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 flashed across his eyes. “Sister!” he immediately exclaimed 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 desolate. 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 blade 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 not come 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 too lazy to try. He looked at the youth who laid 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 villa 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 villa 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 rather complicated. 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 reputable ladies 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 villa for a soak, or will there be a lot more other people too?”
“The Hualian Hot Mountain Springs Villa belongs to the Ye family of Eastern Ling and is comparable 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 the ladies 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 delay. 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 explained 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 explained 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 accepted her explanation.
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 villa 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 lullaby.
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 were coming 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: singular ‘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 flag.”
“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 glanced 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 Qingyao laughed. “Come come, come 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 glanced 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 occasionally 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 place!’
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’t come 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. “My lady, please follow me to look around ”
Qi Qingyao turned and said, “Oh, right. This shop is under your chamber of commerce.”
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. “My lady, why don’t you choose another one?”
Qi Qingyao looked at the dagger in her hand. Beautiful and exquisite gems were inlaid 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 there comes 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 the last 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. “My lady, 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 blade back in the scabbard and hid it in his boot.
Dong Jing smiled and asked Qi Qingyao to pick out another weapon. Qi Qingyao glanced 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 of commerce.
Taking in the scale of it, it was truly magnificent.
There were even four guards at the door.
The plaque 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 simply come near it.”
“We are Qi Qingyao’s parents, we’ve come 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, please come 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 desolately, “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 slammed shut.
Madam Wu and Qi Boli, “…”
