Chapter 495: Stop Talking Nonsense
Lu Yan woke up early, not having gotten much sleep either. Hence, he was already done was.h.i.+ng 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 was.h.i.+ng 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 att.i.tude as if she had completely forgotten what happened last 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 time last 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 h.o.r.n.y 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 h.o.r.n.y mean?”
Qi Qingyao’s face went taut in an instant and she let out a forced laugh. “I’m just hungry and thirsty.”
Dabao said seriously, “Then, I’m really h.o.r.n.y now, Mommy.”
Qi Qingyao put a large 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 the large bowl and downed the millet congee. Then, he picked up a youtiao obediently and munched on it.
Jiang Yeqian glanced 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 to lay 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 relations.h.i.+p 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 playing with your life. Your Excellency! You have to calm down!’
Li Ruoxuan was still calculating 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 blade 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 days later.
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 black 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 at last.”
“How can I afford not to after you said an eighth grand master has appeared?”