“For what reason?” Yu Qing could not speak the truth. “To repay the Miss’s kindness in recognising my worth. Without the Miss’s promotion, this small one would still be in the storage room.”
Wen Xin scrutinised him. “Can you truly serve by my side continuously?”
Yu Qing: “As long as the Miss does not disdain me.”
Wen Xin’s expression was somewhat complex. She seemed to be talking to herself. “I hope you can keep your word.”
For Yu Qing, he would absolutely keep his word, on the premise that Wen Xin could treat him as a trusted confidant and entrust him with managing that vast dowry of properties.
He also understood that his performance was very important, so he had been working hard to perform well.
Being extremely diligent was one aspect. The running errands both inside and outside Jade Garden were almost entirely handled by him alone. He strove to understand everything related to Jade Garden, managing the people and matters connected to it properly, working hard to mould himself into a capable and trustworthy senior servant.
He wanted to let Wen Xin know she had not chosen the wrong person, and also let the people of the Wen residence know that Wen Xin had not chosen the wrong person.
For the sake of Wen Xin’s dowry, he could be said to be striving and fighting hard.
At least from the preliminary results, it was just as Little Red said while patting his chest: Ah Qing, you are quite good!
On the contrary, Wen Xin’s side always left Yu Qing somewhat uncertain at heart. He felt there was often an indescribable, strange feeling in the way Wen Xin looked at him.
The greatest benefit of following Wen Xin was that he could use her name to leave the Wen residence at any time. He would go out every few days to run errands for Wen Xin or Little Red to buy things.
Occasionally he would also meet with Nan Zhu and Mu Aotie, exchanging information with each other. By and large, they still tried to avoid meeting as much as possible, for the sake of the bigger picture.
At the West Miscellaneous Courtyard, Yu Qing would also occasionally go to see Liu Gui. There were indeed some things he did not understand that he needed to ask about.
According to Liu Gui, after he entered Jade Garden, he had indeed attracted much envy from many people. Fortunately, no one dared to provoke the Third Miss’s side, otherwise there would certainly be many people looking for trouble with him.
In this regard, Yu Qing had also sensed it. He frequently encountered servants on the way who did not give him good looks.
Fortunately, he had ideals, had a goal to strive for, could endure, and did not take things to heart. He tried to be polite to everyone he met, treating unpleasant words as if he had not heard them…
By the lakeside pavilion, Zou Yunting sent his junior sister away, sitting alone inside in quiet meditation. After waiting a long time, the person he was waiting for finally appeared.
It was Yu Qing, holding an ancient guqin in one arm and a basket of fruits in the other hand, walking hurriedly.
The guqin had been sent for repair and was now fixed. The fruits were wild fruits he had conveniently bought on the street.
After seeing Zou Yunting in the pavilion, he pretended not to see him, wanting to walk straight past.
But Zou Yunting openly called out, “Niu Youqing, come here a moment.”
Yu Qing looked left and right, and had no choice but to go over. He also put on an act of nodding and bowing for others to see, but his mouth was asking, “Your injury healed?”
Zou Yunting asked, “I heard you went to Wen Xin’s side in Jade Garden?”
Yu Qing: “What business is it of yours?”
Zou Yunting gritted his teeth secretly and said, “Let’s lay it out openly. What exactly do you want?”
Yu Qing: “I don’t want anything. If you don’t look for trouble with me, I will never expose your affair. I have no interest whatsoever in your little adultery. In future, let’s keep some distance. Don’t look for me, and I won’t get in your way.”
Zou Yunting said in a deep voice, “When others feed it, the Purple Dragon won’t eat. Only when you feed it will it eat. Now it seems there is something fishy about this. Could it be that you came specifically for Wen Xin?”
“You are overthinking it. I will say it once more. I will not provoke you, and you should not provoke me either.” Yu Qing dropped these words and left, too lazy to bother anymore.
Zou Yunting’s expression was complex…
Under the setting sun, standing on a high pavilion, witnessing the horizon, everything was glorious.
