Breaking the exquisite (3)
"That's how it is." Qi Shuojun noticed Ye Yingying's confusion, tapped his fan, and patiently explained, "According to my family's rules, the bride will come to Yuancheng a month before the wedding and stay temporarily in one of the Qi family's houses. My wife is strictly disciplined at home, and she basically doesn't meet foreign guests except for some important occasions. Although we were betrothed when we were young, we have had very few opportunities to meet since she came of age."
"So?" Ye Yingying raised an eyebrow.
Qi Shuojun continued, "So, I originally wanted to spend more time with her before the wedding and cultivate our relationship. After all, once we're married, we're husband and wife, and trust is the most important thing between husband and wife. It would be so awkward if we were still like strangers."
Ye Yingying twitched the corner of her mouth, somewhat speechless: "If you want to cultivate feelings, just go find her directly. Why do you need to investigate?"
“Hey, here’s the problem.” Qi Shuojun flicked his folding fan, adopting the mannerisms of a storyteller, and said, “I went to her place several times to look for her, but I found that she was never home in the middle of the night. Isn’t that strange?”
Where could someone go if they're not home in the middle of the night? The answers may be complex and varied, yet they seem quite easy to guess.
Ye Yingying's answer came almost immediately: "You suspect she has a lover outside?"
Upon hearing this, the three people in the room almost couldn't hold back. Qi Shuojun pursed her lips helplessly, took a deep breath, and resisted the urge to hit her on the head with her fan. She only said, "How vulgar. I have money and looks. Why would she do such a thing?"
"That's hard to say..." Ye Yingying crossed her arms in front of her chest, striking a pose like someone who had been through it all.
"This arranged marriage isn't my choice. Qin Zhiqing is from a prestigious family, with no worries about food or drink. What if she doesn't like you and falls for some other promising young man?" Ye Yingying silently concluded.
Seeing that she was absolutely unconvinced, Qi Shuojun had no choice but to say again, "If she has a lover, you don't need to investigate. My own spies are enough."
Now Ye Yingying was even more confused: "Then why do you insist that we investigate?"
Qi Shuojun paused, then lowered her voice mysteriously and said, "My men said she often loiters around the Qi family's ancestral land at night."
"Ancestral land?"
"Yes, our ancestral home, the place where our family worships and consults the heavens, where our ancestors rest in peace."
Isn't that a tomb? How strange, we haven't even entered yet, why are we already thinking of going into a cemetery?
"So, you want us to help you track her down and see what she's doing there?"
“That’s exactly what I was thinking.” Qi Shuojun nodded. “She’s met most of my people a few times, so it’s not convenient for her to do this. After thinking it over, it’s more appropriate to find someone unfamiliar but trustworthy to handle it.”
"There's no need to stop her, we just need to figure out why she's doing this."
Qi Shuojun made the matter sound easy. He raised his eyes and tentatively looked at Ye Yingying: "I wonder if you could do me this small favor? I will definitely reward you handsomely after it is done."
Ye Yingying turned her head to look at Yun Yanqiu. The other party felt her gaze and said indifferently, "I said I won't help you."
"If you're not going to help, then don't." Ye Yingying thought to herself, silently shifting her gaze and turning to Zhao Yuxiao, asking, "Young Master Zhao, I don't think this is difficult. Why don't you help your brother?"
“Sigh.” Zhao Yuxiao said bluntly, “I’m a man, and if word gets out that I’m following a young lady who’s engaged, it won’t be good for anyone.”
That's true; Zhao Yuxiao is somewhat self-aware in this regard, Ye Yingying nodded in agreement. She lowered her eyes and thought for a moment, then asked Qi Shuojun, "Is this Miss Qin's cultivation level very high?"
“Of course.” Qi Shuojun nodded. “She is the number one in our year’s competition. Even Zhao Yuxiao is no match for her.”
Ye Yingying unconsciously looked at Zhao Yuxiao again, making the young hero Zhao a little embarrassed: "Back then, Miss Qin was indeed more skilled, and I admit defeat."
"What level have you reached now?" Ye Yingying asked Zhao Yuxiao.
"Perfected Core Formation stage."
"So, Miss Qin's cultivation level isn't any lower than this?" Ye Yingying stroked her chin, estimating the difference in strength between herself and Qin Zhiqing.
Qi Shuojun rested her chin on her folding fan and said, "Based on my understanding of her, her cultivation level is roughly at the Great Perfection of the Core Formation stage."
Even at the Great Perfection of the Core Formation stage, there is still a three-realm gap between him and me. The difference in realm between cultivators is a huge chasm, and even a difference of only one realm is already a significant advantage.
Following someone like that inevitably carries the risk of being discovered. If caught red-handed, she would definitely be at a disadvantage in a fight. Ye Yingying weighed the risks of this request, wondering how many realms the gap between them would narrow after absorbing the pills given by Han Chengyu.
“Miss Ye, if you are worried about the difference in cultivation levels, I can provide you with some life-saving magical artifacts,” Qi Shuojun said generously. “Just name whatever you want, and I can get it for you if I have it.”
When Qi Shuojun said this, she seemed to radiate a rich golden light.
