Chapter 382: The Crowd Panics 7
Not long after Zhu Shen bought the new information from the Zhaixing Administration, the news reached Zhao Xin’s ears. Zhao Xin hurriedly entered Jiang Yeqian’s room and said in a low voice, “Your Excellency, news has come from Bai Mei saying that it was the State Preceptor who instructed Zhu Shen to buy information about Mo Yang and now about his mother.”
“So he is indeed very interested in that man who looks like her.” Jiang Yeqian’s expression was one of clear understanding.
“…” Zhao Xin thought, ‘Are you not also very curious? Didn’t you ask Bai Mei to get some information from Eastern Ling, which led to the State Preceptor wanting reports too? Which was why he was able to get them so fast in the first place!’
Jiang Yeqian speculated in silence for a moment, thinking about a very serious problem.
Was Qi Qingyao really not the biological daughter of the Qi family? How did things get to this point?
The best solution was to capture Madam Wu. They would be able to know the truth once they tortured her. However, if they did that, they would greatly offend her… and Si Jin too. It would not be a worthwhile tradeoff.
If they chose not to look into it like that, they would just have to wait and guess. If Qi Qingyao really was not their biological daughter, she would definitely have some kind of keepsake identifying her, considering her appearance.
However, if she had some keepsake, it should have long made an appearance already… Was she not interested in her own background?
Wait a minute.
Considering that woman’s meticulousness, she would not investigate any keepsakes that rashly. She would be afraid of instigating something…
However, Mo Yang had made his appearance now. If she really was curious about whether there was some connection between her and Mo Yang, assuming she had the keepsakes, they should appear within a month, he thought.
…
After returning to her own home, Qi Qingyao sat in the side hall alone, thinking about something. The children went back to their room. Erniu called Dabao and Xiaobao together and the three took off their shoes and sat on the soft couch in the room.
A plate of peanuts sat between the three kids.
Erniu said as she shelled a peanut, “I didn’t dare to tell you guys this when we were at that evil uncle’s house cause I was afraid someone might overhear.”
“Huh?” Dabao looked solely occupied with shelling peanuts and uninterested in the topic at hand.
Xiaobao, on the other hand, looked at Erniu very seriously as he listened to her.
Erniu said, “I met someone today after I was rescued from the kidnapping.”
“…” Xiaobao nodded and began shelling some peanuts for Erniu.
Erniu ate the peanuts Xiaobao had shelled. Her soft face flushed pink, she whispered, “That uncle was around Uncle Si Jin’s age. And he looked way too much like Mommy!”
“How alike?” Xiaobao asked.
Dabao was shelling peanuts seriously now.
Erniu scratched her face. “I don’t know how to explain it, but my point is, they looked really alike. So alike that I thought that uncle was Daddy!”
“They’re that similar?” Xiaobao was also stunned.
“That’s right.” Erniu said gloomily, “That uncle was even willing to be our father, but we have to see if Mommy agrees to it or not.”
Xiaobao and Dabao looked at each other.
Xiaobao said nothing.
“There’s something else too.” Erniu paused for a bit before she said, “The old man who kidnapped me said I had a natural gift for cultivation. Then, he insisted on being my master.”
Dabao tilted his head and asked, “What natural gift for cultivation?”
Perplexed, Erniu said, “Something about pressure points, I dunno. But the two old men both said that mine were all open and that I could cultivate.”
Xiaobao pondered seriously, then scolded her. “You idiot!”
“Yeah, Erniu, you’re really silly!” Dabao laughed and echoed Xiaobao’s words.
Erniu pouted, dissatisfied. “How am I silly?”
Xiaobao twisted his brows and said, “Those two old men were definitely tricking you. Think about it! They came here to kill Uncle Si Jin and planned to use you to bait him. Uncle Si Jin still didn’t show up. Then, the moment the old man reached Eastern Ling, he waited for Uncle Si Jin to arrive. You’re the best bait.”
“…”
The peanut in Erniu’s hand softly dropped from her hand. Her round eyes were blown wide open, and she did not blink as she stared at Xiaobao.
