With a tremor in her fingertips, Ming Yi quickly stuffed the torn paper into her clothing, transforming her expression into that of a delicate and pitiful beauty. Her phoenix eyes glistened with tears, and the corners of her eyes reddened as she faced the person who had suddenly lifted the carriage curtain.
She gasped, feigning great shock, raising her sleeve to cover her face while breathing rapidly.
“What is the meaning of this, sir?” Granny Xun shouted from outside, “This is the carriage of the Ji family’s women!”
The person lifting the curtain was taken aback and quickly stepped back, standing beside the carriage with cupped hands in salute. “I apologize for my intrusion; I was just…”
Just moments ago, there had been a familiar surge of energy. Meng Yangqiu couldn’t help but glance back at the carriage. Women of the Ji family were not capable of wielding energy, especially since Ji Bozai preferred delicate women. Had he mistakenly sensed something while searching for the Ming family’s heir?
Hearing the soft sobs from within the carriage, Meng Yangqiu felt a pang of guilt and stopped overthinking. He repeatedly apologized, “I lost my composure in my haste; please forgive me, madam. I will certainly visit Ji Daren to make amends another day.”
Granny Xun glared at him several times before lifting the curtain to comfort Ming Yi. “This is Lord Meng from the Judge’s Office; his manners may be a bit rough, but you need not be afraid.”
Meng Yangqiu, a son of the Xian Wang’s household and serving in the Judge’s Office of Muxing City, had met Ming Yi at the Six Cities Conference. She didn’t dare test his insight, so she softly said, “Let’s hurry along. If there’s a good restaurant ahead, we can go there to calm our nerves.”
Granny Xun sighed in relief and quickly replied, “There’s an old establishment called Huabie Branch just ahead; you can try their pastries.”
“Great.”
As the carriage moved forward, Meng Yangqiu stood in place, feeling slightly awkward as he looked at his palm.
It was no wonder; he had sparred with Ming Xian, the Ming family heir, for seven years without breaking through ten exchanges. He had hoped to test his skills again this year, only to find that Ming Xian had gone missing. This was more frustrating than losing.
With a sigh, he mounted his horse and continued to report back to the Judge’s Office.
Ming Yi listened as the sound of hooves faded into the distance, finally relaxing her tense body. Leaning back against the soft cushion, she pondered.
Meng Yangqiu’s reaction reminded her that although she had changed her appearance, everyone’s energy had a distinct signature that could easily be recognized, especially by those familiar with her.
It was fortunate that Ji Bozai had not yet engaged her in combat, but… it wasn’t just boasting; in the six major cities of Qingyun Realm, she had defeated hundreds of opponents. While she could conceal her identity from those she recognized, it would be problematic if someone she didn’t recognize sensed her.
She needed to think of a way.
“Huabie Branch has arrived,” came the announcement from outside.
Ming Yi snapped back to reality, taking Granny Xun’s hand to disembark and surveying the area.
The four-story restaurant was adorned with carved railings and exquisite decorations, resplendent with gold and jade. Eight golden silk red lanterns hung on either side, and twelve maidservants stood at the entrance, welcoming numerous distinguished guests, including many women.
Suddenly, she covered her mouth and asked Granny Xun, “Will the money for my meal come from the lord?”
Granny Xun chuckled, “It will be charged to Ji Daren’s account.”
“Then that’s fine.” Ming Yi confidently walked inside, found a private room, and ordered a lavish spread of delicacies. She then invited the maidservants to sit with her, smiling brightly, “This meal is on the lord, so everyone should feel free to enjoy.”
Typically, when dining out, maidservants were only allowed to serve and not eat, but with such unexpected generosity, the maidservants were overjoyed and repeatedly expressed their gratitude.
Granny Xun, aware of Ming Yi’s habits, didn’t think much of it and said, “But we mustn’t let anyone else in the manor know; they might think you’re easy to bully and take advantage of us.”
“Of course not.” Ming Yi poured her a drink, “If even Granny Xun treats me with respect, they will surely think I’m easy to get along with.”
Who wouldn’t enjoy the company of such a beautiful young lady? Granny Xun chuckled, accepting the drink and taking a sip.
The maidservants, initially a bit reserved, gradually grew bolder as they realized Ming Yi was kind-hearted, and they felt free to help themselves with the dishes.
Ming Yi raised her glass to Granny Xun, “I’m not very familiar with the manor, so I’ll have to rely on you to take care of me in the future.”
“Eat up, Granny.”
“I heard your son is getting married soon; I’ll come to bring some gifts.”
Granny Xun was flattered by her words and drank several cups in delight.
The dishes at the restaurant were delicious, and the wine was fragrant. Within half an hour, the maidservants were all tipsy, starting to chatter nonsensically.
Ming Yi felt a flush on her cheeks. She touched her stomach and stood up, “I need to use the restroom.”
Seeing this, Granny Xun wanted to follow her, but the drunken maidservants were still pulling her into discussions about trivial matters in the back courtyard. In a moment of distraction, Ming Yi had already disappeared.
The restaurant provided attentive service, and there were maidservants to guide her to the restroom, so she should be safe.
Granny Xun waved her hand and sat back down, continuing her conversation with the other maidservants.
Ming Yi swayed her way to the restroom, and upon returning, she was met by a young servant she had never seen before.
“This way, please.” He slightly bowed, performing a greeting typical of Chaoyang City.
Ming Yi snorted coldly but pretended to be drunk as she followed him.
As they ascended to the third floor, she distinctly felt a presence surrounding her, a powerful energy probing every person ascending the stairs.
Without hesitation, she flicked her wrist, shattering the energy that had touched her.
“Hahaha—” A door to a private room swung open, and the person inside, holding a wine cup, laughed heartily, “Even at this stage, Lady Ming’s temper is still so fierce.”
Ming Yi staggered into the room, slammed the door shut, and turned with a cold expression. “It’s you.”
Dan Er’s smile faded slightly, looking somewhat aggrieved. “Why are you so disappointed, my lady? What’s wrong with me?”
“How did you know I was here?” She narrowed her eyes.
“You, a noble, forget things easily.” Dan Er shook his head, “All the high-quality spirit beasts in Chaoyang City come from me.”
The vast expanse of the cloud sea separated Chaoyang from Muxing, requiring high-quality spirit beasts to traverse. While no one knew she had left Chaoyang City, someone had borrowed a spirit beast without mentioning who it was for, so he had guessed.
To be honest, he had searched for her in Muxing City for quite a while before finding her. Lady Ming was indeed Lady Ming; even without her energy, she was quite clever. If he hadn’t accidentally run into her at the fabric shop, it would have taken him much longer to locate her.
Ming Yi was growing impatient. “What do you want? Just say it.”
“My lady truly lacks romance. I’ve prepared some fine wine, and you don’t even glance at it,” Dan Er said with a smile. “Don’t be so tense; let’s eat and chat.”
With a slight tightening of her fingers, Ming Yi used her energy to grip his throat across the table.
The energy was pure white and forceful, a unique trait of Ming Xian, the Ming family heir.