Chapter 19: Unexpected Results

: Is the Emperor unwilling for Yun Qianyue to enter the palaceFor a while, there was complete silence under the pavilion."Thank you, Your Majesty! Rong Feng can stand!" Rong Feng lowered his head."Sit...Chapter 19: Unintended Outcome

After leaving Silvermoon City, the next city was Purplemoon City.

Qianyue Yun rode on Tashan while leisurely admiring the scenery along the roadside. She moved even slower than yesterday, and although Tashan was a fine horse capable of traveling a thousand miles in a day, Qianyue’s pace had slowed down to walking speed.

The reason why the Southern Frontier's Imperial Uncle followed her remained unknown, but she understood that if he were returning to the capital because of the Southern Frontier King, given the King's imminent demise, he should be in a hurry. If not for his connection with her, he would have overtaken her by now instead of following behind. If he didn’t overtake her despite her slow pace, it meant she was more important than the Southern Frontier King to him, which required her to reassess the situation carefully.

She started walking at dawn and had only covered fifty miles by noon when the Imperial Uncle continued to follow closely behind without overtaking her.

Fifty miles away lay a large mountain. At its foot were several farmhouses, from where smoke rose, indicating that someone was cooking meals. Qianyue looked at the sky, dismounted Tashan and led him to the nearest farmhouse on the roadside, loosened his reins and knocked on the door.

Soon after, the wooden door creaked open to reveal an elderly woman who greeted her with a puzzled question: "What brings you here, miss"

"Good afternoon, madam. I’m exhausted from my journey and would like to rest for a while if it’s not too much trouble. If possible, I’d also appreciate a meal." Qianyue smiled warmly as she handed the elderly woman a silver ingot, "I will only stay for an hour."

The elderly woman looked at the silver in her hand and studied Qianyue carefully before looking around; there was no one else but Qianyue. She pushed back the silver into Qianyue’s hand with a smile: "A traveler can rest here without worry, especially since we are mountain people who offer simple meals. There’s no need to pay so much silver, you don’t have to give it."

Qianyue felt warm inside and pushed the silver back into the elderly woman’s hand. "Please take it; otherwise I would feel guilty for accepting your hospitality without payment."

"But this is too much," the elderly woman waved her off.

"I’m visiting relatives in the capital, but I will pass by here again on my way back and return to trouble you then. Please accept it." Qianyue smiled gently.

The elderly lady, seeing that Qianyue was determined to give her money, hesitated before nodding joyfully: "You look like a noblewoman from an aristocratic family who is generous with your wealth. Come in."

Qianyue smiled and stepped inside.

The small courtyard had three wooden houses that looked somewhat old; there was a pile of dry firewood in the yard. The elderly woman led Qianyue into one of the rooms, saying: "My husband and son went to the mountains for firewood. We make our living selling it to wealthy people in Silvermoon City. This silver ingot is enough to buy them a year’s worth of wood! There’s nothing much we can offer except some chickens I’ve raised. I’ll slaughter one and boil it for you."

"Madam, that's unnecessary; just simple meals will do!" Qianyue shook her head, realizing the distance between Silvermoon City and here was fifty miles, making a round trip to sell firewood take an entire day. The rich earned gold by the bushel while poor people struggled with daily necessities—a huge disparity in life quality. Nevertheless, such disparities existed both in ancient times and today.

"It’s no trouble; my chickens are delicious. You rest inside, I’ll feed your horse grass that was meant for our donkey and will have the chicken ready soon," the elderly lady said as she left.

Seeing her enthusiasm, Qianyue assumed this gesture of kindness came from her conscience troubling her after accepting so much money; thus, she no longer refused and nodded with a smile. "Alright!"

The elderly woman led her into the central room and poured her some water before rushing out.

Inside the room, there was a simple layout: a dirt bed, a wooden table, several chairs, and a wardrobe.

Sitting at the window-side desk, Qianyue looked outside. The elderly woman carried dry grass from her yard; she placed it down for Tashan to munch on happily before closing the door. She then went to the henhouse where soon after came the sound of clucking chickens. A moment later, she emerged with a fat chicken, tied its legs and threw it to the ground. She returned with a knife and cut the chicken’s neck; it stopped moving after two twitches. After putting down the dead bird, she retrieved hot water from a thermos, poured it into an iron basin, and began plucking the feathers off.

Qianyue watched as the elderly woman bustled about in the yard, humming folk songs while the cold wind blew past her; steam rose from the hot water in the basin. She wore padded clothes but worked with great vigor, looking very cheerful indeed.