Xiaobao picked up the peanut and shelled it. Then, he picked out the nut and tossed it into Erniu’s mouth.
…
…
When Lu Yan found out that Qi Qingyao had returned, he came over, carrying his cat. Entering the side hall, he then realized that the once lively little lady had now become very silent. She sat alone, a tea bowl in her hand, looking as if her soul had left her body.
Lu Yan sat beside her, running his hand through the cat’s fur. He said, “I heard about what happened today, more or less.”
“Oh, is that so?” Qi Qingyao looked up. She put down the tea bowl, her expression calm. “Everyone got the information pretty fast, huh?”
Lu Yan did not deny it. He just said, “It’s really important to be able to obtain information as soon as possible so you have many more options available to you.”
“And what do you think?” Qi Qingyao asked, still calm considering the situation at hand.
Lu Yan contemplated it, then looked at her. His eyes were clear and dark, a pure black. “Two grand masters now know where you are, so you don’t feel like there’s a point in hiding or escaping anymore. You think you might as well just come home.” He continued, “I agree, but right now, you’re just a sitting duck.”
Qi Qingyao’s expression was at ease, as usual, as she said, “There’s no need to be this panicky and bothered.”
Lu Yan sensed that she had relaxed a little, so he asked, “You’re the trump card in this situation since Si Jin has not shown up yet.”
“Not really a trump card,” Qi Qingyao said nonchalantly. “I’ve just realized that I’m quite the mysterious young lady.”
Lu Yan almost fell off the chair. Tonelessly, he asked, “Don’t you find it arrogant, talking about yourself?”
Qi Qingyao was serene. She asked in a somewhat profound tone, “Don’t you think I’ve always been a mystery?”
Lu Yan was too lazy to bother with her. “The State Preceptor let you go because he was afraid of the young grand master Si Jin, as well as that old gentleman Gongsun. And probably because Pang Juan wants to take your daughter in as a disciple too.”
“I know,” Qi Qingyao said absent-mindedly.
Lu Yan, “…” Who would call themself a mystery?
Qi Qingyao suddenly stood up and paced around the room. She held her hands behind her back while she looked at the beams of the room. There was a self-deprecating mirth within her features.
“Even I find myself a mystery.” She turned her head and looked at Lu Yan. “Do you think that it’s possible that there’s a close connection between that Mo Yang and me?”
Lu Yan was silent for a moment, his gaze dark. “You’re not really part of the Qi family, are you?”
“Why do you say that?” The ends of Qi Qingyao’s brows tilted up, her countenance bright.
Lu Yan’s pale moonlit eyes were filled with shrewdness. His gaze dark and indifferent, he said, “I’m a businessman, and I’m very observant. You just asked if I think you might have a close connection with Mo Yang! You asked because you know you weren’t really born to the Qi family, so you began to have suspicions about your connection to Mo Yang. And that also tells me that the Qi family must have already told you about it. Perhaps they’ve returned your important keepsakes to you, making you wonder about how you and Mo Yang might be related.”
She knew it would be easy to talk to someone smart. Qi Qingyao waved her hand. “Alright, alright, I needed someone to discuss this with anyway. That’s why I didn’t want to hide this from you.”
She tilted her head thoughtfully for a moment, then said, “I was not born to the Qi family. There are indeed keepsakes, but I don’t think I have anything to do with Mo Yang. However, about my face—if we’re not siblings, the only other possibility is that we look alike because we’re predestined to be together.”
Lu Yan rebuked her. “Didn’t you say back then that there were many people in this world who looked alike? Why are you contradicting yourself?”
Qi Qingyao’s features were sharp, and her eyes were shining. “If I were a real daughter of the Qi family, my theory would be valid. But if not, then this appearance is very problematic.”
Lu Yan watched her quietly for a bit. “Do you two really… look that alike?”
Qi Qingyao nodded heavily. The corners of her mouth hooking up, she said, “One glance and it looks like we’re twins.”
“…”
Lu Yan paused. “Looks like I’ll have to go back and take a look at this Mo Yang.”