Chapter 567: Each One Upping Another
Conflict broiled that night till late midnight. Jiang Yeqian and Lu Yan both came to live in the State Preceptor’s residence.
The steward of the State Preceptor’s residence was also quite flustered given that the State Preceptor was generally not in the residence. Even when he was there, he rarely asked for much. When he was in, the rumored ruthless State Preceptor was either in his study or meditating in the garden. He was practically as quiet as a prophet. He seldom made things hard for the maids and servants and treated the people under him quite well!
The State Preceptor’s residence only got merrier after Qi Qingyao came to live there. The maids in the residence also seem to have sensed the merriment and would occasionally play hide and seek with the little children! The days passed happily.
However, from tonight onward, all the servants knew that things might not be as peaceful in the State Preceptor’s residence anymore…
Who would have thought that the young master of the Senluo Chamber of Commerce and the Head Grand Secretariat would come to live in the State Preceptor’s residence? Who could have foreseen that this little lady with triplets could potentially be some Harbinger or other?
Moreover, speaking of the master of the Lu family, he not only brought his ordinary luggage over, but also all his household belongings, like his soft, embroidered traditional drum stool, four-poster bed, and silver washbasin.
All the servants found this to be too much. Early the next morning, even a group of servants and kitchen cooks from the Lu family came. They claimed that the master was used to being served by them.
This...they were just one step short of changing the door plaque of the State Preceptor’s residence to “Lu Residence”!
When the steward reported this back to the State Preceptor, Li Ruoxuan was speechless and seemed to be fighting with the idea for a long time. In the end, he still accepted it!
He called Erniu over, his face full of gentle smiles. He then touched her head benevolently and said, “Erniu, you need to cultivate properly.”
“I know.” Erniu pursed her lips and replied very seriously.
“There are two people living in my residence now and they both like your mother very much.” Li Ruoxuan touched his chin and pretended to say enigmatically, “I just don’t know what they’re really thinking, do they wish to take advantage of Qi Qingyao, or do they really like her?”
“What is Master trying to say?” Although Erniu was young, she had experienced many things with her mother in the past six months, and Xiaobao often told them some confusing things. Erniu was not a fool. She had gradually learned about her mother as well as their situation.
Li Ruoxuan said, “It’s good if the others actually like your mother, but if they all want to use her, your mother will lose her life in this political struggle!”
Erniu’s eyes lit up for a moment and she said, “...Master, I will cultivate properly.”
…
This large incident occurring at the State Preceptor’s residence naturally reached the ears of those in the palace soon.
When Little Lizi received the news, he hurriedly reported, “Your Majesty, I received news that Master Jiang and Lu Yan, the young master of the Lu family, have gone to live in the State Preceptor’s residence.”
“The State Preceptor did not stop them?” the little empress asked while looking at the mess of a chessboard thoughtfully.
Little Lizi answered cautiously, “It doesn’t look like he did. It’s said that the Head Grad Secretariat and the young master Lu have already settled in.”
The little empress raised her head, “...”
Little Lizi knew the little empress had feelings for Master Jiang and measured the situation for a moment before carefully saying, “Your Majesty, do you wish to pass an imperial edict, to force Master Jiang to… to move out of there?”
The corners of the little empress’s lips suddenly hooked up into a faint smile.
“There’s no need.
“If we didn’t know of Qi Qingyao’s identity, we would have definitely have some doubts about this, but now…
“Qi Qingyao is the Harbinger, Jiang Yeqian is trying to get close in order to step into the realm of a grand master.”
Hearing this, Little Lizi instantly relaxed and said, “This servant also thinks as such.”
The little empress sneered. “She’s just a little widow from the countryside. Who would even possibly like her? Be it Li Ruoxuan or Jiang Yeqian, they are all great people who have seen the world. We shouldn’t doubt their intentions as pillars of the nation.”
“The empress is wise.” Little Lizi was relieved.
After Little Lizi retired, the little empress looked at the mess and began to lose track of her thoughts.
What she had said to Little Lizi was true, but she had met Qi Qingyao and knew that she had a unique temperament. Her rebellious and uninhibited temperament could be very attractive…
Or it should be said that it was very delectable.
She felt that Li Ruoxuan and Jiang Yeqian were well-informed men and should not be interested in a rural village woman.
However, her female intuition was telling her that the way the State Preceptor treated the little lady was very special…that was the case with Jiang Yeqian as well.
That special treatment did not seem to stem from her being the Harbinger.
After handling several memorials, the little empress looked at the sunset alone while sitting in her chair in a trance.
She muttered faintly, “Since she is such a useful chess piece, we must let this chess piece play its role.”
Zhen Qin, who was waiting on her side, paused before saying, “Your Majesty, the servant believed that the Eastern Ling envoy will be arriving soon. It would be best not to act rashly at this time. Otherwise, if the Eastern Ling envoy incites the Harbinger to defect and run to them…there will be trouble.”
“She won’t,” The little empress said very confidently.
“?” Zhen Qin was doubtful.
“My State Preceptor will not give her the chance. She will be under his surveillance the entire time.” The corners of the little empress’s mouth curved into a playful smile.
“As the empress says.” Zhen Qin was instantly filled with admiration.
…
Zhu Shen came to report to Li Ruoxuan briefly, saying that Lu Yan had brought many of his servants over. After a while more, he reported again saying that Lu Yan had begun tasking the steward to arrange accommodations for his servants.
Li Ruoxuan could not meditate at all.
At dinner, the dining hall of the State Preceptor’s residence was for the first time a “full-house”.
In the past, there were only Li Ruoxuan and Qi Qingyao and the triplets. Today, there were two more.
The dishes on the table today could be said to be exquisite and luxurious.
There were all kinds of dishes that were children’s favorites.
This made the triplets thank Uncle Lu furiously, they were just a step short of hugging his legs and calling him father.
The scene left Li Ruoxuan and Jiang Yeqian with a sense of gloom.
Li Ruoxuan in particular was especially angry.
He had thought that the Young Master Lu would not be difficult to handle.
He did not expect at all that this bastard would actually have such a plan in mind!!
Was he thinking of bribing the triplets to achieve his goal?
Fortunately, he was still Erniu’s master! A master was much more familiar than some strange uncle!
After dinner, Jiang Yeqian and Li Ruoxuan were about to call Lu Yan aside to lay down some ground rules. Unexpectedly, Qi Qingyao called for him first. They immediately thought Qi Qingyao was fond of Lu Yan.
They were just about to lose it.
Then they noticed Qi Qingyao’s serious expression, and she even began criticizing Lu Yan a little unhappily.
The other two were filled with questions.
Did that mean she was not happy with Lu Yan buttering up the triplets so straightforwardly?
Just as they thought this, they heard Qi Qingyao say,
“The kids are too young, so don’t prepare so much sweet food for them. Their teeth will rot if they eat too many sweet things.”
“Ahh…I got it.”
“They’re at a growing age, so sweets must strictly be avoided. At the same time, they need to eat more veggies and meat so that they can grow healthier.”
“Actually, I had the kitchen prepare so many sweet things because…I like eating them.”
“...”
Qi Qingyao was silent for a beat. “Don’t eat too much. Too much sugar isn’t good for your body, you’d be at risk for diabetes.”
“Diabetes?”
“...”
The two were also stunned when they heard Qi Qingyao mention diabetes to Lu Yan while they were eavesdropping. Was there such a disease? How had they not heard of it?