A faint smile appeared on Qianyue’s lips. Such a peaceful life without deceit or danger, ordinary yet tranquil, was something she had longed for—both in her previous and current lifetimes—though it seemed unattainable.

After the chicken feathers were removed, the elderly woman stood up and took the bird into the kitchen.

Yun Qianyue withdrew her gaze, picked up the cup and drank a mouthful of water. Although it was just plain water, it tasted very sweet. She lowered her head to look at the clear and clean water in the cup without any impurities. As she looked, she suddenly felt like writing a letter to Rong Jing. So, she put down the cup, took out portable ink and brush from her package, spread them on the table, and started writing.

The specially made quill pen was soft, with neat handwriting.

Yun Qianyue first mentioned the South Frontier's maternal uncle. Although she knew that someone must have already sent news of the South Frontier’s maternal uncle to the Heavenly Capital via carrier pigeons, she still briefly recounted the events herself. Afterward, she talked about this mountain family. She spoke about the old woman, the chicken that was killed, a cup of plain water, and her current state of mind. Writing in fragments, she filled up two pages before putting down her brush and folding the letter.

Yun Qianyue put away the ink and brush into her package and looked out the window. The old woman was busy in the kitchen, so there were no people to be seen; only the sound of clinking could be heard, clearly indicating that she was preparing a stewed chicken. Yun Qianyue softly called out, "Is Moju around"

"Reporting to Miss Shallow Moon, I am here." Moju replied.

"Deliver this message for your master!" Yun Qianyue threw the letter out of the window and said, "Catch it!"

A shadow appeared in the courtyard, caught the letter instantly and vanished. In just a blink, there wasn’t even a ripple of wind. Moju's voice came from outside the yard, transmitting secretly into the room, saying, "I will deliver the message to Master right away."

Yun Qianyue made an acknowledging sound and asked, "What about the South Frontier’s maternal uncle Is he still following"

"He is resting at a family in the mountains," Moju said.

"Has he done anything on this journey" Yun Qianyue asked again.

"It seems that his martial arts are quite high, and so is his retinue’s. Moreover, they are very cautious. I dare not get too close to them but can confirm that he hasn’t made any moves yet. Knowing you are traveling slowly, he also travels slowly," Moju said in a rather serious tone. "I think he is targeting you. I have reported this to Master."

“Hmm!” Yun Qianyue narrowed her eyes. “It seems she’s coming for me; I’m curious why she thinks I’m more important than the South Frontier King.”

"Master will soon send a reply. Since we are not sure who our enemy is, it would be best if you don’t act rashly and wait for Master's instructions," Moju softly advised.

“Of course!” Yun Qianyue nodded her head. "I hope your master can divine this South Frontier maternal uncle’s background and intentions just as he did before."

Muju didn't transmit any sound, seemingly at a loss for how to respond to Yun Qianyue's words.

Yun Qianyue smiled, “Deliver my letter to him.”

"Yes!" Moju’s voice sounded strange and he withdrew.

Yun Qianyue leaned her hand on her forehead, looking out the window as she pondered over what had happened along the journey. She thought of the scorpion that was taken away by her earlier, wondering if the South Frontier’s maternal uncle wanted to harm or test her back then Two days have passed; would her mother have entered Southern Liang's capital city already Even if not, she should be close.

The aroma of stewed chicken faintly wafted from outside. Yun Qianyue put aside her thoughts and closed her eyes to rest in the chair.

Not long after, the old woman came into the room and seeing Yun Qianyue sitting with her eyes closed, hurried over to pat her shoulder, saying, "Miss, if you are tired, go lie down. Although we live far from the city, I keep this house quiet and clean. The bedding is freshly washed. If you don’t like it, I can fetch new ones."

Yun Qianyue opened her eyes with a smile and shook her head, "I am not tired. If you are not busy, let us chat."

"I have started the chicken stew, so there is nothing to worry about. Since you’re not tired, we can talk," said the old woman as she sat down at the table. She looked at Yun Qianyue and asked, "Are you from Heavenly Capital"

Yun Qianyue blinked her eyes, "Madam, how did you see that Why don't you think I might be from Western Liang or Western Yan"

The old woman smiled and shook her head. "Miss, you exude an air of nobility, with a refined demeanor, kind to others, generous in your actions, and seem to have seen the world. Such a lady could only come from a place like Heavenly Capital.

