are the same. No one would care for a dying dog like you if it weren¡¯t for their sries! You have a terrible temper and can¡¯t even take care of yourself. Half-dead *ssholes like you are the worst. If you wanna die, just kick the bucket already!¡± As Qi Qingyao spoke, she took a pillow from the bottom of the bed and looked at the coughing Heir Pei with a wide smile. Pei Fengtang was finally done coughing. Just by listening to her, he could feel like his time was almost up. Was it because he actually thought that he would die from anger, or was it something else? Regardless, he took a deep breath and said, ¡°You¡¯re here to treat me, aren¡¯t you?¡± Once he was better, he was going to get his payback on this physician! Qi Qingyao shrugged and said calmly, ¡°To be honest, I suddenly don¡¯t want to treat you anymore. If you want to die, I can smother you to death with this pillow.¡± ¡°You¡­ Cough cough cough¡­¡± Heir Pei started coughing in anger again. The redness in his eyes intensified. Qi Qingyao smirked at him. ¡°I¡¯m doing this for your own good. You¡¯ve been wanting to die for a while now, right?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Pei Fengtang¡¯s face was red from rage. Qi Qingyao approached him with a smile and patted his cheek. ¡°If you beg me, I can treat you.¡± Pei Fengtang¡¯s eyes widened abruptly, and he forcibly swallowed his cough. He looked at Qi Qingyao with some surprise, ¡°Can you really, cough cough¡­ treat me?¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Qi Qingyao said evenly. ¡°But before I do, we need to settle on my fee.¡± ¡°How¡­ much do you want¡­?¡± ¡°Depends on how much you¡¯re offering.¡± ¡°A hundred taels.¡± ¡°Is that all your life¡¯s worth?¡± ¡°Ten thousand¡­¡± ¡°Good, ten thousand taels! Remember, you said it. Deal!¡± ¡°???¡± He was talking about gold. Did she think silver? If he could get his illness treated for ten thousand taels of ginger, he would beughing all the way to the bank. ¡°But let¡¯s make this clear, I¡¯ll write you a prescription. However, you guys have to buy the herbs needed. The ten thousand taels are my consultation fee, medicine not included,¡± Qi Qingyao continued to rant. After all that coughing, Pei Fengtang finally passed out. ¡°Yikes, the Heir passed out. Hey, someone! Come, quick! Bring a brush and paper, I¡¯ll write you a prescription,¡± Qi Qingyao yelled. A few guards immediately ran into the room. Qi Qingyao read Pei Fengtang¡¯s pulse and determined that he was only unconscious. After that, she wrote down a prescription and handed it over to the guard. ¡°Give him the medicine ording to the instructions here. For the first three days, he has to take the medicine three times a day, in the morning, noon, and night. Have him drink the medicine immediately after his meals. From the fourth to tenth days, once daily. After ten consecutive days, I guarantee he¡¯ll make a full recovery.¡± After she gave her orders, the guard told a maid at the Heir¡¯s chambers to buy the required herbs. ¡°I gave you the prescription, so isn¡¯t it time you paid me my consultation fee?¡± Qi Qingyao held out her hand at the guard. ¡°What if you¡¯re a fraud?¡± The guard nced at the unconscious Heir. Of course he would not dare to pay her before he woke up. Qi Qingyao tilted her head. ¡°?¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you wait until our Lord Heir¡¯s poison has been neutralized? We¡¯ll pay you when he¡¯s fully recovered. Oh, my name is Li Qing. You can call me by my name directly, ma¡¯am,¡± said Li Qing. Qi Qingyao said, ¡°Well, I¡¯m fine with that. But that means we¡¯ll have to intrude on you for a while.¡± ¡°We have plenty of guest rooms in the west wing, please help yourselves!¡± Li Qing then ordered the servants to lead Qi Qingyao andpany to the guest rooms for a peek. On the way to the guest rooms, Qi Qingyao happily fantasized about the ten thousand taels she was going to get soon! Not only would she be able to clear her debt¡­ She would even be a minor tycoon in her own right! Qi Qingyao could not help but sigh at that. Man, it was so easy to earn money from swindling rich people! No, more like, it was so easy to earn money as a miraculous doctor writing prescriptions! ¡­ Qi Qingzhu stayed at the Qi household for a long time, but even as the sun began to set, they saw no sign of Qi Qingyao returning to the vige. In her desperation, she even went to Ma Sanye¡¯s house in search of Qi Qingyao. Qi Qingzhu asked anxiously, ¡°Vige head, did my sister¡­ say when she¡¯sing back?¡± Ma Sanye¡¯s attitude softened when he saw it was Qi Qingzhu. ¡°Do you mean Qi Qingyao? She¡¯s not part of the Qi family anymore. She borrowed money from everyone in the vige and said she¡¯d return it within the month.¡± Madam Wu realized that Qi Qingzhu had not gone home and had instead dropped by Ma Sanye¡¯s. Furious, she called Qi Qingzhu back and gave her a tongueshing before telling her to run back home to her husband¡¯s ce. Qi Qingzhu headed home helplessly, but all she could think of on the way there was how Qi Qingyao was not her biological younger sister. Lil Sis did not know that yet. She had to tell her. She also had to tell Qi Qingyao that Mom was still in possession of her jade tablet and ring! Chapter 76 - Miraculous Healer 4

Chapter 76: Miraculous Healer 4

Qi Qingyao and the others followed Li Qing down a small stream over little bridges to the West Wing. There were about seven or eight guest rooms there, and Li Qing generously let them choose whichever ones they wanted. All the rooms were perfectly neat and recently cleaned. Qi Qingyao simply chose one with an attached warm room. She had the children sleep in the warm room while she took the bed outside. As for Si Jin and Jiang Yeqian, they took the rooms on either side of her. The triplets had never stayed in such a luxurious room before, so they looked around excitedly for a while. Once they were sufficiently calmed down, Qi Qingyao showed them around the wing. The ce was too big, so the children grew tired after touring the area a little, but they were too wired up to sleep. They stood in front of their pretty four-poster bed, looking at it up and down, touching it however they could. ¡°Mommy, why is this bed-stove different from ours?¡± Xiaobao frowned and asked solemnly. Dabao and Erniu tilted their heads curiously too. Qi Qingyao smiled as she exined, ¡°This is a bed.¡± ¡°A bed?¡± Dabao asked, raising his head. ¡°I think it¡¯s made of fragrant rosewood. A four-poster babu bed with weeping flower pirs.¡± Qi Qingyao touched the carvings above the bed and said, ¡°The one outside I¡¯m taking is called an arhat bed.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the difference between a bed and a bed-stove?¡± Erniu asked obediently. Qi Qingyao said calmly, ¡°A bed-stove is made of earth and bricks, while a bed is madepletely of wood. The main difference is¡­ a bed is a lot more expensive. Depending on the quality of the wood and theplexity of the carvings, the price differs.¡± The silly triplets, ¡°¡­¡± Only one thought lingered in their young brains. Mommy said it was expensive! In that case, they had to work hard and earn a lot of money once they grew up. Li Qing looked at the children¡¯s faces, dirty and muddy after all their ying, and suggested that the guests take the hot spring bath at the back of the mansion. It was the middle of winter, so they could soak in there for a bit if they did not mind! Qi Qingyao¡¯s eyes shone as soon as she heard that. Jiang Yeqian thought it over and silently followed behind her, determined to soak in the hot spring. The adults led the three exhrated toddlers to the back of the mansion. A hot spring! The children had never experienced something like that before. Once they were done with their bath, Li Qing even kindly brought them new sets of clothing! His services were impable, touching Qi Qingyao¡¯s heart. She thought to herself, ¡®Look how nice he¡¯s being just because I can treat his Lord Heir. The service is almost as good as Haido now.¡¯ However, if she could not remedy the Heir¡¯s condition, the guard would probably skin them and throw them into Jiuli River to feed the fishes! After their hot spring bath, the triplets were already nodding off. Before they climbed into their bed, though, Xiaobao forced himself to open his eyes and ask Qi Qingyao, ¡°Mommy, can we really stay here?¡± He did not seem too certain. Qi Qingyao patted his back gently and said in a soft voice, ¡°Mommy is a physician, and I¡¯m here to treat Heir Pei. That¡¯s why we can stay here as honored guests until the Heir recovers. Whatever you guys want to eat, just tell that Uncle Li Qing. He¡¯s a really nice guy, so he¡¯ll definitely say yes!¡± Before she could even finish that sentence, the triplets had already dozed off soundly. She carried them onto their bed and tucked them in! As she filled her nose with their unique baby smell, she smiled to herself. Qi Qingyao put a fur coat over her shoulders and walked into the courtyard of the West Wing. She sat on a wooden chair in the corridor, looking up at the moon that had risen before she knew it. The winter moonlight was especially clear and cool. Chapter 77 - Miraculous Healer 5

Chapter 77: Miraculous Healer 5

Snow was beginning to flutter from the sky again. Qi Qingyao felt a little cold, so she blew some warm air into her hands. However, her breath was not that hot either. She pressed her lips and smiled, looking at the tips of her hair as they began to freeze over. The weather was cold, but she did not want to go inside. That was the sight that greeted Jiang Yeqian when he pushed open the door and stepped inside. The girl sat on a red wooden chair, a fur coat embroidered with peonies around her shoulders. Her side profile looked calm, with an air of solemnity and loneliness, but her gaze was especially gentle as she looked up at the moon. Before he realized what was happening, Jiang Yeqian found himself walking up to her back. Qi Qingyao turned around and their eyes met. As they held their gazes¡­ Jiang Yeqian looked away awkwardly, saying in a low voice, ¡°You didn¡¯t dry your hair. It¡¯s freezing over.¡± ¡°Right.¡± Qi Qingyao pulled back her gaze too, turning back to look at the moon. Jiang Yeqian said, ¡°That¡¯s bad for your health.¡± ¡°I want to see the snow.¡± Qi Qingyao had no intention of going inside, so her tone was obstinate. ¡°¡­¡± She was such a stubborn woman! Jiang Yeqian went into his own room and grabbed a cotton handkerchief, putting it over her head. Qi Qingyao paused, but then the corners of her lips curved slightly. Nevertheless, she did not say anything. Jiang Yeqian turned and left, asking a maid in the mansion for a hot water bottle. When the maid found out that the miraculous physician wanted it, she gave it to him without a second thought. Jiang Yeqian brought the steaming hot water bottle and stuffed it into Qi Qingyao¡¯s hands roughly. His tone was harsh too as he said, ¡°You¡¯re watching the snow in the middle of winter? Do you want to freeze to death?¡± Qi Qingyao looked at the hot water bottle in her hands and listened to his nonsense trash talk at odds with his actions. She frowned, then smiled. After a moment, she heard something from the chihuahua gate. When she turned to look, she saw young Si Jin, emerging from the door dripping wet from head to toe. He looked like he was just fished out of ake. ¡°Didn¡¯t you dry yourself aftering out of the hot spring?¡± Qi Qingyao asked in shock. ¡°Uh¡­¡± Si Jin smiled at her nkly. Could he tell her that he just came out of the pond? No way. The next morning¡­ As soon as Qi Qingyao got up, Li Qing reported to her. ¡°The Lord Heir threw up all the medicine he drank, madam physician!¡± ¡°He threw it up?¡± Qi Qingyao was perplexed. As she followed Li Qing through the plum blossom courtyard, she said, ¡°He¡¯s in worse shape than I thought.¡± She entered his room without an ounce of hesitation, giving Heir Pei a nasty shock. He was about to yell at her about minding their chastity, but she immediately turned up his eyelids to check his pupils and forced him to open his mouth so she could look at his tongue. She even checked his pulse in no time at all. She did everything so quickly and mercilessly that Hair Pei was stunned into silence. Finally, Qi Qingyao waved her hand confidently. ¡°Bring me some silver needles.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Li Qing paused and then hurriedly went to get a set of silver needles. A question sat unasked on his tongue, though. Every physician had a set of silver needles on them at all times, right? So why did thisdy physician have no equipment at all on her¡­? Qi Qingyao took the set of needles from him and unrolled it. After that, she looked up and told Pei Fengtang, ¡°Take off your coat first. I¡¯ll apply the needles to your back and try to get your organs back in order.¡± For some reason, Heir Pei was a little intimidated by this youngdy physician. He red at her but was too scared to say anything, turning his back toward her. Li Qing pulled his Lord Heir¡¯s clothes down. Qi Qingyao looked at his fair back. Without even raising her eyelids, she calmly toasted the needles over a me before quickly applying them to his skin. ¡°Do you even know how to¡­ cough cough¡­¡± ¡°Of course I do!¡± As soon as the first needle entered his body, Heir Pei felt the blood in his body go wild. He could not help but cough a few times, and his throat felt especially itchy after he coughed. By the time the third and fourth needles went in, his throat grew unbearably itchier, and his coughing became worse. At the fifth needle, he could not hold it in anymore, vomiting out a mouthful of ck blood. Chapter 78 - Earning A Small Amount of Profit 1

Chapter 78: Earning A Small Amount of Profit 1

After he vomited that ck blood, the itchiness in his throat subsided considerably. However, his bed was aplete mess. Qi Qingyao stabbed all the silver needles into his back, and Heir Pei spat out another couple mouthfuls of ck blood. He seemed on track to vomit out all the poison in his body. It did make him feel better, but all the ck blood on the bed gave Li Qing a nasty shock. Once Qi Qingyao was sure that Heir Pei had vomited most of it, she asked, ¡°How do you feel now?¡± Throwing up all that ck blood made Pei Fengtang feel dizzy from the blood loss. He was weak to begin with, so now he looked like death warmed over. Heir Pei turned around, a hint of weakness in his ruthless eyes. ¡°If I end up dying, I¡¯ll take you and your entire family with me.¡± ¡°You sure have a sense of humor, Lord Heir. As if I¡¯d let you die! I still want my ten thousand taels. You¡¯re my source of ie, after all.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Did she read the word ¡°money¡± printed across his face? That female physician! Li Qing had their servants carry the Heir down as the maids quickly changed his sheets. By the time Heir Pei was settled back in bed, the servants had brought him his medicine. Qi Qingyao sat by his bed nonchntly, saying, ¡°Drink the medicine.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t lift my arm.¡± Heir Pei nced weakly at the woman who was sitting with one leg over the other. Qi Qingyao said, ¡°Li Qing, summon a maid to feed your Heir his medicine.¡± After the maid came in, Qi Qingyao told Li Qing, ¡°Your Heir is very weak right now. My medicine is meant to heal him, not give him nutrition. For the next few days, remember to make him a pot of chicken soup every day. However, don¡¯t give him any ginseng or ganoderma, no matter what you do. His body is too weak to handle that much nutrition!¡± ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am.¡± Li Qing took her every word to heart. ¡°Mm¡­ Oh, and if he can¡¯t finish the chicken soup, bring me some too.¡± ¡°U-uh, alright.¡± ¡­ The next day, Qi Qingyao headed to the plum-filled courtyard early in the morning as usual. After she used her needles on him, Heir Pei vomited another two mouthfuls of ck blood. ¡°Lord Heir, how do you feel after the acupuncture today?¡± Qi Qingyao asked. ¡°¡­¡± Heir Pei could not be bothered to respond to this woman. She could entertain herself well enough. The third day¡­ She used her needles. This time, Heir Pei only vomited ck blood once. The fourth day¡­ Heir Pei was still throwing up blood. However, the blood was no longer ck. The fifth day¡­ Heir Pei did not vomit any more blood. With that, Qi Qingyao dered that he did not need the needles anymore. Heir Pei felt much lighter, both mentally and physically. ¡°Lord Heir, you better recover soon.¡± Qi Qingyao sat by his bed and looked at him. After vomiting blood for so many consecutive days, he looked pale as a sheet and thin as a stick. ¡°Why? Do you care about my life?¡± Heir Peiy in bed with barely enough energy to speak. He could only raise his eyelids to look at Qi Qingyao. ¡°If you don¡¯t get better, no one will pay me.¡± After that, Qi Qingyao lied through her teeth, saying, ¡°Actually, this is the fifth day and you look much better than before. Theoretically speaking, you should pay me half of the fee, right?¡± ¡°Wait until I¡¯m all better.¡± Did he look better? He felt much lighter, but his body was unbelievably weak, as though he was still on death¡¯s door. While Qi Qingyao went over to treat Heir Pei with acupuncture every day, the triplets had obediently refrained from wandering all around the estate. Perhaps it was because they had an oven in their room to keep them warm and cozy, so the children liked to sit in front of it and listen to Si Jin¡¯s storytelling. Chapter 79 - Earning A Small Amount of Profit 2

Chapter 79: Earning A Small Amount of Profit 2

They did not know where Si Jin got all of his stories from, but somehow he coulde up with a new story every day, telling the children fantastical tales of ghosts and gods. The triplets were utterly engrossed. They stuck to him like glue, demanding a new story every day. As for Jiang Yeqian, he never took a step out of his room. He simply stayed inside, meditating and sorting out his breaths. Li Qing sent servants over with their food every day, so it was convenient to say the least. After Qi Qingyao returned from Heir Pei¡¯s chambers, she ate lunch with the triplets. After that, the children bugged Si Jin for more stories, while Jiang Yeqian gave Qi Qingyao aplicated look. ¡°I have a question for you.¡± Qi Qingyao looked at him and held out her hand. ¡°Why are you holding out your hand?¡± Jiang Yeqian was confused. Qi Qingyao said nonchntly, ¡°I can tell from your expression that you don¡¯t know if it¡¯s appropriate for you to ask your question. That means it¡¯s no ordinary question. That¡¯s why you¡¯re asking for my permission. In order to save us both some awkwardness, just pay me a tael and I¡¯ll reluctantly answer your controversial question.¡± ¡°All you ever think about is money,¡± Jiang Yeqian snapped at her. Qi Qingyao seemed unperturbed. ¡°Don¡¯t forget, mister, you still owe me a debt. You¡¯ve been freeloading off of me, and now I¡¯m so broke I don¡¯t even have a roof over my head. I¡¯m just trying to earn a living, yet you¡¯re calling me money-minded? So what about you? You didn¡¯t pay me even though I saved you, so are you a shameless lout? Besides, do I have a duty to answer your question? Do I look like a charity to you?¡± ¡°¡­¡± He just said one thing about her, and she replied with eight hundred things! ¡­ The next day, Qi Qingyao went to Heir Pei¡¯s chambers. As his physician, she came to check if her valued customer was feeling any better, as per usual. ¡°You look much better, Lord Heir!¡± She lied with a straight face and an even pulse! It was his fault for looking so weak, as though he could not even lift a finger. ¡°Hmph.¡± Heir Pei snorted out of his nose just once. ¡°I saved you, but you¡¯re turning up your nose at me! You little motherf*cker.¡± Qi Qingyao hated pompous people like him most of all, so she did not hold back with her insult. Her attitude shocked Heir Pei into a near meltdown. ¡°Y-You¡­ You swore!¡± Qi Qingyao shruggedzily. ¡°I¡¯m a freaking physician, and I saved your life. Yet you won¡¯t even look at me right. What¡¯s wrong with a cuss word or two in the face of all that?¡± ¡°Are all female physicians as vulgar as you?¡± Heir Pei¡¯s mouth twitched despite himself. ¡°Are all male patients as unreasonable as you?¡± Qi Qingyao spoke the truth without holding back. ¡°With your personality, no one would bother to save you if it weren¡¯t for your money. You could do whatever you like for all I care.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Was it really just his money? He was a good-looking guy, though! Pei Fengtang was renowned in the capital for his handsome features. This woman must have terrible taste. In Linquan Vige¡­ After Qi Qingyao left the vige with her children that day, no one saw nor heard from her again. Some vigers who did not understand what was going on started asking their neighbors. ¡°Why haven¡¯t we seen Eleventh Daughtertely?¡± ¡°She owes us twenty taels now, so she¡¯s probably trying to earn it back.¡± Those in the know who had lent her money responded seriously. The second son of the Wu family rolled his eyes at that. ¡°You idiots. Even if that girl isn¡¯t a fool anymore, she¡¯s just a regr girl. There¡¯s no way she could earn twenty strings of coins!¡± Old Man Yang¡¯s wife defended Qi Qingyao. ¡°Why not? She caught a wild bear and earned two whole strings just by selling us that pork. Twenty is just ten times that¡­¡± Wu the Second asked, ¡°If I gave you two strings of coins, can you multiply it by ten within a month?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Old Yang¡¯s wife fell silent. Chapter 80 - Earning A Small Amount of Profit 3

Chapter 80: Earning A Small Amount of Profit 3

Wu the Second added, ¡°Besides, she¡¯s just a girl. How could she get a wild boar on her own? Use your brains for once.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Old Man Yang¡¯s wife and the other women fell into deep thought as well. Wu the Second pouted, saying, ¡°I¡¯m sure the schr¡­ no, the schr is a weak student. He can¡¯t possibly hunt. Perhaps he worked with her to steal another hunter¡¯s prey. That¡¯s where the boar came from. Someone else killed it, but they hadn¡¯t imed the carcass in time. She just got lucky and stole it.¡± Old Man Yang¡¯s wife was stunned. After she racked her mind, she told the women next to her, ¡°But it¡¯s alright! The vige head has promised to return the money we lent Eleventh Daughter if she can¡¯t repay her debt. That¡¯s why we don¡¯t have to worry.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, we¡¯re not worried at all.¡± The other women nodded fervently. Wu the Second harrumphed coldly. ¡°As if Ma Sanye has the money! So what if he promised? Can he return the money if she runs off with it? In other words, when ites down to it and he doesn¡¯t have the money, you can¡¯t do anything, can you? Idiots!¡± ¡°No, no! That won¡¯t happen. If she doesn¡¯te back, Ma Sanye will definitely give us an exnation for it,¡± Old Man Yang¡¯s wife said desperately. ¡°An exnation? What kind of exnation do you want? He¡¯ll just say that Eleventh Daughter will surelye back some day, but she and her three kids will starve to death by the wayside within a year. Either that, or they¡¯lle back with their heads hanging in shame when they really can¡¯t make it out there.¡± Wu the Second taunted them, saying, ¡°When that happens, she won¡¯t have the money to pay you back no matter how you press her for it. What can she do to pay you?¡± Old Man Yang¡¯s wife, ¡°¡­¡± The women huddled together and exchanged their opinions, until one of them suggested that they went to the vige head¡¯s house to ask. Wu the Second watched them leave and shook his head. Those idiots. When Old Man Yang¡¯s wife led her posse to the vige head¡¯s house, he was in the middle of his lunch. Old Man Yang¡¯s wife approached him, rubbing her hands as she asked, ¡°Vige head, what if Qi Qingyao doesn¡¯te back?¡± ¡°What do you mean, what if?¡± Ma Sanye was a little confused. Old Man Yang¡¯s wife said, ¡°I mean, what if she ran away and won¡¯t return our money? She cut ties with the Qi family, so who do we get our money from?¡± Ma Sanye syed his hands in exasperation. ¡°I swear on my good name that Qi Qingyao will definitely return and repay her debt.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that we don¡¯t trust you, vige head, but¡­ Twenty taels! That¡¯s not a small sum! If she really took off, can you guarantee you¡¯ll pay us back?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you have faith in me?¡± ¡°We do, but¡­¡± ¡°I know you¡¯re worried. Alright, let¡¯s do this. We¡¯ll wait for a month, until the end of the year. If Qi Qingyao still isn¡¯t back, I¡¯ll sell everything I own to pay you guys back. What do you think?¡± ¡°¡­¡± If the vige head went that far¡­ There was nothing the anxious women could say to that. All they could do was pray that Qi Qingyao had not run off with her kids! Ma Sanye recalled the women¡¯s doubts and prayed inwardly as well. ¡®Qingyao,ssie, I¡¯m your guarantor so please don¡¯t disappoint me!¡¯ ¡­ Qi Qingzhu¡¯s break was over, so she was about to return to Qingzhou City and resume her work at her master¡¯s house. Before she left, she dropped by her maiden home again and secretly tried to find out about Qi Qingyao¡¯s whereabouts. What she heard in return was that Qi Qingyao must have skipped out on her debt and left the vige with the two strings and three children. She was nevering back. Qi Qingzhu froze on the spot. What¡­ Chapter 81 - Earning A Small Amount of Profit 4

Chapter 81: Earning A Small Amount of Profit 4

By the ninth day, Heir Pei could already sit up. He no longer vomited blood when Qi Qingyao treated him with needles, and his throat and body felt more refreshed, even his internal organs felt it too! After the needle treatment, his pulse grew steadier. Coupled with the medicine Qi Qingyao gave him, Heir Pei felt much better despite his frailty. It was obvious even to the untrained eye that he was getting better. This made Heir Pei admire this brilliant physician even more. ¡°Why have you seeded in nursing me back to good health when other physicians have failed?¡± Heir Pei said, from where he was lying. He was almost immobile, just looking at the woman tidying up her needles at his bedside. Qi Qingyao said easily, ¡°They¡¯re incapable. They couldn¡¯t figure out what was ailing you.¡± ¡®Incapable? Hmph! You¡¯re the only one who¡¯s capable?¡¯ Heir Pei resisted the urge to roll his eyes. He asked casually, ¡°Have you encountered this illness before?¡± If not, how could she manage to treat him when so many other physicians have failed? Qi Qingyao raised her brow. She said, with a smile that was not really a smile at all, ¡°Why are you so concerned about this? I treated you back to health, that¡¯s all. Where are all these unnecessary questionsing from? When are you going to pay me?¡± Heir Pei said nothing. Just as Qi Qingyao finished packing her needles and prepared to leave, Heir Pei called after her and asked, ¡°Physician, I still don¡¯t know your name.¡± Qi Qingyao turned back and paused. Should she tell him her real name? Best not to. She did not want to be traced back to heirs like him in any way. She did not want him to know who she was, either. She said casually, ¡°Myst name is Su.¡± ¡°Su?¡± Heir Pei looked bemused for a second. ¡°Call me Su Hexiao.¡± Su Hexiao was one of the fake names she had used when she worked as an undercover spy. Under this fake identity of hers, she had masqueraded as a doctor. ¡°What?¡± Heir Pei¡¯s eyes almost bugged out of their sockets. He struggled to sit up on his bed, but failed and ended up flopping back down, panting like he was half-dead. He looked at Qi Qingyao wondrously. ¡°You¡¯re Su Hexiao?¡± Qi Qingyao asked dubiously. ¡°Is there a problem with that?¡± Judging from the expression on his face, this fake name of hers was probably shared with someone else. ¡°You, you, you¡­ you¡¯re Su Hexiao, the most mysterious Divine Physician in Beiliang!¡± Heir Pei took in deep breath after deep breath, trying not to pass out from excitement. Divine Physician? She had the same name as a Divine Physician? Qi Qingyao exined hurriedly, ¡°What Divine Physician? Brother, you must have mistaken me as someone else.¡± ¡°No, how could I? Su Hexiao¡¯s very famous in Beiliang!¡± Heir Pei said determinedly, his eyes wide. ¡°You really have the wrong person, my friend.¡± Qi Qingyao was speechless. Then Heir Peiunched into a monologue about how lucky he was to be treated by the Divine Physician and how this had to be a blessing from the gods above¡­. Qi Qingyao exited the room, feeling helpless. She questioned Li Qing, who was standing guard by the door, ¡°Hey, can I ask you something? Who¡¯s Su Hexiao?¡± Li Qing eyed Qi Qingyao out of the corner of his eye, looking bemused, as if he was surprised she had not heard of Su Hexiao before. Curiosity was written all over Qi Qingyao¡¯s pretty and pure face. After making sure that she really knew nothing, Li Qing said, ¡°There are three physicians who are very famous in Beiliang. They¡¯re the Godly Physician Lu Li, the Demon Physician Jiang Xun, and the mysterious Divine Physician Su Hexiao. Everyone knows she¡¯s a woman, but aside from that she¡¯s very mysterious. Many have attempted to track her down to ask for her assistance, but they have failed to find her.¡± Chapter 82 - Earning A Small Amount of Profit 5

Chapter 82: Earning A Small Amount of Profit 5

¡°She¡¯s that awesome.¡± Li Qing felt wistful as he told Qi Qingyao about Su Hexiao. They had also searched for Su Hexiao for four years, to no avail. ¡°Why is she so famous when no one¡¯s managed to find her?¡± Qi Qingyao muttered. Li Qing thought about it for a while. ¡°Probably because she treated the current emperor of Beiliang ten years ago?¡± ¡°She treated the emperor of Beiliang?¡± An imperial physician, huh? Li Qing exined, ¡°The young emperor hadn¡¯t ascended to the throne yet back then. The old emperor liked him, but the young emperor¡¯s body was in bad condition due to how he was poisoned as a kid. For that, the emperor visited the temple of the Koi Fish God and prayed. Unexpectedly, he met a divine physician named Su Hexiao there, who healed him. The ailment the emperor was suffering from was veryplicated, and the other physicians in Beiliang had no idea what to do about it. The pce also sought out physicians from other countries in the continent, but their efforts were in vain. It was¡­ kind of like the situation the Heir is in now. Nevertheless, Su Hexiao seeded in treating the little emperor! From then on, she became famous in thend. She disappeared, but her fame still remains. Rumor says that four years ago, she appeared again in Qingzhou City, saved Zhu Yutian, the little overlord of Jiangzhou, and then proceeded to vanished again¡­¡± ¡°What a mysterious and awesome story!¡± Qi Qingyao was amazed. Li Qing asked, ¡°Why did you ask about her?¡± Qi Qingyao replied, ¡°To learn something new.¡± With that, Qi Qingyao turned back and reentered the room. Heir Pei was still nattering on about how awesome Divine Physician Su was. He stared at Qi Qingyao with admiration on his face, and he called after Qi Qingyao with a voice that caused goosebumps to break out on her skin, ¡°Miss Su~¡± Qi Qingyao was disgusted by his gaze and his choice of honorifics. She waved her hand. ¡°Okay, enough. Don¡¯t call me Miss Su, it makes me feel nauseous.¡± Heir Pei pursed his lips. His gaze was still filled with admiration. Qi Qingyao knew that he had mistaken her as the real Su Hexiao. She pressed at her temple with a finger and pursed her lips, deep in thought. After half a second, she turned to Heir Pei and said nonchntly, ¡°I¡¯ll tell you the truth. I¡¯m not a Divine Physician or anything like that. I said that to appease Li Qing so that I coulde treat you and earn some money. Su Hexiao¡¯s just a fake name I made up, I didn¡¯t expect to share a name with the Mysterious Divine Physician Su Hexiao. This is really a beautiful mess of a misunderstanding, and that¡¯s all that there is to it!¡± Heir Pei looked determined. ¡°I don¡¯t believe you!¡± ¡°Why not?¡± Qi Qingyao shrugged. ¡°You healed me. That¡¯s enough proof.¡± Heir Pei said determinedly. Qi Qingyao rolled her eyes. ¡°Proof, what proof? I healed you because I¡¯m intelligent!¡± Heir Pei paused. ¡°Who are you, then? What¡¯s your name?¡± Qi Qingyao massaged her aching forehead and told him everything. ¡°I told you my name¡¯s Su Hexiao because I didn¡¯t want you to remember me. I didn¡¯t expect there to be another Su Hexiao who¡¯s so damn famous. My name is actually Qi Qingyao, I¡¯m from the vige nearby. I got pregnant without being married and I now have three children. They¡¯re all around the age of three. Li Qing knows about this. They now live in one of the side rooms. You can go meet them. They look incredibly like me. If you don¡¯t believe me, you can investigate me. With how capable you are, Heir Pei, it should be an easy job.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Heir Pei looked at her as she told her story with conviction. She did not look like she was kidding. Li Qing had told him before that she had three children¡­ And that she had a pair of strange men ¡ª who wore a bull-head mask and a horse-face mask respectively ¡ª with her all the time. Heir Pei did not ask any more questions. He had Qi Qingyao return to her rooms, and once Qi Qingyao left, he waved Li Qing over. He asked Li Qing to perform an errand for him, and Li Qing went to start the investigation immediately after he received his orders. Chapter 83 - Earning A Small Amount of Profit 6

Chapter 83: Earning A Small Amount of Profit 6

During the morning of Qi Qingyao¡¯s tenth day here, she went to treat Heir Pei with needles as usual. After that, Heir Pei raised a finger limply and pointed to a small package on the bedside table, gesturing for Qi Qingyao to open it. Curious, she opened it to see a stack of paper money in the package. Heir Pei said in a low tone, ¡°This is my payment to you.¡± ¡°Paper money?¡± It was quite a hefty stack. On them were the words ¡®Yongchang Bank¡¯ and ¡®Can be Exchanged¡¯. Heir Pei was also quite direct. ¡°Silver ingots aren¡¯t convenient to carry around. These are paper money issued by Yongchang Bank. You can exchange them for ingots in any branch of theirs around the continent. They¡¯re reliable! You can do that any time.¡± Qi Qingyao licked her thumb, leaving some saliva on the skin, and started counting the money. She counted them twice and confirmed that there were a hundred of these notes in the stack, all of 100 yuan. Qi Qingyao said to Heir Pei with a grin, ¡°After your show of generosity, I¡¯ll throw in a bonus. The toxins in your body have almost all cleared. Starting tomorrow, you don¡¯t have to take this medicine anymore as excessive doses will bring on side effects. I¡¯ll give you some medicine good for your body. The number of days you need to take it for and the dates will bebeled on them. You only need to take them as ordered and stop after one month. By then, your condition should be good. You only need to rest well and let your body recover.¡± Then Qi Qingyao asked Li Qing, who was standing at the door, toe in. She had Li Qing hand her a set of stationery, wrote down several recipes, and told Li Qing what to do. Li Qing listened to her intently. After that, Qi Qingyao bade goodbye to Heir Pei, After an hour, Li Qing reported to his boss. Heir Pei put his medicine aside and gestured for the servant by him to leave. It was only after that he asked Li Qing, ¡°Has she left?¡± ¡°She, along with her children, Bull-head and Horse-face, have left our premises,¡± Li Qing said. ¡°How¡¯s the investigation I ordered going?¡± Heir Pei asked. Li Qing said, ¡°Qi Qingyao is from Linquan Vige. She¡¯s always been notorious in the vige as a fool. Four years ago, she, along with her family, visited rtives in Qingzhou City. She lost her way for a few days andter returned pregnant. She gave birth to triplets. A few days before this, quite recently, she recovered and became normal, but then she was disowned by the Qi family, who had her fend for herself. Later, we met her in the temple of the Koi Fish God.¡± ¡®Qi Qingyao, Qi Qingyao¡­¡¯ Heir Pei repeated her name in his mind. He stared at one corner of the room, looking spaced out. After a while, he asked, ¡°Li Qing, what do you think of this woman?¡± ¡°Heir?¡± Li Qing did not know what the point of this question was. Heir Pei narrowed his eyes. ¡°Do you think she really was a fool?¡± Li Qing looked downward. He organized his thoughts in his mind before replying, ¡°I dare not make baseless spections, but I have a question: if she really was a fool, where did her prowess in medicinee from? There are so many physicians in the country, and yet no one has seeded in treating the ailment that¡¯s been haunting you persistently. She, on the other hand, did so effortlessly! There¡¯s Horse-face and Bull-head too. I heard the vigers say that they¡¯re two very handsome young men. One of them seems to be a schr!¡± Heir Pei was still spacing out. It was like he was listening, but only to half of it. Li Qing lowered his voice and whispered quickly, ¡°If he were a normal schr, would he need to wear the mask both for the temple festival and at the entrance of the temple? We haven¡¯t seen the true faces of those two men during the past few days they¡¯ve lived here. This is very strange.¡± Heir Pei said determinedly, ¡°She must be Su Hexiao. It¡¯s just that she doesn¡¯t want to admit it.¡± ¡°I think so too.¡± There was no way to exin her prowess in medicine, otherwise! ¡°You must keep her identity and the fact that I asked you to investigate it a secret, regardless if she¡¯s Su Hexiao or not.¡± ¡°Yes, Heir.¡± ¡°Also, keep the recipes she wrote for me well. When we return to the Capital, I will enter the pce andpare them to the recipes held by the emperor.¡± ¡°Yes, Heir.¡± Chapter 84 - Returning Home Rich and Proud 1

Chapter 84: Returning Home Rich and Proud 1

Li Qing was generous. He had Qi Qingyao and her entourage take a carriage to the town. Jiang Yeqian carried the children down from the carriage. The children tilted their heads curiously when they realized that they were not in the vige. Dabao asked, ¡°Mother, where are we going now?¡± ¡°Are we going back to the vige?¡± Erniu asked. Xiaobao was most concerned about¡­ ¡°We must first pay off the money we owe the vige chief, Mother¡­¡± Qi Qingyaoughed so much she was almost out of breath. Xiaobao was most concerned about their debts! ¡°We have money, there¡¯s no need to fear.¡± Qi Qingyao ruffled Xiaobao¡¯s hair. She looked at the clothing the children were wearing, and then at herself. Li Qing had bought it all for them. They were just ordinary clothing with passable quality. Now what she had to do was¡­ ¡°Let¡¯s go. We¡¯re going to the clothing shops here first to buy some nice clothes, and then we¡¯ll buy 200 catty of rice and bring them back home to the vige as a gift for the vige chief and the others. After that, we¡¯ll rent another carriage and return, rich and proud!¡± Erniu thought about her mother¡¯s words. ¡°Mother, let¡¯s go to the jewelry shop too so that you can buy some beautiful jewelry for yourself too.¡± Erniu was young, but she had seen some women in the vige wear some cheap hairpins on their heads. They might not be expensive, but they were pretty. Her mother had nothing of the sort, and went about her day looking in. Erniu felt that her mother should wear pretty things too. ¡°Hahaha, Erniu sure knows a lot!¡± Qi Qingyaoughed. Si Jin and Jiang Yeqian tagged behind them, silent. Many passers-by on the street looked at them curiously, for they were too good-looking and too eye-catching. The group entered a clothing shop. The shopkeeper was tidying the shop¡¯s ounts behind the counter. When he looked up, he was shocked by the masks that covered Jiang Yeqian and Si Jin¡¯s faces. He was about to shoo them out when his eyes fell on Qi Qingyao¡¯s beautiful, pure face, and he resisted the urge to drive them out of the shop. Qi Qingyao did not know the internal turmoil going on in the shopkeeper¡¯s mind. She asked casually, ¡°Shopkeeper, do you have any clothing for children?¡± ¡°Are you buying clothes for these children, miss?¡± The shopkeeper looked at the cute and pretty children behind Qi Qingyao. Qi Qingyao replied with an affirmative nod. ¡°Judging from their height, I should have some clothes that fit them. Please wait a while.¡± The shopkeeper entered the back of the shop, rummaged for a while in the storeroom, and emerged with about a dozen children¡¯s outfits for Qi Qingyao to choose from. The children were extremely excited when they heard Mother was going to buy clothes for them. They could not stop touching the clothes with their tiny hands. Dabao said, ¡°This silk feels so different from the rough fabric we¡¯re used to. It¡¯s so smooth!¡± ¡°It shines too!¡± Erniu¡¯s eyes were watery. Qi Qingyao felt that the clothes were ordinary. She pursed her lips. ¡°The consumption level in the town is only average, so there¡¯s no better material here. When we go to Qingzhou City ¡ª it¡¯s a big city ¡ª we¡¯ll buy clothes made from the best fabric! We¡¯ll buy a big mansion too!¡± The corner of the shopkeeper¡¯s lips twitched as he heard Qi Qingyao¡¯s words. The children pped their hands excitedly. They headed to the changing room to try on their new clothes. After that, the children walked out of the room, and Qi Qingyao said, ¡°With these outfits, the three of you look like children from noble families.¡± Si Jin squatted down and helped Xiaobao tidy the buttons on his clothes. Jiang Yeqian helped the slightly clumsy Erniu with her braid. Qi Qingyao smoothed out Dabao¡¯s hair. The shopkeeper was thinking, ¡®This customer uttered boastful words, but¡­ can she really afford this? Not to mention Bull-head and Horse-face behind her! This is really, really strange!¡¯ Chapter 85 - Returning Home Rich and Proud 2

Chapter 85: Returning Home Rich and Proud 2

Qi Qingyao picked out an outfit for herself as well, and went to change into it. After some time, she stepped out of the fitting room. The children were amazed by the sight of her in her new clothes. Jiang Yeqian and Si Jin, too, were transfixed. They looked at her with shock and confusion; she looked like she could be a deity. Qi Qingyao had always been good-looking, but her in clothes distracted from her beauty. This outfit she had on now was mainly red and ck. The hem of the dress was decorated with ck thread, and pale gold peonies were embroidered on the cloth. On her sleeves, in dark gold thread, was a butterfly amid a sea of flowers. This outfit, together with her red lips, made her look radiant and enchanting. She was like a peony under the rosy clouds of dawn, grand and elegant! Dabao was the first to react. He could not help pping with his tiny hands. ¡°Mother, you¡¯re so beautiful.¡± ¡°I was born this way.¡± Qi Qingyao raised her brow smugly. Jiang Yeqian retracted his gaze with abject difficulty. He then breathed out from his nose. ¡°Hmph.¡± Erniu blinked hard. Only with that did she manage to regain her senses after the shock of her mother¡¯s beauty. Xiaobao stood there woodenly, still unable toe back to himself¡ªhis mother was as beautiful as the deities up in Heaven! ¡°Elder Sister is beautiful. The clothes are pretty, but you¡¯re more pretty!¡± Si Jin said with a sweet smile. Qi Qingyao chuckled, ¡°Fine feathers make fine birds!¡± Xiaobao was quiet, ¡°¡­¡± Where had his mother learned so many idioms from? Why did he feel like his mother was very cultured? Did she manage to learn so much during her time as a fool? Xiaobao was bemused. After listening to the favorable reactions from her children, Qi Qingyao said generously, ¡°Shopkeeper, we¡¯ll buy these!¡± The shopkeeper rubbed his eyes and swallowed. He tried his utmost best to retract his gaze from the girl and counted the amount Qi Qingyao needed to pay. He was scared that Qi Qingyao did not have enough money, so he stammered when he gave her the amount. Qi Qingyao was rich now, though. The wealthy woman tossed all the coins she had to the shopkeeper, and said generously, ¡°Keep the change.¡± The children were again shocked when they watched their mother spend her money like it was water. Jiang Yeqian frowned as he looked at Qi Qingyao¡¯s actions. He could not help lowering his head to ask Xiaobao, ¡°How did your mom get into this habit of spending money like water?¡± Xiaobao, ¡°¡­¡± Jiang Yeqian was silent, too, in reply. ¡°¡­¡± They stared at each other for a moment, bemused. What Xiaobao did not understand was how they were so poor in the past, but now that they had earned arge amount of money his Mother could spend it like she had been rich for her whole life. She was not anxious or terrified at the slightest when she came into wealth, and was extremely calm instead¡­ Grandma and the others were so gleeful when they got their hands on ten strings of coins. Mother had earned ten thousand tael, but she did not go crazy or anything like that! She spent them calmly instead¡­ ¡­ Linquan Vige. Several men were repairing a nuh nearby the vige¡¯s rice fields with shovels. Suddenly, they spotted a grand carriage heading toward the vige. ¡°There¡¯s a carriage headed for here,¡± Old Wang said after he raised his gaze. ¡°A carriage?¡± Old Yang set down the shovel he was holding and took a look as well. He could not help muttering, ¡°Is it Old Zhou¡¯s second son? Did hee back after achieving wealth and power?¡± He was so envious. Old Li did not think so. ¡°Or maybe Old Tian¡¯s third daughter is back to visit her family.¡± Old Yang thought about it. ¡°You may be right. Old Tian¡¯s third daughter has good looks, and she married a merchant in Qingzhou City as a concubine. She leads an easy life and never needs to worry about what to eat or what to wear. She alwayses back decked out in jewelry and some with good food for her family. Ah, I¡¯m so envious. I¡¯ll be so happy if my daughter can marry someone living in one of the big cities.¡± As they chatted, the carriage arrived near them. Suddenly, the window was opened, and an extremely beautiful and radiant young woman stuck her head out and said to them with a sweet smile on her face, ¡°Uncle Yang, you can stop working here. I bought two hundred catty of rice. I¡¯ll distribute it at the vige chief¡¯s house!¡± And with a quick ¡°I¡¯ll head to the vige chief¡¯s house to pay him back!¡±, the carriage headed into the vige, leaving the men rooted to the spot. They watched as the carriage drove far away. After a while, Old Yang swallowed. He asked hoarsely, ¡°Who was that just now?¡± Chapter 86 - Returning Home Rich and Proud 3

Chapter 86: Returning Home Rich and Proud 3

Several people stared at each other after Old Man Yang said that. They then put their heads together and began thinking. That¡­ really was the Eleventh Daughter of the Qi family. How was that possible¡­ Where did she get the money to ride in such a beautiful and luxurious carriage? ¡°For now, let¡¯s not worry about whether it¡¯s possible or not. If my eyes didn¡¯t deceive me, that person just now seems to bear the appearance of the Eleventh Daughter,¡± said Old Man Yang. ¡°Whether it¡¯s a mule, a horse, or a donkey, we¡¯ll know once we head back and take a look,¡± Old Man Yang said through tightly gritted teeth. Immediately, the few of them rushed to the vige. ¡­ Many people had already noticed thevish and luxurious carriage when it entered the vige and they all had the same thoughts as Old Man Yang. They all wondered if someone¡¯s son had struck gold outside the vige, or if a married daughter was returning home to visit her parents. However, when the carriage drove all the way up to the door of the vige head, everyone could only stare nkly. The vige head, Ma Sanye, only had a few sons and they were all in the vige. Not to mention, their situation at home was fairly average as well. Ma Sanye did not have any affluent rtives either! He was the vige head of Linquan VIge and he was the person with the most authority in the Ma family. When the carriage stopped and a gracefully and luxuriously dressed youngdy alighted from the carriage as the coachman lifted the curtains, everyone was stunned. On her red and ck attire were beautiful peonies embroidered in gold and silk thread, entuating the youngdy¡¯s fair skin. On her head, she wore a beautiful hair stick with beads of jadeite pearls and a pearl ne hung around her neck. There were also beautifully exquisite rubies on her ears and two strings of gold bracelets on her wrists. The youngdy¡¯s eyes wererge and her glossy lips red. Her eyes were likecquer and her brows looked like strokes of an ink painting. Her eyes were watery and bright as she looked around. She was essentially a rose among a world of weeds! Ma Sanye was forced to open his doors following all the racket outside. He was utterly shocked when he saw the youngdy. He only snapped out of it after two seconds and registered that the majestic and beautiful youngdy in front of him was surprisingly none other than Qi Qingyao who had left the vige 11 days ago. However, Ma Sanye did not dare to jump to this conclusion. That was because the woman¡¯s demeanor waspletely different. ¡°Qi Qingyao?¡± ¡°Vige head, it¡¯s me, I¡¯ve returned.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Was it really her? Ma Sanye was bbergasted. When Jiang Yeqian, Si Jin, and three little kids alighted from the carriage, the curious crowd finally realized who this youngdy was and everyone lost their minds for a moment. ¡°It¡¯s Qi Qingyao!¡± ¡°Ah!¡± A few women at the door were covering their mouths, so excited that they were almost tearing up. After all, they had been discussing this secretly the past few days; they had believed that Qi Qingyao would probably be gone forever, that she had just taken off for good. No one would have thought that she would return. On top of that, she came back riding such a beautiful carriage!! Someone pointed at the tworge bup bags that were still being unloaded from the carriage and asked curiously. ¡°Eleventh Daughter, this¡­ what¡¯s with these tworge bags of rice?¡± Qi Qingyao made a vague, dismissive gesture and went up to Ma Sanye first. She took out a money pouch and handed it to him. ¡°Vige head, here are 20 taels. You can give them a count.¡± The vige head, ¡°¡­¡± The surrounding bystanders, ¡°¡­¡± How was it possible for her to return with 20 strings of mace? She¡­ How did she do it? Qi QIngyao, meanwhile, was perfectly calm as she gestured for Si Jin to open the bup bags. Si Jin, who was dressed in white brocade clothes, smiled as she opened the two bup bags, revealing the shiny and plump white rice within. The crowd once again did not know how to respond and were all dumbfounded. ¡°This 200 catty of rice is for those who willingly lent me money previously. I thank you for your generosity back then for helping me when I was in a desperate situation.¡± Qi Qingyao pped her hands and continued, ¡°Vige head, please distribute the rice to everyone. I shall not meddle anymore.¡± Chapter 87 - Returning Home Rich and Proud 4

Chapter 87: Returning Home Rich and Proud 4

When Ma Sanye returned to his senses, he hurriedly asked the neighborhood representatives to summon all the people who had loaned her money back then. Soon, many vigers gathered at Ma Sanye¡¯s door. Some of them were those who had lent her money while others had just tagged along to get in on what was happening. The entrance to Ma Sanye¡¯s home became very lively all of a sudden. After everyone had received their money from Ma Sanye, a few of the neighbors were assigned to scoop and distribute the rice¡­ One person piped up curiously, ¡°Eleventh Daughter, where did you run off to these few days? We haven¡¯t seen you around at all.¡± Qi Qingyao smiled mysteriously. ¡°I spent this time making money, of course.¡± ¡°What kind of business did you do to be able to earn 20 taels? You even managed to give us two hundred catties of rice. You¡¯d also bought yourself such beautiful clothes, even some gold bracelets~¡± ¡°I just did some heroic work.¡± Heroic work? As in, saving people? ¡­. After receiving money and distributing rice, everyone returned home in a happy mood. When Old Man Yang¡¯s wife walked past the Qi family home, she spotted Madam Wu sitting in the central hall sewing the soles of some shoes and deliberately yelled out to her. ¡°Your family¡¯s Eleventh Daughter hase home.¡± Madam Wu was stunned. She put down the shoe soles and walked out. Scratching her head, she said, ¡°Qi Qingyao? Didn¡¯t she take off?¡± ¡°She really came home. She¡¯s at Ma Sanye¡¯s home now distributing rice to everyone,¡± Old Man Yang¡¯s wife said with a smile. ¡°Rice? What rice?¡± Madam Wu was confused. ¡°When she returned, not only had she earned money, but she also brought back two hundred catties of rice and said it was to be distributed to all the vigers.¡± Old Man Yang¡¯s wife pointed at the sack of rice in her arms. Madam Wu asked, ¡°Did everyone get a share?¡± Old Man Yang¡¯s wife proudly responded, ¡°I think only those who lent her money back then¡­got a share of the rice.¡± After saying this, she hugged the rice sack and went back home. She even told Madam Wu that she would be preparing steamed rice in the afternoon. Madam Wu went back into the house, half-convinced and half in disbelief. She ryed the news to her daughter-inw, Madam Guo, who was preparing lunch. Dumbfounded, the two of them went to Ma Sanye¡¯s home. Eventually, they confirmed with their own eyes that there was a carriage there and that many people were there collecting rice. The crowd noticed Madam Wu and Madam Guoing over. Some of them were evenughing at Madam Wu and making fun of her. ¡°Madam Wu, the little fool that your family did not want has gotten rich now. She not only made money for herself but also had some to spare and bought everyone rice. What a thoughtful child!¡± Madam Wu heard this and was confused. Qi Qingyao made money? She only had two strings of mace in her hand at that time. Even if she sold half of that pig, she still would not have much in her hands. How could she possibly give everyone back their money? What a joke! The people who hadpleted their part of the rice distribution did not seem to have any intention of greeting Madam Wu. Some who had gotten their rice did not rush to go home, however. Instead, they went into the central hall of Ma Sanye¡¯s home and began chatting with Qi Qingyao. Madam Wu was infuriated. So, she went along with the crowd into the house. In just one nce, she saw the luxuriously dressed young woman sitting in the main seat of the central hall. There was plenty of sparkling jewelry hanging off her body that blinded Madam Wu a little. For a moment, she could not recognize the woman. That was, until she noticed the three kids. It was only then that Madam Wu recognized this young woman with a noble demeanor and elegant countenance to actually be the hopeless fool of a child that their family did not want¡­ Ma Sanye and the others were chatting with Qi Qingyao merrily, listening to her ount of what she had seen these past few days. Suddenly, someone noticed the person standing at the door and voiced out with displeasure. ¡°Madam Wu, what brings you here? You don¡¯t have the right to take the rice.¡± These words were especially grating on Madam Wu¡¯s ears. Chapter 88 - Returning Home Rich and Proud 5

Chapter 88: Returning Home Rich and Proud 5

Madam Wu was furious and asked sternly, ¡°Why can¡¯t I be here? Even if Qi Qingyao has broken ties with our family, she¡¯s still a Qi. Can¡¯t Ie to take a look at how she¡¯s been faring?¡± Before Ma Sanye could say anything, it was Matron Ma instead who replied unhappily, ¡°And now you¡¯ve taken a look. The youngdy is doing very well with life now!¡± ¡°Hmph!¡± Madam Wu was so mad that mes were about to spew out of her nose. She had a thieving look in her eyes like a mouse¡¯s as she scrutinized Qi Qingyao¡¯s clothes. Then, her tone peculiar, she said, ¡°She must be a concubine for some big family if she¡¯s able to put on gold and silver.¡± The crowd, ¡°????¡± Matron Ma¡¯s expression was dark. ¡°Madam Wu, what are you implying?¡± A womanughed at Madam Wu despite herself and mocked, ¡°The daughter that she didn¡¯t want achieved sess in just a few short days, of course, she would be feeling envious and regretful.¡± Madam Wu heard this and felt like a cat whose tail had been stepped on. Pointing at Qi Qingyao on the spot, she retorted like a cannon. ¡°You lot have been turned into fools by money and rice! ¡°Look at her true self. ¡°She was an idiot before this! Just a fool who doesn¡¯t know anything. ¡°Just because she¡¯s no longer stupid now, so what? ¡°Do you think that she¡¯s literate now or that she knows how to make money? ¡°She must have used some inappropriate means to get this money. ¡°As for what they were, just look at what she¡¯s wearing now. Could garments like that be afforded with just a little bit of money? Just those two bracelets alone would fork a hefty sum! ¡°I admit that when she¡¯s not stupid, she was decent looks¡ªshe¡¯s my child, after all. She¡¯s inherited my outstanding and beautiful features! Even if she had three kids with her, there will still be somendlord out there who would desire her beauty. All she needs to do is put a bit of those ttery skills of hers from four years ago to use and she could easily attract andlord! ¡°Is being somebody¡¯s concubine or maid something worth being arrogant about? And she darese back to this vige to show off? I truly feel ashamed of you! If I were you, I would have dug a hole and buried myself in it!¡± The moment Madam Wu said her piece, everyone was looking at her as if they were watching someedy show. Madam Guo had felt jealous initially. After she heard what Madam Wu said, she felt much more soothed and added, ¡°That¡¯s right, it¡¯s fortunate that the Qi family has broken ties with her. If someone found out that my sister-inw had be some housekeeper, I would be too ashamed to continue living.¡± The women in Ma Sanye¡¯s home watched as the duo supported each other¡¯s words. They were a bit speechless at the sight. They had just been talking with the Qi family¡¯s youngdy. The girl¡¯s speech and demeanor do not seem to be the same as the person from before¡­ Back then, they would never have believed that she could earn 20 strings of mace in one month. Who would have thought that in just 11 days, she had not only returned the money to the people but also brought and distributed rice to them? Wait a minute, could she have really be someone¡¯s concubine¡­and was just being doted on by her master? Otherwise, it made no sense that she could have earned such a sess. Everyone was a little confused. They slowly turned their heads and looked at Qi Qingyao. Qi Qingyao was motionlessly seated there but emanated a powerfully condescending aura. She threw a contemptuous nce at Madam Wu who had spoken such acrid words and spat out a few words lightly. ¡°A green-eyed monster, haha.¡± ¡°Qi Qingyao, who are you calling that?¡± snapped Madam Wu angrily as herplexion turned green. Qi Qingyao shrugged calmly. ¡°If the shoe fits.¡± Matron Ma could not help butugh out loud. ¡°Let her continue being jealous!¡± ¡°I¡¯m jealous?¡± Madam Wu¡¯s throat seemed to be caught on something, she was so angry she could not say a single word. Chapter 89 - Returning Home Rich and Proud 6

Chapter 89: Returning Home Rich and Proud 6

Madam Wu sucked in a breath and red at Qi Qingyao whose expression was haughty. Putting on a proud facade, she said, ¡°Our family currently has ten strings of mace, so what need is there for me to be jealous of you? Don¡¯t tter yourself. ¡± Ma Sanye did not want Qi Qingyao to be involved with Madam Wu again and so he actively tried to mediate the situation, ¡°Qingyao, there¡¯s no need for you to lower yourself to her level.¡± Qi Qingyao smiled and replied, ¡°Ma Sanye, I wouldn¡¯t dream of getting involved with a madwoman.¡± She looked at Madam Wu with a calm gaze as she said this. Madam Wu sensed the gaze the young woman had on her. It was calm and without a trace of hostility, as if no matter how much she made a fuss, she still would not be able to spark any anger in her. To be more precise, the gaze the young woman was giving her was as if she were looking at an ant. This frustrated Madam Wu. How dare she? She was just a simpleton. How could she look at people like that? This both surprised and annoyed Madam Wu. Ma Sanye was too weary to deal with Madam Wu, so he just asked QIngyao, ¡°Are you still going to leave the vige? Or will you be staying?¡± Ma Sanye continued without even waiting for Qi Qingyao to answer, ¡°You¡¯re one of us in this vige, your three kids as well. You just need to say the word and we can help you apply for a piece ofnd. Everyone in the vige would help you build a house.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need to rush this matter.¡± Qi Qingyao still had not made up her mind about this. She now had a lot of money on her hands but was still contemting on whether she should head to Capital City to travel immediately or remain in the vige and be the wealthy woman in a rural vige¡­ However, based on modern-day logic, a person should buy the most expensive house on the second ring road of Beijing the moment they had money! That would be a house in the school district. With the same logic, she should go to Capital City to travel and, at the same time, buy a house. In two years, the three little ones would be all grown up and could immediately enroll in schools and colleges in Capital City for their studies. The education environment in Capital City was definitely better than in the vige. Looking at the vige and these people, the majority of them were illiterate and could not recognize a single word. For those who were barely literate, they could recognize only a few words but still did not know how to write them¡­ The original host was born in a poor environment, she could not allow the children to suffer! However, entering Capital City was not something she could just decide on right away. Firstly, whether or not Si Jin would tag along was a huge question. Whether or not Jiang Bai would follow was also a huge problem. That was why Qi Qingyao did not feel too rushed about this matter. When Madam Wu overheard Ma Sanye and Qi Qingyao discussing building a house, an unknown fire surged straight to the top of her head. She snorted sarcastically. ¡°You really think you¡¯re a rich person. huh. What are you being so arrogant for?¡± Ma Sanye finally could not stand it any longer. He stood up and made an imploring gesture, ¡°Wu Yulian, we do not wee you here. If there isn¡¯t anything else, please get lost and go back home.¡± ¡°Hmph, as if anyone appreciates talking to a fox.¡± Madam Wu did not dare to directly speak against Ma Sanye, so she pretended to be speaking to Qi Qingyao. After saying that, she faced Madam Guo and motioned for them to take their leave. The mother and daughter-inw duo promptly left. When the two of them were on their way back, no one spoke a word. Immediately after they entered their house, Old Man Qi asked her if something was wrong. Madam Wu did not feel like talking about it so Madam Guo told him about what had happened at the vige head¡¯s door. Old Man Qi¡¯s expression sank and he did not say anything for a while. In the end, he never said anything. He had no right to judge her since they had already broken ties with Qi Qingyao. Madam Wu was so angry, she muttered darkly, ¡°She definitely became someone¡¯s concubine. I wouldn¡¯t want a daughter like that even if they were given to me for free!¡± A few of her nieces and nephews had returned from ying at the foot of the mountain when they saw their grandmother¡¯s angry behavior. They hardly dared breathe in the atmosphere, let alone say anything. Madam Guoughed dryly, not daring to speak on her behalf. She went and brewed a pot of tea for everyone before leading her son and daughter back to their house. After returning home and sitting on the bed-stove, Madam Guo thought back on everything that had happened at Ma Sanye¡¯s house just now. Could the Eleventh Daughter really have be somendlord¡¯s concubine? And she was now living life as a rich married woman? If that was the case, Madam Guo felt quite envious. Chapter 90 - Returning Home Rich and Proud 7

Chapter 90: Returning Home Rich and Proud 7

In the end, to be able to catch the eye of a wealthyndlord was a kind of skill nheless. For someone like her, who was not blessed with good looks, with arge face, big hips, small eyes, even if she wanted to be someone¡¯s rich wife, she could not have that life. ¡®Ah, I¡¯m destined for a life married to an honest man.¡¯ Madam Guo thought to herself and sighed. Qi Yuanye¡¯s house. After eating, Madam Tian sat at the head of the bed-stove as she breastfed her small daughter. Qi Yuanye came in from outside carrying a shovel, his son left alone in the courtyard as he built a snowman. He was having so much fun. Qi Yuanye took a look at him and went into the central hall. He first ate two cold steamed buns, then scooped another two spoons of pickled vegetables into a porridge bowl. Then, he brought the porridge into the room. He saw his wife breastfeeding his daughter when he stepped into the room. Qi Yuanye sat at the end of the bed and began to eat. Madam Tian opened her eyes and said in a casual pretense, ¡°I heard your sister has been distributing rice at Ma Sanye¡¯s house.¡± ¡°My sister?¡± Qi Yuanye paused with his hand cradling the bowl before he responded, ¡°Qi Qingyao?¡± ¡°Who else?¡± Madam Tian¡¯s tone wasced with some jealousy. ¡°Then, why didn¡¯t you go get the rice?¡± Qi Yuanye asked. Madam Tian sucked in a deep breath. ¡°Only those who lent her money were entitled to the rice.¡± Qi Yuanye asked, ¡°But you¡¯re her sister-inw. Why aren¡¯t you entitled to it?¡± ¡°Oh Yuanye, have you forgotten that the Qi family has severed rtionships with her?¡± Madam Tian dragged her words out to hide the bit of resentment in her tone. ¡°Severing rtionships is just talk. How could they really cut off ties with her? In any case, she¡¯s still a Qi! She¡¯s still one of us,¡± Qi Yuanye boomed. Madam Tian rolled her eyes. ¡°Then go ask for it yourself and see if she gives it to you or not.¡± Qi Yuanye was silent for a moment. He finished the pickled vegetables and porridge and set down the bowl; he did not get off the bed stove, however. Madam Tian knew he did not have the balls to go look for Qi Qingyao. So, she said, ¡°I heard the next doordy say that your mother went to Ma Sanye¡¯s house just now and ended up saying all sorts of things out of jealousy. Now everyone isughing at her.¡± ¡°What¡¯s there tough about?¡± Qi Yuanye earnestly did not understand this. Madam Tian realized that men were not bright and they could not recognize at all the severity of the situation. She could not help but ask sarcastically, ¡°Yuanye, are you sure there¡¯s nothing funny about this situation?¡± Qi Yuanye frowned. ¡°¡­¡± His gaze was questioning as if asking what was funny about it. Madam Tian¡¯s resentment was growing. ¡°She¡¯s not stupid, your mother and father had insisted on cutting ties with her and now she¡¯s turned the tables and gotten sessful. None of you have even the slightest right to ask for anything! Obviously, we¡¯re also Qis and should have the strongest im to whatever that is distributed, but it¡¯s the total opposite. We aren¡¯t even entitled to a single strand of hair.¡± Qi Yuanye felt taunted for that moment. Not to be outdone, he snapped, ¡°I just need to go over and I¡¯ll definitely get a share. I¡¯m her brother!¡± ¡°Go ahead then, go ahead if you think you can.¡± Madam Tian was so infuriated, she kicked Yuanye¡¯s foot while on the bed-stove. However, she identally kicked somewhere else instead. Qi Yuanye, who had been kicked, frowned and rubbed his crotch. His expression was gloomy but he did not make a sound. Madam Tian lowered her head and looked at her breastfeeding child, saying, ¡°If it were me, all of you in the Qi family are short-sighted! Each and every one of you only cared for measly profits! You¡¯d pick up sesame seeds but overlook the watermelon!¡± Having been berated nonstop for the past few minutes, Qi Yuanye was terribly frustrated and retorted, ¡°Do you not find yourself naggy, woman? What¡¯s the point of taking this out on me now? If you¡¯re so knowledgeable, why didn¡¯t you stand up against it when Mother wanted to sever ties with her?¡± ¡°That¡¯s your mother. Do you not know how she is? Do you think I¡¯d be able to stop her?¡± ¡°Why not? If you told her that Qi Qingyao would be earning lots of money in the future, you might have been able to stop her.¡± The two confronted each other for a bit. Qi Yuanye sighed and lowered his tone, saying pointedly, ¡°Alright, wife. There¡¯s no need for you to lose your temper at me because there¡¯s no use for that. Things have already happened. Let¡¯s stop fighting.¡± Madam Tian sighed. She thought of Qi Qingyao who had been distributing rice and could only feel her eyes redden from her unhappiness. Chapter 91 - A Thorough Glow Up 1

Chapter 91: A Thorough Glow Up 1

In half an hour, the news of Qi Qingyao distributing rice at the vige head¡¯s home had been passed throughout the whole Linquan Vige. The vige folk had begun gossiping among themselves, their point of discussion naturally the old Qi family. Their daughter had struck gold but the Qi family could noty a single finger on the profit at all. Everyoneughed when they thought about this. Those who had loaned money to Qi Qingyao regained double their money in just a few days, even getting seven to eight catties of rice. They were also the ones who had cursed out Madam Wu and the entire Qi family behind their backs. They were calling Madam Wu ¡®heartless¡¯ and Old Man Qi an individual who was not evenparable to human scum for not raising his own child. They were cursing Qi Yuancheng and his siblings for aiding Old Man Qi in his cruelty and ruthlessness. Old man Qi¡¯s brothers¡ªQi Qingyao¡¯s uncles¡ªalso suffered from his actions and were lumped together with the rest of the Qi family. Each and every one of them was the target of their ire. ¡­ Qi Qingyao¡¯s n was to pay back the money and distribute the rice to everyone, then stay there for a while before traveling directly to Baishui Town by horse-drawn carriage. She would be staying in Baishui Town for one night and then take the horse-drawn carriage directly to Qingzhou City the next morning. She would bring the kids to take in the sights of the provincial capital! For anything beyond that, she would make the nster. Unexpected by anyone, a crying young girl suddenly ran in from outside even before Qi Qingyao could drink two cups of tea. She did not seem to have noticed anyone else there. Her teary eyes were already swollen and one could tell that she had been crying for a long time. She immediately threw herself in front of Ma Sanye, hugging his legs as she began to bawl. ¡°Vige head, please I beg you, you have to talk to my father. I really don¡¯t want to marry Master Liu, I don¡¯t want to be his seventh concubine.¡± Qi Qingyao was shocked. To be wed as someone¡¯s seventh concubine¡­ Who was this? The person must surely have a good physique. ¡°Oh Cuiyun, it¡¯s not that I don¡¯t want to help, but it¡¯s that I can¡¯t.¡± Although Ma Sanye was the head of the vige, there were still some things he could not do. Not to mention, this was a Zhang family matter. ¡°Vige elder, it will be inevitable that I marry Master Liu if you don¡¯t help. I have no desire at all to get married to that seventy-year-old man at all! Boo-hoo¡­¡± Thedy named Cuiyun was crying at full throttle with tears and snot covering her face. Qi Qingyao almost fainted when she heard the old man¡¯s age. Seventy years old and he could still take on his seventh concubines! Impressive! Ma Sanye felt a little awkward. ¡°Cuiyun, look. I have a guest here. You head back first if there¡¯s anything¡­¡± He was, after all, an old man and it was not appropriate for him to hug andfort her. After she stood up, he patted the young girl on the shoulder helplessly. Qi Qingyao looked at the young girl¡¯s crying face and felt it was a little familiar. After pondering for a moment, she recalled from her original host¡¯s memories the time that she had been driven out by her family when she was pregnant four years ago. This young woman seemed to have given her two pieces of steamed bread then. Back then, the original host had hungered for three days and the two steamed buns were life-saving. The young woman had also been crying back then¡­it seemed that she was often beaten by her drunk father! Zhang Cuiyun¡¯s father was Zhang Tieyuan, a well-known gambler in the vige who liked to gamble his money in the town¡¯s casino. He lost often and would drink whenever he lost money, beating his daughter in his drunken state. They also had a son at home. The son was quite diligent and honest while all five daughters had been sold off. This Zhang Cuiyun was the youngest daughter! She was about to be sold off for money in the immediate future. Perhaps that money would also be spent on gambling. Qi Qingyao thought to herself, what a poor child. She could not help but speak out. ¡°Are you Zhang Cuiyun?¡± Zhang Cuiyun, who had been crying miserably, lifted her head and looked at the luxuriously dressed young woman in front of her. Teary-eyed, she asked, ¡°You are?¡± ¡°I¡¯m Qi Qingyao,¡± Qi Qingyao introduced with a faintugh. ¡°Qi Qingyao?¡± The young woman¡¯s mind stalled for a second. It was clear that she still had not returned to his senses even after a few moments. Qi Qingyao did not mind it. She brought out a silk handkerchief from her sleeve and wiped the young woman¡¯s tears. Qi Qingyao was confused by her gentle gesture. Where did this beautifuldye from? Calmly, Qi Qingyao asked, ¡°How much did Master Liu pay for you?¡± ¡°Two, two taels¡­¡± Zhang Cuiyun noticed Qi Qingyao was giving her the handkerchief. She held onto her silk handkerchief, confused. Qi Qingyao squeezed the girl¡¯s soft face. Smiling, she said, ¡°Please call your father over and let him know that I have a big business deal I want to discuss with him.¡± Chapter 92 - A Thorough Glow Up 2

Chapter 92: A Thorough Glow Up 2

Dabao clutched onto Qi Qingyao¡¯s pants and asked quietly, ¡°Mommy, what are you going to do?¡± Qi Qingyao patted Dabao¡¯s head and smiled, saying unhurriedly, ¡°You¡¯ll find out in a bit.¡± After the time taken to burn a stick of incense had passed, Zhang Cuiyun brought Zhang Tieyuan, who was a little drunk. Qi Qingyao scrutinized the middle-aged man. ¡°Zhang Tieyuan.¡± Zhang Tieyuan¡¯s eyes were bloodshot and he was holding a small wine jar in his hand. Drunk and confused, he looked at Qi Qingyao in a daze and asked in disdain, ¡°Who the heck are you?¡± Qi Qingyao replied, ¡°I would like to discuss a business deal with you.¡± ¡°Talk about business?¡± Zhang Tieyuan was extremely drunk and his mind would fail to register half the words at times. Qi Qingyao answered casually, ¡°I want to buy your house and yournd for one hundred taels.¡± ¡°One, one hundred?¡± Zhang Tieyuan finally came to his senses at that moment. He was not the only one. At the side, the expressions of Ma Sanye, Matron Ma, and a few other neighbors were instantly one of rapt attention. One hundred taels? To vige folk like them, this figure of money was not something they could save up even in three lifetimes. Their annual home expenses were but only two or three taels of silver. For an ordinary family, one was considered to be wealthy when they could have a string of mace. Ma Sanye was also stunned by her sudden proposal and quietly asked her, ¡°What do you mean, buy theirnd and house with one hundred taels? The neighbors mumbled, ¡°What she means is that thend and the house will belong to her. Zhang Tieyuan can do whatever he wants with the money.¡± Matron Ma grumbled, ¡°You could buy a house in Qingzhou Town with one hundred taels.¡± Zhang Tieyuan heard what these few people had to say and seemed to have sobered up somewhat but he was still confused. Looking at Qi Qingyao with a pair of egg-like eyes, he asked, ¡°You, can you really fork out one hundred taels?¡± Qi Qingyao reached out her hand over toward Si Jin and Si Jin passed her a money pouch. She opened the pouch and poured out some silvers, asking, ¡°This shiny silver money, I¡¯m sure you know of it.¡± Zhang Tieyuan¡¯s breathing stopped that moment. ¡°¡­¡± He knew it. Of course, he knew it. That really was silver! One hundred taels of silvers. Everyone else was speechless. ¡°¡­¡± Zhang Tieyuan grabbed one of the silver ingots and squeezed it vehemently. Fortunately, his sanity was still intact and he put down the ingot tensely and said through gritted teeth, ¡°You, give me some time to think about this.¡± With that, he turned around and left the vige head¡¯s house. Zhang Cuiyun turned to look at her father¡¯s silhouette, then back at the wealthy young woman in front of her before following her father back after some hesitation. ¡­ Jiang Yeqian sat on the side quietly, observing her every move. Her eyebrows were beautiful, attractive. Her behavior had been extremely calcting but also calm and gentle. Once a dunce but suddenly no more; possessing medical skills and having mastered the universe. This was not something ordinary people could do. A thought suddenly popped up in Jiang Yeqian¡¯s mind. Could it be that she had been resurrected through a loaned corpse? The Qi Qingyao of present and the Qi Qingyao from before were not the same person¡­ Once this idea emerged, it was like a boiling oil pan, sizzling so loudly that it could no longer be stopped. If the actual fool had died and someone had returned from the dead and waspletely different from the original, when he thought about it, it seemed to be an exnation for it. It could also exin why she suddenly had medical skills¡­ No, there was still another possibility. Perhaps the Qi Qingyao from before had not actually been a fool but was only pretending to be one. Had she always been dormant? Yet, there was no sense to that. It was impossible for an ordinary girl to have casual rtionships with men and put herself in a shameless situation. Jiang Yeqian frowned and kept silent. Chapter 93 - A Thorough Glow Up 3

Chapter 93: A Thorough Glow Up 3

After Zhang Tieyuan went home, Zhang Cuiyun followed behind him blindly. She had some doubts¡ªshe did not think that her father should sell off the house andnd. It would be wonderful to have one hundred taels, but her father loved to gamble. If he gambled away the one hundred taels¡­they might not even have a home after that. However, she also did not want to be sold to Master Liu. Zhang Tieyuan summoned his son and daughter-inw and ryed to them what had just happened. Eyes red, he asked, ¡°One hundred taels, huh. What do the two of you think?¡± The daughter-inw was quick-witted and made some tea for her father-inw to sober him up. ¡°Father, the farm is very important. We cannot simply sell it off,¡± said the son seriously after he had thought about it for a bit. ¡°That¡¯s right, father. We cannot sell the farm, and we also cannot sell off thend,¡± Zhang Cuiyun added softly. Zhang Tieyuan pondered it for a moment before saying, ¡°But we could spend the rest of our daysfortably in Qingzhou Town with the one hundred taels.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± The son was beginning to panic, his father could not possibly be seriously considering selling off thend and farm. He did not finish after saying ¡®but¡¯. In the end, he held back his thoughts in his heart. Zhang Tieyuan also said nothing, as if thinking. This was a one hundred tael sale after all. The daughter-inw interjected carefully, ¡°Father, I heard people say that the person at Ma Sanye¡¯s home is Qi Qingyao. She¡¯s the young woman that the old Qi family did not want.¡± ¡°Yes. What about it?¡± Zhang Tieyuan asked. The son also voiced his concerns, not really understanding. ¡°Qi Qingyao used to be a fool, even if she is no longer stupid now. I can just barely wrap my head around her having twenty taels to pay everyone back. But one hundred taels¡­ Father, where did she get one hundred taels?¡± His daughter-inw added weakly, ¡°The matron of the old Qi family said that Qi Qingyao must have be somebody¡¯s concubine, that¡¯s why she had the money to pay everyone back.¡± ¡°A concubine?¡± Zhang Tieyuan murmured the words. ¡°How else did you think she struck gold?¡± asked his son. ¡°That makes sense.¡± Zhang Tieyuan took a sip of the tea and his mind became clearer now. His daughter-inw said, ¡°But how is it possible for anyrge family to give a concubine who has just entered their doors for a mere few days so much money. It¡¯s entirely unfeasible.¡± ¡°Go, go on and ask her, then.¡± Zhang Tieyuan wanted to rify this situation. ¡­ After Zhang Tieyuan and Zhang Cuiyun left, Ma Sanye and the others were still in a bit of a daze. They were still wondering how much money the youngdy had on her to be able to simply fork out one hundred taels. For her to be this wealthy¡­could she really have be some rich man¡¯s concubine just as Madam Wu had said? Everyone could not hold back the added prejudice in the way they looked at Qi Qingyao. Qi Qingyao noticed everyone¡¯s gazes but paid them no heed. She could also sense Jiang Yeqian¡¯s observing gaze but once again, was not bothered by it. This was because she was now a person who owned enough money. Once she bought over the farm andnd, she would have to make it clear with the man before she set him free. This was because the person she was now, was not short of that one thousand taels. This person, Jiang Bai, was too mysterious and has had amnesia for the time being. He could only be safe in the vige. Once in the city, he would have to put on a mask. If he showed his true face, he would easily attract assassins. She did not want to have to constantly worry about him and so there was no need for her to leave the ticking time bomb by her side. Qi Qingyao was drinking tea with the vige head when she nced out at the sky. She was deliberating about whether or not to leave when Zhang Tieyuan came back. Qi Qingyao asked, ¡°Have you decided?¡± ¡°I would love to go ahead with this transaction, but I must understand this one thing first, Ms. Qi.¡± Zhang Tieyuan gritted through his teeth and his expression turned resolute ¡°Speak,¡± nudged Qi Qingyao. ¡°Where did your moneye from?¡± Zhang Tieyuan asked. ¡°¡­¡± Money! His question had really hit the nail on the head. Chapter 94 - A Thorough Glow Up 4

Chapter 94: A Thorough Glow Up 4

Qi Qingyao looked at him with a smile, not answering. ¡°You got so much money all of a sudden yet you can¡¯t say where it¡¯s from. I can¡¯t proceed with a deal under these circumstances. I believe anyone who took your money before this would not dare spend it thoughtlessly.¡± Speaking up till this point, Zhang Tieyuan threw a nce at the few neighborhood representatives who were present and also the vige head Ma Sanye. Deliberately, he said, ¡°Ma Sanye, what if this was stolen money? When the timees, everyone who has taken the money will all end up in jail.¡± Ma Sanye felt his heart thump. ¡°Stolen money?¡± Zhang Tieyuan pushed further, ¡°If she didn¡¯t steal it then where did she get so much money from?¡± All of a sudden, a few of the neighborhood representatives felt a chill down their backs and they all gave the vige head a look. Ma Sanye looked embarrassed and sheepishly said, ¡°Eleventh Daughter, why don¡¯t you tell everyone where the money came from? It¡¯d give them some assurance.¡± Qi Qingyao. ¡°¡­¡± The three children sensed the harsh atmosphere and dared not speak. Carefully, they sat beside Qi Qingyao¡¯s legs and grabbed onto their mother¡¯s pant legs wordlessly. Jiang Yeqian kept his eyes on the woman calmly amidst the growing tension. ¡®Woman, what will you do next? ¡®Will you reveal the truth about your knowledge of medical skills? ¡®Nobody would believe it, however.¡¯ There was dead silence in the hall. After a beat, Ma Sanye carefully asked, ¡°Is there something you cannot tell us?¡± Qi Qingyao shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s not that I cannot say it.¡± Ma Sanye urged, ¡°Then say it.¡± ¡®Say it.¡¯ How was she supposed to say it? Qi QIngyao was hesitating. None of thesemoners would believe her if she said that she got the money from treating Heir Pei because her original host had been stupid and was a fool. Even if a fool was now smart, it was impossible for them to be able to treat illnesses. This was something that was out of one¡¯s scope of knowledge. Jiang Yeqian noticed the befuddlement in her eyes. Panic was also rising in his heart. Jiang Yeqian took a deep breath when he noticed his emotions. Why was he nervous? Several of the neighborhood representatives looked at each other the moment she lowered her gaze. They all thought of the words Madam Wu of the old Qi family spouted before and they began to speak with forced calmness. ¡°She must have be someone¡¯s concubine.¡± ¡°That¡¯s impossible, even if she became some concubine, what wealthy individual would simply give her a few hundred taels? Were they some child of wealth?¡± ¡°Then, clearly, she stole it.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. I also think she stole it. If she did get it normally then why can¡¯t she say it?¡± Everyone was openly and boldly discussing the topic right in front of Qi Qingyao. Naturally, she could tell that this group of people was trying to wheedle the truth out of her. Seeing that she was still keeping silent, Ma Sanye felt even more tension growing in his heart. Could she really have stolen it? His nervous lips began trembling. ¡°Eleventh Daughter, are you not allowed to tell us?¡± ¡°The Lord Heir gave it to me,¡± Qi Qingyao said helplessly as she rubbed her brows. Ma Sanye was stunned. Instead, it was Zhang Tieyuan who quickly responded, ¡°Huh? Lord Heir, which Lord Heir?¡± Jiang Yeqian, ¡°¡­¡± She actually said it. Was she really nning on revealing that she treated Heir Pei? However, would this not sh with the fact that she was a fool before? This woman could not possibly be so stupid. He frowned and waited for her next move. Qi Qingyao spat sybles out lightly, ¡°Pei Fengtang.¡± Pei Fengtang¡¯s name. Everyone knew that the lord of the Dingbei Residence was named Pei Fengtang. ¡°I heard Heir Pei was recuperating in the Bieyuan Garden of Baishui Town,¡± said Ma Sanye. Zhang Tieyuan found this to be too ineffable, ¡°Why would Heir Pei give you money? You had better not joke around.¡± Chapter 95: - A Thorough Glow Up 5

Chapter 95: A Thorough Glow Up 5

¡°Is it possible that she became Heir Pei¡¯s concubine?¡± a neighborhood head suddenly asked. The crowd, ¡°¡­¡± It was dead silence. Jiang Yeqian could not stop himself from saying, ¡°He is Lord Heir, why would he take a fancy to a widow with three kids?¡± Does this group of people know about nothing but concubines? Everyone suddenly breathed a sigh of relief. That was also true. The Lord Heir definitely would not take fancy to a country girl like Qi Qingyao. Not to mention she had three children. So¡­ Old Man Yang¡¯s wife was sitting at the side cracking melon seeds when she cut in all of a sudden, ¡°Maybe the Lord Heir has a distinct preference, hahaha¡­¡± Everyone turned to look back at her. Old Man Yang¡¯s wife paused. Lowering her head, she added, ¡°Ignore what I said.¡± The crowd was silent. ¡°¡­¡± She said it pretty clearly though. She even said that Lord Heir had a distinct preference and had specifically chosen a widow toy his hands on. Could it be¡­ Besides¡­ The tastes of upper-ss individuals were indeed quite different from normal people, it just might be that¡­ Everyone looked at Qi Qingyao¡¯s face and noted that it certainly did look nice enough for her to be a concubine. Jiang Yeqian frowned inexplicably, none too happy. Si Jin looked at the group who were still in lively conversation and did not say a word, only looking at Qi Qingyao worriedly. His expression solemn, Ma Sanye said, ¡°The probability for this is unlikely as a lot of people know that Heir Pei is very ill and there are rumors outside that he will soon pass. So, it¡¯s impossible that he¡¯d get a woman to be his concubine at this time.¡± Ma Sanye looked at Qi Qingyao helplessly, ¡°Eleventh Daughter, just say it in one breath about what the hell is going on. Don¡¯t keep us guessing here.¡± Qi Qingyao spread her hands and said with a bit of difficulty, ¡°A few days ago, I met a miraculous physician surnamed Su. His name was Su-something-Xiao and he gave me a prescription to cure the Lord Heir. I followed his instructions and somehow cured the Lord Heir after that. The Lord Heir then gave me a consultation fee. It¡¯s all as simple as that.¡± The crowd, ¡°¡­¡± Jiang Yeqian, ¡°¡­¡± The f*ck? Jiang Yeqian truly admired her in that second. This excuse was really something else. Su-something-Xiao, was that not just Su Hexiao? Qi Qingyao¡¯s hesitant behavior from before made sense now that she brought up Su Hexiao, one of the three miraculous doctors from legends. Su Hexiao¡¯s whereabouts were too mysterious and she did not want to expose him and so, that was why she had been reluctant to speak. Su Hexiao wanted to save the Lord Heir but not by his own hand so he gave her the prescription¡­ It made so much f*cking sense. Xiaobao tilted his head and looked at his mother¡¯s profile, his mind full of questions. His mother had clearly been the one who treated Heir Pei so why was Su-something-Xiao involved? He could not understand this since he was still young and his mind was undeveloped. The minds of Dabao and Erniu who were sitting on the side were just thinking, ¡®I¡¯m a little hungry, I wonder when we can eat. If the vige head¡¯s family doesn¡¯t care about our meals, will we have to head back to town before we can get any food?¡¯ ¡°It¡¯s that simple?¡± Ma Sanye was confused for a while before he finally asked. Qi Qingyao answered, ¡°It¡¯s up to you all if you believe it or not.¡± Her reason felt believable but also not. Besides, if these people really went to the Heir¡¯s residence to ask if she had been there the past few days, it would still be considered true. The Lord Heir had indeed been rescued by her. The story¡­was almostpletely true. Hence, there were hardly any loopholes. ¡­ In the afternoon, chimney smoke rose in spirals in every part of Linquan Vige, filling the area with the smell of smoke. A few children were ying on the street when they suddenly saw another carriage headed toward the vige from a distance. The children quickly rushed to inform the adults. ¡°Father, there¡¯s another carriage there.¡± ¡°A carriage?¡± Again? ¡°Look over there¡­¡± There really was! Not only that, this carriage was even more luxurious than the one Qi Qingyao rode in. What was going on? Who was this now? Chapter 96 - A Thorough Glow Up 6

Chapter 96: A Thorough Glow Up 6

Everyone in the hall paused. It was only after some time passed that someone piped up, ¡°You were so lucky to encounter that Su Xiao, what¡¯s her name? That¡¯s totally a lie.¡± ¡°Su Xiao or something? I think I¡¯ve heard that name before. Are you possibly talking about the Mysterious Divine Physician, Su Hexiao? One of the three most famous physicians in Beiliang?¡± Some of their rtives were living in Qingzhou City and they had heard some stories while visiting. ¡°Yes, Su Hexiao. There¡¯s a really amazing physician named Su Hexiao¡­¡± Everyone in the vige chief¡¯s home started talking about her¡ªall of them had heard of Su Hexiao¡¯s name. After they concluded their discussion, a member of the vigemittee said, ¡°Qi Qingyao, you said that it was your treatment that saved the Heir? Who are you trying to lie to? You definitely stole that money. Everything you said can¡¯t be proven by anyone other than yourself.¡± Qi Qingyao sighed, and was just about to tell them to ask the Heir¡¯s mansion directly when Si Jin spoke up. ¡°A terrible ce will produce terrible people indeed. Not only are there no words of gratitude after we gave some of the money we earned to you, but you also insist on using us of many things we haven¡¯t done. First you say that Elder Sister became the concubine of a wealthy man, and now you say that she stole the money! If you really don¡¯t want her money, then so be it. Return it this instant!¡± The people who got insulted were speechless. ¡°¡­¡± Qi Qingyao wanted tough. Si Jin was so considerate. He said out loud what was in her mind. Si Jin continued to fire verbal missiles at Zhang Tieyuan. ¡°And you! If you don¡¯t want to make a deal, just say it! You love gambling, don¡¯t you? Someone like you will lose all your properties in a gamble one day!¡± ¡°Look at you talk! She has no way to prove her innocence. Is there a point to insulting us like that? If you can say it, then you should prove it,¡± Zhang Tieyuan retorted with an ugly expression on his face. Si Jin said calmly, ¡°Just you wait. Maybe the Heir¡¯s men are already on the way.¡± Immediately after he said those words, Qi Qingyao¡¯s brow twitched. She had personally witnessed the moment when his words became truth. Would it be the same this time¡­ Right then¡­ Old Yang rushed into Ma Sanye¡¯s house and said, looking overjoyed, ¡°Ma Sanye, some strangers have visited the vige. They¡¯re looking for you.¡± ¡°Strangers?¡± Ma Sanye and everyone else were bemused. Old Yang¡¯s wife went out to enjoy the gossip with a curious expression on her face. Old Yang said carefully, ¡°I think they¡¯re from the Heir¡¯s mansion.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Ma Sanye paused. Everyone turned to look at Qi Qingyao. Qi Qingyao was even more confused. Why did the Heir¡¯s mene here? What? Hadn¡¯t she alreadypleted her treatment? Did the Heir¡¯s health worsen again? She could not help but turn back to look at Si Jin. This guy really was the epitome of a jinx. As the group of people walked outside, no one noticed that a certain tall man was not within their ranks. He stood by the window and opened it a little, just enough for him to see what was happening on the street ahead. He saw avish carriage parked by the street. It was much grander than the one Qi Qingyao had taken back to the vige. Beautiful triangr gs hung on the side of the carriage. There was only one character on the gs, which read ¡°Pei¡±, symbolizing the Heir¡¯sst name. This was a carriage from the Heir¡¯s mansion! Jiang Yeqian looked at Li Qing, arms crossed in front of his chest, deep in thought with a furrowed brow. Li Qing came here representing Heir Pei. However, why would Heir Pei send Li Qing here? Did Heir Pei take a liking to Qi Qingyao? Was he thinking of marrying her as his concubine after witnessing her skills for himself, or¡­ Was he nning to hire her as his family doctor? Just as he was busy with his thoughts, a soft voice asked him, ¡°Uncle, why didn¡¯t you go out with everyone else?¡± Jiang Yeqian looked down to meet Xiaobao¡¯s big eyes that glinted with curiosity. He asked in response, ¡°You didn¡¯t either, did you?¡± Xiaobao was speechless. He was defeated. Xiaobao did not go out there because he had something to think about. Jiang Yeqian, on the other hand, was an adult, but he did not go out to watch like everyone else. This was strange¡­ Chapter 97 - A Thorough Glow Up 7

Chapter 97: A Thorough Glow Up 7

After seeing the carriage for himself, Ma Sanye, along with everyone else, walked up to the carriage. The well-dressed young man did not seem to notice them though; he only had eyes for Qi Qingyao. ¡°Hello, Lady Qi.¡± ¡°Li Qing, it¡¯s you.¡± Qi Qingyao was truly in no mood tough. Who knew what the man came here for? She introduced Li Qing to Ma Sanye with a fake smile, ¡°Vige Chief, this is Li Qing, the Heir¡¯s personal guard.¡± Ma Sanye bowed in deference. The other viges followed suit. They dared not show any disrespect to an imperial officer from the Heir¡¯s mansion. Li Qing greeted Ma Sanye casually. Qi Qingyao asked, ¡°Why are you here?¡± Li Qing said, ¡°The Heir ordered me toe here as he has some questions to ask you.¡± Those words were enough for Ma Sanye, who caught on to some of the main points. He asked hurriedly, ¡°Are you from the Heir¡¯s mansion?¡± ¡°Yes. Is there a problem with that?¡± Li Qing replied tly. Ma Sanye¡¯s gazended on the carriage and the gs on it with the Heir¡¯sst name, and he quickly answered, ¡°Nothing, nothing at all.¡± Someone else in the crowd could not help but voice out loud the question that was on everyone¡¯s mind. ¡°Did Eleventh Daughter¡ªno, Qi Qingyao¡ªreally treat the Heir with just a prescription?¡± Li Qing paused for a while before he said, ¡°Yes. The prescription was issued by the Divine Physician Su Hexiao. She signed the sheet of paper too.¡± After he said that, everyone¡¯s doubt dissipated. The vigers and Ma Sanye looked at Qi Qingyao with admiration in their eyes. Calmly, Li Qing continued to give them more proof. ¡°Who else in the continent, aside from the Divine Physician Su Hexiao, could heal our Heir?¡± Everyone was speechless. Was Eleventh Daughter really so lucky as to meet Su Hexiao? ¡°Miss Qi was really fortunate to have met Su Hexiao. It¡¯s definitely because of her kindness.¡± Li Qing did not care about what the ignorant vigers thought. Instead, he asked Qi Qingyao meaningfully, with a smile on his face, ¡°The Heir wanted me to ask you whether you met Su Hexiao again after that.¡± ¡°No,¡± Qi Qingyao answered with a fake smile. The conversation between thempletely dismissed the vigers¡¯ doubts, Zhang Tieyuan¡¯s included. His jaw was ck as he stared at Qi Qingyao, not knowing how to react. The other vigers started apologizing to Qi Qingyao. ¡°The Divine Physician Su Hexiao¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry Eleventh Daughter, we misunderstood you.¡± ¡°We thought that you¡­¡± ¡°We knew that no one would want a concubine with three children!¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t want to reveal Su Hexiao¡¯s identity, so you were hesitant. Now we know.¡± Qi Qingyao did not reply them. She merely said, ¡°Sorry everyone. Now that we¡¯ve cleared up the misunderstanding between us, I¡¯m going to send Imperial Guard Li off.¡± The vigers did not dare tag along. Qi Qingyao gave Li Qing a look and the two of them headed to the carriage together. On the way, Qi Qingyao asked, ¡°You came to investigate me, didn¡¯t you?¡± Li Qing could not help butugh. He coughed slightly. ¡°You¡¯ve misunderstood, Miss Qi. He had me investigate you the moment you revealed your true name to him.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Right. That made sense. Li Qing continued, ¡°The Heir figured that you¡¯d have a hard time exining where you got the extra money from after you returned to the vige, so he sent me along.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± As expected of Heir Pei! ¡°Please be assured that we won¡¯t disclose your identity to anyone else,¡± Li Qing lowered his voice, saying mysteriously. ¡°¡­¡± Qi Qingyao did not know whether to cry orugh. Chapter 98 - A Deal 1

Chapter 98: A Deal 1

After Ma Sanye and Qi Qingyao sent Li Qing¡¯s carriage off, everyone looked at Qi Qingyao with admiration in their eyes. Qi Qingyao knew the Divine Physician Su Hexiao personally and had sessfully treated Heir Pei! She really lucked out! As Ma Sanye walked back to the house together with Qi Qingyao, everyone could only look at Qi Qingyao¡¯s retreating back with envy. They started exchanging gossip on the topic. ¡°Eleventh Daughter is amazing.¡± They were totally awestruck. ¡°Don¡¯t call her Eleventh Daughter anymore. She¡¯s no longer a daughter of the Qi family. She has her own name. She¡¯s Qi Qingyao,¡± someone retorted. ¡°Hahaha, yes! Her name¡¯s Qi Qingyao.¡± ¡°She¡¯s a miraculous woman.¡± Her experiences were unbelievable. ¡°It¡¯s almost as if she¡¯s favored by Heaven above.¡± ¡°That¡¯s one way to say it. After breaking off rtions with Old Qi¡¯s family, not only did shee to her senses, but she¡¯s also be more intelligent. Now she¡¯s even acquainted with the Heir.¡± Another replied, ¡°No. It should be the other way around. Old Qi kicked her out of the family, iming that she no longer was a fool, because he didn¡¯t want to take care of her and her three children anymore.¡± Everyone thought about it and realized that this series of events seemed to be usible. Old Yang did not agree with that though, saying, ¡°It looks like that on the surface, but I think her mind recovered first. It feels like she intentionally set a trap for the Qi family and had the Qi family break off all rtions with her first. Look, now she¡¯s wealthy and has a bright future ahead, and Old Qi won¡¯t get to enjoy any part of it! This is so damn hrious every time I think about it.¡± A trap? Old Yang¡¯s insight was unheard of, startling everyone. ¡°No matter what, it was Old Qi who broke off rtions with his daughter first. They really reaped what they sowed.¡± That sounded right too. Everyone agreed that the Qi family was at fault. Then they mored, ¡°Say, how did she suddenly be so awesome? She¡¯s acquainted with the Heir!¡± ¡°It¡¯s not her that¡¯s awesome, it¡¯s her good luck! She was first friends with a schr. Then there was that pretty young man. Next it was Su Hexiao and saving the Heir¡­ Now she¡¯s rich!¡± Old Yang eximed. Old Yang¡¯s wife muttered, ¡°She¡¯s been through a lot in the past neen years. Now everything¡¯s finally turning around. All of it is her good fortune.¡± Everyone nodded. A secondter, someone asked, ¡°By the way, is that Su Hexiao all of you spoke of really that powerful?¡± Some of the vigers, those who had never left the vige before, had not heard of this name before. ¡°She¡¯s one of the rumored Three Famous Physicians in Beiliang. She¡¯s ranked fourth in the whole continent. Everyone calls her the Mysterious Divine Physician. How can she not be powerful?¡± ¡°My uncle¡¯s aunt lives in Qingzhou City and has heard some of the stories, but she¡¯s never heard stories about her saving lives.¡± ¡°She¡¯s probably most famous for saving the young Emperor ten years ago, before the Emperor ascended the throne.¡± ¡°How old is she now then?¡± ¡°This¡­ I don¡¯t know the answer to this. Didn¡¯t Qi Qingyao meet her before? Ask her.¡± ¡°I¡¯d rather not. The Divine Physician is so mysterious. Qi Qingyao probably won¡¯t tell me how old she is.¡± The women had no ns to head to the vige chief¡¯s house. They were in the middle of cooking and were about to call their husbands back home for lunch. Madam Liang was Qi Yuanxiu¡¯s wife. After listening to the gossip along with several other women, she rushed to her parents-inw¡¯s home. They lived with her eldest brother-inw and his wife. After entering the house, she saw her mother-inw Madam Wu, who was alone in the hall, sewing the soles of a pair of shoes. She rushed over and started to say¡­ Chapter 99 - A Deal 2

Chapter 99: A Deal 2

¡°Mother, I heard them say that Sister-inw¡¯s money was given to her by Heir Pei because she happened to save his life! The Heir sent someone to ask her about Su Hexiao. Her money came from legitimate means!¡± ¡°The Heir? Oh, heavens!¡± Madam Wu felt as if a bolt of lightning had struck her on the head, rendering her mind nk. Old Man Qi was just bringing lunch to the table when he heard her. He stammered nervously in response, ¡°We¡­ We¡¯ve made a big mistake.¡± Madam Liang said indignantly, ¡°Not a big mistake, but a huge one! We threw a pot of gold away!¡± Madam Wu¡¯s head slumped to the side and she keeled over toward the floor. ¡°Mother!¡± screamed Madam Liang in shock. ¡­ When Qi Qingyao made her way back to Ma Sanye¡¯s house, Jiang Yeqian was there, calm and collected, as if he had not moved an inch. He raised his brow and said, pretending to be nonchnt, ¡°What did hee here for?¡± ¡°To help me solve my problem,¡± Qi Qingyao said casually. ¡°That, huh? Heir Pei¡¯s pretty kind to have done so.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± After saying that, she turned to look at Si Jin, who had followed her in. She said to Si Jin with a grin, ¡°Si Jin, you¡¯re with me from now on. I¡¯ll pay you.¡± Whatever the boy said somehow always quickly came true. She had to try to make him stay! Si Jin said innocently with puffed cheeks, ¡°Sister, I¡¯ve always been with you.¡± ¡°So obedient.¡± Qi Qingyao pinched Si Jin¡¯s puffed up cheeks with a grin on her face. Jiang Yeqian was furious for no apparent reason after seeing the smile on her face as she pinched the young boy¡¯s cheeks. ¡°Men and women should keep their distance. What are you doing, standing so close to each other?¡± Qi Qingyao did not care about that and pinched Si Jin¡¯s smooth cheeks again. ¡°This child is so cute. So what if I pinch his face some more, am I right?¡± Si Jin closed his eyes, appearing to enjoy getting his cheeks pinched. He looked as satisfied as a cat that was being caressed by its owner. This scene made Jiang Yeqian so incensed that he was about to shove the table to the ground and leave. However, the moment he almost got up, he sat back down; restraining himself with thest bit of consciousness remaining in his mind. It was like he had woken up from a dream. What was he doing? What was he getting all riled up for? Why was he furious at the sight of this woman pinching Si Jin¡¯s face¡­ Jiang Yeqian, who came to realize that, found even himself beyondprehension. ¡­ After Qi Qingyao saw Ma Sanye walk in, she bowed, hands ced in front of her chest. ¡°Vige Chief, I¡¯ll be leaving the vige soon seeing that I¡¯ve proved my innocence.¡± Better than getting herself into a mess with those unreasonable people! Immediately after she said that, and before Ma Sanye could reply, Zhang Tieyuan walked to the front. He said, ¡°Qi Qingyao, wait.¡± Qi Qingyao grinned excitedly. ¡°What? Are you going to question me again? Will it be my gender this time?¡± Her voice wasced with derision. Zhang Tieyuan pretended not to hear the sarcasm in her voice, as his mind was still preupied with thoughts of the deal worth 100 taels. He gritted his teeth. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say something about a deal? Do your words from then still apply?¡± Qi Qingyao blinked, her twinklingrge eyes stared at Zhang Tieyuan, a grin stered on her face. The man was still hung up on the 100 taels, huh. Too bad. She had already given him a chance. It was a different story now. He could have taken the chance when it was offered, but he had chosen to do things the hard way. Qi Qingyao bowed toward him with a smile before saying slowly, ¡°Uncle Zhang¡ªI¡¯ll call you uncle with due respect¡ªdo you think I¡¯m still going to agree to the deal after you kept doubting me and forced me to utter Su Hexiao¡¯s name?¡± Zhang Tieyuan stammered. He averted his gaze and did not dare to speak up. Qi Qingyao answered her own question for him, ¡°So the deal that should¡¯ve happened has now been cancelled!¡± Indignant, Zhang Tieyuan retorted for his own sake, ¡°It¡¯s perfectly within reason for us to question where you got your money from. You can¡¯t me me for that!¡± Chapter 100 - A Deal 3

Chapter 100: A Deal 3

Qi Qingyao looked at the middle-aged man opposite her, a fake smile adorned her face as she casually dissected the situation. ¡°The fact that you questioned the source of my money proves that you doubt my integrity as a person. You baselessly assumed that I would be unrighteous and, with that, reached the conclusion that I had stolen the money. A normal person would not doubt other people without solid proof. Only someone who is unrighteous would assume that other people are of the same ilk. This happened because you made assumptions about other people¡¯s motives and actions based on your own crude beliefs. Uncle Zhang, if you ran out of money, would you steal it from others?¡± The statement was wless and sounded usible. Flustered, Zhang Tieyuan said, ¡°What lies are you spreading here?¡± Ma Sanye, who was right there beside them, could not stop clicking his tongue in surprise. Had Qi Qingyao always been so shrewd since she recovered from being a fool? She was so eloquent and sharp with her words. She was even better than him! Dabao was about to apud his mother. Erniu looked at her mother with admiration. Xiaobao, on the other hand, tilted his head, blinking hisrge eyes in confusion. ¡°Uncle Zhang, you yourself would know if I¡¯m lying.¡± Qi Qingyao sat down calmly. She said, ¡°I thought that making a deal with you should be fine, but if you¡¯re an unrighteous person, I¡¯m now afraid that you¡¯ll be shameless and refuse to admit that you sold your properties to someone else after you¡¯ve spent all the money. Then you¡¯lle to give me trouble. This isn¡¯t worth it for me. That¡¯s why I called the deal off¡ªI don¡¯t want the extra trouble.¡± ¡°You¡­¡± Zhang Tieyuan could not bring himself to mull over Qi Qingyao¡¯s barrage of words. All he knew was that the 100 taels were out of his hands now. He hurriedly said, ¡°I don¡¯t care. You¡¯ve already said it before. You were willing to buy mynd for 100 taels!¡± Before Qi Qingyao could say anything to that, Zhang Tieyuan turned to Ma Sanye and asked for his help anxiously, ¡°Vige Chief, you heard her then. You have to help me!¡± ¡°Uh¡­¡± Ma Sanye looked pensive. He could not say anything in reply. Old Yang interrupted them sharply, ¡°Old Zhang, you should stop pestering Qi Qingyao with your unreasonable demands. You were the first to question the source of her money and now you¡¯re forcing her to make a deal with you. You were so aggressive. Do you really expect her to proceed with the deal?¡± ¡°But she agreed to it!¡± Zhang Tieyuan was somewhat exasperated. He hadpletely forgotten that he was the first to attack Qi Qingyao. His mind had beenpletely clouded over by the 100 taels¡­ Looking at how her father was about to go mad over the 100 taels, Zhang Cuiyun called after him anxiously, ¡°Father¡­¡± Zhang Tieyuan was so furious that he pushed Zhang Cuiyun to the floor. Qi Qingyao interjected on time, saying, ¡°I have an idea. I like to gamble too. What if we make a bet with your daughter as the wager?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Zhang Tieyuan¡¯s mind nked out. Qi Qingyao, with a serene and mysterious smile on her face, said, ¡°We¡¯ll y dice and see who gets the bigger number. One match will suffice. If you win, I¡¯ll give you 2 taels. If you lose and have no money at all, you¡¯ll give me your daughter. What do you think?¡± Zhang Tieyuan¡¯s eyes lit up. He had nothing to lose in this bet. When he looked like he was about to agree, Zhang Cuiyun tried to refuse immediately. ¡°Father, no, I don¡¯t want to be the wager.¡± ¡°Stop babbling. Don¡¯t you trust your father? I¡¯m very skilled at ying dice.¡± Zhang Tieyuan said to his daughter. He then turned to Qi Qingyao, confidently stating, ¡°I¡¯ll make a bet with you! If I win, you¡¯ll give me 2 taels. If I lose, my daughter is yours.¡± This was an opportunity to get an extra mouth in the house out of the way. ¡°Father!¡± Zhang Cuiyun was so anxious she could cry. Chapter 101 - A Deal 4

Chapter 101: A Deal 4

Realizing that the fish had been hooked, Qi Qingyao turned to Ma Sanye and spoke as if nothing out of the ordinary happened. ¡°Vige head, could you lend me a dice and a dice cup?¡± Ma Sanye was not a gambling man so he did not have a dice cup at home. Just as he was about to go and borrow a set of dice and a dice cup from someone else, Zhang Tieyuan said excitedly, ¡°You don¡¯t have to lend her yours. I have one at home. Wait a moment, I¡¯ll bring it over right away. Saying this, he then quickly ran back home. The group of people at Ma Sanye¡¯s home were left looking at each other nkly and a little speechless. The people of Linquan Vige knew Old Man Zhang loved nothing more than to gamble with others. He especially liked to go to the casino in town and gamble a few rounds. Sometimes luck would smile on him and he would win some. However, it was moremon for him to lose more than he won. Sitting at one side, Ma Sanye reminded Qi Qingyao, ¡°Eleventh Daughter, gambling isn¡¯t a good habit.¡± Qi Qingyao smiled sincerely. ¡°I¡¯ve never gambled before and I just feel like trying it out.¡± ¡°Mommy~!¡± Dabao also felt that gambling was not a good thing and wanted to admonish his mommy. Matron Ma came out of the kitchen and motioned for her son to serve the food. At the same time, she called out to the three children, ¡°Come and eat first, children.¡± ¡°Thank you, Madam.¡± Qi Qingyao expressed her gratitude to Matron Ma. She then urged her three children immediately, ¡°Go ahead and have dinner with Madam first. I¡¯lle and eat once I¡¯m done with work.¡± The three little children were momentarily reluctant to part from her, but they gave in to their hunger and ran to the side to take their meals. However, Qi Qingyao was puzzled when she saw that Si Jin and Jiang Yeqian were still unmoving. ¡°Are you two not going to eat?¡± ¡°I want to stay here with you, sister!¡± Si Jin smiled brightly and sweetly. Expressionless, Jiang Yeqian answered, ¡°I wish to observe your gambling skills and see how good you are.¡± Qi Qingyao modestly said, ¡°There¡¯s nothing to see. I¡¯ve never gambled before. It¡¯s my first time so my skill level will definitely be poor.¡± She used to work as an informant at the Pujing Casino in Macau for three months. At the same time, she was also a dealer. However, it was her first time gambling here. So, she was technically not lying. Zhang Tieyuan had brought the dice and the dice cup over excitedly. ¡°I¡¯ve brought the dice cup and three dies. Who¡¯s up for the first round?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go first.¡± Qi Qingyao said, offering herself up. As this was just a small game of gambling, everyone watched them from the side rxedly. They wanted to see if Qi Qingyao would lose two taels of silver to Old Man Zhang or if Old Man Zhang would lose his daughter just because of two taels of silver. However, everyone was thinking to themselves that Qi Qingyao must surely be just joking and would not actually want the other¡¯s daughter. Qi Qingyao grabbed the cup and shook it effortlessly before calmly cing it down. She did not open the cup. Instead, she motioned for Zhang Tieyuan to open it. Zhang Tieyuan was eager but also nervous. Gulping, he endured his wildly beating heart and opened the dice cup. The moment the cup was opened, his expression changed from one of panic to unrestrained glee. ¡°One, two, three, six-points on the low!¡± Zhang Tieyuan was so excited, he jumped up on the spot and eximed, ¡°Hahahaha! It¡¯s my win for sure.¡± The surrounding people also looked on dumbfoundedly. They could not help their mumbling. ¡°Isn¡¯t that too small?¡± ¡°It¡¯s her loss, it¡¯s her loss for sure!¡± ¡°She¡¯s definitely going to lose.¡± ¡°Old Man Zhang could not possibly get an even lower score.¡± ¡°What if it¡¯s a tie?¡± ¡°The probability is low.¡± ¡­ Everyone was discussing how low Qi Qingyao¡¯s points were. Only Jiang Yeqian, who had been looking at the woman¡¯s smiling face from the start, knew from theck of a single trace of change in her expression that she had the situation in control. She had been deliberate with the low sum of six. Hold on. Could she control the points? That should not be possible. Not many people could do this. Not even he could do it¡­ Chapter 102 - A Deal 5

Chapter 102: A Deal 5

Zhang Tieyuan ced the dice back into the cup excitedly and shook it vigorously a few times. After that, he put it on the table and then, with eyes zing like a torch, he opened the cup. He shouted. ¡°Three four six, thirteen on the high!¡± Just seeing the points was enough for Zhang Tieyuan to burst out into manicughter excitedly. ¡°Hahahahaha, I won. Pay up, pay up!¡± Everyone else who had been watching did not look surprised. Qi Qingyao¡¯s points from before were just too low. It was indeed really easy for him to beat her tally. Qi Qingyao was also easy-going about the oue. Noting his points, she smiled and took out two taels of silver, pushing them across the table surface and over to Zhang Tieyuan. ¡°Two taels of silver.¡± Zhang Tieyuan picked up the silver happily, his face glowing red. He had gone in empty-handed and won two taels of silver. Hahaha¡­ Zhang Cuiyun was also stunned. She would not be sold off now, right? Her father now had two extra taels to spare now, so surely she would not have to be sold off, right? Qi Qingyao looked at Zhang Tieyuan who was in high spirits and enunciated four words calmly, ¡± Want to go again?¡± Zhang Tieyuan was slightly startled. Carefully, he covered the two taels of silver within his arms as he observed the youngdy. ¡°Haven¡¯t you lost enough?¡± ¡°This is my first time ying, I still have money and can afford to lose some more.¡± Saying this, Qi Qingyao emptied all the silver in the money pouch onto the table surface. One hundred taels of silver on the table; to ordinary folk, this amount was equivalent to the impact of one putting one million yuan on the table. It was indeed enticing. It rendered every single one of them dumbfounded. Zhang Tieyuan¡¯s eyes were also firing up. Si Jin sat behind Qi Qingyao surreptitiously, his smile especially sweet. ¡°Sister, do you still intend to y?¡± Qi Qingyao rubbed Si Jin¡¯s head as she smiled peacefully. She then said indifferently, ¡°Of course, how can I not? If I lose, I¡¯ll consider it as assisting the poor, isn¡¯t that a good thing?¡± Zhang Tieyuan heard herments about assisting the poor, and his face started flushing red with excitement as he looked at the plentiful silver on the table. Heid his hand on the dice cup and fixed his eyes on Qi Qingyao. ¡°I like rich people like you who can afford to lose. Come, let¡¯s continue gambling,¡± he said boldly. It would be great if he could win two more taels of silver this round. Qi Qingyao took 20 taels out of the silver (pile) and ced them in the middle of the table. ¡°I¡¯ll bet 20 taels this round, are you able to match it?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Zhang Tieyuan almost stopped breathing. 20 taels! The onlookers¡¯ expressions also froze. What on earth was the Eleventh Daughter trying to pull with betting 20 taels? She had lost two taels previously, and now for the second round, even if she wanted to y again, it was enough for her to bet two taels at most, or just one tael to test the waters. Instead of whatever she was doing now. Twenty taels¡­ They were a little worried; if Old Man Zhang wins this hand, then he¡­ would he not have struck it rich? Thinking of thisplicated everyone¡¯s emotions. Zhang Tieyuan did not have twenty taels, so of course, he could not gamble that much. Qi Qingyao was considerate about it, ¡°How about this, if you win, I¡¯ll give you twenty taels, but if you lose, you will give me back the two taels. How about that?''¡± When he heard that he did not have to gamble anything on his side, Zhang Tieyuan agreed excitedly, ¡°Alright! I¡¯ll bet you.¡± Zhang Cuiyun was very nervous instead. If he lost, then the two taels would be no more. Then she would still have to be sold off then¡­ That was why Zhang Cuiyun rushed in and urged, ¡°Father, you shouldn¡¯t be gambling anymore. You wanted money and now we already have two taels. Why don¡¯t you let it go?¡± Zhang Tieyuan red at his idiotic daughter and cursed, ¡°You fool! You want me to stop now? She¡¯s a beginner, and she¡¯s rich. My luck is booming so I definitely won¡¯t lose. Besides, even if I lose, I wouldn¡¯t have lost anything. Don¡¯t you understand that?¡± Chapter 103 - A Deal 6

Chapter 103: A Deal 6

Qi Qingyao was not angered when she was called an ¡®idiot¡¯ to her face. She just looked at Zhang Tieyuan with a superficial smile. ¡°But¡­¡± Zhang Cuiyun pursed her lips. She looked at Qi Qingyao, bewildered, before looking at her father again. Zhang Tieyuan shoved his annoying daughter to the side. ¡°No buts, now you better get out of the way quickly and watch how your father wipes the floor with his opponent.¡± Zhang Cuiyun dared not say more, but she silently prayed to God that her father would win this second round. If he did, they would be the richest family in Linquan Vige! They would have 22 taels in total. He could not lose this. If her father lost, her fate would also bepromised¡­ Zhang Tieyuan asked boldly, ¡°Who¡¯s up first for the second round?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go first.¡± Qi Qingyao did not mind who went first or who wentter. Picking up the dice cup, she shook it and then put it back down. She made a gesture of invitation. Twenty taels were on the line this time. Zhang Tieyuan was nervous and he could almost feel his blood pressure rising when he ced his hand on the dice cup. If he won, he would gain twenty tales in his pocket; if he lost, he would lose the two taels! Beads of sweat broke out on his forehead. After he mentally prepared himself, he flung the dice bowl open. The dice bowl was opened. He felt his hanging heart fall back into its ce. Everyone heaved a sigh of relief. ¡°One, two, three, six on the low.¡± After reading out Qi Qingyao¡¯s points, Zhang Tieyuan once again could not help but burst intoughter. ¡°Hahahahahaha! Littledy, you shouldn¡¯t be gambling with others. You¡¯re always getting six on the low. If you went to a casino, you wouldn¡¯t evenst long enough for a stick of incense to burn out before you lose everything.¡± Everyone, ¡°¡­¡± The Eleventh Daughter¡¯s luck was really bad¡ªshe had rolled six on the low for two rounds now. It was as Zhang Tieyuan said, she was not suited for gambling. Only Jiang Yeqian, who looked at the dies reading one, two, three, six on the low with his gaze lowered, fell into deeper silence. This woman¡­ If the first time was luck, how was it possible that she had gotten six points again for the second round? She had been deliberate after all. Then, could she really manipte the points? This¡­ What the heck was her motive? He was unduly curious now. Qi Qingyao looked toward Zhang Tieyuan whose face waspletely flushed now with a smile. Her mood light and casual, she said, ¡°You haven¡¯t shaken it yet, you might get a lower score than me.¡± Zhang Tieyuan was feeling proud and confident today after having gone through the first round. Hence, he was not as nervous when he shook the dice cup the second time. He put the cup down and opened it easily. Once again, he let out a heartyugh. Hahaha, I got three fours, twelve on the high!¡± It was anotherbo. Zhang Tieyuan could barely contain his excitement. Without even waiting for Qi Qingyao¡¯s approval, he grabbed all of the silver pooled in the middle of the table to his side. Qi Qingyao smiled lightly as she looked at the overjoyed Zhang Tieyuan. Without even waiting for her to do so, Zhang Tieyuan once again asked excitedly, ¡°Do you still want to bet?¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Qi Qingyao answered easily. Zhang Tieyuan felt luck going his way today and said, ¡°Perfect, I was also thinking of continuing.¡± The onlooking crowd, ¡°¡­¡± This. Within these few seconds, Old Man Zhang had be a wealthy individual. He already had 22 taels. Meanwhile, Qi Qingyao had lost for two rounds straight yet she still intended to continue. What the heck was going on? They were dumbfounded. It was a winter day yet apart from the three of them, Qi Qingyao, Si Jin, and Jiang Yeqian, everyone was so nervous they were sweating up a storm, it felt as if they were in a furnace. Zhang Cuiyun looked at the scene and cried out, ¡°Father, please stop. You¡¯ve already won so much.¡± ¡°You know nothing! Get lost!¡± Zhang Tieyuan did not think that there was the possibility for him to lose that day. Chapter 104 - A Fundamental Solution 1

Chapter 104: A Fundamental Solution 1

Everyone else was also eager to try gambling with Qi Qingyao. ¡°Zhang Tieyuan, your luck is soaring sky high today.¡± Voices of envy, jealousy, and hate sounded. ¡°Qi Qingyao, do you still want to gamble more after this? Once you¡¯re done with Zhang Tieyuan, why don¡¯t you bet one round with me, what do you say?¡± someone asked excitedly. Qi Qingyao threw a nce at the excited and lively vigers and said with a smile, ¡°Sure, but you¡¯ll have to bet with the deed to your farms andnds.¡± Everyone had blood rushing to their heads at the moment and agreed without even thinking about it further, ¡°Fine by me! You can just bet with one hundred taels then and I¡¯ll bet with the deed to my farm andnd.¡± ¡°Then, we¡¯vee to an agreement.¡± Qi Qingyao also replied easily. Realizing that his golden pig was about to be snatched away by the others, Zhang Tieyuan snapped his fingerspulsively to regain Qi Qingyao¡¯s attention. ¡°Qi Qingyao, how dare you make an appointment with the others? We¡¯re still not done with our gambling session.¡± Qi Qingyao turned her head to look at him. Pretending to be angry, she said helplessly, ¡°Well then, I¡¯ll bet 50 taels this round!¡± ¡°Hahahahaha, that¡¯s great!¡± Zhang Tieyuan had just taken a nce at his gamble pile before muttering, ¡°But I don¡¯t have 50 taels¡­¡± Qi Qingyao said unhurriedly, ¡°You can just put the entire twenty-two taels up for the bet. If you win, you can take my fifty taels; if you lose, you can just return the twenty-two taels to me.¡± ¡°Okay! I¡¯ll bet you.¡± Zhang Tieyuan smiled happily. He had won 22 taels without even sacrificing anything today and if he won this round, he would have won 72 taels. How could he not be excited? Zhang Cuiyun had wanted to say something again but Zhang Tieyuan beat her to it, ¡°Oh Cuiyun, stop making such a fuss. I have great fortune today, it¡¯s as ifdy luck is helping me out! I won¡¯t lose at all.¡± Zhang Cuiyun could only gulp, not uttering a single word. She stared at the dice cup nervously. She felt as if she were even more nervous than her father. If they won, their family would truly be rich. However, if they lost¡­ No, they would not lose. Lady luck was really by her father¡¯s side today. She stood behind her father, hands folded together as she prayed vigorously. Si Jin looked at her gesture and somehow felt likeughing. Zhang Tieyuan asked as usual, ¡°Do you want to go first again for this round?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll go first,¡± Qi Qingyao said. When Zhang Tieyuan opened the dice cup this time, he had calmed down a bit but still, 52 taels were on the line. He still felt a trace of nervousness, but the result was as expected. ¡°One, two, three, six on the low. Hahahaha, this is absolutely amazing. Qi Qingyao, you¡¯re a little unlucky today, you keep getting lows.¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing I can do about it. I¡¯m just out of luck. ¡± Qi Qingyaoughed lightly, ying down her situation. Zhang Tieyuan shook the dice cup quickly and opened it immediately after putting it down. ¡°Four, five, five, fourteen on the high!¡± The incredulous expression on Zhang Tieyuan face was as if he did not want to win but just could not help himself. ¡°I won again,¡± he eximed. ¡°¡­¡± Qi Qingyao smiled but said nothing. ¡°You let me win!¡± Zhang Tieyuanughed out loud and brought all the 72 taels in the middle of the table to his side. Ma Sanye and the other onlookers looked at the 72 taels in Zhang Tieyuan¡¯s arms and felt envious all of a sudden. They began discussing amongst themselves. ¡°Her luck is just atrocious. She¡¯d gotten six on the low three times in a row.¡± ¡°Exactly, it¡¯s as if God has dictated it.¡± ¡°She¡¯d lost seventy-two taels in one shot.¡± ¡°Seventy-two taels¡­ my god¡­¡± ¡°The old Zhang family is going to strike it rich.¡± Everyone wished that Old Man Zhang would leave his seat immediately so that they could switch themselves in and go up against Qi Qingyao. Who knows, maybe the 72 taels would be theirs too. After the round ended, Zhang Tieyuan very excitedly took the lead in asking Qi Qingyao, ¡°Do you still want to gamble?¡± ¡­ When Jiang Yeqian heard what the middle-aged man said, he knew that this person was already high on gambling and hadpletely fallen into the woman¡¯s trap. He still had not noticed. However, Jiang Yeqian did not me him either. He had first been suspicious about where her money came from and now there was this gambling session. Every time a new round started, it was this man named Zhang Tieyuan who initiated it. He was trying to empty her pockets¡­ Nobody had yet to realize that as he was here gambling, he was also a frog in boiling water! ¡®This was also fine, however. Mayhaps this man will be able to quit his gambling addictionpletely after this round?¡¯ he thought. Chapter 105 - A Fundamental Solution 2

Chapter 105: A Fundamental Solution 2

¡°Let¡¯s continue. Why wouldn¡¯t I?¡± Qi Qingyao took out a stack of paper money from her bosom, her demeanor that of an affluent and imposing individual who was not afraid of losing. Sifting through the notes, she took out one and ced it at the center of the table as her betting amount. ¡°I¡¯ll bet one hundred taels this round. What about you?¡± ¡°One hundred taels¡­¡± While Zhang Tieyuan whispered the number, his eyes were instead glued on the stack of paper money in Qi Qingyao¡¯s hand. He seemed to be even more excited than when his wife had given birth to a son. When the others saw Qi Qingyao¡¯s stack of paper money, their eyes almost popped out. The f*ck. Heir Pei was so generous with his money. How much did he even give you for the consultation? Qi Qingyao smiled and said, ¡°The rules are the same as before. If you win, you can take the one hundred taels but if you lose, you will return the seventy-two taels to me.¡± Zhang Tieyuan was a little hesitant. Zhang Cuiyun who was standing behind him whispered apprehensively, ¡°Father, let¡¯s not gamble anymore this time. We already have 72 taels. We can buy a shop in Qingzhou City and still keep our farm andnd.¡± Zhang Tieyuan¡¯s eyes were fixed on that single banknote and the rest of the paper money in Qi Qingyao¡¯s hand. Qi Qingyao was a little fat sheep¡ªto not ughter it would be foolish. ¡°That¡¯s one hundred taels there. Don¡¯t you want 172 taels?¡± He turned around and snapped at his daughter. Zhang Cuiyun was also a little intrigued. She had also seen Qi Qingyao for what she was. ¡°I haven¡¯t gambled before¡± and ¡°I don¡¯t know how to gamble¡±, she was just a rich and fat sheep. A fat sheep that hadpletely fallen into the pitfall of gambling. The more she gambled, the more she wanted to earn the money back and so she dumped money into the pile again and again. Zhang Cuiyun knew, however, that if Qi Qingyao continued to scatter her money like this, she would only fall into the pit dug by her father and lose all her money. It would all be her father¡¯s money. Her father was right, it was hard toe by a fat sheep who did not know how to gamble. That¡­ When others noted that the old Zhang family was still going to continue gambling, they all began tasting something. The sour taste of jealousy. ¡°Old Man Zhang, I think you should quit while you¡¯re ahead.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. One should practice moderation. What if you lose? You¡¯d have none of the 72 taels. Don¡¯t you see?¡± One hundred taels. They could not allow this fellow to continue gambling. If he gambled anymore, Old Man Zhang¡¯s family really would be insanely rich¡­ ¡°Don¡¯t be too greedy, a man who is never content is like a snake trying to swallow an elephant.¡± ¡°It¡¯s impossible for one to keep winning, be careful before something bad happens!¡± It was impossible for the words spoken by the bystanders to reach Zhang Tieyuan¡¯s heart at this time. All he could think was that these people were jealous. They were jealous that his family was about to achieve insurmountable sess and were unbearably envious. Everyone realized that Zhang Tieyuan would not budge and could only begin advising Qi Qingyao. ¡°Qi Qingyao, I don¡¯t think you should gamble anymore. If you lose this time, you¡¯ll lose one hundred taels. It¡¯s one hundred taels, you could buy a lot of things with that, don¡¯t you know?¡± ¡°I disagree, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll lose this round.¡± Qi Qingyao¡¯s expression was one of a gambler¡¯s pigheadedness. It left the crowd speechless. They could only keep their thoughts to themselves, hoping that she would win quickly. It did not matter if she had money. She got lucky once and Heir Pei gave this money to her but now¡­ this gambling addict Zhang Tieyuan was about to make a f*cking fortune and everyone could not stand for it. Zhang Tieyuan looked at the 172 taels, eyes glowing with greed. ¡°I want to gamble with you, I also don¡¯t believe I¡¯d lose,¡± he said seriously. Saying that, he continued, ¡°Who goes first?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go first.¡± As usual, Qi Qingyao shook the dice cup first. After that, Zhang Tieyuan was responsible for opening the dice cup and reading the points. ¡°Hahahaha, it¡¯s one, two, three, six on the low again. Youngdy, you¡¯re really luckless today. You should go to a koi temple to offer your prayerster.¡± Everyone else, ¡°¡­¡± How unlucky. Things have yed out like this yet she still wanted to gamble. Sigh, it was over. Old Man Zhang is about to strike gold again. His luck was too f*cking good. Chapter 106 - A Fundamental Solution 3

Chapter 106: A Fundamental Solution 3

¡°Perhaps, hehe.¡± Qi Qingyao was not even a bit upset about this. Her mood was still warm like a spring¡¯s breeze. She stared at the man in front of her who was practically enthusing over the dice cup and it reminded her of when she used to be a bookie in a casino, of how she saw the gamblers,ing and going as they sat at the gambling table with excitement. They had stared at the dice cup enthusiastically, looking forward to the instant of turning it over during the gambling session. Most of the time, however, the gamblers would win once and lose nine times while the banker took all. Those who won money from the casino were only one in a million. While she might look like a gambler today, she was in fact, the banker. Zhang Tieyuan opened the dice cup, gaze feverish, after shaking the dice cup. Then, he pped the table excitedly. ¡°Two, four, six, twelve on the high. I can¡¯t even lose if I wanted to!¡± He dragged all the silver to his side of the table. Holding onto so much silver, Zhang Tieyuan could not help smiling deviously. The corners of his mouth were almost reaching his ears. Zhang Cuiyun stood in front of her father and said frantically for Qi Qingyao to hear, ¡°Father, no more, we will gamble no more.¡± Qi Qingyao shrugged as she spoke carelessly, ¡°Is that it? What a shame.¡± ¡°You still want to go? If you do, then I¡¯ll join you~!¡± Zhang Tieyuan, who had just won consecutive games, was full of excitement. He had no intention of stopping at all. ¡°What¡¯s a shame?¡± Zhang Cuiyun asked suspiciously. Qi Qingyao drew ten pieces from the stack of paper money and ced them in front of him, while she said, ¡°I wanted to continue betting, but I had nned to make a bigger bet this time, one thousand taels!¡± ¡°Huh?¡± The silver and banknotes in Zhang Tieyuan¡¯s arm fell to the ground and Zhang Cuiyun hurriedly crouched down under the table as she began to pick them up nervously. The others were also in disbelief. ¡°Eleventh Daughter, have you lost your mind?¡± ¡°Qi Qingyao, you¡¯ve definitely lost your mind.¡± ¡°One thousand taels¡­ you must be joking. You could buy the entire vige with that.¡± ¡°You could buy a two-doored house with a small yard in Qingzhou City with one thousand taels.¡± One hundred taels was quite an insane amount for ordinary folk, let alone one thousand. The ordinary people in these small rural viges had never seen so much money. Yongchang Bank was the most well-known bank in Northern Liang! They also allowed money exchange nationwide! They were too poor. They at most only had a string, or two, or three of mace at home. They were not even eligible to exchange them for paper money¡­ Zhang Cuiyun also felt a rush of blood to her head today and could notpletely quell her desire for the one thousand taels. However, she was still a little calmer and persuaded, ¡°Father, we really shouldn¡¯t gamble anymore. Let¡¯s call it a day! Let¡¯s not gamble anymore.¡± Zhang Tieyuan looked at the ten pieces of paper money and his head was filled with the thought of the one thousand taels. He said, ¡°Cuiyun, I will bet thisst round! Just thisst one. Once I win the thousand taels, I¡¯ll call it quits. What do you say?¡± ¡°But¡­¡± Zhang Cuiyun felt that this was a bottomless pit, but she also thought about how there was a mountain of gold before them, and how it would be foolish for them to let such an opportunity slip past their fingers. On the left, there were 172 taels and on the right, there were 1172 taels. If they won, they would have 1172 taels. If they lost, it would be as if they had never gambled at all¡­ It seemed worth it. Zhang Tieyuan was experiencing an adrenaline rush as if he had been injected with chicken blood, ¡°What¡¯s the ¡®but¡¯ to this? Look at how I¡¯m going to defeat this little girl until she has nothing left.¡± Saying this, he pushed the 172 taels into the center. He eximed boldly, ¡°I¡¯m all in for this bet.¡± Qi Qingyao smiled innocently. She nced at Zhang Cuiyun, who seemed to have some doubts about this, and then back at Zhang Tieyuan who had gone mad from gambling. She raised her eyebrows, ¡°Uncle Zhang, you aren¡¯t kind at all. I¡¯ve bet a thousand taels but you¡¯re only betting the 172 taels that I lost to you. This bet is not fair at all. No way, no, I won¡¯t bet with you.¡± Chapter 107 - A Fundamental Solution 4

Chapter 107: A Fundamental Solution 4

After she said this, Qi Qingyao took the one thousand taels back to her hand. Zhang Tieyuan saw that and began feeling anxious. Sess was about to slip out of his hands. Hurriedly, he asked, ¡°What do you want me to bet with then?¡± Qi Qingyao said airily, ¡°172 taels, and throw in the lease to your farm andnd. If you win, my one thousand taels will go to you, which is equal to me losing a total of 1,172 taels to you today. What do you think?¡± When Zhang Cuiyun heard that, the timid girl quickly tried to persuade her father who was still experiencing an adrenaline rush, ¡°Father, no, if we lose, we will have nothing.¡± Everyone also felt that the final bet was too much. However, with one thousand taels, Qi Qingyao¡¯s bet was still worth more. They did not want Zhang Tieyuan to win Qi Qingyao¡¯s one thousand taels, so they tried to persuade him. ¡°Yes, Old Man Zhang, you really shouldn¡¯t continue¡­¡± The moment they said that, Zhang Tieyuan whipped his head around like a madman. His eyes were bloodshot and he yelled at the crowd, ¡°All every one of you knows to do every day is to curse me. I¡¯ve already won several times and yet, you¡¯re still trying to curse me? What if I win? My family would be able to move directly to the capital.¡± ¡°¡­¡± At the thought of moving to the capital, everyone could not help but lick their dry lips. There was envy hidden in their eyes. They thought to themselves. ¡®I wonder if the Eleventh Daughter would be willing to take a gamble with us once Zhang Tieyuan was done gambling. We¡¯re also willing to take out the deeds to ournd and farm to make the bet!¡¯ Zhang Cuiyun watched her father as he went back to retrieve the deed to thend. She was sitting in her father¡¯s ce as she eyed the ten banknotes in the middle of the table. Her feelings were very conflicted. On one hand, 172 taels were enough. On the other hand, it really felt like they would win 1172 taels. However¡­ what if they lost? Her father had gone back to get the deed to the farm andnd. If he lost, their family would lose everything. They would have nothing. No home, not even the farm¡­ There was also the other possibility, that they would win. Her father had been extremely lucky today. He had won a lot. Once he won this round, she would not need to be sold off and their family could start nning to move to the capital. Not to mention, this Qi Qingyao used to be a fool! If they won her money, she would have deserved it for being so stupid. She had been losing continuously yet was still trying so hard to turn her fortune around. She deserved to lose everything. She had just been lucky to have met a miracle doctor who gave her a prescription. She had just been lucky to cure Heir Pei. That was the money Heir Pei gave her. In fact, she could even consider her family gaining from her as carrying out a good deed. This was why she often worshiped at the koi temple. The Koi God had bestowed their blessings on their old Zhang family today. Just as Zhang Cuiyun had been worrying, Zhang Tieyuan returned. His son and daughter-inw had also tagged along. The two did not have any intention to talk him out of it as there already were 172 taels that he had won on the table. Presumably, her father went home and exined the matter to her brother and sister-inw. Zhang Cuiyun had a sudden thought. They would gamble. And what if they won? They would gain a huge profit. Zhang Tieyuan proudly ced his ownnd deed in the center, then said with delight, ¡°This is the deed to my farm andnd. This is the 172 taels. I¡¯m all down. I want to bet with you!¡± Qi Qingyao nced at the certification documents and said suddenly, ¡°I don¡¯t want to bet anymore.¡± ¡°Why not? Are you finally afraid?¡± Zhang Tieyuan was immensely pleased with himself. Qi Qingyao smiled as if it were nothing and said, ¡°As if I¡¯d be afraid, I still have so many taels. What I¡¯m afraid of is that you won¡¯t own up to it if I win. What should I do?¡± Zhang Tieyuan snorted coldly, squinting his eyes at her. ¡°Little girl, you¡¯ve already lost a few rounds, yet you dare say such things without any embarrassment?¡± ¡­ Jiang Yeqian looked at the middle-aged man who wanted to make a fortune today and shook his head regretfully. The fish had taken the bait and she would be reeling the back in soon. Chapter 108 - A Fundamental Solution 5

Chapter 108: A Fundamental Solution 5

Qi Qingyao looked at the confident Zhang Tieyuan with a superficial smile then turned to Ma Sanye. ¡°Since this bet is too big, let¡¯s do it like this. Let¡¯s make a simple agreement. We¡¯ll have the vige head write up a contract and then sign it. The losing party will have to own up to it.¡± Zhang Tieyuan angrily denounced, ¡°I¡¯m the one who is afraid that you¡¯ll go back on the contract.¡± Ma Sanye noticed that he was being pulled into the fray. He had initially just been watching the excitement as an onlooker but at this moment, he was nervous. However, Zhang Tieyuan had urged him. After he brought a pen and paper over, Ma Sanye¡¯s hand that was holding the pen was even trembling. ¡°Do you really want me to write it out?¡± To bet on the deed of the farm andnd was akin to betting one¡¯s life away. If he lost, he would have nothing left. Qi Qingyao looked behind Zhang Tieyuan at the agitated but silent son and daughter-inw of the old Zhang family as well as Zhang Cuiyun who had been caught up in the gambling frenzy. She shook his head and said, ¡°Just write it, Ma Sanye. If you don¡¯t, I¡¯m afraid that I might refuse to hand over a thousand taelster. This is, after all, not a small amount.¡± Ma Sanye¡¯s fingers trembled as he wrote up the contract nervously. Once he was done writing it, Qi Qingyao asked Zhang Cuiyun and others to confirm it. ¡°This is yourst chance. Do you all agree to your father betting the deed to the farm andnd as well?¡± Zhang Tieyuan¡¯s son and daughter-inw both said nothing, only swallowing unconsciously as they nced at the ten pieces of paper money on the table agitatedly. Zhang Cuiyun also made no sound. Her head was lowered and she kept biting on the nail of her left thumb. Their silence was their acquiesce. Zhang Tieyuan looked at Qi Qingyao and mocked disdainfully, ¡°Little Qi, don¡¯t tell me that you no longer feel like gambling now that things areing to an end and you¡¯re afraid that you might lose? He called Qi Qingyao ¡°Little Qi¡± enthusiastically in the tone of an elder who was admonishing a junior. Qi Qingyao still had that indifferent smile on her face as she pointed to the contract. ¡°I just think it¡¯s a big deal. It¡¯s better for your entire family to sign it.¡± ¡°Then we¡¯ll sign it. All of you, sign the paper.¡± Zhang Tieyuan took the lead. After being the first to sign it, he urged his entire family to hurry up and sign it too. Zhang Cuiyun, her younger brother, and her sister-inw also signed it in a hurry. Ma Sanye then took the contract and looked at it. Once confirming that everything was in ce, several others inked their fingerprints on it as well. Ma Sanye felt a little overwhelmed internally. To have written a contract, even inking their fingerprints on it; this had legal power. ording to thews of Northern Liang, if Old Man Zhang lost, the deed to the farm andnd will all¡­ But Old Man Zhang should not lose. The youngdy of the Qi family was unlucky today. Everyone threw a nce at the contract and felt their bodies bing heavier, even losing a bit of the earlier excitement. ¡°I¡¯m so nervous.¡± ¡°What¡¯s there to be nervous about?¡± ¡°Eleventh Daughter would lose one thousand taels if she losester, is this not nerve-wracking?¡± ¡°She¡¯s extremely rich and is not afraid of losing. It¡¯s Old Man Zhang and his family who will gain divine sess this time. The way I see it, once Old Man Zhang changes his fortune, he and his entire family will be living in Qingzhou City!¡± ¡°I think the girl has a formidable mentality. She has already lost more than 100 taels. If it were me, my legs would have turned to jelly and I¡¯d have pissed myself. She¡¯s about to lose more than 1,000 taels very soon yet she¡¯s stillughing! I fear that she might have gone mad.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, it must be the madness in her bones that have yet to be treated.¡± ¡°Madness or stupidity, I don¡¯t think she¡¯s cured of either of them.¡± Qi Qingyao did not take any of their buzzing chatter to heart at all. Behind her, Jiang Yeqian smiled silently. Jiang Yeqian took a look at this group of obnoxious vigers rejoicing stupidly and found it amusing. What was even more amusing was that Zhang Tieyuan¡¯s daughter was actually a gambler as well but the family did not have any money for her to gamble with. If she had some money, she definitely would have been the same as her father, a gambler down to her core. His son¡­ was also the same. A gambler who did not know how to quit when he was ahead. The day woulde when they would fall beyond their ability to save themselves. It was just a matter of time. Chapter 109 - A Fundamental Solution 6

Chapter 109: A Fundamental Solution 6

Zhang Tieyuan kept his eyes on the paper money worth a thousand taels and asked as usual. ¡°Who¡¯s going first this time?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go first.¡± As always, Qi Qingyao went first. Zhang Tieyuan liked how the little girl seemed clueless and grinned from ear to ear. Every time she went first was also every time she camest. This time would for sure be one, two, three again. He did not know why she persisted. Zhang Tieyuan watched Qi Qingyao gleefully as she shook the dice cup, his mood rxed. He was all smiles, looking nothing like a man who had just bet his entire life. He had even begun to n what he would buy with the thousand taels if he won! Why not move his whole family to Qingzhou City? Then again, the little girl still had a lot of paper money in her hands. Should he egg her into betting a few more rounds? Then win everyst bit of money from her! By then, their family would have a few thousand taels! They would be without a doubt the definition rich. Just as he was thinking about all this nonsense, Qi Qingyao, who was sitting opposite him, had already put down the dice cup. Zhang Tieyuan asked, ¡°Should I open it or will you?¡± Qi Qingyao thought for a bit. Fearing that Zhang Tieyuan would not be able to stand the mental shockter, she immediately flipped the dice cup and said, ¡°Why not have the vige head open it?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯ll open it. I want to open it,¡± Zhang Tieyuan insisted. He was a little superstitious. He was afraid that he would have bad luck if the vige head touched the dice cup. Qi Qingyao continued without refuting him, ¡°Open it then.¡± ¡°It must be one, two, three, six on the low again,¡± Zhang Tieyuan muttered as he opened the dice cup. He was not mentally prepared at all. That was because he had assumed that it would be the customary six on the low again this round. Zhang Cuiyun, his son, his daughter-inw, and everyone else watching by the side craned their necks to look down at the dice cup. The air seemed to have frozen then. One second felt to stretch a century. After a few seconds, only then did someone let out a sound of surprise. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not six on the low this time.¡± ¡°How many points is this?¡± ¡°Eighteen points! It¡¯s eighteen points, a straight kill! Oh my God.¡± ¡°Eighteen points¡­that¡¯s the highest one. The likelihood of getting it when shaking the dice cup is minuscule.¡± ¡°This time Old Man Zhang¡­¡± ¡°Screwed up.¡± When Zhang Cuiyun realized that they were sure to lose this round, she instantly howled, ¡°Father! I told you you shouldn¡¯t bet on thest one. Look at this!¡± Zhang Tieyuan¡¯s mind waspletely nk while the people around him were already making a fuss. His mind had long ground to a halt. It was Zhang Cuiyun¡¯s voice that dragged his soul back. Looking at the eighteen points, He tried to fight against his worry and panic. He turned his head and red. ¡°What are you crying about? Stop f*cking wailing so dismally! You guys start crying even before I shook mine. You¡¯re crying all the f*cking luck away! ¡°Who said I¡¯d lose!!¡± ¡°Just wait and see. I only need eighteen points to tie with you and this round will fall through! Then, I can bet against you again.¡± Zhang Tieyuan¡¯s eyes were glowing like a torch as he red fiercely at Qi Qingyao. Zhang Cuiyun heard this and thought, ¡®That¡¯s right, there¡¯s still a chance.¡¯ They could not give up. Maybe they would be able to turn the tables around. Zhang Tieyuan¡¯s son and daughter-inw looked absolutely ghastly. Zhang Cuiyun hastily dragged the two of them to the door and knelt down together. They started kowtowing to God with all their might, uttering ¡°This round has to be a tie! A tie, a tie!¡± repeatedly. As the few of them were done kowtowing, they also could no longer hear the sound of the shaking dice cup from behind them. It felt as if their entire bodies had fallen into an ice cer. The dice cup clearly had not been opened, but an invisible tension had enveloped everyone. The son got up and noticed that his father¡¯s hands were shaking. He then gritted his teeth and said. ¡°Father, let me open it.¡± ¡°I¡ªI want¡ªI want to open it myself.¡± Zhang Tieyuan nced at the calm youngdy opposite him and gulped hard. Shortly after, he closed his eyes and opened the dice cup forcibly. He did not even dare to look. Every onlookers¡¯ heart sankpletely after they saw it. It was his loss in the end. Chapter 110 - Purchase Land and Build A House 1

Chapter 110: Purchase Land and Build A House 1

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion ¡°One, two, one, four points¡­¡± ¡°The luck from before is all gone.¡± ? ¡°There¡¯s only four points¡­¡± Zhang Cuiyun felt chills all over when she saw the numbers. There was a lump in her throat. She wanted to say something but could not find the words. Ma Sanye said with some difficulty, ¡°Old Man Zhang, you¡¯ve lost this time.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve lost...¡± Zhang Tieyuan mumbled these two words while staring fixedly at the three dice, as though not willing to believe the truth. Zhang Cuiyun cried out loudly, ¡°Father!¡± Qi Qingyao said unhurriedly, ¡°I won, so the deed to the farm andnd, as well as the silver, are all mine.¡± Qi Qingyao gestured at Si Jin. He quickly brought all the silver, paper money, as well as the deed to the farm andnd on the table into his arms. Zhang Tieyuan was about to snatch it away, but how could he best Si Jin? The young man had very strong hands. After grabbing onto Zhang Tieyuan¡¯s arm, he calmly prised open his arms like a pair of iron tongs and then put the things away. Zhang Tieyuan felt a slight pain in his arm that was grabbed. His eyes were red with anger, ¡°Y¡ªy¡ªyou...¡± ¡°Are you going to make a scene and throw a tantrum?¡± Qi Qingyao looked at Zhang Tieyuan in a calm andposed manner. Zhang Tieyuan was speechless for a moment before muttering to himself, ¡°I can¡¯t live without a farm, I can¡¯t.¡± A touch of cruelty shed across Qi Qingyao¡¯s eyes. She said casually, ¡°Then leave your hand behind!¡± Jiang Yeqian instantly raised his eyebrows. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Zhang Tieyuan unconsciously withdrew his arms. Qi Qingyao stood up and stepped on the table with one foot, posing like a gangster. She looked at Zhang Tieyuan fiercely and said with a jesting smile. ¡°Who was the one that was being f*cking loud about continuing the gamble and bet just now, yelling at me to keep gambling?¡± The youngdy had a kind of aura coursing through her veins, making Zhang Tieyuan immediately speechless, ¡°...¡± Qi Qingyao smiled charmingly as she kindly reminded him, ¡°Uncle Zhang, it¡¯s you who asked me to gamble with you several times, and I kept youpany till the end. Now you n on going back on your words, this is hardly justifiable.¡± ¡°But...¡± Zhang Tieyuan squirmed his lips but was unable to refute her. Qi Qingyao admired the desperate struggle on the gambler¡¯s face. ¡°Your son and daughter were right in front of you and they couldn¡¯t stop you. I even went out of the way to confirm things with you in thest round. I told you that it was yourst chance and asked if you all agreed to your father using the deed to the farm andnd. In the end, all of you signed your names quietly and now you n to renege on the contract? The vige head and fellow vigers at the side are all witnesses.¡± ¡°...¡± Zhang Tieyuan did not want to admit to it and after keeping silent for a moment, he still said, ¡°I can¡¯t give you the deed to my farm andnd, I...¡± Ma Sanye and others dared not say anything. They did not even dare take a breath. They found this Qi Qingyao to be a stranger and imposing. This instinctively made them feel that she was not a person to be trifled with. Jiang Yeqian was instead looking at her with a pondering gaze at this moment. A youngdy such as this was enthralling. She must undoubtedly be someone else who had passed and returned in the present guise. Either way, this was definitely not the same Qi Qingyao from before. The soul has been changed. As for who it had been switched with, Jiang Yeqian was a little curious. At first, he had thought that it was some miracle doctor who had passed. Or could it be that Su Hexiao had died? And he was now in Qi Qingyao¡¯s body! That would exin saving Heir Pei, but now... He had serious suspicions about this appearance of hers, that some master of magic had transmigrated into Qi Qingyao¡¯s body¡­ Otherwise, where did this grave, vagrant habit of herse from? Qi Qingyao¡¯s knuckles knocked on the table surface calmly. ¡°Who were the ones who signed the contract just now? If you¡¯re not willing to ept the loss from the bet you made, then I want your family of four to leave the hands that made that signature!¡± Saying this, she turned to look at Ma Sanye, and with a smile, she said, ¡°Vige head, could you please lend the cleaver in your home to them?¡± Chapter 111 - Purchase Land and Build A House 2

Chapter 111: Purchase Land and Build A House 2

Ma Sanye was shocked. Zhang Tieyuan, Zhang Cuiyun and the others too. A¡­ a knife? Zhang Tieyuan looked at this somewhat ruthless young woman as he considered the possibility of taking hisnd deeds back through physical violence. He was a man after all. On the other hand, that young boy looked¡­ As long as he could go home and grab a knife or something and threaten the young woman, perhaps he could probably seed? Qi Qingyao saw through him with merely a nce. She smiled sinisterly. ¡°If you truly want to take them from me through a fight, I would advise you to think twice. I¡¯m close with the Heir and these two behind me don¡¯t just have good looks either. They fight well. How did you think I arrived from Baishui Town safely carrying so much money with me? Who did you think caught the wild boar then? Do not try to test my patience or you¡¯ll end up dead!¡± Zhang Tieyuan¡¯s recently sprouted ns were promptly stomped back into the mud. He was at the end of his tether, but could do nothing to change the oue. Qi Qingyao did not bother to conceal what she came here for either. ¡°There are two paths you can choose to walk today. You can either uphold the pact we signed and admit defeat graciously, or you can leave behind the hand you used to sign the pact. I can consider it and, if I¡¯m in a good mood, I might return the deeds to you.¡± Everyone fell silent. After a long period of silence, everyone still felt that this was¡­ ¡°So ruthless.¡± ¡°Eleventh Daughter, aren¡¯t you a little too¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re right! If you took theirnd deeds, where are they supposed to stay?¡± ¡°She went overboard.¡± ¡°Both of you are fellow vigers. You can just talk it out peacefully¡­¡± Qi Qingyao bellowed out of the blue, ¡°Everyone, shut up!¡± Silence ensued. ¡°Who¡¯s fellow vigers with him? I don¡¯t know any bastards who sell their own daughters!¡± Qi Qingyao said sarcastically, turning her nose up. She looked at the people present and said casually, ¡°Weren¡¯t you nning to make a bet with me too after him, to milk this cash cow of all she¡¯s got? Aren¡¯t you just being hypocritical, saying this now?¡± Everyone was speechless. Qi Qingyao¡¯s smile was cold. ¡°You have no right to say you¡¯re a gambler if you can¡¯t do something as basic as admitting defeat graciously.¡± Zhang Tieyuan clenched his fists tightly. He did not know how he could retort. He was a gambler and yet he was not willing to bear the consequences. Qi Qingyao said, ¡°I¡¯ll give you three days. Pack your stuff up and clear the space for me.¡± Zhang Tieyuan was so furious he stormed out. Zhang Cuiyun stood, rooted to the spot. She was helpless. She wanted to kneel in front of Qi Qingyao and plead for mercy but, before she could, Qi Qingyao fished out two strings of copper coins and tossed them to her. ¡°Zhang Cuiyun, here are two taels.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Zhang Cuiyun paused abruptly and stared at her dubiously. Qi Qingyao was still smiling. ¡°I won the bet and took yournd deeds, but the rice nted in yournd isn¡¯t ripe for harvest yet. This ispensation for the produce.¡± Zhang Cuiyun did not know what to say. Qi Qingyao said,ughing at herself, ¡°Look, I¡¯m honest, aren¡¯t I?¡± With two taels in her hands, Zhang Cuiyun was speechless. She could only return to her house first. Zhang Tieyuan¡¯s son and daughter-inw left as well, both in tears. The rest who remained there were speechless as well. ¡­ From behind, Jiang Yeqian looked at the young woman¡¯s side profile and her sweet expression that was slightly tinged with coldness. He was very, very curious about the current Qi Qingyao. She had the bearing of someone who would achieve great things. Chapter 112 - Purchase Land and Build A House 3

Chapter 112: Purchase Land and Build A House 3

The three children walked over, having just finished their meal, confusion evident on their faces. Dabao realized that the men present all looked serious. He pulled at the hem of Qi Qingyao¡¯s dress with his tiny hand. ¡°Mother?¡± Xiaobao looked at everyone¡¯s expressions dubiously. He asked softly, ¡°Were you having an argument with someone just now?¡± Qi Qingyao said calmly, ¡°No, I didn¡¯t argue with anyone. It¡¯s just that he was ready to renege on the pact and I taught him a lesson!¡± Everyone was speechless. She did teach him a lesson. Erniu had eaten her fill. She was a little oblivious to the current circumstances and disregarded everyone¡¯s gazespletely. She said cutely, ¡°Mother, where are we staying tonight?¡± Qi Qingyao asked her with a smile, ¡°Have you all eaten?¡± ¡°We have.¡± Erniu blinked herrge eyes. ¡°We should return then,¡± Qi Qingyao said. ¡°Where to?¡± Dabao asked. ¡°To the inn back in town,¡± Qi Qingyao said. Qi Qingyao bade farewell to the vige chief and the entourage boarded the carriage. Before departing, Qi Qingyao looked at the weather and told the chief that she would return after three days. Ma Sanye responded with a smile and, with the other vigers, sent Qi Qingyao¡¯s group off. After the carriage had traveled a distance, everyone surrounded Ma Sanye. ¡°Vige Chief, about this¡­¡± ¡°Stop talking about it!¡± Ma Sanye interrupted the man, who was preparing tounch into a tirade. Everyone looked at one another, wanting to speak up, but ended up swallowing their words. Ma Sanye looked at everyone meaningfully and sighed. After that he said, ¡°He agreed to the bet.¡± ¡°He, Zhang Tieyuan, and his family signed a pact.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± Old Wang began again. Ma Sanye¡¯s gaze swept over him. ¡°Eleventh Daughter was right. If he proims himself to be a gambler and yet doesn¡¯t have the courage to shoulder the consequences, then he has no right to gamble. He wanted to take the money and leave after he won, but he did nothing but throw tantrums andin after he lost. He¡¯s been coddled so much that he¡¯s made this a habit¡­¡± Everyone was speechless. It sounded correct, but everyone had assumed that the resolution would be more courteous as they were all fellow vigers. What Qi Qingyao did, taking hisnd away¡­ Ma Sanye knew what everyone else was thinking. ¡°He refused to admit to the bet when he lost. If he won, would he not have wanted the 1000 taels Qi Qingyao offered?¡± Everyone fell silent. After a while, Ma Sanye looked at the evening sky and said, ¡°I think Old Zhang will never gamble again in the future.¡± With that, he turned and headed home. Old Wang and the others stood outside in the freezing cold. They shuddered, rubbing their palms together. As they headed back to their homes, they chattered among themselves. ¡°This young woman is really ruthless,¡± they could not help but exim. ¡°Such ruthless actions, really¡­¡± They had to admit, even as grown men, they would not be capable of doing the same. ¡°I wonder where she learnt all that from¡­¡± ¡°She was not that ruthless actually,¡± Old Yang could not help but retort. ¡°Really?¡± Everyone looked at him with doubt. ¡°Didn¡¯t she give Zhang Cuiyun two taels aspensation for the produce? Two taels are a lot. They can live at an inn or temporarily stay with their rtives. They can easily rent a ce with the money and start a small business. If they opt not to, and head to Qingzhou City instead, they can seek out a rich family and work as servants. After all, Old Zhang¡¯s son, daughter-inw and daughter are still young, and they still don¡¯t have children as of now. The monthly pay should be more than enough. If they want to live on, there¡¯s always a way,¡± Old Yang analyzed. Everyone was speechless. After listening to Old Yang¡¯s words, they felt like Old Zhang and his family would indeed not end up dying out on the streets. Chapter 113 - Purchase Land and Build A House 4

Chapter 113: Purchase Land and Build A House 4

The carriage departed from Linquan Vige on a bumpy journey. The children were feeling drowsy, still full from theirst meal. Thus they slept; Erniuy on Qi Qingyao¡¯sp, Xiaobao reclined on Si Jin and Dabao leaned against Jiang Yeqian¡¯s legs. Qi Qingyao looked at her sleeping children. She rubbed her stomach,ining, ¡°I¡¯m so hungry.¡± Erniu heard her mother¡¯s words vaguely in the midst of her sleep. She replied, as if talking in her sleep, ¡°Mother, why didn¡¯t you eat with us in the vige chief¡¯s house?¡± She was on the verge of waking up after saying that. Qi Qingyao patted Erniu, coaxing her back to sleep, while she said softly, ¡°I¡¯m afraid that they wouldn¡¯t be able to stomach their food if I was there.¡± When the children were all fast asleep, Qi Qingyao looked at the darkening sky outside. She thought of what had happened today and let loose a guffaw. ¡°Hahahahaha, I¡¯m rich now!¡± Si Jin chuckled lightly. Jiang Yeqian remained silent. After Qi Qingyao was doneughing, she put on a serious face. She asked the two men while thumbing her chin, ¡°Don¡¯t the two of you think that I¡¯m inhumanly unscrupulous?¡± ¡°Inhuman?¡± Si Jin murmured this word under his breath. He thought silently, ¡®What does it mean to be human?¡¯ Only humans can be human, was that not right? He was not human anyway, so he did not need to concern himself with that. ¡°I don¡¯t think so,¡± Jiang Yeqian said. Qi Qingyao raised her brow. She eyed the two simple-minded men. Jiang Yeqian took some of his clothes out from his bags and covered the children with them, before saying, ¡°You gave Zhang Tieyuan quite a few chances. If he had stopped the gamble when you offered him 50 taels, you wouldn¡¯t have insisted, would you?¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t. But he wouldn¡¯t either.¡± There were two ¡°wouldn¡¯ts¡±. The first one was that she would not have forced Zhang Tieyuan to continue. The second one was that Zhang Tieyuan would not stop. This was a real and cruel world. Jiang Yeqian said, ¡°That¡¯s the mentality of a gambler. He thought he¡¯d keep winning all the way.¡± While he plotted and schemed, it was only natural that his opponent would do so as well. Qi Qingyao smiled, her eyes the shape of half-moons. ¡°He probably will never gamble again.¡± Only Si Jin was smiling innocently. ¡°I was anticipating the cutting-his-hands-off part. It didn¡¯t happen though. I¡¯m so disappointed!¡± Qi Qingyao¡¯s heart paused. Damn it, everything this boy said came true! Now that he was disappointed, would Zhang Tieyuane to her to have his hands cut off? ¡­ After arriving at the inn, Qi Qingyao gave the carriage driver two taels aspensation for upying the carriage for the whole day. The driver could only earn several dozen copper-cash at most a day, even if he worked hard. Now he had earned two taels in a day! He was infinitely grateful toward Qi Qingyao. Qi Qingyao led the others into Dragon Gate Inn; the most luxurious inn in Baishui Town. It was the most expensive inn in town and also had the most patrons. It was rumored that its name came from the tale of the koi fish leaping past the dragon¡¯s gate. Many wealthy visitors who came to pray at the Temple of the Koi Fish God would specifically stay at the Dragon Gate Inn in hopes that whatever they prayed for woulde true. It was expensive. Extremely so. The Sky Rooms cost one tael per night. It was almost illegally expensive at this point. However, whoever came here from afar just to pray at the Temple were either wealthy or noble. They willingly spent the money to stay at the inn and those who found the fee expensive would not choose this inn anyway. Qi Qingyao had wanted to book three rooms, but the inn was full as it was nearing Chinese New Year. There were only two Sky Rooms left and they had only been vacated this afternoon. Qi Qingyao booked both. She and her three children shared a room while Jiang Yeqian and Si Jin shared the other. ¡°Sorry about that, you two,¡± Qi Qingyao¡¯s smile was almost teasing. Her gaze swirled meaningfully between Jiang Yeqian and Si Jin. Noticing her expression, Jiang Yeqian refused immediately with a stern voice, ¡°I will not share a room with a man!¡± Si Jin was rejected out of the blue. He looked in disbelief at Jiang Yeqian with a hurt expression. Qi Qingyao ruffled Si Jin¡¯s hair tofort him. She said to Jiang Yeqian, ¡°Are you afraid that he¡¯d do something to you?¡± ¡°No,¡± he said resolutely. ¡°Or are you afraid that you won¡¯t be able to control yourself and perform some shameless act on the pretty Si Jin?¡± she asked, mimicking the tone of a person who loved to sing to a different tune than that of Jiang Yeqian¡¯s. ¡°I¡¯m not interested in men,¡± Jiang Yeqian said sternly. ¡°If you aren¡¯t interested, why can¡¯t you stay in the same room as him?¡± Qi Qingyao put up a facade of seriousness. ¡°It¡¯s not like I¡¯ll get the wrong idea or anything¡­¡± Jiang Yeqian was speechless. He was defeated. He could not win against her in a verbal argument. He was about to go crazy. Jiang Yeqian gritted his teeth. He said seriously, ¡°Why can¡¯t I share one with you and have Si Jin and the kids share the other?¡± Qi Qingyao¡¯s eyes flew wide. ¡°That¡¯s definitely not fine! I¡¯m afraid that I, who¡¯s worse than a beast, will do things to you that are more shameless than the actions of a beast! What if I sully your purity?¡± Jiang Yeqian flushed. He was speechless. Si Jin hugged Qi Qingyao¡¯s arm and said seriously, ¡°Let¡¯s share one room while Jiang Bai and the children share the other. I¡¯m not afraid that you¡¯d do shameless things to me!¡± Qi Qingyao was about to ruffle his hair when Si Jin was pulled away by a fuming Jiang Yeqian. Jiang Yeqian said to Qi Qingyao curtly, ¡°I¡¯ll share one room with him and you¡¯ll share the other with the children!¡± Qi Qingyao was confused. Why did he suddenlye to his senses out of the blue? Chapter 114 - Purchase Land and Build A House 5

Chapter 114: Purchase Land and Build A House 5

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion The passersby all looked questioningly at the two men, one wearing an Ox-head and the other a Horse-face mask. How unique. ? Qingzhou City was not short of unique people though, so everyone quickly got used to it. There were quite a lot of people wearing masks in Dragon Gate Inn alone. After settling down in her room and covering the children with nkets, Qi Qingyao finally rxed. She rubbed her tummy, which felt t given herck of food. She had been about to go downstairs for a meal, but when she opened the door, she was assaulted by the loud noises moring outside. She recoiled and gestured for a servant at the inn toe over. ¡°Make us some of your trademark dishes. Four meat dishes, four vegetable dishes and a pot of soup. Add six bowls of rice to that too.¡± ¡°Sure, madam. Should we send them over to your room?¡± the servant asked. ¡°Send them over to the room next door¡­¡± The children were asleep and she did not want to wake them up. However, Qi Qingyao quickly paused and said, ¡°No, send them over here.¡± The servant replied affirmatively and left. Qi Qingyao quickly knocked on the door of the room next to hers and said, ¡°Come over to my room for dinner.¡± After a short while, when Qi Qingyao was done sorting things out, the servant carried the food into their room. After the servant left, Jiang Yeqian and Si Jin entered the room quietly. They scanned the interior of the room once before sitting down. Jiang Yeqian asked, ¡°The children are all asleep. Are you sure you don¡¯t want to go over to our room?¡± ¡°To be safe, we¡¯ll eat here.¡± When Qi Qingyao was still a spy, she would asionally have some free time. She had watched many dramas and read many novels. The next step, if everything progressed ording to some cliche plot, would be that a viin woulde and snatch her kids away, or kidnap and kill her children in exchange for some cash, under the assumption that Qi Qingyao was rich just because she was staying in a Sky Room. The children would then be victims of unexpected misfortune. Qi Qingyao said with a big smile, ¡°I think the children will sleep well now that they have full stomachs.¡± Jiang Yeqian and Si Jin took their masks off, and the three of them sat at the table and dug into the food. As they ate, Jiang Yeqian asked after some thought, ¡°What ns do you have for the future?¡± ¡°What have I nned, you ask? I should be the one asking you this.¡± Qi Qingyao red at him while shoving rice into her mouth and chomping on a piece of braised pork rib. She spat the bone out and said, ¡°I¡¯m not short of money now. I¡¯m finally rich! I won¡¯t return the IOU to you yet, as it¡¯s proof that you still owe me a thousand taels, but I don¡¯t want to feed you anymore. If you want to leave, then do so. You can give the money back to me next time we meet.¡± Jiang Yeqian¡¯s hands paused midair. He looked at Qi Qingyao with disbelief, ¡°You¡¯re driving me out!¡± ¡°I¡¯m not!¡± Qi Qingyao massaged her temples and pursed her lips. She said exasperatedly, ¡°I¡¯m letting you go free pops!¡± ¡®Who the hell¡¯s your pops? This woman!¡¯ ¡°Why not set him free?¡± Jiang Yeqian pointed at Si Jin, who was already digging into his third bowl of rice. Si Jin pouted. He put his bowl down, rice staining the corner of his mouth. He licked his lips and said innocently, ¡°I¡¯m so cute, I can ughter pigs and I can also be Elder Sister¡¯s personal servant! I¡¯m very useful. Right, Elder Sister?¡± Qi Qingyao caressed the top of Si Jin¡¯s head gently. This boy, whose words always came true, was pretty cute and he had no family. When she thought of how his words always came true, she said with a smile, ¡°How would I be so cold as to let my little Si Jin walk on the streets alone when you¡¯re so cute? Si Jin will be with me of course. Elder Sister is generous. I can provide you with a monthly pay of five taels per month! How does that sound?¡± ¡°Elder Sister¡¯s the best!¡± Si Jin raised his chin at Jiang Yeqian¡¯s direction gleefully. Jiang Yeqian did not get it. He looked on inplete disbelief. ¡°You would rather feed him than me? How am I inferior to him?¡± He could warm Qi Qingyao¡¯s bed too! Chapter 115 - Purchase Land and Build A House 6

Chapter 115: Purchase Land and Build A House 6

When she heard that, a vein popped out on Qi Qingyao¡¯s forehead. Jiang Yeqian¡¯s words were befitting that of a leech, but said with such baffling confidence. Qi Qingyao said, ¡°Pops, not only have you lost your memories and owe me money, you have enemies as well. You may be good at fighting, but if I let you stay beside me, it¡¯s like having a ticking time bomb next to me waiting to explode. If your enemiese in search of you, we¡¯ll be harmed too. It would be terrible if I¡¯m drawn into that mess as well!¡± Si Jin nodded seriously. Jiang Yeqian was furious after listening to her words. He was the Grand Secretariat of the Empire! In the imperial hall, all the officers had to bow in deference when they saw him. Although there was that slight issue of the State Preceptor sending assassins after him when he left for inspection this time around¡­ Temporarily, he had to depend on Qi Qingyao for a living, but it wasn¡¯t like he was a shabbypanion. Apparently though, this woman had always wanted him to leave¡­ How shallow! Plus she had the gall to say that he was a time bomb too! Jiang Yeqian was furious! If he really left though, her wishes would be fulfilled. Jiang Yeqian said, his face set, ¡°You saved me, didn¡¯t you?¡± Qi Qingyao retorted, ¡°If you know that much, shouldn¡¯t you be thankful to me?¡± ¡°Then you¡¯re responsible,¡± Jiang Yeqian said decisively. Qi Qingyao raised her brow, somewhat curious. ¡°Responsible?¡± Was he expecting her to be responsible to the end? Si Jin furrowed his little brow, deep in thought. ¡°Responsible for what?¡± ¡°You¡¯re responsible for me before I regain my memories. Let me go with you Elder Sister!!!¡± Jiang Yeqian imitated Si Jin by calling Qi Qingyao Elder Sister deliberately. ¡®He imitated me¡­ Damn him. Ugh!¡¯ ¡°Was everything I said just now for f*cking nothing?¡± Qi Qingyao was starting to get angry. She was so furious that she ate one more piece of braised pork rib. She then picked out the biggest piece and dropped it into her bowl before continuing, incensed, ¡°Or is there something wrong with your ears?¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing wrong with my ears.¡± Jiang Yeqian had lost his appetite. He set his bowl down. Looking at the woman¡¯s face, he decided that he could not be too aggressive. Instead, he should take a softer approach. He said earnestly, ¡°To be honest, I¡¯m being considerate of your interests too. Think about it carefully. You¡¯re now carrying arge amount of money, and you¡¯re a weak woman too¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m not a weak-minded woman, thank you very much.¡± Qi Qingyao rolled her eyes calmly. ¡°Weak-minded?¡± Jiang Yeqian felt like Qi Qingyao could always rile him up easily. ¡°I meant in the physical sense.¡± ¡°Oh, be clearer next time or I might think that you¡¯re insulting me.¡± Qi Qingyao started on the roasted chicken. ¡°Don¡¯t interrupt me. Hear me out first.¡± Jiang Yeqian looked at the woman eating voraciously in front of him and said sincerely, ¡°You have three children with you. Can Si Jin alone protect one woman and three children? Can he deal with any bad people you happen across? Can you be sure that you¡¯ll be able to emerge unscathed if a dozen robbers try to rob you at the same time?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Qi Qingyao paused in the middle of spitting out a chicken bone. Jiang Yeqian noticed that Qi Qingyao was considering his words. He continued, ¡°What if someone set up a ploy to divert your attention from your children? Are you sure that you and this innocent boy can deal with it yourselves?¡± Si Jin put down his bowl indignantly. ¡°Don¡¯t look down on me. I¡¯m quite capable.¡± ¡°You are.¡± Jiang Yeqian looked at Qi Qingyao earnestly. He said, ¡°How about this? I¡¯ll go with you, but you don¡¯t need to pay me. I¡¯ll pay back my debt to you by working for you.¡± Qi Qingyao said as she ate, ¡°Work for me? Let¡¯s say your monthly pay is five taels. If you sell yourself to me, you¡¯ll have to work for two hundred months, which is about sixteen years and eight months¡­ This doesn¡¯t even include the days you might want to take off, during festivals and all that! Sixteen years! Even Yang Guo and Xiao Long Nu¡¯s reunion took ce in a shorter time than that!¡± ¡°Yang Guo? Xiao Long Nu?¡± Jiang Yeqian appeared to be perplexed. ¡°Don¡¯t mind that. To sum it up, I don¡¯t want you to go with me.¡± Qi Qingyao remained insistent. Chapter 116 - Purchase Land and Build A House 7

Chapter 116: Purchase Land and Build A House 7

¡°Give me a reason.¡± Jiang Yeqian could no longer stand it. He was practically a celebrity back in the capital. His peers had teased him then, saying that if he was to be snatched away by a female bandit, he would definitely be made her husband. In the end, he was rescued by this confusing woman, who said that she was afraid that he would have dealt with her in a manner worse than a beast¡ªwhen in truth, she wanted to get rid of him. He could not understand if it was him who was not in the slightest bit attractive, or if she was the problem! Could it be that his attractiveness had lessened? That was not true. When he checked himself out in the mirror this morning, he was still extraordinarily handsome! Qi Qingyao watched Jiang Yeqian quietly for a while. ¡°I have a hunch that you¡¯re the troublesome sort.¡± Jiang Yeqian, ¡°¡­¡± Qi Qingyao did not want to be too overbearing. She said indifferently, ¡°Give me a good reason why you keep insisting on staying with an infamous widow like me.¡± Jiang Yeqian was quiet and after thinking for a bit, he choked out, ¡°I¡¯ve set my eyes on your money. I never have to worry about food or clothing when I remain by your side.¡± Qi Qingyao was certainly surprised. She put down her chopsticks and cradled her forehead in her hands. She seemed to have been sincerely affected by that. ¡°Ahh! Oh my goodness! My heart has been shattered like smashed ss, I¡¯m so hurt! I thought you were caught by my divine beauty but it turns out that you just want my money. I¡¯m distraught! Oh, the minds of people are so narrow!¡± Jiang Yeqian was dumbfounded by her dramatic disy. Just when he thought that she believed him. Qi Qingyao scrunched her brows and gave him a gentle, knowing smile as she said, ¡°I¡¯ll give you another one month¡¯s time. If you still can¡¯t recall who you were before this, then you really have to f*ck off.¡± Angered by her heartlessness, Jiang Yeqian took off his mask, left it on the spot, and took his leave. At that moment, only Qi Qingyao and Si Jin remained at the dining table as they ate their meals. Qi Qingyao liked eating meat and Si Jin really loved eating rice. Si Jin was already on his fourth bowl. Qi Qingyao had reminded him that she could call the waiter to top-up his portion if Si Jin had not had enough. Curious, Si Jin asked, not quite understanding, ¡°Sister, do you really hate him?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that I hate him,¡± Qi Qingyao said as she continued to gnaw on her drumstick. ¡°Then what is it?¡± Si Jin did not understand. ¡°I don¡¯t like things I can¡¯t control,¡± replied Qi Qingyao. ¡°You can control me, and I let you control me,¡± Si Jin said with a sweet smile. ¡°I can¡¯t control you either, but I think you¡¯re much simpler than him.¡±After Qi Qingyao was done with her drumstick, she piled the bones together as she said, ¡°If a person doesn¡¯t know who they were and were gravely injured before they lost their memory, they surely have some sort of amazing past. Consider the way he holds himself and his manner of speech. Even from his beautiful handwriting, one can tell he¡¯s not a simple person. If he wasn¡¯t some official, then he must be someone influential from the maind. We definitely cannot afford to offend someone like him. It¡¯s not that I¡¯m ruthless, I just want to avoid problems.¡± Si Jin nodded, not really understanding still. Once the two of them were done with their meal, Qi Qingyao called for the waiter to clean their table. From the corner of the waiter¡¯s eye, he caught sight of the beautiful youngster seated next to Qi Qingyao and chatting away with her at the small, round yellow rosewood table. The waiter was taken aback. He only knew before that this woman was very beautiful. Her three children were also really pretty and well dressed. She had also brought two weird individuals, who wore ox and horse masks, along with her. Who would have thought that one of the two individuals behind the masks would be such a beautiful youth? The waiter did not dare say anything but thought to himself, ¡®Could she be the madame of some official who is secretly taking her children and subordinates to pay their respects at the koi temple?¡¯ Chapter 117 - Purchase Land and Build A House 8

Chapter 117: Purchase Land and Build A House 8

At the other end. After Qi Qingyao left Linquan Vige, news that she had won both Zhang Tieyuan¡¯s farm and thend deeds had quickly spread. Everyone was talking about it. By that evening, almost the entire vige knew that the gambler, Zhang Tieyuan, had lost both the deeds to his farm andnd. The old Qi family did not know anything about this since they had not left their house that afternoon. Madam Liang noticed that her grandmother had not said a single word, and thought that it was maybe because she did not know the news. She rushed to Madam Guo¡¯s house after dinner. The moment she arrived, she frantically searched for her sister-inw, Madam Guo. ¡°Do¡­ do you guys know what¡¯s just happened?¡± ¡°What happened in the vige now?¡± Madam Guo had been thinking about how she did not receive a share of the rice distribution and was growing more and more gloomy about it. She did not feel like talking at all. Madam Liang began describing the situation vividly. ¡°Qi Qingyao and Zhang Tieyuan were gambling at the vige head¡¯s house this afternoon. What started as two taels became twenty taels, then fifty taels and a hundred taels. Zhang Tieyuan had won a few rounds in a row, and who knows what happened in between, but they ended up betting all the way up to a thousand taels.¡± Madam Wu had heard the wife of her fourth son arriving. Her jaw almost dropped to the floor when she heard what her daughter-inw had said the moment she came inside. ¡°Huh? A thousand taels!!¡± Madam Liang hurriedly dragged her mother-inw to the y stove. After sitting down, only then did Madam Liang continue. ¡°I¡¯m not joking, a thousand tales. Out of nowhere, Zhang Tieyuan lost his mind and brought his farm andnd deed to bet against Qi Qingyao for the thousand taels. He lost.¡± ¡°He lost?¡± Madam Guo¡¯s expression was highly doubtful. Madam Liang spread her hands out and said, ¡°That¡¯s right. Now Old Man Zhang has even managed to gamble his home away.¡± As she was familiar with the Zhang family, Madam Wu was not surprised. ¡°I¡¯ve said before that with his gambling habit, he was bound to get into trouble sooner orter, but I didn¡¯t think it¡¯d be this bad¡­ Come to think of it, where did she get a thousand taels from? There¡¯s no way that the Lord Heir paid her so much money back then, right?¡± Madam Guo came back to her senses and interrupted, ¡°No, wait, what you mean to say is that old Zhang family¡¯s house is now hers?¡± Madam Liang raised her eyebrows excitedly as she said, ¡°Of course¡­ Ma Sanye and many other vigers were watching. It was said that they even signed a contract. Of course, anyone who gambles should acknowledge when they¡¯re defeated, but I heard from everyone that Zhang Tieyuan did not want to ept the loss. Qi Qingyao suggested two ways out for him. First, he could admit defeat. Alternatively, he could choose to leave a hand behind, the hand that signed the contract.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± Madam Guo¡¯s eyes widened with surprise. Madam Liang pointed at Madam Guo¡¯s wide-eyed expression and said excitedly, ¡°Yes, yes, yes, that expression. I had the same face too as I watched everything unfold. It was so violent and cruel, it¡¯s just¡­ Didn¡¯t your family say that she was a fool? This ¡®fool¡¯ isn¡¯t so foolish now, how is she so clever?¡± Madam Guo had trouble describing theplicated emotions she felt now. She was quiet. Madam Liang could not help asking her sister-inw and mother-inw, ¡°Mother, do you think that she was only pretending to be a fool back then, and she isn¡¯t actually stupid?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Madam Wu shook her head, refusing to believe that she may have been tricked in the past. However, she also did not want to believe that Qi Qingyao was so clever now¡­ After Madam Liang left, both Madam Wu and Madam Guo exchanged nces and sighed. There were some things in Madam Wu¡¯s heart that she could not say to her daughter-inw. When she got back home, she ranted it all to the old man. ¡°That foolish girl really thinks that she¡¯s some hotshot. As if I¡¯d believe that! Let¡¯s see for how long she can keep up this ridiculousness.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Old Man Qi was silent. Madam Wu continued chattering away for a moment, but could not help asking about something she dare not believe was true. ¡°Do you think she was pretending to be a fool back then and she isn¡¯t actually one? Do you think she was tricking us?¡± Chapter 118 - Purchase Land and Build A House 9

Chapter 118: Purchase Land and Build A House 9

Old Man Qi turned back and gave his wife a look. His gaze was cold, as if he believed Madam Wu was herself a fool. Madam Wu¡¯s lips twitched and she spoke in a mumbled voice. ¡°I know you¡¯re ming me. If I had known that this little fool was actually this clever, this powerful¡­ I wouldn¡¯t have cut rtions with her.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the use in saying any of this now? She¡¯s rich now and we¡¯ll receive none of it in the slightest. Perhaps this is fate,¡± said Old Man Qi. Madam Wu was at a loss for words for a moment. Suddenly, she thought of something. ¡°There¡¯s still a chance to turn things around.¡± ¡°Hm?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t the olddy go to Qingzhou City to attend her aunt¡¯s funeral? She even said she¡¯d be staying over there for half of the winter. I was thinking she¡¯d be back right after the holidays! The olddy is much smarter than us and would definitely have some ideas on how to get rid of this little girl.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡®Hopefully, that¡¯ll be the case,¡¯ thought Old Man Qi. To say that he did not harbor even the slightest grudge against Madam Wu would be a lie. However, he could not take it out on his wife now that it was already in the past. There was no use for him to take out his anger on her. If his mother came back¡­ maybe she would be able to finally get rid of this second daughter of his. After all, Qi Qingyao had been afraid of her grandmother when she was a child¡­ ¡­ Qi Qingyao was sleepy after her meal. She went to wash her feet before changing her clothes and getting into bed with her three children in her arms. Another side of the wall. Jiang Yeqian and Si Jin had been staring at each other for a while now, neither of them having intentions to go to bed first. Jiang Yeqian looked at the bed, hinting at Si Jin to go to sleep on the inside. Si Jin simply folded his arms and stood beside the bed. He looked at it for a bit, not entertaining the faintest possibility of sharing the same bed with Jiang Yeqian. Cold wind billowed in as Si Jin opened the window. He said calmly, ¡°You should sleep first. I¡¯m going out for a walk.¡± Jiang Yeqian looked at his posture, realizing that Si Jin was nning to jump out the window. He asked, ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to wear your mask?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have many enemies like you do. Anyway, it¡¯s alreadyte at night. I don¡¯t want to slip and fall to my death just because I couldn¡¯t see properly through my mask.¡± Spitting these words out, he then jumped from the second floor. Not even two secondster, Jiang Yeqian picked up his mask, put it on, and followed suit out the window. He tailed Si Jin quietly for a bit but after the third turn, he cursed, ¡°Damn it!¡± Jiang Yeqian did not think that he could actually lose someone, given his skill caliber. That young man, what was his backstory? Jiang Yeqian wandered around Baishui Town on his own. He wanted to check if any of Li Ruoxuan¡¯s people were still around. After walking through two streets, he realized that someone was following him this time. Jiang Yeqian slowly strolled into a third street and after making sure that there was no one in the alleyway, he called out in a low voice, ¡°Why don¡¯t youe out?¡± From the dark shadows, a young person d in ck clothes walked out. The youth looked at the masked man and cupped his fists lightly in greeting. ¡°Sir.¡± Jiang Yeqian was startled by such a response. ¡°I¡¯ve finally found you.¡± Zhao Xin confirmed that the person in front of him was indeed the Head Grand Secretariat, and he immediately knelt on one knee out of respect. Jiang Yeqian frowned. Taking off his mask, he looked at Zhao Xin and waved his hand at him, signaling Zhao Xin to get up and speak. Zhao Xin was so excited by the sight of his master¡¯s eyes that he almost could not help tears forming in his eyes. Zhao Xin was a close aide to Jiang Yeqian when he was chief. He would often carry out tasks on his master¡¯s behalf. When his master went missing in Qingzhou City, he spent a lot of manpower and resources looking for him, but nothing came of it. Zhao Xin had been going around Baishui Town today to try his luck as he did daily, but his expectations were low. He could never have expected that he would actually run into a man with a figure and mannerisms so simr to that of his master. He followed this person diligently, never losing sight of him. Who would have thought that it actually was his master! Jiang Yeqian saw that Zhao Xin was about to signal to his people and quickly instructed, ¡°Don¡¯t announce to anyone else that I¡¯m still alive. Are there any recent updates on Li Ruoxuan?¡± ¡°The State Perceptor is still sending people out to look for you everywhere,¡± he responded. Chapter 119 - Purchase Land and Build A House 10

Chapter 119: Purchase Land and Build A House 10

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion ¡°Then, we¡¯ll keep things as they are now,¡± said Jiang Yeqian. Zhao Xin, ¡°...¡± ? Did this mean that he should continue to have his people pretend to search for Jiang Yeqian? After pausing for a moment, Zhao Xin asked, ¡°You¡­ won¡¯t return to the capital with us?¡± Jiang Yeqian hade to Qingzhou City for a mission, but because his stopover had gotten extended for quite a long time due to getting injured. He indeed should be returning, but when his thoughts drifted back to that woman who seemed so eager for him to leave, Jiang Yeqian said decisively, ¡°Not for the time being.¡± ¡°Sir, but the state preceptor¡¯s people are here¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright, I know what I¡¯m doing,¡± said Jiang Yeqian. As the two spoke, some passers-by walking by the entrance of the alley turned to nce at them. Jiang Yeqian suggested, ¡°Let¡¯s talk somewhere else.¡± ¡­ Early morning the next day. Qi Qingyao felt refreshed when she woke up from her sleep. After washing up, she looked over the three of her kids as they obediently washed and dressed themselves. She could not help feeling rueful that her children were so precocious that she need not lift a finger to help them. They were little dolls who had already learned how to be independent, and they were just absolutely adorable and charming. Qi Qingpao only had to help them with their hair! After that, she got the waiter to bring them their breakfast. Qi Qingyao ran next door and knocked on the door. There was no answer. Thinking for a moment, she kicked open the door. She found the bed and the entire room in perfect condition, nothing disturbed. There was an air about it that suggested that no one had stayed in the room for very long, which perplexed her. Just as she exited the room, she came face to face with a figure donning a mask of a cow¡¯s head. Jiang Yeqian? Qi Qingyao looked at him suspiciously. She noticed that there were drops of morning dew on his shoes, and wondered where he had been. Qi Qingyao approached him and asked in a soft voice, ¡°You, don¡¯t tell me you went drinking with some escorts yesterday night.¡± ¡°I only went out for breakfast,¡± Jiang Yeqian said, sounding unperturbed. Qi Qingyao could tell that he did not want to talk about it, so she said nothing further. Besides, that man had always been mysterious. When the two of them returned to the room, they saw Si Jin climbing in through the window. He looked travel-worn, yet his expression was one that radiated with vigor. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you went to do some morning exercises this early?¡± Qi Qingyao was confused about him entering through the window. Si Jin nodded and said seriously, ¡°Yep, morning exercise.¡± Qi Qingyao, ¡°???¡± ¡®The f*ck, you¡¯re kidding me. ¡®I said morning exercise as an obvious joke and you¡¯re really f*cking rolling with it. ¡®Damn it! ¡®Both of them could have both gone out at midnight to go drinking with escorts! ¡®How weird.¡¯ What annoyed Qi Qingyao even more was that if she had known that these two men would neglect sleep to indulge in outdoor frolicking, she would not have spent money booking the room for them. What a waste of money! Seething, she sat down while muttering curses. The group dug into their breakfast. Si Jin loved rice porridge so much that he practically inhaled two big bowls in a row! As they were having breakfast, Si Jin asked Qi Qingyao what ns she had for the future. Jiang Yeqian could not help pausing at this too. He turned to look at her. The three little children also looked at their mother, their expressions expectant. Qi Qingyao pondered for a bit before asking, ¡°How much would it cost to buy an attached mansion like Heir Pei¡¯s in Baishui Town?¡± The three children¡¯s eyes widened. ¡®Now that mother has money, she wants to buy a house? ¡®Still, how big of a mansion can one buy with 10,000 taels?¡¯ they wondered. Jiang Yeqian contemted the scale of Heir Pei¡¯s attached mansion and noted that its size was more or less the same as some of the homes in Capital City. He said, ¡°I don¡¯t think you can get an attached mansion like that in Qingzhou City with only ten thousand taels, considering thend here is extremely expensive. If you also want to get antique furniture and paintings for the house too, it¡¯ll cost you at least a few million taels in total.¡± Chapter 120 - Purchase Land and Build A House 11

Chapter 120: Purchase Land and Build A House 11

¡°Ah? Are houses in Qingzhou City that expensive?¡± Qi Qingyao¡¯s jaw dropped. Had this been during modern times, houses would cost some ten million, with the ones with interior furnishing even going up to a f*cking hundred million! That was the price of a top-grade vi in Shanghai. However, the jewelry that some of those richdies wore could be worth tens of millions of dors too¡­ It made sense when thinking of it that way. Jiang Yeqian said slowly, ¡°Out of the entirety of Northern Liang, the price ofnd in Qingzhou City is the mostparable to that of Beijing¡¯s.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Qi Qingyao was confused. Qingzhou was quite far away from the Capital City in Northern Liang. Jiang Yeqian replied, ¡°My guess is that it¡¯s because the surroundings are really beautiful. A couple of centuries ago, many court officials began to like buyingnd in Qingzhou City after their retirement. Then, they would settle down and spend the rest of their lives here. Qi Qingyao was even more bewildered. ¡°I¡¯m sure Qingzhou City isn¡¯t the only ce with beautiful scenery.¡± Jiang Yeqian responded, ¡°Qingzhou City also has a koi temple, and court officials¡¯ wives and concubines all liked to worship the Koi God. They anticipated a lifetime¡¯s worth of good fortune and favor for their children, as well as the descendants of their families.¡± Qi Qingyao, ¡°¡­¡± ¡®That¡¯s it? ¡®That was what it took to hike thend prices of a third-tier metropolis area to that of a first-tier one? ¡®The f*ck. ¡®Just because there was some awesome koi temple! ¡®Those court officials were really f*cking superstitious.¡¯ ¡°Then this little bit of money I have is but a drop of the ocean if I want to buy a house in Qingzhou City.¡± Qi Qingyao felt like the adage ¡®living is not easy¡¯ had never been truer. ¡°With ten thousand taels, you can buy a fully furnished, second-hand house that spans a thousand square meters, no problem. It¡¯d be the kind of house that has a shop front, a middle yard, and the residence would be at the back. Heir Pei¡¯s attached mansion probably covers more than 30,000 square meters, so there¡¯s no need to even think about that,¡± Jiang Yeqiang advised. Qi Qingyao suddenly realized something. Looking at Jiang Yeqian with an expression of deep thought, she said, ¡°You¡¯re very knowledgeable.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Jiang Yeqian lowered his head. Qi Qingyao smiled as she asked, ¡°Have your memories returned?¡± Jiang Yeqian lifted his head and feigned annoyance. ¡°I only forgot who I was, I didn¡¯t forget my skills andmon sense.¡± Qi Qingyao pursed her lips. She figured that he had no reason to hide it from her, should he have recovered his memories. After all, if he were some feared killer or influential figure, there was no reason at all for him to remain here and take her condescension, resigning himself to being at her beck and call! Jiang Yeqian changed the topic. ¡°So, what ns do you have now?¡± ¡®ns¡¯. The word brought Qi Qingyao to a halt. She nced at her three children, who were having their meals obediently. Whatever she did from now on would be for her kids first, anything else second. She wanted to give them a stable life. ¡°If I bought a house like that in Qingzhou City, I¡¯m afraid I wouldn¡¯t be able to keep up a good quality of life. I might as well settle in a vige, build afortable house, and with the remaining money, I can even hire a few servants. Since I already have a farm now, I can tend to it, rear some chickens, then maybe go into retirement early. How nice.¡± ¡°Retirement¡­¡± Hearing this word, the corners of Jiang Yeqian¡¯s mouth twitched. How old was she to be even thinking about going into retirement? Qi Qingyao continued confidently, ¡°I already have kids, a house, and I even havend! If I buy a carriage and hire a coachman, I¡¯ll be able to travel anywhere I wish. I would practically reach the pinnacle of life.¡± Jiang Yeqian stared at her nkly for a long time,pletely silent. Instead, Si Jin craned his head and asked, ¡°That¡­ is the pinnacle of life? What about a man? Sister, don¡¯t you wanna get married?¡± Qi Qingyao¡¯s smile was calm andposed. ¡°I already have a house, a carriage, a farm, and my kids. Without a troublesome husband, I won¡¯t ever need to serve my parents-inw, and I no longer have my blood-sucking parents. Have I not peaked in life?¡± Jiang Yeqian, ¡°¡­¡± Chapter 121 - Master of Architecture 1

Chapter 121: Master of Architecture 1

Not really understanding, Si Jin carried on with his porridge. His expression iprehensible, Jiang Yeqian asked with difficulty, ¡°Troublesome¡­ husband?¡± Qi Qingyao shrugged her shoulders and replied calmly, ¡°How can a husband not be? If I had a man ordering me around every day, I wouldn¡¯t be able to f*cking take it. It¡¯s hard to know now, but I might even need to help him wash their feet! Every day I¡¯d have to worry about what he wants to eat, what he wants to wear, it will be as if I¡¯m his caretaker.¡± ¡°Is that how marriages work?¡± Although he had never been married and did not know much about how marriages functioned, Jiang Yeqian felt that this woman¡¯s thinking was rather odd¡­ The moment they were of age, mostdies wanted to get married and settle down in their own home as soon as possible. Not her, however¡­ ¡°How else could they work?¡± Qi Qingyao began monologuing as she ate some pickled vegetables. ¡°In my case, I definitely wouldn¡¯t be able to get married to someone who has never been married before themselves. Also, no one wants to get married to a woman who already has three kids.¡± Si Jin frowned. Jiang Yeqian wasn¡¯t convinced. ¡°What if there is?¡± ¡°Impossible. No one¡¯s a fool,¡± Qi Qingyao replied decisively. Jiang Yeqian was about to say something when Qi Qingyao began her analysis seriously. ¡°There are a few scenarios. First, he would be a single man who has never been married before. He would be poor but would love me very much and be willing to ept me. Unfortunately, I have three children and if his parents are alive and well, they definitely would not approve of us, and they especially wouldn¡¯t approve of me. I¡¯d asionally be looked down on by his parents. See, when I had kids out of wedlock, I knew it would be a setback. In this case, I wouldn¡¯t be able to ept him if he was too poor. That¡¯s not because I love money, but because he wouldn¡¯t be able to help raise my three children. As for me, I don¡¯t have much interest in helping the poor¡­ I¡¯m a middle-ss person anyway, so why shouldn¡¯t I look for someone who¡¯s on par with me? For those who are on par with me, however, they are all f*cking married already! Who would want a widow with three kids? ¡°The second scenario, he would be a single man who has never been married before too. He would have money and would go crazy for love, only wanting to marry me and have me only. His house would be as big as Heir Pei¡¯s residence and his parents wouldn¡¯t be living together with us, plus they also don¡¯t meet as often so I wouldn¡¯t need to take anyone¡¯s condescension. This is good, but is it realistic? He¡¯ll probably keep wondering how I was able to have three children out of wedlock, and then be afraid that I¡¯ll cheat on him with other men after we¡¯re married. ¡°The third, he would have a wife and a few concubines. He would have money, likes me, and wouldn¡¯t mind that I have three kids. He would be willing to marry me but I could only be his concubine. I wouldn¡¯t get married to him if this was the case. I have no interest in bing someone¡¯s concubine! ¡°With these conditions, who do you think would even want to marry me?¡± She threw out a slew of her theories. Her speech confused Jiang Yeqian. He looked at her, expression puzzled. How much thinking had this woman done on this topic? He had only asked her one question, but her mind and monopoly took him on a thousand turns. Noticing the nkness on both Si Jin¡¯s and Jiang Yeqian¡¯s faces, Qi Qingyao smiled and patted their shoulders. ¡°Brothers, there is happiness in being single, and a single rich olddy is the happiest person of all!¡± ¡­ Dabao and Erniu were focused on eating, but Xiaobao had been listening to his mother as he chewed, his little mind falling into deep and confusing contemtion. ¡®Are the three of us¡­ a burden to mother? ¡®Mother can¡¯t get married because of the three of us. ¡®Even if she did marry, she said could only be someone¡¯s concubine.¡¯ Xiaobao had never thought that he was unnecessary before, but he suddenly felt like he, Dabao, and Erniu were all burdens now. Their births had obstructed their mother from pursuing a better life and it was because of them that their mother was hated by the old Qi family. It was because of them that their mother could not marry. It was because of them that their mother would have to be an old maid for the rest of her life¡­ Xiaobao looked at Qi Qingyao. She was all smiles, but he was worried. Chapter 122 - Master of Architecture 2

Chapter 122: Master of Architecture 2

Since she wanted to head back to the vige to buynd, Qi Qingyao did not dally. After they were done with breakfast, she called for a carriage on the road and they immediately left for Linquan Vige. She bought some souvenirs for Ma Sanye on the way and when they returned to the vige, they went directly to his house. Ma Sanye was very happy upon Qi Qingyao¡¯s arrival. The child had previously given him another two catties of beef, a meat only eaten by the rich. What good deed had he done to deserve such a nice gesture from her? Matron Ma was so happy that she was grinning from ear to ear as she hurried to brew some tea for her guests. She even asked the three children if they wanted to y with her grandchildren. Dabao and the others really wanted to y, but they turned to look at their mother instinctively. Only when Qi Qingyao nodded lightly did they run to the side of the house to y with Matron Ma¡¯s grandchildren. In the central hall. Qi Qingyao asked, ¡°Vige head, you said before that I am entitled to buynd and build a house in the vige, yes?¡± ¡°Of course. You¡¯re not married and you have kids, the two boys of which are Qi. Even if you no longer have ties to the Qi family, you¡¯re still part of this vige. Once your Dabao and Xiaobao are all grown up, they¡¯ll also be getting married so if you want, you can write in an application then,¡± replied Ma Sanye. ¡°Is the size of the area fixed?¡± Qi Qingyao asked. ¡°You¡¯d have to pay for thend you¡¯re applying for, so it depends on your financial situation,¡± Ma Sanye replied swiftly. Qi Qingyao rubbed her chin in thought, then stretched out her fingers. ¡­. Since Qi Qingyao wantednd, the vige head immediately brought Qi Qingyao to take a look at the avable plots. Qi Qingyao brought Jiang Yeqian and Si Jin along with her to follow the vige head. After settling on a piece ofnd, Qi Qingyao handed the money over, quickly and with finality. The vige head had also been quick with matters on his side, especially since Qi Qingyao had paid him an extra ten taels in handling fees. The next day, Qi Qingyao¡¯snd was approved. It was roughly a thousand square meters ofnd. With the addition of the front and back courtyard, there would be no difficulty in concluding that the total area was 1500 square meters. This area ofnd had given many of the vigers a fright, as the majority of them could only afford one or two hundred square meters. When a man became an adult, he would take a wife and the vige would gift him a cut of thend that was worth a mace of silver. It was not cheap, but it was not expensive either¡­ Qi Qingyao had been able to buy such arge plot in just one go, so this naturally led to some feelings of resentment among the vigers. However, no one dared say anything. Now that everyone knew that Qi Qingyao had some ties with Heir Pei, it was better for them not to offend her. However, when this matter finally reached Madam Wu¡¯s ears, it came as shocking news. The members of the old Qi family were now akin to the scum at the bottom of a pot. That lowly little girl was really going from a life on a farm to a life of luxury. A lot of the people who had thought that Qi Qingyao would leave the vige were also shocked. After thend was approved, they gathered to discuss it. ¡°Is she actually going to stay in the vige?¡± ¡°She¡¯ll always be one of us, there¡¯s nothing weird about her staying in the vige. If the four of them, a single mother and three children, had gone to Qingzhou City, they¡¯d be eaten up until no bones were left.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true, it doesn¡¯t seem like she has any skills to survive in the metropolis. She doesn¡¯t know any needlework. Even if she¡¯s no longer a fool now, she still doesn¡¯t have a mind for business. She can¡¯t possibly earn money as a maid in some rich family¡¯s home if she goes to Qingzhou City. Who would take care of her three children?¡± ¡°Hey, but what can she do if she stays in the vige?¡± Everyone was lost in thought. Suddenly, someone spoke up. ¡°Didn¡¯t she win the old Zhang family¡¯snd and farm? Doesn¡¯t that mean that she already has some property? She¡¯ll be able to survive if she does well in farming.¡± After all that has been said, they thought back to how Qi Qingyao had returned. She was all dressed and dolled up so exquisitely that they could not help but wonder, ¡®Does she know any farming?¡¯ She did not look like someone who would farm thend herself¡­ Chapter 123 - Master of Architecture 3

Chapter 123: Master of Architecture 3

Qi Qingyao took one look at thend after receiving the approval and she was as happy as ark. As soon as she returned to the inn, she entered the shop immediately. After buying ink, an inkstone, some paper, and a brush, she began sketching. The three children were seated at the small round table as they ate their meals obediently. When they realized that their mother was at the table sketching so much that she was forgoing sleeping and eating, and even making a mess with the ink, Xiaobao walked over in little steps and began helping his mother clear the table. After he was done, Xiaobao looked at Qi Qingyao¡¯s dazed appearance, puzzled. ¡°Mother, what are you doing?¡± He looked troubled. ¡°Drawing.¡± Qi Qingyao looked at the tabletop that had been neatly cleaned, then looked at Xiaobao. She reached a hand out to rub his head gently. Xiaobao noticed that Qi Qingyao¡¯s fingers were stained with ink and bemoaned internally, ¡®Mother is dirtying my hair¡­ Ack!¡¯ Qi Qingyao retracted her hand. She looked at the messy table and had a jolt of inspiration. ¡®I¡¯ve got it.¡¯ Qi Qingyao called for the innkeeper. ¡°Is something the matter, madam?¡± ¡°Help me get a few goose feathers! The tougher kind, please.¡± ¡°What does Madam need the feathers for?¡± The waiter looked at Qi Qingyao nkly. Qi Qingyao gave the innkeeper a few coppers. ¡°Just get me some feathers, no need to worry too much about it.¡± Taking the small fee, the innkeeper immediately went to the inn¡¯s kitchen excitedly. Some guests had ordered a roast goose, so they had plenty of goose feathers back there. He immediately grabbed a handful of white goose feathers and brought them to Qi Qingyao. Qi Qingyao took the feathers, picked out two, and used a small knife to sharpen them. A brand new goose feather brush had now taken shape. It was much easier to draw using a goose feather pen than a brush. Thinking for a bit, she quickly put the pen to paper once she had formed her ideas. She took a ruler, ced it on the paper, and began sketching¡­ Xiaobao watched this in deep awe. Qi Qingyao quickly entered a state of deep focus and Xiaobao did not dare interrupt her. He finished his meal with Dabao and Erniu and requested for the innkeeper toe in and clean the table. The three of them even put thetch back on the door. Following her n, Jiang Yeqian and Si Jin had already appointed someone to buy wood. Then, they had gone to Baishui Town to find a more professional worker who specialized in constructing houses. After they were done arranging for the workers, they had intended to inform Qi Qingpao of their progress, but after knocking on the door they were met with Xiaobao instead. He was looking at them cautiously. ¡°Is something wrong?¡± ¡°Where¡¯s your mother?¡± ¡°Mother is¡­ busy. ¡°¡­¡± Jiang Yeqian wanted to continue questioning the boy, but seeing how Xiaobao had no intention of telling the truth, he turned to Si Jin and made a gesture. The both of them then returned to their ce next door. That night, Qi Qingyao had worked until midnight before letting out a cry of excitement which woke up the three children who were already dozing off on the bed. They all sat up, looking at the excited woman with sleepy eyes. ¡°?¡± Dabao and Erniu yawned before falling back asleep again. Xiaobao rubbed his eyes, put on his shoes, and donned his clothes before walking over and climbing onto a chair by the table. He looked at therge pile of misceneous drawings on the table. Xiaobao was stunned. Qi Qingyao had not realized at all that it was already midnight at the time. She presented her treasure to Xiaobao excitedly and pushed the drawing in front of him before dering animatedly, ¡°This is our house.¡± Xiaobao¡¯s big eyes were full of worship when he looked at his mother¡¯s drawing of an intricate framework and an architectural design that he did not understand at all. ¡°Mother is so awesome, you can even draw.¡± The little boy¡¯s praise calmed Qi Qingyao down instantly. She carried the little boy up by the cor and hoisted him into her arms. She hugged Xiaobao and yawned, ¡°You have to keep this a secret from the others, understand?¡± ¡°Why?¡± Xiaobao thought that his mother was a genius and that she had no reason to hide it. Chapter 124 - Master of Architecture 4

Chapter 124: Master of Architecture 4

¡°I learned this skill in secret and I don¡¯t want anyone to know! If anyone finds out¡­ too much ambition might only bring me harm in the end.¡± Back then, she had gone undercover for a year and a half when she was working on a case at the National Institute of Architectural Design. She mastered many architectural skills in order to gather clues. She knew inside-out the architectural design of Huanghe Tower, Yueyang Tower, Tengwang Pavilion, Tianshou Pavilion, and the Imperial Pce¡­ Xiaobao tilted his head and cutely asked in return, ¡°Addition? What¡¯s wrong with math?¡± Qi Qingyao smiled. Not knowing whether tough or cry, she exined, ¡°It has nothing to do with math! ¡®Ambition is the downfall of a wealthy man¡¯¡­ let me teach you this saying.¡± With that, Qi Qingyao took a nk sheet of paper and picked up the brush as she went. Dipping the brush in a little ink, she wrote down the phrase quickly. Xiaobao found that his mother¡¯s handwriting was pretty. The natural and smooth cursive handwriting was tinged with a distinctively wild vor. ¡®Huh?¡¯ Something was not right. ¡®How can Mother write? ¡®Including the prescription written for Heir Pei¡¯s treatmentst time¡­ Mother shouldn¡¯t know how to write. ¡®Grandfather¡­ ¡®Them! ¡®People in the family had always said that Mother was not right in the head ever since she was young, and that she was illiterate. There was no way she should be able to write.¡¯ As Xiaobao watched her write now¡­ her handwriting was so pretty. She knew how to charm people and design houses. Xiaobao frowned and looked at Qi Qingyao with bright eyes. Qi Qingyao thought the little guy could not read, so she taught him. ¡°What this phrase means is thatmoners shouldn¡¯t stash treasure away privately. There¡¯s no reason formoners to have treasures unless it was stolen. What it came to meanter on is that a person could be harmed for having talents and ideals that others might be jealous of.¡± ¡°Mm¡­¡± Xiaobao nodded, vaguely understanding. He gave his mother another thoughtful look. Qi Qingyao rested her head on his little head and hugged him. As she yed with her child¡¯s cute little chubby hands, she whispered, ¡°Think about me, your mother, who was aplete fool before this. While I¡¯m no longer a fool now, it is still supposedly impossible for me to master architectural design. I¡¯m afraid it¡¯ll cause some trouble if someone finds out about this. What if someone takes me away to have me design a house for their family?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want Mother to be taken away!¡± Xiaobao was very worried. ¡°Then this matter must be kept secret, understand?¡± Qi Qingyao scratched the little kid¡¯s nose lightly. ¡°I understand. I¡¯ll definitely keep it a secret.¡± Seriousness was written all over Xiaobao¡¯s chubby face. Qi Qingyao kissed Xiaobao¡¯s soft, fair face with a smile. She then put him down, sorted out the blueprints on the tabletop, and prepared to go to bed. Xiaobao was carried to bed by Qi Qingyao. She was too sleepy to even bother changing into her pajamas. Xiaobao, on the other hand, could not sleep. He held onto Qi Qingyao¡¯s shirt sleeve and questioned his mother with a frown. ¡°Then¡­ Mother, how did you learn to design buildings?¡± ¡°Well¡­ just imagine that I was able to master it on my own after getting struck by lightning in broad daylight,¡± Qi Qingyao scratched her head and responded abstractly. Xiaobao, ¡°¡­¡± Could he actually imagine something like that? She had mastered it without being taught? ¡°I¡¯ll finish designing the blueprintster and hand them over to the professional engineering team. The master will surely get it right after taking a look at my blueprints.¡± Qi Qingyao said in a daze. ¡°With aplete blueprint, we¡¯ll be able to move into the new house in about a month, right before the new yeares. Alright, good boy, I¡¯m so sleepy now¡­¡± Qi Qingyao sleptte into the morning the next day! When she woke up, her three children were all sitting by her and looking at her. ¡°Huh? Why are all of you sitting here?¡± Qi Qingyao sat up and asked while rubbing her eyes. Erniu threw herself onto the bed and held onto Qi Qingyao¡¯s arm. In tears, she said pitifully, ¡°Mother, you didn¡¯t wake up and we thought¡­¡± ¡°You thought? Hm?¡± ¡°¡­it¡¯s nothing. Quickly get up to have lunch!¡± Erniu wiped her eyes and said. Qi Qingyao, ¡°???¡± ¡®Could it be that these children thought that I would never wake up again?!¡¯ Chapter 125 - Master of Architecture 5

Chapter 125: Master of Architecture 5

Qi Qingyao sat down after washing up. The three children served her like she was the Empress, pouring her water and serving her meal. Qi Qingyao was at a loss for words and did not know whether tough or cry at them. Jiang Yeqian and Si Jin knocked on the door again. This time, they were finally let in. The two of them sat across from her. Before Jiang Yeqian could ask Qi Qingyao what she was doing yesterday and why she had not opened the door, she posed them a question first. She questioned them while drinking chicken soup. ¡°Did you two find all the workers and wood merchants for me yesterday?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve found them,¡± Jiang Yeqian answered. Si Jin immediately patted Jiang Yeqian¡¯s shoulder and added on with a smile, ¡°We looked together.¡± Jiang Yeqian side-eyed the youth but did not expose him. The little boy tagging along yesterday was more of a hindrance than a helping hand. He looked like an extremely curious child, exploring the world. His rice obsession even extended to eating puffed rice candy! Qi Qingyao casually stuffed the pile ofpleted blueprints into Jiang Yeqian¡¯s hands. She was sure that although he had lost his memories, he was very capable of handling any matters given to him! It should not be a problem to leave the construction up to him. At this time, Qi Qingyao had not realized how precious the architectural blueprints that she had casually drawn were. After tossing it to Jiang Yeqian, she gave him some orders. ¡°I won¡¯t be going to the construction site! I¡¯ll give you this pile of blueprints and check in after a month¡¯s time! As for the wood, just pick somemon red pine wood and coat it over with ck paint. The eaves of the tiles can be either green or ck, I¡¯ll leave it up to you. The Spliced Mortise-Tenon structure is needed between the logs. I¡¯ve drawn everything put in the blueprint and you only need to ask the workers to follow it. By the way, you¡¯re in charge of supervision. You¡¯re fully responsible if the house isn¡¯t built well.¡± She threw all her work away, as though her hands were literally washed clean of them. Jiang Yeqian gulped upon hearing this. He was a dignified Head Grand Secretariat, but here with her, he was bing abor contractor. Jiang Yeqian epted the pile of blueprints. The first piece alone showed the exquisite architectural structure and delicate joints of the house. From a sweeping view that reached the final page, were the details andposition of each of the different parts. Everything was noted in extreme detail from the length to the width, even the angle for each piece of wood. If it were not for him noticing the messy study table, he would have assumed that all of the blueprints had been stolen from some random pce¡­ ¡°You¡­¡± Surely it was not her who had drawn all these? Jiang Yeqian¡¯s brain turned to mush as he entertained this possibility. ¡°Is there something wrong with the blueprints?¡± Qi Qingyao asked lightheartedly. Jiang Yeqian could stand it no longer. ¡°Where did these blueprintse from?¡± Qi Qingyao replied with a straight face, ¡°I picked them up from somewhere. Is there something wrong?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing,¡± Jiang Yeqian forced out, with some difficulty. Jiang Yeqian lowered his head and looked at the blueprints again, his emotions a blur. He tamped down the suspicion in the bottom of his heart and ignored it. ¡°Zhang Tieyuan, what should we do about him?¡± he asked. Qi Qingyao had started drinking tea after finishing the chicken soup, to get rid of the oiliness on her pte. She was drinking the finest grade of Biluochun tea in Longmen Inn. After taking a sip, she replied, ¡°I¡¯ll be heading over tomorrow night to receive thend. Get me some of those thugs for hire. If they¡¯re unwilling to leave, we¡¯ll throw them into Jiuli River to wake them up, but don¡¯t drown them .¡± ¡°I got it.¡± Jiang Yeqian felt like an underling of hers. She was the one calling the shots. Qi Qingyao sipped her tea, but then suddenly remembered something. She looked through her wrapped bundle and immediately gave all of her paper money to Jiang Yeqian. This action of hers rendered Jiang Yeqian stupefied. Si Jin also looked at her in surprise. Chapter 126 - Master of Architecture 6

Chapter 126: Master of Architecture 6

Jiang Yeqian stared at the stack of paper money. He swallowed and asked, ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid that I¡¯ll run off with the money?¡± ¡°No,¡± Qi Qingyao said withposure. ¡°Why are you so confident in yourself?¡± Jiang Yeqian was baffled. Qi Qingyao looked up and took another sip of her tea. She grinned, a pondering look in her eyes, as she scrutinized Jiang Yeqian from head to toe. That look was an unscrupulous one. It made Jiang Yeqian feel uneasy; as if he had been stripped naked within Qi Qingyao¡¯s mind. Qi Qingyao put her cup down and grinned lecherously. ¡°That¡¯s because I can easily recall what you look like! I personally think that I¡¯m quite skilled at sketching. I¡¯ll be able to copy your face perfectly, then I¡¯ll add a naked body down below and, toplete it, I¡¯ll draw a woman in there too! Hehehe¡­ I¡¯m sure you get what I mean.¡± ¡°¡­???¡± What did he know? He knew nothing of the sort! He was still a pure, innocent man! What the heck? This crazy woman! Jiang Yeqian felt like he was about to go crazy. ¡°A set of pornographic serial pictures, the kind that are popr in the streets, will be released, but the man in those pictures will be you!¡± Qi Qingyao casually said words that would make people vomit blood. ¡°If you don¡¯t believe me, you can try taking the money and running away.¡± The corners of Jiang Yeqian¡¯s brow twitched. He was extremely, extremely curious about her background now! Looking at his expression of extreme disbelief and incredulity, Qi Qingyao felt quite satisfied. ¡°I don¡¯t know your name, but you should be someone with quite the background. If it doese to that, I believe that both your enemies and rtives will be very interested when they see you in those pornographic serial pictures. Perhaps I can even earn a sum of money if I publish them as a book. What do you think?¡± Jiang Yeqian¡¯s face was ashen as he asked, ¡°Are you a demon?¡± Qi Qingyao rolled her eyes. ¡°I pay for your food, and I¡¯ve saved you before. How am I a demon? I¡¯m obviously a cute and alluring angel!¡± She paused and dug her ears. ¡°Wait, are you asking me how I¡¯d exact revenge on you because you¡¯re nning to betray me?¡± Jiang Yeqian shouted exasperatedly, ¡°No!!!¡± ¡°Good, good¡­¡± Qi Qingyao smiled innocently and started on her bowl of millet gruel. The children, who were listening to their conversation, were flummoxed. They did not fully understand their mother¡¯s words. What are ¡°pornographic serial pictures¡±? What was ¡°hehehe¡±? Conversations between adults were so hard to understand. They could be certain of something though¡­ Their mother was threatening Jiang Bai! Plus she seemed to have seeded! Mother was so clever. Noticing that Qi Qingyao had given Jiang Yeqian something to do, Si Jin raised his hand like an obedient student in middle school. He asked excitedly, ¡°Elder Sister, how about me? What am I in charge of?¡± Qi Qingyao looked at the innocent-looking Si Jin. This jinx¡­ She considered it for a while. ¡°How skilled are you at cutting wood?¡± Si Jin scratched his head and thought about it before saying, ¡°I haven¡¯t done it before, but I can do it.¡± Qi Qingyao said, ¡°Then you¡¯ll help with the carpentry. Learn some skills. If I abandon you in the future, then you would still be able to earn a living with those skills!¡± ¡°Sure~~~¡± It was only after Si Jin had agreed with Qi Qingyao¡¯s words did he realize that there was something wrong with them. What did she say? She wanted to abandon him? Why? Si Jin pouted. He swore in his mind that he would make himself more useful so that Elder Sister would never be able to live without him! Qi Qingyao suddenly took notice of Jiang Yeqian, who was counting the stack of paper money, and remembered that she had given him all the money and left herself with nothing. She then quickly drew two notes from his hands. ¡°I passed you everything and forgot to leave some for myself¡­¡± Jiang Yeqian said nothing. He wordlessly handed her one more note. Qi Qingyao pocketed the notes and reminded Jiang Yeqian to do the ounts for her. Jiang Yeqian paused in the middle of counting notes and came back to his senses. ¡°¡­¡± He had put his job as the Grand Secretariat aside to work for Qi Qingyao. Not only was he the brawn of the group, he was also her ountant now! Oh, and he also had to work part-time as her contractor¡­ What¡­ What was in it for him actually? Damn it! Chapter 127 - Master of Architecture 7

Chapter 127: Master of Architecture 7

After Jiang Yeqian finished counting the notes, he asked Qi Qingyao, ¡°How about you? What are you nning to do when construction of the house is underway?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll stay here and teach these three illiterate little kids how to read,¡± Qi Qingyao ruffled Xiaobao¡¯s hair as she spoke. Xiaobao was excited, and the eyes of Dabao and Erniu lit up as well. Could they finally learn how to read? Jiang Yeqian: ¡°¡­¡± He respected this benevolent idea of hers. He also did not bother to ask how and where she had learned to read and write. She harbored a lot of secrets to start with, but he reckoned he would eventually figure out everything anyway. ¡­ The next afternoon, outside the Zhang family house, Zhang Tieyuan was drinking another pot of liquor. While he had his arms around the pot, he saw his son Zhang Tiezhu and daughter-inw Zhang Caixia in the house, spacing out. Zhang Tieyuan entered the house and barked, ¡°Why haven¡¯t you packed up your things yet? What are you waiting for?¡± Zhang Tiezhu looked as if he had not slept for two days. His eyes were bloodshot and red. He screamed at Zhang Tieyuan like a beast that had lost control of its emotions, ¡°I¡¯m not packing up! I¡¯m not leaving! This is my house! I won¡¯t leave even if I die!¡± Smack¡ª Zhang Tieyuan rushed over and pped his son on the face. He drank another mouthful of liquor. He said heavily, ¡°We lost. Thend and our property now belong to someone else. Do you understand?¡± Zhang Tiezhu red at his father venomously. He cursed, ¡°I don¡¯t understand! I¡¯ve lived here for more than ten years. I didn¡¯t do anything wrong. Why should this house and ournd belong to someone else?¡± After that, Zhang Caixia bellowed at her father-inw, scolding him, ¡°If not for you! It¡¯s all because of you! Youzy, gambling fool!¡± Smack! Zhang Tieyuan was so furious that he pped his daughter-inw on the face as well. He had not expected them to turn on him. ¡°You¡¯re only a woman. What right do you have to scold me? I¡¯m your father-inw!¡± ¡°I said nothing wrong!¡± Madam Zhang¡¯s eyes turned red after she was hit. She wiped her tears, looking at Zhang Tieyuan as if he was her enemy. ¡°You¡¯ve done nothing but hit me and your son. What are you capable of? You¡¯ve done nothing in your life except for gambling! Mother-inw died because she was angry at you for gambling. Now because you gambled, we¡¯ve lost our house andnd. Everything is because of you!¡± At Zhang Caixia¡¯s mention of the old woman, Zhang Tieyuan could not bring himself to hit his daughter-inw a second time. He turned his head back furiously and said to his son, ¡°Zhang Tiezhu, aren¡¯t you going to say something against that?¡± Zhang Tiezhu looked like he had lost all his strength. He sat there, out of sorts, as he spoke in a soft voice, sounding helpless, ¡°Father, we¡¯ve lost everything.¡± That was it. Zhang Tiezhu then put more force behind his words as he articted derisively, pausing between words, ¡°We. Have. Lost. Everything!¡± ¡°¡­¡± Zhang Tieyuan was cowed at the sight of the fire in his son¡¯s eyes. He took two steps back. Had he be the enemy of his whole family? Zhang Tieyuan felt like he was abandoned by his family. Anxiously, he looked outside, at Zhang Cuiyun¡¯s silhouette. He said to his son, ¡°We¡­ Our lives won¡¯t be so difficult. Your elder sister hasn¡¯t married yet. We just have to¡­¡± Zhang Cuiyun, who was packing up her things, paused when she heard her father¡¯s words. She trembled from head to toe for a few seconds and then turned back to look at her drunk father. ¡°You do this all the time. When something happens, you sell off your daughters. All my elder sisters have been sold and I¡¯m the only one left. Now you have ns to sell me too. Go on then, sell me! See if I can fetch you two taels!¡± When his daughter, who never talked back, did so, Zhang Tieyuan¡¯s lips trembled. He was unable to utter anything in response. Chapter 128 - Master of Architecture 8

Chapter 128: Master of Architecture 8

Zhang Tieyuan plopped down on the bed-stove beside his son. After a long period of silence, he said, ¡°All of you me me.¡± He said to himself, filled with guilt and hatred, ¡°How would I know that she¡¯d be able to turn everything around at that final game? All I did was for the family¡¯s sake!¡± Seeing how their father was somewhat regretting everything, Zhang Tieyuan¡¯s son, daughter-inw and daughter could not say anything more. Zhang Tiezhu sighed, ¡°It¡¯s pointless now. You¡¯ve lost. We now have nothing.¡± Zhang Caixia cast her eyes downward and said, somewhat resolutely, ¡°If all of you are willing, we can each cut one hand off in exchange for thend and the house.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Zhang Tieyuan agreed. Zhang Tiezhu rolled his eyes upon hearing him. ¡°If you¡¯re serious about it, why don¡¯t you cut your hand off first to set an example for us?¡± Zhang Tieyuan: ¡°¡­¡± He was scolded terribly by his son this time around, but could say nothing in response. He could only bear with it silently because it was his fault that his family had lost everything; they would not have sunk to this level if he hadn¡¯t been so addicted to gambling. ¡­ After Qi Qingyao ordered Jiang Yeqian to get everything sorted within a month, Jiang Yeqian asked her about how many workers they should hire. Theyout ns she gave him were not for an ordinary house; there were many extremely delicate traps hidden inside. ¡°I don¡¯t care how you do it or how many people you hire. I gave you our budget and I¡¯ll only check the end result, so you can just return the excess money to me then,¡± Qi Qingyao said imperiously. Jiang Yeqian was speechless. ¡®It seems that the workers I hired from the town won¡¯t be able to handle the jobs assigned to them.¡¯ Those traps had to be installed by someone skilled. He had to look for professionals. After Jiang Yeqian left, Qi Qingyao asked Si Jin to follow Jiang Yeqian at all times. While Jiang Yeqian was in charge of the entire construction process, Si Jin would in turn be in charge of monitoring Jiang Yeqian; to see if Jiang Yeqian would go out without informing anyone, or if he would spend the money on liquor or other things. Si Jin was serious about his mission and followed Jiang Yeqian diligently without letting his guard down. Jiang Yeqian looked at Si Jin, who was following him persistently, and knew that he would not be able to task Zhao Xin to do this for him. He could only return to the contractor he found before. He told him some of the requirements and allowed the contractor to have a peek at theyout ns. ¡°Do you have more professional workers with you?¡± Jiang Yeqian asked. The contractor was a considerably old man. His eyes shone with intelligence. He repeatedly looked over the ns that Jiang Yeqian had brought over. ¡°Sir, these ns¡­¡± ¡°Are they tooplicated to aplish?¡± Jiang Yeqian asked. ¡°No, I¡¯m just curious¡­¡± The old man massaged his forehead. It had been a long time since he encountered a design that was thisplicated, including the traps and all. ¡°I took on some smaller projects in Beiliang before I retired. I¡¯m very experienced with this. Are theyout ns you¡¯re holding designed by the Master of Architecture Li Qinglian?¡± He had had the fortune to look at some of theyout ns done by the Master of Architecture Li Qinglian. They were simr to this one, right down to thebels at the side and the handwriting. Jiang Yeqian quietly thought, ¡®The Master of Architecture Li Qinglian, huh?¡¯ Outwardly, he nodded casually, ¡°Sure.¡± The old man was curious. ¡°Where did you get this?¡± ¡°That is none of your business.¡±Jiang Yeqian took the ns from the old man¡¯s hands. The old man still wanted to take a few more looks at the n, but Jiang Yeqian sternly refused. Chapter 129 - Master of Architecture 9

Chapter 129: Master of Architecture 9

¡°Find me some professional workers and we¡¯ll start building the foundation tomorrow. Your team will be in charge of cutting the wood and getting the necessary beams in ce ording to theyout ns. Once the foundation is built and everything is ready, all that¡¯s left is to set everything up.¡± ¡°Sure, sure! I¡¯ll hire some capable craftsmen for the job!¡± The old man looked at the client in the Bull-head mask, and then at the Horse-face mask of the man behind him. That, in addition to theyout ns by Master Li Qinglian, told the old man that this was a huge project. ¡°About the workers¡¯ wages and construction expenses¡­¡± Some big clients would only pay them after the job was done, but a small team like the one led by the old man did not have arge enough budget to shoulder the costs in advance. Jiang Yeqian gestured to Si Jin and had him bring over his bag. He fished out some paper money from the stack, counted them, and handed them to the old man. He said, ¡°You have a month to get everything done. I¡¯ll give you two thousand taels for the workers¡¯ wages and construction expenses. Tell me when you run out.¡± ¡°¡­¡± The old man was speechless at Jiang Yeqian¡¯s generosity. He took the notes nkly and stared at this generous and wealthy client. ¡°You¡¯ll have to manage the ounts properly. If you cut the workers¡¯ wages, or skimp on the construction materials, you¡¯ll¡­¡± While Jiang Yeqian spoke, he mmed his palm on the shop¡¯s wall, which left a concave handprint on it. Cowed at the sight of that handprint, the old man swallowed. He said, fearfully, ¡°We will definitelyplete everything on time, sir. We¡¯ll manage the ounts properly too!¡± Jiang Yeqian was satisfied by the old man¡¯s behavior. It was only then that he remembered what Qi Qingyao had told him. He quickly rmended the boy behind him to the old man. ¡°Have him work together with your carpenters.¡± Qi Qingyao had said that Si Jin should learn some skills so that she could abandon him. That was why he had to give Si Jin the opportunity to master carpentry skills as soon as possible. The old man looked at the person wearing a mask depicting the face of a horse. Judging from his figure, it looked to be a young boy. He was extremely thin and slender. ¡°Is he a carpenter too?¡± ¡°No, he¡¯s¡­ a tool that can improve the efficiency of your work,¡± Jiang Yeqian tried his utmost to praise the boy. The old man didn¡¯t voice an objection. The boy worked for the client anyway, and that meant that he would not need to pay his wages, which was all that mattered. However, was this young brother a carpentry expert too? On the third afternoon, Xiaobao asked Qi Qingyao if she was going back to the vige for a look. Qi Qingyao simply shook her head and said that it was not necessary. She went downstairs herself and bought several sets of books from Baishui Town¡¯s only bookstore. Then she bought several sets of stationery as well. When she returned, her three children were wearing the same serious faces. It was as if they were going to face a deadly enemy. ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± The children swallowed. After Qi Qingyao set the stationery sets down, she smiled at them meaningfully. ¡°Why do you all look like you¡¯re about to be taken to the guillotine?¡± Xiaobao and Erniu swallowed. They did not dare to speak. Dabao raised his hand carefully. ¡°I heard some of the vige kids who know how to read say that learning to read is very, very difficult.¡± This was also the reason why there were so few people in the vige who knew how to read. Now Mother was about to teach them to read. What if they failed to learn? Would Mother beat them? The children were all worried. Qi Qingyao smiled and said casually, ¡°They¡¯re stupid because their parents are stupid. You¡¯re all different. Mother¡¯s so clever, so my kids aren¡¯t gonna be stupid. You¡¯ll definitely turn out to be super clever and capable! You¡¯ll definitely learn everything on the first try!¡± ¡°Right¡­¡± Chapter 130 - Master of Architecture 10

Chapter 130: Master of Architecture 10

The naive and innocent Dabao and Erniu instantly rxed. They blinked their eyes cutely, looking as if they were prepared to listen to an Imperial edict. Only Xiaobao furrowed his little brows when he heard their mother praise them for being clever. Engrossed in his thoughts, he stared at his mother¡¯s face while blinking his clear, ck eyes. Qi Qingyao said that she was going to teach the children, but when she flipped open the books, she looked at their contents in dismay. Some of them were copies of the Three Character ssic, while others covered simple idioms and basic grammar. They¡­ They werenguage books! ¡®What the heck?¡¯ Qi Qingyao nked out for a moment. Her children would end up stupid if they studied those traditional essays! No, they had to have their own personalities! To fix this, Qi Qingyao spent some time thinking. ¡°We¡¯ll start by learning how to write numbers. I¡¯ll write while you observe.¡± She picked up a calligraphy brush and wrote on a piece of paper. She specifically wrote them in neat Regr Script. The children were astonished at the sight of their mother¡¯s handwriting. It was beautiful. Xiaobao was perplexed. This was different from Mother¡¯s script from before. He did not know how to read, but he had heard Grandfather and the others talk about it. He had also seen the one-copper-cash art that people hung on their walls. This time though, Mother¡¯s script was Regr Script! Qi Qingyao pointed at the words on the sheet of paper. She read them out, ¡°One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, hundred, thousand, million, billion¡­ This is how you write the basic numbers.¡± The children also wanted to write with their brushes, but they were only three years old; their hands were too tiny. Whenever they picked up their brushes, they covered themselves in ink. Qi Qingyao did not want to stoop so low as to be aundress, so she grabbed some quills for them from the side of the desk. ¡°Use these, they should work better.¡± The children were curious when they got their hands on the quills, but soon felt overjoyed. The quills were just right for their cute little hands. They recited the numbers while scribbling on the paper. Looking at the children being all cute and naive, the corners of Qi Qingyao¡¯s mouth curled up into a satisfied smile. ¡­ Jiang Yeqian and Si Jin, along with eight strong men, arrived at Zhang Tieyuan¡¯s house. They knocked on the door. When Zhang Tieyuan came to open the door, he was shocked at the sight of the entourage. Jiang Yeqian took off his Bull-head mask and looked expressionlessly at Zhang Tieyuan. ¡°Do you want me to send you off or do you want to leave of your own volition?¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you let us off easier?¡± Zhang Tieyuan looked like he was about to kowtow to him, but did not, as he was unable to discard his dignity. Many vigers had gathered in front of his home and he did not want to kneel and beg for mercy. Jiang Yeqian crossed his arms in front of his chest and his lips curled into an extremely cold sneer. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to leave¡­ ording to her orders, it¡¯s about time we throw you guys into the Jiuli River and wash out your brains.¡± The burly men behind him took a step forward, gesturing ferociously as if they were about to tear Zhang Tieyuan to shreds at any moment. Zhang Tieyuan no longer dared to ask for anything. He said immediately, ¡°We¡¯ll leave, we¡¯ll leave!¡± He hurried into his house. When he came out again, he was pushing a rickshaw that was loaded with all his family¡¯s belongings and some furniture. Jiang Yeqian said nothing. Zhang Tieyuan¡¯s son Zhang Tiezhu pulled the rickshaw, while his daughter-inw Zhang Caixia and daughter Zhang Cuiyun pushed it from behind. They walked out with heads lowered. Zhang Cuiyun was sobbing as she walked. Looking at this scene, the vigers swallowed their words in shock. They felt sympathy for the Zhang family, watching them slowly push the rickshaw toward the outskirts of the vige; apanied only by the freezing wind and setting sun. They were sympathetic, but none of them invited Zhang Tieyuan¡¯s family to stay with them. Chapter 131 - The Villagers’ Shock 1

Chapter 131: The Vigers¡¯ Shock 1

The vigers only bothered to gather and gossip. ¡°My God, they hired so many thugs!¡± ¡°This¡­¡± ¡°Why do I feel like the Eleventh Daughter is not at all new to this sort of thing? Her way of doing things is exactly like that of a bigshot from Jianghu.¡± ¡°Exactly! I even thought that she wouldn¡¯t be able to do anything as long as Old Man Zhang and his family stubbornly stayed put. Who would have thought.¡± That she would send hired thugs over! It was quite eye-opening. Madam Wu, along with her daughter-inw, Madam Guo, had also witnessed the scene sneakily. Madam Wu gulped and thought to herself, ¡®This little girl sure has a lot of tricks up her sleeve. We can¡¯t possibly deal with her. Looks like we really have to wait for the olddy toe back and put her in her ce.¡¯ After the old Zhang family moved, Jiang Yeqian immediately called for someone to change the locks on the door. The people in the vige, Ma Sanye included, had all assumed that Qi Qingyao would be staying in the old Zhang family¡¯s home for the time being. However, to their surprise, they did not even see a slither of Qi Qingyao¡¯s shadow. However,e the next morning¡­ Just as the sun was rising, the people over at Qi Qingyao¡¯s newly acquirednd who were in charge of excavating the foundations had already begun their work. In order to hasten the work process, Jiang Yeqian hired over 30 people just to excavate thend, which was why the work had been extremely efficient as they plowed on without hesitation. The scene of the huge construction project almost caused the lower jaws of each of the vigers to fall to the ground. ¡°Just how much money must she have to hire over 30 people just to dig the foundation!¡± ¡°A lot.¡± ¡°Is she in a hurry to move in?¡± ¡°She still hasn¡¯t shown up ever since the time she asked for thend. What the heck is she up to?¡± ¡°Who cares what she¡¯s up to! Just look at the scale of this construction project, it¡¯s huge!¡± ¡°It¡¯s making a lot of noise too, but we still have no idea what¡¯s going on. If they¡¯re just building an ordinary house, do they really need to call over so many people in such a grandiose manner?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m saying. She¡¯s lost her mind after getting her hands on so much money. Based on how extravagantly she is spending, she¡¯d probably go broke once she¡¯s burned through all the money!¡± Ma Sanye spotted Jiang Yeqian sitting on the shaft of a brand-new carriage. He was eating a steamed bun and had a book in his hand, looking carefree and rxed. Ma Sanye felt a little awkward interrupting him. ¡°If you¡¯re building a house, don¡¯t you need help from the vigers?¡± Typically, when someone was building a house in the vige, the neighbors woulde help each other to get the house up. ¡°There¡¯s no need. We¡¯ve already hired people.¡± Jiang Yeqian replied as he smiled politely. Ma Sanye, ¡°¡­¡± While the vigers dropped by to have a look every day, the foundation waspleted in just two days. In hopes of rushing the project, the old man hurriedly began building the body of the house. The old man noticed that Jiang Yeqian would always be sitting on that carriage as he read a book with a neutral expression. asionally, he woulde over and check on the progress of the project as well as the quality. ¡°You don¡¯t have to sit here the whole day,¡± the old man said, thinking it was because Jiang Yeqian did not feel assured. Jiang Yeqian, ¡°Foreman.¡± The old man, ¡°¡­¡± For real, he would never simply spend a client¡¯s budget! They were professionals. Exasperated, Jiang Yeqian simply pointed toward Si Jin. The old man, ¡°??¡± Jiang Yeqian, ¡°Foreman.¡± The old man, ¡°¡­¡± So it was not to supervise them, after all. Only then did the old man realize that the youth had taken off his mask, revealing his actual appearance that looked as elegant and beautiful as that of a divine immortal. ¡°Ah, you are¡­¡± The old man was stunned. This child was as beautiful as ady. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m that horse-face.¡± Si Jin smiled, revealing a row of white teeth. The old man scratched his head. After letting himself calm down a bit, he said, ¡°Child, you¡¯ve grown up to be this delicate and pretty but why are you wearing such a terrifying mask? You made us think that both of you were disfigured or something.¡± Si Jin chuckled. ¡°That¡¯s because I¡¯m this beautiful and since there¡¯s a lot of people in town, Sister said that as a boy, I should learn how to take care of myself when I¡¯m outside, lest I bump into some pervert. That¡¯s why I wear a mask on purpose.¡± Chapter 132 - The Villagers Shock 2

Chapter 132: The Vigers¡¯ Shock 2

Unexpectedly, the old man nodded his head seriously after hearing this. ¡°That¡¯s also true. There are countless high-ranking officials and wealthy people living in Qingzhou City. As an old man, I¡¯ve also met quite a few officials when I was working for others. These officials have concubines in their homes, even male ones sometimes. Every one of them¡­ is truly quite perverted!¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡®So there really were perverts.¡¯ He had just thrown out the excuse without much thought before. The old man noticed that the youth¡¯s movements when working the wood were quick and delicate. He did not seem like he was new to it at all. The old man could not help but feel even more admiration for Si Jin. He was so beautiful that he had at first thought that his beauty was all there was to him. To his surprise, Si Jin was also able to do things withoutining about the work being tedious. He was also not loquacious, and he was a quick learner to boot. ¡°You¡¯re quite clever.¡± Studying the blueprint as he checked his work, Si Jin replied, ¡°I want to learn more things so that I can help Sister in the future.¡± ¡°Who is this sister?¡± He had never seen her before. ¡°My sister is the owner of this house.¡± Si Jin pointed at therge group of people who were currently working thend. The old man was shocked. ¡°So you¡¯re her biological brother but she still lets you work here?¡± Si Jin¡¯s smile was very sweet. ¡°No, I¡¯m not her actual brother. I call her sister because she¡¯s older than me!¡± ¡°What a respectful child.¡± The old man patted Si Jin¡¯s shoulder. With a praising tone like that of an old teacher, he said, ¡°You¡¯re really gifted. Why don¡¯t you join me and learn carpentry? You¡¯ll definitely be an incredibly skilled carpenter.¡± Si Jin looked at the old man with a pair of wide eyes before rejecting his suggestion. ¡°I don¡¯t think so. I belong to my sister. I want to get married off to her in the future so I have to be more useful now¡­¡± ¡°Married¡­¡± The old man¡¯s jaw almost hit the ground. He corrected the child, ¡°Foolish child, you¡¯re supposed to say you want to marry her.¡± Si Jinughed, two pretty dimples appearing on his face. ¡°Getting married off sounds about right. Sister is beautiful, smart, and rich! Men are of no use to her. That¡¯s why I need to work hard and strive to be a useful person! After that¡­I¡¯ll then be Sister¡¯s boy toy.¡± ¡°¡­¡± The old man gulped, not knowing how to describe what he was feeling now.¡± The boy had just said that he did not want to catch the eyes of perverts to prevent bing their ythings, but in the end he, oh man¡­ unexpectedly, his mind was filled with thoughts of bing a beautiful woman¡¯s boy toy! Look at that ambition! What has be of this world! The old man felt a little behind the times for a moment. ¡­ The old man was Yuan, Yuan Yuzhi. Others either called him Old Yuan or Master Yuan. As the head foreman for this project, he had a budget of two thousand taels to build this house. Toplete the job quickly, he had hired five other foremen from Qingzhou City who were meticulous in their work and also got them to bring people along with them. In a way, they were all making money together. These foremen were well-known in Qingzhou City and they had built mansions for government officials. They were all masters and naturally knew how to read blueprints. Each of the foremen was in charge of part of the work. They had been inspecting the blueprints in a puzzled manner as they worked. In the end, they could no longer stand it and looked for Old Yuan to ask some questions. ¡°Master Yuan, who the heck drew these blueprints?¡± ¡°The homeowner was the one who gave it to me. I heard it was the masterpiece of the master architect Li Qinglian,¡± said the old man mysteriously. ¡°Are you sure?¡± Master Cao could not quite believe that. ¡°That Li Qinglian had been missing for a long time though. How could a new masterpiece of his suddenly appear out of nowhere?¡± Master Bao was also a little suspicious as well. Chapter 133 - The Villagers Shock 3

Chapter 133: The Vigers¡¯ Shock 3

Master Cen was very prudent and listed out the achievements of the master architect. He said, ¡°Master Li Qinglian¡¯s most prominent works are the Yaochi Pce in the Imperial Pce, the Yuewang Tower in Jiangzhou City, and also the Feixian Pavilion in Eastern Ling and the Gulin Pagoda in Western Zhou. These are from thirteen years ago¡­and he was the greatest architectural master of that time! How could he possibly have designed a mere house?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, and this is such a small house,¡± Master Hao looked at the small piece ofnd, feeling rueful. The old man was confused now. He pointed toward the blueprint and had them see for themselves. ¡°But take a look at the blueprint, all of you, and all the annotations, including the drawings of the tools. It doesn¡¯t look like it¡¯s from a brush or a charcoal pencil. This is his unique technique.¡± The crowd, ¡°¡­¡± Master Dong had been keeping silent. Suddenly, he rubbed the white beard on his chin and said solemnly, ¡°Perhaps the owner of this house is somehow rted to Master Li Qinglian, they could be the master¡¯s apprentice or even children¡­¡± The foremen all raised their heads abruptly. Their expression as they stared at Master Dong was as if they had seen an immortal! Master Dong, ¡°???¡± ¡®Why the heck are all of you looking at me like this?¡¯ They were hemming and hawing, not agreeing to what Master Dong had said but also not refuting either. Each of them held the precious blueprint and thought silently, ¡®If it really was the master¡¯s apprentice or child, then wouldn¡¯t they now be working for the master? Oh lord, this is such an honor!¡¯ From that moment onward, the crowd of workers became even more motivated. They began working ten times more seriouslypared to before. Even without Jiang Yeqian acting as the supervisor, the foremen seemed to be constructing this house with a level of finesse that wasparable to that of building a pce. When Jiang Yeqian went to supervise the building site the second time, he realized that the foremen were shockingly serious. He thought, ¡®It seems that the money did the trick!¡¯ As the foremen and the few dozens of workers wereboring, the vige folk also asionally dropped by to take a look. They wanted to know the difference between a professional team and themselves when it came to building a house. Was it not just linking some wooden pieces together? However, when the vigers noticed that these masters and apprentice carpenters were hard at work every day, all serious and did not ck off in the slightest, they could not help but think to themselves, ¡®They really are professionals!¡¯ Qi Qingyao, who was indoors teaching her three children, suddenly sneezed. She gathered her clothes and privately thought, ¡®Who¡¯s secretly cursing me out!¡¯ ¡®It must be the scoundrel, Jiang Bai. He must beining about how I¡¯m making him supervise the workers on such a cold winter day.¡¯ The cutie Si Jin would neverin about me putting him on carpentry duty¡­ In the blink of an eye, half a month passed. Qingzhou City, Jiang Family. Qi Qingzhu was currently washing the youngdy¡¯s clothes outside of a small room when there was a shout from outside of the courtyard. ¡°Qi Qingzhu!¡± Qi Qingzhu lifted her head and saw a woman in her mid-thirties. She hurriedly dried her hands with some of the dry clothes before standing up and greeting, ¡°Big Sister Zhuang, you¡¯re back.¡± Big Sister Zhuang was also from Linquan Vige who, like her, had been married off to Xingli VIge. Big Sister Zhuang was the one who helped her get a job with the Jiang family in Qingzhou City. Being away from home, Big Sis Zhuang was like her family. After Big Sister Zhuang came over, she sat on the tform next to Qi Qingzhu as she continued washing her youngdy¡¯s clothes. Big Sister Zhuang was rambling about going home while Qi Qingzhu listened idly. Finally, Big Sister Zhuang said, ¡°Oh, Qi Qingzhu, let me tell you something.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Big Sister Zhuang replied simply, ¡°You have a little sister called Qi Qingyao, right? The one that people call Eleventh Daughter.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Have you perhaps met my sister?¡± Qi Qingzhu¡¯s hands that were washing the clothes paused mid-motion. Immediately, they went red from the cold and she could not help bringing them to her lips and blowing on them. ¡°Do you know what I heard during my trip home this time?¡± Big SIster Zhuang asked mysteriously, building suspense. Chapter 134 - The Villagers Shock 4

Chapter 134: The Vigers¡¯ Shock 4

Qi Qingzhu turned to look at her with confusion. Big Sister Zhuang knew with certainty that she would not be able to guess what happened. After a pause, she finally said, ¡°Your sister boughtnd in the vige and she¡¯s now building a house.¡± ¡°Ah!¡± Qi Qingzhu was so surprised her eyes almost fell out. ¡°What¡¯s even more incredible is that she and the vige gambler Old Man Zhang¡ªZhang Tei whoever he is¡ªI¡¯m not too sure either¡­¡± She could not really recall. It was almost 20 years since she was married off and she had long forgotten the names and matters concerning the vige. The times she returned to her maiden home had also be fewer and further between. She had gone home before New Year¡¯s Eve this time around for fear that her host family would not have given her the day off. ¡°Zhang Tieyuan?¡± Qi Qingzhu¡¯s eyes lit up. Big Sister Zhuang immediately said, ¡°Yes, yes, yes, the very same Zhang Tieyuan. They say that Eleventh Daughter and Old Man Zhang had gambled and Zhang Tieyuan lost his farm andnd deed to her!¡± Qi Qingzhu, ¡°¡­¡± When she spoke till this point, Big Sister Zhuang could not help but ask Qi Qingzhu, ¡°This younger sister of yours, didn¡¯t you always say that she did not have the best head on her shoulders? How is she so powerful now? Just building a house is a small matter but the point is, I heard that she hired a few construction teams. I also heard that these few foremen all hailed from Qingzhou City and that they are professional masters who had built the homes of officials in the past! I¡¯m also at a loss now¡­¡± Qi Qingzhu simply dabbed her red hands on her apron before she was even done speaking, and said, ¡°If my sister¡¯s mind is working well now, I¡¯ll have to request a leave of absence from the master immediately and head home.¡± ¡°Why do you need to go home?¡± Big Sister Zhuang shouted as she rushed behind Qi Qingzhu. Qi Qingzhu did not hear her at all. She had already entered the abode¡­ Qi Qingzhu had to rush back to her old home and tell her sister about her true origins! Then she must have her mother return her things to her. Jiang Siliu was sitting in front of a vanity, dressing up as she looked into the bronze mirror. She was trying on hertest jade earrings and when she heard a knock on the door, she called for the person to enter. After Qi Qingzhu entered, she looked at the Miss who was dressing up and spoke softly with a lowered gaze, ¡°Miss, this servant of yours would like to request for a leave of absence to return home.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Did something happen back home?¡± Jiang Siliu continued looking into the mirror, not even sparing the girl a nce. Qi Qingzhu rubbed her hands on her apron and said, ¡°It¡¯s nothing, it¡¯s just that my sister has returned and there is something very important that I need to discuss with her.¡± ¡°Do you have to discuss it now?¡± Jiang Siliu could finally no longer hold herself back from turning her head. She asked, ¡°Will your sister be leaving tomorrow, or will she not be able to live till the next day, which is why you have to go back and heed herst words? Or could it be that you won¡¯t be able to live till the next day and thus have to pass on yourst words to her now?¡± Qi Qingzhu, ¡°No¡­¡± Jiang Siliu was somewhat displeased. ¡°If that¡¯s not the case then get back to working hard. Things would definitely be hectic around the house around the time before the new year.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± Qi Qingzhu wanted to try fighting for herself. ¡°Dilly-dally, shilly-shally.¡± Jiang Siliu nced at her maid somewhat impatiently. ¡°If you must go back, then I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll have to cut a portion of your pay for the month.¡± Qi Qingzhu bit down on her teeth as she said in a conversational tone, ¡°Miss, how about this, I¡¯ll ask for a leave of absence this time and then I won¡¯t go home the next holiday.¡± Jiang Siliu heard the girl¡¯s suggestion to not return home for the holiday and replied, ¡°Alright then. I¡¯ll let you off for three days. Come the holidays, you will remain by my side and make yourself useful.¡± Even though she had gotten the leave for absence, Qi Qingzhu did not dare leave immediately. She still finished washing the youngdy¡¯s clothes and cleaned the room before leaving. Looking at her red, cold-bitten hands, Qi Qingzhu puffed into them. She gathered a cotton-padded jacket, wrapped on a scarf, and left with a bundle in her hands. Qi Qingzhu usually walked home from Qingzhou City. In order to meet with Qi Qingyao sooner this time, the moment she reached the outside of the city, she got onto a fancy bullock-cart and gave the driver two maces. The driver was from Baishui Town and was in Qingzhou City to deliver goods. Knowing that Qi Qingzhu was spending a luxury to take the cart to meet with her sister, the driver hastened his movement. ¡°You¡¯ll be meeting her very soon.¡± Qi Qingzhu smiled in response and looked into the distance, her heart set on getting home. Chapter 135 - The Villagers Shock 5

Chapter 135: The Vigers¡¯ Shock 5

Within half a month, the house that the vigers had been keeping their eye on had been built to its third floor with each and every one of the eaves looking exceptionally stylish. Every day, the vigers would pretend to just be passing by but they were all eager to sneak a peek. ¡°Oh Master, this is just a residential house, you are all being too serious about it.¡± Old Man Wang muttered as he scratched his head doubtfully. ¡°What do you mean just a residential house¡­¡± Master Bao heard this and could not refrain from rolling his eyes. The recipient of the eye roll, Old Man Wang, was speechless. Walking quietly back to the door of the house, he said to some of the vigers exasperatedly, ¡°Is this not just some house? Are you perhaps saying that I¡¯m wrong?¡± ¡°No, you¡¯re not wrong.¡± Old Man Yang said with augh. Old Man Wang replied gloomily, ¡°Then why did the old masters roll their eyes at me?¡± Old Man Yang was surprised. He did not think that the old masters would do something like that, so he decided to go and talk to them himself. When he got closer, he found the old masters sitting on the floor of the room, examining the blueprints seriously. Old Man Yang said sheepishly, ¡°Old masters, this is just a country house a girl from our vige is having built for herself.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Master Cen raised his head and threw a nce at Old Man Yang. He did not say a word. Just from that subtle gaze itself, Old Man Yang felt as if he had been given a supercilious look. After he walked back rather awkwardly, he met the gazes of a few of them, feeling that there was something unusual about the situation. These few old masters seemed too serious about a simple house. They all went to Ma Sanye¡¯s house. ¡°Vige head, could you ask around just what exactly is going on? Whenever anyone asks anything, they get nothing but an eye-roll.¡± Old Man Yang was just curious. ¡°Exactly, those few masters are basically just looking down on us.¡± Old Man Wang was a fellow who enjoyed fanning the mes sometimes. They shared everything from the start till the end. Ma Sanye decided to find out what happened. He carried a few pots of tea over to the old masters who were discussing the blueprints and the house. ¡°Hello masters,e take a rest and have some tea.¡± The old masters had been here for half a month and knew who Ma Sanye was. So, they decided to humor him and take a break. They all sat down. ¡°I am the head of the vige.¡± Ma Sanye zealously poured the old masters some tea and in a pretense of casualness, he asked, ¡°Old masters, I see that you all seem to be taking this house very seriously and you¡¯ve built it with great care. You¡¯re already on the third floor. How many floors are there in this house? ¡°Oh, don¡¯t you know about this?¡± Master Dong looked toward the building with a proud expression. ¡°I¡¯m all ears.¡± Ma Sanye was very humble. Master Cao wiped the sweat off his forehead and looked at the house. His gaze was as if he was looking at his own child and he said emotionally, ¡°This house will have five floors in total, so only two are left!¡± ¡°Ah, five floors?¡± Ma Sanye turned his head and looked at the three-story house that already stood out among the ordinary vige houses. ¡°This is the work of master Li Qinglian, the big-time design genius from the maind,¡± Master Hao said with a delighted smile. ¡°How would we be able to showcase that we maximized the utilization of this small area of space without having at least a few floors?¡± The other masters nodded one after another. Old Man Yuan agreed wholeheartedly. ¡°Ah?¡± Ma Sanye was taken aback. Old Man Yuan sighed. ¡°Look at you country folks. You look like you haven¡¯t seen the world before.¡± ¡°B-But¡­¡± ¡®Who was Master Li Qinglian?¡¯ Ma Sanye had naturally never heard of him before. It was not as if he was involved with the construction industry, but seeing the expressions of worship on the old masters¡¯ faces, he thought that this Master Li Qinglian must be a world-renowned individual. However, Qi Qingyao was just an ordinarydy with children, how did she evene to meet this big shot of the construction world? That was why Ma Sanye was a little skeptical. ¡°May I ask where did you get the Master¡¯s blueprints from?¡± Chapter 136 - The Villagers’ Shock 6

Chapter 136: The Vigers¡¯ Shock 6

Old Man Yuan pointed at Jiang Yeqian who was still seated on the carriage, reading a book. ¡°This gentleman is the one who gave it to us, he said that it was given to him by the owner of the house.¡± Ma Sanye, ¡°???¡± The owner of the house, was that not the Eleventh Daughter? Master Bao rubbed his chin and turned his head to look at the house that was in mid-construction. In a tone of worship, he said, The owner of this house definitely has a deep rtionship with this generation¡¯s master builders. We will undoubtedly learn a lot of things once weplete this project! A master is truly iparable, they are so clever with their design. How expected of a role model of ours.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Ma Sanye gulped when he heard these masters sitting around together, singing praises for the great master¡¯s work. The great master¡¯s skill, the great master¡¯s design, the great master¡¯s everything¡­ All that bragging made Ma Sanye look like a fool. It was not until the masters were done with their praises that they continued with their work. Only then did Ma Sanye go back home. The moment he passed through the gate, he saw the many vigers who were waiting for him. Old Man Wang asked first, ¡°Vige head, how did your questioning go?¡± ¡°I¡­don¡¯t know what to say.¡± Ma Sanye licked his dry lips. Old Man Wang replied impatiently, ¡°Tell us then.¡± Ma Sanye opened his mouth, wanting to share whatever praises that had been uttered by the masters before with the vigers but when the words reached his mouth, he did not know how to say them out loud. So, he just glossed it over, saying that the old masters had not leaked any useful information. The crowd lost their interest and could only leave. The old masters had gathered that day and they could no longer hold back when they saw that they were done with that little chat. The crowd egged Old Man Yuan on. Old Man Yuan threw a nce at Jiang Yeqian who was sitting and reading as usual. The person came off too cold and he dared not ask him anything. He then looked toward Si Jin who seemed to have gotten very proficient with his woodwork and chose to ask him instead. ¡°Oh, Si Jin, can we get to know the owner of the house?¡± Old Man Yuan was already familiar enough with him to refer to him by his name directly. Si Jin stood up and then realized that he was surrounded by these few old men. Master Bao nodded slightly before saying, ¡°Please allow us to meet the one who drew the blueprints once the construction is done¡­ Oh, no, I meant the owner of this house. We are very curious about thedy.¡± ¡°What¡¯s there to be curious about?¡± Si Jin asked. Master Cao smiled rather obsequiously. ¡°Do grant us this wish, we would like it if you could inform the youngdy that we would like to treat her to a meal.¡± ¡°¡­¡± They wanted to treat her to a meal? Completely travel-worn, Qi Qingzhu finally returned to the vige by the time the workers had worked till mid-noon. Having taken one look at the tall building that was still in construction, Qi Qingzhu was greatly shocked. Holding onto her bundle, Qi Qingzhu headed directly to thend that was under construction before even going back to the old Qi home. She only realized after getting closer that the third floor of the building had already been constructed. The building was reallyrge and was exceptionally beautiful. A beautiful house that sat above the rest of the vige. Qi Qingzhu took in the chaotic construction site but did not catch a glimpse of Qi Qingyao¡¯s shadow anywhere. ¡°Excuse me¡­¡± Qi Qingzhu had frantically located an old man who was looking at a blueprint. She first offered a polite greeting before asking, ¡°May I know where the owner of the house is?¡± ¡°So you¡¯re looking for the owner as well? We¡¯re also looking for her.¡± Thinking of this, Master Bao was morose. ¡°Is the owner not around?¡± Qi Qingzhu¡¯s eyes widened. Master Bao pointed toward the young man who was reading a book on the shaft of the carriage. ¡°Go ask him, he works for the house owner.¡± Qi Qingzhu first threw a nce toward the carriage before making her way over. She could already tell from afar that he was a handsome man who seemed to be shrouded in profound mystery. He felt even nobler and more refined than the children of the officials back in Qingzhou City. Chapter 137 - The Villagers’ Shock 7

Chapter 137: The Vigers¡¯ Shock 7

¡®How did my little sister get to know such a superior-looking man!¡¯ Qi Qingzhu tamped down on all her doubts. Jiang Yeqian had not been wearing a mask in the vige. He felt someone watching him and raised his head. Qi Qingzhu approached, ¡°May I know who you are?¡± ¡°?¡± Jiang Yeqian looked at her without the slightest hint of surprise. Qi Qingzhu bent down slightly. ¡°I¡¯m looking for Qi Qingyao.¡± ¡°Who are you?¡± Jiang Yeqian asked coldly. ¡°I¡¯m Qi Qingzhu. Her elder sister.¡± Qi Qingzhu hurriedly introduced herself. ¡°Oh, she¡¯s not around.¡± Jiang Yeqian had no favorable impression of her when he learned that she was one of the Qi family. Qi Qingzhu asked quickly, ¡°Where is she?¡± Jiang Yeqian raised his gaze and replied in anguid tone, ¡°What¡¯s it got to do with you?¡± Qi Qingzhu responded, ¡°I have something important to discuss with her.¡± ¡°She has already broken ties with the Qi family,¡± Jiang Yeqian informed. ¡°About that, I¡­ I really have something very important to discuss with her. Could you please find her and bring her to me?¡± Qi Qingzhu said somewhat anxiously. Jiang Yeqian scrutinized the woman¡¯s in attire from head to toe, noting her clean cloth shoes with a ck upper and white soles. ¡°She¡¯s not in the vige,¡± he said. ¡°Then, where is she?¡± Qi Qingzhu pressed. Before Jiang Yeqian could say anything, Madam Wu approached from afar. She grabbed onto Qi Qingzhu¡¯s arm and asked, ¡°Qi Qingzhu, you¡¯ve finallye home for once. But what are you doing here?¡± ¡°Mom, I have something¡­¡± Qi Qingzhu wanted to pull her mother¡¯s arm away. Sensing something amiss, Madam Wu immediately dragged Qi Qingzhu. ¡°You¡¯reing home with me now!¡± Qi Qingzhu had always been a little of a pushover and in her mother¡¯s presence, she could hardly disobey her. Not able to say anything, she had no choice but to follow Madam Wu home. As soon as they entered the house, Madam Wu immediately questioned Qi Qingzhu on the reason she returned home and why she did not go back to the vige immediately. Qi Qingzhu said nothing. With a smile, Madam Guo said, ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you were thinking of expressing goodwill toward Qi Qingyao and then asking her for money?¡± After all, Qi Qingzhu had not gotten a single penny thest time the money had been split. Could she be jealous? Qi Qingzhu only smiled. She then asked, ¡°Mom, my sister¡­ when will she return?¡± ¡°How would we know? That little girl hadn¡¯t shown up ever since she got thend,¡± said Madam Wu. Qi Qingzhu stood there, stupefied. Could she have returned for naught then? Madam Wu looked at her daughter¡¯s face and suddenly thought of something. ¡°Since you¡¯re back, let us have a meeting to discuss Eleventh Daugther,¡± said Madam Wu. ¡°Have a meeting?¡± Qi Qingzhu did not understand. Madam Wu replied, ¡°We should solve this matter on our own if possible before the elderdy returns.¡± ¡°What matter?¡± asked Qin Qingzhu. Madam Wu boldly replied, ¡°About Qi Qingyao cutting all ties with us!¡± Qi Qingzhu, ¡°??¡± Had their ties not already been severed? What else was there to discuss? ¡°Go and quickly gather everyone in the house,¡± Madam Wu urged Qi Qingzhu. After all the people in the house had been called over, Madam Wu asked Madam Guo to prepare tea for everyone. Everyone in the hall looked at Madam Wu with suspicious gazes, as if questioning what else was there to this matter still for them to discuss. Madam Wu first took a sip of tea before speaking. ¡°You¡¯re all here. We have to look into this matter about Eleventh Daughter more thoroughly today to see if we can still remedy the situation.¡± ¡°Mom, her house is almostpleted. I heard from the vige head that the house will be five stories high in the future,¡± said Qi Yuanye enviously. ¡°It would be nice if we could also go and live in it,¡± came Madam Tian¡¯s soft voice. Chapter 138 - The Villagers’ Shock 8

Chapter 138: The Vigers¡¯ Shock 8

Madam Guo scoffed. ¡°That lowly little girl deliberately won all of Old Zhang¡¯snd just to show off to us.¡± Madam Liangughed. ¡°I don¡¯t know what she¡¯s trying to show off¡ªshe just got some stinking money from Heir Pei. We¡¯ll see what will happen to her once she¡¯s burned through all the money.¡± Madam Wu tapped the table. ¡°I¡¯m asking you all to look for the opportunity to remedy this situation, not to air your grievances.¡± Everyone, ¡°¡­¡± Remedy? How were they supposed to remedy this situation? Or more precisely, the matter had surely reached its conclusion already. Old Man Qi did not even want to say a word. He was very much against his wife¡¯s incessant stirring of the pot. However, he then thought of the beautiful, multi-storied house that was close topletion. Qi Qingzhu was silent, her lips pursed together tightly. She did not bother paying any attention to her mother. A long time passed. Suddenly, Madam Tian¡¯s eyes lit up and she said, ¡°Mom, I have a n.¡± ¡°Let us hear it!¡± Madam Wu looked at Madam Tian with anticipation. With a careful smile, Madam Tian began, ¡°All we need to do is to bang the drums and spread the word of Eleventh Daughter¡¯s unbefitting behavior as ady. We best make a fuss of it and have it spread throughout the entire vige. Think about it, you had shown mercy back then, not casting her into the river or burning her to death despite her trashy behavior of having children before marrying! Yet, she still did not acknowledge you as her rtive. In this case, if we were to announce out loud herck of filial piety, that she had refused to acknowledge her parents after having struck it rich, it would show how ungrateful, heartless, and inhumane she is. By that time, with just one word from every single person, the entire town and vige will condemn her. We wouldn¡¯t even have toe forward and she will be the one begging to give you money.¡± Madam Wu found this suggestion to be a rather good one. ¡°Madam Tian, you are quite clever.¡± Qi Qingzhu shook her head. ¡°Mom, this is apletely stupid idea. You¡¯re the ones who first cut off your ties with her, and now you want to¡­¡± Before she could even finish what she was saying, Madam Wu pped her across the cheek. Qi Qingzhu looked at her mother wordlessly, her eyes red as she bit her lip tightly. ¡­ When Si Jin returned to the inn that night, he wolfed down 7rge bowls of rice. When he was done eating, he rubbed his full belly and asked Qi Qingyao, ¡°Are you free?¡± ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Qi Qingyao looked at him with a sidelong nce. Si Jin smiled and said, ¡°The old masters said that they would like to treat you to a meal once the house is done.¡± Qi Qingyao was surprised for a moment before she asked confusedly after a moment, ¡°Shouldn¡¯t I be the one treating them to a meal?¡± Si Jin shook his head, showing that he did not understand either. Jiang Yeqian who was seated at the side, ¡°¡­¡± ¡®Don¡¯t tell me¡­those old men probably wanted to meet Master Li Qinglian by getting to know her.¡¯ Qi Qingyao did not think much of it, simply assuming that the masters probably wanted to have a chat with the owner of the house. She nced at her little dolls who were still in the middle of learning to write and said, ¡°It¡¯s already been half a month. I¡¯ll go take a look at how the house is shaping up when I return to the vige tomorrow. I¡¯ll also reward the masters for their hard work while I¡¯m at it.¡± ¡°Someone called Qi Qingzhu was looking for you today. She said she¡¯s your older sister.¡± Qi Qingzhu? The original host¡¯s sister. Qi Qingyao raised her gaze absent-mindedly. ¡°Did she say anything?¡± ¡°She didn¡¯t.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± The next day. Qi Qingzhu had gone to the new construction site early in the morning again to ask the young man where Yaoyao was. However, she was stopped by Madam Wu. ¡°Let¡¯s go. We¡¯ll first head to town to borrow a drum and then make a banner! We will spread the issue of Qi Qingyao¡¯sck of filial piety and her unbefitting behavior as ady.¡± Qi Qingzhu did not want to go but was roughly pulled along by Madam Wu. On the other side. Qi Qingyao was in town buying some refreshments and whatnot. She was about to head for the vige and just when she alighted the carriage, she saw some familiar figures through a small chink in the window. It was a few people from the Qi family. ¡®Is that them?¡¯ However, theming into town had nothing to do with her. Jiang Yeqian, who was beside her, nced outside and said, ¡°That sister of yours is also there. Do you want to go and say hi?¡± ¡°I have no business with people from the Qi family.¡± Qi Qingyao waved her hand, motioning toward the driver. ¡°Go back to the vige.¡± Chapter 139 - The Villagers’ Shock 9

Chapter 139: The Vigers¡¯ Shock 9

Qi Qingyao returned to the vige and was so excited to see her new home from a distance. After jumping out of the carriage, she ran to the construction site. She circled the semi-finished building three times, not caring about soiling her dress. With hot tears brimming in her eyes, she rejoiced, ¡°What a magnificent building!¡± The old masters had just arrived. They were counting each of the differentponent parts for today when they saw a littledy skipping over. Thedy looked elegant and was very pretty, with a pair of very bright eyes. She addressed them with a very friendly smile. ¡°Old masters, thank you for your hard work.¡± ¡°¡­¡± The masters were a little dumbfounded. Qi Qingyao then pulled the slightly dazed old men aside, ¡°Everyone, take a break today. Come sit down and have some refreshments.¡± Old Man Yuan was the first to react, ¡°You¡ªyou¡¯re the homeowner.¡± Qi Qingyao tittered,¡± Yes, yes. And you are all expert craftsmen! With all of your great support, this house is shaping up very quickly.¡± Master Dong was so shocked that the pastry he just picked up almost fell to the ground. He hastily caught the pastry and said with bulging eyes, ¡°You¡ªyou¡¯re the homeowner?¡± ¡°Ah~ yes. What¡¯s the matter?¡± Qi Qingyao found everyone¡¯s expressions to be a little too surprised. She scratched her forehead unconsciously. She did not have horns on her head, why was everyone so shocked? She did not grow a beard either. Why did each and every one of them look like that? ¡°You¡ªyou¡ªmissy, you¡­¡± Master Cao looked as if he had seen some mysterious being; he was about to speak but lowered his voice. Mystified, he asked, ¡°What¡¯s your rtionship with the great master architect Li Qinglian?¡± ¡°Rtionship?¡± Who was the great master architect Li Qinglian? Qi Qingyao shot Jiang Yeqian a nce. She made a pause gesture to the old masters. Then she took Jiang Yeqian to the side. They huddled under the tree and whispered. ¡°What¡¯s going on? Great Master Li Qinglian? Who¡¯s that?¡± ¡°He¡¯s an amazing architect master. He was famous more than a decade ago and had some well-known architectural works.¡± ¡°Then why did they ask about my rtionship with Li Qinglian?¡± ¡°Probably because thebeling and other various aspects of your blueprints were very simr¡­¡± ¡°¡­??¡± ¡®I see¡¯ ¡®That¡¯s why they asked me about my rtionship with the Great Master Architect.¡¯ After Qi Qingyao returned, she was faced with curious eyes. ¡°Rtionship, hmmm?¡± She kept them guessing by drawing out thest syble, then said the four words, ¡°You guys already know.¡± The old masters were stunned for a moment. Seeing the sly smile appearing on the girl¡¯s deste face, they were all hit with a massive realization. ©d(¡ÝO¡Ü)¡¨Oh~ There must be a special rtionship. If she was not an apprentice, then she had to be the daughter! However, they heard the vige head and vigers say that this girl was from the vige. Then she had to be an apprentice. Right, she must be an apprentice! Even if she was the daughter, there was a possibility that she did not have a ir for architectural design, so only an apprentice¡­ Great Master Li Qinglian taught this girl all his skills. My God! When these masters looked at the girl again, their gazes were full of admiration. Qi Qingyao gulped carefully. She was toozy to guess where the thoughts of these old people had gone, but after seeing the admiration and curiosity in their gazes¡­ She pretended to be mysterious and said, ¡°Remember to keep it a secret.¡± The old masters were all suddenly nodding aggressively like children. When Qi Qingyao walked back to Jiang Yeqian, he found that the old masters¡¯ expressions had changed. He asked. ¡°What did you say to them?¡± ¡°I did not say anything.¡± Qi Qingyao shrugged and smilednguidly and cutely. Chapter 140 - The Villagers’ Shock 10

Chapter 140: The Vigers¡¯ Shock 10

When Jiang Yeqian heard her answer, he knew that this girl was neither acknowledging nor denying anything. She just allowed the old men to continue with their blind guesses and with their amazing imagination, they definitely would have cooked up all sorts of exaggerations. ¡°What¡¯s your n after this house is built?¡± Jiang Yeqian pointed toward the house that was almostplete. ¡°What do you mean ¡®what¡¯s my n¡¯?¡± Qi Qingyao did not understand his question. Jiang Yeqian replied, ¡°The house is nice, but there¡¯s not a decent piece of furniture inside. Furthermore, there are no antique furnishings to elevate the style of your house.¡± ¡°This means that¡­¡± Qi Qingyao stroked her fair chin with her slender index finger and murmured, ¡°The money that I gave you could not buy any decent antique furniture after all!¡± She heard that the calligraphy and paintings of those big shots were all worth a lot. ¡°Looks like I still have to make more money¡± Qi Qingyao sighed while looking up toward the sky. ¡­. The three children did not get off the carriage. They were sitting in the carriage silently, looking around outside. The vige was very familiar to them, but the children in the vige had not yed with them much, so they did not want to get down. Dabao and Erniu were ying a game of cat¡¯s cradle. The two of them yed for a while before realizing that Xiaobao had been staring out of the carriage window in stony silence. His gaze seemed to be locked on their mother. Erniu put down the strings and asked, ¡°Xiaobao, what are you thinking about?¡± ¡°Nothing.¡± Xiaobao retracted his gaze and looked down. ¡°You clearly were thinking about something.¡± Erniu looked rather conflicted. She puffed up her cheeks like tiny, pink buns and said seriously, ¡°You¡¯ve been acting all adult-liketely. What¡¯s that word? Right, contemte! No¡­ponder? Think? Consider? Specte? I don¡¯t know, it basically means you¡¯re thinking about something.¡± Xiaobao raised his brows slightly, ¡°You could tell?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t think I¡¯m stupid!¡± Erniu¡¯s big, naive eyes were full of concern. ¡°What are you thinking, Xiaobao?¡± Dabao looked at the two of them without saying a word. He did not understand what Xiaobao was thinking about all day. He did not think that much. Xiaobao formed the words in his head, then said in a crisp and tender voice, ¡°Dabao, Erniu, don¡¯t you two think that mother is very strange?¡± ¡°Strange? What about her is strange?¡± Dabao was puzzled. Erniu, on the other hand, did not understand the meaning of the sentence at all, and did not answer. ¡°Mother can read, can draw blueprints and is even good at gambling¡­also¡­¡± Xiaobao listed down the differences as if he were counting treasures, but after saying these things, he scratched his head, somewhat vexed. ¡°I can¡¯t put my finger on it, but it just feels strange.¡± Dabao said confidently, ¡°It¡¯s indeed a little strange that mother is literate. But even so, she¡¯s still our mother.¡± ¡°Mother shouldn¡¯t be able to read, it¡¯s impossible. If she¡¯s can read, then she wouldn¡¯t be our mother.¡± Xiaobao¡¯s big eyes flickered, his tone persistent. Dabao said nothing for a while. Erniu tilted her head, her gaze vacant, ¡°So Mother¡­isn¡¯t Mother? What does that mean?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know either.¡± ¡°Xiaobao, do you hear yourself? Xiaobao, you must not have eaten a good breakfasttely, that¡¯s why your words don¡¯t make sense. You don¡¯t even know what you¡¯re talking about,¡± Dabao said single-mindedly. Dabao and Erniu looked at him with the insistence that he had not eaten enough, which made Xiaobao mutter a little sullenly. ¡°I know what I¡¯m talking about.¡± He paused a little, and added with a mosquito-like voice, ¡°I just have my doubts.¡± ¡°Doubts?¡± Erniu said. ¡°I doubt that mother is our mother,¡± Xiaobao looked at the other two with bright eyes after he finished speaking. The other two, ¡°¡­¡± Chapter 141 - The Children Made A Decision 1

Chapter 141: The Children Made A Decision 1

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Xiaobao was unusually serious. ¡°It¡¯s impossible that Mother knows how to write. No matter how we look at it, it¡¯s impossible. It¡¯s even less possible for her to know how to draw. Even if she¡¯s no longer a fool, she¡¯s so intelligent that it¡¯spletely unrealistic.¡± Dabao thought for a while, but failed to understand the point. ¡°Isn¡¯t it nice that Mother has be intelligent?¡± Xiaobao was anxious. ¡°You two don¡¯t understand what I mean. It¡¯s not that it¡¯s bad, it¡¯s just¡­¡± Erniu interrupted Xiaobao¡¯s words, pointing at Qi Qingyao, who was speaking with Jiang Yeqian outside, ¡°Xiaobao, are you saying that Mother isn¡¯t our mother? Then who do you think is the person standing outside now?¡± ¡°...¡± Who was she? Xiaobao turned to look at the person through the crack in the carriage window. That was definitely his mother. Yes. If she was not Mother, then who was she? Xiaobao liked to think, but his intelligence was insufficient when faced with such aplicated situation. Dabao said stubbornly, ¡°She¡¯s Mother.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t say that she isn¡¯t. She is our mother, but at the same time she also isn¡¯t. That¡¯s what I think,¡± Xiaobao muttered, exining himself. Dabao knuckled Xiaobao¡¯s head. ¡°Listen to what you¡¯ve said¡­¡± Erniu said, ¡°Xiaobao, if you really have questions, you can just ask Mother. I think that she will definitely tell us what we want to know.¡± Xiaobao: ¡°...¡± Could he just ask directly? Dabao felt that Erniu¡¯s suggestion was reasonable. He looked at Xiaobao¡¯s furrowed brow again. He was a direct person, so he immediately opened the window of their carriage, inhaled a lungful of cold wind, and called for Qi Qingyao, ¡°Mother~ Come inside! We have something to say to you.¡± Qi Qingyao looked back and replied with a smile, ¡°Sure, kids. I¡¯lle over to you guys in a bit.¡± Qi Qingyao got in the carriage quickly. The driver had gone elsewhere for a break and the horses were feasting on grass. Qi Qingyao opened a food container, took out the remaining pieces of almond cookies, and handed one each to her kids before taking one for herself. She asked as she ate, ¡°Hm? What did you want to say to me? Just say it.¡± The children got their hands on the almond cookies, but didn¡¯t eat them. They looked hesitant to speak out. Dabao looked at Erniu and Xiaobao, whose eyes were downcast, and figured out that they had no desire to speak. Recalling the conversation between them, he rolled his eyes and asked directly, ¡°Mother, are you our mother?¡± Qi Qingyao was confused by the question. Nibbling on the cookie, she almost failed to react. ¡°What do you mean? If I¡¯m not your mother, then who am I?¡± ¡°But Xiaobao¡­ Xiaobao thinks that you¡¯re Mother, but also not Mother.¡± Dabao¡¯s voice became softer as he spoke. Xiaobao did not dare to look at Qi Qingyao. Qi Qingyao looked at Dabao¡¯s lowered head, and then at the other two kids, before bursting into outrageousughter. ¡°Hahahahaha!¡± Herughter confused the children. ¡°???¡± After Qi Qingyao had her fill ofughter, she tossed the almond cookie into her mouth and then ruffled Xiaobao¡¯s head. She praised, ¡°Clever kids.¡± This simple response lit a spark in Xiaobao¡¯s mind. He finally looked up and met Qi Qingyao¡¯s gaze. His precocious voice sounded careful as he asked, ¡°You¡¯re not our mother, are you?¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Faced with Xiabao¡¯s question, Qi Qingyao did not know where to start. She thought about it for a while. ¡°How do I exin this?¡± After hesitating for a while, Qi Qingyao raised two fingers up. ¡°I have some good news and some bad news. Which one do you want to listen to first?¡± ¡°...¡± The children swallowed. Xiaobao thought about it for a while before he said, determinedly, ¡°Bad news first.¡± Chapter 142 - The Children Made A Decision 2

Chapter 142: The Children Made A Decision 2

Bad news, huh. This kid was too clever. Qi Qingyao reached out, wanting to ruffle the child¡¯s hair, but Xiaobao shied away from her hand. Smiling, she took her hand back. She did not feel embarrassed at all. However, she had the children put the cookies back into the box first, lest they drop them on the floor after listening to her. The kids were obedient, putting the cookies back into the box without question. Qi Qingyao crossed her arms in front of her chest and said calmly, ¡°The bad news is that the past Qi Qingyao has already died.¡± Actually, she could have lied, but it hadn¡¯t been very long and the children were already starting to be aware. She would have to tell them the truth someday anyway. Rather than biding her time, she might as well tell them everything now since an opportunity to do so had presented itself. It was better for her toy everything out clearly. She hoped that she would hold no secrets in front of them. They were her children after all. They were now, and would be in the future. ¡°¡­¡± The children¡¯s eyes brimmed with tears that fell down to the floor. Qi Qingyao knew that this had dealt a crushing blow to the kids, so she quickly added, ¡°Don¡¯t cry. There¡¯s still good news.¡± Dabao was devastated. He hugged Erniu, who was next to him, and bawled, ¡°Waaaah, my mother has died. How can there be good news¡­ Waaaaah!¡± Qi Qingyao sighed and massaged her temple. ¡°The good news is that I¡¯m now your mother.¡± The kids: ¡°??¡± They tried to open their eyes wide, but their tears continued to fall. This was especially the case for Erniu. ¡°Waaaah!¡± She hugged Dabao and sobbed uncontrobly. Xiaobao had some semnce of self-control. Tears brimmed in his eyes and he looked sad, but he tried hard to keep the tears from falling. Looking at the bawling Dabao and Erniu, Qi Qingyao had the same expression on her face as always. She did not reassure them, but she said casually, ¡°Cry, cry a little more. I won¡¯tfort you for now. I¡¯ll wait until you¡¯ve cried your fill and canmunicate with me normally before we continue to discuss whateveres after.¡± With that, Qi Qingyao opened the door of the carriage and said sternly to Jiang Yeqian, who rushed forward, ¡°We¡¯re having a talk. Don¡¯te near and eavesdrop on us.¡± Jiang Yeqian: ¡°¡­¡± He had only wanted toe nearer so that he could hear everything clearer, but he did not expect this woman to¡­ Fine. He could hear everything even if he took a few steps back anyway. Qi Qingyao shut the door again and calmly looked at the three kids. ¡°Are you finished?¡± ¡°Waaaaaah!¡± Dabao and Erniu cried harder. Qi Qingyao sat there, continuing to eat her almond cookies. Dabao and Erniu cried for a while. Teary-eyed, they turned to look at her, only to see her munching on the almond cookies as if she had no ns tofort them. That made them feel quite embarrassed. ¡°¡­¡± They nced at her stealthily, before pouting and continuing to cry. Dabao was always direct. Frustrated and teary-eyed, he climbed on Qi Qingyao¡¯sp, looking like he wanted a hug. Helplessly, Qi Qingyao dragged Erniu onto herp as well and hugged the two of them. She said softly, ¡°If you want me to hug you, just say so.¡± Hearing that, the two kids cried harder. She knew and yet she had notforted them at all! How mean! Qi Qingyao patted them on their backs, gentlyforting them. ¡°Okay, okay, don¡¯t cry. You¡¯ve cried so much that you¡¯re out of breath.¡± While she wasforting them, she looked at Xiaobao, who was on the verge of tears and while also trying hard to hold himself back. Chapter 143 - The Children Made A Decision 3

Chapter 143: The Children Made A Decision 3

¡°Mother¡¯s so bad, how can we not cry?¡± Dabao punched Qi Qingyao¡¯s chest with his tiny fists as he cried. ¡°You¡¯re so bad! Mother¡¯s so bad! You lied to us! You¡¯re so bad! Bad!¡± He looked pitiful with his teary eyes. Qi Qingyao could not help butugh. ¡°Yes, yes, I¡¯m bad.¡± After a while, the two kids looked up from where they were settled in Qi Qingyao¡¯sp. ¡°Are you finally finished?¡± Qi Qingyao asked, holding back herughter. ¡°No,¡± Erniu pouted and said in a huff, wiping her tears. Seeing that the kids were intent on staying angry with her, Qi Qingyao stoppedforting them. She set Dabao and Erniu on the seats beside her and stopped smiling. ¡°You were crying so badly. Well, I damn well want to cry too. Who can I cry to though?¡± She calmly looked at the three kids one by one and sneered derisively, ¡°Kids, your mother is already dead. I¡¯m a soul with the same name that is now inhabiting her body. Simply speaking, I¡¯ve reincarnated in her body.¡± ¡°¡­¡± The kids felt themselves stop breathing. Qi Qingyao raised her brow and said, with an insincere smile on her face, ¡°You¡¯ve done well this time. You managed to stay calm after listening to me!¡± The children dared not speak even a single word. They listened to Qi Qingyao, who started to tell her story. ¡°Theoretically, on the day we were abandoned in that dpidated temple, the four of us, or the four of you rather, should have frozen to death. Qi Qingyao died on that day.¡± ¡°If I had not reincarnated, the four of you would not have survived for so long.¡± ¡°As fate would have it though, I did. God gave me another chance at life and also gave you hope so that you could continue living.¡± The three children could not help themselves from¡­ ¡°You wanna cry again?¡± Qi Qingyao asked casually. ¡°I¡¯m the one who should cry! I transmigrated here and was immediately saddled with three children! How unlucky I am! The direct consequence of the existence of you three little burdens in my life is that I cannot marry in the future. I¡¯m also guilty ofmitting the crime of giving birth before marriage!¡± The children: ¡°¡­¡± Qi Qingyao pointed at the window and suggested kindly, ¡°If you want to jump off the carriage and follow your mother, do it. Remember to jump headfirst. Your head will shatter into pieces and you¡¯ll die immediately.¡± The children took a deep breath. Qi Qingyao shrugged, as if she meant what she was saying, ¡°Without you little burdens, I can live a peaceful life and nothing will hold me back.¡± Dabao and Erniu were so shocked that they stopped breathing. Only Xiaobao dived into herp immediately. He scolded her severely, ¡°You¡¯re so bad! You bullied us! You bullied me!¡± The kid was finally at his limit. Qi Qingyao ruffled his hair, feigning indifference, ¡°I¡¯m not bullying you. I¡¯m just telling the truth! I thought it would be a good idea after looking at your crying faces.¡± Xiaobao said angrily and with resentment, ¡°You¡¯re so bad. You could¡¯ve lied to us. You¡¯re my mother as far as I¡¯m concerned.¡± ¡°I could, but I didn¡¯t want to. Especially when you¡¯ve seen through a lot of things. It is meaningless for me to lie.¡± Qi Qingyao pushed Xiaobao¡¯s chin up with her index finger, telling him to raise his head. When their eyes met, Qi Qingyao smiled insincerely. ¡°I think that you wouldn¡¯t want me to lie to you. Am I right?¡± Xiaobao bit hard on his lower lip. He rubbed away the tears brimming in his eyes. His nose twitched and he asked, ¡°Do you still remember her then?¡± Chapter 144 - The Children Made A Decision 4

Chapter 144: The Children Made A Decision 4

Qi Qingyao looked up, lost in thought, her gaze seemingly staring into the distance. After a while, she murmured, ¡°Everything that she could remember is within my mind.¡± After saying that, she set Xiaobao on the seat opposite her. She spoke slowly and with seriousness, as if they were both adults, ¡°Now you have only two paths you can take.¡± The children looked up at her with teary eyes. ¡°First, if you think I¡¯m not worthy of being your mother, please return to your grandfather, Old Man Qi. I won¡¯t hold it against you.¡± ¡°For the second path, you cane with me. I will not marry anyone in this life and will take good care of the three of you until you grow up to be adults, although I might die before that happens¡­ This world is very dangerous after all. There are many powerful people in this world and many dangers out there. I don¡¯t think I can live more than ten years in peace¡­ Perhaps¡­¡± Xiaobao immediately interrupted her, ¡°You can¡¯t die! Don¡¯t talk about such things!¡± ¡°Fine, I won¡¯t talk about dying anymore.¡± Those teary eyes were so pitiful. Qi Qingyao, on the other hand, remained calm. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Even if I die, I¡¯ll have your futures all nned out well in advance.¡± ¡°Actually, if you don¡¯t think I¡¯m worthy of being your mother and also don¡¯t want to return to the Qi family, there is still a third path. I can find a decent vige, locate a kind-hearted couple who can¡¯t have kids, give them arge sum of money and then have them take care of you. This is quite a good option too. In my hometown, those people who couldn¡¯t have children often did that.¡± ¡°No, no, no,¡± Xiaobao pounced onto herp again. His tiny fists caught the hem of her dress and he said determinedly, ¡°You¡¯re my mother! God sent you here to save us!¡± ¡°Mother!¡± Dabao and Erniu pounced over too, like little cannon balls. Erniu pouted; her eyes were filled with tears, ¡°I don¡¯t want to leave Mother. You have all her memories, so you¡¯re her!¡± ¡°Uwaaaah, I don¡¯t wanna leave Mother!¡± Dabao wiped all his snot and tears on Qi Qingyao. Qi Qingyao affectionately patted their soft backs and said gently, ¡°I won¡¯t marry in the future. I¡¯ll definitely take good care of you all and try my best to have you grow up happily, my babies.¡± ¡°Mother~~~¡± The children called unanimously. ¡°Good boys and girls!¡± Qi Qingyao replied. ¡°We¡¯ll be your good boys and girls forever!¡± Xiaobao said softly and cutely from where he was in herp. Qi Qingyao smiled. ¡°You¡¯ll have to keep this a secret for me then. Everything we talked about just now is a secret between the four of us!¡± ¡°We¡¯ll keep this a secret forever.¡± The children all looked up at the same time and said seriously. ¡­ Jiang Yeqian reclined on a willow tree a distance away from the carriage. He looked at the carriage from afar. He heard the conversation going on in the carriage very clearly. Everything¡­ This made him lose hisposure slightly. He took the Bull-head mask out from inside his clothes and put it on casually, covering his face. Under the mask, his dark eyes gleamed mysteriously. His eyes were filled with incredulity as he thought about the conversation going on in the carriage. He had not expected her to talk about this topic so openly with the children and tell them, just like that, that she was not their mother. She had treated her children as if they were adults; she respected their decisions when they talked about serious topics. She had given them the chance to choose if they wanted to stay or leave. The children wanted her as a mother though. At this thought, Jiang Yeqian smiled. Reincarnation, huh¡­ This woman was really so, so interesting. Chapter 145 - The Children Made A Decision 5

Chapter 145: The Children Made A Decision 5

After Qi Qingyao had talked it out with the kids, they loudly insisted on returning to the inn as there was nothing to eat in the vige. They were hungry and wanted to eat! Qi Qingyao could only have the driver take them back first. After returning to the inn and starting on their lunch, Qi Qingyao heard the sounds of drums and cymbals outside. She did not know what was happening and the view from her room only overlooked the back street. Qi Qingyao called a servant over and asked him, ¡°Hey, what¡¯s happening outside?¡± ¡°I think someone¡¯s condemning their daughter in public for being unfilial and unwilling to support their parents.¡± The server was also prone to gossip. ¡°They¡¯re condemning her in public? That¡¯s tough,¡± Qi Qingyao eximed. ¡°Yes,¡± The servant reiterated. ¡°I heard that the daughter also didn¡¯t abide by women¡¯s morals.¡± ¡°Was she being adulterous?¡± Qi Qingyao was curious. ¡°No. I think she gave birth to children before marriage,¡± the servant said. Qi Qingyao curled her lips and continued to munch on her bun. ¡°So giving birth before marriage is not abiding by women¡¯s morals? No one else would be troubled if the woman took care of her kids alone, so why is it an act that doesn¡¯t abide by women¡¯s morals?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a good thing to do,¡± the servant said. ¡°Then how is not abiding by women¡¯s morals rted to not supporting her parents? Why was she condemned in public?¡± There was no logic in this. ¡°I think the daughter broke off all rtions with her family. Her parents think that she is unfilial,¡± the servant replied. ¡°Why does this story sound so familiar?¡± Qi Qingyao thought, massaging her chin. The servant looked at the beautiful woman and asked casually, ¡°This woman wouldn¡¯t happen to be a friend of yours, would she?¡± Qi Qingyao said, ¡°What¡¯s her name?¡± The servant said, ¡°She¡¯s Qi Qingyao, the eleventh daughter of the Qi family.¡± Qi Qingyao paused for a second before saying calmly, ¡°I don¡¯t know her.¡± After saying that, Qi Qingyao took a few peeks outside from behind the doors of the inn. She saw a crowd outside; some people were beating drums and banging cymbals, while others raised banners. They looked overbearing, like a group of hooligans who wanted to take their money back from someone. They were also surrounded by many people who were just there for the drama. Qi Qingyao raised her brows. She quietly went upstairs, quickly closed the door and bolted it down for good measure. The children were eating their lunch with gusto. They turned back only to see Qi Qingyao pacing around the room, muttering with her hand on her forehead. ¡°Damn it, I¡¯m wanted. Ah, no, I¡¯m being publicly condemned with drums and cymbals.¡± ¡°Mother?¡± Xiaobao tilted his head, curious. Qi Qingyao sat down and guzzled down a mouthful of chicken soup. She pointed outside. ¡°Your grandfather is currently raising banners and beating drums outside. He¡¯s getting ready to spread word about me everywhere.¡± Erniu looked at their table, which wasden full of dishes, and said furiously, ¡°Why would they do that? Mother is such a good person.¡± Qi Qingyao said calmly, ¡°We got rich and built a house, and he got nothing.¡± ¡°They went overboard. He¡¯s bullying Mother.¡± Dabao looked angry. ¡°They want me to die.¡± Qi Qingyao mmed her palm on the table, but somehow managed to sound calm and elegant. ¡°They¡¯re trying to force me to submit. Moral coercion and all that.¡± The children looked at the woman who was now their mother. They knew that she would definitely have a way. Xiaobao asked, ¡°What do we do now then, Mother?¡± ¡°Now,¡± Qi Qingyao harrumphed. ¡°Hmph!¡± Then she continued to drink her chicken soup with a smile and said, ¡°We don¡¯t need to pay them any mind.¡± She continued meaningfully, ¡°With money, we can bribe anyone. Anyone!¡± Chapter 146 - Famous Across Ten Villages 1

Chapter 146: Famous Across Ten Viges 1

The children looked at the mother with uncertainty, mulling over her statement that they could bribe anyone with money. How were they going to bribe them? Mother¡¯s words were really profound! Qi Qingyao downed the chicken soup in one big gulp then said slowly, ¡°But it does seem that even if our house in the vige is essentiallyplete, we won¡¯t be able to stay there often.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± Erniu asked. ¡°Living in the vige together with people like that would only invite trouble.¡± After all, if one issue was to crop up daily, it still would annoy the hell out of her even if she could easily handle it. ¡°My retirement n is about to be ruined.¡± The children made eye contact with each other but said nothing. They only looked at their mother quietly. Some time passed and Qi Qingyao finally made a decision. ¡°We still need to earn money, so let¡¯s buy a house in Qingzhou City! If we live in a city, we will have plenty of good food to eat and also a y stove for the winters. It¡¯d be convenient to get some coal too. Ah, I want to go drinking and watch pretty girls dance. I heard there are even pleasure boats. A pleasure boat in our hometown would probably only be some yacht! How wonderful would it be to have a yacht that we can asionally bring round the Jiuli River and take in the street sights!¡± Anticipating their bright future, Qi Qingyao smiled as she asked the children, ¡°Don¡¯t you guys think so?¡± ¡°¡­.Uhh.¡± A yacht? The children could not understand a word of their mother¡¯s whimsical musings but they still blinked their big eyes and nodded seriously, ¡°Uh-huh, uh-huh.¡± ¡°If Mother says so, then it definitely is,¡± Xiaobao also supplemented seriously. ¡°The next step is to think about how we¡¯re going to get the money to buy a house. Didn¡¯t we talk about this with Jiang Bai before? He said the housing prices in Qingzhou City were quickly catching up to the housing prices in Capital City. Heir Pei¡¯s mansion is beautiful but it¡¯s almost half the size of the pce. We can¡¯tpete with that. Our objective is just to buy a ten thousand-ping mansion. It¡¯d be great to have a living pond in the garden as well.¡± Qi Qingyao began nning their future. The children listened to her and were puzzled. Qi Qingyao thought to herself, based on what Jiang Bai had said thest time, she could probably buy an abode worth ten thousand taels with ten thousand taels of silver and it would likely be located at the edge of Qingzhou City. She was just afraid that with the house being located at the edge of the city, each ping ofnd would still average at ten taels. That would probably mean thirty taels to a hundred taels a ping for the best plot ofnd plus upscale housing. No wonder Jiang Yeqian asked her to forgo any thoughts about a mansion akin to the one Heir Pei had stayed at for his recovery. It would easily be the price of a mansion in Shanghai in modern times. Even if she had four spare kidneys in her family, selling them would not be enough! If they were to calcte the price of a ping ofnd to be thirty taels, then the price of a thousand ping would be three thousand taels, and this was not including the mahogany or phoebe zhennan furniture inside. Qi Qingyao suddenly realized that she once read in literature that during the Tang Dynasty, Bai Juyi had served as an official in Chang¡¯an for 20 years, but still ended up not having enough money to purchase a house in Chang¡¯an. In the end, he could only buy a house in Weinan County, which was a satellite city of Chang¡¯an. After buying a house, he then settled his family in Weinan. He might have been able to save money by buying a house in the suburbs, but then he would waste his time every day onmuting. Depressed, Bai Juyi then moved to the dormitory provided by the court and lived a pitiful life separated from his wife and children. In the end, Bai Juyi wrote an emotional poem with reluctance; twenty springs in the imperial capital court brings naught peace in poverty¡­ The poet Du Fu had been even more pitiful. He did not have money to buy a house in Chang¡¯an and had gone on to make a living in the second-tier capital of Chengdu. Things had not gone well and thus he temporarily set up quarters that faced the river. In the end, some strong winds blew his roof away and Du Fu had wrung his wrists in an angryment¡ª Where be arge broad shelter, ten thousand spans wide, a roof sorge that all the world¡¯s poor can share with joy? Chapter 147 - Famous Across Ten Villages 2

Chapter 147: Famous Across Ten Viges 2

The two great poets were court officials yet they had been miserable. Qi Qingyao wanted to buy a nice house in Qingzhou City that boasted a statusparable to Shanghai. She probably would not be able to make enough money through ordinary means. She could work her fingers to the bone only to be able to afford a thatched house. Was it possible to buy a thatched house, set it up as a public toilet, and then implement a fee system of one copper-cash per individual? By the looks of it¡­ Qi Qingyao was in contemtion for a long time. She decided, ¡°I need to go into the mountains one more time.¡± ¡°Does Mommy want to go into the mountains again?¡± Erniu opened her mouth in shock. She did not want her mother to go into the mountains¡ªthey were dangerous. Someone from the vige had gone into the mountains before and had half of their arm bitten off by a wild wolf! Qi Qingyao nodded slightly and considered, ¡°When I first entered the mountain to gather herbs for Jiang Bai, I dug some ginseng while I was at it and hunted a wild boar when I went hunting the second time. Recently, I have been busy teaching you guys how to read. I will go into the mountains again tomorrow morning to see if I can dig up a few more ginseng.¡± If she could dig up some miraculous 1000-year-old ginseng or some high-quality herbs, she would be able to earn quite a lot with rtively little effort. Xiaobao blinked hisrge, naive eyes and said, ¡°But Mommy, the Qi family¡­ people from the Qi family are still there, didn¡¯t you say that they were beating drums and banging cymbals¡­¡± Qi Qingyao replied with disdain, ¡°It¡¯s no problem. It¡¯s not like we¡¯re in the vige. And just because she is making a racket in Capital City, what¡¯s there to be afraid of? We aren¡¯t there either so the most she can do is throw a ruckus in the vige and put on a show. Besides, Jiang Bai and Si Jin are still in the vige. If Jiang Bai can¡¯t handle a few nasty women with his level of skill, then I definitely have tough at himter.¡± Xiaobao, ¡°¡­¡± It seemed like the uncle was not one to be easily understood. Erniu suddenly smiled sweetly and said, ¡°Mommy.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you didn¡¯t want to get married?¡± Erniu asked carefully. ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± replied Qi Qingyao. ¡°If¡­if, I¡¯m just saying if, if you are willing to marry Uncle Jiang Bai, I am willing to ept him as my dad.¡± When Erniu said this, Dabao and Xiaobao both looked at her in horror simultaneously. They had never thought about this. Qi Qingyao narrowed her eyes at Erniu who looked serious. ¡°Hmph, that fellow Jiang Bai doesn¡¯t have a single penny to his name, how did he buy you over?¡± Erniu pursed her lips. She thought for a beat and said, ¡°He¡¯s handsome.¡± ¡°Pfft!¡± Qi Qingyao could not help but let out augh before pretending to remark casually, ¡°Then, I¡¯d better go for Si Jin. At least he has a sharp tongue! And he¡¯s quite handsome.¡± Erniu thought about it seriously for a moment. ¡°Fair enough.¡± Qi Qingyao, ¡°¡­¡± ¡®This little girl really isn¡¯t picky at all so long as they looked good! She would definitely be quite the superficial one when she grows up and would so easily be lured away by good-looking men.¡¯ Thinking of this, Qi Qingyao felt a little frustrated. It looked like she would need to go back and teach this girl that not everyone¡¯s faults were written on their faces; just like herself! She may look quite nice but she was also full of shit! Ahem, she definitely could not say that out loud. It was very lively in Baishui Town today with someone beating drums and banging cymbals since early in the morning. The streets were filled with people, with many of them havinge out to witness the excitement. Three banners that could be seen raised high from a distance, with words clearly written on them. ¡°The Qi family has a daughter who failed to abide by a woman¡¯s morals and has given birth to children outside of wedlock.¡± ¡°The Qi family has a daughter who is unfilial and has cut off all ties with her parents.¡± ¡°The eleventh daughter of the Qi family has forgotten her parents after striking it rich.¡± Qi family? What Qi family? Plenty of the folks in town were a bit lost. The new year was arriving soon yet they were not upied with farm work. Since they were bored from having nothing to do, naturally they would alle closer to take a look at the excitement. Chapter 148 - Famous Across Ten Villages 3

Chapter 148: Famous Across Ten Viges 3

When they eventually approached, they saw a few women crying out loudly. ¡°Our daughter was unfilial and did not abide by a woman¡¯s morals. She even broke all ties with us! Boohoo¡­¡± ¡°My fellow vigers, we need your judgment.¡± ¡°Our Qi family is so pitiable.¡± Their miserable cries sounded as if they had lost their fathers and it got the surrounding onlookers feeling sorry for them. They sighed. ¡®This daughter of the Qi family had actually broken off her ties with her parents. How inhuman!¡¯ Li Qing hade out to town today to buy some things for the Lord Heir. In the end, just as he hadpleted his errands, he saw the yellow banners. ¡®Qi family¡­ the Qi family? Don¡¯t tell me¡­¡¯ Li Qing thought to himself that it could not possibly be what he was thinking. For a moment he was dumbfounded, then he decided to go take a look. After rushing up to the scene, he could not help but frown when he heard the cries andints. It seemed to be¡­ It was her they were talking about¡­ Li Qing quickly returned to the mansion. When he entered the plum garden, he found the Lord Heir standing in the plum garden with a cane in his hand. He walked around slowly and Li Qing immediately rushed up to him, ¡°Sir, why have youe down?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to rust fromying down in bed the whole day!¡± Pei Fengtang reached out his hand and grabbed one of the plum branches. He inhaled the fragrance of the blossoms, then threw the branch onto the ground, stomping on it vehemently. Li Qing said tentatively, ¡°Lord Heir, I have news¡­that I am unsure if I should report.¡± ¡°?¡± Heir Pei narrowed his eyes at Li Qing, his lofty gaze seemed to be saying ¡®if you don¡¯t think it needs to be reported then don¡¯t talk about it¡¯. Li Qing felt that ever since the Lord Heir¡¯s constitution improved, his hostility had also be more prominent. It was as if his body had suppressed the umted anger over the years and it was now gradually teetering on the edge ofbustion. He did not even want to talk about it anymore but since it concerned that particrdy, he braced himself and said, ¡°It has something to do with thedy who treated you.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong with her? Has she confessed to being Su Hexiao?¡± Heir Pei swept a lofty nce across the hazy sky, his tone light. ¡°No.¡± Li Qing did not dare to dy anymore. ¡°I was on the street just now¡­¡± Li Qing ryed the scene he had witnessed just now to Pei Fengtang sinctly. The Lord Heir listened till the end and his brows scrunched tightly into a thin line. Then, he spoke slowly. ¡°A person who is never content is like a snake who tries to swallow an elephant.¡± Pei Fengtang pondered for a moment then said again, ¡°Keep track of the situation. Should you need to lend her a hand, then do so.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Li Qing finished, then turned and left. The Lord Heir remained in the plum garden as he watched Li Qing retreat, a cloudy mist slowly forming in his eyes. He continued moving forward somewhat resentfully, exercising his extremely frail body. Havingid down for years, his body had been very quickly falling apart. He was finally cured, but having endured long-standing corrosion due to the toxins, his physique had be extremely weak. It caused him some anxiety as well as annoyance. It seemed as if the more anxious he was to leave this cage, the more he could not! Irritated, Heir Pei tossed aside his cane angrily. He wanted to take a few more steps through sheer willpower but after having taken just seven to eight steps, his body began to sweat profusely. The soles of his feet became weak and he immediately fell to the ground. The guards in the courtyard might have seemed far away but they had been keeping their eyes on the Lord Heir¡¯s movements till the moment he fell. Several guards rushed over and lifted Pei Fengtang from the ground. ¡°Lord Heir, you mustn¡¯t push yourself.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Pei Fengtang remained silent as he was lifted by the guards. They supported him all the way back to the small, red sandalwood arhat bed inside and sat him down. A maid wiped his face and then changed his clothes. She even stuffed a warm little furnace into his hands. Chapter 149 - Famous Across Ten Villages 4

Chapter 149: Famous Across Ten Viges 4

On top of that, she brewed a pot of ginseng tea and put it on the y stove. Pei Fengtang was silent from the beginning till the end. He was seated there like a doll as the maids tidied things up. The maids noticed Lord Heir¡¯s gloomy expression and none of them dared to speak. They immediately left the room after they were done. Pei Fengtang was like a puppet. He sat there for a long time before finally lifting his head. He held the small furnace in his hand and was about to throw it to the ground when, for some reason, Qi Qingyao¡¯s face suddenly appeared in his mind. It was even apanied by that irritating tone of hers when she spoke. He was clearly the Lord Heir, whereas she was just a woman from the vige, yet she had dared talk to him as if she were superior. ¡®Hold on, what did she say again? ¡®It was quite hateful. ¡°I think it was¡­¡¯ ¡°You¡¯re dying so quit cursing as if you ate gunpowder. Can¡¯t you just save your strength and this dog¡¯s life of yours? ¡°Truthfully speaking, I¡¯m toozy to deal with hot-tempered dandies like you. If it weren¡¯t for them saying that they would pay me if I treated you, no one would have even bothered with a hot-tempered person like you. Just like the guards and servants in your home, if it weren¡¯t for the monthly payments, not a single one of them would even be willing to wait on a sick man like you! You have a poor temper and are so f*cking incapable of looking after yourself. A half-dead person like you is the most troublesome kind. Goddammit, if you¡¯re gonna die, just die already! ¡°Honestly, I don¡¯t feel like treating you anymore. If you want to die, I can suffocate you with a pillow.¡± ¡­ She dared say he had a rotten temper¡­ Hmph! His temper was just fine. He had not even thrown anything recently!! What a hateful woman, who did she think she was? Just wait till he was healed and could leave the residence, then everyone shall see how he would deal with her! ¡­ The road from Baishui Town to Linquan Vige was simply filled with the beating of drums and banging of cymbals. asionally, it would also be apanied by the sound of firecrackers, piquing the vigers¡¯ curiosity along the way as they scurried out to take a look at the excitement. ¡°It¡¯s not even New Year¡¯s yet, why are there fireworks?¡± ¡°There¡¯s even drums and cymbals.¡± ¡°Hey, who is that? They even have banners up.¡± ¡°I think it¡¯s the Qi family from Linquan Vige. They¡¯re saying something about their daughter being unfilial, that she did not abide by a woman¡¯s morals and had children out of wedlock¡­¡± ¡°Oh ho, shouldn¡¯t she be locked in a pig cage and dunked into the river then?¡± ¡°That¡¯s why she broke off all rtions with her parents.¡± ¡®Well then, what else is there to say? She¡¯s not being taken care of by her parents anymore.¡± ¡°But to have forgotten her parents¡­after striking it rich. She¡¯s forgetting her roots!¡± ¡°That¡¯s definitely a little overboard. To forget your parents after getting money, this person has gone overboard and deserves a good scolding.¡± Soon enough, almost everyone knew of the cruel and unscrupulous girl in Linquan Vige. She was called Qi Qingyao and she would not support her own biological parents after she made a lot of money. She was an absolute thankless wretch! Qi Qingzhu rolled her eyes multiple times after having been forced to tag along with members of the Qi family in their ruckus-making. However, Qi Qingzhu knew that her mother was adamant about wanting her younger sister to give her money, and thus knew that whatever she tried now to stop her would be fruitless. It seemed that she could only wait for Qi Qingyao to make an appearance before she could tell her on the spot about her past life. When the time came, whatever her mother did would be futile. When the beating of the drums and cymbals reached the vige, Madam Wu noticed the many people who had tagged along the procession. Seeing the sheer size of the crowd, she felt confident. Before they arrived at the iplete house, Madam Wu hollered from a distance. ¡°Eleventh Daughter, you better get out here!¡± The people of the vige were shocked into silence by Madam Wu¡¯s action. Even Ma Sanye hade to take a look at the situation. In this sort of atmosphere, Madam Wu tried to gain the upper hand by yelling toward where Jiang Yeqian was sitting on the carriage. ¡°I want you toe out and clear things up, Eleventh Daughter!¡± Chapter 150 - Famous Across Ten Villages 5

Chapter 150: Famous Across Ten Viges 5

At the moment, Jiang Yeqian was sitting on the shaft and looking over some documents that Zhao Xin had given him the night before. He swept a nce over therge crowd that had assembled, then tossed the reports into the carriage. He crossed his arms over his chest and watched the group that was beating drums and banging cymbals from a distance. ¡°Qi Qingyao,e out and say something if you have the guts,¡± Madam Wu shouted confidently with her head held high. No one answered. Madam Wu continued straining her throat, ¡°Qi Qingyao, don¡¯t pretend to be dead.¡± Jiang Yeqian said nothing. He just looked at her silently. Ma Sanye, on the other hand, could watch no further. There were more and more people watching in the vige. Ma Sanye said, ¡°Madam Wu, Qi Boli, are you done making a ruckus?¡± ¡°Not yet!¡± Madam Wu took the initiative and said, ¡°Ma Sanye, this is a matter of the Qi family. Please do not interfere.¡± Ma Sanye was so annoyed that his nose was off-center. ¡°Everyone in the vige already knows she has nothing to do with the Qi family anymore. All the viges within 10 miles also know this now, what with all the ruckus you¡¯re making. I don¡¯t get what your family is trying to do.¡± ¡°What are we trying to do?¡± Madam Wu seemed determined to have her way. Her gaze cut into Ma Sanye as she said, ¡°Ma Sanye, are you sure you want to intervene?¡± Ma Sanye patted his chest and said, ¡°As the vige head, I¡¯m in charge of all vige affairs unless it is to be brought to the government office.¡± ¡°Alright, do as you wish.¡± In a powerful and resonating voice, Madam Wu eximed. ¡°My daughter has made a fortune but now decides that she will not acknowledge her parents. If it were you, would you be able to take this lying down? ¡°I¡¯ve raised her for eighteen years. I¡¯ve also raised her three brats for three years! Are ten taels of silvers supposed to cut it?¡± ¡­ The string of usible reasonings sted out like cannons and gained the support of the people who had been following the procession for the excitement since Baishui Town. They were furious and began to sympathize with Madam Wu¡¯s grievances. ¡°The girl has definitely gone overboard.¡± ¡°She¡¯s already living in such a big house and yet she doesn¡¯t even care about her biological parents. How unfilial.¡± Madam Wu heard the murmurings surrounding her and felt even more confident. She even brought up a rough handkerchief on the spot to wipe her tears. ¡°Boohoo, both of us old folk have never been unkind to her before but now that she¡¯s rich, she abandoned her parents. Not only that, but she¡¯d also decided to cut all contact with us. How is this reasonable?¡± Hearing this, the onlookers all sympathized with the poor family. ¡°How outrageous.¡± ¡°She¡¯s truly worse than a beast.¡± ¡°She¡¯s already brought the family so much trouble by having children out of wedlock, even getting her parents cursed out by others, and yet she now decides to do nothing and abandon her parents. She¡¯s lower than the low.¡± ¡­ Madam Wu continued, ¡°Exactly! We didn¡¯t cut our ties with her back then because we wanted to. We just wanted to train the child to be able to live on her own. Who would¡¯ve thought that she would abandon her parents and never look back?¡± Si Jin was helping the master with the woodwork when he heard the ruckus from outside. He could not help but take a look at what was going on and spotted therge group of people surrounding Jiang Yeqian on the cart. Si Jin was curious and began making his way through the crowd before going to his side. He asked, ¡°What the heck is going on?¡± Jiang Yeqian said calmly, ¡°They want money.¡± Si Jin, ¡°???¡± ¡®Can¡¯t you spare a few extra words?¡¯ Si Jin craned his head and looked toward the group of people. The ones leading were surprisingly a group of people from the old Qi family. He then saw Madam Wu¡¯s crying performance as if she had been tormented by her child. At the moment, Si Jin¡¯s fine brows raised and dissatisfaction filled the youth¡¯s exquisite face. Looking at Madam Wu who was still wiping at her tears, he said loudly, ¡°Sister isn¡¯t here. You guys don¡¯t need to shout.¡± Chapter 151 - Famous Across Ten Villages 6

Chapter 151: Famous Across Ten Viges 6

Madam Wu heard this and pulled a face. ¡°Where is Qi Qingyao? Did she die in a ditch somewhere?¡± Si Jin said nothing. He looked rxed, his temperament dignified. Madam Wu faced the two stunning men at the same time and was, for a moment, a little flustered. In order to get back to the situation at hand, she raised her chin and yelled, ¡°I won¡¯t leave until she says something today. Don¡¯t even think aboutpleting this house! Or I¡¯ll light it up and burn it!¡± ¡°Burn it?¡± Jiang Yeqian¡¯s handsome face went taut and the corner of his lips pulled tight into a thin line. He began thinking. It seemed that he would have to send a message to the haunted house immediately, get in touch with Bai Mei, and have her send some people over to burn down the Qi family¡¯s home! Then, he would have this group of people dealt with in secret and tie their corpses to rocks before sinking them in Jiuli River. The expression of the youth beside him suddenly fell. His face was ashen and looked like it was close to melting. He spat out a string of particrly surly and irritable words from his mouth, ¡°I hate humans like you the most.¡± Jiang Yeqian went still for a moment. He turned his head to look at Si Jin and noticed that the boy had lost the coy sweetness that he usually disyed in front of Qi Qingyao. Madam Wu was startled and took a step back involuntarily. Qi Yuancheng noticed his mother had been frightened by the youth and, as the eldest son of the family, he naturally stood in front of Madam Wu. He faced Si Jin and said, ¡°You¡¯re but a subordinate, so what right do you have to speak. Why don¡¯t you see yourself for the inexperienced youngin you are.¡± Si Jin looked a little impatient. ¡°Qi Yuancheng, watch your words.¡± Qi Yuancheng was arrogant. ¡°I will not. My sister has now made a fortune but doesn¡¯t n on taking care of her family. I¡¯ve never seen such a selfish person in my entire life!¡± Pausing for a bit, Qi Yuancheng assumed a proud stance and then continued, ¡°My sister used to be a fool. Now she has regained her intelligence and also learned to strategize and scheme. It must be you two foxes from whatever burrow you crawled out of who led my sister astray!¡± Saying this, he nced at Jiang Yeqian. Recalling the document he wrote on the severance of their ties, Qi Yuancheng then said, ¡°You, you are a schr! You know how to write! I¡¯m certain you are the one who led her down the wrong path.¡± After saying this, he did not even pause for the other to respond before turning to Si Jin. ¡°And you, you wild child from god know where! You¡¯re so clean and fair and put this facade for the town folk. Who are you? We shall not be deceived by the likes of you.¡± Jiang Yeqian ignored Qi Yuancheng¡¯s rants but his eyes were fixed on Si Jin in an instant. He was suddenly a little afraid that this mysterious youth would kill everyone in front of him. This child was not a simple person, given he had managed to throw Jiang Yeqian off his trail when he was following him in the middle of the night. Looking at things now, the boy looked as if he would be unable to control his temper. If he were to kill people in broad daylight, he would not be able to deal with the aftermath. The government would definitely arrest him! If it came to that, things would be troublesome. With no sense of life preservation, Qi Yuancheng continued hollering, ¡°Our Qi family is the one backing Qi Qingyao! You two outsiders shouldn¡¯t even think about tricking my sister.¡± ¡­ Qi Qingzhu was standing at the side. When she heard what her mother and brother said, she had already been dazzled. She could not keep up with everyone¡¯s acting at all. When she returned to her senses, Qi Qingzhu thought that if it weren¡¯t for everyone having that meeting yesterday night, she feared even she would have already believed that it was these two men who had conned her poor sister.¡¯ Chapter 152 - Famous Across Ten Villages 7

Chapter 152: Famous Across Ten Viges 7

Madam Wu did not think that her eldest son would be so sharp-witted as to ce the me on the two strangers. All their contradictions had been flipped and the focus had been shifted. Aftering back to her senses, she hurriedly cried out. ¡°Folks, some of you are not from the vige so you would not have known! While my daughter used to be a fool, she grew up looking decent! No, she was very beautiful. These two must have appeared from somewhere after she was longer stupid and led my daughter astray. Oh, my poor daughter is probably now a ve to these two. Used by them both every day and night¡­ Boohoohoo, I can¡¯t talk about it anymore. I just feel like crying whenever I think about what my poor daughter might have be! As for my grandchildren, it is also possible that they have been imprisoned by these two to be ves ever since.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure of it. My sister returned to the vige half a month ago and hasn¡¯t shown up ever since the construction of this house began. They say they¡¯re building the house for her but how is this possible for a client to not show up at all? So these two must have bought thend and built a house in the vige by using my sister¡¯s residence permit! My sister is definitely locked up by these two by now!¡± Qi Yuancheng took this opportunity to add on. When all the good-hearted people, including the vigers, heard Madam Wu¡¯s cries, they once again looked toward the two men in front of them. At that moment, they believed everything. These two looked more like the sons of some government official rather than one of the locals! They had heard others say that while children of government officials in the metropolitan area were all handsome and modest characters, the truth was also that they were harlots! They were sure that these two were the same. The poor, beautiful but foolish vige girl had been tricked out of her innocence by these city dwellers, and they had even used her for money! ¡°So these two tricked someone¡¯s daughter, how shameless.¡± ¡°They are too inhuman to have actually hoodwinked this girl who used to be a fool.¡± ¡°Oh, the Qi family are so pitiful. Not only did they lose their daughter, but she had even been tricked out of her fortune and into sex by these pieces of scum.¡± ¡­ A storm brewed in Si Jin¡¯s eyes. He parted his red lips slightly and his voice was as thin as silk. ¡°Qi Yuancheng, you¡¯re so full of lies, be careful not to get struck by lightning.¡± Qi Yuancheng looked at the youth¡¯s dim expression. He thought that the boy was bing anxious now and felt even more proud of himself. ¡°Who are you trying to deceive? And asking me to be careful of lightning? Why don¡¯t you watch after yourself, you liar. Be careful with your lies lest your entire family meets their demise!¡± After saying this, Qi Yuancheng and the rest of the people from the old Qi family also started to be more confident in themselves. This was because, in their eyes, Qi Qingyao used to be a fool and while she was no longer one, that just meant she was at most an ordinary person now. How could she have the wits and initiative to cut off all ties with the Qi family? Even if they had been the ones who brought up the idea of cutting ties, with Qi Qingyao¡¯s former mindset, she would only definitely cry and wail about not wanting to have that happen. This wasmon sense. Right, they had suspected back then that Qi Qingyao had some sort of indecent rtionship with this outstanding individual. From the looks of it now, this person had actually been using their pure and honest eleventh daughter! That was definitely the case. Qi Yuancheng could not hold back the anger he felt when he thought about how the fool of a cash cow had been used by others. He pointed at Jiang Yeqian and Si Jin¡¯s nose and said, ¡°People who have tricked my sister should just die.¡± In a sh. Boom! Muffled thunder sounded from the skies in an explosive burst. The onlookers who had been watching this fiasco were startled, as were the people from the old Qi family. They could not help looking up to the sky. ¡®What was going on? Why is there thunder all of a sudden?¡¯ Chapter 153 - Famous Across Ten Villages 8

Chapter 153: Famous Across Ten Viges 8

Rumble rumble¡ª Another round of muffled thunder sounded across the sky. Qi Yuancheng gulped. ¡°It¡¯s thundering?¡± Madam Wu muttered as she curled a hand around her neck. She was also shocked. Qi Yuancheng pretended to be unbothered and said, ¡°It¡¯s almost the new year¡¯s and the weather hasn¡¯t been good. It already snows a lot so there¡¯s nothing strange about the thunder.¡± Madam Guo nodded as well. All she could think about now was how she wanted her mother-inw and husband to take Qi Qingyao down soon, then the house would definitely be theirs. Qi Yuancheng and Qi Yuanye were definitely not qualified to live there. It would be such a relief when she could move her family into this beautiful, multi-floored building. The surrounding onlookers¡¯ were at aplete loss. They thought of what the youth had just said¡­ Everyone subconsciously looked toward Qi Yuancheng, who was still so aggressive. Qi Yuancheng was still speaking with so much arrogance. ¡°Both you damned crooks better leave our vige and leave my sister alone. Stop abetting and imprisoning her.¡± It was toote and too soon. The moment Qi Yuancheng said this, a sharp blue sh swept across the sky right before a bolt of lightning hit the ground, frightening everyone. Nobody managed to react. Another three to four bolts of blue and white light shed throughout the sky, white tails trailing behind them. The illumination burst in front of everyone¡¯s eyes. It was as if someone had thrown a sh bomb in front of them out of nowhere and rendered everyone momentarily blind. After the lightning subsided, everyone¡¯s eyes gradually readjusted to the light. When they eventually opened their eyes, they saw in front of them a scorched humanoid figure that had been struck by lightning. It also exuded the smell of charred flesh¡­ After clearly seeing what that object was, a shriek burst forth from the crowd. ¡°Ahhhhhhh!!¡± ¡°Dead, he¡¯s dead!¡± One of the rtively calmer men walked up to take a look. He then said with a shudder, ¡°He¡¯s burnt to a crisp.¡± Jiang Yeqian stood beside the carriage, his gaze fixed intently on the scorched ckness. He could barely pick out the ¡®person¡¯ he was facing before and his brows furrowed. One after another, the people in the crowd screamed. ¡°Someone has been struck dead by lightning!!¡± ¡°Oh God!¡± Those who were aware of the situation had been shocked out of their wits and some could not help but empty the contents of their stomach at the side from the peculiar stench of charred flesh in the air. The people of the Qi family were some of thest to realize what was going on. After looking through the crowd for a moment, they then realized that the object that had been scorched ck by the lightning was their very own Qi Yuancheng. ¡°Ah, Yuancheng! My son, no! What happened to you! Wake up, don¡¯t scare your mother!!¡± Madam Wu looked as white as a sheet of paper. ¡°Yuancheng!!¡± ¡°Big brother, wake up!¡± ¡°Master¡ª¡± ¡°My son!!¡± The onlookers were all so shocked that they had already retreated ten steps away. Some of them were still shivering nonstop. They were discussing amongst themselves. ¡°Didn¡¯t the young boy say a little while ago to be careful not to get struck by lightning from telling too many lies? It came true.¡± ¡°He must have been lying!¡± ¡°Qingzhou City is a spooky ce. This ce is blessed with several koi temples all around yet he still dared to lie out loud. The koi god must have been sick of it.¡± In the vige, Old Man Wang said in disgust, ¡°The old Qi family was obviously the ones to sever their rtionship since they no longer wanted to support the Eleventh Daughter whom they considered nothing more than trash. Now that she¡¯s rich, they¡¯re trying to get a piece of the pie and even made bogus usations against her today. I had been waiting for the Eleventh Daughter toe and exin things clearly, but I didn¡¯t think¡­ what was said actually came true. The wicked will reap what they sow.¡± ¡­ The old masters who had been busying themselves working on the house had also stopped when they heard the thunderbolt outside. In the end, they came out and saw on the ground that someone had been struck dead by lightning! The old masters¡¯ eyes bulged like eggs as they took in the scene. This¡­did someone actually get struck dead by lightning? Impossible! The scene had begun to descend into chaos. Only Jiang Yeqian¡¯s deep and bottomless eyes were fixed in a dead stare at Si Jin. Chapter 154 - Famous Across Ten Villages 9

Chapter 154: Famous Across Ten Viges 9

A long time after everyone departed the construction site, Jiang Yeqian took a deep breath. He looked at a stunned Si Jin and asked rather wryly, ¡°How are you going to exin this matter?¡± ¡°Exin what?¡± Si Jin turned his head and countered innocently with round eyes. ¡°You were involved with Qi Yuancheng¡¯s death by lightning, right?¡± Jiang Yeqian did not bother to y dumb with him. ¡°Who do you mean? As if!¡± Si Jin looked a little sullen. He seemingly jumped as he said, ¡°Do Imand God for lightning to strike? Are you an idiot? Am I the God of thunder? Don¡¯t talk nonsense.¡± Saying this, he patted his chest. Looking a little scared, he said, ¡°My heart is pounding with fear, and it still hasn¡¯t recovered until now.¡± Jiang Yeqian, ¡°¡­.¡± Si Jin patted his chest firmly for some time then turned his head cautiously to look at the serious Jiang Yeqian. He gulped and asked nervously, ¡°How¡ªhow are we going to let her know about this when we get back?¡± Jiang Yeqian said, ¡°You let her know. You did it.¡± ¡°How is it me who did it? You¡¯re talking nonsense~!¡± Si Jin was so anxious, his eyes were suddenly filled with tears, and he was on the verge of crying. He stomped his foot on the spot and turned his head, his eyes teary. Donning a look as if he had been bullied, he used, ¡°I¡¯m going to tell sister that you bullied me.¡± Jiang Yeqian, ¡°¡­¡± This person had apletely different aura from the youth with the dismal presence and irritable eyes. It was as if they were not the same person. Split personalities perhaps? Si Jin wiped his tears, looking aggrieved. Based on his current state, Jiang Yeqian was almost certain that if Qi Qingyao was around, he really would just press himself against her shoulder and cry for hours on end, telling her how much he had been wronged. He kept all the doubts at the bottom of his heart for the time being. With such a big incident happening at Linquan Vige, those who hade to watch the scene told their tales as they headed back. As a result, the news had spread quickly to the other viges and¡­.the town. A living person had been struck to death by lightning in broad daylight! It was really a topic worth discussing. Qi Qingyao had not gone out at all because she knew a lot of things were happening outside today. In the end, seeing the servantughing so hard at dinner, she asked nonchntly. ¡°Mister? I saw that it was so lively outside, what happened this time?¡± ¡°Oh missy, don¡¯t you know? I heard someone was struck dead by lightning in broad daylight.¡± The servant could not helpughing, unable to keep the corners of his mouth closed. ¡°Pfft¡ª¡± Qi Qingyao immediately spat out her sip of oolong tea. The servant thought Qi Qingyao did not believe him and hurriedly exined with wide eyes, ¡°It¡¯s true, you have to believe it, missy. Someone was really struck dead by lightning in broad daylight!¡± Qi Qingyao wiped the tea off her clothes. She pursed her lips and asked while holding back herughter, ¡°Who is it? How unfortunate for them.¡± The servant scratched his head, ¡°That, I don¡¯t know. I heard they were from a nearby vige. It just happened this noon.¡± Qi Qingyaoughed out loud, ¡°If that¡¯s the case, that person definitely did not pay their respects to the Koi God usually.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that right? They must¡¯ve done so many bad deeds every day to have angered God so much that He¡¯d even conjure a lightning bolt in broad daylight to kill them. ¡°The servant exchanged a few words and joked with Qi Qingyao before he left the room. Qi Qingyao did not take this matter to heart. She only treated it as a minor incident and had dinner with the children as usual. During the meal, the children obviously heard about the gossip and asked Qi Qingyao who was struck to death by lightning. Qi Qingyao shook her head and said she did not know. Chapter 155 - Famous Across Ten Villages 10

Chapter 155: Famous Across Ten Viges 10

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Jiang Yeqian and Si Jin knocked on the door halfway through the meal. ¡°It¡¯s me.¡± Qi Qingyao ran over and opened the door. After the two of them had entered the house, they took off their devilish animal masks and tossed them aside. Then, they grabbed the bowls of rice and started eating as well. Usually, when they came back, the two of them would tell Qi Qingyao some of the interesting things that had happened at the construction site that day. However, they were silent today. They did not even dare to breathe in the air around them. Qi Qingyao did not notice this, however, and asked with a joyous, silly look, ¡°Did you guys know that someone was struck dead by lightning today?¡± Both of them, ¡°...¡± Si Jin almost buried his face in the bowl guiltily. Jiang Yeqian managed to remain a little calm. ¡°How did you know?¡± ¡°Everyone was talking about it outside. It was the servant who told me.¡± Qi Qingyao picked up a mouthful of fish-vored meat floss, ¡°You guys didn¡¯t hear news as big as this? Seems like it hasn¡¯t reached Linquan Vige yet!¡± Both of them, ¡°...¡± Qi Qingyao finally noticed the two of them were acting a little strange. It was as if they did not want to talk about this topic. ¡°What¡¯s up? What¡¯s with your expressions?¡± They did not want to talk about such a huge and interesting thing, how boring. Si Jin continued clutching his bowl and wolfing down his rice as though he did not know anything. Jiang Yeqian hesitated for a while before saying, ¡°I have good news for you.¡± ¡°Good news? Could it be that someone wants to give me silver?¡± Qi Qingyao blinked and asked casually. ¡°No.¡± Jiang Yeqian put down his bowl. He licked his lips and said with a dry voice, ¡°One of your enemies is dead.¡± ¡°Enemy?¡± She had no enemy. She had just entered this world not long ago and had not even gone out this month, how was it possible for her to make enemies! As for Heir Pei, she was considered his savior. Jiang Yeqian answered, ¡°Qi Yuancheng.¡± ¡°He¡ªhe¡¯s dead?¡± Qi Qingyao was startled for a moment. She continued taking her meal, then asked vaguely, ¡°He¡¯s been perfectly fine all this while, how did he die?¡± Jiang Yeqian, ¡°He was struck to death by lightning...¡± The hand Si Jin was using to shovel food into his mouth paused for a moment before he hurriedly continued to eat seriously. Qi Qingyao put down her bowl quietly, ¡°...¡± She blinked nkly, finding it hard to believe it. Si Jin snuck a nce at her over the edge of his bowl and quickly withdrew his gaze. Jiang Yeqian was also observing her expression. Both of them were a little scared. After all, Qi Qingyao was from the Qi family. Even if she had severed her ties with them, the fact remains that the Qi family¡¯s blood was running through her veins. Some people did not have the heart to strike their own families when they were down even after having severed their ties. One of her family members had legitimately died today. If Qi Qingyao decided she wanted to settle this score, then it would be with the two of them directly. Si Jin noticed her expression was a little pensive. He quickly put down the bowl and gulped. He then fell onto his knees in front of her with a thump. He spoke quietly with a submissive look. ¡°This¡ªthis wasn¡¯t my fault. He was the one who brought his whole family to pick on us, and he kept scolding me. He said that both of us led you astray, said that we abducted you, imprisoned you, and used you! He really was being too mean.¡± His voice trailed off at the end. ¡°What happened then?¡± Qi Qingyao was extremely calm. Si Jin said while trembling, ¡°I¡ªI¡ªI just said, be careful to not get struck by lightning.¡± Qi Qingyao said, ¡°Then, you struck him to death just like that?¡± ¡°...¡± Si Jin did not dare speak, hanging his head low. After a short while. ¡°Hahahahaha!¡± Qi Qingyao suddenly burst outughing. Sheughed so loudly that the two men and three children at the dining table were confused. After Qi Qingyao was doneughing, she pulled Si Jin up and sat him down, ¡°Although it¡¯s a pity, I have to say, well done! Come on, young man, I¡¯ll reward you with a drumstick.¡± Chapter 156 - Famous across Ten Villages 11

Chapter 156: Famous across Ten Viges 11

A chicken drumstick fell into Si Jin¡¯s bowl. Both Si Jin and Jiang Yeqian stared at her, dumbfounded. ¡°Why are the two of you looking at me with such surprised faces? Sure, myst name may be Qi, but I have already broken off all rtions with them and whatever happened today is none of my business. I have proof that I was not present there. They can¡¯t just put the me on me and use me of killing Qi Yuancheng, can they?¡± After a pause, she continued, ¡°Imagine being struck dead by lightning on a sunny day. He really should reflect on his wrongdoings. He angered the Heavens and brought tragedy upon himself!¡± ¡°The death of a person, like the fluttering of a butterfly¡¯s wings, will cause a consecutive chain reaction.¡± ¡°After this, the Qi family will no longer dare to cause me trouble!¡± ¡°Specifically with you here, you little jinx, they won¡¯t dare to give you trouble. Hehe!¡± ¡­ After hearing Qi Qingyao¡¯s words, both Jiang Yeqian and Si Jin no longer felt ashamed. Jiang Yeqian thought, ¡®Maybe it¡¯s because she isn¡¯t the real Qi Qingyao. Why would she be sad?¡¯ Naturally, he would not put the me on her. The children were also momentarily surprised, but they did not feel sad at all. Firstly, the children were still unaware of what death really meant and, in their opinion, no one from that family was any good! Even if they died, it was not worth their sympathy. It was the same for Si Jin, who had none of the scruples that a typical human would. Elder Sister did not me him for it anyway. He started on his meal, feeling totally at ease. While this incident, in Qi Qingyao¡¯s opinion, was barely an interlude, in Linquan Vige, it was a serious matter. A bolt of lightning killed someone in the vige on a sunny day, and it was obviously a targeted assault too! Everyone else around the victim was unhurt. From the vigers¡¯ point of view, this was solid proof that Old Man Qi and his family had offended the Koi Fish God. After some discussion, they ran over to Old Man Qi¡¯s house. The Qis were dramatically mourning the death of Qi Yuancheng. The vigers did not care though. They started to curse Madam Wu and Qi Boli. ¡°You confounded ck and white, told all those lies, and offended the Koi Fish God! That¡¯s why He struck Qi Yuancheng down with a bolt of lightning!¡± ¡°You deserved it!¡± ¡°The gods are watching us from up above!¡± ¡°We told you that you should have your sons and daughters perform some good deeds, but no one listened. Well, now Qi Yuancheng has been killed by a bolt of lightning!¡± ¡°Qi Boli, if your family continues to do whatever you¡¯re doing, then you all should leave the vige!¡± ¡°Yes, yes! You raised banners all around, besmirching Eleventh Daughter, and the Heavens struck with a bolt of lightning. You should consider this a warning. If this happens again, and if you persist in ying your petty tricks, the Heavens will vent their anger on the whole vige. What should we do then?¡± The vigers¡¯ spit seemed like it would flood the Qi family home. Several women knelt in front of Qi Yuancheng¡¯s bed, crying, while the men in the family were forced to deal with the vigers¡¯ scoldings. They felt their heads hurt as they listened to the vigers¡¯ angry rants. Atst, it was Ma Sanye who had the vigers leave. He gestured for everyone to calm down and to help with Qi Yuancheng¡¯s wake before doing anything else. ¡­ After Li Qing heard about what had happened in Linquan Vige, the first action he took was to report it to the Heir. Pei Fengtang momentarily froze when he heard the news. ¡°What are the odds of someone being struck dead by a bolt of lightning on a sunny day?¡± It was as if he was talking to himself. Li Qing swallowed. He had also wiped the cold sweat off his brow when he first heard about the incident. Pei Fengtang¡¯s eyes glinted. ¡°That woman is definitely Su Hexiao.¡± ¡°It was the young boy who uttered the words though¡­ I heard that his name is Si Jin,¡± Li Qing said. Chapter 157 - Famous across Ten Villages 12

Chapter 157: Famous across Ten Viges 12

Pei Fengtang stood by the window, holding a portable stove for heat, a white fox fur coat draped over his shoulders. He stared intently at the snowy scenery outside, quietly muttering, ¡°Would that young boy, who¡¯s basically a jinx, follow an ordinary woman around?¡± Li Qing looked down and said nothing. Pei Fengtang turned his head around and asked Li Qing, ¡°I had you investigate Bull-head and Horse-face. Is there any progress on that?¡± Li Qing wiped the sweat off his brow, looking helpless. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. This useless servant has failed to discover anything.¡± ¡°Nothing?¡± Pei Fengtang narrowed his eyes. ¡°Good-for-nothing.¡± Li Qing: ¡°¡­¡± He felt humiliation at the Heir¡¯s words. He had never before experienced such a failure in his work. Pei Fengtang scowled, his face set, ¡°Don¡¯t tell me that the two of them appeared out of nowhere.¡± Li Qing, ¡°¡­¡± He truly did feel as if those two had appeared out of nowhere. ¡­ At Old Man Yang¡¯s house. Old Man Yang was thinking about the chain of incidents that urred after Qi Qingyao broke off all rtions with Old Man Qi¡¯s family. While eating, he eximed, ¡°There¡¯s something about Eleventh Daughter that¡¯s quite intriguing.¡± His wife was tailoring her son¡¯s clothes for theing new year. She answered casually, ¡°Hm? Didn¡¯t she only get a little lucky? A Heavenly Physician gave her a medicinal recipe. That¡¯s all there is to it. What¡¯s so intriguing?¡± ¡°You still don¡¯t understand, do you?¡± Old Man Yang nced at his clueless wife and shook his head. ¡°Understand what?¡± His wife replied questioningly, setting down the needle she was using. Old Man Yang said seriously, ¡°When I look at this chain of consecutive incidents now, I feel like Eleventh Daughter¡¯s has been blessed by the Lucky Koi Fish¡­¡± ¡°Wait, what?¡± Old Man Yang¡¯s wife was speechless. Had her husband gone crazy? They were talking about Qi Qingyao, that little fool! She, of all people, had been blessed by the Lucky Koi Fish? She was only a little luckier than usual! Old Man Yang felt a little cold, so he took his shoes off and mbered up to sit atop the bed-stove. ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about the mess that is the Qi family and start with Zhang Tieyuan. Old Man Zhang¡¯s obsessed with gambling, so Eleventh Daughter made a bet with him. The wager increased gradually, and she lost time after time¡­¡± Yet she kept going, as if she was certain that everything would be turned around during the final round. It felt as if she had set a trap for Old Man Zhang. Was it an illusion? ¡°I don¡¯t agree with what you said at all. She shook the dice cup herself. It¡¯s just that she happened to be unlucky and got six-points on the low quite a few times. The way you¡¯re saying it is as if she deliberately lost to Old Man Zhang.¡± ¡°Then how did she get eighteen points in thest round?¡± Old Man Yang asked his wife. ¡°Luck,¡± Old Man Yang¡¯s wife said with determination. However, she felt as if she had fallen for her husband¡¯s trap. If it was all luck, then¡­ Qi Qingyao¡¯s luck was heaven-defying! She was definitely blessed by the Koi Fish God! Wow! ¡°What are the odds of getting six points in several consecutive rounds? What are the odds of getting eighteen points just when she needed to win?¡± Old Man Yang asked seriously. ¡°¡­¡± His wife did not know what to say in response. Everything seemed toe down to luck. Old Man Yang was not joking. ¡°If you think it¡¯s easy, I¡¯ll give you a dice cup right now and you can try getting six points five times in a row.¡± ¡°I know what you¡¯re getting at. You¡¯re saying that she can control the number of points she gets,¡± Old Man Yang¡¯s wife gritted her teeth as she said those words. ¡°Control?¡± Old Man Yang thought about the word. ¡°That¡¯s not really usible, but at the same time it¡¯s within the realm of possibility. I heard my uncle¡¯s uncle talk about an excellent banker at Huangshi Gambling House in Qingzhou City. He can control the points he gets.¡± ¡°Of course he can, he¡¯s a professional. He runs a gambling house for god¡¯s sake. As for Eleventh Daughter¡­ She¡¯s nothing. She¡¯s merely a¡­¡± Old Man Yang¡¯s wife nearly said the word ¡°fool¡± out loud, but swallowed it down in the nick of time. Old Man Yang was waiting for her to say that. ¡°You said it. She¡¯s only a fool. Even if she has be intelligent, how can she control the points she gets like a professional banker does? I won¡¯t talk about how I think she broke off rtions with her family deliberately, but, about what happened today, I heard that she wasn¡¯t there personally, but Qi Yuancheng was really struck by lightning after that young boy said something about how Qi Yuancheng should look out, lest he be struck by lightning!¡± ¡°¡­¡± Old Man Yang¡¯s wife swallowed. Chapter 158 - Famous across Ten Villages 13

Chapter 158: Famous across Ten Viges 13

While the vigers discussed the incident among themselves, all of them ended up breaking into a cold sweat. The possibility of someone dying after being struck by lightning was infinitesimally small, but it happened nevertheless. Old Man Yang thought about it for a while before saying, ¡°If Old Man Qi¡¯s family does something like this again, I think all of them will end up being struck to death by lightning.¡± His wife licked her lips, but kept silent. Old Man Yang had another rming thought. ¡°Say, do you think that Eleventh Daughter has be intelligent due to the Koi Fish God¡¯s help?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say something like that.¡± Why would the Koi Fish God help her? Was she too devout when praying to the Koi Fish God? ¡°Why else would a fool be so intelligent?¡± Old Man Yang muttered to himself. Suddenly, he pped his palm on his forehead. ¡°Ah! I know! Didn¡¯t we hear something about how Eleventh Daughter and her three children had been abandoned near the White Dragon Temple? You should be aware of the rtionship between the White Dragon Temple and the Koi Fish God Temple. They¡¯re connected! The White Dragon Temple should be more powerful whenpared to the Koi Fish God Temple. Maybe the Koi Fish God didn¡¯t want His believer to end up as a fool, so He blessed her and gave her good fortune!¡± Old Man Yang¡¯s wife: ¡°¡­¡± The husband and wife talked about this incident for a long time before finally reaching a conclusion: they must never offend Eleventh Daughter in the future, as they would not be able to handle the consequences! On this night, Old Man Yang was not the only one who discussed this incident. Everyone in Linquan Vige, and even the vigers living in nearby viges, were all doing the same thing. They were already devout believers of the Koi Fish God to begin with. What had happened that day was even more proof of Qingzhou City¡¯s strangeness. The saying that ¡°the gods are watching us from above¡± could sum everything up. As they were being watched by the gods, it was important for everyone to remain conscientious. Old Man Qi and his family had spread lies everywhere and ced the me on their daughter. Less than half a dayter, they were reprimanded by the Heavens¡­ They had gotten what they deserved in such a short time. ¡­ It was during the second day of preparations for Qi Yuancheng¡¯s funeral that Qi Qingzhu realized that it was thest day of her break and that she had to return to her employer¡¯s home. She told her mother about that, but ended up getting a nasty scolding instead from Madam Wu. ¡°Your eldest brother was struck by lightning and you want to go back and earn money instead of standing vigil at his coffin like you should!¡± ¡°¡­¡± Qi Qingzhu was going through many hardships, but she could not voice them. She did not want to discourage her mother at this moment, but if she did not return to her employer¡¯s house soon, she would be fired. The other members of her family were the ones who insisted on ruining Yaoyao¡¯s reputation in all the viges, and now that they were cursed by the Heavens, they were ming her for not wanting to stand vigil at her brother¡¯s coffin! Her husband had alsoe to help with preparations for the funeral, and Qi Qingzhu informed him about her departure. Even as she left the family home, her mother was still cursing her, ¡°You ungrateful cretin!¡± Qi Qingzhu felt very helpless. Before she returned to Qingzhou City, she visited the construction site again. The carriage was not here today. Qi Qingzhu saw an old master who was in charge and asked him, ¡°Is the owner not around today?¡± Master Bao said, ¡°The owner came a few days ago, in the morning.¡± Had her sistere here before she did? Qi Qingzhumented the fact while she looked around. She asked again, ¡°How¡­ How about the man?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Master Bao said. ¡°¡­¡± Qi Qingzhu thought, ¡®Maybe the two men are feeling guilty after Elder Brother died and they didn¡¯t daree to the vige.¡¯ Whatever. Since her younger sister was not here, Qi Qingzhu did not stay in the vige any longer. She could only wait until the next time she returned to tell Younger Sister about her identity. She nced at the house that was well on its way to beingpleted. She thought, ¡®She¡¯ll be in the vige anyway. Since this is an important matter, there¡¯s no point in rushing it.¡¯ Chapter 159 - Enter the Mountain in Search of Treasure 1

Chapter 159: Enter the Mountain in Search of Treasure 1

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Jiang Yeqian and Si Jin were not present because they had gone to explore a mountain with Qi Qingyao, not because they felt guilty. The children were left back at the inn. Qi Qingyao had told them to bolt the door and focus on practicing their calligraphy skills. Meanwhile, Qi Qingyao and her two ¡°goons¡± entered the mountain area. ¡°Today¡¯s goal is to find all kinds of rare herbs that we can sell at a good price!¡± The three of them were carrying baskets on their backs. These contained shovels and the other necessary small tools for their trip. As Qi Qingyao was not skilled in martial arts, she also carried a walking stick with her in order to support her body, lest she fall into a hole. When it started snowing again, Qi Qingyao looked at the snowkes lightly falling from the sky. She said to the two of them, ¡°Keep your eyes open and stay aware of the danger around us.¡± Jiang Yeqian looked at the weather, feeling speechless. ¡°You should have enough money to spend for now.¡± ¡°Money is never enough,¡± Qi Qingyao turned back to reprimand him. ¡°It¡¯s because you¡¯re too greedy,¡± Jiang Yeqian said. ¡°You should change your perspective. We should be aiming higher! Who would ever think that they have too much money?¡± ¡®Plus you owe me a thousand taels too, you bastard who never stops insisting that you¡¯ve lost your memories! You have the gall to say that I¡¯m too greedy! Before you say that, you should f*cking pay me back first!¡¯ Qi Qingyao ranted mentally. Looking at the majestic mountain, Qi Qingyao clenched her fists and said with determination, ¡°I want to create a better life for the sake of the kids! I want to start small, before walking down the path to wealth!¡± Looking at Qi Qingyao¡¯s determination to not return home before she managed to find something here, Jiang Yeqian knew that they would be very, very busy for the whole day. They might even have to spend the night on the mountain too! At that thought, he nced at the clothes that he was wearing, and then at hers. If they really had to spend the night here, then he could only take off his clothes and cover her with them so that she did not freeze to death. What would he do if she really froze to death and left him with three little burdens? ¡­ Qi Qingyao had uttered words that were full of determination, but internally she was actually filled with dejection. She had had clear goals the first two times she entered the mountain area. The first time, she had been desperate to save someone. The determination she had then motivated her to find a lot of herbs. Now she had forgotten where everything was. The second time was when she had nothing to eat and had no money. Those were strong motivating factors too. That was why she managed to find a wild boar within a short period. Both times, she was either desperate to live or to help other people live. The Koi Fish God had protected her and helped her achieve her goals. As for this time, she was solely motivated by her desire to get rich¡­ To get rich¡­ It was the desire of an opportunist! Would the Koi Fish God still bless her and lead her to find the medicinal herbs she wanted? Qi Qingyao doubted that. She could only put her palms together and pray. ¡°Koi Fish God, thest time I released your descendant, a little koi fish, into the pond without having any other thoughts! I didn¡¯t eat it! How benevolent I was! Look at me, I¡¯m not that bad-looking, right? I don¡¯t want you to give me a man now. The only thing I want now is to get rich! I don¡¯t rob and I don¡¯t steal. I only want some herbs that I can sell for money! You must help me make this small wish of minee true!¡± When Jiang Yeqian heard what she was muttering, he could not help but purse his lips. ¡®The Heavens gave you two men already! Are you blind?¡¯ Si Jin was walking in front of Qi Qingyao. He listened to the wishes of the woman behind him with a big smile on his face. Qi Qingyao continued, ¡°O God, I used to be an atheist back then, but now I am your devout believer! It was you that helped me kill a bbermouth bastard to death with lightning, right? If you love me that much, please love me until I die! Helping a woman is the best deed one can do! With how beautiful I am, I can¡¯t end up as a poor person! Please, help me¡­¡± Si Jin¡¯s smile widened. Jiang Yeqian did not agree with Qi Qingyao¡¯s words. He said, ¡°What are you going on about?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t talk to me. I¡¯m praying to the Koi Fish God to protect me,¡± Qi Qingyao reprimanded him. Jiang Yeqian said with disdain, ¡°There¡¯s no Koi Fish God here! This is a secluded forest!¡± Si Jin pouted. He harrumphed softly. Qi Qingyao could not hide her excitement. ¡°What would you know? The Koi Fish God is very powerful! He can hear my prayers!¡± Jiang Yeqian: ¡°...¡± This woman was so superstitious! As they continued chatting, they soon reached the waist of the mountain. Suddenly, Si Jin shouted, gesturing toward a direction, ¡°It looks like there are some rare herbs over there!¡± Qi Qingyao¡¯s eyes lit up. There were stars in her eyes as she said, ¡°Ah, it must be the blessing of the Koi Fish God!¡± Chapter 160 - Enter the Mountain in Search of Treasure 2

Chapter 160: Enter the Mountain in Search of Treasure 2

After Qi Qingyao ran over happily¡­ ¡°There¡¯s nothing,¡± she shrugged. She was just about to say that Si Jin had lied to her when she found a tree that she could not identify. It bore a flower that was the color of blood. The flower looked strange; its leaves were big and purple and there were extremely sharp teeth on the edges. It was small and shaped like a woman¡¯s lips. Qi Qingyao knelt down. She did not touch the nt, but scrutinized it intensely, muttering, ¡°This flower¡­¡± It was the Red Face Flower. This flower did not exist on Earth. She knew about this flower solely because she had read about it in a book her grandfather had used to prop up the leg of his table. It was called The Book of Spiritual Herbs, or something like that. Her grandfather had told her that the book was b*llshit; that there were no herbs like those listed in the book. She had often muddled around on the floor while being bored as a kid, and ended up leafing through The Book of Spiritual Herbs a few times. If a child liked to read a book, it had to be because of the pretty pictures! By the time she had grown up to be an adult, she had almost finished the book, though it probably ended up in a box at some corner of her house like all the other books she owned. ording to the book, the full name of the Red Face Flower was the Purple Blood Red Face Flower. It was a special herb that grew in ces that had strong spiritual energy. It was a herb rarer than thousand-year-old ginseng roots! It was a herb specifically used to make Youth-returning Pills that could preserve a woman¡¯s looks for three years. This of course meant that the noblewomen in the capital would love these pills. Qi Qingyao had no time to think about why a herb from a book she had read on Earth would appear here. The only thought in her mind was about how rare the herb was. Jiang Yeqian followed them to the spot. He looked at how she was picking the flower up with careful hands and asked, ¡°What¡¯s that flower?¡± Qi Qingyao answered casually, ¡°It¡¯s a herb used to make Youth-returning Pills.¡± ¡°Youth-returning Pills?¡± Jiang Yeqian muttered. Hearing this, Qi Qingyao figured out that he knew nothing about the herb. She exined its special effects and its degree of rareness to him. After hearing her words, Jiang Yeqian asked seriously, ¡°Does this mean that someone can keep their appearance from when they¡¯re twenty if they take this pill once every three years, starting from when they¡¯re that age? That they would never outwardly age?¡± Qi Qingyao had already picked the flower up and ced it into her basket before turning to look at him incredulously. ¡°What are you thinking? The effect is strongest the first time someone takes it. The second time, they would have to double the dose, and double that for the third time that they take it. No one would eat those pills when they¡¯re twenty. Plus there aren¡¯t many of these pills around. This flower isn¡¯t some dandelion that you can find by the roadside. It¡¯s not like you can pick up a bundle of them wherever you go.¡± Jiang Yeqian: ¡°¡­¡± Was it that valuable? Still in thought, he turned to look at Si Jin, who had a stupid grin stered on his face. Qi Qingyao asked Si Jin, ¡°How did you know that there were rare herbs here?¡± She had voiced out Jiang Yeqian¡¯s doubts. Si Jin said, ¡°I saw it! A beautiful small flower was blooming all on its own in the middle of all the snow, so I thought that it would definitely be rare! I¡¯m clever, aren¡¯t I?¡± He said all that wearing a cute and innocent expression. Qi Qingyao did not doubt his answer at all. ¡°Yes, you¡¯re clever! Si Jin, you¡¯re the best!¡± Jiang Yeqian: ¡°¡­¡± The best, his *ss! ¡®This woman is quite intelligent normally, so why does she act all stupid at this moment? There¡¯s obviously something not right with this young boy that you named!¡¯ Chapter 161 - Enter the Mountain in Search of Treasure 3

Chapter 161: Enter the Mountain in Search of Treasure 3

After Qi Qingyao was done picking the Red Face flowers, she took a few steps away, Si Jin once again pulling her in another direction. He shouted, ¡°Look, there¡¯s still a few more of the flowers over here.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± Qi Qingyao walked over, her entire body quivering from shock. She said as she picked the herb, ¡°We¡¯ve got a great haul, though I don¡¯t know how much these herbs will sell for. Still, it should be worth quite a bit.¡± Si Jin crouched down at the side as he helped her pick the herbs. Jiang Yeqian stood behind the two, rolling his eyes as he kept watch of their surroundings to make sure they were not attacked out of the blue by wild animals. Jiang Yeqian found the surrounding atmosphere somewhat strange, but he could not exactly pinpoint what gave him this feeling. He felt as if there was something constantly staring at the three of them from the darkness. Was it a person? He did not detect any killing intent, though. It was as if¡­ He casually looked toward the trees beside him, then looked toward the bushes on the ground. It was some kind of inexplicable strangeness. Qi Qingyao, on the other hand, paid no attention to her surroundings as she was focused on picking the herbs and running around with Si Jin. ¡°Sister, there¡¯s more ginseng here!¡± ¡°Oh lord, we¡¯re rich, we¡¯re rich.¡± ¡°Sister, over here, over here.¡± ¡°I¡¯ming, I¡¯ming.¡± ¡°Sister¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ming!¡± Qi Qingyao smiled as she dug for Bailing Fruit, ¡°There¡¯s a lot of treasures in this mountain, huh.¡± After digging them up, she passed the basket behind her to Jiang Yeqian. ¡°Help me hold this while I handle them.¡± Jiang Yeqian looked at her and Si Jin, who were on the ground digging till their faces were beaded with sweat, their clothes stained by rotting twigs and leaves. He carried the two baskets on his back and took the initiative to say, ¡°I¡¯ll help you with the harvesting.¡± ¡°No no no, I¡¯ll do it!¡± Qi Qingyao firmly stopped Jiang Yeqian. She took the shovel and began digging. ¡°Big men like you are not as careful as me. We won¡¯t be able to sell them for a good price if you identally break them.¡± Jiang Yeqian, ¡°¡­¡± ¡®Si Jin is also a man. So why is he picking herbs with you? And you aren¡¯t nagging him for not being careful!¡¯ Qi Qingyao continued crouching down and picking Bailing fruit with Si Jin. Qi Qingyao looked at Si Jin¡¯s fair egg-shaped face. Thinking about how everything they achieved today was thanks to his hard work, she could not stop the adoration that filled her face. ¡°Oh, Si Jin, stay with me forever. I¡¯ll guarantee you a lifetime of delicious food and drink. And when you want to get married, I¡¯ll look for a pretty bride for you!¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need for that, I want to spend my entire life with you. I¡¯m not going to look for a bride.¡± Si Jin continued digging for Bailing fruit. ¡°Haha, you¡¯re talking nonsense again.¡± Qi Qingyao stretched out her hand and pinched his cheeks. ¡°I¡¯m not. You¡¯re not looking for a man either, right? There¡¯s nothing about me not wanting to look for a woman either. Is there aw that one has to get married?¡± Si Jin grumbled with a pout. ¡°How thoughtful and insightful! You¡¯re such a beautiful boy with a good heart! Alright then, if you don¡¯t want a bride, then so be it. I¡¯ll take care of you! And you¡¯ll spend the rest of your life with me,¡± Qi Qingyao said with augh. Jiang Yeqian heard the two of them as they chattered on and found it to be somewhat ear-grating. Pretending as if he had not heard them, he asked coldly, ¡°What nonsense are the two of you spewing?¡± ¡°What¡¯s up with you? Are you hungry?¡± Qi Qingyao got up, fumbled around for the steamed bun in the pouch around her waist, and pressed it into Jiang Yeqian¡¯s hands. ¡°There! For you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not hungry.¡± Jiang Yeqian refused tly. Qi Qingyao slipped the ration back into her pouch and crouched down again. ¡°Then, what¡¯s wrong with you?¡± Chapter 162 - Enter the Mountain in Search of Treasure 4

Chapter 162: Enter the Mountain in Search of Treasure 4

¡°I¡­¡± Jiang Yeqian was simply fuming. He pointed at the two who were crouched on the ground and said, ¡°We have one who doesn¡¯t want to get a wife and another who doesn¡¯t want to get a husband. Why don¡¯t you two just get together?¡± Her expression nonchnt, Qi Qingyao said jokingly, ¡°I¡¯ve also thought about that, but how could I ruin this beautiful boy here with my bad reputation?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve really thought about it?¡± Jiang Yeqian felt as if everything in front of his eyes had dimmed. Si Jin pursed her lips and said a little shyly, ¡°I, I am willing to be tainted by Sister!¡± Hisment amused Qi Qingyao so much that she could not help butugh till the point where she could not even straighten herself up. ¡°You¡¯re still too young. Wait a few years when you understand the feelings between a man and a woman, then we¡¯ll talk.¡± ¡°Qi¡ªQing¡ªYao!!¡± Jiang Yeqian felt an inexplicable fire shoot from the soles of his feet to the top of his head. Qi Qingyao turned her head and noticed his furious expression. ¡®I haven¡¯t asked why he¡¯s angry.¡¯ Jiang Yeqian had already exploded. ¡°You have to see if your three children are willing first. You¡¯re a woman, so pay more attention to your reputation and integrity!¡± ¡®Ah, so he¡¯s old-fashioned.¡¯ Qi Qingyao looked at the old-fashioned and pedantic man and shook her head helplessly. She looked away and casually insulted Jiang Yeqian to Si Jin as she dug for fruit. ¡°Look at this man, how boring, can¡¯t take a joke at all.¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± Si Jin nodded. ¡°I¡¯ve no idea what¡¯s got him so agitated either. Besides, he¡¯ll just regain his memory after a while and leave after giving me back my money. What¡¯s wrong with my reputation as a countryss? What even is reputation¡ªsomething that can fill my stomach? Seriously!¡± Qi Qingyaomented. Si Jin continued nodding agreeably. Engulfed by cold winds, Jiang Yeqian stood alone and confused. ¡°¡­¡± He, he, he, he, he was boring? He could not take a joke?? ¡®Are you f*ckers kidding me? You¡¯re clearly being serious here, but if the boy still doesn¡¯t have a partner after a few years, do you actually n on reaping whatever advantage you can get in this position? And you¡¯ll only decide after tainting the boy?¡¯ He had never met such a wanton woman in his life! Wanton in both actions and words! Not to mention greedy! Hold on a moment. What was he getting so mad about? It was just as she said. Once he ¡°regained his memories¡± after some time, he would simply give her back her money and then make himself scarce. Why should he remain here discussing reputations with her? This woman no longer had a reputation anyway! It was not enough that she had gotten pregnant out of wedlock, now she was even thinking of ruining a beautiful young man¡¯s future as if it was nothing out of the ordinary¡­ To her, this conduct seemed normal! So why was he filled with so much righteous indignation? Jiang Yeqian took a deep breath, allowing himself to calm down and not to get so worked up by this unscrupulous woman. ¡­ Qi Qingyao and Si Jin continued moving forward. Qi Qingyao noticed that the road Si Jin was leading them on was very uneven, like the kind of road that hunters would never take. As they passed through shrubbery and thorny thickets, she asked him why he led them through this path since there were some parts where they could not even nt their feet on. Si Jin exined very seriously that the good stuff would typically be all picked clean from the mountain pass and that the premium pickings would be where no one ventured before. Qi Qingyao thought it made sense. They had found no shortage of good pickings along the way. When her eyes fell on a condorvine, she was so surprised that her eyeballs could have fallen out. Qi Qingyao could no longer stand it. ¡°Are you a dog? We¡¯re in the middle of the mountain, how are your eyes sharp enough to find all these good herbs?¡± ¡°It¡¯s because the Koi God is looking out for Sister.¡± Si Jin¡¯s smile was pleasant and sweet. He could not possibly confess that it was because medicinal herbs contained distinct energy that he could sense. As it happened, she dered that these were all rare, precious herbs! Of course, he would give her all the good things! ¡°Yes, that must be the case.¡± Chapter 163 - Enter the Mountain in Search of Treasure 5

Chapter 163: Enter the Mountain in Search of Treasure 5

As Qi Qingyao said this, she put her hands together to thank the Koi God. She murmured, ¡°My natural beauty is so great that even the Koi God could not bear to see me live in a thatched home. They must think that I should have money and live in a big and luxurious house.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Si Jin looked solemn as he nodded. After Qi Qingyao said her prayers, she tugged at Si Jin and said softly, ¡°Actually, let me tell you a secret. I wanted to buy a big house because it¡¯s the only way we can have a living pond. Once I have one, I can then go fishing at Jiuli River. I think I¡¯ll be able to catch some beautiful koi fish if I put my mind to it. I want a big mansion with a living pond, so that I can raise the little koi in the living pond and feed them every day.¡± Qi Qingyao looked forward to the future with joy. Si Jin watched Qi Qingyao quietly for a while. His eyes were watery as if he was about to cry. He furiously blinked his eyes that were misted with clear water drops and said in a throaty voice, ¡°Sister is such a kind person. I¡¯m sure everything you want wille true.¡± Qi Qingyaoughed. Jiang Yeqian, who was walking behind the two, wanted to roll his eyes when he heard this but managed to hold himself back. Was this woman really kind? Si Jin, oh Si Jin, normal people would not say something like this,e on! They walked a few more steps. Qi Qingyao saw the two types of herbs in the front. The partly translucent herb seemed to have melded with the snowy ground. Anyone would have missed it unless they looked carefully. ¡°F*ck, it¡¯s groundsel! And stonecrops!¡± Qi Qingyao rushed over. After taking a good look at the two different herbs, her expression changed. The groundsel was extremely poisonous. This was premium stuff so they should not sell it. They could extract the poison, which mighte useful during critical times. Groundsel and stonecrop were two sides of a coin; one takes life while the other saves it. She had struck a gold mine! Many of the professionals were keeping an eye out on the people from maind Donghua while she was currently only a rookie in the region! There were all sorts of characters in town but she was afraid that there would be more capable people in the mix by the time she got to Qingzhou City. When the time came, ordinary people like her who had no strength on their own would be easily taken down by others if she ever got into trouble. However, she would have a method to protect herself if she had this poison! When Qi Qingyao thought of this, she praised excitedly, ¡°Oh Si Jin, you are really my little treasure!¡± ¡°I want to be your treasure forever,¡± Si Jin replied sweetly. Qi Qingyao replied breezily, ¡°My kidse first and Si Jines second!¡± ¡°Hah, I¡¯m second!¡± Si Jin was so happy he was dancing on his hands and feet. Qi Qingyao crouched down and carefully picked both the groundsel and stonecrop. She nearly died of shock when she came face to face with Jiang Yeqian who was behind her when she stood up. She was about to ask him to not stand so close when Jiang Yeqian asked through gritted teeth, ¡°Do I not have a ce here?¡± He had not wanted to ask this but could not hold himself back anymore. His mouth was quicker than his mind. Qi Qingyao was puzzled. She asked as she stowed the two items into her cloth bag before cing that into a bamboo basket, ¡°Why would I need to ce you?¡± ¡°Why not?¡± Jiang Yeqian clenched his teeth. Qi Qingyao asked slowly, ¡°Who are you to me?¡± Jiang Yeqian pointed at the innocent-looking Si Jin next to her. ¡°He isn¡¯t anyone to you either, so why does he get toe second?¡± Chapter 164 - Enter the Mountain in Search of Treasure 6

Chapter 164: Enter the Mountain in Search of Treasure 6

¡°Si Jin is different, Si Jin is a little cutie, he is the world¡¯s greatest cutie!¡± Saying this, Qi Qingyao smiled and pinched Si Jin¡¯s cheeks. Jiang Yeqian felt as if he was about to blow a fuse and took a deep breath. Looking toward the intimate pair, he attempted to build his mental resistance toward the idea of the two of them as he cooled his anger. ¡°Hmph!¡± Being on the receiving end of the harrumph, Qi Qingyao scratched her head and was about to refute but eventually decided to let it be. What was the point of picking a bone with him? He was just an amnesiac. However, she still muttered exasperatedly, ¡°He¡¯s crazy.¡± Si Jin patted Qi Qingyao¡¯s shoulder as he consoled her, ¡°It¡¯s because you saved him. The only person he recognizes now is you, that¡¯s why he thinks you¡¯re his master. But you love your children and also love me, so it¡¯s inevitable that he would feel like he¡¯s been abandoned!¡± Qi Qingyao replied, ¡°That can¡¯t be helped, then. Why would an amnesiac, temporary subordinate need a cement?¡± ¡°Exactly.¡± Si Jin agreed. Jiang Yeqian, ¡°¡­¡± Here they went again. He felt that if he ever were to die one day, it would not be the State Preceptor, Li Ruoxuan who killed him. Instead, it would be these two who would drive him to death through anger! One spoke nonsense while the otherpped it up. Who the hell made her the master! This woman here, master!! F*ckers. With Si Jin¡¯s ¡°dog nose¡±, Qi Qingyao went around the mountains two more times. Only when the sky began to darken did she decide they should go home. After tallying their bounty, Qi Qingyao carried the bamboo basket on her back and said, ¡°The sky¡¯s getting dark soon, we should hurry down the mountain.¡± Jiang Yeqian watched her carry the basket expressionlessly. He was pissed but he still grabbed the basket from her back and held it in his hand. Qi Qingyao asked warily, ¡°What are you doing? Are you trying to steal my things?¡± ¡°I¡¯m helping you carry them, you dumb*ss!¡± Jiang Yeqian finally lost it and cussed. Qi Qingyao hummed thoughtfully. Then, she passed the things to Jiang Yeqian. They were supposed to be heading home, but after rounding the mountains a few times, they had already lost their way. Qi Qingyao observed the foggy forest, stupefied. Where were they supposed to go? Qi Qingyao sighed, ¡°Are we going to end up staying here tonight?¡± ¡°I¡¯m here.¡± Although Jiang Yeqian had been annoyed out of his wits, he still patted her shoulder consolingly. ¡°Sister, I remember the way,¡± Si Jin said with a smile as he walked to the front. Qi Qingyao hurriedly bounced to Si Jin¡¯s side, extremely moved. ¡°Oh Si Jin, you¡¯re the best.¡± Jiang Yeqian, ¡°¡­¡± What was so great about him? He was just a weird kid! Qi Qingyao had initially thought Si Jin was just saying some empty words. However, by the time the sky had darkened, the three of them had indeed walked out of the mountain that looked like it could swallow a man whole. After they descended the mountain, they got onto a carriage without dy and rushed back to Baishui Town. By the time they returned to the inn, it was already two o¡¯clock in the morning. Jiang Yeqian and Si Jin were still feeling fine but Qi Qingyao¡¯s body was drained of energypletely. Without even taking her meal, she put down her things, climbed into her bed, and hugged her three children to sleep. Next door. When Jiang Yeqian entered the room, he had initially nned to order supper and have a good talk with Si Jin about what happened today. However, it seemed supper had not arrived. ¡°I¡¯m going to the thatched hut.¡± Saying this, Si Jin promptly left out the door and went downstairs. By the time Jiang Yeqian returned to his senses and rushed out the door to pursue him, he could not find Si Jin in any of the thatched huts. Jiang Yeqian realized that the f*cking boy had once again slithered away. He had never been sleeping in the room every night, always disappearing! Jiang Yeqian was quite annoyed. He smacked his palm against the wall outside of the back door. A handprint was imprinted on the tough wall from the forceful smack. He plucked a leaf casually and blew into it. It produced a strange rhythm, like the chirping of birds, but it was also different. Three short notes, then one long one, a pause, and another three long notes before ending with two short ones. A momentter, a woman in ck appeared before him in an instant like a ghost. She got down on her knees ¡°Your Excellency.¡± ¡°I want you to look into someone for me.¡± Chapter 165 - Enter the Mountain in Search of Treasure 7

