Chapter 295: Learning One’s Identity 5
When Ke Yishan was carting off the near dozen corpses, Steward Zhang looked at the bodies as they were carried away on stretchers and his forehead and back broke out in cold sweat.
He went back. He did not know the new mistress well yet and he also did not know much about the ox-head and horse-face behind her. Who would have thought that the comely boy whose smile was like a little angel’s turned out to be so vicious and merciless! There was no sound when he snapped their necks. He had killed these people… in silence.
After watching Ke Yishan leave, Jiang Yeqian, who was wearing the ox-head mask, returned to the hall. Seeing that Qi Qingyao was still sitting there busy with her embroidery work, he casually sat to the side.
Suddenly, he noticed a pair of eyes on him.
Jiang Yeqian turned his head and found that it was Lu Yan.
He then unhurriedly retracted his gaze.
In just that one second, Jiang Yeqian felt that Lu Yan’s gaze was not as curious as it had been before. Rather, there seemed to have been an added hint of playfulness and amusement, even if the man had quickly concealed that expression.
Lu Yan got up and told Qi Qingyao that he would leave first.
He then turned and left the hall.
Only Qi Qingyao and Jiang Yeqian were left in the hall all of a sudden.
Qi Qingyao was silent. She quickly fiddled with the needle and thread without lifting her head.
Although she had just told Lu Yan that she did not intend to expose him… ideals were beautiful, and reality was cruel. The ox-head man next to her—oh no—he seemed to have taken off his mask.
He was good-looking. The strong, beautiful man was actually the Head Grand Secretariat.
Her feelings were complicated.
What mindset did the Head Grand Secretariat have that made him stay by her side, and what mindset did he have when he lied? These questions puzzled Qi Qingyao a lot.
“You…” Jiang Yeqian sensed that the atmosphere was inexplicably odd, not to mention a little awkward. He took the lead and started the conversation. “Why aren’t you looking at me or talking to me?”
After Qi Qingyao was done with the last hook of the needlework, she bit off the end of the thread with her teeth. After putting down the purse in her hands, she placed the sewing basket aside.
She turned around and leaned toward the brazier to warm herself.
Looking at Jiang Yeqian sitting there through a faint glow of the fire, Qi Qingyao said, “I don’t know what to say.”
She did not know what to say? Coupled with Lu Yan’s expression from before, there was something going on indeed. Jiang Yeqian said in a way that carried some slightly profound meaning, “What happened just now? You’re avoiding me.”
Qi Qingyao asked evasively, “Am I?”
Jiang Yeqian answered, “Yes.”
Qi Qingyao said calmly, “What’s so strange about me avoiding you?”
Jiang Yeqian, “…”
Was there anything not strange?
Clearly, everything about this was strange.
Jiang Yeqian observed the microexpressions on her face. After examining her for a while, he asked, “Did I offend you in some way?”
Qi Qingyao raised her brows and lifted her eyelids. She said in a soft and slow voice, “I realized that I want to be a calm and elegant person who is free from the essence of the lower class, but what a shame! What a shame it is that I’m faced with someone like you who’s full of lies. It’s hard for me to take it easy, and I can no longer face you with the same attitude as before.”
“When did I lie again?” Did he not explain everything honestly already?
Qi Qingyao looked at him with a smile and asked, “Jiang Yeqian, are you really not lying?”
Jiang Yeqian, “…”
Jiang… what?
Usually, on the outside, Jiang Yeqian was very confident in disguising his emotions. His expression would never fall apart at any given moment.
At this second, however…
He was utterly shocked.
His pupils instantly widened.
He was a little dumbstruck.
He simply stared blankly at her.
Qi Qingyao’s raven black eyes were really cold, but it looked as though a fire was glowing faintly on the inside. She said, “Jiang Yeqian, that’s your name, right?”
She had indeed called his name. This made Jiang Yeqian feel like he had been struck by lightning. For the first time, he felt like he could not keep up with the other party. He could only respond passively, “That. Is. My. Name.”
“Then, tell me, are you lying?”
The bottom of Qi Qingyao’s eyes was as sharp as a dark knife coated faintly in flames, but the corner of her lips were smiling faintly. “The dignified Head Grand Secretariat… as expected from a lackey of the Imperial Court. It’s really amazing how you can lie with a straight face. An average citizen like me is impressed.”
Was this sarcasm? Jiang Yeqian felt his voice starting to go hoarse. “I admit that I’m the Head Grand Secretariat.”
“Then, you can get lost now.” Qi Qingyao pointed to the direction of the door warm-heartedly.
Jiang Yeqian was confused by her decisive attitude. He also felt aggrieved. He did so many things for her; even if she knew about his identity, surely it was too much to turn on him just like that? “I admit I lied, but what about you? What’s the relationship between you and Master Architect Li Qinglian and Divine Physician Su Hexiao? You didn’t tell me either. What makes you think you can force me to be honest with you?” he said angrily.
“Dad, I’ll call you dad! Okay!!”
A slight coldness flashed in Qi Qingyao’s eyes. She said with eyes full of mockery, “Who’s begging who now? You’re the one who’s f*cking begging me to stay by my side! And having me be your shield! I’m not the one who begged you to stay.”
It seemed that the truth was this, but Jiang Yeqian retorted “I’m responsible for protecting you, and you’re responsible for being my shield, isn’t that our initial agreement? Why are you now emphasizing that I’m lying to you here?”
Qi Qingyao waved her hand, saying, “Oh please, there’s no point in talking about this now.”
After a pause, she licked her slightly dry lips and said, “Since the Head Grand Secretariat’s identity has been revealed, then you can leave me and go back to where you should be.”
Jiang Yeqian used to be brimming with confidence, even a little conceited. He knew that he looked good, and was very proficient at using his looks to achieve his goals. However, many things have changed ever since he pretended to be this woman’s bodyguard.
She had praised his looks… but when it came to his abilities, she had never been bewitched by them.
Like a cruel and merciless machine.
Unfazed.
Even now, he was being driven away despite having become her bodyguard for free and not asking for a salary…
Jiang Yeqian was a little hurt.
His pride as the Head Grand Secretariat that had always been superior to others had also taken a severe hit.
However, he could not throw his pride away and ask why. He could only shut his eyes halfway and ask a different question.
“May I ask, how did you discover my identity?”
Qi Qingyao did not want to hide it from him, so she said calmly, “You’ve never communicated directly with Lu Yan or Heir Pei. Do you think I’m an idiot? That I couldn’t see the signs?”
Jiang Yeqian, “…”
Qi Qingyao’s indifference was mixed with a little disdain. “All I needed was to find these overlapping points and your identity is as clear as a day, isn’t it?”
Jiang Yeqian, “…”
Qi Qingyao looked at him as he stood there lifelessly like a fool. Not wanting to waste her breath, she said, “Go, don’t make me chase you out. That would be very unsightly.”
“I…” It took a long time for Jiang Yeqian to react.
Yet, he did not know what to say.
He had never expected that.
This woman… was smart enough that it made it difficult for him to parry her.
She came to the hypothesis from these traces of clues… and from there, made sure of his identity by conducting a painstaking investigation. It was so well-thought-out that the entire process was entirely unknown to him.
He did not know that he had been observed the entire time!!!