But then Lin Xiangyin suddenly took Jiang Yourning's hand and said earnestly,
"Ningning, if you ever set your heart on some young gentleman and can't win him over, just tell your mother. I'll find a way to tie him up and bring him home!"
"..."
Seriously, why would her mother think that way?
To skip past the topic, Jiang Yourning could only nod.
"Mother, what are we here at the National Preceptor's Residence for, then?"
"Oh, that. I have a favor to ask of the National Preceptor."
Once they turned to serious matters, Lin Xiangyin stopped talking about all that nonsense.
"It's strange, really. Plenty of people send requests to the National Preceptor's Residence every day, but he hardly sees even two visitors all year.
I never expected to succeed when I tried today."
Jiang Yourning did not answer Lin Xiangyin.
She did not understand what fit had possessed Qing Qianxue to agree to see her mother, either.
This had not happened in either of the two books she had read.
Who knew whether it was part of the briefly sketched account of Qing Qianxue in that companion novel?
Soon enough.
Someone led Lin Xiangyin and Jiang Yourning toward the reception hall.
It was Qian Yan.
Jiang Yourning had seen him a few days earlier, but she had to pretend she did not know him.
Credit where credit was due, the National Preceptor's Residence was enormous. Mother and daughter followed Qian Yan for a long time before finally reaching the reception hall.
"Please come in, both of you. My master is waiting inside."
Despite the thousand and ten thousand objections in her heart, Jiang Yourning still followed her mother inside.
But the person she had expected to see was nowhere in sight. An enormous screen in front of the seat of honor concealed Qing Qianxue completely.
This man is so strange. He wears a mask and still needs a screen? He's pretty good-looking, too. What's so shameful that he has to hide it?
On the other side of the screen.
Hearing that, Qing Qianxue could not help frowning.
Beside him, Qian Miao, who had been waiting with Qing Qianxue for Jiang Yourning and her mother, spoke.
"Please take a seat."
"Thank you, National Preceptor."
The National Preceptor never showed his face when receiving guests, so Lin Xiangyin saw nothing wrong with it.
"May I ask what brings you two here today?"
Their visitor was so brazenly rude, yet Qian Miao had not thrown her out. Qing Qianxue was displeased, but ultimately said nothing more.
After all, he had only accepted the Jiang Residence's calling card as a favor to Xie Ciyan.
"National Preceptor, I would like to ask you to perform a divination for my daughter."
Lin Xiangyin bowed toward Qing Qianxue.
Since she was asking a favor, Lin Xiangyin lowered herself with rare humility.
"What would you like me to divine, madam?"
"My daughter has been acting rather strangely lately. I'd like to ask the National Preceptor to see whether something is wrong with her health, or whether she has run afoul of something unclean."
This dramatic turn left Jiang Yourning utterly bewildered.
What is my mother talking about? If we're talking about running afoul of something, there wasn't anything unclean, but there was one unreasonable damned block of ice.
"If she is unwell, you can consult a physician. If she has run afoul of something unclean, I believe you have come to the wrong place, madam."
Qing Qianxue's cold voice continued from behind the screen.
"They say the National Preceptor knows the heavens above and the earth below, and always performs a divination once he accepts a calling card. Or are all those rumors just lies, and you cannot divine anything at all?"
Qing Qianxue's words made Lin Xiangyin frown.
I'm just feeling a little under the weather today because I stayed up late! Mother dear, what are you playing at?
That damned block of ice isn't a physician. Why are you asking him to deal with this?
Qing Qianxue immediately caught one key phrase.
Damned block of ice.
Was this young lady of the Jiang Family talking about him?
They had never even met. Why did Sixth Miss Jiang harbor such resentment toward him?
"Yes, I cannot divine it. Please leave."
Qing Qianxue uttered those few words coolly.
Seeing this, Qian Miao immediately stepped forward.
"Please head back, both of you. I'll escort you out."
That's more like it. You've finally done something good. I will absolutely never come to this rotten National Preceptor's Residence a third time in my life.
An angry expression on her face, Jiang Yourning pulled her mother to her feet, while inwardly her heart bloomed with joy.
A third time?
Qing Qianxue's brow twitched.
The National Preceptor's Residence had never invited anyone from the Jiang Family as a guest.
"Wait."
What now? What now? Why have you suddenly changed your mind?
Besides, it's getting late. I need to go sell medicine at the pawnshop.
At that.
Qing Qianxue's expression darkened. With complicated feelings, he glanced at Qian Miao from the corner of his eye.
But Qian Miao stood motionless, his expression as normal as ever.
This was truly too strange.
"Please wait a moment, both of you. Allow me to wash my hands and burn incense. In half a quarter-hour, I will perform a divination for Sixth Miss Jiang."
A smile immediately returned to Lin Xiangyin's face.
"Thank you, National Preceptor!"
Beside her, Jiang Yourning obediently dipped into a curtsy as well.
How can you go back on your word like that? Don't hold up my real business.
Qing Qianxue gave Qian Miao a meaningful look.
The two of them went out through the back to a quiet side chamber.
"Sixth Miss Jiang spoke so bluntly just now. Why did you do nothing?"
Qing Qianxue's face was cold, his gaze sharp as a blade as it fell upon Qian Miao.
"Master, Sixth Miss Jiang was open and aboveboard from beginning to end, and perfectly courteous in every respect. When did she speak bluntly?"
Qian Miao looked at Qing Qianxue, his face filled with bewilderment.
Qing Qianxue jolted.
"Then did you hear her say she was going to the pawnshop later?"
Looking at his master, Qian Miao could only feel that he had suddenly become rather strange.
"Master, Sixth Miss Jiang never said anything of the sort."
Why was this happening?
Qing Qianxue knitted his brows and fell silent.
He quietly went to stand somewhere from which he could observe Jiang Yourning and Lin Xiangyin.
Inside, Jiang Yourning was questioning Lin Xiangyin.
"Mother, I just stayed up late. Why did you think of bringing me to the National Preceptor?"
*Mother, if you knew that this bastard was the reason I went missing last time.
He forcibly carried me back from outside and used me as a human bolster all night, leaving everyone in the residence frightened out of their minds and unable to sleep a wink. Would you still be able to sit calmly?*
There's something wrong with this man, and there's a crazy woman in the Flourishing Kingdom watching like a tiger, hunting for him. Why do we have to throw ourselves at him?
Surely I can't have escaped being sliced into a thousand pieces by that damned lunatic through sheer luck, only to have that crazy woman skin me and make a lantern out of me?
Not far away.
Qing Qianxue's pupils abruptly contracted.
Before you continue