Chapter 221: Skilled Actor, Old Pro

“Headmaster, won’t he die from all that diarrhea?”

“What are you thinking? The Great Collapse Pill expels pill toxins and clears stagnation. He has no pill toxins in his body; at most, he’ll just have diarrhea for three days. He won’t die.”

Inside Qingjiao Pavilion, Xu Jiuxi spoke nonchalantly.

She was secretly annoyed that Chen Hong had brought the Master here, and this small measure was already her showing restraint.

At this moment, it was past midnight. Shu Yao glanced outside and teased, “Headmaster, are you still going out tonight?”

On the carriage ride back, she had deduced from seeing Xu Jiuxi putting on her undergarments that the Headmaster had already consummated her relationship with that Ding Suian.

What Shu Yao was asking was whether Xu Jiuxi was still going to Suimian Street.

Xu Jiuxi sat on the soft couch and thought seriously for a moment, then stood up and said, “Keep your mouth shut. Do not mention this to anyone else for now.”

“Yes.”

Shu Yao replied, and Xu Jiuxi had already walked to the door.

Watching her Headmaster’s hurried retreating figure, she found it a bit amusing.

She had served Xu Jiuxi for many years and knew her nature well. Apart from cultivation, the Headmaster always had a sense of nonchalance toward everything in the world, as if she were just playing around. Now, it seemed there was finally something she cared about.

Just as she was secretly sighing with emotion, she saw Xu Jiuxi slowly return with her hands behind her back.

Shu Yao was taken aback, “Headmaster? Are you not going?”

Xu Jiuxi continued to walk at a leisurely pace and lazily leaned back against the soft couch, her fingertips carelessly twirling a strand of hair. “If I go back in the middle of the night, it would seem like I, a dignified Headmaster, can’t live without him. It would make This Seat look cheap for no reason. I was reprimanded by the Master tonight because of him. I cannot suffer this grievance in vain; I must gain something back~”

“What does the Headmaster want to gain?”

Shu Yao asked. Xu Jiuxi’s peach-blossom eyes narrowed slightly, and she suddenly sat up straight. “Shu Yao, bring me the ruler I usually use to hit students’ palms.”

“Why do you need the ruler?”

“If I tell you to bring it, just bring it! Why are you so fussy!”

It was the middle of the night, and there were no students for Headmaster Xu to hit?

Shu Yao was confused but still did as she was told, presenting the ruler with both hands.

Unexpectedly, Xu Jiuxi stretched out her hands. “Take the ruler and hit me.”

“Ah?”

Shu Yao widened her eyes in astonishment, but Xu Jiuxi was exceptionally serious. “What are you ‘ah-ing’ about! Hit me! Hurry up~”

The next day. The ninth of May.

“Paternal Aunt! That Ding Suian is bullying your nephew by relying on his military merits! This isn’t just slapping your nephew’s face; this is clearly showing contempt for the majesty of the Imperial Family!”

Inside Wangqiu Hall, the pale-faced Chen Hong knelt on the ground, tears and snot streaming down his face. “If even the Imperial Clan is allowed to be insulted by him at will, where is the law of the Imperial Court? Where is the dignity of the Royal Family? I beg Paternal Aunt to uphold justice for your nephew!”

At the head, Princess Xingguo rubbed her temples with a headache and glanced at Lin Hansu, who was standing to the side.

This glance was not without reproach; it was probably meant to express, ‘Why can’t this Ding Suian rest for even a moment?’

But Lin Hansu felt extremely ashamed, having a sense of guilt as if her own naughty child had caused trouble again and someone had come knocking.

Princess Xingguo pondered for a moment and was just about to comfort Chen Hong, when Chen Hong, kneeling on the ground, suddenly clutched his stomach, his face contorted. He hurriedly bowed to Princess Xingguo and said, “Paternal Aunt, please wait a moment. Your nephew needs to use the latrine; I will be right back.”

“…”

With an elder present and in the middle of a conversation, going to the latrine was a bit rude.

Furthermore, this was not the first time.

Just a quarter of an hour ago, when Chen Hong had arrived at the Princesss Residence, he had already gone once before he could even say a few words.

Watching the retreating figure of her nephew rushing to the restroom, Princess Xingguo sighed and shook her head.

Wangqiu Hall quieted down for a moment.

“Look at that. If a man doesn’t start a family and have children in his life, he will never grow up!”

Princess Xingguo complained like an elder, but Lin Hansu, standing beside her, slowly knelt down. One reason was to express that husband and wife are one, taking the blame for him; the second was to proactively admit fault.

“Get up. I am not talking about you~”

Princess Xingguo gestured for her to rise and added, “I will handle the Prince of Linping, but since he has brought his complaint to me, I cannot sit idly by. Let’s confiscate three months of the Duke of Chu County’s salary.”

Confiscate three months of salary?

With Lin Hansu, the wealthy landlady, around, would Young Master Ding be short of three months’ salary to spend?

What kind of punishment was this?

Lin Hansu hurriedly whispered, “Your subject thanks Your Highness for your leniency on behalf of the Duke of Chu County.”

“Don’t be in such a hurry to thank me.” Princess Xingguo waved her hand slightly and added, “Just fining his salary is probably not enough to make him learn his lesson. Hansu, after you finish your work tonight, go to Suimian Street on my behalf and reprimand him in person. Also, ask clearly why he is at odds with Chen Hong.”

