To prevent her from getting further and further out of hand, Wen Li decided to join the act. “What! You actually like him?! You told me we were coming to the Qisu Kingdom to find opportunities, but it was actually for a man? Get a grip! He’s been gone for ten years!”
She grabbed Yao Dai’s wrist with a look of pained disappointment, acting for all the world like a teacher whose favorite student had failed her.
“No, no, Master! He must remember me! I have to marry him.”
Having fully committed to her role, Yao Dai gave her own thigh a sharp pinch to force out tears. She stumbled and fell to her knees at Wen Li’s feet, snot and tears streaming down her face. “Waaaah! Master, you don’t understand! You don’t understand my love for him! If not for him, I would have died long ago! My life belongs to him! I am willing to marry the Young Master, even if... even if it’s as a concubine!”
Her sincere performance actually stunned Qi Mei’er for a moment. She even stopped fanning herself, far too occupied with soaking up the gossip.
She hadn't expected this little girl to be so deeply infatuated with Long Qinyan at such a young age.
Long Qinyan sure has good luck, she thought.
While those two were acting their hearts out, things were quite different with Xie Tinglan and Hua Cishu.
“Mei’er, Mei’er! She’s the person I’ve been waiting for! I remember, I remember everything now! Hahaha, Mei’er, I’ve finally found you! It’s been five hundred years! Ah! Let go of me! I need to go to her!”
One of them was death-gripping the legs of the maddened Xiao Du to keep him from rushing over, while the other held the Cloud Porcelain Kunxu Fan with both hands pressed together, desperately trying to snap it shut. The veins on Xie Tinglan’s hands and neck were bulging with the sheer effort, looking as if he were in the middle of a heavy workout.
“You... go... back!”
Hua Cishu had no cultivation, so he could only use brute force. He clung to Xiao Du’s legs with both hands while hooking his right toe around the tree trunk for leverage. Ten seconds in, he felt like the strain was making him grow inches taller.
The poor boy was baring his teeth in exhaustion, and his toes were on the verge of cramping from the effort.
Xie Tinglan wasn't doing much better, tensing every muscle in his body as he tried to close the fan to force Xiao Du back inside. If he weren't so busy, he definitely would have taken out a shadow stone to record Old Five’s current predicament for posterity.
“No! No one can stop me! Get out of my way!”
Xiao Du’s eyes were bloodshot, and his long white hair whipped through the air. The spiritual energy around him began to surge, slowly forcing Hua Cishu’s fingers open. Seeing that the task Master had given them was about to fail, Xie Tinglan’s pupils shrank. He decided to play dirty.
“Ha!”
Hua Cishu bit down hard on Xiao Du’s thigh, but the pain only served to further provoke the spirit.
“Ah! Get off! Everyone, get away from me! I’ll kill you all!”
Meanwhile, back at the tower...
Yao Dai was having the time of her life, weeping with total conviction. She went all out with her performance.
Kneeling on the ground and hugging Wen Li’s legs, she cried, “Master, I beg you! I will marry no one but Long Qinyan in this life! Even if I have to work like a horse or a slave, even as a lowly concubine!”
“What are you saying?! Did I raise you with such painstaking effort just for you to degrade yourself like this? You want to be a concubine? Do you think his main wife would even agree to that?!” Wen Li yelled. She was internally wondering why Old Two and Old Five hadn't sent word about Xiao Du’s reaction yet. She and the Eldest had been performing for ages; she was running out of material.
Wen Li scolded her, trying to pull her leg free from Yao Dai’s grasp. As she spoke the last line, she pointed toward the stairs. There sat Qi Mei’er, resting her head on one hand and lazily waving her palm leaf fan, clearly enjoying the show.
“...Oh.” Being suddenly put on the spot, Qi Mei’er’s eyes blinked in confusion. Realizing what had been asked, she gave a casual nod.
“Sure, why not?”
Yao Dai froze. “Huh?”
Wen Li froze. “Wait, what?”
