Chapter 73: Old feelings seem to have rekindled.
"Your Majesty! I'm going out to play! I'm entrusting Fei Hua to you!"
Early in the morning, Su Yuyao finished dressing up and started clamoring to go out and play.
"Yao'er! You should read some books and practice writing, don't just play all the time!" Qingyue said as she stepped out of Feihua's room, watching Su Yuyao's figure disappear at the courtyard gate.
Qingyue sighed, frowned, and asked, "Bai Er! Does Yao'er play like this every day?"
Bai Er respectfully curtsied and replied, "Your Majesty, Miss doesn't play every day. Since arriving at Jiujiao Mountain, Miss has been studying with Young Master Guan Yue. She was worried that we would be bored, so she took us with her on every inspection. Yesterday, Lord Qimen gave Miss a day off so she could go out and play for a while. Today is the second day."
Qingyue then asked, "Did she cause any trouble?"
"Your Majesty, Miss has not caused any trouble. She has been very obedient and well-behaved!" Bai Er said with a smile.
"Really?" Qingyue seemed not to believe it.
“It’s true! Miss really didn’t cause any trouble!” Bai Er said with certainty.
Qingyue patted her chest and muttered, "It's best I didn't cause any trouble, but... why do I feel so uneasy..."
Su Yuyao was running on the mountain path leading to the century-old tree when she saw Guan Yue sweeping fallen leaves along the path. "Good morning, Brother Yue'er!"
"Su Yuyao, where are you going?" Guan Yue stopped and asked softly.
"I'm going to play with Baihu and the others! Yesterday I played a blind box guessing game with them and I won a wine bottle! Baihu even treated us to meat buns!" Su Yuyao stopped and said, sticking out her little belly.
Guan Yue looked up at Su Yuyao with gentle eyes, "Why don't you bring some copper coins? Just in case you're going to treat everyone to steamed buns today?"
Su Yuyao skipped over to Guan Yue, "As long as I don't lose, that's enough, isn't it? Besides, I gave all the money I earned to Xuan Feng. He, as the master of the Immortal Mountain, doesn't even have any money, sigh..."
Guan Yue's eyes flickered. He took out a small string of copper coins from his pocket and handed it over. "Take this. Don't always let Baihu and the others spend money. If you win, you can treat them to steamed buns."
"Okay!" Su Yuyao took the copper coin and said with a smile, "If I win, I'll say you treated them!"
Guan Yue smiled and nodded.
Su Yuyao happily put away the copper coins and ran towards the century-old tree...
From afar, Su Yuyao could see a large crowd gathered under the tree. It was quite a lively scene.
"Excuse me! I want to see too!" Su Yuyao squeezed into the crowd and tried to peer into the middle of the crowd.
"You brat! How dare you steal my wine jug?! Hand it over right now!" A tall, burly old man with a dark, shiny face and a few stray white hairs sticking out of his scarred scalp was grabbing Baihu's ear and scolding him, "If you don't hand it over, I'll go find your father!"
The white tiger bared its teeth, protecting its ears, and said, "Grandpa Langzhi! I really didn't take it! It was Su Yuyao! I told her not to take it, but she insisted!"
"No way!" Su Yuyao shouted, rushing out of the crowd. "I won the wine bottle by guessing blind boxes!"
"Huh? You're... Su Yuyao?" Lang Zhi stared at Su Yuyao's round figure and chubby face, somewhat stunned. "Um... cough cough... you're the one who stole my wine bottle?!"
"I didn't steal! I won!" Su Yuyao said confidently.
Looking at Su Yuyao's expression, Lang Zhi couldn't help but find it amusing. "I don't care what you're guessing, just give me back the wine vessel!"
"Sister Yao'er!" Baihu said anxiously, standing on tiptoe, "Hurry up and take out the wine vessel! I told you not to take it, but you insisted on taking it!"
"Clearly... I won..." Su Yuyao felt a little wronged, but given the current situation, she had no choice but to take out the wine bottle.
She had no choice but to pull out the wine bottle, pouting, and say, "You agreed to give it to me..."
Langzhi stretched out her hand and released a bright white silk thread from her palm, reaching towards Su Yuyao. "I'll settle accounts with Baihu's father for his mistake! But who do I have to settle accounts with for you stealing my wine cup?" As she spoke, the silk thread suddenly wrapped around Su Yuyao's wrist.
