The Empress' Livestream - Chapter 108
Chapter 108: Flower Thief (VIII)
Even if his student were to apologize, he could not reject the apology. No matter how unhappy he was, he had to show Liu She some respect and just bear with it.
He was currently on the verge on laughter from the situation, even though he was still pissed. Even so, he still had to listen to his student’s reasoning on why she decided to scale the walls in the middle of the night.
Jiang Pengji was not at all fearful of what was to come.
The young man holding a feather fan had a cold but interested gaze. He turned to Wei Yuan and said, “Mister Gongcao, you should head over to the main hall and hear what this child has to say. It’s best to dismiss your personal servants. I think this child would not disappoint you.”
Wei Yuan was surprised by what he heard, but quickly hid his expression.
“Come here.”
“Don’t rush, sir. Before I explain, may I be so bold to ask a favor? I hope you would agree to it,” Jiang Pengji quickly answered.
“Speak!”
“May I venture a request to see the womenfolk in your rear wing? Including the older female servants.”
Wei Yuan was furious with her actions. How dare she try to take advantage of him. If the young man had not asked him to listen to her first, he would have started scolding her.
A twelve-year-old boy was almost an adult by that era’s standard. Most would have settled down with a family of their own. Wei Yuan did not see Jiang Pengji as a child, but rather as a full grown “man.”
A grown man scaling your wall in the middle of the night and saying that he wanted to see your womenfolk? Who would accept that lying down? One would have either chased them out of the place or sent them to one of the government office.
The young man narrowed his eyes and studied Jiang Pengji from his peripherals. He had some inklings about her from his observation.
“Mister Gongcao should probably listen. I don’t think this child is here to cause any trouble… It may be for your good.”
Wei Yuan was fuming earlier but when the other man said that, his mood obviously changed. The change did not escape Jiang Pengji and Feng Jin’s eyes. Jiang Pengji had the young man figured out and he could not help the unnatural chill that went down his spine.
“I’ll listen to Wenzheng,” Wei Yuan spit out.
Jiang Pengji smirked inwardly. It seemed like his sick leave was fake and that something was happening in the rear wing.
Based on his personality, if he were to find something that belonged to another man in his concubine’s room, he would fly into a fit of rage. The sick leave he took was probably because he had yet to catch the culprit.
Wei Yuan took big steps and led the way while Jiang Pengji followed him and ended up walking in line with the other young man.
“How should I address you?” Jiang Pengji smiled at the other man.
Feng Jin looked normal on the outside, but internally, he was rather pissed. He had not been given a chance to explain himself and now Jiang Pengji was chatting with a man who had foreign features.
“My name is Qiguan Rang.”
Jiang Pengji frowned. Even though she hated the current era’s naming system, she was starting to get used to it and asked the other for his courtesy name.
“Langjun, what is your courtesy name?”
The young man’s expression was still gloomy when he said, “Our relationship is still not at the point that we can use our courtesy names.”
What he really meant was, “I don’t know you. Don’t try to be friendly with me.”
“Don’t say that. If we have to get technical, you’re my future half brother-in-law. Do you have to be so cold?” Jiang Pengji smiled and lowered her voice.
“Lanting, you have a sister?” Feng Jin asked curiously.
After asking, Feng Jin remembered that Liu She did, indeed, have a daughter with a concubine. But her age should be no older than nine…
Feng Jin was confused while the young man was shocked into silence by her words. He could barely think of anything.
“You…”
Jiang Pengji interrupted him and repeated her question, “What is your courtesy name, sir?”
She was one to use all means necessary to get answers to her questions.
The young man was speechless.
In an instant, the young man collected himself and calmly said, “Your sir had just called my name, did you not hear?”
Jiang Pengji rolled her eyes. “Introducing yourself and having someone else call you is different.”
The other man sucked in a deep breath and felt sorry for Feng Jin. He could understand how the other felt when he was dealing with Jiang Pengji earlier.
“My name is Qiguan Rang. Courtesy name, Wenzheng. How do I address you?”
“Liu Xi.”
That was it?
The young man waited for a bit but did not hear anymore forthcoming from her. His expression changed and he suddenly remembered that Feng Jin had called her “Lanting.” That was probably Liu Xi’s courtesy name.
Even though they had not interacted for long, the other male felt the urge to smack her a few times.
Jiang Pengji looked at Wei Yuan, who had a complicated expression on his face.
“Wenzheng, you’re wondering how I know that sir is looking for a prospective future son-in-law?”
Qiguan Rang nodded his head. He was dreadfully curious, as Wei Yuan had said that no one else knew about it. It was impossible for Jiang Pengji to know unless she had been listening through the walls.
That was impossible!
Jiang Pengji was about to open her mouth before she suddenly turned towards Feng Jin. “The insolent should not hear this. Cover your ears.”
Now Feng Jin was speechless. He was innocent!
He was curious, but since Jiang Pengji had said so, the issue probably only concerned Qiguan Rang. He brought his hands up to his ears and purposefully took a few steps back in case he accidentally heard some things.
Upon seeing his pitiful appearance, Jiang Pengji’s viewers were touched and started giving her likes. When she saw that, Jiang Pengji mentioned all the more that she wanted to bully the other boy.
“Wenzheng’s timing at the Wei residence is not mere coincidence… and to think you would get to hear some unpleasant news from an outsider,” Jiang Pengji lowered her voice and told Qiguan Rang the next shocking news. “This not only implicates mister Wei and his concubine, but also his two daughters. Even though the girls are fine, their reputations are ruined.”
Jiang Pengji then continued calmly, revealing some important information.
“Wenzheng, you were still young when you lost your wife and you were born in northern Xinjiang. You’re tough and do not care much about a girl having an unblemished reputation––at least you do not value it as much as those nobles in Dongqing. After all that had happened, regardless if it was the elder or younger daughter, it would be hard for them to get married.”
If that had happened to a prestigious family’s daughter, it would not be too tough for them to get married. They could marry a man whose social status was far beneath theirs, or one who had social status but was a good-for-nothing, or a hardworking man born from a concubine.
In the worst case scenario, they could become nuns who would serve Buddha for the rest of their lives and be provided for by their families.