Those three words immediately snapped them both out of their characters. They turned in unison to stare at Qi Mei’er. Did we hear that right? Isn’t she supposed to have an arranged marriage with Long Qinyan? She’s that generous?!
Qi Mei’er looked at Yao Dai with eyes full of pity and sympathy. “Since you are so deeply devoted to him, I wouldn't want to be the one to break you apart. How about this? A month from now, on the day of the grand wedding, you can marry into the Dragon clan with me. You’ll be the junior wife, and I’ll be the senior.”
Yao Dai: “...”
Her eyes went wide. The urge to act was gone, replaced entirely by a desperate instinct to figure out how to dig herself out of this lie. “You... you don’t mind?”
Wen Li was also stunned. She silently retracted her leg from Yao Dai’s grip. Her leg was numb from being held so tightly, and she had to secretly massage it to get the blood flowing again.
Qi Mei’er gave a light chuckle. “What is there to mind?”
She clapped her hands, and ten fox demon men suddenly stepped out of the tower. Their robes were half-open, revealing well-defined abdominal muscles, and they were all exceptionally handsome. “Look, these are all my male consorts. I’ll play with mine, and he can play with his. Why would I mind?”
Her gaze settled on Yao Dai. “It’s settled then. On the third of next month, you’ll marry in with me. With you there to deal with him, I’ll be happy to have the peace and quiet.”
“...” Yao Dai realized she had played this game too well. She instinctively looked toward Wen Li. Master, save me.
However...
“Deal!”
Wen Li narrowed her eyes. “On the third of next month, I will bring my disciple to find you. I’ll go back now to prepare her dowry.”
“Wonderful.” Qi Mei’er’s eyes curved into a smile as she agreed readily. “On the day of the wedding, once she comes to me, I will return your sixth disciple to you.”
Wen Li nodded. “Fine.”
She pulled a communication device from her storage bag and tossed it to Qi Mei’er. “If you change your mind, you can contact me at any time. But since we’re here, and we’re practically going to be relatives soon, let me see my sixth disciple. If she’s safe, we’ll leave.”
She couldn't worry about the rest now. If Old Two still hadn't sent a message, she and Yao Dai wouldn't be able to keep the act up much longer anyway. She just wanted to see Xin Jiuxian and get out.
“Very well.”
Qi Mei’er finally deigned to stand up. With a wave of her hand, two male fox demons emerged carrying Xin Jiuxian.
“Mmph... hic...”
Wen Li had been worried that the girl was being interrogated or mistreated, but when she looked up, her fist tightened.
Xin Jiuxian was sleeping so soundly she didn't know which way was up. Her belly was slightly bloated, a clear sign she had stuffed herself. There were still crumbs on the corners of her mouth, and she reeked of fruit wine. It was impossible to tell just how much she had drunk.
This brainless Old Six! To think she actually got herself drunk! Wasn't she afraid of having her soul extracted, her blood drained, and being sold off?
“As you can see, Daoist friend, your disciple is living quite comfortably here. By the time you come to pick her up in a month, she might have gained ten pounds. Since I’ve taken a liking to her, I won’t charge you for her room and board.” Qi Mei’er gently swayed her white palm leaf fan, her eyes soft and charming.
“Fine. Then we shall take our leave. Farewell.” Wen Li could tell at a glance that Xin Jiuxian hadn't been mistreated. If she stayed any longer, she really would start putting on weight.
Filled with a sense of disappointment in her student’s lack of vigilance, Wen Li grabbed Yao Dai and flew away.
Once they were gone, the smile on Qi Mei’er’s face faded. Her gaze flickered toward a distant spot. There was no movement, only the gentle breeze rustling the bamboo forest. Was I just imagining things?
“Miss, what should we do with this one?” one of the male fox demons asked.
Qi Mei’er looked at the slumbering Xin Jiuxian in his arms. “Take her back and keep looking after her.” This girl was a valuable bargaining chip; she couldn't let her go to waste.
“Yes, Miss.”
...
Rate on N.U.