Leaning on the railing, Wen Mao supported himself on the balustrade, bending over and panting. “Alas, time spares no one. I am truly old now, unable to climb anymore.”
Wen Kui supported him from the side, patting his back, helping him catch his breath.
After a good while, once he had recovered, Wen Mao faced the glorious sky and asked, “In the blink of an eye, nearly a month has passed. Has that servant in Jade Garden still made no move?”
Wen Kui thought for a moment, then hesitantly said, “Indeed there has been no reaction. Since going to Jade Garden, all his actions have been honest and proper. Moreover, he is quick-witted, works very hard and diligently. Even that big fellow and the fat man have become well-behaved. They no longer inquire about the situation of the Wen Shu Pavilion as they used to. If we did not know they were abnormal, we truly would not be able to see any problems.”
Wen Mao: “The deeper the forbearance, the greater the scheme may be. Keep a close watch and do not relax. A fox will eventually show its tail. I want to see exactly what they intend to do.”
“Understood.” Wen Kui nodded.
At this time, someone rushed up from below and handed him a letter. After reading it, he had the person withdraw, then reported to Wen Mao, “Master, news has come from Qinglian Mountain. Tomorrow, Sect Leader Lin will send someone to deliver the Evil Spirit Pill for the Third Miss’s spirit pet to consume.”
Wen Mao hmm-ed, “You handle this matter. What is important before us is the literary gathering. The competition will begin in a few days. Has Yuwen Yuan still not said when he will come?”
Wen Kui: “Old Master Yuwen does not seem to like his own grandson getting involved in this matter. Yuwen Yuan’s meaning is that he will certainly come to pay his respects to you when the time comes, but he did not say whether he himself would participate. This old servant feels this is enough. There is no need to force anything further. Wait until he arrives, then we can naturally find a way to make it difficult for him to refuse.”
Wen Mao stroked his beard and said nothing.
The next evening, Jade Garden suddenly became lively. A group of people arrived.
The Wen residence steward Wen Kui and Qinglian Mountain Elder Fan Wuchou came.
Also Song Pingping and Zou Yunting came. Another was a steady-mannered middle-aged man, the eldest senior brother of the two, named Zhan Lingchao. He already held a certain status in Qinglian Mountain, and was also the disciple specially sent by Qinglian Mountain to the Wen family this time.
Yu Qing and Little Red naturally followed Wen Xin to greet them together.
Yu Qing and Zou Yunting both acted as if they did not know each other, not even exchanging glances.
“Grandpa Kui, why have even Elder Fan and Mr Zhan come? Such a grand mobilisation, what is the purpose?” Wen Xin was somewhat puzzled. She also knew Zhan Lingchao. She knew all of Elder Fan’s disciples.
Fan Wuchou said, “Girl, the Sect Leader has always been thinking of you. Your spirit pet has also been weaned for quite some time now. Its stomach should have already adapted to normal food, and should be able to digest harder things. So the Sect Leader specially sent Lingchao to deliver the Evil Spirit Pill for you.”
Evil Spirit Pill? Yu Qing secretly clicked his tongue. He naturally knew that was something worth ten million. He could not help but sigh that even a pet of a wealthy family was extraordinary!
“Thank the Sect Leader. Thank you, Mr Zhan, for the trouble of travelling.” Wen Xin repeatedly bowed in thanks.
Zhan Lingchao smiled and waved his hand, indicating there was no need for courtesy. With his master present, he did not say much more.
Wen Kui: “Third Miss, you may also not know how to use the Evil Spirit Pill. Why not bring the spirit pet over and let Mr Zhan help you.”
“Alright.” Wen Xin immediately turned her head and said, “Ah Qing, go bring it over.”
“Understood.” Yu Qing turned and ran off quickly.
It was only at this time that Zou Yunting’s gaze fixed on him. Wen Kui’s seemingly casual gaze also glanced a couple more times at Yu Qing’s retreating figure.
Song Pingping went to Wen Xin’s side, lifting her chin towards the departing Yu Qing, “Is this fellow useful?”
Wen Xin smiled and nodded.