Chapter 165: Enter the Mountain in Search of Treasure 7

Qi Qingyao slept till morning the next day. She was woken up by hunger! When the children awakened and saw their mommy beside them, they happily surrounded her, wanting hugs and kisses. They did not see their mother return before they went to bedst night and had been lying down together on the bed in confusion for a long time. They resisted the urge to go out looking for her, fearing that their mother had abandoned them. They cried in bed for a good while before finally exhausting themselves to sleep. Some time after they drifted off to sleep, they woke up blearily, dreading that their mother would not be able toe in through the door when she returned. Xiaobao had removed the bolt from the door so that their mother would not need to knock when she came back. He could not remember exactly when he had fallen asleep again after worrying fretfully for the entire night. They did not know when she had returned either. Now that Mommy was lying down beside them, the children were dancing out of joy. They even wanted to jump up and down on the bed to express their happiness. Qi Qingyao gave each of them a kiss on the cheek. The four of them washed themselves up after they had risen. Then, Qi Qingyao went next door to call the other two over to eat. Weirdly enough, the two of them appeared from downstairs. Could they have gone to the toilet again? Well, it was normal to relieve oneself after waking up in the morning. She called the two to the room to have breakfast together. While they were eating, Qi Qingyao noticed that one particr man¡¯s eyes seemed to be fixed on Si Jin. However, Si Jin was still cradling his bowl obediently as he shoveled down the porridge in big gulps like the cutie he was. She realized recently that Si Jin loved rice and in porridge, so she would order ten bowls of rice every day and give a few extra bowls to Si Jin. He was like a little rice tub that would definitely mop up the grain! Jiang Yeqian¡¯s unblinking eyes that were fixed on Si Jin were cold and persistent. This ¡°affectionate gaze¡± touched Qi Qingyao to the point she was rubbing at her eyes. She thought to herself, ¡®Could some secret, adulterous things have happened between the two of them after sleeping in the same bed every night?¡¯ Being a very simple person, Si Jin seemed to have not noticed the oppressing gaze on him at all. He devoured threerge bowls of porridge in one breath before finally slowing down a little. Noting how much he had eaten in the morning, Qi Qingyao was shocked! What kind of ¡®exercise¡¯ had they been doingst night for him to be so ravished~? Hohoho~! After a while, Jiang Yeqian finally looked away before ncing at the pile of unprocessed herbs in the corner of the room. He then asked Qi Qingyao if she still needed them to carry out any tasks in the vige today. QI Qingyao firmly replied, ¡°There¡¯s no need. I want you two to stay here and keep watch of these herbs so long as they have not been sold. These are more important than my life! I will hang myself of a beam if someone were to steal them!¡± ¡°¡­¡± Jiang Yeqian was speechless. This woman always ced money over her life! Si Jin drank another bowl of porridge before licking his lips and putting down the bowl. ¡°Where do you n on selling these medicinal herbs?¡± Qi Qingyao paused at this question. She still had not figured out where she was going to sell them. After their meal, Qi Qingyao deliberately ran over to the next door. The scent of the medicinal herbs was not as thick here. When she saw the servant passing by with a pot of tea, she seized the opportunity and pulled at his sleeve and slipped him a bit of money. The servant¡¯s eyes lit up. They indulged in some histrionics before the servant stowed the money in his sleeves before immediately following Qi Qingyao into the room. He put down the teapot and Qi Qingyao immediately poured them both some tea as she asked in a courteous voice, ¡°Mister, I have a friend who recently stumbled upon a batch of quality medicinal herbs, ginseng and the like. She asked me if there were any ces here where she could sell them.¡± Chapter 166 - Koi Temple Ghost Market 1

Chapter 166: Koi Temple Ghost Market 1

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion ¡°It would be fine if you just passed it to a drugstore or pawn shop,¡± the servant replied as he looked at the beautifuldy, puzzled. Qi Qingyao pushed the tea bowl in front of the servant. She motioned for him to drink, then asked with a smile, ¡°It¡¯s because she¡¯s afraid that the drugstores and pawn shops will pay a very low price that she came to me for advice.¡± ¡°Are they very high quality?¡± asked the servant aptly. ¡°Very!¡± Qi Qingyao emphasized strongly. The servant looked at thedy¡¯s cheerful eyes and recalled smelling the scent of medical herbs when he had gone to deliver their food this morning. This friend she was talking about must be herself! So be it. Thisdy will have been living in this inn for close to a month in theing days. She was considered a regr of this inn and he always brought someone along to deliver her meals. Thedy also had three cute children and the little ones had recently been learning words in their room. They were obedient and not acting like brats at all.?One could tell they were thoughtful and respectful children from a nce! Not to mention, he had even gotten a tip from thedy just now, so it would not be good for him to say anything. The servant took a sip of the tea, calmed himself down then slowly spoke. ¡°Missy, do you not know that there is a ghost market nearby the Koi temple? It¡¯s held once every year.¡± Saying this, the servant looked behind him subconsciously. After determining that it was daytime and that there was nothing around him, he gulped inexplicably. Qi Qingyao did not fear the unknown. ¡°Ghost market. Isn¡¯t that just like a flea market that opens at night and closes in the morning?¡± ¡°Not quite¡­¡± The servant hurriedly shook his head. He nced at Qi Qingyao for a bit before cradling his forehead and saying, ¡°Missy, I can tell that you¡¯re a pretty ordinary person. Never mind, I think it¡¯s better if you don¡¯t go to that sort of ce.¡± ¡°Hm?¡± Hearing this, Qi Qingyao wondered if this was no ordinary ce. This servant could not possibly be talking about some red-light district either, right? She was too curious about this. Qi Qingyao said with a superficial smile, ¡°Mister, I¡¯m not the one attending, it¡¯s my friend. I¡¯m just here to help her make some inquiries.¡± The servant resolutely refused. ¡°Your friend shouldn¡¯t go either because that¡¯s a ce no human should ever go.¡± ¡°What are you talking about? A ce no human should ever go? Then do ghosts attend it?¡± Qi Qingyao asked back earnestly. The servant was rooted to the spot in shock. He looked around quickly then darted a look behind him again. After checking everywhere, he was still a little scared and put a hand behind him as he stroked his back. After making sure there was nothing unusual around, he gulped. These series of actions have, however, surprised Qi Qingyao. ¡°...¡± The two of them stared at each other. The servant then poured another bowl of tea. He downed the hot tea quickly before licking his lips and said, ¡°Haven¡¯t you already said it? Just pretend I said nothing.¡± The more Qi Qingyao heard him speak the more goosebumps she got. She patted the back of the servant¡¯s hand and spoke. ¡°Mister, just think of it as if we¡¯re listening to a story. Please tell me about the ghost market.¡± Saying this, she felt around for some taels in her bosom and ced them on the table. The servant looked at the money, paused, then pushed it back. He then poured another bowl of tea, drank a mouthful, and began to speak slowly. ¡°Seeing as Missy is a regr customer who¡¯s lived here for a while, I¡¯ll make an exception and tell you a bit about the ghost market.¡± Qi Qingyao nodded. She thought to herself. ¡®Ghost market? ¡®Why does it sound like a flea market?!¡¯ The servant whispered to Qi Qingyao in a secretive manner, ¡°I¡¯ve heard from others that there is a street near Bailong Temple that shows up once every year. There are wisps lining both sides of the street, illuminating the area. Also, there are all kinds of stalls lining the street. The things sold by these stalls are extremely rare like some valuable treasures, precious medical herbs, devil¡¯s wine¡­¡± Chapter 167 - Koi Temple Ghost Market 2

Chapter 167: Koi Temple Ghost Market 2

¡°Why does it sound so spooky and mysterious?¡± Qi Qingyao was also feeling a little scared now. ¡°That¡¯s because it really is,¡± the servant replied firmly. Qi Qingyao, ¡°¡­¡± The servant continued, ¡°It¡¯s said that those greennterns are ghostly mes created by the Koi God which are really powerful. On top of that, there will also be a lot of big shots from maind Jianghu lining up the sides who hade to sell their extra wares which are all priceless. If you have that many precious medicinal herbs, you can also sell them there.¡± The servant started gossiping more about the ghost market with Qi Qingyao although all of it was from hearsay. At first, Qi Qingyao thought the context of the story must have been developed from the Investiture of the Gods, or if not, it would have originated from novels about the supernatural like Strange Stories. To her surprise, Qi Qingyao realized that it was just a regr ghost market once the servant was done sharing the tales. The man was just a scaredy-cat! However, when she thought about it, there was a huge wall between regr people and those from Jianghu. They would never want to offend one of them and were simply content with spending their days peacefully. Those who frequented the ghost market were a bunch of problematic people from the maind who sold problematic items! The servant¡¯s cautious mannerism was simply because he was afraid the walls might have ears and others would eavesdrop, causing unnecessary trouble. The servant immediately got back to work after he was done talking. Qi Qingyao also went back next door. After closing the door and taking a seat, Qi Qingyao¡¯s expression looked deeply concerned. Jiang Yeqian poured her a bowl of tea and asked, ¡°Did you find out where you can sell the medicinal herbs?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Qi Qingyao looked at Jiang Yeqian, then at Si Jin. She stood up abruptly, nted both her hands on the table, and said firmly with an imposing expression on her face. ¡°Mine brothers.¡± ¡°Mine?¡± Jiang Yeqian repeated questioningly. ¡°Mine brothers! You two better get ready. We may have to risk our lives and face death to sell our wares this time.¡± Saying this, she drank the tea quickly and put the bowl back on the table heavily. She said resolutely, ¡°If we don¡¯te back, we can only ask for someone to bury us.¡± Jiang Yeqian, ¡°¡­¡± ??? Si Jin asked curiously as he ate popcorn, ¡°You¡¯re just selling some stuff. Where did you say you¡¯re going to sell them?¡± ¡°Have you heard of Tianmen Ghost Market?¡± Qi Qingyao asked mysteriously. ¡°I have,¡± Jiang Yeqian answered. Si Jin was silent but a smiling expression shed through his downcasted eyes. Qi Qingyao asked Jiang Yeqian, ¡°You really heard of it?¡± Jiang Yeqian repliedzily, ¡°On the eighteenth of the twelfth lunar month, Tianmen will organize a ghost market. There will be a golden bridge of ghostmps and the attendees of the ghost market will all wear koi masks as a sign of respect. Not only that, everyone who walks past the door will turn into fish in the eyes of others because of some optical sorcery, so their identities are kept secret. Everyone will leave once they¡¯re done buying and selling their wares. No one will know anything even if you made a fortune there. That¡¯s why plenty of people with precious wares prefer to sell them at the Koi God¡¯s ghost market since they can also get some of the good luck from the Koi God while they¡¯re at it.¡± After hearing this, Qi Qingyao was shocked. Eyes bulging, she said, ¡°What the f*ck, why did I spend money asking that servant if you already knew?¡± ¡°You never asked,¡± Jiang Yeqian coughed, pretending to be innocent. The children were seated at the side, peeking over at the grown-ups as they practiced their writing. They heard something about a ghost market and whatnot. The three little ones pulled back their necks simultaneously, feeling a little spooked. Si Jin sensed that Qi Qingyao wanted to go to the Koi Temple Ghost Market to sell her wares and his expression became odd. However, he said nothing. Chapter 168 - Koi Temple Ghost Market 3

Chapter 168: Koi Temple Ghost Market 3

For the next few days, Qi Qingyao waited for the eighteenth of the twelfth lunar month. She taught her children how to read as she concocted some poison with the medicinal herbs. Jiang Yeqian and Si Jin both returned to the vige to help out with work. After a few days of work, Qi Yuancheng¡¯s funeral was finally over. The atmosphere within the old Qi family became very gloomy. No one dared bring up the Eleventh Daughter¡¯s name, it was as if her name was something that brought misfortune. Qi Yuancheng¡¯s death was a huge blow to the old Qi family, especially to Qi Boli and Madam Wu. Madam Wu also no longer talked about trying to get money from Eleventh Daughter and Qi Boli had even less to say. As for Madam Guo, her days were spent with tears washing her face as she carried her children around. Madam Guo had been gossiping with the marrieddies in her neighborhood behind the scenes during her free time, talking about how everything was Madam Wu¡¯s fault and that it was Madam Wu who caused her husband¡¯s death. If it had not been for Madam Wu pressuring their family to demonize Eleventh Daughter, none of this would have happened. There was a rift between Madam Guo and Madam Wu. The once close mother and daughter-inw now no longer talked to each other. It was close to the new year¡¯s yet there was no ounce of festivity within the old Qi family. In contrast to the icy atmosphere of the old Qi family home, the vigers were looking forward to thepletion of the new house. The vige head and several neighbors would often go over to chat and joke around with the masters. The atmosphere was joyous and harmonious. It was finally the eighteenth day of the twelfth lunar month. Qi Qingyao was extremely excited when the first morning rays arrived. One moment she was tidying this, another moment she was taking care of that¡ªshe just could not sit still. Si Jin asked her if she was alright, if she was feeling under the weather, but Qi Qingyao shook her head and said that it was nothing of the sort. She was just excited! Si Jin gulped and looked down. After thinking for a moment, he took the initiative to tell Qi Qingyao, ¡°Sister, I¡ªI won¡¯t be going to the ghost market.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± asked Qi Qingyao. ¡°Because¡­¡± Si Jin thought for a moment but could note up with a reason. He could not simply say that he would bepletely different from the others if he were present at the ghost market, and that someone would recognize his specialty when the time came. He racked his brains for a bit before turning his head and spotting the children who were learning their words. With a sh of inspiration, Si Jin immediately said, ¡°The children will still be at the inn and I¡¯m afraid that they might run into trouble with no one to protect them.¡± Qi Qingyao epted this exnation. ¡°Then you can stay behind at the inn and take care of the children.¡± ¡°Alright~!¡± Si Jin smiled happily. Jiang Yeqian, who was leaning against the window, saw Si Jin smiling broadly as if he had just experienced a massive wave of relief. He could not stop his expression from sinking. He had gotten Bai Mei to run a background check on Si Jin, who still had not gotten back to him until now. That was not a good sign! If the Zhaixing Administration could not find any details about one singr person, that could only mean that the person was not a person at all. If they were an ordinary human, there was no reason why they would not have left any trace of themselves on the maind. Not only that, the youth in front of him did not want to go to the ghost market, which was a subtle clue. Could it be that he was not a human¡­ However, even if he was not, he could still walk beneath the sunlight during the day, which ruled out the possibility of him being some ghost, let alone some wild mountain gremlin. When the sun began to set, Qi Qingyao and Jiang Yeqian carried the goods and exited through the back of the inn before getting onto a carriage. The children and Si Jin stood by the window as they waved at the two outside the back door. Qi Qingyao also made a farewell gesture toward them and promptly boarded the carriage. Jiang Yeqian, who had donned the ox mask, was the designated driver. He set the carriage into motion and swiftly led them in the direction of Bailong Temple. Chapter 169 - Koi Temple Ghost Market 4

Chapter 169: Koi Temple Ghost Market 4

Sitting in the carriage alone, Qi Qingyao hugged her bundle and peeked at the medicinal herbs inside, her eyes shining. ¡®Oh yeah, I¡¯ll be a rich person once I sell you guyster!¡¯ The carriage was traveling quite fast and the road was bumpy, making Qi Qingyao quite sleepy. In a daze, she ended up drifting off to sleep. They arrived near the foot of the mountain where Bailong Temple stood. After Jiang Yeqian stopped the carriage, he knocked on the carriage door before swiftly hopping off the carriage and waiting for Qi Qingyao toe down. After not seeing anyone emerge after waiting for a while, he opened the carriage door. He found that the person inside had long fallen asleep, her limbs sprawled. She was even drooling. Jiang Yeqian immediately entered the carriage. He was about to wake her but suddenly could not help himself. He sat at the side and quietly watched her sleeping face for a while. This person¡¯s face was usually crafty but at this moment as they were sleeping, it looked quiet and serene. They looked like sleeping beauty. She. Seriously. Did not look like someone who has had three children. Fair and tender, just like a small porcin doll. Even her lips were pink¡­ Cough. When he realized that his gaze was wandering, Jiang Yeqian immediately withdrew it. He almost let out a light cough to dispel the awkwardness, but then wondered what he would do if he identally woke her up with his cough. So, he immediately quelled his urge. He thought about just sitting down and waiting for her to wake up, but could not help his gaze drifting toward the woman. Jiang Yeqian started contemting. The woman said she transmigrated to this current body and that the original her probably had not been married. She knew how to design buildings, how to treat patients, and was also knowledgeable about different kinds of medicinal herbs¡­ She was¡­ quite brilliant¡­ ¡­ Qi Qingyao felt that the carriage was no longer moving. She blearily opened her eyes and found Jiang Yeqian sitting by her side with a silly smile. That unnatural smile made it seem like he was immersed in some reminiscing, and it gave her such a shock that she sat up abruptly. Qi Qingyao rubbed her eyes and said, ¡°What are you smiling about?¡± Interrupted from his reverie, Jiang Yeqian lifted his gaze. Erasing his smile, he asked roughly as if in a bad mood, ¡°I wasughing at the fact that you drooled onto the floor!¡± Qi Qingyao wiped her mouth subconsciously. ¡®Oh, there really is some drool.¡¯ Jiang Yeqian put on his mask once again and got down from the carriage. Qi Qingyao followed closely behind and brought the tworge bags down. ¡°Is the carriage that far away from Bailong Temple? Why¡¯s the sky already so dark?¡± Qi Qingyao asked with surprise. Jiang Yeqian, ¡°That¡¯s because you slept so long.¡± Qi Qingyao was somewhat embarrassed and said nothing more. The two carried the things on their backs and walked toward the foot of the mountain where Bailong Temple was. The sky was darkening at a rapid pace and the wholend looked as if someone had sshed viscous ink over it. It felt like the darkness was soon going to consume their fingers. Qi Qingyao was just about to ask Jiang Yeqian something when the heavenly gate opened and she suddenly felt the dark clouds in the sky begin to part. A silver beam of moonlight shone from the cracks between the clouds. The moonlight was as bright as pure silver and it just so happened to shine down on a spot somewhere at the foot of the mountain. Under the dim moonlight, a dreamlike passageway suddenly appeared on the ground out of thin air. ¡°That, that, thatthatthat, that¡¯s the heavenly gate!¡± Qi Qingyao hastily dragged Jiang Yeqian along as she ran toward it. Jiang Yeqian quickly fished out the two masks he bought from the streets from his bosom. He hooked one onto her head. As for the other¡­ He took off his own ox-head mask and put on the koi mask. When they got closer, they saw plenty of people walking into the passageway before disappearing in an instant. Qi Qingyao also hurriedly pulled Jiang Yeqian to enter but Jiang Yeqian stopped her. ¡°Why are you dragging me?¡± Jiang Yeqian asked anxiously. Chapter 170 - Koi Ghost Market 5

Chapter 170: Koi Ghost Market 5

Jiang Yeqian asked somewhat angrily, ¡°Everyone¡¯s appearance will automatically change into one of a koi by the optical sorcery once they enter. How will you recognize me then?¡± ¡°Fair point,¡± Qi Qingyao said. Jiang Yeqian walked to one side. There was an old and crooked schrtree at the side with plenty of red silk ribbons tied to it. Jiang Yeqian grabbed one of the ribbons. After he walked back, he tied one end of the ribbon to Qi Qingyao¡¯s wrist and the other on his own. Qi Qingyao stared dumbly. ¡°What the heck is this for?¡± ¡°This red string has been blessed by the eminent monks of the Koi temple. We should tie ourselves to one so that you can still see me once we enter.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Is that so¡­ Should this be considered advanced or¡­ Thank goodness it was a red ribbon and not an ordinary red string. Otherwise, she would have thought that it was the red string of fate of the god of marriage. If that was the case, it might still be better for Qi Qingyao to earnestly allow him to tie himself to him. The moment they stepped through the heavenly gate, Qi Qingyao¡¯s jaw dropped in shock. ¡°Oh my god, is this ce just full of fish?¡± There was a road that looked like it was paved with broken gold pieces. It was embellished to look dreamy and under the moonlight, the whole ground was lined with even more golden zed light. Countless green spiritmps hung in the air on both sides, as if tens of thousands of ghosts were about to be reborn. Simply looking at them filled one with a sense of excitement. The streets were filled with¡­fish. They were all kinds of koi fish. Based on the drawings on each one of their masks, it was like the ¡°illusion¡± had turned them into some kind of koi fish. ¡°Didn¡¯t you just buy this mask from some random ce? Why would it have protection from optical sorcery?¡± Qi Qingyao turned to look at Jiang Yeqian confusedly. She then realized that she and the guy she was tied to were the only ones with koi masks. She could tell from his getup that he was indeed Jiang Bai. ¡°All the koi masks on the maind are from the five Koi temples. Namely the four koi temples and Bailong Temple!¡± said Jiang Yeqian. ¡°Huh?¡± So this is f*cking copyrighted? Like, they could not simply use this design lest they get sued? Jiang Yeqian said, ¡°Jiuli River is the only ce with koi fish in Northern Liang, let alone the entire maind. Also, only the koi fish in the Jiuli River can turn into dragons, as well as being the only ones with the legend of good luck. Don¡¯t tell me you didn¡¯t notice that there were more koi fish masks being sold in the temple fairs here despite the already massive pile of masks being disyed?¡± ¡°¡­¡± She did notice it but she merely thought it was a local specialty. Who would have known that this temple was producing official merchandise? Not to mention they were the kind that was restricted by copyright! Although she wanted to ask more about these koi masks, there were more pressing business matters. After looking around for a bit, Qi Qingyao said somewhat timidly, ¡°All the good ces have been upied. Looks like we can only go set up in some nook in the corner.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine, we can definitely sell everything off.¡± Jiang Yeqian nced at their goods. They were all extremely rare medicinal herbs. There was no way they would not be able to sell them. Qi Qingyao murmured, ¡°Console me then. If we can¡¯t manage to sell all of them, my n to buy a big house would go up in mes.¡± Jiang Yeqian, ¡°¡­¡± How straightforward! The two of them walked a long way to the back before choosing an unupied spot. Afterying down a piece of cloth, Qi Qingyao ced all of the medicinal herbs onto it, even sticking onbels meticulously. [A hundred thousand for everything] After sitting down for a while, Qi Qingyao held back the urge to wander around. Taking in their amusing situation with fish everywhere, she nudged Jiang Yeqian beside her and joked, ¡°Why do you think Si Jin didn¡¯t want toe here? It¡¯s so fun and everyone here is a fish! It¡¯s just too funny.¡± ¡°¡­¡± The good mood that Jiang Yeqian was beginning to develop immediately shattered. He was a little angry. Again with Si Jin. Here she was sitting down with him and selling their goods, yet her mind was still on Si Jin! F*cking hell! Chapter 171 - The Second Crock of Gold 1

Chapter 171: The Second Crock of Gold 1

Qi Qingyao pitied herself. An hour had already passed since she had finished setting up her stall, but the number of visitors still remained at zero. The long wait without customers made her feel as if she was practically rotting away. asionally some passer-by would stop and talk to the neighboring stallholders. As for her¡­ Her stall still had no visitors at all! Even though no one visited, she could not leave as she had to watch over her own stall. After some time, Qi Qingyao finally saw a strange person among all the ¡°fishes¡± that had passed her by. ¡°Jiang Bai, look there.¡± Qi Qingyao pulled on Jiang Yeqian¡¯s sleeve. Jiang Yeqian looked up and saw something interesting. He narrowed his eyes. ¡°Fascinating.¡± ¡°Why is that person the exception? I can see the cat that it¡¯s holding!¡± Everyone looked like ¡°fishes¡± to her, but the cat that the ¡°koi fish¡± was holding was visible to her. It was as if the cat was also affected by the illusion. It glowed a light gold color and Qi Qingyao could not perceive its original appearance. ¡°That cat is a special fortune cat.¡± Jiang Yeqian narrowed his eyes under his mask. ¡°This fortune cat and the Koi Fish God are of simr nature so, to hide itself within this ghost market, the cat is covered by a light gold-colored glow.¡± ¡°A fortune cat!¡± Qi Qingyao was so excited that her eyes were shining. ¡°Stop salivating over it!¡± Jiang Yeqian knew what she was thinking as soon as he heard the tone of her voice. ¡°That cat is very valuable.¡± ¡°So what? I can ask the ¡°fish¡± if he wants to sell the cat to me.¡± Qi Qingyao looked like she was nning to ask the cat owner. Jiang Yeqian: ¡°¡­¡± Thanks to the cat, he knew immediately who this man was. He was definitely Lu Yan, the son of Senluo Trading Company¡¯s owner, who was also the wealthiest man in Beiliang! Qi Qingyao had wanted to run over and ask the owner but, before she could do so, the man had walked far away from her. As she could not leave her stall alone, she had no choice but to sit down again. She waited for a while more. Someone finally came. They stood in front of her stall, looked through the disy for a while, and said three words, ¡°They¡¯re too expensive.¡± Qi Qingyao: ¡°¡­¡± Were they expensive? She had priced them at only a hundred thousand taels! All the herbs were very valuable too! After a while, another person came. ¡°Everything here is good stuff, but sadly they¡¯re too expensive.¡± ¡°Condorvine and Red Face Flower! Heavens! Sadly, they¡¯re too expensive.¡± Finally, someone stepped forward and asked tentatively, ¡°Can you sell it for cheaper?¡± Qi Qingyao¡¯s mind was set. ¡°A hundred thousand taels for everything. No discounts.¡± ¡°A hundred thousand¡­ It¡¯s too expensive.¡± That person left. Qi Qingyao: ¡°¡­¡± She was in disbelief. If she could not sell this bundle of herbs today, then she would not sell it anymore! ¡°Aren¡¯t all the people who visit the ghost market rich and powerful? Why are all of them so stingy? Could they really not have a hundred thousand taels at their disposal?¡± Qi Qingyao silently cursed. Jiang Yeqian asked, ¡°Did you think that it was a small sum?¡± ¡°¡­¡± It was not, but the people who visited this market should be able to afford it! Qi Qingyao insulted teasingly, ¡°Everyone here is broke!¡± Just when Qi Qingyao was beyond desperate, she sensed that the ¡°fishes¡± here were decreasing in number. It meant that many of them had managed to buy what they wanted and had left after that. The number of stalls was also decreasing. Qi Qingyao discovered that the man holding a golden cat was heading toward them. He had not left yet. Qi Qingyao could no longer hold it in. She said to Jiang Yeqian, ¡°Mr. Fortune Cat definitely has the money.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± He was the son of the wealthiest man in Beiliang! Of course he would have the money! ¡°Maybe I can promote my herbs to him and ask him if he would buy them,¡± Qi Qingyao said, thumping her chest. Chapter 172 - The Second Crock of Gold 2

Chapter 172: The Second Crock of Gold 2

¡°Don¡¯t go.¡± Jiang Yeqian pulled on her sleeve. ¡°Why not?¡± Qi Qingyao asked. Her sharp intuition was telling her that something was not quite right. Perhaps¡­ ¡°Do you know him?¡± ¡°No!¡± Jiang Yeqian said quickly. If he did not know the person, why would he stop her from going? Qi Qingyao put on her mask, her face the epitome of determination. Just as she was about to get off her chair, she discovered that the red ribbons around her and Jiang Yeqian¡¯s wrists were still there. When she asked Jiang Yeqian to untie hers, Jiang Yeqian shook his head in resignation, and cut them off with a pair of scissors. Qi Qingyao twirled her wrists for a bit and discovered that she could still see Jiang Yeqian. Then she got up. She swooped over to the man holding the cat with two quick steps. ¡°Hello you¡­ beautiful fish!¡± Lu Yan: ¡°¡­¡± Stupefied, he stared at the ¡°fish¡± that was half a head shorter than him and said nothing. Qi Qingyao¡¯s gaze fell on the cat. She said with a grin, ¡°Your cat looks expensive. You must be rich.¡± Lu Yan kept silent. Qi Qingyao said seriously, ¡°I don¡¯t wanna bother with guessing your identity. Bro, I have some condorvine, Red Face Flowers and some Hundred Spirit Fruits. Do you want them?¡± After he heard her mention condorvine and Red Face Flowers, Lu Yan¡¯s first reaction was: ¡°Where is your stall?¡± ¡°Are you really gonna buy them?¡± Qi Qingyao¡¯s eyes lit up immediately. This man with a fortune cat must be rich. She quickly pulled him toward her stall. ¡°Ah,e on, follow me.¡± Jiang Yeqian realized that Lu Yan wasing toward his direction along with his servants. The two of them had known each other when they were both in the capital. Although both of them looked like ¡°fishes¡± now, Jiang Yeqian did not want to interact with Lu Yan, as he had sharp eyes and Jiang Yeqian had no intention of being discovered. As such, he took a few steps toward the other stalls. The few servants followed behind their master, Lu Yan, carrying some boxes. Qi Qingyao pulled the rich man toward her own stall. She did not realize that Jiang Yeqian had left. She said, as if she was presenting her treasures, ¡°This is my stall.¡± Lu Yan petted his cat while looking at the pile of thousand-year ginsengs sold at the stall, the other herbs, and the hanging sign above that said ¡°a hundred thousand taels¡±. He thought, ¡®A hundred thousand taels of gold for all of these is quite a good deal.¡¯ Qi Qingyao realized that the rich man was spacing out. She quickly rmended, ¡°What if you buy everything? All for a hundred thousand taels! It¡¯s very cheap!¡± ¡°Sure. One hundred thousand taels then.¡± Lu Yan was about to have his servants haul the boxes full of gold and hand them over to her, but Qi Qingyao was already getting emotional. ¡°Wow, are you really going to give me a hundred thousand taels of silver? I¡¯m rich!¡± Lu Yan: ¡°¡­¡± Silver? Silver??? He asked, somewhat in disbelief, ¡°A hundred thousand taels of silver?¡± Qi Qingyao pouted. ¡°Ah, you! Did you think I was talking about a hundred thousand copper coins?¡± ¡°Sure, it¡¯s a deal. A hundred thousand taels of silver.¡± Lu Yan did not hesitate at all before taking out a huge pile of paper money from the inside of his clothes and throwing all of them onto her stall table. Qi Qingyao slumped on the table and quickly started counting them. Lu Yan had already ordered his servants to take everything away, including the piece of cloth on the floor. The process only took a few seconds. Lu Yan asked his men to leave the ghost market quickly. Qi Qingyao did not care why the rich man had left so quickly, as she was busy counting the money. She was happily counting when a ¡°fish¡± from the other stall called out to her seriously, sounding like an older man. ¡°Young girl.¡± ¡°How did you know I¡¯m a young girl?¡± Both of them were wearing masks! How did she look like a young girl to him? Chapter 173 - The Second Crock of Gold 3

Chapter 173: The Second Crock of Gold 3

¡°You look short, and there¡¯s also the way you speak, the tone of your voice, and¡­ This is your first time here at the ghost market, isn¡¯t it?¡± The older manughed. Qi Qingyao: ¡°¡­¡± He saw through her pretense and figured out that she was new to this. Damn it. The older man caressed his beard andughed harder. ¡°In this market, the unit of currency we use is gold, or gold coins rather. No one uses silver. You sold them for way too cheap!¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Qi Qingyao froze. ¡°The young man just now agreed to a hundred thousand taels. He must¡¯ve thought that you were talking about a hundred thousand taels of gold, but then you told him you wanted a hundred thousand taels of silver. He profited so much from this deal!¡± The older man continued to guffaw. Qi Qingyao: ¡°¡­¡± The old man continued to pour salt onto Qi Qingyao¡¯s wound. ¡°So many people came to your stall and were intimidated by the price because they assumed that you wanted a hundred thousand taels of gold, myself included. Who knew that you meant a hundred thousand taels of silver? That¡¯s dirt cheap!¡± ¡°Ahhhhh!¡± Qi Qingyao¡¯s paper money fell onto the floor. She held her head between her hands and started to wail painfully. Jiang Yeqian walked over and patted her head. He reassured, ¡°It¡¯s fine. At least you¡¯ll know to avoid that next time.¡± Qi Qingyao looked up, about to cry. She wiped away non-existent tears and said pitifully, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me earlier?¡± ¡°I also assumed that you wanted a hundred thousand taels of gold,¡± Jiang Yeqian retorted. ¡°Can you me me though? I was only away for several seconds and you had already run your mouth. If you didn¡¯t, Lu¡­ That man would¡¯ve given you a hundred thousand taels of gold.¡± ¡°Lu?¡± Qi Qingyao narrowed her eyes. Jiang Yeqian fumbled. ¡°That loser who passed by.¡± Qi Qingyao harrumphed. She looked all around, only to discover that the person with the cat had already left. Of course he had. He got so much out of the deal! Of course he would leave rather than wait here for her to catch up and wail about it to him. Qi Qingyao picked up the notes silently. After she counted them, she walked toward the exit. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to browse the ghost market?¡± Jiang Yeqian asked. Qi Qingyao said crossly, ¡°No, I am not! I lost so much money! The currency here is gold coins too. Gold! What would I use to trade? I¡¯m poor!¡± Jiang Yeqian: ¡°¡­¡± ¡°C¡¯mon, let¡¯s go home.¡± Still angry, Qi Qingyao stuffed the notes inside her clothes and tookrge strides outside. She thought about what had happened as she walked and¡­ She started to cry. ¡°Sob¡­¡± She wiped her tears as she bawled. In the eyes of the patrons of the ghost market, she looked like a koi fish that was crying hard and using its fins to wipe its tears. It made for a hrious sight! After they left the ghost market, Qi Qingyao took her mask off and continued to bawl. Jiang Yeqian hurriedly took out a handkerchief for her to wipe her tears. ¡°Don¡¯t cry.¡± ¡°I want to!¡± She looked so sad that it almost seemed like she had lost her father. ¡°I lost so much and you won¡¯t even allow me to cry! Wahhhhh!¡± Jiang Yeqian pulled her toward the carriage. She was crying all the while which, in the dead of night, where one could barely see the tips of one¡¯s own fingers, sounded quite terrifying, like that of a crying ghost. Jiang Yeqian could only haul her up, mumbling, ¡°The way you¡¯re crying, other people would probably think that I¡¯m bullying you.¡± ¡°You did! You didn¡¯t remind me¡­ You didn¡¯t stop me¡­ Wahhh¡­¡± She slumped on his back and kept on crying like a child. ¡°Okay, okay. Everything will be fine after you cry for a while.¡± Jiang Yeqian walked quickly to the carriage with her on his back. ¡°I don¡¯t wanna! I will cry till the day where the heavens fall and the earth rends! My money! Wahhhh!¡± She punched his back hard as she cried. Jiang Yeqian did not know if he should cry orugh. Chapter 174 - The Second Crock of Gold 4

Chapter 174: The Second Crock of Gold 4

When they reached the carriage, Jiang Yeqian tossed Qi Qingyao into it and they drove back toward the inn. When they reached the inn, Qi Qingyao¡¯s eyes were so swollen that they looked like walnuts. They entered their room and, seeing her like this, Si Jin asked anxiously, ¡°What happened? Did someone bully you?¡± ¡°No.¡± Qi Qingyao slumped on the bed. She held the sleeping children in her arms and continued to cry. ¡°Wahhhhh¡­¡± Dabao and Erniu were still sleeping soundly. Xiaobao, on the other hand, was a light sleeper. When he was woken up by his mother¡¯s crying, he held Qi Qingyao and patted her back reassuringly. He asked her,fortingly, ¡°Mother, what happened? Who bullied you?¡± Jiang Yeqian lightly swept the snow off his clothes. He said, ¡°No one bullied her. She herself said the wrong thing, which caused her to sell her goods ten times cheaper than they should have been. That¡¯s why she¡¯s sobbing like that.¡± Xiaobao paused. He pouted while holding his mother. ¡°Ten times? She really should cry for a while.¡± She did not end up selling everything for just ten thousand taels, did she? On the other hand, Si Jin was quite calm. ¡°Who¡¯s the other party? Do you know them?¡± Qi Qingyao came back to her senses. She wiped her reddened eyes and said pitifully, ¡°He¡¯s a man holding a cat that glowed gold. Definitely a guy.¡± ¡°Are you done crying?¡± Jiang Yeqian asked. ¡°Nope.¡± Qi Qingyao puffed her cheeks out crossly. She hugged Xiaobao, who was now fully awake. ¡°My child, it was the worst! I sold my goods too cheaply! Wah! Our big house! Our freshwater pond! Our hot springs! Our delicious meals! Wah¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± Xiaobao stifled the urge tough when he saw his mother¡¯s crying face. Mother looked strong all the time, but was cute when she was crying. Looking at Qi Qingyao, who was bawling terribly, Si Jin asked Jiang Yeqian, sounding cross, ¡°Weren¡¯t you there?¡± ¡°She was too quick. She said ¡°silver¡± herself. Before I could stop her, the other party paid and left. I¡­¡± Jiang Yeqian felt a little guilty, but as he spoke, he suddenly realized something. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t reprimand me. You weren¡¯t even there.¡± Si Jin was not fazed. ¡°I was looking after the kids.¡± Qi Qingyao turned back and looked at Jiang Yeqian with a teary face. Jiang Yeqian coughed softly and asked, pretending to be serious, ¡°Are you done crying?¡± ¡°No!!¡± The rims of Qi Qingyao¡¯s eyes were red. She said viciously, ¡°Wait till I figure out who bought my stuff! I¡¯ll get even with him someday!¡± Jiang Yeqian said lightly, ¡°You can¡¯t get even with that person.¡± Qi Qingyao was shocked. ¡°Ah! So you do know him!¡± Jiang Yeqian pretended to be calm. ¡°I don¡¯t. His cat is expensive, so the person holding it must either be wealthy or powerful. He must have many powerful men guarding him. You¡¯re a woman who doesn¡¯t know martial arts. How are you gonna get even with him?¡± Qi Qingyao: ¡°¡­¡± He had a point. Jiang Yeqian continued, ¡°The man is holding a fortune cat too. That cat¡¯s quite useful. It helped its owner save a lot of money.¡± Hearing that, Qi Qingyao felt sad again. She was so angry that she punched the walls and eximed, ¡°Wahhh! I want a fortune cat too!¡± Si Jin walked over and patted Qi Qingyao¡¯s back. ¡°It¡¯s okay. Don¡¯t cry. Maybe you will get to know the man with a cat soon.¡± Qi Qingyao wiped her eyes. ¡°Hope so!¡± It would be nice if she really could meet the person who scammed her. Chapter 175 - The Second Crock of Gold 5

Chapter 175: The Second Crock of Gold 5

That night, Qi Qingyao keptinning for a while before falling asleep with Xiaobao in her arms. Si Jin and Jiang Yeqian left the room. They even remembered to close the door after them. When they were about to return to the next room, Jiang Yeqian stared at Si Jin intently with mirth in his eyes, as if he was waiting for him to leave. Si Jin was not fazed. He flew out from the window calmly and disappeared. Jiang Yeqian followed after him. He did not hide himself in the process. He wanted to know where Si Jin ran off to every night. However, as always, Si Jin disappeared after turning the second junction. Jiang Yeqian was furious. He plucked a leaf from a tree and blew. After a while, a woman d entirely in ck appeared. Bai Mei knelt down on one knee. ¡°Boss.¡± ¡°I asked you to investigate someone. Have you gotten any results?¡± ¡°No, Boss.¡± Bai Mei ¡®s voice sounded heavy when she said those words. They had found nothing at all. This made her feel helpless. Jiang Yeqian took a deep breath. He suppressed the urge to reprimand his useless subordinate and said in his deep voice, ¡°What have you found so far?¡± ¡°Si Jin, male, eighteen years old. Unknown origins. Likes to eat rice, but dislikes meat. Qi Qingyao¡¯s littleckey. Great at carpentry and knows how to kill wild boars. Every night, he will disappear from the inn. Where he goes remains unknown. The men we sent after him have all failed to track him,¡± Bai Mei said. Jiang Yeqian: ¡°¡­¡± Bai Mei: ¡°¡­¡± Jiang Yeqian once again took a deep breath and resisted his urge to kick Bai Mei over to the wall. He said hoarsely, ¡°I had you investigate him and this is all you have?¡± Bai Mei lowered her head. ¡°We¡¯re working on it.¡± ¡°And this is the result of your work?¡± His soft voice wasced with murderous intent. ¡°¡­¡± Bai Mei subconsciously retracted her neck. Jiang Yeqian knew that Bai Mei was not to be med. He had tailed Si Jin over the past few days and had not discovered anything either. It was a given that the other agents would not be able to find anything. However, this still made him angry. He could not help but exim, ¡°This is how low we have fallen¡­¡± Bai Mei felt wronged. ¡°Boss, this has been the only exception. His origins are hard to find.¡± They had sent out hundreds of men, but failed to obtain anything on him. Jiang Yeqian said, ¡°Ah, whatever. I¡¯ve not been present recently and didn¡¯t manage you well. Now all of you are investigating one person and have sent many agents after him, but somehow you know less than I do.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Bai Mei lowered her head, her face red with shame. When Jiang Yeqian was about to turn back and leave, Bai Mei suddenly said, ¡°Boss, the State Preceptor might start having doubts if you do not return to the capital.¡± ¡°Assume that I¡¯m dead then,¡± Jiang Yeqian said harshly, and continued, ¡°You can stop investigating this person for now, lest you embarrass me.¡± ¡°Yes, boss.¡± ¡®Is the boss not nning to return to the capital? Does he want to stay in this inn forever?¡¯ Bai Mei thought. Jiang Yeqian saw that Bai Mei had no ns to leave. ¡°What are you still doing here?¡± ¡°Boss¡­ I have something to say,¡± Bai Mei said. ¡°Say it,¡± Jiang Yeqian replied. ¡°As the Head Grand Secretariat, if you don¡¯t make an appearance, either alive or dead, it won¡¯t be just the State Preceptor starting to question things. The Emperor might also send someone after you,¡± Bai Mei said, gritting her teeth. Jiang Yeqian narrowed his eyes. ¡°Did Zhao Xin ask you to say that?¡± ¡°No.¡± Bai Mei shook her head. She said carefully, ¡°I just have a question. You haven¡¯t lost your memories, so why are you pretending that you have while staying beside this woman named Qi Qingyao?¡± Jiang Yeqian was speechless. He actually did not know the answer to her question. Right. He had put aside his responsibilities as the Great Secretariat. He had shrugged off his position as Master of the Zhaixing Administration. Why was he still with Qi Qingyao? Chapter 176 - The Second Crock of Gold 6

Chapter 176: The Second Crock of Gold 6

At the moment, the reason was unclear. It was simply that he did not really feel like leaving. Jiang Yeqian tried to mention offhandedly, ¡°She saved me.¡± Bai Mei said, ¡°Then it should be enough to just give her somepensation.¡± Jiang Yeqian¡¯s gaze was deep and bottomless. His maic voice was tinged with a murderous aura as he growled, ¡°Bai Mei, are you interfering with my business?¡± Bai Mei immediately said, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dare. I just don¡¯t understand why Master would want to serve amon vige girl instead of making use of your blessings. After all, you are so superior and are our highly esteemed master of the Zhaixing Administration as well as the Head Grand Secretariat of Capital City in Northern Liang.¡± Jiang Yeqian could no longer go through his current motions the way he wanted to since Bai Mei had expressed her doubts so openly and bluntly. After contemting for a moment, he said, ¡°She is connected to the Godly Physician Su Hexiao as well as the Master Architect Li Qinglian.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Light shed across Bai Mei¡¯s eyes. As the Head of the Zhaixing Administration, Jiang Yeqian naturally knew that the Administration was known for its intelligence gathering. However, there was some information that even they were unable to obtain¡ªsuch as the whereabouts of Su Hexiao and Li Qinglian. ¡°Do you think I would need to investigate her myself if you were able to obtain information about her? Are you stupid?¡± ¡°I recognize my mistake.¡± Of course, Bai Mei heard from the few old masters who were currently building Qi Qingyao¡¯s house in the vige that the house might have something to do with Master Architect Li Qinglian¡¯s blueprint. It seemed that the Master had put himself in a difficult situation and was suffering alone quietly to investigate Su Hexiao and Li QInglian¡¯s disappearances. ¡®Oh Master, you¡¯re suffering now because of my ipetence.¡¯ After Bai Mei left, Jiang Yeqian returned to the room andid on the bed. Qi Qingyao¡¯s sobbing face suddenly appeared in his mind. Other women were still beautiful when they cried; only she would cry like a child without a care for her image. She was really, really¡­ Really just like an idiot. ¡­ The next morning. Jiang Yeqian and Si Jin had nned to help out again at the worksite but Qi Qingyao said, ¡°Can you two bring the children to the vige to y? They¡¯re going to lose their minds if we keep them cooped in this room.¡± The children heard that they were given permission to y and were quite happy. Dabao in particr was already whispering to Si Jin about how he wanted to buy tanghulu. Erniu also said she wanted some. Only Xiaobao thought to himself silently that he did not want to eat tanghulu like a child. Instead, he would bring his book, Thousand Character ssics (6th-century poem used as traditional reading primer) and learn more words. ¡°Will you not be going?¡± asked Jiang Yeqian. Qi Qingyao cradled her forehead and pointed at her dark eye circles. ¡°I¡¯m not in the mood. I want to get some rest in my room for a bit.¡± Xiaobao looked at Qi Qingyao longingly before he left. ¡°How much did Mommy lose?¡± ¡°It was initially ten thousand gold but she sold it for ten thousand silver,¡± Jiang Yeqian said quietly. ¡°¡­¡± Xiaobao gulped and swallowed the words he was about to say back into his stomach. Dabao blinked and whispered, ¡°That definitely is a huge loss.¡± Qi Qingyao sighed. ¡°If I had sold it for ten thousand gold, we would have already been able to buy a big mansion in Qingzhou City.¡± ¡°Definitely a ginormous loss,¡± Xiaobao whispered embarrassedly. Jiang Yeqian hurriedly carried Xiaobao and Dabao and went downstairs. Si Jin had Erniu sitting on his shoulders. They also made sure to close the door when they left. Alone, Qi Qingyao walked toward the window and leaned over the window sill, savoring the cool air. Seeing that snow was beginning to flutter down outside the window, she sighed, her expression scrunched. ¡°Ah, from ten thousand gold to ten thousand silver just like that. It¡¯s all because of my stupid mouth.¡± Chapter 177 - The Richest Man in Northern Liang 1

Chapter 177: The Richest Man in Northern Liang 1

With nothing better to do, Qi Qingyao went to bed again. Lying in bed during a winter day was sofortable that she ended up getting some nice, rejuvenating sleep. She could even feel the dark eye circles on her face subsiding a fair amount. When she woke up, she suddenly realized how lively the corridor had be¡ª people were moving to and fro when she went out to call the servant to deliver some food. When the servant came to her room with the food, Qi Qingyao asked, ¡°Mister, I see that the number of customers is increasing.¡± ¡°We get a lot of people this time of the year. Not to mention that with the Tianmen Ghost Market ongoing, some of the customers have be penniless after purchasing their goods and can no longer afford to stay in the more luxurious rooms, so they have to switch to other inns. As for those who got rich after selling their wares, they¡¯de to our inn. They¡¯d wait for the morning of the first day of the new year before rushing to the Koi Temple to light the first incense.¡± The servant was named Yang Xiaoxun and specialized in serving those in the luxury rooms. Qi Qingyao pondered a bit before fishing out a copper cash and giving it to the servant. ¡°Mister, is there anyone who has a cat in their arms amongst those who came to stay here?¡± ¡°Cat?¡± After the servant took the money, he smiled tteringly and replied, ¡°Yes, a few of them even.¡± ¡°A few?¡± To think there actually would be. She was merely asking for the heck of it. She racked her brains for a bit, thinking about the koi phantom fromst night. She was trying to make a guess of the person¡¯s identity and asked, ¡°Is there anyone who looked noble and was wearing expensive clothes?¡± Jiang Bai had been right¡ªwith how rich this person was, they definitely would have dressed well. ¡°The few guests with cats all looked noble.¡± After saying this, the servant then added embarrassedly, ¡°Miss, just so you know, those whoe to our inn are those who can afford a luxurious stay. Basically all of them were dressed luxuriously.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Qi Qingyao¡¯s lips twitched. She was not discouraged and after thinking for a little more, she switched the topic and asked, ¡°Did any of the cats look special? Like, you¡¯d be able to tell that the cat was expensive the moment you saw it!¡± ¡°Now that you mention it, there indeed was one!¡± A very special cat. ¡°Is there so? Let¡¯s hear it then,¡± Qi Qingyao said with a smile. The servant began describing vividly, ¡°There¡¯s a guest who looks androgynous and quite pretty. But the person wore men¡¯s attire so they should be a guy, an extremely handsome one. He was carrying a cat that was so fat you could tell it was fed well from just a look. Its entire body was snow-white, and only the fur on its left ear was golden. It¡¯s really cute! A charmingly naive look.¡± ¡°Which room is that guest in, mister~~~¡± Qi Qingyao¡¯s eyes were open wide and round, shining as she looked at the servant expectantly. ¡°Seeing that you¡¯re a familiar face, I¡¯ll tell you secretly.¡± Rightfully, no information about the guests of the luxurious rooms should be simply leaked out. However, if the woman was likely to bump into them in the hallway anyway, this would not necessarily be considered a breach of information. The servant whispered as he pointed simply in some direction, ¡°It¡¯s the room at the end of the corridor.¡± Qi Qingyao thanked the servant and gave him another small tip of copper cash. After she was done eating and the servant had cleaned up the dishes, Qi Qingyao crept out of the door of her room and in one breath, sprinted toward the room. This was quickly followed by¡­ ¡°Knock knock knock-¡± The sound of the knocks on the door was like rolling thunder. A moment passed before someone answered the door. A man dressed like an attendant appeared. He looked at the beautifuldy outside the door curiously. Then, he very politely asked. ¡°May I know who you are?¡± Qi Qingyao stretched her neck, trying to peek into the room, ¡°I¡¯m looking for that guy who was carrying a cat.¡± This was followed with confusion. ¡°Do you have business with my master?¡± ¡°I want him to give me my money back.¡± Qi Qingyao felt her spirits rising all of a sudden. Chapter 178 - The Richest Man in Northern Liang 2

Chapter 178: The Richest Man in Northern Liang 2

The attendant asked, ¡°My master owes you money? Please give me the IOU and I¡¯ll settle it at once.¡± Qi Qingyao blinked and scratched her head. ¡°There¡¯s no IOU.¡± ¡°Then how is there a debt?¡± the attendant asked inexplicably. Just as the attendant was about to ask Qi Qingyao to leave, a pleasant male voice sounded from inside the room. ¡°Please ask thedy toe in.¡± Qi Qingyao sauntered into the room after pushing the attendant who was blocking the door aside, eager to settle the score as soon as possible. A censer of pleasant-smelling sandalwood was burning in the room. The scent was so heavy it filled the entire room. Hmm. ¡®This is someone who really knows how to enjoy life. ¡®They were just living in this inn¡­¡¯ She rounded the screen. ¡°Alright, you¡­¡± Just as Qi Qingyao was about to begin her interrogation, she saw the man sitting on the arhat bed, leaning against the satin backrest with his back on the pillow. His ck hair hung like ck silk, his entire being in anguid recline. A particrly chubby white cat wasying in his arms. It looked like azy thing and somewhat fat. Its left ear was indeed golden and very special. There were a few white agate dishes wound with silk on the small y-stove table beside him. There were fried noodles and chicken rolls, deep-fried dough, crab and tofu skin buns, and cotton cake made with lotus root. Looking at it was enough to whet one¡¯s appetite. This was not yet over. On top of the multicolored table outlined with gold on the side was a golden te, a white jade bowl, an amber cup, and a zed cup¡­ a dazzling brocade dotted with green jade and iid with gold. Qi Qingyao¡¯s eyes were almost blinded. There were all kinds of steamed and fluffy honey treats, a delicacy of bear paw, rare fruit butter, seaweed steamed with pears, and high-quality wine was also prepared. The smell of sandalwood along with the delicious food left Qi Qingyaopletely at a loss of where to look. ¡®Eh. ¡®That bed. ¡®It¡¯s mahogany! ¡®And the chairs are made of golden phoebe zhennan wood. ¡®F*ck. ¡®These are expensive. ¡®Hold on a minute, since when was the window reced with a cbash window? ¡®Weren¡¯t all the windows of the inn made of kraft paper soaked in tung oil? ¡®Damned rich man!¡¯ After wasting a couple of minutes staring, she eventually moved her gaze from the pile of expensive ythings to the man¡¯s face. Her first impression was that the person should be a guy. However, his eyes were as beautiful as the flowers of spring! No wonder the servant had thought that he was a woman. He was disgustingly beautiful. Qi Qingyao gulped. ¡°My lord, you are¡­ insanely handsome!¡± She almost called him beautiful! She did not wait for him to reply before saying again, ¡°In which vige and from which individuals did you get your hair styled? It¡¯s just too pretty.¡± Lu Yan frowned. Looking at the empty-headed woman, he spat, ¡°If you have something to say, spill.¡± ¡°You are the cat hugger who bought all my medicinal herbsst night, aren¡¯t you?¡± Qi Qingyao asked in a calm andposed manner as she hugged her arms and reinforced her imposing manner. ¡°Oh?¡± How interesting¡ªhe had not expected that person to be a littledy! A beautiful one at that. ¡°You probably knew that I sold them short yesterday night, didn¡¯t you?¡± Qi Qingyao asked evenly. ¡°I don¡¯t know you.¡± Lu Yan narrowed his brows lightly. Flustered and exasperated, Qi Qingyao eximed, ¡°¡­You! You¡¯re lying through your teeth!¡± The attendant approached and said, ¡°Miss, my master is the young master of the Senluo Chamber of Commerce, why would this be a lie? We weren¡¯t lying when we said we have never met you. One, you don¡¯t have an IOU. Two, you have no proof of the load. You insist that the master owes you money but you¡¯re actually the one lying through their teeth. If you continue to spout nonsense, I will have the officers arrest you.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡®Fine. ¡®I¡¯ll let you have this victory.¡¯ Qi Qingyao knew that she would probably not get the money even if she asked for it today. The ghost market was just like a bank¡ª¡±We hold no responsibility beyond the counter¡±. Not to mention, everyone had donned the koi illusoryst night so there was no way to identify who the opposite party was. The ghost market¡­ made her want to punch someone. She went there for the first time, without any experience! Falling victim to the scam was on her for not being familiar with the rules. She could only ept the situation. Chapter 179 - The Richest Man in Northern Liang 3

Chapter 179: The Richest Man in Northern Liang 3

¡®Wait a minute, putting aside how rich the Senluo Chamber of Commerce might or might not be, just the furnishings in this room alone are worth hundreds of thousands of taels of silver!¡¯ Qi Qingyao looked at the man in front of her. The man looked back at her. The two of them stared at each other for a while. Qi Qingyao once again confirmed that this was the man who bought her medical herbsst night. They were definitely not going to admit that now, however¡­ ¡°Hahahaha.¡± Qi Qingyaoughed a bit, then casually sat on the other side of the y-stove table and grabbed a few of the cakes before popping them into her mouth. ¡®Ah damn, these are really good.¡¯ The attendant was strongly considering dragging the woman away. Lu Yan waved his hand, indicating for the attendant to not worry. After eating a few bites, Qi Qingyao said, ¡°I didn¡¯te here to ask you to return my money.¡± Lu Yan raised his eyelids and looked at the woman who waspletelycking in manners. ¡°Then why has thedye?¡± Qi Qingyao popped a crab and tofu skin steamed bun into her mouth in one bite. Her expression was serious but she was unable to hide her excitement as she spoke. ¡°Are youcking grandchildren?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Or daughters? I¡¯m willing to have you as my dad,¡± Qi Qingyao blinked as she spoke in a kind tone. ¡°Father?¡± Lu Yan mulled over the word. Qi Qingyao thought for a moment, before adding on seriously, ¡°You can be my grandfather too, that¡¯s fine by me. As long as you¡¯re willing to take me as your god grandchild!¡± Lu Yan¡¯s expression instantly turned dark. ¡°Woman, I¡¯m not married.¡± Getting to know one more god grandfather meant getting one more path in life! In one stride, Qi Qingyao walked to the opposite side of the y-stove table and sat down, side by side with the beautiful person¡¯s shoulder. Expression solemn, she said very seriously, ¡°Grandfather, why don¡¯t you just acknowledge me? Look at me, I don¡¯t look half bad, right? I¡¯m rather pretty! Your reputation would not suffer if I was your grandchild. You won¡¯t have to suffer any losses.¡± Saying this, she even patted Lu Yan¡¯s leg. The attendant faltered and boomed, ¡°Woman, if you spout any more nonsense, be warned that we¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough. Since this grandfather would like to rest, you, grandchild should also leave for now. Go find something to upy yourself¡­¡± Qi Qingyao dared not wait till someone came to chase her off. Grabbing a few more cakes, she rushed out, hooting as she went. After the woman took off like a tornado, the attendant, who knew his master¡¯s temperament well, disposed of the mattress and the sardonyx dish containing the cakes into the g bucket. As he was cleaning up, he said, ¡°Master, we¡¯vee across a lunatic.¡± ¡°Haha.¡± Lu Yanughed as he petted the fortune cat on hisp. The attendant sighed. ¡°There are so many unusual characters in this rural town. I¡¯ve only seen people who had vied to be master¡¯s concubine or those who wanted to be the young mistress. Never have I seen someone who wanted to be your grandchild!¡± ¡­ After Qi Qingyao returned to her room, she finished the few cakes. When the time came for the afternoon meal, Qi Qingyao asked mysteriously when the servant entered through the door, ¡°Mister, do you know the name of the person who lives in the room at the corner?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Missy. I don¡¯t know either,¡± the servant said as he scratched his head. Qi Qingyao contemted deeply for a moment. ¡°Then, do you know what the Senluo Chamber of Commerce is?¡± The servant gasped before finally saying, ¡°The Senluo Chamber of Commerce is the number one chamber ofmerce in Northern Liang. They have countless estates and shops under them, including the Yongchang Bank. The Senluo Chamber of Commerce is basically the millionaire of Northern Liang! ¡± ¡°¡­¡± Qi Qingyao was stunned. After being in a daze for a long time, she asked again, ¡°Then, why is mine a normal window while theirs are cbash windows when that room and mine are both luxury rooms? They even have a multicolored table outline with gold, a mahogany bed, and a golden phoebe zhennan chair! The discrepancy is a bit too much, mister. This is discrimination!¡± Chapter 180 - The Richest Man in Northern Liang 4

Chapter 180: The Richest Man in Northern Liang 4

¡°That¡¯s not the case, Missy.¡± The servant was not sure whether he shouldugh or cry and exined, ¡°That guest brought his own window sill and table, including the tables and the chairs. He had a few carriages worth of luggage! I heard from the servants that their master was used to that kind of thing since he was young.¡± Qi Qingyao, ¡°¡­¡± How loaded! He was definitely unmatched. It seemed that this grandpa she wanted to get to know was simply too rich. No wonder he was the millionaire of Northern Liang. It was night. After Jiang Yeqian and Si Jin brought the children home, they saw Qi Qingyao sitting by herself at the dining table, smiling like an idiot. The dishes had all been prepared and she was just waiting for everyone to return so that they could begin eating. After Si Jin sat down, he began consuming the white rice frantically like usual. The children used their chopsticks to not-too-skillfully pick the dishes for themselves. To ensure that they would not simply poke around the dishes, Qi Qingyao put a few pieces of braised pork as well as chicken feet into their bowls for them to gnaw away at. Jiang Yeqian did not touch his chopsticks. He just stared at her smiling face, vaguely sensing that her mood was incredibly good. Something definitely happened today. He questioned. ¡°What are you smiling about?¡± ¡°I met the Head Grand Secretariat just now.¡± Qi Qingyao was rather forting. ¡°Head Grand Secretariat¡­ what Head Grand Secretariat?¡± Jiang Yeqian was surprised, almost dropping the bowl he had just picked up. He hurriedly tightened his grip on the bowl and carefully turned to look at her. ¡°And where did you meet this mighty Head Grand Secretariat?¡± ¡°In the room at the edge of the corridor.¡± Qi Qingyao simply pointed somewhere before she rubbed her jaw and sighed, ¡°The richest person (1a)* in Northern Liang is just on a whole other level, he¡¯s truly admirable. Thank goodness I was quick about it and immediately acknowledged him on the spot and called him my god grandfather. He will be my god grandfather whether or not he acknowledges me in the future.¡± ¡°The Head Grand Secretariat (1b)* of Northern Liang couldn¡¯t possibly be in that room. The man is definitely a phony,¡± Jiang Yeqian said firmly. The corners of his lips fell into a straight line. He was sitting right here. Could someone actually have the nerve to pretend to be the Head Grand Secretariat? Not to mention, she had even recognized them as her god grandfather? In that case, your god grandfather was right in front of you! Qi Qingyao looked at Jiang Yeqian¡¯s suddenly troubled expression with surprise and said without any hurry, ¡°What do you mean a phony? He already admitted he was the young master of the Senluo Chambers of Commerce. Not to mention he was definitely carrying a cat. How could he possibly be a phony?¡± Jiang Yeqian was stumped. ¡°Ah, you¡¯re referring to the richest person.¡± Qi Qingyao was speechless. ¡°What did you think I said?¡± Jiang Yeqian, ¡°No¡ªnothing, the wealthiest man in Northern Liang is definitely Lu Yan, then.¡± Qi Qingyao paused for a moment before looking at Jiang Yeqian with a superficial smile, ¡°So, you do know who he is.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Jiang Yeqian lowered his head and dug into his meal, saying nothing. ¡°Lu, Loo, Lieu. How is his Lu spelled? What about Yan?¡± Qi Qingyao wondered. Jiang Yeqian was silent for a moment but eventually said, ¡°It¡¯s L-U, and Y-A-N!!¡± ¡°Lu Yan.¡± Qi Qingyao chewed over the person¡¯s name when she recalled the gorgeous furnishings in his room again. ¡°He¡¯s called Lu Yan, huh. He has a nice name and is good-looking. His hair¡¯s fabulous and he has a cat too! His family is also the richest in Northern Liang. He really won in life!¡± ¡°¡­¡± Jiang Yeqian had just taken a bite of rice but he could not chew or swallow. Gaze steady and silent, Jiang Yeqian took in Qi Qingyao¡¯s smitten expression as she praised Lu Yan. Her expression was as if she had met her dream paramour. It ignited a me within him. A really big one. The heck did she even mean by his hair was fabulous? ¡°This golden goose is definitely mine to hold! To hell with his willingness, Little Yan will be my grandfather in the future!¡± Saying this, Qi Qingyao even turned to remind her children, ¡°You three, make sure that when you see a beautiful man with a super fat white cat next time, you call him great grandfather!¡± ¡°~~~¡± They were having a great grandfather so soon? The children nodded as they ate. Qi Qingyao added, ¡°This great grandfather is exceptionally rich!¡± Their eyes shining, the little fes who finally swallowed their mouthfuls of rice cheered, ¡°Alright~ Mommy!¡± Since Mommy said that great grandfather was really rich, who was to say that he would not give them a mansion with a living pond! So, the next time they see him, they would definitely be nice and respectful. Trantor¡¯s Note: In Mandarin, the characters for 1a and 1b are homonyms which led to the confusion when Jiang Yeqian thought she was referring to the Head Grand Secretariat when she was referring to the richest person instead. Chapter 181 - The Richest Person in Northern Liang 5

Chapter 181: The Richest Person in Northern Liang 5

Jiang Yeqian could not stop the twitching of his lips when he thought about how Lu Yan was already inexplicably regarded as her grandfather. ¡°Why don¡¯t you just volunteer to be his concubine,¡± he said sourly. ¡°Look at you, what a profiteer.¡± Qi Qingyao pursed her lips and said, ¡°With this reputation of mine, this reputation¡­as someone who has had children out of wedlock, who would even be willing to make me their concubine?¡± Jiang Yeqian, ¡°¡­¡± She was quite self-aware. ¡°He is the richest person around here, he can¡¯t possibly becking women if he wanted them. As if there aren¡¯t plenty of women with their individual beauty!¡± Qi Qingyao continued eating as she exined her reasoning to everyone. Jiang Yeqian honestly just wanted toin. ¡°But still, to be his granddaughter!¡± ¡°What I¡¯m referring to when I say that is simr to his descendants. Or better yet, his distant grandchild(1)!¡± Qi Qingyao said, full of self-confidence. ¡°You¡¯re willing to be a distant grandchild of his?¡± She could even say this so confidently. Smile palpable, Qi Qingyao said, ¡°There¡¯s no loss in being the grandchild of the richest person. Anyways, he will already be my grandfather the next time I meet him!¡± Jiang Yeqian, ¡°¡­¡± There was no way Lu Yan would acknowledge her as his grandchild considering his astute personality! He was just waiting for her to be turned down now. Who knows, maybe Lu Yan¡¯s attendant might even give her a good beating next time. Beside Qi Qingyao, Si Jin was hanging onto her every word and even began doing some thinking himself. He mused, ¡°I wonder if this rich man would be willing to have more than one grandchild. I want to be his grandchild too.¡± Qi Qingyao rejected him without any hesitation, ¡°No, you¡¯re too cute, what if he turns you into his prostitute? You need to know that these rich people are really perverted, they eat you up regardless if you¡¯re a guy or girl!¡± Jiang Yeqian, ¡°¡­¡± ¡®Prostitute? Perverted? Eat you up regardless if you¡¯re a guy or girl? How was she so sure about these things? Could she have heard this while she was hiding under Lu Yan¡¯s bed? Hold on, could this situation have been rampant back in her vige?¡¯ Hearing all this, Si Jin gulped and banished the thought. He definitely could not let himself be turned into some prostitute by these men. He still needed to keep his purity for Sister! He was hers. Qi Qingyao stroked her jaw, her expression deep in thought. ¡°But Little Yan is seriously too handsome.¡± She licked her lips as if savoring the memory after saying this. Jiang Yeqian retorted unconsciously, ¡°Is he even as good-looking as me?¡± Qi Qingyao turned and nced at him before looking at the divinely beautiful Si Jin beside her and said slowly. ¡°Compared to the both of you¡­¡± How should she put this? After pausing for a moment, she said, ¡°He has a different kind of beauty!¡± Having been praised like that, Si Jin smiled extremely sweetly. Jiang Yeqian¡¯s lips were tight, his face void of expression as he mocked coldly, ¡°Since you like to ride on the coattails of others so much, you should mooch off the Head Grand Secretariat in Capital City. He is a talented person and also well-dressed.¡± ¡°Schrs are the most troublesome. I absolutely hate schrs!¡± Who cared about the Head Grand Secretariat! As if anyone wanted to ride that man¡¯s coattails! ¡°It¡¯s called being cultured,¡± Jiang Yeqian corrected her. Qi Qingyao felt it to be beneath her. ¡°How is he cultured just because he knows a bit of the eight-legged essays (2) and some lines to the four forms of poetry? If he were really intelligent, he would understand astronomy and geography, as well as quantum mechanics. My idols are Einstein and Newton!¡± ¡®Einstein? Newton? Who the heck were these people?¡¯Jiang Yeqian scoffed, ¡°What did schrs even do for you to hate them so much?¡± ¡°They didn¡¯t actually do anything to me, and I don¡¯t really hate schrs either. Among all the schrs, I love Li Bai the most! Li Bai is my idol! I¡¯m just not that interested in that Head Secretariat you mentioned! I have no interest in the person you¡¯re talking about.¡± Trantor¡¯s Notes: This term is meant in a derogatory way that is based on the power distance between the individuals. Eight-legged essays is a style of essay one had to master to pass the imperial exams in Ming and Qing dynasties. Chapter 182 - The Richest Person in Northern Liang 6

Chapter 182: The Richest Person in Northern Liang 6

Qi Qingyao was talking as she ate. Gleefully, she added, ¡°I¡¯m an ordinary and cliche person. And I like money! That¡¯s why Little Yan is my grandfather.¡± Jiang Yeqian remained discontented as before. ¡°The Head Grand Secretariat is also quite rich.¡± ¡°Do you know the Head Grand Secretariat or something?¡± Qi Qingyao could not help but turn to look at Jiang Yeqian who had been speaking on behalf of the Head Grand Secretariat in such a curious tone. ¡°No, I don¡¯t.¡± Jiang Yeqian¡¯s lips were slightly parted. ¡°Then, why do you keep speaking up for him?¡± She was beginning to find this strange. ¡°That¡ªthat is because I think schrs are really cool.¡± Jiang Yeqian racked his brains as he shared his answer. ¡°How filthy!¡± Qi Qingyao rolled her eyes, ¡°A head grand secretariat must be dirt poor!¡± Jiang Yeqian was just about to retort when Qi Qingyao added, ¡°If he were rich, that means he¡¯s corrupt and has definitely epted a lot of bribes.¡± Jiang Yeqian, ¡°¡­¡± Qi Qingyao noted his gaze that expressed that he was not to be outdone and thought to herself, ¡®Could this be that this guy never had the chance to study and that¡¯s why admires schrs so much?¡¯ Qi Qingyao consoled him. ¡°There¡¯s no need for you to worship the Head Grand Secretariat. What¡¯s there to worship about these poor officials? Look at the richest guy! He is the one with the cash at home. He never has to worry about food or clothes, and is also clever enough to not get involved in court disputes. He is only focused on getting money! As long as he doesn¡¯t take a step out of ce, he¡¯ll be the pir of Northern Liang¡¯s economy!¡± ¡°¡­¡± Jiang Yeqian was speechless. He devoured his meal vehemently! Night time. In the room at the end of the corridor. A man with his long hair simply tied with a white ribbon and a lucky, fat cat in his arms, was looking at Dong Jing who had just entered as he ran his fingers through the cat¡¯s fur. ¡°Did you find anything?¡± He opened his eyeszily, disying a sense ofnguid idleness. Dong Jing respectfully passed the information over to his young master. Lu Yan flipped through the document. ¡°Qi Qingyao, a citizen of Linquan Vige in Baishui Town. Gotten pregnant out of wedlock and gave birth to triplets¡­¡± Lu Yan could not help but frown just reading up till this point. The furrow of his brows became even tighter when he reached the end of the document. Lifting his ck eyes, his gaze was somewhat cold. ¡°Is she actually rted to Master Li Qinglian and Su Hexiao?¡± Dong Jing hurriedly looked down and exined, ¡°This was gathered from Heir Pei¡¯s side. We had intentionally sent someone there to gather news. Heir Pei had indeed been treated and cured by her. The prescription they got was indeed Su Hexiao¡¯s. There is no mistake.¡± ¡°We have also looked into her connection with Master Li Qinglian. She¡¯s currently constructing a small building in Linquan Vige. Despite the size of the area being only a thousand square feet, there¡¯s a lot of mechanisms and doorways within the building. We redrew some of the blueprints and got some masters to appraise them. There is no mistake that this work was done in Master Li Qinglian¡¯s hand.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Lu Yan casually tossed the report to the side. His right hand was stillbing the cat in his arms. The white cat¡¯s eyes were partly squinted as itid in its master¡¯s arms unctuously. It had even stretched out its tongue to lick at its master¡¯s fingertips. Lu Yan paused before lowering his head to throw it a look. Seemingly embarrassed, the white cat retracted its tongue and hurriedly syed itself out on hisp in an obedient and cute manner. Dong Jing continued, ¡°Master, if you really bought the Red Face Flowers as well as the Lark Fruits and Condorvines from the woman, then she is definitely not a book we should judge by its cover.¡± ¡°¡­¡± To be able to harvest Red Face Flowers, Lark Fruits, and Condorvines that were usually difficult for ordinary people would indicate that she may be a powerful individual. Not to mention she now also seemed to be connected to Su Hexiao and Master Li Qinglian. He, Lu Yan, was not interested in Su Hexiao. However, his elder brother was. He was personally quite interested in Master Li Qinglian. That man was the generation¡¯s greatest master architect. He was thinking of inviting the talented architect to design him an attached mansion! It seemed that¡­ He could not do anything but ept this grandchild of his. Chapter 183 - The Richest Person in Northern Liang 7

Chapter 183: The Richest Person in Northern Liang 7

Old Man Zhang and his family had recently been living in their uncle¡¯s house. The situation in their uncle¡¯s home was also far from reassuring. Their son had died while the daughter-inw ran away with their grandson. His two daughters had been married off and hisnd had also been won over by a squire. The old uncle, now a half-dead man, would lie on the y-stove all day, only asionally going over to his brothers¡¯ homes to have meals together. His life was spent rather meaninglessly. The old Zhang family moved in without any problems given the circumstances. However, not only did they have to serve their old uncle this month, but they also had to take care of daily expenses. How could the life-saving amount of two taels of silver be enough to cover their spendings? They also had to spend some ten copper-cash for their uncle¡¯s trip to the doctor¡¯s and buy his medicine. Their days were getting more and more distressing. Zhang Tieyuan was sitting by the window as he gazed out at the snowy sky, his expression not revealing his thoughts. Zhang Tiezhu noticed his father¡¯s state and shouted, ¡°Dad! ¡°I haven¡¯t touched a drop of alcohol at all these few days.¡± Seeing that Zhang Tieyuan had returned to his senses, Zhang Tiezhu hurriedly added, ¡°You didn¡¯t gamble either.¡± Zhang Tiezhu somehow felt that his father who had lost everything had also aged 10 years in just a month. ¡°I, I¡¯ve thought about it. I won¡¯t gamble anymore, so that we can spend our days peacefully.¡± Zhang Tieyuan was feeling a lot of guilt in his heart which was why he now said this very unconfidently. Zhang Caixia, who had just walked through the door, nced at her father-inw¡¯s frightened appearance and was so angry she spat, ¡°It¡¯s easy to say that we¡¯re just living peacefully. Do you really n on living under someone else¡¯s roof forever? Dad! We don¡¯t even have a house, we¡¯ve lost everything. How can we even start over? Our home has been ruined by you.¡± The usually aggressive Zhang Tieyuan did not dare to retort as he was scolded by his daughter-inw at this moment. He lowered his head silently. He abruptly changed the subject after a moment of pause, ¡°You, when do the both of you n on having grandchildren?¡± ¡°Forget it!!¡± Zhang Tiezhu had not even said anything but it was the furious Madam Zhang who replied first. Zhang Caixia wiped her tears, saying, ¡°Why would we be having children when we can¡¯t even feed or clothe ourselves now, Dad! Have you gone mad? Do you think we are not miserable enough? If we have a child, what is the baby going to eat or drink? Where will they live? Don¡¯t tell me you want them to live like us, under the charity of others?¡± Once again, Zhang Tieyuan fell silent. Typically, Zhang Tiezhu would give his wife a stern word when she vented her frustration on her father-inw. However, Zhang Tiezhu was also silent now. He let his wife curse his father out. Zhang Cuiyun walked in and noticed his father and sister-inw¡¯s miserable appearance. She walked up to them and suggested through gritted teeth, ¡°Dad, why don¡¯t we go home and beg Eleventh Daughter. We can cut off our hands and then get our house back.¡± Zhang Tieyuan¡¯s eyes shone for a moment. Madam Zhang was unexpectedly silent. Zhang Tiezhu had also fallen into deep contemtion. They began to seriously consider this possibility. ¡­ Qi Qingyao heard from Si Jin that it was only a few more days before the house wasplete. Si Jin and Jiang Yeqian had been bringing the children into the vige these few days. Xiaobao was left alone at home as he learned his words. As for Qi Qingyao, she had been sprawled on the bed sleeping! ording to her, she needed to seriously contemte her next step in life. Seeing his mother sleeping through the entire day, Xiaobao was very worried. ¡°Could Mommy have gotten sick?¡¯ She was always sleeping till noon! Then she would grab all kinds of tools and also wood and iron to work on god knows what in the corner of the room at night. Xiaobao, who had been learning and practicing his words, turned around and saw Qi Qingyao just getting up and changing her clothes. His eyes were watery and he rather pedantically frowned and said, ¡°Mommy, you don¡¯t sleep at night and can never wake up in the day. It¡¯s not good for your body.¡± Qi Qingyao did not know whether tough or cry about the fact that she had gotten this little baby worried about her¡­ Chapter 184 - The Richest Man in Northern Liang 8

Chapter 184: The Richest Man in Northern Liang 8

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion After Qi Qingyao had herself cleaned up, she asked the waiter to bring food. Once she and Xiaobao had their meal, Qi Qingyao asked with concern, ¡°Are you full?¡± ¡°I¡¯m full,¡± Xiaobao put down the bowl obediently. ¡°Go and practice your writing since you¡¯re full,¡± Qi Qingyao urged. ¡°What about Mommy?¡± Xiaobao looked at her sneaky appearance at the door curiously with wide eyes. She looked like a thief. Peeking through the gap in their room door, Qi Qingyao said quietly, ¡°Mommy is keeping watch of the room at the end of the corridor. Your god great-grandfather lives in that room!¡± God grandfather? Was mother talking about that wealthy god grandfather? That he was the richest man around or something. Qi Qingyao sighed. ¡°Recently, I have only seen a few attendeesing in and out, but I haven¡¯t seen Little Yan entering or exiting the room. I wanted to have a chance encounter with him but it¡¯s impossible.¡± Xiaobao, ¡°¡­¡± ¡®So Mommy wanted to wait for god grandfather toe out~!¡¯ Qi Qingyao sat beside the door gap, waiting and waiting. After waiting for two hours, she finally noticed that there was somemotion in the room at the edge. The door. It was opened again. A few attendees first walked out, followed by a very luxuriously dressed young man in a jade-colored long robe and a white fur coat, who looked exceptionally rich and suave! His appearance screamed ethereal grace and beauty and his almond eyes seemed to glisten with silver stars. The lucky cat in his arms still had that very spoiled expression as itid in the owner¡¯s armszily. When Lu Yan finally reached her door and was about to pass by it, Qi Qingyao opened the door immediately, her expression casual as if saying ¡°the weather today is really good¡±. ¡°Hey, isn¡¯t this our Little Yan?¡± The corners of her lips curved into a particrly calm smile. ¡°What a coincidence, you are also taking a walk downstairs to help your digestion.¡± Lu Yan, ¡°...¡± It seemed like she was waiting for him! Though what did she call him just now? Little what? Qi Qingyao made a show of looking at his expression, then blinked and pretended to be puzzled, ¡°Grandfather, why is your face twitching, are you on your monthly?¡± Dong Jing did not expect his master to be obstructed by someone. He clenched his fists and said politely, ¡°Miss, please don¡¯t simply go around identifying people as your grandfather.¡± ¡°I did not simply go around acknowledging someone. Little Yan agreed to it, right?¡± Qi Qingyao was iming kinship easily. ¡°Little Yan?¡± Lu Yan¡¯s face could not help but twitch for a second. Dong Jing retorted angrily on the spot, ¡°How can you call my master that! Don¡¯t act like you¡¯re well associated with my master! Please address him as Master Lu respectfully!¡± Unsatisfied, Qi Qingyao smiled wickedly, ¡°I¡¯m just gonna call him Little Yan, I dare you to bite me!¡± ¡°Miss!!¡± Angered, Dong Jing pushed Qi Qingyao slightly. Qi Qingyao¡¯s posture had already been sloppy, her legs crossed so she was thrown off bnce easily. She naturally fell to her left after having been pushed by Dong Jing. However, she reacted fairly quickly and immediately caught Lu Yan¡¯s... clothes, which were in front of her! Then. They were pulled down to the side heavily. With such a fall, Qi Qingyao was thoroughly thrown into a daze. Qi Qingyao supported her waist as she got up and felt an inexplicable chill down her neck. She thought to herself, ¡®Not good, there¡¯s murderous intent!¡¯ Jiang Bai and Si Jin were not with her. If someone were to try to get rid of her now, she would be done for! Qi Qingyao got up, raised her eyes, and was about to beg the person who was going to kill her to spare her. However, she was instead greeted with... She had tugged on Lu Yan¡¯s belt and pulled it to the side, resulting in Lu Yan¡¯s belt beingpletely undone. His clothes were scattered. His trousers had fallen to his ankles, revealing long, thin, pale legs, and a pair of tighty-whities! The situation had suddenly be extremely embarrassing! Qi Qingyao quickly loosened her grip from the jade-coloured belt. She raised her hands, forming a surrendering posture. ¡°Ah, I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t mean it!¡± However, even as she said this, her eyes were staring at Lu Yan¡¯s legs! The attendees were also stunned for a bit. What did this woman do! She¡­ how dare she!! No one in Northern Liang had ever dared treat their Master like that. Lu Yan¡¯s mouth tightened, ¡°This woman!¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m so sorry...¡± She apologized honestly and sincerely. However, her eyes still would not stop staring at the legs of the richest man of Northern Liang! After Dong Jing regained his senses, he quickly picked up the belt that Qi Qingyao had yanked. ¡°Master, let¡¯s go back to the room first and change your clothes.¡± Lu Yan quickly lowered his head and lifted his pants. He turned around and went back to the room as swiftly as wind and thunder. Qi Qingyao was the only one left in a mess. ¡®Why did I even pull down his pants... I didn¡¯t mean to. ¡®It was. ¡®An ident!¡¯ After bringing Dong Jing and his attendees back to the room, Lu Yan changed his clothes. He gritted his teeth and said, ¡°I will never be her grandfather.¡± Dong Jing, ¡°??¡± Did his master actually consider being her grandfather? ... Qi Qingyao was fidgeting and pacing in her room after returning. She thought that Lu Yan must have ordered someone to kill her soon. He was the richest man and he was not short of money. Hiring an assassin to kill her was easy! The more Qi Qingyao thought about it, the more it felt like things were falling apart. Xiaobao asked curiously, ¡°Mother, what¡¯s wrong with you?¡± Qi Qingyao walked over. Hugging Xiaobao on herp, she gulped and said shamefully, ¡°I identally did a wicked thing just now.¡± ¡°What wicked thing?¡± Xiaobao asked, though already thinking to himself, ¡®Mother, haven¡¯t you already done a lot of wicked things?¡¯ Qi Qingyao¡¯s dark pupil¡¯s widened. With some embarrassment, she said, ¡°I identally took off your grandfather¡¯s pants!¡± Xiaobao, ¡°...??¡± ¡® Huh? ¡®Whose pants¡­¡¯ Chapter 185 - The Richest Man in Northern Liang 9

Chapter 185: The Richest Man in Northern Liang 9

Lu Yan, who had changed his clothes, had a beautiful and clear-eyed appearance. The little white cat leaped calmly andnded on his shoulder. Lu Yan ordered, ¡°Go, buy this inn for me! Then chase out that woman and anyone rted to her.¡± Dong Jing swallowed his saliva. He immediately turned around to leave after receiving the order. Lu Yan added, ¡°No, buy all the inns in Baishui Town for me! I want this woman to live on the street!¡± Dong Jing was taken aback. He quickly said, ¡°Master, what if they don¡¯t want to sell it¡­¡± ¡°If they¡¯re not selling it, double the price. If they¡¯re still not selling it, just add more money until they¡¯re willing to sell it!¡± He said it in a wealthy and overbearing tone. ¡°Yes, Master!¡± Dong Jing hastened to execute the order¡­ The owner of the Longmen Inn heard that the young master of the Senluo Chamber of Commerce wanted to buy his inn, and was offering a very high price. So, he sold it instantly, because even if the ownership was sold, he would still be managing the inn. There would just be an additional backer in the future, and there was nothing wrong with it. As Qi Qingyao was struggling silently in her room, the door was knocked. She walked over and opened the door. The waiter greeted her and said embarrassedly, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, miss. The inn was bought, and the new owner said that he won¡¯t allow you to live here anymore.¡± ¡°Who could be so ck-hearted?¡± Qi Qingyao was surprised. Standing behind Qi Qingyao, Xiaobao mumbled softly, ¡°Mother, it must be grandpa.¡± After all, Mother just said that she took off his pants! He was the richest man of Northern Liang. Vengeance would surely be executed. Qi Qingyao put her hand on her forehead. ¡°Lu Yan that bastard, it was just your pants being stripped off. If you¡¯re such a big man, why are you so petty!¡± Waiter, ?? Whose pants did this girl strip off? ¡°Wait here, I¡¯ll go and reason with him.¡± Qi Qingyao made a ¡°pause¡± gesture to the waiter. She then rushed toward the room at the end of the corridor. The waiter tilted his head down and looked at Xiaobao while the kid looked in the direction of his mother with a worried expression. Qi Qingyao walked to the door and pped on the door heavily. She did not care about the stares that the patrons were giving. She yelled into the door calmly, ¡°Lu Yan, get the hell out.¡± ¡°You are bold enough to do the deed, but you don¡¯t have the courage toe out, don¡¯t you?¡± After a while, Dong Jing opened the door. Expressionless, he gave Qi Qingyao a look with a hint of disgust and reluctantly led her in. Qi Qingyao saw at a nce that Lu Yan, who had already changed his clothes, was sitting indolently on the arhat bed with a light expression. ¡°What is thedy looking for?¡± ¡°You deliberately bought the inn just to drive me out! You are too petty.¡± Qi Qingyao said with a smile. There was not the slightest anger on her face. ¡°Lu Yan is indeed that petty a person. Now that you know, hurry up and leave¡± The tone was particrly cold and harsh. Qi Qingyao was still unabashedly calm as she said, ¡°No, I won¡¯t leave even if I die.¡± Lu Yan squinted his eyes slightly. The corners of his lips curled up in an extremely vivid arc, ¡°If you don¡¯t leave, I will ask someone to drag you out and throw you into the streets.¡± ¡°Hey, you are so¡­¡± Qi Qingyao thought to herself, ¡®Are rich people always so not magnanimous?¡¯ ¡°Is it because I identally took off your pants?¡± Qi Qingyao waved her hands, gesturing toward Dong Jing and several entourages unhurriedly, ¡°You three get out first!¡± Dong Jing, of course, did not give her a pleasant attitude. In fact, there was even a little contempt in his expression. Their eyes werepletely saying, ¡®You think you can order us to go out?¡¯ Qi Qingyao said with aposed expression, ¡°I¡¯m going to take off my pants and show it to your Master, but you guys can watch it together if you want to.¡± Dong Jing, ??? What! It seemed that the few entourages were also unable to respond for some time. Chapter 186 - The Richest Man in Northern Liang 10

Chapter 186: The Richest Man in Northern Liang 10

Lu Yan waved his hand, gesturing for Dong Jing and the others to leave first. He wanted to see if she really dared to walk the talk! He did not believe that she would. Dong Jing and the other servants left, closing the door behind them. After the door was closed, Qi Qingyao started to unfasten the cloth around her waist calmly, as if she was about to take all her clothes off. Lu Yan wrinkled his brow at the sight. ¡°Miss!!!¡± ¡°Ah, stop whining. I saw your legs, so I¡¯ll let you have a look at mine! Then we¡¯ll be even!¡± The cloth around Qi Qingyao¡¯s waist was already undone when she said that. Just as her clothes were about to fall, Lu Yan said exasperatedly, ¡°Wait!¡± ¡°Hm?¡± Qi Qingyao looked up. ¡°You¡¯re a woman!¡± Lu Yan said from behind gritted teeth. ¡°I am.¡± Qi Qingyao did not know what he was implying. ¡°You¡¯re a woman, so you should preserve your dignity,¡± Lu Yan said with a frown. Qi Qingyao shrugged. She said casually, ¡°I¡¯m a woman, so I¡¯m very generous. I saw your legs, so I¡¯ll let you see mine, and we¡¯ll be even. I¡¯m not like certain men who would pick on other people just because they saw their legs! Don¡¯t you agree, Little Yanyan?¡± ¡°Stop!¡± The cloth dropped to the floor, and Lu Yan was finally at his limits. He said, ¡°Stop untying it!¡± He was not interested in the legs of a married woman at all! Qi Qingyao grasped her clothes so that they would not slip to the floor and said in a deliberately pitiful voice, ¡°But you drove me out of the inn because of this¡­¡± ¡°I won¡¯t drive you out anymore,¡± Lu Yan snapped. Qi Qingyao pressed excitedly, ¡°Then have you also decided to be my grandfather?¡± Lu Yan¡¯s voice was as cold as ice. ¡°Do you still want me to drive you out?¡± ¡°No, no, no. I¡¯ll take my leave now.¡± Qi Qingyao grasped at her clothes while she knelt down to pick up the fallen cloth. She then quickly tidied herself up and tied the cloth around her waist. Only after that did she give Lu Yan a nod and walk out of the room unhurriedly. Dong Jing and the others were confused. After they saw the woman walk out with her appearance mostly clean, they quickly entered the room. They noted that their master did not seem to be on the lower end concerning the situation. However, their master looked annoyed, and so they said carefully, ¡°Master?¡± ¡°Whatever. We¡¯re not going to drive her out now.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Dong Jing did not know how to describe what he was feeling right now. Hang on, did Master look at the woman¡¯s legs, felt that they were even now, and thus decided not to drive her out of the inn? Dong Jing reminded him, ¡°But we¡¯ve already bought this inn.¡± Lu Yan seemed to not have heard him. He was still cursing, ¡°I have never seen such a shameless woman in my life!¡± Dong Jing: ¡°???¡± Did Master hear him or not? So they would not need to buy the other inns, would they? After Qi Qingyao returned to her room, the servant looked at her questioningly. As expected, the innkeeper told the servant that he no longer needed to drive the woman out. The servant was quite happy at this, as the woman was quite good-looking. She made for a good sight, as far as he was concerned. The innkeeper said that the man who lived next to them was the young master of Senluo Chamber of Commerce. The servant knew about the Senluo Chamber of Commerce; it was the biggest and greatest chamber ofmerce in Beiliang. They were extremely wealthy. The family behind Senluo Chamber of Commerce had thest name Lu, probably. How did the woman and the man with a cat know each other, anyway? She had offended Young Master Lu, who bought the inn in response. Now, she had said something to him, which made him decide against driving her out of the inn. How¡­ Strange. That night, after Jiang Yeqian and Si Jin brought Dabao and Erniu back to the inn, the children looked as ravenous as someone who came back to life after dying of starvation. After drinking a bowl of chicken soup, they started on the roasted chicken. Si Jin sat beside them, eating rice from his bowl. Jiang Yeqian, who was rather observant, noticed that Xiaobao had a smile on his face. ¡°Anything interesting today? You¡¯re smiling.¡± Qi Qingyao said gleefully, ¡°Maybe it¡¯s because I identally took Lu Yan¡¯s pants off, which almost made him drive us out of the inn. I ran to apologize to him, and tried to take my own pants off so that he could have an eyeful.¡± Jiang Yeqian, ¡°???????¡± Chapter 187 - Someone’s Playing Matchmaker 1

Chapter 187: Someone¡¯s ying Matchmaker 1

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Jiang Yeqian grasped Qi Qingyao¡¯s arm, nearly knocking over Qi Qingyao¡¯s bowl in the process. She fumbled and caught the bowl, and then looked at him, an aggrieved look in her eyes. Jiang Yeqian¡¯s voice was cold and stern. ¡°Make yourself clear!¡± ¡°I did.¡± Was she not clear? She said it clearly! Qi Qingyao was confused. She swept his hand away calmly and continued to eat. Jiang Yeqian was agitated. ¡°H¡ªHe, he looked at your legs!¡± Qi Qingyao said calmly while she ate, ¡°Why are you so surprised? I¡¯m a woman who has children, so when I tried to let him see my legs to make things even, he didn¡¯t want to! He let me go just like that! But I saw his, haha! I have the higher ground over him!¡± Jiang Yeqian calmed down somewhat. He cast his eyes down and said softly, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that you have no shortage of men? Why did you pull his trousers down, then?¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t on purpose.¡± Following that, Qi Qingyao started to boast about the incident to Jiang Yeqian and Si Jin, exaggerating from start to end. After she finished, Jiang Yeqian waspletely calm again. Ah, so that was what happened. After Qi Qingyao finished her story, she patted Jiang Yeqian¡¯s arm. ¡°Hang on, in retrospect, why are you so surprised? So what if I saw a man¡¯s legs? Why are you acting like a virgin? Would you feel indebted to someone if they saw your legs?¡± Jiang Yeqian felt fury rise up in him at the sight of Qi Qingyao¡¯s calmness. ¡°I¡¯m done!¡± He promptly left his seat and returned to his room. ¡°Hey¡ª¡± Qi Qingyao did not manage to pull him back. She watched as the man mmed his chopsticks on the table and left. She quickly pulled her stool aside, away from the children. Then she asked Si Jin, ¡°What happened today? Did you bully him?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t. He yed with Dabao and Erniu all day, while I worked with the other carpenters!¡± Si Jin was already starting on his third bowl of rice. Qi Qingyao asked dubiously, ¡°Then why did he throw a tantrum?¡± Si Jin shook his head. ¡°No idea.¡± Dabao and Erniu, too, looked confused. They looked at their mother, full of questions. Qi Qingyao shrugged. After Jiang Yeqian returned to his room, he sat down, feeling like there was something lodged in his chest, suffocating him. He did not understand. Why would a woman be so uncaring all the time and identally pull someone¡¯s trousers down? It was idental, yes, but then she wanted to get even, and even attempted to pull hers down in the process. Lu Yan did not look, fortunately. If he had¡­ Wait. Was such brashnessmonce in her ¡°hometown¡±? Jiang Yeqian felt his temple throb. He felt more agitated than ever. He opened the window and let the cold wind blow on his face. As if he wanted it to wake him up. After some time passed, Jiang Yeqian still felt agitated. He decided to pull on his Ox-head mask, and then he flew out from the window. When Si Jin returned to their room, he discovered the room was empty. Whatever. He left from the window, as usual, and returned to the Jiuli River for a swim. After Qi Qingyao had her dinner, she asked the servant to make some treats. She remembered that Jiang Bai had not eaten much, so she took some treats to his room, lest he starved to death. However, no one replied when she knocked on the door. She looked at the dark room. It was so early in the night. It was not possible that both of them had gone to sleep already. After some consideration, she kicked the door open. The wind that blew in from the window was so cold Qi Qingyao shivered. Chapter 188 - Someone’s Playing Matchmaker 2

Chapter 188: Someone¡¯s ying Matchmaker 2

The room was as cold as an ice cer. Uh¡­ Under the moonlight, Qi Qingyao¡¯s gaze swept over the beds, and noted that they were neat, like they had not been slept on. Then she looked at the open window. Qi Qingyao¡¯s face sank. The past few days, she often happened across the two men by the stairwell. They would smell of the morning dew; it was obvious that they had not just woken up and that they hade back from outdoors. The excuses they gave were that they had gone to the toilet, or that they had gone out for a walk. Shoddy excuses, in general. She had not bothered to think too much about it, believing their words. Now it seemed like¡­ They were not in the room every night. D*mn it, why did she book two rooms, then? Did it look like she had extra money to spare? Qi Qingyao was so furious she almost had the servant cancel the booking for this room, but she managed to resist the urge in the nick of time. She stomped back to her room, carrying the treats. Xiaobao was still reading. He saw that his mother was furious, and so he asked tentatively, ¡°Mother?¡± Qi Qingyao set the te on the table. ¡°Eat.¡± Dabao and Erniu, the two little greedy children, quickly slumped on the table. Dabao asked with concern, ¡°What happened, Mother?¡± ¡°You might not understand what I¡¯m going to say, but this might be very important.¡± Qi Qingyao caressed her chin. The children looked at her immediately. Mother had something she wanted to discuss with them! Qi Qingyao said, after some consideration, ¡°Jiang Bai and Si Jin, who live in the next room, disappear every night. Where do you think they¡¯ve gone to?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Erniu tilted her head. ¡°Don¡¯t adults sleep at night?¡± Dabao was speechless. Xiaobao said, ¡°They must have good stamina.¡± Not to mention, they had to work at the construction site every day too! Qi Qingyao analyzed, ¡°Si Jin might have gone out to y. Jiang Bai, though¡­ Hmph!¡± After a pause, she said seriously to the kids, ¡°Why do I feel like he regained his memories long ago? He knows who he is, and he deliberately didn¡¯t leave. He¡¯s hiding behind me to avoid disaster.¡± His enemies would have found him immediately if he were alone. Xiaobao thought about it for a while and suggested, ¡°Mother, if you¡¯re having so many doubts, why not tail him tomorrow night?¡± ¡°You¡¯re right! I¡¯ll do as you say. I¡¯ll follow him tomorrow night.¡± ¡­ The next day¡­ Qi Qingyao woke up early and headed to the next room to wait for the two men. After sunrise, a man flew in from the window. Jiang Yeqian had not expected Qi Qingyao to be in the room, and so he immediately froze. Their eyes met. Qi Qingyao waved at him with a smile on her face. ¡°Good morning.¡± Just as she was about to interrogate him about everything, she detected the smell of liquor around him. It was so spicy she nearly had to take a few steps back. She covered her nose. ¡°Did you go out to drinkst night?¡± Jiang Yeqian was still sober. He answered, ¡°I drank a little.¡± A little? ¡°You reek of liquor. Just how much did you drink?¡± ¡°A little,¡± Jiang Yeqian repeated persistently. ¡°Too much, that¡¯s what I think,¡± Qi Qingyao said. Did he actually just go out for a drink the previous night? And had he not recovered his memories yet? ¡°Why did you go out for a drink out of the blue? Are you a drunkard?¡± Qi Qingyao asked as she walked out. Just as she opened the door, an arm wrapped around her neck, and she was pulled backward. Qi Qingyao thought that she would fall to the floor, but she collided with someone¡¯s chest. She felt like her nose would be lopsided after the crash. Tears collected at the rims of her eyes. ¡°What are you doing?¡± She was so furious she red up at him. ¡°I¡­¡± Jiang Yeqian lowered his head, and his gaze met that of the slender woman in his arms. The woman¡¯s eyes were watery, looking pitifully at him. The woman, who was normally rather haughty, looked particrly innocent in his arms. Jiang Yeqian swallowed, looking intently at her red, pouty lips. Unconsciously, he lowered his head further. Chapter 189 - Someone’s Playing Matchmaker 3

Chapter 189: Someone¡¯s ying Matchmaker 3

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Jiang Yeqian¡¯s mouth was dipping downward when Qi Qingyao looked up. She was confused for a moment, but she was not an innocent woman who knew nothing. Of course she knew what this bastard was about to do. Without a second thought, Qi Qingyao delivered a critical hit to Jiang Yeqian with her knee. After being kneed, Jiang Yeqian bent down and curled up into a shrimp. Whatever thoughts he had were stumped after withstanding that kick. ¡°You¡¯re drunk! You dare treat me like the prostitutes in a brothel! I¡¯ll kill you, you bastard!¡± Qi Qingyao started to rain down punches on him. He had gotten wasted for the whole night, and he had tried to defile her. Really¡­ She mmed Jiang Yeqian down onto the floor and beat him up. Jiang Yeqian did not fight back, naturally. He was slightly awake after that beating. Si Jin was greeted with this scene after he flew into the room through the window. He was confused. Qi Qingyao turned toward him, ¡°Si Jin, c¡¯mere, help me beat him up!¡± ¡°...¡± Si Jin walked over, still confused. He looked at Jiang Yeqian, whose eyes were closed. ¡°He fainted¡­¡± ¡°He fainted?¡± Qi Qingyao paused. She got up, and then kicked Jiang Yeqian again. ¡°Let him rest today. He¡¯s drunk.¡± She had Si Jin help Jiang Yeqian up and cover him with a nket. After that, she and Si Jin left the room. When they were in Qi Qingyao¡¯s room, she turned to look at Si Jin expressionlessly. That went on for a while, to the extent that Si Jin started to feel uneasy. Si Jin was strangely nervous. ¡°What, what happened, Elder Sister?¡± ¡°Tell me, where did you gost night?¡± Qi Qingyao¡¯s grin was innocent. ¡°Last night¡­¡± Si Jin paused. ¡°If you don¡¯t tell me the truth, I¡¯ll have you leave now.¡± Qi Qingyao pointed at the door with a smile. ¡°Why?¡± Si Jin said, feeling aggrieved. Qi Qingyao mmed her palm on the table. She asked calmly, ¡°Why, you ask? You think I don¡¯t know that you¡¯re not in the room every night?¡± ¡°...¡± She knew? ¡°Tell me the truth.¡± Qi Qingyao dug her ear calmly. Si Jin licked his lips. He scratched the back of his head shyly. His gaze was innocent as he said, ¡°Would you believe me if I told you that I went for a swim in the Jiuli River?¡± ¡°Swimming? In winter?¡± ¡®Are you taking me as a fool?¡¯ ¡°Yes.¡± Si Jin nodded. ¡°Every night?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Do you think I¡¯m an idiot?¡± Qi Qingyao mmed her hand on the table again. ¡°Elder Sister, I¡¯m telling the truth.¡± Si Jin pouted. He pulled his stool over carefully to sit down next to her, and he pulled on her sleeve pitifully and cutely. Qi Qingyao pped his hand away and rolled her eyes. ¡°Like hell I¡¯ll believe you!¡± Si Jin grabbed her hand and led it to his clothes. ¡°If you don¡¯t believe me, you can touch my clothes. They¡¯re still wet. It¡¯s because I just returned from the Jiuli River, where the morning dew is heavy.¡± Qi Qingyao, ¡°...¡± His clothes were indeed damp, as if the morning dew had fallen on them. Si Jin tried to look for more proof anxiously. ¡°See, the hem of my clothes is wet! And I got some thorns on them too!¡± Qi Qingyao looked down at the robe. There were indeed some thorns on the hem of Si Jin¡¯s robe, with some tiny, thorny fruits. It was a kind of nt named White-eared Grass, which indeed grew beside rivers. Qi Qingyao picked the fruits off his clothes. She said helplessly, ¡°Why did you go to the Jiuli River for a swim out of the blue?¡± Why were both of the men she had adopted so strange? Chapter 190 - Someone’s Playing Matchmaker 4

Chapter 190: Someone¡¯s ying Matchmaker 4

Seeing that Qi Qingyao believed him, Si Jin said with a smile, ¡°My body¡¯s a little weak. A physician treated me. He suggested that I swim often, especially during winter. It¡¯s better for the body, he said.¡± Qi Qingyao red at him from the corner of her eye. ¡°And if you don¡¯t?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be fine.¡± It was just that he had already gotten used to it, and would feel ufortable if he did not. Si Jin would not tell her that, however. ¡°You aren¡¯t allowed to go for a swim again, then,¡± Qi Qingyao said deliberately. ¡°Sure. I¡¯ll listen to you, Elder Sister.¡± Si Jin smiled sweetly. Jiang Yeqian had not fainted. After he was moved to the bed, he fell asleep because the bed was too warm. It was already afternoon when he woke up. Although Qi Qingyao said that she believed them, shey down by the windows and waited for them to fly out of the windows when night came. However, nothing happened after she waited for a while. She was furious. Why did they note out? D*mn it. That night, Jiang Yeqian was not tired at all, as he had gotten enough sleep during the day. He sat in the hall and read. He looked at Si Jin, who did not leave that night and was sleeping soundly on the bed. That woman had definitely gotten to him and taught him a lesson, judging from how obedient he was. If he did not go out during the night, it would be much more difficult to track him¡­ When dawn fell and the sun just rose, Jiang Yeqian felt like there was someone at the door. Sure enough, Qi Qingyao kicked the door open and came in. Jiang Yeqian looked up at her and met her gaze. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°B-both of you are here, huh.¡± Qi Qingyao scratched her head. She did not want to say that she came in to catch them in the act. ¡°Where would I be if not here?¡± Jiang Yeqian asked, opening his eyes slowly. Qi Qingyao chuckled, embarrassed. Her gaze scanned the bed, and made sure that Si Jin was sleeping soundly. Only after that did she say, ¡°I wanted to go to the toilet but entered the wrong room. Hehe¡­¡± As she spoke, she retreated from the room. Qi Qingyao reclined on the door and thought, ¡®D*mn it, none of them went outst night¡­¡¯ She had made her motives too clear that morning. From that day onward, Qi Qingyao prepared to catch them in the act of eloping every night but failed every time. The two men in the room next to hers slept soundly every night, having no inclination of going out during the night at all. Qi Qingyao, on the other hand, woke up early and sleptte, and as a result, she now had dark eyebags¡­ ¡­ On the tenth day after Qi Yuancheng¡¯s funeral, the building by the vige was almost at the stage ofpletion. At the sight of it, Madam Wu felt like something was lodged in her heart, making her feel painfully ufortable. During the past few days, no one in the family brought up Eleventh Daughter¡¯s name, as if they wanted to forget that she existed. On this day, however, Madam Wu was finally at her limits. She eximed at the dinner table, ¡°Her house is almost done.¡± Qi Boli threw down his chopsticks. ¡°Can you not bring her up?¡± Madam Wu knew how the others were feeling, but she had been holding everything in for so long. ¡°I don¡¯t want to either, but she¡¯s right there!¡± ¡°Our son is already dead because of her. Do you want all of us to die?¡± Qi Boli pointed at Madam Wu¡¯s nose. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we take our revenge exactly because of that?¡± Madam Wu could not admit defeat just like that! ¡°You do it, then,¡± Old Man Qi said grimly. Revenge, she said, but how should she do it? Madam Wu ranted about it for a while, but her daughter-inw, Madam Guo, said nothing, and all her grandchildren looked gloomy. Madam Wu was furious. ¡°I¡¯ll wait for the olddy to return, and have her deal with that girl!¡± Madam Guo said nothing. She could only wipe her tears, tell everyone that she was done with her meal, and leave for her room. Looking at her daughter-inw¡¯s retreating back, Madam Wu had a thought. Old Man Qi and Madam Wu lived with their oldest son. Now that he was dead, his wife was no longer rted to them. If anything happened to Old Man Qi and Madam Wu, Madam Guo was not the best person to take care of them. Madam Wu started considering if they should move to Qi Yuanxiu¡¯s home. She would talk about it with Madam Liang first. Chapter 191 - Someone’s Playing Matchmaker 5

Chapter 191: Someone¡¯s ying Matchmaker 5

After the house wasplete, a few workers were sorting out the lumber discard nearby. The vigers all enjoy makingments about the new building whenever they pass by it. They would say with emotion in their voices, ¡°This house is finallyplete.¡± ¡°Is the Qi girl going to appear soon?¡± Madam Liu asked excitedly. ¡°Why are you so concerned about whether the Eleventh Daughter will appear or not?¡± Ma Sanye asked, curious. ¡°Well¡­I only wanted to¡­ introduce some inws to the Eleventh Daughter?¡± Absolutely delighted, Madam Liu cupped her mouth with her hand, ¡°I¡¯m a well-known matchmaker from town. I was moved after I heard what the Eleventh Daughter had experienced. Back then, everyone she met had been inhumane. Now that the Eleventh Daughter¡¯s mind is better, she naturally has the right to pursue her own happiness and for a better tomorrow. I have found a few families and now I¡¯m just waiting for the Eleventh Daughter to show up so that I can introduce them to her. ¡± Surprised, Ma Sanye said, ¡°Could you be the famous Madam Liu from town?¡± ¡°Oh dear, the vige head knows who I am now,¡± Madam Liu said embarrassedly. Ma Sanye grabbed Madam Liu¡¯s hand eagerly, ¡°Please introduce potential inws to my niece too, she is in the midst of looking for a partner as well.¡± Hearing this, Madam Liu¡¯s first thought was about how she did not expect to find work the moment she reached Linquan Vige. She happily followed Ma Sanye back to his home. The people in the vige who recognized her as the famous matchmaker in town also rushed to Ma Sanye¡¯s home, all thinking of matching off their children who were of age. After the house waspleted and the surrounding things had been cleared, it was already the twenty-fifth of the new year. Jiang Yeqian and Si Jin brought Qi Qingyao and the kids over. Qi Qingyao¡¯s eyes were almost popping from surprise when she got the first glimpse of the new house after getting off the carriage. ¡°It really¡­looks like a bungalow!¡± It very much stood out whenpared to the surrounding buildings. Qi Qingyao turned to look at Jiang Yeqian excitedly, ¡°Look at my house, doesn¡¯t it look handsome standing here!¡± Jiang Yeqian, ¡°¡­¡± ¡®What does a house have to do with looking handsome or not?¡¯ ¡°It¡¯s handsome,¡± Si Jin praised. The children¡¯s expressions were a bit dumbfounded but also excited as they took in the sight of the beautiful building. This was their home¡­ They would have a home in the future. They wanted to live inside it with their Mommy! Qi Qingyao keenly noticed the children¡¯s teary-eyed expression and smiled as she rubbed their heads. The children pursed their lips and rubbed their eyes. They hugged their mother¡¯s legs, embarrassed. Qi Qingyao instructed Si Jin, ¡°Hurry, let off the firecrackers.¡± Si Jin hurriedly brought out the few strings of prepared firecrackers but he did not dare light them. He was quite afraid of exceptionally loud sounds and so passed the firecrackers to Jiang Yeqian. Jiang Yeqian nced at the cowardly Si Jin and, without any expression, walked to the side and lit the few strings of firecrackers. The lively sound of firecrackers attracted half of the vigers over. Everyone looked admiringly at the small building. From the old Qi family, only Qi Yuanye and his wife, Madam Tian, who he brought over, stood at the side as they watched themotion before leaving with sour expressions. Qi Qingyao looked at the vigers who came to join them, as well as the masters and workers who had worked tirelessly for half a month. She nced at the few carriages and supplies behind her. Qi Qingyao waved. The workers quickly set up the tarpaulin tent while the cooks set up the stoves beside them. One could easily tell they were professionals from their deft movements. These actions stunned the vigers. ¡®What was going on?¡¯ Qi Qingyao turned around and bowed to the vigers with her hands in front of her. ¡°The house isplete. I have invited some chefs today for the asion to treat everyone to a feast! Dig in!¡± The crowd, ¡°¡­¡± ¡®What?¡¯ Chapter 192 - Someone’s Playing Matchmaker 6

Chapter 192: Someone¡¯s ying Matchmaker 6

After the workers set up the tarpaulin tents and arranged a dozen chairs and tables, all the vigers unconsciously took their seats, looking as if they were eagerly waiting for their meals! After the chefs set up the stoves, they quickly got to work. Qi Qingyao looked at the chefs¡¯ dynamics and patted Jiang Yeqian on the shoulder. ¡°I only asked you to hire some chefs, I didn¡¯t think they¡¯d all be professionals.¡± ¡°Hmph!¡± He had gotten Bai Mei to look for chefs at midnightst night and it turned out that she had searched a dozen inns in Qingzhou City. She had selected one chef from each inn! They were all ace chefs¡ªhow could they not be professionals? They even hired a few professional servants to ensure the speed of serving. After the first dish was done, Qi Qingyao tasted a bite andmended, ¡°This chef is pretty good at cooking.¡± Jiang Yeqian looked at her rather pleased expression and took a bite as well. The taste was not bad. It was better than the food made by the chefs in Longmen Inn. More than a dozen chefs were currently cooking on the temporary set-up stoves. Although the stoves were basic, the chefs¡¯ skills were top-notch, and very quickly, the smell of delicious meat permeated the air in the tent. The delicious smell made the vigers drool instantly. The serving time of the dishes was also superb. The vigers quickly dug into the dishes, not forgetting to sing praises for Qi Qingyao as they ate. ¡°Eleventh Daughter is so generous.¡± ¡°She doesn¡¯t forget to show gratitude to those who have helped her.¡± ¡°She also didn¡¯t forget about the vigers after she made her fortune, even preparing such a long running banquet (1). That¡¯s so nice of her.¡± Snow was beginning to fall outside the tent just, while the vigers were quite merry inside. It was not long before all the people of Linquan Vige arrived. The old Qi family heard that all the vigers had gone to attend the banquet at Qi Qingyao¡¯s and were extremely jealous. They could only hide at a distance and watch the scene here as they wrung their hands in frustration. A few of Qi Qingyao¡¯s uncles shamelessly brought their family over. Qi Qingyao still brought her children up to everyone to greet them. When the uncles realized that Qi Qingyao bore no grudge against them, they were all relieved. Before this, they had been worried that Qi Qingyao no longer even acknowledged them as her fellow uncles. She knew some manners at least. This running banquetsted till afternoon. Most of the vigers had eaten their fill. For the leftovers, Qi Qingyao urged everyone to use the tes and bring them home so as not to waste them! Ma Sanye suddenly saw a carriage entering the vige. Old Man Yang looked at the carriage curiously, ¡°That, isn¡¯t that Lord Heir¡¯s subordinate?¡± There was a g with the character [Pei] writtenrgely hanging off the carriage. The triangr g danced wildly in the wind. Li Qing descended from the carriage and grandly presented Lord Heir¡¯s gift. Old Man Yang was surprised. ¡°It seems to be the same person fromst time.¡± Ma Sanye nodded. Qi Qingyao was still a bit stunned when Li Qing presented the gift. She was an ordinary vige woman, yet the Lord Heir had gone out of his way to send her a housewarming gift. How kind of him. She gave her thanks to Li Qing. Li Qing nced at the stunning building. Then he nced at the two ox-head and horse-face individuals behind Qi Qingyao. In truth, the Lord Heir had sent people to keep an eye out on the building ages ago. He did not expect Qi Qingyao to really organize a running banquet just as construction waspleted today. Qi Qingyao had Li Qing stay to have a meal but Li Qing said there was no need as he still needed to head back for a debriefing. Before he left, Li Qing nced a few more times at the ox-head and horse-face behind Qi QIngyao. Their people were unable to find out who these two were and so had specially paid the Zhaixing Administration a high price for them to investigate both of their identities. That still led to nothing in the end. This puzzled them extremely. After Qi Qingyao sent Li Qing off, she noticed in the distance that there was another carriage stopped near the vige. The carriage waspletely ck and stood out clearly in the snow. She did not know who the people inside were, but the driver¡­was rather familiar. The person looked like one of Lu Yan¡¯s attendees. Did the person in charge of the Lu familye to visit too? Lu Yan, who was inside the carriage, opened the window and from afar, scrutinized the truly breathtaking five-story building. He was stunned, but also amazed. He had been gleaning from Dong Jing¡¯s letter and only knew that this building was possibly rted to the Master Architect Li Qinglian. He did not think¡­ That it would be this magnificent and grand! This¡­ was just like a miniature Yuewang Tower! When Li Qing¡¯s carriage passed his as he left, Lu Yan looked at the ¡°Pei¡± g and his brows raised. ¡®Was Heir Pei thinking of using this woman to look for Su Hexiao?¡¯ Trantor¡¯s Note: A running banquet is a type of banquet where food is served as guests arrive. Chapter 193 - Someone’s Playing Matchmaker 7

Chapter 193: Someone¡¯s ying Matchmaker 7

After Qi Qingyao sent Li Qing off, she saw the ck carriage leave not long after as well. The vigers were starting to file out from the banquet and Qi Qingyao was now free to go back to the new house to take a look. She noticed that there was already simple furniture inside. Qi Qingyao scratched her head. ¡°I didn¡¯t ask them to buy furniture.¡± Si Jin smiled and said, ¡°They said they made them for you with the leftover timber.¡± ¡®They made them?¡¯ The masters were too kind. Qi Qingyao hurried back to the banquet and made a toast with each of the masters one by one. ¡°Masters! You are all too kind,ee, let me salute you.¡± ¡°Missy, there¡¯s no need~!¡± Master Bao took a look at thedy¡¯s luxurious appearance and could not help but think that she really was a disciple of the Master Architect Li Qinglian! The master really knew how to pick a disciple; this woman had such good taste, was good-looking, smart, and had the talent for design. ¡°It¡¯s almost Chinese New Year anyways so this is my red packet for everyone!¡± Qi Qingyao said as felt around her bosom for paper money. She gave each master a piece. In just a brief moment, a few hundred taels were given out. She had also gotten Si Jin to distributepensation of a tael of silver to every worker. Jiang Yeqian did not think that she would be so generous with her money. The masters were also shocked at Qi Qingyao¡¯s generosity. They tried to decline before eventually epting it, praising her silently, ¡®Thisdy is such a nice person!¡¯ She did not disregard the hard work they had put into working on this small building this month. Even less needed to be said for the workers. They had just been learning skills from the masters. They never would have thought that they would receive reward money. The workers had been working for the masters and their monthly pay was just a few maces. Who would have thought that this time, the woman would put in an extra bonus and give them a tael? All the workers expressed their profuse thanks to Qi Qingyao. Qi Qingyao waved her hand vigorously, ¡°There¡¯s no need for thanks. The masters have their merit but so you guys also worked hard! The credit belongs to everyone.¡± The workers¡¯ eyes were suddenly red. ¡°Oh Missy, actually¡­.¡± Master Cao had begun to speak but stopped halfway, embarrassed. Calm andposed, Qi Qingyao said, ¡°If you have something to say, say it. Why is there a need to hide if you have something to ask? Just ask me confidently and if I know anything, I¡¯ll definitely answer!¡± Old Man Yuan coughed and somewhat sheepishly said, ¡°Missy, we just wanted to ask if you really happen to know the Master Architect Li Qinglian? Where is he? We really want to pay an official visit to him to ask him for some professional knowledge.¡± ¡°Master, Master Architect Li Qinglian?¡± Why did they bring up the master¡¯s name again? ¡°Yes.¡± The masters were all looking at her with eager expressions. ¡°About that¡­¡± Qi Qingyao paused for a bit before answering unhurriedly, ¡°To tell you the truth, the master¡­ he is currently in retreat to research the engineering of mechanisms. I mean, didn¡¯t you see the myriad of mechanisms inside my house? This is ording to the master¡¯stest design requirements. That¡¯s why¡­ the master is currently not taking any guests.¡± Hearing that the great master was currently studying some curious mechanisms in retreat, the masters were beyond surprised. They each began singing their praises. ¡°It¡¯s alright if he¡¯s not seeing any guests.¡± ¡°As expected of a great master, to be learning so long as he is living.¡± ¡°As expected, Missy really does know the master.¡± ¡­ A flow of praises followed. However, this made Qi Qingyao a little embarrassed. ¡°Uh.¡± Master Cen sped his fist and said, ¡°If the master ever leaves his retreat, please let him know that we would like to meet him.¡± Qi Qingyaoughed and echoed, ¡°Of course, I will introduce you all to him when he leaves his retreat!¡± Chapter 194 - Someone’s Playing Matchmaker 8

Chapter 194: Someone¡¯s ying Matchmaker 8

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion ¡°Thank you very much, Missy.¡± The masters thanked Qi Qingyao again. Before they left, Qi Qingyao took out a few boxes of treats from inside the carriage again and gifted them to the masters as souvenirs.?After that, she prepared carriages specially to send the masters back to Qingzhou Vige. This act of courtesy gained the praises of the masters and disciples again and again. Who on earth said the Eleventh Daughter did not have a brain? Just look at this person¡¯s mannerisms. As expected of someone who was worthy of being a disciple of the master, she was courteous and considerate, and also did not waste their painstaking efforts of the past month! The running banquet continued till night before the chefs and the servants were finally done with their work. Each and every one of them almost copsed from exhaustion. Qi Qingyao once again extended her gratitude to the chefs and the servants and this action was, of course, generous. The chefs and servants happily epted the silver mace. Qi Qingyao then got Jiang Yeqian to send them home over the night. Putting away the tarp tent, disassembling the stove, clearing the tables and chairs, and sweeping the ground; all these actions were done quickly and efficiently. After only half an hour, everyone had left. Even the trash on the ground had been taken away. Who would not note the professionalism after seeing this! Qi Qingyao sent everyone off before entering her house. The children were already asleep in the carriage. Qi Qingyao went inside the house and walked two rounds inside it. She activated all the mechanisms before leaving the house. In the end, the carriage departed for Baishui Town. Jiang Yeqian asked, ¡°Are you not going to stay in this new house tonight?¡± ¡°Not tonight.¡± She wanted to stay but she had been busy the entire day and the temperature at night was low. The house would not have the feeling of having been lived in if they were to move in all of a sudden. They could freeze to death. It was in stark contrast to the inn that was full of bustling characters. When they returned to the inn that night, Qi Qingyao opened the gift that Li Qing had given her. One look revealed it to be a blue and white porcin vase. However, the vase¡¯s craftsmanship wasplex. It had nineyers of motifs and the order of the motifs was¡ªpeonies with winding branches, a pattern of hooked clouds, a pattern with a sun, moon and stars, a swastika pattern, a pattern with branches of peach, a pattern with carp, pine, bamboo and plum, folded branches, a pattern of curled grass! Qi Qingyao took a deep breath. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Si Jin poured her a bowl of tea. Qi Qingyao held the vase and clicked her tongue. ¡°The Lord Heir is very generous.¡± ¡°Is this vase really expensive? Sister?¡± asked Si Jin. Qi Qingyao rubbed her jaw and said, ¡°It¡¯s not only expensive, it¡¯s practically considered a rarity.¡± Arge, blue and white porcin vase with nineyers of patterns was quite rare. Sure, the ordinary vases were also blue and white, but there would only be one or two types of decorative motifs on them. At most, there would be five. She did not expect there to be nine types on this vase... It was practically one of its kind! Qi Qingyao very carefully, and with much appreciation, wrapped the vase and put it in her luggage. Jiang Yeqian saw how she cherished the gift given to her by the Lord Heir and asked sourly, ¡°Do you have to value it that much? It¡¯s just a vase.¡± ¡°You just don¡¯t know how to appreciate it.¡± Qi Qingyao rolled her eyes at him before saying, ¡°Even if I don¡¯t use it myself, I can still sell this thingter on. It¡¯s probably worth quite a bit of silver too.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± So, she nned on selling it. He knew all this woman had in her mind was money, money, money. Qi Qingyao noticed his peculiar reaction and asked, ¡°Do you know how much it¡¯s worth?¡± Jiang Yeqian replied, ¡°At least ten thousand taels of silver.¡± Qi Qingyao blinked, ¡°...¡± The Lord Heir was truly generous! She paused for a moment. Qi Qingyao then asked. ¡°Did we spend ourst budget entirely?¡± ¡°No.¡± Jiang Yeqian fished out the remaining paper money from his bosom. There were a total of 6,300 taels remaining. Qi Qingyao took back the banknotes and put them together with the hundred thousand taels she had in her hand. Seeing the pile of banknotes, Qi Qingyao could not help but feel likeughing. She could have exchanged this for silver by now and gotten a million taels, but who would have thought that because of her carelessness¡­ Lu Yan owed her a debt and he definitely will have to give it back. Chapter 195 - Someone’s Playing Matchmaker 9

Chapter 195: Someone¡¯s ying Matchmaker 9

The next morning, the group returned to the vige. Qi Qingyao first switched off the mechanisms before personally making the bed. Jiang Yeqian and Si Jin teamed up and lit up a few of the braziers. With that, the building showed more homeliness and the air also started warming up a little. Si Jin had even poured some hot water into some of the footwarmers. The children were ying by the brazier inside the house and they also jumped and yed on the new beds. Qi Qingyao carried a footwarmer and sat by the brazier in the reception pavilion, warming her feet as she looked at the beautiful building. She felt quite ted. She thought, ¡®This reception pavilion is missing a pearl curtain for now. I¡¯ll have to get some madeter!¡¯ Warming up a bit, Qi Qingyao suddenly thought, ¡®Ah, we¡¯re living here now but I got Jiang Bai to send the chefs home yesterday. What are we going to eatter? Who¡¯s going to prepare the meals?¡¯ Surely it could not be her? Even if she were to prepare the meals, there were no ingredients! This problem hadpletely eluded her. Shortly after, someone was here to see her. Jiang Yeqian and Si Jin quickly put on their masks. Si Jin went ahead and answered the door. Then, he brought in an olddy. After the olddy entered, she said with an amiable expression, ¡°I suppose you¡¯re Miss Qi?¡± Qi Qingyao looked at the old woman, her expression startled. ¡°And you are?¡± She had thought that it would be Ma Sanye given how early in the morning it was. Madam Liu covered her mouth with her hand. As she scrutinized the house that still looked quite bare and had rather simplistic furnishings at the moment, she said, ¡°I¡¯m Madam Liu from town.¡± Madam Liu? Never heard of her. ¡°Madam Liu, to what do I owe you this pleasure?¡± Qi Qingyao was being quite polite, considering she had not immediately chased her away. She first wanted to find out the reason for this woman being here. Madam Liu responded absent-mindedly, ¡°Oh Miss, this house is really lovely.¡± She had never seen such a lovely building. Who else would have a house that was five stories high and modeled like a luxurious pagoda! It was sovish! It was ten to a hundred times better looking than the houses in the vige and in town. Qi Qingyao was stunned for a moment before interjecting decisively, ¡°It¡¯s not for sale.¡± Madam Liu returned to her senses and hurriedly smiled. ¡°Hahaha, I didn¡¯te to you to buy a house. I wanted to ask if there is someone you fancy.¡± ¡°There isn¡¯t.¡± Although she did not know why Madam Liu asked her such a question, Qi Qingyao still answered her quite honestly. Hearing this, Madam Liu immediately approached her, looking very excited. She said, ¡°Then, I happen to know a few decent men. They are not too old and there is one from every vige and town, like Carpenter Yang from Zhiniao Vige, Liu Zhennan¡¯s second son from town, or Jiang Tiehua in the next town¡­ These men have good family backgrounds, they possessnd and are not just tenants! They¡¯re self-sufficient¡­ Liu Zhennan¡¯s second son, he opened a millet shop in town and the business isn¡¯t doing half-bad¡­¡± Qi Qingyao, who had just taken a sip of her tea, remained stunned. She did not know how to respond. Si Jin¡¯srge and clear, pure ck eyes were fixed on this Madam Liu. There was no response from him either. The one who responded first was Jiang Yeqian. After he returned to his senses, he immediately said, ¡°Wait.¡± Madam Liu, who had been chattering incessantly, stopped and turned to look at the ox-head man. ¡°Does this gentleman have something to say?¡± Jiang Yeqian rubbed the mask on his face and in a rather incredulous tone, asked back, ¡°Did youe here to introduce her to potential partners?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Madam Liu answered confidently. ¡°Thedy has shown her talents and is a woman glowing with health and vigor. She¡¯s also as beautiful as a flower. While she has three kids, it¡¯s all an incident of the past. I have asked what these few families had to say. The potential inws said they were willing to raise the children as their own grandchildren! It was not something they can¡¯t do. The men also said they didn¡¯t mind the children and were willing to marry the young miss.¡± Jiang Yeqian, ¡°???¡± Chapter 196 - Someone’s Playing Matchmaker 10

Chapter 196: Someone¡¯s ying Matchmaker 10

The fact that Madam Liu had run to the building very quickly reached the ears of the old Qi family through a few women who had witnessed the scene. ¡°I heard that Madam Liu from town has gone to introduce potential partners to her.¡± Madam Wu heard this being discussed next door and knew that they were purposely talking about it so that she could hear it. She got so mad that she mmed the door shut and went back into the hall, cursing, ¡°She obviously is the kind of person who will bring bad luck to her spouse, her brother, and her grandfather. Yet Madam Liu is still so proactive in introducing her to a potential partner! What an eyesore, they should just let that little bastard die alone.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Madam Wu cutting remarks that she let loose in her home also conspicuously spread next door and the people there instantlyughed merrily. The old Qi family had really lost everything! Now the only thing they did not know was whose son from which family would be the lucky man to marry Qi Qingyao, who was so highly sought after now. ¡­ In the reception pavilion. Qi Qingyao was seated with her feet in the foot warmer. She could no longer stand it as she faced the eloquent Madam Liu. ¡°Ma¡ªmadam Liu! I¡¯m¡­currently not thinking of getting married.¡± Madam Liu, who had initially been in a happy mood, could not help but feel a little awkward after having been rejected so directly. She looked at Qi Qingyao¡¯s face for a while, and said in a mysterious manner, ¡°Miss, you¡¯re already neen. You¡¯ll be twenty after the new year. You can¡¯t go on like this. Or do you only n on getting married when you¡¯re thirty?¡± Qi Qingyaoughed and asked back, ¡°What do the men that you want to introduce to me look like?¡± Madam Liu noted that Qi Qingyao¡¯s words had softened and hurriedly said, ¡°I¡¯d heard long ago that you¡¯re a good-looking one so naturally, the potential partners that I¡¯ll introduce to you are also good-looking.¡± Hearing this, Jiang Yeqian was extremely displeased. He took off the ox-head mask and asked in an extremely bold and confident manner, ¡°Are they as good-looking as me?¡± Madam Liu did not expect that there would be such a handsome face underneath the ox-head mask; a handsome face akin to that of a young man from the city. ¡°You are¡­¡± Could he be Qi Qingyao¡¯s betrothed? Or was he just her lover? ¡°I¡¯m her¡­:¡± Before Jiang Yeqian could finish, Qi Qingyao cut in, ¡°Servant.¡± Servant? Oh my goodness! Where did she find such a good-looking servant? Do people look at faces now when they looked for servants? ¡°I¡¯m also her servant.¡± Not to be outdone, Si Jin took off his mask. Madam Liu, ¡°???¡± This¡­ this exquisite-looking young man was also a servant? Madam Liu was having a hard time understanding the situation. ¡°Miss, are these two your servants?¡± Qi Qingyao faintly nodded. Madam Liu asked, ¡°Where on earth did you find such servants? They¡¯re too good-looking.¡± Qi Qingyao asked nonchntly, ¡°Are the potential partners you wanted to introduce to me as good-looking as them?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Madam Liu blushed. The potential partners she wanted to introduce were not as good-looking as the two young men here. Although Madam Liu was old now, she still could not help but blush when she saw the two young men. She did not know what to say either. After feeling embarrassed for a bit, she quickly made up an excuse and left. After Madam Liu left, Qi Qingyao finally rxed. Jiang Yeqian, on the other hand, did not rx at all. His expression dark, he spat, ¡°People are trying to introduce you to potential partners now!!¡± Qi Qingyao shrugged and shamelessly said, ¡°I¡¯m pretty, smart, and rich. Most importantly, I have a beautiful little house! It¡¯s normal that people would want to introduce me to a potential partner.¡± Jiang Yeqian side-eyed her and snapped, ¡°What you meant just now is that you¡¯re willing to consider it if the potential partner is as good-looking as the both of us?¡± Qi Qingyao, ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t I?¡± Jiang Yeqian, ¡°¡­¡± Chapter 197 - Sincerity of Chopped Hand 1

Chapter 197: Sincerity of Chopped Hand 1

Qi Qingyao touched her chin and said, ¡°They¡¯re still willing to ept my three babies~ Not bad~!¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you wouldn¡¯t consider it if there¡¯s no money involved?¡± Jiang Yeqian asked sourly. ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Then, now you¡­¡± ¡°They don¡¯t have money. So, I didn¡¯t consider it. Wait till I meet a rich, good-looking, and generous person in the future, then I¡¯ll have to think about it.¡± After Qi Qingyao said this, Jiang Yeqian turned around angrily, grumbling that he was going back to the house to see if the children were okay. Qi Qingyao asked confusedly, ¡°Why is his temper so bad?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t he always hot-headed?¡± Si Jin said. Just a moment after sending Madam Liu away, Qi Qingyao took a sip of tea. She thought about how there was no food at home and whether or not she should head back to the inn. Just then, someone knocked on the door again and was shouting at the door. ¡°Eleventh Daughter!¡± Qi Qingyao spat out the sip of tea. ¡°Could it be that someone hase to introduce me to potential partners again?¡± Si Jin quickly buckled on his mask and opened the door. After a while, Si Jin ran back. ¡°No, it¡¯s Old Man Zhang.¡± ¡°Who is Old Man Zhang?¡± She did not know any Old or Little Zhang! Si Jin smiled and said, ¡°Old Man Zhang¡¯s isn¡¯t just anyone. Old Man Zhang is Zhang Tieyuan, the one whose field andnd you won from your gamblingst time.¡± Oh, that person. ¡°Call him in.¡± Qi Qingyao did not bother getting off the chair; she even pulled her nket a bit higher up. Zhang Tieyuan had poked nearby the vige previously but he did not dare to enter the vige because he was ashamed! He did not want the vigers to talk about him. Nheless, when he looked at this five-story building, he found it exquisite and magnificent! Visually, it was even more beautiful than the Qingyun Pagoda in Qingzhou City! Zhang Tieyuan was moved. The Eleventh Daughter was not an ordinary person. He wanted to return to the vige. Hence, he came back alone today. Many people spotted him upon his entering the vige. However, Zhang Tieyuan did not greet anyone. He walked toward this building alone. When he reached the door, Zhang Tieyuan stood silently for only a second. He then raised his hand and knocked on the door. After the young man wearing a horse-face mask came to open the door, Zhang Tieyuan followed in very awkwardly. He then stood in the courtyard. Looking at this building so closely, Zhang Tieyuan felt the majesty of this structure; he was shocked. He was then led into the parlor inside. Having never entered such a luxurious house like this before, Zhang Tieyuan felt inexplicably nervous. He did not know where to look. Then, he heard a voiceing from in front of him. ¡°Want to gamble with me again?¡± Zhang Tieyuan looked toward the source of the sound and saw thedy sitting cross-legged on a chair with a nket on herp. She was holding a heating pack in her arms and a cup of tea in her hands. She was looking at him with a smile on her face. She also took a nce at the kitchen knife around his waist. Si Jin was standing beside Qi Qingyao quietly, making sure this person would not cause any trouble. ¡°Eleventh Daughter.¡± Zhang Tieyuan swallowed and said nervously, ¡°I want to make a deal with you.¡± ¡°Deal? What will you be offering me with the deal? Could it be that you have othernds? Do you have any fields left?¡± Qi Qingyao asked. Zhang Tieyuan raised his eyes. Looking at the smilingdy, he said firmly, ¡°My left hand.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not interested in your left hand.¡± Qi Qingyao said lightly. ¡°But, you must be interested in thend that you own.¡± Before Zhang Tieyuan came, he had already made preparations. ¡°Let¡¯s hear it.¡± Qi Qingyao looked at him with a casual expression. ¡°You won mynd, but don¡¯t you still need someone to work it for you?¡± Zhang Tieyuan asked. Qi Qingyao did not say a word; she was just looking at him. Zhang Tieyuan said, ¡°I think with your current financial resources, Eleventh Daughter, you surely will not work on the fields by yourself.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Qi Qingyao was still looking at him with a sweet smile. Chapter 198 - Sincerity of Chopped Hand 2

Chapter 198: Sincerity of Chopped Hand 2

Continuing on what he proposed earlier, Zhang Tieyuan said, ¡°I want to be your tenant! I don¡¯t need a monthly sry. Besides the small portion needed to fill my stomach, I¡¯ll give the rest of the yearly crops to you.¡± His offer was very tempting. It was such a pity. Qi Qingyao said, ¡°I can¡¯t believe the wordsing from a gambler.¡± ¡°To show my sincerity¡­¡± Zhang Tieyuan had long guessed that the Eleventh Daughter, who had been so confident at the gambling table, would not believe a thing a gambler like himself says. He took a kitchen knife from behind his waist and without a word, chopped off his left hand. Crack! As his action was too swift, Qi Qingyao was not able to stop it. After three seconds. A severed hand fell to the ground. Zhang Tieyuan clutched the severed stump, and cold sweat oozed from his forehead from the pain. He had been mentally preparing for this over the past few days. He had even asked some of the people who had had their hands chopped off and they had assured him that even if their hands or feet were severed, they would not die. As he was prepared, he came looking for the Eleventh Daughter. After severing his hand, and before he fainted, Zhang Tieyuan gasped in a voice that had be very soft and even a little distorted. He was still looking at Qi Qingyao persistently. ¡°Eleventh daughter, is this enough as a show of my sincerity?¡± Qi Qingyao finally tore her gaze away from the severed hand on the ground. she muttered, ¡°That was really bold.¡± Immediately after that, without another word, Qi Qingyao instructed Si Jin, ¡°Si Jin, help me get a needle and thread quickly, and bring me my first aid box.¡± Si Jin quickly went to get the needle and thread and first aid box. After a while, the needle and thread and first aid box were brought to her. Qi Qingyao took off both the heating pack and the nket. She then reluctantly got down from the big cozy armchair as if she was getting off her bed. She massaged her thighs for a moment and walked to Zhang Tieyuan. She picked up the severed hand on the ground and took a look at it first. Only then did she consider stitching it back to Zhang Tieyuan. This series of actions stunned Zhang Tieyuan. He looked at the first aid box again. His mind went nk. Could it be that the Eleventh Daughter actually knew how to conduct a limb rentation? Impossible. Was it even possible to sew the arm together with a needle and thread? Zhang Tieyuan resisted, ¡°Eleventh daughter, I don¡¯t need you to sew my arm. It doesn¡¯t matter if I die, I just hope you see my sincerity and promise me my request. I want to be your tenant.¡± ¡°If I don¡¯t reattach your arm, how can you help me work the fields in the future?¡± Qi Qingyao asked. ¡°Eleventh daughter?¡± Has, has she agreed? Qi Qingyao motioned and said, ¡°Sit down, I¡¯ll reattach it for you.¡± Zhang Tieyuan walked to the chair at the side and sat down. Qi Qingyao motioned for him to put his wounded arm on the table. Qi Qingyao immediately picked up his severed hand. Checking the surface of the cut, she was deeply moved. Fortunately, his kitchen knife was well sharpened. As he chopped it, his hand was lopped off cleanly, leaving a smooth surface. It would not be difficult for him to recover. Si Jin watched Qi Qingyao perform a minor surgery on Zhang Tieyuan. His face was pale the entire time. He thought to himself silently, ¡®I wonder if she can also perform a minor operation to reattach a fish¡¯s tail?¡¯ He had friends whose tails were mutted¡­ By the time Qi Qingyao reconnected Zhang Tieyuan¡¯s arm, he had already passed out from the pain. Qi Qingyao asked Si Jin to carry Zhang Tieyuan back to his home to recuperate. Since this was her new home and not a medical clinic, it was impossible for Zhang Tieyuan to recuperate here. After Zhang Tieyuan returned home, Zhang Cuiyun and Zhang Tiezhu went back to the vige before long. When they arrived, they learned that their father¡¯s hand had been severed and came to Qi Qingyao to curse her, curse her to have a deformed child! They also cursed her a painful death and threw all sorts of words at her. After they were done cursing her, Qi Qingyao replied with a smile. ¡°If it weren¡¯t for your father showing his sincerity by chopping off his hand, I would never have agreed to ept your family as my tenants based on the stupidity you two are showing now!¡± Chapter 199 - Sincerity of Chopped Hand 3

Chapter 199: Sincerity of Chopped Hand 3

The two of them were taken aback for a second. After they returned to their home, they looked after Zhang Tieyuan. When Zhang Tieyuan woke up, he exined the situation to his son, daughter, and daughter-inw. The three of them rushed over again to apologize to Qi Qingyao. They knelt on the ground and talked over each other in circles. Qi Qingyao waved her hand. ¡°Okay, okay. No need to apologize. Now that you¡¯re tenants, have a representative from your familye back to sign an agreement with me.¡± Zhang Tiezhu said he would do it. Qi Qingyao did not mind; they were just tenants and it did not matter who gave their signature. After signing the agreement, Zhang Tiezhu and his wife Zhang Caixia went home first. Jiang Yeqian looked at her in bewilderment after these uninvited guests left, ¡°Why would you agree to the offer of a gambler?¡± Qi Qingyao thought of how Zhang Tieyuan had been before. ¡°I think he probably hasn¡¯t gambled or drunk alcohol since then. That is to say, I think he quit.¡± Quit? ¡°What if he gambles again?¡± Qi Qingyao thought for a while and said, ¡°Then I rather look forward to the next time he¡¯ll gamble his life with me.¡± Jiang Yeqian, ¡°¡­¡± ¡­ The news of Old Man Zhang¡¯s family signing a contract with Qi Qingyao and bing her tenants soon spread throughout Linquan Vige. ¡°I heard that Old Man Zhang¡¯s family got their house back.¡± ¡°What? They got it back?¡± ¡°How is that possible? The Eleventh Daughter won the gamble, how can they still get the house back?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t listen to their nonsense. Who said they¡¯re getting back the house? I heard that thend and farm still belong to the Eleventh Daughter and that Old Man Zhang¡¯s family are now her tenants! Other than having enough for themselves, the rest belongs to thendy¡¯s family.¡± ¡°What did Old Man Zhang¡¯s family do to show their sincerity? Surely they didn¡¯t just open their mouths and say they want theirnd back?¡± If that was the case, the Eleventh Daughter must be very easy to convince. ¡°About that¡­do you know what I heard?¡± Someone said mysteriously. ¡°What?¡± ¡°I heard that Old Man Zhang chopped off his hand! To express his sincerity.¡± ¡°Chopped off his hand???¡± Everyone who heard this quickly turned green. This Old Man Zhang, was he so bold? That was impossible, right? Was Old Man Zhang not just a greedy andzy drunkard and gambler? ¡°It seems that he chopped off his left hand.¡± ¡°I heard that he chopped off both his hands.¡± ¡°What nonsense are you saying? How can he work the fields if he chopped off both his hands?¡± ¡°¡­¡± That was a fair point. He must have chopped off his left hand. Even so, Old Man Zhang sure was bold. Could he have changed? There was a lot of discussion about this in the vige. On the other hand, the rtives of Old Man Zhang¡¯s family were all overjoyed to learn that Old Man Zhang¡¯s family had be the Eleventh Daughter¡¯s tenants. They wished they could personallye over to congratte them but there was no rush, as Chinese New Year was in a few days. When the time came, they would prepare some generous gifts to properly congratte Old Man Zhang¡¯s family. In their eyes, the Eleventh Daughter was simply a person of wealth and power in this vige! Even if they were not the kind to settle scores, they knew that it was not easy to build that building with so much wood and by hiring so many masters. Besides, the Eleventh Daughter was rich enough to stay in an inn in town for a month! Old Man Zhang¡¯s family was now the Eleventh Daughter¡¯s tenant. Farming thend for the Eleventh Daughter was tantamount to being affiliated with a rich person. From now on, if anyone bullied Old Man Zhang¡¯s family, would that not be tantamount to bullying the Eleventh Daughter? As the saying went, find out who the master was before beating the dog! Old Man Zhang¡¯s family was so fortunate¡­ ¡­ After settling the agreement with Old Man Zhang¡¯s family, Qi Qingyao, who had stayed in the new house for two days, said to the children, ¡°Let¡¯s go. I can¡¯t stand it anymore, let¡¯s go back to the inn!¡± The children, ¡°???¡± ¡®But, this is a new house, are we not going to stay here?¡¯ The children looked at their mother in confusion. Qi Qingyao said apologetically, ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t want to stay, but the vige is inconvenient! I have to cook for you every day! And it¡¯s freezing in the winter.¡± Xiaobao pouted and grumbled, ¡°But this is our home¡­¡± At his young age, he did not understand why his mother did not want to stay in their home but rather wanted to live in the inn instead¡­ Qi Qingyaoforted him, ¡°This is just a house in the vige, we¡¯ll have a house in Qingzhou City in the future.¡± The children were clearly attached to their new home. Qi Qingyao gave a light cough. She did not want to tell the kids that their mother did not like to cook, so she said earnestly, ¡°It¡¯s nice to stay in the inn. The ¡®sky¡¯ room upstairs is simply a luxury suite. You can eat whatever you want as long as there are chefs and ready-to-use ingredients in the kitchen¡­¡± Xiaobao cocked his head, ¡°??¡± Everyone said their home was nice, but his mother said the inn was nice¡­ Chapter 200 - Sincerity of Chopped Hand 4

Chapter 200: Sincerity of Chopped Hand 4

Hearing this, Jiang Yeqian whispered, ¡°Isn¡¯t it just making a meal?¡± Qi Qingyao looked at him, all smiles. ¡°You¡¯re the servant so you should cook for us every day.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Jiang Yeqian¡¯s expression stifled for a second. With a light cough, he said, ¡°Let¡¯s stay in the inn.¡± Qi Qingyao, ¡°Oh?¡± So he did not know how to cook. She nced at his hands again. She had examined them before. Those hands were big and strong. The joints between his thumb and index finger were callused, which meant that he would typically wield a sword on asion. However, he did not wield the sword very often, which indicated that he was not a killer. He wielded a sword asionally and had inner energy. His movements were vicious and merciless. She had heard from Si Jin that he liked to read. He could get poisoned and was so scared that he kept his mask on when he went out, which indicated that he had many enemies. Perhaps the enemies were high-ranking officials. His identity was nearly revealed¡ªhe might be the son of nobility or an official. Si Jin suggested cautiously, ¡°Or you could hire a maid?¡± Qi Qingyao shook her head, ¡°I won¡¯t hire a maid for now.¡± Si Jin asked, ¡°Then, when are you going to hire one?¡± ¡°At least wait till the children are going to school and when our situation haspletely stabilized,¡± Qi Qingyao murmured. ¡°Is it not stable enough now?¡± Si Jin asked. ¡°There¡¯s a hidden time bomb around. I have to settle it first.¡± Jiang Yeqian turned around as soon as Qi Qingyao said this. The two of them exchanged nces. Jiang Yeqian calmly retracted his gaze. After Qi Qingyao reactivated the traps in the house, the group went straight back to the inn at Baishui Town. Before leaving, Qi Qingyao bade goodbye to Ma Sanye and gave him ten taels of silver. Ma Sanye was so shocked, his jaw almost fell to the ground. He smiled and asked her what she needed him to do. Qi Qingyao scratched her head and said embarrassedly, ¡°If it¡¯s okay with you, Ma Sanye, help me look after my house, and also look after Old Man Zhang¡¯s family.¡± A look of understanding instantly dawned upon Ma Sanye. He carefully stuffed the ten taels of silver in his arms, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Eleventh Daughter. I¡¯ll ¡°look after¡± Old Man Zhang¡¯s family and also look after the house. I¡¯ll take note of everything that happens and let you know when youe back.¡± Qi Qingyao thanked Ma Sanye. They still stayed in the same room after they returned to the inn. She had not been in a hurry to check out before because she was afraid that she would be staying in town during the Chinese New Year. However, she did not expect toe back again. She called the servant to deliver their meal. When they were eating, Si Jin held the bowl and kept on eating white rice as usual. Xiaobao liked to eat green vegetables and saucy beef. Dabao liked chicken drumsticks and braised meat. Erniu liked clear tofu and veggie soup and fish. Jiang Yeqian did not seem to be picky with food and took a few bites of each dish. Qi Qingyao usually had a big appetite, but she was eating very slowly today. After they were done, she called the servant to collect the dishes. Qi Qingyao sighed contentedly. ¡°The inn¡¯s nice. There¡¯s someone who cleans and cooks, there¡¯s even someone who serves tea and pours us water. asionally, someone even changes the bedding sheets when it gets dirty! The inn is my home!¡± Xiaobao, ¡°¡­¡± Mother¡¯s concept of home was¡­really weird! Jiang Yeqian also nced at her sideways with a look of puzzlement. Everyone disliked the inn as there were many people that came and went, and where there were people, there was gossip. It looked like she was the only one who liked staying at the inn! Her train of thought was really strange! After taking a few sips of tea, Qi Qingyao raised her eyelidszily, ¡°Jiang Bai, I have something to discuss with you alone.¡± She immediately got up, pushed the door open, and walked next door. Jiang Yeqian followed closely behind. After entering the room, Qi Qingyao leaned leisurely against the window and opened a small gap in the window. The cold wind blew in, making Qi Qingyao more awake. Qi Qingyao turned around then looked at Jiang Yeqian, ¡°Do you have anything to say?¡± Chapter 201 - His Affections 1

Chapter 201: His Affections 1

¡°?¡± Jiang Yeqian paused. He froze, as if he did not know how he should answer. Qi Qingyao reminded him, ¡°We agreed to one month.¡± Jiang Yeqian was speechless. While he kept silent, Qi Qingyao did as well. After a long period of silence, Qi Qingyao closed the window and looked at him calmly. ¡°If you aren¡¯t gonna say anything, I¡¯ll no longer concern myself with it.¡± She sat down and fiddled with the empty teapot on the table, caressing the peony pattern on it. ¡°I know that you¡¯re going to tell me that I need a guard to apany me and that you just so happened to be able to protect me from harm, hhh. But I have to make something clear. I don¡¯t need a guard who can¡¯t show his face and might bring me trouble. You know what I mean.¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Jiang Yeqian opened his mouth, but when he tried to speak, he could not find the words. ¡°nning to tell me the truth, finally?¡± Qi Qingyao did not want to rush him. She merely smiled carefreely. ¡°You can stop right there if you¡¯re going to tell me that you haven¡¯t regained your memories.¡± Jiang Yeqian, ¡°¡­¡± She did not even give him a chance to lie. After another long period of silence, Qi Qingyao was already a little impatient. ¡°You can leave if you aren¡¯t nning to tell me the truth.¡± Jiang Yeqian was persistent. ¡°I really haven¡¯t regained my memories.¡± ¡°Even if you really haven¡¯t, it¡¯s none of my concern. I¡¯m rich now. I can give you two taels of silver and set you free in the wild.¡± Qi Qingyao withdrew her purse, fished out two taels, and set them on the table. As if she was filthy rich. Jiang Yeqian did not know how to reply to that, so he fell silent. Qi Qingyao said to herself, ¡°See, I¡¯m so generous, even I feel touched. If I didn¡¯t have my memories, and the person I owe a huge sum of money to gave me money and freedom, I¡¯d be overjoyed!¡± Jiang Yeqian, ¡°¡­¡± Qi Qingyao continued unconcernedly, ¡°Oh, right, you don¡¯t need to pay back the one thousand taels you owe me.¡± ¡°No,¡± Jiang Yeqian said. ¡°I¡¯m being generous! What are you doing, saying no when I told you that you don¡¯t need to repay me?¡± Qi Qingyao¡¯s smile waszy and a little sarcastic. ¡°After I drive out the burden that you are, the money I¡¯ll save will definitely be worth more than one thousand taels of silver. So you don¡¯t need to feel sorry for not paying me back.¡± Jiang Yeqian furrowed his brow and was quiet for a while before he said, ¡°Are you not going to sell my body out now?¡± Qi Qingyao¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°From my assumptions, after I sell you out and get the money for it, you can escape very quickly.¡± Jiang Yeqian, ¡°¡­¡± Her eyes were quite sharp. Qi Qingyao shrugged, as if the world was at peace, and said cheerfully, ¡°So, let¡¯s save ourselves the trouble.¡± Jiang Yeqian knew that she was not joking. She was waiting for him to tell her the truth. ¡°You really are going to drive me out.¡± ¡°We agreed on one month. It¡¯s not that I drove you out, it¡¯s that you didn¡¯t want to stay.¡± Qi Qingyao said nonchntly. Jiang Yeqian, ¡°¡­¡± Qi Qingyao waited for a while. When the man remained silent, she understood something. Thus, she went to open the window and made a gesture of invitation. Jiang Yeqian was rooted in the spot for a while, but he had no other option but to fly out from the window. Qi Qingyao closed the window emotionlessly, then left the room and returned to the room next door. Si Jin ran to the adjacent room and looked around for a while. After he ran back, he asked nervously, his eyes wet, ¡°Have you really driven him out?¡± Chapter 202 - His Affections 2

Chapter 202: His Affections 2

¡°What makes you say that I drove him out? It¡¯s he who didn¡¯t want to tell me the truth.¡± Qi Qingyao poured herself another cup of tea and drank a mouthful of hot liquid calmly before saying, ¡°He refused to tell me the truth either because he didn¡¯t want to stay, or because he thought he could give me some random excuse and I¡¯d let him stay, like what he¡¯s done before.¡± Si Jin nodded, in deep thought. The children listened to their conversation from beside them from time to time, tilting their heads in vagueprehension. Dabao and Erniu forgot about it soon after, as they were busy eating cakes the servant sent them. Only Xiaobao was in deep, focused thought, his chin lodged in his hands. Did Mother really drive Uncle Jiang Bai out? He missed the older man, somewhat, as he was powerful and intelligent. Mother was right, though. He was only a stranger they had identally saved. Mother said that it was reasonable for her to drive him out if he did not tell her the truth. Xiaobao looked at his mother¡¯s side profile adoringly. He thought, ¡®Mother¡¯s clever and calm and powerful! I want to be someone like her when I grow up!¡¯ It was only after Qi Qingyao finished the pot of tea when she remembered something. She asked Si Jin, ¡°How skilled are you atbat?¡± Si Jin thought about it for a while. ¡°I can take him, no problem.¡± The ¡°him¡± in question was Jiang Bai, of course. Qi Qingyao was satisfied. ¡°I like thisparison.¡± That night, after Qi Qingyao freshened up and went to bed, Xiaobaoy beside her. ¡°Mother.¡± ¡°Why are you still not asleep?¡± Qi Qingyao asked, rubbing her eyes. Xiaobao asked slowly, ¡°Mother, are we just going to live in the inn from now on?¡± Qi Qingyao caressed his head. ¡°No, it¡¯s just temporary.¡± Qi Qingyao did not dare to tell Xiaobao that she actually wanted to live in the inn for her whole life. Hang on, if she continued on this train of thought, maybe she could just open an inn in the future! She could save the best room for herself, and she could also rent the frontal rooms out. She would be killing several birds with one stone! However, she was not sure if the children would be willing. She had a feeling they wanted a stable home. They probably would not want to live in an inn for too long a time¡­ Xiaobao pulled on Qi Qingyao¡¯s sleeve. ¡°Then¡­ It¡¯s almost the New Year. Are we going to spend it in the inn?¡± Qi Qingyao swallowed. She looked into the kid¡¯s eyes. She was quite sure that Xiaobao¡¯s eyes would be immediately filled with tears should she say that they would be spending the New Year at the inn, and that he would not let the teardrops fall and ept the cruel truth, because Xiaobao was an obedient kid that listened to his mother. Qi Qingyao thought for a while. She said, ¡°On the first day of the New Year we¡¯ll go back to visit Ma Sanye and Heir Pei. On the third day, we¡¯ll take a carriage to Qingzhou City.¡± ¡°We¡¯re going to Qingzhou City?¡± Xiaobao¡¯s eyes lit up. He looked expectant. He was a kid, after all; of course he would be excited to go to a big city. Qi Qingyao said calmly, ¡°It¡¯s the New Year. Qingzhou City will definitely be crowded. There will be a lot of lights, and maybe there will be a prettymp festival too. Don¡¯t you want to go there for a look?¡± ¡°I want to!¡± Xiaobao said excitedly. Qi Qingyaoughed. She ruffled the kid¡¯s hair and gestured for him to go to sleep. Xiaobao muttered to himself about their trip to Qingzhou City and had since then forgotten about his anxiety over where they would be staying in the future. Qi Qingyao smiled to herself. She held the kid in her arms and closed her eyes as well. That night. Si Jin was alone in the next room. He was not sleeping, of course. He had promised Elder Sister that he would not go for a swim during the night, though. He must fulfill his promise. Elder Sister would be angry if he did not. However, Si Jin did not need much sleep. He flew out from the window and appeared outside Qi Qingyao¡¯s window. Hey there on the windowsill, crossing his legs as he stared at the night sky. He narrowed his eyes. The night was really dark. Si Jin was also very much awake. At about one in the morning, a cold wind suddenly blew, and snowkes fell from the sky. Si Jin opened his eyes wide. He fixed his gaze at a spot in the inn¡¯s backyard. Was someone there? Chapter 203 - His Affections 3

Chapter 203: His Affections 3

Just as he realized that someone was there, four to five silhouettes headed toward the room. They were like grey sparrows in the dark, with how quick they moved. They swooped up to the roof, so quick that Si Jin raised his brow in surprise. He was just lounging outside because he was bored, but there was really someone outside. How interesting. When the five intruders pounced on him, Si Jin got up. He did not wake the people inside the room as he parried one of the intruders and kicked him viciously. The intruder shot out like a cannon andnded on the inn¡¯s walls in the backyard. A big hole appeared on the wall, and the intruder was sent flying through it. Si Jin was satisfied with the effect of this kick. The other assassins were about to hop onto the walls, but when they saw their colleague being blown through the air tens of meters away, they returned, withdrew their swords, and attacked Si Jin. Si Jin wanted to pick up the sword on the floor, but chose not to after some consideration. The four assassins soon surrounded him. Si Jin looked at them with a grin on his face. When they attacked him at the same time, he bent down and dodged a round of attacks. Next, he kicked someone on the leg, swift as lightning, and the person¡¯s leg broke with a crack. The person fell to the floor heavily. Si Jin picked up a metal rod from a corner of the backyard. It was quite heavy, but as light as cotton in Si Jin¡¯s hands. With the rod, he fought the assassins more effortlessly. He was extremely swift. When the three remaining assassins tried to surround him again, he whooped all of them with the rod, and they fell to the ground, unable to get up. As if they had fainted. ¡°You want to assassinate her? Dream on!¡± Si Jin discarded the metal rod he was holding. He looked at the lonely night and the quiet inn. After some thought, he tied the five assassins up, stuffed some rags into their mouths, and then disappeared, carrying the five men on his back. He ran to the shore of the Jiuli River, where he tossed the five men, who were already awake and whimpering, into the river. Their swords followed soon after. Not only did he discard the dead bodies, but he also wiped away their traces. He did everything quickly and effortlessly. ¡­ Bai Mei realized that the people she sent out had not reported to her after half a day, so she sent several more men to look. This time, they did not approach the inn and observed it from afar. The conclusion she reached was terrifying. Bai Mei did not dare wait for long. She reported to her master Jiang Yeqian immediately. ¡°M¡ªMaster, everyone I sent is missing.¡± ¡°Missing? What do you mean?¡± Jiang Yeqian was baffled. His original n was to send some men out to assassinate Qi Qingyao, but not for real, only to make her sense danger. If Si Jin could not deal with the men, he would show up personally and save her from danger, so that she would know his importance. This was to ensure that he could stay with her as her guard without exposing his true identity. ¡°They¡¯re missing, dead or alive,¡± Bai Mei said. Jiang Yeqian paused for a while. He thought about it for a long time before he said, ¡°It must be him.¡± ¡°Who?¡± Bai Mei asked. ¡°Him,¡± Jiang Yeqian said. Bai Mei, ¡°¡­¡± Who was Master talking about? Jiang Yeqian was in deep thought for a while. He muttered, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect him to be so skilled.¡± Bai Mei realized that the Master was talking about the young boy named Si Jin. Bai Mei said, ¡°It seems that Miss Qi has someone to protect her even without you.¡± Jiang Yeqian, ¡°¡­¡± Bai Mei waited for a while. When her master did not speak, she asked, ¡°Master?¡± ¡°Leave. I want to be alone,¡± Jiang Yeqian waved his hand. Chapter 204 - His Affections 4

Chapter 204: His Affections 4

Jiang Yeqian would not need to worry about Qi Qingyao¡¯s safety when she was in Baishui Vige, but at the same time, he felt lost. If she really did not need him, he should return to the capital and meet the State Preceptor, Li Ruoxuan! That night, in the dark, a ck carriage drove toward Qingzhou City. It headed into the city under the moonlight, and drove toward a restaurant. The building had four floors in total. Jiang Yeqian went straight up to the fourth floor and pushed on a door. The interior of the room seemed to be made of gold; the room glinted bright gold from top to bottom, and it was extremely grand andvish. The floors were covered by handwoven cashmere carpets, on which were several fist-sized glow-in-the-dark pearls. White jade ceramic bowls were filled with pink pearls, and on the gold-traced ckwater wood table were several beautiful stalks of jadeite cabbage. On the walls were valuable pieces of art by renowned masters. A young man d in red was drinking liquor on a chair cushioned with tiger skin, a soft, gentle girl in his arms. However, he paused when he saw the visitor. ¡°You didn¡¯t pay me a single cent thest time you drank here, and yet you have the nerve toe back?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t piss me off.¡± Jiang Yeqian sat down, looking moody. The red-clothed man nodded at the girls, who quickly left the room. The man¡¯s name was Tan Xiangdie. He had known Jiang Yeqian for a long time. Tan Xiangdie noticed Jiang Yeqian¡¯s murderous expression. He deliberately teased, ¡°You¡¯ve been staying in Qingzhou for a long time, and you aren¡¯t going back to the capital, either. What is going on in your brain? I find you harder and harder to understand.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Jiang Yeqian gave him a look, and then he picked up the gon on the table morosely and started to drink. ¡°Don¡¯t just drink, tell me everything.¡± Tan Xiangdie was even more curious after seeing his actions. Who was it that had given the famous Head of Zhaixing Administration trouble? Jiang Yeqian continued to drink expressionlessly. ¡°Speak up! Drinking is so boring!¡± Tan Xiangdie was behaving like he was watching a show. He said, ¡°Look at how you¡¯re drowning your sorrows with liquor. You must be having trouble with a woman.¡± Jiang Yeqian¡¯s hand that was holding the gon stopped midair, and his expression turned icier. Tan Xiangdie looked like he had discovered a new continent. He said, filled with surprise, ¡°Why the face? Have you really met a woman?¡± Jiang Yeqian eyed this gossiping fellow, and he said coldly, ¡°I met a woman. She already has children.¡± ¡°Damn, I didn¡¯t expect your taste to be so unique.¡± Tan Xiangdie was shocked, but he patted his chest and said calmly, ¡°It¡¯s fine, though. You¡¯re the Head of the Zhaixing Administration. It¡¯s normal for you to fall for a woman who has kids.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t like her,¡± Jiang Yeqian retorted resolutely. ¡°Why are you drowning your sorrows with liquor here, then?¡± Tan Xiangdie asked. ¡°She drove me out.¡± She drove him out, that was all. ¡°Drive out? What do you mean by that?¡± Tan Xiangdie did not understand. ¡°She drove me out, literally,¡± Jiang Yeqian exined. ¡°You¡­ Ugh, you¡¯ll drive me mad. Tell me! What is your rtionship with this woman? Why did she drive you out? Why did she make you drown your sorrows with liquor over here?¡± Tan Xiangdie scratched his head anxiously. He was the Head of the Ghost House, the Zhaixing Administration! The Head of the Zhaixing Administration that did not get involved with women! He had be a spy in the imperial court in order to obtain information, but he somehow became the Head Grand Secretariat of Beiliang whom the Emperor thought highly of! Now, he was drowning himself in liquor because of a woman who had kids! This was more and more hrious the more he thought of it. He was also getting more and more curious. When Tan Xiangdie asked Jiang Yeqian what the rtionship between him and Qi Qingyao was, Jiang Yeqian felt awkward for a while, and then he drank a mouthful of liquor. He said, ¡°There¡¯s no rtionship!¡± Chapter 205 - His Affections 5

Chapter 205: His Affections 5

Jiang Yeqian said those words so resolutely, everyone who heard them would definitely agree with him. However, Tan Xiangdie rolled his eyes to the sky. He lobbed the crystal sk on the table toward the pir. Liquor spilled everywhere, and the sk shattered. Tan Xiangdie harrumphed. ¡°Should I call you the Head of Zhaixing Administration Feng Wushe, or the Head Grand Secretariat Jiang Yeqian? You said there¡¯s nothing between you and the woman, so why do you look like a dead man?¡± Tan Xiangdie¡¯s scolding made Jiang Yeqian quieter. Did he look like a dead man? He just could not understand why Qi Qingyao drove him out. ¡°A woman who got pregnant even when she¡¯s not married and gave birth to three kids. She ordered me to be her servant. I did,¡± he muttered. What? Tan Xiangdie thought he had heard wrong. Heughed instantly. Jiang Yeqian acted like he did not hear Tan Xiangdie¡¯sughter. He murmured as he drank, ¡°She¡¯s very insistent on knowing my identity. Is my face not attractive enough? What a moron.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Tan Xiangdie sat beside him, cross-legged. He took a bunch of grapes out from a gold-patterned jade and amber te, picked one, tossed it into his mouth, and spit out the skin. While he did that, he looked at Jiang Yeqian with a grin on his face. Jiang Yeqian continued to drink. He said, ¡°I didn¡¯t want to tell her my identity, so she drove me out, and she was very determined at that. There¡¯s something wrong with her, isn¡¯t there?¡± While Tan Xiangdie ate his grapes, he looked at the man who was downing liquor like a madman. He coughed softly, and told him the truth because he could not help it. ¡°I don¡¯t know if there¡¯s something wrong with her, but there¡¯s definitely something wrong with you.¡± ¡°Me? There¡¯s something wrong with me? I was her servant for so long. I helped her build her house and kill wild boars. And I took care of her kids too! But then she shooed me away because I didn¡¯t want to tell her my identity. And you say that there¡¯s nothing wrong with this woman?¡± Jiang Yeqian¡¯s eyes were red. He was frustrated as he grasped Tan Xiangdie¡¯s cor and asked him viciously. Tan Xiangdie could only go with it reluctantly. ¡°Fine, there¡¯s something wrong with her!¡± ¡°There always has been.¡± Jiang Yeqian sounded furious, but there was also a hint of sadness in his words. Tan Xiangdie pushed Jiang Yeqian aside. He propped one hand on the table as he ate grapes with the other. He grinned, interested. ¡°You like her¡­¡± Like? This word struck Jiang Yeqian like lightning. His mind went nk. ¡°¡­¡± After a long silence, Tan Xiangdie noticed the awkwardness on Jiang Yeqian¡¯s face and his silence, and he could not help butugh out loud. ¡°Hahahaha, our Head of the Zhaixing Administration fell for a woman who has three kids! If we tell anyone about this, they will probablyugh their heads off!¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t fall for her,¡± Jiang Yeqian denied anxiously. ¡°Then why are you fussing over the issue over here?¡± Had this guy not touched a woman before until now? Why would he be like this otherwise? Tan Xiangdie was very confused by the man¡¯s current demeanor. ¡°I am not fussing,¡± Jiang Yeqian said firmly. ¡°Why are you drowning your sorrows in alcohol, then?¡± Tan Xiangdie asked curiously. ¡°I¡¯m merely feeling indignant.¡± Jiang Yeqian downed all the liquor in the gon, and he picked up another one made of white jade. He opened it and drank a mouthful before he said ominously, ¡°There is someone who doesn¡¯t think highly of me.¡± ¡°You narcissistic man. Ha!¡± There was disdain in his tone as he said sarcastically, ¡°Jiang Yeqian, you do have a nice face, but with how big the world is, there are lots of birds in the forest! There¡¯s no reason why this woman should think highly of you.¡± Chapter 206 - His Affections 6

Chapter 206: His Affections 6

¡°I really don¡¯t like her,¡± he said firmly and decisively. ¡°Alright, alright, you don¡¯t like her.¡± Was this how a person who liked someone for the first time behaved? How unhinged. Tan Xiangdie had never seen Jiang Yeqian act like this before. They had only ever discussed work matters during their asional meet-up before. Jiang Yeqian was one who rarely drank. He was mostly calm and self-sufficient; if he were not looking for various intelligence resources, he was analyzing something. He had never heard of this man fancying anyone. Who would have thought that this time¡­ Jiang Yeqian repeated firmly, ¡°I really don¡¯t like her.¡± ¡°I believe you, you don¡¯t like her.¡± Tan Xiangdie felt a littlezy to deal with the guy. ¡°Your expression tells me you¡¯re not taking this seriously.¡± Jiang Yeqian said heavily as he leaned forward again and grabbed thepels of Tan Xiangdie¡¯s shirt. Tan Xiangdie felt likeughing from how pissed off the drunk man was making him. ¡°I say you don¡¯t like her and you say I¡¯m not taking you seriously, I shall say that you do like her and ask you to refute me. What do you want me to say?¡± ¡°I really don¡¯t like her.¡± He continued pressing firmly as he tried to convince the other of his words. ¡°Alright, alright, alright. You don¡¯t, you don¡¯t.¡± He could not help but roll his eyes. ¡°You have to believe me, I really don¡¯t like her!!!¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡­ Qi Qingyao had no idea what had transpired the night before. After waking up at dawn, she saw someone sitting outside the window just as she opened it to let the air in. It was Si Jin and he almost scared her to death. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you slept outside my window yesterday.¡± Qi Qingyao patted her chest as she spoke somewhat incoherently. ¡°I did,¡± said Si Jin. Qi Qingyao was taken aback for a bit before she said, ¡°I¡¯ve chased him away and now the room is yours alone, yet you don¡¯t use it. What¡¯s the point of me spending money to book another room then?¡± After Si Jin came in through the window, he helped Erniu put on a cotton jacket as he ryed the affairs fromst night to Qi Qingyao. Qi Qingyao felt a cold sweat on her entire body after he was done telling the story. ¡°Why would someone want to assassinate me? I didn¡¯t offend anyone. I¡¯m just an ordinary person.¡± If this was a game, then d*mn, it was like she had already been targeted by the professionals despite having not left the beginner¡¯s ville. This was¡­truly unpleasant. Was she about to be killed in the beginner¡¯s ville? After Si Jin helped Erniu put on her cotton jacket, he carried her off from the bed. He said as he styled her hair, ¡°Sister, you know the Master Architect Li Qinglian and have connections to Su Hexiao. Do you really still think you¡¯re an ordinary person?¡± ¡°¡­¡± At that, Qi Qingyao went silent. Si Jin continued, ¡°The masters were invited from Qingzhou City. After they returned, all they needed to do was just talk around for a bit and everyone would know that there is someone here who is connected to the Master Architect Li Qinglian.¡± ¡°He¡¯s just an architect, there¡¯s no reason that this would bring me the risk of getting killed.¡± Qi Qingyao did not want to believe this fact. Pondering for a moment, Si Jin then said, ¡°Heir Pei is gradually healing from his illness, this will surely spread to the ears of people who care. We lived in the Lord Heir¡¯s residence for ten days. One need only keep their ears open a bit and they¡¯d know that Heir Pei has given you a gift recently! This proves that he wants to build a good rtionship with you. However, this act alone has also gotten many others to pay attention to you and realize your uniqueness.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Qi Qingyao was quiet for a long time. She washed her face then said, ¡°Then, why didn¡¯t you remind me of this?¡± Si Jin scratched his head. ¡°Jiang Bai and I both thought you were sure about wanting to enter Capital City in the future. Besides, why would we stop you when you brought out Master Architect Li Qinglian¡¯s brilliant masterpiece? It was a glorious thing.¡± Qi Qingyao, ¡°¡­¡± She had not thought about it much before. No. To be more urate. She had not known at all that there was a Master Li Qinglian here when she brought out the blueprint. She only found out when she was preparing to work on it. As for her treating Heir Pei, she just took a look at his illness. Who would have thought that there would exist this miraculous doctor, Su Hexiao? Chapter 207 - His Affections 7

Chapter 207: His Affections 7

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion She had already exined to Heir Pei that she was not Su Hexiao but he did not believe her¡­ It was akin to being mistaken as someone who had been famous for a long time in themunity by someone from the Jianghumunity. Yet, she did not know how to make herself any clearer than she already was. However, when she thought about it again, the more she exined, the more people believed that she was someone famous. Qi Qingyao then thought about how she did not have inner energy, and that she was not even able to cultivate it like a person from this world. Not to mention. Others had been cultivating it since they were young. She was turning twenty soon, what the heck should she even cultivate it for! For someone without any foundation to be assassinated by a professional of this continent, well¡­ she could only sit and wait for her corpse to disappear. Fortunately, she was rich. Qi Qingyao gave Si Jin a hundred taels of silver in a way that showed off how wealthy she was. ¡°Go hire some capable bodyguards for me.¡± Si Jin looked at the bills and said, ¡°You have me, sister.¡± Qi Qingyao said, ¡°I do have you, but the point now is that the bodyguards could prevent our enemies from leaving their base.¡± Si Jin thought that made sense and promptly left. If only Qi Qingyao knew that the people fromst night were sent by Jiang Yeqian, she would realize that there actually were no people who were trying to assassinate her¡­ ¡­ The children heard the discussion between their mommy and Si Jin and instantly felt nervous. They thought, ¡®We can¡¯t simply run around anymore in the future! We can¡¯t let ourselves be a burden to Mommy!¡¯ Dabao immediately started thinking, ¡®What if mommy got an expert to assess Dabao¡¯s talent? He could get them to teach him martial arts!¡¯ He needed to grow up quickly so that he could properly protect Mommy in the future! Erniu and Xiaobao were also thinking along the same lines. Qi Qingyao did not realize that the children were growing faster and faster in this arduous environment. After they cleaned themselves up. Qi Qingyao had just called for their breakfast. As they were preparing to start eating, Si Jin returned, bringing someone in tow. Qi Qingyao pointed at the ox-headed man who reeked of alcohol and spoke with a dark expression. ¡°Why did you bring him back again?¡± Aggrieved, Si Jin pointed at Jiang Yeqian and exined, ¡°Sister, he said he was free.¡± ¡°I do not need dishonest people, even if they¡¯re free.¡± Qi Qingyao said decisively. ¡°I¡­¡± Jiang Yeqian took off his mask. He rubbed his forehead and looked at Qi Qingyao with bloodshot eyes. He also had no idea how he ended uping back here after getting chased away by Tan Xiangdie after drinking too much. Having snapped out a little from his hazy stupor, he then realized that he was standing firmly at the back of Longmen Inn. He felt conflicted. Just as he was about to leave, he bumped into Si Jin. Unruffled by the new development, Qi Qingyao asked calmly, ¡°Do you n on telling the truth now?¡± Jiang Yeqian wanted to say something but was a bit hesitant and stopped. He then grabbed her and pulled her over to next door, closing the door behind them. Gritting his teeth, Jiang Yeqian said, ¡°Since you want me to be honest, then I¡¯ll tell you the truth.¡± Qi Qingyao was paying full attention. She was standing to the side, at ease as she looked at him. Jiang Yeqian lowered his gaze, ¡°Actually, I... haven¡¯t regained my memories, but I don¡¯t want to leave.¡± ¡°Your reason?¡± Qi Qingyao widened her eyes slightly and asked coolly. Jiang Yeqian immediately said, ¡°I¡¯m curious about you.¡± ¡°What¡¯s there to be curious about me?¡± asked Qi Qingyao. As if she were not a curious person? Jiang Yeqian said, ¡°For one who used to be a fool but is now intelligent; I¡¯m curious about your rtionship with the Master Architect Li Qinglian as well as your rtionship with the miraculous doctor Su Hexiao. The reason I want to remain by your side is that I want to find out the truth.¡± ¡°Alright¡­ I ept your reason.¡± She was truly such a mysterious person and the people she attracted were also likewise curious! Qi Qingyao said hurriedly, ¡°But if you haven¡¯t gotten your memories back, how did you know that the person who wants you dead was looking for you in Baishui Town and that they might be in Qingzhou City?¡± Jiang Yeqian, ¡°....¡± He had miscalcted. Chapter 208 - His Affections 8

Chapter 208: His Affections 8

Qi Qingyao pressed on, ¡°If you really haven¡¯t regained your memories, then don¡¯t wear your mask anymore moving forward.¡± Jiang Yeqian, ¡°¡­¡± Seeing him continue to remain silent, Qi Qingyao knew that this person was just full of lies. She waved her hand, ¡°So, were you taking me for a fool?¡± Jiang Yeqian looked at her and once again fell into silence. Then, he opened his mouth slightly. ¡°Actually, I got my memories back.¡± Qi Qingyao raised a brow, waiting for him to make up more lies. Jiang Yeqian coughed lightly. Lowering his gaze, he said in a muddled voice, ¡°My name is Jiang Chenye, and my home is with the Jiang family in Yuehua City. I¡¯m the second child of the Jiang family. The man who came after me was Li Ruoxuan, the state preceptor of the country. I¡¯m not lying to you this time. When we were at the fair at Koi Temple back then, I ran into Li Ruoxuan¡¯s people. They had the state preceptor¡¯s special insignia on their neckline. He is still sending people out to look for me. That is why I can¡¯t reveal myself here.¡± The part about someone who was after his life was real so he could only¡­modify his identity. Qi Qingyao looked at him dubiously, ¡°The state preceptor, Li Ruoxuan? Why does he want to kill you?¡± Jiang Yeqian contemted a beat before saying, ¡°I¡¯m afraid it might be something that happened in the Capital City. I¡¯ve offended him but I don¡¯t know the specifics. I¡¯m not lying to you about this. If I knew how I¡¯d offended the state preceptor, I would definitely try to change things. But I don¡¯t, so that¡¯s why I can only hide now.¡± ¡°The state preceptor¡¯s people are still looking for you?¡± Qi Qingyao did not believe him entirely. This had been going on for a while now. Not to mention, she had even built a house, making it almost two months at least. Jiang Yeqian said solemnly, ¡°I¡¯m afraid they will not give up until they find my corpse. So, it¡¯s not easy for me to reveal myself to others in the meantime.¡± Qi Qingyao observed his expression. These words seemed to be true. She asked, ¡°Then, wouldn¡¯t I be strapping a time bomb to myself if I take you?¡± Jiang Yeqian shook his head. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t be.¡± ¡°How so?¡± Qi Qingyao asked. ¡°I wear an ox-head mask while Si Jin wears a horse-faced one. Together, the two of us make the Ox-Head and Horse-Face(1). I think we match up pretty well.¡± Jiang Yeqian exined further, ¡°Right now, you¡¯re connected to the Master Architect Li Qinglian and in the eyes of some others, you¡¯re also connected to Su Hexiao. It wouldn¡¯t be weird for you to have two strange subordinates in that case.¡± Having said this, Qi Qingyao observed him quietly. Jiang Yeqian said, ¡°I¡¯ll protect you with everything I have, and as for holding back the state preceptor, you¡¯ll be¡­¡± ¡°A pawn.¡± Qi Qingyao¡¯s expression looked somewhat in between smiling but also not. Jiang Yeqian did not finish his sentence. Instead, he asked, ¡°Are you like a pawn?¡± She was not. She could not possibly be his pawn or his shield. It seemed that what was said was true, and whether or not there were some lies mixed in, only time would tell. ¡°I¡¯ll ept this reason of yours for now.¡± Qi Qingyao calmly asked, ¡°So, how long do you n on being with me?¡± Jiang Yeqian replied, ¡°I¡¯ll stay with you in the meantime. I¡¯ll also investigate the reason the state preceptor wants me dead while I protect you.¡± Qi Qingyao felt that he was telling the truth and said, ¡°I like honest people. While I don¡¯t think you¡¯re being fully honest with me, your words make sense.¡± Jiang Yeqian breathed a sigh of relief privately. He had not lied about anything else apart from his identity. Two truths, one lie. Most people would find them hard to discern. ¡°You can stay but only as my servant, and you won¡¯t be receiving any wages,¡± Qi Qingyao said, deducting his monthly sry calmly. The moment he heard he could stay, Jiang Yeqian was once again dumbfounded. He did not actually think that he would be allowed to stay after just sharing a small piece of the truth. It was a good thing that he could stay. Jiang Yeqian could not stop the corners of his lips from hooking into a faint snigger. When he felt himself smiling secretly inside, Jiang Yeqian immediately forced his expression under control. ¡®Hold up, why did I tell her so much? Why do I want to stay that bad?¡¯ How, how peculiar! Oh. Right. He was just curious about Master Li Qinglian¡¯s connection with her, and also the miraculous doctor Su Hexiao¡¯s connection with her. There was no other special reason! Absolutely no other special reason! Trantor¡¯s Note: Ox-Head and Horse-Face are two guardians or types of guardians of the underworld in Chinese mythology. Chapter 209 - His Affections 9

Chapter 209: His Affections 9

Si Jin had already started digging into the porridge when Qi Qingyao brought Jiang Yeqian back. Xiaobao widened his eyes in surprise. He looked at Jiang Yeqian, expression stunned, and asked, ¡°Are you letting him stay again?¡± As Qi Qingyao sat down and picked up her bowl, she spoke while eating, ¡°I still don¡¯t trust him. But he said some reasonable things. I mighte face to face with some problems and I just need someone who can deal with them for me. I have to take care of my safety as well as my children¡¯s and I can¡¯t do that on my own. Things will be easier with one more person around.¡± ¡°What if he¡­¡± Xiaobao looked at Jiang Yeqian with some wariness. Not shying away, Qi Qingyao sat beside Jiang Yeqian and said calmly withplete ease, ¡°At most, he¡¯s currently using me as a shield and that¡¯s okay with me! We¡¯re all just using each other for our own benefit.¡± Jiang Yeqian, ¡°¡­¡± The children heard what their mommy said and immediately looked at Jiang Yeqian with vignt gazes to the point that he almost could not eat. However, he still ate. He had drunk alcohol the entire night and eating some porridge now made him feel a lot better. Besides, he was back again. How could he not celebrate a little by eating a bit more? Qi Qingyao consumed a bowl of porridge. She was momentarily stunned when she realized that Si Jin had taken four bowls of white porridge on his own. His appetite had grown again. It seemed like simply raising this guy would be difficult if she did not make more money in the future. Meanwhile, Si Jin wiped his mouth cutely, looking far from satiated. He cradled the empty bowl and peeked quietly toward Qi Qingyao. Qi Qingyao could only ask the servant to bring four more bowls of white porridge. The servant came serving the porridge, and as he cleared the empty bowls, he caught from the corner of his eyes the sight of Si Jin gulping down the porridge in big mouthfuls and was confused. ¡®Does this customer love their porridge that much? ¡®It¡¯s just white porridge. ¡®Tasteless white porridge. ¡®Is it really that good?¡¯ It was not as if he had not eaten it himself, but he felt that it was like any other porridge¡­ This young man was quite good-looking, had decent character, and was not picky¡­he sure was an easy one to raise. After their meal, Qi Qingyao then instructed Jiang Yeqian to teach the children how to read while she sat in the corner. She was holding onto some medicinal herbs as she began pounding them. Si Jin was bored, having nothing to do, so he went downstairs and made his way to the inn¡¯s kitchen. Those in the kitchen could not help but be stunned by the exquisite and picturesque young man who had just entered. ¡®Who is this!¡¯ Si Jin was not wearing a mask and, remembering his exceptionally stunning, thin, and beautiful face, he scratched his head embarrassedly as he made a request. ¡°I¡­ I wish to learn how to cook here.¡± The chef looked at him for a moment before saying, ¡°Sir, this is the inn¡¯s kitchen. You need to get approval from the owner before simply wandering in here.¡± ¡°The owner?¡± Si Jin pursed his lips and quickly went upstairs. He had heard Qi Qingyao mention before that the new boss was Lu Yan! Then that man should be the one he was looking for. Si Jin made his way to the end of the corridor before immediately lifting up his hand and knocking on the door. Knock, knock, knock. Lu Yan, who was checking through his ount book inside, raised his head when he heard the knocking on the door. Dong Jin noticed the young master frowning and immediately rushed to check on the situation. He opened the door and noted clearly that it was Si Jin. After a short pause, he asked. ¡®Who are you? And who are you looking for?¡± ¡°I¡¯m Si Jin and I¡¯m here to see Master Lu.¡± Si Jin was very polite and smiled rather purely. Dong Jin immediately went in and reported, ¡°Master, there is someone named Si Jin who wishes to meet with you.¡± Lu Yan waved his hand very calmly, ¡°Don¡¯t know them, won¡¯t see them.¡± As soon as he said this, the white cat in his arms rushed down from the couch nimbly and vigorously, before running toward the door with very light and elegant steps. Its actions startled Lu Yan and he called out. ¡°Why are you going there?¡± Chapter 210 - His Affections 10

Chapter 210: His Affections 10

¡°Meow~¡± The chubby white cat turned its head back and meowed at its owner. Then, it flitted across the screen without looking back again. Lu Yan, ¡°¡­¡± He was suddenly curious about the person at the door. Si Jin was still waiting for a response but instead of a person, a chubby white cat came to meet him. When Si Jin¡¯s gazended on the cat, he was stunned for half a beat before he crouched down and stared at it. The corners of his lips hooked into a rather entric smile as he whispered. ¡°A cat.¡± And it was a fortune cat! Si Jin touched the cat¡¯s back and the white cat rolled itself onto his palm unctuously. ¡°You¡¯re so fat.¡± Si Jin sighed ruefully, ¡°I can tell that you¡¯re usually fed well.¡± The white cat meowed twice, thinking to itself, ¡®Who are you calling fat!¡¯ It was obviously voluptuous! It was cute! Dong Jin came out past the screen and immediately saw this scene. Dong Jin and the young man were stunned. What¡­was happening! God knew that the cat raised by the young master shared its master¡¯s temperament and never entertained strangers or allowed them to carry it. That was why the cat had only ever been held by the young master all these years. It would also only sit and sleep in the master¡¯s embrace or on hisp or shoulder. So what was this now? It was allowing a stranger to pet it, even rolling around under the stranger¡¯s hand as though extremely familiar with the person. Dong Jin could not help but gulp and rushed to report this scene to Lu Yan in a soft voice. Hearing this, Lu Yan¡¯s brows immediately furrowed tightly. ¡°Call him in.¡± Dong Jin promptly ushered Si Jin inside. Si Jin carried the white cat in his arms and, after entering, he recognized the man who was leaning against a ck and gold satin backrest pillow as Lu Yan in just a nce. I¡¯m Si Jin. I wish to learn how to cook in the kitchen downstairs. I know you just bought the inn so I came to ask you if you could give me permission to do this.¡± Si Jin asked as he rubbed his hand along the cat. Lu Yan¡¯s gaze was not looking at the youth at all. His eyes were fixed on the cat in Si Jin¡¯s arms. He stared at the cat that was being petted happily and ingratiatingly, almost looking as if it wanted to spend the rest of its life as a fortune cat in the young man¡¯s embrace. ¡°Do as you please, as long as you don¡¯t interrupt the usual business.¡± Si Jin happily nodded his thanks and then said, ¡°This is your cat, so I¡¯m returning it to you.¡± The white cat returned to its senses as it was held out. Only then did it dare to turn its head to look at its master¡¯s face. It noticed that Lu Yan seemed to look a little mad. The white cat hurriedly leaped out of Si Jin¡¯s hands like smoke and jumped onto Lu Yan¡¯s couch. After Si Jin left. Dong Jing did not dare to look at Lu Yan¡¯s expression because he felt that the master was a little angry. He only dared to say cautiously. ¡°Master, you¡­¡± ¡°Lucky likes him.¡± Lu Yan rubbed his jaw, his expression amused. ¡°Why would Lucky like him?¡± Dong Jing did not understand. ¡°¡­¡± Lu Yan¡¯s gaze flitted toward the cat on the couch unblinkingly. That cat did not dare look at him, which meant that it felt guilty! It felt guilty and this meant that it actually liked the young man somewhat. Hmph! Parasitic thing. Lu Yan got up purposefully and opened the window, sweeping his gaze at the fluttering snow outside. His cat would usually hop into his arms or onto his shoulder at a time like this and he was waiting for that to happen, for it to repent. A momentter. The white cat quickly leaped onto the window sill and meowed twice. ¡°Meow, meow.¡± Lu Yan¡¯s expression turned dark. Eyebrows arched high, he asked, ¡°You intend to go out and y?¡± The white cat meowed once more. Lu Yan asked with disdain, ¡°You want to look for him to y?¡± Just as he said this, the white cat followed along the window sill and quickly jumped down. Its posture was iparably nimble despite its plumpness. Chapter 211 - An Odd Coincidence 1

Chapter 211: An Odd Coincidence 1

Longmen Inn Kitchen. After having been personally approved by Lu Yan, Si Jin entered the kitchen smoothly and stood together with therge group of soot-covered cooks and vegetable cutters. Everyone looked at this beautiful young man, stunned. After having been dumbfounded for a moment, they finally found their voices. ¡°Young Master, you don¡¯t look like you¡¯recking in silver. Do you not have servants at home to prepare meals for you?¡± Si Jin smiled but did not answer the question. He just picked up the kitchen knife and stood beside the chopping block. He held himself in ce, studied the cook¡¯s posture and technique, and began helping to cut the vegetables quickly. A few of the cooks and workers first thought they were going to be miserable, ¡®We have a troublemakering into the kitchen today, looks like we¡¯re going to bete in serving the other guests.¡¯ However, when the boy quickly picked up the kitchen knife at that moment, the vegetables were cut swiftly and properly. This rendered everyone speechless. They could not help but praise the boy. ¡°Young Master, you¡¯re very skilled with the knife.¡± ¡°I¡¯m a genius.¡± Si Jin was also very pleased that he was able to learn that fast. The kitchen staff were ecstatic. Things were so much easier now that they had a helper, not to mention the kind of helper that did not need to be paid. Following that, the cooks just did a demonstration at the front while Si Jin imitated them at the back. Si Jin felt a gaze on him when he was chopping vegetables. He turned his head and saw that a white cat had descended onto the window sill of the kitchen without him realizing it. ¡°Why are you here?¡± Si Jin waved his hand and said directly, ¡°I¡¯ll y with youter, I want to learn how to cut veggies first!¡± Lucky, ¡°¡­¡± Idiot! He obviously should let himself be provided for. Just like this cat who was fed three meals and was the only one loved by its keeper. Which was inplete contrast to him who had turned himself into a human and was learning to cook in the kitchen. What a fool. After cutting up vegetables the entire morning, the cooks and workers all felt that the boy¡¯s ability to learn was just simply amazing! Did he even need to be taught? After a busy lunchtime service. Si Jin was finally free. He wiped the sweat on his forehead. As he leaned against the side of the window sill, he saw that white cat that was still there. ¡°Isn¡¯t it boring that you just stayed here all this time and watched me learn how to cut vegetables?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Obviously, you were the boring one, idiot. Si Jin looked at thezy cat curiously. ¡°Are you sure your master doesn¡¯t mind you not being around him for the past two hours?¡± ¡°¡­¡± The white cat froze for a moment before swiftly turning around and disappearing in an instant. Si Jin was left alone standing where he was, smiling with his brows raised. Lu Yan had never been separated from his cat for that long before. He was already prepared for it to never return and was getting people ready to go out to search for it. In the end, the little beast had returned on its own. It jumped in through the window and sneaked a look at him. It looked guilty once again. As if it had gone out and cheated on him. After the white cat returned to Lu Yan¡¯s side, it nervously jumped onto the couch. It first used its little ws to feel around before lightly patting Lu Yan¡¯s leg once. Lu Yan nced at it and the white cat then realized that its ws were a little dirty. It felt like it needed to go take a shower lest this clean freak threw it out the window. Just as it was about to jump down the couch, Lu Yan grabbed it into his arms in one movement. ¡°Little beast, how dare you loiter outside for two whole hours? You actually took me for dead.¡± The white cat was so scared that it did not dare to breathe. It hurriedly stuck out its little tongue and licked the back of Lu Yan¡¯s hand cautiously. Lu Yan after getting licked, ¡°¡­¡± He quietly put down the cat then instructed Dong Jing to summon Qi Qingyao over on the pretense that he had something to discuss with her. The white cat, ¡°???¡± F*ck. Qi Qingyao, who had been called over out of the blue, was even more bewildered. ¡°Grandpa, you were looking for me?¡± ¡°Sit.¡± ¡°¡­¡± After Qi Qingyao sat down, she realized that Lu Yan¡¯s expression was very heavy and that he looked like he wanted to discuss some huge matter with her. After waiting for a while. Lu Yan first swept a nce at the white cat on the couch. Then, he turned to Qi Qingyao and spoke. ¡°My cat has cheated on me.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Qi Qingyao was stunned. Chapter 212 - An Odd Coincidence

Chapter 212: An Odd Coincidence

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion ¡®So your cat cheated on you, what does that have to do with me? It did not cheat with me, in any case!¡¯ This guy was psychotic. At the same time, the white cat¡¯s pupils instantly shrank into a thin golden line. Lu Yan rubbed his forehead and said, ¡°It was hugged by one of your people named Si Jin, then it snuck out to rendezvous with him for two hours!¡± Qi Qingyao, ¡°???¡± A cat, hugged by someone else, was considered to have cheated... This person, he was crazy!!! Qi Qingyao got up, wanting to leave. Lu Yan eximed, ¡°Stop right there.¡± Qi Qingyao turned around, giving him another chance to talk. Lu Yan rubbed his eyebrows and said seriously, ¡°Your man hooked up with my cat, so you have to be responsible for it.¡± Qi Qingyao was about to crumble. She held her temples with both hands, speaking silently, ¡°What am I responsible for? Originally, I thought you were a rich man, so I wanted to hook up and get close to you. Who would have known that you¡¯re a lunatic! I don¡¯t have time to get myself to the same level as you.¡± ¡°My cat has never been hugged or petted by anyone other than me. It has always been that way,¡± Lu Yan exined helplessly. Qi Qingyao asked, ¡°So?¡± Lu Yan became more and more depressed, ¡°That means it¡¯s cheating on me! Your boy just seduced my cat, he made it restless now.¡± ¡°Then, why don¡¯t you educate your cat? Si Jin has been gone since morning and he is not back yet. Your cat is here, which means that your cat took the initiative to look for him.¡± Qi Qingyao roasted Lu Yan with continuous bombardment. Lu Yan lowered his gaze and began to think. Qi Qingyao could not help but rejoice secretly in her heart. That was a lucky cat. If the lucky cattched onto Si Jin, would she not also be rich in the process? Qi Qingyao secretly uttered in her heart, ¡®Si Jin, good job!¡¯ Jiang Yeqian noticed Qi Qingyao was a little agitated when she returned from Lu Yan¡¯s room so he asked her what was wrong. Qi Qingyao said calmly, ¡°Master Lu insisted Si Jin seduced his cat, saying that he made his cat want to cheat on him now!¡± Jiang Yeqian, ¡°...¡± What? He knew that Lu Yan was a bit ¡°odd¡±, but he did not expect him to be so peculiar! That evening, Si Jin came back to have dinner together. As soon as he walked in, Qi Qingyao asked, ¡°Si Jin, did you seduce Little Yan¡¯s cat?¡± ¡°No.¡± He sat down aggrievedly, holding a bowl and eating his favorite white rice. ¡°Then, was he ndering you?¡± Qi Qingyao held the chopsticks in one hand and the bowl in the other. ¡°Not really.¡± Si Jin, who was stuffing rice in his mouth intently, spoke vaguely with his mouth full of rice, ¡°That cat wants to befriend me.¡± Qi Qingyao almost spat the rice all over. She swallowed abruptly before murmuring the word, ¡°Befriend?¡± ¡°¡­¡± All of a sudden, Jiang Yeqian shot his sharp gaze at Si Jin. He was thinking about the word ¡®befriend¡¯. ¡®If the cat wants to be friends with you, what¡¯s your identity? ¡®Do cats befriend humans? ¡®Could it be that he was also a cat!!¡¯ Si Jin smiled broodingly and said, ¡°The cat is very interesting.¡± Jiang Yeqian looked at him teasingly, ¡°You¡¯re also very interesting.¡± Qi Qingyao asked Si Jin, ¡°What did you do today?¡± Si Jin raised his face from the bowl and said excitedly, ¡°I was in the kitchen downstairs, learning how to cook.¡± ¡°Learning to cook?¡± Qi Qing was startled. Si Jin smiled very shyly, ¡°Don¡¯t you dislike cooking? I¡¯ll be able to cook for you in the future once I learn how to cook.¡± ¡°What a good boy! You¡¯re so obedient, I want to take a bite of you.¡± Qi Qingyao, who had been eating, pulled Si Jin over, and kissed the boy¡¯s little cheek despite her greasy mouth. Jiang Yeqian¡¯s eyes suddenly turned dull. This scene was a real f*cking eyesore! Chapter 213 - An Odd Coincidence 3

Chapter 213: An Odd Coincidence 3

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion ¡°Only you know how to be endearing, only you can cook, only you can! ¡°Who doesn¡¯t know how to cook?¡± ¡°I can learn too!¡± Jiang Yeqian¡¯s mind instantly began nning to learn to cook. However, after the n was made, he reacted to himself vigorously. Why was he going crazy along with Si Jin? Si Jin deliberately wanted to show his solicitude to Qi Qingyao, but he was not that kind of person. He was only approaching her to look for the Master Architect Li Qinglian and Divine Physician Su Hexiao! He had no other purpose!!! Before going to bed that night, when Qi Qingyao had cleaned up the children and returned after discarding the foot wash, she saw the kids kneeling all together on the bed. With expressions as if begging, they called sweetly, ¡°Mommy~~~¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Sitting down calmly, she raised her eyebrows. ¡°The three of us, want, want...¡± Xiaobao licked his red lips. As if a little embarrassed, he looked at her with watery eyes. ¡°You guys want to eat candied haws again?¡± Qi Qingyao smiled; she refused and said, ¡°No way, candied haws can only be eaten once every seven days, because eating too much will cause tooth cavities.¡± Her tone was extraordinarily gentle. ¡°It¡¯s not that.¡± Dabao shook his head immediately. ¡°What is it then?¡± Qi Qingyao was a little curious. Dabao said loudly and crisply, ¡°We, we want to cultivate!¡± ¡°Cultivate?¡± Qi Qingyao did not expect that. Xiaobao clenched his small fist; it looked like a pink bun. With wide eyes, he said, ¡°We must grow up quickly, learn our skills, and protect Mommy.¡± ¡°How ambitious!¡± Qi Qingyao really did not expect her children to have such a great idea. She thought it was feasible. ¡°This idea is really good, but it¡¯s going to be New Year soon. After the new year and after we settle down in Qingzhou City, there will be many astute martial artists there, probably some with great techniques too. When the timees, we¡¯ll buy a few secret scriptures and hire a good master to train all of you.¡± In the next few days, Si Jin was strictly learning how to cook in the kitchen every day. Qi Qingyao brought her three little babies out of the house; she started buying new year clothes as well as some gadgets for the children. Jiang Yeqian did not follow along openly. Instead, he wore an ox-head¡¯s mask and followed them calmly while hiding in the dark. ¡­ Lu Yan did not expect that his cat would still jump out of the window sill routinely every day for the next few days. He heard the servant say the white cat will be at the window sill of the kitchen, watching the boy as he learned how to cook. The boy would also asionally talk to the cat. Hearing these things, it felt really unbelievable to Lu Yan¡¯s ears. He seriously thought the cat was going to cheat on him. However, it would stille back to the room every night. It would even go back to his bed, lying obediently on his pillow to sleep. This confused Lu Yan. Was this cat cheating on him or not? By the time it was the first day of the new year, Qi Qingyao took Si Jin, Jiang Yeqian, and her three children back to the vige to pay Ma Sanye a new year visit. Ma Sanye never expected that Qi Qingyao woulde to him on the morning of New Year¡¯s Day. The children had even tagged along with some gifts and Ma Sanye was especially ttered and surprised. News that Qi Qingyao paid a new year¡¯s greetings to Ma Sanye reached the ears of Old Man Qi¡¯s family, making Madam Wu jealous again. ¡°I heard that she visited Ma Sanye,¡± Madam Liang said. ¡°Ma Sanye is not even her rtive, why is she paying him a New Year¡¯s visit?¡± Madam Wu¡¯s eye roll was reaching up to the skies. Madam Liang smiled with a hint of hopefulness, saying, ¡°Maybe she will alsoe to pay us a new year¡¯s visitter. While we were not on good terms before, she is so generous now, so she should not hold grudges.¡± Besides, it was the New Year. She would definitely pay them a New Year¡¯s visit regardless. After a while, there was gossip in the vige. ¡°The Eleventh Daughter has left Ma Sanye¡¯s house.¡± ¡°But I heard that she went to a few of her uncles¡¯ homes...¡± ¡°¡­¡± Old Man Qi¡¯s family, who were setting off firecrackers at the door, went back into their house with very diposed expressions. They had waited till the evening, yet Qi Qingyao did note to pay them a visit. In the afternoon, however, several of Qi Boli¡¯s cousins ??all came out to show off the gifts that the Eleventh Daughter brought them that day. Only Old Man Qi¡¯s family was left out. ¡°....¡± Chapter 214 - An Odd Coincidence 4

Chapter 214: An Odd Coincidence 4

On the first day of Chinese New Year, Qi Qingyao brought the children to visit Ma Sanye and several rtives of the main family! The only family they did not visit was Qi Boli¡¯s. Although these were Chinese New Year visits, they did not stay for any meals. When they were done with all the visits at noon, they took the carriage and went straight back to the inn. After eating, Qi Qingyao took the children to stroll around the streets of the town like an ordinary woman. Rednterns were hung everywhere and there were even firecracker fragments on the streets! The ce looked very lively. Qi Qingyao took in the culture and ambiance of the town and wondered what kind of bustlingndscape Qingzhou City, thergest capital in Qingzhou Prefecture, had to offer. The next morning. Before this, their grandparents had been reluctant to let them visit rtives during Chinese New Year as they were a disgrace given the mother of the three children was mentally challenged. The children had therefore never gone out, nor have they strolled around town during Chinese New Year. When they saw the liveliness outside that they had never seen before, the children asked very excitedly. ¡°Where are we going today?¡± ¡°To the Lord Heir¡¯s residence.¡± After Qi Qingyao said this, she went down the stairs and entered the inn¡¯s kitchen. She gave five taels of silver to the head chef, stating it was for her to borrow the kitchen. The head chef looked around then carefully stuffed the silvers into his arms before agreeing. The boss was not strict during Chinese New Year, so no one would notice that he received a littlemission. Besides, yesterday was the first day of Chinese New Year and many people had left Baishui Town and returned to Qingzhou City after visiting the koi temples. There were not many people who stayed in the inn in the past few days, so the kitchen was not very busy. It would not hurt to let this girl borrow the kitchen. Qi Qingyao rolled up her sleeves before quickly grabbing the flour. She then began kneading the dough¡­then beat a few eggs. The head chef looked at her swift actions in bewilderment. This girl was as beautiful as the flowers and he had thought that she was going to set the kitchen on fire. He did not expect her to be such a dexterous girl. A while after Qi Qingyao had busied herself in the kitchen, Jiang Yeqian, Si Jin, and the children also came. They stood outside the window of the kitchen, watching her. The five of them were a little dumbfounded. She was actually making pastries! No, the point was, she ¡°could¡± actually make pastries! If one considered boiling chicken soup and steaming fish as simple techniques, then kneading dough and making pastries were not things ordinary people could do. These required some advanced cooking skills. She had to be a professional. Even if she was not one, she must have been trained before. Otherwise, there would be flour all over the floor and things would be messy. Anyone could tell that Qi Qingyao¡¯s movements were deft and clear-cut. Jiang Yeqian held his forehead and murmured, ¡°So, she knew how to cook? Why had she been so against cooking?¡± The children were also looking at the pastries that their mommy was making. They could not help but salivate. They had not eaten their mommy¡¯s handmade pastries before. Qi Qingyao noticed them peeking through the corner of her eyes and, without lifting her head, she said while still kneading the dough, ¡°Knowing how to do something and liking doing it are two different things.¡± Jiang Yeqian, ¡°¡­¡± Qi Qingyao did not have to lift her head to know that she must have been defamed by him on the inside. She contemted for a bit before saying, ¡°You¡¯re not an idiot. You can also cook if you learn since it¡¯s not hard. But are you willing to wash and cook for others for the rest of your life?¡± ¡°¡­¡± This¡­ Of course he was not willing. Jiang Yeqian was speechless. Si Jin said, ¡°Sister, I¡¯ve learned almost everything. I¡¯ll cook for you every day in the future.¡± ¡°I knew Si Jin is the best!¡± Qi Qingyao eximed. Erniu looked at her busy mommy and said obediently, ¡°I also want to learn how to cook, so I can make pastries for Mommy.¡± Dabao and Xiaobao also raised their hands. They decided to learn how to cook with Erniu to help lessen their mother¡¯s burden. After Qi Qingyao heard this, she burst outughing. Chapter 215 - An Odd Coincidence 5

Chapter 215: An Odd Coincidence 5

Qi Qingyao waved at them with her flour-stained hand and said. ¡°You¡¯re all still young, you can learn in a few years.¡± The children looked at each other¡¯s heights and silently pouted. Erniu thought to herself that she must be the fastest to grow tall! Qi Qingyao smiled slightly. ¡°Although I don¡¯t really like to cook, I know how to. It¡¯s a personal skill, after all! It¡¯s always good for a person to master one more skill. I won¡¯t die of starvation as long as there are ingredients around no matter when or where! So, when you guys grow a little taller in a few years, you can learn how to cook if you want to.¡± Jiang Yeqian felt that her statement was unconventional. Qi Qingyao quickly finished making the pastries. She made a lot today and let the children bring up two tes of servings. Since they were green tea-vored, they tasted very mild, so the three children devoured them all in one sitting. Poor Jiang Yeqian and Si Jin only got to eat one each! Si Jin looked at Qi Qingyao, awestruck. ¡°Sister, these pastries you made are so delicious.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not bad indeed.¡± Jiang Yeqian had eaten many pastries, including those vored with green tea. However, the ones that she made were mild in taste, so they were sweet but not cloying in their mouths. There was even a hint of tea fragrance, which made him want to have another but s, there was no more. ¡°Mommy, I haven¡¯t eaten enough~~~¡± Xiaobao greedily pulled at Qi Qingyao¡¯s hand. Qi Qingyao patted the little boy¡¯s head. She said as she filled the food container, ¡°Desserts are meant to be eaten in small amounts. If you eat too much you¡¯ll find it cloying, so leave the craving be. If you want to eat it next time, I¡¯ll make it for you.¡± The children nodded after hearing this. Mommy was right. They once had steamed cornbread every day and got sick of itter, but they still had to eat to fill up their stomachs. Jiang Yeqian pointed at the pastries in the food container, ¡°Who do you n on giving the rest to?¡± Qi Qingyao arranged the food container nicely, ¡°This is a Chinese New Year gift.¡± ¡°Is this for Heir Pei? Surely Heir Pei won¡¯t like it.¡± He was aware that their destination today was Heir Pei¡¯s residence. Qi Qingyao shrugged with a look of indifference. ¡°I just don¡¯t want to spend money.¡± Jiang Yeqian, ¡°¡­¡± Did she have to be so stingy? She already had a hundred thousand taels in her hands! Out of all the gift options she could have considered, did she really have to make it herself with such ¡°sincerity¡±! Wait a minute. As it turned out, the fact that they could eat the pastries she made was all thanks to Heir Pei? Jiang Yeqian¡¯s mouth twitched involuntarily when he thought of this. ¡°What if Heir Pei is not around?¡± He pressed on. ¡°That¡¯s even better.¡± Qi Qingyao responded without care, ¡°My purpose is to visit during Chinese New Year, it doesn¡¯t matter if he¡¯s there or not. My visit this time is to express my sincerity.¡± ¡°What sincerity?¡± Jiang Yeqian asked. Qi Qingyao answered calmly, ¡°When I had the housewarming at my newly-built home, the Lord Heir sent Li Qing to give me such a generous gift, which indicates that the Lord Heir intends to be on friendly terms with me. So, reasonably, I have to return the favor.¡± Jiang Yeqian pursed his lips and said, ¡°He just thinks of you as Su Hexiao, it¡¯s not as if he wants to be on friendly terms with you. He wants to use you to find Su Hexiao.¡± Unfazed, Qi Qingyao replied, ¡°His purpose doesn¡¯t matter. I simply epted and returned his kindness. This also represents my sincerity.¡± After cleaning up, the few of them headed out. They got onto the carriage and rushed toward the mansion next to Baishui Town. Inside the carriage, Qi Qingyao looked at the children who were sleeping. She pinched Dabao¡¯s cheek and he slept even more soundly, curling into her arms. Chapter 216 - An Odd Coincidence 6

Chapter 216: An Odd Coincidence 6

When the carriage arrived at Heir Pei¡¯s garden, Qi Qingyao got off the vehicle. She cupped one hand in the fist of the other, held both to her chest, and bowed to the guards at the entrance in greeting. ¡°Qi Qingyao, here to visit Heir Pei.¡± A guard went to report her arrival immediately. After a while, Li Qing walked out. Upon sight of Qi Qingyao, he was very pleased. He said, ¡°Miss Qi,e in,e in.¡± Li Qing noticed that the two men behind Qi Qingyao were still wearing masks. He could not see their faces. The Horse-face was holding a food box, while the Ox-head was holding two children in his arms. Another child was rubbing his eyes. Qi Qingyao held his hand as they passed the threshold. Qi Qingyao was holding Xiaobao¡¯s hand as she asked Li Qing, ¡°Is your master at home?¡± Li Qing inclined his head slightly. ¡°He¡¯s waiting for you.¡± Qi Qingyao, ¡°¡­¡± He knew that she woulde and was waiting for them? Jiang Yeqian held Dabao and Erniu, who were both sleeping soundly, in his arms. He curled his lip under the mask. ¡°It seems like he¡¯s head over heels for you.¡± Qi Qingyao said carelessly, ¡°Do you even know how to use idioms, you illiterate?¡± Jiang Yeqian, ¡°Hmph!¡± Xiaobao tilted his head, in doubt. He asked with his cheeks puffed out, ¡°Uncle, what does ¡°head over heels for you¡± mean?¡± Qi Qingyao gave Jiang Yeqian a disdainful look. Jiang Yeqian exined hurriedly, ¡°It means that you have a crush on someone¡­¡± ¡°What does ¡®have a crush¡¯ mean?¡± Xiaobao asked, hungry for knowledge. Jiang Yeqian coughed softly. He was a little embarrassed by the questions, so his voice was muffled when he answered, ¡°It means that you like someone secretly and didn¡¯t tell anyone else.¡± ¡°Oh~¡± Xiaobao nodded, still a little confused. Li Qing listened to the child¡¯s innocent words from the side and found them interesting. Before they arrived at the hall, Li Qing said, ¡°Miss Qi, the Heir is inside. Please enter.¡± As the weather was cold, the door was closed. Qi Qingyao was just about to push the doors open and enter when Jiang Yeqian told her calmly that he would take the kids to the side hall or a guest room. Qi Qingyao thought that it was a good suggestion. Li Qing led Jiang Yeqian to the side hall. Xiaobao, the sensible and obedient child, said that he would not disrupt the conversation between adults, and that he would follow Uncle to the side hall and stay together with Dabao and Erniu. Si Jin shook his head and asked, ¡°How about me?¡± Jiang Yeqian said decisively, ¡°You¡¯ll go inside to meet the Heir together with her.¡± Rather than ¡°meet¡±, it was more like ¡°monitor¡±. Si Jin followed behind Qi Qingyao obediently, carrying the food box like a demure wife. Qi Qingyao knocked on the door first and waited till someone inside called them to enter. Only then did she push the door in and enter. She did not see clearly who was in the room after she entered but bowed in greeting nheless. ¡°Happy new year, Heir.¡± ¡°Sit down.¡± Heir Pei looked much better after he rested for one month. He could now leave the Plum Garden and meet guests in the hall. Heir Pei had expected Qi Qingyao toe, but he did not expect her to visit on the second day of the New Year. It seemed that the woman saw him as a friend, or rather, as someone important. Qi Qingyao came here today to make a friend of the Heir, so she remained polite. When she looked up, she saw a familiar person sitting on the chair on the left side. The man had a white cat in his arms. It was Lu Yan, the heir of the Senluo Chamber of Commerce! That lunatic who kept insisting to her that his cat was adulterous! Qi Qingyao pursed her lips. ¡°Oh, I didn¡¯t realize that you had another guest here. I¡¯ll wait outside first, then.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need. Sit down over here,¡± Heir Pei said politely. ¡°This guest is going to leave soon, anyway.¡± Hearing that, Qi Qingyao had Si Jin close the doors, then picked a chair at the right side to sit down on. She did not look at Lu Yan at all. Chapter 217 - An Odd Coincidence 7

Chapter 217: An Odd Coincidence 7

Lu Yan did not expect to see Qi Qingyao here, as well as to be ignored by her. He felt annoyed. The first two times they met, she called him Grandpa without permission. However, now that they happened across each other outside, she did not call him that. This woman really was ungrateful. Lu Yan said deliberately, ¡°Miss Qi, why do you pretend that you don¡¯t know me?¡± ¡°Do I know you?¡± Qi Qingyao opened her eyes wide curiously. ¡°Don¡¯t you?¡± Lu Yan dragged the sybles out. Qi Qingyao shrugged. She said casually, ¡°If you really do want to get to know me, I¡¯ll reluctantly give you the chance to!¡± ¡°¡­¡± Lu Yan lost this round! Heir Pei was curious after seeing Lu Yan¡¯s actions. ¡°Huh? Do the two of you know each other?¡± Lu Yan looked at Qi Qingyao expressionlessly as he said to Heir Pei, ¡°Back at the inn, Miss Qi entered my room without permission twice. She took off my pants in front of a crowd of people, and had nned to take hers off too, just to get even with me. It is very hard for me to forget such a shocking thing.¡± ¡°Did you let him see?¡± Heir Pei looked at Qi Qingyao. Qi Qingyao dug her ear casually, as if she had forgotten about everything, and asked, ¡°Did something like that happen? I don¡¯t remember anything.¡± Lu Yan gritted his teeth. ¡°It seems that Miss Qi is quite forgetful.¡± Qi Qingyao gave him a fake smile. ¡°Thank you.¡± Heir Pei felt like there was something between the two of them, so he said instinctively, ¡°Yaoyao, since you¡¯vee over anyway, you might as well have lunch here before leaving.¡± Lu Yan: ??? Heir Pei called her Yaoyao! Were they that close to each other? The only simrity between them was that both of them knew the Heavenly Physician Su Hexiao. Was there a rtionship between the two of them that had to be kept secret? Si Jin was gloomy too. He only dared to call Qi Qingyao Elder Sister. Heir Pei was merely an heir. How dare he give Qi Qingyao such an affectionate nickname? He had gone overboard! Qi Qingyao froze as well when she heard those words. Before she could correct Pei Fengtang, his eyes fell on the food container Si Jin was carrying. He asked, ¡°What did you bring?¡± ¡°I brought you some cakes I made myself.¡± Qi Qingyao opened the food container, took two small tes of cakes out, and set them on the table before Heir Pei¡¯s chair. She introduced, ¡°I borrowed the inn¡¯s kitchen and made these just for you. They¡¯re a token of my regard.¡± ¡°Regard?¡± Heir Pei asked. Qi Qingyao said, ¡°I¡¯ve only cooked a few times for my kids when I was really poor. After that, we stayed at an inn, just so that I wouldn¡¯t need to cook. I didn¡¯t know what I could give you that would show my sincerity, so I thought about it for a long time. You must have had your fill of precious and valuable treasures and antiques. I couldn¡¯t afford something like that, anyway, but if I buy some cakes or snacks from the shops outside, they wouldn¡¯t be better than what your cooks make for you. That¡¯s why I made them myself. They¡¯re quite nd, which should be to your taste. Of course, if you don¡¯t think that they¡¯re delicious, my sincerity will be wasted!¡± Heir Pei was moved by her words. She, a person who rarely cooked, was willing to do so for him! And the cakes were so delicate too. She must have tried and failed countless times before seeding! At that thought, Heir Pei pinched a cake between his fingers and put it into his mouth. When Lu Yan saw it happen, he felt like he was struck by lightning. Chapter 218 - An Odd Coincidence 8

Chapter 218: An Odd Coincidence 8

He knew that Heir Pei¡¯s personality had undergone a huge change after he had fallen sick. He had visited the other man that day because of their past acquaintance back in the Capital, and he had also wanted to find out more about the rtionship between Qi Qingyao and Su Hexiao. Pei Fengtang was a man that had his own quirks. He had not eaten any food brought in from outside ever since he was poisoned. What he did today¡ªeat a cake brought in by amoner without testing it for poisons first¡ªwas unthinkable. Not to mention that his servants behind him did not even take any action; they let their master eat unclean food just like that, unafraid that he might be poisoned to death. Heir Pei realized something after he ate one. ¡°It¡¯s nd. There¡¯s a little sweetness, but it¡¯s not cloying at all. Fresh, even.¡± Qi Qingyao was satisfied by his rating. She said with a smile, ¡°If you think that it¡¯s delicious, then my hard work hasn¡¯t gone to waste.¡± It tasted fresh because she added some mint into it. ¡°Can you let me taste one, Heir?¡± Lu Yan did not know why, but the words came out. Even Lu Yan himself was surprised. Heir Pei looked away. ¡°Master Lu, you¡¯re still here?¡± Lu Yan: ¡°¡­¡± When had he ever had such a weak presence before? Lu Yan frowned. He pointed toward Horse-face, who was standing behind Qi Qingyao, and said lightly, ¡°My cat likes him, so I can¡¯t leave for now.¡± Then he patted the cat in his arms, saying slowly, ¡°Don¡¯t you like ying with him?¡± He pinched the cat¡¯s tiny, golden ear. ¡°Go.¡± The white cat was happy that he could y with Si Jin, so it jumped down to the floor and quickly ran toward Si Jin¡¯s feet. Si Jin picked the cat up off the floor and gently smoothed its fur. Pei Fengtang seemed to have realized that Lu Yan stayed deliberately. His eyes glimmered with interest. ¡°I recall that Master Lu rarely eats outside.¡± Heir Pei also recalled that this cat was rarely close to other people other than Lu Yan. Lu Yan said calmly, ¡°You recalled wrong.¡± As his guest did not want to leave, Heir Pei could not shoo him out, so he no longer entertained this fellow who reeked of money and ate another matcha-vored cake. Qi Qingyao made small talk. ¡°How has your health been recently?¡± ¡°I can sit in the hall and talk to you now, right?¡± There was a smile on Heir Pei¡¯s face. He praised, ¡°Your medicine prescription was very effective.¡± Lu Yan suddenly narrowed his eyes and stared at Qi Qingyao. Qi Qingyao said nothing; she merely smiled. Heir Pei patted the other side of his couch and gestured for Qi Qingyao to sit closer, so that he could speak softer and save more energy. Qi Qingyao noticed that there was a brazier in front of the couch. She felt that she would be closer to the brazier on the couch, so she rushed over excitedly, and even took off her shoes quite unceremoniously, before putting both of her feet onto the couch. She then covered herself with a cotton nket nearby and grabbed a small warming stove at the same time, which she hugged close to her chest. She behaved as if she was in her own home. Lu Yan was stupefied at the sight of her consecutive chain of actions. ¡®You are a guest! He just asked you to sit over there! What guest would take off their shoes like they were going to sit on a bed-stove? Cover themselves with a nket and even grab a warming stove for themselves?¡¯ She had really made herself at home. Heir Pei was not an amiable person. Everyone in the Capital knew that Heir Pei, whose eyes were as dark as they could get, was somewhat recalcitrant. All in all, he was not a person that was easy to get along with. With how uncouth her behavior was, this woman would definitely be shooed out. Chapter 219 - An Odd Coincidence 9

Chapter 219: An Odd Coincidence 9

Lu Yan waited and waited, but Pei Fengtang did not order for her to leave. In addition¡­ Pei Fengtang¡¯s eyes seemed to be filled with mirth at the sight of Qi Qingyao¡¯s casual actions. The two of them started to chat while sitting there, as if they were old friends that had known each other for a hundred years. Heir Pei ordered his servants to serve some more cakes and desserts. Coupled with freshly brewed hot tea, Qi Qingyao and Heir Pei got more engrossed in their conversation¡­ Lu Yan: ¡­ What a strange sight this was! Was this still the Heir Pei who had a strange temper and spent money like it was dust? How was he chatting sofortably with this woman? She was only a vigedy. Oh, no, a vige woman! Lu Yan really did not understand what topics they could even have inmon. He was about to have Si Jin call Qi Qingyao over, but when he turned back to look, Horse-face had taken off his mask and was ying with the cat. Sometimes he even talked to himself a little. He looked like he was not right in the head. Lu Yan felt like he was not needed here, but he did not want to leave nevertheless, so he got himself a te of sunflower seeds and sat to the side, feasting on them happily. Meanwhile, he eavesdropped on Qi Qingyao and Heir Pei¡¯s conversation. It was more or less about: The situation of Heir Pei¡¯s health! The weather! Their favorite food! The scenery in Qingzhou City! The scenery in the Capital! The tales about the Koi Fish Temple! ¡­ Lu Yan felt sleepy listening to them, but he also felt like those were indeed topics that friends would talk about. It seemed that Heir Pei had a high opinion of this vige woman. ¡­ In the side hall, Li Qing hauled two braziers over so that the kids would feel warmer. He also carried over some cakes and biscuits, and had an older female servant y with the kids. Jiang Yeqian sat over to the side. He did not drink the tea, but took a small, wooden horse in his hands and yed with Dabao. The room was peaceful. However, Jiang Yeqian had long since spaced out. He could only think about what was happening next door. It had already been two hours. Were that woman and the Heir still chatting? ¡®You don¡¯t know each other that well. What¡¯s there to talk about? Si Jin too¡­ he should¡¯ve reminded her that the three kids and I are still here! It¡¯s fine if you¡¯ve forgotten about me, but what about the three kids?¡¯ ¡­ Qi Qingyao and Heir Pei talked till they became hungry. Qi Qingyao was direct. ¡°What do you want to eat for lunch?¡± Heir Pei said, ¡°What do you want to eat? Do you have any good suggestions?¡± Qi Qingyao looked at the people in the hall, and she also thought of her kids. ¡°We have many people here. Let¡¯s eat hotpot!¡± ¡°Hotpot? What¡¯s that?¡± Heir Pei asked curiously. ¡°Hotpot? There¡¯s a pot, and below it there¡¯s fire¡­ The pot is divided into several spaces, and inside them is soup, like spicy soup, seafood soup, or water. You cook vegetables and meat in the soup!¡± Qi Qingyao thought for awhile before exning. ¡°That¡¯s Gudong Soup. Why do you call it hotpot?¡± Heir Pei looked curious. ¡°Why do you call it Gudong Soup?¡± Qi Qingyao asked. ¡°Because ¡°gudong¡± is the sound the food makes when it¡¯s thrown inside the boiling water¡­ But the pot is hot, so the way you call it makes sense too.¡± Heir Pei mmed his hand on the table. ¡°We¡¯ll call it hotpot!¡± Lu Yan: ¡°¡­¡± Who the heck would eat hotpot during the New Year? Pei Fengtang hadin in bed for years. At this moment, he really wanted everyone to crowd around the table and eat hotpot together! He immediately ordered the servants to prepare pots and the ingredients. Jiang Yeqian was dumbfounded when Si Jin told him about what they would eat for lunch. ¡°What, we¡¯re having hotpot with Heir Pei?¡± Si Jin: ??? Did he not like that? Chapter 220 - An Odd Coincidence 10

Chapter 220: An Odd Coincidence 10

Jiang Yeqian thought about it for a while. He said, ¡°I¡¯ll pass. You take the children with you and have hotpot with them.¡± Si Jin had no choice but to take the children over to the room next door, leaving Jiang Yeqian alone staring at the brazier. Jiang Yeqian wanted to eat too, but he would have to take his mask off when eating with such arge group of people. Both Lu Yan and Heir Pei knew him. His identity would definitely be exposed then. And so¡­ Si Jin ryed Jiang Yeqian¡¯s words to Qi Qingyao. ¡°Jiang Bai said he won¡¯t be eating.¡± Qi Qingyao said, ¡°He might not like hotpot much. It¡¯s fine, we can eat without him.¡± They made their way to the dining hall, which was already warm and cozy when they arrived. Four braziers were set down in the room, warming the room up. It was only then that Heir Pei noticed that Horse-face, who had taken his mask off, had a face that resembled a ceramic doll. He could not help praising him, ¡°This Horse-face you have here has a¡­ very pretty face.¡± He paused for a moment before continuing, ¡°Do you pick your servants based on their looks?¡± Qi Qingyao deliberately chose not to reply. She neither replied nor denied his words and left other people to guess and think whatever they wanted. The children were particrly excited because they were going to have hotpot. One year ago, when they were still living with their grandparents, the family had had hotpot once. They were too little and had no right to sit at the table, so they could only wait till everyone else had finished before they could boil vegetables in the vorful meat broth and have a taste. It was so delicious¡­ Heir Pei was generous in his spending. Soon, all the short tables in the dining hall wereden with all sorts of ingredients, both meat and vegetarian. In the middle of the dining table was a special bronze pot. It was divided into two boxes that were filled with spicy soup and seafood soup respectively. After the soup was poured inside, the pot began to boil. The pot looked like a Yin-Yang sign, with one side colored red and the other side white. The children were already waiting with their small bowls. Qi Qingyao set tes of sliced meat in front of herself, looking as if she was ready to add meat into the soup at any time. Heir Pei did not know what to feel at the sight. When the spicy soup reached boiling point, Qi Qingyao started to drop sliced meat into the soup, saying, ¡°Sliced mutton in hotpot is the best thing ever!¡± Heir Pei continued, ¡°Especially in this cold winter.¡± After that, Heir Pei turned to Lu Yan, who was waiting with a small bowl in his hands and asked, confused, ¡°I recall that Master Lu rarely eats outside.¡± Everyone in the capital knew that Lu Yan had his strange quirks; one of which was quite possibly mysophobia. Lu Yan never ate outside because it was dirty. He did not like it when other people touched him because it was dirty. Aside from ount books, he never epted whatever other people handed to him. He would never do what he was doing today, which was to eat hotpot with everyone. It was¡­ unthinkable! Lu Yan did not reply. As Heir Pei and the children cooked the ingredients in the seafood soup, he reached over toward the seafood soup as well. He tried hard to steel himself mentally. High temperatures could kill germs! Everything should be clean! Only Qi Qingyao was adding ingredients into the spicy soup happily, having the spicy soup all to herself. Heir Pei looked at Qi Qingyao, who was eating spicy soup, with jealousy. He thought, ¡®If only my body was fully recovered¡­ Pity¡­ My digestive system now definitely can¡¯t handle the spice. If I ate some, I would be bedridden for days.¡¯ He could only have the seafood soup. Heir Pei discovered that the young boy who wore the Horse-face mask had not reached for the soup at all, although he had apanied Qi Qingyao here to have hotpot. The boy was holding a bowl of rice and eating hungrily. It had only been a while since the meal started, but he had already eaten four bowls of rice. That was quite a lot. ¡°Don¡¯t you want to have some sliced meat?¡± Heir Pei asked. ¡°I like white rice more!¡± Si Jin smiled. He held the bowl and ate rice, looking satisfied. Heir Pei shook his head. This preference of his was too monotonous and so easy to satisfy. Qi Qingyao had picked up a treasure. Lu Yan furrowed his brow. He scrutinized this young boy with a pretty face, and fell deep into thought¡­ ¡­ Alone, Jiang Yeqian sat cross-legged on a cushion in front of the brazier, meditating. Li Qing came over to add charcoal to the brazier. This man wearing the Ox-face mask was meditating so calmly, so Li Qing said with admiration, ¡°Master, you¡¯re really elegant. You didn¡¯t go over to have hotpot with them, but chose to meditate here alone.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Jiang Yeqian opened his eyes. His stomach inadvertently rumbled. In this warm and quiet room, the sound was extremely loud. The air became stifled for a while. Li Qing: ??? The man was hungry, yet he did not go over to have hotpot. Then¡­ Li Qing thought about it for a while and quickly said, ¡°You¡¯re with Miss Qi, which means that you¡¯re our guest. We can¡¯t let you go hungry, so if you don¡¯t like hotpot, just tell us what you want to eat and I¡¯ll have the kitchen prepare it for you immediately.¡± Jiang Yeqian said, ¡°I¡¯m not hungry!¡± Li Qing was speechless. Chapter 221 - Off To Qingzhou City 1

Chapter 221: Off To Qingzhou City 1

Li Qing had never met a person like this who would insist they were not hungry. Their Lord Heir¡¯s mansion was notcking in food either so why would this guest want to embarrass themselves? If that was the case, Li Qing was not in the position to question him further. If the guest said they were not hungry, then they were not hungry! Li Qing soon exited the side hall. ¡­ Back in the dining hall, everyone was savoring the hot pot in a lively atmosphere. Qi Qingyao gave her children a bit of the dishes so that they do not have to poke around the pot with their chopsticks! The children ate the piping hot meat slices and vegetables which, on this cold winter¡¯s day, actually made them begin to sweat at the tip of their noses under the heat of the food. Dabao looked at his mommy as she dug into the red m pot on her own. His mouth feeling somewhat greedy, he tasted a slice of meat and ended up almost crying from the spiciness. His eyes were red as he was reduced to sitting at the side chugging water! Heir Pei then got someone to prepare the child some sour plum drink and almond milk tea! Dabao enjoyed the sour plum drink while Xiaobao and Erniu preferred the almond milk tea. Qi Qingyao took a sip of the sour plum soup; it was not cold enough. So, she got Li Qing to bring over some ice. After adding in the ice, the sour plum soup¡¯s sour taste was enhanced and became more refreshing! Itplemented the m hot pot nicely and eating them together improved the dining experience. Lu Yan typically liked to drink cherry tea at home but after drinking the almond milk tea, he found the taste of the milk to be quite heavy but still eptable. The sour plum drink, on the other hand, was too sweet for him. Heir Pei nced at the children¡¯s cute appearance as they ate. They made no fuss or ruckus and were very polite as they dug into their meals obediently. He suddenly felt that having a child was not such a bad thing! Heir Pei asked all of a sudden, ¡°What do you n to do next? Are you going to return to the vige, or¡­?¡± Qi Qingyao pondered for a moment before replying, ¡°I n on taking the carriage and bringing my children to Qingzhou City for vacation tomorrow. I want to bring them to take in the metropolitan scenery.¡± ¡°Then, why not we go together?¡± Heir Pei suggested carefully. Qi Qingyao was stunned. ¡°The Lord Heir was also nning to go to Qingzhou City?¡± She boiled some vegetables in the Sanxian soup base then scooped them into her bowl. Heir Pei put his chopsticks down. He took a sip of the almond milk tea as he said slowly, ¡°For these past four years, I¡¯ve been on my back in the capital city for two years before lying down for another two in this attached mansion. After being treated by you and recuperating for a month, it¡¯s about time I return to Qingzhou City as well.¡± His father had also been convinced and he was allowed to enter the capital after a period of time. Qi Qingyao heard this and suddenly spoke out excitedly, ¡°Ah! Since the Lord Heir has extended an invitation to me, I¡¯ll ept it graciously.¡± If they were to go to the capital city together with Heir Pei, then their safety would be assured. Not only that, their meals would also likely be covered by him! Heir Pei followed by extending an additional invitation. ¡°Then, why don¡¯t you stay the night in this attached mansion. We¡¯ll head out tomorrow morning.¡± Just as Qi Qingyao was about to ept, she suddenly thought of something and shook her head. ¡°I can¡¯t, I still have luggage back at the inn in town. If I am going to Qingzhou City and won¡¯t be returning for some time, I need to check out from the room and take care of my luggage.¡± After pausing for a bit, she continued, ¡°Since you will be passing by the town when you leave from here, why don¡¯t we gather at the inn in town and then we can depart for Qingzhou City?¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine as well.¡± This journey would be quite interesting as long as he could travel together with this woman. Lu Yan was watching Heir Pei when he took the initiative to invite Qi Qingyao on the journey. Eyebrows knitted tightly, Lu Yan downed his almond milk tea as he said with an attempt at casualness, ¡°I also n to return to Qingzhou City tomorrow.¡± Heir Pei, ¡°Oh.¡± Qi Qingyao seemed to not have heard thisment as she continued eating her boiled vegetables. Chapter 222 - Off To Qingzhou City 2

Chapter 222: Off To Qingzhou City 2

Lu Yan looked at the two with disdain before adding on without invitation, ¡°I¡¯ll just go with you and the Lord Heir then.¡± Heir Pei did not respond. He first nced at Qi Qingyao to determine if she would reject before saying, ¡°It wouldn¡¯t hurt, I guess.¡± No one would refuse the master of the Shenluo Chambers of Commerce¡¯s invitation to travel together. After all, he was the richest person in Northern Liang! Even he would not dare refuse something like this. After they were done with the hotpot, Qi Qingyao observed the color of the sky and decided it was time to return to the inn. Unbeknownst to anyone, Jiang Yeqian had already walked to the gate and was standing there waiting. Heir Pei, who had gained a ruddyplexion after their meal, personally sent off his guests to the gate. Spotting the man wearing the ox-head mask, Heir Pei said nothing, only observing him quietly for a few seconds. Lu Yan swept a nce over at Qi Qingyao who was intentionally ignoring him and said, ¡°Mydy, why don¡¯t we return to the inn together?¡± Qi Qingyao pointed toward Jiang Yeqian, who was bringing the carriage over, and said unperturbed, ¡°No need, we have a carriage.¡± With those words, she immediately brought her children toward the carriage. The children waved their goodbyes to Heir Pei excitedly, who also smiled as he waved back at them. Si Jin gestured at Lu Yan¡¯s cat, indicating to the animal that he would be taking his leave first. The white cat lifted its ws and waved at him. Lu Yan, who saw this, ¡°¡­¡± His cat was imitating a human¡¯s posture and was waving goodbye to the young man? What the f*ck! Every time he took his leave in the past, this absolute disgrace of a cat had never even waved him goodbye even once. Now, however, it was actually waving goodbye to some person it had just met! Lu Yan¡¯s emotions instantly became very convoluted. After boarding the carriage, Dong Jing could not help but say, ¡°Young Master, you seem to have been treating Lady Qi quite warmly today.¡± The young master had stayed back on his own ord to have a meal, even taking the initiative to invite Qi Qingyao to return to the inn together. He had even volunteered to go to Qingzhou City together the next day. These¡­these actions were far beyond Dong Jing¡¯sprehension. Lu Yan slowly said, ¡°Is that so?¡± He ran his delicate fingers, fair as clouds, somewhat perfunctorily through the white cat that was seated in his arms. The white catid fawningly in his arms, pping its furry tailzily. Dong Jing replied, ¡°Yes.¡± Lu Yan replied absent-mindedly, ¡°I just want to use this opportunity to search for clues about the Master Architect Li Qinglian.¡± ¡°Indeed, fostering good rtionships is necessary for that.¡± While Dong Jing said this, in his mind he was thinking about the other times there were people with whom they needed to have a good rtionship. Yet, with the young master¡¯s temperament as if he were wholly superior to everyone else, he had at most only sent some gifts their way. Never had he ever taken the initiative to have meals together with them! How unusual! Hold on. A thought entered his mind. Dong Jing considered something, could the young master¡¯s actions today be an attempt to garner the interests of Qi Qingyao? How was that possible though? Thedy was a single woman with three children. Considering his master¡¯s tastes, he would never take a fancy to this sort of person. If so¡­ Could it be that fostering this good rtionship was really just a means to an end? ¡­ After Heir Pei sent off the two carriages, he noted that the walking route toward the plum garden was quite a distance; Li Qing had sent a pnquin over to bring their master back to his room. When Pei Fengtang eventually alighted the pnquin and entered his room, Li Qing noticed that there was a faint smile at the corners of the Lord Heir¡¯s eyes. His usual surliness and irritability had practically dissipated. Li Qing grabbed this opportunity to speak up. ¡°Master, you seem to be in a rather good mood.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Pei Fengtang did not deny it either. Instead, he gave a slight nod. Li Qing thought, ¡®Looks like the Lord Heir¡¯s mood has improved with this hot pot meal. Should we prepare another hot pot the next time we have spare time?¡¯ After Pei Fengtang sat down, he took a sip of tea and said, ¡°She said she wanted to go to Qingzhou together tomorrow. So, please prepare the carriage tonight.¡± Chapter 223 - Off To Qingzhou City 3

Chapter 223: Off To Qingzhou City 3

¡°Master, but your body¡­¡± Could he travel long distances? The servants, in the meantime, had brought over his medicine, which Pei Fengtang drank in one gulp. ¡°It¡¯s been a month and I¡¯m almostpletely recovered. There is no problem with me taking the carriage to Qingzhou!¡± ¡°Alright then.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be staying in Qingzhou City for a few days to get some rest during this trip. After that, I will probably return to the capital directly. So please pack up as much of the luggage as possible tonight. I¡¯ll leave first thing tomorrow morning. As for the luggage, you can send some people to have it delivered to the Capital City directly.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Li Qing was a little excited when he said this. He had always thought that if his master were to pass on, he would only be able to spend his twilight years in Baishui Town, acting as the caretaker of this residence until he was an old man. He did not expect that he would be able to apany his master back to the Capital City in his lifetime! He wondered if the scenery in Capital City had changed in this time¡­ Li Qing was suddenly in a nostalgic mood! ¡­ During their journey home, Qi Qingyao and the children, who had eaten their fill, had be so sleepy they dozed off to sleep. After Si Jin covered them with a nket, he climbed onto the shaft of the carriage and sat together with Jiang Yeqian, manning the carriage together. Pretending that it did not bother him, Jiang Yeqian asked, ¡°Did something happen between her and Heir Pei today?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Si Jin pursed his lips as he said somewhat gloomily. ¡°There was?¡± Jiang Yeqian was so startled that he almost pulled on the reins. However, he managed to calm down during this critical moment and did not make any wild movements. He turned his head to look at Si Jin. Si Jin puffed his cheeks as he said rather enviously, ¡°Heir Pei actually called her Yaoyao. Don¡¯t you think the nickname is too intimate?¡± Jiang Yeqian¡¯s brain cked out for a moment. He finally returned to his senses after three seconds before he gulped and asked, ¡°Yaoyao? Are you sure you did not hear it wrong?¡± Si Jin replied indignantly, ¡°I¡¯m certain I did not hear it wrong. Lu Yan also heard that she was called Yaoyao!¡± Jiang Yeqian, ¡°¡­¡± A cold wind was blowing on his neck but Jiang Yeqian could not seem to feel any coldness. Beneath the mask, his lips had fallen into a thin straight line. After that, Jiang Yeqian and Si Jin said nothing more. The sky had turned dark by the time they returned to the town inn. Si Jin and Jiang Yeqian first carried the children into their room upstairs. They took off their little shoes and pulled the nket over them. Si Jin said he was going to head down to carry Qi Qingyao but Jiang Yeqian insisted that he would do it. When he went downstairs to the stable, he first fed the horse concentrated feed before going to the carriage. Just as he was about to carry her back, he pondered a little before quickly waking Qi Qingyao up and telling her that they had arrived home! Qi Qingyao rubbed her eyes and sat up, yawning. Jiang Yeqian sat beside her and asked with a dark expression, ¡°Why did Pei Fengtang call you Yaoyao?¡± The recently awoken woman answered with a dazed expression, ¡°How should I know?¡± Jiang Yeqian asked expressionlessly, ¡°Do you not know how to reject that?¡± Qi Qingyao was fully awake now. She heard the man¡¯s question and after regaining her rationality, she asked with confusion, ¡°Heir Pei referred to me so intimately surely because he wanted to make me one of his own. To be regarded as one of Heir Pei¡¯s people is a good thing! I will have good backing! Heir Pei will definitely take care of me regardless of what happens in the future.¡± What on earth did she mean by ¡®his people¡¯. ¡°And what if he takes a fancy on you?¡± ¡°Take a fancy?¡± Qi Qingyao nced at him contemptuously before patting him on the shoulder unreservedly. Eyes squinting, she said, ¡°My brother! Why would a lord fall in love with a single woman with three children like me? Are you f*cking kidding me?¡± After saying this, she no longer bothered to entertain Jiang Yeqian¡¯s thoughts. She took the liberty of hopping down from the carriage unaided. She then realized that the horse was already eating hay in the stable. Qi Qingyao faced Jiang Yeqian and spoke. ¡°He¡¯s only using me to get to Su Hexiao, since he thinks I know him.¡± Chapter 224 - Off To Qingzhou City 4

Chapter 224: Off To Qingzhou City 4

Jiang Yeqian was silent. ¡°He¡¯s using me to look for the divine physician while I¡¯m using him to support me. We all have our ns.¡± Her demeanor was quite calm andposed. ns? If only things were actually that simple. Jiang Yeqian heaved a sigh of relief inconspicuously. After heading upstairs, Jiang Yeqian requested for the servant to deliver two bowls of wontons and a bowl of Yangchun noodles. Since they were both simple dishes, they were served quickly. Qi Qingyao watched him slurping down the noodles. ¡°Did you not eat during the afternoon?¡± Even if he did not eat the hot pot, did he not eat anything else either? Jiang Yeqian took off his mask, asking somewhat indignantly as he ate the Yangchun noodles, ¡°Since when have you cared whether or not I¡¯ve eaten?¡± Qi Qingyao replied nonchntly, ¡°Why would I worry about you? I thought I could save up a bit of meal money since I¡¯ll be checking out of the room soon. Who would have thought that I¡¯d still have to spend a bit more? It just hurts a little.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Jiang Yeqian¡¯s chopsticks which he was using to eat the noodles paused midair. He felt as if the dignity he had been so proud of had once again been attacked. The corners of his mouth twitched involuntarily once. ¡°Why do you look like you¡¯re in so much pain? Could it be that the ox-head mask is actually named Liandry¡¯s Torment (1)?¡± ¡°¡­¡± He knew from the start that this woman was heartless! He should not have returned to suffer this humiliation! Jiang Yeqian¡¯s expression as he ate the noodles became graver and graver. Qi Qingyao noticed his foul expression and immediately left the room. Upon returning to the room next door, she took a light shower and immediately went to bed. Si Jin got frightened by Jiang Yeqian¡¯s dark expression when he came over. ¡°Who offended you?¡± Jiang Yeqian said nothing and ate his meal silently. Qi Qingyao woke up extremely early having gone to bed early. The sky was still dark when she woke up and she began packing her luggage, storing everything that she would need properly. The children only awoke when the sky had lightened. They had had a good night¡¯s sleep and after relieving themselves, they obediently took a shower and dressed. Qi Qingyao called for the servant to deliver breakfast. They probably heard movement on her side. Jiang Yeqian and Si Jin had alsoe over with their small bundles. There were only some clothes in their bundles. After having breakfast and checking out of their rooms, they prepared the carriage. It was then that they noticed a ck carriage with a g which had the character ¡®Pei¡¯ written on it arriving from a distance. It finally came to a firm stop at the door of the inn. Heir Pei lifted the curtain of the carriage and said to Qi Qingyao, ¡°Why don¡¯t you ride with me in my carriage? There¡¯s more here.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Heir Pei¡¯s carriage was definitely morefortable and luxurious, and had more treats to boot! Jiang Yeqian saw that the girl was about to be lured away by Heir Pei again and hurriedly interjected, ¡°You can¡¯t.¡± Qi Qingyao looked back and asked in a level tone, ¡°Who are you to stop me?¡± Jiang Yeqian, ¡°¡­¡± Damnit, he was just a servant. He had no right to even speak. He could only say with a dark expression, ¡°You guys should go with your mommy.¡± As long as the children were around, the lord likely would not try anything strange. When the children heard that they were going to ride with their mommy, they immediately rejoiced, not caring which carriage it was. Si Jin initially thought of joining them but was stopped by Jiang Yeqian. ¡°There are already five people on that carriage, that¡¯s enough! I don¡¯t think they can fit you.¡± Most importantly, if Si Jin were to board that carriage as well, he would be the only one left. Who was going to be the coachman then? Si Jin found the exnation reasonable and stayed behind on their carriage. Meanwhile, Lu Yan had already prepared his carriage early on. He had six carriages in total. Apart from himself, they were also to transport hisrge pile of luggage. His troupe was enormous. Lu Yan noticed that the group was all squeezing into one carriage and suggested, ¡°Why not take my carriage?¡± From the window of the carriage, Heir Pei looked at Lu Yan, who was standing there like some nobility offering aid during troubled times. He said in a leisurely manner, ¡°Master Lu has never liked anyone riding in his carriage, the whole world knows this.¡± Lu Yan replied, ¡°I¡¯m making an exception today.¡± Heir Pei smiled and asked, ¡°Why is that?¡± Trantor¡¯s note: A legendary item in the game League of Legends that deals damage over time. Chapter 225 - Off To Qingzhou City 5

Chapter 225: Off To Qingzhou City 5

Lu Yan did not beat around the bush. ¡°The more the merrier, it¡¯ll get rid of the boredom during the journey.¡± Before Pei Fengtang said anything, Qi Qingyao put an end to the discussion by saying, ¡°There¡¯s no need. I don¡¯t want to ride the same carriage as Master Lu.¡± Heir Pei smiled and said, ¡°You heard her. Yaoyao said she doesn¡¯t want to ride the same carriage with you. Thus, I offer my apologies, Master Lu.¡± With that, he drew down the carriage curtains. Leaving Lu Yan alone after being rebuffed. Jiang Yeqian¡¯s expression beneath the mask when he heard Heir Pei call Qi Qingyao ¡°Yaoyao¡± was as ck as a pot bottom. Soon, the carriages started on their journey. Si Jin did not like to be alone inside the carriage, so he sat with Jiang Yeqian together on the shaft of the vehicle. Jiang Yeqian said somewhat exasperatedly, ¡°Heir Pei definitely likes her.¡± ¡°Huh? How can you tell?¡± Si Jin asked disapprovingly. ¡°He called her Yaoyao again.¡± His tone had be more ridden with anxiety. ¡°Heir Pei just wants to use her to look for Su Hexiao. He¡¯s probably calling her Yaoyao to get closer to her.¡± He had asked her the same thing at the dining table during breakfast but her reply was that everyone was just using one another. Si Jin felt that it made sense. ¡°But that¡¯s still too intimate.¡± Jiang Yeqian was still as tense as before. ¡°The lord wouldn¡¯t marry a single woman with three children. You¡¯re overthinking this,¡± Si Jin said, glossing it over. ¡°Is that so?¡± Was he really overthinking? Si Jin suddenly turned to look at Jiang Yeqian¡¯s profile. He looked at the ox-head mask on his face. Since he could not see his expression, he could only judge from his tone of voice. After pondering for a moment, he tilted his head and spoke again. ¡°Why are you reacting so much to what Heir Pei chooses to call her?¡± ¡°I¡±m not!!¡± He tly denied it. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you started liking her.¡± Si Jin¡¯s tone was alert when he said this. Thankfully, the mask was obscuring his face, concealing his rather flustered expression. Jiang Yeqian objected, ¡°I do not like her!! I¡¯m just worried about what the Lord Heir has up his sleeve. I¡¯m just afraid that she¡¯ll be the one to suffer. In any case, while we appear to have a master and servant rtionship, I actually do consider her my friend. Is it wrong for me to be worried about a friend?¡± ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± There was nothing wrong with being worried for a friend. ¡°Besides, just as you said, who would take a fancy on a single woman with three children!¡± It was not as if they were not right in the head! ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± Si Jin nodded seriously. ¡°I¡¯m such a talented person. I could take any woman of my choosing if I so wanted to. To suspect that I would like her is an utter joke!¡± If the dignified Head Grand Secretariat wanted to, all the women in the world would be sent to him with a wave of his hand! After hearing all he had to say, Si Jin once again thought that everything made perfect sense. He turned to him and said, ¡°While I did suspect you, I¡¯m not quite happy with what you said about my sister.¡± His gaze was sincere as he continued, ¡°Sister is so brilliant, it¡¯s normal for people to like her! So what if she has three kids? The kids are so cute! I¡¯ll strive to marry her in the future and be her boy toy.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Jiang Yeqian pulled the reins subconsciously and tilted the carriage to the side. Si Jin got so frightened that he grabbed his arm and yelped, ¡°Drive properly, hey!¡± Jiang Yeqian gulped. With a hoarse voice, he asked insipidly, ¡°You said¡­ you¡¯re going to be¡­ be what?¡± ¡°Her boy toy.¡± Si Jin did not think there was anything wrong with what he said. Jiang Yeqian pretended to be calm and asked, ¡°Why not her husband?¡± Si Jin dumbly said, ¡°She has said before that she does not want a husband. That she wants to be a rich olddy! So my goal in life is naturally to be her boy toy.¡± ¡°Your ambition¡­ is truly, truly up there.¡± The corner of Jiang Yeqian¡¯s mouth was twitching. He was trying very hard to calm himself and ept Si Jin¡¯s exotic way of thinking before speaking again. ¡°You¡¯re very skilled. Have you never thought about going elsewhere to be a bodyguard?¡± Si Jin responded seriously, ¡°I¡¯m now Sister¡¯s personal guard. Not to mention, she gives me food, a ce to sleep, and clothes to wear! The benefits she gives me already are excellent. ¡± Jiang Yeqian said, ¡°The benefits she gives are not bad¡­¡± ¡°What about you?¡± The corners of Si Jin¡¯s mouth hooked into a cute smile as he asked, ¡°What are you going to do in the future after you leave Sister?¡± Jiang Yeqian, ¡°¡­¡± When he left her? He had left once before¡­ Yet why did hee back? Jiang Yeqian was suddenly doubtful about his own motives. ¡®Oh, that¡¯s right.¡¯ His motive was to look for the connection between her and the Master Architect Li Qinglian and Su Hexiao. It was just that¡­and that only!! There was definitely no other reason!!! Chapter 226 - Arrived in Qingzhou 1

Chapter 226: Arrived in Qingzhou 1

Qi Qingyao chatted with Heir Pei for a bit while the children ate some of the treats before falling asleep beside them amidst the shaking of the carriage. Qi Qingyao patted the children and asked a casual question. ¡°What kind of person is the State Preceptor Li Ruoxuan?¡± ¡°Why are you concerned about the State Preceptor?¡± Heir Pei asked. Qi Qingyaoughed lightly, ¡°I just heard that the State Preceptor is rather¡­handsome, so I¡¯m curious.¡± She exerted a lot of force on her mouth to forcefully switch to the word ¡®handsome¡¯ to avoid arousing Heir Pei¡¯s suspicion. Heir Pei was momentarily stunned. He pped a hand to his face. He felt seemingly resigned and did not know whether tough or cry. He recalled the letter his father had sent him before and said, ¡°Don¡¯t be concerned with the person¡¯s face. That man, you can¡¯t afford to offend him. There are only two individuals whom the emperor fully trusts within the entire court; the first being the State Preceptor Li Ruoxuan, the other being the current Head Grand Secretariat.¡± Qi Qingyao asked, ¡°Is the State Preceptor really that powerful?¡± Heir Pei replied, ¡°He is a master of the nine-rank system (1) and is proficient in extrapting numbers. Within the present court, the emperor appreciates him and thus, he has great power. There are many officials who are part of his party.¡± ¡°That¡¯s impressive.¡± Qi Qingyao could not help but sigh with emotion. Heir Pei informed her, ¡°If you¡¯re going to enter the capital in the future, don¡¯t make an enemy out of the Head Preceptor.¡± Qi Qingyaoughed and said that she would not be entering the capital in the meantime, so how could she possibly offend the Head Preceptor! Pei Fengtang was relieved but after thinking for a bit, he asked, ¡°When we reach Qingzhou City, would you like to join me and stay in my home in Qingzhou City for starters?¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid that wouldn¡¯t be too convenient.¡± Qi Qingyao rejected him politely. Even though she was interested in establishing a good rtionship with Heir Pei, she would eventually pay the price if she were to constantly eat from his hand. Heir Pei did not persist either and simply added, ¡°If you n on staying at an inn, let me advise you as a friend that you should not go out at night.¡± These words made Qi Qingyao quiver. ¡°Why not? Are there people out there who often kill others or set them on fire at night?¡± Heir Peiughed bitterly. ¡°I don¡¯t know how to describe it to you. In any case¡­the people of Qingzhou City are somewhat ¡®unsophisticated¡¯! If you were to be out at night, it would be better for you to have a bodyguard.¡± The use of the word ¡®unsophisticated¡¯ was rather peculiar. It made Qi Qingyao gulp. Carefully, she asked, ¡°Could it be that things be really messed up?¡± Noting that her concern looked genuine, Pei Fengtang asked, ¡°Have you really never been to Qingzhou City before?¡± If she were rted to Su Hexiao, or if she was Su Hexiao herself, how could she possibly not have been to Qingzhou City? Qi Qingyao pursed her mouth aggrievedly and sighed. ¡°Heaven have mercy on me. Ie from a vige and have lived in town for only a period of time. How could I possibly have the time to sneak into Qingzhou City?¡± Heir Pei suppressed the doubts in his heart. ¡°Then, you just need to remember that even if you do go out, it¡¯s best to stay away from those dark alleys. Also, don¡¯t go into any quiet ces that are unpopted.¡± ¡°¡­¡± This made Qi Qingyao even more nervous. Qi Qingyao asked for more details but Heir Pei said nothing further, though he purposefully tacked on, ¡°If you want to familiarize yourself with Qingzhou City, you need to look around the ce with your own eyes ande to your own conclusion! If I share any more now, you will only have a biased impression of Qingzhou City.¡± Qi Qingyao shrugged and did not ask any more questions. However, she was trying very hard to recall the original host memories but they were blurry and unclear¡­she could not get any useful information. After that, Qi Qingyao was lulled to sleep by the shaking of the carriage. Her sleep was particrly sound as she hugged Xiaobao. ¡­Then she was woken up by Heir Pei. Qi Qingyao rubbed her eyes and stretched her waist, sitting up. ¡°Have we arrived?¡± Trantor¡¯s note: The nine-rank system, also known as the nine-grade controller system, was a system used to categorize and evaluate officials, and potential entrants into officialdom, in Imperial China. Chapter 227 - Arrived in Qingzhou 2

Chapter 227: Arrived in Qingzhou 2

¡°We¡¯ve arrived.¡± Heir Pei smiled at the sight of her improper behavior. Qi Qingyao hurriedly woke up the children. She then opened the carriage curtains and looked out at the scene outside. The prosperous market, the flourishing poption, were all far beyond Qi Qingyao¡¯s imagination. There were easily several kinds of shops lined up row by row! The tallest one had four floors and looked very impressive. There were several high-rises in the distance, which looked to be thendmarks of Qingzhou City! They seemed to have nine stories to them at first nce. However, the name of the towers was not known. They looked strangely eye-catching. It was probably because they had arrived at a rtively prosperousmercial street that there were no pop-up stalls on either side of the road. It was very clean! From the looks of how the pedestrians dressed, this street seemed to be the posher and richer street in Qingzhou City. Qi Qingyao thought, ¡®It seems that this ce is the wealthier street in Qingzhou City.¡¯ She turned her head and asked Heir Pei, ¡°What is the name of this street?¡± ¡°Longshou Street.¡± Heir Pei had also raised the curtain to look at the scenery outside; he was filled with emotion. For the past two years, he had been recuperating in the mansion in Baishui Town, basically just lying down at all times. He did not even move around the house much, let alone go to Qingzhou City! For this gorgeous yet chaotic casino city, he still felt quite¡­ nostalgic about it. Qi Qingyao said with awe, ¡°This name is domineering.¡± The children also nodded, agreeing with their mother¡¯s words. It was indeed domineering. Heir Pei noted her innocent tone. ¡°This is the Eastern District, which is more prosperous. Let¡¯s go to my residence first and take a rest. Everyone must be tired after sitting in the carriage for most of the day.¡± ¡°It¡¯s time to get some rest, get out of the carriage and stretch,¡± Qi Qingyao said with a smile. The children¡¯s gazes had been fixed outside; they were all looking around like curious newborns. The children had never seen so many beautiful houses and shops in their lives and their eyes widened like eggs as they stared eagerly. To be precise, the three pairs of round eyes were so excited that they did not even know which way to look. After a while, the carriage went to the residential area from themercial area. After seeing therge, bluestone brick streets with long walls on both sides, Qi Qingyao stretched her neck, trying hard to look past the walls. However, she could not see anything. She could only see a few trees peeking out faintly. Qi Qingyao was shocked. ¡°D*mn, what is this ce? How are there so manyvish mansions!¡± ¡°This is the residential area of the Eastern District. They are all residences of some retired court officials or other, so the houses are more pompous-looking. However, many of these houses were not built over the past few years. Some buildings have been passed down for at least one hundred years!¡± Heir Pei exined as he looked at Qi Qingyao in a very puzzled manner. He could not fathom her reaction. She was the one who had gotten others to build that kind of building in the vige. A person who could build such awesome buildings was actually surprised at these modest houses. While these houses were big, their craftsmanship was just¡­very ordinary! However, looking at her surprised expression, she did not seem to be pretending. Her eyes were sincere; they were just¡­ as cute and innocent as the three little ones! Heir Pei was a little confused. Li Qing suddenly knocked on the door of the carriage and said, ¡°Lord Heir, the head of the Lu family informed us that he has arrived and that he will part ways with us first.¡± Heir Pei gave a short reply. Qi Qingyao was startled. Pointing at the house with the super-long walls next to her, she said in shock, ¡°F*ck? What¡¯s with this situation? That house just now belongs to Lu Yan?¡± From the looks of it, it was not small at all. ¡°He¡¯s the Senluo Chamber of Commerce¡¯s head of house. Naturally, his house would be huge,¡± said Heir Pei. The carriage continued moving forward. Qi Qingyao gazed at the gates in the distance as sheid against the window of the carriage. She pressed her lips together and sighed. ¡°How much does his house even cost?¡± Chapter 228 - Arrived in Qingzhou 3

Chapter 228: Arrived in Qingzhou 3

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion ¡°Are you asking about just the house, or are you also considering the furniture and the rare antiques inside?¡± Heir Pei seemed quite serious. ¡°Just the house.¡± Qi Qingyao was counting her wealth. Heir Pei thought for a moment and said, ¡°If it¡¯s the house alone, it would cost at least three million taels of silver in this location. With the rare antique collections and murals inside, it would be invaluable.¡± ¡°Is it that expensive?!!! The house alone costs three million taels...¡± Qi Qingyao¡¯s jaw almost fell to the ground. She thought it would be about one million taels at most. It seemed that.... thend in Qingzhou City had been ramped up to such an exorbitant price! ¡°It covers arge area, and the Dong Linghong family was built here more than a century ago. It has its fair share of history! So, it¡¯s very expensive.¡± Heir Pei smiled slightly. Qi Qingyao, ¡°...¡± Seeing her bbergasted reaction, Heir Pei added, ¡°But even if you wanted to buy a house here, you can¡¯t.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t even if you have the money?¡± How could that be? ¡°Even if you have the money, you have to have someone willing to sell it to you,¡± he responded calmly. ¡°And no one in general would be willing, right?¡± Qi Qing asked weakly. Heir Pei said, ¡°Qingzhou City is constantly expanding. So, if someone wants to buynd, thend itself is already extraordinarily expensive, let alone the cost of building a house on the ground.¡± ¡°...¡± Did this mean that the queue was beyond one¡¯s capability to wait? The carriage continued on. Qi Qingyao was tired of asking more questions. Anyone who lived in this area must be extremely well off or wealthy. After driving for another quarter of an hour, they arrived at a gate. Li Qing opened the carriage door, signaling that everyone could get off. Qi Qingyao jumped out of the carriage first; next she lifted all three children down the ground. As soon as they turned their heads, they saw that Jiang Yeqian and Si Jin had also gotten out of the carriage. They were even carrying their luggage. After walking through the doorway, Qi Qingyao recalled something and asked, ¡°Is this your home?¡± Heir Pei nodded. Qi Qingyao felt like she was walking in the dusk, strolling around leisurely in the courtyard. In front of her was a courtyard with three entrances; the one before the Chuihua Gate was a narrow courtyardposed of rooms facing south. Past the Chuihua Gate was an inner courtyard. On both sides of the courtyard were the East Wing main room and West Wing guest rooms, as well as the veranda. There was a side room next to both the east and west wing rooms. Behind the main house, there was a lower grade room facing the north. There was a small door in the side room on the east side of the main house which connected to the second and third entrances of the courtyards. The middle of the northern side inner courtyard was a hall, which could be regarded as a room to meet guests. There was another long mini yard past the small gate. At the end of it were the stables and the firewood storage room. Li Qing originally wanted to stop her from strolling the residence. However, Pei Fengtang waved his hand, indicating that there was no need to. When Qi Qingyao came back from her walk, she was rubbing her chin. ¡°This mansion with three rows of rooms is not as big as your vi in Baishui Town! But it is also pretty impressive.¡± She had briefly visited the mansion in Baishui Town before. She thought that it was built for rest and recuperation, which was why it had a huge area of ??tens of thousands of square meters, with a beautiful garden filled with various trees! There was also a huge pond! It showed that the Marquis had intended to let his heir thoroughly enjoy his remaining time there. Even if he was unable to leave the mansion, it was sufficient for him to just stroll around the inside of the mansion. ¡°I¡¯m only an heir, it¡¯s impossible for me to have such a big house in every location. If that¡¯s the case, the emperor should already be checking my ount for fraudulence.¡± Pei Fengtang smiled lightly. Likely due to being in the carriage for too long and being unustomed to the stuffy environment, his face had turned slightly pale. Li Qing led Jiang Yeqian and Si Jin to the guest room to settle their things down first. Heir Pei looked at the two men with the ox and horse-head masks. He knew that under the horse-head mask was a very beautiful young man. So what kind of facey beneath the ox-head mask? Pei Fengtang suddenly realized. He and this ox-head man had hardly been in the same space, nor had they spoken. He asked Qi Qingyao, ¡°Your servant, I haven¡¯t seen him speak, is he a mute?¡± ¡°He has a weird temper, don¡¯t bother yourself with him,¡± Qi Qingyao lied casually. Chapter 229 - Arriving in Qingzhou 4

Chapter 229: Arriving in Qingzhou 4

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion All the servants in the courtyard were very excited about Pei Fengtang¡¯s arrival, he was the master, after all! Once the master returned, there would be people staying in this mansion from then on. They would serve him properly, and then maybe, their monthly sry would also be increased a little! Qi Qingyao turned around and was about to walk toward the guest room when she was stopped by Heir Pei. She turned around. He asked, ¡°Do you want the food to be brought to your roomter, or do you want to eat together in the parlor?¡± ¡°Please send it to my room.¡± After having to endure being jolted around in the carriage for a long time, anyone would want to rx, drink some good tea, and eat some snacks. As soon as she entered the room, she saw the children had already taken off their shoes and started ying on the bed. The servants seemed to have received a tip-off earlier, saying that there would be guestsing today, and so two braziers were ced in this guest room, which made the ce not cold at all. Hot tea had also been prepared aptly. There was even almond milk tea prepared for the children on the table.. Jiang Yeqian made sure that she had closed the door after entering the room before taking off the mask. He sat down at the small, round mahogany table and nced at the surroundings all around Qi Qingyao without reservation. He said coldly, ¡°You¡¯re so familiar with him to the point you¡¯re staying in his house, eh?¡± ¡°He said Qingzhou is very chaotic. In any case, I¡¯ll give him some moneyter as rooming fees. That should be alright, yes?¡± Qi Qingyao did not like being indebted either so she did not refute Jiang Yeqian¡¯s words. ¡°...yes.¡± Jiang Yeqian initially had many things he wanted to say, but he suddenly choked up and could only choke out one word. After Qi Qingyao sat down, she poured herself a cup of tea. ¡°Haven¡¯t your memories recovered? Tell me, is Qingzhou City a chaotic ce?¡± Jiang Yeqian answered with confusion. ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a chaotic ce.¡± ¡°???¡± Could it be that Heir Pei was lying? That was impossible, he certainly did not look like he was lying at the time. Si Jin carried Erniu back. He handed Erniu a bowl of steaming hot almond tea and let her take a few sips. After that, he said in a serious but adorable manner, ¡°Sister, I¡¯ll protect you.¡± Qi Qingyao let out augh. ¡°Don¡¯t be frightened. If Heir Pei said that it¡¯s best not to go out at night, then we won¡¯t go out at night! We shouldn¡¯t need to be so anxious.¡± Jiang Yeqian had also brought over Dabao and Xiaobao who were not wearing their shoes. After drinking the almond milk tea, he sent the two children to bed. The children started enjoying themselves, ying cat¡¯s cradle on the bed. Jiang Yeqian took a sip of tea and said to her, ¡°If we continue staying at Heir Pei¡¯s residence, then we¡¯ll be watched in whatever we do.¡± Qi Qingyao pondered for a moment. ¡°We¡¯ll stay here for a few days. Let me get used to the environment here, then we¡¯ll decide what to do.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine.¡± He approved of her idea. Si Jin was silent. He sat at the side and listened to their conversation, deep in thought. The three of them had been conversing for a while when they suddenly heard a loud noise from outside. Qi Qingyao walked over and opened a small gap at the door. She looked over across the yard and saw some middle-aged people dressed in bright and luxurious clothes walking in and out. Qi Qingyao looked on with puzzlement. ¡°Why are there peopleing and going outside all of a sudden?¡± ¡°Perhaps someone found out that Heir Pei has returned and came to visit,¡± Jiang Yeqian said to himself without looking at the situation outside. ¡°You know about this too?¡± Qi Qingyao was really shocked. Jiang Yeqian replied unhurriedly, ¡°Just think about it. He¡¯s an heir and was cured by a physician some time ago. Lu Yan, who happened to be in Baishui Town, had even gone out of his way to visit him on the second day of Chinese New Year. So, what of the imperial power in Qingzhou City? They must¡¯ve caught wind of it a long time ago. Besides, when we entered the city, the guards at the city gate did not even dare to inspect us when they saw the g with the character ¡®Pei¡¯ on this carriage and Lu Yan¡¯s ck carriage! So, it¡¯s not hard to imagine.¡± Qi Qingyao, ¡°...¡± Chapter 230 - Arriving in Qingzhou 5

Chapter 230: Arriving in Qingzhou 5

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Jiang Yeqian continued, ¡°There were many people on the streets at noon. We didn¡¯t return to his residence in secrecy either. Those powerful people were definitely watching us. So, those people who hade to visit with gifts the moment we passed through the gates must have been prepared in advance.¡± Si Jin¡¯s eyes widened as he listened to Jiang Yeqian¡¯s analysis. Qi Qingyao asked as she held back her jaw from dropping in astonishment, ¡°Why didn¡¯t they visit him in Baishui Town before this?¡± ¡°Many people knew Heir Pei lived in the mansion in Baishui Town, but they also knew that Heir Pei was on the brink of death, so of course no one bothered with him. During this time, despite the news that he had been cured of the poison he had consumed by a miraculous physician, everyone still did not dare to disturb him,¡± he said very calmly. ¡°You still haven¡¯t said why they didn¡¯t dare visit him.¡± Qi Qinyao pressed on. Jiang Yeqian replied with half a smile, ¡°They all knew that Heir Pei was resting there quietly.. If he didn¡¯t leave the mansion, it meant that he hadn¡¯t recovered. So, they waited for him toe to Qingzhou City. Him being able toe to Qingzhou City meant that Heir Pei has recovered.¡± ¡°But Lu Yan dared to visit him though?¡± ¡®What right did he have?¡¯ Jiang Yeqian simply summarized, ¡°Of course, the young master of the Senluo Chamber of Commerce is a little more privileged.¡± Qi Qingyao held the crack of the door open. After watching for a while, the maid brought over the food. Qi Qingyao took the food and had the maid leave without letting her into the room. She brought the food to the dining table and the children rushed over when they caught a whiff of the scent of the food. After they finished their meal, Qi Qingyao observed for another hour. When the sky was getting dark, she found that the number of people outside had gradually reduced. Qi Qingyao stroked her chin and said, ¡°Looks like the Marquis has plenty of connections in the imperial court.¡± Jiang Yeqian responded indifferently, ¡°The Marquis of the North is gentle and humble. He has some influence in the imperial court, but it¡¯s so-so...¡± ¡°You know about that too?¡± Qi Qingyao really wanted to kneel down for the boss now. Jiang Yeqian noticed that he had made a slight faux pas, but looked very calm. He continued unhurriedly, ¡°You can learn this after asking around a little. They¡¯re not secrets.¡± Qi Qingyao, ¡°Oh.¡± Si Jin also took a peek out the crack of the door for a bit and saw that Heir Pei was heading toward their room. He immediately put on his mask. Seeing this, Jiang Yeqian also quickly put on his. When Heir Pei walked over, he knocked on the door politely. After he was let in, he sat down at the small round table and ate a snack from the tea tray. He sighed. ¡°Everyone came over as soon as I returned to Qingzhou City. It¡¯s really annoying.¡± ¡°It¡¯s annoying indeed,¡± Qi Qingyao said as she poured Heir Pei a cup of tea that had been over-brewed to the point of being tasteless. She continued smoothly, ¡°Sometimes you have to makepromises. Just bear with it.¡± ¡°You have quite a way with words.¡± Heir Pei had practically ¡°traveled¡± for hours, but these old folks came over to visit without even waiting for him to rest, which exhausted him physically and mentally. He came here because he wanted to ask her how the meal was and give proper care for his guests. Who would have thought that he could not help but let out aint the moment he entered the room. Of course, he did not expect to receive a response to hisint but she had chosen to respond honestly, making Pei Fengtang a little unsure of how to react. The annoyance in him had also slightly subsided. ¡°Of course, you have to say something appropriate since you live in the Heir¡¯s residence.¡± Qi Qingyao¡¯s reply was nomittal. ¡°But I will pay for my stayter ording to the rooming rates of an inn. I can afford it.¡± Heir Pei was taken aback. ¡°I didn¡¯t ask for your money.¡± Qi Qingyao shrugged and casually replied, ¡°You don¡¯t want it, but I want to give it to you. This way, I won¡¯t be indebted to you.¡± Heir Pei, ¡°...¡± Heir Pei had thought that she loved money when she treated him since she kept talking about her bread and butter. Yet, now she said she did not want to be indebted to him. He did not understand, did she love money or not? Chapter 231 - Arrived at Qingzhou 6

Chapter 231: Arrived at Qingzhou 6

Qi Qingyao asked, ¡°What were their expressions like when they learned that you¡¯re still alive?¡± ¡°Some were pleasantly surprised, but some were also disappointed.¡± Heir Pei would not say that much to anyone else normally, but he somehow really wanted to tell Qi Qingyao the truth. He said, ¡°Someone also asked me indirectly about the heavenly physician who healed me.¡± ¡°Did you tell them who it was?¡± Qi Qingyao asked. Heir Pei could not help butugh. ¡°Why would I? They wouldn¡¯t believe me if I told them, anyway.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Heir Pei left after visiting for a short while. Before he left, he looked at the man who was wearing the Ox-head mask. Curiosity filled him, but he did not force the man to remove his mask. Everyone was too tired, so they did not go out that afternoon. They sat down and drank tea before Li Qing called Qi Qingyao over. He said that the Heir wanted to tell her something. When Qi Qingyao went over, Heir Pei said, ¡°The Jiang family in Qingzhou City is rted to Master Jiang, the Minister helming the Ministry of Punishments¡ªOld Man Jiang is Master Jiang¡¯s uncle. The Jiang family will be entertaining guests tomorrow. Half of Qingzhou City will be attending, including me. Do you want to go? We can go together if you want, have a meal together before the event.¡± ¡°Which Jiang? Jiang as in ¡°river¡±, or Jiang as in ¡°ginger¡±?¡± Jiang Bai¡¯s name, or rather Jiang Chenye¡¯s, surfaced in Qi Qingyao¡¯s mind. ¡°Thetter!¡± Was that supposed to be what she focused on? What in the world did she devote her attention to? Attending a party at the Jiang family house? About that¡­ Qi Qingyao gestured for Heir Pei to pause awhile. ¡°Wait a second, I gotta discuss this with the kids first.¡± ¡°What¡¯s there to discuss?¡± Heir Pei was bemused. He found banquets like this boring and tiring. With his current condition, he should be resting in his home despite the fact that he had arrived in Qingzhou City. Banquets and social events like this were extremely taxing. However, if Qi Qingyao went with him, he would have someone he knew with him, and he could while his time away in a more favorable way. If she did not want to go, Heir Pei did not want to, either. He thought, ¡®I should just refuse the invitation.¡¯ ¡°Just wait for me,¡± Qi Qingyao said, as she dashed back to the guest room. After she closed the door, she had Jiang Yeqian and Si Jin sit down before asking, ¡°The Heir invited us to a banquet held at the Jiang family estate. Do you think we should go?¡± ¡°You¡¯re asking me?¡± Jiang Yeqian raised a brow. He had not expected her to ask. Qi Qingyao said humbly, ¡°You know more than me, so I asked you. If you don¡¯t want to answer, that¡¯s fine.¡± Si Jin appeared to listen attentively as well. When stared at by two pairs of eyes, Jiang Yeqian said slowly, ¡°This banquet the Jiang family holds will definitely be attended by half of the powerful and wealthy in Qingzhou. Everyone will attend not for the food, but to meet and get to know some friends at the banquet. If you want to go just for the food, that¡¯s fine too. But you have to think carefully. We entered Qingzhou together with the Heir, and now we¡¯re living in his home. Tomorrow morning, if you go together with him, how will he introduce you?¡± ¡°As a friend?¡± Qi Qingyao ventured. Jiang Yeqian said derisively, ¡°So Heir Pei will bring a friend with him, and this female friend has three children. This alone is enough for them.¡± ¡°So something will definitely happen then,¡± Qi Qingyao said moodily. ¡°More than just ¡®happen¡¯,¡± Jiang Yeqian said slowly. ¡°There are some establishments here in Qingzhou City that specialize in gathering information. From what I see, those people who are ¡°concerned¡± about Heir Pei will have already noticed you. Heir Pei has treated you well recently, and you visited his house once.¡± ¡°I¡¯m so ordinary though¡­¡± Qi Qingyao¡¯s voice became softer and softer. Chapter 232 - Arrived at Qingzhou 7

Chapter 232: Arrived at Qingzhou 7

Jiang Yeqian gave her a look that said ¡°Are you kidding?¡± He said, ¡°How are you ordinary? You stayed in his house for ten days. This information is not hard toe by as long as they have some cash. Then Heir Pei waspletely healed. What would other people think about that?¡± ¡°You mean that I was targeted long ago?¡± Qi Qingyao could not help swallowing. ¡°Heir Pei deliberately had Li Qing go to you twice. Once to help you out of a sticky situation and then to give you gifts when you moved to your new home. He did everything too grandly.¡± Pei Fengtang was really cunning. He deliberately involved her in everything and did not give her a single opportunity to get out of things. Qi Qingyao asked curiously, ¡°Are there many eyes on Heir Pei?¡± Jiang Yeqian said, as if it wasmon knowledge, ¡°He¡¯s the heir to the Marquis of Dingbei, who¡¯s in the Capital. The Marquis is pretty popr too. Those officials who want to curry the Marquis¡¯ favor will definitely be watching the Heir. Also, Li Qing sent people off to buy herbs regrly. The shopkeeper isn¡¯t stupid.¡± Qi Qingyao: ¡°¡­¡± Surprisingly, she had nothing to say. Jiang Yeqian entered deep thought for a while before saying, ¡°Most importantly, about that unique building you built in Linquan Vige¡­ Although there were few visitors of the wealthy and powerful variety, everyone must know of your existence by now. Many people are of the opinion that it was you who treated and cured Heir Pei, and that you¡¯re the Mysterious Divine Physician Su Hexiao!¡± ¡°Why do I feel like I was targeted early on as well?¡± Qi Qingyao felt herself go cold. Jiang Yeqian said calmly, ¡°Why do you think Lu Yan insisted on traveling with us multiple times? Why do you think he ate meals together with us at the same table? What do you think he¡¯s after?¡± ¡°Was someone in his family poisoned too?¡± Qi Qingyao tilted her head. An idea appeared in her mind. Jiang Yeqian was really going to lose his mind when faced with her way of thinking. He said helplessly, ¡°The day you moved in, Lu Yan¡¯s carriage came to the house. Although the Lu family are merchants, they are all very interested in architecture. The Lu family has been looking for Master Li Qinglian for years. What I think is that Lu Yan wants to seek out Master Li Qinglian through you.¡± He wanted to look for the Master? Qi Qingyao fell silent. Jiang Yeqian reminded her with a furrowed brow, ¡°He¡¯s trying to curry favor with you. Don¡¯t be fooled.¡± ¡°No, no, no, I won¡¯t.¡± Qi Qingyao¡¯s gaze was one of admiration. Jiang Yeqian gave her a sideways look. ¡°Lu Yan has already figured you out by now, probably. How about the other forces in Qingzhou? Maybe they¡¯re lying in wait for you to go.¡± Qi Qingyao felt like her head was going to burst after listening to his words. She asked, bemused, ¡°Then should we go to the banquet tomorrow?¡± ¡°I suggest that you go!¡± Jiang Yeqian said sternly. Qi Qingyao raised a brow. ¡°You¡¯re saying that we might as well go with dignity as opposed to trying to hide ourselves?¡± Jiang Yeqian inclined his head a little. ¡°Exactly. You¡¯re already close to Heir Pei, so you might as well use him to gain ess to this banquet and see for yourself the many forces in Qingzhou. Then you can be prepared in the future.¡± This was why he had not stopped her from getting closer to Heir Pei. If Heir Pei had his own motives, then they could also use him in turn. However, the methods he was thinking of were different from what Qi Qingyao was thinking. Heir Pei wanted to make her take his side and lure Su Hexiao out. If that was so, he would never seed in getting rid of Qi Qingyao! ¡°I only wanted to maintain a low profile,¡± Qi Qingyao sighed. Looking at how she slumped on the table dejectedly, Jiang Yeqian said with a grin, ¡°You¡¯ll never seed in maintaining a low profile after you saved Pei Fengtang.¡± Who knew that so many things would happen after she saved a man? Qi Qingyao red at him and went to bed. She hugged the kids, who were tired after ying for so long, and took a nap. Chapter 233 - Arrived at Qingzhou 8

Chapter 233: Arrived at Qingzhou 8

Jiang Yeqian was just about to get up when he suddenly caught sight of Si Jin, who was looking at him with admiration. Si Jin said, ¡°You¡¯re so amazing.¡± ¡°What? Amazing?¡± He had only said some regr words, but now a boy was looking at him with admiration. His goosebumps felt like they were about to fall to the floor. Si Jin wanted to give him some apuse. ¡°Your analysis is so thorough.¡± Jiang Yeqian pursed his lip. He said, ¡°Being a pet is not my life goal.¡± ¡°??¡± Si Jin was about to ask him what his life goal was, but Jiang Yeqian got up and left before he could. Qi Qingyao slept for a while before waking up. She called Li Qing over and gave him her response to Heir Pei¡¯s invitation, ¡°We¡¯ll go together tomorrow.¡± Heir Pei¡¯s mood brightened significantly when he found out that she agreed to go. He had intended to reject the invitation to the banquet the next day, but if this woman wanted to go¡­ then he would go with her. The forces in the city should be pretty curious about her. He was curious too about how she would deal with it. ¡­ At the Lu family residence. Dong Jing observed that his master¡¯s mood did not improve in the slightest although he was already back at Qingzhou City. On the contrary, he became very quiet, a little bad-tempered even. ¡°Master, you look annoyed.¡± Looking at the darkening sky outside, Dong Jing had the servants prepare the bath water. Lu Yan sat on the soft bed, petting the white cat in his arms. He mumbled, appearing to have a headache, ¡°I thought that Qi Qingyao was going to call me her grandfather. I¡¯d acknowledge it and, after that, I¡¯d obtain Master Li Qinglian¡¯s whereabouts from her, but this woman treated me like a stranger.¡± The Master was feeling gloomy because of that? Dong Jing changed the topic deliberately. ¡°Master, are you going to the banquet held by the Jiang family tomorrow then?¡± ¡°I heard that many people visited the Pei family house this afternoon. Everyone went to visit Heir Pei,¡± Lu Yan said. ¡°Yes.¡± Dong Jing nodded sternly. ¡°He¡¯ll probably go to the banquet tomorrow. That means that she¡¯ll go too. As for me, if this woman will go, I¡¯ll go as well.¡± Lu Yan started to analyze the situation. Dong Jing paused. ¡°Master, how do you know that Miss Qi will go?¡± He had reached that conclusion without any proof. Lu Yan said dismissively, ¡°She¡¯s a lively person and has to be in the thick of the action all the time. She¡¯ll definitely join the crowd over at the Jiang family house tomorrow.¡± ¡­ At the Jiang family house. Jiang Siliu sat in front of the mirror and took off the pearl hairpin in her hair. She rummaged around her jewelry box for her prettiest hairpin, and called Qi Qingzhu in. Jiang Siliu pointed to the several pearl hairpins on the table. ¡°Qingzhu, which one do you think will look the best on me tomorrow?¡± ¡°They¡¯re all pretty,¡± Qi Qingzhu scanned the table and said, her head lowered. Jiang Siliu frowned. ¡°Be honest.¡± Qi Qingzhu pointed at one of the pins. ¡°I think this white jade hairpin suits you best, miss.¡± She had already gotten her answer, but Jiang Siliu was not satisfied yet. She took out several sets of extremely grand outfits and set them out on the bed. ¡°Which of these three do you think looks best?¡± Qi Qingzhu thought about it for a while. She did not dare give a flippant answer, and so she said seriously, ¡°This bright yellow dress will look very striking in the winter; This red one will make you stand out; and this green dress will make you look gentle and demure.¡± ¡°Not bad.¡± That was also what she thought. She had asked her servant because she wanted to see if her servant had the same thoughts as she did. Qi Qingzhu had already been working at the Jiang family house for some time. She knew Jiang Siliu¡¯s personality clearly, so she took the initiative and said, ¡°If you want to wear the yellow dress, the jade hairpin will be a better match. If you want to wear the red one, wear that gold hairpin. If you wear the green dress, wear the white jade hairpin. It¡¯ll look more elegant.¡± Jiang Siliu thought about it for a while and agreed. Gritting her teeth, she set down the red and green dresses and picked up the yellow one. ¡°I¡¯ll wear the yellow dress. Let the guests have the opportunity to show off too! Although I¡¯m the host, I don¡¯t want to stand out too much.¡± Qi Qingzhu nodded slightly. After Jiang Siliu let her leave, Qi Qingzhu returned to the side room for a break. She thought about when she could get time off again. After the banquet tomorrow, if Miss is in a good mood, maybe she could allow her some time off to return to the vige one more time. Chapter 234 - Arrived at Qingzhou 9

Chapter 234: Arrived at Qingzhou 9

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion About the n for the next day, Jiang Yeqian said to Qi Qingyao, ¡°We¡¯re going to the banquet held by the Jiang family along with Pei Fengtang. I suggest that the three kids don¡¯t go with us.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Qi Qingyao asked. Si Jin retorted, ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Jiang Yeqian looked like he was prepared to listen. Under their twin stares, Si Jin managed to get a sentence out. ¡°They¡¯re only kids. No one will notice them if they sit in a corner. If you¡¯re afraid that they¡¯ll cause a scene, have the Heir¡¯s servant, Li Qing, sit with them by a table in the corner.¡± Jiang Yeqian did not say anything.. It seemed as if he was leaving the right to make the decision to her. Qi QIngyao thought about it for a while. She snapped her fingers. ¡°No, he¡¯s right.¡± ¡°You want to leave them here too?¡± Si Jin asked. Qi Qingyao caressed her chin, saying calmly, ¡°They¡¯re triplets and, not only do they look identical, they also look a lot like me! If they¡¯re present, they¡¯ll attract some stares no matter what my identity might be. I can handle it, but we should protect the children.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± Si Jin had the aura of someone who listened to Elder Sister¡¯s every word. Qi Qingyao was worried about leaving the kids in Heir Pei¡¯s house, and so she said, ¡°I¡¯ll go by myself tomorrow. Alone,¡± she said, but she would have Heir Pei¡¯s guards with her, so she would not need to worry about her safety. Jiang Yeqian said, ¡°I¡¯ll worry if you go alone.¡± ¡°You go with me then,¡± Qi Qingyao suggested. She trusted Jiang Bai quite a lot. She always felt like he knew a lot, and he was useful whenever she left the house. ¡°I¡­¡± Jiang Yeqian¡¯s ¡°yes¡± was already on his lips, but somehow it turned into, ¡°Let Si Jin go with you.¡± Qi Qingyao asked, ¡°Are any of your enemies in Qingzhou?¡± Jiang Yeqian sighed resignedly. ¡°I can wear a mask, but the State Preceptor¡¯s spies will definitely attend the banquet. If there are spies with sharp eyes, they can figure out someone¡¯s identity from their gait and from personal quirks that even the person themself might not notice. This is a banquet too, so we have to eat. If I don¡¯t take my mask off, it¡¯ll incite further doubt. So let Si Jin go with you tomorrow and protect you.¡± He did not want Si Jin to go with this woman at all¡ªnot after Si Jin said those stupid things about wanting to be her pet. However, Si Jin was somewhat naive and, from the looks of things, he seemed to not possess a single cunning thought. That was why Jiang Yeqian was assured. Qi Qingyao patted his shoulder. ¡°Then you stay here and look after the kids.¡± Jiang Yeqian: ¡°...¡± It sounded like he had be the kids¡¯ male nanny! Qi Qingyao had to leave the house early in the morning the next day, so she naturally had to go to sleep early. After coaxing the kids to sleep, Qi Qingyao did not feel like sleeping. It might have been because she had slept too long on the carriage. Qi Qingyao thought for a while before getting up from bed silently and putting on her clothes. She put on a ck fur coat too. Then she opened the door and silently went over to the next room, knocking on the door like a thief. The guards at the garden were shocked when they saw her. They were about to raise their knives and dash over when Qi Qingyao quickly waved her hand and said, ¡°It¡¯s me.¡± With that, the guards put their knives down. Qi Qingyao knocked on the door for a while and, when no one replied, she went to Si Jin¡¯s room. She knocked on the door again. Ever since they came to Heir Pei¡¯s garden, Si Jin no longer needed to share a room with Jiang Yeqian. It was the only advantage to staying here. Si Jin came over to open the door. When he saw her standing outside, he was somewhat shocked. Qi Qingyao peeked inside. ¡°You¡¯re in the room.¡± Si Jin knew instantly, from her words, that Jiang Bai had snuck out again. Qi Qingyao knew that too. Maybe he was out to investigate something or perhaps to find his murderer, or any other business. Qi Qingyao swallowed. She whispered to Si Jin, ¡°Do you want to go outside with me?¡± Si Jin said, ¡°Now?¡± Qi Qingyao scratched her head shyly. She said, ¡°Let¡¯s go outside for a walk. Let¡¯s see if Qingzhou is really chaotic after nightfall.¡± Si Jin¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°If Elder Sister wants to go, I¡¯ll go with you!¡± Si Jin went inside to change, and then he said, ¡°Should we let the guards know that we¡¯ve left?¡± Qi Qingyao asked, ¡°Can you leave this house unnoticed?¡± Si Jin thought for a while before pulling her inside the room. After he changed into an outfit, he opened the window just a little, and observed the way the guards were patrolling the garden. There were guards, yes, but they would falter eventually. For instance, they might have to go to the toilet or have supper. Si Jin opened the window stealthily and looped an arm around Qi Qingyao¡¯s waist. He gestured for her to be quiet, closed the window and then, with her in his arms, he jumped out of the window and flew onto the rooftop. Next, he disappeared extremely quickly from the rooftop, like a ck cat. After several breaths, both of themnded on the street outside. After Qi Qingyaonded, she looked behind her, and then at where she was at now. She swallowed and then she patted Si Jin¡¯s shoulder heavily. ¡°I¡¯ll add another bowl of rice for you during our next meal!¡± Si Jin smiled cutely. Meanwhile, Qi Qingyao wasining endlessly in her mind. They were both powerful indeed! No, if he was so powerful, why was he being chased by a wild boar the first time they met? She looked at Si Jin with doubt in her eyes. Did he want something from her? It somehow did not seem right. The first time they met, she was poor as hell, and she was still living in that straw hut. Although her host body did not look too shabby, she was definitely not some deity who had fallen to the mortal realm either. Qi Qingyao was very self-aware when it came to that. The question was though, why was he so powerful now when he used to be someone that a wild boar could chase around? Had he suffered from internal injuries like Jiang Bai too? However, Si Jin said that he was a young noble in dire straits¡­ Wait. It was not strange for a young noble in dire straits to know some martial arts. No. He was so good inbat, though. Had he worked as a servant for other families? Oh, right, he said before that he was sold to a rich family. He must have been watched by other experts while he was working there, making it impossible for him to run away. Si Jin asked, ¡°Where are we going now, Elder Sister?¡± Qi Qingyao thought about it for a while. She said, ¡°We¡¯ll go to the most famous restaurant here!¡± Si Jin asked, ¡°What¡¯s the name of the most famous restaurant here?¡± Qi Qingyao: ¡°...¡± The two of them walked over to the busiest market in the east area. They looked at the lit up streets, the beautifulnterns hanging from everywhere. There were many people on the streets, and there were several restaurants that were quite imposing. The customers that entered were all dressed up to the nines. Qi Qingyao pulled Si Jin over, wanting to enter for some liquor, but they were stopped at the entrance. ¡°Miss, may I ask where your sign is?¡± ¡°What sign?¡± Qi Qingyao asked. The doorman bent down and said with a smile, ¡°The pendant that allows you entrance to this ce.¡± ¡°...¡± D*mn it, they adopted a membership system? Those who were not regr guests would not be able to enter. Qi Qingyao left the restaurant with Si Jin in tow, cursing all the while. Then she looked at its name: Chunjiang Restaurant. Shemitted it to memory. After she was refused entrance at the first restaurant, Qi Qingyao suddenly understood Heir Pei¡¯s words. Qingzhou City¡­ was indeed not a ce that one could live in effortlessly. However, if she wanted to get some information, it was not necessary for her to go to the grander establishments. ¡°Elder Sister, let¡¯s go to that one.¡± Si Jin held Qi Qingyao¡¯s hand, pointing to a restaurant. The customers, judging from what they were wearing, were all people in the jianghu scene. ¡°That one then.¡± Qi Qingyao and Si Jin took big strides as they walked over. It was noisy in the restaurant. There were customers that possessed delicate features, but most of them looked brawny and ferocious. Qi Qingyao picked a table in the corner and sat down with Si Jin. A servant quickly came to them. Qi Qingyao said, ¡°Give me two bottles of your trademark liquor!¡± ¡°Sure!¡± The servant was feeling gloomy because he had to work overtime, but his mood lightened at the sight of this cute-looking customer. ¡°What dishes do you want?¡± ¡°Half a catty of spiced beef, cut into thin slices, a te of peanuts, and two more side dishes. Just give me two dishes that this ce is known for.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± The servant quickly went to prepare. He served Qi Qingyao the liquor she had asked for. A prettydy had brought a delicate-looking young boy into the restaurant. It was natural that they attracted some looks. However, no one dared to rough them up as the servant kept on serving dishes to their table. After the servant served them the beef, Qi Qingyao pulled him over. ¡°Hey, can I ask you something?¡± ¡°Please do.¡± The servant was very polite. ¡°Sit down, have a seat.¡± As Qi Qingyao spoke, she quickly stuffed a tael of silver into the servant¡¯s palm. When the servant received such generosity, he quickly hid the silver tael away and pretended to serve his customers. He sat down without further ado. ¡°What¡¯s Qingzhou City like as a ce?¡± Qi Qingyao asked. Si Jin started to pour some liquor for himself. He sniffed curiously after he was finished, and the smell of liquor caused him to furrow his brow. ¡°You didn¡¯t just arrive in the city, did you?¡± the servant asked. Qi Qingyao nodded honestly. ¡°You¡­¡± The servant was at a loss for words for a while. He did not know how to continue. He muttered, covering his forehead with his hand, ¡°So that¡¯s why you barged into our restaurant.¡± That sounded like¡­ ¡°Is your restaurant scamming your customers?¡± ¡°That¡¯s impossible,¡± the servant said, annoyed and tickled at the same time. ¡°But just look around you! Such a beautifuldy like you should pick a better restaurant next time.¡± ¡°It looks safe. No one came here to¡­ rob me of my purity and my money!¡± Qi Qingyao sounded calm. The servant: ¡°...¡± He could not bring himself to say that this restaurant was a scam¡­ Ah, no, not a scam. However, this restaurant was one where the sleaziest people in the east area visited. Thisdy looked like a nobledy. It was not appropriate for her toe to this ce. She brought a young boy along too. He seemed to be her younger brother. They did not have guards with them either! Not even one! This sight was one that made people worried. As thisdy was not from Qingzhou, he said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but Qingzhou City is probably the most dangerous ce on the continent.¡± ¡°What?¡± This sounded outrageous. To include the whole continent? Hearing this¡­ Qi Qingyao was indeed shocked. The servant sighed. ¡°You¡¯re not from here, so you don¡¯t know. This ce is even more of a mess than the capital cities of the Four Countries.¡± Chapter 235 - Arrived at Qingzhou 10

Chapter 235: Arrived at Qingzhou 10

Qi Qingyao appeared to be shocked. ¡°I live in Linquan Vige, Baishui Town. I also count as a Qingzhou citizen. Why have I not heard anything about how chaotic this city is?¡± Oh, was thisdy from the nearby viges? ¡°The vige people don¡¯t know much about what¡¯s happening in the city,¡± the servant said with the ease of someone very familiar with this subject. ¡°You also know that Qingzhou is located in the southeast area of Northern Liang. The city shares its borders with two other countries, Eastern Ling and Southern Ming. Although it¡¯s not exactly at the border, the city¡¯s famous on the continent as the five Koi Fish God Temples are situated here.¡± ¡°I know about that.¡± Everyone knew about that. ¡°Then did you know about the number of retired imperial officials that live in this city?¡± The servant asked mysteriously. ¡°I heard that there¡¯s a lot.¡± Jiang Bai had told her that. The servant said, ¡°Not only officials from Northern Liang, but also from Eastern Ling, Southern Ming, and Western Zhou. People from the four countries¡¯ chambers ofmerce also live here.¡± ¡°Really?¡± That was why thend here was so expensive. ¡°Look, this is what the vige people don¡¯t know about.¡± The servant looked like he knew everything about the jianghu. He told Qi Qingyao, ¡°Qingzhou City hosts the five Koi Fish God Temples and has great weather, making the city a nice ce to live in. The Jiuli River passes by the city as well. On the west side of the city are the Tianyu Mountains, and at the east is the Jiuli River. This is a strategic and fortunate ce!¡± Qi Qingyao nodded slightly. Si Jin did not listen to anything he said. He held his bowl of liquor up and licked it carefully. The taste of liquor swirled toward his brain, making Si Jin stick his tongue out and frown. It was too spicy! Who said that liquor tasted good? Si Jin put his bowl down, and his face crumpled. ¡°Qingzhou City here is probably one of the most dangerous ces on the continent, but only several areas in the city are dangerous,¡± the servant said. ¡°Tell us everything.¡± Qi Qingyao poured the servant a bowl of liquor as well. ¡°I¡¯ll start from the basic stuff,¡± the servant said, ¡°Qingzhou City is divided into four areas, the East, the South, the West, and the North. The East, also called the Upper East area, is the busiest area in the city. Countless rich people live there. It¡¯s simr to the South, where many big houses are built. The West and the North are more chaotic. Don¡¯t go to those areas if you don¡¯t have any business there!¡± ¡°¡­¡± Qi Qingyao swallowed. The servant said, ¡°Everyone says that Daliang City in Eastern Ling is the territory of the Shen family, the owners of Wanbao Chamber of Commerce in Eastern Ling. It¡¯s the Shen family¡¯s base. Shen Yuluo is a clever man, and so Daliang is safe most of the time. Junlin City, the capital of Southern Ming, is where a group of madmen live. However, those madmen like to pretend that they have morals, surprisingly. So, under that guise, they are protecting Junlin from harm. Dadu City in Western Zhou is a mess too, but those capitals can¡¯tpare to Qingzhou! Various kinds of people from everywhere have gathered in Qingzhou. Everyone likes toe to this city!¡± ¡°You sound like you¡¯re proud of it.¡± Qi Qingyao did not know whether to cry orugh. The servant held his chin high. ¡°Of course I am! It¡¯s a show of power too! The city is so chaotic because there are so many criminals here!¡± ¡°¡­¡± D*mn, he sounded so proud of it. ¡°Like there¡¯s the Corpse-eating Ghost, the Thousand-faced Man¡­¡± ¡°Wait, what¡¯s that about the Corpse-eating Ghost?¡± Was that a ghoul or something? That sounded like b*llshit. ¡°There was a person who was both poor and deranged. He liked to eat corpses. He¡¯d eat happily even if there were flies everywhere. His appearance was neither human-like nor ghost-like, and so everyone called him the Corpse-eating Ghost!¡± The servant said exaggeratedly. ¡°¡­¡± She almost thought that he was talking about a ghoul! ¡°Ah, don¡¯t interrupt me,¡± the servant continued excitedly. ¡°There¡¯s also the Man of Misfortune, the Ghost Summoner, the Ghostspeaker¡­ Most of them are madmen. None of them are normal.¡± ¡°With how big the city is, it¡¯s not strange that various kinds of people exist,¡± Qi Qingyao eximed. She thought about it for a while, and then she asked, ¡°Thew enforcement here is terrible, isn¡¯t it?¡± The servant said abashedly, ¡°Ahem. In the alleys, there are always people who will stab you with knives so, miss, never venture into the alleys!¡± ¡°Are there no regtions?¡± Qi Qingyao asked. The servant said, ¡°There are, but they aren¡¯t much use. The citizens here are all retired nobles and officials. When they move here, their wealth moves here as well, which in turn increases the prosperity of the city¡¯s economy. However, aside from those nobles and officials, many people from various ces want to live under the Koi Fish God¡¯s protection, so that their descendants will be blessed as well.¡± ¡°¡­¡± When the number of people living here increased, chaos came! ¡°The authorities can¡¯t really do anything, as the power dynamics here are tooplicated. The government office is in cohorts with most of the gangs here in the West and the North, to some degree.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Was this Qingzhou City really the rumored Qingzhou City that was ¡°pure and unsophisticated¡±? She wanted tough about it with Si Jin, but when she turned her head to look at him, Si Jin¡¯s tiny face was flushed, and tears rimmed his eyes and fell down his face. Qi Qingyao was shocked. ¡°Why are you crying?¡± The servant eximed, ¡°Your younger brother must be so shocked after he heard about the chaos in Qingzhou that he cried. You should quickly reassure him.¡± Then he got up and went back to work. ¡°Burp.¡± Si Jin burped. ¡°You drank liquor.¡± The faint aroma of liquor made Qi Qingyao furrow her brow. It looked like this kid did not stomach liquor well. ¡°If you can¡¯t drink it, then don¡¯t.¡± She snatched away the bowl that was in front of him. Si Jin pouted. His brow was furrowed and his whole face was flushed red, like he was drunk. He said with a grin, ¡°Elder Sister, the first mouthful of liquor is so spicy, but the second mouthful is really irritating. Hehe~~~¡± He had only drunk a little. Why were his eyes so clouded? Qi Qingyao noticed that he was about to raise the bowl again, so she said, ¡°Stop drinking!¡± Si Jin was unfazed. Qi Qingyao did not notice that the color of Si Jin¡¯s half-closed eyes was shifting rapidly between gold and ck. He said drunkenly, ¡°After the third mouthful went down, I felt like a fire was burning inside my stomach. Burp¡ª¡ª¡± ¡°We didn¡¯te here to drink liquor.¡± They hade here to gather information. Si Jin suddenly sat down on the same long bench as her. He scooted very close to her, and turned his head toward her, putting his chin on her shoulder, and then he pouted and said cutely, ¡°Elder Sister, I, I¡ª¡± Qi Qingyao ate the sliced beef as she looked at the coquettish boy. She did not reply him and just watched silently as he acted out, influenced by alcohol. She thought for a while, and then she picked up a slice of beef with her chopsticks and dangled it near Si Jin¡¯s mouth, with the attitude of someone ying a prank. Si Jin, who had never eaten meat before, did not refuse. He opened his reddened lips, and the slice of beef was stuffed into his mouth. His eyes were instantly alight with curiosity. He did not refuse the beef though; he chewed on it silently and swallowed it. The gold in his eyes became more potent. Si Jin had wanted to speak again when a middle-aged man wearing considerably noble clothing and a long sword by his waist sauntered over with the air of a rascal. He put a hand on Qi Qingyao¡¯s shoulder and said, eyes gleaming like a pervert, ¡°Young miss, do you want to drink with me?¡± Qi Qingyao froze for a while. She turned her head and caught sight of the hand on her shoulder. Her lips twitched as she mumbled, ¡°This plot development¡­¡± A pervert? Si Jin narrowed his eyes, to the extent that they looked closed. He stood up, somewhat swaying, his eyes darkening. ¡°Take your dirty hand away.¡± ¡°You brat. You look like a prostitute. Go away and don¡¯t stop me from having fun.¡± The man did not take Si Jin seriously at all. ¡°Have fun?¡± The young boy¡¯s eyes darkened. No one could see what he was feeling. Less than a secondter, his expression suddenly became violent. His aura became strong and terrifying, and he said irascibly, ¡°I¡¯ll let you have some fun!¡± He grasped the cor of the man¡¯s outfit with one hand with ease, like he was strangling the throat of an ant, and hurled him aside. The man was hurled onto the wall, creating a huge crater in it, before he fell onto the floor. The young boy flew up,nding in front of the man with a somersault. He then straddled him, and without any regard for his image, proceeded to ball his hands into fists violently and pummelled the man¡¯s face. Like he was hitting a punching bag. All the while, he was muttering, ¡°You dare bully Elder Sister? I¡¯ll beat you to death!¡± Qi Qingyao was startled for a few seconds, but she immediately came back to her senses when she realized that everyone¡¯s eyes were on her. She quickly went forward and stopped Si Jin. ¡°Stop hitting him! He¡¯s not even moving now!¡± The young boy, who was giving off a violent aura, came back to his senses when Qi Qingyao caught his arm. He got up and stood there quietly. He also kicked the person on the floor once more. When Qi Qingyao saw that the person was not moving, and that he was bleeding from his mouth and nose, she got somewhat nervous. She squatted down and felt for his breathing. Surprisingly, she discovered that¡­ ¡°He¡¯s¡­ He¡¯s dead¡­¡± When Si Jin heard that, he was not fazed. He turned to call for a servant. ¡°Servant,e deal with the body.¡± The servant: ??? The other customers: ??? Several men who looked like guards only managed to react now. They ran forward and checked the middle-aged man. They got up, and bellowed, ¡°You, you killed our young master! Just you wait!¡± They looked like they were nning to call for reinforcements. Si Jin¡¯s eyes gleamed with a hint of harshness, and his lips curled up into an arrogant smirk. ¡°You were the ones who said that, so everyone in this restaurant won¡¯t be able to leave now.¡± Just after he said that, some observant people tried to run outside. However, the young boy stomped lightly on the floor, and all the restaurant¡¯s doors and windows were closed shut. ¡°You, you, you, you¡­ What do you want?¡± Someone asked. An innocent and pure smile appeared on the young boy¡¯s face. ¡°To kill everyone here.¡± Then the young man picked up the knife on the floor that used to belong to the middle-aged man¡­ Everyone wanted to run outside but, unfortunately, this restaurant had be a prison that locked everyone inside. Qi Qingyao fell to the floor, unconscious, after the first person was beheaded. About what happenedter¡­ She knew nothing. ¡­ After a night¡¯s sleep, Qi Qingyao woke up with a headache. She massaged the back of her head as she sat up. The kids had already woken up and gone to clean themselves up. Qi Qingyao was about to jump down from the bed when the image of a head flying through the air appeared in her mind. She shivered, but when she looked around, she realized that she was in her room. She could not help but mutter, ¡°Did I dream about everything that happenedst night?¡± After washing up, Qi Qingyao realized that her clothes¡­ She quickly rushed to the next room and found Si Jin, who was rubbing his eyes like he had just woken up. Qi Qingyao looked nervous. ¡°Last night, you¡­ You killed people.¡± Si Jin yawned. ¡°You drank liquor. It was a dream.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t kill anyone?¡± Did she really have a dream? And a bad dream at that! ¡°You definitely had a dream,¡± Si Jin said determinedly. ¡°¡­¡± Was that really a dream? After Qi Qingyao changed into her clothes and had breakfast, Si Jin had also changed into his clothes. Qi Qingyao led him into the hall. Just when they arrived, they heard Li Qing report to Heir Pei. ¡°Last night, there was arge-scale massacre in Lingyun Restaurant. No one knows the reason why, and all the customers are dead. There was no one left alive aside from a single servant and the cooks at the back who knew nothing. The servant was so shocked that he went crazy. Rumor says that he remembers nothing about what happened yesterday.¡± Qi Qingyao¡¯s heart paused for a while. Heir Pei said, ¡°Who did it?¡± Li Qing said dignifiedly, ¡°ording to the investigation report by the government office, the murderer used a sword, and his actions were quick, urate, and merciless.¡± He paused for a while and continued, ¡°I think that maybe some gang was making a secret deal in Lingyun Restaurant, and they were discovered, so they had someone kill everyone else in the room.¡± Heir Pei said seriously, ¡°Or maybe the spies from Eastern Ling were plotting something and were discovered.¡± Just when he was finished, he saw Qi Qingyao enter the room. He greeted her and told her everything about Lingyun Restaurant. He eximed, ¡°It¡¯s only the morning, but the news has spread all around Qingzhou already. It¡¯s kind of a big deal now.¡± Instinctively, Qi Qingyao turned to look at Si Jin, who still looked cute, like everything that happened was none of his business. Chapter 236 - Encounter at the Banquet 1

Chapter 236: Encounter at the Banquet 1

Qi Qingyao nced at Si Jin one more time before turning to ask Heir Pei, ¡°How strong must the culprit be to massacre everyone in Lingyun Restaurant?¡± Heir Pei did not say a single word in reply. Instead, he turned to look at Li Qing, who hurriedly bowed and said, ¡°There wasn¡¯t enough time, that¡¯s why the local government still hasn¡¯t given us any concrete results. However, Lingyun Restaurant has always been a well-known ce of chaos in the Upper East for over a hundred years. Some Jianghu people from the East District enjoyed frequenting the ce and among those who came, the highest rank is rank eight.¡± ¡°How many casualties?¡± Qi Qingyao asked again. Li Qing replied, ¡°About fifty and more¡­¡± ¡°To be able to hack down over fifty people without letting anyone escape¡­they must be strong,¡± Qi Qingyao said while thinking that even Si Jin might not be that powerful. Li Qing tapped the map heavily. Qi Qingyao was curious. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you saying anything?¡± ¡°They must at least be of rank nine.¡± Li Qing pondered for a moment before saying cautiously. Heir Pei shook his head. ¡°Not just rank nine.¡± Qi Qingyao¡¯s eyes lit up with curiosity. ¡°Then, what rank would they be?¡± Li Qing was about to say something. However, Heir Pei motioned for him to stop and Li Qing kept his mouth shut. Since Heir Pei did not want to talk about it, Qi Qingyao naturally asked no further questions. After Li Qing prepared the carriage, Heir Pei was the first to climb into it. When Qi Qingyao and Si Jin were getting into the carriage when she lowered her voice and asked secretly, ¡°You sure you¡¯re not the one who did it?¡± ¡°Sister, it¡¯s not me! I think my strength is at mostparable to those of rank eight!¡± Si Jin pursed his lips and replied with a pitiful voice. ¡°Really?¡± There was suspicion on Qi Qingyao¡¯s face but internally, she somewhat believed him. ¡°It¡¯s true!¡± Si Jin pressed heavily once again. After that, Si Jin followed Qi Qingyao onto the carriage weakly. He said nothing more after getting onto the carriage, only sitting to the side, alone and silent. He sensed that Qi Qingyao was confused but also somewhat angry. What she was angry about, Si Jin dared not ask. Sweeping a nce across the snack table in the carriage, he picked up a piece of rice candy from the silk-wound green jade dish, stuffed it into his mouth, and began chewing. Heir Pei was also thinking about something and did not say anything. Jiang Yeqian was left alone in the room. He grabbed the stack of intelligence reports that Bai Mei had handed to him the night before, sat down, and began browsing through them. Suddenly, an inconspicuous sound of a flute reached his ear, the rhythm rather unusual. Bai Mei? Jiang Yeqian got up and said to the children who were ying cat¡¯s cradle beside the brazier. ¡°You lot stay here and y for a bit, I¡¯m going to the toilet.¡± The children turned to him and nodded obediently. They continued ying cat¡¯s cradle. Once Jiang Yeqian reached the backyard, like a ghost, he left the house in one swift leap with an ox-head mask on his face as he rushed to the nearest alleyway. There was a Gingko tree at the entrance of the alley and during this season, the leaves have fallen off, leaving it looking somewhat bleak. There was someone in the alleyway. They were dressed in tight ck clothes. Jiang Yeqian entered the alleyway and nced at the ck-d woman. ¡°You were looking for me?¡± ¡°Master, I have something very important that I need to report immediately,¡± said Bai Mei as she bowed slightly. ¡°Speak,¡± Jiang Yeqian said. ¡°A total of 59 people died at Lingyun Restaurant yesterday night. 2 were of rank eight, 8 of rank seven, 16 of rank six, 23 of rank five, and for the remaining¡­the local government is still looking into it. Everyone who died had their heads chopped off. The scene was terrifying,¡± Bai Mei reported. ¡°2 rank eights and 8 rank sevens??¡± Jiang Yeqian¡¯s brows immediately scrunched into a tight frown. He had only gone out and looked for Tan Xiangdie for a bit the night before and had a chat with him. Tan Xiangdie had also been wanting to leave Qingzhou City and return to the restaurant. He had been worried that Si Jin would catch him and so did not dally much before going back. ¡°I felt this situation needed to be reported to you, Master,¡± said Bai Mei. ¡°Are there no survivors?¡± Jiang Yeqian asked. ¡°Apart from a chef from the back kitchen and a server, the rest are dead. Not a single soul survived.¡± ¡°Why was the server spared?''¡± Jiang Yeqian questioned about the most important point. Bai Mei cupped her hands and replied, ¡°ording to the information given by our spies in the government office, he was deliberately spared considering where the server was. However, the server has lost all memory of what happened that night. He said his mind was nk and that he couldn¡¯t recall anything. As for the others¡­the news is that even those who were standing close to the door had their heads cut off.¡± ¡°The perpetrator is likely a master level if they managed to let no one escape.¡± There were two rank eights and eight rank sevens, yet even they did not have the power to fight back against their opponent. This was definitely not the level that an average rank nine could reach. Bai Mei paused. ¡°This is also what they thought at the government office. But given that there is no evidence to prove that there is an expert killer in Qingzhou City, they did not dare draw this conclusion for now.¡± ¡°Go and look into it then!¡± ¡°Yes.¡± After Bai Mei left¡­ Jiang Yeqian stood where he was in silence for a moment. ¡°A master-level expert¡­interesting.¡± However, if an expert of the master-level hade to Qingzhou City andmitted such an atrocity, it was likely that the situation of the world was about to change¡­ ¡­ After the carriage had been traveling for a while, Qi Qingyao shouted, ¡°Stop the carriage for a bit.¡± Naturally, the carriage did not stop since Heir Pei said nothing. Pei Fengtang asked, ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°Just stop for a bit,¡± said Qi Qingyao. Heir Pei could only signal to Li Qing to stop the carriage for a moment. When the carriage stopped, Qi Qingyao said to Si Jin, ¡°You, get off the carriage.¡± ¡°Sister?¡± Si Jin, who had been eating rice candies, immediately had tears of grievance in his eyes. He looked like a pitiful bug. Qi Qingyao kicked his leg. ¡°Get off the carriage. Go back and apany the children.¡± ¡°But who will protect you?¡± Si Jin wiped off the rice grains at the corners of his mouth. ¡°It¡¯s just a banquet, I¡¯ll just pretend to be his maid. Nothing¡¯s going to happen.¡± Qi Qingyao just felt that Si Jin could not possibly be on the master level, but after what happenedst night, something was really off. She vaguely recalled seeing someone¡¯s head fly before losing consciousness¡­ ¡°But¡­¡± Si Jin was still thinking of an excuse. Qi Qingyao put her foot down. ¡°Get off the carriage.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Si Jin pursed his lips and cautiously alighted the carriage. After that, the carriage continued onward. Si Jin watched the moving carriage quietly, his head filled with questions. What did he do to provoke her? He just ate some rice candies. Heir Pei was a little dumbfounded when he witnessed this scene. Deciding that the carriage had traveled far enough, he then looked at Qi Qingyao¡¯s stern expression. ¡°You were both fine before. What happened?¡± Qi Qingyao clenched her jaw. ¡°Nothing.¡± Si Jin could only walk back silently. Since Qi Qingyao had spoken, he could only head back and apany Jiang Bai to y with the children. However, after walking a few steps, Si Jin sensed that there was someone nearby. Raising his head, he immediately saw a ck-clothed shadow, flitting across the rooftop in broad daylight. He was dumbfounded. Qingzhou City was indeed a metropolis. There were people actually climbing up walls in night clothes in broad daylight! How awesome¡­ Chapter 237 - Encounter at the Banquet 2

Chapter 237: Encounter at the Banquet 2

More time passed before the carriage slowed down. Qi Qingyao raised the carriage curtains and nced outside. Just a nce was enough to shock her to the point of her eyeballs almost popping out of her eyes. She saw that both sides of the streets were packed densely with people with multiple carriages parked everywhere. Most of the horses had been taken away, probably to be fed. After Qi Qingyao got off the carriage with Heir Pei, she rubbed her eyes. Her lips twitched at the scene and she thought to herself, ¡®You can tell just by looking at the appearance of the carriage along with its g, that the inside of the carriage is stupidly luxurious.¡¯ One could easily conclude that the attendees were also the rich and wealthy of Qingzhou City. It seemed that this Jiang family was not as simple as rtives of officials that Heir Pei had described them to be. Li Qing put a snow-white fur coat on Heir Pei. Heir Pei nced at Qi Qingyao who was not wearing a fur coat and Li Qing quickly took out another red silk-covered fur coat. He wanted to put it on Qi Qingyao but was surprised when Qi Qingyao took it and put it on herself. She even thanked Li Qing with a smile. Heir Pei brought Qi Qingyao and Li Qing, as well as four bodyguards, and walked toward therge entrance. Li Qing was carrying a gift in his arms. They had not even taken two steps before people had recognized Heir Pei, running toward him to exchange greetings. Pei Fengtang greeted everyone with the faintest of smiles before the group walked toward therge entrance. Old Master Jiang did not think that Heir Pei would attend. When he saw him from afar, he personally excused himself and greeted Heir Pei by lightly cupping his fist with his hand in front of him. ¡°Lord Heir, you¡¯re here.¡± Considering his status, he could not have possibly visited Heir Pei¡¯s mansion yesterday. Heir Pei hade over today, and this lit up Master Jiang¡¯s face as well as brought a shine to the Jiang family¡¯s humble abode. Everyone knew that Heir Pei had been bedridden from poison for four years, and now having just recovered, he had already arrived in Qingzhou City to ept his invitation. This meant that the Marquis was treating the Jiang family with dignity and respect. Heir Pei gave him a slight nod. ¡°Master Jiang.¡± ¡°Pfft.¡± Qi Qingyao, who was following behind him, could not help herself when she saw Heir Pei greeting this way. ¡®Master Jiang? ¡®Old Master Jiang was fishing¡­!''[1] Master Jiang turned his head and nced at the beautiful woman behind Pei Fengtang once. ¡°This, thisdy is¡­¡± Qi Qingyao¡¯s eyes narrowed into a lovely smile as she bowed. She greeted rather politely, ¡°Greeting to you, Master Jiang. I am Heir Pei¡¯s maid, Cuihua.¡± Old Master Jiang scrutinized the woman beside Heir Pei from head to toe. She was beyond being extraordinarily beautiful. She was even wearing a very luxurious red fur coat. The fur cor looked to be made from fox pelt. Her smile revealed two little dimples. Her eyes were bright with a tinge of mischief. Her appearance and character were not at all of a maid¡¯s and certainly not of one who was named ¡®Cuihua¡¯! However, since the woman was unwilling to speak the truth, Old Master Jiang naturally said nothing more. Li Qing presented the gift. Pei Fengtang expressed his tiredness and then led his people through therge entrance of the Jiang residence at once. The guards remained in the front yard; only Li Qing and Qi Qingyao apanied Pei Fengtang all the way into the main hall of the Jiang residence. The main hall was so magnificent that even Qi Qingyao was stunned when she saw it. This was not a main hall¡ªthis was practically a small auditorium, it was huge! There were braziers in the four corners of the hall, warming up the entire hall. It was not in the least cold. The moment Heir Pei led Qi Qingyao to take a seat, a horde of people approached them. They were all smiles. ¡°Cuihua¡­¡± Pei Fengtang asked Qi Qingyao discreetly, ¡°You sure you want to be named this?¡± [1] Qi Qingyao is repeating part of a saying which in full refers to the story of an Old Man Jiang who fishes without bait, and any fish that bites the hook only does so because they want to be caught. Chapter 238 - Encounter at the Banquet 3

Chapter 238: Encounter at the Banquet 3

¡°Does it matter what I¡¯m called?¡± After Qi Qingyao took a seat, she noticed that there was a piping hot pot of milk tea being cooked in the center. She pointed in its direction to Li Qing. Understanding, he hurriedly scooped a bowl of milk tea for her. He thought that he might as well also scoop up a bowl of milk tea for the master to warm himself up. Just as they were about to start talking¡­ The horde of people was already heading over to where they were. Heir Pei stood up and began addressing them. ¡°Heir Pei, it¡¯s been so long. I¡¯m overjoyed to see you¡¯ve recovered.¡± ¡°Heir Pei¡­¡± ¡°Heir Pei!!¡± ¡°Heir Pei.¡± ¡°Heir Pei~~~~¡± ¡°Heir Pei¡ª¡ª¡± Li Qing stood beside Qi Qingyao quietly and introduced the people to her. The master of the Yangzhou Magistrate, Xie Zhifeng; the grandfather of the master of the military department, Li Yu; the former Pir of the Country, Han Zhongyi; Earl of Yongding, Situ Deng; the retired auxiliary general, Sun Nanxiong; master of the Jingzhou Magistrate, Chai Wenzheng; and the father of the master of the Ministry of Revenue; Tang Junji ¡­ Hearing thisrge bunch of titles and names made Qi Qingyao¡¯s head hurt and she eventually told Li Qing to stop talking. She grabbed the slightly steaming cup of milk tea and took a small sip. As the group was done exchanging their greetings, they noticed Pei Fengtang¡¯s slightly paleplexion, his brows that had begun furrowing, and his eyes that looked like cold stars, and knew they had to leave. Before everyone left, they sneaked another peek or two at the beautiful woman who had been seated majestically at Pei Fengtang¡¯s side. Ah! They had not inquired about the woman¡¯s identity just now. Was she Heir Pei¡¯s favored concubine? That was impossible though. Would he have the ability to satiate a concubine right after he was treated for his poisoning? Unlikely! ¡­ After Qi Qingyao drank milk tea and everyone had given Old Master Jiang their warm blessings after he entered, the dishes were served. The atmosphere was lively. Likely due to the poorplexion on Heir Pei¡¯s face, nobody dared sit at their table. One individual, however, did not care for any of that. When he arrived, he immediately noticed their table from afar. There was a beautiful red fur coat hung on the coat rack by the wall, and the table at the side seated Heir Pei and a few others. Delighted, Lu Yan walked over while carrying his cat in his arms and immediately sat down beside Qi Qingyao. He even greeted Heir Pei with a smile. ¡°My Lord, you¡¯re here.¡± ¡°Master Lu truly seems to be tracing my whereabouts.¡± Pei Fengtang¡¯s eyebrows twitched. Lu Yan raised his brows and said, ¡°I¡¯m sure my lord heard what happened the night before.¡± ¡°What happened?¡± Pei Fengtang asked, pretending not to know. ¡°Keep pretending. The incident at Lingyun Restaurant has already spread to everyone in Qingzhou City in just one night.¡± ¡°Oh. Is that so?¡± Heir Pei purposely pretended to know nothing. Qi Qingyao continued drinking her second bowl of milk tea as she thought to herself, ¡®The Jiang¡¯s milk tea is pretty good.¡¯ The white cat looked around curiously and realized that the person had not apanied Qi Qingyao. It felt a little disappointed. ¡®I have finally made a friend, yet they¡¯re not here¡­ ¡®How disappointing!¡¯ Lu Yan looked at the dishes on the table but was not really interested in them. When he saw Qi Qingyao drinking the milk tea with relish, however, he called for Dong Jing to go and fetch him a bowl of milk tea. Dong Jing raised his brows. The master had never been a fan of milk tea and only enjoyed cherry tea. Since when was he interested in milk tea? Dong Jin fetched the milk tea and Lu Yan had taken a sip of it. As usual, the milk tea was too heavy. He really could not stand it! He put it back down after taking a sip, then said to Heir Pei, ¡°I was thinking that my lord would have received news of this.¡± ¡°A murdermitted by one of a master¡¯s level.¡± Heir Pei intended to exchange information with Lu Yan. Lu Yan knew this. ¡°But there has never been a schr in Qingzhou City.¡± ¡°Or it could be that some of the ranked schrs havee to this capital city.¡± You could never tell. Qi Qingyao listened to the conversation between the two calmly. She yed innocent and continued drinking her milk tea¡­ However, her ears were perked up like a donkey¡¯s. Chapter 239 - Encounter at the Banquet 4

Chapter 239: Encounter at the Banquet 4

Lu Yan took another sip of the nasty milky tea. He could not bear it and put it to the side before leaving his cat on the tabletop. The white cat nced at the milk tea with disgust and did not move. Lu Yan said, ¡°There are only seven experts of the grandmaster level in the world. There are already two in Easter Ling. Two in Daming, two in Dazhou, one more in Northern Liang. Our only grandmaster in Northern Liang is still guarding the emperor in the capital. It¡¯s impossible for him toe to Qingzhou City. That only leaves the two from Eastern Ling or the other two from Daming who could be lurking in Qingzhou City. ¡± ¡°Has Master Lu found a clue?¡± Heir Pei asked calmly. Lu Yan shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m afraid a lot of people are waiting for the government¡¯s investigation report as well as the Zhaixing Administration¡¯s intelligence report.¡± Heir Pei asked, ¡°How long before the Zhaixing Administration can reveal the whereabouts of the grand masters?¡± Lu Yan replied, ¡°If they¡¯re quick, a carrier eagle will deliver the news this afternoon.¡± Since there were no results. Heir Pei said nothing further. Qi Qingyao¡¯s expression was calm as she ate her food quietly without saying a word. She noticed that it was not only these two who were discussing this issue. Most of the people at this banquet were discussing the incidentst night at Lingyun Restaurant. Everyone was taking their guesses on who did it. ¡­ After Si Jin returned to the Lord Heir¡¯s attached mansion, he entered the house to find Jiang Yeqian teaching the children how to read. The children were tilting their heads cutely. Jiang Yeqian was taken aback by Si Jin¡¯s sudden appearance. ¡°Why are you back?¡± ¡°I was chased back halfway,¡± Si Jin said gloomily the moment his butt touched the chair. ¡°You¡¯re not apanying her,¡± said Jiang Yeqian. Si Jin was even more depressed now. ¡°I was chased back!¡± Jiang Yeqian pondered for a bit. ¡°You must have made her mad.¡± As he said this. He put on his mask, nning to head out. Si Jin pulled Jiang Yeqian back. ¡°Don¡¯t go over there.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± Jiang Yeqian asked. ¡°She doesn¡¯t need either you or me to apany her. It¡¯s not as if anything is going on today,¡± Si Jin said firmly. ¡°Why not?¡± Jiang Yeqian asked again. ¡°Heir Pei is with her, nothing¡¯s going to happen.¡± Si Jin pouted. He was a little frustrated as he spoke somewhat gloomily. Jiang Yeqian thought for a moment. He also felt that nothing big was likely to happen. Most importantly, he needed to wait here for Bai Mei to deliver her report¡­ If he were to go to the Jiang residence, the likelihood of him being found out was¡­really high. ¡­ Qi Qingyao and Pei Fengtang had been seated for a while. The moment she began digging into the food, a few people came and sat at their table. As if familiar with one another, they looked at Pei Fengtang and pointed at Qi Qingyao. ¡°Heir Pei, I heard that she is your maid.¡± They had asked Master Jiang and he had told them that the littledy was a maid. They had been mistaken. They had thought that she was his favored concubine. Although they had already established the fact that there was no way Heir Pei would be able to satiate a concubine with his current physical state! Pei Fengtang raised his brows slightly. ¡°Is there a problem?¡± ¡°This maid is so cute. Where did you find her?¡± asked Jiang Siting. He was the Jiang family¡¯s second lord and had developed an interest in the beautiful woman that Heir Pei had brought with him. Heir Pei nced at him sideways and said nothing. ¡°¡­¡± Jiang Siting continued with another question. ¡°I heard the person who treated Heir Pei was a female doctor. I wonder who it was?¡± Pei Fengtang had no intention of answering. He did not even bother looking at Jiang Siting. ¡°My lord, is there a reason that you¡¯re asking about the female doctor?¡± Qi Qingyao instead did not ignore his question and answered with a smile. ¡°If you¡¯re looking to get treated, can you afford a starting price of 100,000 taels of silver? If you can¡¯t, you shouldn¡¯t ask too many questions.¡± Jiang Siting answered with surprise, ¡°This maid sure knows how to joke around. What doctor asks for a starting fee of a hundred thousand taels?¡± At this moment, the young lord Han of the main Han family who had not dared to say anything till now suddenly spoke up. ¡°The price is so high. Could it be the legendary doctor Su Hexiao?¡± Qi Qingyao said nothing but smiled very calmly. A look of triumph emerged on Jiang Siting¡¯s face. All of a sudden, some people came barging over as they pointed excitedly at Qi Qingyao. ¡°I¡¯ve seen this woman in Baishui Town before, and I¡¯ve heard some things. She is the mysterious doctor who cured Heir Pei.¡± The Yulong Gang already gave them a clue so there could be no mistake. After he said this, he even spoke to Lu Yan happily, ¡°Don¡¯t you think so, Master Lu?¡± The fifth lord of the Xin family! Lu Yan hated the Xin family the most. However, he hated the way Qi Qingyao was treating him more and so turned and nodded slightly at Qi Qingyao. ¡°Lady, you were born from humble origins but your medical skills are superb. We are really impressed that you were able to cure Heir Pei¡¯s stubborn illness.¡± Qi Qingyao cast a nce at Lu Yan. ¡®Is he nning on having everyone mistake me for Su Hexiao now? ¡®To have them gang up to mess with me? ¡®To make the target of ridicule? ¡®To scheme against me? ¡®The door is closed! ¡®Neither is the window open!¡¯ Chapter 240 - Encounter at the Banquet 5

Chapter 240: Encounter at the Banquet 5

Lu Yan looked at her and continued somewhat maliciously, ¡°I wonder what rtion does thedy have with Su Hexiao? Are you friends? Or are you his disciple, or maybe¡­you are actually Su Hexiao!¡± He said these words not so much as to question Qi Qingyao as it was for it to be heard by others. Given these words were heavily weighted, no one in the surrounding circle dared respond after he said them, no one even dared take a breath in that atmosphere. If this girl admitted to it, then they would all have befriended the ethereal miraculous physician Su Hexiao today. Qi Qingyao did notment on it, of course. She neither denied it nor confirmed it. She just calmly put her cheek into her hand and asked a question airily. ¡°Based on Master Lu¡¯s words, could it be that you are also suffering from some kind of illness and require my help for treatment?¡± Lu Yan, ¡°??¡± Lu Yan did not respond so Qi Qingyao waved her hand. ¡°First, don¡¯t say anything more and let me take a guess.¡± Lu Yan¡¯s heart shuddered. What nonsense is this woman going to spout? The others also seemed to be sitting back in anticipation of the woman as they watched her calmly during this pressing situation. Qi Qingyao rubbed her chin calmly like an old man who was over half a hundred years old. After putting on the unfathomable pretense for a while, she said slowly, ¡°Looking at Master Lu, yourplexion is ruddy, even your hair looks shimmery. I can tell that your regr diet and nutrition are properly maintained. However, I heard that Master Lu is a strange person and never touches women, and that he also has a serious fixation with cleanliness.¡± She only made these estimations based on what she had heard from Heir Pei. Lu Yan¡¯s expression when she said this was extremely ugly. Everyone was behaving as if they were watching a show. Heir Pei blinked, looking a little as if he wanted tough but did not dare to. After Qi Qingyao was sure that the change in Lu Yan¡¯s expression was because of what she said, she knew that her first wave of attacks had worked. She then continued and said something coldly, ¡°Could it be that Master Lu is still a virgin?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Lu Yan¡¯s expression instantly sank. ¡®No way, was I actually right? But isn¡¯t that impossible? This is the richest man in Northern Liang we are talking about.¡¯ Qi Qingyao excitement was unconcealed. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, does it mean that Master Lu may be suffering in that department! Are you sick but too embarrassed to go see a doctor? Oh dear, how embarrassing is that!¡± ¡°You!¡± Lu Yan felt as if this was the first time in his life that he had been driven to outrage by someone else. The spectators around them were getting more and more numerous. All of them held back theirughter as they nced at Master Lu and then at the littledy. They knew a bit about Lu Yan¡¯s personal situation. Indeed, he stayed away from women, but there were certain things no one dared point out to provoke him purposefully even if they had been in contact with the master of the Lu family. To provoke the young master of the Sunluo Chambers of Commerce for no reason, was that not insane? Right now, someone had plucked some courage and said these things about Lu Yan in front of so many people. It was over¡ªsomething big was sure to transpire shortly. Pei Fengtang also felt as if something big was about to happen. However, he had no intention of stopping it at all. He even wanted to continue to watch the excitement unfold¡­ ¡°If you weren¡¯t a virgin and have been with a woman before, perhaps you ended up being unable to do it anymore and hade to hate women. That means that¡­something has happened to you, in that aspect. Is that it?¡± Qi Qingyao said in a faux cute voice, not showing the slightest bit of seriousness as she cradled both her cheeks in her hands. ¡°Ahem, cough cough!¡± Pei Fengtang wanted to maintain his seriousness, but he did not manage to hold himself back as he was about tough. He choked theugh down and turned to the side anxiously, covering his face with his sleeves as he pretended to cough. Then, he resumed his serious expression. ¡°There¡¯s no point in thinking on the same wavelength as a woman like you.¡± Lu Yan did not expect her to dare say things like this, disrespecting andpromising his dignity in public. Chapter 241 - Encounter at the Banquet 6

Chapter 241: Encounter at the Banquet 6

He should not involve himself in this problem anymore. If this went on, it would be him who would be shamed. ¡°Are you reluctant toe to an understanding with me, or was what I said was correct? Hehe!¡± Qi Qingyao did not seem to notice the infuriated Master Lu and she said nonchntly, ¡°But don¡¯t worry, if you let me treat you, I won¡¯t charge too much. Just one hundred thousand taels of gold!¡± ¡­ Lu Yan could not utter a single word due to his anger. The nosy onlookers were getting more and more exuberant. They could not help but start to whisper. ¡°It is true that Master Lu does not interact with girls.¡± ¡°Could it be that what the girl said was true?¡± ¡°I heard that when he was in the Capital City, Master Lu was the only man in the Lu family who did not get close to any females.¡± ¡°Which rich man doesn¡¯t y with a few girls? There must be something wrong.¡± ¡°Sigh, there must be a problem with the young leader of the Senluo Chamber of Commerce in ¡®that¡¯ particr aspect. It would be so shameful if word about it gets out.¡± ¡°Speaking of which, everyone had doubts about it before, but no one dared speak of it. Who would¡¯ve thought that thisdy would say it so loudly in public today.¡± Dong Jing watched as the situation went a little bit out of control. These people dared to gossip in front of the Master. If it were not because of Qi Qingyao¡¯s wicked lead, they would usually just exchange pleasantries with Lu Yan ostensibly. Today, however, his master definitely could not offend this group of magnates. Once the bnce was broken, the scale would tip to one side uncontrobly. Dong Jing weighed the consequences for a while before quickly pulling Lu Yan and saying, ¡°Master, l¡ªlet¡¯s leave.¡± ¡°We¡¯re not leaving.¡± Lu Yan stood there looking at Qi Qingyao, his expression as calm as ake. There was no apparent ripple on the surface, but he was already boiling internally. ¡°B-but¡­¡± ¡®If you are not going to leave, as your servant, I can¡¯t directly refute this group of tycoons as well.¡¯ Dong Jing was dying of anxiety. He could not help but nce at the white cat who had already jumped off his master¡¯sp. The white cat was alone in the corner, watching the whole situation calmly. Lu Yan¡¯s expression did not change much. However, his tone was as if he was gritting his teeth as he dered, ¡°I will challenge this woman today! If I don¡¯t make her lose her dignity altogether, I will write my name upside down (1).¡± Looking at Lu Yan¡¯s expression, Pei Fengtang knew that under his in demeanor, the man was going crazy inside. He admonished Qi Qingyao, ¡°I advise you, it¡¯s better not to provoke Lu Yan like this.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t want to provoke him, but if the other party takes the initiative, I won¡¯t just wait and die.¡± ¡®Let¡¯s settle our old and new grudges. I wanted to make you my grandfatherst time but you did not f*cking want it. You never intended to pay me back for the time you scammed me out of nine hundred thousand taels of silver! So don¡¯t me me for being ruthless today.¡¯ ¡­ A member of the Hou family poked his head out. He could not help asking, ¡°Sody, are you the expert who cured Heir Pei¡¯s poisoning?¡± ¡°She must be Su Hexiao,¡± the young lord Han said reasonably. ¡°She doesn¡¯t seem to be Su Hexiao!¡± said the fifth lord of the Xin family. Jiang Siting said lightly, ¡°From the investigation of the people from the Yulong Gang, it was said that she is an ordinary girl from a nearby vige withplicated interpersonal rtionships. She even knew Master Architect Li Qinglian!¡± ¡°Who is Master Architect Li Qinglian?¡± The young lord Han asked with a puzzled expression. ¡°Master Architect Li Qinglian¡­¡± You don¡¯t even know this?! Jiang Siting wanted to scold him for being uncultured. However, he did not want to offend Imperial Duke Han¡¯s family. Therefore, he had to exin it to young lord Han sincerely, ¡°The Feixian Pavilion in the Eastern Ling, the Guling Pagoda in the Western Zhou, and the Yaochi Pce, and the Yuewang Tower here in Northern Liang are all designed by Master Architect Li Qinglian.¡± ¡°Ah, did you mention the Yuewang Tower in Jiangzhou City?¡± At the mention of Yuewang Tower, young lord Han¡¯s eyes lit up immediately. ¡°Yes, yes, that¡¯s the one,¡± Jiang Siting said, stopping patting his forehead. ¡°She¡­¡± Xin Qiyou, the fifth lord of the Xin family, scratched his head. ¡°How is she rted to Master Architect Li Qinglian?¡± ¡°This¡­ hasn¡¯t been found out yet.¡± Jiang Siting thought that the Yulong Gang was also quite useless as they could not find out about such an important rtionship. It seemed he would have to spend a lot of money to investigate thisdy¡¯s intel with the Zhaixing Administration! Chapter 242 - Encounter at the Banquet 7

Chapter 242: Encounter at the Banquet 7

¡°You!¡± Lu Yan was so furious that his mind had gone blurry. For the first time in his life, he was exposed in public, not to mention his ¡®certain¡¯ issue was also discussed in public. How could he not be angry?! However, he could not yell at Qi Qingyao now. For many years, he had been fairly well-cultivated and was not allowed to do something like that. Therefore, he could only breathe heavily from the vexation. His chest was heaving up and down. Qi Qingyao was very satisfied with Lu Yan¡¯s anger, her smile had be more delirious. ¡°Master Lu, you¡¯re calling me out so angrily; does that mean that you want me to treat you?¡± ¡°Treat your *ss!¡± Lu Yan, who was not thinking straight, mmed the table and said straightforwardly, ¡°I know you made a bet with someone in your vige, and you won. You took the other party¡¯s farm andnd. So, today, I¡¯m here to gamble with you.¡± Acting unpredictably, Qi Qingyao said, ¡°You want to gamble with me? Master Lu, you can¡¯t afford to lose.¡± The white cat nestled in the corner, watching the tit-for-tat situation between the two people, suddenly understanding why that friend was fond of this human being. She was indeed really interesting. She could anger its master to the verge of explosion, how amazing! The determination to win shed through Lu Yan¡¯s eyes. ¡°I¡¯m toozy to exchange any more words with you. If I win, you will sleep with me for one night! We¡¯ll meet in bed and I will personally show you whether or not I have a problem!¡± ¡°So what if Master Lu loses?¡± Qi Qingyao did not object. ¡°You¡¯ll get whatever you want, request as you like,¡± Lu Yan said coldly. ¡°If you win, I¡¯ll sleep with you for one night! OK! No big deal! But if I win, the big house you entered when you got off the carriage yesterday in Qingzhou City, belongs to me.¡± Heir Pei mentioned that the house and thend were worth at least three million taels; they were priceless. Since they were gambling, for sure they were ying for the biggest stakes. Qi Qingyao mmed the table and said, ¡°Do you dare ce this bet?¡± After she said this, Pei Fengtang stopped and advised her, ¡°You are crazy.¡± Qi Qingyao shrugged. With a nonchnt attitude, she said, ¡°I have a defiled body anyway. Why does it matter if I sleep with Master Lu for one night? Who knows, maybe I¡¯ll actually be the one who gains more out of it. Of course, it is also possible that he cannot ¡®do¡¯ it at all!¡± Although he might be ¡®unable¡¯, but¡­ ¡°Anyway, I don¡¯t agree with this matter,¡± Pei Fengtang firmly disagreed. ¡°This has nothing to do with Heir Pei.¡± Qi Qingyao pushed Pei Fengtang, who was getting in her way, aside. ¡°Stand aside.¡± The unsuspecting Pei Fengtang was almost pushed off the chair by her. Fortunately, Li Qing caught him, helping him back to a sitting position. Li Qing motioned for him to stop but Heir Pei still thought of saying something. This was because just by looking at thisdy¡¯s expression, he knew that her eyes were fully clouded by the money. She would even take the huge risk of losing her body just to gamble with Lu Yan. The scene suddenly became extremely lively. After all, everyone present knew it well¡ªthe house of the Lu family, from topography to size, was a prime example of pricelessness. It was extremely, extremely expensive! It was the kind that money could not buy. There was also a running-water pond. It could raise fish! Who would not be envious? It was a pity that if anyone made such a ridiculous request, they would never be entertained. Lu Yan would never even bat an eye at them. However, the situation today was even more ridiculous. If he dared not agree, then it would raise genuine doubts that he was ¡®unable¡¯¡­ Chapter 243 - Encounter at the Banquet 8

Chapter 243: Encounter at the Banquet 8

Dong Jing did not want Lu Yan to gamble, so he tugged at his master. ¡°Master, we should not get into a bet with her.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just a house, I don¡¯t mind.¡± The matter of today was rted to honor! Honor was more important than money! ¡°Master, that mansion is¡­¡± It was one of the Lu family¡¯s most precious estates! ¡°Stop talking, I¡¯m going to bet with her,¡± Lu Yan interjected indifferently. ¡°¡­¡± Dong Jing knew the master did not care about anything but his own pride when outraged! Qi Qingyao chimed in at the right time. ¡°Your master will bepletely disgraced if he doesn¡¯t gamble.¡± Dong Jing wanted to say something when Lu Yan turned around and cast a re; the expression was as if saying that he would kill him if he dared to interject again! Dong Jing had no choice but to shut his mouth cautiously as he did not dare say a word. He just picked up the white cat at the corner of the wall and ced it in Lu Yan¡¯s arms. This cat was a special fortune cat. He thought, ¡®It should bless the Master with good fortune at this moment, right?¡¯ Although¡ªalthough this was not for business¡­ However, gambling was also a part of business. Lu Yan said, ¡°But we haven¡¯t talked about how we¡¯re going about this bet, or what to bet on? By rolling dice?¡± Qi Qingyao thought about it and said unhurriedly, ¡°Regardless of what task we suggest, it will be biased toward what one is good at. I¡¯ll tell you what, both of us write down two types of gambling games and we¡¯ll crumple the paper into a ball, then randomly get someone to draw them. What do you say?¡± Lu Yan replied, ¡°Agreed.¡± The two of them sent their respective servants to fetch them pen, paper, ink, and inkstone. The people around them were staring, raptured. Almost half of the people in the hall had gathered, including today¡¯s host, Old Master Jiang. Old Master Jiang initially wanted to squeeze in to watch the fun, but who would have expected that he would not be able to squeeze in at all. He could only sit silently at the outside of the circle and listen to the happenings inside. After the pen, paper, ink and inkstone were brought over. Qi Qingyao and Lu Yan each wrote down two tasks and crumpled them into balls. They ced the crumpled papers in a bowl and shook it. Then, they called a servant over to draw it. The servant opened the paper after drawing one slip. After seeing the word on the paper clearly¡­ Qi Qingyao¡¯s face darkened. ¡°Archery? Who the f*ck wrote this?¡± Lu Yan looked at Qi Qingyao¡¯s expression with great satisfaction. Heir Pei¡¯s heart did a flip. He warned her, ¡°He must have written it.¡± The corners of Qi Qingyao¡¯s mouth dropped into a straight line in disdain. She muttered. ¡°How despicable.¡± ¡°So, you don¡¯t know archery.¡± Lu Yan raised his brows leisurely, as though he was witnessing a big joke. ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t know¡­¡± Although she had once done archery in the grasnds for a bit and had learned the skill and was even quite talented in it, modern bows and arrows felt different from the ones here. Even the weight was different! If she were suddenly forced to do archery and not perform well, then she waspletely screwed¡­ Lu Yan became more satisfied. ¡°You look like you don¡¯t know though.¡± Qi Qingyao stayed silent. ¡°If you don¡¯t know how to, you can just admit defeat and kowtow to me as atonement.¡± Lu Yan, who was carrying the white cat, had never been this satisfied in his life. ¡°Atonement? Lu Yan, you¡¯ve pissed me off. I¡¯ll make you lose even your underwear!!¡± When Qi Qingyao, who had been a little shaken, heard this, herpetitive spirit ignited! Lu Yan promptly waved his hand andmanded. ¡°Somebody fetch the bows, arrows, and targets!¡± Of course, the Jiang family would not obey hismand. Seeing this, Jiang Siting calmly ordered someone to go and prepare them. It seemed that there would be a good show today. ¡­ Chapter 244 - Encounter at the Banquet 9

Chapter 244: Encounter at the Banquet 9

After getting the targets, bows, and arrows, they did not change their location. Fortunately, the hall was big enough, about 30 meters in length. After the crowd had vacated, the targets were quickly set up. Given the limited size of the ce, there was no need for special bows that had a few hundred shi [1]in strength. Those kinds of special bows for the battlefields could not be drawn without at least a slight amount of cultivation. Therefore, ordinary hunting bows were used for this match. When Qi Qingyao looked at the ordinary hunting bows in her hand, she knew that she was done for. This kind of less professional hunting bow had an effective shooting range of only tens of meters. With training, there was a possibility of one being able to shoot wild prey within the shooting range. Without it, even aiming could be a problem¡­let alone hitting a bullseye. Just like this situation now¡­ Dong Jing looked at Lu Yan, who was slightly at a loss while he held onto the bow and arrow. He approached the master and spoke in a low voice, ¡°Master, your archery skills are also very average.¡± ¡°I did it on purpose.¡± Lu Yan was not worried at all. ¡°Although my skills are average, she looks like she has never been exposed to archery.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± Dong Jing was instantly calmed. His master¡¯s ¡°average skills¡± were only short of superb excellence. He could definitely hit the target at this distance! It was just that this hunting bow may not be the same as the bow he usually used. This bow looked a bit unprofessional¡­ Qi Qingyao did not feel embarrassed at all. She said in a very shameless manner. ¡°Master Lu, the task you gave has far exceeded the scope of my abilities. Why not let me practice first?¡± Without waiting for Lu Yan¡¯s refusal, Heir Pei immediately spoke for Qi Qingyao, ¡°How about this, both parties should be allowed to practice three times.¡± Lu Yan thought for a while and agreed. Since the bow was not the kind he was used to, he had to practice too. Qi Qingyao held the bow and arrow, feeling the material of the body of the bow first. She felt the toughness of the bowstring, then felt the texture of the arrow as if touching a lover¡¯s face. Before she was done familiarizing herself with it. Heir Pei crept up from behind her like a ghost and gritted his teeth. ¡°You better practice well!!¡± Why was he so agitated? Qi Qingyao rolled her eyes at him. He really gave her a scare. Qi Qingyao shrugged and said nonchntly, ¡°I¡¯ll try my best.¡± Pei Fengtang did not want to put pressure on her, so he stepped aside. The onlookers¡¯ excitement at the scene had now reached the climax. They could not help but start to discuss openly. ¡°She¡¯s not worried at all! She probably wants to lose.¡± ¡°It¡¯s better to lose. Maybe she had already nned to get into bed with Master Lu.¡± ¡°She can sleep with Master Lu even if she loses, maybe this was her n all along.¡± ¡°How many girls have dreamt of getting into bed with Lu Yan but don¡¯t have that chance? But today, she had pissed Lu Yan off with just a few words! She forced Lu Yan to get into a bet with her. If she wins she gets arge house, if she loses she can sleep with Lu Yan for one night, this¡­in any case, she¡¯s not at a loss.¡± ¡°How scheming!¡± ¡°How calctive.¡± ¡­ Qi Qingyao only smiled slightly at the words she heard. She could not be bothered to refute the gossip. However, Pei Fengtang found them rather distasteful. After thinking about it, he went and stood behind her like a ghost just when Qi Qingyao was about to shoot the first practice arrow. He muttered. ¡°Tell me, do you really want to sleep with Lu Yan? Is that why you deliberately have no care for whether you win or lose?¡± Qi Qingyao almost stumbled. She rolled her eyes speechlessly and said, ¡°What are you talking about? While I don¡¯t have high moral principles, I don¡¯t want to sleep with the Lu family¡¯s missy, okay!!¡± Lu Yan, who was beside her, was about to shoot his first arrow when he heard her. His face morphed drastically as he thundered, ¡°Who are you calling a missy!¡± [1] Shi, also called dan, is a basic unit of weight in ancient China. One shi is equivalent to about 60kg as fixed by Shi Huang Di, the first emperor in China in 221 BC. Chapter 245 - The Third Crock of Gold 1

Chapter 245: The Third Crock of Gold 1

Qi Qingyao smiled in a peaceful but cheeky manner. She nonchntly said, ¡°Oh, mdy, don¡¯t get mad! Be careful not to burst a vein!¡± ¡°You¡­¡± Lu Yan really felt like he was about to go mad. He forced himself to be humble. He absolutely could not get angry or else he would lose. He would fall into that woman¡¯s hands and lose everything! He had to stay calm. And win this bet! Then, bed her! Dong Jing pursed his lips, and with clenched fists, he said, ¡°Master, look at what she¡¯s saying. Let¡¯s look for someone in secret to deal with her!!¡± Lu Yan gritted his teeth. ¡°Wait till defeat this woman, then I¡¯ll kill her after I screw her!¡± ¡°Alright!¡± Rape first then kill! ¡­ Qi Qingyao still had a faint smile on her face when she looked at Lu Yan who was about to flip out in anger. However, she was not smiling at all on the inside. She shot the first arrow in a very solemn manner, aiming at the upper left on the target. The first arrow was released, andpletely missed¡­ The missed shot was naturally met with ruthless mockery. ¡°Yo yo yo, this shot was¡ª!¡± ¡°She can¡¯t shoot.¡± ¡°We¡¯re supposed to be doing archery, but her arrow is not even on the target, and who knows where it went. Can she win?¡± ¡°What if a miracle happens?¡± Lu Yan also looked at her first shot with great sympathy. He frowned and said, ¡°You really don¡¯t know how to shoot an arrow.¡± Qi Qingyao said nothing and continued with her second practice arrow. The target was toward the upper right corner of the target. In the end, to no one¡¯s surprise, it missed the target again¡­ She looked at the angle and the distance it flew to. Lu Yan was alreadyughing his head off on the inside. He teased, ¡°You¡¯ll have to sleep with meter when you lose!!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t take it personally! What if I win?¡± Qi Qingyao had be much calmer this time. She was almost done testing the bow¡¯s strength and the sense of direction in the two shots. The third time. Practice. Target. Toward the bottom of the outermost circle of the target. This time, the arrow did not miss, andnded firmly at the bottom of the outermost circle of the target. Seeing that she was ¡°lucky¡± enough to havended the shot there, Lu Yan curled his lips and sneered. ¡°So, this is your actual standard.¡± ¡°What about my standard? My standard is more than enough to deal with you.¡± Qi Qingyao attacked him deliberately. ¡°With those standards?¡± Lu Yan already felt toozy and found it almost embarrassing topete with her. ¡°Let¡¯s talk after wepete.¡± Qi Qingyao still looked like she did not care much. She nced at Lu Yan¡¯s arrow target. Two of the three shots hadnded close to the bullseye. It seemed that he was not bad. However, she could not let this person find out that she was frightened. Pei Fengtang was inexplicably annoyed when he saw that she did not look serious, so he purposely shouted, ¡°All the best, Cuihua¡± Everyone, ¡°???¡± Cuihua? Did he call her Cuihua? How tacky. Jiang Siting stood aside like a referee watching both sides finish their practice. He said slowly. ¡°I¡¯ll count to three, and both of you release the arrow together. Whoever is closest to the bullseye wins.¡± Qi Qingyao readied a new arrow. When she was preparing to draw the bow, she began to mutter loudly. ¡°Oh Koi God, you must bless me. I must hit the target! I am your faithful follower. His house has a running water pond. How luxurious! Howvish! When I have a running water pond, I will go fishing at Jiuli River and you must take the bait. Come to my house, eat with me, sleep with me¡­¡± This gibberish that sounded like a franticst-minute effort left everyone in the scene dumbfounded. Even Jiang Siting forgot to do the countdown. ¡°What is she doing?¡± ¡°Praying to Koi God at thest minute!¡± ¡°This idiot¡­¡± Si Jin was sitting beside the three children in Heir Pei¡¯s residence. Suddenly, as though someone had thrown a pebble into a pool, ripple after ripple spread out in his calm mind. A person¡¯s voice seemed to be reverberating near and far continuously. That person¡¯s voice was extremely familiar, shouting in a sharine tone, ¡°Oh Koi God, you must bless me¡­¡± Si Jin¡¯s pupils turned golden in an instant. He lowered his gaze and held his forehead to hide the gold color. When Jiang Siting regained hisposure, he quickly voiced out. ¡°One, two, three! Shoot!¡± The arrows in both of their hands were released. Chapter 246 - The Third Crock of Gold 2

Chapter 246: The Third Crock of Gold 2

It was very fast and swift. Out of everyone¡¯s expectations, theynded on the target at the same time. Qi Qingyao looked at the arrow at the bull¡¯s eye calmly and thought, ¡®How lucky that itnded on the target.¡± However, the surrounding audience were all shocked. ¡°Wow!¡± ¡°Eh.¡± ¡°How did that happen?¡± ¡°Both of their arrowsnded on the target.¡± ¡°This is beyond belief.¡± ¡°Did we see it wrongly?¡± ¡°Her arrows didn¡¯tnd on the target at all when she was practicing!¡± The only time her arrownded on the target, it was at the outermost circle. Jiang Siting was flummoxed for a while. He went near the two targets, examined them repeatedly, before saying helplessly, ¡°Not only did itnd on the target, but the arrow closest to the bull¡¯s eye was shot by Cuihua!¡± Lu Yan felt his mind whir in disbelief. He and the others went there to confirm the result. Atst, as expected¡­ ¡°The winner of this round is Cuihua!¡± Jiang Siting came back to say. Qi Qingyao scraped her cheek with her finger. She felt quite embarrassed that she had won this time, actually. Although she felt like she had done the calctions well, it seemed that she was awfully lucky. Lu Yan¡¯s arrow was in the middle of the red and yellow circles¡­ She won, though, and that was what that counted. Qi Qingyao put her palms by her chin and acted cutely. ¡°ept it. You lost, Young Mistress Lu~¡± Lu Yan had not recovered from the fact that he had lost, and so he did not react to Qi Qingyao¡¯s nickname for him. He asked, ¡°How did your arrownd on the bull¡¯s eye?¡± ¡°We¡¯re at Qingzhou City, and I went to the Temple of the Koi Fish God once. Just now, at a time of emergency, I prayed to the Koi Fish God again. Of course it will protect me,¡± Qi Qingyao said brazenly. Lu Yan wrinkled his brow. ¡°There¡¯s no way an impromptu prayer would be useful!¡± Qi Qingyao looked at him, smiling but not quite, and retorted philosophically, ¡°If you say that, it shows that you¡¯re not a devout believer of the Koi FIsh God. That¡¯s why it didn¡¯t protect you. Poor guy.¡± Lu Yan, ¡°¡­¡± He lost in the argument! Qi QIngyao calmly looked at Lu Yan, who refused to ept his defeat, and raised a brow, teasing maliciously, ¡°Ah, Young Mistress Lu, stop struggling. I won, didn¡¯t I?¡± Heir Pei had finally recovered his senses after Qi Qingyao¡¯s victory. When he heard Qi Qingyao call him Young Mistress Lu, he palmed his forehead helplessly. He thought that he could never afford to offend her. If she called him Young Mistress Pei someday, he might as well hit his head on the wall and die. Not only did Lu Yan embarrass himself today, but he also lost his house. Heir Pei interjected at the right time. ¡°You aren¡¯t thinking of going back on your promise, are you, Master Lu?¡± Li Qing quickly added, ¡°He wouldn¡¯t.¡± Qi Qingyao grinned. She reminded him, with the air of a kind woman, ¡°Master Lu has always been honest. He wouldn¡¯t go back on his promise!¡± Lu Yan was thoroughly embarrassed. He merely wanted to turn tail and leave quickly. ¡°Come with me. I¡¯ll give the deeds to you,¡± Lu Yan said coldly. There was no expression on his face. ¡°There¡¯s no need for that. I fear that you¡¯ll have someone kill me the second I walk out of the door.¡± Qi Qingyao teased with a grin, and then she continued calmly, ¡°The Heir¡¯s not feeling well. I¡¯ll take him back to his residence first. You know where I live. After I return, I¡¯ll be waiting for the Lu house¡¯s deeds. You can have someone take it to me, with the keys as well. You can haul all your luggage, your wealth, and the valuable artifacts you like away. I¡¯m not interested in any of them. I¡¯ll give you half a day.¡± A very buoyant announcement was concluded. Qi Qingyao removed her red fur coat from the hangers by the wall and raised her chin at Pei Fengtang. ¡°C¡¯mon, we¡¯re going home.¡± Chapter 247 - The Third Crock of Gold 3

Chapter 247: The Third Crock of Gold 3

After that, she walked out, taking big steps. Pei Fengtang had not wanted to stay for too long, and he was afraid that something might happen, so he bowed to Old Man Jiang, bidding him goodbye. ¡°Master Jiang, I feel a bit unwell, so I¡¯ll take my leave now.¡± Old Man Jiang had not managed to react when Heir Pei followed after the young girl d in a red fur coat and left. Lu Yan did not stay for long too, leaving after them. When the two parties left, everyone in the main hall looked at one another, feeling dumbfounded. They had nothing to say, Qi Qingyao, who had gotten on the carriage that was heading back home, was in an extremely good mood. Heir Pei looked at her expression of glee, feeling happy and serious at the same time. He said, ¡°You were very lucky.¡± ¡°I was very capable,¡± Qi Qingyao corrected. Seeing her uncaring attitude, Pei Fengtang could not help but ask, ¡°Have you thought about what would happen if your arrow didn¡¯tnd on the bull¡¯s eye?¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t.¡± ¡°You have to think about it, now.¡± She made bets without reservations. Did she not care at the slightest how everything would turn out if she had lost? ¡°If I didn¡¯t manage to, I¡¯ll sleep with Lu Yan once. It¡¯s what I promised him, isn¡¯t it?¡± Qi Qingyao said uncaringly. Pei Fengtang, ¡°¡­¡± Why could a woman say that with such brazenness? How frustrating. On the ck carriage not far behind from them, Dong Jing apanied Lu Yan as their driver drove the carriage. Dong Jing sat beside the door. He did not even dare to breathe, and he was extremely nervous, afraid that his master would suddenly throw himself out of the carriage out of fury¡­ After a while, Lu Yan was still silent, the cat in his arms. He looked stoic. Dong Jing could not figure out what he was thinking. ¡°Master.¡± Dong Jing took the initiative to break the silence. ¡°Are we going to give her the house by the Eighth Street in the east area?¡± ¡°Mm.¡± Lu Yan nodded expressionlessly. ¡°But¡­¡± The elongated syble showed his hesitation. ¡°We lost. We can¡¯t go back on our promise.¡± The tone was as nd as ever. Dong Jing could not detect any kind of emotion. ¡°¡­¡± Dong Jing could not bring himself to say anything more. After a pause, he said, ¡°If your father hears about this, he¡¯ll definitely punish you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s only a house that I don¡¯t live in often.¡± Lu Yan looked down at the cat in his arms. His expression was so serious that Dong Jing could not figure out if he was happy or sad. This worried Dong Jing terribly. He felt like his master would be furious. He should be very angry, as Qi Qingyao had called him Young Mistress Lu time after time. However, his master was so quiet now, like nothing had happened to him. This was so strange. He could only reassure him, ¡°Master, don¡¯t think too much about what she said.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± He nodded, calm and unruffled. Dong Jing, ¡°¡­¡± Was his master still holding everything in? ¡­ Many noble guests visited the Jiang residence today, and so the servants were terribly busy. All the male servants were sent to the front hall to wait for orders that mighte at any time, and most of the female servants were sent to the kitchens at the back. Qi Qingzhu was among them. She sat outside the kitchens, removing the inedible parts of some Chinese chives. After that, she was sent to wash the dishes. The water was extremely cold, and her hands were so cold they became red and swollen, looking like radishes. Suddenly, a servant ran in from the front hall and yelled excitedly, ¡°It¡¯s so exciting at the front hall! I heard that a young girl started an argument with Young Master Lu!¡± ¡°Lu? Which Lu?¡± ¡°Which one do you think? The richest family in Northern Liang, that Lu!¡± ¡°Huh, who dares offend the richest family in Northern Liang? Does she not want to live any longer?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. I heard that Heir Pei brought her here today. I think her name was Cuihua? She started an argument with Master Lu and then started a bet with him too! And then she won!¡± ¡°What did she win?¡± ¡°I heard them say that it¡¯s that big mansion in Qingzhou City that belongs to the Lu family! That mansion that¡¯s super grand and extravagant! The maid won¡­¡± ¡°Ah, she¡¯s so lucky.¡± The servants gathered together, gossiping as they washed dishes. Qi Qingzhu sat beside them, listening in as she washed dishes. As she listened, she could not help thinking about her younger sister. Mother said that Younger Sister had made a bet with Old Man Zhang and won his house and his farm plots¡­ At that thought, a gentle smile appeared on Qi Qingzhu¡¯s face. When she got time off and returned, she would steal the object of proof and deliver it to her sister¡¯s hands! She would definitely believe in her identity then! Chapter 248 - The Third Crock of Gold 4

