If they couldn’t find Jiang Chen, what then? A monk might flee, but the temple can’t run away.
The next day, the Gu family head led a group to personally demand Jiang Chen from the Jiang residence. Gu Meiting still hadn’t recovered from the shock, staying home, listless and dazed. Gu Suying tagged along the whole way, weeping and sniveling the entire time.
“Father, Mother, I truly didn’t mean it, I was deceived by Jiang Chen! Please forgive me, please get Beiyue and my brother-in-law’s family to forgive me too!”
“Father, you love me most, you know I never wanted to marry, I just wanted to stay and serve you both for the rest of my life! That’s exactly why I fell for my brother-in-law’s trap!”
…
As Gu Suying spoke, she kept glancing at Ziqing, and seeing Ziqing’s dark expression only made her more pleased with herself—she wanted exactly this reaction, to provoke her!
Before, she’d been able to curse out Gu Meiting and Jiang Chen so thoroughly, even have them driven from the Gu family—but what could she possibly do to her, the unmarried second young miss?
She had pinned everything on Jiang Chen. By now, Bai Feiyao had probably already disposed of him. Even if the matter reached the Bai family, Bai Feiyao could protect her!
Han Ziqing—this young miss would very much like to see who would end up staying in the Gu family in the end!
The family head and Madam Gu both frowned deeply. The old master turned to look out the carriage window, while Madam Gu, ever the softhearted one, couldn’t help but help Gu Suying up, saying with distress, “You silly girl, you knew you were still unmarried—fortunately this didn’t blow up any bigger, otherwise how would you ever be able to marry in the future!”
Didn’t blow up bigger?
Ziqing snorted coldly. If this wasn’t “blown up,” what would count as such?
Did she want it blown up bigger?
Fine. She’d oblige right away!
Ziqing, truly unable to bear it any longer, rose to get off the carriage. Jun Beiyue had watched Gu Suying’s performance the entire ride and clearly seen through it, a flash of malice crossing his eyes. He didn’t stop Ziqing, instead chasing after her.
Outside, Ziqing had already mounted a horse. Jun Beiyue quickly caught up, landing behind her and wrapping his arms around her.
He smiled helplessly, one hand gripping the reins, the other gently stroking her chest, trying to calm her anger.
“You should go lie back down—I’ll handle this matter,” Ziqing said coldly. She rarely got angry, but once she did, she left no room for reason at all.
“What are you planning to do?” Jun Beiyue asked with a smile.
“Find Bai Feiyao!” Ziqing snorted. Bai Feiyao knew Gu Suying’s true nature better than anyone—she was determined to beat a confession out of her.
“Be good, calm down for a moment, won’t you?” Jun Beiyue’s gentle voice lingered by her ear as he suddenly, gently, from behind, took her round earlobe between his lips!
Ziqing instantly went rigid, all her anger vanishing in a flash, replaced entirely by nervousness.
He wasn’t letting go, even while the horse galloped beneath them—what was he thinking!
“Beiyue, you… don’t!”
She couldn’t help the soft cry that escaped her, not realizing that this was exactly what the man behind her loved most—her nervous, bashful little protest of “Beiyue, don’t…”
Rather than release her, he only gently nibbled and sucked more!
Ziqing shuddered, not even daring to struggle anymore, let alone act up further—she instantly went still, her body rigid as a plank.
Jun Beiyue’s eyes gleamed with amusement. He suddenly pulled her tight against him before letting go, whispering by her ear, “Behave, and I’ll make sure no one wrongs you, understand?”
With that, he suddenly kicked the horse’s flanks, galloping swiftly toward the Jiang residence’s gate.
This tactic seemed more effective than any words of persuasion—his little Qing’er really did nestle obediently in his arms after that, not daring to stir.
Lifted down from the horse, Ziqing kept her head lowered, the tips of her ears still red!
