The Jimo Aristocratic Clan
Prosperity, warmth... these were Sang Ying's first impressions of Rizhao City.
Unlike the chaos and ferocity that permeated Yao Zhou's main city, Rizhao, the main city of Spirit Prefecture, was like a clean and fertile land, just like its name, nourishing a large number of mortals and cultivators.
"This is Rizhao City. I hope you will like it here." Jimo Qing stood on the deck of the flying boat, showing Sang Ying this ancient city with a long history.
Looking at the prosperous and bustling town below, Sang Ying couldn't help but feel joy.
She truly hadn't expected that the towns under the rule of the Jimo Household would be so vibrant and full of life.
The flying boat traversed most of Rizhao City before finally Jimo Household's residence.
Sang Ying was led by Jimo Qing into the grand mansion, where the rich Spiritual Qi amazed her with the extravagance of these aristocratic Aristocratic Clan.
Cang Lian was wrapped around Sang Ying's wrist, wanted to peek out, but was pressed back down by the wary Sang Ying.
As for Jiang Zhuoxue, he has now transformed into a black wooden hairpin, which is inserted in Sang Ying's hair.
The butler led the way with a smile, his kind demeanor easing Sang Ying's anxiety considerably.
"The head of the family and his wife are already waiting for you in the hall. Young Master and Miss, please go in directly." The butler had already started calling Sang Ying "Miss".
The two thanked him and followed the butler's instructions to go inside.
Before they even entered the main hall, they could hear two affectionate voices from afar. "My dear, you're finally back!"
Sang Ying paused, instinctively glancing at Jimo Qing. She hadn't expected the elegant and refined young master Ji Moqing to behave like this at home.
However, the next second, when she caught sight of the two figures rushing towards her, Sang Ying realized that she had guessed wrong at all!
"Oh my, our darling seems to have lost a lot of weight. You weren't this thin in the Image-Retaining Stone your brother sent back!" The elegant and noble lady warmly grasped Sang Ying's hand upon meeting her and gave her a thorough once-over.
Sang Ying still has that pretty face, but her body is her own.
Madam Jimo's enthusiasm was overwhelming for Sang Ying, and she could only desperately try to look to Jimo Qing for help. However, just as he stepped forward to say a few words for his sister, he was completely blocked by the Jimo Household head.
"Is that even a question? It's obvious that you've been busy traveling these past few days and haven't been eating well," the Jimo Household head quickly said. "But don't worry, we prepared dishes for you early on. We just didn't know your preferences, so we prepared a little too much. Take a look and see which ones you like, and we'll eat like this every day from now on!"
As they spoke, the couple happily led Sang Ying inside, while Jimo Qing, standing to the side, seemed to be invisible, completely out of everyone's sight.
Sang Ying turned her head and called out to him, signaling for his help.
Jimo Qing could only smile slightly, indicating that he was unable to help.
He wasn't jealous of Sang Ying; after all, this wasn't the first time something like this had happened. From childhood to adulthood, he had always received the same treatment whenever female guests came to his house.
At least he wasn't thrown away by his father today because he was in the way. Jimo Qing rolled up his sleeves, comforting himself with this thought.
The Ji Mo couple seemed to misunderstand the word "slightly" they used. Sang Ying looked at the long table in front of her, which had at least a hundred dishes on it, and felt immense pressure for the first time.
She could even hear Jiang Zhuoxue's gloating chuckles.
"My goodness, come and try these dishes! These are all famous dishes from the Immortal Spirit Realm!" Fu Yinqiu quickly pulled Sang Ying down to sit, treating her like family.
Sang Ying tried to free her hand from the other person's grasp, but it was in vain.
She pursed her lips and said, "Thank you for your hospitality, Madam. However, I came here specifically to express my gratitude."
"Oh, there's no need to thank me. Besides, calling me 'Madam' is too formal, just call me 'Mother'!" Fu Yinqiu smiled, appearing to have a very good temper.
Upon hearing this, Jimo Qing, who entered the room a step later than them, couldn't help but wonder how many times his mother had said this to the little girl.
"Exactly, there's no need to thank me. If you were our daughter, we'd be more than happy to have you!" What young person in their twenties at the Golden Core Late Stage possesses such ability?
To have such a smart, beautiful, and well-mannered daughter out of nowhere is something most people would dream of!
Fu Yinqiu patted the little girl's hand, and seeing her tense expression, she reassured her, "Don't be afraid. Our family truly feels a connection with you and wants to adopt you as our daughter. But if you really don't want to, we naturally won't force you. It's just that our Jimo Household has always been predominantly male, with few girls born. Since you've come as a guest today, even if you don't want to be my daughter, staying a while longer will make me happier. What do you think?"
This time, not only her, but even the head of the Jimo Household came over, their expectant eyes staring straight at her, making Sang Ying reluctant to refuse.
However, she still remembered her parents who had been missing for a long time, and could not yet agree to the request of the Jimo Household head and his wife. She could only say, "It is an honor for this junior to be favored by the madam and the family head, but I am afraid I will have to disappoint you. However, I would like to stay a few more days, just to keep the madam company. I hope you two will not mind my sudden visit."
Although Sang Ying's refusal left the head of the family and his wife somewhat disappointed, such things cannot be forced.
Fu Yinqiu was already very happy that Sang Ying was willing to stay a few more days, so she didn't try to persuade her to stay any longer.
"Then it's settled. You can stay here for a while. But in public, we'll still address each other as mother and daughter... Don't be so quick to refuse. It's not easy for cultivators to travel between heaven and earth. Having the reputation of the Jimo Household on your person will also give you an extra layer of protection," Fu Yinqiu advised.
What the other party said made sense, and Jimo Zanxing's reputation had already spread far and wide. If Sang Ying refused now, it would be too late. She might as well continue to play this role.
After a moment's thought, she agreed to their request.
However, Sang Ying would never forget the help the Jimo Household had given her, and she should reciprocate by helping them in return.
Under the couple's deliberate arrangement, the meal was enjoyed by both host and guests. Although Jimo Qing was largely ignored by his parents, Sang Ying was shy and, seeing that he seemed to have been wronged because of her, she would frequently put food on his plate.
The sight of the head of the household and his wife made their teeth ache, and even Jiang Zhuoxue, who had turned into a hairpin, was a little envious, after all, he had never been treated like a food being served to him!
Shortly after the meal, someone led Sang Ying to the room that the Jimo Household had arranged for her.
The strong female-centric decor inside made Sang Ying, who was used to rough and unrefined life, feel somewhat uncomfortable at first.
The maid who led the way called herself Yinhuan, and was said to have been arranged by the master and mistress to take care of Sang Ying's daily life.
Sang Ying could tell at a glance that Yinhuan was an ordinary person without any cultivation. There were many servants in the Jimo Residence who were also ordinary people without any cultivation. It seemed that this was a glimmer of hope left by the Jimo Household for the ordinary people in the city.
The first day at Jimo Household was relatively peaceful, but trouble broke out early the next morning.
The first incident began with a young master who barged into Sang Ying's courtyard.