Chapter 248: The Third Crock of Gold 4

When the carriage arrived at Heir Pei¡¯s mansion, Qi Qingyao leaped down from the carriage. Upon her entrance, she said excitedly, ¡°Babies, your father¡ªno, your mother¡ªis back!¡± Behind her was Heir Pei. When he heard what Qi Qingyao called herself, he almost tripped. The children were already tired after ying for a long time. They were rubbing their eyes blearily, and tears were already running down from their eyes. They were already quite tired, but they did not want to take a nap. They were still skipping rope with Si Jin when they heard their mother¡¯s voice, and they dashed out from their house. Dabao was running very fast; he even tripped once. He got up quickly and he did not even bother to pat the dust on his clothes before dashing to the entrance. The children¡¯s eyes were all bright as they looked at Qi Qingyao. ¡°Mother!¡± Their voices were youthful and cute. Heir Pei ordered, ¡°Li Qing, go prepare the next meal.¡± Qi Qingyao caught Dabao and gestured for him to stop running around. She first dusted his clothes before pulling him inside the house and washing off the dust on his hands for him. Dabao stuck his tongue out, feeling embarrassed. Although Erniu and Xiaobao did not get dust on them, they stuck their hands out as well so that their mother could help wash them. Qi Qingyao did that with a smile on her face. Then she brought the kids to sit on the bed beside the brazier, and covered the kids with a thin nket. Jiang Yeqian walked over calmly and closed the door. It was only after that when he sat aside and asked, ¡°Why did youe back so early?¡± Qi Qingyao smiled and said nothing. Si Jin did not dare speak; he scrutinized Qi Qingyao¡¯s expression carefully. Noticing that she did not speak, Jiang Yeqian said again, ¡°You didn¡¯t eat beforeing back? Is it because something has happened?¡± Qi Qingyao caressed her chin and said with a grin on her face, ¡°Something happened, yes. However, I didn¡¯t stay because I was afraid that other people would be jealous of me.¡± ¡°What? Something really happened?¡± Jiang Yeqian picked up a jug of water from the stove beside them, and sprinkled some tea leaves into a teapot, making some tea. Qi Qingyao picked up a piece of osmanthus cake from the white te on the table and ate it happily. She said gleefully, ¡°I¡¯ll tell you guys properly about something big that has happened just now.¡± Jiang Yeqian noticed her gleeful expression and suddenly had a bad premonition. ¡°Everything started from the moment Lu Yan arrived,¡± Qi Qingyao said as she ate, telling the story vividly and excitedly, exaggerating more than the storytellers under the bridge. Jiang Yeqian¡¯s face was already darkening when only half of the story was told. However, he resisted and did notsh out. When Qi Qingyao finished, the kids had already copsed beside her, cuddling one another as they slept. Dabao and Erniu hugged the nket and slept soundly, while Xiaobao hugged Qi Qingyao¡¯s thigh and did not let go. The corner of Jiang Yeqian¡¯s lips was twitching. A long time after she finished telling the story, he summarized, ¡°You won against Lu Yan and the big mansion by the street is yours now.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Qi Qingyao was gleeful when she nodded. Jiang Yeqian stared at her, his eyes like knives. His voice was somewhat twisted as he said, ¡°And he wanted to sleep with you if he won the bet.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Was there anything wrong with that? Qi Qingyao blinked. She felt like there was fury in his voice. Was she seeing things? Jiang Yeqian¡¯s face was so dark it was enough to make people catch their breaths. ¡°And you think there¡¯s nothing wrong with that.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t achieve anything if I¡¯m not willing to give something up. What¡¯s the big deal? Look at how agitated you are now!¡± Qi Qingyao gestured for him to calm down. Chapter 249 - The Third Crock of Gold 5

Chapter 249: The Third Crock of Gold 5

¡°I¡¯m agitated? When was I ever agitated? I merely think that there¡¯s something wrong with you!¡± Jiang Yeqian was so furious he got up from the chair. Fists clenched tightly, he walked over to the window at the side, wanting to open the window and get some fresh air. However, when his fingers closed on the window, he realized that he was not wearing his mask. He looked back, and noticed that the children were sleeping soundly. So he did not open the window. He merely stood beside the closed window and took deep breath after deep breath. Qi Qingyao curled her lip. She too felt indignant after being scolded. ¡°You¡¯re only a servant. Remember that before you yell at me!¡± ¡°Me, a servant?¡± When he heard her say that, Jiang Yeqian felt the unnamed ball of fire in his heart rush to his head. He turned back and said, inordinately furious, ¡°Yes, I¡¯m a servant! A f*cking servant! He wants to sleep with you if he wins the bet, don¡¯t you know that?! You¡­ You¡­¡± ¡°I what?¡± Qi Qingyao was calm now in the face of yet another terrible scolding. Jiang Yeqian bellowed exasperatedly, ¡°You have no self-respect, self-love, and self-dignity at all!¡± Qi Qingyao looked at Jiang Yeqian, who was so furious he might explode, and rubbed her temple helplessly. She asked Si Jin softly, ¡°Why is he so furious? Did he take the wrong medicine? I won us such a big house, and yet he yelled at me like that! He¡¯s being insolent!¡± Si Jin noticed that Qi Qingyao did not bring up what had happened the past day, and so he said with a serious expression, ¡°Elder Sister, I also think that you can¡¯t wager yourself on a bet!¡± ¡°I merely made use of the opportunity to achieve my own ends,¡± Qi Qingyao said calmly. Si Jin pursed his plump lips, and he took on a caring expression. ¡°I care about Elder Sister too. If I were there, I wouldn¡¯t let other people say that they wanted to sleep with you! They went overboard!¡± Qi Qingyao could not help butugh. She teased him jokingly, ¡°Hahahaha! I called him Young Mistress Lu, too! What would you think if I called you Princess Si Jin?¡± ¡°I would be a bit angry¡­¡± Si Jin said weakly after a pause. ¡°He was furious.¡± That was right. Qi Qingyao gave Si Jin an understanding smile. ¡°Only when Lu Yan¡¯s furious will he, a calcting merchant, bet on his wealth. Or¡­ How else can I make Lu Yan wager his house?¡± Just after she said that, Jiang Yeqian took his seat again. His temper seemed to have subsided, but when he spoke he still sounded unkind. ¡°You were right, but you can¡¯t wager yourself.¡± ¡°You¡¯re still pissed off over that?¡± Qi Qingyao poured him a cup of tea calmly. She shruggedzily, uncaring. ¡°I¡¯m merely a widow who has given birth to children. He wouldn¡¯t want me even if I gave myself to him for free! He was just putting on a facade of bravery. Why would you take it that seriously?¡± Jiang Yeqian shot up again with a whooshing sound and pointed at her nose. ¡°Qi Qingyao, if you wager yourself, then what are Si Jin and I? The two of us are¡­ servants!¡± He paused for a while, and then he said, even louder than before, ¡°I! If Jiang Bai¡¯s master was ¡®forced¡¯ to wager herself, I¡¯d feel insulted. It makes me look useless.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Was that so? Qi Qingyao scratched her head. ¡°You might not think that. You gave all you had in exchange for the other party¡¯s trump card. This is your strategy. But you better figure it out. You aren¡¯t allowed to do that again in the future.¡± Jiang Yeqian noticed Qi Qingyao¡¯s slightly bewildered expression and thought, ¡®Is this woman really that oblivious?¡¯ Chapter 250 - The Third Crock of Gold 6

Chapter 250: The Third Crock of Gold 6

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Qi Qingyao was scolded into speechlessness. Surprisingly, she did not know how to react. Jiang Yeqian¡¯s face, one that was so handsome it could make people feel asphyxiated, was suddenly very near Qi Qingyao. Jiang Yeqian gritted his teeth and said, his tone sinister and furious, ¡°D*mn it, you woman! Your expression tells me that you still don¡¯t think it¡¯s important at all!¡± As they were too near each other, Qi Qingyao found herself stupefied by his face. She knew that he was decent-looking, but looking at him from a short distance, she discovered that he was very handsome, d*mn it. He had dashing eyebrows and deep eyes, and his face was even handsome in an aggressive way. ¡°No, no, it¡¯s important.¡± She could only surrender and push him further away from her. Noticing that she looked discouraged, as if she had realized her wrongdoings, Jiang Yeqian finally rxed, and he started to tell this oblivious woman, ¡°Now, you are associated with the Heavenly Physician Su Hexiao and Master Li Qinglian by name.. Maybe you¡¯ll think that it¡¯s fine if you lose to Lu Yan and sleep with him, but if you wager yourself, you¡¯ve already lost! You don¡¯t only represent yourself, but you¡¯re also a friend of Su Hexiao and Li Qinglian¡­ It¡¯s rted to your dignity!¡± Qi Qingyao nodded, understanding everything but not really. She thought, ¡®Maybe it was because I worked as a spy.¡¯ Their rules were to prioritize solving the case before everything else. Everything is fine, as long as they did not cross certain boundaries. If they encountered difficult situations, of course they would make use of their most valuable token to obtain information from the other party and achieve the best results. At that thought, something shed in her mind. ¡°Ah, I know. I¡¯m now friends with famous people, so I¡¯m hurting my dignity when I say things like that. Is that what you meant?¡± ¡°You only realize that now?¡± Jiang Yeqian did not dare to believe it. He put his palm on his forehead and sighed. ¡°You look clever normally, so why are you so stupid when ites to things like this?¡± Qi Qingyaoined softly, ¡°This is not being stupid. I just tend to maximize the profit using the smallest cost.¡± ¡°And you think that it¡¯s fine if it¡¯ll hurt you?¡± Jiang Yeqian¡¯s gaze turned cold. Qi Qingyao said, ¡°Let me exin that. It won¡¯t hurt me. It¡¯s called fishing. To fish, I have toy down some bait. I thought that this used-up body of mine doesn¡¯t even deserve to be bait, but who knew, someone else wanted it! Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s funny?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡®Funny, your *ss!¡¯ Jiang Yeqian could not help swearing in his mind. His expression was still tight as he said nothing. ¡°But I know what you mean.¡± Faced with his murderous gaze, Qi Qingyao surrendered again. ¡°That house costs three million taels at least. I¡¯m now someone who has wealth. I have a lot of tokens. I won¡¯t need to wager myself in the future.¡± Jiang Yeqian, ¡°...¡± That meant she would wager herself again when she ran out of tokens! This was the first time he had seen such a bold woman, who had no concern for her well-being at all. She did not care, even if she had ced herself in a dangerous situation. Seeing that the man¡¯s fury resurfaced, Qi Qingyao quickly reassured, ¡°I even won a house out of that, so stop being angry.¡± ¡°What would I be angry at? Moron.¡± Jiang Yeqian said impatiently, his strong aura burning, and then he turned his face to the side, picked up his teacup, and downed its contents. The tea was too hot and he nearly scalded himself to death. His expression faltered for a second, then he put down his teacup and pretended that nothing had happened. Si Jin cradled his chin between his palms. He looked at Jiang Yeqian, who had lost his self-control today, and scratched his head. ¡®Why was he so angry just because Elder Sister wagered herself during that bet today?¡¯ ¡®It was a bit¡­ strange!¡¯ Chapter 251 - The Third Crock of Gold 7

Chapter 251: The Third Crock of Gold 7

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Xiaobao was awoken from his sleep presumably by the people talking in his dream, or maybe because Jiang Yeqian was too loud. ¡°Mommy, do we... really have a big house?¡± he babbled. ¡°It¡¯s not just big, but also valuable,¡± Qi Qingyao murmured softly as she patted the little guy¡¯s body, motioning for him to go back to sleep. Xiaobao hugged his mother¡¯s leg again and fell asleep. Li Qing had sent over some rice and dishes. After Si Jin went to the door to receive them, he closed the door once again. . Qi Qingyao asked if they should wake the children up to eat but Si Jin said there was no need¡ªthe children had eaten lots of treats in the morning and were probably not hungry now. Qi Qingyao carried the children to the bed and covered them with a nket. After that, she sat down at the dining table. It had been a while since the three of them had eaten a meal together and it tasted different than usual. Si Jin ate his white rice quietly. Qi Qingyao offered Jiang Yeqian a smile. After thinking for a bit, she picked out some of the dishes for the hot-tempered man. Seeing her behaving like this, Jiang Yeqian felt the frustration in his chest ease up entirely. Once Jiang Yeqian¡¯s temper had calmed down, his tone when speaking had also lowered. After pondering a moment, he spoke. ¡°To be honest, personally, I don¡¯t agree with you living in that house.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± asked Qi Qingyao, her words muffled as she chewed the braised meat. ¡°Because that house is more than just big. You would also need at least 20 servants to take care of the hygiene issues, and that¡¯s only ounting for the cleaning duties. The wages in Qingzhou City are really high, and if we¡¯re considering 20 individuals every month, you would need to pay up to forty taels per person every month. And that¡¯s just the basic sry. Daily maintenance of the house, daily meals for everyone, all of these will gradually total up and you would have to fork out at least 200 taels every month.¡± Jiang Yeqian analyzed the situation. Qi Qingyao cradled her bowl, suddenly finding that the meat in her mouth was no longer tasty. Tears streamed down her face like noodles as she stared at him. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you say so earlier?¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t even inform me before you won that house!¡± Exactly who was in the wrong here? ¡°How many servants are there in that house right now?¡± Qi Qingyao asked. Jiang Yeqian thought about it for a moment and said, ¡°Judging by the specifications of the Lu family¡¯s house, at least 120 people. The basic monthly expenses should total about one thousand taels.¡± ¡°Huh.¡± Did he not say two hundred taels? ¡°One thousand taels!!¡± ¡°It would seem so,¡± said Jiang Yeqian. ¡°Why does he¡­ whywhywhywhy, they¡¯re just way too wealthy, aren¡¯t they?¡± Did the Lu family really have this high a standard when it came to house specifications? Qi Qingyao felt as if she had been struck by lightning. Jiang Yeqian saidzily, ¡°The Lu family are the richest in Northern Liang. If they can¡¯t even afford the basic expenses of a house, then their title as the richest in Northern Liang would mean nothing.¡± Qi Qingyao continued to pick up bits of the dishes and put them into her bowl. After thinking for a long time, she then said, ¡°What you meant to say is, if I were to ept that house, I¡¯d have to spend several hundreds of taels every month?¡± ¡°What else?¡± He was watching her with a side-eye. Qi Qingyao put down her bowl. An idea shed through her mind and she said, ¡°Then why don¡¯t we put the house up for sale, or sell it back directly to Lu Yan and have him give me three million taels.¡± Jiang Yeqian was just about to agree with the notion; they could exchange it for cash. However, Si Jin who had been silently eating his rice all this while, suddenly spoke up in a?quiet voice, ¡°Sister, didn¡¯t you say you wanted a house with a running water pond?¡± A running water pond! These words struck her mind like lightning. Qi Qingyao stood up abruptly, rolled up her sleeves, and said to Jiang Yeqian seriously, ¡°We cannot rent it, nor can we sell it. We¡¯ll live in it ourselves! We¡¯ll spend the money, so I¡¯ll just work hard to earn more!¡± The Koi God had blessed her several times now. She said she would get a running water pond every time she prayed! Chapter 252 - The Third Crock of Gold 8

Chapter 252: The Third Crock of Gold 8

The moment Qi Qingyao said this, the corners of Si Jin¡¯s eyes and the tip of his eyebrows hooked into a smile, and there seemed to be a hidden sense of happiness between his curved lips. Jiang Yeqian did not really mind it much. If she was not afraid of spending her money, it was fine if they kept the house. However, he was just afraid that tonight¡­ Things would be a little tricky. ¡­ After Jiang Siliu dressed herself, she walked gracefully and leisurely into the hall. As soon as she stepped inside, she noticed that half of the guests were already gone. This scene startled her. Spotting Jiang Siting at one side chatting with a few friends, Jiang Siliu went over and quietly pulled her brother to the side. ¡°Brother, I haven¡¯t even arrived yet so why does that banquet look like it¡¯s already ending?¡± Jiang Siting looked at his little sister who was d in an outfit of goose yellow and said, ¡°You couldn¡¯t even make it in time to eat the crap when it was hot. You¡¯re such a fool. Huh? Eat crap? Jiang Siliu blinked, confused. ¡°Just what in the world happened? Those loquacious maids were spouting nonsense, saying that some maid had bested Lu Yan and won the Lu family¡¯s biggest house in Qingzhou City.¡± Jiang Siting was too busy gossiping away with others such as Lord Han and only spat one sentence at Jiang Siliu. ¡°I¡¯m afraid the skies of Qingzhou City are about to change.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Jiang Siliu was still considering asking more questions but noted that Jiang Siting had already turned away to send a few of his friends off. ¡°Brother!!¡± Jiang Siliu called out but no one responded to her. Jiang Siliu was so furious she stamped her feet. She could only turn around and return to the courtyard. The guests had only stayed for a very short time today. After the littledy won the biggest house in Qingzhou City from Lu Yan, it seemed rather pointless to indulge in the rest of the gossip. After all the guests had left. Jiang Siting hurriedly followed his father and grandfather to the library. Old Master Jiang sat down at the red wood desk. Jiang Zhenyuan did not feel like sitting down so he just stood at the side. Seeing that his father had not taken a seat¡­ Jiang Siting did not dare to either. He felt like those eunuchs who were always by the emperor and emperor¡¯s father¡¯s sides, standing orderly and alert at all times. Jiang Zhenyuan paced a few steps in the library, saying, ¡°Last night, a mysterious assassin ughtered everyone in the Lingyun Restaurant and left not a single clue and today, a young woman had provoked Lu Yan to gamble against her and then won the Lu family¡¯s biggest mansion in Qingzhou City. Things are getting more and more interesting in Qingzhou City.¡± ¡°Father is right. I also feel that Qingzhou City has be more and more interesting.¡± Jiang Siting was acting as his father¡¯s echo. ¡°Have you still not found out about that youngdy¡¯s identity?¡± asked Old Master Jiang. ¡°How could we not have looked into it?¡± Jiang Zhenyuan answered as he ced the report given to him by the Yulong Gang on the table. ¡°That youngdy is not some Cuihua or random country bumpkin. Sources from the Yulong Gang say that she was just a young woman from Linquan Vige of Baishui Town in the Qingzhou Prefecture. She¡¯s an ordinary person and was pregnant with three kids before she was married. There is no information about the children¡¯s father. It was said that her family had severed ties with her some time ago and that she used to be a fool. Then something happened and now, she¡¯s no longer one¡­¡± He felt parched after speaking for quite a while. He said to the old master, ¡°The specifics are all written on the top.¡± Old Master Jiang was aware his son and grandson had already brought up the matter about that special building in Linquan Vige previously. However, he had not been interested before. After going through the entire report. Old master Jiang shifted his gaze to the young woman¡¯s name. ¡°Qi, Qing, Yao¡± It was a rather nice name. Like he said, how could she possibly be called a mere Cuihua? Chapter 253 - The Third Crock of Gold 9

Chapter 253: The Third Crock of Gold 9

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion However,ing back to the current topic. ¡°How is she rted to the Master Architect Li Qinglian? And how is she rted to the divine physician Su Hexiao? Why isn¡¯t that written in there?¡± ¡°About that, father, I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on either. I heard from the Yulong Gang that this young woman is very mysterious and that she always has two individuals with the ox and horse-head masks by her side, even until now. I thought about itter. Tell me, do you think one of the ox-headed or horse-faced individuals is Su Hexiao, and the other is Master Architect Li Qinglian?¡±Jiang Zhenyuan said to the old man. Jiang Siting heard the conversation between his father and grandfather, not daring to interrupt. The old master pointed at the words on the intelligence report. ¡°What nonsense. Look at what¡¯s written in the document. They¡¯re just two youths.¡± . ¡°That¡¯s right, the servants and cooks back in Longmen Inn in town, as well as those at the Lord Heir¡¯s mansion, have seen how the youth looks when he takes off his horse-head mask. They say that he is a very graceful and elegant young man with a remarkable appearance, not some old man.¡± Jiang Zhenyuan could only retract his previous suspicions. ¡°Are the ox-head and horse-face duo not worthy of suspicion then?¡± Jiang Siting could no longer hold himself back and interjected. Jiang Zhenyuan hurriedly eximed at the old man. ¡°Father, he¡¯s right. If wepletely disregard the ox-head and horse-face, how could this woman have cured Heir Pei¡¯s illness or get the blueprints for the building in the vige? We have no clue about this. Not to mention, the ox-head and horse-face who usually follow her around both did not appear today. Don¡¯t you find that odd? ¡°She even pretended to be Heir Pei¡¯s maid and disguised herself with that country name Cuihua. Her actions are suspicious.¡± Old Master Jiang said emotionally, ¡°Even though I sent an invitation to Heir Pei for this event today, I didn¡¯t actually think he would show up, let alone with that girl.¡± Who could have known that she would apany Heir Pei so tantly and show her face today? It was not just surprising but downright shocking. Jiang Siting carefully interjected again, ¡°Grandfather, have you ever considered that this girl might be insane? Or that she was not aware who Lu Yan was?¡± Old Master Jiang cast Jiang Siting a cutting re and rebuked him. ¡°You¡¯re the one who¡¯s gone mad. It¡¯s written clearly in the information given by the Yulong Gang, she and Lu Yan had both stayed at the Longmen Inn at one time and she had even offended him back then. She even had a meal at Heir Pei¡¯s attached mansion. How could she possibly not know who Lu Yan is??When Lu Yan arrived today, she immediately went and sat beside Heir Pei. They definitely know each other. As for her and Lu Yan, I¡¯m afraid there may also be some connection between them.¡± ¡°Grandfather, I can¡¯t say I agree with what you said.¡± Jiang Siting might have grown a spine or two as he actually dared to oppose the old man openly. He said determinedly, ¡°Since she knows who Lu Yan is, as an ordinary person, she should fear him as the richest person in Northern Liang. In other words, even if she was ignorant due to not knowing who Lu Yan was, shouldn¡¯t Heir Pei remind her given their seemingly good rtionship? She just humiliated Lu Yan thoroughly in front of everyone today. Isn¡¯t that basically having a death wish?¡± ¡°She is looking for trouble.¡± The old man was not angry and even added smoothly, ¡°Not only is she looking for trouble, she¡¯s practically the epitome of someone who thinks they¡¯ve been living too long already.¡± After that. The three of them looked at each other quietly. Then sighed. If they were talking about Qingyao alone, then it would make sense to them that she had lost her mind! They would conclude that she had gone insane. However, Heir Pei was involved too! It was written in the report that Heir Pei had been sticking close to the young woman recently. He probably wanted to locate Su Hexiao through her. If that was the case, Heir Pei would not have allowed the young woman to offend Lu Yan in front of such a big audience, nor would he have allowed her to seek the limelight! It was really¡­ Unfathomable. Chapter 254 - The Third Crock of Gold 10

Chapter 254: The Third Crock of Gold 10

Jiang Siting fell silent for a moment before he scratched his head and spoke again. ¡°Grandfather, Father, do you think that she¡¯ll really move into the house? Somehow I think¡­it won¡¯t be possible. Heir Pei did not stop her just now and now she¡¯s gone home. He definitely would go to hold her back.¡± He could not let her offend Lu Yan! An ordinary person could not afford to offend the Lu family! Even Heir Pei of the Dingbei Residence could not afford to offend the Lu family¡­ Jiang Zhenyuan could not help saying, ¡°Perhaps¡­ that young woman may have some confidence, a confidence to face the Lu family head on which was why she acted recklessly as she did.¡± Things were bing more and more convoluted. It was starting to irritate them. Old Master Jiang knocked on the study table and said, ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about her for now. Right now, what clues does the government have on the Lingyun Restaurant massacrest night? ¡± Jiang Zhenyuan fell silent for a moment before he said, ¡°It must have been the work of a master-level expert.¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± Old Master Jiang asked. Jiang Zhenyuan did not dare confirm it. ¡°Everyone is currently waiting for information from the Zhaixing Administration. The eagles of Zhaixing Administration should be returning from various regions by evening. By then, it should be clear which grand master is in Qingzhou City.¡± ¡­ After Qi Qingyao finished her meal, she paced around in the courtyard as she looked at the sky non-stop. Dark clouds covered the afternoon sky above her head and there was cold, enshrouding mist everywhere. The humidity was very high and it felt as if it was about to rain. Qi Qingyao kept thinking back to the conversation back at the Jiang residence this morning. She thought about everyone¡¯s faces and those who had spoken at the time, as well as the tone of their voices and the look in their eyes! Jiang Yeqian was standing in front of the window. He opened a crack in the window and observed Qi Qingyao¡¯s expression secretly. Sometimes, he felt that she was a mindless person but at this moment, it was obvious that she was thinking about something. Her current appearance was captivating. ¡®Ah, that¡¯s not it! Charming¡­no no, intriguing, right, just intriguing.¡¯ As Qi Qingyao spent half the day alone with her thoughts, Li Qing brought someone with him as he entered through the Chuihua gate. Qi Qingyao raised her head and was met with Dong Jing¡¯s extremely cold gaze. Dong Jing walked over, expression nk, and handed a bundle over to her. ¡°This is the title deed and key to the house at No. 3, Eighth Street, East District of Qingzhou City. ¡± Qi Qingyao took the small bundle and checked it. After confirming that it was indeed the title deed, she nodded in satisfaction. ¡°The Lu family¡¯s servants, belongings, and luggage have already been moved out.¡± Dong Jing felt inexplicably depressed for his master when he said this. Qi Qingyao, ¡°Oh.¡± After pondering for a bit, Dong Jing added on his own ord, ¡°Our master has also invited Miss Qi over for a meal in the future.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need for that. We are neither rtives nor friends, so there¡¯s no need for us to be familiar with one another.¡± Qi Qingyao looked at Dong Jing with a smile and bowed with gratitude. Dong Jing knew that there was no room for refusal, so he left the house without saying another word. Heir Pei was sitting inside the room, sipping tea with his legs crossed. He took another look at Qi Qingyao silently through the cracks of the windows. Qi Qingyao quickly rushed back into the house and patted the littlezy piglets who were still taking a nap. ¡°My darlings,e, let¡¯s go take a look at our new house.¡± They left as they were told, not needing to be nagged. Jiang Yeqian and Si Jin hurriedly packed their luggage and put on their masks. Jiang Yeqian carried two of the children, Dabao and Erniu, while Si Jin carried Xiaobao. They were also carrying a huge pile of luggage as well as all of Qi Qingyao¡¯s belongings. As for Qi Qingyao, she was only carrying the title deed and the key, looking like a hands-off person in charge. As the three of them exited through the gate and entered the courtyard, Heir Pei walked out of the house and watched her from afar. Chapter 255 - The Third Crock of Gold 11

Chapter 255: The Third Crock of Gold 11

¡°Aren¡¯t you going to invite me over for a look?¡± ¡°If Heir Pei so wishes, you cane.¡± Qi Qingyao was in a good mood and so did not reject him. Since Heir Pei was tagging along. Naturally, they took the carriage. Heir Pei boarded the carriage first before Qi Qingyao and Si Jin followed suit. After Jiang Yeqian put the two children in the carriage, he himself went and took a seat at the driver¡¯s seat with Li Qing. Pei Fengtang did not think he was stupid. He could keenly feel that the man with the ox-head mask was not a man of few words, but was just avoiding talking to him. This was because Li Qing had reported hearing arguments in the house a few times¡­and the voices had been rather loud. The voice did not belong to Si Jin and was a little more unfamiliar, which meant that the person speaking was the ox-head man. However, this man had not spoken a single word with them. The quiet observation of the guards in the courtyard reported that there was very little verbalmunication between this person and Si Jin as well. Could it be that this person only talked to Qi Qingyao and the three little children? Why was that the case? What was the rtionship between the two? Li Qing was seated beside Jiang Yeqian at the head of the carriage as he drove forward. Li Qing sneaked a nce at the man in the ox-head mask. The Lord Heir had instructed that, if he were to have individual interaction with the man, he should take the initiative tomunicate with him and find out about his origins and identity through hints from their dialogue. The carriage drove forward slowly. Li Qing began trying his hardest to start a conversation. ¡°Brother, what kind of ce is your hometown?¡± Li Qing was somewhat anxious after he asked this. In the end, the man did not answer after a short pause. Li Qing could only turn to look at the ox-head masked man. He had heard voices from the house a few times, which meant that he was not deaf. So, why was he not answering him? ¡°Brother, we¡¯re two men driving a carriage. A little conversation to relieve boredom wouldn¡¯t hurt.¡± Li Qing pretended to be friendly when he said this. The ox-head man turned and nced at him, but still said nothing. Just like a thousand-year-old iceberg that never melts. ¡°Brother, why do you distance yourself from others?¡± asked Li Qing as heughed and joked. The ox-head man sat there unmoving. He was ignoring him entirely. Li Qing felt a significant blow to his dignity from this and faltered a little. ¡°Did I offend you somehow? Speak then, and I will change. Is that alright?¡± Still, no answer. Li Qing sighed. ¡°Dear old brother, you¡­ are truly boring!¡± He thought these words would be able to stir up some emotions in the other person. In the end, however¡­ The words were like stones sinking into the vast sea; his efforts were futile. Regardless, Li Qing was a rather dignified person. He had been trying to make conversation for a while without any response. Although he remembered the Lord Heir¡¯s instruction, he could only bemoan his inadequacy at the present task. If he were to continue forcing a conversation with this rock, he was afraid he would lose his temper after a while. The scenario of Li Qing¡¯s warm feelings being met with cold rebuke naturally reached the inside of the carriage. Everyone had been chatting the moment they got onto the carriage, but because the situation outside was so hrious, Qi Qingyao stopped talking for a moment and perked up her ears to listen in on what was happening outside until it finally became silent. Heir Pei smiled faintly. ¡°Oh Yaoyao, where did you find that servant of yours? His demeanor is far too cold.¡± Qi Qingyao smiled slightly. She realized that Heir Pei was curious about Jiang Bai and had sent Li Qing to feel him out. Histestment was once again to feel her out. ¡°I picked up these two treasures.¡± Qi Qingyao did not feign deafness this time. Instead, she answered him openly. ¡°Picked up?¡± Heir Pei was a little speechless at this description. How did one simply pick up someone who looked like Si Jin? Chapter 256 - Well Known in the City 1

Chapter 256: Well Known in the City 1

¡°I picked them up when I was on my way to your house to save you,¡± Qi Qingyao said tersely. ¡°I picked up the pair of brothers right after I prayed at the Koi Temple. Luck has been good, so I provide food and shelter while they are responsible for taking care of me.¡± Heir Pei, ¡°¡­¡± ¡®Do such good things actually happen?¡¯ Si Jin listened to Qi Qingyao¡¯s introduction of them. When he heard that he was introduced as Jiang Yeqian¡¯s brother, he pursed his mouth, feeling somewhat dissatisfied but did not refute. Soon, the carriage arrived at its destination. After it stopped. Jiang Yeqian got down from the carriage and first helped the children down. Si Jin hopped down with the luggage. When Jiang Yeqian went to help Qi Qingyao down, the woman had already taken matters into her own hands and jumped down from the carriage herself. She did not think of herself as a delicatedy at all. Qi Qingyao had already run up to the door of the house excitedly. She looked at the beast-head gate and then at the two mighty stone lions nking the gate. She could not help but sigh emotionally. ¡°How majestic.¡± Xiaobao walked to her side. ¡°How luxurious.¡± Erniu rushed to the stone lion alone and touched it. ¡°The stone lion is so beautiful.¡± Dabao gaped at the ginormous door, dumbfounded. ¡°Look at this door, it¡¯s so spectacr.¡± Beneath the mask, Si Jin¡¯s eyes were filled with excitement. With a pond, next time¡­ he would be able to sneak a swim at night! Qi Qingyao fetched the key out from her bundle and after opening the door¡­ The group walked in. Right in front of them was a huge screen wall that blocked all of the scenery. Just by standing on the inner side of the main door, she could see rooms facing the main house on both the left and right. Qi Qingyao walked to a pir and touched it. ¡°Take a look at this house, it¡¯s so clean.¡± She could not help but exim in amazement. After walking past the screen and officially seeing the house, Qi Qingyao came to the full realization. D*mn. This was an incredibly luxurious attached mansion! The house was insanely big. The size of it was almost the same as Heir Pei¡¯s vi in Baishui Town, and there was also a running water pond that brought in water from the Jiuli River! There were no lotuses in the pond this season which made it look a bit monotonous, but there was a lot of fish in the pond as well as small bridges over a flowing stream, topped off with quiet and beautiful rockery. As it was about to rain soon, the water in the pond was also covered in ayer of mist, giving it a blurry beauty. After looking around for half an hour, the children were exhausted and went to rest in the hall with Heir Pei and Li Qing. Jiang Yeqian and Si Jin followed Qi Qingyao as they toured the entire house once. It took them a whole hour before they were done. Qi Qingyao said, ¡°As I said, little Yan was a clean freak! Look at this house, it¡¯s spotless without a single smidge of dust. Even the greenery is nicely trimmed and there¡¯s not a single piece of trash in the pond! I¡¯m really satisfied.¡± The only unsatisfactory thing was that the servants had been taken away and had to be rehired again. The three of them walked back. Qi Qingyao gave Si Jin some instructions. ¡°Si Jin, go get Jiang Bai two thousand taels.¡± Si Jin affirmed with an ¡°oh¡±. Jiang Yeqian looked at her suspiciously. Qi Qingyao ordered, ¡°Help me hire a dozen or two servants. They¡¯ll be in charge of the daily cleaning and maintenance of the mansion.¡± Jiang Yeqian turned to her and asked, ¡°Only regr servants and cooks? Don¡¯t you want some to serve you?¡± Qi Qingyao shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t need anyone to serve me. I have hands and feet.¡± ¡°What about the children? They¡¯re little lords anddies now, I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll need some servants.¡± If they had servants, then he would have one less burden. He would not need to serve the children like an old maid anymore. ¡°No need.¡± Qi Qingyao refused, making no room for argument. ¡°They¡¯ll be four next year. They can also wash and dress themselves now. There¡¯s no need for ordinary people to lead an easy life with everything provided for them. They¡¯ll be worthless that way!¡± Jiang Yeqian. ¡°¡­¡± Where the heck was this womaning from? Why was her thought process so¡­ independent? This was really the first time he had met a¡­woman who did not require servants nor wanted her children to be waited on by servants! Qi Qingyao thought he was mulling over the issue of having too much money on hand and said, ¡°You must have realized, I gave you a lot of money. Ask the servants that you hire toe here tomorrow. As for the remaining money, get me a ceiling price and find a few professional cleaners and corpse collectors. My guess is we¡¯ll be needing them tonight.¡± To have offended Lu Yan in broad daylight and getting targeted by many forces in this city. She thought that things would likely be quite lively in the mansion tonight. Chapter 257 - Well Known in the City 2

Chapter 257: Well Known in the City 2

Jiang Residence. Qi Qingzhu was sitting in the courtyard outside therge kitchen room, washing the dishes. Her hands had be so cold they were almost stiff. She had lost the feeling in her fingers several times and did not react until a te smashed onto the ground. However, the person in charge did not scold her; it was winter and the dishes would get naturally damaged like this every month. As long as the number of dishes broken in a day did not exceed five, the person-in-charge would turn a blind eye to it. However, just because the person in charge said nothing, that did not mean that Qi Qingzhu did not feel ashamed about it. She stuck her tongue out in embarrassment, then rubbed her hands clean and warmed them up in her arms before continuing washing the dishes. She continued till half-past one in the afternoon before the dishes were done. With that settled, Qi Qingzhu watched the person in charge take care of everything before going up and asking carefully. ¡°Manager, can I request for a leave after the end of the family banquet tonight?¡± ¡°You¡¯re asking for leave again?¡± Manager Li immediately frowned, her tone unhappy. Qi Qingzhu lowered his gaze and said rather sheepishly, ¡°I¡­ thest time I went home, I didn¡¯t manage to inform my sister of the matter but instead had to suffer the death of my elder brother. I hurried back and still failed to attend the burial of my eldest brother in the end. So, this time, I want to tell my sister, Qi Qingyao, about that very important matter.¡± Manager Li helplessly replied, ¡°What matter is it that is so important for your sister that you have to rush home to inform her?¡± This was the same excuse she used to get her leave thest time, and now she was using it again? ¡°This¡­¡± Qi Qingzhu moved her lips but no words came out. ¡°I can¡¯t be bothered. But if you ask for leave during the Chinese New Year holiday, you won¡¯t be receiving your holiday expenses for then.¡± Manager Li¡¯s tone was quite unkind. ¡°That¡¯s alright.¡± Qi Qingzhu shook her head like a rattle. ¡°So how many days are you asking?¡± Manager Li asked. ¡°Would seven days be alright?¡± Qi Qingzhu pondered for a bit before answering. ¡°Done.¡± Manager Li gestured dismissively for her to hurry back and pack her luggage. Qi Qingzhu cheerfully went to the back room to organize her simple luggage. Today was the third day of the lunar month; it did not matter if she would not be getting any holiday expenses. The only thing she had to do when she returned this time was to steal the two keepsakes from her mother. Then, she would immediately give them to her sister to prevent her sister from confronting her mother when she went back home¡­ ¡­ The Lu family of the Senluo Chamber of Commerce had a superrge mansion and four other smaller houses in Qingzhou City. Their only incredibly luxurious one had been lost to Qi Qingyao. Lu Yan dismissed the servants of that house and brought Dong Jing back to another one. It was rtively small, but secluded and quiet. It also happened to face Qingyang Lake and there were some bamboos nted in the courtyard. There was only one older female servant and one maid who guarded this house all year round. After sitting beside Qingyang Lake for half an hour, the wind picked up as the sky gradually darkened. Lu Yan turned and went back inside the house. The white cat perched on the wall was not afraid of the cold at all. It tucked itself cozily on the wall, meowingzily. Dong Jing followed Lu Yan into the house. Lu Yan untied and peeled off the white fur coat from his body and carelessly threw it onto the backrest before fallingzily into the soft couch. A maid brought in cherry tea and Lu Yan took a sip, his expression calm. Dong Jing was silent for a long time as he stood by the side. He could no longer hold it in. ¡°Master, why don¡¯t we return to Capital City?¡± ¡°Why should we return to Capital City?¡± Lu Yan was still savoring the tea calmly, as if the things that happened today did not actually happen. ¡°There are plenty of rumors about you outside now. Perhaps we won¡¯t have to hear about it if we return to the Capital City, ¡°Dong Jing said somewhat helplessly. Chapter 258 - Well Known in the City 3

Chapter 258: Well Known in the City 3

Lu Yan said, ¡°I didn¡¯t hear anything.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡®Everyone was talking behind your back, of course, not in front of you. What is the lord trying to do? Are you just going to bury your head in the sand?¡¯ Dong Jing was speechless. ¡°As long as they don¡¯t jabber in front of me, I don¡¯t care.¡± Lu Yan understood what Dong Jing was implying and said, ¡°We, the Lu family, have long been cursed at and called names because we became the richest family in recent years. The Lu family cannot go on without an heir! It¡¯s not as if I¡¯ve never heard of those gossips before.¡± ¡°¡­¡± How can that gossip bepared to the current situation? The rumors outside were spiraling unbelievably, quickly reaching the point where people were saying that the master was actually a eunuch. ¡°No need to mind them.¡± In a reversal of roles, Lu Yan was now consoling Dong Jing. Dong Jing felt like crying but no tears wereing out. He lifted his hand and rubbed his eyes. Gritting his teeth, he suggested, ¡°Master, how about you head to Huayue Pavilion to distract yourself?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Lu Yan looked up. He nced at Dong Jing with an incrediblyplicated expression. Locked in the gaze, Dong Jing¡¯s head hung lower and lower; he was very embarrassed. ¡°This servant was just suggesting¡­suggesting¡­¡± Lu Yan scoffed. Dong Jing no longer dared to say anything. He left the room hurriedly under the pretext of having to use the toilet. When Lu Yan was left alone inside the house, he yelled out for Lucky. The white cat¡¯s ears were very sensitive. It quickly jumped off the wall and bounded up onto the window. Pushing the window open with a paw, it jumped inside. It then shut the window in a cute and obedient manner before rushing to Lu Yan. Before jumping into the arms of its master, it even rubbed its paws on the carpet. After making sure that there was no dust in its ws, it finally leaped into Lu Yan¡¯s arms. Lu Yan patted the white cat. Suddenly, his constant calm expression became more conflicted. Lu Yan let out a heavy sigh. He picked up the cat and somewhat weakly rubbed his face into the white cat¡¯s soft body. White cat, ¡°¡­¡± ¡®Master, have you gone mad!¡¯ The most its master ever did previously was carry it in his arms or let it rub itself over his shoulder. When did the man ever use his face to rub it? At this moment, the white cat felt that its master was especially vulnerable. It was as if he had suffered a grave injury. Half an hourter. Dong Jing knocked on the door again. After receiving permission to enter, Dong Jing entered the room sheepishly. After a long moment of silence and just when Lu Yan was about to ask him to get out, Dong Jing said, ¡°Master, I didn¡¯t mean to disrespect you. I was just worried for you, which is why there is something I¡¯d like to say.¡± ¡°Speak.¡± Lu Yan¡¯s voice was a little sickly, and it sounded as if he was not interested in hearing anything. ¡°Master, please have mercy on me after I¡¯ve said my piece,¡± Dong Jing first said as he got onto one knee. ¡°It depends on the situation,¡± Lu Yan said lightly. ¡°¡­¡± Dong Jing raised his gaze and nced at his master who did not even bother sparing him a look. He justid there quietly, hugging the cat in a daze. Even his emotions had been toned down. Gritting his teeth, he spoke up. ¡°Master, I know that there¡¯s nothing wrong with you and that you¡¯re healthy. ¡°But I think you might have some psychological barriers when ites to certain aspects. ¡°This servant thinks that while Miss Qi may be an odd individual, she really has a connection to the Divine Physician Su Hexiao! ¡°She managed to cure Heir Pei¡¯s stubborn illness thatsted many years. Thus, with regards to your mental disorder, or sickness¡­ I think Miss Qi could definitely cure you too.¡± ¡­ His string of words popped like firecrackers. Dong Jing realized after he said them in one breath that he had spoken too much. However, he just wanted the master to receive medical treatment as soon as possible. The master would not scold him, right? Lu Yan, as it turned out, did not scold him. Instead, he insisted, ¡°I¡¯m not ill!¡± Chapter 259 - Well Known in the City 4

Chapter 259: Well Known in the City 4

¡°Then, I¡¯ll go to Huayue Pavilion tonight myself!¡± Dong Jing no longer felt any sympathy. Expression nk, he said, ¡°This servant does not wish to continue hearing those unfavorable rumors about the master spreading around outside.¡± Lu Yan, ¡°¡­¡± He really wanted to beat Dong Jing to death and be done with it!! Dong Jing said nothing. He said nothing as well. After a while, Lu Yan snapped exasperatedly, ¡°You¡¯re so annoying.¡± Dong Jing did not think that the angry master would merely call him annoying in a situation like this. He could tell that the master¡­ likely had a lot of difficult things to disclose. Dong Jing continued pushing him. ¡°I also do not intend to trouble you, but if you think about it, how would the entire Capital City view the Lu family if this gossip were to reach there?¡± ¡°Or perhaps¡­seeing as the Lu family is the richest in all of Northern Liang, it¡¯s possible that the gossip will spread to half of the maind. If the heads of the other chambers were to catch wind of this, they would definitely make fun of the Lu family behind our backs, make fun of you.¡± ¡°Just imagining it is enough to make me feel difited. ¡°I do not wish for my master to be theughing stock of everyone under the skies. I also do not wish for the Lu Family, for whom I¡¯ve dedicated half of my life to, to be a joke throughout the maind. ¡°I implore you to not ignore your medical conditions.¡± ¡­ A few secondster. ¡°Dong Jing!¡± Lu Yan rubbed the white cat¡¯s soft body, lowered his head in deep thought for a moment, then cursed, ¡°You¡¯re really annoying!¡± Dong Jing, ¡°¡­¡± ¡®I know I¡¯m annoying!¡¯ Lu Yan said, ¡°Go out first.¡± Dong Jing, ¡°¡­¡± Did his tone just soften? Could his master possibly be considering to think about this problem seriously? ¡­ Regarding Lu Yan¡¯s personal issue, when he lost to a particr ¡°little maid¡± at the Jiang residence, he had also lost all his dignity. The maid, ¡°Cuihua¡±, was indeed the ¡°divine physician¡± who cured Heir Pei! The divine physician had appraised Master Lu on the spot and identified that he was not well and might have a problem¡­which meant that he definitely did have one. So, Master Lu¡¯s personal issue¡­ It had spread to half of the upper circles of Qingzhou City from the guests¡¯ mouths soon after they dispersed! All the streets and alleys of the Upper East District in Qingzhou City were discussing Lu Yan¡¯s illness. ¡°Hahahaha, I¡¯ve long heard about Lu Yan¡¯s aversion to women in the Capital City. But I didn¡¯t think he was a eunuch.¡± ¡°Exactly. The young head of the Lu family, a eunuch, who¡¯d believe that?¡± ¡°I saw it with my very eyes, I fear he may have deliberately lost to that woman today.¡± ¡°Right on. Just think about it, you lot. With Lu Yan¡¯s capability, how could he have not gotten a bullseye? He just wanted a proper, fitting loss. Then, he says that he only lost because of bad luck. It¡¯s not that he can¡¯t bed the woman.¡± ¡°A little maid beating Lu Yan, this is probably the biggest joke of the year.¡± ¡°Maybe the Lu family has run out of luck and things might go downhill from here!¡± ¡°If the Lu family falls, there won¡¯t be a shortage of people waiting to split up their properties and im a piece for themselves.¡± ¡°Even if it¡¯s just property in Qingzhou City, I¡¯d be lining up to get my hands on it.¡± ¡­ Everyone in the upper circles had all secretly banded together and begun to make fun of Lu Yan. The bosses of the industries under the Chamber of Commerce have also caught wind of this. Every one of them heard the discussion about their immediate superior and were left speechless. Although they did not dare utter any falsehoods, they could not help but think about how Lu Yan was the favorite child of the current head of the Lu family. That was why Lu Yan was able to be the current young master. Most of the businesses under the Senluo Chamber of Commerce have been in his management long ago. They had even met the young master before, and he was very beautiful. He was practically as beautiful as a woman. Surely the master could not truly be having a problem in that department! That would be just terrible. A great human tragedy! ¡­ Qi Qingzhu had packed her luggage in the afternoon and called for a carriage at the gates of the city. After paying an extravagant fee, she got onto the carriage and started her journey back. Chapter 260 - Well Known in the City 5

Chapter 260: Well Known in the City 5

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion There was no visible sunset that evening and neither was there a single trace of light in the sky. The sky was extremely dark and cloudy, as if the heavens were about to fall. Because of theck of sunshine, the sky¡­ had turned dark very fast. About two quarters intote afternoon, Qi Qingyao emerged from the toilet and nced at the sky. She walked back feeling rather helpless. Suddenly, her ears picked up a faint but unusual sound. Although it was unpleasant to the ears, it was rhythmic. This¡­ She had read about this in a novel before, could it be some sort of signal call? However, she could not discern the source of the sound. This annoyed Qi Qingyao a little. Wait a minute¡ªcould it actually be that some assassins were congregating and preparing to take her oute nightfall??Qi Qingyao cradled her forehead, her head throbbing as she thought of this. It seemed that offending Lu Yan in public was indeed a bad decision; showing off is bad. ¡­ After Jiang Yeqian made the excuse of using the toilet, he exited the house right then and went to the small alleyway nearby once again. Bai Mei passed him something. ¡°Master, this is the intelligence report on the grand masters.¡± Jiang Yeqian flipped through the notes leisurely, reading the report clearly despite the dim light. Described in the report was the presence of two grand masters in Eastern Ling, one in Daliang City, and one practicing in Yunwu Mountain. There were two in Southern Ming, one in Junlin City, one on the shores of Cangjing Lake. There were two in Dazhou, one more in the sepulcher in Yinzhou City acting as a tomb keeper, and one living in Guling Pagoda! As for the one in Northern Liang, they had recently been traveling and were coincidentally living in the Zhu residence in Jiangzhou City! There were none in Qingzhou City. Jiang Yeqian¡¯s brows beneath the mask scrunched like fried dough twists just from reading the report. It seemed that the situation was bing more and more troublesome. He whispered, ¡°There are no grand masters in Qingzhou City.¡± Bai Mei lowered her gaze and asked in a low voice, ¡°Master, how should I report this matter to the government?¡± Jiang Yeqian turned around and paced slightly at the side; he was in deep thought for a long time. Finally, he spoke. ¡°Report it as it is.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± Everyone thought it was a grand master who had ughtered everyone in Lingyun Restaurant. However, there were no grand masters in Qingzhou City at this moment. This was a grave matter! It could be a huge matter.?If the news spreads, half of Qingzhou City would be shaken up and it would drive the seven grand masters insane. That was because there were two grand masters in each of the severalrge countries, and their overall national strength had always been stronger than Northern Liang. Northern Liang had the smallestnd area among the four major countries. Jiang Yeqian said, ¡°For 50 years, no one has stepped into the threshold of master; or perhaps there have been people who broke through the nine ranks and into the master threshold.¡± Bai Mei was a little stunned for a moment. ¡°I understand what to do.¡± Once Bai Mei departed like a ghost... Jiang Yeqian turned around and went back. The sky had begun to pour. The rain started off light but gradually became heavier. When Jiang Yeqian returned to the hall, Qi Qingyao was coaxing Dabao to sleep. She set the sleeping Dabao down on the arhat couch and covered the three kids with small quilts. Heir Pei had long returned to his residence after he was done looking around the ce. He had even informed her to tell him if anything happened at any time, as if he were an old friend of hers for many years. However, Qi Qingyao knew that they each had their own motives and that they were not friends. Speaking of which, she was still quite grateful toward Lu Yan. That was because when Lu Yan moved out, he only took with him the especially rare and expensive antiques. As for the ordinary furniture and mattresses, he had left them for her. The brazier in the hall had not been extinguished either, so the house was still warm throughout. Qi Qingyao disregarded the cold and walked out of the side hall, taking in a deep breath of the icy and forest-chilled air. The corners of her mouth curved up slightly. ¡°It¡¯s raining.¡± Si Jin was standing to the side, his head nodding. Jiang Yeqian asked, ¡°Are the children asleep?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve coaxed them to sleep,¡± Qi Qingyao replied. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you sleeping?¡± Jiang Yeqian asked. Chapter 261 - Well Known in the City 6

Chapter 261: Well Known in the City 6

¡°Now that I¡¯ve beaten Lu Yan, I wonder if he¡¯ll mess with me secretly,¡± Qi Qingyao suddenly blurted out. ¡°You¡¯ve said it before, many people suspect that I have rtions with Su Hexiao and Master Li Qinglian. When I brought you guys into this house this afternoon, many ¡®bypassers¡¯ outside had sneaked looks over at us. Not just me, they also looked at the two of you. The servants that you hired haven¡¯t arrived, so there are only three adults and three children tonight in the whole of this mansion.¡± Jiang Yeqian frowned slightly, unsure of what she was trying to say. Qi Qingyao suddenly snorted withughter. ¡°I¡¯m sure this house will be very lively tonight, right?¡± Jiang Yeqian, ¡°¡­¡± Oh, so she did understand!! Qi Qingyao asked, ¡°I asked you to hire an undertaker, have you done it?¡± Jiang Yeqian replied, ¡°I have.¡± Even if she did not say anything about this, he still would have prepared in advance. However, since she had, it meant that she had thought of it in advance¡­so he naturally spent the silver she gave. Jiang Yeqian was about to ask what they would do if someone came tonight, but before he could voice out the question, Qi Qingyao already answered. ¡°Tonight, regardless if it¡¯s assassins whoe, or those who want to try and test me, I want them all dead. There¡¯ll be no survivors.¡± All dead. Did she think that they were that strong? Si Jin nodded obediently, not questioning her at all. Jiang Yeqian asked cautiously, ¡°What if the opponent is too strong to kill?¡± If those who came were some rank-eights or a dozen of rank-sevens, would it be unreasonable to expect him and Si Jin to be able to get out of it unscathed? The trump card that was his strength would be instantly revealed if that happened. There were only seven master-level powerhouses. There were not a lot of rank-nines either. Once his strength was revealed, outsiders would be able to discern his identity via the method of elimination. Qi Qingyao understood what he meant. She turned her head around and faced Jiang Yeqian. Her smile was extremely casual. ¡°Oh, I forgot to add, those whoe to kill me tonight will be intending to test me. I, in turn, am using them to test both of your skills. If you can¡¯t deal with them, then¡­ Jiang Bai, you have to get lost.¡± ¡®This woman¡­¡¯ She did not even allow him the possibility to y dumb all. Qi Qingyao had a smile that did not quite reach her eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t care about whether the lineage you told mest time is true or false, I only like people who are useful to me. Those who are useless and like to tell lies have to get lost.¡± She made this statement intentional. She had not considered the degree of his strength; her words were simply to provoke Jiang Bai to give his all for her tonight. If he got hurt she would treat him! However, if some intruders were to break through their defense tonight due to him trying to hide his strength so as to not be discovered by the State Preceptor, she was afraid that her life and the children¡¯s lives would be in danger. So, she could only force this bastard to do his best! These unsaid words hurt Jiang Yeqian a lot. He could not help but look at Si Jin, who had been silent by the side. ¡°What did I do for her to always be targeting me?¡± If they failed to handle the situation, only he would be banished. What about Si Jin! Why did she not threaten him to get lost too! Si Jin curled his lips and rubbed the point in. ¡°Perhaps it¡¯s because you¡¯re not as cute as me.¡± Jiang Yeqian, ¡°¡­¡± Qi Qingyao rolled her eyes and entered the house. She asked Si Jin to bring over the Four Treasures (TN: calligraphy essentials). ¡°Grind the ink!¡± Qi Qingyao ordered again. Si Jin replied with an ¡°oh¡± and began grinding the ink obediently. Jiang Yeqian was curious about what she was preparing. Qi Qingyao quickly took out a feather pen and a wooden ruler from the luggage. After spreading open the scroll of paper, she began drawing a blueprint of the entire mansion on the paper. Jiang Yeqian was slightly taken aback when he looked at the drawing of the mansion she drew. This woman, she¡­ spent a lot of time this afternoon purposely rounding the entire mansion. He had thought at that time that she just wanted to tour the mansion of a rich man. Who would have expected her to be secretly memorizing the map? Her memory was¡­ surprisingly good! Theyout of this drawing was very simr to the blueprint of their small house. Indeed, it was her handwriting! Wait, could it be that she was Master Architect Li Qinglian? Although, her age¡­ Did not make sense! Chapter 262 - Well Known in the City 7

Chapter 262: Well Known in the City 7

Qi Qingyao was very satisfied with the map once she was done drawing it. In fear that she would forget, she personally marked a few entrances, exits as well as escape routes! Looking at the words ¡®escape route¡¯ on the map, Jiang Yeqian could not stop the twitching on his lips. This was his first time seeing someone who would mark an escape route¡­ After that, Qi Qingyao asked, ¡°You two, how are your skills?¡± Si Jin spoke first. ¡°Rank eight and above.¡± Jiang Yeqian pondered for a moment and then replied, ¡°Rank eight and above.¡± Both of them were ranked eight and above? She really had picked up treasures. ¡°How many rank eights are there in this world? And how about ranks nine? Also, how many grand masters are there?¡± she asked. Si Jin shook his head, looking pure and innocent. It seemed he really did not know. Qi Qingyao put her hope in Jiang Yeqian. Jiang Yeqian dared not stay silent. He answered honestly, ¡°Of the entire Continent, there are seven grand masters, tens of rank nines, and hundreds of rank eights. Basically, the imperial guards in the imperial pce should be at least rank seven or higher, only then would they be qualified to be selected as imperial guards. As for themander of imperial guards, they are of rank nine.¡± Tens and hundreds was a delicate way to put it. Ten people were considered to be in the double digits, but ny-nine people were also in the double digits. He had been deliberately vague. This was because if he had been too clear, he would not be able to answer her properly if she were to question him about why he knew this in such detail. Qi Qingyao nodded slightly, then asked, ¡°That Li Qing, what rank is he?¡± She needed a clear reference. Si Jin shook his head again. Jiang Yeqian said, ¡°Rank eight.¡± ¡°Then, those who will be here tonight, I¡¯m guessing you two can deal with them¡­ as long as you put your life on the line.¡± Those of rank nine and rank eight were both very skilled; ordinary assassins were at most rank six. If those two were to work hard, they should also be capable of wiping out their opponents. Qi Qingyao smiled and said, ¡°If you unfortunately die in battle, I will go back and buy you a coffin made of gold nanmu wood! Your funeral will be absolutely glorious!¡± Jiang Yeqian smirked. ¡°And what if we do not die?!¡± Qi Qingyao gritted her teeth. ¡°If you¡¯re not dead, I¡¯ll cook tomorrow morning and reward you both properly.¡± ¡°Okay, you said it yourself.¡± Jiang Yeqian instantly felt more motivated. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if you¡¯re injured, I know how to treat wounds and I¡¯ll attend to your injuries.¡± Qi Qingyao patted Jiang Yeqian on the shoulder very politely. ¡°Also, once tonight¡¯s over, I¡¯ll write off the one thousand taels that you owe me!¡± Jiang Yeqian was very serious. ¡°Your words!! You better remember them.¡± Qi Qingyao nodded with a lovely smile. Then, she pointed to the map and said, ¡°One of you will be on the roof at the front door and the other will be on the roof at the back door. Guard the entrance and exit for me. I¡¯ll stay in this room with the little ones tonight. This room is very hidden!¡± She dragged her fingers and pointed to a part on the map. That was a thoroughly hidden room! Jiang Yeqian, ¡°¡­¡± Very smart. They were not going to be staying in the master bedroom. Qi Qingyao took the sleeping babies to one of the side rooms, prepared the quilt, and then prepared the brazier. She did not undress. Laying on the bed with the little ones, she could not close her eyes. She put out the fire early; ensuring that the entire house¡­ was plunged into darkness. Jiang Yeqian stood guard on the roof of the front door while Si Jin was responsible for guarding the roof of the back door. When the two began exchanging ideas, Jiang Yeqian said only one thing to Si Jin. ¡°Prioritize survival!¡± Si Jin answered obediently, like an oblivious child, lovely and innocent. With an expression of suspicion, Jiang Yeqian thought, ¡®Is this guy really rank eight? Stop joking.¡¯ Not only was he unable to feel any human-like aura on his body, he also could not gauge his strength either. This was really weird. The rain was getting heavier. Jiang Yeqian and Si Jin were guarding the front and back, respectively. The backyard was gigantic. There was a huge garden and a huge pond! The heavy rain pattered into the pond, sttering water everywhere. They listened to the sound of rain, bathing in the downpour. Looking at the entirety of the back garden, Si Jin was a little excited. After making sure that there was no one around, he took off his clothes and plunged into the water like a cannonball. After ying in the water for a quarter of an hour, he reluctantly came back ashore. Putting on his wet clothes, Si Jin walked slowly toward the back door. He was grinning happily in the heavy rain. Qi Qingyao had refused to let him go to the river recently and he had been very obedient; he never went there ever again¡­ It was so soothing to be able to have a soak today! ¡­ The rain was too heavy. Jiang Yeqian stood under the front eaves, no weapons in his hands. His eyes were fixed on the rainy night, thinking that as long as he mopped up these insignificant people, he would be able to eat that woman¡¯s cooking tomorrow morning. Jiang Yeqian suddenly felt that it was worthwhile keeping vigil the entire night. She even said that she would treat them if they were injured. Then, maybe he should get some injuries on purpose? This thought was only a fleeting one because he realized he did not know what was going on at the back door. If Si Jin was not injured while he was, that would be very embarrassing. They waited for a very long time. After waiting until around fifteen past eleven in the night., there were starting to be movements in their surroundings. Amidst the heavy rain, a group of people d in ck arrived in the distance. They wereing¡­ Jiang Yeqian looked at the group with a smile. As to not let his strength be known, he had to kill all of them, and leave no witnesses behind. ¡­ ¡­ From the first draw of the de to the killing of the first person, this rainy night was destined to bear countless souls. Around one-thirty in the night., the assassins were no more. Jiang Yeqian stopped. Looking at the mountain of bodies piled up in front of the door, he rubbed his forehead. ¡°Just how many people were sent by all those forces to gauge her tonight? Motherf*ckers¡­!¡± Basically, the killers had all been rank fives and rank sixes. There were also three rank sevens! Perhaps it was the river of blood flowing from the front door which dyed the area bright red that left all the subsequent assassins dumbfounded. After Jiang Yeqian waited for another fifteen minutes, the corpse collector came. A man in ck walked up to the man in the ox head mask. ¡°Master, there are quite a lot of corpses. I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll have to pay more.¡± ¡°I have no problems paying you more. By the way, the corpses at the back door should also be dealt with.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± ¡°This is the final payment of one thousand taels. Remember to clean this up properly.¡± ¡°Thank you for your patronage, boss.¡± The sum had initially been eight hundred taels. Ke Yishan was a well-known diener in Qingzhou City. The collection of corpses from private individuals and government offices was all practically allocated to him. He had been in this business for 20 years. Apart from being stunned by the number of corpses collected from Lingyun Restaurant a few days ago, he was once again shocked to have been invited to thisrge signless house that used to belong to the Lu family by his customer to collect corpses. He had thought there would be at most a handful of corpses. Who would have thought that the corpses would be everywhere? There was so much blood flowing, it basically formed a river! They all seemed to have been assassins. The man in the ox-head mask stood under the eaves and looked at him. He sent someone to quickly lift the bodies onto the carriage. Then, they took away all the swords. The corpses had to be carted away in several carriages¡­ The people who were pulling the corpses were also a little bit bbergasted. When they got to the back door, there were even more dead bodies than the front door! Ke Yishan, ¡°¡­¡± Beneath the eaves of the back door sat a young boy. Although the boy¡¯s appearance was not very clear, he could vaguely tell that he was quite good-looking. He had a horse-headed mask ced beside his feet. ¡°So, you¡¯re the diener!¡± The young man stood in the rain and eximed with a smile. Ke Yishan swallowed and nodded. After making sure that there were no assassins left, the young man then threw away the sword in his hand. He stretched his waist and said, ¡°Drag the corpses away. You don¡¯t need to wash the floor anymore, the rain is heavy tonight!¡± Ke Yishan watched as the boy walked inside through the back door. He silently looked at the pile of corpses in the rain, thinking, ¡®Who the heck are these people?! They were killing people as if cutting melons and vegetables.¡± ¡­ That night, none of the men who had been sent by the various forces in Qingzhou City to gauge the residents¡¯ abilities came back! All of the people who were waiting for the news were left a little confused on this rainy night. Even if it rained, it was impossible for them to get lost! How was it that no one had returned at all? They waited till dawn. Still, no one came back to report to them. Whether it was to the Jiang family, the Han family, or the Yulong Gang, everyone who was waiting for news was wearing very ugly expressions. Sometimeter, a message came from the diener. After receiving the news, everyone turned pale. Several carriages of dead bodies? What was going on? Those two, ox-head and horse-face, did they do this? How was that possible! Chapter 263 - Well Known in the City 8

Chapter 263: Well Known in the City 8

The undertaker¡¯s work was very neat and efficient. It was still raining heavily when Qi Qingyao woke up in the morning. ¡®When did I fall asleepst night? I was so anxious! I didn¡¯t even know what time I fell asleep!¡¯ She stretched and looked around, making sure everything was safe. She walked to the entrance and nced around. The rain was very heavy. It was quiet outside, everything very serene. When she walked back to the side living hall, Jiang Yeqian and Si Jin were already sitting there, drinking tea. Qi Qingyao asked, ¡°Were there really assassinsst night?¡± ¡°Yes, but only a few. Not many.¡± Jiang Yeqian answered trivially. Si Jin held his teacup and drank the tea quietly,pletely ignoring the question. Qi Qingyao adhered to the agreementst night and quickly went to cook. Fortunately, when Lu Yan hired people to move out yesterday, only the valuables were taken away. Everything else had been left behind. Si Jin very obediently ran over to help light the fire. Qi Qingyao wanted to wash the vegetables in cold water, but Si Jin had already boiled the water and started washing the veggies with practiced ease. Qi Qingyao knew how to cook, but she was just usuallyzy. She quickly made four dishes and one soup. The porridge in the back pot was also done. The children were learning how to read from Jiang Yeqian. After bringing the dishes to the dining hall, she called everyone over to eat. The three adults and three children sat down together. Xiaobao looked at the simple dishes with sparkling eyes. ¡°Is this all Mommy¡¯s cooking?¡± ¡°Just eat!¡± Qi Qingyao seldom cooked. She felt very embarrassed by the small boy¡¯s gaze. She dered in advance, ¡°If it doesn¡¯t taste good or if it¡¯s not to your liking, just endure it. Don¡¯t say it out loud.¡± Everyone ate the meal that she cooked herself rather happily. Jiang Yeqian took a bite and turned his head to look at her profile. At this moment, he kind of wished that time would stand still. That was because he had never felt this much warmth in his life. It felt like¡­home. Everyone ate this meal very happily. After they finished the dishes, Qi Qingyao looked at the table full of bowls and started loathing the fact that this was not an inn. Qi Qingyao kicked Jiang Yeqian¡¯s leg. ¡°Even though you worked hardst night, you¡¯d also eaten well, so you have to wash the dishes!¡± ¡°I¡¯ve worked so hard and I still have to wash the dishes?¡± Jiang Yeqian widened his eyes and said in disbelief. Qi Qingyao pursed her lips and said with a smile, ¡°Si Jin and I cooked together. It¡¯s only natural that you have to wash the dishes.¡± Jiang Yeqian, ¡°¡­¡± Si Jin had even kindly helped him bring the dirty dishes to the kitchen. Jiang Yeqian stood in the kitchen all alone and looked at the messy room. He was not sure how to deal with it. He rolled up his sleeves and boiled some hot water before he started washing the dishes. He washed the dishes while thinking dejectedly that if Zhao Xin were to see him like this, he would think he had lost his mind. The superior Head Grand Secretariat, who was also the Head of Zhaixing Administration, was actually humbly washing dishes!! He had all these angry thoughts while washing dishes. What was he even nning! Staying here, being someone¡¯s bodyguard in the middle of the night, and having to wash the dishes in the day! What sin did hemit to deserve this! ¡®Forget it, I¡¯m not washing anymore! I¡¯m going to hurry up and leave.¡¯ Jiang Yeqian wiped his hands and left the kitchen, leaving behind the dirty dishes. He nned on simply leaving through the back door. He would not y this dumb master and servant game with her anymore. However, as soon as reached the kitchen door, he found that his legs would not move any further. Jiang Yeqian turned back. He continued washing the dishes while muttering to himself. ¡°I want to look for the Master Architect Li Qinglian, and I want to look for Su Hexiao! She¡¯s the only person who has a connection with them. I¡¯m doing this for the sake of the Zhaixing Administration! As the head, I have to take the lead and endure hardships! To get information!¡± When he had washed up to the final two dishes. A thought suddenly shed through Jiang Yeqian¡¯s mind. Everyone said that she had gone missing for a few days when she was visiting rtives in Qingzhou City four years ago. After she came back, her belly swelled in just a few months. That meant that the children¡¯s father could be someone from Qingzhou City! He seemed to have also been in Qingzhou City for a bit four years ago. During that time, he was there to investigate Eastern Ling¡¯s spies. It seemed that he needed to send a spy of his own to look into the events of that year. Wait, what if he figured out who the father was? If he did, should he tell her? Would the father acknowledge the children? If he did, then he¡­ ahem, well, it had nothing to do with him! He would just find out about it and let her know. With her current level of intelligence, if the children¡¯s father wanted to be with her¡­ Then, he¡­ No. He¡­ did not like her. They did not have that kind of rtionship. As a friend, he was just very concerned about whether she would be with the children¡¯s father¡­ Chapter 264 - Well Known in the City 9

Chapter 264: Well Known in the City 9

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Jiang Yeqian¡¯s hands that were washing the dishes paused as he thought about all this. He poured the dirty water and boiled some more water, then ran the dishes through hot water once again. After he was done, he wiped the dishes and chopsticks clean and arranged them neatly. He even shocked himself to realize that he had finished all the work. The dignified Head Grand Secretariat chose not to live a good life but was washing dishes here instead, and washed them very cleanly, at that! ... There was no news of the assassins hired by the Yulong Gang and the other various factions. At the same time, they received intel from the government office that the perpetrator of the Lingyun Restaurant Massacre should be a Grand Master. However, none of the Seven Grand Masters were in Qingzhou City. This matter was very mind-boggling. However, more importantly. ¡°I heard that the littledy is not called Cuihua. What¡¯s her name?¡± ¡°She¡¯s called Qi Qingyao!!¡± ¡°Qi Qingyao??¡± The factions finally knew the real name of this ¡®Cuihua¡¯ overnight. After the news traveled to Li Qing, he quickly looked for Heir Pei, who was having a meal. He interrupted Pei Fengtang without caring that he was having a meal. ¡°Lord Heir, there was another incidentst night.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Pei Fengtang had been in a calm moodtely. ¡°In order to test the abilities of Ox-head and Horse-face who were by Qi Qingyao¡¯s side, various factions in Qingzhou City had hired arge number of killers to take her out.¡± Li Qing unconsciously licked his lips as he said this. ¡°What happened then?¡± Pei Fengtang asked. Li Qing looked down and frowned. ¡°I heard the diener say that the young men with ox-head and horse-face masks were unscathed. However,?the front entrance and back entrance were all... filled with corpses! The diener had taken away all the dead bodies before sunrise. There were multiple carriages full of them, and the blood on the ground had been washed away by the heavy rain. There weren¡¯t any traces left. ording to detailed intel, there were a total of 60 to 70 dead.¡± ¡°How strong were the killers?¡± Heir Pei did not even open his eyes. Li Qing said, ¡°A few rank sevens, mostly rank fives, and rank sixes.¡± Pei Fengtang¡¯s hand that was holding the chopsticks paused. He looked up slightly. ¡°If they were unscathed, it means that ox-head and horse-face are at least rank nine.¡± ¡°Is it possible that they are ranked eight?¡± Li Qing suggested. Pei Fengtang shook his head. ¡°Impossible. If they are rank eight, they would have been injured if they had fought multiple waves of people for a few hours on a rainy night. There would be absolutely no chance of retreating unscathed. So, these two must be rank nines.¡± ¡°Rank nines¡­¡± To be able to hire two rank nines as bodyguards, that was impossible¡­ Li Qing felt a wave of dread just thinking about it. Pei Fengtang got up and stood by the window. He looked at the heavy rain outside that had been pouring the entire night and was still going strong today. It looked like it was about to stop, however. He was silent for a moment before he said, ¡°Who is she exactly? To have two rank nines by her side as enforcers.¡± Li Qing said, ¡°Lord, she must be Su Hexiao. I now feel that your instincts were right. If she isn¡¯t Su Hexiao, how could she have two rank nines as her enforcers?¡± ¡°Having two rank nines as enforcers, what a waste.¡± Pei Fengtang was a little jealous. Even his Li Qing was only a rank eight powerhouse! That woman, on the other hand, has rank nine guards by her side, and had even f*cking imed that she just picked them up. Who the f*ck believed that! How about she try picking up another one? Li Qing nodded. ¡°How indulgent indeed!¡± Pei Fengtang said, ¡°I¡¯m bing more and more curious about her.¡± ... After Qi Qingyao ate her meal, she felt a little bored. It was raining heavily today, however, and she could not go out to y. How about taking a nap? As she was worrying about what to do... Jiang Yeqian suddenly said, ¡°I think someone¡¯s knocking on the door.¡± Chapter 265 - Well Known in the City 10

Chapter 265: Well Known in the City 10

Qi Qingyao kicked the man¡¯s leg. ¡°Go and open the door quickly then, why are you standing here?¡± Jiang Yeqian put on the mask quickly and signaled to Si Jin. ¡°You go.¡± Si Jin pouted but did not say anything. He put on his mask and went and opened the door. The sight of the person on the other side of the door made him frown when he opened it. ¡°Lu¡­¡± Lu Yan! Lu Yan subtly swept his gaze over the empty space above the door and said, ¡°There¡¯s no que on the door, I¡¯ve made one for her and sent it over.¡± He had called someone over to take away the Lu Residence sign before he left. She had been so busy that she had not made the que yet. Si Jin was dumbfounded. Lu Yan had already asked someone to bring the que over. They even brought adder and had immediately hung the que up. After that, the workers braved the rain, got onto the carriage, and left quickly. Only Lu Yan, Dong Jing, and four guards were left. It seemed that the head of the Lu family was not here to pick a fight, seeing how sincere he was. Si Jin brought them into the house and led them all the way to the hall. Lu Yan knew this mansion better than him. Qi Qingyao was shocked when she saw her guests. Si Jin first reported the situation to Qi Qingyao. Qi Qingyao happily ran out to find the Qi Residence que hanging above the door. The gold wordings on the ck background were particrly domineering! When she came in again, she hurriedly poured tea for Lu Yan herself. She spoke in a friendly manner. ¡°My, Little Yan, thank you so much for the que.¡± As the saying went, ¡®We do not punish the smiling man (TN: Refers to not having the heart to punish someone who has offered their apologies.¡¯ Since he came here with sincerity, it would not do good for her to keep a sullen face. Lu Yan hugged the cat, his fingers tightening a little. The white cat felt suffocated and leaped down from Lu Yan¡¯sp, leaving Lu Yan sitting alone rather nervously. ¡°Ahem, the thing is, I came here to¡­¡± Qi Qingyao said keenly, ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re here to kill me.¡± ¡°Why should I kill you?¡± Lu Yan rolled his eyes at her. ¡°You¡¯d sessfully survivedst night. I¡¯m afraid that no one in half of Qingzhou City dares to touch you now.¡± When he received the news, he knew that the two people by her side must be rank nines. This strength¡­ was enough for her to do whatever she wanted in Qingzhou City. Qi Qingyao had thought the same too. Lu Yan straightened his back and said, ¡°I have something to tell you. Have them retreat first.¡± Of course, Qi Qingyao would not simply do as he said. She looked at him silently for a while, then gave an order. ¡°Stand back, everyone.¡± The children were ying in the next hall and were not here. Jiang Yeqian red at Lu Yan fiercely, but still went out. Si Jin followed after him. Qi Qingyao said, ¡°Are you sure you won¡¯t kill me?¡± ¡°I looked for you because I have something to tell you!¡± Lu Yan said seriously. After Jiang Yeqian, Si Jin, and Dong Jing left, Lu Yan seemed a little uneasy. He told Dong Jing, ¡°Dong Jing, help me keep an eye on them and tell the both of them to stand by the pond in the backyard. Don¡¯t let them overhear our conversation.¡± Jiang Yeqian naturally did not agree with this arrangement. Qi Qingyao thought about it and had them do as they were told. The white cat followed after Si Jin happily. After everyone was dismissed and it was only the two of them left in the side hall, Qi Qingyao carried the hot-water bottle and poured him a cup of tea. She said as she drank, ¡°What do you want to tell me? How mysterious.¡± Lu Yan did not take the teacup. He sat there and looked down, seeming a little at a loss of what to do. ¡°I¡­¡± He hesitated, unable to say a word. ¡°??¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Speak!¡± ¡°¡­¡± Qi Qingyao urged him twice, but Lu Yan continued sitting there without saying a word. Qi Qingyao stopped urging and just held her forehead helplessly. She looked at him for a moment before beginning to drink her tea. He still had not uttered a word by the time she finished a cup of tea. Qi Qingyao continued waiting until she was done with the drink. She patted the table impatiently. Chapter 266 - 6: His Hidden Condition 1

Chapter 266: His Hidden Condition 1

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion ¡°I¡¯ve waited for you for quite a while now. Brother, you¡¯ve finished that entire pot of tea and you still haven¡¯t said anything. Seeing that you¡¯vee looking for me, surely you¡¯re not thinking of asking for this house back but can¡¯t bring yourself to say it?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not it,¡± Lu Yan hurriedly refuted. ¡°Then, spit it out. You¡¯re like a woman! Dilly dallying like an old granny! Missy Lu!¡± Qi Qingyao mocked him deliberately. Lu Yan frowned. His expression became ghastly but he remained silent. His gaze was extremely morose. The look he was giving Qi Qingyao seemed to betray a feeling of desperation. Qi Qingyao was taken aback by this. She somehow sensed that the atmosphere today was different from yesterday¡¯s. She instantly knew that she had taken the joke too far and quickly said, ¡°I was jesting, don¡¯t look at me with that despondent look on your face.¡± Lu Yan took a deep breath and picked up the tea bowl at the side. He gazed into the tea inside that had already cooled and pondered for a long time before giving a brief statement. ¡°I was actually looking for you for a serious matter.¡± ¡°Then, fricking say it!¡± Qi Qingyao eximed, her tone bing unkind. ¡°I¡­¡± The way he stretched out his words revealed the extreme tension he was currently feeling. His fingers squeezed the tea bowl tightly. His knuckles had begun to turn white. Qi Qingyao caught all this in her sight. A sudden thought shed through her mind and she took the lead to speak first. ¡°Did youe to me to get treated? Then, I suppose I don¡¯t need to borate more about your illness.¡± Lu Yan immediately lifted his head, his gaze somewhat flustered. Qi Qingyao smiled radiantly and said, ¡°Don¡¯t hide your problems from the doctor when youe to consult them! If you don¡¯t say anything, I won¡¯t know what¡¯s the problem.¡± Lu Yan was staring at a particr vase in the hall. His eyes and brows were rxed while his gaze was cold. He took a few deep breaths. It was as if he was building his resolve. Just when Qi Qingyao was about to lose her patience... Lu Yan spoke. ¡°Let me tell you a story.¡± Qi Qingyao nodded. She picked up a piece of walnut cookie and munched on it. ¡°Long ago, in the Lu family¡¯s attached mansion in Jiangzhou, there was a little boy. His family was particrly wealthy. Once he was no longer a wrinkly baby, he soon grew up into a beautiful young boy. His family would always praise him, saying that he was as beautiful as a girl. The boy did not take kindly to thesements, but his mother assured him that it was apliment in disguise, being told that you have good looks. The little boy then obligingly epted the praises. The child grew up peacefully and happily and turned thirteen years old one day. His family members, from top to bottom, all liked him very much. The boy was still very pretty. ¡°The boy, who was already a juvenile, gradually grew taller. At that time, the teenager hadn¡¯t developed a nitpicking habit for cleanliness and was just like any ordinary person. He could ept it when people touched his head or other kinds of physical contact. He also enjoyed having dinner together with everyone. But one day, after waking up from his sleep, he discovered that someone had tied him up and drugged him. His body felt ufortable.?The person who then entered the house was an old granny servant who was in her fifties... That night, the young man experienced the worst devastation in his life.¡± Lu Yan¡¯s voice was very soft, his tone leisurely and far off as if he were telling ancient tales. He was speaking as if this matter had nothing to do with him. However, when Qi Qingyao heard the story with her own ears, she felt as if she had been struck by lightning. ¡°...¡± She no longer dared to stuff the walnut cookie in her hand into her mouth. She looked at the man, beautiful as the flowers of the early spring, with mixed feelings. ¡°When he next woke up, his body was bruised and it took him half a month to recuperate. Everyone in the mansion who learned what had happened was killed by his grandmother. After the boy recovered, everything was different from before. When he approached people, he felt ufortable. in and simple difort. He didn¡¯t want to eat with people anymore. He couldn¡¯t ovee that psychological barrier. Half a yearter, the boy returned to the capital, but from then on, he was an anomaly in everyone¡¯s eyes¡ªa freak!?But he didn¡¯t care; his father¡¯s heart went out to the boy after knowing what happened and he still adored the boy very much. He started teaching him how to run a business and helped him be a normal person. So the boy grew up day by day¡­ and gradually became who he is at present.¡± When he reached the end, his tone had be light and floaty. However, Qi Qingyao felt that under this light tone, countless years of oppression could be heard. Qi Qingyao took another tea bowl, poured him some tea, and passed it over. She said leisurely, ¡°Drink.¡± She was trying to ease the atmosphere a little. Lu Yan was silent as he epted the bowl of tea. He put down the previous bowl. Gripping the new bowl of piping hot teal, he looked at the swirling tea leaves inside but did not drink. There was just silence. Chapter 267 - His Hidden Condition 2

Chapter 267: His Hidden Condition 2

Qi Qingyao never expected Lu Yan¡¯s problem to have originated this way. Once a handsome young boy as delicate as a flower, then vited by an olddy using drugs! It left a very severe psychological trauma, making him afraid to eat with others and leaving him with a strong aversion to unfamiliar drinks. It was no wonder Pei Fengtang was surprised when he asked to stay for a meal in Heir Pei¡¯s attached mansion back then. Thinking about this issue from a different angle, if she had still been an underaged young girl and was maltreated that way by some old man, she probably would have PTSD toward men in this lifetime too. Qi Qingyao could not find it in herself tough. At that moment¡­ She began to sympathize with Lu Yan wholeheartedly. She was silent for a moment before she finally said, ¡°This is called post-traumatic stress disorder. ¡± Lu Yan clutched the tea bowl, startled. ¡°You didn¡¯tugh at me.¡± Qi Qingyao gave a dryugh. ¡°If you weren¡¯t so ufortable when with physical contact, I would actually like to hug you now and console you a bit. And I mean the sincere kind!¡± Lu Yan, ¡°¡­¡± Dong Jing had nagged his ears off like an old mother yesterday. He had listened to all of it and then asked someone to make a que overnight. Then, he came to Qi Qingyao on his own initiative. If she really was rted to Su Hexiao¡­ Then she should be able to treat him. She did not roll her eyes at him after he had shared the facts about his unbearable past. Neither did she look at him with disgust. Her attitude was very sincere. Lu Yan was a little surprised. He had thought that he would first suffer a round of ridicule before they couldmunicate normally with further talk. Qi Qingyao pouted and said, ¡°I said a lot of things at the banquet yesterday¡­ I was wrong. But you can¡¯t me me. I didn¡¯t know about your past.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t me you,¡± said Lu Yan. They fell into a state of awkwardness once again. Qi Qingyao drank some tea and picked up a walnut cookie. However, she did not eat; she just stared at it. She was thinking about how she should go about treating this problem. Lu Yan could not help himself and opened his mouth to ask, ¡°Are you not a doctor?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Qi Qingyao nodded faintly. Seeing that she was saying nothing particrly helpful, he could not help but feel confused. ¡°Do you not know how to treat me?¡± Qi Qingyao still said nothing. In a small gloomy voice, Lu Yan swore, ¡°You quack! ¡± Qi Qingyao did not know whether tough or cry at being cursed at. She waved her hands and said, ¡°It¡¯s not that I can¡¯t, it¡¯s just that you¡­ I hope you don¡¯t mind me asking, but that olddy¡­ was she ugly?¡± Lu Yan¡¯s face instantly turned pale, as if he had suffered another severe mental shock. Qi Qingyao quickly raised her hand in a gesture of surrender. ¡°Alright, alright. I won¡¯t ask anymore.¡± Lu Yan coughed lightly and said, ¡°About this, you can¡¯t tell anyone. I don¡¯t want anyone to know.¡± Qi Qingyao replied, ¡°Even if I was a shameless woman, I won¡¯t belittle your privacy. Besides, you are my patient. It is my responsibility to keep your secrets.¡± He felt some hope at her words. Lu Yan asked joyously, ¡°So it¡¯s curable?¡± Qi Qingyao replied casually, ¡°There is nothing incurable about this problem. This is just post-traumatic stress disorder.¡± Lu Yan was in disbelief. ¡°It¡¯s really curable?¡± Thinking for a bit, Qi Qingyao said carefully. ¡°It will be a bit troublesome. I reckon we¡¯ll need a long time to deal with it.¡± Lu Yan pressed, ¡°And how do we deal with it?¡± Qi Qingyao asked suddenly, ¡°What do you think of my looks?¡± ¡°Passable.¡± Lu Yan answered after mulling over it for roughly five minutes. Qi Qingyao was not offended by his answer. She raised her eyebrows and fixed him with ascivious smile. ¡°Do you have any particr thoughts about me?¡± ¡°No.¡± Lu Wei shook his head. Qi Qingyao¡¯s lips twitched. She immediately felt at ease and said leisurely, ¡°It¡¯s good that you don¡¯t have any thoughts about me. In that case¡­try holding my hand?¡± After saying that, she stretched out her hand and extended it toward Lu Yan. Lu Yan looked at the outstretched hand but did not have the desire to grab it. He even thought about backing away a little¡ª that dark night from many years ago seemed to be creeping into his mind again. Qi Qingyao noticed the change in his expression and immediately withdrew her hand. Lu Yan stood up and walked to the side. Determined that Qi Qingyao would not be the first to act this time, he considered for a moment before taking the initiative to grip her hand for one second¡­ two seconds¡­ three seconds. About five secondster, Lu Yan could not bear it anymore and ran to the flowerpot at the door, then clutched the garbage bowl beside it. ¡°Blergh-¡± ¡°I know it must be ufortable, but does this happen when you take the initiative to make contact?¡± Qi Qingyao was actually a little shocked. Qi Qingyao rubbed her chin in spection and said, ¡°It looks like we have to take things step by step.¡± She had to go and prepare a one-hundred-day nter! Chapter 268 - His Hidden Condition 3

Chapter 268: His Hidden Condition 3

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion She would do her best to convert Lu Yan into a normal person in one hundred days. After Lu Yan was done emptying his stomach, he rinsed his mouth with tea, and once he was feeling better, he sat over to the side. He looked at Qi Qingyao, who was deep in thought with a hand on her chin. He said his next words very seriously. ¡°If you can cure me, I¡¯ll let you decide the price of the treatment. You can have anything you want.¡± ¡°We can discuss this after we¡¯ve cured you.¡± Qi Qingyao waved her hand indifferently. ¡­ The pond in the house had a beautiful name¡ªYanyu Lake. Three men were standing by theke. Jiang Yeqian was watching the fish swim around in theke. After a long silence, he asked Dong Jing a question. ¡°Why did Lu Yane to see her? ¡°It¡¯s regarding an important matter.¡± Dong Jing could not helpughing when he said this. He knew why the master hade. If the master was willing to take this first step, then the things he said yesterday had not been in vain after all. Jiang Yeqian did not understand. ¡°How important?¡± Dong Jing replied smugly, ¡°It concerns the master¡¯s lifetime happiness.¡± Jiang Yeqian prodded a soft spot tactlessly. ¡°Is it about him not being able to get it up?¡± Dong Jing, ¡°...¡± His face turned green for a second. However, he neither dared to confirm or deny the statement. Dong Jing was feeling a little awkward. ¡°The master isn¡¯t ill, he just has a mental barrier toward certain things. He¡¯ll be fine once he is cured of that,¡± he defended his master anxiously. Jiang Yeqian wanted tough, but felt thatughing out loud would be too mean. While others may not know about Lu Yan¡¯s illness, how could he not? Regarding the things that happened in Jiangzhou back then¡­ even including that incident where every living soul in that house was killed! Si Jin tilted his head curiously as he listened to the conversation between the two. He subconsciously lowered his head and nced at a certain part of himself. Then, he asked with grave seriousness, ¡°What does it mean by not being able to get it up?¡± Dong Jing, ¡°??¡± Jiang Yeqian, ¡°??¡± Both men turned to look at him simultaneously. Si Jin pressed earnestly, ¡°Tell me.¡± Dong Jing was quite speechless. ¡°You don¡¯t know what ¡®to get it up¡¯ means?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t,¡± Si Jin replied. ¡°Not being able to get it up means¡­¡± Dong Jing was at a loss for words at Si Jin¡¯s question. He scratched his head and then asked the man in the ox-head mask, ¡°Isn¡¯t this boy with you? Why doesn¡¯t he know this?¡± Jiang Yeqian¡¯s expression turned dark beneath his mask. ¡°How should I know?¡± Dong Jing, ¡°??¡± ¡®Aren¡¯t you both Qi Qingyao¡¯s people?¡¯ Si Jin hurriedly asked again, ¡°You guys haven¡¯t told me what it means.¡± ¡°To not be able to get it up means you cannot perform as a man!! One cannot perform! Get it now?¡± Dong Jing felt annoyed being asked that question. ¡°I don¡¯t.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°What do you mean by ¡®cannot perform¡¯? I think I can. I can perform.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Tell me then.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll understand when you embrace a woman.¡± ¡°Embrace a woman?¡± Si Jin thought internally that he could do that. He would just go and hug Qi Qingyaoter, then he would know whether or not he could perform. After Qi Qingyao was done chatting with Lu Yan, she let Jiang Yeqian and the others back into the side hall. It was definitely much warmer inside the house. Si Jin sat directly in front of the burning fire of the brazier. It was so hot that he threw the mask aside. Jiang Yeqian looked at Lu Yan with an odd expression through the mask. Just as Lu Yan was preparing to say goodbye... Qi Qingyao suddenly asked. ¡°Won¡¯t you stay for ate afternoon meal?¡± ¡°No, thank you. I shall take my leave now,¡± replied Lu Yan. ¡°As if.¡± Qi Qingyao retorted leisurely. ¡°You¡¯ll stay here under my roof these one hundred days until you¡¯re cured of your illness.¡± Jiang Yeqian, ¡°Ah.¡± Lu Yan, ¡°...¡± Si Jin, ¡°?¡± Dong Jing clenched his fist lightly, it seemed that there might be some hope with the master¡¯s illness. Qi Qingyao calmly said, ¡°Isn¡¯t this house huge? You can bring your servants back and save me the trouble of looking for new people. I think your servants really wiped down the floors and tables well. It means they are good at what they do! After that, you can find apound to live in. I will try to turn you into a normal person within three months.¡± Jiang Yeqian pulled Qi Qingyao to one side and asked in a low voice, ¡°You actually want him to stay here?¡± Although he had not had many interactions with Lu Yan before, Lu Yan was from the Capital City! Getting too close to him will easily result in his identity being leaked. ¡°He¡¯s now my patient.¡± Qi Qingyao patted his shoulder. ¡°His condition is special, that¡¯s why I need to keep a close eye on him.¡± ¡°Just prescribe him something,¡± said Jiang Yeqian. Qi Qingyao replied, ¡°His condition doesn¡¯t require medicine.¡± Jiang Yeqian was surprised. ¡°There are illnesses that don¡¯t require medicine?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a mental disorder, that¡¯s why I need to keep close observation!¡± After Qi Qingyao said this, she turned around and went back to the brazier. After thinking for a bit, she pulled Si Jin up. Dragging the handsome young man along, she walked toward Lu Yan and pushed Si Jin in front of him. Qi Qingyao smiled brightly and said, ¡°Little Yan, don¡¯t you think he¡¯s good-looking?¡± Lu Yan was confused, but thinking that she was probably trying to figure out the source of his illness, he answered honestly, ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Do you feel anything?¡± Qi Qingyao asked. The corners of Lu Yan¡¯s lips twitched. He replied heavily, ¡°I don¡¯t feel anything¡ªhe¡¯s a man.¡± Qi Qingyao asked, ¡°Can you hug him?¡± ¡°I can try?¡± Lu Yan frowned. Si Jin wanted to back away but was held firmly in ce by Qi Qingyao and could not move. He was forced to stand there. Lu Yan took two deep breaths and stepped forward. He did not hug him; he just pulled up one of Si Jin¡¯s hands and held it. After holding it for a while¡ª about ten seconds¡ªhis face turned pale and he let go. After Qi Qingyao determined the period had been around ten seconds, she said with her eyebrows raised, ¡°It seems that it¡¯s just a slight PTSD for humans in general, and a more intense PTSD for women!¡± Jiang Yeqian heard that word curiously and asked, ¡°What is PTSD?¡± ¡°Post-traumatic stress disorder,¡± Qi Qingyao answered. ¡°What is that?¡± Jiang Yeqian asked. Qi Qingyao said, ¡°The name of the condition.¡± Lu Yan suddenly blurted out insistently, ¡°You have to be Su Hexiao.¡± Qi Qingyao had just turned around and was preparing to take a piece of paper to scribble down a treatment n when she heard this. She could not help but exim rashly, ¡°You stupid fool. If I really was Su Hexiao, would I be hiding myself? I would¡¯ve openly admitted it, alright? Who wouldn¡¯t want to enjoy the worship of thousands of people? But I¡¯m not! Besides, I was only a few years old around ten years ago, and you¡¯re calling me Su Hexiao? You whack noggin!¡± Lu Yan, ¡°...¡± Jiang Yeqian realized that the person who was being rebuked was Lu Yan. Not only that, he was being chastised pretty intensely. All of a sudden, he found that it no longer mattered that Lu Yan was living here. Looking at the woman¡¯s attitude, she would never fall for Lu Yan anyway. For such a heartless woman like her, Lu Yan was just a patient who cannot get it up now! Qi Qingyao mumbled as she scribbled out the n, ¡°ck cat or white cat, as long as they catch the mouse they are a good cat! I¡¯m Qi Qingyao! What matters is I can help cure your disease. What a drag!¡± Lu Yan just stood there. He stared at her back for a bit before suddenly thinking that perhaps this time, he could finally ovee the darkness in his heart! ¡­ Qi Qingzhu did not return to her vige. She went directly to her mother¡¯s home in Linquan Vige. Her father and mother had already left her elder brother¡¯s house. Since her elder brother died, it would not be reasonable for them to be in her sister-inw¡¯s care all the time. Hence, Qi Boli and Madam Wu moved to their fourth uncle¡¯s home. She was looking for her younger sister. In the end, the vige head told her that although Qi Qingyao had visited them on the first day of the new year, she never really lived in that house. Qi Qingzhu anxiously asked where her younger sister might have gone. The vige head pointed her to some Longmen Inn, saying that her younger sister mentioned that she often lived there. Qi Qingzhu thanked Ma Sanye profusely and decided to steal the keepsake first before heading off to look for her sister. Qi Yuanxiu was said to be the fourth oldest of the Qi family by order, but Qi Yuanxiu was actually the second son of the Qi family. After Qi Qingzhu returned to Linquan Vige, she realized that her sister-inw had already brought the children back to her maiden home. She heard from others that they would only return after the lunar new year. So she went and stayed in Qi Yuanye¡¯s home. After chatting with her sister-inw the whole night, the first thing Qi Qingzhu did the next morning, despite the rainy weather, was to go to Qi Yuanxiu¡¯s house. She spoke with Madam Liang a bit and had breakfast. Then, her mother, Madam Wu, took one look at the weather and told her that there was no need to rush home. Qi Qingzhu pretended to ept what she said. She also added that she would go back to her husband¡¯s family after the rain stopped. However, she was secretly figuring out when was the best time for her to steal the two keepsakes. Her mother had just moved here, so Qi Qingzhu did not know where she kept the keepsakes. That afternoon, Madam Wu and Madam Liang were chatting in the hall of the house as they coaxed the baby. Qi Qingzhu gave an excuse of using the toilet, but turned around midway and sneaked into her mother¡¯s room. She looked around but could not locate the keepsakes. Finally, her eyes fell onto a box in the corner. The box was locked. tion Chapter 269 - His Hidden Condition 4

Chapter 269: His Hidden Condition 4

If there was a lock, there was definitely a key. Qi Qingzhu left the room and went to the back courtyard. She went to the toilet for a bit and then came back. Qi Qingzhu thought that she needed to test her mother a bit and ask her where the key was. She did not see any keys when she was looking around just now. She returned to the hall and sat in front of the brazier, warming up with everyone. Qi Qingzhu was a little absent-minded, her gaze sneakily searching her mother twice. It seemed like¡­ Qi Qingzhu contemted for a bit and decided she could only soak her mother¡¯s clothes. While it would be really ufortable to get wet in this winter weather, she still had to get her to take off her clothes so she could look through the sleeves of the clothes and any other ces. She would do whatever she said. Qi Qingzhu went and brewed a pot of tea. When she brought it over, she pretended to trip, knocking over a tea bowl and spilling the water all over Madam Wu. The hot tea sshed all over Madam Wu. She gave a start and hurriedly stood up, snarling, ¡°How do you even walk?¡± Qi Qingzhu hurriedly apologized. Seeing that the cotton jacket was soaked, Madam Wu raged, ¡°Honesty! It¡¯s already winter and I¡¯m soaked in tea now. It¡¯s a good thing my winter clothes are thick. So only the surface got wet and I wasn¡¯t burned to death by the hot water! If this happened in the summer, I would have skinned you!¡± Qi Qingzhu smiled and supported Madam Wu up. With a smile, she said, ¡°Mother, let¡¯s go in,e on. You need to take off this wet coat and change into a new one quickly lest you catch a cold.¡± Madam Wu did not suspect anything amiss. She followed Qi Qingzhu into the house. Madam Wu took off the top cotton coat and a key fell out from the cotton coat sleeve. Qi Qingzhu pretended to pick up her clothes and then sneakily palmed the key. She proceeded to dry the cotton coat on the shelf. Madam Wu changed into another cotton-padded jacket and then left. Qi Qingzhu thought, ¡®Mother did not suspect anything.¡¯ Perhaps it was because she had not brought up her younger sister¡¯s name when she came back this time. Qi Qingzhu took the key and quickly opened the chest. She flipped through the bottom of the box and found a hard object. Qi Qingzhu fished it out¡ªit turned out to be an old handkerchief. She unfolded the handkerchief to find a jade tablet and a white jade thumb ring tucked inside the cloth. Qi Qingzhu was a little excited. She hurriedly scooped the items into her arms. Then, she closed the box and locked it back up! She hurried back and stuffed the key back into the sleeve of the soaked cotton jacket. Since she already got what she needed, she wanted to rush to Longmen Inn in Baishui Town as soon as possible. Qi Qingzhu came out of the room, but she did not dare to leave immediately, for fear that it would be too conspicuous. She sat outside and chatted with everyone for a while longer. After taking her afternoon meal, she saw that the rain had gotten a little lighter and took the initiative to say, ¡°Mother, the rain has subsided a little now. I will head back to my husband¡¯s house first before he gets angry. ¡± Madam Wu saw nothing wrong with that and exhorted, ¡°Be careful on your way back. It¡¯s been raining for the past two days, the roads are slippery. When you¡¯re home, tell your husband that you came backte because of the rain.¡± Qi Qingzhu smiled and agreed. She put on her rain cape and bamboo hat before she left the vige. It had been raining for two consecutive days and the surface of the roads was slippery with mud. There were no carriages or carts on the road; Qi Qingzhu was all alone as she trudged quietly back to Baishui Town. She even slipped a few times. The light rain was still drizzling. Soon, night fell and thend was shrouded in dark, cloudy rain. Since the terrain was difficult to walk on, it was half-past seven in the evening when Qi Qingzhu finally arrived in Baishui Town. The inn server was taken aback when they saw a mud-covered person at the entrance of the inn. How filthy. Qi Qingzhu took off her hat and robes before she dared to enter the inn. ¡°Miss, are you here for some rest, or are you looking for a room?¡± ¡°I¡­ am looking for my younger sister.¡± ¡°Your younger sister?¡± The servant asked confusedly. ¡°My younger sister is thedy who has three kids with her! She stays at your inn,¡± Qi Qingzhu said anxiously. The servant nced at the girl with surprise, then said, ¡°Oh, you¡¯re talking about that girl. She checked out on the third day of the Lunar New Year.¡± ¡°She left?¡± Qi Qingzhu was so devastated at that moment she could cry. Had she missed her again? Where had her sister gone to now? ¡°That¡¯s right, said she won¡¯t be back for some time,¡± the servant supplied kindly. ¡°Did she say where she was headed?¡± Qi Qingzhu hurriedly asked. The Longmen Inn servant knew the beautiful woman with her three children. She had stayed at their inn for a long time and was very humble, so they were very happy to answer her questions. ¡°They seemed to have followed Heir Pei and gone to Qingzhou City together.¡± ¡°Ah!!¡± Qi Qingzhu was stunned. She, she, she, she, she just came back from Qingzhou City. Yet in the end, her sister had gone to Qingzhou City¡­ It seemed like she had to return to Qingzhou City quickly or she would miss her again! Chapter 270 - His Hidden Condition 5

Chapter 270: His Hidden Condition 5

Qi Qingyao said she would let Lu Yan stay in the house but he was not really willing to do so. However, after thinking about the need to treat his condition, he instructed Dong Jing to bring his luggage over. Then, he once again picked out a courtyard to stay in. He even called back the servants that he had dismissed before. Those servants all shed tears out of gratitude toward Lu Yan. Lu Yan pointed at Qi Qingyao. ¡°That¡¯s your new master.¡± The servants were a little startled before they quickly bowed their heads to Qi Qingyao, thanking her. Qi Qingyao looked at everyone with a smile. ¡°Things will be the same as before, you will all work as you did before! Your wages will also remain unchanged.¡± The servants were all ecstatic. They were no longer unemployed! They could even continue living in thisrge house. ¡°Manager Zhang, you¡¯ll be in charge of the personnel of this house, just like before.¡± Qi Qingyao spoke to a middle-aged person who looked about forty years old. She smiled and said, ¡°You can ask for the monthly expenditure budget from Si Jin.¡± Manager Zhang was shocked to see the youth in the horse mask. The youth¡¯s figure was very scrawny and he seemed to be very young. Manager Zhang nodded faintly. ¡°Is he the ountant?¡± Qi Qingyao¡¯s lips curled slightly. ¡°Part-time ountant!¡± Lu Yan was sitting in the hall as he watched the group of familiar servants. They were all elderly individuals who had lived in this house for a long time. ¡°There¡¯s no need for that. The monthly expenditure budget remains the same as before, a responsibility of the Senluo Chamber of Commerce. Put it on my bill.¡± Qi Qingyao hurriedly reminded him, ¡°This is no longer your house, don¡¯t fall back into things like before.¡± Lu Yan nced at her, then said seriously, ¡°You¡¯re helping me treat my condition now. You didn¡¯t say how much it¡¯ll cost yet, so take this expenditure as payment for my treatment.¡± Qi Qingyao raised her brows slightly and patted him on the shoulder. ¡°You¡¯re sincere, I like it.¡± After that, she said to the servants, ¡°In that case, you all are to follow things as before, you can ask him about any matters you need to!¡± The servants happily went and unpacked their luggage. They had just moved back in after moving away for one day; the ups and downs they felt in their emotions were not something that others could possibly imagine. They had all heard the rumors and nders aimed at their master by outsiders, but they did not care about that. These servants had served the Lu family for more than a decade and they knew Lu Yan¡¯s habits and character intimately. The master was nothing like what the people outside thought of him¡­ He was a good man who minded his own business and steered clear of trouble. Most importantly, he was also good-looking. Lu Yan said, ¡°Dong Jing, please deal with the matters here properly.¡± Dong Jing nodded seriously and said, ¡°Rest assured, master. Things will be as they were before, this servant of yours understands that.¡± ¡­ After Lu Yan returned to the courtyard, Jiang Yeqian also went back to his room. He said he wanted to read a book and the children went running to him, saying that they wanted to read together. Soon, only Qi Qingyao and Si Jin were left in the side hall. Qi Qingyao asked Si Jin to grind up some ink, then she began drawing out the relevant treatment n on paper. Si Jin looked at her scribbling on the paper. Somewhat confused, he asked, ¡°Didn¡¯t you ask Jiang Bai to rehire new servants before? Why don¡¯t you want to use them now?¡± Qi Qingyao replied as she continued writing out the n, ¡°I was always at ease when he took care of matters. But when I think about his identity possibly being fake, the people he hired would be too close to me and I¡¯d feel as if I¡¯m being monitored.¡± Si Jin did not quite understand this. ¡°Didn¡¯t he say he was going toe clean with you the second time around?¡± ¡°You can tell Jiang Bai is an extremely intelligent individual just from his face. His confession could just be a facade,¡± Qi Qingyao shrugged as she exined calmly. After a pause, Qi Qingyao said to Si Jin, ¡°Lu Yan is now under my care so there will be no issues with his servants.¡± They were all elderly servants of the Lu family, who had been employed by them all year round. There should not be any strange things happening around them. Si Jin thought about it for a moment, then tilted his head and said, ¡°I thought you were already very trusting of Jiang Bai.¡± Qi Qingyao snickered and said, ¡°I¡¯d rather trust a ghost than him!¡± Si Jin, ¡°¡­¡± For Qi Qingyao to be able to say all these things to him meant that she trusted him more than Jiang Bai! When he thought of this, he suddenly felt very happy. Qi Qingyao continued writing out the n, then analyzed the situation calmly andposedly. ¡°He knows a lot. I think he knows a lot about the general trends in the world as well as the various forces in power. Based on how many people were killed at the back door yesterday night and how you described it to me, the situation at the front door would probably have been even worse. However, he was able to locate a familiar local corpse collector and have the corpses handled cleanly without leaving any trace behind. That proves that he has dabbled around in Qingzhou City before. Or perhaps he might have some kind of influence here. Not only that, he is also being hunted by the State Preceptor, Li Ruoxuan. From all this I think his identity should be rather special.¡± ¡°How special?¡± Si Jin¡¯s pure ck and clear eyes were filled with confusion. Qi Qingyao mused thoughtfully, ¡°I asked Pei Fengtang about thisst time, and Heir Pei said that the State Preceptor was not someone you should provoke.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Then what did that mean? Qi Qingyao continued indifferently, ¡°He has been hunted by the State Preceptor for almost two months. He also doesn¡¯t dare reveal himself in front of strangers. He said it himself that the State Preceptor¡¯s people were still hunting him. Think about it, to be hunted by the State Preceptor so relentlessly shows that he is not some small, insignificant character.¡± Speaking of the Jiang family in Yuehua City, since she was just some little woman from the vige, it would be impossible for her to ever meet Jiang Chenye of the Jiang family in Yuehua City. Si Jin seemed a little happy and he said stupidly, ¡°You really trust me a lot more than him.¡± Qi Qingyao nced at the smirking little idiot next to her. ¡°You¡¯ve shown your face several times so far. You¡¯ve shown your face in front of Lu Yan and Heir Pei, yet no one is chasing after you. This indicates that you¡¯re just some minor character and therefore, I don¡¯t doubt you at all.¡± Jiang Bai, on the other hand, practically just wished he could hide himself within the shadows forever. His identity was too suspicious. Si Jin asked, ¡°So what do you n on doing?¡± Qi Qingyao pondered for a long time before saying, ¡°First, maintain my current status quo and then slowly wait¡­¡± The truth would always surface in the end. Since she was in Qingzhou City, she might be able to catch hold of Jiang Bai¡¯s pigtail someday. She had never shied away from making deals with all kinds of people. However, the premise for this deal was that he had to be honest enough with her. Otherwise, he would have no right to initiate a deal at all. Seeing how things were looking now, the ying field was too uneven. The man had hidden himself too deeply and was only thinking of using her. Si Jin did not seem interested in Jiang Yeqian¡¯s identity but he suddenly asked, ¡°Sister, what does ¡®not being able to get it up¡¯ mean?¡± Qi Qingyao¡¯s hand that was drafting the n stuttered. She blinked and asked him, rather dumbfounded, ¡°Who told you this?¡± ¡°They did, Lu Yan¡¯s escort and also Jiang Bai¡­ they were discussing this,¡± said Si Jin as he scratched his head rather embarrassedly. ¡°Don¡¯t listen to their crap. Don¡¯t mind these issues, it has nothing to do with you.¡± Those two, what nonsense were they talking about in front of Si Jin? Si Jin pressed, ¡°But you haven¡¯t exined to me what it means.¡± Qi Qingyao went silent for half a beat before answering absent-mindedly, ¡°Little guy, why don¡¯t you, take a stroll around the brothel?¡± ¡°Can I?¡± He had heard that there were a lot ofdies at the brothel! ¡°Go and grab a fifty taels note yourself!¡± Qi Qingyao ordered, ¡°Go to the brothel and have a feel of the atmosphere. Tell me how you feel after getting out of there.¡± Si Jin gave an obedient ¡°oh¡±. He told her that he would goter. Qi Qingyao raised her brows, the smile at the corners of her mouth very wicked. Chapter 271 - His Hidden Condition 6

Chapter 271: His Hidden Condition 6

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion The sky had started turning dark. Si Jin actually took fifty taels of silver and like he was told and left the house obediently. He walked out of the residential area and into the bustling street market. Then, he asked some passersby where thergest brothel in the city was. The passersby stared at this young man who had hung the horse-face mask behind his head. They saw how graceful, delicate, and pretty the boy was. They saw how sweetly he was asking them where the brothel was¡­ The passersby then pointed him in one direction. Then said... ¡°Huayue Pavilion.¡± Si Jin gave his thanks. Then he walked in the direction of Huayue Pavilion. Making his way to the ce, he raised his gaze and looked at the beautiful, gold sign with a red base!?Was this the brothel? Before he entered, he followed the entrance path and caught sight of waning lights. Si Jin lifted his feet and walked in. Once past the floral screen, he saw that the inside of therge hall was extremely well-lit, the orchestra of string and wind instruments extremely refined, the scene overall quiet and elegant. There was a light, powdery perfume filling the hall and there were braziers everywhere, which warmed the ce up so that the few lithe and elegant women were able to wear nothing but fine gauze garments sweeping against their bodies on this winter day. They were graceful and charming. The women were ying the qin and making music, their eyes gentle. However, their gazes conveyed a hint of teasing and flirting intentions when they swept over their guests. Si Jin¡¯s arrival caught the attention of quite a few of the women. That was because a youth with looks like his would not juste to Huayue Pavilion simply for entertainment. One look was enough to tell that he was very expensive. Miss Li was the madam who ran Huayue Pavilion. She had noticed theely youth walking through their door with one nce from the second floor. The boy¡¯s brows were like ink paintings and his lips looked like they were painted. He was nothing like themon youths who would step into this red light premise. His gaze was naive and pure, how very¡­ cute. Miss Li stopped the girls from encircling him. She went down personally and took a look at the young man¡¯s clothes. The material of his clothes was extremely fine, indicating that he came from an extraordinary background. She nced at the horse-face mask on the back of his head. How peculiar. Miss Li stepped up and asked implicitly, ¡°Is this the little master¡¯s first time here?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Si Jin replied earnestly. Miss Li had some understanding of why the young man hade, so she readily said, ¡°You may choose whichever girl to apany you.¡± ¡°Anyone cane forward,¡± Si Jin was even more direct. Miss Li called for Hua Emei, then a woman who was even more splendid than Qi Qingyao, with the mark of a peony flower gleaming between her eyebrows and a delicate jade and gold hairpin nestled in her hair, sauntered up gracefully. Miss Li thought to herself that since it was this little master¡¯s first time, she would immediately bring out one of Huayue Pavilion¡¯s three stars, Hua Emei! She gave Hua Emei another wink before signaling for her to serve him well. Hua Emei walked up, wanting to hold the youth¡¯s hand. The youth, however, avoided her. Hua Emei was not annoyed with it, she just pretended to smile shyly and led the youth to the luxurious room upstairs. As soon as she entered the room, the maidservants delivered some refreshments and pastries. Even the fruits were ced in exquisitecquerware. Hua Emei handed the youth a piece of pastry. Si Jin shook his head. He did not like these much; he only liked white rice. The fragrance on this woman was very faint, but he did not like it either. Hua Emei did not expect the youth would turn down the pastries. Those pastries actually had something added to them¡ªaphrodisiac. Hua Emei was a bit dissatisfied. She was so beautiful, she just needed to persuade the youth a little more and he would definitely eat it. ¡°This pastry is really delicious. It¡¯s a pastry made exclusively in our shop.¡± Hua Emei insisted earnestly. Si Jin still shook his head. Hua Emei was aware that some masters did not much like sweet treats and changed her approach. She took a pot of alcohol and poured the youth a cup. ¡°This wine is called ¡®peach blossom spring¡¯. It is also a specialty of Huayue Pavilion. Would you like to taste it?¡± Si Jin once again shook his head. While his memories fromst time were a bit hazy, he knew that something big had happened after he had taken alcohol which made Qi Qingyao quite mad¡­ What was more, alcohol was nasty. Hua Emei was beginning to get a little discouraged. He neither wanted to eat nor drink. Hua Emei immediately asked, ¡°Master, I don¡¯t know what service you desire when youe to Huayue Pavilion.¡± Saying this, she immediately began to undress. She was only wearing three light tulle garments on her body. When the first piece of tullended on the ground¡ª Si Jin¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°You, you, you, why are you taking off your clothes?¡± ¡°How old are you this year, master?¡± Hua Emei¡¯s gaze was hazy and ambiguous when she asked this. ¡°I¡¯m very big now,¡± Si Jin replied. ¡°Then, do you really not know what I¡¯m going to do?¡± As Hua Emei spoke, she threw herself onto the youth¡¯s body, pulling on his belt as she flopped onto him. ¡°I¡¯ll help you gain a new experience tonight.¡± Having someoney on top of him and having his belt pulled suddenly put Si Jin into high alert. He stood up and pushed the girl away, and said rather usingly, ¡°Why are you taking my clothes off?¡± ¡°How are we to do things without taking off our clothes?¡± This guest was really making Hua Emei gloomy. She did not buy his words, so she threw herself onto him again, intending to press the initiative. Si Jin pushed her away more forcefully this time. ¡°You¡¯re not allowed to take off my clothes,¡± he said indifferently as he reset his belt, ¡°I don¡¯t like people forcing me. You are not allowed to force me. Only Sister is allowed to give me orders.¡± Hua Emei did not expect the youth to bepletely unfazed when he saw her body. His eyes were clear; there was not a hint of hesitation. Hua Emei felt helpless. ¡°Why did youe to a brothel if it was not to sleep with a woman?¡± Si Jin said seriously, ¡°Sister said I would know if I could get it up or not if I came here.¡± Hua Emei¡¯s mind suddenly went nk. ¡°You, you can¡¯t get it up?¡± ¡°Why does that mean?¡± Si Jin was as serious as ever. Hua Emei thought to herself, ¡®He isn¡¯t just an inexperienced child, he is a young man who knows nothing of the world.¡¯ She went silent for a moment. She had removed all her clothes efficiently and was standing in front of the young man naked. The young man, meanwhile, was neatly dressed and calm. This made her feel embarrassed for the first time ever. She asked somewhat bashfully, ¡°How do you feel when you see me?¡± Si Jin tilted his head, wondering, ¡°Why did you take off all your clothes? Isn¡¯t it cold?¡± Hua Emei, ¡°...¡± ... Three-quarters past seven in the evening. Si Jin ran back and knocked on Qi Qingyao¡¯s door hurriedly. Qi Qingyao nced at the children who had just fallen asleep. After running to open the door, she made a shushing gesture to Si Jin. Si Jin burst into aggrieved tears as he eximed, ¡°Sister!!¡± Qi Qingyao pulled Si Jin to the side hall, lit a candle, and asked him what was wrong. ¡°The brothel drove me out,¡± Si Jin said while his mouth twitched. Qi Qingyao, ¡°Huh?¡± How could they possibly have chased him out? ¡°I just asked her what ¡®not being able to get it up means¡¯ and the girl took off her clothes. Then, I asked her why she undressed and she cried and had someone kick me out,¡± Si Jin said without a shred of guilt. Qi Qingyao almost fell off her chair. Si Jin held her firmly in ce just in time. Qi Qingyao¡¯s forehead creased into a frown as she asked, ¡°You, did you not have a reaction?¡± ¡°What reaction?¡± Si Jin asked very seriously. Qi Qingyao was simply at a loss for words. Any normal man would have a reaction when faced with an undressed woman. ¡°Your heart is as still as water even in the presence of a naked woman!!¡± ¡°How should I react otherwise?¡± Si Jin asked. ¡°Your heart would beat like drums, you would feel excited and nervous, a tightness in your chest, numbness in your throat and scalp. There would also be a special reaction in your lower abdomen.¡± Even if she was a woman, she would still be uncontrobly excited, her phantom limb sticking up, expressing itself when faced with a beautiful naked girl but in the end, he... Si Jin asked, ¡°I don¡¯t feel any of that.¡± ¡°This, you¡­¡± Qi Qingyao did not know what to say at all. She looked at Si Jin quietly, and cursed in a soft voice, ¡°We shouldn¡¯t call you Si Jin from now on. You can just change your name to Little Monk.¡± Si Jin, ¡°...¡± It was not like he was a monk. Qi Qingyao paced right and left for a moment, holding her forehead in her hand. ¡°I have never met a guy like you with such a calm heart. You had a beautiful woman in your arms, and yet you were not moved in the slightest.¡± Si Jin, ¡°¡­¡± He was not unmoved. He really liked Sister. Qi Qingyao sighed with emotion and looked out at the night sadly. ¡°It looks like I not only have to save Lu Yan but also you, you little fool.¡± Si Jin, ¡°...¡± Save? Why did he need saving? He was not ill! ¡­ Jiang Yeqian heard movements in her room and went over. However, he did not enter the side hall, he just stood nearby outside, listening quietly to the conversation between the two. His forehead wrinkled with frown lines when he heard that Si Jin had run back from a brothel. What horrible idea had this womane up with? After hearing the rest, however... Jiang Yeqian¡¯s expression copsed again. Si Jin also had issues¡­ in that aspect! A rival¡­ Ah! That was not right. Anyway. Jiang Yeqian did not know why but he felt a little happy. He was the only normal person; how could he not be pleased about it? Chapter 272 - His Hidden Condition 7

Chapter 272: His Hidden Condition 7

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion That night. Lu Yan was lying down in his room but was not sleepy at all. So, he got up, put on a white fox fur cape, and stood by the window. He opened the window and let the cool breeze float in along with the rain, blowing at his face, somber and cold. The temperature was low, but Lu Yan did not feel cold, he even felt a warmth in his heart. How many years had it been? Apart from the few close rtives who knew what had happened back then, he had never told anyone about it. He had taken a long time to build his resolve before he started talking to that woman today. He thought he would be met with all kinds of ridicule after sharing his tale, but her reaction had been calm as if she were a real healer. It gave him a lot offort. Naturally, he would love nothing more than to be cured of this. The next morning. Lu Yan had just arrived at the side hall when he saw that Qi Qingyao was already up and was talking to her children about some mathematical problem. The children were all listening with stupefied expressions, but also with their full attention. Lu Yan, however, did not understand what she was talking about. Qi Qingyao noticed him enter. She waved at him. After Lu Yan walked over, she took out a thick stack and handed it to him. ¡°I¡¯m done with the treatment n.¡± Lu Yan had just flipped open the papers when he heard Qi Qingyao say firmly, ¡°From today onward, you will listen to my orders except for when ites to the ounting matters of your house.¡± Lu Yan pointed at the papers. ¡°Can I look at the contents of the papers and prepare myself mentally?¡± ¡°You can.¡± Qi Qingyao added rather profoundly, ¡°The n can be modified based on your special needs.¡± The n was really long. It filled up seven to eight full pages. Various items had been written outprehensively. The only unusual thing was that, ¡®Lu Yan¡¯ was written beside (A), but as for (B), the name of some woman was written next to it. Lu Yan pointed at it and asked suspiciously, ¡°Who is this woman?¡± Qi Qingyao replied rxedly, ¡°You can choose one. At least, let it be someone you don¡¯t actively hate. It can be a close maid of yours or someone by your side; they just have to be a female.¡± Lu Yan¡¯s expression turned troubled for a second. ¡°Do I need a female to help me ovee my psychological barrier?¡± ¡°If not a female, would you perhaps like to find a man to help you?¡± Qi Qingyao joked calmly, ¡°If you are willing to look for a man, you can do that as well. I have no objections.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s¡­ stick with a female.¡± Lu Yan¡¯s tone was somewhat hollow. He nced at the n again. It was a step-by-step n and was very detailed. Fine sweat began forming on his forehead. Feigning flippancy, Qi Qingyao said, ¡°I¡¯ll give you an hour¡¯s time. After you¡¯ve found someone, I¡¯ll arrange for them to live next to you.¡± They would be able to cultivate feelings easier in close proximity. He had to look for some female stranger? Even more sweat formed on Lu Yan¡¯s forehead. He thought for a bit then said, ¡°There¡¯s no need for me to find someone.¡± He pointed at Qi Qingyao and said her name. ¡°I¡¯ll just go for you.¡± ¡°Huh?¡±?Qi Qingyao immediately spat out the tea in her mouth. The children had been thinking about the positive and negative numbers that their mother had been talking about with their fingers. When they saw her spitting out her tea, they immediately raised their heads. Qi Qingyaoughed. She waved to the children and motioned for them to continue ying. The children lowered their heads and continued trying to understand what negative one was. His expression unchanged, Lu Yan said, ¡°I choose you.¡± Qi Qingyao put down the tea bowl, wiped the tea from her chin, and asked curiously, ¡°Why do you want to choose me?¡± Lu Yan exined casually, ¡°Your n includes holding hands and some other intimate things like hugging that I would have to do in theter stages. If I were to choose a stranger, I would not be able to do any of that. I¡¯m also afraid that the other party will fall for me and this would make things troublesome. Besides, I also don¡¯t want others to know about this matter. So, it¡¯s more convenient to choose you since you know of my situation and already have children. You also despise me a little so you definitely wouldn¡¯t fall in love with me. I won¡¯t fall in love with you either¡­ It¡¯s simply more convenient for me to be in contact with someone as a friend. It¡¯s a qualified and useful position.¡± Qi Qingyao rubbed the space between her brows; she did not know whether to cry orugh. ¡°It truly is a sound and reasonable exnation.¡± Lu Yan asked unhurriedly, ¡°Name your price. How much do you want to willingly be my experiment partner?¡± Qi Qingyao cradled her forehead in her hand and pondered for half a minute. ¡°It¡¯s not a question of money, Little Yan. Didn¡¯t you see that one of the important requirements I wrote in this one-hundred-day n was for both parties to pretend to be each other¡¯s boyfriend and girlfriend? That¡¯s why I wanted you to find someone who you would not hate. If you choose me now, you¡¯re basically saying you want me to pretend to be your girlfriend to help you get rid of your psychological barriers!!!¡± Lu Yan shot back, ¡°And is there a problem with that?¡± ¡°Of course there is.¡± Qi Qingyao patted the table. ¡°I have three children, if I were to pretend to be your girlfriend, we would have to interact with one another when we¡¯re outside. For the sake of your reputation, we definitely can¡¯t tell people it¡¯s only for show either. In the eyes of those outsiders, we would truly be each other¡¯s boyfriend and girlfriend. What then? Tell me, what do you think the rich and powerful people in Qingzhou City would think?¡± ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± Lu Yan asked again. ¡°Are you stupid?¡± She was quickly losing her patience with this fool. Qi Qingyao said calmly, ¡°If Master Lu, the one and only richest man in Northern Liang, were to be seen going out with me, everyone would basically think that I am your concubine. Of course, I don¡¯t think there¡¯s anything wrong with it¡ªI can even use your reputation to get some free meals¡ªbut what about you??People will think you have an extreme taste! To aim for a single woman with children¡­ they¡¯d think you¡¯re sick!¡± Lu Yan replied, ¡°I don¡¯t care what the others have to say as long as you can treat my condition.¡± ¡°...¡± Qi Qingyao looked at him, noting his shamelessness and dead seriousness, and said, ¡°I actually admire you a little bit.¡± Lu Yan looked at her solemnly. He was awaiting her answer. In any case, he was her patient. Seeing his serious appearance, Qi Qingyao also felt a little embarrassed to find herself grinning so cheekily, so she said, ¡°Let me think about it.¡± During breakfast, Lu Yan had his meal in his room while the six of them, including Qi Qingyao, had theirs in the dining hall. As they were eating, the maid wanted toe forward and serve them, but Jiang Yeqian refused. So, the maids and servants all waited outside. The servants all wondered if the new owner had the same problems as the head of the Lu family, that they did not like people waiting on them! Regardless of when it came to meals or living in general, the hostess and the two masked servants seemed to not like others being too close to them. The children also did not need any servants. How.. .strange. They have the same habit as Master Lu. Then why did they say that Master... ¡®No way¡¯! After they were done with their meals, Qi Qingyao had the servants take the dishes away and wipe the table clean. They moved to the side hall. Si Jin came over with a teapot and after serving the tea, Qi Qingyao waved over the children who had their tummies filled. ¡°Come here, all of you, I want to discuss something with you.¡± Jiang Yeqian closed the door to the side hall to prevent anyone froming in. Only then did he remove his mask. The three adults and kids sat together at the small round table. Jiang Yeqian peeled some apples for the children as he watched her with raised brows. ¡°Hm?¡± Xiaobao asked as he peeled an orange, ¡°Mommy, what did you want to say?¡± Chapter 273 - His Hidden Condition 8

Chapter 273: His Hidden Condition 8

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Qi Qingyao looked at Xiaobao. As if she was just casually mentioning something as an afterthought, she said, ¡°The treatment of Lu Yan¡¯s condition requires a period of a hundred days.¡± Everyone looked at her curiously. They waited for her to continue. Qi Qingyao continued, ¡°Also, I¡¯ve written out a n. He needs to look for apatible partner and they have to be a woman. So, he decided that I would be the most cost-effective option.¡± Jiang Yeqian heard this and his brows instantly furrowed. Si Jin did not make a sound; he was waiting for her decision. The children looked at one another doubtfully. Xiaobao, ever diligent, asked, ¡°Mommy, what is a partner?¡± Qi Qingyao scratched her head, feeling a little embarrassed having to exin this to a child. ¡°That is... Lu Yan he¡­ has an illness now. A mental illness! I¡¯m the doctor and I need to cooperate with the patient¡¯s treatment. So, when we go out, I have to pretend to be his girlfriend, the kind where you have to hold hands.¡± Xiaobao gave an ¡°oh¡±. ¡°Is it that Uncle Lu who Mommy wanted us to call Grandpa but was rejected by him?¡± ¡°Yep, that¡¯s him.¡± Qi Qingyao nodded continuously like she was pounding garlic. Dabao looked all around at the big house. ¡°And she got this house by beating him.¡± Si Jin quietly added some charcoal to the brazier. Jiang Yeqian¡¯s expression was a bit conflicted. His gaze was slightly lowered, his thoughts a mystery. Erniu¡¯s pink and tender face was ruddy red. ¡°Grandpa said before that there is no such thing as a free lunch. Mommy also said that he is sick. You are a doctor, so you should cooperate with him for a bit and help treat him.¡± Xiaobao cocked his head, thinking very seriously for a moment. A sh appeared in his big, sharply contrasting eyes. ¡°Although I don¡¯t know what a mental illness is, it must be pretty serious if he had to personallye to Mommy to get treated. When we were praying at the Koi Temple, I overheard someone say that saving a life is better than building a seven-story high statue of Buddha. So, Mommy should help him.¡± This house used to be Uncle Lu¡¯s. If Mommy were to treat his illness, who knows what else she could win from his hand in the future¡­ Seeing that the three children had agreed in no time... Jiang Yeqian¡¯s expression turned darker and darker. He said solemnly, ¡°I don¡¯t agree to this.¡± Qi Qingyao¡¯s expression looked as if she was inviting him to express his opinion. ¡°Tell me what you think.¡± Si Jin was also frowning. ¡°You having to pretend to be boyfriend and girlfriend with him is a no-no.¡± Jiang Yeqian was shocked. He did not think that Si Jin would be on his side this time and hurriedly added, ¡°That¡¯s right. I also don¡¯t think it¡¯s good.¡± ¡°Tell me your reason,¡± said Qi Qingyao. Jiang Yeqian answered seriously, ¡°You¡¯re still going to get married in the future. If you y pretend with him like this, you both will be actual partners in the eyes of the public. It¡¯s equivalent to you helping him resolve the rumors about his reputation as a eunuch, yet he will still be using you to solve his psychological barriers.¡± Qi Qingyao reminded, ¡°There¡¯s a consultation fee.¡± Jiang Yeqian shook his head and said, ¡°It¡¯s not about whether or not there¡¯s a consultation fee. You both have to hold hands, and you might even need to embrace one another.¡± Qi Qingyao muttered under her breath, ¡°It¡¯s just hand-holding.¡± The children listened in on the adults¡¯ conversation and were confused. Their minds were filled with questions. ¡®What¡¯s a eunuch¡­ What¡¯s a mental barrier?!¡¯ Jiang Yeqian felt that their following conversation might not be suited for the children¡¯s ears and so he said to the three of them, ¡°You three go and y first. Your mother and I have to deal with this issue and have a good talk about it.¡± ¡°Okay~¡± Uncle Jiang had taught them a lot of things recently. That was why the children were quite obedient to his instructions. So, they went and yed with a little rocking horse at the side. Uncle Lu had given them the little rocking horse this morning! Riding it was fun! After seeing that the three had gone further away to the corner to y with the rocking horse... Jiang Yeqian then looked at her seriously. ¡°Qi Qingyao, you went missing in Qingzhou City four years ago and had three children. Now, you¡¯re in Qingzhou City again. Did it not ur to you that you would meet the children¡¯s father?¡± ¡°...¡± Qi Qingyao raised her eyebrows at this question. Why would he bring this up? Si Jin also could not help but blink instantly. Jiang Yeqian asked, ¡°Did it not ur to you to try and find out who the children¡¯s father is?¡± Qi Qingyao, ¡°...¡± She truly had not thought of this. If he had not brought this up, she would havepletely forgotten about this matter. Jiang Yeqian saw through what she was thinking and reminded her, ¡°If the children¡¯s father is someone in Qingzhou City, what if he sees you when you are preparing to head out and about Qingzhou City as Lu Yan¡¯s partner?¡± ¡°So?¡± Qi Qingyao asked. Jiang Yeqian¡¯s thin lips parted slightly. ¡°Then what?¡± Qi Qingyao loosened the grip of her hands as she asked calmly under pressure, ¡°What does the children¡¯s father have to do with me?¡± Jiang Yeqian did not expect them to talk about this topic at all, nor for her to be so calm about it. ¡°It¡¯s not something serious, but what if he shows up to take the children away?¡± A sh of indifference shed through Qi Qingyao¡¯s dark pupils. ¡°Does he even know the children are his?¡± Jiang Yeqian, ¡°...¡± Qi Qingyao swept a casual nce at Jiang Yeqian who seemed to be more agitated about the issue than she was despite only being an observer. She said, ¡°You¡¯re a really weird guy. The reason I¡¯m trying to cooperate with Lu Yan now is that I find him pitiful. I just want to help treat his mental illness. You make it seem as if I were going to take advantage of Lu Yan to climb up society¡¯sdder to reach the top of the mountain. If that¡¯s the case, you¡¯re really looking down on me. I admit that I find him good-looking, but I¡¯m not interested in him, just like how I am not interested in you. ¡®What do you mean you¡¯re not interested in me, I¡¯m the one who isn¡¯t interested in you!!¡¯ ¡°It never crossed my mind that you were trying to climb up society¡¯sdder¡­¡± Qi Qingyao replied helplessly, ¡°Sure, sure, I¡¯m a single woman with kids, even if I were to think about it, it would be impossible. I¡¯m very aware of this.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant.¡± Jiang Yeqian was at a loss at how to exin himself. ¡°Then, what do you mean?¡± Qi Qingyao questioned him tly. ¡°All I¡¯ve been hearing from you is talk about the children¡¯s father. What does the children¡¯s father have to do with me? Do I know him? Even if he were someone from Qingzhou City, the children would never go with him!¡± Jiang Yeqian added a potent argument. ¡°What if he intends to snatch the children from you?¡± ¡°Snatch?¡± Qi Qingyao sneered as if she had just heard some ridiculous joke. Then, she said with a superficial smile, ¡°If he really were to appear to snatch them away, I¡¯d like to see him try. I¡¯m the private doctor of the richest man in Northern Liang, Master Lu. I guess this is considered as having some connection to him, yes? I¡¯m also Heir Pei¡¯s savior. Do you think that with my connections, that person would be able to snatch them from me even if he were to show up? Jiang Yeqian, ¡°...¡± Qi Qingyao added, ¡°I¡¯ll say this! That person took away Qi Qingyao¡¯s innocence. If I find out who it was, I will send you and Si Jin over in the middle of the night to have them and their entire family killed in secret!¡± Jiang Yeqian, ¡°...¡± Qi Qingyao taunted calmly, ¡°And you think they still want to take my children away from me? Ludicrous!¡± Si Jin secretly wished to apud Qi Qingyao. ¡®Sister¡¯s right, just kill the man!¡¯ Jiang Yeqian most likely understood what she was implying, that she would not be bewitched by Lu Yan and that she would not like him romantically. She would not be interested in him¡ªJiang Yeqian¡ªeither. For some reason, arge rock seemed to have fallen to the base of his heart when he thought about this. Then again. Jiang Yeqian thought about Heir Pei, Lu Yan, and himself. He had not seen this woman show any interest in any of them. Even if she was caught off guard by their appearances the first time, in the end, it was nothing more than astonishment. After that... Her gaze went calm, always calm like ake... She... was really elusive. Like how she acted with him, he was so handsome, yet she was not tempted at all, what the f*ck! Was she made of stone?! Chapter 274 - His Hidden Condition 9

Chapter 274: His Hidden Condition 9

Jiang Yeqian was honestly very curious. ¡°You really won¡¯t fall for him? Even if he¡¯s so rich and quite good-looking?¡± Qi Qingyao cradled her forehead. She immediately lifted her gaze slightly and spat coolly, ¡°You, why do you always think that I¡¯m some lovestruck fool? You think I¡¯d immediately fall hook, line, sinker as long as some good-looking, rich hunk tries to catch me? F*ck, do I look that stupid? Do I look like some brainless idiot? Do you think that if someone were to throw a bone over, I¡¯d wag my tail andp up to them?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant.¡± Really it was not! Qi Qingyao flew into a rage. ¡°You say you don¡¯t mean it, but your every word shows that is exactly what you meant!¡± ¡°I¡¯m just afraid that he¡¯d trick you and lead you away. I¡¯m just a bit worried!¡± Jiang Yeqian exined softly. Qi Qingyao pointed at his face and said with overweening confidence, ¡°I personally think that you¡¯re better looking than him, but did my heart ever beat for you? Preposterous!¡± Was that a praise? So, it seemed that to her, he was better looking than Lu Yan. Wait a moment. ¡°You turn up your nose at me!! At him!! You even turn up your nose at Si Jin! You only take Heir Pei as a friend! What kind of look do you actually like?¡± This sudden question¡­ Brought Qi Qingyao to a halt. Si Jin had also widened his eyes as he watched Qi Qingyao particrly curiously. ¡°You¡­¡± Qi Qingyao pointed at Jiang Yeqian. She did not know what to say even after thinking for a long time and finally spat, ¡°You¡¯re weird!!¡± After saying that¡­ Qi Qingyao stood up, and spat out more words. ¡°Why do you want to know what kind of looks I like? I¡¯m well aware of my own circumstances, what qualifications do I have to like others? I¡¯ve told you everything before, I want to be a wealthy old woman! You absolute, ginormous *sshat!¡± With that, she ran off to look for the children; she had agreed to sew a small purse for the children anyway! The children had said before that they wanted a small money pouch but did not want one that was bought. She, as a mother, should personally be of service to her cuties this one time and make them three cute little pouches! Her children could bring with them some spending change when they go out next time. Children have to learn about finance from a young age! After Qi Qingyao entered the house, she had the maids bring her needles, thread, and some loose fabric. Taking one nce at the ugly patterns on the fabric, she decided to head out for a trip to buy some better ones. She took a nce at the weather outside. Qi Qingyao mumbled to herself as she fished out some banknotes from a small wooden box. ¡°Snowing right after rain, this weather is so romantic that it¡¯s truly a little annoying.¡± Qi Qingyao entered the house again and changed her clothes. Then, she left for the courtyard. Jiang Yeqian, who had put his ox-head mask back on, asked, ¡°What are you nning to do, all dressed up like that?¡± Qi Qingyao exercised her limbs for a bit. ¡°Naturally, I¡¯m going out to roam around. We¡¯ve arrived in Qingzhou City for a few days now and since it has been raining every day, we haven¡¯t gotten to look around Qingzhou City yet! While I¡¯m at it, I¡¯ll buy some rolls of fabric to sew pouches for the children!.¡± Jiang Yeqian, ¡°¡­¡± Was she really that virtuous? Did she ask if the children wanted toe with her? The children had noted that it was once again snowing outside and so said that they did not want to go out, instead choosing to remain in the house ying with the rocking horse! After Qi Qingyao informed them of everything, the children kissed her cheeks and promised they would not get too rowdy while she was away. Qi Qingyao could not feel at ease. ¡°Si Jin, Jiang Bai, y a round of rock, scissors, and paper. The winner wille with me to buy fabric while the loser will stay back with the children!¡± Jiang Yeqian almost wanted to say that there was no need, that he would stay back without being asked. Then he thought about it and remembered that it was rare for him to be able to leave the house. So he yed rock, paper, scissors with Si Jin. Si Jin wanted to stay at home anyway so he could swim, so he lost within three rounds of the game. Jiang Yeqian did not expect that winning would be so easy¡­! However, when he walked to the door, Jiang Yeqian suddenly realized that if the children and Si Jin were not tagging along, would that not mean it was only the two of them alone? When they called for the servant to bring the carriage over, Lu Yan walked over with Dong Jing. ¡°You n on going out?¡± ¡°To buy fabric.¡± Qi Qingyao replied curtly as if words were gold. Lu Yan dered that he would join them. Qi Qingyao said nothing. Once the carriage reached the gate, Lu Yan looked at the two carriages and instinctively asked, ¡°You, aren¡¯t you going to ride the carriage with me?¡± Qi Qingyao¡¯s lips twitched. ¡°The treatment has just begun. I¡¯m afraid that you¡¯ll kick me out of the carriage if we¡¯re going to be in a small space together for a long time.¡± Lu Yan, ¡°¡­¡± He really wanted to ride a carriage with her, but considering that their distance from the market was considerably long, he dropped the idea. After Qi Qingyao and Jiang Yeqian got onto the carriage, she patted her thigh. ¡°I¡¯m such a genius! Now that I¡¯m Lu Yan¡¯s cooperative partner, he¡¯ll be taking care of the expenditure of food, clothes, housing, and transportation. I¡¯ve saved quite a lot.¡± Jiang Yeqian muttered a little angrily, ¡°You might have to give him your wife and soldiers (TN: to pay a high price for trying to outwit an enemy.)¡± Qi Qingyao was extremely delighted. ¡°I have neither a wife nor soldiers. So I won¡¯t be losing anything.¡± Jiang Yeqian said nothing. Lu Yan was from the Lu family¡ªthe richest family in Northern Liang. Businessmen¡­ never engage in losing transactions. However, since the two of them were alone¡­ Jiang Yeqian was about to say something to her but as soon as he turned his head, he saw that the woman was already asleep, spread out in her seat and mumbling as she hugged her nket. Jiang Yeqian, ¡°¡­¡± There was a full-grown adult male in the carriage. Yet, she fell asleep so carelessly!! What if it were not him but someone else? Would she fall asleep so defenselessly too? Thinking of this, Jiang Yeqian became inexplicably angry. He really wanted to wake her up forcefully, but the moment his hand fell on her round shoulder, he stopped himself. Looking at her delicate, sleeping face, Jiang Yeqian withdrew his hand. ¡­ The white cat and Lu Yan were alone in their carriage. The cat was feeling a little bored, its golden cat eyes squintingzily while its big tail was pping sluggishly on the next seat. It nced morosely at Lu Yan who was sitting next to it. Lu Yan sat cross-legged in his seat and nced at the sad looking, white cat. Why was it giving him this expression? They were going out together yet it was still giving him an attitude. This cat was bing more and more disobedient recently. The white cat was thinking about how it really wanted to stay home with the young man. It had no interest in going out to buy fabric¡­ Its master was a real piece of work! His condition was not a big deal. Why did he need toe in contact with humans? Were things not good enough as they were now? ¡­ ¡­ Qi Qingzhu once again returned to Qingzhou City from Baishui Town. After running around for a few days, she was physically and mentally exhausted. After she entered the Jiang residence through the small door, Qi Qingzhu first went to the manager to report that she was back. When the manager saw Qi Qingzhu, they were quite surprised. ¡°Qingzhu, didn¡¯t you request for seven days off? Why have you returned so soon?¡± Qi Qingzhu tried to make a joke of it. ¡°There was nothing much going on at home so I decided to hurry back to the Miss¡¯s side to help her out.¡± The manager was overjoyed hearing this. Seeing how disheveled she looked, she knew that Qi Qingzhu had braved the rain on her journey back. She was looking a little haggard. ¡°It¡¯s good that you came back early. Then, I¡¯ll give you your holiday expenses as usual.¡± ¡°Thank you, manager.¡± Qi Qingzhu thanked the manager several times for their kindness. After she went back to her room, she first sorted out her simple baggage and then looked at the handkerchief inside. The handkerchief contained a jade tablet and a white jade ring. That servant had said that her sister and Heir Pei traveled together previously. Heir Pei must know where her sister was! Qi Qingzhu considered trying to find out where the Lord Heir lived the next day. Chapter 275 - His Hidden Condition 10

Chapter 275: His Hidden Condition 10

Northern Liang Pce. Imperial Study. The woman who was dressed in imperial robes looked young. She was twenty-three years old and was the current empress of Northern Liang. The empress was seated on the imperial throne. She had picked up a sealed report from the desk and pushed it across gently. Below the desk stood a young man, his body in a slight bow. The young man was dressed in a ck, ceremonial uniform. Compared to the magnificence of the imperial study, his appearance oozed harsh antiquity. The empress said, ¡°State Preceptor, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve seen the oue report from the Qingzhou City government office.¡± The young man was the current State Preceptor, Li Ruoxuan. He looked clean and refined; his eyes and brows were calm and there was a hint of coldness in his gaze. His hands were sped behind his back. Slowly, he spoke, ¡°The seven Grand Masters are not in Qingzhou City. However, a peerless master has appeared in Qingzhou City, and they wiped out everyone in Lingyun Restaurant in an instant, save for the cook who was in the kitchen and a servant. Everyone else was eradicated. Based on the results of the investigation run by the government office, the rank seven and eight masters who were at the scene didn¡¯t seem to have any chance to fight back and were thus wiped out.¡± The empresses nodded lightly. ¡°If they were a rank nine cultivator, they would have at the very least needed to engage in two bouts with the number of rank sevens and eights who were present. In the end, however, there was not a single trace of a fight, they had all been annihted! This is simply horrifying.¡± The young man did not say anything, he only looked at the sealed report on the table silently. ¡°State Preceptor, based on what I¡¯ve just said, could it be that¡­ another Grand Master has appeared in Northern Liang?¡± the empress asked. There was a beat of silence. Then he responded. ¡°Your majesty, I¡¯m afraid this humble servant will have to make a trip to Qingzhou City to investigate the matter in person.¡± ¡°I think so as well,¡± the empress said. The young man answered in agreement. As she looked at the young man, a hint of shyness suddenly appeared on the empress¡¯s face. She said with some nervousness, ¡°Do look into the whereabouts of the Head Grand Secretariat since you¡¯re going to Qingzhou City. I am rather worried that something might have happened to him.¡± ¡°As you wish, your majesty,¡± said the young man. With that, he turned around and left. The empress called out to the young man one more time. The young man turned to look at her. Pausing for a moment, the empress said, ¡°State Preceptor, will you be making the trip incognito or officially?¡± The young man replied, ¡°This humble servant thinks that since an atrocity has happened in Qingzhou City despite there not being any Grand Masters around, there is the possibility that¡­ it would attract the other Grand Masters to conduct their own investigation. Thus, it would be better to make my way over in secret.¡± The empress nodded and said, ¡°I wish the State Preceptor a safe trip.¡± The young man nodded. With that, he immediately left the imperial study again. The moment he exited the Imperial Study, the young man nced up at the warm, winter sun of the Capital City. The sun was shining on him but there was not the slightest bit of heat. He then gazed in a particr direction. ¡®Could another Grand Master have appeared? ¡®Also¡­ Head Grand Secretariat, where have you hidden yourself if you¡¯re still alive? ¡®Looks like I¡¯ll have to personally go to Qingzhou City and drag you out. ¡®Tsk!¡¯ Qi Qingyao felt someone patting her shoulder. However, being in such a pleasant sleep, she was toozy to bother. Eventually, she heard someone speak loudly from beside her. ¡°We¡¯re here.¡± Qi Qingyao sat up suddenly. Rubbing her eyes, she took a look around her. A carriage? She was rather disoriented! Jiang Yeqian said, ¡°How did you get so sleepy the moment you got onto a carriage?¡± Qi Qingyao yawned again. She opened the window and nced at the scenery outside, replying vaguely, ¡°It¡¯s the tter of horseshoes, along with the slight bumpiness of the carriage, they have some kind of lulling magic!¡± Jiang Yeqian, ¡°¡­¡± This was the first time he had met someone who fell asleep the moment they boarded a carriage! He put on his mask swiftly. He was preparing to get off the carriage first and then help her down, but in the blink of an eye, he once again saw the woman jumping down from the carriage immediately, not even giving him the chance to react. After Qi Qingyao got off the carriage, she looked at the signage on the side of the path. ¡°The Yuexiu Fabric Shop!!¡± Lu Yan had also gotten out of his carriage. Qi Qingyao asked him, ¡°Is this thergest fabric shop in Qingzhou City?¡± It really looked quite huge, upying at least three shoplets. There were a number of finely and luxuriously dressed youngdies and married women all bringing their maids along as they went in and out of the store. They all had satisfied smiles on their faces. Qi Qingyao entered on her own. The moment she walked into the building, she realized that other than some hemp mourning garments made of coarse linen in the left corner, the rest of the shop only contained the highest grade of silks and satin as well as all sorts of embroidery brocades. It was so overwhelming that she did not know where to begin looking. Qi Qingyao was wearing a ck, wide-sleeved robe today. The ck robe was embroidered with golden, peony flowers and the embroidered trimming was also red. It looked a bit harsh in this ce! Compared with the otherdies¡¯ pink and white tones, she did not look like one of them. The otherdies could not help but turn their heads to look at her a few times, but Qi Qingyao was unperturbed as if she had not noticed the others¡¯ eyes on her. After rounding the ce once, she found some high-quality fabric that looked elegant and had koi fish embroidered on them. She thought of making the children some koi-themed pouches! ¡°Boss, I want these fabrics.¡± A shop assistant came over and saw the fabric she had picked. They said, a little sheepish, ¡°Patron, you have a tasteful eye. This particr embroidery was made specially by the Koi Temple and this batch of fabric has also been specially ordered by someone else. We have no leftovers, unfortunately.¡± Someone had already reserved them? Qi Qingyao pursed her lips. ¡°Just my luck.¡± Jiang Yeqian stood behind her and nced at the interesting fabric material. Leaning forward, he whispered, ¡°You go ahead and take a look around first. I¡¯m going to thevatory for a bit.¡± Qi Qingyao made a sound of acknowledgment and continued looking at the other fabrics. After Jiang Yeqian left, Lu Yan came over. Keeping a little distance from her, he coughed slightly and said ufortably, ¡°We can go take a look at the other fabric shops. The Lu family has a fabric shop under their name, you¡¯re free to choose whatever you wish!¡± Qi Qingyao was surprised.¡±This one is not yours?¡± Lu Yan answered, ¡°No, it isn¡¯t.¡± Qi Qingyao said, ¡°Then, doesn¡¯t that mean the Lu family isn¡¯t all that great?¡± Lu Yan, ¡°¡­¡± Why would that degrade the Lu family? First, she used him of being impotent and now she was saying that the Lu family was pathetic! This woman was really asking for a beating with the things she said! Regarding this, however, Lu Yan had actually asked his father before why this particr shop was able to be thergest fabric shop in Qingzhou City despite not being under the Senluo Chamber of Commerce. His father said that this shop was close to two hundred years old and had had too long of a time to develop! Even the Lu family was not sure of their background. ¡­ The man in the ox-head mask said he was going to thevatory but had instead made a beeline to the backroom of the fabric shop. One of the shop assistants saw this and immediately went to stop him. ¡°Hey hey hey, you weirdo, why are you barging into our shop¡¯s backroom!!¡± Jiang Yeqian remained idle, his demeanor somewhatzy. He sat down on the chair in the backroom and said with amanding aura, ¡°Get your shopkeeper toe out here.¡± The shop assistant was slightly taken aback. ¡°The shopkeeper?¡± Another shop assistant pointed at the weird man and asked loudly, ¡°Why are you asking for our shopkeeper?¡± Jiang Yeqian saw these ignorant shop assistants and felt his temper re in an instant. ¡°If you don¡¯t get your shopkeeper out here now, watch out that I might just tear down this shop.¡± Chapter 276 - Meeting in Chunjiang Restaurant 1

Chapter 276: Meeting in Chunjiang Restaurant 1

¡°You thief, stop your nonsense!¡± The shop assistant did not expect that someone would dare to act this atrociously in the Yuexiu Fabric Shop. This person really had a death wish. ¡°Quickly, go get the shopkeeper to take care of this thief!¡± ¡­ Several people rushed out to look for the shopkeeper. Within the time it took to burn an incense stick, a plump, old gentleman in a deep blue brocade appeared at the back of the house, smiling like a Maitreya Buddha. He had one hand on his back, and the other on his beard. As soon as he saw the man with the ox-headed mask, the plump old man put his smile away, and his eyes revealed a vicious intent. He suddenly yelled loudly. ¡°Where did this thiefe from? How dare you make trouble in our Yuexiu Fabric Shop! Are you looking to die?¡± He immediately gave his orders. ¡°You lot, catch this thief and tie him up.¡± Naturally, these people were not ordinary people. As they were about to bare their fangs and begin attacking the ox-head man, they watched as he took off his mask indifferently, revealing his actual appearance. There was a ck decree emblem in his hand. With a sharp, de-like gaze, he stared at the plump old man. He spoke in an apathetic tone. ¡°Ji Zhaoxun! Don¡¯t you even recognize me?¡± When the fat old man named Ji Zhaoxun saw Jiang Yeqian¡¯s face, his expression changed from agitated topletely nk as if his entire being had been struck by lightning. He then fell to his knees with a loud thud. ¡°Ma-master!!!¡± After calling out, he hurriedly crawled toward Jiang Yeqian. He hugged the man¡¯s thigh and said, ¡°Oh my god, Master, why are you here?¡± Jiang Yeqian put on the mask again. The shop assistants were all taken aback, could this be¡­ the master! Without having enough time to respond, the fat old man yelled, ¡°All of you retreat first!¡± The shop assistants were puzzled but they backed away for the moment. When there were only two people left in the back of the shop, Jiang Yeqian motioned for him to get up. However, the fat old man did not dare move. Kneeling there, he uttered meekly, ¡°Master, weren¡¯t you in Wushuang City all the time? How did you find the time to visit Qingzhou City?!¡± ¡°Am I not allowed toe to Qingzhou City?¡± Jiang Yeqian said in a cold tone. ¡°Master, what I meant was that you should have let me know in advance if you wereing so that I could wee your glorious arrival.¡± The fat old man was one of the three liaisons of the Zhaixing Administration in Qingzhou City and was responsible for the management of secret agents and intelligence affairs in the city. He managed this fabric shop ostensibly, but in reality, the fabric shop was one of the sub-rudders of Qingzhou City. Even if he was just a local contact person, the fat old man had been proud of his identity all his life!! He had only been qualified to go to Wushuang City once five years ago in his entire life! Entering the nameless building, he had the honor to meet the Head of the Zhaixing Administration just once! Jiang Yeqian questioned him, his gaze deep. ¡°Does the Zhaixing Administration need such showy fanfare as an information department?¡± ¡°No, no.¡± The fat old man apologized quickly. Jiang Yeqian put away the little decree emblem and said coldly, ¡°The girl outside wants to buy some fabric. Just give her what she wants.¡± The fat old man responded with a dazed expression, ¡°Of course¡­?¡± His tone was firm but it carried a slight confusion. ¡®Whichdy? ¡®What kind of fabric? ¡®Master came all the way here, just for this?¡¯ Jiang Yeqian said, ¡°Any question?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯ll sell it to her right away,¡± the fat old man replied anxiously. Jiang Yeqian seemed very satisfied. As he was about to leave, he thought for a moment, ¡°Since she isn¡¯t the one who is paying, tell them that the fabric can be retailed, but only if the price is doubled.¡± The fat old man got up and nodded; he gave a waist-deep bow and said, ¡°I will follow Master¡¯s instructions to the word¡± Before leaving, Jiang Yeqian said his final piece. ¡°None of the seven grand masters are in Qingzhou City, but there is someone in Qingzhou City who is capable of wiping out the entire Lingyun Restaurant overnight. Ask all the secret agents who are under you to be more alert these next few days. I¡¯m afraid some of the grand masters will be arriving in Qingzhou City to check on the situation very soon!¡± ¡°Roger that!¡± The fat old man¡¯s forehead was sweating bullets from the tension. The grand masters wereing to Qingzhou City. They really wanted him dead! It seemed that¡­ there would not be any room to rest for the uing period of time. ¡­ Qi Qingyao shopped around; she did not find anything to her liking. As she was about to leave, Jiang Yeqian came from the toilet and stood behind her. Suddenly, a fat old man appeared with a very kind smile that carried a hint of ttery. ¡°Miss, this batch of fabric can actually be sold to you.¡± ¡®What?¡¯ Qi Qingyao was a little taken aback. ¡®Who is this fat old man? ¡®But¡­¡¯ ¡°Actually?¡± It seemed that there was more to this so she asked, ¡°What are your conditions? Go ahead and say it.¡± ¡°You have to pay more.¡± The fat old man was smiling and his eyes were squinted into a thin line. Out of the corner of his eyes, he nced at the man who was wearing an ox-head mask and his smile became even bigger. Oh, the fabric was pre-ordered by someone else. If she wanted it, she would naturally have to pay more. In a pompous, wealthy manner, Qi Qingyao said, ¡°Money is not a problem.¡± She then yanked Lu Yan¡¯s arm, pulling him toward her, despite his disgust. The process took only three seconds. Lu Yan was not able to respond in time. She released her grip. Lu Yan was still in a daze. Qi Qingyao said, ¡°Little Yan, it¡¯s time to pay.¡± Lu Yan gave Dong Jing a nce. Coming back to his senses from the shock, Dong Jing quickly paid the fat old man. It was only then that the fat old man clearly recognized the person who was paying. ¡°Ma-master Lu!!¡± His legs almost gave out again from nervousness! Qi Qingyao instructed Jiang Yeqian, ¡°Carry all the things!¡± Jiang Yeqian was silent. He then picked up several rolls of fabric. The fat old man eximed excitedly, ¡°Miss, I¡¯ll give you two more rolls of fabric since I find you quite congenial.¡± Without waiting for Qi Qingyao¡¯s answer, he took out the extremely delicate fabrics from beneath the counter. Qi Qingyao blinked and told Jiang Yeqian to carry the whole lot together. The fat old man barked at his men, ¡°Why are you guyszing around? Hurry up and escort our customers to their carriage!¡± Following that, a few of his men smiled as they carried the two rolls of fabric to the carriage. Qi Qingyao was stunned by this unexpectedly vigorous and resolute behavior. It seemed that the fat old man wanted to give them more. However, the man in the ox-head mask looked over calmly. With just a nce, the fat old man knew that if he were to give any more, it would spark suspicions of himself. He did not dare to say another word. He could only look at their fleeting silhouettes silently as they left. He was looking at the figure of that youngdy with the greatest curiosity. ¡®Who¡­ is she? ¡®She could actually make the Master follow her and be at service all the time! ¡®Master Lu of the Senluo Chamber of Commerce as well. He actually paid for her shopping expenses! This is really¡­¡¯ The fat old man did not dare to escort them to the front door, fearing that it would be too much. He went straight into the back of the house. Then, a man in ck appeared, seemingly out of thin air. He handed a piece of information to the fat old man. The fat old man opened and nced at it. He felt very unnerved. ¡®Qi Qingyao!! ¡®She is Qi Qingyao! ¡®Qi Qingyao, the person who had unted in front of the Jiang family. She also won thergest house in Qingzhou City that was previously owned by Lu Yan!¡¯ This person¡¯s name, to him, had been making rounds recently like a storm during the month. ¡®She has some kind of connection to Su Hexiao and Li Qinglian. However, there was no relevant information that could be found!¡¯ The man with the ox-head mask next to her had also been investigated for a long time now but with no results. However, today¡­ that person was revealed to be the master. A lot of things seemed to have be clear all of a sudden. ¡®But why is Master Lu following her? ¡®Is there a reason for this? ¡®Wait a minute.¡¯ ¡®Could it be that Master was following her to find out about her identity through this self-imposed hardship?¡¯ When the fat old man thought of this, he was almost moved to tears. ¡®Master is really setting an example by taking the lead. He is a role model for all of the spies in the Zhaixing Administration! They should all learn from him and prioritize information gathering by all means!¡¯ Chapter 277 - Meeting in Chunjiang Restaurant 2

Chapter 277: Meeting in Chunjiang Restaurant 2

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion As Lu Yan left the fabric shop, he thought of the way she had called him just now. He asked in a low voice, ¡°Can you change my nickname?¡± ¡°Yannie?¡± Qi Qingyao turned her head around and suggested. Lu Yan¡¯s face darkened. ¡°Change it into something more manly.¡± Qi Qingyao said, ¡°Young Mistress Lu!!¡± Lu Yan, ¡°...¡± Dong Jing looked at his master, who was pale with anger but did not refute. He wanted tough for some reason! He guessed that there would never be anotherdy who could make his master seethed in anger in this life! She was one-of-a-kind. After Qi Qingyao was done teasing, she said with a grin, ¡°C¡¯mon, since you¡¯ve helped me buy the fabric and spent a lot of money, let me treat you to a meal! We¡¯ll go to the most luxurious restaurant in Qingzhou City, what do you say?¡± Lu Yan¡¯s anger dissipated a little when he heard that she was going to treat him, but after he thought about it for a moment, ¡°Make it clear right now, who¡¯s the boss here!! I was the one who paid just now.¡± Qi Qingyao raised her brows. She grinned leisurely, revealing her white teeth. ¡°I¡¯m the boss. You¡¯re Young Mistress Lu.¡± Lu Yan, ¡°...!!!!!!¡± He privately swore that he would look for someone above rank nine to slit her throat after she helped him cured his illness! Dong Jing quickly cated, ¡°Master, don¡¯t be angry. Lady Qi doesn¡¯t mean it.¡± Lu Yan was so angry he scolded Dong Jing, ¡°Your Master has beenpletely disgraced.¡± Qi Qingyao overheard the exchange between the master and servant. She said with a half-smile, ¡°If you can go embrace a girl normally right now, I¡¯ll call you Master Lu, I can even call you Grand Old Master.¡± Lu Yan, ¡°...¡± Although his body did have some issues now, calling him ¡®Young Mistress Lu¡¯ was too much! Lu Yan suddenly felt that if his illness was not cured soon, he would die from anger first. After they got onto their carriages respectively, Lu Yan¡¯s carriage switched to being in the front. After a short while, the carriages came to a halt. This time, Qi Qingyao looked at the shop sign outside after getting off the carriage. ¡°Chunjiang Restaurant!!¡± ¡®Isn¡¯t this the restaurant that barred me from entering that day!¡¯ However, this time, just as they reached the entrance, the two doormen bowed respectfully and said, ¡°Wee, Master Lu.¡± Lu Yan took the lead and walked forward. Qi Qingyao, Jiang Yeqian, and Dong Jing followed behind and entered the restaurant easily without meeting any obstruction. This left Qi Qingyao at a loss. She quietly followed behind Lu Yan while craning her neck, saying, ¡°Why didn¡¯t they ask for your pass?¡± ¡°My face is the biggest permit, why would a pass be needed?¡± Her breath blew on the left side from behind him, making Lu Yan stiffen. He was very nervous, but he did not want to be too obvious. Qi Qingyao patted his shoulder pompously and said, ¡°Dope!¡± Then, she went upstairs excitedly. Lu Yan raised his brows. He heaved a sigh of relief and slowly followed her up the stairs. Dong Jing had been secretly observing his master and had naturally noticed Qi Qingyao¡¯s asional boundary-crossing actions. Lady Qi was an unusual person; she would do things that were beyond ordinary people. He was very afraid that Master would show his hatred, but surprisingly¡­ Perhaps it was because Lady Qi had retreated before his Master could react. That was why his Master did not give too big a reaction. Lu Yan¡¯s handsome face itself was a walking sign in Qingzhou City. While he did not show up in public ces often, he would often participate in banquets of different families. Chunjiang Restaurant was another restaurant that practiced a special regr customers system, so those who came here to eat and drink were all elites of Qingzhou City. How could anyone not know Lu Yan? As soon as he appeared, the guests dining on the first-floor dining hall were shocked. ¡°Isn¡¯t that Lu Yan?¡± ¡°Thedy who is with him, isn¡¯t that thedy at the Jiang residence the other day who kept saying he couldn¡¯t perform?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, she¡¯s the girl who was with Heir Pei.¡± ¡°She¡¯s the one who won his mansion!¡± ¡°Shouldn¡¯t these two be having a feud and refuse to interact with each other? I even thought Lu Yan would hire a bunch of assassins to kill this littledy. How is it possible that they¡¯de to dine together? How strange.¡± ¡°Does Master Lu not have a temper at all?!¡± While everyone was gossiping, Lu Yan and hispany had already gone up to the second floor¡­ disappearing from the public¡¯s sight. They left everyone looking at each other in shock. After arriving on the second floor. Qi Qingyao had already taken her seat with Jiang Yeqian sitting opposite her. Lu Yan said before taking his seat, ¡°You order.¡± He was not being chivalrous. It was because he seldom went out to eat and did not know what dishes were good in Chunjiang Restaurant. Qi Qingyao looked at the menu on the wall and smiled a little weirdly. She purposely patted the seat beside her. ¡°C¡¯mere, sit with me.¡± Lu Yan, ¡°...¡± Silence. Qi Qingyao pouted. ¡°If you feel it¡¯s too close, it¡¯s alright, we¡¯ll sit opposite one another. You sit beside ox-head. He¡¯s a man, that should be no problem.¡± ¡°No problem.¡± Saying this, Lu Yan sat beside Jiang Yeqian. Jiang Yeqian frowned underneath his mask. Sitting together with Lu Yan was really¡­ It seemed that he could not utter even a single wordter, lest a keen fellow like Lu Yan discerned a clue. With his mask on, he was afraid that he could not even have his meal anymore. ... Jiang Siliu took her maid Yang Tao for a walk now that the rain had stopped. As soon as she entered Chunjiang Restaurant, she saw many familiar faces chit-chatting. ¡°I heard that Lu Yan rarely dines in restaurants outside.¡± ¡°Yeah, I also heard about Master Lu¡¯s habit.¡± ¡°Why did hee to eat in Chunjiang Restaurant today?¡± ¡°He even made a point of bringing thedy from that day.¡± ¡°I heard the news from the investigation from the various factions that thedy is not called ¡®Cuihua¡¯. She¡¯s a widow from a nearby town.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t she a doctor? How did she be a widow?¡± ¡°It seems that she¡¯s a widow indeed!¡± ¡°A widow, bringing a man with an ox-head mask, came out to eat with Lu Yan. Master Lu has such a big heart, not caring about the insults others would give him.¡± Seeing a few familiar faces, Jiang Siliu walked over to exchange some pleasantries. He said, ¡°What are you guys talking about?¡± ¡°Oh, Jiang Siliu is here.¡± A young mistress quickly gave a seat to Jiang Siliu. Another person chuckled and said, ¡°We¡¯re secretly gossiping about Lu Yan and thedy who insulted him of being a eunuch. They¡¯re having a meal upstairs, apparently.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡®Lu Yan! Brother Lu is here too?¡¯ Someone said, ¡°It¡¯s the maid that was by Heir Pei¡¯s side.¡± Another person said, ¡°Not a maid, I heard the news from the various factions that she¡¯s called Qi Qingyao!¡± What Qi Qingyao? Why was the name somewhat simr to the name of her maid Qingzhu? It was too popr! She heard from her brothers that she was just a country bumpkin from the vige. Why would Brother Lu be with the person who insulted him? He must be crazy. Jiang Siliu decided to go upstairs and have a look. The other young mistresses wanted to stop her but failed.. Apart from feeling a bit rueful, everyone honestly wanted to watch the show. Chapter 278 - Meeting in Chunjiang Restaurant 3

Chapter 278: Meeting in Chunjiang Restaurant 3

After Jiang Siliu went upstairs, she saw a beautiful man who looked like a flower in the early spring morning. The man was sitting with a weirdo with an ox-head mask. Sitting opposite them was a petite girl. The petite girl looked like¡­ Her eyes and brows were delicate and extremely bright and elegant. Her aura was like¡­ stars; she seemed to be sparkling as she sat there. She seemed to somehow be within sight but beyond reach. When the woman frowned while looking at the menu on the wall, she exuded a sense of inapproachable coldness. When she was deep in thoughts while pressing down on her lips, she gave off a sense of ruthlessness and ambition. The way she carried herself made others feel that she was not to be messed around. She was rather cute when she smiled and talked to the people opposite her after she was done thinking. She was like a tiny, satiated cat, soft and adorable. She was beautiful and attractive. Jiang Siliu felt her heart skip a beat inexplicably. Realizing that she was actually nervous because of this unfamiliardy, Jiang Siliu was furious. She went up and pointed at the petite girl¡¯s nose. ¡°So, you are Qi Qingyao.¡± The servant was stunned by Jiang Siliu¡¯s appearance and quickly backed off. The guests were done ordering anyway. Qi Qingyao was taken aback by thedy who had suddenly appeared. She did not know this person. Jiang Siliu noticed that she was being ignored and became angrier. ¡°I¡¯m talking to you! Do you hear me?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Qi Qingyao blinked her eyes and thought to herself, ¡®Who is this crazy person!¡± Jiang Siliu was ignored twice and her ego that was bloated from having been able to do whatever she wanted in Qingzhou City was instantly bruised. Her voice was dripping with acid. ¡°You don¡¯t look half-bad, but you look like a vixen! I don¡¯t like you.¡± Qi Qingyao found it funny to be called a vixen in person for the first time. She lifted her eyes and swept a nce at this littledy. ¡°Are you here to argue? Or here to fight?¡± ¡°Argue? Fight?¡± Jiang Siliu was muddled. Qi Qingyao got up, the aura on her face was strong enough to suffocate Jiang Siliu. She drawled, ¡°If not, why have you,dy,e looking for trouble. Do you have a death wish?¡± Lu Yan introduced her. ¡°She is the Jiang family¡¯s youngest daughter, Jiang Siliu.¡± Qi Qingyao said, ¡°Oh.¡± It turned out to be someone from that Jiang family from the other day. No wonder she was so arrogant and bossy, even looking for trouble inexplicably. Jiang Siliu regained herposure, and only then did she recall her original goal. She quickly bowed toward Lu Yan slightly. Her smiling face was gentle, generous, well-behaved, and cute. ¡°What a coincidence to have bumped into Brother Lu here.¡± Lu Yan was silent. Jiang Siliu nced at the man with the ox-head mask who had not said a word and moved her gaze back to Qi Qingyao. Then, she said to Lu Yan, ¡°Brother Lu, why are you still mingling around with her? She¡¯s not a good person. She even insulted you; she¡¯s not human.¡± Qi Qingyao caught on. ¡°So, she¡¯s your fan.¡± Lu Yan asked, ¡°What¡¯s a ¡®fan¡¯?¡± Qi Qingyao said with a pout, ¡°Love interest.¡± Jiang Siliu was embarrassed and annoyed at being called Lu Yan¡¯s love interest. She was so embarrassed that her cheeks went instantly red like apples. ¡°Brother Lu, let¡¯s go out for a walk together. Don¡¯t bother yourself with this kind of crazy person anymore.¡± Qi Qingyao sighed when she saw that Lu Yan remained unmoving. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to deal with her!!¡± She did not want to bump heads with the Jiang family. Lu Yan had no choice but to get up and say, ¡°Jiang Siliu, please don¡¯t bother me.¡± Jiang Siliu noticed that Lu Yan was doing what Qi Qingyao told him to do and was instantly dumbfounded. ¡°Brother Lu, I¡¯m doing all this for your own good. This woman insulted you at my residence, yet you¡¯re still hanging out with her. What exactly are you thinking?¡± Lu Yan replied, ¡°It has nothing to do with you.¡± Jiang Siliu was bbergasted, looking as though she had experienced a huge shock. Seeing that Jiang Siliu intended to continue speaking, Lu Yan said to Qi Qingyao, his tone slightly pleading, ¡°Help me deal with this.¡± Qi Qingyao said, ¡°What?¡± Lu Yan continued, ¡°I don¡¯t know how to deal with women.¡± This was also why he seldom went out! It was to reduce these redundant interactions! Qi Qingyao, ¡°¡­¡± After Qi Qingyao recovered from the shock, she held her forehead and smiled. ¡°If I step in, I¡¯m afraid she will go home in tears.¡± ¡°Actually, I would like to see that.¡± Lu Yan could not have cared less. Jiang Siliu was shocked when she heard the conversation flowing smoothly between the two of them. She used Qi Qingyao, ¡°What are you saying, you vixen!! You insulted my Brother Lu! I¡¯m not done with you.¡± She must stand up for Brother Lu, and make him see her in a different light. Then maybe, she would be able to marry into the richest family in Northern Liang! Qi Qingyao casually swept a nce at Jiang Siliu. She said unhurriedly, ¡°Sure I insulted him, so mind your own damn business.¡± Jiang Siliu dered possessively, ¡°He¡¯s my Brother Lu.¡± Qi Qingyao asked light-heartedly, ¡°Is your surname Lu as well?¡± Jiang Siliu snarled indignantly, ¡°We¡¯re family friends! What do you, a country widow, know about it?¡± Qi Qingyao¡¯s mocking smile slightly betrayed her intention to irritate someone. ¡°I don¡¯t understand sh*t. But your Brother Lu is now mine. So, stay away from him and don¡¯t bother him from now on!¡± All the color drained from Jiang Siliu¡¯s face. She looked at Lu Yan, then looked at thedy called Qi Qingyao again. ¡°Yours? What¡ªwhat are you saying?¡± She said in exasperation, ¡°You insulted Brother Lu so thoroughly that he has almost be a eunuch in everyone¡¯s words! You still dare to fraternize with him and spout nonsense!¡± Qi Qingyao faced the infuriated girl and blinked, her eyes full of mischief. ¡°Only I need to know whether he¡¯s a eunuch or not.¡± Jiang Siliu, ¡°¡­¡± Ah!! What did this mean? Did this widow and her Brother Lu¡­ Lu Yan¡¯s face flushed upon hearing this. Ahem! Dong Jing blinked and thought to himself, ¡®Master was getting teased!¡¯ Jiang Yeqian¡¯s lips were pressed in a firm line under the ox-head mask. Qi Qingyao looked at Jiang Siliu, whose expression was on the verge of a breakdown, and added a final blow. ¡°Anyway, I¡¯m the only person in this whole world who can insult him!¡± Jiang Siliu, ¡°¡­¡± Qi Qingyao said with a vague smile on her lips, ¡°Aren¡¯t you envious!¡± Jiang Siliu pressed down on her lips, saying nothing. She stared at Qi Qingyao resentfully. Qi Qingyao said good-heartedly, ¡°There¡¯s no point in being envious!¡± Jiang Siliu was so upset that she was seeing red. Oh, her pure image of her Brother Lu! Qi Qingyao continued leisurely, ¡°I insulted him, but he still hangs out with me. What do you think the nature of our rtionship is?¡± Jiang Siliu could no longer hold it in. ¡°You, you, you, you, what exactly is your rtionship with him?!¡± Qi Qingyao looked at the little girl who was on the verge of tears with satisfaction. She said calmly, ¡°I told you he¡¯s mine. Why are you still asking?¡± Jiang Siliu would never believe her words, ¡°You¡ªyou¡¯re a widow! What does Brother Lu even see in you?¡± Qi Qingyao blinked and gave a charming smile. Her tone was pure and innocent to the extreme as she said, ¡°Maybe it¡¯s because I¡¯m a vixen~~~ You already know that! Vixens have more tricks up their sleeves. You won¡¯t be able to learn them.¡± ¡°You¡¯re shameless!!¡± Jiang Siliu was so angry that tears were swimming in her eyes. When she initially heard that she was called Qi Qingyao, she thought her name was a little simr to her maid¡¯s, but Jiang Siliu swore that she had never seen such a shameless woman in her life. Chapter 279 - Meeting in Chunjiang Restaurant 4

Chapter 279: Meeting in Chunjiang Restaurant 4

Jiang Siliu was outsmarted at every turn. She turned her head hastily and said to Lu Yan, ¡°Brother Lu, quick, say something.¡± Qi Qingyao calmly shattered Jiang Siliu¡¯s delusions. ¡°He wouldn¡¯t talk back to me without my orders. You¡­ ugly little girl.¡± Jiang Siliu almost stopped breathing. ¡°You!!!!! Dare say I¡¯m ugly!!¡± Qi Qingyao shrugged and continued in a rxed manner. ¡°From my perspective as a vixen widow, you¡¯re ugly indeed. How pitiful! Unlike me, who is a natural beauty! A vixen who gets praised upon sight!¡± ¡°No one has ever called me ugly!¡± Jiang Siliu did not know whether it was grievance or anger, but her head had started to hurt a little.¡¯ Qi Qingyao droned unhurriedly, ¡°You¡¯re ugly, you have to know yourself better! If you¡¯re beautiful, other people would have also praised you for being a vixen, you poor child!¡± Jiang Siliu suddenly broke down and turned around. ¡°Boo hoo~~~¡± She ran off, taking her maid Yangtao with her. The other onlookers on the second floor were so shocked they were rendered speechless. The onlookers who were having meals in the great dining hall of the first floor were initially waiting for Jiang Siliu to teach Qi Qingyao a lesson but who would have thought that Jiang Siliu would be the one running down the stairs in tears¡­ This¡­ As it turned out, Jiang Siliu had been bullied to tears! The servant started serving the food in silence. After the food was served, Lu Yan only snapped out of it and said to Qi Qingyao, ¡°You made a littledy cry.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t I make you cry the other day as well?¡± Qi Qingyao countered with a big smile. Lu Yan, ¡°¡­¡± He looked dejected and devastated¡­ Qi Qingyao continued rather rxedly, ¡°My face is as thick as the city¡¯s walls! They still dared to chastise me even with my level. They overestimated themselves!¡± Lu Yan took a deep breath and addressed the serious matter, ¡°What you did just now was that you offended the Jiang family.¡± ¡°You won¡¯t watch me die anytime soon, because I¡¯m now your brother!¡± Qi Qingyao quickly cottoned on to him maddeningly, smiling passionately and affectionately. ¡®Brother! ¡®Who the hell is your brother!¡¯ Lu Yan changed the subject by pointing to the ox-head masked man next to him. ¡°This¡­ ox-head masked man has not said a word.¡± After a pause, he asked, ¡°Is he mute?¡± ¡°He just doesn¡¯t want to¡­¡± Qi Qingyao was about to say ¡°he just doesn¡¯t want to talk to you,¡± but the rest of the sentence did not leave her lips. She stayed there unmoving like a fossil. Lu Yan pressed, ¡°Doesn¡¯t want to, what?¡± Qi Qingyao snapped out of it and smiled slightly. ¡°Nothing. He only likes to talk to me, he doesn¡¯t like to talk to outsiders.¡± Lu Yan responded with an ¡®oh¡¯. After that, the dishes were served. Qi Qingyao began eating by herself. Lu Yan was a little nervous and did not touch his chopsticks. Jiang Yeqian, who was next to him, could not eat as he was wearing a mask, so he did not touch his chopsticks either. The scene had evolved into two people watching Qi Qingyao eat. Qi Qingyao felt somewhat drab and ignored both of thempletely. She asked Dong Jing to sit down and eat together as well, but Dong Jing did not dare to. He was pulled by Qi Qingyao to sit down, the two of them sitting side by side. Dong Jing felt very cramped. He was so nervous his whole body was numb. Qi Qingyao poured him some wine and said, ¡°Drink!¡± Dong Jing immediately lowered his head. ¡°I dare not.¡± Qi Qingyao patted Dong Jing¡¯s shoulders. ¡°Drink up!¡± Dong Jin felt cold sweat dripping. ¡°I really dare not.¡± Qi Qingyao was extremely disappointed. ¡°The two people opposite you don¡¯t want to eat. You¡¯re the only ordinary person, but you don¡¯t want to eat and drink with me either. Then, what¡¯s the point of meing to this restaurant to eat alone? I suspect that I¡¯m being collectively hated on by you guys! Damn, I¡¯ll nevere out with you guys the next time, you killjoys!¡± Dong Jing, ¡°¡­¡± Lu Yan suddenly said, ¡°Dong Jing, eat.¡± Dong Jing obeyed the order and immediately started lifting up the wine bowl. Qi Qingyao smiled a little happily. She clinked sses with Dong Jing and the two of them ate together. In Jiang Yeqian and Lu Yan¡¯s eyes, this scene looked¡­ admirable. One wanted to eat but could not eat. The other wanted to eat but was not able to eat; even sitting together felt like a lot of effort! Qi Qingyao dined very sloppily. After the meal, without staying any longer, she told the rest of them, ¡°Now that we¡¯re done eating, let¡¯s go back.¡± She wiped her mouth and added, ¡°I¡¯m in a rush to go back to sew purses for the children.¡± With that, she went down the stairs by herself. Jiang Yeqian quickly trailed behind her. After Lu Yan went down the stairs, the servant stopped him and reminded him that he had not paid. Lu Yan, ¡°¡­¡± ¡®Didn¡¯t she say she was treating them!!¡¯ Dong Jing quickly paid for the meal. On the way back home, Jiang Yeqian noticed that she seemed to have be low-spirited. He asked, ¡°Are you worried about offending the Jiang family?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Qi Qingyao replied casually. After returning home¡­ Qi Qingyao feigned nonchnce and called Jiang Yeqian to send the fabric to the room. Si Jin was extremely happy. ¡°I thought you guys would stroll till nighttime beforeing back.¡± ¡°Jiang Bai, go take care of the kids.¡± Qi Qingyao ordered in aposed expression, ¡°Si Jin,e over and help me thread a needle!!¡± Si Jin said with a pitiful face, ¡°Sister, I don¡¯t know how to do embroidery¡± ¡°I never asked you to,¡± Qi Qingyao replied. Jiang Yeqian cast a pitiful nce at Si Jin, then went off to take care of the children. Suddenly, only Qi Qingyao and Si Jin were left in the room. Qi Qingyao made Si Jin shut the door properly, then asked him, ¡°Jiang Bai is not near this room, right?¡± ¡°No, I saw him go to the study with my own eyes. He was babysitting the children,¡± Si Jin answered. Qi Qingyao was somewhat relieved. She then took the sewing basket and sat on the arhat couch. Si Jin sat beside her and helped her spread the fabric. Qi Qingyao soon began cutting the cloth. Si Jin added some charcoal into the brazier. Qi Qingyao said as she cut the cloth, ¡°Something happened today.¡± ¡°Mm,¡± Si Jin responded. Qi Qingyao paused her hand and said, ¡°Have you noticed that Jiang Bai has never spoken in front of Heir Pei?¡± Si Jin cocked his head and said, ¡°It seems¡­so.¡± Qi Qingyao continued, ¡°I found out today that he doesn¡¯t speak in front of Lu Yan either.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± He replied with slight confusion. ¡°¡­¡± Qi Qingyao nodded. Si Jin asked, ¡°Why?¡± Qi Qingyao did not answer directly. She indirectly asked Si Jin, the naive fellow, ¡°What do you think Heir Pei and Lu Yan have inmon?¡± ¡®Have inmon, huh?¡¯ ¡°They¡¯re both from Capital City!¡± Si Jin was still able to use his brain. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Qi Qingyao raised her brows and smiled with a hint of interest. ¡°They¡¯re both from Capital City, huh.¡± She dragged out thest syble, hinting at some deeper significance. Si Jin asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with that?¡± Qi Qingyao squinted her eyes. She curled her lips and smiled coldly. ¡°Then, that means that the identity he gave is all fake.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Si Jin¡¯s eyes widened. Qi Qingyao said firmly, ¡°He must be from Capital City. And should be someone that Heir Pei and Lu Yan know!¡± Chapter 280 - Meeting at Chunjiang Restaurant 5

Chapter 280: Meeting at Chunjiang Restaurant 5

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion ¡°Why would you say that?¡± Si Jin asked. Qi Qingyao said confidently, ¡°He seldom shows up right in front of Pei Fengtang. Even if he does, he doesn¡¯t say a word. He went out with me and Lu Yan today. Throughout the entire journey, apart from a few times, he only whispered in a low voice. When we went to Chunjiang Restaurant for a meal, I made him sit next to Lu Yan; Lu Yan even asked if he¡¯s mute. Someone who bickers with me all the time actually did not even say a word!!¡± Si Jin thought for a while and questioned, ¡°So he¡¯s afraid of speaking and being recognized by Lu Yan?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Qi Qingyao said calmly. ¡°If a person doesn¡¯t want to be recognized, wearing a mask is indeed a good idea. But it¡¯s hard to fake a voice! When speaking, the timbre, pitch, and tone of the voice can easily expose a person.¡± Si Jin said seriously, ¡°Now that Sister says it, it¡¯s likely that Heir Pei and Lu Yan not only know him, but should also be in frequent contact with him.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. If it¡¯s just a regr rtionship, as Pei Fengtang and the head of the Lu family, who would care about the voice and appearance of an ordinary minor character. Then there¡¯s no need for him to hide so much in front of the two, but he didn¡¯t dare to even say a word.¡± Qi Qingyao analyzed the situation calmly. ¡°If he really has a rtionship involving frequent contact with Heir Pei and Lu Yan, then the identity of being the second son of the Jiang family in Yuehua City that he told me was nothing but lies.¡± Si Jin cocked his head adorably and thought for a while, then said, ¡°In Capital City, the people who can have a rtionship involving frequent contact with Heir Pei and Lu Yan would surely have to be either royalty or aristocrats!¡± Qi Qingyao nodded. Si Jin added, ¡°Sister, I have a question too.¡± Qi Qingyao said, ¡°What is it?¡± Si Jin said with his head tilted, ¡°It¡¯s a question regarding the powerhouses in Maind that Jiang Bai mentionedst time. Are there royalty and aristocrats that are above rank eight?¡± Qi Qingyao was silent for a long time before saying, ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Si Jin said, ¡°Do you want to ask Heir Pei?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going to ask him first.¡± Qi Qingyao pondered for a while and added, ¡°He only lied to me, and I still don¡¯t know the purpose of his lie. We¡¯ll see, maybe, in a few days, he¡¯ll reveal his true colors himself.¡± After discussing with Si Jin, Qi Qingyao felt much better. Si Jin had shown his face in public, but nothing happened. It was only him. Only he hid himself so well. He was only willing to show his face in front of a country bumpkin widow like her. Because he was not afraid that she would recognize him at all. ... After Qi Qingzhu rested, she washed the clothes in the inner courtyard. Today, she had purposely boiled some hot water to wash them so her hands were not too cold. Suddenly, she saw Jiang Siliu enter the courtyard in tears as she ran into her room, then cried under the covers. Qi Qingzhu was stunned. She wiped her hands on her apron then entered the room to ask Yangtao about it. ¡°Yangtao, why did Young Mistresse back with red eyes, and is now crying under the covers?¡± ¡°Ah, forget it. Young Mistress was bullied when she went out today.¡± Yangtaomented slightly. Qi Qingzhu asked, ¡°Bullied? Who dares to bully the Young Mistress?¡± Who in the entirety of Qingzhou City did not know about the Jiang family¡¯s reputation? When the Young Mistress headed out usually, she also did whatever she wanted in Qingzhou City. There were only a few who dared to mess with the Jiang family. Yangtao pursed her lips and muttered unhappily, ¡°It¡¯s a little vixen! She looks good but her mouth spits poison! She made our Young Mistress cry.¡± Qi Qingzhu, ¡°...¡± Vixen... Yangtao clenched her fists and continued indignantly, ¡°When Young Mistress¡¯ mood gets a little better she must want revenge! The little vixen must be killed within Qingzhou City territory.¡± Qi Qingzhu wanted tough a little but did not dare to. She was suddenly pretty impressed by this ¡°little vixen¡±. There was someone who could make Jiang Siliu cry, what an amazing person! Chapter 281 - An Old Lady Makes Trouble 1

Chapter 281: An Old Lady Makes Trouble 1

The scene in Chunjiang Restaurant that afternoon was witnessed by the people on the second floor. Naturally, it was inevitable for it to be circted around. Young Master Han heard about it when it reached his residence and instantly sighed with emotion. ¡°People have gone insane these days.¡± A member of the family who had juste from the toilet asked curiously, ¡°What are you guys talking about?¡± Young Master Han exined the incident sinctly and clearly. ¡°A beautiful young woman named Qi Qingyao was with Lu Yan at Chunjiang Restaurant this afternoon. Then she reduced Jiang Siliu to tears with her shameless bragging!!¡± The person asked, ¡°Who¡¯s Qi Qingyao?¡± Young Master Han rolled his eyes and said, ¡°You still don¡¯t know who Qi Qingyao is? You¡¯re reallyte to the party! Qi Qingyao is the maid who stole the show at Jiang¡¯s residence the other day.¡± The person widened his eyes skeptically. ¡°F*ck, that¡¯s her?¡± ¡°She¡¯s Qi Qingyao!¡± The name wasmon andckluster, yet it had been creating waves in Qingzhou City these past two days! It was truly quite impressive. After the news reached the Yulong Gang¡­ Third Brother Yu was the leader of the Yulong Gang. He listened to this news and after hearing all of it, he sat in his chair, dazed for a moment. After giving it some thought, he cradled his forehead helplessly and said, ¡°She¡¯s from amon vige, how does she have the guts to face the Jiang family head-on? I have to give it to her.¡± Old Xie the Eighth said, ¡°She even dined with Lu Yan. And I heard Master Lu even paid for it.¡± Third Brother Yu sighed and said, ¡°Despite utterly shredding Lu Yan in public, Master Lu still treated her to a meal. I wonder if there¡¯s something wrong with his head.¡± ¡°ording to our informants throughout the city, the two of them had also gone to Yuexiu Fabric Shop together and bought a few rolls of fabric, which were also paid for by Master Lu.¡± Old Xie the Eighth suddenly recalled something and added, ¡°Yes, there is one more thing. Lu Yan currently lives in the house on the Eighth Street of the Upper East Side.¡± Third Brother Yu really could not understand the current situation. ¡°Didn¡¯t he lose that house to the littledy?¡± ¡°Exactly!!¡± That was where the problem was. Old Xie the Eighth said solemnly, ¡°I¡¯ve asked the government office and the title deed to that house is still currently in Qi Qingyao¡¯s hands, but not only had Lu Yan moved in, but all of his servants who had been dismissed also seem to have returned to work.¡± ¡°???¡± Third Brother Yu nced at Old Xie the Eighth, his gaze mirroring his confusion. This Qi Qingyao was an exotic blossom. She not only cured Heir Pei, but also built a house in her vige. Now, she even has something going on with Master Lu! Is she really someone from Linquan Vige?! Third Brother Yu pondered for a moment then asked, ¡± Does Qi Qingyao¡¯s family back in Linquan Vige know about this?¡± Old Xie the Eighth shook his head and said, ¡°Qi Qingyao came to Qingzhou City after she severed ties with them. They probably don¡¯t know that their daughter has struck it rich.¡± ¡°Pass this news to them! I want to know the woman¡¯s reaction through her family,¡± Third Brother Yu instantly ordered. Old Xie the Eighth was a little hesitant to do this on his own. ¡°Then, what about Lu Yan living in her house, Third Brother? Do we spread this news?¡± Third Brother Yu thought about it for a moment. ¡°The public doesn¡¯t know that the title deed is under her name. As long as Lu Yan is living in that house, it¡¯s as if he¡¯s announcing to the world that she has be his concubine.¡± Old Xie the Eighth immediately cupped his fist and bowed. ¡°Alright, I understand, leader,¡± he said. Just as Old Xie the Eighth was about to leave, Third Brother Yu suddenly called out for him to stop. Old Xie the Eighth asked, ¡°Leader?¡± Third Brother Yu rubbed his lower jaw. His demeanor solemn, he said, ¡± I remember the report you guys gave mest time. Her grandmother¡­ she¡¯s still living with her other rtives in Qingzhou City.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Old Xie the Eighth nodded. Third Brother Yu went into deep thought again for a moment before saying, ¡°In that case, send someone to spread this news to the old madam deliberately, tell her that her granddaughter has struck it rich! We¡¯ll see what the old woman does, then observe Qi Qingyao¡¯s reaction.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Wait a minute.¡± Third Brother Yu called out again. Old Xie the Eighth asked, ¡± Is there something else? Leader?¡± Third Brother Yu mulled it over for a moment and said, ¡°Send someone to the Jiang residence to discuss this with Second Master Jiang. Since this girl has offended their youngdy, ask him if he requires the Yulong Gang to help him retaliate. Also, tell him that we might be able to catch the divine physician Su Hexiao.¡± Old Xie the Eighth was so shocked that cold sweat formed on his forehead. ¡°But¡­ Leader, the other forces have already sent so many peoplest night to gauge her, and all of their men died! If you send someone to retaliate now, you will¡­¡± Third Brother Yu gave Old Xie the Eighth¡¯s skull a sharp rap. ¡°Are you stupid? If open methods don¡¯t work, why not try discrete ones? Don¡¯t you know how to use poison? You could even do it a roundabout way and poison the girl¡¯s olddy! Wasn¡¯t she able to cure Heir Pei? In that case, let us find out if she is the divine physician Su Hexiao! ¡°If we do that¡­¡± Old Xie the Eighth felt that it was somewhat inappropriate¡ªthey could not afford to offend Heir Pei and the Lu family! The Lu family¡¯s power had holds all throughout Northern Liang! The connection between Lu Yan and this woman was currently tooplicated and the situation unclear. They should not act rashly. ¡°That old woman will die soon anyway and it doesn¡¯t look like she¡¯ll live long. Just use her as a chess piece!¡± Third Brother Yu said. ¡°But you have to discuss this with Second Master Jiang first to see if we need to help them retaliate.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Old Xie the Eighth nodded. He immediately went off to carry out his orders, sending one person off for Linquan Vige while another went to the western region. ¡­ The old madam was Qi Boli¡¯s mother, and her mother had passed away some decades ago. Her aunt was quite good-looking back in her heyday and had married into the Jin family as a concubine. Her days passed peacefully enough. Her aunt had lived a long life and just passed away a few months ago. The old madam attended the funeral and then stayed around the Jin family since she was already there, and just like that, she spent several months in that area. The Jin family started off with nothing in the western district of Qingzhou City thirty years ago. They made their fortune from selling coffins. The coffin business was fairly decent given Qingzhou City was quite the chaotic mess. They had even be famous in the western district over the past couple of decades. Everyone knew about ¡°Western Jin Coffins¡±. The Jin family had connections to several dieners in Qingzhou City. Most of the time, however, assassins who died in action¡­ did not require coffins, but only a mat! One would only need to roll them up in a mat, then dig a hole and dump them inside! The old madam was sitting inside the house as she assisted the Jin family¡¯s granddaughter tob the cotton thread that would be used to patch the soles the next day. After going at it for a while, she yawned. The old madam thought to herself that she would have a napter on. However, she received an unexpected visit from her neighbor Madam Zhang after a while. When she arrived, the first thing she did was ask, ¡°Madam, when will you be going back?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be heading back after the new year. Although things have been convenient in the city, I¡¯m still not quite used to it.¡± The old madam knew that her aunt had lived a long life and, after she died, an olddy like her was not really wee at the Jin¡¯s home. After all, who would want an elderly granny who was unrted by blood in their home? However, city life had beenfortable so she was a little unwilling to go back home. Madam Zhang took a seat and began chattering. ¡°Don¡¯t you feel that things have not been that peaceful in the city recently?¡± The old madam yawned again as she thought privately, ¡®Why are you telling me this?¡¯ Madam Zhang also had no intention to beat around the bush and went straight to the point. ¡°Hey, madam! I want to ask you something.¡± Chapter 282 - An Old Lady Makes Trouble 2

Chapter 282: An Old Lady Makes Trouble 2

¡°What is it?¡± The olddy was trying her best to raise her spirits. Madam Zhang said mysteriously, ¡°I remember you saying that your little granddaughter back home is the young woman who got pregnant with a few children out of wedlock. Is her name Qi Qingyao?¡± ¡°Yes, what about it?¡± Why was she bringing up that ursed person? The olddy¡¯s mood dropped even lower; she found herself unwilling to listen any further. ¡°I just wanted to make sure,¡± Madam Zhang said excitedly. ¡°Make sure of what?¡± The woman¡¯s words were not making any sense. Madam Zhang first took a sip of water then said, ¡°My uncle is responsible for feeding the horses in the stables of Young Master Han¡¯s home. ording to hearsay, something happened in the Upper East these past few days.¡± ¡°What does that have to do with me?¡± She had no interest in the matters of the rich; they had nothing to do with her. Madam Zhang continued, ¡°In the northern region, the Lu family runs the Senluo Chamber of Commerce and is the richest in the entirety of Northern Liang!¡± ¡°Why are you saying all this?¡± The olddy¡¯s mood was deteriorating even further. ¡°Just listen to everything I have to say first.¡± Madam Zhang¡¯s demeanor was energetic. ¡°A few days ago, something happened at the Jiang residence. Heir Pei had a maid who embarrassed Master Lu at the Jiang residence. I also heard that yesterday, the youngdy of the Jiang Family unwittingly bumped into Lu Yan and that same little maid. She was then ruthlessly humiliated by the maid. And guess what, my uncle heard some gossip when he was at Young Master Han¡¯s mansion saying that the maid was not actually a maid; she is in fact a little girl from Linquan Vige of Baishui Town called Qi Qingyao!¡± ¡°Qi Qingyao?¡± The olddy instantly got to her feet, her cloudy and fuzzy eyes also widening a little. Madam Zhang said, ¡°That¡¯s right, she¡¯s called Qi Qingyao, and that¡¯s why I asked you. Could the name Qi Qingyao be verymon?¡± The olddy muttered as she paced, ¡°How is that possible? I have never heard anyone else have that name before. As for our Qingzhu, I have heard of a few others with that name.¡± Madam Zhang asked with agitated nervousness, ¡°Then do you think, this Qi Qingyao, could she be your granddaughter?¡± The olddy pondered for a moment and eventually felt that it was too improbable. ¡°But you just said that she was with Heir Pei. In that case, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s my granddaughter.¡± ¡°Madam, it doesn¡¯t matter if she¡¯s your granddaughter or not. I heard that the littledy is now living in a big mansion on Eight Street in the Upper East District. Don¡¯t you want to go take a look? What if she really is your granddaughter? Wouldn¡¯t you then¡­ also be granted a meteoric rise in society and can go live in the Upper East District?¡± Madam Zhang pressed. The olddy thought it made sense as well. Madam Zhang egged her on. ¡°Let¡¯s go, let¡¯s go, I¡¯ll go with you to take a look.¡± The two then walked out arm in arm. The moment they left the house, they saw that the sky was dark and that snow was falling heavily. They realized that it was already night. ¡°Why don¡¯t we take a look tomorrow morning?¡± suggested the olddy. Madam Zhang, ¡°¡­¡± Agreed! ¡­ Qi Qingyao suddenly thought of something before she fell asleep! She immediately snuck to the front of Si Jin¡¯s door and knocked on it. After Si Jin opened the door, Qi Qingyao crept in stealthily. She looked at Si Jin who was still dressed neatly as before. ¡°Why haven¡¯t you gone to bed?¡± Any ordinary person would return the question and ask why she was not asleep either, but Si Jin was simple and naive. The question immediately made him startled and a little embarrassed. ¡°I¡­ tend to sleep less at night!¡± The truth was that he had nned to sneak out to swim one round in the pond tonight! However, he dared not say this to her¡­ Qi Qingyao said into his ear, ¡°Since you can¡¯t sleep and don¡¯t have anything to do at night, go and keep an eye on Jiang Bai for me.¡± Si Jin instantly clenched his fist and said, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll do as Sister says.¡± After confirming his agreement, Qi Qingyao decided to turn around and head back to her room. She had just taken her first step when she turned around again and asked, ¡°Will you be able to keep an eye on him without getting caught?¡± If Si Jin were to get caught, they would be finished. Chapter 283 - An Old Lady Makes Trouble 3

Chapter 283: An Old Lady Makes Trouble 3

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion ¡°I think...I can.¡± Si Jin scratched his head sheepishly. Qi Qingyao patted his shoulder. ¡°So, for the task I¡¯ve given you,?starting from today, I want you to keep an eye on Jiang Bai at all times for twelve hours a day, but don¡¯t be too obvious about it lest you get discovered.¡± Si Jin nodded. Qi Qingyao returned to her room to sleep. She woke up early in the morning even before the sky had brightened. Yawning, she sat up and looked at the three little ones who were sleeping in bed so soundly. After she got out of bed, she went to clean herself up, yawning once again. Right after lighting up a candle, Qi Qingyao went back to work on sewing the pouches. It was not long after she sat down that Si Jin came knocking on her door. Qi Qingyao opened the door for him. After Si Jin walked in, the first thing he said was, ¡°Sister, I have results.¡± Qi Qingyao¡¯s brows were raised. She did not expect his first night of surveince of this particr person to already bear fruit. This was really¡­ easy! Si Jin was about to begin speaking when Qi Qingyao made a shushing gesture. Then, she exited the room and closed the door behind her. The wind was a bit strong and the entire courtyard was nketed in a thickyer of snow. The ground was dressed in a coat of silver. Heavy snow was still falling even now. Qi Qingyao had a headache when she saw this. The area near Qingzhou City was not only wet and colde winter, but there was also heaps of rain and snow! There had not been more than a handful of days of good weather in the past few days of new year¡¯s; it was no wonder it was the location of the Koi Temple. Perhaps it was because fish liked water that the weather had be like this! Qi Qingyao pondered and pondered, cradling her forehead a little helplessly. Si Jin said in a low voice, ¡°There were some weird sounds from string and wood instruments at one-thirty in the morning, it sounded like a signal. Then, I saw Jiang Bai leave while dressed in ck and wearing a ck mask. I followed him from afar and realized that he was meeting up with a woman dressed in ck. I don¡¯t know what they were talking about.¡± Qi Qingyao murmured, ¡°A woman dressed in ck?¡± Si Jin asked, ¡°Do you want to wake him up immediately and confront him?¡± Qi Qingyao shook her head and said, ¡°No need.¡± ¡°Then, if he meets up with thisdy dressed in ck again next time, should I tail her and find out who she is?¡± Si Jin asked. Qi Qingyao thought about it for a moment and replied, ¡°No need for that¡­ either.¡± They just needed to determine that he was some important figure in Capital City. With that, his identity would be easily discernible. After all, there were only so many people who ran in the same social circles as Heir Pei and Lu Yan! Suddenly, Qi Qingyao said, ¡°I take back what I said. I don¡¯t need you to keep an eye on him anymore.¡± ¡°Not anymore?¡± Si Jin was confused. Qi Qingyao replied, ¡°Because we¡¯ve determined that he is meeting with a woman dressed in ck, as for the follow-up¡­ there¡¯s no need.¡± As long as his objective was not to kill her! ¡­ Qi Qingzhu woke up really early this morning. After briefly giving Yangtao some instructions, she snuck out through the Jiang residence back door under the pretense of buying something for the young miss. The road wasyered with thick snow and since it was still early, the entirety of Qingzhou City was still in a slumbering state. The only sounds were some sharp screams that flitted from one of the little alleyways; at the turn of the head, there was the scene of a body being dragged away. Qi Qingzhu was so shocked that she did not dare turn around. She followed the path, the sound of crunching frosting from below when she stepped on the snow. She had specifically asked the stewardst night about the location of Heir Pei¡¯s attached mansion and the steward had actually leaked some information to her. The Jiang residence was on Fourteenth Street , so she needed to walk to Eleventh Street from Fourteenth Street. No one had stepped through this pathway recently and Qi Qingzhu¡¯s string of footprints were the only ones left behind. Once she got to the small courtyard, she spotted a small building with a gate that was surrounded by many people who were all whispering to one another in conversation. Qi Qingzhu did not dare step forward and waited for the group of people to disperse before she walked up uneasily. Chapter 284 - An Old Lady Makes Trouble 4

Chapter 284: An Old Lady Makes Trouble 4

Qi Qingzhu asked the guard at the gate somewhat awkwardly. ¡°Excuse me, may I know if this is Heir Pei¡¯s attached mansion?¡± ¡°You have some business?¡± asked one of the guards coldly. Although Qi Qingzhu worked for the Jiang family, she had never been in regr contact with the gatekeepers of the Jiang residence¡ªshe worked mostly in the miss¡¯s courtyard. So, she was quite frightened to be face to face with the tall and expressionless guard. She shrunk herself and said somewhat nervously, ¡°It¡¯s like this. I know that the Lord Heir knows Qi Qingyao. I¡¯m Qi Qingyao¡¯s sister and I came here hoping to ask the Lord Heir where my younger sister is currently staying.¡± The guard heard her exnation and could not help replying harshly, ¡°Another one asking about Qi Qingyao. It¡¯s still early in the morning and eight other people have alreadye asking about Qi Qingyao. One of them also said that she was her sister! The rest imed they were her brother. Couldn¡¯t you have found another excuse, girl?¡± Qi Qingzhu was stunned to the spot. ¡°Ah!¡± The guard looked at the woman¡¯s old-fashioned getup; she was wearing what looked like the Jiang family¡¯s maid uniform and was behaving a little uneasy. ¡°Hurry up and leave, don¡¯t make me start chasing you away.¡± Qi Qingzhu hurriedly exined, ¡°I really am Qi Qingyao¡¯s elder sister, I¡¯m Qi Qingzhu.¡± The guard knew Qi Qingyao. When they heard this, they replied in annoyance, ¡°Have you looked at yourself in the mirror? You, her elder sister? We have seen Ms. Qi before and though she came from poor beginnings, she looks like an angel. Come on! Not even bothering to prepare a script before lying! Hurry up and move aside. ¡± ¡°Sir!¡± Qi Qingzhu still wanted to defend herself. The guard held the spear in front of him and pointed it at Qi Qingzhu. ¡°Don¡¯t cause any more trouble. Everyone says that they are her sister, yet they can¡¯t even provide evidence! Everyone says that they live in Linquan Vige! Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re going to say that you live in Linquan Vige too? Hurry up! Leave!¡± ¡°¡­¡± This¡­ Qi Qingzhu was stunned. What was going on? Why would there be groups of people trying to be recognized as her family? Why? Her sister should only be acquainted with a handful of people in Qingzhou City! Qi Qingzhu left somewhat helplessly. Given that so many people hade forward asking about Qi Qingyao early in the morning, Li Qing waited for Pei Fengtang to wake up before going forth to report to him. ¡°Lord Heir, someone has deliberately spread news about Qi Qingyao to the masses, causing many people toe and ask about Qi Qingyao¡¯s whereabouts.¡± Heir Pei got up and responded as he put on his clothes, ¡°The fact that they asked where Qi Qingyao was meant that they are only small fry and do not know that she had won the Lu family¡¯s mansion. They also have no idea where she is living now.¡± ¡°So, what should we do now?¡± Should they let the masses know where Qi Qingyao was staying? Li Qing was not sure what the Lord Heir was thinking. Heir Pei said indifferently, ¡°This has nothing to do with us, we¡¯ll just keep to ourselves and watch the matter unfold itself.¡± ¡°I suspect it¡¯s because Qi Qingyao offended the Jiang family. The Jiang family has ties with the Yulong Gang and they could have purposefully gotten someone to spread the news about her, saying that she has a connection to Su Hexiao! This would exin the many inexplicable peopleing to our doorstep this morning asking about Qi Qingyao. Some even inquired about the Divine Physician Su Hexiao¡­¡± Li Qing theorized cautiously. Pei Fengtang said nothing. He was thinking that, based on how there were already peopleing to cause trouble at his attached mansion, it was likely that¡­ she would not have much peace at her new home. ¡­ Qi Qingyao did some needlework that morning. After the children woke up, the maid brought water for them to wash their faces. After they cleaned themselves up, they sat down together and had breakfast. The rest of the servants had started cleaning the snow in the courtyard. Manager Zhang suddenly came forward to report something. ¡°Miss, there is someone here to see you.¡± ¡°Who is it?¡± To be looking for her this early in the morning¡­ they must have some hidden agenda. Manager Zhang wiped the fine sweat on his forehead. ¡°It¡¯s an olddy who came, she said she¡¯s your grandmother.¡± Qi Qingyao, ¡°??¡± What grandmother! Chapter 285 - An Old Lady Makes Trouble 5

Chapter 285: An Old Lady Makes Trouble 5

¡°I don¡¯t have a grandmother,¡± Qi Qingyao said with a nk expression. Steward Zhang was stunned¡ªhe could roughly understand what she was implying. Jiang Yeqian heard what she said and thought that she had honestly forgotten about it. So, he reminded her, ¡°Have you forgotten that Qi Boli has a mother who was recently in Qingzhou City?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know her, reject her,¡± Qi Qingyao said, ying down his words. Jiang Yeqian, ¡°¡­¡± After a while, Steward Zhang reported back again. He said, ¡°Miss, the person insisted that she is your grandmother, and she even added that you¡¯re not being filial! Then, she started crying and making a ruckus at the gates.¡± ¡°She really went and did that?¡± Qi Qingyao poured herself some tea indifferently. The edges of her eyes and brows were calm and rxed as she continued with her needlework. ¡°I just arrived in Qingzhou City a few days ago and already, some olddy from god knows where finds out that I¡¯m in Qingzhou City. Not only that, she knows my specific location and had actuallye to my doorstep. How interesting.¡± Someone must have deliberately spread news about her. It was the same as the other night when they had been besieged by killers sent by the various forces. The olddy¡¯s motive foring was very obvious¡ªto cause trouble. Qi Qingyao nced at Si Jin who was sitting beside her. Si Jin was very tall and pretty. He was also delicate-looking. ¡°Si Jin, put on my clothes and go out to deal with this for me.¡± ¡°Ah!!¡± Si Jin almost fell from his chair. Jiang Yeqian, ¡°¡­¡± Qi Qingyao blinked her eyes at him. Smiling rather deviously, she said, ¡°Go out as Qi Qingyao and see what that olddy is up to.¡± Si Jin pursed his lips. He had wanted to protest but then he suddenly realized that this meant Qi Qingyao was regarding him highly! She trusted him! After that, Si Jin had no more objections, agreeing immediately. Qi Qingyao asked him to randomly pick out an outfit from the cab. Si Jin quickly ran to her room. Jiang Yeqian followed him into the room and realized that Si Jin had opened her wardrobe. Jiang Yeqian¡¯s expression twitched inexplicably underneath the mask but he went over to have a look nheless. Si Jin was examining the pile of beautiful women¡¯s clothes. He felt shy and his face was red. After hesitating for a long time, he finally pulled out a light purple, brocade robe. He saw Jiang Yeqian standing right beside him the moment he turned around. ¡°Why are you here?¡± ¡°Am I not allowed to have a look??¡± Jiang Yeqian said acidly. ncing at the clothes in his hand, he suddenly realized something. It seemed that Qi Qingyao had not worn this outfit before, which made him calm down. He made a mental note to go back and dispose of the outfit in secret after the boy was done wearing it. Si Jin was really tall and he was not suited to wearing women¡¯s clothes! The loose, broad-sleeved brocade robe turned into a slim-fitting one on him¡­ He also styled his hair hastily. He looked more like a little girl despite his face being bare of cosmetics. After Si Jin fixed his appearance, he strode to the gates confidently. Steward Zhang had already been waiting there for some time. His legs nearly buckled in shock the moment he saw Si Jin. He did not dareugh either after he regained his footing. They opened the gates once again. Si Jin saw an olddy and a middle-aged woman standing together outside the door at a nce. The olddy was sprawled on the floor beneath the eaves at the gate as she began making a scene, wailing and balling. This scene stunned Si Jin. His head was lowered as he nced at the olddy as she made a scene. He crossed his arms. Then he spoke in an elegant and calm manner. ¡°Who are you?¡± The olddy had initially been about to cry out in joy, but when she saw that it was a tall girl d in a light purple brocade robe with a somewhat haughty and cold demeanor who had walked out and leaned against the door, she immediately climbed off the ground. The olddy asked, ¡°Who are you?¡± Si Jin replied coolly and unperturbed, ¡°Qi Qingyao.¡± The olddy was stunned. ¡°You¡¯re Qi Qingyao???¡± ¡°Yes,¡± replied Si Jin, his expression nk. Jiang Yeqian was wearing his ox-head mask as he stood behind him. He cast a nce at the olddy outside the door, saying nothing. Madam Zhang and the old Madam looked at each other, the olddy scratching her head. Si Jin asked, ¡°You came all the way looking for me, do you know me?¡± The olddy felt a little deceived but was also somewhat unwilling to believe the current situation. ¡°No, that¡¯s not right. How can you be Qi Qingyao?¡± ¡°I am Qi Qingyao.¡± Si Jin mimicked Qi Qingyao¡¯s appearance, raising the corners of her lips and chuckling. ¡°Madam, for what matter have youe looking for me?¡± ¡°No¡­nothing.¡± The olddy looked at the young girl, who was tall, beautiful, and a little bit ambiguous gender-wise, and waspletely dumbstruck. Madam Zhang thought to herself, ¡®The rumors couldn¡¯t have been wrong.¡¯ She hurriedly pointed at Si Jin¡¯s nose and said, ¡°You have three children.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t,¡± replied Si Jin. Madam Zhang, ¡°¡­¡± Si Jin asked, ¡°Could you have mistaken me for someone else?¡± Madam Zhang pointed at the door head nkly. ¡°But the door says Qi Mansion.¡± Si Jin tilted his head but did not say anything. He just watched the two quietly. The olddy¡¯s face fell as Madam Zhang tried exining herself while also feeling a little awkward. ¡°Or, it could really be someone with the same name.¡± Chapter 286 - An Old Lady Makes Trouble 6

Chapter 286: An Old Lady Makes Trouble 6

Watching the olddy and the other woman limping their way back out, Si Jin coolly asked Manager Zhang to close the gates before turning around and heading back into the house. ¡­ Meanwhile, the spy from Yulong Gang had just arrived at Linquan Vige that morning. They pretended to be passing by as they spread the news to Madam Li who lived next door to Qi Yuanxiu. They had even given Madam Li five taels of silver and instructed her on some things. Madam Li was already a chatterbox to begin with and after receiving the silver, she was ecstatic. She could not help but rush to the Old Qi family home. She ryed everything she had just heard to Madam Wu with ir. ¡°What??????¡± Madam Wu listened with unparalleled astonishment. After eventually sending Madam Li off, she waited for Qi Boli and his family to return from their visit to their rtive¡¯s home before pulling the old codger to the side and saying to him. ¡°Someone said that that fool Qi Qingyao has actually won arge mansion in Qingzhou City!!!¡± ¡°How big is it for you to be this riled up?¡± Qi Boli sat down as he rubbed his waist. The old man¡¯s wrinkled face was filled with irritation. He did not really want to hear anything about Qi Qingyaotely. Madam Wu gulped and continued, not even daring to blink, ¡°She won that humongous mansion in Qingzhou City from the richest man in Northern Liang.¡± Qi Boli almost spat out the tea he had just taken a sip of. He forced it down strenuously, then looked at Madam Wu with shock. ¡°Huh?¡± Qi Yuanxiu and Madam Liang were standing at the side, eyes blinking. Neither of them dared say anything at first, their heads buzzing a little. Their minds were filled with only one thing¡ªwas what their mother said true? ¡°We, we¡­¡± Madam Wu looked at the old man, agitated. Qi Boli could easily tell what his wife was thinking. The rush of excitement he felt earlier calmed down instantly. He waved his hand. ¡°Don¡¯t make a fuss out of this!¡± Madam Wu was about to interject, but Qi Boli fixed her with a sharp re and said, ¡°Have you forgotten our son¡¯s death?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Madam Wu felt as if someone had just dumped a pail of freezing water over her. Qi Yuanxiu and Madam Liang¡¯s previous excitement was diminished equally quickly. As the daughter-inw, Madam Liang coughed lightly and said a little resentfully, ¡°But¡­ but father, Qi Qingyao is still part of the family. She won such a huge mansion now and all, I¡¯m not saying she should let us live there together with her, but she should at least give us the small building in the vige.¡± They were all family and there was no reason for them to be treating each other like outsiders. The small building in Hengshu Vige was also vacant¡­ there should not be a problem for her to give it to her blood family. ¡°You fool! How can you be so stupid?¡± Qi Boli got up, pointed at Madam Liang¡¯s nose, and cursed. Madam Liang instantly shrunk back like a quail, not daring to speak anymore. She could only hang her head in silence. Qi Yuanxiu also quickly withdrew his presence and hid to the side, pretending to be nonexistent. Madam Wu pursed her lips tightly as she held herself back from speaking for a moment. Qi Boli cursed vehemently, ¡°You lot are all useless!¡± Qi Boli was a man who usually behaved as if he held no authority at home. However, the moment he got serious, no one in the house dared to say anything! Several of his little grandchildren had returned to their homes and were shocked when they heard their grandfather curse. Qi Boli then asked Madam Wu to repeat what Madam Li from next door had said. Madam Wu looked at the old man¡¯s face and did not dare to speak any nonsense. She silently repeated Madam Li¡¯s words solemnly. After hearing everything, Qi Boli said, ¡°You¡¯ve said it clearly, that she was with Heir Pei and this Lu-whatever. And this Lu fe is the richest young master in Northern Liang! Now that she has gotten close to these two, do you think that¡¯s a societal ss we dare or are even able to step into?¡± Chapter 287 - An Old Lady Makes Trouble 7

Chapter 287: An Old Lady Makes Trouble 7

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Qi Yuanxiu hurriedly sucked up to the old man, saying, ¡°What Father said makes sense.¡± Qi Boli was deep in thought for a long time before he finally said, ¡°Those people that came over just now were spouting exaggerated nonsense. They are probably hoping that we will go to Qingzhou City and cause a scene.¡± Madam Wu¡¯s eyes suddenly lit up for a moment before she lowered her gaze. She began thinking about it¡ªMadam Li had indeed looked a little strange when she came over just now. It was as if she was intentionally telling her about the matter. Qi Boli continued, ¡°It¡¯s hard to tell if we might get used like tools if we were to go.¡± Madam Liang could not agree to the old man¡¯s thinking and retorted, ¡°How is that possible? They were only thinking of telling us that she had struck it rich.¡± ¡°If she¡¯s rich, she¡¯s rich. What does it have to do with us?¡± Qi Yuanxiu said firmly. Qi Boli noted his son¡¯s resolution and rxed a little. He sighed and murmured, ¡°God knows what she¡¯s capable of, considering she was able to get close to Heir Pei and the Lu family.¡± Madam Wu had no more words of retort. Qi Boli continued, ¡°Ever since she got her brains in the right direction, the things she has aplished are not something ordinary people could pull off. I heard Ma Sanye say that she once stayed at the Longmen Inn in Baishui Town for a whole month and that she had even cured Heir Pei! After getting her money, she even procurednd to build a house. After that, she went to Qingzhou City¡­ this series of actions. Perhaps it was already decided by fate that she was too talented to stay in her current station after bing smart.¡± ¡®Too talented to stay in her current station.¡¯ These words shocked Madam Wu and made her think of some things that happened in the past, as well as those two keepsakes. Could it really be that her motive had been to¡­ seize the opportunity? She absent-mindedly said, ¡°That could be right, that child has always been good-looking. Now that she¡¯s smart, she does look¡­ a little bit like an officialdy.¡± Qi Yuanxiu, ¡°¡­¡± Madam Liang said a little doubtfully, ¡°Mother?¡± Madam Wu rubbed her forehead, her speaking bing somewhat incoherent. ¡°I¡­ I have something to discuss with your father.¡± Then she cast a meaningful look at Qi Boli. Qi Boli got up and followed his wife out of the room. After Madam Wu closed the door, Qi Boli went ahead and made his position clear. ¡°If you intend to go to Qingzhou City and shame me again, you are going alone.¡± Madam Wu shook her head. ¡°That¡¯s not it. That¡¯s not what I want to talk about.¡± To be honest, she actually wanted to go as well, but since the old man already put his foot down... She knew what he was thinking. Ever since the death of his eldest son, Qi Yuancheng, the old man had changed a lot. He had be quieter, and also more stubborn. Qi Boli asked, ¡°Then what do you want to talk about?¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Madam Wu took a deep breath and then began, ¡°What you said before, I¡¯ve also given some thought about it. There¡¯s plenty of chaos in Qingzhou City, I know that. You said that that person hade over intentionally to say these things, hoping to use us as chess pieces. Maybe she¡¯s been targeted because she¡¯s gotten close to Heir Pei and the richest man in Northern Liang. Or maybe she offended the Lu family and the other parties are waiting for us to cause trouble in Qingzhou City so that they can teach her a lesson.¡± Qi Boli looked at his wife cautiously, then asked, ¡°What are you trying to say now with all this?¡± Madam Wu muttered to herself for a moment. ¡°You also know it, she¡¯s not actually ours.¡± Qi Boli was stunned¡ªhe did not think his wife would bring this topic up on her own ord. Madam Wu continued, ¡°She is actually good-looking but was a fool before this and had alwayse off as turbid and stupid. But she¡¯s no longer stupid now and is intelligent. I¡¯ve sort of given up, considering all the things she has done in just these few months.¡± She paused, then said, ¡°I wish to go to Qingzhou City but not to cause trouble or anything. I want to tell her the truth about who she is.¡± Qi Boli was immensely surprised. ¡°Are you being sincere?¡± Chapter 288 - An Old Lady Makes Trouble 8

Chapter 288: An Old Lady Makes Trouble 8

Madam Wu was not a fool either, and she understood the implication of this series of incidents. ¡°If that child decides to leave, she will not stay in the city for long. If we don¡¯t tell her now, she¡¯ll be in the dark forever.¡± Perhaps it was because the old man had changed his stance, or maybe it was the lingering gloom of their eldest son¡¯s death, but Madam Wu was showing morepassion now. Maybe they could still amass some virtue for the family if they did some good deeds¡­ it would be enough for them if their eldest son could reincarnate into a good family. Qi Boli met her gaze and saw through her thoughts about umting merit for the family. A hint of a rueful smile appeared on his wrinkled face. ¡°I¡¯ll go retrieve the keepsakes. We¡¯ll both make a trip to Qingzhou City personally when the wind and snow stop for a bit this afternoon.¡± Saying this, Madam Wu then took out the key and ran to the corner of the room. She opened the wooden box with the key and then took the junk and clothes out of it. After retrieving everything¡­ She did not find that particr handkerchief¡­ Madam Wu frantically turned over all the junk and clothes¡ªthere was unexpectedly, still nothing. Madam Wu could not help but exim, ¡°Ah!¡± Although Qi Boli had been watching her as she shifted through all the things, he thought she was just¡­ putting on a show. He could not stop himself from saying, ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re regretting it now?¡± ¡°No.¡± Madam Wu continued her act of flipping through all the items as she said, panicked, ¡°The things have gone missing.¡± Qi Boli knew that she was not joking when he looked at her. He also stepped forward anxiously and said, ¡°What are you talking about? Weren¡¯t you the one who kept them away? How could they have gone missing?¡± Madam Wu was so anxious that sweat began forming on her head. ¡°I, I have always kept the jade piece and the ring in a handkerchief, but even the handkerchief has gone missing.¡± ¡°Could you have kept them in another ce when we movedst time? Perhaps you remembered it wrong?¡± Qi Boli asked. Madam Wu pointed at the box seriously. ¡°How could I have remembered it wrong? Besides, I didn¡¯t take them out of the box when we moved. They have always been in the box.¡± Qi Boli instantly panicked. ¡°Could it be that someone in the house has stolen them?¡± They would be in trouble if the items were pawned. ¡°That¡¯s impossible!¡± Madam Wu said very resolutely. Qi Boli, ¡°¡­¡± If no one took them and yet they had gone missing, this¡­ was this even possible? Madam Wu paced the house anxiously. She suddenly pped her forehead three secondster. ¡°I know who took them.¡± ¡°Who?¡± asked Qi Boli. ¡°Qingzhu,¡± Madam Wu replied as she patted her thigh. ¡°That darned fool had purposefullye back a few days ago! Then¡­¡± Qi Boli, ¡°???¡± Then??? Madam Wu¡¯s expression turned livid when she thought about what happened that day. ¡°She had deliberately spilled tea on me and had me change out of my cotton-padded jacket. The key had been in the jacket at that time. She said she wanted to use the toilet after that and when she came out, she left in a hurry even though the road was still muddy in the afternoon. She must have stolen it!¡± Qi Boli was stunned. He would have never thought that Qingzhu was the one who took the items. He asked, ¡°But, why would Qingzhu take them?¡± ¡°How would I know?¡± Madam Wu thought of this and was pissed. ¡°Her family is poor, if she¡¯s thinking of pawning the keepsakes, then we¡¯re in trouble.¡± Qi Boli, ¡°!!!¡± Madam Wu anxiously put the junk and clothes back into the box and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go look for her at her husband¡¯s home now.¡± Qi Boli contemted for a bit then said, ¡°Did you ever consider that she might havee back and stolen the keepsakes to return them to her sister?¡± Madam Wu, ¡°¡­¡± She had actually not thought of that! Chapter 289 - An Old Lady Makes Trouble 9

Chapter 289: An Old Lady Makes Trouble 9

There were three children in the Jiang family. The eldest son had gone to develop by himself in Capital City and had not been in Qingzhou city these past few years. Hence, only Jiang Siting and Jiang Siliu were left in the house. The Jiang family was considered to be an aristocratic family in Qingzhou City, which was why Jiang Siliu never needed to nurse a grievance in her entire life. Whenever she had conflicts with others in the past, they would usually only be small fights with those within the nobility and upper ss. No one would call Jiang Siliu ugly to her face. So, after crying the whole night, Jiang Siliu went and looked for Jiang Siting. She huffed angrily the moment she walked in. ¡°Brother, I need your help to get revenge!¡± Jiang Siting noticed his sister¡¯s tear-soaked appearance but was abnormally calm. He had already heard about what happened yesterday. He handed a document to Jiang Siliu and said, ¡°This is all the relevant information on Qi Qingyao. Do you want to take a look?¡± Jiang Siliu flipped open the document and discovered that it contained Qi Qingyao¡¯s information. What she knew currently about Qi Qingyao was too little, so she read through it carefully this time. She raised her eyes after a while and said seriously, ¡°She¡¯s a single mother with three children. And she doesn¡¯t actually know who the father is?¡± This¡­ isn¡¯t this¡­ pregnancy out of wedlock! Although the information said that she used to be a fool¡­ Jiang Siting pointed at that piece of information. ¡°Exactly. This¡­ information. You can make good use of it and release it.¡± After Jiang Siliu was done talking, she immediately suggested excitedly, ¡°Brother, get a few dozen men to make a scene at the gates of her home. Have them proim one by one that they are her children¡¯s father. I want to see if Brother Lu Yan will still continue to y around with her.¡± Jiang Siting heard this and immediately spat out his tea. ¡°As your brother, I think that you probably shouldn¡¯t offend her.¡± ¡°Why are you defending that vixen?¡± Jiang Siliu felt really affronted and wanted to cry again. Jiang Siting went over and pulled his sister into his arms. He patted her on the head and saidfortingly, ¡°Why would I want to defend her? I was just thinking about how Lu Yan had sat by and watched as you got into a quarrel with her. Not to mention, Master Lu¡ªone who rarely eats out¡ªstill went out with her to Chunjiang Restaurant despite having been vilified by her. He even let a nobody like her humiliate you without stepping in. It¡¯s f*cking inconceivable. Anyways, all of this indicates that she holds a special ce in Lu Yan¡¯s heart.¡± Jiang Siliu was dissatisfied. ¡°How special could she be?¡± Jiang Siting let out a light cough. ¡°Anyway, if I had been ndered to bebeled as a eunuch by a woman in public, I would definitely kill her. I would kill the person who spews such things at all costs,¡± he said, torn betweenughter and tears. In any case, he would definitely not have further interactions with them. Jiang Siting thought of something after a pause. Suddenly, a faint spark shed across his eyes and he said with a particrly heavy tone. ¡°Unless¡­¡± ¡°Unless what?¡± There was still an ¡®unless¡¯? ¡°Unless he likes her,¡± said Jiang Siting. ¡°Ah?¡± Jiang Siliu was so surprised she almost slipped down from her chair. She pushed her second brother away as she looked at him disagreeably. After making that conjecture, Jiang Siting suddenly felt that it was very usible. ¡°He likes her, and that¡¯s why he lets her cause trouble. And even turns a blind eye to it.¡± Jiang Siliu blinked. She looked at her brother for a bit before speaking in a tone that showed her disbelief. ¡°But that¡¯s not possible. That woman has three children¡­ She¡¯s a widow.¡± Heavens knew why Lu Yan¡¯s taste was so unusual. Jiang Siting also found his thoughts rather ridiculous. ¡°If you say he is ¡®unable¡¯, then he¡¯s sticking unnaturally closely to this widow. But if you say he is ¡®able¡¯, it doesn¡¯t make sense that he didn¡¯t retort when he was ndered the other day. Either way, I really don¡¯t understand anything.¡± Jiang Siliu looked at a loss. ¡°Then, should I still take my revenge?¡± Jiang Siting was also feeling conflicted. ¡°If there really is some connection between her and Lu Yan, we probably shouldn¡¯t offend her in the meantime.¡± The rims of her eyes turning red, Jiang Siliu moaned, ¡°But I just can¡¯t let it go.¡± Jiang Siting pondered for a bit, then said, ¡°We can find a dozen men and have them knock on the door of her house to im one by one that they are the father of her children. But it has to be done indirectly! The Jiang family can¡¯t step in personally. If anything happens, it¡¯ll be better to nt the incident on other people. ¡± Jiang Siliu raised her brows in delight and said with a smile, ¡°Brother, I¡¯ll leave it to you, then.¡± Chapter 290 - An Old Lady Makes Trouble 10

Chapter 290: An Old Lady Makes Trouble 10

Qi Qingyao was sitting in the hall; she was busy embroidering the purse all by herself while the three little ones surrounded her. Qi Qingyao had already finished embroidering a koi-themed purse. However, the three little guys were not fighting for it amongst themselves. Their faces full of excitement and joy, they took turns examining the small purse over and over. Meanwhile, Si Jin was ying chess with Jiang Yeqian at the side. Jiang Yeqian was frowning. Analyzing the chaotic situation on the chessboard, he found himself feeling extremely perplexed about Si Jin, who was sitting opposite him. An hour ago, Si Jin knew nothing about chess; he relied on Jiang Yeqian¡¯s guidance as he learned the rules of chess. An hourter during their third game, his chess skills had improved by leaps and bounds. However, there was no recognizable trick or pattern in the way he yed; yet he was able to win every match. This made Jiang Yeqian scrunch up his brows tightly. His chess skills should be ranked in the top three of everyone in the Zhaixing Administration. However, he ended up losing to Si Jin, who had only just started learning how to y chess¡­ This was so embarrassing! Shortlyter, Steward Zhang came to report for a second time. ¡°Mydy, there is somebody here again.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± Qi Qingyao turned her head and nced at Steward Zhang. She continued the needlework in her hands. Taking a nce at Si Jin, she gave more instructions. ¡°Si Jin, stick to our agreement from before. Go out to have a look again.¡± ¡°Do I still have to pretend to be you?¡± Si Jin seemed to be reluctant to wear women¡¯s clothing. Qi Qingyao¡¯s clothes were too tight and were ufortable. Qi Qingyao¡¯s nodded. ¡°Yeah.¡± Seeing Qi Qingyao¡¯s expectant look, Si Jin became more serious again. Confronted with her trust in him, he proceeded with all his vigor. He put on the light purple brocade robe once again, fixed his hair, and walked toward the exit. Once he opened the door, he saw a man at the doorway. There were also several other men standing beside the wall diagonally across the road. They set their gaze on the doorway from time to time. They were clearly there to monitor the situation. Recalling Qi Qingyao¡¯s usual movements, Si Jin shrugged his shoulders indifferently. As the man at the door saw this tall¡­ beautifuldy, his eyes glistened right away. ¡°You are Qi Qingyao.¡± ¡°And you are here for¡­¡± Si Jin said, while thinking to himself, ¡®Maybe this time they¡¯re not here to im kinship.¡¯ However, that train of thought turned out to be an immediate p in the face. The inly dressed middle-aged man who had a face full of e unexpectedly grinned and said shamelessly, ¡°I am the father of your children. I¡¯m here to im kinship.¡± ¡°im kinship?¡± ¡®You want to im kinship with that kind of look?¡¯ Not even knowing where to begin, Si Jin nkly asked, ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re at the right door?¡± The man looked at Si Jin lewdly and he smiled lustfully. ¡°I¡¯m sure. You¡¯re Lady Qi. I am the father of your children!!¡± ¡®The father of my children¡­¡¯ These words made Si Jin nauseous. What was even more revolting was that this person imed to be the father of Qi Qingyao¡¯s children. Golden light flickered from his eyes. The man deliberately got closer and said, ¡°If you are my wife, then ording to our rtionship, I should also have my share for this mansion.¡± Si Jin asked, ¡°Are you sure you know me?¡± The man hammered his chest and began to say, ¡°Four years ago, I slept with Qi Qingyao¡­¡± He even went on to describe the situation at the time. Listening to his nonsense, the golden glimmer under Si Jin¡¯s eyes surged like a storm. Then he turned around and walked back toward the door. At the same time, he ordered Steward Zhang, ¡°Steward Zhang, bring him in. I will personally have a chat with him inside the house.¡± After that, Si Jin went to a vacant room in the building opposite the main that was situated past the gate. Steward Zhang led the man in with a look of confusion. He was thinking, ¡®How could this man be the biological father of the young mistress¡¯s children?¡¯ It was obvious that this person had been sent by some forces from Qingzhou City to disgust her. However, Si Jin had been sent by the young mistress to deal with this matter. Therefore, Steward Zhang dared not speak up his doubts. He could only obey his instructions, taking the person to the vacant room. Si Jin stood at the door. He then closed the door with a stoic expression, isting Steward Zhang from the room. Steward Zhang stood by the door, listening to the movements inside. However, there was no sound except for the sound of a ¡®thump¡¯ as something hit the ground. Steward Zhang was shocked. Three secondster, the door opened. Si Jin walked out with the same cold expression. He closed the door again. Steward Zhang stammered, ¡°Qi¡­ master¡­¡± ¡®Where is that person just now? Why do I hear no one speaking? Why did Si Jin walk out alone?¡¯ Si Jin did not reply, and Steward Zhang dared not ask anything about it. Someone knocked on the main door again. Steward Zhang hurried over to answer. After answering the door, he turned and looked at Si Jin with a speechless expression. Si Jin said, ¡°There¡¯s another one?¡± He was not annoyed. He immediately turned around and entered the room again. Then, a faint voice came from the room, ¡°Steward Zhang, if there¡¯s anyone here to im kinship again, bring them directly into the room.¡± ¡°Alright, master.¡± Just like that, this new person was also led into the room. As the room was in the building opposite the main one, it was situated in the south while facing north, so it was a little dark and the lighting was poor. It was almost impossible to see what was happening inside from the outside. After this person was pushed into the room, the door closed again eerily. Still, there was no sound in the room. Before long, the third person came to im kinship. Steward Zhang led the people inside ording to Si Jin¡¯s order. Without so much as a pause, more than a dozen people came one after another. They were all here to im kinship. Steward Zhang was a little speechless. He also understood that these people had been specially instructed to make the young mistress feel repulsed. After he led the final person into the room, no one knocked on the door anymore after 10 minutes of waiting. After waiting another 10 minutes, Si Jin finally walked out of the room. His clothes were still very clean. Even though he was dressed in women¡¯s clothing and had a small hair bun, his expression was noble, as if he was an elegant young man. He was wearing a nd expression. It was hard to figure out what he was thinking. Si Jin asked, ¡°Is there anyone else out there who came to im kinship?¡± Steward Zhang swallowed his saliva and spoke very nervously, ¡°There¡¯s no more.¡± ¡°Very well.¡± Si Jin pointed to the room behind him. ¡°Don¡¯t enter this room for the time being. If someone asks, tell them that the guests have left through the back door.¡± ¡°O¡ªokay, master.¡± Steward Zhang¡¯s back was covered in cold sweat, and he did not even dare to look at the silhouette of Si Jin¡¯s back. He knew exactly what had happened to those men who had deliberatelye to cause trouble¡­ Si Jin did not allow anyone to enter, and he did not enter the room either so that he would not witness something that would render him sleepless at night. Si Jin went searching for Jiang Yeqian directly, who he found daydreaming by the pond. ¡°Jiang Bai, don¡¯t you know the corpse collector? Help me get someone over and tidy up the room by the gate. There is a lot of garbage.¡± Jiang Yeqian, ¡°¡­¡± ¡®What did he do this time?¡¯ He went to the building opposite the main one to check it out first. Steward Zhang did not stop him. Steward Zhang knew the importance of Ox-head to the young mistress. That was why he did not stop him. Jiang Yeqian went in and took a look. Then he walked out of the room and left the ce. ¡­ Qi Boli discussed things over with Madam Wu; despite the heavy snowfall, they packed their luggage and prepared to go on a long trip. Qi Yuanxiu and his wife, Madam Liang, were bbergasted by their actions. They asked hurriedly, ¡°Dad, mom, where are you two going, packing up so borately?¡± ¡®Could it be that they are actually going to Qingzhou City to look for Qi Qingyao to talk about the building in the vige? That must be it. With mom¡¯s snobby attitude, she wouldn¡¯t give up on this opportunity.¡¯ Madam Wu frowned and said nothing. Qi Boli red at Qi Yuanxiu. ¡°You don¡¯t need to bother about where we¡¯re going. Just take care of the baby at home! Your mother and I will be back in three days.¡± Chapter 291 - Learning One’s Identity 1

Chapter 291: Learning One¡¯s Identity 1

As Lu Yan¡¯s personal guard, whatever happened at home naturally could not escape Dong Jing¡¯s eyes. After he learned about what had happened at the gates, he hurried to look for Lu Yan, who was going through the ount book in the study. ¡°Master, something big happened at the gates just now.¡± ¡°What could have urred at the gates of our home?¡± It was snowing heavily and it was quiet. Dong Jing lowered his eyes. ¡°A group of people came to im kinship, saying that they were the father of Miss Qi¡¯s children. Qi Qingyao didn¡¯t deal with it but asked Si Jin to handle it by pretending to be her. Si Jin led the group of people to the gatehouse one by one and then killed them all.¡± Lu Yan¡¯s hand that was gripping a brush paused in midair. He put the wolf fur brush down onto the pen holder and said, ¡°Killed¡­them all?¡± Dong Jing replied in a tone that made clear it was not a joke, ¡°Yes.¡± Dong Jing continued, ¡°There is now a piled-up mountain of corpses at the gatehouse. Si Jin has asked Steward Zhang to ignore it. It seems like he has already gotten the man in the ox-head mask to look for a corpse collector to deal with this matter.¡± Lu Yan, ¡°¡­¡± He had always found Qi Qingyao to be rather reckless. As a person, she did things based on what she was feeling, but he did not think that the two guards by her side also did things based on their mood without considering other people at all! A bunch of people hade confessing their rtionship. They must have been instructed by someone, no doubt, but to have them all killed¡­ This was a method that only her people would use. It was ruthless. Unfortunately, this time, those who orchestrated the event would learn what kind of person she was. ¡­ After Si Jin changed back into his own clothes, he made his way back to the hall. He looked at Qi Qingyao who was doing needlework on the arhat couch. Si Jin went over and sat to one side. He grabbed a roll of popped rice candy from the small white agate dish, stuffed it into his mouth, and munched away. Qi Qingyao lifted her headzily and asked, ¡°What other people dropped by just now?¡± Si Jin replied with a sweet smile as he ate, ¡°A whole bunch of people who came to im kinship. But you can rest easy. We already dealt with them.¡± Qi Qingyao¡¯s hand stilled. ¡°im kinship? What rtions were they trying to im?¡± ¡°They all said they were the children¡¯s father,¡± said Si Jin innocently. Qi Qingyao, ¡°¡­¡± A bunch of people had f*cking came to im kinship. Who was ying a prank on her? Si Jin pursed his lips and said somewhat discontentedly ¡°But each and every one of them looked ugly, who knows where these knobs came from! ¡± Seeing him getting a little angry, Qi Qingyao suddenly felt amused. ¡°It seems that someone is deliberately messing with you.¡± The voice came from the door. Qi Qingyao looked over. The door of the side hall was opened and Lu Yan, who was dressed in a white fur coat, walked in. After closing the door behind him, he first put down his fur coat before immediately sitting down on the soft couch next to her. Qi Qingyao was a little helpless. ¡°Why would they want to mess with me like this?¡± ¡°This, we do not know,¡± replied Lu Yan. Si Jin saw that Dabao was getting a little sleepy in thefortably warm side hall and asked him if he wanted to go back to his room to take a nap. Dabao rubbed his sleepy eyes and agreed. Xiaobao and Erniu also said they wanted to sleep, so Si Jin informed Qi Qingyao of this, then immediately carried the three little guys and made his way toward Qi Qingyao¡¯s courtyard. Only Qi Qingyao and Lu Yan were left in the side hall. The charcoal in the brazier was burning, releasing a crackling sound. Qi Qingyao began sewing thest pouch. As she worked, she said, ¡°I¡¯ve only arrived for a few days but people have beening over to mess with me all day every day. Why on earth is this?¡± She found it difficult to understand. Pausing for a bit, she raised her head and looked at Lu Yan warily. ¡°Could they be your fans?¡± Lu Yan smiled helplessly. ¡°What does this have to do with me?¡± Chapter 292 - Learning One’s Identity 2

Chapter 292: Learning One¡¯s Identity 2

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Although he was the young master of Northern Liang¡¯s richest family, in reality, he kept a subtle distance from people of these circles. Everyone knew who he was, but no one was acquainted with him. Naturally, no one would do such an absurd stunt for him. Besides¡­ the folk from the Upper East Side were toote to the party to evenugh at him now, so how could someone havee to stand up for him? Qi Qingyao put down the needlework in her hands and sat at the small, round table on one side. She gestured to Lu Yan to sit at the opposite side. ¡°Sit down, Little Yan. I have something to ask you.¡± Lu Yan did not refuse and dragged a stool, sitting opposite of her. Qi Qingyao poured a cup of tea for them, then picked up the kettle from the brazier next to her and filled the teapot with water. Lu Yan looked at the clean teacup, and the Maojian (T/N: a type of tea leaves) swirling in circles in the teacup. After thinking for a while, he picked up the slightly hot teacup. ¡°What do you want to ask?¡± Qi Qingyao spoke unhurriedly, ¡°How long have you lived in Capital City?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been living in the Capital City since I was thirteen. I¡¯m twenty-one this year, you can count for yourself.¡± Lu Yan did not understand the point of her asking this question out of the blue. Qi Qingyao continued, ¡°Then, you must be familiar with the dignitaries in Capital City.¡± Lu Yan was silent for a moment before he answered, ¡°Do you want to be the concubine of the dignitaries? Is that why you came to me first to ask about having connections?¡± Qi Qingyao did not refute; she just asked in an offhanded tone, ¡°Do you think I look like someone who can be someone else¡¯s concubine?¡± Lu Yan, ¡°...¡± Indeed, she did not look like one. ¡°Of course I have a reason for asking you about this matter.¡± Qi Qingyao thought for a while. She organized the words in her head before asking calmly, ¡°Are there any good-looking dignitaries in Capital City?¡± ¡°Many of the dignitaries are okay-looking. Since their wives and concubines have exceptional looks, their children will naturally not be ugly,¡± answered Lu Yan. Qi Qingyao waved her hand and racked her brains a bit. ¡°No¡­how¡ªhow should I say it?¡± Lu Yan did not speak, he merely looked at her. He was also thinking, ¡®This woman seems to want to ask me something, but doesn¡¯t seem to know how to put it into words.¡¯ Qi Qingyao pondered for a moment longer, then asked seriously, ¡°Are there any rank eight or nine dignitaries?¡± Lu Yan answered, ¡°No.¡± Qi Qingyao was taken aback. ¡°No?¡± Lu Yan said seriously, ¡°Other than the State Preceptor Li Ruoxuan, other dignitaries, high-ranking officials, or rich yboys don¡¯t have such a high skill level. The State Preceptor should have the strength of a rank nine!¡± As for Lu Yan himself, he only had the abilities of the rank six. Why would the ordinary sons of government officials practice martial arts so diligently?! It was not like they were going off to protect the borders. It was good enough for them to be able to defend themselves. Qi Qingyao gave a ¡®hm¡¯ then said casually, ¡°Does the State Preceptor have any sworn enemies? Those living in Capital City?¡± Lu Yan replied exasperatedly, ¡°Of course the State Preceptor has many sworn enemies. They¡¯re everywhere in Capital City. Who are you even asking about?¡± ¡®What kind of question is this? What exactly is she thinking, and what does she want to do?¡¯ Qi Qingyao knew that she had confused him with her questions. She pinched her brows together and said rather helplessly, ¡°I don¡¯t know who I¡¯m asking about. I¡¯m not asking about just anyone. I just...There are some things I need to figure out, so I¡¯m just asking some random questions, that¡¯s all.¡± Lu Yan suddenly raised his brows. Withzy, half-lidded eyes, he asked coolly, ¡°Are you suspecting the identity of the ox-head masked man by your side?¡± Qi Qingyao was stunned for a moment. ¡°You¡ªyou knew?¡± Chapter 293 - Learning One’s Identity 3

Chapter 293: Learning One¡¯s Identity 3

Lu Yan shut his eyes and said slowly, ¡°I¡¯m not an idiot.¡± Qi Qingyao almost wanted to apud him. ¡°Little Yan is certainly the young master of Northern Liang¡¯s richest family, you¡¯re quite smart. I like talking to smart people.¡± Lu Yan let out a chuckle and picked up his teacup. After taking a sip of his tea, he raised his brows and looked at Qi Qingyao. ¡°The various forces in Qingzhou City have not figured out his identity. They don¡¯t know exactly who the Ox-head and Horse-face by your side are nor where they¡¯re from.¡± ¡°Based only on the attempted assassination that night where the corpse collector Ke Yishan had lugged countless of corpses from here in one night, it¡¯s clear that both of their strengths are probably above rank eight! They could even have the strength of rank nines.¡± ¡°And then, Si Jin revealed his face. I¡¯ve seen it myself and indeed I don¡¯t recognize him. The ox-head man, on the other hand, is very mysterious.¡± ¡°He has spoken to you, but he has not spoken in front of me. He has never shown his face either.¡± ¡°Ke Yishan had exchanged words with him before. This means that he doesn¡¯t rejectmunications with outsiders. But he avoids talking to me. This is pretty interesting.¡± ¡°My people have also found some clues from the Pei Residence¡­¡± ¡°The ox-head man has not spoken to Heir Pei either.¡± ¡°He doesn¡¯t talk to me or Pei Fengtang, but he doesn¡¯t mask his own voice in front of ordinary people. This can only mean one thing, that he¡¯s purposely concealing himself in front of me and Pei Fengtang.¡± ¡­ Qi Qingyao was very impressed with Lu Yan after he voiced the series of deductions. He was indeed a wise man who also suspected Jiang Bai¡¯s identity. Lu Yan continued, ¡°Lady Qi.¡± Qi Qingyao waved her hand and said airily, ¡°Don¡¯t call me ¡®Lady Qi¡¯ anymore. It sounds so distant, just call me by my name.¡± They were about to start investigating such an important topic and yet he still called her ¡®Lady¡¯¡ªhow distant. Lu Yan was, for a moment, startled. ¡°Qingyao/sounds too much like a maid¡¯s name. I don¡¯t like it.¡± Qi Qingyao smiled slightly, her eyes filled with mischief. ¡°Then, call me Yaoyao, I don¡¯t mind.¡± Yaoyao¡­ Lu Yan recited the name softly internally, as though he needed to practice. After a few seconds, he said it out loud. ¡°Yaoyao~¡± His expression was restrained, and his features were calm and without a trace of vulnerability. Lu Yan¡¯s heart, however, skipped a beat inexplicably. Ahem. Too intimate. He got a little nervous. Qi Qingyao waved her handzily. She picked up her teacup and drank her tea, ¡°Mm, continue.¡± Lu Yan said unhurriedly, ¡°If you went out of your way to assess my familiarity with the Capital City, it means that you¡¯ve indirectly discovered that there was something wrong with him.¡± Qi Qingyao replied with a hint of a smile, ¡°Since Little Yan has made such an urate guess, then I won¡¯t beat around the bush. I suspect that he¡¯s someone from Capital City, and he should run in the same circle as you and Pei Fengtang. The two of you must at least know him.¡± Lu Yan still found it hard to believe. ¡°You¡­ really don¡¯t know the ox-head man¡¯s identity?¡± Qi Qingyao threw her hands in the air with a shrug and said a little helplessly, ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± With a trace of imperceptible pride in his voice, Lu Yan said, ¡°Then, what makes him worthy of being your bodyguard? You two also seem rather close.¡± Qi Qingyao answered slowly, ¡°I found him.¡± Lu Yan pressed, ¡°And where did you find him?¡± Qi Qingyao pointed to a certain direction. ¡°By Jiuli River.¡± Lu Yan, ¡°¡­¡± Jiuli River. How could it be the Jiuli River? If it was the Jiuli River, at that time¡­ the entire assassin organization in Qingzhou City was forced into motion to look for that person. The State Preceptor¡¯s forces were even dispatched on a veryrge scale to find him. Chapter 294 - Learning One’s Identity 4

Chapter 294: Learning One¡¯s Identity 4

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Qi Qingyao noticed that he was terribly quiet all of a sudden. She stretched out her fingers, waved them in front of his eyes, and asked, ¡°Why did your expression be so serious suddenly?¡± Lu Yan¡¯s dark eyes were very cold. After staying silent for a while, he took a sip of the slightly warm tea and murmured, ¡°Him. I know who he is.¡± Qi Qingyao¡¯s eyes suddenly brightened. ¡°Go on.¡± Lu Yan frowned and said, ¡°The State Preceptor has one sworn enemy in the imperial court. He has decent looks, quite handsome in fact. Come to think of it, his height is indeed very close to the ox-head man¡¯s. His circle oveps with mine and Pei Fengtang¡¯s. He came to Qingzhou City for work a few months ago. He disappearedter on and hasn¡¯t returned to Capital City even now. There¡¯s only one person.¡± Qi Qingyao said anxiously, ¡°Tell me his name.¡± Lu Yan raised his brows and said, ¡°The Head Grand Secretariat, Jiang Yeqian.¡± Qi Qingyao, ¡°...¡± Who? Head Grand what? Did she hear wrongly? That sounded like a high-ranking government official. ¡°Head Grand Secretariat¡­¡± Qi Qingyao whispered the government official title. Lu Yan suddenly began muttering to himself in disbelief. ¡°But that¡¯s not right. If he¡¯s that superior Head Grand Secretariat, did he lose his memory?¡± Qi Qingyao looked at him in confusion. ¡°Hm?¡± Lu Yan¡¯s eyes were foreboding, as though glowing faintly with fire. ¡°Under normal circumstances, the dignified Head Grand Secretariat would never continue being yourckey instead of returning to the imperial court to report himself. It doesn¡¯t make sense.¡± Qi Qingyao provided him with a suggestion. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s because he is being hunted by the State Preceptor and wants to use me as a shield.¡± Lu Yan¡¯s gaze darkened. After thinking about it for a while, he said, ¡°That¡¯s true. With Ox-head and Horse-face behind you, the State Preceptor would never think that one of the bodyguards of a single woman with three children would be the dignified Grand Head Secretariat.¡± ¡°But don¡¯t expose him yet,¡± Qi Qingyao said seriously. Lu Yan¡¯s mind was a mess right now. ¡°I heard that the State Preceptor indeed doesn¡¯t see eye to eye with him and has been hunting him down. Although the Head Grand Secretariat and I are acquainted, we don¡¯t actually have a deep friendship. There¡¯s no need for me to expose his identity. Since he wants to use you as a shield, then you can just keep using him as a bodyguard. Either way, the Head Grand Secretariat is indeed a very powerful man!¡± Jiang Yeqian was a smart man; he even knew how to use Qi Qingyao as a shield¡­ even Lu Yan could not help feeling a bit impressed. After listening to him, Qi Qingyao muttered, ¡°I¡¯ve got to hand it to him. A Head Grand Secretariat, lying to me multiple times. I suspected him now and then, but he would never tell me the truth. He even ims that he¡¯s Jiang Chenye, the second son of the Jiang Family of Yuehua City. He just wouldn¡¯t reveal his real identity. Did he think that I might hug his leg and beg to be his concubine if he told the truth?¡± ¡°That, I don¡¯t know.¡± He imed that he was from the Jiang family of Yuehua City? He¡­ really knew how to spin a tale! Lu Yan was caught betweenughter and tears at the thought. Qi Qingyao suddenly said, ¡°I despise people who are full of lies.¡± Lu Yan was in a very good mood for some reason. ¡°Then what¡¯s your n now?¡¯ Qi Qingyao finished the tea in the cup in one gulp. Then, her gaze darkened, revealing a scheming look. ¡°Since the Head Grand Secretariat does not intend to tell me the truth, I¡¯ll just treat him as a useful pawn and make good use of him. After all, he¡¯s still very qualified as a bodyguard.¡± Lu Yan thought the same as well. However, he would probably feel a little conflicted the next time he saw the ox-head man. He had to pretend not to know him. ¡­ Ke Yishan was the corpse collector in Qingzhou City. When he was called over this time, he brought his people over thinking that there would be corpses everywhere again as soon as he entered. So, he was rather surprised when he did not smell fresh blood. However, the corpses right before his eyes were still very real. He briefly checked for the cause of death. His brows furrowed. These people all had their necks broken¡­ The killer¡¯s modus operandi was too neat and cruel! Chapter 295 - Learning One’s Identity 5

Chapter 295: Learning One¡¯s Identity 5

When Ke Yishan was carting off the near dozen corpses, Steward Zhang looked at the bodies as they were carried away on stretchers and his forehead and back broke out in cold sweat. He went back. He did not know the new mistress well yet and he also did not know much about the ox-head and horse-face behind her. Who would have thought that theely boy whose smile was like a little angel¡¯s turned out to be so vicious and merciless! There was no sound when he snapped their necks. He had killed these people¡­ in silence. After watching Ke Yishan leave, Jiang Yeqian, who was wearing the ox-head mask, returned to the hall. Seeing that Qi Qingyao was still sitting there busy with her embroidery work, he casually sat to the side. Suddenly, he noticed a pair of eyes on him. Jiang Yeqian turned his head and found that it was Lu Yan. He then unhurriedly retracted his gaze. In just that one second, Jiang Yeqian felt that Lu Yan¡¯s gaze was not as curious as it had been before. Rather, there seemed to have been an added hint of yfulness and amusement, even if the man had quickly concealed that expression. Lu Yan got up and told Qi Qingyao that he would leave first. He then turned and left the hall. Only Qi Qingyao and Jiang Yeqian were left in the hall all of a sudden. Qi Qingyao was silent. She quickly fiddled with the needle and thread without lifting her head. Although she had just told Lu Yan that she did not intend to expose him¡­ ideals were beautiful, and reality was cruel. The ox-head man next to her¡ªoh no¡ªhe seemed to have taken off his mask. He was good-looking. The strong, beautiful man was actually the Head Grand Secretariat. Her feelings wereplicated. What mindset did the Head Grand Secretariat have that made him stay by her side, and what mindset did he have when he lied? These questions puzzled Qi Qingyao a lot. ¡°You¡­¡± Jiang Yeqian sensed that the atmosphere was inexplicably odd, not to mention a little awkward. He took the lead and started the conversation. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you looking at me or talking to me?¡± After Qi Qingyao was done with thest hook of the needlework, she bit off the end of the thread with her teeth. After putting down the purse in her hands, she ced the sewing basket aside. She turned around and leaned toward the brazier to warm herself. Looking at Jiang Yeqian sitting there through a faint glow of the fire, Qi Qingyao said, ¡°I don¡¯t know what to say.¡± She did not know what to say? Coupled with Lu Yan¡¯s expression from before, there was something going on indeed. Jiang Yeqian said in a way that carried some slightly profound meaning, ¡°What happened just now? You¡¯re avoiding me.¡± Qi Qingyao asked evasively, ¡°Am I?¡± Jiang Yeqian answered, ¡°Yes.¡± Qi Qingyao said calmly, ¡°What¡¯s so strange about me avoiding you?¡± Jiang Yeqian, ¡°¡­¡± Was there anything not strange? Clearly, everything about this was strange. Jiang Yeqian observed the microexpressions on her face. After examining her for a while, he asked, ¡°Did I offend you in some way?¡± Qi Qingyao raised her brows and lifted her eyelids. She said in a soft and slow voice, ¡°I realized that I want to be a calm and elegant person who is free from the essence of the lower ss, but what a shame! What a shame it is that I¡¯m faced with someone like you who¡¯s full of lies. It¡¯s hard for me to take it easy, and I can no longer face you with the same attitude as before.¡± ¡°When did I lie again?¡± Did he not exin everything honestly already? Qi Qingyao looked at him with a smile and asked, ¡°Jiang Yeqian, are you really not lying?¡± Jiang Yeqian, ¡°¡­¡± Jiang¡­ what? Usually, on the outside, Jiang Yeqian was very confident in disguising his emotions. His expression would never fall apart at any given moment. At this second, however¡­ He was utterly shocked. His pupils instantly widened. He was a little dumbstruck. He simply stared nkly at her. Qi Qingyao¡¯s raven ck eyes were really cold, but it looked as though a fire was glowing faintly on the inside. She said, ¡°Jiang Yeqian, that¡¯s your name, right?¡± She had indeed called his name. This made Jiang Yeqian feel like he had been struck by lightning. For the first time, he felt like he could not keep up with the other party. He could only respond passively, ¡°That. Is. My. Name.¡± ¡°Then, tell me, are you lying?¡± The bottom of Qi Qingyao¡¯s eyes was as sharp as a dark knife coated faintly in mes, but the corner of her lips were smiling faintly. ¡°The dignified Head Grand Secretariat¡­ as expected from ackey of the Imperial Court. It¡¯s really amazing how you can lie with a straight face. An average citizen like me is impressed.¡± Was this sarcasm? Jiang Yeqian felt his voice starting to go hoarse. ¡°I admit that I¡¯m the Head Grand Secretariat.¡± ¡°Then, you can get lost now.¡± Qi Qingyao pointed to the direction of the door warm-heartedly. Jiang Yeqian was confused by her decisive attitude. He also felt aggrieved. He did so many things for her; even if she knew about his identity, surely it was too much to turn on him just like that? ¡°I admit I lied, but what about you? What¡¯s the rtionship between you and Master Architect Li Qinglian and Divine Physician Su Hexiao? You didn¡¯t tell me either. What makes you think you can force me to be honest with you?¡± he said angrily. ¡°Dad, I¡¯ll call you dad! Okay!!¡± A slight coldness shed in Qi Qingyao¡¯s eyes. She said with eyes full of mockery, ¡°Who¡¯s begging who now? You¡¯re the one who¡¯s f*cking begging me to stay by my side! And having me be your shield! I¡¯m not the one who begged you to stay.¡± It seemed that the truth was this, but Jiang Yeqian retorted ¡°I¡¯m responsible for protecting you, and you¡¯re responsible for being my shield, isn¡¯t that our initial agreement? Why are you now emphasizing that I¡¯m lying to you here?¡± Qi Qingyao waved her hand, saying, ¡°Oh please, there¡¯s no point in talking about this now.¡± After a pause, she licked her slightly dry lips and said, ¡°Since the Head Grand Secretariat¡¯s identity has been revealed, then you can leave me and go back to where you should be.¡± Jiang Yeqian used to be brimming with confidence, even a little conceited. He knew that he looked good, and was very proficient at using his looks to achieve his goals. However, many things have changed ever since he pretended to be this woman¡¯s bodyguard. She had praised his looks¡­ but when it came to his abilities, she had never been bewitched by them. Like a cruel and merciless machine. Unfazed. Even now, he was being driven away despite having be her bodyguard for free and not asking for a sry¡­ Jiang Yeqian was a little hurt. His pride as the Head Grand Secretariat that had always been superior to others had also taken a severe hit. However, he could not throw his pride away and ask why. He could only shut his eyes halfway and ask a different question. ¡°May I ask, how did you discover my identity?¡± Qi Qingyao did not want to hide it from him, so she said calmly, ¡°You¡¯ve nevermunicated directly with Lu Yan or Heir Pei. Do you think I¡¯m an idiot? That I couldn¡¯t see the signs?¡± Jiang Yeqian, ¡°¡­¡± Qi Qingyao¡¯s indifference was mixed with a little disdain. ¡°All I needed was to find these ovepping points and your identity is as clear as a day, isn¡¯t it?¡± Jiang Yeqian, ¡°¡­¡± Qi Qingyao looked at him as he stood there lifelessly like a fool. Not wanting to waste her breath, she said, ¡°Go, don¡¯t make me chase you out. That would be very unsightly.¡± ¡°I¡­¡± It took a long time for Jiang Yeqian to react. Yet, he did not know what to say. He had never expected that. This woman¡­ was smart enough that it made it difficult for him to parry her. She came to the hypothesis from these traces of clues¡­ and from there, made sure of his identity by conducting a painstaking investigation. It was so well-thought-out that the entire process was entirely unknown to him. He did not know that he had been observed the entire time!!! Chapter 296 - Learning Ones Identity 6

Chapter 296: Learning One¡¯s Identity 6

When Qi Qingyao saw the conflicting emotions on the man¡¯s face, she realized that she had been underestimated, which was why the man was so shocked that his identity had been revealed. Did men really think that all women were dumb? Or was the idea of her falling to men¡¯s feet and being utterly smitten a more urate representation of his image of her? Qi Qingyao put her hands to her cheeks. Purposefully feigning a cute smile, she said, ¡°Since you¡¯re the Head Grand Secretariat, you definitely have the ability to protect yourself. Based on the corpse collector whom you found recently and the ck-clothed person you met at the dead of night, it means that you have manpower in Qingzhou City, and that you have authority. So there¡¯s no need for you to put up with the excuse of using me as your shield anymore.¡± Jiang Yeqian was rendered even more dumbfounded with these few words. This woman¡­ how did she know that he had been meeting Bai Mei during the middle of the night? She referred to her as the ck-clothed person, which meant that she had gotten someone to tail him? There was only one person who would be able to tail him without Jiang Yeqian realizing it¡ªSi Jin. That also meant that she trusted Si Jin more than him. When did this happen? Also, when did he start being suspected? Was it that day when he did not speak a word from start till the end during their meal together with Lu Yan in Chunjiang Restaurant? That would exin why she went silent that day in the middle of their meal¡­ Seeing that he was not saying anything, Qi Qingyao continued, ¡°Or, perhaps you remained by my side not because you were trying to stave off the State Preceptor¡¯s people who were out to kill you. It¡¯s like what you asked me before, ¡®You didn¡¯t tell me either what¡¯s your rtionship with the Master Architect Li Qinglian and Divine Physician Su Hexiao. So, why are you asking me to be honest with you!¡¯. You¡¯re trying to find out about my connection to Li Qinglian and Su Hexiao, and that¡¯s why you¡¯ve deliberately stayed behind.¡± Jiang Yeqian¡¯s pupils dted sharply. He certainly had thought that way. Qi Qingyao observed the slight changes in his expression. The smile at the corners of her mouth deepened, but she did not pursue the conversation. She just shrugged and said with a smile, ¡°Of course, this is just my guess.¡± Jiang Yeqian felt his lips go dry. His expression somewhat agitated, he said, ¡°You¡¯ve seen through everything. What else is there for me to say?¡± Qi Qingyao¡¯s expression became even more pronounced. An indescribable, bone-chilling intent could be discerned in between her deste brow ridge. ¡°I saved you, and you protected me for a while. You also took me to the koi ghost market, and when others sent assassins, you helped me out of that mess. We¡¯re even.¡± She added, ¡°Goodbye.¡± With that, she pointed toward the door. Waiting for him to leave. After some time had passed. He did not move. She, however, did, turning around and walking out of the hall. She decided to take a nap in her room. Jiang Yeqian watched her leaving figure from behind and did not know what to say, licking his dry lips. This woman was definitely not one who could be persuaded or bewitched by gentleness and softness! He was done for. He waspletely done for. If his objective was to stay undercover to obtain information, he would havepletely failed this time. A crushing failure. Not only had he been discovered, but the other party also hadplete control over his actions. What was this? The head of the Zhaixing Administration¡­ suffering such a crippling failure. It was nothing short of an embarrassment. Jiang Yeqian got up after a while. He took a deep breath and stood in silence for a while before putting on his mask and walking in the direction of the study in the courtyard. The children had books in their hands, revising the words they had learned. Erniu was also holding a brush as she copied the drawings on the wall while casually scribbling away¡­ After Jiang Yeqian entered, he closed the door to prevent the cold draught of air from flowing in. He leaned against the table and looked at the three adorable little fellows for a while. Then, Jiang Yeqian cleared his throat lightly and said, ¡°I might have to leave so I can¡¯t y with you guys anymore.¡± Xiaobao lifted his head. He put down the small swan plume brush in his hand and tilted his head. Confusion marred his pink and tender face as he asked, ¡°Uncle, where are you going?¡± Jiang Yeqian smiled as he rubbed Xiaobao¡¯s head. ¡°I¡¯m going home ¡± Xiaobao was stunned, then he said softly, ¡°Goodbye.¡± Dabao and Erniu also hurried bade Jiang Yeqian goodbye. Jiang Yeqian looked at the children¡¯s innocent and harmless faces and unexpectedly felt a little unwilling to leave. He lifted Erniu and gave her a kiss on her soft face. ¡°Will you miss me?¡± Erniu, who had been picked up, asked seriously in her soft voice, ¡°Why would I miss you?¡± Jiang Yeqian, ¡°¡­¡± Erniu stared at him dumbly with a pair of innocent, big eyes. ¡°You¡¯re a stranger, but Mommy saved you. You wouldn¡¯t have stayed with us forever to begin with. Even if you don¡¯t feel like parting with us, you have to ept this cruel reality, uncle.¡± Jiang Yeqian, ¡°¡­¡± Dabao gnawed on a piece of puffed rice candy as he looked at him with bright and watery eyes. ¡°Yeah. Since you¡¯re leaving, we wish you a smooth-sailing journey.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Jiang Yeqian could neitherugh nor cry. He left the study feeling a little disappointed and a little depressed. The children continued lying on the ground, learning words without showing any intention ofing out to see him off. Jiang Yeqian¡¯s whole forehead contorted into wrinkled lines as he went deep into thought. ¡®They were no doubt her children!¡¯ ¡®Their character¡­¡¯ The moment he walked out the door, Xiaobao held his head high, some conflicting emotions stered on his face. In the end, he fell silent for a while and quietly walked to the door. He opened a small gap in the door and watched Jiang Yeqian¡¯s figure disappear through the chuihua gate. Xiaobao sat there quietly for a long time. He lifted his hand quietly and waved it in the empty air. Immediately after that, he closed the door, walked back in, and continued reading. Following the new attack on his spirit he suffered from the children, Jiang Yeqian found Si Jin sitting by the pond, watching the water. There were some fish in Si Jin¡¯s line of sight, and in his arms he was carrying a white cat. That cat seemed to be Lu Yan¡¯s. Jiang Yeqian really did not understand why Lu Yan¡¯s cat would be this close to the fellow. He suddenly realized that while there were a dozen or so fish in the water gathered in front of the boy, there was no fish food at all in his hands. The fish suddenly scattered at once, swimming away when Jiang Yeqian came over. When Jiang Yeqian walked to his side, Si Jin turned to look at him. The cat in his arms seemed to be shy and also jumped out from Si Jin¡¯s arms,nding on the snow-covered ground beside him. The white cat merged with the pure white snow. If one did not look closely, they would not have even realized it was there. Jiang Yeqian sat down beside Si Jin. Si Jin said nothing when he saw the man, and naturally, he asked nothing either. He watched the flowing water pond silently, his eyes filled with satisfaction. Even just looking at the water could make the corner of his lips hook into a particrly satisfied smile. Jiang Yeqian also looked at it. It was not so much a pond, but rather that it was a small pool¡­ After sitting together with Si Jin for a while, Jiang Yeqian tilted his head and looked at the young man. He had been able to tail him without being spotted, indicating that his strength was that of rank nine. His strength was seated in the middle of rank nine, though. So could it be that this boy was upper rank nine? This would certainly be interesting. The master-ranked experts in the world numbered a total of seven. Those who were ranked nine were rarities as well. The boy said he used to work in a big and influential family. Could he have obtained such a high level of skill from working? It seemed that he would have to investigate this carefully when he returned. ¡°Remember to protect her properly after I leave,¡± Jiang Yeqian said. Only then was Si Jin willing to lift up his head. He gave Jiang Yeqian a charitable look. ¡°I don¡¯t need you to tell me that. I will protect her properly.¡± Internally, Jiang Yeqian was thinking, ¡®Could this brat have been waiting for me to leave since the very start? ¡®F*ck this.¡¯ Chapter 297 - Learning Ones Identity 7

Chapter 297: Learning One¡¯s Identity 7

It was anyone¡¯s guess what this young man was trying to get close to her for. Could it be that he was trying to investigate her identity like he was? However, that did not make sense either. When he first joined her, she had none of her achievements; she had not designed the small building or saved Heir Pei¡­ Jiang Yeqian was a little confused. Knowing that this nameless boy, whose name had been given to him by Qi Qingyao, had been looking forward to him leaving¡­ Jiang Yeqian could do nothing about it. He could only get up silently and leave the house through the back door. The hostler at the stable stared at the ox-head man¡¯s appearance as he was leaving ¡°sullenly¡±. After thinking for a while, he then informed Lu Wei. ¡­ After Qi Qingyao woke up from her afternoon nap, she realized that at some unknown time, the children had alsoid down on the bed, sleeping together in a pile! She got out of bed carefully without waking the three little ones. Then, she took out the small sewn purses from the sewing baskets and ced them by their heads. Each of their initials had been sewn onto the purses. She held the extra few purses in her arms but after thinking about it, she threw one of them back into the sewing basket. Qi Qingyao kissed the children one by one, then got out of bed. She opened the door, closed it behind her silently, and went to the hall. She found Lu Yan sitting there, drinking tea by himself when she entered through the door. Seeing her walk in, Lu Yan beckoned her over. He was inviting her toe over and take a seat. After Qi Qingyao sat down, Lu Yan poured her a cup of tea. Qi Qingyao held the tea bowl, then put it back down, sighing. ¡°He passed hisst words to Si Jin¡­ No, it was parting nonsense. And then he left.¡± Looking as if he were waiting for mayhem to ensue, Lu Yan asked her, ¡°Didn¡¯t you ask me to not say anything earlier? Why did you end up showing your hand in the blink of an eye?¡± Qi Qingyao said nothing. She took out a purse from her robe pocket and looked at the name inscribed in it. After making sure it was the right one, she gave it to Lu Yan. Lu Yan did not reach out for it. Qi Qingyao was stunned for a moment. Then, recalling his issues, she decided to take it back. Lu Yan, however, snatched it from her hands at this moment. He nced at it curiously at first. When his gaze fell onto the name embroidered on it, Lu Yan froze slightly. There were vague, gold koi patterns embroidered on the red purse and the color was really beautiful. Embroidered on the lower right corner of the purse, were the very¡­ distorted characters ¡°Lu Yan¡±. His fingers, delicate as clouds,nded on top of those two characters, stroking them slowly for a while. Something like this had also happened¡­ back then. However, he had not liked the things that those women had given him. Perhaps he actually found this particr purse cute and interesting given the current situation of Qi Qingyao being his friend and doctor. However, the embroidered words could be aptly described by the words, ¡°unsightly and messy¡±. Oh, and one more word. Crooked¡­ ¡°The embroidered words are ugly but that¡¯s because I haven¡¯t done this before. Before I started sewing, I didn¡¯t think I had to write down the names. I just sewed directly over it and used your name as a test subject. That¡¯s why it turned out like that. If you find it ugly, you can throw it away. It¡¯s just some ything anyway,¡± Qi Qingyao said, sounding none too concerned. Lu Yan could not help butugh when he heard this. He immediately tucked the purse away. Only then did Qi Qingyao take a sip of tea and start to talk about the more serious business. ¡°I thought I could pretend not to know, but I can¡¯t. That¡¯s because it¡¯s already difficult for me to trust others. I find it even harder to trust people now especially after he lied to me repeatedly.¡± Lu Yan said with slight pity, ¡°His skills were undeniably powerful! You just lost a loyal guard.¡± ¡°Loyal?¡± Qi Qingyao opened her eyes, her eyebrows lookingnguid. ¡°You¡¯re such an idiot.¡± Lu Yan was speechless. ¡°I¡­ you¡¯re calling me an idiot?!¡± Qi Qingyao continued calmly, ¡°You may be really shrewd when ites to reconciling ounts and in terms of business, but for what happened today, I drove him away based on my own considerations.¡± ¡°What considerations?¡± Lu Yan asked. Qi Qingyao surmised for a moment instead of answering immediately. Instead, she asked indirectly, ¡°Let me ask you first, about the Lingyun Restaurant massacre back then, did you find out the oue after that?¡± Lu Yan replied, ¡°The government bought information from the Zhaixing Administration. It was said that it was the work of a grand master, but none of the seven grand masters are in Qingzhou City, so this matter is now a pending case.¡± ¡°I roughly understand the strength division between the seven master-ranked experts as well as those of rank eight or nine you mentioned thest time. This question is a no-brainer, but was this information by the Zhaixing Administration only given to the government?¡± said Qi Qingyao. Lu Yan nodded. ¡°The courts probably know about this too.¡± Qi Qingyao blinked. She took a sip of tea calmly and refilled another serving for herself from the teapot ¡°If the Northern Liang court knows, then do you think the State Preceptor does too?¡± ¡°They must know.¡± Had she already considered this?! Qi Qingyao replied without much concern, ¡°If the State Preceptor, Li Ruoxuan, knew that none of the seven grand masters are in Qingzhou City, but learns that a grand master-ranked expert has appeared in Qingzhou City, what would he do?¡± ¡°Considering State Preceptor Li Ruoxuan¡¯s personality, he would personallye to Qingzhou City to investigate things.¡± A hint of darkness suddenly shed through Lu Yan¡¯s eyes. ¡°You¡­¡± He did not voice his next words. However, when he raised his eyes to look at Qi Qingyao¡­ Both parties already knew what the other was thinking. ¡°It¡¯s exactly as you¡¯re thinking,¡± Qi Qingyao said unhurriedly. ¡°If the State Preceptor was to personallye here, he would definitely seize the opportunity to investigate the clues on the Head Grand Secretariat as well. Once his investigation reaches me, I will be your typical scapegoat. It¡¯s hard to say if I¡¯ll be killed in front of him or if he will convict me. Then he¡¯ll punish me by casting me out to the border of the country with my children or something like that. That¡¯s why I want to settle these issues as quickly as possible.¡± ¡°Thank goodness you realized it soon.¡± Lu Yan suddenly let out a breath of relief. ¡°Apart from that.¡± Qi Qingyao¡¯s expression was controlled. With a wless smile on her face, she said, ¡°None of the seven grand masters are in Qingzhou City, but there has been a massacre in Qingzhou City involving someone that was ranked nine and above. Let¡¯s first assume that if the State Preceptor really were toe, do you think the grand masters of the various countries¡­ will sit idly by under these conditions?¡± Lu Yan, ¡°¡­¡± They would not. Qi Qingyao¡¯s smile did not change as she said, ¡°None of the seven grand masters are in Qingzhou City but an expertparable to them has appeared here. The way I see it, those oddballs won¡¯t be able to resisting to take a look.¡± Lu Yan, ¡°.. ¡± Indeed. Qi Qingyao asked, ¡°There is a saying in this world, it¡¯s called the butterfly effect. Have you heard of it?¡± ¡°Do tell,¡± said Lu Yan. Qi Qingyao¡¯s smile was somewhat sly as she said, ¡°A little butterfly in a small vige in Northern Liang pped its wings, eventually creating a huge storm in Eastern Ling.¡± Lu Yan raised his brows. His gaze was like a cold light as he replied, ¡°That¡¯s interesting.¡± ¡°If those oddballs as well as the State Preceptor were toe, then Qingzhou City would be the eye of the storm!¡± All of a sudden, Qi Qingyao patted her thigh. ¡°I think we should hurry up and leave this ce. We should return to the town, or the vige,¡± Qi Qingyao said seriously. Lu Yan went silent for a moment before uttering two words. ¡°How cowardly!¡± Chapter 298 - Learning Ones Identity 8

Chapter 298: Learning One¡¯s Identity 8

Qi Qingyao did not refute him at all. Instead, she brazenly admitted, ¡°I¡¯m a wimp. I¡¯m afraid to die because I have three children with me! I still have to raise my children! I¡¯m not a single dog like you! You haven¡¯t even held a girl¡¯s hand till now! You have nothing to worry about so it doesn¡¯t matter if you die or not.¡± ¡°You¡­¡± Her words were really overboard. So what if he was single? Why did she have to call him a dog! Qi Qingyao¡¯s expression calmed. ¡°You really aren¡¯t going to consider returning to town with me?¡± ¡°Even if I wanted to, I¡¯d still have to wait till past the fifteenth of the Lantern Festival. Don¡¯t tell me you don¡¯t wish to take a look at thergest Lantern Festival in Qingzhou City?¡± These were all excuses. In fact, it was a gathering of the shopkeepers of the Senluo Chamber of Commerce in Qingzhou City. There was an annual meeting to be held, and he had a lot of ount books to go through recently, which made him very busy. ¡°The size of Qingzhou City is bigger than Southern Ming¡¯s capital, Junlin City, Eastern Ling¡¯s Daliang City, Western Zhou¡¯s Metropolis, and Northern Liang¡¯s Chengdu City! The Lantern Festival on the 15th will also be thergest in the entire Eastern Hua Continent. Come to think of it, this is your first time visiting Qingzhou City and you only bought a roll of cloth. You don¡¯t even know how many fun things there are in this city,¡± said Lu Yan. Qi Qingyao¡¯s lips twitched. ¡°You speak as if you¡¯ve experienced them before.¡± Lu Yan, ¡°¡­¡± Qi Qingyao, ¡°You¡¯re just a damned homebody.¡± Lu Yan, ¡°??¡± Homebody? A person who stays at home? He could ept this description, but why did she have to call him a damned one? ¡­ In a restaurant somewhere in Qingzhou City. There was a man in red seated on the fourth floor as usual. He was grabbing a few women having his fun with them. There were pink pearls in the white jade porcin bowl at his feet. He picked up the white porcin bowl then stuffed a handful of pink pearls into a woman¡¯s arms as she let out a titter. Suddenly, someone opened the window to the fourth floor and one of the women screamed in shock. A few women in ck leaped out from the dark with long swords in their hands. They looked at the visitor with sharp gazes, their swords very quickly aiming at the intruder¡¯s neck. Tan Xiangdie was also shocked, but after seeing the person¡¯s mask and silhouette clearly, Tan Xiangdie knew that if he did not stop this soon, a conflict would arise between people on the same side. However, before he could even say anything¡­ His hidden guards were batted away one by one. Jiang Yeqian finally dropped his mask. His gaze was cold and emotionless as he nced across at the group of people in the room. Tan Xiangdie first signaled for the woman in his arms to get down. At the same time, a few of his hidden guards noted who the visitor was. They quickly wiped away the blood that was trickling from the corners of their mouths and left quietly. Suddenly, only two people were left in the room on the fourth floor. Tan Xiangdie found this man to be a constant source of headaches. He said, ¡°You dare show up despite not paying a single penny for the wine you finished at my cest time?¡± His expression unreadable, Jiang Yeqian sat down. He whisked up a wine jar and poured the contents into his mouth. Tan Xiangdie noticed this behavior of his and was quickly bing speechless. ¡°Why did youe back in broad daylight? Weren¡¯t you with that Qi Qingyao?¡± ¡°You knew about that?¡± Jiang Yeqian turned to look at him. Tan Xiangdie¡¯s lips twitched. ¡°At any rate, I am also the head of the Wangyue Administration. The Wangyue Administration is responsible for infiltration and undercover work. Even if we didn¡¯t nt an agent on you, it doesn¡¯t mean that I don¡¯t know about this matter. Besides, you¡¯ve been meeting Bai Mei recently¡­ My people have noticed.¡± Jiang Yeqian, ¡°¡­¡± He continued drinking the wine. ¡°There has been a lot of information about that woman spreading like wildfire recently. All the forces in Qingzhou are interested in her.¡± Tan Xiangdie sat beside his good brother and asked somewhat curiously, ¡°Have you not gotten any exact details about her?¡± Jiang Yeqian said, ¡°I went undercover personally for this exact reason.¡± Tan Xiangdie urged, ¡°And?¡± Jiang Yeqian replied, ¡°I was discovered.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Tan Xiangdie had also grabbed a wine jar but now he nearly dropped it to the ground. After calling his emotions, he cradled his forehead and said, ¡°You¡¯re the dignified head of the Zhaixing Administration, the man in charge of collecting intelligence and disseminating information. You were actually discovered when you went undercover? Are you pulling my leg?¡± ¡°Do I look like I¡¯m joking right now?¡± Jiang Yeqian raised his brow coldly as he swept a nce at the man in red. Tan Xiangdie said, ¡°Indeed, you don¡¯t.¡± Jiang Yeqian returned his gaze, bringing up the wine jar as he began to chug it desperately, as if doing that would ease his emotions. That was because he was feeling particrly dejected now. Tan Xiangdie realized that the man was about to drown his sorrows in drinking again and asked quickly, ¡°Why do you want to drink again?¡± Jiang Yeqian replied, ¡°I¡¯m in a bad mood.¡± Tan Xiangdie repeated, ¡°Why?¡± Jiang Yeqian was silent. He continued to drink. Tan Xiangdie¡¯s question was a question he also wanted to ask. Why was his mood so bad? He had not been close to the woman and it made no sense for him to be in a bad mood. Could it be that it was simply because he was found out? That did not seem to be the case. Tan Xiangdie said with augh, ¡°How did the woman find out about your identity? She found out that you¡¯re the head of the Zhaixing Administration?¡± Jiang Yeqian, ¡°She didn¡¯t.¡± ¡°But wasn¡¯t that what you said?¡± asked Tan Xiangdie. Jiang Yeqian replied, ¡°She found out that I¡¯m the Head Grand Secretariat.¡± Tan Xiangdie asked, ¡°Wasn¡¯t this girl just some country bumpkin? How did she find out your identity?¡± Jiang Yeqian, ¡°¡­¡± He wanted to know that too! That woman was not a country bumpkin, however, she¡­ was reincarnated into another¡¯s corpse. As for whose corpse she borrowed, nobody knew. Hold on a minute. Was it possible that the Master Architect Li Qinglian died and had reincarnated into her corpse? Or could it be that it was Su Hexiao who was dead??? That was not right either. Su Hexiao was a divine physician and Li Qinglian was a master of architectural design! They were not under the same upational ssification at all. Jiang Yeqian¡¯s expression turned extremely gloomy to the point that it looked like tears were almost dripping down his face. ¡°Wait wait, she has some connection to Master Architect Li Qinglian, and also the divine physician Su Hexiao. And now, in just a few days, she also secretly found out details about you just because you did not reveal your face or voice when you were out. She¡­ is a really smart woman,¡± Tan Xiangdie concluded. Jiang Yeqian, ¡± ¡­¡± She was so smart that he sorely wanted to smack her just once! ¡°Jiang Yeqian.¡± Tan Xiangdie looked at Jiang Yeqian¡¯s rather downcast expression and suddenly let out a loudugh. ¡°You are seriously so useless.¡± Jiang Yeqian, ¡°¡­¡± ¡°What¡¯s the woman¡¯s background, and how is she so intelligent?¡± After Tan Xiangdie had his moment of fun, he went back to discussing things seriously. However, the person next to him was only upied with drinking and had no intention of telling the truth at all. Tan Xiangdie urged the fellow and said, ¡°Don¡¯t just drink, say something.¡± Jiang Yeqian spat, ¡°What¡¯s there to say?¡± ¡°Tell me what you think about that woman.¡± What else was there to say? Jiang Yeqian pondered for a long time before answering, ¡°You shouldn¡¯t try to seduce her.¡± ¡°???¡± What the heck was that? Jiang Yeqian¡¯s expression turned darker. His tone faint, he murmured, ¡°She¡¯s a heartless woman with a calm mind. She will praise you on the surface, but her words mean nothing. She has other ns in mind.¡± Tan Xiangdie instantly raised his brows. ¡°What I hear you saying is that you tried to seduce her, andpletely failed.¡± Jiang Yeqian red at him ruthlessly and said heavily, ¡°I didn¡¯t seduce her. It¡¯s just that this is the first time I¡¯ve had someone say that I was good-looking and beautiful when they saw my face, but in reality, they were only lying! I had thought of taking her word for it and beating her at her own game, but I never expected that she only said those words on a whim.¡± Taking a step back, the more he thought about it, the more pissed he was! Tan Xiangdie ttened his lips as he tried to hold back his smile. ¡°Seduction¡­ also depends on the situation. You¡¯re good-looking, but maybe you are not her cup of tea.¡± Jiang Yeqian, ¡°¡­¡± His expression was sullen, disheartened, pained¡­ Not¡­ not her cup of tea. Was this the reason? Tan Xiangdie realized that this man might have be helpless and loosened up a little after being dealt such a heavy blow. As a result, Jiang Yeqian no longer thought of hiding his emotions at all today. His expression rendered Tan Xiangdie dumbfounded, who asked him a question. ¡°Jiang Yeqian, do you like her?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t!!¡± Startled, Jiang Yeqian quickly denied it. Tan Xiangdie could not help but press on with the attack. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s say you don¡¯t. As for her information, don¡¯t worry about it. I, the head of the Wangyue Administration, will personally infiltrate and go undercover myself. Maybe I can pry the information from her mouth.¡± ¡°No.¡± Jiang Yeqian stopped Tan Xiangdie firmly. ¡°This matter is rted to Masters Li Qinglian and Su Hexiao, you¡¯re not allowed to do anything. ¡°My words are final.¡± ¡°Jiang Yeqian, you obviously like her, yet you still won¡¯t admit to it.¡± ¡°I really don¡¯t¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s not shameful to like someone.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Did he like her? These words reverberated in his chest like a bell, constantly knocking on his heart. It was confusing him a little. ¡°But, but that¡¯s not right¡­¡± He was not joking this time, he was just seriously struggling with the thought. ¡°What¡¯s not right?¡± asked Tan Xiangdie. Jiang Yeqian replied, ¡°She has children, and if she were to find the children¡¯s father in the future, the two would definitely want to be together.¡± Tan Xiangdie asked, ¡°Are you still unable to find out who the father is with your reconnaissance ability as the head of the Zhaixing Administration?¡± Jiang Yeqian, ¡°¡­¡± He had not looked into it yet! Chapter 299 - Learning Ones Identity 9

Chapter 299: Learning One¡¯s Identity 9

After Jiang Yeqian left, Si Jin sat back down by the pond for a bit before returning to the hall. He noticed that Qi Qingyao and Lu Yan were chatting. Smiling shallowly, he sat beside Qi Qingyao. Qi Qingyao took out a purse from her robe and gave it to Si Jin. Si Jin received the small koi embroidered purse with some surprise and asked, ¡°This is for me?¡± Qi Qingyao nodded. ¡°Yes.¡± She pointed at the name on the lower right side and said, ¡°Your name is embroidered on it, Si Jin!¡± When Si Jin saw the two words, a golden stream of light shed across his eyes. ¡°Sister!¡± he immediately eximed excitedly. He leaped forward happily and hugged Qi Qingyao, rubbing his head on her shoulder coquettishly like a dog. ¡°I love Sister the most.¡± ¡°I also love Si Jin!¡± Qi Qingyao casually rubbed the young boy¡¯s head with the back of her hand. Lu Yan looked at the young man who plunged himself into Qi Qingyao¡¯s arms with a pure expression like a child and. He felt deste. The information that Dong Jing learned from the corpse collector was that the ox-head man had guarded the front door while the horse-face youth guarded the back. Si Jin was the horse-face, he knew this. However, the corpse collector had said that the horse-face¡¯s kill count was no lower than ox-head¡¯s. Not only that, the knife that horse-face used to kill was taken from the first person he cut down, which meant that he did not have his own weapon. His skills with the de were exceptionally swift! There was no systematic method to be found when he killed, and the injuries on the deceased were all different. The government office had almost suspected that this person with the knife was the same as the killer of Lingyun Restaurant. However, those who had been killed in the Lingyun Restaurant massacre had all been beheaded. That person was likely more hostile¡­ and different from the boy in front of him. This was also the reason why the government did note searching. However, in Lu Yan¡¯s eyes, this matter was somewhat serious. He had met Si Jin a long time ago and had Dong Jing buy information on him from the Zhaixing Administration. In the end, not even the Zhaixing Administration had any information on the young boy! This was rather terrifying. The people of the intelligence organization, the Zhaixing Administration, were spread over half the continent. If they had no information about this person¡­ then did he really appear out of thin air? Or, had he just rapidly improved in strength! There was no information about him anywhere¡­ Judging from his ability that night, he was at least a rank nine! There were only seven grand masters in the continent and rank nines were also a rarity. So, how did Qi Qingyao gather two by her side with any news of it leaking out? Lu Yan just could not wrap his head around it. He could not understand it and was toozy to try. He looked at the youth whoid his head on Qi Qingyao¡¯s shoulder and could not stop the corners of his lips from twitching. Was he really this simple, or was it¡­ a facade? ¡°Boohoohoo.¡± Si Jin was sobbing elegantly. Qi Qingyao patted Si Jin¡¯s back as she consoled, ¡°Why are you crying? Did someone bully you?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m just so touched!!¡± Si Jin was crying like a child and he replied in a very childish manner as he sobbed. His appearance amused Qi Qingyao and she rubbed his head again. Half an hour had passed before Si Jin was done crying. Dong Jing knocked on the door and entered the hall. He said a few words into Lu Yan¡¯s ear before Lu Yan raised his head and asked Qi QIngyao, ¡°Constantly staying in this house has turned rather boring, so why don¡¯t we make a trip to a hot mountain springs vi in the northern district for a soak?¡± ¡°Yours?¡± Qi Qingyao asked calmly. ¡°No,¡± Lu Yan replied slowly as he rubbed his lower jaw. Qi Qingyao said, ¡°With your status, you probably have some business to attend to at this hot mountain springs vi in the northern district but don¡¯t feel like going alone, isn¡¯t that right?¡± What Dong Jing whispered in his ear before was surely some formal matter. ¡°¡­Couldn¡¯t you just pretend not to know even if you¡¯ve guessed it?¡± Lu Yan said with a sigh. ¡°People don¡¯t like women who are too intelligent.¡± Remaining calm at this, Qi Qingyao asked nicely, ¡°Why do women have to please men? Why should I please you? Why can¡¯t you treat me as a human being and not the opposite sex!¡± So many whys! ¡°Don¡¯t you know about sweet talk?¡± Lu Yan¡¯s emotions toward this woman were ratherplicated. Although he did not really like social interactions, he had still participated in many social events with his father in Capital City. Even if the wealthy and reputabledies in Capital City acted more naturally outside, they were all very gentle and graceful when in front of him. This woman was really a maverick. ¡®Sweet talk eh¡­¡¯ Qi Qingyao pondered for a moment, then tactfully replied, ¡°Are you saying that we¡¯re going to be the only ones there at the hot mountain springs vi for a soak, or will there be a lot more other people too?¡± ¡°The Hualian Hot Mountain Springs Vi belongs to the Ye family of Eastern Ling and isparable to an inn. It¡¯s a public social space!¡±. Qi Qingyao heard this and immediately replied excitedly, ¡°Then, let¡¯s hurry up and go, we can peek at thedies in the shower together!¡± Lu Yan, ¡°¡­¡± Huh? Si Jin, who had been eating puffed rice candy at the side, also almost spat out the candy. They looked at Qi Qingyao, astounded. Qi Qingyao urged the two hurriedly, ¡°What are you spacing out for, go pack your things!¡± Expression dark, Lu Yan said, ¡°You¡¯re a woman, yet you still want to go peek at other women in the shower?¡± Qi Qingyao thought about it for a second and realized he had a point. ¡°Then, let¡¯s go peek at some handsome dudes in the shower,¡± she said. Lu Yan, ¡°¡­¡± Insane! Since they decided to go to the hot springs, the group did not dy. Qi Qingyao called the children over and packed some of their new clothes. The little children heard that they were going to the hot springs but were all a little naive and confused. They asked Qi Qingyao confusedly what a hot spring was. Qi Qingyao held back a smile and exined in simple terms to the little fellows. The little children continued pestering her with questions, practically asking a hundred thousand ¡®whys¡¯. They asked and asked till the point Qi Qingyao no longer answered them anymore. She simply exined that it involved hot water that flowed out of the ground and that they would know when they were there. The little fellows just pouted and epted her exnation. Qi Qingyao also brought a new outfit for herself. When they were finally getting onto the carriage, since a coachman was going to be driving, Qi Qingyao and Si Jin carried the three children and got inside. After a moment of silence, Lu Yan also boarded his carriage. Once inside the carriage, three little fellows got sleepy. Qi Qingyao looked at the weather outside. It was windy and snowing; soaking in a hot spring in this weather would be so pleasant! ¡°Why did you agree to Lu Yan¡¯s proposal?¡± Si Jin could not help but ask in a small voice. Qi Qingyao replied, ¡°I just wanted to soak in a hot spring.¡± Besides, he was paying for it. It would be a waste if they did not go. More importantly, she was very curious. What did Dong Jing say that made him want to make a trip to the hot mountain springs vi immediately? Not just that, this was also the territory of the Ye family in Eastern Ling. Could it be that he had to meet someone important? Or was there some big excitement going on? Si Jin also thought the same. The journey from the east to the north was rather lengthy. Since Qi Qingyao had already taken a nap in the afternoon, she was unable to sleep now. So, she opened the curtains of the carriage and scanned the scenery outside. The sound of rattling horseshoes was like a luby. Qi Qingyao was also slowly being lulled asleep despite not being tired. She tried to keep her eyes open diligently, watching the crowded downtown streets outside. Suddenly, their carriage passed the front of a shop. There were a lot of people and it seemed that folk of all walks of life wereing and going. All of them were dressed very sophisticatedly in long robes and sleeves buckled with leather belts, while swords and other weapons were hanging from their waists and their backs. Some even carried bows and arrows in quivers on their backs. They all looked dashing. Qi Qingyao suddenly saw a young individual with a¡­ conventionally good-looking face and two podaos on his back! (T/N: singr ¡®podao¡¯, also known as a ¡®horse cutter sword¡¯, is a single-edged infantry sword-like weapon) While she did not know how to cultivate and did not really possess any inner energy, based on just her senses, she could already feel that the young individual was an assassin for hire from the frontier fortress based on their strong murderous aura. The smell of iron and blood emanated from all over their body. Qi Qingyao offhandedly asked, ¡°House of Treasure¡­ What shop is that? Why are there so many people?¡± Si Jin took a look at the door header and said, ¡°They¡¯re selling weapons under the Senluo Chamber of Commerce g.¡± ¡°Weapons?¡± Qi Qingyao hurriedly instructed the coachman, ¡°Stop the carriage, I want to buy some weapons.¡± ¡°???¡± Although the coachman was confused, the carriage was reined to a stop at the side of the road regardless. When Lu Yan, who was riding his horse carriage in front, saw that the carriage behind had stopped, he also hurriedly called for the coachman to stop the master carriage. Qi Qingyao said to Si Jin, ¡°I don¡¯t know any sword-fighting so I want you to buy one. In case we meet someone outside who wants to harm me, you¡¯ll have a self-defense tool.¡± Si Jin was ecstatic. He thought to himself, ¡®I¡¯m the only one she favors ever since Jiang Bai left! ¡®Now sister only loves me and me alone! ¡®This was great!¡¯ Si Jin was about to get down the carriage with Qi Qingyao. Qi Qingyao suddenly realized something and said, ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to wear your mask?¡± Si Jin pursed his lips and replied, ¡°There¡¯s no ox-head anymore. There¡¯s no one for me to match with if I wear my horse-face mask. It¡¯ll look bad.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± Qi Qingyao thought it was sensible. After getting off the carriage, she nced at Si Jin¡¯s face once more and said somewhat mindfully, ¡°But you¡¯re not allowed to get hooked by other women and run away with them.¡± ¡°I will always love Sister only.¡± Si Jin smiled especially sweetly. Qi Qingyao rubbed the good kitty¡¯s head. ¡°Good boy!~¡± The three little fellows had woken up at some point. Xiaobao raised his hands and said in a childlike tone, ¡°We also want to look at weapons too.¡± Qi Qingyaoughed. ¡°Comee,e join in the fun.¡± After waiting for the group to get out of the carriage, Lu Yan instructed Dong Jing. ¡°Go, Dong Jingo. Follow her and give her whatever she wants for free.¡± ¡°Free?¡± The corners of Dong Jing¡¯s lips twitched. He subconsciously nced at the woman in front of him and privately thought that, with Qi Qingyao¡¯s recent behavior, she would be likely to empty the shop if things were free! Lu Yan said, ¡°I¡¯m just paying some of my consultation fee first.¡± Dong Jing¡¯s eyes brightened and he immediately nodded. Qi Qingyao had already rushed inside the House of Treasure with the children and Si Jin. Everyone in the House of Treasure were worldly people. Suddenly, they noticed a young woman and a young man walking in with three adorable children and were momentarily stunned. The patrons would asionally get into a scuffle for some weapon or other in the House of Treasure with their swords and bows drawn. Right now, however, everyone was stunned as they took in the woman¡¯s lovely and innocent smile and her three identical-looking children. Triplets? Not to mention, they all looked the same. It was rather curious. Or rather¡­ interesting! That said, it looked like one of them was a little girl, and the other two were boys. The children entered the shop with Qi Qingyao, looking all around curiously. They were not in the bit frightened by the group of experienced, sword-wielding patrons. Perhaps the children were so cute that those who often fought and killed could not help but show their kindest smiles. In their hearts, they were thinking. ¡®This woman and her little children¡­ they were all at the wrong ce!¡¯ They could not sense a shred of inner energy in her! So, they must be ordinary people! Why were ordinary people in the House of Treasure? Seeing how they were looking around curiously, they were probably just exploring the vast world. That said, many of those in the upper circles of the Upper East District had seen Qi Qingyao before at the Jiang residence. They knew her name but most of those in the shop did not have a face to match with the name given as they had never seen her before. On top of that, those who had been hired to cause trouble for her at Qi Residence had all been killed and had never seen Qingyao¡¯s face before they met their end! So, in the eyes of this group of people, Qi Qingyao was just a cute and pretty passerby¡­ The children heard their mother¡¯s call. After entering through the door, they held each other¡¯s hands, afraid that they might get snatched away by other people. Qi Qingyao was holding onto Erniu¡¯s hand while Si Jin was holding Xiaobao¡¯s. Dabao was sandwiched in between Xiaobao and Erniu. Qi Qingyao said to Si Jin, ¡°Just pick any weapon you like. What I have is money!¡± Si Jin¡¯s gaze swept across the swords, spears, and halberds on the shelf casually. The children were also eagerly curious. The children looked like they really wanted to touch them. Qi Qingyao hurriedly said, ¡°You lot just take a good look around. You¡¯re all too young. Even if you tried to pick up a sword or a knife they wouldn¡¯t budge. So don¡¯te whining to me about wanting whatever weapon.¡± Dabao, ¡°¡­¡± Could he not choose one even though he was a boy? It was unfair! When Dong Jing entered the shop, he noticed that Qi Qingyao was being observed by the crowd. He cradled his forehead and pulled her and her group to one side. ¡°Mydy, please follow me to look around ¡± Qi Qingyao turned and said, ¡°Oh, right. This shop is under your chamber ofmerce.¡± She brought her children and followed Dong Jing into the VIP room at the back. The VIP room was really different. She realized the moment she entered that the weapons were more exquisite, be it in pattern or forging. They were very expensive! Dong Jing informed Qi Qingyao that she could pick out whatever weapon she wanted and the master said that it would be given to her for free. Qi Qingyao¡¯s eyes sparkled and she immediately went running toward the middle and picked up a dagger that looked to be a sample item. ¡°I want this dagger,¡± she said excitedly. Dong Jing looked at the dagger in Qi Qingyao¡¯s hand and was stunned for a moment. ¡°Mydy, why don¡¯t you choose another one?¡± Qi Qingyao looked at the dagger in her hand. Beautiful and exquisite gems were iid in the scabbard and handle of the dagger. There was even a beautiful ichthyosaur pattern on the handle. ¡°Why can¡¯t I pick this one?¡± ¡°This dagger¡­ it¡¯s not a well-made weapon apart from its beauty.¡± ¡®She couldn¡¯t possibly have been fancying the gems now, could she?¡¯ Dong Jing thought to himself. ¡°I could use it normally to peel apples, but if therees a critical time when I¡¯m poor, I can pluck out the gems and use them like some silver.¡± Dong Jing, ¡°¡­¡± Did she really need to be such a miser! Dong Jing nodded helplessly. Qi Qingyao hugged the dagger happily and ran over to Si Jin, asking, ¡°Have you picked out a weapon?¡± Si Jin shook his head. ¡°Not yet.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± asked Qi Qingyao. Si Jin said, ¡°I don¡¯t really like swords or knives.¡± If he did not like swords or knives, then how did he kill people thest time? Qi Qingyao was also a little confused. She handed the gem-studded dagger in her hand to Si Jin to be on the safe side. ¡°Here, this dagger is for you!¡± Dong Jing was taken aback. ¡°Mydy, didn¡¯t you say you wanted to peel apples with it?¡± Qi Qingyao said seriously, ¡°I¡¯ve thought about it. I prefer apples that other people peel for me! So, it¡¯s better I give this to someone who peels apples.¡± Si Jin was not that interested in weapons but he quite liked this dagger. He slid out the dagger for a look; it was quite sharp. Satisfied, he then slipped the de back in the scabbard and hid it in his boot. Dong Jing smiled and asked Qi Qingyao to pick out another weapon. Qi Qingyao nced around at the variety of weapons disinterestedly. The group eventually climbed into the carriage again. After returning to the carriage, Dong Jing reported the dagger that Qi Qingyao chose to Lu Yan. Lu Yan frowned. Her taste was truly out of the ordinary! ¡­ In the afternoon, Madam Wu and Qi Boli arrived in Qingzhou City in a carriage. They had paid for a carriage to bring them directly to the Upper East District before getting off. They went around asking where Qi Qingyao lived. Fortunately, it was not difficult and they found an answer at a pharmacy. The two walked all the way to Eighth Street. When they reached the gate of the Qi Residence. It was almost dark. The two of them fell into a daze as they took in the wide door and the ever-extending wall. It really was something else to have won the home belonging to the number one chamber ofmerce. Taking in the scale of it, it was truly magnificent. There were even four guards at the door. The que on the door read [Qi Residence], which inexplicably put a smile on Qi Boli¡¯s face. This was the third child of his old Qi family; it would put a light on his face whatever the case. Both elders walked forward. Then they were immediately stopped by the guards. ¡°This is the Qi Residence, you¡¯re not allowed to simplye near it.¡± ¡°We are Qi Qingyao¡¯s parents, we¡¯vee specifically to look for Qi Qingyao. Could you please inform her?¡± The guards looked at the two, not knowing how to describe their speechlessness. They helplessly asked them to wait for a moment. One guard hurriedly went and informed Steward Zhang of this. ¡°Steward Zhang, they¡¯re people knocking at the door again. It¡¯s even more of an exaggeration this time, they say they¡¯re the Miss¡¯s parents.¡± ¡°Who is it that¡¯s sending these people?¡± Steward Zhang felt as if his head would explode after he heard this. He came out helplessly to deal with the matter. Qi Boli looked at the kind-looking, middle-aged person. He was weak and trembling a little while he shrunk his neck. ¡°Is this Qi Qingyao¡¯s home?¡± he asked. Steward Zhang asked back expressionlessly, ¡°Who are you two looking for?¡± Madam Wu was hiding behind Qi Boli. She poked her head out quietly and said, ¡°We¡¯re looking for Qi Qingyao.¡± Steward Zhang could not be bothered and replied, ¡°The Qi Qingyao you¡¯re looking for is not here.¡± Madam Wu shrunk behind Qi Boli once again and said nervously, ¡°How would you know which Qi Qingyao we are looking for? The Qi Qingyao we are looking for has three children named Dabao, Erniu, and Xiaobao.¡± ¡°Their formal names?¡± Steward Zhang¡¯s expression was dreary. Madam Wu was dumbfounded. ¡°What do you mean by formal names?¡± ¡°What are the children¡¯s formal names?¡± asked Steward Zhang. Madam Wu¡¯s countenance turned stern. ¡°The three children don¡¯t have formal names. They¡¯re just called Dabao, Erniu, and Xiaobao.¡± Steward Zhang could not help but roll his eyes. They said they were the Miss¡¯s parents but in the end, they did not even know their grandchildren¡¯s formal names. Pissed, Steward Zhang said, ¡°First off, my apologies. But our miss only has one child and not three. You¡¯ve found the wrong person. Secondly, our miss and young master have gone to the hot springs and are not in the residence. If you¡¯re here looking to cause trouble, pleasee back again tomorrow morning when the miss and young master has returned.¡± Qi Boli and Madam Wu looked at each other, dumbfounded. Huh? She only had one child? Madam Wu felt that this steward was just treating her perfunctorily and anxiously said, ¡°We really are Qi Qingyao¡¯s parents. We are here to tell her that she is not our actual child!¡± Steward Zhang replied destely, ¡°Madam, do you even hear yourself! You say you¡¯re her parents but then say she¡¯s not your actual child! If you¡¯re sick, please go seek treatment immediately. Please don¡¯t mess with me here.¡± After Steward Zhang said this, he turned around and went back inside. The gates mmed shut. Madam Wu and Qi Boli, ¡°¡­¡± Chapter 300 - Learning Ones Identity 10

Chapter 300: Learning One¡¯s Identity 10

Qi Boli and Madam Wu left the gates of the Qi Residence helplessly. Madam Wu scratched her head, muttering as she walked, ¡°We inquired about this, this is Qi Qingyao¡¯s new home.¡± Qi Boli was also confused. ¡°That steward said the miss only has one child.¡± ¡°The steward also said that there¡¯s a young master. How is there a young master? Didn¡¯t she win Lu Yan¡¯s home? Qi Residence is hung on the house, there shouldn¡¯t be a young master.¡± Madam Wu rubbed her forehead. ¡°Say, you don¡¯t think we¡¯ve been fooled by that person who was deliberately spreading the news?¡± ¡°It¡¯s impossible. They deliberately leaked this information to us so that we woulde and stir up trouble. I¡¯m afraid the steward could just be using the excuse of the miss not being here,¡± Qi Boli firmly decided. ¡°Then, what should we do now?¡± Madam Wu also had no more ideas. Qi Boli suddenly thought, ¡°Isn¡¯t the olddy staying at the Jin¡¯s home? Let¡¯s go pay her a visit.¡± Madam Wu was not really on good terms with the olddy and did not feel like looking for her so she said, ¡°If Qi Qingzhu isn¡¯t at her husband¡¯s home then she¡¯d be at the Jiang residence. Why don¡¯t we go to the Jiang residence and ask around?¡± ¡°I¡¯m just afraid that we¡¯d be chased away if we go knocking on the doors of the Jiang residence given our status. It¡¯d be more reasonable for us to go look for the olddy,¡± said Qi Boli. Madam Wu figured that was true too and so they left for the Jin family residence together. The Jin residence was in the west city district. The two really could not walk anymore but they also wanted to rush to the Jin residence before nightfall, so theyvishly called for a carriage to take them there. Half an hourter, they arrived at the Jin residence. They gave their identities and knocked on the door to enter. They met the olddy quite soon. The Jin family¡¯s maids and servants did not really like the two given they were the olddy¡¯s rtives. The olddy was not in any way rted to the family to begin with and now her rtives have arrived¡­ how could they not be angry? Although theyined about them, they were still rtives and they did not want to shoo them away. So, they brought them to meet the olddy. The olddy was very surprised to see that her son and his wife hade. ¡°Why are you two here?¡± ¡°We¡¯re here to look for Qi Qingyao.¡± Madam Wu sat down silently. Qi Boli was the one who answered. The olddy¡¯s cloudy eyes instantly widened. ¡°You two also know that Qi Qingyao is in Qingzhou City.¡± Qi Boli sighed despondently. ¡°We¡¯ve already looked for her. They say we got the wrong person. Then the steward said that Qi Qingyao only has one child.¡± The olddy was instantly astonished before she said helplessly, ¡°I also went to look for her. The Qi Qingyao who came out was not our Qi Qingyao.¡± At this moment, it was Madam Wu¡¯s turn to be shocked. ¡°Huh?¡± Qi Boli listened to the olddy¡¯s words, thinking deeply for a moment. ¡°Could it be that the Qi Qingyao in Qingzhou City is not our Qi Qingyao?¡± he said. Madam Wu pressed down on her lips. ¡°¡­¡± The olddy did not want to hear this and spoke her own mind, ¡°You guys stay here first. We¡¯ll go to the house and ask what¡¯s going on again in two days.¡± ¡°??? Madam, you mean to say¡­¡± Madam Wu asked subserviently. She did not dare assume the olddy¡¯s intention. The olddy shared her thoughts firmly. ¡°I think that she is definitely our Qi Qingyao. Qi Qingyao definitely struck it rich!¡± Madam Wu said, ¡°Madam?¡± Why did the olddy¡¯s tone sound as if she were trying to take advantage of the situation? The olddy did not disappoint Madam Wu and her next words were, ¡°Now that she¡¯s rich, we are entitled to a share of the house as well. Our family will be able to move to Qingzhou City.¡± Madam Wu, ¡°¡­¡± She pursed her lips for a long time but did not dare say anything to refute. She only dared pull Qi Bolo aside and whisper softly, ¡°What nonsense is your mother spouting?¡± Qi Boli rolled his eyes at her. ¡°Isn¡¯t it simr to the nonsense you used to spout not long ago?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Madam Wu did not dare say anything. She could only think about how they would be going over to take a look in two days. ¡­ It was starting to get dark when the carriages arrived at the hot mountain springs vi. Qi Qingyao had fallen asleep again. After she was woken up by Si Jin, she stretched her waist and jumped off the carriage. She looked at the huge house. From the outside, it looked no different from the house she won, but in the end, it was a hot springs vi, so it was likely some other paradise on the inside. After Si Jin carried the children down, the young male servant that Lu Yan brought over carried the children in before following Qi Qingyao. Qi Qingyao looked at this scene and thought to herself that it was really nice to have servants. Si Jin looked at the door header that read ¡°Hualian Hot Mountain Springs Vi¡± and said disapprovingly, ¡°This is the hot mountain springs vi?¡± Beside him, Lu Yan said a bit acidly, ¡°The Ye family of Eastern Ling discovered that there were springs here more than a hundred years ago. They then bought thend and built a house. They¡¯re really good at running businesses.¡± Qi Qingyao raised the tip of her brows and noted, ¡°Your words are acrid. Are you mad that your family didn¡¯t discover thisnd back then and stake a im to it?¡± Lu Yan did not hide it. ¡°A little.¡± Qi Qingyao, ¡°¡­¡± He was truly a businessman, everything he thought about was with regards to business. She swept a nce at the eight guards at the gates and knew that this hot mountain springs vi was probably the same as Chunjiang Restaurant. They relied on a ¡°membership system¡± and one needed to rely on their status to enter. It was definitely not the case where anyone could enter the hot springs. There were no less influential ¡°dogs¡± inside this ce. Qi Qingyao instructed Si Jin, ¡°Si Jin, take care of the children at all times once we enter the vi.¡± Lu Yan whispered, ¡°There¡¯s no chance for an assassination to happen here. The guards are very strict.¡± Qi Qingyao just said four words, ¡°Be prepared for anything.¡± Si Jin nodded but said nothing. When they walked to the gate, the guard took a look at Lu Yan¡¯s face and offered a faint smile. He greeted Lu Yan in a very friendly manner without any obstruction. ¡°Master Lu, please enter.¡± Lu Yan was about to lift his feet and enter. When the guard took a look at Qi Qingyao¡¯s entourage and asked, ¡°They are¡­¡± ¡°They are¡­ my friends,¡± Lu Yan said, introducing them. The guard heard this and bowed slightly. ¡°Please enter.¡± Not long after Qi Qingyao entered the house with Lu Yan, one more carriage arrived behind them. A man dressed in ck got down. His hair was tied up with a cloud patterned crown and he looked very cold and handsome. Beside him was Zhao Xin. When the man reached the door, the guards were stunned. ¡°All hail the Head Grand Secretariat!¡± Jiang Yeqian nodded faintly. The guards immediately allowed him entrance. ¡­ Qi Qingyao and her party followed a servant dressed in a blue uniform to the Haitang Pavilion. The Haitang Pavilion was where the guests of Hualian Hot Spring Resort would stay. There were thirty living chambers. Each room was three timesrger than the most expensive rooms in the inns in Capital City. Qi Qingyao and her group walked past the small bridge that crossed a flowing stream and a flower garden before reaching the Haitang Pavilion. Shemented, ¡°What a luxurious house.¡± After the servant sent the group to the Haitang Pavilion, they asked Lu Yan about the arrangements of their amodation. Lu Yan stretched out his hand and put out three fingers. Lu Yan said to Qi Qingyao, ¡°You¡¯ll stay beside me and Si Jin will stay on your other side!¡± Qi Qingyao gave a short ¡®oh¡¯; she had no objections. Si Jin thought that since he and Lu would both be staying next door to Qi Qingyao, both of them would know should anything happen. Hence, Si Jin also had no objections. Lu Yan showed Qi Qingyao around, since he was familiar with the ce. ¡°The men¡¯s and women¡¯s springs are there.¡± He pointed in a certain direction. Qi Qingyao steered in that direction excitedly. ¡®Oooh, I wonder if there are any handsome men having a soak in the hot springs now. Maybe if I take a peek¡­ I could just enjoy the scenery.¡¯ Lu Yan saw through her shameless thoughts and said, ¡°However, the rooms we live in all have separate pools since they¡¯re considered VIP rooms, so you can have a soak in your room with your children.¡± Qi Qingyao, ¡°¡­¡± Damn the VIP rooms. It did not matter, however. It would not be toote for her to sneak a peek after she was done with her soak. Before entering the room, Dabao and Xiaobao were naturally following Qi Qingyao everywhere. Qi Qingyao instructed, ¡°Si Jin, you, Dabao, and Xiaobao should go and bathe in the pool in your room. Little Niuniu and I will soak in the pool in my room.¡± ¡°Mother, I wanna go with you.¡± Dabao hurled himself at Qi Qingyao¡¯s leg, holding on desperately. ¡°Little rascal!¡± Qi Qingyao knocked on the little boy¡¯s head. She crouched and said to Dabao softly, ¡°You¡¯re four years old now that the lunar new year has passed, you¡¯re a big boy now. You¡¯re boys while Little Niuniu and I are girls. We¡¯re of different sexes. It¡¯s no problem when I give you guys a shower at home but now we¡¯re outside, we have to take care of our image. If people were to find out, they¡¯dugh at Dabao for not being able to leave his mommy, you see?¡± Dabao and Xiaobao nodded, not fully understanding. Dabao, ¡°Hngh~~~¡± Xiaobao however, was thinking, ¡®Big boy? Are we grown up now?¡¯ He was suddenly a little envious of Erniu. If he was a girl, he would have been able to soak in a bath with mommy. The two still rushed to wave at Qi Qingyao as they followed Si Jin next door. ¡°Mommy, we¡¯ll see youter.¡± When Lu Yan was about to take his leave, he added, ¡°I¡¯ll bring you all to the Furong Waterside Pavilion for a meal after our baths.¡± Qi Qingyao held Erniu¡¯s hands and entered the room. She first set the luggage down randomly. After she was done with that, the two of them entered the hot water bathing pool. This was Little Niuniu¡¯s first time soaking in a hot spring so she was quite excited. Qi Qingyao was also quite delighted. It was as if the exhaustion from recent times had all been soaked and swept away by the hot spring water. However, one should not soak in hot springs for too long either. After cleaning themselves, they soaked for only about ten minutes or so before getting out. Erniu was starting to feel drowsy from soaking in the hot springs. After Qi Qingyao changed her into a set of fresh clothes, she stuffed the little fellow into the nket nest. Qi Qingyao changed into a set of clothes herself and instructed Erniu, ¡°Stay under the nkets and sleep for now. Mommy is going to the toilet for a bit.¡± ¡°Okay~~¡± Erniu was in a trance as she hugged the warm nket and yawned. Qi Qingyao was indeed somewhat in need of the bathroom and she could not possibly simply relieve herself inside the hot spring! She could only hold it in as she searched for the toilet. She walked along the corridor till the end where she bumped into a maid, whom she hurriedly asked. ¡°Miss, may I know how to get to the toilet?¡± The maid took one look at her face and knew that she was not from an ordinary background, that she must be an important guest from the Haitang Pavilion, so she hurriedly replied. ¡°It¡¯s over there,¡± she said, pointing in a direction. ¡°Thank you.¡± Qi Qingyao¡¯s smile was gentle as she nodded slightly. Qi Qingyao strode vigorously toward the toilet. However, she was caught off guard when she collided into a man who was rounding the corner just after taking a few steps. Even her nose hurt from the collision. After stabilizing herself, she uttered her apologies and was about to walk around the person and continue her way. However, the person suddenly grabbed her arm Qi Qingyao, ¡°Huh?¡± Had she not apologized already? The man in front of her was pretty good-looking. His expression was somewhat stupefied as he looked at her. ¡°You, you¡¯re¡­¡± He pinned Qi Qingyao against the wall in one move. Qi Qingyao frowned. When she noted how the man¡¯s hand was positioned on the wall, as if blocking her in, her expression suddenly turned dark. ¡°What are you doing!!!¡± The man started spouting nonsense, ¡°Why? Why do you look so much like her?¡± ¡®Her? ¡®Who is her? ¡®Who the heck do I look like?¡¯ Although Qi Qingyao really needed the toilet, she did not want to lose her bearing in front of the handsome man. She curled her lips into a joking smile. ¡°Hey beautiful, I might look pretty but there¡¯s still no need for you to be so thirsty. You¡¯re even blocking me in so dubiously, isn¡¯t this a little overboard? I heard that the guests here are wealthy and respectable people. Since they¡¯re so influential, they shouldn¡¯t be so careless with their image, no? You¡¯re acting like a gangster, don¡¯t you think that¡¯s embarrassing?¡± The man was stunned for a moment before he returned to his senses. ¡°My apologies.¡± Then, he let her go. Qi Qingyao moved to the side and eyed the man a few more times. He looked exquisite but his gaze was really cold when he was not smiling. ¡°You look very expensive,¡± she said. The man¡¯s name was Xiao Wuji. He was not from Northern Liang and it was his first time hearing othersplimenting him with this choice of words. ¡°Domineering and expensive, it doesn¡¯t suit you to be apologizing!¡± Qi Qingyao said casually. ¡°I¡¯ll consider whatever that happened just now to be a misunderstanding then. Bye Bye.¡± Xiao Wuji went speechless when heard those words of praise. He shouted out again. ¡°Stand right there.¡± ¡°What is it now, you insanely beautiful person?¡± Qi Qingyao asked calmly and she turned around. ¡°Are you named Mo?¡± Xiao Wuji asked as if trying to confirm something. Qi Qingyao replied casually, ¡°My name¡¯s not Mo! It¡¯s Qi, beautiful!!¡± Chapter 301 - Hot Mountain Springs Villa 1

Chapter 301: Hot Mountain Springs Vi 1

Qi Qingyao looked at the well-refined and domineering man in front of her. His appearance was heavenly and his temperament was intense. When he was not smiling, his aura was not only fierce but also had a mix of vicious perversions, like a savage dog or wolf! Logically speaking, the person with this kind of temperament in a novel or a TV series was often the male protagonist, either that or the indomitable viin. Therefore, with her keen eye for people¡¯s personalities, Qi Qingyao would never want to offend such a person. After she said this, she pushed the guy¡¯s hand away and walked toward the toilet immediately. However, her arm was once again caught by the man. Qi Qingyao, ¡°¡­¡± Darn it, why could he not just let her use the toilet! Was he trying to make her hold it in forever?! ¡°You¡¯re not from Eastern Ling?¡± Xiao Wuji asked in shock. Qi Qingyao replied nkly, ¡°This is Qingzhou City, it¡¯s in Northern Liang. Obviously, I¡¯m amoner from Northern Liang¡­ What the hell are you talking about?¡± She wanted to get rid of his hand again after she said that but the man¡¯s hand was like an iron mp. She could not get his palm to open up at all. Qi Qingyao contemted whether or not to shout, ¡°There¡¯s a molester¡±; however, she did not want to draw the onlookers¡¯ attention. Xiao Wuji asked, ¡°What is your mom¡¯s surname?¡± Qi Qingyao replied lightly, ¡°My mom¡¯s surname is Wu.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± Xiao Wuji seemed a little disappointed when he heard this surname. He immediately let go of her arm, and said with slight embarrassment, ¡°The world is quite big, I might have gotten the wrong person.¡± Qi Qingyao pretended to smile and said, ¡°Come up with another excuse next time if you wanna pick up girls, then maybe I will consider having a little chat with you. The excuse for osting the wrong person is honestly too old, Mr. Handsome.¡± After ending the conversation, she turned around and dashed toward the bathroom. Xiao Wuji was left there, standing alone. Lowering his eyes, he thought for a while, his gaze became even more faint and distant. When he turned around and returned to his room, there was a person sitting in the room, drinking tea quietly. Gu Cheng picked up a rose petal. After looking at it for a long time, he shifted his gaze and asked, ¡°Who were you talking to just now?¡± He heard themotion outside the room but he did not hear what he had said specifically. Xiao Wuji replied, ¡°I was with ady.¡± ¡°Ady?¡± Gu Cheng looked at Xiao Wuji with a faint smile. ¡°Even when you¡¯re here at Northern Liang for business, you can¡¯t even forget picking up thedies!! Way to go, Xiao Wuji!¡± Xiao Wuji, ¡°¡­¡± He sat down, grabbed the teapot with hisrge hands, and poured himself a cup of tea. He then lifted the teapot and added more boiling water to it. After Xiao Wuji sat down again, he thought for a moment before asking Gu Cheng, ¡°Have you heard if Mo Yang has a younger or older sister who was separated from them for many years?¡± Gu Cheng looked at him wordlessly, then said, ¡°Isn¡¯t he the only child of the Mo family? How could he have a sister?¡± Xiao Wuji, ¡°¡­¡± Of course, he knew that Mo Yang was an only child! However, the youngdy just now looks so much like Mo Yang! However, thinking about it, the world was huge, perhaps it was not weird for there to be doppelgangers. After pondering for a long time, he decided to speak of it anyway as Gu Cheng might encounter thedy when he dined at the Furong Water Pavilionter. He said, ¡°Second Young Master Gu, I¡¯m telling you, I met a youngdy that looks exactly like Mo Yang just now.¡± Gu Cheng side-eyed him. ¡°You¡¯re saying crazy stuff again.¡± Xiao Wuji reminded him helplessly, ¡°We¡¯re all in this hot spring vi. So I guess we¡¯ll be able to meet her again very soon. When you see her, you¡¯ll know if I¡¯m telling the truth or not.¡± Gu Cheng, ¡°¡­¡± ¡®You¡¯re kidding right. ¡®Someone who looks like Mo Yang? ¡®Mo Yang¡¯s looks¡­ He is famous for his prideful and cool looks in the capital city of Eastern Ling! How can there be a youngdy that looks like him!¡¯ Chapter 302 - Hot Mountain Spring Villa 2

Chapter 302: Hot Mountain Spring Vi 2

After Qi Qingyao was done using the toilet, she washed her hands and walked back slowly. When she reached her room, she found Erniu had awakened from her sleep. She had even started to dress herself. She smiled with contentment and helped the little girl tie up her hair into two little buns. After bringing Erniu together to the door, she realized that Lu Yan was already waiting outside. As Qi Qingyao was about to lead Erniu toward him, Erniu suddenly requested to y with Dabao and Xiaobao next door. So, Qi Qingyao could only help her open the door to the next room. She stood at the door talking to Lu Yan. ¡°I bumped into a lunatic just now.¡± ¡°?¡± Lu Yan frowned. ¡®There are a few young talents here from the Eastern Ling Metropolis today. They are from the Xiao family, the Gu family, as well as the Ye family¡­ how could there be a lunatic among them?¡¯ Qi Qingyao puckered her lips and said, ¡°He took my hand by force and kept saying that I looked like anotherdy.¡± Lu Yan, ¡°¡­¡± ¡°He must have been charmed by my beauty and wanted to strike up a conversation!¡± Qi Qingyao touched her chin narcissistically; she then sighed and said, ¡°Ah, people aren¡¯ting up with pickup lines properly these days. They¡¯re so terrible, saying something like you look like my crush. I¡¯m so f*cking speechless.¡± Lu Yan was not sure whether tough or cry. It seemed that someone was interested in her. After thinking about it, he asked oddly, ¡°Then, what kind of pickup line will you ept?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go out to dinner, it¡¯s on me!¡± said Qi Qingyao seriously. Lu Yan, ¡°¡­¡± ¡®How much of a miser are you?!¡¯ ¡®You¡¯ll ept as long as the other party pays for the expenses? That¡¯s¡­ very easy!¡¯ After a while, Si Jin walked out of the house with the three little ones. Looking at the neatly dressed little boys who also had their hair done, Qi Qingyao patted Dabao¡¯s and Xiaobao¡¯s heads. ¡°Have you guys washed up too?¡± Both Dabao and Xiaobao blinked their crystal clear eyes, showing a lovely smile on their faces. Qi Qingyao said, ¡°Let¡¯s go and have our meals!¡± The group walked toward the Furong Waterside Pavilion. The three little children had not seen the courtyard scenery, so they walked around together with Si Jin. Knowing that Si Jin could protect the three little ones, Qi Qingyao just let them be. She only reminded them not to go too far away and to not be too rowdy! The three little fellows nodded obediently. Then, they ran away with the slightly rowdy Si Jin. Qi Qingyao and Lu Yan walked into the Furong Waterside Pavilion together. Furong Waterside Pavilion was a small building in the middle of theke. After entering through the door after walking along the long wooden bridge, there was a very spacious hall with braziers everywhere, warming the air. There were also numerous pots of gorgeous flowers and the floor was covered with luxurious carpets. A dozen low tables with gold painted designs had been ced neatly on the carpet and behind the tables were zafu cushions! Everyone was sitting on the floor, creating a unique ambiance. Qi Qingyao nced at the seating arrangement. She did not know where to sit. Lu Yan took her by hand and sat down on the sides of the two Chabudai tables which were situated a little further behind. There was a brazier beside it, so it was not cold at all. Qi Qingyao was very satisfied with her seat as she was able to scan half of the hall at a nce. After sitting down, plenty of people came in one after another. There were handsome men and gorgeousdies. Qi Qingyao was dazzled by all of their appearances. The maids had already begun to serve confectioneries, fruit refreshments, and drinks. Unable to resist the urge to ask, she questioned Lu Yan, ¡°By the way, what is the banquet today for? Why are there so many handsome guys here? There are even those from the Eastern Ling Metropolis.¡± Lu Yan was dazed for a moment. He asked her, ¡°Was it someone from Eastern Ling Metropolis who said that you look like someone else?¡± Qi Qingyao nodded. ¡°Yes.¡± Lu Yan said, ¡°He¡¯s just trying to flirt, don¡¯t take it seriously.¡± Chapter 303 - Hot Mountain Spring Villa 3

Chapter 303: Hot Mountain Spring Vi 3

¡°I didn¡¯t take it seriously.¡± Qi Qingyao pointed at the several seated young men who were all very good-looking. Although they were notparable to Jiang Yeqian and Lu Yan, they were not losing by much. Some of those young men were even hugging girls. All the girls looked like goddesses who descended from the heavens, but Qi Qingyao still thought that she herself looked best. ¡°I¡¯m just asking you why there are so many handsome men and beautiful women.¡± This scene reminded her of her previous life where she had gone undercover as another celebrity¡¯s bodyguard and attended a Harriet¡¯s Bazaar charity dinner together in order to investigate a celebrity¡¯s death case. The star-studded scenes¡­ the wine toasting under the reflection of lights. Everyone at the banquet was either a handsome man or a beautiful woman. After all, those who could enter the entertainment industry were those who had the best appearance! It was a bit simr to the current scene. Lu Yan said, ¡°The Ye family from Eastern Ling came to visit the koi temple with a few friends this time. They swung by to invite some friends in Qingzhou City for a meal. I happened to be here and hence, was invited as well.¡± Qi Qingyao added unhurriedly, ¡°I¡¯m asking you, why is everyone so handsome! I¡¯m not asking you who they are. Why is no one ugly? Everyone is beautiful!¡± Lu Yan blinked a few times. He seemed to find her question absurd. No normal person would ask such a question, but she had never been a normal person, so she could not be treated withmon sense. He thought for a moment before answering seriously, ¡°It¡¯s probably because the rich people in the upper-ss circles marry daughters of government officials or concubines with no background but outstanding appearance. They keep marrying the good-looking ones so that their children will likely not be ugly in a few generations¡­ although there are still a few ugly ones. But the ugly ones are generally disliked by their parents. Parents like good-looking and smart children. If they¡¯re not good-looking enough, then they have to be extremely smart to be paid attention to.¡± ¡®F*ck, do they have to be so realistic?¡¯ After bottling up everything for a long while, Qi Qingyao spoke up her thoughts, ¡°Human nature is superficial!¡± ¡­ Jiang Siliu and her elder brother Jiang Siting had alsoe to the hot spring retreat for the banquet. As soon as they stepped into Furong waterside pavilion, Jiang Siliu and her brother, Jiang Siting first greeted a few acquaintances. After walking to the back, Jiang Siliu spotted Qi Qingyao sitting side by side with Lu Yan at a nce, which seriously pissed her off. She held Jiang Siting¡¯s arm and quickly pointed to that side. ¡°Why is she here too?¡± Jiang Siting froze for a moment. That woman! She was the Qi Qingyao who was by Heir Pei¡¯s side. Oh my God, it turned out to be true! Her rtionship with Lu Yan was¡­ still alright? As an ordinary man, Jiang Siting waspletely dumbfounded at this moment. The other day, there was a rumor spreading around that Qi Qingyao and Lu Yan were having a meal together at Chunjiang Restaurant. Since Jiang Siting had not witnessed the scene with his own eyes, he could not believe it no matter what. It just felt too far-fetched. Qi Qingyao had been able to render Lu Yan worthless and hadpletely ndered him at the Jiang family¡¯s banquet. An ordinary man would not mingle with a person of such a level. Who would have imagined? What on earth was Lu Yan thinking? Jiang Siting was really speechless. Jiang Siliu ran over, not noticing her brother¡¯s silence. She pointed at Qi Qingyao¡¯s nose and asked, ¡°What are you doing here, you lump of country soil?¡± Putting on an unbothered pretense, Qi Qingyao asked Lu Yan, ¡°Who is she?¡± Lu Yan smiled slightly and said, ¡°The Jiang family¡¯s youngdy, Jiang Siliu.¡± Qi Qingyao said in a trivialized manner, ¡°She looks very ugly, I don¡¯t know her.¡± Jiang Siliu started, ¡°You¡­¡± Even the impassioned redness of her face could not describe her emotions at this moment. She felt like a balloon about to burst, having a hard time holding in. As she was about tosh out, Jiang Siting walked over and grabbed his sister who was about to lose control. ¡°Siliu, don¡¯t flip out. Everyone who attended today is an honored guest from Eastern Ling Nation. Do you want to disgrace the Jiang family?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Jiang Siliu¡¯s eyes were red in anger, but she forced her fury down. Chapter 304 - Hot Mountain Springs Villa 4

Chapter 304: Hot Mountain Springs Vi 4

After Xiao Wuji and Gu Cheng came in, Xiao Wuji was subconsciously looking for the littledy¡¯s figure in Furong Waterside Pavilion. His gaze fell on the position in the back row and he quickly pulled Gu Cheng over to take a look. When Gu Cheng¡¯s eyesnded on Qi Qingyao, he was instantly shocked. Dumbstruck. Stupefied. bbergasted. Stunned. Xiao Wuji was really satisfied with Gu Cheng¡¯s reaction at this moment. Lu Yan suddenly noticed a familiar figure with a familiar faceing in from the entrance. He coughed lightly, nudging at Qi Qingyao. ¡°Jiang Yeqian is here.¡± Qi Qingyao followed his gaze and nced toward the entrance. Then, she quickly retracted her gaze and could not help but mutter, ¡°Why are there so many familiar faces? If I knew this, I wouldn¡¯t havee.¡± Lu Yan said, ¡°He¡¯s the Head Grand Secretariat. It¡¯s normal for someone to invite him once he revealed himself.¡± The scariest thing was that Jiang Yeqian¡¯s bold appearance had led to the State Preceptor not daring to hunt him officially for the time being. However, based on Qi Qingyao¡¯s analysisst time, it was likely that Li Ruoxuan would soon show up in Qingzhou City in the flesh. The big puddle of water would soon be muddled. Qingzhou City was about to be a treacherousnd. Or perhaps, Lu Yan could do as she suggested. If he chose not to return to Capital City after the fifteenth day of the Lantern Festival, staying in Baishui Town might be a good choice. ¡°I don¡¯t know any Head Grand Secretariat, Little Yan.¡± Qi Qingyao¡¯s gaze was dull and there were no cracks in her restrained expression. She said faintly, ¡°I¡¯m just a nobody, I don¡¯t know these people. You¡¯re in charge of exchanging pleasantries with people you know, don¡¯t mind me.¡± Despite what she said, many people had noticed Qi Qingyao. Especially a few ¡°honored guests¡± from Eastern Ling Nation. Everyone who saw Qi Qingyao noticed her great resemnce to a certain someone, but they dared not take the liberty toe forward¡ªeveryone but Xiao Wuji, who had only met Qi Qingyao once just now. This time, he went forward fearlessly while dragging Gu Cheng with him. Lu Yan saw the two of them walking over, Xiao Wuji in particr. His gaze was very sharp and domineering, with a slight aura of familiarity. Lu Yan whispered to Qi Qingyao, ¡°Is he the one who hit on you just now?¡± Qi Qingyao replied firmly, ¡°I don¡¯t know him!!¡± She said she did not know him, but she was unable to change Xiao Wuji¡¯s gait. Xiao Wuji and Gu Cheng had already walked to the table they were seated at. Xiao Wuji very casually took two futons and sat down right opposite Qi Qingyao with a smile. ¡°We meet again, what a coincidence.¡± Qi Qingyao gritted her back teeth and said, ¡°I know you have some hidden agenda. Buddy, what¡¯s the matter with you? First of all, I¡¯m a single mother with children, so I¡¯m not interested in your old-fashioned pickup lines! You don¡¯t have to be so persistent in talking to me. She was straightforward in identifying herself, which surprised both Xiao Wuji and Gu Cheng. Xiao Wuji murmured, ¡°A single mother¡­¡± Qi Qingyao said sarcastically with a hint of a smile, ¡°A single parentes with many troubles, so you better stay away from me. I¡¯m not interested in you!¡± Based on this person¡¯s attire¡ªthe fineness of the material, the premium quality of the jade essories, the ruby buttons of the cuffs¡ªone could tell that his status was very high. She did not want to look for any trouble and be a substitute ything or an unattainable love interest. Especially, in this case, it would bepletely asking for trouble. ¡°¡­¡± Xiao Wuji looked at the girl who was filled with impatience and knew that he probably would not get anything out of her if he stayed there. He then took his leave with Gu Cheng and looked for his own seat. Chapter 305 - Hot Mountain Springs Villa 5

Chapter 305: Hot Mountain Springs Vi 5

Xiao Wuji noticed that he was looking like a fool, and Gu Cheng still had not said anything, his eyes ssy. Xiao Wuji then handed him a cup of tea. Gu Cheng numbly epted the cup and took a sip. He snapped out of it and looked at Xiao Wuji with a lifeless gaze. ¡°She can¡¯t be the one you were talking about just now, right?¡± ¡°It¡¯s her.¡± Xiao Wuji looked at his best friend¡¯s expression, one as if he had seen a ghost, with a smile. ¡°Indeed she looks¡­¡± Very alike! Too much alike! Gu Cheng felt that his throat was dry, so dry that he could not make a sound. Xiao Wuji pursed his lips and said with a chuckle, ¡°Say, if Mo Yang was here today, he probably would¡¯ve mistaken her as well.¡± Gu Cheng suddenly thought of a possibility. ¡°Maybe they don¡¯t look like siblings, but like a couple! They look like a couple, you know?¡± Xiao Wuji, ¡°¡­¡± They looked like a couple! Amazing. However. ¡°She¡¯s a widow!!¡± Xiao Wuji reminded Gu Cheng seriously Gu Cheng was stunned, but he immediately continued, ¡°So what if she¡¯s a widow? Being a widow means that her husband¡¯s dead! If a widow like her was able toe here together with Lu Yan, it means that she¡¯s very awesome.¡± Even so¡­ Xiao Wuji murmured the words, ¡°Like a couple¡­¡± Gu Chengughed. ¡°If Mo Yang was here, maybe he¡¯d even be shocked by her looks and pursue her.¡± Xiao Wuji, ¡°¡­¡± After Jiang Yeqian entered, he first greeted a few acquaintances. He then took a seat and immediately saw Xiao Wuji and Gu Cheng going toward Qi Qingyao. He felt inexplicably angry on the inside but when he heard that she had taken the initiative to say that she was a widow and refused to engage with Xiao Wuji, Jiang Yeqian could not help but feel relieved. However, when he took another nce and saw many people looking subtly toward her, Jiang Yeqian felt his temper rise again! ¡­ Qi Qingyao waited a while until Si Jin entered the Furong Waterside Pavilion with the children. She went over in person to bring them over as sheined to them. ¡°Why did you take so long?¡± She held hands with Erniu while Si Jin took Dabao¡¯s and Xiaobao¡¯s. The five of them walked over together. Qi Qingyao did not want to take up another table and took a few futons for the children to sit beside her. Si Jin sat on the other side, the two of them sandwiching the three children in between. Qi Qingyao pointed to the pile of confectioneries on the table and said to the children who were hungry from ying, ¡°Eat up.¡± ¡°The confectioneries here are not bad, I tried them just now.¡± ¡­ Given that those who came to Hualian Hot Mountain Springs Vi today were a few honored guests from Eastern Ling as well as children from noble families who had been invited, these rich families¡¯ sons had at most only brought their wives or beautiful concubines. No one brought their children to the banquet. Therefore, Qi Qingyao¡¯s table instantly received a lot of attention. After Ye Siheng arrived. The singers followed suit. The Furong Waterside Pavilion was shrouded in warmth on a winter¡¯s day. The singers were all wearing tulles, dancing in the hall to the sound of various Chinese instrumentals, which was quite entertaining. Qi Qingyao watched the singing and dancing with great interest. She was even letting out approving exmations from time to time. Lu Yan whispered to her wordlessly, ¡°You¡¯re ady. Do you have to be so excited watching thosedies dance?¡± Qi Qingyao took a nce at him and said, ¡°Oh Old Lu, you don¡¯t understand, do you? It¡¯s natural for human beings to take a fancy to beauty. Me being a woman doesn¡¯t interfere with my liking of watching pretty girls dance!¡± She continued looking at the singing and dancing in front of them. Lu Yan, ¡°¡­¡± Old Lu!!!!!!! The white cat jumped in from the window without warning and pounced into Lu Yan¡¯sp. Lu Yan nced at the white cat and thought to himself, ¡®So, this fellow still knows how toe back.¡¯ It ran off and disappeared as soon as he entered the hot spring vi! He stroked its fur and noticed that the fur seemed to be¡­ Could this fellow have gone to the hot spring as well? Lu Yan thought to himself wordlessly. Chapter 306 - Hot Mountain Springs Villa 6

Chapter 306: Hot Mountain Springs Vi 6

Qi Qingyao was focusing on watching the performance, the children were focused on eating the confectioneries, Si Jin was distracted with eating the puffed rice candy, while Lu Yan was busy stroking the cat. In the midst of this, none of them were aware that¡­ Xiao Wuji and Gu Cheng¡¯s gaze were fixed on their direction, especially on the three children. They stared for a long time until Xiaobao ate so much he let out a belch. ¡°Hey, Xiao¡­¡± Gu Cheng tore his gaze away forcefully, but his finger was still pointing shakily toward the children next to Qi Qingyao. ¡°What¡¯s with these kids? Are they really not Mo Yang¡¯s illegitimate children? F*cking hell!¡± Xiao Wuji¡¯s eyes were still locked on the children, unblinking. He also pursed his lips as he said, ¡°They must be his illegitimate children! Definitely, there¡¯s no doubt about it!¡± D*mn, Mo Yang that bastard, always tyrannizing and getting into trouble in Capital City! Since when did he even have illegitimate children! When Gu Cheng heard the words ¡®illegitimate children¡¯, he was momentarily stunned. He shook his head and said, ¡°No, this girl looks just like him, and the children also look the same, how could that be?¡± It was impossible for a couple to look so simr. Xiao Wuji held his forehead wordlessly. He urged Gu Cheng, ¡°You go and ask.¡± Gu Cheng did not want to exchange words with the little girl and the children at all. After thinking for a bit, he gritted his teeth and said, ¡°No need to ask. We¡¯ll just investigate it secretly when we go back.¡± Xiao Wuji nodded, then said, ¡°Wait, but that¡¯s impossible. Those children look like they¡¯re already a few years old. Mo Yang only turned seventeen after the Lunar New Year! He couldn¡¯t have met this girl a few years back and have something happen between the two of them, right?¡± Gu Cheng, ¡°¡­¡± That was right! The two of them began to calm down. After a short while¡­ Xiao Wuji said, ¡°But, boys¡¯ puberty began at age thirteen or fourteen, maybe¡­¡± Gu Cheng countered decisively, ¡°Impossible. Mo Yang has never left Eastern Ling, you know that.¡± Xiao Wuji said with a sudden revtion, ¡°What if that girl had been to the capital city in Eastern Ling a few years ago and slept with Mo Yang, who was still naive and innocent at the time?¡± Gu Cheng was silent for a while, then he turned his head to look at him with a grim expression. ¡°You¡¯re kidding me.¡± Xiao Wuji, ¡°¡­¡± Gu Cheng said, ¡°Perhaps they¡¯re really just two people who look simr, just that one is a man and another is a woman. And the woman is also a widow¡­¡± Xiao Wuji said, ¡°We¡¯ll just do as you said and ask someone to look up the girl¡¯s background when we go back.¡± ¡­ Zhao Xin sat beside Jiang Yeqian and noticed several beautiful girls ncing over his way from time to time, but the master had been staring fixedly in a certain direction, across the countless singers. Jiang Yeqian had been staring for half an hour, rendering Zhao Xin speechless. He eventually tugged Jiang Yeqian¡¯s shirt sleeve quietly. That alerted him. ¡°Master, several people greeted you just now.¡± ¡°Mm.¡± His reply was dry and he was still staring into the distance. ¡°Master, you didn¡¯t even spare them a look. It¡¯s a little inappropriate.¡± Zhao Xin reminded him slightly helplessly. ¡°Mm.¡± His voice seemed to be floating in from somewhere very far away. Zhao Xin, ¡°¡­¡± The performance was still ongoing but Jiang Yeqian could not resist anymore and got up. At the same time, many people looked over as though they were curious about what the Head Grand Secretariat of Northern Liang was going to do. Jiang Yeqian walked to Qi Qingyao¡¯s side in big strides. He cut to the chase. ¡°You,e out with me for a while.¡± Qi Qingyao almost choked to death on a sip of tea. Coughing twice, she looked up, pretending not to know him, ¡°And you are?¡± Jiang Yeqian, ¡°¡­¡± ¡®This woman is doing it on purpose!¡¯ Lu Yan calmly introduced him. ¡°This is the Head Grand Secretariat of Northern Liang.¡± Qi Qingyao did not get up. She cast a smile that did not reach her eyes. ¡°Nice to meet you, Head Grand Secretariat.¡± Jiang Yeqian, ¡°You¡­¡± ¡®You really n on pretending not to know me, is that how it is!¡¯ Qi Qingyao cast a sidelong nce at that idiot. Of course, she noticed that many people were quietly paying attention over here and so she dismissed him casually. ¡°Head Grand Secretariat, could it be that you also fell for my beauty and came to hit on me? If so, please line up first! It¡¯s not your turn yet.¡± Jiang Yeqian, ¡°¡­¡± Qi Qingyao smiled a little teasingly. ¡°Moreover, I¡¯m not the protagonist of today¡¯s dinner! If there¡¯s anything, let¡¯s please finish the dinner first then we¡¯ll talk, Head Grand Secretariat.¡± After hearing her emphasizing the dinner repeatedly. Only then did Jiang Yeqian abruptly realize what the asion was. He nced around from the corner of his eyes and noticed that many people were looking at him. He walked back to his seat impassively and sat down again. Si Jin raised his brows and muttered, ¡°He seems to be very angry.¡± ¡°God knows what he¡¯s angry about.¡± Qi Qingyao snorted and said, ¡°We¡¯ve been deceived for so long, it¡¯s us who should be angry!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Si Jin nodded. Lu Yan was cradling the white cat and did not eat the confectioneries on the table, so he sent all of them to her side. The children sat beside Qi Qingyao obediently, watching the performance while eating like hamsters. Lu Yan noticed that she was watching the singers more attentively than the beautiful men and could not help but ask her curiously. ¡°With so many beautiful men present, are you really not intrigued with any of them?¡± Could it be that she was a blockhead, or have a heart of steel as everyone imed! Qi Qingyao said lightly, ¡°When I think about these beautiful men having to take a dump in thetrine pit just like me, I just can¡¯t fall in love with them!¡± Lu Yan, ¡°¡­¡± In his entire life. This was the first time Lu Yan had beenpletely rendered speechless by a girl!!!!! Chapter 307 - Hot Mountain Springs Villa 7

Chapter 307: Hot Mountain Springs Vi 7

Qi Qingyao felt worse after she said that. She turned her head to Lu Yan and said in a serious voice, ¡°The idea that such handsome men have to eat and take a dump as well makes me sick to my stomach.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Lu Yan really did not know how to respond. The white cat in his arms also looked at her dumbfoundedly. He silently looked at Si Jin, who was eating puffed rice candy, and thought, ¡®What does he see in this woman and why does he insist on staying by her side? How iprehensible; his taste is worrying!¡¯ Qi Qingyao suddenly noticed that Lu Yan was not eating anything. She patted his shoulder happily and said, ¡°Fortunately, you don¡¯t have to eat, so you don¡¯t have to take a dump as well. When I think about it this way, Little Yan is still the most handsome!¡± Lu Yan turned green in the face. He reminded her matter-of-factly, ¡°I have to eat and pass motion as well, thanks.¡± Qi Qingyao pouted and remained silent. Lu Yan coughed lightly and acted as though nothing had happened. ¡°Every human has to eat and pass motion. You¡¯re too persistent about this.¡± ¡°This isn¡¯t called being persistent, it¡¯s¡­¡± Qi Qingyao racked her brain for a long time and finally croaked out, ¡°fully understanding human nature.¡± ¡°???¡± She called that fully understanding human nature¡­ Obsessing over humans taking a shit was called fully understanding human nature? Qi Qingyao shrugged and touched further on the subject, ¡°In this mundane, earthly and mortal world, everyone will eventually turn into ashes. It¡¯s just that humans are more attached to beautiful ashes.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Lu Yan suddenly felt that she was unexpectedly insightful. However, why was she still being persistent about taking dumps? Qi Qingyao was enjoying the performance, but her eyes were quietly sweeping over those young men and the girls in their arms through the periphery of her vision. She was secretly memorizing everyone¡¯s faces. After the first singing and dancing performance was over, other women came in to sing. They sat in the hall and sang a popr tune, giving off a different atmosphere. Qi Qingyao was still a little interested at first but, after listening for a long time, she could not help but feel a little drowsy. She asked Lu Yan, ¡°Isn¡¯t this a huge social event?¡± Lu Yan answered, ¡°It is.¡± ¡°Then why don¡¯t you go socialize?¡± Everyone else was sitting together and chatting in twos and threes. He was the only one sitting in silence with her; it did not look that good. Lu Yan said coolly, ¡°There¡¯s no rush. By staying here these two days, we can even avoid the disputes happening outside.¡± Qi Qingyao did not mind though. She came here purely for the food and swung by to gain some insight into the world of the rich. Seeing that the children were full and that some people were also gradually leaving, Qi Qingyao whispered to Lu Yan, ¡°We¡¯re done eating, so we¡¯ll head back first.¡± She grabbed Erniu¡¯s hand while Si Jin held hands with Dabao and Xiaobao. The group of them walked out. After leaving the Furong Waterside Pavilion, they walked down the promenade and past the hanging flower gate. Si Jin asked, ¡°Sister, are we heading back so early?¡± Qi Qingyao said with a mysterious expression, ¡°We¡¯ll head back and put the children to sleep first, then we can go and peep at girls bathing.¡± ¡°Ah?¡± Si Jin was shocked. Qi Qingyao smiled leisurely, ¡°We can peep at beautiful men bathing as well. As long as we peep on one of them.¡± ¡°Can¡­¡­can we not peep at them?¡± Si Jin thought to himself that he had no interest in peeping at other people taking a bath. Many people liked to bathe in the Jiuli River during summer and all of them were naked. He had seen a lot of them¡­ Qi Qingyaoughed aloud and said, ¡°Are you crazy? Since we came all the way to a hot spring vi, this journey would not be worth it if I don¡¯t peep at girls bathing.¡± Seeing that Si Jin had no response, Qi Qingyao said seriously, ¡°If you¡¯re not interested, keep watch for me when the timees, I wanna see!¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡®Aren¡¯t all human bodies the same!¡¯ ¡°Sister, if you want to look at a man¡¯s naked body, then look at mine! I¡¯m also a man! I can show you!¡± Si Jin suddenly said. Qi Qingyao, ¡°???¡± Si Jin looked at her with an innocent face. Chapter 308 - Hot Mountain Springs Villa 8

Chapter 308: Hot Mountain Springs Vi 8

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Qi Qingyao let out a sigh for a second before patting Si Jin¡¯s shoulder gently. ¡°Little buddy, peeping at beautiful people in the hot spring is a sacred thing. It¡¯s all about the atmosphere! Think about it, we climb onto the wall and there are porcin white, naked bodies in the big hot spring bath. Their figures appear and disappear through theyer of steam evaporating densely, like in paradise¡­¡± After Si Jin heard this, he actually thought it made a little sense. Xiaobao listened to his mother¡¯s weird speech and could not help but turn speechless. What kind of speech was this? They must not be like their mother when they grow up, otherwise they would end up getting hit for peeping at girls taking a bath. Before this, there had been a man in the vige who peeped at the neighbouring aunty when she was taking a bath. He had been beaten up and chased out with a broom¡­ After they returned to the house, Qi Qingyao put the children to sleep. Fortunately, the children were still young and in their growing stages, so they slept a lot. It was easy to put them to sleep! After they were asleep, Qi Qingyao covered the children with a nket and then snuck out. Si Jin was waiting at the door. She called Si Jin over and pointed in a certain direction, ¡°Let¡¯s go, the bath is over there.¡± Si Jin was forced to follow behind Qi Qingyao. He, who had not been interested in peeping at first, suddenly felt excited. He thought that it was probably the nervousness and excitement that came from undertaking a covert operation with sister! When they reached the nearby bath, Qi Qingyao first nced at the partition between the men¡¯s and women¡¯s baths. After making sure of the location, she circled around with Si Jin to the back of the men¡¯s bath, pointing toward the high wall. ¡°The wall is so high,¡± Qi Qingyaomented. Si Jin made a shushing gesture, signalling her to be quiet. Qi Qingyao quickly covered her mouth. There could be rank seven and rank eight powerhouses in the bath¡­ if they heard her talk, then she would be exposed. Si Jin pointed at the high wall. ¡°I¡¯ll bring you up.¡± After saying those words, Si Jin hugged her waist and prepared to leap up. Qi Qingyao patted his chest and whispered, ¡°If you don¡¯t wanna watchter, just wait for me and keep a lookout for me from below. Once I¡¯m done watching, you¡¯ll help me down from the wall.¡± Si Jin nodded, and then... Breathing in deeply, he leapt up the wall. Qi Qingyao, using her sharp eyes, grabbed onto the top of the wall with her nimble hands. Si Jin swept a nce at the situation in the bath before quietly leaping back down the wall and keeping a lookout for her. Qi Qingyao picked afortable position andid atop the wall. She widened her bright and watery eyes and tried to expand her field of vision! There was arge pond in the male bath that was surrounded by beautiful stones. In the bath, there were about seven to eight men soaking in the hot spring, it seemed that¡­the scene was not bad. The denseyer of steam made it seem like¡­paradise. The beautiful men were half-naked, revealing their firm chests. Some of them had white towels on their heads; the scene was very special. Qi Qingyao was about toment when she heard a faint discussioning from below, enticing her to listen in. One of them said, ¡°Jiang Yeqian, I heard that Northern Liang¡¯s State Preceptor Li Ruoxuan has been hunting you. There were even rumors out there that you died.¡± Jiang Yeqian repliedzily, ¡°Too bad for him that I¡¯m lucky and didn¡¯t die.¡± That person asked, ¡°Then, what have you been doing recently after disappearing for so long?¡± Jiang Yeqian said, ¡°I was poisoned.¡± Then, a few of them made fun of Jiang Yeqian. Xiao Wuji suddenly said, ¡°What¡¯s the point of you guys talking about that? While we didn¡¯te for the grandmaster, we heard about the Lingyun Restaurant Massacre on the way here. We bought the intel from Zhaixing Administration, stating that none of the seven grandmasters are currently in Qingzhou City! As the Head Grand Secretariat, you should have at least heard about who is here at Qingzhou City, right?¡± Jiang Yeqian nodded slowly. Of course he knew, since he was the one who ordered people to circte the news. Chapter 309 - Hot Mountain Springs Villa 9

Chapter 309: Hot Mountain Springs Vi 9

Xiao Wuji asked, ¡°Don¡¯t you have any thoughts on this?¡± Jiang Yeqian cast a sidelong nce at Xiao Wuji, who was leaning against the stone wall. ¡°What kind of thoughts do you wish I had?¡± Xiao Wuji said, ¡°Qingzhou City is Northern Liang¡¯s territory after all.¡± Jiang Yeqian¡¯s face twisted into a slight smile. He muttered through the heat, ¡°Are the spies nted here from each of your countries all for decoration?¡± Xiao Wuji stayed silent. The other people were also wondering who the mysterious murderer in Qingzhou City was; possessing the strength of a grandmaster, and yet staying hidden so deeply! Gu Cheng said, ¡°Now that you¡¯ve shown up, surely State Preceptor Li Ruoxuan will arrive soon.¡± Jiang Yeqian said, ¡°Let hime. I quite miss him too.¡± Xiao Wuji chuckled. ¡°When Li Ruoxuanes, I¡¯m afraid it will be to kill you again.¡± Jiang Yeqian was leaning there with the white towel ced atop his head covering his face. His low voice came out from under the face towel. ¡°Last time he bribed a tea server and sessfully poisoned me. He will not be so lucky next time.¡± Qi Qingyao, who overheard this, raised her brow. It seemed that some of the things he said were true, and that he really had enmity with¡­the State Preceptor! Gu Cheng looked at Xiao Wuji and exchanged nces with him before asking curiously, ¡°As the Head Grand Secretariat who hasn¡¯t returned to Capital City recently, did you know that Da Ming and Eastern Ling were going to invade Northern Liang from both sides simultaneously? However, because of the Lingyun Restaurant Massacre in Qingzhou City, they were forced to give up the operation for the time being.¡± Jiang Yeqian said dismissively, ¡°They want to start annexing Northern Liang? Looks like the little empress has failed too much.¡± Qi Qingyao¡¯s heart rattled. ¡®F*ck, there¡¯s going to be a war?¡¯ Gu Cheng continued, ¡°Da Xing is going to be nine years old after the Lunar New Year. The little empress is still not married and has no heirs. Once Southern Ming and Eastern Ling invade Northern Liang simultaneously, the little empress will be in no mood to get married. As long as Southern Ming and Eastern Ling seize three cities each within seven months, the little empress will fall into an impasse. I think Northern Liang will be wiped out within two years.¡± Jiang Yeqian took off the towel on his face. The towel was a little cool and his hair was slightly wet. With heartless eyes, he said mockingly, ¡°Man proposes, but God disposes.¡± Gu Cheng said with a half-smile, ¡°That¡¯s right. The news of the Lingyun Restaurant Massacre in Qingzhou City has reached the capitals of the various countries. I think the war that was initially supposed to break out next year might be put on hold.¡± Qi Qingyao, ¡°¡­¡± ¡®There¡¯s no war anymore, that¡¯s great! The civilians don¡¯t need to be disced! Jiang Yeqian looked at Gu Cheng and Xiao Wuji leisurely and said, ¡°Whether there¡¯s going to be a war or not has nothing to do with me.¡± Gu Cheng asked, ¡°Aren¡¯t you the Head Grand Secretariat?¡± Jiang Yeqian said dryly, ¡°I¡¯ll return to the Capital City next year and resign!¡± Gu Cheng was thoroughly shocked. ¡°You¡¯re greatly valued by the little empress. I¡¯m surprised you want to resign!¡± Xiao Wuji was even more shocked. He had purposely disclosed the news in hopes that Jiang Yeqian, who was in Qingzhou City, would cooperate with them and hand over the identity of the eighth grandmaster. The Head Grand Secretariat who he held in high regard actually wanted to resign. Who the heck resigned in their twenties? It was not even a resignation caused by the helplessness of a changing dynasty. He did not really understand what Jiang Yeqian was thinking. Jiang Yeqian, however, saw through their thoughts and said, ¡°As you all have said, there will always be war. If I don¡¯t hit the road quickly, should I remain in the imperial court of Northern Liang and wait to be buried together with the little empress?¡± Xiao Wuji was not sure whether tough or to cry. He said, ¡°Anyhow, you¡¯re an official loyal to the sovereign! Don¡¯t you find it inappropriate for you to say these kinds of words?¡± Chapter 310 - Hot Mountain Spring Villa 10

Chapter 310: Hot Mountain Spring Vi 10

Jiang Yeqian said evenly, ¡°It¡¯s just a joke. However, if I were to speak the truth, as long as the Koi Temple stands, you still wouldn¡¯t gain the upper hand even if you all were to simultaneously attack our country from all directions.¡± Xiao Wuji asked curiously, ¡°Why not? Is it just because that another grandmaster has appeared on your side?¡± Jiang Yeqian replied, ¡°I don¡¯t know whether another grandmaster has appeared, but I¡¯m leaving because the little empress now regards Li Ruoxuan very highly and no longer needs me. You lot wouldn¡¯t be able to destroy it with Li Ruoxuan in Northern Liang. That fellow still possesses some tricks up his sleeve.¡± ¡°Then why note to Eastern Ling and be my follower after you resign,¡± Xiao Wuji responded hurriedly. Jiang Yeqian side-eyed him and said, ¡°Not interested!¡± ¡­ Qi Qingyao heard the conversation between the two and was quite surprised. These people¡­ these words could have been exchanged back in the Furong Waterside Pavilion, yet they chose to chat about it here. Probably because there were too many people back in the Furong Waterside Pavilion, which might lead to lots of gossiping! These people in the hot spring, who were probably from Eastern Ling, knew Jiang Yeqian. They were exchanging information! As she thought of this, a gust of cold air blew past her nose, causing it to itch somewhat. After trying to hold it back for a bit, she failed and let out a forceful ¡°achoo¡±! The group of men who were soaking in the bath below scrambled to their feet. Xiao Wuji eximed sharply. ¡°Who¡¯s there?¡± He stretched out his hand and a line of water flew toward Qi Qingyao like a sharp sword. She was unable to dodge it. Her body tilted and she tumbled down the wall; falling with a ¡°thud¡± on the ground over the wall. The fall had not been light. Qi Qingyao rubbed her behind as she got up, crying out in pain. ¡°Ow ow! My butt, it¡¯s about to split into two¡­¡± After she got up. She became aware of the gazes that were prickling down her back. Qi Qingyao turned around and saw the group of white bodies. This¡­she truly did not know where to direct her eyes. Qi Qingyao hurriedly looked up into the sky and said calmly andposedly, ¡°My apologies. I was just peeping at beautiful men taking a bath when god knows why the wind became so strong, blowing past and making my nose itch! I sneezed! But then I fell because you guys gave me a fright. Don¡¯t mind me everyone, con-continue on¡­¡± After she said this, without waiting to see what they were thinking, she then went flying out the door. Xiao Wuji shouted in a cold voice. ¡°Stay where you are.¡± He would never have thought that it was this woman. Xiao Wuji stood up and approached Qi Qingyao slowly. He sighed with emotion. ¡°Woman, you ran here to peep at men in the bath. Aren¡¯t you a little¡­¡± She widened her eyes, looking at him without the slightest bit of courtesy. ¡°¡­¡± When it came to women, Xiao Wuji normally knew his way around them. Yet this time, he was actually feeling a little embarrassed under the woman¡¯s absolutely prative gaze. His expression drew taut, and he grabbed a towel and wrapped it around his waist, obstructing his important parts. Qi Qingyao feigned a disappointed sigh and said. ¡°Ah, don¡¯t cover it! What¡¯s wrong with letting others have a look?¡± Xiao Wuji, ¡°¡­¡± Qi Qingyao rubbed the back of her head and said with a smile, ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be a letdown to the reputation of this hot spring vi if I didn¡¯t take a peek at you all in the baths?¡± Jiang Yeqian finally broke out of his stupor and held himself back from rushing toward the woman and giving her a punch. After he got up and wrapped his waist with a towel, he nced at Xiao Wuji and informed him ndly, ¡°She¡¯s a friend of Lu Yan.¡± If he had not, Xiao Wuji would have probably obliterated her. Chapter 311 - Hot Mountain Springs Villa 11

