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 glanced 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 b.u.t.t heads with Lu Yan. Besides, she knew Lu Yan was joking, and she did not want to fuss too much about it. She hurriedly played the peacemaker. “Eat, eat.”
The triplets felt their mother’s exasperation and began laughing.
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 glancing at Qi Qingyao who was laughing dryly beside him. He said blandly 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’ll come in handy again in the future.”
Si Jin remained composed.
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 particularly 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 flashed 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 play 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 clapped her forehead.
Lu Yan began routinely processing the accounts from various places…
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 there lazily, looking very comfortable.
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 accompanied 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 circ.u.mstances allow it, I’ll buy that pill. As for who will take the pill, the two of you can play rock-paper-scissors and decide when I come 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 become 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 become meat in a slaughterhouse and be taken advantage of like the last 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 hour later, a plain-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 glanced at Si Jin sn.i.g.g.e.ring 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 ident.i.ty? 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 ident.i.ty from him. So I’ll make a grand appearance with my current ident.i.ty!”