Chapter 343 - I Kinda Miss You

Early in the morning, the guards at the gates of the Qi Residence had just exchanged their shifts when a person on horseback galloped toward the gates of the house. After dismounting, the man, who was dressed in a blue uniform, walked directly up to the gates. The guards were about to stop him when the person spoke in a calm manner.

“I’m with the State Preceptor.”

“…” The guards halted their movements immediately.

Someone immediately went in to notify Steward Zhang of the matter.

When Steward Zhang found out that the person was with the State Preceptor, he hurriedly came out from the opposite house. He bowed, his forehead bathed in cold sweat, not daring to lift his head.

Even if they were in Qingzhou City, they were all servants in the Upper East District, so how could they not have heard the news from the Capital City?! Only a fool would not know that the State Preceptor and Head Grand Secretariat from the Capital City were people heavily favored by the empress. On top of that, both of them were not very good-tempered masters. The Head Grand Secretariat at least still showed due respect for others. The State Preceptor, on the other hand…

It was said that he often did things that went against the norm, ruthless and without any mercy.

Now, the State Preceptor had come to Qingzhou City. When did he arrive? Not to mention, he had immediately sent someone to the Qi Residence… Steward Zhang thought nervously, ‘I don’t know if he is looking for our master Lu Yan, or the young mistress!

The man held his chin high and his appearance was haughty. After all, he was one of the State Preceptor’s men and was often habitually arrogant. He spoke with a little disdain in his voice.

“You are Steward Zhang, right?”

“Yes, I am…” Steward Zhang nodded again and again.

The man fumbled for an invitation from his bosom and said, “I was given the order by the State Preceptor to deliver this invitation to Qi Qingyao. Please inform her that the State Preceptor will be waiting to meet her at Chunjiang Restaurant this afternoon.”

Steward Zhang accepted the invitation with both hands and said that he would pass the message dutifully.

The messenger said nothing, turning around to leave.

Steward Zhang only got up when he heard the sound of galloping having moved further away. He glanced at the dust cloud left behind by the high and mighty horse and thought internally, ‘F*ck!’

He did not dare delay and hurriedly turned around and went back in.

Qi Qingyao had just gotten out of bed and was sitting down in the dining hall. Before breakfast was even served, she grabbed a cup of clear tea and took a sip. Steward Zhang hurriedly entered and passed the invitation to Qi Qingyao.

“Young mistress, the State Preceptor has sent an invitation.”

The State Preceptor?

Hearing this, Qi Qingyao spat out her tea on the spot. Fortunately, Steward Zhang had quickly pulled back the invitation letter, otherwise it would have gotten soaked. Qi Qingyao wiped the tea from the corner of her mouth and clutched her forehead. She was practically falling apart silently as she took the invitation letter and glanced at it. “State Preceptor Li Ruoxuan?”

Steward Zhang’s expression was also unpleasant. “I was told that he would be waiting to meet up at Chunjiang Restaurant this afternoon.”

Qi Qingyao, “…”

After contemplating for a moment, Qi Qingyao pinched the invitation and went directly to Lu Yan’s compound. The moment she entered, she was muttering anxiously.

“F*ck, f*ck.”

Dong Jing was changing the medicine on Lu Yan’s chest, who was startled by her abrupt entrance.

Qi Qingyao was very tactful, so she turned around with her back facing them. She only turned back after they were done.

After Lu Yan tidied up his clothes, he asked, “What’s with the cursing this early in the morning?”

Dong Jing left the room with the water basin.

Qi Qingyao then passed the invitation to Lu Yan for him to take a look. She said, “The State Preceptor wants to meet me, and I’m 80% certain it’s a trap. Will I be able to come back if I go?”

The State Preceptor wanted to meet her so soon… the speed of things progressing was so absurd, but it was also to be expected based on the man’s personality.

He did things decisively, rarely dallying.

Lu Yan contemplated for a while before saying, “There’s no need to panic. Since the meeting will be in Chunjiang Restaurant, I think he’s just curious about you after having gathered some information from Qingzhou City. Or maybe he knows that the ghost organization has sent Na Lanjie to assassinate you to feel out Si Jin’s abilities. Li Ruoxuan is a very cautious person. He would want to verify the authenticity of the information himself.”