Jun Beiyue chuckled silently, taking her hand without hesitation and walking forward. They had barely gone a few steps when they encountered the Jiang couple hurrying outside, looking flustered.
Jun Beiyue stopped, blocking the threshold of the gate, saying nothing.
Old Master Jiang looked like an aged version of Jiang Chen himself—outwardly refined and elegant, but with a shrewdness hard to conceal in his small eyes.
Madam Jiang wore a stern expression, even more cunning and sharp-tongued. The moment she saw Ziqing and Jun Beiyue, she jabbed a finger at them, snapping, “What are you two doing here? Who are you looking for? Where are you from, so ill-mannered? Do you think the Jiang family’s gate is somewhere just anyone can stand around?”
Jun Beiyue snorted coldly. “You call this a gate?”
Hearing this, Madam Jiang flew into a rage, striding forward to size them up, and noting their attire, guessed they might not be ordinary people.
But she wasn’t afraid, planting her hands on her hips. “What big talk—who exactly are you two?”
“Looking for Jiang Chen,” Jun Beiyue said impatiently.
“Jiang Chen?” Madam Jiang eyed him suspiciously. She knew every last detail about Jiang Chen, down to how many pairs of undergarments he owned—there was no one like these two among his friends.
“Where is he?” Jun Beiyue suddenly spoke coldly, startling the old woman badly. Just as she was about to snap back, Old Master Jiang hurried over, quite courteously. “You two must be friends of our son, Chen’er?”
“Enemies,” Jun Beiyue said without any courtesy at all.
This gave the two old people quite a fright. Old Master Jiang was about to speak when Madam Jiang burst out laughing provocatively. “Enemies? What a joke. Do you know that our Jiang family is son-in-law to the Gu family? Are you trying to make an enemy of the Gu family?”
“I am the Gu family,” Jun Beiyue said. With that, he drew his sword and gave a single sweeping strike through the air, a blade of sword energy shooting out and splitting the Jiang family’s gate clean in half, sending both halves crashing down to either side with a thunderous roar!
The Jiang couple stared, dumbfounded. Madam Jiang stumbled and dropped straight to her knees, while Old Master Jiang could no longer worry about his wife, retreating several steps. “You… you… who exactly are you people?”
Only then did Ziqing lift her head to look, her expression still cold and displeased.
Just then, the Gu couple hurried up. Madam Gu was the first to rush forward. “Beiyue, you… let’s talk this through properly, what are you two doing?”
These were the Gu family’s in-laws, after all—the family of her precious grandson Yuan’er, the mother-in-law of her daughter Meiting!
Wasn’t there anything that couldn’t be settled with words? Did it really have to come to this?
Ziqing didn’t even want to look at Madam Gu—one glance and she felt sick. That old woman’s attitude in the carriage just now had made it plain she was trying yet again to smooth this whole matter over, to make a big deal into nothing.
But this time, Jun Beiyue didn’t remain silent the way he had in the carriage. Ignoring Madam Gu entirely, he pulled Ziqing forward and pressed inside, pointing his sword directly at Madam Jiang’s face, saying coldly, “Do you want to talk this through properly, or not?”
“I’ll talk! I’ll talk! I’ll tell you everything… please spare me, great hero!” Madam Jiang answered hastily, nearly in tears.
“Where is Jiang Chen?” Jun Beiyue said coldly, the icy blade pressing against Madam Jiang’s cheek. Terrified, Madam Jiang immediately squeezed her eyes shut and cried out, “He’s not at the Gu residence, he must be at the Bai family’s! That’s all I know!”
The Gu family had already come to their door demanding him—if she still couldn’t guess something had gone terribly wrong, she’d truly be a fool.
Though she didn’t understand exactly what had happened, it surely had something to do with that wretched boy carrying on with the Bai family’s eldest daughter. How many times had she told him to hurry up and get the Bai girl pregnant so he could divorce Gu Meiting—but the useless boy just couldn’t manage it!