Suddenly! Langzhi froze!
He stared intently at Su Yuyao, his eyes trembling, his lips quivering, and his eyes gradually reddening. Meanwhile, the silk thread wrapped around Su Yuyao's wrist tightened more and more.
"Huh? I didn't steal it!" Su Yuyao hurriedly broke free, throwing the wine bottle at Lang Zhi. "Here you go! Let me go!"
Lang Zhi grabbed the white tiger by the ear with one hand and controlled Su Yuyao with the other, watching as the green wine bottle spun around and smashed toward his face.
"Ah!" The onlookers were shocked and released their Qi to block the wine vessel spinning in the air.
Su Yuyao was instantly surrounded by multicolored Qi. "Wow! You...you're all so amazing!"
Multicolored streams of energy blocked the wine vessel from Lang Zhi's bloodshot eyes. Lang Zhi was taken aback for a moment, then laughed, "Su Yuyao! How dare you be so disrespectful to me?!"
"I...I didn't..." Su Yuyao couldn't explain anymore, because she had indeed thrown it on purpose. "I...I'm sorry..."
A silk thread emerged from Langzhi's robe, rolled up the wine vessel hanging in front of him, and tucked it into his bosom.
"White Tiger! You brat, you've caused me trouble again!" Before Bai Jinsi could finish speaking, a gust of wind from the whip swept over, and with a snap, White Tiger immediately wailed, "Ah! Father! It's not my fault! It's really not my fault! I didn't take it!"
Langzhi watched with satisfaction as the white tiger took several lashes, then turned to Su Yuyao, squinting as she said, "Your turn!"
"Huh?" Su Yuyao tugged at the silk thread on her wrist and said nervously, "I've already returned the wine vessel to you! What else do you want?!"
"Well?" Langzhi thought for a moment and said with a smile, "You stole my wine cup and even tried to hit me. Shouldn't you find someone to settle this with?!"
Su Yuyao panicked upon hearing this. She had barely escaped a disaster yesterday, and if Consort Qingyue found out about what happened today, she would definitely be punished!
She composed herself, cleared her throat, and said solemnly, "First of all, I didn't steal your wine bottle! Yesterday, Baihu and I were playing a blind box game. We agreed that if I lost, I would treat everyone to steamed buns, and if I won, he would not only treat everyone to steamed buns but also give me the contents of the box! Later, I guessed correctly, and according to the agreement, the contents of the box were mine! As for what was in the box or how I got it, that's none of my business! Second, I didn't mean to hit you! It's just that you startled me, so I accidentally threw it a little high... You're wrong to say I wanted to hit you..."
Lang Zhi squinted, enjoying Su Yuyao's plausible explanation. "You brat, you're really good at arguing! My wine bottle was lost, and you found it in your hands. You dare say it has nothing to do with you? Whether you did it intentionally or unintentionally, you have to..."
"What should we do?!" Qingyue's voice came, and everyone hurriedly made way for her.
Su Yuyao looked at Qingyue with a wronged expression, "Your Majesty... I really didn't steal anything!"
Qingyue walked up to Su Yuyao, looked at the spider silk on her wrist, and smiled contemptuously, "Langzhi, you don't know who Su Yuyao is, do you? Don't even mention your wine vessel, even your dilapidated house, our Yao'er can burn it down if she wants!"
"Hmph! Lady Qingyue, you don't know where my wine cup came from, do you?!" Langzhi said with equal contempt.
"Oh! If you hadn't mentioned it, I would have completely forgotten. Wasn't it the wine vessel that Mother Yi casually gifted you when you were weaving the magnificent robe for her in the Heavenly Palace? You can find tons of those wine vessels anywhere!" Qingyue said, running her fingers along the spider silk that was wrapped around Su Yuyao. The silk snapped one by one and finally slid off Su Yuyao's wrist. "Langzhi, our Yao'er is very precious. Be careful in the future, and don't let anything dirty stick to our Yao'er!"
"Qingyue!" Langzhi lost face and glared at Qingyue, shouting.
"Lang Zhi!" Qing Yue retorted, glaring back at Lang Zhi.
What was originally a matter of Langzhi disciplining the two children has now turned into a confrontation between Langzhi and Qingyue.
