Chapter 501: Arrival in Capital City 2
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
“Am I not allowed to be disappointed?” Qi Qingyao complained 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 dilapidated, and the streets were filled with shabby vagabonds, similar 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 explained, “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 glanced outside. After the convoy pa.s.sed 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 in laughter. “Didn’t I tell you before? Because of its koi temples, Qingzhou City is a place where the dignitaries and aristocrats from various countries love to migrate to after retirement—so 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 relaxedly, “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 relatively beautiful. Didn’t you say that the Emperor is a woman? What if Her Majesty has become 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—I 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 occasion—it’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 uncontrollable grand master might decide to enter the palace 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 slap 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—and also that Si Jin won’t be loyal to Northern Liang but is really just a chess piece for you…”
Qi Qingyao’s eyes flashed. “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 uncontrollable chess piece to appear by its own will. She might even think that I purposely asked Si Jin not to show up—that 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 become 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—but 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 relaxedly, “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 place 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 gooseb.u.mps 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 glance at him. She said sarcastically, “Who proposed to me just a few days ago? Now, you’ve changed your tone and plan to arrange for me to stay in a temple!”
Li Ruoxuan, “…”
Qi Qingyao maintained a straight face and continued mockingly, “Is your place very small? Can’t you arrange for me to stay at your place?”
Li Ruoxuan, “My place is not small, so you could stay…”
“Then I’ll stay in your house.” Qi Qingyao slammed the table and decided right away. “My safety would be secured!” If he really was a grand master, the most threatening place 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—it 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 plaque 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—as 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—but at this moment, he suddenly felt great!