Chapter 311: Hot Mountain Springs Vi 11

Gu Cheng sighed and said, ¡°Why does Lu Yan have such an oddball of a friend?¡± Qi Qingyao pouted with dissatisfaction and retorted, ¡°How is it weird? It¡¯s simply the pursuit of sexual pleasure!¡± Xiao Wuji¡¯s expression turned dark. ¡°Miss, you¡¯re ady!¡± The f*ck, he did not know if he should be impressed or speechless. She had quite the pair of balls like Mo Yang did, though. Gu Cheng watched the shameless woman with a bored expression. ¡°Lu Yan probably is unaware of what you¡¯re up to now, hmm?¡± Qi Qingyao cast him a disapproving nce. Xiao Wuji asked with mock ridicule, ¡°That said, we¡¯re a whole bunch of men here and you¡¯re just one woman. Are you not afraid?¡± ¡°What¡¯s there to be afraid of?¡± Qi Qingyao was actually a little scared on the inside. She might have heard too much. If these people decided to do away with her¡­ but she could not say it. Xiao Wuji got even closer to her. Right then, only a small distance of half a meter separated the two. He looked at her, his gaze sharp. ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid that we¡¯d do something to you?¡± Qi Qingyao was about to speak when a silhouette barrelled over to them. Immediately, the figure pulled Qi Qingyao backward a step. Jiang Yeqian said to Xiao Wuji, ¡°She¡¯s a friend of Lu Yan¡¯s. Show a bit of respect.¡± Qi Qingyao clutched her forehead. Feigning calmness, she said, ¡°I was just peeping in the baths and you guys started talking of killing, where¡¯s the humanity? I¡¯ve seen enough, everyone can go back to their baths then. Byebye~~~¡± Xiao Wuji¡¯s expression was dark¡ªhe no longer cared even if she looked a bit like Mo Yang. ¡°You overheard our conversation, so you can¡¯t be spared.¡± When he spoke of assassination, Xiao Wuji naturally would not carry out such a deed himself. Without a care for Lu Yan or Jiang Yeqian¡¯s reputation, he immediately strode toward the door. ¡°Somebody, catch her!¡± he barked. Qi Qingyao looked at the guard who was about toe and tie her up, and immediately shouted at the top of her lungs, ¡°Help, somebody, there¡¯s been an assault!¡± Si Jin was daydreaming outside the wall at the back. He only turned his head to look when he heard a sudden scream¡ªbut Qi Qingyao had disappeared quite a while ago. Without hesitation, Si Jin immediately jumped inside along the back wall. With his speed¡­ he had already rushed in front of Qi Qingyao before the guard even entered. He took the lead and protected Qi Qingyao, who was standing behind him. The young man was like a beast. He bared his long, protruding teeth in front of the group of men. His gaze fierce, he said, ¡°No one¡¯s allowed to touch Sister or else, I¡¯ll kill you all.¡± Xiao Wuji¡¯s eyes instantly narrowed. ¡°Lad, you¡¯ve got balls.¡± Jiang Yeqian watched this scene and spoke up in a timely manner, ¡°Alright alright, she¡¯s just a peeping tom. Why don¡¯t you just let her go?¡± The tips of Gu Cheng¡¯s eyebrows surged to the top of his head. ¡°We can¡¯t let her go!¡± ¡°She was busy staring at Xiao Wuji¡¯s naked body, what could she have heard?¡± Jiang Yeqian asked ndly. Gu Cheng, ¡°¡­¡± Xiao Wuji thought for a moment then said, ¡°Very well. We¡¯ll let her go just this once then.¡± Gu Cheng eximed, ¡°Brother Xiao!¡± Everyone else, ¡°¡­!!¡± Xiao Wuji smiled rather profoundly after pondering for a bit. ¡°The little girl just took a peek at us in the bath, so what? We should feel touched.¡± Jiang Yeqian, ¡°¡­¡± Xiao Wuji clearly would not let the woman go¡ªhe just chose not to dispose of her today! Si Jin picked Qi Qingyao up. Instead of using the door, he immediately jumped over the wall and left. Riding on his shoulder, Qi Qingyao looked at the snowy weather andmented, ¡°We should choose a day without a breeze the next time we peep at beautiful men in the baths.¡± Si Jin did not know whether tough or cry. In the men¡¯s bath. Xiao Wuji waited for the others to be done with their bath before he left for the changing area. ¡°Do we kill her afterward or¡­,¡± Gu Cheng asked Xiao Wuji. Xiao Wuji replied in a low voice, ¡°Since she¡¯s a friend of Lu Yan¡¯s, she will not be leaving Qingzhou City anytime soon! Check her background details and we¡¯ll see.¡± If she was really someone rted to Mo Yang, they would not be able to kill her! However, if she was not, they would wipe her out without a trace. ¡°You don¡¯t have to trouble yourself with looking into her details. I have them here,¡± Jiang Yeqian said as he put on his clothes. Rather than letting them go round in circles, he decided to just give it to them. He believed that after they found out about her connection with Li Qinglian and Su Hexiao, Xiao Wuji would willingly stay his hand. Xiao Wuji asked, ¡°You do?¡± ¡°She¡¯s very popr in Qingzhou City recently; the Jiang siblings know her too. It wouldn¡¯t be an exaggeration to say that half of the upper circles in Qingzhou City have heard of her! The Yulong Gang had long looked into every bit of information about her.¡± Chapter 312 - Hot Mountain Springs Villa 12

Chapter 312: Hot Mountain Springs Vi 12

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion When Qi Qingyao and Si Jin went back, Lu Yan was sitting outside in the covered corridor, watching the moon and snow. When he noticed that she had been running back here all flustered, he was shocked. ¡°Did you really go peep at them in the baths?¡± Qi Qingyao replied moodily, ¡°I did, and I was caught and almost killed.¡± Lu Yan, ¡°...¡± Qi Qingyao ryed what had happened previously briefly. Lu Yan was speechless when she got to the end. Qi Qingyao rambled excitedly, ¡°But I saw quite a few naked bodies! This trip was worth it, it was so exciting! Wonderful!¡± ¡°You¡­¡± The way you think is really dangerous, youngdy! ¡°Do you want to peek at women taking baths? Who knows, you might awaken some kind of new emotions,¡± Qi Qingyao said seriously. Lu Yan, ¡°...¡± He did not even spare her a look. He turned to look toward the sky. Qi Qingyao sat beside Lu Yan and offered an analysis of the situation. She seriously felt that if he were to take a look or two at the naked bodies of women, he might awaken his male instincts instead of always running away. Lu Yan heard her speech but did not say anything. Si Jin was standing to the side, nodding along to her words without fully understanding. He thought to himself that he had also seen a naked woman¡¯s body before, but did not have any reaction. Hold on a minute, was it because he and the humans were different races? However, at the lower level, fish had no sexes. They were only divided into males or females when they evolved to a higher level! No, that was not it. He had seen them before and he was definitely not interested in fish either!!! Everyone was having different thoughts at the moment. A maid suddenly walked over and bowed slightly. She said, ¡°Mydy, somebody is looking for you.¡± ¡°Who is it?¡± Qi Qingyao fished out some groundnuts from her sleeves, shelling them and popping them into her mouth. The maid replied, ¡°There is a gentleman who wants to invite you to the Qingyi Pavilion.¡± Qi Qingyao rejected the invitation wearily. ¡°Just tell him I¡¯m in the toilet and am temporarily unable to entertain him.¡± ¡°But the gentleman also said that if you refuse to go, you should await continuous attempts on your life.¡± Qi Qingyao, ¡°...¡± Damnit, this was a tant threat! She pondered for a bit. By the looks of it, it should not be the same person who was trying to kill her from back then. She turned to say, ¡°Si Jin, take care of the children.¡± Si Jin nodded. Qi Qingyao looked toward Lu Yan. ¡°Old Lu, please join me in my appointment!¡± Lu Yan, ¡°...¡± She must have offended someone in the hot springs! Nevertheless, he apanied her to Qingyi Pavilion. The heavy snow was glistening under the moonlight and there was someone standing inside the Pavilion. He had both hands tucked behind his back as he looked up at the moon. Lu Yan muttered, ¡°So it¡¯s him.¡± ¡°Someone you know?¡± Qi Qingyao pretended not to know the person. Lu Yan, ¡°...¡± Did she have to pretend not to know him? Qi Qingyao pressed her lips together. Raising the corners of her lips, she slowly entered the pavilion. ¡°Gentleman, have youe looking for me for something?¡± she asked while feigning ignorance. Jiang Yeqian turned around and looked at her quietly. After a moment, he said, ¡°I¡¯m Jiang Yeqian.¡± Qi Qingyao, ¡°Oh.¡± Jiang Yeqian knew the woman was shrewd and sufficiently alert. She was probably afraid that someone in the shadows was watching them or eavesdropping so she deliberately pretended not to know him. He understood this. However! ¡°Did you go mad just now, running to peek at men in the baths!¡± ¡°What¡¯s it got to do with you?¡± said Qi Qingyao. Jiang Yeqian thought back to the scene from before and an uncontroble anger grew in his chest. ¡°What do you mean it has nothing to do with me? If it weren¡¯t for my help, you would¡¯ve already been killed by them.¡± Qi Qingyao was mindful of his reputation. She bowed slightly and said without a trace of gratitude, ¡°Thank you, Master Jiang.¡± Master Jiang¡­ The words Master Jiang were said in such a disdainful tone! He had never experienced this before. When Jiang Yeqian recalled her being surrounded in the men¡¯s bath just now, an inexplicable feeling of distress gripped him out of nowhere. He did not know if he was distressed about her seeing the bodies of several men or distressed that she was almost assaulted. Either way, he was distressed! Not to mention angry. Chapter 313 - Hot Mountain Springs Villa 13

Chapter 313: Hot Mountain Springs Vi 13

¡°Do you need to pretend you don¡¯t know me when there¡¯s nobody here?¡± Qi Qingyao did not understand why Jiang Yeqian was being so stubborn with this topic. ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else Master Jiang would like to speak with me about, I¡¯ll head back first,¡± she said, resigned. She turned around and was about to leave. Jiang Yeqian shouted, ¡°Stand right there.¡± ¡°Is there something wrong?¡± Qi Qingyao turned back to look. Jiang Yeqian felt that his and the woman¡¯s destinies were probably ipatible. He, who had rarely suffered defeat in his life, had practically never been able to gain the upper hand when talking to her. She would crack down on all his emotions until nothing was left. He could not help but feel resentful. ¡°Do you have to make us estranged?¡± he asked. ¡°Why is there a need for us to be familiar with one another?¡± Qi Qingyao asked back, really not understanding the situation. She added, ¡°Jiang Bai, we¡¯re like apples and oranges. There¡¯s no need for you to know me. It¡¯s better for you if we pretend to not know one another.¡± Jiang Yeqian, ¡°¡­¡± Of course, it would be better to not know her. However, the moment he thought about how they would not cross paths ever again in the future, Jiang Yeqian became inexplicably angry. He was such a brilliant man, yet she was able to pretend that they did not even know one another! She had no intention of ying up to him at all¡­ Qi Qingyao said, ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯ll leave first.¡± ¡°Stand right there,¡± Jiang Yeqian called out again, more hurriedly. Qi Qingyao was speechless. ¡°You keep telling me to stop but you don¡¯t say anything. I¡¯m very confused.¡± Jiang Yeqian¡¯s emotions were veryplicated as well. ¡°I¡­¡± Qi Qingyao fixed her constantly shifting gaze on him and watched him for a bit. Without any hesitation, Qi Qingyao said, ¡°The way you always look at me these days is veryplicated and conflicted. It feels like you have something to say to me. I¡¯m starting to wonder if you¡¯ve started to fancy me a little.¡± Jiang Yeqian, ¡°¡­¡± Ah! Qi Qingyao was calm, as if she were talking about something unrted to her. Unperturbed and indifferent, she continued, ¡°But because I have children, and am a widow, that makes you very conflicted! In other words, you don¡¯t want to believe that you fancy someone like me which is why your emotions now are on the verge of copse.¡± In just a few simple words. She had dissected his emotions thoroughly. Jiang Yeqian felt as if he were a nk piece of paperid out in front of her. He felt somewhat flustered and said, ¡°You¡¯ve got it wrong, don¡¯t be so full of yourself!! Who would fancy a peeping tom who enjoys sneaking looks at men bathe.¡± ¡°Then, perhaps I was wrong,¡± Qi Qingyao said calmly. ¡°You¡¯re definitely wrong. Absolutely wrong!¡± Jiang Yeqian could not help feeling vexed. ¡°Your personality is so self-opinionated, watch out that you don¡¯t bury yourself alive with it one day.¡± ¡°Thanks for the reminder, I¡¯ll be careful not to overthink too much.¡± Her analysis was wrong¡ªwhat a failure. Qi Qingyao began reflecting. Jiang Yeqian spat, ¡°Then go away and get lost now.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Qi Qingyao furled her lips tightly in scorn and left Qingyi Pavilion. Lu Yan waited for her toe over before asking, ¡°What did he want?¡± Qi Qingyao shook her head. ¡°He just threw a tantrum. He didn¡¯t say anything!¡± Lu Yan, ¡°???¡± How was that possible? Everyone knew the two powerful officials of this dynasty. One was the Head Grand Secretariat, Jiang Yeqian; one was the State Preceptor, Li Ruoxuan. These two figures were shrewd and wise and every action they did had a purpose. How could they be seen acting without rhyme or reason¡­ and just throw a tantrum?! Lu Yan was a little stunned. ¡­ That night, Jiang Yeqian left the Hualian Mountain Springs Vi. After he found Bai Mei, he asked, ¡°Do you guys still have no results after searching these past few days?¡± ¡°No¡­¡± Bai Mei bowed her head very awkwardly, not daring to look at the leader¡¯s eyes. Jiang Yeqian was so angry he kicked over the flower wall by the road. ¡°Are you all useless? Not even one of you has found anything. Has the Zhaixing Administration really turned to shit now? How absolutely disgraceful.¡± Bai Mei was silent as she let the master vent. Once Jiang Yeqian was done venting, only then did Bai Mei dare speak up. ¡°Master, regarding her life four years ago, the strangest thing was that after she disappeared from her grandaunt¡¯s home, she vanished with a trace. It was like she dissipated into thin air.¡± Jiang Yeqian said, ¡°Where could an entire adult disappear with no trace at all? Even a goose would leave some sort of sign, let alone a whole person.¡± Bai Mei replied, ¡°Master, we have considered a possibility.¡± ¡°Speak.¡± Bai Mei replied seriously, ¡°Qi Qingyao is not ugly. She is, in fact, rather good-looking. If she disappeared four years ago, abducted or otherwise, she would definitely have been in Qingzhou City. It so happened she was in Qingzhou City during that time. If she had appeared publicly on various asions, I think the people who met her four years ago should be able to recognize her.¡± ¡°You want to use her as bait to fish out the truth from four years ago?¡± Jiang Yeqian asked nkly. Bai Mei sensed that the master¡¯s tone was quite mocking, and cold sweat began forming on her forehead. ¡°That is what this subordinate had nned.¡± Jiang Yeqian said, ¡°You think I need you to teach me such a method? You fool!¡± Bai Mei, ¡°¡­¡± Jiang Yeqian paced along the tunnel for a while. Then he thought of something. ¡°There¡¯s another possibility,¡± he said. ¡°If she disappeared deliberately, then there wouldn¡¯t be a trace.¡± With the current state of that woman¡¯s mind and knowledge, she could easily disappear if she wanted to without leaving a trace. Bai Mei pondered about this possibility. ¡°If it were the fool Qi Qingyao, her face would have left a deep impression on others wherever she went. But if she had vanished deliberately and she covered all her tracks, then it would make sense that we weren¡¯t able to find any clues.¡± Jiang Yeqian, ¡°¡­¡± The Zhaixing Administration had never failed like this on a singr person before. Many things about that woman were a mystery. They simply could not find anything on her no matter how they searched. It was very illogical. Assuming that she had ¡°disappeared¡± for several days four years ago, the problem could either be a big one or a small one. It might mean that she had never been stupid and her brain had always been in a good state, and that she disappeared deliberately¡­ However, they could not be sure. With how the woman behaved in recent times, if she had always possessed a working mind, how could she stand staying with the Qi family for so long with that temper of hers! It really did not make sense¡­ There were a lot of things that were contradictory. Bai Mei said again, ¡°Master, Qi Boli and Madam Wu have also arrived in Qingzhou City. They are currently staying with the olddy at the Jin¡¯s home! They had also made a trip to the Qi Residence but we¡¯re chased away by Steward Zhang.¡± Jiang Yeqian raised a brow and said, ¡°They¡¯re fast. It seems like someone has deliberately spread the news to them and wanted them toe looking for trouble. ¡°Then we¡­¡± ¡°No need to bother, she can deal with this matter on her own.¡± What they had to worry about now was the multiple mysteries connected to that woman! It looked like they would have to personally tell her and make her jog her memory of the incident from all those years ago. Chapter 314 - Hot Mountain Springs Villa 14

Chapter 314: Hot Mountain Springs Vi 14

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Jiang Yeqian gave Xiao Wuji the relevant information on Qi Qingyao. After reading the notes, Xiao Wuji and Gu Cheng went silent for a long time. That country bumpkin actually knew Master Architect Li Qinglian? Their Feixian Pavilion in Eastern Ling was the proud masterpiece of the very same Master Architect Li Qinglian! How was that possible? Gu Cheng also could not make head nor tail of it despite giving it a lot of thought. It was also stated on the report that she had cured the Lord Heir of Northern Liang, Pei Fengtang, of his stubborn poisoning! That led people to think that she was also connected to the Divine Physician Su Hexiao! This was getting really interesting. Xiao Wuji went into deep thought for a long time before he spoke to Gu Cheng again. ¡°If the few grand master level experts are going to congregate in Qingzhou City in a short time, then we shouldn¡¯t be in a hurry to go back. We can stay here and get in on the action.¡± Gu Cheng replied with a smile, ¡°Hahaha, I¡¯m really looking forward to the seven grand masters congregating in Qingzhou City. That would be quite a sight.¡± Xiao Wuji thought for a bit and corrected him, ¡°There¡¯s no way all seven grand masters wille. Some will definitely remain on guard at their posts. At most, only one grand master from each nation woulde check on the situation.¡± Gu Cheng said, ¡°That¡¯s exciting enough.¡± Having three grand masters in Qingzhou City already made for quite a scary situation. It was hard to say if this might lead to an irremediable situation. This excitement. It would likely be an exceptionally grand asion that would capture worldwide attention. They had arrived early, and had even positioned themselves well for the event. Xiao Wuji suddenly thought of something. He said to Gu Cheng, ¡°Say, should we send a messenger hawk to Mo Yang? To let him know that there¡¯s someone who¡¯s the spitting image of him here.¡± ¡°No need.¡± Gu Cheng rejected the idea and retorted, ¡°The world is vast, is it so strange that there are two people who look alike?¡± Xiao Wuji, ¡°...¡± It was indeed not strange when put that way. So, there was no need for them to send him a message. ¡­ Qi Qingyao went to bed and slept till midnight. However, she was unable to fall asleep at all and was kept awake by hunger! She suddenly remembered that she had not eaten anything during dinner that evening as she had been busy watching the performances and keeping an eye on the three little fellows. She climbed up from her bed, looking at the children as they slept so soundly. Qi Qingyao dressed herself up and took a look at the wind and snow outside before putting on an extra white-furred overcoat! She did notb her hair and simply let it hang down. She gingerly walked out the door. The veranda was inplete silence and the heavy snow had covered the entire courtyard some time ago. There was snow everywhere she looked. Qi Qingyao thought to herself that Qingzhou City not only had a huge wealth gap, but even the weather was quite unbearable! There was too much rain and snow during winter! She much preferred the climate in Jiangnan. Sighing, Qi Qingyao walked toward the kitchen. When they entered the ce that morning, Lu Yan had told her some things. She followed along the veranda path and walked past two chuihua doors before finally, she spotted the Hualian Mountain Springs Vi¡¯srge kitchen. In the silence, Qi Qingyao carried her copperntern as walked into the room after opening the door. Right after she put the copperntern down nearby, the door was suddenly pushed open again. Qi Qingyao jumped in surprise and turned around quickly. What greeted her gaze was a very plump girl. She looked seventeen and was about 1.6 meters tall, weighing at possibly about a hundred and five¡­ she was quite fat. She was wearing a red fur coat and, under the shining lights, Qi Qingyao thought the girl looked chubby and very cute. The littledy had also been surprised by Qi Qingyao. After she rposed herself, she asked, ¡°Who are you? Have you alsoe to sneak some food?¡± Qi Qingyao scratched her head awkwardly, having been caught red-handed sneaking food. ¡°I... was hungry. So I came to the kitchen looking for something to eat.¡± The fat girl looked very excited to learn that there was someone else like her who hade to steal food. After she put down her own copperntern, she excitedly lifted open a cover and pointed at the confectioneries inside to Qi Qingyao. Qi Qingyao went over and the girl gave her two pieces of confectionery. Qi Qingyao epted them, asking as she ate them, ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± Thedy was easygoing. She answered, her voice muffled as she ate, ¡°I¡¯m Gu Shanshan, and you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m Qi Qingyao,¡± Qi Qingyao replied. The two sat in the corner of the kitchen, hugging the te of confectioneries as they munched away. Qi Qingyao had a somewhat good first impression of this chubbydy. ¡°I know you, I saw you during the day. You had three adorable children by your side,¡± muttered Gu Shanshan as she was eating. Qi Qingyao was a little startled. It seemed that the three little fellows caught attention wherever they went! Gu Shanshan was really enjoying the food. Under the dim yellow lights, Gu Shanshan tilted her head and looked at Qi Qingyao, suddenly saying, ¡°You look a little like a brother of mine.¡± ¡°Your brother?¡± Why were there so many people saying that she looked like someone else these past two days! That lunatic back then said she looked like some love interest of his and now thisdy said she looked like her brother. Were her features somon? Qi Qingyao was starting to doubt herself. Gu Shanshan gnawed on the confectionery like a little hamster. ¡°He¡¯s not my actual brother. He¡¯s just really good friends with my brother and a few others. That¡¯s why I call him Brother.¡± ¡°Is that so? Then it¡¯s my honor,¡± Qi Qingyao said. Gu Shanshan noted her unbothered tone and said seriously, ¡°Seriously, you really do look like him.¡± Qi Qingyao replied calmly, ¡°The world is huge, it¡¯s not weird for two people to look simr. There are two people back in my vige who look just like sisters. But they were not even from the same mother.¡± Zhang Ziyi and Tong Yao looked very simr!?Zhang Yishan was the spitting image of Xia Yu! Not to mention Zhang Mo and Jaycee Chan! Wang Luodan and Bai Baihe... Were they all twins or blood-rted siblings? They were not. That was why Qi Qingyao did not find this unusual. Gu Shanshan heard what she said and was stunned. Thinking about it, it made sense. It was not unusual for there to be doppelgangers in the world. The two leaned together and finished the te of confectioneries. Suddenly, in the middle of the night, a muffled flute sounded from the back of the vi. The sound of the flute in the dead of night was rather clear, but also a little bit sudden. Gu Shanshan raised her head questioningly, ¡°What¡¯s that sound?¡± Qi Qingyao got up and cradled her head. ¡°Someone¡¯s ying the flute in the dead of the night, do they not want to let people sleep?¡± ¡°The flute sounds to be quite far away.¡± Gu Shanshan¡¯s small chubby face was filled with curiosity. Qi Qingyao thought for a moment then asked, ¡°Do you want to go take a look?¡± ¡°If you want to go, I¡¯ll apany you!¡± Gu Shanshan looked excited. Qi Qingyao already generally enjoyed getting involved in exciting things. Hearing this type of flute sound in the middle of the night made her even more curious. After she and Gu Shanshan left the kitchen, the two held up the coppernterns and walked toward the direction of the music. Gu Shanshan said as she walked, ¡°I have a feeling that this flutist is feeling slightly troubled.¡± ¡°Not only troubled, but also likelyden with heavy thoughts,¡± Qi Qingyao added. Gu Shanshan looked at her with surprise. ¡°You¡¯ve learned about flutes?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t, it¡¯s just a feeling,¡± Qi Qingyao answered with a shake of her head. After walking for about ten minutes, the sound of the flute became clearer and clearer. Gu Shanshan¡¯s eyes were sharp and she pointed at one of the roofs. A young man was sitting on the rooftop, a ck flute in his hand. The man wore a ck suit which contrasted sharply against the white snow. Gu Shanshan looked at the person ying the flute on the roof. ¡°The flutist is kinda good-looking ¡± The flutist on the roof was someone she knew¡ªJiang Yeqian! ¡°He is quite handsome,¡± Qi Qingyao agreed. ¡®That guy actually knows how to y the flute? Why had he never yed it back then?¡¯ Gu Shanshan pointed at the young man. ¡°You know him. My brother said he¡¯s the Head Grand Secretariat of Northern Liang.¡± ¡°Who is your brother?¡± Qi Qingyao asked. ¡°My brother is Gu Cheng,¡± answered Gu Shanshan. Who was Gu Cheng? Qi Qingyao did not know him. Gu Shanshan watched the man ying the flute, her expression smitten while constantly whispering to herself. Qi Qingyao leaned against one of the pirs, listening to the sound of the flute while thinking, ¡®What is he thinking, ying the flute in the middle of the night? Is his brain empty? He should think about the people who are sleeping soundly.¡¯ Suddenly. The sound of the flute stopped abruptly. The man¡¯s beautiful baritone voice sounded sharply. ¡°Who¡¯s there?¡± Qi Qingyao, ¡°???¡± The man appeared right in front of them before she and Gu Shanshan could even react. Jiang Yeqian did not expect to see her, or Gu Shanshan. After a moment of silence, he asked, ¡°You two¡­ it¡¯s the middle of the night, what are you two doing here instead of sleeping?¡± Chapter 315 - They Kissed

Chapter 315: They Kissed

Red walls, white snow. One handsome man. Two littledies peeping at him. Gu Shanshan looked at the ck-d Jiang Yeqian, her chubby little facepletely flushed. She clenched her fists in excitement and said admiringly, ¡°Head Grand Secretariat sir, you are really good looking.¡± Jiang Yeqian, ¡°¡­¡± He knew that! Qi Qingyao, meanwhile, was quiet. Jiang Yeqian swept a nce at her and looked at Gu Shanshan again. ¡°Why are you with her?¡± he asked. Qi Qingyao frowned and answered innocently, ¡°We¡¯re friends who went to the kitchen to sneak some snacks!¡± He was really speechless. ¡°The weather is cold, you should both go back and sleep,¡± he said. With those words¡­ He turned around to leave. Qi Qingyao was about to follow his suggestion and head back to bed when Gu Shanshan grabbed Jiang Yeqian¡¯s sleeve. Her eyes were bulging like eggs when she spoke. ¡°Sir, wait!¡± Jiang Yeqian turned back. Starry-eyed, Gu Shanshan said, ¡°Do you have a fianc¨¦e? If you don¡¯t have a fianc¨¦e, do you have someone you like? If there is no one you like, what do you think of me?¡± Qi Qingyao, ¡°¡­¡± Oh God! Jiang Yeqian¡¯s expression had turned dark and he said straightforwardly, ¡°I¡¯m not interested in you.¡± ¡°But I¡¯m interested in you.¡± Gu Shanshan held onto the corner of Jiang Yeqian¡¯s clothes, looking like she was not going to let him leave no matter what. ¡°Don¡¯t be in such a hurry to leave.¡± Qi Qingyao watched, confused. She decided to retreat. She did not want to get mixed up in the dispute between Gu Shanshan and Jiang Yeqian. s, Jiang Yeqian noticed her intentions and immediately grabbed her arm. Qi Qingyao happened to be stepping on the umted snow at that moment, so she slipped and went tumbling into the garden. Jiang Yeqian was momentarily negligent but he could not let go of her hand as he looked on helplessly at the situation. His only choice of action was to slide to the ground faster than she was and¡ªthump!¡ªhe was lying on the ground with her pressed on top of his body. As for Gu Shanshan, she had fallen onto the patch of grass at the side. Qi Qingyao never in her life had thought that a melodramatic thing like this would ever happen to her. Her fall onto Jiang Yeqian looked like something straight out of a novel or television series. Never mind that, what was more important was that her lips¡­ had touched his! This¡­ was an unprecedented awkwardness. Aftering back to her senses, Qi Qingyao hurriedly stood up. She stood to the side, pretending as if nothing had happened as she patted off the snow on her body. Gu Shanshan had a lot of meat on her bones and was perfectly fine even after she fell to the ground. After she got up, she hurriedly asked, ¡°Qingyao, are you alright?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Qi Qingyao replied. Jiang Yeqian was thest to get up. He was still wrapped up in his own thoughts, the thoughts of the young woman¡¯s soft wet lips that had just been pressed tightly to his own. Were those the lips of a woman? It was so soft! As soft as cotton candy. It made his heart pound uncontrobly. His heartbeat was like the beating of drums. Jiang Yeqian pressed on his heart forcefully. His heart, however, continued pounding rapidly despite hismand. ¡®What is wrong with me? Why am I acting like some childish boy who just experienced his first love? Just because I haven¡¯t embraced a woman before, it shouldn¡¯t be this¡­ this shameful!¡¯ Jiang Yeqian was somewhat indignant at his abnormal emotional reaction and rushed at Qi Qingyao furiously, saying, ¡°You did that on purpose, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°On purpose?¡± Qi Qingyao repeated, dumbfounded. Gu Shanshan hurriedly defended her. ¡°Sir, how could you use Qi Qingyao like that? It was just a careless slip, you¡¯re really going too far.¡± She had no idea the extent of what happened¡ªshe only thought that Qi Qingyao had slipped and fallen onto Jiang Yeqian! Qi Qingyao was a little upset as well. ¡°I haven¡¯t even begun to use you of taking advantage of me.¡± Jiang Yeqian was embarrassed, but also angry. He said offhandedly, ¡°Who¡¯s actually taking advantage of who? I, the Head Grand Secretariat, going out of my way to take advantage of a widow? I haven¡¯t fallen to that level!¡± ¡°¡­¡± Qi Qingyao was silent for a moment. She took out a banknote and immediately pressed it into Jiang Yeqian¡¯s bosom. ¡°A hundred taels.¡± Jiang Yeqian, ¡°¡­¡± Gu Shanshan was dumbfounded when she saw this. ¡°Why did you give him money?¡± Qi Qingyao replied coolly, ¡°Since the Head Grand Secretariat thinks I¡¯ve taken advantage of him, then he can take that aspensation!¡± Jiang Yeqian, ¡°¡­¡± Gu Shanshan was stunned for a moment before she looked at Qi Qingyao with an expression of worship. She had all but taken her as her new idol now. ¡°Even if I was out searching for a gigolo, this amount should be adequate for a kiss from a man, yes?¡± Qi Qingyao said before she left. Jiang Yeqian, ¡°¡­¡± A gigolo! Gu Shanshan, ¡°??¡± So it turned out that she had identally kissed the Head Grand Secretariat when she slipped just now. To give him money though¡­ Gu Shanshan suddenly burst intoughter. ¡°Hahaha, Qi Qingyao¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Qi Qingyao pulled Gu Shanshan and they left. Gu Shanshan grabbed both of their coppernterns, leaving happily with Qi Qingyao, even saying as she walked, ¡°I didn¡¯t think the Head Grand Secretariat was so petty. You only kissed him by ident, it¡¯s obvious that the woman has more to lose yet he¡¯s the one who was being calctive with you.¡± Qi Qingyao smiled faintly. ¡°I¡¯ve paid him, so there¡¯s no need to bring that up again. Let¡¯s just assume I hired him for that service, isn¡¯t that all fine now?¡± Gu Shanshanughed. ¡°Hahahahaha!¡± The two walked back to Haitang Pavilion. When they were about to go their separate ways, Gu Shanshan said with a smile, ¡°Qingyao, I quite like you.¡± ¡°I like you too,¡± replied Qi Qingyao as well. ¡°I¡¯ll head back to my room and sleep, but let¡¯s meet again tomorrow morning.¡± ¡°See you tomorrow!¡± Qi Qingyao turned around and also headed for her own room. She did not know that from afar, Jiang Yeqian was watching her back from the darkness as she entered her room, before eventually returning to his room alone. After entering his room. He fell into a stupor. Closing the door behind him, he walked to his bed absent-mindedly, even forgetting to take off his cloak before sitting down in a daze. The snow coating his cloak immediately fell onto the bed. However, he did not even realize it. A silly smile suddenly appeared on his face. That was an expression that would never appear on his face on any usual day. He smiled like that for a while. Jiang Yeqian lifted his hand and could not resist touching his lips. Were a woman¡¯s lips that soft? Or was it just hers that were exceptionally soft? Soft and wet, on a winter¡¯s day¡­ How would it feel if he were to kiss them even more firmly? All sorts of emotions were interlocking in his mind. After Jiang Yeqian returned to his senses, he realized that he was immersed in frenzied wishful thinking about something inexplicable. He pinched his thigh hard, forcing himself to get a hold of himself. He unsped his cloak and threw it to one side. Next, he dusted the bed. Ignoring the faint moisture of the sheets, he took off his outer garments andid down on the bed. The light of the next day was approaching soon but Jiang Yeqian was not at all sleepy. He had been in a bad mood when he yed the flute to ease his emotions. However, his mood had somehow improved. It was really good now, in fact. Hold on, he seemed to recall herpared him to a gigolo just now¡­ this word was really too much! She was asking for a ruthless smacking. Jiang Yeqian suddenly recalled Tan Xiangdie¡¯s words from the other day. ¡®You like her¡­¡¯ At this moment, he thought, just maybe, he¡­ really¡­ did¡­ like¡­ her. Chapter 316 - The Fourth Crock of Gold 1

Chapter 316: The Fourth Crock of Gold 1

The next morning, Qi Qingyao woke the children up. After they washed themselves, they sat on the bed and yed with the pouches that Qi Qingyao had gifted them. Qi Qingyao had deliberately put a bit of money into each of their pouches. The children smiled joyously as they held up the money they found! Xiaobao examined their names embroidered on the pouches with much satisfaction! He suddenly looked up to his mother quite a lot more! Their mother was clever and deft¡ªnot only did she know how to design buildings, she even knew how to embroider! After Qi Qingyao was done washing up, Lu Yan knocked on the door. He asked if she was ready, then invited them to go to the Furong Waterside Pavilion to have breakfast together. Qi Qingyao went next door to call Si Jin. When Si Jin answered her call, Qi Qingyao realized that his hair was still wet and she was surprised. ¡°You washed your hair this early in the morning even though it¡¯s winter? You¡¯ll catch a cold.¡± Si Jin scratched his head sheepishly. He had actually snuck into the garden for a swim! Qi Qingyao fetched him arge towel. She asked him to sit down and began drying his hair for some time. After his hair was half dry, shebed it into a simple high tail, buckling it with a silver hair clip. Then, ncing at Si Jin¡¯s clothes, Qi Qingyao thought for a moment before asking him to go and change. After Si Jin had put on a fresh set of clothes, Qi Qingyao checked him over once, quite liking the red robe with faint koi patterns. Itplemented Si Jin¡¯s particrly youthful spirit. There was also a koi belt around his waist. It was also very special. His cuffs were tied neatly, which made him look like a capable man. Si Jin seemed to be rather curious about why she was dressing him up today. Qi Qingyao knocked him on the head. ¡°We¡¯re going to eat at the Furong Waterside Pavilion again today, and you¡¯re my follower! You represent me, so you need to wear something nicer and dress up in a youthful manner! I¡¯ll look better that way.¡± Si Jin heard this and agreed with her logic. The children heard what their mommy said to Si Jin and hurriedly checked over what they were wearing as well. Lu Yan looked at the young woman¡¯s attentive silhouette and thought about how Dong Jing was usually in charge of his clothes¡­ He had never had a woman concern themselves about his attire before. Lu Yan suddenly felt rather sorry for himself. His hair was always¡­ hanging down his back naturally; he had never tied it up before. Looking at Si Jin¡¯s high ponytail, Lu Yan was quite envious. Qi Qingyao realized the movement in Lu Yan¡¯s gaze and coughed lightly. ¡°You like it?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Lu Yan said nothing. Qi Qingyao snorted and grabbed a good hair clip from Si Jin¡¯s luggage. She then instructed Lu Yan to take a seat. Lu Yan frowned, seemingly looking at themon hair clip with some disgust. ¡°Sit down!¡± Qi Qingyao motioned and said fiercely. Lu Yan nced at her expression cautiously. After thinking for a bit, he sat on the chair. Qi Qingyao stepped forward and used ab to tidy up Lu Yan¡¯s hair. It went without saying that his hair had been taken care of quite well¡ªit was dark and shining! Smooth and soft. Lu Yan had never been this close to a woman before ever since his experience during his teens, let alone have a woman do his hair. Just sitting there made his entire body turn rigid, cold sweat dripping down his back. He really wanted to get up, leave, and let it be. The moment he looked up, however, he noticed the three little fellows ying obediently next to him. Si Jin and Dong Jing were also standing at the side. The white cat was in his arms, watching him with a curious gaze. Lu Yan quietly calmed himself down. He reassured himself continuously He told himself that everyone was here, and nothing would happen. She was just styling his hair. His arms were pinning the white cat so tightly in his embrace that the cat felt that it was about to lose its breath. Without even asking for permission, the cat escaped from Lu Yan¡¯s grip and jumped into Si Jin¡¯s arms like an arrow. Leaving Lu Yan sitting there all alone. Lu Yan felt his scalp go numb then¡­ cold sweat began flowing down his back like a waterfall. As Qi Qingyao wasbing his hair, she was secretly observing his reactions. When she saw the cat slip free from his control, she also noticed his fists clenching tightly. His knuckles were turning white and green veins were slowly popping on the back of his hand. Hisplexion slowly went from pale to grey. Not a single one of these minute changes escaped from Qi Qingyao¡¯s observation. Dong Jing also never thought that his master would allow himself to be controlled by Miss Qi. He was sitting there somewhat ¡°obediently¡± as he allowed her to style his hair. This was a massive step in the right direction. Dong Jing observed his master¡¯s tight-fisted appearance and pained expression and knew that he was exerting a lot of willpower to endure it! ¡®All the best, master! ¡®She is justbing your hair. ¡®You can do it.¡¯ Qi Qingyao¡¯s actions were swift. She did not want her first natural physical encounter with Lu Yan to end with an adverse situation. She quicklybed the top half of his hair into a high ponytail and nimbly secured it with a hair clip. Then, Qi Qingyao stepped back before moving to stand in front of him. ¡°There¡¯s no need to be nervous, I¡¯m justbing your hair.¡± Lu Yan had at some point shut his eyes tightly, pressing his lips into a thin line. His face was pale as a sheet of paper. Lu Yan¡¯s highly-strung state only rxed when Qi Qingyao said those words. He lifted his head¡­ And was greeted by her leisurely and carefree gaze. He was stunned for a long time. Then, he finally returned to his senses. Qi Qingyao fetched a bronze mirror and ced it in his hand. ¡°What do you think?¡± Lu Yan epted the bronze mirror and nced into it. When he looked into the mirror, his normal hairstyle was now in a high ponytail. It was a little unfamiliar but also somewhat familiar. Qi Qingyao smiled and said, ¡°We¡¯ll start with some small changes. Soon, you¡¯ll be able to thoroughly remold yourself.¡± Lu Yan continued to look at himself in the mirror, feeling quite satisfied. Dong Jing was so moved he almost cried. He lifted his hand and used his sleeve to wipe away the nonexistent tears. He had never thought that the master would be able to hold back his impulse of beating up Qi Qingyao and resist the urge of standing up, not to mention how he endured the nausea and bucking up with such willpower! Not only that. The master with a ponytail gave off a different aura from his former delicate and feminine one. It was more¡­ clean and handsome now! He looked much more spirited. Si Jin realized Dong Jing was wiping his tears and was surprised. ¡®Has this person gone mad? Your master just had his hairbed and you¡¯re this moved? What an exaggeration!¡¯ After cleaning up and getting ready, the group headed toward Furong Waterside Pavilion. Dong Jing was watching his master¡¯s tall and straight appearance from behind. He somehow felt that the master was more confident with his hair tied up! Entering the Furong Waterside Pavilion through the small door, the group then sat where they did the day before. The rest of the people also began filing in continuously for breakfast¡­ The maids were quickly serving the dishes to every table. When Si Jin saw the beautifully decorated congee, he immediately asked for five bowls of white rice congee! The maid was shocked for a moment, but said nothing and gave him five bowls as requested! Qi Qingyao was helping the three little fellows to dig into their meals when she suddenly realized that Lu Yan, who was seated beside her, was looking at the low-legged table absently, as though hesitant to pick up the chopsticks. ¡°If you are afraid there¡¯s something wrong with your meal, would you like to take mine?¡± Qi Qingyao pointed at the bowl of untouched white rice congee in front of her. Lu Yan nced over and told her there was no need. Qi Qingyao said, ¡°Then you better eat! If there¡¯s something wrong, I¡¯ll save you immediately!¡± ¡°¡­¡± Her words sounded reliable. Lu Yan suddenly felt that with his doctor here, he could rx a lot more than usual. He cradled the bowl and picked up adle. His eyes could not help but scrutinize thedle for a second. After making sure that it was squeaky clean, he scooped up adle of congee and put it into his mouth. The taste of the congee was not much different from the one from home. White rice congee did not have much of a taste anyway. However, he could not help feeling that there was something odd about it. After swallowing his first mouthful, Lu Yan thought about how this was not made at home, but was made by someone he did not know. He subconsciously felt his stomach flip. He almost wanted to spit it out. Qi Qingyao cast him a sidelong nce. ¡°I dare you to spit it out! As if everyone here won¡¯tugh at you.¡± ¡°¡­¡± The threat made most of the feeling of disgust in his gut subside. He was also someone who cared for his image; he nced at the rich and powerful people who had alle to have breakfast. After building his mentality, he started on the second mouthful. Soon, he was taking his third, and then, as if he was using all his strength, he put down the bowl in his hand and started to calm his emotions. Qi Qingyao was a little satisfied. She initially thought that he would at most eat two mouthfuls. She did not think that a person who harbored serious suspicions toward others would actually take three mouthfuls! It looked like he could be saved, as long as it was done step by step. Everyone who was having breakfast in the Furong Waterside Pavilion was looking over at the three children. They looked so cute and soft, obedient like kittens as they ate with the littledy. The people from Eastern Ling were all of different minds. It was not just Xiao Wuji. Everyone else also knew Mo Yang, and naturally they could tell that this woman looked very simr to Mo Yang! They had deliberately discussed this matter with Xiao Wuji before breakfast today and Xiao Wuji had told them with a smile. ¡°It¡¯s not unusual for people to look alike in this world!¡± Everyone thought about it, and agreed it was true. However, these people were on pretty good terms with Mo Yang, and those feelings extended to the littledy as they nced at her a few more times. ¡­ When Jiang Yeqian entered the room, he noticed the gazes of a lot of people were directed at a certain area and could not help looking over as well. The first thing he noticed was Si Jin, who had a high ponytail, and also Lu Yan¡­ Wait a minute, everyone knew Lu Yan never tied up his hair! He only ever liked wearing it down! Not to mention that he was an overbearing clean freak, which made his living habits somewhat unique. Now¡­ Why was he tying it up?! That hairstyle looked really simr to Si Jin¡¯s. It was impossible that Si Jin would ask any other woman to help him with his hair. So there was only one possibility¡ªthat woman had done both Si Jin¡¯s and Lu Yan¡¯s hair? Jiang Yeqian¡¯s heart plummeted all of a sudden. He¡­ was so f*cking jealous!!!!! Chapter 317 - The Fourth Crock of Gold 2

Chapter 317: The Fourth Crock of Gold 2

As Qi Qingyao ate, she nced at the other people who had congregated and began chatting. Feeling rather perplexed despite having considered things for some time already, she asked Lu Yan a question. ¡°Do these folk from the upper-ss social circles just eat, drink, and watch song and dance performances every day?¡± ¡°They gather just to exchange information. They also discuss business while they¡¯re at it.¡± Lu Yan had not felt any particr reaction from his body and determined that the congee was fine. With that, he tamped down on his illness and used thedle to scoop up another mouthful of food before carefully putting it into his mouth. Two uninvited guests were soon ushered in before they were done with their breakfast. Jiang Siliu had just taken a seat and savored a few bites of her meal when she realized that the person sitting beside her was actually¡­ ¡°Qi Qingyao! It¡¯s you again!¡± Jiang Siliu was so agitated she almost flipped the low-legged table right over. Qi Qingyao nced at her from the corners of her eyes as she looked over to make sure Dabao was not spilling anything as he ate. She answered apathetically. ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°Stop pretending!¡± Jiang Siliu was quickly losing her temper because of this woman. Furiously, she said, ¡°As if you wouldn¡¯t know who I am.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t. Move along, next!¡± Qi Qingyao replied calmly. Jiang Siliu stood up and pointed at Qi Qingyao¡¯s nose. ¡°I am the Jiang¡¯sdy, Jiang Siliu.¡± ¡°Oh, do you have something with me?¡± Qi Qingyao was finally willing to spare a nce at Jiang Siliu. Jiang Siliu said seriously, ¡°I¡¯m still not over how you humiliated mest time.¡± ¡°So? You¡¯ve got something with me?¡± asked Qi Qingyao. Jiang Siting tried to pull his sister back from acting rashly. Jiang Siliu noticed that no small number of people were looking over at them; she was pissed. ¡°Everyone said that you are connected to Master Architect Li Qinglian, and that you even know the divine physician Su Hexiao!¡± Qi Qingyao snickered and said, ¡°Everyone really thinks so highly of me.¡± Jiang Siliu was so annoyed at the country bumpkin¡¯s arrogance that steam was rising off her head. ¡°I don¡¯t believe it, that¡¯s why I want to make a bet with you.¡± ¡°Why would I want to get into a bet with you?¡± asked Qi Qingyao. Jiang Siliuughed. ¡°That¡¯s because you¡¯re a scam artist. You¡¯re using the master architect Li Qinglian and Su Hexiao¡¯s names to bluff your way around the world! I want to expose your true colors in front of everyone! Let them all see that you¡¯re a base and shameless low-ss person!¡± Qi Qingyao said evenly, ¡°Thedy of the Jiang family has such high evaluations of me, I¡¯m honored.¡± ¡°Take a look everyone. Listen to her shameless words.¡± Jiang Siliu behaved as if victory was already in her hands, and dered loudly, ¡°I¡¯ll have my bet with you here today. If I win, you¡¯ll go back to Qingzhou City and leave Brother Lu.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Qi Qingyao raised her gaze, pleasantly surprised. Someone wanted to make a bet with her again. She wondered what she would win this time. ¡°If you lose?¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Jiang Siliu was about to joke that it would be impossible for her to lose. Then Qi Qingyao said with a smile, ¡°How about I have your Jiang family take their leave from Qingzhou City? Or perhaps, Miss Jiang intends tomit hara-kiri?¡± Jiang Siliu felt that the woman was being deliberate. ¡°You¡¯re purposely raising the stakes of the bet, thinking that I¡¯d back out aren¡¯t you?¡± Qi Qingyao was done with her meal. Her vigor had fully returned. She sat cross-legged steadily on the side. Then she spoke with a smile. ¡°You¡¯re saying all this nonsense but what do you want to bet on? Jumping into a river? Suicide? Calligraphy? Piano? Cooking? You must have some idea, otherwise, how would I know what you even want to do?¡± Jiang Siliu realized that everyone was paying attention to them and she knew that if she were to beat Qi Qingyao this time, she¡ªJiang Siliu¡ªwould be famous among the rich and powerful of Eastern Ling. When she thought of this¡­ Jiang Siliu immediately grew very excited. She took it to herself and made a suggestion. ¡°A wager in art, do you dare ept?¡± Thinking about it, this country lump definitely did not learn how to draw! She would be guaranteed a win as long as they bet on drawing. Of course, she knew this means of victory was rather underhanded. However, as the saying went, all was fair in love and war! ¡®Insect! You are finished.¡¯ Qi Qingyao shrugged and asked in a leisurely tone. ¡°Figures? Landscape? Realism? Stream of consciousness? Impressionism?¡± ¡®What in the what?¡¯ Jiang Siliu did not understand what Qi Qingyao was saying. She simply replied, ¡°Anything will do. After we¡¯re done, we¡¯ll present them to the public for theirments. Do you dare ept?¡± Qi Qingyao knew how to design architecture, so naturally she had some artistic attainments. She replied coolly, ¡°If it¡¯s drawing, let¡¯s redefine the bet. If I lose, I¡¯ll leave and never step into Qingzhou City again. If I win, you leave Qingzhou City! How about it? It¡¯s reasonable, no?¡± ¡°Alright! I ept.¡± Internally, Jiang Siliu was very pleased. She would be able to witness this widow and her children leave Brother Lu soon. Jiang Siting noticed that Qi Qingyao had been calm andposed all the time, and had a premonition that was anything but assuring. He could sense it. This time, his sister would once again y into the little woman¡¯s palm. When he thought of this¡­ Jiang Siting immediately shouted. ¡°Little Liu, this bet is too much.¡± ¡°Brother, you can¡¯t ovee danger without taking any risks! I will ept the bet with my stake being that I¡¯ll leave Qingzhou City if I lose!¡± Jiang Siliu replied confidently. Qi Qingyao was mulling over this. She was thinking that it felt¡­ rather meaningless. She would be betting against Jiang Siliu¡­ but the boring thing was that the oue was merely deciding which of the two would be leaving Qingzhou City. If she was not going to be making even a penny from this¡­ What was the point for her to paint? Why should she even make this bet with Jiang Siliu? Qi Qingyao stood up excitedly just as Jiang Siliu eagerly called for someone to prepare the paper, brush, and inkstone. She called out to the wealthy guests who were at the scene. ¡°Dear audience, this show cannot possibly be free now, can it? Since I will be making a bet, I¡¯ll take the banker! It¡¯s open and I invite everyone to ce their bets. Those who do not wish to bet, please leave. Those who leave will also lose the right to vote.¡± ¡°Giving the betters the privilege of voting? Isn¡¯t that just walking to your demise? We will obviously vote for the person we ced our bets on. Can you still win?¡± Xiao Wuji sneered at her and spoke up. Qi Qingyao smiled unabashedly and said, ¡°The voting will be anonymous! Besides, I believe that everyone present has an eye for the arts. You all wouldn¡¯t discard your reputation as a connoisseur just over a little profit. Don¡¯t you all think so?¡± She was indirectly praising them. She was ying up everyone in the room. They were all definitely the sons and brothers of distinguished families. Even if they did not have the skills to y the qin, chess, calligraphy, or drawing, they would still know how to appraise them! Lu Yan did not think that she would be this business-minded; she did not even forget about earning money at a time like this. Soon, everyone had agreed to ce their bets. Lu Yan was about toy his stakes as well. However, Qi Qingyao motioned for him to start jotting down the bets and doing the calctions. ¡°You don¡¯t need to bet.¡± Qi Qingyao said steadily, ¡°I¡¯ll be the dealer, but I have only a hundred thousand taels on hand now. If I lose the money, I¡¯ll mortgage the house to you, and you¡¯ll pay me in cash. The corners of Lu Yan¡¯s mouth twitched. ¡°Why do you think I would be willing to take on this game for you?¡± If he lost the bill would be on him, but if she won she would keep the earnings! This was not fair. Qi Qingyao cast him a sidelong nce and raised her eyebrows. ¡°If you want your disease cured¡­ you will help me.¡± Lu Yan, ¡°¡­¡± The woman was seriously calctive. She did not give him the right to refuse. Chapter 318 - The Fourth Crock of Gold 3

Chapter 318: The Fourth Crock of Gold 3

Soon, the brushes, inkstones, and paper were prepared. Qi Qingyao began thinking about what to draw. Meanwhile, the others were cing their bets excitedly with Lu Yan. Lu Yan naturally would not record these things on his own and assigned them to Dong Jing. After Dong Jing handled all the ounts, he reported back to Lu Yan. Lu Yan turned to Qi Qingyao ¡°The amount betted on Jiang Siliu is more than three million taels while on your side, it¡¯s a hundred and fifty thousand taels. Jiang Siliu¡¯s odds are one to one. Yours is one to three.¡± ¡°Looks like everyone doesn¡¯t think highly of me.¡± Qi Qingyao smiled, already expecting this kind of oue. Lu Yan said, ¡°Let¡¯s say even if you are connected to Master Architect Li Qinglian, say you learned something and know how to design a house. It¡¯s not the same as painting. They are twopletely different things. So, it¡¯s normal that your odds are poor.¡± Qi Qingyao replied in a rxed manner, ¡°As the dealer, if I don¡¯t work hard today, I¡¯m afraid I might have to pay up with my lifeter.¡± Lu Yan, ¡°¡­¡± ¡®So you are aware.¡¯ Si Jin was not the slightest bit worried that sister would lose. In his eyes, she was undefeated and skilled in anything. Si Jin sat beside her while carrying the cat. Quietly, he asked her. ¡°Sister, what do you n to draw?¡± Qi Qingyao was thinking of quite a few of Van Gogh¡¯s paintings in her head as well as some of M¡¯s sunset impressionism. She liked this style a lot, but there were no oil paints here; she would not want to produce some poor eclectic show of her skills. However, she might not be able to beat Jiang Siliu¡­ if it came to painting ssic mountains and riversndscape. This rich youngdy would definitely have cultivated this skill since she was young. No matter how good Qi Qingyao painted¡­ The result might only be a draw. From a strategic point of view, if one wanted to win, one must employ a surprise attack! It had to be something out of the ordinary! Qi Qingyao was in deep thought for a long time before she finally answered. ¡°I¡¯ll just paint the grand view of the hot springs.¡± Si Jin, ¡°??¡± Lu Yan, ¡°¡­¡± Why the grand view of the hot springs? Jiang Yeqian, ¡°¡­¡± She must have lost her mind, to have actually dared to agree to Jiang Siliu¡¯s bet! Jiang Siliu snorted. She cast a sidelong nce at Qi Qingyao who was over there and thought to herself, ¡®Who was she going to fool¡­ with a view of the hot springs?!¡¯ The three little kids had all always been very sensible. They knew that their mother waspeting in something against someone, so they sat obediently beside Lu Yan. Erniu even hugged Lu Yan¡¯s thigh. Lu Yan was stunned for a moment but he did not push the kid away. He looked at the soft, adorable, and fair little child. After thinking for a bit, he stretched out a hand and caressed Erniu¡¯s head. Erniu lifted her head and looked at Uncle Lu curiously. The child was an innocent and naive thing. She immediately climbed onto Lu Yan¡¯s thigh. Although her birthday had yet to arrive, the new Lunar New Year had passed, so she was already a four-year-old child. She was also quite fond of the handsome guy and sat into his embrace right away without hesitation. Lu Yan, ¡°¡­¡± He thought he would abhor the feeling. Unexpectedly¡­ It was likely because she was a child that the corners of Lu Yan¡¯s lips curled into a smile as he caressed the child¡¯s head just like how he usually cradled his white cat. Erniu turned around and gave Lu Yan a rather pure and innocent smile. She even used her little fingers and touched Lu Yan¡¯s face. Lu Yan was faintly surprised. He held the child¡¯s soft but cute and fleshy little hand. In his eyes, the little kid¡¯s hand was just like the paw of a cat, very cute and soft! Dong Jing was absolutely stunned at this scene. Eh. Did the master not usually repel children? Seeing him ying with the little kid¡¯s paws, it was clear that he was treating her like a cat!! ¡­ Qi Qingyao said she would paint the grand view of the hot springs but the others could not quite understand this. Only Jiang Yeqian alone looked deste as he thought, ¡®No¡­ no way it¡¯s going to be what people think it will be. ¡®That woman¡­ had taken a peek at the general appearance of certain thingsst night.¡¯ Now she was saying the words ¡®a grand view of the hot springs¡¯! No, no, no¡­ no normal person would overstep boundaries. She must be fooling around. The hot spring scenery she mentioned must be referring to the beautiful sceneries of this hot spring vi, yes, it must be a beautifulndscape painting! At the side, Jiang Siliu was painting with a brush. Qi Qingyao, however, did not use a brush. She immediately grabbed a charcoal pencil next to her and began to draw on the rice paper spontaneously. She first sketched out the outline with a few strokes. Quickly sketching out the focus point¡­ Everyone had already ced their bets. They naturally gathered around the side and began to watch the battle. Jiang Siliu¡¯s paintings had nothing much to discuss, it was just a normalndscape painting¡­ Qi Qingyao¡¯s paintings, however¡­ Forget about the tool she was using¡­ even her technique as she began to paint was confusing. ¡°Her painting is quite unusual.¡± It had been unusual from the first stroke. Was she drafting? ¡°Why does it look rather realistic?¡± An enclosing wall? Was that an enclosing wall? Then¡­ water, flowing water. Which was quickly followed by¡­ human figures¡­ Was this not andscape painting? ¡°Nonono, it¡¯s not just some simple realistic drawing, it carries a slight vibe of a fairy tale.¡± The lines of floating steam, it looked like a hot spring? ¡°Isn¡¯t this a hot spring!!¡± It was definitely a hot spring, so that thing to the side was definitely an enclosing wall. When Qi Qingyao began sketching figures¡­ Everyone was beginning to anticipate a beautiful and lively drawing. In the end, the characters were gradually emerging, from hairstyles, to their facial expressions, and then more hairstyles¡­ Many of them were shocked. ¡°They¡¯re all¡­ men.¡± The expression on Xiao Wuji and a few others¡¯ faces instantly turned dark. Jiang Yeqian¡¯s expression was as ck as the bottom of a pot! Along with Qi Qingyao¡¯s strokes, the expressions of many others were also¡­ ¡°She, she, she, she¡¯s actually drawing men bathing in hot springs! And they¡¯re all naked.¡± ¡°Thank goodness it¡¯s just the upper half¡­¡± Listening to the discussion next to her, Jiang Siliu could not help but nce over. She was instantly shocked, causing her brush stroke to exceed the borders of the drawing paper. Jiang Siliu let out a growl of anger. She grabbed another piece of paper and started painting again. She could not let herself be distracted by this woman! Despite that, her mind was filled with Qi Qingyao¡¯s¡­ erotic-looking painting! Itpletely disrupted Jiang Siliu¡¯s concentration. For some reason, Gu Cheng was rejoicing! If she were to exaggerate her painting like that¡­ Then it would bepletely unsalvageable¡­ Jiang Yeqian , ¡°¡­¡± He was trying very hard to take deep breaths, holding himself back from rushing forward and ripping that painting into pieces! Who the f*ck would paint something that resembled¡­ an erotic painting during an artpetition! She really was something else! Xiao Wuji was also considered part of the wealthy in the capital of Eastern Ling. He had never seen a woman like Qi Qingyao in his entire life. Even he was dumbfounded by what he saw! He pointed at Qi Qingyao¡¯s nose. ¡°How can you draw such a picture?¡± He asked in a disbelieving tone. Qi Qingyao shrugged. Her expression showing wicked pleasure, she said, ¡°We just said we¡¯d draw, no one said if anything was off the table. Mine is abination of realism and fantasy!¡± When she was done with her painting¡­ Qi Qingyao was really pleased. She even drew on a caption. Then she dered. ¡°The title of this painting is called, ¡°Beauties of the Hot Spring¡±!¡± Everyone, ¡°¡­¡± The clueless people who did not know that Qi Qingyao had gone peeking at others in the hot springsst night were very puzzled as to why some of the figures she drew looked like Xiao Wuji and even Gu Cheng! What was more, one of them also really looked like the Head Grand Secretariat¡­ What was going on? After Qi Qingyao excitedly wrote the title, she looked toward where Jiang Siliu was. ¡°I¡¯m already done but you¡¯re not? No rush, please continue.¡± Jiang Siliu flushed, feeling awkward but also embarrassed. ¡°You can¡¯t win with that.¡± Who would vote for something so vulgar? Si Jin was, however, very satisfied with Qi Qingyao¡¯s art. He pped his hands in apuse. ¡°How can Sister possibly not win when her art is so extraordinary?¡± Lu Yan was too far away and could not see things clearly. So he walked over and stood behind the group. He took a nce at the masterpiece. From just a nce. Lu Yan just knew¡­ This was not a matter of victory or loss. It was¡­ beyond the scope of ordinary people¡¯sprehension. He had already been very worried about the oue, but now he feltpletely hopeless. The kids had initially also wanted to squeeze themselves over to see what their mother had drawn, but they were quickly pulled away by Lu Yan. How could one let children see such a thing? That woman¡­ did she not even consider that her children were still on scene when she was drawing? Qi Qingyao was very proud of her masterpiece! ¡°It¡¯s so realistic!¡± She eximed, feeling satisfied. As she said this, she exined to the spectating crowd at the side. ¡°This painting of mine is not just realistic. Take a look, I even painted the steam. I also carefully painted out the charms of beautiful men.¡± Suddenly, someone asked withplete bewilderment. ¡°How did you make everyone¡¯s expressions so lifelike when you haven¡¯t even seen them before?¡± Qi Qingyaoughed. ¡°How could I have not seen it? I¡¯d personally peeped at these beauties when they were taking a bathst night! So, this is absolutely real!¡± Everyone, =, =||| Jiang Siliu¡¯s hand shook and in a moment of carelessness, a drop of ck ink once again dripped onto the paper¡­ Chapter 319 - The Fourth Crock of Gold 4

Chapter 319: The Fourth Crock of Gold 4

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Jiang Siliu looked at the drop of ink that had dripped onto the paper and thought to herself dully, ¡®It¡¯s over.¡¯ She was so mad she turned her head to face Qi Qingyao. ¡°Peeping at men in the baths, do you even know shame!¡± Qi Qingyao was astounded. ¡°I had three kids out of wedlock, you know? Even now, I don¡¯t know who the children¡¯s father is, and now you¡¯re asking me if I know shame? Isn¡¯t it toote for that, Miss Jiang!¡± ¡°...¡± Jiang Siliu did not expect that she would actually admit it. She had openly confessed that she had no shame!! Jiang Siliu could only work hard to finish this painting of hers and brace herself in letting everyone appraise it. The people at the scene were still surrounding Qi Qingyao¡¯s drawing, pointing and gesticting. After Jiang Siliu was done painting, Jiang Siting took a look at his sister¡¯s work and fell into deep thought. This¡­ she could still win. While the painting was not too perfect, that Qi Qingyao... her drawing was absolutely a joke! No normal person would vote for such a vulgar painting! Unless there was something wrong with their heads. It was time for the assessment. The people present were wealthy and respectable, and have seen many masterpieces over the years. Hence, they could tell that Jiang Siliu¡¯s painting¡­ was wed, and the ink was a little faint. In everyone¡¯s eyes, it was really unrefined. It could be said that this painting was practically a failure¡­ People started discussing. ¡°If we¡¯re talking about thisdy¡¯s painting, it¡¯s interesting and has a lingering charm; as for Miss Jiang¡¯s painting, it¡¯s just a simple copy of andscape painting she had in her mind. Not to mention, it¡¯s not even an excellent copy.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing special.¡± ¡°It¡¯s too boring.¡± ¡°I think I¡¯ll give my vote to myself in the hot spring bath,¡± said someone softly with a sigh. Jiang Siliu, ¡°...¡± Her heart was filled with resentment, but she did not dare voice them. Jiang Yeqian looked at that painting, unable to be angry with it. He knew, however, he could only cast his vote for her when the voting period came. Xiao Wuji, Gu Cheng, and others had also likely cast their votes. Even if they wanted to vote for Jiang Siliu, they could not do it. With that said, they would still vote for the painting of themselves in the hot springs... Although it was rather vulgar, Qi Qingyao¡¯s painting was not bad, it was very ¡®atmospheric¡¯! Seated on one side, Qi Qingyao was smiling, very satisfied as she looked at her drawing before looking at Jiang Siliu¡¯s. In all fairness, she thought Jiang Siliu¡¯s performance would be extraordinary and refined and would put a lot of pressure on her. She did not think that Jiang Siliu¡¯s painting would still be such a failure, even after changing to a new drawing paper! It was hard to me her¡­ for cutting corners to make swifter progress! After everyone had ced their votes, it was up to Dong Jing and a maid to start calling out the names of the votes whilst they counted the strips. Jiang Siliu¡¯s face turned paler and paler even before all the votes were finished being named... By the end of it, there was no more color on Jiang Siliu¡¯s face. Lu Yan announced calmly. ¡°Thirty-eight votes to Qi Qingyao.¡± ¡°Nine votes to Jiang Siliu.¡± ¡­ The atmosphere at the scene was very strange. Even though Jiang Siliu¡¯s painting was a failure, the littledy had also won too easily and crudely. The anonymous voters also did not think that Qi Qingyao would win by such andslide. Lu Yan dered. ¡°Victory goes to Qi Qingyao.¡± Dong Jing quickly started calcting the winner¡¯s money. A few people betted that Qi Qingyao would win and were all beaming with joy. They were considerably surprised. After calcting everyone else¡¯s ounts... Dong Jing gave the remaining to Qi Qingyao who was the dealer. ¡°After removing the winner¡¯s amount, you, the dealer, have received a final amount of two million, five hundred and fifty-five thousand!¡± More than two million! Qi Qingyao herself was stunned. As the dealer, she hadpletely cashed in on Jiang Siliu¡¯s failure. It was unlikely that she would be this lucky again next time. At the end of the day, however. She could soon buy that house of Lu Yan¡¯s with this much money. Qi Qingyao hurriedly asked for Si Jin to store the money properly. Beaming with joy, she said to Jiang Siliu. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect at all that Miss Jiang would be my goddess of wealth.¡± ¡°You, you, you, you cheated,¡± Jiang Siliu said without thinking. ¡°What a sore loser! Is this the Jiang family¡¯s style? I learned something new.¡± Qi Qingyao did not mind the barks of a loser. Not allowing others toin after they lost would be too unreasonable. Jiang Siliu wanted to retort but was grabbed by Jiang Siting. He curtly told her to stop disgracing the Jiang family. Jiang Siliu was so angry the rims of her eyes were red. That gaze seemed to suggest that she would rush up to Qi Qingyao and bite her on the spot if she could. Qi Qingyao looked at the furious woman who looked as if she were about to faint from anger. She said evenly, ¡°If Miss Jiang refuses to adhere to the bet, she is free to remain in Qingzhou City shamelessly.¡± Jiang Siliu¡¯s eyes brightened. Then Qi Qingyao continued, ¡°You just need to kneel and kowtow to me thrice. Then, bark three times and I¡¯ll allow you to remain in Qingzhou City!¡± Her tone of speech was very calm. It was as if she were just discussing the weather. How could Jiang Siliu possibly endure this kind of humiliation? She snorted angrily. ¡°Dream on.¡± ¡°Then, fix a day and leave Qingzhou City, or else¡­¡± The trailing tone left the others something to think about. ¡°What do you intend to do if I don¡¯t leave?¡± Jiang Siliu asked as she cocked her waist. Qi Qingyao did not give a direct answer but said, ¡°All of you here are dignified people. If Miss Jiang doesn¡¯t want to be one, I will help you with that. I¡¯m sure you understand.¡± Jiang Siliu¡¯s expression was resentful. Jiang Siting noticed that everyone present was looking at his sister with contemptuous gazes. Jiang Siting hurriedly said, ¡°Little Liu, the Jiangs have always been people of their word!¡± Jiang Siliu hugged Jiang Siting¡¯s arm and said, ¡°Brother, I don¡¯t want to leave home.¡± ¡°You¡¯re all grown up now. It¡¯s better if you leave Qingzhou City for Capital City; it¡¯s much better than Qingzhou City,¡± Jiang Siting lied. There were so many people watching them today. If his sister did not leave, it was likely that the Jiangs¡¯ prestige would be dragged into mud. Hence, Jiang Siliu would have to bear the dreadful consequences on her own. ¡°...¡± With red-rimmed eyes, Jiang Siliu looked at her brother deeply for a bit and immediately ran away in tears. Jiang Siting apologized to the crowd and said that he would take his leave first and hurriedly went after his sister. Everyone turned their heads to look at Qi Qingyao with curious but also stunned gazes. Qi Qingyao was still there counting the money with Si Jin¡­ Lu Yan asked, ¡°How did youe up with the idea about drawing this?¡± ¡°This is called defeating thy opponent with a surprise attack!¡± ¡°Looks like you¡¯re really good at drawing.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not interested in drawing, but that doesn¡¯t mean I don¡¯t know how to.¡± ¡°What else do you know how to draw?¡± ¡°Your naked body!¡± ¡°...¡± Lu Yan was stunned for a second before immediately flushing red. He lowered his head quickly, concealing his awkwardness. Jiang Yeqian was not far away, watching Qi Qingyao and Lu Yan chat familiarly as if they were old friends. This made him extremely jealous; the sourness was almost overflowing from his chest. The feeling in his chest was unbearable. He watched the scene quietly, then retracted his gaze and immediately took a deep breath forcefully. Silently, he said to himself continuously. ¡®You are the Head Grand Secretariat of Northern Liang, not to mention the head of the Zhaixing Administration. That woman is notpatible with you, notpatible with you¡­ there is no need to watch her so obsessively!¡¯ After he mentally prepared himself. He opened his eyes. Once again, his gaze could not help but swerve toward her. Only to see the woman continue to count money with a smile, as if everything else around her was not important. Jiang Yeqian heaved a sigh of relief in his heart. He had to admit that he was defeated. He had taken a fancy to a woman with children! Also, this woman was extremely weird, without shame, and a miser! Jiang Yeqian cursed himself internally, ¡®Jiang Yeqian, oh Jiang Yeqian, you really¡­ ¡®Have a worrisome taste!¡¯ Chapter 320 - The Fourth Crock of Gold 5

Chapter 320: The Fourth Crock of Gold 5

Qi Qingyao had never thought that she would be able to earn a few million taels just froming to a hot spring. How lucky! Everyone else had stayed back and continued with their meals. Qi Qingyao packed up the money happily before taking the kids¡¯ already full hands and hurriedly leaving Furong Waterside Pavilion. Lu Yan also left together with her. When they returned to their rooms, Lu Yan realized that she was packing up her simple luggage. She looked as if she wanted to hurry back home. ¡°You want to leave already?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve bathed in the hot springs, I¡¯ve also earned some money. This has been a fruitful trip to the mountain hot springs!¡± Qi Qingyao snickered and said, ¡°If we stay, something will probably happen, so it¡¯s best if we leave soon.¡± Lu Yan replied, ¡°Then, I¡¯ll leave together with you.¡± Qi Qingyao asked, ¡°You¡¯re not going to discuss business with the others?¡± ¡°Discussions are done,¡± Lu Yan replied. Qi Qingyao, ¡°???¡± She had no clue when that happened. However, this was not Qi Qingyao¡¯s concern. After she packed up her simple luggage, she had Si Jin lead Dabao and Xiaobao by the hand, while she walked with Erniu. They quickly walked out of the hot mountain springs vi. Lu Yan was following behind them. As the party was briskly walking to the gates, Jiang Yeqian came over. ¡°Qi Qingyao.¡± Qi Qingyao turned around. Realizing who it was, her guard was raised on the spot. This guy¡­ Squinting, she stared at Jiang Yeqian for a beat before saying, ¡°Do you n to extort me because I made money?¡± Jiang Yeqian, ¡°¡­¡± Qi Qingyao did not wait for him to reply before continuing, ¡°While I did fall on you thest time, you already extorted a hundred taels from me. I won¡¯t let you extort me a second time.¡± Jiang Yeqian shot back, ¡°Am I that kind of person?¡± Was he not? If he was not¡­ ¡°Then, why do youe to me?¡± This question rooted Jiang Yeqian to the spot. Why had hee here and stopped her? Looking at that annoying yet adorable face, Jiang Yeqian felt himself filled with both love and loathing. His emotions were extremelyplicated. This rendered him speechless for a moment. After surprising even himself for a bit. He finally spat out. ¡°It¡¯s nothing!¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Qi Qingyao turned around. Without another word, she left the hot mountain springs vi together with Lu Yan and others. She did not even turn back to look. There was not the slightest bit of hesitation. Jiang Yeqian stood at the gate, watching her as she entered the carriage. ¡­ Jin Residence. Qi Boli and Madam Wu had stayed two nights and had not been idle during the day. They went everywhere asking about Qi Qingyao¡¯s whereabouts. They had not wormed out a single clue initially but that did not stop the olddy from running her mouth and letting the Jin family learn of the situation. Anyhow, the Jin family ran a coffin business and had connections in Qingzhou City. After spending a dozen taels of silver, they bought the information from the Yulong Gang. After the Jin family passed the information to the olddy, they urged the olddy to hurry to the Qi Residence. This time, the olddy brought someone from the Jin family, along with Qi Boli and Madam Wu, and went forward with vigor to the gates of the Qi Residence. The Jin family and Qi Qingyao were rtives who were not in any way rted to one another by blood. However¡­ they were still rtives! As long as the third child of the old Qi family had gotten rich, this could also help them set foot into the upper circles of Qingzhou City. What was there to lose in a situation where there was everything to gain? That was why the old master of the Jin family and his wife had set their hearts on this. After they arrived at the gates of the Qi Residence. Old Master Jin then said to the olddy excitedly, ¡°I asked the others and found out that the owner of this house is indeed Qi Qingyao! She even has three children!¡± The olddy, of course, knew of this house. She had been here previously. Qi Boli and Madam Wu looked at the three beast-headed gates and somehow did not dare say anything. The way the gates were mmed shut in their faces thest time was still fresh in their minds. Besides, they came here only to tell Qi Qingyao the truth. The olddy, having gained confidence and gotten some backing, was much firmer this time and immediately knocked for a young male servant. Not long after the young male servant told the guards the purpose of their visit¡­ Steward Zhang came out. The olddy clenched her jaw and walked in front of Steward Zhang, saying delightedly, ¡°Steward, I am her grandmother! Her blood-rted grandmother! If you¡¯re not willing to let me through the door, don¡¯t regret that I¡¯ll have you fired when shees home!¡± This olddy again? Steward Zhang was silent for a moment. The Jin family came forward and began talking at once about the olddy¡¯s identity. They also clearly stated that they had checked things thoroughly and warned him to watch out for himself if he did not allow them to enter. Steward Zhang actually knew about Qi Qingyao¡¯s detailed background. He was just a steward and could not bear the responsibility; considering the olddy was so overbearing, he had no choice but to let the olddy in. After the olddy and the people from the Jin family entered, they were immediately overwhelmed by the new environment. One by one, they craned their necks to observe this beautiful big house curiously. The entire house was spotless and they realized that even the servants were wearing very dignified clothes. This made them all jealous. Qi Boli and Madam Wu¡¯s feelings had be much moreplicated. Their third child¡­ actually had the luxury of living in such a beautiful house. Was she not nervous at all? Did she not find the house too big? They were already almost getting lost just from walking one round around the house. The people from the Jin family could not help muttering to themselves. ¡°This house definitely isn¡¯t bad.¡± ¡°It¡¯s so big.¡± When they got to the courtyard where Qi Qingyao was staying, the olddy looked as though she had just seen some precious treasure and asked agitatedly. ¡°Is this the main courtyard?¡± ¡°Apologies, this is the hostess¡¯s courtyard,¡± Steward Zhang answered expressionlessly. The olddy thought of the little fool Qi Qingyao and suddenly grew furious. How could this little girl deserve to live in such a luxurious courtyard house? ¡°What hostess? I¡¯ll be the hostess of this house in the future!¡± The olddy pointed at the house unreasonably and said to Steward Zhang, ¡°Clean this house up. I¡¯ll be living here in the future and Qi Qingyao can live in anotherpound.¡± Steward Zhang was stunned. ¡°¡­¡± Seeing that Steward Zhang was unresponsive, the olddy became even more furious. She announced loudly, ¡°I¡¯m her grandmother! The grandmother will naturally live in the bestpound. She is younger, so it doesn¡¯t matter where she lives.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Steward Zhang still said nothing. Since the olddy was Qi Qingyao¡¯s actual grandmother, he could not neglect her orders. ording to the master¡¯s intelligence report, there was nothing mentioned about her having a grandmother, but what if the young mistress was actually fond of this grandmother? What would happen if they did not properly serve them? If the young mistress wanted to settle the score with the staff when the time came¡­ He would be the first to bear the brunt of it. The servants looked at the olddy who was tantly seizing another¡¯s home, and each of them felt gloomy. They also saw how the few people from the Jin family also looked like they had just decided to move in. They all questioned Steward Zhang. ¡°Steward Zhang, what should we do?¡± ¡°In the end, she is the mistress¡¯s grandmother. We¡¯ll listen to her first and wait for the young mistress to return and deal with this.¡± ¡°But it was said in the master¡¯s report that the mistress had severed all ties with her family.¡± ¡°The report only states that she severed ties with her birth parents. This grandmother was not part of it. If we do not deal with this properly, I fear that the young mistress might throw a tantrum when she returns.¡± The people from the Jin family walked to one of thepounds and shamelessly said to Steward Zhang in a boastful manner, ¡°We¡¯re rtives of the Madam. We¡¯ll be staying in thispound in the future!¡± ¡°Apologies, thispound belongs to Master Lu, we cannot allow it,¡± Steward Zhang answered, his tone extremely cold. Some guards had already stopped them in front of thatpound, looking as if they would not hesitate to strike them down. ¡°Master Lu? Who is this Master Lu?¡± asked the old master of the Jin family with some uncertainty. ¡°Lu Yan.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Lu Yan. Once this name fell from Steward Zhang¡¯s mouth¡­ The group from the Jin family no longer dared stake a im to thispound, running away immediately. Chapter 321 - Getting Rid of the Old Lady 1

Chapter 321: Getting Rid of the Old Lady 1

¡®That¡¯s Lu Yan. ¡®He is the young owner of the Senluo Chamber of Commerce. ¡®Speaking of which, didn¡¯t he lose this house to Qi Qingyao? ¡®Why is he still staying here?¡¯ The Jin family was suddenly filled with suspicions but they did not dare to ask more. They thought that since Lu Yan was still living here, they would be offending Lu Yan if they were to stay here. After taking a nce at the olddy who was nning to take the ce for herself, the Jin family gulped and pretended to be upied. They told the olddy that they will be leaving first as they have some business to attend to. The olddy did not care about them at all. The Jin family left frantically as if there were wolves chasing them from behind. After they were out of the Qi Residence, the youngest son of the Jin family said with dissatisfaction, ¡°Why are we leaving?¡± ¡°Because Qi Qingyao is not the only person who lives there. Lu Yan lives there as well.¡± The old master of the Jin family spoke in a very serious manner. The youngest son asked again with a puzzled expression, ¡°So what if he is there, isn¡¯t that still Qi Qingyao¡¯s house? We can definitely take advantage of it.¡± ¡°You idiot!¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Lu Yan¡¯s presence indicates that the Lu family is Qi Qingyao¡¯s backer. Lu Yan is a member of the Senluo Chamber of Commerce, and our Jin family cannot afford to offend him.¡± ¡°Lu Yan? Hahaha, recently it has been rumored that he is a eunuch.¡± ¡°Even if he really is a eunuch, if he gets angry, he can make our Jin family disappear from Qingzhou City overnight!¡± ¡°¡­¡± After listening to his grandfather¡¯s words, the Jin family¡¯s youngest son dared not say anything anymore. The carriage drove toward the West side. After thinking for a long time, the youngest son then asked again, ¡°The olddy¡­¡± ¡°The madam belongs to the Qi¡¯s family. She is rted to our own madam, but she has passed away. Now¡­ if she can take down Qi Qingyao, we¡¯ll just go ahead and get close with her again. However, with Lu Yan as Qi Qingyao¡¯s backer, I think the madam would probably not be able to gain the upper hand.¡± Old Master Jin¡¯s face became more and more serious. ¡­ After the Jin family left, Madam Wu felt a little uneasy. ¡®Qi Qingyao is able to quickly gain a foothold in Qingzhou City, and she has so many servants in the house. She must have her ways.¡¯ After thinking for a moment, Madam Wu quickly stepped forward to speak to the olddy. ¡°Madam, I¡¯m afraid this isn¡¯t a very good idea.¡± ¡°What do you mean not a good idea?! I¡¯m her grandmother, she dares have a problem with me?¡± The olddy sat in the huge side hall. Her eyes narrowed as she smiled. She reached out and touched the beautiful agarwood table. She thought lovingly, ¡®These are all riches!¡¯ She could also enjoy these luxuries in the future. ¡°¡­¡± Seeing that the olddy was being stubborn, Madam Wu gave Qi Boli a nce. Looking at the olddy, Qi Boli knew that she was blinded by everything in front of her. It would be useless to say anything now. The olddy was sitting on the soft couch. Looking all high and mighty like a God, she said confidently, ¡°That girl, she¡¯s just a little girl, what does she even know! I¡¯ll make her put this mansion under my name in a while.¡± Hearing this, Madam Wu waspletely stupefied. Steward Zhang who was standing by the side lowered his head out of secondhand embarrassment. He did not say a word. The olddy said again, ¡°I am her grandmother, this is what I deserve.¡± Qi Boli, ¡°¡­¡± The olddy got up and nced at the beautiful courtyard. She could not be more delighted. She said emotionally, ¡°Our Qi family will also be able to be thergest family in Qingzhou City in the future.¡± Madam Wu, ¡°¡­¡± The Qi family could never produce a child of this level. The olddy was indeed¡­ too narcissistic. ¡­ ¡­ Qi Qingyao and her posse rode inside a carriage. They left the hot spring vi, and rushed all the way home. Qi Qingyao was smiling all the way back. Finally, they reached the gate of Qi residence. Qi Qingyao got out of the carriage and happily brought the kids down. Si Jin then picked up Erniu who was a little sleepy. Dabao and Xiaobao, on the other hand, were quite awake. Rubbing their eyes, they followed Qi Qingyao and walked through the gate. As soon as Qi Qingyao stepped through the gate, she noticed that the guards had strange expressions. Lu Yan noticed it as well. He asked, ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± As Steward Zhang heard that the master and the young mistress were back, he rushed to the front door and bowed immediately. He reported, ¡°Young mistress, your family is here.¡± ¡°My family? I have no family,¡± Qi Qingyao said bluntly. Steward Zhang had cold sweat on his head. With a little nervousness in his voice, he said, ¡°There was an olddy who imed to be your grandmother. She entered the mansion forcibly and then upied your courtyard.¡± The olddy had alreadyid down her luggage. ¡°An olddy?¡± Could she be¡­ the grandmother of the original Qi Qingyao who lived in Qingzhou City a few months prior. With a cold smirk on the edges of her mouth, Qi Qingyao stared at Steward Zhang with a calm expression. ¡°Steward Zhang, you are one of us, right?¡± ¡°Yes, young mistress.¡± Steward Zhang thought, ¡®Could it be that letting them in was¡­ a wrong decision?¡¯ Qi Qingyao said nonchntly, ¡°I made you the steward, and you just simply allowed a random olddy to enter, more so upy mypound?¡± Steward Zhang knelt immediately; he hung his head low. ¡°Young mistress, I¡¯m sorry, please punish me.¡± Qi Qingyao said, ¡°I¡¯ll set the punishment aside first. Let¡¯s go. Show me the way. I want to see who¡¯s the blind person who dares to pretend to be my grandmother and seize my property.¡± Qi Qingyao did not n for the kids to get involved in this matter. She immediately instructed the maids to take them into the courtyard to rest. She then told the young male servant to throw the olddy¡¯s luggage out the gate. After that, she brought Si Jin and Steward Zhang along and walked toward the side hall. Lu Yan was not interested in her family matters, so he went back to the courtyard to rest first. Before leaving, he ordered Dong Jing to look after her and listen to her orders. If anything went wrong, he would be killing them right away. Their corpses would be tied to a stone and be thrown into Qingyang Lake at night! Dong Jing epted the order and quickly followed Qi Qingyao. Qi Boli and Madam Wu were sitting in the side hall with the olddy. The two of them were also smitten by the big house, but they dared not think more about it. Facing this mansion, Madam Wu felt extremelyplicated. She grew more and more suspicious. With those two artifacts, it likely meant that she was¡­ no ordinary person. Otherwise, Qi Qingyao, who had be smarter, had no right to get so good overnight. Just as the three of them were drinking tea, the door of the side hall was suddenly kicked open. A youngdy in ck came in. Thedy was grim, and her expression was cold. The shadows reflected in her eyebrows hid a deep and unreadable expression. The olddy was also startled by the people who came in. The bowl of tea in her hand fell directly to the ground and broke into pieces. The tea was flowing all over the floor. She looked at the youngdy who came in with surprise. The youngdy was indeed¡­ very simr to their Qi Qingyao. However, the Qi Qingyao back then was unintelligent. She also had a sillyugh which made her look dumb. However, the youngdy in front of her was different. She had a natural lofty and noble aura. When she was not smiling, her gaze was sharp and her eyes were upassionate! She also had a touch of fierceness. This shocked the olddy a little. This¡­ Was she really the Qi Qingyao from their family? Qi Boli and Madam Wu were also taken aback. They had not seen each other in a while, and Qi Qingyao had changed yet again. Her aura had be stronger and she was more difficult to approach! Qi Qingyao entered the door and scanned around, making sure that there were only three uninvited guests. She did not even look at Qi Boli and Madam Wu. She only fixed her gaze on the olddy who was sitting on the soft couch. Qi Qingyao pursed her lips tightly. In her deep and dark eyes, there was an atrocious look. ¡°Who the hell are you?¡± Although the olddy was shocked, she quickly reacted. She took the initiative to get close, and said with a smile, ¡°Oh Qingyao, I¡¯m your grandma.¡± Qi Qingyao¡¯s eyes were dark. She instructed Steward Zhang, ¡°Come, drag her out, I don¡¯t know who she is.¡± Qi Boli and Wu were surprised. Qi Qingyao was truly no longer her previous self. The olddy did not expect Qi Qingyao to not show her any respect. She got off the soft couch and pointed at Qi Qingyao¡¯s nose, ¡°I¡¯m your grandma! Qi Qingyao, how can you not recognize me?! Open your damn eyes and look clearly. ¡°You don¡¯t acknowledge who your ancestors are when you get rich. You really are an ungrateful b*tch! ¡°Has your conscience been eaten by dogs?¡± Chapter 322 - Getting Rid of the Old Lady 2

Chapter 322: Getting Rid of the Old Lady 2

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Qi Qingyao looked at the olddy raising a stink and recalled how thedy often acted like this in the past as well, regrly cursing the name ¡®Qi Qingyao¡¯ as if the owner of the name was a dog. Sometimes, when she was upset, she would even kick the old Qi Qingyao to vent her frustrations. Unfortunately, this time was different from before. Qi Qingyao opened her eyes, her expression clear and cold. Her eyes were coated with frost and snow. She uttered, with a voice that was soft and slow, ¡°Who are you, to have the nerve toe here and attempt to teach me a lesson?¡± The olddy was stunned for a moment, then said even more angrily, ¡°I¡¯m your grandmother!!¡± The corner of Qi Qingyao¡¯s lips curled up into a very sarcastic smile. The olddy felt she was being mocked. She felt that this new version of Qi Qingyao was very dangerous. This made the olddy say nervously, ¡°If you dare toy a finger on me today, I¡¯ll report you! I¡¯ll tell them that you¡¯ve abandoned your blood rtives.¡± ¡°Anything else?¡± Qi Qingyao asked calmly. The olddy, ¡°...¡± For some reason, she could not help but gulp. She did not dare speak. Under Qi Qingyao¡¯s cool browsid a domineering ruthlessness. ¡°Madam, let me tell you some good news.¡± She walked to the side slowly and sat down. The maid immediately served them all tea. Qi Qingyao took a sip of the warm tea to moisten her throat. ¡°Ever since I started living in this mansion, many people havee one after the other to try to kill me. Some have even tried to im they¡¯re my biological parents. They were prepared to provoke and offend me.¡± The olddy, ¡°???¡± Even Qi Boli and Madam Wu were taken aback. There were people pretending to be Qi Qingyao¡¯s biological parents? What was¡­ going on? Qi Qingyao asked with a faint smile, ¡°Do you know what happened to them in the end?¡± ¡°...¡± The olddy really wanted to speak, but her throat seemed to be blocked by something. She was so anxious she could not say a word. Qi Qingyao asked again in aid-back and leisurely tone, ¡°The Jin family is in the coffin business, right?¡± The olddy frowned and looked at the girl sitting across from her. She might have looked all smiles, but she was actually more akin to a lone wolf momentarily lying dormant¡­ The olddy gulped once more. Qi Qingyao continued, with a dark and gloomy gaze, ¡°I think I¡¯ve probably been securing a lot of good business for them recently.¡± The olddy, ¡°...¡± What did that mean? Securing a lot of good business for a coffin shop? Would that not mean¡­ Qi Boli and Madam Wu felt a chill run down their spines. They had not seen her for just a few days, but the girl had grown so much since then. They felt very strange. Qi Qingyao took another sip of tea. Then, she said with a soft smile, ¡°Steward Zhang, if you let these kinds of strange people into my house again, I¡¯m afraid you won¡¯t be able to see tomorrow¡¯s sun either.¡± Steward Zhang¡¯s back was draped in cold sweat, and he immediately knelt onto the ground. His head was hung low, just above the ground. ¡°Young mistress, this old ve will never make the same mistake again. Please forgive me.¡± Qi Qingyao looked at Steward Zhang, who was kneeling on the ground, her gaze void of any warmth. She knew what they thought. Although she had won this mansion, Steward Zhang, as well as many other servants in the mansion, did not take her seriously. They thought she was just lucky. When Lu Yan still lived here, they were even more¡­ Perhaps in these people¡¯s eyes, Lu Yan was still their true master. She was just a passerby. She really wanted to whip Steward Zhang now. However, he was very old. Qi Qingyao thought deeply for a moment before she spoke. ¡°Since you¡¯re old, I¡¯ll let you go this time.¡± Steward Zhang¡¯s back waspletely drenched. He kowtowed his head to the ground three times before daring to get up. Qi Qingyao was in a good mood, but that did not mean that Si Jin was in a good mood too. Si Jin did not like disobedient people. He asked with an extremely innocent smile, ¡°Sister, are we really not going to kill him?¡± Steward Zhang knew this boy¡¯s methods well, and he was shaking all over from shock. Qi Qingyao noticed that Steward Zhang¡¯s legs had begun to tremble, so she said, ¡°This is Steward Zhang¡¯s first offense, after all. I¡¯ll give him a chance to turn over a new leaf.¡± Si Jin let out an ¡®oh¡¯. Steward Zhang felt like he had barely escaped the jaws of death. Si Jin then pointed at the olddy who had been causing trouble. ¡°What about this olddy in front of us? I can kill her, cut her into eight pieces, and throw her into the Jiuli River to feed the fishes.¡± The olddy¡¯s face suddenly turned green. She pointed at Qi Qingyao¡¯s nose and said, ¡°You¡ªYou¡ªYou, Qi Qingyao, are you really going to kill me?¡± Qi Qingyao looked at the frightened olddy with a smile and asked, ¡°Madam, you¡¯ve lived in Qingzhou City for so long. Don¡¯t you know the rules that govern this city?¡± The olddy, ¡°...¡± Of course. She knew. Qingzhou City was¡­ very messy. Here, all the city¡¯s powerful forces had their oveps. Whoever was stronger was the boss. Even if one reported a murder or arson to an official, as long as the other party was a big shot, the government office would not entertain it. It could be said that the government office only existed to regte small conflicts between the forces and that it was just a middleman. The olddy¡¯s face was as gray as a cracked concrete wall. Meanwhile, Qi Qingyao¡¯s eyes were as sharp as a hidden knife lit by a dim fire. ¡°Since you¡¯re aware of the rules here, if you insist on wanting to die, I can do the honors.¡± ¡°You¡ªYou¡¯re crazy.¡± The olddy did not know whether it was because she was incredibly angry or incredibly frightened, but her lips could not help but tremble. Qi Qingyao smiled slightly. ¡°Hearing such words in Qingzhou City, I have to suppose that was apliment! I¡¯ll ept thispliment.¡± Just a few days after arriving here, Qi Qingyao knew that if your ideal was just to survive as a rat would survive in the sewers, you would have to blend in somehow. If one wanted to gain a foothold in Qingzhou City, one could not live without any means. Thus, a term such as ¡®crazy¡¯ should be the highestpliment one could bestow upon another. Qi Boli looked at Qi Qingyao and the olddy, who were at each other¡¯s throats, and could not help but say, ¡°Qi Qingyao, don¡¯t talk about fighting and killing anymore.¡± With half-lidded eyes, Qi Qingyao faintly asked, ¡°Are the two of you looking to die too?¡± Qi Boli held his forehead and murmured, ¡°You¡¯re not our biological daughter.¡± ¡°??¡± Qi Qingyao suddenly froze in ce. Madam Wu continued hurriedly, ¡°We came here this time, not to freeload for food and drinks, nor to think about taking advantage of you.¡± The olddy would have never thought that Qi Boli would actually say that in this situation. She said hastily, ¡°You¡ªYou two¡ª¡± Qi Boli and Madam Wu exchanged nces. No one paid any attention to the twittering olddy. Madam Wu was calm. ¡°Qi Qingyao, ask your servants to stand down.¡± Qi Qingyao stood still, in silence. Her eyebrows sank. Her eyes were covered in mist, and they were cold and gloomy. She ordered, ¡°Si Jin, stay behind. The rest of you, leave.¡± The olddy straightened her neck with an expression that seemed to say she would rather die than leave. Qi Qingyao had no choice but to say, ¡°Take this annoying olddy away.¡± Steward Zhang did not dare to disobey Qi Qingyao¡¯s orders right now. He immediately called the servants to drag the olddy out. Before Dong Jing left, he took another nce at the side hall. After everyone left, Qi Qingyao asked Si Jin to guard the door. She told him to make sure no one could listen in to the conversation in the side hall. Si Jin nodded slightly and stood quietly at the door like a statue, preventing anyone from approaching. Chapter 323 - Getting Rid of the Old Lady 3

Chapter 323: Getting Rid of the Old Lady 3

There were only three people left in the side hall. Under the warm overhead lights, the silhouette of the girl under the light carried a touch of ethereal beauty within its shadow. Qi Qingyao lifted her eyes. Her voice was calm as she said, ¡°It¡¯s better to not beat around the bush. Otherwise, with my current temper, the two of you will have less time left than a burning stick of incense.¡± Qi Boli and Madam Wu exchanged nces, and Qi Boli took the initiative to speak. ¡°You¡¯re indeed not our biological daughter.¡± Qi Qingyao, ¡°¡­¡± She lifted her brows slightly, looking impassively at the two of them. Qi Boli said slowly, ¡°It all started neen years ago.¡± He passed the rest of the story retelling to Madam Wu as he was clumsy with his words, and the story was a bit long¡­ Madam Wu began with the scene of a snowy night on the twelfth lunar month. She told the story of that year in a long-winded yet simple way until she finished speaking. ¡°It was something like that.¡± ¡°Where are the keepsakes?¡± Qi Qingyao asked. Madam Wu looked at the girl with forbidding eyes and a poker face, and she quickly said, ¡°It was stolen by Qingzhu, we came to Qingzhou City to tell you that. I¡¯ve told her before that you¡¯re not our biological daughter. That kid probably wanted to steal it and give it to you, so she deliberately went back home a few days ago, after which the jade tablet and white jade ring disappeared. ¡°Qingzhu is currently serving Jiang Siliu in the Jiang mansion. We have no right to go look for him there, so only you can handle this matter now. ¡°Aren¡¯t you very close to Master Lu? You can ask him to go to Jiang¡¯s mansion and summon Qingzhu, then you¡¯ll know.¡± ¡­ ¡°Why were you two willing to tell me this story?¡± Qi Qingyao¡¯s dark eyes were serene. ¡°I was initially reluctant to talk about it.¡± Madam Wu stammered, her head hung low. Qi Boli cast a nce at his wife and said helplessly, ¡°A few days ago, someone took the initiative toe to the vige and tell the news to Madam Li next door. We just thought it was odd at that time. I think there are people in Qingzhou City who might want us toe here to vex you.¡± Madam Wu continued in honesty. ¡°If you were to ask us if we ever thought about squatting, of course we did. But¡­ when we thought back to those things, that jade tablet and the white jade ring, I thought again. You should be able to find your biological parents with those two keepsakes. ¡°We did feel angry and hated you, hated that you got rich but didn¡¯t provide for us. But now, you¡¯ve been able to achieve such a great thing in Qingzhou City and win such a big mansion. Then. I thought, perhaps it really is as they say. ¡®If one has great ambitions, one will seed at the right time and ce!¡¯ ¡°Those who are close are jealous of them, while those who are not will admire them. ¡°Since you¡¯ve been able to start to sink your roots in Qingzhou City, you¡¯re no longer someone we can match up to. ¡°We used to be mother and daughter, after all. No matter how rowdy our family is, we cannot let ourselves be the pawns of children from noble families or be a knife in the hands of others, which they can then brandish at you. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t that make us aplete joke?¡± She finished her words, rapid-fire. Madam Wu concluded seriously, ¡°Even if you¡¯re not our biological daughter, as long as you grow into someone better in Qingzhou City, we will take pride in it. We¡¯ll never be other people¡¯s knives!¡± After hearing her words, Qi Qingyao actuallyughed. Because those words were indeed Madam Wu speaking the truth. She thought for a while, then said. ¡°How much?¡± ¡°What?¡± Madan Wu was stunned. Qi Qingyao raised her eyebrows, ¡°How much do you two want for telling me this news?¡± Madam Wu quickly shook her head, ¡°We¡¯re not here for the money.¡± Although they had said they were not here for the money, this news was still valuable. Qi Qingyao took a wad of paper money from her sleeves, drew one piece out, and put it in Qi Boli¡¯s hand. ¡°This is a hundred taels.¡± Qi Boli and Madam Wu were stunned looking at the wad of paper money in their hands now. They both stood up and quickly backed away. They said resolutely, ¡°We¡¯re really not here for the money.¡± Qi Qingyao watched them insist on not taking the money, so she did not force them to take it. She said rather seriously, ¡°Since you two are willing to tell me this news, but for the sake of the lives of your entire family, I hope you¡¯ll keep this a secret to everyone.¡± Qi Boli and Madam Wu gulped at the same time, then hurried to sit down. Qi Qingyao thought for a while, then said seriously, ¡°I have gained a lot of enemies recently.¡± Qi Boli and Madam Wu were silent for a moment, listening to her with eyes wide open, looking a bit like children. Qi Qingyao said, ¡°If you go out and talk nonsense, I¡¯m afraid your entire family will meet a tragic end overnight.¡± ¡°Understood,¡± Qi Boli answered. Qi Qingyao continued with a calm expression, ¡°If those two keepsakes have really been taken by Qingzhu, I¡¯ll just go back and ask her for them. You two go back with the olddyter. Please continue pretending as if you have nothing to do with me. When you¡¯re outside, continue cursing me as you wish, just like before. Please don¡¯t show me any mercy.¡± ¡°?¡± They did not want to pretend not to know her anymore if they did not have to. Even though they were not her biological parents, as long as they had set aside their conflicts¡­ they could have a normal rtionship. Madam Wu was about to speak. Qi Qingyao rubbed her eyebrows and exined in a leisurely manner, ¡°Firstly, ording to what you¡¯ve said about that year, there are two very valuable keepsakes which indicate that my biological parents sent me away. There¡¯s only one possibility why, and it was to avoid a crisis. Since it was to avoid a crisis, once the keepsakes are seen by the eyes of people who recognize them, it will definitely cause a stir. Your whole family might be killed.¡± Qi Boli and Madam Wu froze at the same time, listening very carefully. ¡°Secondly, I¡¯ve made quite a lot of enemiestely. I¡¯ve also just offended thedy of the Jiang Family, and she has to leave Qingzhou City forever! It wouldn¡¯t be surprising for this other party to send someone to assassinate me at any time. I can protect myself, but I can¡¯t protect your family. Therefore, from a strategic point of view, you guys better continue to pretend to have nothing to do with me, just like before. This way, no one willy a finger on you guys because there would be no point.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± The two of them grew more serious. As country people, they had not thought so thoroughly at all. When they heard her analysis, they realized the seriousness of this matter. If they made it visibly clear that they had reconciled with Qi Qingyao, it was equivalent to transforming themselves into her weakness. It was equivalent to giving others ammunition. If someone wanted to assassinate her, even if they could noty a finger on her, they could still use the family as leverage¡­ Both of them thought at the same time that, if they really were murdered, Qi Qingyao would only be a little sad and mourn a little. Thus, for the sake of their own lives, they would have to keep up the same attitude as before. As long as they kept a suitable distance, they could do as she said. There would be no use for anyone toy a finger on them. Qi Qingyao pushed the paper money over again, ¡°Take the one hundred taels.¡± ¡°We won¡¯t be taking the money.¡± Qi Boli persisted. Madam Wu also exined, ¡°We¡¯ve raised you for so many years, after all. Although we did a terrible job as adoptive parents, you now have a future in Qingzhou City waiting for you. As parents, we¡¯re very proud!¡± ¡°Besides, based on your analysis just now, supposing we ept the money, then this money¡­ surely cannot be kept. It must be spent somehow. Once the money is spent, if someone is watching us, they will find out where the money came from. Once they learn it was you who gave it to us, that¡¯ll get us killed as well.¡± Qi Qingyao stopped insisting. After Madam Wu was done speaking, she asked rather tentatively, ¡°Can I call you ¡®daughter¡¯?¡± Qi Qingyao did not speak, only looking at her quietly. ¡°¡­¡± Madam Wu looked at the girl¡¯s expression, which had be more striking and cold. The person in front of her was no longer a country bumpkin. She reached out cautiously and held Qi Qingyao¡¯s hand. Qi Qingyao did not pull away. Madam Wu looked at her fingers, which used to be so rough. After just a short time, her skin had be extremely delicate. Madam Wu touched Qi Qingyao¡¯s hand and suddenly felt a lump in her throat. ¡°Daughter, Qingzhou City is huge and chaotic. You and the children must stay safe.¡± From today onwards, after they went back, they would probably never see her again. Even if there had been several shes and displeasure in the past, at this moment, Madam Wu felt like Qi Qingyao was still her daughter! She hoped Qi Qingyao would be able to stand tall and survive in this cannibalistic city. Even though their paths were different, she still wished for her to be safe and for everything to go well. Chapter 324 - Getting Rid of the Old Lady 4

Chapter 324: Getting Rid of the Old Lady 4

Since Si Jin was standing by the door, it was impossible for Dong Jing and the others to get close. The others could only look at the door to the side hall from afar, making guesses about what wicked ideas the couple had. Dong Jing, on the other hand, was frowning and thinking silently. Just now, they had said she was not their biological daughter. Was there another meaning to that, or had it been literal? Maybe it was neither, and they had only said it to offend Qi Qingyao! Dong Jing nced at the olddy subconsciously. The olddy was standing by the garden, looking furious. She was clearly gnashing her teeth with hatred, but she did not say a word as she sulked by herself. Everyone waited for a long while before they saw the door to the side hall open. Qi Qingyao pushed the two of them out with a gloomy expression, yelling at them as she walked. ¡°Why say that nonsense? Don¡¯t you just want the money?!¡± Madam Wu gathered all the strength in her throat and hollered, ¡°Since you already know, give us something! If you don¡¯t, we won¡¯t leave!¡± Qi Boli was simrly cooperative. He promptly sat himself down on the ground and said in a scoundrel¡¯s tone, ¡°That¡¯s right, we¡¯ll stay in your house and won¡¯t leave, no matter what! We¡¯ll never go, not unless you beat us to death first!¡± Qi Qingyao raised her eyebrows. A stream of dark mist appeared within her pure ck orbs. She said casually, ¡°Don¡¯t mess with me, or I¡¯ll kill you both.¡± Qi Boli and Madam Wu red at her but stayed silent. They were like dead mice who felt no cold. Qi Qingyao immediately flung a banknote at them, dropping it on the both of them. She cursed loudly. ¡°You want money, right? Then take the money and get the hell out of here! If you evere bother me again, I¡¯ll drown you both!!¡± It seemed that upon hearing the word ¡®drown¡¯, Qi Boli and Madam Wu quickly got up. Madam Wu picked up the paper note, looking like a vile woman intoxicated by sess, and went over to drag the olddy out. The olddy was a bit reluctant, but Qi Boli and Madam Wu propped the olddy up and hurriedly left the Qi Residence without another pause. Steward Zhang watched the few uninvited guests leave, heaving a sigh of relief. Having been made to leave by force, the olddy was very angry. However, she still held back her temper, only swearing and questioning Madam Wu after leaving the Qi Residence. ¡°Did the two of you really tell her her true background?¡± ¡°What background?¡± Madam Wu yed dumb. ¡°No¡­¡± Then what did the two of you just say? The olddy wondered that as she looked at the both of them. Qi Boli chuckled and said, ¡°We went in just now to try to trick her and get her money.¡± The olddy was a lot more relieved when she looked at the paper money in Madam Wu¡¯s hand. ¡°This is a hundred taels, hurry up and pocket it. Don¡¯t let the others see it.¡± The olddy had never had a huge sum of money like a hundred taels before in her life, so she was being very careful. She even asked Madam Wu, ¡°Do you want to go to the bank and exchange the banknote for silver when we head back?¡± Madam Wu thought for a while, then said, ¡°Mom, let¡¯s just keep it as paper money. We¡¯ll save it up when we go home, and keep it for when your great-grandson gets married.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, keep it. We can¡¯t let the greedy pups at home know!¡± the olddy said. The few of them, who were now in tacit understanding, no longer spoke about whether Qi Qingyao was their biological daughter or not. As for the olddy, she did not think Madam Wu would have told Qi Qingyao about that. In her eyes, Madam Wu was a vitriolic master who despised the poor and liked to curry favor with the rich. If her son said he had not told her anything, then he surely had not. She did not know what tricks these two had yed, but they had actually managed to swindle a hundred taels out of Qi Qingyao! That was a good thing. The three of them were thinking very different things on the way back. Qi Boli looked at the sky, which had a trace of sunshine, and thought to himself that revealing the truth to Qi Qingyao had made him feel much more rxed. The past version of her might not have been able to face the truth, but now¡­ she should be able to handle it very well. He just did not know when she would be able to find her biological parents. Wait, based on the keepsakes and her guess that her biological parents had been trying to avoid a crisis, he feared her biological parents had already passed away¡­ Madam Wu lowered her eyes and looked at the ground, trudging forward slowly. The one-hundred-tael note in her palm was crushed into a ball at some point. Before pushing the door open, Qi Qingyao had given her a look. She then knew that they were all about to start acting. The scene was acted out for the stewards and servants in the house, for the olddy, and even more so for Master Lu. Her daughter said that since they had to pretend not to know each other, they would have to y their roles well. The paper note had not been part of the n, but she had given it to them anyway¡­ They had to pick up the paper money if they wanted to continue the scene. The old man picked up the paper money. Their story seemed to havee to an end and they should head home¡­ Madam Wu thought about the future, and she was afraid it would be really hard to see Qi Qingyao again. When she thought about this, a lump formed in her throat and something welled up in her eyes. It was a little painful. Madam Wu breathed in through her nose with all her might, swallowing down her rising emotions. ¡­ After Qi Boli and the others had been sent off, Dong Jing quickly went back to the courtyard. He knocked on the door and waited for Lu Yan to answer before entering the house. He bowed slightly and said, ¡°Master¡­ ¡°The few uninvited guests have left.¡± Lu Yan nodded, motioning him to continue. Dong Jing said, ¡°But there¡¯s something I have to tell you.¡± Then, Dong Jing recounted the words Qi Boli had said. ¡®You¡¯re not our biological daughter.¡¯ He also briefly described the scene of the three of them talking privately in the side hall before the guests were cursed away and chased off the premises. Lu Yan¡¯s eyes dimmed. ¡°In the end, she cursed the both of them out?¡± Dong Jing nodded and said, ¡°So, I think the couple maybe wanted to pull out some dirty tricks to coax money out of her.¡± Their words had seemed very shocking at the time, but now that he thought about it more, it was probably fake. Lu Yan lowered his eyes and said nothing. ¡°¡­¡± Not their biological daughter. Was that possible? It seemed impossible, but nothing was impossible. Qi Qingyao looked¡­ rather delicate and noble. Her way of doing things was also different from the rest of the Qi Family. Perhaps it was really possible? If those words were true, however, there was no reason for them to part ways unhappily. Qi Qingyao would have had no reason to curse the two of them out. The actual events that had transpired proved that Qi Boli¡¯s words had just been to coax money out of her. ¡­ Qi Qingyao could not sit still because Qi Boli and Madam Wu had told her that the keepsakes were with Qingzhu. She immediately said to the children, ¡°I¡¯m heading out now. The three of you better stay at home obediently.¡± The children were a little confused. Why did their mother want to head out again when she had juste back? However, they did not ask her that. Xiaobao only asked her when she would be back. Qi Qingyao answered that she would be back before noon. Xiaobao then told their mother toe back quickly. Qi Qingyao caressed the little child¡¯s head and let the three of them y in the room on their own. If they felt bored, they could find a maid to y hide and seek with! After the children had settled down, Qi Qingyao ordered Si Jin, ¡°Si Jin, follow me out.¡± Dong Jing found out that Qi Qingyao was heading out and quickly told Lu Yan. Before Qi Qingyao left, Dong Jing came forward. ¡°Young mistress, the master asked me to ask you if you need me to follow you.¡± Qi Qingyao¡¯s eyes were clear. ¡°I¡¯m just going to the Jiang Residence. Why do you want to tag along?¡± Dong Jing, ¡°¡­¡± Ah! To the Jiang Residence? Why was she going to the Jiang Residence at this time? She had already thrashed Jiang Siliu and made her leave Qingzhou City with her tail between her legs. Could it be that she wanted to head over now and kick her while she was down? Dong Jing quickly reported the matter to Lu Yan. ¡°Master, she¡ªShe said she¡¯s going to the Jiang Residence.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Lu Yan was also stunned for a moment. ¡°Master, aren¡¯t you going to tag along and have a look?¡± Dong Jing asked anxiously. ¡°What is there to see if I tag along?¡± Lu Yan asked. ¡°Just¡­¡± What was there to see? Dong Jing was also stumped. Strictly speaking, Lady Qi was just his master¡¯s private physician. Master could not always follow her all the time; they did not have a special rtionship. They could not control everything Lady Qi wanted to do. ¡°But what if¡ªWhat if Lady Qi goes to the Jiang Residence on her own and gets bullied?¡± Dong Jing still could not help but ask. Lu Yan pondered for a moment in silence. Would that woman get bullied? Maybe¡­ She had already driven Jiang Siliu out of Qingzhou City. If she went to kick Jiang Suliu more while she was already down, she might not even¡­ walk out of the Jiang Residence¡¯s main door. What would he do¡­ if she happened to get caught? His illness still required her treatment! No, he should go with her! Lu Yan instructed, ¡°Dong Jing, prepare the carriage.¡± ¡°Yes, master!¡± Dong Jing held back his smile. He thought to himself, the master has definitely taken a fancy to Lady Qi! This was great! His matchmaking efforts had not been in vain! Chapter 325 - Getting Rid of the Old Lady 5

Chapter 325: Getting Rid of the Old Lady 5

Qi Qingzhu was still in charge of washing thedy¡¯s clothes. She was thinking about where to find Qingyao as she was washing the clothes when she saw that Jiang Siliu had returned. She had entered the house angrily and after a while, a maid hade out saying that thedy was packing up her clothes, the kind of luggage that made it seem like she would be traveling far. The maids in the courtyard suddenly exploded and went into a flurry. They did not dare to ask Jiang Siliu about what had happened, so they could only run to ask the steward about what had happened. The steward of the Jiang residence was also bewildered, and she hurriedly went to ask the second young master who had returned with thedy. Half an hourter, the steward returned and told all the maids in thepound, ¡°Thedy got into a bet with someone and lost. She needs to leave Qingzhou City immediately!¡± ¡°What?¡± The maids were absolutely dumbfounded. How did she end up having to leave Qingzhou City just from losing a bet? Was that not a bit¡­ too far? The steward hurriedly said to them, ¡°You lot, the youngdy¡¯s people! If you wish to remain here, you will be transferred to otherpounds to serve¡­ If you wish to follow her, you can also leave for Capital City.¡± ¡°Thedy is headed to Capital City?¡± Qingzhu rubbed her chilled hands. The steward replied, ¡°That¡¯s right. I¡¯ll give you all half a day to think about it. Thedy will depart roughly around tomorrow morning.¡± In the blink of an eye, the news of Jiang Siliu¡¯s departure had practically spread throughout the entire Jiang mansion. Big Sister Zhuang was very close with Qingzhu. After she got to know all of this, she hurriedly ran to thepound and asked her, ¡°Oh Qingzhu, yourdy is leaving. What do you intend to do?¡± ¡°My home is in Qingzhou City, Baishui Town. I can¡¯t leave Qingzhou City,¡± Qingzhu answered without thinking. If she left, what would happen to her husband and children? What about her parents? That was why she could not leave. Big Sister Zhuang was also instantly rxed. ¡°If that is the case, then you can only be transferred to anotherpound and serve as a maid there.¡± Qi Qingzhu made a sound of agreement and thus decided to discuss this with the steward. In the end, when she finally located the steward, there were already plenty of the maids around her who were engaged in rapid discussion. ¡°Do you know who is the one forcing thedy away?¡± Qi Qingzhu shook her head. How would she know? She was just a cleaning maid, not even a second-ss maid. One of the maids jabbered, ¡°It was someone named Qi Qingyao!¡± ¡°??¡± Qi Qingzhu¡¯s expression froze at once. Who? The maid deliberately repeated herself. ¡°Qi Qingyao! Come to think of it, her name sounds quite a lot like yours!¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Thedy has been going around the house cursing that Qi Qingyao and her ancestors!¡± ¡°¡­!!!¡± Qi Qingzhuo¡¯s eyes widened asrge as eggs. After looking at the maid with astonishment for a bit, she anxiously nned to ask for leave! Thinking about it more, she already knew her sister was in Qingzhou City, but where on earth was she living? ¡­ Qi Qingyao and Si Jin rode the carriage and rushed to the gates of the Jiang mansion. Si Jin looked at therge gates of the Jiang mansion. ¡°So this is the Jiang mansion.¡± ¡°How big,¡± Qi Qingyao said. Si Jin nodded and said, ¡°It¡¯s quiteparable to our mansion. Even their gates are not to be outdone by us.¡± The guards at the gates of the Jiang mansion noticed the young man and young woman as they were walking over. The young man was beautiful, elegant, and pure-looking. He looked affectionate and also a little sweet as he smiled and obediently tagged alongside the little woman. When the little woman reached the gate, the guards stopped the two of them and asked routinely, ¡°Who are you? Whom are you looking for?¡± While they asked as much, they instinctively felt like she looked familiar, as if they had met before but could not recall¡­ Qi Qingyao gave a slight nod calmly andposedly, then very politely said, ¡°I¡¯m Qi Qingyao! I¡¯m here to look for thedy of the house, Jiang Siliu.¡± ¡°Qi Qingyao?¡± The guards were so shocked they took a step back. They had of course heard Qi Qingyao¡¯s name before. She was thedy in the Jiang family¡¯s limelight a few days ago. She was also the person thedy had been cursing out nonstop when she walked through the door yesterday afternoon! The guards immediately went in and reported this. ¡°Q-quickly inform the second young master, just tell him that Qi Qingyao hase.¡± Soon, Qi Qingyao and Si Jin were ¡®invited¡¯ into the Jiang mansion. Qi Qingyao swept a nce across the people walking behind her, the steward and also the guards¡­ they were all following her from behind as she was some kind of demon with fiendish abilities. When she got to the side hall of the Jiang mansion, the steward knew thedy could not afford to offend this master and thus did not dare neglect her. He immediately sent someone to serve tea. The old master of the Jiang family was not home. Jiang Siting walked out from the study and with one nce, immediately noticed the little woman who was seated easily and had already begun drinking tea without consulting anyone in the house beforehand. He could not lose his temper back at the Hualian Hot Mountain Springs Vi since there had been strangers there and he had to take care of the Jiang family¡¯s image. The other party had chased him down and into his home this time, however, so Jiang Siting of course immediately pointed at Qi Qingyao¡¯s nose and cursed. ¡°You¡¯ve already forced my sister out of Qingzhou City, what else do you want?¡± She even dared toe running to the Jiang mansion! She was really looking for trouble! Qi Qingyao drank her tea with a smile. She said with a faint smile, ¡°How can you say I forced her to leave when it was obvious she was the one who lost to me? She was also the one who requested to make the deal with me in the first ce.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Jiang Siting was rather pissed but could not say anything. After a moment of pause, he said, ¡°My sister already lost. Have youe here tough at her now?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve alreadyughed my share. I¡¯m here to look for someone.¡± Qi Qingyao said evenly. Jiang Siting, ¡°?¡± Qi Qingyao looked at Jiang Siting, who looked shocked, and said with a radiant smile, ¡°I¡¯m looking for someone in thepound, a maid named Qingzhu.¡± She deliberately failed to mention her family name. Jiang Siting did not understand. ¡°What does the maid have to do with you?¡± Qi Qingyao¡¯s eyes were dark and enshrouding. ¡°I¡¯m here to settle the score between us. Am I not allowed to do so?¡± Jiang Siting, ¡°??¡± Settle the score. What score was there to be settled? Could this maid have also offended this woman before? All Jiang Siting could do was send some people to call Qingzhu from thepound. ¡­ Jiang Siliu was still leaning over the bed in her room, crying as she packed up her luggage, when a little maid walked to the door. She leaned over the edge of the door frame and said carefully, ¡°Mydy, Qi Qingyao hase again and requested to see Qingzhu from yourpound.¡± ¡°Qingzhu?¡± Jiang Siliu rubbed her tears. Pausing for a bit, she tilted her head and repeated the name. ¡°Why is she calling for Qingzhu?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± the little maid replied pitifully. Jiang Siliu was quite angry. She had already decided to leave Qingzhou City. She did not think this demon woulde again, even plotting to do something! After Jiang Siliu located Qingzhu, she fiercely asked, ¡°Qingzhu,e with me for a walk.¡± ¡°Mydy?¡± Not understanding the situation, Qi Qingzhu put down the clothes in her hands, got up, and wiped her hands on her apron. She then followed Jiang Siliu, faltering. Jiang Siliu did not think Qi Qingyao would still dare toe to the Jiang mansion. She immediately gathered up her people in thepound to bring along with her. Qingzhu followed behind thedy. Seeing how Jiang Siliu was furious, how could she dare to ask for what reason thedy was looking for her, or who was looking for her? Why was she bringing her to the frontpound? She could only follow silently. She tried to ask one servant beside her, but the group, however, were all looking prideful and wanted to follow thedy to root for her. Qingzhu was not given the chance to speak at all. Chapter 326 - Got The Keepsakes 1

Chapter 326: Got The Keepsakes 1

After rushing to the front hall. Jiang Siliu saw Qi Qingyao sitting there, smiling as she drank tea. Her lungs almost exploded from how angry she was. ¡°Qi Qingyao, don¡¯t cross the line! I¡¯m already packing my things! I¡¯ll be leaving Qingzhou City tomorrow morning! Why have you stille to my house?¡± Qingzhu walked in behind Jiang Siliu and saw the bright-looking young woman at a nce. The young woman was wearing a luxurious cotton robe. She was sitting there with anguid expression while drinking tea leisurely, radiant as a camellia in the afternoon! There was also a graceful-looking youth standing behind her. The youth¡¯s aura was like that of lotuses in water, peaceful and cold. Qi Qingyao did not even spare the effort to look at Jiang Siliu. She got up and nced at the space behind her, instantly recognizing her sister in the crowd from the original Qi Qingyao¡¯s memories. Her sister grew up looking somewhat mature and steady. Her appearance was average but she looked honest. Qi Qingyao offered a greeting. ¡°Qingzhu.¡± ¡°Sister.¡± Qi Qingzhu looked back at her quietly. The exchange between the two rendered Jiang Siliu utterly flummoxed. She realized that Qi Qingyao waspletely ignoring her. Then she voiced out, unable to hold herself back. ¡°What do you mean by ¡®sister¡¯?¡± Qi Qingyao looked at the clueless Jiang Siliu with a superficial smile. Amused, she said, ¡°I¡¯m her elder sister. I heard she was working for the Jiang family so I¡¯vee to buy her back.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Ah! Jiang Siliu stood there in a daze. She felt as if she were a clown. What the f*ck. This Qi Qingyao, whom she had recently had some enmity with, was actually the elder sister of her maid! This¡­ how was this possible? Jiang Sili¡¯s mind went nk. However, she managed to respond rather quickly and firmly. ¡°You can forget about buying her freedom. The contract she signed states that she has to work for the Jiang family for three years.¡± Qi Qingyao did not make a fuss out of it, she just asked, ¡°How much do you want to be willing to let her go?¡± Jiang Siliu deliberately faced Qi Qingyao and stuck out her tongue. ¡°I will not let her go, ever! What are you going to do about it?¡± Qi Qingyao ignored Jiang Siliu¡¯s shamelessness. She instead addressed the steward. ¡°How much is the penalty for breaking the contract?¡± ¡°Based on the contract, it is at least fifty taels of silver,¡± the steward answered carefully. Qi Qingyao made a gesture at Si Jin. Si Jin hurriedly fished out a pile of silver from his bosom and extracted fifty taels, which he handed over to the steward. ¡°Fifty taels!¡±.¡± The steward held the paper money, looking at Qi Qingyao with bewilderment. Qi Qingyao said to the steward, ¡°I¡¯m giving you fifty taels. Let her go.¡± In this situation, the steward did not dare make any decisions alone. He looked at thedy cautiously. Jiang Siliu replied intimidatingly, ¡°I don¡¯t want money. I also will not let her go.¡± Qi Qingyao gave a dark but alluring smile. Just as she was about to say something¡­ Someone else walked in. It was Lu Yan. While he was making his way over, he heard the sounds of their quarrel from afar. He spoke. ¡°Jiang Siliu, do you really n to make such a scene?¡± ¡°Brother Lu¡­¡± Jiang Siliu was caught off guard by Lu Yan¡¯s abrupt appearance. Jiang Siting also did not expect Lu Yan to show up. Jiang Siting was silent for a moment. Then, pushing aside the matter of Qi Qingzhu¡¯s freedom, he asked Lu Yan. ¡°Lu Yan, what is your rtionship with this widow? Why do you keep defending her? Could it be that you have forgotten how she humiliated you the other day?¡± Lu Yan, ¡°¡­¡± He had only spoken one sentence and they already pulled in the matter about their rtionship. How was he supposed to answer? Qi Qingyao smiled radiantly and said, ¡°Second Young Master Jiang, you need not be worried about our rtionship.¡± Jiang Siting said firmly, ¡°How can I not be worried? I fear you might have hoodwinked the young master of the Senluo Chamber of Commerce, widow.¡± Jiang Siting looked at Lu Yan who was still silent and felt even more nervous. ¡°Lu Yan, say something. What¡¯s going on between you two?¡± Dong Jing looked at his master, curious and nervous, somewhat anticipating the master¡¯s answer. After a beat. Lu Yan replied, ¡°She¡¯s a good friend.¡± Jiang Siting rolled his eyes. ¡°How could a good friend humiliate you like that, she even made you out to be a eunuch! How can you still y around with her? If you two were just normal friends, why would you defend her to this extent?¡± What a joke. Jiang Siliu took the opportunity to add, ¡°That¡¯s right, Brother Lu! Don¡¯t be fooled by this vixen.¡± Lu Yan had never in his life been pushed into a spot like this. He had never had a fianc¨¦e or a woman he fancied. When he was in the Capital City before, he would turn and leave whenever women came close to him. As such, he had never been put in a situation where he had to answer questions like this. In the end, of the two times he visited the Jiang residence, he had ended up being rendered despondent by Qi Qingyao the first time, and driven to silence by the Jiang siblings¡¯ questions the second. Could he just turn around and leave? s, he could not. If he were to turn head and leave now, he would only end up running away with a guilty conscience. Qi Qingyao noticed that Lu Yan was calm but his gaze was tormented; she knew that he had never experienced something like this. When it came to women, someone like him who always rejected women with every fiber of his being¡­ It seemed like if she did not say anything, it was only a matter of time before Lu Yan would flee in awkwardness! Qi Qingyao walked to Lu Yan¡¯s side. She hooked her arm on his shoulder very intimately without asking for permission and said high-handedly, ¡°Hehe! Our rtionship is very sweet and close! Why would Lu Yan keep helping me if not?¡± Lu Yan, ¡°¡­¡± This woman! She. She¡­ She was standing too close. There was a kind of shackling pain in Lu Yan¡¯s subconscious. The unbearable memories from that year once again surfaced in his mind. He could not help but move a bit to the left. He realized her arm was not really pressing down hard, only just resting gently against him. It seemed that he could break free anytime he wanted Stunned, Lu Yan froze on the spot. He turned his head like a machine and quietly looked at Qi Qingyao¡¯s profile that was far too close to his own. The woman¡¯s appearance was arrogant and domineering and the tips of her brows were surging high into the sky. Her gaze as she watched the Jiang siblings was one of extreme focus and slyness. It did not seem that she was even paying any attention to him. This instantly reduced the panic and pain that Lu Yan was feeling. Only his consciousness was telling him, ¡°Stop!¡± That he should force himself to not avoid this. There was also a voice in his heart that was constantly telling him that she was a man, she was just a man! It would be fine, it would be fine¡­ she was a man! Jiang Siliu noticed the continuous micro-changes in Lu Yan¡¯s expressions. Lu Yan had sneakily nced at Qi Qingyao, his look panicked but also pained. In the end, his expression rxed as he tolerated the woman¡¯s arm on his shoulder. Could these two¡­ be having an illicit love affair? Jiang Siliu stared at Qi Qingyao¡¯s arm enviously. ¡°Brother Lu, quickly refute her words. There¡¯s no way it¡¯s what it sounds like, right? She¡¯s a widow! How could she match up to you?¡± ¡°Lu Yan, could she actually be your concubine?¡± Jiang Siting suggested while also looking at him in disbelief. Qingzhu, ¡°¡­???¡± What was going on? Why would thedy say that her little sister was Lu¡­ Master Lu¡¯s concubine? Qi Qingzhu¡¯s expression was nk, eyes wide as she watched the scene. ¡°What nonsense are you saying?¡± While Qi Qingyao did not move, she still noticed Lu Yan¡¯s expression from the corner of her eye and realized that he was in pain in this situation and wanted to escape. However, he was steeling himself and she did not dare add on any pressure. She retracted her arm calmly. Then she said to Jiang Siliu, ¡°Stop dilly-dallying, I¡¯ve already given you the money, so quickly release Qingzhu.¡± Without waiting for Jiang Siliu to reply, she said to Qi Qingzhu, ¡°Qingzhu, why are you still dazing around? Go pack your bags quickly.¡± Chapter 327 - Got The Keepsakes 2

Chapter 327: Got The Keepsakes 2

¡°Okay, okay. I¡¯ll go pack my bags.¡± Qingzhu had been dazzled by the series of scenes and aftering back to her senses, she rushed to the servants¡¯ quarters in a hurry. Jiang Siliu was furious at Qi Qingyao¡¯s stuck-up attitude and deliberately asked for the steward to bring over Qi Qingzhu¡¯s contract. Jiang Siliu raised the contract and rushed toward Qi Qingyao as if making a show of her advantage. She said, ¡°Even if you take Qi Qingzhu away, I still have her contract. As long as I don¡¯t willingly let her go, she can never leave.¡± If she left, she would just be caught and dragged back! Or could be reported to the government office and get arrested by the authorities! Jiang Siliu smiled smugly with her teeth showing. In one swift step, Si Jin appeared beside Jiang Siliu and snatched the contract in her hand. He was so fast that Jiang Siting was stunned when he saw this. Only when Si Jin passed the contract to Qi Qingyao did Jiang Siliu return to her senses. She looked at Qi Qingyao with an indignant and vexed look. She really wanted to burst out in a rage, but considering Lu Yan¡¯ presence, she could only keep silent. Jiang Siliu looked at Jiang Siting pleadingly, wanting her brother to uphold justice. However, Jiang Siting only gave her a calm look, leaving Jiang Siliu with no option but to endure it. ¡­ Once Qi Qingzhu returned after packing her luggage, Qi Qingyao handed the contract over to Qingzhu. After shortly saying ¡®let¡¯s go home¡¯, she turned around and walked out. Si Jin immediately followed behind. Lu Yan and Dong Jing also walked out. Qi Qingzhu was a little hesitant. She nced at Jiang Siliu. Bowing slightly, she uttered her apologies and then hurriedly scuttled to keep up with Qi Qingyao¡¯s shadow. After the group left the Jiang residence safely, Qi Qingyao heaved a sigh of relief. She quickly got onto the carriage. Qingzhu followed behind her, getting inside as well. She was carrying arge bundle in her arms and after getting into the carriage, Qi Qingzhu rigidly sized up the luxurious carriage. This was the first time in her life she was sitting in such a luxurious carriage. She recalled that a few of the maids in thedy¡¯spound who had higher ranks could leave the Jiang residence with Jiang Siliu sometimes; unlike her who was just a cleaning maid. She would spend most of her time in thepound, helping thedy wash her clothes, sweep floors, or run other errands. After Si Jin had boarded the carriage and sat down next to Qi Qingyao as usual, the carriage departed. Qi Qingyao watched Qi Qingzhu silently for a beat, before she spoke up. ¡°Don¡¯t you have something to pass to me?¡± She knew? How did she know? Qi Qingzhu was shocked but also excited. She hurriedly searched through her bundle before flipping out a small handkerchief. There seemed to be something wrapped inside the handkerchief as she held it out to Qi Qingyao with both hands. ¡°For you.¡± After Qi Qingyao epted the handkerchief, she unfolded it. At a nce, the first item looked like a palm-sized jade pendant? Or more precisely, a jadeite amulet. There was a phoenix totem embossed on the front and four words on the back. She¡­ could not actually decipher what was written on it. The font was strange, simr to that of seal script, but it was not seal script either. As for the white jade ring, there was also a circle embossed on it. It was not so much a snake than it was a wandering dragon. Qi Qingyao stuffed the amulet and the ring casually into her bosom. Qingzhu was afraid that her little sister might think that she had intended to keep the items and hurriedly exined, ¡°I previously went to the Lord Heir¡¯s residence to look for you but they said I was a liar and chased me away.¡± Qi Qingyao merely gave a ¡°hmm¡±. She scratched her head and said, ¡°These objects, and this matter, don¡¯t make it public. Just pretend as if it never happened. You get what I mean?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Qi Qingzhu still understood this at least. The trinkets were obviously very valuable¡ªif the word was spread out indiscriminately, something adverse might happen. Qi Qingzhu nodded nkly. Qi Qingyao looked at the elder sister of the original Qi Qingyao who was honest, albeit a little simple. In all honesty, this was the first time since her rebirth that she saw the elder sister of the original Qi Qingyao. If she was told to hold hands and exchange pleasantries with Qingzhu right now, she would not be able to do it. The two did not have anything to say to each other either. However, from her memory, the elder sister had been kind to the original Qi Qingyao. So, Qi Qingyao took out two pieces of banknotes from her bosom and pressed them into Qingzhu¡¯s hand. ¡°Take this money and go home. Go start a small business in town.¡± ¡°I, I don¡¯t want money.¡± Qi Qingzhu was aware that her little sister had recently gotten famous in Qingzhou City. ¡°Even if you don¡¯t want it, I have to give it to you. I don¡¯t want my elder sister to be this poor.¡± Qi Qingyaoughed and stuffed the money into her hands. ¡°For good measure, however, do not use this money until after a few months.¡± Qi Qingzhu, ¡°¡­¡± Qi Qingyao sighed. She said sadly, ¡°Qingzhou City will soon be extremely chaotic. I already find it a little difficult to protect myself now. I might also leave Qingzhou City after the Lantern Festival and go back to town.¡± Qi Qingzhu said quizzically, ¡°Chaotic?¡± Qi Qingyao nodded slightly. ¡°Because of the incident with the Lingyun Restaurant massacre, several figures of the grand master level will gather in Qingzhou City. It just so happens that many powerful figures from the nation of Eastern Ling are now in Qingzhou City. They¡¯re here to offer worship at the Koi Temple and will not be leaving any time soon. Basically, this ce will soon be as chaotic as a pot of porridge. You should take the money, go home, and save it for crucial moments.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Her little sister sure knew a lot. Qi Qingzhu inexplicably felt great adoration for Qi Qingyao. She smiled, her eyes forming crescents, andplimented, ¡°Little sis, you look really good now.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Qi Qingyao was dumbfounded for a moment. Sheughed then rubbed Qingzhu¡¯s head. Qi Qingzhu was a little stunned at this. She only had one thought. Her little sister felt like apletely different person now. She felt that her sister had be really calm, and much more well-mannered than thedy of the Jiangs. She looked like a powerful figure. ¡­ Jiang Residence. After Qi Qingyao and her group left, Jiang Siting returned to the study. He stood behind the study desk, his expression reticent. He did not take a seat but simply just paced to and fro. Jiang Siliu was starting to feel dizzy at her brother¡¯s pacing. She went up to him and grabbed his shoulder, forcing him to stop before questioning him. ¡°Brother, you didn¡¯t help me at all.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a matter of us helping each other.¡± Jiang Siting was finally willing to speak. Jiang Siliu said derisively, ¡°Sometimes I wonder if I¡¯m actually your younger sister.¡± ¡°You saw it yourself, Lu Yan was there. I couldn¡¯t risk offending Lu Yan to help you.¡± Jiang Siting admonished his little sister. ¡°That said, you already lost so you shouldn¡¯t be challenging Qi Qingyao over a maid either.¡± Jiang Siliu was utterly dispirited. She sat down, sulking. Jiang Siting patted her head. ¡°Silly little sis, it¡¯s not that I didn¡¯t want to help you. It¡¯s that I couldn¡¯t.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Jiang Siliu looked up, still ring at Jiang Siting, as if he owed her money and had not returned it. Jiang Siting began to exin, ¡°You saw it, didn¡¯t you? How that young man snatched the contract from your hand.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± So what about that? ¡°Do you know what his skills are?¡± he asked. ¡°I don¡¯t.¡± She shook her head. Jiang Siting went on, ¡°The day she won Lu Yan¡¯s mansion¡­ That night, plenty of people had sent assassins to that mansion to get rid of her. In the end, none of them came back. You know about this, yes?¡± ¡°I do¡­¡± This matter was also quite well-known among the upper circles. The corner of Jiang Siting¡¯s lips hooked into a frosty smile. ¡°Then, did you know that, ording to the corpse collector, she only had two people in her forces, one who guarded the front gate and another who guarded the back gate?¡± ¡°??¡± How could that be possible? Two people killing so many? Jiang Siting narrowed his eyes as if he were rying some story. ¡°One of them wore an ox-head mask while the other, a horse-head mask. They¡¯re very mysterious. But after that¡­¡± ¡®But what?¡¯ ¡°The ox-head and horse-face have disappeared, and only the young man is left.¡± Ah! ¡°I noted his body movements just now and I believe that the young man was either the ox-head or horse-face. But where did the other go?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Jiang Siliu heard this and gulped inexplicably. Jiang Siting continued, ¡°Or, we could disregard where the other one went and simply consider that this youth has excellent martial arts skills. ¡°ording to the corpse collector, he was able to return unscathed that night. At the very least¡­ his skills must be rank-nine and above!¡± ¡°You mean to say that the young man has rank-nine skills and higher?¡± That frail and elegant-looking young man? How was that possible? Jiang Siliu did not want to believe it. She muttered, ¡°How could a widow gather rank-nine or higher experts at her side? Not to mention, two of them¡­ How is this possible?¡± ¡°Could it be because she¡¯s connected to the Master Architect Li Qinglian and Su Hexiao?¡± Jiang Siting thought for a bit before suggesting. ¡°This still seems too far-fetched.¡± She did not think so. Jiang Siting sighed. ¡°Let¡¯s not first discuss whether it is far-fetched or not. If we simply considered what happened just now, if he really were rank nine and we made a move against someone like him, a bloodbath would be inevitable. I don¡¯t see what we could have gained.¡± ¡°Even so, you can¡¯t¡­¡± He had not helped at all, he just watched her get bullied. Jiang Siliu still felt aggrieved. Jiang Siting reminded her, ¡°It was not worth it for me to stop her over a maid.¡± Jiang Siliu went silent. Thinking about it, that was also true. If they offended brother Lu over a maid and suffered at Qi Qingyao¡¯s hand again, it definitely would not be worth it¡­ ¡­ The fact that Qi Qingyao had broken into the Jiang residence once again was very quickly noted by some spies who then reported this matter to Jiang Yeqian. Jiang Yeqian was frowning when he heard the report till the end. Combined with what Bai Mei had reported¡­ He thought. Qi Boli and Madam Wu had first made a trip to her home. With the olddy taking the lead, they made a mess at her ce. After she chased them away, she went to the Jiang residence to buy her sister back the first chance she had? Why had she not gone to buy Qingzhu¡¯s freedom before? Especially with this timing. There was another matter. He learned something from Xiao Wuji and Gu Cheng. Qi Qingyao apparently was the spitting image of one of the profligate children of a rich family in Eastern Ling. It was said they resembled each other just like a matching pair. This nted some suspicion in Jiang Yeqian¡¯s mind. Could it be that¡­ Qi Qingyao was not their biological child? He could not restrain this thought the moment it came to his mind. That was because he had seen everyone from the old Qi family before. They all had more or less simr appearances, except for Qi Qingyao. Her features simply did not fit with the majority of the old Qi family. The more Jiang Yeqian thought about this, the more it did not seem right. He called for Bai Mei. ¡°I want you to help me look into the incident 19 years ago!¡± ¡°Master, please borate.¡± ¡°Regarding the year Qi Qingyao was born¡­¡± Chapter 328 - Got The Keepsakes 3

Chapter 328: Got The Keepsakes 3

The incident of Qi Qingyao whisking Qi Qingzhu away from the Jiang residence naturally was seen by those who were observant or eager to know. Although she had only been in Qingzhou City a few days, she was already quite a notable person in Qingzhou City. The moment she stepped foot out of her house, there would be people watching her. Her every move would be reported by spies. Qi Qingyao also knew this, so she did not speak much to Qi Qingzhu. The spies realized that she had whisked her actual elder sister away from the Jiang residence and then called for a carriage to send her sister back to their old home. The spies could not help but be vexed. ¡®Sheesh, and here we thought it was going to be some big news, who would¡¯ve thought that it¡¯d be just¡­ this?¡¯ After Third Brother Yu of the Yulong Gang got hold of this news, he sighed. It seemed that the littledy was just feeling a little family affection and decided to buy her elder sister¡¯s freedom! ¡°Another useless pawn!¡± Old Xie the Eighth looked at Third Brother Yu and said, ¡°Third brother, actually, if we¡¯re talking about pawns, the three children by her side would make the best pawns.¡± If they were to use someone, surely the kids would be the best choice. Third Brother Yu rubbed his lower jaw and said, ¡°Those three pawns are currently being watched with not the slightest hint of an opening! When they¡¯re out, that young man will always be by their side. That young man¡­ the second young master said that he is at least rank-nine!¡± Old Xie the Eighth frowned, saying nothing more. Everyone wanted information on Qi Qingyao but even if it was unearthed, no one would really want to ept it! They could not seize her weakness, making it useless in the end. ¡­ ¡­ Linquan Vige. Thirteenth, January. Madam Li was carrying some empty dishes early in the morning when she dropped by Qi Yuanxiu¡¯s house for a free meal. Madam Wu was cooking in the kitchen. Madam Li sat down in front of the stove, eating while she helped Madam Wu fan the mes. She casually made idle conversation. They chatted till Madam Wu was done cooking when Madam Li suddenly said, ¡°Madam Wu, your second daughter¡­¡± Madam Wu murmured a ¡°hmm¡± raising her brows. ¡°I mean that third child of yours.¡± Madam Li recalled the incident from that year, her brows tangling up. ¡°The year when she was born¡­¡± Madam Wu¡¯s heart thumped. Madam Li pretended to sound casual. ¡°Why do I feel like you weren¡¯t pregnant that year?¡± Madam Wu¡¯s heart shook. She did not know what Madam Li¡¯s purpose was, bringing up the topic in a light-hearted tone. She bared her teeth and red at the woman. ¡°Madam Li¡­¡± Madam Li sensed that Wu had gotten angry, so she quickly pped in augh. ¡°I¡¯m just curious, hahaha.¡± ¡°You¡¯re curious? If Qi Qingyao is not my child then is she yours?¡± Madam Wu cursed as she pointed at Madam Li¡¯s nose. Madam Li¡¯s demeanor dampened a little. ¡°I didn¡¯t say she wasn¡¯t your birth child, I was just thinking.¡± After epting some silver, she was tasked toe over and ask about the incident back then. However, she now knew for sure that the girl was Madam Wu¡¯s birth child from the way she responded. ¡°You were thinking what? Didn¡¯t you just say that you thought that I had not been pregnant at the time?¡± Madam Wu¡¯s voice had increased by eight decibels as she stood there, her waist cocked. ¡°Just because the rtionship between our family and Qi Qingyao has broken down, and that we couldn¡¯t catch the golden phoenix, doesn¡¯t mean that you can ridicule me by saying that I didn¡¯t bear the child. Don¡¯t you think this is rather harsh?¡± Madam Li hurriedly apologized. ¡°Madam Wu, don¡¯t be angry, I admitted I slipped up, isn¡¯t that enough?¡± Pretending as if she had nothing to lose, Madam Wu said, ¡°I confess, I did not handle that golden goose well, which was why it ran away like that! Argh, I get mad just thinking about it! I even went to Qingzhou City with her father earlier to look for her and guess what? She actually chased us out!¡± Madam Li already heard from Qi Boli that they had been driven out. Madam Li sighed ruefully. ¡°Your third child is really heartless.¡± ¡°So, what¡¯s new?¡± Madam Wu chimed in. Madam Wu chatted with Madam Li for a while and cursed Qi Qingyao¡¯s name for almost an hour before Madam Li was done eating and returned home with her dirty dishes. Madam Wu brought the cooked dishes to the main room and, after everyone had finished their meals and she washed all the dishes, she dragged the old codger into the room. Closing the door, Madam Wu then said quietly. ¡°Madam Li said a lot of weird things in front of me today.¡± ¡°About what?¡± Qi Boli asked. Madam Wu pressed her lips tightly together. ¡°She seemed to be probing if I really gave birth to Qi Qingyao.¡± Qi Boli pondered for a bit before saying, ¡°Could you be thinking things the wrong way? Madam Li could just be running her mouth because she saw that we had never treated her well.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think so!¡± Madam Wu was typically a rather mean and calctive person, so her mind was also very acute. After deep contemtion, she said seriously, ¡°You should know that Madam Li is usually aware of my temper and wouldn¡¯t ask that kind of thing. But this morning, the way she was talking was really weird, as if she was deliberately trying to lure me into a trap.¡± Qi Boli did not respond. After a moment, his expression suddenly changed. ¡°Has someone found out about it? And deliberately came to investigate the incident back then?¡± ¡°This, I don¡¯t know.¡± Madam Wu shook her head. ¡°Could it be that Qi Qingyao told someone about this? Or was it Qingzhu who spread it?¡± Qi Boli finally spoke again after contemting for a long time. Madam Wu spected for a bit and said, ¡°No, why on earth would Qi Qingyao tell someone about this? Since it¡¯s been a while since then, she likely already retrieved the keepsakes from Qingzhu. Considering her temperament, I think she definitely would have informed Qingzhu about everything. Qingzhu is not stupid either. She would not stir up trouble by leaking this news out to random people. ¡°I think it¡¯s probably that¡­ she stood out too much the few times she came back down from Qingzhou City. Plus the fact that that child does not look like shees from a vige at all! She used to always y in the mud and looked unkempt the entire day. She was even uncouth, not to mention a fool. Itpletely masked her other qualities. Now her dressing and makeup areparable to the best. She is also smart and has an air of nobility. Instead of acting entitled, she has be sophisticated and delicate. It¡¯s quite understandable for people to begin to doubt her roots.¡± ¡°If she¡¯s secretly being investigated¡­¡± Qi Boli dared not think about it anymore and hurriedly warned his wife, ¡°You better keep your mouth closed and don¡¯t let it run.¡± ¡°Of course! I refuse to relinquish that Qi Qingyao is my birth child.¡± After Madam Wu made this solemn statement, she added, ¡°Say, do you think we ought to let the olddy know about this?¡± Qi Boli replied, ¡°I don¡¯t think so. While the olddy likes to bend her back for money, she¡¯s still aware of the grander scheme of things. Wasn¡¯t my father a litigation broker (T/N: Unscrupulous wyers¡¯ who instigate others to filewsuits to profit from in old societies) back then? He was smart and his wife was not stupid either. That¡¯s why we put the child under our name and pretended that she was our own. Basically, it is impossible for the olddy to proactively cause trouble.¡± ¡°¡­¡± True that! ¡­ ¡­ Qi Qingyao was sitting in the room while the three kids were seated on the couch at the side. They were telling each other stories; Qi Qingyao would start by opening the story¡¯s exposition and then the kids would follow up with whatever their imagination cooked up, adding on to the end of each other¡¯s words! The kids were having a lot of fun. Qi Qingyao was fiddling with the jadeite amulet and white jade ring in her hands. She thought back about what Madam Wu had said. ¡®You¡¯re not my actual child¡­¡¯ This matter had given Qi Qingyao a little worry. She kept the two keepsakes and watched the children ying, feeling a little gloomy. ¡®I don¡¯t know who my real parents are. You guys don¡¯t know who your real father is either. ¡®Our family really boils down to one thing¡­ trouble!¡¯ Chapter 329 - Got The Keepsakes 4

Chapter 329: Got The Keepsakes 4

Bai Mei assigned a few scouts to Linquan Vige. After spending quite a bit of money, she got all kinds of information but most of them were still of the opinion that Qi Qingyao was a biological child of the family. Bai Mei was rather troubled. After integrating the information, she located her master. ¡°Master¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯ve gotten results?¡± Jiang Yeqian asked. Bai Mei bowed first before standing back up and saying, ¡°Reports from all over indicate that Qi Qingyao was a biological child.¡± ¡°Then why does your expression look so conflicted?¡± Jiang Yeqian asked as he scrutinized Bai Mei¡¯s face carefully. Bai Mei¡¯s brows knitted into a frown and she answered, ¡°Nothing came from the olddy or Madam Wu. However, when several of the women in Linquan Vige began talking about the incident that year, they all said that Madam Wu had not left the house much and had been constantly nursing her child. They also weren¡¯t sure when exactly she got pregnant with their third child.¡± ¡°¡­¡± They were not sure? Jiang Yeqian¡¯s brows were knotted so tightly that they looked like they would never unravel. Bai Mei knew that her master was about to get angry again and hurriedly added, ¡°This underling thinks that, if she was not their biological child, then the olddy and Madam Wu would have already made it clear from the start, given their personalities. There¡¯s no reason for them to cover this up.¡± Jiang Yeqian, ¡°¡­¡± That was a fair point. After dismissing Bai Mei, Jiang Yeqian went looking for Tan Xiangdie. He entered the room through the window, once again finding the guy drinking happily with a girl in his arms. When the girl saw their visitor, she knew it was her master¡¯s friend and hurriedly backed away. Tan Xiangdie looked at Jiang Yeqian, his mood sour. ¡°Why have youe again?¡± He put away his good alcohol quietly. Jiang Yeqian red at Tan Xiangdie, who put down the alcohol sk a little resignedly, having no choice but to sit down. ¡°If you¡¯ve got something to say, say it quickly. Don¡¯t interrupt my time with my girl!¡± Jiang Yeqian settled down on a couch at the side and propped up his legs. He took off the ck mask on his face. That handsome but slightly annoyed face of his was revealed. ¡°I suspect that person isn¡¯t a biological child of her family but all the evidence we have now points in that direction. It¡¯s ticking me off!¡± Tan Xiangdie listened to hisints and could not help butugh. Afterughing a bit, he said, ¡°Are you talking about Qi Qingyao?¡± Jiang Yeqian replied sourly, ¡°Who else could it be?¡± Tan Xiangdie shrugged his shoulders, replying airily, ¡°I¡¯m not interested if she¡¯s a biological child or not. She¡¯s just a tiny ant of a character.¡± Jiang Yeqian, ¡°¡­¡± Tan Xiangdie rubbed his lower jaw with his fingers very solemnly and said, ¡°I¡¯m more interested in that young man behind her named Si Jin.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Jiang Yeqian asked. Tan Xiangdie replied, ¡°Didn¡¯t you mention it before, that you guarded the front door that time while that guy guarded the back?¡± Jiang Yeqian, ¡°Hm?¡± Tan Xiangdie smiled rather entrically and said, ¡°That being the case, you¡¯re a rank-nine! So what about that guy?¡± Jiang Yeqian, ¡°¡­¡± He had been paying too much attention to her and did not think about this question seriously. Tan Xiangdie, ¡°Rank nine as well?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Jiang Yeqian shook his head. However, Si Jin had once said that he was rank eight¡­ Back then, it seemed that Qi Qingyao was the one who asked and he¡ªJiang Yeqian¡ªhad answered that he was rank eight. After that, Si Jin also answered that he was rank eight! Tan Xiangdie sneered and mockingly said, ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m saying. Jiang Yeqian, oh Jiang Yeqian. In any case, you¡¯re the head of the Zhaixing Administration, how can you be so ignorant? If he¡¯s not a rank nine, it would make no sense for him to have been able to return unscathed. You even told me that he was as rxed as usual the next day, as if he did not have a care in the world. It didn¡¯t seem at all like he had been through a fight! It sounded more like a one-sided ughter.¡± ¡°¡­¡± At the words ¡®one-sided ughter¡¯, Jiang Yeqian inexplicably recalled another massacre that urred in Qingzhou City. It remained a mystery until this day. Tan Xiangdie watched his profile quietly then said, ¡°That¡¯s why, I suspect that he is a rank nine. Maybe, he could be even stronger than you.¡± This made Jiang Yeqian really unhappy. ¡°Why is it that when ites out of your mouth, rank nines sound like cabbages, as if they can be found everywhere.¡± Tan Xiangdie said very innocently, ¡°I don¡¯t want to think that way either but the fact remains that you have investigated this person, but obtained no intelligence on them. Bottom line, his strength is astonishingly powerful! How can there be a rank nine expert in this world whose origins arepletely unknown? Don¡¯t you find this weird?¡± Jiang Yeqian was even more irritated. ¡°I know it¡¯s weird but the fact is that we weren¡¯t able to get any clues on him!¡± ¡°We don¡¯t know his origins, and his strength is indeed frightening, above a rank nine¡­¡± Tan Xiangdie was looking at this more clearly by taking a bystander¡¯s perspective. He thought for a moment then said, ¡°Say, do you think he could be the cut-throat behind the Lingyun Tower massacre that day?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Jiang Yeqian¡¯s eyes narrowed suddenly. Tan Xiangdieughed. ¡°I was just guessing, but what if?¡± Jiang Yeqian¡¯s gaze instantly became dark. After a moment of silence, he said, ¡°Looks like we¡¯ll have to get someone to feel him out.¡± Tan Xiangdie asked calmly, ¡°How are you going to do that? You can¡¯t possibly get someone to assassinate him. He¡¯s a rank-nine expert, how are you going to assassinate him? Are you going yourself?¡± ¡°It wouldn¡¯t be suitable for me to go, he recognizes my silhouette.¡± Jiang Yeqian rubbed his jaw and said, ¡°Not to mention, when ites to assassinations, it¡¯s best for us to look for a rank-nine archer, who can pull off a long-range snipe!¡± Tan Xiangdie still felt it was a waste of talent. ¡°Rank-nine experts are very perceptive. Even if it¡¯s Na Lanjie, I¡¯m afraid he won¡¯t be able to challenge him. Should he really be the murderer of Lingyun Restaurant, one wrong move and Na Lanjie might just be putting his head on the tter.¡± ¡°Then¡­ we¡¯ll switch our target to her,¡± Jiang Yeqian said solemnly as he gritted his teeth. Tan Xiangdie blinked. ¡°Are you saying¡­¡± ¡°Nothing ventured, nothing gained! She¡¯s the best bait.¡± Jiang Yeqian added without warning, ¡°He¡¯s always by her side. If he manages to catch the arrow, then that means his strength is rank nine or above. He¡¯d be the perpetrator behind the Lingyun Restaurant massacre, an expert who has reached a level of grand mastery.¡± Tan Xiangdie did not dare believe that this guy would make such a decision. ¡°And if he doesn¡¯t manage to catch the arrow?¡± Jiang Yeqian contemted for a moment and solemnly answered, ¡°The Zhaixing Administration has repeatedly stumbled when it came to her and her people. This time, failure is not allowed.¡± They must obtain some clues! ¡°You¡¯re really willing to go through with it, huh.¡± Tan Xiangdie clicked his tongue. Jiang Yeqian muttered irritably, ¡°It¡¯s not like I like her or anything!!!¡± Tan Xiangdie, ¡°¡­¡± How did he not realize that this fellow was so damned dishonest with himself? He obviously liked the person with a burning passion but he insisted on lying¡­ God knows which nerve in his head had been wrongly wired. ¡®Could it be that he was afraid I¡¯dugh at him? ¡®Or could it be that he¡¯s afraid that I mightugh at him for liking a widow?¡¯ Either way, since this fellow was so determined, Tan Xiangdie had no reason to go against him. Besides, if they were going to look for Na Lanjie, it was a good thing that he was recently in Qingzhou City! ¡­ ¡­ Lantern Festival, fifteenth February. Qi Qingyao, who had been staying at home for a few days, decided to go out for a while today before she went home to rest. When they were having their meals, Qi Qingyao looked at the three good little kids and said, ¡°Today¡¯s the fifteenth, which is the Lantern Festival. Things outside will definitely be lively, so why don¡¯t we go and look at thenterns tonight?¡± The children were especially excited. They even deliberately took out the pouches that Qi Qingyao had given them. Qi Qingyao looked at the children, who will be turning four after the Lunar New Year, and asked Si Jin to take out a bunch of silver pieces. She gave each of the kids a few dozen pieces of copper cash as pocket money. When the kids received it, they were so happy they jumped for joy, each dering that they were going shopping tonight! Qi Qingyao¡¯s brows raised as she thought privately, ¡®You guys are kids, what do you even n to buy? Surely you guys just want to eat malt sugar!¡¯ After they were done with lunch, they went out to stroll the streets. After Lu Yan was done with his work, he also tagged along with the group. As usual, they took two carriages to Qingyang Street. Qingyang Street was a prosperousmercial street next to Qingyang Lake. There were many luxurious pleasure boats and louchuans (T/N: Louchuan were a type of Chinese naval vessel, primarily a floating fortress during the Han dynasty) parked by theke. They were ces where the masters of each family would often have a drink and enjoy themselves. Especially since it was the fifteenth today, beautifulnterns were hung throughout Qingyang Street! There were countless stalls lining both sides of the road that were selling snacks and lotusnterns. The streets were filled with people, with young masters and gorgeously dresseddies¡­ It was dazzling. There were more than ten people in Qi Qingyao¡¯s group, including the guards! Arge group like this walking through the street was really eye-catching. The children felt as if they were being watched too closely and kept wanting to go here and there to have a look. Dabao looked at the ring-throwing game in the distance. ¡°Mommy, it¡¯s so lively.¡± Qi Qingyao pulled him back. Dabao pursed his lips, dissatisfied. Erniu pointed at a shop selling candied haws and sneakily said to Si Jin, ¡°Uncle, we want to eat candied haws.¡± Si Jin did not answer, turning to look at Qi Qingyao. Dabao and Xiaobao were also behaving a little childishly¡­ They all looked at Qi Qingyao pitifully. Qi Qingyao sighed and rubbed Erniu¡¯s head. ¡°Si Jin, you apany them to buy it.¡± ¡°What about you?¡± Si Jin asked. Qi Qingyao pointed to the railing beside theke. ¡°I have something to discuss with Master Lu.¡± Si Jin nodded to express his acknowledgment. He then rushed to the crowded candied haws stall with the children! They were all children, pestering the adults for candied haws¡­ It would probably be some time before they manage to buy the treats! ¡­ ¡­ Qi Qingyao chose a location that was empty and leaned against the railing by theke. She looked at the young people in themercial pleasure boats, then smiled at Lu Yan who was standing one meter away from her, and said, ¡°Come closer to me.¡± Lu Yan was silent for a moment before he moved closer. Dong Jing and several of the guards were very tactful and distanced themselves a bit, roughly about two meters away! Qi Qingyao was standing next to Lu Yan. She thought to herself, that if she had not made the first move, this guy would definitely not have taken the initiative to ept her as a test subject. It seemed that¡­ She stretched out her hand and said calmly, ¡°Give me your hand.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Lu Yan was surprised and took a step back. Qi Qingyao said casually, ¡°Let¡¯s try holding hands ¡± ¡°Why¡­ why should we hold hands?¡± Lu Yan did not dare back away but his face turned red suddenly, betraying the nervousness he was feeling. Qi Qingyao was iparably shameless. She calmly said, ¡°Of course, it¡¯s to cure your illness, what else can it be? You¡¯re acting all coy and fussy, just like a woman!¡± Lu Yan, ¡°¡­¡± Oh, he had thought¡­ He stretched out his hand carefully until it was in front of her, and Qingyao grabbed it. After that, she held his hand normally, in a manner that was careful not to pressure Lu Yan. Qi Qingyao dered in advance, ¡°If you feel sick, throw up into theke! Not onto me!¡± ¡°I, I¡­¡± When Qi Qingyao consciously offered to hold hands, Lu Yan instantly became taut. His entire being was stretched so tight that it seemed like he would snap at any moment. Her hands were really cold. It was as if there was no heat in them at all. His hand, meanwhile, was very warm. Knowing this made Lu Yan feel slightly better. Qi Qingyao rolled her eyes at the pale-lipped man. She had never thought of herself as ugly, but every time she was with Lu Yan, Qi Qingyao would feel like she was so hideous to the extent that it made the man constantly miserable. Even if this was part of the psychological intervention, it still made her extremely depressed when he acted like this. She sighed and said, ¡°I know you¡¯re miserable but this is an illness of yours, so you need to learn to suppress it step by step. If I hadn¡¯t taken the initiative, you might not have taken that first step in your life at all. If you don¡¯t learn to adapt and persist, you will be like this forever.¡± Lu Yan, ¡°¡­¡± ¡®What the f*ck? Aren¡¯t I learning to endure it right now? If I wasn¡¯t trying to learn how to endure it, I would have thrown you into theke for a bath long ago!¡¯ Qi Qingyao was using conversation to divert his attention. ¡°First of all, take a close look at your surroundings. We are outside, this is Qingyang Lake, and thenterns are really beautiful, and everyone is looking at thenterns. No one¡¯s going to do anything to you, including me. I¡¯m not interested in you, so you don¡¯t have to worry about me pouncing on you! ¡± Lu Yan, ¡°¡­¡± Talking as if she were a predator, this woman¡­was her head on right? Qi Qingyao continued, ¡°Secondly, if you want to shake off my hand in public, that¡¯s up to you. But my patience is limited. Shake my hand off this time and I won¡¯t take the initiative to help you again next time. You¡¯ll have to take the first step yourself! Of course, if you don¡¯t want to take the first step and would rather stay in your turtle shell for the rest of your life, I have nothing to say about it either.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Qi Qingyao continued, ¡°Thirdly, feel free to hold my hand and take in the atmosphere of the Lantern Festival. Feel my presence. I¡¯m just a normal human being. Don¡¯t pay too much attention to my gender! Just imagine me as a man.¡± ¡°¡­¡± He was already trying really hard! His knees were already shaking from the exertion but he could not tell her this lest he getughed at again. Holding his breath deeply, Lu Yan looked like a balloon that was about to burst. He did not know whether it was irritability or pain that engulfed him, causing his consciousness and emotions to gradually be nk. Because of her words, however, he could not let go of the hand. If he did, there would not be a chance for the next experiment¡­ When Qi Qingyao was done speaking, she turned to nce at Lu Yan. ¡°Lastly, the Lu Yan I know, who sets himself above everyone, is the young master of the Senluo Chamber of Commerce. He is smart, well-versed in schemes. The ident from back then has already drifted with the wind. The Lu Yan today is a strong man! He would never let anyone trample on him! If anyone wanted to get close to him, he would have immediately stered their face with a p! Isn¡¯t that right?¡± Her words drifted very blurrily but also clearly into his mind. It lessened Lu Yan¡¯s pain greatly. Biting down on his teeth tightly, he said heavily, ¡°You¡¯re a wordsmith, I¡¯ll give you that.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve always been a wordsmith.¡± Qi Qingyao spoke as she counted the time. Smiling, she said, ¡°You seem to havested a minute this time.¡± ¡°¡­¡± This woman¡¯s smiling face was really f*cking hateful! She was underestimating him!! Qi Qingyao nced at their joined hands with a smile and teased, ¡°Though the sweat on your palm has already drenched mine¡­¡± Saying that, she let go of his hand. She nced at her sticky hand. ¡°This is the first time my hand¡¯s suffered such torment from holding someone¡¯s hand.¡± Qi Qingyao maintained a peaceful smile and calmly looked at the pleasure boats in the distance. ¡°Brother, you¡¯re sweating so much even though it¡¯s winter.¡± Lu Yan felt the pressure abruptly disappear. He rubbed his hands and gulped. ¡°I was nervous.¡± ¡°What about now? Are you still nervous?¡± Qi Qingyao backed up half a step. ¡°Not too much,¡± Lu Yan replied. He noticed her taking a step back. Thinking for a bit, he took a step forward on his own and stood beside her. He suppressed the pain in his heart forcefully, adapting himself to the reduced distance. ¡°Is it because of what I said just now?¡± Qi Qingyao asked. Lu Yan got closer again until his shoulders were almost touching hers. He then took a deep breath before saying, ¡°You said you¡¯re not interested in me, and you also said that I¡¯m above everyone. But I feel that your tone of voice is way above mine. That¡¯s why I could lower the guard in my heart a lot more than usual.¡± Qi Qingyao, ¡°¡­¡± ¡®Is that so? ¡®My tone of speech sounded like it was above everyone? That can¡¯t be it. I just get a little annoyed at mawkish people.¡¯ Despite understanding his pain, she¡­ The sorrows and joys of humans could never be equally experienced! Compared to knowing or understanding, wanting to empathize was another matter. Qi Qingyao had just thought of saying something when Lu Yan¡¯s gaze shed toward some direction. His expression shifted drastically. Almost immediately, he shouted, ¡°Look out¡ª¡± Then he got in front of her in one swift stride. Qi Qingyao¡¯s body waspletely shielded by him. In all honesty, she was dumbfounded. However, arge impact caused Lu Yan¡¯s entire body to knock into her, and her back smashed into the railing instead. She felt her waist almost snap. Qi Qingyao kneaded her waist in pain. She gritted her teeth while muttering. ¡°What the hell are you¡ª¡± Doing! Thest word did not make it out of her mouth. Her eyes were bulging wide open. She saw the arrow protruding in the front of Lu Yan¡¯s body. Qi Qingyao could not contain her shock. F*cking hell! ¡°Who the f*ck shot the arrow?!¡± Chapter 330 - Got The Keepsakes 5

Chapter 330: Got The Keepsakes 5

Dong Jing and several guards rushed over in the blink of an eye. Dong Jing stood in front of the two. ¡°Master!!¡± Dong Jing¡¯s expression had changed drastically. Lu Yan was looking worse by the second. Hisplexion had instantly turned pale and bloodless. Several guards quickly surrounded the two. Si Jin realized something had happened and quickly brought the children back. Si Jin rushed and broke through the circle, ncing at both their conditions. ¡°Sister?¡± Qi Qingyao quickly checked over Lu Yan¡¯s condition and knew that things were bad. She made a snap decision and said, ¡°Si Jin, bring the kids home first.¡± After that, she said to Dong Jing, ¡°Dong Jing, where is the closest property of the Lu family? Hurry and take me and your master there. I need to remove the arrow and tend to his wound!¡± ¡°This servant will bring you there at once.¡± Dong Jing nced at the arrow in Lu Yan¡¯s chest and then at Lu Yan¡¯s paper-whiteplexion; he knew that the situation was bad. After the servants drove two carriages over. Dong Jing and a few others supported Lu Yan into the carriage first. Qi Qingyao directed Si Jin to get into the other carriage. ¡°Si Jin, stop dazing! Bring the children home.¡± The children were holding onto their candied haws. Seemingly understanding the gravity of the situation, they looked at Qi Qingyao mutedly, not daring to say anything. Qi Qingyao smiled and rubbed their heads. ¡°Be good, you three. Don¡¯t leave the house before Ie home.¡± ¡°Mommy, we won¡¯t run around.¡± Xiaobao answered for them. Si Jin carried the children and got into the carriage. After Dabao got in, he stuck his head out of the carriage window and said goodbye to Qi Qingyao. Qi Qingyao also waved goodbye to the children as if nothing had happened. After watching the carriage take off¡­ Qi Qingyao rushed into the other carriage, her expression heavy as she looked at Lu Yan who was struggling to breathe. ¡­ ¡­ Inside the carriage, Dabao asked Si Jin seriously, ¡°Uncle, just now, Uncle Lu was hit by an arrow. Is he dying?¡± Si Jin replied very solemnly, ¡°I don¡¯t know how bad the wound is.¡± Dabao looked at Si Jin¡¯s expression and said nothing more. Erniu asked in a pure and innocent manner, ¡°Will he die?¡± Si Jin shook his head and replied, ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Xiaobao on the other hand asked, ¡°If he dies¡­would Mommy be in trouble?¡± ¡°Probably.¡± Si Jin nodded again. Xiaobao pondered for a bit before nodding somewhat solemnly, ¡°Then I hope Uncle Lu will be safe and sound.¡± Unruffled, Si Jin said, ¡°Heaven help the worthy.¡± Erniu was eating her candied haw as she thought about how uncle was right. That heaven would definitely help the worthy ones. Lu Yan had helped Mommy many times so he should definitelye out of this safe. The second carriage was driving off in the other direction. In just a minute, the carriage came to a stop at the gate of a teahouse. Qi Qingyao had no doubts or hesitation and was certain that this teahouse was one of the Senluo Chamber of Commerce¡¯s. Dong Jing supported Lu Yan off the carriage. Several people then carried Lu Yan to the back courtyard of the teahouse. Immediately afterward, Dong Jing took only a few minutes to empty out the entire teahouse. When the owner of the teahouse knew that the master had been injured, he was almost scared to death. He dismissed the temporary workers and asked the four permanent workers to wait for further instructions at any time. Everyone worked under the Senluo Chamber of Commerce. When they knew that the injured was the person in charge of the chamber, they all panicked till their entire bodies went numb. Qi Qingyao was checking Lu Yan¡¯s wound as gave instructions. ¡°Dong Jing, get people to guard this ce. You go and investigate who released the arrow.¡± ¡°But the master¡­¡± Dong Jing could not stop being worried. Qi Qingyao had already used scissors to cut open the clothes on the upper half of Lu Yan¡¯s body. ¡°I¡¯m here. If he can¡¯te out of this, then that¡¯s fate. Either way, I will do all I can to save him.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Dong Jing was still hesitating. Qi Qingyao added, ¡°I¡¯m asking you to investigate this now because the person can¡¯t have gone far yet. They¡¯re probably still within Qingzhou City. If you dally anymore, they¡¯re going to get away! That said, what can you even do here anyway? Stand and watch ?¡± At once, Dong Jing replied, ¡°I understand. I¡¯ll go investigate immediately. I¡¯ll leave the master¡¯s life in your hands.¡± Qi Qingyao had already cut up most of Lu Yan¡¯s clothes. Looking at the arrow embedded in his chest, she estimated how far its position was from his heart as she replied, ¡°He saved me, I have a responsibility to save him too.¡± Dong Jing looked at his master¡¯s wound, expression heavy, and turned around to leave. He could not allow his master to be injured in vain. He must be sure to track the culprit before they get away. Two guards remained inside the building, awaiting orders. ¡­ ¡­ Qi Qingyao inspected how deep the arrow went and first got someone to prepare some medicine as well as needle, thread, bandages, and the like. After ensuring that everything was prepared, Qi Qingyao then said, ¡°This arrow wound is very deep, at least two inches! I¡¯m afraid he might lose a lot of blood if I simply remove the arrow¡­¡± The guards¡¯plexion was not much better than Lu Yan¡¯s. They were Lu Yan¡¯s personal guards. If Lu Yan were to die, they would be buried alive. Their insides were in turmoil but they could only watch wide-eyed at Qi Qingyao as she tried saving him. Qi Qingyao said sternly, ¡°You two, press him down! I¡¯m going to remove the arrow.¡± The guards met each others¡¯ eyes and hurriedly went forth. They each held down one side of Lu Yan¡¯s body. Qi Qingyao gripped the arrow, her emotions turbulent because she knew the moment she pulled out the arrow, he would definitely bleed like a geyser. After steeling herself for a few minutes, Qi Qingyao forcefully pulled the arrow out. As she threw the arrow aside, she saw the spurting of fresh blood. Qi Qingyao realized that the two guards had loosened their grips and she hurriedly pressed down on his chest. The guards looked as if Lu Yan was already dead, and began falling apart in tears. ¡°Stop wailing, he¡¯s not dead yet! Needle and thread, give me the needle and thread!¡± Qi Qingyao instructed roughly, ¡°Go get a few pails of hot water.¡± The two guards rubbed their red eyes and promptly went to fetch the hot water. Qi Qingyao steeled herself. Alone, she stitched up the wound on his chest. At that, Lu Yan¡¯splexion was still ghastly pale like a ghost¡¯s. After stitching up the wound, she then dabbed some basic wound treating medicine on his chest! She would first give his body some time to rest before she blended the rest of the medicine and apply it on him! After she bandaged him. The two guards came in carrying hot water. ¡°I¡¯ve already stitched up the wound and given him the medicine.¡± Qi Qingyao wiped the sweat on her forehead. She began using the hot water to clean the bloodstains beyond the bandages on his body. ¡°If he can make it through the night, there¡¯ll be hope of him living. If not, we will need to prepare for whates after.¡± The guards, ¡°¡­¡± Qi Qingyao instructed someone to bring her an inkstone, a brush, and some paper and at once scribbled down some prescriptions. She then got the guards to go and get the ingredients immediately. Fortunately, there was a pharmacy under the Senluo Chamber of Commerce next to them. Whatever medicine they needed, they could very quickly get hold of them. Qi Qingyao began pounding the medicine. ¡°You two, I¡¯ll look after him tonight. You can go down first.¡± The guards, ¡°¡­¡± Seeing them not moving, Qi Qingyao added, ¡°He¡¯s too wounded now. If there are too many people in the building, the air will get impure! So head down and I¡¯ll keep watch here.¡± The guards, ¡°¡­¡± Qi Qingyao said exasperatedly, ¡°If you guys really want to, just stand guard outside!¡± She was not actually chasing them out for fear of the air getting tainted. She was actually incredibly nervous and did not want the guards to realize that she, the doctor, was the most nervous one in the room! The guards looked at each other, then turned and left. Qi Qingyao pounded the medicine as she watched Lu Yan who was still unconscious, looking as if he had already died. She thought to herself that the wound had been really close to his heart but probably did not hit it. However, only God knew if the man¡¯s heart was slightly inclined to the side or not! If it was¡­ then the man would not live to see another day. ¡°Lu Yan, you can¡¯t die! ¡°If you die, I fear the entire Lu family will bury me alive. ¡°So, I¡¯m earnestly praying to you, please don¡¯t die. You have to be alivee tomorrow morning.¡± Qi Qingyao muttered as she looked at Lu Yan. She mixed therge pile of medicinal herbs and after mashing the medicine into a fine paste, she set a portion aside and then stored the rest in arge can. She unwrapped his bandages and smeared the freshly pounded medicine onto his wound. Qi Qingyao sat by the bed and began waiting as calmly as she could. With more calmness came more anxiety. As the sky gradually darkened, Qi Qingyao lit a candle and quietly watched over the man in the bed. She hated this kind of situation the most, having someone take an arrow for her. Looking back, it was tantamount to her owing Lu Yan a favor. So be it. She would just treat his disorder and not ask for a consultation fee. Qi Qingyao¡¯s mind was filled with gloom. When it was midnight, she suddenly realized that Lu Yan¡¯splexion had changed from ghastly pale to bright red. He looked as if he was experiencing a momentary recovery right before death. She cursed silently. Writing down a prescription and the decoction method, she rushed to the gate and opened the door. The two guards sat up, rubbing their eyes blearily. ¡°Has the master awakened?¡± ¡°He¡¯s running a fever! Go boil the medicine, with haste!¡± Qi Qingyao threw the prescription to them. The two guards said nothing, immediately running faster than a rabbit as they hurried to go and boil the medicine! Since this was an emergency medicine, they boiled the medicine directly over a high fire before they sent it over. The two entered the room one after the other and brought the medicine to the bedside. Qi Qingyao was sitting on the head of the bed and helped Lu Yan sit up a little. ¡°I¡¯ll hold him up, you two feed him the medicine.¡± The guards blew on the boiling hot medicine. One of them pried open Lu Yan¡¯s mouth. However, the medicine they fed came flowing back out of his mouth and the guards cried in a panic. ¡°D¡ªdoctor, he¡¯s not drinking it¡­¡± Qi Qingyao held her forehead, her whole head drenched in sweat. ¡°He can¡¯t even drink medicine now that he¡¯s unconscious, darn it!!¡± She sighed heavily. Qi Qingyao motioned for one of the guards toe over and support Lu Yan up halfway. Then, she said resolutely, ¡°Give me the medicine!¡± As the guard held up Lu Yan¡¯s body, Qi Qingyao went forth and took a mouthful of the medicine. With one hand, she forced Lu Yan¡¯s mouth open before directly using her mouth to force the medicine into his. With a deep exhale, she let the medicine roll down his throat. The guards were stunned at this scene but they dared not say anything. The medicine was so bitter that Qi Qingyao¡¯s expression stiffened. She muttered angrily, her words muffled, ¡°You better not die, Lu.¡± Cursing, she used her mouth to pass another mouthful of medicine into Lu Yan. Fortunately, there was not much inside the bowl of medicine. Within five to six mouthfuls, the base of the bowl could already be seen. After feeding him all the medicine, Qi Qingyao¡¯s face wrinkled up. ¡°F*ck, it¡¯s so bitter!¡± She motioned for the guards toy Lu Yan out t. The guards looked in panic at the man who was burning up. ¡°Doctor!¡± Qi Qingyao waved her hand, expression dark as she said, ¡°Keep boiling the medicine, give me three more brews of this medicine! Boil it over a slow me this time, and we¡¯ll continue feeding him after three hours!¡± At once, the two guards cupped a hand over their fists in obeisance. ¡°As youmand!¡± After Qi Qingyao tidied the bed, she went out. There were still servants keeping guard in the courtyard. Qi Qingyao requested for them to brew some tea and bring it over. The servants scuttled away immediately to prepare it. ¡°Remember to make it as strong as you can!¡± ¡°Understood!¡± They soon brought the tea over. Qi Qingyao looked at the pot of strong tea and drank a few sips. The tea was much too concentrated and was starting to be bitter. Qi Qingyao frowned. In the end, she just sat there till morning came. The second brew of medicine had been boiled. After it was delivered, Qi Qingyao eyed the concentrated medicine and sighed ruefully. ¡°His fever hasn¡¯t receded. Hopefully with this medicine, there¡¯ll be some improvement.¡± Qi Qingyao fed him the medicine the same way as before. Herplexion became even worse this time. This f*cking medicine was ten times more bitter than the medicine fromst night or the tea! If she had known, she would have just taken the arrow herself! At least she would be in aa, which was much better than just staying here like a fool! During noon, Qi Qingyao fed Lu Yan another portion of the medicine. She even changed the medicine for his wound, and rebandaged it. Soon it was evening, and night was approaching. The entire grounds began to cloud up before sleet started pattering down. Dong Jing knocked on the door once. He waited for Qi Qingyao to answer before pushing the door open and entering. He noticed that Qi Qingyao was sitting at the head of the bed like a statue. ¡°Mistress, has our master awakened?¡± ¡°Not yet. His fever has not receded.¡± Qi Qingyao let out a yawn, suppressing her drowsiness as she answered quietly. ¡°¡­¡± Dong Jing noticed that the face of the man on the bed was bright red, as if his fever had not subsided. As for the person waiting by the bed, the tangled blood vessels in the whites of their eyes stood out quite clearly. Blood had also intertwined in the ck of their pupils. Her eyes, forced wide open with effort, were obviously dull with sleepiness, but she was struggling to maintain thest ray of rity. Dong Jing felt that it was getting hard for Lady Qi so he went up to her and said, ¡°I¡¯ve looked into most of the things you asked of me.¡± ¡°Speak.¡± Qi Qingyao tilted her head slightly as she let out another yawn. She hurriedly drank a cup of tea to preserve thest of her wakefulness. Dong Jing¡¯s eyes were also bloodshot. ¡°It was a rank nine archer.¡± Qi Qingyao almost smacked the table. ¡°Nonsense! Of course I know it¡¯s an archer. And since they were able to shoot the arrow from that far made it obvious they were experts. So them being a rank nine is nothing surprising. I wanted you to find out who they were!!¡± Dong Jing felt embarrassed for a bit before continuing, ¡°There are three people in the world who are ranked nine archers. They are Na Lanjie from Wushuang, Gao Zhongchan, a follower of the Shen family in Eastern Ling, and the leader of the imperial guards of the Southern Ming Imperial Pce, Wuying.¡± Qi Qingyao pulled a chair to the head of the bed and asked Dong Jing to take a seat. She even poured him a cup of tea. She then said, ¡°Eastern Ling? Gao family? A follower? The assant can¡¯t possibly be Gao Zhongchan or the leader of the imperial guards of Southern Ming Imperial Pce. Why would they suddenlye to Qingzhou City looking for trouble? So that leaves this person from Wushuang City. That said, what is Wushuang City even? Where is it? Is it in Northern Liang?¡± Dong Jing realized that she really did not know and could only exin, ¡°Mydy, I can¡¯t exin the situation with Wushuang City clearly in just a few sentences. Do you know the Zhaixing Administration?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t,¡± Qi Qingyao said, lowering her eyelids. Dong Jing continued, ¡°The Zhaixing Administration is the strongest intelligence organization in the maind.¡± ¡°¡­oh.¡± That sounded very impressive. ¡°There is a most notable organization in the maind, called the Wushuang Ghost Organization,¡± said Dong Jing seriously. ¡°So this Wushuang refers to Wushuang City, I get it. Then what does the Ghost Organization refer to?¡± It sounded like an unusual thing. Dong Jing scratched his head and said, ¡°It¡¯s called the Ghost Organization because the building doesn¡¯t have a sign so no one knows what it¡¯s called. Eventually, people just called it the Ghost Organization.¡± ¡°There is a building without a sign in Wushuang City, I get it.¡± It was sounding even more unusual now. Dong Jing continued awkwardly, ¡°It¡¯s rather embarrassing talking about it. No one knows where Wushuang City is. No one knows either if the ghost organization even exists¡­ because no one has seen it.¡± ¡°If no one has seen it before then where did the news of it originate?¡± How mysterious. Dong Jing continued, ¡°Considering the existence of the Zhaixing Administration, the Ghost Organization is divided into three halls and four chambers. The three halls are, the Wanhua Hall, which is in charge of drug research and medical treatment and houses only top-notch doctors; Wenchun Hall, which is in charge of nning and goal settings and is filled with advisers; and Pili Hall, which is responsible for the development of secret weapons and the punishment and purging of rebels. The four chambers are, the Zhaixing Administration which collects and delivers information; the Wangyue Administration that is in charge of infiltration and undercover work; the Qilin Administration which handles public finance, and the Xuanwu Administration that is in charge of assassinations!¡± After a pause, Dong Jing added, ¡°Everyone likes to buy information from the Zhaixing Administration.¡± A ghost organization that dealt with information. Qi Qingyao quickly sorted through this information. ¡°So what you mean to say is that Na Lanjie is possibly part of this ghost organization. The one who attacked is also possibly him.¡± Dong Jing also felt that he was the assant. ¡°By means of elimination, there¡¯s no one else but him.¡± The ghost organization? F*ck. ¡°Have I offended a ghost organization?¡± Qi Qingyao sighed helplessly as she cradled her forehead. ¡°Could Jiang Siliu have hired Na Lanjie with a hefty sum to kill me?¡± Her sleep-addled mind was bing more irritable after learning these terrible things. Dong Jing said, ¡°That¡¯s impossible. The Jiang family knows that you are close to the master, and they wouldn¡¯t want to offend the Lu family. The Jiang family who has chosen to avoid conflict from the start wouldn¡¯t choose to do something stupid at a time like this. That said, Na Lanjie is not some small character that anyone can hire either.¡± Even if Qi Qingyao was sleepy, her brain was still online. ¡°So does that mean that someone among the upper echelons of the ghost organization is messing with me?¡± ¡°This servant thinks so,¡± Dong Jing replied seriously. ¡°Now that we have a clue, let¡¯s stop here.¡± The ghost organization¡­ she would keep this in mind. Qi Qingyao yawned. ¡°There are some things that can¡¯t be figured out overnight. I¡¯ll have to be careful in the future. ¡± Dong Jing poured himself a bowl of tea and drank it in one gulp. Qi Qingyao stuck her legs up and looked at Lu Yan. ¡°Dong Jing, change his medicine.¡± Dong Jing acknowledged her order with a grunt. Peeling back the nkets, he unwrapped the bandages and prepared to change the medicine for Lu Yan. He paused all of a sudden and hurriedly called for Qi Qingyao to take a look. Qi Qingyao stretched out her head to see what he was pointing at. ¡°Sh*t, it¡¯s starting to fester around the wound. We need to relieve the fever as soon as possible!¡± Even though Dong Jing was anxious, he did not dare scream. He could only look pleadingly at Qi Qingyao. Qi Qingyao rubbed her chin. ¡°It seems that the fever-reducing medicine alone is not enough. Get me a big bag of ice cubes! Hurry.¡± Dong Jing quickly went to prepare the ice cubes. Qi Qingyao, meanwhile, walked to the side and opened the window! She let the cool air flow in invitingly. The portion of fever-reducing medicine for that night was soon delivered. Dong Jing had also just delivered the ice cubes. Qi Qingyao had Dong Jing stuff the ice cubes into the nkets immediately! She then instructed Dong Jing to help Lu Yan up to a sitting position. After that, Qi Qingyao took a sip of the medicine, intending to pass it to Lu Yan directly. Dong Jing was stunned at what he saw. ¡°Mydy?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t make a fuss. He can¡¯t drink the medicine by himself.¡± Qi Qingyao identally swallowed a bit of the fever-reducing medicine¡ªit was so bitter her expression wrinkled up. She handed Dong Jing the medicine bowl, ¡°Why don¡¯t you feed him this way?¡± Dong Jing looked at her expression and knew that thedy was not doing this to take advantage of Lu Yan. He hurriedly said, ¡°Nonono, it¡¯s better if you do it. You¡¯re the doctor!¡± ¡°If it weren¡¯t for him saving me¡­¡± Qi Qingyao cursed while she passed all the medicine to Lu Yan. It was so bitter that she ran to the side and grabbed an apple immediately after she was done, munching away at it. Dong Jing did not know whether tough or cry when he saw this. ¡°Mydy, you¡¯ve watched over the master for a day and a night now. You should go get some rest, I¡¯ll keep watch.¡± ¡°No! I will watch over him! It¡¯s my moral obligation, or I¡¯ll have a guilty conscience.¡± If Lu Yan were to really kick the bucket here, she had to be the first to witness it! Then she must prepare herself mentally to be buried alive! ¡°¡­¡± Dong Jing was incredibly moved, he wiped the tears at the corners of his eyes. Qi Qingyao had him go take a rest first. ¡°Go to sleep first, I reckon he¡¯ll be up tomorrow. When you¡¯re well-rested, I¡¯ll have you take my shift.¡± Dong Jing understood Qi Qingyao¡¯s intentions and did not argue with her anymore. Qi Qingyao looked after Lu Yan alone. When midnight came, she fed him medicine again. She was so sleepy that her eyelids had been glued together ages ago, but she still forced herself to maintain her rity. Sitting in the room surrounded by piercing cold winds, Qi Qingyao was chilled to the bone. In the middle of the night, Lu Yan¡¯s fever seemed to have receded from the continuous servings of medicine. She hurriedly ran to shut the windows, then added some charcoal to the brazier. Dawn arrived. After two days and two nights of sleeplessness, Qi Qingyao¡¯s spirit had reached its limit. Her consciousness was getting a little blurry. She thought to herself that if Lu Yan was still going to remain unconscious, she would be happy to plunge a knife into him and be done with it. In the end, after another half hour¡­ Lu Yan, whose fever had receded, finally opened his mouth in a daze. ¡°Water¡­¡± Qi Qingyao gave a start and jumped. She hurriedly grabbed a tea bowl and gave it to him. ¡°You wanted water?¡± Qi Qingyao passed the tea bowl to his mouth. She only realized after making sure that he had gulped down the contents that¡ªoh no¡ªshe had given him the tea! However, what was done was done¡­ After drinking the bitter tea, Lu Yan was a little more awake. He almost could not hold back the grimace due to the pain in his chest. Lifting his heavy hands, he rubbed his eyes. ¡°You¡­¡± His voice was unbelievably hoarse. ¡­ Jiang Yeqian had been waiting for news from Na Lanjie ever since he gave out the order that night. In the end, he waited two days and still had not received a report from Na Lanjie. Before Na Lanjie even returned, he instead received the news that Lu Yan had been heavily injured! Jiang Yeqian¡¯s expression darkened. It seemed that they did not manage to figure out Si Jin¡¯s skills. Instead, Lu Yan had sacrificed himself! He sent people to investigate the Qi Residence. The guards at the Qi Residence were like iron barrels, their defense so foolproof that even a mosquito would not be able to get in! They did not manage to learn anything. Qi Qingyao and Lu Yan also seemed to have disappeared into thin air. Jiang Yeqian was so angry that he threw a tantrum at Tan Xiangdie. ¡°It¡¯s all because of your stupid suggestion! Now not only have we not managed to feel out Si Jin¡¯s skills, Lu Yan has gotten hurt instead.¡± ¡°Can you really me me?¡± Tan Xiangdie was not just unhappy, he was also somewhat worried. Lu Yan was wounded. The situation was now¡­ difficult. With the Lu family¡¯s power, the attack would definitely be thoroughly investigated once Lu Yan recovered. While they did instruct Na Lanjie to use different arrows¡­ there were only three rank nine archers in the world, just that few! Would they be able to hide given that? Tan Xiangdie was utterly depressed. Why had the youth named Si Jin not been by Qi Qingyao¡¯s side? Instead, Lu Yan had been the one to take the arrow. He said, puzzled, ¡°Considering Lu Yan¡¯s personality, do you think he¡¯s the kind to take an arrow for someone else?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Jiang Yeqian opened his mouth, his expression gloomy. Chapter 331 - His Confession 1

Chapter 331: His Confession 1

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Qi Qingyao rubbed her eyes, preserving her final strand of consciousness. ¡°You¡¯re finally awake. You really scared me. I thought you were going to kick the bucket.¡± Lu Yan, ¡°...¡± What a way to speak! ¡°Talk a little.¡± Qi Qingyao was afraid he might faint again. Lu Yan had drunk the tea but his throat still felt very dry. His head was spinning and his consciousness was still a little blurry. However, noticing Qi Qingyao¡¯s bloodshot eyes, he blearily thought, ¡®She can¡¯t possibly have been here the whole time?¡¯ Qi Qingyao suddenly realized the servant hade to deliver the medicine again. She said casually, ¡°Since you¡¯re up,e and drink this medicine.¡± ¡°One is a fever-reducing medicine and the other is medicine to treat the wound.¡± Since Lu Yan was awake now, it was naturally much more convenient for him to drink the medicine himself. After having him swallow the medicine, Qingyao sighed with relief. She said, ¡°I¡¯ve changed the medicine on your chest wound. And you¡¯ve also taken your medicine! Quicklyy down and sleep.¡± Lu Yan¡¯s mind was hazy and he had no energy to think much more about other things. His consciousness flickering out, he once again fell into a slumber. ¡°Dong Jing!¡± Qi Qingyao saw the silhouette passing by the front door and shouted, ¡°Get in here and take care of your master!¡± Dong Jing came in. Qi Qingyao pointed at Lu Yan and said, ¡°He¡¯s passed the critical stage and has woken up just now. What¡¯s next is to take care of his injury until it heals. As for me! I can¡¯t stand this anymore, I need to go to sleep!¡± Dong Jing nodded nkly. He vaguely indicated his understanding. Qi Qingyao yawned as she went to the next room to sleep. She did not even take off her clothes. Head pressed to the bed, she quickly fell fast asleep... Dong Jing remained by the head of the bed. As he watched over Lu Yan, he looked at the condition of the man on the bed and could not help but feel his heart clench. He med himself for not taking better care of his master! After he left to settle everything he had been assigned to do, he came back inside and vigntly sat watch by the head of the bed. When the time came for the master to take his afternoon dose of medicine, Dong Jing gently woke Lu Yan up. ¡°Master, it¡¯s time for your medicine.¡± After Lu Yan was woken up, he realized that there was only Dong Jing by the head of the bed. The first thing he said was, ¡°Where is she?¡± ¡°Thedy is still asleep in the next room,¡± Dong Jing exined. ¡°She had been keeping watch over you ever since you got hurt. She hasn¡¯t gotten any shut-eye for a day and two nights! She only went to rest when she saw that you woke up just now.¡± Lu Yan, ¡°???¡± That woman had watched over him for that long? After Lu Yan drank his medicine, he asked Dong Jing to support him to a sitting position. ¡°You¡¯re still hurt, you can¡¯t get up.¡± ¡°I¡¯m only hurt in the chest, not my behind!¡± Lu Yan said sourly. After the admonishment, Dong Jing saw no way around it and could only help the master up. Although he was still weak, Lu Yan was not one to lie there waiting to die. After sitting up, he turned to the left unaided and actually tried to get out of bed. This instantly frightened Dong Jing. Lu Yan waved his hand and told him that it was fine. After getting off the bed, Dong Jing hurriedly helped Lu Yan put on some clothes and then made the brazier in the room burn brighter. The pain in Lu Yan¡¯s chest was intense. He asked Dong Jing if there was anything to eat, and the servant immediately requested for someone to prepare some food. Not long after that, a few dishes that were adequate for a recovering patient were brought in, along with clear congee and almond milk tea. Lu Yan sat on the arhat couch. He spoke while he ate. ¡°The news of my injury has been kept from the public, I assume?¡± ¡°This servant did not publicize it,¡± Dong Jing said. ¡°Thedy had me look into the attack and I found the first clue.¡± Before he had even gotten into the finer details, Lu Yan¡¯s eyes were already wide open. ¡°A rank-nine archer? You found a clue?¡± Dong Jing did not expect that the master would already know the assant¡¯s background without him mentioning their rank. He said, ¡°By method of elimination, it should be Na Lanjie of Wushuang City.¡± ¡°Na Lanjie. He wants to kill Qi Qingyao. But why?¡± Lu Yan¡¯s chopsticks paused. It did not make sense, why would someone from Wushuang City want to kill Qi Qingyao? Were they even rted in any way? Could it be Jiang Siliu who instigated it? That was impossible too, however¡ªthe Jiang family did not have that much power! Dong Jing continued, ¡°Thedy dreads that she might have offended someone from the covert organization. She doesn¡¯t know anything herself but she said she¡¯d figure it out eventually, so there was no rush¡­¡± Lu Yan nodded slightly. For a person from Wushuang City to assassinate Qi Qingyao, they even sent a rank-nine archer. This was¡­ likely impossible to say that there was no hatred behind this! Lu Yan asked, ¡°How¡¯s the situation outside?¡± Dong Jing said, ¡°After the Lantern Festival on the fifteenth, things have been very peaceful in Qingzhou City. No one knows that you¡¯re recuperating here. We had also been buying medicine from the next-door pharmacy that belongs to us so that no news would be leaked.¡± Lu Yan asked, ¡°Where¡¯s Lucky?¡± Dong Jing replied, ¡°The white cat is on the roof of the Qi Residence to create the illusion that you¡¯re still inside the Qi Residence.¡± Lu Yan was more or less done with his food. He said, ¡°We¡¯ll go back to the Qi Residence in the afternoon.¡± ¡°But thedy is still asleep¡­¡± Dong Jing said hurriedly. ¡°Then, we¡¯ll return tomorrow morning.¡± ¡­ ¡­ Qi Qingyao slept all the way till morning the next day before she woke up. She did not wake up naturally, but was awoken by her hunger. After getting up, Qi Qingyao nced at the morning light of dawn trickling in from the east. After washing her face, she went next door to see Lu Yan. She realized that Lu Yan was already well-prepared and was seated on the arhat couch waiting for her. Qi Qingyao was surprised. ¡°What¡¯s up with you? Why aren¡¯t you lying down?¡± ¡°We should head back.¡± ¡°Head back? You need to rest a few more days.¡± Qi Qingyao sat beside him and picked up a piece of pastry before wolfing it down. ¡°I don¡¯t need rest.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°If I rest any more, people will start noticing. It¡¯s best if no one knows I got hurt.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°We should utilize the daylight and hurry home. I can recuperate there just as well.¡± Lu Yan¡¯s arguments made sense to Qi Qingyao so she hurriedly followed him into the carriage to head home. Qi Qingyao was sitting in his carriage this time. Lu Yan did not notice anything amiss when he got into the carriage. When Qi Qingyao got into the carriage as well, he finally realized that the two of them were in the carriage alone. This made Lu Yan suddenly feel tense. Qi Qingyao knew about his disorder and so quietly inched closer to the door, keeping her distance from him. She had studied psychology before. For him, this was something different from ustrophobia. He found it unbearable when someone was in his space¡­ However, she could not just stop breathing now, could she? Qi Qingyao looked at his gradually paling face. Then she called for Dong Jing to stop the carriage. She said to Lu Yan, ¡°It¡¯s better if you take the carriage of your own, I¡¯ll just walk back!¡± Saying this, she was just about to open the door and get out when Lu Yan grabbed her by her arm. Qi Qingyao turned to look back at him curiously. ¡°No need!¡± ¡°What do you mean ¡®no need¡¯? Look at you¡­¡± Qi Qingyao pointed at hisplexion. ¡°I just need to get used to it.¡± Lu Yan loosened his grip and then sat back down. Qi Qingyao had no choice but to sit back down, still as a statue. The journey from Qingyang Lake to the East District was not a short one either. After riding in the carriage for a while, Qi Qingyao began dozing off blearily as she usually did. Soon she fell fast asleep, right next to him. Lu Yan watched on with shock. After she fell asleep. Lu Yan went closer to her. Realizing that the woman was asleep, the feeling of aggression and invasion that he felt reduced significantly, and he allowed himself a sigh with relief. After the carriage eventually arrived at the back gate of the Qi Residence, Lu Yan first got off the carriage. Qi Qingyao was woken up by Dong Jing. She rubbed her eyes and stretched her waist before getting down the carriage as well. The white cat had at some pointe running from the front gate to the back gate. When it saw Lu Yan, it instantly whizzed over and jumped onto his shoulder. It looked like it was expecting Lu Yan to hug it. Lu Yan simply rubbed its head and went in. He whispered, ¡°I¡¯m injured, so I can¡¯t hug you for now.¡± The white cat was stunned. After thinking about something, it jumped down from his shoulder. The white cat stood at the threshold of the door and looked at Qi Qingyao, who came in behind Lu Yan.. It thought, ¡®This woman is rather capable, it¡¯s no wonder Si Jin likes her.¡¯ Chapter 332 - His Confession 1

Chapter 332: His Confession 1

Hearing that Qi Qingyao was back, the three little kids who were sleeping got up immediately. They ran to the hall to wrap their arms around Qi Qingyao¡¯s legs. They were all behaving very cuddly. ¡°Mommy, you¡¯re back.¡± Erniu reached out for a hug. Qi Qingyao smiled and asked, ¡°How have you been these two days? Have you been good?¡± Erniu pursed her lips and said, ¡°I was very good!¡± ¡°You really are mommy¡¯s obedient child!¡± Qi Qingyao eximed. Erniu nodded. Her face was tender, like a cute little bun. After Erniu was given a hug, Dabao and Xiaobao rushed forward, wanting to get theirs as well. Qi Qingyao hugged all three of her little kids, taking in their milky scents. Realizing something, she let go of them immediately and said seriously, ¡°I want to take a hot bath!! ¡± The children, ¡°¡­!!¡± Was it the time to say something like this? It was obvious that the most important thing to do now was to give them hugs! Qi Qingyao quickly ordered the servants to prepare hot water. When it was ready, she took her bathfortably. After the soak, she changed her clothes and walked out, saying refreshingly, ¡°It feels great after taking a bath.¡± The children were holding bowls at the door, looking as if they were waiting for everyone to have a meal together. Qi Qingyao smiled. She went to have breakfast with the kids. Although it was technically just breakfast, there was arge table full of dishes. Si Jin scooped some dishes for her from time to time while he just ate in congee! After Qi Qingyao was done with her meal, she rubbed her belly and sat on her chair in a daze. The children were a little clingy after eating. They wanted to sit together with Qi Qingyao. Qi Qingyao was not sure whether tough or cry right now. Xiaobao said earnestly, ¡°We¡¯ve never been apart from mommy for so many days! Dabao and Erniu miss mommy a lot.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you miss me?¡± Qi Qingyao patted the little guy on the head leisurely. Xiaobao tightened his lips awkwardly; he lowered his eyes and whispered, ¡°I do.¡± Qi Qingyao yed with the kids until noon before they got a little tired. They told her that they wanted to take a nap. After Qi Qingyao coaxed them to sleep, she walked to the side and picked up the arrow that was removed from Lu Yan¡¯s chest. She looked at the arrow for a while and brought it with her as she went to Lu Yan¡¯s courtyard. As soon as she entered, she saw Lu Yan sitting on the soft couch in the main room, meditating. Qi Qingyao raised her eyebrows and said, ¡°It¡¯s better for your body to rest more. It¡¯s good for healing.¡± Lu Yan was now busy drinking tea and he did not respond to her words. He just looked at the arrow in Qi Qingyao¡¯s hand and said, ¡°The arrow in your hand is the arrow from that day, right?¡± Qi Qingyao responded affirmatively. She then stepped forward enthusiastically and plopped down onto one of the chairs. She handed him the arrow and said, ¡°Since you don¡¯t want to rest, let¡¯s discuss it.¡± Lu Yan said briefly, ¡°I asked Dong Jing about it already. The trail broke off the moment your investigation reached Na Lanjie of Wushuang City.¡± Qi Qingyao asked, ¡°What do you think?¡± Lu Yan was silent for a long time, then he said, ¡°Na Lanjie of Wushuang City¡­ If he¡¯s the one making a move, there is no chance of survival.¡± ¡°Through the elimination method, it could only be him,¡± Qi Qingyao said calmly. Lu Yan¡¯s eyebrows drooped¡ªhe was being dead serious. He borated, ¡°His arrows and arrowheads are poisonous. It¡¯s a special poison from the ghost organization. Once the arrow hits, his target will definitely die.¡± Qi Qingyao said solemnly, ¡°But ording to the information given by Dong Jing that day, it is impossible for a retainer of the Shen Family from Eastern Ling, Gao Zhongchan, and the Southern Ming head of imperial guard, Wuying, to try and assassinate me. That only leaves the man that you guys mentioned, Na Lanjie.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve thought about this too.¡± Lu Yan pondered for a moment. His weary eyebrows still carried a hint of seriousness. ¡°It is impossible for the people in the Southern Ming Imperial Pce toe to Qingzhou City. The retainer of the Shen Family from Eastern Ling will note to Qingzhou City as well. However, if it were really Na Lanjie, no one would¡¯ve ever survived that.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡®Is this person that strong?¡¯ Qi Qingyao was silent. Lu Yan said unhurriedly, ¡°He is the top archer of Xuanwu Administration. He is responsible for long-range sniping assassinations. When Na Lanjie strikes, there will be no survivors.¡± Qi Qingyao muttered, ¡°But you survived. Could he be in a bad mood and made a mistake?¡± ¡°Even if the arrow is not poisonous, with an attack from a rank-nine archer, whether it¡¯s me or you, once the arrownds, it is impossible to survive,¡± Lu Yan said anxiously. He coughed and said with cold eyes, ¡°I am acutely aware of my own injuries. The assant didn¡¯t mean to kill. The force of the arrow was well-controlled.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Qi Qingyao was silent. A chill flickered in Lu Yan¡¯s eyes as he said, ¡°If this hidden party tried to assassinate you, there is only one problem.¡± Qi Qingyao noticed that he paused again. ¡°Go on, speak. You¡¯re making me very anxious.¡± Lu Yan looked at her with half a smile. After a while, he said, ¡°Their intentions were not to kill you.¡± Qi Qingyao blinked. Smiling nkly, she said, ¡°They sent a rank-nine archer for the assassination, but the purpose was not to kill. What¡¯s their goal then?¡± Lu Yan said, ¡°This, I have to ask you.¡± ¡°Ask me???¡± How the heck would she know? Lu Yan raised his eyebrows and his eyes darkened. He said, ¡°There might be two reasons. First, the other party wanted you to be injured but he didn¡¯t want you dead. The arrownded on my chest. Based on the height calction, if I didn¡¯t block it, that arrow would have probably struck your shoulder!¡± ¡°¡­¡± Qi Qingyao fell into deep thought. Lu Yan continued, ¡°If he just wanted to injure you without killing you, then the purpose of this arrow is probably¡­ as bait.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡®To bait who?¡¯ Lu Yan¡¯s voice was very soft as he spoke slowly, ¡°Si Jin is always by your side and the boy¡¯s skills are, at the moment, a mystery. It is rumored that he is of rank nine.¡± ¡°He said he¡¯s rank eight,¡± Qi Qingyao murmured. Lu Yan smiled half-heartedly. ¡°After collecting the corpses, the corpse collector from that day checked the injuries of all the dead. It is said that there was no indication that the horse-faced boy suffered any injuries at the time. If he¡¯s rank eight, it would seem that he overcame the assassination attempts that night a little too easily. But if he¡¯s rank nine, it would be odd that there isn¡¯t a single bit of information about him in the world.¡± As Lu Yan spoke, he quietly observed Qi Qingyao¡¯s expression, trying to see if she knew anything. Qi Qingyao did not know what Lu Yan was thinking. She was still analyzing it very seriously. ¡°So, what you mean is that someone wants to test his prowess using Na Lanjie¡¯s arrow?¡± She did not seem to know anything. Lu Yan sighed and said, ¡°It¡¯s possible. But one thing that the other party didn¡¯t consider is that I was next to you that day and Si Jin was apanying the children to buy candied haws.¡± It was the other party¡¯s miscalction. Qi Qingyao raised her eyebrows. ¡°If Si Jin was by my side that day, and if he is rank nine¡­¡± Before she finished speaking, Lu Yan said firmly, ¡°Wait, something¡¯s wrong.¡± He spoke too loudly at that moment and it immediately affected the injury on his chest. The pain made him wince. Qi Qingyao, ¡°?¡± Lu Yan pondered for a while and said, ¡°If they were trying to test whether or not Si Jin is rank nine, it is unreasonable for them to use a simr rank nine archer to test it.¡± An archer¡¯s long-range snipe was not a melee attack. A rank eight archer would be enough to test if Si Jin was a rank-nine. It would be overkill to send a rank-nine archer. ¡°The Ghost Administration dispatched their top rank-nine archer from the Xuanwu Administration. Everyone knows that once a rank-nine archer strikes, no one could survive it. Even if the target was a top rank-nine powerhouse, it is impossible to stop the arrow of the rank-nine archer! The only one who can stop the arrow is a grand master-level expert.¡± ¡°You mean¡­¡± Some parts of the picture were beginning to form in Qi Qingyao¡¯s mind. Lu Yan¡¯s eyes narrowed into slits and he said nonchntly, ¡°The Zhaixing Administration can¡¯t find any relevant information on Si Jin. If he is rank nine, then he is the only rank nine with no existing information or history. However, he is also currently in Qingzhou City! The Zhaixing Administration might be suspecting that Si Jin is a grand master expert and that he was the one behind the Lingyun Restaurant massacre that day. So, the Ghost Administration sent the top archer of the Xuanwu Administration to test him. It turned out that things went awry¡­ and they did not get to test him.¡± Qi Qingyao jumped up from the chair suddenly, ¡°Si Jin is a grand master-level powerhouse? How could it be possible?¡± ¡®You¡¯re talking about grand master-level. ¡®Are you freaking kidding me?¡¯ Lu Yan motioned for her to sit down. He said, ¡°I also feel it¡¯s impossible. There are only seven grand masters in the world. Grand masters are not asmon as cabbages! Even I am only a rank six. Think about it, rank nines are already very rare, let alone grand masters. How old is Si Jin? It¡¯s impossible for him to be at the grand master level.¡± After she listened to him, Qi Qingyao said, ¡°The people from the Ghost Administration are crazy.¡± Lu Yan raised his eyebrows and remained silent. ¡®How could the people of the Ghost Administration be this delusional?¡¯ ¡®Even though the Zhaixing Administration could not find out information of Si Jin, Si Jin had told Qi Qingyao that he was rank eight. However, during that battle, Si Jin showed the strength of rank nine. What¡¯s even going on?¡¯ ¡®Could it be that¡­ he really has the strength of a grand master?¡¯ However, Lu Yan immediately denied this possibility. It was most likely because Si Jin looked like he was only seventeen or eighteen years old. How could a child of seventeen or eighteen years old be a grand master? The Ghost Administration must be mistaken! Before Qi Qingyao and Lu Yan were done with their conversation, Steward Zhang came to report that someone was looking for her outside. Qi Qingyao walked out while asking who it was. Steward Zhang said it was the Head Grand Secretariat. Qi Qingyao, ¡°??¡± ¡®Who is the Head Grand Secretariat!?¡¯ As she was about to ask the question, when she suddenly recalled that Jiang Yeqian might be this Head Grand Secretariat¡­ However, what could have made the Head Grand Secretariate to the Qi Residence so publicly¡­ What did hee here for? Chapter 333 - His Confession 3

Chapter 333: His Confession 3

Qi Qingyao entered the hall and, in one nce, she saw Jiang Yeqian who was already seated and drinking tea. Si Jin was sitting opposite Jiang Yeqian, looking at him a little angrily. Qi Qingyao smiled faintly and sat down, saying, ¡°Head Grand Secretariat, you¡¯ve graced us with your presence. I wonder what we can do for you.¡± Jiang Yeqian got up. He only felt a semnce of calm after seeing that she was emaciated but not hurt. He had received news from Zhao Xin that morning that a carriage had entered the back gates of the Qi Residence at dawn. He had guessed at that time that Lu Yan had awakened and the group was rushing back to the mansion so that he could recuperate. At the end of the day, he was the one who assigned Na Lanjie to do this and Jiang Yeqian med himself a little for it. That was why he had made a trip here. It was best not to tell the truth now, however. She asked him what he wanted and Jiang Yeqian replied dryly, ¡°I just¡­ came to see you.¡± Qi Qingyao grabbed a bowl of tea from the side and said, ¡°To see me? What¡¯s there to see?¡± Jiang Yeqian had a lot of things he wanted to say but he froze up instantly, unable to let out even a peep. He had never met such a blockhead of a woman. After contemting for a long time, he finally said, ¡°There¡¯s something I wish to discuss with you, alone.¡± Qi Qingyao asked indifferently, ¡°What is it?¡± Jiang Yeqian first looked toward Si Jin, and there was a spark in his eyes as he said, ¡°All of you leave first. There¡¯s something I want to discuss with her alone.¡± Si Jin did not bother with Jiang Yeqian¡¯s request and simply looked at Qi Qingyao. He waited for Qi Qingyao to nod before he obediently left. Steward Zhang and the others had also retreated some distance away. Instantly, only the two of them were left in the hall. The atmosphere was frigid. Qi Qingyao poured herself a cup of tea leisurely. After taking a sip, she picked up some sunflower seeds from the te, watching Jiang Yeqian silently. Starting to get bored, she thought to herself why it was that whenever someone came looking for her, she always had to be the one to say something first. Qi Qingyao put down the sunflower seeds and said in an annoyed tone, ¡°You came all the way here looking for me. If you don¡¯t have anything important to say, I would suspect that you¡¯re up to something.¡± ¡®That¡¯s why you have something to say but aren¡¯t saying it.¡¯ Jiang Yeqian actually just came to see her but if he were to give that as his reason, she would not ept it anyway. So, he could only say, ¡°I spent a fortune recently on some information.¡± ¡°What information?¡± Qi Qingyao asked lightly. Jiang Yeqian half-closed his eyes. After thinking for a second, he then answered, ¡°Information on¡­ what happened to you four years ago in Qingzhou City. About who was the one who robbed your innocence.¡± Qi Qingyao was slightly stunned but not particrly curious as to why he had gone and investigated this. The corners of her lips flickered. ¡°Could the Head Grand Secretariat havee all the way here intending to resell the information to me?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Resell? How could she even think that? Jiang Yeqian¡¯s expression turned ghastly as he said, ¡°I was thinking of giving it to you for free.¡± ¡°In that case, thank you,¡± said Qi Qingyao in a leisurely manner, her expression calm. Nevertheless, she was genuinely curious. Jiang Yeqian said, ¡°There¡¯s nothing.¡± It was Qi Qingyao¡¯s turn to feel utterly confused. ¡°What do you mean there¡¯s nothing?¡± Jiang Yeqian answered seriously, ¡°The results from the Zhaixing Administration¡¯s search came up with nothing.¡± Qi Qingyao raised her voice all of a sudden, saying, ¡°Found nothing? The Zhaixing Administration, the famous intelligence organization, actually doesn¡¯t know who slept with this good-for-nothing Qi Qingyao four years ago! Looks like the Zhaixing Administration¡¯s reputation is also good-for-nothing! ¡± Her degradingments on the Zhaixing Administration made Jiang Yeqian¡¯s expression turn rather ugly. He said awkwardly, ¡°The intelligence report says that Qi Qingyao disappeared four years ago after leaving her aunt¡¯s house. You¡¯re not some ugly woman, so there¡¯s no reason for there to be no clues at all.¡± Qi Qingyao said with a mocking sneer, ¡°That¡¯s right, I¡¯m not ugly. How is it possible that the investigative capabilities of the Zhaixing Administration were still unable to find out who I slept with four years ago, it¡¯s such a simple incident! The Zhaixing Administration is so damn useless. I previously had a little admiration for them before, but that admiration is fed to the dogs.¡± He could not tell her the truth but hearing her insult them left a bad taste in Jiang Yeqian¡¯s mouth. Softly, he said, ¡°You can¡¯t say that either.¡± ¡°Then what am I supposed to say?¡± Qi Qingyao raised her brows and continued, ¡°Could it be that the Zhaixing Administration did find something but they just don¡¯t feel like telling you?¡± Jiang Yeqian said nothing in response to her query. He could not. He could not reveal that he was the head of the Zhaixing Administration, so he could only maintain his silence. Qi Qingyao was also quiet. She was thinking about something. If even the greatest intelligence organization in the maind was unable to find anything, then it seemed that that incident from four years ago was definitely something big. ¡°You know how to get in touch with the Zhaixing Administration, yes? Tell me how!¡± Even though Qi Qingyao said this, she was afraid that he would not oblige. So she hurriedly took out a tael of silver from her bosom. ¡°I¡¯ll buy the information on the method of contacting the Zhaixing Administration.¡± Jiang Yeqian did not ept the silver. He said, ¡°Why do you want to contact the Zhaixing Administration?¡± Qi Qingyao shrugged and ced the silver on the table to the side. She said, ¡°For the same reason as you, of course. I want to buy information. Having someone run investigations for me would save me a lot of trouble.¡± ¡°What do you want to investigate?¡± Jiang Yeqian asked. Qi Qingyao thought for a bit before answering, ¡°I have nothing to look into yet. I just want a way to contact them, just in case. It¡¯ll make things easier if there is something I want to look into in the future.¡± Jiang Yeqian, ¡°¡­¡± So that was the case. He briefly told her how to buy information from the Zhaixing Administration. Qi Qingyao beamed with joy and stuffed a tael of silver in his arms. ¡°Since you¡¯re done, you can leave now,¡± Qi Qingyao said. Jiang Yeqian was stunned. ¡°I gave you such a big piece of information and you won¡¯t even invite me to stay for a drink?¡± he asked. Qi Qingyao asked back coolly, ¡°What did you give me? Was your information not fruitless? How was this even qualified as information?¡± Jiang Yeqian replied sternly, ¡°Theck of an oue is an oue nheless.¡± ¡°You¡¯re really good at bullshitting.¡± Qi Qingyao stuck a finger into her ear and stared at him sharply. ¡°Your Excellency, we¡¯re not bound by anything. You¡¯vee to my house unannounced and have stayed for a long time. As you know, my house is being secretly watched by the many different gangs in Qingzhou City. If someone were to ask about our rtionship and why you came looking for me, what am I supposed to answer?¡± What did she mean by ¡®how was she supposed to answer¡¯? She could just say that they were¡­ reaching this thought, Jiang Yeqian called out loudly, ¡°Qi Qingyao.¡± Qi Qingyao, ¡°¡­???¡± Jiang Yeqian, ¡°I¡­¡± He wanted to say, ¡®I like you!¡¯ However, when he reached that point, it felt as if something had glued his mouth together. He could not say it out no matter what. Qi Qingyao looked at him as he hemmed and hawed, his eyes dodging her. She cradled her forehead helplessly. ¡°All therades I¡¯ve recently encountered are so bad at speaking, always stuttering and stumbling. What a pain in the balls.¡± Jiang Yeqian repeated nkly, ¡°Pain in the¡­balls.¡± Qi Qingyao continued sighing. ¡°I have balls in my heart, and they hurt.¡± Jiang Yeqian, ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Is there anything else? If not, then I do not wish to disturb Your Excellency any longer¡­¡± Qi Qingyao was walking away as she said this. After opening the door, she called out to Steward Zhang who was standing beneath thettice wall some distance away, ¡°Steward Zhang, there¡¯s no need for you to send off the guest.¡± Having been chased out forcefully, Jiang Yeqian looked at the scenery outside the Qi Residence and gave a long sigh. After that, he returned to that restaurant. Fourth floor. Tan Xiangdie saw the maning in somewhat dejectedly and calmly asked, ¡°Why did you go looking for her today?¡± ¡°I couldn¡¯t sit still, I wanted to see her,¡± Jiang Yeqian replied in a low voice. Tan Xiangdie looked at him and said in an odd tone, ¡°I say, if you like her, just confess. If you don¡¯t, someone is going to snatch her away and when somebody does, I¡¯ll be d to see what you¡¯ll do.¡± Jiang Yeqian nced at him. He did not answer him directly but changed the subject and said, ¡°I received news that Li Ruoxuan will arrive in Qingzhou City tomorrow.¡± Tan Xiangdie was shocked. ¡°He¡¯s really fast.¡± Jiang Yeqian kept his expression in check and said, ¡°In two days, important figures from the Eastern Ling, Southern Ming, and Western Zhou nations will also arrive one after another to investigate the murder case of a grand master level.¡± ¡°Things in Qingzhou City are about to get lively.¡± Tan Xiangdie snickered and added, ¡°Going back to what I said, if you like her you best confess soon.¡± Jiang Yeqian, ¡°¡­¡± Tan Xiangdie said softly, ¡°If she finds out that you are the person who attempted an assassination on her in hope of luring Si Jin to intercept the attack, I think you can forget about your confession ever seeding! So, before things get revealed, you best tell her soon!¡± Jiang Yeqian, ¡°¡­¡± Chapter 334 - His Confession 4

Chapter 334: His Confession 4

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion The children were sleeping in their room. After Qi Qingyao sent Jiang Yeqian off, she sat alone in the hall, thinking about what Jiang Yeqian had just said with a frown. Si Jin was munching on puffed rice candy at the side, his expression concerned as he watched her. When the white cat came scurrying and hopping into Si Jin¡¯sp, Si Jin carried it and went out. After a while, Lu Yan, whoseplexion was still pale, came walking in. He sat on the arhat couch beside the stove table, stoking the mes of the brazier for a while before he spoke. ¡°What were you thinking about?¡± ¡°Let me tell you a story, as a friend.¡± Qi Qingyao picked up the rattle on the nearby stove table and shook it. It was one of the three kids¡¯ toys. Lu Yan said, ¡°Speak.¡± Qi Qingyao shook the rattle again and calmly recounted, ¡°Four years ago, no, it¡¯s already the end of the Lunar New Year now so it should be, five years ago! I¡­ I went to my aunt¡¯s house in Qingzhou City¡­ as a guest! Then¡­ you know, I came back a few dayster, and after that I became pregnant and gave birth to triplets!¡± ¡°A lot of people know this.¡± Lu Yan¡¯s expression was much calmer than hers. He even seemed a little curious why Qi Qingyao had now suddenly begun thinking about this. Qi Qingyao continued unhurriedly, ¡°Did you know that my memories about this particr incident arepletely nk? That is, my memory is nk from the moment I left my aunt¡¯s home. I can¡¯t recall what happened.¡± Lu Yan suddenly felt a little sorry for her because he thought that she might have experienced something simr to what he had. The only thing different between the two of them was their sex. He was a man and could not get pregnant. She was a woman¡­ and was left to bear children. Lu Yan said, ¡°It could be that the memory from that time was too painful and you¡¯ve chosen to forget about them.¡± Qi Qingyao was mostly very logical so she did not notice the sympathy and bitterness in Lu Yan¡¯s words. She even replied rather seriously, ¡°Someone had the Zhaixing Administration investigate what happened to me back then, and they said that the intelligence report from the Zhaixing Administration found nothing, which means there was nothing to be found.¡± ¡°Is it Jiang Yeqian?¡± Lu Yan instinctively asked. ¡°How did you know?¡± Qi Qingyao asked. Lu Yan smiled and said, ¡°He had deliberatelye to the mansion looking for you and you chased him away in a hurry. This means that you found whatever he had to say to you unsatisfactory. You found what he said boring and chased him away.¡± Qi Qingyao raised her brows and looked at Lu Yan. Gaze shifting, she said, ¡°You¡¯re quite perceptive. You deserve to be the future head of the Lu family.¡± Lu Yan did not respond to this praise, instead he solemnly said, ¡°He bought the information from the Zhaixing Administration. It¡¯s unlikely to be false.¡± It did seem like it was probably true, but... ¡°What kind of conditions do you think are required for something to happen but not leave a single trace behind? Not to mention, the person involved doesn¡¯t remember anything.¡± Lu Yan answered, ¡°There are two possibilities. The first¡­ something simr to what happened to me back then. You had been forced upon, and so your mind chose to forget.¡± Qi Qingyao, ¡°...¡± F*ck me, what do you mean something simr to you? Was he implying that Qi Qingyao had been raped back then? What the hell was that! Should she be hugging him and crying together now as they mope about life now? As the saying went, life was not easy. Qingyao sighed! Lu Yan continued, ¡°The second possibility is that the other person had abducted you and kept you captive for a few days, which is why there are no clues. The process could have been horrifying, and so you chose to forget about it.¡± Devastated, Qi Qingyao said, ¡°Is there a difference between these two scenarios? Either way wasn¡¯t I f*cking raped?¡± Lu Yan shook his head and said, ¡°They¡¯re not. For the first one, you had willingly gone off by yourself, so that definitely would have left clues. Putting it another way, the first case means that you forgot, but the people who have seen you wouldn¡¯t have forgotten, so there would be clues! And the Zhaixing Administration should be able to find these clues. As for the second scenario, you were taken away by someone in a sack right after you left. There would be no trace at all¡ªyou simply went missing. If the abductors were backed by some powerful figures, then¡­ the incident would have been concealed and the Zhaixing Administration would not have found anything. Of course, these are all based on the fact that you used to be a fool.¡± Qi Qingyao was starting to get convinced by Lu Yan¡¯s imagination, but still she felt it improbable. She retorted, ¡°We can rule out first since the Zhaixing Administration did not find anything. For the second, while my memory afterward is vague, I still remember something. Since there were no signs of abuse on my body, we can also rule out the ¡®y¡¯ that of me being held captive.¡± ¡°That leaves the third,¡± Lu Yan said. Hold on, say what? ¡°Speak,¡± Qi Qingyao said. Lu Yan looked at her quietly. ¡°If we don¡¯t consider you once being a fool and take a look back then with you now and your current mind, you would have beenpletely capable of getting out quietly while avoiding anyone¡¯s eyes, then return inplete secrecy!¡± Qi Qingyao, ¡°...¡± That made a lot of sense. However... ¡°I only awakened recently.¡± ¡°So you got intelligent after you awakened? You also know how to treat illnesses.¡± Lu Yan looked at her with a superficial smile. Indeed, this exnation was not clear but there was also no other way to exin this. Qi Qingyao shrugged, her expression saying that she did not care as she said indifferently, ¡°Then just think of it as me having been struck by lightning, and I suddenly know a lot of things after that.¡± Lu Yan smiled but said nothing. He knew that the situation was odd, and she also knew that. At the end of the day, however, it was likely that only she could know anything. If she were not a fool back then and had only been putting on an act, then it would be easy to exin the incident four years ago. However, based on her expression just now, confused and conflicted and even deliberately bringing up the topic with him, it was unlikely it was a facade. This incident was perplexing. Perhaps the truth would surface soon. There was no use making guesses now. ¡­ Qi Qingyao found it boring to be in the hall so she said she would head out for a walk. Strolling leisurely and peacefully all the way to the side of the pond in the garden, she looked at the youth who was hugging the cat as she sat by the pond. Si Jin heard footsteps and turned around to face Qi Qingyao. He went up to her, grumbling softly. ¡°Sister, I haven¡¯t seen you these two days. Jiang Yeqian came as soon as you were back. It¡¯s obvious he had targeted the timing.¡± ¡°Huh? Come again?¡± There was a fleeting thought in Qi Qingyao¡¯s mind. Stupefied, Si Jin asked, ¡°What?¡± ¡°What did you say just now?¡± Qi Qingyao sensed that it was something really important. ¡°Which one?¡± Si Jin asked. ¡°What you said just now!¡± Qi Qingyao said anxiously. Si Jin repeated what he said in a daze. ¡°Jiang Yeqian came as soon as you were back. It¡¯s obvious he targeted the timing..?¡± Yes, that was the one. Qi Qingyao tiled her head and she said as if talking to herself, ¡°Why would hee only now? What about yesterday? And the day before yesterday, did hee?¡± ¡°No.¡± Si Jin shook his head. Qi Qingyao rubbed her lower jaw with her fingers, taking a seat on a rock beside the pond. She did not seem to have sensed the coldness of the rock, instead she murmured seriously, ¡°He came just as Lu Yan and I had gotten home. Isn¡¯t this too much a coincidence?¡± ¡°?¡± Si Jin widened his eyes, silent as he carried the cat. The white cat in Si Jin¡¯s arms looked at the woman beside him curiously with its gold eyes. It knew that Lu Yan was interested in this woman and his liking for her was growing. Listening to her muttering under her breath and seeing her beautiful profile, it thought that this woman was indeed quite intelligent. Qi Qingyao pondered for a long time before saying to herself. ¡°Perhaps it was just a coincidence.¡± Si Jin, ¡°??¡± enter the trantion Chapter 335 - Her Final Card

Chapter 335: Her Final Card

Si Jin could not help but ask, ¡°Sister, what are you talking about?¡± ¡°Nothing, it¡¯s just a coincidence.¡± Qi Qingyao did not want to think too deep about it because she had no proof. She could not just rely on the timing of Jiang Yeqian¡¯s visit to the Qi Residence to guess that he had something to do with Na Lanjie and the covert organization. This was a bit of a snobbish way to look at a man of virtue! Besides, she could not really consider herself friends with Jiang Yeqian back then, but neither did they have a deep-seated hatred for one another. There was no way he would send someone to kill her. So, pass! Despite that, Qi Qingyao could not help but think that something was off somewhere. ¡­ ¡­ Early morning the next day, an inconspicuous convoy arrived at the entrance of the city before the city gates were even open. The carriages were ck without any patterns or gs, and looked quite normal. However, the attendants surrounding the convoy were all riding tall horses and dressed in dark blue robes with no emotions on their faces. It was best to just watch them and not provoke them. The ck carriage was queued among the crowd as they waited for the gates to open. The pedestrians to their front and back of it, however, had spontaneously moved away a little. After the city gates opened, the ck carriage drifted along with the people surrounding it as they slowly entered the city¡­ When the ck carriage entered the city, it attracted the attention of the various gangs and spies. When the carriage drove to the entrance of a courtyard on Third Street in the Upper East Side, a man d in ck stepped out of the carriage. From a distance, he spotted another man standing under the eaves. The man had his arms folded, his expressionzy. Jiang Yeqian raised his brows faintly as he looked at the man d in ck. ¡°I thought you would only be arriving tomorrow morning. I didn¡¯t think you would arrive in Qingzhou City tonight. You¡¯re fast.¡± The young man was dressed entirely in ck but was not wearing his official robes. He looked clean and refined. He was not exceptionally good looking but there was a definite calmness between his brows and his eyes were cold. Li Ruoxuan looked at Jiang Yeqian with a sneer and said, ¡°Head Grand Secretariat, I see you¡¯re still alive.¡± His subordinates quickly opened the door and with a stern air of self-importance, Li Ruoxuan stepped through the door. Jiang Yeqian followed him inside and said, ¡°You¡¯re not dead either. How can I have the nerve to die before you?¡± After the two went in, Zhu Shen hurriedly closed the door, with the remaining subordinates and the carriage entering through the side gate. The servants of the house had taken proper care of everything ages ago. Li Ruoxuan walked into the side hall with his hands behind his back. The tea was already ready when he took a seat and a maid hurriedly poured him a cup. Seeing that another person had also entered, she poured two cups. After she was done, the maid hastily retreated. Only Li Ruoxuan and Jiang Yeqian were left in the side hall. Li Ruoxuan raised his brows as he swept a nce at the handsome man sitting opposite him. Picking up the tea bowl, he took a light sip. ¡°If you¡¯re not dead, then how goes the investigation into the Lingyun Restaurant massacre?¡± Jiang Yeqian crossed his arms as he paced the side hall. He said slowly, ¡°Does the State Preceptor suspect that I¡¯m hiding the matter?¡± ¡°You have the means to do so,¡± Li Ruoxuan said with a superficial smile. Jiang Yeqian sneered. ¡°The incident at Lingyun Restaurant was handled by the government with the integration of the relevant information from the Zhaixing Administration. Besides, what capability do you think I have to be able to suppress this matter if the assassin really is a grand master?¡± This was indeed the situation. Li Ruoxuan looked at the man opposite him. After thinking for a long time, he then said, ¡°Let¡¯s have a truce for now.¡± ¡°Agreed,¡± said Jiang Yeqian. He could not kill Li Ruoxuan. Li Ruoxuan could not kill him either. There would be no point for them to go against each other right now either. Li Ruoxuan continued drinking his tea. Looking at the tea bowl in his hand, he said in a low voice, ¡°Although I despise you, the matter in Northern Liang is massive. This fight between you and I has no benefit in the grand scheme of things. There are armies of various nations in several directions. They intend to surround Northern Liang and divide thend. Now, another grand master has appeared and his whereabouts are still unknown. As for the n for the current situation, we must work together to locate this mysterious grand master and make him a pir of Northern Liang. That¡¯s our first priority.¡± Jiang Yeqian said mockingly, ¡°I always thought that filthy mouth of yours is unable to utter anything decent. Who would¡¯ve thought that you can actually speak sense.¡± Li Ruoxuan raised his gaze and a cold chill shed through his eyes like the frost-stained plum blossoms of December. ¡°I don¡¯t want to quarrel with you.¡± Jiang Yeqian did not argue and said, ¡°I¡¯m certain the State Preceptor has already obtained information specific to Lingyun Restaurant. So let¡¯s cut the gossip and get straight to the point, shall we?¡± Li Ruoxuan contemted deeply for a moment and said, ¡°Lu Yan was injured by an arrow from a rank nine archer, done by the hands of Xuanwu Administration¡¯s Na Lanjie.¡± Jiang Yeqian was not the slightest bit surprised. He said, ¡°As expected, the State Preceptor is well-informed.¡± Li Ruoxuan watched him quietly, the corners of his lips hooked with interest. ¡°The one the covert organization wants to kill is not Lu Yan but someone named Qi Qingyao.¡± After a pause, Li Ruoxuan observed Jiang Yeqian¡¯s expression for an instant before continuing, ¡°The Head Grand Secretariat paid a visit to the Qi Residence yesterday morning. I wonder if his purpose was Qi Qingyao or Lu Yan.¡± Jiang Yeqian felt no surprise at Li Ruoxuan¡¯s intricate knowledge of his whereabouts. He replied nonchntly, ¡°I wanted to see how serious Lu Yan¡¯s injury was, but I didn¡¯t manage to. So I had a chat with the littledy named Qi Qingyao for a bit before I was driven out.¡± The fact that he was testing him meant that the State Preceptor also only had superficial information. The phrase ¡®driven out¡¯ had been used very subtly. Li Ruoxuan said casually, ¡°This person named Qi Qingyao, I¡¯m also very interested in her.¡± ¡°I presume the State Preceptor has also collected all intelligence on Qi Qingyao.¡± Jiang Yeqian smiled enigmatically. Li Ruoxuan replied solemnly. ¡°For such a big thing to have urred in Qingzhou City, it¡¯s only part of my job to collect information from the relevant people. What¡¯s more, this littledy is also very close to Heir Pei, Lu Yan, and¡­ the Head Grand Secretariat. You have had plenty of contact with her, and I, of course, can¡¯t be shirking my duties. ¡°Don¡¯t you agree, Head Grand Secretariat?¡± Jiang Yeqian said nothing. He only smiled as he looked at the State Preceptor. Li Ruoxuan continued. ¡°The ox-head and horse-head who used to guard Qi Qingyao, no outside people know their identities. Recently, the ox-head has also gone missing. Only the horse-head youth is left and he doesn¡¯t wear his mask anymore.¡± ¡°I wonder if the Head Grand Secretariat has any clue about the ox-head¡¯s identity.¡± Jiang Yeqian took exception to that and switched the topic. ¡°Could the State Preceptor be suspecting that the ox-head is also a grand master?¡± Li Ruoxuan poured himself another bowl of tea. Without lifting his head, he said, ¡°When the Lingyun Restaurant Massacre started bing the talk of the town, the ox-head disappeared from Qi Qingyao¡¯s side. It¡¯s not crossing the line for me to suspect that now, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not far-fetched,¡± Jiang Yeqian replied. Li Ruoxuan continued, ¡°But when Na Lanjie attacked Qi Qingyao, only the young man named Si Jin was left by Qi Qingyao¡¯s side. The person Na Lanjie wanted to stake out was Si Jin. It seems like the covert organization has some clues but no evidence, and is now doing an investigation.¡± Jiang Yeqian, ¡°¡­¡± It was his fault for forgetting the meticulousness of this guy! However, it was not yet known whether Si Jin was that strong or not. He did not know. No one in the world knew. Li Ruoxuan pondered for a moment before saying, ¡°While I don¡¯t think it¡¯s possible that a seventeen to eighteen year old youth is a grand master, the covert organization is interested in him. So naturally, I¡¯m also bursting with curiosity now.¡± ¡°Then, I hope the State Preceptor will aplish what he wishes as soon as possible, that is finding out the truth.¡± With these words, Jiang Yeqian left the courtyard. Naturally, Li Ruoxuan would not personally send him off. After he left. The corners of Li Ruoxuan¡¯s lips curled into a smile. ¡®Oh, Head Grand Secretariat, what the hell are you ying at? And that littledy Qi Qingyao¡­ I wonder how many secrets she is actually hiding.¡¯ ¡­ ¡­ When Jiang Yeqian exited via therge gates of the attached mansion, there was a carriage already waiting for him nearby on the opposite side of the road. Jiang Yeqian got into the carriage and Zhao Xin hurriedly drove the carriage away. Sitting inside the carriage, Jiang Yeqian¡¯s brows were furrowed tightly. He had deliberatelye here today to wait for Li Ruoxuan and see how much the man knew. The oue was no surprise¡ªhe knew everything that he ought to know. It seemed that Li Ruoxuan would be making his move soon. The objective is Si Jin. Also her. Jiang Yeqian took out an inkstone, brush, and paper from the drawer next to the seat and quickly wrote a note. He then asked Zhao Xin to deliver it secretly to the Qi Residence. Qi Qingyao was having breakfast with the three kids when Steward Zhang entered and said in a small voice. ¡°Mistress, the Head Grand Secretariat¡¯s people delivered a paper slip through the back gate.¡± ¡°Hm?¡± Qi Qingyao epted the paper slip. She opened it and took a look. Only one sentence was written on it. [The State Preceptor has arrived in Qingzhou City, his objective is you. Be careful when you¡¯re out.] Qi Qingyao¡¯s heart skipped a beat unexpectedly. This was indeed Jiang Yeqian¡¯s handwriting. It did not make any sense though. The State Preceptor and her shared no enmity with one another, so why would he target her? Qi Qingyao was confused. ¡°Sister, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Si Jin asked with a tilt of his head. Qi Qingyao scrunched the note tightly, smiling and saying that it was nothing. After finishing her meal in two to three mouthfuls, she ran to Lu Yan¡¯spound, where Lu Yan was lying down on the bed and resting. Qi Qingyao thought that since he was someone from the Capital City, he would definitely know a thing or two about the State Preceptor¡¯s temperament. It was better to ask than remain in the dark. ¡°Why have youe looking for me?¡± ¡°Jiang Yeqian gave me a paper slip saying that the State Preceptor has arrived in Qingzhou City and that his objective is me. He asked me to be careful when I go out.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± ¡°What do you mean ¡®oh¡¯!!¡± Seeing how calm he was, Qi Qingyao was about to burst. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you be asking something like ¡®What¡¯s he got to do with you?¡¯ or why is his objective me? Could it be that he wants me dead?¡± Lu Yan sat up from the bed, pondering seriously. He said, ¡°Let¡¯s first assume that it is true that the covert organization did send Na Lanjie to test Si Jin but failed, and injured me in coteral! If that¡¯s the case, while I could hide the fact that I¡¯m injured from the upper circles of Qingzhou City, I can¡¯t hide it from the Head Grand Secretariat nor the State Preceptor or people their level. They have more spies than I thought. They are literally everywhere! So, Li Ruoxuan must know about how the covert organization had sent Na Lanjie on a mission to assassinate or stake out. In that case, think about it¡ªthe State Preceptor¡¯s intentions are, first and foremost, to suspect Si Jin and you. ¡± Qi Qingyao, ¡°¡­¡± Lu Yan¡¯s words made a whole lot of sense She did not want to admit to it, however. She did not want to admit that she had be a thorn in the flesh of others out of nowhere. Who did she provoke? ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry. In my opinion, even if the State Preceptor has arrived in Qingzhou City and that his target is you, he definitely will not kill you.¡± Lu Yanid down again as he spoke calmly. ¡°Why not?¡± Qi Qingyao asked curiously. ¡°As long as everyone remains unclear about your connection with Su Hexiao and Master Architect Li Qinglian, your life is valuable.¡± Lu Yan answered the practical question while smiling superficially. ¡°But if you have served your purpose, there would be many people happy to eradicate you.¡± Qi Qingyao, ¡°¡­¡± ¡®Do you have to be so realistic?¡¯ It seemed that, as long as she retained her final trump card¡­ She would be able to live a long time! Chapter 336 - Going Out Disguised 1

Chapter 336: Going Out Disguised 1

Heir Pei¡¯s attached mansion. After several spies ryed the news to him, Li Qing walked into thepound with a solemn expression. He bowed before speaking up. ¡°My lord, the State Preceptor has arrived in Qingzhou City.¡± Pei Fengtang drank his medicine without making a sound. He only raised his brows slightly. Li Qing continued, ¡°I heard that the Head Grand Secretariat had personally weed the State Preceptor at the gate.¡± Pei Fengtang put down the medicine bowl and wiped the concoction from the corner of his mouth with a white cloth. He then took a sip of water and rinsed his mouth to get rid of the bitter taste. After that, he picked up a small snack and murmured while eating it, ¡°When two tigers fight, one is bound to get injured.¡± Li Qing lifted his head and thought for a long time before saying, ¡°I don¡¯t think the State Preceptor came to Qingzhou City to butt heads with the Head Grand Secretariat.¡± ¡°He did not manage to kill Jiang Yeqian despite poisoning him and hunting him down. Li Ruoxuan¡¯s purpose foring here this time probably isn¡¯t only Jiang Yeqian,¡± Pei Fengtang said casually. ¡°My lord, what are your thoughts on this¡­¡± Li Qing asked. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s for the Lingyun Restaurant Massacre.¡± Pei Fengtang said leisurely, ¡°The entire maind is about to have an eighth grand master, wouldn¡¯t it garner curiosity?¡± Indeed, it made everyone curious. Even their group had secretly sent people to investigate this but they got no findings. Li Qing said, ¡°Lord, then for us¡­¡± Pei Fengtang was not too interested in these things. ¡°I haven¡¯t fully recovered yet. We¡¯ll stay put for the time being and watch the tigers fight from afar.¡± Li Qing agreed This matter had nothing much to do with them. Regardless of whether the State Preceptor could find the eighth grand master, Qingzhou City would usher in a storm during this period. ¡­ ¡­ After discussing with Lu Yan, Qi Qingyao sat in the hall and drank her tea idly, her leisurely posture like that of an old fellow after retirement. After Dong Jing reported to Lu Yan about her behavior, he could not help but walk out of the room to the hall to ask her in person. ¡°What are you going to do?¡± Going to do what? Qi Qingyao looked confused. Lu Yan asked her how she nned on dealing with the fact that she had be the State Preceptor¡¯s target. Qi Qingyao only gave him two words, ¡°Hang on.¡± ¡°What do you mean ¡®hang on¡¯?¡± Lu Yan asked her in a daze. Qi Qingyao paced around and said seriously, ¡°Hang on means that when the opponent has his eyes all over the grass, I can only stay still where I am lest Iplicate the matter and get myself killed.¡± ¡°¡­¡± It was indeed a fresh rhetoric. The opponent¡¯s eyes had indeed spanned across more than half of Qingzhou City¡­ After sitting down, Lu Yan could not help but rub his chest. He had just changed the medicine on the wound and it stung a little. He reminded her, ¡°However, you can¡¯t lock yourself inside the house forever.¡± Qi Qingyao pouted and said with dissatisfaction, ¡°I knew you were going to say that I¡¯m being cowardly. But in my opinion, staying alive is the most important.¡± Lu Yan said helplessly, ¡°Si Jin is rank nine, he can definitely protect you when you go out.¡± Qi Qingyao said seriously, ¡°I have three little children as well, who¡¯s gonna protect them? Si Jin has to stay at home to protect them.¡± Lu yan disagreed with her decision. ¡°Then what you mean is, you simply don¡¯t n on going out for the rest of your life.¡± ¡°Just¡ªjust hang on first!¡± Generally¡­ it would have to wait until she thought of a solution, then they could talk. Lu Yan, ¡°¡­¡± He took a nce at her and left the hall. After Lu Yan returned to thepound, Qi Qingyao was the only one left. Si Jin walked in from outside and dusted the snow off his body. As soon as he sat down, he saw Qi Qingyao pacing around the hall like a spinning top. It looked as though she was very anxious. After holding back for a while, Qi Qingyao cursed. ¡°F*ck, this house has be a prison.¡± ¡®Trying to trap me inside, no f*cking way!¡¯ Si Jin tilted his head. He said while eating some puffed rice candy, ¡°Sister, if you want to head out, I can apany you. I¡¯ll protect you, so it¡¯s okay.¡± ¡°Going out is not an issue, but what if I bump into the State Preceptor and some others while I¡¯m out?¡± Qi Qingyao asked worriedly. Si Jin simply said, ¡°We¡¯ll take measures appropriate to the actual situation.¡± Qi Qingyao rolled her eyes at him and thought to herself, ¡®Innocent sure is bliss!¡¯ Si Jin¡¯s words made sense, but she was now a target. If the State Preceptor was targeting her, once she headed out, even if she was not greeted by a fresh assassination attempt, then there would at least be a fight, or¡­ a test! At the moment, it was clear that the State Preceptor also knew about the assassination attempt by the ghost organization. The State Preceptor might evene to test Si Jin in person. Although she did not believe that Si Jin was a grand master, the State Preceptor was at rank nine, so he must be surrounded by powerhouses. What if a few rank-nines besieged Si Jin and caused him to be injured or even die? This was a risk she could not take. Qi Qingyao contemted for a while. ¡°Wait, there¡¯s another way.¡± ¡°??¡± What is it? Si Jin continued eating the puffed rice candy. Qi Qingyao stroked her chin, the smile that lifted from the corner of the lips extremely sinister. ¡°Qi Qingyao can¡¯t go out, but that doesn¡¯t mean other people can¡¯t.¡± ¡°???¡± Other people, what did she mean by that? ¡°Hehe~~~¡± Qi Qingyao¡¯s smile was extremely cunning and entric. She rushed to her room and fiddled around for the entire afternoon. The three little children were also confused by their mother¡¯s behavior. Qi Qingyao was finally done by dinnertime. She walked out of the room with a big smile on her face that carried a trace of mystery. After the meal, Qi Qingyao began to teach the three children to y Chinese chess as if nothing happened. At first, the children did not understand the rules of chess and kept messing up, but after a few tries, the children, who were all four years of age after the Lunar New Year, were getting the hang of it, especially Xiaobao. He was the quickest in familiarizing himself with the rules and was even able to correct Erniu¡¯s mistakes. Under Xiaobao and Qi Qingyao¡¯s simultaneous teachings, Dabao and Erniu quickly understood the basic rules of Chinese chess as well. Qi Qingyao and Xiaobao started ying chess while Dabao and Erniu watched by the side. After the first round. Qi Qingyao asked Dong Jing to exchange ten taels of copper coins. Dong Jingplied and exchanged the copper coins. Ten taels of copper coins were equivalent to ten strings of coins! After the copper coins were brought back. Qi Qingyao gave the three little children a string of coins each. The three children, ¡°????¡± ¡°Most of the time, apart from learning to read, the three of you must have gotten bored of ying your small games.¡± ¡°¡­¡± It was indeed a little boring. ¡°Now Mommy has taught you Chinese chess! From now on, remember to win money when ying this.¡± Qi Qingyao smiled very amiably. Xiaobao¡¯s eyes lit up suddenly. Erniu looked at Qi Qingyao piteously, ¡°¡­¡± Dabao, on the other hand, licked his lips a little nervously. ¡°If you can win money, the chess game will be more interesting,¡± Qi Qingyao exined. The three children were confused, but a little excited. Although the children were still young, they knew that it cost money to go out and buy things. They had just gotten out of poverty, so every single penny was very important. The three of them thought of it simultaneously now. If they had money, they could buy a lot of candied haws and osmanthus jelly! Excited, Xiaobao wanted to y against Dabao. Dabao epted the challenge. Qi Qingyao stood up, patted the three children¡¯s heads, and left with a few words. ¡°Go to bed early after you¡¯re all done ying!¡± The three children chorused the affirmations obediently. Qi Qingyao took out some things from the box in the corner and left the room quietly. She stealthily walked up to the door of Si Jin¡¯s room and knocked on it. After Si Jin opened the door. Qi Qingyao scurried in. ¡°Sister?¡± ¡®Si Jin, let¡¯s go out for a stroll tonight.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± ¡°From a strategic point of view, we should just hang on. But from a tactical point of view, we can go out secretly. As long as the enemy is kept under the light and I¡¯m kept under the dark.¡± Qi Qingyao said all this very seriously. Si Jin waspletely confused upon listening to her. Qi Qingyao produced the two prosthetic masks in her hands. It dawned on Si Jin¡ªSister nned on going out for a stroll in disguise! Chapter 337 - Going Out Disguised 2

Chapter 337: Going Out Disguised 2

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion ¡°Wait for me, I¡¯ll fix myself first, then I¡¯ll do it for you.¡± As Qi Qingyao said this, she walked to the side and fiddled in front of the mirror for a long time. Then she turned her head around. Si Jin¡¯s eyes almost popped out of his sockets. After stifling himself for a long time, he only managed to breathe one word, ¡°Wow¡­¡± ¡°How is it?¡± Qi Qingyao looked at him with a smile and asked. If it were not for her voice and tone, Si Jin feared he would have really thought she was someone else. This time, he answered seriously, ¡°Ordinary.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take that as apliment then.¡± Qi Qingyao then pulled Si Jin over and ced another ¡°face¡± over Si Jin¡¯s. After ten minutes, it was another ordinary face. Qi Qingyao pointed to the face in the mirror and asked Si Jin, ¡°How¡¯s it now? Two unrecognizable faces in a crowd!¡± ¡°Average-looking¡± Si Jin touched his own face while facing the mirror, seeming a little in disbelief. Was this really him?! It was so ordinary he could not remember his own looks. Qi Qingyaoughed. ¡°This is the result we want.¡± She then did both of their hairs. Qi Qingyao looked in the mirror seriously. Clearly, their makeup and hair had not changed much from before, but they looked like two ordinary people in the city. Once they were clothed in ordinary blue linen, Qi Qingyao almost could not recognize herself. ¡°You can bypass the guards at home and take me out discreetly, right?¡± She gulped and asked Si Jin cautiously. Si Jin replied confidently, ¡°Of course.¡± However... Si Jin said again, ¡°Sister, why do you want to go out?¡± She was even doing it so mysteriously. After being questioned like that. Qi Qingyao was actually a little embarrassed. ¡°It¡¯s not that I want to do anything in particr, it¡¯s just that¡­¡± She paused, then said in a lost and helpless manner, ¡°How should I say it? I¡¯m the kind of person who can choose to not go out, but I must reserve my right to go out if I want to. If there¡¯s an external force confining me to this mansion, I¡¯ll feel an inexplicable sense of oppression and imprisonment, which makes me want to go out even more. I¡¯ll feel better as long as I get to go out, do you understand that feeling?¡± ¡°I get it.¡± She did not like to be controlled! Si Jin thought that he should write down these words in a small notebookter. She opened a small gap in the door and listened to the movements in the courtyard. After a while, Qi Qingyao closed the door. She then opened the back window and said to Si Jin, ¡°Go go go!¡± As soon as Si Jin heard the signal, he carried Qi Qingyao on his shoulder with one hand and leapt out of the window in an instant. Then, raising his inner energy, he soared up the roof. Qi Qingyao felt herself being swung around suddenly a few times before her view had already reached the height of the roof. After that, she could only hear the sound of wind, but not the sound of Si Jin¡¯s footsteps. Qi Qingyao was stunned. Was a rank-nine this awesome? Si Jin was extremely fast and within three blinks of her eyes, she felt herselfnding in a small alleyway. Si Jin put her down gently. Qi Qingyao looked around for a while like a thief, then raised both her hands in a gesture of triumph. ¡°I¡¯m out atst, that¡¯s great!¡± ¡­ ¡­ Zuixian Restaurant. Second floor. A few beautiful youngdies were sitting together, having a drink. They looked very majestic with their maids and squires standing by the side waiting on them. These youngdies were all from famous families in Qingzhou City. As they were chatting, someone suddenly mentioned a name. ¡°Let me tell you, that person called Qi Qingyao is really inhumane.¡± The others were stupefied. One person reacted, ¡°Right, she actually drove Jiang Siliu out of Qingzhou City!¡± ¡°She¡¯s just a country bumpkin, but she takes herself way too seriously.¡± Others also began to parrot one after another. ¡°Didn¡¯t Second Brother Jiang avenge Siliu?¡± someone asked. ¡°I heard that it happened in Hualian Mountain Springs Vi and many distinguished guests from Eastern Ling had been watching at that time. Under the gambling agreement, if they agree to the bet they must ept the loss, so Second Brother Jiang couldn¡¯t intervene at all. If Jiang Siliu didn¡¯t leave, it¡¯s tantamount to their family bing a joke for the distinguished guests from Eastern Ling, that the Jiang Family failed to abide by the agreement. So Siliu had to leave!¡± The woman¡¯s tone was full ofment. ¡°Poor Siliu, she was forced to leave Qingzhou City just like this by a country bumpkin.¡± Their voices are all full of pity. Jiang Siliu was their friend. Just the thought of not being able to see Jiang Siliu anymore made everyone begin to feel outraged unconsciously. Especially the Lady of the Han Family, Han Ruomei. She said angrily, ¡°If I meet that Qi Qingyao, you can bet I¡¯ll bust her lips and rip her face!¡± ¡°Hahahaha, she¡¯s being backed by Lu Yan. Do you dare do it?¡± one of them quipped. ¡°I heard she has a good rtionship with Heir Pei as well, are you sure you darey a finger on her?¡± The person had a tone of disbelief. Han Ruomei said resoundingly, ¡°Why should I dare? The one I want to beat up is just that country bumpkin! Besides, you all said that she has a connection with Heir Pei and Lu Yan but what kind of connection can she possibly have? Did Lu Yan take her as a concubine? Or did Heir Pei take her as a sex servant?¡± After a pause, Han Ruomei continued loudly, ¡°Don¡¯t think I don¡¯t know anything. I had asked my brother to look into her. She¡¯s nothing but a little widow with three children from the rural Baishui Town! She¡¯s hical and shameless! I don¡¯t know how such a person made it here. But I heard that she has connections to Master Architect Li Qinglian and Divine Physician Su Hexiao; this is also probably the reason why Master Lu and Heir Pei are fascinated with her. They want to use her to look for Divine Physician Su Hexiao!¡± The woman¡¯s brother was Young Master Han! How could she possibly be so afraid of such a country bumpkin? A youngdy suddenly scratched her head in confusion, ¡°Say¡­I have a slight idea who Su Hexiao is, he¡¯s a very impressive divine physician. But who is Li Qinglian?¡± Several other people also looked at the Lady of the Han Family curiously. Han Ruomei looked in surprise at the fewdies who never cared about this aspect. ¡°You guys don¡¯t even know Li Qinglian? I heard the name Master Architect Li Qinglian from my father before, he told me he¡¯s an amazing architect. The Yaochi Pce and Yuewang Tower in Northern Liang were supervised, designed, and built by him. Anyway, he¡¯s very famous!¡± The several youngdies were all suddenly enlightened. They weredies who only cared about beautiful clothes and cosmetics! They never really cared about who built the houses. ¡°In that case, the few big shots who are protecting her are just using her. From the way I see it, as long as we don¡¯t go overboard with teaching this country bumpkin a lesson, no one will intervene. Just as thedy of the Han Family finished speaking. She heard a cool voice from behind. ¡°Who are you going to teach a lesson?¡± The several youngdies turned their heads around and were met with a round-faced girl. The girl was a little fat and looked round, but her eyes were quite big. She would probably look better if she lost weight. Han Ruomei was very displeased with the unwee guest that disturbed their gossiping and shot, ¡°You fatty, who are you?¡± ¡°I am Gu Shanshan!¡± Gu Shanshan had her hands on her waist, and she was even holding a chicken drumstick in her hand! When she was about to sit down and order food, she heard these people gossiping and even cursing Qi Qingyao behind her back! She knew Qi Qingyao; she was the friend who stole a snack together with her that night, and was also the person who bet against Jiang Siliu the next morning! Her brother had even brought back the painting of the beauties in the hot spring made by her. It was currently in her hands! Gu Shanshan really adored Qi Qingyao. She adored that painting even more! When she headed back, she even nned on asking a few painters to imitate a few copies and send them as gifts to her sisters in the Capital City of Eastern Ling! As for the original work, of course she would keep it for herself! She also really wanted to go look for Qi Qingyao at the Qi Residence, but her brother said that she could not go look for Qi Qingyao to y! So, when she heard these conceited youngdies ndering Qi Qingyao, Gu Shanshan¡¯s anger instantly soared to the height of a three-story building. How could this be tolerated! ¡°Gu Shanshan, I don¡¯t even know you.¡± Han Ruomei shook her head. ¡°Go away, fatty,¡± another youngdy said. ¡°Who are you cursing at!¡± Although Gu Shanshan was a little fat, she had never taken a blow from anyone in her entire life, whether in Eastern Ling or anywhere else! Gu Shanshan immediately instructed the little maid behind her, ¡°Xingtao, teach her a lesson!¡± ¡°Yes, mydy!¡± Although Xingtao had an ordinary name, she was very tall. Her height was close to one hundred and seventy centimeters, and she was not very thin. It was likely that she ate well alongside Lady Gu Shanshan. She looked tall and mighty. Her face was void of any expression, cold and indifferent. When she walked over alone, Han Ruomei and the others felt intimidated. Han Ruomei immediately said. ¡°Where did this fattye from? How dare you try to teach us a lesson? Are you really trying to go against the ones in power?¡± She cast a meaningful look at the circle of squires around her. These bodyguards who followed the youngdies out rarely had the opportunity to show their abilities off because everyone in Qingzhou City knew this group of close friends. Who would ever dare bully them? Now there was finally a chance to show off their abilities. It made this group of bodyguards quite excited. Gu Shanshan did not even care about the group of bodyguards. She said even more arrogantly, ¡°You guys want to teach Qi Qingyao a lesson, but she is my friend! You all even called me fat, so I¡¯m going to beat up you nosy b*tches!¡± A youngdy sneered, ¡°Don¡¯t you know whose territory this ce is? How dare you be so arrogant!¡± Gu Shanshan told Xingtao, while eating the chicken drumstick in her hand, ¡°Xingtao, if you lose today, your monthly sry this month will be deducted by three taels!¡± Xingtao, who had a cold and indifferent expression, immediately looked aggrievedly at Gu Shanshan. She thought to herself that she was a rank six. Dealing with these few people should not be a problem. Gu Shanshan took another fierce bite of the chicken drumstick and said with great arrogance, ¡°Although I¡¯m fat, at least I¡¯m a rank-four practitioner. I have to beat you nosy b*tches to death today.¡± ¡­ ¡­ Qi Qingyao said excitedly when she walked with Si Jin to the entrance of Zuixian Restaurant, ¡°I asked the passersby just now. They said this Zuixian Restaurant is as famous as Chunjiang Restaurant, but the difference is that there¡¯s no membership requirement! Anyone can enter, it¡¯s just that the food is more expensive. But we have money! We certainly can afford it.¡± Si Jin just smiled. He did not have a penchant for eating, but he was happy seeing that Qi Qingyao was happy. As soon as they entered, they found that there were not many people in the lobby, but there were sporadic sounds of tables smashinging from upstairs. Broken pieces of tables and chairs even fell from the second floor from time to time. The scene looked very¡­shocking. The servant stood by the side, dozing off like it was somethingmonce. Qi Qingyao prodded the servant. ¡°What happened here?¡± The servant rubbed his eyes and looked at the ordinary-looking guest in front of him with a fawning smile on his face. ¡°There are guests fighting on the second floor! Miss, if you¡¯re not busy having your meal now, you can go and watch.¡± ¡°???¡± ¡®Watch? This servant¡¯s¡­ brain! He probably has some issues.¡¯ The servant got even more excited. ¡°It¡¯s not every day you get to watch this kind of liveliness.¡± Qi Qingyao, ¡°...¡± She suddenly recalled the ¡°customs¡± of Qingzhou City, and thought that perhaps this was the usual ¡°main dish¡± of Qingzhou City! While going up the stairs, she asked a few guests who were heading down. ¡°Who¡¯s fighting with whom?¡± An uncleughed. ¡°A very fat girl is fighting with a few youngdies from Qingzhou City, it¡¯s raucous!¡± ¡°But that fat girl is probably a foreigner. Her ent doesn¡¯t sound like it¡¯s from Qingzhou City,¡± another person said. However, as soon as that person finished speaking, someone poked fun at them. ¡°Aren¡¯t you talking nonsense? There are plenty of foreigners in Qingzhou City, alright?¡± That passerby said seriously, ¡°That¡¯s different. Those youngdies are from Qingzhou City and are well-connected. If they get beaten, then the little fat girl will be in big trouble when she goes back.¡± Qi Qingyao was so puzzled, what fat girl¡­ When she went upstairs, she noticed that thending was already full of people and they were all twittering away. ¡°Fights between girls are so exciting!¡± ¡°Although that girl is fat, she¡¯s very agile! She knows what she¡¯s doing.¡± ¡°Two people are up against a whole group of people and they still haven¡¯t lost. That little fat girl is awesome.¡± ¡­ ¡°Fat girl?¡± Qi Qingyao chewed on the word, and for some reason, she recalled the little fat girl she met in the kitchen that night in Hualian Hot Mountain Springs Vi. Si Jin asked Qi Qingyao if she wanted to squeeze into the front. Qi Qingyao said, ¡°Of course.¡± The two of them squeezed in between the crowd for a long time, and finally made their way to the front. They were greeted by the scene of a few bodyguards and the youngdies, who had joined the mess of a fight. They were pulling out all the stops to rip at hairs and tear at faces. The little fat girl in the middle of the encirclement caught Qi Qingyao¡¯s attention. ¡°Eh!¡± Gu Shanshan and Xingtao werepletely outnumbered since they were fighting arge group of opponents. Gu Shanshan was currently wedged between a few youngdies, unable to move at all but she had enough weight that she could kick the few youngdies to the corner by shifting her body. She shouted to the bodyguards. ¡°If you guys beat me to death, my brother wille after you.¡± Han Ruomei got up, her hair and clothes in a mess. She no longer cared about her image and told Gu Shanshan angrily, ¡°You still dare pick a fight with us with only you and your maid! In Qingzhou City, even if we beat you to death, no one would dare to do anything to us!¡± ¡°Xingtao, we have to go all out.¡± Gu Shanshan told Xingtao. However, she was cursing to herself. She was careless. This was not Eastern Ling. Besides, she only brought Xingtao today. She initially thought that Xingtao, being a rank six, should be enough. Who knew, however, that these bunch of nosy b*tches had rank seven bodyguards! What a disadvantage! Qi Qingyao looked at Gu Shanshan who had sword wounds on her face and arms. The injuries suffered by that tall andrge maid seemed to be worse than hers; she almost could not stand on her feet. She tugged at the corner of Si Jin¡¯s shirt. ¡°Si Jin, can you secretly help her?¡± ¡°Help who?¡± Si Jin asked in an endearingly silly manner. Qi Qingyao pointed to the middle. ¡°Help that chubby girl.¡± ¡°If Sister asks me to help, then I¡¯ll help!¡± Si Jin pointed to the people at the side very seriously, ¡°Leave the chubby girl and her maid alone, and kill all the rest?¡± Kill? Qi Qingyao suddenly shuddered and quickly added, ¡°No need to kill, just incapacitate them.¡± Incapacitate¡­ That easy? Si Jin was a little shocked. He swiftly walked to the side and grabbed a handful of chopsticks from a chopsticks holder then walked back. Everyone was so busy watching the bustling scene that no one was paying attention to Si Jin walking back and forth. Because he looked really¡­inconspicuous. Then... Si Jin lifted his hands. Chopsticks shot out from his hands like hidden weapons. Those who were about to besiege Gu Shanshan and Xingtao... The rank seven powerhouse only felt somethinge piercing through the air and as soon as he turned his head, a chopstick with a strong inner energy hit his throat directly, killing him on the spot. The others were lucky, the chopsticks mostly hit their hands and limbs! ¡°Who the f*ck threw the chopsticks!!¡± ¡°Ah!¡± ¡°My leg!¡± ¡°My hand!¡± ¡°Who is it? Who threw the chopsticks!¡± It was less like shooting targets. It was more like¡­ Those chopsticks were like arrows, shooting through these people¡¯s hands and limbs, Han Ruomei and the few youngdies¡­ were no exception. Han Ruomei watched her rank seven powerhouse die unexpectedly, and the corners of her eyes started twitching. When she was about to yell at the person who hurt her people, a bodyguard whose limbs had been pierced by chopsticks rushed over to stop her. ¡°Youngdy, there¡¯s a powerhouse helping her here, we can¡¯t win against her.¡± ¡°Come, let¡¯s go home first.¡± Han Ruomei looked at her injured thigh and knew that she had to quickly retreat! Otherwise¡­ Gu Shanshan was about to go all out. When she saw these people retreating, however, she guffawed excitedly, ¡°Hahahaha, you nosy b*tches!¡± The youngdies who were defeated left in a hurry. The guests who were watching themotion also dispersed somewhat unsatedly. One of them looked at the arrogant little fat girl curiously and asked in bewilderment. ¡°Hey you, do you know who you were beating up just now?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know!¡± Gu Shanshan ignored her injuries, holding her head up very proudly and saying, ¡°Since she cursed Qi Qingyao behind her back and cursed me for being fat, I just have to beat her up!!¡± That person who spoke shook his head and left helplessly. When Qi Qingyao heard it, her expression was somewhatplicated. Right beforeing down the stairs, someone spoke to Gu Shanshan. ¡°They¡¯re all youngdies of famous families in Qingzhou City and they live in the Upper East side. You can¡¯t mess with them. You¡ªyou¡¯re done for.¡± ¡°So what if they¡¯re from Qingzhou City Upper East side? I¡¯m from Eastern Ling¡¯s Gu Family, and my brother won¡¯t let me die,¡± Gu Shanshan continued saying boastfully. Qi Qingyao smiled. The servant walked over and looked at Gu Shanshan with a smile. He was about to ask who would be responsible for the shop¡¯s losses. Gu Shanshan patted her chest and said she would. After that, the servant then asked her whether she wanted to continue eating, or leave. Gu Shanshan was hesitating, and nced at the sword wounds on Xingtao¡­ Qi Qingyao stepped forward, lowered her voice, and said, ¡°I¡¯m a doctor, let me help you treat your wounds.¡± ¡°You¡¯re such a nice person.¡± Gu Shanshan¡¯s chubby little face was delighted. ¡°Thank you.¡± Qi Qingyao turned her head and said, ¡°Servant, help me buy some bandages and gauze.¡± ¡­ ¡­ When the servants were cleaning up the mess on the second floor, their gaze swept across the dead man. They asked their boss about it, who instructed them to get someone to send the person whose throat was pierced back to the Han Residence. That was a bodyguard from the Han Family, after all. Over an hour had passed when the corpse was sent to the Han Family¡­ The Han Family¡¯s servants looked at the corpse that was sent back and their hearts rattled in their chests. This was a rank-seven powerhouse! They quickly called the young master over. Young Master Han was hugging girls in Huayue Building. When he was called back, he was very unhappy, but when he heard a rank-seven powerhouse died¡­ His expression suddenly changed. He also called the corpse collector Ke Yishan over. After all, Ke Yishan had seen many dead people, so he was also very experienced in autopsies. When Ke Yishan saw the rank seven powerhouse whose neck had been pierced by a chopstick, the corpse collector¡¯s face suddenly turned as white as paper! Rank-seven. Dead just like that. By a chopstick... This method of killing was too casual, and too¡­ savage! ¡°Mr. Ke, quick, say something.¡± ¡°A rank-eight doesn¡¯t have this capability, even if a rank-nine has the capability, they won¡¯t be able to do it so neatly and cleanly! Besides, Young Master, your sister and a few witnesses also said that multiple chopsticks were thrown out at once!¡± ¡°So? Is the murderer a rank-nine?¡± ¡°If a chopstick simply killed a rank-seven in one blow, I would think that the murderer is a rank-nine. But a bunch of chopsticks were thrown out casually at once, and each chopstick carried such a strong inner energy, which indicates...¡± ¡°Indicates what?¡± ¡°...¡± It could not be. Ke Yishan was silent. For some reason, he recalled the Lingyun Restaurant Massacre where no one was able to flee the scene. It was simr this time. A bunch of chopsticks were thrown out casually; the purpose was not to kill, but to incapacitate these people. If the opponent had aimed a little more urately and hit the head directly, with this force, it would directly prate the skull! Then the conclusion was, a bunch of people¡­ could have ¡­ been killed in one blow by a bunch of chopsticks that were casually thrown out! This!!!! This technique could only belong to a grand master. Ke Yishan suddenly felt cold sweat dripping down his back, and sat on the ground in terror. The corpse collector¡¯s expression also made Young Master Han nervous¡­ Chapter 338 - Going Out Disguised 3

Chapter 338: Going Out Disguised 3

Meanwhile at the inn. After Qi Qingyao¡¯s instructions, a servant went to buy the things, while another servant led Qi Qingyao and the others to a private room on the third floor, and the rest went to clean up the mess on the second floor. Si Jin had his back turned to the girls tactfully. Qi Qingyao first checked the injuries on Gu Shanshan and Xingtao, and they were all just flesh wounds! The sword wounds on Xingtao were a little deep, however. After the bandages and gauze were bought. Qi Qingyao applied medicine to the wounds, and then wrapped them carefully with the gauze. Gu Shanshan asked in wonder, ¡°What medicine did you use? It feels very cool when applied.¡± Qi Qingyao said nothing. Gu Shanshan did not ask anymore. Seeing that the doctor was willing to help her, she was very courteous, so she stopped talking. It took Qi Qingyao an hour to finish applying medicine on this master and servant pair. Gu Shanshan immediately asked, ¡°How much?¡± Qi Qingyao smiled slightly, ¡°You defended the weak against injustice, and I¡¯m also helping the injured. We¡¯re the same kind of people, there¡¯s no need to talk about money.¡± Gu Shanshanplimented decisively again, ¡°Doctor, you¡¯re a really nice person.¡± It was just that she looked too¡­mon. Qi Qingyao handed the bottle of medicine to Gu Shanshan¡¯s hands with a smile. ¡°This bottle of medicine is for you. After you go back, apply it twice a day, so there should be no scars.¡± Gu Shanshan smiled happily when she heard that it would not leave scars. When Qi Qingyao was about to leave. Gu Shanshan asked hastily. ¡°Doctor, what¡¯s your name?¡± Naturally, Qi Qingyao took Si Jin and disappeared without answering. Only Gu Shanshan was left on the spot. She touched the wound on her arm, feeling that there was genuine kindness in this world. Xingtao¡¯s wounds did not hurt so much after medicine was applied. She lifted her sword and said, ¡°Youngdy, that doctor just now is such a nice person.¡± ¡°It must be because one good turn deserves another!¡± Gu Shanshan held her fists and said seriously. Then, she ordered a table full of dishes and nned to have her meal again! Who asked her to get tired from the fight just now? Xingtao thought about it and was afraid that the bunch of people from before would return. If they came back, the youngdy¡¯s and her life would probably be put to an end here today. Xingtao pondered for a while and took out the signal re tube given by the Master in her arms. She then walked to the window and, after opening the window, she pulled out the signal re tube and fired a signal re into the sky. The signal re was very special. When it blew up in the sky, it turned into a flower. After setting off the signal re, Xingtao shut the windows and walked back. She knew that as long as the Master saw it, he would definitelye over. Gu Shanshan was about to start munching on the chicken drumstick when she heard the sound of the signal re and jumped in shock. She asked Xingtao in a small voice, ¡°You even set off the signal re?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Xingtao sat down and started eating as well. Gu Shanshan gestured and said, ¡°But we¡¯re alright now.¡± Xingtao said seriously while eating a steamed bun, ¡°Those people are local tyrants of Qingzhou City. If theye back again, you¡¯ll be overwhelmed. I can¡¯t deal with them either.¡± Gu Shanshan thought to herself, ¡®Isn¡¯t it a little exaggerated to set off a signal re at night?¡¯ ¡°I¡¯m going to get scolded again when my brotherester¡­¡± Xingtao smiled and continued eating the steamed bun. Gu Shanshan put a chicken drumstick into her bowl. ¡°Eat quickly, you¡¯ve also expended a lot of energy just now! Replenish yourself more! I¡¯ll get you some vitality nourishing pills to eat when we go backter!¡± Xingtao looked at the chicken drumstick in her bowl. She pursed her lips and smiled softly. The youngdy liked to give her her own favorite chicken drumstick after a fight every time¡­ ¡­ ¡­ Gu Cheng, Xiao Wuji, and several bluebloods from Qingzhou City were drinking together when they suddenly heard a strange explosion. Gu Cheng immediately opened the window and saw the exploded signal fireworks in the sky. He frowned and said, ¡°Sh*t!¡± He immediately left the room in big strides. Xiao Wuji put down his wine cup and said, ¡°Did something happen to Shanshan?¡± Gu Cheng dropped the words without looking back, ¡°You guys continue chatting here first, I¡¯ll go over and have a look.¡± Several bodyguards outside of the door hurried to keep up. Xiao Wuji felt the cold breezeing from the window and his mind became sober. He straightened his clothes. ¡°If it made Shanshan set off the signal re, it means it¡¯s a big deal. I¡¯ll go with you!¡± When he walked to the door, he told the other bluebloods, ¡°You guys continue drinking first, if there¡¯s anything, we¡¯ll talk tomorrow.¡± ¡°Okay, Brother Xiao, Brother Gu!¡± After Xiao Wuji caught up with Gu Cheng, Gu Cheng said worriedly, ¡°Bring everyone.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I brought everyone!¡± ¡­ ¡­ After half an hour. Gu Cheng and Xiao Wuji rushed to the location of the signal with a dozen people¡ªZuixian Restaurant. As soon as they entered, Gu Cheng asked the servant. ¡°Is there a round-faced chubby girl here?¡± The servant immediately pointed out the room number. After Gu Cheng memorized it, he thanked the servant and hurried up to the third floor with Xiao Wuji. When they passed by the second floor, they were so surprised by the wreckage that they raised their eyebrows. After going up to the third floor, they pushed open a certain private room nervously. What he saw was a round-faced girl and her maid sitting there feasting on chicken drumsticks¡­ This scene made Gu Cheng really confused. His first sentence was¡ª ¡°What¡¯s the matter!!¡± Xiao Wuji was also puzzled. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you were in danger?¡± Gu Cheng only noticed the wounds on Gu Shanshan¡¯s face after he entered the room. There were several bandages tied tightly around Xingtao¡¯s body and there were traces of fresh blood on her clothes. ¡°Who did you have a fight with this time?¡± Gu Cheng held his forehead and asked, ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you not to cause trouble in Qingzhou City!¡± Gu Shanshan put down the chicken drumstick. Her mouth was greasy, but that small, round face was filled with indignation. She rushed to Gu Cheng all of a sudden, clenched her greasy fists, and hit Gu Cheng¡¯s chest without any force. ¡°Brother!! My face was almost disfigured and you¡¯re still here making sarcastic remarks! Do you still have humanity in you!¡± She grumbled while pointing to the wounds on her face. Gu Cheng looked at her greasy hands and knew that his clothes were ruined but he entertained her and did not reprimand her. Instead, he walked over and sat down. ¡°Let¡¯s talk about what happened first.¡± Seeing that Gu Cheng did not scold her, the grievance from being bullied just now suddenly welled up again. She had never been at such a disadvantage in the Capital City of Eastern Ling! Gu Shanshan suddenlyy in Gu Cheng¡¯s arms and began crying loudly. The little fat girl cried hard in her brother¡¯s arms. Gu Cheng snapped at her helplessly, ¡°Don¡¯t smear the grease on me.¡± ¡°That¡¯s exactly what I want to do!¡± Gu Shanshan continued crying petntly while wiping her snot with his clothes. Gu Cheng sighed but did not push Gu Shanshan away. He let his sister hug him and cry wildly to let off steam. Xiao Wuji looked at the round-faced girl who was crying her eyes out and asked his subordinates to guard the door. He closed the door and sat on the chair by the side. ¡°Xingtao, tell me what happened just now.¡± Xingtao described the prior situation briefly¡­ Xiao Wuji and Gu Cheng could not help but roll their eyes after listening to it. Was that even okay? Just because someone cursed Qi Qingyao behind her back, she blew up¡­ She really was defending the weak from injustice! She could have at least considered her own numbers! She only brought one person out, which was not sufficient for a fight! However, some third party threw out a bunch of chopsticks and made all those youngdies from Qingzhou City retreat. That was rather interesting. Before Gu Cheng finished consoling Gu Shanshan, he saw Gu Shanshan take a chicken drumstick while she was crying¡­ Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. Xiao Wuji said, ¡°Come in.¡± A subordinate pushed the door open and entered. He bowed and immediately apologized. ¡°Master, Young Master Han of Qingzhou City brought a bunch of people to Zuixian Restaurant. They heard that Young Lady Gu is here and he¡¯s looking for her.¡± ¡°Call them in!¡± The corner of Xiao Wuji¡¯s lips raised into a sneer. Gu Cheng patted Gu Shanshan¡¯s back, motioning for her to get up first. Gu Shanshan¡¯s ears perked up. Knowing that the local tyrant of Qingzhou City was here, she quickly sat aside and began feasting on the chicken drumstick, readying herself to watch the show. Gu Cheng and Xiao Wuji walked to the door. After waiting for a while, Young Master Han took people and came up the stairs. ¡°Young Master Han.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t this Brother Gu and Brother Xiao?¡± Both sides had met in some public ces a few days ago. ¡°I¡¯m looking for Young Lady Gu, I have something to ask her.¡± Young Master Han knew that both of them were distinguished guests from Eastern Ling. He greeted them lightly, speaking politely. ¡°Did you want to bully my sister again?¡± Gu Cheng said impassively. The corner of Young Master Han¡¯s lips twitched involuntarily. ¡®Exactly who bullied who? ¡®A rank seven guard from our family died, who should I be crying to?! My sister and a few youngdies were injured, and I still haven¡¯tined! ¡®But you, it was obvious your sister started it first, but you¡¯re the oneining¡­ Annoyance aside, he was here for proper business. ¡°Here¡¯s the thing, I¡¯m not here to make things difficult for Young Lady Gu. I just want to ask, who threw that bunch of chopsticks? After all, that person is the true culprit, isn¡¯t it?¡± Young Master Gu nodded slightly¡ªthe man¡¯s words were still extremely polite! Seeing that his attitude was indeed very polite, Gu Cheng¡¯s anger dissipated a bit. ¡°Shanshan doesn¡¯t know who threw the chopsticks.¡± ¡°Then, that¡¯s strange. I just came up from downstairs and asked a few witnesses, but they all said they didn¡¯t see anything. All they knew was that the chopsticks were thrown from the crowd¡­¡± Young Master Han said in confusion. He saw that Gu Cheng and Xiao Wuji¡¯s expressions were vividly cold. Young Master Han had no choice but to drop his posture and said, ¡°The thing is, I came here specially for the death of a rank-seven guard.¡± Gu Cheng folded his arms and said, ¡°So does Young Master Han n on locking up my sister?¡± Young Master Han said, ¡°It has nothing to do with your sister. I want to look for the culprit.¡± Gu Cheng was very aloof. ¡°We don¡¯t know.¡± Young Master Han thought that these two people must not realize the seriousness of this situation. He wiped the sweat on his forehead and said, ¡°Brother Gu, Brother Xiao, I had the corpse collector conduct an autopsy! He said that the culprit is possibly the same person as the Lingyun Restaurant Massacre.¡± ¡°¡­¡± What! Gu Cheng and Xiao Wuji narrowed their eyes at the same time. The two of them turned to look at the small round-faced girl in the room. They only saw a certain round-faced girl grabbing a chicken drumstick and chewing happily¡­ It looked like she did not care about anything in the world other than the chicken drumstick. A big question mark appeared in both of their minds. If it was that mysterious grand master, why did he help Gu Shanshan? What the hell was going on!!! Chapter 339 - Going Out Disguised 4

Chapter 339: Going Out Disguised 4

Seeing that Gu Cheng and Xiao Wuji were finally interested in dealing with this seriously, Young Master Han then slowly said, ¡°So, I just want to ask your sister. As long as there¡¯s a little clue, it¡¯s good.¡± Gu Cheng turned his head and nced at the round-face who was feasting on the chicken drumstick seriously. If he asked her, he definitely would not get any useful information. He asked Xingtao seriously, ¡°Xingtao, did a grand master show up here?¡± Seeing that the few people were very serious, Xingtao recalled the situation at that time, then said, ¡°To answer the Second Young Master¡¯s question, no.¡± Gu Cheng said, ¡°Then did you get a good look at the person who threw the chopsticks?¡± ¡°The youngdy and I were surrounded by people in the middle. We were exhausted from giving it our all, so there was no time to pay attention to the people around us.¡± As Gu Shanshan¡¯s personal maid and part-time bodyguard, Xingtao had a colder temperament and was not as lively as the Young Lady, but she seldom talked nonsense. ¡°If it really was a person of grand master level who intervened, I think that Master should obtain clues from the crowd of onlookers at that time.¡± Gu Cheng was in deep thought. Xiao Wuji said, ¡°What Xingtao said makes a lot of sense.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Young Master Han nced at the small, round-faced chubby girl who kept chewing on the chicken drumstick. He felt a dilemma and thought to himself, ¡®You¡¯re already so fat, and you¡¯re still eating!¡¯ However, that person seemed to be Gu Cheng¡¯s younger sister. If Gu Cheng did not ask her, it was not good for him to question her either. Young Master Han said helplessly, ¡°But I have asked many people on my way up, and they all said there was no one in the crowd who looked enigmatic, or with an over-the-top grandeur, or¡­ anyone worth taking note of.¡± This was¡­ It seemed that nothing was said, but it actually provided a lot of clues. Xiao Wuji thought very deeply for a moment, then said, ¡°It seems that this grand master-level powerhouse knows how to go back to the basics.¡± Gu Cheng said, ¡°Or they dressed very ordinarily.¡± Young Master Han listened to what the two of them said and a thought shed in his mind. He added, ¡°Or, they just look very ordinary, so they didn¡¯t attract anyone¡¯s attention.¡± Subsequently, the three of them looked at each other. Young Master Han murmured, ¡°The person should be a middle-aged person, or an elderly person, right?¡± It should not be possible for a young person to reach the level of grand master. Perhaps it was one of the rank nines who had broken through to that level. Xiao Wuji nodded. ¡°Probably.¡± Young Master Han casted a nce at Gu Shanshan again, with a silent expression that suggested he wanted to pry open the girl¡¯s again to ask something. Gu Cheng subtly put himself between the man and the little round face who was eating chicken drumsticks. ¡°Young Master Han, even if you stay here tonight, I¡¯m afraid you won¡¯t get any useful information.¡± Young Master Han retracted his gaze and smiled faintly. ¡°No, at least now I know that the grand master is quite old. They look ordinary and dress simply, so they don¡¯t attract anyone¡¯s attention.¡± Gu Cheng did not add anything to that. Xiao Wuji did not speak either. Young Master Han knew that he would get nothing from asking more if he stayed. ¡°Many thanks to the both of you.¡± He cupped his fist slightly and said politely, ¡°The grudge between your sister and my sister is just two little girls goofing around. Brother Gu¡¯s younger sister is also injured, so I¡¯ll extend my apology here first. When I head back, I¡¯ll ask someone to send a present to the Hot Mountain Springs Vi to Young Lady Gu to make amends, do you think it¡¯s alright?¡± Gu Cheng¡¯s eyes were half-cast. ¡°Just this once.¡± ¡°Although I don¡¯t know why that grandmaster helped Young Lady Gu, if something happens to Young Lady Gu next time, and they helped the Young Lady again¡­¡± Young Master Han did not express the remaining words, but the meaning was very clear. ¡°Brother Gu should help keep an eye on the whereabouts of the grand master.¡± Gu Cheng uttered a single syble through his nose, ¡°Hmph!¡± Young Master Han smiled and waved goodbye, then led his people down the stairs hurriedly. When he reached the second floor, he took another look at the mess of tables and chairs that had not been cleaned up. Young Master Han suddenly noticed something strange. There was a strange ck spot on the opposite wall. He walked to the opposite wall in quick steps, fixing his gaze on the ck spot. ¡°Sir?¡± A servant said in confusion. Young Master Han stared at the ck spot on the wall silently. That was not that the wall was dirty. That ck spot was¡­a chopstick, directly imnted in the wall. It was probably the handiwork of the grand master this afternoon. Young Master Han retracted his gaze. He led his people down the stairs in silence. The squire said confusedly, ¡°My lord, it¡¯s obvious the Young Lady Han¡¯s injuries are more serious, but you still intend to make amends to the Gu Family. If the Young Lady finds out she¡¯d be furious.¡± ¡°What do you know!¡± Young Master Han cast a sidelong nce at the people around him, his expression turning brooding. ¡°The grand master intervened, but did not help us who are from Qingzhou City, and instead helped the chubby girl! We don¡¯t know what¡¯s the corrtion between the two. But it is conceivable that the grand master may have a subtle stance on things.¡± The squire said, ¡°Logically, the grand master should be from Qingzhou City. No, even if they¡¯re not from Qingzhou City, they should be someone from Northern Liang. Why would they help someone from Eastern Ling? My lord, this is really strange.¡± Before this, everyone was sure that the grand master must be someone from Northern Liang or Qingzhou City. However, now that he thought about it¡­ perhaps the person was a foreigner who resided in Qingzhou City. Young Master Han sighed. ¡°The State Preceptor has arrived in Qingzhou City. When I head back, I¡¯ll have to inform the State Preceptor and the Head Grand Secretariat of this matter.¡± After speaking to himself, he recalled that the corpse collector also knew about this matter. Young Master Han¡¯s face darkened instantly. He ordered, ¡°No, go report immediately!¡± The squire nodded hastily. Then, he took some people and left first. Young Master Han looked at the remaining squires and wiped the cold sweat off his forehead. ¡°If we¡¯rete, with the State Preceptor¡¯s temperament, I¡¯m afraid we¡¯ll be punished for withholding information.¡± The squires, ¡°¡­¡± Was the State Preceptor so¡­cruel? ¡­ ¡­ Qi Qingyao, who knew nothing about the matters that happened afterward, was strolling with Si Jin. They did not get to eat in Zuixian Restaurant, but she was a little excited after watching a good show. Si Jin pointed to a certain restaurant on the coast of Qingyang Lake. ¡°Sister, let¡¯s go eat there.¡± There were not many people, but it looked like a very refined and elegant restaurant. Qi Qingyao nced at the name of the restaurant. ¡°Qiangjinjiu Bar (Invitation to Wine)?¡± She liked the name! ¡°Okay, we¡¯ll go there.¡± When the two of them walked to the entrance, however, they were stopped once again. The guard at the entrance nced at their outfits and looks. In short, they were two extremely ordinary people from head to toe¡­ ¡°What? There¡¯s also a membership system here?¡± Qi Qingyao, who was stopped, could not help but say in a mocking tone. ¡°No.¡± The guard was fairly polite, and immediately lowered his head in apology! Then, he said in a slightly apologetic but serious manner. ¡°Ma¡¯am, I¡¯m sorry but, you may have a little difficulty with the spending levels of our shop¡­¡± Huh? He actually gave us the cold shoulder because we looked and dressed ordinarily! She could tolerate everything, but she could not tolerate this! Qi Qingyao gave a meaningful look to Si Jin in annoyance, and Si Jin immediately took out a stack of paper money in his arms. The¡­ appearance of immense wealth. Made the guard¡¯s eyes widen. ¡°My apologies, we were too rude just now. Dear guests! Pleasee in!¡± They were granted ess immediately. Qi Qingyao did not expect their attitudes to take a 180-degree turn on the spot when they learned that the two of them were rich people¡­ She seemed to have a hard timeprehending this¡­ She was stunned for a moment before she walked in with Si Jin with her head held high. At this moment, Qi Qingyao did not know that Qiangjinjiu Bar was Tan Xiangdie¡¯s turf! It was also the headquarters of the Ghost Organization of Wangyue Administration in Qingzhou City¡­ ¡­ ¡­ After entering, Qi Qingyao was shocked by the environment. The style of decoration was very¡­ elegant! It also had a hint of an exquisite taste. The white veils hanging between the pirs of the eaves of the veranda were fluttering in the wind, making the whole restaurant have a kind of¡­vaguely romantic atmosphere. Was this even a frickin restaurant? The atmosphere was clearly one of a¡­ brothel! However, the guests were very ¡°well-behaved¡±. The guests were all surrounding the low table. Some were drinking tea together, some were drinking and having meals together, there were some hugging and kissing girls, some even ying chess¡­ This¡­ For some reason, Qi Qingyao thought of schrs drinking tea and wine, and reciting poetry against each other in the Wei and Jin dynasties. Qi Qingyao and Si Jin also picked out a corner. They sat on the futons and ordered some food and wine. After the food and wine were served, Qi Qingyao leaned back in her seat andined in a small voice while eating. ¡°Why do I feel that we picked the wrong restaurant?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not bad here, it¡¯s very quiet.¡± Si Jin was eating a snack. Qi Qingyao drank the restaurant¡¯s house wine and said, ¡°It¡¯s just too quiet, I¡¯m not used to it.¡± The wine was not bad, though. Si Jin snickered, ¡°Sister likes the atmosphere of Zuixian Restaurant just now¡­¡± Before Qi Qingyao could answer, she suddenly saw a man in red walking down the stairs while hugging a girl in green. The girl in green was charming and affectionate and the man in redughed insolently. Hisughter reverberated in the restaurant for a long time. Qi Qingyao puckered her lips and said, ¡°Look, the man in red over there is dressed so mboyantly.¡± Si Jin looked up. He could not help but chuckle. Qi Qingyao sighed. ¡°Is this ce a brothel or a restaurant?¡± Si Jin muttered, ¡°I think it¡¯s abination of both.¡± Qi Qingyao shook her head, feeling like she had entered the wrong ce. It was too quiet to be a restaurant. However, there were no girls singing for it to be a brothel. If she had to make a conclusion, this was a ce more suitable for meetings! Tan Xiangdie hugged the girl down the stairs and patrolled the shop as usual. In the end, he saw two new faces in the corner at once, and¡­these new faces looked¡­ Well, he would not remember them if saw them again in a crowd. There had never been such ¡°interesting¡± customers in his shop before. After taking a few steps, Tan Xiangdie raised his brows. These were faces that were disguised¡­ He was the head of Wangyue Administration and was proficient in infiltration and undercover. He was thoroughly familiar with all kinds of disguise methods. Although the two people in front of him had excellent disguise techniques, unfortunately¡­ they still could not escape his sharp eyes. Tan Xiangdie was suddenly curious about the two customers. What was their reason for disguise, and why did theye to his shop?. ¡°Dear guests, does the food and wine in the shop suit your tastes?¡± Tan Xiangdie stepped forward and nodded slightly. He put away his usual romantic teasing and said very seriously. Qi Qingyao raised her brows. This motherf*cker turned out to be the shopkeeper? Chapter 340 - Going Out Disguised 5

Chapter 340: Going Out Disguised 5

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Looking at the man who dressed up so grandly, the corners of Qi Qingyao¡¯s mouth twitched. She said, ¡°They¡¯re not bad.¡± Not bad... This answer made Tan Xiangdie slightly conflicted, as he was still extremely confident in the food served at Qiangjinjiu Restaurant. If these two guests did note for the food but something else, then naturally they would not know what the food tasted like. At that thought¡­ Tan Xiangdie looked at the faces of these two guests who had disguised themselves. He knelt down next to them slowly. Closing his eyes, he said in a serious tone, ¡°Hello, I¡¯m the owner of this restaurant. May I ask you a question?¡± ¡°Ask away.¡± Qi Qingyao half raised her eyes. Her voice was soft and slow. Tan Xiangdie said with interest, ¡°Why did you choose to visit this restaurant?¡± ¡°I like the name of the restaurant.¡± Qiangjinjiu Restaurant! How elegant! Tan Xiangdie, ¡°Oh...¡± He was also very proud of the name of the restaurant. Qi Qingyao added airily, ¡°Something I didn¡¯t expect is how much I dislike the atmosphere of this restaurant.¡± Tan Xiangdie said, ¡°As the boss, I care a lot about the opinions of the guests. Can you tell me what exactly is annoying you?¡± Qi Qingyao said casually, ¡°You can say that this shop is a brothel, but it works as a restaurant. But if you say that it¡¯s a restaurant, the atmosphere is like a brothel. When we were eating, the shop was so quiet that we couldn¡¯t eat well. There¡¯s a strange contradiction here. I hope that you can improve in it when you have the time.¡± ¡°Good point. It does feel contradictory.¡± Tan Xiangdie thought that thisment was very true. ¡°I feel happy that someone has said this straightforwardly for the first time.¡± Qi Qingyao did not make a sound and continued to drink. Si Jin was still eating the snacks made from rice flour. When he finished eating, he asked Tan Xiangdie if he had any more. Tan Xiangdie asked how much more food he needed. Si Jin then said, ¡°Three more tes.¡± Tan Xiangdie waved his hand and had five more tes brought over. After the snacks were delivered, Si Jin continued to eat. Qi Qingyao found that the boss had no intention to leave, so she looked at him questioningly. ¡°There¡¯s nothing else, right? Are you going to stay here and watch me eat? Don¡¯t you know that this will make people feel ufortable?¡± Tan Xiangdie asked unhurriedly, ¡°Do I look that unptable?¡± Qi Qingyao said, ¡°No, it¡¯s just that I don¡¯t like people staring at me when I eat.¡± Tan Xiangdie asked a very serious question. ¡°Aren¡¯t you curious about why I¡¯m staring at you?¡± Qi Qingyao said unhurriedly, ¡°Not at all.¡± ... ¡®This guest really doesn¡¯t follow the rules of the game.¡¯ Tan Xiangdie frowned and rubbed his temples, but he was not annoyed. He merely smiled and looked at the two guests before saying calmly, ¡°Because this is the first time I¡¯ve met guests whoe to my store to eat under disguise.¡± Qi Qingyao: ¡°...¡± ¡®Sh*t, this guy knows I¡¯m disguised? How did he tell? Was my disguise so bad?¡¯ None of her thoughts were disyed on her face. The man might be baiting her; it would be very stupid if she exposed herself. So Qi Qingyao continued to drink extremely calmly. Even her eyelids did not flutter. Tan Xiangdie noticed that this guest was still calm even though he had called out her disguise. He was even more sure of something¡ªthese guests were spies that were sent here to investigate the Wangyue Administration. The smile on Tan Xiangdie¡¯s face got wider. He said with augh, ¡°Little girl, I¡¯ll let you in on a secret.¡± ¡°...¡± Qi Qingyao raised her eyebrows. Tan Xiangdie came closer and whispered five words, ¡°This is an uwful enterprise.¡± Qi Qingyao, ¡°...¡± An uwful enterprise¡­ Si Jin, who was eating the snacks, was silent for a moment. He cocked his head and looked at the mboyant man in red with his clear eyes. Tan Xiangdie, whose attention was all on this little girl, said with a light smile, ¡°If you don¡¯t tell me the purpose of your disguise, I¡¯ll...¡± He did not continue. However, Qi Qingyao filled in for him, ¡°You want to kill me?¡± Tan Xiangdie¡¯s eyes were half-closed as he said, ¡°This is an uwful enterprise, and I¡¯m a ck-hearted boss. I often do things that can¡¯t be exposed. So, just tell me what you are here for. Is it to investigate me, or is it to investigate this store?¡± ¡®What the hell, the capital city is soplicated!¡¯ Qi Qingyao sighed and said extremely seriously, ¡°If I tell you that I just happened to walk in because I think the name sounds good, I guess you won¡¯t ept it.¡± ¡°How clever~¡± It was hard to tell from Tan Xiangdie¡¯s tone if he was joyful or angry. He said, ¡°If you just walked in because you think the name sounds good, you won¡¯t disguise yourself. Most people won¡¯t enter a second time if they¡¯re blocked by the guards outside. You specifically changed your face and tried toe in, and were stopped by the guards. However, you showed the guards that you¡¯re rich. It shows that you are a person of status, and that you¡¯re very rich. A very rich person with high status deliberately disguised herself and came into my store? You must have some kind of purpose.¡± Qi Qingyao, ¡°...¡± This analysis was very reasonable. If she did not know that they had really juste to eat a meal, Qi Qingyao herself would believe his words and suspect that she really had ulterior motives. Tan Xiangdie saw that she had fallen silent, and thus he knew that he was right. He asked, ¡°Tell me, am I right?¡± Qi Qingyao did not answer directly; the other party would not believe what she would say, anyway. He had already thought of what she would reply in advance, and so anything she said after would just be her trying to argue. And so Qi Qingyao just said, ¡°So, are you nning to kill me now?¡± A slightly cold chill shed in Tan Xiangdie¡¯s eyes, and he said, ¡°As long as you remove your human skin mask and let me see your true appearance underneath it, so that I know who you are, I won¡¯t kill you.¡± Qi Qingyao stated forcefully, ¡°What if I don¡¯t want to?¡± Tan Xiangdie¡¯s gaze swept around, and he said calmly, ¡°How about this? You are my guest. Pick something you¡¯re good at, and I¡¯ll make a bet with you. If you win, I¡¯ll let you go. If I win, you¡¯ll take your mask off and show me your real face.¡± Qi Qingyao shrugged. ¡°Seems fair enough!¡± Tan Xiangdie¡¯s dark eyes became colder. He said, ¡°I never force my guests to do something, unless they make it necessary.¡± Qi Qingyao opened her eyes wider. She was silent for a moment. After the fight in Zhuixian Restaurant, she did not want to make a scene again. She covered her forehead with her palm and said, ¡°Let me think about what we¡¯ll y, okay?¡± ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll give you ten minutes.¡± Tan Xiangdie was not in a hurry, so he got up and left first. ¡­ After the man in red left, Qi Qingyao sighed deeply and muttered, ¡°I just wanted to have a meal! I didn¡¯t expect to walk into an uwful store! How can I be so unlucky?¡± Tan Xiangdie was sitting near the entrance and talking to the guards. He had an amazing sense of hearing, and so he heard her muttering. He frowned. Could it really be a mistake? Si Jin asked in a small voice as he munched on a sweet snack, ¡°Should we use force?¡± Tan Xiangdie heard and froze again. It seemed that it was not a mistake. The other party already had the power to attack¡­ Qi Qingyao¡¯s smile was veryzy. ¡°No. Didn¡¯t he say that he¡¯ll show us some courtesy first? There¡¯s no need for violence, now, so what¡¯s the hurry?¡± Si Jin cocked his head and asked, ¡°What do you n to bet with him?¡± Qi Qingyao took a look at Si Jin, who was seriously nibbling on the snacks, and thought of something. She patted Si Jin¡¯s shoulder and said with a smile, ¡°Why don¡¯t we send you to bet with him this time? He didn¡¯t say it has to be me, anyway.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Si Jin responded readily. He put down the snack in his hand. When Qi Qingyao saw how confident Si Jin was, she asked, ¡°What do you want to y?¡± Si Jin did not know how to answer this question. He had no idea what to y, and after racking his brain for half a day, something shed in Si Jin¡¯s brain. He said, ¡°Let¡¯s y dice.¡± Dice? She knew how to as well. However, she had already passed the floor to Si Jin. Qi Qingyao asked, ¡°Are you confident?¡± ¡°Of course I¡¯m confident.¡± Si Jin did not think he would lose. Qi Qingyao thought about it. This guy was a little jinx. The few times he had spoken like this, he was sure to win! Anyway, if they could not win¡­ They would have to show their identity! After the decision was made, Qi Qingyao turned to the inside of the restaurant and shouted, ¡°Hey, we have finished discussing!¡± Tan Xiangdie, who was sitting near the door, heard the call. He slowly came over. He looked at the two guests, intrigued. Qi Qingyao said, ¡°We¡¯re gonna y dice. We¡¯ll bet on who gets more points. If we win, you have to let us go.¡± ¡°Dice? That simple?¡± Tan Xiangdie was really surprised. Qi Qingyao patted Si Jin¡¯s shoulder and said, ¡°I¡¯ll send him out for the challenge.¡± Tan Xiangdie knelt in front of the two once again, then he said calmly and leisurely, ¡°I¡¯ll do it myself.¡± He then asked someone to bring two dice cups. Tan Xiangdie asked, ¡°Do you want to check the dice cups?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll check.¡± Qi Qingyao went forward, checked both dice cups, and turned to Si Jin and said, ¡°No problem.¡± She grabbed a dice cup and handed it to Si Jin. Si Jin took the dice cup, looked at the confident man in red, and said, ¡°I have a feeling you¡¯ll get four points at most.¡± Tan Xiangdie snickered internally. Four points? What a joke. He was known to be a master of everything, a jack-of-all-trades! Otherwise, how could the Administration secretly work under its disguises? Si Jin had never yed dice before. He followed the example of Qi Qingyaost time, picked it up, and shook it. When it was put down, a dice was even flung out... This situation also made Qi Qingyao nervous... Looking at how unfamiliar he was with the dice, Tan Xiangdie was a little dumbfounded. He thought, ¡®You¡¯re at this level, and you still want to bet with me?¡¯ Si Jin located the dice that was flung out, awkwardly picked it up, and stuffed it back into the cup. He asked if he could shake it again. The corners of Tan Xiangdie¡¯s mouth twitched and he said yes. Si Jin awkwardly shook it again. Tan Xiangdie also began to shake. After the dice cups of both sides fell down steadily, they opened it at the same time. Tan Xiangdie looked at the dice cup in front of the teenager and was stunned. ¡°Eighteen points.¡± Then he was even more shocked when he looked inside the dice cup in front of himself. ¡°Four points ...¡± ¡°How can this be!!!¡± Tan Xiangdie got up instantly and pointed at the dice cup,pletely disarmed. ¡°This!!!¡± He had never lost so badly ever since he had learned how to control the number of dice points. This was a total defeat! Qi Qingyao said with a smile, ¡°ept your loss graciously, boss.¡± Si Jin was a little jinx, indeed! ¡°...¡± Tan Xiangdie had never been so humiliated. He looked at the teenager, indignant, and sternly said, ¡°You just shook twice. I want to shake it again too.¡± Qi Qingyao said with a chuckle. ¡°You¡¯re gonna get four points even if you do it again!¡± Si Jin said, ¡°Then you can do it again. It¡¯s also four points anyway.¡± Tan Xiangdie snorted coldly and shook the dice cup once more, this time very seriously. After putting it down, he opened it with a very grave expression. Sure enough, it was four points again ... This was so weird! Tan Xiangdie broke down a little. ¡°I¡ª I can¡¯t ept this.¡± ¡°Do you really intend to dispose of this matter uwfully?¡± Qi Qingyao sarcastically looked at the man in red who could not ept defeat, patted Si Jin¡¯s shoulder, and said with raised eyebrows, ¡°I can tell you something¡­ You really can¡¯t afford to offend this guy we have here.¡± Tan Xiangdie froze. He looked at this man, who was disguised to look very ordinary, so ordinary that he could not be identified when among a crowd of people, ¡°Is he¡­ Rank nine?¡± Was he trying to get something out of her? Qi Qingyao did not bother to reply. She repeated, ¡°ept your loss graciously, boss.¡± Tan Xiangdie was now very sure that this little girl was a spy that came to his restaurant for information. However, he did not know who she was taking instructions from. Why was it so difficult to get information out of her? trantion Chapter 341 - Going Out Disguised 6

Chapter 341: Going Out Disguised 6

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Tan Xiangdie sat down on the opposite side, silently watching the disguised guests. He had no intention of letting them go. In any case, how could he possibly let them walk free when spies hade to Qiangjinjiu Bar to collect intelligence! They must be caught and tortured, interrogated until they reveal which organization or gang they worked for, and who had sent them! Qi Qingyao had been an undercover agent in her previous life and she saw through the man in vicious thoughts at a nce. He definitely would not let them go, it seemed that... it was going to be another tough battle! However, Qi Qingyao intended to vent before fighting. She got up, her expression darkening and she suddenly became furious. She pointed at the nose of the man in red and said, ¡°Damn, I just snuck in here to eat since that first restaurant fell apart but this second one is run by brigands! I really got the sh*ttiest luck today! ¡°Who are you trying to intimidate by looking so monstrous and being dressed in red! Or are you nning to hang yourself at night and turn into a scary malevolent spirit?¡± (T/N: The is a belief that people be different kinds of ghosts depending on how they die) Tan Xiangdie had never been ndered like this by anyone before and, at this moment, he was instantly stunned. He did not react at all. A few of the maids were also rooted to their spots, dumbfounded. ¡°How foolish are you? What purpose do you think others have foring to this stupid shop of yours? What other f*cking motive could it be? If it weren¡¯t for the name of this ce being so intriguing, I wouldn¡¯t have even thought ofing in considering the nondescript, rundown, brothel-looking bar-but-not-bar decor! ¡°Even the guests here are weird, they¡¯re all pretentious pricks! I don¡¯t think this is even a bar, it¡¯s obviously a ce where monsters gather! ¡°You rotten shopkeeper, you really think you¡¯re all that! Why put on an act when you have nothing? What are you even talking about! Watch out that I don¡¯t get someone to burn your bar to the ground!¡± ... Having been stupefied for the entire length of the scolding, Tan Xiangdie returned to his senses after quite a while. He rubbed his temples and looked at the ordinary-looking littledy with exceptional cursing skills in front of him. This was the first time he felt acim for something. ¡°Cough, cough. Lady, there¡¯s no need to be this angry now, is there?¡± Qi Qingyao had schooled her expression. The calmness on her face no longer revealed traces of the fuming anger from just a second ago. It was as if the person who had been cursing just now was not someone else. However, the next words she spat out were still caustic, ¡°What I hate the most in my entire life is people who put on an act in front of me!¡± Tan Xiangdie nced at the ordinary-looking youth beside her and waved his hand. ¡°Come, escort these two distinguished guests out.¡± Qi Qingyao snorted and brought Si Jin along and walked toward the door. She was secretly feeling a little happy. Their cover had not been broken! When they got to the door, a maid said awkwardly, ¡°Payment for the meal¡­¡± ¡°Why do I need to pay for the meal?¡± Qi Qingyao turned her head and stared at the maid asking for money. ¡°It¡¯s on your boss!¡± The maid, ¡°...¡± She hurriedly turned to look at the man in red. Tan Xiangdie cradled his forehead helplessly and nodded. After Qi Qingyao and Si Jin left the bar, seven individuals in ck tailed them in secret. This, of course, did not escape Si Jin¡¯s attention. They had only taken ten or more steps when he whispered to Qi Qingyao, ¡°Sister, we¡¯re being followed.¡± Qi Qingyao grabbed Si Jin¡¯s arm while they continued walking calmly. Pretending as if they had not noticed anything. ¡°Do you have a n to throw them off our trail?¡± ¡°I¡¯m probably faster than them. The spies won¡¯t be able to catch up,¡± Si Jin said with much confidence in himself. ¡°That¡¯ll do. We¡¯ll disappear at the next alleyway,¡± said Qi Qingyao. In any case, Si Jin was a rank-nine. From herst conversation with Jiang Yeqian, Qi Qingyao learned that there were seven grand masters in the maind but there were not a lot of rank-nines either¡­ not anyone could just wave their hands and send out rank-nine powerhouses. Rank-nines were notmon! Lu Yan was only at rank six! As she thought about it, those tailing them were at most rank eight! When they reached the next alley entrance, the two walked in calmly. When the people in ck followed them in, they realized that their quarry had already disappeared... There was nothing left. The people in ck were slightly embarrassed as they locked eyes with each other. ¡°We lost them!¡± ¡­ ... Tan Xiangdie had just taken a seat in the backyard and started on a bowl of tea when the ck-d individual entered through the back door. Tan Xiangdie thought they had gotten results but the leader of the ck-d group reported otherwise. ¡°Master, we lost them.¡± Tan Xiangdie immediately spat out his tea. He looked at the ck-d group. ¡°You¡¯re all rank-eights, how did you lose them?¡± It had not even been five minutes! The ck-d individuals, ¡°...¡± Tan Xiangdie put down the tea bowl. A maid fetched him a handkerchief and, after Tan Xiangdie wiped the tea from his fair and clear, bright and clean lower jaw, he gripped at the handkerchief and gazed at the stars in the curtain of the night. He said, ¡°Could it be that our opponent really is a rank nine?¡± The person in ck said, ¡°Thinking of it, they could very well be.¡± Or else, how could they have disappeared so fast¡­ Tan Xiangdie pondered for a moment. Having no intention to punish them, he just waved his hand and dismissed the group. ¡­ ... Tan Xiangdie returned to the fourth floor and spent the entire night thinking on his own when the window was opened by someone. Jiang Yeqian hopped in and, after taking a seat, he took off his mask, shook off the dust on his body and poured himself a cup of tea before taking a sip. As he drank, he watched Tan Xiangdie and realized that¡­ It was a little quiet now. He did not have a woman in his arms like he normally did¡ªthis aroused his curiosity. He asked the man what was wrong. Tan Xiangdie touched his fair and clear lower jaw and murmured, ¡°I had an interesting experience today.¡± ¡°?¡± ¡°There were two disguised guests, a male and a female. They were locals based on their ents. Come to think of it now, they probably did enter my shop by ident,¡± Tan Xiangdie said. Jiang Yeqian replied, ¡°What you¡¯re saying is basically nothing.¡± Tan Xiangdie smiled faintly. ¡°You don¡¯t understand the scene. They cursed me out, even said that my bar was a gathering ce of monsters¡­ They even said I was a pretentious prick! And even called my customers that! They used me of dressing in red because I was trying to be a horrifying malevolent spirit at night by hanging myself¡­¡± ¡°...¡± Jiang Yeqian almost spat out his tea. He swallowed it down forcefully but coughed a few times. Tan Xiangdie continued, ¡°They also boasted that they nned on lighting up my bar.¡± ¡°I suddenly feel like meeting this person.¡± Jiang Yeqian was shocked. ¡°They¡¯re quite brave.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t suspect that I might have already killed them?¡± asked Tan Xiangdie. Jiang Yeqian gave a cold snort and said, ¡°You¡¯re so rxed, even sounding a little intrigued when you told me about this. I think you likely have not killed them.¡± ¡°You certainly understand me.¡± Tan Xiangdie was incessantly agitated. ¡°But I was surprised that I lost to them in a game of dice. I got 4 points. That young man was obviously a beginner but he got 18 points! And then they cursed me out like that so I had to let her go.¡± Four points¡­ Jiang Yeqian could not help but raise his gaze and nce at Tan Xiangdie. He thought to himself that it was no wonder the man had no women in his arms after the way he lost today. ¡°Didn¡¯t you send someone to tail them?¡± ¡°They lost them.¡± ¡°...¡± He suffered a loss like that and the people he sent to tail them, all undoubtedly of rank eight and above, had also lost them? Jiang Yeqian could not drink his tea. Tan Xiangdie said very helplessly, ¡°They¡¯re rank-eights yet they still lost their trail.¡± This verified Jiang Yeqian¡¯s thoughts. Jiang Yeqian rubbed his lower jaw, specting, ¡°It seems that the two are rank-nines.¡± Tan Xiangdie pursed his lips, expression dark as he said, ¡°Since when did rank-nines litter the streets so much that just about anyone whoes by is a rank-nine?¡± Jiang Yeqian said nothing. When Tan Xiangdie spoke again, it sounded like he was trying to save his dignity. ¡°I think that thedy should be the daughter of some great family. Because the guard said they were very rich! They had simply pulled out a stack of bank notes from their body. It seemed that thedy could not simply go out as she pleased, so she disguised herself and ventured out, bringing along her guard. Then they identally walked into my shop.¡± Jiang Yeqian agreed. ¡°If they¡¯re from Qingzhou City, it would be impossible for them to intrude in a ce like that. The youngdies of Qingzhou City all know which shops have good food. It¡¯s impossible they¡¯d act without thinking. Having said that, it¡¯s also impossible for the localdies to have a rank-nine powerhouse with them. I think it¡¯s possible she is a nobledy from neighboring countries that recently came here. She brought her family¡¯s best powerhouses with her.¡± ¡°That makes sense.¡± Jiang Yeqian¡¯s words mitigated much of the gloom in Tan Xiangdie¡¯s heart. She was definitely a richdy from another country¡­ As for being unable to get her to share any information, it must be because the littledy was meticulous with her thoughts and conducted herself with subtlety! Yes. It was definitely this! ¡­ ... After escaping the people tailing them, Qi Qingyao and Si Jin quietly returned to Qingyang Lake via an alternative route. Si Jin asked, ¡°I thought Sister would want to go home directly after all the things that happened.¡± ¡°The road to sess is strewn with setbacks.¡± Qi Qingyao had finally gotten out of the cage, so she did not want to head back so quickly. She had not had anything nice to eat at Qiangjinjiu Bar just now and had only drunk. Now. Standing by theke with the rather cold and bitter north wind blowing onto them, she sobered up a lot. There were many small stalls on the side of the road... Qi Qingyao walked over. ¡°Boss, give me two oil tbreads!¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Soon, two pieces of oil tbread came fresh out of the stove. Qi Qingyao grabbed them before realizing that Si Jin did not eat this. ¡°I forgot you don¡¯t eat this, so I¡¯ll just have two of them!¡± Si Jin took one of the tbreads and said softly, ¡°it¡¯s not that I don¡¯t eat it.¡± He just much preferred white rice¡­ Qi Qingyao was a little stunned. She looked at the average-looking youth as he took small bites of the oil tbread... She smiled and suggested to Si Jin that they go sit on the stone tform and look at theke¡­ They began munching on the oil tbreads. ¡­ This was the second time Li Ruoxuan came to Qingzhou City in his life. He had spent the entire day receiving so many reports from multiple people that his head hurt a little. The little lord of the Han family had also arrived just now, saying that he had some important news. Regarding the mysterious grand master¡­ After he listened to him. Li Ruoxuan contemted for a long time. Thinking he ought to head out for a walk, he brought Zhu Shen with him as they strolled around Qingyang Lake. The stars and the moon sparkled on the surface of Qingyang Lake during the deep winter nights. Li Ruoxuan had heavy matters in mind. After making a few stops during his stroll, he suddenly noticed that there were actually two ordinary-looking people, a woman and a young man who were sitting down. They looked like two lovers as they ate oil tbreads together. The littledy¡¯s nose was red with cold but there was a smile on her face, her mood seemingly pleasant. Ordinary people, huh. Ordinary people who had no troubles¡­ living so leisurely. Li Ruoxuan, who had always been gued with trivial matters, felt rather envious of these ordinary people at this second... Qi Qingyao always had a sharp intuition¡ªshe had just taken two bites of her oil tbread when she sensed someone watching her. She thought it was one of their stalkers but from the corners of her eyes, she saw that it was a young man; he was not exactly handsome but was very clean and refined-looking. He wore full-body ck and he had with him...an attendant. An ordinary lord and his attendant¡­ Qi Qingyao thought for a moment before calling out the lord and attendant pair. ¡°Are you hungry? Do you also feel like having some midnight supper? This oil tbread is not bad! You should buy one and try it out before the owner closes shop.¡± Li Ruoxuan, ¡°...¡± Thedy looked ordinary but she had a pair of shrewd eyes. She looked like a hamster when she ate. She sounded full of self-confidence when she spoke. He was silent for a moment before he said to Zhu Shen, ¡°Go buy an oil tbread.¡± Zhu Shen, ¡°??¡± ¡®State Preceptor, you, have you gone mad?¡¯ Chapter 342 - Going Out Disguised 7

Chapter 342: Going Out Disguised 7

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Zhu Shen was taken aback¡ªthe State Preceptor rarely had midnight snacks. More importantly, he never frequented street stalls before¡­like this! Zhu Shen was momentarily stunned before he walked to the stall selling oil tbreads and ordered one. Before long, the shopkeeper wrapped a piping hot oil tbread in oil paper and passed it to Zhu Shen. Zhu Shen took the food and headed back to hand it to Li Ruoxuan respectfully. Li Ruoxuan epted the oil tbread and subconsciously nced at the ordinary-looking littledy. Her eyes were dark and shiny. Her face was filled with satisfaction under the illumination of themps on the side of the street. Li Ruoxuan held thefortably warm oil tbread and took a bite. It was crispy and delicious, oily but not greasy¡ªit indeed tasted pretty good. Li Ruoxuan walked closer to Qingyang Lake, watching theke¡¯s surface as he ate the tbread quietly. Qi Qingyao was already done with her tbread. Licking her fingers, she asked Si Jin to buy some fried sugar cake. Si Jin calmly nced at the refined and clean-looking young man, then suggested for Qi Qingyao to get up and go with him to the fried sugar cake stall together. Although Qi Qingyao was curious, she knew that Si Jin was being cautious. After they bought three portions of fried sugar cakes, Qi Qingyao walked back and gave one share to the young man who was eating his oil tbread by himself. Li Ruoxuan was a little taken aback. ¡°My treat!¡± Qi Qingyao gestured that she already had two shares in her hands. Zhu Shen subconsciously wanted to reject it on his master¡¯s behalf. Since they did not know where it came from, what would they do should it be¡­ poisoned? However, Li Ruoxuan had already reached out his hand, epting the food without thinking. He had never encountered a situation like this before. Back when he was in the Capital City, he rarely ventured out alone. Basically, if he was not traveling in a sedan chair, he would be surrounded by a crowd in no time... Qi Qingyao sat back on the stone tform. She held the fried sugar cake in her hands with a smile, then started eating it happily. The outside was crispy. With one bite, the sugar in the middle flowed out, the sweetness practically melting one¡¯s heart. Si Jin also found it quite tasty. Li Ruoxuan finished the oil tbread then picked up the round fried sugar cake and took a bite. To a grown man like him, it was a bit too sweet for his liking. It was something Li Ruoxuan did not usually eat, but today, standing on the cold shores of Qingyang Lake with the chilly winds blowing, he instead found a distinct vor that came with eating the fried sugar cake. Somehow he was not really against eating it. Qi Qingyao asked the young man who was standing by the side eating his sugar cake as she ate hers, ¡°Isn¡¯t it good?¡± Li Ruoxuan did not answer but he nodded slightly and smiled. He typically rarely greeted strangers. Qi Qingyao scrutinized the young man standing by Qingyang Lake. The man¡¯s subordinate stood obliquely at the back, silent and wearing a determined and solemn expression. She thought, ¡®Could this person be a young master from some big family?¡¯ His demeanor, however, was silent and cold. Considering that, he probably was not one of those arrogant noble lords of Qingzhou City¡­ Qi Qingyao felt that this person was really ill at ease. She just wanted to share tasty food with someone who had good taste. Thinking for a bit, she asked, ¡°You¡¯re a foreigner, yes?¡± Li Ruoxuan smiled and nodded. He continued eating his fried sugar cake. Qi Qingyao was also rather satisfied as she ate hers. ¡°Qingzhou City is not a bad ce. I¡¯m sure you came for the koi temples, yes?¡± Although his motive was not that, Li Ruoxuan answered in stride, ¡°Was it that obvious?¡± Qi Qingyao nodded delightedly. ¡°Most people whoe to Qingzhou Citye to pray at the koi temple. Li Ruoxuan did not answer directly but took another bite of fried sugar cake and said, ¡°This fried sugar cake... really isn¡¯t bad.¡± Qi Qingyao agreed¡ªthe fried sugar cake was pretty good. After finishing her portion, she turned and realized that Si Jin had only eaten one¡­ Qi Qingyao grabbed his uneaten portion and slowly finished the remaining sugar cake. After that, she got up and waved goodbye to the young man who was a good food connoisseur. ¡°I¡¯m done eating, so I¡¯ll take my leave first. Bye-bye, bro!¡± The little raised hand gave off a sense of innocence and artlessness. Li Ruoxuan was startled for a moment. She and the youth by her side had already walked far away. Li Ruoxuan looked at the unfinished fried sugar cake andughed. ¡°Really, what a friendly little fellow.¡± Zhu Shen pursed his lips, feeling awkward. ¡°...¡± He privately thought about the many friendly individuals out on the streets on a daily basis. Why did the State Preceptor only have a change in attitude now, that he would actually exchange pleasantries with thismoner by the road? He even epted the fried sugar cake they gave him. This situation, no matter how he thought of it, was strange! Li Ruoxuan walked from the shore to the stone tform where the littledy had been seated before. Looking at theke from her position, and slowly eating the fried sugar cake, he suddenly felt¡­ the whole world was at peace. He felt that he had probably never been this rxed before¡­ ¡­ ¡­ Qi Qingyao walked past multiple streets with Si Jin before Si Jin finally could not stand it anymore and said, ¡°Sister, that person from before, he¡¯s a rank-nine.¡± Huh? Qi Qingyao gave a start, feeling a chill run across her scalp. She said, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you say so earlier?¡± ¡°...¡± Si Jin had wanted to, but the man was a rank-nine. He naturally had amazing hearing. He would have heard Si Jin¡¯s words the moment he uttered them... He dared not take this risk. Qi Qingyao rubbed her lower jaw helplessly, saying more to herself than to Si Jin, ¡°How can there be so many rank-nine powerhouses in Qingzhou City? I even bumped into one simply while having an oil tbread by Qingyang Lake!¡± Could it be that rank nines were reallymon? Si Jin thought for a moment and then muttered, ¡°Or it could be that Sister has really good luck.¡± Qi Qingyao, ¡°...??¡± ¡®Impossible! ¡®To say that this was good luck. ¡®Isn¡¯t it more like sh*t luck?¡¯ Si Jin asked Qi Qingyao if she still wanted to stay outside. Qi Qingyao shook her head like a rattle, telling him that she wants to go home, go home, go home right now! In just that one night, they had first witnessed a lively scene in Zuixian Restaurant, and then almost got cheated by a shady establishment, then they even managed to meet a rank-nine while eating oil tbread and fried sugar cake by the road! Qi Qingyao suspected that if she were to continue loitering around, something bad might happen. She was a coward!! It was still safer to hurry back home. The two arrived home without anyone noticing. Qi Qingyao returned to her room through the window. Looking at the sleeping kids, a smile appeared on the corners of her lips. Taking off her robes, she drilled herself into the nkets! She hugged the three kids and went to sleep. ¡­ ¡­ Li Ruoxuan finished the fried sugar cake and sat down for some time by the bank of Qingyang Lake before eventually getting up. Zhu Shen looked at the State Preceptor who appeared more rxed than before. ¡°Master, should we head back?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± As Li Ruoxuan turned around and started to head back, he ordered. ¡°Extend an invitation to the Qi Residence tomorrow morning.¡± ¡°What should I write?¡± ¡°Just write that the State Preceptor Li Ruoxuan invites Qi Qingyao to a meal at Chunjiang Restaurant.¡± ¡°Understood, master.¡± Zhu Shen knew that the State Preceptor wanted to strike the iron while it was hot. Since that Qidy seemed to be living in seclusion, his master...of course, would attack directly. That was because the high and mighty State Preceptor was never one to resign himself to fate. Slumbering, Qi Qingyao was unaware that someone was already preparing a meeting to trap her.... Chapter 343 - I Kinda Miss You

Chapter 343: I Kinda Miss You

Early in the morning, the guards at the gates of the Qi Residence had just exchanged their shifts when a person on horseback galloped toward the gates of the house. After dismounting, the man, who was dressed in a blue uniform, walked directly up to the gates. The guards were about to stop him when the person spoke in a calm manner. ¡°I¡¯m with the State Preceptor.¡± ¡°¡­¡± The guards halted their movements immediately. Someone immediately went in to notify Steward Zhang of the matter. When Steward Zhang found out that the person was with the State Preceptor, he hurriedly came out from the opposite house. He bowed, his forehead bathed in cold sweat, not daring to lift his head. Even if they were in Qingzhou City, they were all servants in the Upper East District, so how could they not have heard the news from the Capital City?! Only a fool would not know that the State Preceptor and Head Grand Secretariat from the Capital City were people heavily favored by the empress. On top of that, both of them were not very good-tempered masters. The Head Grand Secretariat at least still showed due respect for others. The State Preceptor, on the other hand¡­ It was said that he often did things that went against the norm, ruthless and without any mercy. Now, the State Preceptor hade to Qingzhou City. When did he arrive? Not to mention, he had immediately sent someone to the Qi Residence¡­ Steward Zhang thought nervously, ¡®I don¡¯t know if he is looking for our master Lu Yan, or the young mistress! The man held his chin high and his appearance was haughty. After all, he was one of the State Preceptor¡¯s men and was often habitually arrogant. He spoke with a little disdain in his voice. ¡°You are Steward Zhang, right?¡± ¡°Yes, I am¡­¡± Steward Zhang nodded again and again. The man fumbled for an invitation from his bosom and said, ¡°I was given the order by the State Preceptor to deliver this invitation to Qi Qingyao. Please inform her that the State Preceptor will be waiting to meet her at Chunjiang Restaurant this afternoon.¡± Steward Zhang epted the invitation with both hands and said that he would pass the message dutifully. The messenger said nothing, turning around to leave. Steward Zhang only got up when he heard the sound of galloping having moved further away. He nced at the dust cloud left behind by the high and mighty horse and thought internally, ¡®F*ck!¡¯ He did not dare dy and hurriedly turned around and went back in. Qi Qingyao had just gotten out of bed and was sitting down in the dining hall. Before breakfast was even served, she grabbed a cup of clear tea and took a sip. Steward Zhang hurriedly entered and passed the invitation to Qi Qingyao. ¡°Young mistress, the State Preceptor has sent an invitation.¡± The State Preceptor? Hearing this, Qi Qingyao spat out her tea on the spot. Fortunately, Steward Zhang had quickly pulled back the invitation letter, otherwise it would have gotten soaked. Qi Qingyao wiped the tea from the corner of her mouth and clutched her forehead. She was practically falling apart silently as she took the invitation letter and nced at it. ¡°State Preceptor Li Ruoxuan?¡± Steward Zhang¡¯s expression was also unpleasant. ¡°I was told that he would be waiting to meet up at Chunjiang Restaurant this afternoon.¡± Qi Qingyao, ¡°¡­¡± After contemting for a moment, Qi Qingyao pinched the invitation and went directly to Lu Yan¡¯spound. The moment she entered, she was muttering anxiously. ¡°F*ck, f*ck.¡± Dong Jing was changing the medicine on Lu Yan¡¯s chest, who was startled by her abrupt entrance. Qi Qingyao was very tactful, so she turned around with her back facing them. She only turned back after they were done. After Lu Yan tidied up his clothes, he asked, ¡°What¡¯s with the cursing this early in the morning?¡± Dong Jing left the room with the water basin. Qi Qingyao then passed the invitation to Lu Yan for him to take a look. She said, ¡°The State Preceptor wants to meet me, and I¡¯m 80% certain it¡¯s a trap. Will I be able toe back if I go?¡± The State Preceptor wanted to meet her so soon¡­ the speed of things progressing was so absurd, but it was also to be expected based on the man¡¯s personality. He did things decisively, rarely dallying. Lu Yan contemted for a while before saying, ¡°There¡¯s no need to panic. Since the meeting will be in Chunjiang Restaurant, I think he¡¯s just curious about you after having gathered some information from Qingzhou City. Or maybe he knows that the ghost organization has sent Na Lanjie to assassinate you to feel out Si Jin¡¯s abilities. Li Ruoxuan is a very cautious person. He would want to verify the authenticity of the information himself.¡± Qi Qingyao was silent for a moment before she asked, ¡°Does a rank-nine powerhouse want to verify me or Si Jin?¡± Lu Yan was uncertain. ¡°Is there a difference?¡± Qi Qingyao answered seriously, ¡°Of course there is a difference. If I were to go to the meeting alone, then he wouldn¡¯t be able to meet Si Jin.¡± If he was looking for Si Jin, there should be two invitations. Qi Qingyao was a little confused. She could not understand what the State Preceptor was thinking. Lu Yan, on the other hand, asked with a calm expression on his face, ¡°Will you go alone?¡± The answer was¡ª¡±No.¡± The room fell into momentary silence. Suddenly, there was a knock on the wooden door. Lu Yan asked them to enter. Dong Jing pushed open the door and stuck his head in. He gave Lu Yan a look and Lu Yan got up. He said to Qi Qingyao, ¡°Wait here for a bit.¡± Then he left immediately and, after closing the door, walked with Dong Jing to a spot beneath thettice wall. Dong Jing¡¯s expression was very serious as he whispered a few words to Lu Yan. Lu Yan¡¯s expression also gradually changed. He waved his hand. Dong Jing promptly left. Lu Yan stood alone under thettice wall in deep thought for a while before he went back inside the room. Qi Qingyao was pacing inside, her expression conflicted. Lu Yan sighed. ¡°You don¡¯t have to be so agitated.¡± Qi Qingyao looked up. Lu Yan said, ¡°Something happened yesterday night. Now we have almost all the information about that mysterious grand master.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Speaking of the night before, Qi Qingyao could not stop her eyebrows from rising. She had not done anything yesterday night, though. She just went to witness the liveliness, and then gambled a bit. She did not reveal herself! Lu Yan said in a deep voice, ¡°I¡¯m not too sure about the specifics but it¡¯s reliable news. Someone has already provided the State Preceptor and the Head Grand Secretariat with thetest news, saying that the mysterious grand master is an older middle-aged man or an old man. So, you can in the meantime rule out your meeting this afternoon to be a trap. Suspicions rted to Si Jin have also been reduced significantly.¡± For some unknown reason, Qi Qingyao let out a sigh of relief. ¡°I¡¯ve been saying that it¡¯s impossible for our Si Jin to be your so-called grand master. He¡¯s only at such a young age, him being a rank-nine is such an exaggeration. Those of the ghost organization would blindly suspect anyone.¡± Lu Yan actually breathed a sigh of relief as well. After all, it was generally impossible that the ghost organization would suspect someone for no reason. He had even thought about it before, that if Si Jin really was a grand master¡­ then¡­ Despite knowing it was impossible, there was still the possibility. If this youth was a grand master¡­ Lu Yan felt that his view of the world would have crumbled to pieces. It was fortunate that the suspicions have been eliminated! Thinking of this, Lu Yan asked, ¡°Do you need me to apany you this afternoon?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡± She had initially thought that the other party was suspecting Si Jin, or looking to stir up trouble with her. Now that the suspicions were off Si Jin, naturally there was no longer the need for this. Qi Qingyao instantly rxed a lot and said, ¡°He is the all-knowing State Preceptor. While my rtionship with you isn¡¯t bad, I don¡¯t want to bring you any trouble. Not to mention, from what I keep hearing from all of you, the State Preceptor has a really unstable temper and is two-faced and ruthless. So take it easy.¡± If Si Jin really was a rank-nine, the State Preceptor was also only a rank nine. That said, she should not have a probleming out of it unscathed. Hold on. Something did not seem right. If someone had provided the State Preceptor with new information that the mysterious grand master was some older middle-aged man or old man like what Lu Yan had said, then the suspicions about Si Jin should have been eliminated. The State Preceptor should not have any reason to look for Si Jin. So, that meant he only wanted to see her. What was his purpose? Qi Qingyao was suddenly confused again. ¡­ ¡­ She had been anxious all the way till after her meal at noon. She checked the time. After Qi Qingyao exined the situation to the children, she left with Si Jin. Before leaving, Lu Yan asked again if she needed him to go with her. Qi Qingyao shook her head resolutely. The carriage gradually left the gates. The spies who had been watching the gates of the Qi Residence hurriedly left¡­ After five minutes. Jiang Yeqian was standing in an inconspicuous courtyard when someone entered, bowed, and gave a report. ¡°Master, Lady Qi and Si Jin have left Qi Residence.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Left? Jiang Yeqian made no sound. He nodded faintly, signaling for them to further investigate and then report. After a while. Another spy came to report. ¡°Master, Qi Qingyao and Si Jin have arrived at Chunjiang Restaurant.¡± Chunjiang Restaurant! ¡°What!¡± Jiang Yeqian¡¯s expression changed slightly. He recalled that a spy had reported to him an hour earlier that the guy named Li had also arrived at Chunjiang Restaurant¡­ Now, this person had also gone there? Was there a connection? Could it be that the person who went to the Qi Residence this morning was actually one of his¡­ and he sent an invitation? To ask her toe over? Jiang Yeqian said with a grim expression, ¡°Prepare the carriage for Chunjiang Restaurant!¡± ¡°This servant is on his way.¡± ¡­Ten minutester, Jiang Yeqian left for Chunjiang Restaurant. Zhao Xin sat with the master, expression grim when he spoke ¡°Master, if you¡¯re going to look for Qi Qingyao, this servant thinks it wouldn¡¯t be appropriate.¡± Jiang Yeqian looked up at him. Zhao Xin lowered his gaze and said softly, ¡°The public doesn¡¯t know that you and Qi Qingyao know each other. If you go and meet her in public so hastily, I¡¯m afraid¡­¡± Some things would end up not being exined properly. The master probably understood this, so why still go? Zhao Xin did not understand. Jiang Yeqian said, ¡°The State Preceptor is there.¡± Carefully, Zhao Xin said, ¡°All the more reason not to go.¡± Jiang Yeqian said calmly, ¡°I¡¯m going to meet the State Preceptor, not her.¡± Zhao Xin, ¡°¡­¡± Was there a difference? Was it not the same thing? Wait a minute¡­ Could it be that he intended to go see the State Preceptor¡¯s party and have a chance encounter with him? ¡­ ¡­ When Qi Qingyao arrived at the entrance to Chunjiang Restaurant, she took out the invitation and entered Chunjiang Restaurant unimpeded. Based on the location specified on the invitation, she brought Si Jin along as they went to one of the rooms on the third floor of Chunjiang Restaurant. There were two guards stationed at both sides of the entrance. Qi Qingyao first identified herself. The guards opened the door for her expressionlessly. Qi Qingyao entered with Si Jin. After entering, they walked around a screen door and saw a young man sitting at a mahogany round table. He had one hand resting on his face, his expression resembling leisurely reticence. Qi Qingyao looked at the young man¡¯s refined and clean appearance, not exceptionally good looking, but not ugly either. He had a straight face, and her expression inexplicably turned muddled for a moment. ¡°Huh, you?¡± ¡°¡­?¡± Li Ruoxuan heard the sound of the door opening and footsteps. He knew that his guest had arrived. However¡­his guest¡¯s appearance was not what he expected. To put it into words¡­ Li Ruoxuan narrowed his eyes on the spot as he looked at the pretty little woman standing in front of the folding screen, then he nced at theely and elegant youth behind her. ¡°You know me?¡± Qi Qingyao reacted very fast and instantly she understood a lot of things. It was likely that the young man from yesterday night was actually the State Preceptor of legend, but how would she have possibly known then? She had even treated him to a fried sugar cake, they also f*cking talked to each other! What was going on? Qi Qingyao scratched the back of her head,ughing dryly before she said, ¡°¡­I was mistaken, I thought you were someone I know.¡± Li Ruoxuan, ¡°¡­¡± Qi Qingyao looked at the other party¡¯s expressionless appearance and knew that it was bad. She continued smiling awkwardly and said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, your face is just toomon-looking so I mistook you for someone else. My bad.¡± Li Ruoxuan, ¡°¡­¡± Even though he was not that handsome, he was not that ordinary-looking either, right? However, the way the littledy in front of him spoke, from her tone and voice¡­ It made him feel as if he had heard it before. He could not recall it immediately. Qi Qingyao coughed lightly, trying to alleviate the awkwardness. ¡°You¡¯re the State Preceptor?¡± ¡°That I am.¡± Li Ruoxuan nodded. ¡°Please, sit.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Qi Qingyaoughed dryly, snickering as she took a seat. Si Jin also took a seat beside her on his own. Given she was nervous, she sat indescribably straight, like an obedient student. After sitting like that for a bit, she did not even notice the man had poured her a cup of tea¡­ Qi Qingyao was so nervous her throat was parched. In any case, this was the State Preceptor of legend; she dared not act rashly or speak simply. So she stayed quiet, silently waiting, waiting for ¡°weighted utterances¡±. Was he trying to test her or did he just want to sentence her to death¡­ Nevertheless. Time ticked by second by second. The room was as quiet as a cemetery. No one was saying anything at all!! ¡°¡­¡± Qi Qingyao could not help but look up and nced at the person opposite her. The person was drinking tea quietly. Feeling that more than three to four minutes had passed, she could stand it any more and automatically asked, ¡°I wonder why the State Preceptor came looking for me?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Li Ruoxuan did not say anything, he only watched her unperturbed as before. He was still thinking about why he found the voice familiar. However, he was unable to match the face in his mind to the one in front of him¡­ Seeing that he was not saying anything, Qi Qingyao pressed her lips together then said, ¡°I realized that you guys are really weird.¡± ¡°?¡± Li Ruoxuan listened to what she was saying while still deep in thought. Qi Qingyao continued, ¡°Everyonees looking for me for a private chat but everytime they invite me, they won¡¯t say anything, wanting the other person to have the first word. Do I have to beg you to speak first?¡± Li Ruoxuan, ¡°¡­¡± Qi Qingyao shrugged, smiling offhandedly as she said, ¡°While I really want to say that I¡¯ll be taking my leave if you have nothing to say, but you clearly won¡¯t let me go that easily. So why not hurry up?! This is really unimaginable. Also, as the State Preceptor, since you¡¯re already sitting here, don¡¯t you have a lot of work to deal with daily? Why do you want to waste your time on me?¡± Li Ruoxuan listened to her rattling off, examining the shape of her mouth and her voice, and apletely different silhouette rushed into his mind. This made Li Ruoxuan shut his eyes once again. Qi Qingyao pressed him, ¡°Say something, big shot!¡± ¡°¡­¡± Li Ruoxuan stared at her deeply and quietly. After practically confirming it, he said, ¡°You¡¯re the one who treated me to the oil tbread yesterday.¡± ¡°What do you mean I treated you to oil tbread?¡± She had clearly treated him to fried sugar cake, see? Of course, Qi Qingyao could not admit to that. She had also schooled her expression really well, without revealing a single weakness. She said indifferently, ¡°The State Preceptor has mistaken me for someone else.¡± ¡°It¡¯s possible.¡± Li Ruoxuan poured her a cup of tea and then pushed the tea bowl in front of her. After Qi Qingyao finished the tea. The atmosphere once again fell into silence. After drinking three cups of tea. Qi Qingyao once again snapped. Were all these important figures sick in the head? They enjoyed inviting people just to sit together in silence. Qi Qingyao got up and said, ¡°If there¡¯s really nothing, then let us have a meal together peacefully. After we¡¯re done with our meals, we¡¯ll return to our homes, what do you think?¡± Li Ruoxuan said as if nothing happened, ¡°You¡¯re the one who treated me to oil tbread yesterday night.¡± Was it not a fried sugar cake?! Was he trying to trap her, waiting for her to refute that it was fried sugar cake when she could no longer hold herself back? Qi Qingyaoughed and said, ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about.¡± Li Ruoxuan said, ¡°It¡¯s you.¡± Qi Qingyao, ¡°¡­¡± Li Ruoxuan smiled indifferently, ¡°Your voice is the same. Your reaction was a little off when you entered, possibly because you recognized me as the person from yesterday night. That¡¯s why you were speaking so naturally. You didn¡¯t fathom that it would be me when you entered and because of that, you were shocked.¡± This was said very smoothly. Which meant that he had already ascertained it without any doubt. ¡°Alright alright, I admit you¡¯re smart. That¡¯s enough now.¡± Qi Qingyao rolled her eyes. She picked up the teapot on his side and poured herself a cup of tea. After drinking the tea heavily, she then looked at Li Ruoxuan seriously and said, ¡°I¡¯ve really attracted enough bad luck for the rest of my life. So many people have their eyes on me now because of this face, that¡¯s why I felt that something would happen to me, like I would be assassinated if I left my house. That¡¯s why I went out disguised to eat oil tbreads and fried sugar cakes by the side of the road. But I still bumped into the State Preceptor who was on an inspection tour incognito in the end. Who should I reason with? If I knew you were the high-ranking State Preceptor, I definitely would not make a mistake, nor would I go out of the way to ask you to eat fried sugar cake.¡± Seeing that she confessed, a smile appeared on Li Ruoxuan¡¯s face. He could not help but say in a teasing manner, ¡°I only said one sentence but you ten more.¡± Qi Qingyao, ¡°I¡¯m a chatterbox.¡± Li Ruoxuan, ¡°¡­¡± Now that both parties have revealed their truths, Qi Qingyao also rxed a lot. She made the move to ask, ¡°Did you really note to kill me?¡± Li Ruoxuan retorted, ¡°Why would I kill you? Qi Qingyao was dumbfounded. ¡°Then you did not look for me to see who I am?¡± Li Ruoxuan pointed at the youth beside her who had been silent while eating the confectioneries on the table. His smile profound, he said, ¡°I¡¯m here for him.¡± Acting clueless, Qi Qingyao asked, ¡°What did my Si Jin do?¡± Li Ruoxuan stared at Si Jin, unblinking. ¡°You, fight a round against me.¡± Si Jin¡¯s response to that was t. It could even be said that there was no response. He just closed his eyes and continued eating the confectioneries. Qi Qingyao almost choked on her sip of tea. She coughed twice and said with a smile, ¡°State Preceptor, you must be joking.¡± Li Ruoxuan¡¯s gaze was still fixed on Si Jin. ¡°I¡¯m not joking.¡± ¡°Why not we do this?¡± Qi Qingyao bit her teeth. ¡°I¡¯ll admit defeat on his behalf.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Li Ruoxuan¡¯s gaze turned as he looked at Qi Qingyao calmly and quietly. Qi Qingyao said somewhat pleadingly. ¡°I spent a few days in Qingzhou City recently. I also met a few people and learned of the State Preceptor¡¯s skill level. My Si Jin can¡¯t beat you and I don¡¯t want to see him hurt. Therefore, we surrender.¡± Seeing her gaze was sincere, Li Ruoxuan took a moment before saying, ¡°So be it. Let¡¯s eat.¡± Qi Qingyao heard this and let out a sigh of relief. Then, Li Ruoxuan walked out. Not a momentter, Zhu Shen came in with the other servants as they served the food. The dishes on the table looked rather scrumptious. Qi Qingyao had been overly nervous just now and was indeed a little hungry. She picked up her chopsticks and began eating without making a big deal of it¡­ After Zhu Shen was done ting out the dishes, he nced and saw the hint of a sincere smile in his master¡¯s calm countenance and was very dumbfounded. Why would his master want to dine with this girl? ¡­How weird! Ever since the night before, everything had turned weird. Zhu Shen really could not get used to Qingzhou City. Zhu Shen left and closed the door. Qi Qingyao happily guided Si Jin and dined together with Li Ruoxuan. They had not even taken eight mouths of their food when the door to their room was kicked open with a ¡®thud!¡¯, scaring Qi Qingyao so much that she almost dropped her chopsticks. Then, guards entered and immediately apologized. Zhu Shen was the most awkward of them all, saying that they had not been able to stop the intruder. Jiang Yeqian stood calmly beside the screen and he took in the scene in the room. After making sure she was very safe, he turned his gaze to Li Ruoxuan. Jiang Yeqian gritted his teeth and eximed. ¡°State Preceptor!!!¡± After Qi Qingyao picked up her chopsticks that fell on the floor. Putting the dirty chopsticks to one side, she picked up another clean pair of chopsticks¡­ Li Ruoxuan signaled for her to not worry. He got up and looked at Jiang Yeqian who had barged in. ¡°I wonder why the Head Grand Secretariat kicked down my door?¡± Jiang Yeqian gave a smile that did not reach his eyes and said, ¡°I just missed you a little, so I came to visit.¡± Li Ruoxuan pointed at Qi Qingyao and Si Jin and said, ¡°I¡¯m having a meal with friends. I don¡¯t have the time to entertain the Head Grand Secretariat. So please go back.¡± ¡°Friends?¡± Jiang Yeqian¡¯s eyes almost fell out. Friends!!!! Jiang Yeqian felt his head buzz instantly. What was going on! Chapter 344 - Eyes On You

Chapter 344: Eyes On You

Jiang Yeqian¡¯s mind was fixed on the word ¡°friend¡±. Li Ruoxuan thought he was shocked that he, the State Preceptor, would actually have friends. This made Li Ruoxuan reply even more unperturbed, ¡°I¡¯m having a meal with friends, so I don¡¯t have the time to entertain the Head Grand Secretariat. Please go back.¡± Jiang Yeqian could not help but repeat the word, ¡°Friends.¡± His abstruse tone was as if using, ¡®You¡¯re messing with me!¡¯ He knew, however, that since the State Preceptor had already announced to him that he was having a meal with friends, this meant that all he could do was leave. So, with a heavy expression, Jiang Yeqian looked at Li Ruoxuan, his gaze profound, before turning to leave. After Jiang Yeqian left, Zhu Shen hurriedly closed the door again. Li Ruoxuan nced at the door that was being observed. He raised his eyelids, his eyes clear and dark. He casually sat down and then asked Qi Qingyao, ¡°Is the wine good?¡± Qi Qingyao nodded and asked, ¡°What¡¯s the name of this wine?¡± ¡°The Fragrance of Spring.¡± It was said that it was an exclusive brew of Chunjiang Restaurant. This was also the reason Chunjiang Restaurant was so unique in Qingzhou City. ¡°The wine lives up to its name.¡± She had not managed to taste it thest time she was here. Qi Qingyao smiled as she gave a toast to Li Ruoxuan. ¡°Here here, let¡¯s drink.¡± Dragged along to drink, Li Ruoxuan did not say much either. He smiled and lifted his cup to toast her. Si Jin sat quietly at the side as he continued indulging in the confectioneries. Some of them were not made of rice but he had also taken a bite or two of them to taste. Finding them agreeable, he took a few more bites and thought to himself, ¡®These are pretty good too.¡¯ Li Ruoxuan and Qi Qingyao drank wine and ate the food, not saying much nor asking any questions. Based on the intelligence of this littledy in front of him, she was really mysterious, and also¡­ tight-lipped. If he had not pursued the matter of their meeting the night before, it was likely she would not have said anything either. This was an extremely careful person¡­ Hence, this meal was very quiet. In the middle of the meal, Li Ruoxuan noticed Si Jin did not drink and had only been eating confectioneries all the while. He did not like to eat vegetables either. It was possible he was not hungry, but to not drink wine¡­ He found it a little weird. So he asked Qi Qingyao, ¡°Does he not drink?¡± ¡°He doesn¡¯t know how to!¡± Qi Qingyao replied. The truth was she did not know if Si Jin knew how to drink or not, but somehow, she internally felt that the moment this fellow drank, it would be as if they had unearthed something unpleasant. So it was best he did not drink. ¡­ ¡­ After Jiang Yeqian left Chunjiang Restaurant, he got onto his carriage and made his way back, muttering all the while. ¡°What exactly was going on?¡± ¡°??¡± Zhao Xin was seated at the side. He looked at his master with uncertainty and wondered what the master saw there that made him so ¡°anxious¡±. ¡°It¡¯s truly iprehensible,¡± Jiang Yeqian said, somewhat troubled. Zhao Xin, ¡°¡­¡± What exactly did he see!!! ¡­ After Qi Qingyao finished her meal, she made a goodbye gesture to Li Ruoxuan and said with a smile, ¡°I¡¯m stuffed. We¡¯ll go back first.¡± Li Ruoxuan had Zhu Shen escort her down the building. Qi Qingyao maintained her giggly attitude from the start till the end, as if she was really calm. As she got to the bottom floor of the building and got into the carriage, she kept her smile. The driver drove the carriage back. Si Jin quietly asked, ¡°Sister, do you really take that person as a friend?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not a fool!¡± Qi Qingyao had a sincere expression in front of Si Jin. ¡°You¡¯ve seen the situation just now. If I didn¡¯t go with the flow and be his friend, he would have long dragged you out for a fight!¡± That was the State Preceptor. Just because they met once by ident the night before, so what? As someone who had been an informant in many ces, Qi Qingyao thought herself to be quite knowledgeable. She had also met countless people in the city and employed various methods. Now, there was a young man in front of her who she thought should be about the same age as Jiang Yeqian¡­ both were in their early twenties. However, the difference was that one was the State Preceptor. For someone like that to say that she was a friend¡­ Were they really then friends? If she really believed in this bullsh*t, she really would be a fool. One could not begin to fathom the workings of a high-ranking figure. From the tales of the past, Qin Shihuang ascended the throne when he was 13 years old, he took over the reins of the government, killing Lao Ai at 22 years old¡­ At 39 years old, he began his reign! The scheming of these historical people¡­ was unfathomable. It was definitely foreshadowing! Si Jin did not know that Qi Qingyao had been runningps in her mind in the blink of an eye. He was just relieved that she did not consider that person a friend. That was because he also sensed that the State Preceptor was definitely not as nice as he seemed! ¡­ In Chunjiang Restaurant. ¡°Truly an interesting individual.¡± Li Ruoxuan sat in front of the window as he watched the carriage leave. His eyes were covered with frost and snow and his eyebrows surged up his forehead. ¡°Master?¡± Zhu Shen had already called for the dishes to be taken away. He stood waiting at the side. Li Ruoxuan was basking in the cool winds, working out lightly to get rid of the tipsiness. Looking refreshed, he asked, ¡°Have you ever met someone who has seen and gotten to know me, yet did not even take me seriously?¡± ¡°This is the first time,¡± Zhu Shen said truthfully. Li Ruoxuan said, ¡°This is my first time meeting one too.¡± Her attitude had been casual when she did not know his identity the night before, but she was still the same after she knew who he was This was really interesting. He suddenly understood why Heir Pei and Lu Yan favored this littledy. Li Ruoxuan suddenly said to Zhu Shen, ¡°She¡¯s the one who treated me to fried sugar cake the night before.¡± ¡°Ah!!¡± Zhu Shen was shocked! The littledy from yesterday night¡­looked¡­ Wait a minute, could it be a disguise? If the Master said it was, then it must be true! However¡­ His head was spinning! ¡­ When Qi Qingyao returned to the Qi Residence, Lu Yan noted that she had safely returned. Before he could speak, Steward Zhang informed that the Head Grand Secretariat was here. He had even called out someone by name. ¡°I want to see your mistress.¡± Qi Qingyao frowned when Jiang Yeqian came to see her himself. She really wanted to curse him. What would the various forces in Qingzhou City think with Jiang Yeqianing to her house multiple times? Would they think they were having some hidden transaction? Or some collusion? However, she had no choice, since the ¡°Head Grand Secretariat¡± hade to her door. She could not just shut the door on him. Qi Qingyao asked Steward Zhang to invite him in. After Jiang Yeqian entered the partial hall, he did not even wait for Qi Qingyao to say anything as he asked the servants to leave and remain outside of the hall, saying that he wanted to speak to the mistress privately. Steward Zhang raised his brows and nced at Qi Qingyao. Qi Qingyao nodded at him, and Steward Zhang led the servants out falteringly. Jiang Yeqian noticed that Si Jin was still standing there. He red at him, gaze solemn. Si Jin pursed his lips, eventually leaving unhappily. Jiang Yeqian noted that Si Jin deliberately left the door open when he left. He went over and gave Zhao Xin a look. Zhao Xin understood that the master wanted him to keep an eye out, to not let anyone near the partial hall lest they overheard. After Jiang Yeqian closed the door, he looked at Qi Qingyao who was seated and stoking the mes. He asked, with his voice slightly hoarse. ¡°How did you be friends with the State Preceptor?¡± ¡°¡­?¡± Qi Qingyao looked up, frowning. Jiang Yeqian urged anxiously, ¡°Answer me.¡± The word ¡®friend¡¯ weighed too much. He had not initially wanted toe here in person, but he could not bear it anymore. ¡°What¡¯s it got to do with you?¡± Qi Qingyao asked. Jiang Yeqian gave a start. His thick and darkshes flickered in the light and shadow as he looked down, expression gloomy. ¡°It¡¯s indeed none of my business. I just don¡¯t want to see you being used as a friend.¡± ¡°We just had a meal.¡± What did he mean by not waiting to see her get used by others? Was she that dumb? Qi Qingyao found things a little hard to understand. Seeing her answering calmly and indifferently, Jiang Yeqian snarled, ¡°Was that just a meal? Did you not see how he treated you? I have never seen Li Ruoxuan treating someone so courteously before.¡± ¡°Then my luck must be good,¡± Qi Qingyao answered in a way like she was mocking herself. Jiang Yeqian said seriously, ¡°Was that luck? He definitely ns on using you!¡± Qi Qingyao, ¡°¡­¡± She really did not understand Jiang Yeqian¡¯s attitude at all. Jiang Yeqian could not help but say, ¡°You better not get too close to him. That man, his thoughts go extraordinarily deep. If you befriend him, you won¡¯t even know how you die when it happens.¡± Qi Qingyao felt that he was being overly worried about her but did not have the heart to say that either. So she simply replied, ¡°We just ate, didn¡¯t we? You don¡¯t need to worry about it so much.¡± Wanting to conceal his intentions, Jiang Yeqian said, ¡°Who¡¯s worried? Not me!¡± Qi Qingyao, ¡°Oh.¡± Jiang Yeqian was infuriated by her attitude and said again, ¡°In any case, you better stay alert.¡± Qi Qingyao did not understand his attitude but decided to show him due respect and nodded. Jiang Yeqian looked at theid-back look on her face and took a deep breath. Having himself maintained his calm, he asked not too exasperatedly, ¡°He really didn¡¯t say anything to you?¡± Qi Qingyao said, ¡°He just treated us to a meal. He was behaving quite nicely. We even talked about the taste of the wine and food.¡± Jiang Yeqian, ¡°¡­¡± Huh? This¡­ Jiang Yeqian really could not understand this. Fifteen minutester, he left the Qi Residence. After getting into the carriage, he kept repeating what she said under his breath and Zhao Xin could not stop his mouth from twitching. He said softly, ¡°The State Preceptor couldn¡¯t possibly be drinking and chatting merrily with her!!¡± As to exactly what kind of person the State Preceptor was, no one in Qingzhou City knew, neither did she. In the Capital City, however, a handful was privy. Jiang Yeqian, ¡°¡­¡± His expression was as dark as the bottom of a pot. He, of course, knew that Li Ruoxuan would never just idly drink and have a chat with her, even talking about the vors of wine and food. What kind of joke was this? The kind of person this fellow was¡­ Li Ruoxuan did things even more viciously and harshly than him. He did not usually take action, but when he did, he would leave no doubt that he would get his desired result. How could it be possible that he just asked her to have a good drink and talk¡­ What exactly was going on? What was Li Ruoxuan trying to do? Jiang Yeqian cradled his forehead and said, ¡°It¡¯s impossible to understand this.¡± ¡­ ¡­ After Jiang Yeqian left. Lu Yan went over to ask her about what happened at Chunjiang Restaurant and Qi Qingyao summarized things in a few brief words. Lu Yan was also confused when she recounted it. That did not seem right. This was not the way the State Preceptor operated at all. He shared his heavy worries with Qi Qingyao. Of course, Qi Qingyao could not say that she had been lucky enough to meet the manst night. She could only vaguely say that perhaps the State Preceptor was not as cold and ruthless as one thought. Lu Yan refuted her words on the spot. ¡°That man, he is definitely ten times more insidious and ruthless than you think. ¡°What you¡¯re seeing now is just a facade. ¡°Maybe he¡¯s just convinced that you don¡¯t know who he really is and that¡¯s why he¡¯s putting on a show, to get you to let your guard down first.¡± Qi Qingyao coughed lightly. She was indicating that she would be maintaining extreme vignce and not fall for the State Preceptor¡¯s sugar-coated trap. With that, Lu Yan rxed a little. ¡­ ¡­ The fact that Jiang Yeqian had visited the Qi Residence right after their meet-up was soon reported to Li Ruoxuan. When Li Ruoxuan got to know of this, his eyes narrowed as he rubbed his lower jaw. Interesting. Very interesting. It seemed that¡­ He was not the one the Head Grand Secretariat wanted to see when he came to the Chunjiang Restaurant just now. Instead¡­it was the littledy Qi Qingyao? If that was the case. This matter has be even more interesting. The Head Grand Secretariat was interested in that littledy? Did he want her as a concubine? However, the reports said that that littledy was a widow with three children already. It was impossible that the Head Grand Secretariat would want to take a widow as his concubine. Based on his understanding of Jiang Yeqian, the man did not have such entric tastes. If he really wanted that woman, would he not be taking in the children of another man? Was that possible? In Li Ruoxuan¡¯s mind, this was definitely impossible. Then again, this was Qingzhou City. The koi temple in Qingzhou City had a strong influence, so was there anything that was truly impossible? A littledy was able to form a rtionship with Master Lu and Heir Pei. She had also driven Jiang Siliu out of Qingzhou City. These were already great feats. It was not surprising that there was one more¡­ He seriously thought so. Zhu Shen came in from outside with an art scroll in his hands. ¡°Master, the beauties in the hot springs that you had re-engraved, this servant has requested for someone retrieve.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Li Ruoxuan looked over. Zhu Shen¡¯s expression was a little panicked and also somewhat embarrassed. He coughed once before unfurling the art scroll in his hand. Li Ruoxuan¡¯s gaze instantly shook. Then, he could not help but hold his forehead. Zhu Shen saw his master¡¯s expression and could not help but want tough. He rarely saw his master this speechless, but ever since the night before, it had already happened a few times. His master did not ask to roll the art scroll up so Zhu Shen kept it open. He could not help his gaze scanning the drawing a few times. Truth be told, he had also been shocked when he first saw this. That was because¡­the style of the art was very peculiar, unlike a brush painting. The person who reproduced it was not able to be as refined as the original painting, but they had also managed to capture about 70% of the atmosphere. Li Ruoxuan sighed and looked at the drawing. Speechless. It was a really¡­erotic drawing! He simply did not understand, this woman¡­was really a rare and exotic flower. She did things that were iprehensible to normal people. Considering this drawing was so unique, it was likely that the outside rumors about her rtionship with the Master Architect Li Qinglian were also¡­most likely true. ¡°Zhu Shen, prepare the carriage. We¡¯re headed for Linquan Vige of Baishui Town.¡± ¡°Yes, master!¡± Li Ruoxuan decided to go take a look at the building in person. To see if it was as the reports made it out to be. At six in the evening. Their carriage arrived in Linquan Vige. The vigers noticed the luxurious ck carriage but no one dared approach it. There was no banner on the carriage so they did not know which family it was from. The vigers noticed that the carriage had made its way to Qi Qingyao¡¯s small building. A young man immediately got down from the carriage. The man wore ck attire. His appearance was somewhat ordinary but his entire being had an aura that could not be ignored. The man stood in front of the small building, scrutinizing the small detached building with multiple stories. His gaze revealed his inconceivability. He looked around the small building. Ascertaining that the door was closed and that he could not get in, he returned to the carriage. The carriage eventually left. Ma Sanye¡¯s expression was quiet for a while. He produced a pen and wrote a letter, then went to Baishui Town overnight, asking someone to send the letter to the Qi Residence in Qingzhou City. Qi Boli had also learned about the carriage. He thought to himself, ¡®Someone is keeping an eye on Qi Qingyao.¡¯ The carriage that came to the vige that afternoon was really luxurious but also inconspicuous! It was certainly no ordinary person! They only did not know whichrge figure it was! Chapter 345 - Qingzhu Has Been Killed

Chapter 345: Qingzhu Has Been Killed

After the ck carriage left Linquan Vige, it took another shortcut back to Qingzhou City. Along the way, however, the people the State Preceptor sent out were already keeping their eye on Linquan Vige and Baishui Town in secret. In the middle of the night, a white carrier pigeon flew into the attached mansion. Zhu Shen caught the carrier pigeon with one hand and pulled out the small mailbox from its leg that contained a small note. After Zhu Shen read the note, he hurriedly went to the entrance of the reception parlor and opened the door. It waste into the night but there was still a bright light in the reception parlor. There was a man dressed in ck sitting on the arhat couch, his body radiating vigor. He was drinking tea calmly while holding a scroll in his hand, reading something. Zhu Shen pushed open the door and entered, then closed it behind him to prevent the cold wind from blowing in. He walked to the front of the man and said respectfully. ¡°Master, the head of Linquan Vige, Ma Sanye, personally sent a letter to the town after dark. I had someone look into it, and the letter was to be delivered to the Qi Residence.¡± Li Ruoxuan put down the book in his hand and said, ¡°So she isn¡¯t that foolish.¡± She had the situation in the vige in the palm of her hand. She had also gotten someone to keep an eye on the house. Zhu Shen lowered his gaze, saying nothing. Zhu Shen thought, ¡®Even if she¡¯s not dumb, the State Preceptor is still the true strategist!¡¯ He had personally made a trip to the vige, but knowing in advance that people would have their eye on them, he had long nted spies in ce, just waiting to lure the snakes out of their holes. Li Ruoxuan rubbed his jaw, his voice light and slow as he said, ¡°A woman who has a rtionship with the Master Architect Li Qinglian and Divine Physician Su Hexiao, yet neither party was able to find a single clue about her¡­ It seems that the groups in Qingzhou City are all useless.¡± ¡°Master¡­¡± Zhu Shen was secretly thinking that perhaps that was not quite true either since the Head Grand Secretariat was still quite impressive. Li Ruoxuan said expressionlessly, ¡°Bring me every intelligence report on her, I¡¯ll look through them again.¡± Zhu Shen hurriedly delivered all the information rted to Qi Qingyao. Li Ruoxuan pinched the more detailed intelligence report in his hand and flipped through it again. After going through it four to five times, Li Ruoxuan pointed at a particr piece of information, the corners of his lips hooking into a smile, indicating his interest. ¡­ ¡­ Night. Xingli Vige. On a moonless night with high winds and enveloping dark clouds. The vige was quiet as a grave. There were the asional sounds of dogs barking, which resonated into the darkness. A group of assassins dressed in dark night clothes rushed into the vige at high speed. They were all well-trained; when they reached the gates of a particr home, they scaled the wall, light-footed, and entered the courtyard¡­ Just as the early morning light broke, a very ordinary-looking man came to the gates of the Qi Residence in Qingzhou City. He imed to be a postman from Baishui Town and that he had a letter to deliver to Qi Qingyao. Steward Zhang knew where Qi Qingyao hailed from, so he epted the letter on his own ord and gave the man ten copper-cash as a thank you. The man smiled then left. Steward Zhang held the letter and went to the side hall. He saw Qi Qingyao tidying up the kids¡¯ clothes and, not daring to dy, Steward Zhang immediately stepped forward. ¡°Mistress, there is a letter addressed to you.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Qi Qingyao epted the letter with uncertainty. She nced at the lower right corner and saw that the sender only left the name ¡®Ma¡¯. Was it Ma Sanye? Opening the letter, Qi Qingyao nced at the letter a few times, her expression changing greatly. There were only a few keywords in the letter. [Building, ck carriage, a man, ordinary and clean, umon.] Ma Sanye was very cautious, he wrote this way to prevent the letter from falling into the hands of others. Qi Qingyao understood what he meant from just these few keywords. Someone had paid a visit to her small building yesterday and the person was a man who looked clean but ordinary and had an umon air to him. He took a ck carriage. Ma Sanye did not write about a g so it seemed that the person¡¯s carriage did not have a marker. As for an ordinary and clean-looking man, there were many who fit that description. However, there was only one she had recently interacted with who also had a formidable aura¡ªthe State Preceptor Li Ruoxuan. Si Jin noticed that Qi Qingyao had gone into a daze with the letter in hand and called out quietly, ¡°Sister?¡± ¡°It¡¯s that man,¡± Qi Qingyao said solemnly. ¡°Who?¡± asked Si Jin. Qi Qingyao pressed her lips together. ¡°I think¡­ it should be the State Preceptor¡­¡± ¡°What did he do?¡± Si Jin did not understand why she was being so serious. Qi Qingyao passed the letter to Si Jin. ¡°Take a look for yourself.¡± Si Jin nced at the letter; there were just a few keywords. Qi Qingyao exined, ¡°He had personally gone to the vige to take a look at my house.¡± Lu Yan had just entered the side hall when he noticed her stern expression. So he asked what was wrong. Si Jin passed the letter to Lu Yan, signaling for him to look for himself. Lu Yan nced at it and surmised from her expression what had happened and understood who the person the letter was referring to. Lu Yan calmly said, ¡°He is a very collected person, he¡¯s just curious about you and that¡¯s why he went to confirm things himself personally.¡± How nice it would be if it were that simple. However, based on his understanding of the State Preceptor¡­ Once that person wanted to investigate something, he would use every means to do so¡­ Not to mention that investigations were not his strongest point. If he did not manage to find something, he loved using others¡¯ weaknesses to threaten them. This method had proved to be extremely effective. Lu Yan observed Qi Qingyao and thought that her weakness was most probably the three children. She did not leave the house often, however, and Si Jin was also here. Even Dong Jing and a bunch of guards were at home, so Li Ruoxuan should not be able to try anything. Qi Qingyao did not speak. At breakfast, the children saw their mommy¡¯s stern appearance and thought that it was because they had been naughty. Could it be that Mommy found out that they had cked off when they were learning to read yesterday? The children hurriedly ate their meals, having decided to learn how to read seriously! They did not want to make Mommy unhappy. Lu Yan also noticed that her expression was somewhat grim and reminded her, ¡°He just took a look at your house in your hometown, there¡¯s no need to be so anxious.¡± What he did not say was that the people that were important to her were all right here, so there was no need at all to worry. Qi Qingyao understood what Lu Yan meant but felt that was something off. ¡­ When the sky was fully lit, the people of Linquan Vige went about with their daily activities. However, a person from the neighboring town of Xingli Vige, who was usually responsible for giving obituary notices, had arrived. He had run more than a dozen miles and, after arriving in Linquan Vige, he first asked around for Qi Boli¡¯s home before rushing over. When Qi Boli opened the door, the person in charge of giving obituary notices caused an uproar. ¡°Something¡¯s happened, something¡¯s happened!¡± ¡°What is it, so early in the morning?¡± Qi Boli did not know this person. That person¡¯s throat was so parched that he could only point to his mouth. Qi Boli hurriedly asked for Madam Wu to pour him a bowl of water. After the person gulped the water down and slowed down a little, he then looked at Qi Boli and said solemnly, ¡°A homicide urred in Xingli Vige yesterday night.¡± ¡°Homicide?¡± What did this have to do with their family? The person continued, ¡°Are you Qi Boli? You have a daughter named Qi Qingzhu, yes?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. What happened?¡± The corners of Qi Boli¡¯s eyes twitched involuntarily when he answered. Homicide¡­how could it have anything to do with Qi Qingzhu? That person said, ¡°The people who died are your daughter Qi Qingzhu and her entire family.¡± ¡°What!!!¡± Qi Boli instantly jumped to his feet. What did he mean by Qi Qingzhu and her entire family being dead¡­ Madam Wu fainted on the spot when she heard this. The person was rather insensitive as he continued, ¡°I saw it with my own eyes, I think the entire family is dead. Since you¡¯re her birth parents, you should hurry and arrange the funeral.¡± Qi Boli¡¯s face went white. ¡°¡­¡± The olddy had juste out, heard what the man said, and also fainted¡­ Madam Liang, who was still their daughter-inw at the end of the day, was rtively calm when she heard that Qi Qingzhu and her entire family had perished, but even she could not help the fine hairs on her body standing as she shuddered. She was even a little unstable on her feet. Qi Boli gritted his teeth and said, ¡°I don¡¯t believe it.¡± ¡°Father, don¡¯t worry, let us first hurry over and take a look,¡± Qi Yuanxiu said nervously as he shivered. ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s Qingzhu, it¡¯s definitely not Qingzhu, she didn¡¯t even offend anyone! How could it be!¡± Qi Boli¡¯s mind was a mess but he knew he could not faint now. He needed to go over personally and see what exactly happened. He asked Madam Liang to stay at home and take care of the children and also Madam Wu and the olddy. He and the two sons, Qi Yuanxiu and Qi Yuanye decided to hurry toward Xingli Vige¡­to see exactly what happened. ¡­ ¡­ Qi Qingyao¡¯s eyelids had been twitching ever since she received that letter. She could not shake off the feeling that something was going to happen. She had been extremely flustered after breakfast. Qi Qingyao put on a fur coat and sat by theke in the backyard. She watched the flowing water in the pond, her expression deep. It was not until the afternoon after they had eaten their lunch that Steward Zhang came to report something somewhat awkwardly. ¡°Mistress, there¡¯s someone called Ma Sanye, who looks travel-strained. He said he¡¯s looking for you.¡± Ma¡­ Ma Sanye. Did he not just send a letter this morning? Why had he personallye now? Qi Qingyao¡¯s eyes were dark and clear, her expression gloomy. ¡°Invite him in.¡± Steward Zhang heard Qi Qingyao¡¯s instructions and knew that this person was likely someone the mistress knew¡­ When Ma Sanye entered the Qi Residence, he was stunned by therge mansion but did not have the time to admire it. He was led to the side hall and sat down somewhat absent-mindedly. Qi Qingyao greeted him but he even forgot to reply. Qi Qingyao said, ¡°Didn¡¯t you already send a letter?¡± She personally poured some tea for Ma Sanye. Then she called Si Jin and the rest to wait outside. Ma Sanye drank a sip of tea and after collecting himself, he then recalled the reason he came. He immediately looked at Qi Qingyao and said, ¡°Something¡¯s happened. Your sister and her entire family has been killed.¡± Qi Qingyao¡¯s brain buzzed numbly. Something burst into her mind. Ma Sanye looked at her instant expression of bewilderment and could understand how she felt¡ªhe was also dumbfounded when he got the news this morning. ¡°The entire Qi family has gone over to Xingli Vige now and had no time to let you know. I also wasn¡¯t sure if I should tell you or not but I thought that it was something that you would definitely want to know, so here I am.¡± Qi Qingyao paused for a moment before finding her voice. She looked down, muttering, ¡°Qi Qingzhu¡­and¡­her entire¡­family¡­¡± Ma Sanye drank his tea, his expression vacant and sorrowful as he said, ¡°Yes. Since I¡¯m the vige head, I receive news faster than anyone else. The people who died were indeed Sun Shuli and his entire family. They were murdered yesterday night. The entire Xingli Vige was shaken when they woke up in the morning and now they¡¯re in chaos. Everyone¡¯s wondering if Qi Qingzhu had offended some high-ranking officials in Qingzhou City which was why someone had sent a killer¡­ which led to this murder. ¡°But I find this too weird. That ck carriage had juste to the vige yesterday and then your sister was murdered the same night. I was wondering if these two incidents are connected. That¡¯s why I came here deliberately to inform you.¡± Qi Qingyao listened to what Ma Sanye said and her expression turned ugly. She closed her eyes, saying in almost a whisper, ¡°It¡¯s me¡­I did that to her.¡± Ma Sanye noticed Qi Qingyao¡¯s sorrowful expression and how red the corners of her eyes were when she opened them. He said, ¡°Qingyao, you shouldn¡¯t cry first.¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Qi Qingyao¡¯s eyes were bloodshot, fierce winds scattered in her dark eyes. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have bought her freedom, shouldn¡¯t have gotten so close to her. I shouldn¡¯t have taken her back to the Qi Residence. Or, if I had only let her and her family stay in my residence after I bought her freedom, maybe they would have survived.¡± Ma Sanye had already ovee his grief when he made his way here. He said very seriously, ¡°You¡¯re wrong to say that¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± Qi Qingyao looked at him. ¡°I¡¯ve thought about this carefully.¡± Ma Sanye analyzed the situation for her. ¡°If the other party has really been aiming at you, they wouldn¡¯t be safe even if they stayed in your home.¡± ¡°Why do you say so?¡± asked Qi Qingyao. Ma Sanye answered, ¡°Do you think she wouldn¡¯t have gone out ever? Do you want her to stay in this big house forever, like being inside a cage, and never going out? After a pause, he continued, ¡°If they really killed her because of you, then even if she stayed with you, she would have been killed the moment she stepped out of the house! It has nothing to do with where she was.¡± Qi Qingyao, ¡°¡­¡± Ma Sanye consoled her. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t me yourself.¡± Qi Qingyao was silent. She was silent for a long time. Ma Sanye said, ¡°But, what I don¡¯t understand is why they killed Qi Qingzhu. I¡¯m unable to understand this, and I hope that you will be able to think carefully about the reason.¡± Qi Qingyao said nothing. Ma Sanye knew she needed time to digest this matter. She needed time. After all¡­ Qi Qingzhu was her elder sister. Rather than dally, Ma Sanye got up and said, ¡°I¡¯ll be heading back first.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go with you.¡± Qi Qingyao immediately got up. Ma Sanye asked in surprise, ¡°Do you also want to go back?¡± Qi Qingyao¡¯s eyes were covered in frost and snow, her expression cold. ¡°I want to investigate Qingzhu¡¯s death.¡± With that, Qi Qingyao left the side hall with Ma Sanye. She immediately called for Si Jin. In just a few minutes, they boarded the carriage with no baggage and hurriedly left. They did not even inform anyone of anything. Steward Zhang was a sensible person. He took a look at the mistress¡¯s stern expression when she left and knew for sure that something had happened¡­ The carriage drove hurriedly toward the outskirts of Qingzhou City. Sitting in the carriage, Ma Sanye felt the gloomy atmosphere and lightly coughed. He took the initiative to ask, ¡°Did you offend anyone recently?¡± Qi Qingyao answered expressionlessly, ¡± I don¡¯t know.¡± Was it Li Ruoxuan? She did not know. She needed to take a look at the scene¡­ ¡­ After Qi Qingyao¡¯s carriage left the Qi Residence. This information was then delivered to Jiang Yeqian in just ten minutes. Chapter 346 - Humans are Bound to Have Weaknesses

Chapter 346: Humans are Bound to Have Weaknesses

¡°Master, I have something important to report.¡± After Bai Mei got to know of the situation, she hurriedly went to report to Jiang Yeqian. ¡°Qi Qingyao¡¯s sister, Qi Qingzhu, and her husband¡¯s family, have all been murdered yesterday night.¡± Jiang Yeqian, ¡°¡­¡± They were¡­ murdered? Jiang Yeqian could not hide his shock when he heard this. After a moment of silence, he said, ¡°Li Ruoxuan went to Linquan Vige yesterday and then Qi Qingzhu and her entire family were killed the same night. He really hasn¡¯t changed. Always doing things viciously and speedily without considering the consequences.¡± He had said that he was having a meal with a friend, but thinking about it now, how could anyone believe a word that came out of his mouth? Bai Mei said, ¡°Ma Sanye of Linquan Vige went to the Qi Residence just now. He is presently in Qi Qingyao¡¯s carriage on their way back to the vige.¡± Jiang Yeqian heard this and his expression darkened for an instant before it turned unreadable. His gaze was endlessly deep and after a moment of silence, he said, ¡°Li Ruoxuan killed Qi Qingzhu and her entire family with the purpose of testing her. He wants to see if she had really severed all ties with the Qi family. She ended up making the journey, which means Li Ruoxuan knows he has targeted the right people.¡± ¡°Master?¡± Bai Mei asked awkwardly whether they should take any action, given the master was always curious about that woman and her rtionship with Li Qinglian and the elusive divine physician. If they did not do anything now, the State Preceptor would take the initiative. ¡°She likely has severed all ties with the old Qi family.¡± Jiang Yeqian thought about it for a moment and said, ¡°But it all depends on her performance in Xingli Vige.¡± That was what he said. Jiang Yeqian knew deep down, however, that if Li Ruoxuan was behind what happened the previous night, then he likely already has someone watching over the Qi Residence. It was likely that the news of her and Si Jin and the vige head returning together had already reached Li Ruoxuan¡¯s ears at the first moment. Considering his usual style, nothing was likely to happen during her trip back to the vige. It was probably because Si Jin was still by her side that she would be safe. Everything would happen when she returned to the vige. It was possible¡­that he would be waiting for her¡­ ¡­ On their way back, Qi Qingyao was silent, only asionally peeling back the carriage curtains and looking at the scenery outside, seemingly a little anxious. She did not speak and neither did Ma Sanye. Ma Sanye leaned against the cushion in the carriage and closed his eyes as he began taking a nap. The continuous running around today hadpletely exhausted him, both physically and mentally. The carriage arrived in Baishui Town, and went straight to Linquan Vige. She intended to send Ma Sanye back first so when they were nearing the vige, Qi Qingyao woke the vige head. Before Ma Sanye got off the carriage, he pondered for a bit before looking at Qi Qingyao seriously and saying, ¡°I still must say this¡ªif the other party really did kill Qi Qingzhu and her entire family as a warning to you, or to lure you out¡­ If you go now, it means you would have walked into their trap.¡± Qi Qingyao said with a smile, ¡°We¡¯ve already acted ording to the other party¡¯s calction the moment we left the door.¡± Her tone was nonchnt. Ma Sanye still had something he wanted to say. Qi Qingyao continued, ¡°Since they made it clear that they¡¯re targeting me, then I¡¯ll¡­just wait for them toe out.¡± Assuming that Qi Qingzhu¡¯s death was the bait to lure her, then she would simrly make herself the bait to lure out the schemers. She wanted to see if Li Ruoxuan was the one who did this! Ma Sanye asked, ¡°What happens after they show themselves?¡± He thought that they would definitely be members of the nobility of Qingzhou City. Even if Qi Qingyao was able to establish herself in Qingzhou City, she still¡­had no backer! This was a dead-end! Qi Qingyao shrugged and smiled dauntlessly. ¡°The other party forced me to admit that my rtionship with the Qi family still exists. This is just because they¡¯re trying to get something from me, be it information or something else. Or maybe they¡¯re just trying to grasp my weakness.¡± Ma Sanye, ¡°¡­¡± You knew all this, yet you¡­ Qi Qingyao hugged Ma Sanye briefly and then took out a banknote from her bosom. She stuffed it into Ma Sanye¡¯s hands and then smiled calmly and said. ¡°As a human being, I will no doubt have weaknesses, and things that I care about.¡± Ma Sanye, ¡°¡­¡± Chapter 347 - Oh How I Want Revenge

Chapter 347: Oh How I Want Revenge

She gave him the paper money. Ma Sanye initially wanted to refuse it but after a moment of silence, he epted it in the end. He looked at Qi Qingyao¡¯s stern expression and urged, ¡°You need to be careful from here on.¡± Pretending to be rxed, Qi Qingyao said, ¡°Thank you, Sanye.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Qi Qingyao smiled as she bid Ma Sanye farewell then got into the carriage. The carriage drove quickly toward Xingli Vige. The carriage driver was from the Qi Residence and was also someone who used to work for Lu Yan. He was a very tight-lipped and dedicated person. As the carriage was on its way to Xingli Vige, Qi Qingyao gave the driver a few taels of silver and instructed him to bring the horses to go eat some concentrated feed! The driver nodded and said he understood. ¡­ That morning, news spread that the entire family of Sun Shuli of Xingli Vige had been murdered. The matter caused an uproar and the vige head was managing the after matters with the side branch of the Sun family and the old Qi family. Since so many people had died, the vigers were curious but also shocked and were gathered at the gates of Sun Shuli¡¯s home, gossiping. After Qi Qingyao entered the vige, she traveled in the direction of her sister¡¯s husband¡¯s family based on her memory. Xingli Vige was not very big with only around a hundred families living in groups along a stream by the Jiuli River. From a nce, she saw that there were many people gathered at the gates of one of the houses. Qi Qingyao brought Si Jin along as they went closer. The vigers were shocked. Which family was this littledy from? She was really good-looking. There was even a youth beside her and he looked like a celestial being¡­ What a clean-looking child! Looking in the direction they were heading, could they be rtives of the Sun family? However, the Sun family did not seem to have any well-off rtives. The vigers were all a little curious¡­ Qi Qingyao did not bother with these vigers¡¯ curious gazes. She just brought Si Jin as they entered the messy courtyard that was full of bloodstains. Qi Boli was just speaking with people from the Sun family, consoling some of the uncles. When he spotted Qi Yuanye¡¯s suddenly dumbfounded expression, Qi Boli looked back impatiently and muttered, ¡°Who else came now?¡± As a result, after turning his head¡­ His eyes widened instantly. Qi Qingyao walked to his side calmly and looked at Qi Boli. ¡°Old man, it¡¯s me,¡± she said slowly. ¡°You¡­¡± Qi Boli was so nervous he did not know what to say. He dragged Qi Qingyao to one side and asked in a lowered voice, ¡°Why did youe?!¡± Still not to be outdone, Qi Yuanye straightened his neck and said, ¡°Who, who asked you toe here? You jinx.¡± Qi Qingyao did not bother with Qi Yuanye calling her names. She automatically asked, ¡°Have they already cleaned the body?¡± Qi Boli had a bunch of things he wanted to say but he did not know where to start. He knew she should not be here, but thinking about how Qingzhu was already dead, he also did not want to denounce her. In the end, filled with sadness, he spun out a sentence, ¡°We¡¯ve got someone to build a coffin. The body is still covered over there.¡± He pointed in the direction of the backyard. Qi Qingyao took a deep breath and said, ¡°I¡¯m going to take a look.¡± Qi Boli nodded. The Sun family was rather unfamiliar with Qi Qingyao. That was because the person she was now was of a different temperament from the person she used to be. It was hard to tell from her appearance that she was the Qi Qingyao who used to be a fool¡­ Qi Yuanye instead pulled at Qi Boli dumbly and asked, ¡°Father, why didn¡¯t you chase her away?¡± Qi Boli narrowed his eyes on his young son. ¡°Qingzhu is already dead. Don¡¯t tell me that you still want to chase her away until the bitter end?¡± Qi Yuanye, ¡°¡­¡± It was not that he wanted to chase her away, he was just¡­saying. Qi Boli patted Qi Yuanye¡¯s head and thought about how he could not tell his son that his anxious heart hadpletely eased the moment Qingyao appeared. It was as if his mind was at peace. He must not tell the truth. He just said to Qi Yuanye simply, ¡°Besides, it takes a lot of money to clean up so many bodies. Coffins also require money. Does our family have that much money?¡± Qi Yuanye said, ¡°Father, you¡¯re right. We should ask her to fork out money. She¡¯s rich anyway.¡± Qi Boli did not want to exin things either. Qi Yuanye went to the backyard, saw Qi Qingyao who was looking at the bodies and said very acridly, ¡°Qi Qingyao, since you¡¯re here and are rich now, why don¡¯t you pay for this funeral?¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Qi Qingyao nodded indifferently. Then she checked each corpse carefully with Si Jin. The Sun family wanted to stop her at first but seeing this littledy looking at the corpse so seriously¡­ Wait, what did Qi Yuanye call her just now, was she Qi Qingyao? That fool of a third child? Although they had heard the news from town that Qi Qingyao was no longer a fool, they never would have thought that she had be so bright and generous! The Sun family was also filled with grief right now and did not question anything. Qi Yuanye looked at Qi Qingyao, shocked. ¡°??¡± She actually agreed so easily? This, this was nothing like how she usually was! How could that sarcastic and stingy Qi Qingyao who had severed all ties with their old Qi family agree so easily to fork out her money? Truly¡­has the sun risen from the west? Qi Qingyao thought for a bit before she went to look for Qi Boli. She lowered her voice and said to him, ¡°Old man, I need to have a careful look in this house.¡± ¡°What are you looking for?¡± Qi Boli asked. ¡°Money.¡± Qi Qingyao narrowed her eyes and said indifferently, ¡°I gave her some paper money thest time. It should be in this house. Look for it. Regardless of whether or not you find it, let me know.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Qi Boli was silent before he agreed. Then he went in alone and began looking through all the boxes and cabs. Qi Qingyao went along under the walls, around the courtyard, and inside the hall twice but did not seem to have found anything. Qi Yuanye did not know what to say when he noticed her serious attitude. He went up to her somewhat embarrassedly. Then he called out lightly. ¡°Sis¡­¡± Qi Qingyao did not say anything as she continued checking the bloodstains on the ground. Qi Yuanye asked, ¡°What are you looking at?¡± ¡°I¡¯m studying the cause of death.¡± Qi Qingyao did not look up. Qi Yuanye scratched his head. ¡°Weren¡¯t they killed by a group of bandits who rushed in?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Qi Qingyao finally looked up and nced at Qi Yuanye¡­ Although this guy was already married, at the end of the day¡­ if he were to be put in the modern age, he was still young enough to have just be an adult! Qi Qingyao got up and said to him, ¡°There were sword marks all over the corpse. The wounds are very deep and very thin. You can tell that the sword wielder¡¯s attacks were really fast. They should be a killer who is proficient in assassinations.¡± Qi Yuanye heard this and his heart instantly dropped. Si Jin had gone two rounds and returned. His small face was a little gloomy as he said, ¡°There are footprints by the walls; the attackers had been forceful and there were at least eight of them. That¡¯s why their foul smell is still here. They likely vaulted over the wall and immediately dashed into the house. They ought to have simply cut down people by the heat stove but the killers were meticulous enough to have dragged everyone away from the stove. As for the few that escaped the first onught, they fled to the courtyard and the hall before they were killed with a swift de. That¡¯s why the bodies are a mess all over the house.¡± The tips of Qi Qingyao¡¯s eyebrows hooked upward. Qi Yuanye, ¡°¡­¡± Si Jin continued, ¡°The killers were at least about rank-six. That¡¯s more than enough against ordinary people.¡± Qi Qingyao asked Qi Yuanye, ¡°Did you hear all of that?¡± ¡°He, he, he, he knows all of this too?¡± Back then, this youth was merely a person who butchered a pig¡­ These thoughts crossed Qi Yuanye¡¯s mind. Qi Qingyao looked at Qi Yuanye as if she were looking at an idiot and said, ¡°His skills are pretty good, that is why he has good judgment.¡± Regarding exactly how good his skills were, however, Qi Qingyao did not know either. In this second, Qi Yuanye inexplicably began admiring Si Jin. Then he asked seriously, ¡°Sis, what do we do now?¡± Qi Qingyao said, ¡°Let¡¯s bury Qingzhu first once the coffins are done.¡± People once dead could nevere back. The only thing she could do now was to find the f*cker behind this attack, and then¡­ Thinking of whates after, Qi Qingyao paused unexpectedly. What would she do next? She did not know. If it really was the State Preceptor who was behind this, what could she do? Qi Qingyao leaned against the wall, her expression gloomy. She was not some powerhouse and Si Jin was just a rank nine. Li Ruoxuan was also a rank-nine. Even the Head Grand Secretariat could not do anything to this person. Naturally, Si Jin would also not be able to face him. So what then, poison him? He was a rank-nine powerhouse. He was extremely meticulous, how was it possible for him to die from poison¡­ Besides, if he really did do this, it was likely that it would be difficult for her to even get close to him in the future, let alone poison him. She could not befriend him with just a smile on her face either. The other person would definitely think that she had something up their sleeve! Qi Qingyao cradled her forehead. She suddenly felt that she was frighteningly weak. She rubbed her temples, her eyebrows rising as she felt inexplicably irritable. Qi Yuanye came over, thinking that she was sad because of Qingzhu¡¯s death and that she was also feeling grief in her heart. Leaning against her, he muttered, ¡°Big brother¡¯s dead and now, Second Sister is also dead. The family is only left with you, Fourth Brother, me¡­ our old Qi family has suddenly thinned out.¡± Qi Qingyao felt a sudden tightness in her chest. She said silently to herself that, if not counting the fact that she was not their actual birth child, the old Qi family was really only left with Qi Yuanxiu and Qi Yuanye. Qi Qingyao looked up all of a sudden and saw Qi Boli¡¯s silhouette. Her nose was acting up. She clenched her fists tightly. She would definitely avenge this enmity! She would get revenge no matter what! ¡­ ¡­ Qingzhou City, Qi Residence. The children were in the study as they alternated between ying for a bit and learning how to read. They then rushed to the side hall and found Lu Yan sitting there alone, drinking tea in silence. The little kids stepped forward. Erniu asked in an especially well-behaved manner, ¡°Uncle Lu, why hasn¡¯t Mommye home? What is she doing?¡± ¡°She¡­¡± Lu Yan picked Erniu up and let her sit on hisp. He looked at the little child who looked like a milk dumpling and subconsciously wanted to lie to them. When the words reached his mouth, however, he still ended up telling the truth. ¡°Someone killed your aunt and her entire family. Your mommy went over to deal with the funeral matters. I¡¯m afraid it¡¯ll be a few days before shees back.¡± If she did not n on staying long, the soonest she could return would still be the next day. If it were other children, they would not understand what death meant. The three children, however, understood it. That was because they had almost died after having been thrown out by their grandfather¡­ That was why Erniu was dumbfounded on the spot. ¡°Auntie¡­and her family¡­are, are dead?¡± Lu Yan caressed Erniu¡¯s head. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s why you lot have to be good these few days.¡± Sitting at the side, Dabao also looked at Lu Yan dumbfounded. Xiaobao was still calm. He tilted his head and asked in a childlike voice, ¡°Uncle Lu, will anything happen to Mommy?¡± Before Lu Yan answered, Dabao was already pulling at Lu Yan¡¯s sleeve as he said, ¡°Uncle, you have to help mommy~~~¡± Xiaobao added, ¡°Isn¡¯t Mommy helping Uncle treat his illness? Uncle has to help Mommy.¡± At the three children¡¯s pleading, Lu Yan smiled very softly and said, ¡°There, there, Uncle will definitely help.¡± Then, he motioned for the three kids to continue ying in the study. The kids left. Lu Yan pondered for a moment before instructing, ¡°Dong Jing, send some people out to¡­¡± ¡°Master?¡± Send some people out to do what? Lu Yan paused for a bit then said, ¡°Send someone out to invite the State Preceptor over for a visit.¡± Dong Jing¡¯s pupils suddenly shrank. Invite who???? Chapter 348 - Si Jin is a Grand Master?