Bai Jinsi awkwardly put down her whip and quietly led Baihu away from the crowd. The onlookers, unable to bear the awkward atmosphere, gradually dispersed.
Seeing the two glaring at each other, Su Yuyao silently backed away.
"Su Yuyao! Where do you think you're hiding!" Lang Zhi finally shifted the awkwardness onto Su Yuyao.
"Huh? I..."
Qingyue turned around, took Su Yuyao's hand, and said coldly, "Yao'er! Let's go!"
"Qingyue!" Langzhi caught up, pointing at Qingyue's haughty back of the head, and said, "Look at you! Still the same as before, so ruthless towards me..."
“Aren’t you the same as always? Always so petty!” Qingyue said, pulling on Su Yuyao’s wrist.
Su Yuyao was in pain from Qingyue's pinch, but she didn't dare to interrupt.
"So petty?!" Lang Zhi caught up, trying to stop Qing Yue. "Qing Yue! Stop right there! Explain yourself! How am I being petty?! It was Su Yuyao who stole my wine bottle..."
“I didn’t steal it!” Su Yuyao retorted.
"Did you hear that?! Our Yao'er said she didn't steal it! Don't try to deny it!" Qingyue didn't turn her head, gripping Su Yuyao's wrist and walking faster and faster.
"Qingyue! You little brat... Stop!" Langzhi chased after her for a few steps, but couldn't take it anymore. She released her spider web and stood in front of Qingyue. "Listen to me!"
Qingyue spread her hand, exhaling a puff of white smoke that enveloped the spider web. Then, she squeezed it tightly, and the spider web instantly turned into white powder.
Helpless, Langzhi released some spider silk to wrap around the wine vessel and hang it in front of Qingyue. "Qingyue! Take a good look, which wine vessel did Su Yuyao steal!"
Qingyue reluctantly stopped, glancing sideways at the swaying bluish-green wine vessel in front of her. Suddenly, her eyes widened in surprise, and she exclaimed, "This! This is..."
"This is a gift from you! You little brat! You're really infuriating me!" Langzhi said in a tone that was both annoyed and indulgent. "If it were really a gift from Mother Yi, I wouldn't care! But it's a gift from you, so I had to get it back, which is why I turned to Su Yuyao..."
Qingyue took the wine cup, examined it, and then held it up to Su Yuyao, asking, "Yao'er, is this the wine cup you're holding?"
"Huh?" Su Yuyao stared blankly at the wine vessel in front of her, vaguely noticing that the pattern on the vessel... looked like the character "卿"!
"Ah...it seems...right..." Su Yuyao glanced at the wine cup and stammered.
Upon hearing this, Qingyue's expression changed drastically. She tossed the wine cup to Langzhi, and with a flick of her wrist, a silver ruler suddenly appeared.
"Ah?!" Seeing that things were going badly, Su Yuyao turned and ran. Qingyue, holding a ruler and lifting her skirt, chased after her while scolding, "You, Su Yuyao, how dare you steal! You dare to steal things?!"
Su Yuyao knew she couldn't escape; in this situation, her only option was to find a powerful backer! Hiding behind the ruler, she ran to Lang Zhi's back and cried out, "Your Majesty! I really didn't steal! I truly won!"
Qingyue, holding a ruler, rushed towards Langzhi, shouting, "You didn't steal it?! If you didn't steal it, how come it's with you?!"
Langzhi went over and hugged Qingyue tightly, stroking her back with a mischievous grin, and said softly, "Don't get agitated! Let's talk this out! Let's talk this out!"
"Let's talk this out!" Qingyue frowned, pushed open her brocade, pointed at Su Yuyao with a ruler, and said sternly, "Yao'er! You come here to me!"
Su Yuyao pursed her lips and tugged at Langzhi's clothes, not daring to show her face.
She nudged Langzhi's lower back and whispered, "Grandpa Langzhi, please believe me, I really didn't steal it. Please put in a good word for me! Last time I was beaten, I lay there for days..." As Su Yuyao spoke, she pouted and shed a few tears.
Lang Zhi turned to look at the pitiful Su Yuyao under his armpit and asked, "You said you won, but you don't know how to use Qi, how did you guess correctly?!"
"I know a little bit of Plum Blossom Divination, and I used it to guess!" Su Yuyao explained. "I can't always guess correctly; I just got lucky yesterday. When I came today, Brother Yue'er even gave me some copper coins, saying that if I lost, I could treat everyone to steamed buns..."