Ruan Guofan’s intelligence analysis said that last year, Zhao Yan and Ruan Ruan were harassed by the Prince of Linping’s subordinates on Yulin Street, and Ding Suian had likely been holding a grudge because of this.

But in Princess Xingguo’s intuition, this was likely not the real reason.

“Yes~”

Lin Hansu was as docile as a young wife and obediently agreed.

Having her come to ‘reprimand’ him on behalf of Her Highness, no matter how severe the scolding was, it would only end up becoming coquettish and soft words.

Furthermore, the two could use this legitimate opportunity to meet.

End of the Xu hour.

The head steward of the Chu County Dukes Residence, Hu Couhe, sat under the magnolia tree in the front courtyard, holding several portraits of women and observing them carefully.

Little Hu was not young anymore; he had long reached the age for marriage.

Before, his family was poor, so he couldn’t find a wife.

But now… he was spoiled for choice.

In the last few months, first his biological brother was promoted to Dutou, his father Hu Yingfu was promoted to Battalion Commander, and then Ding Suian was granted a title; the market value of Hu Couhe, the steward of the Duke of Chu County’s residence, had been rising steadily.

The matchmakers coming to his door to propose marriage were practically trampling his threshold.

But Little Hu said… the Lord hadn’t even gotten married yet, so why was he in such a rush?

He just refused to go on matchmaking dates.

Mrs. Hu was so anxious that she had the matchmaker prepare small portraits of the matchmaking candidates and brought them to Hu Couhe to pick.

As an aside, because Ding Suian had been delaying marriage, he had gone from being the “child of others” that every parent in Chilao Alley praised to a negative example of someone who was too picky to find a wife.

Hu Couhe was looking through them one by one when he suddenly felt his vision blur, as if a human figure had flashed past.

He looked up again, but the front courtyard was silent, and the corridor leading to the backyard was also empty.

Hu Couhe rubbed his eyes. A bit scared, he hurriedly shouted toward the small Buddhist hall opposite, “AZhi, did you see someone float past just now?”

“Knock, knock, knock~”

The sound of the wooden fish paused slightly, “This poor monk did not see anyone.”

Hu Couhe rubbed his upper arms and walked to the front of the Buddhist hall, whispering, “I think I just saw something dirty; it zoomed right past my eyes! Could an evil spirit have entered?”

“Knock, knock, knock~”

The sound of the wooden fish started again. AZhi had his back to Couhe, but his calm tone revealed extremely powerful confidence. “With This poor monk here, no evil spirit can sneak into the residence! Donor Hu, please rest assured.”

“That’s good, that’s good~”

In the front courtyard, AZhi was bragging.

In the backyard, the “evil spirit” had already slipped into the room through the crack in the door.

Ding Suian, who was lying on the bed with his legs crossed reading a casual book, turned his head to look. He rolled over and sat up, smiling, “Since we parted last night, there has been no news from Headmaster Xu all day. I was just worrying about you.”

“Are you worried about me, or are you worried about yourself?”

Xu Jiuxi, with her signature lazy and charming demeanor, swayed her waist and sat on the edge of the bed.

But as soon as she sat down, her brows furrowed almost imperceptibly.

This subtle movement was caught by Ding Suian, “What’s wrong?”

Xu Jiuxi, who had instantly returned to her normal expression, said calmly, “It’s nothing. I came tonight to tell you that the Master does not blame you for the matter between you and Chen Hong, so you don’t need to worry.”

While speaking, she inadvertently brushed her hair with her right hand.

Ding Suian noticed something wrong at a glance; her palm seemed swollen.

With this discovery, he looked closely. The summer shirt was thin, and under the light gauze, he could see red ruler marks all over Xu Jiuxi’s fair, tender upper arms.

“Old Xu! Who beat you up like this?”

Ding Suian exclaimed in astonishment.

Xu Jiuxi frowned slightly and pulled at her sleeves, seemingly unhappy that the wounds on her body had been discovered. She only said, “What does it have to do with you?”

“You say that, but we are roommates who share a bed, at least. Is it wrong for me to care?”

“Tch~”

“Who beat you like this? Let’s go, I’ll help you beat them back!”

“Really?”

“Of course it’s real! More real than my feelings for you!”

“It was my Master who hit me, Saint Liu, one of the three Sages of the State Religion.”

“…”

“When shall we set off to storm the Three Sages Palace?”

“Heh heh, this matter requires careful consideration!”

“…”

Xu Jiuxi rolled her eyes at Ding Suian, with an expression of ‘I knew it would be like this’.

“Old Xu, Saint Liu…” Ding Suian said uncertainly, “Did Saint Liu punish you because of the matter between me and Chen Hong?”

“What else could it be for?”

Xu Jiuxi looked at the candlelight and said softly, “The Master originally intended to find you to help Chen Hong vent his anger. I disagreed and talked back to the Master. The Master punished me in a fit of anger.”

“Old Xu…”

There was actually this part of the story last night?

Xu Jiuxi smiled self-deprecatingly, “I, Xu Jiuxi, have always acted only for what I like.”

Speaking of this, she slowly turned her head to look at Ding Suian. Her peach-blossom eyes, which usually hid the coldness in their depths with rippling spring waves, were now flickering with a rare, lingering affection. “Since I dared to stir up mortal feelings, I dare to bear the Karma. You need not feel guilty, and even less should you have any burden in your heart because of this.”