Yun Qianyue smiled and asked, "Do you really think the Heavenly Saint Capital is bustling and prosperous"

"Of course! Many people dream of going to the Heavenly Saint Capital. They say there's music day and night, and it’s full of noble descendants with elegant manners. My son wants to go to the Heavenly Saint Capital for a position. Unfortunately, the road is long, and we have no connections there, so seeking a job in the Heavenly Saint Capital isn’t something small. We’ve always been blocking him from going. That's why he hasn't gone until now. He spends his days chopping wood and buying books to read."

The old woman continued: "When I and my husband grow old or when we pass away, if no one can stop him anymore, then he will go."

"What kind of books does he buy" Yun Qianyue asked with a smile.

"I’ll get them for you. You take a look." The old woman said while taking out several books from the cupboard and handing them to Yun Qianyue, smiling cheerfully: "My husband and I are illiterate. He loved reading since he was young, but unfortunately we live far away from town where there’s no private school. So he went fifty miles away to Silver Moon City. He sold firewood for money, paid the tuition fees at a private school in Silver Moon City and learned how to read and write under their tutors. This has been going on for more than ten years; every day he spends half of his time chopping wood, and then walks fifty miles to Silver Moon City where he studies for two hours before rushing back home. I feel sorry for him, but he doesn’t think it’s tough. He not only learned all the books well, he also didn't neglect his work cutting firewood, and even built up a sturdy body."

Yun Qianyue was quite impressed by her son's determination to study despite all hardships. She took the books with a smile. The books covered various topics such as history, literature, poetry, military strategy, etc., showing his broad range of knowledge. Though slightly worn out and damaged, they were clearly well-thumbed and some even had annotations written in thick elegant handwriting.

"You must be literate," the old woman said with a smile.

"Madam, I haven't asked your surname yet. How old is your son When did he start reading these books" Yun Qianyue asked while looking at the annotations.

"My maiden name is Miao; my married surname is Shen, as it has always been my husband’s. My husband's name is Shen Sandidie, nineteen years old this year. His name was Xiao Si when he was born. After reading and learning to write on his own, he changed his name to Shen Zhao because ‘Zhao’ means to bring glory to the family," explained the woman with bright eyes.

"So he’s already nineteen. He hasn’t married yet" Yun Qianyue thought that men of this age would usually be married.

"No, a girl in the west courtyard likes him but he isn't interested at all; he only wants to read and study. Three years ago there was an imperial examination in Heavenly Saint Capital, but we didn’t let him go due to our concerns. This year the emperor of Heavenly Saint died, and it’s said that Prince Regent now holds power; I don’t know if they will continue with the examinations," explained the old woman.

"These past three years he has studied even harder. My husband and I regret having stopped him before. If a child wants to make his way in life, we should let him go. But he is our only son; we can’t bear the thought of something happening on the road which would take away his life," she continued.

"This year’s imperial examination hasn't been announced yet. It's uncertain if it will be held or not. However, I believe it will happen because examinations every three years is an ancient tradition and Prince Regent should not abolish that. But there are many things happening in Heavenly Saint Capital, so it might get delayed," Yun Qianyue replied.

"If the examination takes place, we won’t be able to stop him anymore." The old woman said with both joy and concern.

“A man should have ambition!” Yun Qianyue smiled.

"Yes. Although I am illiterate, I understand this well; it’s just that I’m too worried," the old woman replied.

"Madam, there's something I don’t understand. You said your family has lived here for generations, you are a person from Southern Borderlands, why does your son seek to go far away to Heavenly Saint Capital rather than finding employment in the capital of the Southern Borderlands" Yun Qianyue asked with confusion.

"Ah, if he wanted to go to the Southern Borderland's capital we wouldn’t stop him. Unfortunately, he admires Prince Jing and only wishes to go to Heavenly Saint Capital. He looks down on small positions in a small country like Southern Borderlands and wants to seek a high position in Heavenly Saint, just as Prince Jing did, achieving fame across the land and being respected by the people; that’s what he considers true talent worth emulating," explained the woman with a helpless smile.

Yun Qianyue was surprised: "Really"

"That's right!" The old lady chuckled. “Prince Jing has outstanding talents and is renowned across the country; how many people can match him My son, however, thinks he can emulate Prince Jing without knowing his limits. Sigh…”

Yun Qianyue forced a smile: "Rongjing's talent is just slightly above average; there’s nothing special about it."