"Yao'er! Don't try to deny it!" Qingyue said, her eyes bulging.
"I didn't try to deny it! Your Highness! Why were you on my side just now, but now you're on Grandpa Langzhi's side?!" Su Yuyao finally couldn't hold back anymore and said aggrievedly, "Grandpa Langzhi listened to my explanation, why won't you listen..."
"Yao'er! How dare you speak to me like that!" Qingyue frowned and raised the ruler to slap her hard!
Su Yuyao closed her eyes tightly in fright, "Ah!"
*Smack!* The ruler struck Langzhi squarely on the lower back.
Lang Zhi frowned, clutching her lower back, and laughed helplessly, "You little rascal! You still hit me so hard! My old back is about to break!"
Qingyue blushed, put away the ruler, and muttered, "Who told you to shield her?"
Langzhi clutched her waist, turned around, and said with a smile, "If I don't block you, how can Yao'er withstand your strength!"
Su Yuyao squinted at Lang Zhi and Qing Yue, feeling a sense of déjà vu, and couldn't help but purse her lips, suddenly finding a way out.
She said with a grin, "Thank you, Grandpa Langzhi! Please, do me a favor and help me appease Lady Qingyue!"
Langzhi looked at Qingyue's angry face and chuckled, "Then... how about we coax her?"
Qingyue glanced at Langzhi, then glared at Su Yuyao, "Yao'er, don't talk nonsense! Who wants him to coax them!"
"Since you don't need to be coaxed, then I won't!" Lang Zhi pointed at Su Yuyao and said to Qing Yue with a smile, "Let's talk about this child's problems! Yao'er does have some talent, but she's not stable enough and lacks composure. How about letting her stay with me for a while, and I'll train her a bit!"
Su Yuyao was grinning as she ate a melon seed when she suddenly ate it on her own head. "Huh? What?"
Qingyue looked at Langzhi, blushing, and said, "Yao'er is indeed not steady enough. She doesn't like to study and only knows how to play! Since you are willing to take care of her, then take care of her for a while and discipline her properly!"
"Huh?" Su Yuyao shook her head and said, "I don't want to!"
Langzhi gazed tenderly at Qingyue's face, "I may be strict, but can you bear to be?"
Qingyue's lips curled slightly, her eyes flickered, and she said, "Whether you're strict or not, I know perfectly well! I'd love for you to be stricter!"
"Huh? Stricter?!" Su Yuyao shook her head and said loudly, "I don't want to!"
"Alright! Starting tomorrow, you must be at my place before 3 AM. I'll take Yao'er to Jingxue!"
"Huh? Yin Shi (3-5 AM)? That early?!" Su Yuyao exclaimed, "I'm not going!"
“Alright! I’ll take her there tomorrow morning!” Qingyue readily agreed.
Su Yuyao was dumbfounded. She had just escaped from Guan Yue, was she about to be watched again?
Watching Langzhi and Qingyue exchanging flirtatious glances while using her as an excuse, she jumped up and down, shouting, "None of you will listen to me! I'm not going! I'm not going!"
"Yao'er! Don't be rude!" Qingyue grabbed Su Yuyao's wrist and said, "Come back with me, you've lost your focus after playing!"
"Go back? I don't want to!" Su Yuyao shook off Qingyue's hand, plopped down on the ground, kicked her feet, and cried and wailed, "Ah—! I came out to have fun—! I'm not going back—!"
Qingyue's expression turned stern again. "Yao'er! Stop making a scene! Get up now!"
With tears in her eyes and a stubborn frown, Su Yuyao said, "No! I want to play with the White Tiger!"
"Alright, alright, let her play!" Langzhi squatted down, looking at the sulking Su Yuyao. "Yao'er, come on! Grandpa Langzhi will take you to find the White Tiger!"
“Okay!” Su Yuyao nodded.
“Langzhi! Yao’er is playful by nature. If we always give in to her, we’ll spoil her!” Qingyue objected.
Langzhi smiled slightly and looked at Qingyue, "Then... have I spoiled you?"
Qingyue's face flushed again, her eyes sparkling like stars. She said, "Just keep spoiling me! I'm going back..." With that, she turned and swayed away.
Su Yuyao watched Qingyue's retreating figure. Her Majesty... seems to have changed...
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