“Young master, with such flower-like beauty, would you be interested in becoming my husband?” A certain beautiful young lady smiled with utmost innocence.
“This… this is…” A certain handsome young man blushed bashfully.
“If you become my husband, all this money will be yours.” She patted her bulging money pouch.
“Please… please allow me to consider…” The handsome young man’s eyes lit up at the sight of gold.
“Although an Immortal once said I have the fate of bringing misfortune to husbands, I’m actually very capable—I can earn money, have great strength, and can work hard. If you marry me, you won’t have to worry for the rest of your life.”
She was an honest, good child who never concealed what fortune-tellers said about her fate, lest buyers of husbands later accuse her of fraud.
Bringing misfortune to husbands… The handsome young man’s face fell: “Miss, I already have wives and concubines at home… I have urgent matters now, farewell.”
Ah, another one ran away…
Xin Mei gazed despondently at the handsome young man’s fleeing figure. This entire morning, he was the tenth person whose expression changed drastically upon hearing about husband-misfortune fate. She believed her father must be constantly regretting his decision to invite that Immortal Yuqing to divine her fortune—those two words “husband-killer” were simply too destructive.
Never mind, she’d eat a bowl of rice noodles to comfort her wounded heart.
Last night, flying all the way out from the Imperial Tomb, not daring to linger in the nearest towns, Xin Mei had rushed for nearly three full hours. Only at dawn did she find this small city. Fortunately, the inn opened quite early—she got a room and ate three consecutive bowls of rice before recovering her strength.
That whoremonger general was too stingy. Just for not giving her food, she definitely couldn’t marry him!
Turning a street corner, she suddenly saw a dilapidated ox cart approaching, so broken it seemed ready to fall apart. The wheels groaned painfully against the stone road, and the old ox pulling it was covered in wounds, looking utterly dispirited.
What a familiar ox cart, though why did it look even more broken than two days ago?
Xin Mei went over and lifted the window curtain, meeting a pair of distinctly black and white eyes in the carriage. They were so distinctly black and white because this person… had he been struck by lightning? His entire body was charred black. After staring for a while, she suddenly gasped in shock: “Lord Meishan! Were you struck by lightning?”
Lord Meishan, overcome with shame, yanked the curtain shut, pretending not to know her.
Unexpectedly, her head poked through the window again. With a serious and earnest expression, she examined him from top to bottom and said: “This is karmic retribution for refusing to help save a life.”
Lord Meishan tearfully pushed that head back out. His only wish now was for time to flow backward, never to have any connection with this wretched girl again.
The ox cart swayed unsteadily toward the city’s largest and most luxurious restaurant. Lord Meishan looked down at his thoroughly disheveled appearance, hesitating repeatedly, really not wanting to get off and lose face. If he used illusion magic… but his entire body ached now, and he had no strength left to use immortal arts.
Just as he was caught in this dilemma, the carriage door suddenly opened, and Miss Xin Mei stood outside tilting her head to look at him.
“Are you going to this restaurant?” she asked, then extended her hand. “Come, I’ll help you.”
Lord Meishan covered his face: “No, no, no!”
“Don’t worry, I have great strength. I won’t drop you.” She spread the thin blanket over his legs, wrapped his entire person in it, and gently carried him on her back.
The restaurant’s third-floor private room had been reserved by him early on. Xin Mei carried him up the stairs with light steps. Seeing Lord Meishan unexpectedly silent, she added: “Don’t worry, Lord Meishan. You’re as thin as the bamboo pole we use for drying clothes at home—not heavy at all. I’ve been especially strong since childhood. At ten, I could already carry my senior brother running through the streets, and he was bigger than a bear.”
He made a muffled sound, as if suddenly choked, unable to make any noise.
Fortunately, the third-floor private room was separated by bamboo curtains, so people outside couldn’t see inside. Xin Mei had someone bring hot water, dampened a handkerchief, and wiped the charred marks from his face.
“Lord Meishan, aren’t you an Immortal? How did you get struck by lightning like this?”
Lord Meishan blushed and wept: “Immortals… also come in many varieties… I’m just, just not good at this kind of physical work!”
“Where were you struck?”
She gently pressed the handkerchief against a scar on his face, causing him to gasp in pain.