The old woman looked at Yun Qianyue, surprised: “Do you know Prince Jing”

Yun Qianyue nodded and said, “I've met him once.”

"Oh my! As a lady from the Heavenly Saint Capital with noble family background, it’s not strange that you’ve met Prince Jing. My son…” The old woman suddenly stopped speaking and stood up: "My husband and son have come back!"

Yun Qianyue heard footsteps approaching this courtyard as well as barking dogs. She looked at the sky; it was noon time, they must be coming back to eat.

"Strange. Today he didn't go to Silver Moon City with firewood Usually we only see him in the evening." The old woman said with puzzlement and told Yun Qianyue: "Miss, please wait here, I'll open the door for them."

"Alright!" Yun Qianyue nodded.

The old woman hurriedly ran out of the room.

Jade Moon watched as she opened the door, and outside stood an elderly man and a young man each carrying a bundle of firewood. Both wore cotton coats; behind them followed a large wolfhound that was barking at Tashui, who was eating grass by the doorway. The old man’s age naturally matched the old woman's—around fifty or sixty—and the young man was handsome but had somewhat dark skin; he appeared to be eighteen or nineteen years old, with strong bone structure and neither fat nor thin. It seemed that his physique came from years of chopping firewood, although due to his scholarly pursuits, there was an air of a scholar about him, his eyes clear and his brow straight, fitting the description of someone who loves reading and isn't afraid of hard work.

"Someone has come home" The old man took a look at the old woman, seeming relieved when he saw that she was unharmed. He put down the firewood and asked.

"Mother, what person is it" That young man also put down his bundle of firewood and asked.

"It's a lady who came from the imperial city to visit relatives in the Southern Frontier capital on her way back. She got tired along the way and stopped by for a rest; she will leave after having dinner." The old woman looked at her son and husband and asked, "Why did you come back so early today Didn’t you go to sell firewood in Silver Moon City"

"West Yard’s Shanhu saw that someone had arrived here and ran up the hill to tell us. We were worried about you, so we didn't go selling firewood; we returned to check on you." The old man finished speaking and asked, "Did you stew a chicken"

"That lady is from a prominent family who gave us a silver ingot. Our home doesn’t have much to offer, but we’ve cooked her a fatty chicken." The old woman took out the silver ingot for the old man to see. "Look, this single silver ingot should be enough for you to chop firewood for an entire year."

"To just give someone rest and a meal, why did you ask so much money" The old man asked discontentedly.

"I said I didn’t need it. However, the lady insisted on giving it to me. Isn’t this because if Jinrui takes his imperial examination this year, he won't suffer for lack of funds That’s why I kept it." The old woman replied.

"Mother, do you agree that I can go to the capital" Shen Zhao was pleasantly surprised when looking at the old woman.

The old woman gave him a reproving glance. "You’ve been talking about going to the capital in your sleep; if we don’t let you go, will you resent us for life Now that I’m putting away this silver, I’ll tell you, there should be an imperial examination this year too, as the Regent Prince wouldn't abolish it even though he holds power now. It might just be postponed." She then said to him.

"That’s great!" Shen Zhao happily laughed and said, "I picked some snow mushrooms with my father; originally we wanted to keep them for the New Year but since this lady is here, I’ll make a dish out of them now!"

"Alright," the old woman nodded as she smiled.

Shen Zhao bent down and untied the bundle of firewood from his back before handing it to the old woman.

"Miss Shen, you’re a fortunate person! This snow mushroom is rare; only after the first snowfall does it grow. It’s also hard to find once it grows. I’ll go clean them and cook now." The old woman said as she walked happily towards the kitchen, reminding Shen Zhao at the door, "Go meet that lady inside; she’s learned how to read too, having met Prince Jing. Since you want to take your imperial examination, ask her if there's anything you don’t understand."

Shen Zhao’s eyes lit up when he heard this and responded with a nod before entering the room.

The old man seemed to also want to meet Yun Qianyue, so he followed Shen Zhao inside.

Jade Moon had been watching from outside. Thinking that these people were honest and wouldn’t take advantage of others’ kindness, Shen Zhao was willing to endure hardships and work hard, and judging by the comments in his book though they lacked some refinement, he still had deeper insights than Yun Li did before; such a person, if nurtured properly, would surely not be ordinary. She rubbed her forehead with her hand and muttered softly, "Rong Jing, won’t you think I’ve caught love when I help you find talent After all, this is for your benefit!"

