The low fever caused by excessive drinking was gone in just two days, and Xin Mei began bouncing around energetically again. Lu Qianqiao also seemed to have finished explaining all the matters he needed to explain, so on this day he led her to set off from the Imperial Tomb.

The demons who came to see them off formed a long line. While Si Lan was reluctantly expressing his loyalty to Lu Qianqiao with tears in his eyes, swearing and vowing to guard the Imperial Tomb well for him, Xin Mei avoided Tao Guoguo’s eye roll and gave a thumbs up to sister Yinglian who was hiding behind a tree and secretly peeking, then she secretly slipped to the back to ask Official Zhao for his autograph.

Official Zhao was so moved that tears streamed down his old face. He signed his name over a dozen times on the handkerchief Xin Mei handed him, while sighing emotionally: “Worthy of being the destined true love of General Lu! You truly have good eyesight! Such excellent taste!”

Xin Mei was bewildered: “What destined true love?”

Official Zhao was even more bewildered than her: “You don’t know yet? The divine treasure Concentric Mirror can already reflect both of you! That mirror is very strange – it can only reflect men and women who have romantic fate together, it cannot reflect anyone else. Weren’t you two reflected in the mirror that day? If you don’t believe it, come back and look in it again next time!”

Xin Mei’s mouth fell wide open, and it took her a long time to close it. She was quite doubtful: “That mirror must be fake, right?”

“How… how could the treasures in the Im… Imperial Tomb be f… fake…” Official Zhao was so anxious he began to stutter.

“Time to go.”

Lu Qianqiao finally freed himself from the reluctant lingering affection of a group of entangling demons and looked back toward this side.

Xin Mei quietly tugged at Official Zhao’s sleeve: “By the way, who is the master craftsman who makes the wooden dolls? Uncle, please help me get a few autographs from him, I’ll come get them from you when I return.”

Official Zhao revealed a sly smile: “That… it’s far away in the sky, yet close before your eyes. Miss, if you’re just a bit more observant, you’ll surely discover it.”

…This was the same as saying nothing at all.

Xin Mei walked to Lu Qianqiao’s side and watched him put the bridle on Lie Yunhua.

Lie Yunhua was his own spirit beast, or rather, his mount. Xinxie Manor had also raised various kinds of colts, the most noble being the dragon horses that were pure white like silver all over, capable of traveling ten thousand li in a day, riding clouds and controlling wind as easily as breathing. However, compared to the Lie Yunhua before her eyes, they lacked much spiritual energy and rebellious spirit.

The best spirit beasts were always the most rebellious and willful.

Xin Mei looked at Lie Yunhua’s cold and arrogant demeanor, feeling that it really looked like it was cast from the same mold as its master. She had heard that officials like him who were demoted to guard the Imperial Tomb were equivalent to being imprisoned in disguise – without the Emperor’s decree, they could never come out for their entire lives. But he seemed quite free, coming and going as he pleased, and no one could do anything to him. In some ways, Lu Qianqiao was also quite a fierce and willful person.

She moved closer, stuck her head in front of his face, and asked: “Official Zhao said the Concentric Mirror can reflect our images, so we have a heaven-ordained marriage fate. Is that true?”

Lu Qianqiao’s hand shook, and the bridle that wasn’t properly fastened fell to the ground.

“Is it true?” Her expression was serious.

He deliberately turned his head away, not looking at her straightforward eyes, while quickly picking up the bridle to continue fastening it, his earlobes slowly turning red.

“…False.” Such a cold answer.

Xin Mei moved closer to study his eyebrows and eyes, trying to figure out whether his words were true or not. He turned his back to her and put the saddle on Lie Yunhua.

She breathed a sigh of relief: “I knew it was false… I would never marry you.”

Lu Qianqiao flipped himself onto the horse’s back without a word, suddenly reached out to grab her collar and toss her in front of him. Her knee hit the iron ring of the bridle, causing her to tear up from pain: “You… you definitely did that on purpose…”

“Shut up.” He yanked the reins, Lie Yunhua neighed loudly, flames ignited under its hooves, it leaped up to the clouds with one bound and flew on the wind.

Xin Mei rubbed her knee and looked up at his expressionless face. Today he seemed particularly paralyzed, his eyes staring straight ahead without moving at all. Was he angry?

She thought for a moment: “Lu Qianqiao, are you in a bad mood?”

No answer.

“Are you angry that I just said I would absolutely never marry you?”

Still no answer.

“Or are you worried about not finding Lord Meishan and not being able to ask about the War Ghost clan?”

He just wouldn’t speak, keeping a straight face and pretending to be mute.

“Actually, you really shouldn’t think too much about this kind of thing. As the saying goes, disasters last for a thousand years. You imprisoned me, stole my Qiuyue, and bully me all the time. Having done so many bad things, you can definitely live for a thousand years.”

His eyebrows finally twitched.

“My father said that nothing in the world is absolutely irreversible, so even though my fate was read as bringing misfortune to my husband, he always believed I would definitely be able to marry. And besides, although you’ve done so many bad things, I don’t want you to die either. Everyone at the Imperial Tomb surely hopes you can keep living too, don’t you think? Life should be more optimistic.”

