Chapter 152 – The Right Way to Gain Favor (Ten)
Faced with the Black-Faced Man’s silence, Jiang Pengji couldn’t help but chuckle, prompting, “Is this question really that hard to answer?”
The Black-Faced Man awkwardly clasped his hands and replied, “It’s not that… I’m just tongue-tied and haven’t learned many big words. A rough guy like me has never met someone as kind-hearted as the Young Master. I… I just got nervous and forgot how to speak, you know?”
After saying this, the Black-Faced Man’s palms began to sweat profusely, a lingering sense of crisis enveloping him, as if his true identity had been seen through.
Jiang Pengji motioned to a small stool next to her, saying, “Come, sit down. Let’s chat; otherwise, it’ll be quite boring.”
These little stools were handy and quickly became trendy after coming from the foreign lands, much adored by the common folk. Normally, people would take a small stool to sit in the yard, chatting casually with neighbors, discussing mundane matters.
However, this convenient item also shared a common trait—it was exceptionally delicate.
Gazing at the small stool and then at his own size, the Black-Faced Man felt a bit uneasy as he scooted to the edge to sit down. He unconsciously exerted himself, trying to lessen the weight on the stool, his muscles tense, making him appear particularly awkward and uncomfortable.
Seeing his actions, Jiang Pengji’s smile broadened, causing the Black-Faced Man’s heart to race. He nearly jumped off the stool.
“No need to be so tense. You’ve already said I’m a living bodhisattva, so a bodhisattva wouldn’t harm anyone, right?”
Due to her age, Jiang Pengji had yet to fully mature, her voice still carrying a hint of childishness. Yet, she feigned gentleness, only further tightening the Black-Faced Man’s nerves—a reflexive instinct of a martial artist.
“The Young Master is joking; you look so lovely and delicate, how could you ever harm someone?” The Black-Faced Man stuttered nervously, a cold sweat trickling down his back, with beads of perspiration forming on his forehead, his hands trembling uncontrollably.
“That may not be the case.” Jiang Pengji bent down to pick up a stone from the ground and skillfully tossed it across the water’s surface. The stone skipped three times before making a plop and sinking, “I’ve heard from my father that there’s a relative in Cangzhou Meng County, and their child is exceptionally adorable, having a face like a girl. If dressed as a girl, they’d surely outshine all others. Have you heard of this?”
The Black-Faced Man’s heart sank, struggling to suppress the blazing flames of hatred rising within him while maintaining his expression to avoid revealing his true self. He chuckled dryly, “I’m just a homeless drifter. Who would stick around to hear about the nobility? I’m lucky to get one meal today, let alone know about noble affairs.”
“Oh, you haven’t heard? What a shame! I was hoping you might get a chance to meet him someday,” Jiang Pengji said, shaking her head in disappointment.
Her last words made the Black-Faced Man’s fists clench tightly, his thick lips twitching with barely contained emotion.
It was as if she were blind to the Black-Faced Man’s odd behavior, casually tossing stones while propping her chin on her knee.
“I originally thought the idea of a boy looking like a girl was just talk. No matter how gentle a lad looks, he’d still just be a rough man, nothing like a true girl. But then I saw the real deal a couple of days ago—it was beyond enchanting.”
The Black-Faced Man felt a mix of emotions—trembling with fear of his identity being discovered by Jiang Pengji while also feeling a surge of joy at the thought of finding Meng Liang and burning with rage, the hatred almost clouding his mind… But in the end, he regained his composure.
This was Hejian County; since this person was Liu Zhi’s offspring, he could not act recklessly. Moreover, finding Meng Liang tucked away in the Liu Residence was indeed a considerable challenge. If he acted carelessly, it could bring disaster to himself and his brothers.
Struggling with his emotions, his voice came out slightly hoarse as he managed to say, “I feel uneasy…”
“Uneasy about what?” Jiang Pengji laughed, lightly patting his left shoulder with the back of her hand, her tone teasing, “You’ve mustered the curiosity to come and see me, a living bodhisattva, yet you lack the curiosity to go see a genuine celestial beauty?”
The Black-Faced Man looked utterly bewildered.
Their conversation was quite light, while Qi Guanrang and Xu Ke fished some twenty meters away, blissfully unaware of their discussion.
However, Qi Guanrang, with his keen perception, and Xu Ke, a prospective evolution into a sharp mind, were certainly not fools.
They couldn’t hear what was said, but that didn’t stop them from making guesses… Smart folks always have that confidence.
“Really sweating bullets for that commander, Lan Ting is certainly getting cheeky again.”
Qi Guanrang fixed his gaze straight ahead, not turning his neck even slightly, appearing to be earnestly fishing.
Xu Ke thought about making a snide remark but his superior was Jiang Pengji, whose hearing was exceptionally acute. This distance could risk them being overheard.
“And how do you know that person is indeed the commander the Young Master seeks?”
Xu Ke barely opened his lips, his voice low, akin to a whisper barely audible even to Qi Guanrang.
“If that person isn’t the commander, they’re certainly a close attendant. Otherwise, why would your Young Master display such a determined smile? It’s akin to a cat playfully pinning down a mouse while pretending to be kind…”
Offering unsolicited favors can either be a scheme or theft.
Xu Ke remained silent. Qi Guanrang had a point; his Young Master didn’t care for trivial matters, seeing them as a waste of time.
Once she showed interest, it only meant that the person was beneficial to her, worth her time to engage.
“Besides, does Qi Guanrang have no judgment of his own?” Xu Ke inquired.
Despite knowing Qi Guanrang was also on his Young Master’s radar, he couldn’t help but probe further.
Qi Guanrang remained unruffled, a glint of mischief flashing in his eyes.
“You didn’t notice that big man is sitting right next to Lan Ting, did you?”
If he were a genuine drifter, would he have the audacity to sit next to a member of the gentry?
Even if Jiang Pengji allowed it, an ordinary person wouldn’t dare to sit together out of fear of drawing unnecessary trouble.
Upon this subtle indication from Qi Guanrang, Xu Ke suddenly realized.
He halted the hand gripping his fishing rod, the fish he was about to catch startled and swam away.
After a moment, slightly frustrated, Xu Ke re-baited his hook and continued speaking softly.
“Qi Guanrang’s keen insight is quite admirable. I now understand why the Young Master values you so much.”
Qi Guanrang pressed his lips tightly, saying, “I suspect that Lan Ting may have already guessed their identity upon their first meeting.”
“Eh?”
Qi Guanrang added meaningfully, “It’s best not to engage in eye contact with Lan Ting. It’s quite unsettling.”