"Have you met Prince Jing" Shen Zhao stepped into the room briskly and asked his first question. Seeing Yun Qianyue looking up at him, he blushed, seeming to feel a bit rude, so he lowered his head apologetically.

"You brat! Is this how you ask questions" The old man walked in after Shen Zhao and lightly tapped his head, scolding him. "She’s just a girl who came from the imperial city; didn’t you learn any manners when reading books"

Shen Zhao felt even more embarrassed but still looked up to curiously gaze at Yun Qianyue.

Jade Moon stood and smiled at the old man, saying, "No worries." Then she turned to Shen Zhao and said, “Yes, I did meet Rong Jing.”

Shen Zhao was delighted. "Is Prince Jing as renowned as they say" He seemed too excited to hold back, moving closer and asking enthusiastically while staring at Yun Qianyue, "That line of poetry: 'In brocade clothing with snow-white jade-like complexion, a single smile can captivate the world.'”

Looking at Shen Zhao's excited expression, Yun Qianyue thought that the old woman hadn't exaggerated at all; her son was already infected by Rong Jing’s charm. She smiled and nodded. "It's alright! He is a person too, he eats and sleeps just like everyone else. He just has better learning and looks than others. That's all."

Upon hearing this, Shen Zhao didn’t lose any of his excitement. "Miss, have you spoken to Young Nobleman Jing"

"Yeah, I did!" Yun Qianyue thought that she had not only talked to him but also that he was the person who spoke to her the most.

Shen Zhao’s eyes burned brightly as he stared at Yun Qianyue. "That's great! What did you talk about with Young Nobleman Jing Can you tell me I admire and respect Young Nobleman Jing, so I want to know..."

The old man hit him before Shen Zhao could finish speaking. "You brat! As soon as you mention Young Nobleman Jing, your excitement knows no bounds." Finished talking, he turned toward Yun Qianyue and said, "Miss, don’t mind him. He has always admired and respected Young Nobleman Jing since he was young. It’s like he is infected by a poison."

Yun Qianyue thought that if there were stars in the ancient era, she would have just encountered one of them. She watched Shen Zhao with an amused expression, wondering what his reaction would be if she told him she was Yun Qianyue. However, since everyone admired and respected Rong Jing to such a height that even emperors envied him, it wasn’t surprising for the boy to worship him like this. In order not to cause any trouble, she decided not to say too much about herself, so she replied, "He only told me to make way for him."

Shen Zhao opened his eyes wide.

Yun Qianyue looked at him with sincere eyes and nodded. "That’s right!"

Shen Zhao instantly deflated. "So Miss, you only met Young Nobleman Jing on the street"

"Yeah," Yun Qianyue smiled.

"Miss didn’t take advantage of this opportunity to talk more with him" Shen Zhao asked resentfully.

“At that time, there were too many people around, I didn't have the chance. Besides, there was nothing much for us to say,” Yun Qianyue shook her head.

The hope in Shen Zhao’s eyes shattered once again. After a moment, he lifted his head and scratched his head as he smiled rather foolishly at Yun Qianyue. "I’m sorry for bothering you, Miss. Young Nobleman Jing is the most extraordinary talent in the world. If I could see him and talk to him, it would be an honor."

"If Master and Mistress agree, then go to Heavenly Capital," Yun Qianyue smiled.

“I will definitely go!” Shen Zhao nodded. “I want to serve in the same court as Young Nobleman Jing.”

The old man patted him again before turning around and leaving the room, "If you really think that learning those things would be helpful, then take the official exams. But if you don’t pass, it’s a waste of time. Don’t talk nonsense like serving in the same court as Young Nobleman Jing; look at yourself."

“I will definitely pass!” Shen Zhao said with certainty.

Yun Qianyue looked at him and shook her book, asking, “How many times have you read these books Are the annotations in them made by you”

"These books I can recite backwards. The annotations are done by me," Shen Zhao nodded.

Yun Qianyue saw that he did not seem arrogant when saying this, but rather stated it as a fact. She nodded and said nothing more.

Shen Zhao thought she would ask something else, but seeing her give him the book instead, he took it with his hand and tentatively asked, "Miss looks like an educated person. Since you read my annotations in these books, what do you think of my insights"

Yun Qianyue smiled. “I am just a woman; I don’t need to ask. You can take the book with you when going to Heavenly Capital. After seeing Rong Jing, why not ask him directly for his opinion Wouldn't that be more useful than mine”

Shen Zhao found her words reasonable and happily put away the books. “I will definitely bring these books with me when I go to Heavenly Capital.”