Qi Qingyao was silent for a moment before she asked, “Does a rank-nine powerhouse want to verify me or Si Jin?”

Lu Yan was uncertain. “Is there a difference?”

Qi Qingyao answered seriously, “Of course there is a difference. If I were to go to the meeting alone, then he wouldn’t be able to meet Si Jin.” If he was looking for Si Jin, there should be two invitations.

Qi Qingyao was a little confused.

She could not understand what the State Preceptor was thinking.

Lu Yan, on the other hand, asked with a calm expression on his face, “Will you go alone?”

The answer was—”No.”

The room fell into momentary silence.

Suddenly, there was a knock on the wooden door.

Lu Yan asked them to enter.

Dong Jing pushed open the door and stuck his head in. He gave Lu Yan a look and Lu Yan got up. He said to Qi Qingyao, “Wait here for a bit.” Then he left immediately and, after closing the door, walked with Dong Jing to a spot beneath the lattice wall. Dong Jing’s expression was very serious as he whispered a few words to Lu Yan.

Lu Yan’s expression also gradually changed.

He waved his hand.

Dong Jing promptly left.

Lu Yan stood alone under the lattice wall in deep thought for a while before he went back inside the room.

Qi Qingyao was pacing inside, her expression conflicted.

Lu Yan sighed.

“You don’t have to be so agitated.”

Qi Qingyao looked up.

Lu Yan said, “Something happened yesterday night. Now we have almost all the information about that mysterious grand master.”

“Huh?” Speaking of the night before, Qi Qingyao could not stop her eyebrows from rising.

She had not done anything yesterday night, though.

She just went to witness the liveliness, and then gambled a bit.

She did not reveal herself!

Lu Yan said in a deep voice, “I’m not too sure about the specifics but it’s reliable news. Someone has already provided the State Preceptor and the Head Grand Secretariat with the latest news, saying that the mysterious grand master is an older middle-aged man or an old man. So, you can in the meantime rule out your meeting this afternoon to be a trap. Suspicions related to Si Jin have also been reduced significantly.”

For some unknown reason, Qi Qingyao let out a sigh of relief. “I’ve been saying that it’s impossible for our Si Jin to be your so-called grand master. He’s only at such a young age, him being a rank-nine is such an exaggeration. Those of the ghost organization would blindly suspect anyone.”

Lu Yan actually breathed a sigh of relief as well.

After all, it was generally impossible that the ghost organization would suspect someone for no reason.

He had even thought about it before, that if Si Jin really was a grand master… then…

Despite knowing it was impossible, there was still the possibility.

If this youth was a grand master… Lu Yan felt that his view of the world would have crumbled to pieces.

It was fortunate that the suspicions have been eliminated!

Thinking of this, Lu Yan asked, “Do you need me to accompany you this afternoon?”

“I don’t think so.” She had initially thought that the other party was suspecting Si Jin, or looking to stir up trouble with her. Now that the suspicions were off Si Jin, naturally there was no longer the need for this. Qi Qingyao instantly relaxed a lot and said, “He is the all-knowing State Preceptor. While my relationship with you isn’t bad, I don’t want to bring you any trouble. Not to mention, from what I keep hearing from all of you, the State Preceptor has a really unstable temper and is two-faced and ruthless. So take it easy.” If Si Jin really was a rank-nine, the State Preceptor was also only a rank nine. That said, she should not have a problem coming out of it unscathed.

Hold on.

Something did not seem right.

If someone had provided the State Preceptor with new information that the mysterious grand master was some older middle-aged man or old man like what Lu Yan had said, then the suspicions about Si Jin should have been eliminated.

The State Preceptor should not have any reason to look for Si Jin.

So, that meant he only wanted to see her. What was his purpose?

Qi Qingyao was suddenly confused again.

…

…

She had been anxious all the way till after her meal at noon. She checked the time. After Qi Qingyao explained the situation to the children, she left with Si Jin.

Before leaving, Lu Yan asked again if she needed him to go with her.