Lu Qianqiao didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. Looking at her face, so serious, racking her brains to think of words to comfort him. But the things she said always made people grind their teeth in anger one moment, then gently consoled them the next, leaving people not knowing what to do.

“By the way, Official Zhao said the master craftsman who makes wooden dolls is far away in the sky yet close before our eyes. Do you know who it is?”

Her train of thought always changed particularly fast, jumping to the wooden dolls in an instant.

Lu Qianqiao coughed quietly and naturally turned his head to gaze at the distant misty clouds, his voice very calm: “Mm, I made them when I had nothing to do.”

Xin Mei almost flipped off the horse’s back. He quickly wrapped his arm around her waist, and suddenly she tightly hugged his arm, her expression developing from shock to surprise, then to wild joy, and finally turning into burning hot admiration.

“Really?” she asked in a very small voice.

He continued calmly gazing at the misty clouds and hummed in acknowledgment.

Xin Mei tremblingly opened her bundle and began rummaging around. After digging for a long time, she finally pulled out a stack of brand new and neat handkerchiefs, her eyes shining as she held them in front of him: “Then… please… please sign an autograph for me…”

His earlobes grew hot as he pulled her to sit properly: “Sit still, don’t fall off.”

“Autograph…”

“Shut up.”

“Then let’s chat about your feelings and experiences when creating the wooden dolls.”

“…”

The strong wind scattered her chattering soft voice. Lu Qianqiao brushed back his wind-tousled hair and avoided her admiring gaze. For some unknown reason, he felt a long-lost sense of relaxation, and his mood really did improve.

On April 18th, it rained under White Head Mountain, and Lord Meishan was bored staying in Meishan Residence. Although Fu Jiuyun had somehow obtained a set of glazed drinking vessels as large as water buckets a few days ago and generously gave them to him, Fu Jiuyun himself didn’t come, and that fox Zhen Hongsheng rarely went out, so holding water bucket-sized wine cups he could only pour and drink alone, which really wasn’t very enjoyable.

The spirit ghosts said that a crucian carp raised in the pond might become a spirit these past few days. Being extremely bored, he held his precious pure blue glazed water bucket wine cup and went to the pond to observe.

Before he had drunk much wine, the spirit ghost guarding the gate came running toward him in panic, shouting: “Trouble! Two troublemakers have come outside! They refuse to bathe and change clothes, and are blocking the entrance!”

Lord Meishan flew into a rage and put down his wine cup to leave.

His Meishan Residence was the cleanest place with the most concentrated spiritual energy on White Head Mountain. When people from the outside world wanted to visit, even the Jade Emperor would have to first bathe and change clothes in the hot springs in front before being allowed to enter through the main gate. Which heaven-borrowing scoundrel actually dared to break the rules?

The spirit ghost followed behind him and said intermittently: “It’s a man and woman, the woman is quite young, called something like Xin Mei…”

Lord Meishan suddenly stopped.

Those two words “Xin Mei” seemed to hit the most tender and soft place in his heart, splashing up ripples. Somehow his heart began racing like a little deer, and the corners of his mouth spread into a grin.

“Bastard! Why didn’t you quickly welcome her in? What bathing and changing clothes?!” He was so anxious he burst into curses.

The spirit ghost continued: “The man looks to be in his twenties, fierce and menacing, calling himself Lu Qianqiao.”

He immediately shuddered.

Lord Meishan felt somewhat apprehensive and walked uneasily to the main gate. Outside the gate on the wooden bridge, red and white flowers were blooming brilliantly. Xin Mei was wearing a well-fitted light blue silk dress, leaning against the bridge railing watching fish blow bubbles in the water.

What a pleasing picture. Lord Meishan’s heart instantly softened.

Turning his head, he saw Lu Qianqiao leading a horse that was completely fiery red, looking at him expressionlessly. His fragile little heart sank again.

“People who come to Meishan Residence must bathe and change clothes, this is an old rule…” He had no confidence, his voice soft and weak.

Lu Qianqiao slightly frowned, just about to make do and follow his house rules, but he immediately stepped back and his voice grew even smaller: “Of course… not following the rules isn’t a big deal either…”

How pathetic. The spirit ghost guarding the gate couldn’t bear to watch and turned his head away.

Lord Meishan dejectedly led them through the gate. Unexpectedly, someone suddenly tugged at his sleeve. Xin Mei moved closer with a smile and examined him: “Lord Meishan, you’ve gotten thinner again in just a few days. Have you been eating properly?”

He coughed, not knowing whether he should tell her that immortals find it very difficult to get fat from eating. Suddenly he heard her continue: “Drinking alcohol every day is bad for your body. How about I cook dinner tonight and make something delicious?”

His eyes immediately lit up: “You… you can cook?”

She nodded: “This is my first time visiting your home and I didn’t bring a gift, so I’ll just cook a meal.”

What a virtuous and gentle girl. Lord Meishan stared at her in a daze and floated all the way back to the main hall without his feet touching the ground.