Chapter 348: Si Jin is a Grand Master?

Lu Yan could see Dong Jing¡¯s surprise. With a wave of his hand and the shades of his eyes like a sea of stars, he said, ¡°My body hasn¡¯t fully recovered yet, and I don¡¯t have that much energy to leave the house. Besides, I¡¯m also a little afraid of attention being shifted to me. She already left. If I leave as well, I will have to take some of the guards at home with me. But once the elite powerhouses are taken away, I¡¯m afraid there¡¯s no one to take care of the three children. However, it¡¯s not safe to take them out with me either. That¡¯s why, to be safe, please ask him toe to the mansion directly and have a chat.¡± Dong Jing¡¯s mind was muddled like glue. He did not know what to say or ask, so he stammered, ¡°Then, do we deliver an invitation letter?¡± Lu Yan¡¯s face was very calm. ¡°No need. You go and ry the message in person, he¡¯lle and see me.¡± Dong Jing hesitated for a moment, then turned around and went out to pass the message in person without asking any questions¡­ After thinking for a moment, Lu Yan turned around and went back to the study. He said very seriously to the three children. ¡°Someone wille to the houseter and Uncle is going to meet him and have a chat for a while. You three just stay in this room and y. Don¡¯te out, okay?¡± The children blinked their big eyes and nodded obediently. ¡°Okay.¡± Lu Yan nodded in satisfaction. He got up and turned around to walk out. Erniu clenched her small pink fists. ¡°We¡¯ll be good.¡± Lu Yan smiled and left. After Lu Yan left. Xiaobao¡¯s chin was resting on his small fist. He tilted his head and said, ¡°Why do I feel that Uncle Lu has be so serious?¡± ¡°A little,¡± Dabao agreed. Xiaobao muttered, ¡°Auntie and her entire family were murdered, and Mommy hasn¡¯te back. Now, Uncle has invited someone toe over and talk. His expression was even a little nervous and serious.¡± Dabao, ¡°??¡± Xiaobao thought for a while before saying, ¡°This means that the person who¡¯sing must be a very important person.¡± Erniu murmured in a childish voice, ¡°Isn¡¯t Uncle Lu the richest person in Northern Liang? The friends he has are all very important¡­¡± Xiaobao, ¡°¡­!!¡± Right. That was the problem. Uncle Lu was so rich and powerful, but the person who wasing actually made him a little nervous¡­this meant that this person must be someone of extremely high status in Northern Liang. There were only a few possibilities. If the scope was shrunk to the smallest, they were only left with the State Preceptor that Mommy babbled about this morning¡­ Mommy seemed to have said before that the State Preceptor hade to Qingzhou City! Xiaobao cocked his head. A great confusion filled the little head. ¡­ ¡­ Lu Yan was in the side hall and had asked for someone to brew a pot of the finest Biluochun tea. Not long after the tea and confectioneries were readied, Dong Jing came back. He brought back another person with him¡ªthe dignified State Preceptor. As soon as the refined man in ck came in, he sat down opposite of Lu Yan on his own ord, not looking very courteous. Lu Yan lowered his eyes and closed the door for the two of them. Zhu Shen nced at Dong Jing. The two of them walked away in tacit understanding. No one dared to eavesdrop on the conversation between the masters. Although Lu Yan despised Li Ruoxuan, he was not afraid of him. As he was from the Lu Family, Li Ruoxuan would noty a finger on him. He personally served him tea, and said with a sneer, ¡°State Preceptor, you came here quite quickly.¡± Li Ruoxuan knew that Lu Yan was injured and walked over to collect the tea by himself. He picked up the cup of tea and walked back. He only spoke once he sat down. ¡°The young master of Northern Liang¡¯s top Chamber of Commerce invited me toe for a visit. Naturally I would have to show respect, so I put down all my work at hand and came over immediately.¡± The smile on Lu Yan¡¯s face disappeared and he said, ¡°Let¡¯s stop this idle chat.¡± Li Ruoxuan also had the same intention. ¡°Let¡¯s get straight to the point.¡± Since the other person allowed him to get straight to the point, Lu Yan did not beat around the bush at all. His deep eyes were enveloped in mist, but his pupils were extremely bright. He said, ¡°You killed Qi Qingzhu and her entire family, didn¡¯t you?¡± Li Ruoxuan¡¯s eyelids did not even move. He said, ¡°What makes you think so?¡± ¡°ording to my understanding of the State Preceptor, it¡¯s based on¡­intuition.¡± There was a streak of a dark shadow floating in Lu Yan¡¯s light-colored pupils, bright as jewels in a darkke. He said, ¡°You don¡¯t have to answer me¡­but! I think you¡¯ve miscalcted this time.¡± A faint smile tugged at the corners of Li Ruoxuan¡¯s lips. It was still the same five words, ¡°What makes you think so?¡± Lu Yan said unhurriedly, ¡°I think you killed Qi Qingzhu and her entire family just to prove that Qi Qingyao and Qi Qingzhu were still very close. You wanted to test Qi Qingyao¡¯s reaction. Since she was able to secure a ce in Qingzhou City, you wanted to test whether she had dealt with her rtionship with her previous family properly. For that, you used the most intense method.¡± Li Ruoxuan¡¯s voice was slow and leisurely. ¡°Go on, I¡¯ll listen to Master Lu¡¯s valued opinion.¡± Since he let him speak, Lu Yan continued. ¡°You met her yesterday, but she got away in one piece. I suppose you admire her very much. At least, one of her aspects is worth your admiration, so you let her go back without having a fight with Si Jin.¡± ¡°After you went back, you must have thought, ¡®What was this little country girl!¡¯ You¡¯ve already acquired information rted to Qi Qingyao from all aspects, but even a superior State Preceptor like you could not make sense of many things.¡± ¡°For instance, how could Qi Qingyao cure Heir Pei¡¯s disease? How could Qi Qingyao get involved with Master Architect Li Qinglian? You¡¯ve seen Qi Qingyao¡¯s small building with your own eyes, but you still don¡¯t understand, how could she have designed that building? Did Master Architect Li Qinglian give her the blueprint? ¡°You think that the Head Grand Secretariat also seems to care a lot about this little girl¡­maybe because he had even visited the Qi Residence several times.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°All kinds ofplex information are interwoven in your mind, making the State Preceptor, who has always been calm and collected and who is known for his shrewdness and finesse, a little irritable. Your knowledge does not contain any rted information about the father of Qi Qingyao¡¯s three children. I¡¯m sure you also bought the information at a high price from the Zhaixing Administration, but there simply isn¡¯t any! So you¡¯re even more frustrated.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Then, you found an opening in that mess. That is, Qi Qingyao took Qi Qingzhu away from the Jiang Residence, and brought her to Qi Residence to stay for a while. The two are rted. Then you made an entry-point from here and sent an assassin to kill Qi Qingzhu and her entire family.¡± ¡­ When Lu Yan said these words, his voice was very rxed and slow. His expression was restrained, not showing any emotions. He was staring fixedly at Li Ruoxuan, as though wanting to see something from his face. No crack could be found on Li Ruoxuan¡¯s calm and serene expression from beginning to end. ¡°Then why would I kill Qi Qingzhu? It doesn¡¯t make sense.¡± ¡°It does.¡± Lu Yan¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly, unwavering deepness and mercilessness at the bottom of his gaze. ¡°Based on her act of redemption, you determined that Qi Qingyao should have a good sibling rtionship with Qi Qingzhu. Hence, you want to draw her out and see whether Qi Qingyao will overreact. Then, once she went back to Xingli Vige to handle funeral matters, you can tell how her current rtionship with her former Qi Family is.¡± Li Ruoxuan conceded that Lu Yan seemed to know what he was talking about. He asked with a smile, ¡°What¡¯s the point of you knowing all this?¡± ¡°You¡¯re looking for her weakness,¡± Lu Yan said without warning. Li Ruoxuan¡¯s lips were upturned. ¡°And what¡¯s the point of me looking for her weakness?¡± Lu Yan felt that he had guessed correctly. ¡°You want to use her weakness to make her speak. You would do it as long as she doesn¡¯t reveal who the children¡¯s father is, as long as she doesn¡¯t say why she has be smarter. Was she pretending all this while, or was it something else? If she was only pretending, where did she learn this skill? After all, it¡¯s impossible for someone to suddenly have medical skills, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Then, do you think it is possible to pry her mouth open with her weakness?¡± As expected from the young master of Northern Liang¡¯s top Chamber of Commerce, he sure liked talking to smart people. ¡°¡­¡± This statement! Did he admit it? Did he admit that he guessed it right¡­ Lu Yan had gone quiet. Li Ruoxuan was not mad that his thoughts were exposed. He simply said, ¡°Lu Yan, a straightforward person doesn¡¯t resort to insinuations. I don¡¯t like it when other people are shrewd with me. ying mind games with me will make me feel very annoyed.¡± Lu Yan said impassively, ¡°So, you n on killing off her weaknesses one by one if she doesn¡¯te clean?¡± Li Ruoxuan shrugged and answered indifferently, ¡°To tell you the truth, yes.¡± Lu Yan¡¯s breathing paused for a second before he took a deep breath and said with an unsightly smile, ¡°Then I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll be disappointed.¡± Li Ruoxuan looked like he begged to differ. Lu Yan snorted coldly. ¡°Even if you kill everyone around her, including me, you probably won¡¯t get the oue you want.¡± Li Ruoxuan casually drank the slightly cooled tea. ¡°How would I know if I haven¡¯t tried?¡± Lu Yan said with rxed sarcasm, ¡°State Preceptor, you were probablymending my intelligence privately just now.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Li Ruoxuan said nothing and looked at him quietly. Lu Yan asked, ¡°Then do you think that someone as smart as me, as smart as the Head Grand Secretariat, no to mention the Jiang Family, as well as Xiao Wuji from Eastern Ling¡¯s Xiao Family, the Gu Family¡­ She has crossed paths with all these people. Do you think everyone is foolish?¡± Li Ruoxuan curled his lips mockingly. ¡°You guys are not foolish, but just too naive.¡± Lu Yan continued to smile satirically. ¡°Everyone has bought the information from the Zhaixing Administration. What¡¯s more, as far as I know, someone paid a high price to the Zhaixing Administration to buy information on Qi Qingyao four years ago¡­.no, the Lunar New Year is over, so it should be five years ago. They want to know who the biological father of the three children is. However, the Zhaixing Administration of the Ghost Organization did not find out. What you want to know has already been investigated by the people from Zhaixing Administration and the Yulong Gang of Qingzhou City, but to no avail.¡± Li Ruoxuan sneered leisurely before saying, ¡°But did they try to look for the oue by attempting to kill all her weak spots?¡± Lu Yan frowned and thought to himself that this was why he hated Li Ruoxuan. He and Jiang Yeqian were both very powerful in the Capital City, butpared to Jiang Yeqian, the State Preceptor never had a line he would not cross when it came to doing things. He stopped at nothing. Just to achieve his goals. His methods were sometimes excessive and disgusting. Lu Yan said with a nasty look. ¡°I lived with her during this recent period. Apart from wanting her to help treat some personal illness, I¡¯ve also been watching her up close.¡± ¡°Is there a result?¡± Li Ruoxuan asked. Lu Yan said, ¡°No.¡± ¡°This shows that you¡¯re still not smart enough.¡± Li Ruoxuan said cidly. ¡°Since you live so close, just capture the three children. I think she¡¯ll say anything.¡± Lu Yan¡¯s eyes were slightly misty like a moon shrouded by clouds; they were also silently looking at Li Ruoxuan like a clear and tranquilke. He said calmly, ¡°This idea is not bad indeed, especially now that she¡¯s not here, which creates a diversion. It¡¯ll simply be too easy for me to capture those three children.¡± Li Ruoxuan asked, ¡°Then why didn¡¯t you?¡± How should Lu Yan answer this? He could not say, ¡°I¡¯m not like you, cold, ruthless, and knows no limit.¡± Hence, he tossed the question back to Li Ruoxuan and smiled entrically. ¡°You guess.¡± Li Ruoxuan looked at Lu Yan, who was pretending to look unpredictable, and felt that something had gone wrong. A thought shed through his mind, but he did not catch it. It made him more annoyed. ¡°Wait a minute¡­¡± That thought shed again. He murmured quickly, ¡°The night beforest, something happened at Zuixian Restaurant. Someone killed a man in the restaurant. Rumor has it that it was an ordinary-looking person, and that person is the mysterious Grand Master in Qingzhou City.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Lu Yan did not understand. He asked him to guess, why did he say something irrelevant? Li Ruoxuan paused, everything in his mind suddenly clicked. His eyes lit up in a trance, just like a bolt of piercing blue lightning that streaked through the entire sky, before the pouring of heavy rain. His expression started to be extremely ugly. He said in a deep voice. ¡°You might not know, but I happened to run into her at the bank of Qingyang Lake that night.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± Lu Yan pretended to know, but his mind was actually filled with question marks. Did she sneak out the night before yesterday? ¡°It was just a chance encounter at that time. She didn¡¯t know my identity, and I didn¡¯t know she was Qi Qingyao either. She was in a disguise. The next day I invited her to have a meal together. Because her tone and her voice were too familiar, and she recognized me when she entered. That instance of surprise was enough to expose her as the same personst night.¡± Li Ruoxuan narrated these things very calmly. Lu Yan¡¯s mouth was slightly agape. ¡°¡­¡± As Li Ruoxuan said these things, he took a deep breath. He held his forehead and said, ¡°Now that I think about it, the Ghost Organization sent Na Lanjie to assassinate her in order to test the young boy, and the rumor that happened at Zuixian Restaurant the night beforest made everyone cken their doubts about the youth. Because the information on that night pointed toward a middle-aged or elderly person who looked in andmon. But now that I think about it, she and Si Jin were in a disguise that night, and they looked extremely ordinary¡­ She¡¯s rich, but she didn¡¯t eat at a restaurant. She was sitting by theke eating deep-fried sugar cake and oil tbread. I reckon that she finally went out in a disguise and went to eat at a restaurant, but encountered an incident, so she just sat by theke and ate at a roadside stall.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Lu Yan felt that his head started buzzing. What situation was this? ording to what Li Ruoxuan said¡­ She went out the night before yesterday, and the timeline was consistent with the information on the grand master that night. Coincidentally, Na Lanjie wanted to test Si Jin before this¡­and now, the clues pointed back to Si Jin? Si Jin was the Grand Master? Was this what it meant? ¡°The Ghost Organization had tested Si Jin on that night when Si Jin was outside as well.¡± Li Ruoxuan¡¯s face was getting unsightly. He stared fixedly at Lu Yan, and despite always having been calm, he started to get angry. ¡°Lu Yan, could it be that you already knew that the young boy was of grandmaster level, so you dare noty a hand on those three little children?¡± ¡°¡­¡± He¡ªhe did not know anything. Lu Yan felt aggrieved and shocked at this instance. Li Ruoxuan remained silent. His eyes were so wet the tears could drip, and he looked at Lu Yan fiercely. ¡°What do you think?¡± After Lu Yan regained hisposure, he sneered. ¡°Why do you, dignified State Preceptor, think that everyone dares noty a hand on Qi Qingyao?¡± Li Ruoxuan, ¡°¡­¡± Lu Yan could no longer organize his thoughts at the moment, he could only go along with the flow and said, ¡°In the entire Qingzhou City, she cussed me out and called me impotent, yet I still hang out with her, why do you think that is?¡± ¡°That young boy¡­¡± Li Ruoxuan finally found his voice and said after clearing his throat. ¡°He looks like he¡¯s seventeen or eighteen years old, how can he be a grandmaster! Don¡¯t joke with me.¡± Lu Yan said, ¡°State Preceptor, those are your words, not mine. I didn¡¯t say anything.¡± Li Ruoxuan, ¡°¡­¡± Chapter 349 - Starting Down the Road to Ruin

Chapter 349: Starting Down the Road to Ruin

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Lu Yan looked at Li Ruoxuan, who looked like he had been shocked speechless. He was even more nervous than Li Ruoxuan, afraid that he would be able to see through Lu Yan¡¯s forcedposure. He deliberately stressed his tone, going with the flow again as he said, ¡°If you don¡¯t believe it, you can test the young boy¡¯s skills yourself. See if you can survive at his hands!¡± Li Ruoxuan, ¡°...¡± Lu Yan said with a half-smile, ¡°Oh, perhaps you don¡¯t need to test him anymore, because you killed Qi Qingzhu. If that girl finds out that you¡¯re behind all of this, I don¡¯t think she¡¯ll let you go either.¡± Li Ruoxuan had neverid a hand on a grand master in his entire life, and he was terrified. ¡°Even if that young boy is really at a grand master¡¯s level, I¡¯m the State Preceptor. He wouldn¡¯t dare touch me.¡± Lu Yan¡¯s gaze was very dark. He smiled and said, ¡°He¡¯s a grand master, he can just kill you and take your position of State Preceptor after that. Wouldn¡¯t that be better?¡± ¡°Hmph!¡± Li Ruoxuan got up and hummed a short grunt through his nose. ¡°Are you leaving now?¡± Lu Yan pretended to be calm and said, ¡°Then, I won¡¯t see you off.¡± Li Ruoxuan suddenly turned around and said seriously, ¡°Lu Yan, I don¡¯t believe what you¡¯ve just said.¡± ¡°It¡¯s up to you whether you want to believe it or not.¡± Lu Yan shrugged, feeling calmer than before. ¡°No one can reach the level of a grand master at seventeen or eighteen! No one! Even if they¡¯re a genius, it¡¯s still impossible!¡± Li Ruoxuan¡¯s words carried a hint of a grudge, which was rare. He immediately continued, ¡°If there ever was one, then they¡¯re a monster!¡± Lu Yan was silent. He watched Li Ruoxuan leave. Dong Jing personally sent Li Ruoxuan and Zhu Shen out to the gate. After watching Li Ruoxuan get into the carriage and leave, Dong Jing hurried back to the side hall. As soon as he entered the side hall, he saw Lu Yan sitting there in a state of absent-mindedness! ¡°Master, are you alright?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Lu Yan stood up and said seriously. Dong Jing noticed that ayer of dense sweat had seeped from Lu Yan¡¯s forehead. He asked in confusion, ¡°But why are you sweating all over when it¡¯s winter now?¡± Lu Yan, ¡°...¡± Was he sweating? Lu Yan did not know. He raised his hand and wiped the sweat from his forehead. He let out a big sigh. Only then did he begin to analyze the content of the conversation just now. ording to the State Preceptor, Si Jin was of grand master level. How could that be possible? Just as Li Ruoxuan himself had said, that kid looked like he was only seventeen or eighteen years old. He had also investigated Si Jin¡¯s background, and nothing had been found. He seemed to have emerged out of thin air, though through Qi Qingyao, he knew how Si Jin had be herpanion. However¡­ all of this was too far-fetched! Some random young boy had be Qi Qingyao¡¯spanion. He looked handsome and was very well-behaved. He had said before that his family was in strained circumstances and that he even used to work in someone else¡¯s house. Was this possible? If he really was of grand master level, could his family end up in strained circumstances? A grand master, who had the strength to protect an entire city, could leave his family in strained circumstances? No matter which country he was in, a grand master had the talents of a national treasure! Who would ever dare toy a hand on a grand master¡¯s family? It was not like many people were that tired of living. Besides, if he really was of grand master level, how could he be one at this age? Was this not all a big prank being yed on him?! That young boy¡¯s true identity was very questionable. Lu Yan still thought that Si Jin was probably not a grand master. Even though Qi Qingyao and Si Jin had gone out in a disguise two nights ago, that had to just be a coincidence. The grand master had to be someone else. As for Li Ruoxuan¡¯s wrong guess and shock¡­ as long as he did noty a hand on Qi Qingyao because of this, then no harm in allowing this beautiful misunderstanding to continue. ¡­ On the way back. Li Ruoxuan did not say a word in the carriage. His expression was very gloomy, and his eyes were so damp tears were close to dripping out of them. Zhu Shen had never seen His Excellency like this before, looking like he had suffered a massive blow. Zhu Shen was a little restless, and said nervously, ¡°Your Excellency, you don¡¯t look too good.¡± This sentence seemed to drag Li Ruoxuan out of his pensive mood. After he regained hisposure, he said, almost angrily, ¡°Have everyone withdraw.¡± ¡°Your Excellency?¡± Zhu Shen froze. ¡°Withdraw,¡± Li Ruoxuan repeated again, then said with a gloomy expression on his clear and gentle face, ¡°I want to go there in person!¡± ¡°Your Excellency?!¡± Zhu Shen instantly sat up, his head bumping against the roof of the carriage, hurting him a little. What His Excellency had ordered was to withdraw the men currently in Baishui Town and Xingli Vige¡­ Li Ruoxuan said in a deep voice, ¡°I¡¯m going to Jiang Yeqian¡¯s ce to discuss something with him. You head back first.¡± ¡°...¡± Zhu Shen¡¯s eyes almost fell out of his sockets. His Excellency actually wanted to discuss something with the Head Grand Secretariat. Was this not a joke? Everyone knew the two of them were sworn enemies. The kind of sworn enemies that wished they could stab the other to death on the spot! After Zhu Shen got off the carriage halfway back, the carriage turned around and headed toward Jiang Yeqian¡¯s courtyard in Qingzhou City. After arriving at the gate. The guard at the gate had gone to inform Jiang Yeqian about the visit, but Li Ruoxuan could not wait any longer, so he just strode in. He shouted after walking through the door, ¡°Jiang Yeqian,e the hell out!¡± ¡°State Preceptor, Our Excellency is¡­¡± The steward was in an awkward position. Jiang Yeqian was in the house, giving orders to Zhao Xin about this and that. When he heard Li Ruoxuan¡¯s voice, his expression changed. He got up and opened the door. When he walked out, he immediately came across Li Ruoxuan, who had a gloomy expression on his face. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Judging by the man¡¯s expression, he could be here looking for trouble. However, he hade to the residence alone. What was this about? Did he want to block all of Jiang Yeqian¡¯s exits, trap him here, and beat him up? Heh! Zhao Xin stood behind Jiang Yeqian and could not help feeling nervous. The two of them were like two kings that were not allowed to be in one kingdom at the same time¡­ However, today, the State Preceptor had taken the initiative to visit him!! Li Ruoxuan told Zhao Xin irritably. ¡°Everyone leave. I have something to talk to him about, alone.¡± Zhao Xin was taken aback. He subconsciously nced at Jiang Yeqian. Jiang Yeqian felt like the State Preceptor was acting a little strange today, so he nodded at Zhao Xin. Zhao Xin frowned and reluctantly led the other excellencies to withdraw from the courtyard. Li Ruoxuan walked into the hall and poured himself a cup of already-cooled tea of his own ord. He took a sip, then looked at Jiang Yeqian, who sat down after closing the door. He was silent, so quiet it was scary. After Jiang Yeqian sat down, he could not help but sneer. ¡°You chucked all my men out. What do you want to say to me, the State Preceptor?¡± Li Ruoxuan¡¯s eyes were half-lidded. Silence coated his gentle face. He said, ¡°I need a rank nine powerhouse to team up with me.¡± Two rank nines? He was asking for a favor himself... Jiang Yeqian lifted the corner of his mouth mockingly. ¡°Are you trying to kill a grand master?¡± He paused, then continued, ¡°Eastern Ling and Southern Ming. Which grand master has already arrived?¡± Li Ruoxuan said impassively, ¡°I want to check whether someone is a grand master or not.¡± Jiang Yeqian was a little startled, then started, ¡°That mysterious grand master¡­¡± ¡°Exactly.¡± A somber current coursed through Li Ruoxuan¡¯s eyes. ¡°So I need your help.¡± ¡°You can go alone. I¡¯m not interested in getting involved in this kind of matter,¡± Jiang Yeqian said nkly. Li Ruoxuan pursed his lips tightly and said bluntly, ¡°If I go alone and the opponent is stronger than me, I¡¯ll die. And then you¡¯ll never find out their identity.¡± Jiang Yeqian, ¡°...¡± Li Ruoxuan¡¯s brows were tightly knitted together. He continued, ¡°Although I despise you and can¡¯t wait for you to die...¡± Jiang Yeqian said, ¡°Likewise.¡± ¡°We can only test this opponent¡¯s skills by teaming up and guaranteeing us both our survival.¡± There was no emotion in Li Ruoxuan¡¯s eyes. ¡°The matter of killing you wille muchter, but that is a conflict between us.¡± Jiang Yeqian agreed with that, getting rid of outside conflict before resolving personal conflict. ¡°Who is it?¡± ¡°If I¡¯m sure, would I still need to team up with you?¡± Li Ruoxuan asked. ¡°When?¡± Jiang Yeqian asked. ¡°Tonight!¡± Li Ruoxuan said. ¡°Tonight?¡± So fast? ¡°...¡± Li Ruoxuan nodded slightly. Then, he got up and said, ¡°Pack the weapons you¡¯ll need, and I¡¯ll go pack up as well. I¡¯ll be waiting for you at the gate with a carriage half an hour after this.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Although surprised, he still understood this vigorous and resolute style of doing things. Jiang Yeqian readily agreed. If the two of them teamed up to test a grand master, they would probably not die! They would only get hurt at most! After Li Ruoxuan left. Jiang Yeqian put down some intel handscrolls in his hand and took out the sword he seldom used from the box. He drew it out from its scabbard and nced at the sword that was so sharp it was reflective. Jiang Yeqian took the sword and walked to the door. He swung the sword around in the courtyard. The sword sliced through the air easily, and Zhao Xin felt the air tremble each time. After a few shes, the atmosphere in the entire courtyard grew extremely terrifying. An inexplicable feeling of murderous intent was spreading through it like a rising tide. Zhao Xin felt his scalp begin to tingle. It was as though that sword could shave off his scalp any second now. What exactly was His Excellency doing? Why had he taken out the Feiyun Sword?! He did not usually use this sword, because he had the strength of a top rank nine! He could tear opponents into pieces with bare hands! He did not need to use his weapon at all! A possibility shed through Zhao Xin¡¯s mind. Either His Excellency was going to fight to the death with the State Preceptor, or he was going to kill a very powerful person! After Jiang Yeqian finished practicing with his sword, he retracted his aura. Only then did Zhao Xin heave a sigh of relief. However, he could not help but ask warily, ¡°Your Excellency?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going outter.¡± After Jiang Yeqian put the sword back into the scabbard, he said to Zhao Xin, ¡°If I don¡¯te back tonight, then something will have happened to me.¡± Ahh! Zhao Xin almost went berserk. What did he mean by ¡®something will have happened¡¯? His Excellency had talked out the possibility of something happening to him before. This ¡®something happened¡¯ usually meant something really might happen! ¡°Then please bring me along, Your Excellency!¡± If something really did happen, he could shield him. ¡°No need.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°Tonight is a highly confidential operation.¡± ¡­ ¡­ After Jiang Yeqian left with those words lingering in the air, he entered the house and changed his clothes. Zhao Xin¡¯s mind was a mess. After half an hour, the sky had darkened to a near ck. A carriage arrived at the gate of the courtyard. Zhao Xin took a nce. It looked to be the State Preceptor¡¯s carriage. Jiang Yeqian calmly carried his sword and got on the carriage. Zhao Xin, who was standing by the gate, was shocked. His Excellency had actually climbed into the State Preceptor¡¯s carriage! Were they really going to duel? Ahh! He did not dare to go up and ask. His imagination shed a constant reel of images by him. It was not very likely. The two of them never seemed to confront each other head-on, only pulling little tricks in private. It would be absolutely impossible for them to really duel! Right. Definitely impossible. But if the two of them were not actually dueling, why had His Excellency specially brought his sword and met up with the State Preceptor? Zhao Xin¡¯s mind was filled to the brim with questions. ¡­ ¡­ After Jiang Yeqian got into the carriage, he saw that Li Ruoxuan was not only carrying his sword but that there were also a lot of explosives around, as well as materials needed to make the summoning arrays and various poisons in the carriage. The corner of Jiang Yeqian¡¯s mouth twitched. ¡°You¡¯re really serious about this!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to die,¡± Li Ruoxuan said. Jiang Yeqian, ¡°...¡± Li Ruoxuan silently fiddled with some materials for the rune spells. To deal with a grand master, he had to pull out all of his special skills. It was all or nothing! Meanwhile, Jiang Yeqian was thinking about how he never knew that this man could make rune spells! As for these poisons, he had not refined them himself, right? He had really underestimated the State Preceptor! The carriage headed all the way toward Baishui Town. Jiang Yeqian nced at the scenery outside and knew where their destination was. The sky hadpletely darkened by the time they were nearing Xingli Vige. It was silent all throughout the deep winter night. Jiang Yeqian pretended not to know as he asked, ¡°You brought me to Xingli Vige¡­ what for...¡± ¡°You¡¯ve also investigated her background, so you should know.¡± Li Ruoxuan used the luminous pearl inside the carriage to give Jiang Yeqian a look that said ¡®Stop pretending¡¯. Jiang Yeqian frowned and asked, ¡°Do you think Si Jin is of a grand master level? That¡¯s too outrageous.¡± Li Ruoxuan grunted and said, ¡°The ghost organization sent Na Lanjie to test him, but Lu Yan was mistakenly hurt instead. That night there were rumors about a grand master stepping in at Zuixian Restaurant. She and Si Jin were strolling outside in a disguise that night, and they happened to meet me.¡± ¡°...¡± What! ¡°Put away your boring sympathy for ordinary peopleter! It¡¯s time to fully rise to the asion!¡± ¡°...¡± Li Ruoxuan got down from the carriage. He took out a torch and swept a nce across Xingli Vige in the distance, then began to quickly use materials to form summoning arrays on both sides of the main road. After that, he ced a few explosives on a few spots of the summoning arrays. Jiang Yeqian stood aside in silence. He thought that Li Ruoxuan probably did not know he was the Ox-head man that used to be by Qi Qingyao¡¯s side before this. He just assumed he had known all about Qi Qingyao¡¯s background Si Jin¡­ Would he be? Jiang Yeqian did not know. After returning to his senses, he saw that Li Ruoxuan was almost done with making the summoning array. He thought again, ¡®Damn it, no wonder the little emperor made him the State Preceptor! It turns out this person¡¯s actual skills were in making summoning arrays!¡¯ Therge protection array in the pce was probably also maintained by him. After Li Ruoxuan spent half an hour setting up this makeshift summoning array, he got up and looked at Jiang Yeqian, who was standing by the sidelines as stiff as a post, and said, ¡°If you don¡¯t give it your all, and with my style¡­ you know what I mean.¡± Jiang Yeqian did not finish his sentence and just asked. ¡°Have you ever fought with someone of grand master level?¡± ¡°...No.¡± Li Ruoxuan answered. ¡°The rumors say that a grand master is able to massacre an entire city alone. No one knows whether they will be able to deal with a few rank nines at once. But our aim today is to test the opponent¡¯s skills. Suppose you and I gave our all and still couldn¡¯t kill the opponent in three moves, then you would be able to imagine¡­ what sort of strength the opponent has. We¡¯ll retreat on the spot.¡± Jiang Yeqian noticed that Li Ruoxuan¡¯s eyes were very stern against the shine of the fire. He said, ¡°You¡¯re nervous.¡± Li Ruoxuan did not hide it. He said, ¡°I have never fought with a grand master before. Indeed, I¡¯m nervous.¡± ¡°Now, how do we make sure hees here? Are you going, or shall I?¡± Jiang Yeqian asked. Li Ruoxuan did not trust Jiang Yeqian and said, ¡°We¡¯ll create a diversion. Of course I¡¯ll go.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll lie in wait here.¡± Jiang Yeqian did not say anything to refute that. Li Ruoxuan felt that the two of them had a somewhat tacit understanding of each other. He said, ¡°Jiang Yeqian, I hope that for once, we¡¯ll work well together.¡± ¡°I hope so too.¡± Jiang Yeqian nodded slightly. He did not refute Li Ruoxuan because the man had always been very paranoid. He would never allow the n to fail, so he would rather go there himself! He was clearly tired after setting up the summoning array, yet he still insisted on being the bait and creating the diversion himself. This would consume too much of his inner energy. He would probably be left with only half his life when he lured Si Jin in. If Si Jin really was a grand master, someone would die here today. Jiang Yeqian still hoped Li Ruoxuan would mess up here. That would also be great. At least he would not have to kill him then! Jiang Yeqian told the carriage to go further away. The coachman was one of Li Ruoxuan¡¯s men, and he knew the State Preceptor¡¯s aim. Tonight he was going to wait for the rabbit to enter the trap, and that rabbit might very well be the rumored grand master. The State Preceptor had said that if he died here tonight, he would let him take his body back¡­ The coachman was nervous. He drove the carriage two miles away. He began to wait silently. The State Preceptor said toe back and check on them after midnight. Time slipped by, every minute and every second slowly but surely passing. The coachman felt so nervous his head was about to explode. ¡­ ¡­ Jiang Yeqian nced at the summoning array. As agreed, heid in wait in a nearby tree, restrained all his aura, gripped his sword, and waited. The person he was dealing with might be a grand master¡­ Would he need to hold back? Come to think of it, it was not needed! He was also quite curious about Si Jin¡¯s strength. After all, he was someone whom he had personally spent some time with but had lost to every single time he challenged him. ¡­ Qi Qingyao and Si Jin were in Xingli Vige, but they had not left at night. Because the funeral would take a few days toplete, she, Qi Boli, and the others had stayed in the homes of Sun Shuli¡¯s other siblings. The Sun Family had arranged for Si Jin to stay with a few grandchildren while Qi Qingyao had stayed with an aunt of his family. Of course, Qi Qingyao had no objection to such an arrangement. Si Jin seemingly had no objection either. In fact, after everyone had fallen asleep, Si Jin got up and put on his clothes. He sat on the wall of the courtyard, looking up at the sky full of stars and losing himself in his thoughts. He was a little bored and really wanted to go to the Jiuli River to take a swim, but his Sister was still here, and someone had killed his Sister¡¯s sister, so he could not leave. If something happened, he would take care of it. Si Jin, who was now growing more bored, started blowing bubbles with his mouth! In the night sky, the bubbles reflected the starlight and Si Jin¡¯s innocent and beautiful face. He then burst the saliva bubbles! Suddenly, the night wind blew past. There was a very powerful and somewhat familiar auraing from the distance. It made Si Jin instantly leap down from the wall. He raised his brows. He recognized it as the aura of Li Ruoxuan! Had he shown upte at night to prove that it was he who had killed Qi Qingzhu and her family? Si Jin did not hesitate. He locked in on that aura and sped straight toward it! Chapter 350 - Victory Is Clear

Chapter 350: Victory Is Clear

The night was like ink, pitch ck and sticky. The starlight wine was like a tangerine that had fallen into the inky veil of the night. Si Jin smelled Li Ruoxuan¡¯s aura and chased it quickly, as quickly as the sh of a shadow. However, the rank nine powerhouse was not weak and could sense that his opponent had exerted all his power to escape. Si Jin chased him leisurely, not utilizing his power beyond rank nine! He chased him all the way to the vige a few miles away. Suddenly, he sensed the silhouette slowing down, evening to a halt. Standing under the star-filled sky, he turned around and calmly waited for him. He also slowly pulled down his face towel, revealing his gentle and clean face. Si Jin also stopped, then tilted his head to look at him. ¡°You are the State Preceptor.¡± ¡°Exactly.¡± Li Ruoxuan smiled faintly as he looked at the beautiful and pure-looking youth under the night sky. ¡°Why did you lure me here?¡± ¡°You¡¯re a grand master.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not.¡± ¡°You are.¡± ¡°I really am not.¡± ¡°¡­¡± The youth did not intend to acknowledge the usation. ¡°If you aren¡¯t, I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll have to leave your will here today.¡± Li Ruoxuanughed as he spoke, the corners of his lips hooking up into a cold smile. His smile was like a de. Then, Li Ruoxuan immediately stepped on an array and activated the makeshift four guardians, seven-kill formation! While this array had only been created temporarily, it had a lot of explosive power due to a slight alteration. It was a one-time thing. It would no longer be usable the moment it broke¡­ Si Jin felt the surrounding air turn unusual after that second. He had of course managed to see the array being executed by using his cultivation. He hade to know all sorts of things about the world of humans ever since leaving the water, but he had never seen this array before. That was why he was shocked. He even tilted his head curiously as he stared at the array trapping him. Immediately, the second after that, something inconceivable happened. Large-scale explosions were continuously set off by the array! Si Jin was shocked for a moment before he hurriedly thought about how to escape. The array, however, had trapped him quite securely. He could not escape and could only helplessly endure the explosion attack. After the power of the explosion¡¯s aftermath had weakened, the power of the array also disappeared. Si Jin¡¯s clothes had been torn apart by the explosion. He shed past and left the ce, but he had not been expecting a second wave of explosions to start again. He could only forcefully use one of his hands to create an energy defense barrier to block the attack again. He then escaped. Only to fall into another trap again. Si Jin used his barrier for the third time. He did not move again when the current round of defense ended. With one of his knees digging in the ground, he panted as he looked at the two silhouettes nearby that were flickering between rity and obscurity under the night sky. Si Jin¡¯s eyes, which did not usually contain much emotion, were instantly filled with murderous intent. His brows twitched, the coldness he radiated seemingly seeping into bone. The left corner of his lips fainted curved upwards, which made him look a little horrifying. Feeling satisfied, Li Ruoxuan looked at the youth among the smoke and dust. His clothes had long been ruined by the aftermath of the explosions. He had injuries all over his body too, and it seemed he had gotten hurt from the explosions. He had executed a threefold four guardians, seven-kill formation to be prudent. The effect it had had was pretty good. Si Jin¡¯s voice was ice-cold. ¡°You! Are you trying to kill me?¡± ¡°If I am able to,¡± Li Ruoxuan replied. Si Jin sneered. ¡®I shall give you one more opportunity today, then.¡¯ Then, with his bare foot, he lightly poked the ground. Confirming that the circle was useless, he ran toward Li Ruoxuan swiftly like wind, like an arrow that had just been released from its bow. The youth¡¯s hand looked like the soft and delicate clouds in the starry sky. Just as he was quickly nearing Li Ruoxuan¡¯s front, another figure suddenly shielded Li Ruoxuan. Si Jin struck it with his left palm, and the person was pushed back some ten zhangs. (T/N: A traditional unit of measurement equivalent to 3.33 meters.) They reapproached quickly. Si Jin felt like this figure¡¯s aura was also very familiar, so he did not n on holding back anymore. After three strikes, tiny drops of blood on Jiang Yeqian¡¯s forehead gradually dripped onto his face, forming a tiny stream. Li Ruoxuan took a break and regained his energy. He stood together with Jiang Yeqian. Si Jin looked at the two of them. Li Ruoxuan took off his face towel. The other person had a ck cloth covering his face, but because his aura was so familiar, Si Jin barely needed to sense it to know who it was. This was very interesting. Jiang Yeqian had teamed up with Li Ruoxuan in an attempt to kill himte at night! For what purpose, Si Jin was toozy to guess. Although he had resorted to using the defense barrier three times in a row, leaving him a serious decline in his stamina, it would be more than enough to deal with these two people¡­ ¡­ ¡­ After Qi Qingyao woke up early the next morning, she continued working on funeral matters with Qi Boli and the others from the Sun family. She had been busy for a while when she realized that someone was missing. She asked Qi Yuanxiu, ¡°Where¡¯s Si Jin?¡± Qi Yuanxiu answered quietly, ¡°That kid disappeared in the middle of the night.¡± That young boy was so beautiful. Maybe he disliked that the vige was too poor and did not want to stay here, so he ran away in the middle of the night? Qi Qingyao asked, ¡°How did you know that?¡± Qi Yuanxiu sighed and said, ¡°I got off the bedstove in the middle of the night to go to the toilet, and I realized he was gone. I thought he might not have wanted to sleep with us on the soil beds of the vige¡­¡± Qi Qingyao pondered for a moment and said, ¡°Si Jin likes to enjoy the moonlight in the middle of the night and drift off into a daze, but he would definitely return to my side in the morning.¡± Qi Yuanye was listening keenly to the conversation between the two people by her side, and she could not help but interject and ask, ¡°Sis, do you think something¡¯s happened?¡± Qi Qingyao let out a violent shudder, ¡°Let¡¯s split up look for him¡­¡± She had said they should look for him, but that merely consisted of just asking the neighbors on both sides whether they had seen a very beautiful and pure-looking young boy recently. The neighbors said they had not seen him. When Qi Qingyao was starting to grow a little worried, someone in the vige shouted, ¡°Something seems to have happened on the road connecting the vige to the townst night.¡± ¡°What does that mean?¡± ¡°A big explosion happened over there! It left the road a mess. It also seems like¡­ there are traces of a fight.¡± When Qi Qingyao heard this, she said with a grim expression, ¡°I¡¯ll go have a look.¡± Qi Yuanxiu and Qi Yuanye followed behind her, and the group ran out of the vige. After running a few kilometers away from the vige, the vige head of Xingli Vige and a few elders in the vige examined the road. ¡°There are bloodstains over here.¡± Qi Qingyao got close enough to take a look. Not only were there bloodstains in one area, but there were also several ces withrge pools of blood¡­ The bloodstains made Qi Qingyao¡¯s brows screw up tightly. She muttered, ¡°Don¡¯t tell me Si Jin fought with someone herest night.¡± Qi Yuanye circled around the area twice and said seriously, ¡°There¡¯s been an explosion, but no corpses¡­¡± Qi Qingyao¡¯s expression was unsightly, but she said determinedly, ¡°Then he surely didn¡¯t die.¡± Qi Yuanxiu pointed to several destroyed trees nearby and a ruined harvest. There were more blood stains under the trees. Qi Yuanxiu yelled, ¡°There¡¯s a lot of bloodstains here! Come and see.¡± Qi Qingyao stood and observed for a while. She was sure that a rather serious fight must have happened herest night. The potholes and scorch marks on the ground were remnants of an explosion. The destroyed trees had extremely sharp incisions. It was almost certain that they had been felled by the explosion¡¯s aftershocks¡­ that had sliced into the trees while the powerhouses were shing against one another. Qi Yuanxiu¡¯s expression had changed. ¡°Sis, what should we do now?¡± ¡°Continue handling Qingzhu¡¯s funeral,¡± Qi Qingyao lowered her face and said. She was very worried about Si Jin, but she could not make Qi Yuanxiu and the others worry anymore! She had to handle things one at a time. ¡­ ¡­ Lu Yan looked at the ledger for a while and gave a few orders. He suddenly felt very restless, so he got up and demanded, ¡°Dong Jing, make a trip to Qi Qingzhu¡¯s vige.¡± ¡°Master?¡± Dong Jing was puzzled. Lu Yan¡¯s eyebrows sank. He said, ¡°I have a feeling that something happened.¡± Dong Jing nodded slightly and said that he understood. Just before he left, Lu Yan gave him some more orders. Dong Jing nodded, then took more people along with him and quickly headed to Xingli Vige. After arriving at Xingli Vige, Dong Jing found Sun Shuli¡¯s house and found that Qi Qingyao and the others were handling the funeral together. Dong Jing found her. ¡°Young mistress?¡± ¡°Dong Jing.¡± Why was he here? Seeing an acquaintance show up, Qi Qingyao¡¯s spirit rxed slightly. Dong Jing patrolled around and asked, ¡°Why don¡¯t I see Si Jin around?¡± ¡°He¡­¡± Qi Qingyao did not know what to say, so she said she did not know. Dong Jing¡¯s features twitched. Could it be that the Master had guessed right? Had something really happened? Dong Jing did not ask any more questions and went directly to look around the vige to investigate. He even went to that road outside of the vige to examine the scene of the explosion in person. After hepleted the investigation, he came back. Dong Jing said to Qi Qingyao, ¡°Master asked me toe over to help you deal with these matters.¡± Qi Qingyao thanked Dong Jing. Dong Jing asked in a low voice, ¡°Should we send some people to look for Si Jin?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Qi Qingyao pondered it for a while and finally nodded solemnly. Dong Jing did not dare to dy nor did he wait to report back to Lu Yan. He hurriedly sent people to look for Si Jin. The olddy, Madam Wu, and the others all came over in the afternoon. Madam Wuid on the coffin and broke down into tears, crying so hard she could hardly control herself. Qi Qingyao stood next to her, her expression seeming to grow more and more silent. Madam Wu knew this was also tough on her, so she said nothing. Funerals in the vige were generally carried out over seven days. Everyone noticed that the face of the littledy named Qi Qingyao had be calmer, though it seemed like she could erupt at any time. Qi Boli also felt like her mood was very unstable and unpleasant. However, he did not dare to ask her about it. After Qi Qingzhu, Sun Shuli and the others were buried. Qi Boli looked at Qi Qingyao and asked, ¡°Qi Qingyao, are you going back?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± She nodded slightly. ¡°We¡¯ll take good care of ourselves,¡± Qi Boli said. ¡°Okay.¡± Qi Qingyao nodded again. On the way back, Dong Jing sat in the carriage with Qi Qingyao. It had already been six days and there was still no news about Si Jin. Dong Jing did not dare to specte, so he asked lightly, ¡°Young mistress, where do you think Si Jin went?¡± ¡°If someone really created a diversion to lure that innocent boy out that night, and they trapped him, I¡¯m afraid that¡­¡± The oue would not have been great. ¡°Si Jin couldn¡¯t have died, right?¡± Cold sweat beaded on Dong Jing¡¯s forehead. ¡°Si Jin hasn¡¯t died!¡± Qi Qingyao said clearly, ¡°Because there was no dead body at the scene.¡± Si Jin was very powerful. He absolutely would not have died. She was sure of it. Qi Qingyao said, ¡°I have faith in him. He surely wouldn¡¯t have died. He¡¯s probably injured, so he has perhaps disappeared or gone to heal his wounds.¡± ¡°Then we¡­¡± Dong Jing did not know what to report back to his Master when he arrived home and was suddenly at a loss. A faint light shed through Qi Qingyao¡¯s eyes. She said, ¡°You¡¯re one of Lu Yan¡¯s men. You must have looked into Si Jin¡¯s information before, right?¡± Dong Jing nodded embarrassedly. Then, under Qi Qingyao¡¯s gaze, he began to tell her all relevant information about Si Jin. Qi Qingyao listened to everything with a frown, chewing on his words. ¡°You¡¯re saying that he doesn¡¯t have a special background.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± He had been telling the truth. ¡°¡­¡± Because Qi Qingyao knew Dong Jing was not lying, she was speechless for a while before she said, ¡°I don¡¯t know why he¡¯s be mypanion, I only know that he has never betrayed me. The Zhaixing Administration is useless for not being able to find out his true past!!¡± The carriage had initially been heading straight back to Qingzhou City, but Qi Qingyao pondered for a bit and asked the coachman to take a trip to the nearest koi temple. ¡°I¡¯m going to the koi temple.¡± Qi Qingyao held her forehead. Feeling a little awful, she said, ¡°I¡¯ll pray for him, pray that he recovers as soon as possible.¡± Dong Jing agreed to it. He thought to himself that the young Si Jin would surely be blessed by the heavens. After Qi Qingyao arrived at the koi temple. Once she entered, she kneeled down reverently and threw a stack of paper money into the wishing box. She then put her palms together, closed her eyes, and prayed quite earnestly. ¡°Koi God, if you hear my prayer, please keep Si Jin safe! ¡°Oh Koi God, please answer my prayer! Please be sure to bless Si Jin¡¯s safe return.¡± ¡­ ¡­ Jiuli River. A golden koi fish was wriggling in the spring water, enjoying its sweetness. However, the koi fish seemed to have many wounds, most of which had not healed! A streak of light suddenly shed through the golden eyes of the little koi fish. He shook his body and transformed into a naked young boy. There were a few wounds on the young boy¡¯s body, and his pupils were pure gold in color. The young boy swam to the shore, golden light gleaming in his eyes. He listened to someone¡¯s voice, which seemed as far away as the edge of the sky yet as close as an echoing whisper in his ears. ¡°If you¡¯re really injured, why didn¡¯t you stay where you were and wait for me to look for you so I could help you? Have you forgotten? I¡¯m a doctor, Si Jin.¡± The corner of the young boy¡¯s lips curled up. He was a little happy. Sister was worrying about him! However, he had depleted too much of his stamina after using the energy defense barrier three times, so he had to stay in the water for a while to recover to his original self. Otherwise¡­ with his current body, he would not be able to stay in his human form for a long time! Chapter 351 - Nemeses

Chapter 351: Nemeses

Qi Qingyao stared at Dong Jing dumbfoundedly as he ran away. She then looked at Lu Yan¡¯s pale face and asked him, ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°There is something you need to know.¡± Lu Yan had no idea how to begin talking about the topic. He licked his lips as he felt chills run throughout his body. He said to her solemnly, ¡°After you left, I wanted to get more information out of Li Ruoxuan, so I asked him toe over¡­¡± Qi Qingyao¡¯s eyes narrowed. However, she did not interrupt or question him. She listened as Lu Yan described everything that happened that day. Lu Yan told her every single detail about their conversation. ¡°He said you were disguising yourself out there and that the Zhuixian Restaurant fiasco had coincidentally happened at the same time. Information from the Han family tells us that it was a grand master who was helping Gu Shanshan. Na Lanjie from the Ghost Organization tried to probe Si Jin as well. With these clues, the target is obviously Si Jin¡­¡± Qi Qingyao¡¯s expression sank as she put down her chopsticks and sipped on her cup of tea. ¡°If my sister was really murdered by the State Preceptor, then¡­¡± Lu Yan¡¯s eyelids were half-shut as he said softly, ¡°Judging by Li Ruoxuan¡¯s character, he will surely interrogate Si Jin himself! Since he¡¯s a ninth rank, could he be interrogated by the grand master himself?¡± ¡°A ninth rank can beat a grand master?¡± That sounded impossible. Qi Qingyao rxed a little as she said with mockery in her voice, ¡°If Si Jin is truly a grand master, then Li Ruoxuan is dead meat!¡± Lu Yan nodded lightly and said, ¡°And that¡¯s why I sent Dong Jing to investigate. Let¡¯s wait for an hour, and he¡¯ll bring us some news. I¡¯m sure of that.¡± The Lu family was rich anyway. They usually had some spies among the big shots. However, these spies were rarely used due to safety concerns. However, that did not mean they were never used! Lu Yan knew how important Si Jin was to Qin Qingyao, so he said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it too much. First of all, if Si Jin is just a rank nine, Li Ruoxuan won¡¯t kill him as there would be no need to do so. And if he really is a grand master, he definitely won¡¯t die, and Li Ruoxuan will be badly injured.¡± Qi Qingyao mused for a moment, and said, ¡°Under what conditions can a ninth rank beat a grand master?¡± Lu Yan closed his eyes and replied, ¡°No matter the circumstances, there is no chance of winning! Grand masters are grand masters for a reason, and that¡¯s because they¡¯re so different from your typical practitioner. They¡¯re on apletely different level. ¡°But the State Preceptor would never do something he wasn¡¯t sure of, he¡­ has assassins with him for sure.¡± Lu Yan suddenly thought of a piece of information he heard some time ago and said, ¡°No matter what kind of traps or tricks you use to try to set up a grand master, he will be wounded at most. He will never die, and that¡¯s for sure.¡± Even so, Qi Qingyao still felt that something was off, so she helplessly asked, ¡°I¡ªI don¡¯t think Si Jin is a grand master.¡± Lu Yan agreed, ¡°I don¡¯t think so too. If an eighteen-year-old kid like him is a grand master, what about the other practitioners? Wouldn¡¯t that make them useless?¡± Qi Qingyao, ¡°¡­¡± That¡¯s right. How would that even be possible? Even if they had been at Zhuixian Restaurant that night, how could Li Ruoxuanpare Si Jin to a grand master? Would it not be possible for a ninth rank practitioner to also throw chopsticks like that as well? Qi Qingyao was not a practitioner, so she was extremely confused. Both of them did not speak for a while. QI Qingyao ate silently as she pondered the matter of Si Jin. Lu Yan was deep in thought as well. An hourter. Dong Jing walked into the room with snow all over his body. As he walked into the hall, he ordered the servants outside away and made sure that the coast was clear. He then spoke. ¡°Master, something happened in the State Preceptor¡¯s house.¡± They could finally activate the spy they had ced by his side. ¡°Word has it that the area is locked down and security around the entire perimeter is very tight. It seems like there are threeyers of guards on the inside and outside.¡± Qi Qingyao and Lu Yan raised their brows. ¡°From what I heard, a carriage brought back the wounded State Preceptor and Head Grand Secretariat. Both of them are stillying in their own rooms, unconscious.¡± ¡°Unconscious?¡± Lu Yan was agitated. Qi Qingyao frowned silently. Lu Yan could not help butsh out. ¡°That can¡¯t be! How could those two people be seen together?! Aren¡¯t they nemeses?¡± Everyone in the city knew that the State Preceptor and the Head Grand Secretariat were always at war with each other. A lord would not look another lord in the eye! Dong Jing continued, ¡°I¡¯m not sure of that, but that was the news that our spy gave us. They¡¯ve invited the best doctor in Qingzhou City over to have them both treated. The State Preceptor might be blind in one eye, while the Head Grand Secretariat had a serious injury on one of his legs. Even though it¡¯s not broken, it will take a long time for it to heal.¡± Lu Yan gulped. ¡°¡­¡± Qi Qingyao, ¡°¡­¡± Dong Jing knew the both of them were in deep shock because his jaw had also almost hit the floor the moment he found out what was going on, ¡°The spy also told me the Demon Physician Jiang Xun entered the city this morning!¡± The moment he said that, Qi Qingyao burst intoughter. ¡°Hahahahahaha!¡± ¡°¡­¡± Lu Yan silently stared at her. QI Qingyaoughed even harder. After she stood up, she guffawed as she clutched her stomach. She seemed unable to stand up straight as she doubled over. Dong Jing, ¡°¡­¡± Was it really that funny? This was a serious matter. Qi Qingyao was tearing up after all thatughing. She wiped the tears away from the corner of her eyes as she said, stillughing, ¡°I never thought those two people would be the ones who went up against Si Jin.¡± Lu Yan, ¡°¡­¡± He had not expected that too! Qi Qingyao rubbed her sore cheeks and continued, ¡°However, two rank nines going up against Si Jin, who just might be a grand master? Si Jin is amazing! He actually managed to get the Head Grand Secretariat and the State Preceptor to personally interrogate him!¡± She did not say thatst sentence with a smile, though. It sounded sarcastic. It was understandable that the State Preceptor was a little crazy, but why had Jiang Yeqian followed Li Ruoxuan and tried to kill Si Jin? Qi Qingyao suddenly realized that these people, who managed to achieve such high positions, were actually all insane! However, perhaps¡­ They were not. They might just be so used to being in such a powerful position that they had no tolerance for not knowing everything. For example, they could not stand that Si Jin had no past they could dig up! Was that why Jiang Yeqian and Li Ruoxuan had teamed up? Lu Yan asked carefully, ¡°Jiang Yeqian suspects Si Jin too?¡± He and Si Jin had been Qi Qingyao¡¯s henchmen. However, Li Ruoxuan did not know about that. ¡°Heh.¡± Si Jin had mentioned before that Jiang Yeqian had tried to tail him, but he had not been able to keep up with Si Jin. Wait, could he really be a grand master? If he was not, how could the State Preceptor be blinded in one eye and the Head Grand Secretariat paralyzed in the leg? Qi Qingyao breathed a sigh of relief the moment she realized that Si Jin might actually be a grand master after all. Just like Lu Yan had said, Si Jin did not want her to be worried, so could he have gone to patch himself up after falling into a trap? Everything would be alright as long as he was not dead! As long as he was not dead¡­ Qi Qingyao repeated that to herself silently, over and over again. Lu Yan suddenly realized something, ¡°If both of them have teamed up, there is only one possibility: Jiang Yeqian suspects Si Jin too and that¡¯s why he decided to partner up with Lu Ruoxuan. And his suspicions were correct!¡± Si Jin really was a grand master! Lu Yan simply could not believe it. Those two were currently unconscious, and well, might very well be on the brink of death. Out of everyone in the entire world, only him, Qi Qingyao, and Dong Jing¡­ knew Si Jin was a grand master, right? Chapter 352 - The Demon Physician Jiang Xun

Chapter 352: The Demon Physician Jiang Xun

Lu Yan was dumbfounded for a moment before he asked Qi Qingyao with a serious expression on his face, ¡°You were actually unaware that the young man constantly by your side was a grand master?¡± Si Jin was close to her after all. Qi Qingyao dismissed hisment as she slowly picked up her teacup and took a sip from it. She then raised her brow and replied somewhatzily, ¡°If he really is a grand master, then he¡¯s alive for sure, so I¡¯m quite happy.¡± ¡°You actually weren¡¯t aware of that kid¡¯s power?¡± Lu Yan asked adamantly. Qi Qingyao looked up at him and asked, ¡°Would I have been that worried if I knew?¡± ¡°¡­¡± That was true. She had not looked like she was faking it. He could see the worry in her eyes, but when Lu Yan thought about the fact that Si Jin was a grand master, he could not help but ask Qi Qingyao more about it as his expression turned gloomy. ¡°I have a lot of questions in my head right now. First of all, that kid is only seventeen or eighteen years old, but he¡¯s a grand master already. Is he a monster or something?! ¡°Secondly, why would the world¡¯s youngest grand master follow you around? What¡¯s his story? What¡¯s your story?! ¡°Third, why did he tell you that he was an eighth rank practitioner? Why did he lie? Why is he hiding his powers on purpose? ¡°And why did he even try to lie about his past? If he is a grand master, then everything he¡¯s told you before must be fake. ¡°Now that the State Preceptor and the Head Grand Secretariat have exposed him, will he show up again? Or will he disappear just like that, gone forever?¡± Qi Qingyao was all smiles as she replied, ¡°You have a lot to ask, don¡¯t you?¡± Lu Yan then said, ¡°Answer my questions, then. I¡¯m very curious.¡± Qi Qingyao thought about it for a moment and then said calmly, ¡°Firstly, I don¡¯t know. Secondly, I don¡¯t know either. Thirdly, I still don¡¯t know. And fourth, I havepletely no idea. I cannot answer any of your questions, only Si Jin can. Either that, or he doesn¡¯t show up ever again, and you never get any of your answers.¡± That response made Lu Yan give up entirely as he licked his dry lips, ¡°Aren¡¯t you at least a little bit curious?¡± Qi Qingyao opened her eyes, waves seemed to roil within her pupils. Her irises were full ofplicated emotions as she replied in a steady voice, ¡°Of course I¡¯m curious. How could I not be? I¡¯m more curious than you are. Who did I sleep with five years ago and bear children for? And why couldn¡¯t the Zhaixing Administration discover the man either? It¡¯s simply miraculous! Also, about Si Jin being a grand master? My goodness, I had a grand master by my side? What did I even do to deserve that? I¡¯m not that attractive! So why did a grand master want to follow me around? Who am I, anyway? I¡¯m just a mere viger. Tell me, could Si Jin be eighty years old instead of eighteen? Do grand masters have the ability to reverse old age to make them look younger? Also, are my children his? Is that why he might have felt guilty and stayed by my side to protect me?¡± If Qi Qingyao¡¯s words had made Lu Yan worried before, then the things she had just said must have dumbfounded and embarrassed him. She¡­ She was being very logical. Lu Yan moved his lips but said nothing. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Come on, say something.¡± Qi Qingyao prodded him. Lu Yan sighed, ¡°Reversing old age? You¡¯re imagining things.¡± Qi Qingyao shrugged and smiled, ¡°I¡¯m just a normal person who has never seen a grand master before, so I don¡¯t know what amazing things they¡¯re capable of. What if they really can reverse old age and keep themselves young forever?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve seen one before.¡± Lu Yan¡¯s eyes were still as cold as ever, but the agitated look in his eyes was calm now. He said to her, ¡°They¡¯re just a bunch of old geezers, they just look more energetic and spirited than usual people their age. If we ignore the white hair on their heads, they might very well be just the same as regr middle-aged people.¡± ¡°¡­¡± She blinked at him, looking nk. ¡°Forget it, from the way you look right now, you might very well know just as much about Si Jin as I do,¡± muttered Lu Yan. ¡°¡­¡± Qi Qingyao simply pursed her lips and remained silent. ¡­ ¡­ Qingzhou City, in a certain courtyard. Outside and inside the courtyard walls were stationed threeyers of guards both inside and out. People on the streets could not help but look twice. A middle-aged man with ragged clothes sat in the middle of a bedroom. There was a chamber in the middle of the room, and another bed was outside the chamber. Two people were lying on each of the two beds. They had been lying there for a few days now. The wounds on their flesh have been bandaged, but they still looked worse for wear, almost on the brink of death. The middle-aged man was the infamous demon physician, Jiang Xun. Jiang Xun looked at the mens¡¯ wounds and looked over to Zhu Shen and Zhao Xin standing off to the side, ¡°Did they get into a fight with a grand master?¡± Zhu Shen hung his head and replied, ¡°No¡­ I don¡¯t know.¡± He had said he did not know. However, his tone was slightly panicked and that gave away his emotions. Jiang Xun raised his brow. He then wrote down a list of herbs on a piece of paper. He then said to them, ¡°Look at this. If a grand master had not done this, they wouldn¡¯t have suffered so seriously.¡± After that, he took two bottles of antidotes from his medicine bag and told Zhu Shen and Zhao Xin to feed their masters the antidotes. Zhao Xin was very frustrated. His eyelids had kept twitching that day. That night, Zhu Shen had secretly called him over to the courtyard. That was how he saw the Head Grand Secretariatying in bed on the brink of death¡­ Zhao Xin fed the antidote to his master as his heart ached for him. Jiang Xun said slowly, ¡°The poison that they have in their bodies right now is the one I gave to the State Preceptor. I think they tried to poison someone else, but somehow ended up ingesting the poison themselves instead.¡± After Zhu Shen fed Li Ruoxuan the antidote, he fell to his knees and begged, ¡°Lord Physician, please, you have to save them both.¡± Jiang Xun had a sunken expression on his face as he remained silent. ¡°¡­¡± He said to himself, he could save them both, and if he did not, the entire city would be in shambles without the State Preceptor and the Head Grand Secretariat in the imperial court. However, he also said, ¡°You two have to keep this an absolute secret. No one else can know about this.¡± ¡°We understand.¡± Zhu Shen and Zhao Xin nodded. Jiang Xun muttered as his head hung low, ¡°If anyone knows about their current state, they would definitely try to snatch some power for themselves.¡± Zhu Shen and Zhao Xin¡¯s hearts pounded as Jiang Xun said those words. They knew that better than anyone else. That was why Zhu Shen had arranged such tight security around the perimeter. After they bought the herbs, Jiang Xun instructed his discipline to brew the medicine. He then sat in front of Li Ruoxuan to check on the wound on his eye. Zhu Shen asked anxiously, ¡°Lord Physician Jiang, how is my master?¡± Jiang Xun replied expressionlessly, ¡°He¡¯s been blinded in that eye. I can¡¯t do anything about it.¡± If Li Ruoxuan had encountered some serious limb injury, Jiang Xun would still be able to treat him, but now, his right eye was gone. He waspletely blind! ¡°¡­¡± Zhu Shen¡¯s lips curved downward as his face filled with guilt. Zhao Xin heard what Jiang Xun had said and suddenly felt a chill in his chest, ¡°What about my master, Lord Physician Jiang?¡± Jiang Xun checked Jiang Yeqian¡¯s wounds with much focus, after which he said, ¡°I can still save his leg. I just reconnected it. However, he will have to hobble for half a year before he canpletely recover.¡± Zhao Xin, ¡°¡­¡± For some reason, he suddenly felt a wave of reliefing over him. It was because his master still had his limbs intact¡­ and he was not blind like the State Preceptor now was! His leg could still be treated¡­ However, he was still not that pleased about it. After all, his master had never suffered such heavy injuries before. He had also never seen his master lying on a bed showing no signs of waking up at all. After Jiang Xun patched up their wounds, he called Zhu Shen and Zhao Xin over to his side, closed the door, and said to them solemnly, ¡°Everyone knows the both of them are in Qingzhou City. Other grand masters are on their way here too, and there will surely be people eager to meet them, perhaps casually or maybe for dinner.¡± ¡°But my master is¡­¡± Zhu Shen nervously said as he stared at the men who were still lying unconscious. Jiang Xun replied, ¡°They can¡¯t stay hidden forever. If the grand masters have arrived and neither one of them shows up to a public event, there will definitely be rumors. People might think that something has happened to them.¡± Zhao Xin asked, ¡°Then what should we do?¡± ¡°How am I supposed to know? I¡¯m just a doctor.¡± Jiang Xun shrugged indifferently and continued, ¡°You two had better pray that one of them wakes up first so they can stabilize things in Qingzhou City.¡± Zhao Xin, ¡°¡­¡± Zhu Shen, ¡°¡­¡± Jiang Xun stared at the clueless duo and muttered to himself, ¡®They are so used to taking orders, surely they wouldn¡¯t dare to make any decisions of their own.¡¯ He spoke after a moment of silence. ¡°Tell all the guards at the front to fall back!¡± ¡°Ah!¡± Zhu Shen was astonished. ¡°There are too many people standing outside the walls, that will only attract the attention of other spies. They might think something is going on in this ce,¡± said Jiang Xun. It simply attracted too much attention. He then continued, ¡°Order them to guard the inner walls and kill anyone who tries to discover or spy on what¡¯s going on. Show them no mercy. Don¡¯t even capture them for interrogation, just kill them all! Continue like this until the both of them have woken up.¡± ¡°Thank you, Lord Physician.¡± Zhu Shen nodded. Zhao Xin did not react. Zhao Xin did not dare bring his troops over here. After all, this was the State Preceptor¡¯s residence. Spies might think the State Preceptor and the Head Grand Secretariat had joined forces! Thus, all that Zhao Xin was concerned about was Jiang Yeqian¡¯s wounds. Things would be much easier once he recovered. Besides¡­ he also had to pass the message to Bai Mei. As for what happened at Qiang Jinjiu Restaurant, Mr. Tan did not have to know about it! After Jiang Xun taught the medicine boy how to prepare the medicines, he left them some antidotes before silently leaving the residence. He was a wandering doctor, after all, so he did not want to get too entangled with political figures. That was why he did not stay at the residence any longer. After Jiang Xun got out of that ce, he felt a little bored, so he went to Chun Jiang Restaurant to have some wine, enjoy the scenery around him, and listen to the other customers¡¯ chit-chat. They were all talking about the legends of Qingzhou City¡­ One of the names made Jiang Xun raise his brows. Qi Qingyao¡­ That name was very unfamiliar to him. However, it had some connection to the Mysterious Divine Physician Su Hexiao. Tsk! Jiang Xun suddenly had a huge interest in this Qi Qingyao. After he finished his drink, he went to Heir Pei¡¯s residence after the sun went down. ¡°Who are you? And who are you looking for?¡± The guard looked curiously at the middle-aged man with ragged clothes. ¡°Jiang Xun.¡± He only said those two words. The guard narrowed his eyes. He invited him in without announcing his presence. Jiang Xun and Heir Pei were old friends. The Heir had once asked for his help after being poisoned, but he was not cured yet! Heir Pei invited Jiang Xun into the guest hall when he heard the Demon Physician himselfing to visit. Under the flickering candlelight. Heir Pei said, ¡°It¡¯s quite rare for you toe to visit me, Uncle Jiang.¡± He still had to call him Uncle Jiang out of respect for his elders. ¡°I heard the poison in your body was treated by someone else, so I had toe and see for myself.¡± Jiang Xun sat downzily, took a piece of pastry from the te, and stuffed it into his mouth as he expressionlessly nced up and down Pei Fengtang¡¯s body. Pei Fengtang did not go out much, and he had recovered quite a lot. He could even practice sword fighting in his courtyard during the daytime. After Jiang Xun finished the pastry, he got up, walked over to Heir Pei, and grabbed his wrist. He then checked his pulse and confirmed that Heir Pei¡¯s system waspletely rid of the toxin. He could not help but raise his brow. ¡°Interesting.¡± It had been a poison that even he could not cure. A littledy called Qi Qingyao had saved him? Jiang Xun let go of Pei Fengtang¡¯s wrist and returned to his seat. He had a very curious look on his face. ¡°How did she do it? ¡°I didn¡¯t have any idea how to even start. ¡°She¡¯s a walking wonder.¡± Heir Pei could not help but smile as he watched Jiang Xun mutter to himself with self-doubt. He suddenly thought of a piece of information he had gotten earlier that day. His brows shifted as his eyes grew reserved. He then said, ¡°You were at the State Preceptor¡¯s residence.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Jiang Xun looked up, and then sipped his cup of tea as if nothing had just happened. ¡°Li Ruoxuan called you there.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°No, Li Ruoxuan didn¡¯t call you there, Zhu Shen did. Something has happened to Li Ruoxuan¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Zhao Xin went to the residence as well. There were many guards stationed outside all of a sudden! Looks like someone is trying to hide something. I presume Li Ruoxuan has suffered some serious injuries?¡± Something rang inside Jiang Xun¡¯s head as he listened to Heir Pei¡¯s calm and smooth words. He quickly raised his hands as if surrendering, ¡°Alright, alright, stop analyzing everything already. Everything you¡¯ve said is true.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Pei Fengtang¡¯s voice was light. Jiang Xun sighed heavily and reluctantly replied, ¡°I think the both of them challenged some grand master and almost got killed in the process. I think they¡¯ll have to lie still for quite some time. Since you¡¯re an heir, I suppose you can take care of things within Qingzhou City since you¡¯ve recovered now. Don¡¯t you let this piece of news get out to the public!¡± ¡°¡­¡± Heir Pei was dumbfounded. Jiang Xun, ¡°What¡¯s with that awful look on your face? You just figured everything out, didn¡¯t you? Why do you look so surprised now?¡± Pei Fengtang suddenly felt a dryness in his mouth as he stuttered, ¡°I¡¯m just saying, I didn¡¯t think¡­¡± It was true! Li Ruoxuan and Jiang Yeqian had gotten into trouble? This¡­ They had to be crazy for trying to challenge a grand master, right? They must have gone insane. Did they even bring their brains along with them when they came to Qingzhou City? Had their brains left them? Before Heir Pei could make sense of the two¡¯s reasoning, he realized something else. He asked, ¡°Eh, that¡¯s not right. Which grand master did they challenge? Is the grand master from Eastern Ling here already?¡± Jiang Xun replied, ¡°It should be the audacious and mysterious grand master that came to Qingzhou City.¡± Pei Fengtang, ¡°¡­¡± The information that Li Qing gave him was that Qi Qingyao had gone back to the vige to settle Qi Qingzhu¡¯s funeral matters and that Si Jin had been nowhere to be found on the second day. Besides that, an explosion had also happened in Xingli Vige and there were signs that a fight had taken ce there. After that, Lu Yan had sent Dong Jing there to keep QI Qingyao safe. Even after Qi Qingyao and the others came back to Qingzhou City, Si Jin was still nowhere to be found. Could it be¡­ The grand master actually was¡­ Pei Fengtang suddenly felt a little dizzy. Chapter 353 - Follow Me

Chapter 353: Follow Me

After Qi Qingyao was assured that Si Jin would never die because he was a grand master, she could finally rx after a few nights of fretting and worrying. She slept well that night. The next morning¡­ she woke up on her own, or rather, someone else woke her up. Steward Zhang¡¯s messenger came forward to report to her, saying that a plumpdy named Gu Shanshan and two other men hade looking for her. He asked her whether he should invite them in or to chase them away. Qi Qingyao raised her brows, ¡°Gu Shanshan? She had them invited inside the house. Qi Qingyao washed up, changed her clothes, and walked into the living room. The guests had already been seated and the servant girls were already serving them tea. The look in Gu Shanshan¡¯s eyes lit up when she saw Qi Qingyao. She ate the cakes and pastries while asking which shop she had gotten them from. Before Qi Qingyao could answer, Gu Shanshan cut her off. ¡°I came here a couple times over thest few days looking for you, but the steward always said you were not around.¡± Qi Qingyao grinned and replied, ¡°I went back to the vige for a rtive¡¯s funeral.¡± She then took a nce at Xiao Wuji and Gu Cheng, who had alsoe along. Gu Shanshan stuffed the entire cake into her mouth and said, ¡°I wanted to ask you if you¡¯reing with me to Eastern Ling.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Qi Qingyao could not catch up with her train of thought at all. Gu Shanshan smiled and replied, ¡°You don¡¯t have friends in Qingzhou City, right? Well, I¡¯m your friend now! Besides, I took a drawing of yours, so I¡¯m officially inviting you toe to Eastern Ling with us. I have a house you can stay in, so you don¡¯t have to worry about that. We can walk around town together, sit on a boat, and look for some good food!¡± ¡°¡­¡± Qi Qingyao stared at the passionate girl in astonishment. Gu Shanshan was worried Qi Qingyao might think of her as insincere, so she patted her chest firmly and said, ¡°I¡¯m very serious and sincere.¡± Qi Qingyao¡¯s lips twitched as she reminded her, ¡°Little Gu, we¡¯ve only met once.¡± She had disguised herself at Zhuixian Restaurant, so that did not count. ¡°We could have met twice, but I overslept while you werepeting with Jiang Siliu¡­¡± Gu Shanshan continued with an embarrassed tone in her voice, ¡°That was my fault.¡± Qi Qingyao sighed and said, ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter whose fault it was. I can¡¯t leave Qingzhou City.¡± Gu Shanshan was confused, ¡°You don¡¯t have any friends here, and there are many people waiting to assassinate you. So why do you want to stay here? If you follow me to Eastern Ling, my brother and Brother Xiao will protect you. You¡¯ll be protected by us, the Gu family, so no one will dare touch you.¡± Qi Qingyao, ¡°¡­¡± Gu Shanshan gritted her teeth and pulled Qi Qingyao to a corner. They squatted, and Gu Shanshan whispered to her, ¡°I¡¯ll be honest with you. Just follow me away from here, you and I.¡± Xiao Wuji and Gu Cheng nced at the sneaky Gu Shanshan but remained silent. Qi Qingyao asked, ¡°Why must I go with you?¡± ¡°I like you quite a lot. You look a lot like a brother I know in Capital City. So, I don¡¯t want you to die,¡± Gu Shanshan said to Qi Qingyao carefully. However, when she saw the dumbfounded look on Qi Qingyao¡¯s face still there, she gritted her teeth and said helplessly, ¡°I¡¯m telling you, a war is about to start.¡± ¡°¡­¡± A war? Gu Shanshan had a solemn look in her eyes as she continued, ¡°Eastern Ling and Southern Ming are about to attack Northern Liang, and this time, they¡¯re sending grand masters over. People might think they¡¯re looking for that mysterious grand master, but they¡¯re actually doing a background check on Northern Liang. The grand master from Eastern Ling and Southern Ming will destroy your Qingzhou grand master. After all, he might have just attained the title of grand master, so there is no chance he can fight two grand masters on his own. ¡°After he¡¯s dead¡­ ¡°There will only be one more grand master left in Northern Liang, and that grand master will have to stay in Capital City to protect the emperor! ¡°At that point, Northern Liang will have no way to handle an attack from two countries. Besides, those grand masters might be overseeing the battle while your grand master can¡¯t even leave the city. Even if he could, he could only handle one of them. The other one would take the chance to hurt him, and then¡­ he¡¯ll be surrounded. ¡°Northern Liang will have two more years at most before it¡¯spletely invaded!¡± ¡­ ¡­ Gu Shanshan bbered on, not even giving Qi Qingyao the chance to interrupt her. The only thing she could do was stare at her dumbfoundedly. Gu Cheng decided to interrupt at that perfect moment. ¡°Shanshan, you¡¯re talking too much.¡± Gu Shanshan turned around and replied, ¡°Brother, she looks a lot like Mo Yang, they¡¯re surely rted. They might even be rtives, so I can¡¯t watch her die just like this.¡± Qi Qingyao, ¡°¡­¡± Mo Yang? Was that person the look-alike they were speaking of? How alike could they be, anyway? One of them was a guy, and the other, a woman. Gu Shanshan looked back at her and asked curiously, ¡°Are you your family¡¯s biological child? I asked quite a few people today, and all of them said that your other family members all look quite average, but you¡­ You¡¯re beautiful, so different from the rest of them, and you look just like Brother Mo Yang! You just might be one of us, from Eastern Ling! That¡¯s the reason why saving you is something I have to do.¡± Qi Qingyao was still trying to figure out who this Mo Yang person was. Steward Zhang suddenly shouted from outside the yard, ¡°Miss, you have another visitor.¡± Qi Qingyao breathed out a sigh of relief. She felt like this visitor wasing to save her from the awkwardness that Gu Shanshan started. She stood up and urged Steward Zhang to invite them inside. After that, she turned to Gu Shanshan and the others to ask if they minded another person joining them. Gu Shanshan said she did not mind. Gu Cheng and Xiao Wuji, on the other hand, looked in the direction of the yard with curiosity. After all, her guest¡­ Was indeed quite special. As Heir Pei walked into the hall, he nced at the other people in the room, feeling a little dumbstruck. He had never seen them before. Who were these people? He had been resting in Qingzhou City for the past couple of years, but he had spent most of his time either in his residence orying on his bed half dead. Gu Cheng and Xiao Wuji stared at this guy¡¯s clothing and assumed he was a wealthy person. They were waiting for Qi Qingyao to introduce them to this person. Gu Shanshan¡¯s eyes lit up as she stared at Pei Fengtang saying, ¡°Mr. Handsome¡­¡± Heir Pei turned around when he heard her voice. Only then did he notice the plump little girl. He asked Qi Qingyao, ¡°Who¡¯s this fatty?¡± Qi Qingyao, ¡°¡­¡± Could you be more tactful? Gu Shanshan was not angry, however. Instead, her round little face was all smiles, the dimple on her left cheek making her look quite cute. She went along with his appraisal of her and said, ¡°This fatty is Gu Shanshan.¡± Qi Qingyao cleared her throat and emphasized, ¡°She¡¯s my friend.¡± ¡°Oh, hello.¡± Heir Pei did not smile as he greeted her politely. He did not acknowledge Xiao Wuji and Gu Cheng either. Instead, he said to Qi Qingyao directly, ¡°I have something to tell you.¡± Qi Qingyao smiled as she gestured to Gu Shanshan and the others. After that, she followed Heir Pei into an empty room outside in the yard. They closed the doors. Heir Pei asked her, ¡°Where is Si Jin?¡± He wanted certain questions to be answered first. Qi QIngyao shrugged indifferently and replied, ¡°Just say what¡¯s on your mind. You don¡¯t have to ask about Si Jin.¡± She did not want to talk, but that was alright. Heir Pei grinned as he stated, ¡°The Demon Physician Jiang Xun is here in Qingzhou City.¡± Qi Qingyao said nothing. She simply smiled back at Heir Pei. He continued, ¡°He came to see me. He said that he paid the State Preceptor and the Head Grand Secretariat a visit. And¡­ I got some information from him. I¡¯m hazarding a guess that Si Jin might be a grand master.¡± The news had reached him very quickly. Well, he was Heir Pei after all. Qi Qingyao replied, ¡°If you¡¯re trying to get any information from me, I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll have to disappoint you. I don¡¯t know any more than you do.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like that.¡± Heir Pei denied her assumptions, ¡°I¡¯m just telling you that you shouldn¡¯t go away if his identity is exposed. You should wait for him toe back.¡± Was he afraid she might be murdered? ¡°What if he neveres back? Do I never leave the house, then?¡± Heir Pei was eager to exin to her what to do when someone suddenly knocked on the door. ¡°Knock knock.¡± Heir Pei responded with an ashen expression on his face, ¡°Who is it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s me.¡± Lu Yan¡¯s serene voice rang in the air. ¡­ ¡­ In the hall. Gu Shanshan paced back and forth nervously and asked Gu Cheng, ¡°Brother, who was that handsome man?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± replied Gu Cheng as he calmly sipped on his cup of tea. ¡°You¡¯re good for nothing.¡± Gu Shanshan pouted as she huffed back at him. Gu Cheng, ¡°¡­¡± ¡°You don¡¯t even know the name of a handsome guy!¡± Gu Shanshan looked at him with a look of disdain on her face and said, ¡°I¡¯ll ask Qi Qingyao, she¡¯ll tell me for sure.¡± Gu Cheng wanted to grab her and choke her after being insulted like that, but he gave it some thought and decided to be patient for now. He would get his chance next time! Chapter 354 - What Do You Mean

Chapter 354: What Do You Mean

¡°Come in, ¡± Qi Qingyaomanded. The look on Heir Pei¡¯s face was very disapproving, indicating that they were discussing more important matters before his interruption. Qi Qingyao took a deep breath and said, ¡°He knows about Si Jin.¡± Heir Pei, ¡°¡­¡± She was saying it, just like that? Or had Lu Yan already guessed it himself? After all, they lived under the same roof, it would be hard to hide things like that. Lu Yan walked into the room, but before he could say anything, Heir Pei lifted his chin and said coldly, ¡°So what grand opinions do you have?¡± Lu Yan knew that this man knew something, so he waved at him as he replied, ¡°No grand opinions, but I do have some humble ones.¡± Heir Pei had an attentive look on his face. Lu Yan¡¯s thick eyshes moved under the light, and the look in his eyes was very resolute, ¡°I know you came here to advise her not to go out.¡± ¡°So, you¡¯re here to argue with me?¡± Heir Pei frowned. ¡°Yes.¡± Lu Yan thought about it for a moment and then looked at Qi Qingyao, ¡°No one understands Si Jin¡¯s background, that¡¯s for sure. Not you, not me, and not even the Zhaixing Administration. No one knows where Si Jin went, not her, nor you or I. And I¡¯m afraid the Zhaixing Administration doesn¡¯t know either.¡± Heir Pei responded, ¡°So?¡± Lu Yan replied, ¡°So, I think that this matter can¡¯t be hidden from the world.¡± Heir Pei replied solemnly, ¡°It will be kept a secret if none of us talks about it.¡± Lu Yan then asked, ¡°The State Preceptor and Head Grand Secretariat might be awake now. You think they won¡¯t spread news of this across the city?¡± ¡®They¡­ wouldn¡¯t, right?¡¯ Pei Fengtang thought to himself, ¡®Those two are not idiots, after all.¡¯ Lu Yan¡¯s misty eyes made him look somewhat leisurely as he said, ¡°Powers from all sides areing into Qingzhou City to investigate this mysterious grand master. If they can¡¯t find him, they¡¯ll turn the entire city upside down until they do. If you want this to happen, you can ignore everything I¡¯ve just said.¡± Qi Qingyao stared at the two men bickering between themselves, and she got up and sat somewhere else. She started thinking about what Gu Shanshan had told her. Lu Yan had mentioned before that these people have some authority in Eastern Ling, so surely they had sources of information to tell them what was going on. Since they said the grand masters were here to kill Si Jin, they had to be telling the truth. After killing Si Jin, Eastern Ling and Southern Ming would dere war to put Northern Liang in a stranglehold. One grand master would not be enough to handle them both. Two grand masters from Eastern Ling, and another two from Southern Ming. How were they supposed to fight this? Even if Si Jin announced to the entire world that he was a grand master, Eastern Ling and Southern Ming would have gotten hold of that information and dered war on the southeast and northeastern areas at the same time. By then, Northern Liang would not be able to hold out any longer either. This was a disaster, no matter what. Heir Pei stared at Lu Yan and asked, ¡°Do you want to spread the news?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Lu Yan nodded. Pei Fengtang said nothing more, musing over the consequences. ¡°Since everyone¡¯s investigating this matter, we should spread the information. There is no need to hide,¡± said Lu Yan. He then continued, ¡°Before they confirm anything, they wouldn¡¯t dare touch her.¡± ¡°No one would dare touch someone protected by a grand master.¡± Pei Fengtang rubbed his head and paused for a moment. He then sat down and poured himself a cup of tea, ¡°However, once the confirmation goes out, she¡¯ll be the center of attention.¡± Lu Yan replied, ¡°She already is the center of attention.¡± Pei Fengtang agreed with Lu Yan, but at the same time, he felt like that was too risky. He could not decide what to do, so had no other choice but to ask Qi Qingyao, who had remained silent all this while. ¡°What do you think?¡± ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± Qi Qingyao threw a question back to him as she gracefully sipped on her cup of tea. Pei Fengtang then replied, ¡°Do we spread the information? Or do we wait for him to return?¡± Qi Qingyao thought about it for a moment, and then said, ¡°Spread the information.¡± Pei Fengtang then concluded, ¡°Alright, there you have it.¡± He then continued, ¡°Ask him to apany you if you ever want to go out these few days.¡± Just in case of an assassination attempt. He was talking about Lu Yan. Qi Qingyao said nothing, but Lu Yan nodded in agreement. She was thinking about what Gu Shanshan had said again. She mused over it. Should she tell Pei Fengtang? He was an heir, after all. If he knew about it, he would report it to the Imperial Court. However, even if they knew, they could not do anything about it. The grand master of Capital City would not rush all the way to Qingzhou City just to protect a grand master he did not even know. He had to protect the emperor. Si Jin would surely be the target of other grand masters if he decided to show up again¡­ What should they do, then? There was also another possibility. Si Jin would never appear again. Pei Fengtang thought she was still angry that Jiang Yeqian and Li Ruoxuan tried to kill Si Jin, so he said to her sheepishly, ¡°I know you must be angry about Jiang Yeqian and Li Ruoxuan going after Si Jin. If I were you, I would feel the same too.¡± Qi Qingyao looked up, her eyes misty as she replied, ¡°Do we even have to rify such things?¡± ¡°We have to.¡± Pei Fengtang nodded solemnly. Qi Qingyao, ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Any person who could possibly be a grand master has the potential to change the course of history and the integrity of the country. They would also be useful on the battlefield. That¡¯s why we have to investigate this matter,¡± said Pei Fengtang. ¡°Sacrificing yourself for this cause is necessary.¡± Qi Qingyao, ¡°¡­¡± Pei Fengtang continued, ¡°If I understand the State Preceptor¡¯s attitude, he was prepared to die the moment the both of them made the decision to test Si Jin.¡± Qi Qingyao tilted her head and smiled back at him, ¡°Are you asking me not to hate them?¡± ¡°No.¡± Pei Fengtang had an adamant look in his dark eyes as he replied, ¡°I¡¯m asking you to stop Si Jin from taking revenge on them both. If hees back, that is.¡± Lu Yan looked down. He did not want to take part in this conversation. Qi Qingyao thought for a while and then said, ¡°I can¡¯t make such hasty decisions on that matter.¡± ¡°You can,¡± Pei Fengtang replied. ¡°That kid listens to you.¡± He paused. He soon continued, ¡°I don¡¯t know why he stayed by your side, but I¡¯m sure he will listen to everything you say.¡± Qi Qingyao smiled back at him mockingly, the look in her eyes as bright as a star. ¡°They wanted to kill him, yet he can¡¯t get his revenge. Hehe, interesting. Hypocritical dog!¡± Pei Fengtang had no idea what ¡®hypocritical dog¡¯ meant. He thought to himself, ¡®Any phrase with ¡®dog¡¯ in it must be an insult.¡¯ He sighed helplessly, ¡°You don¡¯t understand what I mean.¡± Qi Qingyao harrumphed quietly. Pei Fengtang said to her, ¡°They were just testing him.¡± He wanted to exin everything, but nothing came out of his mouth. He could understand why she was so mad about this. Pei Fengtang continued, ¡°Forget it. If you want Si Jin to avenge himself, go ahead. Kill them both. But when two of the most important people in the Imperial Court die, there will be chaos across the entire city. Either that, or we will be invaded by Eastern Ling and Southern Ming straightaway. You¡¯ll have to bear the consequences of your actions in the end.¡± ¡°¡­¡± This man¡¯s excuses were quite something. If two of the most important people in the Imperial Court died, she would have to bear the consequences. What if Si Jin died? If Si Jin was a rank nine, he would have been killed by those two. Who would have taken responsibility then? Perhaps¡­ One might say his death was equivalent to sacrificing a nameless pawn. In the end, she was still not the one who would be making the final decision on whether Si Jin exacted his revenge or not. Chapter 355 - Think Of The Big Picture

Chapter 355: Think Of The Big Picture

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Pei Fengtang had run out of ideas about how to get his intentions across to Qi Qingyao, so he sighed, bid his farewells, and left the Qi Residence. After Pei Fengtang left. Qi Qingyao turned around to look at Lu Yan and noticed he was looking down, a thoughtful look on his face. He had not disagreed with Pei Fengtang just now, so she chided him angrily, ¡°Don¡¯t think you can convince me not to exact revenge.¡± Lu Yan¡¯s eyes were calm and misty, and they also looked somewhat helpless as they gleamed under the light. He rubbed his head and said, ¡°How do I say this? It wasn¡¯t a suggestion. More like¡­ considering the bigger picture.¡± ¡°So the big picture is to make me shut up and do nothing,¡± Qi Qingyao said with a hoarse voice. ¡°Yaoyao.¡± Having her shut up and do nothing was a simplification of their actual ns. Lu Yan shut his eyes halfway, not daring to look into hers. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be thinking about revenge. Instead¡­ you should be worried about himing back or not.¡± Qi Qingyao, ¡°...¡± Lu Yan continued, ¡°If Si Jines back, you are guaranteed to be safe, but what if he doesn¡¯t?¡± Qi Qingyao thought to herself, ¡®If Si Jin decides toe back, but not now, things will definitely be easier.¡¯ However, if he decides not toe back, she¡­ would be helpless and all alone. However, she could not always put her safety in the hands of others. She had to solve this problem on her own. ¡°If he doesn¡¯te back, you¡¯re in big trouble.¡± Lu Yan saw through her with his dark, quiet eyes. He then said to her, ¡°Some crazy people might even think you¡¯re the grand master¡¯s weakness, so they might try to test his limits and make you their target.¡± Qi Qingyao chuckled. ¡°So?¡± ¡°The next time we go out, just bullsh*t your way through any usations.¡± The circumstances hade to this, and the most important thing now was her safety. Lu Yan simply could not allow her to get in harm¡¯s way, so he decided what they would be doing there and then. ¡°Whatever it takes, just exaggerate whatever you can!¡± ¡°Exaggerate what¡­?¡± Qi Qingyao did not understand what he meant. Lu Yan had a smile on his face which did not look like much of a smile, ¡°Just say that he¡¯s the world¡¯s strongest grand master, and you have quite the rtionship with him. If you die, he¡¯ll destroy the city in his blind rage. Hell, you can even say the two of you had a child. If someone asks about the age difference, just say that he¡¯s really strong, to the point where he can keep himself looking young forever even though he¡¯s already a hundred years old.¡± Qi Qingyao waspletely dumbfounded by the gibberish Lu Yan was spouting. She stared at the bbering Lu Yan in disbelief. ¡°Would that even work?¡± Lu Yan rxed andposed himself. He felt somewhat proud of what he had just said, so he replied, ¡°Why not? The more you exaggerate, the safer you¡¯ll be.¡± ¡°Why do I have to do that? Why not just spread the real news around?¡± Qi Qingyao¡¯s pale irises reflected the light that shone upon it just like how a glimmeringke reflected the sunlight. ¡°If I do that, I can exin why I have Master Architect Li Qinglian¡¯s drawings with me, and that would also exin why Divine Physician Su He was willing to help me¡­ That makes so much more sense.¡± Lu Yan smacked his legs and said, ¡°I¡¯m telling Dong Jing to spread the information right now.¡± He continued, ¡°If this grand master really is a few hundred years old, it would make sense why the Zhaixing Administration failed to find anything out about him.¡± He almost convinced himself with his own words. QI Qingyao stared at his silhouette and muttered, ¡°He¡¯s really good at bragging.¡± He might be better than her in that regard already. After all¡­ he was the son of Northern Liang¡¯s Chamber of Commerce! It was just then that Qi Qingyao remembered she still had guests in the living room waiting on her. She walked back there quickly. She even sped her fists together and bowed at them. ¡°Sorry to keep you waiting. I apologize.¡± Gu Shanshan trotted over and asked her excitedly, ¡°Who was that handsome guy just now?¡± Qi Qingyao was stunned for a moment as she replied, ¡°Heir Pei.¡± ¡°Pei Fengtang?¡± asked Gu Shanshan. Qi Qingyao nodded. She would have never guessed that Eastern Ling nobles would know Heir Pei¡¯s name. They were very¡­ well equipped with information. Gu Shanshan was about to ask Qi Qingyao to introduce her to Heir Pei¡­ Just then, Xiao Wuji walked over and pulled Gu Shanshan to the side. He then stood in front of Qi Qingyao and asked her, ¡°Just consider what she told you just now.¡± Qi Qingyao, ¡°...¡± What was there to consider? Did he mean to tell her to consider going to Eastern Ling with them? Hold on, Gu Shanshan just mentioned that the grand masters¡¯ n was to kill Si Jin¡­ and then attack Northern Liang from two sides. Pei Fengtang, on the other hand, had advised her not to exact revenge. If Li Ruoxuan and Jiang Yeqian actually died, the entire political environment in Capital City would change for the worse. What was going on? Did that mean that Si Jin was the factor deciding whether a war was going to take ce? If Si Jin was alive, Northern Liang might get the chance to stabilize itself. If he had died, however, Eastern Ling and Southern Ming would attack Northern Liang. If Si Jin were to exact his revenge, Northern Liang and Capital City would be in shambles. If he did not, everything would be alright. What the hell was this? Did that mean she had no other choice but to take punches like a wooden dummy and not retaliate at all? Qi Qingyao¡¯s brows furrowed tightly. ¡­ Chapter 356 - So Pissed, I’m Spitting Blood

Chapter 356: So Pissed, I¡¯m Spitting Blood

Qi Qingyao looked down without saying anything, her expression suggesting she was deep in thought. Xiao Wuji and Gu Cheng did not press her either. Instead, Gu Shanshan rubbed her stomach and asked in a manner as though she were very familiar with Qi Qingyao, ¡°Can I stay for a meal in your home?¡± Qi Qingyao smiled and nodded, saying, ¡°Of course.¡± Then, she got Steward Zhang to bring the three of them to have a tour around the residence. The three children ran out of the study; Erniu hugged Qi Qingyao¡¯s leg and shouted, ¡°Mommy!~~~~¡± Qi Qingyao looked at Erniu¡¯s red-rimmed eyes and asked Dabao and Xiaobao, ¡°Did the two of you bully Erniu?¡± Dabao pouted pitifully and said, ¡°As if the two of us would dare to bully Erniu. She was the one who ran too quickly and stumbled because of the door banister.¡± Qi Qingyaoughed despite herself. She rubbed Erniu¡¯s head andforted her in a soft voice, ¡°Don¡¯t cry, don¡¯t cry, you¡¯re a big girl now. Just look at your nose with all that crying.¡± Erniu had indeed felt a little pain when she stumbled on the door banister but it was not that painful. Hearing her mommy¡¯s gentle tone, however, she could not help but act like a spoiled child. ¡°But it hurts, it hurts, it hurts!~¡± Qi Qingyao rubbed the kid¡¯s knee and said softly, ¡°It¡¯ll stop hurting once Mommy blows on it, okay, fuu~~¡± Erniu cockily raised her brows at Dabao and Xiaobao under her mommy¡¯s gentle treatment. Dabao and Xiaobao looked at the littledy and did not want to get into a fuss with her despite also being envious of their gentle mommy¡¯s blowing!~ It just so happened that Gu Shanshan and the others had turned back and at a nce from the distance, they saw the young girl in the sun. Her appearance was kind and her features delicate. It was as if she had a pool of spring water in her when she talked to her child. No, her three children. The children were standing together like a portrait under the sun. Gu Cheng once again looked at the three children and could not help but let out a sound of shock. ¡°This¡­¡± Xiao Wuji held back his stunned expression and behaved calmly. Gu Shanshan had only met Qi Qingyaost time back in the kitchen of the Hualian Mountain Springs Vi and not the three kids. That was why Gu Shanshan, who was witnessing this scene the first time, had her mouth forming an ¡®o¡¯ as she was stunned for a moment. Just as she was about to say something loudly, Xiao Wuji stopped her and motioned for her to calm down. After the three returned to the side hall, they dismissed Steward Zhang. Gu Shanshan had difficulty calming herself down. Her expression was conflicted, which affected Gu Cheng. ¡°Brother, you saw it too. Those kids¡­¡± Gu Cheng said nothing. His expression was one of deep contemtion. Gu Shanshan covered her head, looking bitter with hate, ¡°Why do they look so much like Mo Yang? I¡¯m losing it.¡± ¡°I¡¯m also about to lose it,¡± Xiao Wuji added indifferently. Gu Cheng snickered. ¡°But he¡¯s probably arriving in Qingzhou City soon.¡± ¡°How do you know?¡± Gu Shanshan looked at her brother, astonished. Gu Cheng nced at Xiao Wuji, who looked unbothered, and said casually, ¡°Wuji wrote him a letter. I saw it.¡± This has been some time ago. Mo Yang had already received that letter¡­probably. After Qi Qingyao entertained the children for a bit, she walked back with the kids. When everyone sat at the dining table to eat, the children were very curious about the guests but did not simply speak. Gu Shanshan who was usually talkative also did not dare open her mouth. She was afraid that she might not be able to hold herself back from saying that the kids were Mo Yang¡¯s illegitimate children! Gu Cheng and Xiao Wuji, on the other hand, watched the children from time to time with smiles conveying their interest. That meal was still somewhat peaceful. After they ate, Gu Shanshan first bid her farewells. Before leaving, she even reminded Qi Qingyao to consider her words seriously. Gu Cheng looked at the littledy who was deep in thought. Bumping his head on Gu Shanshan¡¯s, he said, ¡°We¡¯ll only be leaving Qingzhou City a month from now, you should have enough time to think about it.¡± Qi Qingyao looked at Gu Cheng calmly. ¡°You¡¯re not afraid that I¡¯ll tell other people about this?¡± Gu Cheng asked, ¡°You¡¯re referring to the imperial court?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Qi Qingyao smiled but did not say anything. ¡°I¡¯m afraid.¡± Gu Cheng shrugged but then continued calmly as before, ¡°But I¡¯m also not.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± Qi Qingyao asked. Gu Cheng exined to her leisurely, ¡°Because your little empress will probably be able to guess that these people woulde to Qingzhou City. That¡¯s why, whether or not you tell them will have no effect on the situation at all. Either way, death is certain for that grand master who still hasn¡¯t revealed themselves. When they die, the situation would go back to being the same as before. The n to attack Northern Liang will then proceed.¡± ¡°¡­¡± How arrogant. Gu Cheng said somewhat gloomily, ¡°We just think you remind us of someone, that¡¯s why we want to protect your life. It¡¯s just like that.¡± Gu Shanshan could not say anything with her brother pressing down on her. She hurriedly threw out a ¡°You have toe with us!¡± before she got onto the carriage. Qi Qingyao, ¡°¡­¡± Gu Cheng¡¯s words lingered in her mind. Those in the Northern Liang Imperial Pce¡­ How could they not know that a few grand masters were going to gather in Qingzhou City? Did Li Ruoxuan note down this time regarding this very matter? That was why he was doing everything possible to find out who the mysterious grand master was before everyone else. His methods were¡­intense. However, he had achieved his desired oue. If Lu Yan were to leak out the information that Si Jin was the grand master now¡­ It was unknown how the masters out there would take to this. Should they say that this child was hundreds of years old and had been rejuvenated to look young? Or should they say that her children were Si Jin¡¯s¡­this¡­ ¡­ ¡­ Two hours after Gu Cheng and Xiao Wuji left, Xiao Wuji once again rushed back. He rushed into the Qi Residence the moment he got off the carriage. After Qi Qingyao invited him in, she calmly looked at the person who was shocked to the point of speechlessness. She smiled and asked, ¡°Why are you back again?¡± ¡°There¡¯s news going viral outside.¡± Xiao Wuji¡¯s brows were furrowed tight. ¡°What news?¡± Qi Qingyao continued asking indifferently. Xiao Wuji replied, ¡°That your Si Jin is that mysterious grand master.¡± Qi Qingyao, ¡°Oh.¡± Xiao Wuji said agitatedly, ¡°What do you mean oh!! Say something.¡± Qi Qingyao absent-mindedly said, ¡°Rumors are rumors, you can¡¯t trust everything.¡± Xiao Wuji, ¡°¡­¡± What do you mean one could not trust everything they heard? What was she even saying? The rumors had not been around when they left their door this morning and it appeared by afternoon. Wait a minute, where was Si Jin anyway? They had not seen theely youth who was always behind her at all today! Xiao Wuji had many questions, but looking at Qi Qingyao¡¯s expression, he knew that he would not be able to ask many things. He probably would have to head back and gather intelligence to figure things out. He cussed internally at how f*cked up everything was. Xiao Wuji returned to the mountain springs vi once again. Gu Cheng was taking in some news, his expression severe. Once he was done listening, he asked the news bearers to leave. Gu Cheng and Xiao Wuji immediately exchanged their intel when Xiao Wuji entered. Both of them ascertained something at the same time. That the rumors¡­might be true. ¡­ This kind of shocking rumor had, in just two hours, spread throughout the streets and alleyways of the Upper East District of Qingzhou City like a tornado. Many people were still wanting to verify if it were true. However, hearing that Heir Pei was the one who personally let the news out, everyone fell into silence. Information from Heir Pei could not possibly be false. The public also suddenly came to some realization. No wonder Qi Qingyao knew the divine physician Su Hexiao. No wonder Qi Qingyao also knew the Master Architect Li Qinglian. So the moguls had been secretly helping her in respect toward the grand master? Also, this grand master was helping her because he identally slept with her and got her pregnant. Since the children were his¡­he could only help her. However, was there such a young grand master? Could he really have rejuvenated from old age? When the news reached the residence of the State Preceptor¡¯s home, Zhu Shen and Zhao Xin¡¯s expressions were unsightly. The ghost doctor Jiang Xun had just told them that this matter should be kept secret but who would have thought the public also knew of it already? The two were about to investigate the source of the news when they heard that it was passed around by Heir Pei and they both fell silent for a while. What was Heir Pei¡¯s intention behind his action? Was he deliberately trying to get people to assassinate the State Preceptor and Head Grand Secretariat now? Heir Pei could not possibly be that stupid! It seemed that the two would have to wait for the masters to wake up before they could ask. Midnight. Jiang Yeqian who had been unconscious for a few days finally woken in a daze. Zhao Xin, who was sitting at the side, was so excited he shed tears. Wiping away his tears secretly, he held Jiang Yeqian¡¯s hand excitedly and said, ¡°Master, you¡¯re finally awake.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Jiang Yeqian peeled back his heavy eyelids,pletely dazed. He looked at the beams of the room for a bit as he heard Zhao Xin¡¯s crying. After a while, he finally came to his senses. Zhao Xin was still quite shocked as he kept urging, ¡°Please say something.¡± ¡°I¡­¡± After Jiang Yeqian returned to his senses, he used his hoarse voice and babbled vaguely, ¡°I¡¯m still alive huh.¡± ¡°What are you saying, of course you¡¯re alive.¡± Zhao Xin wiped the bottom of his eyes again and said, ¡°The doctor said that your leg is injured, but still attached. But you¡¯ll be estimated to be on crutches for a few months.¡± Jiang Yeqian practically had not heard a word of what he was saying. He was trying hard to recall the oue of that battle but he was not able to think of anything. His memory was blurry and he only vaguely remembered that the youth¡¯s attack had not given him or Li Ruoxuan the room or time to counter him. So, ¡°What about Li Ruoxuan?¡± he asked. Zhao Xin was stunned for a moment before he answered softly, ¡°The State Preceptor is blinded in one eye.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Jiang Yeqian¡¯s eyes narrowed. He tried to remember the details of the battle again, but still could not remember¡­ Jiang Yeqian asked, ¡°And I? How did Ie back?¡± Zhao Xin answered, ¡°ording to the coachmen, the two of you were just lying on the ground when he rushed over. There was no one else. He carried both of you onto the carriage and brought you back to Qingzhou City.¡± ¡°Looks like he held his hand,¡± Jiang Yeqian said. Zhao Xin knew some things but he still did not dare believe it. So he asked carefully, ¡°Is Si Jin really that powerful?¡± ¡°You know about this?¡± Who leaked this information out? Zhao Xin answered embarrassedly, ¡°It¡¯s already circting amongst the public¡­¡± ¡°This news, who let it out?¡± Jiang Yeqian wanted to push himself to support his body into a sitting position, but with how heavy his injuries were, he instantly fell back onto the bed. He was even so tired he almost fainted. Zhao Xin said, ¡°It was said to be Heir Pei. Anyway, it has practically spread amongst the upper-ss circles of Qingzhou City but there is no mention of the fight between you and the State Preceptor against Si Jin.¡± Jiang Yeqian was silent. Zhao Xin asked, ¡°Should we return to our residence now?¡± Jiang Yeqian said heavily, ¡°We¡¯ll stay here in the meantime.¡± Zhao Xin voiced his understanding. Jiang Yeqian asked if the State Preceptor had awakened. Zhao Xin replied he had not and so Jiang Yeqian got Zhao Xin to request for Heir Pei toe to him immediately. Pei Fengtang was dragged out of his nkets in the dead of night. Hearing that Jiang Yeqian was awake, he did not dy. Deep in the silent night, he rushed over quickly in his carriage and entered through the back door in a low-key manner. He then went to the room where Jiang Yeqian was recuperating. After he entered, he saw Jiang Yeqian who looked practically bedridden, pale and having suffered quite heavy internal injuries. Pei Fengtang no longer thought ofughing. He knew that both the men¡¯s conditions were not too good but he did not think it was¡­this bad. Pei Fengtang said, ¡°He destroyed the both of you.¡± Jiang Yeqian opened his eyes and nced at Pei Fengtang, who looked to be able to stand like any ordinary person now. He asked, ¡°Why did you spread the information?¡± Pei Fengtang shrugged and answered disapprovingly, ¡°I spread the information after weighing the pros and cons.¡± Then, Pei Fengtang shared his n and the reason why the news was released¡­ Jiang Yeqian was quiet for a while when he heard till the end. Then, he said, ¡°Nevermind, you can go back.¡± Pei Fengtang did not dare believe it and he asked, ¡°Did you call me here just to ask about this? And now you¡¯re asking me to go back with everything said??¡± ¡°What else?¡± Jiang Yeqian closed his eyes, toozy to even look at Pei Fengtang again. Pei Fengtang pulled a chair to the bedside and sat down. He even sat somewhat leisurely with his legs crossed and one foot poised in the air. His features were veryzy and leisurely as he said, ¡°It¡¯s good that the public knows about it now. It¡¯s good for her, it¡¯s good for Qingzhou City, and it¡¯s good for Northern Liang.¡± Jiang Yeqian could not help open his eyes and said, ¡°Then did you ever think about what would happen if the grand masters of Eastern Ling and Southern Ming were toe, that they might join forces to kill him?¡± Pei Fengtang said mockingly, ¡°You and Li Ruoxuan had initially intended to join forces to get rid of him, and now you¡¯re worried about others?¡± Jiang Yeqian¡¯s pale face was silent. ¡°Li Ruoxuan and I were 90% confident that he was a grand master but we didn¡¯t have evidence. Li needed confirmation and not ambiguous information, so we cooperated. But since he was a grand master, both of us could not beat him!¡± Pei Fengtang sneered, ¡°If he weren¡¯t a grand master then he would have been killed by you two.¡± Jiang Yeqian answered indifferently, ¡°If he weren¡¯t a grand master, a rank nine would have died¡­what about it?¡± ¡®Besides, that guy kept saying that he wanted to be Qi Qingyao¡¯s boy toy; if he really died, then just die! He was not worth any pity!¡¯ After a pause, Jiang Yeqian said again, ¡°But if his identity is exposed, and the two grand masters of Eastern Ling and Southern Ming besiege Si Jin at the same time, and if Si Jin were to die, it would be bad for Northern Liang, bad for Qingzhou City, and even worse for her. ¡± Pei Fengtang pondered deeply for a moment then said abruptly, ¡°How sure are you that the opposing grand masters have gathered in Qingzhou City to kill a grand master?¡± ¡°I¡¯mpletely certain!!¡± Jiang Yeqian was so furious that his chest and tympanic membrane vibrated with a buzz; it hurt a lot. He made an effort to rx himself and said, ¡°You really have to even think about this? If these grand masters did note to Qingzhou City to kill someone, then could it be that they just came to take a look to see if the grand master was handsome? If they¡¯re a boy or a girl?¡± Pei Fengtang, ¡°¡­¡± Jiang Yeqian¡¯s expression was dark. ¡°The other party must have already nned to jointly kill the mysterious grand master in Qingzhou City to weaken Northern Liang¡¯s strength.¡± Pei Fengtang felt that what he was saying still made some sense. However¡­ ¡°She would have been in danger if I didn¡¯t release the information. That¡¯s why I didn¡¯t think too much about it at that time.¡± Jiang Yeqian noticed that his expression was weird and could not help but ask, vexed, ¡°Could it be that you¡¯ve fallen in love with her? For you to protect her like this¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± Pei Fengtang rolled his eyes,zy to refute this nonsense. He only felt indebted to Qi Qingyao for saving his life. Nothing else. Now, she was connected to the grand master. All the more for him to protect her. Who would not want to have a good rtionship with a grand master? Seeing that Pei Fengtang was silent, Jiang Yeqian cursed, ¡°You didn¡¯t even wait for me to wake up and discuss this before making a decision, how foolish of you.¡± Pei Fengtang was so mad he got up and kicked the bedpost. He said, ¡°Who¡¯s the dumb one? You are. So dumb that you and Li Ruoxuan went off testing a potential subject of a grand master-level. If Si Jin had not held his hand, I think the both of you would have gone to the underworld hand in hand despite how important you two are to Northern Liang!¡± Jiang Yeqian held his breath for a while before squeezing out a sentence. ¡°Go away, I¡¯m tired.¡± Pei Fengtang saw that Jiang Yeqian was already looking half-dead and that the sky was dark outside. Before he walked out of the room, he thought of some important points and decided to add something. ¡°Let me tell you this before I leave. It¡¯s not only rumored out there now that Si Jin is a grand master. It is also rumored that this grand master is hundreds of years old and has rejuvenated his youth! That¡¯s why no information about him could be found anywhere. It is also rumored that he is helping Qi Qingyao because the children belong to him!!¡± While Lu Yan definitely made that up, it was still so interesting! However, when it was said this time¡­ The person on the bed gave a start. ¡°Hngh!!¡± A sound. Then he spat out a mouthful of fresh blood. That mouthful of blood dyed the nket red. Pei Fengtang¡¯s eyes almost bulged out of his as he shouted hurriedly. ¡°Zhao Xin, your master is spitting blood! Quick, fetch the copper pot for the blood!¡± Chapter 357 - Plan First, Act Later

Chapter 357: n First, Act Later

Hualian Hot Mountain Springs Vi. Gu Cheng could not sleep the entire night, constantly pacing the room with Xiao Wuji. To them, the news from yesterday was just too earth-shattering. They were not able to fully digest it despite the entire night. Gu Cheng mumbled non-stop, ¡°How could things be like this!!¡± ¡°That youth named Si Jin, if he really was a grand master, it would exin everything.¡± It made good sense too! Xiao Wuji took another sip of the cooled tea. He frowned. He got up, carrying the teapot as he walked to the door. The young male servant who was guarding the door yawned a few times but hurriedly stood properly when he heard the creaking of the door opening. Xiao Wuji passed the teapot to the servant¡¯s hand. The young servant quickly ran to the kitchen to brew more tea. When Xiao Wuji entered, he heard Gu Cheng sigh. ¡°Exin what? Tell me then! This situation is honestly somewhat embarrassing!¡± After a pause, Gu Cheng¡¯s expression turned gloomy. He asked Xiao Wuji, ¡°Do you think the grand masters from Eastern Ling and Southern Ming will be able to beat Si Jin if they were toe?¡± ¡°That child is just about 10 years old¡­¡± So, even if he was a grand master, he could definitely be killed with their cooperation! Xiao Wuji could not help but think this. ¡°From the news outside, he¡¯s some hundred years old and has rejuvenated to a young age¡­ He¡¯s even saying Qi Qingyao¡¯s children are his.¡± This was the most crucial point. Gu Cheng cradled his forehead. ¡°These are unfounded statements. I think they likely spread the news to protect her,¡± Xiao Wuji exined. ¡°The point of the current situation is that if Si Jin is one of her¡¯s, is the cooperation of two grand masters still needed to kill him?¡± After all, Qi Qingyao looked too much like Mo Yang. If they were really rted, Qi Qingyao would also be considered a person of Eastern Ling. Si Jin was hers and, all in all, that would make him someone of Eastern Ling¡¯s too¡­right? Gu Cheng noticed his expression and knew what he was thinking. He then said, ¡°Si Jin is a grand master of Northern Liang, you better not overthink this. He needs to be killed. To ensure that Northern Liang¡¯s power is the weakest! We need to seek a bnce between the great nations.¡± Xiao Wuji said seriously, ¡°If Si Jin is really close to her, I¡¯m afraid she will hate us if we were to kill Si Jin.¡± What would they tell Mo Yang then? Gu Cheng contemted for a moment and said, ¡°We only wanted to help her because she looks like Mo Yang anyway. Don¡¯t oveplicate it, it¡¯s all about the big picture.¡± Xiao Wuji said nothing. After Gu Cheng said that, a moment passed, before he murmured, ¡°Shanshan is going to be sad.¡± His sister really liked Qi Qingyao! ¡°¡­¡± Xiao Wuji frowned. He thought to himself that maybe they could solve this issue by buying that girl some roasted chicken when they get back. ¡­ ¡­ Jiang Yeqian woke up after 8 hours. Zhao Xin came in to inform that the State Preceptor who was next door had also woken up. Jiang Yeqian could not really move and could only let someone support him up into a chair before they lifted the chair and brought him next door. After the servants left, Jiang Yeqian looked at Li Ruoxuan who wasying in bed silently, not turning his head to look at him. Jiang Yeqian nced at the gauze that covered his one eye and the bandages on his head. He asked half-mockingly, ¡°How does it feel to be blind in one eye?¡± After a good while. The man on the bed simply answered, ¡°It¡¯s still alright.¡± His head remained unmoving as before; he did not even turn his face over. He was still looking at the beams and curtains of the bed, his thoughts elsewhere. Jiang Yeqian knew that he was definitely feeling conflicted about the fact that he was blind in one eye. However, there was no time for sorrow or sentimentalism so he immediately spoke about the main issue. ¡°Zhu Shen probably told you about everything.¡± ¡°He has.¡± Li Ruoxuan¡¯s tone was indifferent; no emotions could be discerned from it. Jiang Yeqian asked, ¡°So what thoughts do you have about it?¡± Li Ruoxuan asked, ¡°Has he¡­appeared?¡± If he had asked this incoherent question to someone else, they definitely would not have been able to understand him. Jiang Yeqian did, however. He was referring to Si Jin. Jiang Yeqian said, ¡°Not yet.¡± Li Ruoxuan finally turned his head and looked at Jiang Yeqian who was seated in the chair, looking very feeble. He asked, ¡°His injuries were likely not that serious, so why hasn¡¯t he appeared after so long?¡± Jiang Yeqian tried to shrug his shoulders but identally touched on the internal injury of his chest. He could not stop the twitch at the corners of his mouth. He said, ¡°A person who has been hiding his identity was suddenly exposed by you and me. This news was then passed out by Pei Fengtang. I am afraid the emperor would have received news of this by now as well. I¡¯d understand if he doesn¡¯t wish to reveal himself.¡± ¡°Does he not care whether Qi Qingyao lives or dies?¡± Li Ruoxuan asked, his tone odd. Jiang Yeqian, ¡°¡­¡± The atmosphere fell into a subtle silence. Jiang Yeqian thought, what was this guy scheming now? Was he possibly thinking¡­ The moment he thought about that possibility, he became very perturbed. He said, ¡°If those two grand masters were toe and join hands to kill him, I¡¯m afraid we won¡¯t be able to stop them when the timees.¡± Li Ruoxuan nodded faintly. His expression was unchanged. ¡°Even if Eastern Ling and Southern Ming had no opinions about this, we still need to wait for him to appear before we can say anything further.¡± The smile between his brows was deep but his tone was light. ¡°That kid isn¡¯t stupid, Qi Qingyao isn¡¯t stupid. They will definitely not sit and wait to be killed. Or maybe someone else might even get counter-assaulted when they plot an assassination on him.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Jiang Yeqian frowned. Li Ruoxuan said defenselessly, ¡°A grand master entering Qingzhou City wouldn¡¯t simply reveal their whereabouts. If they came in secret to investigate Si Jin¡¯s whereabouts, they definitely would not decide to work together considering their status as grand masters. They would only work together to get rid of him after they locate his whereabouts. That¡¯s why, there is only one way if we want to go about this. That is we have to find one of the grand masters and have Si Jin kill them first! With only one grand master left and the other dead, only then will the other side slither back in defeat.¡± Jiang Yeqian was also thinking the same. However¡­ ¡°I¡¯m afraid Si Jin won¡¯t die. But looking at what happened thisst time, hisbat experience seems to becking and he¡¯s somewhat green. It would be best for us toy a trap when the timees, create a good array and lure the snake into the urn. That would reduce them to easy picking.¡± ¡°I will try to recover as soon as possible,¡± Li Ruoxuan said. The two were intelligent people. Although they were enemies, they still held admiration for each other. That was why their conversations were rxed. Jiang Yeqian pondered for a moment. Despite already knowing the answer somewhat, he asked Li Ruoxuan, ¡°Say, why didn¡¯t he kill us?¡± ¡°You and I are the two most powerful people under the emperor of Northern Liang. Killing us would throw Northern Liang into great chaos so he held his hands,¡± Li Ruoxuan answered. ¡°Hm.¡± It was the same as what he was thinking. However, he could not help feeling that Si Jin had not intended to hold his hand that night¡­ Instead, it seemed like he was forced to. In what circumstance, however, would a grand master be forced to stay his hand? What happened? Li Ruoxuan continued, ¡°I can¡¯t quite move for now. Help me get my people to look into every crevice of Qingzhou City while I¡¯m out in the open and he¡¯s underground. Since this is our territory, we must absolutely seize the initiative.¡± Jiang Yeqian grunted in agreement and then called for the servant to enter. He asked him to take him away. Back in his room resting, Jiang Yeqian thought to himself that he and Li Ruoxuan were now like walking corpses. However, there were enough guards in this residence that even if someone knew that they were injured, they would not dare simply make trouble. Zhao Xin had already notified Bai Mei of this matter. Presumably, Bai Mei had also notified the Xuanwu Pavilion. The Xuanwu Pavilion was usually in charge of assassinations. At this moment, a skilled person must have already been sent to protect this residence from nearby. As long as those whoe are not powerful masters, their safety would not be a problem. Jiang Yeqian nced at therge pile of medicine on the table and immediately noted that some of the medicine bottles had the mark of the Wanhua Hall. Bai Mei must have gotten them from them! Jiang Yeqianid down in bed to recuperate once again. He kept thinking in his mind, ¡®What did Li mean by what he said?¡¯ What did he mean by, ¡°Did he not care if Qi Qingyao lives or dies?¡± The so-called n first and then move. ¡­Could this be his defensive step?! That if she did not show up, she would be turned into bait? Jiang Yeqian¡¯s forehead instantly locked tight. He had no qualms about killing Si Jin, but he did not want to turn that woman into bait and be a tool of Li¡¯s! However, how was he going to tell Li Ruoxuan of this thought? If he were too direct, would he not just be allowing Li to misunderstand that he likes her¡­ Jiang Yeqian could not help but feel vexed¡­ ¡­ ¡­ It had been two days since Pei Fengtang and Lu Yan passed out the news. Qi Qingyao did not leave her house. She did not even sleep inte in the morning. After ying with the children, they sat in the study learning to read while she sat at the side, her cheek in hand as she pondered deeply. The moment she went into this state, hours passed. After lunch that day. Lu Yan called for the children to y hide and seek with the maids and said to Qi Qingyao that he had something to speak with her about privately. After closing the door. The threads on his chest had been removed and the remains of his injury had been left to slowly heal. The growth of new flesh would undoubtedly itch a little which was why he could not help but scratch his chest. Then he said, ¡°Qingzhou City is about to raise hell because of Si Jin, but unexpectedly this time, no one dared to knock on your door and ask you questions. At most, only spies were sent to keep an eye on the front and back doors.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Qi Qingyao kept silent, turning her head to look at him. Laughing in spite of himself, Lu Yan said, ¡°You have been unexpectedly quiet these two days.¡± Qi Qingyao said, ¡°There¡¯s something, it¡¯s quiteplicated. I¡¯ve thought about it for a long time but I can¡¯t make head nor tail of it. It¡¯s still a problem and I need your help to figure it out.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s hear it,¡± said Lu Yan. Qi Qingyao said measuredly, ¡°Xiao Wuji came here the other day and told me something¡­¡± Then she reiterated word for word to Lu Yan what Gu Shanshan told her the other day. ¡­ ¡­ After Lu Yan listened to what she had to say, he was in a daze for quite a while. He already knew some things, for example, Qi Qingyao had said before that Xiao Wuji had wrongly recognized her as an acquaintance. However, now it was because she looked like that acquaintance that they had leaked some information to her. This¡­ Somehow it did not really make sense. Even if she did look alike, they could not possibly be thinking of dragging her to Eastern Ling. They even talked about giving her a house. They were not afraid of her leaking this out¡­ Lu Yan found this hard toprehend. A thought suddenly burrowed into his mind¡ªcould it be that either Xiao Wuji or Gu Cheng had taken a fancy to her and so used the excuse of her looking like someone? Was it just for a reasonable excuse? Lu Yan opened his mouth and almost wanted to ask her directly about this possibility, but noticing her severe expression, he did not dare to ask that. He could only say, ¡°The purpose of these grand mastersing to Qingzhou City was initially to kill the mysterious grand master who had emerged here. It just so happened that that person is Si Jin. However, it may not be possible for them to kill him.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Qi Qingyao asked. ¡°Firstly, Si Jin hasn¡¯t appeared,¡± Lu Yan said calmly. ¡°Secondly, it¡¯s unlikely Si Jin would lose if he were to go up against a grand master alone¡ªgrand master to grand master.¡± Qi Qingyao rolled her eyes and rubbed between her brows. She said, ¡°You¡¯re the one who came up with the nonsense that he¡¯s hundreds of years old. He is actually an eighteen-year-old boy. Looking at the scene of the battle, there looked to be vestiges of explosions and some other weird things when he went up against the two old foxes Li Ruoxuan and Jiang Yeqian this time. I think those two snakes had set up some traps against him. Otherwise, how could a grand master have gotten injured against two rank-nines? Injured to the point he hasn¡¯te back in so long? From these two points alone, it can be concluded that while the boy may indeed be a grand master, he doesn¡¯t have much experience withbat, he could even be considered an amateur! Considering this, if Si Jin were to face an experienced and astute grand master powerhouse alone, he would lose thoroughly!¡± Lu Yan thought to himself that it made sense. Qi Qingyao muttered, ¡°I definitely do not want Si Jin to get injured again! That¡¯s why I won¡¯t let him cross paths with whatever grand master.¡± They would evade battle if they could! It was not cowardice. Instead¡­ Qi Qingzhu had already been killed by Li Ruoxuan. Si Jin had been so good to her, she did not want anything to happen to him! Lu Yan looked at her expression. After thinking for a moment, he said, ¡°But what if things were to develop to the point where he has no choice but to take action?¡± ¡°Why do I feel like you mean something else with your words?¡± What did he mean by ¡°no choice but to take action¡±? Lu Yan pressed his thin lips tightly. Brows raised, he said, ¡°Based on what I know about the State Preceptor and the Head Grand Secretariat, those two have been in the court for so many years and their schemes do not run the usual depth. grand masters from other nations hade to Qingzhou City this time and the State Preceptor would definitely try to find ways to kill one of them and divide their strength.¡± ¡°You¡¯re that certain?¡± Qi Qingyao asked. Lu Yan¡¯s eyes were clear and bare as he said, ¡°That¡¯s because there are not many opportunities for a grand master to travel to other nations in this entire lifetime. This is equivalent to them actively giving us the opportunity to plot against and kill a grand master, which is equivalent to killing tens of thousands of Eastern Ling and Southern Ming¡¯s special forces! And those two arrogant, shrewd, and scheming figures would never let go of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.¡± After a pause, he added in a low voice, ¡°Even if there was enmity between them before, they would still cooperate with each other this time when faced with the bigger picture.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Just like how they cooperated to test Si Jin? Qi Qingyao sneered. Lu Yan exined, ¡°It¡¯s impossible that the person from Capital City woulde. Therefore, Si Jin is the weapon to kill grand masters. Those two will definitely not let go of the opportunity to use this weapon.¡± ¡°How will they use him if Si Jin doesn¡¯t show up?¡± Qi Qingyao asked seriously. Not show up? Lu Yan¡¯s eyelids twitched. Voice low, he said slowly, ¡°When the timees, you will be bait.¡± This was also what he was most worried about. In therger scheme of things, any weak person would also be a tool worthy of use. While Jiang Yeqian might feel indebted to Qi Qingyao for saving him, what could he do? He was even willing to conceal the fact that heid hands on Si Jin from Qi Qingyao¡­ It was likely that the next time of use would be soon. The State Preceptor would not let go of the opportunity to kill a grand master from another nation. He would definitely do whatever it takes to prepare for it. Considering the time, those two were likely awake now¡­ Who knows what those two old foxes would n for this. Lu Yan suddenly thought of something and called for Dong Jing. When Dong Jing entered, Lu Yan informed him to look for more powerhouses to guard this house. Dong Jing was stunned for a moment. They had already hired some rank eight powerhouses recently and he still wanted more? Lu Yan said, ¡°It¡¯s hard to guard against everything! So, just in case!¡± She was not the only chess piece, the three children might also be pawns during a critical moment. They had to be well protected. ¡­ ¡­ Chapter 358 - Turn the Entire House Upside Down

Chapter 358: Turn the Entire House Upside Down

The children noticed Qi Qingyao¡¯s poor mood over the past few days. Finally, Qi Qingyao sat in the study again, resting her cheeks in her hands deep in thought in the early morning of the next day after breakfast. ¡°Mommy~~¡± Xiaobao walked over to her and grabbed Qi Qingyao¡¯s arm worriedly. He asked in a childish voice, ¡°Did something happen?¡± Dabao and Erniu also came over, looking at Qi Qingyao with worried expressions. ¡°You guys¡­¡± Qi Qingyao gathered Xiaobao in one swoop and sat him on her leg. She then pulled over Dabao and Erniu. Caressing Dabao¡¯s head, she thought for a bit before saying, ¡°While Mommy wants to say that you¡¯re all still too young, the reality is you¡¯re almost four now. You guys also know about birth and old age, sickness and death, and more so about love and hate and goodbyes, don¡¯t you?¡± Dabao heard his mommy¡¯s praises and instantly tilted his head high, saying delightedly, ¡°Of course, we¡¯re four now after all! We¡¯re at the age where we can share Mommy¡¯s worries.¡± Erniu and Xiaobao did not say anything but they used their gazes to show that they were all grown up too. ¡°What good children~¡± Qi Qingyao pecked the children¡¯s cheeks. ¡°I don¡¯t want to hide too much from you. Since you know that I¡¯ve been really troubledtely, you must have also noticed that there are many more guards around this house.¡± The children instantly nodded their heads seriously. Qi Qingyao then said, ¡°I will tell you where Ie from. I also want to tell you kids about our situation¡ªthe four of us¡ªat this moment.¡± The children opened their eyes wide. They pulled over three futons and sat cross-legged in front of her. Looking as if they were prepared to listen to her seriously. Qi Qingyao sorted out her thoughts for a bit, and then slowly began to talk about the recent events, beginning with the State Preceptor¡¯s advent to Qingzhou City, and also Qi Qingzhu¡¯s death¡­ The children did not know who the State Preceptor was. Dabao and Erniu did not dare ask. Xiaobao, on the other hand, was like a little adult. Resting his cheek in one hand seriously, he asked about the State Preceptor¡¯s position, about his power and such. Qi Qingyao exined it in a few sentences. Xiaobao nodded, looking as if he understood but not quite. After all the children¡¯s doubts had been cleared¡­ Qi Qingyao finally wrapped it up. ¡°So, that¡¯s our situation now. I have a few ideas in mind to break this deadlock but I don¡¯t know which one to go with.¡± The children continued listening to her seriously. Qi Qingyao said, ¡°Firstly, we can get someone to carve out a tunnel and we¡¯ll sneak away from this house.¡± ¡°Secondly, we wait for Si Jin to appear. If he¡¯s a grand master, he¡¯d probably have the power to take us away. But I also think it¡¯s impractical for us to entrust our lives onto someone else.¡± ¡°Thirdly, I haven¡¯t thought about it yet.¡± ¡­ Saying that, Qi Qingyao was a little embarrassed. That was because in the face of absolute power, whatever schemes were futile. So, she was worried! Dabao and Erniu did not know what to say. The two looked at Xiaobao unconsciously. Xiaobao rubbed his fleshy lower jaw for a long time. Then said,¡± Mommy should choose the first method.¡± Then, in a childlike voice he added, ¡°If we want to escape, we only need a tunnel the size of a dog to crawl out since we¡¯re so small. Mommy is also very thin and not chubby, so the tunnel we need doesn¡¯t need to be wide. So if we were to go with the tunnel, we¡¯d only need a few days to be done with the digging.¡± Dabao and Erniu instantly felt that Xiaobao was really smart. He was truly the smartest little brother. ¡°That makes a lot of sense but there is a problem,¡± Qi Qingyao pointed out. ¡°What is it?¡± Dabao asked. Qi Qingyao said calmly, ¡°We don¡¯t know what¡¯s the situation outside. Half of the upper circles of Qingzhou City are probably paying attention to our movements. The three of you are triplets. You¡¯ll be too noticeable no matter where we go. In this situation, the State Preceptor surely would have sent people to keep a constant eye on the gate of the city, waiting to locate the grand masters of Eastern Ling and Southern Ming. So the guards must be very strict. Getting out of the city would be harder than ascending up to the sky. ¡°But if we don¡¯t leave the city, we might be discovered anywhere within the city and it¡¯s hard to say that we could immediately be captured by the powerhouses from the other nations. We would be bait to lure Si Jin out by then. In these circumstances, not leaving the house would be the best option since there¡¯s good protection on the house now.¡± Xiaobao smiled and said, ¡°Mommy is really indecisive.¡± Qi Qingyao shrugged and said, ¡°There are pros and cons to everything.¡± Erniu asked probingly, ¡°What about the second option? We could wait for uncle Si Jin to appear.¡± Qi Qingyao thought for a long time and mentioned casually, ¡°Si Jin likely was not heavily injured but that he hadn¡¯t appeared in 10 days. That could only mean two things. First, he is unable toe out, perhaps he had been poisoned? Which leads to more odious oues and thus he can¡¯t appear. Second, he doesn¡¯t want to appear after his identity had been revealed.¡± After a moment of contemtion, she said, ¡°Regardless of which reason, we cannot just wait idly by now to die.¡± Dabao scratched his head. Listening to the back and forth between his Mommy and Xiaobao left him feeling a little confused. He whispered softly, ¡°Were just ordinary people from the vige, are our lives that valuable?¡± Qi Qingyao patted his head. ¡°Our lives aren¡¯t valuable. It¡¯s Si Jin¡¯s that¡¯s valuable. We¡¯re just pieces on a chessboard, and the very useful kind.¡± Chess pieces¡­ The children did not really know about the meaning behind chess pieces, they only thought about the usual chess pieces when they yed. Dabao rested his cheek in his hand and pursed his lips. He said, ¡°How worrying.¡± Erniu scratched her head for a bit and not being able to hold it in anymore, she said, ¡°Doesn¡¯t Mommy know how to make some medicine? Why don¡¯t you poison them?¡± Qi Qingyao said, ¡°Lu Yan told me before that the grand masters are invulnerable to poison.¡± What kind of grand master would they be if they were not? Dabao was stunned for a long time before he said pitifully, ¡°Then, aren¡¯t we now, like¡­turtles in a nest?¡± Qi Qingyao said, ¡°The idiom is to catch turtles in a jar.¡± (T/N: Means to be easy prey.) ¡°Right right, to catch turtles in a jar.¡± Dabao¡¯s eyes were wide like chicken eggs. ¡°We¡¯re not turtles! I won¡¯t let you all die either. Everyone better be more alert from today on.¡± Qi Qingyaoughed at the children, feeling rxed as she said, ¡°Everything will be alright!¡± Xiaobao paused for a moment before asking, ¡°If this was a chessboard, then which pieces can we move? How many pieces do we have?¡± Qi Qingyao¡¯s eyebrows raised as she said. ¡°Using chess pieces to describe this is a bit too scheming. I like to use cards to describe this. If we stretch it, Lu Yan is counted as one point because he still needs me to treat him for the time being, so I¡¯m still considered useful. He will help me during the critical moments. But in the face of the authority of the State Preceptor and the Head Grand Secretariat, not to mention the overall situation, he will choose the overall situation and surrender to the authority. So, this card can only be used for insignificant situations. Our trump card, Si Jin, is not there, so I won¡¯t talk about that. The Head Grand Secretariat is the former Jiang Bai, Jiang Yeqian, and he can barely be considered a card¡­ I think he will help us a little during the critical moments but also only during insignificant situations. We have no cards to use right now.¡± Xiaobao, ¡°¡­¡± He had seen the uncles y cards. If there were no cards in hand that could be yed, it meant that one had no solution at the moment. It was also useless when the cards were small since the trump cards were not there. ¡°Then, we can only wait,¡± Xiaobao said. Qi Qingyao agreed, ¡°Indeed, we can only wait. But whatever I told you guys today, is not because I want you toe up with suggestions. I told you all about this so that you would be able to endure it a little more since things out there don¡¯t look too good and you guys won¡¯t be able to go out and y in the near future. We¡¯ll see how it goes when we¡¯re out of the current danger.¡± ¡­ ¡­ Eastern Ling Border. Yanyue City. A very luxurious andvish convoy came to a halt slowly at an inn in Yanyue City to take a rest! After a meal, it moved on. Tong San looked at theyered mountain range and gradually slowed down the horses. Approaching the carriage, he parted the curtains and whispered. ¡°Young master, we¡¯re about to cross the border.¡± ¡°I know.¡± A rather resplendent, husky, and low male voice sounded from inside the carriage. There was also a hint of childlike youthfulness in the voice. Tong San had never gone out of his country before and asked nervously. ¡°Are we really going to Northern Liang?¡± ¡°We are.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°No buts, get the convoys to move faster!¡± The person in the carriage seemed somewhat impatient. Not daring to question anymore, Tong San could only urge the convoy to move faster. The young man in the carriage was dressed in dark ck robes. He sat cross-legged on a futon with a cold expression. The young man¡¯s appearances were¡­ If Qi Qingyao was here, she would definitely be shocked. Eh. Why did this person look so simr to her? He was indeed very simr looking. When Qi Qingyao was not smiling, her gaze would be sharp and ruthless; she would look soft and young when sheughed. The difference is that, this youth gave off the air of a very elegant, bright and handsome noble young man. His high ponytail was very good looking, His eyebrows were sharp and incredibly bright. He had a kind of unattainable loftiness to him, and an arrogant domineering attitude. The young man was really beautiful. His gaze was like a hound¡¯s. At this moment, his gaze was unsmiling as he stared at the letter in his hand. There were a few sentences written in the letter. [There is argemotion in Qingzhou City. A person named Qi Qingyao looks very much like you, even her children look like you! If you are interested,e take a look.] There was also a painting in the carriage. The painting is of the beauties in the hot spring¡­ a copy of it. There was even a row of words at the back. [Qi Qingyao¡¯s masterpiece. I had someone make a copy of it. What do you think? Are you interested now?] The young man stared at the letter and the painting for a moment without a smile on his face, a chill seemingly seeping out from his being. He gave off an unapproachable aura. After he dropped the letter, however, he hummed for a while. He continued to sit in meditation. The young man was named Mo Yang. He was a notorious son of the rich in the capital of Eastern Ling¡­one of them. After passing the customs point and entering Northern Liangnd¡­ Mo Yang drew back the carriage curtains and nced at the sky outside. He called for the convoy to stop for a rest in a small town by the border. It was Tong San¡¯s first time out of the country. He was nervous, afraid that they might get mugged in Northern Liang, even more afraid that the young master might get into an ident. He could not sleep well the entire night. He woke up to check multiple times if Mo Yang was still in the room. Mo Yang had initially fallen asleep but had been awakened by the fool a few times. In the end, he was so annoyed that he would rather not sleep. He sat up and continued meditating, ncing at that¡­painting a few times. Tong San was a little scared. In the end, he wondered if he should just sit and sleep in front of his young master. That way he could keep watch over his young master and also protect him! Waking up early the next morning. Tong San greeted Mo Yang with two dark eye-circles. ¡°Good morning, Young Master!~¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Mo Yang did not even look at Tong San¡¯s dark circles. Tong San yawned pitifully twice and rubbed his eyes. He then hurriedly called for the convoy to depart. Tong San really did not understand. Did he not just receive a letter and a painting? The young master had been in deep thought for half an hour before he asked someone to prepare a carriage. Then, without any rest along the way, he changed horses every time they stopped at a city. They had changed horses multiple times. The convoy finally crossed the Eastern Ling Border. What was the young master anxious for? Could he be wanting to meet someone? He heard that their destination was Qingzhou City. Could he want to offer some prayers at the koi temple? Tong San did not know. Neither did the group of Mo family¡¯s expert guards who had joined this trip, but they did not need to know. The young master gave them their wages every month and even gave their families a few cows and ten mu (T/N: traditional unit of measure fornd, one unit equals to a fifteenth of a hectare) ofnd! He treated them exceptionally well. They only needed to defy all difficulties and dangers and ensure the young master¡¯s safety. ¡­ ¡­ Qi Qingyao did not leave the house the following days. She had Steward Zhang head out to buy all sorts of weird medicinal herbs, then locked herself in her room and began fiddling with something. The servants in the courtyard could only smell the strong scent of medicine but they did not know what it was. Later on, she even asked Steward Zhang to bring a big pot into the room. Steward Zhang did not dare to ask what for, he just did as told. In the end, not long after, he realized that it was really dry in the room with smoke and dust everywhere. Steward Zhang thought to himself, ¡®Oh, what is this for? Why does it look like she¡¯s doing alchemy?¡¯ Qi Qingyao opened the window. The sooty smoke made everyone inside and outside the courtyard think that there was a fire. Nobody dared to ask. In his own courtyard, Lu Yan also saw the rising smoke from the side. He was also shocked. He personally went to ask what she was up to. With a cloth covering her face, Qi Qingyaoughed and said, ¡°I was trying to make some smoke bombs.¡± ¡°???¡± What bombs? ¡°I don¡¯t care what bombs you¡¯re making! Don¡¯t fill the entire courtyard with smoke¡­¡± Lu Yan came in, clutching his nose and mouth and coughing. He identally knocked down a wooden basin that was on the side table. The wooden basin happened to pour into the pot. ¡°Eh?¡± Lu Yan was surprised. How did he end up upturning a pot of flour? Qi Qingyao turned her head and saw the scene. She almost fell over on the spot¡ªthat was potent knockout medicine. She ran over thinking of saving him but when she got closer, she caught a strange sweet smell in the smoke. Qi Qingyao¡¯s head tilted to one side and she immediately fell to the ground. Lu Yan had not even managed to respond. Before he fell to the ground with a thump¡­ No one expected that the oue from mixing this pot of unmade smoke bombs with the pot of extremely potent knockout medicine would be unusually extraordinary. The smoke drifted outside into the courtyard. The servants in the outer courtyard also fell to the ground one by one. Then, the entire Qi Residence¡­ In just 15 minutes, everyone was knocked out. Even Dong Jing could not escape. When he noticed that there was something wrong with the smoke, he wanted to cover his nose and mouth and leave, but it was toote¡­ He just fell to the ground. Dong Jing had one thought before he lost consciousness. ¡®Crap. ¡®Which evil-doer did this? ¡®Is the entire Qi Residence going to be overthrown? ¡®Things are about to go crazy.¡¯ After half of the servants of the Qi Residence were drugged¡­ Chapter 359 - A Sure Catch

Chapter 359: A Sure Catch

News about the Qi Residence spread to a particr residence at the very first moment. Not caring if the State Preceptor had already received the news or not, Zhao Xin rushed to inform his master the moment he received the news. ¡°Master, something has happened.¡± ¡°Has the grandmaster who came to Qingzhou City been found?¡± Jiang Yeqian asked. ¡°No,¡± Zhao Xin answered. ¡°Then what happened?¡± Jiang Yeqian looked at Zhao Xin against the light, his expression somewhat rmed. ¡°Hearsay everyone in the Qi Residence is dead.¡± Zhao Xin licked his very dry lips nervously. The person on the bed fell into silence. For a long time. Then, Jiang Yeqian said measuredly, ¡°That¡¯s just what you heard. Zhao Xin, since when did you know how to listen to rumors only?¡± Zhao Xin¡¯s forehead was leaking cold sweat. Despite the obvious injury on Jiang Yeqian¡¯s chest, he still shouted angrily, ¡°Why the f*ck aren¡¯t you going to investigate it now!¡± Zhao Xin scrambled out. Before Zhao Xin closed the door, Jiang Yeqian dropped another sentence lightly. ¡°Bring someone with you to investigate it. No one is allowed to approach the Qi Residence. If any outsiders dare approach, kill them all.¡± Zhao Xin expressed that he had acknowledged the order. Then he hurriedly called for other people Zhu Shen had of course also received the news. Noticing the other man¡¯s hurried figure, he did not say anything either. He just walked into Li Ruoxuan¡¯s room and reported the matter. ¡°Master, hearsay is that everyone in the Qi Residence is dead.¡± ¡°Everyone¡¯s dead? Who did it?¡± Li Ruoxuan was still calm. Zhu Shen hesitated for a moment. ¡°It¡¯s just hearsay. And the Head Grand Secretariat has already assigned Zhao Xin to go over and investigate it.¡± Li Ruoxuan with one eye wrapped in gauze looked over. He eyed Zhu Shen, his gaze cold. ¡°And what about you? Why are you still standing here?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Zhu Shen felt his scalp go numb and he immediately exited the room. Li Ruoxuany on the bed, looking at the beams of the room apathetically. He thought, ¡®Everyone dead?¡¯ What kind of a joke was this! Lu Yan was there, how could he also be dead? If he were dead, the Lu family would be in an uproar. He could only wait for Zhu Shen to look into the matter. ¡­ When Zhao Xin brought people with him and hurried to the gates of the Qi Residence, there were already some people gathered there. They looked like they were curious, as if they wanted to crane their necks to take a look. The moment they noticed that the Head Grand Secretariat¡¯s people had arrived however they all backed away to the sides. Zhao Xin approached the door, then crouched down and checked the condition of the guards. He said to his subordinates behind him. ¡°They¡¯re knocked out. Everyone is just unconscious.¡± The subordinates were stunned for a moment. They looked at the guards and then at the spies by the road. What kind of a knockout was this that it took out all the people halfway down the road? The entrance was, after all, outside the main gate and the weather was not good. The smoke would have cleared out quickly when the wind blew. Zhao Xin leaped swiftly onto the roof and nced at the condition of the smoke in the Qi Residence. After leaping down, he said, ¡°The scent of smoke has not dissipatedpletely. Pay attention to covering your mouth and nose when everyone goes in.¡± The subordinates immediately fetched out two strips of ck cloth from the pouches on their thighs and covered their mouths and noses. After Zhao Xin got ready himself, he then led the people and pushed open the door and went in. The moment they entered, they saw all the servants scattered on the ground, looking as if they were fast asleep. Zhao Xin tried waking them up but none of them would. He brought the people straight to the main courtyard. Then he noticed that there was still smoke all over the ce. He thought to himself that they should be fine. ¡°F*ck!¡± The second Zhao Xinnded on the ground, he knew that they were done for. It was useless to cover his mouth and nose. The smoke would hit his eyes¡­ Zhu Shen had brought people with him and arrived a whileter. They waited at the door for a long time and realized that it did not seem like Zhao Xin and the people he brought would being out. The subordinates had initially wanted to go in and take a look. Zhu Shen stopped them. Then they waited for another hour. Zhu Shen got someone to scan the situation in the residence from a high vantage point to see if there was any smoke still around. Then, he had one person head in first to investigate. ¡°Master Zhu, Master Zhao and his people who he brought it had all¡­fallen.¡± ¡°How useless.¡± Zhu Shen muttered, ¡°Looks like the knockout smoke is really potent. It¡¯s useless even if we cover our mouths and nose.¡± Then he instructed, ¡°I want a few groups of you to first keep watch at the exits. Do not allow anyone in. Only enter when the smoke dissipates in the afternoon.¡± The subordinates did as they were told. Zhu Shen thought for a bit. Since they could not enter the house to investigate, he went back first. After he returned to the residence, he reported the matter to Jiang Yeqian. ¡°Head Grand Secretariat, Zhao Xin and the people he led over have fallen.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Jiang Yeqian took a deep breath but did not say anything. Zhu Shen coughed once and said somewhat embarrassedly, ¡°No one can approach the house for the time being. This servant thinks that it would be better to wait for the knockout smoke to clear out before we send people in. So in the meantime, we will keep guard at the exits and are thinking of going in in the afternoon.¡± As before, Jiang Yeqian said nothing. Zhu Shen thought to himself, he was the State Preceptor¡¯s man and so it was normal for the Head Grand Secretariat to not want to pay attention to him. Anyway, since he had already reported the situation¡­ They waited till the afternoon to make sure that the smoke in the house waspletely gone. After Zhu Shen had located Qi Qingyao and her people, he did not dare to make a move. Since the State Preceptor still very much cared for this littledy, it was likely that she was still useful. He hurriedly went back and reported this to Li Ruoxuan. ¡°Master, the smoke has more or less cleared. We already found Qi Qingyao and her people. It looks like there was a pot in the house with god knows what in it. She and Lu Yan had fallen to the ground and the others were also all unconscious. This servant has returned to ask you specifically, what we should do with these people?¡± ¡°You can¡¯t wake them up?¡± Li Ruoxuan asked with a frown. ¡°No, we can¡¯t,¡± Zhu Shen answered awkwardly. It was not only her that they could not wake up but the others as well. Li Ruoxuan, who was lying on the bed, suddenly understood what it meant to find something by ident rather than when having gone looking for it. ¡°Why, that¡¯s good then. I¡¯ve long thought about capturing her as bait and I had been suffering from theck of excuses and opportunities. Now, the opportunity has delivered itself to me.¡± After a pause, Li Ruoxuan said, ¡°Bring her, Lu Yan, and the children to me. Prepare three rooms for them.¡± Zhu Shen asked, ¡°What about the servants?¡± Li Ruoxuan answered, ¡°We don¡¯t need to worry about the servants. Get some people to guard the house first and wait for them to wake up.¡± Zhu Shen turned around and was preparing to leave. Before that, he pondered for a bit and asked again, ¡°Master, this matter, do we inform the Head Grand Secretariat?¡± ¡°Why do we need to inform him? Do we have to inform him of everything we do?¡± Li Ruoxuan said all of this without embarrassment, then added in a low voice, ¡°He will definitely agree to this too! Any bait that one could control by themselves is good bait.¡± Zhu Shen expressed his understanding. Then, he immediately rode horseback to the Qi Residence. He got people to lift Qi Qingyao, Lu Yan, and the children into the carriage¡­ As for the big batch of medicine in the house. Zhu Shen still hesitated at that. A subordinate asked, ¡°Master Zhu, what do we do with this medicine?¡± Everyone asked around but no one dared touch it. Since the smoke seemed to havee from the pot, they could not tell if the surrounding medicine was poison or medicine for wounds. ¡°Or it could be poison!¡± Zhu Shen said seriously, ¡°Nobody simply touch anything, cover it lightly. Take it to the courtyard intact and arrange it ording to the present furnishings.¡± A subordinate pointed at the pot and asked, ¡°And this pot?¡± Zhu Shen said, ¡°Take it along!¡± Chapter 360 - Schemes Run Deep

Chapter 360: Schemes Run Deep

The subordinate asked, ¡°What about their luggage?¡± How would Zhu Shen know where Qi Qingyao kept her luggage? So, he said, ¡°No need for that. Carry them away first. If you don¡¯t want to touch them, then carry the entire table away!¡± While Zhu Shen was telling the others to deal with this matter mightily. The spies of the Zhaixing Administration and the Yulong Gang along with the spies of other smaller factions had already carried their own fallen people away. Then, they quietly stared at the activities on the streets. When they realized these men were the State Preceptor¡¯s people. Everyone knew things were bad. The State Preceptor¡¯s people had taken the lead this time and brought the people back to their residence. It was obvious that he was nning to use this little girl as bait to lure the mysterious young man named Si Jin out! Especially Bai Mei. Bai Mei was recently in Qingzhou City. She was just about to leave when she realized that Zhu Shen had also carried away the unconscious Zhao Xin. Bai Mei¡¯s expression turned green on the spot. How did this guy get knocked out? Bai Mei could not understand this, she held her throbbing head in her hand. After Zhu Shen carried away the few important figures, he then got people to move the servants in the Qi Residence to the side hall, lest they drown if it ended up raining or snowing in the courtyard! After settling everything, he got some people to keep guard at the Qi Residence. Zhu Shen then brought the people away. After Zhao Xin had been carried back to the residence, Zhu Shen requested for someone to immediately wake Zhao Xin up with a needle but there was no reaction. They poured cold water on him but he also did not wake up. Zhao Xin looked like he was dead, there was no response at all. Zhu Shen, ¡°???¡± Just what kind of knockout smoke is this? The oue was so potent! Zhao Xin had even covered his nose and mouth, and likely did not inhale that much. Who would take care of the Head Grand Secretariat these few days with Zhao Xin unconscious? Just as Zhu Shen was fretting over this, a knock came from outside the door and a woman who was dressed rather simrly to Zhao Xin entered. ¡°I¡¯m Bai Mei. I¡¯m one of the Head Grand Secretariat¡¯s personal guards,¡± Bai Mei introduced herself. Zhu Shen nodded then allowed her to enter. Familiar with the area, Bai Mei walked toward Jiang Yeqian¡¯s room and reported to him the current situation. Jiang Yeqian did not dare believe it. ¡°He got people to bring both her and Lu Yan here?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Bai Mei answered with shame. Jiang Yeqian, ¡°¡­¡± The woman had been brought in by the idiot Li Ruoxuan and she definitely will be used as bait to lure out Si Jin. Jiang Yeqian was so pissed that he could not stand it. He called for Bai Mei to bring his crutches over. While he was still injured, ten days had passed and he could already get off the bed and walk by himself. Jiang Yeqian shuffled to Li Ruoxuan¡¯s room. He sat in front of the bed and looked at Li Ruoxuan who was sitting cross-legged in meditation on the bed. Brows downturned and cold, he spoke. ¡°Why did you bring her here?¡± Li Ruoxuan opened his eyes and looked at the pale, half-dead looking man and smiled. ¡°Naturally because it¡¯s closer.¡± ¡°Closer to what?¡± Closer for surveince? Li Ruoxuan¡¯s eyelids covered half of his eyes, there was no emotion in them. ¡°With the bait by my side, I will know at first notice when the grand master appears.¡± Jiang Ye was getting mad. ¡°And after you know? What then? Why don¡¯t you look at yourself now? You¡¯re crippled!¡± ¡°I¡¯m just blind in one eye!¡± Li Ruoxuan¡¯s attitude was calm. He observed Jiang Yeqian¡¯s expression quietly. His expression close to awe, he asked, ¡°Jiang Yeqian, why are you so agitated that I caught her?¡± Jiang Yeqian immediately schooled his expression. Lips dry, he whispered in a low voice, ¡°I¡¯m not agitated. I just don¡¯t think it¡¯s appropriate to have her at our side when the two of us are half-dead now. If Si Jin shows up, you and I¡­ I¡¯m afraid we will die martyrs.¡± Li Ruoxuan said calmly, ¡°I think it¡¯s appropriate, you don¡¯t have to be worried about it.¡± Jiang Yeqian, ¡°¡­¡± He wanted to say something else but a part of him also felt that what Li Ruoxuan did was quite sensible because looking at it another way, she could be protected now that she was closer to them. If grand masters from the other nations were toe attacking, they had many powerhouses here and would be able to immediately know if there was danger. At the same time, however, he was angry with this decision because she was too close to Li now! Jiang Yeqian wanted to head over and see her immediately, but if he were to be seen doing that by Li, the man would likely suspect that he had some thoughts about her. Jiang Yeqian finally suppressed his thoughts. He should wait for her to wake up, then go over¡­and greet her! What he needed to do now was to quickly restore his fighting prowess. If not, when the grand masters arrived, he would for sure then die inbat! He was not the same as Li Ruoxuan, though. He was injured in his legs which led to him not being able to meditate in a cross-legged position whereas Li Ruoxuan could. Suddenly. Jiang Yeqian was quite envious of Li Ruoxuan. He was just blind in one eye! ¡­ ¡­ Hualian Hot Mountain Springs Vi. Gu Cheng and Xiao Wuji who were ying chess were informed of Zhu Shen having carried the people away from Qi Residence. Gu Cheng¡¯s expression was as dark as a pot¡¯s bottom ¡°Things have gone to sh*t.¡± ¡°Hm?¡± Xiao Wuji¡¯s expression was also heavy. Nobody in the entire Qi Residence knew who it was who had smoked them till they were all unconscious. The State Preceptor had sent people to bring her and her children, as well as Lu Yan, to his residence. ¡°He took the opportunity to grab her as bait, it really is like him.¡± He was indeed the opportunistic State Preceptor of Northern Liang. Gu Cheng sneered and said, ¡°The State Preceptor of Northern Liang has always been scheming. This kind of action was very expected of his character.¡± If he had not seized the opportunity to take the person away, then it would be a bit inconsistent with his style. ¡°So now what do we¡­¡± Xiao Wuji cradled his forehead. He did not even know what they should do now. Gu Cheng looked at the chessboard in front of the two of them and the corners of his lips hooked into a veryrge smile. He slowly proceeded to move a chess piece and then said gradually. ¡°Didn¡¯t Mo Yang send a pigeon saying that he was soon arriving? We¡¯ll talk about it when he gets here!¡± Xiao Wuji nodded. Besides, Qingzhou City was soon bing as chaotic as a pot of porridge. It did not matter if it added slightly more to the chaos. Since the State Preceptor had decided to join in. Perhaps¡­he might die rather horrifically! ¡­ Everyone who was supposed to know of the news that Qi Qingyao had been brought to the State Preceptor¡¯s residence had all very quickly been informed. All these people were waiting for further activity from the residence. That was because this was the Qi Qingyao who had caused no shortage of trouble in Qingzhou City. To be able to offend Lu Yan but retreat unscathed, also being able to live to heather with Lu Yan in a mansion. She even chased the youngdy of the Jiang family out of Qingzhou City¡­ Now that the State Preceptor had carried Qi Qingyao away, would she really not rebel against him when she woke up? Would she really not cause anything trouble? It was unlikely¡­ Everyone waited. They waited three days, waited till the point the spies at the State Preceptor¡¯s residence were getting a little bored but still there was no news which inevitably made people wonder. What was going on? Qi Qingyao had not woken up. Or it was more urate to say, she had woken up¡­but she did not dare face the State Preceptor. It could be that. He was the lofty, powerful, and monstrous State Preceptor. Who would dare offend him¡­ The spies who had not received any news could not wait to leave their post. Qi Qingyao, who knew nothing, gradually woke up, contrary to the expectations of many. It was thanks to her and Lu Yan being the closest to the pot of knockout smoke that she inhaled the most and ended uping to thetest. After she woke up, Qi Qingyao sat up while covering her head. Her first reaction was, f*ck, she was about to die from starvation. She felt herself being inexplicably hungry, so hungry she was going dizzy. She did not have much energy, so she turned over and got out of bed with impractical steps. Suddenly, she felt that although the furnishings in this room were simr, why did it feel like they were rather unfamiliar? She sat on the bed and looked around for a bit, her expression dazed. After she stood up, her body suddenly went soft and she fell directly to the ground. Having fallen to the ground, Qi Qingyao was confused but also shocked awake by the fall. Qi Qingyao climbed back up and then rubbed her weak legs. She was sure she was not poisoned. She nced at the pot and thought, just how many days was she out cold? That she had even starved till both her legs were weak! Qi Qingyao got up and took a deep breath. Then, she stabilized herself and pushed herself to walk to the door. The moment she opened the door, beams of light shot in. When the broken, gold sunlight hit her eyes, Qi Qingyao could not help but close them. She lifted her hands and blocked the intense but warm sunlight. After her eyes had adjusted to the piercing sunlight. Qi Qingyao noticed a man standing in the middle of the yard. The man had a ck eye patch, covering his right eye. Li Ruoxuan had also noticed her. He turned and looked at Qi Qingyao who had slimmed down a lot and said, ¡°You¡¯re finally awake ¡± Qi Qingyao, who was dizzy from hunger, took a moment before she realized that the man with the eye patch was the State Preceptor. ¡°Li Ruoxuan.¡± Li Ruoxuan¡¯s eyebrows surged. ¡°You can still recognize me. It seems that your mind hasn¡¯t gone bad.¡± Qi Qingyao narrowed her eyes slightly. She then began looking around the yard. ¡°This is¡­¡± Li Ruoxuan shrugged and answered, ¡°This is my residence.¡± ¡°¡­¡± It seemed that Lu Yan had identally upturned the pot of potent knockout medicine into the smoke pot, and then caused an extremely bad oue. The entire Qi Residence had probably been knocked out and so Li Ruoxuan came to hunt some easy prey and brought her here? Li Ruoxuan could tell from the change in her gaze that she already understood her situation at present. He could not help but say, ¡°Do you want to go pack your luggage?¡± Qi Qingyao, ¡°¡­¡± Li Ruoxuan pointed at the room next to her and said, ¡°The children are sleeping in the room next door, they haven¡¯t woken up. If you don¡¯t want anything to happen to them, pack up your luggage obediently ande back.¡± Qi Qingyao, who was initially so hungry she had no energy, instantly rushed over in fury. ¡°F*ck, you¡¯re threatening me!!¡± Li Ruoxuan looked at her with something like a smile; he neither admitted nor denied it. Qi Qingyao narrowed her eyes. If her strength had permitted it, she would really like to kill this son of a b*tch right away!! Seeing that she was not moving, Li Ruoxuan said, ¡°Of course I was threatening you. You better go pack your luggage from the Qi Residence. You will be living with me for the time being.¡± Qi Qingyao did not move. She tilted her head and schooled her angry expression. Eyes clear and dark, she looked at him expressionlessly for a bit and asked, ¡°What¡¯s the point of you capturing me here?¡± Li Ruoxuan closed his eyes and said, ¡°If Si Jin won¡¯t show himself, I¡¯ll kill you and lure him out.¡± Qi Qingyao asked probingly, ¡°You don¡¯t n on looking for Li Qinglian or Su Hexiao anymore?¡± She had thought she was still useful. Li Ruoxuan gave her a devastating answer. ¡°Luring Si Jin out is more important.¡± Qi Qingyao did not really understand. ¡°This high and mighty State Preceptor should know that if you kill me, Si Jin will definitely kill you. Or maybe he will aid Eastern Ling in eradicating Northern Liang!¡± Li Ruoxuan just nced at her and knew that Qi Qingyao was bluffing. He was also very calm and unperturbed as he said, ¡°That¡¯s why killing you is just thest resort. I think he¡¯ll definitely show up before I¡¯m prepared to kill you.¡± Qi Qingyao, ¡°¡­¡± He really was such a scheming fox. Qi Qingyao left the courtyard gates and cursed. The carriage was very quickly prepared. Zhu Shen tagged along with her and brought a lot of people together as they went toward the Qi Residence to pack their simple luggage. After Qi Qingyao left. Li Ruoxuan went to her room and looked at that pile of medicine that had been brought over. There were even the herbs that were being ground and that pot¡­ He was silent for a long time. Did it have something to do with Su Hexiao? Ah. Why did he feel like she was Su Hexiao herself? Otherwise, how would they exin this pile of herbs, how would they also exin the various medicines that have been prepared? That day, the smoke that knocked out half the street seemed to havee from this pot¡­ Or maybe, she was a disciple of Su Hexiao? A disciple of Li Qinglian? A pity¡­ Regardless of whether the information was from the Zhaixing Administration or obtained from his own private investigation, they showed that she used to be a fool before. She had only regained her mental ability a few months ago. Yet, how could someone who had just regained their mental ability know medical skills? This¡­waspletely impossible! As for the rumors and hearsay spreading outside, he did not believe that the children were Si Jin¡¯s! This news was only deliberately passed out by Pei Fengtang in order to protect her. Then¡­a young and mysterious grand master who followed her by her side. What exactly was this about? Who the hell was this woman? Li Ruoxuan spiraled into the myths. He said he would kill her just now but it was only to scare her. That she was able to get involved with a young grand master, meant that she might still be that young grand master¡¯s weakness. A living Qi Qingyao was still the most useful version of Qi Qingyao! Chapter 361 - Failed Love Confession

Chapter 361: Failed Love Confession

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion When Qi Qingyao got on the carriage and headed toward the Qi Residence to pack her belongings, she had only one thought in her mind, ¡®Where¡¯s that moneybag, Lu Yan?¡¯ The carriage arrived at Qi Residence and she leaped off the carriage. Because the guards at the gate inhaled less toxic gas than she did, they had woken up yesterday. Currently, all personnel in the Qi Residence are operating normally. The guards were so happy when they saw that Qi Qingyao had woken up, but immediately withered when they saw Zhu Shen behind her. Qi Qingyao asked Steward Zhang about Lu Yan¡¯s whereabouts. Steward Zhang said, ¡°Wasn¡¯t he carried off together with Young Mistress?¡± Qi Qingyao, ¡°...¡± The moneybag was also carried off? They were probably afraid of Lu Yan staying here and getting hurt. After all, he was a moneybag! The young master of Northern Liang¡¯s top Chamber of Commerce. Even if it was the State Preceptor, he would not dare to do anything to Lu Yan. Steward Zhang asked Qi Qingyao why she came back alone, and why he did not see the children. Qi Qingyao frowned and briefly exined the current situation. Steward Zhang instantly went silent. After Qi Qingyao returned to her room, she packed her belongings quickly. When she found the jade tablet and the ring, Qi Qingyao pondered for a while. Just to be safe, she hid those two things in the sleeve of a particr piece of clothing in another box. After finishing with her belongings, she went to the children¡¯s room and carefully sorted out arge box of clothes. After all, it was for three children! Then she packed their personal pouches together. She called Zhu Shen toe in and carry the things. Steward Zhang watched Qi Qingyao leave with Zhu Shen again and asked nervously, ¡°Young Mistress, when will you return?¡± Qi Qingyao sighed. She stealthily left some words to Steward Zhang. ¡°Lu Yan might be back soon. The house won¡¯t be empty.¡± After Steward Zhang watched the carriage leave, he sighed and prayed silently in his heart, hoping the Young Mistress woulde home safely! After Qi Qingyao went back to the courtyard again. She nced at Li Ruoxuan who was still meditating in the courtyard. When Zhu Shen was helping her take her belongings into the house, Qi Qingyao looked at Li Ruoxuan for quite a while before she could not help but speak up. ¡°At any rate, we¡¯re considered friends who ate together that day, so why do you have to be like this? Tell me, I¡¯ve never offended you, why do you hate me so much?¡± Li Ruoxuan opened his eyes and said, ¡°I never hated you, though.¡± ¡°Then why do you try to kill me on every asion?¡± Qi Qingyao said helplessly. Li Ruoxuan raised his eyelids and said calmly, ¡°If you can die for Northern Liang¡¯s sake, that is your glory. This is called dying for your country. In the regrettable event of your death, I¡¯ll surely prepare a grand funeral for you.¡± ¡°...¡± A grand funeral! Motherf*cker! Qi Qingyao rolled her eyes and entered the house without saying anything. She tidied up her belongings a bit, then sat by the three children¡¯s bed, watching over them. She waited until the children woke up and caressed their heads lovingly. Then she pinched their soft cheeks. ¡°Woke up finally?¡± The three children did not seem to understand what happened; they only thought they slept for a long time. Dabao called out. ¡°Mommy!~¡± Then he touched his belly and said, ¡°Hungry.¡± Erniu was so hungry she was on the verge of tears. She looked unhappy and aggrieved. ¡°After sleeping for several days, you guys should be hungry.¡± Qi Qingyaoughed. The three children regained their energy after having a meal and their moods also recovered. Xiaobao tilted his head and scanned the room, feeling the ce was very unfamiliar. So he asked, ¡°What is this ce??¡± ¡°This is Li Ruoxuan¡¯s courtyard. Stay calm for the time being, he won¡¯t do anything to you guys.¡± Qi Qingyao tried her best to make her look very normal. However, Xiaobao knew who Li Ruoxuan was. So his expression changed instantly. Qi Qingyao went to her room and inspected. She picked up a few porcin bottles, then came over and handed the few small porcin bottles to the three children. ¡°Carry these things in your sleeves.¡± After a pause, she said, ¡°If you encounter a dangerous asion, pour it on the enemy, or put it in the enemy¡¯s teacup and tell them to drink it.¡± Dabao was so shocked that he did not dare to speak. Xiaobao asked seriously, ¡°Mommy, is this poison?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Qi Qingyao was not joking. She knew that it was very hard for four-year-old children to ept this matter and understand the malicious world, but the First Qin Emperor had inherited the throne at the age of thirteen. When ites to certain things, there was no option of not doing it just because one was still young! If you did not learn to be independent, you would end up being severely beaten by society. Qi Qingyao looked at the little children who were so nervous they almost stopped breathing. She smiled and said, ¡°So try not to eat it yourself.¡± Then she handed the antidote to the three little children. ¡°This is the antidote!¡± Qi Qingyao exined seriously. ¡°Be sure to distinguish the colors. Red is poison, white is antidote.¡± The three little children did not dare to open the bottles to smell. They tried their best to memorize the colors. Red was poison, white was antidote. After Qi Qingyao made sure the children had memorized it by heart, she asked, ¡°Tell Mommy, have you guys memorized it?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± The three children wanted to raise their voices but did not dare to be loud. They just put the little porcin bottles into their sleeves. Dabao had always been a little strong and honest, so he asked, ¡°What if I identally eat it?¡± Qi Qingyao patted him on the head with a smile, ¡°If it can be dangerous enough to mix up my smart children¡¯s minds that they eat the poison, I think it would be a situation that even I won¡¯t be able to survive.¡± ¡°...¡± Dabao licked his lips. His mommy praised him for being smart! He certainly would not make a mistake. After Qi Qingyao apanied the children for another meal, the children knew that there was no danger here, so they went to y in the courtyard. Qi Qingyao sat in the room alone and tidied up the medicine a little. Then she began preparing the potent knockout drops and smoke bombs again! While she was busy, someone knocked on the door. Qi Qingyao lifted her head. Back facing the light, the man stood at the door with a cane, his appearance seemingly feeble. Jiang Yeqian ordered Zhao Xin. ¡°Go stand guard at the courtyard first, don¡¯t let anyone near this room.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Zhao Xin promptly went to stand in front of Chuihua Gate. He had a faithful look while carrying out his duty. After Jiang Yeqian entered the room with the cane. He closed the door and walked to Qi Qingyao step by step. Qi Qingyao continued fiddling with the medicine, not even looking at him. Jiang Yeqian realized that he was being ignored and knew that the situation was awkward. She was probably still mad at him for trying to assassinate Si Jin. ¡°I¡­¡± Jiang Yeqian wanted to exin but did not know how to start. He coughed lightly and said, ¡°I want to talk to you.¡± Qi Qingyao turned her head while making the medicine. She said offhandedly, ¡°You? Looking for me? Do we know each other?¡± She was surely angry, so Jiang Yeqian said hurriedly, ¡°About him and I testing Si Jin, I can exin.¡± Qi Qingyao looked at Jiang Yeqian with confusion, ¡°To me? The Head Grand Secretariat wants to exin things to me?¡± She chuckled, ¡°No need! You and I hardly know each other, so there¡¯s no need to exin.¡± Jiang Yeqian was hurt by her attitude. He said, ¡°I know you hate me.¡± Qi Qingyao paused the movement of her hands, then said seriously, ¡°Head Grand Secretariat, don¡¯t tter yourself. I hardly know you, so I naturally won¡¯t hate you.¡± Jiang Yeqian said, ¡°With your current attitude, pretending not to know me, isn¡¯t it because you hate me?¡± Qi Qingyao got up and said sarcastically, ¡°That¡¯s enough!¡± Jiang Yeqian, ¡°...¡± Jiang Yeqian thought that as long as she was willing to lose her temper on him, and he apologized properly, the matter would be put behind them. So he was really eager to see her getting angry. Unexpectedly, Qi Qingyao crossed her arms sluggishly and just said, ¡°You want to exin, right? I¡¯ll give you a chance, exin then.¡± Ah! ¡°...Well¡­¡± Jiang Yeqian was once again dumbstruck when dealing with her calmness. He pondered for a moment. When he was ready to open his mouth. Qi Qingyao, however, said with cadence, ¡°I have my reasons. I¡¯m seeing the bigger picture. I have to know his skills. Because this is for the sake of Northern Liang!¡± She finished speaking emotionally like singing an opera. Under Jiang Yeqian¡¯s dumbfounded expression, she said matter-of-factly, ¡°Your Excellency wants to say all this bullshit, right? If so, please go back, I know all about it already. Everyone who came to discuss this matter with me told me not to seek revenge. Whether it¡¯s bullshit or nonsense, I¡¯m tired of hearing it. Everyone hardly knows each other, there¡¯s no need to exin further.¡± She had guessed everything. What else was Jiang Yeqian going to say? He had no choice but to say, ¡°That¡¯s not what I wanted to say.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Qi Qingyao pricked up her ears. Jiang Yeqian said straightforwardly, ¡°I just wanted to kill him, so I purposely teamed up with Li Ruoxuan.¡± Qi Qingyao, ¡°...¡± ¡°Because he likes you.¡± There was no smile in Jiang Yeqian¡¯s eyes. He said very seriously, ¡°When I was by your side before, I¡¯ve followed him several times, but I lost him at night. At that time I was wondering, exactly what level of skills does he have? Later he said that he wants to be your boy toy, so I wanted him dead even more! This time I finally had a chance to test him with another rank nine, how could I let go of such a great opportunity?¡± Qi Qingyao stared at him with an iprehensible gaze. ¡°Is there any direct connection between him liking me and you wanting to kill him? Does everyone who likes me deserve to die? Don¡¯t I deserve to be liked? You¡¯re so ridiculous.¡± Jiang Yeqian exined hurriedly. ¡°It¡¯s not that you don¡¯t deserve it.¡± ¡°I¡¯m all ears,¡± Qi Qingyao said. Jiang Yeqian looked at her fair face looming under the scorching yellow sunlight. She looked lofty, her eyesid back and carefree. There was a hint of unattainability. He, who had been a little awkward about certain words until he could not say it, whispered softly, as though being lured by a ghost. ¡°I like you.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Qi Qingyao¡¯s pupils turned pure ck. She shrugged and said, ¡°Understandable. I look good, and I¡¯m cute. It¡¯s normal for you to like me.¡± Jiang Yeqian, ¡°...¡± He looked at her with an attentive and piercing gaze. Qi Qingyao continued, ¡°Go on, is there no other reason?¡± Jiang Yeqian felt that something was burning his throat intensely. His eyes were damp, and this time, there was a quiver in his voice. ¡°I...like...you.¡± Qi Qingyao said with a controlled expression, ¡°Thanks.¡± ¡°...¡± It was as if a light suddenly prated his eyes and ignited the gloom in his eyes. After he came back to his senses, he noticed that her reaction was too in, so in that there was no emotion at all. His expression right now was like the dusk, gradually plunged into the turbulence of the dark night. His voice was thick and hoarse. ¡°Is this your answer?¡± Qi Qingyao asked, ¡°How else should I answer?¡± Jiang Yeqian¡¯s eyes were somber. ¡°Qi Qingyao, do you always have to be so aloof?¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Was she aloof? She had merely said thank you, was there a problem with the ¡®thank you¡¯? Qi Qingyao raised her eyelids to look at him. Jiang Yeqian¡¯s eyes were dark, and there was no light within them. He felt that the words he tried so hard to say just now became a joke. The world before his eyes instantly turned into a silent monochrome movie, as though someone had taken away all the light. His ck pupils seemed to have been possessed for an instant, a hidden current flowing in the bottom of his eyes, viscous as the night. The words spat from between his lips had be harsh to the ears. ¡°Who would like a widow like you? I only said I like you on purpose to gauge your reaction. If you had taken the bait, I¡¯d have made you confess Si Jin¡¯s whereabouts! Heh!¡± ¡°...¡± Was this not something that was already expected? Qi Qingyao looked at the back of his figure, walking away on crutches, and seemed to feel that his back had be weak and lonely. She thought about it in puzzlement. A person who nned on scheming against others had their n exposed, and then gave her that attitude...she was afraid this was not good. After Jiang Yeqian left. Lu Yan stood by the adjacent door and watched for a while before walking over. He looked at Qi Qingyao, who continued lowering her head to make medicine. ¡°You pissed him off.¡± He heard some of it just now. ¡°You¡¯re awake?¡± Qi Qingyao lifted her head and nced at Lu Yan. After making sure he was alright, she retracted her gaze and continued fiddling with her medicine. She abruptly came back to her senses and spoke while ordering Lu Yan not to touch anything. ¡°Eh, that¡¯s not right. How could you say I pissed him off? Clearly that guy wanted to scheme against me, but failed. Everyone is so cunning!¡± Lu Yan was still specting Jiang Yeqian¡¯s words. Qi Qingyao said, ¡°Wait, moneybag¡ªah, I mean¡ªLittle Yan, now that you¡¯ve woken up, go back quickly. We can¡¯t let that bastard State Preceptor take you as a hostage!¡± ¡°What about you?¡± Lu Yan asked. Qi Qingyao said, ¡°I still have to rely on you at the critical moment, so you can¡¯t be taken hostage.¡± Lu Yan¡¯s ck eyes carried a meaningful glint. He said, ¡°Then I¡¯ll send people to keep an eye on this courtyard at all times, they¡¯ll help and cooperate with you when the timees.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Qi Qingyao nodded. ¡°Yaoyao!¡± Lu Yan suddenly called out seriously. Qi Qingyao looked at him and blinked with a puzzled look on her face. Lu Yan chuckled and said, ¡°I¡¯m someone you can trust. I swear on my deceased mother.¡± A spark shed fleetingly in Qi Qingyao¡¯s eyes. Then she said softly and slowly, ¡°Then I¡¯ll trust you for now.¡± ¡­ ¡­ Lu Yan left not long after. Li Ruoxuan did not ask anyone to stop him either. Because Lu Yan was not important in the first ce. Li Ruoxuan sat in the room. From the gap in the window, he happened to see Jiang Yeqian¡¯s limping figure walking back, with a look that raised many questions. Li Ruoxuan was silent for a long time. A question appeared in his mind. Jiang Yeqian¡¯s expression just now was like annoyance and resentment after a failed love confession¡­ What did he say to Qi Qingyao? Could it be¡­ Wait. That was impossible. Qi Qingyao had three kids of unknown background, and was a widow. Jiang Yeqian¡¯s tastes could not be that unorthodox, right? Although Qi Qingyao was indeed an interesting person¡­ However, while there was a probability of one in ten thousand, maybe that answer that you first thought of was correct! Chapter 362 - Mo Yang and Gang 1

Chapter 362: Mo Yang and Gang 1

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Li Ruoxuan had always been an action-oriented person, so he went out of the way to invite Qi Qingyao to today¡¯s lunch. He asked, ¡°Do you want to eat together?¡± However, Qi Qingyao refused. ¡°There¡¯s no need to eat together. We can eat by ourselves.¡± Then, she sat in the room with the three children and ate amongst themselves. While eating, Qi Qingyao even asked the children to examine the courtyard. ¡°Although we¡¯re kind of like hostages, the guards of this courtyard are stricter than the Qi Residence. We¡¯ll surely sleep well at night.¡± Speaking from the perspective of a hostage, it was fairly safe. Given Li Ruoxuan and Jiang Yeqian were a little moribund now, in this situation, the manpower of both parties was present in the courtyard. They were definitely not ordinary people, their basic levels were rank eight and above! This made Qi Qingyao very relieved. After eating, the little children cried out, ¡°Mommy, we¡¯re sleepy~~¡± After Qi Qingyao put the little children to bed, she cleaned up all the medicinal herbs in the room before going to bed herself. She slept very soundly that night. She did not even have a dream. After sleeping until daybreak, Qi Qingyao stretched. She thought to herself that although living in a mansion with the psycho State Preceptor sucked a little because she was a hostage, she did not have to worry about being kidnapped. This made her much more rxed, and even her sleep became dreamless. Dabao woke up in a daze and subconsciously wanted to dress Erniu up, but he found that there seemed to be one less person on the bed. Dabao rubbed his eyes and did a headcount¡ªthere were still three. Dabao thought that he must have counted wrongly, and Erniu must have hidden behind their mother or fallen off the bed. So Dabao searched all over the bed and even foolishly looked under the pillows. In the end, Dabao turned over and got off the bed, disregarding the fact that he was still barefooted. He lifted the bedsheets and took a nce under the bed, but there was no one. Dabao could only climb back in a daze. Qi Qingyao had also noticed Dabao¡¯s strange behavior. She nced around and asked, ¡°Where¡¯s Erniu?¡± Dabao shook his head and said he did not see her. Qi Qingyao said, ¡°Maybe Erniu got out of bed and went to pee.¡± Dabao and Xiaobao put on their clothes in a hurry. After they were dressed, they searched around in the room. Dabao came back and said, ¡°No.¡± Dabao and Xiaobao looked around the room a few times and said no one either. Qi Qingyao had already gotten up. Not caring about washing her face and brushing her teeth, she put on her robe and rushed out of the room. Seeing the two guards outside the door, she asked immediately. ¡°Hey you guards, have you seen my Erniu?¡± ¡°???¡± The two guards were obviously a little confused. Qi Qingyao exined, ¡°She¡¯s that little girl from the triplets.¡± ¡°We have not seen her,¡± the guards exchanged nces and said respectfully. Qi Qingyao, ¡°...¡± Qi Qingyao could not help scratching her head. ¡°This is really strange. Erniu was not there when we woke up early in the morning. A whole living person can somehow disappear in thin air.¡± She was gone. Qi Qingyao thought for a while and eventually ran straight to the opposite courtyard, where Li Ruoxuan and Jiang Yeqian were both there. None of the guards in the courtyard dared to stop her. Zhu Shen wanted to stop her, though. However, when he saw thatdy¡¯s cold eyes and anxious look, and was even muttering ¡®liar¡¯ under her breath, he could only inform his Master quickly. Li Ruoxuan, who had always been ustomed to getting up early in the morning, was already awake and was sitting in the room drinking medicine. After Qi Qingyao entered the room, she said, ¡°Li Ruoxuan, did you secretly let out the knockout smokest night and take my Erniu away?¡± Facing Qi Qingyao¡¯s question, Li Ruoxuan turned his head and asked Zhu Shen, ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Chapter 363 - Mo Yang and Gang 2

Chapter 363: Mo Yang and Gang 2

Zhu Shen was also very awkward. ¡°I don¡¯t know either. Lady Qi said Erniu was missing when she woke up early this morning. She searched all over the yard but still did not find her¡­¡± Qi Qingyao let out all of her anger with severe, rapid-fireshings at Li Ruoxuan. In a few seconds, she painted him as a peerless scum and the devil incarnate. Zhu Shen listened to Qi Qingyao¡¯s ranting and felt cold sweat dripping down his head. This was bad. Normally his Master would have asked someone to snap her neck and use her as a stool already. Could it be that the recent vegetarian diet had led to his much milder temper, or maybe it was because there was a grand master behind this littledy, so he was afraid? He did not say a word, just listening to her rant. When Qi Qingyao was done venting. Li Ruoxuan had also finished drinking the extremely bitter medicine. Only then did he get up slowly and walk outside. He nced at the faint white streaks of dawn in the east and said with aposed expression, ¡°Why don¡¯t you use your stupid little brain and think? I¡¯ve already taken you and the three children as hostages, why should I sacrifice myte-night sleep and let out the poison gas to take away that little girl?¡± Qi Qingyao paused. The more she cared about the person involved, the more panicked she got. Wait. If it was not this guy who did it¡­ Then who else could it be? Qi Qingyao suddenly had a bad feeling in her mind. ¡°Then could my Erniu have¡­¡± Her face hardened all of a sudden, and she murmured with a pale face. ¡°Maybe she went to pee in the middle of the night, or sleep-walked and fell into the dry well in your house and drowned.¡± Li Ruoxuan did notugh at the nonsensical words that she babbled that were almost funny. He still asked very seriously, ¡°Does your Erniu have a habit of sleepwalking?¡± ¡°No,¡± Qi Qingyao said. The two of them fell into silence. The door at the side opened. A man with crutches walked in. Jiang Yeqian¡¯s thin lips were tightly pursed. He seemed to have forgotten the displeasure from yesterday. His handsome face was a little serene, but there was sharpness hidden in his eyes. ¡°Even with the two of you having discussed like this, are there no conclusions yet?¡± Li Ruoxuan had a suspicion in his heart, but he did not want to specte in that direction. Because once he did, it meant that all defenses in this house were worthless. He lowered his face and said, ¡°Do you have a conclusion already?¡± Jiang Yeqian recently suffered major weight loss due to his injuries and lying down for a long time. On the deep edges of his bony face, his eyes burned and his gaze faintly shifted toward Qi Qingyao. He said, ¡°A grand master was here!¡± Qi Qingyao, ¡°¡­¡± She was not stupid. She reacted promptly. The grand master that he was talking about was not Si Jin. It should be the grand master of other countries that they had been trying to guard against. Like the one from Daliang City, the one from Yunwu Mountain, the one from Junlin City, or the one by the Cangjing Lake¡­in any case, it was a grand master. Jiang Yeqian¡¯s eyes stared straight ahead with a sense of solemnity. He said, ¡°Only a grand master can break into the courtyard silently at night and take away your little girl.¡± When Qi Qingyao heard these words, she felt a little dizzy. She did not want to be targeted by a grand master while her trump card was not around. She could not help but clutch her forehead. ¡°It really isn¡¯t the two of you cunning guys who did it?¡± ¡°Who would still joke with you at this time!¡± Li Ruoxuan also held his forehead unusually, because this waspletely outside of his ns. He guessed that a grand master might have arrived, but he did not expect them to take one of the children away on the first night he brought Qi Qingyao and the others over here. What was this? They apparently did not want to go against the State Preceptor of Northern Liang head-on, nor did they want to kill people. They just wanted to give him a p on the face and tell him that the Northern Liang¡¯s State Preceptor was useless. Li Ruoxuan¡¯s jaw tightened. He unconsciously touched his blind right eye and said, ¡°In other words, our people could not defend us at allst night.¡± Chapter 364 - Mo Yang and Gang 3

Chapter 364: Mo Yang and Gang 3

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Jiang Yeqian¡¯s eyes were covered with frost and snow, and they gleamed with helplessness. ¡°Sure enough, just as you said, a grand master entered the city a few days ago, but¡­ An average person would definitely not have been able to stop them.¡± On the other hand, perhaps it was not that they could not stop them. The grand master had stealthily scaled the high city walls and entered undetected in the middle of the night. There had been no chance for anyone to stop them. Qi Qingyao noticed that the two high and mighty men, who possessed so much power between them, looked a little worried. She could not help but ask, ¡°Then what should we do?¡± The two of them were pensive. Seeing that they were both still thinking, Qi Qingyao anxiously said, ¡°I¡¯m going to go look for her.¡± ¡°Where are you going to look around?¡± Li Ruoxuan asked. ¡°Could it be Si Jin?¡± Jiang Yeqian uttered apletely impossible suggestion. ¡°If it¡¯s Si Jin, he would have undoubtedly already taken her and her children away and killed the both of us.¡± Qi Qingyao had not said anything. It was Li Ruoxuan who spoke. ¡°Where I¡¯m going to look for her has nothing to do with you guys.¡± Qi Qingyao shrugged. She continued, not looking back as she walked toward her room, ¡°Lunatic Li, if you want to stop me, then you should kill me.¡± Li Ruoxuan did not speak. Zhu Shen was summoned. When Jiang Yeqian found out, he went back to his room and called Zhao Xin over. He needed Zhao Xin to quickly contact Bai Mei. Once Qi Qingyao returned to her room, she updated Dabao and Xiaobao on the current situation. They were so anxious they almost started crying, but just before Dabao¡¯s first tear was about to fall, Xiaobao pped Dabao, pping his tears back into his eyes. Dabao tried his best to purse his lips and suck his tears back. He could not cry now. He could not cause trouble for their mother. Finding Erniu was the important thing to focus on now. After Qi Qingyao quickly washed up, she tied her hair back unceremoniously and walked out. The horses at the gate had been waiting. Li Ruoxuan was also standing at the gate of the courtyard. He calmly said, ¡°I won¡¯t stop you. You¡¯re heading out to look for someone, so take Zhu Shen along. He¡¯s very useful.¡± Qi Qingyao knew Zhu Shen was his personal guard, but she did not refuse. Having someone useful by her side was better than being alone. She said, ¡°I have my own ways!¡± As she spoke, the two little kids ran out to wave goodbye to her. ¡°Dabao, Xiaobao, you guys stay here.¡± She then said immediately after, ¡°Li, take care of them.¡± Li Ruoxuan cast a nce at the two small carrot heads beside him, feeling slightly uneasy. He had no experience taking care of children, and he did not particrly want to babysit hers! Once Qi Qingyao got on her horse,?Zhu Shen straddled another horse and quickly followed her. Qi Qingyao rode the horse, feeling a little disoriented. She did not have a clue where to start looking, so she first returned to the Qi Residence. Without walking through the door, she asked Steward Zhang toe out. She briefed Steward Zhang on what had happened to Erniu and asked him to ry this matter to Lu Yan. Lu Yan had to have some connections and might be able to help find Erniu. After that, she got back to riding her horse¡­ She thought for a while. If it was a grand master of Eastern Ling, then the only person she could look for was¡­ She rode the horse to the gate of Hualian Hot Mountain Springs Vi. Zhu Shen was dumbfounded. This was the Ye Family of Eastern Ling country¡¯s turf. He had heard that a few sons of some aristocrats from Eastern Ling¡¯s Capital City had been living heretely. After Qi Qingyao rolled over and got off the horse. She walked all the way into the residence and spoke. ¡°I¡¯m Qi Qingyao, and I¡¯m looking for Gu Shanshan.¡± With just that sentence. She was led in by the guards. As her bodyguard, Zhu Shen also followed her in, but his heart was churning non-stop now. What special rtionship did she have with these distinguished guests from Eastern Ling, that she could be led in just by identifying herself.. Chapter 365 - Mo Yang and Gang 4

Chapter 365: Mo Yang and Gang 4

Qi Qingyao entered the side hall and sat down. After waiting for no longer than half an hour, Gu Shanshan arrived, followed by Xiao Wuji and Gu Cheng behind her. Qi Qingyao stepped forward and got straight to the point. ¡°Shanshan, I need your help with something.¡± Gu Shanshan was very happy to see Qi Qingyao. ¡°What happened at your house the other day scared me to death. My brother said you were taken away by the State Preceptor! I¡¯ve been so worried over the past few days. I didn¡¯t expect you toe here, but if there¡¯s anything you need, just let me know. I consider you a friend of mine, so I¡¯ll definitely help.¡± The chubby girl with her small round face patted her chest with a proud expression that said ¡®I¡¯m so great¡¯. Qi Qingyao said, ¡°The grand master from Eastern Ling was here, right? They took my daughter away.¡± ¡°Ah!!¡± Gu Shanshan¡¯s jaw almost dropped to the floor. As soon as she turned her head, she met Gu Cheng¡¯s gaze and shouted, ¡°Brother!!!¡± Gu Cheng, ¡°???¡± Gu Shanshan said, ¡°A grand master showed up and took Erniuniu away from Yaoyao¡¯s family! Don¡¯t you two know Uncle Pang? Contact him! He should be the one who came to Qingzhou City this time! Ask him to return Erniu.¡± Gu Cheng asked with a calm expression, ¡°Is it Pang Juan who came?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Xiao Wuji shook his head. Gu Cheng looked at Qi Qingyao, who looked anxious, and then at Gu Shanshan, who looked like she was going to cry in front of him if he dared not help. Gu Cheng said, ¡°Even if I knew it was him, we have no way to speak to him. There is no method of contacting him!¡± Gu Shanshan¡¯s face was full of disdain. She said, ¡°But I can¡¯t sit by and just watch my goddaughter die in the hands of Pang Juan.¡± Qi Qingyao, ¡°???¡± Since when was she your goddaughter? Never mind. She would not ask that question right now. Gu Cheng consoled his sister and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. At any rate, a grand master is still a grand master, so he¡¯ll have to take his reputation into ount. Even if he came up with the idea of catching a little girl as bait as ast resort, she would only be bait. He would never hurt her.¡± Qi Qingyao asked seriously, ¡°Can you guarantee me that?¡± Gu Cheng sighed and said, ¡°Why don¡¯t you think about it? We¡¯re talking about a grand master, not some third-rate street killer. If he dared to kill a little girl today for no good reason, would he have any dignity left once the news is spread all over the continent tomorrow? He can forget about having rotten eggs thrown at him when he goes out, as he¡¯ll be so despised he¡¯ll be worthless.¡± It sounded very reasonable. ¡°But because this matter is about finding another grand master, he¡¯ll be seen as an enemy! Who knows if your grand master will go crazy?¡± Qi Qingyao said. Gu Cheng said, ¡°Rest assured, a grand master can be a grand master not just because of their strength, but also because of their sense of honor.¡± Xiao Wuji nodded in agreement with Gu Cheng¡¯s words. The words may have seemed like nothing on the surface, but they calmed Qi Qingyao¡¯s anxious heart. It turned out that a grand master also had to be someone who was particr about honor. Qi Qingyao let out a huge sigh of relief. She then turned around and walked out. Gu Shanshan hurriedly asked, ¡°Where are you going?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to the koi temple again,¡± Qi Qingyao said. Gu Shanshan muttered, ¡°Is it useful to pray at this point?¡± Qi Qingyao looked back with a bright smile. ¡°It¡¯s useful in a ce like Qingzhou City.¡± Gu Shanshan said, ¡°Then I¡¯ll go with you.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go with you guys.¡± Gu Cheng was worried about his silly little sister hanging around Qi Qingyao, who was currently as anxious as a headless fly. ¡°She¡¯s a target now, so I¡¯ll go as well.¡± Xiao Wuji was a little curious about whether it was Southern Ming¡¯s grand master who had taken Erniu away, or¡­ Eastern Ling¡¯s. He was a little excited watching things unfold. Chapter 366 - Mo Yang and Gang 5

Chapter 366: Mo Yang and Gang 5

Zhu Shen stood inside the yard for a moment and noticed Qi Qingyao walking toward him. She had a few people following her. There was a very plump littledy among them, her face round and pudgy yet still cute. He suddenly recognized this girl from the information he had received. She had to be Gu Shanshan, the daughter of the Gu Family of Eastern Ling, and those two behind her were most likely Gu Cheng and Xiao Wuji. Zhu Shen was the State Preceptor¡¯sckey, so he lowered his head and silently followed Qi Qingyao, Gu Cheng, and Xiao Wuji, not paying any attention to them at all. As Qi Qingyao walked toward the door, she was astonished by themotion that was going on outside the vi. There was a group of carriages with many horses, baggage carts, and an exceptionallyvish-looking carriage among them all¡­ Very extravagant indeed. Qi Qingyao asked Gu Shanshan, ¡°What is this?¡± Had a noble from Eastern Linge to visit? Gu Shanshan looked at the g on the carriage and recognized it as the Mo Family¡¯s insignia. She then said, ¡°Ah, this is Mo Yang¡¯s carriage.¡± Gu Cheng stared at a young man d in red apparel descending the carriage and said, ¡°Mo Yang¡¯s here.¡± ¡°You¡¯re finally here,¡± Xiao Wuji said in a teasing tone as he strode over to him. ¡°Who¡¯s Mo Yang?¡± Qi Qingyao asked dumbfoundedly. Gu Shanshan winked at her and replied, ¡°He¡¯s the lookalike we told you about!¡± The person who looks like me¡­ The guy¡­ Like that time Xiao Wuji mistook me for someone else? Qi Qingyao could not see him very clearly from how far away she was, so she just stood still even though she was very curious. When the young man had walked close enough to Qi Qingyao, she stared at him in absolute disbelief. Mo Yang was also in disbelief. He suddenly stopped walking. There were a good four to five meters between them as they stared nkly at each other in silence. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± After a while, Mo Yang approached Qi Qingyao, continuing to stare at her. ¡°Thisdy¡­¡± Qi Qingyao blinked as she tried to rpose herself. If it were not for his gant features and his height, she might have assumed he was her twin brother! Qi Qingyao took a deep breath and looked up at Mo Yang, patted his shoulder, and said enthusiastically, ¡°Young man, I¡¯m very curious about you, but I¡¯m very busy right now. I need to pay a visit to the koi temple. Let¡¯s have a chat when we¡¯re both free.¡± After that, she mounted her horse. Xiao Wuji said to her, ¡°Since Mo Yang is here, I¡¯ll keep himpany as he settles down. You guys head over to the koi temple.¡± Gu Shanshan and Gu Cheng both shared an embrace with Mo Yang before mounting their horses. After that, they left for their destination. Mo Yang stared at the silhouette of the departingdy, then averted his gaze from her. He asked Xiao Wuji, ¡°She¡¯s¡­ Her name is Qi Qingyao?¡± ¡°How about that! She looks just like you, doesn¡¯t she?¡± asked Xiao Wuji. Mo Yang stroked his chin with his pale fingers, a misty looking over his eyes. For a moment, it looked like there were ripples in thekes of his eyes, brushing over the surface as a gentle wind blew in the air. After a while, he said, ¡°If we¡¯re not rted by blood, then we¡¯d look very good together as husband and wife.¡± Xiao Wuji mercilessly retorted, ¡°She¡¯s a widow with children.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Mo Yang replied with an indifferent tone. Xiao Wuji instructed the servants to carry the baggage inside the residence and ordered the others to rest. As Mo Yang¡¯s personal bodyguard, Tong San¡¯s focus never shifted, even after looking at Qi Qingyao. It was at that moment a lightbulb went off in his head, and he realized his young master¡¯s intentions for his arrival in Qingzhou City. Jeez. Who was thatdy? She looked so much like his young master. If it were not for her local ent, he would have assumed that she was his sister! How could twopletely different people look so alike> Tong San scratched his head in bewilderment as he followed the rest of the crew into the vi. Chapter 367 - Mo Yang and Gang 6

Chapter 367: Mo Yang and Gang 6

Qi Qingyao and the others rode swiftly to Bailong Temple. During their journey, Qi Qingyao asked a few things about Mo Yang. Gu Shanshan went on to ramble about him, talking about how they were almost the same age, and he was only older than her by a few months, so she would call him ¡®brother¡¯ when she was happy and other less-nice nicknames when she was mad at him. Gu Shanshan was a chatterbox, to put it mildly, but everything she had said about Mo Yang so far had been about his personality, so Gu Cheng did not stop her. However, when Gu Shanshan started talking about Mo Yang¡¯s power over in Eastern Ling, Gu Cheng bellowed at her. She stuck her tongue out at him and told Qi Qingyao she would tell her everythingter. Qi Qingyao turned around to look at Zhu Shen, who had been silent the entire journey. It seemed like Gu Cheng was very wary of him. After they arrived at Bailong Temple, Qi Qingyao got off her horse, and Zhu Shen helped everyone rein in the horses. Qi Qingyao then told him, ¡°I¡¯m going inside to pray.¡± Gu Cheng did not enter the temple, standing guard outside instead. Gu Shanshan waved at her brother and said, ¡°I¡¯m going to pray too. I¡¯ll pray for my goddaughter and for my love life!¡± After Gu Cheng watched his sister and Qi Qingyao enter the temple, he wandered around the area out of boredom. Bailong Temple was the core temple of the koi temples, and it was very famous. Since it was not the first nor the fifteenth day of the month, not many people hade to visit. After Qi Qingyao walked through the entrance, she donated some money and got down on her knees in prayer. She put her hands together and started praying. ¡°Oh Koi God, my daughter Erniu has been kidnapped. If you hear me, please give me a sign!¡± ¡­ ¡­ In a wellspring north of Jiuli river, a cold mist covered the surface of the water. There was a kind of mineral in the water that introduced a green hue to the spring. Under the sunlight, it looked clean and beautiful. There was a young man beside the spring, and on his clothes were golden images of koi fishes delicately woven into the fabric. The young man sat beside the spring barefoot as if the cold did not bother him at all. His feet swished through the water, making ripples course over the water¡¯s surface. Suddenly, the young man heard a voice from far away. It was Qi Qingyao¡¯s voice. He stood up immediately and stood on the rocks, gazing into the distance. He then muttered something to a red koi fish in the spring. ¡°Grandfather, why wouldn¡¯t you let me go outside and y?¡± ¡°I know what you¡¯re trying to do,¡± Grandpa answered Si Jin¡¯s question. Si Jin jumped into the water and transformed into a small golden koi fish. He was mad, so he began blowing air bubbles inside the water, ¡°Big Sis¡¯ daughter had been kidnapped. I want to help her!¡± ¡°This is her fate.¡± Grandpa¡¯s reply came as he stared back at Si Jin. ¡°No, it¡¯s not fate! I can help her!¡± More bubbles formed under the water as the golden koi fish swam around faster and faster. Its tail beat against the water angrily. ¡°I can change things!¡± Grandpa exined to him, ¡°I¡¯m talking about the little girl. This is her fate, her destiny. If you interfere, you will only make things worse.¡± ¡°Should I not help her, then?¡± The golden koi fish suddenly stopped. Grandpa replied, ¡°Sometimes, someone will eventually find their way out of a situation they don¡¯t want to be in. Her daughter has some good fortune ahead of her!¡± Si Jin paused before asking, ¡°Will something bad happen to Big Sis, then?¡± Chapter 368 - Mo Yang and Gang 7

Chapter 368: Mo Yang and Gang 7

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Grandpa replied with a question of his own, ¡°You were by her side for so long. Do you really think that she¡¯ll be in trouble?¡± ¡°Big Sis always has good luck.¡± Si Jin suddenly smiled. Grandpa nced at the golden koi fish now blowing happy air bubbles in the water. He said helplessly, ¡°Stop worrying about thatdy. You were foolish enough to get trapped by the humans¡¯ summoning array thest time around, which means that your cultivation still isn¡¯t good enough yet. Come here and I¡¯ll teach you all about summoning arrays.¡± ¡°...But I don¡¯t want to,¡± Si Jin coyly said. ¡°Do you want to get trapped and hurt again?¡± Grandpa tried to convince Si Jin. ¡°If you get hurt, you wouldn¡¯t be able to protect thatdy and the other humans.¡± ¡°Alright, alright, I¡¯ll do it,¡± replied Si Jin as he continued sulking and blowing air bubbles¡­ He thought to himself, ¡®Big Sis, Grandpa caught me! I can¡¯t be by your side for now, so you¡¯ll have to take care of yourself. ¡®But Grandpa says you¡¯ll be alright. ¡®Yes, you¡¯ll be alright!¡¯ ¡­ Qi Qingyao prayed intently for a very long time. She did not get any response, but she was sure that the Koi God had heard her prayers. Gu Shanshan prayed for a long while too. When they exited the temple, Gu Shanshan sneakily pinched Qi Qingyao¡¯s sleeve and asked her, ¡°What were you praying for?¡± ¡°I asked the Koi God to give me a sign,¡± Qi Qingyao replied with a sunken expression on her face. She continued, ¡°If I find out who¡¯s kidnapped my daughter, I will have them and their entire family die by a thousand cuts!¡± Gu Shanshan agreed. They deserved it! As Qi Qingyao walked out of the temple, she noticed an elderly person standing on a small marble bridge that arched across a smallke. He was staring at the fishes in theke. The old man said nothing, his gaze fixated downward. It seemed like he had been there for quite a long time. Qi Qingyao¡¯s instincts told her that this old man had something powerful hidden inside him. However, his aura was an inconspicuous one. It felt simr to the aura of monks on television sweeping the floor, even though he was not sweeping anything right now. Something about him felt very different. Qi Qingyao walked past the old man and asked him, ¡°Good sir, may I ask what are you staring at?¡± The old man did not shift his gaze as if he intended to maintain his current position until the end of eternity. He replied, ¡°I¡¯m waiting for someone.¡± ¡°Waiting for who?¡± asked Qi Qingyao. The old man replied, ¡°The right person.¡± Qi Qingyao continued, ¡°Have you found them?¡± The old man turned around and stared at thedy, mused for a moment as if he had just woken up from a dream, and said, ¡°Perhaps I now have.¡± Thedy was good-looking, but her features were not what surprised him. It was her aura, which felt veryforting. There was something irresistible about her. She was just human, so howe¡­ Strange. Gu Shanshan sensed something was off with this old man, so she started pulling Qi Qingyao away from him. The old man smiled as he stroked his snow-white beard, ¡°Littledy, I find you quite interesting.¡± ¡°But I¡¯m not interested in you, old man.¡± Qi Qingyao nced at him from top to bottom, turned around, and started walking away. The old man replied, ¡°Your daughter was kidnapped, wasn¡¯t she?¡± ¡°How did you know that?¡± Qi Qingyao stopped in her tracks. Shepletely forgot what she had been muttering about while walking out the temple door just a moment ago. The old man smiled amiably at her and said, ¡°How about you and I make a bet? If you win, I¡¯ll help you find your daughter, and if you lose, you will follow me.¡± Chapter 369 - Mo Yang and Gang 8

Chapter 369: Mo Yang and Gang 8

Qi Qingyao¡¯s eyes were suddenly filled with caution as she asked, ¡°Follow you? To do what?¡± The old man thought about it for a while and finally replied, ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± He was being truthful. Qi Qingyao rolled her eyes at him. ¡°So you want me to follow you for a reason you don¡¯t even know of yet. Are you toying with me?¡± The old man scratched his head, looking slightly confused himself. ¡°I feel like fate has brought us together, so I think you should follow me and help me with my cultivation.¡± ¡°Help with your cultivation???¡± Qi Qingyao¡¯s jaw almost dropped to the floor. She had seen that particr phrase in a lot of novels during her past life. If the woman agreed to help the man, she would instead be sucked dry of her essential energy. Damn! She retorted, ¡°You shameless old man, how dare you say something like that! How outrageous!¡± The old man was very surprised at her outburst but soon realized what she thought he had meant, so he quickly exined himself. ¡°You¡¯re not going to cultivate with me, you¡¯re going to serve me while I cultivate. You know, watering the flowers, nting vegetables, chatting with me, all of that.¡± His instinct told him that fate had brought them together at this very moment. Every single cultivator beneath the level of grand master dreamed of breaking the ninth rank and bing a grand master. However, the few grand masters in the Maind thought about it differently. Being a grand master was only the beginning of the path of cultivation for them. Only by being a grand master would a cultivator be able to feel the aura of both Heaven and Earth, and also be able to¡­ touch certain things. All seven grand masters were currently searching for the key to break through their current state. They all wondered what it would be like to go beyond the level of grand master. However, no one knew what the ¡®key¡¯ really was. Legend had it that there were five levels to being a grand master. Breaking through all of them would all the grand master to ascend to the next realm. The grand masters had broken through the second and third levels, and they were already considered geniuses for it. It was¡­ extremely tough to go any further than that. Something was standing between them and the aura of Heaven and Earth. It could be something as big as a mountain, or something as thin as satin. They felt like they could break through it, but it seemed to escape their grasp every time. It was a mysterious realm indeed. That was the reason grand masters all over were searching for their fated partners. Legend had it that these partners were special objects or people. For example, the white cat of the Lu Family was apparently Lu Yan¡¯s fated object. The cat was a special wealth-generating cat, perfect for Lu Yan¡¯s destiny. Certain fated people could also help grand masters ascend to new levels during cultivation. However, all of these things were easier said than done. Finding a fated partner was harder than anything else in the world. It was like finding a needle in a haystack! This man was one of the seven grand masters. One of the wonders of the Maind. The old man was not sure if thedy in front of him was his fated partner or not, but he could not have cared less either way. The aura around her made him feel at ease, and the way she talked was full of gusto. An interesting individual, indeed. Perhaps some of the things she would say to him might just help him ascend! Qi Qingyao pouted and retorted, ¡°You¡¯re crazy!¡± The old man quickly walked forward and said, ¡°If you win, I will fulfill any wish of yours.¡± Qi Qingyao mercilessly tore through his lies. ¡°Do you even know what I intend to do? Talking about fulfilling my wish¡­¡± The old man grinned as he stroked his chin. ¡°My name is Gong Sunshe, I¡¯m from Cangjing Lake. It seems like I can fulfill your wish after all.¡± Qi Qingyao answered expressionlessly, ¡°Gong Sunshe? I¡¯ve never heard of that name.¡± The old man, ¡°¡­¡± Never heard of his name?!! How many people were there in the world who did not know the names of the seven grand masters? Could she be a caveman¡­? Chapter 370 - Mo Yang and Gang 9

Chapter 370: Mo Yang and Gang 9

Gu Shanshan could not help but cry out once she snapped out of her daze. ¡°Ah!¡± She pulled Qi Qingyao over to one side and said, ¡°Y-you, you have no idea who Gong Sunshe is?¡± Qi Qingyao replied earnestly, ¡°I just got to the city, so what¡¯s so weird about not knowing who he is? Is this old man really famous?¡± However, Cangjing Lake did sound very familiar to her. She had heard of it before. She had forgotten where she had heard it from, though. Gu Shanshan quickly said to her, ¡°A grand master from Southern Ming who likes to cultivate at Cangjing Lake! His name is Gong Sunshe.¡± ¡°That guy?¡± Qi Qingyao was stunned for a moment. ¡°That guy is a grand master?¡± Gu Shanshan pulled Qi Qingyao further away and wiped the sweat off her forehead. It was winter, but she was still sweating. Where was her brother when she needed him? Where the hell had he gone to? Despite her anxiety, she pretended to keep calm as she replied, ¡°It certainly looks like it.¡± However, she was screaming on the inside, ¡®Brother!! Gu Cheng!! Second Brother!! Hurry up! There is a grand master here! Help!!¡± At the same time, Gu Shanshan thought to herself, ¡®Yaoyao, I¡¯m not sure if you¡¯ll be lucky or unlucky this time around.¡¯ She had once had a young grand master following her around. Now, she had run into another grand master while visiting a temple! Gu Shanshan was unhappy about it, and Qi Qingyao shared the same sentiment. ¡°¡­¡± Her expression was ashen as she turned around to ask the old man, ¡°So, you¡¯re a grand master?¡± ¡°ording to most people, I guess I am.¡± Gong Sunshe stroked his beard as he smiled at Qi Qingyao. Qi Qingyao stared at the old man with caution as she asked him, ¡°You didn¡¯te to Qingzhou City for me, did you? Ah, no. You came here for Si Jin, right?¡± ¡°Si Jin? That young grand master?¡± It turned out that this was thedy everyone was talking about, Qi Qingyao. She had gotten a grand master to be herpanion. Was she¡­ the one who had helped the young grand master achieve enlightenment, or was she his lover? The child Pang Juan kidnapped might just be her daughter¡­ Gong Sunshe muttered her name as he stared into the wary eyes of the youngdy in front of him. He then said to her, ¡°Something like that, but not exactly that. I want to wander around and explore, I want to break through and achieve enlightenment.¡± There were eight grand masters in the world right now. As experienced veterans, they really wanted to pay this amateur a visit. Killing him came second. He had journeyed a long way here because he thought he would be able to find something that might help him achieve a breakthrough. Something stirred in Qi Qingyao¡¯s gaze as she said, ¡°You said you¡¯re not here to capture me, yet you want me to make a bet with you, and if I lose, I¡¯ll have to follow you. You¡¯re saying one thing but doing the opposite, aren¡¯t you, old man?¡± Gong Sunshe felt like he had been misunderstood, ¡°I want you to follow me around because I feel like fate has brought us together so you can help me with my cultivation.¡± Qi Qingyao was even more infuriated now. ¡°Different excuse, same demand. You still want to capture me!¡± ¡°Why you little¡­¡± Alright, the oue would be almost the same, but Gong Sunshe was at a loss for words when it came to thisdy. He thought to himself, ¡®This girl definitely has a clear and sound mind.¡¯ Qi Qingyao had no idea why this grand master wanted her to follow him, but since he was so eager about it, she might be able to make use of it. She mused over it for a moment and then said, ¡°If you¡¯re a grand master, you should be able to help me.¡± Her eyshes flicked as she looked downward. She took out three dice from her pocket and held them in between her fingers, ¡°Let¡¯s make a dice bet. The one with the greatest value wins. If I win, you¡¯ll rescue my daughter. If I lose, you¡¯ll still rescue my daughter.¡± He was the one who had proposed the idea first, and now he was willingly putting himself in this situation. After all, he wanted to use her. It all came down to who was going to make the first move. This is a battle she had to win. Since she had the good fortune to run into such an elite figure right outside the koi temple, the Koi God was looking over her and was going to protect her for sure! Chapter 371 - Mo Yang and Gang 10

Chapter 371: Mo Yang and Gang 10

Gongsun She did not think there would be a woman who had the gall to make such a shameless request despite not having done any cultivation. ¡°I have to save your daughter regardless if you win or lose? That can¡¯t do, you rascal.¡± Qi Qingyao spoke through her slightly dry lips, ¡°You have to help me regardless if I win or lose. The only difference is that if I lose, I¡¯ll go with you. Is it not enough for me to help you cultivate and achieve enlightenment?¡± ¡°Good girl!~¡± Gongsun She was very satisfied with this oue and agreed to Qi Qingyao¡¯s request. Gu Shanshan was stunned by Qingyao¡¯s actions. She was really going to start a bet with a grand master, not to mention with dice rolling. If she won, the prize would be her daughter¡¯s rescue, but that was the same for a loss¡­losing just came with a small extra price. Qi Qingyao got a bowl from inside the temple and led the old man directly under the porch. The old man had been cultivating cautiously and conscientiously all his life and he was also considered a genius. He had also worked hard, however. With the addition of being blessed with a little luck, he managed to reach the rank of grand master. He rarely yed this game. When he mentioned betting, he actually had something else in mind. He did not think this littledy would suggest dice rolling, but he could not refuse either. He picked up the three dice and then looked at the bowl on the floor. ¡°So, I just roll the dice in the bowl, yes?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Qi Qingyao nodded. Gongsun She sighed and said, ¡°This old man dislikes things that rely on luck the most.¡± Qi Qingyao said dismissively, ¡°You want to reach enlightenment; that is also something rted to luck. If you¡¯re lucky you¡¯ll reach enlightenment, if you¡¯re not, you won¡¯t get there no matter what you do.¡± ¡°That¡¯s reasonable.¡± Gongsun She was instantly convinced, then he said a prayer in his heart and tossed the three white dice into the bowl. The dice rolled one round inside the bowl and when they stopped, Gongsun She counted the points. He was shocked. ¡°I only got three, four, five, a total of twelve points.¡± Gu Shanshan¡¯s highly-strung heart had almost reached her throat but when she saw the old man¡¯s points, it instantly went back down. She felt that there was hope. Qi Qingyao might just win the aid of a grand master without even having to pay any price. There was hope!! There really was hope! Qi Qingyao just needed to rake in some good points. Qi Qingyao picked up the dice. Smiling, she casually threw them toward the bowl. She did not even bother with any technique. Rolling dice like this was an event she quite disliked because it was not like dice-rolling with a cup. There was a certain technique to dice-rolling with a cup that allowed one to reach their desired points. Simply throwing dice into the bowl, however¡­ It was purely based on fate. When she threw the dice down, she prayed softly. ¡°Oh Si Jin, they all say you¡¯re a young grand master, a genius! Sister loves you! You genius, you must bless your sister on this day!¡± Her voice was quite soft but still, it was caught by the old man Gongsun She. He smiled a little. The old man thought, ¡®If a genius grand master can guarantee you a good dice roll, then everyone should also worship him, even if they¡¯re a grand master too.¡¯ Who would still need to pray at koi temples! However, Qi Qingyao¡¯s dice fell, rotating a few rounds in the bowl before stopping. Gu Shanshan looked at the bowl with wide eyes. Qi Qingyao smiled very delightedly and said, ¡°I got six, six, six¡­a flush, eighteen points.¡± Gongsun She saw it and was stunned. He was once again convinced that this littledy was someone predetermined by fate! Forget being able to earn the grace of a young grand master, she could simply throw dice and get full points. She really was a legendary person. ¡°Your luck is really good,¡± Gongsun She said seriously. ¡°I¡¯m certain now that you¡¯re someone chosen by fate, and you can surely help me reach enlightenment.¡± Chapter 372 - Mo Yang and Gang 11

Chapter 372: Mo Yang and Gang 11

Qi Qingyao picked up the three dice back into her hands and said, ¡°You should fulfill your promise, old man.¡± ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll help you look for your daughter first.¡± Gongsun She was not worried either¡ªhe already knew who the girl was anyway. Gu Shanshan was once again stunned by Qi Qingyao¡¯s disy. She did not even know how she should show her admiration anymore. She just thought that she was really awesome! She said quickly, ¡°My goddaughter must be in Uncle Pang¡¯s hands! But we don¡¯t know where Pang Juan is.¡± ¡°Pang Juan, the one from Daliang City?¡± No wonder he felt the aura of the grand master in Qingzhou City to be a little familiar. It just did not cross his mind that it was him. Gongsun She was very rxed as he said, ¡°Let¡¯s go, then.¡± Qi Qingyao ascertained that this old man was trustworthy and let her guard down significantly. She and Gu Shanshan then walked hand in hand out of the temple. The old man followed behind them indifferently. Gongsun She watched the back of the littledy¡¯s head as he followed them step by step. ¡°Littledy, can I stay in your house for a few days after I save your daughter?¡± he asked. ¡°There¡¯s no space in my house for you to stay,¡± she rejected without even turning around. Gongsun She was not about to let it go. ¡°I¡¯ve heard it all, your home isrge and there are many rooms. What¡¯s the problem with letting this old man stay in your home for a few days?¡± Qi Qingyao replied with a clear look in her eyes, ¡°We¡¯ll talk about this once you save my daughter.¡± Gongsun She pressed, ¡°In that case, promise me that you will let me live in your house after I rescue your daughter.¡± Qi Qingyao nced at the old manzily. ¡°This is the oue. You bet, so you pay. But you, a grand master, are still being unreasonable. Really, what an eye-opener.¡± Gongsun She was not angered even after he had been called out. He smiled as friendly as before. ¡°I¡¯ll pay you, let me stay at your ce.¡± Qi Qingyao muttered, ¡°You¡¯re touched in the head.¡± Gu Shanshan heard Qi Qingyao calling the grand master mad and was so nervous her back was almostpletely wet. She whispered into Qi Qingyao¡¯s ear, ¡°Why don¡¯t you just agree with him? He¡¯s a grand master. The State Preceptor and Head Grand Secretariat would not be able to plot against you at all as long as he¡¯s with you.¡± It was a trump card for her! Qi Qingyao looked at her weirdly and said, ¡°Agree to what? He¡¯s saying all that now just to get a free stay. Then, he¡¯ll sit and wait for Si Jin to appear and catch him in one fell swoop.¡± Gu Shanshan thought for a bit and agreed with the reasoning. Gongsun She did not think that the littledy would have thought about that and was a little embarrassed, saying, ¡°I did indeed have that intention.¡± ¡°You heard that, Shanshan?¡± Qi Qingyao sneered. Gongsun She raised his brows and said, ¡°To tell you the truth, I want to meet the young master, so that we can learn from each other.¡± Qi Qingyao cut in, ¡°While seeing if I, a fated person, could help you reach enlightenment. If you¡¯re able to reach enlightenment, then you¡¯d rise in rank and be able to kill Si Jin.¡± ¡°¡­¡± For a moment, Gongsun She actually did not know what to say. That was because he had¡­ indeed been thinking along those lines. However, death or injury was inevitable in an exchange between cultivators. After the group left, Gu Cheng saw the old man walking behind the two littledies and hurriedly went up and asked, ¡°Why is there an old man behind you two?¡± Unable to help herself, Gu Shanshan threw herself into Gu Cheng¡¯s arms. ¡°Brother, help!!¡± ¡°I¡¯m here.¡± Gu Cheng embraced Gu Shanshan and, with somepassion, pulled Qi Qingyao over as well. Gu Shanshanid in her brother¡¯s arms and instantly felt so much safer. Although the grand master was powerful, she still felt reassured inside and said to Gu Cheng in a soft voice, ¡°He is the old man of Cangjing Lake, his name is Gongsun She.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Chapter 373 - Mo Yang and Gang 12

Chapter 373: Mo Yang and Gang 12

Whatke? Gu Cheng almost thought he misheard. He stared at the old man with greying hair and beard. Gongsun She, this name¡­there was only one person. His eyes blinking and brows furrowing tightly, his gaze was locked tightly on that old man, not daring to even blink. Gu Shanshan began whispering into Gu Cheng¡¯s ear, ¡°Just now¡­¡± She whispered the entire situation to him quickly. Zhu Shen was also listening at the side. After they heard what was said, Gu Cheng¡¯s expression was unfathomable. Meanwhile, as a subordinate of the State Preceptor who was always by his side, Zhu Shen¡¯s face turned green. He could barely believe that a grand master would have captured Qi Qingyao¡¯s daughter. Now another grand master had been at the door of the Bailong Temple waiting for fortune to fall into hisp and caught Qi Qingyao. What kind of luck was this? Absolutely terrible! Zhu Shen kept his gaze lowered, not daring to lift his head to look at the old man. Instead, there was absolute panic in his heart. Gu Cheng was still rtively calm. He noted that Qi Qingyao and Gu Shanshan were not hurt and forcefully stabilized his emotions, before he spoke slowly. ¡°Senior, I would first like to extend you my gratitude for being willing to save Qi Qingyao¡¯s daughter.¡± Gongsun She did not even look at Gu Cheng. As if he would ever dare to confront the grand master over his attitude. Gu Cheng continued, ¡°Senior, why don¡¯t you ride my horse?* Gongsun She finally said, ¡°Let¡¯s go, we¡¯ll head back to Qingzhou City first.¡± ¡°But the¡­horse¡­¡± Gu Cheng looked at the old man who was already gliding away¡­ Gu Shanshan murmured as she flipped onto the back of her horse, ¡°He¡¯s faster than you without even needing a horse, brother. You suck!¡± Gu Cheng¡¯s expression was dark as he felt speechless. ¡°¡­you can really stand to talk less.¡± Qi Qingyao looked at the horse that had had its fill of concentrated feed and turned to nce at the old man. She thought to herself, it was no surprise he¡¯s a grand master, his steps almost did not touch the ground. After getting onto their horses, the group set off toward Qingzhou City in a hurry. Zhu Shen followed behind the group, eyeing the old man whose speed was easily matching the others on horseback. His emotions were extremely conflicted. How was he to exin this matter to the State Preceptor when he got back? First of all, Qi Qingyao was somehow very familiar with some distinguished guests from Eastern Ling. Then a young man who looked extremely like Qi Qingyao appeared, which was followed closely by her meeting a grand master from Southern Ming at the koi temple. Finally, the grand master was actually following them back, seemingly to help Qi Qingyao save her daughter¡­ Not to mention, their rtionship also seemed to be pretty good. What was happening?! Zhu Shen felt that his mind could hardly catch up with the speed the situation was developing. He wondered if his Excellency would be able to keep up when he ryed it to him. Zhu Shen looked utterly bbergasted. Although Gu Cheng had the situation exined to him by his sister, he was also feeling conflicted on the inside. He suddenly felt that this Qi Qingyao was a truly entric person, to be able to have Si Jin follow by her side, and then randomly have this old man insist on her helping with his cultivation¡­ Grand masters were usually very arrogant. To see one chatting with other people and being so friendly was a rarity. Qi Qingyao really was not a simple person! ¡­ When Erniu woke up in the morning, she realized she was in an unfamiliar room, on an unfamiliar bed. Most importantly, there was an unfamiliar old man in the room¡­ Erniu immediately wanted to cry. She wanted to cry out for her mommy. However, after having gone through a long lesson from her mommy the day before, she endured the urge. She tried to make sense of the situation using every cell of her little brain. She was alone, there was an unfamiliar old man¡­and she was in an unfamiliar ce. It seemed that it was just as her mommy had put it, she had been unlucky, and possibly kidnapped. Chapter 374 - Mo Yang and Gang 13

Chapter 374: Mo Yang and Gang 13

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion The kidnapper was, of course, this old man. This old man was also possibly one of the seven grand masters that mommy had mentioned...the most powerful people of the entire continent! If they were that powerful, Erniu figured that she definitely would not be able to get away. Considering the present situation, she could only calm down. She could not let herself get hurt. If she were hurt, mommy would definitely be worried. Thinking till this point, Erniu got up and first looked around the room. She realized her clothes were at the side. She picked them up and put them on without assistance. Then she got off the bed and, without even looking at the old man, went to the side and began washing herself. Fortunately, there was water in the copper basin. All of the child¡¯s actions did not escape the corner of Pang Juan¡¯s gaze. Pang Juan had gone to that residence the night before and easily swiped one of the kids. Of course, he had not initially nned on catching this carrot top but Qi Qingyao. Pang Juan changed his n when the time came, however. That was because he realized that hidden in this little girl was great potential. Pang Juan looked at the little girl who carried down the copper basin then carefully crouched to wash her face. ¡°You did not try to escape or call for help,¡± he said calmly as he looked at the little girl. ¡°Neither are you afraid of me.¡± Erniu, who had finished washing up, turned her head with her lips pursed. She took a look at the old man who looked like an old grandfather, but with a very straightforward expression. She tilted her head, thought for a bit, and then said in a serious voice, ¡°You captured me because you want to threaten my mommy. You won¡¯t kill me as long as I am good. Why should I be afraid of you since I won¡¯t die?¡± ¡°...¡± How intelligent. Pang Juan did not expect a child to be able to think about things so clearly. Erniu rubbed her little tummy and walked in front of Pang Juan, asking, ¡°Old man, do you have anything to eat? I¡¯m hungry.¡± Pang Juanughed and said, ¡°I¡¯ll take you out to eat if you don¡¯t try to escape.¡± Erniu sighed. She looked up to the light, her eyes moist. She fixed her gaze on Pang Juan and said, ¡°I¡¯m just a 4-year-old child. My legs are too short and I can¡¯t run fast. Not to mention, you¡¯re a grand master! Mommy said grand masters are the few most powerful people in the continent, very very powerful. Even if I were an adult, I wouldn¡¯t be able to escape from you. So, I can¡¯t fight you off or escape. I¡¯ll just keep myself in line and eat when I should eat! I can¡¯t starve myself.¡± Pang Juan listened to the little kid¡¯s rapid-fire childlike speech. He paused for a moment. ¡°You¡¯re still so young, how do you know so much?¡± He said, puzzled, then added, ¡°Why did your mother tell you so much?¡± Erniu muttered in a small voice, ¡°Mommy said that even though we¡¯re young, we need to use our minds, otherwise, we¡¯ll be stupid.¡± Pang Juan raised his brows. Then he walked to the door. He called for the servant to enter. He instructed, ¡°Bring us two tes of roast beef, and also some stir-fried veggies.¡± Erniu heard that he was ordering and excitedly raised her hand. ¡°I want fried chicken!¡± Pang Juan looked down at her. Erniu murmured, ¡°I don¡¯t want to get thin from hunger.¡± Not too longter, the servant brought in fried chicken, veggies, and also beef. Erniu sat at the small, round, gold-lined table and began digging in happily. Pang Juan sat beside the window as before. He had just pulled back the window a crack to look out at the scenery of Qingyang Lake when Erniu turned her head. ¡°The air is leaking in, it¡¯ll make things cold. Close the window quickly!?¡± Pang Juan, ¡°...¡± He could only quietly close the window. Then he walked over and sat beside the small round table, looking at the little girl who was eating like a hamster. Pang Juan was in deep thought for a moment before he said, ¡°You...do you want to¡­¡± Before he even finished, Erniu¡¯s muffled voice said, ¡°Don¡¯t wanna.¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t even said it. How do you know what I was going to say?¡± he asked. Erniu pursed her lips, answering as she ate, ¡°You said ¡°do you want to¡±, which means it¡¯s a request. As if I want any of that. You can say whatever you want after Mommy finds me.¡± Pang Juan looked at the girl with increased respect once again. ¡°You little girl, you¡¯re only four years old yet you¡¯re so smart. I¡¯m suddenly curious about what kind of person your mother is.¡± Erniu ate while she sighed with emotion. ¡°I¡¯m not smart, I¡¯m really stupid. Xiaobao is really smart, Mommy is also really smart.¡± Pang Juan, ¡°...¡± He had heard of this. After he entered the city, stories of Qi Qingyao had been circting the streets. However, she apparently had only arrived in Qingzhou City for a few months¡­ Pang Juan opened his mouth again and said, ¡°I want to ask you, do you want to be my¡­¡± Erniu cut across him once again, ¡°I don¡¯t want to be your daughter! I¡¯m only Mommy¡¯s daughter.¡± Pang Juan raised his brows. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean daughter. I meant disciple.¡± ¡°Disciple?¡± Erniu finally put down the chicken bone in her hand. She looked at him with an innocent and artless gaze and asked, ¡°What¡¯s a disciple, can you eat it?¡± Pang Juan said instinctively, ¡°Disciples are edible...no! You led me off. Being a disciple means I can teach you skills, I can teach you how to cultivate.¡± ¡°...¡± Cultivate? Did that mean to be a grand master? Pang Juan asked, ¡°Do you understand it now?¡± Erniu looked at him in a pure manner and said, ¡°I somewhat get it. You¡¯re a grand master, you want to pass on your ability to kill to me.¡± Pang Juan corrected the little girl, ¡°It¡¯s not the ability to kill someone, it¡¯s the ability to save someone.¡± This time, Erniu put down the other unfinished drumstick in her hand. Her expression fully serious, she asked, ¡°Do I have the talent for it?¡± ¡°Kind of.¡± She was a child who had a great innate talent for it. There were seventeen pressure points for cultivation and she naturally had all seventeen of them already opened! If she were to cultivate, he estimated that the girl could reach the realm of grand master in good time. Her bones were also very peculiar but elegant! She was a very good seed. He had started cultivating when he was ten years old back then. He had only opened fourteen of his pressure points at the time. This was another reason he captured this child the night before. ¡°I can¡¯t do that. I¡¯m too young. I need to listen to Mommy.¡± Erniu murmured before she picked up the drumstick again and munched on it. ¡°Even though you¡¯re powerful, you¡¯re a foreigner. I¡¯d have to go with you if I became your disciple. My mommy couldn¡¯t possibly let me go with a foreigner. So, the answer is no.¡± Pang Juan, ¡°...¡± It looked like he would have to go through Qi Qingyao to take on this disciple! Just as Pang Juan was starting to feel worried, he felt an intense aura headed toward his direction. It was somewhat familiar. It was probably...that person from Southern Ming. The one everyone had crossed paths with thest time. The old man that cultivated by Cangjing Lake. Gongsun She. Why did he evene here? Pang Juan had some suspicions. ¡­ ¡­ After Qi Qingyao and the others entered Qingzhou City and realized that the old man¡¯s destination was behind Chunjiang Restaurant, she was a little dumbfounded. Then the old man stood waiting for her at the door of Chunjiang Restaurant seriously. She got down from the horse. She pointed at the inside of Chunjiang Restaurant. ¡°You¡¯re certain? They¡¯re in here?¡± This was a little too obvious now, was it not? Gu Cheng and Zhu Shen also found it hard to believe. ¡°They¡¯re just upstairs, in one of the rooms.¡± He sensed their presence. Qi Qingyao followed him inside doubtfully.... Chapter 375 - Mo Yang and Gang 14

Chapter 375: Mo Yang and Gang 14

After they entered. Gu Shanshan wanted to follow them upstairs but was obstructed by Gu Cheng. Zhu Shen thought about it for a bit and did not go along either. After all, the more people there were, the more they would get in the way. He thought for a while and called for someone to inform the State Preceptor about this. Qi Qingyao followed Gongsun She up the building alone¡­ When Gongsun She opened the door, Pang Juan¡¯s gaze swept over and the pressure in the room suddenly dropped marginally. The tit-for-tat confrontation between the two powerhouses made the air thicker and Erniu waspletely overwhelmed by the pressure that she coughed. Pang Juan noticed Erniu was affected and quickly retracted his breath. Gongsun She also noticed the little girl, then smiled and greeted Pang Juan, ¡°Old friend.¡± ¡°Gongsun She.¡± Pang Juan purposely caressed Erniu¡¯s head as he spoke. Erniu widened her eyes. She looked toward the outside of the door and at a nce, saw the person in the corridor behind the old man. Erniu jumped down the chair and went running toward the door, rushing like a little bullet into Qi Qingyao¡¯s arms. ¡°Mommy!¡± ¡°Erniuniu!~~~~¡± Qi Qingyao¡¯s tightly-clenched heart finally calmed down. Gongsun She was very pleased with this oue and said a little triumphantly, ¡°I¡¯ve already helped you rescue your daughter.¡± ¡°Then our bet is considered to be fulfilled.¡± Qi Qingyao carried Erniu and prepared to head downstairs. She said shortly, ¡°See you again, never.¡± Pang Juan was stunned by this series of events. When he returned to his senses, he shouted lightly. ¡°Stand there.¡± Qi Qingyao¡¯s lifted feet paused in mid-motion. She could not even move¡ªall she could feel was genuine killing intent from behind her. Locked to the spot, it felt as if her head would get sliced off if she took another step. Pang Juan picked up the tea bowl, an odd smile on his face as he said, ¡°Did I allow you to leave?¡± When Gongsun She felt Pang Juan¡¯s killing intent had condensed, he patted Qi Qingyao¡¯s shoulder casually. Qi Qingyao instantly felt relieved from the pressure suffocating her body. She hugged her Erniu and hid behind Gongsun She, arrogantly saying, ¡°Old man, you promised to save my daughter. Now this old pervert is refusing to let my daughter go, so you are responsible for killing him.¡± ¡°Old¡­pervert¡­¡± Pang Juan, who had been called an old pervert out of nowhere, almost choked on his spit. He had some idea of where the little girl got her intelligence from, not to mention her wit. He made an inviting gesture to signal Qi Qingyao toe in and talk. Naturally, Qi Qingyao refused. The group stood outside in the corridor across the threshold of the door, leading many of the guests out in the corridor to look at them curiously. They all seemed to be wondering, ¡®What are these old men doing?¡¯ Pang Juan sighed. ¡°Forget it, let me introduce myself formally. I¡¯m Pang Juan from Daliang City.¡± Across the pir next to Gongsun She, Qi Qingyao said sarcastically, ¡°An old man rushed into my room in the middle of the night to kidnap my daughter, and this is the so-called grand master! How embarrassing.¡± ¡°I just¡­¡± Pang Juan wanted to exin. Qi Qingyao asked forcingly, ¡°You what?¡± Erniu grabbed Qi Qingyao¡¯s sleeve and said in a small voice, ¡°Mommy, he said I have a lot of talent and wants to take me as his disciple.¡± Qi Qingyao caressed Erniu¡¯s head and said soothingly, ¡°Don¡¯t listen to this old pervert¡¯s nonsense. This old pervert must have developed malicious intent after he saw how cute and pretty my daughter is!¡± With ¡°old pervert¡± being her every other referral, Pang Juan¡¯s dignity was taking a beating and it made him feel as if he had lost his face. He said with a dark expression, ¡°So you¡¯re the recently reputable Qi Qingyao of Qingzhou City.¡± Qi Qing¡¯s eyebrows rose, her voice cold as she said, ¡°You are Mr. Pang Juan, the reputable grand master of Daliang City back in the day.¡± Pang Juan, ¡°¡­¡± He breathed in deeply, trying to restrain his fierce expression, and then squeezed out a trace of an awkward smile. Pang Juan exined, ¡°I earnestly want to take her as my disciple.¡± Here this old man went again! Qi Qingyao rolled her eyes. Gongsun She, however, nced at the little girl in Qi Qingyao¡¯s arms after Pang Juan had piqued his curiosity. ¡°Does she really have the innate skill?¡± Gongsun She instinctively wanted to pull Erniu¡¯s little hand. ¡°Come, let me touch your hand.¡± Before he could feel anything, Qi Qingyao drew her hand and smacked him. Qi Qingyao cursed, ¡°You¡¯re all perverts.¡± ¡°I just want to see if her pressure points are open,¡± Gongsun She said, aggrieved. Qi Qingyao did not dare believe this. Gongsun She swore he was not a pervert, then took the chance to grab Erniu¡¯s little hand. Gongsun She closed his eyes, pinching the little girl¡¯s arms. Before long, Gongsun She¡¯s expression had changed into one of disbelief as he opened his eyes. ¡°It really is true, all seventeen of her pressure points are open! This level of innate talent¡­¡± This was really unbelievable. He had only opened fifteen points back in the day. It was said that those who had seventeen points opened were a rarity. This child truly had unparalleled innate talent. Gongsun She immediately tried to grab this disciple for himself. ¡°Lady, you met me first. I also helped you save your daughter. Let¡¯s talk this over, you let me take her as a disciple. What do you think?¡± Qi Qing rolled her eyes at the old man, ¡°¡­¡± First he said she was some fated person and now he was saying that her daughter had incredible innate talent. Gu Shanshan had, at some time, dragged Gu Cheng up the stairs to watch from there. They heard themotion and she murmured, ¡°Why are they all epting disciples now?¡± Qi Qingyao said to herself, ¡°Let me think about the current situation.¡± Gu Shanshan shouted at Qi Qingyao, ¡°The situation is that we should eat first!! We¡¯ve been up and about since early in the morning. I haven¡¯t eaten a bite and I¡¯m almost starving to death.¡± Qi Qingyao took the opportunity and said, ¡°Then let¡¯s head down to eat first.¡± Without giving Gongsun She nor Pang Juan the chance to refuse, she carried Erniu and ran to Gu Shanshan¡¯s side. The moment they walked to the crowd, the two old men had to watch their image. They did not dare do anything recklessly. When she was going downstairs, Qi Qingyao¡¯s legs turned into jelly as she threw Erniu into Gu Cheng¡¯s arms. She held Gu Shanshan¡¯s arm, and the two supported each other as they made their way downstairs. They sat in the hall, picking the centremost seats to settle down. They needed to be conspicuous and it was best for them to attract other people¡¯s attention. Then, they would be able to escape easier. Sure enough, just as the group sat down and ordered their food. Someone had already recognized Qi Qingyao, the woman who was said to be living in ¡°seclusion¡±. ¡°That person looks to be that Qi Qingyao.¡± Qi Qingyao felt a click on her heart for a bit. ¡°I recognize the little fattie beside you, she fought with people the other day at Zuixian Restaurant!!¡± Gu Shanshan pursed her lips. Since Zhu Shen was already standing behind Qi Qingyao, he was also recognized by the interested people who came over. Those interested individuals were spies of the Zhaixing Administration¡­ They left quietly and quickly passed on information. When Gongsun She and Pang Juan came down, the dishes were already being served one by one. Not taking themselves as outsiders, the two old men sat down together with Qi Qingyao. This incited a lot of intrigued whispers. ¡°Who are those two oldies, and why do they look like transcendent beings?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Chapter 376 - The Crowd Panics 1

Chapter 376: The Crowd Panics 1

At the residence. A subordinate dressed in ck clothes entered and hurriedly rushed to the door of the State Preceptor¡¯s room. After knocking, they waited for the person to shout ¡°enter¡± before pushing the door and walking in respectfully. Looking directly at the eye-patched man sitting on the arhat couch meditating, he cupped his fists slightly and spoke. ¡°State Preceptor! Master Zhu Shen has secretly shared with us some intelligence from Chunjiang Restaurant. He said that Lady Qi was at the restaurant, and she had her daughter in her arms. Gu Cheng and Gu Shanshan of the Eastern Ling Gu family are traveling with her. At the same time, there are two grand masters at Chunjiang Restaurant.¡± Li Ruoxuan, who had been seated cross-legged in meditation, suddenly tilted to one side. After regaining hisposure, he got up, patted the dust off his body and said, ¡°Two¡ªwhy are there two!¡± He was talking about the grand masters. The subordinate said, ¡°I believe they said it was Old Master Pang from Daliang City and Old Master Gongsun of the Southern Ming Cangjing Lake.¡± Li Ruoxuan, ¡°Huh?¡± It was not Si Jin and Old Master Pang. How did she bump into two powerhouses in one go? The subordinate continued, ¡°There¡¯s more news Master Zhu Shen said he needed to inform you.¡± Li Ruoxuan¡¯s expression sank. ¡°Speak.¡± The subordinate said, ¡°A¡­peculiar guest has arrived at Hualian Mountain Springs Vi.¡± ¡°Peculiar?¡± How peculiar? ¡°ording to Master Zhu Shen, the person was called Mo Yang but his details are unknown. However, Master Zhu Shen only said that the State Preceptor should be told that Mo Yang and Qi Qingyao look very simr. But he is a male.¡± ¡°¡­¡± They looked alike? And a male? How did these two sentences connect to each other? How alike did he mean? Li Ruoxuan could not help falling into deep thought. When the subordinate left, Jiang Yeqian walked in with a cane. With green veins already adorning his forehead, he said, ¡°Do you know the incident already?¡± Li Ruoxuan said nkly, ¡°You also received your news very fast.¡± With undistinguishable emotions in his tone, Jiang Yeqian said, ¡°What do you think of the current situation?¡± There were two grand masters in Chunjiang Restaurant¡­ Li Ruoxuan replied seriously, ¡°I could head over, but I¡¯m afraid if I do so, it wouldn¡¯t aplish anything either.¡± Be it because of his power level or the current half-dead condition of his body, it would be a futile trip. Jiang Yeqian thought the same. ¡°Apparently, they¡¯re having a meal together. But why? They are obviously not acquainted with one another.¡± This was what Li Ruoxuan was puzzled about. After thinking about it for a long time, he said, ¡°She really is a strange person, perhaps strange people have unique methods.¡± Jiang Yeqian did not speak, but he widened his eyes, expression slightly agitated. Could she really escape from the two grand masters just because she was so unusual? ¡­ ¡­ When the dishes were being served, Qi Qingyao and Gu Shanshan began to feast. Gu Shanshan especially liked to eat chicken drumsticks along with Erniu. They each picked up a chicken drumstick and gnawed on it, savoring the food with a mouthful of grease. These two of them¡ªone adult and one child, one who relied on their brother and another on their mother¡ªwere the type who did not care much. They ate without any worries. Qi Qingyao and Gu Cheng, on the other hand, ate without nearly as much relish. They sat there like zombies as they continuously nced at Pang Juan and Gongsun She from the corners of their eyes. asionally, their hand which they used to pick up dishes would tremble a few times. Pang Juan pointed at Erniu and said, ¡°I¡¯ll take her as my disciple and naturally I¡¯ll teach her well and pass down all of my skills to her.¡± Even though Qi Qingyao was still as nervous as before, she said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but please talk about taking disciples sometimeter in the future.¡± Chapter 377 - The Crowd Panics 2

Chapter 377: The Crowd Panics 2

Pang Juan earnestly exined, ¡°She¡¯s still young now. If she starts cultivating right away, she might be the youngest, most prodigious grand master in the continent in the future.¡± Qi Qingyao continued seriously, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, we really don¡¯t need it. Thank you.¡± ¡°Why won¡¯t you agree?¡± Pang Juan did not understand what he wascking as he was a grand master. ¡°Why should I agree?¡± Qi Qingyao was really nervous. Keeping her mind clear, she said, ¡°I want my children to have a happy childhood within the scope of my financial ability. Besides, even if she were to be a disciple, why should I have to look to you? Just because you¡¯re a grand master? We already have a young grand master in our family. Is he no better than you? Why should my daughter learn from you?¡± Who did this old man think he was, making it sound like he was the most obvious choice. Pang Juan, ¡°¡­¡± He was speechless. With fire between her brows, Qi Qingyao went on, ¡°You barged into my room in the middle of the night without a word and took my daughter away. It is already good enough that I am not suspecting you of being a pedophile. How can you still dare talk about taking disciples?¡± Pang Juan held back his anger and bit his teeth. Heughed and said, ¡°This little girl has a real gift of the gab.¡± Qi Qingyao said nothing. She watched him neither haughtily nor humbly. Pang Juan said, ¡°I finally know who the little girl¡¯s eloquence resembles.¡± ¡°The praise is undeserved,¡± said Qi Qingyao. Pang Juan did not bother with more kind words and bluntly said, ¡°If you don¡¯t agree to my proposition, I can still catch her a second time. Do you understand?¡± Qi Qingyao said tentatively, ¡°Do you not need your image as a grand master? Aren¡¯t you afraid that I¡¯ll spread word of your wickedness everywhere? Are you not ashamed of kidnapping a child?¡± ¡°It¡¯s once in a lifetime that you can meet such a disciple. Who cares about honor!¡± Pang Juan had never been opposed or threatened by anyone, save for the empress. So, when he got angry, his attitude also changed and he became very cruel. ¡°Furthermore, littledy, your young grand master is not here and there is no one protecting you. I have ten thousand ways to force her to agree to be my disciple.¡± Qi Qingyao asked, ¡°For example?¡± Pang Juan said reservedly, ¡°for example, I¡¯ll first capture you or your two other children and tie them up. If she doesn¡¯t learn to cultivate properly, then I¡¯ll give you a whip every day. To motivate her. That way, she¡¯ll train properly.¡± Qi Qingyao heard this and frowned. After thinking a lot, she then turned to Gu Cheng. ¡°Did you not say grand masters were the most honorable people?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Cold sweat kept flowing as Gu Cheng smiled dryly, not able to say anything at all. Qi Qingyao asked Gu Shanshan who was happily eating away, ¡°Didn¡¯t you call him Uncle Pang before this? You seem to be close.¡± Gu Shanshan put down the chicken bone awkwardly. ¡°He is an elder. When we juniors met him, we had no choice but to call him Uncle Pang. Besides, that was when I met him in Daliang City when I was five or six years old¡­ What virtues or capabilities do I have to be close to a grand master? Don¡¯t tease me.¡± Qi Qingyao did not know how to react to that ¡°rtionship erasing¡± attitude. Gongsun spected for a moment before interrupting Pang Juan. ¡°Old man Pang, I promised the littledy to save her daughter. Are you sincerely trying to embarrass me by doing this?¡± Pang Juan said in a somewhat overbearing manner, ¡°I don¡¯t care. This disciple is mine.¡± ¡°Are you asking to go for a round?¡± Gongsun She¡¯s temper was also rising. Pang Juan boomed, ¡°Let¡¯s fight then, who¡¯s afraid of you?¡± Chapter 378 - The Crowd Panics 3

Chapter 378: The Crowd Panics 3

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion The two old men stood up simultaneously. Neither of them said anything. They looked at each other. In an instant, an invisible pressure brought some kind of oppressive aura to the entire hall of Chunjiang Restaurant, causing everyone present to feel a sharp pain in their minds as their heads buzzed. Erniu, who had been eating a drumstick, dropped the chicken in her hand onto the ground. The forceful pressure made her head hurt and she cried, unable to take it. Qi Qingyao also found it hard to endure, and pulled Erniu into her arms tofort her. Pang Juan heard Erniu crying and met eyes with Gongsun She. The two then retracted their power. Gongsun She smiled very leisurely. ¡°The entire restaurant wouldn¡¯t be able to stand it if we fought here.¡± ¡°Then we¡¯ll go on water! Lest we involve any innocent people,¡± Pang Juan suggested. Gongsun She thought, ¡®I was just taking pity on the little girl¡­ Why mention the public?¡¯ The two immediately flew out the window with smiles on their faces, like some celestial beings, and gradually went to Qingyang Lake beside them. All of the guests of Chunjiang Restaurant felt as if they had been reborn after surviving a catastrophe. They breathed in big mouthfuls of air. They looked around nkly. Suddenly, the pressure across the entirend became lower, and the sunlight seemed to have been taken away by something. The sky was gloomy and the clouds formed a shroud. A storm of wind and rain rolled in from Qingyang Lake, spreading to the shore. Heavy rain began pouring over Chunjiang Restaurant in no time. A typhoon came rapidly. The entire street was caught off guard. Dense mist rose and enshrouded the surface of theke because of the torrential rain, and the delicate fog cast a heavy shadow and blurring effect on thendscape. This sudden change in the weather made Qi Qingyao frown. She walked to the window with Erniu in her arms and looked at the scenery on Qingyang Lake from a distance. Those two people... could not be seen. They could only see in the distance that the water surface had suddenly risen ten meters high. It was like a ¡°tsunami¡± was about to happen in theke. Then, the huge wave was abruptly swallowed by another force. A momentter, killing intent covered the entire surface of Qingyang Lake. Standing behind this window in Chunjiang Restaurant, Qi Qingyao could still feel the murderous aura almost scaling off her scalp. It hurt so much that she hurriedly crouched, leaning against the wall with Erniu in her arms. The battle on Qingyang Lake had also attracted the attention of a lot of cultivators. The cultivators were of various ranks, with people from rank five to rank nine standing on thekeside, overlooking the battle on theke. There were hungry gazes in their eyes. Gu Cheng and Gu Shanshan, as well as Zhu Shen, could not help but watch the ruckus, crouched by the window. Qi Qingyao, meanwhile, was sitting at the foot of the wall and contemting things. So this was the power of a grand master¡­ Si Jin¡¯s power when he took on Jiang Yeqian and Li Ruoxuan together the other day should not be inferior to this, which was why the aftereffects of that fight still remained. Those men said Erniu had natural talent. Could Erniu perhaps grow up to reach this point in the future? Qi Qingyao looked at her daughter in her arms with disbelief. ¡­ ¡­ After learning that Gu Cheng and his group were in Chunjiang Restaurant, Xiao Wuji and Mo Yang rushed toward Chunjiang Restaurant on horseback, but they were shocked by the change in weather and the turbulence of theke soon after they set off. After they got off their horses, they led their mounts and stopped under the eaves nearby, sheltering themselves from the rain, while watching themotion on theke in the distance. The two said nothing. While their subordinates were shocked. And obviously terrified. Xiao Wuji thought to himself that this rain was unlikely to stop that soon. He gave one of his subordinates a look. The subordinate immediately rode their horse and hurried back. Soon, a carriage pulled by two tall horses drove past them. After the two passed the reins to their horses to their subordinates, they got onto the carriage and once again hurried toward Chunjiang Restaurant. Only two subordinates sat in front of the frame and followed along. The others remained waiting for the rain to stop where they were. Inside the carriage, Mo Yang and Xiao Wuji each lifted the carriage curtains and watched the intensity of the rain outside. Xiao Wuji said, ¡°This rain came very strangely.¡± Mo Yang whispered, ¡°It¡¯s obvious the two grand masters have crossed swords.¡± Xiao Wuji paused. He rubbed his chin and sighed. ¡°I wonder if Shanshan and the others are still alive and well¡­¡± ¡°...¡± Mo Yang immediately thought of that little miss who looked just like him. Who knew if¡­ ....She was still alive? Chapter 379 - The Crowd Panics 4

Chapter 379: The Crowd Panics 4

The two quickly leaped off the carriage the moment it arrived at the entrance of Chunjiang Restaurant. The guard pulled the carriage aside to park it. Xiao Wuji took out a badge and stealthily followed Mo Yang into the restaurant. Chunjiang Restaurant was a mess. Many of its guests were looking out of the windows and it seemed like no one was focused on eating. Gu Cheng was forced to be Gu Shanshan¡¯s steed. He let the plump little girl mount his back and cling onto his neck so she could look further into the crowd. Xiao Wuji walked over and patted him on the shoulder, and Gu Cheng almost sprained his neck as he whipped his head around to look at him. After that, he put Gu Shanshan down and let her handle herself. Gu Cheng looked at the two of them. ¡°Why are the two of you here?¡± Mo Yang shrugged his shoulders and said, ¡°I received the news from you as soon as I got out of the hot spring. How could I not have rushed here?¡± Gu Cheng looked at him in surprise. ¡°Don¡¯t you need to rest?¡± ¡°Nope.¡± As soon as Mo Yang finished speaking, he caught a glimpse of ady out of the corner of his eye. Thedy was cradling a child in her arms. The child was cute and adorable, with fair skin and a clever look. Mo Yang suddenly squinted his eyes. ¡°This child¡­¡± Erniu, who wasying in Qi Qingyao¡¯s arms, unexpectedly met Mo Yang¡¯s gaze. She stared at his face. The adult and child stared at one another for quite some time. Then, Erniu murmured in a child-like voice, ¡°Daddy?¡± ¡°Uh.¡± Mo Yang felt like he was being nearly choked to death by his own saliva. Qi Qingyao heard Erniu and turned her head to look over. Erniu was pointing at Mo Yang¡¯s face and saying excitedly, ¡°Mommy, look, it¡¯s Daddy!!¡± Qi Qingyao was embarrassed for a second, but she got up andughed. ¡°The child doesn¡¯t know anything. Please don¡¯t take her words too seriously.¡± Erniu thought to herself as she pouted her lips, ¡®I know things! He looks a lot like my Daddy!¡± Mo Yang asked with a smile, ¡°Can I hold her?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Qi Qingyao was actually a little tired after carrying her four-year-old daughter around for so long, so she was relieved to pass her daughter to Mo Yang. Mo Yang had never held a child before, let alone a young girl. The four-year-old girl was already quite big, the top of her head already reaching his thigh. Mo Yang brought the little child over and sat down, then picked her up and let her sit on hisp. Erniu had never had a father in her life before, so she felt an inexplicably strong affection toward this man who looked so much like her mother. Once she was sat on hisp, she could not help but stretch out her tiny hands and touch Mo Yang¡¯s face. She pinched his ears and muttered, ¡°Daddy¡­¡± Mo Yang pinched the little girl¡¯s cheek, not sure how to react. ¡°Although that title makes me very happy when I hear it, I have to tell you that I may not be your Daddy.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± Erniu thought to herself doubtfully, ¡®If you¡¯re not my Dad, then how do you look so much like my Mom?¡¯ Mo Yang looked at Erniu suspiciously and asked, ¡°Why do you look so much like me?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Erniu pouted her lips and stared at him with her wide, bright eyes, which looked like a pair of small pink buns. ¡°Daddy, are you sure you¡¯re not my Daddy?¡± Mo Yang nodded firmly. ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡± Erniu hesitated for a while before asking shrewdly, her big pair of eyes rapidly blinking away. ¡°Then, would you like to be my Daddy?¡± Mo Yang was bewildered by the child¡¯s blunt words. He was silent for a while before he quietly turned his head to nce at the littledy looking out the window. He asked, ¡°How old is your Mommy?¡± Erniu smiled so widely her eyes narrowed into thin, curved lines. ¡°She should be twenty years old!¡± ¡°I¡¯m seventeen. She¡¯s twenty.¡± ¡®A wife three years older than her husband gurantees a richer life. This is a worthwhile deal!¡¯ Mo Yang thought as he stroked his chin with his pale fingers. Chapter 380 - The Crowd Panics 5

Chapter 380: The Crowd Panics 5

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion When Erniu heard that, she hugged Mo Yang¡¯s arm and happily said in a sweet voice, ¡°Daddy, I really want you to be my Daddy!¡± Mo Yang said, ¡°I¡¯ll go and discuss this with your Mommy. We¡¯ll see if she agrees.¡± Xiao Wuji and Gu Cheng could hear the conversation between the adult and child very clearly. The two of them were instantly dumbfounded. What kind of person was Mo Yang? He was the youngest of the Four Young Masters of Eastern Ling¡¯s Capital City, and he was also the one who knew how to have the most fun. He was always at the front of the crowd when it came to cockfights and dog races, and he never shied away frommitting arson and even murder. He was the only son of the Mo Family. Grand Preceptor Mo was very fond of his little grandson, so he let him run amok. Mo Yang was even more arrogant when it came to women. Ever since he turned fifteen two years ago, he had never been short of women. He had taken in four concubines, and many noble youngdies in Capital City were interested in him. There was a brothel in Eastern Ling¡¯s Capital City called Mingyue Building, and their top courtesan was named Yue Tan¡¯er. She had been courted by Mo Yang sincest year, and she wanted to join his concubines as the fifth. It was a shame that the young master fooled around with so many women and was uninterested in her! Mo Yang, with his domineering temper, had actually said that he wanted to marry Qi Qingyao? What was going on?! They had called him over to show him what Qi Qingyao looked like since they thought the two of them looked alike, which was very interesting. Who knew that he would go ahead and say he was willing to marry her when he was only meeting her for the second time?! What the hell was this? Gu Cheng knew about Gu Shanshan and Qi Qingyao¡¯s rtionship, so he did not want Mo Yang to carelessly throw big promises around. Based on his past attitude toward women, him hurting Qi Qingyao was not unlikely, and his sister would be sure to cry and kick up another scene if that happened. Gu Sheng disapprovingly said, ¡°Hey, Mo Yang, what nonsense are you bbering on about?¡± The young man in red had a look of arrogance tinged with slight interest on his face. ¡°I¡¯m not talking nonsense. I¡¯ve taken a liking toward this woman and her child.¡± ¡°...¡± Was this still the same Mo Yang? He had sure changed a lot! Xiao Wuji did not know what to say anymore. Qi Qingyao continued observing the movement of the crowd outside. She did not know how much time had passed when another strong st of wind came, and the murderous intent that the wind carried with itself made Qi Qingyao feel once again like her scalp had almost been sliced off. She knelt down and hid behind the wall for a while. Suddenly, someone shouted. ¡°Look, there¡¯s no movement over there anymore!¡± Qi Qingyao got up and swept a nce across the surface of Qingyang Lake. She saw that the surface of theke was calm and quiet, as if¡­ nothing had happened. There were only a few trees on thekeside that had been knocked down, which looked a little unsightly as theyy on their sides. Qi Qingyao said, ¡°It looks like the both of them went back to meditate and treat their injuries after getting severely injured.¡± Gu Shanshan nodded. Qi Qingyao walked over, sat at the dining table, and continued eating. Gu Shanshan asked her, ¡°What about you? Where are you going next?¡± ¡°My two sons are still in the State Preceptor¡¯s courtyard, so of course I¡¯m going back there.¡± Qi Qingyao replied. Mo Yang continued carrying Erniu as he stared at Qi Qingyao unblinkingly. He was observing her, looking closely and checking her out. Gu Cheng said, ¡°Those two grand masters will surelye back to look for you again.¡± Qi Qingyao said, ¡°I¡¯ll deal with them when that timees.¡± Xiao Wuji looked at Qi Qingyao and Mo Yang¡¯s faces unhurriedly. He contemted for a long while before saying, ¡°Don¡¯t you think that the two of you look very alike?¡± Qi Qingyao raised her eyes and looked at Mo Yang. ¡°We do indeed look simr.¡± ¡°You two look like husband and wife,¡± Xiao Wuji said deliberately. ¡°I think so too,¡± Qi Qingyao said casually. ¡°I¡¯m Qi Qingyao, I¡¯m twenty years old. I have three kids who are all four years old this year. I don¡¯t know who the kids¡¯ father is.¡± Mo Yang was still carrying Erniu, and he caressed Erniu¡¯s head as he said, ¡°I¡¯m Mo Yang, seventeen years old. I have four concubines and no kids.¡± Qi Qingyao raised her eyebrows and broke into augh. ¡°Your private life is very splendid.¡± Mo Yang replied, ¡°Takes one to know one.¡± Gu Cheng felt like the tension in the air was thick enough to cut with a knife. He coughed lightly. Gu Shanshan suddenly said, ¡°For some reason, I feel like if you two aren¡¯t predestined husband and wife, then you have to be siblings who have been separated for many years.¡± Mo Yang nced at Gu Shanshan. ¡°I¡¯m an only child.¡± Qi Qingyao added, ¡°He¡¯s from Eastern Ling, and I¡¯m from Northern Liang. We can¡¯t be long-lost siblings.¡± ¡°I was just saying¡­¡± Gu Shanshan shrunk her neck back and said in a low voice. ¡­ Many people in Chunjiang Restaurant knew Qi Qingyao, so the simr-looking man at her table made other guests look at them in confusion. They knew Qi Qingyao. However, that young man in red was carrying her child¡­ that child was Qi Qingyao¡¯s, right? No matter what angle you looked at him from, he looked just like her. Could he be the children¡¯s father? The looks of a predestined husband and wife. This was what they meant when they said looking like a predestined couple, right? No other reason would be able to exin why the child was so affectionate with that young man! They had just heard the little girl calling the young man her Daddy! Zhu Shen stood aside and thought quietly, ¡®Mo Yang, whose surname is Mo, should be the grandson of Eastern Ling¡¯s Grand Preceptor Mo!¡¯ They had never been in contact with the Mo family before this, so who would have been able to guess that the grandson of the Mo family and Qi Qingyao looked so alike? Listening to their conversation, though, it seemed like it was just a coincidence that they looked alike. The rain outside had stopped. Zhu Shan nced at the entrance. There was an extra carriage there. After Qi Qingyao finished her meal, she thanked Xiao Wuji and the others before she said that she had to go back to where the State Preceptor was. Mo Yang did not stop her. He just personally walked her to the entrance. Zhu Shen was standing in front of the carriage, and he made an inviting gesture toward Qi Qingyao. Qi Qingyao was taken aback. He really was one of the State Preceptor¡¯s men. He had already quietly sent someone to deliver the news back. She got into the carriage unhurriedly and waved goodbye to Gu Shanshan and the others. Erniu excitedly bid goodbye to Mo Yang¡­ Mo Yang could not help but raise his hand and say, ¡°I¡¯ll see you next time!¡± Erniu quietly observed Qi Qingyao¡¯s face on the way back. There were several times that she wanted to ask her mother what she thought of that uncle, but she did not dare to ask the question. ¡­ When Qi Qingyao returned with Erniu in good shape, Li Ruoxuan, who was standing in the courtyard, could not help but sigh with relief. ¡°You really are a miracle worker.¡± To be able to escape from the hands of two grand masters unscathed was not something an ordinary person could do. ... Qi Qingyao gestured at Erniu, motioning for her to go y with Dabao and Xiaobao. Erniu smiled like the adorable little carrot top she was and rushed inside. Qi Qingyao breathed a sigh of relief, looking like a great weight had been taken off her shoulders. Sitting on the flower stage, she breathed in the cold air. After letting out a small sneeze, she said, ¡°The two grand masters have disappeared somewhere after exchanging blows for a bit, but I don¡¯t think they were heavily injured. They should be making aeback very soon.¡± Li Ruoxuan, who was standing at the side, did not answer her. He was listening to the detailed report Zhu Shen was giving him. After hearing what he had to say, he walked over and asked straightforwardly, ¡°That person who looks very like you, are they a member of the Mo family?¡± Qi Qingyao was rather bored. Lazily opening her eyes, she said, ¡°It¡¯s really strange how worried the State Preceptor is about this.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just curiosity.¡± In between his words, Li Ruoxuan suddenly recalled a theory he hade up with earlier. He deliberately asked, ¡°Does he wish to wed you?¡± Jiang Yeqian, who was in the room, heard this too. His hand suddenly paused on his crutch before he gripped it even more tightly, green veins straining at the back of his hand. Qi Qingyao¡¯s eyes were half-lidded, her emotions just as unusually calm as before. ¡°We do look much too alike, so it¡¯s as if we¡¯re predestined to be married. It¡¯d be normal for him to think about marrying me.¡± Li Ruoxuan imagined shouting at Jiang Yeqian¡¯s room door, ¡°Head Grand Secretariat, someone sincerely wants to marry Lady Qi! What do you think about it?¡± Jiang Yeqian got up. Leaning on his crutch, he slowly took one step after another and walked out. Since it had just rained, the entire ground looked like it had been cleaned of every single speck of dirt on it, while Qi Qingyao¡¯s face exuded an aura that made anyone that looked at her want to shower her with tender love, especially in weather like this. Jiang Yeqian felt a sudden fire rush through the soles of his feet to the Baihui pressure point at the very top of his head. He said in a heavy tone, ¡°That¡¯s really good.. Let him marry her, then.¡± Chapter 381 - The Crowd Panics 6

Chapter 381: The Crowd Panics 6

Li Ruoxuan looked at Jiang Yeqian¡¯s poker face and deliberatelymented, ¡°Why do I feel like your words areing from a ce of anger?¡± ¡°Am I?¡± Jiang Yeqian changed his expression when he noticed Li Ruoxuan¡¯s ambiguous tone. There was a deep serenity residing in the bottom of his eyes that no wind could shift. With cool eyes, he murmured, ¡°If a single mother manages to be liked by someone, shouldn¡¯t she get married to them right away?¡± After a pause, he continue, ¡°After all, this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.¡± Li Ruoxuan raised his brows. His eyes were cold as he said, ¡°Indeed, she should get married.¡± Qi Qingyao was thinking about the fight between the two grand masters today, the battle on the surface of Qingyang Lake, and the fact that Mo Yang looked like her. All of these matters swirled around in her head, making it ache. When she overheard the stormy conversation between the State Preceptor and the Head Grand Secretariat, she rolled her eyes and muttered, ¡°Two lunatics.¡± Li Ruoxuan, ¡°¡­¡± Jiang Yeqian, ¡°¡­¡± Jiang Yeqian was somewhat used to Qi Qingyao¡¯s loose tongue already. Li Ruoxuan was not, though. As the State Preceptor, he was seldom defied by his subordinates, let alone¡­ being called a lunatic by this woman. She really thought he would not dare to strangle her to death. Perhaps she knew. She just did not care. Before Qi Qingyao walked past Chuihua Gate, she casuallymented, ¡°I can hear your brain rattling around in there.¡± Just after she walked past the gate, when Li Ruoxuan was already so speechless he was at aplete loss for what to do, Qi Qingyao stuck her head back out and said, ¡°Oh, that¡¯s right, the two grand masters treat this ce like it¡¯s a no man¡¯snd. It¡¯s probably pointless for me to continue staying here as a hostage, so I¡¯m taking the children home in the afternoon.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid of being taken away?¡± Li Ruoxuan sneered. ¡°I got away this time, and I¡¯ll do the same next time.¡± Qi Qingyao shrugged and said offhandedly, ¡°I have a trump card in my hand. The two grand masters won¡¯t kill me, so rest assured, State Preceptor.¡± Then, she went back to pack her belongings. Jiang Yeqian retracted his gaze and returned to his room in much annoyance. Li Ruoxuan stood in the sun and pondered. ¡°Why didn¡¯t I know that she had a trump card?¡± Zhu Shen thought for a while before he stepped forward and whispered, ¡°It seems like Mr. Pang from Daliang City wants to take her daughter in as an apprentice, which made the old Mr. Gongsun by the Cangjing Lake also want to take her daughter in as an apprentice. That¡¯s probably Lady Qi¡¯s trump card.¡± Li Ruoxuan¡¯s heart rattled for a moment. ¡°Her daughter has the aptitude to be a practitioner?¡± ¡°Yes, Master.¡± Zhu Shen lowered his eyes, licked his dry lips, and quietly said, ¡°A very, very high aptitude.¡± Li Ruoxuan was silent for a long while. ¡°I¡¯m suddenly impressed by her now.¡± Spreading his hands, he said to himself in an almost undetectable voice, ¡°A young grand master who seems to be a genius was herpanion. Her daughter is a genius too. She personally knows Master Architect Li Qinglian and Divine Physician Su Hexiao¡­ I¡¯m extremely curious about her now.¡± She was a mystery. Li Ruoxuan stood in the sun silently for a long time, so long that Zhu Shen thought that the State Preceptor had fallen asleep. Li Ruoxuan suddenly looked up, and his gentle and clear face was sinister and ruthless. Then, he instructed, ¡°Zhu Shen, go to Zhaixing Administration and buy a piece of information.¡± ¡°Information on who?¡± Zhu Shen asked. ¡°Mo Yang.¡± Li Ruoxuan said. Zhu Shen turned around and left. After Qi Qingyao finished packing her belongings, she walked out with the three children. She did not encounter any obstacles on the way to the gate. There was even a carriage waiting at the gate for her. Qi Qingyao asked about it. It turned out that Li Ruoxuan had asked someone to prepare it for her. She then sat in the carriage and returned to the Qi Residence. Zhu Shen only came back after she left. When he learned that Qi Qingyao had left, he knew that his master must have let go of her, so he did not care. He walked into the room and handed Mo Yang¡¯s information to Li Ruoxuan. Li Ruoxuan looked at it. Zhu Shen stood beside him and exined, ¡°His mother was named Yingying, surname Shan. She was a girl Mo Wenshu met when he was sent to Dazhou as an envoy. Her background is unknown. Later down the line, she married Mo Wenshu and gave birth to Mo Yang despite Grand Preceptor Mo¡¯s objection. She was Mo Wenshu¡¯s only love, and he never took in any concubine. Shan Yingying died of illness when Mo Yang was nine.¡± He thought that his master was interested in Mo Yang¡¯s background, especially the part about his mother¡­ After Li Ruoxuan finished reading it, he pondered for a moment before he said, ¡°Go buy another piece of information.¡± ¡°Master, whose this time?¡± Zhu Shen asked. ¡°Shan Yingying.¡± Li Ruoxuan said. Zhu Shen, ¡°¡­¡± He froze for a moment. He thought about it. Did Master suspect that Qi Qingyao was not her parents¡¯ biological child? If so¡­ ¡°Master, if you suspect that Qi Qingyao is not the biological child of the Qi family, we can start from the Qi family and just catch her father or mother for questioning. After some severe torture, there¡¯ll be an immediate verdict as to whether Qi Qingyao is their biological child or not.¡± Why go through so much trouble to investigate her through Shan Yingying? Zhu Shen¡¯s words made sense. If he had been speaking to the past Li Ruoxuan, he would surely have started with Qi Qingyao¡¯s family first. However¡­ he had killed Qi Qingyao¡¯s elder sister Qi Qingzhu, which had offended Qi Qingyao and the young grand master. Li Ruoxuan did not want to use cruel methods to get results anymore. Whether it was because of Si Jin, or something else¡­ ¡°If I ask you to look into something, just look into it!¡± Li Ruoxuan said impatiently. ¡°Yes!¡± Zhu Shen left hurriedly. Chapter 382 - The Crowd Panics 7

Chapter 382: The Crowd Panics 7

Not long after Zhu Shen bought the new information from the Zhaixing Administration, the news reached Zhao Xin¡¯s ears. Zhao Xin hurriedly entered Jiang Yeqian¡¯s room and said in a low voice, ¡°Your Excellency, news hase from Bai Mei saying that it was the State Preceptor who instructed Zhu Shen to buy information about Mo Yang and now about his mother.¡± ¡°So he is indeed very interested in that man who looks like her.¡± Jiang Yeqian¡¯s expression was one of clear understanding. ¡°¡­¡± Zhao Xin thought, ¡®Are you not also very curious? Didn¡¯t you ask Bai Mei to get some information from Eastern Ling, which led to the State Preceptor wanting reports too? Which was why he was able to get them so fast in the first ce!¡¯ Jiang Yeqian spected in silence for a moment, thinking about a very serious problem. Was Qi Qingyao really not the biological daughter of the Qi family? How did things get to this point? The best solution was to capture Madam Wu. They would be able to know the truth once they tortured her. However, if they did that, they would greatly offend her¡­ and Si Jin too. It would not be a worthwhile tradeoff. If they chose not to look into it like that, they would just have to wait and guess. If Qi Qingyao really was not their biological daughter, she would definitely have some kind of keepsake identifying her, considering her appearance. However, if she had some keepsake, it should have long made an appearance already¡­ Was she not interested in her own background? Wait a minute. Considering that woman¡¯s meticulousness, she would not investigate any keepsakes that rashly. She would be afraid of instigating something¡­ However, Mo Yang had made his appearance now. If she really was curious about whether there was some connection between her and Mo Yang, assuming she had the keepsakes, they should appear within a month, he thought. ¡­ After returning to her own home, Qi Qingyao sat in the side hall alone, thinking about something. The children went back to their room. Erniu called Dabao and Xiaobao together and the three took off their shoes and sat on the soft couch in the room. A te of peanuts sat between the three kids. Erniu said as she shelled a peanut, ¡°I didn¡¯t dare to tell you guys this when we were at that evil uncle¡¯s house cause I was afraid someone might overhear.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Dabao looked solely upied with shelling peanuts and uninterested in the topic at hand. Xiaobao, on the other hand, looked at Erniu very seriously as he listened to her. Erniu said, ¡°I met someone today after I was rescued from the kidnapping.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Xiaobao nodded and began shelling some peanuts for Erniu. Erniu ate the peanuts Xiaobao had shelled. Her soft face flushed pink, she whispered, ¡°That uncle was around Uncle Si Jin¡¯s age. And he looked way too much like Mommy!¡± ¡°How alike?¡± Xiaobao asked. Dabao was shelling peanuts seriously now. Erniu scratched her face. ¡°I don¡¯t know how to exin it, but my point is, they looked really alike. So alike that I thought that uncle was Daddy!¡± ¡°They¡¯re that simr?¡± Xiaobao was also stunned. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Erniu said gloomily, ¡°That uncle was even willing to be our father, but we have to see if Mommy agrees to it or not.¡± Xiaobao and Dabao looked at each other. Xiaobao said nothing. ¡°There¡¯s something else too.¡± Erniu paused for a bit before she said, ¡°The old man who kidnapped me said I had a natural gift for cultivation. Then, he insisted on being my master.¡± Dabao tilted his head and asked, ¡°What natural gift for cultivation?¡± Perplexed, Erniu said, ¡°Something about pressure points, I dunno. But the two old men both said that mine were all open and that I could cultivate.¡± Xiaobao pondered seriously, then scolded her. ¡°You idiot!¡± ¡°Yeah, Erniu, you¡¯re really silly!¡± Dabaoughed and echoed Xiaobao¡¯s words. Erniu pouted, dissatisfied. ¡°How am I silly?¡± Xiaobao twisted his brows and said, ¡°Those two old men were definitely tricking you. Think about it! They came here to kill Uncle Si Jin and nned to use you to bait him. Uncle Si Jin still didn¡¯t show up. Then, the moment the old man reached Eastern Ling, he waited for Uncle Si Jin to arrive. You¡¯re the best bait.¡± ¡°¡­¡± The peanut in Erniu¡¯s hand softly dropped from her hand. Her round eyes were blown wide open, and she did not blink as she stared at Xiaobao. Xiaobao picked up the peanut and shelled it. Then, he picked out the nut and tossed it into Erniu¡¯s mouth. ¡­ ¡­ When Lu Yan found out that Qi Qingyao had returned, he came over, carrying his cat. Entering the side hall, he then realized that the once lively littledy had now be very silent. She sat alone, a tea bowl in her hand, looking as if her soul had left her body. Lu Yan sat beside her, running his hand through the cat¡¯s fur. He said, ¡°I heard about what happened today, more or less.¡± ¡°Oh, is that so?¡± Qi Qingyao looked up. She put down the tea bowl, her expression calm. ¡°Everyone got the information pretty fast, huh?¡± Lu Yan did not deny it. He just said, ¡°It¡¯s really important to be able to obtain information as soon as possible so you have many more options avable to you.¡± ¡°And what do you think?¡± Qi Qingyao asked, still calm considering the situation at hand. Lu Yan contemted it, then looked at her. His eyes were clear and dark, a pure ck. ¡°Two grand masters now know where you are, so you don¡¯t feel like there¡¯s a point in hiding or escaping anymore. You think you might as well juste home.¡± He continued, ¡°I agree, but right now, you¡¯re just a sitting duck.¡± Qi Qingyao¡¯s expression was at ease, as usual, as she said, ¡°There¡¯s no need to be this panicky and bothered.¡± Lu Yan sensed that she had rxed a little, so he asked, ¡°You¡¯re the trump card in this situation since Si Jin has not shown up yet.¡± ¡°Not really a trump card,¡± Qi Qingyao said nonchntly. ¡°I¡¯ve just realized that I¡¯m quite the mysterious youngdy.¡± Lu Yan almost fell off the chair. Tonelessly, he asked, ¡°Don¡¯t you find it arrogant, talking about yourself?¡± Qi Qingyao was serene. She asked in a somewhat profound tone, ¡°Don¡¯t you think I¡¯ve always been a mystery?¡± Lu Yan was toozy to bother with her. ¡°The State Preceptor let you go because he was afraid of the young grand master Si Jin, as well as that old gentleman Gongsun. And probably because Pang Juan wants to take your daughter in as a disciple too.¡± ¡°I know,¡± Qi Qingyao said absent-mindedly. Lu Yan, ¡°¡­¡± Who would call themself a mystery? Qi Qingyao suddenly stood up and paced around the room. She held her hands behind her back while she looked at the beams of the room. There was a self-deprecating mirth within her features. ¡°Even I find myself a mystery.¡± She turned her head and looked at Lu Yan. ¡°Do you think that it¡¯s possible that there¡¯s a close connection between that Mo Yang and me?¡± Lu Yan was silent for a moment, his gaze dark. ¡°You¡¯re not really part of the Qi family, are you?¡± ¡°Why do you say that?¡± The ends of Qi Qingyao¡¯s brows tilted up, her countenance bright. Lu Yan¡¯s pale moonlit eyes were filled with shrewdness. His gaze dark and indifferent, he said, ¡°I¡¯m a businessman, and I¡¯m very observant. You just asked if I think you might have a close connection with Mo Yang! You asked because you know you weren¡¯t really born to the Qi family, so you began to have suspicions about your connection to Mo Yang. And that also tells me that the Qi family must have already told you about it. Perhaps they¡¯ve returned your important keepsakes to you, making you wonder about how you and Mo Yang might be rted.¡± She knew it would be easy to talk to someone smart. Qi Qingyao waved her hand. ¡°Alright, alright, I needed someone to discuss this with anyway. That¡¯s why I didn¡¯t want to hide this from you.¡± She tilted her head thoughtfully for a moment, then said, ¡°I was not born to the Qi family. There are indeed keepsakes, but I don¡¯t think I have anything to do with Mo Yang. However, about my face¡ªif we¡¯re not siblings, the only other possibility is that we look alike because we¡¯re predestined to be together.¡± Lu Yan rebuked her. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say back then that there were many people in this world who looked alike? Why are you contradicting yourself?¡± Qi Qingyao¡¯s features were sharp, and her eyes were shining. ¡°If I were a real daughter of the Qi family, my theory would be valid. But if not, then this appearance is very problematic.¡± Lu Yan watched her quietly for a bit. ¡°Do you two really¡­ look that alike?¡± Qi Qingyao nodded heavily. The corners of her mouth hooking up, she said, ¡°One nce and it looks like we¡¯re twins.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Lu Yan paused. ¡°Looks like I¡¯ll have to go back and take a look at this Mo Yang.¡± Chapter 383 - The Crowd Panics 8

Chapter 383: The Crowd Panics 8

Qi Qingyao poured herself another cup of tea. She picked it up and casually sat on one side of the Arhat couch. Lu Yan walked over and patted Qi Qingyao¡¯s shoulder. With aforting look, he said, ¡°Come, let¡¯s wait for another hour.¡± After he finished speaking, he sat down beside Qi Qingyao, seemingly at ease. The distance was so close that it made Lu Yan quite nervous, but he tried his best to suppress the panic in his heart. Quite the opposite of him, Qi Qingyao casually asked, ¡°What are we waiting for?¡± Lu Yan¡¯s expression was rxed and refreshed. ¡°Waiting for the news.¡± Qi Qingyao did not ask him what news he was waiting for as her instincts told her that Lu Yan had probably gone to investigate Mo Yang. To be precise, he had probably gone to buy some information on him. She figured that some news would being soon. Sure enough, ten minutester, Dong Jing rushed back and handed a copy of an information scroll to Lu Yan¡¯s hands. He said, not shying away from Qi Qingyao, ¡°Master, the information about Mo Yang and his mother is all here.¡± Qi Qingyao raised her brows. He had even bought information on Mo Yang¡¯s mother; Zhaixing Administration was indeed highly efficient! Once Dong Jing left, Lu Yan handed the information scroll to Qi Qingyao¡¯s hand without even taking a look at it first. ¡°You can read it first.¡± Qi Qingyao thought for a while and realized she was quite curious. After receiving the scroll, she flipped it open and read through it briefly, before she passed it back to Lu Yan. He looked at it pensively. Qi Qingyao stroked her chin and said, ¡°The information came so fast that it seems like many, many people want his information too.¡± After Lu Yan read the intel on Mo Yang and his mother Shan Yingying, his first words were, ¡°Surely the State Preceptor and Head Grand Secretariat have also obtained information rted to Mo Yang.¡± Qi Qingyao raised her brows. ¡°Will they look into him?¡± Lu Yan¡¯s gaze darkened. He said, ¡°You and Mo Yang look alike, and you know that you¡¯re not your family¡¯s biological child, so you suspect that Mo Yang may be your long-lost sibling. Do you think those two shrewd and sharp men wouldn¡¯t suspect the same, even with less evidence?¡± Qi Qingyao, ¡°¡­¡± Did he have to use the phrase ¡®two shrewd and sharp men¡¯? It made her think about how evil and cunning those men could be! Lu Yan¡¯s dark eyes were filled with an unmoving coldness. ¡°If the State Preceptor wants to know your background, he usually wouldn¡¯t beat around the bush. He¡¯d take the fastest route, and capture Qi Boli or Madam Wu and torture them until they revealed whether you¡¯re a biological child of the Qi family.¡± When he said this, Qi Qingyao¡¯s lips subconsciously trembled. Lu Yan continued, ¡°But now there¡¯s a problem: you have Si Jin protecting you from afar. Even if he doesn¡¯t show up, as long as he is at a grand master¡¯s level, his existence deters Li Ruoxuan¡¯s hand to a certain extent. So Li Ruoxuan has changed his strategy and won¡¯t be following his usual modus operandi. At the moment, he doesn¡¯t want to provoke you anymore, or more urately, doesn¡¯t want to provoke Si Jin.¡± ¡°You mean to say that he won¡¯ty a hand on Madam Wu and the others?¡± This was quite a good thing, actually! ¡°My long stay in the Capital City guarantees he won¡¯t,¡± Lu Yan said to Qi Qingyao with certainty. ¡°Because wasn¡¯t I also taken there when he brought you to his courtyard this time? So I observed his attitude toward you before I left.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Qi Qingyao raised her eyebrows. ¡°He was courteous, very courteous! Even a little gentle,¡± Lu Yan said unhurriedly. ¡°I¡¯m very clear about this one thing, too.¡± ¡°Tell me,¡± Qi Qingyao inquired leisurely. Chapter 384 - The Crowd Panics 9

Chapter 384: The Crowd Panics 9

Lu Yan started exining to her, ¡°Si Jin is around Northern Liang now, and he is a young grand master. This kind of strength makes Li Rouxuan fearful, but he is even more afraid of offending you enough that you call upon Si Jin to leave Northern Liang.¡± Qi Qingyao was silent. Lu Yan continued, ¡°He would leave you without weakness if he were to kill off Qi Boli and the others, or even just brutally torture them. If that was the case, you would have nothing left to care about, so it would be very likely someone without a care left in the world would call upon the mysterious Si Jin to flee Northern Liang. As for Si Jin, if he were to run to whatever country, he would increase the powers of that country several times over due to his status as a grand master!¡± That was rather reasonable. Qi Qingyao continued, ¡°If we were to escape to Eastern Ling, Southern Ming, or Western Zhou, whichever country, that country would then have three grand masters. In that case, the power of that country would be overwhelming, while Northern Liang would still have only one grand master¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Lu Yan lowered his brows slowly and said, ¡°As for the State Preceptor and the¡­ Head Grand Secretariat, they¡¯re usually busy fighting one another behind closed doors, but now they have to keep up appearances and be on the same page in public. The State Preceptor will not allow Northern Liang to be the weakest country nor will he allow the other three countries to double their strength. So he¡¯ll be so courteous to you you¡¯ll start to wonder if he¡¯s mistaken you for apletely different person.¡± A bright smile suddenly broke out on Qi Qingyao¡¯s face. ¡°There¡¯s one more thing.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Lu Yan asked. Qi Qingyao¡¯s dark pupils shrank all of a sudden. ¡°Zhu Shen is following me. I¡¯m afraid he may have already told the State Preceptor of my daughter¡¯s gift.¡± Alert, Lu Yan said, ¡°I know about the two grand masters fighting over bing your daughter¡¯s master. Don¡¯t take them at their word.¡± Profound intention shed through Qi Qingyao¡¯s eyes. ¡°I know. Those two old men just want to use my daughter to lure Si Jin out. My daughter is but a mere pawn to them! As if I would ever believe that those old men actually want to teach my daughter to be a grand master, especially considering that our Erniu is from Northern Liang. Who would ept nurturing someone from an enemy state as their disciple? They¡¯re not so kind or insane as to be seeking to cultivate the talent of their enemy state.¡± ¡°You¡¯re still rather shrewd.¡± Lu Yan¡¯s praised her. Qi Qingyao shrugged and replied somewhat breezily, ¡°ording to you, I won¡¯t bother with the State Preceptor as long as he does noty a hand on Qi Boli and the others.¡± Lu Yan suggested, ¡°That¡¯s right, you don¡¯t have to care about the State Preceptor and the Head Grand Secretariat for the time being. What I think you should contemte now are the two grand masters. They will definitely use the excuse of wanting your daughter to be their disciple to pester you, just waiting for Si Jin to make an appearance.¡± Qi Qingyao, ¡°¡­¡± Lu Yan continued in a very serious tone, ¡°Regardless of where Si Jin is, if the grand masters are to pester you, he will definitely show up. And if he does, it¡¯ll be another terrifying battle.¡± Qi Qingyao rested a cheek in her hand and asked, ¡°Is there a way to get rid of these grand masters?¡± Lu Yanughed in an odd manner. ¡°If your grand master shows up¡­ he¡¯d definitely take all of the attention off you. When the timees, he¡¯ll be the eye of the hurricane, and you will be untouchable.¡± Qi Qingyao did not say anything. Had she not be their target because Si Jin was refusing to appear? As if they could even find Si Jin! Lu Yan observed her gloomy expression. Eyes half-lidded, he feigned a casually indifferent tone as he asked, ¡°Can I ask you something?¡± ¡°Ask away,¡± said Qi Qingyao. Chapter 385 - The Crowd Panics 10

Chapter 385: The Crowd Panics 10

Lu Yan did not want to ask the question, but he could not help himself. ¡°¡­Do you really have keepsakes?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Qi Qingyao widened her eyes slightly and looked at Lu Yan with a half-smile. Lu Yan¡¯s eyelids twitched. He said with raised brows and simmering eyes, ¡°If you really have the keepsakes, what I¡¯m curious about is why you haven¡¯t brought it out yet. Aren¡¯t you curious about your own parentage? Mo Yang¡¯s mother obviously had no other children. He¡¯s an only child. If you want to investigate your parentage, wouldn¡¯t the fastest method be to take out the keepsakes and investigate them? Shouldn¡¯t the answer reveal itself then?¡± ¡°That makes sense.¡± Qi Qingyao was nonchnt, neither admitting nor denying it. ¡°Don¡¯t just keep saying it makes sense.¡± Observing her attitude made Lu Yan suddenly feel agitated. Not waiting for Qi Qingyao to reply, his eyebrows sank and he said seriously, ¡°Wait, let me guess, there¡¯s only one reason someone has a keepsake yet refuses to reveal it. The keepsake might be very unique! The moment it¡¯s revealed, your parentage will be made clear!¡± Were they very unique? Qi Qingyao thought about the two items she had. She did not think that they were all that unique, but since Lu Yan had made such a conjecture, she had to admit it made some sense. She said, ¡°You should continue guessing how unique it is. I wanna see how great your imagination is.¡± Lu Yan, ¡°¡­¡± She was giving him a chance to guess. It seemed like¡­ ¡°Judging by your appearance, your mom and your dad were certainly not ugly. Perhaps they¡¯re very beautiful people.¡± Lu Yan quietly continued, ¡°There¡¯s a problem here. If you¡¯re really not a biological child of the Qi family, but were sent to them to be fostered along with some keepsakes, they must have been given silver to keep your identity a secret and pretend that you were their child. I¡¯ve looked into it. After you were born, the Qi family¡¯s life inexplicably improved a lot, and they¡¯ve eaten a lot more beef than they ever have. That means they had extra money after you.¡± ¡°Continue using your imagination.¡± Qi Qingyao said, in a calm and collected manner. Lu Yan studied any microexpressions that appeared across her face seriously. ¡°Some time ago, Madam Wu and Qi Boli deliberately came to the mansion. They told you that you weren¡¯t their biological child, then you guys talked alone. Although Old Man Qi and Madam Wu fought with you again afterward, the point of the conversation was to tell you your parentage, right?¡± Qi Qingyao, ¡°¡­¡± This man was indeed the young master of the Lu family. His intelligence wasparable to those two cunning men. They were all undoubtedly men with plenty of experience from Capital City! Lu Yan¡¯s eyes were as sharp as a knife and as warm as fire. ¡°And they also gave you the keepsakes¡­¡± Qi Qingyao¡¯s jet-ck eyes were cold, and they were glowing a raging fire. ¡°You¡¯re so smart it¡¯s almost scary.¡± It seemed like his theories had been at least partially correct. Lu Yan smiled suddenly. ¡°I just acquired enough clues to make some conjectures.¡± Qi Qingyao shrugged nomittally. Lu Yan felt encouraged. He raised his eyelids, his expression agitated. ¡°Anyways, if you were sent to the Qi family with your keepsake and silver, this means that your family could have been being hunted, and might have fallen to the threat. Or maybe you¡¯re the child of a concubine in a big family residence. You were resented by the main wife and sent away, but still carried a keepsake with you.¡± A dark current streamed through Qi Qingyao¡¯s eyes. She remained impassive. She wanted to see how much Lu Yan could deduce before he saw the keepsakes. Lu Yan said to himself, ¡°But the second possibility does not hold. Because you¡¯re a girl, and not a son. Even if a concubine gave birth to you, there¡¯s no reason for a wife to think that a daughter of a concubine was a threat. Therefore, the chances of the second possibility being the case are extremely small.¡± Chapter 386 - Testing the Waters 1

Chapter 386: Testing the Waters 1

¡°So, only the first possibility remains. Both your father and mother must have been hunted down and, at the moment of their imminent peril, they had their people smuggle you out and give you the keepsakes.¡± ¡°If you say it like that, I almost believe it,¡± Qi Qingyao said calmly as she cradled her forehead. ¡°When you put it that way, it looks like I¡¯ve guessed part of it right. So, that¡¯s why your approach was¡­ like that.¡± Still rubbing her forehead, she was a bit speechless, but her tone remained calm andposed. She also agreed with the exnation. ¡°You are impressed by my intelligence, but find it a little hard to believe.¡± Lu Yan¡¯s expression became clearer and clearer. ¡°It seems that the keepsakes are more special than I thought.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Qi Qingyao looked at himposedly despite the pressing subject being raised. ¡°This approach is interesting.¡± She was waiting for his conclusion, her interest piqued. ¡°What say you? If you¡¯re keeping me hanging like this, does that mean the keepsake is indeed extremely special?¡± There was faint mirth in Qi Qingyao¡¯s dark eyes. ¡°Come, let¡¯s start with your appearance.¡± Lu Yan looked at her with interest, and his gaze grew more intense. ¡°We discussed the beauty and ugliness of appearances before. Generally, a powerful person in a high position attaches great importance to appearance when taking a wife. It¡¯s human nature to go for the cute ones for picking pet dogs and cats. The daughter of a beautiful man and an ugly woman might still be beautiful since it¡¯s possible they¡¯d take after the father. But if your keepsakes are a twill tape or a jade tablet¡­ The father of a person who possesses a special twill tape or jade tablet is probably from Northern Liang or Eastern Ling, maybe even Southern Ming. After all, no ordinary person would possess a jade tablet, less likely still that they would send their child away from the family. In that case, your mother should also be very beautiful since a man in a high position would not possibly marry an ordinary-looking woman!¡± Qi Qingyao could not even react in the face of this huge truth. She was, however, even more curious. ¡°Why are Eastern Ling and Southern Ming included?¡± Lu Yan touched his chin and said, ¡°Qingzhou City¡¯s terrain is special. While located in Northern Liang, it is actually situated at the junction between the three nations. If your father was from Northern Liang, sending you to the vige below Qingzhou City would draw too much attention. This suggests that your father¡¯s true identity would have to be some prominent figure in Qingzhou City.¡± After a pause, he said heavily, ¡°So, that¡¯s impossible!¡± Qi Qingyao said nothing. She only took in his words, thinking about something else rted. Lu Yan murmured lightly and slowly, ¡°Also, if your father was a high-ranking individual from Eastern Ling or Southern Ming, it would be quite the act of deception for him to send his child from either Eastern Ling or Southern Ming to Qingzhou City. You would be born as someone from Northern Liang. No one woulde here to investigate your existence.¡± Qi Qingyao felt some admiration. ¡°Your high intelligence astonishes me. To the point that I feel like calling you my father.¡± ¡°But you still haven¡¯t shown me the keepsakes!!!¡± Lu Yan gritted his teeth, extremely dissatisfied. However, he admitted helplessly, ¡°But based on your attitude, it makes me feel that what I guessed is possibly correct.¡± ¡°There¡¯s one thing you got wrong,¡± Qi Qingyao pointed out bluntly. ¡°What is it?¡± Lu Yan asked. Qi Qingyao¡¯s gaze was glossy and her tone was calm as she said, ¡°If my father is an important figure of Eastern Ling, then based on age, Mo Yang¡¯s father would definitely know mine. Would Mo Yang¡¯s father not be aware that his wife looks simr to another deceased, powerful figure? So, this point can¡¯t stand.¡± Lu Yan agreed with her logic. ¡°Your father and Shan Yingying don¡¯t look alike. Could a gic mutation possibly be the reason behind your and Mo Yang¡¯s appearance?¡± ¡°It¡¯s possible.¡± Zhang Yishan and Xia Yu also looked alike! So, Qi Qingyao acknowledged this reasoning. Chapter 387 - Testing the Waters 2

Chapter 387: Testing the Waters 2

As he said that, Lu Yan was confused again. ¡°The leads we have are tooplicated. Let¡¯s put aside Mo Yang¡¯s appearance and treat it as a coincidence. If we have to involve Mo Yang, then we should eliminate Eastern Ling and the only option left would be Southern Ming. The person in Southern Ming would need to have a high ranking position and decent looks. Based on the theory that sons take after their mothers while girls are like their fathers¡­ you should resemble your father.¡± Qi Qingyao shook her head. ¡°My three children all look like me so that point doesn¡¯t stand. We can only take it as an assumption.¡± Lu Yan suddenly patted his thigh. ¡°Then, the problem is even more simple.¡± ¡°How sow?¡± Qi Qingyao asked. Lu Yan gritted his teeth. ¡°We forget about appearance! We only need to find out which prominent figure from Eastern Ling and Southern Ming died twenty years ago. Wouldn¡¯t everything be easily solved?¡± He added as an afterthought, ¡°Even though you still refuse to show me what the keepsake looks like!¡± Qi Qingyao smiled faintly and said, ¡°Your deduction is very reasonable. So, let¡¯s go with what you said, and we¡¯ll have you¡ªno¡ªyou can send someone to buy this information from the Zhaixing Administration in secret.¡± Lu Yan tentatively asked again, ¡°That¡¯s not a problem, but will you really not let me take a look at the keepsake?¡± Qi Qingyao said with no surprise, ¡°Naturally there is a reason why I don¡¯t n on letting you see them.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the reason?¡± Lu Yan was really curious about the keepsake. Qi Qingyao crossed her arms and said, ¡°My gut tells me that your deduction is very reasonable but it also tells me we might end up empty-handed.¡± Lu Yan retorted, ¡°We¡¯ll discuss this after we get the intelligence from the Zhaixing Administration.¡± With that, Lu Yan went out and called for Dong Jin, instructing him secretly. Dong Jin frowned. The master was really weird for asking him to nt some spies just to buy information¡­ Dong Jing quickly left. Lu Yan went back and sat down beside Qi Qingyao. He even got a servant to bring in a te of confectioneries. He ate as he reviewed what he just said before. Qi Qingyao took another sip of tea before saying slowly, ¡°Lu Yan?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Lu Yan frowned. Qi Qingyao smiled and turned around. ¡°I think you¡¯re treating me as a friend now. That¡¯s why, as a friend, I¡¯ll let you in on something, since you¡¯re worried about me.¡± ¡°Say it.¡± That smile¡­was very profound. Qi Qingyao said unhurriedly, ¡°It¡¯s not one keepsake, it¡¯s two.¡± ¡°Can you tell me what they are?¡± Lu Yan¡¯s eyes twinkled. ¡°I won¡¯t look at them, I¡¯m just asking what they are.¡± Qi Qingyao contemted for a moment and said, ¡°A jade tablet and a jade ring.¡± ¡°Wow¡­¡± Lu Yan was not usually surprised, but he could not help but let out an exmation at this. Qi Qingyao pursed her lips. ¡°What are you wowing at¡­ Are you that naive?¡± Lu Yan raised his eyebrows suddenly and he seemed to bepletely shocked. He held his forehead and muttered, ¡°You don¡¯t understand¡­ you don¡¯t understand at all how important telling me this is to my assessment of this situation.¡± Qi Qingyao raised her brows then said in a carefree manner, ¡°Are you trying to say that, while the twill tape possibly represents an important figure of high ranking, a jade ring possibly represents someone from a martial arts background?¡± Lu Yan looked at her gloomily. ¡°Yes, jade rings are usually carried around by martial artists on the maind. Therefore, the information you gave me now is basically¡­making things a lot moreplicated.¡± These two matters could not possibly equate to each other, right? ¡°No worries, we¡¯ll go with your first hunch and look into it.¡± Qi Qingyao was still veryid back. Chapter 388 - Testing the Waters 3

Chapter 388: Testing the Waters 3

Lu Yan was getting more and more curious about this matter. ¡°You really aren¡¯t nning to let me look at those two keepsakes? The image on the jade tablet¡ªor the jade ring that should definitely have an imprint¡ªcould probably give us a clue.¡± Qi Qingyao was deep in thought for a moment before she said, ¡°Do you know why I don¡¯t want the Zhaixing Administration to look into these two keepsakes?¡± ¡°Why?¡± Lu Yan asked. Qi Qingyao rubbed her temples. ¡°Because, my gut tells me that the moment these two keepsakes surface, it would drive me into a position beyond salvation. I¡¯d be killed, or have a permanent target on my back.¡± ¡°You already have a target on your back,¡± Lu Yan said, peeved. Rather unruffled, Qi Qingyao said, ¡°I¡¯m only being targeted now because of Si Jin. Everyone is treating me like a chess piece but they¡¯re not trying to kill me.¡± It was different. ¡°That¡¯s also true. If your parents had been very renowned back then, your disappearance would be the best protection. If those two keepsakes are really special, then the moment they are publicly revealed, those who killed your parents back then mighte and kill you.¡± Lu Yan thought for a moment then said, ¡°If your parents were powerful figures, then the people who killed them might be in the same league, or even more powerful.¡± ¡°My head hurts just hearing you speak.¡± Qi Qingyao paused for a moment, rubbing her head. Then, her expression somewhat crestfallen, she said, ¡°Based on what you said, let¡¯s first investigate the powerful figures who died 20 years ago.¡± Lu Yan, ¡°¡­¡± Both of them widened their eyes for a moment. ¡°Actually, I just wanted to say,¡± Lu Yan suddenly gulped and said in an unusually calm and profound manner, ¡°that you can trust me.¡± ¡°¡­And?¡± Qi Qingyao somehow felt that he had something to say. There was a faint redness in Lu Yan¡¯s eyes and his eyshes trembled. ¡°If you¡¯re insistent that I can be trusted, then I can give you a suggestion.¡± ¡°Say it.¡± Qi Qingyao¡¯s feeling of dread still lingered. ¡°We could test the waters,¡± Lu Yan said. ¡°Be more specific.¡± Lu Yan coughed lightly and said a little breathlessly, ¡°We don¡¯t need to use the real keepsakes to test the waters, we could make fake ones. Then, we can get someone to bring them to any pawnbroker. It can¡¯t be a shop under me or people would suspect. So, we¡¯ll simply look for a pawnbroker and pawn it off. If the keepsakes are really special, I think there¡¯d be an assassin sent out after a while. Or maybe¡­the mastermind behind the scenes would get caught by the bait. Once the killer appears, we can follow the trail; it¡¯s not that bad of a strategy.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Qi Qingyao admitted that Lu Yan¡¯s suggestion had its merits, but¡­ They probably would not be able to pawn off the fakes. A ce like a pawnshop would only want actual valuables. Lu Yan was getting so anxious his veins were popping. ¡°I know what you¡¯re thinking¡ªpawn shops won¡¯t ept items that are too fake. You just need to tell me the material of the keepsakes and I can get something simr for you. I have expert forgers, and I can introduce one to you.¡± Qi Qingyao watched him with half-lidded eyes and said, ¡°Are you not just saying that to try to see the keepsake?¡± ¡°Tsk!¡± Caught red-handed. Why was this woman always so sharp? Lu Yan left the side hall gloomily. However, he was not aware that after he had left, Qi Qingyao sat there and started thinking about Lu Yan¡¯s terrible suggestion from before. Testing the waters. It was indeed a good idea. They just needed to reap the benefits from the confusion! She could forge hundreds of simr keepsakes with simr materials but the image would have to be modified lest it be used to mislead others. Then, she could throw the real keepsakes in with the fakes and deliver them all to the pawnshop. When the timees, Lu Yan might not even be able to tell which pattern was real and which was fake. However, the real instigator would definitely recognize the real twill tape. That way, they lure out the instigator while also not letting the others learn how the real twill tape looks like. However, Qi Qingyao had be a little¡­tense. Her thoughts had been flipping about a thousand times in that short period. She seemed to be feeling anxious whenever she got a step closer to learning about her origin. She had purposely been evading the matter about her background, evading the two keepsakes. She basically wanted to forget they existed¡­ She was quite unwilling to investigate the motives behind the scenes. s, she had no choice and was forced to investigate it this time. Her gut was telling her that she and Mo Yang probably had no connection. However, she also had a feeling that if she did not look into it, the Qi family might someday die because of her origin¡­ Suppose her second intuition happens. In that case, it was better for her to take the initiative. To release the bait first and wait for the fish to bite it! Chapter 389 - Testing the Waters 4

Chapter 389: Testing the Waters 4

Qi Qingyao could not tell Lu Yan what was going through her mind, but she still needed someone to organize the n with her. After thinking for a while, she went and looked for the three kids. The three little ones were surprised when she entered. They hurriedly sat up straight on their bed, watching their mother eagerly. Qi Qingyao was unaware that the kids had been discussing Mo Yang for a long time. She closed the door, walked over, and sat down. She licked her dry lips and then started talking about the keepsakes and how she was not the Qi family¡¯s biological child. The children were shocked for a long time but said nothing. Because they felt¡­it was reasonable. If she was not their biological child, that would exin why their grandfather and grandmother did not treat them well. In fact, it would have been weird if they actually treated their mommy well when she was not actually theirs. Dabao and Erniu were a little stunned; they were still trying to digest what their mommy had told them. Xiaobao managed to catch on quickly and he immediately said, ¡°So what does Mommy n on doing now?¡± Qi Qingyao rubbed her chin and her dark eyes twinkled. ¡°Lu Yan gave me a suggestion; he said I could test the waters. I think it¡¯s a good idea.¡± ¡°What does ¡®test the water¡¯ mean, Mommy?¡± Erniu finally asked in a childlike voice. Qi Qingyao caressed the kid¡¯s head. ¡°The origin of the phrase refers to when one would stick a toe into the water to test the temperature before going in. Now, it¡¯s a metaphor to mean carrying out an action to assess a situation.¡± Xiaobao reacted fast and shook his head, asking weakly, ¡°Oh~~ but this probably isn¡¯t the same as attracting jade by casting stones, right?¡± (T/N: Idiom meaning to offer ordinary remarks and hoping for valuable suggestions) ¡°We¡¯re not throwing out stones, we¡¯re throwing out a good piece of jade.¡± Qi Qingyao pondered for a bit then brought out the two keepsakes from the clothes in the chest. She gave them to the kids to have a look. ¡°These are the keepsakes.¡± The three little ones all came over and touched the jade tablet and jade ring. After touching it. Xiaobao blinked his round eyes. ¡°But there is a problem here, Mommy.¡± ¡°Tell me,¡± Qi Qingyao said as she put away the keepsakes. Xiaobao said, ¡°It¡¯s not a bad idea to test the waters but that jade doesn¡¯t look cheap¡ªit¡¯s even nice to touch. If you¡¯re going to ask Uncle Lu to forge them using simr materials, how many kinds of materials can you find that are like it? If you draw attention when you¡¯re just looking for the materials¡­¡± Qi Qingyao was a little stunned. She said, ¡°I didn¡¯t think of that. It¡¯s a good thing that Xiaobao reminded me of it.¡± Dabao looked at Xiaobao with admiration. Qi Qingyao contemted for a bit. Then her expression lit up and she smiled and said, ¡°Then we¡¯ll catch fish in troubled waters (T/N: Idiom meaning to take advantage of a crisis for personal gain). We could just buy a bunch of ordinary nephrite, carve them up with many simr patterns, and then carve the real patterns in too. That way, we won¡¯t be exposed because of the material, but the unique pattern will capture the attention of some people. In the meantime, we still keep the real keepsakes.¡± Xiaobao nodded his agreement. Dabao and Erniu looked impressed despite not understanding. After Qi Qingyao said that, she said with an air of praising herself, ¡°This is not a bad suggestion. I really like this kind of operation where we mask the truth with lies and vice versa!¡± They would use the pattern to catch fish in troubled waters. The pattern would be authentic but the material would be fake. That way, she could protect herself and also lower the chance of them exposing themselves when they searched for materials for the forgery. After obtaining this solution, Qi Qingyao went and searched for Lu Yan. She immediately said, ¡°Help me look for a master forger and a pile of nephrite.¡± Lu Yan, ¡°¡­¡± Had she decided to test the waters? Chapter 390 - Testing the Waters 5

Chapter 390: Testing the Waters 5

Qi Qingyao added, ¡°How much do you need?¡± Lu Yan smiled rather maddeningly but there was a hint of excitement mixed in. ¡°Oh Yaoyao, our rtionship is so good. You¡¯re just looking for nephrite, and nephrite is worthless. There¡¯s no need to pay me.¡± Qi Qingyao said seriously, ¡°It¡¯s my personal matter, so I should pay you. I¡¯m a person who makes a clear distinction between public and private affairs.¡± Lu Yan was stunned for a moment. There was a trace of faint mirth in his eyes. ¡°How about this then, just take it as part of the consultation fee for my treatment.¡± Lu Yan¡¯s words reminded Qi Qingyao that ever since Qi Qingzhu¡¯s death, so many things had gone wrong that she had even forgotten about Lu Yan¡¯s condition. Qi Qingyao cradled her forehead with a look of annoyance, ¡°¡­ I had almost forgotten about this.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Could he still be treated? The corners of Lu Yan¡¯s mouth twitched. He had been expecting to be an ordinary person, but in the end, his doctor had long forgotten about him¡­ Qi Qingyao had always detested trouble and was a straightforward person. After thinking for a bit, she concluded that she was rtively free now and said, ¡°Alright then, I will try my best to be a prop¡ªa tool for you. This is to let you test out the closest you can get to a woman.¡± ¡°What?¡± Lu Yan visibly lost hisposure at the unexpected suggestion. His hand that held the cat froze instantly. The white cat in his arms was squished and, dissatisfied, it escaped from Lu Yan¡¯s embrace before jumping up onto the window sill at the side. Lu Yan¡¯s breathing turned rapid. ¡°Why do we need to rush? This is so sudden.¡± Qi Qingyao was a bit peeved. She got up, stretched her limbs, then said, ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you still need to light an incense or say a prayer?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Lu Yan did not know whether tough or cry at this. He motioned to Qi Qingyao. ¡°Then, sit down.¡± Qi Qingyao nodded. She sat down on a chair to the side. Opening her ck eyes, she stared at Lu Yan intently for a few seconds. Qi Qingyao could feel Lu Yan¡¯s unease as well as nervousness. She was not nervous. ¡°How about this? I¡¯ll close my eyes.¡± Saying that, she spared her patient¡¯s dignity and closed her eyes. Sitting there quietly, she added, ¡°Or, if you¡¯re afraid I¡¯ll do something, you can tie me to the chair, you can also tie up my limbs.¡± Lu Yan, ¡°¡­¡± Qi Qingyao waited. Seeing that Lu Yan was not moving, she opened her eyes with confusion and said, ¡°Based on what you told me about your past sufferings, you had been tied up. Now you can tie me and feel your own emotions when the other person is unable to fight back. After that, observe yourself in this situation and see if you can suppress those emotions and try to get closer to me.¡± Lu Yan tightened his jawline inexplicably. ¡°Can I really tie you up?¡± Qi Qingyao was very rxed. ¡°Yes. Just take it as part of your treatment process.¡± Lu Yan gulped, beads of cold sweat forming on his forehead. He walked toward the outside while saying, ¡°Let me first instruct Dong Jing about the forgery and then I¡¯ll be back to discuss it again.¡± With that, he scurried out of the room. After closing the door, Lu Yan leaned against the door and took in a few deep breaths, wiping the sweat off his forehead. Then, he called for a servant to look for Dong Jing. He instructed Dong Jing to secretly look for a forgery master and prepare some nephrite. As Dong Jing was about to leave, Lu Yan called out to him with a zing expression. ¡°Before you leave, bring me a rope.¡± ¡°Master? What do you need a rope for?¡± Dong Jing was stunned. The master could not possibly be thinking of killing himself right? Chapter 391 - Testing the Waters 6

Chapter 391: Testing the Waters 6

Lu Yan pulled a long face. ¡°Since when does your master need to inform you of what he is doing?¡± Dong Jing, ¡°¡­¡± A few secondster, Steward Zhang personally brought a rope over and handed it into Lu Yan¡¯s hand. Lu Hand took the rope, satisfied. Then he went into the side hall,pletely failing to notice that Steward Zhang was watching him with a worried expression. Lu Yan pushed open the door and closed it in one go. Steward Zhang was left alone outside in the courtyard looking anxious. The master should not be taking things too hard, surely¡­ Qi Qingyao was still seated there. She did not dare put pressure on this patient. There were only two people alone in the room¡ªthat was already an improvement for someone like him who had a psychological disorder. If she simply got up and moved around, she might cause Lu Yan a great psychological burden. She was very clear about this. That was why. She smiled particrly obediently. She stretched out her hands and pressed her legs together, then motioned at him. ¡°Tie me up, then.¡± Lu Yan gulped. He was extremely nervous but did not make a sound. He stepped forward, gripping the rope tightly. He felt panicked for a moment, his hands trembling as he held the rope before slowly tying her up. Both her hands were tied to the armrests. At the very least, Qi Qingyao¡¯s body was not tied behind the chair. After he was done typing her up, Lu Yan¡¯s emotions calmed down a lot. He even sounded happy as he asked, ¡°Do you feel ufortable?¡± What bullshit was he asking? Qi Qingyao resisted the urge to spit. ying the part of a tool as best as she can, she looked at Lu Yan and said, ¡°I can¡¯t move now. I¡¯ll close my eyes. You can test your endurance.¡± With those words, she closed her eyes earnestly. Fully reducing herself to a tool for him. Thinking for a bit, she added, ¡°As a tool, my face, head, and hands are for you to use.¡± Lu Yan, ¡°¡­Ah!¡± Qi Qingyao closed her eyes and said calmly, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll just take a nap now so just take it as I¡¯ve fainted. What happens next is up to you.¡± How was that the same?! ¡°It¡¯s not like you¡¯ve actually fainted!!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you still want to drug me¡­¡± Qi Qingyao opened her eyes suddenly. Staring sharply at Lu Yan, she said casually, ¡°Don¡¯t go too far. You are a cultivator, I¡¯m just an ordinary person. Could I possibly do anything to you in this tied-up situation? What a joke.¡± Oh, that was true. Lu Yan once again felt rxed after her reminder made him realize that he was not the innocent teenager he was back then. What was more, he had not been drugged today and it was her who was tied up. She was the one who could not move. He gulped. ¡°In that case, close your eyes then and I¡¯ll try to use you as a tool to test it out.¡± Qi Qingyao again closed her eyes. Lu Yan pondered for a moment. Grabbing a piece of ck cloth from somewhere, he immediately covered Qi Qingyao¡¯s eyes. Qi Qingyao, ¡°¡­¡± She cursed him internally. The guy was so suspicious of her that he was still afraid that she might suddenly open her eyes. However, it was best to not say anything. She already agreed to be his tool, to lend herself to him for his testing¡­ With her eyes blindfolded and her hands and feet bound, it went without saying that Qi Qingyao had rarely experienced a situation like this. When one¡¯s vision was deprived, a human being¡¯s other senses would be extra sensitive, especially their hearing. The flow of time had also seemingly be slower. Her surroundings were quiet, as if only her own breathing was left. This made Qi Qingyao, who was normally a ballsy person, also be somewhat nervous. She could not help but gulp. Time slipped by one minute after another as she began counting mentally. After counting to more than three hundred, Qi Qingyao became a little impatient. She thought, ¡®What was the matter with this guy? I¡¯ve been tied up for more than five minutes yet he hasn¡¯t moved. Could he have fallen asleep?¡¯ Chapter 392 - Testing the Waters 7

Chapter 392: Testing the Waters 7

Qi Qingyao was getting annoyed and was about to say something. Then a soft finger poked her in the face. Qi Qingyao, ¡°¡­¡± ¡®He¡¯s poking my face? What is this?¡¯ The long finger poked her smooth and white face before quickly retracting. After confirming that there was no response from the girl, he did it again. This time, it was not a poke, but a caress. It was like he was using his thumb and index finger together to squeeze her face gently. Qi Qingyao was acting like a tool, but now felt like she had be a toy¡­that was being yed with by Lu Yan! She could not reveal any emotion nor could she react because that would scare him¡­ ¡­ Lu Yan was indeed standing in front of her, looking at Qi Qingyao for a moment. After making sure that the little woman was not moving nor speaking after he had treated her as a tool, he then began scrutinizing the girl with the ck cloth on her face with the gaze of an ordinary person. The young woman sat on the chair, both her hands bound to the armrests. Both her legs were also bound. There was a blindfold across her face. Her slightly downturned lips looked somewhat downcast. Looking at her this way, she looked pitiable, but also cute. He did not say anything. Qi Qingyao, who was tied up, was also quite obediently quiet. Lu Yan had never really been interested in men. Looking at the ck cloth on the young woman¡¯s face, he thought about how she usually was, clever and cunning, her flitting nces asionally fierce. Now, there was a ck cloth covering her eyes, also hiding her swift and fierce aura, which made her look particrly frail. He reached out his hand tentatively to jab her. After jabbing her a few times, he went on to pinch her. The young woman remained silent as usual. Lu Yan finally became more self-assured. He took in the appearance of the bound person who was behaving like a toy in front of him and spoke with awe. ¡°Are all women¡¯s faces so soft?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Qi Qingyao jumped internally from fright. ¡°Do all you women also have such great hairlines? Or is it only yours that is so great? Obviously, I¡¯ve seen Jiang Siliu, thedies of the Han family, and many young girls in Northern Liang who have rtively high foreheads and average hair. But your hairline is particrly beautiful.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Beautiful hairline? Was this praise? Qi Qingyao was very doubtful. ¡°You have such a soft face that¡¯s also fair. Pinching it definitely feels much nicer than doing it to a man.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Her face once again got pinched. There was darkness in front of her eyes now. Qi Qingyao somehow felt that his words were quite perverse. Just as she thought of this, her hand was gripped and pulled up, as if it were being observed. ¡°Your fingers are delicate and fair, and your knuckles are also very shapely.¡± ¡°¡­¡± What kind of praise was this? It was praise for her body parts¡­ ¡°Your ears are also quite good-looking.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Qi Qingyao thought, ¡®Dude, just keep your praise short and simple. Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s a bit too much?¡¯ ¡°Do women all smell this nice? You smell a lot better than men. Did you put on some powder?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Oi oi oi, how close exactly was he getting to her now? How could he smell her? That said, she did not even smell like anything! She had been so insanely busy recently¡ªhow could she have time to apply fragrance powder? He was better off saying she smelled like medicine! ¡°Although you smell a bit like medicine.¡± ¡°¡­¡± If his nose was still working fine, he was salvageable! Qi Qingyao was done with all the silent cursing. Suddenly, she felt a finger move directly over the ck cloth, touching her eyebrows, before slowly moving down to touch her eyes, then nose, then her lips¡­ Chapter 393 - esting the Waters 8

Chapter 393: Testing the Waters 8

¡°How can one littledy look so cute? Such a nice nose, nice lips, nice eyebrows¡­¡± ¡°I just realized that when you close your eyes, your eyshes are really long. Like two small hand fans~¡± ¡°Your height is not bad and when you sit, your posture isn¡¯t bad either.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t look like someone who has given birth to children at all¡­¡± ¡­ ¡­ Qi Qingyao, who still had a ck cloth over her face, was continuously getting buttered up. When she finally could not take it anymore, sheined through the darkness. ¡°That¡¯s enough. I let you experiment, but you keep babbling and sexually harassing me!¡± The hand touching her withdrew immediately. The ck cloth on Qi Qingyao¡¯s face was undone. She stared impassively at Lu Yan, who was one meter away. After looking at each other awkwardly for a while, Lu Yan asked, ¡°What is sexual harassment?¡± ¡°It¡¯s those weird things you just said,¡± Qi Qingyao said heavily. She looked at Lu Yan, who was standing in front of her, with unblinking eyes. Lu Yan scratched his head, feeling a little embarrassed. ¡°Was it weird?¡± ¡°Is it not weird?¡± Qi Qingyao could not believe what she was hearing. ¡°¡­¡± Lu Yan remained unaware of certain issues. He just stared at Qi Qingyao seriously. After a long while, Lu Yan¡¯s gaze suddenly froze and a red cloud blossomed over his cheeks. He quickly retracted his gaze and did not dare to look into Qi Qingyao¡¯s eyes again. Qi Qingyao was puzzled. ¡°Why are you suddenly blushing?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Lu Yan blushed even harder. He got up and ran away. The door was once again opened and closed in one swift motion, and Lu Yan ran out of the courtyard in the blink of an eye. Only Qi Qingyao, who was still tied to the chair, was left alone and dumbfounded. ¡°Hey you, don¡¯t run away! Help me untie the rope!¡± Steward Zhang had been outside of Lu Yan¡¯s courtyard all this time. He suddenly heard movements and when he turned his head, he saw Lu Yan run out of the courtyard like the wind. Looking at this scene made Steward Zhang stunned. Just as he was scratching his head thinking about what was going on, someone in the house shouted. ¡°Steward Zhang! Steward Zhang!¡± When a maid heard this, she initially wanted toe in but was stopped by Steward Zhang. After Steward Zhang entered the room, the first thing he saw was Qi Qingyao tied to the chair. ¡°Missus?¡± Steward Zhang was shocked. Qi Qingyao said irritably, ¡°Help me untie the rope!¡± ¡°¡­¡± Steward Zhang was filled with confusion, but he still hurriedly untied Qi Qingyao before anything else. However, as he was untying the rope, he saw the ck cloth in the ground and his confusion increased even more. After the rope was untied, he could not help but ask with augh, ¡°Missus, why would Master tie you here?¡± ¡°Steward Zhang, you ask too much!¡± Qi Qingyao answered idly. Steward Zhang, ¡°¡­¡± Qi Qingyao instructed him, ¡°Don¡¯t say a word about this!¡± Steward Zhang replied, ¡°Yes,¡± After Qi Qingyao got up and moved her wrists a little, sheposedly left the courtyard. Steward Zhang stayed in Lu Yan¡¯s room for a long time before putting the rope and ck cloth on the table carefully. After Steward Zhang left the courtyard, he ran into Dong Jing, who had just returned to the mansion. Steward Zhang waved at Dong Jing excitedly and nervously. ¡°Little Dong.¡± After Dong Jing walked over, Steward Zhang dragged Dong Jing to one of the opposite houses that he resided in. Dong Jing felt that Steward Zhang was being a bit too mysterious today, so he asked quietly, ¡°Steward Zhang?¡± Steward Zhang gulped nervously. ¡°I discovered something today, but you can¡¯t tell anyone else.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Dong Jing did not look all that interested. Steward Zhang said, ¡°Master tied Lady Qi to the chair in his room. I don¡¯t know what they did, but then Master ran away blushing a little. I went in to help Lady untie the rope, and I found a ck cloth on the ground, which was obviously used for blindfolding. Later I asked Missus why Master would tie her here, and can you guess what Missus said?¡± ¡°Tell me.¡± Dong Jing¡¯s curiosity was fully aroused now. Steward Zhang¡¯s eyes were radiant at the moment. ¡°Missus said that I asked too much, and told me not to say anything about it!¡± Dong Jing was dumbstruck. ¡°Missus forbade you from telling anyone but you still did. Are you looking to die?¡± Steward Zhang whispered, ¡°I didn¡¯t tell any outsiders. You¡¯re a person close to the Master, how can you be considered as an outsider?¡± Dong Jing, ¡°¡­¡± Steward Zhang then asked nosily, ¡°Say, what did Master¡­do to Missus? What¡¯s the rtionship between the two of them now?¡± ¡°¡­¡± How would he know!! ¡°Missus let Master tie her up, but wouldn¡¯t let me ask more about it. It looks like she also likes Master and doesn¡¯t mind being tied up. And when I was untying the rope just now, I noticed that Missus¡¯ hair was a bit messy, and so were her clothes¡­ Ahem, do you think the Master has a thing for Missus? He also doesn¡¯t seem to mind that Missus has children. Did the two of them do some adult things in the room just now?¡± When Steward Zhang said these words, he coughed very embarrassedly, and his gaze drifted away. Dong Jing pictured some unknowable things in his mind, and his face turned red in an instant. When thinking of his handsome and elegant Master and Lady Qi¡¯s rtionship, his face turned even redder. He also let out a cough, and said while looking down awkwardly, ¡°Steward Zhang, don¡¯t carelessly say these things.¡± Steward Zhang could hear Dong Jing¡¯s embarrassment, so he became more embarrassed as well. With his back turned to Dong Jing, he spoke with an excited but cautious voice. ¡°I¡­well, it¡¯s just that I¡¯ve always been looking forward to the Master finding a girl he likes. Lady Qi is not bad. She¡¯s very excellent and is also my mistress now. There¡¯s also a young Grand Master by her side. These conditions are more than good enough for our Master.¡± ¡°You¡ªyou¡ªyou had better forget about all this once you¡¯re done telling me. Don¡¯t let the Master find out.¡± Dong Jing listened and responded with excitement, but he still had to make his tone sound like he was reprimanding instead of gossiping. Steward Zhang said quickly, ¡°I know, I know that Master is thin-skinned. I won¡¯t say anything.¡± ¡°¡­¡± After Dong Jing left the opposite house. He walked toward Lu Yan¡¯s courtyard with light steps. After entering the yard and looking around, he was surprised that he could not find him. So he asked a servant who told him that Lu Yan had gone to the pond in the backyard. Dong Jing headed there next. As soon as he walked past the Chuihua Gate, he saw Lu Yan from a distance, standing by the pond, looking at the water in worry and frustration¡­ Chapter 394 - Testing the Waters 9

Chapter 394: Testing the Waters 9

Qi Qingyao did not know what was wrong with Lu Yan. After she returned to her room, she asked someone to prepare a pen, ink, paper, and an inkstone for her. Then, she closed the door and shut herself in the room for two whole days. During that period, she even gave orders to Steward Zhang that if something happened outside, such as¡­ Si Jining back or a grand master arriving, he should notify her, and she woulde out and deal with it. Steward Zhang said yes to her orders repeatedly. Fortunately, it was quiet for those two days. No one knocked on the mansion¡¯s door, giving Qi Qingyao a chance to breathe. Qi Qingyao decided to take advantage of these two days to design and modify a lot of simr patterns based on the jade tablet, which was just like designing a series of patterns! She did not design the jade ring, though, because she had two trump cards in her hand. If it was for entrapment, she would only need one to achieve her goal and test the waters. So why would she need to pull out the second card and waste it? While she was in the process of designing the blueprints, her three little children were very understanding and did note into her room to disturb her. When Qi Qingyao came out asionally, she would find the three little children sitting in the study, obediently listening to a teacher¡¯s lecture. The teacher was unfamiliar to her. When Qi Qingyao asked who it was, Xiaobao quickly told her that he was a teacher Uncle Lu had hired. When the teacher saw the beautiful and capable littledy, he could not help but be stunned. After regaining his senses, he swiftly greeted her. Qi Qingyao bowed slightly to the teacher, signaling for him to continue teaching and not to mind her. Shortly after, she told the three children to pay proper attention to his lesson. After she left, the teacher asked the three children in surprise, ¡°Was that your mother?¡± The three children nodded delightedly. The teacher scratched his head and thought about the woman. He had worked as a teacher for the Han family for some time in his younger years. Naturally, he had heard some rumors. He also knew that this ce was the former Lu Residence. Outsiders all said that Qi Qingyao was arrogant and domineering, saying that she had even kicked thedy of the Jiang family out of Qingzhou City. They said she was a badass and was taking to Qingzhou City like a duck to water despite being a country bumpkin. He had thought she would look sharp and unkind. Who could have foreseen that he would be incredibly shocked by the looks of her three children first? The three children all looked like fairies, fair-skinned and adorable. When he saw the children¡¯s mother, she looked like she had not slept for a few days. Her gaze was a little tired, and there was a hint of innocence and cuteness within it. When she raised her hand to rub her eyes, she looked like a confused little child, and she had even nodded so sweetly at him. Then, she had yawned and bobbed her head as she left. There was no sharpness to her at all, which left the teacher very dazed. How had such a littledy win bested that powerfuldy of the Jiang family? And how had she won this mansion from Young Master Lu¡¯s hands? It was really puzzling. Before Qi Qingyao returned to her room, she made a trip to Lu Yan¡¯s courtyard. She had initially wanted to sincerely thank him, but who could have expected that as soon as she knocked on the door, opened it, and thanked Lu Yan for the teacher he had hired¡­ He looked at her nkly for a moment, then turned around and awkwardly ran back into the warm room. He shouted from inside the room, ¡°I got it! Don¡¯t thank me blindly. I just hired a teacher!¡± Qi Qingyao was dumbfounded by his attitude. She scratched her head and went back to her room, helpless. She thought to herself, ¡®He was so annoyed by a mere thank you!¡¯ It looked like Little Yan really did not treat her as an outsider! After another two days, Qi Qingyao finally finished preparing all the blueprints. Only then did she ask Steward Zhang to call Lu Yan over. Once Lu Yan came over, Qi Qingyao asked, ¡°How¡¯s the preparation of the Nephrite going?¡± Chapter 395 - Testing the Waters 10

Chapter 395: Testing the Waters 10

¡°Ready to go,¡± Lu Yan said determinedly. Qi Qingyao thought for a moment before asking, ¡°You didn¡¯t get all of them from Qingzhou City, right? Wouldn¡¯t that draw a little too much attention?¡± Lu Yan pouted and said, ¡°My family owns a jade mine. I asked Dong Jing to secretly bring over a batch of the Nephrite you wanted. It¡¯s all been done in secret, so no one will know. The expert forger is a master craftsman from Jiangzhou and the kind that can be trusted to be tight-lipped.¡± Qi Qingyao, ¡°¡­¡± A jade mine. How rich they were. It turned out that the Mr. Moneybags in front of her really was the real deal! He was a young master that owned a family mine! Qi Qingyao ndered the damned capitalism of it all inside her heart. She took all the blueprints on the study table and ced them in Lu Yan¡¯s hands. ¡°These are all the blueprints. You can get the master to engrave the relevant jade tablet ording to the blueprints. I¡¯ve alreadybeled the sizes and dimensions in advance, he just has to make it following these requirements.¡± Lu Yan went through the thick stack of blueprints. He was stunned for a while before he said, ¡°They¡¯re all Nephrites. You drew so many blueprints for this! It looks like you¡¯ve gone through such great pains to not allow me to find out the actual quality and material condition of the jade tablet!!!¡± Qi Qingyao made a nomittal expression then smiled and said nothing. Lu Yan said, ¡°But that¡¯s fine too. We can try out the trick to test the waters beforehand!¡± Qi Qingyao, ¡°¡­¡± Damn, this man was definitely no fool. He knew her ns despite her not sharing them. Never mind, it was fine. Lu Yan handed the blueprints over to Dong Jing and allowed him to deal with this matter covertly. Dong Jing did not know what Master was doing, nor did he ask. His instincts told him that Master¡¯s trick was simr to fishing. As for what fish he was trying to catch, that was not something that Dong Jing could pry into. In the afternoon, Qi Qingyao, who could finally rx after being so busy for the past few days, sat at the dining table and gobbled down her food. Lu Yan walked in and sat in front of her, his brows set in a frown. ¡°The results of that matter that happened twenty years ago havee out. The one we discussed and I asked my people to investigate.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Qi Qingyao raised her eyes to look at him. After thinking for a moment, she said, ¡°The result is that nothing has turned up, right?¡± ¡°How¡ªHow did you know?¡± Lu Yan¡¯s eyes were filled with shock. Qi Qingyao shrugged and said dismissively, ¡°I guessed from theplex expression on your face that was void of any excitement. You got me to guess the result, which means that this matter is giving you a headache. There¡¯s only one result which would give you a headache, and that is that nothing could be found.¡± Lu Yan looked at Qi Qingyao, who had lost some weight after her work spell, and said, ¡°No court official died. That doesn¡¯t match up with the details of our discussion back then.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not surprising,¡± Qi Qingyao said unhurriedly. ¡°Is it not surprising? It¡¯s obviously surprising!¡± She could still be so calm?! Lu Yan fell into deep thought. Qi Qingyao said leisurely, ¡°Didn¡¯t I say it back then? My instincts told me that Zhaixing Administration wouldn¡¯t be able to find anything.¡± ¡°Why did you feel that way?¡± Lu Yan asked in confusion. Qi Qingyao said with half a smile, ¡°Probably because the Zhaixing Administration also hasn¡¯t found out anything about what happened to me in Qingzhou City five years ago, why I got pregnant, and who the father is. And the Zhaixing Administration also failed to discover my rtionship to Su Hexiao and Master Architect Li Qinglian¡­ if that couldn¡¯t be found out, searching for what happened twenty years ago has to be a fruitless endeavor too.¡± The corner of Lu Yan¡¯s mouth twitched. ¡°Do you know that you¡¯re just like a mystery?¡± Qi Qingyao said with interest, ¡°I also think that I¡¯m just like a mystery.¡± Chapter 396 - The Grand Master Has Arrived 1

Chapter 396: The Grand Master Has Arrived 1

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Lu Yan thought about the blueprints and then some other things. He connected everything together piece by piece. Staring at her with big ck eyes, he slowly said, ¡°You drew these blueprints by yourself, which means that you also had to have drawn the blueprints of that house in Linquan Vige. They¡¯re not Master Architect Li Qinglian¡¯s masterpieces at all. So the question is, are you Master Architect Li Qinglian¡¯s apprentice? If not, then from whom did you learn your talent for architectural design? ¡°Also, if you have no rtion to Su Hexiao, that means you¡¯re the one who treated the Lord Heir. ¡°It¡¯s just that outsiders mistakenly thought that it had to be an expert divine physician like Su Hexiao who had the ability to cleanse the toxins in the Lord Heir. ¡°But if you have no rtion to Master Architect Li Qinglian and Su Hexiao, how did you, someone who was seen as a fool just a few months ago, suddenly be so amazing?! None of this adds up, and it doesn¡¯t make any sense.¡± Many things did not make sense. Wait, there was still another possibility. This Qi Qingyao might not be the real Qi Qingyao. If she was not the real Qi Qingyao, things would then make sense. However, if that was the case, who was she, actually? ¡®Reincarnation into another¡¯s body?¡¯ The thought suddenly popped into Lu Yan¡¯s mind. After entertaining that fleeting thought for a moment, Lu Yan suddenly broke out in a cold sweat. F*ck. What on earth was he thinking about? That was far too ridiculous! Even if reincarnation into somebody else¡¯s body could exin her current abilities, it did not exin why the matter from five years ago could not be solved, and it could not exin Qi Qingyao¡¯s parentage. He had taken an indirect approach and asked the Zhaixing Administration to look for the whereabouts of Li Qinglian and Su Hexiao, but even until today, the results had yet to turn up! Lu Yan felt his head start to hurt. ¡°Let¡¯s stop talking about this.¡± Qi Qingyao was holding a te of braised pork ribs and munching on them leisurely. She said, ¡°I didn¡¯t bring it up. You¡¯re the one getting yourself all worked over it.¡± He was indeed troubled by it. ¡°Are you really not curious?¡± ¡°I am curious,¡± Qi Qingyao said in an ambiguous tone as she continued to munch on the pork ribs. ¡°But there¡¯s no use in specting, so let¡¯s just wait for now.¡± Lu Yan asked anxiously, ¡°What do we wait for?¡± Qi Qingyao spit a bone out of her mouth. She raised her eyelids and said, ¡°I always felt like this matter would eventuallye to light.¡± It was just that right now was not the right time yet. The next few days passed. Qi Qingyao was waiting, waiting for the arrival of the two grand masters. Counting the hours, even if they had been injured during the duel, they should have already almost recovered by now. It was about time for them toe to her residence to kick up a fuss. To her surprise, however, they did not show up even after she waited for them for three days. Instead, Lu Yan came back from outside with a weather-worn look. He mysteriously called her to the study. Qi Qingyao asked straightforwardly, ¡°How was your forgery?¡± Lu Yan took a jade tablet out of his sleeve and ced it in her hand. ¡°How¡¯s the quality?¡± Qi Qingyao took a look after getting a hold of it. Although it was a forgery, it was actual Nephrite. It was not really a forgery, but they had still wasted this piece of jade in order to achieve their goal. Qi Qingyao looked at the tablet. ¡°Very simr.¡± The pattern was the fake one that she had drawn. Qi Qingyao asked again, ¡°What about the others?¡± Lu Yan answered, ¡°The others are still waiting to get their engravings.¡± Qi Qingyao asked, ¡°How long will it take?¡± Lu Yan said, ¡°Since we¡¯re keeping this low-key, I only hired one master craftsman. I have confidence in his work, but it¡¯ll be slower with only one person, so it will take at least half a month for the work to bepleted.¡± Qi Qingyao blinked and looked at him in shock.. After thinking about it, she said, ¡°You can tell the master craftsman there¡¯s no need for the patterns to be too detailed.¡± Chapter 397 - The Grand Master Has Arrived 2

Chapter 397: The Grand Master Has Arrived 2

Lu Yan was stunned for a moment. He asked in shock, ¡°You mean to say that we should let outsiders know that these are fake?!¡± Qi Qingyao nodded and said, ¡°That¡¯s right. We just need to make sure the pattern is circted around enough. It¡¯s too nitpicky to get obsessed with having detailed craftsmanship.¡± It would also be too time-consuming. Since they wanted to fish, they had to cast out their bait as soon as possible. Lu Yan expressed his understanding, then turned around and left. ¡­ Many people were paying attention to the Qi Residence¡¯s activities. Qi Qingyao had not gone out at all ever since she brought Erniu back from her abduction. Everyone knew about it. Xiao Wuji and the others who stayed in the Hot Mountain Springs Vi all thought that Qi Qingyao did not dare leave the house because she had been traumatized by Erniu¡¯s kidnapping by the grand master. The people from Yulong Gang thought so too. Only Li Ruoxuan did not think so. He thought about it for a long time, but could not figure out the reason she was not leaving the house. Thus, he purposely went to Jiang Yeqian¡¯s room and knocked on his door. He waited for permission to enter before he stepped into the room. He leaned against the door panel, nting his body, and looked at Jiang Yeqian, who was sitting and reading a few documents. Li Ruoxuan said, ¡°She¡¯s been staying at home and never going out these days. Don¡¯t you find it strange?¡± Jiang Yeqian did not even lift his head. ¡°Considering her character, it is indeed strange.¡± Li Ruoxuan touched the ck eyepatch on his right eye and said, ¡°I heard from Zhu Shen that Lu Yan hired a teacher for the residence to teach the three children how to read and write.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Jiang Yeqian lifted his head and looked at Li Ruoxuan with an iprehensible expression. He did not understand why Li Ruoxuan had said that. This teacher had nothing to do with the two of them. Li Ruoxuan¡¯s clean and gentle face had a cryptic smile on it. He very kindly spelled it out for Jiang Yeqian. ¡°Head Grand Secretariat, don¡¯t you think that Lu Yan kind of likes her?¡± Jiang Yeqian¡¯s expression was calm. ¡°The Lu family would never allow Lu Yan to marry a single mother.¡± Li Ruoxuan¡¯s eyes curved up. He said leisurely, ¡°I only suggested that Lu Yan might like her, but you¡¯re concerned about whether the Lu family would allow them to be together¡­ I think you and I are focusing on different things.¡± ¡®Jiang Yeqian, oh Jiang Yeqian! You should¡¯ve just asked what such a thing had to do with you. But you had to focus on how the Lu family wouldn¡¯t allow Lu Yan to marry a single mother! ¡®You have been exposed¡­¡¯ Not waiting for Jiang Yeqian to answer, Li Ruoxuan continued, ¡°If Lu Yan really likes her, considering the pampering the Grand Old Master and Old Master of the Lu family treat her with, I think they¡¯ll allow it.¡± Jiang Yeqian knew he had said too much just now, so he kept quiet and continued looking down, going back to reading his documents. ¡°Your answer was too much just now, and now you¡¯re deliberately staying silent because of what I said. Head Grand Secretariat, I think you care a little too much,¡± Li Ruoxuan pursed his lips and said in a trivializing tone. ¡°Other people don¡¯t know about Lu Yan¡¯s illness, but you and I both know about it. Something happened to him back then that left him a little intimidated by women. The Lu family has always been worried about his future, but they did not dare to hire a physician for him because Lu Yan has always insisted he isn¡¯t sick. The Lu family can¡¯t afford to tarnish their image! If Lu Yan really likes that littledy, then it doesn¡¯t matter whether she¡¯s a single parent, whether she already has a few children, or whether she used to have a messy private life. The Lu family will not care. They¡¯ll wee their daughter-inw into the family with open arms! And Qi Qingyao isn¡¯t ugly. She¡¯s pretty remarkable, actually. She even cured Heir Pei! I think the Lu family will definitely wee their new daughter-inw. Don¡¯t you think so too?¡± Jiang Yeqian was losing his cool a little now and beginning to feel very irritated. He looked at Li Ruoxuan, veins bulging out of his forehead, and said with a humorless smile, ¡°State Preceptor, what is the point of you telling me all of this?¡± Chapter 398 - The Grand Master Arrives 3

Chapter 398: The Grand Master Arrives 3

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Li Ruoxuan looked at Jiang Yeqian¡¯s handsome yet gloomy face. He raised his eyebrows and said in a deliberately chummy manner, ¡°It¡¯s just that our rtionship has been pretty good nowadays. I was just thinking that I should discuss things with you when something newes up. When the timees, in case the Grand Old Master of the Lu family disagrees, I¡¯ll go and back her up as State Preceptor. I can also say some good words about Lady Qi. This¡¯ll surely be a foolproof n.¡± Jiang Yeqian, who was still sitting down, could not help but secretly clench his fists in his sleeves despite the ¡®kind¡¯ smile on his face. He really wished he could shoot Li Ruoxuan¡¯s f*cking head off! He changed the topic and said, ¡°Your body recovered faster than mine.¡± ¡°Because I¡¯m only blind in one eye, I can still meditate and regte my breath, so I recovered faster than you,¡± Li Ruoxuan said unhurriedly. ¡°But don¡¯t worry, Head Grand Secretariat. Once I¡¯m almost recovered, I¡¯ll take control of Qingzhou City¡¯s affairs so you don¡¯t need to worry too much.¡± Jiang Yeqian, ¡°...¡± This guy was being deliberately annoying! ¡°Although my leg is handicapped, my brain isn¡¯t!¡± Jiang Yeqian said angrily. Li Ruoxuan smiled weirdly, then left the room. In the afternoon, Jiang Yeqian, along with Zhao Xin and a few henchmen, got on the carriage and left the courtyard without saying goodbye to Li Ruoxuan. When Zhu Shen reported Jiang Yeqian¡¯s departure to Li Ruoxuan, an expression of curiousughter blossomed all over his face. Zhu Shen was baffled by the inexplicableugh his master had let out. Could it be that he was very happy the Head Grand Secretariat had left? That did not feel right. Thatugh did not sound like theughter of one rejoicing over his nemesis¡¯ departure. Based on his understanding of the State Preceptor, his master¡¯sugh was augh of satisfaction after discovering a clue in some mystery! Zhu Shen did not dare ask what the clue or mystery was although he was very curious. Once Li Ruoxuan was doneughing, he seemed to be in a very good mood. He asked Zhu Shen to make a pot of tea, and when it was done, he sat and began leisurely drinking his tea. Zhu Shen looked at his master¡¯s rxed appearance, which was a rare sight. He could not help but say, ¡°Master, are you that happy that¡­ the Head Grand Secretariat has left?¡± If that was the case, would it not have been better to get rid of him earlier? ¡°It¡¯s not because he left that I¡¯m happy.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡®Then why are you so happy?!¡¯ Zhu Shen really wanted to ask, but still did not dare to. ¡°He left too hastily. It seems like he hates many of the things I¡¯ve brought up today.¡± He had hated hearing that the Lu family might allow Qi Qingyao to marry into the family, and he had hated getting further proof that Lu Yan might like Qi Qingyao. He hated it so much he had left immediately! ¡°...¡± ¡®Master, what did you just say?!¡¯ Zhu Shen felt like his curiosity was practically frothing out of his mouth. ¡°That man is quite easy to read in certain aspects.¡± ¡°...¡± In what aspects?! ¡°Oh my dear Jiang Yeqian, it seems like you really like her!¡± ¡°...¡± Who was it, who was it, who was it?! Who did the Head Grand Secretariat like?! Zhu Shen scratched his head, his face full of frustration. Li Ruoxuan took a sip of tea slowly. With a rxed smile on his face, he turned his head and said to Zhu Shen. ¡°Zhu Shen, your master most enjoys discovering other people¡¯s weaknesses and Achilles heels the most. It just so happens that Jiang Yeqian has never had any weakness before. Even if I had killed someone close to him, he would never have reacted to it. But from now on, things will be different!¡± ¡°Is master saying that the Head Grand Secretariat has a weakness? And you¡¯ve managed to find it?¡± ¡°Exactly!¡± ¡°...¡± ¡®What was his weakness?!¡¯ Zhu Shen really wanted to ask but did not dare to. Li Ruoxuan thought for a while and instructed, ¡°Prepare a generous gift. Let¡¯s go visit the Qi Residence tomorrow morning. I¡¯m going to personally apologize to Lady Qi about testing Si Jin to mend our rtionship.¡± Was he not just talking about the Head Grand Secretariat¡¯s weakness?! Why had he suddenly changed the topic to making amends with Qi Qingyao? Say, Master, when was thest time you made amends with anyone¡­? This¡ªThis¡ªThis¡ªWhat was this operation?! Chapter 399 - The Grand Master Arrives 4