Qi Qingyao shook her head resolutely.

The carriage gradually left the gates.

The spies who had been watching the gates of the Qi Residence hurriedly left…

After five minutes.

Jiang Yeqian was standing in an inconspicuous courtyard when someone entered, bowed, and gave a report.

“Master, Lady Qi and Si Jin have left Qi Residence.”

“…” Left?

Jiang Yeqian made no sound.

He nodded faintly, signaling for them to further investigate and then report.

After a while.

Another spy came to report.

“Master, Qi Qingyao and Si Jin have arrived at Chunjiang Restaurant.”

Chunjiang Restaurant!

“What!”

Jiang Yeqian’s expression changed slightly.

He recalled that a spy had reported to him an hour earlier that the guy named Li had also arrived at Chunjiang Restaurant… Now, this person had also gone there? Was there a connection?

Could it be that the person who went to the Qi Residence this morning was actually one of his… and he sent an invitation?

To ask her to come over?

Jiang Yeqian said with a grim expression, “Prepare the carriage for Chunjiang Restaurant!”

“This servant is on his way.”

…Ten minutes later, Jiang Yeqian left for Chunjiang Restaurant. Zhao Xin sat with the master, expression grim when he spoke

“Master, if you’re going to look for Qi Qingyao, this servant thinks it wouldn’t be appropriate.”

Jiang Yeqian looked up at him.

Zhao Xin lowered his gaze and said softly, “The public doesn’t know that you and Qi Qingyao know each other. If you go and meet her in public so hastily, I’m afraid…” Some things would end up not being explained properly. The master probably understood this, so why still go? Zhao Xin did not understand.

Jiang Yeqian said, “The State Preceptor is there.”

Carefully, Zhao Xin said, “All the more reason not to go.”

Jiang Yeqian said calmly, “I’m going to meet the State Preceptor, not her.”

Zhao Xin, “…”

Was there a difference?

Was it not the same thing?

Wait a minute…

Could it be that he intended to go see the State Preceptor’s party and have a chance encounter with him?

…

…

When Qi Qingyao arrived at the entrance to Chunjiang Restaurant, she took out the invitation and entered Chunjiang Restaurant unimpeded. Based on the location specified on the invitation, she brought Si Jin along as they went to one of the rooms on the third floor of Chunjiang Restaurant. There were two guards stationed at both sides of the entrance.

Qi Qingyao first identified herself.

The guards opened the door for her expressionlessly.

Qi Qingyao entered with Si Jin.

After entering, they walked around a screen door and saw a young man sitting at a mahogany round table. He had one hand resting on his face, his expression resembling leisurely reticence.

Qi Qingyao looked at the young man’s refined and clean appearance, not exceptionally good looking, but not ugly either. He had a straight face, and her expression inexplicably turned muddled for a moment.

“Huh, you?”

“…?”

Li Ruoxuan heard the sound of the door opening and footsteps. He knew that his guest had arrived. However…his guest’s appearance was not what he expected.

To put it into words…

Li Ruoxuan narrowed his eyes on the spot as he looked at the pretty little woman standing in front of the folding screen, then he glanced at the comely and elegant youth behind her.

“You know me?”

Qi Qingyao reacted very fast and instantly she understood a lot of things. It was likely that the young man from yesterday night was actually the State Preceptor of legend, but how would she have possibly known then? She had even treated him to a fried sugar cake, they also f*cking talked to each other!

What was going on?

Qi Qingyao scratched the back of her head, laughing dryly before she said, “…I was mistaken, I thought you were someone I know.”

Li Ruoxuan, “…”

Qi Qingyao looked at the other party’s expressionless appearance and knew that it was bad. She continued smiling awkwardly and said, “I’m sorry, your face is just too common-looking so I mistook you for someone else. My bad.”

Li Ruoxuan, “…”

Even though he was not that handsome, he was not that ordinary-looking either, right? However, the way the little lady in front of him spoke, from her tone and voice… It made him feel as if he had heard it before.

He could not recall it immediately.

Qi Qingyao coughed lightly, trying to alleviate the awkwardness. “You’re the State Preceptor?”