Ye Yingying was genuinely tempted. With the help of elixirs and magical artifacts, it wasn't impossible for her to challenge Qin Zhiqing. So she coughed twice and said in a serious tone, "Since Young Master Qi has put it this way, it would be disrespectful for me to refuse. Leave this to me!"
"Good, good, good!" Qi Shuojun was overjoyed and clapped her hands repeatedly. "Then I'll have to trouble you, Miss Ye. After it's done, you can take any item from my treasure pavilion!"
That's really generous! Ye Yingying was already imagining herself being overwhelmed by the choices in Qi Shuojun's treasure trove.
"However, time is tight. There's only about a week left until the wedding, Miss Ye, you'd better hurry up," Qi Shuojun reminded her.
"It's a minor issue." Ye Yingying waved her hand calmly. "I'll definitely find out within a week."
"By the way, there's something I'd like to ask Young Master Qi for another favor."
"you say."
"I received news that something I'm looking for is currently in Yuancheng. I would like to ask Young Master Qi for a favor so that I can search for it freely within Yuancheng."
Qi Shuojun flicked her folding fan and shook it: "That's easy, I'll give you a token later."
Ye Yingying smiled and thanked her, feeling incredibly happy.
"That's all for today, I have to go back and take care of the wedding arrangements. I'll treat everyone to dinner another day!"
With the investigation into Qin Zhiqing's case resolved, Qi Shuojun felt temporarily relieved. She bowed to the group and bid them farewell before leaving Lingyun Inn.
"Let me show you the guest rooms!" Zhao Yuxiao said, quickly walking ahead of the two and leading Yun Yanqiu and Ye Yingying to the room he had prepared.
The guest room arranged by Zhao Yuxiao was next to the room from before. He stopped at the door, turned around and introduced, "This is Senior Yun's room."
Yun Yanqiu walked straight into the room, glanced back at Ye Yingying, and said coldly, "Don't knock on the door unless it's important."
After saying that, he decisively closed the door, leaving the two people outside staring at each other.
"Is Senior Yun angry again?" Zhao Yuxiao bowed slightly and asked Ye Yingying in a low voice.
“Hmm…” Ye Yingying pondered the words for a moment, then said to Zhao Yuxiao, “It’s hard to say.”
Zhao Yuxiao didn't ask any more questions and took Ye Yingying to her room. He was quite good at making arrangements, directly arranging for the two of them to stay in the next room. Ye Yingying looked at the wall with mixed feelings. Just thinking that Yunyan Hill was right across from her made her feel like she had to breathe very softly when she slept at night.
“Miss Ying’er, please let me know if you need anything else.” Zhao Yuxiao enthusiastically introduced the room’s layout. “This inn is the Lingyun Alliance’s base in Yuancheng, which is much safer than Zhixian.”
"Young Master Zhao is too kind. I have no other requests. This is fine."
After Ye Yingying finished speaking, the room fell silent for a moment. Seeing that Zhao Yuxiao didn't seem to be leaving, Ye Yingying couldn't help but ask, "Is there anything else, Young Hero Zhao?"
"Oh, actually I wanted to hear you talk about the Secret Sea. Now that your eyes are healed, did you really see the merfolk?"
So that's what you were curious about. Ye Yingying smiled slightly and gestured for Zhao Yuxiao to be quiet: "It's a secret."
Zhao Yuxiao paused for a moment, then lowered his eyebrows and said, "No way, I'm so curious, tell me a little bit."
Ye Yingying smiled without saying a word, so Zhao Yuxiao then seriously negotiated with her: "Tell me about your experience over there, and I'll tell you Senior Yun's secret."
"Wow, you've got some nerve!" Ye Yingying looked at him in surprise. Yun Yanqiu was right next door; wasn't he afraid of being overheard?
"It's nothing." Zhao Yuxiao waved his hand confidently. "Aren't you curious about what Senior Yun was doing before he met you?"
Ye Yingying shook her head decisively. It wasn't that she wasn't interested at all, but walls have ears, and she didn't want to take the risk. Yun Yanqiu had remembered her late-night chat with Yao Yao; that guy was definitely eavesdropping on her.
Zhao Yuxiao was somewhat surprised by Ye Yingying's resolute attitude and said, "Aren't you curious? I thought you two were already..."
"Shut up." Ye Yingying probably guessed what Zhao Yuxiao was thinking, so she quickly shooed him out, warning him, "Don't think about things that aren't even close to happening."
Zhao Yuxiao was pushed outside the door, and before he could react, he saw Ye Yingying slam the door shut. He stood there, looking left and right at the two people's door, hissed, and looked puzzled.
That shouldn't be the case. If Senior Yun would willingly accompany him to find medicine, aren't they already in a relationship? How come it's not even close to happening?
Who is Yun Yanqiu? A guest elder of the Lingyun Alliance who descended from the heavens, he is low-key and mysterious, indifferent to women, and always wears a cold and aloof expression. Would he really go to the Secret Sea to search for mermaid tears for a blind girl he just met? Impossible, absolutely impossible.
Zhao Yuxiao wasn't stupid; he was certain there was something going on between Yun Yanqiu and Ye Yingying. So, he reviewed all their interactions from the moment they entered until now, and belatedly realized the key point: were they having a falling out?
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