Chapter 399: The Grand Master Arrives 4

Early the next morning, Qi Qingyao, who had just had breakfast, was nning to go to her room to research and develop various medicines. She had nothing much to do, anyway. Who could have guessed that just as she entered the room with a teapot, Steward Zhang woulde over, knock on the door, and report from outside, ¡°Miss, the State Preceptor is here¡±? He hade? Qi Qingyao pondered for a while. ¡°Since it¡¯s the State Preceptor, invite him into the side hall. I¡¯ll change my clothes and be there soon.¡± She went back to her personal room and changed into some clothes suitable for meeting guests. Shortly after, she took a pot of tea and went to the side hall. Just a few seconds after sitting down, Steward Zhang led Li Ruoxuan into the hall. Zhu Shen followed behind him, holding a whole lot of gift boxes. He was docile, much like that young eunuch that followed behind the emperor. Qi Qingyaozily lifted her eyelids and swept a nce over Li Ruoxuan. ¡°What are you doing here so early in the morning?¡± Steward Zhang was shocked when he heard her. He quickly reminded her by moving his eyes around. ¡°Missus, this is the State Preceptor¡­¡± There were many rumors about the State Preceptor, and one of them was that he could kill others without even blinking an eye. Steward Zhang did not want Qi Qingyao to be killed just like this. Qi Qingyao looked as calm as ever. She touched her chin and said, ¡°I know that he¡¯s the State Preceptor.¡± ¡°You know that I¡¯m the State Preceptor, yet you¡¯re not giving me any face?¡± Li Ruoxuan stood at the door, looking at Qi Qingyao, who looked like she was stillzing around. Qi Qingyao cidly asked, ¡°What face should I give a bastard like you? I now have grand masters backing me up, so why should I be afraid of you? You killed Qi Qingzhu and her entire family, yet you expect me to be willing to make peace with you? Aren¡¯t you being a bit fanciful?¡± ¡°Fair enough.¡± Li Ruoxuan lifted his hands in a dismissive shrug. The two of them were sparring with their words. By right, a host should have invited their guest to sit down by now, especially when the person before them was the State Preceptor. Thus, Steward Zhang was a bit curious about Qi Qingyao¡¯s silence. He lifted his eyelids and carefully studied the current situation, and he found that Qi Qingyao still had no intention to speak. He was very conflicted. He silently excused himself and asked the servants to serve them some tea and cakes. There was a saying that said regardless of whether a guest was standing up or sitting down, they were still a guest. Li Ruoxuan was also at ease. He asked of his own ord, ¡°Can I sit down?¡± As he asked that, he picked a chair and sat down before Qi Qingyao could reply. He did not give her any chance to refuse. Qi Qingyao gave a cold snort. ¡°You¡¯re so thick-skinned. Do you still need me to invite you to get a seat?¡± ¡°Very blunt indeed.¡± Qi Qingyao did not know if Li Ruoxuan¡¯s words were referring to himself, or if they were a snidement on Qi Qingyao¡¯s words. Qi Qingyao replied with three short words. ¡°You are wee.¡± Standing behind his master, Zhu Shen could not help but break out into a cold sweat as he listened to his Master¡¯s fairly ¡®polite¡¯ exchange with the woman. He was not an idiot. He could obviously hear the sting in Lady Qi¡¯s tone. He thought to himself, ¡®Master, oh Master, yesterday you said you wereing here today to make amends.¡¯ You¡­ How was this making amends? It looked more like picking a fight! Just as he was thinking about it, Li Ruoxuan turned his head and signaled for Zhu Shen to present the gift. ¡°This is my gift to make amends between us.¡± Qi Qingyao did not even move forward to ept it. She just asked him a cold two-worded question. ¡°Making amends?¡± Li Ruoxuan asked Zhu Shen to ce the gift on the side table. Zhu Shen obeyed the order, and after cing it, he nervously retreated behind Li Ruoxuan and stood there silently. Qi Qingyao asked indifferently, ¡°I don¡¯t know which of the many mistakes the State Preceptor is trying to atone for right now.¡± Was this for thest time he captured her, or was it for¡­ that time he murdered Qi Qingzhu and her family? Li Ruoxuan was straightforward. ¡°All of them.¡± Chapter 400 - The Grand Master Arrives 5

Chapter 400: The Grand Master Arrives 5

Qi Qingyao¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°Do you really think you can atone for your mistake of murdering my sister¡¯s entire family with a few gifts?¡± Li Ruoxuan tightened his jaw, though his gaze remained calm. He touched the ck eyepatch on his right eye, then said sonorously, ¡°I know you want to say something about how everyone is equal under thew, and if I really want to make amends, I should punish myself with disembowelment or something like that. ¡°But having said that, everyone knows that¡¯s not something I can do. ¡°So, I suggest you kill all my rtives! All my rtives are dead, and only my second aunt is left. You can go and kill her entire family. Is that fair enough for you? ¡°This is her address.¡± He got up, walked toward Qi Qingyao, and calmly took a pre-written note out of his sleeve. He ced it on the table next to her, then turned around and sat back down on his seat. Qi Qingyao, ¡°¡­¡± He had already predicted that she would reject his gift, so he had prepared his second aunt¡¯s address in advance! She sighed lightly. She really could not lower her guard even the slightest bit when dealing with this sly fox. This man always thought of everything and was always lying in wait for her. Seeing that she was silent, Li Ruoxuan said again, ¡°Isn¡¯t there a young grand master you have by your side? The one named Si Jin. If you can¡¯t do the killing, you can ask Si Jin to kill on your behalf.¡± Kill his second aunt? His only rtive? ¡°¡­You¡¯re a madman,¡± Qi Qingyao murmured. Li Ruoxuan raised his brows. Staring at her intently, he said nonchntly, ¡°I asked you to go kill her, and you call me a madman. Look at you.¡± Qi Qingyao¡¯s eyes curved, though it was with a touch of dullness. Li Ruoxuan continued, ¡°If you insist on not getting a third party involved in settling this dispute, and still feel like you have to kill me to avenge your sister, you can still ask Si Jin toe out and kill me. ¡°However, if you kill me, and if I die because of you, the entire Northern Liang will fall into chaos. If the empress wants to find someone to hold ountable, you will have to be responsible for my death.¡± It was another extremely calm and collected statement. It made his madness clear. He did not fear death. Qi Qingyao chewed on his thought-provoking words and said, ¡°So, if you kill someone, or more urately, if a big shot like you kills someone, you can get away with it?¡± Li Ruoxuan was as straightforward as ever. ¡°That¡¯s how the world works.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Qi Qingyao did not say a word. She understood. Of course she understood. Unfortunately, understanding and epting reality were two different things. Li Ruoxuan looked at her expression and reminded her good-naturedly, ¡°But then again, isn¡¯t this your fault?¡± Qi Qingyao asked, ¡°My fault?¡± Li Ruoxuan nodded in agreement and narrowed his eyes slightly. ¡°Everyone suspects that Si Jin is a grand master, but you didn¡¯t speak up. I couldn¡¯t ask him nor you about it straightforwardly. Anyway, it¡¯s not like you¡¯re that close to your family. I had initially wanted to kill the entire Qi family, but I held back at the eleventh hour and only killed Qi Qingzhu and her family.¡± Qi Qingyao gritted her teeth. ¡°Based on what you¡¯re telling me now, am I to thank you for not killing my entire family instead?¡± Li Ruoxuan analyzed brazenly. ¡°Indeed, you should be thanking me. Thanking me for choosing to be merciful at thest minute.¡± Qi Qingyao¡¯s eyes twitched involuntarily. ¡°You¡¯re shameless.¡± Li Ruoxuan said calmly, ¡°Thank you for thepliment.¡± Qi Qingyao, ¡°¡­¡± Whoplimented you? You motherf*cker! When Qi Qingyao was so angry she was close to asking Steward Zhang to kick the two out, Steward Zhang came in and whispered into her ear hastily. ¡°Missus, someone else is here.¡± ¡°Who?¡± she asked with a frown. Steward Zhang¡¯s lips quivered. ¡°The¡ªThe Head Grand Secretariat¡­¡± Qi Qingyao was silent for a moment. ¡°Just tell him that I¡¯m meeting an important guest today, and ask him toe back another day.¡± Steward Zhang then went out to the front door to deal with the guest. Only Qi Qingyao, Li Ruoxuan, and Zhu Shen were left in the side hall. As a cultivator, Li Ruoxuan had heard Steward Zhang¡¯s deliberately lowered voice clearly. He thought to himself that the Head Grand Secretariat hade here extraordinarily fast. He really kept such a keen eye on her! Li Ruoxuan could not help quirking his lips up into a thin smile. Chapter 401 - The Grand Master Has Arrived 6

Chapter 401: The Grand Master Has Arrived 6

After 10 minutes. Side hall entrance. Steward Zhang, Jiang Yeqian who was exuding killing intent while still wielding crutches, as well as Zhao Xin bringing up the rear¡­all walked over. Steward Zhang reported to Qi Qingyao sheepishly, ¡°Missus, the Head Grand Secretariat forcefully charged his way in. He ims that the one he wants to see is not you but the State Preceptor, and that he has something to discuss with him urgently.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Qi Qingyao paused for a second, turning to look at Li Ruoxuan with barely any expression. ¡°It¡¯s your guest.¡± Li Ruoxuan said pointedly, ¡°In that case, let¡¯s greet him together and when he¡¯s done talking, I¡¯ll tell you my purpose foring here today.¡± Qi Qingyao, ¡°¡­¡± ¡®What do you mean to greet him together!!¡¯ Qi Qingyao did not get up at all. After Li Ruoxuan stood up, he cupped his fist in greeting and looked at Jiang Yeqian. As if he was the host, he weed Jiang Yeqian, even saying, ¡°Head Grand Secretariat, you¡¯re a rare visitor, please take a seat.¡± Jiang Yeqian walked in gripping his crutches. Without reservation, he nced at Li Ruoxuan and said, ¡°Is this your home? You¡¯re weing me so warmly!!¡± It was likely that Li Ruoxuan was in a good mood today as he was not upset at all by this. He replied, ¡°Head Grand Secretariat is very up to date on his information. I had juste to the Qi Residence and you¡¯ve followed me here so closely. It would appear that the news reached your ears the moment I left.¡± After Jiang Yeqian entered, he looked for a ce to sit down without asking anyone. He did not bother to wait for the host to invite him. Li Ruoxuan saw this, then sat down as well. Qi Qingyao looked at the pair¡¯s tit for tat attitude and coughed. ¡°You two go ahead and talk, I¡¯m going to take a nap first.¡± The moment Jiang Yeqian saw her trying to leave, he immediately spoke up. ¡°Hold on.¡± Qi Qingyao looked up. Jiang Yeqian said, ¡°What kind of situation is this for the host to leave when their guests are still here?!¡± Qi Qingyao threw up her hands exasperatedly. ¡°¡­¡± This situation had nothing to do with her though! Jiang Yeqian looked at Li Ruoxuan seated opposite him and immediately said, ¡°Why did youe here?¡± Li Ruoxuan smiled somewhat awkwardly. ¡°I came here to atone for my mistakes.¡± ¡°I also came here for that,¡± Jiang Yeqian said. ¡°I tried to kill Si Jin, now I want to express my apologies to Qi Qingyao.¡± Qi Qingyao gave a massive eye roll. Li Ruoxuan said discourteously, ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you be apologizing to Si Jin for wanting to kill him? Why are you saying sorry to Qi Qingyao?¡± Jiang Yeqian said coldly, ¡°She is the master of our young grand master. You have to deal with the owner of the dog you beat up. The target of my apology is, of course, Lady Qi. That said, even if I wanted to apologize to Si Jin, he is not here. ¡­ Qi Qingyao was sitting in a higher position right now. She quietly coughed again and waved for the servant outside toe in. She whispered to the little maid quietly, ¡°Get Master Lu toe here for tea.¡± The little maid nodded and left. Lu Yan arrived after a moment. When he entered the ce, he saw that Jiang Yeqian and Li Ruoxuan were both present and could not help but raise his brows. ¡°You¡¯re here.¡± Qi Qingyao¡¯s mood lightened when she saw Lu Yan walk into the courtyard from afar. She greeted him and said, ¡°Come sit, let¡¯s watch from the sidelines together.¡± Lu Yan, ¡°¡­¡± Does this look like a time for watching a show?! He nodded slightly after walking in. ¡°Head Grand Secretariat, State Preceptor, I bid you two well.¡± Jiang Yeqian and Li Ruoxuan nodded simultaneously. They did not show much emotion on their faces. Lu Yan walked to Qi Qingyao¡¯s side. The moment he sat down, Qi Qingyao brought her fruit te over and immediately put it down on the little table beside Lu Yan. She said excitedly in a soft voice, ¡°Quick, look, the dogs are fighting. Isn¡¯t it so interesting?¡± The two, ¡°¡­!!¡± Who was she talking about, eh?! Chapter 402 - The Grand Master Has Arrived 7

Chapter 402: The Grand Master Has Arrived 7

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion ¡°Watch what you say,¡± Lu Yan coughed and said awkwardly. Qi Qingyao waved her hand. ¡°They won¡¯t hear us.¡± Jiang Yeqian, ¡°...¡± He could not stop the twitching in the corner of his eye. Li Ruoxuan, ¡°...¡± This woman really did not care at all if others could hear her. Qi Qingyao noticed that the air had suddenly turned quiet. She immediately got up, cupped her hands and said, ¡°Your Excellencies have bothe to my mansion today. Your presence really makes me feel like a light has been brought to this mansion and has made it better.¡± The two, ¡°¡­¡± Qi Qingyao had called Lu Yan over on the pretense of watching a show but there was naturally none to be seen. Neither Li Ruoxuan nor Jiang Yeqian spoke, but neither of them had the intention to leave. This left the side hall with an awkward silence. After 5 minutes passed. Steward Zhang entered again. Wiping the sweat on his forehead, he said, ¡°Missus, another person hase.¡± ¡°Who is it now?¡± Qi Qingyao could not help but rub her temples. No one hade to her residence the past few days, but now they have formed a pile. Just what was going on? His face flushed with shame, Steward Zhang said, ¡°It¡¯s an old man, he calls himself Gongsun She of Cangjing Lake.¡± ¡°F*ck¡­¡± Qi Qingyao¡¯s first response was to chase him away, but after thinking about it for a bit, she said, ¡°No, invite him in.¡± This old man knew her. If she were to chase him away hastily, he might fly into a rage from the humiliation and start openly killing. After Steward Zhang went and invited the neer in, Qi Qingyao, the eternally shameless kiss-up, naturally acted no different this time either. She hurriedly got to her feet and rushed toward both Li Ruoxuan and Jiang Yeqian, nodding and bowing as she said, ¡°Since both your Excellencies are here, please do take care of me if anything were to happen today.¡± Both their expressions were solemn. Neither of them paid attention to Qi Qingyao¡¯s clearly hypocritical behavior. Jiang Yeqian said in a dull voice, ¡°What did Mr. Gongsune over for now?¡± Expression dark, Li Ruoxuan said, ¡°Or, perhaps he had saved his visit for today given we had just recovered from our injuries.¡± A shadow fell over Jiang Yeqian¡¯s face as he said, ¡°It could also be that he knows that you¡¯re here and has deliberately rushed over to kill you and throw Northern Liang into chaos.¡± Li Ruoxuan, ¡°...¡± Their conversation stunned Qi Qingyao. Would the old man really openly kill someone today? Li Ruoxuan, ¡°Zhu Shen!!¡± Jiang Yeqian, ¡°Zhao Xin!¡± Both of them then instructed simultaneously, ¡°Quickly transfer all the manpower in the vicinity to guard this house!¡± Zhu Shen and Zhao Xin¡¯s expressions were ghastly as they quickly left. Qi Qingyao stared at the two men who looked as if they were facing a formidable foe. She whispered to Lu Yan, ¡°Is the situation that dire?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Lu Yan answered, ¡°If both of them¡ªplus me¡ªwere to die here today, then Northern Liang would fall into utter chaos.¡± ¡°You?¡± Why did he include himself? Lu Yan exined, ¡°I¡¯m the young master of Northern Liang¡¯s number one chamber ofmerce. I¡¯m already the person who¡¯s handling most of the Lu family¡¯s property. If I were to die, the Lu family would be in shambles.¡± Qi Qingyao finally understood. Curling her lips, she said, ¡°I say, I¡¯ve just collected a few major figures in my house who can determine the future of Northern Liang.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Lu Yan nodded seriously at her. Qi Qingyao silently thought, ¡®Why do I feel like a small yer in this game? I just got out of a novice vige, entered the first town and already met the few biggest powerhouses of the entire area!¡¯ She thought, however, that since the old man was on the lookout for Si Jin, as long as Si Jin did not show up... He maybe, probably, likely might not kill someone! After a while, Gongsun She was invited in. Steward Zhang knew that this person was a grand master and was so nervous that goosebumps appeared all over his body. Chapter 403 - The Grand Master Has Arrived 8

Chapter 403: The Grand Master Has Arrived 8

The back of the old man who was leading in the front waspletely soaked. Steward Zhang never realized that the route from the front door to the side hall was as slow and long as the path to hell. When they arrived at the side hall. Steward Zhang finally let out a sigh of relief. He felt himself to be out of danger. Gongsun She thanked Steward Zhang, which scared the man so much that he jumped. Steward Zhang repeatedly insisted that it was nothing and then took off as fast as if he was flying. In a show of respect, Qi Qingyao got up and greeted Gongsun She. However, her words came out deliberately discourteous as she said, ¡°Old man, did youe here for something today?¡± ¡°You¡¯re as unruly as ever.¡± Gongsun She sighed. ¡°Sure, I just like seeing this attitude of yours.¡± After entering, he realized there were a few people sitting there. Gongsun She asked Qi Qingyao quietly, ¡°And these people here are¡­?¡± Qi Qingyao squinted slightly and answered nonchntly, ¡°They¡¯re just some neighbors from the area who came over for a visit! We¡¯re just chatting.¡± Gongsun She, ¡°Oh.¡± Then, as if not caring who the two men were, the old man sat down and asked on his own ord, ¡°I was wondering if you have considered the matter I asked you about before.¡± Qi Qingyao personally served Gongsun She some tea. ¡°About me apanying you to Cangjing Lake to help you break through?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Gongsun She nodded. He looked at Qi Qingyao immediately with a look of anticipation. Qi Qingyao¡¯s thin, fair face looked particrly cold under the shine of the light. She pondered for a moment and asked a question tentatively. ¡°Will you kill me if I refuse?¡± ¡°I won¡¯t.¡± Gongsun She added frankly, ¡°So, what can I do to convince you to go?¡± Qi Qingyao said firmly, ¡°My home is in Northern Liang, in Qingzhou City. I won¡¯t go anywhere!¡± When they heard her words, Jiang Yeqian and Li Ruoxuan felt as if a rock had fallen to the base of their heart. Gongsun She frowned, as if deep in thought. Afraid she might have offended the old man, Qi Qingyao added softly, ¡°The truth is, I¡¯m afraid that if I go I will never return. I¡¯m afraid that you will use me to capture Si Jin because of my unusual rtionship with him. If I go with you, Si Jin will definitely go too. Wouldn¡¯t that reduce our grand master of Northern Liang to bing a hired thug of Daming? Your little schemes are too obvious.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve thought about it this deeply?¡± Gongsun She hesitated for a bit and said, ¡°Alright then, let¡¯spromise for a bit. I will stay in Qingzhou City. How about that?¡± ¡°Ah!¡± Was there such an option? Qi Qingyao was stunned. Li Ruoxuan and Jiang Yeqian frowned instantly. If a grand master of another nation were to remain in Qingzhou City for the long term, this situation would¡­ The white cat had returned from ying somewhere; it jumped in with light paces and nced at the few people in the side hall like a proud little soldier. Then, it calmly jumped into Lu Yan¡¯s arms. Lu Yan, who was somewhat panicky, calmed down a little as he caressed the cat¡¯s back. He silently watched the several people present. Li Ruoxuan could not resist speaking up. ¡°If Mr. Gongsun intends to remain in Qingzhou City, do you n on keeping the people awake at night?¡± ¡°You are¡­?¡± asked Gongsun She. Li Ruoxuan answered, ¡°I am the State Preceptor of Northern Liang, Li Ruoxuan.¡± Gongsun She gave an ¡°oh¡± and very calmly replied, ¡°I¡¯m going to remain in Qingzhou City, and was thinking of living in the littledy¡¯s home while I try to break through. I have no other intentions and won¡¯t do anything in Qingzhou City. The State Preceptor of Northern Liang need not worry.¡± ¡°Then, do you think that we, the people of Northern Liang, would allow thisdy to help you break through to the next realm?¡± Li Ruoxuan¡¯s attitude was forceful. Gongsun She was taken aback by the question. Chapter 404 - The Grand Master Has Arrived 9

Chapter 404: The Grand Master Has Arrived 9

Li Ruoxuan continued, ¡°You¡¯re already a grand master, yet you still want to break through further. What level is there above a grand master? If you really were to uncover such a thing, then you would be the greatest powerhouse in the world. Daming would then be a superpower nation.¡± Pausing for a beat, Li Ruoxuan smiled and asked, ¡°Do you think Northern Liang would allow such a thing to happen?¡± Gongsun She was stunned. ¡°Are there actually so many things to consider?¡± Li Ruoxuan, ¡°¡­¡± Was this old man deliberately making a joke? Gongsun She racked his brains, thinking for a while. Then he said, ¡°Alright then. I¡¯ll separate myself from Daming and join Northern Liang. How about that?¡± Li Ruoxuan and Jiang Yeqian were dumbfounded. Lu Yan also could not stop the corners of his eyes from twitching. Qi Qingyao was speechless. Embarrassed, she said, ¡°Don¡¯t you care about your country at all?¡± ¡°I¡¯m already so old. I have no interest in whatever country.¡± When Gongsun She faced Qingyao, he had a very kind expression. Then, addressing Li Ruoxuan, he shot, ¡°You, boy, why don¡¯t you believe me?¡± Li Ruoxuan raised his eyebrows and said earnestly, ¡°If you can betray your country today, then you can easily betray Northern Liang the next day once you¡¯ve broken through.¡± Gongsun She, ¡°¡­¡± Qi Qingyao, ¡°¡­¡± The State Preceptor¡¯s words were still reasonable. Gongsun She muttered, ¡°Young people nowadays all think too much¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that I overthink, it¡¯s that your request is too unusual.¡± The one who spoke this time was Jiang Yeqian. He nced at Qi Qingyao. ¡°Besides, this person is still someone who is rted to that young grand master.¡± Li Ruoxuan nodded in agreement. Jiang Yeqian said, ¡°On the other hand, if Mr. Gongsun is sincere about only wanting to break through, then he can go look for otherdies. As long as they are not rted to Qi Qingyao and are otherdies of Northern Liang, you can simply take them away. I guarantee you on my official position as Head Grand Secretariat that I will not stop you.¡± Li Ruoxuan continued nodding his head in agreement. Conflict written all over his face, Gongsun She thought for a moment and then pointed at Qi Qingyao. ¡°But I believe only she can help me break through.¡± Jiang Yeqian said, ¡°Then things have steered back to the beginning. Two words¡ªyou can¡¯t.¡± Gongsun She said very seriously, ¡°I can¡¯t change my nationality, I can¡¯t seek refuge in Northern Liang, I also can¡¯t take her away. So what do you suggest I do?¡± Jiang Yeqian answered bluntly, ¡°To be precise, nothing.¡¯ Gongsun She, ¡°¡­¡± Jiang Yeqian¡¯s expression was dim, his gaze full of seriousness. ¡°Even if she could help you break through, there are only seven grand masters in the world¡ªno, there are eight now. There are two grand masters within each of the nations and their strengths are considered equal. If one of them were to break this bnce, it would greatly disrupt the bnce in power. This is not something only I am unwilling to witness. The emperors of the other nations also wouldn¡¯t want to witness this. ¡°Even if you honestly just want to break through, just want to cultivate to an even stronger level, because you are part of this world and used to be one of the aides of the Daming Pce, you can¡¯t separate yourself from this situation. ¡°We can¡¯t treat you differently either.¡± They could only consider things based on strength. Gongsun She sighed. Feigning helplessness, he said, ¡°Then, do I have no choice but to give up on the person who could help me break through? The person whom I went through so much difficulty to find in this lifetime?¡± Jiang Yeqian shrugged with a nonmittal smile. The atmosphere in the side hall once again fell into a really awkward silence. Qi Qingyao thought that this old man really did not look like such a deep person¡­ Perhaps he really just wanted to break through. However, Li Ruoxuan and Jiang Yeqian¡¯s considerations were also reasonable. The situation between the several major nations had always been about maintaining a delicate bnce. Northern Liang was the weakest before, but due to its location in the north, as well as the legends of Qingzhou City and the Koi Temple, none of the major nations dared to touch them so recklessly. Now another grand master appeared, and their power had increased. The power between the several major nations had reached an extremely bnced point. Considering this situation, if a grand master said they wanted to break through to a higher realm¡­it meant that they wanted to break the bnce! Naturally, no one was delighted about it. Steward Zhang suddenly walked to the entrance and made an announcement, his face long and grim. ¡°Missus, there is an old gentleman named Pang Juan at the door, he said he wishes to see you.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Qi Qingyao¡¯s gaze snapped up. It seemed that all the monsters and demons were destined to make an appearance together today¡­!! Li Ruoxuan and Jiang Yeqian¡¯s faces instantly turned pale¡­as if all blood was drained from them. Lu Yan¡¯s hand that had been running through the cat also paused before it slowly tightened its grip. The white cat swatted Lu Yan¡¯s arm with its paw angrily. After Lu Yan returned to his senses, he reached out with his hand and hugged his cat. Chapter 405 - The Grand Master Has Arrived 10

Chapter 405: The Grand Master Has Arrived 10

After Pang Juan was led through the door by Steward Zhang, he first looked around the courtyard and admired howvish it was. After entering the side hall, he saw Gongsun She sitting there at one nce, and asked, ¡°Why are you here?¡± His expression dark, Gongsun She said, ¡°Didn¡¯t you purposelye here because you knew I was here?¡± ¡°Do I look so free?¡± Pang Juan restrained his speechless expression and observed the people in this side hall. When his gazended on Qi Qingyao, he nodded slightly. ¡°Lady Qi, good day.¡± Qi Qingyao got up and nodded, her countenance neither humble nor haughty. ¡°Mr. Pang, good day.¡± Then she made an inviting gesture. ¡°Please take a seat.¡± Li Ruoxuan and Jiang Yeqian had never been as nervous as they were right now. The grand masters of Eastern Ling and Daming had bothe and were gathered in one ce! This was a grand asion that was unprecedented even in the Northern Liang Pce. If either of the two grand masters were to cause trouble, everyone at the scene now would die then and there! Lu Yan once again could not help pressing the white cat¡¯s body. The white cat felt its back hurt from the squeeze and could not hold itself back from climbing up and using its little ws to swat Lu Yan¡¯s arm. Lu Yan lowered his gaze and looked at it. The white cat swiftly leaped onto Lu Yan¡¯s shoulder, as if to give him courage. Lu Yan¡¯s nervousness subsided a little bit. After Pang Juan took a seat, he turned to look at Gongsun She, his face filled with suspicion. Gongsun She did not want him to know that his objective was Qi Qingyao. So he deliberately asked, ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re also here to snatch my disciple away?¡± Not surprisingly, Pang Juan flew into a rage on the spot. ¡°How is she your disciple? It¡¯s obvious I was the one who had my eyes on her first.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Gongsun She shrugged his shoulders, expression helpless. Pang Juan said firmly, ¡°I will never hand that disciple to you.¡± Gongsun She was relieved. He said offhandedly, ¡°My motive isn¡¯t the disciple.¡± Pang Juan¡¯s curiosity was instantly aroused. Gongsun She pointed at Qi Qingyao. ¡°It¡¯s her.¡± Immediately, he smiled slightly. ¡°As you see, we are not after the same thing, so you don¡¯t have to worry.¡± Pang Juan frowned and nced at Qi Qingyao. He felt that this littledy was a fair woman at best, but what potential of hers had caught Gongsun She¡¯s attention? Qi Qingyao was very nervous inside, but on the surface she smiled prettily. ¡°Both of you came here today, one of you is after me and the other is after my daughter. Please give up because you won¡¯t get what you want.¡± When Qi Qingyao¡¯s words dropped¡­ The people who were most nervous were Li Ruoxuan and Jiang Yeqian; both of them were afraid that the two old men would suddenly act out in anger. Pang Juan frowned and said, ¡°Littledy, are you not afraid that this old man will kill you in a fit of rage and take away the little girl?¡± Qi Qingyao¡¯s eyes were half shut as she murmured, ¡°Then, you would have to battle this Mr. Gongsun next to you because he will protect me.¡± Pang Juan said seriously, ¡°Since you already said that his goal cannot be achieved, why would he possibly protect you?¡± Gongsun She rubbed between his brows and said helplessly, ¡°Actually, I would have to protect her.¡± Pang Juan turned to look at him questioningly. Gongsun She¡¯s eyebrows drooped slightly. ¡°Because I think she¡¯s useful to me.¡± Pang Juan was really curious now. ¡°What use could a littledy like her be to you?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to concern yourself about this.¡± Gongsun She waved his hand. Lu Yan saw the situation and knew an opportunity hade. He interrupted loudly, ¡°Mr. Pang, Mr. Gongsun said that Qi Qingyao could help him surpass the level of a grand master.¡± Jiang Yeqian, ¡°¡­¡± Why did you say that?! Li Ruoxuan, ¡°¡­¡± Lu Yan has gone mad! Did he want to push Qi Qingyao into an abyss of suffering? ¡°??¡± Pang Juan widened his eyes. The grand master revealed a particrly surprised expression and said, ¡°This littledy has such an ability?¡± Gongsun shot Lu Yan an angry look and said, ¡°She doesn¡¯t, don¡¯t listen to that spring chicken¡¯s nonsense.¡± After that, he changed his attitude and said a little impatiently, ¡°If you want to kill her, just kill her.¡± Jiang Yeqian and Li Ruoxuan¡¯s hearts had risen to their throats. They cursed internally. What fit was this old man Gongsun throwing now? Stop provoking Pang anymore! That old man could kidnap people in the middle of the night, meaning he was not normal to begin with! ¡®If you provoke him now till he loses it, he will really start killing people openly¡­¡¯ Pang Juan considered Gongsun She¡¯s attitude. ¡°Seeing how nervous you are that you even changed the topic, insisting that I kill this littledy¡­¡± Could it be that the kid was actually speaking the truth, that this littledy really could help grand masters break through? However, how could that be possible? She was just an ordinary littledy! Wait a minute¡­ Her daughter was born with all seventeen of her pressure points open and had the natural gift for cultivation! How could thisdy possibly be an ordinary person?! Pang Juan could not help but ask, ¡°What kind of person are you?¡± Gongsun She interjected heavily, ¡°She really isn¡¯t anything, she¡¯s just an ordinary person!¡± Pang Juan mulled over the changes in old man Gongsun¡¯s tone from the start till the end. He closed his eyes and said, ¡°Old man Gongsun, you are really nervous~ You¡¯re afraid I will steal the littledy!¡± Gongsun She¡¯s calm gaze was filled with imperceptible nervousness and he tly denied it. ¡°I¡¯m not nervous! If you want to snatch her away then go ahead.¡± ¡°You¡¯re going the other way. Very smart, but I don¡¯t believe you.¡± Pang Juan secretly analyzed the situation at present. ¡°You came to Qi Residence one step earlier than me, but you are still sitting here. The little girl is not here and you just said that your objective is this woman¡­¡± ¡°Just say whatever you want to say, I¡¯m toozy to deal with you,¡± Gongsun She said in an utterly difited manner. ¡°Since our motives are different, I will not take yours and you also won¡¯t take mine.¡± Pang Juan asked again, ¡°Exactly what use does she have to be able to help grand masters break through?¡± Could she be the legendary fated person? Gongsun She was being forcefully questioned and became extremely anxious. He cursed, ¡°You really are stupid, you. Which grand master has even broken through before this?¡± Pang Juan was speechless. Gongsun She spat, ¡°Seriously, what a load of nonsense!!¡± Pang Juan watched the cursing Gongsun She calmly and a smile appeared on his face. Gongsun She suddenly thought of something and said, ¡°I admit that I did believe that this kid could help me break through, but I also just think that this kid is destined for me and me alone. You didn¡¯t sense that this girl was predestined to be with you, so there¡¯s no point in you fighting me for her.¡± Pang Juan, ¡°¡­¡± Could it be that the new young Northern Liang grand master was initially a low-ranked martial artist, but because he had been in close proximity with this littledy, his rank quickly rose a few levels till he reached rank nine? Then, he surpassed rank nine and reached the level of a grand master? Was that why no one in the world knew the identity of this young grand master? Because he had suddenly risen up in a short period? If no one knew about him, the young man might have even broken past the level of a grand master if given just a bit more time. If you looked at it that way, this littledy could potentially be the fated person of legends that could help those of the grand master level to break through! Pang Juan suddenly decided on something in his heart. He said, ¡°Littledy, I don¡¯t want your daughter to be my disciple anymore. I want you toe with me, and help me break through!¡± Gongsun She, ¡°???¡± Did he not already decide on wanting to have the disciple, goddamnit?! Qi Qingyao, ¡°¡­¡± Jiang Yeqian, ¡°¡­¡± Li Ruoxuan, ¡°¡­¡± Lu Yan, ¡°¡­¡± Chapter 406 - Si Jins Return 1

Chapter 406: Si Jin¡¯s Return 1

Lu Yan had a vague sense of anticipation. His initial intention was to have Pang Juan and Gongsun She fight one another, a life and death battle if possible. After all, if the two grand masters were to fight till they were half dead, then Li Ruoxuan could send out a few rank nines and eights to promptly take them out and they would be able to get rid of both of them. However, who would have thought that Gongsun She would be so insistent on Pang Juan not finding out about Qi Qingyao¡¯s use? It was a good thing that the old man finally realized something. So, were they going to fight each other now? Li Ruoxuan suddenly called out, ¡°Hold on!¡± Everyone¡¯s gazes were directed toward him. Pang Juan did not recognize Li Ruoxuan, so he asked, ¡°What¡¯s your opinion?¡± Li Ruoxuan stood up and instinctively stroked the eye patch over his right eye, then said, ¡°First of all, I¡¯m the State Preceptor of Northern Liang. The one beside me is the Head Grand Secretariat of Northern Liang and the one beside Qi Qingyao is the young master of the Lu family, number one chamber ofmerce of Northern Liang.¡± Lu Yan felt a little bit shocked by his introduction of him. Li Ruoxuan¡¯s expression was indifferent. ¡°Right before Mr. Pang came, Mr. Gongsun had decided to ally himself with Northern Liang just to remain by Qi Qingyao¡¯s side.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Pang Juan turned his head to look at Gongsun She in disbelief. An innocent expression on his face, Gongsun She began to whistle without any intention of admitting that he had just decided to renounce his nationality. ¡°But we have also expressed our intentions very clear.¡± Li Ruoxuan¡¯s expression was restrained, his face so calm that one could not find any loopholes within it. He continued, ¡°The power of the several major nations is currently very bnced. They all have two grand masters and everyone can restrain each other to bnce things. But you, all of you, want to break through beyond the rank of grand master by staying by the side of a littledy in Northern Liang. Do you really think we of Northern Liang would agree? Be it taking her away or remaining in Qingzhou City, both are out of the question.¡± Pang Juan looked toward Li Ruoxuan, smiling yet not quite. ¡°State Preceptor, your life is at stake when you say this.¡± ¡°I know.¡± Li Ruoxuan nodded nomittally. Pang Juan asked, ¡°And you still dare spout streams of empty rhetoric here?¡± ¡°I¡¯m just judging the case as it stands.¡± Li Ruoxuan¡¯s eyes were half-lidded and he looked quite serious. ¡°You and I are both clear that we cannot possibly allow a grand master to break through, no matter who that grand master is.¡± Pang Juan¡¯s gaze concealed a sharp edge. ¡°And if we want to take this littledy away no matter what?¡± Gongsun She gave a start. He raised eyelids suddenly and he said seriously, ¡°We? Pang Juan, who¡¯s we?¡± Pang Juan¡¯s old face was filled with solemnity. ¡°You won¡¯t be able to take this littledy away on your own but if you and I were to join forces, the young grand master wouldn¡¯t be able to stop us even if he were to show up. By that time, we could have made use of the littledy. Don¡¯t you think it¡¯ll be nice to break through together?¡± ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± Gongsun thought about it and found the suggestion reasonable. Jiang Yeqian and Li Ruoxuan¡¯s expressions simultaneously changed. Lu Yan¡¯s expression was even more stiff. They had never considered the possibility that these two grand masters from different nations would join forces. In the end, they really did decide to work together. For a moment, the atmosphere in the side hall was terrifyingly quiet. One could probably even hear a needle dropping on the ground. Qi Qingyao¡¯s eyes were covered with frost and snow and her eyebrows drooped as she said, ¡°Have you never considered that you might not win against our Si Jin even if you were to join forces?¡± Pang Juan rubbed the white beard on his chin and said, ¡°Whether or not we can beat him would only be clear once we battled.¡± Gongsun She had spoken with Qi Qingyao longer before this and so, he was more sensitive to her antics. After thinking for a bit, he asked, ¡°Littledy, why do I feel that you¡¯re making an empty show of strength?¡± Chapter 407 - Si Jins Return 2

Chapter 407: Si Jin¡¯s Return 2

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion ¡°How can you tell?¡± Qi Qingyao¡¯s voice was very soft and slow, and one could hardly hear any emotions from it. Gongsun She analyzed the situation and said, ¡°Everyone says that your Si Jin is a grand master but the two of us have been in Qingzhou City for so long yet we have never seen him.¡± ¡°Is he afraid of death, or...has he already left Qingzhou City?¡± ¡°If he has left Qingzhou City, the two of us joining forces to take you away can definitely lure him out.¡± After saying these three sentences, Gongsun She¡¯s expression became even more deep and profound, like a vague rainy daybined with damp winds. ¡°Looking at it another way, we have both been here for half an hour but the young grand master has not appeared, which suggests one thing¡ªhe might have already left you.¡± ¡°...¡± Light and shadow flickered in Qi Qingyao¡¯s dazed eyes, but she said not a word. Gongsun She licked his dry lips and whispered, ¡°Your trump card is gone. That¡¯s why you can only bluff and bluster.¡± Qi Qingyao, ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Looks like I hit the nail on the head.¡± Gongsun She smiled faintly and asked, ¡°Is that right?¡± Qi Qingyao, ¡°...¡± ¡®F*ck, as if you¡¯re right!¡¯ Gongsun She observed Qi Qingyao¡¯s silence and knew he had guessed right. Instantly bing more energetic, he added, ¡°Since you are useful to me, I don¡¯t want to be rough to you. You¡¯d better follow me obediently now.¡± ¡°Will you start killing if I don¡¯t go with you?¡± The littledy¡¯s eyes were ck, shining, and her voice was crisp. Her smile was calm. ¡°I will.¡± Gongsun She knew Si Jin was not around and so revealed his true self. He threatened her, ¡°If I can¡¯t use you, I will just destroy you.¡± Pang Juan was very satisfied with Gongsun She¡¯s analysis and threats. As long as the littledy was willing to go with them and help them both break through, everything would be great. Hearing this, Qi Qingyao certainly felt as if the air had be sticky; it was a sense of oppression that could only belong to a grand master. It made her feel as if her breathing had be slow. She took in a breath forcefully and rounded the three silent men. ¡°Do all three of you not have any objections?¡± Jiang Yeqian asked, ¡°Do you really have no way of calling for Si Jin?¡± Qi Qingyao was slightly stunned. Her ck eyes were filled with curiosity. ¡°What method can I possibly use to call forth a grand master?¡± Jiang Yeqian disregarded Pang Juan and Gongsun She¡¯s existence and said boldly to her, ¡°I feel that that kid is amazing, so just try and shout!¡± These words were meant tofort her, but they were also a bet!?He was betting on the kid¡¯s uniqueness. Qi Qingyao abruptly supported herself on the handrail and stood up. She wanted to go to the courtyard and call for him but her feet were so heavy that she could not lift them. She knew that she had no choice and there was no more room for thinking. She could only bet on it. With that. Qi Qing exerted her throat, exhausting all her strength. ¡°Si Jin¡ª¡ª!!!¡± The pration of her voice was not strong, but it carried very strong emotions and longing. Then, she shouted three more words. ¡°I miss you!!!¡± These three words carried the young woman¡¯s whimper and a hint of terrified helplessness. After Qi Qingyao was done shouting, she felt her entire body be somewhat weaker. She sat on the chair and started panting. There was silence in the side hall. The scalps of the several servants outside the hall, as well as Steward Zhang, went numb. That was because, even if they could not see it, they could already guess that des had been drawn in the hall! To have the Missus shout Si Jin¡¯s name so loudly and helplessly out of nowhere, it seemed that the situation had already reached an extreme tension. What use was this shout, however? Water that was far away could not put out a fire so close! It waspletely futile. Chapter 408 - Si Jins Return 3

Chapter 408: Si Jin¡¯s Return 3

Steward Zhang thought internally, ¡®Oh State Preceptor, please think of something. Oh Head Grand Secretariat, you think of something too. Although everything is futile in the face of absolute power, if this situation isn¡¯t dealt with properly, everyone in the Qi Residence will be killed!¡¯ Lu Yan sat there, unmoving. The white cat on his shoulder had at some point already jumped off. Itnded on the teapoy at the side and crouched down quietly. No one noticed that the little white cat spat out nearly imperceptible gold thread from its mouth. Rather than gold thread, it was more like a gold light that was so fine it looked like shing silk. Immediately, a silhouette appeared on the roof of the side hall out of thin air. The youth stood under the sun, his hair dyed a glittering color of brittle gold. He was wearing a white cotton robe, beautiful and resplendent dark gold koi patterns embroidered on the cloth. The youth leaped down from the rooftop. Steward Zhang was taken aback, while all the guards who were looking over the house were taken aback. Si Jin rushed to the side hall excitedly. Pushing open the door, he stood at the entrance and looked at Qi Qingyao from afar. ¡°Sister?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Qi Qingyao was stunned. Looking at the youth against the backlight, she could not clearly see his face. Jiang Yeqian¡¯s expression gave a start. ¡°He actually showed up?¡± Li Ruoxuan was more concerned about something else. ¡°How did he appear?¡± After Gongsun She returned to his senses, he murmured, ¡°Teleportation?¡± This was not something a grand master could do! Si Jin strode to the front of Qi Qingyao. The pressure in the air had been dissipated by his arrival. Qi Qingyao quietly saw Si Jin¡¯s face clearly and then got up excitedly. She touched his face, squeezed his ears, and asked incredulously, ¡°You really showed up?¡± She was not dreaming, was she? Si Jin shook his head and said with a smile, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you miss me? So, I told my grandpa that I needed toe here immediately and he let me.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that your family was in decline?¡± Where did this grandpae from? Qi Qingyao asked, stunned. Qi Qingyao¡¯s words reminded Si Jin that he had no grandfather in the background he previously fabricated. ¡°Ah!¡± Si Jin eximed in embarrassment, then he murmured, ¡°He¡¯s not my real grandpa¡­ he¡¯s just someone that saved me.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Although his words were vague, Qi Qingyao epted them since it could very well be some old man he did not know that rescued him. That was not important, however. What was important now was that Si Jin had returned, her savior had returned!! Qi Qingyao pinched his cheeks again. ¡°Let me have a good look at you.¡± Si Jin stood there obediently, letting Qi Qingyao prod and poke him. Once Qi Qingyao was done pinching the boy¡¯s soft cheeks, she then marveled at how he was still as pure and beautiful as he was from the day they met, and could not help but praise him, ¡°Si Jin is still so cute!¡± ¡°Sister, I really missed you,¡± Si Jin said, his eyes getting wet. Qi Qingyao pressed Si Jin¡¯s head onto her shoulder consolingly and said, ¡°I also missed you so much. I almost died missing you.¡± Jiang Yeqian saw this scene and could not stop his expression from turning ugly. He thought to himself, ¡®Was this really the time for you two to be so affectionate with one another?¡¯ Li Ruoxuan noticed something was off beside him and subconsciously nced at Jiang Yeqian¡¯s expression. Ascertaining that his face was indeed filled with jealousy, Li Ruoxuan thought, ¡®Was it really wise for you to disy your weakness so obviously, Head Grand Secretariat? Looks like the Head Grand Secretariat really loves this littledy!¡¯ Chapter 409 - Si Jins Return 4

Chapter 409: Si Jin¡¯s Return 4

Si Jin hugged Qi Qingyao and acted like a child. ¡°I know someone wants to kill you, but Grandpa said you wouldn¡¯t be in any danger, so that¡¯s why I never came back.¡± Qi Qingyao let go of him, and asked, ¡°Are you hurt? Have you been recuperating well?¡± When Jiang Yeqian saw the two finally let go of each other, his expression improved. Si Jin pouted, feeling embarrassed, ¡°My wounds had healed up really fast! I hadn¡¯t just been recuperating. I didn¡¯te back for so long because Grandpa said I was really stupid for having been caught by the summoning array. He¡¯s been teaching me about summoning arrays all this time, and I was learning how to break them and deploy them.¡± ¡°How much have you learned?¡± Qi Qingyao asked. ¡°Li Ruoxuan¡¯s summoning array definitely won¡¯t be able to trap me next time!¡± Si Jin nced at Li Ruoxuan pointedly and then said, ¡°I¡¯ll be able toy an array on this house in the future as well!¡± ¡°How awesome.¡± Qi Qingyao was so surprised her jaw almost hit the ground. Li Ruoxuan, ¡°¡­¡± Had he learned most of the arrays in such a short time? How was that possible? Could this kid be a level above a genius? Pang Juan and Gongsun She had locked their gazes on the boy ever since he entered the house. The two were quite confused because they could not sense any powerful aura from this young man. It rendered Pang Juan very puzzled. ¡°This is the young grand master?¡± Qi Qingyao was suddenly stunned. Only then did she remember the situation she was currently in. She quickly said, ¡°Let me introduce him to everyone first.¡± She pulled Si Jin¡¯s hand and pointed at the two individuals there. ¡°This is the grand master Pang Juan from Daliang City of Eastern Ling, and that is Mr. Gongsun She from Daming¡¯s Cangjing Lake.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Si Jin¡¯s gaze was calm as he shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t know them.¡± Pang Juan, ¡°¡­¡± Gongsun She, ¡°¡­¡± The two old men simultaneously thought, ¡®We won¡¯t argue with a kid who¡¯s just been promoted to grand master yet doesn¡¯t recognize his seniors!¡¯ Just at the right moment, Lu Yan said, ¡°They insist that Qi Qingyao is useful to grand masters, saying that she can help them break through. They want to take her away!¡± ¡°¡­¡± Si Jin¡¯s expression suddenly changed, the aura in his body growing extremely sinister and ruthless, as well as somewhat entric. It was as if a usually docile child had suddenly turned into a hedgehog. Pang Juan and Gongsun She had clearly sensed that the youth did not have the aura of a grand master, but it was undoubtedly that the surrounding air had changed. A powerful killing intent coursed through the air as if it could wipe out everything at any time. ¡°Do you want to go out and fight?¡± Si Jin¡¯s gaze was like a cheetah¡¯s, staring at the two old men fixedly. Qi Qingyao asked nervously, ¡°Are you confident about this?¡± Pang Juan said with much disdain, ¡°Brat!! You¡¯re just a spring chicken who¡¯s recently entered the realm of a grand master. You really want to make enemies of us?¡± Gongsun She stood up. Exuding an ¡®in it to win it¡¯ aura, he said heavily, ¡°If both of us were to work together, you¡¯d undoubtedly die.¡± Si Jin pursed his lips. Obstinance and unruliness at the corners of his lips, he said, ¡°I only lostst time because I had no experience, which made me fall victim to the array. But arrays can¡¯t hold me anymore. If I rely solely on strength, I don¡¯t see how I¡¯m ever going to lose.¡± Pang Juan sneered, ¡°Winning against one of us will already be a challenge. You really believe in yourself so much that you think you can win against two of us at once?¡± ¡°Si Jin!¡± Qi Qingyao pulled at the hem of his clothes. When the youth turned to look at her, she reminded him, ¡°You can¡¯t be too confident in yourself.¡± Si Jin¡¯s gaze instantly turned soft and cute when he turned back to look at her. The sinisterness and ruthlessness, as well as his irritability, still remained, though. Si Jin caressed Qi Qingyao¡¯s face and even pecked her ear. Qi Qingyao, who had just been kissed, was stunned. The young man leaned into her ear and said in an ambiguous tone, ¡°Sister, I said I¡¯ll protect you forever, so I know I have the ability to protect you! I have spent so long studying arrays just so I could defend you if the time came.¡± When Qi Qingyao returned to her senses, she sternly said, ¡°Up against two at once? Can you do that? I don¡¯t want you to get hurt.¡± Si Jin¡¯s mouth curved into a smile. ¡°If I can¡¯t go up against these two old men, how can I protect Sister in the future?¡± There was a trace of evil in his smile. Qi Qingyao thought she was hallucinating. She rubbed her eyes. Li Ruoxuan did not miss the evil in the youth¡¯s eyes. He felt like this youth was somehow different from when they had met before. He realized that he would be killed the moment he made a misstep, so he immediately bowed and sped his fists, saying, ¡°Si Jin, I apologize to you.¡± There was no shame in apologizing to a grand master. Qi Qingyao was taken aback. Sheughed wildly and then said, ¡°He¡¯s scared of dying! That¡¯s why he¡¯s sucking up and apologizing. The State Preceptor is so shameless.¡± Si Jin calmly looked at the apologizing Li Ruoxuan and forced himself to say, ¡°He¡¯s the State Preceptor of Northern Liang. I¡¯ve blinded one of his eyes, and it¡¯s also because of him that I discovered my weakness with arrays. So I¡¯m quite grateful to him.¡± ¡°¡­¡± When Li Ruoxuan heard the first half of what Si Jin had to say, his back felt cold. After hearing the second half, he felt relieved instead. Jiang Yeqian sat still and did not move. He scrutinized Si Jin a little, thinking about how the boy had changed so much in such little time! Chapter 410 - Si Jins Return 5

Chapter 410: Si Jin¡¯s Return 5

Si Jin turned to look at the two old men. He said, ¡°You two! If we¡¯re gonna fight, let¡¯s go fight at Qingyang Lake.¡± Pang Juan nodded and replied, ¡°I like that suggestion.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Gongsun She was also ready to go. This made Li Ruoxuan beyond ecstatic. He immediately asked them how they were going to get there. Were they going to walk or take the carriage? Pang Juan and Gongsun She turned around and looked at Li Ruoxuan as if they were looking at an idiot. Then, they immediately flew up and left from the rooftop. Pang Juan¡¯s gradually drifting voice echoed in the air. ¡°We¡¯ll wait for you on Qingyang Lake!¡± Qi Qingyao was so mad she shouted into the air, ¡°Two against one? Do you two old men have no shame?¡± Gongsun She was already far away, but his gentle reply still came from a distance, ¡°He already made himself heard! He thinks he can beat the two of us alone. Of course the two of us have to join forces to kill this spring chicken before he gets too big for his boots¡­¡± ¡°How shameless.¡± Qi Qingyao stomped the ground angrily. With those words, Si Jin also wanted to fly up and leave, but Qi Qingyao pulled him back. Qi Qingyao said seriously, ¡°You¡¯re not allowed to get hurt!!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Sister!¡± Si Jin unloaded an aura that prated his whole body and emphasized his cute and obedient grinning face. He said with a smile, ¡°Those two old men want to take you away. My goal today is to kill one of them and heavily injure the other.¡± Jiang Yeqian sneered. ¡°You¡¯re actually spouting so much nonsense.¡± Li Ruoxuan asked in disbelief, ¡°Can he really kill one and heavily injure the other?¡± Steward Zhang bumped into a pir, utterly confused as he murmured, ¡°Isn¡¯t this too much?¡± Zhu Shen replied helplessly, ¡°It¡¯s not just too much.¡± The corners of Zhao Xin¡¯s mouth twitched. ¡°This bubble he¡¯s inting is close to bursting.¡± Qi Qingyao heard everyone express their thoughts, so she also asked somewhat embarrassedly, ¡°Do you think he has too much faith in himself?¡± Si Jin leaned into Qi Qingyao¡¯s ear and said one thing softly, ¡°I have an advantage when ites to battles on water~¡± Qi Qingyao¡¯s eyes sparkled as she looked at him again, a little doubt still in her eyes. She did not understand why he would have an advantage in a battle on water. Even if he could swim¡­ It would not really help much in this situation! Si Jin did not exin himself, simply turning to ask Li Ruoxuan, ¡°State Preceptor, should I kill Pang Juan or Gongsun She?¡± Li Ruoxuan narrowed his eyes and asked, ¡°Are you trying to ask me whether it¡¯s more beneficial to Northern Liang to have a grand master from Eastern Ling or Daming killed?¡± Si Jin said, ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Then, of course it¡¯s¡­¡± Li Ruoxuan¡¯s voice trailed off before he finished. Qi Qingyao said, ¡°Kill Pang Juan.¡± ¡°Sister?¡± Si Jin looked at her curiously. Qi Qingyao gritted her teeth and replied viciously, ¡°He broke into my room one night before and secretly took Erniu away!¡± ¡°How dreadful.¡± Utterly difited, Si Jin decided, ¡°Then, I¡¯ll kill him!¡± ¡°¡­¡± Was he really going to kill Pang Juan? He was one of the two grand masters of Eastern Ling. Li Ruoxuan¡¯s expression was doubtful as he thought about it. Jiang Yeqian thought it was not logically possible, but he feel like Si Jin could do it. He did not know why, but he just had that feeling. Si Jin might be capable of it, as Jiang Yeqian had followed this rank nine a few times and had lost the trail every single time! Qi Qingyao asked Si Jin how he was going to get to Qingyang Lake, and Si Jin suggested everyone take the carriage. Steward Zhang called for someone to hurry and prepare the carriage. After some time, the carriage was ready. Qi Qingyao and Si Jin got into one carriage. Jiang Yeqian also shamelessly mbered inside. Li Ruoxuan was already a shameless person, so the moment he saw Jiang Yeqian alight, he soon followed. Lu Yan looked at all of them squeezing together and thought after a long silence that it would be better for him to get onto another carriage. Zhu Shen, Zhao Xin, and the others all rode their own horses! Steward Zhang had not wanted to go initially, but he was rather curious about how a battle between grand masters would unfold, so he informed the household that he would be leaving too before he and Dong Jing got onto Lu Yan¡¯s carriage and drove! The group then mightily rushed toward theke. While the carriage was on the way to the destination, Qi Qingyao and Si Jin chatted pleasantly. Si Jin shared his recent hardships with Qi Qingyao like a spoilt childining, while Qi Qingyao asked about his health. Jiang Yeqian witnessed this scene. He wanted to jump off the carriage and leave on the spot. He could only watch silently, convincing himself that he was not seeing anything, telling himself again and again that this brat was just like her younger brother! Or a grand master who was actually several hundred years old and had de-aged! It was impossible for Qi Qingyao to like that kind of boy! Li Ruoxuan watched Qi Qingyao and Si Jin interacting, then looked at Jiang Yeqian¡¯s hardened expression. There was joy in his heart. The carriage traveled for a while. Jiang Yeqian watched the two conversing intimately. Jiang Yeqian finally had enough. ¡°Lady Qi! Since Si Jin is a grand master, that means he¡¯s lied in the past, concealing his background and his real name. Probably even¡­ his age! ¡± ¡°Do you think this young boy could actually reach the rank of a grand master in such a short time? ¡°Could it possibly be like the rumors say, that he actually is an old man who¡¯s some hundreds of years old but could revert to youthfulness because of his formidable cultivation? ¡°If that¡¯s the case, that would also exin how he suddenly switched on that aura just on! Even his eyes turned so fierce. He was obviously revealing his fox¡¯s tail! ¡°I¡¯m only saying all of this for your own good! Don¡¯t be fooled by that brat¡¯s appearance!¡± After Jiang Yeqian shot off like a cannon. ¡°¡­¡± ¡®How did he know that I¡¯m actually some hundreds of years old? But I didn¡¯t revert to youthfulness, I just grow really slowly. I¡¯ve always looked young.¡¯ Si Jin looked at Jiang Yeqian, extremely stunned. Qi Qingyao cradled her forehead helplessly. She really wanted to curse Jiang Yeqian out but with Li Ruoxuan here it would not be good for her to lose her temper. Being stared at fixedly by Si Jin, Jiang Yeqian thought, ¡®Could I have said too much? Did I push him into deciding to obliterate me?¡¯ Chapter 411 - Si Jin’s Return 6

Chapter 411: Si Jin¡¯s Return 6

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion What Jiang Yeqian was afraid of did not happen in the end. Si Jin began chatting with Qi Qingyao again, talking about his recent hardships. She just smiled asionally and caressed Si Jin¡¯s head. They arrived at thekeside peacefully. After getting off the carriage, Si Jin slightly nodded once at Qi Qingyao, then raised his inner energy and flew up. His whole body seemed as light as a feather. His feet lightly stepping on the surface of the water, he quickly flew toward the pavilion at the center of theke. ¡°Light Floating Water Technique!!¡± Qi Qingyao¡¯s eyes widened and she had a shocked expression on her face. She muttered to herself, ¡°How amazing.¡± ¡°Is this kid really so amazing?¡± Li Ruoxuan also knew about Light Floating Water Technique, but for a rank-nine¡­ The distance from here to the center of theke was over three miles, which was quite far. He would have to reposition himself a few times midway, otherwise he would definitely fall into the water! Jiang Yeqian half-narrowed his eyes and said, ¡°A grand master¡­ is certainly amazing.¡± Li Ruoxuan looked at Si Jin¡¯s receding figure and whispered, ¡°But can a grand master teleport? He wasn¡¯t near the Qi Residence earlier, so how did he appear all of a sudden when Qi Qingyao shouted his name? It¡¯s not teleportation anymore at that point, it¡¯s space shifting!!¡± ¡°...¡± After listening to his words, it looked like he had learned the array somewhere before this, and then he instantly appeared after hearing Qi Qingyao calling him. In that case, it really was not teleportation anymore, but rather space shifting. But to be able to hear her voice from hundreds of miles away, this¡­ even a grand master would probably not be able to do so! Qi Qingyao was not a cultivator herself, nor could she perform a Distant Calling. She was just shouting ordinarily! If he really had been able to hear her¡­ That would be very scary. Did that mean that he could hear everyone within a radius of several hundred miles? Jiang Yeqian was suddenly a little dazed. Because the figure of Si Jin flying away on the surface of the water was very eye-catching, many people on thekeside road stopped and looked over. ¡°What¡¯s happening over there?¡± someone asked. After a while, a man standing under the willow tree said, ¡°It looks like two grand masters have gone to the small building at the center of theke again!¡± More and more people gathered around. Everyone was whispering. ¡°They just fought once just a few days ago. Are they going at it again? Geez!¡± One had to know that the previous battle had frightened everyone in the coastal area. It also made sure many ordinary people understood a grand master¡¯s ability. Thus, everyone felt their scalp tingling upon hearing that the two grand masters were going to fight on the surface of Qingyang Lake again. Suddenly, someone said, ¡°It¡¯s not two people, but three.¡± ¡°???¡± Everyone was stunned. What was going on? Where had the third persone from? Were there not just two old foreign men? Could it be that the grand master from Northern Liang had also shown up? The one who had always been in the Capital City? What was he called? He was called old Mr. Shang Li, but people liked to call him Shang Chongchong! Someone pointed at a dark shadow that had turned into a small ck dot and said, ¡°I saw a young boy stepping across the water and flying over just now.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± It could not be! The passers-by thought for a while. Then, someone reacted. ¡°Could it be that young grand master the rumors speak of!¡± ¡°It looks like it.¡± ¡°Oh my God, three grand masters! Are they going to fight?¡± ¡°The young grand master is one of us from Northern Liang! Is he going to deal with two grand masters alone? Isn¡¯t that a death wish?!¡± ¡°Oh boy, we were just still boasting about Northern Liang finally having two grand masters to protect us a few days ago. Who would¡¯ve thought that one of them would fall so soon.¡± ¡°Watch what you say! What if he wins?¡± ¡°Wins? Man, how is he going to win?! There are two old monsters over there who have been grand masters for a few decades. How are you going topare a young man who has just ascended to the level of grand master with those two old monsters? And it¡¯s two against one! It¡¯ll be crazy if he can actually win.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true¡­¡± ¡°Does the imperial court not have a powerhouse who can lend a hand?¡± If Old Man Shang in Northern Liang¡¯s Capital City was willing to intervene, then it would be two grand masters against two grand masters. He might not lose! ¡­ ¡­ The passers-by were twittering. Lu Yan had gotten out of his carriage and was standing together with Li Ruoxuan and Jiang Yeqian. Qi Qingyao was staring closely at Si Jin¡¯s figure, which had almostpletely disappeared, with a worried expression. Li Ruoxuan touched the eyepatch on his right eye once again. He quietly asked, ¡°Is Shang Li in the Capital City?¡± Jiang Yeqian answered, ¡°He was traveling in Jiangzhou some time ago. Actually, he was also looking for a breakthrough. ording to thetest intel, he has returned to the Capital City.¡± Li Ruoxuan raised his eyebrows in mild surprise. ¡°As expected of the Head Grand Secretariat, news reaches you fast.¡± ¡°Likewise, State Preceptor.¡± Jiang Yeqian sneered. Lu Yan heard the discreet conversation between the two. He carried the cat, walked toward Qi Qingyao¡¯s side, and asked in a low voice, ¡°Do you think he can win?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Qi Qingyao was very honest. ¡°But I hope he does!¡± Lu Yan said, ¡°If he wins, the situation in the entire Maind willpletely change.¡± Qi Qingyao said nothing. Lu Yan continued, ¡°In the past, Eastern Ling and Daming relied on their two grand masters to constantly probe at our borders for a fight. If the results are in Si Jin¡¯s favor, and he kills Pang Juan, then Eastern Ling will only be left with the grand master who is currently practicing at Yunwu Mountain. And even if Gongsun She doesn¡¯t die, he¡¯ll be seriously injured, which is also extremely beneficial to Northern Liang.¡± Qi Qingyao was not interested in politics. However, Li Ruoxuan heard Lu Yan¡¯s words, and he could not pretend not to know what was going on. He moved over and said, ¡°Let¡¯s put aside whether Pang Juan should die or not. If he alone can tie against the two of them, Eastern Ling and Da Ming wouldn¡¯t dare to act rashly anymore. After all, the strengths of the grand masters are somewhat bnced on the surface. It isn¡¯t possible for a grand master to tie in a battle of one against two!!¡± ¡°...¡± Jiang Yeqian nodded slightly. As long as Si Jin tied one against two, the oue of this battle would spread throughout the Continent! By that time, Eastern Ling and Daming would have aplete cease-fire. However¡­ the bad thing was that Si Jin would then be the focus of the entire continent. If he really won by a stroke of luck, and really killed Pang Juan as he said he would. Jiang Yeqian thought that if that happened, things would be really troublesome. They were all grand masters. If a grand master could single-handedly kill another grand master in a battle of one against two, that meant something. Perhaps after Gongsun She had recovered from his injuries, he would make aeback with the other Grand Master of Daming! The next time, if it was two against one, there would not be such great fanfare. They would surely resort to all kinds of underhanded tricks! ....Thus, under these circumstances, if Si Jin really had the confidence to kill the opponents, he had to kill one in private. It could even be announced to the public that it had been a one-on-one, that Pang Juan had been defeated and that our side had won by a stroke of luck! Unfortunately, he could not rush over to tell Si Jin this n now. He could only wait. ¡°It¡¯ll be best to have a tie. Don¡¯t win by too much,¡± Jiang Yeqian murmured a little helplessly. Qi Qingyao frowned unbelievably. ¡°What are you saying? You¡¯re not looking forward to him winning? Are you even a citizen of Northern Liang, aiding the enemy like that?¡± ¡°...¡± Jiang Yeqian had a lot to say, but he could not say a word when he looked at her face. Li Ruoxuan¡¯s left eye was watching the small building at the center of theke in the distance closely and attentively. He said, ¡°He¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Qi Qingyao said. Li Ruoxuan analyzed the situation. ¡°If it¡¯s a tie, Si Jin will, at most, be the focus of the whole Continent. However, if he wins too much in a one-on-two, it¡¯ll make the other grand masters join forces to get rid of him first! By that time, the remaining grand masters will probably all be on the same side and want to try to get rid of him for transcending the norm.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡®Will the grand masters from other countries see it as a threat if you¡¯re too strong?¡¯ Qi Qingyao said anxiously, ¡°But if he doesn¡¯t kill Pang Juan now, it¡¯ll be tantamount to releasing a tiger back into the mountains.¡± ¡°Releasing a tiger back into the mountains is fine too. Anyway, no matter what, the oue is not up to us anymore.¡± Li Ruoxuan sighed slightly. He looked at the small building in the center of theke and said, ¡°Let¡¯s see.¡± Qi Qingyao, ¡°...¡± It was not good to lose, but it was not good to win either. ¡®These shrewd guys think so much.¡¯ She shook her head weakly and shifted her gaze over to the small building at the center of theke. The small building at the center of theke that was a few miles away could not be seen with the naked eye. Only a pavilion could be vaguely seen. However, after waiting for a while, The wind started to blow on the surface of theke again. Qi Qingyao knew that the battle would have already begun. Immediately afterward, within a few seconds, the water on theke surged toward the shore with a vast and roaring momentum, like the tidal bore of Qiantang River. The waves were as high as twenty-three to twenty-eight meters, just likest time. Just from looking at this wave, Qi Qingyao¡¯s breathing almost stopped. She was about to shout at the people by the shore to run, but someone had already beaten her to it. ¡°Run!!!¡± Qi Qingyao, ¡°...¡± ¡®Their reaction was faster than mine!¡¯ The passers-by had already lost the mood to watch the battle and were fleeing in fear. Qi Qingyao wanted to flee as well. However, Lu Yan held her back. Qi Qingyao, ¡°???¡± Lu Yan said, ¡°My cat held me down. It thinks we¡¯ll be fine. We won¡¯t drown to death.¡± His tone was a little aggrieved. Qi Qingyao lowered her head and nced at the white cat in Lu Yan¡¯s arms. The white cat was asnguid as always, lying in Lu Yan¡¯s arms with a bored expression. It even yawnedzily. Qi Qingyao knew that this white cat had always had a good rtionship with Si Jin. She also knew that this cat was a little fishy¡­ and quite unique. She stood still. Sure enough, before the wave hit the shore¡­ It seemed to get blocked by an invisible barrier. The huge wave seemed to crash into an invisible wall and ebb, then crashed up against it again. However, the rolling and turbulent twenty-plus-meter-high wave right before her eyes still terrified Qi Qingyao! Stifling her panic, she asked, ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± No one answered. Qi Qingyao turned her head to look at Li Ruoxuan and Jiang Yeqian. The two of them were also a little dazed. Li Ruoxuan seemed like he was talking to himself. ¡°Is this a technique by Pang Juan and Gongsun She or by Si Jin?¡± ¡°...¡± He had no idea. Jiang Yeqian frowned. Qi Qingyao stepped forward and tried to touch the huge wave out of curiosity, but she was quickly pulled back by Li Ruoxuan. ¡°It looks like a water barrier on the surface, but it¡¯s actually a special array barrier which shields all the force so the battle between the few grand masters won¡¯t extend onto the shore. I think it¡¯s probably your Si Jin who made it.¡± Li Ruoxuan continued, ¡°If you forcibly reach out and touch it, you¡¯ll surely be able to touch the wave, but with the current pressure in the water, I¡¯m afraid your hand and arm will be immediately crushed by the water pressure!¡± Qi Qingyao immediately retracted her arm. She thought. Si Jin had said he had learned some skills for casting arrays before. Li Ruoxuan had spoken calmly, but he was extremely terrified on the inside. To be able to block all the force from reaching the shore? Did that mean Si Jin had instantly set up an array that spread over more than half theke? This¡­ technique was much more powerful than anything he was capable of. Perhaps¡­ ¡°This is the divine power of a grand master.¡± Jiang Yeqian listened to his awe and said in a deep voice, ¡°To be able to guard an entire city alone, that is a grand master. Their abilities are much stronger than that of rank nines.¡± Li Ruoxuan, ¡°...¡± Was it? There had not been such an outrageous sight thest time Pang Juan and Gongsun She fought. Wait a minute. Perhaps Si Jin was too powerful. Suppose he managed to kill Pang Juan and severely injure Gongsun She today! Then he was certainly stronger than the other two. Hold on!! If he really could do it, did that mean that his strength was¡­ more than that of a Grand Master!! Otherwise, there was no way he would be able to aplish that kind of ¡®grand ambition¡¯! ¡­ Wait. All of this had been merely established on possibilities for the time being. There was no result yet. Li Ruoxuan subconsciously wiped the cold sweat from his forehead. He thought to himself, ¡®Don¡¯t scare yourself.¡¯ Maybe Si Jin, that little brat, had just been bragging. Maybe he would be the one that got killedter! ¡­ ¡­ Minutes and seconds passed. Qi Qingyao and the others could not see the situation behind the huge wave at all. They only saw that the sky darkened and brightened intermittently. The sky above the entire Qingyang Lake was filled with dark clouds, and the view was terrifying. After about half an hour, huge waves came crashing down and the surface of theke seemed to resume its past serenity. It was calm as if nothing had happened. Qi Qingyao, ¡°???¡± What was happening? She weakly asked, ¡°Is the battle over?¡± Li Ruoxuan gulped, and said, ¡°It seems¡­ so¡­¡± Qi Qingyao anxiously looked at the surface of theke and asked, ¡°What¡¯s the oue?¡± ¡°Beats me,¡± Jiang Yeqian said. Lu Yan stared at the small building at the center of theke with a solemn and thoughtful gaze, then looked up at the sky, his gaze growing more and more grave. Suddenly, a passer-by who had been nosing around at the side of the road yelled, ¡°Ahhhh!¡± Qi Qingyao and the others turned their heads and saw an old man lying in the middle of the road. He was bloody¡­ A passer-by pointed and said, ¡°An old man fell from the sky.¡± An old man? Qi Qingyao and the others rushed over quickly. Jiang Yeqian, whose legs were not that flexible, was the slowest. After Qi Qingyao, Lu Yan, Li Ruoxuan, and the others went over, they took a look and could not help but gasp. ¡°It¡¯s Old Mr. Pang!!¡± Lu Yan said. Li Ruoxuan lowered his head to check the injuries. Then, he got up and said with a pale expression, ¡°He¡¯s dead¡­¡± Qi Qingyao could not help but gulp, not making a sound. When Jiang Yeqian was about to walk over to speak, a crisp and sweet yelling voice was heard. ¡°Big Sis!¡± Qi Qingyao heard the voice and quickly turned her head. Her eyes lit up when she saw the personing over. ¡°Si Jin, you¡¯re alright.¡± Si Jin climbed over the stone fence, a few mischievous water droplets still adorning his face. After walking up to Qi Qingyao, he said with a smile, ¡°I¡¯m alright.¡± Qi Qingyao looked at his perfectly scratch-free appearance in disbelief. Then, she pointed at the bloody Pang Juan on the road and asked, ¡°Did you kill him?¡± Si Jin nodded innocently. ¡°Yes.¡± Qi Qingyao, ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡®What kind of a monster is he?!¡¯ Li Ruoxuan thought to himself. ¡®He killed Pang Juan? That man was a grand master! ¡®Killing him is one thing, but why don¡¯t you feel any exhaustion from the battle?¡¯ ¡®You look all cheery and cute! How does it not look like you¡¯ve just gone through a destructive and terrifying battle just now?¡¯ ¡®What the hell is going on¡­ with this young boy¡¯s strength!¡¯ Chapter 412 - Si Jin’s Return 7

Chapter 412: Si Jin¡¯s Return 7

Hualian Hot Mountain Springs Vi. Several people stood on the roof of a certain tallest building in the area, watching the situation at theke. It was not until the sky turned clear that Gu Cheng and several others¡¯ expressions rxed. Xiao Wuji subconsciously wiped the sweat that had broken out on the back of his neck. Mo Yang¡¯s eyebrows were tightly screwed up, and he was silent. After making sure that the huge wave had gone down, they observed for a while longer before getting off the roof and standing near the hot spring pool. They looked at the flowing hot spring. No one spoke first even after a long while. Until Xiao Wuji broke the silence first. ¡°Everyone saw what happened on theke just now. It¡¯s assumed that a terrifying battle took ce.¡± Gu Cheng seemed to have suffered a great mental shock. It was hard for him to return to his senses. He just murmured, ¡°Why was that huge wave blocked by something?¡± ¡°Forget about that, the most important thing right now is finding out what happened over there,¡± Xiao Wuji patted his shoulder and said. After Gu Cheng returned to his senses, he said, ¡°Could it be that Old Mr. Pang was fighting with Old Mr. Gongsun again?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡± Xiao Wuji raised his eyebrows and said very calmly, ¡°Think about it, the two of them have already dueled once before, so¡­ It¡¯s probably not a battle between those two today.¡± Gu Cheng said, ¡°Then what you mean is¡­¡± Xiao Wuji said thoughtfully, ¡°You know what I mean.¡± Gu Cheng was silent. He knew, but he did not want to know. Mo Yang said the words Gu Cheng did not want to know. ¡°That young boy showed up.¡± ¡°Is it Si Jin?¡± Gu Cheng muttered to himself. ¡°I think so.¡± Xiao Wuji nodded. Mo Yang said with a smile, ¡°If he really did show up, then the battle that made the sky murky and the earth dark just now would make sense.¡± ¡°Do you mean that the three grand masters had a brawl?¡± Xiao Wuji paused in silence. Had it been Si Jin and Gongsun She? Or was it Si Jin and Pang Juan? ¡°Impossible!!¡± Gu Cheng started pacing around all of a sudden. He said with a serious expression in his dark eyes, ¡°The two old men dueled once previously. If Si Jin really showed up, then there¡¯s only one possibility. That is, Pang Juan and Gongsun She teamed up against him!¡± Xiao Wuji and Mo Yang froze at the same time. After a long while. ¡°Now that the sky is clear¡­¡± Mo Yang pointed at the blue and sunny sky. After looking at the sky for a while, he murmured, ¡°What do you guys think the results are?¡± ¡°Can¡¯t say for sure.¡± ¡®If the two really teamed up against Si Jin, it should be the two of them who won!¡¯ Gu Cheng thought to himself. Xiao Wuji lowered his murky eyes, and said, ¡°It¡¯s very interesting you say you can¡¯t say for sure. I don¡¯t suppose you think that there¡¯s a glimmer of possibility that Si Jin won against Old Mr. Pang and Old Mr. Gongsun right!!¡± ¡°¡­¡± Gu Cheng was very irritated. He tousled his hair, then said, ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± However, he had an inexplicable hunch on the inside¡­ Mo Yan proposed another possibility and said, ¡°I think if Pang Juan and Gongsun She teamed up, Si Jin might be dead already.¡± The probability of old men Pang Juan and Gongsun She teaming up and losing was too low! In other words, them losing would be a miracle, so it was impossible for them to have lost. Xiao Wuji felt his temples begin to pulsate. ¡°The two of you have been talking too much. We might as well head over and see for ourselves.¡± The three of them looked at each other and immediately walked to the stables in the backyard of the Hot Mountain Springs Vi. It was already toote to get someone to prepare the carriage, so they each took a horse and rode on it. They then left through the back door, riding the horses all the way forward. When they arrived at the street near thekeshore, the three of them got off their horses. As soon as they took a few steps forward, still holding the horses, they heard the passers-by whispering across the whole street. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s too bad for that old ma just now.¡± ¡°What¡¯s so bad about it?!¡± someone rebuked. ¡°Many government officials came just now, and amongst them, one was the State Preceptor of the present dynasty, and one was the Head Grand Secretariat. They said that it was a grand master from Eastern Ling who died!!¡± ¡°That¡¯s pretty bad too.¡± ¡°You idiot, the fact that one of the grand masters from Eastern Ling has died is a good thing for us Northern Liang!!¡± ¡°It is a good thing, but I feel very bad that an old man has died.¡± Some very sympathetic people could not help but speak up on the injustice. ¡°That¡¯s why you¡¯re an idiot!!¡± The person continued cursing. ¡­ ¡­ Simr discussions could be heard everywhere. Xiao Wuji¡¯s expression paled. He said in a low voice, ¡°Just now¡­ do we have tinnitus? Did we misheard it?¡± ¡°Ya¡­¡± They must have heard wrong. Gu Cheng did not want to believe it. Mo Yang looked at the two people who nned to pretend not to have heard and felt that they were being very ridiculous. He said coolly with a calm expression, ¡°A grand master from Eastern Ling has died.¡± Xiao Wuji, ¡°¡­¡± Gu Cheng, ¡°¡­¡± Mo Yan pursed his thin lips tightly and pointed to some government officials nearby. ¡°Come, let¡¯s go over and ask.¡± Xiao Wuji and Gu Cheng were feeling veryplicated. Pang Juan had died? How could that be possible? Pang Juan was a grand master. Could it be that he had not teamed up with Old Man Gongsun and had dealt with Si Jin alone? Was that why¡­ he had lost to Si Jin? However, that was impossible as well. Pang Juan was one of the seven grand masters, after all! How could he possibly have lost to a fledgling grand master like Si Jin? Could it be that the young man had used some dirty tricks?! After they went up, Mo Yang asked first, ¡°Sir, what happened to the corpse just now?¡± A government official took a look at the attire of the three young masters and knew that they were of noble status. He said quietly, ¡°We¡¯ve taken the body away. You people weren¡¯t part of the crowd just now? That was the body of a grand master!! It¡¯ll be sent back to Eastern Ling after it gets back!¡± The three people, ¡°¡­¡± Mo Yang¡¯s calmposure he had been holding for so long had copsed in an instant. Was Pang Juan really dead? Had he died just like that? Gu Cheng, who had already had a bad premonition in his heart, waspletely dumbfounded now. His mind went nk and he did not react to anything at all. He simply stood still like a wooden stake. Xiao Wuji was silent for a while before returning to his senses. He asked in a whisper, ¡°What do we do now?¡± Mo Yang held his forehead. ¡°What else can we do? Of course we¡¯ll go to the Qi Residence and ask them some questions!!¡± Gu Cheng felt his head buzzing, and he no longer knew how to react. He could only say nkly, ¡°What is there to ask?¡± ¡°???¡± Mo Yang looked at him incredulously, ¡°Are you sure there¡¯s nothing to ask?¡± Gu Cheng answered dumbfoundedly, ¡°Si Jin won, and Pang Juan died. It¡¯s that simple.¡± Mo Yang said with zing eyes, ¡°What about Gongsun She? Could he have gone into hiding? Let¡¯s go to the Qi Residence and ask about that, at least.¡± In a battle between two grand masters, was it possible that he had watched Pang Juan deal with Si Jin solo, not joining in on the battle? Pang Juan was now dead. Dead and nowhere to be found. He could not have already left Qingzhou City, right?! Xiao Wuji paused for a while. Then, he turned around and asked the passers-by, inquiring about the battle. After he came back, his face looked as ugly as the bottom of a wok. When he talked a bit about the situation, Gu Cheng and Mo Yang¡¯s expressionspletely paled. They looked ghastly. The two grand masters had fought with Si Jin?!! And Pang Juan had died? And the other one had gone missing? Xiao Wuji felt coldness pricking the back of his neck. After a long time, he asked, ¡°Do you two think it¡¯s possible?¡± As he spoke, he felt the cold on the back of his neck travel all the way to the top of his head. His scalp began to tingle involuntarily. Just thinking about the possibility of that young boy killing Pang Juan and severely injuring Gongsun She¡­ Xiao Wuji felt his nerves beginning to tense up. Chapter 413 - Si Jin’s Return 8

Chapter 413: Si Jin¡¯s Return 8

¡°This is no longer a question of whether you think it¡¯s possible! It has already happened, and Pang Juan is really dead!¡± ¡®And if Gongsun She really joined in on the battle but his corpse did not show up, then he is likely to have been severely injured. He probably escaped!¡¯ Mo Yang thought to himself. Gu Cheng did not say anything again. He just kept shaking his head, seemingly not wanting to ept reality. The Qi Residence. The group had returned home about an hour ago. Si Jin sat next to Qi Qingyao and slowly drank a cup of tea. Jiang Yeqian, Li Ruoxuan, and Lu Yan, as well as Zhu Shen, Zhao Xin, Dong Jing, Steward Zhang, and the others who were at the door, had been staring fixedly at him for half an hour now. Although Si Jin had briefly exined the situation on the way back¡­ Li Ruoxuan had endured the chaotic emotions in his mind for a long time. He finally could not help but ask, ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you exin yourself?¡± Si Jin tilted his head in confusion and asked with a naive and innocent look, ¡°Exin what?¡± ¡°How did you win?¡± Li Ruoxuan¡¯s expression made it look like he was having a meltdown. Si Jin said with a really adorkable smile, ¡°I just fought normally and won.¡± A dark current streamed across the bottom of Li Ruoxuan¡¯s eyes. He said with a deep and quiet gaze, ¡°But you¡¯re all grand masters. Why did the two grand masters fail to beat you even after teaming up? That doesn¡¯t seem right.¡± ¡°Then me them for not having good enough skills.¡± Si Jin finished speaking with a silly smile. Then, he touched his chin again and said with a rxed expression, ¡°Or maybe I¡¯m too excellent.¡± That cute and narcissistic look made Qi Qingyao burst outughing. However, it made Li Ruoxuan, ¡°¡­¡± Jiang Yeqian, ¡°¡­¡± Lu Yan held his cat and remained silent. After another long silence. Li Ruoxuan wanted to ask something again. ¡°Winning is a good thing!!!¡± Qi Qingyao cut him off before he could say what he was about to say. Li Ruoxuan frowned. His expression wasplicated, but he did not say more. Qi Qingyao was puzzled. ¡°Why care so much about the method?¡± Li Ruoxuan gave her aplex look. Qi Qingyao pouted and ordered the guests to leave. ¡°You two handicaps, why are you still in my house? Do you n to get free lunch? I¡¯m telling you, no way! Get out, now~!¡± Jiang Yeqian, ¡°¡­¡± Li Ruoxuan knew that even if he kept asking, he probably would not get any useful information from Si Jin. Thus, he exchanged nces with Jiang Yeqian, the two of them having simr expressions on their faces. Then, they got up and left the Qi Residence together with long faces and without bidding goodbye. As they headed back, Li Ruoxuan followed Jiang Yeqian into his carriage. Jiang Yeqian did not refuse hispany. The atmosphere in the carriage was even more weird and silent than one might have expected When the carriage arrived at the gate of Jiang Yeqian¡¯s courtyard, Li Ruoxuan got out of the carriage only to realize that it was not his own residence. He frowned. He wanted to go inside. Jiang Yeqian would have usually already stopped him. This time, however, he did not refuse. Li Ruoxuan followed Jiang Yeqian straight to the garden of this courtyard. Zhao Xin ordered the servants to serve them tea and refreshments. Then, he left. Before leaving, Zhao Xin even deliberately closed the door. Only Jiang Yeqian and Li Ruoxuan were left in the huge garden. They sat still like statues. After they both yed the roles of ice sculpture for an hour. Jiang Yeqian pursed his lips and massaged the space between his brows. After returning to his senses, he realized that Li Ruoxuan was actually beside him, so he asked, ¡°What do you think about this?¡± After Li Ruoxuan lifted his eyelids, he licked his very dry lips. He held up his teacup and drank his long-cold tea. The tea swished around his mouth, but he could not taste anything at all. After downing it in one gulp, he said with deep, sunken eyes, ¡°If he really won against two Grand Masters, then he is the strongest of all of the grand masters. He¡¯ll surely have the entire Eastern Hua Continent¡¯s eyes on him. I¡¯m afraid other grand masters won¡¯t be able to sit still anymore.¡± Jiang Yeqian¡¯s expression was agitated. ¡°He said that Gongsun She was severely injured and had escaped.¡± ¡°Why are you saying this?¡± Li Ruoxuan was taken aback and asked in confusion. Jiang Yeqian picked up his own teacup and looked at the pattern on it. He said with a slightly cryptic expression, ¡°What I¡¯m thinking is, he said he¡¯d kill Pang Juan, and he then really killed Pang Juan. He said he¡¯d severely injure Gongsun She, and he really did allow him to escape with severe injuries.¡± Li Ruoxuan asked, ¡°Is there a problem with that?¡± Jiang Yeqian¡¯s eyelids covered half of his bulging eyes. ¡°The problem here is that Pang Juan was killed and Gongsun She was severely injured within half an hour!! Don¡¯t you think that that span of time is¡­ crazy? Seeing how he did it with such ease, if he had been given ten more minutes, would Gongsun She have been beaten to death as well?¡± Li Ruoxuan raised his eyebrows, a gleam of faint light shing across his eyes. He said, ¡°So you¡¯re saying that he did what he said he would and deliberately let Gongsun She go.¡± ¡°¡­I didn¡¯t say that.¡± Jiang Yeqian looked away. Li Ruoxuan, ¡°¡­¡± Jiang Yeqian had just said he did not say that, but it was because he did not want to specte on certain possibilities. However, the truth was¡­ His sentences before this had already pushed things in a certain direction. Li Ruoxuan held his forehead, and muttered to himself in a very helpless tone, ¡°If one person has the strength to take down two grand masters in such a short period of time¡­¡± The bottom of Jiang Yeqian¡¯s eyes were a dense ck. He responded to Li Ruoxian¡¯s words profoundly. ¡°This proves that his strength is above all the other grand masters. It¡¯s possible that even whenbined, all the grand masters on the Maind would still be no match for him.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Li Ruoxuan¡¯s brows furrowed in an instant. His fingers could not help but begin tapping on the side table. A knocking sound followed. It was very rhythmic. It inexplicably irritated Jiang Yeqian. Li Ruoxuan said, ¡°He¡¯s stronger than other grand masters? Has he broken through the realm of the grand master long before this and reached a higher realm?¡± Jiang Yeqian casually suggested, ¡°Is it because Qi Qingyao was by his side?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡®Is that perhaps why?¡¯ Jiang Yeqian continued, ¡°Didn¡¯t Gongsun She say before that he thinks Qi Qingyao is that fated person? Si Jin might have broken through the realm with her by his side.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no use in guessing. At the moment, all we know is that Si Jin¡¯s strength is really terrifying.¡± Was it really rted to Qi Qingyao? That could not be possible, right? That woman was nothing but an ordinary single mother. Li Ruoxuan did not want to believe such nonsense. After a pause, he thought of another thing. ¡°It¡¯ll be best if he can be used by Northern Liang. If he can¡¯t be used by us, this terrifying strength will be our strongest threat.¡± ¡°State Preceptor¡­¡± Jiang Yeqian said suddenly. Li Ruoxuan, ¡°?¡± A rxed smile suddenly blossomed on Jiang Yeqian¡¯s face. Li Ruoxuan was puzzled by his smile. Jiang Yeqian poured himself another cup of tea. After he finished drinking it, he said with a smile in his eyes, ¡°After I finish my work, I¡¯ll return to the Capital City and hand in my letter of resignation to the emperor!¡± ¡°What?¡± Li Ruoxuan thought that he had heard him wrong. Jiang Yeqian said, ¡°Are you deaf? Don¡¯t you understand? I said I want to resign!! I quit!¡± ¡°You want to give up being the Head Grand Secretariat? Did I hear that right?¡± Was he saying that because Si Jin was too strong? Could this guy have been driven mad by the shock of Pang Juan¡¯s death today? Maybe that was why he was saying such crazy things! Jiang Yeqian shook his head in slight helplessness. ¡°I think you¡¯re really deaf.¡± Once Li Ruoxuan was sure he was not joking, he could not help but ask, ¡°Are you seriously going to resign? You¡¯ve gone mad.¡± Jiang Yeqian had gradually calmed down from his shock about Si Jin¡¯s strength just now. He had begun analyzing him, so he said, ¡°You¡¯ve said that Si Jin¡¯s strength is terrifying as Hell. And Pang Juan is now dead! Eastern Ling will surely withdraw their troops, and Daming won¡¯t do anything for the time being as well. The situation in Northern Liang will be very stable. No one will dare to act rashly in Qingzhou City now that Si Jin¡¯s existence has been made clear!¡± ¡°You and I have been fighting for several years. You¡¯ve always disliked me, and you want to monopolize the imperial government. ¡°Once I resign, you¡¯ll be in the imperial court all by yourself, and your words will have sole authority. The emperor will also follow your advice. Isn¡¯t that good?¡± All those words came out. Li Ruoxuan, ¡°¡­¡± It was a good thing, but he had never thought that Jiang Yeqian would resign. He asked, dazed, ¡°You want to resign just because I fight with you sometimes?¡± Jiang Yeqian rolled his eyes and said, ¡°Me wanting to resign has nothing to do with you.¡± Li Ruoxuan¡¯s eyebrows sank. He nced at Jiang Yeqian and felt inexplicably annoyed. He had never thought about Jiang Yeqian wanting to resign before. He had always been nning to kill this man one day, but now, he¡­ Li Ruoxuan suddenly asked, ¡°Do you know why I wanted to kill you before this?¡± Jiang Yeqian said withplete disinterest. ¡°I don¡¯t know, and I don¡¯t care. So you don¡¯t have to tell me.¡± ¡°¡­¡± He was really such a wild card. Since he did not want to know, Li Ruoxuan did not want to tell him anymore. He thought for a moment, then asked, ¡°At such a young age, what do you n on doing after you resign?¡± ¡°The world is so big. I¡¯ll just travel around and practice my skills. I¡¯ll find out how a rank nine can advance to the level of Grand Master.¡± At present, this reason was the most logical. He could not possibly say that he was the Head of the Zhaixing Administration under the Ghost Organization and that he wanted to step down because all the spies had been deployed¡­ He could not speak about such things. Jiang Yeqian thought about this all to himself. Li Ruoxuan, ¡°¡­¡± Seeing that he was silent, Jiang Yeqian thought he was still suspicious of him. After all, Li Ruoxuan was a person who thought a lot. He said, ¡°Don¡¯t you think that after bing a government official, there¡¯s no time to think about practicing at all? There are too many distractions.¡± ¡°¡­¡± It was true! However¡­ Jiang Yeqian continued, ¡°Also, I¡¯m not short of money, nor do I have any love for holding power.¡± Li Ruoxuan looked at him silently for a while before saying, ¡°Maybe you and I can be friends.¡± ¡°Forget it.¡± Jiang Yeqian put on a distant expression and said seriously, ¡°I¡¯m not interested in being friends with the State Preceptor.¡± Li Ruoxuan smiled slightly. ¡°I¡¯ve suddenly began to admire you, Head Grand Secretariat! No, I should call you Jiang Yeqian.¡± There was sharpness hidden in Jiang Yeqian¡¯s eyes, and his smile was profound. ¡°I¡¯m totally uninterested in the shrewd State Preceptor with his sullen mind. I don¡¯t want to be friends with people like you!¡± ¡°Hahahaha!¡± Li Ruoxuan smiled a very disappointed smile. Wait a minute! He suddenly realized that if Jiang Yeqian really left the imperial court, he would have time to practice. ¡®Will he quickly break through rank nine and advance to grand master¡­ thene back and kill me?!¡¯ When he thought about this, Li Ruoxuan looked at Jiang Yeqian seriously. Jiang Yeqian, ¡°???¡± Was he seriously doubting Jiang Yeqian¡¯s motive for resigning¡­ Chapter 414 - Si Jins Return 9

Chapter 414: Si Jin¡¯s Return 9

After Li Ruoxuan and Jiang Yeqian left the Qi Residence, Steward Zhang came to report that Xiao Wuji and some others were asking to see her. Qi Qingyao was slightly stunned. She thought, ¡®They definitely have news.¡± Steward Zhang led the few people in. Xiao Wuji and the group sat down. After Qi Qingyao called for someone to serve them tea, she did not ask them anything. She simply waited for them to start. Si Jin sat beside Qi Qingyao. He was eating puffed rice candy and looking satisfied. He was obviously in an extremely good mood. Xiao Wuji and co. looked at Si Jin, who looked indifferent with wide eyes. He did not look as if he had been injured at all, and they could not help but bepletely stunned. There were all sorts of questions running through their minds. Was he really the one who killed Pang Juan? Could he be so calm andpletely unscathed, sitting here and eating snacks after killing a grand master and heavily injuring another? Was this some kind of a joke? How was this possible? He was not at all injured!! The three of them were starting to lose their minds a little. Qi Qingyao was not stupid. She of course understood what the three people were thinking, but she did not say nor ask much. She just looked at them with a smile. After a while, Xiao Wuji was the first to lift his head. He blinked with some effort and took a deep breath before opening his mouth to ask some questions. Qi Qingyao listened to what he had to say. She then handed the right to speak over to Si Jin. Si Jin put down the puffed rice candy in his hand and answered them in a few words. His answer was nothing more than confirming that he had indeed killed Pang Juan himself and that Gongsun She had been seriously injured and ran away¡­ Xiao Wuji again asked how he had killed him. Si Jin said he had killed him with his hand. That answer made Xiao Wuji frown. He then asked more. Si Jin did not answer his further questions. He just asked, ¡°Do you want to personally experience how he died?¡± Xiao Wuji, ¡°¡­¡± The three of them could no longer sit still after that. They immediately left the Qi residence. Once they got onto their carriage, Xiao Wuji wiped the sweat from the back of his neck. He also wiped the sweat from his forehead. He said to the two, ¡°You all heard what he said just now.¡± Gu Cheng had not offended Si Jin just now, so his emotions were still calm. He said, ¡°That child, he¡¯s still so young, yet he possesses such terrifying power.¡± Mo Yang frowned and added, ¡°He also really likes the littledy.¡± Xiao Wuji nced at Mo Yang speechlessly, thinking, ¡®What were you focusing on just now, huh?¡¯ He said sternly, ¡°Northern Liang really has sh*t luck to get such a powerful grand master out of nowhere.¡± Gu Cheng sighed, already starting to ept reality. ¡°Pang Juan is now dead. It is likely things are about to get flipped around.¡± Xiao Wuji nodded and said, ¡°The little empress of Northern Liang is going to die of joy now that Northern Liang has such an incredible god-like grand master.¡± ¡°No.¡± Mo Yang nced at the scenery outsidezily. He said, ¡°In my opinion, if the young man¡¯s strength is really that terrifying, then he would not really be controlled by Northern Liang.¡± Gu Cheng was puzzled and retorted, ¡°But he is from Northern Liang. He will definitely work for the country.¡± Mo Yang said, ¡°Did you guys not see how he treated Qi Qingyao just now? He serves Qi Qingyao, not Northern Liang. He does whatever that littledy asks of him!¡± Xiao Wuji thought about Mo Yang¡¯s words. Gu Cheng said, ¡°Regardless of that, I sense he will be summoned by the empress soon. If he doesn¡¯t go, then we¡¯ll know where he stands.¡± His strength allowed him to ignore the empress. They could even exaggerate and say that he did not need to entertain the summons or opinions of anyone on the maind at all. In theory, however, as a grand master of Northern Liang, he would definitely ept the empress¡¯s summons. However, Gu Cheng believed he would not care about the empress¡¯s opinion. Thinking about this, Gu Cheng felt his head hurt. Xiao Wuji nodded and said, ¡°Even the Zhaixing Administration wasn¡¯t able to find anything out about Si Jin¡¯s background. For a grand master of grand masters to appear out of thin air on the maind, I¡¯m afraid everyone won¡¯t be able to sleep at night.¡± They were thinking about different things. What Mo Yang was wondering in his head was whether Si Jin liked that littledy. Considering how he was smiling so cutely in front of the littledy as well as eating all adorably. A grand master, a young grand master! He was definitely ying dumb to take advantage of her, judging from the way he was acting so cutely in front of the littledy. Surely he had not had that simple of an expression on his face when killing someone¡­ Was it possible that the rumors out there were true, that the young grand master was more than a few hundred years old and had just regressed to youthfulness through cultivation, and that was why he looked young? The rumors even said that Qi Qingyao¡¯s children were in fact his! But that could not be possible¡­ Rather than say that the children were Si Jin¡¯s, they might as well say that they were his. They really looked like him, after all. ¡­ If Xiao Wuji and Gu Cheng learned of the thoughts in Mo Yang¡¯s mind at the moment, they would definitely haveined that it was not the time to be worrying about such problems! Chapter 415 - Si Jin’s Return 10

Chapter 415: Si Jin¡¯s Return 10

After Si Jin had his meal, he went to y with the three children. Lu Yan asked Steward Zhang to call Qi Qingyao over. After Qi Qingyao sat down, Lu Yan did not bother beating around the bush with her and got straight to the point. ¡°He¡¯s too strong. Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s very strange? Don¡¯t you think all of this is very inconceivable? Shouldn¡¯t you be suspicious of his origins?¡± ¡°You guys think too much!¡± Of course she knew that Si Jin was so strong to the point of abnormality, but, ¡°Gongsun She did say I was the fated person. What if he used to be a rank eight before this, but unknowingly advanced to rank nine, and then to grand master? Then, to the most powerful grand master!!¡± ¡°That¡¯s also¡­¡± There was such a possibility, but Lu Yan thought that it was unlikely. Lu Yan muttered, ¡°He really has an unknown origin!¡± Qi Qingyao massaged her forehead and murmured, ¡°A lot of my past is also unknown. My children¡¯s origins are even more unknown!¡± ¡°¡­¡± Lu Yan was suddenly speechless. Qi Qingyao reminded him nonchntly, ¡°What¡¯s important for you to care about now is how the forgery is going.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Lu Yan was silent for a while. He had to head out and ask Dong Jing about that matter¡­ He would have to rush him! When it came time for lunch that day, Steward Zhang had taken the liberty of asking the kitchen to prepare a table full of dishes. When the dishes were served, he even went to the library to call Si Jin. He called out kindly, ¡°Master Si Jin, it¡¯s time to eat.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Si Jin was stunned by Steward Zhang¡¯s attitude. When he was led to the dining hall, he sat down next to Qi Qingyao very nervously. Qi Qingyao thought that Steward Zhang had prepared a table full of dishes to celebrate the death of a grand master today. She did not expect Steward Zhang to tell Si Jin extra excitedly, ¡°The kitchen made this specially for you.¡± Si Jin, ¡°¡­¡± Qi Qingyao, ¡°¡­¡± Steward Zhang thought that Qi Qingyao usually did not allow Si Jin to eat some dishes, so he said unsolicitedly, ¡°You can eat more of these dishes.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Qi Qingyao wondered if these dishes had not actually been made for her, nor for the celebration, but because Steward Zhang thought she usually stopped Si Jin from eating? Si Jin looked at Steward Zhang, then at the table full of dishes. He gulped, picked up the bowl of white rice, and said in a muffled voice, ¡°I only like white rice.¡± Steward Zhang, ¡°¡­¡± Si Jin held the bowl and began eating his white rice. Qi Qingyao nced at Steward Zhang in annoyance. Steward Zhang stepped aside and began asking someone to quietly write down that Master Si Jin had not liked eating the dishes! Qi Qingyao did not express any dissatisfaction with Steward Zhang¡¯s behavior. Since Si Jin was now the guardian angel of the family, he had to be properly! fed After lunch. Qi Qingyao and Si Jin sat at the side. She began ncing at Si Jin very helplessly, and it made Si Jin a little restless, so he asked her what was wrong. Qi Qingyao shook her head. Si Jin insisted on telling her to tell him if there was anything up. Qi Qingyao still shook her head. Si Jin asked a little aggrievedly if he had done something wrong. Qi Qingyao said no. Si Jin was suddenly on the verge of tears. He covered his eyes and said, ¡°Is Sister nning to get rid of me?¡± ¡°No!!¡± What a joke! He was probably the most amazing person in the Maind now. How could she get rid of him? ¡°Then, why are you hesitating so much¡­¡± Si Jin looked at her with a pitiful face. Qi Qingyao, ¡°¡­¡± There was no way she would get rid of him. However. It was not like Lu Yan¡¯s words had not made sense. Why was he so strong? To be able to take down two grand masters within half an hour, leaving one dead and wounding another. Also, why had he not asked for anything in return, going as far as staying by her side humbly? Was there any reason behind it? There were two parts to a certain proverb. The first part was, ¡°One does not visit a temple without intentions!¡± The second sentence was, ¡°Too much kindness usually means hidden maliciousness!¡± Qi Qingyao really wanted to ask him but was afraid she would not get anything out of it. After all, he must have had a reason for always staying so low-key. Wait, perhaps it was as they had guessed before, that he was a powerhouse above the level of a grand master, and that someone above the level of a grand master had the ability to look young again. He then put on the appearance of a young person to secretly approach her¡­ when he was actually the children¡¯s biological father! Just thinking about the possibility made her facepalm. Si Jin, ¡°???¡± Qi Qingyao opened her mouth with some difficulty but could not get even a word out. After holding back for a long while, she choked out, ¡°They said Erniu has the talent to be a practitioner.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Si Jin nodded seriously. Qi Qingyao asked embarrassedly, ¡°Since you¡¯re so amazing, do you want to take Erniu as an apprentice?¡± Si Jin was slightly taken aback. Then, he scratched his head and said, ¡°I, uh, I¡­¡± Seeing that he was a little troubled, Qi Qingyao asked, ¡°Don¡¯t you want to teach her?¡± ¡°No, I¡­¡± Si Jin hurriedly tried to exin himself. Qi Qingyao did not want to trouble him, so she quickly said, ¡°It¡¯s okay if you don¡¯t want to teach her, I was just asking.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be angry, sister.¡± Si Jin was even more anxious. He grabbed Qi Qingyao¡¯s hand hastily and said with a blushing face, ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t want to teach her, I can¡¯t.¡± Qi Qingyao was confused, ¡°??¡± Si Jin looked down and said with a little embarrassment on his brows. ¡°I, uh, the method I practice is a bit different from ordinary people¡¯s, so I can¡¯t teach ordinary people.¡± ¡°How different?¡± Qi Qingyao wondered. Si Jin did not want to say, but he also did not want to keep it from Qi Qingyao. Thus, he only said after racking his brains for a long time, ¡°I have to spend a few hours in the water every day. The method I practice is rted to water. So¡­ I can¡¯t teach humans.¡± Heaven knew how much he wanted to teach. s¡­ he was not a human. His practice did not depend on logic! Qi Qingyao did not doubt him as she had seen him saying he was going for a swim early in the morning before. It seemed like the swims had been rted to water. She could not bear to let Erniu soak in cold water every day. She would feel bad for her! ¡°Then I¡¯ll hire a master to teach her when we head back,¡± Qi Qingyao said. She said that. Who specifically could she hire, though. Qi Qingyao had no idea. ¡­ ¡­ Somewhere else. When Pang Juan was beaten to death by Si Jin on the surface of Qingyang Lake in the morning, Gongsun She had taken the opportunity to jump into theke and escape. He only swam to the shore in dire straits after half an hour. He dragged his severely injured body and climbed out of the water. He was half-dead! Gongsun She held onto thest scrap of life he had left to climb out of the water. After taking a few steps, he fell directly onto the nearby grass. Hepletely passed out immediately after. When he woke up, he found himself lying on a bed. Gongsun She was a little dazed. The energy in his chest churned. He could not but vomit some blood. The blood sttered directly onto the nket, staining it red. He raised his fatigued hand to wipe the blood from the corner of his mouth and suddenly realized that the wounds on his body seemed to have been bandaged. Gongsun She was a little puzzled. Who had saved him? He hung onto his extremely exhausted spirit. After waiting for a long while, the door was pushed open and an old man entered. When Gongsun She saw the person who hade in, his pupils shrank involuntarily. He asked in a rough and hoarse voice, ¡°How is it you?!¡± ¡°Why can¡¯t it be me?¡± The old man pretty much took his time to look at the lifeless Gongsun She, then ced a bowl of medicine on the table. ¡°This is the medicine that I asked the kitchen to make for you just now. Do you want to drink it? If you don¡¯t, I¡¯ll pour it away.¡± Gongsun She, ¡°¡­¡± Of course he wanted to drink it!! If he did not drink it, he could forget about wanting his internal injuries to get better in a few months! After he expressed that he wanted to drink it, the old man brought the medicine over and even personally fed it to Gongsun She, who was currently immobilized. Gongsun She said cautiously while drinking the medicine, ¡°You still haven¡¯t told me why you¡¯re here.¡± The person before him was previously the only grand master in Northern Liang besides the young grand master. He was named Shang Li! He was seventy-three years old this year. Shang Li shrugged. After he finished feeding Gongsun She the medicine, he casually ced the bowl on the table and replied, ¡°Two grand masters came to Qingzhou City, and I¡¯m Northern Liang¡¯s only grand master. How could I not show up?¡± After he said that, he looked at Gongsun She, all smiles. Gongsun She said as he thought about how he had not suffered such a serious injury in many years, ¡°Then why didn¡¯t you show up when we were fighting on theke before?¡± Shang Li sat on a chair at one side of the room and looked at Gongsun She with a smile, ¡°The young grand master is from Northern Liang. He wanted to challenge the both of you alone, si of course I had to give the young man a chance and assess his abilities at the same time. If he had been about to be beaten to death by the two of you¡­ I surely would have intervened and helped him. No matter what, he¡¯s still a young genius from Northern Liang. Of course I have to protect him.¡± ¡®I just never considered that he would not need protection at all.¡¯ Gongsun She said with a ghastly look on his face, ¡°So you hid in the dark and watched everything.¡± Shang Li shrugged his shoulders undeniably. ¡°I didn¡¯t think he would be that strong.¡± He was abnormally strong! ¡°That¡¯s why you so kindly saved me?¡± Gongsun She¡¯s muddy gaze was filled with shock. The Shang Li he had heard about from the rumors was not this kind! This old man was rumored to be vindictive and even a little petty. Apparently he had been traveling around a few capital cities in Northern Liang to look for the fated person just so he could advance to a level above grand master. Unfortunately, who would have guessed that¡­ Shang Li said, ¡°I was not trying to save you. I just want to fight you and hear your personal ount of his strength.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡®The former is a convenience, and thetter is your real objective, isn¡¯t it!¡¯ Shang Li suddenly grew serious, ¡°Is he really strong?¡± Lying still, the lucky Gongsun She pressed the corner of his lips down helplessly and said, ¡°Very strong.¡± ¡°How strong?¡± Shang Li asked. Gongsun She thought for a while about what adjectives to use. After a long time, he said, ¡°Iparable.¡± ¡°¡­¡± That word¡­ made Shang Li frown slightly. He felt like Gongsun She was exaggerating. However, Pang Juan had died, and Gongsun She was severely injured. Which meant that this man had no reason to exaggerate at all. The battle on the surface of Qingyang Lake had also been very vivid at the time. Although Shang Li failed to get close to the center of the tempestuous circle, he had felt the destruction power from within the barrier. Shang Li got up and said, ¡°I won¡¯t ask you any more questions. I¡¯ll go meet that young boy, you justy here and rest.¡± Meet Si Jin? Gongsun She looked at Shang Li¡¯s back and suddenly said, ¡°I think he might not be a human.¡± ¡°???¡± Shang Li turned his head quickly and looked at the old man who was lying motionlessly with an unbelievable gaze. Gongsun She said with certainty, ¡°If he¡¯s human, then his strength is definitely above that of a grand master!¡± Shang Li narrowed his eyes and said, ¡°You mean to say he broke through?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, but I think that if there is a level above grand master, he is surely above you and me.¡± Gongsun She closed his eyes. He did not want to recall the brutality of the previous battle and Pang Juan¡¯s death. Ever since he advanced to the level of a grand master, as one of the biggest powerhouses in the maind, he had not been afraid of anyone anymore. He did not fear anyone, including the emperors of each country. Today, however, he had developed fear of a person for the first time. A fear borne from his very bones. Gongsun She reminded him kindly, ¡°If you see him, don¡¯ty a hand on him.¡± Shang Li, ¡°¡­¡± Gongsun She was silent for a moment, then said again, ¡°Or you¡¯ll die a miserable death.¡± Chapter 416 - Respect and Worship 1

Chapter 416: Respect and Worship 1

In the evening, when it was starting to get a little dark, Qi Qingyao was sitting in the side hall while Lu Yan was talking about his n at the side. When the two were talking, Steward Zhang suddenly knocked on the door and came in to make a report. ¡°Missus, another person hase.¡± ¡°Did they not say who they were?¡± Qi Qingyao asked as she rubbed between her brows. ¡°Shang¡­Shang Li,¡± Steward Zhang said the name with a little quiver. Qi Qingyao was a little startled. Lu Yan tilted his head and asked, ¡°The grand master of Northern Liang?¡± ¡°¡­It seems to be him.¡± Steward Zhang felt the cold sweat on his forehead beginning to pour down again. Qi Qingyao was, however, calm. Licking her fairly dry lips, she said, ¡°Invite him in.¡± Steward Zhang then hurriedly went to the front door to invite the person in. Lu Yan frowned. He drank a sip of tea and said in a soft voice, ¡°Why has the grand master of Northern Liange forward all of a sudden?¡± Qi Qingyao was silent for a moment before she said, ¡°He must have learned that Si Jin defeated Pang Juan and so came over to meet him.¡± ¡°So, he was already in Qingzhou City before this?¡± Lu Yan suddenly felt that Qingzhou City was a ho¡¯s nest. ¡°Looks that way,¡± Qi Qingyao said with great interest. ¡°Our Northern Liang grand master had been quietly lurking in Qingzhou City but did not leave a single trace. He only appeared after Si Jin won, which was a good time for him to show up.¡± Lu Yan asked, ¡°Do you think he was waiting to take advantage of the situation from a safe position?¡± Qi Qingyao thought for a bit and nodded. ¡°He definitely did not believe in Si Jin¡¯s strength before this. Or, he did not believe that Si Jin was a grand master. That¡¯s why he quietly assessed the situation from Si Jin¡¯s battle with Pang Juan and Gongsun She. I don¡¯t think he expected that Si Jin would unleash a big one and instantly kill Pang Juan.¡± After a pause, she continued, ¡°I¡¯m even guessing that he might have saved Gongsun She.¡± ¡°Why do you say this?¡± Was this not too wild of a guess? Qi Qingyao picked up her cup carelessly. She looked at the tea in the teacup then quietly put the cup down. Her expression was very grave. ¡°That¡¯s because he is only able to ask Gongsun She about Si Jin¡¯s strength by saving him. That¡¯s why he only appeared now.¡± Lu Yan was silent. She continued, ¡°That said, it¡¯s only because he is a grand master that he was able to locate Gongsun She at the first moment.¡± Lu Yan said, ¡°But Gongsun She is someone from an enemy nation.¡± ¡°Have you not noticed yet?¡± Qi Qingyao recalled something that old man Gongsun She said before and said, ¡°These grand masters basically don¡¯t care about whatever country they¡¯re from. They only care about one thing, which is elevating their own strength!¡± ¡°¡­¡± Lu Yan¡¯s eyes were half-lidded as he inhaled faintly. ¡°Because it looks like all of them are no longer young, I feel that many of them will soon have one foot in theher world,¡± Qi Qingyao said interestedly. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, it¡¯s hard to say if they can break through the limit on their current level and extend their life¡¯s limit. That¡¯s why these people canpletely disregard the difference of their origins in pursuit of elevating their strength.¡± These were, however, just her spections. Lu Yan somewhat agreed. He said, ¡°Gongsun She and Pang Juan¡¯s battle with Si Jin could already be considered a close-distance observation and a test of Si Jin¡¯s strength. He could only gain useful information by saving Gongsun She.¡± Qi Qingyao¡¯s clear, ck eyes had ayer of moisture as she said, ¡°That¡¯s right. So, I¡¯m thinking, Gongsun She has likely already woken up since this guy is here. He also probably informed him of certain things. It¡¯s even possible that Shang Li came to take a look at Si Jin¡¯s condition after fighting two grand masters, for example, to see if he was injured or suffered abrasions or internal injuries¡­¡± Lu Yang immediately said, ¡°Then I¡¯m afraid we¡¯d have to let him down. ¡°Let him down?¡± Qi Qingyao furrowed her brows and said softly, ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡± ¡°Do you understand what you¡¯re saying?¡± Si Jin was not hurt, how could he not be disappointed? Lu Yan could not understand, he felt that her words were somewhat incoherent. ¡°Little Yan, you¡¯re the one who doesn¡¯t understand.¡± Qi Qingyao rubbed the spot between her brows and said, ¡°You¡¯re usually so astute, how are you so slow now?!¡± ¡°¡­¡± Was he slow?! Lu Yan looked at her, dazed. Qi Qingyao cradled her forehead calmly. ¡°If he sees that Si Jin is fine,pletely healthy and without any injury, Shang Li will conclude that Si Jin¡¯s strength is above a grand master¡¯s.¡± ¡°This¡­is there something wrong with this?¡± This was exactly what he had said. There was nothing wrong with this, surely? Why was she wearing such an expression? ¡°Of course there is,¡± Qi Qingyao said seriously. ¡°That Shang Li will be afraid of Si Jin. It¡¯s possible that he will quickly report this to the little empress.¡± Si Jin would very quickly be summoned the moment the little empress found out about him. ¡°Even if the little empress were to summon him, I think, going off his strength, the little empress wouldn¡¯t dare use Si Jin.¡± They might not be able to handle him even if the grand masters were to join forces! The little empress would not have the guts to order around someone above the level of a grand master! Qi Qingyao nodded. ¡°This is all forter, of course. We still need to meet with this grand master.¡± After a moment. Shang Li was invited into the side hall. Qi Qingyao remained seated, looking at the extremely strong and healthy¡ªeven transcendent¡ªold man in the candlelight. She thought to herself that the temperament of all these grand masters must be somewhat unordinary and detached. She said calmly as she waved her hand, ¡°Please sit.¡± Shang Li observed the littledy¡¯s appearance and expression quietly. He said as he looked around, ¡°Why do I not see that young man?¡± He knew who Lu Yan was and, of course, knew that he was not Si Jin. Qi Qingyao asked calmly, ¡°Are you talking about Si Jin?¡± Shang Li did not conceal his intentions either and said ndly, ¡°Lady Qi, the purpose of my visit is just to meet the young grand master.¡± Qi Qingyao pretended to be cold and acted not to know him. ¡°This old gentleman, who are you?¡± ¡°I am Shang Li, a grand master.¡± Shang Li was silent for a moment before introducing himself. This littledy obviously knew who he was, but was behaving neither humble nor haughty. Her attitude was even a little high-profile as she allowed him to introduce himself. Huh. Was she not getting acquainted with a grand master? Why did she need to act like this? ¡°I¡¯m Qi Qingyao, a nameless junior.¡± Qi Qingyao also showed him due respect. Since the other had introduced themself, naturally, she got up, cupped her fists, and bowed calmly. Immediately after that, she ordered Steward Zhang, ¡°Go and invite Si Jin over.¡± Lu Yan was seated at the side, carrying his cat. He was sitting like a statue. The white caty in his arms. Flinging its big fluffy tail about. It narrowed its gold eyes, staring unblinkingly at Shang Li. Steward Zhang found Si Jin at the pond in the back courtyard. When Si Jin entered the side hall, he immediately rushed to Qi Qingyao¡¯s side. ¡°Sister!~~~¡± Qi Qingyao looked at Si Jin¡¯s cute, childlike appearance and lightly coughed. Then, she said steadily, ¡°Si Jin, hurry up and meet our one and only grand master of Northern Liang.¡± Si Jin turned around and only then saw the transcendent old man. Shang Li had not expected that Si Jin would be such a young man¡ªthe boy was tall and thin, even graceful, and possessed a girl¡¯s cuteness and innocence reflected in his gaze. It rendered him stunned for a moment before he reacted. ¡°I¡¯m Shang Li. Greetings.¡± He was a young grand master so he had to show him due respect. Si Jin, however, did not reciprocate. He only nodded. He sat down expressionlessly beside Qi Qingyao. Shang Li was not angry either. He knew that the young boy had some arrogance given he had be a grand master at such a young age. His power ofprehension must be very high. He said airily, ¡°I wish to fight you for a bit.¡± Si Jin looked up and said seriously without concealment at all, ¡°Do you also wish to experience death for a bit?¡± Shang Li was surprised. ¡°It¡¯s just a fight, nothing overboard.¡± Qi Qingyao detested the old man¡¯s attitude a little. He clearly wanted to test out Si Jin¡¯s skills personally. She guessed that he did not believe that a youth would be able to kill Pang Juan and heavily injured Gongsun She! ¡°Little cutie.¡± Qi Qingyao patted Si Jin¡¯s shoulder, smiling as she said, ¡°This old gentleman really seems to want to have a taste of the fear thates with death. Just let him experience it for a bit then.¡± ¡°¡­My strength is really not that big a deal.¡± Si Jin scratched his head and muttered softly, ¡°Why does everyone want to pick a fight with me, they¡¯re so dense!¡± However, Sister had spoken. So Si Jin would naturally show her due respect. He got up. Then walked toward Shang Li. Shang Li was about to get up and follow him out together. Si Jin, however, simply put his hand on Shang Li¡¯s shoulder with just the slightest movement. Shang Li was stunned. He looked at the boy, not understanding. Si Jin said, ¡°All you have to do now is resist with all you got. I¡¯ll see how long you canst.¡± Saying that¡­ Qi Qingyao and Lu Yan simultaneously saw a pale blue wall of air enveloping them. It looked like a barrier? Inside the barrier, the old gentleman Shang Li¡¯s expression suddenly changed. His right shoulder that Si Jin was gripping also seemed to have sunken down. Hisplexion was bing paler and paler. He instantly clenched his drooping fist. ¡°He is limiting all of the oppressive force to inside that enchantment, probably to prevent destroying the house,¡± Lu Yan exined to Qi Qingyao. Qi Qing nodded. She thought. It was the same as the previous battle on Cangjing Lake. It was just that the scope of the restriction had shrunk a little. Could he already urately control the battle range? To prevent excessive damage? If he could do this, the old man would have to endure the entirety of his power by himself! Lu Yan, who was watching the battle between grand masters at close range, was quite excited. After all, they only saw the tip of the iceberg of the previous battle on theke. This time¡­ it was apletely different situation. What kind of strength did he have that he could make Shang Li, a veritable grand master, look that bad? Time trickled by. It was probably only about five seconds. Shang Li¡¯s body seemed unable to hold on any longer and he quickly fell down. All of a sudden, he knelt down on the ground and his knee created a hole in the ground in an instant. A thump resonated from inside the hall. Hisplexion was as pale as a piece of paper. Qi Qingyao, ¡°¡­¡± She could not help but gulp. Lu Yan was also startled. The white cat licked its fur as usual. It also curled the corners of its lips somewhat exasperatedly. If humans could understand a cat¡¯s expression, they would probably be shocked. This guy was clearly giving a look of disdain. It was as if it were saying, ¡°Why are you going so far? Using so much of your power just for one person¡­¡± Si Jin saw Shang Li kneeling down and his hand casually left his shoulder. He immediately retracted his power. The light blue boundary also disappeared. Si Jin returned to Qi Qingyao¡¯s side indifferently. After taking a seat, he picked up the puffed rice candy on the te and began nibbling it. Shang Li crouched there¡ªhe was out of it for a long time. About five minutes passed. Before Shang Li¡¯splexion gradually improved. After regaining his senses, he looked at the floor where his knee had gone through and wiped the sweat from his forehead with an ugly expression. Shang Li noticed that his back waspletely wet. He could not help but lift his hand and wipe away the sweat from his forehead. A momentter. After getting up¡­ Shang Li walked in front of Si Jin once he was done adjusting the breath and strength in his body and bowed slightly. He spoke with respect and admiration. ¡°You¡ªthis¡ªyou¡¯re a great man, how did you ascend to this level?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡®Hey hey hey, you¡¯re a grand master. ¡®Are you actually showing Si Jin such reverence and respect?¡¯ Qi Qingyao stared at Shang Li,pletely stunned! Lu Yan also looked at Mr. Shang, who was second only to the empress, with an inconceivable expression! Only Si Jin nced at Shang Li with azy look¡­ Chapter 417 - Respect and Worship 2

Chapter 417: Respect and Worship 2

After Qi Qingyao returned to her senses, she coughed lightly and said somewhat awkwardly, ¡°Old sir, how can you expect someone to tell you how they ascended? What you¡¯re asking is too strange.¡± Shang Li was also stunned and said, ¡°I¡¯ve been rude.¡± He immediately nodded and also bowed, then bid his farewells. He quietly looked at Si Jin. Naturally, Si Jin did not bother himself with Shang Li. Shang Li did not dare to leave, like a student who had not received permission. Seeing how much Mr. Shang cared about Si Jin¡¯s opinion, Qi Qingyao could not help but turn red with shame. Waving her hand, she said, ¡°You can leave if you have nothing else.¡± Shang Li looked at Si Jin with a vague sense of loss and then nodded at Qi Qingyao. He left the side hall a little unwillingly. Steward Zhang led Mr. Shang out of Qi Residence, his heart extremely panicky. That young master Si Jin could even crush the only grand master of Northern Liang! That was right. He was not mistaken. It was really no exaggeration to say that he crushed him. Just as he thought this, the old gentleman behind him coughed a few times again. These coughs gave Steward Zhang no shortage of shock. He felt as if his heart was shaking along with the coughs. ¡­After Shang Li left the Qi Residence, the handful of Dong Jing¡¯s spies who had been keeping their eyes on Qi Residence naturally ryed the information to all parties quickly. Jiang Yeqian was the first to receive the news. Zhao Xin organized the information sent back by the scouts and then said, ¡°Your Excellency, Mr. Shang made a trip to the Qi Residence. His expression was weird when he came out. Our people informed us that he looked like he was injured based on hisplexion.¡± ¡°Shang Li is in Qingzhou City?¡± Jiang Yeqian knitted his brows and cursed softly, ¡°He¡¯s such an old fox!¡± ¡°??¡± Why would the master call old Mr. Shang was an old fox? Zhao Xin did not understand. Jiang Yeqian said as he drank his medicine, ¡°it seems like he already arrived in Qingzhou City before Si Jin battled Pang Juan and Gongsun She. However, he did not make a move and was lying low in secret. I guess he wanted to see how the young grand master¡¯s battle strengthpared against the two grand masters.¡± Zhao Xin thought for a bit. His expression suddenly changed drastically. ¡°Your Excellency, you mean to say that old Mr. Shang was thinking of taking advantage of the situation while the others fought?¡± Jiang Yeqian looked up halfway and said with interest, ¡°While he is a grand master, I think he doesn¡¯t feel confident about Si Jin¡¯s strength. If he really cared about whether this young grandmaster lived or died, he would have shown up long ago and joined forces with Si Jin to face Pang Juan and Gongsun She. In the end, he did nothing. He probably wanted to keep himself safe and watch the situation unfold. If Si Jin, the young master Si Jin had been killed, he would continue hiding, or just leave Qingzhou City.¡± The other party were two grand masters whose strength had peaked. Meanwhile, on their side, it would be one grand master whose strength had peaked and another young grand master. In this situation, it was understandable that Shang Li was not confident in Si Jin¡¯s strength, thinking that he might not be able to win. It was apletely reasonable response for him to not want to reveal himself and get involved in the fight. However, if he had not wanted to get involved, it would have been better for him not to appear at all. However, it was likely that Pang Juan¡¯s death and the possibility that Gongsun She was half dead greatly shocked Shang Li till it made him abandon his hiding to meet with Si Jin personally. However¡­the news the spies passed just now, said that Shang Li¡¯splexion when he left Qi Residence was not too good? Could he have been coerced to fight Si Jin? Was it another case of power crushing which was why Shang Li left so dejectedly? Jiang Yeqian asked, ¡°Where is Bai Mei? Have you not found anything regarding the old man Gongsun¡¯s movements?¡± Zhao Xin said seriously, ¡°We already found a clue. Our people said that he is in the inn where Mr. Shang is staying. After tracking it, we found out that he had personally brewed his medicine. Judging by the residue of the medicine, it was specifically made for serious internal injuries.¡± ¡°So it¡¯s that old fox who rescued Gongsun She.¡± Truly, it was the Heavens who made the decisions regardless of what humans thought. Who would have thought that the man would save Gongsun She!! If he had not saved him, Gongsun She likely might not havested any longer. Zhao Xin asked, ¡°Your Excellency, should we send someone in secret to keep an eye on the inn, or¡­use this opportunity before Mr. Shang returns to send someone to assassinate Gongsun She?¡± Jiang Yeqian pondered for a while, then said, ¡°Even if the grand master is severely injured, sending over any number of rank eights still wouldn¡¯t be able to eliminate him as long as he is still alive.¡± Na Lanjie had temporarily left Qingzhou City ever since his slip up thest time. On top of that, he was still on the brink of death. If he did not manage to kill the grand master, he would be dead the moment Gongsun She recovered marginally. ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about whether the old man Gongsun She will live or die.¡± Since Si Jin had deliberately let him live, he probably would not die. ¡°Send someone to keep an eye on Li Ruoxuan¡¯s residence.¡± ¡°??¡± Keeping an eye on the State Preceptor at this moment? Could the State Preceptor still do anything? ¡°I always felt that Li Ruoxuan had a backup n.¡± What he said in front of himst time was like a test of whether he liked Qi Qingyao. Based on how the guy typically operated, it was impossible for him to not have a follow-up n. Chapter 418 - Respect and Worship 3

Chapter 418: Respect and Worship 3

After Shang Li left, Lu Yan rxed and decided to go back to his room and sleep. Qi Qingyao stopped Lu Yan and quietly ushered him into the opposite hall. She asked in whispers, ¡°Erniu was born with seventeen of her pressure pointspletely open. What kind of talent is this?¡± ¡°One belonging to a genius.¡± Lu Yan did not even need to think before he answered. Qi Qingyao knew that Lu Yan was a local scoundrel and definitely knew more people than her. ¡°Then, could you look for a teacher to properly teach her?¡± ¡°Look for a teacher?¡± Lu Yan said firmly, ¡°This matter is not urgent.¡± ¡°It¡¯s very urgent!!¡± Qi Qingyao pressed. Lu Yan asked her in a rather weird manner, ¡°Wouldn¡¯t Dabao and Xiaobao be jealous if Erniu alone were to cultivate?¡± Qi Qingyao, ¡°¡­¡± Lu Yan stretched out his hand carefully and, imitating a normal person, patted her shoulder. Then, he quickly retracted his hand and said, ¡°The children might still be young but I think they¡¯re very intelligent. It wouldn¡¯t be good if they were to develop a misunderstanding because of some matter.¡± If Dabao and Xiaobao were not able to cultivate, they are bound to feel a psychological gap. Qi Qingyao raised her brows, helplessly asking, ¡°You mean to say that I have to think of a way to let Dabao and Xiaobao be able to cultivate too?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve looked over the two children¡¯s talents.¡± Lu Yan said measuredly, ¡°They¡¯re ordinary.¡± They seemed to have only opened two to three pressure points¡­ Qi Qingyao heard Lu Yan¡¯s words and went silent for a moment. ¡°Based on what you¡¯re saying, is there a way to have Dabao and Xiaobao¡¯s talent also reach that of a genius?¡± If so, there was no need to say that it would ¡°always be bad¡±. Lu Yan smiled and said, ¡°There are definitely those in the world who are unable to cultivate on their own. So, people developed a kind of special pill. Just taking this pill would make them able to refine their bones and open their pressure points. They would at least reach an intermediate level of talent and, with proper cultivation, they should be able to reach rank eight at least.¡± Qi Qingyao nced at him with a weird gaze and said confidently, ¡°If that¡¯s the case, if everyone took that pill, wouldn¡¯t there be a lot of rank eight powerhouses?¡± Lu Yan looked like was almost going to spit out blood and said dumbfoundedly, ¡°You think you can easily make the pill just because you want it?¡± ¡°Is it reallyplicated?¡± Qi Qingyao asked, surprised. ¡°Extremely!¡± Lu Yan said firmly, ¡°I know that you are ratherpetent in making medicines, but the Nine Stars Pill of omnipotence is definitely not as simple as you think. The failure rate when ites to making the pill is still above 99% even if a group of divine physicians was working on it.¡± ¡°¡­¡± The rate of failure was that high? It looked like the precision required for this pill was astronomical. ¡°Not to mention, there are some mysterious medicinal herbs needed. If you put in something wrong by mistake, then it¡¯s all over.¡± Lu Yan rubbed his forehead and said seriously, ¡°All the Nine Stars Pill of Omnipotence in the world are made by the Wanhua Hall of the ghost organization. So far, only a dozen of them have been sessfully refined.¡± Qi Qingyao licked her lips, amused. ¡°Isn¡¯t that quite a lot?¡± ¡°A lot?¡± Lu Yan was truly defeated by her simplicity. He focused his gaze and said, ¡°Try and think how much the dozen Nine Stars Pills Of Omnipotence made by the Wanhua Hall would cost. And who would be the one to buy them all?¡± How would she know who bought them all? Qi Qingyao said anxiously, ¡°Just say it, why are you keeping me on my toes?¡± What were you trying to sell? A faint glow appeared in his deep and dark features as Lu Yan said, ¡°I was an ordinary person who didn¡¯t know anything back then, but at any rate, I am the future master of the Lu family. So my father bought me a Pill of Omnipotence! I opened thirteen pressure points and have been cultivating, albeit not too strenuously, until now.¡± Chapter 419 - Respect and Worship 4

Chapter 419: Respect and Worship 4

¡°You¡¯re just rank six,¡± observed Qi Qingyao. ¡°Rank six¡­¡± Hearing her tone¡­ She still seemed to be looking down on a rank six? This woman had been made to think that cultivation was very simple because of the many powerhouses around her. Speechless, he reminded her, ¡°It¡¯s because I¡¯m busy taking care of my businesses every day and my core duty isn¡¯t in cultivation. The master who taught me said that I had too many distracting thoughts and that my heart was uncertain! That¡¯s why my cultivation has been dyed. But being a rank six is enough to save one¡¯s life! You¡¯d have no problems dealing with a few everyday thieves.¡± Lu Yan was toozy to exin too much so he went straight to the point. ¡°You should also know it now because of Si Jin¡¯s mysterious circumstances. If he is not your children¡¯s biological father, he will leave you one day.¡± ¡°¡­¡± She knew this. It was like thest time when Si Jin had disappeared for so long. If that were to happen again, she would be dead in no time. She had to master skills on her own! She could not leave her safety in the hands of others! Lu Yan said seriously, ¡°What you need to do now before he leaves is to get the Pill of Omnipotence!¡± ¡°So, how much does one pill cost?¡± Qi Qingyao asked casually. Lu Yan nced over at the courtyard and thought for a bit. Then he said, ¡°You can probably get one Pill of Omnipotence by selling this house and all the antiques inside it.¡± Qi Qingyao, ¡°¡­¡± Lu Yan restrained himself a little but eventually stretched out his hand and helped her close her jaw that was almost touching the ground. Once that was done, he said, ¡°There¡¯s no need to be that shocked. This is the price for turning an ordinary person with no knowledge into a cultivator.¡± After a pause, he murmured, ¡°Why else do you think cultivators are so valuable? Those that are rank eight or nine are even more valuable.¡± The fact that Si Jin and Jiang Yeqian killed so many rank eightsst time was honestly a waste of nature¡¯s resources! A ming shine seemed to have lit itself inside Qi Qingyao¡¯s dark eyes as she said hurriedly, ¡°You¡¯re saying so much, so you must be implying something in between the lines. Could it be that there are some Pills of Omnipotence on sale recently?¡± ¡°This is why I like talking to someone intelligent like you.¡± Lu Yan rubbed his chin leisurely and nced at her sideways. Feigning an air of mystery, he said, ¡°Hearsay the Crescent Auction House in Qingzhou City will be selling a Pill of Omnipotence on the 15th. The starting price is one million taels¡­of silver.¡± The Crescent Auction House was a property of the ghost organization. ¡°The starting price is already that high¡­¡± Qi Qingyao once again felt like throwing up blood. If the starting price was one million taels of silver, the final price might be ten times that. Lu Yan remained indifferent as he said, ¡°The people who will be there are the wealthy folk of Qingzhou City. However, this time¡­there are also the distinguished guests from Eastern Ling and some powerhouses from Dazhou and Daming who are lying low in Qingzhou City. So, the final price this time around will undoubtedly be high.¡± The fight would definitely be big with so many rich people around. Qi Qingyao muttered with dissatisfaction, ¡°All these powerhouses can already cultivate, so why are they still fighting for this?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t I already mention it just now? This item is really rare. Things that are rare have great value, and many children of the influential officials of capitals of each countryck talent. So they want to use the Pill of Omnipotence to broaden their horizons! That¡¯s why it is inevitably so expensive.¡± Saying this, Lu Yan unconsciously stretched out his hand to pat her head. Qi Qingyao raised her head to look at him in surprise. Lu Yan only then realized his subconscious actions. He withdrew his hand swiftly and coughed somewhat awkwardly. Qi Qingyao, ¡°¡­¡± This person could already pat other people¡¯s heads without thinking. It seems that his illness has alleviated a little. She did not say much about it. Lu Yan, being the thin-skinned person he was, suddenly got shy and angry¡­ Chapter 420 - Respect and Worship 5

Chapter 420: Respect and Worship 5

Qi Qingyao said, ¡°Apart from this house, I have no money.¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t have money, then just sell the house,¡± Lu Yan said without hesitation. Qi Qingyao, ¡°¡­¡± She looked at him seriously for a beat. ¡°You can¡¯t be thinking of having me sell this house to you, right?¡± Lu Yan smiled somewhat weirdly. He licked his slightly dried lips and said, ¡°If you don¡¯t want to sell it, then think of another solution ¡± ¡°Do you have any good suggestions?¡± asked Qi Qingyao. Lu Yan said, ¡°For example¡­¡± What is it? Qi Qingyao waited and waited. Before he even said something, she turned to look at him. Then, she noticed the expression on Lu Yan¡¯s face. He made as if to speak but stopped; he seemed to be having some difficulty. His expression revealed that he had a suggestion, but he could not bring himself to say it. She urged him. ¡°Say something, you!¡± ¡°For example¡ª¡± Lu Yan uttered the two words again, but under Qi Qingyao¡¯s eager gaze, he held back the next words yet again. He touched his face a little sheepishly and muttered, ¡°I can¡¯t say it to your face.¡± ¡°¡­??¡± What was wrong with her face? Lu Yan said, frustrated, ¡°Looking at your face makes me think of an animal.¡± ¡°Ha!!¡± Qi Qingyao was shocked. She immediately clutched her chest in distress as if she had suffered a great blow. She said, ¡°Lu Yan, you had better f*cking say what you mean. Whose face looks like an animal¡¯s? I¡¯m so beautiful and you¡¯re calling me an animal? You¡¯re wrong! We¡¯re having youe up with suggestions, so what does that have to do with my face? Y¡ªyour words don¡¯t make sense.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll tell you tomorrow.¡± Lu Yan did not dare to look at Qi Qingyao directly and hurriedly ran away. Leaving Qi Qingyao where she was. After she came to her senses, she muttered to himself while rubbing her head. ¡°You obviously had no suggestions!! You big idiot!¡± The white cat was lying on the eaves of the roof, waving its big tail. It looked at Lu Yan, who was running away bashfully, and shook its head helplessly¡­ ¡­ ¡­ After Lu Yan ran back to his courtyard, Dong Jing followed him in. He wanted to ask if the master had any orders to leave them before he slept. In the end, he found Lu Yan pacing in his room as he rubbed his head. ¡°Master?¡± Lu Yan rubbed his head, he was depressed as well as annoyed. ¡°I¡¯m going crazy.¡± ¡°¡­¡± What was wrong with the Master? He waspletely different from his usually calm self! Lu Yan did not notice Dong Jing at the side. He paced in the room all alone and was still talking to himself. ¡°If it were my usual self, it would have been easy for me to say it to her. For example, you can devote yourself to me! You can beg me, beg me and I will help you! But what¡¯s up with me today? I couldn¡¯t say a word when I was facing that person.¡± Dong Jing felt as if he had been struck by lightning. ¡°Master, you, you¡­¡± Did he hear that right? Dong Jing was stunned for a moment, then he could not help but say aloud, ¡°You fancy Lady Qi.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Lu Yan seemed to have just noticed Dong Jing and a flush appeared on his beautiful face that had always been indifferent and inconstant in the face of love. He was obviously shy right now. He looked down, annoyed, and said, ¡°I do like her a little bit. I even think that holding her hand or getting close to her isn¡¯t unbearable; I don¡¯t feel like vomiting, at least. It¡¯s a different emotion.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Was the master finally willing to speak the truth? Dong Jing tried very hard to suppress his excitement! At the same time, he still felt like shedding tears. He was so excited¡­ Because the master who usually stayed away from the opposite sex¡­had finally opened up a little! Lu Yan tried exining himself, ¡°The emotion isn¡¯t that of nervousness, but in any case, it¡¯s simply not disgust.¡± ¡°Master, you definitely fancy thedy,¡± Dong Jing said bluntly. Chapter 421 - Respect and Worship 6

Chapter 421: Respect and Worship 6

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Hearing Dong Jing say aloud that he liked Qi Qingyao, Lu Yan was naturally embarrassed. He hurriedly said, ¡°You¡¯re not allowed to speak of this outside. If you dare, be careful that I might kill your entire family.¡± ¡°...¡± Dong Jing felt maligned, but also wanted tough. ¡®I¡¯m the only one in my entire family¡­¡¯ Dong Jing looked at his master¡¯s hesitant manner and could not help but suggest, ¡°Master, if you aren¡¯t able to speak of this yourself, I could go and feel out what Lady Qi feels¡­¡± ¡°Do you also fancy her?¡± Lu Yan¡¯s eyes widened with surprise. What were they even talking about now? Dong Jing did not know whether tough or cry. ¡°No, I am helping you to get a better picture!!¡± ¡°...¡± Lu Yan instantly panicked. He paced the room for a bit again before waving his hand and saying, ¡°It¡¯s better if you don¡¯t.¡± ¡°Ah?¡± Were they retreating just like this? Lu Yan said, ¡°If the probing fails, I¡¯m afraid she will kick me out of this house, considering that woman¡¯s character. I might not even be able to remain friends with her by then.¡± So, this was what he was worried about. Dong Jing was, at any rate, his servant, so he suggested to Lu Yan, ¡°Then, you could say that you can help buy the Pill of Omnipotence, but the price is that Lady Qi has to be your maidservant for a month.¡± ¡°Maidservant¡­¡± An image of Qi Qingyao kneeling down to wash his feet inexplicably floated into Lu Yan¡¯s mind. Then came the image of her helping him undress in the morning and warming his bed at night. His face suddenly went red. He ran to the bed with smoke trailing behind him. He did not even take off his shoes before he covered himself in the nkets on the bed in embarrassment, wrapping the nket over himself tightly. Dong Jing, ??? What was wrong with the master all of a sudden? ¡­ ... Dong Jing closed the door for Lu Yan as he left. After that, he went straight to the side hall to look for Qi Qingyao, but the maid informed him that Qi Qingyao had gone to take a bath and was going to sleep. Dong Jing decided to leave this matter for the next morning. The following day, after the group had their breakfast... Qi Qingyao was sitting down by the pond in the backyard as she fished. Rather than fishing, she was actually thinking about Lu Yan telling her to sell the house. Dong Jing went up to her and greeted her. Then, without beating around the bush, he mentioned offhandedly about the deal with her bing Lu Yan¡¯s maidservant for a month. After bringing it up, he did not wait for Qi Qingyao to answer. Dong Jing hurriedly left. Qi Qingyao was left where she was alone, holding the fishing rod as she sat there, dumbstruck. After being silent for a long time, Si Jin came from the front yard. He saw Qi Qingyao spacing out and asked, ¡°Sister, what are you thinking about?¡± With some difficulty, Qi Qingyao tried recalling what Dong Jing said just now. She put down the fishing rod to the side and patted the stone seat beside her. After Si Jin sat down, she said, ¡°Oh Si Jin, let me tell you something and you can give me some advice. Tell me if it¡¯s proper or not.¡± ¡°Tell me about it.¡± Si Jin had some puffed rice candy in his hands. After he took a seat, he began nibbling on it like a hamster. Qi Qingyao slowly recounted, ¡°It¡¯s like this, Dong Jing came looking for me just now. He came on Little Yan¡¯s behalf to discuss a deal with me. The contents of the deal are¡­¡± Then, Qi Qingyao gave a brief ount of Dong Jing¡¯s proposition. After she was done. Si Jin instantly said firmly, ¡°I don¡¯t agree with it!!¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you agree?¡± Qi Qingyao asked with wide eyes. Si Jin pursed his lips and said, ¡°To have Sister be his maidservant is to have you serve him! I¡¯m not willing for that to happen!¡± Qi Qingyao calmly exined, ¡°But if you don¡¯t agree, I¡¯ll have to buy the Pill of Omnipotence myself and the cost of one pill is too expensive, I don¡¯t want to pay for that. I also don¡¯t want to sell the house.. But if I can exchange a month of working myself like an ox doing household work and be able to get one of those super-expensive pills, I¡¯m willing to do it.¡± Chapter 422 - Respect and Worship 7

Chapter 422: Respect and Worship 7

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion She had worked as an undercover agent many times in her previous life. During that time she had investigated the homicide of a rich man; she worked as an undercover agent for some time in the home of a wealthy man on the Forbes list. She was very skilled in housekeeping. That was why Qi Qingyao thought that this deal was quite the bargain. She was shocked earlier because she was told she could get that guy to buy one of those Pills of Omnipotence just by bing a maidservant for one month. Was this deal not too good to be true? It was so good that she did not dare believe it! Si Jin said a little unhappily, ¡°I want to go kill Lu Yan.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t kill him, you can¡¯t.¡± Qi Qingyao hurriedly obstructed Si Jin. She calmly said, ¡°He is a gold mine, you can¡¯t kill him!¡± Si Jin sat down gloomily andined, ¡°What if I rece you in serving him?¡± There was someone willing to be a servant of their own ord? Qi Qingyao said, ¡°Go and ask.¡± Si Jin rushed to the front yard to look for Dong Jing to exin the situation. After a while. He ran back, looking distracted. Shoulders drooping, he said to Qi Qingyao, ¡°Dong Jing said you were the one who was appointed to serve, and that I cannot rece you.¡± ¡°That guy basically wants me to work like a horse for him.¡± Qi Qingyao sighed. She thought, ¡®Lu Yan can¡¯t possibly want me to work as his maid because he wanted a test subject to test his tolerance toward females, right?¡¯ If that was the case... It was already her responsibility as a doctor to help him to begin with. This deal benefited her way too much. She did not think she would be able to get a Pill of Omnipotence that easily. Qi Qingyao smiled breezily and said, ¡°That¡¯s alright, then. Have Dong Jing inform Lu Yan that thisdy agrees! Tell him to wait, and if he can¡¯t get that pill for meter, I will poison him.¡± ¡°...¡± Si Jin pressed his lips together, his heart hurting a little as he thought about Qi Qingyao. He also silently thought to himself. If Lu Yan really dared to use Sister as his servant and order her about. He will curse the man silently that he would go bald! Grandpa had told him that regardless of how handsome a guy was, he would no longer be good-looking if he lost all his hair!¡¯ ¡­ ¡­ Qi Qingyao and Lu Yan reached an agreement without a ck and white contract. Meanwhile, somewhere else. After Shang Li returned from the Qi Residence, he returned to the inn,pletely mystified. He sat down on the arhat couch, adjusting his breath for the night. After his internal injuries had healed up a little, he opened his eyes. He looked at the rosy dawn of the early morning outside the window, his expression hideous. After that, he went out and gave orders for a bit. Before long, the servants of the inn delivered the boiled medicine. There were two bowls of medicine in total. Gongsun She drank one bowl. He also drank one bowl. After they drank their medicine, Gongsun She was still very weak. Heid there, looking at the beam of the room wistfully. Then he turned his head and looked at Shang Li, who had started adjusting his breath after drinking the medicine. Gongsun She could not help but ask. ¡°You haven¡¯t said anything ever since you came back yesterday, and you¡¯ve just been adjusting your breath. What exactly happened?¡± He guessed that Shang Li had probably raised his hand against Si Jin. Otherwise, there would not be a reason for him to keep adjusting his breath. Not only that, he even made some medicine for himself. Which indicated that his internal injuries were rather serious. Shang Li opened his cloudy eyes. Light filled those slightly yellowed eyes. He got up from the couch, brushed his clothes, and looked at old man Gongsun in the bed. After a moment of silence, he said shortly, ¡°His strength is extraordinarily terrifying. He is above a grand master!¡± ¡°I know he¡¯s above a grand master, that¡¯s why I told you to be careful,¡±?Gongsun She said sulkily. Was this not something that he already knew? ¡°How did he kill Pang Juan? What is his strength? How did he do it? I asked him to exchange blows with me. But he just put his hand on my shoulder and I could already feel the destructive power. I felt like a child who had just started cultivating in his presence. I had no way to fight back!¡± Shang Li opened the window and breathed in the cold air. Gongsun She felt a chill in his heart when he heard those words. That was because Shang Li¡¯s response was exactly the same as his and Pang Juan¡¯s when they exchanged blows with Si Jin... That youth was so strong, he was inhuman. Chapter 423 - Respect and Worship 8

Chapter 423: Respect and Worship 8

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion During lunch, Qi Qingyao and Si Jin apanied the children as they started their meal. Only then did Lu Yan appear. He stood at the entrance, looking into the dining hall somewhat furtively but noting in. It was Xiaobao who noticed Lu Yan and pulled at the corners of Qi Qingyao¡¯s clothes. Qi Qingyao followed Xiaobao¡¯s line of sight and looked over and was stunned by Lu Yan¡¯s furtive behavior. ¡°What are you standing around so sneakily for?¡± Lu Yan turned around and left after hearing her say this. Qi Qingyao thought of something and hurriedly put down her chopsticks, rushing out the door. She blocked Lu Yan who was trying to return to his courtyard. Under the evening glow. Qi Qingyao pointed at Lu Yan¡¯s nose. Immensely bewildered, she said, ¡°Didn¡¯t you want me to be your maidservant? I already agreed to it, so what else do you want?¡± Lu Yan was stunned. Pretending to look like a noble young master, he held his chin high, looked at her past his nose, and said, ¡°Is your current attitude fitting of a maid?¡± ¡°...¡± Qi Qingyao cursed the bastard more than a dozen times in her heart, then bowed. Putting on a smiley, brown-nosing appearance, she said, ¡°Master, pleasee in for a meal.¡± ¡°...¡± Lu Yan side-eyed her. Then, he took the lead and walked toward the dining hall. Dabao and Xiaobao saw Qi Qingyao¡¯s actions and were shocked. The two locked eyes. Dabao quietly said to Xiaobao, ¡°Has Mommy gone crazy?¡± Qi Qingyao just so happened to hear this as she came in. After taking a seat, she gathered the two kids. Softly, she whispered to them. ¡°You two little rascals.¡± Erniu could not help but crane her head and look over. Qi Qingyao said to the three little naughty kids seriously, ¡°Little Yan wants to buy something super expensive for Mommy, but there is no free lunch in this world. So Mommy has to pay a price by taking care of him for a month.¡± Dabao said incredulously, ¡°Take care of Uncle Lu?¡± There were so many servants in the house, why did he need Mommy? It was really strange. Erniu said in a confused, childish voice, ¡°Does Uncle Lu really need a servant?¡± Xiaobao, on the other hand, was rubbing his chin solemnly as he muttered, ¡°Is Uncle Lu someone who iscking servants?¡± Qi Qingyao shrugged helplessly and said, ¡°It may be a strange hobby that the rich have.¡± Lu Yan spoke as he picked up his chopsticks, ¡°Who are you talking about? Who has strange hobbies?¡± Qi Qingyao felt a chill run down her neck. She pursed her lips and said earnestly to the little guys, ¡°Children, when you grow up, you have to work hard to earn money and support your old mother!¡± ¡°Mommy, we will definitely study hard and take care of you when we¡¯re older,¡± said Dabao solemnly. Qi Qingyao smiled and caressed Dabao¡¯s head. ¡°Good boy.¡± Then, she motioned for the three kids to continue eating. Qi Qingyao got up and said to Lu Yan with mock innocence, ¡°Master, am I allowed to dine at the same table?¡± Lu Yan almost blurted out, ¡°Of course,¡± but at the critical moment, he abruptly tracked back and replied pretentiously, ¡°You have to refer to yourself as a servant, only then would it be proper.¡± ¡°Can this servant have dinner at the same table?¡± Qi Qingyao smiled very cutely. Lu Yan coughed lightly and said calmly, ¡°In theory, it is not allowed, but considering your lovely appearance, I give you permission to eat at the same table.¡± ¡°Thank you, Master.¡± Qi Qingyao continued the act of a brown-nosed maid. She sat down obediently and went back to her meal. Si Jin was in disbelief at how Qi Qingyao was going with the flow of ying the role of a servant. ¡°....¡± Chapter 424 - Respect and Worship 9

Chapter 424: Respect and Worship 9

Qi Qingyao had worked as all kinds of informants in her previous life and had dabbled in various upations, so being a housekeeper or maid was not something difficult for her. It was just that she was too close to Lu Yan. Which made it hard for her to be as serious as she otherwise would have been when undercover. She turned and spat at Si Jin, ¡°Is my acting any good?¡± ¡°It¡¯s good,¡± Si Jin said to her in a low voice, ¡°but I think it¡¯s a bit overkill for Sister to be taking care of him.¡± Qi Qingyao firmly said, ¡°No pain, no gain!¡± Si Jin thought for a bit, then said, ¡°If Sister is going to take care of him, then I¡¯ll take care of Sister.¡± ¡°You¡¯re in charge of taking care of the children,¡± said Qi Qingyao. ¡°Alright~¡± Si Jin happily said, ¡°Sister, can I be Dabao and the others¡¯ father next time?¡± ¡°Ack!¡± Lu Yan immediately spat out a mouthful of white rice. He immediately wiped his mouth with a handkerchief. A servant quickly came to the table and removed the tes of dirty dishes before quickly recing them with new ones. Lu Yan lost all his appetite and simply sat still, drinking tea. Qi Qingyao did not notice Lu Yan¡¯s reaction. She was in serious thought before she turned to ask the three kids, ¡°Do you guys really need a father?¡± ¡°Nope!¡± The children replied in unison. Qi Qingyao was a little stunned. ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°Cause we don¡¯t want some guy toe and snatch mommy away from us!¡± said Dabao. Erniu scratched her head and said in a childlike voice, ¡°But if we have to have one, I think Uncle Mo is pretty good.¡± Qi Qingyao admonished, ¡°Is that just because Uncle Mo looks like Mommy? The world is so big, it¡¯s not weird that some people look alike. You can¡¯t dere someone your father just because of that.¡± Si Jin quickly nodded in agreement. Lu Yan also sneakily nodded a little. Erniu pursed her lips and said aggrievedly, ¡°I¡¯m just saying.¡± Qi Qingyao caressed Erniu¡¯s head. Erniu came over and kissed her mother¡¯s face. Qi Qingyao smiled and kissed her back. Lu Yan nced at Si Jin¡¯s depressed appearance and deliberately asked on his behalf, ¡°Don¡¯t any of you want Uncle Si Jin to be your father?¡± Xiaobao awkwardly said, ¡°Uncle Si Jin is fine too, but he will snatch Mommy away from us!¡± After a pause, Xiaobao looked down. ¡°That¡¯s why, after thinking carefully, we¡¯ve decided we don¡¯t need a father. We¡¯ll just spend our days with Mommy when we get older. We¡¯ll take care of mommy!¡± ¡°Alright, you guys know what you want.¡± Qi Qingyao hugged Xiaobao and kissed him. After the kiss, she put Xiaobao down. Xiaobao felt like his face had been made a little wet by his Mommy¡¯s kiss, and he instinctively wanted to wipe the saliva away. However, after thinking about it, he resisted. He could not rub it away! It was the ce his Mommy had kissed him! ¡­ He could only wipe it away after at least two hours! ¡­Lu Yan listened to the kids¡¯ pure and innocent words and looked at Qi Qingyao deeply for a while as he thought about something. After a long time. He looked at Qi Qingyao as she put down her chopsticks. He then asked, ¡°Are you done eating?¡± Hearing this, Qi Qingyao immediately wiped her mouth and stood up like a soldier saluting their officer. She said seriously, ¡°I¡¯m done eating, Master.¡± Lu Yan got up and said, ¡°Then follow me to the study.¡± ¡°What are we doing in the study?¡± It was already night! As if they were going to read books. Lu Yan replied, ¡°To look at the ount books.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Did rich people still need to work so hard? She did not know he had to look at ount books at night! Qi Qingyao wrung her wrists in disappointment. She gestured to Si Jin to apany the little kids to bed. Then, like a little eunuch trailing behind the empress, she blindly followed Lu Yan back to the courtyard. After entering the study, she lit themps. The candlelight flickered. Dong Jing carried a pile of ount books over and put them down. Lu Yan sat at the desk, flipping through the ount books and beginning to look through them. Chapter 425 - Respect and Worship 10

Chapter 425: Respect and Worship 10

As a ¡®maid¡¯, Qi Qingyao had to of course apany her ¡®Master¡¯. Lu Yan sat still, looking through the ledgers and annotating in passing. Qi Qingyao stood near the door and looked at the beautiful young man under the flickering candlelight. His eyes and brows really looked like something out of a painting. She used to think that Lu Yan was just a good-for-nothing rich man¡¯s son who only ate and slept. Who could have guessed that he actually diligentlybed through ledgers at night? It looked like it was not easy being the young master of Northern Liang¡¯s top chamber ofmerce! After a while, someone knocked on the door. Qi Qingyao opened the door. It was a maid who had brought over a bowl of medicine. The maid signaled her to bring it over to Lu Yan. Qi Qingyao took the medicine. The maid ran off in a hurry as though she was afraid of someone stopping her. Qi Qingyao shut the door in confusion. She brought the bowl of medicine over, cing it on the side table. Right after, she rapped on the tabletop with her knuckle. ¡°Master, please drink your medicine.¡± Lu Yan looked up. His eyes were a bit sharp. It made Qi Qingyao freeze a little. Lu Yan seemed a little close to losing his temper, but when he saw that the person beside him was Qi Qingyao, his gaze instantly softened a little. He took the bowl of medicine without a word and drank all of it in one go. Soon after, he picked up the ledger again and continued looking through it. Qi Qingyao, ¡°¡­¡± It seemed like that little maid from before had previously received a scolding when giving Lu Yan his bowl of medicine at night, so she had run off like her butt was on fire. After a while. The door was knocked. Qi Qingyao went over. It was another little maid. She handed a te of snacks to Qi Qingyao. It was technically meant to be supper. After Qi Qingyao took it, she thought for a while. To test Lu Yan¡¯s patience, she ced the snack tray directly on the ledger. Sure enough, when he looked up this time, his gaze was sharper than before, and he looked rather like he wanted to murder someone. Then, he made contact with Qi Qingyao¡¯s smiley gaze and her soft and gentle tone. ¡°Master, please have some snacks.¡± Lu Yan, ¡°¡­¡± He quietly picked up the snack and ate it. After that, he continued looking at the ledger. An unknown amount of time passed. Qi Qingyao even added some oil to the candle holder. She noted that the stack of ledgers had all been processed, and whichever ledgers had problems had been singled out and put aside. Qi Qingyao yawned involuntarily, and her head began to droop. She pulled out a chair and sat beside Lu Yan. She rubbed her eyes and said, ¡°Master, it¡¯s time to sleep¡­¡± The man looking through the ledger did not hear her at all. He continued looking at the ledger. Qi Qingyao continuously yawned several times, tears leaking out of the corner of her eyes. ¡°Master, I¡¯m sleepy.¡± After she said this, she spread herself out on the chair and fell asleep. An unknown amount of time passed. Lu Yan finally finished looking through the stack of ledgers Dong Jing had brought over. He was about to ask Dong Jing toe in to deal with the ledgers with issues. However, as soon as he turned around, he saw a certain littledy spread out on a chair and dozing off. Her white and tender face was filled with loveliness and innocence. Her eyshes were extremely long under the candlelight, like two rows of small hand fans. Lu Yan turned around and looked at the girl¡¯s rxed and sleeping figure. He could not help but call her name out softly, ¡°Yaoyao~¡± Unexpectedly, him calling her instantly woke Qi Qingyao up. She yawned. ¡°You called me?¡± Lu Yan quickly backed away and said in a serious tone, ¡°I asked you to wait on me as I went through the ledgers, but you fell asleep.¡± Qi Qingyao raised her white g and surrendered quickly. ¡°Lu¡­ ah, Master, to be honest, I got bored because you were looking at the ledgers for so long! It was so boring I fell asleep.¡± After she said this, she continued pushing forward. ¡°You can¡¯t just make me attend to you without telling me when we¡¯re going to the Yueya Auction House! When is that Nine Star Pill of Omnipotence going to show up?¡± Lu Yan pursed his lips. ¡°You¡¯ve only attended to me for one afternoon and you¡¯ve already begun to anxiously ask me for results.¡± Qi Qingyao, ¡°¡­¡± Lu Yan said, ¡°The master worked overtime and is almost done making the jade tablets you requested for before.¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s look for a local tradesman as soon as we can to sell all these things.¡± Qi Qingyao immediately sobered up once they bega talking about serious business. ¡°But you must be sure to remember to transfer them into a few individuals¡¯ hands to make sure they¡¯re not eventually traced back to you.¡± Lu Yan said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Dong Jing has always been very serious when ites to these things.¡± Qi Qingyao nodded. He continued. ¡°I¡¯m sleepy, it¡¯s time for me to head back to my room to rest.¡± Saying this, he turned to look at her with a face that asked, ¡®Why are you frozen in ce and not following me?¡¯. Qi Qingyao was shocked. ¡°Do¡ªDo I still have to serve you after you return to your room?¡± ¡°What do you think?¡± Lu Yan looked very serious on the surface, but in fact, he was so nervous inside he felt half-dead. Qi Qingyao licked her lips. ¡°Master, please go ahead. I will be following right behind you.¡± As Lu Yan opened the door, his instincts told him something. ¡°You¡¯re rolling your eyes at my back.¡± Qi Qingyao quickly paused her eye-roll and chuckled. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dare~ My eyes have been shooting gazes of love like nobody¡¯s business!¡± Lu Yan, ¡°¡­¡± ¡®You¡¯d better actually be shooting gazes of love!!¡¯ After returning to Lu Yan¡¯s room with him. Lu Yan pointed at the bed. Qi Qingyao hurried forward and helped him make the bed. After efficiently making the bed, Lu Yan began to undress to get to sleep. Not long after, he was left only in white innerwear, and he got into bed. He lied on the bed, his eyes still staring at Qi Qingyao. Qi Qingyao said, almost at a loss for words, ¡°Could it be that after this I still have to watch over you while you sleep?¡± Lu Yan thought for a while. ¡°You can also,e¡ªCome here¡­¡± Before he could even finish speaking, he buried his head in the nket in embarrassment. Those ambiguous words confused Qi Qingyao. ¡°Sleeping together?¡± ¡®Is he trying to say that?¡¯ He was taking advantage of her! ¡°I didn¡¯t say that.¡± Lu Yan quickly poked his head out of the nket. His face was a little red, and his gaze was darting about. ¡°What I mean is, you can¡­¡± Qi Qingyao finished his sentence. ¡°Can go?¡± Was she finally free? Lu Yan said anxiously, ¡°There¡¯s no need to go out. The weather outside is still cool.¡± Qi Qingyao unhurriedly said, ¡°Do you want me to warm the bed for you, but you¡¯re too shy to ask for it?¡± Lu Yan, ¡°¡­¡± He quickly buried his head in his nket again. Qi Qingyao, ¡°???¡± Was he acting shy? Could this guy be¡­ ¡°Does a maid¡¯s duties include bed warming?¡± Qi Qingyao deliberately asked. ¡°How about singing a luby?¡± ¡°Qi Qingyao!¡± Lu Yan stuck his head out of the nket again! ¡°Hm?¡± Qi Qingyao asked. ¡°Do I look ugly?¡± Lu Yan asked, a shyness in his solemnity. Qi Qingyao said, ¡°You¡¯re not ugly. I¡¯d even say you look pretty good.¡± Lu Yan said iprehensibly, ¡°Then why do I feel like you¡¯re not interested in me at all?¡± ¡°What interest?¡± Qi Qingyao said in dumb pretense. ¡°Nothing.¡± Lu Yan abruptly swallowed the words that were at the edge of his lips. Qi Qingyao leisurely said, ¡°Master, do you perhaps feel like you don¡¯t have the charms of a normal man?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m quite interested in you, but you¡¯ve encountered so much in the past. If I really was interested in you, I¡¯m afraid I¡¯d scare you till your blood runs cold, and you¡¯d stay a hundred thousand meters away from me henceforth!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll allow you to nap together with me.¡± ¡°You¡¯re saying you¡¯re allowing me to sleep next to you?¡± ¡°Just, j-j-just, just take it as a test of my ability to endure women. You¡¯re sleeping next to me until noon today.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Chapter 426 - So Jealous I Could Die 1

Chapter 426: So Jealous I Could Die 1

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion When Lu Yan saw Qi Qingyao blow out the candle in one go, he shrank under the nket and did not dare move. He did not expect her to agree so readily, nor take the nket so readily, nor lie on his bed with him so readily. Lu Yan, who was sleeping in the bed, was so stunned his body grew as stiff as a statue. After a long while, he noticed that the atmosphere had be very cozy and peaceful, and the person next to him seemed to be non-existent. He then leaned on his side and whispered into the dark, ¡°Yaoyao.¡± There was no response. He could not help but ask, ¡°Are you asleep?¡± There was still no response. Lu Yan slowly approached her and listened closely. Only then did he hear her exceptionally gentle breathing. She seemed to have fallen asleep. ¡°Zzzzzz...¡± ¡°...¡± How fast! Lu Yan was so shocked his jaw almost dropped. Just now he had been so nervous, terrified of what she would do to him. He had not been expecting this woman to fall asleep immediately upon getting into his bed. Hold on. Did she not think it was very wrong to sleep next to a man? She had not even put up any kind of defense against him. Could it be that she did not regard him as a man?! Lu Yan was a little speechless when he thought about that. Slowly hugging his nket close and listening to the very shallow breathing of a certain littledy, with his head full of thoughts, he gradually slipped into Dreand. Early the next morning. The sky was bright. Qi Qingyao opened her eyes and sat up with slightly bleary eyes. She stretched and made a move to get up when she suddenly noticed that the bed curtains were a little different than what she was used to. A realization shed through her mind. She quickly nced to her left. She was met with Lu Yan, whose eyes were round and wide, his nket pulled up to his neck. Qi Qingyao was startled on the inside. F*ck. She had really slept in the same bed as Lu Yanst night, and had even slept so peacefully¡­ Qi Qingyao asked in a calm pretense, ¡°Since you¡¯ve long woken up, why didn¡¯t you wake me up?¡± With that, she got out of the bed, rubbed her neck, and stretched her limbs. Lu Yan sat up, still hugging his nket nervously. He whispered, ¡°I saw you sleeping soundly, so I didn¡¯t dare wake you up.¡± Qi Qingyao turned around and saw Lu Yan hugging the nket nervously like a sweet little wife. This scene made her want tough. Qi Qingyao pretended not to see it and continued saying calmly, ¡°I actually slept quite wellst night.¡± She felt like she had slept more soundly than usual. The beds in both rooms were clearly the same. How strange. Qi Qingyao asked, ¡°Why does your bed feel morefortable than the bed in my room? It feels so nice to sleep on!¡± Lu Yan answered, ¡°My bedding has been scented by the maids with a special incense that helps with sleep.¡± ¡°Well then, when the maides to scent the bedding for youter, ask her toe scent mine as well!~¡± Right now, Qi Qingyao had forgotten she was still a maid, too. She had already gone back to casuallymanding Lu Yan around like usual. Lu Yan did not say anything, so it was taken as agreement. A knocking suddenly came from the door. Because Qi Qingyao had not taken off her clothes when she sleptst night, she walked over to the door to open it right away. Dong Jing was at the door. ¡°Master and I just woke up.¡± Qi Qingyao said, ¡°Why are you looking for Master?¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Dong Jing¡¯s eyes widened instantly. He peered inside from the door, then looked at Qi Qingyao. ¡°Mydy, you and the master slept¡ªSlept in the same roomst night?¡± Qi Qingyao asked with a smile, ¡°Yes, is there a problem?¡± ¡°No problem, no problem.¡± Dong Jing shook his head like a rattle. ¡°His bed is nice to sleep in indeed. I slept a little too well,¡± Qi Qingyao said, her hands on her back. She left. Dong Jing, who had been left alone, was dumbfounded and stunned.. His thoughts were in chaos. Chapter 427 - So Jealous I Could Die 2

Chapter 427: So Jealous I Could Die 2

After a while, Dong Jing rushed into the room. He looked at Lu Yan, who was getting dressed. ¡°Master,st night, y-y-y-you¡­¡± Dong Jing could not articte his words clearly anymore. ¡°You let Lady Qi sleep with you?¡± ¡°What are you saying?!¡± After Lu Yan got dressed, he rebuked him. ¡°Is that considered sleeping with me?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡®Is it not?! Lady Qi had clearly said your bed was nice to sleep in! Did she sleep on the bed while you slept on the ground?¡¯ Dong Jing looked at Lu Yan suspiciously. Lu Yan stroked his chin and smiled a little contentedly. ¡°We slept in the same bed!¡± ¡°¡­¡± Dong Jing¡¯s jaw almost dropped to the ground. That was very fast progress. ¡°But we used two nkets.¡± Lu Yan was still smiling happily. ¡°¡­¡± ¡®Oh, that¡¯s how it is!¡¯ Dong Jing was suddenly a little disappointed, but when he thought about it, it was still quite speedy progress. At least his master could sleep in the same bed with thedy without ticking her off! That should already be considered a great improvement. ¡°Master, next time, strive for¡­¡± Before Dong Jing even finished speaking¡­ Lu Yan gave him a kick. ¡°What are you saying?! I¡¯m a gentleman! I wouldn¡¯t do anything disrespectful to thedy!¡± Lu Yan lectured Dong Jing seriously. Dong Jing said yes repeatedly. He thought to himself sadly, ¡®You¡¯re being too much of a gentleman. You slept in the same bed as her yet did nothing!¡¯ That was not the behavior of a gentleman at all. It was rather like the behavior of a eunuch¡­ Qi Qingyao went back to her room and freshened up. Si Jin saw she was still wearing yesterday¡¯s clothes, and he hurriedly asked her where she spent her night. Qi Qingyao briefly told him what had happenedst night. Si Jin looked at her in shock, then looked up and down her. Only after making sure Qi Qingyao had not been taken advantage of did Si Jin feel relieved. Qi Qingyao exined her n to Si Jin. Si Jin, ¡°¡­¡± ¡®D-drug?¡¯ Big Sis nned to drug Lu Yan? Then send him to Huayue Building to see what it was like? That was¡­ Once Qi Qingyao was done speaking, she also felt it was a little overboard. ¡°If I really wanna do that, I have to ask him first. Otherwise, if I just go ahead and do it, I¡¯m afraid he¡¯ll break off our friendship forever in a fit of rage.¡± Si Jin, ¡°¡­¡± They did not see Lu Yan during breakfast. Thus, after their meal, Qi Qingyao happily went to look for Lu Yan to talk about the n. Lu Yan spat out his tea right after he heard it. Then, he said decisively, ¡°If you dare to drug me and send me to that brothel, I swear I¡¯ll hire the best assassin. Even if you have Si Jin protecting you, I¡¯ll go to any length to kill you!! Because you¡¯ll have to be alone at least sometimes! And if you¡¯re not alone, I¡¯ll just create a diversion and distraction, and then I¡¯ll kill you!¡± Did he have to be so fierce? Qi Qingyao asked almost speechlessly, ¡°You were able to lie down on the same bed as mest night, which means that your condition should be recovering. Isn¡¯t it about time you look for a girl now? It¡¯s not like I want you to do anything with the girl! It¡¯s just that Huayue Building is filled with girls, so if you can sit at a table with those girls and share a few cups of drink with them without feeling repulsed, that means you¡¯vepletely recovered.¡± ¡°I know my condition,¡± Lu Yan said stubbornly. Lu Yan felt a chill run through him when he thought about this woman drugging him and sending him to the brothel. Qi Qingyao said calmly and leisurely, ¡°You¡¯re too close to me, so I feel like you don¡¯t think of me as a woman. You clearly think of me as your buddy! So it¡¯s better to look for other girls to test it out. Do you understand me or not?¡± ¡°I understand.¡± Lu Yan nodded slightly. Chapter 428 - So Jealous I Could Die 3

Chapter 428: So Jealous I Could Die 3

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion ¡°You understood sh*t.¡± Qi Qingyao looked at Lu Yan¡¯s expression and felt like he surely would never go to the brothel himself. Qi Qingyao thought for a while. She walked to the door and saw a little maid sweeping the floor. She called out, ¡°Du Juan,e here.¡± Du Juan, the little maid, ran over in quick steps. She stood in front of Qi Qingyao. Qi Qingyao held Du Juan¡¯s chin and examined her. Then, she asked, ¡°Aren¡¯t you the maid in charge of sweeping the floors in Young Master Lu¡¯s courtyard?¡± ¡°Yes, I am.¡± Du Juan nodded cautiously. Then, Qi Qingyao led Du Juan in through the door and said to Lu Yan from a distance, ¡°Lu Yan, don¡¯t move.¡± Lu Yan looked at the little maid that she was holding hands with and suddenly had a bad feeling. Qi Qingyao pointed and nodded her chin at Lu Yan, then said to the little maid, ¡°Du Juan, go and sit on Lu Yan¡¯sp.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± The little maid¡¯s face suddenly flushed with embarrassment and nervousness. Qi Qingyao patted Du Juan¡¯s shoulder. ¡°I asked you to sit, so go and sit! What are you afraid of? It¡¯s not like he¡¯s going to eat you.¡± ¡°B-but¡­¡± Du Juan kept backing away; she repeatedly expressed that she did not dare. Qi Qingyao stood behind her and pushed the little maid forward. ¡°No buts.¡± Du Juan could neither step forward nor step back. She was in a little bit of a dilemma. Lu Yan looked as if he was facing an archenemy. He looked at her and Du Juan with his body pulled taut all over. Qi Qingyao instructed from afar, ¡°You¡¯re not allowed to move.¡± Lu Yan, ¡°...¡± Qi Qingyao walked to Lu Yan¡¯s side and held his body down when it was just about to get up. Then, she said to Du Juan with a smile, ¡°Du Juan,e on, sit down.¡± Du Juan was still rooted to the spot and hesitating on the. She slowly approached in one step, then two steps. When she was half a meter away from Lu Yan, Lu Yan¡¯s body quickly leaped up from the chair as if it had a spring installed. He turned over and ran behind the screen. His face was pale, and he was gasping and panting. A strained sentence came from behind the screen. ¡°No, I can¡¯t do it.¡± ¡°...¡± Qi Qingyao and Du Juan were both stunned by this scene. Qi Qingyao motioned for Du Juan to wait there. Then, she walked behind the screen and looked down at Lu Yan, who was squatting on the ground from excessive nervousness. Qi Qingyao rubbed her forehead helplessly. She lowered her voice and said, ¡°Do you want to be a eunuch for the rest of your life?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°If you want to get a wife and have children, this is the only way.¡± ¡°...¡± Lu Yan was silent for a moment. He got up, put half a meter between himself and Qi Qingyao, and stared right at her. With a rather provoking edge to his voice, he asked, ¡°Why don¡¯t you set an example yourself first?¡± ¡°??¡± What ¡®set an example¡¯? Lu Yan said awkwardly, ¡°I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll kick the maid to the door.¡± Did he want her to try sitting on hisp? That kind of example? Qi Qingyao¡¯s eyebrows sank, but she said seriously, ¡°Okay. I have no choice but to be an example. I¡¯ll have to sacrifice myself in the name of justice!¡± With that, Qi Qingyao turned around and said to Du Juan and Dong Jing, who was at the door, ¡°You lot, get out of her.¡± Du Juan smiled in relief and quickly ran out. As Dong Jing left, he closed the door as he went. Lu Yan looked at the people who left, then slowly rxed. He sat on the chair again. Qi Qingyao stood in front of him. She licked her lips nervously, thinking about what he had said just now, that he was afraid he would kick that maid away. She gave him some mental preparation first. ¡°I¡¯m your buddy, and I¡¯m your physician, so don¡¯t kick me. My body is delicate and precious and can¡¯t afford to get kicked by you.¡± Lu Yan lowered his eyes, turned his head, and looked to the side, purposely expressing that he was very rxed. Chapter 429 - So Jealous I Could Die 4

Chapter 429: So Jealous I Could Die 4

When it came to women, Lu Yan, who had gone through certain incidents in his life, even if she had slept next to him safely and soundlyst night, when ites to something like letting a woman sit on hisp, it was in actuality, a situation this guy had probably never experienced before. She thought for a while, then walked up to him. She turned around, and with her back facing him, she immediately used hisp as a stool and plopped down. After sitting down. Qi Qingyao was also a little nervous. It was also her first time in her past life and this life sitting on someone¡¯sp¡­ The feeling was a little strange. She could not see Lu Yan¡¯s face, so she could only ask dryly, ¡°How is it?¡± ¡°¡­¡± The person behind her did not say anything. He was like a statue. Qi Qingyao asked again, ¡°How do you feel?¡± ¡°¡­¡± The person behind her still did not say a word. ¡°Do you hate it? Do you like it? Do you feel anything?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Although she kept on asking questions, Lu Yan¡¯s emotions were veryplicated, extremelyplicated. Ady was sitting on hisp. He did not feel like he wanted to kick the person, unlike the way he felt before. The smell of her body was pretty good. Her hair was also fragrant. Their distance allowed him to even see the tiny hairs on her neck. Her skin was very delicate. It was white and soft, and seeing it made him want to take a bite. She had birthed three children¡­ so why was he so attracted to this woman?! Lu Yan was a little distraught. ¡°Do you think of me as a woman, or do you think of me as a hungry tiger that will immediately pounce on you? Or do you think of me as a buddy, so you don¡¯t feel anything?¡± She continued asking him questions. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you saying anything?¡± Qi Qingyao kept on asking a few more questions. The person behind her could not help but say, ¡°Shut up.¡± ¡°¡­¡± He had told her to shut up. Qi Qingyao thought it seemed like his condition was not getting better at all. This man was still able to keep his hands to himself when ady like her, who was not too bad-looking, was sitting on hisp like this. He waspletely unaffected and did not feel anything. That could not help but make Qi Qingyao feel a little defeated as well. When Qi Qingyao was still sulking about herck of feminine wiles, a loud movement came from the door. ¡°Head Grand Secretariat, you¡¯re looking for our master¡­¡± ¡®Head Grand Secretariat? ¡®Is it Jiang Yeqian? ¡®What is he doing here? ¡®Either way, it won¡¯t be good for outsiders to see both of us in this position!¡¯ Just as Qi Qingyao was about to get up, the door was pushed open. ¡°Lu Yan!!¡± Jiang Yeqian yelled irritably, leaning on crutches. The daylight from outside shone in. Jiang Yeqian saw the two of their positions clearly and frowned on the spot. His expression changed drastically, and he then hollered angrily, ¡°What are you two doing!!¡± When Dong Jing heard him, he also nced inside. He knew at a nce what had happened. Just now she had wanted to use Du Juan to experiment, but the master had refused. Had Missus made herself an example instead? But it looked like Master had not kicked Missus¡­ As expected. As expected. If he liked her enough, his condition would no longer be a problem. Qi Qingyao calmly got up from Lu Yan¡¯sp calmly. She slowly said, ¡°What does this have to do with you?¡± Jiang Yeqian was almost choked to death by that one sentence. He red at Lu Yan angrily and shouted, ¡°Lu Yan!!¡± After Lu Yan got up, he noticed that his expression was still not calm, so he turned around and went into the back room. The room was suddenly left with only Qi Qingyao and Jiang Yeqian, who had juste in from the door. Jiang Yeqian came in with his crutches and walked up to Qi Qingyao step by step. The look in his eyes was as though he had just witnessed his wife¡¯s infidelity. He interrogated her. ¡°What exactly were the two of you doing just now?¡± ¡°Nothing.¡± Qi Qingyao was still worrying about her seemingck of feminine charm. She sat on another chair out of sheer boredom and even poured herself a cup of cooled tea. The cup of cooled tea went down her throat. Her mood grew calmer. ¡°You sat on hisp.¡± Jiang Yeqian could not help but get annoyed when looking at her nonchnce. Chapter 430 - So Jealous I Could Die 5

Chapter 430: So Jealous I Could Die 5

Qi Qingyao said, ¡°Oh.¡± Jiang Yeqian was very furious. ¡°What do you mean, ¡®oh¡¯?! You, a maiden, went so far as to close the door in broad daylight and then sit on a man¡¯sp!! What were you thinking?! If I hadn¡¯t made it here in time, were you two going to immediately dive into indulging inscivious acts in broad daylight?!¡¯ ¡°¡­¡± ¡®Indulging inscivious acts in broad daylight? What was he saying?¡¯ Qi Qingyao had been unreasonably used. She thought to herself, ¡®Even if I had been indulging inscivious acts in broad daylight, what does that have to do with you?¡¯ On the other hand, she figured that at any rate, this person was still the Head Grand Secretariat, and she would rather not offend him. In Jiang Yeqian¡¯s eyes, her muffled silence was a confession that she had been ready to do as much. He suddenly spluttered, ¡°Say something!! Don¡¯t have the guts to do it, but not have the guts to admit it!¡± He hoped she would quickly deny it. It would be better if she could exin that she had just identally sat on Lu Yan¡¯sp just now! Qi Qingyao shrugged with her hands and poured herself another cup of tea. ¡°What should I say?¡± ¡°Just tell me what were the two of you doing just now,¡± Jiang Yeqian said in exasperation. Qi Qingyao looked cidly at Jiang Yeqian, who seemed close to having a breakdown. ¡°I was sitting on hisp. Didn¡¯t you see us?¡± Jiang Yeqian felt his breathing almost stop. ¡°You¡¯re even shamelessly admitting to it!!¡± ¡°What does me being shameless or not have anything to do with you? Head Grant Secretariat, you say very strange things.¡± She was the one who felt aggrieved. She had sat on Lu Yan¡¯sp, and the man had inexplicably not reacted at all. This made Qi Qingyao quite frustrated. To be honest, she felt like she looked pretty good. She should be at least be a little attractive to any man, yet things had turned out this way. When she thought about it carefully, she realized that Lu Yan had not reacted to herst night. She had then sat on hisp today, and he had been still as motionless as a mountain. His condition should have been cured. Looking at this, however, it seemed like it had not been cured at all. He clearly thought of her as stone, a piece of wood, or a piece of porcin? Could it be that a single mother who had given birth to three children was already unattractive? Qi Qingyao thought sadly, ¡®I¡¯m afraid it¡¯ll be hopeless to look for a life partner.¡¯ She could only hope that her three children would be filial to her after they grow up¡­ Jiang Yeqian looked at Qi Qingyao, who had tacitly admitted she was shameless. He was so angry his heart hurt, and he breathed in big gasps of air. After his emotions smoothed out, he was about to reprimand her again when Lu Yan walked out from behind the screen. His face was like how it usually was, and his expression was indifferent. He asked, ¡°Jiang Yeqian, why are you looking for me?¡± Qi Qingyao looked up and swept a nce across him, then said leisurely, ¡°Alright, since you didn¡¯te here to look for me, you don¡¯t need to quarrel with me. I¡¯ll take my leave.¡± With that, She quickly left Lu Yan¡¯s yard. Jiang Yeqian turned his head and watched Qi Qingyao leave, then reluctantly withdrew his gaze. Lu Yan said with a casual smile, ¡°Head Grand Secretariat, to what do I owe the pleasure?¡± He sat in the ce Qi Qingyao had sat just now. Jiang Yeqian returned to his senses and looked at Lu Yan with a temperamental gaze. The bottom of his eyes were as sharp as a knife hidden in a dim me. He asked in an interrogative tone, ¡°Why was she sitting on yourp just now? Why did the two of you close the door in broad daylight?! If I hadn¡¯te over, what were the two of you nning to doter?!¡± Lu Yan was a little startled. He said, ¡°Is the Head Grand Secretariat here to ask about that?¡± ¡°No, but you have to answer those questions first.¡± He had long forgotten what he had wanted to say when he came over just now. Jiang Yeqian¡¯s mind was entirely focused on this matter at the moment. Lu Yan did not n on exining. He good-naturedly went with the flow and said, ¡°Why do I have to tell you about what happens between Yaoyao and me? Could it be that you also like Yaoyao, so you¡¯re jealous?¡± Chapter 431 - So Jealous I Could Die

Chapter 431: So Jealous I Could Die

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Jiang Yeqian almost felt like he could not breathe. When faced with Lu Yan¡¯s question, he instinctively retorted without even thinking, ¡°Who likes that woman? I just want to know when the young master of Northern Liang¡¯s top chamber ofmerce developed such an intense taste in women that he would actually want an unwanted widow!! Looks like others need to open their eyes to the world now.¡± He was, of course, not thinking that internally. However, the insincere words left his mouth unrestrained. Lu Yan heard all this but was very satisfied. He said leisurely, ¡°My taste has always been on the intense side; the Head Grand Secretariat doesn¡¯t have to trouble himself over it.¡± An intense taste! The man so shamelessly admitted to it? So that meant he had deliberately let her sit on his thighs just now?!¡¯ Thinking of this, Jiang Yeqian felt his breathing once again beginning to constrict. His mind was in a flurry. Feeling ruffled, he spat, ¡°I¡¯ll take my leave first.¡± Immediately leaning on his crutches, he limped with vigorous strides and left Lu Yan¡¯s courtyard despite his injured leg. Lu Yan got up. ¡°Head Grand Secretariat?¡± He followed Jiang Yeqian out the gate and calmly asked Dong Jing to escort the man out of the Qi Residence. Dong Jing returned to report that Jiang Yeqian left without dallying any longer. Lu Yan was very relieved. ¡­ ¡­ Inside the carriage. Jiang Yeqian tossed the crutches aside angrily. He sat silently, his gaze vacating and carrying some anger. Zhao Xin, who was seated beside him, looked over at the apparently furious Head Grand Secretariat. He called out softly, ¡°Your Excellency?¡± Right after he said that... Jiang Yeqian could not help but curse, ¡°That woman is sick in the head, Lu Yan too!! To think he actually fell in love with that woman!¡± ¡°Your Excellency???¡± That woman? Who was that? Zhao Xin was stunned. Could His Excellency be talking about Lady Qi? Wait, was His Excellency suggesting that Master Lu had also developed a crush on Lady Qi? Jiang Yeqian took repeated deep breaths as he kept on muttering to himself, ¡°I¡¯m not angry, what should I be mad for? The young master of the top chamber ofmerce in Northern Liang, falling for a widow with triplets. This kind of insanity¡­ I ought to p my hands and praise it!¡± ¡°...¡± Zhao Xin looked at his master¡¯s expression doubtfully and thought to himself, ¡®Not angry?¡¯ He was deeply skeptical. Jiang Yeqian¡¯s finger was constantly tapping on the surface of the small teapoy in the carriage, his entire being the picture of irritation. ¡°That woman has really opened my eyes to the world. She took the initiative to sit on Lu Yan¡¯s thighs and even seduced him. She¡¯s basically got Lu Yan¡¯s background all figured out!! Makes sense that she has¡ªshe always loved money, and Lu Yan is the young master of the top chamber ofmerce in Northern Liang. She¡¯s not taking a loss by doing this.¡± ¡°...¡± Zhao Xin listened to Jiang Yeqian¡¯s somewhat irrational words. He thought, ¡®Oh Your Excellency, you said you aren¡¯t angry but every word out of your mouth does not have a trace ofposure! ¡®You are obviously angry. ¡®Very angry.¡¯ It felt like the man was about to lose himself from the anger soon. Jiang Yeqian¡¯s temper red once again and he threw out a few more curses in session. Zhao Xin could not help but say softly, ¡°Your Excellency, did you tell Master Lu about what you prepared just now?¡± ¡°What¡¯s there to say? It has nothing to do with me!¡± Jiang Yeqian spat, utterly difited. Zhao Xin, ¡°...¡± After returning to his room the moment he arrived back at his residence, Jiang Yeqian drank his medicine and then sat in his study looking at some documents. However, he was unable toprehend them no matter how he looked through them. After two hours, Zhao Xin entered with a bowl of ginseng tea and noted the documents scattered all over the floor. ¡°...¡± They obviously had been scattered all over the floor by His Excellency in a fit of rage! Could His Excellency actually fancy Lady Qi? There was no reason for him to be so angry otherwise. Thinking of this, Zhao Xin put down the ginseng tea and then picked up all the documents from the floor, organized them, and ced them on the study table. He looked at Jiang Yeqian, who just sat there in a daze. ¡°Your Excellency?¡± ¡°?¡± Jiang Yeqian looked up impatiently. ¡°Do you like Lady Qi?¡± Zhao Xin asked carefully. Jiang Yeqian stumbled, the chair underneath his butt immediately flipping over. He fell to the ground in a heap. In a flurry, Zhao Xian hurriedly helped Jiang Yeqian up. After Jiang Yeqian got up and sat back down properly, he spat more angry words. ¡°What nonsense are you spouting? How could I fancy a widow with children? Don¡¯t start saying that your Excellency¡¯s taste in women is catching up to Lu Yan¡¯s!¡± The reprimand sounded very serious. Zhao Xin, however, thought to himself exasperatedly, ¡®Oh Your Excellency, why would your reaction be this immense if you didn¡¯t fancy her? ¡®What you said really just gave yourself away. Sigh. Chapter 432 - So Jealous I Could Die 7

Chapter 432: So Jealous I Could Die 7

Meanwhile, inside an inn¡­ After adjusting his breath and taking medicine many times, Shang Li¡¯s internal injuries were 70% healed. When he found some free time, he went over to talk to Gongsun She, whose internal injuries were only 30% healed. ¡°I have conducted an investigation.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Gongsun She was already sitting upright as he meditated. Hearing this, he opened his eyes and looked at Shang Li quietly. Shang Li feigned casualness as he said, ¡°You wanted to stay at Qi Qingyao¡¯s home back then, and you even wanted Qi Qingyao to follow you back to Daming.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Gongsun She nodded nonmittedly. He neither admitted nor denied it. Shang Li did not continue. He first called for the servant to serve up some rice and dishes. He said as he ate, ¡°Pang Juan is already dead. If a messenger hawk is used, it¡¯s likely that those in Eastern Ling have received the news. If we count the time, this news is also probably going to be spread across half the continent soon.¡± ¡°What are you trying to say?¡± Gongsun She looked down, obviously not wanting to continue the conversation. Shang Li said, ¡°Pang Juan wanted to take Qi Qingyao¡¯s second daughter as his disciple, while you wanted to bring Qi Qingyao back to Daming. You appear to see her as some sort of fated person.¡± ¡°So, you found out about this. Shang Li, you do know quite a fair bit of things.¡± Damn it, he would have virtually no hope of whisking Qi Qingyao away if this guy also came to know of it. However, since that young grand master was around, it would be very hard to abduct that littledy anyway. Shang Li smiled very profoundly. ¡°I saved your life this time. Your injuries are still not healed as of now. If I wanted to¡­¡± Gongsun She conceded readily, ¡°I definitely won¡¯t be able to defeat you now.¡± Still smiling, Shang Li said, ¡°So, let¡¯s talk about it. Tell me just what is going on.¡± Ever since his loss to Si Jin, Shang Li realized that the momentum of the world¡¯s history was probably about to be turned on its head. There was hope that the former seven grand masters would soon be eight, but unfortunately¡­Pang Juan died. Si Jin filled the seventh spot, so the world remained to have seven grand masters. However, what was different was that the boy¡¯s strength was definitely greater than that of any of the other six grand masters! He was easily in a position where he could crush the others. Back then, all their strengths were about equal. Neither of them could kill the other. Now, someone who could easily kill a grand master has appeared. Even though he was from the same nation as him, Shang Li felt a strong sense of panic. This was the first time since his birth that he was anxious to find a fated person in the hopes of breaking through as soon as possible. ¡°Isn¡¯t it just that?¡± Gongsun Sheughed lightly and saidzily, ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve heard quite a bit about the story of the fated person, haven¡¯t you?¡± Shang Li frowned. He was silent for a long time before he said, ¡°Isn¡¯t that just a legend?¡± Was it just a legend? He had also thought that way. He even wished that it was nothing more than a legend. Gongsun She said expressionlessly, ¡°When I first met that woman, I felt that she and I hit it off quite well. After that, something happened¡ªsomething unexpected¡ªand then I could not stop feeling that she was the fated person.¡± Pausing for a bit, Gongsun She added, ¡°That young grand master, it could very well be that he had just recently ascended to the level of grand master¡­or above!¡± Shang Li could not help but interject, ¡°So what you¡¯re saying is that because he had been close to the woman, he could ascend continuously? And that is how he broke through the limits so quickly.¡± ¡°This is all just my theory,¡± Gongsun She said. ¡°The news outside¡­¡± Shang Li began. It was said that Si Jin was already a few hundred years old and that he had regained his youthful appearance! Even Qi Qingyao¡¯s children were Si Jin¡¯s¡­ ¡°I¡¯ve heard all those rumors. I even bought information from the Zhaixing Administration. The stories were spread by Pei Fengtang and Lu Yan¡¯s people. That¡¯s why it¡¯s not worth trusting it.¡± Gongsun She shook his head. Chapter 433 - So Jealous I Could Die 8

Chapter 433: So Jealous I Could Die 8

¡°Or it could be that the littledy really is that fated person and that¡¯s why they purposely released fake news. Maybe they are trying to deceive the public to prevent us from taking the littledy away.¡± Shang Li¡¯s hand that was holding chopsticks paused, then a sh appeared in his eyes. ¡°If she really is, then she should be called the Harbinger.¡± ¡°Whether or not she is the Harbinger, we just need to take her away for some time and test the theory. If you manage to break through, then she is; if you don¡¯t, then she isn¡¯t.¡± Gongsun She deliberately added, ¡°Or it could also be that everyone¡¯s fated person is different. Maybe her destiny is only with me and not you.¡± Somewhat convinced but also doubtful, Shang Li murmured, ¡°The Harbinger is just a legend.¡± Gongsun She looked at the silent Shang Li. He knew that Shang Li was beginning to be swayed by the story and said, ¡°If you don¡¯t believe it, I have a good suggestion.¡± ¡°Tell me.¡± It was definitely going to be a stupid suggestion. ¡°I am already somewhat familiar with the way your Northern Liang State Preceptor handles matters.¡± Gongsun She did not intend to use himself to test his theory because, as he was now, he had no chance of defeating the young grand master. He could only test things out by using someone else. ¡°If we¡¯re talking about the legend of the fated person, then there can only be one such person in the entire continent. If she really is the fated person, then she should have the ability to help a rank nine break through and ascend to grand mastership.¡± Shang Li responded very quickly. He narrowed his eyes and said, ¡°You want me to tell Li Ruoxuan about the legend of the Harbinger. You wish to see what this ruthless State Preceptor will do, to see if he could suddenly break through the rank nine limit.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the gist of it.¡± Gongsun She considered himself to be rather benevolent still since he did not request for Shang Li to put himself in danger. Shang Li pondered for a moment. After he finished eating, he went back to meditating. Gongsun She did not ask much either. He also did not say much. The current day. Slowly turned dark. After nightfall¡­ Shang Li left quietly via the window. Gongsun She thought to himself, ¡®n sess.¡¯ If the Northern Liang State Preceptor died, or if Shang Li died, then they absolutely deserved it. Shang Li walked slowly under the moonlight. The night of the first spring was still quite cold. He very quickly arrived at the front of Li Ruoxuan¡¯s residence and looked into the courtyard that was crawling with guards. Like an agile eagle basked in moonlight, he swiftly snuck into the courtyard. Li Ruoxuan was looking through some reports in the study when he suddenly sensed that the window seemed to have been opened by someone. He turned around quickly and was met by the sight of a very familiar silhouette. Shang Li had entered his study through the window. Li Ruoxuan¡¯s heart was pounding as he put down the scrolls in his hand. He turned and bowed before finding his voice to speak. ¡°M¡ªMr. Shang Li.¡± The old man was dressed in a gray robe and he looked fathomless in the candlelight. Li Ruoxuan could not help but shudder. This was the power of a grand master¡­ Si Jin was usually so reserved that no one was able to feel his power at all. However, the rest of the grand masters in the continent had no qualms with disying their strength. They brought a kind of insurmountable pressure wherever they went. Even Li Ruoxuan, the State Preceptor of Northern Liang, had to bow to him. Shang Li walked forward and nodded toward Li Ruoxuan. ¡°Sit.¡± ¡°Please, take a seat.¡± Li Ruoxuan did not dare sit down before the other and hurriedly moved a chair over. After Shang Li sat down, only then did he dare to take a seat on another chair. The old man was silent. Li Ruoxuan eventually said that he was going to prepare tea. However, the old man rejected his offer. Li Ruoxuan said, ¡°I¡¯ve already received news that you went to the Qi Residence earlier.¡± The old man nodded. He looked at him enigmatically. Li Ruoxuan said carefully, ¡°Since you¡¯re not in Capital City, is the empress safe?¡± Shang Li said, ¡°Everyone has their eyes on Qingzhou City because of the young grand master¡¯s appearance. The other nations also won¡¯t dare to make a move right now; you don¡¯t have to worry about this.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Chapter 434 - So Jealous I Could Die 9

Chapter 434: So Jealous I Could Die 9

Li Ruoxuan was left at a loss for words. He could only reply seriously, ¡°I wonder what advice old Mr. Shang has for me this time?¡± The old man sat there and said nothing for a long time. Just when Li Ruoxuan thought that he actually had no purpose foring here this time¡­ The old man finally said something. He slowly started, ¡°Li Ruoxuan, have you heard of the story of the fated person before?¡± ¡°Fated person? I¡¯ve heard a little.¡± Gongsun She had mentioned it the other day. He had also heard a little bit about it before that. ¡°Then, do you know that the fated person should be more urately called the Harbinger?¡± As Shang Li said this, the corners of his eyes raised; there was a sh of light within his turbid gaze. Li Ruoxuan looked at the hale and hearty old man and asked suspiciously, ¡°The Harbinger? What does that mean?¡± Shang Li touched his white beard. ¡°When you reach grand mastership, you will be able to read and understand some secret ancient scrolls. These scrolls were written in symbols. The ancient scrolls exined some things about the legend of the Harbinger.¡± ¡°In the legends, the Harbinger can help grand masters advance into a more mysterious realm. Even I am unable to ascertain the specifics with my cultivation. ¡°Come to think of it now, that young grand master probably has the ability to read andprehend the secret texts at the back of the ancient scrolls.¡± Was this the fated person Gongsun She was talking about? Not fully understanding, Li Ruoxuan asked, ¡°This Harbinger, are they a man or woman?¡± ¡°No one knows.¡± Shang Li replied. Li Ruoxuan pressed, ¡°So the Harbinger is the fated person Gongsun She talked about?¡± Shang Li said with a superficial smile, ¡°We do not reveal to the public the story about the Harbinger. We deliberately reced the name with ¡°fated person¡± to throw others off because we didn¡¯t want people all over the world to look for the Harbinger.¡± The grand masters had confused them deliberately? ¡°What power does the Harbinger possess?¡± Shang Li said, ¡°Based on the contents of the scroll I read, I think the Harbinger possesses some special abilities that allow grand masters to prate a higher level.¡± Li Ruoxuan asked with some uncertainty, ¡°Are you telling me this because you want me to help you capture Qi Qingyao?¡± If that was the case, he would have to express his reluctance. ¡°Of course not.¡± This short sentence of Shang Li¡¯s instantly made Li Ruoxuan more rxed. All was good as long as they did not talk about capturing Qi Qingyao. Shang Li added, ¡°She has that young grand master protecting her now. It¡¯ll be difficult if we want to capture her.¡± ¡°¡­¡± So the old man already knew about it? Then what was the reason for him to deliberately disclose these things right now? Shang Li scrutinized Li Ruoxuan, who had an eye patch over his right eye, and suddenlyughed. Hisughter sounded rather intriguing. ¡°I wanted to tell you that the Harbinger also has the ability to elevate rank nines to grand mastership.¡± ¡°What does this ability specifically refer to?¡± Li Ruoxuan asked back very coldly. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Shang Li shook his head. Li Ruoxuan stood up and expressed his gratitude shortly before saying, ¡°Mr. Shang has expressed the possibility that Qi Qingyao is the Harbinger. So how did you grand masters ascend to grand mastership before Qi Qingyao appeared?¡± Shang Li began reminiscing about the past. ¡°I was besieged by more than a hundred special ops and broke through the limiting barrier as I was on death¡¯s door. Gongsun She and Pang Juan were simr¡ªthey had both experienced a great battle and, with a stroke of luck, reached enlightenment. ¡°I¡¯m not trying to prove anything, I just want to tell you that the Harbinger can help grand masters, as well as rank nines, reach enlightenment! ¡°If you insist on asking me how else this can be achieved, I have no way of answering you considering everyone¡¯s circumstances are different. ¡°You¡¯re still young. If that woman can help you be a grand master now, then you could immediately be Northern Liang¡¯s pir and one of the top powerhouses of the entire continent.¡± ¡­ ¡­ Chapter 435 - So Jealous I Could Die 10

Chapter 435: So Jealous I Could Die 10

After the old man¡¯s continuous exnations. Li Ruoxuan finally understood what the old gentleman Shang meant. He was implying that¡­ Ordinary rank nines can usually only, by chance, procure the key to step into a higher level when on the verge of death which would let them break through if they were lucky. That was how the seven grand masters did it before. They all unintentionally broke through the barrier when they were at a very old age. With the Harbinger¡¯s existence, however, there was the possibility of rank nines breaking through earlier. However, there were no free meals in this world. One even needed to willingly fight at the front lines and be part of the suicide squad just to get a prison meal. That was why Li Ruoxuan did not believe that Shang Li had shared this with him just out of hopes that he could ascend. After all, these grand masters have deliberately blurred the notion of the Harbinger and called them the fated person instead ¡­ They certainly did not want the other ordinary rank nines to enter into grand mastership. They were afraid this would break the world¡¯s structure. Shang Li noticed how quiet Li Ruoxuan was and knew that the scheming State Preceptor was not that easily deceived. He quickly said, ¡°Si Jin is more powerful than a grand master. In my opinion, he cannot possibly be used by Northern Liang. ¡°That child is too special, his power too mystical. If he wants to betray Northern Liang, then he can easily do so. That¡¯s why Northern Liang needs other grand masters to maintain this peace.¡± ¡­ ¡°You want me to ascend into grand mastership¡­¡± He just knew that this old man could not possibly be that kind! Shang Li did not initially intend to share the truth but there was no escaping Li Ruoxuan when it came to certain things. He pondered for a moment and said, ¡°I have two motives. First, I wanted to ascertain whether that littledy is indeed the Harbinger. Secondly, if you can sessfully break through and be a grand master, then that would be the best scenario. If not, that would at least confirm that she is not the Harbinger.¡± He was bluntly admitting to using him? Li Ruoxuan felt some admiration for Shang Li all of a sudden. He cupped his fist and bowed slightly. ¡°Thank you, old sir, for revealing this news to me.¡± Li Ruoxuan knew everything about the situation now. Shang Li had no reason to stay any longer. He left the same way he arrived. Li Ruoxuan walked over and stood by the window; he was silent for a long time. Then, he called for Zhu Shen. ¡°Did any of you notice some suspicious person sneaking into the courtyard?¡± ¡°No, we did not, Your Excellency.¡± ¡°¡­¡± As expected of a grand master. Coming and leaving without a trace. Zhu Shen looked at the quiet Li Ruoxuan and thought, ¡®Could it be that someone was here just now?¡¯ Li Ruoxuan called Zhu Shen in and told him briefly about what Shang Li had revealed. After Zhu Shen listened to him, he waspletely bewildered. ¡°ording to what he said, I would be able to ascend into grand mastership by getting close to Qi Qingyao. But I have the feeling that this old fox deliberately shared this information to use me.¡± Li Ruoxuan touched the eye patch over his right eye. His remaining left eye looked extremely stern. Zhu Shen nodded. He also felt that was the case. Li Ruoxuan instructed Zhu Shen to brew some tea. Zhu Shen soon brought the tea over. Li Ruoxuan looked at the tea in the white porcin tea bowl, muttering as if speaking to himself, ¡°If he ims that I could reach enlightenment by getting close to her, then why haven¡¯t I ascended despite having been close to her several times already?¡± Zhu Shen pondered for a moment and said, ¡°Your Excellency, I think that if the Harbinger really were to exist, then channeling their power would not be as simple as just getting physically close to them. If not, wouldn¡¯t everyone in the Qi Residence also have be grand masters? Lu Yan, in particr, would be the first to be affected given his rather close rtionship with her. He has been on good terms with her for a few months now yet we haven¡¯t seen the young master Lu ascend beyond rank seven¡­¡± Li Ruoxuan replied, ¡°I know. That¡¯s why I called you here to discuss the loopholes in Shang Li¡¯s words.¡± Zhu Shen racked his brains for a moment and said, ¡°Could it be that certain words spoken by the Harbinger possessed the function of inducing enlightenment?¡± Li Ruoxuan said, ¡°She is not a living Buddha. Surely she can¡¯t suddenly utter some great noble truths?¡± ¡°¡­¡± That made sense. Zhu Shen scratched his head, indicating that he could note up with anything. Li Ruoxuan suddenly had a thought. He had previously ascertained that Jiang Yeqian fancied Qi Qingyao, and Shang Li had just revealed such news to him. What if he were to hurry up and propose marriage, pretend to marry Qi Qingyao, and then look at Jiang Yeqian¡¯s reaction? If Qi Qingyao agreed, then he would just marry her. He was notcking in money as the State Preceptor either. He could afford to raise her triplets. This woman was not bad-looking either and was also rather interesting. He would not be taking a loss by marrying her. If she really was the Harbinger, he might just be able to ascend into grand mastership after getting into bed with her. Even if she did not agree, then he could at least lure out Jiang Yeqian¡¯s true feelings into the open! He could hit two birds with this. ¡­ ¡­ Jiang Yeqian was checking through therge pile of files that Bai Mei had brought over when he suddenly sneezed. He frowned thoughtfully. His luck had really hit rock bottom today. First, that woman almost pissed him off to death, now someone else was cursing him at night! Chapter 436 - In the Auction House 1

Chapter 436: In the Auction House 1

Before sunrise, Dong Jing personally drove a carriage and entered through the rear entrance. He took down an extrarge box from the carriage and stealthily carried it all the way to Lu Yan¡¯s yard. When he entered the study, Lu Yan was already waiting for him. After Lu Yan was done with the inspection, he sent Dong Jing to call Qi Qingyao over. Qi Qingyao put on her clothes with puzzlement after receiving the summon. She was brought to Lu Yan¡¯s study before she could even freshen up. Dong Jing closed the door from the outside. Qi Qingyao yawned and looked at the massive box in the study. Lu Yan motioned for her to open the box. Qi Qingyao was stunned for a moment, then she thought of something and carefully opened the box. There were several soft gold inteyers inside the box. Many jade tablets were neatly arranged on eachyer, and all of them were fully wrapped in red cloth. Qi Qingyao randomly took one out and was shocked from just one nce. The craftsmanship was so intricate. It was almost identical to the one that she owned. The rest of the details were also done very well. The only difference was the material of the jade. Another thing was their size; these were slightly smaller than the original. The nephrite was very smooth and glossy. On the other hand, the one she owned was jadeite of the finest quality. Nevertheless, it was enough to trick people. Qi Qingyao could not help but express her approval. ¡°The quality is impressive.¡± ¡°Except that the material is different,¡± Lu Yan said, his lips pursed. ¡°It¡¯s okay, it¡¯ll do.¡± Qi Qingyaoughed. Lu Yan was suddenly interested in some things about Qi Qingyao¡¯s past, so he said, ¡°I¡¯ll get someone to send these things out in secretter, then have them shipped to pawnshops belonging to other chambers ofmerce. After that, we just need to wait quietly for some news.¡± Qi Qingyao thought for a while, then said, ¡°Just to be safe, send some to the pawnshops under you as well. Otherwise, it¡¯ll be too obvious that it was you, Lu Yan, who forged them.¡± ¡°You¡¯re attentive, I was careless,¡± Lu Yan said graciously. Qi Qingyao yawned again and was about to leave. However, she was held back by Lu Yan. ¡°The thing that you want is probably going to be auctioned this afternoon, so you have toe with me.¡± The thing that she wanted? Qi Qingyao, who was not fully awake yet, froze momentarily and did not react. After a few seconds, her mind woke up. Could it be the Nine Star Pill of Omnipotence? Qi Qingyao hurriedly grabbed Lu Yan¡¯s arm. ¡°Do I have to show up in person?¡± If she personally went to the auction house, it would very easily arouse suspicion from all sides, so it was better if she went in disguise. ¡°There¡¯s actually no such regtion.¡± Lu Yan did not understand why she asked such a thing. Qi Qingyao gritted her teeth and said, ¡°Then how about this? To be safe, Si Jin and I will both disguise ourselves as your servants. What do you think?¡± ¡°You are already my maid now,¡± Lu Yan reminded her. Qi Qingyao, ¡°¡­¡± Oh, she just woke up and had momentarily forgotten that she had promised to be his maid for a month. ¡°Then I¡¯ll head back and freshen up first beforeing to serve you, Master?¡± Qi Qingyao shamelessly buttered up the man with a smile. Lu Yan coughed lightly and motioned for her to get herself ready with a wave of his hand. After Qi Qingyao returned to her room, she quickly freshened up and rushed back to Lu Yan¡¯s courtyard. Lu Yan was surprised by her enthusiasm. Qi Qingyao quickly asked Lu Yan if there was anything she needed to do. Lu Yan nced at the few little maids that were sweeping the floor, then at Qi Qingyao, who was idle. He was about to tell her to go and sweep the floor together with the other, but then he thought that this fellow probably had never done suchbor work before. He could not bring himself to issue themand, and did not say a word in the end. Chapter 437 - In the Auction House 2

Chapter 437: In the Auction House 2

During breakfast, Qi Qingyao once again observed everyone who was sitting down. She subconsciously wanted to sit but nced at Lu Yan, and immediately asked him obsequiously, ¡°Master, can I sit down and eat together with you?¡± ¡°Sit,¡± Lu Yan said with a pretense of calmness. When Si Jin heard this, he put down the chopsticks and turned his head to look at Lu Yan threateningly. ¡°You better not cross the line.¡± ¡°I have already crossed the line, what are you going to do?¡± Lu Yan had quite the condescending look on his beautiful face. Si Jin abruptly got up and said, ¡°You really think I don¡¯t dare to kill you?¡± ¡°You would dare?¡± Lu Yan sat there calmly, his gaze carrying a hint of a smile. Si Jin was about to say a defiant yes, but he spotted Qi Qingyao¡¯s very serious gaze. Si Jin¡¯s vigor suddenly weakened. He sat down silently and whispered, ¡°I don¡¯t dare.¡± Qi Qingyao still wanted the Pill of Omnipotence, so she did not want to butt heads with Lu Yan. Besides, she knew Lu Yan was joking, and she did not want to fuss too much about it. She hurriedly yed the peacemaker. ¡°Eat, eat.¡± The triplets felt their mother¡¯s exasperation and beganughing. Although Si Jin sat down and picked up his bowl of porridge to eat, his gaze was full of dissatisfaction. He deliberately muttered under his breath, ¡°You¡¯ve gone too far. Watch out, I¡¯ll kill you after this month is over.¡± Lu Yan was eating while ncing at Qi Qingyao who wasughing dryly beside him. He said ndly to Si Jin, ¡°You won¡¯t.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± Si Jin asked. Lu Yan said without hesitation, ¡°Because I am very rich and useful to her, maybe I¡¯lle in handy again in the future.¡± Si Jin remainedposed. Qi Qingyao, on the other hand, almost died choking on a mouthful of porridge stuck in her throat. After forcing it down, she could not help but look at Lu Yan and say, ¡°Is it really a good thing to say that you still have your usefulness?¡± As a businessman, Lu Yan prized value above anything else so he was particrly satisfied with his current situation. He said with a smile, ¡°There¡¯s nothing bad about it, it¡¯s better than having no value at all. That guy will surely kill me immediately if not.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not true.¡± On the inside, Qi Qingyao agreed with the statement, but she would not dare to say it out loud. She could only try hard to sugarcoat Si Jin¡¯s image. She even pulled Si Jin over and said, ¡°Si Jin is a little cutie, he¡¯s definitely not the kind of violent person.¡± After she said that, in order to strengthen her emphasis, she purposely asked Si Jin, ¡°Isn¡¯t that right, little cutie?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. I¡¯m so cute that it¡¯s almost violent in itself.¡± The smile Si Jin shed at Qi Qingyao was exceptionally sweet! Lu Yan, ¡°¡­¡± ¡®I don¡¯t know what¡¯s wrong with this guy, but he¡¯s only cute to you. ¡®He¡¯s always pretending to be harmless. If I ever believed him, I would have fallen into his trap!¡¯ He would never forget how Pang Juan died¡­ After their meal, the children went to the study to learn how to read with the teacher. Si Jing went to y by the pond in the backyard, and the white cat also ran along the eaves all the way to the pond¡­ That left Qi Qingyao earnestly fulfilling her duties as a maid. She followed Lu Yan to the study. A servant brought another stack of ledgers. Qi Qingyao looked at the ledgers that were as tall as a hill and was stunned for a while before she pped her forehead. Lu Yan began routinely processing the ounts from various ces¡­ Qi Qingyao was bored. She sat at the side and watched for a while. She yawned involuntarily and said, ¡°Looks like you actually work quite hard.¡± Lu Yan was taken aback for a moment. He turned his head and looked over to see the girl sitting therezily, looking veryfortable. He paused for a moment before murmuring, ¡°Nonsense.¡± Qi Qingyao held her cheeks in her palms and said, ¡°As the No. 1 Chamber of Commerce in Northern Liang, I thought the young master only needed to lie down at home, have fun, and count his money.¡± ¡°You think too much.¡± Without turning his head, Lu Yan continued examining the ledgers while saying, ¡°We remain the No. 1 Chamber of Commerce by relying on me looking at these ledgers here. Otherwise, some of the rotten people from below might line their own pockets in secret.¡± ¡°¡­¡± That was true. Qi Qingyao suddenly understood why the Lu family was still standing at the peak after all this time. Later on that day, she apanied Lu Yan to look through the ledgers for several hours. Naturally, Qi Qingyao was mostly yawning throughout the process. After dinner, Qi Qingyao left some words to her three children before putting on her disguise. ¡°You guys, go to bed earlier tonight.¡± Xiaobao looked at her in confusion. ¡°Mommy?¡± Qi Qingyao took Dabao and Xiaobao aside and said seriously, ¡°The two of you probably know that Erniu can already cultivate, now she only needs a good mentor to teach her.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Dabao and Xiaobao did not say anything, they silently lowered their heads. ¡°Having poor talent or none at all is an individual¡¯s fate.¡± Qi Qingyao patted the two children¡¯s shoulders and added, ¡°But I heard Lu Yan say that there¡¯s a pill that can give ordinary people the ability to cultivate.¡± ¡°Mommy?¡± ¡®Could it be that Mommy has found a way?¡¯ Xiaobao thought in surprise. ¡°Yes.¡± Qi Qingyao patted Xiaobao¡¯s head. ¡°You¡¯re so smart!¡± Dabao and Xiaobao looked at their mother with joy at the same time. Qi Qingyao continued, ¡°There¡¯s an auction house that will auction the pill at a high price tonight. I¡¯ll go and check it out. If circumstances allow it, I¡¯ll buy that pill. As for who will take the pill, the two of you can y rock-paper-scissors and decide when Ie back.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Dabao and Xiaobao looked at each other and saw the thoughts in each other¡¯s eyes. Which was¡­ If there really was such a pill, they must give it to their mother. They were too young right now. They still had plenty of time. Their mother must grow up and be very powerful to be able to fight off those bad guys. Once their mother became strong, they would never be bullied either. Otherwise, they would be meat in a ughterhouse and be taken advantage of like thest time when they and their mother were forced to stay at that stinky State Preceptor¡¯s courtyard. Although Uncle Si Jin was very powerful, he was just an uncle at the end of the day. What would they do if Uncle Si Jin left them when he was not in a good mood? Their safety would not be guaranteed. Erniu listened to what her mother said to Dabao and Xiaobao and did not say a word. She was secretly thinking about something with her little brain. After she told the three children what she needed to say, Qi Qingyao called for Si Jin and went back to her room. She began putting on their disguise quickly. The clothes were easy to manage. They only needed to ask Steward Zhang to bring two sets of servant clothes. Half an hourter, a in-looking maid and page appeared before Lu Yan. Lu Yan looked at the two of them in surprise. ¡°You two¡­¡± Qi Qingyao immediately curtsied. ¡°I¡¯m Qingqing.¡± Si Jin did not bow. He held his head up high and said in an aloof manner, ¡°I¡¯m Xiaojin.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Lu Yan was shocked. Her skill for disguises was amazing. If it was not for the familiar voice, he could not have recognized her. Lu Yan said, ¡°Since we¡¯re done packing, let¡¯s go.¡± Qi Qingyao was a little excited. After the three of them went out, they naturally had to ride in the same carriage, but this was a little daunting for Lu Yan. ¡°Why don¡¯t you sit in the carriage alone?¡± Qi Qingyao said as she looked at Lu Yan¡¯s hesitant expression. ¡°And Xiaojin and I will sit outside and drive the carriage¡± Lu Yan nced at Si Jin sniggering and found himself resolutely objecting to the arrangement for some reason. ¡°We¡¯ll sit together in the carriage!¡± With that, he pulled Qi Qingyao into the carriage, and Si Jin also followed them inside. The carriage left the Qi Residence and drove off. Li Ruoxuan and Jiang Yeqian both received the news very quickly. ¡°My Lord, Master Lu¡¯s carriage has left the Qi Residence.¡± ¡°What about Qi Qingyao?¡± Jiang Yeqian asked. Zhao Xin said, ¡°I didn¡¯t see Lady Qi.¡± Jiang Yeqian pondered for a while. He could guess Lu Yan¡¯s destination. Bai Mei mentioned before that the Yueya Auction House will auction a Nine Star Pill of Omnipotence tonight. Lu Yan must have gone for the sake of acquiring the Pill! Based on the Lu Family¡¯s style, he would surely purchase it before anything else, then sell it at a higher price. Perhaps he should go and join in the fun too. ¡°Prepare the carriage.¡± ¡°Your Excellency?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll go to the Yueya Auction House as well.¡± ¡°Your Excellency, are you going as your current identity? Or¡­as the Head of the Administration?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Zhao Xin¡¯s words reminded Jiang Yeqian that if he went there as the Head Grand Secretariat, it would surely cause a stir. However, if he showed up as the Head of the Zhaixing Administration, he was afraid it would cause an even bigger ruckus. ¡°If Li Ruoxuan is going as well, I can¡¯t hide my identity from him. So I¡¯ll make a grand appearance with my current identity!¡± Chapter 438 - In the Auction House 3

Chapter 438: In the Auction House 3

Inside the carriage. Lu Yan seldom rode in the same carriage with others, so he started getting inexplicably nervous. When he got too jumpy, his brain began to turn to mush. He pinched himself on the thigh forcefully, trying to suppress the urge to kick the two people out of the carriage. He kept telling himself that this in-looking person was Qi Qingyao in disguise. Then he opened his mouth and said, ¡°There¡¯ll be a lot of people at the auction house tonight.¡± ¡°Such as?¡± Qi Qingyao asked him casually. As soon as he heard her voice, Lu Yan¡¯s tension was relieved a little. He felt more reassured that Qi Qingyao was the person under the disguise, and he felt somewhat calmer. He said, ¡°People from Eastern Ling will probably be there as well.¡± ¡°What about Shang Li?¡± Qi Qingyao asked slowly. ¡®A grand master, eh?¡¯ Lu Yan thought for a while, then said, ¡°It stands to reason that he will not be there, but in light of recent events, who can tell for sure?¡± Qi Qingyao looked at him. ¡°Try to keep a low profile tonight.¡± Lu Yan was silent for a moment, then he said, ¡°My existence is bound to be high profile wherever I go.¡± ¡°¡­¡± What was this luxurious speech? ¡®Isn¡¯t he just the son of the richest man in Northern Liang!!¡¯ Lu Yan noticed that Qi Qingyao¡¯s expression seemed to be disdainful, and said very seriously, ¡°I¡¯m not joking with you. As soon as I show up, many people will know that my target is that Pill of Omnipotence.¡± Qi Qingyao asked, ¡°Are there no other valuable things in the auction house tonight?¡± ¡°There are.¡± Lu Yan was slightly embarrassed when he said that. ¡°Those people all know that the Lu family likes to buy things at the first opportunity and then sell them at high prices.¡± ¡°Scalper!!¡± What an opportunistic businessman! Lu Yan did not refute thement. He just smiled slightly. Si Jin listened to their conversation on the side and thought to himself, ¡®Sister surely wouldn¡¯t fancy such a superficial person!¡¯ When they arrived at the Yueya Auction House, Qi Qingyao and Si Jin acted as servants and followed Lu Yan by his side. Meanwhile, Dong Jing, who was in charge of security, followed behind. Qi Qingyao was starting to think that this ce should have some membership system in ce and that they would need some kind of pass to get in. Indeed, a few guests in front of them did sh a waist card in their hands. It was Lu Yan¡¯s turn to move forward. The guard at the entrance bowed slightly and spoke in a tone of respect. ¡°Master Lu, please enter.¡± Lu Yan walked in grandly. Qi Qingyao followed him every step of the way. After they entered, she could not help but ask Lu Yan, ¡°I saw that others needed a special pass. Why don¡¯t you?¡± Lu Yan did not answer, but Dong Jing did. ¡°The g on that carriage is the only invitation letter he needs.¡± The g of the Lu family. Qi Qingyao could not help but feel that she had lost to the might of the billionaires once again. The venue of the Yueya Auction House was shaped like a crescent. There were very few seats in the venue, only about a hundred. Qi Qingyao thought it was quite small, but Lu Yan noticed her expression and exined that it was big enough. It could include almost all of the rich people in more than half of Qingzhou City. Some of the officers who had no money had no right to step in here anyway. Lu Yan picked a spot on the side and casually sat down. He even gestured to Qi Qingyao and said, ¡°Sit down.¡± Qi Qingyao was about to sit down, but she nced at the aristocrats nearby who were dressed sharply in suits and gowns. She could not help but whisper, ¡°We now have the status of servants. Can we really sit down?¡± Lu Yan said, ¡°You¡¯re a servant of the Lu family, not a servant of somemoner.¡± Qi Qingyao, ¡°¡­¡± Are the servants of the Lu family superior to others as well? Can this guy be any more luxurious? Chapter 439 - At the Auction House 4

Chapter 439: At the Auction House 4

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion After sitting down for a while, Qi Qingyao looked around at the people surrounding her. They were all quite good-looking young people. Many of them were middle-aged. There were even a few incredibly pretty littledies who made Qi Qingyao nce over them a few times. Pointing at one of them, she asked Lu Yan, ¡°Who is that beautifuldy?¡± Lu Yan looked over and replied, ¡°The thirddy of the Qingzhou City¡¯s Ling family, she¡¯s named Ling Luoyan.¡± ¡°She doesn¡¯t look very friendly.¡± There was a sense of dominance between Ling Luoyan¡¯s brows, which made her look difficult to approach. ¡°Yeah.¡± Lu Yan nodded and agreed with her. Qi Qingyao was just about to look away when the littledy looked over; there was an aggressive assertiveness between her brows. Then, she fiercely walked over, pointed at Qi Qingyao¡¯s nose, and shouted, ¡°Which family¡¯s maid are you? What are you looking at?¡± Her posture seemed to say, ¡®Careful, I might gouge out your eyeballs if you continue looking at me.¡¯ Si Jin¡¯s expression cooled. He did not dare say much and instinctively nced at Qi Qingyao. Qi Qingyao of course did not want to invite trouble, so she hurriedly stood up and with appropriate attention to etiquette, curtsied, performing a meek and subservient character. She said, ¡°This maid arrived here with her master and has never seen such a beautifuldy before, so I was taking a few more peeks at you. If I caused any offense, please forgive me.¡± Ling Luoyan had indeed been very angry, feeling a bit disgusted at being sized up by a maid. Hearing this, however, she immediately felt better and said, satisfied, ¡°You have quite a silver tongue.¡± Qi Qingyao smiled very sweetly. Her eyes crescents, she looked down and said, ¡°Miss, this maid was born to a humble background and cannot lie. You¡¯re the most beautiful person I¡¯ve ever seen in my life.¡± Ling Luoyan was slightly stunned. She thought that although this little woman looked rather ordinary, her voice was very pleasant. Her words made others feel veryfortable, and her attitude was also very modest and amiable. She quite liked her, so she said to the maid behind her, ¡°Cuiping, a reward!!¡± Cuiping immediately fetched a silver ingot from her bosom and handed it to Qi Qingyao. Qi Qingyao pretended to be extremely grateful and bowed. After epting the silver ingot, she thanked Ling Luoyan again. ¡°Miss is very charitable and kind, a generous person known by everyone in Qingzhou City. Seeing is truly believing, and getting to know you in person is much better than hearing about you from your reputation. This maid thanks Miss for her reward and will remember you forever.¡± Ling Luoyan felt good being praised, thinking to herself that she was really good with her words. She looked at Lu Yan, who was sitting beside them, and snorted cooly, ¡°So you¡¯re a maid who serves Master Lu.¡± Qi Qingyao nodded with a smile and said, ¡°Yes, Miss.¡± Si Jin did not think that Qi Qingyao would be able to settle this matter with just a few words, let alone receive a reward for it¡­ Lu Yan wondered if it was time for her to get lost already. Before he could say anything, Ling Luoyan crossed her arms and happily said, ¡°Master Lu, I want this little maid of yours.¡± Lu Yan was stunned; he thought he had heard her wrongly. Ling Luoyan said in a rich and arrogant tone, ¡°Set a price.¡± ¡°??¡± Lu Yan was dumbfounded. Qi Qingyao, ¡°¡­¡± Si Jin, ¡°¡­¡± Dong Jing, ¡°¡­¡± Ling Luoyan did not think that she would have to repeat herself, but the Lu family¡¯s young master of the chamber ofmerce in Northern Liang was in a daze. Of course, he had not heard what she had said at all, or perhaps he was deaf. She was really speechless and thus repeated again, ¡°Lu Yan, I want to buy your maid. Do you understand me or not?¡± Lu Yan rubbed his forehead and said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Miss Ling, but she¡¯s not for sale.¡± ¡°Sell her to me for a thousand taels.¡± ¡®Did he think that I would try to buy her for fifty taels? I would buy this little maid for a thousand taels.¡¯ Lu Yan was vexed and immediately said, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t sell her even for ten thousand taels!¡± Ling Luoyan was extremely surprised. He would not even sell her for ten thousand taels. Ling Luoyan immediately touched her chin and muttered to herself, ¡°As I thought, this little maid is a talented person.¡± Lu Yan¡¯s words strengthened her desire for this little maid even more, and she said, ¡°You must also think that she speaks well, so you want her to remain serving you.¡± Lu Yan, ¡°¡­¡± Ling Luoyan nced at the bewildered little maid. She patted her on the shoulder and said to Lu Yan, ¡°I feel like this little maid and I really hit it off. Why are you so reluctant to let go of her?¡± Lu Yan, ¡°¡­¡¯ Dong Jing did not know whether to cry orugh. He thought to himself, ¡®I¡¯m afraid the master never imagined anyone would ever dare to speak to him like this.¡¯ Ling Luoyan of the Ling family was a ruthless person. Wanting to buy a maid from the Lu family! A number of people around them were looking over now. Lu Yan did not want to be at the center of attention, and so with some annoyance, he said angrily to Qi Qingyao, ¡°You, sit down and don¡¯t say anything for the time being.¡± You could get someone¡¯s attention with just a few words. What a strange person! Qi Qingyao sat down silently. Si Jin also sat down silently. The two looked like part of the uninformed onlooking crowd. Ling Luoyan frowned with much dissatisfaction and said, ¡°Master Lu, that was wrong of you. The maid is still a person. Even more so, your little maid is also rather cute.¡± Qi Qingyao, ¡°?¡± Was she cute? She had just praised thisdy once. Although everyone loved hearingpliments, thisdy¡­ just what exactly was wrong with her? ¡°I know my maid is cute.¡± Lu Yan cradled his forehead. He turned to look at Qi Qingyao and viciously said, ¡°If you speak any more nonsense in the future, be careful I don¡¯t cut your tongue out.¡± Ling Luoyan was instantly extremely astonished. She pointed at Lu Yan¡¯s nose and said, ¡°You want to cut out this maid¡¯s tongue just because she praised me a little? How inhumane.¡± Lu Yan gave Dong Jing a look and immediately sat down. Dong Jing began to drive Ling Luoyan away with some impassioned words. Lu Yan did not bother paying attention to the morous Ling Luoyan anymore. After he sat down, he whispered into Qi Qingyao¡¯s ear and said in a rough and nasty voice, ¡°You really are a troublemaker.¡± They had just arrived, and she had already caused such a storm. Qi Qingyao shrugged. She said with an innocent look, ¡°I¡¯m pretty and silver-tongued. Is it really my fault that the littledy has fallen for me? ¡°If it¡¯s not your fault, is it then mine?¡± Lu Yan looked at Ling Luoyan, who was still arguing with Dong Jing, and felt his head ache. He said, ¡°For today¡¯s asion, the less trouble the better.¡± Qi Qingyao nced at her surroundings and coughed lightly. She hurriedly apologized. ¡°Alright, it¡¯s my fault.¡± Obstructed by Dong Jing, Ling Luoyan felt really conflicted and gloomy. She shouted at Lu Yan who was some distance away from Dong Jing, ¡°Lu Yan, don¡¯t reprimand your maid secretly. Just tell me how much you¡¯re willing to sell her to me for?¡± ¡°Dong Jing,¡± Lu Yan said as he rubbed his forehead. Dong Jing was speechless. He said to Ling Luoyan, ¡°Miss Ling, our master really likes this little maid, so we won¡¯t sell her, no matter how much you offer.¡± Ling Luoyan had never been humiliated to this extent before. She was just a little maid, yet they would not sell her for even ten thousand taels. What a joke! She said in a heavy tone, ¡°What about one hundred thousand taels?!¡± Dong Jing, ¡°¡­¡± Lu Yan, ¡°¡­¡± ¡°A hundred thousand?¡± Qi Qingyao murmured the number and asked Lu Yan in a soft voice, ¡°Is a maid worth a hundred thousand? I must be very valuable..¡± Chapter 440 - At the Auction 5

Chapter 440: At the Auction 5

Lu Yan looked at Qi Qingyao with her sparkling eyes, and his expression instantly turned dark. ¡°Why are you looking at me like that?! Don¡¯t tell me you actually want to go with her?¡± Qi Qingyao was really tempted and started calcting the pros and cons. ¡°It¡¯s like this: if she¡¯s willing to spend a hundred thousand taels to buy me, we can divide the bnce nine to er. Nine to me and one to you, how about that?¡± She could still earn ny thousand taels! ¡°¡­¡± Lu Yan was left stupefied by her words. He could not hold himself back from saying, ¡°If you were to go to the Ling family, you would have to work. Don¡¯t tell me you n to disappear after selling yourself?¡± ¡°¡­¡± She had indeed been thinking about taking the money and then asking Si Jin to secretly take her away. Lu Yan could not help but get angry when he saw that she was feeling tempted. He got up and said to Ling Luoyan with an unkind expression, ¡°Miss Ling, I really won¡¯t sell this maid no matter how much you offer. You don¡¯t have to keep trying to convince me.¡± ¡°Just what¡¯s so good about this maid that your Lu family is so unwilling to let go of her?¡± Ling Luoyan could not understand it. He was unwilling to sell her even for a hundred thousand taels! Could it be that this maid was Master Lu¡¯s personal maid? However, he gave the maid instructions like he was instructing a dog, so she was definitely not a personal maid who was doted on. That was where the problem began. For this maid to have been brought to attend such an auction, she had to have some kind of incredible talent. Ling Luoyan clenched her fist excitedly and said, ¡°Whatever my enemy supports I will oppose, and whatever my enemy opposes I will support. It seems like this little maid has another talent besides her silver tongue. Hmph! Lu Yan, mark my words, I will buy your little maid.¡± Lu Yan, ¡°¡­¡± What was with his luck today? Why had he provoked this troublesome woman? ¡­ Jiang Yeqian took Zhao Xin with him as they entered and looked for a ce to sit down. He saw Lu Yan and the others locked in a conflict. He said, ¡°What is going on there?¡± Zhao Xin held his neck up for a nce and said, ¡°It looks like Lu Yan has gotten caught up in a conflict with Ling Luoyan of the Ling family.¡± ¡°Go check out what¡¯s happening,¡± Jiang Yeqian instructed. Zhao Xian went over to check on them for a bit before quickly returning to report, ¡°Your Excellency, it looks like Ling Luoyan wants to buy that maid by Master Lu¡¯s side, but Master Lu is resolutely refusing. Both parties are refusing to budge.¡± ¡°A maid?¡± She was just a maid, so why was Lu Yan unwilling to give her up? Zhao Xin looked up and said, ¡°Based on what the people all around them are saying, the maid has a silver tongue and praised Lady Ling for being beautiful. Lady Ling was then very happy and decided in her happiness to buy her, but Master Lu was determined not to sell her.¡± ¡°She¡¯s just a maid, yet he is determined not to sell her?¡± Lu Yan had never been this petty before. ¡°Yes.¡± Zhao Xin nodded. ¡°¡­¡± Jiang Yeqian frowned iprehensibly. When he saw that all the other distinguished guests in the audience had already taken their seats, he had no choice but to push off focusing on what was going on over thereter. Li Ruoxuan came over and sat in the other corner. He was quite low-key. ¡­Lu Yan noted that there were already people walking about on the stage. He knew that the auction was about to start soon, so he urged Ling Luoyan away. ¡°Lady Ling! The auction is about to start soon. Let¡¯s hurry to the seats.¡± Ling Luoyan red at Lu Yan angrily and then snappily brought her maid Cuiping with her to sit back down in their seat. Qi Qingyao saw Ling Luoyan leave, and she faintly let out a sigh of relief. She secretly scrutinized the scene and realized many guests had taken their seats as they had been in the midst of talking. There looked to be a second floor too. Some really specially dressed guests were seated past the railing on the second floor. Lu Yan pointed in two directions and said in a low voice, ¡°The State Preceptor and the Head Grand Secretariat have arrived.¡± Qi Qingyao¡¯s eyes were trained in the direction of the second floor. ¡°I¡¯m more curious about whom the masked man sitting in that corner in red is.¡± Lu Yan also nced at the man in red and realized he was wearing a mask. He was faintly shocked and shouted, ¡°Dong Jing!¡± Dong Jing nodded and left his seat stealthily. Only when the auction started did Dong Jing return. He secretly said to the two, ¡°I heard that that¡¯s the head of the Wangyue Administration of the Ghost Organization.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Qi Qingyao¡¯s jaw almost fell to the floor. She was so shocked that she stammered to Lu Yan, ¡°The Ghost Organization¡­ Isn¡¯t that the one¡­¡± Lu Yan said calmly, ¡°The Yueya Auction House is under the Ghost Organization, so there¡¯s no need to be shocked.¡± His expression was very calm. He indeed seemed very calm. However, Lu Yan was internally stunned. That was because even though the Yueya Auction House belonged to the ghost organization. The heads of administration under the Ghost Organization had always been a mystery. They were even more of a mystery than the head of the main hall. It could be said that they left no trace of theirings and goings. Most people not onlycked the qualifications to meet them, but they also did not even know if they were male or female. He had had the chance to meet with the heads of Wanhua Hall and Pili Hall, but as for the heads of the four administrations, he did not have any of the specifics. After all, the four administrations, the Zhaixing Administration, the Wangyue Administration, the Qilin Administration, and the Xuanwu Administration, were all rted to assassinations and infiltration, so it was ex[ected for the heads of these administrations to be secretive. Based on what he knew, Wangyue Hall was responsible for infiltration operations and spies. They specialized in nting a variety of people in each pce or by the sides of major officials. The Lu family might even have a nted agent amongst them. This was where the problem started. Why would the head of the Wangyue Administration under the Ghost Organization show up here?! Lu Yan¡¯s mind was upied for a moment, somewhat befuddled. Not understanding the severity of the situation, Qi Qingyao said to Lu Yan excitedly, ¡°Xiao Wuji and the gang are there.¡± Lu Yan tried hard to pull his focus back to the present and suppress his curiosity. He answered, ¡°Half of the tycoons of Qingzhou City are here as many people are set on getting that pill tonight.¡± Qi Qingyao nced around at the tycoons and thought to herself, ¡®Oh, thepetition is fierce.¡¯ She paused before saying in a deep voice, ¡°It¡¯s fine. If we can¡¯t get it, we¡¯ll just watch for who makes the final bid¡­¡± Lu Yan braised his brow and said, ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you n on forcefully snatching it away from them?¡± ¡°How can you say I¡¯ll snatch it away by force? It¡¯s called outsmarting! Outsmarting, you understand?¡± As the saying went, all great men were ruthless. Qi Qingyao¡¯s eyes were half-lidded. She smiled very calmly. ¡°I want it, and I¡¯m definitely determined enough to get it.¡± Lu Yan, ¡°¡­¡± He really wanted to say that this woman had gone mad. However, if she were to call Si Jin in midway to join the fight, then maybe¡­ they would really be able to get the pill without spending any money. ¡­ ¡­ The auction started. Most of the items being auctioned off at the front were some antique jade wares and other things of the sort. Jiang Yeqian sat still, bored as he looked around the entire venue. Suddenly, Li Ruoxuan quietly turned a half-circle from behind and walked up to Jiang Yeqian¡¯s side. He gestured for Zhao Xin to get lost. How could Zhao Xin dare say no to the State Preceptor? He left his seat almost immediately. Li Ruoxuan sat next to Jiang Yeqian. Jiang Yeqian frowned with annoyance and nced at the eye patch over his right eye. ¡°What are you doing sitting over here? Please stay away from me. It will be bad if people misunderstand this as me having a good rtionship with you.¡± ¡°First off, our rtionship is just fine.¡± The young man¡¯s clean and refined face had a shameless smile stered on it. Then, he said, ¡°Let¡¯s talk business. Did you see that scene over there?¡± His chin held high, he used it to point at the location of the scene. Jiang Yeqian nced at where Lu Yan was gesturing toward and said, ¡°I saw.¡± Li Ruoxuan said, somewhat to himself, ¡°Has Lu Yan ever been so close to a maid?¡± ¡°¡­¡± What was this guy trying to say? Li Ruoxuan smiled and said, ¡°I heard that Ling Luoyan wanted that little maid of his, but he entirely refused to give her up. Ling Luoyan even offered to pay him a hundred thousand taels, but she still couldn¡¯t buy that little maid.¡± ¡°¡­¡± What about it? Jiang Yeqian looked at him, not saying anything. Li Ruoxuan asked in a carefree manner, ¡°Say, what is the little maid¡¯s background?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to make guesses. Please stay away from me, State Preceptor.¡± He did not notice that his actions had caused many of the people present to move their attention from the auction on the stage to the two of them. ¡°I suspect that that little maid is Qi Qingyao in disguise.¡± Li Ruoxuan did not care at all about the others¡¯ gazes and whispered to Jiang Yeqian, ¡°The youngd on Lu Yan¡¯s right is probably Si Jin in disguise too.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Jiang Yeqian frowned and said nothing. Li Ruoxuan said unhurriedly, ¡°If you don¡¯t say anything, I¡¯ll take it as you silently agreeing with my guesses.¡± He had begun wondering who the little maid was when Lu Yan approached them and spoke to them. Unlike Li Ruoxian, Jiang Yeqian did not want to admit that that little maid was her. ¡°Why would she disguise herself ande here?¡± Li Ruoxuan analyzed the scene, not missing a beat. ¡°I¡¯ve thought of two reasons: first, Erniu has great talent for cultivation, so if she wanted to be impartial, she would have begun making ns for Dabao and Xiaobao. Secondly, the fact that Si Jin didn¡¯t appear for so long thest time definitely put her in a crisis. Thus, now that the Nine Star Pill of Omnipotence has appeared, she must want to get it regardless if it is for herself to ingest or for Dabao and Xiaobao¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± Damnit, he did not want to admit that this guy¡¯s guesses were rather reasonable. Li Ruoxuan continued, ¡°Furthermore, why wouldn¡¯t Lu Yan sell her if the little maid wasn¡¯t Qi Qingyao? They quoted a hundred thousand taels. She¡¯s just a little maid, and it should be a very lucrative transaction for him.¡± ¡°What does it have to do with the State Preceptor whether or not she is Qi Qingyao?¡± Jiang Yeqian kept feeling like Li Ruoxian was overly concerned about Qi Qingyao. Could it have something to do with Si Jin? However, when those words reached his lips, Jiang Yeqian began to speak without hesitation and deliberately joked, ¡°You have been so actively analyzing who that little maid might be. You were conflicted for a long time about whether or not she¡¯s Qi Qingyao. Since you care so much about Qi Qingyao, it¡¯s hard not to arouse the suspicions of others that you like her.¡± Li Ruoxuan immediately admitted shamelessly, ¡°The Head Grand Secretariat¡¯s guess is spot on.¡± Jiang Yeqian, ¡°?????¡± Huh? Li Ruoxuan noted that his expression instantly froze. He smiled, very satisfied as he said, ¡°Since you now know that I like Lady Qi, I hope you¡¯ll give me a lot of support in the future.¡± Jiang Yeqian, ¡°¡­¡± This guy! What nonsense was he spouting? Li Ruoxuan patted Jiang Yeqian¡¯s shoulder as if they had good camaraderie. He said seriously, ¡°I¡¯ve asked many times before whether the Head Grand Secretariat likes Qi Qingyao, and you were adamant that you did not. So I haven¡¯t made a rival today, yes?¡± Jiang Yeqian only found his voice after a long time. Parched, he asked, ¡°You¡­ like¡­ that widow?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Li Ruoxuan nodded without hesitation. As he answered, his eyes were staring unblinkingly into Jiang Yeqian¡¯s eyes and at his expression. None of the subtle emotions on his face could escape his eyes. Chapter 441 - In the Auction House 6

Chapter 441: In the Auction House 6

Jiang Yeqian¡¯s face stiffened for a second, and he whispered, ¡°You¡¯re crazy.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not crazy.¡± He was not crazy, and now he would see if the Head Grand Secretariat was crazy or not himself¡­ Jiang Yeqian knew that Li Ruoxuan might be testing him again, so he very calmly said, ¡°Li Ruoxuan, did you deliberately say you like her because you want Si Jin to serve the imperial court?¡± Li Ruoxuan was extremely calm. ¡°No, I have quite liked Lady Qi since the first time I met her by Qingyang Lake. It¡¯s just that I wasn¡¯tpletely sure of my feelings until now. Now that there¡¯s a young grand master by her side, it only strengthens my feelings for her. It shows that she¡¯s worthy enough.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Jiang Yeqian wanted to remain calm, but the sound of his breathing almosting to a halt in a split-second gave away his emotions. Despite that, he tried hard to keep himself calm and make his expression look more natural. Li Ruoxuan was in an inexplicably good mood looking at Jiang Yeqian¡¯s changing face. He purposely buttered him up and said, ¡°Head Grand Secretariat, you¡¯ve already nned to resign and return to your hometown. Naturally, I don¡¯t see you as an enemy anymore. Look, I¡¯m so friendly with you now. You know how I feel. ¡°I¡¯m treating you as my confidant. That¡¯s why I¡¯ve told you so much of my true feelings. ¡°Now that you know that I like Lady Qi, as my friend, I know for sure that you won¡¯t steal her away from me. ¡°If that little maid really is Qi Qingyao, it¡¯s impossible for him to get so close to the girl, given Lu Yan¡¯s previous condition. They seemed a little suspicious. So, in my opinion, Lu Yan must have liked Qi Qingyao. That¡¯s why that condition of his was a little alleviated. ¡°If Lu Yan really likes Qi Qingyao, you must be on my side. ¡°Think about it. If Si Jin is asked to serve the Lu family, then even the emperor of Northern Liang has to bepletely subservient to the Lu family in the future.¡± Li Ruoxuan did not care about whether Jiang Yeqian was listening or not and kept talking in circles by himself. It was only after he finished speaking that he realized Jiang Yeqian had been silent. He urged him, ¡°Why aren¡¯t you saying anything?¡± Jiang Yeqian took a deep breath. He said, ¡°Did you give me a chance to speak?¡± ¡°Now I¡¯ll give you the chance,¡± Li Ruoxuan said, rxed. ¡°Speak.¡± ¡°Li Ruoxuan, do you really like her?¡± Jiang Yeqian felt like Li Ruoxuan was definitely testing him, so he could only question him. Li Ruoxuan said with finality, ¡°Of course I do.¡± Jiang Yeqian asked, ¡°Will you take good care of those three children?¡± ¡°My love for her extends even to the crows on her roof, so of course I¡¯ll take good care of those three children,¡± Li Ruoxuan resolutely stated. ¡°In the future, I¡¯ll treat them as my own.¡± After he finished speaking, he continued talking to himself and said, ¡°Although I¡¯m not as rich as Lu Yan, I¡¯m the State Preceptor, so I still have some wealth. So you don¡¯t have to worry about whether I can or can¡¯t raise a woman and her children.¡± ¡°Then I wish for your happiness.¡± Jiang Yeqian¡¯s tone was very rxed, but an unmoving and churning deep emotion shed through his eyes. Li Ruoxuan was taken aback for a moment, specting the genuineness of his words. Then he got up. ¡°You sit here first, I¡¯ll go over and meet that little maid to test her.¡± Jiang Yeqian, ¡°¡­¡± Li Ruoxuan walked over there. Jiang Yeqian¡¯s gaze could not help but follow. He instinctively swept a nce across the little maid beside Lu Yan. ¡­ ¡­ After Li Ruoxuan ran to sit together with Jiang Yeqian, Qi Qingyao had an inexplicably bad feeling. She thought for a while, then said to Lu Yan, ¡°I think I might¡¯ve been spotted.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± How was that possible? She was in a disguise. Qi Qingyao pointed to somece. ¡°Li Ruoxuan ran over to sit with Jiang Yeqian.¡± ¡°What does that have to do with you?¡± Those two had been nning some things together recently due to some matters regarding the grand masters. Qi Qingyao¡¯s expression was restrained, her eyes were clear and ck. ¡°Based on my opinion of Li Ruoxuan, that man probably suspects I¡¯m your maid, so he went to discuss it with Jiang Yeqian.¡± Lu Yan cast a nce at them and found them suspicious as well, but he did not want to guess that way, so he countered her. ¡°Why are you so narcissistic? You¡¯re now a little maid, who would notice you?¡± Qi Qingyao¡¯s brows sank, and she said, ¡°Lady Ling wanted to buy me precisely because I was a maid, but you wouldn¡¯t sell. We got so close after just some small talk!!!¡± ¡°¡­¡± It had been quite fast indeed. Qi Qingyao said irritably, ¡°Why don¡¯t you think about it. When have you ever been so close to ady before? And when have you not sold a little maid that someone offered to buy for a hundred thousand taels?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Had he gone overboard? Qi Qingyao analyzed the situation calmly. ¡°Once something goes beyondmon sense, a shrewd guy like Li Ruoxuan will surely notice, and it¡¯s expected of him to suspect me.¡± Lu Yan nced over at them with his peripheral vision. He immediately frowned and said, ¡°He¡¯s already walking over here.¡± The hairs on Qi Qingyao¡¯s neck stood up, and her entire body grew tense. She could not help but crook her finger at Si Jin. Si Jin ran from Lu Yan¡¯s right side to Qi Qingyao¡¯s side like a puppy. Just now their seating arrangement had been: Dong Jing, Si Jin, Lu Yan, Qi Qingyao, an empty seat. Now it had be: Dong Jing, an empty seat, Lu Yan, Qi Qingyao, Si Jin. Qi Qingyao lowered her voice and said to Si Jin, ¡°We must not let that guy expose our identities.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Si Jin began to think about whether to kill Li Ruoxuan or not. ¡­Li Ruoxuan did not expect that pageboy to move to sit beside the little maid as he walked over. There happened to be an empty seat by Lu Yan now, somewhat confirming some of his ideas. ¡°Master Lu.¡± Li Ruoxuan pointed at the empty seat and smiled kindly at Lu Yan. ¡°Can I sit next to you?¡± Lu Yan thought about Qi Qingyao¡¯s prior analysis. He went with the flow and said, ¡°Please.¡± Li Ruoxuan sat down calmly and touched the eye patch over his right eye. Only then did he look past Lu Yan and nce at the little maid on his left. He said in nonchnt pretense, ¡°I heard that Lady Ling wanted this little maid.¡± Lu Yan suddenly asked, ¡°Does the State Preceptor also want a little maid from my family?¡± ¡°Exactly my intentions,¡± Li Ruoxuan said unhurriedly. After he spoke, he waited for Lu Yan to react, looking at him. Lu Yan rubbed his forehead with a look of confusion. ¡°I don¡¯t know Lady Ling well, so I don¡¯t really want to sell my little maid to her, but if the State Preceptor wants her, then¡­¡± With that, he got up and made a gesture of giving up his seat. He signaled and said, ¡°Qingqing, you¡¯ll be sitting next to the State Preceptor tonight. Be sure to serve him well.¡± Lu Yan then exchanged positions with the little maid. The seats for these few people then immediately became: Dong Jing, Li Ruoxuan, Qi Qingyao, Lu Yan, Si Jin. Qi Qingyao exchanged nces with Lu Yan when he looked down at her. Once she was seated next to Li Ruoxuan, she immediately tightened her voice and called coquettishly in a sweet tone, ¡°State Preceptor~¡± She even clung onto Li Ruoxuan¡¯s arm. Li Ruoxuan suddenly stiffened. He seemed to have not caught onto what was going on. Most of the little maid¡¯s body was glued to Li Ruoxuan¡¯s left side. She even said in a sultry voice, ¡°Could it be that the State Preceptor also wants to buy me? I just don¡¯t know if you want me as an ordinary maid, or¡­¡± Li Ruoxuan felt a chill all over his body. The little maid said with her breath in his ear, ¡°¡­A personal maid~~¡± Li Ruoxuan, who seldom got this close with women, felt ufortable right away. He quickly detached himself from this ferocious little maid and said angrily, ¡°Don¡¯te near me!¡± The little maid¡¯s hands were pushed away. She rubbed her eyes aggrievedly and said in a whining and pitiful tone, ¡°Master asked me to serve the State Preceptor tonight, so why did the State Preceptor push me so far away?¡± ¡°I¡¯m asking you to back off!¡± An astonishingly terrifying aura suddenly erupted from Li Ruoxuan¡¯s entire body, making Qi Qingyao¡¯s face go pale. However, she had achieved her goal. She got up. And said to Lu Yan with a grievance, ¡°Master, the State Preceptor wants me to back off.¡± Lu Yan smiled and got up, then exchanged positions with her. He said with a big smile, ¡°Since the State Preceptor hates you, you should just behave and sit next to me. Don¡¯t bother the State Preceptor anymore.¡± After Qi Qingyao sat down, she said, ¡°I¡¯ll heed your orders, Master.¡± Li Ruoxuan red at Lu Yan in anger then left unhappily. He went back to Jiang Yeqian¡¯s side and sat down. He spat out the words sulkily and in a low voice, ¡°It seems that I guessed wrong.¡± ¡°¡­¡± The corner of Jiang Yeqian¡¯s lips curled up in a meaningful smile, and he looked over there without saying a word. Li Ruoxuan puckered his lips and said, ¡°Don¡¯t you have any opinions about this, Head Grand Secretariat?¡± Jiang Yeqian could not help himself from exposing him and said, ¡°You¡¯ve been fooled.¡± ¡°What makes you think so?!¡± What did he mean by Li Ruoxian getting fooled? Since Jiang Yeqian had now decided to do exactly the opposite of what he had been intending to do, he had to follow through till the end, so he told Li Ruoxuan honestly, ¡°Just now when you were talking to me, that little maid looked over here with her peripheral vision a few times and seemed to notice the two of us together.¡± Li Ruoxuan, ¡°?¡± Jiang Yeqian continued, ¡°Think about it. Would an ordinary maid have ever seen us before? What¡¯s more, she was paying close attention to our movements a few times.¡± Li Ruoxuan was deep in thought. Jiang Yeqian reminded him and said, ¡°After that, the little maid lowered her head and whispered discreetly to Lu Yan for a while. Li Ruoxuan was too angry to figure it out, so he asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with that?¡± ¡°Should I say that the dignified State Preceptor is shrewd or an idiot?¡± Jiang Yeqian hugged his arms and said, ¡°If it¡¯s really her, she should¡¯ve noticed the both of us together. I think, with Qi Qingyao¡¯s character, she must¡¯ve deduced something, so when you walked over there, if it really is her, she must¡¯ve been ready for you toe over.¡± Li Ruoxuan had returned to his senses. ¡°So when I went over there, Lu Yan was happy to give her to me so generously?¡± ¡°Pretty much.¡± Jiang Yeqian nodded. Li Ruoxuan¡¯s gaze was yful. ¡°She even acted like that just to make me repulsed by her?¡± Jiang Yeqian chuckled and said, ¡°Hasn¡¯t she seeded in avoiding the State Preceptor¡¯s attention, even sending you back here in disgust?¡± Li Ruoxuan, ¡°¡­¡± F*ck. He had been fooled. Jiang Yeqian looked at his dark expression and knew that the State Preceptor, who was so used to being the shrewd and conceited one, had lost to her. Chapter 442 - In the Auction House 7

Chapter 442: In the Auction House 7

¡°Li Ruoxuan, don¡¯t think that you¡¯re the only smart person.¡± Jiang Yeqian reminded him leisurely. ¡°That woman is definitely not someone that you can mess with.¡± He wanted to see what Li Ruoxuan would do since he had said that he liked her. Anyhow, with Qi Qingyao¡¯s character, she would never like someone like Li Ruoxuan back. Thus, he might as well wait for theplete joke surnamed Li to continue making a fool out of himself. Jiang Yeqian could even kick him when he was down if he bided his time well. Li Ruoxuan¡¯s eyes were covered in snow and frost, and he squinted down at him as if superior. ¡°What if I insist on messing with her?¡± Do not think that he did not know that Jiang Yeqian was purposely provoking him to make aplete joke out of him! ¡®He¡¯s doing exactly the opposite of what he said. He wants to pretend like he did not like Qi Qingyao and even gave me a false blessing. ¡®He wants to force me to stop pursuing her! ¡®If I really stop pursuing Qi Qingyao, that¡¯ll really be what the Head Grand Secretariat wants.¡¯ Li Ruoxuan thought to himself, ¡®Head Grand Secretariat, oh, Head Grand Secretariat, what expression will you wear if I really pursue her?¡¯ Jiang Yeqian reminded him calmly. ¡°That is flirting with the edge of a cliff. Beware of falling into the abyss and far beyond redemption.¡± ¡­ ¡­ The scene between Lu Yan, Li Ruoxuan, and the little maid had coincidentally been witnessed by Ling Luoyan, who had been watching them all along. Ling Luoyan said in a deep tone, ¡°That was the State Preceptor just now, right?¡± Cuiping nodded. Ling Luoyan said, ¡°Why did the State Preceptor go over to greet Lu Yan?¡± Cuiping said, as if it was nothing strange, ¡°Miss, Master Lu is the young master of the top chamber ofmerce in Northern Liang. Master Lu has also gotten close to that mysterious Lady Qi recently, so it¡¯s not strange for the State Preceptor to go over and greet him, right?¡± Ling Luoyan caressed her fair chin and said, not understanding, ¡°But why did that little maid I liked just now suddenly pounce on the State Preceptor?¡± ¡°Maybe she wants to be a social climber but failed and scared off the State Preceptor.¡± Cuiping¡¯s heart was full of contempt. That little maid looked down on her Miss yetter turned around and tried so hard to suck up to the State Preceptor. It was really¡­ Ling Luoyan chided in a low voice, ¡°You dummy. I offered up a hundred thousand taels, and an unscrupulous businessman like Lu Yan still refused to let her go. So even the State Preceptor wouldn¡¯t be shown any respect by that guy.¡± ¡°What Miss means is¡­¡± Cuiping did not quite understand. ¡°She did it on purpose.¡± Ling Luoyan said to the silly Cuiping, ¡°If her attitude had been too ordinary, I think, the State Preceptor¡¯s would definitely want her. After all, he¡¯s a smart person like me, and great minds think alike. So she acted like she wanted to be a social climber, and scared off the State Preceptor. That should be what she intended.¡± ¡°Miss, could it be that you¡¯re overthinking?¡± It was just a little maid, did Miss need to look so deeply into it? Ling Luoyan pointed over there. ¡°You¡¯re so dumb. Look over there now. She¡¯s sitting with Lu Yan and watching the auction item on the stage so seriously.¡± ¡°?¡± Was there a problem with that? What was she going to look at, if not the auction? Cuiping could not keep up with her Miss¡¯ thoughts. Ling Luoyan said, ¡°Here¡¯s the problem! If she had really wanted to be a shameless social climber just now, after the State Preceptor left, I think Lu Yan would definitely scold his little maid for being too shameless. He might even scold her away. But the two of them are still happily watching the auction together after the State Preceptor left.¡± More so, if she read it right, Lu Yan¡¯s expression was a little smug and he was sniggering. It clearly was an expression happy with a n gone right. Cuiping¡¯s eyes suddenly widened. ¡°¡­¡± That little maid had purposely angered the State Preceptor until he left her alone? Chapter 443 - Kissed

Chapter 443: Kissed

Without all sorts of people trying to best them, things on Qi Qingyao¡¯s side grew much calmer. Various rare antiques and exotic nts were being auctioned off on the stage. Qi Qingyao was dazzled, but she did not dare bid. Her purpose foring here today was that pill¡­ However, it was not like nothing else could be important. When she challenged Jiang Siliu thest time, she had been the banker for that gambling game and had gotten 2.55 million taels. While she had spent quite a bit recently, she was still very rich with more than two million taels to her name. She was considered pretty wealthy in Qingzhou City. That was why Qi Qingyao got somewhat restless. She pointed at some weird medicine on the stage and asked Lu Yan, ¡°Do you really want none of these things?¡± Lu Yan asked with suspicion, ¡°Why would I want these?¡± Qi Qingyao pondered for a bit. This guy was loaded, he was definitely notcking anything. She could only pretend to not be interested and ask, ¡°How much longer till the pill?¡± Lu Yan answered, ¡°About half an hour till its appearance.¡± ¡°¡­¡± She would have arrivedter if she had known this earlier. What was the point of theming so early? They would have to wait even longer. ¡­ The Yueya Auction House was a renowned auction house in Qingzhou City. Free refreshments were provided at intervals in between auctions. Some very well-dressed littledies walked over with their waists and hips swaying. A variety of cakes, fruits, and refreshments were offered, and Qi Qingyao grabbed a few tes of the very beautiful confectioneries from the tea tray at the side. Si Jin grabbed a few tes of treats made from rice. After putting them down, Qi Qingyao was just about to indulge herself when she suddenly thought about her current identity. Thus, she first asked Lu Yan somewhat respectfully, ¡°Do you want to eat this treat?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± He would usually not be interested in this treat, but since she had asked, of course he had to say he wanted to eat it. Hearing his answer, Qi Qingyao then mimicked the maids of other families, picking up a piece of confectionery and bringing it to Lu Yan¡¯s mouth. She even said sweetly, ¡°Master, have a snack!~~~~¡± ¡°¡­¡± Lu Yan¡¯s heart fluttered at this, and he opened his mouth hesitantly. The small confectionery was delivered into his mouth. His lips even carelessly brushed against her fingers. Lu Yan, ¡°¡­¡± If this had been any other time, Lu Yan¡¯s obsession with cleanliness would have been triggered by someone¡¯s hand bumping into his lips. He likely would have immediately gone to wash his mouth. Now, however, he actually turned his head away, a little embarrassed. He was simply chewing on that small confectionery. It was very sweet. Her finger had been very soft. ¡­ After Qi Qingyao fed her ¡®master¡¯, she had more or lesspleted her tasks as a maid, so she then grabbed a te for herself and began digging in, without a single care for her image. The scene of her feeding Lu Yan the confectionery ¡®coincidentally¡¯ drew Li Ruoxuan¡¯s gaze. Li Ruoxuan¡¯s eyes widened instantly. He pulled Jiang Yeqian¡¯s sleeve and said, ¡°Did you see that?!¡± ¡°¡­¡± Could he say he had not?! Damnit, that woman was insane. He could forget her sitting on Lu Yan¡¯s thigh thest time, but now she was even feeding him confectioneries! He was so mad. ¡°She actually fed Lu Yan confectioneries.¡± Li Ruoxuan cradled his forehead and murmured, ¡°Perhaps my n to court her has been ruined.¡± Jiang Yeqian, ¡°¡­¡± He still had ns to court her? You absolutely have no chance at all! Li Ruoxuan touched his chin and said nonchntly, ¡°Maybe Lu Yan has already snatched her up.¡± Going against what he was really feeling, Jiang Yeqian said insincerely, ¡°Qi Qingyao would not like someone like Lu Yan. You have more of a chance than him.¡± Li Ruoxuan shook his head seriously and said, ¡°Lu Yan used to have some kind of illness, but now he¡¯s been able to get so close to her. He can even eat something she fed him, which means that the two of them are close enough to one another. Not to mention the Lu family is the top chamber ofmerce in Northern Liang, so he is very rich! Old Man Lu is also very fond of Lu Yan, and he knows about his grandson¡¯s illness. If Lu Yan has set his heart on a woman like this, I believe the Lu family will not care about her birth or her origins and will ept her.¡± His analysis was well-argued and listening to it, Jiang Yeqian felt like it was almost bing true. His expression instantly turned ugly and he said hoarsely, ¡°Didn¡¯t you just say that you wanted to pursue her? What are you saying all this for now? Aren¡¯t you just boosting other people¡¯s ambitions and reducing your own?¡± Li Ruoxuan¡¯s dark, carved features were full of helplessness. ¡°You know that I killed Qi Qingzhu, so I think if it¡¯s between Lu Yan and me, Lu Yan definitely has a better chance of winning than I do.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Jiang Yeqian almost blurted out that if it were him, his chances of winning were probably higher than Li Ruoxuan¡¯s! However, the words got stuck in his throat. Jiang Yeqian pretended to inadvertently watch the scene over there. He frowned tightly. If she really liked Lu Yan¡­ The moment Jiang Yeqian thought about that possibility, he got angry for no reason. Qi Qingyao finished her snacks and then drank a cup of tea. Her series of actions were also seen by Ling Luoyan. Ling Luoyan touched her chin and silently pondered, ¡®She¡¯s just a maid, but she was actually eating and even drinking tea despite her master not eating. She was behaving more like a master than her own master.¡¯ Could she really be Lu Yan¡¯s personal maid? Even more so the very spoiled kind? That would be why she had the right to sit next to Lu Yan. Ling Luoyan was lost in thought. ¡­ After a short while. ¡°I trust that many guests came today for the veryst item in our auction.¡± The host on the stage announced loudly, ¡°The most precious Nine Star Pill of Omnipotence.¡± A ceremonialdy then brought out a silver te covered in a ck cloth. The ceremonialdy ced the silver te on the ck walnut table in the center. The host pulled away the ck cloth. There was a small, red sandalwood box on the silver te. The host opened the red sandalwood box. An intense, medicinal scent wafted through the entire venue. After three seconds, the host closed the box. He started shouting, ¡°Let¡¯s cut the nonsense. The starting price is a hundred thousand taels.¡± The moment the words left his mouth, Lu Yan immediately raised his hand and said, ¡°One million.¡± Everyone, ¡°???¡± Hey! Brother, you¡¯re breaking the rules of this ce. Who would immediately bid a million after opening their mouth? Was the offered amount not supposed to increase by a hundred thousand taels with each bid? The host seemed very happy and said, ¡°A distinguished guest has raised the price to a million taels right off the bat, which is unprecedented.¡± The host then announced loudly, ¡°Guests who want this, please continue with your bidding. The one with the highest quote will get it.¡± ¡°Two million,¡± Ling Luoyan immediately raised her hand and said. The host was surprised for a bit before he said, ¡°A very heroicdy has immediately raised the price of this Nine Star Pill of Omnipotence to two million taels! My guests, if you don¡¯t make your move, this Nine Star Pill of Omnipotence will be the nobledy¡¯s.¡± Qi Qingyao, ¡°¡­¡± Crap. That was two million taels. Tycoons were something else! She used to think she was rich with her two million taels, but thinking about it now, it was merely a drop in the oceanpared to their wealth! She quietly looked at the rich man next to her. Everyone else in the venue also hesitantly wondered what the appropriate amount for the next bid was. This was because the money man, Lu Yan, was present. His wealth was iparable. Li Ruoxuan pondered if he should make a move. As he was still contemting, Lu Yan raised his hand once again and immediately said, ¡°Five million taels.¡± The public, ¡°¡­¡± After a moment of silence, whispers filled the entire venue. Everyone was dumbfounded. ¡°He isn¡¯t bidding ordingly!!¡± ¡°It¡¯s just a pill. What is Lu Yan up to?¡± ¡°What else can he be doing besides showing off the Lu family¡¯s wealth?¡± ¡°He has always been a master generous with his spending, but I don¡¯t understand what he needs the Nine Star Pill of Omnipotence for? It¡¯s not as if he¡¯s an ordinary person. It¡¯s useless to him.¡± ¡°Do you still not get it?¡± ¡°What¡¯s there to get?¡± ¡°He definitely wants this pill so that he can sell it to those in need for a high price in the future.¡± ¡°That evil moneybags!¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯t one have to pay a price even more than the amount today to be able to buy it in the future?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± The host waited for a bit, but seeing that no one else was bidding, he then said, ¡°Since no one else is bidding, this Nine Star Pill of Omnipotence will go to this distinguished guest. Pleasee to the back of the stage to discuss the specifics of your transaction with our people.¡± Since the pill was thest item to be auctioned, the auction came to an end with that. Lu Yan did not get up. He sent Dong Jing to deal with the matter. Dong Jing got up and walked in the direction of backstage. Qi Qingyao did not move. She sat there smiling until her eyes were crescent moons. Everyone else was looking in Lu Yan¡¯s direction with envy as they cursed the moneybags in their hearts. Dong Jing went in very quickly and came out in just five minutes, holding the small red sandalwood box. He immediately walked over and passed the wooden box to Lu Yan Lu Yan opened the box and took a look. Then, he threw the wooden box into Qi Qingyao¡¯s arms. Qi Qingyao caught it in a panic. Then, she opened the wooden box and smiled stupidly. Ling Luoyan saw this scene. She was stupefied and rooted to the spot. This little maid was really the personal maid of the young master of the Lu family and one who was extremely adored!!! He could not have bought the Nine Star Pill of Omnipotence for her just now, could he¡­ Oh my God. Even if one was that wealthy, who would have their heart so set on a maid for no reason? This level of pampering was going overboard, no? The other prominent families in Qingzhou City present also thought that Lu Yan had really gone crazy. Even if he was smitten with this little maid, the way he was spoiling her was really too much, too much¡­ Everyone left wordlessly. There were only a few people who nced at the little maid with some evil intentions in their gazes and their hearts. ¡®Master Lu, you only brought a rank eight powerhouse with you. ¡®Don¡¯t me us for being cruel and ruthless when you leave.¡¯ ¡­ Li Ruoxuan and Jiang Yeqian did not leave immediately, so they naturally also saw what had happened. Since both of them had already long ascertained that the little maid was Qi Qingyao, when they saw Lu Yan throw the Nine Star Pill of Omnipotence that he had bid on for five million taels into Qi Qingyao¡¯s arms, they had been stunned. The two werepletely stupefied. Li Ruoxuan knew that Lu Yan might possibly like Qi Qingyao but¡­ this behavior of his!! To spend five million taels bidding on the Nine Star Pill of Omnipotence for her? Why?! How deep was his love? Qi Qingyao too. She still had the f*cking audacity to ept it? It was worth five million taels. ¡°Just what stage of a rtionship have these two entered?¡± Li Ruoxuan mumbled to himself, puzzled. There was a hint of resentment in Jiang Yeqian¡¯s eyes. He gritted his teeth forcefully and said, ¡°When I went looking for Lu Yan before this, I saw Qi Qingyao sitting in his arms. The moment I pushed open the door, she was sitting on his thighs! They looked pretty close.¡± Li Ruoxuan¡¯s head buzzed. ¡°You mean, Qi Qingyao¡­ and him have already¡­¡± He did not continue the sentence. The two, however, understood what he meant. Could the both of them have already¡­ reached that stage? Jiang Yeqian said heavily, ¡°Impossible! Definitely not!¡± He did not believe it! Surely nothing had happened, surely their rtionship was just her having sat on his thighs once. No. He must have made a mistake when he saw her sitting on his thighs that time. She had probably fallen down by ident, and he had helped her up, but then she had identally fallen into hisp again! Yes, that had to be the case. There was no special rtionship. Li Ruoxuan rolled his eyes at him. ¡°That man spent five million taels just for the beauty to smile, yet you still say it¡¯s nothing! I don¡¯t know if you¡¯re just refusing to believe it or if your judgment is seriously wed.¡± Jiang Yeqian felt like his throat was so dry he could not say anything. He took a long time to find his own voice. He said to Li Ruoxuan, ¡°Isn¡¯t Lu Yan your rival in love? Why aren¡¯t you hurrying up to find out what¡¯s his rtionship to her?¡± Li Ruoxuan, ¡°???¡± Why was it his responsibility now? Jiang Yeqian stared at him angrily. ¡°Do you still want to pursue Qi Qingyao or not?!¡± ¡°¡­¡± He still really wanted to pursue her since she might be the Harbinger. Jiang Yeqian continued cursing, ¡°How unambitious! The dignified State Preceptor is really useless!¡± Li Ruoxuan was also provoked to anger. ¡°Who¡¯s the useless one? Who are you referring to? Say that again if you dare to.¡± Jiang Yeqian¡¯s eyes were so wet water was close to dripping out of them. He said coldly, ¡°I¡¯ll say it, then. The State Preceptor is absolutely useless. He can¡¯t even court a woman, getting beaten by another to her. What a loser!¡± Li Ruoxuan felt that this could not be tolerated. He grew exasperated. ¡°You just f*cking wait, I¡¯ll head over there now and personally ask.¡± ¡­ ¡­ Qi Qingyao carried the red sandalwood box as happily as a fool. She was already thinking to herself whom she should give it to if Dabao and Xiaobao both wanted it when she got home. Should she let the two decide by lottery? ¡°It¡¯s time to return,¡± Lu Yan said to her. Qi Qingyao hummed and got up. Si Jin also got up. The group had just left the seating area. When they saw Li Ruoxuan walking toward them, Qi Qingyao had a bad feeling and hurriedly passed the red sandalwood box in her hand to Si Jin for safekeeping. Si Jin faintly nodded. Li Ruoxuan immediately walked over and without preamble, said, ¡°What¡¯s the rtionship you two have? Why did you bid on the Pill of Omnipotence for her?¡± Many of the distinguished guests who had been just about to leave heard this. They were stunned and rooted to the spot. They pretended to look over casually. Lu Yan stood in front of Qi Qingyao, blocking her, and looked at Li Ruoxuan coldly. ¡°Our rtionship has nothing to do with the State Preceptor. We have no obligation to tell you anything.¡± Li Ruoxuan answered impatiently, ¡°Don¡¯t pay me lip service. Nothing I want to know can remain concealed from me.¡± Lu Yang shrugged his shoulders steadily. ¡°I adore my little maid. Don¡¯t tell me I also have to report that to the State Preceptor?¡± Li Ruoxuan unexpectedly sneered. ¡°You adore your little maid so much you bought her a Nine Star Pill of Omnipotence worth five million taels for her?¡± Lu Yan asked back calmly, ¡°Can¡¯t I?¡± ¡°Of course you can.¡± Li Ruoxuan¡¯s expression was restrained. His dark eyes seemed on fire as he said, ¡°But I have taken a fancy to this little maid, and I want to ask Young Master Lu to give her to me. I wonder if you can give up your treasure?¡± Lu Yan, ¡°No!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care if you can¡¯t!¡± Li Ruoxuan¡¯s features were dark, a heaven-piercing light suddenly shing across his eyes. Li Ruoxuan immediately pulled on the little maid that Lu Yan was protecting behind himself. There was only a sh of lightning and flint before his lipnded on the maid¡¯s own. Boom! A single strike. The scene was so shocking everyone in the hall was astounded! Including Jiang Yeqian. Chapter 444 - Can’t Breathe

Chapter 444: Can¡¯t Breathe

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion The atmosphere fell into strange silence for a moment. The people who had been secretly watching the scene had not expected the dignified State Preceptor to kiss the little maid. T-t-this, just what the hell was going on? Was he possessed? Qi Qingyao reacted the fastest. She immediately pushed Li Ruoxuan away and thundered, ¡°You¡¯re crazy!¡± After getting pushed away, Li Ruoxuan stroked his lips with his fingertip. Looking at the fierce light in the girl¡¯s eyes, he said with a smile, ¡°I have gone crazy.¡± After Si Jin returned to his senses, he instantly approached, nning to choke Li Ruoxuan to death. Li Ruoxuan quietly took a step back. His expression was very restrained. He said with an exceptional calmness, ¡°Does this pageboy wish toy a hand on the State Preceptor?¡± Si Jin, ¡°...¡± A pageboy? Once Qi Qingyao recovered from her anger, she noticed that many people nearby were watching them. She hurriedly grabbed Si Jin, who was a little agitated, and said, ¡°Xiaojin, don¡¯t be reckless.¡± A surly light shed across Si Jin¡¯s eyes, like a bomb that was fit to explode anytime. Qi Qingyao held his hand and patted the back of it gently. Si Jin calmed down a little, but his gaze was still like a little beast¡¯s, ring fiercely at Li Ruoxuan. After Lu Yan, Jiang Yeqian, Dong Jing, and others had returned to their senses, Lu Yan was about to speak. However, Qi Qingyao spoke first and asked with a gloomy gaze, ¡°State Preceptor, I don¡¯t know what¡¯s gotten into you all of a sudden.¡± Li Ruoxuan said unhurriedly, ¡°I¡¯m just interested in you. I wonder if the little maid is willing to go back with me.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not willing.¡± Qi Qingyao spat out the three words coldly. Li Ruoxuan said calmly, ¡°When do you want me to start getting rough?¡± Suddenly, right in the middle of the dead silence, a gorgeous baritone sounded in the corner. ¡°Li Ruoxuan!!!¡± Li Ruoxuan cleaned his ears out. He turned around with a big smile and said indifferently, ¡°Head Grand Secretariat, my ears are fine. You don¡¯t have to be so loud.¡± Jiang Yeqian¡¯s eyes were as sharp as a knife. He lifted his eyes slightly, and there was an anger that was hard to suppress hidden within his eyes. He walked over step by step with his crutches, like a god of death. Then, just as he was about to re up, his gaze swept over the people around him. He was silent. With an exceptionally assertive motion, he dragged Li Ruoxuan to the side¡­ Seeing that the culprit had been taken away, Qi Qingyao looked at the upper-sses of Qingzhou City, who still nned on being nosy. She quickly told Lu Yan, ¡°Let¡¯s leave.¡± ¡°You¡ª¡± Lu Yan had recovered from this series of events. He looked at her and said in annoyance, ¡°I can¡¯t tolerate this.¡± Qi Qingyao said faintly, ¡°Do you think Dong Jing can defeat him?¡± ¡°I have Xiaojin,¡± Lu Yan confidently pointed at Si Jin in his disguise. Seeing that there was something wrong with this idiot¡¯s head, Qi Qingyao could only lower her voice and look down. She leaned closer to his ear and muttered, ¡°If Si Jin really kills Li Ruoxuan right here, or severely injures him, Si Jin¡¯s identity will be instantly exposed! Do you really want that?¡± ¡°Then do I just stand by and watch him take advantage of you?¡± Lu Yan let out a furious growl. Seeing how angry he had be, Qi Qingyao shrugged helplessly and pointed at her face. ¡°I¡¯m just a little maid. If you still hesitate, I¡¯m afraid everyone will suspect my identity.¡± Only then did Lu Yan realize that many people around him were looking over. He nced at the people around him with sharp eyes, then thundered, ¡°Damn it!¡± After that, he pulled Qi Qingyao¡¯s sleeve and walked away. Qi Qingyao pulled Si Jin after her. Dong Jing silently followed behind the few of them. Everyone watched the group leave quickly. The young masters and youngdies in Qingzhou City who had been watching the scene could not hold themselves back anymore. ¡°Did Lu Yan just curse? ¡°It seems so.¡± ¡°It looks like Master Lu is very fond of his little maid.¡± ¡°This¡­¡± Was too much! She was just a little maid, yet he had spent five million taels of silver on the Nine Star Pill of Omnipotence that everyone wanted. He was even getting defensive and had started cursing¡­ Ling Luoyan witnessed this scene and could not help feeling overwhelmed. That little maid was definitely Lu Yan¡¯s personal maid! ¡­ ¡­ Li Ruoxuan was not angry at what Jiang Yeqian had done, because he knew what he had done just now had angered Si Jin. That young grand master¡¯s emotions might be unstable now, so one misstep might really end his life. Thus, he was very grateful to Jiang Yeqian for dragging him here. After Jiang Yeqian let go of him, Li Ruoxuan circled the perimeter of the area they had stopped in and noted that this corner was very quiet. ¡°Did the Head Grand Secretariat drag me here for a duel?¡± Jiang Yeqian was about to open his mouth. Li Ruoxuan slowly hugged his arms around himself and said with a light chuckle, ¡°If so, take a look at your present self first.¡± Jiang Yeqian¡¯s eyes were unblinking. The gaze of his dark orbs was very serene. Li Ruoxuan leaned back and pointed out. ¡°Your leg injury is still not healed, while I have long adapted to seeing things with just one eye. I¡¯ve been meditating and regting my breathing recently, so my internal injuries have mostly healed. If we both fight, neither side will win.¡± Jiang Yeqian, ¡°...¡± ¡°No. Under these conditions, I might hurt you more!¡± Li Ruoxuan saidnguidly with hardly a care, showing off a little. Jiang Yeqian, ¡°...¡± The man¡¯s eyes were like a sea of stars, as gloomy as the moonlight. Li Ruoxuan purposely ignored his hostility and said casually, ¡°Head Grand Secretariat, I kissed the Lu family¡¯s little maid. Even if that little maid is Qi Qingyao, what does that have to do with you? You¡¯re so exasperated and furious.¡± Jiang Yeqian pursed his thin lips tightly. His dark eyes were locked tightly on Li Ruoxuan, as though he was calcting the oue of a duel. ¡°She¡¯s not yours. Why are you so worried?¡± Li Ruoxuan said, eyes full of mocking sarcasm. ¡°Could it be that the Head Grand Secretariat also likes this widow?¡± Jiang Yeqian was about to answer. Li Ruoxuan took the lead, his tone very calm. ¡°If so, I don¡¯t mind dueling you now. I¡¯ll kick you, one of mypetitors, out of this circle of love rivals first!¡± Jiang Yeqian, ¡°...¡± If they dueled now, both of their strengths were close, but his injuries had still yet to heal. If he acted rashly, he might get even more hurt. It would do him more harm than good instead. He knew that Li Ruoxuan was sure that he would not duel with him today! ¡°You worry too much.¡± Jiang Yeqian finally weighed the possible oues and said with deep eyes, ¡°I just think you were too brusque.¡± Li Ruoxuan chuckled. Jiang Yeqian coldly said, ¡°When I go back tonight, I¡¯ll send a letter to the empress via messenger hawk and tell her of my resignation.¡± When Li Ruoxuan heard this, his mask of calmness fell off. He asked with sudden surprise, ¡°So soon?¡± Jiang Yeqian turned around. Looking at that gentle and clean face, he said with disgust, ¡°Li Ruoxuan, I can¡¯t be bothered to work with you again!¡± Li Ruoxuan raised his eyebrows as if asking something. However, he did not ask it aloud. Jiang Yeqian saw through what he wanted to ask and answered his thought. He said heavily, ¡°Because I think you¡¯re repulsive.¡± Li Ruoxuan shrugged as though not taking it to heart. ¡­ ¡­ Jiang Yeqian nced at somece on the second floor. After Li Ruoxuan and others left, he slowly entered the secret underground chamber through the secret door. A man in red had beenzily sitting in a particr room of the secret chamber, eating grapes leisurely. Once Jiang Yeqian sat down on the chair, he casually threw the crutches in his hands aside, picked up the tea on the table, and downed it all in one slurp. Then, he said, ¡°Why did you show up so openly at the Yueya Auction House today?¡± Tan Xiangdie said with a little amusement, ¡°Why? Can I not show my face?¡± Jiang Yeqian said irritably, ¡°Do you know showing up recklessly like this will make the entire Qingzhou City start contemting on the ghost organization¡¯s movements?¡± ¡°What¡¯s so bad about that?¡± Tan Xiandie said disapprovingly, ¡°A grand master from Eastern Ling died, and a grand master from Daming was seriously injured recently in Qingzhou City. The remaining young grand master then showed up here tonight in a disguise with Qi Qingyao by Lu Yan¡¯s side. It¡¯s reasonable for me to show up. I can openly let the world know that the ghost organization is monitoring every movement in Qingzhou City.¡± Jiang Yeqian continued pouring his tea. ¡°...¡± Tan Xiangdie observed his mood and suddenly smiled intriguingly, ¡°What I¡¯m more curious about is why you didn¡¯t show up together with me tonight. Qingzhou City would have been even more shocked then.¡± Jiang Yeqian looked up and said indifferently, ¡°If I had showed up as the Head of the Zhaixing Administration, with Li Ruoxuan¡¯s acuity, he¡¯d surely have noticed something.¡± Tan Xiangdie had expected that he would answer this way, so he said, ¡°You showed up as the Head Grand Secretariat, and ended up witnessing a farce.¡± After a pause, Tan Xiangdie asked an odd question. ¡°Was it fun?¡± ¡°...¡± Like hell it had been fun! Jiang Yeqian knew that he had been watching the bustle and so did not bother to continue the conversation. Seeing that he was silent, Tan Xiangdie stroked his chin and asked with a smile, ¡°That little maid is Qi Qingyao, right?¡± ¡°You know?¡± Jiang Yeqian raised his eyebrows. ¡°I¡¯m not an idiot!!¡± Tan Xiangdie rolled his eyes irritably and wondered how stupid this guy thought he was. He was speechless. ¡°Li Ruoxuan went up to them a few times to cause trouble and pester the little maid. How could people not suspect anything? That, along with your angry expression after Li Ruoxuan kissed the little maid!¡± Jiang Yeqian did not say anything. Tan Xiangdie said leisurely, ¡°Jiang Yeqian, you gave yourself away to the State Preceptor.¡± Jiang Yeqian¡¯s expression was sullen, and he did not say a word. Tan Xiangdiemented on his expression from just now and said, ¡°You lost your cool!¡± Jiang Yeqian was annoyed as hell. His expression was livid and he retorted. ¡°I don¡¯t like her.¡± ¡°You¡¯re still being stubborn now?¡± ¡®You¡¯re not going to make a move, and Li Ruoxuan is nning on making one soon!¡¯ Tan Xiangdie did not understand what he was being difficult about. Jiang Yeqian said, ¡°Lu Yan is better suited to her.¡± Tan Xiangdie, ¡°????¡± Jiang Yeqian ced the teacup back down on the table heavily and said with a slightly distorted voice, ¡°I have not even a flicker of interest in the kind of girl who is fickle and only wants to be a social climber.¡± Tan Xiangdie, ¡°?????????¡± ¡­ ¡­ As Qi Qingyao and her group headed back, the sky outside was already dark. No one spoke in the carriage. When they arrived at the mansion, the others went into the side hall and the maid served them tea. Neither Lu Yan nor Si Jin said anything. After Qi Qingyao went back to her room and took off the human mask, she washed her face and walked out as her real self. After sitting down, Qi Qingyao picked up the teacup and sipped on the slightly scorching tea. Lu Yan looked at the teacup, his expression still ugly. There was choking resentment in his chest stuffed so tight that he felt very ufortable. He could not hold it back anymore. He looked at Qi Qingyao, who appeared at ease, and said, ¡°Why aren¡¯t you angry at all?¡± ¡°What is there to be angry about?¡± Qi Qingyao asked, not understanding. Lu Yan said hoarsely, ¡°He, h-h-h-he¡ªThat idiot kissed you.¡± He could not speak clearly and began to stutter. Qi Qingyao said nonchntly, ¡°It was just a touch of the lips, not even a kiss with tongue. What is there to worry about?¡± When Lu Yan heard this, he could not breathe and almost choked himself. After he got back his breath, he said with astonishment, ¡°Y-y-you, does it not matter to you at all who kisses you?¡± ¡°If it mattered to me, tell me what I should do now.¡± Qi Qingyao sat therezily. ¡°Should I really ask Si Jin to kill Li Ruoxuan?¡± ¡°Why not?¡± Lu Yan said without thinking. Qi Qingyao facepalmed. Did this guy not think about anything anymore? Had he also gone mad? What was wrong with him today? Had everyone gone crazy? Everyone had taken the wrong pills!! Qi Qingyao¡¯s eyes shed with a hidden sharpness. She analyzed the situation for him easily. ¡°First of all, he¡¯s the State Preceptor. Second of all, you live here and have a special rtionship with me. If I send Si Jin to kill Li Ruoxuan, outsiders will say that the State Preceptor has just kissed a little maid of Master Lu¡¯s, and he got so furious he asked the young grand master by Qi Qingyao¡¯s side to kill the State Preceptor. What do you think the empress will do then?¡± Her words reminded him of what was at stake and calmed his restless mood. He said slowly, ¡°A member of the imperial court is dead. He¡¯s also the emperor¡¯s most valued general. By then, the most elite troops will be dispatched to hunt down and kill Si Jin. If they can¡¯t kill Si Jin, they¡¯ll kill you. Or they¡¯ll think that I did it and convict the Lu family.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Fortunately, this guy was still clear-headed. Qi Qingyao continued with a gloomy gaze, ¡°Even if the emperor does not dare to touch Si Jin because he¡¯s a young grand master, if the State Preceptor of the current imperial court dies, they will have to exin it to the people. You and I, as well as the Qi family behind me, will be consigned to eternal damnation with that. ¡°Or does the Lu family have a force powerful enough to go against the imperial court? ¡°And finally, when outsiders ask for the reason why all of this is happening, it would be because the State Preceptor kissed Lu Yan¡¯s little maid. ¡°Don¡¯t you think it¡¯sical to say that, then?¡± ¡­ When Lu Yan heard her words, it was as if someone had poured cold water over his head. He facepalmed helplessly and stated a fact, ¡°You¡¯re calmer than me.¡± Qi Qingyao said calmly, ¡°It¡¯s because I was just a little maid just now! Everything will be simple if you think about the problem from that standpoint.¡± This grudge against Li Ruoxuan was unsolvable. One day, that guy would have to return the favor twofold. Qi Qingyao suddenly noticed a prating gaze staring fixedly at her. She followed the gaze and looked over, getting goosebumps from Si Jin¡¯s somewhat resentful gaze. ¡°You¡­ What are you unhappy about?¡± Chapter 445 - Shocked

Chapter 445: Shocked

Lu Yan also noticed that Si Jin seemed unhappy and was in a bad mood. Before this, Lu Yan only knew this guy as a little cutie, but now when he looked at Si Jin again, his feelings toward him were more nuanced, because he was now a famous grand master. Lu Yan coughed lightly, put on a calm pretense, and left the side hall. Steward Zhang, who was at the door, and the little maid who was serving them also quickly left. When only Qi Qingyao and Si Jin were left in the side hall, Si Jin pouted andined in dissatisfaction. ¡°He kissed you, yet you still won¡¯t let me kill him.¡± Qi Qingyao looked at the kid¡¯s angry appearance and shrugged. She said with a look of indifference, ¡°It was just a touch of the lips, yet you¡¯re calling that a kiss. What an innocent child.¡± She approached instinctively, wanting to pat Si Jin¡¯s head. However, Si Jin turned his head slightly and dodged it. Si Jin¡¯s eyes were a little red, and his expression was solemn. ¡°I¡¯m not a kid anymore, I¡¯m all grown up! I- I-I-I-I¡¯m eighteen!¡± Qi Qingyao¡¯s handnded on air. She nced at her hand and calmly withdrew it. She casually sat back in her seat. ¡°Since you¡¯re all grown up, you have to think about the problem thoroughly.¡± Si Jin noticed that Qi Qingyao seemed a little angry about not being able to pat his head. He did not dare to put up a front anymore. He approached her and squeezed into her seat abruptly. Fortunately, both of them were skinny. The armchair was big enough, and he managed to squeeze in. ¡°I¡¯ll listen to Sister.¡± Si Jin pouted his lips in a grievance, then pulled Qi Qingyao¡¯s hands up, and asked a little broodingly and seriously, ¡°Sister, do you really not think that you have suffered a loss?¡± ¡°Was this suffering a loss?¡± Qi Qingyao patted the back of Si Jin¡¯s hand and nced sideways at him leisurely. ¡°In the eyes of outsiders, the State Preceptor hounded a little maid. Everyone will think there¡¯s something wrong with the State Preceptor¡¯s taste! Don¡¯t you think that¡¯s funnier than whether I suffered a loss or not?¡± Si Jin, ¡°¡­¡± That did seem kind of like the case. ¡­ ¡­ In a certain courtyard. It was quiet in the dead of the night. In the study, Li Ruoxuan read the documents handed over to him from the Capital City and gave his advice. Zhu Shen called for someone to quickly send them back to the Capital City. Li Ruoxuan finished some misceneous tasks and sat at the desk. He looked at the candle¡¯s me, silent and with a profound expression on his face. Zhu Shen could not fathom his Excellency¡¯s thoughts. After thinking for a while, however, he felt that as his Excellency¡¯s closest attendant, he had to offer some constructive remarks. Thus, he took the initiative and said, ¡°Your Excellency, why did you treat that little maid like that today¡­¡± After a pause, Zhu Shen¡¯s tone was very cautious as he tentatively asked, ¡°Would you like me to go to Huayue Building and call for a beautifuldy to keep youpany?¡± After saying that, Zhu Shen did not even dare to take a breath. He was afraid that he was trying to curry favor the wrong way. Li Ruoxuan¡¯s brows did not even move. He sat there as motionless as a statue. His eyes were still watching the candle¡¯s me calmly. He said in a voice that was soft and slow, ¡°That maid was Qi Qingyao in a disguise.¡± Zhu Shen was rendered shocked and was rendered stunned in ce in an instant. He could only choke out a sentence after being stunned for a long while. ¡°Your Excellency likes Qi Qingyao?¡± Why else would he have hugged and kissed the disguised Qi Qingyao?! Li Ruoxuan cast a sidelong nce at Zhu Shen, ¡°You¡¯re so shallow.¡± This word made Zhu Shen immediately aware of something. He reacted to it, saying, ¡°Your Excellency has set your eyes on the young grand master behind Qi Qingyao.¡± Chapter 446 - He Has Come To Propose 1

Chapter 446: He Has Come To Propose 1

¡°More or less, yes.¡± The edges of Li Ruoxuan¡¯s brows drooped. His gaze deep and solemn, he said, ¡°But I didn¡¯t expect that she would have hooked up with Lu Yan. What a flub.¡± Zhu Shen was astonished. He immediately said, ¡°If Qi Qingyao is on good terms with Master Lu, could the young grand master be indirectly used by the Lu family? Maybe be a chess piece of theirs?¡± This was definitely something the empress would not want to see happen. ¡°¡­¡± Li Ruoxuan did not say anything, but his gaze was bing more dim and morose. After a long silence, a calctive look appeared in Li Ruoxuan¡¯s dark eyes. He said, ¡°Since she likes money, we just need to prescribe the right remedy.¡± ¡°??¡± Zhu Shen did not quite understand what his Excellency meant by her loving money. Could Qi Qingyao only be fond of Master Lu because of her love for money? Although Master Lu was very rich, he was also not bad looking¡­ There should be no surprise that women would like Master Lu, right? Li Ruoxuan suddenly said, ¡°Prepare a chest of gold!¡± ¡°¡ª¡ª!!!¡± Zhu Shen almost fell to the floor in shock. Li Ruoxuan continued, ¡°I shall go to the Qi Residence tomorrow morning and propose marriage.¡± ¡°Ah!¡± Zhu Shen could not hold back his voice. ¡°Why are you so excited?!¡± Li Ruoxuan snapped, feeling that Zhu Shen was overreacting. He added, ¡°Although our Head Grand Secretariat keeps denying it, I think he fancies Qi Qingyao. It doesn¡¯t matter if he truly likes her or if he just wants topete with me over this chess piece of a young grand master. Qi Qingyao has now be a piece that is more important than Si Jin.¡± ¡®Oh, he just wants to take Lady Qi as a chess piece.¡¯ Zhu Shen hurriedly yed up to him and said, ¡°If you want to have the young grand master follow your orders, you have to please Qi Qingyao. Your Excellency¡¯s idea is brilliant.¡± Li Ruoxuan observed the candlelight with a smile and said, ¡°As long as I get Qi Qingyao, the chess piece that is Si Jin will be mine to use as I please in the end.¡± Zhu Shen bowed slightly and said, ¡°Your Excellency is wise! This servant will prepare the gold without dy!¡± ¡­ ¡­ That night. Qi Qingyao did not care in the slightest about that little episode where Li Ruoxuan deliberately caused trouble. As a modern person, being nibbled on the lips by an insane man plus the shocking nature of the situation back then was not enough to leave much impression on her. Since Qi Qingyao did not care about that, Si Jin did not either. He slept very soundly that night. There were two who were unable to sleep well¡ªone of them was Lu Yan. Lu Yan tossed and turned in his bed, unable to sleep. As his maid, Qi Qingyao slept next door to him that night. His mind was filled with the scene of Li Ruoxuan kissing the little maid! Lu Yan felt so angry that he could not sleep. Even by midnight, he was still wide awake. Lu Yan eventually sat up, deciding to meditate. He figured that it was the fact he was weaker than Lu Ruoxuan which resulted in him being intercepted during the crucial moment. There definitely could not be a second time. Although he had the protection of the entire Lu family, and Dong Jing beside him, his own strength was more important than anything else. Lu Yan mulled over these thoughts. The other person who could not sleep was Jiang Yeqian. Jiang Yeqiany in bed thinking about what Li Ruoxuan had said today. He thought, ¡®That guy must have guessed that I fancy Qi Qingyao a little, but so what? That woman was involved with Lu Yan! Wouldn¡¯t she feel ttered to know that the State Preceptor also ¡°fancies¡± her?¡¯ Considering her personality, she probably would!!! The moment he thought of this, Jiang Yeqian felt his stomach churn. When it hurt to the point of being unbearable, he sat up and peered around his room that was shrouded in darkness and took a deep breath. He spoke to himself, with a hint of defeat in his voice. ¡°Why do I like a woman like this? There must be something horribly wrong with me!¡± Chapter 447 - He Has Come To Propose 2

Chapter 447: He Has Come To Propose 2

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion After he was done grumbling, he decided not to think about it any longer. He made up his mind to go back to sleep, but the night was destined to be a sleepless one. ¡­ When Qi Qingyao got up early in the morning, she noted that the triplets had already freshened up. After the group had their breakfast, she was about to bring Dabao and Xiaobao into the study to begin the lottery when Steward Zhang rushed over and reported in a flustered manner, ¡°M-missus, the State Preceptor and a party of people have arrived.¡± Lu Yan, who was sporting dark eye circles on his face, heard this and his temper immediately red. ¡°He still has the f*cking audacity to show up!¡± Si Jin frowned. ¡°He¡¯s looking to die.¡± ¡°Calm down, both of you.¡± Qi Qingyao cradled her temples and waved her hand. ¡°Steward Zhang, please invite the State Preceptor in.¡± ¡®That guy does nothing but cause hardships all day. I wonder if he came over today looking for more trouble.¡¯ Qi Qingyao asked a servant to send the curious little triplets to the study. After that, she and the furious Si Jin and Lu Yan went to the side hall from the dining area to wait for their guest¡¯s arrival. As they waited. Lu Yan looked gloomy. There was a murderous smile on Si Jin¡¯s face. Qi Qingyao, ¡°¡­¡± A short whileter. Steward Zhang led a group of people to the side hall, with Li Ruoxuan at the front. A few of the servants following behind him were carrying arge chest. After entering the room, Li Ruoxuan was the first to greet Qi Qingyao. Qi Qingyao frowned. She nced at thatrge chest and raised her eyebrows. ¡°State Preceptor, what is that chest?¡± ¡°Zhu Shen, open it,¡± said Li Ruoxuan airily. The white cat in his arms, Lu Yan sat by the side and watched Li Ruoxuan quietly. Si Jin stood at the other side, his hands curled in tight fists, his lips pursed so tightly that one could hang an oil bottle on them. Zhu Shen opened the chest that had been put down. The morning sun just happened to shine in from the outside, the lightnding on the contents. The golden light radiating from the chest was dazzling. Qi Qingyao, ¡°¡­¡± Lu Yan immediately got to his feet. ¡°Huh?¡± Si Jin, ¡°¡ª¡± The servants in the courtyard who had been watching the excitement unfold were also suddenly shocked, their eyes bulging. Steward Zhang was so dumbstruck, he almost dislocated his jaw. Qi Qingyao was rtively calm. Her gaze was deep and serene and her voice carried a trace of anger. ¡°State Preceptor, why have you brought a chest full of gold to my home?¡± Could it be to apologize for his wrongs? If that was the case, Li Ruoxuan was quite sincere! Li Ruoxuan smiled faintly and nodded. He said, ¡°I really like Lady Qi. This chest of gold I brought over today is a betrothal gift. I wish for Lady Qi to marry me.¡± Qi Qingyao, ¡°¡­¡± Lu Yan, ¡°¡­¡± Si Jin, ¡°¡­¡± Steward Zhang, ¡°¡­¡± Li Ruoxuan thought Qi Qingyao must not have heard him and repeated, ¡°Lady Qi, I like you, please marry me.¡± The tossed stone raised a thousand ripples. The whole hall seemed to have been sshed with cold water as it fell into a deathly silence on the spot. There was only the sound of breathing. The little maids outside the courtyard were so shocked they gave a massive start before they began chattering. ¡°Oh my god, the State Preceptor just proposed to thedy.¡± ¡°How wonderful.¡± ¡°The State Preceptor likes ourdy.¡± ¡°Thedy is so lucky!¡± ¡°But what will happen to our master if thedy marries the State Preceptor?¡± ¡°He¡¯s the state Preceptor, our master can¡¯t do anything since he can¡¯t win against him.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Their chattering voices were not loud but they still spilled ruthlessly into the side hall. When Steward Zhang returned to his senses, he hurried out and red at those garrulous little maids. The maids scattered sheepishly. However, their expressions were beyond excited. Who was Li Ruoxuan? He was the State Preceptor and one of the empress¡¯s right-hand men! Chapter 448 - He Has Come To Propose 3

Chapter 448: He Has Come To Propose 3

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Lu Yan¡¯s and Si Jin¡¯s minds had already crashed into a pile of rubble. Qi Qingyao was the first to return to her senses. She rubbed her forehead. Barely hiding her anger, she said, ¡°State Preceptor, I have no idea what kind of madness has suddenlye over you.¡± Li Ruoxuan replied innocently, ¡°I¡¯m being very sincere.¡± Her expression dark, Qi Qingyao said, ¡°I¡¯m not interested in the State Preceptor.¡± Li Ruoxuan fell silent for a moment. Eyes half-closed, he gave a somewhat amusedugh. ¡°Qi Qingyao, do you know what the consequences are for rejecting me?¡± Consequences? Was that a threat? Si Jin instantly snapped back to reality and stood beside Qi Qingyao. Qi Qingyao thought for a moment then said to Si Jin with a smile, ¡°Everyone, please stand down for now.¡± ¡°Big Sis?¡± Si Jin said as he watched Li Ruoxuan astutely. ¡°Stand down for now!!¡± Qi Qingyao repeated authoritatively. ¡°There is something I need to discuss with the State Preceptor alone.¡± Si Jin was unwilling to leave. Lu Yan walked over to pull Si Jin away. However, Si Jin remained in ce. Qi Qingyao had no choice but to get up. She walked over and caressed Si Jin¡¯s head. ¡°Be good!¡± Si Jin merely gave her a serious nce. ¡°I will call out to you should something happen.¡± Qi Qingyao said reassuringly. Si Jin pondered for a moment, but his beautiful face was filled with killing intent. ¡°If he dares to bully you, I wille back and kill him, mark my words¡± With a bright and charming smile, Qi Qingyao said, ¡°If you¡¯re going to say that, he surely won¡¯t dare make a rash mistake.¡± Only then did Si Jin leave the room with Lu Yan reluctantly. Noticing the door was still open, Qi Qingyao went over and closed it expressionlessly. Li Ruoxuan turned to look at her. Qi Qingyao stood next to the door, her gaze constantly fixed on him. Li Ruoxuan said with an air of casualness, ¡°They¡¯ve all left. I wonder what Yaoyao wishes to discuss with me in private?¡± Qi Qingyao snapped, ¡°Oh, f*ck you!¡± Li Ruoxuan replied innocently, ¡°Why are you cursing me? I came to propose marriage!¡± ¡°F*ck your proposal!¡± Qi Qingyao cursed, unable to hold herself back. A touch of gloom trickled within Li Ruoxuan¡¯s eyes. ¡°You¡¯re cursing me again.¡± ¡°So what if I curse you? I want to curse all eighteen generations of your ancestors!¡± As she cursed, however, an unexpected smile appeared on her face. ¡°Kill me if you can.¡± Li Ruoxuan replied ndly, ¡°Why would I kill you? I¡¯m not even allowed to love you.¡± Love? This person was talking about love? Qi Qingyao gave a smile that seemed to express pity. ¡°You¡¯ve gone f*cking crazy.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not crazy,¡± Li Ruoxuan said seriously. Qi Qingyao silently looked at the refined and clean-dressed man with an eye patch over his right eye. After a long silence, she said, ¡°If you¡¯re not crazy, then I¡¯m the one who¡¯s gone crazy, is that how it is?¡± Li Ruoxuan shrugged but said nothing. Qi Qingyao hollered, ¡°Li Ruoxuan, let¡¯s have a straightforward conversation!¡± Li Ruoxuan raised his eyebrows, waiting for her to speak her mind. Qi Qingyao said, ¡°You want to marry me because I have Si Jin by my side and you think he is a useful and important chess piece! So, you want to make it so that you and the imperial court can use him!¡± Li Ruoxuan¡¯s heart trembled a beat. However, his expression was calm as usual as he said, ¡°No. I like you in earnest. I fell for you that night by thekeshore when you offered me a fried sugar cake.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be so disgusting.¡± Qi Qingyao rolled her eyes in annoyance. ¡°You scheming old fox, you really think I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re thinking?¡± As if he were trying to convince even himself, Li Ruoxuan repeated firmly, ¡°I sincerely like you.¡± Qi Qingyao smiled rxedly and said, ¡°Then carve out your heart for me.¡± Li Ruoxuan, ¡°...¡± Qi Qingyao gave a delicate grin. ¡°If you can¡¯t, please go back.¡± Li Ruoxuan did not know how to respond. He was silent for a while. Then he said. ¡°You¡¯re truly a weird one.¡± Qi Qingyao looked at him with raised brows. Sounding puzzled, Li Ruoxuan said, ¡°You¡¯re clearly just a random littledy from a random vige. Yet you have such a thorough understanding of the current political situation and human nature.¡± To top it off, she was a huge mystery herself¡­ Qi Qingyao chuckled. ¡°Qi Qingyao, I have a little more respect for you now,¡± Li Ruoxuan said. Qi Qingyao scrutinized the gentle, clean, and astute man. She coolly replied, ¡°Li Ruoxuan, you¡¯re the kind of person who no one will ever truly experience love in your lifetime. You will die alone! And remain alone until then.¡± Li Ruoxuan, ¡°...¡± Qi Qingyao added, ¡°Someone who never treats others with sincerity will never be treated with sincerity. Scheming your every move, do you really think you escaped the shackles of fate? You treat others like chess pieces but, in the end, I think that you might actually be one who is being toyed by fate! Not to mention the very depressing kind.¡± A conflicted look shed through Li Ruoxuan¡¯s eyes. He wiped his face, then turned away and stared into the unknown distance. His entire being seemed to be trapped in a vacant ce. He turned his head to look at her after a long time. ¡°One¡¯s ce is defined by their duties. I cannot go back on this.¡± ¡­ ... News that Li Ruoxuan brought arge chest of gold to the Qi Residence reached Jiang Yeqian¡¯s ears like a whirlwind. Jiang Yeqian, who had not slept well the night before, frowned as he rubbed his aching temples. Before he wondered about what thatrge chest contained, he was greeted with another piece of news. He was told that Li Ruoxuan¡¯s purpose for bringing a chest of gold to the Qi Residence was to propose marriage. The brush in Jiang Yeqian¡¯s hand fell to the floor with a tter. Realization crashed upon him! Chapter 449 - He Has Come To Propose 4

Chapter 449: He Has Come To Propose 4

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion After Li Ruoxuan made that statement, Qi Qingyao fell quiet. She only looked at him quietly, her gaze almostpassionate. Li Ruoxuan found that to be extremely unbearable. He thought, ¡®You¡¯re just an ordinary person without even the qualifications to cultivate. ¡®Why is your gaze so condescending!! ¡®Why do you look at me so pitifully from above, as if you feel sorry for me? ¡®I am the dignified State Preceptor. My nobility far outstrips yours! ¡®You stupid woman!¡¯ The two locked their gazes for a bit. Li Ruoxuan felt his heart be inexplicably irritated. Then, he suddenly spat, ¡°You¡¯re just a useful chess piece!¡± With that, he opened the door on his own ord and left the side hall. Outside, in front of the flowerbed not far away, Si Jin and Lu Yan turned their heads around quickly.?With an extremely nervous gaze and looking a little flustered, Steward Zhang watched the State Preceptor walk out. Dong Jing¡¯s brows furrowed as he noted the conflicted look in Li Ruoxuan¡¯s eyes. Dong Jing wanted his master to win thedy¡¯s heart, but what can his master do if the State Preceptor was set on pursuing Lady Qi? Dong Jing was worried. Zhu Shen noticed the State Preceptor had made his exit and immediately walked up to him. ¡°We¡¯re going back.¡± Li Ruoxuan said this shortly and immediately headed for the exit of the Qi Residence. Zhu Shen was stunned. ¡°But¡­what about the chest of gold?¡± ¡°Leave it here as an apology for killing Qi Qingzhu.¡± Li Ruoxuan¡¯s voice was very loud when he said this as if he deliberately wanted Qi Qingyao to hear it from inside the hall. After that, he gathered his group and left without dy. Zhu Shen followed behind his master step by step. He was still a little speechless. ¡®Oh Your Excellency, even for an apology, there¡¯s still no need to give her a full chest of gold. Your generosity is a little overboard!¡¯ After Li Ruoxuan left, Si Jin immediately rushed into the side hall. He scrutinized Qi Qingyao and determined that she was uninjured. Finally, his line of sight fell on her lips. Qi Qingyao¡¯s expression suddenly turned dark when she noticed this. ¡°Nothing happened!!¡± At that, Si Jin pursed his lips and withdrew his gaze weakly. Lu Yan entered while carrying the white cat. Ascertaining that she was fine, his gaze then fell on the chest of glittering gold. It was dazzling. ¡°What do you n to do with this?¡± Lu Yan asked. Qi Qingyao said unhurriedly, ¡°Since the State Preceptor said it was his apology, naturally all of it belongs to me!¡± ¡°Would you like to keep it in our private bank?¡± Lu Yan asked with a smile. ¡°No.¡± Qi Qingyao shook her head. Thinking about her current identity, she asked conversationally, ¡°Master Lu spent five million on a Pill of Omnipotence for me. I am, of course, grateful. I wonder if the gold in this chest is worth five million taels of silver.¡± ¡°More or less.¡± The way she addressed him was so distant¡ªthe hell was ¡®Master Lu¡¯?!!¡¯ Qi Qingyao waved her hand and said, ¡°Then I¡¯ll give this to you.¡± ¡°??¡± Lu Yan¡¯s eyes narrowed suddenly. Qi Qingyao exined earnestly, ¡°That¡¯s because I don¡¯t want to continue being a maid.¡± She might have to apany him to bed if things went on like this! Even if nothing would happen from that¡­ That feeling was too weird! Most importantly¡­ The Pill of Omnipotence cost Lu Yan a full five million taels. Although they had agreed that the price she had to pay was by being his maid for a month, Qi Qingyao still felt that it was not worth five million taels. If she gave him this chest of gold now, then she would not feel that she owed him. Lu Yan heard her deration and was silent for a long time. He called Dong Jing and instructed him to carry down the chest of gold.. Chapter 450 - He Has Come To Propose 5

Chapter 450: He Has Come To Propose 5

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion After Li Ruoxuan promptly left the Qi Residence with his entourage, the news was immediately sent to Jiang Yeqian by a spy. Zhao Xin bowed slightly and said, ¡°Your Excellency, the State Preceptor has left Qi Residence.¡± Jiang Yeqian¡¯s pacing steps suddenly paused. He stamped the ground forcefully with his crutch and demanded, ¡°What expression did he have?¡± ¡°Our people said that it wasn¡¯t too great,¡± Zhao Xin cautiously said. ¡°But the spy also said that he did not bring the chest of gold back with him.¡± Jiang Yeqian¡¯s expression was getting uglier. ¡°So the proposal was a sess?¡± Zhao Xin shook his head. ¡°If it were a sess the State Preceptor wouldn¡¯t be wearing such an expression. So this servant thinks that it probably didn¡¯t seed.¡± ¡°Would he have given Qi Qingyao a chest of gold for free if the proposal wasn¡¯t a sess? You fool!!¡± Jiang Yeqian picked up the inkstone on the desk and threw it at Zhao Xin. Zhao Xin instinctively dodged and thought, ¡®His Excellency is really too irritabletely.¡¯ Jiang Yeqian was indeed irritated. He waspletely on edge. His temples throbbed dully. His chest felt tight and some part of him was aching. That Li Ruoxuan can certainly act fast, he actually went and proposed to her! Then he left that chest of gold at the Qi Residence although he was ¡°probably¡± rejected? That would mean that Qi Qingyao owed him. That woman was already a sucker for money to begin with. It did not matter what beef she had with Li Ruoxuan before, all would be forgiven with this chest of gold. Lu Yan, Si Jin, Li Ruoxuan¡­ Jiang Yeqian felt his head throbbing harder. ¡­ ¡­ Since the maids of the Qi Residence were not trained to be spies, they were not very strict about keeping a tight lip about this private situation. Aside from that, the current State Preceptor bringing a chest of gold to the Qi Residence to propose marriage was a big deal. How could they possibly hide it? As such, in less than half a day¡­ The rumor that the State Preceptor had proposed marriage to Qi Qingyao spread like a tornado via several restaurants in Qingzhou City. ¡°I heard the State Preceptor proposed to Qi Qingyao.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°What do you mean ¡®what¡¯? This is what happened. The State Preceptor has walked up to her door and proposed marriage.¡± ¡°But¡­although that house of hers is called Qi Residence, didn¡¯t she win it from Master Lu? Master Lu must still be living there too.¡± ¡°So what?¡± ¡°Oh dear lord, and here I thought that Lady Qi was Lu Yan¡¯s concubine or personal maid. I didn¡¯t think she was quite sought after in the market. Even the State Preceptor has proposed to her!!¡± ¡°What are you saying? Qi Qingyao has that young grand master at her side, how could she possibly be Lu Yan¡¯s personal maid?¡± ¡°That¡¯s the weird thing. I heard Qi Qingyao was born in a nearby vige. How did she get everyone she met to fall in love with her in just a few months?¡± ¡°It¡¯s because of that young grand master of hers¡­¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s true. The State Preceptor must be thinking of roping in the young grand master for the imperial court¡¯s use. Why else would he possibly wed an unprincipled widow who gave birth out of wedlock!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right¡­¡± ¡­ ¡­ This gossip soon spread to half of Qingzhou City. It even spread to the Qi Residence. Dong Jing listened to the report while he was settling the trivial matters that Lu Yan had instructed him to handle. He thought angrily, ¡®Which bbermouth of a servant spread this out?¡¯ Dong Jing asked Steward Zhang of the Missus¡¯s whereabouts. Steward Zhang replied, ¡°She¡¯s in the study.¡± Dong Jing went to the entrance of the study and noticed that the door to the study was shut tight. He was slightly stunned. On the other side of the door. Qi Qingyao, Dabao, and Xiaobao were sitting on the arhat couch. Si Jin and Erniu were seated to the side watching the three of them. Between them was the small red sandalwood box. The box contained the Pill of Omnipotence. Chapter 451 - He Has Come To Propose 6

Chapter 451: He Has Come To Propose 6

Qi Qingyao looked at that Pill of Omnipotence. She raised her gaze and asked the two, ¡°You two, are you going to draw lots or y rock scissors paper?¡± Dabao and Xiaobao looked at each other, then Dabao moved back to let Xiaobao exin. Xiaobao nodded slightly and then slowly said, ¡°Mommy.¡± ¡°Hm?¡± Qi Qingyao could not shake off the feeling that things might turn out differently than she imagined. There was some solemness in Xiaobao¡¯s childlike voice as he said, ¡°Both of us have done the research.¡± ¡°¡­¡± They were so young yet they used the word ¡®research¡¯. Qi Qingyao felt like teasing them for it, but then felt that it was not the time for it. She held back her smile and looked at Xiaobao with a straight face. Xiaobao said, ¡°This pill is not easy to make so both of us have decided that Mommy should take it.¡± ¡°Ah?¡± Qi QIngyao was astonished. Dabao asked, ¡°Didn¡¯t Mommy say that you can get some power to cultivate after taking it?¡± Qi QIngyao nodded dumbly. Dabao smiled frankly and said, ¡°So Mommy should take it and then work hard to be a powerhouse!¡± Qi Qingyao, ¡°¡­¡± This¡­this was indeedpletely different from what she imagined. She had expected that Dabao would first take it since he seemed more of an active character. As for Xiaobao, perhaps they might be able to get another Pill of Omnipotence for him another time. Qi Qingyao had decided to take things one step at a time. Who would have thought that they would end up wanting her to take it instead? Nevertheless, Qi QIngyao was a little curious about what kind of physical reaction she would have after taking the pill. She remained as calm as she could. Then she shook her head cautiously. ¡°Even with your good intentions, Mommy¡¯s already twenty years old, I¡¯m too old now. I¡¯m long past the prime age for cultivating! I might not even get any results if I take the pill! Five million would be wasted just like that, you know?¡± Dabao, ¡°¡­¡± Xiaobao, ¡°¡­¡± Erniu and Uncle Si Jin were standing together, heads cocked. They wondered why she would not take it, but they did not dare say anything. Qi Qingyao pushed the little wooden box insistently toward the two. Dabao shook his head and started, ¡°But!¡± ¡°No buts.¡± Qi Qingyao was firm with her own ns. ¡°If you two keep making concessions then I think Dabao should take it first.¡± Saying this, she looked nervously at Xiaobao. She had three children, after all. She had to make things fair no matter what. Xiaobao was an easy-going kid. His chubby face was filled with a smile as he said, ¡°Let Brother take it first, then.¡± Qi QIngyao pulled Xiaobao to her and sat him down on her thigh before asking, ¡°Would you really not think that Mommy is being biased?¡± Xiaobao was already four years old. Sitting on his mommy¡¯s leg made him feel somewhat embarrassed. He thought of himself as a big boy now. He was shy but did not climb down from his mommy¡¯s legs. His eyes were bright as he blinked. He gave off a cute but calm aura when he said, ¡°No, Brother is older than me so I should let him go first.¡± Qi Qingyao kissed Xiaobao¡¯s cheek. ¡°Good boy, you¡¯re really Mommy¡¯s good baby.¡± Xiaobao was a somewhat introverted child. After being kissed so casually by Qi Qingyao¡­ He kept getting more and more shy. His face had instantly turned red. He buried his face into his mother¡¯s arms. Dabao was very envious when he saw Xiaobao being carried to sit on his mother¡¯s thigh. He had not been kissed by his mother recently and he said impatiently, ¡°Mommy, I wanna let Xiaobao eat the pill because I also want to be Mommy¡¯s good baby!¡± Qi Qingyao curved her index finger and gently flicked Dabao¡¯s head. ¡°Silly boy, just take the pill. You have to realize that you should be able to protect yourself.¡± Dabao covered his head and looked at her bitterly. Qi Qingyao continued, ¡°I think you¡¯re more straightforward and impulsivepared to Xiaobao. You don¡¯t think enough and if you meet danger with your current mindset, you¡¯ll lose out in the future if you don¡¯t have any skills. Xiaobao is different. He¡¯s very calm. I often feel that he is calmer than even me! If he gets in danger, he¡¯ll be able to find a way to survive even if he cannot cultivate.¡± Dabao, ¡°???¡± Dabao felt bitter¡ªhe was not someone who acted mindlessly! Xiaobao, ¡°¡­.¡± Was this a praise to him? Was Mommy saying that he was smarter than Dabao? Chapter 452 - He Has Come To Propose 7

Chapter 452: He Has Come To Propose 7

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion The news that the State Preceptor had proposed to Qi Qingyao spread like wildfire in Qingzhou and naturally, it reached the ears of Ling Luoyan who joined the auction the other day. Her maid Cuiping shared the news with Ling Luoyan. ¡°Miss, the news outside says that the State Preceptor went to the Qi Residence and proposed to Qi Qingyao.¡¯ ¡°Hold on, I¡¯m a little confused.¡± Ling Luoyan put down the confectionery in her hands when she heard this. She felt confused. ¡°The State Preceptor has always been looking for trouble with Lu Yan, even kissing that little maid of his. I offered him a hundred thousand taels yet Lu Yan was unwilling to sell the little maid to me. Now, that important man from the capital turned around but proposed to Qi Qingyao? This means¡­¡±. ¡°??¡± Meant what? Cuiping eyes widened with curiosity. Ling Luoyan was sure of it. ¡°That little maid was Qi Qingyao.¡± ¡°How is that possible!¡± Cuiping gasped in surprise. She felt herdy¡¯s words were too nonsensical¡ªwhy would Qi Qingyao dress up as a maid for no reason? No one even questioned about it when she attended the auction so openly. ¡°Cuiping, that¡¯s why I say you don¡¯t use your head.¡± Ling Luoyan shook her head and then began eating the confectioneries. She said, ¡°I didn¡¯t think it was possible either. If she were an ordinary maid, there would be no reason for Lu Yan to not sell her. I offered a hundred thousand taels of silver, not ten! The guy who loves money as much as his life would have definitely sold her. But if that little maid is Qi Qingyao, it makes sense that Lu Yan won¡¯t sell her.¡± Cuiping finally understood and said, ¡°Oh, that¡¯s right. The State Preceptor couldn¡¯t possibly have just kissed a little maid like that. It¡¯s not as if he¡¯s lost control after being deprived of women.¡± ¡°Once we assume that the little maid is Qi Qingyao, then everything makes sense.¡± Ling Luoyan nodded slowly, her expression calm. ¡°The State Preceptor must have discovered the little maid¡¯s identity, so he looked into it as much as he could. In the end, he kissed her in order to assess Lu Yan¡¯s reaction. The next day, the State Preceptor then went up her door to propose marriage. This series of actions¡­is really expected of the lofty State Preceptor from Capital City!¡± ¡°Miss, if the little maid is Qi Qingyao, then Master Lu must have spent five million taels to bid on that Nine Star Pill of Omnipotence for her sake.¡± Cuiping excitedly dove further into the topic. She was quite happy. ¡°Miss, do you think Master Lu also likes Qi Qingyao?¡± To her surprise, Ling Luoyan shook her head. ¡°The probability is very small.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Cuiping was confused yet again. Master Lu does not like Qi Qingyao despite treating her so nicely? Ling Luoyan said seriously, ¡°First of all, she has triplets and is a widow. No normal guy would even take a liking to her. He is probably on her side only because of that young grand master of hers, whatever his name is. Cuiping said with a sudden realization, ¡°I think he¡¯s called Si Jin.¡± ¡°Right, Si Jin.¡± Ling Luoyan muttered the name. She was suddenly filled with sympathy for Qi Qingyao. Just based on their interaction on that one day. The way she spoke was very interesting. She had even called her pretty. That meant that Qi Qingyao definitely was not pretty herself, hehe! A widow with triplets and a strange young grand master by her side. Now she was even being pursued¡ªno, used¡ªby the young master of the top chamber ofmerce in Northern Liang, and even the current State Preceptor¡­ She was a real sorry sight. As for Si Jin. Hold on¡ª An image shed in Ling Luoyan¡¯s mind. At the auction house the other day, the little servant sitting next to the little maid was so ordinary looking. He could not possibly be Si Jin in disguise, could he? She thought about how she might just have met the currently most famous young grand master in the continent. Ling Luoyan suddenly felt excited. Chapter 453 - He Has Come to Propose 8

Chapter 453: He Has Come to Propose 8

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion In the study of the Northern Liang Imperial Pce. A woman around twenty-three wearing a dragon robe was seated behind arge ck and gold table, cheek in hand. She looked as if she were deep in thought. A little eunuch was waiting on her at the side. The empress was in contemtion for a long time before she slowly parted her lips and spoke. ¡°Little Lizi, do you think I should issue a decree and summon the young master to the capital?¡± The little eunuch, who had been by the empress¡¯s side for a long time, bowed slightly with caution and replied, ¡°In response to your Majesty¡¯s question, this servant thinks that since the young grand master is from Northern Liang, he must be of use to your Majesty. ¡° The woman¡¯s heart was filled with gloom and her face remained unsmiling. ¡°But it was clearly written in the secret letters from the State Preceptor and the Head Grand Secretariat that he is only close to Qi Qingyao and is a bit of an oddball. I worry he will not listen to the court¡¯s orders.¡± Little Lizi replied seriously, ¡°Your Majesty, the entirety of Northern Liang belongs to you. If he listens to the orders of some little woman instead of yours, isn¡¯t this¡­¡± Was this not a rebellion? The empress smiled faintly. ¡°This Qi Qingyao is also a very strange person.¡± She was somewhat curious. ¡°Even the Zhaixing Administration of the ghost organization was unable to identify her origins, including that of her triplets. Don¡¯t you find it odd?¡± Little Lizi did not dare say anything out of turn and could only reply, ¡°The world isrge, there are bound to be some secrets that are hidden.¡± That was true. This Qi Qingyao had so many secrets that it even garnered the curiosity of the empress. She wanted to meet with the littledy and see just what kind of magic she possessed to be able to snag a youth that was stronger than a grand master and get him to follow her. ¡°However, if a young man who is more powerful than a grand master is summoned to the capital but refuses to listen to my orders, he will be the biggest threat to the entire capital as well as to me.¡± Little Lizi was slightly stunned. ¡°So, your Majesty is hesitating?¡± ¡°Yes, I am hesitating,¡± the empress replied. Little Lizi pondered for a bit before suggesting, ¡°But if you hesitate, and Eastern Ling and Southern Ming were to send out spies to poach this young man regardless of the cost, we would have lost a high-ranking officer. ¡° The empress calmly said, ¡°They won¡¯t. That young man killed Pang Juan. It is likely that the entirety of Eastern Ling is in panic right now. Especially the emperor of Eastern Ling. Ha, he lost a grand master! He will not invade Northern Liang again in the foreseeable future.¡± The moment she thought about this, the empress could barely stop herself fromughing. She had already made preparations to fight for the country. Who would have thought that a young grand master would appear out of nowhere and kill Pang Juan? It was reported that Gongsun She was also heavily injured and has gone missing. Because of this, Eastern Ling and Daming had simultaneously retreated¡­ Perhaps this was the luck of Northern Liang. Little Lizi was silent for a moment before carefully asking, ¡°So, do we just allow the young grand master to remain in Qingzhou City?¡± ¡°I have an idea.¡± The empress suddenly had a stroke of inspiration and said, ¡°Prepare to draft the decree!¡± ¡°Your Majesty?¡± Little Lizi quickly brought out a nk edict. The empress stroked her chin, an ambitious look appearing on her face. ¡°I want to summon the littledy named Qi Qingyao to the capital!¡± Little Lizi was stunned for a moment before saying, ¡°Summoning the little woman named Qi Qingyao is equivalent to summoning the young grand master. When they arrive in the capital, we can secretly observe the young grand master. Your Majesty would also not need to interact with him. Your Majesty, you are truly worthy to be called our empress! I¡¯ll grind the ink now.¡± The empress began citing the decree quickly. The decree was written, then it was sealed with the jade seal with the highest authority in Northern Liang. After that¡­ The empress contemted for a bit and then wrote up two secret letters that were to be sent to Li Ruoxuan and Jiang Yeqian respectively! ¡­ ¡­ Currently, Qi Qingyao had no idea that she was about to be summoned to the pce. She was urging Dabao to take the pill quickly. Dabao was nervous and did not dare to eat it. Because of that, she asked Lu Yan if it was a good idea to burn incense and take a bath before eating the pill. Perhaps that would express how serious they were with this. Lu Yan did not know whether he shouldugh or cry.. Chapter 454 - He Has Come To Propose 9

Chapter 454: He Has Come To Propose 9

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion On the other side. Li Ruoxuan, whose proposal was unsessful, chose not to go anywhere that day¡ªnor did he meditate to cultivate or even look at the memorials and small pile of secret letters that filled his table. Instead, he sat beside the flower bed in the courtyard, staring despondently at the holly trees growing from there. The leaves of the holly trees were green and full, resembling a field of vitality. Li Ruoxuan watched them, bearing an expression as dark as the dead of night. There were no servants in the courtyard other than Zhu Shen, who stood under the eaves not far away. He watched over his master in silence. Neither of them had had lunch or dinner. As evening approached, the skies changed¡ªdark clouds surged and it soon began raining. Even then, Zhu Shen did not disturb Li Ruoxuan. As the heavy raindrops fell on his shoulders, Li Ruoxuan nced toward the sky and noticed the dark clouds. Slowly, he stood and walked towards the eaves for shelter. He did not try to wipe off the rain that had fallen on him, allowing it to dampen his clothes. The young man held his hands behind his back. He watched as the rain gradually grew heavier. After looking for a long time, he asked, ¡°Zhu Shen, am I a disappointment?¡± Zhu Shen had waited the entire day but was surprised to be asked this question. It waspletely beyond his expectations. Why would his Excellency ask him if he was a disappointment? Zhu Shen hastily cupped his fist and replied. ¡°Your Excellency, why would you think that? How could you be a disappointment? Every day, you attend to numerous affairs of the state and always give your all for Northern Liang. You prioritize your responsibility in Northern Liang above all else! You are a worthy minister of the country. Having you as the State Preceptor of Northern Liang reassures her Majesty and the people. Even as your servant, I believe I must have shown sincere gratitude in myst life to be able to serve you. This servant is very proud to have this duty.¡± ¡°I¡­ forget it, I don¡¯t know what I¡¯m saying either.¡± Zhu Shen¡¯s words made perfect sense, but Li Ruoxuan knew it did not answer the question he had asked. ¡°...¡± Zhu Shen did not understand. Li Ruoxuan paused for a moment to gather his words before saying, ¡°I¡¯m not talking about Northern Liang. Putting aside my role, am I really a scheming, calctive person? With that, he turned around. He stared directly at Zhu Shen. His deep and intimidating gaze made Zhu Shen tremble from head to toe. Zhu Shen¡¯s mind a nk mess, he replied instinctively,¡±Your Excellency, as the State Preceptor, how can you look at yourself as just an ordinary individual? If you insist on judging yourself like this¡ªyou would not be able to hold this prestigious position if you weren¡¯t special. If ministers such as you shared my level of capabilities, Northern Liang would have long ago been doomed. After a pause, he then added in a small voice, ¡°That being said, you¡¯ve always said that one¡¯s post is granted to them ording to their level of responsibility.¡± Li Ruoxuan heard Zhu Shen¡¯s words and regained some self-confidence. He was not theplete disappointment that Qi Qingyao had made him out to be. She had even cursed him to be alone until the day he died. That f*cker. He was no longer interested in looking for a woman. It was not that no one fancied him¡ªhe was the current State Preceptor! If he desired a woman, she would still have to wait in line at the capital of Northern Liang to be chosen by him. This woman was the only one who would be so foolish. He, the State Preceptor, had personally visited her residence to ask for her hand in marriage, yet she still refused him. Blind fool! Li Ruoxuan suddenly said, ¡°Jiang Yeqian is nning to resign. Soon, he will no longer be the Head Grand Secretariat of Northern Liang.¡± ¡°...¡± Zhu Shen hesitated, wondering why Li Ruoxuan was telling him this. Li Ruoxuan said, as if to himself, ¡°Say, do you think he¡¯s crazy or has just lost his mind? How could he not want to be the Head grand Secretariat and choose to resign at such a young age? I can¡¯t ce myself in?the perspective of an outsider. As an ordinary person, help me understand this! Tell me, what could he be thinking, resigning like that?¡± Ever since meeting Qi Qingyao, Li Ruoxuan had found it difficult to understand the series of events that unfolded around him. Now, even Jiang Yeqian wanted to resign.. One by one, everyone seemed to be going crazy. Chapter 455 - He Has Come To Propose 10

Chapter 455: He Has Come To Propose 10

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion ¡°This servant views both you and the Head Grand Secretariat as Northern Liang¡¯s¡­ powerful ministers.¡± Zhu Shen was initially going to say ¡®important ministers¡¯¡ªbut after a moment of thought, decided to use the more urate phrase, ¡®powerful ministers¡¯. ¡°You hold power over life and death second only to the emperor. That is something most people can only dream of, yet the Head Grand Secretariat couldn¡¯t care less about it and ns to resign. From the perspective of an ordinary person such as me, there are two possibilities. One, it could be that he has more important things at hand than being a Head Grand Secretariat. If not that, it is possible that he¡¯s just tired of being a powerful minister¡­¡± Li Ruoxuan chewed on those words. ¡°Is there anyone who could get tired of holding power?¡± ¡°The Head Grand Secretariat doesn¡¯t seem like someone greedy for power¡­¡± Zhu Shen muttered. ¡°So, am I greedy for power?¡± Li Ruoxuan cast a sideways nce at Zhu Shen. Zhu Shen responded immediately, ¡°That¡¯s not what this servant said, but¡­¡± Before he could finish speaking, he was interrupted by Li Ruoxuan. ¡°If I¡¯m the kind of person who likes to take things fast and enjoy the thrill of watching others fall from heaven to hell in an instant, then Jiang Yeqian is the kind of person who likes to take things slow. He enjoys the painful struggle of a person falling from heaven to hell. In all honesty, I think he¡¯s more shameless than I am, and it¡¯s only our methods that differ. So, I find it hard to believe that he¡¯s someone who doesn¡¯t enjoy power.¡± Zhu Shen thought about what his master had said. Li Ruoxuan said yfully, ¡°Zhu Shen, anyone who climbs their way up to the position of a powerful minister enjoys the feeling of holding power more than you¡¯d imagine.¡± ¡°...¡± Then, why would the Head Grand Secretariat want to resign? Zhu Shen too was confused. Li Ruoxuan said, ¡°If it¡¯s not the second possibility you mentioned, then it must be the first.¡± Zhu Shen was doubtful. ¡°Does the Head Grand Secretariat have something more important than being the Head Grand Secretariat?¡± Li Ruoxuan stroked his chin. He looked at the rain and sighed slowly. ¡°But what could be more interesting and worthwhile than being a Head Grand Secretariat?¡± Zhu Shen, ¡°...¡± Were there any more powerful positions in the world other than being a Head Grand Secretariat? Other than being the emperor, that is, but Zhu Shen did not dare say that. Li Ruoxuan let out a sigh¡ªhe could not figure it out. He rubbed his temples and said, ¡°Maybe the answers will show after he resigns.¡± ¡°Your Excellency, this servant doesn¡¯t believe that the emperor will let the Head Grand Secretariat resign so easily,¡± Zhu Shen said with apprehension. Unexpectedly, Li Ruoxuan nodded. ¡°I agree.¡± ¡°??¡± ¡®If you agree, then why do you believe that the Head Grand Secretariat would resign?¡¯ After all, Zhu Shen knew that the empress had?high regard for his Excellency. However, there remained some inexplicability in the empress¡¯s high regard for him. ¡­ ¡­ At this time, Zhu Shen was unsure that if he was to mention that the only position in the world more powerful than the Head Grand Secretariat would be the emperor, whether it would help Li Ruoxuan have a clearer guess about Jiang Yeqian¡¯s future. Was there really no position more interesting in this world than being the Head Grand Secretariat? If there was, it would have to be at the ghost organization. Unfortunately, there were no ¡®ifs¡¯. Hence, this led Li Ruoxuan to have a very different take on the possible reason behind Jiang Yeqian¡¯s resignation. ¡­ ¡­ The Qi Residence. Qi Qingyao had instructed Dabao to take the Pill of Omnipotence, but he said he did not have the heart to do it. He wanted to stash it first, then eat itter. Qi Qingyao, being a woman of action, was impatient. ¡°What if it were to get stolen and eaten by someone else if you don¡¯t take it now? That pill is worth five million taels! Oh, sweetie. Don¡¯t be so troublesome!¡± When Dabao heard that, he immediately grabbed the pill and threw it into his mouth. Due to his hastiness, he did not chew the pill before swallowing it. Qi Qingyao asked, ¡°How does it taste?¡± Dabao smacked his lips. ¡°I swallowed it before I could taste it.¡± Qi Qingyao, ¡°???¡± He gobbled the pill up without even tasting it, just like how Zhu Bajie had devoured the Ginseng fruit! Chapter 456 - A Royal Decree 1

Chapter 456: A Royal Decree 1

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Nervous, Qi Qingyao licked her lips as she felt light-headed. She asked Dabao, ¡°So, how do you feel?¡± Dabao tilted his head and shifted his attention to his body. Stretching out his little arms and legs, he muttered softly, ¡°I don¡¯t feel any different.¡± Not feeling any different? Qi Qingyao could not help but nce over to Lu Yan to ask him, ¡°Is this what¡¯s supposed to happen?¡± Lu Yan crossed his arms and responded with another question, ¡°What did you expect to happen?¡± ¡°...¡± Well, Qi Qingyao did not dare reveal that she expected instant astronomical changes, where her child would somehow be sensible after eating the very costly pill. Was this really just it? Nothing else? Qi Qingyao had to mention that she felt mildly disappointed. She sighed and patted Dabao¡¯s little shoulders. ¡°You should get a good night¡¯s sleep. Maybe a change will be more apparent once you wake up.¡± Dabao left for bed happily. On the way back to his bedroom. Xiaobao and Erniu both kept grabbing at Dabao ¡ª they wanted to know if he really did not feel any different. Qi Qingyao felt greatly touched witnessing this scene. Dabao had eaten the Pill of Omnipotence, so now only Xiaobao was left. She would soon have to find another pill for Xiaobao, through any means necessary. She had to be a good, impartial mother! Sweeping a nce at the rainy night, Qi Qingyao thought to herself, ¡°Early spring hase, and so has the rain it brings.¡± ¡­ ¡­ Midnight. Under the heavy rain. The Qingyang Lake was covered entirely by ayer of white mist from the sttering of raindrops. Though the streets by theke were empty, the loud sttering of raindrops filled the atmosphere. Two old men in gray robes stood by theke, seemingly unbothered by the heavy rain. The raindrops that fell upon them seemed to be blocked by an invisible protective shield, rolling down the shield without soaking the men¡¯s clothes. Shang Li swept a nce at Gongsun She who was next to him and asked. ¡°Your injuries haven¡¯t healedpletely. Are you certain you want to leave now?¡± Gongsun She let out a cough. He touched his chest where his internal injuries would be, and said, ¡°That kid is still in Qingzhou City. If he finds me, there might be another massacre. So, it¡¯s best I leave this treacherous ground as soon as possible.¡± ¡°I too will be going back to the Capital City soon,¡± said Shang Li. Gongsun She said, ¡°Once we part ways this time, it¡¯s hard to know when we will meet again.¡± Shang Li responded, ¡°We don¡¯t have any reason to meet again.¡± Gongsun She burst out intoughter and said, ¡°Maybe Mr. Shang will have broken through the limits of a grand master by the next time we see each other.¡± Shang Li looked at the white, mistyke and replied, ¡°I¡¯m counting on that.¡± Gongsun She¡¯s internal injuries would require a few more months to fully recover. The shore of Qingyang Lake was a pleasant ce, well suited for his recovery. However, with the young boy¡¯s presence, it was too dangerous for him to stay. He had no choice but to return to Cangjing to recuperate properly. Thinking of Si Jin, Gongsun She could not help but joke, ¡°The Maind will no longer be peaceful.¡± Shang Li nodded and said, ¡°Now that Pang Juan has passed, only one of the two grand masters of Eastern Ling remains. Eastern Ling has already withdrawn its troops and will not be invading Northern Liang again anytime soon. Your Daming emperor is no fool, either¡ªhe will likely avoid striking us again.¡± ¡°The situation on Maind had turned upside down in a mere instant. Unfortunately, no one had expected this.¡± Gongsun She thought to himself. At first, everyone was certain that Northern Liang would surely have fallen this time as it was nked from both sides simultaneously. Who would have thought that a young grand master would show up just in the nick of time, and even be able to kill Pang Juan. Shang Li had a surprising thought and carefully chose his words to express it. ¡°Actually, is there really a need for war between the big nations that wish to annex each other?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± It was obvious that there was an alternate meaning behind his words. Shang Li responded nonchntly, ¡°I once heard this from the emperor of Daming¡ªwhoever in charge of the ghost organization can easily reign over the entire continent.¡± A sudden streak of light shed across Gongsun She¡¯s eyes. Chapter 457 - A Royal Decree 2

Chapter 457: A Royal Decree 2

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion ¡°...¡± The Ghost Organization was deeply mysterious and held overwhelming power. The Ghost Organization¡¯s building was sorge that there was a countless number of people across its three Halls and four Administrations. It wasmon knowledge that the Zhaixing Administration was the most intelligent in the world. However, the fact remained that the Wangyue Administration was far more mysterious than the Zhaixing Administration. This was because the Wangyue Administration was in charge of various infiltration and undercover operations in a multitude of important ces. No one would know if there was an informant from the Wangyue Administration of the Ghost Organization close to them. While the Wangyue Administration handled infiltration operations, the Zhaixing Administration oversaw the gathering of intelligence. If enough people were working on undercover infiltrations and were willing to cooperate with the Zhaixing Administration to spread false intel, the two administrations couldpletely overthrow a dynasty. In addition to that, the Pili Hall of the Ghost Organization also managed arge number of various secret weaponry. Gongsun She could not help but look at Shang Li with a cryptic expression. Based on what he had said, the empress of Northern Liang would have been under the forced ruling of the Ghost Organization for a long time! No. It should be said that the whole world had been under the forced ruling of the Ghost Organization for a long time! Gongsun She responded after a long pause. ¡°It¡¯s easier said than done, but who holds the power to control the behemoth that is the Ghost Organization?¡± The history of the Ghost Organization was not any less significant than the few kingdoms. It could be said that it possessed an invisible hand capable of secretly manipting the situation throughout the entire continent via the cooperation of the three Halls and four Administrations. There are more talented and powerful people working under the organization than there were in the fourrge nationsbined. Shang Li stroked his chin and said inexplicably, ¡°I have a feeling that perhaps the building without a main door will soon have one.¡± ¡°Are you telling me you have gotten hold of some new information?¡± Gongsun She asked. ¡°No.¡± Shang Li shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s just based on my intuition.¡± ¡°...¡± Was intuition reliable? The Ghost Organization had been a mystery for centuries, so it was highly unlikely they would suddenly choose to openly get involved in the matters of the world. Even though many people were now aware of the organization, none knew where Wushuang City was located! Everything the public knew about the Ghost Organization was merely from circling rumors, though it remained unclear whether those rumors were even true. It was rumored that the Head of Wangyue Administration had once visited the Yueya Auction House. He appeared as a young man wearing a mask. However, when they went to look for him, the young man seemed to have disappeared into the crowd without a trace. ¡°You should know that the Head of Wangyue Administration had also shown up.¡± Shang Li suddenly said. Gongsun She was speechless. He was just thinking about this, and now Shang Li was mentioning it? Shang Li continued, ¡°There must be a motive behind the Head of Wangyue Administration¡¯s appearance. Before this, the Wangyue Administration had always kept a low profile, so much so that they were practically non-existent. They¡¯re in charge of infiltration operations and are as secretive as the Head of the Ghost Organization. The fact that he suddenly decided to show himself in public must be apanied by some motive. Even though he only showed himself fleetingly, he has allowed us to confirm that the head of the Wangyue Administration is a man. This in itself is critical information. History is a cycle. It has been centuries¡ªthe time hase for them to make an appearance and reveal the true identity of that behemoth of an organization to the public. Gongsun She, ¡°...¡± Shang Li nced at Gongsun She for thest time, turned around without a word, and slowly walked into the rain as he gradually disappeared like a wisp of smoke. Gongsun She watched as Shang Li left, then rested his eyes on the surface of Qingyangke. He pondered for a long time, hinking to himself. ¡®If the Ghost Organization had really shown itself, then this world may no longer be peaceful.¡¯ Who allowed the Wushuang Ghost Organization to be called the invisible empire of the night on this Maind! It was rumored that the wealth of just a few centuries umted by the organization was equivalent to the wealth held by an entire nation. ¡­ ¡­ A jade tablet embossed with nephrite would seem no different from an ordinary jade tablet at first nce. The carvings on it were pretty, but not unique. This jade tablet, however, had been seen by someone who knew this special pattern. The person was so surprised. Their trembling hands could barely hold it. As they exhausted their energy to grasp the jade tablet, they analyzed the material carefully. They had a persistent feeling that something was not quite right. After some contemtion, the person decided to trade the jade tablet and send it somewhere to first identify the hand that possessed the engraving technique he observed. Chapter 458 - A Royal Decree 3

Chapter 458: A Royal Decree 3

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion The very ordinary-looking middle-aged man held the jade tablet in his hand. Just as he was about to stuff it into his sleeve, he suddenly felt a fierce gaze. He put down the jade tablet as he let out a dryugh, then said that he had taken a great liking toward the phoenix totem on the top. He asked the store owner about its price, and the store owner answered with a number. The middle-aged man promptly retrieved some cash from his sleeve to pay. Happily, he took the tablet and left quickly before the store owner could return his change. Upon leaving the gem store, he cautiously walked down a few streets. He even pretended to have nothing to do¡ªchoosing to grab a meal before returning to his fabric shop. At his fabric shop, the middle-aged man asked an employee to continue watching over the shop. He exined that he felt mildly sleepy after his meal and wanted to return to his room for a short rest. In his room, he changed out of his clothes but no longer felt sleepy. He waited patiently as the day turned to night before warily leaving via the back door. He disappeared into the dead of night. Half an hour passed. The fabric shop owner pulled out his keepsake and promptly entered an inconspicuous shop in Qingzhou City. He stepped into a secret passageway and made several turns. Finally, he entered a strongly illuminated ce. He handed the jade tablet to a woman wearing tights, and briefly spoke to her about what had happened that day. The woman, Bai Mei, nodded slightly. She signaled that he could now go down and collect his reward. The middle-aged man looked at Lady Bai Mei with tears in his eyes and excitedly left to collect the reward. Bai Mei took the jade tablet made of nephrite and set off to visit Jiang Yeqian. Upon handing over the jade tablet, Jiang Yeqian promptly stated, ¡°This jade tablet is fake.¡± ¡°It is indeed fake.¡± Bai Mei lowered her eyes and continued, ¡°But the totem on its top is clearly¡­¡± It was the carving that they had been searching for for many years, but it appeared more refined than some of the previous sketches. Jiang Yeqian held the jade tablet in his hands and fiddled with it as if he was thinking about something. Bai Mei pondered for a moment, and said, ¡°Master, we¡¯vee to know that a batch of jade tablets have been brought into the market in Qingzhou City recently ¡ª and this batch of tablets seem to all be made by nephrites. The carvings on their tops differ, but it¡¯s clearly made by the same person.¡± ¡°Jade tablets that are all made of nephrites¡­¡± Ever since he took charge of the Zhaixing Administration, he had also learned of several hefty secrets. For example, Shan Qianjue, Head of Wenchun Hall, had given him the top-secret task of uncovering the whereabouts of a certain jade tablet. This was because that jade tablet was the keepsake of the Head of Wanhua Hall. If he were to be unable to find it, the Wanhua Hall would be in a perpetual state of having no master. Although this jade tablet had a simr pattern, the material it was crafted from was entirely different. ¡°Perhaps someone deliberately created a batch of counterfeits and sent out the jade tablets with the intent of fishing in troubled waters but didn¡¯t want those who are irrelevant to know the specific pattern of the real tablet they held in their hands.¡± Bai Mei was taken aback. She responded, ¡°Does Master mean that he believes someone possesses the real jade tablet and is using these counterfeits as bait?¡± ¡°And that person is in Qingzhou City.¡± Jiang Yeqian said in a yful tone. Bai Mei said anxiously, ¡°Then we¡­¡± They had to find that person quickly. Jiang Yeqian gently rubbed the nephrite-made jade tablet. ¡°I believe that person has hidden themselves well, but must certainly possess some level of status at the same time.¡± ¡°??¡± The words ¡°some level of status¡± got Bai Mei thinking. ¡°Otherwise, it would have been impossible for them to have sufficient capital to produce such a huge batch of counterfeits.¡± Jiang Yeqian seemed to mutter to himself, then asked Bai Mei, seemingly out of nowhere, ¡°Who do you think might have made these counterfeits?¡± Chapter 459 - A Royal Decree 4

Chapter 459: A Royal Decree 4

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion ¡°This servant has no proof, so I dare not¡­¡± specte with no context. Jiang Yeqian responded, ¡°I¡¯m not asking you to jump to a verdict, I¡¯m only asking you to think about it briefly. Is there anyone in Qingzhou City who knows an expert forger that can craft these tablets in suchrge quantities?¡± Bai Mei had a feeling that the Head already had a few guesses in his mind. She gave it a careful thought and promptly answered, ¡°This subordinate thinks that if they¡¯re in Qingzhou City and are able to make so many jade tablets only to create confusion, this forgery project had to have begun more than half a month ago. If we consider the timeline, it definitely cannot be Mo Yang. It is also not likely someone from Eastern Ling. So, the only remaining possibility is Yulong Gang ¡ª but the Ghost Organization has ced many informants in the Yulong Gang. If this was the case, he would have long ago gotten the information. However, there are a few aristocratic families in Qingzhou City who could be responsible, or even the Senluo Chamber of Commerce.¡± Jiang Yeqian stated his deduction. ¡°Only the Yulong Gang and the Senluo Chamber of Commerce are capable of this. The Senluo Chamber of Commerce is the top chamber ofmerce in Northern Liang, and they only employ the very best, most capable people in Northern Liang¡ªit would be easy for them to find a jade carving master.¡± That would be a breeze for Lu Yan, but why would he make so many counterfeits? Why use the trick of fishing in troubled waters? This suggested that Lu Yan and the other party hardly knew each other¡ªthey just wanted to reach their goal through Northern Liang¡¯s top chamber ofmerce. Bai Mei said, ¡°Does Master mean that we should investigate the Senluo Chamber of Commerce now?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no rush,¡± Jiang Yeqian said nonchntly. Bai Mei, ¡°¡­¡± Jiang Yeqian nced at the nephrite-made jade tablet and said, ¡°I believe that even if it was the Senluo Chamber of Commerce that produced the counterfeits, the person behind this who possesses the jade tablet likely doesn¡¯t want the Senluo Chamber of Commerce to be aware either. That¡¯s why they made so many to fish in troubled waters.¡± ¡°Master Lu doesn¡¯t know?¡± How could that be possible? Bai Mei could not believe it. ¡°If this other party gave the Senluo Chamber of Commerce blueprints, and only asked for a bunch of nephrites to create the counterfeits, then the Senluo Chamber of Commerce is justbor. So, I don¡¯t think he is aware of what¡¯s going on either.¡± As for the reason behind making the counterfeits, one would be a fool not to want to use it to earn money. Jiang Yeqian thought and said as much. Bai Mei thought the Head¡¯s spection made sense. ¡°But, Master, then wouldn¡¯t it also be difficult for us to identify the person who possesses the real jade tablet?¡± Jiang Yeqian shook his head and said, ¡°I think the reason behind the other party using this trick of fishing in troubled waters was to deliberately test the waters. If you begin worrying and panicking over this matter now, you¡¯ll likely tip them off.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Bai Mei widened her eyes and waited for amand. Jiang Yeqian said leisurely, ¡°I¡¯m thinking, if the other party only wants to test the waters, how would they respond if we were to ignore it? Will they give themselves away in a moment of haste? Would they then dispose of the original keepsake?¡± Upon hearing this, Bai Mei praised immediately, ¡°Master always has the most brilliant ideas!¡± The other party had made it clear that they made the counterfeits with the intent of testing the waters. If the Zhaixing Administration and the Wangyue Administration became agitated by the situation, would it not expose the fact that this jade tablet was important to the Ghost Organization? They now had to do the opposite. They just had to wait for the person behind this, who possessed the keepsake, to panic. ¡­ ¡­ That night, Dong Jing reported all the important clues to a beautiful man cradling a white cat. ¡°A total of seven jade tablets were sold today, and each buyer¡¯s reaction was different..¡± Chapter 460 - A Royal Decree 5

Chapter 460: A Royal Decree 5

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Lu Yan asked calmly while stroking his cat, ¡°Was there no response that could be considered out of the ordinary?¡± ¡°There was.¡± Dong Jing thought for a moment and retold the report he had received from his subordinate word for word, ¡°A very ordinary-looking middle-aged man had quite an odd expression upon seeing the particr jade tablet. He seemed a little excited, then appeared sneaky immediately afterward. We thought that he intended to steal it, but he ended up buying it openly.¡± ¡°Did you ask someone to follow him and find out what he wass up to?¡± Lu Yan asked. Dong Jing answered embarrassedly, ¡°We followed him, but he seemed to just be an ordinary fabric shop owner¡­¡± Oh. How ordinary. Hang on¡­!! Lu Yan suddenly gave a strong reaction and said furiously, ¡°Dong Jing, you¡¯re so stupid sometimes you make me want to kill myself.¡± ¡°¡­!!!¡± Dong Jing felt hurt as he was scolded. Lu Yan blew up in his face and continued reprimanding him. ¡°What fabric shop owner?! ¡°Why are you so useless? ¡°Aren¡¯t you aware that the Zhaixing Administration has spies all around the continent?¡± Dong Jing let out an ¡®ah¡¯. Only then did he respond, ¡°You mean that that person may be from the Zhaixing Administration?¡± Lu Yan lowered his eyes and pondered hard for a while. When he raised his eyes, he red at Dong Jing fiercely. Then, he turned around hastily. He tossed the white cat aside and went to look for Qi Qingyao. He did not know what Qi Qingyao was doing in her room. As soon as he opened the door, he was greeted with an intense medicinal smell. Lu Yan rubbed his nose and sneezed. He took a moment to adjust to the smell before walking into the room. Qi Qingyao removed her apron and poured him a cup of tea. After taking a sip of the tea, he said, ¡°One of the jade tablets might¡¯ve been taken away by someone from the Zhaixing Administration.¡± ¡°Taken away? What do you mean ¡®taken away¡¯?¡± Qi Qingyao did not understand the meaning of that phrase. ¡°I mean, it was bought!¡± Lu Yan retorted. Qi Qingyao said in surprise, ¡°Then, did nothing happen in Qingzhou City?¡± There must be some reason that someone from the Zhaixing Administration bought the jade tablet. ¡°If someone from the administration bought it, it indicates that the administration recognized the pattern on the tablet.¡± ¡°Maybe they intended on handing it to the Head.¡± Lu Yan was fairly calm. He thought about it and said, ¡°The Head of the Zhaixing Administration is too well hidden. We don¡¯t know who they are¡ªso I¡¯m afraid it¡¯ll take a while. For example, what if the Head is in Capital City? Then it¡¯ll take time quite some time to reach him.¡± Qi Qingyao thought for a moment and responded in disagreement, ¡°I have a feeling that the Head of Zhaixing Administration is in Qingzhou City.¡± ¡°Why do you think so?¡± Lu Yan asked. Was there evidence for this im? ¡°Everd since Si Jin killed Pang Juan and severely injured Gongsun She, the focus of the entire continent has been on Qingzhou City. No matter how themoners view it, anyone with a bit of understanding about the situation will focus their attention here. Not only that, but if old Mr. Shang also decided toe here incognito¡­¡± Qi Qingyao raised her eyes and said, ¡°Besides, didn¡¯t you mention that you saw the Head of Wangyue Administration at the auction house before?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± A cryptic smile crept onto Lu Yan¡¯s face as he responded, ¡°Despite the Wangyue Administration being an institution that heavily values secrecy, the Head still came. The Wangyue Administration and the Zhaixing Administration have a somewhat coitant rtionship. The Wangyue Administration group who handled infiltration, as well as the direct informants, report to the Zhaixing Administration.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Qi Qingyao was so shocked that her jaw hit the floor. Lu Yan asked, ¡°Why so shocked?¡± Qi Qingyao pinched her thigh hard and asked, ¡°Why would people from the Wangyue Administration report information to the Zhaixing Administration?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure how to exin this to you.¡± Lu Yan scratched his head and began slowly exining the situation to her ¡ª rumors he had heard when he was very young. ¡°There was once a heavily exaggerated rumor spread among people on the maind. It imed that there was a terrifying underground training center called the Huangquan Training Center in Wushuang City. The Huangquan Training Center is known as the talent cultivating base of the Ghost Organization. They specifically scout orphans from all over the maind, recruit them, and teach them various skills. ¡°Skills like literacy and arithmetic¡ªand when they grow a bit older, they train the children based on their individual talents. Children with the ability to cultivate will be trained to kill people. Once they grow into adults, they¡¯ll join the Xuanwu Administration to be expert assassins. ¡°Those who can¡¯t cultivate will be taught to be doctors. These people grow up to join the Wanhua Hall and eventually be the best physicians. ¡°Or they use Tianluo War Chess to test the children¡¯s ability to look at the bigger picture. Those children who show talent in strategizing are chosen to be the greatest counselors. ¡°As for those who enjoy studying gadgets and strange machinery, they will join Pili Hall and specialize in researching and inventing concealed weapons, methods of punishment, and expelling rebels. ¡°Those who excel in mathematics will join the Qilin Administration and take on the responsibility of handling the Ghost Organization¡¯s finances. ¡°Lastly, the children who are born with sharp minds who are good at reading and deceiving people will join the Wangyue Administration, one of thergest institutions within the Ghost Organization. The Wangyue Administration will teach them in detail how to disguise themselves, infiltrate ces, and go undercover. In addition, the children will be taught many upational skills based on their characteristics, so they can quickly integrate into new environments. ¡°Some of the remaining ones who look so ordinary they wouldn¡¯t attract attention when thrown into a crowd and can carry out tasks calmly will join the Zhaixing Administration. This is because the intelligence division requires people to seem ordinary so they can be handlers of informants from the Wangyue Administration. Upon collecting the information, it will be consolidated and handed to the Zhaixing Administration. ¡°However, I¡¯m not entirely sure how true these rumors are. These are merely what I heard from the teachers who taught me when I was very young.¡± ¡­ ¡­ Qi Qingyao stroked her chin in confusion. Her pitch-ck pupils suddenly flickered, like a lone star in the sky on a cloudy night. She said, ¡°Then wouldn¡¯t the Wangyue Administration be doing all the hard work for others?¡± Lu Yan¡¯s misty eyes were sole ck. ¡°The different institutions of the Ghost Organization have a symbiotic rtionship, so it can¡¯t be simply summarized as one doing all the hard work for others.¡± Qi Qingyao thought about it for a moment beforeing to a sudden realization and saying, ¡°I think the main reason for them doing this is because the group trained by the Wangyue Administration are very clever but aren¡¯t able to see the bigger picture ¡ª so they can¡¯t organize information. People with clearer minds are needed to lead them. Another reason is that the Ghost Organization wants to use the Zhaixing Administration to contain the Wangyue Administration.¡± ¡°You¡­ Are you sure it¡¯s your first time trying to understand the Ghost Organization?¡± This analytical skill¡­ Had she really been an idiot before? Even Lu Yan was left speechless. ¡°Didn¡¯t you just exin to me all the main points?¡± As long as she had enough information, she could give the most urate assessment. ¡°Your analysis is rather urate for someone who has just heard about this for the first time.¡± Lu Yan was a little shocked, then continued, ¡°If only the Wangyue Administration were in charge of infiltration as well as controlling all the information, then their intelligence and infiltration abilities would surpass that of several big nations. Therefore, what you said about bncing the power is correct. The Zhaixing Administration will not have the power to control those who infiltrate, while the Wangyue Administration will not have the power to control all the information experts ced around the continent. It forms a kind of containment alongside preventing hegemony.¡± Qi Qingyao, ¡°¡­¡± It was clear that the Head of the Ghost Organization was an incredibly smart person. However, here was the thing. If the Head of the Zhaixing Administration was in Qingzhou City, supposing?that the counterfeit jade tablet had been ¡®deliberately¡¯ taken away by the Zhaixing Administration, and there had veen no response until now¡­ Was that not a bit strange? Qi Qingyao could not help but say, ¡°Based on your analysis at that time, the origins of that jade tablet should be very special. You presumed that my biological father was a powerful person and sent me away forcibly when he was on the verge of death! But here¡¯s the thing, don¡¯t you think it¡¯s very questionable that the Zhaixing Administration is continuing to not take any action?¡± ¡®Doesn¡¯t that directly refute all of Lu Yan¡¯s previous presumptions? My biological father is an ordinary man! That jade tablet also has no special origin! I¡¯m not the young heiress of some family that has suffered a reversal of fortune! Lu Yan lowered his eyes. His eyes were extremely dark, and he began thinking.. Chapter 461 - A Royal Decree 6

Chapter 461: A Royal Decree 6

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Lu Yan went into deep thought for a moment and said with a deep and serene expression, ¡°If someone from the Zhaixing Administration found this, then it must have some kind of history. But ording to your analysis, if the head of the Wangyue Administration is in Qingzhou City, I think the head of the Zhaixing Administration should also be in the city.¡± Qi Qingyao cradled her forehead exasperatedly. She said, ¡°Aren¡¯t you just repeating what I said?¡± ¡°I just picked out some points that I didn¡¯t fully understand.¡± Lu Yan got to his feet as he went on. He paced around the room. After walking around for some time, he hung his head and said, ¡°Why did the Zhaixing Administration not make a move and investigate after they received this object?¡± Qi Qingyao knew he was talking to himself, trying to sort out some details. All of a sudden. A thought burrowed into her mind. She gasped. ¡°Wait a minute¡­¡± ¡°???¡± Lu Yan paused in his steps, raising his head to look at her. Qi Qingyao suddenly got up. She clenched her right hand into a fist and pressed it into the palm of her left hand. ¡°Could it be because the whole thing happened in Qingzhou City? For example, the fake goods appeared in Qingzhou City, so the Zhaixing Administration is convinced that the people behind with the real goods are also in Qingzhou City?¡± ¡°...¡± Lu Yan¡¯s eyes instantly narrowed. Qi Qingyao said with a sudden realization, ¡°They could now be waiting for me to lose my patience and make an appearance.¡± Lu Yan said in a low voice, ¡°You¡¯re saying that they might be fishing too?¡± Qi Qingyao¡¯s dark eyes were deep and quiet as she said, ¡°You already mentioned that all the people from the Zhaixing Administration are f*cking intellects and are good at analyzing information. How could they possibly not guess what we¡¯re thinking now then? But they just didn¡¯t expect me to predict their prediction! So, now that we know what they¡¯re predicting, we¡¯ll have to make a whole new prediction. ¡± ¡°Wow, you and your tongue twisters!¡± Lu Yan spat, unable to stop himself. Qi Qingyao added calmly, ¡°If the opponent is really waiting for me to show my hand, then there is some fun to be had.¡± Lu Yan pondered for a bit then said, ¡°We¡¯ll see who loses their cool first.¡± Qi Qingyao suddenly felt much more rxed. It would be great if they could figure out what the Zhaixing Administration was thinking. They would just have to not make any moves from now on. Then see how long the other party could remain calm. Lu Yan concluded that they would not get any results in a short time, so he took his leave very rxedly. Qi Qingyao was left sitting there by herself. She gazed at the white porcin tea bowl in her hand while she thought about this matter. The head of the Zhaixing Administration was in Qingzhou City? As well as the head of the Wangyue Administration? If two of the heads of the ghost organization were really in Qingzhou City¡­ Just what was their purpose? Was it Si Jin? Si Jin truly incited the curiosity of others. Even so, what could the Wangyue Administration possibly do? Assign a few informants to infiltrate Lu Yan? Wait a minute. If that was the case¡­ The Lu family was the top chamber ofmerce in Northern Liang. As such, they definitely had a few informants from the Wangyue Administration among them. It was said that the ghost organization had a legacy of three hundred years. In other words, it would be strange if there were no informants from the ghost organization at Lu Yan¡¯s side. If they were with Lu Yan, then they were definitely also present in the Qi Residence. Dong Jing was the one who carried out the n alone, so they could be certain that Dong Jing was not the undercover infiltrator. That would also exin why the Zhaixing Administration had not taken action. So who could it be? Steward Zhang? Steward Zhang usually acted very normal, so he did not look the part. Wait¡­ She could not be hasty in ruling him out just because he did not look like it! The other side might guess that this was what she was thinking. Qi Qingyao had gone undercover before. She knew one rule¡ªsome undercover organizations did not need their agents to constantly listen in for intelligence; they just needed you to do a good job of going undercover. When the key moment arrived, then they would use you. After all, the moment an undercover agent was exposed, that chess piece would bepletely useless. So what was certain at present was that even if there was an informant within the Qi Residence, the informant would not reveal anything in the short run. Unless....the Zhaixing Administration did not want this chess piece anymore! Chapter 462 - A Royal Decree 7