Yun Qianyue said no more.

After Shen Zhaofang put the books away, he seemed to realize that men and women should not be too close. He looked at Yun Qianyue with a slight blush and hurriedly left the room.

A short while later, an old man and woman brought in the cooked chicken, snow mushrooms, and two side dishes. The staple food was coarse grain pancakes. As soon as the dishes were set on the table, the whole house filled with their fragrance.

The old woman smiled, "These snow mushrooms are very fragrant. Miss, don’t be disgusted. Please eat more."

Yun Qianyue nodded and smiled. This was only the second time she had eaten like this in a rural household in this world. The last time was a few years ago when she went out with Feng Jin during winter and stayed at a hunter's home. She picked up her chopsticks, noticing that none of them were seated yet. She waved to them smilingly, "Auntie, come eat together!"

"Miss is an important person; you should go first. After you finish eating, we will eat later," the old woman shook her head.

"Eat together! Being an important person doesn’t make one any different from others. Your son might become a noble in the future, and then he would be an important person too." Yun Qianyue pulled the old woman to sit beside her and acted as the hostess towards the old man and Shen Zhaofang, "Sir, Shen Zhaofang, come eat together!"

"Listen to this girl! I don’t expect Zhaofang to become a noble. Having an official post would be enough for him," said the old woman with laughter.

“That’s right, who knows if those studies will even prove useful,” the old man sat down without further ado.

Shen Zhaofang blushed and remained silent as he took a seat.

The meal was harmonious and warm. Seeing Yun Qianyue knowledgeable, courteous, and not showing off her status, this family felt delighted and kept serving dishes to her, who was moved by their enthusiasm and quietness. She ate more than she intended.

After the meal, it had already become afternoon, with the sun hanging in the west sky. Yun Qianyue wanted to leave but the old man said, "There are still two hundred miles before the Purple Moon City. Your horse is good, but there will be another two hours until sunset and the mountain road is hard to travel on. A girl alone might face danger on the way. Why don’t you stay tonight and depart early tomorrow morning"

The old woman also hurriedly added that she could provide Yun Qianyue with a room, as their family of three would share one room.

Although Shen Zhaofang did not speak, he clearly agreed too.

Yun Qianyue felt that since she was going to investigate the Southern Border’s Uncle anyway, and it had already been delayed by this detour, she might as well extend her stay a little longer. So she nodded in agreement. The three of them were pleased. The old woman went to wash dishes, Shen Zhaofang started heating up the stove, and the old man brought Yun Qianyue’s horse into their yard. They each busied themselves with different tasks.

Sitting inside drinking water, Yun Qianyue watched them through the window while taking out paper and pen to write a letter to Rong Jing about Shen Zhaofang. The letter was not long, so it didn’t take her much time to finish writing. After folding the letter, she called Mo Ju who received it.

Mo Ju seemed hesitant after receiving the letter and said to Yun Qianyue, "Miss Yun Qianyue, if Master Rong Jing finds out that you… umm, regarding Shen Zhaofang, you’d better not stay here. You could return to Silver Moon City; it’s only fifty miles away, which is nothing for Snowtreader. If you don’t want to go back, just hurry up and travel another two hundred miles to Purple Moon City to rest…"

Yun Qianyue rolled her eyes but didn’t say anything.

After waiting a while without getting a response from Yun Qianyue, Mo Ju’s voice became lower as he tentatively asked, "Miss Yun Qianyue"

A mixture of anger and amusement, she replied, "I will stay here. Just deliver the letter to your master then. He won’t blame me; rather, he might thank me for inadvertently recruiting such a talented person for him. This Shen Zhaofang is no ordinary man; in the future, he may become an important helper to your master."

Mo Ju was delighted upon hearing this and said, "In that case, I will deliver the message to Master Rong Jing now." With his words, he withdrew.

Rubbing her forehead, Yun Qianyue thought of how shameless Rong Jing really was. He planted peach blossoms while others pruned them for him.

That night, Yun Qianyue stayed at the mountain household, and the Southern Border’s Uncle still hadn’t exceeded her departure point; he also stayed on the mountainside behind.

Postscript:

Xiao Jing is truly good at employing people. He plants peach blossoms while countless others prune them for him… O(n_n)O Haha!new that these marks meant that Yun Qianyue and Ye Tianqiong had consummated their relationship, but unlike herself who still bore bruises after two days, Yun Qianyue’s skin was a light pink hue. It w...