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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 accusing, ‘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 glanced 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 the last 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 little lady 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 incomprehensible,” 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 accident the night before, so what?

As someone who had been an informant in many places, 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 running laps 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 little lady.

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 little lady 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 Yeqian coming 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” had come 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 glanced 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 glared 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 flames.

He asked, with his voice slightly hoarse.

“How did you become 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 to come 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 dark lashes 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 plans 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 the laid-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 minutes later, 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 flavors 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 man last 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 vigilance and not fall for the State Preceptor’s sugar-coated trap.

With that, Lu Yan relaxed 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 little lady Qi Qingyao?

If that was the case.

This matter has become even more interesting.

The Head Grand Secretariat was interested in that little lady? Did he want her as a concubine? However, the reports said that that little lady 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 eccentric 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 little lady was able to form a relationship 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 to laugh.

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 incomprehensible to normal people.

Considering this drawing was so unique, it was likely that the outside rumors about her relationship with the Master Architect Li Qinglian were also…most likely true.

“Zhu Shen, prepare the carriage. We’re headed for Linquan Village 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 Village.

The villagers noticed the luxurious black 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 villagers 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 black 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 village that afternoon was really luxurious but also inconspicuous!

It was certainly no ordinary person!

They only did not know which large figure it was!