Chapter 462: A Royal Decree 7

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion It had been some time since Pang Juan died. After the news was left to brew for a dozen days¡­ The fact that Pang Juan was dead had spread all over the continent. This was, after all, the death of a grand master. It set off an astonishing wave throughout thends. The moment the first local folk got to know of this news, they excitedly asked the people around them. ¡°Have you heard the news recently?¡± The others could only reply, ¡°What news?¡± The news bearer clenched their fist and said, ¡°It seems like someone above the grand master level has appeared on the maind.¡± ¡°How is that possible?!¡± Everyone was in an uproar, they all shook their heads in disbelief. Then, the informant gave them a look as if they had witnessed the battle scene first hand and exined in a very haughty manner. ¡°How is it not possible? I heard the seven grand masters have long been the strategic weapons of each major country, but they are still secretly trying to cultivate in order to be more powerful than the others. So, it is not surprising that there are powerhouses above that level.¡± ¡°No no no. Isn¡¯t there something else about that? I heard that this transcendent individual is not any of the seven known grand masters. I had initially wondered which of the grand masters could break through the limits and enter the new realm first¡­¡± ¡°Right right, that¡¯s what I heard too. It seems that it¡¯s a young man who is not that old.¡± ¡°I heard he went up against the old gentleman Pang and Gongsun alone.¡± ¡°Forget fighting them, Pang Juan seems to have been killed and Gongsun was heavily injured!¡± The moments those words were dropped. The entire audience went silent. After a long time, someone then licked their lips with a frightened expression and asked breathlessly, ¡°That can¡¯t be, Pang Juan is one of the two grand masters of the Eastern Ling nation. Has he really been killed?¡± ¡°Definitely. When I passed the border some time ago, I saw a coffin being transported back to Eastern Ling. The whole procession was very solemn.¡± Could Pang Juan be in the coffin? ¡°There were initially two grand masters in the Eastern Ling nation but they somehow lost one out of the blue¡­ The emperor of Dongling must be bawling their eyes out.¡± A powerful grand master kicked the bucket before he could even ascend to a higher level¡­ Tsk! ¡°Among the severalrge nations, Northern Liang was originally the weakest, but in the blink of an eye, they are now the strongest. What is this situation called again?¡± ¡°Prosperity and decline neverst.¡± There was another wave of silence. ¡°If you think about it, if Eastern Ling is left with one grand master, they are currently the weakest in power then.¡± ¡°¡­what a pity.¡± ¡°What¡¯s there to pity?¡± ¡°What do you think?¡± The person who understood the situation sighed and said, ¡°Everyone knows of the arrogance of the Easter Ling emperor in the past!! He had the support of two grand masters and a powerful army! The emperor of Eastern Ling was extremely confident and arrogant but now, as luck would have it, one of his trump cards is dead! There¡¯s only one left.¡± That was simply too funny. ¡°The emperor of Eastern Ling is probably going to switch from being arrogant to having a panic attack now!! Hahahaha.¡± Nobody in the world gloated at Pang Juan for dying but instead sighed with horror. A grand master had died, not some senior official of Eastern Ling. Even though the grand masters had their own loyalty toward their mothend, they were still well-respected on the maind, so most people felt sorry. Not to mention, it concerned the current situation on the maind as well. ¡°If only one grand master is left, that means that Northern Liang in the northwest and Daming in the south could attack at any time¡­¡± ¡°But I don¡¯t think Northern Liang will invade any time soon.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°The current empress of Northern Liang does not have the courage.¡± Although Northern Liang had always been led by women, it was said that the current empress was still in her twenties and had neither wedded nor had children. No one knew if she was sick or if there was some other issue. An empress who had not borne even one offspring¡­ Would not have the courage to fight against other nations for supremacy. ¡°¡­¡± After the silence. Someone said, ¡°But Northern Liang has a shrewd State Preceptor. Now they not only have one grand master but also a powerhouse who exceeds grand masters.¡± If war were to break out, it did not look like they would lose! Chapter 463 - A Royal Decree 8

Chapter 463: A Royal Decree 8

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion ¡°This is not about losing, it¡¯s about confidence, don¡¯t you get it?! No one dares to touch Northern Liang now that they have a powerhouse who is above a grand master. They have evolved abruptly from a little quail that would never dare bite anyone into a big tiger that no one dares to touch! ¡°Dazhou in the west has always been a little ignorant about the world since it¡¯s located in the West region. But I think this time, they would also be nervous. ¡°Grand masters are considered very powerful entities to begin with on this continent. To be above a grand master...I can¡¯t imagine what they would be capable of.¡± ¡°If you can¡¯t imagine it, who can?¡± Everyone felt overwhelmed about this. Grand masters were known to be able to challenge an entire city with their power. Now people were saying that there was someone who was more powerful than a grand master? Just what level were they on? No one could imagine it! ¡­ ¡­ Eastern Ling. Imperial Pce. Upper study. A middle-aged man, who looked particrly intimidating to the eyes of outsiders, now looked like a lunatic who had lost his mind. He kept clenching his hands into fists as he paced the upper study. He seemed to be having an anxiety disorder. He was constantly murmuring to himself. ¡°I have misjudged. I¡¯ve misjudged.¡± There was only one person in front of the emperor of Eastern Ling, and that was Gu Wenyan, the current prime minister. ¡°Your Majesty...¡± Gu Wenyan stood there motionlessly, his gaze lowered while trying to cut in. The emperor of Eastern Ling halted his steps quickly. His eyes were wide as he said with an air of panic, ¡°Wenyan, my dear minister, do you think Northern Liang will take this opportunity to counterattack us?¡± ¡°Your Majesty!¡± Gu Wenyan could not help trying to cut across him once more but again failed. The emperor of Eastern Ling said seriously, ¡°Wenyan, my dear minister, will my country be part of Northern Liang¡¯s?¡± Gu Wenyan lowered his head and replied calmly, ¡°No, it won¡¯t, Your Majesty.¡± How could that not be the case? The emperor of Eastern Ling said angrily, ¡°Wenyan, my dear minister, my country is done for!¡± Gu Wenyan rubbed his temples helplessly and eximed heavily, ¡°Your Majesty!!!¡± After being yelled at by his official, the Eastern Ling emperor suddenly felt like cursing, but after looking at his prime minister¡¯s stern appearance, he knew that the other was losing his temper. He sighed and kept silent, but his features still showed his anxiety. Gu Wenyan said consolingly, ¡°Your Majesty, please calm down.¡± In an instant, the emperor of Eastern Ling felt as if he had been lit ame with gunpowder. ¡°How am I to calm down?! Tell me, how am I to calm down!! We¡¯re talking about Pang Juan! One of the two strategic weapons of Eastern Ling! He just got killed by a young grand master!! I heard that in just a short time, not only did Pang Juan die but that old man Gongsun She from Daming had also been heavily injured and is now missing! Things are already like this and you¡¯re asking me to calm down? In case¡­ in case that young grand master infiltrates the Daxing Pce and assassinates me, what would happen then?¡± ¡°Your Majesty, calm down! Calm down!¡± Gu Wenyan¡¯s tone was veryposed. His voice felt like a basin of cold water that was poured over the Eastern Ling emperor¡¯s head. It rendered him quiet for a moment before he croaked, ¡°Can I be calm?¡± ¡°You can.¡± Gu Wenyan¡¯s eyes were calm and collected as he said, ¡°For the time being, please listen to this humble servant¡¯s analysis of the situation.¡± ¡°...¡± The Eastern Ling emperor did not move, still nervous. ¡°Your Majesty, please sit down first.¡± Gu Wenyan automatically approached and guided the emperor, who had seemingly lost his mind from anxiety, to sit down on the dragon throne. ¡°...¡± Although he was sitting down, the Eastern Ling emperor¡¯s expression was still as restless as before. After Gu Wenyan retreated, he then pondered for a moment before saying, ¡°While Northern Liang has a young grand master who exceeds grand masters, based on the report from the investigation conducted by the Zhaixing Administration¡ªwhich we spent a huge sum on¡ªit is said that the powerhouse in question only follows one littledy and does not serve the imperial court.¡± This was a very important point for Eastern Ling. ¡°Is that true?¡± the emperor asked. He seemed to recall seeing that report before but since he had been too anxious about the young grand master, he did not think about it carefully. Gu Wenyan replied, ¡°The report from the Zhaixing Administration can¡¯t be wrong. Furthermore, if the young grand master was determined to counter us, or if he was used by the Northern Liang Imperial court and obeyed the little empress¡¯s decrees, then he should have already stepped into the capital and carried out his assignments by now. If that was the case, how could someone like him suddenly appear out of nowhere?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, how could he suddenly appear out of nowhere?¡± The emperor of Eastern Ling muttered to himself dully. Gu Wenyan contemted for a bit before answering the question. ¡°This humble servant thinks that, maybe his powers had not been at such a high level as he disyed recently. Your Majesty, think about it carefully. He is now above the grand master level, indicating that he had already reached grand mastership long ago. However, he hasn¡¯t shown his face on the maind. That is enough information. Based on my intuition, this young man probably would not involve himself in thepetitive affairs between the various nations on the maind.¡± ¡°Wenyan, my dear minister, I suddenly have a theory.¡± The emperor of Eastern Ling suddenly rose to his feet. Gu Wenyan said cautiously, ¡°Your Majesty, please share it.¡± The Eastern Ling emperor¡¯s eyes flickered with cold light. ¡°Could this young man be someone who was secretly cultivated by the Ghost Organization?¡± ¡°...?¡± Gu Wenyan was stunned for a moment. After the Eastern Ling emperor got up, he walked away from the desk area and began pacing. His gaze was deep and quiet, his voice calm now. ¡°I have read the information on this young grand master, and nowbined with what you just said, we must consider that there are four major nations and several minor nations in the world. Disregarding those minor nations, who has the ability to ascend a grand master just amongst the four major nations? If there is such a person, there is no reason for the other grand masters to continue remaining where they are. Wenyan, my dear minister, as you said, it seems impossible that the young grand master was sent by the little empress...¡± ¡°But the Ghost Organization¡­¡± Gu Wenyan felt it was unlikely. The Eastern Ling emperor said, ¡°The Ghost Organization has always secretly had a grasp on the intelligence in the entire continent, and the Zhaixing Administration has eyes and ears everywhere. With this kind of resources, it doesn¡¯t seem unusual that they could produce a powerhouse above a grand master level.¡± ¡°Your Majesty makes a point.¡± Gu Wenyan was swayed by his Majesty¡¯s words and also began thinking. ¡°If they really are of Northern Liang, there is no reason for them to remain in Qingzhou City and note forward to the capital to report. This doesn¡¯t make sense.¡± The emperor of Eastern Ling had this ¡°my dear minister understands me¡± expression and continued, ¡°If he belongs to the Ghost Organization, then it all makes sense. The Ghost Organization takes the position of an observer of the entire continent. They have long possessed the strength to subvert the four major nations, but have never made a move, content with being a dark empire... After saying this, the Eastern Ling emperor sighed heavily. He privately thought that this was also the reason why the four major nations were jealous of the Ghost Organization. The organization had the power to overthrow an entire dynasty at any time, but they would rather be a hand in the dark on the maind. The Eastern Ling emperor thought that it would be great if Eastern Ling had the Ghost Organization¡¯s resources. They would then be able to take advantage of their troops and conquer the other three major nations within three months¡­! What a pity. There were no ¡°what ifs¡± in the world. The three halls and four administrations of the Ghost Organization were so secretive that they had never revealed themselves, let alone be the ghost organization of legend. Nobody in the world knew the specific location of Wushuang City where the Ghost Organization was located¡­ The moment he thought of this. The emperor of Eastern Ling felt that the Ghost Organization was so terrifying and mysterious that it could put anyone on edge. Meanwhile, Si Jin was sitting by theke in the back courtyard of the Qi Residence. He was carrying the fat little snow-white cat in his arms. The white catid on the youth¡¯s legs, pping the youth¡¯s arm with its tailzily. It was pping him so casually that it might not even know it was doing it. It looked veryfortable. Si Jin stared at the water in the pond and suddenly felt like ying. He looked all around and confirmed that there was no one there. He walked to one side. Then he jumped into the water with his clothes on. The white cat was also brought into the water without it realizing. It sshed around for a bit before it was thrown to the shore by the youth. After the white cat was back on solid ground, it shook the water droplets off its body a few times and nced at the boy, as if it wasining. A few young male servants were on their way to feed the horses in the stables in the backyard. They were shocked when they saw the youth swimming in the pond. They were thinking about how it was just the beginning of spring and the weather was cold. The young grand master was indeed a person who had cultivated. He was not afraid of the cold! However, when the young male servants caught sight of the white cat on the shore, they were stunned for a moment. Was that cat not the master¡¯s? It used to never leave the master¡¯s shadow. Now the boy and cat were so close with one another. Sigh. Morale was surely declining day by day. It was not just people who tried to win the favor of the powerful. These days, even cats¡­ Sigh. Sigh! Chapter 464 - A Royal Decree 9

Chapter 464: A Royal Decree 9

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Eastern Hua Continent, south area, Daming Empire. Chaoyang Hall. A man in his fifties stood facing the rising sun with his hands behind his back. He was wearing a bright yellow dragon robe, his head held high. He was visibly old, but his aura was not weak at all. There was a rather greasy faint smile on the man¡¯s lips; he seemed to be in a great mood. This was the emperor of Daming, Yuan Wende. The emperor of Daming was standing on top of a dais. He touched his beard that had long turned white and said, ¡°Why did that young grand master kill Pang Juan but spare Gongsun She?¡± Why would he be unhappy with this oue? Pang Juan was dead but their Gongsun She was still alive. That said¡­ He nced at the several important courtiers below him. Themander-in-chief of the imperial guards first snuck a look at the others before stepping forward and say, ¡°Your Majesty, ording to the information from the Zhaixing Administration and the reports from our spies in Qingzhou City, it is likely that elder Gongsun She was the first to meet with Qi Qingyao. And since he showed excellent character during their meeting, the young man named Si Jin deliberately spared elder Gongsun She¡¯s life.¡± The Daming emperor asked, ¡°Has Gongsun She still not returned?¡± All the officials shook their heads. The emperor of Daming was silent. Suddenly, in the midst of that strange silence. The doors of Chaoyang Hall were thrown open. An old eunuch ran in with a document in his hand, a pleasantly surprised look on his face. He raised his voice as he shouted. ¡°I have a report.¡± The Daming emperor raised his head. The old eunuch, Cao Pingan, trotted excitedly all the way to his majesty while clutching the document. He said respectfully, ¡°Your Majesty, it¡¯s a very urgent letter.¡± ¡°Bring it here,¡± the emperor said, stretching out his hand. The old eunuch raised his hands to present the document to the emperor. The emperor of Daming opened the urgent secret report. He took a nce through it eximed in satisfaction. ¡°It is good news, good news!!¡± The courtiers below him were incessantly surprised and curious. What was the good news? Could Mr. Gongsun She have sent this letter? Just as they wereing to this conclusion, excitement shed through the emperor of Daming¡¯s turbid eyes. He announced, ¡°It¡¯s a letter from Gongsun She.¡± The courtiers were instantly excited as they called out, ¡°Your Majesty!¡± The emperor of Daming dered to the crowd as he put away the secret report, ¡°The old gentleman is safe, his injuries have healed and he said he will soon return and assured me not to worry.¡± ¡°¡­¡± After being in a state of constant anxiety, the courtiers¡¯ hearts all rxed. Everyone knew that Pang Juan was already dead. As such, the powers of the major nations would likely have to be recalcted. Although elder Gongsun did not die, if he had been injured to the point that he no longer had the power of a grand master, it would still be a staggering blow to Daming. However¡­ A letter had now arrived. It entailed that he was safe and that his injuries were healed. That meant that Daming still had their best strategic weapon. They were fortunate. Suddenly, a pleased expression appeared on the corners of the lips of the emperor of Daming. He waved his hand and said, ¡°Please leave, all of you. I would like to be alone for a while.¡± The courtiers withdrew one by one. The emperor of Daming stood alone in Chaoyang Hall, deep in thought. ¡°Old sir, you have left me with a huge question.¡± It was the Harbinger. Gongsun She referenced this term in his letter. He even brought up the reason for Pang Juan¡¯s death, revealing that it was because Pang Juan had tried to kidnap the daughter Qi Qingyao, who was the ¡°master¡± of that young grand master. That was why Pang Juan died. The emperor of Daming frowned as he mulled over the term ¡°Harbinger¡±. The old gentleman did not offer more exnation in his letter but gave the emperor a suggestion instead, saying that if the people of Daming were to encounter Qi Qingyao in the future, they should be on guard and not try to pry into her affairs. They should also aid the littledy during crucial moments. This¡­ would be very useful. The emperor of Daming stayed in deep contemtion for a while. He sighed. Everything depended on the old gentleman. At this time, Yuan Wende, the emperor of Daming, still did not know that his small decision today would make Daming the most powerful nation on the continent in the future. ¡­ ¡­ Qi Qingyao had not left her house recently. She had been at home mulling over two matters. Firstly, Dabao had been enlightened. He had opened a total of fifteen pressure points out of seventeen. Although he was not as talented as Erniu, Lu Yan said that with this qualification, he could cultivate all the way to rank nine in the future! If he were lucky, he could even reach grand mastership with no problems. Naturally, Qi Qingyao was ecstatic. Now she had to pick a teacher. She had not chosen a cultivation teacher for Erniu and Dabao. This started to worry her a little. Secondly, Lu Yan had reminded her of something. He told her that she and Si Jin were very close. He also stressed that Si Jin was a young grand master. The fact that Si Jin killed Pang Juan and seriously injured Gongsun She was not something that could be hidden for long. Once the imperial court found out and the empress summoned them, it would be toote. Lu Yan wanted to know if she was prepared to head to the capital. Qi Qingyao gave her answer¡ªshe was not ready. To her, trouble would follow the moment she stepped foot into the capital, While she stayed in Qingzhou City, with her current wealth, her friend Lu Yan and Si Jin by her side, she could still more or less qualify as a local tyrant and had no problems doing whatever she wanted in Qingzhou City. In the capital, however,¡­ In that ce, the good and the bad were all jumbled up together. The allocation of power wasplex; it was not a ce a littledy from a vige like her could easily muddle through. There was one good thing about the capital, however, which was that the quality of education was definitely better than in Qingzhou City. If the triplets were to study there, they would surely learn more things than in Qingzhou City. That was why Qi Qingyao continued to be worried¡­ Chapter 465 - A Royal Decree 10

Chapter 465: A Royal Decree 10

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Eastern Ling. Daliang City. News that Pang Juan was dead had also reached Daliang City. Daliang City had always been considered Pang Juan¡¯s home and he enjoyed staying there all year round. His rtionship with the Shen family was also pretty good and he had received no shortage of favors from them. Now, Pang Juan was dead. Everyone in Daliang City, from the servants in the vintries and inns, to the vendors who set up vegetable stalls on the roadside, to the diners and ordinary folk were all filled with immense anxiety. ¡°There are plenty of rumors outside now saying that Mr. Pang is dead.?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°If Mr. Pang is really dead, Daliang City would be in danger.¡± Everyone began to feel utterly wretched. ¡°What¡¯s the danger? You speak as if Northern Liang would dare to attack us.¡± Those who did not care much for the state of the country tended to live a very rxed life. ¡°Even if they don¡¯t attack us, Daliang City no longer has anyone to call for support in the future.¡± Those who were worried about the nation¡¯s situation, however, were rife with worry. ¡°Who says?¡± ¡°Who else is there who could protect this city?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t we still have the Shen family?¡± The Wanbao Chamber of Commerce controlled by the Shen family was more powerful than the Senluo Chamber of Commerce, the top chamber ofmerce in Northern Liang. This was because Eastern Ling always bested Northern Liang, be it in terms of economy or military strength. Hence, the Wanbao Chamber of Commerce¡¯s overall power ranked third on the wealth list even on the entire continent. The first...would be the Qilin Administration of the Ghost Organization. The second would be the Lanyin Chamber of Commerce of Daming. The fourth was the Yongxin Chamber of Commerce of Dazhou. As for the Senluo Chamber of Commerce, even though it was the first in Northern Liang, it only ranked fifth in the entire continent. This was a story to be recountedter. The point was... Every individual in Daliang City was also very wealthy thanks to the Shen family¡¯s existence. Outsiders would say that there was never a beggar on the roads of Daliang City because everyone lived a good life. When disasters ured in other ces, Daliang City would take the initiative to open up storehouses for disaster relief and help the refugees as the economic city of Eastern Ling. Hence, whether in the hearts of the local people or those in other Eastern Ling capitals, Daliang was a capital city that had incited much admiration in other parts of the nation. In this capital, the Shen family¡¯s existence was the most important. Everyone knew that the Shen family was in power behind the scenes of Daliang City; Pang Juan was the city¡¯s protector behind the scenes. ¡°The Shen family is still the Shen family. It¡¯s likely that they are more nervous than us now with Pang Juan¡¯s death!¡± ¡°The Shen family still has one first-ss rank-nine archer. Gao Zhongcan is known as the saint of arrows! Pang Juan¡¯s death does not affect them at all.¡± ¡°...sigh.¡± How could the grand master just die? It really...made one not know how to feel. ¡­ ¡­ In the Yunwu Mountains of Eastern Ling, there was an old man in a gray robe. After hearing the news of Pang Juan¡¯s death, he looked at the misty mountain and fell into a long period of contemtion. Shiye. He was also one of the seven grand masters. He really did not think that Pang Juan would die. That someone had the power to kill a grand master¡­ This both excited and terrified the old man. That was the extremelyplicated emotion that was intertwined inside his heart. ¡­ ... The morning glow of the early morning fell upon the Northern Liang Pce, projecting a harshness on the ck pce. In the upper study. After the morning court ended. The little empress sat in the study reviewing memorials. After a while, right as she was nning to take a break. A little eunuch ran in from outside with a secret memorial in his hands. After entering, he said, ¡°Your Majesty, this is a secret memorial that has been delivered with the utmost urgency.¡± ncing at the handwriting on it, Little Lizi hurriedly reported to Her Majesty the Empress, ¡°This servant has taken a look at it, it seems to be the Head Grand Secretariat¡¯s handwriting.¡± The little empress¡¯s brows instantly rose. Her entire face seemed to glow and her eyes looked like they were shining more than ever. ¡°Is it Master Jiang¡¯s handwriting?¡± The little empress was in a very good mood and said a little eagerly, ¡°Hurry up and let me take a look.¡± Little Lizi presented the secret memorial with both hands. The little empress opened the secret memorial excitedly. However, she could not help but curse just after reading through the first line of words. ¡°Nonsense!¡± Little Lizi, ??? What was written in the secret memorial? He dared not ask. The little empress continued reading. After she was done. Her expression was getting uglier and uglier. Her entire face had changed from a colorful radiance to ayer of ice. ¡°Your Majesty?¡± Little Lizi opened his mouth carefully and asked, ¡°What did the Head Grand Secretariat say to incite your anger?¡± ¡°Jiang Yeqian¡­wishes to resign,¡± the little empress answered expressionlessly. ¡°Resign????¡± Little Lizi could not believe his ears. The little empress threw the secret memorial onto the ground. Furious, she said, ¡°Little Lizi, this secret memorial must be a forgery, someone is definitely pretending to be Jiang Yeqian!¡± Little Lizi, ¡°...¡± The second day. During the morning court, the courtiers felt that the empress¡¯s temper seemed unpleasant, which confused them. They were thinking that Eastern Ling and Daming were no longer going to attack them and a youth who was above grand mastership had appeared in their country. They ought to be happy so why did the empress look worried? Could it be that Dazhou would attack again? The courtiers still did not dare ask her by the time the morning court ended. The little empress sat in the upper study reticently as she continued perusing the memorials. Little Lizi did not dare wait on the empress inside the study today either and stood on standby outside. Not long after. There was another secret memorial force into his hands. He sighed. Then he entered the upper study. Little Lizi did not dare look up. Gaze facing downward, he reported, ¡°Your Majesty, there is another secret memorial from the Head Grand Secretariat.¡± ¡°...¡± The little empress looked up, her gaze somewhat impatient. The little emperor epted it. Then took a look at it. Little Lizi gulped and asked nervously, ¡°Your, your majesty, is he still asking to resign?¡± ¡°It¡¯s his handwriting, he wrote it himself,¡± said the little empress suddenly. Little Lizi, ... ¡®Could you have really thought that the secret memorial yesterday was fake? ¡®Or are you unwilling to face the truth?¡¯ The little empress¡¯s expression clouded after she read the secret memorial. ¡°Does the Head Grand Secretariat really wish to resign?¡± Little Lizi silently wiped the sweat from his forehead and said in a low voice, ¡°Your Majesty, would you like to send the Head Grand Secretariat a reply? This servant could request someone to deliver it to Qingzhou City with the utmost haste.¡± ¡°No need,¡± the little empress replied in a deep voice. She sat there, expression ugly, as she continued reviewing memorials. Little Lizi, ¡°...¡± The little empress gritted her back teeth and said, ¡°He has made his reason for his resignation very clear in his letter.¡± Little Lizi, !!! Just what was the reason?! The third day. After the morning court adjourned. The little empress continued looking through documents and before long, Little Lizi brought in a secret memorial once again. His voice was even smaller now. ¡°Your Majesty, it is once again a secret memorial from the Head Grand Secretariat.¡± ¡°...¡± The little empress thrust her hand out with a displeased expression. Little Lizi passed the memorial over. ¡°The¡­the Head Grand Secretariat¡¯s seal has also been delivered back.¡± ¡°He is determined!!¡± The little empress was so furious she flung the secret memorial onto a ck and goldcquered table. Little Lizi, ... The little empress was fuming, she even wanted to demand Jiang Yeqian exin what tantrum he was throwing this time. However, she endured and read the secret memorial till the end. Little Lizi felt that being close to the emperor was like standing next to a tiger. He wiped his sweat and said, ¡°Your Majesty, you shouldn¡¯t be angry either. If the Head Grand Secretariat wants to resign because of something he cannot disclose, it is definitely because he does not wish to worry you.¡± The little empress noticed the Head Grand Secretariat¡¯s seal and fumed even more. ¡°As if this would not worry me! I will not allow his resignation.¡± ¡°Your Majesty, you still have the State Preceptor you can use.¡± Little Lizi knew what the little empress thought of the Head Grand Secretariat. After all, the Head Grand Secretariat was not bad-looking and he was a well-known young talent in the capital. He was also a clean-living and honest sort... ¡°The State Preceptor?¡± The little empress heard the mention of this person and could not help shaking her head. ¡°The State Preceptor is now blind in one eye.¡± He looked ordinary to begin with and his temperament was gentle at best. Now he was even blind in one eye. Was he even worth looking at now? Little Lizi did not know what the empress was thinking and hurriedly said, ¡°In thest secret memorial, wasn¡¯t it stated that the Head Grand Secretariat had also injured his leg??This servant thinks that his injury is probably quite serious and that the Head Grand Secretariat wants to resign because he wishes to recuperate properly.¡± ¡°...¡± The little empress¡¯s eyes suddenly lit up. However, she remained silent, fuming as before. Right now, she was missing some of the usual arrogance of an empress. She had more of ady¡¯s coquettishness. Little Lizi said nervously, ¡°Your Majesty, this servant has another theory.¡± ¡°Speak,¡± said the little empress, her expression taut. Little Lizi said, ¡°Could it be that, with the introduction of the young grand master and the State Preceptor¡¯s injury despite being rank nine, these events made him want to properly cultivate further, which is why he wishes to resign. On that note, there are many martial artists who are easily disturbed by mundane things and have too many distracting thoughts in their minds, which makes it very hard for them to break through. ¡°...¡± Huh, that made sense. Little Lizi noticed that the little empress¡¯ expression was a little more relieved and continued, ¡°The Head Grand Secretariat definitely does not want to leave the court, or leave the empress! He must be holding on to the thought of breaking through into grand mastership to better devote his heart and soul to Your Majesty.¡± ¡°You make a good point.¡± A very good point, in fact. He had certainly given this some thought. The little empress instantly became happy again. She pursed her lips and said, ¡°Really, this man. Why did he not just inform me directly? He had me thinking he really wanted to leave me.¡± Her tone was like a coy little girl. Little Lizi knew about some of the empress¡¯s thoughts for the Head Grand Secretariat¡­ The little empress said cheerfully, ¡°Wait, I shall pen out a reply to him. I wish to inform him that even if he wishes to resign, the Jiang residence manor will still be his and I will forever leave the position of Head Grand Secretariat to him.¡± Little Lizi replied with full admiration, ¡°Your Majesty is kind and merciful.¡± Her Majesty was truly benevolent and merciful...he definitely dared not jump to conclusions. Nevertheless, for her majesty¡¯s benevolence and mercy toward him was certain. ¡­ ¡­ Qi Residence. Qi Qingyao had been tossing and turning within the mansion for the past few days. One night. Steward Zhang said that Miss Gu had entered through the back gate and was secretly looking for her, even requesting to not disclose this to the public. Qi Qingyao walked to the stables at the back gate doubtfully. Gu Shanshan was wearing a hooded cloak and was standing in front of the stable. She was wrapped up somewhat tightly. ¡°Why have youe?¡± She even came through the back gate. Qi Qingyao was somewhat curious and she pulled Gu Shanshan over as she said, ¡°Come with me quick, let¡¯s take a seat inside the house.¡± Gu Shanshan shook her head and pulled her back to the stables. She looked at the horses in the shed and said, ¡°I¡­I can¡¯t stay for too long.¡± ¡°What happened?¡± Qi Qingyao stood in front of her and realized that Gu Shanshan, who was typically lively, was now very solemn. Gu Shanshan looked down, fixing her gaze on the tips of her feet that poked through beneath the white robes. ¡°I¡¯m leaving¡­¡± ¡°Where are you going?¡± Qi Qingyao did not understand the reason. Gu Shanshan replied, ¡°I¡¯m going home.¡± ¡°Back to Eastern Ling?¡± asked Qi Qingyao. ¡°Yes.¡± Saying this, Gu Shanshan raised her gaze and looked into Qi Qingyao¡¯s eyes. She said, ¡°My second grandfather wrote a letter, saying that he wanted my brother, as well as brother Xiao and brother Ye, to go back.¡± Qi Qingyao, ... Could it be because of Pang Juan¡¯s death? Gu Shanshan¡¯s next words answered her doubts. ¡°Old sir Pang died and the situation in Eastern Ling isn¡¯t good. The emperor is afraid that Northern Liang would invade. In the letter, my second grandfather said that the emperor even suspects that Si Jin is a powerhouse stronger than a grand master who was deliberately cultivated by the Ghost Organization.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± What and what? Si Jin was one of the Ghost Organization¡¯s? What kind of theory was that? Gu Shanshan asked swiftly and mindlessly, ¡°So you¡¯re not actually from the Ghost Organization¡¯s?¡± Qi Qingyao¡¯s jaw almost hit the floor. Speechless, she replied, ¡°This is outrageous, how could I be one of the Ghost Organization¡¯s people?¡± Gu Shanshan¡¯s tone was a little dull as she said, ¡°My second grandfather also wrote in the letter that the emperor knows everything about you, that the Qi Qingyao back then was an idiot, and that it was impossible for her to be able to design architectural blueprints, and that it¡¯s also impossible that she would know how to treat illnesses. Which means you and Si Jin must be talents who were secretly cultivated by the Ghost Organization.¡± ¡°...¡± What was this? How was she supposed to exin herself to make things clear?! Qi Qingyao felt that it was too hard to rify things. Gu Shanshan asked, depressed, ¡°Tell me, are you or are you not?¡± Qi Qingyao immediately held her hands up in resignation and said, ¡°If I am one of the Ghost Organization, let the thunder strike me dead.¡± ¡°You saying that puts me at ease.¡± Gu Shanshan instantly smiled. ¡°...¡± This person was so simple it was cute. One oath and she already believed her. Although she was not from the Ghost Organization, those from the Wangyue Administration of the Ghost Organization were all proficient in deception. How could there be any truths from them? Gu Shanshan sighed. ¡°I won¡¯t ask where Si Jin came from, I think everyone has their own secrets.¡± After a pause, she looked at Qi Qingyao and said, ¡°Including you.¡± Qi Qingyao nodded slightly. ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°You have a lot of secrets on you,¡± Gu Shanshan pointed out. ¡°Yeah.¡± Qi Qingyao did not know whether tough or cry. Gu Shanshan pursed her lips. Her tone was a little coy but also sounded like she wasining. ¡°My brothers bought information about you from the Zhaixing Administration. The information is vague. They aren¡¯t even clear about where your three children came from or who the father is.¡± Qi Qingyao whispered, a little aggrieved, ¡°I don¡¯t know either.¡± Gu Shanshan¡¯s eyes widened. Although she found what Qi Qingyao said strange, she just believed her¡­ Gu Shanshan said, ¡°Qi Qingyao, did you know that you garnered a lot of attention from many forces on the maind because of your rtionship with Si Jin?¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Qi Qingyao asked back. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Gu Shanshan¡¯s tone became a little more serious. ¡°That¡¯s why, you will certainly die one day if you can¡¯t cultivate.¡± Qi Qingyao, ¡°...¡± ¡°If the four major nations have already taken notice of you, then the Ghost Organization definitely has a closer eye on you.¡± Gu Shanshan inserted a bit more thoughtfulness on top of her usual joyfulness. ¡°I¡¯m afraid that if the Zhaixing Administration is constantly unable to uncover information on you, then there is bound to be a day when the advisers of the Wenchun Hall will start devising the most sophisticated n for your assassination or capture. They may send out hitmen from the Xuanwu Administration to catch you or even kill you.¡± Qi Qingyao, ¡°...¡± Gu Shanshan continued, ¡°My brother said that the Pili Hall¡¯s torture methods are very harsh, and that no one who leaves that ce everes out with their humanity intact.¡± ¡°...¡± The Pili Hall of the Ghost Organization, huh? ¡°I fear that a lunatic from the Ghost Organization will catch and torture the truth out of you,¡± Gu Shanshan said anxiously. Qi Qingyao did not know how to thank her, so she could only hold onto Gu Shanshan¡¯s hand and say seriously, ¡°Thank you.¡± Gu Shanshan smiled and said, ¡°Don¡¯t trust Lu Yan so simply. I might be a little stupid but my brother and brother Xiao have analyzed the situation and they say that the Ghost Organization have definitely infiltrated the Lu family. That¡¯s a certainty. Just like how our Gu family has also likely been infiltrated by the Ghost Organization.¡± Qi Qingyao, ¡°...¡± This person always looked like a rich youngdy who only cared for eating and did no scheming. In reality, however, her mind was still very sharp. Gu Shanshan said, ¡°If you be the target of public criticism, they will not hesitate to expose their secret trump cards to get relevant information about you. So, you have to take care of yourself.¡± Qi Qingyao said, ¡°Shanshan, you¡¯ve said too much to me.¡± ¡°You and I really hit it off well. I don¡¯t want you to die so easily.¡± Under the moonlight, a brilliant smile appeared on Gu Shanshan¡¯s face. ¡­ ... The next morning. Qi Qingyao received a letter. It was sent by Gu Shanshan. She opened the letter and there was only one sentence. [By the time you read this, I will have left Qingzhou City, take care.] Qi Qingyao once again thanked Gu Shanshan in her heart. Just as she put away the letter. Qi Qingyao noticed the change in Si Jin¡¯s expression as he was having his meal. Immediately after that, he looked as if he was suffering from constipation. Then he hurriedly left the dining table. Qi Qingyao, ??? What was going on? Chapter 466 - A Royal Decree 11

Chapter 466: A Royal Decree 11

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Si Jin stayed in the room for a long time. He surmised that he could not stay here any longer. The consumption of his spiritual energy had been overly severe thest time and he had to return to the spiritual spring in the upper reaches of the Jiuli River to recuperate for some time so that he could appear in a human form in front of her again. Otherwise, he would gradually revert into a fish if this continued... Thinking about this, Si Jin was a little depressed, but there was no other choice. He locked himself in the room the entire day and did note out. Although Qi Qingyao found it weird, he was still a young boy so it was likely that there were some thoughts and changes that he would have to go through alone because of puberty. So she did not question it much and simply nned to drag him out if he still did note out the next day. Night. Si Jin had put on a ck cloak and hood; he wrapped himself uppletely in ck. Behaving like a human, he carried a small bundle which carried some trinkets that Qi Qingyao had bought for him, such as the dagger iid with jewels and the small carp purse embroidered by Qi Qingyao herself. After leaving the courtyard with his small bundle, the servants who were on night duty were a little shocked when they saw Si Jin all wrapped in ck clothes, but they did not dare ask him questions. Si Jin walked all the way to the door of Steward Zhang¡¯s room and knocked on it. Steward Zhang opened the door. He realized that the person d in ck was Si Jin and hurriedly saluted him. Si Jin¡¯s face was shrouded in darkness underneath the hood. He said a little dully, ¡°Steward Zhang, I have something to do and will be away for some time.¡± ¡°Ah. Master you¡­¡± Is he leaving? He was leaving now? Steward Zhang remembered therge number of major events that happened to the Missus when he leftst time. Si Jin could not exin too much, so he said, ¡°I am going back to my hometown.¡± ¡°Have you informed Missus?¡± Steward Zhang asked somewhat cautiously. Si Jin stammered, ¡°I...anyhow, you tell her, I¡¯ll be back soon.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± It seemed that he did not bid Missus goodbye. As for his reason, if Master Si Jin did not intend to tell Qi Qingyao he was leaving, it definitely was a reason that he could not share. Steward Zhang could not report to Qi Qingyao at this time either. So, he decided to personally see off Si Jin at the door. Si Jin told him there was no need. Steward Zhang was shocked. Did he not want to leave? For him to not allow someone to send him off. Was it because he did not need to be seen off or¡­ Si Jin snorted. ¡°I do not want the people outside who have their eyes on this mansion to know that I¡¯m leaving, so...¡± After saying that, a particrly calm smile appeared on the corners of the mouth under the hood. Immediately after that, he released a powerful force. In the blink of an eye, Steward Zhang could feel that the youth who was cloaked in ck in front of him had instantly disappeared. Steward Zhang was surprised. It was like he met a ghost. He reached his hand out and grabbed the space in front of him. He did not feel anything. Steward Zhang was so frightened he gulped. He was insanely scared. He wanted to scream out loud but immediately recalled that this was how the youth abruptly appeared thest time¡­ Could this be the power of someone who was above grand mastership? Steward Zhang pinched his thigh forcefully. Ascertaining that he was not dreaming, he hurriedly ran toward Qi Qingyao¡¯s courtyard. The moment he arrived, Steward Zhang knocked on the door loudly. Qi Qingyao had not gone to sleep yet. She was also shocked by the unexpected knocking. She went over and opened the door. Steward Zhang was panting heavily from running and said, ¡°Missus, Master Si Jin just asked me to inform you that had to leave for his hometown¡­¡± ¡°What and what?¡± ?? Return to what hometown? Did Si Jin not have a hometown? Steward Zhang shook his head and collected himself before replying, ¡°That¡¯s what I said. Master Si Jin wants to leave for a while and told me to tell you that. I even saw the master carrying a bundle.¡¯ ¡°...¡± Qi Qingyao was stunned. Immediately, Steward Zhang repeated what Si Jin told him word for word and then described the situation when Si Jin disappeared. Qi Qingyao was panic-stricken. ¡°Alright, I understand.¡± She waved her hand and dismissed Steward Zhang. After Steward Zhang left, Qi Qingyao closed the door and returned to her room with a feigned calmness. Her heart was not actually at peace, however. She contemted her current situation for a bit and decided to quickly look for Lu Yan and discuss it with him. Exiting the room, she made her way to Lu Yan¡¯s courtyard. Lu Yan was currently still looking at ledgers. When the door was opened, he noted that her expression looked serious and knew something had happened. He invited her in and asked the little maid to pour them tea. Tea and refreshments were soon served. Without waiting for Lu Yan to question her, Qi Qingyao took the initiative and said, ¡°Si Jin left again.¡± Lu Yan nodded. Qi Qingyao repeated what Steward Zhang told her to Lu Yan word for word. After listening to everything, he finally said, ¡°He likely did not bid you farewell because he was afraid it would make him reluctant to leave¡­¡± Qi Qingyao was silent for a moment. ¡°But he doesn¡¯t have a hometown at all.¡± ¡°Which meant that he had lied to you before,¡± Lu Yan pointed out. Qi Qingyao was silent. ¡°...¡± Lu Yan picked up the teacup but had no intention to drink the tea. ¡°If his power is really above a grand master¡¯s, then it¡¯s possible he learned that the people of his hometown were in danger through some abnormal method of his. Or maybe he has personal matters that require him to make a trip back.¡± Personal matters? Hometown? These words formed an image in Qi Qingyao¡¯s heart¡­ ¡°Little Yan, Gu Shanshan went out of her way toe looking for me before she left. She told me a theory she had.¡± ¡°Go on,¡± said Lu Yan. Qi Qingyao said, ¡°She told me that she received a missive from Eastern Ling summoning her to return. It also said that some people in Eastern Ling are guessing that Si Jin belongs to the Ghost Organization. It even ims that only the Ghost Organization¡¯s resources could cultivate a powerhouse who exceeds grand masters.¡¯ ¡°I didn¡¯t even think of this.¡± Lu Yan¡¯s hand trembled and the teacup in his hand almost dropped onto the floor. Fortunately, his reflexes were quick and he caught it. He put the teacup on the table and said, ¡°The talents of Eastern Ling are truly prolific. To think they¡¯re even able to think about something like this.¡± Qi Qingyao was sullen. ¡°I was just sharing what I heard but how did it end up with you seemingly agreeing with them.¡± Lu Yan said calmly, ¡°You had no choice but to share this and the trajectory of their theory seems very reasonable. Is it not?¡± Qi Qingyao shook her head. ¡°...I don¡¯t think it¡¯s possible, but he¡¯s disappeared all of a sudden now. This is too weird.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not just weird, it¡¯s extremely bizarre.¡± Lu Yan brought up the other matter evenly. ¡°You might not know of the Ghost Organization¡¯s reputation on the continent, but as the saying goes, when our enemies are in the light, we in the dark are able to pivot against them without their knowing. The four nations are in the light and the Ghost Organization is in the dark. I think the Wangyue Administration has long infiltrated the families of the imperial pce and the officials of the four major nations. Few people can escape their infiltration so the problem arises. In such a situation, the four major nations do not actually have anyone who is able to locate the Ghost Organization or even Wushuang City. It is this mysteriousness that led to the growth in power of the Ghost Organization.¡± ¡°I suddenly have the strangest feeling,¡± Qi Qingyao muttered to herself after listening to what he said. Lu Yan said, ¡°Speak.¡± Qi Qingyao said, ¡°This Ghost Organization you all speak of is powerful and mysterious. It feels like it is not so much an organization as it is a religion.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Lu Yan frowned. Qi Qingyao shook her head, her gaze deep and quiet. ¡°Based on what you said, nobody knows where Wushuang City resides and neither does anyone who knows where the Ghost Organization is.¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± Was there a problem with this? ¡°Are you telling me you guys are so stupid that you¡¯ve never caught a nted agent and properly interrogated or tortured them for information?¡± As soon as Qi Qingyao said this, Lu Yan tried to answer, but she interrupted him. ¡°You don¡¯t have to be in a hurry to answer me. The answer, I think, is that torture had been done to extort information but these people were tough as nails and would rather die than give in. Under high pressure and heavy torture, they chose tomit suicide or be tortured to death without revealing even half of their secrets about the Ghost Organization. Therefore, the four major nations were unable to obtain any important information about the Ghost Organization.¡± ¡°More or less.¡± She was not wrong. Qi Qingyao continued, ¡°There is also another possibility. You mentioned that the Pili Hall exists within the Ghost Organization and they seem to be in charge of extorting information through torture and quelling rebellions. So here is where a serious problem crops up. These people might not be tough to begin with, but if they reveal the secrets of the Ghost Organization, they would be hunted and killed by the Xuanwu Administration, or be imprisoned till death by the Pili Hall! It¡¯s a situation where the ending always ends in death, so they would naturally choose to keep secrets.¡± ¡°About this...someone had indeed discussed it before.¡± The courts of the various nations had definitely discussed it too¡­ Qi Qingyao suddenly smiled a little strangely. ¡°Thest possibility is what I mentioned¡ªreligious belief.¡± ¡°??¡± Lu Yan looked at her curiously. Qi Qingyao said in a leisurely tone, ¡°Nobody would be able to endure intense torture even if they were typically the type to keep their mouths shut. There will always be someone with a weaker will who would break down during torture and reveal something. But in the end there is nothing. So I was thinking that it¡¯s not as simple as they would rather die than surrender. We have to use a dialectical approach to the problem.¡± After a pause, she narrowed her eyes and said, ¡°You call it a Ghost Organization, but I prefer to call it a nameless religious sect.¡± ¡°A religious sect¡­¡± Was it something like Buddhism? However, it was the Ghost Organization. Qi Qingyao nodded. ¡°After entering the organization, they would first brainwash everyone with specialized psychological hints. Especially since the Ghost Organization is so mysterious and powerful, this adds some sense of religiousness. This huge underground empire naturally turns all their participants into fanatical converts.¡± ¡°What are fanatical converts?¡± asked Lu Yan. Qi Qingyao racked her brains for a bit and said, ¡°They¡¯re basically people who have been starving, and the moment they get food, they devour it till the point they die. They are people who have never been trusted, and once they receive proper trust, they¡¯re willing to walk through fire for them. They are those who have just reached the tiger¡¯s mouth of the capital but we¡¯re then unreasonably excluded. They are those who think that they are superior and would take the initiative to attack even when no one provokes them¡­¡± ¡°Even though these metaphors are outrageous, they are very real. You are referring to when extreme needs are being met.¡± Was this the reason why the Ghost Organization only recruited orphans from all around the world? Those orphans who have been redeemed and given the warmth of a home, and who willingly worked for the ghost organization ever since. ¡°More or less. These people will think that they are not paying them back enough, and so a kind of emotional overflow urs. They feel they must do something, with the intention of repaying their savior. All they could do in this case was to be resolutely loyal and exclude people outside the organizationpletely.¡± Qi Qingyao shrugged and said calmly, ¡°Moreover, the Ghost Organization should have already established aplete set of rules of conduct to educate their believers.¡± Lu Yan looked at her as she spoke with fervor and assurance. He once again thought of her past. How was she supposed to be a fool with how knowledgeable she was!! Then again, did she conduct some specified research into religion? Lu Yan was a little puzzled. Qi Qingyao noticed that Lu Yan was looking at her with a scrutinizing gaze and knew she said a little too much. She had been an undercover agent in the past and, naturally, she had done some research into organizational behavior and social psychology. Their leader had said that they were afraid that their undercover agents might incite a defection¡­ So they had to master this knowledge to prevent themselves from being brainwashed! Si Jin¡­ Si Jin did not seem like someone from the Ghost Organization. Chapter 467 - A Royal Decree 12

Chapter 467: A Royal Decree 12

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Lu Yan took a moment to surmise things and said, ¡°Let¡¯s not put too much thought into whether Si Jin is or with the Ghost Organization or not. I¡¯m inclined to think he¡¯s not.¡± ¡°...¡± Qi Qingyao nodded. She also thought that it was not the case. She just brought up the matter for discussion since he mentioned the Ghost Organization just now. Lu Yan walked to the window. He instinctively wanted to open the window but did not. He walked back. He tapped his finger on the surface of the table rhythmically twice ¡°I always felt that the Ghost Organization has the ability to train people of that caliber. But with Si Jin¡¯s performance, unless he has exquisite acting skills, he is a good kid who has no bad intentions.¡± ¡°You know, the scheming sort of people like Li Ruoxuan and Jiang Yeqian, or people like me who are always busy, our lives can make it distracting when ites to cultivation. As a result, it bes almost impossible for us to ascend to rank nine, or grand master ship, let alone a realm above grand mastership. This is definitely impossible.¡± ¡°Si Jin is a very simple person. The dead Pang Juan and the other seven grand masters are the same. All simple martial idiots¡­¡± Qi Qingyao heard him and agreed to Lu Yan¡¯s words. ¡°Yeah, you make a point.¡± She held her chin and fell into another bout of deep contemtion. If Si Jin was not cultivated by the Ghost Organization, then how did he surpass grand masters¡­ Furthermore, some of the lies he told her before had been overturned, something about his family having gone into decline. She did not doubt Si Jin¡¯s good treatment of her, she just found this situation...too weird. ¡­ ¡­ Jiuli River. There was a golden koi swimming along the Jiuli River. It was extremely fast and in a few hours, it reached the upper reaches of the river. After encountering a waterfall, it swam upstream easily. If ordinary people were to witness this scene, they would be surprised. There was an ancient spring pond upstream. The little koi swam into the spring pond and rxed. It wagged its tail quickly and turned into a naked boy whose pupils were pure gold. His shining golden eyes were radiant in the morning sunlight. An old man came out from a grass hut near the mountain forest. His hair and beard were white but his eyes had the same golden hue. He looked very godly. The old man approached the spring pond and sat on a stone. He looked up at the sky but addressed the little goldfish when he spoke. ¡°Why have you returned again?¡± ¡°There were changes showing on my body.¡± The youth, who was submerged in the spring pond, muttered his words, spouting bubbles while he talked. The old man snorted coldly. He looked at the scales on the youth¡¯s ears and neck, as well as the gleaming scales on his hands. He picked up a small stone and threw it toward the spring pool somewhat childishly, smiling as he reprimanded the boy, ¡°You were in the middle of learning an array but suddenly ran away halfway and then got into a fight with people outside again. You even disrupted the situation on the maind. Way to go, you!!!¡± The boy, who had been struck on the head, instantly turned into a small koi. Looking aggrieved, it stuck its body out of the water and swam closer to the old man. He shook his head and tail and turned into a human again with bubbles in his mouth. He said to the old man, ¡°It¡¯s because that old man kidnapped Erniu. I just helped Big Sis get revenge.¡± The old man rubbed his chin and said, ¡°That sister of yours, she has a good life. You don¡¯t need to worry.¡± ¡°...¡± The youth was quiet. He swam to the side while quickly absorbing the energy from the heavens and earth. The old man then picked up another pebble and threw it at the youth¡¯s head angrily. ¡°Pouting at me, are you? Little brat.¡± After having another pebble thrown at him, Si Jin turned into a koi fish. In the water, he angrily pped his small tail on the water surface. He could not speak when he turned into a fish; he could only resonate his thoughts to the old man, telling him, ¡°I want to recover my spiritual power quickly to maintain my human form so I can go look for big sis.¡± ¡°There are golden fish scales appearing on your hands and under your ears soon and yet you still want to frolic around.¡± The old man shook his head, feeling like this child could not be taught. He said, ¡°Hurry up and get a good rest in the spiritual spring for a while. After that, we¡¯ll talk.¡± The little koi resonated back, ¡°Grandpa, how long must I rest before I can leave?¡± ¡°At least 3 months,¡± the old man said helplessly. ¡°Ah.¡± The little koi got agitated and turned into a human. ¡°This is already considered a short time.¡± The old man said sharply, ¡°You just cultivated your human form not too long ago, so you need to soak yourself in the spiritual spring more to consolidate your cultivation. But in the end, you thought yourself infallible and ran out of the river to mess around. You only soaked yourself for just a few months and then went and fought a grand master this time. In the end, you damaged too much of your spiritual power¡­ Hmph! You are lucky you didn¡¯t die. If five of them had gone up against you at the same time, your life would be hard to save.¡± ¡°I still have you, Grandpa.¡± The youth swam to the old man¡¯s legs and stuck half his body out of the water. He hugged the old man¡¯s legs like a spoiled child. The old man caressed his head. ¡°I?can¡¯t leave Qingzhou City without authorization, let alone the Koi Temple.?¡± ¡°Huh.¡± The young man pursed his lips and said in a low voice, ¡°I¡¯m going to quickly cultivate anyway. It would be best if I can stay in human form for one year at a time!¡± The old man sighed. ¡°You have to work hard so that you can maintain your human form for ten years at a time!¡± ¡°...¡± This was asking too much of him. Si Jin felt like crying. How long would he have to recuperate if he wanted to maintain his form for ten years? Would he not be able to meet big sis for half a year? Si Jin sunkpletely into the water, spitting bubbles from his mouth silently. The old man looked at the youth being depressed in the water and pondered for a bit before saying, ¡°Actually, I have another suggestion to help you maintain your human form longer.¡± ¡°Tell me quickly, Grandpa.¡± Si Jin instantly popped his sopping wet head out of the water and asked eagerly. The old man said, ¡°You went up against two grand masters simultaneously thest time. You were afraid you¡¯d disrupt the peace in Qingzhou City so you created a huge array to protect the people in Qingzhou City from the fight. Your intentions were good but thisrge-scale array was too damaging to you. You are too weak, and you ended up like this because you forcibly made such a big array.¡± ¡°...¡± He was bringing this up again??First off, he had been a little angry when Pang Juan kidnapped Erniu that day. Secondly, it was to see if he could win against the most powerful grand masters on the maind. That was why his methods had been a bit exaggerated. The old man said, ¡°In theory, even though it¡¯s your first time turning into a human, if you don¡¯t use your spiritual power indiscriminately and soak yourself every day, you will easily be able to maintain your form for a year as long as you don¡¯t create such arge array for a barrier like that day.¡± ¡°So what do I do now?¡± Si Jin asked aggrievedly. He had been anticipating constructive suggestions from the old man. The old man touched his white beard and said, ¡°Once you¡¯ve recuperated, I¡¯ll create a seal to trap a portion of your spiritual power and leave enough for you to stay alive.¡± ¡°Ah!¡± Shocked, Si Jin¡¯s pupils shone a dark gold. ¡°Then, if I were to encounter a grand master in the future¡­¡± Would he be killed? ¡°I only intended to seal your power until you have the strength of a rank nine. But now that you mentioned this, I suppose you¡¯re also worried if your killing of a grand master thest time would cause a chain reaction.¡± ¡°...¡± Si Jin spouted some bubbles in the water embarrassedly. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, you won¡¯t have an issue going up against a grand master even with your power sealed. Let¡¯s not talk so much about this first, focus on recuperating properly for now¡­¡± ¡°Okay!¡± ¡­ ¡­ Early the next morning, Qi Qingyao was more cautious because of Si Jin¡¯s departure. Unexpectedly, Steward Zhang said that another uninvited guest had arrived. She learned that the State Preceptor hade again after her questions were answered. Qi Qingyao¡¯s heart plummeted and she screamed internally. Li Ruoxuaning at such a time... Did he know that Si Jin had left? How was that possible? Li Ruoxuan could not have possibly infiltrated the Qi Residence. So why did hee? Even though Qi Qingyao was puzzled, she did not dare to refuse him arbitrarily.. After consulting with Lu Yan, she decided to invite the State Preceptor in first. Chapter 468 - A Royal Decree 13

Chapter 468: A Royal Decree 13

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Qi Qingyao said with a fake smile, ¡°I wonder why has the State Preceptore again?¡± ¡°I came to see you, of course.¡± Li Ruoxuan was also easy-going. After entering the side hall, his expression when he spoke was very calm. ¡°...¡± Qi Qingyao also looked very calm on the surface but internally she still held some fear of being found out. Who would have thought that he woulde the moment Si Jin left? Could it be that he knew Si Jin was not around? Li Ruoxuan had been State Preceptor for many years. If he could not even observe one¡¯s words and behaviors, how could he manage his job? He was keenly aware that Qi Qingyao¡¯s mood seemed calm, but her entire person was a little taut which made him a little curious. ¡°You¡¯re very courteous today.¡± ¡°Am I?¡± Qi Qingyaoughed. Li Ruoxuan looked around and then noticed that there was only Qi Qingyao and Lu Yan in the side hall. He asked, ¡°Why don¡¯t I see Si Jin?¡± ¡°He is someone stronger than a grand master, he wants to go sky high so he is cultivating in his room,¡± Qi Qingyao said with a cool smile. ¡°If you want to see him, I can call him out.¡± ¡°No need.¡± It was of course good if the gue god was not there. After tea was served, Li Ruoxuan picked up the tea and was prepared to reveal his reason foring. ¡°I came today¡­¡± Just as he said these few words, Steward Zhang hurried over to report again. ¡°Missus, the Head Grand Secretariat has also arrived.¡± ¡°...¡± Qi Qingyao frowned and said nothing. She had Steward Zhang invite Jiang Yeqian in as well. Jiang Yeqian had just entered while leaning on his crutches when Li Ruoxuan smiled somewhat deliberately and said, ¡°What a rare guest.¡± Qi Qingyao looked at the two coolly. She smiled faintly before continuing. ¡°I wonder what happened for the two of you toe to my residence today?¡± The two did not seem to have heard her. Jiang Yeqian stared at Li Ruoxuan fiercely while Li Ruoxuan also looked at him like an enemy. Li Ruoxuan said, ¡°It¡¯s such a coincidence that the Head Grand Secretariat would always be right behind me. If I didn¡¯t know, I would even think that you are deliberately following me.¡± ¡°I am monitoring your whereabouts, which is why I purposely came over to have a chance encounter with the State Preceptor,¡± said Jiang Yeqian. Li Ruoxuan sneered. ¡°There is no need for this kind of chance encounter.¡± Jiang Yeqian responded, ¡°Oh, that won¡¯t do, State Preceptor, since I really like you, after all.¡± Qi Qingyao picked her ears and said, ¡°If you want to flirt, please go home and talk it out slowly, why don¡¯t you?¡± Jiang Yeqian¡¯s expression changed. ¡°Who would want to flirt with him?¡± ¡°...¡± Were they not talking about their lingering romance just now? Qi Qingyao declined toment. ¡°Back to business.¡± Li Ruoxuan faintly knew Jiang Yeqian¡¯s purpose foring and wanted to prevent him from currying favor with Qi Qingyao. That said, he wanted to piss this guy off by being even more straightforward. Li Ruoxuan stated boldly, ¡°I came here today to confess.¡± ¡°To the Head Grand Secretariat?¡± Qi Qingyao asked with a stern countenance. Li Ruoxuan had no intention of joking around and replied, ¡°Although the Head Grand Secretariat holds deep feelings for me, please forgive me. As I have no interest in men, I can only reject your love.¡± Jiang Yeqian, ¡°...¡± Li Ruoxuan turned to say to Qi Qingyao, ¡°I came to express my fancy for Lady Qi. Please marry me. I will definitely treat you well in the future.¡± Qi Qingyao, ¡®...¡± Jiang Yeqian, ¡°...¡± Lu Yan with his cat, ¡°...¡± Steward Zhang, Dong Jing, Zhu Shen, and Zhao Xin who were at the door were also stupefied. They all did not even know how to express their disbelieving sentiments right now. After a long time. Qi Qingyao was the first to find her voice. She said rather helplessly, ¡°Li Ruoxuan, how thick is the skin on your face?¡± The young man looked calm as he instinctively touched his eye patch and he said, ¡°Thicker than the city walls.¡± ¡°...¡± Facing someone so shameless left Qi Qingyao utterly helpless, despite being a shameless person herself. ¡°Can you act normally?¡± ¡°I¡¯m abnormal to begin with,¡± Li Ruoxuan said. Qi Qingyao replied, ¡°Why do you even like me? I will change that part of me, okay?¡± Li Ruoxuanughed. ¡°I like that you are acquainted with someone who is above a grand master.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you be a bit more tactful?¡± Qi Qingyao asked. ¡°No.¡± Li Ruoxuan smiled nonchntly. ¡°Besides, we¡¯ve already kissed.¡± Qi Qingyao said angrily, ¡°I¡¯ve already been f*cking bedded by someone, but did I marry them?¡± ¡°...¡± Li Ruoxuan continued to smile shamelessly. ¡°How can that personpare to me? I¡¯m not that kind of irresponsible man.¡± ¡°Could the State Preceptor n on taking responsibility for me?¡± How was that possible? ¡°Of course. We¡¯ve already kissed before and I also like you a lot. Of course, I¡¯d be willing to marry you.¡± Li Ruoxuan said earnestly, ¡°Don¡¯t be so hasty to reject me.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll listen to what you have to say. Please speak.¡± Qi Qingyao really did not understand. Li Ruoxuan should know that Si Jin was by her side and it was unreasonable for him toe entangling himself like this. Could he not be afraid of death? Li Ruoxuan scrutinized Qi Qingyao¡¯s features. He looked at Lu Yan at the side who was carrying a cat. He only refused to look at Jiang Yeqian who was beyond furious. He thought for a moment then said kindly, ¡°Although you have Si Jin by your side and he¡¯s a powerhouse who exceeds grand masters, you ought to remember that you only have one Si Jin. As for me...I have a lot of manpower in my hands.¡± Saying this, he paused for a bit. Then he continued. ¡°The triplets have to grow up ¡± Qi Qingyao narrowed her eyes suddenly. ¡°You can¡¯t always tie them to your waist, can you?¡± ¡°If you rejected me today and one of the three are alone at some time, do you know what terrifying consequences there would be?¡± Qi Qingyao¡¯s eyes narrowed deeper. ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯re aware. ¡°So don¡¯t say anything first. ¡°If you¡¯re betting that I wouldn¡¯t dare act against them, then your impression of me is wrong. ¡°I am, after all, the scheming State Preceptor, as you¡¯ve put it. ¡°The reason I¡¯m speaking so bluntly today is to tell you that I want to use you, that I will use you without a doubt.¡± ¡­ ... That tone of certainty darkened the expression on Qi Qingyao¡¯s face. Since he had used the children as a bargaining chip, Qi Qingyao had no choice but to make an empty show of strength. ¡°You probably know that if youy your hands on the people around me who I care about, Si Jin will ughter you.¡± She paused, then continued, ¡°You know what the oue is yet you still threaten me. I¡¯m a bit confused, is the State Preceptor intelligent or stupid?¡± ¡°I am, of course,...¡± Li Ruoxuan dragged out his sentence. ¡°Stupid.¡± ¡°It¡¯s rare to see someone admit that they are stupid.¡± What other chip did he have to bargain with? Li Ruoxuan looked at her indifferently. ¡°You can think of me as intelligent then.¡± ¡°Lady Qi is different from me, you¡¯re a person who has a clear distinction between good and evil. If I am ughtered, you would only get your revenge on me, the man who works behind the scenes, but¡­¡± The prolonged ending revealed the speaker¡¯s shrewdness. ¡°Let me give you an analysis of your situation today.¡± ¡°The chess pieces you have in your hands now are one, Lu Yan, and two, Si Jin. One is the richest man in Northern Liang, the other is the strongest powerhouse in the continent! ¡°Even though Lu Yan has money, he doesn¡¯t have the power to contend, he can¡¯t go against me head-on. ¡°As for Si Jin, although he is powerful, he is just one person. Didn¡¯t I mention this before? If you don¡¯t ept my confession today, if any one of your three children were to be alone in the future, I will send someone to kill one, and then another¡­¡± As he spoke, Li Ruoxuan smiled tenderly as if he genuinely loved Qi Qingyao and had no choice but to kill¡­ ¡°Of course, you could say that you¡¯ll get Si Jin to kill me before I kill anyone you cared about. ¡°Yes...let us take a closer look at this situation. ¡°This Head Grand Secretariat beside you, I heard he has already resigned and the empress has approved of it. So he¡¯s now a useless chess piece, and there is no way to use him. If you got Si Jin to kill me, the empress, put in a situation where she has no one left to use, will definitely be furious. It would be a certainty that the court will pursue and kill you with all their power. Unless you can get Si Jin to kill everyone in court, of course. So, considering this situation, you can¡¯t make your move before I do. In short, you can¡¯t kill the most important court official to the empress of Northern Liang under the guise of making the first move unless I¡¯ve already killed someone. ¡°Secondly, if you get Si Jin to kill me after I kill your children, that¡¯s fine too. I¡¯m just a worthless life anyway, a mere rank nine. My death wouldn¡¯t give much cause for worry. Even so, the empress would still seek revenge out of gratitude since everything I¡¯ve done is for Northern Liang! The empress would definitely avenge me.¡± ¡­ ¡­ With this analysis, Qi Qingyao shrugged and said, ¡°The oue would be the empressing after me regardless, that¡¯s what you mean?¡± Li Ruoxuan smiled. ¡°What I meant is that as long as you marry me, you¡¯d be able to prevent all this from happening.¡± ¡°If you marry me, I won¡¯t kill you, and neither would I kill the children. I would treat them like how a father would. More so, I will do everything in my power to keep them safe. ¡°Or, do you insist on sacrificing a child and then get Si Jin to kill me, and then wait for the empress to chase you down... Is this the result you want?¡± ¡­ He looked as if he were a kind-hearted person talking things through with them rationally. Qi Qingyao felt like throwing up hearing this, but there was nothing she could do. It was hard for two hands to be able to take down four, let alone the enemy was in the dark while she was exposed... Qi Qingyao suddenly recalled that she still had two stooges with her and looked toward Lu Yan and Jiang Yeqian. ¡°I consider both of you my friends. Do either of you have any suggestions now?¡± Jiang Yeqian was about to dere that he was more than sufficient to protect a little woman even if he was not the Head Grand Secretariat. Unexpectedly, Lu Yan spoke up decisively first. ¡°I¡¯ll marry you.¡± Qi Qingyao, ¡°Huh?¡± Jiang Yeqian, ¡°¡­¡± Lu Yan looked at Li Ruoxuan expressionlessly and said firmly, ¡°The one she likes is me, so she won¡¯t marry the State Preceptor. Please go back.¡± Li Ruoxuan looked at the serious-looking Lu Yan and smiled even more. He said, ¡°Master Lu says this, but have you gotten the opinions of your family elders?¡± Lu Yan clutched the cat, his knuckles white. He replied, ¡°I think my family elders would be fine with whoever I like, so the State Preceptor doesn¡¯t have to worry.¡± ¡°Master Lu, do you intend to take this person away from me?¡± Li Ruoxuan asked. ¡°How am I taking her from you? This is, at best, a fairpetition.¡± Neither humble nor arrogant, Lu Yan said, ¡°Could it be that the dignified State Preceptor wants to forcefully take away a civilian woman?¡± There was a stern look on his beautiful face. Li Ruoxuan did not answer this question. Instead, he turned to look at Jiang Yeqian and said, ¡°Does the Head Grand Secretariat want to see Lady Qi marry Master Lu?¡¯ This question was very meaningful. Jiang Yeqian frowned but said nothing. Lu Yan said, ¡°Does the State Preceptor also wish for the Head Grand Secretariat to help you snatch people?¡± Li Ruoxuan was still observing Jiang Yeqian¡¯s expression. He wanted to know how much the Head Grand Secretariat loved Qi Qingyao. Would he help her or continue to hide this love at this moment? Or perhaps he did not like her enough¡­ He could not be sure either. Faced with Lu Yan¡¯s question. Li Ruoxuan smiled, looking at Jiang Yeqian. ¡°This isn¡¯t the case,¡± he said. ¡°I just want to know what the Head Grand Secretariat thinks¡­¡± ¡°Although he resigned, he is still a colleague of mine. I expressed my love on the spot just now, so naturally I care about the Head Grand Secretariat¡¯s opinion. I want to know what he thinks of Lady Qi marrying into the Lu family.?¡± Jiang Yeqian knew that Li Ruoxuan was once again riling him up. His heart was holding back rivers and overturning seas. Could this guy be putting on an act twice just to lure him out.... Chapter 469 - A Royal Decree 14

Chapter 469: A Royal Decree 14

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion ¡°I don¡¯t have an opinion on this matter.¡± Of course, Jiang Yeqian could not show Li Ruoxuan that something was off. He smiled calmly and said to Qi Qingyao, ¡°Lady Qi, I wish you happiness.¡± Qi Qingyao rubbed her temples and watched as the two spouted nonsense at each other. She really could not take this any longer. She raised her hands to surrender. She licked her lips and said, ¡°First of all, I would like to state one thing.¡± State what? Li Ruoxuan, Jiang Yeqian, and Lu Yan all turned to look at her at the same time. Qi Qingyao said helplessly, ¡°I don¡¯t want to discuss this matter too much. You may ask Steward Zhang about this¡­¡± she pointed at Steward Zhang and said to Li Ruoxuan, ¡°Si Jin leftst night.¡± Li Ruoxuan¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°Left? What do you mean?¡± Lu Yan was somewhat surprised. He had not been expecting her to reveal the truth. Jiang Yeqian¡¯s expression also shifted. Qi Qingyao shrugged. With a somewhat ingenuine rxed tone, she said, ¡°Leave, as in he went away on his own. He didn¡¯t even say goodbye to me, just said he would be away for a while.¡± Li Ruoxuan asked sharply, ¡°Steward Zhang!!¡± ¡°State Preceptor¡­¡± Steward Zhang, who was at the door, exined what happened before as he trembled. After listening to what he had to say, Li Ruoxuan was left utterly stunned. He muttered softly to himself, ¡°He left without leaving anything behind. What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°Are you asking me that or someone else?¡± Qi Qingyao said unhurriedly, ¡°You wanted to marry me just to use Si Jin, but now Si Jin is no longer here. To put it bluntly, I almost suspected that Si Jin was working for the Ghost Organization.¡± ¡°...¡± What she said made Li Ruoxuan¡¯s entire body stiffen. He gave Qi Qingyao a strange look as he could not help but imagine the other possibilities. Jiang Yeqian¡¯s expression grew even moreplicated. Lu Yan, ¡°...¡± Qi Qingyao continued, retracting her previous suspicions. ¡°But after thinking about it carefully, I doubt the Ghost Organization would raise such a simple-minded child. ¡°From the way I see it, he probably won¡¯t be returning anytime soon. I don¡¯t even know what happened. Let thunder strike me if I were to speak even half a lie. ¡°So, you see, you don¡¯t need toe back to get into all kinds of entanglements with me, threaten me or even get into a life or death struggle with me.¡± ... With that being said, Li Ruoxuan¡¯s mind fell apart. Could Si Jin be working for the Ghost Organization? This possibility seemed quite likely considering the myriad of resources the Ghost Organization has at its disposal. ¡°Qi Qingyao,¡± Li Ruoxuan. Qi Qingyao looked up, meeting Li Ruoxuan¡¯s unwavering eyes. Li Ruoxuan said, ¡°I would like to speak with you in private ¡± Qi Qingyao narrowed her eyes and asked with a superficial smile, ¡°Are you nning to threaten me again? Maybe kill me?¡± ¡°No,¡± responded Li Ruoxuan. Qi Qingyao then nodded at Jiang Yeqian and Lu Yan. The two left and Li Ruoxuan personally went to close the door. After he turned around, he walked toward Qi Qingyao. Qi Qingyao was a little anxious. She was afraid that he would take the opportunity to kill her now that Si Jin was not around!! However, what Qi Qingyao was afraid of something did not end up happening. Li Ruoxuan stood in front of her. His remaining eye, which was not covered, looked uncharacteristically gentle. He cleared his throat and then said, ¡°Never in my life have I ever liked a woman this much. I find you very interesting. I¡¯m willing to marry you, and I¡¯m willing to care for the triplets.¡± This left?Qi Qingyao stunned. Li Ruoxuan continued, ¡°Everything I said just now was a deliberate effort to work you up.¡± Qi Qingyao also felt that was the case. Li Ruoxuan said, ¡°As heinous of a person I may be, I would nevery a hand on your children.¡± Qi Qingyao could not help but cut in. ¡°So what is that supposed to mean? Should I be grateful?¡± ¡°You needn¡¯t shed tears of gratitude, but I hope you realize that the essence of why I came here today is because I fancy you and would like to marry you.¡± Li Ruoxuan responded in a tone of forced affection. Qi Qingyao said with a dark expression, ¡°I¡¯m a widow. Please be aware of that, State Preceptor.¡± This guy was still pretending to be affectionate, how nauseating. Li Ruoxuan was rather taken aback by her reasoning. ¡°I realized that you¡¯re very fascinating. ¡°You cursed me with many words the other day. If it was someone else, I would have killed their entire family for their words. But they were your words. Your flurry of curses made me ponder about many things for a long time. Am I really such a disappointing person? ¡°If I were really that disappointing, I would take my vengeance right now and kill you for the way you cursed me!¡± ¡°But I don¡¯t want to. ¡°I don¡¯t have any urge to kill you whatsoever. In fact, I feel like I should be the first to have you be mine before others start confessing to you.¡± ¡­ ... Before he could finish, Qi Qingyao cut him decisively. ¡°Li Ruoxuan, can you stop being such a lunatic?¡± Li Ruoxuan was in disbelief and was angered again. He said, ¡°What part of me doesn¡¯t match up to your standards? Tell me!! I¡¯ll fix whatever I¡¯mcking!¡± Qi Qingyao bit her cheek with her mrs, her dark eyes deep and quiet as she said, ¡°You, as the dignified State Preceptor, everything about you is good, very good. I¡¯m the one who isn¡¯t good. I really can¡¯t afford to marry your Excellency.¡± Was this woman hard-hearted? He, the State Preceptor had confessed to her, yet she was still so indifferent? Li Ruoxuan did not understand. ¡°I really can¡¯t figure out the kind of person you are searching for.¡± With a hint of a smile, Qi Qingyao responded half truthfully, ¡°If you must know, then let me tell you. The first quality is honesty!¡± Li Ruoxuan replied angrily, ¡°Am I not being honest enough with you? I¡¯ve informed you of all my schemes in advance. I¡¯m not hiding any conspiracies or tricks from you! Is that not honest enough?¡± ¡°...¡± Listening to this, Qi Qingyao cradled her forehead. Li Ruoxuan had never met someone so hardheaded, with such a weird way of thinking! ¡°You, woman, really know how to discriminate good from bad. I don¡¯t even know what you want. You won¡¯t ept a State Preceptor¡¯s confession. You remain ruthlessly silent when the richest person in Northern Liang wishes to marry you. Just how high are your standards? Don¡¯t tell me you wish to search for an emperor to marry!¡± ¡°You¡¯re insane.¡± Qi Qingyao spat, unable to control herself. ¡­ ¡­ Outside the hall. Lu Yan and Jiang Yeqian were standing by the door. They gazed at the flower beds in the courtyard expressionlessly, like two beautiful statues. The white cat escaped from Lu Yan¡¯s arms. Like a trail of smoke, it climbed up onto the roof along the pirs and nestled itself in the corners of the eaves, wagging its tailzily. The white cat nced at the two men below. It knew that Lu Yan fancied Qi Qingyao, and so does the Head Grand Secretariat, so why was he pretending not to? The white cat could not really understand. Hold on. Si Jin also seemed to like Qi Qingyao¡­ The white cat was in deep contemtion, twitching its tail once again. It listened quietly to the argument urring in the hall. This human was indeed very interesting. She was not like other women, who would so easily be fooled by a man¡¯s ttery. She was oddly calm in the face of the State Preceptor¡¯s clever talk. The calmness even rendered Li Ruoxuan, the cunning human, speechless¡­ The white cat suddenly gained a little more understanding as to why Si Jin was interested in Qi Qingyao¡­ She was indeed an excellent and shrewd human. Almost as shrewd as his owner. Hm. Then who should it root for Qi Qingyao to get together with? Morally, it should support Lu Yan. However, on the other hand, it wanted to support Si Jin¡­ However, Si Jin was not a human being! He was just a fish¡­ Could a fish and a human be together? The white cat pondered the question deeply. Chapter 470 - A Royal Decree 15

Chapter 470: A Royal Decree 15

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion With her still calmly calling him insane, any remnants of Li Ruoxuan¡¯s ego could not take any more from her. ¡°Confessing my feelings to an idiot of a woman like you was the biggest mistake of my life.¡± Wearing an insincere smile, Qi Qingyao responded, ¡°Then please don¡¯t make any more mistakes in the future, State Preceptor.¡± Li Ruoxuan was so angered by this sentence he promptly walked out. Hastily opening the door, he walked straight out of the Qi Residence with a grim expression. Zhu Shen hurriedly followed behind him every step of the way, like a young eunuch trailing behind a supreme emperor. When Jiang Yeqian saw Li Ruoxuan leave so angrily, the big rock in his heart quietly fell. Looking into the side hall from across the door, Jiang Yeqian saw the particrlyid-back smile on that woman¡¯s face and had a sudden realization. Li Ruoxuan likely had done his best to confess, but she had responded by angering him. If he were to also make a sudden confession anytime soon, he too might be angered by her response¡ªangry enough to make his blood boil and cause him to walk out. She was outstanding and many people fancied her¡ªfiguring out how exactly to win her heart was a really difficult problem. Especially since she was nothing like ordinary women¡­ One could not judge her based solely onmon sense as this would make it easy for them to fall into her trap¡­ Jiang Yeqian coughed. He pretended not to care and said that since the State Preceptor had left, he would leave too. Saying that, he took Zhao Xin and left the Qi Residence. Lu Yan let out a sigh of relief. He turned his head and nced at Qi Qingyao, almost wanting to say, ¡®What I just said about wanting to marry you was merely an expedient measure. Don¡¯t think too much about it.¡¯ However, seeing that this girl seemed not to care at all, Lu Yan was left depressed and filled with mixed emotions. Silently, he nced toward the white cat. The white cat jumped off the roof and right into his arms. Lu Yan carried it and left in a hurry, pretending to be unconcerned. Only Steward Zhang was left standing in the courtyard. He nced at his Master retreating, and then at Qi Qingyao who seemed rather rxed. He stroked his chin and had a conflicting thought, ¡®Does Missus not care about other people¡¯s opinions at all, or does she not believe that the master fancies her?¡¯ As far as Steward Zhang was concerned, among the few men present just now, the Head Grand Secretariat and the State Preceptor both seemed like they were nning to take advantage of Qi Qingyao. Only his master was being sincere, but what a pity¡­ Missus did not notice at all¡ªher loss. ¡­ Li Ruoxuan, who had left the Qi Residence, sat in the carriage with a sinister look in his eyes and a clouded expression on his face. Zhu Shen, who sat next to him, did not dare even breathe in his direction for fear that his Excellency would flip the carriage in a fit of anger. After a long period of traveling in the carriage, Li Ruoxuan cursed, ¡°How f*cking annoying.¡± ¡°Your Excellency¡­¡± Zhu Shen was about tofort him. Li Ruoxuan turned to look at Zhu Shen, and once again questioned from the depths of his soul, ¡°Am I really that bad of a person? My repeated confessions to a widow still aren¡¯t being epted!!¡± ¡°...¡± Zhu Shen did not know how to answer. The corner of Li Ruoxuan¡¯s lips was held taut. ¡°I¡¯ve never failed so badly in my life!¡± Zhu Shen, ¡°...¡± ¡®Your Excellency, haven¡¯t you been failing ever since you met Lady Qi? Especially when you faced Si Jin¡ªyou¡¯re now blind in one eye, isn¡¯t that already a failure?¡¯ Zhu Shen felt like Qi Qingyao was Li Ruoxuan¡¯s kryptonite, but he did not dare to say it for fear that he would suffer. Li Ruoxuan smacked the wall of the carriage forcefully, leaving a deep handprint on the stainless-steel carriage. The coachman who was outside driving was shocked by the movement inside. Li Ruoxuan asked again, ¡°Zhu Shen, am I really that terrible?¡± ¡°This servant does not think you¡¯re bad,¡± Zhu Shen answered in a small voice. Li Ruoxuan did not seem to beforted. He said seriously, ¡°Let¡¯s go to Huayue Pavilion tonight!¡± ¡°Your Excellency¡­¡± Going to Huayue Building tonight would be a little¡­ Although it was normal for a State Preceptor to frequent a brothel, his Excellency had always abstained. To be precise, he believed that everyone in the world was useless, and he could not care less about those courtesans. Li Ruoxuan, mortified and fuming, said, ¡°I refuse to believe that all women in the world are like that idiot, having no interest in the State Preceptor at all.¡± Zhu Shen said hurriedly, ¡°Your Excellency, the girls in Huayue Building will surely swarm you without rest.¡± Li Ruoxuan seemed very content with those words. They returned to the residence and stayed for a few hours. When the sky turned dark, Li Ruoxuan left the study and entered straight into the carriage. The coachman turned the carriage around and drove in the direction of Huayue Pavilion. After a while, they arrived at Huayue Pavilion. As soon as the carriage with the name ¡®Li¡¯ on the g arrived at the entrance, the doormen were shocked¡ªthere were few people with the surname ¡®Li¡¯ in Qingzhou City, and there was only one person in Qingzhou City with the surname Li who was entitled to a g. The doormen were so shocked they hurried to greet him. After waiting for the person in the carriage toe down, the doormen instantly recognized him. Although they had never personally met the State Preceptor, they had at least heard of some things¡ªlike that the State Preceptor was blind in one eye due to certain incidents and now wore a ck eyepatch on his right eye. The person standing right before them was undoubtedly that man. The doormen hastily gestured toward the inside. Someone immediately informed Madame Li, the person in charge of Huayue Pavilion, that the State Preceptor had arrived. ¡°State¡ªState Preceptor!!¡± As soon as Li Ruoxuan stepped into Huayue Pavilion, Madame Li was already weing him with a red handkerchief. She shouted delightedly, ¡°Hua Ermei, Hua Mingzhu, Hua Caiyue, you are all the best courtesans of my Huayue Pavilion. Come out at once to entertain the State Preceptor.¡± Li Ruoxuan was silent. When the other guests heard her words, they all looked toward him. Madame Li was fairly shrewd, so she immediately led Li Ruoxuan and Zhu Shen to a private room upstairs. After Zhu Shen reached, he stood calmly at the door. Li Ruoxuan entered the room. The girls that Madame Li called all rushed to the room as well. After exchanging looks at the door, they hurried in. The few courtesans called out in their sweet voices, ¡°State Preceptor~~~~~¡± Li Ruoxuan immediately frowned. ¡°Are these your top courtesans of Huayue Pavilion?¡± ¡°Yes, Your Excellency.¡± Madame Li had never entertained guests of this status. She said, mildly nervous, ¡°If they don¡¯t meet your expectations, we can call for others.¡± Li Ruoxuan felt goosebumps rise all over his body just from the strong fragrance of cosmetics. He almost told them to get out, but when the words reached the tip of his tongue, they changed. ¡°Stay with me for a drink.¡± The few top courtesans who were headed by Hua Ermei hurriedly greeted and sat around Li Ruoxuan. They wanted to persuade him to drink but did not dare to given that he was the State Preceptor. They had actually never before entertained a minister as powerful as this. Each of them sat obediently and remained wary. They did not possess the usual grandeur of top courtesans one bit. Li Ruoxuan called for them to pour the wine. Hua Ermei hurriedly poured the wine, like a maid in the imperial pce in front of the emperor. She did not even dare breathe. Hua Ermei thought about how they wanted to pounce on him, but¡­ the State Preceptor¡¯s face was as ck as the bottom of a wok. Who would dare to? Moreover, all the rumors outside about the State Preceptor were about how he killed people in the blink of an eye. As the saying went, there would be no smoke if there wasn¡¯t a fire. If any one of them did not serve him nicely, would this State Preceptor cut off their heads and use them as stools to sit on? Li Ruoxuan sat there, looking nkly at his wine ss. He smelled the faint discernible fragrance, and his face sank. ¡°All of you leave and change your clothes beforeing back in!¡± Hua Ermei and the rest suddenly froze for a moment before promptly getting up and running out of the room. Zhu Shen, ¡°???¡± Madame Li nced at Hua Ermei and the others who had run out and asked what the matter was. Hua Ermei quickly repeated Li Ruoxuan¡¯s words. Madame Li¡¯s expression changed drastically. She hurried in to exin that she did not mean to sprinkle the aphrodisiac powder on their bodies¡­ It was all¡­ It was all¡­ Li Ruoxuan waved his hand to indicate that he did not want to hear her exnation. Madame Li¡¯s back waspletely soaked. After changing out of their clothes, Hua Ermei and the others came back. The unique fragrance they had once worn had now disappeared. Each of them sat down obediently now, like quails. Although Hua Ermei and the others changed their clothes, the style of their clothes remained revealing. As the top courtesans of Huayue Pavilion, their abilities to read people were certainly polished. Hua Ermei wondered if the State Preceptor had seen countless beauties in Capital City. Would he think they were merely average, and not considered extraordinary beauties? That would be terrible. She could only silently apany him for a drink tonight¡­ Hua Caiyue had a more miserable thought. She had thought she would be able to have her ¡®Cindere¡¯ moment upon escorting the State Preceptor. Who would have thought that the State Preceptor would not even look at them the entire time! Li Ruoxuan¡¯s attention was on the wine. He made them pour him another ss as soon as he finished drinking. He seemed like an utterly emotionless drinking machine. After an hour of drinks, Li Ruoxuan began feeling a little bored. So, he got up and left Huayue Pavilion. Zhu Shen paid for the wine and promptly left with Li Ruoxuan. Madame Li excitedly asked Hua Ermei and the other two courtesans whether they had¡­ Before she could finish her sentence, Hua Ermei and the other two shook their heads. ¡°The State Preceptor only drank wine. He did not even look at us!¡± Madame Li was stunned upon hearing this. Although her three best courtesans were not extraordinary beauties, they were still considered pretty charming. How could they still not have been able to arouse any interest¡­ Could it be that the aphrodisiac powder from before had disgusted the State Preceptor? Li Ruoxuan left Huayue Pavilion. Instead of riding in a carriage, he walked along the banks of Qingyang Lake, refreshing himself with the cool air. Watching his unsteady figure, Zhu Shen was very concerned. He was afraid that his Excellency would fall right into theke. ¡°Your Excellency, aren¡¯t you able to flush the alcohol out? Why¡­¡± ¡®Did you not flush it out? Letting the alcohol rush to your head, making you unable to walk steadily now.¡¯ Zhu Shen did not quite understand. Li Ruoxuan cast a sidelong nce at Zhu Shen, who was holding his arm, and puffed out the strong scent of alcohol. He said with blurry eyes, ¡°Because I don¡¯t want to be sober! Am I not allowed?¡± ¡°You are¡­¡± ¡®You are definitely allowed. As long as you¡¯re happy, anything is fine.¡¯ Zhu Shen felt rather helpless. Then again, Zhu Shen rarely saw the State Preceptor in such a drunken state. He even deliberately allowed himself to get drunk¡­ It was silly, and a little childish. Many pedestrians on the road could not help but shake their heads when they saw the drunkard under the moonlight and thenterns hanging by the roadside. Li Ruoxuan did not know how he had walked before he sat down on a long wooden bench by a willow tree. Knowing that he would not fall into theke, Zhu Shen let go of his arm. Li Ruoxuan stared nkly at theke in the middle of the night. The cool wind was blowing. The moonlight was shining silver. The moonlight fell from the sky and refracted on the surface of theke. It was foggy as it was still early spring. There was a mist that gradually spread over the entireke, creating a faint glow. It was extremely beautiful. Li Ruoxuan was silent for a long time, his gaze gradually bing dreamier. Suddenly, he picked up a small stone on the ground and tossed it into theke, cursing. ¡°I really don¡¯t understand. What part of me is not worthy of this little widow? Isn¡¯t she just a woman who hasn¡¯t even found the biological father of her children after their affair? What is she so proud of? ¡°She even dared to refuse my repeated confessions. She must really have a death wish.¡±= ¡°She¡¯s just an ordinary little widow!! ¡°I hate this kind of woman, those who don¡¯t even know what¡¯s best for themselves. If it wasn¡¯t for Si Jin being present, I would¡¯ve f*cking killed this woman and her entire family.¡± His Excellency¡¯s cussing tone sounded like a child throwing a tantrum over a lost toy. Listening to it, Zhu Shen did not know whether he shouldugh or cry. He suddenly said, ¡°Your Excellency¡­¡± ¡°Hm?¡± Li Ruoxuan replied. Zhu Shen could notprehend. ¡°Is there really nothing you can do to get back at Qi Qingyao?¡± ¡®There should be something, right?¡¯ ¡°With Si Jin alive, what can I do?¡± Li Ruoxuan could not help but get angry when he thought about Si Jin. Although he was not here now, his deterrence against him remained. Li Ruoxuan might not have been very handsome, but he was the State Preceptor. How could seducing her with his charm not work at all? He wondered whether it would work if the Head Grand Secretariat did the same. Li Ruoxuan suddenly asked, ¡°Zhu Shen, am I disliked by women?¡± Zhu Shen exined and said, ¡°All the girls from Huayue Pavilion just now fancied you, your Excellency.¡± Li Ruoxuan seemed very upset when he heard the words ¡®the girls from Huayue Pavilion¡¯. He frowned and began cursing at theke again. ¡°She¡¯s just a little widow, how dare she have that kind of attitude toward the dignified State Preceptor?¡± ¡°It¡¯s probably because of Si Jin,¡± Zhu Shen muttered. ¡°But Si Jin isn¡¯t here now,¡± Li Ruoxuan replied exasperatedly. He tossed another small stone into theke. After tossing it, he still seemed angry. Suddenly, he noticed a store selling fried sugar cakes from the corner of his eye. He snapped out of his dreamy gaze and paused. ¡°Zhu Shen, go buy two fried sugar cakes.¡± Zhu Shen was a little worried for his Excellency¡¯s safety¡ªbut when he thought about those secret guards that had to be guarding his Excellency from the shadows, he hurried over to buy the fried sugar cakes. He returned with them. He passed the hot cakes into Li Ruoxuan¡¯s hands. The fried sugar cakes were wrapped in oil paper and smelled scrumptious in the night air. Unfortunately, the sky suddenly began to rain. The street vendors quickly packed up their things and left. Zhu Shen called for the carriage to hurry over as he opened his umbre. The rain grew heavier. In the heavy rain, the small umbre was barely able to keep them dry. The heavy rain dampened the fried sugar cakes in Li Ruoxuan¡¯s hands. The carriage arrived. Zhu Shen asked his Excellency to quickly board the carriage. Li Ruoxuan shook his head. Under the murky moonlight, he gazed faintly at the fried sugar cakes wrapped in oil paper that he held in his hands. Li Ruoxuan suddenly lowered his head. He opened his mouth and took a bite of the fried sugar cake that was soaked by the heavy rain. Despite being mixed with the taste of rainwater, it was very sweet! It was very fragrant and was still delicious. He finished eating one of the sugar cakes, one bite at a time. Li Ruoxuan then looked at the remaining one, but all he could think about was the woman named Qi Qingyao. Chapter 471 - A Royal Decree 16

Chapter 471: A Royal Decree 16

¡®Exactly which part of me is not worthy of you, you little widow? ¡®I¡¯m the State Preceptor! ¡®Even if I¡¯m blind in one eye, I¡¯m still the handsome State Preceptor! ¡®Qi Qingyao, oh Qi Qingyao, how dare you be so dismissive of me. ¡®And how dare you be so aloof? ¡®You¡¯re clearly nothing more than a bug on the ground. ¡®You¡¯re worse than an earthworm. ¡®You were yed by a man that was not willing to take responsibility. Now you don¡¯t even know who the biological father of your children is. I, the State Preceptor, am willing to act as your children¡¯s father, yet you¡¯re still unwilling. ¡®You really can¡¯t tell what¡¯s good for yourself¡­¡¯ Li Ruoxuan felt very angry, absolutely irate¡ªbut when he looked at the fried sugar cake in his hand, all his fury turned into an inexplicable feeling. ¡®Why did you so kindly give me fried sugar cake when we first met¡­ ¡®At the time, I was merely a stranger to you.¡¯ Qi. Qing. Yao! Fury, anger, and longing. All of these emotions coursed through his chest. In a fit of anger, crumpled up the oil paper holding the sugar cake in his hand, causing all the syrup from the sugar cake to ooze out and make his hand sticky. He felt something between his brows and heard a ¡®pop¡¯. It was as if something had broken through the clouds and mist¡­ Li Ruoxuan¡¯s mind was suddenly clear. ¡°Your Excellency, the rain is getting heavier! You should get in the carriage!¡± Zhu Shen could not help but urge worriedly. Li Ruoxuan got up and waved at Zhu Shen, signaling for him to stand aside. He stood alone in the heavy rain. Just like a bamboo shoot. ¡°Your Excellency¡­¡± Zhu Shen urged again. Li Ruoxuan looked at the mist on the surface of theke for a while, then suddenly turned his head to look at Zhu Shen. He said with clear eyes, ¡°Zhu Shen, I broke through.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Zhu Shen, dumbfounded, looked at the man in the heavy rain. Li Ruoxuan, ¡°I broke through!¡± He repeated these three words once more. ¡­ ¡­ Meanwhile, Whether it was the one at Yunwu Mountain, the one at Junlin City, the one near the sacred tombs at Yinzhou City, the one in Guling Pagoda, or Shang Li who had only just left Qingzhou City¡­ Every one of them was shocked. A rank-nine had broken through the limit! Someone on the maind had reached the realm of a grand master! Who was it?! Who the hell was it?! Everyone was now on guard for any eventualities. After a moment of silence, he quickly began to write a letter to the empress. The empress had to be notified about this matter as soon as possible to formte a new n for the future. ¡­ Si Jin had long turned into a small koi fish and was now swimming happily in a spirit fountain somewhere in the upper reaches of Jiuli River. It was just then that those beautiful golden eyes suddenly snapped. ¡®Someone broke through rank-nine? ¡®How interesting. ¡®There have always been many talents on this maind.¡¯ The old man sitting by the riverbank also sensed it. Several images shed before his eyes simultaneously. It was a premonition¡­ everything in the images was about the Harbinger. The grandpa closed his eyes. After digesting those few images, he turned around so his back faced Si Jin. He counted with his fingers, then rxed his brows. It was normal for the Harbinger to be surrounded by turmoil. Her life would not be in danger. Hence, there was no need to tell Si Jin that it was the State Preceptor who had broken through the boundary. This was that man¡¯s destiny. ¡­ When Li Ruoxuan boarded the carriage, Zhu Shen followed his every step. He was still mildly dumbfounded. ¡°Your¡ªYour Excellency, what did you mean when you said¡­ you ¡®broke through¡¯?¡± He asked as he could not believe it. Li Ruoxuan pursed his lips and smiled. He sat on the carriage and started meditating, ignoring Zhu Shen¡¯s question. Some time passed. The carriage arrived at the residence. Li Ruoxuan opened his eyes, held his hands together behind his back, and got off the carriage with a very leisurely expression. Zhu Shen followed behind him. They entered the hall. He quickly asked someone to retrieve a change of clothes for His Excellency, then prepared a cup of ginseng tea. Once Li Ruoxuan changed out of his clothes, the me in his eyes grew brighter. Zhu Shen stood before Li Ruoxuan. ¡°Your Excellency¡­you¡­¡± He did not understand, His Excellency had only said that he had broken through, then proceeded to shift to a decadent attitude. It was as if he had walked out from the light, looking on top of the world. Li Ruoxuan nced at the rain outside and the corner of his lips lifted into a very ambiguous smile. ¡°When I said I broke through, I mean I broke through.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Zhu Shen still looked confused. ¡°Zhu Shen.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Excellency?¡± ¡°From today onward, the State Preceptor right in front of you is a brand-new person.¡± ¡°¡­???¡± Zhu Shen was still confused, but he did not dare to ask questions. ¡°There¡¯s now one more grand master on this maind.¡± Li Ruoxuan smiled very calmly. ¡°???¡± Zhu Shen¡¯s eyes suddenly widened. He instantly analyzed Li Ruoxuan from head to toe, but he could not believe what his Excellency had just said. This was because those words had two possible meanings. The first being that it was about Si Jin. The other, that he was talking about the breakthrough of his Excellency himself¡­ ¡®Ah. Don¡¯t tell me.¡¯ Zhu Shen knelt on the ground gingerly, cupped one fist in the other hand as a means of paying respect then spoke ¡°Congrattions, Your Excellency!!¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Li Ruoxuan said those two words in a very bright tone. Only then did Zhu Shen believe that his Excellency had really been ascended to the rank of grand master. He was shocked as he looked at the man before him in disbelief. ¡°It¡¯s just that, since I¡¯ve only just ascended to the level of grand mastership, I¡¯m still a fledgling. I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll end up like Pang Juan if I go against the other grand masters now, so keep this matter a secret for the time being. Keep it to yourself,¡± Li Ruoxuan ordered. Zhu Shen said yes repeatedly. Although Li Ruoxuan said that he had just ascended to grand mastership, he was already starting to ponder how he would deal with Si Jin and the good-for-nothing Qi Qingyao! Now was a good time because Si Jin was not around. It was expected that he did not get an answer when he killed Qi Qingzhust time. So, how many chess pieces could there be left? Li Ruoxuan stroked his chin and came up with a new idea. ¡­ ¡­ A few dayster. As soon as Qi Qingyao got up in the morning, Steward Zhang hurriedly said that a visitor hade to see her. Qi Qingyao¡¯s heart skipped a beat when she heard this. She asked who it was. Steward Zhang hurriedly exined. ¡°It¡¯s not the State Preceptor.¡± Qi Qingyao breathed a sigh of relief. Steward Zhang continued, ¡°He said he came from the capital, that he was sent from the imperial pce¡­ There¡¯s a royal decree that Missus must receive in person.¡± Qi Qingyao, ¡°¡­¡± Someone from the imperial pce? A royal decree! Her heart sank to her stomach. She had previously guessed that Si Jin¡¯s existence would garner the attention of a big shot from Qingzhou City. However, she did not think that the royal decree woulde so fast. Qi Qingyao quickly changed into some decent clothes. Steward Zhang had led the gentleman into the side hall. Upon seeing that the person was a neatly dressed official, Qi Qingyao promptly knelt down. ¡°Thismon woman, Qi Qingyao, epts the decree.¡± The official immediately opened the royal decree and began reading it aloud. ¡°Her Majesty¡¯s edict: ¡®I have heard of Qi Qingyao¡¯s deeds, such as being an architectural master and medical genius. I am very relieved. Northern Liang is fortunate to have such talents. Therefore, I especially summon Qi Qingyao to the Capital City to see me.¡¯ End of the decree.¡± Qi Qingyao, ¡°¡­¡± ¡®Howe I was summoned instead of Si Jin? ¡®What¡¯s the use of summoning me? ¡®What could this empress be thinking? ¡®Is the focus on me?¡¯ Qi Qingyao was so dumbfounded she forgot to ept the decree. The official responsible for delivering the decree spoke. ¡°Qi Qingyao, express your gratitude and ept the decree.¡± Qi Qingyao quickly abided by him and expressed her gratitude. Upon epting the decree, she retrieved a piece of paper money from her arms and handed it to the official who had delivered the decree, in ordance withmon etiquette. ¡®Many thanks to my lord foring all this way to help deliver the decree to this civilian girl. Please ept this civilian girl¡¯s token of gratitude.¡± The official on duty had been an official for many years, so he knew how to respond. He knew whom this mansion belonged to. So, he epted Qi Qingyao¡¯s token of gratitude. ¡°My Lord, I¡¯m sure you must be weary from your lengthy traveling. Why don¡¯t you rest in my house for a day or two?¡± Qi Qingyao quickly said. That official said, ¡°There¡¯s no need to rest. Thank you, Lady Qi, for your kindness.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Qi Qingyao nodded with a smile. Pretending to be nonchnt, she asked, ¡°My Lord, since you came from the pce, this civilian girl is a little curious. What¡¯s the purpose¡­ of the empress summoning me?¡± Should it not be Si Jin who should be summoned? The official nced at the young and beautiful girl. He did not know the empress¡¯ intentions, so he could only shake his head and say, ¡°This official does not dare to specte on the empress¡¯ thoughts.¡± Qi Qingyao nodded and bowed, then sent the official who delivered the decree out of the gate with Steward Zhang. They happened to run into Lu Yan who had just returned from a trip outside. The official approached him excitedly and took the initiative to greet Lu Yan. Lu Yan nodded unenthusiastically. They exchanged pleasantries. Then, the official took his leave. Lu Yan asked what the matter was as soon as he walked through the door. Qi Qingyao showed Lu Yan the royal decree. Lu Yan frowned and said, ¡°This empress is still as cunning as always.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°She wants to summon Si Jin, but didn¡¯t dare to.¡± ¡°She didn¡¯t dare to because Si Jin¡¯s skills are above that of a grand master¡¯s?¡± Qi Qingyao said as she suddenly realized. ¡°That¡¯s why she chose a different approach by summoning you¡­¡± She just likely did not expect Si Jin to have already left. The corner of Lu Yan¡¯s lips curled up into a helpless smile. If the empress had not seen Si Jin at the Capital City, she would still have Qi Qingyao as her trump card. If Si Jin still did not show up, Qi Qingyao would be used as bait in the hands of the empress! Waiting to catch the big fish named Si Jin.. Chapter 472 - A Royal Decree 17

Chapter 472: A Royal Decree 17

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Qi Qingyao contemted it for a while. Now that Si Jin was not around, she could head to Capital City by herself. It would certainly be easier to escape during a critical moment if she was alone. However, she still had to take her three children with her. She could not put them in a dangerous situation. She hesitated for a moment before saying, ¡°She summoned me but, is it possible for me not to go?¡± Lu Yan nced at her and reminded her. ¡°You received an imperial decree. If you don¡¯t go to the Capital to meet the empress¡­ Do you believe you¡¯ll still be able to leave Northern Liang alive?¡± Qi Qingyao¡¯s expression was sullen, but she said nothing. Lu Yan helplessly said, ¡°Remember, that¡¯s an imperial decree! Not just some random document.¡± Qi Qingyao, ¡°...¡± ¡°So, you don¡¯t have any choice now.¡± Lu Yan reminded her of her current situation. Si Jin was not around. Qi Qingyao, who had no trump card, was like a tiger that had lost its vicious teeth and sharp ws¡ªa tiger that had be a kitten. ¡°However, you can calm down a little. You and I are now friends. The State Preceptor, Head Grand Secretariat, and the empress are waiting to use you, so in theory, your life is guaranteed. Even putting me aside, no one will dare harm you with Si Jin protecting you.¡± Qi Qingyao pursed her lips. She hesitated for a moment, then muttered softly, ¡°Even if I were to think with my entire body from my head to my toes, it¡¯s impossible to get through entering the Capital safely.¡± ¡°...¡± Lu Yan thought to himself, ¡®Look at all the trouble you¡¯ve caused in Qingzhou City! Several grand masters havee to Qingzhou City, and one of them has even died!!¡¯ Although she did not cause these problems directly, Si Jin was tied to her, thus, indirectly, she was the reason everything had happened. Like hell their trip to the Capital City would be peaceful. After Qi Qingyao parted with Lu Yan, she sat in her room and pondered for a long time before going to look for her three children¡­ ¡­ ¡­ The news that an official hade to the Qi Residence to announce a decree quickly reached Jiang Yeqian¡¯s ears via his many spies. Bai Mei reported to him seriously, ¡°Master, we¡¯ve just received news that an imperial decree was sent to the Qi Residence.¡± ¡°What was the content of the imperial decree?¡± Jiang Yeqian asked, but he already knew what it was. It was probably to summon Si Jin. However, Si Jin did not seem to be by Qi Qingyao¡¯s side anymore. What would that woman do now?! Bai Mei said, ¡°The empress summoned Qi Qingyao to the Capital to meet with her.¡± ¡°She didn¡¯t summon Si Jin?¡± Jiang Yeqian was mildly surprised. Bai Mei said, ¡°....No.¡± Jiang Yeqian thought to himself for a second, then responded, ¡°It seems that the empress is very afraid of Si Jin. She must be trying to get to him indirectly by summoning Qi Qingyao to the Capital.¡± ¡°...¡± Bai Mei agreed with her master¡¯s view. ¡ª On the other side of the city, Zhu Shen reported the matters of the Qi Residence to Li Ruoxuan. Li Ruoxuan raised his eyebrows after hearing it. ¡°I haven¡¯t made a move yet, but the empress already has. She¡¯s quite impatient, huh?¡± ¡°This subordinate guesses that it might be the aftereffects of¡­ Pang Juan¡¯s death.¡± Zhu Shen bowed and said. Li Ruoxuan stroked his chin and smiled cryptically. ¡°Now that a grand master has died, the few major countries on the maind will stand down for the time being. However, our empress of Northern Liang is impatient¡ªwanting to reap Si Jin for her own use quickly.¡± By summoning Qi Qingyao, heh! ¡°Your Excellency¡­¡± Zhu Shen said, ¡°Lady Qi said that Si Jin will not be around for a while¡­¡± ¡°The empress summoned her, not Si Jin.¡± Li Ruoxuan stood up and nced out of the window. Zhu Shen said nothing. He did not dare specte on the empress¡¯ wishes. Li Ruoxuan picked up his cup of tea and took a sip. Then, he held his hands together behind his back and stood in front of the window, watching the spring rain shower the city outside of his window. He said, ¡°However, I have to find out Qi Qingyao¡¯s parentage before returning to the Capital City.¡± he wanted to investigate it before when he dealt with Qi Qingzhu, but there were no leads and he had nearly even gotten himself in trouble, risking losses. This time, the situation was different. He was now a grand master. This level was more than enough to deal with Jiang Yeqian. Presently, there was no grand master in Qingzhou City¡­ Si Jin was not here either. As the saying went, it would be easier to take advantage of a situation when the other party was down! Zhu Shen asked, ¡°Your Excellency, do you have an idea?¡± ¡°Since I¡¯m already a grand master, and Si Jin is not around, at a time like this, I certainly have to take advantage of my status.¡± Li Ruoxuan seemed a little smug and continued, ¡°No one below the level of a grand master can oppose me.¡± Zhu Shen, ¡°...¡± Could it be that his Excellency wanted to press on Qi Qingyao¡¯s other weaknesses? Although Zhu Shen did not ask this out loud, Li Ruoxuan had sensed it. He turned his head and said, ¡°If I wait for Qi Qingyao to enter the Capital City, with Lu Yan and Jiang Yeqian protecting her from the shadows, I won¡¯t have another opportunity.¡± ¡°Your Excellency, but that will offend Master Si Jin.¡± Zhu Shen reminded him. ¡°Si Jin is not a concern.¡± Li Ruoxuan¡¯s tone was rxed. After saying that, he thought for a while and added, ¡°Unless he wants to go against Northern Liang in its entirety for Qi Qingyao.¡± His voice was very light. However, his tone was full of certainty. Zhu Shen, ¡°...¡± Was His Excellency really nning to kill Qi Qingyao¡¯s family? It might be a good approach, but Zhu Shen certainly did not approve. He really did not want His Excellency to end up shooting himself in the foot! Zhu Shen felt that the young man called Si Jin that was tied to Qi Qingyao was extremely mysterious. If Qi Qingyao was in trouble again, that young man might really kill His Excellency. It is possible that he would be willing to go against the entirety of Northern Liang¡­ What course of action should they take if that happened? Zhu Shen was mildly worried. However, upon seeing His Excellency looking all smug, he did not want to be a buzzkill. ¡­ ¡­ After Qi Qingyao called her three children before her, they held their heads up cutely, all of them looking at her with a childlike innocent gaze. ¡°Mommy?¡± Xiaobao could not help but call out. Qi Qingyao let out a cough before finding her voice. ¡°I came here because I have something important to tell the three of you.¡± ¡°Tell us, Mommy.¡± Dabao¡¯s usual timid demeanor had now be more serious. He obediently followed Erniu and Xiaobao and sat in front of her with his legs crossed. ¡°An imperial decree has arrived from the imperial pce, asking Mommy to go to Capital City to meet the empress.¡± Once Qi Qingyao had said this, she realized that the children may not know what an imperial decree was, so she briefly exined what it was. After Xiaobao heard this, he was silent for a long while before speaking, ¡°I heard some things about the Capital City from the servants in the residence, so we all know that the Capital City is where Her Majesty the Empress lives. The empress lives in the imperial pce! Now, Mommy said that the empress wants to see you¡­ This should have been a good thing¡ªbut Mommy¡¯s expression tells me that she does not believe it is something good, right?¡± Dabao and Erniu nodded obediently and cutely when they heard this. They agreed with what Xiaobao had said. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Qi Qingyao nodded. ¡°The Capital City is not a ce anyone can just visit. That ce is full of bigshots who hold the power of life and death over our lives, especially the empress. One wrong move and we¡¯ll be beheaded.¡± She would not mind if she was executed for offending the empress, but that would be unfortunate for her three children. Dabao pulled at Qi Qingyao¡¯s clothes with his small hand and said, ¡°Mommy¡­¡± ¡°Hm?¡± Qi Qingyao looked down at him. ¡°Recently, I¡¯ve been hearing things from the people in the residence. I also asked our teacher about this. Our teacher told us that Qingzhou City is the most chaotic ce on the maind¡­¡± Dabao blinked his eyes and said earnestly, ¡°So, the Capital City of Northern Liang surely can¡¯t be any more chaotic than it is here.¡± Qi Qingyao, ¡°...¡± Dabao pouted and said, ¡°Besides, Mommy has met the two most powerful officials in Northern Liang¡ªthe State Preceptor, and Head Grand Secretariat. So, even if there are any high officials in the Capital City, I think Mommy doesn¡¯t need to be afraid.¡± Erniu interjected in a soft voice, ¡°And there¡¯s also Uncle Lu! It¡¯ll be fine.¡± Qi Qingyao rubbed her two children¡¯s heads and said, ¡°I¡¯m actually more worried about you three little brats! Why are you guys concerned about me?!¡± Xiaobao looked at Qi Qingyao innocently and said with a childish but determined tone, ¡°We may be very young, but we won¡¯t cause trouble for Mommy when we go to the Capital City.¡± Erniu continued in turn, ¡°That¡¯s right. If Mommy doesn¡¯t allow us to go out, then Dabao won¡¯t go out to y. We¡¯ll stay in the room obediently.¡± Qi Qingyao picked up Erniu and kissed her plump cheeks. She said, ¡°I was quite worried at first, but since the three of you are so well-behaved¡­ It seems I¡¯ll have to carry out this imperial decree.¡± Fortunately, the Empress had not set any instructions as to when she should arrive at Capital City¡­ She could pretend to be carrying orders out quickly while ¡°slowly¡± departing! First, she had to show that she was indeed following orders. ¡­ There was another thing. It made Qi Qingyao frown. It was that she had still not found out the identity of the guy that night, even after having been in Qingzhou City for so long. Neither had she learned about her parentage¡­ This trip to the Capital City would take a long time. She was afraid this matter would have to be put on hold for the time being. What a headache. Once Qi Qingyao got up, she informed her three children that they would set off for the Capital City in three days. Then, she went outside. She was walking through the garden when she noticed Dong Jing going in and out of Lu Yan¡¯s courtyard, looking very busy. This left her stunned. ¡°What are you so upied with?¡± Qi Qingyao curiously walked to the gate of the courtyard and asked. Dong Jing stopped in his tracks, and replied, ¡°Isn¡¯t Missus going to the Capital City?¡± ¡°...¡± She was going, but¡­ They were¡­ Dong Jing smiled and said, ¡°Since Missus is going to the Capital City, my Master also said that he has also been in Qingzhou City for a few months and so it¡¯s time for him to return to the capital. Now that Missus is also Master¡¯s private physician and is helping Master with his treatment, it¡¯s naturally best for him to go back to the Capital with you. Master Si Jin is not around either, and there are many people in the Lu Family. If we go together, we can also protect Missus along the way.¡± Qi Qingyao, ¡°...¡± This was very thoughtful. She had not spoken about it yet. Lu Yan seemed to have heard the conversation between the two and came out from the house. He said, ¡°Quickly pack your bags. I¡¯ll ask my men to prepare the rest, so you don¡¯t have to worry too much. Oh, right, just to remind you. I¡¯m afraid that the State Preceptor and Head Grand Secretariat have also found out that you were summoned to the capital by the Empress. You must be prepared for those two to possibly follow us. With Li Ruoxuan¡¯s trickster personality, this journey would probably not be peaceful¡­ Ugh! Chapter 473 - A Royal Decree 18

Chapter 473: A Royal Decree 18

Zhao Xin reported the news that Qi Qingyao had received an imperial decree to Jiang Yeqian as well as the fact that Lu Yan had also begun packing his bags. After reporting the news, he saw that Jiang Yeqian had also begun packing his bags. Zhao Xin was so shocked he did not know what to say. ¡°Your Excellency, you¡­¡± ¡®Why are you suddenly packing your bags? Didn¡¯t you already hand over your letter of resignation to the Capital, and Her Majesty the Empress had already agreed to your request? That way, we would have no need to return to the Capital¡­¡± ¡®We should go back to the Zhaixing Administration and focus on their affairs.¡¯ Zhao Xin thought so himself but did not dare to say aloud. ¡°We¡¯re heading back to the capital.¡± Jiang Yeqian hobbled to his closet and threw out some of his clothes without looking back.¡± Zhao Xin quickly gathered the clothes, helped His Excellency to sit down, and stated he would help with the packing. Jiang Yeqian agreed and while sitting there, exined some details regarding their return to the capital. Zhao Xin could not help but interject, ¡°You¡¯ve already resigned.¡± ¡°I know.¡± Jiang Yeqian responded. ¡°¡­¡± ¡®If you know then why do you still want to go back to the capital?¡¯ Zhao Xin was stunned. Jiang Yeqian let out a cough, and said, ¡°Can¡¯t I go back to the capital after I resign?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡®It¡¯s not that you can¡¯t, but why now?¡¯ Zhao Xin asked helplessly, ¡°Your Excellency, are you doing this because Lady Qi is going back to the Capital?¡± Jiang Yeqian was silent for a while before reprimanding him strictly. ¡°Zhao Xin, it¡¯s not that. Let me educate you. Even though I¡¯ve resigned, the Zhaixing Administration still has influence in the Capital City. Besides, you forgot that our target is Si Jin. Although Si Jin has disappeared now, with his ability being above the level of a grand master, he might just emerge out of nowhere if he was summoned by Qi Qingyao. So, we must follow Qi Qingyao to the Capital City.¡± His rhetoric was very reasonable. ¡°But Your Excellency, didn¡¯t you mention before that you had to stay in Qingzhou City and wait for the real jade tablet to turn up?¡± Zhao Xinined in a small voice. Jiang Yeqian cast a sideways nce at Zhao Xin and said, ¡°If I keep having to stay at Qingzhou City, what¡¯s the point of having Bai Mei and the others around?¡± Zhao Xin, ¡°¡­¡± Knowing that his subordinate was starting to second guess his intentions, Jiang Yeqian continued even more seriously, ¡°Everything has a different level of priority. My main priority is to investigate Si Jin and Qi Qingyao. I¡¯m listing this matter as the current top priority of the Zhanxing Administration!¡± Zhao Xin thought about it and felt that it made sense. Si Jin had strength above the level of a grand master. However, there was no exnation for his history. This was highly unusual. The entire Zhaixing Administration could not find any information about him before now¡­ What a disappointment. He¡¯d better listen to His Excellency and investigate Si Jin first. However, if they wanted to investigate Si Jin, they had to keep an eye on Qi Qingyao¡­ She was bait. ¡­ ¡­ The Qi Residence. Upon seeing that the packing was almostpleted, Lu Yan went to the front hall to have a cup of tea. However, as soon as he entered through the door, he saw Qi Qingyao sitting there in a trance¡ªlooking deep in thought. Lu Yan sat beside her and looked at the rain pattering outside. He asked, ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± ¡°I was thinking, should I say goodbye to them?¡± Qi Qingyao leaned her cheek on her palm, her gaze fixed on the spring rain behind the window. The fine yet dense rain fell, adding a dash of humidity and chill to the warm spring. ¡°They?¡± Lu Yan was stunned for a second, then immediately caught up to what she was saying. She meant the Qi Family. He was silent for a moment. ¡°Do you want to say goodbye?¡± Qi Qingyao¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°If I leave now, I feel like I won¡¯t being to Qingzhou City for at least half a year.¡± ¡°Then go say a quick goodbye,¡± Lu Yan said resoundingly, ¡°Would you like me to arrange it for you?¡± Qi Qingyao made up her mind. ¡°No need. I¡¯ll departter and say my goodbyes during the night.¡± ¡°Are your three children following you back?¡± Lu Yan asked. Qi Qingyao shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t want to make things troublesome. I¡¯ll just go back alone..¡± Chapter 474 - A Royal Decree 19

Chapter 474: A Royal Decree 19

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Linquan Vige. When Madam Liang noticed her mother-inw was not at lunch, she quietly asked Qi Yuanxiu, ¡°Where¡¯s Mother? Howe she¡¯s not here?¡± Staring at the heavy rain outside while eating polenta, Qi Yuanxiu answered, ¡°She said that she was going to her uncle¡¯s house this morning and would only be back in a few days.¡± ¡°...¡± Madam Liang nced discreetly at the Old Lady at home. She muttered to herself, now that mother-inw was not here, she would have to deal with the Old Lady by herself¡­ She was afraid she would not be able to handle it. She utterly hated staying with the Old Lady! The granddaughter at home was also eating her meal silently, not daring to speak to the Old Lady¡­ ¡­ ¡­ Madam Wu woke up groggily. She felt dizzy and disoriented, and she did not know where she was. It seemed to be¡­ a ruined temple? Why was she in a ruined temple? She remembered that she had left the vige early that morning. She had heard from someone a few days ago that her uncle was dying, so she had set out to visit him¡ªlikely for thest time. However, halfway through her journey¡­ everything had gone dark. When she opened her eyes again, she was where she was now. Just as Madam Wu was about to scream for help, a man wearing a ck eyepatch walked up to her from the side, causing Madam Wu to be momentarily stunned before asking in a screech, ¡°Who are you?¡± She had never seen anyone wearing an eyepatch before. Before the man could answer her, Madam Wu asked, ¡°Why am I here?!¡± as she realized she was tied to the pir of the ruined temple. Li Ruoxuan crossed his arms and calmly nced at the rain outside the ruined temple. He said, ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter who I am. What matters is that you¡¯re about to die.¡± Madam Wu struggled hard, trying to loosen the ropes that bound her body¡ªbut she could not break free despite her efforts. Madam Wu was irate. She scolded, ¡°What nonsense are you talking about! Who¡¯s about to die? You¡¯re the one about who¡¯s to die!! Hurry up and untie me, or my Yaoyao will make you pay for this.¡± Li Ruoxuan looked back and swept a nce across the struggling Madam Wu. He smiled and said, ¡°Qi Qingyao?¡± Madam Wu was so surprised, she did not dare answer¡ªthis man might have been wearing an eyepatch and only had one good eye, but he seemed like an enigma. Li Ruoxuan shrugged and said, ¡°Look at you, acting so proud¡­¡± He paused. ¡°Why don¡¯t you tell me what the hell is with her parentage?¡± Madam Wu did not pause before shouting a response, ¡°What parentage? What nonsense are you talking about? Let me go!!¡± Li Ruoxuan was toozy to beat around the bush with this woman. He said straightforwardly, ¡°You didn¡¯t forget how Qi Qingzhu and her family died, did you?¡± ¡°...¡± Madam Wu¡¯s pupils shrank, and her face immediately turned pale. ¡°You¡ªYou¡ªYou¡ªAre you one who killed Qingzhu¡¯s family?¡± ¡°You remembered quickly.¡± Li Ruoxuan was very satisfied with Madam Wu¡¯s performance. ¡°Qi Qingyao has received an imperial decree from the imperial pce. She¡¯s about to enter the pce to meet the Empress. She will not be back for at least a few months.¡± ¡®Yaoyao received an imperial decree from the Empress? Who knows why Her Majesty summoned her?¡¯ Madam Wu in an even tone while agitated, ¡°You¡ªYou¡ªYou, how do you know?¡± The young man in front of her answered calmly, ¡°Because I¡¯m the State Preceptor.¡± ¡°...¡± State Preceptor? If Madam Wu was bound to the pir, she might have been so frightened she would have knelt. Madam Wu had also heard of many rumors from Qingzhou Citytely, and they had all been about Qi Qingyao. It was said that the State Preceptor and the Head Grand Secretariat were both in Qingzhou City¡­ and had had run-ins with her. Madam Wu tried her best to suppress her fear and asked, ¡°What do you want?¡± ¡°I want you to be honest.¡± Li Ruoxuan¡¯s voice was as light as a feather. ¡°Otherwise, you will end up like Qi Qingzhu¡¯s family.¡± ¡°...¡± Madam Wu¡¯s face changed drastically. Li Ruoxuan smiled innocently. ¡°So, have you decided to tell me the truth?¡± Chapter 475 - A Royal Decree 20

Chapter 475: A Royal Decree 20

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Madam Wu scolded him harshly. ¡°You want me to exin Qi Qingyao¡¯s identity? Of course our family¡¯s Yaoyao is my biological child! What else do you want from me?¡± Li Ruoxuan¡¯s smile was still innocent. ¡°Do you really think I don¡¯t know anything?¡± he asked as he touched his blindfold again. Madam Wu¡¯s eyes shed with fear. She was afraid to ask more questions, so she remained silent. ¡°...¡± Li Ruoxuan nced at Madam Wu, who looked conflicted, and said with a smile, ¡°Qi Qingzhu exined a bit of it before, saying that Qi Qingyao wasn¡¯t your biological child¡­ Do you still need to hear the rest?¡± Madam Wu was dumbfounded for a moment before she muttered to herself, ¡°If you already know everything, why are you still interrogating me?¡± Li Ruoxuan¡¯s rxed expression suddenly broke into a chortling one. ¡± I was just bluffing, but you just admitted the truth¡­¡± ¡°!!!!¡± Madam Wu¡¯s pupils widened as her expression turned sour. She had been tricked into revealing the truth. Damn it. Li Ruoxuan¡¯s smile dropped. Not in the mood to drone on, he straightforwardly said, ¡°Since you¡¯ve already admitted to her not being your biological child, I can still allow you to go free if you own up to the remaining usations. Otherwise¡­¡± He did not finish the rest of his sentence, but his face was horrifyingly dark. ¡°I¡­¡± Madam Wu said hesitantly, her hands clenched into fists as she was left tied to the pir. Li Ruoxuan did not want to push her too far, so he said, ¡°I¡¯ll give you until this stick of incense finishes burning to think about it.¡± A stick of incense¡­ Madam Wu knew there was still time to think. Even though it was spring, Madam Wu was beginning to sweat profusely against the pir. The sweat from her forehead was as dense as a woven cloth, which was evidence of how nervous she was. Li Ruoxuan examined the woman¡¯splexion and just knew how anxious she was. Since the other party was hesitant, Li Ruoxuan thought about giving her an easy way out. ¡°First, I should remind you,¡± Li Ruoxian said as he gently opened his mouth as if he wanted to do her a favor, ¡°that she knows I killed Qi Qingzhu.¡± ¡°...¡± Madam Wu raised her head, eyes nk and dazed as if she was unable toe up with a response. Li Ruoxuan urged, ¡°You must be wondering why she hasn¡¯t taken her revenge if she already knew.¡±¡® ¡°...¡± What? He killed Qingzhu, and Yaoyao knew?! Madam Wu¡¯s expression flickered temperamentally as her heart was in shambles. After listening to his words, she started to think about why Yaoyao had not taken revenge if she had long known. Li Ruoxuan immediately saw through her thoughts, smiled, and said, ¡°Because I¡¯m the State Preceptor.¡± ¡°...¡± That one sentence reminded Madam Wu that the blindfolded man in front of her was the high-ranking State Preceptor. Who would dare to fight him¡­ Who could even put up a fight against him? Besides the emperor, no one should be able to kill him¡­ but he killed Qingzhu¡¯s whole family, killed her grandchild! Li Ruoxuan¡¯s eyelids closed halfway. He chuckled and said, ¡°Tsk tsk tsk, weak humans all look at me the same way.¡± Madam Wu clenched her teeth and did not say a word. Li Ruoxuan spoke in an airy tone. ¡°I know you hate this, but what else can be done? Maybe you¡¯re thinking about how there are rumors circting outside about how there is a young man named Si Jin by Qi Qingyao¡¯s side? Didn¡¯t I hear that this young man was the grand master¡¯s powerhouse? Why can¡¯t he kill the State Preceptor to help get revenge for your family¡¯s Qingzhu¡­ Is it because Qingyao no longer sees herself as a part of the Qi family?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think so..¡± There had been some exaggerated rumors that spread to the vige from Qingzhou City, but Madam Wu and the others did not believe them as they felt the rumors were too exaggerated. Chapter 476 - Qingyao’s Decision

Chapter 476: Qingyao¡¯s Decision

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion How could Si Jin be that powerful? Those city folk must have deliberately framed the child for the death of the grand master. She had met the child before, he was clean looking and his face was that of a pure and innocent young boy. He did not look like a grand master at all. How preposterous. ¡°Oh.¡± It seemed that her imagination was not rich enough. Li Ruoxuan did not care. He continued, ¡°It was said that the Head Grand Secretariat recently resigned while I¡¯m the current State Preceptor. I¡¯m the only person that her Majesty can use now. As such, Si Jin can¡¯t kill me. Qi Qingyao still won¡¯t be able to kill me even if I kill your family.¡± ¡°Who was the Head Grand Secretariat?¡± She did not even know of such a person! If the person in front of her was the real deal, if he was the real State Preceptor, and were to kill her entire family, Yaoyao would not be able to avenge them either¡­ Li Ruoxuan continued, ¡°If you kill the current State Preceptor¡­ Qi Qingyao will be hunted and killed by the entire Northern Liang imperial court. She can¡¯t afford that. In other words, if you kill the State Preceptor, everyone in the world will be allowed to kill you once it¡¯s been confirmed that youmitted the crime! So, considering the trade-off, she won¡¯t be able to do anything despite knowing that I am the culprit behind the killing of Qi Qingzhu¡¯s family. Tut tut.¡± ¡°You monster!¡± The man was being deliberate! Madam Wu finally realized that this person was threatening her! She was so furious that she cursed in a pained voice. ¡°How presumptuous!¡± Li Ruoxuan closed his eyes and his voice was very cold. The murderous intent around him dispersed like vapor. The murderous intent made Madam Wu tense up. On the spot, she began feeling a chill on her back that reached all the way to the tips of her hair. Li Ruoxuan approached her, and there was an invible cold killing intention on his eyebrows as he said, ¡°Madam Wu¡­ I killed Qi Qingzhu¡¯s entire family because they failed to report and deserved it! If this matter was brought into court, my actions would still be justified.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Madam Wu did not know if she was feeling frightened or angry, but her teeth began trembling. ¡°You have two options now.¡± It was hard to distinguish the emotions in Li Ruoxuan¡¯s tone, but a spine-tingling glint cut across his eyes as he said, ¡°You can tell me the truth and I¡¯ll let you off and you can return. Or I¡¯ll use capital punishment. Ordinary people like you can¡¯t stand the pain and will confess eventually. I¡¯ll only kill you after you confess.¡± ¡°¡­¡± What the hell was this man talking about? Either get killed immediately or kill her after she confessed¡­ ¡°Or, there may also be a third option.¡± Li Ruoxuan thought of an alternative. He shrugged his shoulders, then stepped back and said with a smile, ¡°I could kill you straight away and then catch the Qi old man. I will cut off your head and hang it in front of him and see if he would deny me¡­what do you think?¡± Did that not mean that it would not only be her who died, but the old man as well? When Madam Wu thought of this, she felt herself shudder. She was so angry that she cursed without regard to her life or death, ¡°Y-y-you, you are truly a monster.¡± Li Ruoxuan looked at the fluster and panic in the woman¡¯s eyes and knew he had achieved his goal. The corners of his lips curled upward as he said, ¡°30 minutes is up, if you¡¯re not going to confess¡­¡± Madam Wu closed the whitening corners of her mouth and clenched her teeth. She did not want to say anything, but she was unable to keep calm when faced with absolute power. There was only one thing she could say. ¡°I¡¯ll talk, I¡¯ll talk.¡± Li Ruoxuan was very satisfied with her decision. He reminded her profoundly, ¡°If you dare tell a single lie, I¡¯ll slice off your grandchildren¡¯s head and use it as a stool!¡± Voice hoarse, Madam Wu said, ¡°It has alreadye to this, I will not lie to you, but please let me and my family go after I tell you the truth..¡± Chapter 477 - Qingyao’s Decision 2

Chapter 477: Qingyao¡¯s Decision 2

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Li Ruoxuan shrugged, then pressed his thin lips together and said, ¡°Since I told you I¡¯d let you go, I will stick to my word.¡± ¡°Then I shall thank the State Preceptor in advance.¡± Madam Wu was extremely afraid ever since she found out the identity of the man with the eye patch in front of her. After realizing that the lives of her and her entire family were at the mercy of the other person¡¯s whims, she knew there was no way out. On the other hand, she did not want to divulge any information about Qi Qingyao either. She lowered her gaze and gritted her teeth, making up her mind¡­ She told the truth about what happened on that snowy night twenty years ago¡­ Then, she briefly described the event of the keepsakes being entrusted to Qi Qingyao. After sharing everything, Madam Wu finished somewhat dejectedly. ¡°That is all.¡± ¡°A jade amulet and a jade thumb ring.¡± LI Ruoxuan did not care about the rest but repeated these two important keepsakes. He touched his chin and pondered a little. Madam Wu was afraid that the man was suspicious of her. If she had not been tied up, she would have immediately brought up her hands to pray and plead. ¡°Yes, I absolutely did not lie!¡± ¡°What was the design on the jade amulet and the jade thumb ring? Do you have an impression of it? Can you sketch it out?¡± Li Ruoxuan asked casually. He did not actually expect the woman to be able to draw out the design. Madam Wu was, however, terrified and immediately said, ¡°I could, just barely.¡± Li Ruoxuan¡¯s eyes lit up. He called out. ¡°Someonee over.¡± Zhu Shen immediately hurried in from outside the dpidated temple. LI Ruoxuan instructed, ¡°Untie her!¡± Zhu Shen hurriedly undid the bindings on Madam Wu. She dropped heavily to her knees, rubbing her arms. Expression pale, she raised her head and looked at the young man. Li Ruoxuan got Zhu Shen to bring over the brush, ink, paper, and inkstone from the carriage and threw them in front of Madam Wu. ¡°Draw. I¡¯ll examine it once you¡¯re done.¡± ¡°...¡± Madam Wu had never received education before and did not recognize words, let alone know how to use a brush. She picked up the brush and scribbled on the paper without any skill. Li Ruoxuan frowned as he watched her quietly. He did not have high hopes for Madam Wu¡¯s drawing skills, nor did he expect much from her memory. He knew this woman was terrified to the core and only said she could draw to deceive him. Madam Wu knew that that jade amulet was valuable. She had taken it out many times over many years. As such, the image was deeply embedded in her memory. However, she just did not know how to use a brush. Looking at her drawing, she then knew it did not bear much resemnce and was afraid the State Preceptor in front of her would kill her. Madam Wu threw away the brush and picked up a straw from the ground of the broken temple. She dipped it in ink and began to draw on the paper. A straw dipped in ink was much easier to use than a brush¡­ Drawing for a bit, she finally managed to bring out the image. After she was done, Madam Wu felt a little diffident at her work, but that was her best attempt at restoring the pattern of the jadeite amulet¡­ She then drew the pattern inside the jade thumb ring. When she was done with that too, she threw down the straw and handed the two not-quite-realistic drawings to Li Ruoxuan. ¡°They look like this, roughly.¡± ¡°...¡± Li Ruoxuan looked at the messy drawings. He examined the image and his countenance was silent and calm. Fearing that the man would kill her in a rage, she hurriedly exined, ¡°I really did not just randomly draw something! I drew it from memory.¡± ¡°Are you sure this is the image¡­¡± Li Ruoxuan asked with uncertainty. Madam Wu was close to crying; she had already told him the truth. If her life were to be ruined just because of her poor painting, the loss would really outweigh any gains. So, feeling like breaking down but could not afford to, Madam Wu said, ¡°Your Excellency, I really did not draw it blindly. If you don¡¯t believe me, I really can¡¯t do anything anymore...¡± ¡°I believe you,¡± Li Ruoxuan touched his chin and said. Chapter 478 - Qingyao’s Decision 3

Chapter 478: Qingyao¡¯s Decision 3

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Madam Wu, ¡°...¡± Ah! Although the woman¡¯s drawing was not particrly good, she managed to adequatelyplete the key part of the pattern. Moreover, he had seen the pattern before. Li Ruoxuan¡¯s eyebrows rose and he said, ¡°This pattern is simr to the patterns on the jade amulets that appeared all over Qingzhou City a few days ago.¡± ¡°???¡± What and what? Madam Wu was confused. Li Ruoxuan¡¯s voice was light and slow as if he were reminiscing. ¡°From the looks of it, it could be that Qi Qingyao took the initiative to fish in troubled waters, hoping to get a bite.¡± ¡°...???¡± What fishing? What was the person talking about? Madam Wu was not able to catch up with his words. Li Ruoxuan suddenly asked, ¡°Did you think I was going to kill Qi Qingyao after asking you about this?¡± ¡°What else?¡± This State Preceptor kept asking about Yaoyao¡¯s past, was it not because he wanted to kill her? ¡°I was just curious about where she came from.¡± Li Ruoxuan¡¯s gaze was dark but his expression was calm. He said, ¡°I will keep this a secret. You must not share it out either. Just pretend none of this happened.¡± ¡°...¡± Hah? Pretend it never happened? He kidnapped her. He even threatened her to reveal the secret from twenty years ago. Now she had to pretend this happened, how was that possible? Madam Wu could not believe it¡­ Li Ruoxuan, however, was toozy to bother with her. He immediately instructed, ¡°Zhu Shen, send the woman home.¡± Madam Wu wanted to ask something, but seeing that the young man with the eye patch seemed to have fallen into deep contemtion, she dared not ask anymore. She knew the man was going to release her and let her go home. So, she quickly got up and followed the subordinate out. Zhu Shen personally sent Madam Wu off from the dpidated temple. Madam Wu suddenly realized that this was the temple where she had Old Man Qi banish Qi Qingyao and her tripletsst year¡­ After walking for a while, Madam Wu looked at the dpidated temple behind her and voiced her questions to the man in ck. ¡°M-my lord, will your Excellency really not kill me?¡± Zhu Shen nced sideways at the woman and said coldly, ¡°The State Preceptor¡¯s words hold weight. If he says he won¡¯t kill you, he won¡¯t kill you. I just hope you keep your mouth shut. Otherwise... ¡± Zhu Shen made a gesture of cutting his neck. Madam Wu gulped and hurriedly added, ¡°The State Preceptor was really just asking for no reason? He wouldn¡¯t do anything to our Yaoyao, right?¡± ¡°Why are you such a talkative woman?¡± Zhu Shen spat coldly. ¡°I, I-I-I¡­¡± Madam Wu suddenly knelt at Zhu Shen and begged, ¡°My lord, since you¡¯re one of the State Preceptor¡¯s men, I really have to know if the State Preceptor is going to kill our Yaoyao.¡± Zhu Shen replied impatiently, ¡°He won¡¯t.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Madam Wu still did not dare to believe. Zhu Shen instantly got annoyed and said, ¡°Our master just wants to help her discover her identity. Not to mention, she still has that grand master Si Jin at her side, so why would he kill her for?¡± There was not a single benefit to be gained from killing Qi Qingyao. That said, Qi Qingyao was still someone the empress wished to summon¡­ After Madam Wu ascertained that Qi Qingyao was not in danger, she instantly let out a sigh of relief. She hurriedly kowtowed to Zhu Shen and said, ¡°Thank you, my lord.¡± Zhu Shen picked the woman up and reminded her, ¡°Pretend nothing happened after you get back.¡± ¡°...¡± Madam Wu gulped but did not dare say anything. ¡°Do you understand?¡± Zhu Shen bellowed. ¡°Yes, my lord.¡± Madam Wu nodded so furiously it was as if she were pounding garlic. Zhu Shen narrowed his eyes. ¡°Before you think of revealing any secrets, first think about your family¡­¡± ¡°...¡± Madam Wu nodded even faster. ¡­ ¡­ In the afternoon, Qi Qingyao changed into a maid¡¯s attire and left through the back gate inconspicuously. She walked to a street and entered a ck carriage. There was no g on the carriage and it left Qingzhou City quietly, heading toward Baishui Town. It was said that they were returning to their hometown. Qi Qingyao, however, somehow had a bad feeling. Dong Jing looked at the littledy in front of her¡­ He lowered his voice. ¡°Missus, you don¡¯t need to be nervous. Our arrangements for leaving the city are very discreet. No one will know.¡± Yeah¡­¡± She was not worried about this. Qi Qingyao lowered her gaze, not saying a word. Chapter 479 - Qingyao’s Decision 4

Chapter 479: Qingyao¡¯s Decision 4

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Zhu Shen dropped Madam Wu off four miles from Linquan vige then hurried back quickly on horseback. As soon as he returned to the dpidated temple, he noticed that His Excellency had not left yet. Instead, he was standing under the eaves outside the temple, looking up at the sky in silence. Zhu Shen got off his horse, went up to Li Ruoxuan, and gave a report on Madam Wu¡¯s movements. Li Ruoxuan did not appear to care about Madam Wu. Instead, he muttered, ¡°She isn¡¯t their real daughter, I already knew this. Now I have proof but I¡¯m confused.¡± ¡°Your Excellency, this servant doesn¡¯t understand.¡± He was confused? Why was he confused? Li Ruoxuan said, ¡°Think about it. Based on what Madam Wu shared, Qi QIngyao had received the keepsakes ages ago, but why did she only start baiting with the fake ones after so long? What was she doing earlier?¡± Zhu Shen was stunned. He scratched his head and pondered for a bit, then suggested, ¡°Could it be¡­that the forgery took time?¡± ¡°That¡¯s a good point.¡± As expected, the onlookers had a clearer perspective of the situation. The moreplicated he thought it was, the lessplicated the matter was in reality. ¡°With the sheer number of forgeries made, Lu Yan must have helped. But when you think about it, she must have been reluctant to let Lu Yan know what the real keepsakes looked like too. The forgeries are as much for trying to fish in troubled waters as they are for Lu Yan to see.¡± After a pause, Li Ruoxuan asked again, ¡°People must have gotten hold of these fake jade amulets with the pattern on them, but no one has taken any action these few days, and it¡¯s still quiet in Qingzhou City. It appears that someone is waiting for her to show herself. ¡± Zhu Shen was thinking and remained silent. Li Ruoxuan ordered, ¡°Before I leave Qingzhou City, find out who has gotten hold of these jade amulets with this particr pattern.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Zhu Shen quickly cupped his fist. Suddenly, a horse galloped over outside the dpidated temple. A man in ck with the ¡°Li¡± character embroidered on his armband got off the horse. Zhu Shen hurried outside to wee him. The man in ck first bowed and cupped his fist in greeting. He then leaned into Zhu Shen¡¯s ear and whispered a few words. After hearing what he had to say, Zhu Shen¡¯s expression turned a little strange. He signaled for the man in ck to leave first and then rushed in. He reported to Li Ruoxuan. ¡°Your Excellency¡­our spy at Qingyang Lake ims that he saw an acquaintance by theke four hours ago.¡± ¡°Who was it?¡± asked Li Ruoxuan. Zhu Shen frowned and said, ¡°Old Sir Gongsun.¡± Li Ruoxuan raised his eyebrows. ¡°Interesting.¡± The old man had not gone back yet and was still waiting in Qingzhou City. What was he waiting for? ¡­ Madam Wu¡¯s entire body had been restless ever since she was let down from the horse by the expressionless man in ck. However, now that she was almost home, she wiped the sweat on her forehead. Seeing that the man had already ridden away, Madam Wu abruptly ran in the direction of the vige like a wild dog despite her old age. It had rained in the morning, so the ground was rather muddy. Qi Yuanxiu was sitting in the main room eating dinner. His wife had made hot and sour noodle soup in the afternoon. Suddenly, he saw someone push open the door and enter. Qi Yuanxiu turned to look over. Was that his mother? Qi Yuanxiu hurriedly put down his bowl and exited the hall. He asked with confusion, ¡°Mother, didn¡¯t you go to Uncle¡¯s ce? Why did youe back?¡± Madam Wu dragged her muddy trouser legs into the hall. First, she took a look at her grandchildren and then at the olddy. Then she wiped the sweat on her forehead and asked tremblingly, ¡°I-is everything alright at home?¡± ¡°Everything is fine.¡± They were all eating right now. Qi Yuanxiu did not understand what could happen. Then, he noticed that the bundle in Madam Wu¡¯s hand was gone.. While he was curious about it, he did not ask. Chapter 480 - Qingyao’s Decision 5

Chapter 480: Qingyao¡¯s Decision 5

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Zhu Shen had returned Madam Wu her bundle but she had been in such a hurry to return home and had left the bundle by the side of the road. Madam Wu was relieved to see that the whole family was still there and that no one had been kidnapped. She could not help but sigh with relief. With a hand over her chest, she murmured, ¡°That¡¯s good, that¡¯s good...¡± Qi Yuanxiu scratched his head when he saw the mud stains on his mother¡¯s trouser legs and clothes. After Madam Wu entered the house, she rested for a while before heading into the inner room to change her clothes. When she came out, she found the entire family waiting for her with confused eyes to exin. Madam Wu did not say anything. She sat down, picked up her bowl, and began to devour her food. After eating. Madam Wu retired into the inner room to sleep. Her actions left the entire family in the dark. The olddy had been in the hall, cursing for a bit before she started stitching soles for her grandchildren. At three quarters past nine at night. The sky had darkened. Most of the vigers had returned to their homes to rest. The entire vige appeared very quiet. A ck carriage drove into the vige slowly and quietly. The ground was a little muddy from the rain and because of this, there was no sound when the horse¡¯s hooves stepped on it. The old Qi family had naturally gone to sleep. Qi Yuanxiu did not react when he heard a knock on the door. However, in the back rooms, Madam Wu was as sensitive as a quail. She hurriedly woke up, got out of bed, and looked toward the source of the sound. She turned to wake the old man. ¡°Old, old man¡­ Someone¡¯s knocking on the door.¡± Madam Wu could not help her teeth ttering when she said this. She had just gotten kidnapped by the State Preceptor during the day and it left a very deep impression on her. That man was a monster! Could the person knocking on the door right now be a killer sent by the State Preceptor¡­ With the troupe who murdered Qingzhu. It was a dark night, a perfect time for murder. The lives of their old Qi family would be decided tonight¡­ Madam Wu gulped. Hugging her nket, cold sweat began rolling off her body and she could not help her legs trembling under the sheets. Old Man Qi felt that the old woman was acting strange. He finally could not take it anymore and sat up and lit the oilmp with a spill. Under the glow of the lights, he saw the old woman trembling all over. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°A-A killer hase!!!¡± Madam Wu clutched her knees and said nervously through gritted teeth. Old Man Qi, ??? What was she saying so nervously on a night like this? While Old Man Qi did not know what was going on, he still hurriedly hugged Madam Wu andforted her, asking if she had a nightmare¡­ Madam Wu could not speak, she could only hug the old man and cry. After a moment passed, Qi Yuanxiu got up, cursing and muttering impatiently. ¡°Who is knocking up a storm in the middle of the night?¡± After getting out of bed and throwing on some clothes, he went to the front door. He opened the door and saw the figure at the doorstep. Qi Yuanxiu thought he must have been mistaken. He rubbed his eyes to make sure that the person outside the door under the dark moonlight was indeed Qi Qingyao. Qi Yuanxiu then jumped up happily. He pulled Qi Qingyao into the house. ¡°Mother, look who came back,¡± he shouted. Madam Wu was crying while hugging the old man. Hearing Qi Yuanxiu¡¯s excited voice, she was stunned and quickly wiped the tears off her face. Outside the house door, Qi Yuanxiu was shouting happily, saying that his sister, Qi Qingyao, had returned. Old Man Qi jokingly said to Madam Wu, ¡°What killer were you even dreaming about? Isn¡¯t this just our daughtering back?¡± Madam Wu jumped off the bed and ran to the door without putting on more clothes. Seeing that it was indeed Qi Qingyao, she once again held Old Man Qi and continued to cry, surprised and happy. Qi Qingyao was stunned by her tearful appearance. Without saying a word, heforted Madam Wu for a while. Old Man Qi shrugged his shoulders and exined that she had a nightmare and asked Qi Qingyao not to give it much thought. Qi QIngyao gave a simple ¡°Oh.¡± ¡°Y-Yaoyao!!¡± After Madam Wu was done crying, she gave a teary smile. ¡°Why did youe back?¡± She pulled Qi Qingyao into the house. ¡°Come in quick, let¡¯s sit and talk.¡± Everyone else in the house was sleeping and Qi Qingyao did not want to bother them. After entering the house, she sat down by the stove and said very seriously to Madam Wu and Old Man Qi, ¡°Father, Mother, let¡¯s cut to the point. I came back this time to bid my goodbyes.¡± Qi Yuanxiu was the first to respond. He asked, ¡°Goodbye? Where are you going?¡± Old Man Qi and Madam Wu were also waiting for her answer. Qi Qingyao held her forehead and said, ¡°I received an edict, the empress has summoned me to meet her in the capital.¡± ¡°Ah!!¡± Madam Wu could not help crying out. She had just heard about it from the State Preceptor earlier in the day. It seemed that he was not lying. ¡°What did you do that made the empress want to meet you?¡± Old Man Qi heard this and felt it was inconceivable. Qi Qingyao scoffed and said, ¡°Why would the empress want to meet me? It¡¯s just because I know Si Jin. The empress is afraid of his strength that is above a grand master¡¯s so she deliberately summoned me. She wants to see exactly how special I am as I was able to obtain the adoration of a grand master.¡± Qi Yuanxiu, Old Man Qi, and Madam Wu were bewildered. Obviously, the three did not know much about the struggle within the court. Qi Qingyao said, ¡°Maybe they just want to use me to get Si Jin.¡± The only w to that was that the empress did not expect that Si Jin was missing now. While Old Man Qi did not understand what the empress was thinking, asmon folk, he knew a saying, ¡°apanying a king was like apanying a tiger; the power of the supreme was unpredictable.¡± Qi Yuanxiu pursed his lips and said, ¡°Even if the emperor is a girl, she is still the emperor! She is so scheming.¡± Madam Wu did not know what to say and nkly said, ¡°You must be careful when you go to the capital.¡± ¡°I will,¡± Qi Qingyao assured her. ¡°Yaoyao, there is something¡­¡± If Qi Qingyao was really going to the capital, she was afraid that she might not be able to see her again. If the State Preceptor really found something out, Madam Wu did not want this adopted daughter of hers to be in the dark. She epted the risk that Li Ruoxuan might find out and contemted for a moment. Steeling her gaze, she said, ¡°Old Man, Yuanxiu, go out first. I have something to discuss with Yaoyao alone.¡± Saying this, she chased Old Man Qi and Qi Yuanxiu out. Qi Qingyao was curious. Outside the door, Old Man Qi and Qi Yuanxiu were also curious. Inside. After Madam Wu shut the door, she pulled Qi Qingyao to sit by the stove, then carefully told Qi Qingyao everything that happened that day. ¡°He threatened me with the entire family¡¯s lives, he even threatened me not to tell you. But your future is so uncertain once you go to the capital. How could I hide this from you?¡± Madam Wu started crying after she recounted everything. Qi Qingyao said consolingly, ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if he knows.¡± Shrugging, Qi Qingyao said calmly, ¡°I don¡¯t have any clue about the jade amulet now. If Li Ruoxuan gets one with his contacts, it will be a good thing.¡± Madam Wu¡¯s only concern was¡­ ¡°Will he really not kill you?¡± Qi Qingyao replied with slight intrigue, ¡°If everyone wants to use me to get Si Jin, then he would leave me alive.¡± As a chess piece, a very useful chess piece in fact... She would not die. Madam Wu was instantly relieved. She went on to exin to Qi Qingyao that she must keep this a secret and pretend that she did not know that the State Preceptor knew about this. Chapter 481 - Qingyao’s Decision 6

Chapter 481: Qingyao¡¯s Decision 6

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Qi Qingyao looked very calm on the surface but, in reality, her heart was already churning. Li Ruoxuan had taken advantage of her absence to move against the old Qi family again. Although she had no particrly warm feelings for the family¡ªnot to mention Old Man Qi once tried to kill the original Qi Qingyao¡ªif someone were to threaten her with the life of the entire old Qi family one day, she would stillpromise. While she might not have killed anyone, innocent people died because of her¡­ After some thinking, Qi Qingyao went to the door and opened it. ¡°Father, Yuanxiu, both of youe in, too.¡± After pulling the both of them into the room, Qi Qingyao said with a dignified expression, ¡°There is something I wish to discuss with the both of you for a bit.¡± Both of them and Madam Wu were confused. What was she going to do? Qi Qingyao briefly told the three of them of her ns. Qi Yuanxiu and Old Man Qi resisted the idea a little, but after noting Qi Qingyao¡¯s cautious expression, they knew that she was not joking around. Qi Qingyao took another half an hour to convince Old Man Qi and Qi Yuanxiu. Now that the three have agreed, what remained was to quickly call the rest of the family¡­ Qi Qingyao walked out of Qi Yuanxiu¡¯s house and looked at Dong Jing, who was standing guard outside. Dong Jing looked at the brightly lit old Qi house. Carefully, he asked, ¡°Missus, have you said all you need?¡± ¡°Dong Jing, can I trust you?¡± Qi Qingyao asked with a smile. Dong Jing immediately expressed his loyalty and said, ¡°Missus, you know our master well and you are the doctor who treats him. I am grateful to you, so of course, you can also trust me.¡± ¡°Alright. There is something I need you to arrange.¡± Qi Qingyao beckoned him toe over. ¡°Missus, please tell me.¡± Dong Jing leaned over slightly, bowing his head and waiting to listen to what she had to say. Qi Qingyao simply exined her current thoughts. After that, Dong Jing peered into the house¡­ Qi QIngyao knew that she was asking for a tall order and asked, ¡°Will you be able to get it done tonight?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a bit of a rush, but it can be done before dawn.¡± Fortunately, the master had long given his orders and had already arranged for some people to be in Baishui Town. Otherwise, Qi Qingyao¡¯s sudden request would be really suffocating. However, as long as he could get those men over, he could very soon deal with these people¡­ Qi Qingyao took out a stack of paper money from her bosom and handed it to Dong Jing. ¡°Take these.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need, Missus.¡± Dong Jing refused. Qi Qingyao said unhurriedly, ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense. What do you mean by ¡®no need¡¯? If I ask you to take it then take it. Consider it as payment for your temporary work tonight. You also need money to mobilize the Lu family and get them to work temporarily.¡± Dong Jing refused repeatedly, but finally, he had to ept this favor. To avoid making herself known, Qi Qingyao had taken a carriage to Qingzhou City first. No one in the vige knew. That the entire old Qi family was in chaos that night. It was in the middle of the night, a quarter to two in the morning. Several carriages drove out of Linquan vige quietly¡­ The weather was very cooperative. It began to rain again at three in the morning. The rain was particrly heavy and covered all the tracks. The next morning. The rain was still pouring heavily. It was almost noon when the rain finally stopped. After the downpour, a rainbow appeared in the sky. When the people in the vige were walking around, they keenly noticed that there was a heavy lock on the door of the old Qi house. What were they doing? Several women got together in the afternoon and talked about it. They said that it was not only happening at Qi Yuanxiu¡¯s home, but even at Madam Guo¡¯s. Her ce only housed herself, a widow, and a lone child. Now there was also a lock hung over the door! Even Qi Yuanye¡¯s house was like this¡­ Curious, some people tried knocking on the door. There wererge locks on the doors. Naturally, there was no one in the house. However, for all three houses to be empty¡­it was intriguing. Knowing that Qi Qingzhu, the daughter of the old Qi family, had been killed before, the vigers could not help worrying that the entire old Qi family had been destroyed. So, they quickly informed the vige chief about it. When Ma Sanye heard this, he brought people over with him. They brought adder, climbed over the walls of the courtyard of Qi Yuanxiu¡¯s house. They looked into the courtyard and found that there was a lock on the door of the main hall. The courtyard was quiet. There was no sign of any deaths¡­ Then they continued checking Qi Yuanye¡¯s house and then Madam Guo¡¯s... Both of them were the same. Ma Sanye understood what was going on. Then, he pretended to be calm as he addressed the vigers. ¡°The old Qi family likely went to visit their distant rtives. Don¡¯t be nervous, everyone! Go and do what you all need to do!¡± The vigers gave murmurs of understanding and dispersed. After returning to his home, Ma Sanye had his meal while he mulled over the matter silently. Although he did not know the reason, the girl must have moved the entire old Qi family. When he thought about it, it was impressive. It was not easy to move the entire old Qi family in one night. Fortunately, it had been raining in the middle ofst night and it covered all their tracks¡­ Chapter 482 - Qingyao’s Decision 7

Chapter 482: Qingyao¡¯s Decision 7

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Naturally, Qi Qingyao could not sleep soundly that night. Not long after returning to Qingzhou City, the sky lightened. She packed her luggage in her room for a while then immediately went and sat in the side hall, waiting for breakfast. When strands of morning light began shining from the east, Lu Yan awoke. Seeing that Dong Jing had not returned, he got up and, after washing up, went to the side hall only to see that Qi Qingyao was already sitting there quietly, sipping her morning tea. Qi Qingyao looked up and saw Lu Yan walking in through the door. She said straightforwardly, ¡°I made use of some of your peoplest night but don¡¯t worry, I paid.¡± ¡°I had Dong Jing go with you so that you can use my people to help you deal with whatever troubles you might have.¡± Lu Yan rubbed the spot between his brows and sat down. Internally, he was thinking, ¡®I asked Dong Jing to help you so why did you go and give them money? She¡¯s acting so distantly.¡¯ Qi Qingyao asked lightly, ¡°Did you already expect that I would do that?¡± Lu Yan was usually such a clean freak and he rarely sat down with anyone to eat or drink. In recent months, he had changed a lot, perhaps Qi Qingyao¡¯s training had worked. At present, he picked up the teapot on his own, cleaned the ck porcin teacup detailed with gold, then poured himself a cup of tea. He said as he drank, ¡°It¡¯s going to be a long journey this time when you go to the capital. Not to mention, Si Jin has disappeared. If anyone wants to kidnap you, it would be all too easy for them to do so. So, it¡¯s not unusual that you would make such a decision.¡± He already expected it. Qi Qingyao said jokingly, ¡°Truly, you¡¯re able to read my mind.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take this as apliment.¡± It was not easy to understand this woman since she was undoubtedly quick-witted to make such a decision. If she were stupid, it would instead be¡­very difficult to figure out the pattern of her behaviors. After Qi Qingyao had breakfast, she sat in the side hall waiting for Dong Jing to return. Lu Yan noted the dark curls of her eyes and reminded her that there was no need to be so anxious. Dong Jing was very careful. The soonest he would be able to return after seeing them off would be around evening. After hearing this, Qi Qingyao said she would get some sleep. She turned and headed for her room. Lu Yan understood Dong Jing very well, as it turned out. Qi Qingyao woke up in the afternoon, had dinner, then waited until it waspletely dark. Around that time, Dong Jing came in through the back gates of the Qi Residence. He did not dare dally and made his way to the side hall with haste. When Qi Qingyao saw someonee in, she hurried forward and personally dragged Dong Jing to his seat by the hand. Dong Jing had not slept for two days and one night and was very tired, so he did not pay attention to Qi Qingyao¡¯s warm hand as he followed her in. Just as he was ready to take his seat, he suddenly felt a murderous gaze. Dong Jing turned around and caught his master¡¯s eyes. It confused Dong Jing. What had he done to offend the master? He had just returned and had not even eaten! He looked down and noticed Qi Qingyao¡¯s hand was grabbing his tightly. As if electrocuted, he hurriedly retracted his hand and bowed. ¡°You¡¯re too courteous, Missus! This was merely something I had to do!¡± Qi Qingyao patted him on the shoulder with a smile. She motioned him to quickly take a seat and served tea, also pouring some water. She requested for a maid to bring some food over quickly. After all her orders were carried out, she asked Dong Jing, ¡°How did things go?¡± Dong Jing downed threerge cups of tea in one go before replying, ¡°To answer Missus, I have already sent them to a safe location. The olddy and Madam Wu left me a message for you, they asked you to head to the capital safely first. Once they have traveled a bit further and settled down, they will write to you about their situation.¡± Qi QIngyao nodded. Dong Jing scratched his head and said, ¡°Our people escorted them secretly all the way. There should be no problems.¡± Lu Yan brushed the corners of his clothes and asked, ¡°It all went ording to my previous orders?¡± Dong Jing hurriedly answered, ¡°Master, it went ording to your arrangements. They¡¯re disguised as a caravan.¡± ¡°Disguised as a caravan?¡± Qi QIngyao looked at Lu yan curiously. They were a group of ordinary people, could they disguise themselves as a caravan? Lu Yan exined, ¡°I made preparations to transfer a shopkeeper to another capital. He would be going along with them to arrange everything on the way while settling all the ledgers. So, it¡¯s best to disguise them as a caravan.¡± Qi Qingyao was moved and could not help sayingmendingly, ¡°You¡¯re really considerate.¡± ¡°...¡± Being stared at with adoring eyes by the littledy all of a sudden, Lu Yan blushed. Qi QIngyao proceeded to ask Dong Jing about the finer details of their journey. After the two talked for half an hour, Qi Qingyao hurriedly ushered Dong Jing to go get some rest. She also let out a breath of relief and went back to her house. Unexpectedly, as soon as her front foot passed the doorway and she shut the door, Qi Qingyao was startled by a shadow near the window. She immediately became alert. She shouted. ¡°Who¡¯s there!!¡± ¡°It¡¯s me.¡± An old but clean figure emerged from the shadows. ¡°You¡­¡± Qi Qingyao did not sense any hostility from the other and immediately lit amp. With the light from the candle, she took a closer look at the individual before patting her chest and saying vigntly, ¡°Old man, let me tell you this, Si Jin is still around, you better not have any bad ideas.¡± ¡°First off, you don¡¯t have to bluff. I know Si Jin is not around for the time being.¡± Gongsun She wanted tough at her bluff but was afraid of alerting others. Heforted her, ¡°But don¡¯t worry, I don¡¯t n on doing anything this time. I just came to discuss something with you.¡± Qi Qingyao immediately said, ¡°You¡¯re not thinking of stealing my children again, are you?¡± ¡°No!¡± Gongsun Sun cradled his forehead. Qi Qingyao fell silent for a moment before saying, ¡°Then why did youe at a time like this?¡± Gongsun She tried his best to smile and make himself look reasonable. ¡°I already said I had something I would like to discuss with you.¡± ¡°Then speak.¡± Qi Qingyao was anxious. Gongsun She pondered for a second before saying quietly, ¡°The eighth grand master has appeared.¡± ¡°Is that not Si Jin?¡± Qi Qingyao asked back immediately. Gongsun She took a seat calmly and nced at Qi Qingyao. He said, ¡°Pang Juan is dead, and with Si Jin, there were only seven grand masters left. But two days ago, on that rainy night, another grand master appeared on the continent.¡± Qi Qingyao heard this and felt her head throb. ¡°What???? What do you mean???¡± Gongsun She knew that she was finding it hard to believe and said heavily, ¡°I reckon my words were very clear.¡± They were clear¡ªhe said that another grand master had appeared. However, there was still an issue. ¡°I can¡¯t even cultivate, so why are you telling me this?¡± Gongsun She had not left Qingzhou City and intended to continue keeping an eye on the Qi Residence but he did not think that¡­ ¡°I¡¯m not the only one who knows of this, it¡¯s likely that Shang Li and the other grand masters also felt it.¡± ¡°You mean that a rank nine has broken through the boundary and entered grand mastership?¡± Qi Qingyao repeated the implications of Gongsun She¡¯s words. Gongsun She said, ¡°Yes.¡± Qi Qingyao shrugged and said evenly, ¡°But there¡¯s no use telling me this, Old Sir! I know nothing about cultivation, I don¡¯t have the talent, I don¡¯t understand anything about cultivators, and I surely don¡¯t know who broke through.. .¡± There must be something wrong with him for discussing this with her, an ordinary person. Gongsun She looked at her, his gaze carrying some deep meaning. ¡°Based on my location at that time, I sensed that that person was very close to me, so I think they are in Qingzhou City.¡± ¡°Huh!!¡± Just as Qi Qingyao sat down, she suddenly got up again and said, ¡°You mean to say that, while Si Jin is not with me now, there is another grand master hiding in the dark in Qingzhou City apart from you!¡± Examining her as if she were a talented student worth teaching, Gongsun She answered, ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not pulling my leg, are you?¡± Qi Qingyao was in disbelief. Gongsun She replied, ¡°Why would I lie to you about something like this?¡± That was true, but she still had her doubts. ¡°But that can¡¯t be right either!¡± Qi Qingyao pointed at him and then at herself, ¡°There¡¯s no point in you discussing this matter with me. I really don¡¯t know who broke through, I don¡¯t know who¡¯s so powerful!¡± He came looking for her¡­ Gongsun She rubbed his eyebrows and said, ¡°To tell you the truth, I believed you were the fated person. The true name for this fated person is the Harbinger. Si Jin was by your side before he ascended above the grand master level and that confirmed what I thought even more.¡± Those who transcended grand masterships must have enjoyed being by the Harbinger¡¯s side! ¡°I shan¡¯t tell you more about the Harbinger. The point is, ording to the legend, the Harbinger is able to get a grand master to break through! In line with that, it should be possible that the Harbinger can get a rank nine to break through quickly as well.¡± ¡°You keep boasting and boasting. So how did you break through to grand mastership without me before?¡± Qi Qingyao rolled her eyes, unwilling to entertain the old man¡¯s theory. Gongsun She said anxiously, ¡°The seven great masters are rare geniuses, but it took nearly 50 years for them to achieve this realization and ascend to grand mastership...¡± ¡°...¡± Fifty years¡­!! Gongsun She reminded her, ¡°With the Harbinger, one may take only a month, or just a year to reach that¡­¡± Qi Qingyao pondered for a bit before saying, ¡°If I really am the Harbinger, then ording to you, that rank nine who must havee into contact with me before and broke through and reached grand mastership.¡± ¡°Possibly.¡± Gongsun She¡¯s clouded gaze turned brighter as he stared at her. Qi Qingyao said, ¡°And that¡¯s why you came to me to discuss this?¡± Gongsun She nodded. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°...¡± A certain rank nine had broken through into grand mastership, which Qi Qingyao found hard to believe. Gongsun She sank into silence for a moment before whispering, ¡°How many rank nines have you gotten to know recently?¡± Qi Qingyao casually replied, ¡°The State Preceptor, the Head Grand Secretariat, and some rank nine archer from the Ghost Organization named Na Lan-something? I don¡¯t know the rest. There were many people who were trying to kill me that one night, there were many rank eights too...¡± ¡°...¡± Gongsun She lowered his head in contemtion. He thought for a long time but did not dare to make a rash judgment among the people she met. Qingzhou City was huge, after all. What if someone who was not mentioned had broken through? Gongsun She could not help rambling. ¡°I came here just to remind you that if you go to the capital now, should the new grand master be hostile to you, they will no doubt attack you. So be careful along the way. ¡°If they¡¯re not hostile and they¡¯re from Northern Liang, they will show their faces after a short while. They are definitely making their way toward Capital City now. ¡°Only the little empress of Northern Liang can provide them with an excellent ce to cultivate, which would help them consolidate their growth.¡± ¡°So, if your destination is Capital City, you will definitely meet that person. ¡°Si Jin is not around right now, but as long as they are a grand master, they will be interested in Si Jin. ¡°Since he killed Pang Juan¡­Hehe, all the grand masters are interested in Si Jin. ¡°When the timees, that person will definitely beat around the bush and make a move on you to try drawing Si Jin out. ¡°So, from now on, if Si Jin is not here, you had better have a few more rank nines to protect you...¡± Qi Qingyao wanted to interrupt, but she did not have the chance to. After he finished, she was speechless. ¡°Where am I going to find rank nines to protect me!! Do you think rank nine powerhouses are a dime in a dozen?!¡± ¡°You¡¯ll have to bluff that you have a few even if there are none.¡± Gongsun She added something that seemed to imply a bigger meaning. ¡°It¡¯s not to protect you, but your three children.¡± ¡°...¡± Qi Qingyao dropped her gaze and said nothing. ¡°You are likely the Si Jin boy¡¯s weakness and the triplets are your weakness. You know what I mean,¡± Gongsun She said. Qi Qingyao looked grateful. She pursed his lips and said solemnly, ¡°Thank you for your advice. I¡¯ll try my best... to convince people that there are rank-nine powerhouses to apany me all the way.¡± Gongsun She noted Qi Qingyao¡¯s promise and so he whispered goodbye. After Gongsun She left, Qi Qingyao cursed under her breath, ¡°That old fox!¡± He was thinking of using her to search for that grand master! Did he think she was stupid?! He also asked her to have more rank-nines around her. There was a high likelihood that one of the rank-nines had already ascended to grand mastership; they were probably now a rookie among the grand masters. Old Man Gongsun would surely be hiding in the dark and observing everything. It was hard to say whether his objective was to eliminate the rookie who had just entered grand mastership. If not¡­ Considering their strengths, Northern Liang now might have three grand masters... Eastern Ling lost Pang Juan and was only left with one. Those with the most power were still Daming in the south and Dazhou in the west who each had two. If Northern Liang really were to have three grand masters, the bnce of the strengths on the continent would bepletely tilted. The grand masters were equivalent to each nation¡¯s super nuclear weapons. If Northern Liang were to have three nuclear bombs, they would pose a serious threat to Daming. She did not believe the old man when he was just curious. Not to mention... Si Jin was not around either. If Old Man Gongsun really wanted to eliminate the newly emerged, junior grand master¡­it would be way too easy for him. No. She was, after all, amoner in Northern Liang. She could not let this old man¡¯s treachery seed! ¡­ ¡­ Night. Half-past one in the morning. The moon was bright and its light was clear like water. Outside Qingzhou City, a few carriages and guard troops were waiting at the sides of the official route. Suddenly, the city gates opened. The man standing beside the carriage, leaning on crutches, peered through the door and frowned. A team of elite tiger guards came out first. They were all wearing ck armor and looked very solemn in the dark night. Jiang Yeqian frowned. When did he redeploy the tiger guards over? Following closely behind the tiger guards was a convoy¡­ The tiger guard troops stopped when they reached behind Jiang Yeqian¡¯s convoy. The leader dismounted and saluted the Head Grand Secretariat respectfully. Although Jiang Yeqian had his resignation approved by the empress, she did not officially announce his resignation in court, so in name, he was still the Head Grand Secretariat. Li Ruoxuan also alighted from the carriage and walked over. He casually called out to him. ¡°Head Grand Secretariat.¡± Then he immediately shrugged his shoulders, touched his forehead, and stroked the eye patch on his right eye. ¡°Oh no, I should not be calling you the Head Grand Secretariat now. You resigned.¡± Jiang Yeqian sneered. ¡°The State Preceptor¡¯s information sure is up to date.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a given. My love for the Head Grand Secretariat is truly deep. I know your every move like the back of my hand.¡± Li Ruoxuan pretended to be confused and asked, ¡°Qi Qingyao is leaving tonight. Are you waiting here to send her off, or¡­¡± Jiang Yeqian replied righteously, ¡°Gongsun She still hasn¡¯t left, who knows what he is scheming in the dark? Since Si Jin is not around now, I naturally have to remain here to protect Northern Liang¡¯s properties.¡± Li Ruoxuan considered him before saying, ¡°The Head Grand Secretariat is truly deserving of his title. Even after resigning, you receive news quickly. You even know that Old Sir Gongsun is still around.¡± ¡°His objective is Qi Qingyao¡¯s Erniu. Even if I resigned, I still care about Northern Liang. Of course, I can¡¯t let Qi Qingyao¡¯s weakness fall into Gongsun She¡¯s hands. If Erniu were to be taken away, Qi Qingyao will be forced to go to Daming and Si Jin will follow her there when the timees. Northern Liang would have lost a senior general like that,¡± Jiang Yeqian concluded softly as he nodded. Li Ruoxuan replied cidly, ¡°I can¡¯t see Si Jin bing Northern Liang¡¯s chess piece.¡± Jiang Yeqian tapped his crutch on the ground gently and said, ¡°Whether he wants it or not, as long as he is in Northern Liang, he has an absolute effect of deterring the major nations, no?¡± ¡°So, you want to apany her all the way back to the capital?¡± Li Ruoxuan asked as he narrowed his eyes. Jiang Yeqian hooted, ¡°I didn¡¯t want to initially, but after thinking of the safety of the entire Northern Liang, I decided to personally escort the famous Qi Qingyao back to the capital, which is also myst wish in some sense.¡± After he said that, he nced at the elite tiger guard troupe. Jiang Yeqian asked dully, ¡°Did the State Preceptor not have the same idea foring here today?¡± Li Ruoxuan, ¡°Hmph!¡± Chapter 483 - Cease Your Dazing, Your Excellency

Chapter 483: Cease Your Dazing, Your Excellency

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Forty past one in the morning. Qi Qingyao was still in the room, dazed. Suddenly, she caught sight of a silhouette at the door and was shocked. She thought it was Gongsun She again. The person at the door knocked and she went over. She first asked who it was. After Lu Yan announced himself, Qi Qingyao let out a sigh of relief and opened the door. Lu Yan asked. ¡°Have you packed your things?¡± ¡°What do you think?¡± Qi Qingyao answered, her mood sour. Lu Yan pointed at the night sky and said, ¡°Then, let¡¯s leave.¡± Qi Qingyao was stunned for a moment before asking with confusion, ¡°Why do we have to leave the city all sneaky in the middle of the night?¡± Lu Yan pursed his lips together and said, ¡°Do you perhaps want to leave in broad daylight and have half the citye to send you off happily?¡± ¡°Would they be so disrespectful to openly celebrate my departure?¡± She was, at any rate, from Baishui Town, Qingzhou City. She was a local. The people of Qingzhou City could not possibly hate her that much, could they? That said, she did not do much to affect themon folk. At most, she celebrated some of the festivities with those from the upper circles. Lu Yan said, ¡°Si Jin killed a grand master from an enemy nation when you were in Qingzhou City. While it may look like a good thing on the surface, in reality, a lot of people have only one word to describe you now¡ªscourge. They¡¯re eagerly looking forward to your quick departure. ¡± Qi Qingyao instantly felt righteous indignation when she heard that. ¡°There is no shortage of scourges in Qingzhou City, why do they discriminate against me only? I want to sue them!¡± ¡°There are indeed plenty of scourges, but you¡¯re the only one with a grand master by their side!¡± Lu yan was a little shocked by the little woman¡¯s mindset and her naivety. ¡°Think about it, you¡¯re from a vige, you¡¯ve only gone to the city for a few days before you drove away one of the city¡¯s local tyrants, Miss Jiang. Then, you killed several of Han Ruomei¡¯s guards and they did not dare retaliate at all. You even formed rtionships with some of the distinguished guests from Eastern Ling and have a pretty good rtionship with me, not to mention are on speaking terms with the State Preceptor and the Head Grand Secretariat¡­ Your roughneck even killed a grand master from an enemy nation!¡± Qi Qingyao was speechless for the first time in forever after hearing his description. It did sound a little...overboard. Lu Yan asked, ¡°Tell me, how would the people in Qingzhou think of you now?¡± Qi Qingyao hung her head and touched her chin. She wanted tough but did not dare to. She said, ¡°Even worse than a local tyrant.¡± ¡°As the saying goes, a powerful dragon cannot repress a snake in its old haunts. You crush it instead,¡± Lu Yan concluded his speech. Qi Qingyao stuck out her tongue and made a face. Then, she said that they ought to hurry and leave and not dally any more. She went to get his luggage. Her luggage consisted of just a few clothes and all her poisons, antidotes, and paper money. The pills were stored in vials and hung on the back of her waist. As for the remaining clothes and paper money, they were settled into two bundles. Lu Yan examined her luggage and was somewhat surprised. ¡°Don¡¯t you want to bring anything else?¡± ¡°No need.¡± She had been an undercover informant many times in herst life and had always been used to traveling light. The most important items for a modern person were their mobile phone, keys, and money. As for here, the most important thing was just money¡­ She could get everything else once they arrived in Capital City. Lu Yan, ¡°...¡± Her response made Lu Yan feel somewhat embarrassed because this woman did not behave like one. Which woman did not bring much luggage with them when they were traveling far away¡­ ¡­ ¡­ The triplets were currently asleep and naturally, Qi Qingyao would not wake them up. She immediately called for them to be carried to the interior of the carriage that had nkets alreadyid out. Dong Jing was at the rear, moving all the packed luggage into the other carriages. Qi Qingyao grabbed her money bag and jumped into the carriage. She nced at the mighty convoy behind her and frowned. She looked at Lu Yan, who was in the ck carriage next to her, and thought about how there were dozens of guards, five or six servant girlsing along with them, as well as seven or eight carriages¡­ It was as if they were moving. The travel pomp of the richest child of Northern Liang was indeed different! Qingzhou City was rather quiet in thete night. When the convoy arrived quietly at the gate of the city, they brought out their documents and the soldiers on guard duty quickly opened the gate to let the convoy out. Qi Qingyao kept lifting the curtains to look at the night sky outside the window. She could already see two convoys of carriages scattered on both sides of the official road outside the city from a distance. Qi Qingyao shouted to the carriage beside her with surprise. ¡°Why are there two other carriage convoys?¡± Lu Yan had not initially heard her but then Dong Jing rode over and knocked on his window. Lu Yan then opened up the curtains and the window. He replied, ¡°You would naturally have to hand over your documents in advance if you want the government to open the city gates on their side thiste at night. The State Preceptor and the Head Grand Secretariat are always watching the chess piece that is you so they had clearly been waiting ages ago.¡± ¡°Waiting for what? Waiting to send me off?¡± They were both sending her off, right? ¡°Idiot,¡± Lu Yan said. ¡°Both of them will obviously be apanying us back to the capital city.¡± Qi Qingyao, ¡°...¡± Lu Yan exined, ¡°You are a very important chess piece and Si Jin is not with you. It¡¯s a long way back to the Capital City. Despite the Lu family escorting you, these two are seriously suspicious; they¡¯re afraid that someone will hijack you midway, then threaten Si Jin and use him on behalf of the other nations.¡± She really still was so f*cking popr, huh! Damn. There was no one who was sending her off out of sincerity!! They were all treating her as a chess piece. Thinking of this, Qi Qingyao rolled her eyes. ¡°Looks like the journey¡­won¡¯t be peaceful.¡± Lu Yan said evenly, ¡°Think about it like this instead. Even if Si Jin is not here, now that Her Majesty has summoned you, they wouldn¡¯t darey a hand on you still. With them around, the journey back to the capital will surely be smooth.¡± Qi Qingyao cursed, ¡°I don¡¯t want to travel with two schemers at all.¡± Saying that, she drew down the carriage window with a huff. ¡°Indeed.¡± Lu Yan looked at the window she shut and the corners of his mouth tightened. Then, he also slowly closed his window. He sat in the carriage alone, closed his eyes, and whispered, ¡°To seek skin from the tiger...¡± One had to be on guard against it. Li Ruoxuan and Jiang Yeqian definitely regarded her as a chess piece. Qi Qingyao knew this, but after thinking about what Old Sir Gongsun had reminded her before, an idea suddenly came to her mind. There were only that many rank nines around her. To be precise, there were not many rank nines in the continent¡­they were a rare bunch! Li Ruoxuan and Jiang Yeqian were two of them. They were also people she often met with recently. Could the person who had broken through that old Gongsun mentioned be one of them? Could it be Jiang Yeqian? At any rate, they had a savior and saved rtionship between them. If he had ascended to grand mastership, it would be beneficial to her. Thinking of this. Qi Qingyao felt a little excited. Since Si Jin was not here for the time being, if Jiang Yeqian had ascended into grand mastership, she must get on good terms with him. The convoy approached the official road. Qi Qingyao called for them to make a stop. Without waking up the triplets who were sleeping soundly, Qi Qingyao jumped out of the carriage and closed the door before bowing to the people standing on both sides of the road one by one. ¡°State Preceptor.¡± Head Grand Secretariat.¡± ¡­ Jiang Yeqian and Li Ruoxuan were indeed waiting at the side of the road. No one would have thought that this usually arrogant woman would take the initiative to get out of the carriage and greet them as she was leaving today! Li Ruoxuan beamed. He nced at Jiang Yeqian and said, ¡°You can just salute me alone. This person next to me has already resigned and the empress has epted his resignation. It just hasn¡¯t been officially announced in court.¡± Jiang Yeqian frowned, his gaze sharp as a knife as he nced at Li Ruoxuan. When Qi Qingyao heard the news of Jiang Yeqian¡¯s resignation from Li Ruoxuan, her mood changed. She said, ¡°Congrattions to Your Excellency on an early retirement to your hometown,¡± while thinking, ¡®Could this guy have deliberately resigned because he ascended into grand mastership?¡¯ Jiang Yeqian was still very young; he was only in his twenties. He was the Head Grand Secretariat at such a prime age. Who would resign from such a lofty position without reason? Unless they had ascended into grand mastership and decided to properly cultivate and break through the limit old Gongsun always talked about, dreaming of reaching an even higher level¡­ If he really were the new grand master, he could take her under his wing, no? Perhaps she could even persuade him to kill Li Ruoxuan? At the thought of this, Qi Qingyao could not helpughing. ¡°...¡± Jiang Yeqian was stunned by her sudden congrattions. He frowned and said nothing. He was thinking that if he had known that she would be called into the capital, he would not have handed in his resignation so early! ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Li Ruoxuan interrupted their conversation timely and said directly to Qi Qingyao, ¡°I¡¯ll go back to the capital with you.¡± Qi Qingyao instinctively asked, ¡°What about the Head Grand Secretariat?¡± Could he still tag along now that he had resigned? She even had ns to encourage him to take advantage of the old identity of Jiang Bai. Li Ruoxuan paused, then said, ¡°He cane along.¡± Qi Qingyao noticed that Li Ruoxuan was the one speaking from the beginning till the end and that Jiang Yeqian had not said a word, which made her wonder if Jiang Bai hated her. How was she to persuade him? Qi Qingyao feigned casualness and asked, ¡°Is his legme, or is he mute as well?¡± Li Ruoxuan¡¯s smile was sly as he said, ¡°He probably hates you and so doesn¡¯t want to talk.¡± Qi Qingyao pursed her lips and rolled her eyes at Li Ruoxuan. She then nced at the ck-armored knights and said unhappily, ¡°I¡¯d just been summoned by her majesty to the capital to face the court. Looking at the State Preceptor¡¯s formation, I would have thought I was some court prisoner being escorted back to the capital if I didn¡¯t know better.¡± ¡°You misunderstand my intentions when you say that.¡± Li Ruoxuan¡¯s expression was smug with a hint of casualness. ¡°I can let you know that I received a tip-off that Old Sir Gongsun still hasn¡¯t left Qingzhou City. ¡°So, it¡¯s just a precaution that I had this many tiger guards transferred over. ¡°Hasn¡¯t he always been interested in your Erniu? ¡°If Si Jin was still there, I wouldn¡¯t spend so much manpower and go through so much trouble to transfer the tiger guards here to protect you while you make your way back to the capital.¡± ¡°¡­¡± After hearing this, Qi Qingyao¡¯s gaze darkened. It was clear that they wanted a justifiable reason to keep an eye on her, yet he said it so arrogantly, making it sound like they were afraid that she would be taken away. Qi Qingyao put on a fake smile and said, ¡°Thank you for your kindness.¡± Unexpectedly, Lu Yan had gotten off the carriage and heard the conversation between them. He took the initiative to speak. ¡°If Old Sir Gongsun really hasn¡¯t left and intends to attack you, then...¡± He pointed to his own carriage, ¡°You should take this carriage.¡± Qi Qingyao looked at therger carriage and said, ¡°Isn¡¯t this your carriage?¡± Lu Yan replied, ¡°It¡¯s sturdier than you think.¡± Jiang Yeqian also agreed that she should take Lu Yan¡¯s carriage. ¡°Master Lu¡¯s carriage is excellent,¡± he said Qi Qingyao, ¡°Oh.¡± Jiang Yeqian added, ¡°It is said that the carriage is engraved with a special array and that the carriage itself is made of refined steel. The steel is made from ck quartz and ck iron from Tielu City in Dazhou. The craftsman who built the carriage is Xiao Guchi, and this carriage is one of his masterpieces.¡± Lu Yan raised his eyebrows. The shape of this carriage was very simple. How did the Head Grand Secretariat know about the array? None of them from the Lu family had spoken of this to anyone¡­ Li Ruoxuan narrowed his eyes and said, ¡°The Head Grand Secretariat is knowledgeable.¡± There was some information even he was not privy to¡­ Jiang Yeqian realized he spoke too much. He casually said, ¡°If you can¡¯t even get information on Master Lu¡¯s carriage, then the State Preceptor¡¯s efforts have really gone in vain in recent years.¡± He paused, then without waiting for Li Ruoxuan to get a word in, he added, ¡°Is it so hard to buy information from the Zhaixing Administration?¡± Li Ruoxuan, ¡°...¡± The Zhaixing Administration supplied information, but not every kind of information could be bought¡­ Before getting on the carriage, Qi Qingyao first asked Dong Jing to carry the triplets over together with the nket. As soon as she sat down, Lu Yan leaned into her and borated about the carriage. ¡°If the door and windows are all closed, the inside ispletely sealed, and even a grand master would not be able to sense how many people are inside.¡± Was it really that amazing? ¡°What about voices?¡± ¡°They can¡¯t be heard either.¡± Lu Yan said. Qi Qingyao asked again, ¡°Then what about you?¡± Lu Yan answered, ¡°I¡¯ll just take your carriage.¡± Qi Qingyao said leisurely, ¡°Your carriage must be morefortable than mine.¡± After speaking, she closed the door and windows, and got ready to sleep¡­ There would be hired roughnecks all along the way anyway. She supposed that these rich men had arranged for meals and lodging, so there was no need to worry about it at all. Outside of the carriage. The three men looked at each other. Lu Yan smiled and got into the carriage that Qi Qingyao was in, then closed the door coolly. Looking at the dim carriage, he took out a luminous pearl from his sleeve and ced it on the mattress for illumination. Although Lu Yan was slightly more open to contact with people recently, it did not mean that he had the courage to remain in this rtively old carriage, which may have been ridden by many people¡­ After hesitating for a while, he sat on the soft mattress that Qi Qingyao hadid on before, feeling the surrounding ¡°warmth¡± and ¡°scent¡±. He noticed that the air was filled with a faint smell of medicine. It was because she liked to tinker with medicinal herbstely, which caused her to carry a medicinal smell. The carriage that she often rode in was also infected with a smell that was unique to her¡­ Of course, there was also a possibility that she had slept on this mattress before¡­ As soon as Lu Yan recalled that this mattress was moved from her room, his whole body suddenly stiffened, and his face turned red from his ears down to his neck. He suddenly sat up and ced his hand silently on the mattress. His face was flushed. Even though it was spring, Lu Yan felt that the air had warmed up. He fanned himself with his hand. Then he took a few deep breaths. What was this? Indirectly sleeping on the bed she slept in! How could he sleep tonight! Hang on, even if the beddings were swapped back tomorrow, his bedding would have beenid on by her as well¡­ Lu Yan suddenly felt shy and nervous. Although he did not know what exactly he was nervous about either. That woman was already a mother of three children!!! Why was she so attractive¡­ It must be because he had only been in contact with this womantely¡­ This was bad. He had been poisoned by this woman. No, he felt as if he was out of breath. Lu Yan suddenly opened the window and, facing the moonlight outside, he breathed in a few big mouthfuls of fresh air. Dong Jing, who was riding a horse next to him, thought his Master must be having another episode, so he rode the horse over and said in a low voice. ¡°Master, if you were going to give the carriage over to Missus, then you should¡¯ve just ridden it together with her.¡± Lu Yan immediately wiped his face when he heard it. After making sure that no one could see his blushing face in the middle of the night, he said righteously, ¡°Although we¡¯re traveling at night, we¡¯ll be traveling in the day from tomorrow onward and rest overnight at the inn. As a smalldy, if she sticks with me all day in broad daylight, what will happen to her reputation if word gets out?¡± ¡°...¡± Dong Jing blinked. Was Missus¡¯ reputation not long gone? He wanted to say that but did not dare to. She already had three children¡­what reputation was there left? ¡­ ¡­ Jiang Yeqian and Li Ruoxuan looked at each other for a few more seconds before retracting their gazes and getting into their respective carriages. When Qi Qingyao and her three children woke up, it was already noon. She felt the speed of the motion for a while, and could not help but sigh. ¡°This carriage is no different from a modern BMW or Benz, it¡¯s stable and quiet!¡± The interior walls of the carriage were also luxuriously and magnificently decorated. It made her want to curse!! Damn rich people. The interior walls of the carriage were covered with luminous pearls! The bedding was covered with a tiger skin sheet. On the floor was a woolen carpet. After the three children had woken up, they all rubbed their eyes aggrievedly and said that they were hungry¡­ Qi Qingyao opened the window and was shocked when she nced at the sky. She immediately shouted that she was hungry to the big group. Dong Jing rode the horse over and handed her a sk and a box of pastries. He told her and the children to have something first, and that they would reach the next town soon. It only took an hour to arrive at the next town. After getting off the carriage, Qi Qingyao nced at the town. She asked offhandedly, ¡°What ce is this?¡± Lu Yan, who got off the carriage next to her, was about to answer. Then Jiang Yeqian, who was hobbling over with crutches, quickly said, ¡°Just a passing town.¡± Qi Qingyao, ¡°...¡± Was this a bad joke? She asked what town this was. Then he said it was a passing town¡­ F*ck¡­ He really was not joking with me! The ck-armored knights surrounded the perimeter and scared the locals. They thought that some big shots must havee. None of them dared toe close and just crowded around and watched from afar. After Qi Qingyao and the others entered the inn, they went straight to the guest rooms and freshened up first. The three children washed their faces and brushed their teeth, so they were much more awake. Then, she took them to the big hall. Li Ruoxuan said, ¡°It¡¯s time to sit down and eat. We have to continue on our way after the meal.¡± Qi Qingyao looked around. The other tables were all scowling royal guards, and there were no random guests. She frowned. ¡°Where are the other people in the inn?¡± Lu yan said, ¡°This is my family¡¯s inn. I¡¯ve notified them in advance to only serve me for today.¡± Qi Qingyao, ¡°...¡± Holy sh*t. As expected of a rich man. How ostentatious! A big inn refused to take guests just to wait for the big boss to patronize¡­ Wait a minute. Would it all be this kind of treatment for the remaining journey to the Capital? Qi Qingyao was internally cursing how luxurious this was. However, she did not know the full picture. It was not that Lu Yan would not do this kind of thing in the past, but he seldom did it. This time it was different. He had expected that many people would return to the Capital, so he sent Dong Jing to make arrangements ahead of time. The group came up to nearly a hundred individuals, along with the State Preceptor¡¯s and the Head Grand Secretariat¡¯s people. If they had not emptied out the inn in advance, they would not be able to stay there at all. In addition, there were too many idle people in the inn, which made it easy for various thugs to mingle in¡­ Hence, to be on the safe side, emptying the inn in advance was a precaution. Qi Qingyao sat at a table with the triplets, Li Ruoxuan, Jiang Yeqian, Lu Yan, and some others. The triplets knew who Li Ruoxuan was and did not dare to say anything. They were as obedient as three little kittens the moment they came to the table. They clutched their rice bowls obediently as they dug into their food. Qi Qingyao coaxed them as she picked the dishes for the triplets, ¡°Eat a little more, we still have to hurry and be on our wayter.¡± Li Ruoxuan looked up and said, ¡°There¡¯s no need to worry. Even if you were to get hungry midway, we brought all sorts of dried food and cakes.¡± ¡°...¡± Qi Qingyao did not make a sound nor did she look at him. Li Ruoxuan felt that Qi Qingyao was ignoring him. He suddenly thought about how she had rejected his proposal and then came to despise him. He could not help but speak up. ¡°The Head Grand Secretariat has already resigned and won¡¯t be apanying you to the pce once we arrive in the capital. If you have any semnce of a brain on you, shouldn¡¯t you be ttering me while we¡¯re on the way? That way, when we enter the capital, I¡¯ll put in a good word or two for you.¡± Qi Qingyao smiled superficially and said, ¡°Based on what you said, the empress summoned me to the pce because she was thinking of testing me and meeting me to see how special I am. It¡¯s not like she¡¯s going to kill me.¡± ¡°You said it yourself, the empress¡¯s motive is Si Jin. What do you think she¡¯ll do when she sees you but not Si Jin when the timees?¡± Li Ruoxuan¡¯s voice was bone-chilling and his gaze was bottomless. ¡°Although the emperor of Daliang is a woman, she is an emperor whose means are beyond mine.¡± Qi Qingyao, ¡°...¡± Li Ruoxuan knew she was scared now and said with a smile, ¡°So, do you really not intend to curry favor from me?¡± Jiang Yeqian¡¯s hand that was gripping the chopsticks gradually turned pale. He wanted to blow up but he resisted. Qi Qingyao asked in a thoughtful manner, ¡°You murdered my sister and her entire family, and now you want me to curry favor from you?¡± ¡°While that may be the truth¡­¡± Li Ruoxuan said calmly, ¡°I thought smart people excelled at veering with the winds. Oh, no, this word is too profound. It should be said that smart people excel at conducting themselves.¡± Qi Qingyao smiled with her teeth revealed. ¡°I apologize, I¡¯m not a smart person~~¡± Expression dark, Li Ruoxuan said, ¡°You still need my protection while we make our way to the capital. If you keep giving me this attitude every day, I can¡¯t promise that I won¡¯t kill you first thing after the empress is done meeting with you.¡± Jiang Yeqian finally could not take it anymore and said, ¡°Have you asked for my opinion before wanting to kill her?¡± ¡°You already resigned. You¡¯re just amoner now, Jiang Yeqian.¡± Li Ruoxuan reminded him coldly before continuing, ¡°That said, what does me wanting to kill her have to do with you? Could it be that you¡¯ve fallen for this widow?¡± ¡°Fallen for?¡± He was once again checkmated. However, Jiang Yeqian had already mentally prepared himself this time. His gaze was deep and he immediately retorted, ¡°That the State Preceptor always uses these words against me makes me suspicious if the one who has fallen for her is actually you. Otherwise, why would you be so suspicious about the many love rivals every day?¡± ¡°You overthink!¡± Li Ruoxuan inexplicably felt that being questioned back was especially troublesome. He threw his chopsticks down and made his exit. ¡°I won¡¯t be eating anymore.¡± The triplets¡¯ nervousness instantly reduced when Li Ruoxuan left. Lu Yan noted that Li Ruoxuan only had a few mouthfuls of rice and said softly, ¡°His appetite is really small.¡± Qi Qingyaoughed out loud. ¡°The hateful scum finally left. This is great.¡± She urged the triplets, ¡°Eat, eat.¡± Li Ruoxuan walked along the hall all the way to the inn¡¯s courtyard. He looked at the countless draping green silk tapestries. Grabbing a wicker, he immediately pulled it off. As his subordinate, Zhu Shen had always eaten fast. After he was done eating, he hurried to the courtyard. He stood behind Li Ruoxuan for a while, thinking, ¡®The master seems to like spacing out more and more recently.¡¯ Zhu Shen said quietly, ¡°Your Excellency, why are you standing here, spacing out and not eating?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± Li Ruoxuan retracted his gaze and lowered his head. He looked at the deformed wicker in his hand. ¡°The tiger guards¡¯ steeds have all been fed concentrated feed and are done eating. They¡¯re now resting and waiting to depart at any moment,¡± said Zhu Shen. ¡°...¡± Li Ruoxuan said nothing. His mind was still mulling over that matter. About what Jiang Yeqian said just now. Who would fall for that woman¡­f*cking nonsense! She was just a widow¡­ Not to mention a stupid woman who did not obey feminine principles and did not even know who she slept with¡­ Chapter 484 - Heading Toward the Capital 1

Chapter 484: Heading Toward the Capital 1

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Upon noticing that His Excellency was keeping silent, Zhu Shen could not help but call out, ¡°Your Excellency?¡± ¡°Zhu Shen,¡± Li Ruoxuan said suddenly. ¡°Yes?¡± Zhu Shen promptly responded. Lu Ruoxuan stroked his chin. He smiled somewhat amusedly and said, ¡°If I kill Qi Qingyao, Si Jin will surely kill me in turn, right?¡± ¡°That is¡­ a certainty.¡± Zhu Shen could not understand the madness of what His Excellency was saying. He reminded, ¡°Your Excellency, you can¡¯t kill Si Jin.¡± ¡®Even if you¡¯ve ascended to grand mastership, you¡¯re still not even as powerful as Pang Juan was. And Pang Juan still died at Si Jin¡¯s hands, so you¡¯d be even more likely to perish.¡¯ ¡°Besides, Qi Qingyao has been summoned by the Empress. Even if you¡¯re angry, you¡¯ll have to hold it in for now.¡± Li Ruoxuan said, ¡°I was just saying.¡± Zhu Shen, ¡°...??¡± Was that really ¡®just saying¡¯? That seemed more like ¡®wanting¡¯, but this ¡®want¡¯ was not realistically feasible. ¡­ ¡­ Upon seeing that Li Ruoxuan had run away, Qi Qingyao sighed and said, ¡°I always believed that I have never offended the State Preceptor. Instead, he¡¯s the one who¡¯s always targeting me. First, he killed my older sister. Now, he hates me¡­¡± What did this mean? Lu Yan consoled her and said, ¡°You¡¯re amoner, he wouldn¡¯t consider you a bother at all. He¡¯s probably just jealous that you¡¯re favored by Si Jin¡­¡± ¡°He hates me so much because he¡¯s jealous of me.¡± Qi Qingyao did not expect this to be a possible reason. She continued, ¡°Then, is it my fault that I¡¯m so excellent?¡± Jiang Yeqian, ¡°...¡± This woman was such a narcissist! A thought suddenly came to Jiang Yeqian¡¯s mind, and so he reminded her. ¡°I know you want to avenge Qingzhu, but given the current circumstances¡­¡± ¡°I have to keep my head down since I¡¯m trapped in a disadvantageous situation,¡± Qi Qingyao interjected. ¡°I know.¡± ¡°If you know that, then¡­¡± Jiang Yeqian started. ¡°I¡­¡± Qi Qingyao swallowed the words that had been on the tip of her tongue, then ced a stalk of a green vegetable in Jiang Yeqian¡¯s bowl. She smiled and urged him, ¡°Head Grand Secretariat, eat.¡± Jiang Yeqian, ¡°...¡± Jiang Yeqian was silent as he looked at the vegetable in his bowl. Lu Yan was intrigued by the interesting situation. Even though Qi Qingyao had served Jiang Yeqian vegetables, he as the superior Head Grand Secretariat certainly would not eat it. However, would he still eat it this time? Lu Yan was tempted to look but did not dare to so obviously, so he could only take a quick peek. He peeked out of the corner of his eyes. Jiang Yeqian paused for only a second before silently putting the vegetable in his mouth and swallowing it, then continuing with his meal nonchntly. Lu Yan was shocked. Was the Head Grand Secretariat the kind of person who would eat food given to him by just anyone? To verify this fact, Lu Yan imitated Qi Qingyao¡¯s actions and offered to give Jiang Yeqian a stalk of a green vegetable. Jiang Yeqian, ¡°...???¡± After looking at it silently, Jiang Yeqian returned the vegetable then continued his meal in silence, indifferent. Lu Yan nced at the veggie in his bowl. After a momentary pause, he picked it up and ate it. However, on the inside, Lu Yan was shocked. ¡®Was Jiang Yeqian really such a casual and rxed person? Why did he eat the vegetable that Qi Qingyao served him but refused to eat mine? Perhaps he believed that I was trying to win his favor since I¡¯m from the Lu family?¡¯ However, there was another possibility. Jiang Yeqian may have only eaten the vegetable Qi Qingyao served him because he fancied her!!! This inference was the most reasonable. However, would Jiang Yeqian, a young and promising Head Grand Secretariat, actually fancy a widow? When Lu Yan thought about it further, he felt it seemed unlikely. It was unrealistic. Hold on. A terrifying truth suddenly wormed its way into Lu Yan¡¯s mind¡ªif he, the son of the richest man in Northern Liang, could fall in love with this little widow, how likely was it that Jiang Yeqian could also fancy this little widow? To confirm this suspicion, Lu Yan ced a drumstick into Jiang Yeqian¡¯s bowl once again. Jiang Yeqian, ¡°...¡± Qi Qingyao, ¡°???¡± She could not quite understand why Lu Yan was repeatedly serving Jiang Yeqian food. First, it was the green vegetable, now it was a drumstick. Could it be that he liked the former Head Grand Secretariat? After all, the wealthy have quite unusual tastes! When this thought came to Qi Qingyao¡¯s mind, she nced at Jiang Yeqian and Lu Yan with a rather strange smile. Lu Yan, ¡°???¡± Jiang Yeqian, ¡°??????¡± Why was her gaze so strange? Chapter 485 - Heading Toward the Capital 2

Chapter 485: Heading Toward the Capital 2

Jiang Yeqian silently returned the drumstick to Lu Yan. Just as he was thinking about the strangeness of Qi Qingyao¡¯s gaze, he saw her leaning over and patting Lu Yan¡¯s shoulder. She said with aforting expression on her face, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t discriminate against your sexual orientation.¡± Jiang Yeqian, ¡°???¡± What nonsense was this woman spouting? Lu Yan asked her rather seriously, ¡°What do you mean by ¡®sexual orientation¡¯?¡± ¡°It¡¯s your¡­¡± Qi Qingyao let out a light cough and nced at Lu Yan with an embarrassed expression before saying, ¡°Perhaps you¡¯re homosexual¡­ Well, I don¡¯t discriminate!¡± Lu Yan was shocked, his expression stiff. Jiang Yeqian was also stunned. The triplets did not understand what the adults were talking about one bit. They cocked their heads to the side and nced at their mother, then continued eating! They still had to hurry. The State Preceptor was done eating, but the young triplets could only eat slowly. They were afraid that they would not be done eating by the time they were meant to depart! Hence, the three children focused on the drumsticks and pork trotters in front of them. They held the pork trotters as they chewed aggressively. Upon seeing that Lu Yan was stunned, Qi Qingyao figured that he was just surprised that she had uncovered his secret, so she said, ¡°These aren¡¯t ancient times. I support your freedom to love whomever you want to love. Regardless if they¡¯re a man or woman, it¡¯s alright if you fancy them.¡± Jiang Yeqian, ¡°¡­¡± Lu Yan returned to his senses then spoke with a domineering tone, ¡°What nonsense are you spouting? I don¡¯t like him.¡± Really? Qi Qingyao was left mildly dumbfounded. ¡°Then why did you give him the vegetables?¡± This question instantly stumped Lu Yan. He stammered, ¡°I¡­ Well¡­¡± ¡®I can¡¯t just say that it was to test if Jiang Yeqian fancies you.¡¯ ¡°You what? Why are you stuttering? There¡¯s clearly something wrong.¡± Qi Qingyao patted Lu Yan¡¯s shoulder unreservedly once again. ¡°Don¡¯t be shy! I¡¯m a very open-minded person. I won¡¯t judge you.¡± ¡°I really don¡¯t like him!!¡± Lu Yan said in a frustrated tone, his face flushed. Qi Qingyao responded with another question. ¡°Then, why did you give him vegetables and a drumstick? Have you lost your mind?¡± Although Lu Yan was instantly stumped by the question before, he still was not dumb. He promptly replied, ¡°Didn¡¯t you give him vegetables too? Don¡¯t tell me you like him as well.¡± Jiang Yeqian¡¯s heart hammered in his chest. His Adam¡¯s apple bobbed. Qi Qingyao looked back at Jiang Yeqian with a big smile. She pretended to tter him as she said, ¡°Of course I like him. He¡¯s the former Head Grand Secretariat, so what¡¯s wrong with me wanting to win his favor?¡± ¡®What a joke. This person might be the new grand master! Can¡¯t I treat him well? I even n to have him kill Li Ruoxuan!¡¯ Lu Yan was mildly bitter about this. He mumbled, ¡°Then why don¡¯t you try to win my favor too?! I¡¯m the wealthiest man around here!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t change the subject. If you love him, just admit it!¡± Qi Qingyao said very calmly, ¡°I¡¯ll support the both of you.¡± ¡°I too am trying to win his favor! Am I not allowed to?¡± Lu Yan said helplessly with an angry expression. ¡°Is that so¡­ Are you that pragmatic?¡± It was indeed reasonable to tter the former Head Grand Secretariat. Qi Qingyao sighed. ¡°I thought it would be a great love.¡± Lu Yan could not help but roll his eyes at her. Then, he quickly pretended to eat nonchntly! He really did not want to continue talking about this subject¡­ Qi Qingyao also continued to eat. Jiang Yeqian thought to himself¡ªit was the right choice for him to stay silent throughout this exchange. ¡°I would like to gossip a little,¡± Qi Qingyao suddenly spoke again. Lu Yan thought that it was directed at him once again but noticed that she was looking at Jiang Yeqian. He could not help his curiosity.. Qi Qingyao looked at Jiang Yeqian seriously but nosily, and asked, ¡°Head Grand Secretariat, since you¡¯re not married, how many ex-girlfriends have you had?¡± Chapter 486 - Heading Toward the Capital 3

Chapter 486: Heading Toward the Capital 3

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion ¡°What¡¯s an ¡®ex-girlfriend¡¯?¡± Jiang Yeqian asked calmly. Qi Qingyao cupped her chin and said, ¡°It means the girls you¡¯ve loved before, girls who have loved you, or girls you were once in a rtionship with but have since broken up¡­¡± ¡°No.¡± Jiang Yeqian repliedzily. Qi Qingyao was appalled. ¡°Ah, people your age have children who are already grown, while you haven¡¯t had a girlfriend¡­ nor an ex! Poor thing.¡± Jiang Yeqian, ¡°...¡± ¡®Why was her tone so pitiful and her gaze so sympathetic?!¡¯ Qi Qingyao thought for a moment before cautiously asking, ¡°Could it be that you can¡¯t?¡± Jiang Yeqian was stunned momentarily, unable to understand. ¡°Can¡¯t what?¡± Qi Qingyao paused once more to choose her next words carefully. She continued in a wary tone, ¡°Impotence.¡± Jiang Yeqian, ¡°...¡± Lu Yan had been quietly listening to the interesting conversation after he got off the hook. When he heard this, hepletely lost all his inhibitions and burst into a fit ofughter. ¡°Hahahahahaha!¡± Hearing Lu Yan¡¯sughter, Jiang Yeqian¡¯s face turned as ck as the bottom of a wok. Just as he was about tosh out, Qi Qingyao looked at theughing Lu Yan and said, ¡°What are youughing at? You¡¯re nearly as impotent as he is, and yet you have the gall tough at others.¡± ¡°...¡± Lu Yan¡¯sughter immediately stopped. He nced at Qi Qingyao, mildly aggrieved. Jiang Yeqian anger steadily rose. He gritted his teeth tightly and said, ¡°I¡¯m not impotent! I¡¯m perfectly fine!¡± ¡°Then why aren¡¯t you married? Why don¡¯t you even have an ex-girlfriend at your age?¡± Qi Qingyao said unhurriedly, ¡°Could it be that you don¡¯t like women? Do you prefer men?¡± ¡°!!!!¡± Jiang Yeqian¡¯s eyes were as big as saucers. Lu Yan, ¡°...¡± ¡®Hold on, the Head Grand Secretariat has never seemed to have any luck with women, nor does he fancy the rich youngdies from the Capital. Could it be?¡± Jiang Yeqian rubbed the spot between his brows as he exined hastily, ¡°I just¡ªjust haven¡¯te across someone I like! I don¡¯t want to settle! What do you mean impotent? I¡¯m not! Nor do I fancy men! I¡¯m straight!¡± Qi Qingyao said earnestly, ¡°You¡¯re saying that you haven¡¯te across someone you like, so you don¡¯t wanna settle, then¡­ How can you be sure that you don¡¯t prefer men? Maybe you¡¯ve never fancied any women before precisely because you like men? Would you like to try it out? Maybe then you can find your one true love.¡± ¡°...¡± Her tone made her sound like an old monk who had practiced for a thousand years and was now giving earnest advice. It irritated and frustrated Jiang Yeqian. Qi Qingyao suddenly tugged Lu Yan¡¯s arm. She gestured to Jiang Yeqian and said, ¡°He¡¯s handsome too. He may have had bad experiences, but he¡¯s still a very clean boy. Why don¡¯t you try to like Master Lu? He¡¯s really nice.¡± Jiang Yeqian responded betweenughter and tears, ¡°Are you a matchmaker? Are you matchmaking?¡± Qi Qingyao pouted aggrievedly. She acted innocent and replied, ¡°I just feel quite sorry for the both of you.¡± In actuality, she just wanted to watch the fun¡­ Jiang Yeqian was silent for a few moments before saying with a half-smile, ¡°Feel sorry for yourself first! You have no idea who you slept with, and you don¡¯t know who the father of your children is! You may never get married.¡± Qi Qingyao said leisurely, ¡°Don¡¯t change the subject. Try liking Master Lu! He¡¯s really nice.¡± Jiang Yeqian frowned. Lu Yan¡¯s gaze was strangely focused. ¡°You think I¡¯m nice?¡± ¡°Yep, you¡¯re very nice! That¡¯s why I¡¯m ying matchmaker for you.¡± Qi Qingyao patted his shoulders. Then nce again, with an exaggerated friendly attitude, she prodded, ¡°Look, Jiang Yeqian looks good. You also look good.. Good-looking people are meant to be together.¡± Chapter 487 - Heading Toward the Capital 4

Chapter 487: Heading Toward the Capital 4

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Lu Yan said seriously, ¡°I¡¯m quite sure I like women! I just can¡¯t seem to get close to them! That¡¯s why I asked you to treat me! If I really fancied men, why would I want to be treated? Qi Qingyao shrugged. ¡°Since your condition is so troublesome, you might as well not treat it and instead just like men.¡± Lu Yan was frustrated and angry. He first blushed, then gritted his teeth and responded harshly, ¡°I do have someone I currently fancy!¡± ¡°Who?¡± Qi Qingyao¡¯s eyes lit up. Jiang Yeqian breathed a sigh of relief. Lu Yan said, ¡°Why should I tell you?¡± Qi Qingyao responded with an ¡®ooh¡¯ and did not ask any further questions about who it was. Instead, she said, ¡°So, you¡¯re getting treated to be able to approach the person you like¡­¡± Lu Yan replied, in a very rxed tone, ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± Qi Qingyao turned to look at Jiang Yeqian. She said, with a sigh, ¡°Then you¡¯re a lost cause.¡± Jiang Yeqian, ¡°...¡± ¡®I never said I fancied Lu Yan. You were so earnestly matchmaking us, even sighing with such sincere pity. What¡¯s the matter with you?¡¯ Qi Qingyao continued, ¡°But you don¡¯t have someone you like, and you¡¯ve never had an ex-girlfriend. You don¡¯t even know if you like men or women¡ªso there¡¯s an 80% likelihood that you like men! You¡¯re just too shy to show it.¡± Jiang Yeqian almost spat out his food. He responded helplessly, ¡°I too have a woman I fancy!¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Qi Qingyao was momentarily stunned. She first looked at Jiang Yeqian, then at Lu Yan. She touched her chin and said, ¡°Upon hearing that I want to set the both of you up together, the two of you suddenly say that you have a woman who you fancy.¡± Jiang Yeqian was so angry that he could not say a word. Qi Qingyao asked curiously, ¡°Then, have you pursued her?¡± ¡°...¡± Jiang Yeqian nced at the nosy woman next to him, feeling frustrated. Why had he fallen in love with such a blockhead? What sin did hemit in his past life?! Qi Qingyao urged, ¡°Tell me.¡± Lu Yan joined in shyly. ¡°I¡¯m curious too.¡± Jiang Yeqian responded with a livid expression. ¡°No.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± Qi Qingyao asked again. ¡°...¡± Jiang Yeqian now felt like stabbing this woman to death. ¡°Come on, just tell me.¡± Qi Qingyao pressed on with an innocent pretense. Lu Yan also joined in and added, ¡°Are you waiting for her to pursue you?¡± ¡°No.¡± Jiang Yeqian gave Lu Yan a fierce stink eye. Qi Qingyao was so excited that her gaze started beaming. She said, ¡°How long have you liked her?¡± Jiang Yeqian rolled his eyes and said offhandedly, ¡°A couple of days, a week or two. I¡¯m not sure.¡± Qi Qingyao analyzed him then said, ¡°Oh, you haven¡¯t liked her for long¡ªso you haven¡¯t figured out how to pursue her or even whether to do so.¡± Jiang Yeqian was so angry he was about tough. ¡°You¡¯re someone who hasn¡¯t figured out your own affairs, so don¡¯t worry about others for now. Worry about yourself first.¡± Qi Qingyao said, with nothing to lose, ¡°I¡¯m a widow, so no one will want me anyway. As long as I have money, I¡¯ll be fine!¡± Qi Qingyao got very sad when talking about that. When other people transmigrated, they became daughters of aristocrats or shabby princesses. They had thousands of handsome men wrapped around their fingers, waiting to be chosen. Even in the worst-case scenario, they would be daughters of ministers! Who would have guessed that¡­ Her script was to be a little country widow, with three kids in hand as soon as she freaking made an appearance! That was the setup of her entrance. There was no male lead. It would be nice to have a muscleman. Even until now, the little tyrants that mingled in the capital had not found out who she had slept five years ago. Qi Qingyao felt that she was too much of a failure. She still had not even heard from her one and only Si Jin since¡­ Qi Qingyao felt like her life was filled with hardships! She sighed softly. Jiang Yeqian thought about it for a while, thenforted her and said, ¡°You look good too. What if the son of a wealthy family takes a liking to you¡­?¡± Qi Qingyao smiled cheerfully.. ¡°Haven¡¯t I thought about that before? I¡¯m not going to be someone¡¯s concubine.¡± Chapter 488 - Heading Toward the Capital 5

Chapter 488: Heading Toward the Capital 5

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Jiang Yeqian paused for a moment before speaking, ¡°What you said is indeed very reasonable¡ª but what if the parents of the son from a wealthy family have both passed, and there would be no trouble from the inws? What if he also ns to take only you as his wife, and not ept any concubines? If he promises to care for your three children, would you ept him?¡± ¡°Will there ever be such a person?¡± Qi Qingyao looked at him suspiciously. It was hard to believe that such absurdities hade out of Jiang Yeqian¡¯s mouth¡­ Jiang Yeqian lowered his eyes, acting natural, and said, ¡°You already have a grand master who¡¯s willing to stick by your side and be your bodyguard. Is it strange for a lucky person like you to have someone else who¡¯s willing to have you as his wife show up too? ¡®Is that possible?¡± Qi Qingyao still believed that it was unlikely. Jiang Yeqian nodded dryly, ¡°It shouldn¡¯t be possible¡ªbut if it happens to you, would you still think that it¡¯s impossible?¡± Qi Qingyao gritted her teeth and responded solemnly, ¡°If such a person really does exist, then he must be crazy!¡± Jiang Yeqian, ¡°???¡± ¡®Why would that person be crazy? Are you that insecure?¡¯ If not for the current circumstances, Jiang Yeqian would have really wanted to probe her for her opinion of him¡­ Lu Yan¡¯s gaze was focused. He did not say a word as he nced at a certain little girl with a cryptic expression. ¡­ ¡­ As soon as Li Ruoxuan returned, he noticed their lively conversation. He joined in with a smile and asked curiously, ¡°What are you guys talking about?¡± Jiang Yeqian, ¡°...¡± Lu Yan, ¡°...¡± Qi Qingyao turned her head and answered with a bright smile, ¡°Discussing your possible impotence.¡± ¡°...¡± Li Ruoxuan gasped, managing to force out three words between his teeth. ¡°You are crazy.¡± What did he mean she was crazy? With the gaze of a gossiping onlooker, Qi Qingyao asked excitedly, ¡°Do you have an ex-girlfriend or a current girlfriend?¡± ¡°...¡± Li Ruoxuan did not want to answer this question. ¡°No?¡± Qi Qingyao¡¯s reaction was immediate as she immediately ame to a conclusion. Li Ruoxuan¡¯s face suddenly bore an ugly expression, and Qi Qingyao said in a shocked tone, ¡°Damn, is the State Preceptor not interested in women?¡± Li Ruoxuan was rather calm. He sat down, then joined in on the conversation. ¡°I¡¯m very interested in women. It¡¯s just that I can¡¯t allow a woman to hold me back, so I haven¡¯t gotten married yet.¡± The corner of Qi Qingyao¡¯s lips twitched. ¡°You¡¯re still a virgin¡­¡± Li Ruoxuan¡¯s expression darkened. He hoarsely said, ¡°...Don¡¯t talk so much! Get ready to go.¡± When Qi Qingyao realized that she was inadvertently correct, she burst out intoughter. ¡°Hahahaha! You¡¯re indeed a virgin!¡± Jiang Yeqian, ¡°...¡± This woman really seemed to not fear death, daring to speak of Li Ruoxuan in such a manner. Though it was very amusing,ughing right in front of him was crossing the line. After Qi Qingyao had calmed down, she looked at the three burly men seated around her. ¡°Of the three of you, one is mildly sick while the other two im to be normal. Still, it¡¯s hrious that both of you have never been with a woman. Are you two even men? At best, you¡¯ve abstained and have remained single since birth! At worst¡­¡± Before she could continue, Li Ruoxuan nced at her coldly and interjected nonchntly, ¡°At least we¡¯ve abstained, unlike you. You aren¡¯t even sure who you¡¯ve slept with. Your private life is a mess! You don¡¯t even know who the father of your children is. Who should be mocking who?¡± ¡®It¡¯s not just me who did that five years ago, okay?! Clearly, the man was dumb too.¡¯ Qi Qingyao really wanted to say this but could not. She could onlyin silently in her heart as she reluctantly put her palms together and said to Li Ruoxuan, ¡°My god, I was wrong! I¡¯m messed up! I¡¯m shameless! I¡¯m depraved! I¡¯m not a human being!¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to make yourself out to be so miserable.¡± Li Ruoxuan nced at her aloofly. He continued speaking in a particrly arrogant tone. ¡°It¡¯s not that I¡¯m not interested in women. It¡¯s to prevent the possibility of anyone using that woman to extract information from me. Especially the Zhaixing Administration¡­¡± That was another reason he had always abstained. The spies cultivated by the Wangyue Administration were used by the Zhaixing Administration. These spies could be either men or women¡­ If he was looking for women, thedy he found might very well be a gift prepared for him by the Zhaixing Administration! Therefore, to avoid making such a detrimental mistake, Li Ruoxuan deliberately did not approach women! ¡°To prevent spies from getting close to you?¡± Qi Qingyao said as if she had had an epiphany. Li Ruoxuan said without haste, ¡°As the State Preceptor, if I were to be so easily bewitched by beautiful women, wouldn¡¯t it be easy for them to dig something out of me just by sending a beautiful woman my way?¡± Jiang Yeqian, ¡°...¡± This guy had really thought through everything thoroughly. No wonder the beauties that the Zhaixing Administration prepared for him had always been unable to approach him! Qi Qingyao was shocked. ¡°For the country, you¡¯ve sacrificed your¡­¡± ¡®Happiness!~¡¯ ¡°Do you suddenly admire me?¡± Li Ruoxuan said calmly. Qi Qingyao, ¡°...¡± If he had not killed Qi Qingzhu, she might really have admired him. It was a shame that her desire to avenge her elder sister¡¯s death was absolutely irreconcble. Jiang Yeqian stood up. Not wanting to continue this topic, he?oarsely said, ¡°Let¡¯s go, let¡¯s go.¡± Qi Qingyao first nced at her three children who were drinking soup, and then reluctantly stood up. She told her children to use the restroom before leaving as she stuffed all the rice she had left in her bowl into her mouth. The children had not been able to understand the conversation between the adults at all¡ªespecially Xiaobao, who frowned as he listened to them. He got up and dragged the full-fed Dabao and Erniu with him, and they went to look for the inn¡¯s restroom together. Qi Qingyao followed them to the restroom, waiting for her three children outside the door. The four-year-olds relieved themselves. After they relieved themselves, Qi Qingyao took the children to wash their hands before heading to the front of the inn. As soon as she came over, she noticed the Head Grand Secretariat and the State Preceptor looking at each other impassively. Qi Qingyao let out a cough. The two big guys snapped out of their daydreaming. They nced at her. Li Ruoxuan said, ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± He then turned around and got into the carriage. Qi Qingyao stuck out her tongue and made a face at Li Ruoxuan when his back was turned, then took her three children to the Lu family¡¯s carriage. After getting onto the carriage, Xiaobao¡¯s curiosity was uncontainable¡ªso he was the first to ask Qi Qingyao. ¡°Mommy, what does ¡®impotent¡¯ mean?¡± Qi Qingyao, ¡°...¡± She was immediately left dumbfounded! Xiaobao was still looking at his mother with an innocent face, awaiting her exnation. The corner of Qi Qingyao¡¯s lips twitched. Finally, she answered, ¡°You¡¯ll learn about these things when you grow up!¡± Then, she grabbed the little guy¡¯s head, held it down, and tousled his hair roughly! Xiaobao, ¡°???¡± He really wanted to know. ¡­ ¡­ Gongsun She looked at the town from afar, not daring to get close. This was because the convoy consisting of the State Preceptor, the Head Grand Secretariat, and Master Lu had arrived in town. Gongsun She¡¯s instincts had told him that. The person who had ascended to the level of a grand master this time could either be the State Preceptor or the Head Grand Secretariat of Northern Liang. Exactly which one of them had remained unknown. If Qi Qingyao was indeed the Harbinger, then the two of them were the only upper rank-nine people who had recentlye into frequent contact with her. Whether it was Li Ruoxuan or Jiang Yeqian who had ascended into grand mastership¡­ It would be difficult for him to find out. Although these two were young, in terms of strategies and tactics, they were definitely the most cunning! Chapter 489 - Heading Toward the Capital 6

Chapter 489: Heading Toward the Capital 6

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion As a grand master, Gongsun She¡¯s intuition told him that Li Ruoxuan had specially recruited the tiger guards just to protect themselves against him! Although he was a grand master, the intelligence system of the Zhaixing Administration as well as the investigative abilities of the State Preceptor of Northern Liang himself were very refined. Both parties were certainly aware that he had not left Qingzhou City. Hence, the question stands¡ªif the tiger guards had been called in by Li Ruoxuan, then¡­ perhaps the mysterious person who had just ascended to the level of a grand master was Li Ruoxuan? Was it possible that his true motive of recruiting the tiger guards was to protect himself, while under the guise of apanying Qi Qingyao to the Capital? ¡­ ¡­ Three days after their departure, they finally arrived in a rtivelyrge town, staying at an inn under the Senluo Chamber of Commerce. The inn had been vacated in advance to wee the group. With the Head Grand Secretariat, the State Preceptor, and their own mastering, the innkeeper was overwhelmed with excitement. They greeted the group with delicious meals, not daring to be even a little tardy. After they had eaten, the children were utterly exhausted and so went straight to bed, falling asleep almost immediately. The horses had rushed the journey, causing a rough ride for those in the carriage. The children could hardly stand it! On the other hand, Qi Qingyao was in high spirits. As she stood in the corridor, she peered into the backyard of the inn. The tiger guards were in the midst of swapping shifts. Some of them guarded the front of the inn while others guarded the back, making the entire inn practically imprable. After Qi Qingyao had observed enough, she returned and sat at the table in the hall. She took a sip of tea. Upon seeing her in deep thought, Lu Yan asked, ¡°What exactly are you looking at?¡± Qi Qingyao answered with a half-smile. ¡°I have a feeling someone is following us.¡± Li Ruoxuan happened to enter the hall from the backyard then. He brushed the dust off his body and asked in a deliberately unbothered tone, ¡°What makes you think that?¡± Qi Qingyao shrugged and responded jokingly, ¡°Probably because you¡¯ve called upon so many tiger guards, and that we have been hurrying throughout the journey. Also, every time we¡¯ve stopped to rest, you¡¯ve sent out a team of scouts to carefully scout the surrounding area.¡± ¡°I call it being cautious,¡± Li Ruoxuan said with a straight face. Sitting at the table next to him and calmly drinking tea, Jiang Yeqian thought to himself, ¡®He¡¯s just trying to protect us from Gongsun She.¡¯ ¡°If you¡¯re overly cautious, then there is certainly more to it than just wanting to stay safe,¡± Qi Qingyao said lightly. ¡°Right?¡± Li Ruoxuan nced at Qi Qingyao with sharp, de-like eyes. He said, ¡°Do you want to know why I called in so many tiger guards alongside personally escorting you to the Capital? If you would really like to know, then beg me¡ªmaybe I¡¯ll pity you enough to tell you the reason.¡± What a joke! Beg him¡­ Qi Qingyao paused, then smiled casually. ¡°You¡¯re being very cautious because Gongsun She hasn¡¯t left.¡± She knew? This surprised Li Ruoxuan. ¡°How do you know that he hasn¡¯t left?¡± He nced at Jiang Yeqian. Surely it couldn¡¯t have been this guy that told her! Definitely not¡ªhe was not such a revealing person. Jiang Yeqian also nced over nonchntly. His gaze happened to meet Li Ruoxuan¡¯s. They both saw the confusion in each other¡¯s eyes. Qi Qingyao answered unhurriedly, ¡°Because he came looking for me.¡± Jiang Yeqian, ¡°...!!!¡± Li Ruoxuan¡¯s face immediately darkened. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you mention this before?¡± He hastily walked toward her and sat opposite of her. He gave the table a single hard hit. Qi Qingyao reminded him with a kind tone, ¡°Before I left Qingzhou City, he came to see me¡ªthough it was just to say goodbye.¡± ¡°That old man¡¯s objective was not just to say goodbye to you..¡± Li Ruoxuan said, mildly angry. Chapter 490 - Heading Toward the Capital 7

Chapter 490: Heading Toward the Capital 7

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Jiang Yeqian, ¡°???¡± ¡®What did he mean by ¡°not just¡±?¡¯ Qi Qingyao shrugged, rather rxed and with a nonchnt look on her face. ¡°Well.¡± ¡°So, you do understand his objective, right?¡± ¡®It must be to kill me.¡¯ Li Ruoxuan thought to himself. ¡°Objective¡­¡± Qi Qingyao drawled. She paused for a moment with her eyes shut before opening them and retorting calmly, ¡°If you beg me, maybe I¡¯ll pity you enough to tell you.¡± ¡°!!¡± Li Ruoxuan looked at her with sunken eyes. Jiang Yeqian stared at her in silence. Lu Yan looked at her calmly and thought to himself that she was the only person who could outdo Li Ruoxuan. Li Ruoxuan¡¯s face darkened. He said, ¡°I don¡¯t have to beg you. I can just make an educated guess.¡± Qi Qingyao responded nonchntly, ¡°Then please think for yourself ande up with a reason as to why he hasn¡¯t left yet.¡± Li Ruoxuan, ¡°...¡± Just at the right moment, Jiang Yeqian interjected, ¡°Perhaps he¡¯s still scheming about Erniu?¡± Qi Qingyao suddenly thought of something, then turned to look at Jiang Yeqian excitedly. ¡°Do you want to buy this information?¡± Jiang Yeqian, ¡°...¡± ¡®What is this? A business?¡¯ Qi Qingyao became even more excited. ¡°I heard that the Zhaixing Administration is a private intelligence agency that specializes in selling information. If so, then I too can sell information. The issue is that I¡¯m not sure how much the former Head Grand Secretariat would be willing to pay for this information. In other words, how much do you think knowing Gongsun She¡¯s objective is worth?¡± If she had no other choice than to tell someone, she would prefer it to be to Jiang Yeqian. After all, Gongsun She¡¯s objective might be toe after him. It would be best if he was given a bit of a heads up!~ If she could make some money from selling the information, then that would be even better. It would be killing two birds with one stone. Jiang Yeqian was silent for a moment. ¡°Let¡¯s talk in private.¡± Zhao Xin, who was standing near the side of the hall, heard this conversation. He could not help but frown as he thought about how his Excellency, despite being the dignified Head of the Zhaixing Administration, now had to buy information from elsewhere too! This was such a disappointment! If word got out, people would think that the Zhaixing Administration was utterly useless¡­ Jiang Yeqian walked up the stairs using his crutches. Qi Qingyao followed closely behind. Upon entering the room, Qi Qingyao took control by threatening him. ¡°If you pay me for less than it¡¯s worth, I might sell this information to the State Preceptorter¡­¡± Jiang Yeqian shut the door before turning around and responding, ¡°I would like to purchase this information at a high price! Just for myself!¡± ¡°You want to monopolize the informatio)? That depends on the sincerity of the former Head Grand Secretariat.¡± Qi Qingyao was very pleased with his attitude. She liked the other party¡¯s monopolizing attitude, with the premise of buying out the information at a high price! Jiang Yeqian was afraid they would be overheard, so he went behind the desk, picked up a brush, and wrote a number down on the fine writing paper. Ten thousand? Qi Qingyao thought about the losses she had incurred before, and said straightforwardly, ¡°Of what unit?¡± Silver, or gold? Jiang Yeqian pursed his lips and asked helplessly, ¡°What would you like it to be?¡± ¡°It depends on your sincerity.¡± Qi Qingyao blinked, then answered with deep eyes. Jiang Yeqian wrote a word on the paper. ¡®Gold¡¯. ¡°Deal.¡± Qi Qingyao reached out her hand to give him a high-five. Jiang Yeqian reciprocated nkly, high-fiving her as a symbol of alliance. After the high-five, Jiang Yeqian looked at the excited woman with an inexplicable expression¡­ Qi Qingyao was about to open her mouth to speak, but Jiang Yeqian quickly reached out and covered her mouth. Qi Qingyao, whose mouth was now covered, suddenly widened her eyes and looked at him curiously. Jiang Yeqian, upon realizing what he was doing, withdrew his hand nervously. He let out a cough and gestured to the fine writing paper on the desk. Then, he handed her the brush. Qi Qingyao, ¡°...¡± What a cautious guy. Qi Qingyao chose the smallest brush and began to write down Gongsun She¡¯s objective on the fine writing paper. [He mentioned that?an eighth grand master has appeared.] It was just a single sentence. Before she could write down the rest, Jiang Yeqian snatched away the piece of paper away and looked at the information written on it with a very ugly expression. ¡°¨C!!!¡± After a pause, he stared at her with a suspicious gaze. ¡°Are you sure?¡± Chapter 491 - Heading Toward the Capital 8

Chapter 491: Heading Toward the Capital 8

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Qi Qingyao nodded furiously like she was mashing garlic, then asked suspiciously, ¡°Could it be that¡­ the person isn¡¯t you?¡± That seemed to catch him by surprise. Jiang Yeqian¡¯s deep eyes and sword-shaped brows gave off an expression of gloom. ¡°Why would you think that the person is me?¡± ¡°Because¡­¡± ¡®You resigned out of nowhere, and you seem very rxed¡­¡¯ No, his expression had looked too surprised for that to be the case. Could it be¡­ Qi Qingyao took a deep breath, not wanting to believe in that reality. She said softly and helplessly, ¡°Judging by how shocked you are, could it be that it really wasn¡¯t you?¡± Jiang Yeqian¡¯s eyes widened slightly and his expression was cold. He looked at her deeply before closing his eyes, and his voice was controlled when he spoke. ¡°It¡¯s not me.¡± ¡°...¡± Qi Qingyao was shocked into silence. Jiang Yeqian had a thought. ¡°Do you have someone in mind?¡± Qi Qingyao shook her head, her expression deathly gray. ¡°No.¡± Jiang Yeqian immediately lit the paper on the candle fire and burned it. After the rice paper was reduced to ashes and making sure that there was nothing left, he spoke in a calm manner. ¡°Stay mum about this news for the time being. Keep it a secret for now.¡± ¡°...¡± Qi Qingyao nodded carelessly. Jiang Yeqian grabbed his crutch and nced at her once more before turning around and walking outside. Qi Qingyao wanted to ask him something, but could not get a single word out. When Jiang Yeqian reached the door, Qi Qingyao recalled that he still had not given her the money. At the same moment, Jiang Yeqian turned around. ¡°I¡¯ll get someone to send the money over tonight,¡± he said. Qi Qingyao, ¡°...¡± The two went down the building one after another. Qi Qingyao stood in the back courtyard alone, contemting for a long time before eventually returning to the hall. She nced at Li Ruoxuan with aplicated expression. Li Ruoxuan noted her gaze but did not ask anything. Night. Zhao Xin carried a wooden box filled with ten thousand taels worth of gold and knocked on Qi Qingyao¡¯s door. Qi Qingyao had just fallen asleep not too long ago, but she was not deeply asleep as she had too many things on her mind. She did not bother to light the candle after hearing the knock on the door. Using the shallow moonlight, she put on some clothes and went to the door. When she opened it, the light in the corridor shone in, shrouding the girl in ayer of clean and celestial air. Momentarily stupefied, Zhao Xian hurriedly shoved the box of gold into Qi Qingyao¡¯s arms. Qi Qingyao hugged the little wooden box absent-mindedly, looking at Zhao Xin¡¯s retreating figure nkly as he turned around and ran. She shook her head wordlessly and went back in. After closing the door, she unfastened the iron shackle of the wooden box. The gold inside shone like the sun, golden spray in the moonlight. The gold he promised¡­he had delivered. He had kept his word. The same night. Jiang Yeqian left the inn in secret and immediately went to a branch of the Zhaixing Administration in the city. Bai Mei had been following Jiang Yeqian in the dark. After learning that Jiang Yeqian had gone to the branch, she immediately hurried over to meet him. Jiang Yeqian took off the ck mask on his face and revealed his actual handsome and beautiful face. Bai Mei lost herself for a second when she saw her master¡¯s face. Jiang Yeqian¡¯s expression was livid as he barked, ¡°Bai Mei, summon Na Lanjie for me.¡± ¡°Master?¡± To summon Na Lanjie at a time like this¡­ Could it be that he wanted someone assassinated? However, the Xuanwu Administration had always been responsible for assassinations. That had always been the case, despite the head of her administration also having simr authority. However, the head of the Xuanwu Administration had always disliked the unauthorized transfer of Na Lanjie that bypassed the Xuanwu Administration. Jiang Yeqian said coldly, ¡°An eighth grand master has appeared on the maind!¡± ¡°Ah!¡± Bai Mei was instantly dumbfounded. Jiang Yeqian¡¯s tone became colder and more bitter than ever. ¡°It might be Li Ruoxuan.¡± ¡°T-t-this is impossible.¡± Bai Mei found the news simply too shocking. It was said that only a grand master could sense that another had ascended into grand mastership... So, Shang Li should know about this, and the little empress also likely knew. Jiang Yeqian¡¯s gaze was deep and bottomless. ¡°This information was bought at a high price. If Gongsun She was the one who leaked it to her, it wouldn¡¯t be wrong. My leg still hasn¡¯t healed yet. If I were to test Li Ruoxuan, I would undoubtedly fail and my injury would be aggravated.¡± In the vicinity of Qingzhou City, those who can test Li Ruoxuan and get away unscathed are only rank-nine archers.¡± Jiang Yeqian¡¯s gaze was deep as he said, ¡°Na Lanjie is likely in Ningyang recently. Send a messenger eagle and ask him toe over. I want him to carry out a long-distance test on Li Ruoxuan.¡± ¡°Understood, Master,¡± Bai Mei said as she bowed. ¡°Tell him it¡¯s urgent and that he muste to see me in three days,¡± Jiang Yeqian added. Bai Mei answered in the affirmative. Jiang Yeqian continued, ¡°If an eighth grand master has really appeared, then Shang Li likely knows, the little empress too. The emperors of the other major nations must have also gotten the news by now! Collect all the information on this matter as soon as possible and send it to the other administration heads in the building to review.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± After Bai Mei left, her expression was ashen and taut. For someone else to inform an administrative head of such a grave matter yet herself still not knowing anything of it¡­ This was a major catastrophe! An eighth grand master on this maind¡­ There were only seven with Pang Juan¡¯s death, even including Si Jin. Now someone told her master that the eighth grand master was suspected to be Li Ruoxuan¡­ The State Preceptor of Northern Liang. If that were true. Bai Mei thought anxiously to herself that her master¡¯s life was in danger¡­ Chapter 492 - Heading Toward The Capital 9

Chapter 492: Heading Toward The Capital 9

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion The room that Qi Qingyao was staying in was the most luxurious in the inn. The triplets were sleeping soundly on the four-poster bed and Qi Qingyao was sleeping on the arhat bed outside. She listened to the triplets¡¯ shallow breathing in the inner room but she was sleepless. After all, she realized just from looking at Jiang Yeqian¡¯s expression that he could not be the eighth grand master that appeared on the maind. If it was Li Ruoxuan, her n for vengeance and everything else down the road would be very, veryplicated. She could not wait on this matter until tomorrow. Although she promised Jiang Yeqian to keep quiet on the subject, it was impossible for her not to talk to someone about it. Qi Qingyao got up and quickly ground some ink with the moonlight. Then, she scribbled down a few words on a piece of paper and took this small note out the door. As soon as she exited her room, she was startled by the tiger guard in the corridor. The guard likely did not expect her toe out in the middle of the night and pretended not to see her, their head still facing downward. Zhao Xin was keeping watch at Jiang Yeqian¡¯s door. When he saw Qi Qingyao, he was startled but did not say a word. He observed her movements quietly. Zhu Shen and Dong Jing also saw her while they were on their respective duties. They opened their eyes slightly and observed Qi Qingyao. After closing the door, Qi Qingyao walked toward Lu Yan¡¯s room. Dong Jing, ¡°...¡± After she made her way over, Qi Qingyao pointed to the door of the room and then at herself. Dong Jing inexplicably had some stray thoughts and blushed a little embarrassedly. He immediately knocked on the door for Qi Qingyao. Someone inside answered very quickly. ¡°Who is it?¡± ¡°Master, the Missus is looking for you,¡± Dong Jing whispered cautiously. ¡°Which Missus?¡± said the voice from inside the room. Then there was a pause. Dong Jing was silent for a moment and said, ¡°Lady Qi.¡± A candle was quickly lit inside the room before the voice called out again. ¡°Send her in.¡± Dong Jing immediately opened the door and ushered Qi Qingyao in. Then he quickly closed the door tightly. After Qi Qingyao entered, she saw a man in a white robe, his hair a little messy. He was not as neat and beautiful as usual but looked more beautiful in a rougher way. Lu Yan put a hand on the door frame of the inner room as he looked at her. Just as he was about to speak. Qi Qingyao opened the note and asked him to read it without saying anything. Lu Yan lowered his head. It read: [There¡¯s something I want to discuss with you.] Lu Yan nced at her suspiciously. He was about to say something, but Qi Qingyao stopped him. She pointed to the desk and Lu Yan reluctantly walked over and wrote: [We can¡¯t speak?] Qi Qingyao picked up another brush and silently wrote: [The walls have ears.] Lu Yan was utterly confused. He yawned and wrote back: [Then, write it out.] Qi Qingyao pursed her lips and pondered for a moment. Then, with a somewhat imposing expression, she wrote: [There is a very important reason why old man Gongsun hasn¡¯t left Qingzhou City. He said that the eighth grand master has appeared on the maind.] ¡°....¡± Lu Yan looked at the line of words on the paper, his expression dark. Qi Qingyao knew he did not want to believe it, so she wrote again: [He said that there are not many rank nine powerhouses in Qingzhou City. He suspects that it was either Li Ruoxuan or Jiang Yeqian. If it was one of the two, who do you think it would be?] Lu Yan nced at her words. He then walked over and picked up the teapot. He did not usually drink tea overnight, but at this moment, his head was buzzing.. He urgently needed something to wake him up, so he poured himself the remaining tea in the teapot, picked up the cup, and dumped it into his mouth. Chapter 493 - Heading Toward the Capital 10

Chapter 493: Heading Toward the Capital 10

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion After drinking the tea, he sat back down and contemted for a moment. He looked at her, picked up the brush, and scribbled out: [The State Preceptor knows that old man Gongsun is tagging along on this trip to the capital. That¡¯s why he specially transferred the tiger guards and sent scouts to constantly keep an eye on the situation along the way. Li Ruoxuan is very cautious. On the contrary, the Head Grand Secretariat only brought a dozen or so attendants with him, which is considered to be a light journey. But he is on crutches...and his injury does not look like it was healed. So, if it¡¯s really one of these two people, I would guess...It¡¯s Li Ruoxuan.] [Is there no other reason?] It was somewhat straightforward. Lu Yan continued writing: [Let¡¯s first assume that he is the new grand master. Assuming that he has just broken through to grand mastership, our Daliang would now have three grand masters. Shang Li, Si Jin, and Li Ruoxuan... Shang Li has returned to the capital and Si Jin mysteriously disappeared for the time being. If you were a grand master from another nation, would you allow three grand masters to appear in Northern Liang?] Qi Qingyao mouthed one word, ¡°No¡­¡± [Exactly.] Lu Yan drank some tea and felt his head had cleared up a lot. He analyzed the situation for her. [Any person with a functioning mind would not allow three great masters to appear in Northern Liang in such a short time. It causes too much disruption in the bnce between major nations. As a grand master of Daming, old man Gongsun will not allow this strategic imbnce. The moment there is a sharp increase in Northern Liang¡¯sbat power, we may possibly swallow up Eastern Ling, which has only one grand master left. After increasing our strength, the next one to be devoured is Daming in the south!! In that case, old man Gongsun would definitely kill the person who has just ascended into grand mastership at all costs. That is also why he is following us.] ¡°...¡± Qi Qingyao felt overwhelmed by his words. She looked at his writing on the paper without saying anything. Lu Yan frowned and wrote seriously: [If Li Ruoxuan has ascended, he must have transferred so many tiger guards to give the impression that he is protecting you, when in fact, it is for his self-protection. That¡¯s why he first sent out a team of scouts to recon the situation before going anywhere. He refuses to let himself die by Gongsun She¡¯s hands before returning to the capital!] Qi Qingyao, ¡°...¡± There was a touch of excitement on Lu Yan¡¯s beautiful face. [It¡¯s a great thing that there are three grand masters in Northern Liang. I know there¡¯s an irreconcble grudge between you and Li Ruoxuan, but at present, it¡¯s important to protect his life, be it for the sake of national justice. After all, Jiang Yeqian has resigned and, of the remaining people who can be used in the imperial court, only the State Preceptor seems to have a working mind... Now that he is also a grand master, the capital will be thrown into chaos if he dies.] The entirety of Northern Liang would not be in a good situation. If Si Jin did not care about Northern Liang and was an outsider who was of no use to the imperial court, losing Li Ruoxuan would result in Northern Liang being swallowed up by Daming in no time, or perhaps by the mysterious Dazhou in the West¡­ Lu Yan looked at Qi Qingyao, noting that she had been consistently silent. He became very nervous. After contemting for a long time, Qi Qingyao shrugged and wrote: [I didn¡¯t even say anything, why are you so nervous?] Even if she wanted revenge, now was not the right time, neither would she get someone else to do the deed. At any rate, the original host was amoner of Northern Liang. She did not want to put her country in dire straits because of her hatred. Peace was more important than anything else. As for vengeance¡­ There were still many days ahead. ¡­ ¡­ After Qi Qingyao entered Lu Yan¡¯s room, Dong Jing gathered around the door nosily to hear what was happening inside¡­ In the end, he did not hear a sound. Dong Jing immediately snickered. Missus ran to the master¡¯s room in the middle of the night, it seemed like¡­something was going on. Zhu Shen and Zhao Xin saw the way Dong Jing was behaving.. Zhao Xin frowned silently. Chapter 494 - I Want To Know What You Both Did

Chapter 494: I Want To Know What You Both Did

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Zhu Shen¡¯s expression showed contempt. Since the State Preceptor had some interest in that woman, if he were to make a move on her in the future, he thought there was a good chance he could help bring them together. In the end, however, the little woman was just a scious widow. She had gone to the young master¡¯s room in the middle of the night! How shameless! ¡­ Jiang Yeqian calmly and mysteriously walked through the backyard. When he returned to his room from the window, he noticed that there were candles lit in Lu Yan¡¯s room next door, which piqued his curiosity. After he returned to his room, he changed into his inner garments to give the impression that he had been unable to sleep. He opened the door and Zhao Xin quickly opened his eyes. ¡°Your Excellency!!¡± ¡°Next door¡­has Master Lu not fallen asleep?¡± ¡°Lady Qi has gone next door to meet with Master Lu.¡± Zhao Xin¡¯s tone was a little disdainful as he spoke. ¡°...¡± Jiang Yeqian raised his eyebrows. There was gloom in his ck but bright eyes. He grunted and asked. ¡°Why did she go looking for Master Lu in the middle of the night?¡± ¡°This servant does not know.¡± ¡°How long has she been inside?¡± ¡°About half an hour.¡± When Jiang Yeqian heard this, his eyes turned very dark. Feigning a look of disinterest, he closed the door. Inside, he leaned against the door panel, his expression hideous. Why did she go look for Lu Yan in the middle of the night? Could they possibly be joking around at such a time? In any case, Jiang Yeqian was a rank-nine and he could easily tune into their breathing next door over the wall. There were indeed two sets of breathing there. So... what the hell were they doing!! Jiang Yeqian was very much bothered. With a dark expression, he opened the door again and walked over to the next door without expression. Dong Jing was on guard. ¡°H-head Grand Secretariat¡­¡± ¡°Move.¡± ¡°Your Excellency still hasn¡¯t slept despite it being sote. Do you have some matters you need to discuss with my master?¡± ¡°Yes, I do.¡± ¡°My master has already gone to bed. Regardless of what you have to discuss with my master, please do so tomorrow morning.¡± Dong Jing did not want his master to be interrupted in whatever he was doing and refused Jiang Yeqian on the spot. ¡°Move aside!!¡± Jiang Yeqian ordered with a calm expression. ¡°Whatever your Excellency has to discuss, please do so tomorrow morning!¡± Dong Jing was not Jiang Yeqian¡¯s servant so he was not afraid of him. He was from the Lu family! ¡°I¡¯m the Head Grand Secretariat, ¡°Jiang Yeqian said heavily. Dong Jing¡¯s eyes shone. ¡°You were¡­the Head Grand Secretariat,¡± he reminded him. Jiang Yeqian was exasperated. Li Ruoxuan had not slept; he was sitting on his bed meditating to improve his cultivation as soon as possible. After catching Jiang Yeqian¡¯s voice outside his room, Li Ruoxuan got up and walked out the door. Zhu Shen quickly gave a slight nod. Li Ruoxuan noticed the farce on this side of the corridor at a nce and walked over with his eyebrows raised. ¡°What are you doing here in the middle of the night?¡± Jiang Yeqian ignored him. Li Ruoxuan said sarcastically, ¡°Are you having a meeting, hm?¡± Jiang Yeqian was stunned for a second. He turned around, facing Li Ruoxuan¡¯s one eye, and said with a superficial smile, ¡°Lady Qi has been summoned by her majesty the empress. I¡¯m afraid that Master Lu might do something out of line or improper toward Lady Qi, so I¡¯m calling her toe out.¡± Li Ruoxuan was duly shocked and pointed to the room door. ¡°She went looking for Lu Yan in the middle of the night?¡± This woman was so annoying. Jiang Yeqian suddenly pushed all of the mess onto Li Ruoxuan. ¡°Your Excellency, since you are responsible for the safety of this trip, please take care of this matter.¡± Li Ruoxuan was furious. He kicked the door heavily and shouted, ¡°Qi Qingyao, get the f*ck out of here.¡± Inside the room, Qi Qingyao and Lu Yan had long picked up on the noise outside. Qi Qingyao had wanted to ask Lu Yan to burn all these notes but doing that in the middle of the night would attract too much attention, so she hurriedly asked Lu Yan to put them away, reminding him that they had to burn them if they were free tomorrow morning. After they were done sorting out the papers, they heard the sound of someone kicking the door. Qi Qingyao went over and opened the door. Pretending to be unhappy, she nced at the man at the door. ¡°What¡¯s with all the noise in the middle of the night?¡± Frost appeared in Li Ruoxuan¡¯s eyes as he said sarcastically, ¡°How horny are you that you came to Lu Yan¡¯s room in the middle of the night just because you can¡¯t sleep in yours?¡± Qi Qingyao would have retorted during ordinary times but right now, she did not want Li Ruoxuan to suspect too much so she shruggedzily and admitted, ¡°That¡¯s right, I¡¯m really horny. Do you not understand the mind of a horny young woman?¡± With those words, she promptly walked back to her room calmly. Li Ruoxuan, ¡°...¡± Jiang Yeqian, ¡°...¡± Li Ruoxuan¡¯s expression was livid as he roared at Qi Qingyao¡¯s back, ¡°If you¡¯re too horny, the Head Grand Secretariat and I will be able to satiate you anytime.¡± Without turning back, Qi Qingyao replied cynically. ¡°A blind man and ame man! Why don¡¯t you both take a piss and a look at your reflections¡­¡± Li Ruoxuan, ¡°...a blind man.¡± Jiang Yeqian, ¡°...ame man!!!¡± After Li Ruoxuan returned to his senses, he covered his right eye, turning red from embarrassment, and shouted angrily, ¡°Say that again if you dare.¡± ¡°Blind man! Blind man! Blind man!!¡± Qi Qingyao turned around and repeated the words three times with a fake look of innocence. ¡°Are you looking to die?¡± Li Ruoxuan rushed in front of her like an arrow and grabbed Qi Qingyao¡¯s neck with just one hand. Qi Qingyao already feared for her life ever since she learned of the possibility that Li Ruoxuan might be the grand master. Hence, now that he had grabbed her neck, she was not particrly nervous. Instead, she said somewhat leisurely, ¡°I am looking to die. Kill me, you two, if it will cheer you up.¡± Li Ruoxuan looked at the white and slender neck under his palm. He just needed to exert a little force. Then her delicate neck would snap immediately. Her carotid artery was also beating hard in his palm¡­ Li Ruoxuan took a deep breath and let go. He said viciously. ¡°Don¡¯t go knocking on other men¡¯s doors in the middle of the night!¡± Qi Qingyao looked as if she did not care too much, but she sighed in relief internally. Theck of gratitude in her behavior made Li Ruoxuan gnash his teeth with hatred. ¡°If you really have to knock on someone¡¯s door,e knock on mine. I wee it at any time.¡± ¡°You¡¯re insane!¡± Qi Qingyao left these words behind and darted into her room. Seeing that Li Ruoxuan did not kill her, Jiang Yeqian knew that he was afraid of the emperor¡¯s edict... After all, he was serving under Her Majesty. Regardless of how unhappy Li Ruoxuan was, he would not kill Qi Qingyao now. Jiang Yeqian immediately stepped into the room and nced at Lu Yan, who was dressed in a thin robe. He felt a little disgusted but feigned casualness as he said, ¡°She came to your room and you were together for half an hour. What was that about?¡± ¡°What does it have to do with the State Preceptor?¡± Lu Yan looked at the man leaning against the door frame and smiled slyly. Jiang Yeqian, ¡°...¡± Seeing that Jiang Yeqian was already speechless from rage, Li Ruoxuan wavered a little. With how calm he seemed, could it be that he only held a good opinion of her but did not actually like her? If not, it did not make sense why he was indifferent when he saw him strangle her just now¡­ Thinking of this, Li Ruoxuan turned around and walked over while saying, ¡°I¡¯m the one who proposed to her before. Although I was rejected, as someone who fancies her, I would like to know what you did with her.¡± Lu Yan ignored Li Ruoxuan¡¯s question. Disregarding that what they discussed that night could not be revealed, he would still not tell them just because he wanted to annoy the two. Remaining calm andposed, Lu Yan said, ¡°Didn¡¯t you already say it? She was just horny¡­ So, guess for yourself what we did just now.¡± Li Ruoxuan, ¡°You¡­¡± Saying that, Lu Yan got up, walked over, and closed the door. Li Ruoxuan and Jiang Yeqian looked at each other before Li Ruoxuan returned to the room, neutering coldly. Jiang Yeqian was left standing there alone. He was silent for a long time before he trudged back to his room¡­ Almost no one slept that night. Qi Qingyao could not stop thinking about how she could get her revenge now that Li Ruoxuan was a grand master, and what self-protection measures she would have to take¡­ Lu Yan was also thinking about this. Li Ruoxuan was busy thinking about whether something really happened between that woman and Lu Yan. Although he knew that her private life was indiscrete, she could not possibly be that horny on their journey back to the capital now, could she? Not to mention, was Lu Yan even cured? Well...about his illness...he could easily test it out by throwing a woman into his carriage tomorrow! Laying in his bed, Jiang Yeqian could not sleep. He was too upset. First, Li Ruoxuan might have ascended to grand mastership, and secondly, Qi Qingyao got involved with Lu Yan by sneaking into his room in the middle of the night¡­ Since he knew that she was not the old Qi Qingyao, her private life should not be that chaotic. From the subtle distance she kept from himself, Pei Fengtang, the State Preceptor, and Lu Yan, the richest man in Northern Liang, coupled with her f*ckingck of belief in love, he knew how blockheaded the woman was. This included Si Jin, who was a proud and beautiful teenager. However, in her eyes, she just treated him like a pretty little brother. The distance always remained. If she wanted to, she likely would have already been able to snag the boy long ago¡­considering Si Jin¡¯s wayward thoughts of wanting to be her boy toy¡­ However, she had always been open and honest. That said¡­ He was confused about what was going on between her and Lu Yan. Why would she go looking for Lu Yan in the middle of the night? Wait a minute, could she have sought out Lu Yan to discuss the possibility of Li Ruoxuan being a grand master? Jiang Yeqian mulled over what she might have been thinking, and this continued till dawn. ¡­ Inside an inn in the capital. Gongsun She kept a low profile as he checked into the inn. Staring off somewhere in the distance, he was thinking about how to deal with the problem... Li Ruoxuan. Supposing he had ascended into grand mastership! With how Qi Qingyao, the Harbinger, was by his side, his luck was simply impable. It would be difficult to deal with this fresh grand master, unless¡­ He started with the Harbinger. It was written in the ancient scrolls that the Harbinger was blessed by heaven and possessed incredible luck. There was a lot more written after that but unfortunately, that scroll had always remained iplete. Even if he were able to get rid of the newly ascended grand master Li Ruoxuan, what difference did it make? As long as the Harbinger was around, another rank nine would ascend next. In that case, he should first get rid of the Harbinger, and then Li Ruoxuan. Northern Liang would instantly have lost two important figures! To top it off, there would not be any upper rank nines ascending anytime soon¡­ However, if he tried to kill the Harbinger¡­ No. This thought in itself was unrealistic. Si Jin would undoubtedly appear the moment he tried to murder her. If that happened, his fate would be the same as that of Pang Juan. So, instead of killing her¡­ Would it not be enough as long as she lost her luck for a short period of time? All of a sudden, Gongsun She had a splendid idea. It was fortunate he had carefully studied the Harbinger back then¡­ However, nning this move would take three to five days! Chapter 495 - Stop Talking Nonsense

Chapter 495: Stop Talking Nonsense

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Lu Yan woke up early, not having gotten much sleep either. Hence, he was already done washing up before the sky brightened. He hurriedly picked up the stack of paper and went downstairs into the kitchen. The cook in charge of breakfast in the back kitchen was almost given the shock of his life by the sight of the beautiful young master and was about to ask him what he was doing. Then he saw that beautiful childe had turned around and was walking back¡­ Lu Yan wanted to burn the papers himself. However, he could not bring himself to step into the kitchen, nor could he stand the smell. After enduring it for a while, he called Dong Jing and handed the stack of papers to him. ¡°Burn these.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Dong Jing, of course, would not ask any unnecessary questions about this stack of papers. He just thought that it was the master¡¯s failed calligraphy and art masterpieces, so he took them to the back kitchen. With all the helpers in the back kitchen as witnesses, he quickly stuffed the waste papers into the stove and burned them into a pile of ash. ¡­ After Lu Yan made sure that the papers were disposed of, he turned back and went upstairs into the room. He changed his clothes and went down again. Qi Qingyao was done washing up the triplets by then. Qi Qingyao exchanged a look with Lu Yan, who gestured to her that the papers had been dealt with. Qi Qingyao was relieved. The kids slept very soundly every day as they were still growing up. Although they were not sleepy, they could not help but yawn in the morning, still looking lethargic after having been dug up from their beds early this morning. They were nodding off nonstop at the dining table. Qi Qingyao knocked on the table while she was eating. Xiaobao still had some endurance as he tried his best to grip his rice bowl and fill his stomach. Dabao and Erniu were more sluggish. They were not even eating properly, treating the act with little importance. Qi Qingyao did not force them either. She just gave the three kids the goat¡¯s milk she had specifically asked the inn to prepare. As for the rest of the food, she figured that they had a lot of dried rations and it would not be an issue if they got hungry on the road. When he noticed Qi Qingyao¡¯s carefree attitude as if she hadpletely forgotten what happenedst night, Jiang Yeqian almost lost his mind. He had dark circles under his eyes and wanted to throw in some sarcastic words. However, he could not say anything since Li Ruoxuan was nearby. He could only keep all his gloom to himself. Li Ruoxuan was unaware of the agonies in the man¡¯s mind and said casually to Qi Qingyao, ¡°You two had a good timest night.¡± Qi Qingyao was stunned. ¡®Here we go again,¡¯ she thought. She looked up and gave him a mischievous look. ¡°Are you envious?¡± Li Ruoxuan was stunned by this. He was silent for a moment before gritting his teeth and saying, ¡°I envy you. I envy you very much.¡± Qi Qingyao shrugged and said, ¡°If you envy me, there are many brothels out there, you can have a good time just by simply going to have a look.¡± Li Ruoxuan smiled superficially and said, ¡°But I only want you.¡± Qi Qingyao paused, then raised her brows and said evenly, ¡°I am a horny young woman, I don¡¯t think you can handle me.¡± Jiang Yeqian almost spat out his tea. Just as Li Ruoxuan was about to sneer, Dabao tilted his head and could not help but interrupt. ¡°Mommy, what does horny mean?¡± Qi Qingyao¡¯s face went taut in an instant and she let out a forcedugh. ¡°I¡¯m just hungry and thirsty.¡± Dabao said seriously, ¡°Then, I¡¯m really horny now, Mommy.¡± Qi Qingyao put arge bowl of millet congee in front of the little guy and said pointedly, ¡°Drink your millet congee quickly and you won¡¯t be hungry and thirsty anymore.¡± ¡°Okay¡­¡± Dabao was rather awake after drinking the goat¡¯s milk. He hugged therge bowl and downed the millet congee. Then, he picked up a youtiao obediently and munched on it. Jiang Yeqian nced at Li Ruoxuan and said, ¡°You had better not talk so much in front of children next time.¡± ¡°Hmph¡­¡± Li Ruoxuan snorted but did not say anything more. ¡­ After eating, Li Ruoxuan shouted that it was time to leave. They departed. Li Ruoxuan did not take a carriage today but rode on horseback. He was at the rear of the convoy with Zhu Shen. Zhu Shen looked at his master curiously, wondering why he did not take the carriage¡­ Li Ruoxuan looked at the carriage in front of him, then eyed the capital city that was gradually disappearing behind them. He said to Zhu Shen, ¡°Say, will Si Jin appear at the critical moment if I were toy my hands on Qi Qingyao now?¡± When Zhu Shen heard this, he almost bit off his tongue. While thinking that the master had gone crazy, he said cautiously, ¡°This... servant does not know. ¡°This servant thinks that the rtionship between Master Si Jin and Lady Qi is unusual and it¡¯s better that you don¡¯t do it right now... ¡°Moreover, Lady Qi is someone her majesty wants to meet. Be careful...¡± ¡­ ¡®If you want to kill her¡­you¡¯ll be ying with your life. Your Excellency! You have to calm down!¡¯ Li Ruoxuan was still calcting something. ¡°If I were to strike her down and Si Jin did not appear¡­¡± Zhu Shen finished the sentence, ¡°It would mean that Si Jin has really left.¡± After a pause, he added, ¡°Or at the very least, it would mean that he cannot appear now.¡± Li Ruoxuan nodded. He was just running his mouth; he did not actually dare strike Qi Qingyao now. Apart from whether Si Jin would appear... there might be a mysterious grand master following them! If he were to bother Qi Qingyao today, Lu Yan, Dong Jing, and Jiang Yeqian would retaliate, and if the grand master appeared, he would not be able to guarantee his life. However¡­ Li Ruoxuan did not want to give up just yet, he would still have the opportunity to test it out throughout the journey. After all, once they entered the capital, even if Jiang Yeqian was no longer the Head Grand Secretariat, his manpower would not be less than Jiang Yeqian¡¯s! Hence¡­ Li Ruoxuan hesitated again and again and finally decided to just observe for another period of time. ¡­ Over the next three days, the convoy drove through the countryside and forests. Qi Qingyao was very nervous in this environment. She was afraid that Li Ruoxuan would draw his de on her to test if Si Jin would appear. At the same time, she was afraid that old man Gongsun would suddenly appear¡­ Three more dayster. Finally, they found a town. The party made a stop there and the team of tiger guards began to rest and reorganize. As usual, Li Ruoxuan sent scouts to inquire about the town¡¯s situation. He managed to get a clear picture of almost the entire town within an hour. When Jiang Yeqian heard a familiar sound after having his meal, he changed into some ck clothes and left the backyard. Li Ruoxuan¡¯s attention was on Qi Qingyao, so he could slip past unnoticed. When Jiang Yeqian was five miles outside of town, he spotted someone¡­ ¡°You¡¯re here atst.¡± ¡°How can I afford not to after you said an eighth grand master has appeared?¡± Chapter 496 - The State Preceptor Was Attacked 1

Chapter 496: The State Preceptor Was Attacked 1

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion He stayed in town that night and set out early the next morning. When he was getting ready to depart, Li Ruoxuan looked around and frowned, thinking that it should be time for that man to appear, but he never did. What was old man Gongsun thinking? Did he not intend to attack him anymore? That was impossible though. The old man had been following them quietly all the way, waiting for an opportunity to show his hand. He must be waiting in the dark somewhere¡­ In the evening, Li Ruoxuan checked in at an ordinary tea shop he hade across¡­ He had not booked the entire tea shop this time. After all, it was not part of his home territory. Lu Yan had wanted to pay the store owner to drive out other guests, but Qi Qingyao stopped him. ¡°This ce is between the two capitals. There is only this single tea shop on the official road. If you drive away the other guests, they will have to sleep in the wilderness. You can¡¯t bully others just because you have money.¡± ¡°...¡± Lu Yan thought she made a fair point. After they entered, the tiger guards quickly surrounded the entire tea shop. Seeing this spectacle, the other guests were shocked; they wondered who exactly hade here. The shopkeeper of the tea shop was bathed in a cold sweat when Dong Jing came forward. He simply exined that they wanted to stay in the shop and asked for all the remaining rooms. The shopkeeper looked at the ck-armored cavalry outside and could not help shaking all over. He held back his voice and did not dare ask anything. After Jiang Yeqian sat down, he noticed that the other guests in the inn were looking at them with curious eyes. He could not help asking Lu Yan, ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to drive away the others?¡± Lu Yan nced somewhere upstairs. Qi Qingyao had brought the children to freshen up and wash their faces after the day¡¯s journey. ¡°She said that if we were to drive the people away, these people would have to sleep in the wilderness as there are no other inns within the next 80 miles. She added that we should not bully others even though we are rich.¡± Jiang Yeqian, ¡°...¡± To drive these people out without warning would leave them with no ce to go that night; her words were reasonable. Li Ruoxuan snorted coldly. ¡°Compassion is truly overflowing.¡± Things would be chaotic with so many people in the tea shop, so the group did not dine in the lobby. They went upstairs directly into Qi Qingyao¡¯s room and asked the servant to deliver the food. After dinner, Qi Qingyao, who was very tired from sitting in the carriage all day, waved her hands and carried her three children into bed. ¡°Please enjoy yourselves. Thou shall head to bed first.¡± With that, she went straight to bed. Li Ruoxuan and Lu Yan left the room. Jiang Yeqian thought in his heart: ¡°...¡± What was with the ¡®thou¡¯, huh?! (TN: Original word in mandarin is a more arrogant version of ¡®I¡¯.) He left without saying anything. Li Ruoxuan left Qi Qingyao¡¯s room and went straight back to his room. While drinking some tea, he said to Zhu Shen. ¡°Someone is following us.¡± ¡°Your Excellency?¡± Zhu Shen felt his heart thump. Li Ruoxuan added, ¡°They¡¯re at least rank nine.¡± Zhu Shen tried to rx and asked, ¡°Could it be Old Sir Gongsun?¡± ¡°I¡¯m certain, they¡¯re a rank nine.¡± Li Ruoxuan smiled with some amusement. That was because he could sense the other¡¯s distance from them...they were far away! However, the stalker did not give up and was still following them. Zhu Shen instinctively wanted to call for a troupe of tiger guards to solve the problem, but His Excellency was smiling profoundly. There must be a reason for that. ¡°What should we do?¡± he asked instead. Li Ruoxuan drank some tea and the corners of his lips pulled up into a very strange smile. ¡°I wonder what this rank nine¡¯s purpose is.¡± Zhu Shen, ¡°...¡± A rank nine was following them¡­ What could their purpose be? Could it be an assassination? ¡­ ¡­ After eating, they went back to their rooms. The tiger guards in ck armor were also stationed everywhere in the corridor. The awful atmosphere was enough to frighten the other guests out of their wits. In the hall, there were still some guests who were eating while curiously observing the emotionless tiger guards as they discussed among themselves quietly. ¡°Who do you think those people just now were?¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you see those guards? They are probably all officers and soldiers of the imperial court.¡± ¡°Every one of them is wearing armor and they look extremely grim and cold.¡± ¡°Then, what about those handsome men and women who went upstairs with three children?¡± ¡°I guess they¡¯re some noble folks!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t provoke these people. Just look at the man with the eye patch¡ªI fear they¡¯re not a bunch we should provoke.¡± A handsome crippled person, a young man who was more beautiful than a woman, and a man who looked gentle and clean but wore an eye patch. What a strangebination they were. What was even stranger was that there was a beautiful littledy between them. However, this littledy seemed to be leading three children who looked very simr to her¡­ Chapter 497 - The State Preceptor Was Attacked 2

Chapter 497: The State Preceptor Was Attacked 2

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion The guests of the inn could not stop staring at the tiger guards, each of them feeling their scalps tingling. There were no other inns nearby, so they did not dare leave either. They could only murmur in their hearts, wondering what kind of group could warrant such a group of guards. It was normal for people to stay in the inn at night. There would always be guests chatting over food and drinks in therge hall. Tonight, however, at two o¡¯clock, the entire hall waspletely devoid of people...the guests had all returned to their rooms, ¡°sleeping¡± quietly like chickens. When Qi Qingyao woke up, it was already daybreak, and the three little children had slept their fill. Erniu said she wanted to get up and pee so Qi Qingyao had her relieve herself in the chamber pot. The children could not sleep anymore and they all woke up noisily. After putting on her clothes, QI Qingyao opened the window and took a look at the sky outside. The rising sun gave people a very pleasant feeling indeed. ¡°Nothing happened so far, we might be able to reach the capital safely.¡± Li Ruoxuan called for breakfast to be served in his room. After eating, Qi Qingyao asked Dong Jing to look over the children. She went downstairs to the toilet in the backyard. However, as soon as she came downstairs, she noticed Li Ruoxuan following her like a persistent yes man. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Qi Qingyao suddenly turned back and looked at him warily. ¡°I¡¯m not doing anything,¡± Li Ruoxuan answered seriously. ¡°Then, you¡¯re following me because...¡± Qi Qingyao asked suspiciously. ¡°You think I¡¯d want to follow you?¡± asked Li Ruoxuan. Expression dark, Qi Qingyao said, ¡°Following ady even when she goes to the toilet, are you a pervert?¡± Li Ruoxuan pointed to the cultivators who had just woken up and were out and about. ¡°Idiot! Don¡¯t you see so many cultivators around? You think I¡¯d willingly follow you if there weren¡¯t so many people lying in wait?¡± ¡°...¡± Could it be that he was following her to protect her? ¡°In that case, you can send other people to follow me,¡± she whispered. Was it necessary to follow her to the toilet? Li Ruoxuan said expressionlessly, ¡°There are rank-nine powerhouses tracking us nearby. They didn¡¯t make a movest night, who knows when they will.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Rank nines? Was he not talking about Gongsun She? He was a grand master. Why would another rank nine appear? That said, there were no viges or shops around here. Could it be that the cultivators were sleeping in the wilderness? Although Qi Qingyao was suspicious, she did not say anything. When she got to the backyard, she went straight to the toilet. She felt refreshed after she was done. However, the second she came back out, she saw a man waiting at the door of the toilet, which was a little too strange¡­ Qi Qingyao nced at the tiger guards around the walls of the inn and thought, ¡®If a rank nine could still break in with so many tiger guards around, this is aplete joke! Qi Qingyao shook her head and was about to move forward when suddenly, her heart thumped wildly. It was as if a cage of invisible palpitations wrapped her entire body, making her feel dizzy. She instinctively arched her back and squatted down. At the same time. She was pushed away by someone, which sent her rolling onto the ground. Qi Qingyao crashed into a wall on one side and the tiger guards quickly reacted¡­ Qi Qingyao felt somewhat dizzy after the collision. When she blearily came to, she said, ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± The moment she said this, she saw that an arrow was deeply lodged into Li Ruoxuan¡¯s shoulder. The tiger guards roared. ¡°Assassins!!¡± Zhu Shen was already rushing out of the hall while shouting, ¡°Protect Lady Qi!!¡± Li Ruoxuan covered his left shoulder and nced somewhere in the distance. He said to Zhu Shen and Qi Qingyao, ¡°Both of you head into the building first.¡± ¡°Your Excellency!!¡± Zhu Shen eximed. Li Ruoxuan motioned for him to go in first. Zhu Shen could only grit his teeth and bark an order, ¡°Protect his Excellency!!¡± Several tiger guards surrounded Li Ruoxuan. Only then did Li Ruoxuan recall that he had pushed Qi Qingyuan aside, causing her to tumble to the ground. He looked at the injury on his shoulder and asked Zhu Shen across the group of tiger guards, ¡°How is she? Is she alright?¡± Qi Qingyao walked toward the hall and called out to Li Ruoxuan angrily. ¡°Take care of yourself first.¡± The tiger guards and Li Ruoxuan waited for a while, but before the assassin revealed themselves, Li Ruoxuan instructed the tiger guards to disperse. He covered his shoulder and walked to the lobby. Jiang Yeqian looked at the injured Li Ruoxuan and frowned. If he was a grand master, he should be able to stop an arrow¡­ Did he injure himself to trick everyone? Zhu Shen roared after Li Ruoxuan came into the hall. ¡°The State Preceptor is injured! Go look for a doctor quickly!¡± The other guests in the hall, ¡°...¡± What!! The man in the eye patch was the State Preceptor!! S-s-so the group was the State Preceptor and other important figures returning to the capital? As poor people andmon cultivators, they had of course heard rumors about Northern Liang¡¯s ruthless State Preceptor. Who would have expected that someone would try to assassinate the State Preceptor today! Who the hell was it?! Have they gone mad? If they were caught, their entire family would be cut into pieces. No¡­ Wait a minute. As guests at the inn, would they be suspected of having something to do with the assassin? The guests suddenly thought that they should leave as soon as possible! Otherwise, they might even get killed by the guards. Lu Yan frowned as he looked at the injured Li Ruoxuan. Thinking of Qi Qingyao¡¯s words from the other day, he thought with a frown, ¡®A grand master couldn¡¯t stop an arrow? Is he messing with us?!¡¯ Not to mention, if Li Ruoxuan really was a great master, he must have been able to sense the assassin nearby. So there was no point for someone to attempt an assassination! Could it be a self-orchestrated ruse? After Zhu Shen shouted, Qi Qingyao said helplessly, ¡°I¡¯m a doctor.¡± These were entirely different matters. If she did not save him now, she would get her revenge, but the fact was that even if she did not help him, he would not die. It was just an arrow to the shoulder¡­ However, how could he have gotten hurt? This guy should be a grand master. Did he set this up himself? Based on her and Lu Yan¡¯s analysis from the other day, he should be on guard against Gongsun She¡¯s sneak attack! This arrow was likely shot by that rank nine he was talking about. Rank nine... Arrow? Was it the same rank-nine archer who tried to assassinate herst time?! The assant had aimed at her and Li Ruoxuan pushed her aside, resulting in his injury¡­ Zhu Shen hurriedly supported the pale-lipped Li Ruoxuan to Qi Qingyao and said seriously, ¡°His Excellency protected you from injury. Please do your best to save him.¡± Qi Qingyao said, ¡°Bring him back to his room first, then get everyone to remain where they are on standby. We will not be departing this morning in the meantime.¡± She seemed to be giving orders. After that, she even ignored the captain of the tiger guards¡­ The captain blinked, a little confused, and instinctively looked at Jiang Yeqian, who was still on crutches. Jiang Yeqian was, after all, the former Head Grand Secretariat. He gave a small nod. The tiger guard expressed his understanding and strengthened the patrol around the inn. Zhe Shen supported Li Ruoxuan into the room. Qi Qingyao looked at Li Ruoxuan who was lying on the bed, hisplexion and lips pale, his forehead covered in fine sweat. She said coldly. ¡°Don¡¯t pretend to be dead!¡± Li Ruoxuan opened his eyes and licked his chapped lips. He covered his shoulder and said, ¡°At any rate, I saved you. Why aren¡¯t you pulling out the arrow yet? Do you want me to die from the pain?¡± ¡°...¡± Was it really an attempt on her life? Qi Qingyao was conflicted for a while, then she said, ¡°This is for saving me.¡± She still needed this man when they returned to Northern Liang, otherwise she would not be able to do anything when Gongsun She came to take Erniu away. Qi Qingyao weighed the situation. Then she had Zhu Shen bring the medicine box from the carriage. ¡°The arrowhead is very deep, you¡¯ll have to endure a little.¡± Before Qi QIngyao pulled the arrow out, she first prised open the robes covering his shoulder and checked how deep the wound was. Qi Qingyao was silent for a moment before she shouted at the room door, ¡°Jiang¡­Head Grand Secretariat! Come here for a bit.¡± Jiang Yeqian took his sweet time walking in. Qi Qingyao offered him a seat and motioned for Jiang Yeqian to sit down. ¡°You, pull out the arrow for him.¡± Jiang Yeqian nced coldly at the guy on the bed who orchestrated this whole scene.?¡°Why should I help him?¡± Na Lanjie tried to assassinate him but now, he took credit for saving her... F*ck it, he was really meticulous! ¡°I owe him my life.¡± Qi QIngyao scratched her head and said, ¡°When the archer tried to assassinate me thest time, Lu Yan was there to cover me. They came trying to assassinate me again this time and the State Preceptor saved this life of mine. Actually, you also owe me quite a bit. So, please pull the arrow out.¡± Jiang Yeqian said sulkily, ¡°Don¡¯t you have hands?¡± Qi Qingyao answered calmly, ¡°I¡¯m not strong enough. I¡¯m afraid I won¡¯t be able to pull it out and will instead cause massive bleeding.¡± ¡°...¡± Jiang Yeqian took a deep breath. Putting his crutch aside, he clenched his teeth and shouted, ¡°Li Ruoxuan!!¡± Then he pulled the arrow out. ¡°Hngh!!¡± Li Ruoxuan spat out arge mouthful of fresh blood. Jiang Yeqian ignored the blood flowing from the man¡¯s shoulder. He threw the arrow aside and wiped his hand with a white handkerchief. After that, he got up slowly and left. Qi Qingyao noted that there was something wrong with Li Ruoxuan¡¯s wound. She checked the arrow and said heavily, ¡°The arrow has been pulled out but the head is poisoned. The toxin is colorless and tasteless. It¡¯s a poison simr to Tendon Weakening Powder, and there¡¯s no antidote. You had better not use your strength in the meantime. I¡¯ll wrap the wound for you, so get some good sleep today.¡± With that, she immediately applied the medicine and wrapped up his shoulder neatly. After that, Li Ruoxuan stood up while cradling his shoulder. He said, ¡°Tell Zhu Shen to organize the convoy, we will depart in a quarter of an hour.¡± Qi Qingyao said, ¡°Your wound is very deep. You have to rest for at least half a day.¡± Li Ruoxuan¡¯splexion was ashen as he said, ¡°I¡¯m already injured and I can¡¯t use my strength with this injury. If we stay put, the assants will conclude that I¡¯m in bad shape. They might even sneak into your room to assassinate you.¡± Qi Qingyao, ¡°...¡± Li Ruoxuan nced at the arrow and said, ¡°If it¡¯s Na Lanjie both thest time and this time, then it must be the ghost organization who gave the order to assassinate you. If you stay where you are, and you¡¯re indeed their target... ¡°If we depart sooner, you¡¯d be a moving quarry and the tiger guards would be following you all the way. You even have extra protection from the carriage. That should prevent anything from happening. Besides, you could make a show of strength...¡± ¡­ Qi Qingyao was quiet for a moment before she said, ¡°Since we can¡¯t let you die, we¡¯ll departter.¡± Although Li Ruoxuan made a very good point, Qi QIngyao still felt that there was something wrong. A whileter, after they were done packing up, Qi Qingyao said to Lu Yan, ¡°Little Yan, ride the carriage with me.¡± ¡°...¡± Lu Yan¡¯s eyes lit up unconsciously for a second before he pretended to be calm. He replied simply, ¡°Oh.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not allowed to,¡± Jiang Yeqian said firmly. ¡°Why does the Head Grand Secretariat not allow it?¡± Lu Yan did not take Jiang Yeqian seriously at all. He added jokingly, ¡°Oh, that¡¯s not right, former... Head Grand Secretariat.¡± Jiang Yeqian took a deep breath. He smiled along and said, ¡°Since someone from the ghost organization tried to assassinate Lady Qi today, it would be better if I get into the carriage to apany Lady Qi.¡± Qi Qingyao said loudly, ¡°No need for that!¡± Then, she looked at Li Ruoxuan who was being supported into the carriage and said with a smile, ¡°Although the Head Grand Secretariat is crippled, he is at still a rank nine. What you have to do now is to get into the carriage with the State Preceptor so that you can protect him!¡± Jiang Yeqian, ¡°...¡± Li Ruoxuan was preparing to get on the carriage when he heard this. He was about to refuse, but then he saw that Jiang Yeqian had already agreed with a strange smile before walking toward him! Jiang Yeqian had wanted to refuse at first, but he also wanted to observe Li Ruoxuan¡¯s condition, so he made use of this opportunity and agreed. After getting into the carriage, Li Ruoxuan wasying down while Jiang Yeqian was sitting at the side. The two looked at each other warily for a while, the atmosphere in the carriage unprecedentedly awkward. Li Ruoxuan felt somewhat troubled so he was the first to speak up. ¡°She doesn¡¯t like you, yet you still try so hard for someone who gives you a cold shoulder. The Head Grand Secretariat is really interesting.¡± ¡°You¡¯re half-dead but you still have the time toe at me?¡± said Jiang Yeqian with a fake smile. Li Ruoxuan, ¡°Hmph!¡± In another carriage. The triplets knew that someone had just tried to assassinate their mother. They were ridden with anxiety and shook with fear. Erniu kept crying and only stopped after beingforted by Qi Qingyao for a long time. She was still a little tired after she was done crying and quickly fell asleep while wrapped around Qi Qingyao¡¯s arms. Dabao and Xiaobao were soon also lulled to sleep by the rocking of the carriage. Qi Qingyao watched the triplets fall asleep before saying to Lu Yan, ¡°I feel like there was something weird about what happened just now.¡± ¡°Tell me more.¡± Lu Yan sat down opposite her. Qi Qingyao shook her head thoughtfully for a while before speaking. ¡°I can¡¯t put my finger on it, but it felt weird. That arrow was more or less the same as the one from the previous attempt on my life. You took that shot and ended up injured for a long time¡­¡± ¡°The arrow today is the same, that means there is only one person¡ªNa Lanjie,¡± said Lu Yan. Qi Qingyao frowned and said slowly, ¡°But...thest arrow was not poisonous. There was a special poison on this arrow. It¡¯s a poison that obstructs one from directing their strength!¡± ¡°...¡± The corners of Lu Yan¡¯s eyes were raised and his expression was sharp. ¡°If it were aimed at me like before, there wouldn¡¯t be any need to poison the arrow,¡± Qi Qingyao said. Lu Yan had a guess in his mind but did not want to go there. ¡°Is it possible that it has something to do with Li Ruoxuan and Jiang Yeqian being around you? Maybe the assant considered that with two rank nines protecting you, they had to poison the arrow as an additional measure, then strike down those two first before dealing with you...¡± ¡°...¡± Qi Qingyao did not say anything but her eyshes trembled. Her pale hand gently patted Erniu¡¯s back, who was soundly asleep. ¡°Li Ruoxuan was injured on his shoulder. If he really is a grand master, are you sure that a grand master would not be able to stop an arrow from a rank nine archer, even if it was a surprise attack?¡± She did not believe it. Lu Yan whispered, ¡°He was injured on the shoulder, which indicates that the target of the arrow would probably be your head if it had hit you. Li Ruoxuan might have just entered the realm of grand master, but catching the arrow of a rank-nine archer should definitely not be a problem.¡± ¡°...¡± Qi Qingyao¡¯s eyebrows drooped. Lu Yan suddenly thought of something and said, ¡°Didn¡¯t you suspectst time that Si Jin was one of the ghost organization¡¯s? If that¡¯s the case, then the ghost organization wouldn¡¯t be trying to assassinate you!¡± ¡°That means that Si Jin is not¡­¡± He was not one of the ghost organization¡¯s. The outsiders have misunderstood, including those in Eastern Ling¡­ ¡°If he has nothing to do with the ghost organization, thest assassination attempt and this one...¡± Werepletely different events. ¡°Is it possible that the ghost organization is not trying to assassinate you this time?¡± Lu Yan said. When the ghost organization tried killing Qi Qingyao the first time, they did not know of Si Jin¡¯s existence. As for the second time...they could not possibly do something as stupid as to attempt an assassination when they clearly knew that Qi Qingyao had Si Jin backing her. After all, Si Jin¡¯s strength was that above a grand master! The ghost organization consisted of smart people who sought advantages and avoided any disadvantageous situations. Qi Qingyao asked, ¡°What do you mean?¡± Lu Yan¡¯s eyes were dark as he said, ¡°What if the objective of that arrow was to assassinate Li Ruoxuan?¡± Qi Qingyao was slightly stunned. ¡°Why does the ghost organization want to assassinate the State Preceptor all of a sudden?¡± Lu Yan frowned and said, ¡°He has just stepped into grand mastership. Didn¡¯t you sell this news to the Head Grand Secretariat? I suspect he became a second dealer and sold the news again. Suppose the ghost organization also knows that Li Ruoxuan might be the new grand master. In that case, they would certainly send some elites to check it out. But knowing that Old Man Gongsun is nearby, they would not dare try a close-range assassination, They must have assigned an archer to test Li Ruoxuan from a distance, and the best archer in the ghost organization is Na Lanjie¡­¡± Qi Qingyao¡¯s eyes twinkled. She said, ¡°If that¡¯s the case, that would exin why the arrow was aimed at his shoulder and was coated with a medicine that obstructs strength redirection. If they were after his life, the arrow would have been coated with toxic poison!¡± The ghost organization might have found out that Li Ruoxuan ascended from a second-hand merchant, so they sent someone to gauge his strength. However, Li Ruoxuan might also have realized this and gambled that no one else knew about him, so he figured he should put on a facade and take on the arrow directly¡­ They considered this possibility. Qi Qingyao and Lu Yan looked at each other. They both sighed. If it really was Li Ruoxuan¡¯s ruse...then he had yed a big one. ¡­ ¡­ Night. After everyone else had settled in an inn to rest, Jiang Yeqian quietly snuck out of the city where they were staying. He went to a small grove outside the city. Looking at the young man sitting in the middle of the tree, Jiang Yeqian said, ¡°You are really a failure.¡± ¡°I hit the grand master. How is that a failure?¡± Na Lanjie smiled, very pleased with himself. ¡°That¡¯s his ruse, you fool!¡± Jiang Yeqian said angrily. Na Lanjie said, ¡°The State Preceptor letting himself get hurt cannot be some premeditated decision.¡± Jiang Yeqian, ¡°...¡± Na Lanjie said disapprovingly, ¡°There is also a grand master following behind me who wants to kill him. The poison I applied on my arrow will stop him from being able to direct his strength for these few days. Now Li Ruoxuan is just like an ordinary person... Weak! Anyone could kill him now! Do you think Li Ruoxuan would be so stupid that he would allow himself to get into this situation? He just became a grand master and his strength was insufficient, that¡¯s why he couldn¡¯t stop my arrow!¡± Jiang Yeqian, ¡°...¡± Was it really not a self orchestrated ruse? Was he simply too weak? ¡­ ¡­ ¡­ Lying on the bed inside the inn, Li Ruoxuan slept soundly that night. He even had a dream. In the dream...he saw Qi Qingyao, she was speaking to him in the dream. ¡°You saved my life, so I¡¯ll write off the fact that you killed my sister and her entire family.¡± Li Ruoxuan was shocked awake by this straightforward dream and woke up in a cold sweat. He wiped the sweat on his forehead and convinced himself that he had deliberately allowed himself to be injured, yes¡­ However, Qi Qingyao did not seem to be easily fooled! Chapter 498 - The State Preceptor Was Attacked 3

Chapter 498: The State Preceptor Was Attacked 3

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Gongsun She spent a few days obtaining a special cursed talisman. The talisman was a specialty of a ghost cultivator from Dazhou. It was said that whoever the cursed talisman was attached to would be extremely unlucky for three days. Gongsun She contemted for a long time before deciding to spend some money to have someone attach the talisman onto Li Ruoxuan¡¯s body. However, before this could be done, he saw that Li Ruoxuan was reduced to a half-dead state with his very own eyes. After inquiring a little, he found out that Li Ruoxuan had been targeted by an assassin and was ¡°seriously injured¡±!?This confused Gongsun She. Did Li Ruoxuan not ascend to grand master? How could he fall victim to an assassin and even get seriously injured¡­ Could it be an error of his judgment? If Li Ruoxuan was not the grand master¡­then the person who ascended was actually the Head Grand Secretariat of Northern Liang¡­ As for the tiger guards called in by Li Ruoxuan, were they all a cover-up prepared by those two? If that was the case, were they waiting for him to ambush Li Ruoxuan, then have Jiang Yeqian counterattack right after? What a bunch of conniving bastards¡­ ¡®It¡¯s fortunate that I¡¯m experienced, and my quick wit has uncovered your schemes!¡¯ Since he was on the opponent¡¯s turf, Gongsun She thought carefully and repeatedly, but still did not dare to make a move¡­ The matter of Si Jin¡¯s absence could also be a part of the opponents¡¯ n. They were waiting for him to make a move! What if Si Jin suddenly showed up and killed him directly? After following the convoy for another three days, the cautious Gongsun She decided to head back to his country for now, and n properly with His Majesty. Then he would scheme together with the guy in Junlin City. The way of the universe was such that those long united must be divided and those long divided must be united. He was just a cultivator, there was no need for him to sacrifice himself for the sake of Daming. His goal was to break through beyond the realm of grand master, and enter a new level¡­ If he was too attached to the mortal world, he would create a cage for himself instead. In the subsequent journey, Li Ruoxuan instructed the tiger guards to watch guard more strictly, for fear that Gongsun She would take the opportunity to jump out and kill him. Little did they know that the entire journey would be safe and sound, and nothing happened. This made Li Ruoxuan a little surprised. What was Gongsun She thinking? The closer they got to the Capital, the fewer chances he would have to make a move. Li Ruoxuan was not the only one mulling over this; Jiang Yeqian and Lu Yan were also a little puzzled. Lu Yan sat in the carriage and started discussing this matter with Qi Qingyao. ¡°Do you think Gongsun She will still make a move?¡± Lu Yan was drinking his tea, looking at the zed window and the scenery outside the window. Qi Qingyao looked at him and nced at the two children who were sitting obediently and eating fried dough sticks. Xiaobao was a little bored and sat rather silently. She said, ¡°If he didn¡¯t make a move immediately, then he won¡¯t make a move anymore.¡± Lu Yan asked, ¡°Why?¡± Qi Qingyao thought for a while, then said, ¡°Because Gongsun She followed us for the entire journey. If he wanted to make a move, he should have done it before Na Lanjie¡¯s assassination attempt, but he didn¡¯t. This means that he was watching. But since Li Ruoxuan was wounded by a rank-nine archer, a meticulous grand master like him would begin to think about whether we were setting some kind of trap to lure him in. He¡¯s paranoid and sensitive, and would even think, how could a grand master be unable to stop an arrow from a rank-nine? It seems impossible. He overthought things and became timid and paranoid, so he didn¡¯t make a move in the two days after Li Ruoxuan was injured. So I¡¯m guessing he won¡¯t make any move again on this journey.¡± ¡°...¡± Listening to her exnation, Lu Yan could not help but think about the information regarding the littledy from before. ¡°Her brain is a little abnormal.¡± That littledy from five years ago was said to be so foolish that she slept with a man, gave birth to three babies, and still did not know who the father of the children was. On the other hand, the current Qi Qingyao was so smart andposed that she was not even a little fazed. Whether it was him, or Jiang Yeqian, or Li Ruoxuan, they were all considered to have ¡°some sort of status¡±... However, for her, it was less an issue of her looking down on that sort of thing and more of her never caring about it. If it was this version of Qi Qingyao, she would never have slept with anyone five years ago, and would never have simply given birth to children for a man¡­ All of this had always made him suspect that they were two different people! s, there was no evidence¡­ Lu Yan sighed, the person he liked was the current Qi Qingyao. That was enough. ¡­ The two of them were alone in the carriage once again.. Although there were three children as well, Jiang Yeqian could not help but feel tense all over and started imagining things. Chapter 499 - The State Preceptor Was Attacked 4

Chapter 499: The State Preceptor Was Attacked 4

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Although Jiang Yeqian was envious of a certain someone who was riding the same carriage as Lu Yan, he chose not to mention it. Besides, the triplets were also in the carriage! Even if Lu Yan had any ns, he would not be able to carry them out. Hence, he looked especially at peace. Since Li Ruoxuan was injured and afraid that Gongsun She would show up, he was rtively quiet for the remainder of the journey. A monthter, they arrived at the capital after a long journey. The group checked in at a hotel in thergest town of the capital. After having their dinners, the triplets went to bed. Sitting in the carriage all day and not being able to y had left the triplets somewhat restless. However, Qi Qingyao had felt too embarrassed to ask the carriage for a pit stop given that this was a trip back to the capital and they could not dilly-dally. Hence, when they were in the carriage throughout their journey, she told the triplets many stories to fill up the empty time¡ªfrom Snow White to The Little Mermaid, and Little Red Riding Hood to The Journey to the West. Only Erniu enjoyed listening to the stories about princes and princesses, whereas Dabao and Xiaobao preferred The Journey to the West! Later on, Erniu started to get into The Journey to the West as the days passed but still said she liked Baigujing best! She thought that Baigujing was very intelligent as she could make the Longevity Monk force Wukong away three times¡­ Each time Erniu praised the demon, Dabao would roll his eyes. Xiaobao, on the other hand, would be in silent contemtion, likely thinking about what Erniu was saying. After thinking about it, he believed she had made a fair point. Qi Qingyao had asked Xiaobao just then, ¡°Why did you suddenly think Erniu made sense?¡± Shouldn¡¯t everyone like the monkey king? Xiaobao said, ¡°The demons were always trying to eat the Longevity Monk¡¯s flesh... Looking at it from a different perspective, it¡¯s evident that these demons are very enterprising! They could gain longevity and immediately be immortal the moment they ate the Longevity Monk¡¯s flesh. This is a good deal. However, since it¡¯s a shortcut, it must be risky. Doesn¡¯t Mommy always say that risks and opportunities coexist? They had just met the protagonist Wukong¡ªyet in the end, those who had support were taken away by the gods, while the demons were killed! ¡± Qi Qingyao, ¡°...¡± As his mother, her jaw almost hit the floor. Although she used to mutter about her ambitions in front of the children, she had exined to them that they should look at problems logically and discuss them with pragmatic theories. However, she did not expect Xiaobao to say¡­ that the demons were actually very enterprising! Qi Qingyao had just sat down in the downstairs hall, feeling the breeze from outside that was blowing in through the window, drinking tea, and enjoying the sight of the moon. Lu Yan walked over, no longer able to put off asking the question he wanted to ask. ¡°What is a castle? There is nothing called that in Northern Liang... even with all the different buildings all over the entire maind! I can understand what a prince is. They¡¯re probably simr to the son of the emperor! Is a witch an old woman who knows witchcraft? Is a dwarf a kind of midget? But the dwarf you¡¯re talking about seems more like an elf. Mermaids are part-fish part-human creatures of legends, right? The word mermaid sounds nice. You¡¯re very good at naming things! What¡¯s with that princess with the long hair? How would someone wash their hair with it being so long? You must have made these stories up! I prefer Cindere¡¯s story. Cindere rode in a beautiful pumpkin carriage and wore crystal shoes to the party which she had to leave by midnight, but I can¡¯t imagine how the pumpkin carriage would look... Do you happen to have a picture? I¡¯ll have the craftsman build er! And what about the crystal shoes¡ªare they ss shoes? If they were ss, you wouldn¡¯t be able to wear them at all! They would hurt your feet and easily fall off¡­¡± Qi Qingyao, who had just taken a sip of tea, almost choked to death listening to the series of questions. A momentter, she scratched her head helplessly. ¡°Brother, you have a lot of questions. Which one should I answer first?¡± ¡°Just answer them one by one.¡± Lu Yan gulped and became mildly anxious. She was growing more and more mysterious in his eyes. Qi Qingyao made a gesture of digging her ears. She casually said, ¡°First of all, I was just telling stories which were all made up, so there¡¯s no need to look at them so deeply.¡± ¡°...¡± This seemed to be an obvious excuse to dodge talking about her past. Lu Yan was very frustrated. However, it was what she had said, so of course, he did not want to press further with any more questions. No matter what he asked, she would simply reply that they were made-up stories! From the perspective of a businessman, Lu Yan asked curiously, ¡°Then, could you draw me a picture of the pumpkin carriageter?¡± Qi Qingyao was stunned. ¡°You¡¯re interested in that?¡± Why was a grown man so concerned about a pumpkin carriage? Lu Yan replied seriously, ¡°I find it very interesting. I¡¯ll manufacture itter and sell it to those noble girls. I¡¯m sure I can sell it at a good price!¡± Oh, he wanted to cash out with it. Qi Qingyao had an idea. ¡°That¡¯s a good idea. I¡¯ll invest in the shares by drawing a picture for youter. For every pumpkin carriage you build, I¡¯ll charge 20% in intellectual property fees!¡± Lu Yan asked, ¡°What is an intellectual property fee?¡± ¡°Who designed the picture?¡± Qi Qingyao asked with a smile. ¡°You...¡± Lu Fan said softly. ¡°So, aren¡¯t you going to pay me for it?¡± Qi Qingyao asked again. Of course he had to, but¡­ ¡°Can¡¯t I buy your work with a lump sum?¡± Yes, he fancied her, but business was business! He had already lost an entire house to her, so he had to earn it back somehow! ¡°Buy out?¡± Upon hearing this, Qi Qingyao scrutinized Lu Yan with a sneer and said, ¡°Don¡¯t think that just because you¡¯re handsome, you can have your way!¡± Lu Yan felt like there was some flirtatiousness and disdain in her gaze¡ªas if she was saying ¡°Who do you think you are?¡± Although that was what she had meant, Lu Yan sighed. ¡°But there are also other costs;bor costs and workers¡¯ wages. 20% for design costs is too high¡ªI can only do 7%.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine, 7% it is.¡± Qi Qingyao spoke frankly, ¡°I¡¯ll give you the drawingter.¡± ¡°....¡± She was so willing to give him the drawing? Was she really not the legendary Master Li Qinglian?! Lu Yan was confused and upset¡ªhad he not known that Master Li Qinglian was a man, he would have heavily suspected her. Li Ruoxuan¡¯s injuries had more or less healed within a month. Jiang Yeqian¡¯s leg, as well¡ªhe no longer needed crutches! He just looked slightly strange when he walked, like a cripple... Hence, to preserve his image, he still used crutches. When Li Ruoxuan came out of the bathroom, he saw Lu Yan and Qi Qingyao talking by the window. The little woman was beaming as she bargained with Lu Yan. Her expressions were particrly vigorous and lively. Li Ruoxuan could not help but sigh again. She did not look like a woman who had given birth to three kids! Nothing about her made her seem like a young married woman. She behaved like a young and charmingdy! ¡°If it wasn¡¯t for my calm mind, I would be confused by this little widow!¡± Li Ruoxuan muttered as he walked by. Zhu Shen, who was waiting nearby, was stunned when he heard this. He thought to himself, ¡®Why does His Excellency sound like he fancies Lady Qi a little, but doesn¡¯t want to admit it?¡¯ Zhu Shen said, ¡°Lady Qi is indeed really good-looking!¡± Li Ruoxuan suddenly stopped in his tracks. He turned his head and looked at Zhu Shen with a suspicious look. His eyes seemed to be asking, ¡®What random topic are you bringing up?¡¯ Zhu Shen said solemnly, ¡°Your Excellency, even Si Jin, the youngest and most powerful grand master, likes Lady Qi. If Your Excellency really likes Lady Qi, this servant will give Your Excellency his absolute support.¡± Li Ruoxuan¡¯s expression shifted. ¡°I just want to take advantage of this little widow. You¡¯d better not think my taste is so horrendous!¡± Zhu Shen, ¡°...¡± This... Was liking Lady Qi in poor taste? Si Jin was a young grand master, and he liked Lady Qi¡ªproving that those who liked Lady Qi must have impable taste! Zhu Shen could not help but worry about His Excellency¡¯s superficiality! Putting aside having children and not knowing martial arts, Lady Qi was both talented and beautiful! Not only was she charming and beautiful, but she was also a powerful doctor and someone who could design buildings... She was a curious woman¡ªone not easily found! Was she not far better than those aristocrats in the capital who only knew how topare their clothes to one another? Zhu Shen sighed andforted himself, reminding himself that His Excellency only had one eye left. Since he was half-blind, it was not strange he could not see any of Lady Qi¡¯s good qualities! Chapter 500 - Arriving at the Capital 1

Chapter 500: Arriving at the Capital 1

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Qi Qingyao let out a sudden sigh. ¡°I don¡¯t see what¡¯s so fun about the Capital City.¡± Lu Yan had not even answered yet when Qi Qingyao¡¯s eyes lit up with excitement, asking, ¡°Master Lu, where are the most famous brothels and in Capital City, and where is Nanfeng Pavilion (TN: Brothels with male prostitutes)?¡± Lu frowned, ¡°Brothels?¡± Jiang Yeqian, who had juste down, heard this. The corners of his mouth twitched as he murmured, ¡°Nanfeng Pavilion?¡± Qi Qingyao did not notice Jiang Yeqian¡¯s silhouette¡ªshe was looking at Lu Yan attentively. She then smiled frivolously, walked forward, and hugged Lu Yan as if they were siblings. It was mildly difficult to hug him given his height. When Lu Yan was hugged... he suddenly froze, but his recent habits in treating Qi Qingyao and his adoration of her had him shut down whatever thoughts he might have had. He silently reciprocated the sibling-like treatment. The corners of his gaze caught the pale hands around his shoulders. He coughed gently, silent as he looked down. Qi Qingyao snickered as she said, ¡°Tell me where they areter, and we can go have some fun together tonight.¡± Lu Yan suddenly recalled the two ces she had just mentioned and blinked hard. ¡°Do you want to go to a brothel or to Nanfeng Pavilion?¡± He asked. Did she not know that she was a woman? She should, but this... This behavior!! ¡°Either one is fine...¡± Qi Qingyao nodded heavily in a straightforward manner. She clenched her fist and said, ¡°I want to go to the brothel to see how the most popr courtesan in Northern Liang looks, and then to the Nanfeng Pavilion to see the most beautiful man in Northern Liang.¡± ¡°...¡± Lu Yan did not respond¡ªhe did not know how. When he walked over, Jiang Yeqian removed the hands down from Lu Yan¡¯s shoulder. He then threw Qi Qingyao into a chair and shouted seriously, ¡°You think the men in the Nanfeng building are beautiful men?!¡± What the hell was this woman talking about? Qi Qingyao stared at Jiang Yeqian, who seemed to have suddenly appeared. Stunned, she asked back seriously, ¡°Are they not?¡± ¡°They¡¯re...¡± Jiang Yeqian did not know how to refute her either, so he could only say in a heavy tone, ¡°Am I not a beautiful man?!¡± Lu Yan returned to his senses, staring at them with eyes like bronze bells. He had to stop himself from also asking if he too was not a beautiful man!!! Qi Qingyao eyed Jiang Yeqian up and down before her gaze finally fixed itself on his face. She said lightly, ¡°You¡¯re beautiful, just... mildly boring.¡± ¡°...¡± Jiang Yeqian was stunned, and his gaze was dull. Lu Yan, ¡°...¡± Jiang Yeqian had been described as boring by a woman!! Fortunately, she was not talking about Lu Yan! Fortunately... However, Lu Yan¡¯s silent victory did notst more than a few moments. Qi Qingyao shrugged her shoulders casually. She nced at them andmented, ¡°That State Preceptor looks at most, refined. You two are good-looking, but now one of you guys isme, and the other impotent... What¡¯s there to look at?¡± As she said that, she rolled her eyes in disdain. Jiang Yeqian, ¡°...¡± Lu Yan, ¡°...¡± They were both overwhelmed with disappointment. The next morning. Qi Qingyao had justbed Erniu¡¯s hair before sending the triplets out to the hall for breakfast. She, on the other hand, went upstairs to pack her luggage. She bumped into Lu Yan as she came out after organizing the luggage. Qi Qingyao said casually, ¡°Let¡¯s not rush to the pce when we arrive at the capital. Allow me a few days to settle down first before we proceed.¡± Lu yan was stunned, immediately responding, ¡°Just stay with me.¡± Qi Qingyao did not want to depend on others and so said ostentatiously, ¡°I have money. Can¡¯t I just buy my own house? If I live in yours, I¡¯ll still have to deal with your attitude!¡± Lu Yan was mildly disappointed. An idea shed past him, so he exined, ¡°Your first priority now should be to enter the pce. If you buy a house, you¡¯d have to interview the servants... who will protect your three little children then?¡± Qi Qingyao, ¡°...¡± Lu Yan continued, ¡°Are you sure you can settle these matters in just a day? What else in this capital city are you unfamiliar with?¡± Qi Qingyao, ¡°...¡± Lu Yan noted her silence and her carrying her bundle as she contemted. He then realized that there was some room to negotiate and said, ¡°I¡¯ve been living in your house in Qingzhou City. Now that you¡¯vee to the capital, I should be the host.¡± Qi Qingyao thought about that for a moment and figured that it would be more convenient to live in a friend¡¯s house. She suddenly smiled and said nonchntly, ¡°Since you¡¯ve so sincerely invited me, I will graciously ept your invitation.¡± Jiang Yeqian felt like he had been at heads with Lu Yan recently. Lu Yan obviously liked this littledy and the way he was pursuing her was very tant. He had heard the two agreeing to live in his house as he exited his room. Jiang Yeqian came over and spoke to them casually. ¡°There are many people in the Lu family¡ªand people talk. It¡¯s best for you to live with me.¡± Qi Qingyao looked over and said, ¡°Head Grand Secretariat, we don¡¯t know each other.¡± The heck did she mean they did not know each other? She spoke as if they had no kind of history at all. Their rtionship had involved them sharing a bed at one point! However, it was best if Jiang Yeqian did not say much to spare the other party¡¯s feelings. He just responded angrily. ¡°I...want to repay your kindness.¡± Qi Qingyaoughed and waved her hand. ¡°That¡¯s not necessary, that¡¯s not necessary. We really don¡¯t know each other very well...¡± Jiang Yeqian, ¡°...¡± The feeling of being kept at arm¡¯s length left Jiang Yeqian looking pale. The little woman, however, just smiled and said to Lu Yan, ¡°Little Yan, please arrange a ce for me to stay. Just take it as though I¡¯m renting a ce¡ªI¡¯ll pay you backter. Take it as me paying rent!¡± Lu Yan¡¯s tone was very elegant. ¡°Didn¡¯t I already mention? The house in Qingzhou City is yours, since I lost it to you. I didn¡¯t give you money yet you even assisted in the treatment of my illness! Even though we¡¯re back in the capital now, I haven¡¯t fully recovered yet. Allowing my doctor to live in my house is just payment for her consultations.¡± Doctor, consultation payments... This argument was very logical. Qi Qingyao shrugged and calmly replied, ¡°Since the patient insists on inviting me, I shan¡¯t refuse.¡± ¡°Very good.¡± The smile on Lu Fan¡¯s face had grown. Dong Jing, who stood behind his master and was responsible for holding onto his luggage, could not help the corner of his lips from curling up into a smile. He thought to himself that the master was making the first move to secure his advantage! How wonderful! Jiang Yeqian, ¡°...¡± As if it was good! Jiang Yeqian wanted to say something else, but Qi Qingyao had already headed downstairs to have breakfast, her baggage over her shoulder. After eating then boarding the carriage, Qi Qingyao nced at the scenery outside the window and said to the triplets, ¡°You three...¡± She pointed to a certain spot and spoke to them seriously. ¡°Capital City is just up ahead. When we get there, please watch your words and actions.¡± The triplets, who had just had their breakfast, were very excited. When they heard their mother say they were reaching the capital soon, they happily jumped in the carriage. Qi Qingyao was afraid that they would cause the carriage to copse with their jumping, so she urged them to contain their excitement. ¡°Maybe you guys are still too young to understand what that means.¡± Dabao, Erniu, and Xiaobao all calmed down. They tilted their heads and looked at their mother cutely. Qi Qingyao instructed, ¡°Words and actions refer to what you say and what you do. Although you guys are still very young, you must mind your behavior.¡± The triplets blinked their dark eyes and nodded seriously. Lu Yan, ¡°...¡± ¡®The triplets aren¡¯t the ones who needed to mind their behavior. It¡¯s you, the adult.¡¯ Lu Yan thought about her ability to stir up trouble in Qingzhou City and was afraid that she would do so again once they reached the capital! Qi Qingyao said, ¡°You might meet an official while we¡¯re out in the capital! We have no money and power. If you offend them, things will be very difficult. You must understand this.¡± The triplets nodded earnestly again. Lu Yan, ¡°...¡± There were two imperial court officials with her now, the former Head Grand Secretariat and the current State Preceptor. They would not allow her to get bullied since they both wanted to take advantage of her, yet this little woman was concerned about offending an official. She had long ago thoroughly offended the State Preceptor. Did she not find it toote to say such a thing now? Qi Qingyao said, ¡°Don¡¯t carelessly run around for a while after we¡¯ve settled down. I¡¯ll bring you guys out to y once I¡¯m more familiar with the capital and after I¡¯ve settled the matter of entering the pce.¡± Lu Yan could not help himself anymore. He whispered, ¡°Don¡¯t be so hard on the children. You busy yourself with your work, and I¡¯ll get Dong Jing to bring them out to y.¡± As soon as the triplets heard this, they immediately refused, shaking their heads as they said, ¡°No, we¡¯ll wait until Mommy is free¡ªthen she can take us out to y!~¡± Saying that, they all hugged Qi Qingyao¡¯s arm in a loving way, looking all obedient¡ªas if they would only listen to their mother¡¯s words. Qi Qingyao rubbed their heads. ¡°Good children!~¡± ... They were already nearing the capital. At about twenty minutes past two in the afternoon, they could finally see the gates of the capital in the distance. There was a unique sense of historical dignity tied to the city towers! The green brick wall looked very thick¡ªnot easily prable! At the gates, there were many people traveling in and out of the city with their documents. It was very lively. Qi Qingyao¡¯s first reaction was that it seemed simr to Qingzhou City. The people who wereing in and out of the city could not help looking over a few times considering the particrity of their convoy. This was because there were so many Tiger guards on both sides... The soldiers near the city gate and the general of the capital garrison hade quickly forward to meet them as well, upon seeing the Tiger guards. The people in the carriages in the front opened their windows to peek outside. The capital garrison bowed down to them as a greeting, along with all the other soldiers. Immediately after, the convoy was immediately allowed into the city without any inspection. Qi Qingyao frowned in thought. ¡®What a powerful State Preceptor!¡¯ The soldiers who were guarding the city saw Qi Qingyao¡¯s face, since she kept lifting the window up to look outside, and were surprised. Their expressions were mildly curious as if they were thinking about how the State Preceptor had brought such a bright and charming beauty back from a long trip! Wait, what about the three children who had also stuck their heads out from beside the beautiful woman? Were they the State Preceptor¡¯s illegitimate children?! All the soldiers were confused, falling into deep contemtion... Upon entering the capital, Qi Qingyao saw destion and chaos everywhere. Much to her surprise, the houses were very dpidated. She shut the window. The triplets also shook their heads with slight disappointment. Qi Qingyao touched her chin and muttered incredulously, ¡°So, this is the capital...¡± They had not made the wrong stop, had they? Lu Yan was curious. ¡°Why do you seem mildly disappointed?¡± Chapter 501 - Arrival in Capital City 2

Chapter 501: Arrival in Capital City 2

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion ¡°Am I not allowed to be disappointed?¡± Qi Qingyaoined as she said inexplicably, ¡°What about the Capital City we talked about? Isn¡¯t the capital usually the most developed region in the country?¡± What was that outside they had seen? The houses seemed to be dpidated, and the streets were filled with shabby vagabonds, simr to the chaotic streets of Qingzhou City! Where was the grandeur and cleanliness of the Capital City? Lu Yan murmured, ¡°Developed?¡± Qi Qingyao rolled her eyes and said calmly, ¡°It means having the most beautiful buildings and the cleanest grounds. The people there would be the most elegantly dressed. It would look like the capital of a country.¡± Lu Yan exined, ¡°That¡¯s because we entered from the Gate of Western Wu. The western streets are messier¡­ it¡¯s the shabbiest part of the Capital City.¡± ¡°Oh¡­ that¡¯s how it is.¡± Qi Qingyao was suddenly enlightened. She opened the carriage window once again and nced outside. After the convoy passed three streets and exited the West Side of the Capital, Qi Qingyao retracted her gaze again. She huffed a short sound with her nose in annoyance. ¡°Hm¡­¡± ¡°Got any other thoughts?¡± Lu Yan asked. Qi Qingyao concluded straightforwardly, ¡°The overall prosperity of the Capital is inferior to that of Qingzhou City.¡± Lu Yan suddenly burst out inughter. ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you before? Because of its koi temples, Qingzhou City is a ce where the dignitaries and aristocrats from various countries love to migrate to after retirement¡ªso it has indeed developed very well in recent years. I think¡­ it is not only more prosperous than our Capital, but it is more prosperous than the capitals of other countries.¡± ¡°Well¡­ in that case, I¡¯ve already seen the world¡± She was now a citizen from the big city. Listening to the conversation between the two adults, the three children were suddenly no longer curious about the Capital¡­ Lu Yan said rxedly, ¡°So there¡¯s no need to be so nervous. Meeting Her Majesty is a very simple matter.¡± As soon as meeting Her Majesty was mentioned, Qi Qingyao¡¯s attention finally returned to the critical matter at hand. She thought for a moment, then asked with extremely deep eyes, ¡°Hey, say the Emperor doesn¡¯t like me. What if she looking for an excuse to have me killed?¡± ¡°Why would she have you killed?¡± Lu Yan asked. Qi Qingyao self-consciously touched her face and said, ¡°Think about it. I¡¯m not ugly¡­ I¡¯m not being narcissistic, but this appearance of mine is rtively beautiful. Didn¡¯t you say that the Emperor is a woman? What if Her Majesty has be jealous of my beauty¡­ wouldn¡¯t that doom me?¡± ¡°....¡± What did her face have anything to do with her being doomed? Qi Qingyao knew that he did not understand, so she continued. ¡°Besides, from a strategic point of view¡ªI have Si Jin, the big boss, by my side. Si Jin¡¯s existence is my trump card, but it also presents a double-edged sword! ¡°The empress clearly intended to meet Si Jin on this asion¡ªit¡¯s just that she doesn¡¯t dare to invite him directly. ¡°She doesn¡¯t know whether Si Jin¡¯s allegiance is to me, or to Northern Liang. She¡¯s afraid that this uncontroble grand master might decide to enter the pce and try to kill her¡­ so she took a roundabout way to save the nation by deliberately asking me to go meet Her Majesty! ¡°She doesn¡¯t even know that Si Jin really isn¡¯t around now¡­what should I do if she sees me and insinuates that she wants to meet Si Jin? Am I really going to admit that Si Jin is not around? If I say that, it¡¯s equivalent to giving the empress a p across the face.¡± Lu Yan felt that her worries were not without reason. ¡°But anyone who has bought information about Si Jin from Zhaixing Administration knows that Si Jin had a master, and that is you¡­ If the empress really asked you to call Si Jin to see her but you¡¯re unable to summon him, the empress¡¯ sensitivity and paranoia will make her suspect that you purposely hid this trump card¡ªand also that Si Jin won¡¯t be loyal to Northern Liang but is really just a chess piece for you¡­¡± Qi Qingyao¡¯s eyes shed. ¡°That¡¯s right. That¡¯s exactly what I¡¯m worried about! This kind of empress who has been at her peak for so many years would never allow an uncontroble chess piece to appear by its own will. She might even think that I purposely asked Si Jin not to show up¡ªthat I don¡¯t respect her, that I have thoughts about revolting! If that¡¯s how Her Majesty thinks, I¡¯ll be in a very precarious position when I go to meet Her Majesty.¡± Lu Yan, ¡°...¡± Qi Qingyao asked anxiously, ¡°What should I do?¡± ¡°Can you summon Si Jin?¡± Lu Yan frowned as he asked. Qi Qingyao, ¡°He snuck away, where would I even find him?¡± Was this really a time to joke? ¡°Then you¡­¡± Lu Yan pondered for a moment, then said half-heartedly, ¡°I have a bad idea.¡± ¡°What?¡± Qi Qingyao asked. Lu Yan pointed to the two carriages, one in front and the other behind them. ¡°Go invite Jiang Yeqian and Li Ruoxuan. Although Jiang Yeqian initiated the request to resign, the empress still likes him very much. If he¡¯s willing to speak for you, the empress won¡¯t touch you. The same goes for Li Ruoxuan, the State Preceptor of the current dynasty. If he¡¯s really be a grand master, then his words carry even more weight.¡± Qi Qingyao pointed at herself in disbelief. ¡°You want me to beg Li Ruoxuan? Are you kidding me?¡± Lu Yan was silent for a while. His dark pupils were dark and deep. He responded, ¡°I know that you¡¯re still upset about certain things¡ªbut as humans, when we are incapable, we can only bow down when on other¡¯s turf and avenge ourselves once we¡¯re capable.¡± ¡°...¡± Qi Qingyao did not respond. Lu Yan said with a half-smile, ¡°You¡¯re a mature adult.¡± Qi Qingyao raised her gaze slowly and responded, ¡°What do you mean? You¡¯re clearly saying that I¡¯m immature.¡± Lu Yan¡¯s eyes were cold, and his expression restrained. He said, ¡°Based on the issues you¡¯re worried about today and the fact that you¡¯ve previously maintained a subtle distance from Li Ruoxuan, Jiang Yeqian, and me, I know you¡¯re very tactful and intelligent. To be precise, mature. But such a mature person being so obsessed with Qi Qingzhu¡¯s revenge has led to your hatred toward Li Ruoxuan in your heart, making you want to go against this kind of person. You obviously know that he¡¯s useful, but you don¡¯t want to use him. Technically speaking, this is immaturity! So, sometimes I¡¯m confused, are you really mature or immature?¡± Qi Qingyao murmured her response in a small voice, ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you praise me for being a rational and principled person?¡± ¡°That is not called being principled, that is called being stupid.¡± After Lu Yan finished speaking, he continued with a monolog in his head. ¡®Stupid woman.¡¯ ¡°You just praised me for being smart, now you¡¯re saying I¡¯m stupid¡­¡± Qi Qingyao sighed in disbelief. Lu Yan said seriously, ¡°If you want to be a smart person, from now on you, should squeeze Li Ruoxuan for all he¡¯s worth, then kick him away! Then, eventually, you destroy him when you have the strength¡­ This is the purpose of his existence!¡± ¡°Squeeze him out for all he¡¯s worth?¡± Qi Qingyao chewed on Lu Yan¡¯s words, thinking they were very reasonable. After pondering for a while, she said rxedly, ¡°Then I want to seize all of his fortunes and all his weapon power!¡± Lu Yan was about to nod when Qi Qingyao¡¯s eyes suddenly brightened as she said, ¡°I got it.¡± Lu Yan, ¡°???¡± ¡®Got what?¡¯ Qi Qingyao continued, ¡°I¡¯m not going to be staying at your ce anymore.¡± Lu Yan, ¡°???¡± Ah! As soon as Qi Qingyao finished speaking, she signaled for the carriage to stop, forcing the entire convoy to halt as well. The Tiger guards looked at her curiously. Dong Jing, who was riding a horse, was about to ask the Missus if she wanted to relieve herself when Qi Qingyao hopped onto the front carriage. Without waiting for Li Ruoxuan¡¯s instructions, Zhu Shen opened the door of the carriage, inviting Qi Qingyao to board. Li Ruoxuan, who was meditating inside, was stunned. He wondered when this idiot Zhu Shen had learned to act on his own initiative! He was dumbfounded as he watched the little girl hop onto the carriage and close the door with a smile on her face. ¡°State Preceptor!!¡± Qi Qingyao sat across from Li Ruoxuan, blinking her pure and innocent eyes. She asked casually, ¡°We¡¯ve already reached the Capital, so where do I stay?¡± Her tone was inexplicably friendly. It made goosebumps rise all over Li Ruoxuan¡¯s body. He said strictly, ¡°I¡¯ll arrange for you to stay in Minliang Temple, or in an inn. When foreign officials visit the Capital, higher-ranking officials stay in Minliang Temple, whereas lower-ranking officials stay in inns. Since you were asked to meet the empress, and are very close to me, I¡¯ll be generous and arrange for you to stay in Minliang Temple.¡± ¡°Is this how you treat a person you like?¡± Qi Qingyao pretended to be narcissistic and casted a sidelong nce at him. She said sarcastically, ¡°Who proposed to me just a few days ago? Now, you¡¯ve changed your tone and n to arrange for me to stay in a temple!¡± Li Ruoxuan, ¡°...¡± Qi Qingyao maintained a straight face and continued mockingly, ¡°Is your ce very small? Can¡¯t you arrange for me to stay at your ce?¡± Li Ruoxuan, ¡°My ce is not small, so you could stay¡­¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll stay in your house.¡± Qi Qingyao mmed the table and decided right away. ¡°My safety would be secured!¡± If he really was a grand master, the most threatening ce to stay would be the most secure. In a moment of bewilderment, Li Ruoxuan could only squeeze out one word. ¡°Okay.¡± Then the convoy immediately turned around and rode toward the State Preceptor¡¯s residence¡­ Lu Yan, who was sitting in the carriage with the three children, had to hide his current frustration. Why had he brought up that bad idea so carelessly¡ªit was an awful proposal! They arrived at the entrance of the State Preceptor¡¯s residence and Qi Qingyao hopped out of the carriage. As she was staring at the gate of the State Preceptor¡¯s residence and enjoying the fresh air, Jiang Yeqian, who had gotten off the carriage as well, looked at the State Preceptor¡¯s residence with wide eyes, then at the luggage that was unloaded off the carriage. He asked Zhao Xin to ask Zhu Shen what was going on, and soon after Zhao Xin came over to report back. Using his crutches, Jiang Yeqian walked to Qi Qingyao¡¯s side in quick steps and rebuked, ¡°No!!¡± Li Ruoxuan stared at Jiang Yeqian calmly and asked with a vague smile, ¡°Head Grand Secretariat, what gives you the right to say no?¡± ¡°I said no. That means no.¡± Jiang Yeqian had a tone that left no room for negotiation. He could not reveal his thoughts to Li Ruoxuan, so he could only turn to Qi Qingyao. He chided, ¡°Lady Qi, Master Li is still an unmarried man, and you too are a young unmarried woman. It would be inappropriate for you to stay in his house.¡± Qi Qingyao, who was gathering her children and was about to excitedly step into the State Preceptor¡¯s residence, heard him and was immediately left speechless. She turned her head and responded. ¡°Is the Head Grand Secretariat afraid that this unmarried woman will damage the State Preceptor¡¯s reputation?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t overthink! I¡¯m just a single mother with children! One with three children! I¡¯d never degrade the State Preceptor¡¯s reputation. And no moron would believe that these children were the State Preceptor¡¯s illegitimate kin.¡± Li Ruoxuan looked at Jiang Yeqian¡¯s angry expression, which was filled with hidden jealousy, and smiled very contently. ¡°It¡¯s okay. If other people really think so, I¡¯d be happy to be a father to the children.¡± Jiang Yeqian took a deep breath and tried his best to suppress all his anger. ¡°...¡± Qi Qingyao said calmly, ¡°Look, even the State Preceptor himself doesn¡¯t mind. So, Head Grand Secretariat, please don¡¯t meddle in my business!¡± ¡°I¡¯m meddling in your business¡­¡± Jiang Yeqian looked at Qi Qingyao, who was leading the children into the State Preceptor¡¯s residence, then looked at the que of the State Preceptor¡¯s residence overhead. He was so angry he really wanted to set the house on fire! Lu Yan also unboarded the carriage, stared at Qi Qingyao who was entering the house, and sighed again. What a mess. Dong Jing looked at the slight resentment in his Master¡¯s gaze and thought to himself, ¡®Missus initially agreed to stay in your residence. When the carriage suddenly stopped just now, it had to be because the Master said something to her!¡¯ When Li Ruoxuan followed Qi Qingyao into the house, he did not have to look back to feel the pairs of brooding eyes behind him¡ªas though thorns were piercing through his back. At first, Li Ruoxuan had felt like the decision to allow Qi Qingyao to stay in his residence was quite abrupt¡ªbut at this moment, he suddenly felt great! Chapter 502 - Arrival in Capital City 3

Chapter 502: Arrival in Capital City 3

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion At the same time. The Northern Liang Imperial Pce. After listening to the guard¡¯s report, Little Lizi hurried toward the imperial study. He entered with a gleeful expression and reported to the empress in a soft voice. ¡°Your Majesty, the State Preceptor and the Tiger guards have all returned to the Capital. The State Preceptor sent a message saying that he would enter the pce to meet Your Majesty tomorrow morning after a night of rest.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± the empress replied absent-mindedly as she was busy reviewing the memorials. Little Lizi was ted. He said with a smile, ¡°The State Preceptor also said that the girl that Your Majesty wants to meet has arrived in the Capital as well, and will enter the pce together with him to meet Your Majesty tomorrow morning.¡± The Empress¡¯ hand froze, with a brush in her grasp¡ªsomething suddenly urred to her. She raised her head and said with a faint sigh, ¡°The one called Qi Qingyao?¡± Little Lizi widened his eyes as he nodded. The empress let out an ¡®oh¡¯ and said, ¡°So, she has finallye.¡± Later, she recalled something important and asked Little Lizi excitedly, ¡°Has the Head Grand Secretariat also returned?¡± Little Lizi said, ¡°To answer Your Majesty, our men said that the Head Grand Secretariat returned alongside the State Preceptor.¡± The empress suddenly stood up and said, ¡°Hurry up and summon the Head Grand Secretariat toe to the pce and meet me! Just say that I have missed my beloved subject for so long.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± After Little Lizi received that order, he hurried to the Head Grand Secretariat¡¯s residence in person¡­ ¡­ Jiang Yeqian had just entered through the door upon returning from the State Preceptor¡¯s residence. Zhao Xin had just unloaded their luggage when he saw the eunuch enter their residence. Upon seeing the person who had shown up, Zhao Xin was stupefied. He hurriedly reported this to His Excellency. ¡°Your Excellency, someone from the pce is here.¡± ¡°???¡± Jiang Yeqian, who had just had a sip of his cooling tea after entering his room, raised his head. His expression was restrained and impassive. Zhao Xin told him the identity of the visitor. Jiang Yeqian looked mildly annoyed but headed toward the front hall. After stepping into the hall, the eunuch Little Lizi looked excitedly at Jiang Yeqian, who was obviously travel-worn. ¡°Pleased to meet you, Head Grand Secretariat.¡± Jiang Yeqian returned the salute. The eunuch Little Lizi continued, ¡°Her Majesty summons you to the pce to meet Her Majesty immediately.¡± Jiang Yeqian nodded in neither a haughty nor humble manner. He responded, ¡°Please report back to Her Majesty that this humble servant is exhausted from his travels, and that his injuries have not yet healed. He would like to take a bath and have a good rest today. After tidying up his appearance, he wille to the pce tomorrow.¡± Little Lizi was a little awkward as he said, ¡°Your Excellency, Her Majesty is waiting for you quite impatiently¡­¡± Jiang Yeqian frowned and asked, ¡°Must it be today?¡± After waiting for several months, is one more day too much? What was the empress thinking? Little Lizi smiled rather strangely and said, ¡°The empress said she has been missing you for a long time, so you muste to the pce to meet Her Majesty today.¡± ¡®Miss me? Heh!¡¯ Jiang Yeqian replied softly, ¡°Please wait for a moment, eunuch. After this humble servant has taken a bath and changed his clothes, he will go to the pce with the eunuch.¡± Upon hearing this, Little Lizi promptly said that there was no rush. Jiang Yeqian turned around and returned to his room. The servants had already prepared him a bath. After taking a quick bath, Zhao Xin held up the new clothes he had prepared. While waiting for His Excellency to change, he said, ¡°Your Excellency, we have had a difficult journey and have just arrived in the Capital. It¡¯s very strange that Her Majesty so urgently asked you to visit the pce.¡± Jiang Yeqian responded, ¡°As the Head Grand Secretariat, my resignation was only a remote submission of a resignation document. Perhaps the empress felt that this conduct was too sloppy. Therefore, it¡¯s necessary to talk about this matter of resignation clearly in person during this trip to the pce.¡± ¡°...¡± Zhai Xin nodded and thought to himself, their people had already been deployed in the Northern Liang Capital and Imperial Pce. From now on, His Excellency only needed to issue orders from the Ghost Organization. It hade to an end. ¡­ Today, many locals of the Capital City had seen a team of elite Tiger guards and several luxurious carriages enter the Capital. After some inquiry among the upper-ssmunity, they all knew that the doors to the State Preceptor¡¯s residence and the Head Grand Secretariat¡¯s residence were opened at the same time, indicating that the two big shots had returned to the Capital together. People from all forces nned to hurry over to visit the two big shots, but who could¡¯ve known that before they were even ready to head out, they were told that someone from the pce visited the Head Grand Secretariat¡¯s residence¡­ ¡®to send a message¡¯. Shortly after, the Head Grand Secretariat¡¯s carriage was seen heading toward the Imperial Pce. This made everyone think that the person that was most adored and valued by the empress was the Head Grand Secretariat indeed¡­ The moment the Head Grand Secretariat returned to his residence, they had toe to meet him as soon as possible to express their longing! Lest the Head Grand Secretariat hold grudges in the future! Chapter 503 - Arrival in Capital City 4

Chapter 503: Arrival in Capital City 4

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion The news of the eunuch from the imperial pce visiting the Head Grand Secretariat¡¯s residence quickly reached the ears of many. Upon receiving the report, Zhu Shen immediately informed Li Ruoxuan of the matter. Hearing this, Li Ruoxuan smiled coyly, and his expression showed no surprise at all. Instead, he seemed like he had been expecting it. After Li Ruoxuan waved his hand to signal Zhu Shen to leave, he walked leisurely into the Jingwu Courtyard. Jingwu Courtyard was the courtyard arranged for Qi Qingyao. As he entered the central hall, he waited for a while before seeing a refreshed Qi Qingyao exiting her bedroom after having just had her bath and changing her attire. Her hair was still mildly wet. It was clear that she had not yet applied any makeup on her face, nor was she wearing any luxurious clothing, or even any rouge or face powder. However, Li Ruoxuan felt like she was prettier than those finely dressed young women in Northern Liang who smelled of powder. It made his heart skip a beat, and he could not help but sneer. ¡°Why have youe out looking like this? Do you intend on taking this opportunity to flirt with me?¡± ¡°Tsk.¡± Qi Qingyao patted her hair dry with a cotton towel. Upon hearing what he had said, she angrily ced the towel on her head and responded with a half-smile, ¡°Sir, don¡¯t misunderstand. It¡¯s because I heard the maids in your residence whispering about the State Preceptor visiting my courtyard. I¡¯m now staying at your house, I wouldn¡¯t dare to be tardy¡ªso I hurriedly changed my clothes and came to meet you before I even had the chance to dry my hair. Who would¡¯ve thought that my love and respect would be regarded as preparing to take the opportunity to flirt with you? What an absurd misunderstanding.¡± Li Ruoxuan said, ¡°Hmph!¡± Qi Qingyao grabbed a piece of fruit from the tea tray and ate it as she asked, ¡°What¡¯s up? Tell me.¡± Li Ruoxuan stared silently at this unruly littledy and herzy stance, as though she did not care about him at all. He felt that this world had gone crazy. If any high-ranking officials outside witnessed this scene, they would be left so utterly dumbfounded that they would believe that the sun rose from the west too. No one could be so casual in front of the ruthless and heartless State Preceptor. However, only this woman was not bothered one bit. Li Ruoxuan held his forehead and said, ¡°What you said earlier was quite right.¡± ¡°What did I say?¡± Qi Qingyao was eating her fruit and thinking about going to the brothel that night! Li Ruoxuan started the conversation leisurely. ¡°You said that since I like you, I have to be sincere¡ªso I allowed you to stay in my residence as well. That¡¯s considered sincerity, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Qi Qingyao agreed casually. Li Ruoxuan stroked his chin and smiled very amusedly. ¡°My second act of sincerity is to deliver to you some special news.¡± ¡°I¡¯m all ears.¡± Qi Qingyao was still mildlynguid. Li Ruoxuan said impassively, ¡°The empress summoned the Head Grand Secretariat toe to the pce and be presented to the empress.¡± Qi Qingyao responded in confusion, ¡°What does this news have to do with me, and what kind of sincerity is this?¡± ¡°I told you that someone from the countryside like you wouldn¡¯t know of the disputes in the imperial court, nor understand the situation in the Capital.¡± Li Ruoxuan pretended to sneer sarcastically. Then he casually said, ¡°Let me break it down for you.¡± Seeing that Li Ruoxuan was going to tell her the secrets of the imperial court, Qi Qingyao hurriedly pretended to curry favor with him and handed a washed red date from the tea tray to Li Ruoxuan¡¯s mouth, ¡°Sir, have a date!~~¡± Li Ruoxuan was taken aback and opened his mouth. Qi Qingyao stuffed the red date from her hand into his mouth. The second he bit into the red date, he nced at Qi Qingyao strangely. He spoke softly while eating. ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about the capital¡ªlet¡¯s first discuss the empress.¡± Qi Qingyao nodded. Li Ruoxuan said rather meaningfully, ¡°Why didn¡¯t¡­ the empress invite me, the State Preceptor? Instead, she invited the Head Grand Secretariat to the pce to meet Her Majesty first. Do you really not understand the meaning of this?¡± Qi Qingyao thought about it for a while and said with good reason, ¡°She values and trusts Jiang Yeqian more?¡± Li Ruoxuan¡¯s eyelids were half-closed. He said, ¡°Yes, but that¡¯s not entirely correct.¡± Qi Qingyao stuffed another red date into his mouth and urged, ¡°Don¡¯t keep me guessing!¡± Li Ruoxuan ate the date and responded calmly, ¡°Both Jiang Yeqian and I are valued and trusted by the empress¡ªbut there are still some differences between us.¡± After a pause, he said with difficulty, ¡°We entered the Capital together, but the empress first asked to see the Head Grand Secretariat alone¡­¡± Seeing that he was stumbling over his words, Qi Qingyao said in frustration, ¡°You¡¯ve been talking for a long time but haven¡¯t said a single sh*t of anything important. It¡¯s a shame that I¡¯m treating you to these dates!¡± These were clearly his dates¡ªwho was treating who now? Li Ruoxuan said dumbfoundedly, ¡°The empress is probably very unhappy with his resignation.¡± Qi Qingyao sighed. She said while rubbing between her brows, ¡°Having a backbone means leaving at a young age. If I was the empress, I¡¯d be unhappy as well.¡± Li Ruoxuan agreed with her. He suddenly asked, ¡°What do you think of Jiang Yeqian¡¯s appearance?¡± Qi Qingyao was stunned for a moment. After a while, she hesitantly asked, ¡°Why are you asking me this? Are you match-making?¡± ¡°From a bystander¡¯s perspective.¡± Li Ruoxuan chuckled. Qi Qingyao cautiously said, ¡°Objectively speaking, he looks good.¡± Li Ruoxuan covered the ck eyepatch on his right eye and muttered, ¡°He¡¯s indeed good-looking¡ªbut for him and I to be on the same level, you should know how he got to where he is now. It¡¯s just that he looks better than me, hence many oblivious youngdies from the capital fancy the Head Grand Secretariat very much¡ªsuch as the daughters of ministers, youngdies of earls, and even the princess¡¯ daughter¡­ It¡¯s rumored that if all the people who liked him formed a line, it would be enough to go around the imperial pce.¡± ¡°He¡¯s the most eligible bachelor. There¡¯s nothing wrong with that.¡± Why was he saying this? Seeing at her still-naive mind, Li Ruoxuan asked calmly, ¡°If all the women like him, how about the one in the imperial pce?¡± ¡°...¡± Qi Qingyao was stunned at first, then she opened her mouth wide and stared at Li Ruoxuan dumbfoundedly. She froze for a long time. Not a word was said. It was not until Li Ruoxuan grabbed a red date from the tea tray and stuffed it into her mouth that she returned to her senses. Qi Qingyao ate the date quickly and spit out the core, then said very calmly, ¡°F*cking hell, you mean to say that the empress likes him too?!¡± ¡°That¡¯s why you were not summoned when you returned to the Capital, and Jiang Yeqian was summoned alone?¡± ¡­ Li Ruoxuan¡¯s smile was very intriguing. ¡°Having said that, take a guess at what the empress will say when he is called into the pce.¡± ¡°Wait, wait a minute! I¡¯m a bit confused now!¡± Qi Qingyao felt like this was a lot for her to process. She hastily grasped a clue and said, ¡°If the empress really likes Jiang Yeqian, and he has been in the Capital City as the Head Grand Secretariat for so many years, there¡¯s no reason for Her Majesty to just fancy him yet not act on it.¡± It just did not make sense. Li Ruoxuan casually said, ¡°Her Majesty is still a woman, so she¡¯s reserved and prefers to wait for the man to take the initiative.¡± ¡°Oh~~~¡± It made sense, but, ¡°How do you know that the empress likes him?¡± Could it be that the State Preceptor also gossiped? Li Ruoxuan said with a straight face, ¡°asionally we would go to the imperial study together to discuss important matters such as military secrets. When the empress looked at me, her attitude was normal. Every time she looks at him, her eyes seem to sparkle. I¡¯m not an idiot!¡± Qi Qingyao, ¡°I heard that the two of you don¡¯t get along, and that you¡¯ve always wanted to kill him¡­¡± Why was that? She looked at him curiously. Li Ruoxuan¡¯s smile suddenly became extremely enigmatic. After a pause, he said, ¡°Beauty jeopardizes the nation, little girl.¡± ¡°...Tsk tsk.¡± Qi Qingyaoughed and thought to herself, should it not be ¡®male beauty jeopardizes the nation¡¯?! Was he afraid that the empress would get caught up in it and give the country to Jiang Yeqian? Maybe he was afraid Jiang Yeqian would be the male version of Daji (TN: A mythical fox spirit and concubine of thest Shang Dynasty Emperor Zhou Xin) who would tarnish thew and order of the country, hehe~ ¡°If I don¡¯t nip this in the bud, one day, he will be the empress¡¯ downfall¡ªso he must die.¡± Li Ruoxuan stated calmly. Qi Qingyao asked in confusion, ¡°Do you still want to kill him even now?¡± Li Ruoxuan shook his head and said, ¡°Ever since he made ns to resign, I knew there was no longer a need to kill this person. He might want to have some breakthrough on his path of cultivation! Besides, him being able to resign so casually indicates that he never really reciprocated the empress¡¯ feelings.¡± Also, that he was a blockhead. He had not realized that the empress liked him! Li Ruoxuan continued, ¡°Just now, I asked you to guess what the empress would say when he entered the pce. You¡¯re so smart¡ªyou could definitely make one or two educated guesses.¡± This was all imperial gossip. Qi Qingyao racked her brains for a long time before saying vaguely, ¡°She¡¯ll probably say that he had left the imperial pce for too long this time. That the empress misses him and wants to see him, so she summoned him hastily.¡± ¡°What else?¡± Li Ruoxuan wanted to know her thoughts. ¡°You¡¯re ady, so guess with ady¡¯s heart.¡± Qi Qingyao ate another red date and sipped her tea solemnly. Then, she made a bold guess. ¡°Could it be that the empress had been waiting for him to confess, but he had been out of town the past few months and had even handed in his letter of resignation¡ªcausing the Empress to panic. This time, upon his return to the Capital to report his duties, the empress ns to confess her feelings for him directly and see what he has to say.¡± ¡°Continue.¡± Li Ruoxuan was very pleased with her train of thought. Qi Qingyao¡¯s eyes and brows furrowed as she said, ¡°The empress is not young but is still unmarried and still hasn¡¯t had any children. It¡¯s normal for her to get anxious. She might threaten him this time!!¡± ¡°Great minds think alike.¡± Li Ruoxuan¡¯s smile was very cryptic. Qi Qingyao could not hold it in anymore. ¡°F*ck, does that mean that Jiang Yeqian is about to rise to the top and be a phoenix?!¡± ¡°...¡±?Could the phrase ¡®rise to the top and be a phoenix¡¯ be used when speaking about a man? Li Ruoxuan did not know whether tough or cry at the way she thought! Qi Qingyao stroked her chin and muttered rather seriously, ¡°If he marries the empress, will he be the queen in the future?¡± ¡°Pfft!¡± Li Ruoxuan could not help but burst outughing upon hearing the word ¡®queen¡¯. He suddenly looked forward to what might happen when Jiang Yeqian visited the pce today. If the empress really confessed her feelings and threatened him, he wondered what expression the Head Grand Secretariat would have! He figured that he would most likely be distressed. After all, to apany the empress was like living with a tiger! The empress¡¯s confession was not something ordinary people could easily refuse. He might be beheaded if he did not handle it well. However, Li Ruoxuan knew exactly the kind of person Jiang Yeqian was. He had never liked anyone for so many years, and was not interested in the empress as well! Now¡­ Li Ruoxuan¡¯s gazended on Qi Qingyao. This little girl was clearly an unmarried single mother who did not keep to feminine principles¡ªgetting pregnant and birthing three children! However, Jiang Yeqian was very much interested in her. He was very hardcore! Chapter 504 - Being Confessed To

Chapter 504: Being Confessed To

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion After Jiang Yeqian took Zhao Xin to follow Little Lizi to the pce, most of the Imperial Guards were shocked to see the Head Grand Secretariat leaning on crutches. They did not expect the god-like Head Grand Secretariat would to have had actually injured his leg¡­ Poor Master! The maids in the pce felt some pity when they saw Head Grand Secretariat with his injured leg leaning on crutches. Some of them began to silently pray for Head Grand Secretariat¡¯s leg to heal soon. However, Jiang Yeqian waspletely unaware of what was going on in their heads. After arriving at the door of the study room, Zhao Xin waited there as Jiang Yeqian followed Little Lizi inside. He bowed slightly as soon as he went in, and without even looking at thedy on the dragon seat, he said, ¡°I, minister Jiang Yeqian, havee to see you.¡± When he pushed open the door, the empress¡¯ whole heart was thumping in excitement. After he had entered and paid respects, she hurriedly stepped out of the dragon seat and excitedly helped Jiang Yeqian up, ¡°My dear minister, get up quickly.¡± Jiang Yeqian took a step back. He did not dare to ept the empress¡¯ support. After he got up, he leaned on his crutches and looked straight at the empress in front of him. The empress felt a little awkward as she rubbed her hands. She took a step back too and ced her hands behind her back and said smilingly, ¡°Long time no see. You¡¯ve lost a lot of weight.¡± ¡°Thank you, Your Majesty, for your concern.¡± Jiang Yeqian said calmly. The empress stared at the crutches in his hands, and then looked at Jiang Yeqian¡¯s leg, ¡°My dear minister Jiang, your leg¡­¡± ¡°This minister¡¯s leg has gotten a lot better. Thank you, Your Majesty, for your concern.¡± Jiang Yeqian slowly said, ¡°As for the State Preceptor, when he arrives at the pce tomorrow, may Your Majesty take good care of him.¡± The empress was slightly startled. She coughed gently and said, ¡°I know, I received a tip-off. It said that your leg was injured and the State Preceptor went blind in one eye.¡± Jiang Yeqian slowly said, ¡°This minister¡¯s leg is almostpletely healed, but the State Preceptor¡¯s right eye ispletely blind. Your Majesty, please remember to take good care of the State Preceptor tomorrow.¡± The empress suddenly frowned and asked puzzlingly ¡°I¡¯m talking to you. Why do you keep bringing up the State Preceptor?¡± Jiang Yeqian said with a slight cadence in his tone, ¡°Because this minister has already resigned. In the future, in the court of Northern Liang, only the State Preceptor is a man of both civil and military ability! He¡¯s the pir of the country! He¡¯s able to take on big responsibilities!¡± It had taken him a few years to get everyone to infiltrate the court of Northern Liang. It would be meaningless for him to continue staying here. ¡°¡­¡± The empress hesitated for a moment before realizing Little Lizi was beside him. She felt a bit embarrassed and quickly ordered, ¡°Little Lizi, I have something to talk to Head Grand Secretariat about in private. You can leave first.¡± Little Lizi was relieved and hurried out of the study room. He went to stand next to Zhao Xin and sighed in relief. Zhao Xin, ¡°??¡± Did the empress want to denounce His Excellency? He could not help but start to worry. After Little Lizi left, the empress instantly gew restrained and a bit ufortable. She motioned for Jiang Yeqian to sit next to the window ¡°My dear minister Jiang, there¡¯s only the two of us here right now. You don¡¯t have to be so formal.¡± Jiang Yeqian frowned and stayed still. The empress patted the table. ¡°Come sit.¡± Jiang Yeqian, ¡°¡­¡± The empress saw that he did not move, so she anxiously said, ¡°Your leg isn¡¯t easy to stand on, so hurry and sit down. You don¡¯t have to be so polite with me.¡± Since he used to sit next to the window in the study room with the empress in the past to discuss state affairs, Jiang Yeqian was silent for a moment. He then sat down and nodded slightly. ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± Jiang Yeqian would not naturally take the initiative to speak when the empress and the minister sat together. He would only say something when the empress asked him something. The empress personally poured him a cup of tea and said that this new tea was the best Biluochun tea that was recently sent from Daming! Jiang Yeqian held the tea as he looked at the fresh tea leaves. There was a good color to them. He took a sip out of respect. After a long moment of silence. Feeling a little embarrassed, the empress coughed lightly and asked, ¡°It¡¯s been several months since you left. Don¡¯t you have anything to say to me?¡± ¡°?¡± Jiang Yeqian turned his head in confusion to look at thedy in the Dragon robe seated next to the table. ¡°Didn¡¯t you miss me?¡± The empress¡¯ hand which was holding the tea bowl trembled slightly as if she used all her strength to ask the question. Jiang Yeqian said in a very formal and polite manner, ¡°Of course this minister has missed the court of Northern Liang and Your Majesty.¡± The distant and polite tone pierced the empress¡¯ heart. It made her feel upset. She shyly said, ¡°There is no one else here except us. We don¡¯t need to address each other as minister and empress. You can just treat me like an ordinarydy, okay?¡± ¡°Your Majesty¡­¡± Jiang Yeqian frowned in confusion and said, ¡°This minister does not dare to.¡± The empress put down her tea bowl and snapped, ¡°Jiang Yeqian!¡± Jiang Yeqian got up, immediately bowed, and politely said, ¡°Your Majesty.¡± After a pause, he said again, ¡°There¡¯s a difference between the minister and empress, and this minister does not dare.¡± The empress smacked the table with might till the tea tray on the table flipped over. The tea bowls were knocked onto the window too, and the tea soaked the mattress. The empress suddenly got up, eyes as sharp as des, and yelled, ¡°I¡¯m giving you the privilege! I¡¯m allowing you to do it!¡± Jiang Yeqian continued to bow expressionlessly and repeated, ¡°Your minister does not dare.¡± The empress was infuriated. She stepped forward and grabbed onto Jiang Yeqian¡¯s cor, and forced him to look up at her. Her tone was resentful. She stared into Jiang Yeqian¡¯s peach blossom eyes and his calm disposition. It was like he was Jiangnan¡¯s rain in spring trapped in a cloud of smoke. His whole person was not in a hurry whatsoever, just calm and indifferent. It made the empress yearn for him. ¡°Jiang Yeqian, do you need me to exin my words clearly before you can understand my feelings?¡± the empress asked helplessly. ¡°All these years, the way I feel about you, do you still not know?¡± ¡°Why I rejected Grand Tutor and all of the pretty portraits of me given by the old ministers of the court, why I rejected all the suitor¡¯s courteousness, and why I¡¯m not married yet at this age, do you really not know why?¡± Jiang Yeqian was stunned. He stared dumbfoundedly at the empress. ¡°¡­¡± The empress spilled her feelings in a rage, nervous and agitated. She urged, ¡°Say something!!¡± After Jiang Yeqian returned back to his senses, his expression remained indifferent. ¡°I don¡¯t know what to say.¡± The empress looked at the man with deep eyes. ¡°When you are in front of me, you will never be a minister. Never a minister, but yourself!¡± Jiang Yeqian looked deeply into the eyes of the woman in front of him. ¡°¡­¡± The empress felt a bit flustered as he stayed silent. She was the state¡¯s empress. She had waited for him to confess for many years, but who knew this man was so abstinent it was as if he was a monk? He had never seen her indifferently from the very beginning. Now, as he was ready to resign, she had gathered up her courage and confessed. In any case, she was the empress. The person who held the power to kill. Why did he not feel anything, nor have any response? This made the empress a bit disappointed. Could it be that he was afraid that her status was too noble and that he was not worthy of her? The empress quickly patted her chest and said, ¡°Jiang Yeqian, look at me. Right now, I¡¯m not the empress, not the high-ranking empress of Northern Liang. I¡¯m just an ordinarydy, ady who likes you. Do you understand?¡± ¡°This minister¡­¡± Jiang Yeqian tried to exin. ¡°This minister? What minister? I already said you¡¯re not one!¡± The empress interrupted him harshly and immediately calmed down a little before showing her usual ability to read people. She was slightly startled and said, ¡°Your expression tells me that you never thought of me in any other way.¡± Jiang Yeqian was about to say something. The empress quickly interrupted ¡°What minister? You better not mention this word in front of me again. If you bring it up again, I¡¯ll have you mercilessly killed!¡± Jiang Yeqian raised his eyebrows, pupils shining. He asked, ¡°Why me?¡± What did he mean, why him? ¡°How can there be so many why¡¯s in this world?¡± The empressughed bitterly and said almost humbly, ¡°I just like you and want you.¡± She was the empress and also ady, yet she could still be questioned about why she had chosen the man she wanted him. Jiang Yeqian pursed his lips. ¡°If Your Majesty¡­¡± The empress red piercingly straight at his face, her pale white face turning even paler with suppressed rage. ¡°Now you can only refer to me as ¡®you¡¯. Don¡¯t call me Your Majesty again!! If you call me that again, I¡¯ll have you mercilessly killed!¡± Jiang Yeqian looked at the girl with an unsightly expression on her face, his eyes darkening. ¡°Calm down.¡± The empress clenched her fist under her sleeve, her eyshes trembled as her breathing grew rapid. ¡°I am very calm. Ever since you left, I¡¯ve been calm for months. I¡¯ve gotten so calm, to the point where I can¡¯t be calm anymore.¡± Jiang Yeqian helplessly said, ¡°Sit down first, and let me calm down.¡± ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll sit¡­ You don¡¯t have to rush, think through it thoroughly.¡± The empress quickly sat on the window after hearing what he said. She picked up the table she had flipped and awkwardly picked up the teapot. Luckily it was only wet on one side of the window, so they could still sit on the other. After she was done, she felt a burning between her eyebrows. Her eyes were a dim red. She spoke in a scattered and confused manner as if she herself did not know what she wanted to say. ¡°I am the empress of Northern Liang. If you marry me, you¡¯ll be the Emperor in the eyes of others. However, I can promise you that I will leave all the court¡¯s affairs to you. I don¡¯t want to be an empress. I only want to give you children and be your woman! I can also promise you that I only want you. I won¡¯t have a harem of three thousand lovers!¡± Jiang Yeqian felt a massive headache from the empress¡¯ rambling and coldly shouted. ¡°You, calm down! Shut up for a bit!¡± Despite being cruelly yelled at by him, the empress still felt a little sweetly for him in her heart. After all these years of distance, could the gap finally be crossed? ¡­He had forgotten about their status as minister and empress and reprimanded her. Could that be considered a good start? Jiang Yeqian stood there and looked at the light that seeped through the gap in the window. He had actually felt frightened by the empress¡¯ words today. On usual days, wealthy girls often liked to find excuses to trip and fall into his arms. Sometimes they liked to throw fresh flowers at him. He was not stupid; he knew the women¡¯s intentions. However, his identity had determined that it was not possible to get involved with those women. Thus, he had always kept his distance. However, Jiang Yeqian thought to himself that he had never done anything to lead on any woman, including the empress in front of him. Why would the empress be interested in him? There was no way that the empress was the same as the basic women who only liked him for his decent looks¡­ It was impossible to even consider that to be the case. Even someone like Qi Qingyao had not fallen for him because of his good looks, so why had the empress? The reason could not possibly be so superficial!! There were so many attractive guys in and out of the Capital City of the Imperial Pce¡­ Chapter 505 - Let’s Go! Wine and Women Await!

Chapter 505: Let¡¯s Go! Wine and Women Await!

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Time passed by minute by minute. The empress looked at the handsome man in front of her obsessively and absent-mindedly. There was still no answer from him after she had waited for a tea session¡¯s worth of time. This inevitably made her a little restless. ¡°What do you think?¡± She hurriedly urged him, ¡°I respect you enough to give you some time to think about it. However, if you dare reject me, please think through it thoroughly! You¡¯ve already retired, so you¡¯re just a meremoner now! I can issue an order to force you into the pce for me to marry you and make you my Emperor!¡± ¡°¡­¡± Initially, Jiang Yeqian had been just a little distressed, but after hearing what she was saying, his eyebrows furrowed and his eyes flickered coldly. He turned his head to look at the empress, his handsome face with a trace of cruelty on it. The empress immediately sensed imminent danger emanating from him. It was the face he showed other officers when met with them. She knew she had been wrong. She had been too impatient If she were to force him, not only would she be forcing him to do something against his will, but it would also make him rebel. The empress anxiously rambled. ¡°Jiang Yeqian, you don¡¯t have to answer now. ¡°I¡¯ll give you a few more days to think about it. ¡°The matter of your resignation will be temporarily put on hold. We can discuss it furtherter. ¡°Go back and rest properly for a few days. There¡¯s no need to rush back to the pce.¡± ¡­Jiang Yeqian¡¯s dark pupils were void of emotion. He quietly said, ¡°This minister will be leaving.¡± After that, Jiang Yeqian picked up his crutches, turned around, and left the study without feeling a single ounce of nostalgia. Zhao Xin looked at his master¡¯s calm and somber expression and quickly followed him. After passing the pce¡¯s inner gate, they immediately got on the carriage! After Little Lizi sent the Head Grand Secretariat off, he let out a breath of relief and entered the study room. After he walked in, he noticed the empress gasping for air as if she was struggling to breathe. He hurried toward her in shock. ¡°Your Majesty? What happened to you, Your Majesty?¡± ¡°Little Lizi¡­¡± the empress reached out her hand, with an expression that asked him to help her up. Little Lizi helped the empress up. He nced at the mess on the table and quickly called for the maids toe in and clean up the mess. After the mattress was changed and a pot of tea was added, he helped the empress to have a seat. The empress looked at Little Lizi, excitedly licked her lips, and said, ¡°I¡­ I¡­ I told him just now.¡± ¡°You said it?¡± Little Lizi had followed the empress for a long time, so he knew what she was thinking. He cautiously asked, ¡°How did the Head Grand Secretariat respond?¡± ¡°He didn¡¯t say anything.¡± The empress giggled and said, ¡°I asked him to go back and think about it for a few days.¡± Little Lizi had a sentimental expression and said, ¡°Your Majesty, you¡¯ve always admired the Head Grand Secretariat. This servant was thinking that he probably would not reject this great thing. After all, this is an opportunity to be the emperor.¡± ¡°¡­¡± That was true! The empress also believed that he would definitely agree to it. After all, she was the present dynasty¡¯s empress. If he really dared to reject, she could just issue an order. Really, really, really¡­ force him. ¡­ The carriage ran quickly all the way from the pce. After arriving at Head Grand Secretariat¡¯s residence, the carriage entered directly through the small gate. When it was near the stables, Zhao Xin jumped off the carriage, opened its door, and pulled back the curtain. The man inside looked indifferent as he got down. The coachman led the horses inside for feeding. Zhao Xin followed behind his master, whispering happily as he walked. ¡°My lord, Her Majesty definitely agreed to your resignation. Now, after cleaning up, we can leave this Capital City.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Jiang Yeqian turned around and stared deeply at Zhao Xin. Zhao Xin sensed the threat and viciousness in his master¡¯s gaze, it made him shiver. ¡°My lord, did your subordinate say something wrong?¡± Could it be that Her Majesty had not agreed to the resignation? Jiang Yeqian¡¯s face was sullen for a moment before raised his eyelids. It was hard to decipher whether he was angry or happy. He asked, ¡°Zhao Xin, how does your lord look?¡± Zhao Xin was stunned for a moment, then praised earnestly. ¡°My lord is of course an extraordinarily handsome person. Jiang Yeqian raised his eyes slightly, with a somber expression. ¡°Don¡¯t bluff. Pretend you¡¯re looking at me from the perspective of an ordinary person, how do I look?¡± Zhao Xin was confused why he was asking such a thing, but he could not ask for the reason. He could only answer honestly. ¡°My lord, do you really need your subordinate to answer? You have so many admirers in Capital City. Every time you go out, many women throw flowers at you when they see you. Even you know this.¡± The truth was that he knew as much, which was why he hated it. Jiang Yeqian¡¯s steps were slow as they continued to walk toward the yard. The sound was a little annoying, so he murmured, ¡°Being handsome is also a type of fault.¡± Zhao Xin, ¡°??¡± How could being handsome be wrong? In this world, being handsome could be your livelihood, and his master knew it. All this while, he has always been good at using his appearance to achieve many goals. Why was he suddenly expressing this type of emotion now? Zhao Xin did not understand. Wait¡­ Hold on. Something was wrong. When he was at the pce just now, his expression had been somber ever since he came out. Could it be that the empress gave the master a marriage proposal? Who was the other party? Which household¡¯s daughter?! Zhao Xin was very curious. ¡­ After arriving in the Capital City at noon and then taking a bath, under the guidance of Zhu Shen, Qi Qingyao visited the National Teachers¡¯ residence for a while, and then took a nap with the three children in her arms. Qi Qingyao slept until the afternoon, but as for the three children, they were exhausted from the long-distance travel that hadsted for more than a month and did not look like they wanted to wake up at all. Qi Qingyao rubbed Erniu¡¯s face, and Erniu tiredly mumbled that she was still sleepy~ Qi Qingyao thought, after half a month of struggle, they could finally settle down. The children were still growing, which was why they needed more sleep. She then instructed a maid in the yard to stand guard at the gate. She watched as the sun went down. Qi Qingyao¡¯s smile was rather mischievous. She took out a set of men¡¯s clothes from the bag. After she changed into it, she fixed her hair and applied makeup to her eyebrows. She looked at her face in the mirror and could hardly see any femininity. Shepletely looked like a pretty young man. Qi Qingyao was quite satisfied. As soon as she walked out the gate, she made eye contact with the maid. The maid almost could not recognize her. ¡°It¡¯s me!¡± Qi Qingyao said. It then dawned on the maid. She still scratched her head in confusion afterward. Qi Qingyao got ready to go to the front hall. Along the way, she was almost arrested by the guards of the State Preceptor¡¯s residence for being mistaken as an assassin. In the heat of the moment, Qi Qingyao called out for Zhu Shen. After Zhu Shen came over to confirm her identity, they took her to the front hall. Zhu Shen called over Li Ruoxuan, who was meditating. Li Ruoxuan was also shocked and stunned by how she looked for seconds before regaining his senses. After confirming that it was Qi Qingyao, he referenced some minute details to be sure of her identity. Li Ruoxuan pretended to be calm and asked, ¡°The three children are already asleep. What are you nning to do being dressed so neatly?¡± Qi Qingyao smiled and said, ¡°I¡¯ve alreadye to the Capital City, of course I want to visit the buildings¡­¡± Li Ruoxuan felt that as someone who had experienced strong winds and waves, he rarely got surprised. However, after he heard her reason, he could not hold himself back and suddenly stood up and questioned, ¡°You¡¯re a woman! What are you doing, going to a brothel?¡± ¡°Obviously, I¡¯m going to have fun! What else would I be doing there? Going to read and write? What a funny question you¡¯ve asked!¡± Qi Qingyao sat on the Taishi chair beside her and calmly crossed her legs. Li Ruoxuan said, ¡°You¡¯re a woman!¡± ¡°Women like pretty men and beautiful littledies too~~ The nature of human beings is to love beautiful things.¡± Was there something wrong with this? Qi Qingyao asked suspiciously, ¡°Could it be that the State Preceptor likes unattractive people?¡± No one would like unattractive people! Li Ruoxuan frantically said, ¡°But no woman would so boldly visit such buildings!¡± Qi Qingyao pointed to her outfit. ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m wearing men¡¯s clothes.¡± ¡°¡­¡± This was not even an issue of men¡¯s or women¡¯s attire. S-s-s-she has something wrong with her! Something was wrong with her brain, Li Ruoxuan thought with an ashen face. Qi Qingyao calmly asked, ¡°Do you want toe to?¡± Li Ruoxuan shook his head firmly. ¡°No!¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll go by myself.¡± Qi Qingyao was waiting for him to say that. It was great that tonight there would be a free babysitter in the house to watch the children. She could go out and rx as well as enjoy the joyful moments of being single. Li Ruoxuan, ¡°¡­¡± Qi Qingyao smiled widely and blinked slyly, ¡°Since you¡¯re not going out and sleeping peacefully tonight, can I borrow Zhu Shen?¡± Li Ruoxuan asked nkly, ¡°For what?¡± ¡°After all, this is Capital City, and I¡¯m the person the empress wants to summon. I¡¯m not familiar with this ce at all! What if I were to run into any danger and be led away before I even meet Her Majesty? That¡¯s why I should borrow Zhu Shen to protect me.¡± Qi Qingyao beamed from ear to ear, whilst worried that he would say no since he was very cautious. She suggested, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, if you think that my request is too much, I can pay.¡± Li Ruoxuan was silent for a moment and said, ¡°I¡¯ll go with you.¡± ¡°Eh¡­¡± Qi Qingyao almost dropped her jaw in shock. After she held back for a moment, she said, ¡°My lord, that¡¯s not necessary. I can go to Lu Household to get Lu Yan to apany me. It could help him recover at the same time.¡± Li Ruoxuan said, ¡°I¡¯m free!¡± Qi Qingyao yelled as if it was something serious. ¡°I¡¯d feel embarrassed to ask the State Preceptor to apany me and have fun.¡± ¡°I can see that you¡¯re very thick-skinned,¡± Li Ruoxuan said as he clenched his teeth. Qi Qingyao shrugged and yfully raised the corners of her mouth, then stepped forward and patted Li Ruoxuan on the shoulder nicely. ¡°Let¡¯s go! Let¡¯s go have a drink together in the building!¡± Li Ruoxuan, ¡°¡­¡± He had already been promoted to grand master and had finally managed to get half a day off and meditate. However, he unexpectedly agreed to apany this woman to go visit the buildings. Li Ruoxuan thought he was crazy for agreeing with her. On second thought, if this was the Harbinger, it would be better to follow than not follow. Since he was not interested in her, he could follow her and see what wicked things she would do. Zhu Shen immediately prepared a ride and a few guards to apany him when he said he was going out, but His Excellency said it was not necessary. It was also not necessary to hang a g on the carriage. This behavior of not hanging a g or bringing guards made Zhu Shen very rmed. After they left and entered the center of Capital City, Li Ruoxuan asked to stop so the two of them could hop off the carriage. ¡°Wait around here,¡± Li Ruoxuan ordered. As he turned, Qi Qingyao had already walked into the market. Li Ruoxuan hurried behind her. Zhu Shen looked at the two who disappeared into the crowd. He stopped the carriage at the side of the road and dazed sat at the shaft while he thought quietly. ¡®What is my lord thinking?¡¯ He had said he was not interested in Lady Qi, yet he had agreed to her request to apany her! This¡­ waspletely beyond the scope of logical ctions for his lord to take! Zhu Shen scratched his head in confusion as he looked into the crowd and sighed. Qi Qingyao stared at the view in front of her. She could not help but feel emotional. Thenterns glowed vividly, and the streets were bustling. Amidst theyers of red and silk that hung around the ce, precious pearls and gemstones could be seen anywhere one looked. Beauties donned in bright and delicate clothing could be seen ying music and singing, it was an exceptionally magnificent sight. It looked straight out of a painting, from the gorgeous bridges to the sunset-shadenterns to the waves of perfume permeating the air. The moon shone brightly far up in the sky and the symphony of music danced all over the scene. My, oh my, how beautiful the moon is in spring! Let us dance to celebrate the dawn of peace! Qi Qingyao said as she walked, ¡°Compared to Qingzhou City, even though both as just as lively, there¡¯s still a little difference in characteristics and local tastes. Li Ruoxuan was always surrounded by people when he went out, and there would always be a tail of people following behind him. It was rare for him toe out to y as an ordinary person, let alone going out with someone who had ¡®disguised herself as a man¡¯. ¡°I really don¡¯t know what you would want to do, visiting brothels as a woman.¡± Qi Qingyao was buying roasted candied chestnuts by the roadside. ¡°If you keep nagging, you might as well go back to sleep!¡± ¡°¡­¡± Li Ruoxuan gritted his teeth and said with a dark face, ¡°Qi Qingyao, no one dares to speak to me that way!¡± ¡°First time?¡± Qi Qingyao grinned, ¡°If you don¡¯t want to go drinking or find women, get out of here.¡± Li Ruoxuan, ¡°¡­!!¡± He really wanted to get out of there. This street was the Capital City¡¯s fireworks night street. All types of restaurants and nightclubs were bustling. The wine banners hung on doors were more colorful and brighter than the other ces,nterns of various colors formed a unique and scenic street. Qi Qingyao ate her roasted candied chestnuts as she walked towards the biggest brothel¡¯s entrance. She murmured, ¡°This Huayue Pavilion is still chained up. It seems like the rich behind it are quite powerful.¡± ¡°It¡¯s under the Qilin Administration.¡± Li Ruoxuan was not interested in snacks. However, as he watched her enjoy what she was eating, he sneakily reached for one. He brushed against a few of the roasted candied chestnuts in the oily bag in her arms. Qilin Administration? ¡°Ghost Organization?¡± Qi Qingyao¡¯s eyes widened. Li Ruoxuan mindlessly nodded. Qi Qingyao beamed, and her eyes glistened. She said with a smile, ¡°Then tonight we must properly experience the beauties that the Huayue Pavilion has gathered from all over the world!¡± Just as she was about to walk towards the Huayue Pavilion, Qi Qingyao suddenly turned her head and looked at Li Ruoxuan for a moment before she said, ¡°Even though you have a pretty popr face, you¡¯re now blind in one eye. If you get recognized when you follow me into the Huayue Pavilion, can we still drink and have fun like normal people?¡± Li Ruoxuan touched the blindfold on his right eye, smiled half-heartedly, and said, ¡°You already said it yourself. I have a popr face, but I¡¯m wearing a blindfold now. Capital City already knows that I¡¯m blind, and not a lot of people wear blindfolds. There aren¡¯t a lot of people who think that I would visit a brothel.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Qi Qingyao stared for a moment, and said ¡°You¡¯re right! Let¡¯s go for the wine and women!¡± She then grabbed Li Ruoxuan¡¯s arm with one hand and held the roasted candied chestnuts in the other and boldly walked towards the Huayue Pavilion. Li Ruoxuan, ¡°...¡± In this lifetime, there had never been a woman, no, there had never been nobody who dared to grab his arm like that. This littledy was very impudent! The day he was promoted from grand master to something more powerful and no longer needed her, he would definitely kill her and use her as a sacrifice to heaven. May it be a warning to others! There would no longer be any woman who would dare to disrespect him! ¡­ At Head Grand Secretariat¡¯s residence. After Jiang Yeqian returned from the pce, he took a good bath, changed his clothes, and waved all the frustrating troubles in his mind away. He sat alone in the study, leaned back in his carved rosewood chair, and meditated. Suddenly, someone knocked on the door. ¡°Come in,¡± Jiang Yeqian said slowly after regting his breathing. Zhao Xin came in and hurried towards him. He said in a low voice, ¡°My lord, please keep your attention on the State Preceptor¡¯s residence. There¡¯s activity there.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Zhu Shen was driving the carriage alone. The State Preceptor and a young man left by themselves without bringing any retinue. After they got off the carriage, they entered the crowd. Our informants were following them from a distance, but they clearly saw that the pair¡¯s destination was the Huayue Pavilion!¡± ¡°¡­!!!¡± Jiang Yeqian¡¯s face darkenedpletely. The fact that she easily visited the Huayue Pavilion was not what had shocked him. After all, this woman had mentioned it before. He was shocked because Li Ruoxuan had not actually brought anyone with him and had been willing to apany her to Huayue Pavilion, out of all ces. Those were good intentions! Simply¡­ It exceeded his expectations of Li Ruoxuan¡¯s actions. Unless the one surnamed Li was trying to find an excuse to test him again¡­ to see if he would mind, then show up at the Huayue Pavilion¡­ However, there was another possibility. The one surnamed Li could be interested in her too! He wanted to apany her out of love! However, this possibility was very unlikely! Jiang Yeqian¡¯s handsome face tensed, and the corners of his mouth stretched to form a straight line. There were some wild and manic thoughts in his mind.. What kind of magic powers did that woman have? She was just a widow! It was one thing to have made him unable to get her out of his mind, but things crossed the line again when the one surnamed Li felt the same way. Chapter 506 - This Master Bears Rewards!