“That I am.” Li Ruoxuan nodded. “Please, sit.”

“…”

Qi Qingyao laughed dryly, snickering as she took a seat.

Si Jin also took a seat beside her on his own.

Given she was nervous, she sat indescribably straight, like an obedient student.

After sitting like that for a bit, she did not even notice the man had poured her a cup of tea…

Qi Qingyao was so nervous her throat was parched.

In any case, this was the State Preceptor of legend; she dared not act rashly or speak simply. So she stayed quiet, silently waiting, waiting for “weighted utterances”. Was he trying to test her or did he just want to sentence her to death…

Nevertheless.

Time ticked by second by second.

The room was as quiet as a cemetery.

No one was saying anything at all!!

“…” Qi Qingyao could not help but look up and glanced at the person opposite her. The person was drinking tea quietly.

Feeling that more than three to four minutes had passed, she could stand it any more and automatically asked, “I wonder why the State Preceptor came looking for me?”

“…” Li Ruoxuan did not say anything, he only watched her unperturbed as before.

He was still thinking about why he found the voice familiar.

However, he was unable to match the face in his mind to the one in front of him…

Seeing that he was not saying anything, Qi Qingyao pressed her lips together then said, “I realized that you guys are really weird.”

“?” Li Ruoxuan listened to what she was saying while still deep in thought.

Qi Qingyao continued, “Everyone comes looking for me for a private chat but everytime they invite me, they won’t say anything, wanting the other person to have the first word. Do I have to beg you to speak first?”

Li Ruoxuan, “…”

Qi Qingyao shrugged, smiling offhandedly as she said, “While I really want to say that I’ll be taking my leave if you have nothing to say, but you clearly won’t let me go that easily. So why not hurry up?! This is really unimaginable. Also, as the State Preceptor, since you’re already sitting here, don’t you have a lot of work to deal with daily? Why do you want to waste your time on me?”

Li Ruoxuan listened to her rattling off, examining the shape of her mouth and her voice, and a completely different silhouette rushed into his mind.

This made Li Ruoxuan shut his eyes once again.

Qi Qingyao pressed him, “Say something, big shot!”

“…” Li Ruoxuan stared at her deeply and quietly. After practically confirming it, he said, “You’re the one who treated me to the oil flatbread yesterday.”

“What do you mean I treated you to oil flatbread?” She had clearly treated him to fried sugar cake, see? Of course, Qi Qingyao could not admit to that. She had also schooled her expression really well, without revealing a single weakness. She said indifferently, “The State Preceptor has mistaken me for someone else.”

“It’s possible.” Li Ruoxuan poured her a cup of tea and then pushed the tea bowl in front of her.

After Qi Qingyao finished the tea.

The atmosphere once again fell into silence.

After drinking three cups of tea.

Qi Qingyao once again snapped.

Were all these important figures sick in the head? They enjoyed inviting people just to sit together in silence. Qi Qingyao got up and said, “If there’s really nothing, then let us have a meal together peacefully. After we’re done with our meals, we’ll return to our homes, what do you think?”

Li Ruoxuan said as if nothing happened, “You’re the one who treated me to oil flatbread yesterday night.”

Was it not a fried sugar cake?! Was he trying to trap her, waiting for her to refute that it was fried sugar cake when she could no longer hold herself back? Qi Qingyao laughed and said, “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Li Ruoxuan said, “It’s you.”

Qi Qingyao, “…”

Li Ruoxuan smiled indifferently, “Your voice is the same. Your reaction was a little off when you entered, possibly because you recognized me as the person from yesterday night. That’s why you were speaking so naturally. You didn’t fathom that it would be me when you entered and because of that, you were shocked.”

This was said very smoothly.

Which meant that he had already ascertained it without any doubt.

“Alright alright, I admit you’re smart. That’s enough now.”