Before long, Yu Qing brought the little dog along with the iron cage together.
The little dog still clearly had an impression of Yu Qing, continuously wagging its tail at him in the cage. It was obvious it very much wanted to get out, and its expectations of Yu Qing seemed quite high.
The cage was placed before everyone. Yu Qing then withdrew.
Only then did the little dog realise it was being surrounded and watched by a group of people. It looked around somewhat puzzled.
Zhan Lingchao looked at his master, waiting for his master’s meaning. Fan Wuchou nodded, and he then took out a golden pill.
Before everyone, he slowly twisted the golden pill open. After opening it in half, under the setting sun’s shine, faint mist appeared inside the golden pill. Zhan Lingchao poured the contents of the golden pill into his palm, revealing a purple pill about the size of a quail’s egg, wreathed in mist, with a heart-refreshing fragrance.
Little Red was surprised, quietly asking the person beside her, “Sister Pingping, is this a pill? Why is there still floating mist?”
Song Pingping: “This is the so-called aura of an immortal-grade pill, called pill qi.”
Yu Qing at the side also broadened his horizons. This was the first time he had personally seen a pill of this level.
“Junior brother.” Zhan Lingchao turned his head to indicate.
Zou Yunting nodded in understanding, immediately squatting down and opening the iron cage, directly grabbing the little dog out.
Zhan Lingchao then took over, pinching open the little dog’s mouth, directly throwing the Evil Spirit Pill into the little dog’s throat, then letting go to indicate it was done.
Zou Yunting again bent down to stuff the little dog back into the iron cage.
Just as the cage was closed, the little dog retreated in the cage, continuously making “ka ka” coughing sounds from its throat. Under everyone’s watchful eyes, it suddenly “ka” spat out a pill. Even though the pill had fallen on the ground and gotten dirty, it was still wreathed in mist.
The Evil Spirit Pill was spat out? Everyone was speechless.
“This…” Zhan Lingchao pointed.
Song Pingping hurriedly said, “Senior brother, the Purple Dragon previously would not eat anything. As long as it was forcibly fed, it could spit it out. It has practically trained itself in spitting things out.”
An Evil Spirit Pill worth ten million could not be wasted. The senior and junior brothers joined hands to try again. The little dog was grabbed out again. After rinsing the Evil Spirit Pill with water, they force-fed it in again. After that, Zhan Lingchao asked for a rope, directly tying up the little dog’s mouth, then threw it back into the cage. “The Evil Spirit Pill is not easy to dissolve. Do not untie the rope. Tie it for three days. After three days, it should all dissolve into pill liquid and be absorbed.”
Zou Yunting inexplicably glanced at Yu Qing, somewhat uneasy. He suddenly spoke, “Senior brother, after all, this is something the Sect Leader sent, worth ten million. I think we should take it to our place and help the Third Miss watch it for three days before bringing it back. If any situation arises, we can handle it at any time.”
Yu Qing caught something odd in his tone, glancing back at him, wanting to ask what he meant. Was he afraid that he, Yu Qing, would steal the Evil Spirit Pill from the dog’s mouth?
Song Pingping also glanced at her senior brother, the corner of her mouth twitching.
Zhan Lingchao did not express an opinion, looking at his master. The latter pondered for a moment and nodded, “It is also good to keep it at our place for three days. Kui, what do you say?”
Wen Kui: “Elder Fan, in this kind of matter we will certainly listen to you. Whatever you say is good, we will do it that way. Third Miss, what do you say?”
“Understood.” Wen Xin agreed.
Thus the group came together in a crowd, and left together in a crowd, also taking away the Purple Dragon that had been continuously pawing at the rope on its mouth and making whimpering sounds.
Yu Qing sighed and shook his head, feeling that this little dog suffering a bit was worth it. With such powerful assistance, after several years, transforming into human form should be no problem.
The sky was already dark. The master and servants did not linger long, heading together towards the main courtyard.
On the way, Yu Qing suddenly lowered his head, then turned to look back. He saw Big Head drill out from his sleeve, flash once, and vanish into the twilight.