Chapter 506: This Master Bears Rewards!

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Upon entering, they were greeted by ady who still had the charm of a woman in her prime. She went up to them with a small round fan embroidered with peony flowers. She swept her gaze over their clothes quietly before smiling very politely. ¡°Wee, distinguished guests!¡± Qi Qingyao was holding some sugar-fried chestnuts whiletching onto Li Ruoxuan¡¯s arm, quietly scrutinizing the furnishings and decorations inside. ¡°May I know if you¡¯d like to drink alone or have ady apany you?¡± the courtesan asked, thinking that the two guests looked rather understated. Based on the curious expression on the young master¡¯s face, she could tell that it was his first time here. The person next to him, however, was dressed in a ck robe. The robes were of high quality and were embroidered with a pattern of golden honeysuckle. The man also had a ck eyepatch over his right eye¡­ From just a look, the courtesan felt that this person was not to be trifled with. It seemed that they were martial artists¡­not to mention rather capable ones. They were definitely the sort who had many subordinates! Although she did not know them, she was sure that they were major financiers. ¡°Can I not call for ady after going to the Huayue Pavilion?¡± the little young master asked. The courtesan¡¯s eyes shone when she heard this. ¡°Some distinguished individuals like toe to this establishment to talk about things, so we would usually arrange for a private room.¡± She added tentatively, ¡°Judging from your ent, you don¡¯t seem to be from around here?¡± ¡°You caught that...¡± The little young master did not seem embarrassed, instead heughed openly. ¡°I¡¯ve just arrived at the capital and I¡¯m not familiar with the area, so I thought I woulde here for a drink.¡± The courtesan was in charge of Huayue Pavilion in the capital and had met many people in recent years. After these three sentences from him, she felt that the little young master¡¯s voice seemed to be unusually low and noticed there was no Adam¡¯s apple in the throat. She looked at his delicate face again. The courtesan could see through this little young master¡¯s facade with her ming, gold eyes. The person was actually a littledy who had disguised herself as a young man. That exined the short frame, only about a hundred and sixty centimeters. No wonder she was so nervously grasping the arm of the man with the eye patch next to her. The courtesan instantlyughed. ¡°Then, would the two masters please take a seat first and call for some wine. Our signature wine is the Peach Blossom Spring. How about two pots?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s have two pots of wine first, and we¡¯ll watch the dancer¡¯s performance in the meantime. I want to see the quality of the girls in this establishment and then decide if I want theirpany!¡± The little young master who was holding sugar-fried chestnuts sat down happily next to the eyepatch man. He put the bag of chestnuts down on the low table in front of him. ¡°Alright then, my distinguished guests~¡± The courtesan covered her mouth with the small round fan and smiled. She turned around and called For Mei Jiao¡¯er, who was in charge of hostessing with wine. Qi Qingyao and Li Ruoxuan sat on the ground behind arge screen embroidered with pine, bamboo, and plum trees. The low table was made of the finest mahogany. As she ate, Qi Qingyao said, ¡°The smell of the cosmetic powders here is much lighterpared to ordinary brothels, and the overall atmosphere feels luxurious! I can see why they say the Qilin Administration is very rich.¡± Li Ruoxuan scrutinized the dimly lit ce expressionlessly. ¡°The Qilin Administration is part of the Ghost Organization. How can they be poor?¡± ¡°The women are also pretty good-looking, and they all have their own merits!¡± Qi Qingyao eyed the beauties dressed in gorgeous thin robes, kneeling on the floor next to the guests as they poured wine. ¡°Each one of them looks like a rich nobledy, nothing like those mediocre and vulgar-looking ones in typical brothels!¡± ¡°Mm.¡± Li Ruoxuan answered,pletely absent-minded as looked down at the sugar-fried chestnuts in her oil paper bag. Qi Qingyao turned to him and asked, ¡°Is there anyone you¡¯re interested in? Should we call one?¡± Li Ruoxuan said, ¡°They¡¯re all entertainers here, not prostitutes.¡± Pretending to be shocked, Qi Qingyao stared at him with protuberant eyes. ¡°Are you holding that against them? Did you have some intentions for them?¡± Li Ruoxuan was slightly stunned. He turned and looked at her with a curious smile. ¡°Littledy, I only have intentions for you, but it¡¯s a pity that you¡¯re not interested in me.¡± Qi Qingyao pursed her lips. Absolutely shameless, she nced at him and said with a calm look in her eyes, ¡°You all aren¡¯t interested in me, but Si Jin! You¡¯re all the same, each of you. So, let¡¯s drink today and not be killjoys.¡± After a pause, she pressed, ¡°Are you going to ask for ady?¡± Li Ruoxuan withdrew his gaze. ¡°No.¡± After waiting for a while, a lovely young woman, who was dressed in a Tang-style high-waisted robe with arge portion of her shoulder and corbone exposed, walked over to them with light steps and a pleasant smile. She went to Qi Qingyao¡¯spartment, knelt down next to her, and spoke in a whisper. ¡°I¡¯m Hua Xiaodie, I¡¯vee to keep youpany with your drinks.¡± ¡°Take a seat, take a seat!¡± Qi Qingyao was delighted when she saw how the littledy looked. ¡°Xiaodie, your establishment is very big.¡± Hua Xiaodie put down the two pots of wine she was carrying.¡± Is Master not from around here?¡± she asked while pouring the wine. Qi Qingyao nodded slightly. She fished out a banknote from her arms and stuffed it into the littledy¡¯s revealed chest. ¡°I like listening to you, so I will reward you!¡± ¡°You are so generous, I can¡¯t ept this!¡± Despite her words, her actions were theplete opposite. She put away the banknote very shyly. Then, she leaned on Qi Qingyao¡¯s shoulder and cried out, ¡°Master~~~¡± ¡°...¡± Li Ruoxuan noted the little woman¡¯s obedient and lustful gaze and felt inexplicably disgusted. When he saw the little woman¡¯s whining figure draped over Qi Qingyao¡¯s shoulder, Li Ruoxuan could not help getting angry despite knowing they were both women. He was upset at the thought of something happening between the two women, but he was angry that Qi Qingyao did not try pushing away the little courtesan at all. She even kissed the courtesan on her face, hugged her, and let her sit on herp. She even slipped one hand inside the little courtesan¡¯s clothes and touched her thighs...making the courtesan giggle with embarrassment. This was the first time Li Ruoxuan witnessed such a scene and he was having a slight meltdown. He tried very hard to remind himself that this person was a woman. ¡®But if you are a woman, what are you thinking, doing that to the little courtesan?¡¯ Her expression waspletely like an irreverent womanizer. Li Ruoxuan could not wrap his head around it. Suddenly, a thought shed through his mind. She had no interest in any man, be it Jiang Yeqian, Lu Yan, or himself. Could it be that¡­this littledy liked women!! When he thought of this, Li Ruoxuan went through an even bigger meltdown. Qi Qingyao cuddled the little courtesan for a bit. Kissing her softly on the earlobe, she then murmured, ¡°So, who are the most powerful young masters and youngdies in the Northern Liang capital?¡± ¡°I shouldn¡¯t say.¡± The little courtesan had been reduced to jelly and only a trace of her consciousness remained as she responded blearily. ¡°I¡¯ve just arrived at the capital and I¡¯m afraid of offending others in the future, so I have to learn a bit about the rankings here~~~¡± Qi Qingyao took another banknote from her bosom and stuffed it into the courtesan¡¯s clothes. Li Ruoxuan, ¡°...¡± Could she be trying to gain information? Was it not because she liked women? Still, this behavior was too shameless!! Chapter 507 - Are You Sure You Want To Come Here?

Chapter 507: Are You Sure You Want To Come Here?

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Hua Xiaodie smiled from ear to ear happily. She sat on Qi Qingyao¡¯s thighs and wrapped her arms around her neck in a coquettish manner. Then she whispered. ¡°To speak of the most arrogant and domineering one, that would of course be Ning Yi, the little Master of the Ning Government. He likes to stir up trouble and is one of the little overlords in the capital!¡± ¡°But the one who is truly the most powerful in the capital is still our State Preceptor and Head Grand Secretariat. The Head Grand Secretariat is incredibly good-looking! He¡¯s a handsome pretty boy, but it¡¯s a pity... It does not seem that he likes littledies.¡± When Qi Qingyao heard about these two, she turned and gave Li Ruoxuan a smile. Li Ruoxuan did not show any expression. Qi Qingyao asked the courtesan unhurriedly, ¡°What do you mean? Could it be that he likes men?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not it either. He¡¯s just in such a lofty ce and is usually so busy that we don¡¯t get to see much of him. I¡¯ve never seen the State Preceptor bring a woman to his house before either!¡± Hua Xiaodie¡¯s expression was one of suspicion when she brought this matter up. ¡°Oh, speaking of the State Preceptor, what kind of a person is he¡­¡± Qi Qingyao smiled even more rxedly. ¡°Not many have seen the State Preceptor before! He¡¯s a dominant figure.¡± Hua Xiaodie¡¯s eyes suddenly widened as her voice be extremely cutesy. ¡°What about his personality?¡± Qi Qingyuan picked up her ss and sniffed it before having a taste. Li Ruoxuan, who was next to her, picked up a sugar-fried chestnut. He peeled off the chestnut shell silently and popped the fruit into his mouth. ¡°The rumors out there say that the State Preceptor is cunning, insidious, and cruel. This man... If you can avoid him, do so!¡± ¡°He¡¯s that powerful?¡± Qi Qingyao smiled frivolously. Hua Xiaodie added seriously, ¡°It¡¯s the State Preceptor after all! In my opinion, it makes sense for him to act that way because how could he be the State preceptor if he didn¡¯t? He would have long been assassinated in this cruel and ruthless capital!¡± ¡°You say he¡¯s insidious and cunning, yet you sound like you admire the State Preceptor?¡± Qi Qingyao asked with a smile. ¡°All the things the State Preceptor does for the sake of Northern Liang¡¯s. So, even if he¡¯s insidious and cunning, there is no doubt it is because he is strategizing for the country!¡± ¡°...¡± Qi Qingyao raised a brow but did not say anything. Li Ruoxuan¡¯s eyes were half-lidded but there was a profound smile tugging at the corners of his lips. ¡°Jiang Liluo, a daughter from the family of the Minister of Justice, and Jiang Siliu, a distant rtive of the family who had recently arrived from afar, also stirred up a lot of trouble in the capital recently.¡± Oh! That name sounded familiar. Jiang Siliu? She could not possibly be the same person she chucked out of Qingzhou City now, right? ¡°There is one more person named Wen Chuji, who is the most famous and talented woman in the capital. Her personality is fresh and elegant, romantic and graceful...¡± ¡­ ¡­ The little courtesan revealed everything since what Qi Qingyao asked for were not great secrets. She even shared a bunch of gossip about the capital¡­ After that, Qi Qingyao pushed banknotes worth one hundred taels to the little courtesan. Hua Xiaodie was so happy she smiled from ear to ear. She did not think she would earn 300 taels without having to drink or y any games tonight! This guest was indeed as great as Mother Hua had described! After drinking, Qi Qingyao made an excuse and had Hua Xiaodie leave first. She ced a banknote on the table and then proceeded to act drunk. Slinging the wine pot along, she got up unsteadily. Li Ruoxuan noticed her drunken appearance and desire to leave, and he got up as well. After the two were outside again, Qi Qingyao let the faint cool breeze flow over her and instantly felt more alert. She was not too drunk; she did not actually drink a lot. Li Ruoxuan stood beside her. He folded his arms while looking at her. ¡°Those things you asked about, if you wanted to know them, you could have just asked me, and you wouldn¡¯t have to spend a few hundred taels to ask a courtesan!¡± Qi Qingyao turned her head 45 degrees and grinned at him calmly. Her voice was like spun sugar silk as she said lightly, ¡°Are we that close with one another?¡± Li Ruoxuan had no reply. Qi Qingyao continued slowly and faintly again, ¡°Why would I ask you?¡± Li Ruoxuan, ¡°...¡± He must have gone stupid that night for wasting his time to apany this woman to fool around at this establishment! Qi Qingyao did not feel an ounce of guilt. She said solemnly, ¡°If you are so sincere, you should have shared all the information regarding the capital on your own ord when we reached the capital instead of waiting for me to ask you for it.¡± Li Ruoxuan, ¡°...¡± Come on now! Come on! Still, he would not bring himself to fuss over this vige widow, lest he degrade himself to her level! Qi Qingyao exined in a trivializing manner, ¡°If I had to spend money on information, I want to ensure that the information I bought is of value.¡± Li Ruoxuan, ¡°...¡± What did she mean by that? Was she saying that his words were worthless? Or did she think he would lie?! If it were not for this bastard woman still having her uses, he would have cut her delicate neck ages ago! Li Ruoxuan cursed her hundreds and thousands of times in his heart! As soon as the two left, Jiang Yeqian and Zhao Xin entered Huayue Pavilion. Jiang Yeqian wore a silver mask over his face, which stopped outsiders from having a clear look at his features. After Zhao Xin rounded the ce once, he hurried back and said, ¡°Y-Your Excellency, I don¡¯t see thedy in the building.¡± Jiang Yeqian pursed his lips tightly and all kinds of thoughts crossed his mind. The next moment, he called a courtesan over and asked calmly, ¡°Did someone wearing an eye patche here just now?¡± The courtesan did not know who this visitor was, but given the man¡¯s angry aura that engulfed him, she quickly whispered, ¡°Yes!¡± Jiang Yeqian¡¯s eyes brightened, ¡°Where are he and hispanion?¡± The courtesan shook her small round fan and said, ¡°Hispanion seemed to have drunk too much so he helped them leave together.¡± ¡°...¡± Drunk too much? Was she looking to die! Li Ruoxuan could not have possibly gotten her drunk and taken her home...then gone into the room¡­ Jiang Yeqian did not dare think about what would happen next. Wait¡ªshe seemed to have mentioned before that she was going to not just brothels but also¡­ ¡ª¡ªLi Ruoxuan thought Qi Qingyao wanted to go back but she ended up swaggering around the streets. Eventually, she stood in front of the Nanfeng Pavilion, smiling sleazily. Li Ruoxuan¡¯s expression was as ck as the bottom of the pot. ¡°Are you sure you want toe to this type of establishment?¡± Qi Qingyao rolled her eyes at him. ¡°Of course, I¡¯d want to see what the pretty boys in Capital City look like.¡± Li Ruoxuan¡¯s brows rose and his gaze was profound. ¡°They are all rabbits (TN: Derogatory ng for gay men) here! As if there would be any pretty men.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care, I want to have a look!¡± Saying that, she shook off Li Ruoxuan¡¯s arm and immediately marched toward Nanfeng Pavilion. Li Ruoxuan¡¯s lips had be a straight line. He had a great impulse to just turn around and walk away, but looking at the woman dressed as a little young master walking step by step into the Nanfeng Pavilion, Li Ruoxuan cursed and bolted after her withrge steps. The decor of the Nanfeng Pavilion was not much different from that of the Huayue Pavilion; it was actually even more extravagant. Right after passing through the door, you would immediately be greeted by the sight of many beautiful young men, barefoot, bare-chested, and donning outer robes without any inner garments. They looked very bohemian while they sat drinking together. There were also others who obviously did not belong to the Nanfeng Pavilion, but they sat together, drinking wine dubiously! This left Qi Qingyao a little confused. As soon as she picked out a short table and sat down, a beautiful young man came forward and promptly produced a pot of wine! Qi Qingyao looked around at the Nanfeng Pavilion and wondered if it was also under the Ghost Organization. Perhaps it was more than just a simple establishment. It could be one of the ces used by the Ghost Organization to collect intelligence, just like the Huayue Pavilion. After all, only celebrities in the capital could frequent this ce. ¡°Why is a beautiful little master sitting here alone, hmm?¡± Huh? Qi Qingyao suddenly turned her head and came face to face with a man in his forties who had a face full of wrinkles. He was smiling widely and there was a leer in his eyes. Qi Qingyao was instantly suspicious. She did not recognize this person, so why was he greeting her? ¡°Did youe alone?¡± Seeing the little young master looking clueless, he took a fancy to the youth. He sat down beside his short table and wrapped an arm around his shoulder. Qi Qingyao, ¡°???¡± She nced helplessly at the wandering hand on her shoulder. ¡°Is this your first timeing to such a ce?¡± The man liked the youth¡¯s adorable face that carried a strange kind of charm. He thought that such an adorable boy must be a virgin, yes... Not bad, very clean! ¡°I¡¯m a guest, I don¡¯t work here!¡± Qi Qingyao swatted the man¡¯s hand off her shoulder. The middle-aged man was stunned. The young man was also a feisty one, not bad at all. He must be so fun to y with! The smile on his face became wider. He then put one hand on the young master¡¯s arm while the other moved to caress his face! ¡ª¡ªWhen Li Ruoxuan entered, he paused for a moment since he was still reluctant to step into such a messy ce! Little did he think that he would catch sight of that person getting entangled with an old man before he could even scrutinize the unsightly ce. Never mind the man putting his wandering hand on her shoulder, he even nned to touch her face¡­ Li Ruoxuan walked over with a dark expression! The guests and servers in Nanfeng Pavilion were drinking and having fun when they suddenly felt a ¡°wind¡± blowing, then a dark shadow shed in front of them. Huh? What was happening? ¡­ Qi Qingyao once again nced at the wandering hand on her shoulder and then looked at the man¡¯s slightly red eyes. She wondered if he was actually treating her as one of the escorts here after drinking too much. Just as she was about to flip the man over, she suddenly saw the man being picked up like a chicken and before she could even react, she felt the man being thrown out like a sandbag! Like a bullet, he crashed into the wall heavily. A huge ¡°ng¡± resounded throughout the entire Nanfeng Pavilion. Instantly, the wall had been smashed through, leaving behind a human-shaped hole! Next door to the Nanfeng building was an ordinary restaurant in Capital City. Business was running as usual¡ªthe guests ate and drank in the lobby¡ªwhen suddenly a crashing sound came from the wall. Then arge hole appeared in the wall, and a person suddenly flew out, hitting the pir in the center of the restaurant. The sudden development almost scared the waiter¡¯s soul away. There were several waiters serving food, and they were so frightened that the tes in their hands fell to the ground. The guests also dropped their wine cups from the shock. After the dust settled and everyone came back to their senses, they looked at the ¡°corpse¡± on the ground in amazement, then at the big hole in the wall. Someone from Nanfeng Pavilion was also looking through the hole. For a moment. The people in the restaurant and the people in the Nanfeng Pavilion were looking at each other through the hole! The guests of the restaurant stared at the young men at the opposite building, dressed in an exaggerated and coquettish fashion, all wearing strange expressions. Chapter 508 - I Want to Disgrace Him

Chapter 508: I Want to Disgrace Him

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion The people in Nanfeng Pavilion were all rather embarrassed when they saw the martial artists and other onlookers next door. In fact, both sides were embarrassed. The shopkeeper of the restaurant reacted very quickly. Orders were given for several people to throw the ¡°body¡± back through the hole, and then he made amends to all the guests. He announced that he would get someone to repair the hole immediately and asked the guests not to panic and continue to eat. Remaining calm, he asked someone to take a wooden board to cover up the hole lest the miasma from next door ruined the business of their store! Over at the Nanfeng Pavilion. A group of guards appeared out of nowhere. First, they checked if the ¡°body¡± was breathing and ascertained that the man was not dead for the time being. He had likely just fainted. After carrying the man away, the other guests went back to sitting down and enjoying themselves after they recovered from the initial shock of the situation. ¡°Y-you¡¯ve gone mad!¡± Qi Qingyao blinked a few times before finally returning to her senses. She could not help staring at therge hole in the wall that had been sealed up from the other side. ¡°I think you¡¯re the one who has gone mad!¡± This woman did not even retaliate after being felt up the shoulder by a pervert, let alone have her face touched! There was something very wrong with this woman! Li Ruoxuan¡¯s eyes were covered with ayer of frost and his gaze was steely. Qi Qingyao frowned and was about to exin something when a man in his thirties dressed in blue came down from upstairs with a particrly displeased smile. He strode over to them withrge steps. He looked over the two before his gaze finally fell on Li Ruoxuan. He said with a smile, ¡°This...gentleman with an eye patch. You damaged my shop and disrupted my business tonight. How should I calcte this debt?¡± This man was the shopkeeper of the Nanfeng Pavilion. Li Ruoxuan had met him once at a banquet organized by a minister in their home. He remembered him, but the other could not recognize him because of the eye patch. Li Ruoxuan did not bother kicking up a fuss and said, ¡°Do what you need to do.¡± Feng Yucheng said solemnly, ¡°I¡¯ve seen the situation. That man has half a breath left in him, I¡¯m afraid he won¡¯t make it.¡± Qi Qingyao¡¯s heart dropped. The boss did not know Li Ruoxuan¡¯s identity, but she did. She was afraid that the madman would go crazy and kill the boss too. If the boss of the Nanfeng Pavilion were to die, she would not be leaving the establishment tonight. With that in mind, Qi Qingyao hurriedly tried to mediate the situation. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, boss, my friend did not do it on purpose. It was only because I was being harassed that he took action.¡± She put on an ¡®all is well¡¯ smile and said, ¡°How about this, I¡¯llpensate for whatever happened just now, just name your price!¡± ¡°That man can no longer live.¡± Feng Yucheng nced at the rather pretty young man coldly. The moment she heard that statement, Qi Qingyao immediately cut in and said, ¡°I¡¯m only paying for the hole. Whether that person lives or not has nothing to do with me! I¡¯m not the one who did it!¡± Feng Yucheng¡¯s gaze turned back to the man with the eye patch. ¡°Then, this gentleman with the eye patch, are you going to take responsibility?¡± ¡°Alright, I will.¡± The smile on Li Ruoxuan¡¯s face was chilling. Qi Qingyao felt that something was wrong. Li Ruoxuan said, ¡°Bring him over.¡± Feng Yucheng ordered some people to carry over the casualty. The injured man was barely alive and he looked like he would have to be bedridden for a year and a half at the very least. Li Ruoxuan came forward and crouched down silently. Then he twisted the man¡¯s neck without any change in expression. Crack! There was a sharp sound. The scene suddenly fell into a dead silence. Li Ruoxuan got up with his arms crossed and said, ¡°Alright, now he¡¯s dead. There¡¯s nothing for me to be responsible for.¡± All the guests and servers in the Nanfeng Pavilion witnessed this scene and immediately thought that this man was insane. He must not be from Capital City. That was the only exnation as to why he could do something like this that wouldnd him on the road of no return. Everyone knew that the Nanfeng Pavilion was backed by the Qilin Administration and the Zhaixing Administration of the Ghost Organization. Even martial artists would be killed if they misbehave here! Feng Yucheng did not expect the man to dare to break the neck of a guest of the Nanfeng Pavilion so openly. He was basically looking for death. Once their people stealthily identified the man, he would send someone to kill him in order to maintain the reputation of the Nanfeng Pavilion. On the surface, however, he did not wish to create more trouble that night and promptly got someone to carry the body down. Then, with a sullen expression, he said, ¡°Master, our establishment does not wee you, please leave!¡± Li Ruoxuan turned to Qi Qingyao and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± His tone was light. It was as if nothing had happened. Qi Qingyao sighed as she held her forehead. ¡°Sheesh, you ruined the fun I had been looking forward to from the Nanfeng Pavilion! How boring!¡± ¡­ ¡°Your Excellency, I saw the State Preceptor.¡± Zhao Xin was alert as soon as he entered and had immediately looked to where the man with the eyepatch was. He quickly pointed out the direction to Jiang Yeqian! Jiang Yeqian followed Zhao Xin¡¯s finger and immediately spotted the young man with an eye patch standing there with a solemn face. There was a petite young man next to him! It seemed that there were also several people standing opposite them. Jiang Yeqian recognized one of them as the shopkeeper of the Nanfeng Pavilion, Feng Yucheng. The atmosphere was somewhat nasty! Jiang Yeqian walked over inrge strides and asked bluntly, ¡°What is going on here?¡± Qi Qingyao was about to leave with Li Ruoxuan when they ended up bumping into a man wearing a silver mask. The mask was unfamiliar but the person beside him was not. Qi Qingyao and Li Ruoxuan instantly knew who the man was. She was stunned. ¡°Why are you here?¡± Jiang Yeqian nced over at the two, his expression restrained beneath the mask. He repeated, ¡°What happened?¡± Qi Qingyao shrugged, looking indifferent as she exined, ¡°It¡¯s been settled. We were just leaving.¡± Feng Yucheng had initially intended to look into the identity of the man with the eye patch in private but a few secondster, a man wearing a silver mask appeared in his shop. This man also looked extraordinary. He was curious. ¡®First a gentleman with an eye patch, now another with a mask. Tonight has been very interesting.¡¯ Jiang Yeqian pointed at the man with the eye patch and asked Feng Yucheng in a leisurely manner, ¡°Shopkeeper Feng, do you really not recognize the person in front of you?¡± Feng Yucheng, ??? This masked man knew him? Had he patronized the store before? What did he mean? Should he know this eyepatched man? Hold on, could the eyepatch man have purposefully worn the essory and that he was actually an acquaintance? Jiang Yeqian timely supplied, ¡°You¡¯ve even met him before.¡± Feng Yucheng, ???? He could not help but scrutinize the eyepatch man. Li Ruoxuan knew that Jiang Yeqian was doing this on purpose. He wanted everyone to know that the State Preceptor hade to a ce like this and wanted to disgrace him! ¡°Jiang, you better hold your tongue!¡± Li Ruoxuan snarled and pulled Qi Qingyao as they walked out. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± His curiosity piqued, Feng Yucheng immediately stopped the two from leaving. Jiang Yeqian said deliberately, ¡°Shopkeeper Feng, the State Preceptor just killed someone here, could it be that you still wish to interrogate him?¡± Feng Yucheng¡¯s pupils contracted into a thin line in an instant. Then, his entire body retreated as if it were a conditioned reflex. ¡°He... State Preceptor...¡± Ah. Why did the State Preceptore to Nanfeng Pavilion? Had the State Preceptor gone mad, or was everything that happened tonight just a dream? Feng Yucheng could notprehend what was happening. Qi Qingyao cradled her forehead and stared at Jiang Yeqian. She did not understand what Jiang Yeqian was nning by stirring things up! They could have left by now, but he seemed to be nning something¡­ Chapter 509 - Don’t Deny It

Chapter 509: Don¡¯t Deny It

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Feng Yucheng¡¯s actions were one step ahead of his mind. He cupped his fist and bowed. ¡°Feng Yucheng pays his respects to the State Preceptor.¡± The other guests in the Nanfeng Pavilion who had been watching the merriment also came back to their senses, instantly falling to their knees and paying homage! ¡°...¡± Li Ruoxuan¡¯s eyes were half-closed and his expression was restrained as he looked at Jiang Yeqian without an ounce of emotion. Then, he widened his eyes and said with a hint of mockery ying on the corners of his lips, ¡°For the Head Grand Secretariat to wear a mask and sneak to the Nanfeng Pavilion, could it be that he has taken a fancy to one of the escorts?!¡± Everyone inside the hall of Nanfeng Pavilion, ¡°...¡± An invisible pressure in the air gradually spread out. Everyone felt like their breathing was about to stop. They were all unable to think anymore. The State Preceptor? The Head Grand Secretariat? They both patronized the Nanfeng Pavilion? What was the meaning of this? Feng Yucheng was also utterly stupefied and was unable to utter a single word. He tried very hard toe back to his senses before he addressed the masked man again. ¡°My respects to the Head Grand Secretariat.¡± Jiang Yeqian knew that he had been hasty and eager to embarrass Li Ruoxuan but he did not think that he would be dragged down together. Jiang Yeqian¡¯s expression was dark under his mask and his voice became icy. ¡°Everyone else, get lost!¡± Seeing the situation, the guests of the Nanfeng Pavilion knew they could no longer have fun that night. However, it was a big deal to see both the State Preceptor and the Head Grand Secretariat patronizing the Nanfeng Pavilion, so it did not matter whether they were able to have fun or not. Seeing that the guests had dispersed, the young servers hurried back to the back courtyard. As the boss of the Nanfeng Pavilion, Feng Yucheng did not dare leave even if he wanted to. He stood where he was, calming thinking about how to end the current situation. These two moguls would not possibly start a fight in Nanfeng Pavilion now, would they? Qi Qingyao stood behind Li Ruoxuan and shrugged her shoulders. She looked at the two men squaring off and figured that it had nothing to do with her anyway. She had to slip away quickly! The moment she turned around and took two steps. Jiang Yeqian¡¯s deep gaze caught the escaping person. He called out. ¡°You. Stay.¡± Who? He was not referring to her, right? Qi Qingyao continued walking and, in the next second, someone grabbed the back of her cor and pulled her in between the two. Qi Qingyao, ¡°...¡± Jiang Yeqian, this idiot. He stirred up trouble on his own which led Li Ruoxuan to not let him escape with his dignity either and expose his identity too. Why would he ask her to stay now? Was it to persuade them not to fight? Jiang Yeqian and Li Ruoxuan stared at each other. They looked at each other expressionlessly, as if they were going to swallow each other alive. ¡°Why should I stay?¡± As she whispered this, Qi Qingyao looked at two men who were exuding a very strange atmosphere. She paused before joking innocently, ¡°Head Grand Secretariat, you really like the State Preceptor a lot. You haven¡¯t looked for a girlfriend for so many years, could you secretly be in love with the State Preceptor? And you even chased him to the Nanfeng Pavilion! You¡¯re too infatuated.¡± Jiang Yeqian, ¡°...¡± Li Ruoxuan turned his neck stiffly to look at her. He looked appalled. ¡°I think you¡¯ve drunk too much!!¡± Feng Yucheng was also stunned by these words. Qi Qingyao continued on as if it were true. ¡°Are you an idiot? How could I have drunk too much?¡± Then, without waiting for either to exin, she analyzed the situation aloud. ¡°He purposefully chased after you all the way to the establishment this evening. Such infatuation is really moving! ¡°Think about when we were in Qingzhou City, why would he be following along every time you came to my house? Think about it now, tut tut! ¡°You two are usually mortal enemies but when you two tried to test Si Jin that time, you both put your heads together to tackle the problem! You tested Si Jin together and, in the end, one of you was crippled and the other blinded!¡± ¡°Does this still not prove that he loves you?¡± ¡°If your love is so great, you should express it quickly. Boss Feng and I will help be witness to the great, earth-shaking love between you two!¡± She urged Jiang Yeqian to hurry up and confess sincerely. Jiang Yeqian, ¡°...¡± Li Ruoxuan, ¡°...¡± Feng Yucheng, ¡°...¡± After Jiang Yeqian recovered from the shock from listening to her logic, he could not help losing control. ¡°You¡¯re utterly crazy! This is the type of nonsense you can only spout when it¡¯s midnight.¡± Qi Qingyao asked dismissively, ¡°Then, tell us, why did youe here in the middle of the night?¡± Jiang Yeqian was speechless. Qi Qingyao added firmly, ¡°Don¡¯t deny it!¡± Feng Yucheng did not dare breathe. He felt that he would need a long time to digest whatever happened tonight. He stood at the side, trying to shrink his presence, but his upturned ears betrayed his curiosity to what exactly was going on. Li Ruoxuan was the target of love based on Qi Qingyao¡¯s story, so he did not need to make a statement. Jiang Yeqian was getting embarrassed. He was on the receiving end of Feng Yucheng¡¯s attention and Qi Qingyao¡¯s ¡°solemn¡± gaze. He had no way of backtracking. If he did not confess, then he would have toe up with an excuse. Did he have to reveal that he liked this woman? As if! This fool! Jiang Yeqian said heavily, ¡°Alright, I confess!¡± Li Ruoxuan raised his eyebrows and his expression suddenly darkened. ¡°Jiang Yeqian, I think you must be drunk too.¡± ¡°I like you, State Preceptor!¡± Jiang Yeqian suddenly came forward and grabbed Li Ruoxuan¡¯s robes. His gaze under the mask was particrly fierce. Then he quickly released his grip. At the same time he cursed lowly, ¡°F*ck this!!¡± He immediately turned around and left the Nanfeng pavilion, steaming with murderous intent. Zhao Xin gulped and hurried after him. QI Qingyao clutched her chest and said to Li Ruoxuan excitedly. ¡°He admitted it! He admitted that he loves you. Oh my god, what kind of earth-shattering love is this?!¡± Pretending to be overwhelmed, she said, ¡°The State Preceptor and Head Grand Secretariat. If the two of you are together...¡± Li Ruoxuan¡¯s expression was as ck as the bottom of a pot. He turned to look at the little woman with her exaggerated expression. ¡°Shut up!¡± Qi Qingyao shrugged. Pressing her lips together, she whispered, ¡°He already confessed yet you¡¯re actually not going to ept him? Where¡¯s your humanity? He is even more handsome than you.¡± Li Ruoxuan was at a loss for words. He did not want to remain in Nanfeng Pavilion for a second longer. So he strode out withrge steps. Qi Qingyao looked at his conflicted resolution and hurriedly caught up with a smile. They left the Nanfeng Pavilion. After walking a certain distance, Qi Qingyao deliberately joked again. ¡°Is it because you don¡¯t wish to fight the empress for him?¡± Li Ruoxuan suddenly came to a halt. Qi QIngyao did not manage to stop and rammed into his back directly. She felt like she almost broke her nose. His face stretched tautly, Li Ruoxuan said, ¡°I have nothing to say to you.¡± Qi Qingyao rubbed her nose, her eyes tearing up. She said innocently, ¡°How can I leave someone this speechless?¡± Not able to help himself any longer, he said, ¡°He likes you and follows you, not me, you idiot!¡± The moment he said this... Li Ruoxuan felt a conflicted feeling rise in his heart. He thought that Qi Qingyao would be surprised once he revealed this, and she would take his words into serious consideration and start thinking earnestly about Jiang Yeqian. To his surprise, the little woman in front of him continued rubbing her nose before speaking calmly. ¡°State Preceptor, you also said you like me. What¡¯s the difference? ¡°They all wanted to use her as a springboard to take advantage of Si Jin. Li Ruoxuan, ¡°...¡± That was a rational call! Qi Qingyao casually punctured some reality. ¡°All the words spoken by the upper-ss politicians are lies. I don¡¯t need him to tell me straightforwardly that he wants to use me. I¡¯m not stupid, thank you!¡± Li Ruoxuan, ¡°...¡± He had constantly been thinking of forcing Jiang Yeqian to speak his mind because he wanted to see if he actually liked Qi Qingyao, or if he was just afraid that he would fall behind in case Qi Qingyao also started developing feelings. Jiang Yeqian would then be able to borrow Qi Qingyao¡¯s hand to manipte the puppet that is Si Jin. Now, however, he really did not expect¡­ To think that this little woman would be as firm and indifferent as a block of wood. She was too rational. She was so rational that he wanted to spit blood on behalf of Jiang Yeqian. Hold on... For a little woman who was so rational, could she possibly be staying with him on purpose just to scheme against him? After all, it would be easy to draw trouble if she operated in the capital at Lu Yan¡¯s ce. On the contrary, if she were to put up with the State Preceptor¡¯s presence, no one in the entire capital would dare provoke her¡­ Aware of this now, Li Ruoxuan stared at her for half a beat. ¡°Are you scheming against me?!¡± He ended up asking this aloud. Qi Qingyao¡¯s eyes widened before she rolled them at him. ¡°Scheming what?¡± ¡°You¡¯re thinking of using my influence to help yourself get a foothold in Capital City!¡± said Li Ruoxuan. ¡°That would be untrue.¡± ¡°Then, why did you choose to stay in my home?¡± ¡°Of course, it¡¯s because I like you!¡± Qi QIngyao said with a fake smile. Li Ruoxuan, ¡°...¡± Like¡­you¡­ He knew that the little woman¡¯s words were jokes to mess with him, but for some reason, Li Ruoxuan somehow felt himself to be slightly convinced at this second! Aware that his heart had skipped a beat, he thought to himself bitterly. F*ck! This little woman was adept at using her good looks! ¡®You¡¯re messing with me, I see! Then, you had better wait and see.¡¯ ¡®You blockhead, I will get you into the palm of my hand and then kick you to the ground! We¡¯ll see how you cry and beg me, you self-righteous little b*tch.¡¯ Chapter 510 - They Are Impossible

Chapter 510: They Are Impossible

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Forty past five in the afternoon. A maid woke up the little empress on the dragon bed. The little empress nced at the sky outside, got up, and started getting dressed. After washing up, Little Lizi came in with a pot of brewed Biluochun. The little empress took a sip of the tea and felt much more awake. Little Lizi stood respectfully behind the little empress and reported softly, ¡°Your Majesty, there is a very important secret report to be presented fromst night.¡± He did not immediately report it, opting only to do so after ascertaining if the empress¡¯s mood was good. The little empress took another sip of tea and looked at the whitish rays from the east and the candlelight in the hall before saying, ¡°Speak.¡± ¡°It is a matter that urred at the Nanfeng Pavilion¡­¡± Little Lizi frowned and then whispered into the empress¡¯s ears, informing her of the incident that urred the night before as reported by the spy. The little empress did not show any expression as she finished listening. After Little Lizi was done with the report, the empress picked up a piece of pastry from the tea te and said while eating, ¡°The State Preceptor and the Head Grand Secretariat have never stepped foot in such a ce.¡± Her tone was very profound. Little Lizi nodded. ¡°Little Lizi also finds this rather strange.¡± The little empress hummed, closing her eyes slightly. ¡°Is there any clue to the youth¡¯s identity?¡± Little Lizi hurriedly said, ¡°Your majesty¡¯s spy in the State Preceptor¡¯s residence reports that he was Qi Qingyao in disguise.¡± The little empress raised her brows. ¡°...She is rather interesting,¡± the empress whispered. Her brows sank and she asked again, ¡°Did the boy named Si Jin not show up all this while?¡± ¡°ording to the tiger guards, they have not caught sight of the youth since they departed from Qingzhou City¡­¡± replied Little Lizi. The little empress touched her crown at the side, her eyes not revealing any fluctuation of her emotions. ¡°How curious.¡± Little Lizi, ¡°...¡± ¡­ The empress was not surprised to learn that Jiang Yeqian and Li Ruoxuan had made an appearance at Nanfeng Pavilion. Given that there were so many guests who knew that the two were there, the matter was, therefore, unexpectedly spread to the Lu family as well. Lu Yan had just returned to the capital. He had to put up with his family¡¯s attention for the entire day yesterday, and had not gone to bed till veryte at night. It was already ten past ten in the morning when he woke up. After he was done washing himself up, he sat in the dining room and was about to have breakfast alone when Dong Jing, who was standing to one side, said in a small gossiping voice, ¡°Master, something big happened in Nanfeng Pavilionst night.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Major things were urring every day in Capital City, so Lu Yan was not that curious about it. Looking excitable, Dong Jing ryed the gossip fromst night to the young master. Lu Yan had not been interested at first, but after knowing that the protagonists of the incident were Jiang Yeqian and Li Ruoxuan, plus some ordinary youth, his interest was suddenly piqued. He said while drinking almond tea, ¡°That youth is without a doubt Qi Qingyao.¡± That littledy had been very interested in Nanfeng Pavilion before¡­she must have disguised herself. However, it was unexpected that Li Ruoxuan would put his reputation on the line and apany her to that ce in person. It seemed that Li Ruoxuan was being very determined about using her to control Si Jin! He did not allow any minuscule details to be missed. It was through these minuscule details that he intended to impress the littledy! ¡°This servant also thinks so.¡± Dong Jing sounded like he rather admired the fact that the State Preceptor had nted himself in a favorable position to win her over. ¡°Master, if you like Lady Qi, we have to work harder! This servant feels that both the State Preceptor and the Head Grand Secretariat have some feelings for her.¡± Lu Yan continued eating calmly. ¡°It¡¯s impossible for them!¡± ¡°How so?¡± Dong Jing did not understand. There was a coldness in Lu Yan¡¯s dark eyes. ¡°How can those two high-ranking old foxes possibly love her in earnest? They only want to draw Qi Qingyao to their sides so that Si Jin will be a member of their troupe!¡± Li Ruoxuan was a grand master now. If he could marry Qi Qingyao and win Si Jin over, then two grand masters would join forces. It was likely that they would be able to usurp the nation easily. The fate of the nation all depended on their whims! Dong Jing, ¡°...¡± Lu Yan was eating a meat bun, his gaze fixed on the dim morning light outside. He said, ¡°I have been around her for so long, yet I¡¯m still unable to fullyprehend her. She is definitely not stupid, so she won¡¯t fall for the old foxes¡¯ sugar-coated traps.¡± That little woman was the most enthusiastic but also the most indifferent woman Lu Yan had ever met. Dong Jing frowned and said nothing. He was thinking of how he was not interested in the slightest in Si Jin. He just wanted his master to marry Lady Qi. He thought that Lady Qi was a good enough person! After all, she was not the kind of a pretentious littledy they were used to seeing! Such a wise woman was worthy of their family¡¯s intelligent young master! ¡­ Qi Qingyao returned from Nanfeng Pavilionst night and went to sleep with the triplets in her arms. When she woke up, it was already fifty past seven in the morning. When the kids had slept their fill, they jumped on the bed one by one, looking refreshed. Qi Qingyao woke up, looking dumbfounded. She yawned and sat up. The triplets quickly helped each other dress up! When they were done, they told Qi Qingyao that they were hungry. Qi Qingyao yawned again. She sighed. Then she got up. After putting on her clothes, she freshened up a little before helping the triplets wash up again. When they were done with all that,?a maid led the four of them to the dining hall. Breakfast was already spread out on the table¡ªsteamed buns, boiled goat¡¯s milk, soybean milk, fried dough sticks, steamed cakes, noodles, soup, x porridge, tofu pudding, oil pancakes, and fried sugar cake...there was everything they could ever want to eat! Qi Qingyao was about toment that there was too much breakfast. However, she noted that the triplets looked as if they had been reincarnated as hungry ghosts. Erniu was, at any rate, a girl and managed to hold herself rtively well. Dabao and Xiaobao, on the other hand, had thrown any thought of their image out the window. They had gone to bed too early yesterday, so they werepletely starving and revealed their true colors as ravenous tigers. The little maid stood at the side, pursing her lips in a smile. Qi Qingyao ate some porridge and a steamed cake before putting down her spoon. The little maid came forward and said in a respectful whisper, ¡°His Excellency has asked me to inform the Missus that he will be going to the pce early in the morning. He asks that you have breakfast when you wake up and then head to the pce at about half-past nine in the morning.¡± Qi Qingyao asked what time it was now. She felt like she was having a minor meltdown. She did not me the little maid for not waking her up earlier though. If she dallied anymore, she would definitely arrive at the pcete. She hurried back to her room, found her luggage, picked up a pink robe, and changed into it. She styled her hair once again! She maintained her simple image as a littledy from the countryside and did not shove in any golden dangly hairsticks! Then, she instructed the starving triplets, ¡°Stay in the house, the three of you. Mommy will be going to the pce to meet the empress.¡± ¡°Mommy...¡± The triplets looked up from their bowls. One by one, they stared at her with dark eyes. Finally, Xiaobao spoke first. He waved his small hand at her slowly and said in an obedient, soft voice, ¡°Be careful.¡± Qi Qingyao nodded heavily. She went over, kissed each of the triplets on their faces, and said goodbye. Then, she quickly walked to the gates of the State Preceptor¡¯s residence. The carriage had already been prepared. Zhu Shen was standing in front of the carriage, seemingly having waited for a long time. Qi Qingyao forced a smile and greeted him, then quickly got into the carriage and called for them to depart. The driver started the carriage. Zhu Shen and a few guards were riding their horses around the carriage. It was still a long way from the State Preceptor¡¯s residence to the Imperial Pce. Qi Qingyao did not open the window this time to look at the morning view of the capital. Instead, she sat on the soft couch, somewhat downcast as she thought about what she should say and what words she should use when she saw the empresster! ¡ª After the little empress dismissed the court, she called Li Ruoxuan and Jiang Yeqian into the imperial study to discuss some military affairs. Both of them had been away for several months after all, and although they hadmunicated through urgent secret reports, the distance was too great for them to be able to discuss anything in detail. Hence, they were able to make thorough conclusions on several decisions today. She also heard some stories about Qingzhou City from both of them. While they were talking, Little Lizi came in to inform them that Qi Qingyao had arrived. The little empress looked at the two men standing in front of her and said, ¡°The person we want to see has arrived. You two wait outside first.¡± ¡°Pardon this servant,¡± Jiang Yeqian and Li Ruoxuan said simultaneously. With that, they immediately turned around and exited the study. They stood outside in the corridor below. They spotted a littledy in pink and white robes in the distance. She looked like a peach blossom fairy in spring standing under the sunlight, divine energy seemingly surrounding her. Her countenance was somewhat cold, her appearance dazzling. There was a chilly and invible frost between her brows when she did not smile. Qi Qingyao had been very cautious the moment she entered the pce. When she saw her two acquaintances standing at the door, she was stunned for a second before she immediately recovered herposure. She forced out a dry smile. Then she followed a little eunuch. She was led to the imperial study. After entering, She did not dare let her eyes wander as she was not sure if the little empress would jump at this opening to question her. All in all, she was being extra cautious. After taking three steps, she then behaved like a hillbilly, quickly kneeling and kowtowing regardless of the little empress¡¯s location. ¡°This civilian, Qi Qingyao, pays her respect to her Majesty.¡± The moment the little woman entered through the door, the empress¡¯s eyes locked onto her tightly. The intel she received did write about the incident with ¡°Qi Qingyao¡± but since she had never seen this person before, she did not have a specific image of her in mind. She only knew from the rumors that she was decent-looking. The moment the little woman entered, however, the little impression could not help scrunching her forehead. The second she threw open the door, a beam of light shot in from outside. The little woman emerged from the light and the empress could not make out her face clearly due to the illumination. Her graceful steps were gentle and the empress could vaguely make out her elegant demeanor, neither humble nor arrogant. She then knelt down on the ground and, following suit, offered a salute. The tone of the empress¡¯s voice was very calm. ¡°Lift your head and let us see your face.¡± ¡°Yes, your Majesty.¡± ...The moment the girl raised her head, the little empress was shocked. Was she...really a woman who has had three children? She looked like a girl who was fifteen or sixteen, but the intel stated that she was already twenty years old. She was a delicate and bright-looking girl, wearing a simple pink and white robe.. There were floral curls embroidered on her robes with red silk thread. Chapter 511 - We Wish To Meet Si Jin

Chapter 511: We Wish To Meet Si Jin

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion It made the little woman look like a delicate doll that had descended to the mortal realm from the heavens. Her skin was like congealed fat and her face was like fine porcin. The girl¡¯s eyes were big, her lips red, her pupils looked like they were painted, and her brows were like that of an ink painting. Her gaze was bright as she started directly forward. There were not any beaded embellishments on her head and she looked very in. The little empress, however, felt as if she was looking upon a peach blossom fairy¡­ The little empress could keenly sense the woman¡¯s calmness and said, ¡°Your eyes tell me that you do not fear me.¡± After all, Qi Qingyao used to be an undercover agent. She possessed a certain degree of skill in acting. She had initially wanted to express a bit of fear. The best would be for her to look like someone who has never seen the world. s, she always had Si Jin by her side and this was equivalent to her possessing the codes to nuclear weapons. Not only that, she had created a lot of news about herself in Qingzhou City, and the little empress definitely would have gotten hold of intel on her and already knew what kind of a person she was. She would only seed in looking fake if she were to pretend to be too meek now. That was the reason for her appearance now. She asked, ¡°Will your majesty kill this civilian?¡± ¡°No,¡± replied the little empress. Qi Qingyao said, ¡°In that case, why should this civilian be afraid of you?¡± The empress, ¡°...¡± The little empress was silent for a moment before she waved her hand. ¡°At ease, then!¡± ¡°...¡± Qi Qingyao got up, unruffled. She looked at the ground in front of her, somewhat expressing an attitude that a normal civilian would have. She did not look at the little empress, but she could already tell that the first generation queen was watching her. Watching her in a very detailed and serious manner, at that. After about ten minutes. Qi Qingyao maintained her original attitude while she waited for the empress to ask her questions. The little empress suddenly said, ¡°We¡¯ve heard about you.¡± ¡°...¡± Qi Qingyao was stunned for a moment. She did not know how to answer this. So she could only look down in silence. The little empress asked, ¡°Did Si Jin note with you?¡± Qi Qingyao¡¯s deep brows were filled with calmness as she replied, ¡°Your humble servant replies to Your Majesty that, no, he did not.¡± The little empress¡¯s eyes were half-lidded and she spoke with apparent thoughtfulness, ¡°We don¡¯t have information on Si Jin, and the Zhaixing Administration is unable to obtain it either.¡± Qi Qingyao, ¡°...¡± How was she to answer this question? It was not a question, though, so she probably did not need to answer. The little empress¡¯s features were intense as she said, ¡°Are you aware of his origins? Qi Qingyao hurriedly answered, ¡°Your humble servant replies to Your Majesty that, no, I¡¯m not.¡± The little empress instantly became more aggressive at herck of answers. ¡°Swear on your children¡¯s lives that you really do not know.¡± Qi Qingyao was still at ease. She immediately raised three fingers and said solemnly, ¡°I swear on the lives of my three children that I really don¡¯t know Si Jin¡¯s origins. If I lied, my children and I would be struck by thunder simultaneously!¡± The little empress, ¡°...¡± She had just wanted to deceive her with that trick. If Qi Qingyao had hesitated for a second, then the little empress would know that she was lying, but she did not and swore an oath so readily. Which meant that she really did not know where Si Jin came from. The little empress took a deep breath and said, ¡°We wish to meet Si Jin.¡± Qi Qingyao, ¡°...¡± What was this? It was not another question; how was she supposed to respond to it? Her majesty wanted to meet someone but even if she was the only ruler in the world with the entire Northern Liang as her territory, she still would not be able to find him¡­ Since this was not a question, Qi Qingyao simply did not answer. The little empress added another question. ¡°Do you have a solution?¡± Qi Qingyao replied seriously, ¡°Your humble servant replies to Your Majesty, this civilian has no solutions.¡± The little empress, ¡°...¡± From how easily she answered, it seemed that Si Jin had truly disappeared. The little empress was somewhat curious. ¡°What is his rtionship with you?¡± It was written in the intelligence report that they were master and servant, brother and sister¡­ Qi Qingyao answered without hesitation, ¡°Your humble servant replying to Your Majesty, this civilian thinks that we are friends, but Si Jin seems to think we are master and servant.¡± The little empress, ¡°...¡± An honest answer one could not nitpick. Suddenly recalling the incident at Nanfeng Pavilion from the night before, the little empress said, ¡°We want you to make an oath that you will pledge your loyalty to Northern Liang forever.¡± ¡°...¡± Qi Qingyao did not take the oath immediately this time but remained silent where she stood. The little empress was instantly displeased. She said heavily, ¡°I want you to swear on your children!¡± Qi Qingyao knew that she would be killed if she still did not take the oath. If she were to be killed just because of this, it would be better for her to stand her ground. She suddenly said, ¡°Your humble servant replying to Your Majesty, this civilian cannot do it.¡± ¡°Are you perhaps thinking of treason?!¡± The little empress instantly narrowed her eyes. As if faced with death¡¯s final trial, Qi Qingyao immediately shook her head and said, ¡°Your humble servant replying to Your Majesty, I am not.¡± ¡°Then why won¡¯t you pledge your loyalty?¡± The little empress¡¯s expression eased up a little. Qi Qingyao answered as if nothing happened, ¡°Your humble servant replying to Your Majesty, it is because this civilian feels that the empress wants to get rid of me quickly. It feels like if this civilian did not take the oath, the empress would kill them on the spot with the authority of thew. This civilian¡¯s life was at stake, hence they could not pledge their loyalty to Northern Liang against their will.?¡± After a pause, Qi Qingyao¡¯s features became more steely although her voice was still calm when she spoke. ¡°This civilian is just an ordinary person and doesn¡¯t have any great ambitions in this life. I just want to live safely with a small fortune and...I just want to live. ¡± After that, She stood where she was quietly, waiting for the empress¡¯s verdict. There was dead silence in the imperial study. It was as if there was only the sound of both their breathing. The silence was horrifying. Qi Qingyao knew that the little empress was still examining her, but her mind was nk. The little emperor watched her for a while. Suddenly, a mocking smile appeared on her initially stiff face. ¡°You¡¯re very smart,¡± she said slowly. Qi Qingyao lifted her head and looked squarely at the empress opposite her. The little empressughed. ¡°You purposely wore a pink and white robe with red floral curls in an attempt to create a naive and harmless image of yourself when you came to see us today.¡± ¡°You so cautiously added ¡®your humble servant replying to Your Majesty¡¯ in all of your sentences to show respect, and you always refer to yourself as ¡®civilian¡¯! We cannot find any mistakes in your words. ¡°But it¡¯s because you were too perfect... ¡°Apart from the court officials who see us often and are calmer in our presence, any ordinary person whoes to Northern Liang for the first time, be it stepping into the pce or meeting me, would curl up in fear and be unable to speak. Their minds would turn into a paste and they would make a lot of false ims. They would tremble even more when we ask questions and be unable to answer us. This is normal behavior. ¡°But you¡¯re different. ¡°All of your answers could be the truth, but you have carefully considered and screened through all of your sentences. You do not allow yourself to make any mistakes. ¡°Truly, you are too calm. ¡°So calm that it makes one sick!¡± ¡­ Qi Qingyao listened to the little empress¡¯s condescending evaluation of herself, she neither refuted nor even dared to speak. After all, She was facing the empress of a nation. However, she somehow felt that there was a thorn in this evaluation of her. It was like she was nitpicking her. Just what did she do to offend the little empress? Could the little empress just loathe her because Si Jin was one of hers and that the little empress was envious that she could order around a super grand master? The little empress reminded her coldly, ¡°It¡¯s not always good for someone to be too intelligent.¡± Qi Qingyao, ¡°...¡± So being stupid was good? The empress was obviously the one who was being self-righteous and behaving like a smart-aleck, yet at the end of the day, she expected her people to be fools she could order and push around. Was this what she was implying? Chapter 512 - Qi Qingyao’s Sudden Realization

Chapter 512: Qi Qingyao¡¯s Sudden Realization

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion The little empress suddenly instructed Little Lizi who was standing at the side. ¡°Call for the State Preceptor and the Head Grand Secretariat to enter.¡± ¡°As you wish, Your Majesty.¡± Little Lizi lowered his head and walked out with small steps. Not long after, Jiang Yeqian and Li Ruoxuan walked in one by one. The little empress narrowed her eyes. ncing at the two of them calmly, she said, ¡°What do you two think about Lady Qi?¡± Qi Qingyao, ¡°...¡± What was the point of having these two evaluate her? Li Ruoxuan did not know why the empress was asking this. He pondered for a bit before saying carefully, ¡°She is intelligent and resourceful, calm and indifferent.¡± Li Ruoxuan¡¯s evaluation was unbiased. The little empress¡¯ expression was, however, very cold. After Jiang Yeqian noticed this, he felt that something was off. It seemed that what happened with him and Li Ruoxuan at the Nanfeng Pavilion the night before had been secretly reported to the little empress. Even including the relevant information from Qingzhou City. The little empress could not possibly be suspecting that¡­ Thinking of this, Jiang Yeqian said with a calm expression, ¡°She should have been killed immediately, but that didn¡¯t work.¡± He was being plenty tactful. However, the little empress¡¯s expression immediately rxed somewhat. She added, ¡°Your evaluations are all not wrong.¡± Jiang Yeqian, ¡°...¡± Sure enough, the little empress had been testing him. Testing if he liked Qi Qingyao. The next question was to gauge his attitude; if he had answered like Li Ruoxuan, then the little empress would rather wrongly kill ten thousand people than let this one go. Qi Qingyao would definitely meet a dead end. The way he answered just now indirectly implied that he wanted to kill Qi Qingyao but could not because of Si Jin! Only then did the empress¡¯s doubts start to wane¡­ Jiang Yeqian was beginning to feel less worried. Qi Qingyao lowered her gaze, not looking directly at the empress¡¯s face, but she was secretly feeling helpless. It seemed that she had saved a true ingrate back then! She was nothing more than a tool, a springboard to get closer to Si Jin. The man¡¯s heart was so unpredictable! The little empress asked again measuredly, ¡°So, why were you at Nanfeng Pavilion yesterday night, and why did you kill someone?¡± Qi Qingyao, ¡°...¡± The empress really had many informers! Hold on, there was something off. Why ask Li Ruoxuan about the killing incident at Nanfeng Pavilion when it was clearly a small matter? Could it be¡­ The little emperor was actually monitoring... She secretly nced at Jiang Yeqian from the corner of her eyes. If the little empress fancied Jiang Yeqian, it was only normal for her to monitor him. Jiang Yeqian, ¡°...¡± He had specially arranged for the Zhaixing Administration to secretly send some information to the little empress so that she would think that he was ¡°strategizing¡± and that ¡°everything was under control¡±. Now, the little empress had inexplicably fallen in love with him which led to her suspicions reaching their peak¡­ Li Ruoxuan looked down. He caught Jiang Yeqian¡¯s eye with the corners of his gaze and smiled somewhat strangely. His tone was calm as he said, ¡°This servant brought Lady Qi back, she wanted to go to the Nanfeng Pavilion in the capital, so this servant brought her there. s, she was harassed. Since she was summoned by the empress, I took action to deal with them. This servant didn¡¯t kill anyone, but because Boss Feng forced me, I had no choice but to kill the man directly.¡± The little empress did not care for Li Ruoxuan¡¯s exnation. After she heard what he said, her line of sightnded on Jiang Yeqian¡¯s face. She stared at him, unblinking as if she could not allow any of the minute details of Jiang Yeqian¡¯s expression to escape. She asked, ¡°What about you? Why were you at Nanfeng Pavilion?¡± Jiang Yeqian, ¡°...¡± This was a tough question to answer. The little empress asked heavily when Jiang Yeqian did not answer, ¡°Head Grand Secretariat, why aren¡¯t you saying anything?¡± Eyes half-closed, Jiang Yeqian answered with a tone where joy or anger was indistinguishable, ¡°There is nothing for me to say.¡± The little empress said, ¡°We do not understand.¡± Jiang Yeqian raised his head; his brows were sunken and his expression was cold. However, his voice carried a touch of yfulness, ¡°This servant does not know what kind of answer the empress wishes to hear either.¡± The little empress said, ¡°The truth would suffice.¡± Qi Qingyao, ¡°...¡± Wow! What was going on now? Was this an on-the-spot interrogation between a boyfriend and a girlfriend? Could the little empress possibly suspect that Jiang Yeqian liked her, which was why he chased her all the way to Nanfeng Pavilion? That would exin why the little empress was questioning them so thoroughly now. Qi Qingyao suddenly realized why the little empress was so biased against her and why she hated her so much. Was Jiang Yeqian¡¯s movements in Qingzhou City not under the little empress¡¯s orders after all? The little empress thought that Jiang Yeqian had kept visiting the Qi Residence because he liked her. Hence, she was summoned here by the empress not because of Si Jin, but because she wanted to take a look at her ¡°love rival¡±? Qi Qingyao gulped. She had been mysteriously involved in a situation where a man had a good time displeasing his wife but now had to go through great pains trying to coax her. Chapter 513 - He Really Wants To Kill Her

Chapter 513: He Really Wants To Kill Her

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Jiang Yeqian had deliberately siphoned some information from the Zhaixing Administration to the little empress to prevent her from thinking she was powerless. He wanted the little empress to think that she had a firm grasp on the throne so that the Zhaixing Administration could freely collect information behind the scenes. This approach had, in the end, instilled an inexplicable self-confidence in the little empress, making her think that she possessed an unbeatable advantage and that the world was in the palm of her hand. She had even attempted to threaten him with the very same information he had deliberately leaked to her. Jiang Yeqian¡¯s handsome face tightened. ¡°Your Majesty has investigated this humble servant¡¯s whereabouts clearly, presumably Your Majesty is also clear about my purpose of going there. Is the answer to the question not obvious?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡®You¡¯re answering me with my own question?!¡¯ The little empress was very unhappy. She had consolidated all the recent intelligence reports and wondered if Jiang Yeqian was interested in the little widow. After all, the little widow could design buildings and treat illnesses. She had even cured Heir Pei¡¯s stubborn sickness! In the end, her most favored servant¡­answered her question with another question! The little empress took a deep breath. Then, she gently brought up something else. ¡°You often visited the Qi Residence when you were in QIngzhou City and have be rather close with Lady Qi.¡± Qi Qingyao¡¯s breathing stopped for a moment as she thought to herself, ¡®I¡¯m just an innocent bystander. Why would he want to get close to me?¡¯ He was someone the little empress fancied and she really did not want to be the little empress¡¯s rival in love! That would make her lose her head. Hence, Qi Qingyao very quickly denied the rtionship. ¡°Your humble servant replying to Your Majesty, this civilian is not familiar with the Head Grand Secretariat. The Head Grand Secretariat is just a sworn enemy of the State Preceptor, and they are both fighting to make use of me. That¡¯s why theypete with each other as they were unwilling to allow this civilian to be under the other¡¯smand. This is why the Head Grand Secretariat often visits the Qi Residence.¡± Hatred shot from the little empress¡¯s calm gaze. ¡°Did we ask you?¡± Qi Qingyao, ¡°...¡± No. It had something to do with her though! How could she not hurry to clear her name when she was about to get burned? This was gossip!! Pure gossip! The little empress¡¯s gaze fell upon Jiang Yeqian¡¯s face once again. ¡°My dear Minister Jiang, answer us.¡± Jiang Yeqian was getting somewhat impatient now. ¡°Your Majesty, please approve the resignation letter submitted by this humble servant.¡± With her naturally sharp intuition as a woman, the empress spat coldly, ¡°Do not change the subject.¡± ¡°Your Majesty, please approve it.¡± Jiang Yeqian gave the little empress a dirty look. His thin figure was as refined as a statue! The little empress pped the armrest of the dragon throne heavily and shouted, ¡°Answer us!!¡± The atmosphere had turned a little tense. Qi Qingyao¡¯s heart immediately filled with dread. ¡®Oh dear, Your Majesty, even if you like Jiang Bai, you¡¯re making it look like you caught him cheating in front of Li Ruoxuan and me. It¡¯s too awkward! ¡®I really want to f*cking bury myself in a hole in the ground.¡¯ Jiang Yeqian raised his eyes slightly. His expression was indifferent and there was an extreme sense of danger in his gaze. ¡°Qi Qingyao has already made everything perfectly clear but your Majesty still insists on questioning this humble servant. What answer does Your Majesty wish to hear!¡± The little empress tried looking for a crack in Jiang Yeqian¡¯s expression but she only saw concealed impatience. This made her suddenly realize that she had gone slightly overboard with the coercion today. Because of that, the little empress hurriedly tried to make up for it. She softened her voice slightly and said, ¡°It does not conform to your previous actions, which is why we are very curious! It is impossible that you would have gone to this extent just frompeting with the State Preceptor¡­¡± The echoing of her final words was profound. Jiang Yeqian¡¯s visage was expressionless. ¡°That is because there has never been a chess piece as useful as her before, so it took a lot from this humble servant to battle it out with the State Preceptor over her.¡± The little empress thought he made a good point, but her natural intuition as a woman still told her that this exnation was a little too simple. So, she asked, ¡°Is there really no other reason?¡± Jiang Yeqian answered, ¡°No.¡± The little empress finally dropped her suspicions somewhat. She then recalled another matter and said to Jiang Yeqian, ¡°She refused to pledge her loyalty to us.¡± Jiang Yeqian, ¡°...¡± He turned his head slightly to nce at Qi Qingyao. Qi Qingyao was looking down but she was internally screaming, ¡®Ugh, f*ck, what does this have to do with me? What does this man¡¯s dislike of you have to do with my unwillingness to pledge my loyalty to you!¡¯ The little empress suddenly shed a smile with great interest. ¡°So, now we order you to kill this girl with your own hands.¡± Jiang Yeqian¡¯s expression intensified. The little empress was still the little empress. For a long time, she had gotten ustomed to being the superior person and giving out orders. She had gotten ustomed to allowing those who obeyed her to prosper, while having those who did not perish. She was even more ustomed to being the one and only existence. It was likely that the little empress had only believed on the surface Jiang Yeqian¡¯s im that he was only trying to use Qi Qingyao. Deep down, however, she still felt that Qi Qingyao should not exist. So, she once again tried to test them. As if joining in on the merriment, Li Ruoxuan nced at Jiang Yeqian. He suddenly felt sympathy for the Head Grand Secretariat. If he heeded the little empress¡¯s order to kill Qi Qingyao, Qi Qingyao would treat him as an enemy from now on whenever he tried anything! If he did not heed the empress¡¯s orders, however, this would mean that the empress¡¯s test had seeded and it would confirm that he really liked Qi Qingyao. With that, the little empress would also kill Qi Qingyao because he liked her! It was a dead-end without a choice. He was actually very curious about what Jiang Yeqian would do. Jiang Yeqian took a deep breath and said, ¡°Your Majesty, she still has Si Jin backing her. If she is killed, Si Jin will turn against us. Do you really wish to do this?¡± Li Ruoxuan, ¡°...¡± ¡®While this answer is a reasonable one, the little empress who is in love with you won¡¯t take your word with all her current doubts, Head Grand Secretariat.¡¯ A striking light shed through the little empress¡¯s eyes as she shouted, ¡°We do not believe that Si Jin will go against the country for her sake. So kill her!¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Jiang Yeqian turned around. Supporting himself in his crutches, he walked toward Qi Qingyao step by step. There was no trace of emotion in his eyes. Qi Qingyao could not stop her eyes widening as she took a step back. Stumbling over her words, she stuttered, ¡°Jiang, Jiang Yeqian, are you really going to kill me?¡± Qi Qingyao was unable to catch up with what was happening. In just a short moment, the situation had escted to her going to be killed. Jiang Yeqian¡¯s dark eyes were filled with serenity. ¡°I can only obey her Majesty¡¯s orders.¡± With those words, His hand reached out toward Qi Qingyao¡¯s neck. Qi Qingyao, ¡°...¡± She wanted to fight back against this unexpected situation. However, Jiang Yeqian was a rank nine powerhouse. In an instant, she felt an invisible killing intent, wrapping her up so that she could not move. She wanted to beg for mercy, wanted to remind him that she had rescued him back then and whether he had f*cking forgotten! Her mind seemed to be frozen, however, she could open her mouth at all. His hands sped her delicate, white neck. It was as if he only had to exert a little force and her life would be snuffed out. Li Ruoxuan looked at Jiang Yeqian¡¯s gradually tightening grip. In this second, he felt that the Head Grand Secretariat was truly powerful. He obviously fancied this little woman and was greatly bothered by this turn of events, but faced with the little empress¡¯s death sentence, he chose the most appropriate path. Which was to kill Qi Qingyao. Although it could be said that he could only protect her by killing her. This decision, however¡­ He was betting on the little empress calling out a halt after considering the young grand master. However, if the little empress did not call for a stop, would he really kill Qi Qingyao? Just as Jiang Yeqian was about to break Qi Qingyao¡¯s neck, the little empress, seemingly satisfied with his decisiveness, finally let go of the remaining traces of doubt in her heart. Just as she was about to call for a stop at the critical moment... Another person could not help but shout for them to stop. ¡°Halt.¡± The voice sounded like heaven to Qi Qingyao. It was Li Ruoxuan¡¯s voice. He had no idea that the little empress was about to call for a stop. He just could not help doing it himself when he saw her face already red with blood, looking as if she were about to lose her breath from being strangled. His mouth moved faster than his mind. Jiang Yeqian did not move. He looked at Qi Qingyao¡¯s gradually reddening face unblinkingly but his hands had already loosened a little. The little empress¡¯s gaze was directed to the person who had spoken. ¡°State Preceptor, do you perhaps wish to beg for her life?¡± Li Ruoxuan was a little stunned. After pondering for half a second, he immediately stepped up. The depths of his gaze were unusually cold and his left eye was like a dark poisonous snake as he stared at the little empress. ¡°Your Majesty, I believe I have already informed you about Shang Li, who has already arrived in the capital.¡± The little empress, ¡°...¡± About that other topic, they still did not know who exactly was the person in question. ¡°A new grand master has appeared.¡± Li Ruoxuan nodded lightly and said, ¡°The person in question is this humble servant.¡± The little empress¡¯s eyes lit up all of a sudden. ¡°It turned out to be the State Preceptor. How truly gratifying!¡± Li Ruoxuan dered nonchntly, ¡°This humble servant likes Lady Qi very much, and hence, I would like to ask the empress to retract her order.¡± The little empress was shocked. She did not think that the State Preceptor would have such peculiar taste. ¡°Do you really like her? That¡¯s why you don¡¯t want us to kill her?¡± Li Ruoxuan answered calmly, ¡°Yes.¡± He did not actually like her, he just did not want to see a promising individual snuffed out because of a decision filed by the empress¡¯s jealousy. The little empress¡¯s gaze instantly scrutinized Qi Qingyao whose face had turned pale from its previous reddish hue. She then looked at Jiang Yeqian who was not wearing any expression. Finally, she pped her hands. ¡°Alright then, we will not have her killed for now out of consideration of your request.¡± She was going to stop things anyway. She certainly did not wish to offend the young grand master named Si Jin because of one woman! She was just testing Jiang Yeqian. In the end, she got great results! She even fished out the truth that Li Ruoxuan was the new grand master of the continent. She had thoroughly won this time! All that matters was that Jiang Yeqian did not like Qi Qingyao! All would be well. She would easily approve of whoever Li Ruoxuan liked, even if he wanted to be with the widow! The little empress immediately waved her hand at Jiang Yeqian, indicating that he could let go of Qi Qingyao. At the same time, the little empress said to Li Ruoxuan happily, ¡°State Preceptor, do cultivate properly after you return home. You don¡¯t have to worry abouting to the pce to attend the court for the near future! Your number one priority now is to improve your cultivation base and be Northern Liang¡¯s unshakeable power!¡± ¡°Understood,¡± replied Li Ruoxuan. ¡°Qi Qingyao, you may also leave.¡± Qi Qingyao was still a little stunned. She did not speak, her entire body in a trance.. Li Ruoxuan looked at the pale littledy with his bottomless gaze, then supported her and helped her out. Chapter 514 - Really, What a Troublesome Woman

Chapter 514: Really, What a Troublesome Woman

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion The little empress¡¯s mood had improved, so she was not bothered by the fact that Qi Qingyao did not bid her farewell as she left. Jiang Yeqian knew his previous behavior would have made her feel slighted, hence he nned to catch up with her and properly exin himself whilst the two of them were in the carriage. He was unexpectedly stopped by the little empress. ¡°Head Grand Secretariat, please stay behind.¡± Jiang Yeqian, ¡°...¡± Qi Qingyao was still trembling after Li Ruoxuan helped her out of the imperial study. After all, it would be impossible for anyone to remain calm after almost losing their life! Li Ruoxuan stopped her before she left the imperial garden. He grabbed her shoulder and caressed her face, which appeared particrly pale under the sun. ¡°Are you okay?¡± The red marks left on her neck by the strangtion were also particrly prominent in the sun. It made Li Ruoxuan frown in silence. Through her fear, Qi Qingyao gritted her teeth and shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Li Ruoxuan noted her still-shaken demeanor. ¡°You¡¯re obviously not.¡± ¡°I¡¯m really alright,¡± Qi Qingyao insisted. She had almost been killed by the ingrate she had saved. She just needed some time to calm herself down. Li Ruoxuan loosened his grip on her shoulder. He pointed to the road ahead and said, ¡°Then let¡¯s see you take two steps by yourself.¡± Unexpectedly, Qi Qingyao¡¯s body fell forward the moment he let go. She was unable to stand up properly on her own. Li Ruoxuan just barely reached his hand out in the nick of time to catch the little woman, who had almost face-nted on the ground. Qi Qingyao gritted her teeth, but her body would not listen to her. She touched the marks on her neck with resentment and immediately cursed. ¡°My legs, they¡¯re like jelly...¡± Li Ruoxuan was silent for a moment, then he scolded in a hushed tone, ¡°What a troublesome woman!¡± After that, he immediately picked her up in a bridal carry. Qi Qingyao initially resisted until Li Ruoxuan spat, ¡°Walk out of the pce by yourself if you can, then!¡± Qi Qingyao, who was not usually a coward, cowered at that second. She had suffered a serious shock today and really was unable to walk out of this deep and cold hell of a pce. Thus, she stopped resisting and let Li Ruoxuan carry her¡­ and so they left. As Li Ruoxuan walked past people, half of the pce, including maids, eunuchs, and bodyguards saw him¡­ Everyone was shocked. The State Preceptor was actually ¡®personally¡¯ carrying a littledy out, whoo! It was truly a shocking scene! Li Ruoxuan eventually reached the stables of the imperial pce. Zhu Shen was also surprised to see his Excellency carrying the littledy. He only then noticed the strangtion marks on Qi Qingyao¡¯s neck as Li Ruoxuan silently carried her into the carriage. Zhu Shen¡¯s heart fell. Who had dared to try to assassinate Lady Qi in the pce?! Did they have a death wish? Zhu Shen did not know what had happened, but he did not dare ask. Upon leaving the pce, Zhu Shen and several guards apanied the carriage as usual. The coachman was driving the carriage, in which only two people were sitting inside quietly. Qi Qingyao¡¯s mind was filled with only one thought, which was of the fable of ¡®The Farmer and the Snake¡¯!! Li Ruoxuan was thinking about how although Jiang Yeqian¡¯s decision today was the right one, he would bepletely out of Qi Qingyao¡¯s hair from now on. That was a good thing! There was also another matter at hand. Li Ruoxuan had always known that the little empress fancied the Head Grand Secretariat, but he did not expect her power to be so overwhelming once this ¡®love¡¯ was finally let out! It was enough for her to go crazy like this? Could it be that¡­ That was the reason why the little empress had remained single her entire reign and had never had any men beside her? Should he¡­ slip in some ¡®helpful¡¯ medicine and send over some well-put-together men so the little empress could have a taste? Would that subdue her passion? Would they be able to suppress her extraordinary love for Jiang Yeqian? Li Ruoxuan was lost in thought. ¡­ ¡­ Taking in the situation, Little Lizi also sensibly left the imperial study. He had also locked the door out of consideration. There were only two people left in the imperial study now. Jiang Yeqian¡¯s de-like eyes were locked onto the woman seated on the dragon throne. The little empress stood up and rubbed her hands nervously. ¡°Have you thought about what we told you yesterday?¡± Jiang Yeqian firmly replied, ¡°Your Majesty, this humble servant would like to resign and leave the capital.¡± ¡°You are indirectly refusing us!!¡± The little empress¡¯s voice suddenly rose by an octave. Jiang Yeqian did not spare her any respect. ¡°Precisely.¡± The little empress was so angry she questioned him right then and there. ¡°Do you already have a woman you fancy? Is that it?!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t.¡± Jiang Yeqian wondered somewhat agitatedly if the reason why the little empress had never had a boy toy after all these years was because she turned into somewhat of a creep after obsessively crushing on someone¡­ The little empress¡¯s eyes had started to redden. ¡°Then, why do you insist on resigning? We want to know the reason.¡± Jiang Yeqian¡¯s eyes narrowed, and his expression was restrained. ¡°You also now know that Li Ruoxuan has ascended to grand mastership. I found out when I was still in Qingzhou City. That¡¯s why I resigned.¡± The little empress rxed again. ¡°Do you want to be a grand master?¡± Jiang Yeqian said, ¡°Yes.¡± The little empress lowered her gaze and pondered for a moment. Immediately after, she said in a cautious tone, ¡°Once you marry me, you will be the prince consort. Stay in the harem, and you can meditate and cultivate properly¡ªwe will not allow anyone to disturb you.¡± Jiang Yeqian¡¯s thin lips were pressed tightly against each other, and his eyes were dark and cold. ¡°Your Majesty, what else can I say to help you understand?¡± All of a sudden, the little empress went ballistic. She got up from her dragon throne and walked down toward Jiang Yeqian. She acted like an ordinary girl going through a petnt meltdown. ¡°So you are thinking about refusing us! You¡¯re using the reasoning of wanting to be a grand master to refuse us!¡± Jiang Yeqian, ¡°...¡± How could the high and mighty empress, who was usually so calm and collected, have turned into this now¡­ In the little empress¡¯s eyes, whatever he said was just another excuse for him to refuse her. He was speechless. At this, the little empress began trembling and stomping her feet anxiously. Like a woman who was worried about the uncertainties of love, she broke down in a frenzy. ¡°Jiang Yeqian, say something!¡± Jiang Yeqian, ¡°...¡± The longer he remained silent, the more frustrated the little empress became. ¡°Say something! We are asking you to say something. You are not allowed to remain silent.¡± Jiang Yeqian stood there like a cold statue. ¡°What is there to say?¡± The little empress was like a child who had lost their favorite toy. She grabbed the cor of his robes and shook him hard. Perhaps she had maintained her dignity as an empress for far too long now, with no rest¡ªnever allowing herself to act even a little bit coquettishly with others. As she did now, she did so quite unnaturally¡ªseeming quite awkward andical. ¡°I am the empress of Northern Liang. I can give you everything you want! Hasn¡¯t Li Ruoxuan always rubbed you the wrong way? You can crush him beneath your feet as long as you be the prince consort! You can treat him however you please!¡± Jiang Yeqian rubbed his eyebrows and shouted, ¡°Chen Xiyue!¡± The little empress¡¯s body instantly stiffened all over as she suddenly heard the man call out her name. Her mind was only filled with the thought that he¡ªthis man¡ªhad finally called her by her name. He had called her by her actual name! Did this mean that they were starting to get closer? Chapter 515 - Have You All Lost Your Minds

Chapter 515: Have You All Lost Your Minds

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Jiang Yeqianpletely ignored the empress¡¯ sudden reddening face. He began speaking some truths with a livid face. ¡°You keep saying that I¡¯m not allowed to call myself ¡®humble servant¡¯, but you¡¯ve never forgotten your status as an empress. ¡°You keep using the royal plural! ¡°You told me not to call myself ¡®humble servant¡¯, not to care so much about the differences between an empress and a servant¡ªbut you¡¯ve always prided yourself as the high and mighty empress. ¡°It¡¯s not I who cares about the differences between an empress and a servant. The one who really cares about status is you!¡± The empress listened to his raspy and pleasant voice, speaking words that reprimanded her. Her head was buzzing. ¡°I¡­¡± Why was he reprimanding her? How manly! ¡°You deliberately brought up that Li Ruoxuan and I were at Nanfeng Pavilion just now! ¡°You were not trying to find out what Li Ruoxuan was thinking, you were trying to test me. You wanted to see if I would do it for Qi Qingyao¡­ ¡°You¡¯ve secretly traced all of my whereabouts in Qingzhou City. You studied my movements and figured I might be interested in Qi Qingyao¡ªso you called her into the Capital to meet you. ¡°On one hand, it was because of Si Jin. On the other hand, you especially wanted to see what she looked like! ¡°Upon our arrival in the capital, you, the high and mighty empress, then sent your own eyes and ears to track me and Li Ruoxuan¡¯s whereabouts. Then, Your Majesty, being especially paranoid, suspected that I was most likely very interested in Qi Qingyao! ¡°That was why you were pressing me just now¡ªasking why I used to visit the Qi Residence so often and why I showed up at Nanfeng Pavilionst night. ¡°I told you that she was just a useful chess piece, but you weren¡¯t satisfied. The empress¡¯ innate suspicion irked you, and you suspected that I was lying! ¡°So, you used thest resort. Disregarding the existence of the demon king Si Jin, you purposely ordered me to kill Qi Qingyao! You wanted to prove your inner suspicions right! ¡°If Li Ruoxuan hadn¡¯te forward just now, and if I had stopped at a critical moment, you¡¯d have suspected I fancied her and secretly gotten rid of herter!¡± ¡°I wonder if what I¡¯m saying is true, Your Majesty.¡± Jiang Yeqian had straightforwardly stated all the casualties that revolved around the encounter just now. The empress had not expected him to understand her thoughts so well. This suddenly made her feel like she had nowhere to hide, and her ruddyplexion turned pale green. ¡°We¡­ We¡­I¡­I- I- I- I¡­¡± Jiang Yeqian¡¯s dry eyes seemed covered in snow. ¡°There¡¯s no need to act all buddy-buddy with me. It¡¯s expected for Your Majesty to have so many sophisticated resources to depend on in Northern Liang! If you didn¡¯t have such capabilities, I¡¯d doubt your abilities as an empress.¡± He deliberately did the opposite and praised her for being amazing. However, the empress was hung up on the actual subject at hand. ¡°Do you really not like me at all, Jiang Yeqian?¡± Jiang Yeqian was silent for a moment before he answered. ¡°Liking you is out of the question. The rtionship between you and I is strictly one between an empress and a servant, nothing more.¡± ¡°...¡± The empress also fell silent. After a significant period of silence, she finally eximed, ¡°I don¡¯t want to give up! ¡°What kind of girl do you like? I can change!¡± Jiang Yeqian, ¡°...¡± Noticing his silence, the empress said again, ¡°Do you not even know what kind of women you like?¡± Jiang Yeqian replied once more, ¡°I don¡¯t have anyone I like.¡± The empress said keenly, ¡°Your pause just now indicates that you do. You only bluntly said no when I asked you the second time. You¡¯re lying.¡± Jiang Yeqian rubbed his forehead, sensing a headache setting in. ¡°Your Majesty, I want to resign. Approve my resignation first, then we¡¯ll discuss the rest.¡± The empress grabbed the hem of his clothes again, desperately urging him to stay. ¡°If I approve your resignation, you¡¯ll leave the capital! We feel like you¡¯ll leave us forever! So, we won¡¯t approve it! We¡¯ll never approve it!¡± ¡°Empress¡­¡± Jiang Yeqian could not help but utter this word. His tone was unprecedentedly disdainful. It was like a high and mighty authority calling upon an inept puppet. The empress¡¯s hands froze as she was grabbing the hem of his clothes. She raised her head and gazed longingly at the arrogant but precious man who stood before her. The man looked down at her condescendingly, as if he was looking at ants on the ground. Then, he reached out his fair hand and gently held the empress¡¯ chin with his delicate, soft fingers. He lowered his head. The empress¡¯ breathing was extremely tense. Her heart was pounding. The man¡¯s gaze was high and mighty, and extremely arrogant. He leaned in close to her ear, his voice filled with mockery. ¡°If you don¡¯t approve this, I also have a million other ways to leave the Capital mysteriously. Once I leave, you¡¯ll never see any sign of me ever again!¡± The empress¡¯ eyes instantly lost focus. She knew he was being serious. The Head Grand Secretariat whom she fancied looked handsome and gentle, but his approaches could be extraordinarily ruthless. The man spoke again in an extremely dangerous tone. ¡°But if you approve, I won¡¯t have to disappear mysteriously. I¡¯ll stay in the Capital unreservedly.¡± The empress¡¯ unfocused eyes gradually regained focus. She pleaded, like a drowning person grabbing driftwood in the sea, ¡°You really won¡¯t leave?¡± ¡°Not anytime soon.¡± Jiang Yeqian loosened his grip and took a step back. He casually brushed some non-existent dust off his body. At that moment, he was thinking that if the empress of Northern Liang was a regr puppet, she could continue to be one. However, if she had turned into a fool tormented by love, the empress of Northern Liang should be reced. This matter had to be brought to the attention of the Wenchun Hall so they could draw up a n. Thus, he really could not leave anytime soon. The Zhaixing Administration would have to cooperate with Wenchun Hall and Xuanwu Administration to n a coup d¡¯etat. It would be better if the empress of Northern Liang was rational! The clueless empress responded happily, ¡°We approve! We will allow you to resign¡ªbut you will have to remain under our watch for the time being. When we want to summon you, you have toe to see us.¡± Jiang Yeqian blurted out the following words mercilessly. ¡°That¡¯d depend on my mood.¡± He swiftly turned around and gracefully walked away on his crutches. The empress looked at the figure of the cold man, her gaze filled with anger and embarrassment. She felt like the words ¡®depend on my mood¡¯ that hade out of the man¡¯s mouth were arrogant and domineering, which made her both love and hate them¡­ ¡­ After the carriage returned to the State Preceptor¡¯s residence, Li Ruoxuan wanted to help Qi Qingyao. However, seeing that she did not say a word, he did not say anything either and just waited. He waited for a long time before Qi Qingyao returned to her senses and asked dumbly, ¡°Are we here?¡± ¡°We¡¯re here.¡± ¡°...¡± She got off the carriage in silence. Perhaps it was because she had done enough mental preparation along the way. Though her steps were still not steady upon getting off the carriage, she still insisted on walking back to the courtyard on her own. Li Ruoxuan followed closely behind her. After watching her walk back to her room, he turned around and returned to his own room without saying a word. Zhu Shen knew something must have happened in the imperial pce. Thus, he followed His Excellency back to the study. After sitting at the scented rosewood desk, Li Ruoxuan nced at the stack of documents on the desk. He seemed very irritated, and he had yet to leaf through any of the documents. His eyes seemed empty. He ced the palm of his hand on the desk and curled his fingers, tapping on the desk rhythmically. Zhu Shen stood at the side and waited, thinking to himself that His Excellency was seldom like this¡­ His Excellency was very upset, but why? Was it because Lady Qi had been strangled, or had something else happened in the pce? ¡°Your Excellency?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Lady Qi¡¯s neck¡­¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°...¡± Yeah? Yeah, what? What was going on? Zhu Shen was mildly anxious. ¡°She was almost strangled to death by the Head Grand Secretariat, so she¡¯s somewhat traumatized now.¡± Li Ruoxuan¡¯s fingers suddenly stopped. Zhu Shen, ¡°...¡± Eh?! The Head Grand Secretariat? Strangled Lady Qi? Ah? Had he lost his mind? Chapter 516 - Three Little Dorks

Chapter 516: Three Little Dorks

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Qi Qingyao had a vague feeling that she was not alone, so she opened her eyes. The three children were lying on the bed, looking at her with scrutiny and curiosity. Qi Qingyao gently pulled the three children in to sleep with her, but they had no intention of sleeping. Xiaobao knelt in front of her and stared at her neck with a particrly upset expression. Qi Qingyao suddenly realized something and sat up abruptly. Dabao and Erniu were scrambling to say something but were stopped by Xiaobao Erniu¡¯s eyes were watery, and she mumbled, ¡°Mommy¡­¡± Xiaobao frowned and said, ¡°Your neck¡­ is red.¡± Dabao widened his eyes and asked worriedly, ¡°Did Mommy get beaten?¡± Qi Qingyao scratched her head andmented to herself about these three children¡¯s excellent observational skills. She supposed it would be hard to hide things from them even if she wanted to, so she might as well tell them the gravity of the situation. She sighed and said, ¡°I went to the pce. Many things tend to happen in the pce, and I almost got killed.¡± Dabao immediately looked like he was about to cry. He wiped his eyes, hugged Qi Qingyao¡¯s arm, and said, ¡°Mommy, let¡¯s go back, shall we?¡± ¡°Yes, Mommy, let¡¯s go home.¡± Erniu could not help but get a little teary. Only Xiaobao used his rationality to ponder the current situation with a thoughtful expression. ¡°You three little dorks.¡± Qi Qingyao embraced the three children in her arms and rubbed each of their heads. She said in a low voice, ¡°The capital is not a ce we can enter and leave as we wish.¡± Xiaobao pursed his pink lips and remained silent. Dabao asked, ¡°Then what should we do now?¡± Qi Qingyao answered, ¡°For now, I¡¯ll be fine as long as I don¡¯t go back to the pce.¡± Xiaobao looked at her with a childish and stubborn expression which obviously said ¡®how could you be fine?!¡¯ Qi Qingyaoughed and kissed Xiaobao on the cheek. Only then did Xiaobao rx slightly. ¡°Erniu.¡± Qi Qingyao suddenly shifted her gaze to Erniu¡¯s teary face. She caressed her face and said, ¡°You and Dabao are both very talented. It¡¯s just that since Dabao ate the pill, he has gotten a head start. You¡¯re different¡ªyou were born with all seventeen pressure points opened.¡± Erniu stopped her tears and wiped her face with her small hand. She angrily puffed out her cheeks and said, ¡°Does Mommy want Erniu to start cultivating immediately?¡± Pretty smart. ¡°You¡¯re only four years old. But, as the old saying goes, start trying sooner rather thanter. Cultivation has to be started as early as possible!¡± Qi Qingyao spoke about these realistic concerns in a rxed manner. ¡°Mommy is getting old. One day, when Mommy is gone, it¡¯ll be up to the three of you three to support and help each other.¡± Hearing this, Erniu burst into tears. She hugged Qi Qingyao as she wept. ¡°Mommy, Erniu doesn¡¯t want Mommy to be gone! Erniu wants to be with Mommy forever.¡± Her tears and snot smeared all over Qi Qingyao. However, Qi Qingyao did not mind. She just hugged andforted her. Dabao also got very sad when he saw that Erniu was sad. He wiped his tears and said, ¡°Dabao also wants to be with Mommy forever.¡± Xiaobao did not cry. He blinked his big, ck eyes and said softly, ¡°Mommy¡­¡± ¡°Dabao. Erniu.¡± Qi Qingyao suddenly called out. Dabao and Erniu both looked up at her at the same time, with seriousness in their clear and pure eyes. Qi Qingyao said, ¡°Both of you must remember¡ªif anything happens when Mommy is not around and you can¡¯t decide what to do, you have to discuss with Xiaobao before making a decision.¡± She had lived with them for at least a few months. She had found that although these three children looked very alike, Xiaobao was the smartest and calmest. Dabao was a little rash, and although Erniu was smart, she was not as calm as Xiaobao. As soon as these words left her mouth, the three children rose in disagreement. Erniu threw herself into her arms and said in a spoiled manner, ¡°Mommy, Erniu wants you to apany us forever.¡± Qi Qingyao patted Erniu¡¯s head and said with a sigh, ¡°Don¡¯t act like a spoiled child! Mommy is talking about something very important.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± Erniu said aggrievedly. Qi Qingyao kissed Erniu¡¯s forehead and she calmed down a little. Then, she said, ¡°Of course Mommy wants to be with you guys forever, but there¡¯s always a ¡®what if¡¯. If the ¡®what if¡¯es true and we hadn¡¯t nned ahead yet, wouldn¡¯t we be frantic?¡± Erniu, ¡°...¡± Xiaobao was deep in thought. Qi Qingyao leaned into Erniu¡¯s ear and said mysteriously, ¡°Erniu, Mommy has something for you to do.¡± ¡°...¡± Erniu¡¯s eyes brightened as she widened them with curiosity. After Qi Qingyao whispered in her ear, Erniu got up and out of the bed. She said excitedly, ¡°Mommy, I¡¯ll listen to you and go now!¡± After Erniu rushed out, Xiaobao cupped his chin, his face making it clear that he was contemting many thoughts. ¡°Will he teach Erniu?¡± ¡°At this point, I don¡¯t have a choice.¡± Qi Qingyao got out of bed with the two children. She opened the teapot and nced in it to make sure there was still tea remaining, then poured herself a cup and drank it in one go. Xiaobao presented another possibility. ¡°What about Uncle Lu?¡± Qi Qingyao shook her head. ¡°Although the Lu family is the top chamber ofmerce in Northern Liang and he is considered the richest man in Northern Liang, his wealth is still no match for raw power. Besides, Li Ruoxuan is now a grand master. If he can teach Erniu and she can forcefully mooch the title of a master from him, it¡¯ll be very helpful for you guys¡¯ future.¡± Xiaobao pondered for a moment. He did not agree with her. ¡°But¡­ didn¡¯t Mommy say that he¡¯s very bad, and he even killed Auntie¡¯s entire family?¡± ¡°The vor of revenge depends on our strength. We¡¯ll take things one step at a time. After we leech off Li Ruoxuan and achieve certain abilities, it won¡¯t be toote to get even with him.¡± Qi Qingyao smiled and looked at the empty teapot, then suddenlyughed. ¡°Come here! Mommy will tell you a little story called ¡®Enduring Hardships to n A Revenge¡¯!¡± Dabao and Xiaobao asked Qi Qingyao to wait. Qi Qingyao was stunned as the two children happily ran away to retrieve their confectioneries. After a while, one of them came in holding a teapot, and the other came in carrying confectioneries on a small tea tray. Qi Qingyao, ¡°...¡± They had prepared snacks to listen to a story! After Erniu ran out of the courtyard, she gazed at the huge mansion in a trance. She circled it once and asked a little maid where Master Li was. The little maid did not dare to bring this small guest to meet the State Preceptor without a good reason, so after thinking for a while, she brought Erniu to see Zhu Shen. As soon as Erniu saw the familiar face, she ran over happily. She grabbed the hem of Zhu Shen¡¯s clothes with her little hand and held her head up. ¡°Uncle, where is Uncle Li?¡± Since Zhu Shen was quite fond of Qi Qingyao, he was also very fond of these three lovely children. He responded, ¡°The State Preceptor is meditating in the room.¡± Erniu said with a soft and gentle voice, ¡°I want to see him.¡± Zhu Shen thought about it for a while, then took Erniu into Li Ruoxuan¡¯s courtyard. He told Erniu to wait as he went to notify his master. Only then did he bring Erniu to the doorway. Zhu Shen told Erniu to go in by herself, then left. Chapter 517 - A Chatty Bunny

Chapter 517: A Chatty Bunny

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Erniu thought about Qi Qingyao¡¯s instructions as she looked at the man wearing an eyepatch sitting inside the room, meditating on therge bed by the window. She hesitated for a while. A cold and gentle voice came from inside. ¡°You¡¯re already at the doorway, and I¡¯ve been notified, so why aren¡¯t youing in?¡± Erniu responded anxiously, ¡°I¡­¡± Li Ruoxuan got off therge bed by the window and walked toward the big armchair in the main hall to sit down. He asked in a casual tone, ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Erniu stood behind the door and stuck her head out timidly. She said cautiously, ¡°Mommy said that you¡¯re already a grand master.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Li Ruoxuan picked up a red date from the tea tray. He nced at it, then put it back down. ¡°Then¡­¡± Erniu lifted her short, tiny legs, stepped over the threshold, and swiftly ran over to Li Ruoxuan. She held her little head up and asked innocently, like a cute bunny, ¡°Can you take Erniu as your disciple?¡± ¡°...¡± The red date that Li Ruoxuan had just picked up almost dropped to the ground. Erniu¡¯s eyes were watery and full of imploration. ¡°I¡¯ll work really really hard and be a disciple you can be proud of.¡± After Li Ruoxuan calmed himself down, he asked. ¡°Why did youe and ask me?¡± Erniu went closer, leaned on the leg of his chair, and mumbled. ¡°Because Mommy was bullied. Mommy said that if she goes missing one day, the three of us will not be able to protect ourselves.¡± After a pause, Erniu said tearfully, ¡°That¡¯s why she told me toe to ask you.¡± Li Ruoxuan, ¡°...¡± She had already begun nning what was to be done when she was gone? Erniu choked up and sniffed while kneeling on the ground. ¡°If you don¡¯t say yes, I¡¯ll kneel in front of you and never get up!¡± Li Ruoxuan looked at the cute bunny kneeling before him and said very coldly, ¡°I won¡¯t say yes.¡± Erniu widened her big, innocent eyes and said in confusion, ¡°Why?¡± Li Ruoxuan stated a certain fact with an easy grace. ¡°Because once you¡¯re capable, one day you might betray your master and kill me to avenge Qi Qingzhu.¡± Erniu was stunned for a moment. She blinked her eyes resentfully and frustratedly. ¡°Are you afraid that you¡¯ll lose your job after teaching a disciple? ¡°Or are you afraid that someday I¡¯ll cultivate to be even more powerful than you?! ¡°Are you so insecure about yourself? ¡°No, I should say that you have a lot of confidence in Erniu!¡± Having said that, Erniu thought to herself that since everyone had said she was very gifted, why bother begging this bad man for help. She was also very straightforward. She got up instantly and said with a clear, ringing voice. ¡°Well, if you don¡¯t want to teach me, I¡¯ll go ask somebody else. I¡¯m so talented, I¡¯ll surely be powerful no matter who teaches me.¡± She lifted her neck. Her soft, chubby, pinkish face was full of innocence. ¡°You¡¯re about to lose potentially your most powerful disciple.¡± She had even learned how to speak with gravitas?! This kid! Li Ruoxuan put a red date into his mouth and slowly said, ¡°Wait.¡± Erniu was shocked and turned back instantly. ¡°Have you changed your mind?¡± Realizing that she had expressed her happiness too obviously, she quickly acted like she did not care. However, how could a child¡¯s quick-changing expression escape the eyes of an adult? Seeing that Erniu cared so much made Li Ruoxuan smile instead. He said, ¡°You talk just like your annoying mother¡ªyou said you¡¯d fall on your knees and beg, yet you just turned around, wanting to leave.¡± Erniu lifted her neck angrily and said, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you were afraid I¡¯d kill you when I was capable?¡± Li Ruoxuan was speechless. ¡°Your tongue is as sharp as your mother¡¯s!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll ept thatpliment.¡± Erniu scrunched her nose smugly, then pretended to say in arrogance, ¡°Are you willing to take me as your disciple?¡± Li Ruoxuan was silent, thinking about the feasibility of this matter. Erniu suddenly ran over, hugged Li Ruoxuan¡¯s arm, and began shaking it. ¡°Take me in, take me in, take me in, take me in, take me in~~~~~~~~~~¡± Li Ruoxuan pursed his lips and looked wordlessly at the little kid who was not afraid of him at all. Erniu puffed her cheeks and assured Li Ruoxuan. ¡°I really won¡¯t let you down! I¡¯ll work hard to be a disciple that¡¯ll make you proud!¡± Li Ruoxuan, ¡°...¡± Erniu suddenly had an idea. ¡°Later, when you¡¯re old, I can even make funeral arrangements for you.¡± ¡°Would I need you to make funeral arrangements¡­¡± Li Ruoxuan swore that if he had been drinking water at this moment, he would surely have spat it out! ¡°They all call you the State Preceptor¡ªbut Mommy said that looking at you, she believes you¡¯ll never be able to find a partner, so you won¡¯t ever have a lovely child like me. Then who will bury you when you get old and die?¡± Erniu widened her round eyes, smirked, and pretended to say cunningly, ¡°If you take in a disciple now, when the timees and you¡¯re gone, I¡¯ll prepare a grand funeral and pray to you every year!¡± Li Ruoxuan said, ¡°Sounds very appealing.¡± A grand funeral! He was the State Preceptor! He would have had a grand funeral prepared by the royal family after he died anyway! Wait. He had been strung along by this little kid. Pooh! Who would die early?! Erniu¡¯s clear andrge, pure ck eyes were full of sincerity. ¡°So just say yes.¡± Li Ruoxuan ate another red date and said calmly, ¡°Although you seem very sincere in bing my disciple, pretty words aren¡¯t enough to prove genuine sincerity. Others must pay to be a disciple. To be my disciple, apart from babbling with that little mouth, can you actually show any sincerity that I can trust? ¡°Pay? How much?¡± Erniu asked in distress, with an expression of disbelief. ¡°I¡¯m not short of money.¡± Li Ruoxuan said. ¡°Then what are you short of?¡± Erniu scratched her head in confusion. Li Ruoxuan said leisurely, ¡°I¡¯m short of a child.¡± ¡°Ah!¡± Erniu eximed and suddenly let go of his arm. She immediately took two steps back and babbled with a face of contemtion, ¡°Could it be that you want me to be your child? No way! I¡¯m Mommy¡¯s child, I can¡¯t be yours!¡± Li Ruoxuan suggested easily, ¡°You can be your mother¡¯s child and also be my child at the same time.¡± Erniu shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t understand.¡± Li Ruoxuan said, ¡°It means that you¡¯ll call Qi Qingyao Mommy and call me Daddy.¡± ¡°Ah¡ª¡± Erniu¡¯s eyes were asrge as saucers. Li Ruoxuan asked cidly, ¡°I¡¯m the State Preceptor, and also a grand master. You know that I¡¯m very powerful¡ªwhat¡¯s so bad about me being your dad?¡± ¡°Because Mommy said I can¡¯t simply acknowledge anyone as my dad.¡± Erniu looked suspicious as she asked in a thick nasal voice, ¡°Could it be that you like my mother, so you want to be my dad?!¡± Li Ruoxuan denied everything and responded, ¡°Who likes that annoying woman?¡± ¡°Then, if you don¡¯t like her¡­¡± Before Erniu could finish speaking, Li Ruoxuan said impatiently, ¡°Okay, okay. Cease your babbling. I¡¯ll take you in as a disciple.¡± If she was allowed to continue, this bunny was going to talk more nonsense. Li Ruoxuan quickly changed the subject and said, ¡°Go serve me a cup of tea and bow to me three times. Let¡¯s perform the ceremony of honoring me as your master.¡± Erniu rushed out excitedly, tripping over the door¡¯s threshold and having a bad fall. Li Ruoxuan was shocked. He got up, wanting to walk over to help her up. However, a certain cute bunny quickly got up, turned around, grinned at him, then ran to ask the maid to make tea¡­ Li Ruoxuan, ¡°...¡± It seemed that having such a disciple was not so bad after all. Chapter 518 - Disciple

Chapter 518: Disciple

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Qi Qingyao waited anxiously in her room. She was not sure if Li Ruoxuan would take Erniu in or not. After all, this high and mighty State Preceptor was not easy to talk to. He would never do things that did not benefit him. However, at this moment, she had no choice but to think strategically to quickly pave the way for her children while she was still safe. She waited for a little longer. Zhu Shen came to the courtyard. Qi Qingyao¡¯s heart skipped a beat. He bowed slightly and spoke. ¡°Lady Qi, His Excellency said that Erniu is going to perform a ceremony to honor her master. As her parent, you ought to go attend it.¡± ¡°...¡± Qi Qingyao raised her brows, and her eyes flickered. She looked at Zhu Shen with a smile and responded, ¡°Let¡¯s go together!¡± As soon as she walked into the courtyard where Li Ruoxuan was, she saw Erniu standing at the entrance, happily waiting for her. As Qi Qingyao got closer, Erniu excitedly took Qi Qingyao¡¯s hand and said, ¡°Mommy, he agreed to be my master.¡± After hearing this, Qi Qingyao caressed Erniu¡¯s face with a smile that could not be concealed. ¡°Then congrattions to the State Preceptor on gaining such an excellent disciple.¡± Dabao and Xiaobao pouted at the same time, looking at Erniu with a little jealousy. Erniu would learn martial arts soon. Once she learned it, she would be able to beat the two of them up! Although Xiaobao was jealous, he was still sensible¡ªso, he said in a hum, ¡°Congrattions to our Erniu for getting another grand master as her master!¡± Dabao¡¯s jealousy came and went quickly. He was happy for Erniu. ¡°That¡¯s right, your master is the State Preceptor of Northern Liang! Erniu will have an anchor from now on.¡± Erniu¡¯s anchor was equivalent to his anchor¡ªand also indirectly equivalent to his mother¡¯s anchor! Erniu heard the words and said a little embarrassedly, ¡°I haven¡¯t honored my master yet!!¡± The three of them followed Erniu into the main hall. Li Ruoxuan was sitting on the quaint scented rosewood chair, and he nced at Qi Qingyao calmly. Qi Qingyao pretended to be nonchnt and sat aside with Dabao and Xiaobao. The maid entered with the tea tray. Erniu imitated the adults, picking up the lidded-teacup with both hands and kneeling with grace. She said cautiously but proudly, ¡°Qi Yunxi serves tea for Master Li Ruoxuan. Thank you, master, for taking me in as your disciple!¡± Her soft and gentle voice was like a freshly steamed soft bun, which was ridiculously cute. Li Ruoxuan¡¯s pitch ck left eye was filled with a calm and deep light. He said mysteriously, ¡°Upon bing my disciple, you have to listen to me, and do everything I tell you to do during your practice!¡± ¡°Yes, master,¡± Erniu answered obediently and softly. ¡°Once a master, always a master! You must remember this,¡± Li Ruoxuan said again. ¡°Yes, master,¡± Erniu continued to answer. ¡°Your master¡¯s words are as important as your mother¡¯s words! Understand?¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Erniu¡¯s raven eyes were filled with frustration. Without waiting for Li Ruoxuan to speak again, she said hurriedly. ¡°Master, can you pick up the teacup first? My hands can¡¯t hold the teacup any longer, and it will be bad if it falls!¡± ¡°...¡± Li Ruoxuan paused. He was silent for a moment, then picked up the teacup impassively. Erniu immediately heaved a sigh of relief and even wiped the sweat on her forehead. Only then did she look up at Li Ruoxuan with a cute, lovely face. After Li Ruoxuan drank a few sips of hot tea and put down the teacup, he spoke. ¡°Get up. There¡¯s no need to kneel anymore, the ceremony is over. From here on out, you are my disciple.¡± Erniu stood up very happily and even brushed the dust off her little skirt. Then, she grinned and said, ¡°Master, I¡¯m really happy for you.¡± Li Ruoxuan, ¡°...¡± Happy for him about what? Li Ruoxuan did not quite understand. Erniu patted her chest with pride. ¡°You got to take in a disciple as excellent as me! You must have burned eight lifetimes worth of high-quality incense sticks.¡± Li Ruoxuan, ¡°...¡± Motherf*cker! He really regretted taking in this disciple! How could she be so simr to Qi Qingyao? Shameless! What an annoying little kid. Qi Qingyao continuously nodded in approval beside them. Li Ruoxuan scrunched his brows upon seeing it. Dammit, had he been set up!! This little girl had just wanted to look for an anchor. Li Ruoxuan pretended to be calm and said, ¡°Zhu Shen, have the kitchen prepare more dishes in the afternoon! And prepare some wine. I¡¯m going to have a few drinks with my disciple¡¯s mother!¡± ¡­ ¡­ The Head Grand Secretariat¡¯s residence. After Zhao Xin came back with Jiang Yeqian, he noticed that His Excellency was acting very strange that day. From the moment he returned and entered the house, he was visibly restless¡ªlike an ant on a hot pot. He neither sat nor stood still. He kept pacing around the front hall. He did not drink a sip of tea nor eat a mouthful of rice. After pacing continuously for an hour, Zhao Xin, who was standing to the side, could not take it anymore. He lowered his eyes, bowed, and asked, ¡°Your Excellency, you keep pacing around. What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°...¡± Jiang Yeqian only paused for a second before he started pacing again. The expression on his face was still that of anxiety. This made Zhao Xin even more puzzled. Could it be that something big had happened in the Zhaixing Administration, or that something big had happened to other heads of the administrations and halls? He did not know anything and did not dare to ask, only speaking softly. ¡°Your Excellency, you¡¯re pacing around so much it makes Zhao Xin feel dizzy¡­¡± Jiang Yeqian paused again. He looked at the afternoon sun outside and sighed heavily, ¡°Aih¡­¡± Just listening to this long sigh revealed the mixed feelings, helplessness, and apprehension behind it. Zhao Xin said with concern in his eyes, ¡°Your Excellency, if there¡¯s anything you¡¯d like to say, Zhao Xin can share your burden and alleviate your worries. Please feel free to talk about it.¡± Jiang Yeqian turned around and stared at Zhao Xin quietly for a while. His expression was a little hesitant, but after a while, he uttered two words. ¡°Nothing¡¯s wrong!¡± ¡°...¡± There was clearly something wrong!! Zhao Xin felt like he was going crazy. Jiang Yeqian then paced around for some more. He paused again, turned around, then looked at Zhao Xin with bright eyes. His tone was mildly upset. ¡°Zhao Xin.¡± Zhao Xin sped his fist with his other hand in a salute and said seriously, ¡°Your Excellency!! If you have anymands, please tell Zhao Xin. Zhao Xin is your right-hand man, your loyal servant. Zhao Xin will definitely go through great lengths to do whatever you want him to!¡± ¡°I¡¯m done for.¡± When Jiang Yeqian said these three words, his dark, cool eyes were shining as if they were on fire. ¡°Ah?¡± What did he mean by ¡®done for¡¯? What was His Excellency talking about? Zhao Xin said in confusion, ¡°Your Excellency, you¡¯re fine. Why would you be done for?¡± Jiang Yeqian closed his eyes, and a cold pain shed across them. He muttered to himself, ¡°I may have made a very bad decision.¡± ¡°...??¡± His Excellency had always been very calm, so he couldn¡¯t have made a bad decision¡ªZhao Xin wondered on the inside about what it was. ¡°I¡­¡± Jiang Yeqian¡¯s eyes were half-lidded, and he looked slightly panicked. ¡°Huh?¡± Zhao Xin was confused. Jiang Yeqian suddenly opened his eyes. His expression surged, and dark energy streamed across his eyes. ¡°I think I might really like Qi Qingyao¡­¡± ¡°...¡± Zhao Xin was stunned for a second. Had he¡­ just realized this? ¡®You have always made it clear that you quite fancy Lady Qi¡­¡¯ Chapter 519 - Night Excursion to the State Preceptor’s Residence

Chapter 519: Night Excursion to the State Preceptor¡¯s Residence

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion That afternoon when it was time for lunch, Qi Qingyao brought the children to the dining hall. She was shocked by therge array of dishes. The extrarge round table beingden with hot, steaming dishes made it seem like more than twenty people were being served altogether. Qi Qingyao thought to herself that those with short arms would have trouble getting the dishes in the center. When Li Ruoxuan came over, he was also shocked by the assortment of dishes. Qi Qingyao had already taken her seat alongside the children. She waved at him excitedly. ¡°It¡¯s just a ceremony to honor you as the master. Why are you being so courteous, State Preceptor? You prepared such a sumptuous meal.¡± ¡°...¡± Li Ruoxuan turned back and nced at Zhu Shen. Zhu Shen stood behind him, looking down at his feet silently. Pang Juan and Gongsun She had mentioned before that Erniu possessed the potential for cultivation. Zhu Shen knew this. Now, His Excellency had be a grand master and taken in a genius as his disciple! All those things put together were worth a celebration. However, His Excellency had always been a lone wolf and did not enjoy doing things like this. However, this time, he had seized the opportunity. Hence, Zhu Shen had requested the kitchen to prepare arge table of dishes! If his Excellency was alone, he would obviously not be able to finish all of it¡ªbut Lady Qi was here, along with her three children. It was also livelier with more people. Li Ruoxuan really wanted to scold Zhu Shen, but upon seeing Qi Qingyao and the three children all looking at him with bright eyes, he sat down without saying a word. Now that everyone was here, dinner naturally began. Qi Qingyao and the children had not eaten or slept well recently. Although she had had to deal with some upsetting things upon her arrival in the capital, she could not help but feel happy upon seeing this meal. Erniu was already four years old and could use chopsticks on her own. Due to the hardships of the past few years, the children had long adapted to other people¡¯s dispositions. Therefore, when sitting at such arge table to eat, they did not pick up the food greedily. They were all polite, sitting obediently and eating earnestly. As she ate, Qi Qingyao thought about how ever since she hade to Capital City, she had stayed in the house of someone she hated and eaten his food. He had even taken her daughter in as his disciple. He had not been too annoying in the pce either, even saving her life at a critical moment. These facts gave her mixed emotions. Qi Qingyao poured two sses of wine and brought one to the man wearing an eyepatch across from her. ¡°State Preceptor, I propose a toast to you.¡± ¡°...¡± Li Ruoxuan took the ss of wine, clinked sses with her, then drank it with a mixed expression. Qi Qingyao returned to her seat and continued eating and drinking. When she was almost full, she asked Li Ruoxuan curiously, ¡°Why have you been so quiet?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what to say,¡± Li Ruoxuan pursed his lips and answered. Qi Qingyao smiled and asked, ¡°Do you want to go out tonight?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you cause enough troublest night?¡± Li Ruoxuan raised his eyelids and responded. Qi Qingyao pouted and said, ¡°Last night I went to Nanfeng Pavilion and ended up in trouble, so I didn¡¯t get to go anywhere else. Today I was almost strangled to death¡ªI am already traumatized!¡± Li Ruoxuan thought for a while and suggested, ¡°Have a good rest tonight. If you want to go out tomorrow, I¡¯ll take you and your children out.¡± ¡°You promise?!¡± Qi Qingyao¡¯s eyes lit up instantly. Li Ruoxuan, ¡°I promise.¡± Qi Qingyao turned to the triplets and said, ¡°You all heard the State Preceptor. Sleep well tonight, tomorrow morning we¡¯ll go out and go sightseeing around the capital.¡± She wanted to bring the children out, but she would not be able to protect them herself. If something were to happen and they offended some aristocrats in the capital, trouble would follow. Hence, Qi Qingyao had felt relieved when she heard Li Ruoxuan¡¯s assurance. After all, Li Ruoxuan was not just the State Preceptor now, he was also one of the three grand masters in Northern Liang! As soon as she thought of this, Qi Qingyao became upset. If Si Jin was here, would she need to be so aggrieved? ¡°Yay!¡± The three children who were obediently eating held up their chopsticks happily. After the meal. Qi Qingyao brought the three children out to the garden in the State Preceptor¡¯s residence. Li Ruoxuan sat on the roof alone and meditated. He nced and spotted them ying in the courtyard. His eyes narrowed involuntarily. There were indeed some differences¡­ after the addition of a woman in his house. The atmosphere seemed a little livelier. That night. Just after midnight. The entire capital was silent. The guards at the State Preceptor¡¯s residence protected the residence. Not far outside of the back wall, Zhao Xin followed behind Jiang Yeqian¡ªlooking at Jiang Yeqian dressed in all ck. Zhao Xin asked him a question, worried. ¡°Your Excellency, do you really want to break into the State Preceptor¡¯s residence at night?¡± Jiang Yeqian said very casually, ¡°I just want to go see her.¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be better to see her during the day? Why does it have to be at night?¡± Zhao Xin did not understand why he wanted to break into the State Preceptor¡¯s residence in the middle of the night. He had heard from His Excellency that the State Preceptor was already a grand master now. How embarrassing would it be if they got caught?! ¡°You don¡¯t understand,¡± Jiang Yeqian said. Zhao Xin, ¡°...¡± ¡­ Li Ruoxuan was still meditating on the roof at night. Ever since he ascended to the rank of a grand master, Li Ruoxuan¡¯s perception had expanded by a lot. Whenever he perceived intentionally, no surrounding movements could escape his perception. Something had already happened in the imperial pce earlier that day. Therefore, on this night, Li Ruoxuan kept releasing his perception. Waiting. Waiting for a certain someone to show up. If that certain someone did not show up tonight, he would have to overturn all his previous guesses. He waited till midnight. Li Ruoxuan suddenly opened his eyes and nced in a certain direction. He narrowed his eyes in the darkness. Then, he slowly got up and walked along the roof, leaping toward the back wall. As soon as Jiang Yeqian and Zhao Xin set foot into the State Preceptor¡¯s residence, a man dressed all in white and wearing a ck eyepatchnded on the ground right in front of them with a smile. He straightened up. Jiang Yeqian, ¡°...¡± As expected of a grand master! His perception was so powerful. Li Ruoxuan said unhurriedly, ¡°I wonder why the Head Grand Secretariat is breaking into my residence in the middle of the night?¡± ¡°I just came to see you, State Preceptor,¡± Jiang Yeqian said impassively. ¡°To see me?¡± Li Ruoxuan said with a half-smile, ¡°Your words make me want to vomit.¡± Jiang Yeqian said, ¡°Once you¡¯re done vomiting, I¡¯d like to enter your house.¡± Li Ruoxuan said calmly, ¡°If the Head Grand Secretariat wants to see me, then you¡¯re already looking at me now. There¡¯s no need to enter my house.¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Jiang Yeqian pursed his lips, looking a little hesitant. Li Ruoxuan purposely confronted him and said, ¡°It¡¯s rare to see the Head Grand Secretariat stammer, very rare. Could it be that you want to confess to me, but are too embarrassed to confess?¡± Jiang Yeqian said with a straight face, ¡°You might look ugly, but your fantasies are fascinating.¡± Li Ruoxuan replied, ¡°Since I look ugly, if you would like to vomit, just do so.¡± Jiang Yeqian took a deep breath. Suddenly, he eximed seriously, ¡°I like Qi Qingyao!!¡± ¡°...¡± Li Ruoxuan raised his brows slightly. Indeed! Jiang Yeqian repeated himself. ¡°I like Qi Qingyao.¡± Li Ruoxuan responded offhandedly, ¡°So?¡± Jiang Yeqian answered firmly, ¡°I want to go in and see her.¡± ¡°If you like her, then hold your head up high ande look for her during the day.¡± Li Ruoxuan suddenly mocked him and said, ¡°However, with the attitude you¡¯ve disyed today, I¡¯m afraid you have no chance.¡± Jiang Yeqian said, ¡°I know.¡± Li Ruoxuan asked, ¡°Since you know you have no chance, why have youe here?¡± ¡°...¡± Jiang Yeqian did not know how to respond. Chapter 520 - Late Night Confession 1

Chapter 520: Late Night Confession 1

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Jiang Yeqian could not exin why he hade over either. Just like when Zhao Xin had asked him why he had to break into the State Preceptor¡¯s residence at night, he could not provide any exnation. He just felt that if certain things were not made clear to her immediately, he really was going to fail in certain ways. Hence, here he was. Li Ruoxuan waved his hand slightly. ¡°Go back. You already have no chance.¡± Jiang Yeqian stood, leaning on his cane with a poker face, and said, ¡°We¡¯ll talk about whether or not I have a chance once I see her.¡± Li Ruoxuan seemed to be mildly troubled. He stroked his forehead before he said helplessly, ¡°Head Grand Secretariat, no offense, but it¡¯s already veryte. Even if I gave you a chance, she wouldn¡¯t want to see you.¡± ¡°...¡± Jiang Yeqian looked at Li Ruoxuan silently for a moment, then said, ¡°Are you afraid I¡¯ll snatch her away from you?¡± ¡°Geez, I¡¯ve seen shameless people before¡ªbut never someone as shameless as you.¡± Li Ruoxuan knew that Jiang Yeqian was taunting him, so he got mildly angry. He responded very calmly, ¡°You strangled her right in front of the empress today¡ªdo you think the little girl will forgive you?¡± Jiang Yeqian said seriously, ¡°You must be afraid that I¡¯ll snatch her away, so you don¡¯t want her to see me.¡± ¡°Are you still trying to taunt me?¡± Li Ruoxuan curled his lips, feeling somewhat helpless. He was also straightforward. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll give you a chance.¡± Li Ruoxuan then bowed slightly and gestured weingly with his hand. Jiang Yeqian¡¯s figure immediately leaped into the house. Li Ruoxuan did not follow. He watched the figure and smiled very calmly. Just as Zhao Xin was about to follow behind Jiang Yeqian, he was stopped by Li Ruoxuan. ¡°But you aren¡¯t allowed in my residence.¡± Zhao Xin stood in his ce, feeling the oppression emanating from the grand master. It was a kind of invisible tremor, and he felt his own heart trembling slightly. This was the strength of a grand master. Although Li Ruoxuan had only just ascended to the rank of a grand master, he was alreadypletely different from other rank nines. Li Ruoxuan waved his hand grantly. ¡°Wait outside.¡± Zhao Xin was blown away by a st of wind, all the way to the wall opposite the wall. Zhao Xin spat out a mouthful of blood. When his body fell to the ground, he was quite prepared. He knelt on the ground with one knee and supported his body. Zhao Xin gently wiped the bloodstain on the corner of his lips. He thought to himself, ¡®as expected of a grand master¡¯¡ª and it had just been from a casual wave of a hand! It was just a warning from the State Preceptor for simply breaking into his residence. Zhao Xin looked at the high walls and got lost in deep thought about what strength was. ¡­ On the other hand, Qi Qingyao was sleeping soundly. In her sleep, she felt an invisible presence shrouding her. She, who had just experienced the fear of a near-death experience today, was fairly vignt and woke up immediately. Then, she saw a dark shadow in front of her, which scared her so much she almost screamed. ¡°Ah!¡± Her scream was muffled by someone and was literally suppressed. The person who had entered quickly lifted her out of the bed and flew out the window. They swiftly carried her out of the courtyard and went to the garden of the State Preceptor¡¯s residence. After being ced on the ground, it took a long time for Qi Qingyao to return to her senses. Then, she looked at the person across from her. Under the moonlight, Qi Qingyao once again thought she was dreaming. The nightmare from the day before crept up from her spine, making her shudder. Jiang Yeqian figured she must have thought she was dreaming, so he took the initiative and said, ¡°It¡¯s me.¡± ¡°...¡± Qi Qingyao pinched one of her thighs hard to make sure she was not dreaming, then instinctively took a step back. Jiang Yeqian immediately began exining. ¡°Today, I¡­!¡± He only managed to get in two words before Qi Qingyao shouted with all her might. ¡°Zhu Shen, Zhu Shen, Zhu Shen!!!¡± Chapter 521 - Late Night Confession 2

Chapter 521: Late Night Confession 2

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Zhu Shen came back to his senses after his Excellency vaulted himself over the back surrounding wall. Li Ruoxuan had swiftly sent Zhao Xin flying with a wave of his hand, and Zhu Shen followed Li Ruoxuan into the garden to witness the entire process of Jiang Yeqian¡¯s abduction of Qi Qingyao. As Li Ruoxuan¡¯s subordinate, Zhu Shen knew his Excellency must have let the Head Grand Secretariat in on purpose, presumably because the Head Grand Secretariat wanted to apologize for the marks he had left on Qi Qingyao¡¯s neck. However, Zhu Shen did not expect for Qi Qingyao to scream out for him before anyone could even get a word in! Zhu Shen immediately looked toward his Excellency. Li Ruoxuan gave Zhu Shen a meaningful look. Zhu Shen immediately rushed to Qi Qingyao. Qi Qingyao stood in the garden dressed in a thin, white inner garment made of silk. Her temper red when Zhu Shen hurried over. ¡°Where the f*ck were you?¡± Before Zhu Shen could even answer, Qi Qingyao asked again, ¡°Where¡¯s your Excellency?¡± Li Ruoxuan knew he could no longer stay hidden so he hurriedly appeared at the side. Qi Qingyao was so livid that she lost sight of her standing and immediately pointed at Li Ruoxuan¡¯s nose, cursing. ¡°You¡¯re the dignified State Preceptor who¡¯s already ascended into grand mastership, yet you allowed a rank nine to infiltrate your home? How disgraceful! You¡¯re aplete fluke of a grand master. Master Li is aplete good-for-nothing! You¡¯re all talk but you have absolutely zero strength as a grand master! All your guards are good-for-nothings too!¡± Li Ruoxuan was caught off guard by the stream of abuse he was met with just as he came over. Li Ruoxuan, who was usually a very calm man, sounded a little awkward as he whispered, ¡°Do you have to curse me as though Ick even a single redeeming feature?¡± ¡°You were here?¡± Struck with a sudden realization, Qi Qingyao said, ¡°Then, you¡¯re the one who let him in on purpose!¡± Had he been found out? ¡°T-that¡¯s not exactly the case either. He goaded me into letting himself in¡­¡± Li Ruoxuan stumbled over his words a bit. Qi Qingyao narrowed her eyes. The waves of fury seemed to die under her calm expression and her gaze was deep when she said, ¡°Li Ruoxuan, I misunderstood you. The rumored ruthless and ill-tempered State Preceptor has actually fallen to his taunts! Are you still able to do a good job as State Preceptor?¡± Li Ruoxuan, ¡°...¡± Qi Qingyao¡¯s lips curled into an impatient sneer. ¡°Truly a good-for-nothing!¡± ¡°...¡± At the receiving end of more verbalshings, Li Ruoxuan held his forehead and resisted the urge to strangle her. He tried very hard to pull himself together and ignore it¡ªhe would not stoop to her level by arguing with her. In any case, she was the mother of his disciple! He ought to spare her some face. Seeing the state his Excellency had been reduced to from the continuous tongueshing, Zhu Shen kept silent but could not help but smile a little. His Excellency truly fancied Lady Qi. Otherwise, he would never have put up with her tone! Jiang Yeqian noticed Li Ruoxuan¡¯s silence and felt that things were going bad for him. He tried to divert her attention to himself. ¡°Could you please give me a bit of your time?¡± Qi Qingyao walked over and stood next to Li Ruoxuan. She took a deep breath and said, ¡°Head Grand Secretariat¡­¡± Jiang Yeqian hurriedly exined, ¡°No, I¡¯m not the Head grand Secretariat anymore. I already resigned.¡± Qi Qingyao was silent. So what? What did his resignation have to do with her? Nothing. So, just what was this person talking about? She was quiet, waiting. However, with Qi Qingyao¡¯s gloomy gaze fixed on him, Jiang Yeqian could not say a word. After a long silence, Qi Qingyao uncrossed her arms and cradled her forehead. Irritated, she asked, ¡°Jiang Yeqian, what the hell are you trying to say?¡± Chapter 522 - Late Night Confession 3

Chapter 522: Late Night Confession 3

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Li Ruoxuan, ¡°...¡± Was Jiang Yeqian unable to speak because he was here? Li Ruoxuan gave Zhu Shen a look, deciding that he would take his leave first. He wanted to give the Head Grand Secretariat some time and space to see what kind of oue would develop. The moment he took a step, however, Qi Qingyao grabbed his arm. Li Ruoxuan looked back. Qi Qingyao started firing at him again. ¡°What are you doing? You are my daughter¡¯s master now, aren¡¯t you going to protect the mother of your disciple? How impertinent! ¡°What if he really strangles me to death this time? My daughter would think you are useless and look down on you. Just you wait, you¡¯re going to lose the most talented disciple!¡± Li Ruoxuan analyzed the situation and could only shrug at Jiang Yeqian, indicating that it really was not his fault that Jiang Yeqian could not get time alone with her. Immediately after that, Li Ruoxuan patted Qi Qingyao on the shoulder as if he were appeasing an injured beast. He said softly, ¡°It¡¯s okay, I¡¯m here, I¡¯m here! You don¡¯t have to cuss me out so viciously.¡± Jiang Yeqian did not expect that she would refuse to speak with him alone; it made him very upset. ¡°He killed your sister and her family before this, but you¡¯re relying on him so much now.¡± Qi Qingyao stopped breathing through her thin, cold lips and said, ¡°He killed my sister and her entire family, and now you¡¯re going to kill me. They¡¯re almost the same! The only difference is that my daughter now worships him as a teacher, so he won¡¯t kill me for the time being.¡± After a pause, Qi Qingyao widened her eyes slightly and said, ¡°While I can¡¯t order the State Preceptor around on my behalf, you¡¯re dead the moment Si Jin returns.¡± ¡°...¡± Jiang Yeqian knew that the situation was grave when he heard this. The woman now saw him as an enemy. ¡°I... the little empress...¡± Before he was even done speaking, Qi Qingyao faintly cut in, ¡°You and the little empress are quite the match. You can be the prince consort when you marry the empress, hahaha! Congrattions in advance.¡± She wasughing but it did not reach her eyes. She said, ¡°If you don¡¯t try toy your hands on me anymore, I can keep from Si Jin the fact that you tried to kill me and, in doing so, spare your life.¡± She did not want to make an enemy out of the little empress, so she could only grin and bear with whatever happened today. Jiang Yeqian said seriously, ¡°I wasn¡¯t trying to kill you, I was trying to protect you!¡± Qi Qingyao could not quite suppress augh. She pointed to Li Ruoxuan and said, ¡°If he hadn¡¯t jumped in back then, I would have been dead. Was this also to protect me?¡± Jiang Yeqian said helplessly, ¡°Even if he didn¡¯t jump in, the little empress would have called for a stop eventually. The empress wouldn¡¯t actually have me kill you because Si Jin is still around. She just suspects I liked you and was testing me! I can¡¯t have her think that I like you, that¡¯s why I...¡± Qi Qingyao was toozy to listen to this nonsense. ¡°Enough. There¡¯s no need to exin to me anymore. There¡¯s nothing between us anyway, so there¡¯s no point saying this now.¡± ¡°There is a point.¡± Jiang Yeqian looked at her firmly and deeply. ¡°Oh?¡± Qi Qingyao was impatient and her voice was hoarse. ¡°Could it be that the once high and mighty Head Grand Secretariat has decided to tell me that he actually likes me? And that is why he had to strangle me today in order to protect me!¡± Jiang Yeqian¡¯s gaze was as sharp as a fiery sword and he said breathlessly, ¡°I really do like you, Yaoyao...¡± Li Ruoxuan was standing by the side as he witnessed Jiang Yeqian¡¯s rather serious and nervous confession. He felt conflicted. First, he had never seen the Head Grand Secretariat being so serious. Second, he had never seen such the Head Grand Secretariat being so nervous. Third, the Head Grand Secretariat was well-aware that he would be cussed out by a fuming Qi Qingyao tonight¡­ So why did he take the bull by its horns? He came to a sudden conclusion¡ªmen in love were stupid! Chapter 523 - Late Night Confession 4

Chapter 523: Late Night Confession 4

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion ¡°Huh?¡± Qi Qingyao was not at all happy after hearing this. She stared at the man in the moonlight, livid. ¡°What do you like about me? My face? That can¡¯t be it, there are many beautiful girls in the capital. Is your taste so entric that you only fancy widows? Do you like fickle andscivious women? Or do you like young women with children? Or is it because you are jealous that Li Ruoxuan had ascended into grand mastership and you hadn¡¯t, so you decided to get advice from Si Jin? And since you know Si Jin won¡¯t help you, you¡¯re taking the roundabout way by manipting me? Look, I did not mince my words at all, so you already know my stand on this. You don¡¯t have to be scared of Si Jin killing you and resort to indirect means like confessing to me. No one would buy it.¡± Jiang Yeqian, ¡°...¡± Qi Qingyao was trying very hard to look restrained. She added faintly, ¡°It¡¯s alreadyte, please leave if you are done.¡± ¡°...¡± Jiang Yeqian did not move. He just stood there watching her quietly. Qi Qingyao knew that when this night was over, she might not be able to remain being friends with this man who always prioritized practical benefits. She turned and left the garden. Li Ruoxuan asked Zhu Shen to follow her and escort her back to the courtyard. Jiang Yeqian watched her leave without saying anything. He stood in the garden of the State Preceptor¡¯s residence for a long time before finally raising his head to look up at the moon. His expression wasplicated, as though he did not know what to say. His body was as cold as a statue. When he lifted his feet and began walking away, Li Ruoxuan followed him. He sent Jiang Yeqian off with some enthusiasm and said, ¡°I didn¡¯t want you to meet her but you insisted¡­ I rather pity you; you got lectured quite miserably. ¡± Jiang Yeqian frowned at the obviously mocking tone. Without even turning around, he said, ¡°Would it kill you to shut up?¡± ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll stop, hehe,¡± Li Ruoxuan replied coolly. Jiang Yeqian, ¡°...¡± Perhaps tonight really was not the right time to confess, but there were some things that he had to make clear that night. There would be more problems if he left them forter. Although, she had been very reluctant to give in. Jiang Yeqian felt a little disappointed. Because he had finally been able to say it. Now Li Ruoxuan knew that he truly liked that woman! Jiang Yeqian left the State Preceptor¡¯s residence the way he arrived. Outside the walls, Zhao Xin hurried over to meet him. ¡°Your Excellency?¡± Hands tucked behind his back, Jiang Yeqian left the ce quickly with Zhao Xin lest a spy was to spot him. After returning to his residence, Jiang Yeqian looked around at the empty house. For the first time, he felt an inexplicable sense of repulsion. He stood within the walls and swept his gaze from the pond to the garden. What an empty and boring house. Zhao Xin looked at his Excellency suspiciously, as if wondering why he was not going in. Jiang Yeqian turned around and walked out the front door. Zhao Xin quickly followed. When he reached the door, he asked in a daze, ¡°Your Excellency?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°A-are we going somewhere again?¡± ¡°...¡± He remained silent as before. The guards at the gate of the Head Grand Secretariat¡¯s residence also looked confused as they watched Jiang Yeqian leaving the residence at thiste hour. They were all scratching their heads in doubt. Zhao Xin noted that his master had not instructed him to prepare a carriage, or a horse, or any other mount¡­ He was also confused. Jiang Yeqian walked quietly along the long street under the moonlight. Zhao Xin followed silently. People had been keeping tabs on Jiang Yeqian¡¯s residence ever since he returned to Capital City. Spies from everywhere were watching the Head Grand Secretariat as he left in the middle of the night. They thought Jiang Yeqian was off to do something mysterious, so they were watching him quietly. In the end, the spies only saw Jiang Yeqian walking under the night sky with his hands behind his back and his expression wistful and apathetic. Like he was just taking a casual walk. This confused the spies¡­ What was going on with the Head Grand Secretariat? He used to be so busy taking care of many things every day. Now he was suddenly taking a calm stroll? Was he that free? Could he be waiting to meet with someone? With that in mind, all the spies watched him in secret as they hoped to discover the Head Grand Secretariat¡¯s motive for the night. Everyone got excited when the handsome man led his subordinate to the Qinglong River. In the end¡­ Time slipped by in seconds and then minutes. The man was sitting on a stone tform by the river as he watched the flowing water as if he was just in a daze. Chapter 524 - Late Night Confession 5

Chapter 524: Late Night Confession 5

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion At dawn, Jiang Yeqian finally raised his head to look at the Qinglong River. The water surface was calm and cid. He whispered quietly as if talking to himself, ¡°I¡¯m not ugly. Is my confession really so suspicious?¡± Zhao Xin, who had been standing behind Jiang Yeqian till his legs were slightly numb, suddenly came back to his senses. ¡°Your Excellency, did you confess to Lady Qi?¡± Jiang Yeqian replied in a faint tone, ¡°Yes, but I was cussed out and called worthless. She even suspected that I only confessed because it was advantageous to me.¡± Zhao Xin tried to sort through the information quickly. Then, he said in a low voice, ¡°This sounds normal.¡± ¡°Normal?¡± Jiang Yeqian suddenly looked back at Zhao Xin. Zhao Xin said with great earnestness, ¡°Your Excellency, if you looked at this from Lady Qi¡¯s perspective, would you fancy a woman if she were just a little girl from the countryside?¡± Jiang Yeqian, ¡°...¡± Something seemed to have gotten stuck in his throat; he was unable to utter a single word. Zhao Xin continued, ¡°Although the young grand master is not here now, it is very likely that he has only gone away for a short while.¡± Jiang Yeqian did not understand. ¡°Why did you bring him up?¡± Zhao Xin was surprised that his master did not seem to have thought about this. ¡°If this servant was in Lady Qi¡¯s shoes, I would also feel that your confession was just for the sake of ascending to grand mastership with Si Jin¡¯s aid by asking for pointers from him...¡± Jiang Yeqian, ¡°...¡± He really had not thought this far. He only naively wanted to clear out the misunderstanding at the imperial pce, which was why he confessed¡­ ¡­ Meanwhile, Imperial Pce. The little empress had not been able to sleep the entire night. She repeatedly sat up, waiting for the sky to brighten even before dawn. Unable to wait any longer, she got up and dressed herself without summoning her maids, then walked out of the bedroom barefoot. Apart from Little Lizi, the little empress was usually served by the maid Zhenqin at night. Zhenqin did not expect her Majesty toe out by herself. She hurriedly called for the other pce maids toe forward and wait on the little empress as she washed up. She said, ¡°Your Majesty, you are up too early today. It¡¯s not even dawn yet.¡± ¡°We couldn¡¯t sleep.¡± After washing up, the little empress dressed herself again and took a seat in the outer hall. She asked Zhenqin to prepare her a cup of tea. After the teacup was in her hand, she muttered to herself, ¡°We think there is something wrong.¡± Zhenqin stood beside her, waiting without saying a word. The little empress suddenly said, ¡°The State Preceptor said yesterday that he liked Qi Qingyao¡± ¡°...¡± Zhenqin knew about this matter, but she did not know how to respond to the empress. In her eyes, the State Preceptor was very cruel and shrewd; he could not possibly fancy a rural girl for no reason. There was definitely something to it. The little empress continued, ¡°That littledy is a widow with three children.¡± ¡°...¡± Zhenqin nodded slightly. She had heard this from the empress before. The little empress turned her head and asked Zhenqin, ¡°Say, what do you think the State Preceptor is thinking?¡± Zhenqin did not dare answer the question, so she only said, ¡°This servant would not presume to specte what the State Preceptor is thinking.¡± The little empress sighed and said in a disappointed tone, ¡°Li Ruoxuan is not just the State Preceptor of Northern Liang, but he is also now one of the three grand masters of the nation.¡± ¡°Your Majesty, this is a good thing.¡± Zhenqin did not understand why the empress looked so downcast. The little empress narrowed her eyes, her expression somber. ¡°It¡¯s not a good thing at all if he likes Qi Qingyao.¡± Zhenqin swallowed slightly. She nervously tried asking again, ¡°Y-Your Majesty...I don¡¯t understand. If you like the Head Grand Secretariat, isn¡¯t it a good thing that the State Preceptor has helped you solve this problem? Why would it be bad?¡± She observed the empress¡¯s expression after that, for fear of saying something she should not have. The little empress did not respond. Instead, her tone became even more serious. ¡°Li Ruoxuan likes her and that Si Jin may only listen to her orders. If it reaches a time that she canmand two grand masters, would we¡ªthe empress¡ªeven matter anymore? ¡°Not to mention that Si Jin can kill Shang Li on his own. Even if he somehow can¡¯t, will Shang Li even agree to go up against the two grand masters who have joined forces when the timees? ¡°If she were to rebel, it would only be too easy for her.¡± With these short sentences, Zhenqin was left stupefied. She wanted to blurt out that even though the littledy from the countryside indeed had some skill, there was¡­no way she would decide to rebel! Little Lizi was about to say something as well, but refrained from saying a word after some contemtion. For a child of heaven, how could the empress possibly allow others to interfere with her business? ¡°If the two grand masters end up favoring this littledy, it would be a very dangerous thing. Even so, we can¡¯t kill them.¡± The little empress was even more wistful. She asked, ¡°Zhenqin, what do you think we should do?¡± In reality, the little empress did not really expect to get any valuable advice from the pce maids. Zhenqin thought for a moment and said, ¡°This servant thinks the problem is fairly simple.¡± The little empress said offhandedly, ¡°Let us hear it.¡± Zhenqin carefully said, ¡°If Your Majesty is worried about Qi Qingyao uniting the State Preceptor and the young grand master, just marry Qi Qingyao off to someone else.¡± The little empress was slightly taken aback. She patted her thigh. She thought the idea was pretty good. ¡°When the timees, Li Ruoxuan would have to give up on her, and who¡¯s to say the young grand master would not relinquish her too. It would be killing two birds with one stone.¡± ¡°Exactly, Your Majesty.¡± Zhenqin stared wide-eyed and nodded seriously. However, to whom would she be married to? This was a problem. The little empress pondered for a moment and asked Zhenqin to bring her the intelligence report on Qi Qingyao. After looking through it for a moment, The little empress asked Zhenqin to prepare a brush, an inkstone, and paper. She prepared to draw up an edict. Dawn arrived. Two edicts were sent to the Lu family and the State Preceptor¡¯s residence respectively. One of them was for Qi Qingyao. The other was for Lu Yan. Chapter 525 - Late Night Confession 6

Chapter 525: Late Night Confession 6

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Just as Qi Qingyao was done washing up and was about to head to the dining hall for breakfast, Zhu Shen called her to the front hall, his expression serious. Bewildered, she knelt down and epted the offered edict. Qi Qingyao remained kneeling in confusion as the old man who brought her the edict took his leave. Li Ruoxuan rushed over from the courtyard. He saw Qi Qingyao kneeling there and took the imperial edict from her hand with a somber expression. After looking through it, he frowned and threw the edict directly onto the ground. He then pulled Qi Qingyao from the ground. He settled her down into a chair at one side and handed her a cup of herbal tea. Qi Qingyao drank the cup of tea like a walking corpse as she slowly regained her senses. Her fingers were trembling slightly. She put down the cup and looked up nkly, asking, ¡°I... have been bestowed a marriage?¡± Her mind was still buzzing till now, the old man¡¯s sharp voice still echoing in her mind. Li Ruoxuan sat down beside her and nodded. ¡°You have.¡± Somewhat perplexed, Qi Qingyao asked, ¡°But why bestow me a marriage out of nowhere?¡± Li Ruoxuan contemted for a moment. Ayer of frost coated his gaze as he took the responsibility upon himself. ¡°It is probably because of me.¡± Qi Qingyao, ¡°Huh?¡± Li Ruoxuan gestured at the house. Then, he said in a low voice, ¡°You are staying here with me, and you¡¯re getting too close to the State Preceptor.¡± This was the first point. ¡°Not to mention, I proimed that I liked you yesterday in the pce when I was trying to save you. Your daughter worships me as a teacher and the little empress knows this.¡± This was the second point. ¡°Think about it. You are so close to Si Jin, and both Si Jin and I are grand masters.¡± ¡°You have a rtionship with two of the three grand masters of the entirety of Northern Liang. And a rather close rtionship at that. If you were the empress, what would you think?¡± This was the third point. ¡°This decision to bestow marriage is part of the empress¡¯s schemes.¡± ... Qi Qingyao was stunned, ¡°...¡± The words ¡®the empress¡¯s schemes¡¯ echoed in her head. Li Ruoxuan said with a somber expression, ¡°It¡¯s all my fault, I was careless in the pce yesterday. My abrupt statement, be it a confession or just apliment, shouldn¡¯t have been said.¡± He had somehow forgotten to consider the overall situation back then. Fearing that Jiang Yeqian would have really strangled her, his mouth had acted faster than his mind and he immediately said those words but had momentarily forgotten his standing as a grand master... He had crossed a certain boundary and it made the little empress nervous. Li Ruoxuan suddenly thought of something. ¡°You mustn¡¯t let the little empress find out that Jiang Yeqian had confessed to you yesterday night.¡± Qi Qingyao, ¡°Ah.¡± Li Ruoxuan said profoundly, ¡°You will no doubt be executed the moment she finds out.¡± Qi Qingyao, ¡°...¡± Seeing her saying nothing, Li Ruoxuan felt slightly annoyed. ¡°Have you gone stupid from shock?¡± Qi Qingyao shook her head as if nothing happened. ¡°No.¡± ¡°I just suddenly feel that, while I do respect the little empress, a little widow like me has be a great threat in her eyes.¡± This was something she had not expected at all. She... Was she so important? Important enough that she was viewed as a threat by the little empress? Li Ruoxuan said carelessly, ¡°The previous intelligence report on you indicated that you were a useless good-for-nothing, but then you gained intelligence and were able to design buildings and bargain with Lu Yan. You won a house from a man as smart as him. You even found a young grand master! Not to mention, no one has found anything out about where the young grand master is from. As the saying goes, a man¡¯s fortune is his own ruin.¡± Qi Qingyao did not have much of arge reaction when she heard this. She just asked faintly, ¡°So, what¡¯ll happen now? Do I listen to her obediently so as to not make her feel threatened and marry...¡± Wait, marry who? Chapter 526 - Bestowed A Marriage 1

Chapter 526: Bestowed A Marriage 1

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Qi Qingyao was suspicious. ¡°Who am I bestowed to?¡± Li Ruoxuan pursed his lips and answered, ¡°Lu Yan.¡± Qi Qingyao was stunned for a moment. Returning to her senses, she asked, ¡°Why Lu Yan?¡± If it were part of the empress¡¯s schemes, should she not be married off to some random minister¡¯s son, especially one who already had awfully wedded wife? Why would she wed a widow like her off to Lu Yan and have this pure and chaste man take the fall? This did not make any sense. Could it be that the little empress had a grudge on Lu Yan? Li Ruoxuan calmly said, ¡°The little empress read about you and Lu Yan being close when she looked through the intelligence report. She wants to marry you off to him to undermine the Lu family¡¯s power since she is afraid that the Lu family will eventually own all the sinews of gold and silver in Northern Liang. If both Jiang Yeqian and I fancy you, we might even take vengeance on the Lu family after losing you! That would result in the bnce being maintained, and it¡¯s something the empress would be delighted about.¡± A little maid had brought some freshly boiled goat¡¯s milk to the door and Zhu Shen went over to receive it. After bringing it over, Qi Qingyao scooped arge bowl of goat¡¯s milk for herself. She took a sip before saying, ¡°So, I am a sacrificial pawn of the legends?¡± ¡°You¡¯re just a chess piece that has the power to keep everything in check and bnced.¡± Li Ruoxuan only noticed that her movements looked unhurried after he said this and asked, ¡°Weren¡¯t you all appalled and anxious just a moment ago? Why are you suddenly so calm?¡± ¡°Why should I be anxious?¡± Qi Qingyao asked with a smile as she took a sip of her milk calmly. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re really going to go through with the marriage?¡± Li Ruoxuan asked, instantly stunned. Qi Qingyao smiled even wider. ¡°The empress has bestowed marriage onto me, how am I to refuse?¡± ¡°You actually n on marrying!!¡± Li Ruoxuan stood up abruptly, a look of disbelief in his eyes. Qi Qingyao nced at his surprised expression. She was the one getting married, not him. ¡°I was bestowed with this marriage. Any other person would put up a bit of resistance but the one I¡¯m being married off to is the legendary richest man of Northern Liang. Why should I refuse when I¡¯m not losing out on anything?¡± Exasperated, Li Ruoxuan cursed, ¡°You really are a money-worshiping woman!!¡± Confused at the verbalshings, Qi Qingyao blinked her eyes. Looking unperturbed, she said, ¡°You men love power, we women love money, what of it? That said, Lu Yan is pretty handsome! I¡¯m losing out on nothing. In fact, Lu Yan is.¡± ¡°Is that how you really feel?¡± Li Ruoxuan felt like there was something lodged in his chest making it hard for him to breathe. Qi Qingyao said in a self-deprecating manner, ¡°I was a little outraged just now because I thought I was being married off to some minister¡¯s son. But to think it was to the wealthiest man in Northern Liang, huh.¡± An unspeakable emotion had begun to fester in Li Ruoxuan¡¯s heart, gradually consuming him. Livid, he said, ¡°Just because of money, you¡¯re not even going to offer an ounce of resistance??¡± Qi Qingyao finished drinking the piping hot goat¡¯s milk. She looked confusedly at the agitated Li Ruoxuan. ¡°Why are you so angry and anxious?¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Right. Why was he so angry? LI Ruoxuan suddenly calmed down a little. His tone suddenly devoid of joy and anger, he said, ¡°You¡¯re the mother of my disciple, it¡¯s natural that I¡¯m anxious about this! What¡¯s so weird about it?¡± With a smile, Qi Qingyao said, ¡°Then congratte me!¡± ¡°...¡± Why the hell would he congratte her! Li Ruoxuan felt the heat in his heart rising all the way to the peak. He stormed off, flicking his sleeves with displeasure. Qi Qingyao was left sitting there. She licked the milk bowl, looking absolutely perplexed, and asked Zhu Shen, ¡°Why did he leave?¡± Zhu Shen nced at Qi Qingyao silently. His expression had also turned serious. Then he turned to leave the front hall. After licking the bowl clean, Qi QIngyao scratched her head. ¡°Why did everyone leave?¡± The moment she put down the bowl, A little maid came forward and reported, ¡°Missus, the master of the Lu family has requested to see you.¡± ¡°Let him in quickly.¡± Finally, he was here. After a while. A beautiful man strode into the front hall withrge strides, a white cat in his arms. She watched him enter through the door. Qi Qingyao widened her eyes a little and asked faintly, ¡°You received the edict?¡± Still carrying the cat, Lu Yan sat down where Li Ruoxuan was previously sitting and said anxiously, ¡°Indeed, I came looking for you because I received the edict¡± Qi Qingyao noted the beads of sweat on his forehead and knew that he had also been thoroughly shocked, which was why he had made his way over at first notice. Skipping the pleasantries, she immediately asked, ¡°Do you want to reject the marriage, or¡­¡± A hint of panic shed through Lu Yan¡¯s gaze. He did not answer her, but instead asked back, ¡°Do you want to reject it?¡± An ironic, self-deprecating smile hooked around the corners of Qi Qingyao¡¯s lips. ¡°I¡¯m just a chess piece to keep everyone in check. I have no leverage to refuse this at all. What am I supposed to bring to the table to bargain with the empress?¡± ¡°You¡¯re surrendering?¡± Lu Yan was feeling really conflicted. This was because he not only felt shocked, but also a hint of joy when he received this edict. Although he did not understand why the little empress bestowed marriage onto Qi Qingyao out of nowhere, this¡­ to him, was a good thing. Qi QIngyao got up, crossing her hands behind her back as she stood by the door. She gazed at the rising sun outside and said softly, ¡°Looking at this from a strategic standpoint, only the guillotine awaits me if I don¡¯t surrender. Refusing is a crime. On the other hand, if I give in, I won¡¯t be losing out on anything by marrying you. Instead, you are the one who is losing out. As such, I have no reason to reject this at all.¡± Saying that, the corners of the young girl¡¯s lips hooked up into a rather teasing smile. ¡°However, from a tactical standpoint, she is merely bestowing a marriage, even giving us a month to get it done. She didn¡¯t specify if we need to remain married or if we¡¯re not allowed to divorce.¡± Saying this. She turned around, her back against the light, and smiled at Lu Yan prettily, ¡°So, you don¡¯t have to worry about us being husband and wife forever and disgracing the Lu family.¡± Lu Yan could not quite make out the young girl¡¯s face with the light shining out from behind her. He could only tell she was beginning to scheme from her tone. Stunned, he asked, ¡°You are already thinking about divorcing?¡± Qi Qingyao shrugged. Unabashed, she said, ¡°Since the little empress now sees me as a thorn in her side, I have neither the power nor the right to go against her. I can only obey her.¡± She would cross whatever hurdle that was in her way. She knew the consequences of going against the little empress. Hence, this was the best solution for now! However, Qi Qingyao did not realize that the optimal solution to her¡­was a huge shock to others. Chapter 527 - Bestowed A Marriage 2

Chapter 527: Bestowed A Marriage 2

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Jiang Yeqian was still sitting beside the Qinglong River. As the sun began to rise, Zhao Xin was just about to remind him to go to court when he suddenly recalled that his Excellency had already resigned. He held his tongue and continued to stand and wait behind Jiang Yeqian. Before long, a familiar whistling sound came. Zhao Xin frowned and went off somewhere. Bai Mei ryed an important report to him and Zhao Xian frowned deeper when he heard it. He hurriedly returned to report to Jiang Yeqian. ¡°Your Excellency, an important report has just arrived. Two imperial edicts had been simultaneously sent to the State Preceptor¡¯s residence and the Lu Residence. ¡°Get to the point.¡± Jiang Yeqian looked at the river, bored. Zhao Xin did not dare look at his Excellency¡¯s face when he spoke. ¡°The two imperial edicts are reportedly marriage bestowments.¡± Jiang Yeqian, ¡°...¡± Marriage bestowments? The State Preceptor¡¯s residence and the Lu Residence? Could Li Ruoxuan have been bestowed with marriage? Zhao Xin gulped and added, ¡°The marriage partners are Qi Qingyao and Lu Yan. Lu Yan has already arrived at the State Preceptor¡¯s residence now.¡± In a split second, Jiang Yeqian got up to his feet. There was a huge, abrupt change in his expression. ¡°A marriage bestowment???? Between her, and him??¡± ¡°...¡± Zhao Xin looked down and did not say a word. Having not rested for the past 12 hours because things have thrown his emotions into turmoil, Jiang Yeqian¡¯splexion became even uglier when he heard this news. He got up, his entire body swaying slightly as he said, ¡°I, I need to pay a visit to the State Preceptor¡¯s residence immediately.¡± ¡°Your Excellency, please calm down!¡± Zhao Xin went up to support Jiang Yeqian who was unable to walk properly. ¡°Don¡¯t be anxious.¡± ¡°How can I not be? If I don¡¯t get a move on, the woman will be betrothed to Lu Yan by the little empress.¡± Jiang Yeqian¡¯splexion was as ck as the bottom of the pot. Had the little empress received word of him crashing the State Preceptor¡¯s residencest night and gone mad again? Was that why she immediately betrothed Qi Qingyao to Lu Yan? ¡°Your Excellency! Calm down!¡± Zhao Xin helplessly said, ¡°Although I cannot understand why you like Lady Qi, I will still naturally support whatever you decide. But you need to know right now that the marriage bestowments have already been handed down. Milk has been spilled, they cannot go against it.¡± Everyone knew that refusal of an imperial edict led to the guillotine. Jiang Yeqian fell silent for a moment. ¡°Damn it!¡± ... Qi Qingyao was looking at Lu Yan as she said, ¡°I will tell you my ns, tell me what you think.¡± ¡°I...¡± Lu Yan opened his mouth slightly, his expression a little embarrassed as he said in a low voice, ¡°We don¡¯t actually have to get a divorce.¡± Qi Qingyao froze for a second before she blinked her eyes and said, ¡°Big brother, are you pulling my leg?¡± She went up to him and grabbed his arm. Eyes wide, she said particrly seriously, ¡°You¡¯d have to spend the rest of your life with me if we don¡¯t get a divorce.¡± Lu Yan took in her nervous form as she grabbed his arm. He did not shy away but tried hard to endure this kind of human behavior. There was a trace of a smile on the corners of his lips. ¡°I know.¡± Hearing this, Qi Qingyao broke down. ¡°You have never even been married before and this is a marriage bestowment from the empress. I would be yourwfully wedded wife when the timees, big brother.¡± Lu Yan asked with a smile, ¡°Is there a problem with that?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t there a problem with this?¡± Qi Qingyao stood up, wiping the sweat off her forehead. Notprehending, she said, ¡°Your family is the wealthiest in Northern Liang! To take a widow with three children as yourwfully wedded wife, your Lu family will no doubt be theughing stock of the prestigious nobles of the entire Capital City. Do you understand this?¡± ¡°I do,¡± said Lu Yan. ¡°How are you this calm then? Is there really no problem with this?¡± What was he thinking? Smiling faintly, Lu Yan said, ¡°Everyone in the Lu family was very happy when we received the imperial edict. No one finds it disgraceful. Instead, they were honored.¡± The white cat in his arms purred. It opened its eyes and nced at the man carrying it. It did not understand how this man¡ªwho was usually so smart when it came to business¡ªcould be this slow when it came to this! Could he not speak a bit more clearly? To the white cat, however, Qi QIngyao and Lu Yan getting married was a good thing because it rather liked Si Jin. If their marriage came to pass, he could y with Si Jin every day. It was likely that the boy had lost too much spiritual energy and was unable to maintain his human form. So he must be hiding, swimming in the Jiuli River to cultivate. Who knew when he coulde out again? Stunned for half a beat, Qi Qingyao said, ¡°F*ck, your family aren¡¯t sick in the head, are they?¡± Lu Yan said with a smile, ¡°We were very close in Qingzhou City, you¡¯re my physician, after all. My family more or less knows about you, so they feel very happy about this. As for the children, my family doesn¡¯t mind. They have even got together to prepare a courtyard for the children.¡± Qi Qingyao, ¡°...¡± What was going on?! Why did it seem like not only was he happy, but also his entire family? Qi Qingyao was stumped. Chapter 528 - Bestowed A Marriage 3

Chapter 528: Bestowed A Marriage 3

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Qi Qingyao did not know how to react even after Lu Yan left. No matter how you put it, if they really were seriously contemting this, the one who was gaining advantage was her since Lu Yan¡¯s family was the wealthiest in Northern Liang! Apart from that dark incident in his past, he was absolutely pure and chaste the rest of his life! He was apletely clean and lovely guy. He was nothing like her, who did not have a good reputation in her hometown. Forget her having kids out of wedlock, she did not even know who the father of the children was. If this had happened in Daming or the farther areas of Eastern Ling, the sinner would have likely been drowned in a wicker basket! Although she had carved out something of a name for herself afterward, the added value that enabled her toe to Capital City came entirely from Si Jin and his sudden existence!! Without Si Jin, she was just an ordinary little woman from a normal vige! Qi Qingyao still was not quite clear about what she was actually capable of. Qi Qingyao returned to the dining hall from the front hall and noticed that the triplets had already eaten. Dabao and Xiaobao were pestering Zhu Shen to hire a teacher, saying that they wanted to study! Li Ruoxuan had brought Erniu to the garden. They were supposedly starting their first lesson. Qi Qingyao sneakily ran over to peek and saw that Li Ruoxuan was sitting on a stone tform while Erniu was hugging a traditional drum stool while seated below the tform. Her chin was in her hands as she listened solemnly to Li Ruoxuan¡¯s words. Erniu looked confused most of the time since she was just a four-year-old child, and it was unrealistic to expect her to be able to understand everything. Li Ruoxuan did not hold it against her, however, and would even nod his head sometimes and ask Erniu whether or not she understood and to ask him questions if she did not. Erniu furrowed her brows seriously, firing off her questions continuously like cannons as if she had hundreds and thousands of ¡®why¡¯s. Qi Qingyao¡¯s heart dropped, would Li Ruoxuan throttle Erniu out of exasperation? She was a child and would naturally have a lot of questions. The girl did not know how to read much either and her knowledge of the world was even morecking! Hence, Erniu had treated Li Ruoxuan as a regr teacher at that moment and bombarded him with questions. Qi Qingyao¡¯s eyes were fixed on the pair nervously. If Li Ruoxuan showed a hint that he was going to rough up Erniu, she would have to swoop in and save her! To her surprise, after a moment, Li Ruoxuan still looked very calm, he evenughed. He continued to exin all sorts of things to Erniu. Erniu also looked as if she was very satisfied with her ¡°teacher¡¯s¡± answers. An hourter, Li Ruoxuan dered that they would end their lesson for the day, his reasoning being that a child would not be able to take in too much anyway. He let Erniu off to y before having lunchter on. After Erniu went looking for Dabao and Xiaobao to y, Qi Qingyao walked in from the other side of the courtyard walls, coughing lightly. She feigned calmness as she said, ¡°And here I thought you wouldn¡¯t have the patience.¡± Li Ruoxuan remained seated on therge stone tform. He nced up at the sky before getting to his feet and jumping down. He said, ¡°She¡¯s only 4 years old, she¡¯s at an age where she wouldn¡¯t be able to sit still anyway. Her personality is quite simr to yours. If I weren¡¯t patient, this disciple of mine might just run off.¡± Qi Qingyao, ¡°...¡± Li Ruoxuan began walking toward the study. Qi Qingyao followed him quietly. He did not turn around to chase her away. With that, Qi Qingyao followed Li Ruoxuan all the way to the study. Li Ruoxuan sat behind his yellow rosewood table and nced at therge pile of letters and documents on his table. He looked up and asked Qi Qingyao while he tore open a letter, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that you wanted to head out today? Why are you still here?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t feel like it.¡± Qi Qingyao randomly chose a carved, redwood round chair at the side to sit down. She picked an apple from the fruit te beside the study table and began munching on it. She started talking business as she chewed. ¡°Did you know? I gave Lu Yan a suggestion that we can go ahead with the request of the imperial edict and then just get a divorce after we are done.¡± Li Ruoxuan¡¯s fingers suddenly stopped. He lifted his head to look at her. Qi QIngyao continued, ¡°This doesn¡¯t count as a refusal of the imperial edict now, does it? Anyway, guess what? In the end, not just Lu Yan but his entire family all found it agreeable for us to marry ording to the imperial edict. They didn¡¯t even think about us getting a divorce¡­ Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s a bummer?¡± Li Ruoxuan¡¯s expression was rather bizarre. His lips slightly parted, he said, ¡°So you had originally nned to get married first then get a divorce?¡± Qi Qingyao sat up straight from her initiallyzy posture. ¡°I said a lot of things just now, did none of them get into your head?¡± Li Ruoxuan coughed lightly. He retracted his gaze and pretended to go back to reading his letter. As if nothing happened, he said, ¡°Of course, I heard what you said. What I meant is, why didn¡¯t you tell me your n earlier if you had already drawn it up?¡± Qi QIngyao answered with a strange expression, ¡°Why should I need to tell you that? I¡¯m the one who¡¯s being betrothed, not you.¡± Li Ruoxuan, ¡°...¡± He had no idea how to answer that after she made it sound as if there was nothing wrong at all. However, the Lu family¡¯s decision¡­ Li Ruoxuan could understand it. Although Li Ruoxuan did not really fancy Qi Qingyao, he still did not want her to get stuck with the Lu family after marrying their young master! He deliberately said, ¡°You have Si Jin backing you, of course the Lu family would be happy to trap you, little miss popr. ¡°Si Jin¡¯s power is too horrifying and unfathomable. He coulde out of the battle against two grand masters unscathed while having killed one and heavily injuring the other. That means he has the power to go up against four grand masters at once. If someone was really equivalent to four grand masters, just think about what kind of existence he is. ¡°If the Lu family has a grand master of such a level backing them, to them it would mean that they would be even more powerful! ¡°Generally speaking, if the Lu family decided to rebel afterward, it would be a piece of cake for them¡­¡± ¡­ ¡­ Qi Qingyao looked at Li Ruoxuan, dumbfounded. ¡°Y-you mean to say that, the Lu family just wants to use me?¡± How foolish of her to think that Lu Yan was being earnest just now. Li Ruoxuan said lightly, ¡°Who asked you to be so disillusioned, leading you into thinking that Lu Yan actually likes you in earnest? Would the wealthiest family in Northern Liang sincerely ept a widow with three kids to marry their most favored child as hiswfully wedded wife?¡± Qi Qingyao, ¡°...¡± One of the three greatest illusions of life was that the wealthiest family would allow their son to marry a widow who already has a few children! Li Ruoxuan once again made things clear. ¡°If you really don¡¯t want to go against the imperial edict, just don¡¯t worry about what the Lu family does. After you marry him, just go ording to your initial n and get a divorce after a month.¡± Although Li Ruoxuan used to quite hate the fact that Qi Qingyao had Si Jin by her side, he was wishing for Si Jin¡¯s quick return at this moment. If Si Jin were to appear, Qi Qingyao would not have to go against the imperial edict. Si Jin would just have to enter the pce and forcefully get rid of it! No one else could defy the little empress¡¯s orders apart from Si Jin. Qi Qingyao sighed. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter what I do, I will always be reduced into a political chess piece! Truly, one¡¯s fortune is their own ruin.¡± Qi Qingyao pressed her lips together and said, ¡°If humans are unable to jump too high, trying it would only lead to their legs being broken easily!¡± Li Ruoxuan begged to differ. ¡°Everything is a double-edged sword. If you weren¡¯t this capable, you might have already starved to death in the vige long ago, no? ¡± Qi Qingyao, ¡°...¡± Her silence led to Li Ruoxuan thinking about another matter. The Head Grand Secretariat had likely received news of her being bestowed marriage as well. He was suddenly very curious how Jiang Yeqian would react to this. Chapter 529 - Bestowed A Marriage 4

Chapter 529: Bestowed A Marriage 4

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Qi Qingyao said nothing more, and neither did Li Ruoxuan. He then quickly organized the documents on his table, noting that she was still silent. Once he was done, a thought entered his mind, so he asked it. ¡°Have you told the children about this?¡± ¡°...¡± Qi Qingyao promptly lifted her head. She furrowed her brows then made her way out. Li Ruoxuan watched her from the back as she left. He stopped what he was doing. After a while, he resumed looking through the documents. By the time Qi Qingyao returned to the courtyard, the triplets had already resumed their studies with their teacher. She watched them from the door for a moment. The teacher concluded their lesson after teaching them a few words. She made a gesture, signaling for the teacher to leave the small study first. Once she entered, she sat down on the chair the teacher had previously sat in. The triplets surrounded her, hugging her arms coquettishly. ¡°Mommy, didn¡¯t you say that we¡¯d go out and y today?¡± ¡°About that¡­¡± Qi Qingyao stammered for a moment before saying, ¡°Mommy has something to discuss with you all for a bit.¡± Dabao first said, somewhat disinterestedly, ¡°Are you going to tell us we aren¡¯t going out to y anymore?¡± Qi Qingyao caressed Dabao¡¯s head and replied, ¡°No, it¡¯s about something else ¡± Dabao¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Tell us!¡± ¡°...¡± The children¡¯s obedient and cute gazes left Qi Qingyao wondering how she was going to exin theplicated situation to the children simply and clearly so they could understand. She was silent for a long time as the children became rather restless. Dabao said, ¡°Mommy?¡± Erniu echoed, ¡°Mommy¡­¡± Xiaobao blinked. ¡°Mommy, just what is it that you find so difficult to tell us?¡± Qi Qingyao scratched her head, their questions leaving her a little confused. ¡°It¡¯s not that it¡¯s hard for me to tell you. It¡¯s just that this matter is reallyplicated, and I don¡¯t know how to exin it, ¡± she responded. Just then, Xiaobao patted his chest like a little adult. He looked at her with clear watery eyes. ¡°Mommy, no matter what happens, Dabao, Erniu, and I will always stick by your side.¡± Qi Qingyao felt like Xiaobao had a hidden meaning behind his words, so she tentatively asked, ¡°Do you know what I¡¯m going to tell you?¡± Xiaobao answered honestly, ¡°I don¡¯t know. But you skipped breakfast this morning, and we know that you received an imperial edict in the front hall. Then, I heard from the others that Uncle Lu came here and had a long talk with you. After that, you and the State Preceptor talked a while more in the study.¡± Qi Qingyao said with a smile, ¡°What a sharp little boy you are.¡± Dabao and Erniu looked at Xiaobao simultaneously with astonished gazes. Xiaobao looked at her solemnly and asked, ¡°Mommy, did the empress give you an order¡­ in that imperial edict?¡± Dabao and Erniu¡¯s gaze had now shifted to Qi Qingyao at the same time. Stared at by three pairs of dark, watery eyes, Qi Qingyao was silent for a long time before she said, ¡°The empress bestowed me a marriage.¡± ¡°...¡± The triplets stared as their eyes simultaneously widened like copper bells. Their mouths were opened so wide that they could be stuffed with stewed eggs. Dabao immediately asked, ¡°Bestowed a marriage¡­ Does that mean mommy has to marry someone?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Qi Qingyao nodded. Xiaobao blinked his big eyes. His voice was like that of a child¡¯s, but his tone was very serious. ¡°Is it Uncle Lu?¡± ¡°How did you know?!¡± Qi Qingyao was so shocked she almost fell off her chair. Xiaobao pressed his red lips together tightly. ¡°Uncle Lu purposefully came here to see you, and you guys were talking for so long¡­¡± Dabao and Erniu also looked at Xiaobao with stunned gazes. Xiaobao was the youngest among the triplets, but he was so smart. Mommy had obviously not even said anything yet, but Xiaobao had already managed to guess it. Their little brother was so awesome! Xiaobao lifted his fleshy little hand and touched his chin. Looking like a little adult deep in thought, he asked, ¡°But what is the reason? Why would you be bestowed marriage to Uncle Lu¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s because¡­¡± Since Xiaobao had been able to figure out the essentials of the situation so quickly, and knowing that she could not hide this matter,?Qi Qingyao exined the situation, both its causes and its consequences, in a way she thought was quite sinct and easy to follow. When she was done, she noted that the triplets looked dumbfounded. Qi Qingyao said, ¡°Though you guys are still young, you¡¯ve gone through a lot. Mommy can exin the precedence and oue of this situation again if you guys don¡¯t understand.¡± Xiaobao gulped. As he pondered, he said, ¡°I kinda got it.¡± With tears in his pitiful eyes, Dabao said aggrievedly, ¡°But I don¡¯t quite understand...¡± Erniu also quickly raised her little hand up high. She signaled that she did not quite understand either. Qi Qingyao was about to repeat herself. Unexpectedly, Xiaobao looked at both of them then turned around. He blinked his sharp, contrasting eyes and spoke. ¡°In other words, Uncle Si Jin is so powerful that he has even been dubbed the number one strongman of the continent¡ªthe most powerful of the powerhouses. But Uncle Si Jin and mommy have too good of a rtionship, and you have taken the State Preceptor as your master. Mommy said that because the State Preceptor had mentioned his liking for her in the presence of the empress due to another issue, some nepotism may also be involved. ¡°Also, the Head Grand Secretariat, Uncle Jiang, frequently visited our home in Qingzhou City. Since we also saved him, he too treats us pretty well. That¡¯s why the empress suspects that he likes Mommy! The premise is that the empress likes Uncle Jiang. ¡°The strongest people in Northern Liang are the grand masters. Back then, there was only one grand master, but now there are three. Mommy has a good rtionship with two of these grand masters! Hence, the empress is a little jealous that Mommy is so capable and now wants to diminish her power.¡± ... Qi Qingyao, ¡°...¡± Goodness, he had exined it better than she could have ever had! At this second, Qi Qingyao was very interested in the child¡¯s father since his gics were clearly very important! Although Xiaobao was the only one out of the triplets who stood out, Erniu was not to be outdone either¡ªher potential for cultivation surpassed that of ordinary people! After an incense stick¡¯s worth of time, Erniu and Dabao finally went ¡°Ooh¡­¡± enthusiastically and a for a long time as they came to a sudden realization. However, the two obviously still did not really understand what was going on. While scratching his head, Dabao said, ¡°But does marrying Uncle Lu diminish her power?¡± Xiaobao replied in a thick nasally voice, ¡°For the empress, it¡¯s killing one bird with three stones!¡± She finally noticed that there was an idiom that the little kid did not know. Qi Qingyao corrected him. ¡°It¡¯s killing three birds with one stone.¡± Xiaobao said excitedly, ¡°Right, it¡¯s killing three birds with one stone! First, marrying Mommy off to Uncle Lu will ruin any chance of Uncle Jiang liking Mommy. Second, your rtionship with the State Preceptor will be inly that of a master-disciple and it¡¯ll be impossible for there to be a future between Mommy and him. Third, if Uncle Si Jin likes Mommy, he wilso be heartbroken since mommy has been wedded! That¡¯s all.¡± Dabao and Erniu were still digesting Qi Qingyao and Xiaobao¡¯s words. They did not make a sound. Rubbing her chin with her thumb, Qi Qingyao looked at Xiaobao meaningfully as she said, ¡°I suddenly feel like¡­¡± ¡°What?¡± Xiaobao, somewhat nervous, felt the hair on his body stand with the way his mommy was looking at him. Qi Qingyao patted his shoulder and sighed with emotion. ¡°I suddenly feel like your father is definitely a very smart person,¡± she said. Xiaobao¡¯s eyes shone. ¡°Really?¡± he asked, looking as if he had discovered a newnd. Dabao on the other hand, asked, ¡°Why do you say so?¡± Qi Qingyao calmly analyzed, ¡°That¡¯s because Erniu has such a strong talent for cultivation and Xiaobao is not like any other four-year-old child, considering how smart he is... Only Dabao is a little stupid, like me! So, your father must be very great!¡± She had thought that maybe the three kids would be interested in their father after she had said that, but the first thing Xiaobao said after listening to her was, ¡°Mommy, don¡¯t think about that man¡ªit¡¯s time to think about our new future daddy. Uncle Lu is also very powerful.¡± Qi Qingyao, ¡°...¡± This kid! Hold on. She found this a little hard toprehend. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you guys have just epted it so easily??¡± Xiaobao puffed his cheeks, looking like someone who should not possess as much maturity and wisdom as he did at his age. He said, ¡°On the bright side, Uncle Lu is quite rich and treats us well. On the other hand, even if the Lu family doesn¡¯t n to treat us nicely, Erniu still has the State Preceptor as her master! So, I¡¯m not scared if the Lu family treats us harshly. We still have a few anchors! ¡°On the flip side, considering Mommy and Uncle Si Jin¡¯s rtionship, the Lu family will definitely treat us all very well to please Uncle Si Jin. That¡¯s because while the Lu family is very rich, they don¡¯t have a grand master in charge. The moment Uncle Si Jines back one day and decides to live with the Lu family, it would be like the Lu family has acquired a grand master to guard them. ¡°That¡¯s all! ¡°That¡¯s why I think Mommy won¡¯t be aggrieved if she were to marry into the Lu family¡ªand neither would we!¡± Qi Qingyao, ¡°...¡± Seriously, this child. Where had his analytical abilitye from? It seemed that his father¡¯s brain was definitely more than adequate. Erniu said in a disapproving tone, ¡°Xiaobao, what about Mommy¡¯s happiness?!¡± Xiaobao¡¯s eyes widened earnestly. ¡°What happiness?¡± Erniu said with a childish and cute expression, ¡°It¡¯s just like what Mommy said, if you¡¯re going to get married, you have to choose someone you like! You can¡¯t end up in an arranged marriage. The empress is now trying to push Mommy into an arranged marriage and crush the dissidents!¡± Qi Qingyao¡¯s cocked ears caught a certain word and eximed in surprise, ¡°You even know the term ¡®crush the dissidents¡¯? Where did you learn that?¡± ¡°I heard it when the other people were chatting...¡± Erniu stuck out her tongue and made a face. Xiaobao asked Qi Qingyao directly, ¡°Mommy, do you like Uncle Lu?¡± Why was this like an interview with a reporter? Abruptly questioned without warning, Qi Qingyao could only say, ¡°I quite like him...¡± ¡°Erniu, you heard that? Mommy said she likes him.¡± Xiaobao looked like he had solved the problem. Erniu also said goofily, ¡°Mommy, if you like Uncle Lu and are willing to marry him, I think this is a prosperous asion. Then, Erniu will congratte Mommy.¡± Qi Qingyao hurriedly made a stop gesture. ¡°Wait, wait!!¡± She had actually been fooled by Xiaobao¡¯s logic! Damn it! The three little kids stared at her with adorably dumb looks. ¡°??¡± Chapter 530 - Bestowed A Marriage 5

Chapter 530: Bestowed A Marriage 5

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Somewhat dumbfounded, Qi Qingyao said, ¡°I didn¡¯t say that I liked Uncle Lu when I first told you guys about this.¡± ¡°But just now¡­¡± Xiaobao was suddenly confused. Qi Qingyao hurriedly exined, ¡°I also like Si Jin, and I like a lot of other people too!¡± Xiaobao held his chin seriously, he furrowed his brows solemnly and asked, ¡°So, why don¡¯t you like Uncle Lu?¡± His ¡®why don¡¯t you¡¯ question threw Qi Qingyao into deep thought once again. This habit of trying to guide one¡¯s temperament when it was not what suited him¡­ who was he taking after? At the moment, she was so interested in who his father was that she could die. However, she could only say helplessly, ¡°...Oh Xiaobao, to like someone just means exactly that. I can like a lot of people, but I can only love one person.¡± Xiaobao looked at her with watery eyes. ¡°You really love the three of us.¡± Qi Qingyao said very seriously, ¡°This love is motherly love. The love I¡¯m talking about is another kind of love. Liking and loving are not the same things.¡± Xiaobao pondered for a moment before blinking his eyes and saying, ¡°Just like how I like rabbits, I also like cats, but my most loved animals are baby goats. Because baby goats are so adorable when they are young, but when they¡¯re older, we can eat them¡ªthat¡¯s why I love little goats the most.¡± ¡°...Alright, something like that.¡± It was nothing like that at all!! The child was still too young, however, and was unable to understand what she meant, so there was no point in her trying to exin it too much. Xiaobao held his head up as if he understood itpletely. With cheeks puffed, he said, ¡°Then, does Mommy not think that she can marry Uncle Lu?¡± ¡°This is the problem that I wanted to discuss with you guys today. I can marry him to survive, but it¡¯s because I like him, so I don¡¯t want to hurt him. What¡¯s more, I don¡¯t want people to be nice to me just because of Si Jin.¡± Qi Qingyao spoke a bunch of nonsense. ¡°I don¡¯t even know how to say it. The point is, I cannot allow us to be other people¡¯s chess pieces. If I really were to get married, I would want to look for a man whom I truly adore. He would love that I love you all, and I would also love him dearly.¡± Like a curious baby, Xiaobao asked, ¡°This love Mommy is talking about, how is it different from ordinary love?¡± Qi Qingyao was silent for a moment before answering, ¡°I haven¡¯t met anyone who makes my heart sing yet! So I can¡¯t say for sure!¡± Xiaobao seemed to understand her not being able to answer for certain, so he did not ask any more questions. He only asked, ¡°So what¡¯s Mommy¡¯s n now¡­?¡± Qi Qingyao shrugged. She caressed the little kid¡¯s head leisurely and said, ¡°It¡¯s what I told you just now. I can¡¯t go against the edict¡ªI can only follow orders and get married. After that, he can either divorce me, or I¡¯ll divorce him. And that¡¯ll be done with.¡± ¡°...¡± Xiaobao frowned. He didn¡¯t think things would be as simple as Mommy made it out to be. Even under the empress¡¯s edict, one could simply divorce after getting married. The Lu family, in theory, would not do such a foolish thing. If Mommy divorced Uncle Lu, the Lu family would not let her get away with it so easily. Could things really go that smoothly? He had serious doubts. However, there did not seem to be any other way out of this. Qi Qingyao left. Dabao and Erniu surrounded Xiaobao, both of them looking stunned. ¡°Could you exin again whatever it is you discussed with Mommy just now?¡± Dabao said a little embarrassedly as he scratched his head. Xiaobao, ¡°...¡± Erniu blinked, also looking at Xiaobao pleadingly. Xiaobao thought with mild confusion. They had all been born from the same womb¡ªhow were these two¡¯sprehension skills so poor¡­? Xiaobao was like a little adult and began exining what he had just spoken about as well as its seriousness to the both of them¡­ He exined for about half an hour before the two finally understood. Then, Dabao and Erniu were both stunned. ¡­ On the other side. Since Jiang Yeqian could not see Qi Qingyao, he was sat in his residence¡ªas restless like a lizard in still water. Seeing his Excellency like that, Zhao Xin thought about how he had already retired¡ªbut even if he was not going to go back to the ghost organization, he still should not be this carefree while he remained in Capital City! His Excellency did not want to go to the Zhaixing Administration, nor did he want to go out. Constantly pacing around here was also not the right way to go! Chapter 531 - Bestowed A Marriage 6

Chapter 531: Bestowed A Marriage 6

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Since the Senluo Chamber of Commerce was the top chamber ofmerce in Northern Liang, they could not hide the news of Lu Yan¡¯s marriage bestowment. After a day, the news of his marriage had spread throughout most of the capital¡ªespecially amongst the upper-ss circles. It almost seemed as if there was not anyone who did not know about it. For example, in the Songhe Inn, several noble children hade to eat and drink. They gathered and even started gossiping about this matter. ¡°Have you heard about that thing with the Lu family?¡± ¡°Ah, are you talking about Lu Yan¡¯s marriage bestowment?¡± ¡°What else is there besides that?¡± Several people exchanged nces to ascertain that everyone understood. However, there were still some who werepletely unaware of the matter. They asked dumbly, ¡°What? Who¡¯s been bestowed with marriage?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the Lu family¡¯s young master of the next generation, Lu Yan.¡± ¡°No way Lu Yan was actually bestowed with marriage. The Senluo Chamber of Commerce is the biggest chamber ofmerce in Northern Liang. Here I thought Lu Yan would definitely end up marrying the most gifted female talent in the capital, Wen Chuji. Who would have thought he would be bestowed with marriage!¡± More people who did not know of this matter came over, asking. ¡°You guys are talking about marriage bestowment? So, which rich youngdy has Lu Yan been bestowed to?¡± Everyone looked bewildered. This was because they did not really know the specifics of whom he had been bestowed marriage to. ¡°I haven¡¯t heard of anyone in the capital saying that their daughter was bestowed to the Lu family.¡± ¡°How is that possible?¡± How was it possible that none of the noble children here knew? Everyone immediately looked at each other. Suddenly, a busybody appeared. ¡°I actually have some connections.¡± ¡°Spit it out.¡± ¡°My grandfather¡¯s third niece¡¯s sixth cousin¡¯s cousin works as a second-ss maid for the Lu family and heard some rumors.¡± ¡°Get to the point.¡± Was this not all nonsense? ¡°Don¡¯t be so hasty now. The point is, I heard that it wasn¡¯t some rich youngdy who¡¯s going to marry into the Lu family¡ªbut a young woman from a vige.¡± There was a surprised uproar when that was said. ¡°What? No way, how is that possible? The wealthiest man in Northern Liang is getting married to a vige girl? This is absolute nonsense.¡± It must be a joke, right? ¡°It¡¯spletely true. I too heard this. It seems that she is from Qingzhou City. What¡¯s her name?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t remember.¡± Everyone was still a little confused about the situation. However, after puzzling together the clues from a few people. Everyone was sure that the person who was bestowed to Lu Yan was truly a little woman from the countryside. ¡°Just what is the background of that girl from the vige? Why would the empress bestow her to the Lu family? Hold on¡ªthe important point is, has the Lu family actually epted it?¡± Considering their power as the top chamber ofmerce in Northern Liang, it should be very easy for them to refuse this marriage bestowment. ¡°Nope, they not only epted it, but I heard that the entire residence is now happily preparing for the marriage.¡± As soon as this was said, the atmosphere became serious. Everyone in Songhe Inn could not sit still when they heard it. Was the Lu family so happy that they have already begun nning the marriage? This¡­ had to be aplete joke, right? Everyone was once again stunned for quite a while. ¡°What is going on? Does this mean Lu Yan himself has agreed to it?¡± Given how much the current head of the Lu family loved that young master, there was no reason for him to forcibly marry him off. However, a collective thought dawned upon everyone. ¡°The empress bestowed the marriage¡ªeven if you don¡¯t agree, what can you do?¡± Some people felt sorry for him after getting in on the gossip. ¡°Ah, I¡¯m really going crazy. Young Master Lu has been keeping himself chaste for so many years.. I honestly believed that he would end up marrying Wen Chuji, the most gifted female talent in the capital, or Jiang Liluo, thedy of the Jiang family. Who would have thought that he would marry a country girl?¡± Chapter 532 - Bestowed A Marriage 7

Chapter 532: Bestowed A Marriage 7

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Wen Mansion. ... Wen Chuji was the first female schr in the capital. Her grandmother was the deputy minister of the Ministry of Revenue. In addition to the fact that she was friendly and attractive, she had held great prestige in Capital City ever since childhood. Growing up as an upper-ss girl, she had shown outstanding talent. It was said that the little empress had ns to get Wen Chuji to join the Ministry of Rites in a few years, starting her off as an agent. Therefore, Wen Chuji had been very popr in Capital City for many years. No one had dared to push her to get married when she came of age¡ªthey only dared ask which young master she was interested in. Of course, Wen Chuji had heard about the Lu family matter. Hence, when noon came, she summoned a posse ofdies from the capital circle to the back garden of her residence. They sat in the tea pavilion and ordered refreshments alongside cakes and fruit. Of course, these noblewomen knew Wen Chuji¡¯s objective for gathering everyone¡ªbut no one dared speak so easily. This was because, after all these years, they understood what she was thinking. Now that the Young Master Lu had been bestowed a marriage, Wen Chuji¡¯s little scheme had fallen through... but as if they would dare speak about it! A noblewoman pondered for a while before broaching the topic first. ¡°Have you all heard about the Lu family?¡± Wen Chuji frowned and said, ¡°If I hadn¡¯t heard about it, I wouldn¡¯t have been in such a hurry to have you alle to my residence.¡± Another noblewoman said, ¡°Sister Wen, we know that Lu Yan is going to get married, but we don¡¯t know who he is marrying.¡± Someone said, ¡°I immediately asked my father to find out more about this. Guess who that little country girl is?¡± Someone promptly answered, ¡°Although I¡¯m notpletely clear about the situation, I¡¯d guess it¡¯s the littledy who¡¯s rted to the young grand master. She was very well-known in the upper-ss circles of the capital some time ago.¡± Wen Chuji¡¯s face was as ck as the bottom of a charred pot. ¡°Exactly!¡± The moment this was brought up, several of the littledies began to chatter. ¡°I also heard that. I heard she;s a little widow. A little woman who bore three children before she was married!¡± The jaws of all the noblewomen at the scene almost hit the ground. ¡°How can that be? Why would Lu Yan be bestowed such a frivolous person? Forget about her being a little country sl*t who has no self-respect¡ªshe even has three children... My God.¡± ¡°I think her name is... Qi Qingyao?¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter what her name is. The more important question is how such a person could actually be fitting for Lu Yan? He is the young master of the Senluo Chamber of Commerce!¡± ¡°Exactly, the only person who can match up with Lu Yan is our Sister Wen!¡± ¡°Sister Wen has been waiting for so many years. She has not gotten married even up until now, at 19 years old, because she wanted to marry into the Lu family. Who would have thought she would be beaten by a little widow!¡± These noblewomen started to feel outraged for Wen Chuji! They had always followed Wen Chuji¡¯s lead because, in their eyes, Wen Chuji was not only talented, but also had the most promising future. She might have even been able to take over the position of deputy minister of the Ministry of Rites in the future! Naturally, one would have to engage in ttery in advance. As they were talking, the sounds of yellow warblers rose from the courtyard. ¡°We¡¯rete.¡± Wen Chuji looked over, then stood up and said, ¡°Liluo, we¡¯ve been talking for a while now. Why have you only just arrived? Bring your cousin over and take a seat.¡± Jiang Liluo sat down with Jiang Siliu beside her and asked, ¡°What were you all talking about?¡± A noblewoman said with a smile, ¡°We were talking about the little widow Lu Yan is about to marry. Qi Qingyao or something.¡± She snuck a nce to see Wen Chuji¡¯s expression as she spoke. Jiang Siliu had not sat down for long before getting back up to her feet, stunned. ¡°Ah, is it actually Qi Qingyao?¡± Chapter 533 - Bestowed A Marriage 8

Chapter 533: Bestowed A Marriage 8

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

Wen Chuji asked, ¡°Siliu, do you know Qi Qingyao?¡± Jiang Siliu had visited Capital City a few months ago and they had already met each other once or twice! Of course, Wen Chuji knew that Jiang Siliu¡¯s family was considered very prestigious in Qingzhou City. Jiang Siliu patted her chest and said, ¡°Sisters, have you all forgotten that I am from Qingzhou City?¡± Everyone began talking at the same time. ¡°How much do you know about Qi Qingyao? Quick, tell us!¡± Jiang Siliu felt very angry when she talked about Qi Qingyao. She promptly and very spiritedly said, ¡°Qi Qingyao. I remember this evil person very clearly. Sisters, I was driven out of Qingzhou City by her.¡± Wen Chuji raised her eyebrow. ¡°I have heard a bit about her before, but I didn¡¯t expect her to be so cruel.¡± Gan Li asked curiously, ¡°It¡¯s amazing that a country-born person has the ability to drive you away from Qingzhou City. Your Jiang family just allowed her to stir up trouble like this?¡± Jiang Siliu said aggrievedly, ¡°What could they do? It happened at the hot mountain springs vi. There were people from the upper circles of Qingzhou City and distinguished guests from Eastern Ling all around. She even had Lu Yan apanying her. The Head Grand Secretariat was also in attendance. She had peeped at the men when they were taking their bath in the evening and then drew the ¡®beauties in the hot springs¡¯ and bested me! I was very dissatisfied, but if I didn¡¯t ept the defeat of our bet, the Jiang family would have been disgraced.¡± Wen Chuji, ¡°...¡± Could she be so¡­ shameless, just because she had a young grand master with her? No, she was already shameless to begin with¡ªwhich was why she had gotten pregnant before she was even married¡­ Jiang Siliu said with a huff, ¡°What you all don¡¯t know is that she didn¡¯t actually have a house. The luxurious house she lorded over in Qingzhou City, she had also won from Lu Yan.¡± ¡°Is this woman really so powerful?¡± Someone asked. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say she¡¯s from the countryside? How can she be so powerful?¡± Gan Li was curious. ¡°I don¡¯t know either, but the fact remains that she really is that powerful. I also heard that she was the one who cured Heir Pei¡¯s illness,¡± Jiang Siliu said very depressedly. Jiang Liluo said, ¡°Pei Fengtang? He returned to the capital from his mansion in Qingzhou City some time ago. I¡¯ve seen him outdoors several times too recently. He looked very differentpared to when he was ill.¡± One of the noblewomen asked curiously, ¡°How can a little widow from the countryside know how to treat an illness as well as paint?¡± Another woman cursed. ¡°Sure enough, she¡¯s ascivious woman. To peek at men while they were taking their baths, how shameless.¡± After chatting for an hour, several of the noblewomen had other matters to attend to and took their leave. Only Wen Chuji, Jiang Liluo, and Jiang Siliu were left in the tea pavilion. Wen Chuji had specifically asked them to stay. Wen Chuji¡¯s eyes were half-lidded as she spoke in a low voice, ¡°I heard from my father that after the State Preceptor and Head Grand Secretariat jointly escorted her to Capital City, she has been staying in the former¡¯s residence.¡± ¡°Is she also very familiar with the State Preceptor?¡± Jiang Liluo picked up a cake and asked. Wen Chuji sighed, ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter who she is familiar with. The point is, why do you suppose the empress bestowed her to Lu Yan? No, to the Lu family?¡± Jiang Siliu pondered and answered, ¡°She has a young grand master behind her. The young grand master¡¯s strength is terrifying and beyond control. Now she¡¯s being married off to Lu Yan, which is funny. Is it because Lu Yan likes her, so he went to the pce to ask the empress to propose the marriage?¡± Jiang Liluo looked at her cousin bewildered and said, ¡°What are you talking about? Why would Lu Yan like an unmarried widow who has had several children like her? Does Master Lu have such hardcore taste?¡± Wen Chuji¡¯s gaze was very deep. ¡°My people have their eyes on the Lu family. Lu Yan had not even left the residence after returning, let alone gone to the pce to ask the empress about the marriage.¡± Jiang Liluo paused before saying, ¡°The legendary young grand master didn¡¯te to Capital City either! What does that mean?¡± Jiang Siliu also fell into deep thought. A momentter, Wen Chuji said. ¡°Regardless, I will have someone to keep an eye on the State Preceptor¡¯s residence for now. I want to see when will the little widowe out. I must steal a look of her!¡± ¡­ After that, Jiang Siliu and her cousin, Jiang Liluo headed back. Jiang Siliu did not say it out loud, but she was in fact so happy that she could die. She had not expected at all for Qi Qingyao to have arrived in Capital City and for such an important thing to have happened! That she had been bestowed to Lu Yan for marriage. Lu Yan happened to be the desired young master of Wen Chuji, the top female talent in the capital¡­ They were about to be entertained! ¡®Qi Qingyao, Qi Qingyao. You¡¯ve sent yourself into the hands of others before I even had the chance to deal with you. We¡¯ll have to wait longer for your death then!¡¯ Chapter 534 - Bestowed A Marriage 9

Chapter 534: Bestowed A Marriage 9

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

Dingbei Residence. Once the news of Lu Yan¡¯s marriage made its course through the upper circles of the entire Capital City, it was natural that it had also reached the Dingbei Residence. Pei Fengtang had returned to the capital for a while now. On the surface, he looked like he had almostpletely recovered. However, he had been poisoned for so many years after all, so his body was still weak and he had to stay home most of the time¡ªdrinking all kinds of supplements as well as carrying out basic exercises and meditation for recovery. This was so that no trace of the illness would remain. So, when Li Qing came forward to report, ¡°Lord Heir, it was said that the empress has bestowed Qi Qingyao marriage and her partner is Lu Yan.¡± Pei Fengtang immediately opened his eyes. His expression was that of astonishment as he asked, ¡°Has the empress gone mad?¡± ¡°This... servant does not know.¡± Li Qing responded very awkwardly, ¡°It seems that all the residences are talking about it.¡± Pei Fengtang was no longer in the mood to meditate¡ªhis mood vtile. He got up and sat down on the arhat couch. Filled with doubts, he asked, ¡°Qi Qingyao has Si Jin behind her, and Si Jin is now above the level of a grand master. It¡¯s impossible that the empress¡¯ actions don¡¯t carry a deeper meaning. Her bestowing Qi Qingyao marriage to Lu Yan is confusing.¡± Li Qing scratched his head. ¡°My Lord, do you still not understand?¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Pei Fengtang looked up. Li Qing whispered, ¡°Si Jin likes Lady Qi. If Qi Qingyao were to marry Lu Yan, Si Jin may not want to help Qi Qingyao anymore. It¡¯s possible that he may end up giving hisplete loyalty to the imperial court in the future.¡± Pei Fengtang suddenly thought of something and somewhat speaking to himself, he muttered, ¡°She is too deeply bonded with Si Jin, which certainly poses a serious threat to the imperial court and the empress. The empress is worried!¡± That was why she had intended to immediately get rid of the troublesome woman, Qi Qingyao; she wanted to kill several birds with one stone. However, seeing that Si Jin had note to the capital, she decided to go ahead and take advantage of the situation to carry out her ns. Was the little empress truly not afraid of Si Jin suddenly appearing? Or was she testing to see if Si Jin would even appear? If Si Jin appeared, would she retract the order? If he did not appear, would that mean that the young grand master was not a servant exclusive to Qi Qingyao? This... might not be as simple as answering one question¡ªthere were multiple! Now to see if Si Jin would appear or remain in the shadows! ¡­ State Preceptor¡¯s Residence. Zhu Shen received some news after the morning court had concluded. He waited for a long time before reporting it to Li Ruoxuan. ¡°Your Excellency, it seems that the empress did not announce your grand mastership to the public.¡± Li Ruoxuan looked as if he was expecting this and responded calmly, ¡°That¡¯s because the diplomatic envoy from Eastern Ling will be arriving soon. I suppose she is nning to announce it then.¡± Looking unsure, Zhu Shen carefully asked, ¡°What difference would that make?¡± Li Ruoxuan rubbed his chin with his fingers. Smiling faintly, he answered, ¡°If it is announced in the presence of the diplomatic envoy, it will be more shocking¡ªas well as break their spirit.¡± Zhu Shen, ¡°...¡± Pang Juan¡¯s death back then had already kept Eastern Ling on their toes. Fearing that the little empress of Northern Liang would be too impulsive and overconfident, they sent troops to cooperate with the two remaining grand masters as they marched eastward! Furthermore, there was now a third grand master in Northern Liang that they did not yet know about¡­ Eastern Ling had nervously sent a diplomatic envoy to show their goodwill in advance. ¡­ Qi Qingyao had stayed in for two days, unaware that the situation outside had turned chaotic. Half of Capital City had gonepletely crazy about the fact that Lu Yan had been bestowed marriage by the empress. Qi Qingyao¡¯s name had also begun spreading down, starting from the upper-ss circle. The person that Lu Yan was to marry was Qi Qingyao! This matter had spread out at the speeds of a tornado. Lu Yan was to be married to a little rural widow with three children. Once the news had been deliberately spread by certain ¡®concerned individuals¡¯, it turned to lightning¡ªreaching almost every residence. Chapter 535 - Drunken Truths 1

Chapter 535: Drunken Truths 1

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

Qi Qingyao woke from herte afternoon nap, rubbing her sore forehead. She went to the study and found that the three little children were reading with their teacher. After a moment of thinking, she put on a rxed smile and suggested the little kids head out for a walk. Unexpectedly, none of them said they wanted to go out to y. They even said goodbye to her cordially and asked her to be careful when she went out. She changed her clothes after a short ponder and went to Li Ruoxuan¡¯s courtyard. The moment she stepped through the door she saw the man sitting in silence, meditating on the stove by the window. Li Ruoxuan knew someone had entered once the maid had reported to him. He opened his eyes and looked at her. He seemed to be questioning her with his gaze. Qi Qingyao scratched her head and asked with some embarrassment, ¡°Do you want to go out?¡± She was very embarrassed to ask Li Ruoxuan to apany her. After all, he was a grand master now. ¡°Haven¡¯t you always...¡± Li Ruoxuan did not finish what he was saying. Qi Qingyao shrugged and said with a smile, ¡°It¡¯se this far. Since I¡¯m to get married, I might as well enjoy everything that¡¯s toe next peacefully.¡± ¡°Enjoy...¡± The corners of Li Ruoxuan¡¯s mouth twitched. Qi Qingyao stepped forward and sat down beside him. She patted Li Ruoxuan on the shoulder, all sibling-like, and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go. Didn¡¯t I say we¡¯d go out and have fun?¡± Li Ruoxuan instinctively asked, ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to bring the kids?¡± Qi Qingyao coughed softly, ¡°I¡¯ll go out and take a look at the scenery first.¡± ¡°And what¡¯s with your getup?¡± Li Ruoxuan scrutinized her attire from head to toe. It was a servant¡¯s dressing. She had even pulled her hair back into a maid¡¯s bun, making her look rather cute. Qi Qingyao exined solemnly, ¡°I heard Zhu Shen say that it¡¯s chaos out there because of the matter of Lu Yan having been bestowed a marriage. A lot of people know that I¡¯m staying at your residence and if I were to go out with you as a friend, I¡¯ll definitely be watched. It¡¯s more convenient to dress up as your maid to avoid trouble.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve considered things quite thoroughly.¡± Li Ruoxuan was mildly impressed. Qi Qingyao shrugged helplessly. ¡°I¡¯m not a fool.¡± After that, Li Ruoxuan asked Zhu Shen to prepare before taking Qi Qingyao out. Who would have thought that after Qi Qingyao had made him wait an incense worth of time, she woulde out of the house with her entire face wrapped behind a skin-like mask? She looked... very ordinary. Li Ruoxuan was startled, he almost failed to recognize her. ¡°Your disguise is very ordinary looking. It¡¯d be hard to recognize you when you¡¯re thrown into the crowd,¡± he said. Qi Qingyao blinked her contrasting eyes and asked with a smile, ¡°Isn¡¯t that a good thing?¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid that I won¡¯t be able to find you if I were to lose youter¡± Li Ruoxuan did not want to admit it but he was more used to looking at her natural face. Qi Qingyao shrugged and said calmly, ¡°If you can¡¯t find me if I get lost then the others will certainly not recognize me either¡ªso my safety won¡¯t be a problem.¡± Li Ruoxuan, ¡°...¡± Dmn it, she surprisingly made a lot of sense. Qi Qingyao followed Li Ruoxuan out into a carriage. Although the spies around the State Preceptor¡¯s residence had noticed this scene, no one cared too much for it since it was amon urrence for the State Preceptor to head out and carry out his business. Qi Qingyao said she wanted to go out for a walk. As soon as they closed the door behind them, she asked about the best restaurant in Capital City and Li Ruoxuan called for the carriage to head to Songhe Inn. Qi Qingyao had also heard of the Songhe Inn¡¯s reputation¡ªso when she got out of the carriage, she had subconsciously forgotten about her taken identity and patted Li Ruoxan on the shoulder, saying, ¡°Let¡¯s go and have a drink.¡± Chapter 536 - Drunken Truths 2

Chapter 536: Drunken Truths 2

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Li Ruoxuan looked up and down at her apparel and reminded her calmly, ¡°Despite being a maid, you look more like a master than me.¡± Qi Qingyao suddenly remembered her current identity and hurriedly bowed. With feigned wariness, she said, ¡°Your Excellency, please go ahead. This servant will follow behind you.¡± Li Ruoxuan lifted his head and walked in front of her. He nced with satisfaction at the little servant who was quickly keeping pace from the corner of his eyes. Qi Qingyao followed behind the Lord and resentfully felt she had never been so aggrieved. She became Lu Yan¡¯s maidst time and now she was pretending to be this guy¡¯s maid! Why was it that others transmigrated to be youngdies, but her transmigration had always been this tragic? At first nce, it looked like she had a bunch of big shots around her, but the truth was she had been letting them walk over her!¡¯ Was it easy for her!? She resignedly followed Li Ruoxuan into Songhe Inn. Qi Qingyao put on a pompous facade under the protection of a powerful person and yelled at the waiter, ¡°Servant, His Excellency wants to drink and eat, so get us a nice room and serve all the signature dishes in this restaurant.¡± The servant knew the State Preceptor, but did not recognize him with an eyepatch. So, he was a little dazed at the sight of this Lord with an eyepatch when he rushed forward, trying to discern his identity. Qi Qingyao added, ¡°Oh, that¡¯s right. I also want your house wine! Any rmendations?¡± Li Ruoxuan said, ¡°Their house wine is Bodhi Crisp.¡± Qi Qingyao pped her hands. ¡°The name sounds good. Two pots of Bodhi Crisp then!¡± The shopkeeper was watching this seemingly gentle Lord who had only one eye, and he was also dazed for a second. However, feeling the extraordinary aura around him, and his servant that looked very familiar¡­ ¡°T-this sir¡­¡± Li Ruoxuan frowned slightly, his gaze gradually darkening. ¡°You can¡¯t even recognize me anymore?¡± As soon as the formidable voice resounded, the shopkeeper immediately knelt on the ground, not daring to raise his head. ¡°R-recognize? You¡¯re the State Preceptor!¡± ¡°Since you know who I am, hurry up and take us upstairs to a private room, hmm?¡± Li Ruoxuan gave the order coldly. The shopkeeper quickly got up and personally led Li Ruoxuan¡¯s group upstairs. ¡°Y-y-y-yes, please head upstairs, Your Excellency!¡± The other guests in the main hall of Songhe Inn witnessed this scene and were stunned the entire time. After the group went upstairs, The other guests in the main hall finally reacted. ¡°T-the State Preceptor!!¡± The man with a ck eye patch on his right eye turned out to be the State Preceptor. It was indeed as the rumors described¡ªthe State Preceptor had been blinded in his right eye?! ¡°Oh my God, the State Preceptor actually came to eat in our restaurant.¡± Some people evenmented. ¡°As expected of the State Preceptor¡¯s maid. It goes without saying that the State Preceptor is formidable, but even the maid from their residence is so arrogant!¡± ¡­ Qi Qingyao was very aggressive today and did not care about the people in the main hall. After going upstairs and being led to the private room by the shopkeeper, she plopped down in her seat without invitation. The shopkeep stood to one side and waited to serve. He looked at the little maid with a bun sitting casually next to the State Preceptor, and his heart was about to leap out from his mouth. He kept on muttering to himself that this maid must have lost her mind. She actually had no manners and sat beside the State Preceptor! This was bad, there surely would be bloodshed! With the State Preceptor¡¯s temperament, he would no doubt cut down this little maid right away. He had to go down immediately and get someone to collect the corpse! However, after waiting for the wine to be served, approximately the time it took to burn a stick of incense, Nothing happened in the private room. The State Preceptor sat there quietly, and the little maid sat next to him, propping her chin with a hand. The whole atmosphere¡­seemed strange in the eyes of the shopkeeper. Eh. What was going on? Chapter 537 - Drunken Truths 3

Chapter 537: Drunken Truths 3

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This little maid just sat next to the State Preceptor so casually!! On top of that, the State Preceptor made noment. Could it be that the sun had risen from the west today? Or was it¡­his hallucination? The shopkeeper could not help pinching his own thigh painfully until it went numb. Only then was he sure of the reality before his eyes. After the shop servant brought the sliced beef and wine over, the shopkeeper personally took the wine to the table. He stammered, ¡°Y-Your Excellency, the wine you asked for is here.¡± Just the act of putting the wine down was enough to make the shopkeeper break into a cold sweat. After all, the man with an eye patch was the current State Preceptor. The State Preceptor looked gentle and mild, but was actually a man who killed people without blinking an eye and behaved extremely ruthlessly! Seeing the wine ced down, Qi Qingyao got up and mored, ¡°Your Excellency, let me pour the wine for you!¡± With that, she went ahead and poured a cup for herself, then filled the cup for Li Ruoxuan. When the shopkeeper exited the room, he happened to witness this scene and was stunned again. Zhu Shen and another guard stood by the door. They closed the door calmly, blocking the view from prying eyes. The shopkeeper was left with a headful of questions as he slowly went down the stairs. The shopkeeper¡¯s mind was full of bewilderment. That little maid did not care about the State Preceptor and poured wine for herself first? The same thing happened before that. She sat down without invitation, even taking a seat next to the State Preceptor, slouching with a hand on her chin¡­ All in all, she looked very ill-mannered, but why did the State Preceptor not seem to mind? Eh? Could the little maid be the State Preceptor¡¯s concubine? The shopkeeper suddenly felt ashamed of his own imagination. Because it did not take a genius to know that the State Preceptor would never fall for an ordinary little maid! ¡ª¡ª Li Ruoxuan curled his lips when he saw how eager she was to pour the wine. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you came to eat? Why did you start drinking by yourself?¡± ¡°...¡± Qi Qingyao lifted her eyelids and nced at him, silently picking up the wine cup and pouring the contents into her mouth. Li Ruoxuan looked at the wine in the cup and said nothing for a while. Seeing that she had already begun to pour a second cup, he spoke again, ¡°No one has ever dared to call me out and do nothing but silently make me their drinkingpanion.¡± Qi Qingyao made a silencing gesture. ¡°Let¡¯s take it as me begging you to quietly apany me for a few drinks.¡± Li Ruoxuan asked nomittally, ¡°Do you want to y the finger-guessing game?¡± Qi Qingyao did not reply. She picked up the wine cup, stood up, and walked to the side of the room. Then she opened the window and looked at the bustling outdoors, the lively streets of the Capital City. She leaned against the window and brought the wine cup to her lips boredly, her gaze slightly hollow. She looked serene. She said with a hint of stubbornness, ¡°I don¡¯t like to lose!¡± Li Ruoxuan, ¡°?¡± Qi Qingyao drained the cup in one go. Her throat and stomach were suddenly set on fire However, she did not seem to feel anything. Facing the breeze, she said with half-squinted eyes, ¡°Right now, let¡¯s just say that I¡¯ve lost, so I¡¯ll drink all the wine.¡± Li Ruoxuan did not make a sound. He just sat there and looked at the ¡°little maid¡± leaning by the window sill. Since the kitchen prioritized the dishes ordered by the State Preceptor, the food was served very quickly in this private room. Zhu Shen opened the door. A few servants came in with the dishes and served them quickly. No one dared to look around. Each of them was restrained to their own duties and quickly left the private room after serving the dishes. Zhu Shen closed the door again. Once more, the room was left with two of them Seeing that the pot of wine had been finished, Li Ruoxuan walked to the door and cast a look at Zhu Shen. Zhu Shen promptly ordered another five pots of Bodhi Crisp to be served. Chapter 538 - Drunken Truths 4

Chapter 538: Drunken Truths 4

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Qi Qingyao stood alone by the window, holding a wine pot in one hand and a wine cup in the other. She looked like a ghost, her gaze was silent and empty. She did not even spare a nce at the many dishes that were served. Li Ruoxuan took the initiative to speak after more wine was served. ¡°Didn¡¯t you already n out everything? Why do you look like you need to drink your worries away?¡± Qi Qingyao turned her head and only looked at him, her gazeplicated. She only gave him a cursory nce, but Li Ruoxuan felt that there was an indescribable emotion in her eyes. So he did not press the question. Qi Qingyao finished the pot of wine. She got a new pot but still had no intention of speaking. As time passed, she went downstairs to the toilet twice. Li Ruoxuan asked Zhu Shen to follow her when she went to the toilet. Then she would continue drinking in silence when she returned¡­ Qi Qingyao was so intoxicated by the time she finished the third pot that her consciousness had started bing fuzzy. She could not stand up straight anymore. She slumped against the side of the window listlessly and slid down like she was made of liquid. With a smack of his hand, Li Ruoxuan sent a chair flying directly under her bum, pushing her body into an upright position. Qi Qingyao turned around and gave a little silly smile. She revealed her big white teeth and said, ¡°Thanks¡­¡± Li Ruoxuan, ¡°...¡± Qi Qingyao tossed the third pot of wine to the ground. She then got up, and staggered over to take the fourth pot of wine. However, her vision was woozy and she could not grab the pot of wine after several attempts. Li Ruoxuan, ¡°...¡± Was she so drunk that she was seeing double and could not even grab the pot of wine? Li Ruoxuan pulled her to the seat next to him. ¡°You¡¯ve had enough, don¡¯t drink anymore.¡± ¡°I wanna drink!!¡± The girl had be very childish in her drunken state. She slumped over the table, trying to grab the pot of wine, but kept grabbing air, which made her more and more frustrated. Her eyes were so unfocused that she was going a little cross-eyed. She mumbled indistinctly, ¡°Why can¡¯t I¡­hic¡­grab the pot¡­when¡­I can¡­see it¡­¡± ¡°Because you drank too much.¡± ¡°No¡­I¡­didn¡¯t drink¡­too much¡­¡± ¡°...¡± Li Ruoxuan could not be bothered to talk to a drunkard. He was about to knock her out and take her back. Then the girl turned her head and looked at him with teary eyes that were glossed over with ayer of mist. As if the human mask was notfortable, she abruptly ripped off the mask from under her ears, revealing her actual face, the original radiant and cutesy face. Perhaps the way she ripped off the mask too forcefully had caused pain in her eye sockets. Her eyes turned red all of a sudden. She looked rather pathetic. She looked like she was about to cry. Li Ruoxuan frowned and held back his hand fromforting her. He thought to himself, ¡®This little girl, just because she has good looks, she must have deliberately drunk too much and made this kind of expression so that I wouldfort her. No way! Not a chance, don¡¯t even think about it!¡¯ Li Ruoxuan turned his face away and started eating in silence, as though he intended to ignore her. Meanwhile, the girl who drank too much started crying sulkily while slumped over the table because she could not grab the pot of wine. After crying silently for a while and randomly grabbing about on the table, she finally touched the pot of wine. After giggling a few times, she held the pot and began drinking again. This time, she started bawling loudly after two gulps. She cried like a child. Her cries startled Li Ruoxuan. He turned around and saw the girl with tears streaming down her beautiful face, her cries sounding very tragic. Chapter 539 - Drunken Truths 5

Chapter 539: Drunken Truths 5

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He was about to say some words offort to this little girl; she was his disciple¡¯s mother, after all. Unexpectedly, her cries suddenly stopped. Her gaze was out of focus like a drunkard¡¯s. She held the pot of wine and sat there mumbling to herself. The ce was too loud for Li Ruoxuan to hear her properly. After he got a little closer, He could hear her clearly. She was saying something. ¡°Why¡­why me?¡± ¡°Other people¡­transmigrate¡­they¡¯re all blessed with money¡­with cheat codes¡­why¡­hic¡­am I¡­so unlucky¡­having three children¡­and even becamebeled as a woman of easy virtue¡­how freaking unlucky am I¡­ ¡°Why is it when other people transmigrate¡­they¡¯re all aristocratic youngdies¡­heiresses and princesses¡­but I¡¯m just a¡­widow¡­ a widow¡­ ¡°Why is it when other people¡­transmigrate, they¡¯re all so wealthy¡­only I have an ominous parentage¡­I somehow have children¡­but no one knows who the children¡¯s father is¡­¡± Li Ruoxuan listened in a daze beside her, his mind was full of the keyword ¡°transmigrate¡±. He knew that it was not easy to worm facts out of her now that she drank too much. However, he was itching to ask about that keyword. Li Ruoxuan pulled her over and forced the little drunkard to look at him. ¡°Qi Qingyao, what do you mean by ¡®transmigrate¡¯?¡± The little drunkard did not seem to realize that she was sitting on Li Ruoxuan¡¯sp. She held the pot of wine with a weird giggle and stared at him with unfocused eyes. She could not see who was in front of her either, so she said naively with a drunken face. ¡°Take a guess¡­hehe¡­¡± ¡°I can¡¯t guess it, so tell me. Transmigrate, what does it mean?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll tell you, but don¡¯t tell anyone~~~~~~~¡± ¡°Agreed!¡± Seeing that the other person had agreed, the little drunkard got up from the man¡¯sp. Holding the pot of wine in one hand, she crawled up with her wobbly body and leaned into his ear like a snake. She tilted her head and said with a silly smile, ¡°Transmigrate means that¡­I wasn¡¯t originally from here¡­I traveled across time and space¡­and came here¡­ Got...it¡­?¡± Li Ruoxuan felt as if something had struck his brain and body, making him frozen in ce. Transmigrate¡­ Rebirth?? Possession? Resurrection? Various terms crossed his mind. In the end, it converged to an important problem. She was not the same person. The little drunkard did not know she had unintentionally disclosed a terrifying reality. She even put her arms around Li Ruoxuan¡¯s neck, and began drunkenlyining to him like they were buddies. ¡°Tell me! Why me! Why am I so unlucky! ¡°Did I offend some gods? ¡°But I have clearly worshiped the Koi God before¡­ ¡°It¡¯s fine that I have children¡­it¡¯s also fine that I don¡¯t know the children¡¯s father¡­ ¡°But as a transmigrator, I don¡¯t even have the pride of a transmigrator!¡± ¡°Usually anyone else would know who the male lead is within three days after transmigration. I¡¯ve transmigrated for so long, but I haven¡¯t seen the shadow of the male lead!! ¡°Tell me, why on earth¡­ ¡°Why¡­ ¡°Other people who transmigrated are all kinds of awesome, but I¡¯m the only one¡­like a puppet, always at the mercy of others!¡± ¡°If I¡¯m not pretending to be this guy¡¯s maid, I¡¯m pretending to be that guy¡¯s maid!!¡± ¡°When other people transmigrate, they have all kinds of cheat codes and awesome auras. They¡¯d be at the levels of the world¡¯s gods no matter what happened to them yet I¡­if I¡¯m the female lead of a novel¡­if this is a novel about immortality cultivation, then I¡¯m the kind of talentless person who can¡¯t even cultivate! If this is a novel about romance in an ancient household or pce, then I¡¯m already off the map! If this is an ordinary romance novel, I only have children but no male lead! If this is a novel about females being better than males, obviously the Empress is the main character, but I¡¯m just a f*cking supporting character¡­I¡¯m a puppet¡­boohoo¡­¡± As she kept on talking, the little drunkard slumped onto Li Ruoxuan¡¯s shoulder and cried loudly again. All herints just now sounded somehow cute due to her drunkenness. All her words went into Li Ruoxuan¡¯s ears. He went numb and was unable to move. He could only try to quickly digest her drunken words with a nk expression. Chapter 540 - Drunken Truths 6

Chapter 540: Drunken Truths 6

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Everything the little drunkard said hit him like lightning, striking Li Ruoxuan¡¯s mind over and over again as he continuously repeated them. What did she say? She had transmigrated, and based on what she said just now, she came from another world, and was not from here? She had possibly possessed the body of ¡°Qi Qingyao¡± through some intangible means. If this was the case, it would also exin why she had medical skills and knew architecture! Not to mention the reason she was so smart¡­ But¡­ The children¡­ Based on her implications, when she transmigrated, the children were already¡­ Hold on. From what he had read before, the host had frozen to death after the Qi family threw her to the ruined temple back then, so she must have possessed and been reborn in the body of the host. After that happened, this Qi Qingyao waspletely different from before. In other words, she was not the one who gave birth to those children. That was not right either. It was the host who gave birth, this body that she now resided in gave birth, but it was not an event that her soul experienced. Strictly speaking, she was the one who gave birth, but she was also not the one. It was no wonder she was able to keep her utmost calm toward him, Jiang Yeqian, Si Jin, and Lu Yan, with no intention of trying to climb up the socialdder at all. The moment he confirmed that Qi Qingyao was not ¡°Qi Qingyao¡±, Li Ruoxuan¡¯s feelings became extremelyplicated. The hand gripping her tightened inexplicably. He gently patted her on the back. The pot of wine in the drunk woman¡¯s arms slid down a little. Li Ruoxuan caught it instantly with one hand, and casually ced the pot of wine on the table. Then he nced at the little maid who was sitting on hisp, slumped over his shoulder. The little girl with a bun looked extremely cute, and she had cried so much when she was drunk that she was now drained. He was not sure whether she fainted or fell asleep. Her two small hands rested gently on his shoulders. If it was before, Li Ruoxuan might have pushed her hands away impatiently, and would have thrown this woman onto a chair at the side without thinking, waiting for her to wake up by herself. However, after discovering her true identity, he felt endlessly curious about her history and past, especially since he knew she was not a woman of easy virtue¡­ He nced at her small face slumped over his shoulder. Her face was red and the underside of her eyes was flushed. The tip of her nose was red as well, and there was a rosy glow on her lips due to the alcohol. It was because this little drunkard drank too much¡­ Li Ruoxuan¡¯s heart skipped a beat involuntarily. His eyes could not help but fall on her lips. An unprecedented urge rushed from the soles of his feet straight to his lower abdomen. He felt that something was stirring. His heart began to feel restless. This inexplicable change made Li Ruoxuan so nervous he wanted to shove her aside immediately. However, when his hand brushed against her slender waist, he could not bear to do it. Her slim waist was ridiculously narrow and soft and it felt as though he could break it with a light squeeze. Li Ruoxuan, who had always refused any rtionships with the opposite sex for so many years, who did not want to be bound by any women, had his face flushed at this moment. He did not know whether to keep holding her or let go. Before the string of reasoning in his brain snapped, his remaining logic told him that he had to let go immediately. And so. He subconsciously, Withdrew his hand. After that, the little drunkard quietly slumped over his shoulder and slept obediently! Li Ruoxuan, nervous and embarrassed, did not know where to put his hands now. He cursed inwardly. How could the charming State Preceptor be some now? She was just a woman, a widow with three children! Was it necessary for him to act like such a loser?! Chapter 541 - Drunken Truths 7

Chapter 541: Drunken Truths 7

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Li Ruoxuan took a deep breath and tried his best to appear calm. He wanted to carry her and move her to the side. However, when his handnded on her tiny waist again, Li Ruoxuan felt his face be a little hot, making him feel a little overwhelmed. He carried the little drunkard in a flurry and ced her on a chair at the side of the room. Li Ruoxuan immediately took a deep breath. He turned around, walked to the window side, and breathed in big gulps of air like a drowning fish. After taking many deep breaths, his breathing gradually calmed down. Savoring the warm breeze blowing from outside, his restlessness gradually eased up as well. Li Ruoxuan cursed in his heart. ¡®Is there something wrong with me?¡¯ Immediately after that, he turned his head back quietly and saw the girl leaning on the chair. Her face was flushed and she was sleeping very soundly. It seemed that it was no longer possible for him to carry on with his meal. He had to take her home first. Wait¡­ He had to carry her to the carriage¡­ The usually calm Li Ruoxuan, who seemed to be very experienced with this kind of thing, suddenly froze. When he thought about the reaction his body gave when he held her waist just now, he felt extremely helpless. He made up his mind resolutely, walked over, picked her up and threw her over his shoulder, ced his arm firmly around her legs, then walked outside nimbly. When he was about to reach the door, he thought of something and turned around. He searched the ground for a while, found the human skin mask, silently picked it up, and stuffed it into his arms. Zhu Shen and another guard were standing at the door. When they suddenly heard the door open, they turned their heads and were met with Li Ruoxuan¡¯s figure. They were slightly stunned. They saw His Excellency carrying a little girl on his shoulder. Zhu Shen blinked, a little confused. Did she drink too much? ¡°Ask them to put it on my tab, and we¡¯ll head back first, ¡± Li Ruoxuan said. Zhu Shen gave an affirmative answer and immediately followed Li Ruoxuan down the stairs with the guard. The scene of the man with a ck eye patch carrying a little girl with a bun on his shoulder was strange no matter how one saw it. Many guests in the main hall were dumbfounded for a second. Was that not the State Preceptor? Why did he sit for just a short while, thene down again? Also, who was the girl with a bun on his shoulder? Was that the bossy little maid just now? Sh*t. What happened? The little maid was carried down the stairs by the State Preceptor himself? Were they not¡­being a little too intimate? Or was it that the State Preceptor had be more approachable nowadays? All the guests forgot to get up to show respect. Everyone was muddle-headed and transfixed as they watched the group leave. When the visitors disappeared from the doorway, The guests came back to their senses and scratched their heads in confusion. ¡ª¡ª The news that the carriage with the ¡°Li¡± g lingered at Songhe Inn for a while. It was also said that dishes were ordered but it seemed that not a single bite was eaten, and only a few pots of wine were drunk. This news reached the branch office of the Zhaixing Administration in the Capital in about fifteen minutes. At the same time, there was also the news that the State Preceptor left while carrying a little girl with a bun. Jiang Yeqian had juste to the branch office of the Zhaixing Administration in the capital today. After Bai Mei reported this matter to him, Jiang Yeqian¡¯s face darkened on the spot. That little girl in a bun had to be her. And she¡­drank? She even drank too much? Which ended with her being carried back by Li Ruoxuan? He wondered whether that woman would reveal her secrets after drinking too much. Jiang Yeqian was suddenly very agitated, so he decided to pay the State Preceptor¡¯s residence a visit. Just as he put on his mask and walked toward the door, he was stopped by Bai Mei. ¡°What are you trying to do?¡± Jiang Yeqian thought that Bai Mei was going to stop him. Chapter 542 - Drunken Truths 8

Chapter 542: Drunken Truths 8

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¡°Master, this subordinate is not trying to stop you. I just want to ask you, which identity do you n to go there as? As the Head of the Administration? Or¡­as the ex-Head Grand Secretariat?¡± Bai Mei looked at the mask on Jiang Yeqian¡¯s face. He was the Head of the Administration when he wore the mask, but the Head of the Zhaixing Administration should not appear in the State Preceptor¡¯s residence! After all, the Zhaixing Administration had no connection with the State Preceptor of Northern Liang. Not to mention, they had never officially met each other. It was too reckless to go there presumptuously. ¡°...¡± This question stopped Jiang Yeqian. After pausing his steps, he was silent for a while. He said, ¡°I won¡¯t go now.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± ¡°Find someone to deliver information to Qi Qingyaoter. Just tell her, ¡®If you want to get out of this misery,e to Wenchun Hall for help.¡¯ She will understand what it means.¡± ¡°...¡± When Bai Mei heard it, She was slightly shocked for a moment. Did the Head n to ask Wenchun Hall to intervene ande to her rescue? However, this was a marriage bestowed by the empress. Seeing that Bai Mei suddenly went silent, Jiang Yeqian knew what she was thinking, and so he said, ¡°The empress has fallen for me. It¡¯ll be very troublesome if our empress bes emotionally driven. I have contacted Hall Head Shan before this, and if Northern Liang wants to n a coup, a trigger is needed. So we shall let her be the starting point. This empress should also be reced already.¡± Bai Mei nodded, acknowledging she had received the order and immediately hurried off to execute it. The Head¡¯s orders were absolute. Besides, the Ghost Organization had been secretly manipting the situation in the entire continent. She was a member of the Zhaixing Administration of the Ghost Organization, so she knew how powerful the Organization was. The Ghost Organization was known as the ¡°Empire of the Dark Night¡±. Their power spread all over the Continent. Because of her low status, she did not know who the upper administrator of the Ghost Organization was. However, Bai Mei, being a small subordinate, knew that if the leader of the Ghost Organization wanted to unify the Continent, it would be an easy task! This time, the empress of Northern Liang inexplicably fell in love with the Head of the Zhaixing Administration, and she would certainly not give up on him easily. As such, there was no option other than to rece the empress. Either way, the head had already infiltrated everywhere with the cooperation of the Wangyue Administration. Once an order was given, it was not difficult to rece the empress of Northern Liang overnight. ¡­ It was already the next day when Qi Qingyao woke up, and she was being woken up by the urge to relieve herself. After going to the toilet in a hurry, she walked back feeling refreshed, and suddenly noticed the sun rising from the east. Qi Qingyao scratched her head, intending to go back to her room and sleep, but when her foot crossed the door sill, her entire body shuddered. Hold on¡­something did not seem right. She recalled that she was in Songhe Inn before. Drinking? Right, drinking. So how did she end up at home? Qi Qingyao stepped back in disbelief. She turned her head and nced at the courtyard. Was this not the State Preceptor¡¯s residence!! Could it be that she dreamt of going to Songhe Inn? Qi Qingyao scratched her head, looking confused. Then she stepped across the door sill and picked up the copper basin. When she was about to go to the water tank to fetch some water to wash her face, she noticed that her hair was still tied in a bun from the reflection in the water tank. She suddenly realized. F*ck, it was not a dream at all! That meant that going to Songhe Inn was not a dream. She looked down and saw that she was still wearing the maid¡¯s outfit! The clothes still reeked of alcohol, and it smelled horrible! ¡®Did I actually drink till I cked out?!¡¯ Qi Qingyao¡¯s head buzzed instantly. ¡®I drank till I cked out!! ¡®This is bad.¡¯ Did Li Ruoxuan bring her back? What happened after she cked out? Based on the condition of her clothes, nothing should have happened. Qi Qingyao calmed down a little. Chapter 543 - A Scene In Songhe Inn 1

Chapter 543: A Scene In Songhe Inn 1

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

She waited for the sky to brighten a little before asking the male servant to boil the water. After bathing and changing into some new clothes, Qi Qingyao rubbed her hands together in embarrassment and ran to Li Ruoxuan¡¯s courtyard while the children were still asleep¡­ As soon as she entered the yard, she saw the man wearing a ck brocaded robe and ck eye patch sitting on the roof impressively. He was meditating. He looked like he was in the middle of his cultivation. Qi Qingyao was stunned for a moment. She analyzed the situation; seeing how calm Li Ruoxuan was, it was likely that nothing happened after she drank herself unconscious. She was about to leave quietly and not disturb his cultivation. However, at that moment, the man sitting on the roof suddenly opened his eyes and his slightly profound gazended on the girl dressed in a soft red robe with white pine, bamboo, and plum print. He wanted to call out to her, but in the end, he did not. He simply watched the girl leave. Li Ruoxuan withdrew his gaze and looked up at the sky. He had been meditating indoors at first, but because he felt unsettled, he had to move to the roof. In the end, he sat on the roof all night to no avail. Women were indeed troublemakers. They made him perturbed! He should not have listened to her ¡°nonsense¡± yesterday! Li Ruoxuan smacked his face with anguish and distress, then he leaped off the roof. After being the cold, ruthless and savage State Preceptor for so many years, Li Ruoxuan was very pleased with himself. He was even more satisfied with his original intention of not touching women. He led a very good life previously, and his cultivation speed was fast. Now he had finally ascended to a grand master, yet he still became out of sorts after listening to some of her nonsense! Qi Qingyao waited for the three children to wake up and had breakfast together. She still had not confronted Li Ruoxuan by then. Maybe it was because of her arranged marriage, for the three children, although only four years old, seemed to have gotten a lot more mature overnight. Each of them eximed earnestly that they wanted to learn how to read and write! Erniu said that after she finished studying, she would learn how to meditate from her master at noon¡­ Qi Qingyao looked at the three busy little kids, and then looked at her idle self. She thought for a while, and disguised herself as a little maid once again. She changed her clothes, carried a basket, and pretended to be a second-ss maid in the State Preceptor¡¯s residence going out to run errands. She left through the side door beside the main door openly. She was a professional informant in her previous life, after all, so she had a lot of experience in this area. This time, she changed her clothes and left confidently, and no one noticed at all. Including all the spies¡­ They had all dismissed her as an ordinary maid of the State Preceptor¡¯s residence¡­ Qi Qingyao walked over and called a carriage by the roadside. Seeing that she was dressed in the maid outfit of the State Preceptor¡¯s residence, the coachman did not waste any time and quickly asked where she was going. Qi Qingyao thought for a while, and told him to take her to Songhe Inn¡­ The coachman set off toward it. After arriving at the destination, Qi Qingyao casually handed a piece of silver to the coachman. Then she got off the carriage and walked away. The coachman was left by himself, looking at the piece of silver in his hands, his mind in a mess¡­ The maid of the State Preceptor¡¯s residence had not been this generous before. What was going on today! Did she have so much money to burn? Qi Qingyao did not know that her casual behavior caused a great psychological shock to the coachman! Since she was born in Qingzhou City, today was her first time going out and riding a carriage in the Capital. She did not know the market price, plus she was deep-pocketed, so she casually gave a bit extra! She did not really care at all. After all, she had plenty of money. For her, the extra fare could be considered as a tip to the coachman. After getting off the carriage, she stood before the entrance of Songhe Inn. Today, Qi Qingyao took some time to look at the front of Songhe Inn, and concluded that it was indeed a famous restaurant in the Capital. Its appearance was really spectacr! As someone who always behaved cautiously, she nced at the clothes she was wearing, afraid that she would be recognized by the shopkeeper. It looked like she had to change her clothes. Chapter 544 - A Scene in Songhe Inn 2

Chapter 544: A Scene in Songhe Inn 2

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

After walking the streets for a while, Qi Qingyao entered a nearby apparel shop and stumbled upon a top-grade brocade robe. The maple-yellow robe was embroidered with the pattern of white honeysuckles. The cuffs and neckline had white outlines, and the white cor also bore an embroidered white, fluttering maple leaf. Qi Qingyao was very pleased when she saw the robe. The fabric felt soft to the touch. Surely wearing this to eat in Songhe Inn would match the status and ss of the ce. ¡°Boss, how much for this robe?¡± Qi Qingyao asked casually. The boss came over and was about to say that it was not a robe a maid would be able to afford. However, he instantly saw the meticulous ¡®Li¡¯ character embroidered on the arm of the maid¡¯s outfit. There was only one respectable family with the surname Li in the entire Capital City¡ªthe State Preceptor. A maid of the State Preceptor¡¯s residence wanted to buy this garment? Could it be that it was for Lady Qi who was staying at the State Preceptor¡¯s residence? After all, there were no female family members in the State Preceptor¡¯s residence other than the maids, maid elders, and female cooks. Who else would it be for if not Lady Qi¡­ The streets of the Capital were brimming with gossip. The shopkeeper of Ziyun Boutique was a mere store manager, but since Ziyun Boutique was a subsidiary of the Senluo Chamber of Commerce, he was considered a minor person in charge under the Lu family. Of course he knew of Lady Qi. Although that girl with a strong backing had the reputation of being a widow, she was rted to the previous young grand master, and now she had been bestowed a marriage by the empress. She was about to be the wife of the young master of their family! If it was for the future young mistress, the boss would not dare say no! He smiled very politely and said, ¡°This garment is ready-made, and there are only three pieces avable! If you want, you¡¯ll have to provide us with your measurements so we can alter its size for you, free of charge.¡± ¡°No need, I want this one.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± ¡°What do you mean ¡®ah¡¯? Name the price. I want this one,¡± Qi Qingyao urged. The boss looked at the little maid¡¯s domineering appearance and thought, ¡®As expected of a maid of the State Preceptor¡¯s residence!¡¯ Such an arrogant person! She was not the same as maids from other residences! This little maid might even be the personal maid of the future young mistress! The boss gave her a special half-off discount! He had his own n in mind. Once Qi Qingyao was married into the Lu family, she would be the top young mistress. She mighte to his store to shop for garments in the future. When that timees, he could say that the first garment he sold to her was bought by her maid at a 50% discount¡­ Making money was not important. The important thing was currying favor with the future young mistress. Thus, these three limited edition pieces of priceless garments in the entire Capital City, one of which had been sold yesterday, leaving only two pieces remaining¡ªwith the original price of eighty taels, one was sold to Qi Qingyao for forty taels. The boss even specially packed the limited-edition garment in a very exquisite silver package and sent her out cordially. Upon turning around and returning to the shop, the boss looked at the remaining orange robe on the wall and figured that this piece would just hang there as the store¡¯s treasure. It would not be for sale anymore. He could not allow other people to dress like the future young mistress! ¡­ Qi Qingyao, who had not a single idea that she had unwittingly taken advantage of the boss, carried the bag out and left happily. She walked to an empty alley nearby, openly removed the maid¡¯s outfit, and changed into the orange robe! She did not mind at all because she was still wearing a white inner garment, so she did not think there was anything wrong with changing her clothes this way. Thinking that no one noticed her hiding in the alley in such early hours of the morning, she took her clothes off and was left only wearing the fitting white inner garment. However, this scene happened to be witnessed by someone. That person was Tan Xiangdie. Chapter 545 - A Scene In Songhe Inn 3

Chapter 545: A Scene In Songhe Inn 3

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

Tan Xiangdie also came to the capital and had a meeting with Jiang Yeqian about instigating a coup there. That early morning, he had nothing to do. Thus, he put on an inconspicuous grayish-white robe and sat alone on the cornice some distance away, enjoying the morning sun rxedly. Unexpectedly, he witnessed this scene. When he noticed her, he saw that the girl was already in her white garment¡ªso he did not know that she was previously wearing a maid¡¯s outfit. Tan Xiangdie was a person who liked to have fun, so he was instantly surprised when he saw that girl in the alley wearing a white garment¡ªeven letting her hair down. After taking a second look, he noted that the girl¡¯s waist was very slim, and her legs were quite long! Before he could take another look, she had already changed into an orange robe¡­ This obscured his viewpletely. Tan Xiangdie instantly felt very disappointed. Immediately after, he saw the girl quickly tuck her hair to the back of her head casually and tie a simple high ponytail. She then fastened it with a silver sp, looking very neat. Huh. This appearance¡­ Could she be an aristocratic youngdy in Capital City who had secretly gone and slept with someonest night, then came back early in the morning and was hiding here to change her clothes? Tan Xiangdie trembled with excitement thinking of such a possibility. He opened his eagle eyes wide and carefully analyzed the girl¡¯s face. Tan Xiangdie was stunned for a moment. This face¡­ how could it be so ordinary and inconspicuous?! However, the garment she was now wearing was from Ziyun Boutique, was it not¡­? Could it be that this person who had slept with someone had put on a disguise, and wanted to wait until she returned to her residence to remove it!? Truly a meticulous person. He had been worried about being bored at first, but now he was instantly invigorated. As the Head of the Wangyue Administration, he was proficient in disguise and various infiltration skills. He really wanted to find out the identity of this aristocratic youngdy under this girl¡¯s disguise who had dared tomit such a bold and shameless act! It was really very exciting. Then,ter, he could expose her¡­ If she was a beautiful girl, he would ask her to apany him for one night. No, it was fine even if she looked ordinary¡ªwith that figure alone, it would be worth it to have herpany even just for one night! With this in mind, Tan Xiangdie decided to follow her and learn her destination. ¡­ The oblivious Qi Qingyao happily carried the small bag and arrived at the entrance of Songhe Inn, not hiding herself in any way. Songhe Inn, a first-ss restaurant in the capital, was open throughout the night. It was just that the shopkeeper would not be around then. The shopkeeper was seated at the front desk, calcting yesterday¡¯s ounts with an abacus when Qi Qingyao entered while carrying the bag. He looked at the girl who entered. When he nced at her face out of the corner of his eyes, he did not n toe out and greet her as she seemed to look ordinary¡ªnot like an aristocratic youngdy at all. However, he was shocked to see the limited-edition garment from Ziyun Boutique she was wearing. He was stunned when he recognized it. This garment alone proved that this person¡­ had a huge backing! After all, the garment was limited edition. The priceless kind. The shopkeeper then curried favor habitually, wanting to greet her with a deep bow when he stepped out from the front desk. When his gazended on the girl once more, the shopkeeper blinked. Why was this face so familiar¡­ So familiar that¡­ He felt like he had met her recently. The shopkeeper of Songhe Inn had an amazing skill, that was, a skill for remembering faces and names. He could not forget a person once he met them, which was why he was the shopkeeper! The Capital City was full of dignitaries and aristocrats. If one recognized someone wrongly, it would be bad if any trouble resulted from it. The shopkeeper quickly sifted through his memory. He felt a bolt of lightning sh through his mind. Sh*t. Was this not the girl who hade with the State Preceptor yesterday? Chapter 546 - A Scene in Songhe Inn 4

Chapter 546: A Scene in Songhe Inn 4

Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

A limited-edition orange maple robe! Could it be that his spections yesterday had been correct? Yesterday, the little maid had drunk too much and had been carried back by the State Preceptor, then¡­ he must have taken very good care of her bodyst night! This little maid had to be the State Preceptor¡¯s exclusive mistress. A concubine. The deeply spoiled kind!! Thinking about this, the shopkeeper felt as though he had just gotten hold of a pot of hot gossip. He tried his best to suppress the excitement that rose in his heart. He did not dare to reveal that he recognized her. He had no choice but to pretend to be weing and oblivious. ¡°Dear guest, would you like to have a meal? Or¡­ a drink?¡± She had drunk wine yesterday and returned today¡ªperhaps this exclusive little mistress liked to drink Bodhi Crisp!~ ¡°Today, I want to drink, and I want to eat too.¡± Qi Qingyao had just eaten that morning, but she wanted to sit on the second floor and look at the scenery. At the same time, she wanted to observe the customs and upper-ss circle of the capital through Songhe Inn. ¡°Then, would you like a private room or a private seat?¡± The shopkeeper appeared very weing. Qi Qingyao, ¡°A private seat! Get me a seat by the window on the second floor.¡± ¡°Okay, dear guest. Pleasee with me!¡± The shopkeeper did not ask much. He then personally led the girl to the best private seat on the second floor. He called his best servant and specifically told him that he had to serve this guest well. The servant was not a fool. Just by looking at the garment on this ordinary-looking girl, he knew that she had to have huge backing. He then waited beside her with a smile on his face, waiting to take the girl¡¯s order. The shopkeeper had just walked down when another guest entered. His appearance was also ¡®mediocre¡¯, but the aura about him... Although his outfit was grayish-white, the fabric was very exquisite and clean. He had to be a special person as well¡ªhowever, the shopkeeper did not dare to ask him much either. The guest went upstairs on his own¡­ He sat at the table next to the girl. The shopkeeper thought to himself, ¡®Is he someone sent by the State Preceptor to protect the ordinary girl?¡¯ When Qi Qingyao sat down, she was not too hungry. She thought about her alcohol tolerance yesterday and ordered two pots of Bodhi Crisp wine. She ordered a te of peanuts and a te of edamame, then Songhe Inn¡¯s signature rose cake and sugar crisp rice cracker. After she finished ordering, Qi Qingyao keenly sensed a pair of eyes. They seemed casual but had deliberately swept over her twice. She followed the gaze and looked over. It was a man sitting on the opposite side, also looking¡­ extremely ordinary. He was wearing a grayish-white robe. Their gazes met. Qi Qingyao sensed the interest in the other party¡¯s eyes. Qi Qingyao¡¯s intuition from her previous undercover experiences gave her the feeling that this person recognized her, and¡­ this person might also be wearing a human mask! She was just about to leave in a hurry when a voice in her heart shouted. ¡®Stay calm!¡¯ Songhe Inn was the top restaurant in Capital City, and there were all kinds of guests about. She had been very discreet today, and nobody recognized her. If this person was a master in disguise, he probably noticed that she was also in disguise! Thus, he was just staring at her out of curiosity. Besides, the guards of Songhe Inn were not around for no reason. Fighting was not allowed there. As soon as the dishes, confectioneries, and wine arrived, Qi Qingyao had just poured herself a cup of wine when silver bell-chime-likeughter came from downstairs. It was apanied by the chattering voices of several girls. One of the voices sounded very familiar, but Qi Qingyao could not put her finger on it. The group of girls came upstairs. A pair of eyes locked onto her. Qi Qingyao raised her eyes and looked over involuntarily. Their gazes met. The atmosphere instantly turned very awkward. The girl looked extraordinarily educated, but that was not the main point. The point was that the two of them wore the exact same garment! They both wore the orange maple leaf robe¡­ Qi Qingyao was surprised for a few moments, but her sense of awkwardness did notst long. She just figured that there was someone with the same taste as her. However, the expression of Wen Chuji, the girl who was wearing the same garment, instantly became very sour. Her face was in shades of green! Who was that girl over there? Where had shee from? How¡ªhow could someone with an extremely ordinary appearance wear the exact same limited edition maple leaf robe from Ziyun Boutique as her?! Chapter 547 - A Scene In Songhe Inn 5 Chapter 547: A Scene In Songhe Inn 5 Not just anyone could afford to buy this garment from Ziyun Boutique! It was priceless! She was the first person in the entire Capital City who had bought it. The shopkeeper had said there were only three pieces. That was why Wen Chuji had initially thought that the other two pieces were definitely going to be worn by others of the same ss and status as her. When the time came and aparison was to be made, it would be about who wore it better! Wen Chuji was very confident in her looks, figure, and aura¡ªso she believed that she wore the garment best. She would never have thought that such a limited edition garment could be worn by a in-lookingdy who hade out of nowhere. But now¡­ What was this? Was she being pulled down to the same ss as thisdy? Thus, Wen Chuji¡¯s anger instantly soared to the very top of her head! Jiang Siliu had juste to the Capital City not long ago, so she did not know that this was a limited edition garment from Ziyun Boutique. She even muttered in surprise, ¡°Big Sis Wen, thatdy is wearing the same garment as you.¡± ¡°...¡± Wen Chuji¡¯s face was as ck as the bottom of a pot, and she waspletely silent. Jiang Liluo knew of the several limited-edition garments from Ziyun Boutique, so she could tell that Wen Chuji was in a very bad mood. She carefully pulled at the hem of Jiang Siliu¡¯s garment and signaled for her not to speak anymore. Jiang Siliu was confused and did not understand Jiang Liluo¡¯s hint, but she knew that the hand gesture was telling her to stop talking. She quickly blinked her eyes embarrassedly. ¡­ On the other hand, Qi Qingyao looked at the group of girls, then looked away from thedy who was wearing the same garment as her. The first thing she saw when she looked away was a familiar person. She could not be any more familiar with this person¡ªso familiar that Qi Qingyao had not expected to run into this person in the Capital City! That person was Jiang Siliu. The Lady of the Jiang family with whom she had had some conflict at the hot springs vi. What a small world the Capital had turned out to be! Qi Qingyao had wanted to just visit Songhe Inn today, so she did not want to cause any more trouble. She subconsciously touched her chin and recalled that she was currently in disguise. Her current face was not Qi Qingyao¡¯s, so Jiang Siliu should not be able to recognize her. As long as she did not recognize her, they would not interact, so naturally there would be no conflict¡­ Tan Xiangdie sat at the table next to her. While pretending to drink, he swept his nce over indifferently, gathering all the fine details of the girl¡¯s emotions. He noted that she did not feel awkward wearing the same garment as Wen Chuji. However, the second her gazended on Jiang Siliu, she was mildly surprised. The surprise in her eyes had been only brief, but it had not escaped Tan Xiangdie¡¯s observation. Why did this person look surprised when she saw Jiang Siliu? That look¡­ It was as though she had not expected to see Jiang Siliu here. Was she afraid of causing trouble? Could it be that the two of them had interacted and got into some conflict somewhere before? It seemed that this girl did not want to engage with Jiang Siliu. How interesting¡­ ¡­ Qi Qingyao subtly swept her gaze toward the window, drinking her Bodhi Crisp. After waiting for the group ofdies to sit down, Qi Qingyao figured that nothing would happen today since both parties did not know each other¡­ Her serenitysted less than the time it would have taken to burn one stick of incense. Thedy next to her who was wearing the same garment seemed a little angry but was clearly still holding herself back. With a graceful tone that carried a hint of provocation, she asked, ¡°Where did you buy your garment?¡± Qi Qingyao turned her head, looked over at the source of the sound, and happened to meet Wen Chuji¡¯s calm but faintly arrogant gaze. ¡°Are you talking to me?¡± Qi Qingyao asked with a smile. Jiang Liluo despised this kind of innocent-looking idiot who hade out of nowhere, so she said condescendingly, ¡°Who else, if not you? Is Big Sis Wen talking to a ghost?¡± Chapter 548 - A Scene In Songhe Inn 6 Chapter 548: A Scene In Songhe Inn 6 Qi Qingyao, ¡°Oh.¡± She continued sipping the Bodhi Crisp slowly. Seeing this girl ignoring them, Jiang Siluo became upset. ¡°What do you mean by ¡®oh¡¯? Big Sis Wen asked you where you bought your garment.¡± Qi Qingyao nced at her subtly. ¡°Does she not have a mouth? Does she need you, a maid, to be her mouthpiece?¡± 1 Jiang Liluo was instantly outraged. She exined arrogantly, ¡°I¡¯m not a maid, I¡¯m her good friend. My name is Jiang Liluo.¡± Qi Qingyao smiled slightly. ¡°You look like a maid, and all the things you do are maid¡¯s work, so don¡¯t im you¡¯re some aristocratic youngdy.¡± Jiang Liluo was so angry she started flipping out. ¡°You¡ªyou¡ªyou! I¡¯m thedy of the Jiang family!¡± Jiang Siliu felt that this feeling of annoyance was slightly familiar, but she could not quite ce her finger on it¡­ The ordinary young man in a grayish-white robe frowned and looked across the room with an indifferent expression. When he heard the girl¡¯s voice, he was slightly stunned as well. He felt like he had heard it somewhere before, but he really could not recall exactly where. When Wen Chuji saw Jiang Liluo getting repeatedly dissed by this girl, she knew that the girl was not as ordinary as she looked. She went up to her gracefully and nodded at her with a chuckle. ¡°Miss, I¡¯m concerned about where you bought this garment. I¡¯m afraid you have bought a counterfeit product¡ªthis is a limited-edition garment from Ziyun Boutique, after all. There are only three pieces in the entire Capital City, or should I say, the entire continent! If word gets out that you¡¯re wearing this garment, people willugh at you for imitating me, and that¡¯s no good.¡± ¡°Thanks for your concern.¡± Qi Qingyao drank her wine and smiledfortably. She did not take what they had said to heart at all, and it inexplicably angered Wen Chuji. Jiang Liluo also felt an outburst boiling within. She walked forward and knocked on her table. ¡°What my Big Sis Wen means is that you¡¯d better change your clothes to save yourself from humiliation.¡± Qi Qingyao lifted her eyes halfway and looked at thedy of the Jiang family. ¡°Why should I change them?¡± Jiang Liluo snorted coldly and said arrogantly, ¡°It might be a counterfeit!¡± Qi Qingyao responded with a big smile, ¡°What does what I¡¯m wearing, and whether real or fake, have anything to do with you? Whether I humiliate myself or not, what does it have anything to do with you? Do I know you?¡± Jiang Liluo was exasperated. ¡°...Don¡¯t be ungrateful.¡± They were reminding her with thorough kindness, yet their kindness was being taken for granted! Wen Chuji pretended to be a peacemaker and grabbed Jiang Liluo. ¡°Liluo, don¡¯t raise your voice at her, you¡¯ll frighten the girl.¡± Jiang Siliu frowned and looked to the side, hesitant to speak. She really wanted to ask something, but did not know where to start¡­ ¡°We¡¯re doing this for your own good.¡± Wen Chuji said with a bright smile, ¡°Miss, you don¡¯t have to wear a counterfeit garment of Ziyun Boutique just to gain some face. You might not know that Ziyun Boutique is a subsidiary of the Senluo Chamber of Commerce, and the Senluo Chamber of Commerce is very strict in cracking down on counterfeit goods. If you¡¯re found to be wearing counterfeit goods so ostentatiously, you¡¯ll surely be brought to court! By then, you might not be able to bear the consequences!¡± Qi Qingyao shrugged nonchntly. ¡°Wearing the same garment is nothing terrible. Only the one that looks ugly in it will feel embarrassed.¡± Wen Chuji half-squinted her eyes. ¡°Are you talking about yourself?¡± Qi Qingyao casually replied, ¡°You tell me.¡± Wen Chuji, ¡°...¡± Her fists, hidden in her sleeves, began to clench. For the first time, Wen Chuji had the urge to ask her family¡¯s guard to punish this wild girl! Jiang Siluo knew that these words had angered Big Sis Wen. She immediately said, ¡°You fledgling little girl, who are you pretending to be? How dare you y mind games with our Big Sis Wen!¡± Chapter 549 - A Scene In Songhe Inn 7 Chapter 549: A Scene In Songhe Inn 7 Jiang Siliu swept away all her doubts and jumped in as hypewoman. ¡°That¡¯s right. I don¡¯t know where youe from, you wild girl. You look ugly as hell and still dare to challenge the Capital City¡¯s top socialite? Why don¡¯t you take a look in the mirror?!¡± Jiang Liluo had always been very confident in her family background and looks, yet today she had been chastised by a little girl. How could she stomach this insult? She suddenly shouted at Qi Qingyao, ¡°You wild girl, I can¡¯t be bothered to ask where youe from. Now, I¡¯ll spare you if you take off your unsightly garment and get out of Songhe Inn. Otherwise¡­ you¡¯ll get more than you bargained for!¡± Qi Qingyao was still drinking her Bodhi Crisp leisurely. ¡°If I get more than I asked for, thanks a lot.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t spin our words! Are you really not going to take off your garment?¡± Jiang Liluo felt that if she did not finish off this idiot who hade out of nowhere today, her reputation as the Capital City¡¯s socialite would be in jeopardy! Qi Qingyao pulled at her sleeves unhurriedly, and said with a satisfied expression on her face, ¡°Why should I take off the garment that I bought? Who are you to ask me to take it off!?¡± Jiang Liluo said aggressively, ¡°Because I am a Jiang! And because she is a Wen!¡± Qi Qingyao smiled cheerfully and said in a pretense of pitifulness, ¡°I¡¯m really scared!¡± She said she was afraid, but there was no trace of fear in her eyes. Jiang Liluo gritted her teeth. ¡°Are you going to take it off or not?¡± Qi Qingyao raised her eyebrows and smiled indifferently. She turned her head and said to Wen Chuji, ¡°Miss Wen, right? If you think it¡¯s awkward that we¡¯re wearing the same garment, then take off that garment and run out naked. I don¡¯t mind your ugly figure!~¡± She seemed to have figured it out. Judging by the aura, the girl named Wen should be the Capital City¡¯s most talented girl¡ªthe one mentioned by the courtesan in Huayue Pavilion! Wen Chuji¡¯s usual arrogance had nothing to do with her, but today others found unsolicited fault with her. Enough was enough! ¡°You¡ªyou¡ªyou¡ªhow dare you ask me to run out naked!¡± Wen Chuji was a girl of talent, after all. When had she ever been told to run out naked by someone else? Her face instantly turned green. ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t I dare?¡± Qi Qingyao¡¯s lips curled into a mocking smile. Wen Chuji could not hold back her grudge anymore. She could not maintain her grace and red at thedy with a nasty look. Jiang Liluo watched Wen Chuji get humiliated again and knew that if they did not kill thisdy today, they would not be able to carry on in Capital City anymore. Therefore, Jiang Liluo announced resoundingly on the spot, ¡°I won¡¯ty a hand on you in Songhe Inn, you b*tch. When you walk out of this ce, you¡¯re finished!!¡± ¡°It won¡¯t be me, but you, who¡¯s finished.¡± Qi Qingyao responded calmly. Jiang Liluo thundered, ¡°Who do you think you are?¡± She really thought of herself as a rand socialite of Capital City! Qi Qingyao shrugged. She said with a frivolous smile, ¡°Just a littledy who¡¯s lost in the world.¡± Pretending! She kept pretending. ¡°You¡ªyou¡ªyou¡ªyou, just you wait!¡± Jiang Liluo pounced on her and berated her, no longer caring for her image. ¡°I¡¯ll tear your face off now!¡± Qi Qingyao easily dodged and jumped onto the table. She took two steps immediately after and stepped over to the opposite table. Then she slid down directly before the man in a grayish-white robe. She hugged the man¡¯s arm like a snake, and whispered with a coquettish look on her face, ¡°Brother, save me!~¡± Tan Xiangdie had not expected thisdy to be so¡­ proactive. On the inside, he was both happy and disgusted. He did not know whom she had called ¡®brother¡¯st night, and here she was now calling him ¡®brother¡¯ too. Truly a girl who rejected no one. Chapter 550 - A Scene In Songhe Inn 8 Chapter 550: A Scene In Songhe Inn 8 It looked like there was some fun awaiting him tonight. Jiang Liluo did not expect her to be as agile as a monkey. She turned her head, pointed at Qi Qingyao¡¯s nose, and said, ¡°It¡¯s pointless for you to ask for someone to save you. No one would dare to offend the Wen family and Jiang family!¡± Qi Qingyao leaned into the man¡¯s ear and whispered, ¡°Brother, you¡¯ve been following and observing me for so long¡ªyou¡¯ll protect me, right?¡± Tan Xiangdie wrapped his arms around thedy¡¯s shoulders without a care and whispered in her ear back, ¡°How could you tell that I was following and observing you?¡± Qi Qingyao blinked. There was no smile in her eyes, though the corner of her lips curled up. ¡°When I sat down, you were sitting across from me. You even kept discreetly looking at me with scrutiny, which means that you¡¯re here for me. Well, I¡¯m in trouble now. Would it be fair if you didn¡¯t protect me?¡± Tan Xiangdie refused toment. He continued to whisper, ¡°Why do you think I have the ability to protect you?¡± ¡°Instinct.¡± Qi Qingyao leaned on his shoulders, looking like she was seeking refuge, and said in a very soft voice, ¡°My instinct tells me that Brother is powerful, and my instinct tells me that Brother is in a disguise.¡± The seemingly ambiguous whispering between the two left Jiang Liluo, Wen Chuji, and Jiang Siliu all stunned. Once they returned to their senses, Jiang Liluo roared in a meltdown, ¡°You wild woman, casually lying on top of a stranger. How shameless!¡± Qi Qingyao looked at her with a smile, then ced her soft, fair hand on the man¡¯s chest. She grabbed the front of his robe and said with a pretense of familiarity, ¡°With Brother here, you can¡¯t hurt me.¡± Jiang Liluo was so angry her face turned red. ¡°I don¡¯t believe that anyone dares to offend the Jiang family!¡± ¡°Seeing as you¡¯re calling me ¡®Brother¡¯, I¡¯ll save you once.¡± Tan Xiangdie spoke and kissed the littledy¡¯s ear. He got up immediately, put his arms around her waist, flew, and, in a second,nded on the windowsill. Afterward, heughed loudly and shouted into Songhe Inn, ¡°Boss, ask thedy of the Wen family for both of our bills!¡± Then, while carrying the littledy, he flew directly out the window and jumped to the opposite roof. With two quick movements, they disappeared without a trace. Their swift departure left Jiang Liluo and the others dumbfounded. When the shopkeeper of Songhe Inn ran upstairs, he saw Wen Chuji and her group. He nodded, bowed, and rubbed his hands together¡­ Wen Chuji¡¯s expression was really dark. Jiang Liluo was so angry her face turned red. Only Jiang Siliu was scratching her head, lost in thought. This was because thedy¡¯s voice was somewhat familiar, but she just could not put her finger on it¡­ ¡­ After jumping on a few roofs, Tan Xiangdiended in an alley with thedy in his arms. Qi Qingyao was dizzy and leaned against the wall to steady herself. Then she turned around, pretended to be calm, and said, ¡°Let me know before you start flying next time.¡± ¡°I saved you.¡± Tan Xiangdie blinked and stared at thisdy who was clearly pretending to be calm. He was sure of one thing. She really was a rich, youngdy who could afford to buy this garment, but¡­ she did not have any cultivation skills. ¡°Thanks for saving my life, hero.¡± Qi Qingyao smiled calmly and said with a fist sped in her other hand as a salute. Tan Xiangdie crossed his arms over his chest and looked at her. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to repay me properly?¡± Qi Qingyao asked earnestly, ¡°Didn¡¯t I just thank you?¡± Tan Xiangdie smiled like a stealthy cat. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you repay my kindness with your body?¡± Qi Qingyao licked her lips and replied with a half-smile, ¡°But that wouldn¡¯t be kindness¡­¡± Tan Xiangdie looked at her smirk, then at the human mask, and asked deliberately, ¡°Aren¡¯t you tired of wearing that mask?¡± Chapter 551 - A Scene In Songhe Inn 9 Chapter 551: A Scene In Songhe Inn 9 ¡°I would ask you the same as well.¡± Qi Qingyao smiled back at him. Tan Xiangdie raised his brows slightly and said politely, ¡°I¡¯m not tired. I still feel ratherfortable.¡± Qi Qingyao chuckled. Then she turned around, intending to leave. Tan Xiangdie followed behind, watching the littledy. ¡°Do tell this man, who did you sleep withst night?¡± Qi Qingyao almost fell over at this question. After holding onto the willow tree beside her for support, she looked back at him speechlessly. ¡°I saw you changing your clothes in the alley.¡± Tan Xiangdie pointed out without hesitation. ¡°Oh, is that so?¡± So that was what he meant. ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid of being seen by others?¡± Looking at her calm expression, Tan Xiangdie concluded that this kind of thing might be verymon for her. Qi Qingyao said indifferently, ¡°I didn¡¯t take everything off at that time, so why should I be afraid of being seen?¡± ¡°What a snarky little cutie.¡± Tan Xiangdie was a little surprised by how openly she admitted it; he rather liked her openness. Qi Qingyao thought for a while and said, ¡°You followed me to Songhe Inn simply because you saw me changing my clothes?¡± ¡°You had a great time with someonest night, so much so that you had to change your clothes in the alley this morning. Littledy! You must really know how to have fun!¡± Tan Xiangdie approached her while feigning a shady profile, and cornered the littledy against the wall. His hot breath fanned right across her face. ¡°I can also make you feel good. What do you think? Do you wanna¡­have a good time with me tonight?¡± ¡°You¡¯re insane.¡± Qi Qingyao lowered herself slightly into a crouch and slipped through the gap under his arm. Tan Xiangdie was exasperated. He followed her and called out, ¡°Why am I insane?¡± Qi Qingyao shot daggers at him. Tan Xiangdie returned the gaze calmly. ¡°If you don¡¯t agree to my proposition, believe it or not, I¡¯ll take you back by force and have my way with you tonight.¡± Qi Qingyao stopped in her tracks. She turned around and smiled oddly. ¡°Brother, I swear on your being, if you try that, you¡¯ll definitely regret it. You might even lose your life.¡± ¡°What makes you think so?¡± There should not be any rank nine powerhouses in her family! ¡°You had best believe me.¡± Qi Qingyao blinked her eyes as she smiled. That smile was like a two-faced little devil¡¯s. ¡°Are you really the daughter of a high-ranking official in the capital¡­¡± Her smile was very attractive, but also despicable at the same time. ¡°You definitely can¡¯t afford to offend the person backing me,¡± Qi Qingyao said casually. Tan Xiangdie, ¡°...¡± Noting that he was silent, Qi Qingyao knew that he would be unnerved, so she said, ¡°I should exin.¡± ¡°First of all, I did not sleep with anyonest night. Secondly, I just snuck out to y early this morning, and I didn¡¯t want to be discovered by the folk back at the house, so I put on a disguise. Thirdly, I know someone of great power, if he knew that I was being misunderstood by someone like this¡­ With that alone, the countdown to how long your head will stay on your neck is about to begin.¡± Tan Xiangdie uttered an ¡°oh¡±, feeling a little annoyed. ¡°It seems like your identity is rather remarkable.¡± Qi Qingyao snorted coldly. ¡°Your Excellency being in disguise like this, it seems that Your Excellency¡¯s identity is rather remarkable too.¡± Knowing that the juicy piece of meat in his grasp was about to run away, Tan Xiangdie sighed and followed behind the littledy. Hemented, ¡°But what if I still want you to apany me for one night?¡± Qi Qingyao stopped in her tracks again. She turned around and said with a despicable smile, ¡°Are you sure you can afford to offend the State Preceptor?¡± She did not want to mention him, but it could be helped. It was this man¡¯s fault for being so ignorant of the details. ¡°...!!¡± Tan Xiangdie¡¯s breathing halted for a second. Qi Qingyao could tell that he was scared. She smiled even more smugly and said, ¡°If I say that I¡¯m someone from the State Preceptor¡¯s household, do you still want toy a hand on me?¡± ¡°You¡­¡± Hold on. No wonder he thought her voice was familiar. Chapter 552 - A Scene In Songhe Inn 10 Chapter 552: A Scene In Songhe Inn 10 She went out early in the morning to buy clothes and changed into them while in disguise¡ªutterly despicable behavior. On top of that, she was even associated with the State Preceptor. Who else could she be but her? Tan Xiangdie was so angry he cursed, ¡°D*mn it!¡± Then he turned around, jumped onto the wall, and promptly left. Qi Qingyao was confused by his sudden departure. Figuring that he was afraid of Li Ruoxuan, she said softly to his disappearing figure, ¡°If you don¡¯t have the guts to offend someone, don¡¯t boast so much next time.¡± ¡­ Wen Chuji and her posse had originally wanted to have morning tea in Songhe Inn, but had been driven into a bad mood by the wild little girl who wore the same robe as her. Not only was she unable to finish her tea, those two even ran off and made her pay their bill. Wen Chuji was so angry she did not bother finishing her tea. After paying the bill, she left Songhe Inn huffily with Jiang Liluo and the others and went straight to Ziyun Boutique. She wanted to go there and get to the bottom of what was going on with the robe, whether it was counterfeit or real! ¡°Shopkeeper.¡± Wen Chuji¡¯s tone was usatory as soon as she entered through the door. The shopkeeper was in a great mood since he had just sold a limited edition piece this morning. He weed them with a smile while dusting with a feather duster. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s Miss Wen and Miss Jiang, pleasee in.¡± After Wen Chuji stepped inside, she said aggressively, ¡°Shopkeeper, I¡¯ll cut to the chase. I want to tell you that someone is parading through the streets wearing the same orange maple robe as mine. Since when did Ziyun Boutique allow other shops to produce counterfeits as they pleased? You embarrassed me in front of that person!¡± ¡°Oh, where do I start, Miss Wen?¡± The shopkeeper felt a little awkward. He rubbed his hands together and exined, ¡°If you¡¯re talking about this robe, I sold one this morning as soon as the shop opened. So the person you met is most likely not wearing a counterfeit.¡± ¡°Ah?¡± He sold one? Wen Chuji was stunned. Jiang Liluo¡¯s jaw almost dropped. ¡°Boss, did you make a mistake?¡± The shopkeeper continued smiling in a ttering manner. ¡°Respectfully, may I ask you two beautifuldies, what mistake did this humble one make?¡± These girls were patrons who regrly frequented his boutique. He did not want to offend them. Jiang Liluo asked, ¡°Since when did the standards of Ziyun Boutique drop to simply selling off a limited edition robe?¡± Not knowing whether tough or cry, the shopkeeper exined, ¡°Beautifuldies, this humble one did not sell it off simply. The maid who bought it is from the State Preceptor¡¯s residence. This humble one thought that she was likely buying it for Lady Qi, who is the future young mistress of the Li family, so she certainly has the qualifications and ss to wear that robe.¡± ¡°W-w-what did you say?¡± What Lady Qi! What maid? Jiang Liluo felt that her brain was being fried. Wen Chuji caught the keyword and asked, ¡°Did you just say Lady Qi?¡± The shopkeeper nodded absent-mindedly. ¡°That¡¯s right. The maid is genuinely from the State Preceptor¡¯s residence.¡± Notprehending, Jiang Liluo asked, ¡°But the one who was wearing that robe just now is not Qi Qingyao, but a very ordinary-looking person. I have heard that the little widow Qi QIngyao had decent looks!¡± ¡°Uh¡­¡± The shopkeeper still had not caught up with what was going on. Jiang Liluo soon answered her own question. ¡°Could it be that the maid wore that robe and paraded around the streets?¡± ¡°It- It can¡¯t be.¡± The shopkeeper was speechless. Jiang Siliu, who was listening to their conversation, had a sudden epiphany. She smacked her forehead and said, ¡°No wonder I thought the voice was familiar.¡± ¡°Familiar how?¡± Wen Chuji turned her head and asked. Jiang Siliu said very seriously, ¡°That person just now was probably Qi Qingyao! I just recalled her voice, it must be her!¡± Chapter 553 - A Deal 1 Chapter 553: A Deal 1 ¡°???¡± The shopkeeper was again bewildered. After Wen Chuji reflected on that statement, her face turned pale. ¡°But her face¡­¡± Jiang Siliu thought for a while, then said, ¡°She must be in disguise! She didn¡¯t want to be discovered.¡± Wen Chuji, ¡°...¡± She never would have thought that the person might be Qi Qingyao herself. Although she had not seen the woman in person before, was Qi Qingyao always such an obnoxious person? To be precise, if she was so obnoxious, why would the Lu family approve of the marriage between her and Young Master Lu! Jiang Siliu looked at Wen Chuji, who had fallen silent. She thought to herself quietly, that if the person just now was indeed Qi Qingyao, it was unthinkable that the most talented woman in Capital City would lose miserably against Qi Qingyao in disguise. That woman¡¯s behavior when she hugged a stranger at the end tallied with what she knew from before. Qi Qingyao was the kind of person who would scale a wall to peek at beautiful men taking baths! Old habits die hard! It was a good thing that she was not the one who challenged her today, or else¡­ Jiang Liluo was also experiencing a minor meltdown. That wild girl might actually be Qi Qingyao, d*mmit! How could that be! It would be so infuriating if it were true! The shopkeeper was the only one who popped a face-splitting smile amongst the crowd. It was because he understood one thing. That maid might just be Qi Qingyao herself! In other words, he had met the future young mistress of the Lu family. He even gave the young mistress a discount. It seemed that he would be able to get on good terms with her and gain poprity in the future! ¡­ Qi Qingyao did not know what had happened in Ziyun Boutique. After the nuisance took off, she walked down two streets and was going to go stroll around by the banks of Qinglong River alone when a woman in ck appeared before her like a ghost, frightening her. ¡°Who are you!¡± ¡°Lady Qi, don¡¯t be afraid. I¡¯m just here to deliver a message.¡± The woman in ck was wrapped in tight ck clothes from head to toe. Her face was covered with a ck cloth, so she could not see the woman¡¯s face. She could only see a pair of very calm eyes. Qi Qingyao was not very convinced. ¡°Tell me who you are first.¡± The woman in ck answered, ¡°Ghost Organization, Zhaixing Administration.¡± ¡°Huff¡­¡± Qi Qingyao took a deep breath involuntarily. The Ghost Organization!! She knew that the Zhaixing Administration was in charge of collecting information in the Ghost Organization. The woman in ck continued, ¡°My master has asked me to deliver a message, saying that if you want to get out of your current state of misery, you can ask the Wenchun Hall for help.¡± ¡°Wenchun Hall?¡± She vaguely remembered that the Wenchun Hall seemed to be in charge of nning and establishing goals, and was full of strategists. s, no matter how many strategists they had, could they go against the empress¡¯ edict? This seemed rather impossible. Qi Qingyao¡¯s thoughts were still rattling off when she saw that the woman in ck was about to leave. ¡°Hey, you haven¡¯t told me how I can ask for help from the Wenchun Hall. I don¡¯t even know where the Wenchun Hall is.¡± ¡°After you¡¯ve made your decision, we¡¯ll have someone contact you.¡± The woman in ck left with these words and did not even look back. Qi Qingyao, ¡°...¡± Her words were very simple, but Qi Qingyao could tell the meaning behind them. It meant that her whereabouts were actually being monitored by informants constantly. Like just now, when this woman in ck appeared out of nowhere. She even knew who Qi Qingyao was. The Wangyue Administration and Zhaixing Administration were really resourceful! After the woman in ck left, Qi Qingyao sat by the wall and went into deep thought. The Ghost Organization had initiated contact with her, even offering to help her to escape her misery. It seemed that the Ghost Organization was very much aware of her current situation. Asking the Wenchun Hall for help, what did that mean? No matter how resourceful the Ghost Organization was, there could not possibly be a way to disobey the empress, right? Hold on. If this woman took the initiative to tell her all this, it meant that the Wenchun Hall had a way! Why help her, though? As the saying went, one does not visit a temple without a cause¡­ Could it be that they wanted something? Not to mention, any aid from the Wenchun Hall of the Ghost Organization certainly will not be free. A price had to be paid. So why not just go have a look? The Ghost Organization had taken the initiative to look for her, after all. If she could easily procure a path out of her misery, it would be worth it anyways. Qi Qingyao stood up. She looked around nkly for a moment. Sh*t, there was no way to contact them, so how was she supposed to look for them!! The woman in cknded gently from the wall like a ghost again. ¡°Lady Qi, have you given some thought to it?¡± ¡°Holy sh*t!! A ghost!!¡± Qi Qingyao was caught off guard and jumped. After she steadied her mind, she patted her chest and said, ¡°Can you please stop appearing like a ghost!¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I have decided to make a deal with Wenchun Hall.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Okay? That was it? How would they go there, though? When Qi Qingyao was looking curiously at the woman in ck, she suddenly felt her vision blur, followed by a chill on the back of her neck. Then she was unconscious. The woman in ck caught the girl¡¯s falling body and prepared to carry her away. Right then, a person appeared from behind and slowly sped Qi Qingyao¡¯s wrist, then pulled her into his arms in one motion. The woman in ck bowed right away. ¡°Master.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve done what you¡¯re supposed to do. I¡¯ll take her to meet Tan Xiangdie and Master Shan now.¡± ¡°...¡± Bai Mei felt a little difited as she watched the scene of the Head carrying Qi Qingyao and disappearing. The Head cared too much about Qi Qingyao! Way too much! Chapter 554 - A Deal 2 Chapter 554: A Deal 2 Qi Qingyao felt an unusually unpleasant scent at the tip of her nose, which made her nose itchy. She sneezed and woke up. The moment she opened her eyes, bright light shined into them, making her close her eyes involuntarily for a while to get used to it. When she opened her eyes again, she realized that she was lying on a four-poster bed. She sat up and noted that her clothes were intact. Suddenly, without needing to turn her head, she sensed a strong gaze sweeping over from not far away. Qi Qingyao turned her neck stiffly. She was in a very somber and luxurious room, furnished with quaint sculptures and vases of very unique colors. They all looked very valuable. There was a very long table in the room. The table was darklycquered with gold detailings. On three of the four sides of the table sat three men who donned silver masks. Qi Qingyao was stunned. She quickly got off the bed and stood on the ground. Then she looked over and said with slight confusion, ¡°You guys are¡­¡± Before her voice waned, the three silver-masked men introduced themselves. ¡°I am the Head of Wenchun Hall, Shan Qianjue.¡± ¡°I am the Head of Zhaixing Administration, Feng Wushe.¡± 2 ¡°I am the Head of Wangyue Administration, Tan Xiangdie.¡± ¡°T-The Ghost Organization¡­¡± Qi Qingyao could not help but be stunned. Her face felt unobstructed when she opened her mouth, so she instinctively touched her face and realized that the human mask had already been taken off. Oh well. The other party had already confirmed her identity anyway. She did not doubt the identities of these people at all. After that man from this morning left, a woman in ck mysteriously approached her not longter, saying that she was from the Zhaixing Administration¡­and that they wanted to help her get out of her misery. It was very reasonable to assume that she was looking at three genuine bigwigs of the Ghost Organization now! Qi Qingyao did not dare to talk any nonsense. She ran over hurriedly and sat down at thest side of the table. Only then did she introduce herself a little nervously and embarrassedly. ¡°H-Hi, I¡¯m Qi Qingyao.¡± The three people on the other side looked at her silently. As if observing. Qi Qingyao knew who she was dealing with. Seeing that the other party did not speak, she let out a light cough, picked up the teapot on the table, and poured herself a cup of tea. After downing it in one go, she licked her lips and said, ¡°I wonder what advice you great gods have for me after taking me captive?¡± ¡°Advice?¡± Shan Qianjue mulled on the word and turned to look at Jiang Yeqian. Jiang Yeqian lowered his tone and said with a deep voice, ¡°Wenchun Hall can help you with your situation.¡± ¡°But I didn¡¯t ask you to help me.¡± Qi Qingyao shrugged and smiled shamelessly. ¡°You had specially asked someone to let me know that you want to help me, so what are your intentions? In other words, you want something from me. You want me to pay a price.¡± Shan Qianjue said coldly, ¡°Why do you think you have something we want?¡± Qi Qingyao paused, then she poured the tea again and said, ¡°Huh? Could it be that I actually do have something you want?¡± ¡°...¡± Shan Qianjue was silent for a moment before he said, ¡°I enjoy talking to smart people.¡± Qi Qingyao looked calm. ¡°I hate idiots as well.¡± Shan Qianjue nced at Jiang Yeqian again. Jiang Yeqian ignored him. Tan Xiangdie did not dare to utter a word the whole time. After all, he had just met this woman not long ago, and it would be bad if his identity was discovered. ¡°We really hit it off.¡± Qi Qingyao stood up, rubbed her hands together, and gave a ttering smile. ¡°An honest person does not resort to insinuations. The Ghost Organization went out of its way to have someone inform me that you can help me. I¡¯m pretty sure you¡¯re not doing this just because you want to help me, but it¡¯s that you need my help with something, right?¡± Shan Qianjue said, ¡°We don¡¯t need your help.¡± Qi Qingyao was confused. ¡°Then you¡­¡± Shan Qianjue said very assertively, ¡°We just want to help Lady Qi, but if you¡¯re still nitpicking about who is helping who... Two, show her out.¡± ¡°Wait, wait!¡± Qi Qingyao waved her hands hastily. Chapter 555 - A Deal 3 Chapter 555: A Deal 3 Shan Qianjue repeated, ¡°Send her out!!¡± Qi Qingyao knew that this person was not one to mess around with, so she quickly said, ¡°Master, I¡¯m just kidding. I really do need your help.¡± Shan Qianjue said, ¡°Please don¡¯t test my limits.¡± Qi Qingyao gulped. Sitting down obediently like a quail, she asked, ¡°Then why are you looking for me? Why do you want to help me?¡± Shan Qianjue said directly, ¡°This matter requires your cooperation.¡± ¡°Cooperation?¡± Qi Qingyao looked at the three of them with suspicion. ¡°What are you going to do?¡± ¡°We have a n¡­¡± Shan Qianjue said straightforwardly. Then, without waiting for Qi Qingyao to speak, he went on to tell her the n. Just when he reached the critical point, he saw the girl looking like she was going to cut in, so he said again, ¡°Don¡¯t interrupt. Wait until I¡¯m done.¡± Qi Qingyao, ¡°...¡± Shan Qianjue spent fifteen minutes giving an overview of their n in a seemingly ¡°easy¡± description. No fine details were given. After he finished speaking, Qi Qingyao was silent. Shan Qianjue asked, ¡°You don¡¯t have any objections, do you?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Have you lost your tongue?¡± ¡°I-I lost my tongue, yes.¡± Qi Qingyao sat there nkly, blinking her eyes like a dibobted quail. Then she licked her lips, stood up silently, took a few steps, and walked slowly to one of the masked men. She stared at him directly in the face. Tan Xiangdie was extremely nervous. What was she going to do? Qi Qingyao knew that she could not take off the man¡¯s mask, so she looked down. Then she reached directly downward. Because Tan Xiangdie knew that she did not have inner energy and did not know how to cultivate, he was not too cautious. This woman could not hurt him. When Tan Xiangdie was not paying attention, Qi Qingyao¡¯s hand reached to Tan Xiangdie¡¯s inner thigh, and then pinched it with all her might. Tan Xiangdie let out the worst scream in his life since he left the training camp. 2 ¡°Aaah¡ª¡ª¡± Even if Tan Xiangdie was a rank-nine cultivator, he could not bear having the tenderest part of his inner thigh to be pinched like this¡­ 1 Jiang Yeqian got up from the other side in an instant, scrutinizing them as though he wanted to know exactly where she had grabbed him. 1 What must she have done to make Tan Xiangdie¡¯s body bend like that? Shan Qianjue thought that the woman had gone crazy. After making sure she was not dreaming, Qi Qingyao muttered, ¡°If you actually got this hurt, it means I¡¯m not dreaming! Is this actually not a dream? Did he not say those words because he was crazy?¡± Shan Qianjue, ¡°...¡± Jiang Yeqian, ¡°...¡± Did she think that they were crazy?! ¡°That can¡¯t be right. You guys said you¡¯re from the Ghost Organization. But¡­¡± Qi Qingyao was talking to herself for a while before she came back to her senses. She widened her eyes and sat back to her original position shakily. Then she lifted her trembling head and looked at Shan Qianjue. ¡°You- you- you- you, you guys want to rece the empress of Northern Liang? This is really not crazy talk?¡± ¡°When did I give you the impression that I¡¯m crazy?¡± Shan Qianjue said. Qi Qingyao held her head and could not help pulling her hair as she went into a meltdown. ¡°B-But, recing the empress is no joke.¡± Who would just casually say something like recing the empress of a country? Just how much mind-blowing power did they have? This meant that they could let whoever they pleased be at the top of the nation! No. Just because she was going to marry Lu Yan, they wanted to rece the empress of Northern Liang? That did not make sense, did it? Could it be that Shan Qianjue, the Head of Wenchun Hall of the Ghost Organization, was secretly in love with her? 1 Qi Qingyao looked at him speechlessly. ¡°Dude, I don¡¯t know you, and while I don¡¯t know why you want to help me like this, if¡­the whole country will be destabilized on my behalf, then forget it. I¡¯ll marry Lu Yan earnestly, and you guys just don¡¯t cause any more ruckus!¡± ¡°...¡± Qi Qingyao added seriously, ¡°Send me back home. Send me back to the State Preceptor¡¯s household! Li Ruoxuan probably knows I¡¯ve gone missing already, so he must have gotten worried.¡± Jiang Yeqian, ¡°...¡± Li Ruoxuan again! Shan Qianjue nced at Jiang Yeqian, thetter¡¯s face underneath the mask was incredibly tense. He did not understand why Jiang Yeqian had asked him to call this woman over. Apparently, this woman thought that they were going to rece the empress for her sake. While there were some misunderstandings, if she nned to marry Lu Yan happily, what else could he say? He could not tell her that they actually wanted to rece the empress for other reasons, and were just helping her as coteral. Chapter 556 - A Deal 4 Chapter 556: A Deal 4 Qi Qingyao was blindfolded with a ck cloth and then ushered onto a carriage. The carriage sent her back to that same alley again. After Qi Qingyao removed the ck cloth, she stared nkly at the empty alley for a while. Then she made her way out and called for a carriage to send her back to the State Preceptor¡¯s household. Right after Qi Qingyao left, Bai Mei came over and knocked on the door with a serious look. After Jiang Yeqian granted her permission to enter, Bai Mei delivered a special secret report. Jiang Yeqian took one look at it after he opened it, and his breathing almost stopped. After a while, he muttered to himself. ¡°I-Impossible.¡± Shan Qianjue and Tan Xiangdie had initially been nning to leave, but after noticing the drastic change in his expression, Shan Qianjue turned his head. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°I received special intel.¡± Jiang Yeqian quickly burned the secret report with the candle me at the side. As the Head of Wenchun Hall, Shan Qianjue asionally relied on the intel of the Zhaixing Administration to develop his ns, so he asked, ¡°What exactly is it?¡± Jiang Yeqian looked up, his gaze very deep. ¡°Qi Qingyao is the Harbinger.¡± ¡°The Harbinger, what does that mean?¡± Shan Qianjue did not get it at first. Tan Xiangdie frowned and interjected, ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t know what the Harbinger is?¡± Shan Qianjue was stunned for a moment, then his eyes twinkled. ¡°You mean¡­that Harbinger?¡± Jiang Yeqian nodded. ¡°Yes.¡± Shan Qianjue said immediately, ¡°Li Ruoxuan¡¯s ascension was also because he was very close to her, so that¡¯s how he ascended!!¡± ¡°I reckon it is.¡± Jiang Yeqian¡¯s expression darkened even more. Tan Xiangdie asked cautiously, ¡°So¡­ the little empress doesn¡¯t know about this yet, right?¡± Jiang Yeqian said in a deep voice, ¡°If this piece of information is sent to the pce, the little empress will never send Qi Qingyao to the Lu family. Because if she really is the Harbinger, this will inadvertently allow the Lu family to possibly cultivate a grand master in the future. The Lu family is already very wealthy. If they gain their own grand master, they will have both money and power. If the Lu family forms an army on top of that¡­this will cause a great sense of threat to the little empress.¡± Shan Qianjue said bluntly, ¡°If she really is the Harbinger, she cannot be given to the Lu family. She must be taken by the Ghost Organization for our own use.¡± 1 Jiang Yeqian thought for a while and said, ¡°Let¡¯s postpone the matter of recing the empress of Northern Liang. Hall Master Shan, have a proper discussion with the strategists in the Wenchun Hall first. After all, the fact that she is the Harbinger is simply too important. We have to think carefully about our next move.¡± ¡°I know.¡± Shan Qianjue nodded. As the Head of Wangyue Administration, Tan Xiangdie was usually responsible for sending people for infiltration jobs, so these matters had nothing to do with him. He said with a hint of yfulness, ¡°It now seems that what the outsiders said is really possible, that Si Jin was too close to the Harbinger, and that¡¯s how he quickly ascended to a realm above the grand masters!¡± Shan Qianjue suddenly paused, then turned to look at Jiang Yeqian. ¡°Weren¡¯t you previously in contact with her when you were in Qingzhou City? Now she has her heart set on marrying into the Lu family and living the life of a young mistress. You should take the time to ask her indirectly what exactly she is thinking. And if you can dissuade her of the idea, then it¡¯s best to do it.¡± Jiang Yeqian, ¡°...¡± He was rather upset when this was brought up. He had also spent the same period of time with Qi Qingyao. No¡ªtechnically, he had spent an even longer time with Qi Qingyao than Li Ruoxuan. In the end, Li Ruoxuan ascended to grand master and he¡­did not. Why was that so? Also¡­ Before this, in the pce, Li Ruoxuan dered that he liked her. Now it seemed that he was aware that Qi Qingyao was the Harbinger, so had he deliberately tried to keep her by his side? He even epted that woman¡¯s daughter, Erniu, as his disciple. He was indeed the State Preceptor who would go to any lengths for the sake of his goals. Shan Qianjue added, ¡°Also, I suggest you send a copy of this intel to the pce.¡± Jiang Yeqian nodded. If the information that Qi Qingyao was the Harbinger was leaked to the pce, the little empress would retract the marriage bestowment that was already issued. This was also considered a good thing. However, he had to think of a new course of action for the matter between him¡­and the little empress. Chapter 557 - A Deal 5

Chapter 557: A Deal 5

Qi Qingyao snuck out and went back to the household openly. Because the people from the Ghost Organization had torn off her human mask, she did not bother to put it back on, instead stuffing the mask in her arms. She walked to the gate silently and startled the guard. He did not even realize she had gone out. Qi Qingyao was lost in thought and was nning to go back to the courtyard to properly think about what happened today when she saw Li Ruoxuan standing at the entrance to the courtyard, looking as if he had been waiting for a long time. Sh*t, did he know that she snuck out? Qi Qingyao quickly exined, ¡°I know you¡¯re gonna say some crap about why I snuck out, but I¡­¡± Li Ruoxuan did not waste time questioning why she snuck out, and said seriously, ¡°I received intel.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Qi Qingyao was intrigued. She followed Li Ruoxuan back to the parlor in the front yard. As soon as they sat down, Zhu Shen asked someone to serve the tea. Soon, the two of them were left alone in the parlor. Li Ruoxuan¡¯s expression was extremely serious. ¡°The information is said to havee from the imperial pce of Southern Ming. I¡¯m afraid the Zhaixing Administration of the Ghost Organization has already gotten hold of the information that identifies you as the Harbinger.¡± Qi Qingyao did not fully grasp the situation. ¡°What is the Harbinger?¡± Li Ruoxuan exined, ¡°It is rumored that the Harbinger has the gift, or talent, to allow a grand master to ascend to a higher level. They have the power to allow a grand master toprehend or understand things faster. All in all, I don¡¯t quite know how to describe it either.¡± The imperial pce of Daming must have obtained the information from Gongsun She, then purposely released this information. It was not so much spreading the information as it was an attempt to borrow the hands of the little empress and the Ghost Organization, then let both parties test whether Qi Qingyao really was the Harbinger. Qi Qingyao asked in confusion, ¡°Does the Harbinger also have the ability to ascend a rank-nine to a grand master?¡± Li Ruoxuan said, ¡°I don¡¯t know. Because I¡¯ve never seen the Harbinger.¡± Li Ruoxuan said something that was very much against his conviction. In her drunken state, Qi Qingyao had revealed that she was someone who transmigrated, that she was not from Northern Liang, and she traveled here through time and space¡­ At that time, Li Ruoxuan was already pretty sure that she might be the Harbinger. Qi Qingyao thought for a long time. She stroked her chin and said, ¡°No wonder Gongsun She said that I¡¯m the fated person back then. Does this fated person refer to the Harbinger?¡± ¡°Perhaps.¡± After Li Ruoxuan answered her question slowly, he added, ¡°If the Ghost Organization knows that you¡¯re the Harbinger, they will never let you marry into the Lu family. ¡°No, if the little empress knows that you¡¯re the Harbinger, she won¡¯t let you marry into the Lu family either. ¡°Your wish to be the young mistress of a rich family might fall through.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Qi Qingyao frowned and murmured lightly. Li Ruoxuan changed the topic and said, ¡°What did you gain from going out today?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t get to finish my meal and encountered two little incidents.¡± Qi Qingyao did not say anything about being taken away by the Ghost Organization. As for the incident with Wen Chuji, that was nothing but a small farce. She also changed the topic and said, ¡°Does your ascension to grand mastership have anything to do with me?¡± Li Ruoxuan pondered for a moment, then said truthfully, ¡°I was standing by Qingyang Lake one rainy night and was looking at theke when I ascended. Zhu Shen was next to me at the time.¡± Then it had nothing to do with her. ¡°Then how does one determine that I¡¯m the Harbinger? I didn¡¯t help anyone ascend. Look at Gongsun She, he didn¡¯t suddenly perceive a stronger level.¡± If the news came from Daming, it meant that it was the information that Gongsun She passed to the emperor of Daming after he went back. Then the emperor of Daming purposely spread this information out again¡­ F*ck, did this not suddenly throw her into the eye of the storm? If she went out after this, she would surely be watched by various powerhouses. One misstep and she would be killed. Gongsun She, that old bastard! Qi Qingyao¡¯s expression turned gloomy and devastated in an instant. Chapter 558 - A Deal 6

Chapter 558: A Deal 6

Li Ruoxuan said, ¡°It¡¯s likely because of Si Jin. There have been rumors out there saying that Si Jin wasn¡¯t actually powerful to begin with, and that he ascended to a realm beyond a grand master after getting close to you!¡± Qi Qingyao, ¡°...¡± What was this nonsense? Li Ruoxuan continued, ¡°I surmised that the little empress will be calling you to the pce soon. You best be prepared.¡± ¡°Again?¡± Qi Qingyao cradled her forehead as she started feeling it throbbing. Li Ruoxuan frowned. ¡°If you¡¯re the Harbinger, the matter about the canceling of the marriage¡­¡± ¡°Not necessarily,¡± Qi Qingyao countered. ¡°What do you mean, not necessarily?¡± asked Li Ruoxuan. Qi Qingyao said with a gaze deep, ¡°I myself am doubting if I am the Harbinger. The little empress is a paranoid woman and she is even more unlikely to let me go since there is no evidence to prove that I am the Harbinger. She likes Jiang Yeqian a lot and suspects that he likes me. She would rather kill ten thousand people wrongly than let one person go, and she won¡¯t just terminate this engagement where she could kill two birds with one stone without evidence! ¡± ¡°...¡± She had certainly thought this through very thoroughly. Qi Qingyao waved her hand somewhat troubledly and said that she would return to the courtyard to rest¡­ Li Ruoxuan¡¯s gaze followed her as she left. When Qi Qingyao returned to the courtyard, the three kids were eating roasted sweet potatoes. Erniu was even brandishing her hand. ¡°Mommy,e eat sweet potatoes quickly!¡± Qi Qingyao had barely sat down when Xiaobao passed her a sweet potato obediently! Qi Qingyao epted the potato and began chewing on it quietly. The kids sensed that their mother seemed troubled and exchanged nces. ¡°Mommy?¡± asked Xiaobao carefully. Qi Qingyao was sprawled on the table, her left hand cradling her cheek while she chewed on the sweet potato in her right hand. She muttered listlessly, ¡°I can¡¯t tell if my luck is good or bad.¡± ¡°??¡± The kids looked at their mommy obediently, but their cute faces were also lined with worry. Like a tiny adult, Xiaobao put down his sweet potato and spoke with the air of a wise old man. ¡°Mommy, you can talk to us about anything.¡± ¡°I told you about where I came from previously¡­¡± Ever since Qi Qingyao came clean to the kids, she rarely looked at them as young children anymore. She knew that they were still young and might not understand what she had to say, but she did not have a lot of people she trusted. ¡°Yes, yes.¡± The kids nodded repeatedly. They recalled her telling them that she was someone who transmigrated and was reborn as Qi Qingyao. Qi Qingyao continued as if she were talking to herself, ¡°I¡¯ve always thought that my luck was pretty rotten that I ended up here. My starting point really wasn¡¯t all that impressive! I started out in a vige, unlike others who¡¯d have transmigrated as some nobledy, or some subjugated princess.¡± The triplets, ¡°??¡± Was sheining? Just because she was not a subjugated princess¡­ Qi Qingyao was afraid that the kids did not understand her and exined, ¡°Thing is, we have all sorts of novels there that describe some very exaggerated stories. I think¡­ I am now the protagonist of one of those stories? My experiences were not really one of a protagonist, at most they¡¯re the experiences of a ninth-rate supporting actor, since I didn¡¯t start out as a princess or an empress. At the very least I should be the daughter of the State Preceptor or a minister¡¯s family! But my starting point is really piss poor. ¡°It¡¯s only poor whenpared to a princess or nobledy.¡± Xiaobao¡¯s eyes were bright and watery and his expression was rather solemn. ¡°??¡± Erniu and Dabao blinked their big round eyes vaguely. ¡°I started out with such a poor cement, and now there are hearsays out there saying that I am some kind of Harbinger,¡± Qi Qingyaomented. Chapter 559 - A Deal 7

Chapter 559: A Deal 7

¡°Who¡¯s the Harbinger?¡± Xiaobao asked, looking conflicted. ¡°It¡¯s like the fated person who can help some rank nine powerhouses ascend into grand mastership,¡± answered Qi Qingyao as she rubbed between her brows. ¡°Like someone who helps others gain enlightenment!¡± Xiaobao opened his clear, pitch-ck eyes, the corners of his mouth raised. He continued eating his roasted sweet potatoes as he said, ¡°Mommy feels that she started off on the wrong foot, but still got to know the Head Grand Secretariat, the State Preceptor, andter on the young grand master Si Jin as well as the young master who is the richest man in Northern Liang. When you look at it this way, you didn¡¯t start out badly. At most, you¡¯re ate bloomer.¡± Ater bloomer? That made sense. ¡°Does Xiaobao think I might be the Harbinger?¡± Xiaobao licked the corner of his mouth. ¡°If this Harbinger is very important to the rank nine powerhouses, then¡­it wouldn¡¯t matter if you are or not. The important thing is that if they think you are, you would have be the heart of the vortex. You would either be abducted by one of the various powerhouses or be assassinated by grand masters from the other nations since they¡¯d be afraid that the little empress would use you to cultivate more grand masters for Northern Liang.¡± His words reminded her of something. Qi Qingyao suddenly stood up and said, ¡°I had thought at first that the Daming emperor had deliberately spread this rumor to get the Ghost Organization and the little empress to test me. After you said what you said, I realized that Daming¡¯s emperor wants to burn bridges by taking drastic actions. ¡°He wanted someone to kill for him. ¡°Gongsun She informed him that Si Jin was not with me when he returned to his country. Upon receiving that news, spies from every nation must have taken action, especially those from Eastern Ling since they have lost Pang Juan and are definitely nursing a grudge¡ªnot to mention that the person who killed him is Si Jin. Considering Si Jin¡¯s rtionship with me¡­ ¡°Now there¡¯s the rumor about me being the Harbinger. Eastern Ling is trying to contain Northern Liang¡¯s strength and will never let me live. There is also the mysterious Western Zhou who has been silent so far. I don¡¯t know what they¡¯re thinking¡ªmaybe they also sent a grand master over¡­ ¡°As for the Ghost Organization, if I were used by the little empress to help her cultivate grand masters, it will also be the Ghost Organization¡¯s worst nightmare. The Ghost Organization is also known as the Empire of the Dark Night, so naturally, they will not allow a superpower that surpasses other powerhouses to appear on the maind. They would get rid of this bug that I am to maintain the bnce! ¡°Huff¡ª ¡°I feel like my life will always feel like I¡¯m teetering off the edge of a cliff.¡± Qi Qingyao paced around the main room. Her expression darkened suddenly upon analyzing the situation. Xiaobao agreed seriously. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°...¡± Dabao and Erniu understood nothing. Looking at their mommy and Xiaobao¡¯s expressions, the situation seemed to be very serious. ¡°Mommy, I don¡¯t want you to die.¡± Not understanding, Dabao hugged Qi Qingyao tightly. ¡°I won¡¯t die. We won¡¯t die. I firmly believe that your Uncle Si Jin will appear during any critical moment!¡± Qi Qingyao said firmly, ¡°In the time toe, you must hold onto Li Ruoxuan tightly!¡± Li Ruoxuan was the only one they could hold onto now. The triplets nodded cautiously. The State Preceptor was a grand master now. Among their acquaintances in the capital, the State Preceptor was the strongest! In terms of power, his was the greatest! Erniu tilted her head, trying very hard to wrap her head around the situation. It seemed that she had to cultivate diligently with her master. Otherwise, how could she protect her Mommy, Dabao, and Xiaobao in the future! Qi Qingyao and the children had only just decided to remain in the State Preceptor¡¯s residence for the rest of their lives when another edict arrived, beckoning Qi Qingyao to take it. ¡°F*ck, the edict arrived so fast! ¡°Sure enough, it¡¯s from the empress. She receives information much sooner than any normal individual.¡± ¡®It¡¯s asking me to visit the pce again. I wonder if I¡¯m going to get steamed, or fried, or even roasted¡­¡¯ Chapter 560 - A Deal 8

Chapter 560: A Deal 8

The news from the pce instructed her to head over immediately and considering that the eunuch who delivered the imperial edict was waiting at the door, Qi Qingyao knew that if she were to leave this time, she would likely be in trouble. Just as she was walking toward the door, a steward trotted over and asked for her to wait a while. Qi Qingyao was confused but after a while, she saw Li Ruoxuaning from the house, takingrge strides toward the gate. He said indifferently, ¡°I¡¯ll apany you into the pce.¡± Feigning indifference, Qi Qingyao asked, ¡°Is there a need for that?¡± Li Ruoxuan responded with a question, ¡°Is there not?¡± Qi Qingyao knew that if she were to try posturing even more, the man would likely immediately withdraw his offer. She quickly bowed down and replied, ¡°There is, there is.¡± The eunuch did not say anything, considering Li Ruoxuan¡¯s status, just got onto the carriage at the front. Qi Qingyao followed Li Ruoxuan onto the carriage belonging to the State Preceptor¡¯s household and the two carriages drove forward, one after another in the direction of the imperial pce. Qi Qingyao lifted the curtain slightly and noticed a team of tiger guards surrounding the carriage, following them all the way to the pce. She looked at Li Ruoxuan. Li Ruoxuan, ¡°Just in case.¡± Qi Qingyao, ¡°...¡± Even if for caution, this was too much. Who would even dare to attempt an assassination on a carriage belonging to the State Preceptor¡¯s household in the capital! The sounds of an attack could be hearding from outside the carriage the moment she thought of this. Qi Qingyao was so shocked she felt light-headed. ¡®Did someone reallye to assassinate me??? ¡®Gosh, who was that?¡¯ Someone else had also received the news just as Li Ruoxuan did!! She noticed that Li Ruoxuan¡¯s expression was nk. She looked at him as he was sitting still, seemingly unperturbed. She carefully lifted the carriage curtains and peeked out the window. The three attackers had already been dealt with¡­ Qi Qingyao could not help but let out a sigh of relief when she saw this. She could also not help but secretly admire Li Ruoxuan¡¯s readiness. Along their journey from the State Preceptor¡¯s residence to the Imperial Pce, three waves of attackers hade one after the other. Unsure of their motives, the tiger guards had gotten rid of all of them. The capital garrison quickly cleaned up the bodies and the scene. It all happened lightning fast. Upon nearing the pce, the momentum of attempted assassinations subsided. Qi Qingyao got off the carriage with Li Ruoxuan and walked into the pce. After a while, they arrived outside the upper study. The eunuch immediately briefed them loudly, but Qi Qingyao only heard one sentenceing from inside the room, ¡°Has Qi Qingyao arrived?¡± Qi Qingyao made no sound. Li Ruoxuan gestured to her silently and she immediately stepped past the door of the study. In a loud voice, he said, ¡°Your humble servant replying, Your Majesty. This humble servant has brought her to meet with the empress.¡± From inside came, ¡°State Preceptor, pleasee in for a moment.¡± Li Ruoxuan turned back to Qi Qingyao and said, ¡°Wait here first.¡± Qi Qingyao nodded. Li Ruoxuan added, ¡°Zhu Shen, stay with her.¡± Zhu Shen nodded cautiously as he immediately went to stand beside Qi Qingyao. Qi Qingyao watched Li Ruoxuan enter the upper study, then whispered in a confused voice, ¡°Why apany me?¡± What dangers could there be in the pce? Zhu Shen thought for a moment before whispering, ¡°While we are inside the pce, many of the Ghost Organization¡¯s secret agents will also be in there. His Excellency is likely afraid that their assassins and the secret agents would try to abduct you from the pce in broad daylight.¡± ¡°...¡± Qi Qingyao¡¯s eyebrows suddenly raised sky-high as she snuck a nce around this tall building and the guards all around them¡­ In the upper study. The moment Li Ruoxuan entered, the little impressed asked. ¡°Did you already know before that she was the Harbinger?¡± Li Ruoxuan stood to the side, gaze fixated on the floor and expression steely and mildlyzy. ¡°Your humble servant replies, Your Majesty, that this servant did not.¡± ¡°Then how did you ascend to grand mastership!? Do you really think we are fools?¡± Chapter 561 - A Deal 9

Chapter 561: A Deal 9

The little empress looked furious and instantly rose. While she was not as tall as Li Ruoxuan, she roared angrily¡ªlike a chicken from a cockfight. ¡°You brought Qi Qingyao to your residence! ¡°State Preceptor, you¡¯ve never been this attentive to any woman before! What¡¯s more, this woman has three children!!!¡± He had even said something before that indicated he liked this countryside girl. In retrospect, the reason for the State Preceptor liking her¡­ was solely because of what she was!! Li Ruoxuan did not take her anger seriously and was very calm. ¡°She might be. She might not be. Doesn¡¯t Her Majesty¡¯s authority rely on the intelligence from Southern Ming?¡± The little empress eximed, ¡°You are challenging us!¡± Li Ruoxuan paused for a moment then bowed slightly. ¡°This servant would never question Her Majesty. This servant is willing to devote himself to Northern Liang until his death!¡± ¡°Alright alright, we know you won¡¯t betray us.¡± The little empress never doubted the man¡¯s loyalty to the country and so somewhat contained her anger. Changing the subject, she asked, ¡°So, what do you think of this information...¡± She did not ask him if he knew about it because the man in front of her was not only the State Preceptor but also one of the three grand masters of Northern Liang. It would be strange if he instead did not have any intelligence channels¡­ Li Ruoxuan answered, ¡°Do you want to know the truth?¡± The little empress¡¯s gaze was stern. ¡°Are you going to lie to us?¡± Li Ruoxuan¡¯s voice was very low, as he said slowly, ¡°No, because there is no conclusive evidence to prove that she is indeed the Harbinger. If she is, why didn¡¯t the Head Grand Secretariat ascend? Why would this servant have ascended when he killed her sister and her entire family? He ascended by the banks of Qingyangke as he was watching theke on a rainy night! Of course, if one wants to use Si Jin as an argument, it needs to be considered that he on his own is not arge enough sample. If Si Jin really is above a grand master, where is he now? Si Jin... the most important thing about him is his origin! That¡¯s my point! To summarize, there are many doubts.¡± Li Ruoxuan gave the little empress an analysis of the doubts on this matter. The little empress found it reasonable but did not want to be led by the nose by Li Ruoxuan. She said, ¡°Why did you bring her to your residence, then?¡± What was the purpose!? Li Ruoxuan calmly exined, ¡°Your Majesty knows this servant... This servant would rather kill ten thousand by mistake than let one go. What if¡­ she is?¡± Hisst sentence was very light. As light as a feather. The little empress, ¡°...¡± She knew that Li Ruoxuan¡¯s words made sense, and considering his character, his actions were in line with who he was. Li Ruoxuan lowered his gaze in thought. How much could the little empress trust his words? He did not lie, he merely concealed his current personal opinion of Qi Qingyao. Suddenly, Li Ruoxuan asked, ¡°Your Majesty, do you really think that the Head Grand Secretariat would like a widow with several children?¡± The little empress was stunned. Li Ruoxuan coughed lightly and while feigning casualness, he said, ¡°It¡¯s not that this servant is a gossip but¡­ do you think that the Head Grand Secretariat could have such hardcore taste?¡± ¡°Hmph!¡± The little empress did not answer, she just exhaled through her nose. She immediately replied, ¡°You, step aside first.¡± She added, ¡°Invite Qi Qingyao in.¡± The eunuch, Little Lizi, who was at the door immediately announced that Qi Qingyao coulde into the study to meet her. Qi Qingyao lowered her gaze and she followed the eunuch into the study while looking down. She immediately knelt in salute. ¡°Miss Qi. ¡°Rise.¡± The ¡®amicable¡¯ voice sounded from above her. This mildly surprised Qi Qingyao. Could the empress think she was the Harbinger and thus wanted to curry her favor, or... was it something else? Although she did not look up at the empress, she could feel very clearly that the gaze the empress had on her seemed very peaceful¡­ ¡°We won¡¯t discuss superfluous things.¡± The little empress let out an unprecedented smile, waving her hands as she said, ¡°We¡¯re sure the State Preceptor will tell you when you go back.¡± Qi Qingyao, ¡°...???¡± What was going on? She was not buttering her up. She did not want to kill her either. Had she just called her here to say, ¡°We won¡¯t discuss superfluous things¡±? What the¡­ Chapter 562 - A Deal 10

Chapter 562: A Deal 10

Just as Qi Qingyao was about to say she wanted to leave, the little empress stated, ¡°We will issue an edict to dissolve your engagement with the Lu family.¡± Qi Qingyao was delighted. She had not been expecting this matter to be resolved like this. She did not have to y out someplicated drama with Lu Yan anymore, let alone make him a divorcee¡­ The little empress said, ¡°If the State Preceptor informed you of the rumors along the way, you should know that it doesn¡¯t matter whether you are the Harbinger or not. If outsiders believe that you are, your head is in danger of falling off your neck. Although I don¡¯t think you are...¡± Qi Qingyao quickly bowed and said, ¡°Those are mistruths, Your Majesty!¡± The little emperor nced at the neither humble nor haughty littledy. While she still did not like her and always felt that she did not respect her as the empress, when she thought about Li Ruoxuan¡¯s words from before, all her grievances disappeared. As long as Jiang Yeqian did not like her, but only wanted to take advantage of the widow¡­ Qi Qingyao was no longer a rival in love in her eyes now but a chess piece that might be very useful. The little empress had always been patient when it came to useful chess pieces. She put on a soft smile and said, ¡°We don¡¯t think you are the Harbinger, but assassins from the other nations will try to kill you at any cost...¡± ¡°...¡± Qi Qingyao hung her head low, not daring to say anything. It was because she... did not really know how to respond to that. As if reminding her, the little empress said, ¡°You¡¯ve been living in the State Preceptor¡¯s residence during this time.¡± Finally, Qi Qingyao could not help but look up quietly and ask a very important question, ¡°Can this civilian not return to Qingzhou City?¡± The little empress pondered for a moment before answering with a smile, ¡°You may return if Si Jin appears.¡± Qi Qingyao, ¡°...¡± She had be a chess piece in a political game. It was likely that the little empress, to some limited extent, believed the rumors calling her the Harbinger. In other times, she was just more of a chess piece to lure Si Jin out¡­ ¡°Thank you, Your Majesty, for your grace. This civilian will now excuse herself.¡± Qi Qingyao did not dare linger any longer and immediately excused herself. Upon leaving the study, Li Ruoxuan followed beside her as they walked out. Qi Qingyao was very curious. She just felt that he had done something before and so asked, ¡°What did you say to the little empress?¡± Li Ruoxuan sped his hands. Staring at their path ahead with only his left eye, the corners of his mouth raised, and he answered, ¡°I just borrowed the information Daming sent to relieve you of your temporary troubles.¡± ¡°What is there for me to be troubled about¡­¡± Qi Qingyao muttered. Li Ruoxuan did not even look at her. ¡°In the meantime, the little empress thinks that the reason Jiang Yeqian pays attention to you is that he suspects that you are the Harbinger¡­ Anyhow, the little empress won¡¯t be targeting you for now.¡± Qi Qingyao was silent for a moment. She looked at his back as he walked forward and said in a soft voice, ¡°I suddenly feel like you¡¯re not a bad person if you haven¡¯t done anything evil.¡± Huh? She¡­ She had praised him!! She thought he was nice! Li Ruoxuan was instantly so shocked that he almost lost his footing. Feigning boastfulness, he sneered, ¡°Everything I do is for Northern Liang!¡± He did not care one bit for her opinion! Zhu Shen, who was following beside them, could not help but cradle his forehead. Oh Master, did he think he could not tell? The entire back of the supposedly cruel and unscrupulous State Preceptor was now enveloped in joy¡­ Qi Qingyao and Li Ruoxuan left the pce immediately while Jiang Yeqian entered the pce after them. After being in the imperial pce for quite some time, Jiang Yeqian then exited the upper study. Zhao Xin noted that his master¡¯s face, which had been locked in the frown the past few days, had loosened when he came out¡ªhis expression was seemingly lighter. In just a sweep, his troubles from before¡­ seemed like they had all been solved. As they were walking out of the pce, Jiang Yeqian looked at the setting sun and said as if mocking himself slightly, ¡°It¡¯s just an intelligence report, yet it has relieved the little empress¡¯s suspicion of me...¡± She had even said that his taste could not possibly be that hardcore¡­ Jiang Yeqian did not like to hear that, but he had not bothered about arguing with the little empress at the time. What did she mean by ¡®hardcore taste¡¯?! Liking Qi Qingyao meant that he had hardcore taste¡­? Then what did that say about Lu Yan¡¯s conduct? He would also be considered to have hardcore taste¡­ Furthermore, what of Li Ruoxuan? Chapter 563 - Really? She Called Me?

Chapter 563: Really? She Called Me?

Jiang Yeqian asked again, ¡°She thinks the reason for my treatment of Qi Qingyao is that I suspect that she is the Harbinger¡­¡± Zhao Xin frowned. He really did not know what to say to that. ¡°So, I just admitted to it.¡± Jiang Yeqian continued talking to himself, ¡°The little empress no longer has her eyes on Qi Qingyao now.¡± Zhao Xin carefully asked, ¡°Is this not a good thing?¡± As a servant, he did not care about Qi Qingyao¡ªbut this Excellency had always paid attention to her. Jiang Yeqian answered, ¡°It¡¯s a good thing, but also not entirely.¡± ¡°???¡± Where did thate from? Zhao Xin had always felt that his Excellency meant something more than what he said and that his actions were intriguing. It had gotten to a point where he did not really understand him anymore. Jiang Yeqian took a carriage all the way to Qinglong River. Upon getting off the carriage, he stood by the banks of the river in contemtion for a long time before murmuring, ¡°If the little empress had retracted her order and canceled the engagement, the coup on the capital of Northern Liang will have to be postponed.¡± Then, he turned back to Zhao Xin and said, ¡°Envoys from Eastern Ling will be arriving, especially within these next few days.¡± Zhao Xin replied, ¡°With the rumors that Miss Qi is the Harbinger, it¡¯s likely that the objective of the envoys from Eastern Ling during this critical moment is not that simple.¡± Jiang Yeqian shook his head and said, ¡°The objective is very simple. Eastern Ling has lost Pang Juan and is now left with one grand master, Shiye, who is cultivating in Yunwu Mountain. Eastern Ling had initially thought that only Shang Li and Si Jin were in Northern Liang now and were afraid that we would attack them for no reason. That¡¯s why they sent an envoy... It¡¯s not so much to seek peace, and more looking to sign a temporary treaty of peaceful coexistence to ensure that Northern Liang doesn¡¯t join forces with Daming to invade Eastern Ling. However, another grand master has unexpectedly appeared... Li Ruoxuan, the new grand master, is now a variable. That¡¯s why I¡¯m afraid the Eastern Ling envoy is noting just to seek peace. A swift eagle will likely be delivering a message to Eastern Ling soon... ¡± His Excellency thought that they might send another eagle? It was possible. ¡°What¡¯s their objective?¡± Zhao Xian asked. Jiang Yeqian looked at the setting sun and the glittering river covered with speckles of gold. ¡°To capture Qi Qingyao...¡± ¡°What¡¯s the use of abducting Lady Qi?¡± Zhao Xin felt unable to keep up with his Excellency¡¯s mind. Jiang Yeqian lowered his head. He picked up a small stone from the ground and yed with it in his hand. ¡°Zhao Xin, are you really that stupid?¡± Zhao Xin contemted hard and said, ¡°What the master means is that they think that the rumors are true and from there, want to capture Qi Qingyao¡ªthe Harbinger.¡± Although the State Preceptor had ascended to grand mastership, Zhao Xin did not think that there was anything special about Qi Qingyao. As for Si Jin, they had also investigated him, and his mysterious past indicated that he had some obscure origins. He was a grand master, but Zhao Xin also believed that that had nothing to do with Qi Qingyao. ¡°Regardless of whether she is or not, the whole world thinks she is. She is now the center of a vortex.¡± Jiang Yeqian threw the stone in his hand into the river. It was obviously just a small stone, but it created a wave in the water. ¡°So¡­what does the master intend to do?¡± asked Zhao Xin. The corners of Jiang Yeqian¡¯s mouth raised. ¡°If Si Jin doesn¡¯t appear, she can only rely on Li Ruoxuan to protect her. I¡¯m afraid that¡­ it will be very difficult to protect her now that she is so popr.¡± Not to mention that there was likely something else to the little empress¡¯s decision to cancel the engagement. ¡­ ¡­ When the edict was sent to the Lu family soon after, it created a ratherrge shockwave within the Lu family. Lu Yan¡¯s face was nk¡ªno one could tell if he was feeling joy or sorrow. He calmly epted the edict and returned to the courtyard. Instead, it was the Lu patriarch who was rather distraught. He had also just received a report that the littledy named Qi Qingyao might be the Harbinger. It was rather unbelievable. What a pity that she would not be marrying into their Lu family. Dong Jing followed Lu Yan back to the courtyard, then looked at the man as he leaned to sit against the green satin pillow. His ck hair hung like ck silk as he reclined idly. His gaze was, however, empty¡ªas if he did not know where he was. There was an exceptionallyrge and fat white cat with a golden left ear at his feet. It was also lying aboutzily, opening its eyes asionally to nce at the man. Dong Jing hurriedly sent for someone to deliver some steamed confectioneries, sweet dishes, and some other rare fruits and cheeses. When the delicious confectioneries arrived, the man still had not opened his eyes, somewhat worrying Dong Jing. He gave a slight cough and spoke. ¡°Master, the pce has canceled the engagement.¡± He wanted to pull Lu Yan back to reality. ¡°I know.¡± The man reached an arm out and carried therge white cat by his feet into his arms. ¡°But you look like¡­¡± Dong Jing looked at the man¡¯s sickly visage worryingly. Lu Yan, ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°Do we need to inform the others on Qi Qingyao¡¯s side?¡± Dong Jing asked carefully. Lu Yan finally frowned and looked up at Dong Jing, his gaze as if he was looking at a fool. ¡°Do you think the pce only sent me, and not her, the edict?¡± Dong Jing held his tongue and changed the topic. He asked, pretending not to know, ¡°Master, do you think it¡¯s rted to the report about the Harbinger?¡± ¡°The imperial government is unwilling to hand the Harbinger to the Lu family for nothing.¡± Saying this, Lu Yan spread himself out on the arhat couch and said casually, ¡°I¡¯d rather she wasn¡¯t the Harbinger since me liking her has nothing to do with if she is the Harbinger.¡± Dong Jing, ¡°...¡± ¡­ ¡­ State Preceptor¡¯s Residence. Qi Qingyao had received the imperial edict before dinner time. Dinner was filled with contentment. Just as Qi Qingyao decided to return to the courtyard and loiter around with the triplets for a bit, Li Ruoxuan reminded her, ¡°The envoy is arriving soon. You¡¯d better get ready.¡± ¡°???¡± What envoy? What did it have to do with her? Qi Qingyao did not question him. ncing at the sky outside, she walked out. ¡°Where are you going?¡± Li Ruoxuan asked. Qi Qingyao turned around and hurriedly asked her protector, ¡°Can I make a trip to the Lu Residence?¡± She wanted to have a chat with Lu Yan. Li Ruoxuan frowned and said, ¡°If you¡¯re looking for Lu Yan, you had better ask him toe here.¡± Hearing this, Qi Qingyao asked Zhu Shen to send someone to the Lu Residence to call for him on her behalf¡­ Zhu Shen first nced at his master to make sure he did not have any objections before carrying out her order. The staff within the State Preceptor¡¯s Residence were efficient. They had reached the Lu Residence in just fifteen minutes. Dong Jing heard that someone from the State Preceptor¡¯s Residence was calling for his master and was happy to report this to his master, who was lying half-dead on the arhat couch. ¡°Master, Lady Qi has invited you to the State Preceptor¡¯s Residence for a chat.¡± Lu Yan instantly sat up and the white cat in his arms fell to the ground. The white cat looked at the human with disdain and sighed. ¡°Really? She called for me?¡± ¡°Yes, the person from the State Preceptor¡¯s Residence is awaiting your answer at the door so that they may return to report.¡± ¡°Answer that person, and tell them I will be there right away.¡± ¡°Understood!¡± Immediately after that, Lu Yan quickly freshened up and changed his clothes. Cleaning up his appearance a bit more, he then got into the carriage and headed toward the State Preceptor¡¯s residence. He was smiling the entire journey. Dong Jing¡¯s mood also improved as he saw this. Chapter 564 - Hold Me, My Legs Have Gone Soft!

Chapter 564: Hold Me, My Legs Have Gone Soft!

Li Ruoxuan went to the study to settle some documents. Qi Qingyao naturally took over the hall of the State Preceptor¡¯s residence as if she were the master. After waiting for a while, Lu Yan arrived with Dong Jing. As soon as Qi Qingyao saw Lu Yan, she quickly got up and pulled him over. ¡°Come on, sit down, sit down.¡± She personally guided Lu Yan to take a seat. Her friendliness stunned Lu Yan. Was she so happy that the little empress had given the edict to cancel the engagement? Lu Yan tamped his curiosity and asked, ¡°Is the State Preceptor not in?¡± ¡°I¡¯m the one looking for you. What does this have to do with the State Preceptor?¡± Qi Qingyao personally poured Lu Yan some tea. She even discreetly told Lu Yan it was quality tea the State Preceptor Li Ruoxuan had collected. Lu Yan took note of her looking as if she was offering some treasure and thought, ¡®As if I hadn¡¯t had good tea, considering who I am.¡¯ However, since the littledy was behaving this way, he spared her and took a sip of the tea¡ªeven burning his lips a bit in the end. Lu Yan, ¡°...¡± Dong Jing almost chuckled. Recalling what she wanted to discuss, Qi Qingyao hurriedly said, ¡°Dong Jing, please leave us. I want to talk to your master alone.¡± Before Dong Jing was ready to head out, Lu Yan patted the white cat in his arms. The white cat seemed a little reluctant but jumped off his legs lightly and trotted out the door in two or three steps. Dong Jing followed it out of the hall, even closing the door out of courtesy. The maid waiting outside the door seemed a little unhappy when she saw him close the door¡­ The white cat jumped up a few pirs onto the roof. It thenid down on the eaves, swinging its white tail. It wondered, somewhat listlessly with a yawn, what the little koi fish was doing¡­ It missed him a little. Inside the hall. Lu Yan gently fanned the piping hot tea with the cover of the bowl and then took another sip, saying, ¡°What did you want to talk about?¡± Qi Qingyao sat cross-legged on the chair as if she were sitting on a y stove, and asked seriously, ¡°While Li Ruoxuan is behaving very well now, you¡¯re still the only person I trust.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Lu Yan feigned surprise while in actuality his heart was blooming. ¡°They¡¯re all saying I¡¯m the Harbinger, but I don¡¯t think I am. What should I do now?¡± Qi Qingyao thought about her current situation, her head aching. She remembered something after saying that and asked, ¡°I don¡¯t suppose you still haven¡¯t heard about it yet.¡± ¡°I do,¡± Lu Yan answered. Qi Qingyao said anxiously, ¡°Help me think of a solution, then.¡± Lu Yan nced at her squarely. ¡°First of all, there are several advantages to them thinking that you are the Harbinger. While the rulers of the various nations might want to kill you, the grand masters won¡¯t. They will even protect you or rush to take you away because they all want to ascend to a higher realm. They want to break past the grand master limit and reach the same level as Si Jin. ¡°Second¡­¡± Qi Qingyao interrupted him before he could finish speaking. ¡°I¡¯m not interested in the second point. I just want to know what I should do now.¡± Lu Yan thought about this question carefully before asking back, ¡°What do you want to do?¡± Qi Qingyuan shrugged and ate the steamed fruit pastry on the table listlessly as she answered, ¡°I¡¯m not interested in bing the center of the vortex, but I know that, like any other individual, we are bound by our roles. Ought I be a political chess piece for the imperial court or even the other countries?¡± Lu Yan said, ¡°It has already gotten this far. It¡¯s impossible for you to not be a chess piece even if you don¡¯t want to. If you want to preserve your life now, you can only...¡± ¡°Go with the flow? Take it step by step?¡± Qi Qingyao cut in. Lu yan refuted and said, ¡°You can¡¯t just go with the flow, you have to be steering the boat along with the current! Take advantage of the situation...¡± He pondered for a moment, expression turning serious as he said, ¡°Or, you could look at it another way. What¡¯s your goal in life? To make lots of money? To recruit a dozen boy toys? Will it be a different one for every day of the year? Or do you want to have a little bit of money to build a small house in the countryside, get into farming and then raise the children? Or do you want to marry the prime minister of some nation, or a rich man, or even the emperor of a nation...¡± Lu Yan did not dare say that it would be alright for her to marry him as well. He eyed her expression carefully. ¡°...¡± Qi Qingyao frowned, cheek in hand, while she contemted. Lu Yan decided to first give her an example. ¡°Everyone has a goal in life. Use us, the Lu family, as an example. The Lu family¡¯s purpose for generations has been to maintain the family business, to constantly expand our area of business and grow! To open up stores in every corner of the continent¡­ We haven¡¯t achieved that, so there is still a long way for us to go in the future.¡± Qi Qingyao thought for a long time before she said, ¡°I probably want to walk about in the sun freely and earn lots of money easily. I don¡¯t want to marry into any noble family. I¡¯m a widow, after all¡ªno one would fall for me.?So, my goal is to earn a lot of money easily and try my best to raise the children.¡± It was simple and clear, but it made Lu Yan feel sad. Pretending not to be bothered, he asked, ¡°Is there¡­no ns for men at all among them?¡± Qi Qingyao took a sip of tea. She nced at him, shrugged, and said, ¡°Oh brother, you ask me that, but no one would fall for me.¡± ¡°What if someone does?¡± Lu Yan asked nervously. ¡°It¡¯s impossible,¡± Qi Qingyao answered decisively. Lu Yan could not understand. ¡°Do you really think yourself that unappealing?¡± Sometimes, it felt like she was very confident, but other times, it was as if she had really low self-esteem. Qi Qingyao said calmly, ¡°I might be more appealing now that I¡¯m the Harbinger.¡± ¡°Why do you think so lowly of yourself? Even if you are not the Harbinger, you are also an outstanding littledy,¡± Lu Yan said. Qi Qingyao said with a smile, ¡°Oh, I know I¡¯m outstanding, but it¡¯s hard to get married as a widow.¡± Lu Yan was stunned. After a pause, he said, ¡°You should know that the people who truly like you won¡¯t¡­ dislike you just because you have children. On the contrary, their love would extend to even the crows on the roof¡ªthey would love even the children.¡± ¡°Will there really be such a person?¡± Qi Qingyao asked, her tone dazed. ¡°I... know that Si Jin likes you very much.¡± He almost referred to himself before saving himself in that critical moment. Qi Qingyao sniffled. ¡°He¡¯s still young. What would he know of love? Stop kidding around. He¡¯s just like a brother to me.¡± Lu Yan refuted, ¡°Why do you always doubt the sincerity of others? Is it because you are a widow or that you might even be the Harbinger now? It doesn¡¯t matter who confesses to you! You will doubt whether they have some ulterior motive, wondering if they want to use you! You just can¡¯t believe the sincerity of others!!!¡± Qi Qingyao noted the change in his tone of speech. He seemed to beshing out a little. Feeling small, she said weakly, ¡°Why are you getting mad all of a sudden¡­? I didn¡¯t even say anything.¡± It was because she had not said anything that he was mad. Lu Yan took a deep breath and called her name. ¡°Qi Qingyao.¡± Qi Qingyao blinked and looked at him carefully. Lu yan asked, ¡°Have you, in your lifetime, ever felt for someone?¡± Qi Qingyao shook her head. ¡°No.¡± Lu Yan was a little disappointed, but he did not want to give up. ¡°Not even a little?¡± Even a little bit was fine! It could grow into something more. At his serious question, Qi Qingyao began thinking sincerely and then answered, ¡°Yeah¡­ when I saw your face, my heart did skip a beat for a second. It did the same when I saw Si Jin, but¡­ but then I knew it was not possible once it calmed down. So, I just let it remain calm.¡± Her answer was very ordinary, but it was beyond Lu Yan¡¯s expectations. He suddenly stood up, ¡°Y-y-you felt something for me.¡± Qi Qingyao felt like something was off about her answer and added, ¡°You¡¯re really handsome. Any normal person would be attracted to you.¡± ¡°So why didn¡¯t you continue having a crush on me?¡± Lu Yan asked somewhat anxiously. Qi Qingyao looked at him cidly. ¡°Because I knew it was impossible, so I didn¡¯t.¡± Lu Yan had already walked in front of Qi Qingyao. He put both hands on the armrests of her chair. It looked like he was wrapping her, as she was sitting cross-legged in the chair, into his arms. Being so close to Lu Yan so suddenly, Qi Qingyao grew inexplicably nervous. The man in front of her stared at her with a very solemn gaze and spoke. ¡°You hadn¡¯t even tried. How could you have known it was impossible?¡± Qi Qingyao took a sip of tea slowly before looking back at him and saying, ¡°What¡¯s impossible is impossible. You¡¯re all dignified folk, and I¡¯m just a wildling from the countryside. We are not from the same world at all.¡± Lu Yan still did not rx. ¡°If we¡¯re not from the same world, how are you talking to me now?¡± Qi Qingyao felt suffocated. Lu Yan leaned forward, his face nearing hers. The distance between them was only about four inches. If he came any closer, he would bump into the tip of her nose. Qi Qingyao could see his throat bobbing nervously. Then, Lu Yan said wearily, ¡°I allow you to continue being interested in me. I allow you.¡± Being a killjoy, Qi Qingyao asked, ¡°Are you thinking about using me to cure your illness...¡± Lu Yan paused and then took a step back. His gaze was a little exasperated, and a little angry. ¡°Qi Qingyao! You are always doubting the sincerity of others. Even when I allow you to be interested in me, you wonder if it is because I want to use you to treat me!!! Let me tell you this. The reason I want to be treated for my illness is that I like you! I want you to treat me because I want to try to get close to you! Having you look at my illness is just an excuse¡ªI¡¯m indeed trying to get close to you.¡± ¡°Er...¡± Qi Qingyao saw the anger rising and falling in his chest¡ªhe seemed pretty livid. She quickly poured him tea, got up, and brought it to him. She smiled and sucked up to him, ¡°Have a cup of tea first.¡± Lu Yan squeezed the teacup in his hand, his expression hideous. ¡°Do you still think I¡¯m joking with you?¡± ¡°...¡± Qi Qingyao did not dare say anything. Lu Yan said, ¡°Did you know how happy I was when the little empress bestowed a marriage to us? It was because I could marry you in good faith. But now, this edict has been lifted again!!!¡± Qi Qingyao, ¡°...¡± He had been¡­ very happy?! Teacup in hand, he walked up to her and stood in front of her. He looked down at the littledy who was shorter than him. He stretched out his right hand for the first time. His fingers were trembling slightly, but he forced himself to reach his hand out and touch her chin, raising her head¡ªto have her look at him. Lu Yan¡¯s eyes were very dark. ¡°Qi Qingyao, I don¡¯t care what you think. I allow you to be attracted to me. I allow you to like me. I allow you to fantasize about everything you haven¡¯t fantasized about me. I allow you to do whatever you want with me.¡± At that, he retracted his fingers quickly. He looked like he did not know how to be himself. There were also two suspicious clouds of red on his thin-skinned face. He turned around, putting down his teacup. His back to her, he said, ¡°We¡¯ll end our talk here. I¡¯m heading back first.¡± Then, he stumbled a little out of the hall and hastily walked out of the State Preceptor¡¯s residence. Dong Jing quickly followed behind. The white cat trotted along the roof and then jumped onto the top of the carriage with great speed. When Lu Yan descended the steps at the gate of the State Preceptor¡¯s residence, he was so nervous he almost fell. He held back the feeling that his heart was about to jump out of his chest and whispered to Dong Jing behind him, ¡°Dong Jing, hold, hold me.¡± ¡°Master?¡± Dong Jing was a little doubtful but hurried forward and helped his master. Lu Yan, ¡°My legs, t-they¡¯ve gone soft!!¡± ¡°Master...¡± Dong Jing was surprised. What had Lady Qi done just now? Why had the master¡¯s legs gone soft? Could it be that the master and Lady Qi had done something unspeakable in the hall that had made the master¡¯s legs go soft!! Dong Jing did not dare to think about it further. Dong Jing helped Lu Yan to the carriage. He thought Lu Yan would be able to get on the carriage himself, but Lu Yan unexpectedly instructed him, ¡°Help me onto the carriage.¡± ¡°Master, did Lady Qi give you the Ten Fragrance Tendon Weakening Powder or something?¡± Dong Jing asked carefully as he helped Lu Yan into the carriage. He did not dare ask if Lady Qi had ¡¯emptied¡¯ him just now!!! He had to phrase his question very tactfully! ¡°No.¡± Lu Yan leaned against the pillow in the carriage. Dong Jing wondered, ¡°Then why are you...¡± ¡°I...¡± Lu Yan lowered his gaze and held it for a while before he said, ¡°I said it.¡± ¡°???¡± What did he say? What was the master talking about? Was he giving him a riddle? He looked like he did not even have the strength to get on the carriage just now... How could it be anything? It was likely he had shot... Cough! Filthy, filthy. It was too filthy! At the thought of this, Dong Jing felt that his noble and clean master had likely immediately fallen into Lady Qi¡¯s bed¡­ Considering his master¡¯s condition, he had definitely been the bottom! Hehe¡­ Before Dong Jing¡¯s delusion was even over, Lu Yan looked at him piercingly and said firmly, ¡°I¡¯ve said it all, I¡¯ve confessed!¡± Dong Jing, ¡°???¡±. Had it just been a confession!? What are your legs weak for, then!? He had made Don Jing think up such nonsense! Chapter 565 - Pack Our Bags, We’re Staying At His Place!

Chapter 565: Pack Our Bags, We¡¯re Staying At His ce!

Once Dong Jing returned to his seat, he gulped and said, ¡°Master, I don¡¯t think this is the right time. Considering how Lady Qi is, she will doubt your intentions.¡± His master¡¯s confession must have been brushed off. They might not even stay friends. Lu Yan cradled his forehead. He knew deep down the timing had been wrong. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter, I have said what I had to say¡ªit¡¯s better than to leave things vague all the time. I want her to know what I think.¡± He had just delivered his words firmly when less than a secondter, Lu Yan clutched his heart as if it hurt and sighed emotionally. ¡°God, what if she ignores me after this? Or... rejects me... She wouldn¡¯t give up our friendship too, would she?¡± Have you just realized this?! Dong Jing was speechless, but it was not good for him to criticize his master, so he could onlyfort him and say, ¡°Master, calm down! This servant thinks that Lady Qi would consider your feelings carefully if she knows that you were not kidding.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Dong Jing¡¯s words instantlyforted Lu Yan¡¯s feelings of disgust and loss. He said to himself, ¡°Do you think she will ept me? No, no, not ept. Do you¡­ think she will give me a chance to court her?¡± Dong Jing did not know how to answer this question. Lu Yan answered as if talking to himself, ¡°No, I have to write a letter immediately when I get home. I cannot force her. I just told her about my feelings. I don¡¯t want to force her to give me an answer immediately...¡± Agreeing wholeheartedly, Dong Jing said, ¡°Yes, yes. This servant also thinks that this is the best course of action. A watched pot never boils. If Lady Qi thinks that your confession is to force an answer out of her, would it not backfire? You might not even be able to stay friends after that.¡± The white cat on the carriage roof listened in on the conversation between the two in the car and could not help shaking its big tail. Oh, humans! Then, it narrowed its golden pupils, slightly troubled. Should it support Lu Yan or Si Jin? Lu Yan was, after all, its owner! He often gave it delicious treats¡­ Si Jin, however¡­ He was also a good friend! The white cat could not help but feel even more troubled when it thought of this. ¡­ ¡­ Hearing from Zhu Shen that Lu Yan had brought Dong Jing along as they left in a hurry, Li Ruoxuan feigned casualness and walked toward the front hall. He noticed her sitting there in silence, as if in a daze. Pretending he did not know what had happened, he asked, ¡°Has Lu left?¡± ¡°He left.¡± Qi Qingyao still looked out of it when she answered absent-mindedly. ¡°Then what are you doing sitting here alone dumbly?¡± Could it be that Lu Yan had said something weird just now? Li Ruoxuan wondered. Qi Qingyao scratched her head. Returning to her senses, she replied, ¡°Little Yan¡­ He, Lu Yan, just now, he¡­¡± Li Ruoxuan made a guess rooted in despise and viciousness, ¡°What happened to him just now? Was he suddenly dying because of some disease re-up?¡± ¡°No.¡± Qi Qingyao shook her head and said thoughtfully, ¡°He said a lot of strange things just now.¡± ¡°How strange?¡± Li Ruoxuan asked. Qi Qingyao touched her lower jaw as she said, ¡°He allowed me to be interested in him, allowed me to like him. He allowed me to have my way with him.¡± ¡°...¡± Li Ruoxuan could hardly breathe.?He walked to a chair at the side and took a seat upon hearing that. Hands gripping the armrest of the chair, he then turned around and asked her, ¡°What did you do to him just now?¡± To have Lu Yan say that! Was it Lu Yan who had gone crazy just now, or was it her? Qi Qingyao spread her hands innocently. ¡°Nothing. We just had a cup of tea together.¡± Then that meant, ¡°He went mad?¡± asked Li Ruoxuan. ¡°It didn¡¯t look like it.¡± Qi Qingyao shook her head again. Li Ruoxuanughed with a smile and added, ¡°Don¡¯t take it to heart. He was just joking.¡± Qi Qingyao continued carefully, ¡°But he didn¡¯t look like he was, he said it pretty seriously.¡± Li Ruoxuan continued to try to divert the situation, saying, ¡°You¡¯re the Harbinger. The Lu family wants you so that their strength will double! Businessmen, their words may sound sincere but all they have in their minds is money! Don¡¯t trust him.¡± ¡°...¡± Qi Qingyao was prepared to reply, but the steward came rushing toward them. He stood outside the hall and reported, ¡°Lady Qi, the Lu family has sent a letter.¡± The steward presented the letter with both hands. Qi Qingyao looked up. Li Ruoxuan walked over and took the letter somewhat impatiently. He was really curious about the contents of the letter but did not dare open it. He could only bring it over and ce it in her hand. Qi Qingyao muttered, ¡°He just left, and he already sent me a letter. There¡¯s something wrong with him ¡± Li Ruoxuan pretended to ask casually, ¡°What did he write?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing to do with you.¡± Qi Qingyao turned away to open the letter. Li Ruoxuan distanced himself a little. He pretended to pace around the hall but then stretched his neck and looked toward her back. Qi Qingyao¡¯s back had, however, obscured his view entirely. While Qi Qingyao was not paying attention, he lifted himself onto a table. He could see more from higher ground. Written in the letter. [To Yaoyao: What I said just now was not because I wanted you to give me an answer, I just wanted to inform you of my feelings. I just want you to give me the chance to pursue you¡­ Sincerely, Little Yan.] Qi Qingyao read the letter. Then, she put it away with her expression somewhat quiet. ¡°Tsk.¡± Li Ruoxuan had already gotten off the table. With his hands behind his back, he continued pacing the hall. He snorted coldly and said, ¡°It has nothing to do with me if someone confessed to you. But as your current protector, as your daughter¡¯s master, I have something to say. You¡¯re special now¡ªso don¡¯t trust just anyone easily, including me. Everyone has their own schemes. If you fall into the traps prepared for you too readily, you will be the one who will suffer.¡± Saying that, Li Ruoxuan then turned to leave the hall. He strode out toward his courtyard. Zhu Shen hurriedly tailed his master. He heard Li Ruoxuan curse as he entered the courtyard. ¡°Lu Yan, that b*stard, he really knows how to pick a time.¡± ¡°Your Excellency?¡± Who was it? Lu Yan? Pick a time for what? ¡°He actually confessed to that little woman! How dreadful.¡± Li Ruoxuan kicked a rock on the ground angrily. Thatrge rock was immediately sent flying toward the wall, making a hole in it before itnded in the pond in the garden on the other side. There was a ssh before it sank to the bottom of the pond. Zhu Shen looked at his Excellency¡¯s troubled appearance. ¡°Your Excellency¡­¡± ¡°Zhu Shen, prepare ink and paper.¡± Li Ruoxuan immediately walked toward the study, utterly difited as he said, ¡°I would like to write a letter to the Head Grand Secretariat.¡± Zhu Shen, ¡°???¡±. Lu Yan had confessed to Lady Qi yet his Excellency wanted to pen a letter to the Head Grand Secretariat. Could he be trying to get him to do his dirty work!? Not long after. The letter was sent to the gates of what used to be the Head Grand Secretariat¡¯s residence but was now just Jiang Yeqian¡¯s home. The steward noted that the State Preceptor had sent a letter and did not dally, hurriedly delivering that letter into master Zhao Xin¡¯s hand. Zhao Xin immediately pushed the letter toward Jiang Yeqian. ¡°Master, the State Preceptor has sent a letter.¡± Jiang Yeqian epted the letter with suspicion. He noted that the ink was still fresh. ¡°I¡¯m no longer the Head Grand Secretariat, so why did Li Ruoxuan write me a letter?¡± ¡°...¡± Zhao Xin thought to himself, ¡®Master, how am I supposed to know if even you don¡¯t?¡¯ Once Jiang Yeqian opened the letter, he realized that the contents were not long¡­ [To my dear Head Grand Secretariat: There is something you might wish to know, that¡¯s why I will so kindly tell you. Lu Yan has confessed to Qi Qingyao¡­ The littledy Qi is also beginning to consider it seriously¡­ In his confession, he said something like, ¡°I allow you to be interested in me, I allow you to like me, I allow you to have your way with me.¡± Listening to it gave me goosebumps! I wonder what you think about this. Yours faithfully, Little Xuan.] Jiang Yeqian wanted to throw the letter away the moment he saw the opening! Stomaching his disgust, he continued reading. The matter gave Jiang Yeqian a headache, but he did not throw a fit. Li Ruoxuan¡¯s final sign-off almost made him throw up, though. Speechless, he burned the letter. He cursed. ¡°F*ck!¡± ¡°Your Excellency???¡± Zhao Xin thought silently, ¡®His Excellency is no longer the Head Grand Secretariat, so why would the State Preceptor deliberately send this letter to upset his Excellency? The State Preceptor was crossing the line! He is already a grand master. Just what else does he want?¡¯ Once Jiang Yeqian burned the letter, he cursed hatefully, ¡°Confessing to her at such a time. A woman as shrewd as she wouldn¡¯t fall for it.¡± Saying that, he added heavily, ¡°She definitely wouldn¡¯t!¡± Thatst part was not for other people. It was mostly for himself. Zhao Xin, ¡°???¡± Who had confessed to who? It could not possibly be the State Preceptor who had confessed to Lady Qi now, could it? However, the State Preceptor had always stood to gain from confessing. Had his Excellency believed it just like that? Jiang Yeqian picked up the teacup and took a sip. He put the teacup down heavily and muttered further. ¡°Deliberately writing me a letter. He is thinking about having me do his dirty work for him! Does he think I¡¯m stupid?¡± Zhao Xin, ¡°???¡± What he had said... If it had not been the State Preceptor who had confessed to Lady Qi, then who did? Who would have rushed to confess to the Harbinger? Zhao Xin was filled with curiosity, but he did not dare ask... Jiang Yeqian contemted for a while before saying to Zhao Xin, ¡°Pack luggage. We¡¯re going to live in the State Preceptor¡¯s residence.¡± Zhao Xin, ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°What are you dawdling for ? Get going,¡± Jiang Yeqian urged. Zhao Xin, ¡°But, but your Excellency¡­ you know that the little empress¡­¡± Zhao Xin did not dare continue. However, he knew that his master understood what he meant. With a superficial smile, Jiang Yeqian said, ¡°Intelligence on the Harbinger is very valuable and is enough to cover many things. If the little empress were to ask, all I would have to say is that I want to quickly ascend to grand mastership¡ªthat¡¯s why getting close to the Harbinger is a good thing. As the saying goes, there are benefits to be reaped by getting into an advantageous position!¡± Zhao Xin thought it made sense and so hurriedly went to pack his master¡¯s luggage. As he was finishing up packing his luggage, Zhao Xin thought, ¡®We¡¯re going to go live in the State Preceptor¡¯s residence, but we don¡¯t know if the State Preceptor... will chase us away!¡¯ Before he could even ask, he saw that Jiang Yeqian had already asked the coachman to prepare the carriage and that a few of the maids had even moved some of his frequently used items into the carriage. Zhao Xin thought to himself, it was like they were moving houses... It would be very embarrassing if the State Preceptor kicked them out! Chapter 566 - Third Party Wins

Chapter 566: Third Party Wins

Li Ruoxuan was meditating inside when Zhu Shen knocked on his door furiously outside. Li Ruoxuan frowned. Even though he had ascended to grand mastership, it would be hard for him if he wanted to continue cultivating if this were to continue. Exasperated, he got up and went over to open the door. After opening the door, Li Ruoxuan looked at Zhu Shen nkly, his gaze as if warning Zhu Shen to watch his neck if he could not properly exin himself. Zhu Shen shrunk back and said carefully, ¡°Your Excellency, there is¡­ outside¡­¡± Li Ruoxuan snapped, ¡°What happened outside?¡± Zhu Shen wiped the cold sweat off his forehead and said, ¡°It¡¯s the Head Grand Secretariat¡¯s men, and they brought luggage.¡± ¡°What?¡± Li Ruoxuan did not understand what Zhu Shen was saying. ¡°What do you mean they brought luggage?¡± His expression awkward, Zhu Shen said, ¡°The Head Grand Secretariat said he wants to live in the State Preceptor¡¯s Residence and asked for you to clean out a courtyard for him.¡± ¡°What is Jiang Yeqian¡¯s intention?¡± He flicked his sleeves with anger and strode withrge steps toward the parlor. The moment he entered, he saw Jiang Yeqian sitting in his parlor indulging in confectioneries as if it was no one¡¯s business. He even looked rather at home. Li Ruoxuan¡¯s brows scrunched up tightly and he gripped his hands behind his back. ¡°Have you lost your home or something?¡± Jiang Yeqian nced at Li Ruoxuan and drawled, ¡°The Harbinger is here. As a pir of Northern Liang, naturally I have to set the objective of ascending into grand mastership. Obviously, I want to live in the State Preceptor¡¯s residence so that I¡¯ll be able to gain the benefits from the position! As the State Preceptor of Northern Liang and my former colleague, I¡¯m sure you wouldn¡¯t be petty as to gatekeep others from ascending in grand mastership now, would you?¡± With his talk about gaining an advantage through a favorable position, this guy must want to snatch Qi Qingyao as well as ascend into grand mastership. Did Jiang Yeqian think that he would see through his ns of killing two birds with one stone? Li Ruoxuan gave a shallow smile and said, ¡°What are you talking about? No one is preventing the Head Grand Secretariat from ascending, but what does that have to do with living in my house?¡± Jiang Yeqian did not get angry but smiled and said, ¡°Then how about the State Preceptor relent a little and let Qi Qingyao, the Harbinger, live with me? What does the State Preceptor think about this arrangement?¡± Without hesitation, Li Ruoxuan replied, ¡°Don¡¯t even think about it.¡± ¡°So it makes sense that I should live here.¡± The moment Jiang Yeqian said this, he noted that Li Ruoxuan was about to refuse and added casually, ¡°If the State Preceptor is not satisfied, why don¡¯t we bring this up to Her Majesty... What do you think?¡± Li Ruoxuan¡¯s expression shifted. To bring this up to her Majesty... Although the little empress liked Jiang Yeqian, now that she knew that Qi Qingyao might be the Harbinger, she would make it a priority for the man she liked to ascend into grand mastership. It was hard to say if the little empress would order Qi Qingyao to live in the Jiang Residence. If that were to happen, would he not be suffering double the losses then? With that in mind, Li Ruoxuan hurriedly said, ¡°There¡¯s no need.¡± Then he added, ¡°Since we are all contributing our strength for Northern Liang, I am very moved by the Head Grand Secretariat¡¯s patriotism. My residence is very big, it¡¯s just a matter of cleaning out a courtyard for our¡­former Head Grand Secretariat, so it should be no problem at all.¡± As he spoke, he deliberately emphasized the word ¡°former¡±. Then he ordered, ¡°Zhu Shen, quickly send someone to clean up Langui Courtyard.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Excellency.¡± Zhu Shen frowned and immediately sent for the maids to clean up the courtyard. Qi Qingyao was inside ying chess with Xiaobao, when Dabao came rushing in. With a panicked expression on his face he said, ¡°Mommy, I was walking around the garden just now when I saw Uncle Jianging in with his luggage.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Qi Qingyao put down the ck chess piece in her hand and muttered with confusion, ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± Xiaobao was also very curious. He suggested to Qi Qingyao that they should put their game on hold and asked his mommy to go out and see what was happening. Qi Qingyao nodded. She quickly rushed out of the courtyard and asked a maid who was busying back and forth about it before rushing to the Langui Courtyard. The moment she entered the courtyard, she saw numerous maids and servants rushing to and fro. She contemted for a while but still did not go in. She immediately went to Li Ruoxuan¡¯s courtyard and found him standing inside, his face in a scowl. ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡± Qi Qingyao walked up to him, thinking, ¡®Has he gone mad or have you? What are you two doing?¡¯ Without waiting for Li Ruoxuan¡¯s response, Qi Qingyao wondered aloud, ¡°Could it be that he has realized your sincere friendship for him, and rushed toe live with you so that you two could cultivate a good rtionship?¡± Li Ruoxuan returned to his senses. Qi Qingyao¡¯s words hit a nerve and he frowned tightly.?¡°Have you gone mad?¡± Qi Qingyao said innocently, ¡°How am I the one who¡¯s gone mad?¡± Li Ruoxuan replied exasperatedly, ¡°Intel from Daming ims that you are the Harbinger. Jiang Yeqian thinks that my ascension was rted to you and so he ns to get close to you so that he could ascend into grand mastership.¡± Qi Qingyao shrugged and immediately rxed. ¡°I¡¯m afraid he¡¯ll be disappointed.¡± ¡°I think so too,¡± replied Li Ruoxuan. ¡­ ¡­ Jiang Yeqianing to live in the State Preceptor¡¯s Residence was not really a big deal, but it sounded extremely dicey when it reached some people¡¯s ears. When Dong Jing heard of this, he knew that he had to report this to his master quickly. Not daring to dy, he said, ¡°Master, not good!! Something bad has happened.¡± Lu Yan was stroking his cat after having taken a bath, and was looking rather settled in. He askedzily, ¡°What bad things could have happened?¡± Dong Jing gulped and said, ¡°I heard that Jiang Yeqian, the former Head Grand Secretariat, had moved his luggage to live at the State Preceptor¡¯s Residence over the night...¡± ¡°That¡¯s impossible. Li Ruoxuan would never agree,¡± Lu Yan replied without thinking. Dong Jing said, ¡°The servant also thought so, but the State Preceptor had actually agreed!¡± Lu Yan, ??? Dong Jing added, ¡°This servant thinks that whether it¡¯s the State Preceptor or the Head Grand Secretariat, their intentions toward Lady Qi cannot be straightforward. If those two only intend to use Lady Qi, then living so close to her... Not to mention with their distinguished identities, if Lady Qi were to develop feelings for the two, she would definitely be cast aside and be extremely hurt once they are done using her!¡± Lu Yan stroked the white cat¡¯s chin and contemted for a while. As if talking to himself, he muttered, ¡°Can¡¯t I go and live there too?¡± Hearing this, Dong Jing suddenly felt that his master had seen the light and said, ¡°Why can¡¯t you? You had been living in the Qi Residence with Lady Qi back in Qingzhou City and thedy did not object. Now, these two vile individuals are nning something in secret. If you sit and wait, Lady Qi will be bullied.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right!¡± Lu Yan instructed firmly, ¡°Pack the luggage at once!! I¡¯ll go over and discuss with the State Preceptor about living in his residence first.¡± ¡°Yes yes, do go ahead with that, Master. Dong Jing will follow right behind.¡± Dong Jing was ecstatic and decided to fully support his master! The next-generation head of the Lu family will be his master, but he did not even have a girl he liked. He had gone through a lot to finally find one and it was natural that he would hold onto her tightly! When Lu Yan arrived at the State Preceptor¡¯s residence, the servants there had not found it strange since he came alone. They only approached him to ask what he needed and who he was looking for. Lu Yan replied, ¡°I¡¯m looking for Lady Qi.¡± The steward replied in a gentle and amiable manner, ¡°Master Lu, it¡¯ste. Thedy is likely asleep. Why don¡¯t youe back another day?¡± Lu Yan insisted, ¡°It¡¯s something important.¡± The steward could not offend the master of the Senluo Chamber of Commerce so he could only say, ¡°Alright, please wait while I inform her.¡± After hearing the steward¡¯s report, Qi Qingyao hesitated for a bit before deciding to meet Lu Yan. As soon as she stepped into the parlor, Lu Yan spoke before she even got a word in, ¡°Jiang Yeqian has alsoe over to live here?¡± So that was what it was about. Qi Qingyao immediately stopped feeling nervous, curling her lips as she said, ¡°They¡¯re all crazy.¡± Lu Yan said seriously, ¡°They are all nning to take advantage of the situation. They n to cultivate a good rtionship with you so that they can ascend into grand mastership afterward.¡± Qi Qingyao said boredly, ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯m the Harbinger.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. People are making ns in secret to take advantage of you. You¡¯re still being ignorant and naive, you must be careful lest you get taken advantage of and sold out by others.¡± Lu Yan then announced in a loud voice, ¡°That¡¯s why¡­ I want to live here, too.¡± ¡°You also want to live in the State Preceptor¡¯s residence?¡± Qi Qingyao almost choked on her spit and she looked at him in surprise. Giving off the air of an escort, Lu Yan said, ¡°Si Jin is not present, so if I¡¯m here, I can watch over Jiang Yeqian and you cane to me if you have anything to discuss. That way, you won¡¯t?have to be too passive.¡± This was not her home either way, so QI Qingyao did not dare give her opinion. ¡°As long as Li Ruoxuan agrees to the arrangement, I have no problem.¡± ¡°He won¡¯t possibly agree to this,¡± said Lu Yan. ¡°Help me convince himter.¡± Qi Qingyao, ¡°...¡± ¡­ Li Ruoxuan had just calmed down and had nned to meditate. s, before he even warmed the arhat couch, Zhu Shen began knocking on the door once again. ¡°Your Excellency!!¡± ¡°It¡¯s already night, what happened now!¡± Li Ruoxuan opened the door, his expression nk. ¡°Master Lu is here too,¡± Zhu Shen said aggrievedly. ¡°What is he doing here?¡± asked Li Ruoxuan. Zhu Shen wiped his face. ¡°Master Lu said that he would pay you to live in your residence.¡± ¡°What¡ª?¡± Li Ruoxuan was speechless. What were they all thinking? Were they treating his ce like an inn?? Li Ruoxuan stormed to the parlor. As soon as he entered, he saw Qi Qingyao and Lu Yan sitting together, talking. His mood instantly soured. ¡°Why are you here?¡± Qi Qingyao did not reply. Lu Yan answered, ¡°I want to live in the State Preceptor¡¯s residence too.¡± Li Ruoxuan was immediately speechless. Biting down on his teeth, he said, ¡°Master Lu, your Lu Residence isrger than mine. Must you put yourself down to live in such a small building?¡± Lu Yan smiled superficially and said, ¡°It¡¯s very necessary.¡± Li Ruoxuan shot back, ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡± Lu Yan calmly replied, ¡°I insist.¡± Li Ruoxuan shrugged but still refused. ¡°Sorry to disappoint.¡± Seeing that the situation looked to be turning south, Qi Qingyao tilted her head and muttered, ¡°The Head Grand Secretariat has already moved in, one more person wouldn¡¯t hurt, would it?¡± Li Ruoxuan was slightly stunned. As if having thought of something, the corners of his lips instantly broke out into a profound smile and he suddenly said, ¡°Alright! I allow him to live here!¡± With that, he flicked his sleeves sharply and left. Zhu Shen, who was following behind Li Ruoxuan, was somewhat stupefied. Puzzled, he asked, ¡°Your Excellency, are you really allowing Master Lu to live here?¡± ¡°The Lu family is rich anyway!¡± Li Ruoxuan said mockingly, ¡°That said, I would be worried if Jiang Yeqian took advantage of the situation if he were the only one living here. It¡¯s better now that Lu Yan is also here. They can have a go at each other. I¡¯ll just take the spectator¡¯s seat. It would be best if the two of them beat themselves into a pulp and I¡¯ll just sit here reaping the benefits. What¡¯s there to lose?¡± Zhu Shen eximed, ¡°Your Excellency is brilliant!¡± Chapter 567 - Each One Upping Another

Chapter 567: Each One Upping Another

Conflict broiled that night tillte midnight. Jiang Yeqian and Lu Yan both came to live in the State Preceptor¡¯s residence. The steward of the State Preceptor¡¯s residence was also quite flustered given that the State Preceptor was generally not in the residence. Even when he was there, he rarely asked for much. When he was in, the rumored ruthless State Preceptor was either in his study or meditating in the garden. He was practically as quiet as a prophet. He seldom made things hard for the maids and servants and treated the people under him quite well! The State Preceptor¡¯s residence only got merrier after Qi Qingyao came to live there. The maids in the residence also seem to have sensed the merriment and would asionally y hide and seek with the little children! The days passed happily. However, from tonight onward, all the servants knew that things might not be as peaceful in the State Preceptor¡¯s residence anymore¡­ Who would have thought that the young master of the Senluo Chamber of Commerce and the Head Grand Secretariat woulde to live in the State Preceptor¡¯s residence? Who could have foreseen that this littledy with triplets could potentially be some Harbinger or other? Moreover, speaking of the master of the Lu family, he not only brought his ordinary luggage over, but also all his household belongings, like his soft, embroidered traditional drum stool, four-poster bed, and silver washbasin. All the servants found this to be too much. Early the next morning, even a group of servants and kitchen cooks from the Lu family came. They imed that the master was used to being served by them. This...they were just one step short of changing the door que of the State Preceptor¡¯s residence to ¡°Lu Residence¡±! When the steward reported this back to the State Preceptor, Li Ruoxuan was speechless and seemed to be fighting with the idea for a long time. In the end, he still epted it! He called Erniu over, his face full of gentle smiles. He then touched her head benevolently and said, ¡°Erniu, you need to cultivate properly.¡± ¡°I know.¡± Erniu pursed her lips and replied very seriously. ¡°There are two people living in my residence now and they both like your mother very much.¡± Li Ruoxuan touched his chin and pretended to say enigmatically, ¡°I just don¡¯t know what they¡¯re really thinking, do they wish to take advantage of Qi Qingyao, or do they really like her?¡± ¡°What is Master trying to say?¡± Although Erniu was young, she had experienced many things with her mother in the past six months, and Xiaobao often told them some confusing things. Erniu was not a fool. She had gradually learned about her mother as well as their situation. Li Ruoxuan said, ¡°It¡¯s good if the others actually like your mother, but if they all want to use her, your mother will lose her life in this political struggle!¡± Erniu¡¯s eyes lit up for a moment and she said, ¡°...Master, I will cultivate properly.¡± ¡­ Thisrge incident urring at the State Preceptor¡¯s residence naturally reached the ears of those in the pce soon. When Little Lizi received the news, he hurriedly reported, ¡°Your Majesty, I received news that Master Jiang and Lu Yan, the young master of the Lu family, have gone to live in the State Preceptor¡¯s residence.¡± ¡°The State Preceptor did not stop them?¡± the little empress asked while looking at the mess of a chessboard thoughtfully. Little Lizi answered cautiously, ¡°It doesn¡¯t look like he did. It¡¯s said that the Head Grad Secretariat and the young master Lu have already settled in.¡± The little empress raised her head, ¡°...¡± Little Lizi knew the little empress had feelings for Master Jiang and measured the situation for a moment before carefully saying, ¡°Your Majesty, do you wish to pass an imperial edict, to force Master Jiang to¡­ to move out of there?¡± The corners of the little empress¡¯s lips suddenly hooked up into a faint smile. ¡°There¡¯s no need. ¡°If we didn¡¯t know of Qi Qingyao¡¯s identity, we would have definitely have some doubts about this, but now¡­ ¡°Qi Qingyao is the Harbinger, Jiang Yeqian is trying to get close in order to step into the realm of a grand master.¡± Hearing this, Little Lizi instantly rxed and said, ¡°This servant also thinks as such.¡± The little empress sneered. ¡°She¡¯s just a little widow from the countryside. Who would even possibly like her? Be it Li Ruoxuan or Jiang Yeqian, they are all great people who have seen the world. We shouldn¡¯t doubt their intentions as pirs of the nation.¡± ¡°The empress is wise.¡± Little Lizi was relieved. After Little Lizi retired, the little empress looked at the mess and began to lose track of her thoughts. What she had said to Little Lizi was true, but she had met Qi Qingyao and knew that she had a unique temperament. Her rebellious and uninhibited temperament could be very attractive¡­ Or it should be said that it was very delectable. She felt that Li Ruoxuan and Jiang Yeqian were well-informed men and should not be interested in a rural vige woman. However, her female intuition was telling her that the way the State Preceptor treated the littledy was very special¡­that was the case with Jiang Yeqian as well. That special treatment did not seem to stem from her being the Harbinger. After handling several memorials, the little empress looked at the sunset alone while sitting in her chair in a trance. She muttered faintly, ¡°Since she is such a useful chess piece, we must let this chess piece y its role.¡± Zhen Qin, who was waiting on her side, paused before saying, ¡°Your Majesty, the servant believed that the Eastern Ling envoy will be arriving soon. It would be best not to act rashly at this time. Otherwise, if the Eastern Ling envoy incites the Harbinger to defect and run to them¡­there will be trouble.¡± ¡°She won¡¯t,¡± The little empress said very confidently. ¡°?¡± Zhen Qin was doubtful. ¡°My State Preceptor will not give her the chance. She will be under his surveince the entire time.¡± The corners of the little empress¡¯s mouth curved into a yful smile. ¡°As the empress says.¡± Zhen Qin was instantly filled with admiration. ¡­ Zhu Shen came to report to Li Ruoxuan briefly, saying that Lu Yan had brought many of his servants over. After a while more, he reported again saying that Lu Yan had begun tasking the steward to arrange amodations for his servants. Li Ruoxuan could not meditate at all. At dinner, the dining hall of the State Preceptor¡¯s residence was for the first time a ¡°full-house¡±. In the past, there were only Li Ruoxuan and Qi Qingyao and the triplets. Today, there were two more. The dishes on the table today could be said to be exquisite and luxurious. There were all kinds of dishes that were children¡¯s favorites. This made the triplets thank Uncle Lu furiously, they were just a step short of hugging his legs and calling him father. The scene left Li Ruoxuan and Jiang Yeqian with a sense of gloom. Li Ruoxuan in particr was especially angry. He had thought that the Young Master Lu would not be difficult to handle. He did not expect at all that this bastard would actually have such a n in mind!! Was he thinking of bribing the triplets to achieve his goal? Fortunately, he was still Erniu¡¯s master! A master was much more familiar than some strange uncle! After dinner, Jiang Yeqian and Li Ruoxuan were about to call Lu Yan aside toy down some ground rules. Unexpectedly, Qi Qingyao called for him first. They immediately thought Qi Qingyao was fond of Lu Yan. They were just about to lose it. Then they noticed Qi Qingyao¡¯s serious expression, and she even began criticizing Lu Yan a little unhappily. The other two were filled with questions. Did that mean she was not happy with Lu Yan buttering up the triplets so straightforwardly? Just as they thought this, they heard Qi Qingyao say, ¡°The kids are too young, so don¡¯t prepare so much sweet food for them. Their teeth will rot if they eat too many sweet things.¡± ¡°Ahh¡­I got it.¡± ¡°They¡¯re at a growing age, so sweets must strictly be avoided. At the same time, they need to eat more veggies and meat so that they can grow healthier.¡± ¡°Actually, I had the kitchen prepare so many sweet things because¡­I like eating them.¡± ¡°...¡± Qi Qingyao was silent for a beat. ¡°Don¡¯t eat too much. Too much sugar isn¡¯t good for your body, you¡¯d be at risk for diabetes.¡± ¡°Diabetes?¡± ¡°...¡± The two were also stunned when they heard Qi Qingyao mention diabetes to Lu Yan while they were eavesdropping. Was there such a disease? How had they not heard of it? The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!