Qi Qingyao rolled her eyes. She picked up the teapot on his side and poured herself a cup of tea. After drinking the tea heavily, she then looked at Li Ruoxuan seriously and said, “I’ve really attracted enough bad luck for the rest of my life. So many people have their eyes on me now because of this face, that’s why I felt that something would happen to me, like I would be assassinated if I left my house. That’s why I went out disguised to eat oil flatbreads and fried sugar cakes by the side of the road. But I still bumped into the State Preceptor who was on an inspection tour incognito in the end. Who should I reason with? If I knew you were the high-ranking State Preceptor, I definitely would not make a mistake, nor would I go out of the way to ask you to eat fried sugar cake.”

Seeing that she confessed, a smile appeared on Li Ruoxuan’s face. He could not help but say in a teasing manner, “I only said one sentence but you ten more.”

Qi Qingyao, “I’m a chatterbox.”

Li Ruoxuan, “…”

Now that both parties have revealed their truths, Qi Qingyao also relaxed a lot. She made the move to ask, “Did you really not come to kill me?”

Li Ruoxuan retorted, “Why would I kill you?

Qi Qingyao was dumbfounded. “Then you did not look for me to see who I am?”

Li Ruoxuan pointed at the youth beside her who had been silent while eating the confectioneries on the table. His smile profound, he said, “I’m here for him.”

Acting clueless, Qi Qingyao asked, “What did my Si Jin do?”

Li Ruoxuan stared at Si Jin, unblinking. “You, fight a round against me.”

Si Jin’s response to that was flat.

It could even be said that there was no response.

He just closed his eyes and continued eating the confectioneries.

Qi Qingyao almost choked on her sip of tea. She coughed twice and said with a smile, “State Preceptor, you must be joking.”

Li Ruoxuan’s gaze was still fixed on Si Jin. “I’m not joking.”

“Why not we do this?” Qi Qingyao bit her teeth. “I’ll admit defeat on his behalf.”

“…” Li Ruoxuan’s gaze turned as he looked at Qi Qingyao calmly and quietly.

Qi Qingyao said somewhat pleadingly.

“I spent a few days in Qingzhou City recently. I also met a few people and learned of the State Preceptor’s skill level. My Si Jin can’t beat you and I don’t want to see him hurt. Therefore, we surrender.”

Seeing her gaze was sincere, Li Ruoxuan took a moment before saying, “So be it. Let’s eat.”

Qi Qingyao heard this and let out a sigh of relief.

Then, Li Ruoxuan walked out. Not a moment later, Zhu Shen came in with the other servants as they served the food.

The dishes on the table looked rather scrumptious.

Qi Qingyao had been overly nervous just now and was indeed a little hungry. She picked up her chopsticks and began eating without making a big deal of it…

After Zhu Shen was done plating out the dishes, he glanced and saw the hint of a sincere smile in his master’s calm countenance and was very dumbfounded.

Why would his master want to dine with this girl?

…How weird!

Ever since the night before, everything had turned weird.

Zhu Shen really could not get used to Qingzhou City.

Zhu Shen left and closed the door.

Qi Qingyao happily guided Si Jin and dined together with Li Ruoxuan.

They had not even taken eight mouths of their food when the door to their room was kicked open with a ‘thud!’, scaring Qi Qingyao so much that she almost dropped her chopsticks.

Then, guards entered and immediately apologized. Zhu Shen was the most awkward of them all, saying that they had not been able to stop the intruder.

Jiang Yeqian stood calmly beside the screen and he took in the scene in the room. After making sure she was very safe, he turned his gaze to Li Ruoxuan.

Jiang Yeqian gritted his teeth and exclaimed.

“State Preceptor!!!”

After Qi Qingyao picked up her chopsticks that fell on the floor. Putting the dirty chopsticks to one side, she picked up another clean pair of chopsticks…

Li Ruoxuan signaled for her to not worry. He got up and looked at Jiang Yeqian who had barged in. “I wonder why the Head Grand Secretariat kicked down my door?”

Jiang Yeqian gave a smile that did not reach his eyes and said, “I just missed you a little, so I came to visit.”

Li Ruoxuan pointed at Qi Qingyao and Si Jin and said, “I’m having a meal with friends. I don’t have the time to entertain the Head Grand Secretariat. So please go back.”

“Friends?”

Jiang Yeqian’s eyes almost fell out.

Friends!!!!

Jiang Yeqian felt his head buzz instantly.

What was going on!