“…These past days, the spiritual energy in Wanlan Mountain’s earth veins has been fluctuating abnormally. Many demons in the mountain are undergoing lightning tribulations to become immortals. Last night, while observing a dog demon’s tribulation, I accidentally got too close and was struck by heavenly lightning.”
Xin Mei nodded understandingly: “Being a gossip immortal isn’t easy either.”
Lord Meishan’s ears felt like ten thousand butterflies were flying around, making him feel flustered and confused. Xin Mei was applying golden wound medicine to his injuries—supposedly a special blend from their manor with excellent effects, tasting like coptis root mixed with bitter gallbladder slowly boiled for three days and nights.
But he felt this taste was like the faint fragrance from her collar when she had approached earlier.
It seemed even his nose had been damaged by lightning, he thought tearfully.
“There, I’ll leave a bottle of golden wound medicine for you. Remember to apply it daily. Since Lord Meishan is an immortal, you should recover in just a few days.” Xin Mei picked up her bundle and stood to go downstairs.
Lord Meishan couldn’t help but ask: “You… uh, you’re leaving just like that?”
“Mm, I still need to go buy a husband. I can’t keep you company. Take care.”
“…Buy a husband?” Lord Meishan was stunned. “Are husbands something you buy?”
Xin Mei flashed a toothy smile: “Money can make even ghosts push millstones.”
Lord Meishan didn’t know why he wanted to cry again. Damn it! It seemed his eyes had been damaged by lightning too!
Xin Mei pulled aside the bamboo curtain just as someone from the opposite side was also entering, nearly colliding with him. The man steadied her, his voice mellow and gentle: “Miss, be careful.”
She looked up and saw a… flower-like beautiful face with a teardrop mole below the eyes, giving him a slightly melancholy appearance. Seeing her looking at him, the man smiled slightly, like warm wind caressing her face… but he definitely didn’t look like a good person.
She turned to go downstairs, vaguely hearing Lord Meishan cursing loudly in the private room: “Fu Jiuyun! You’re always late…”
She couldn’t hear the rest. Exiting the restaurant and seeing the streets full of people, her heart filled with joy. Her husband was definitely hidden somewhere in this crowd! She would find him.
That handsome young man in the yellow shirt ahead looked good—round face, tall stature, clearly someone who could endure hardship.
The one in blue robes in the opposite alley also looked good—black hair, broad shoulders, walking with vigorous strides, definitely useful.
And also… also… her eyes suddenly lit up.
The man standing under the crooked-neck tree at the corner had such a beautiful silhouette. Even wearing ordinary light blue robes, he stood out from the crowd. His jet-black hair showed he was full of vitality. That narrow waist, those broad shoulders clearly demonstrated this person had a powerful physique and was definitely not a lazy parasite.
Among all the people on the street, the moment she saw him, everyone else became mere clouds.
Xin Mei tidied her hair, smoothed her clothes, and felt her money pouch. Very good—no problems with appearance or money pouch.
She walked over and said in the gentlest voice: “Young master, I am Xin Mei from Xinxie Manor. My identity and background are clean, my character and appearance are good. Do you have time to chat about life ideals and marriage matters?”
This handsome man didn’t turn around. After a moment, he said: “I’d very much like to chat with you about the matter of knocking out Si Lan and escaping on your own.”
Uh?
Xin Mei stared dumbfounded as he turned around. This peerless famous blade’s edge was once again aimed at her. She panicked, retreating three steps, looking around trying to find a secret path for escape.
He waved his hand, and a talisman paper landed precisely on her forehead, instantly transforming into a ribbon of flowing light that wrapped around her waist. The other end was grasped in his hand before becoming invisible. Xin Mei felt her entire body involuntarily stop—no matter what, she couldn’t retreat even one step.
Lu Qianqiao walked up to her, his face actually showing an extremely rare trace of a smile, but… but his smile made her heart tremble with fear!
“Caught you,” he said.
“Wha-what are you going to do?” Xin Mei began stuttering in her terror.
He gave a gentle tug, and she was involuntarily pulled forward two steps by an invisible force.
“This is called a Demon-Binding Rope, usually used to capture extremely vicious demons.” For some reason, even his voice carried a smile today, though definitely not the kind of warm, gentle smile—more like a cold laugh full of naked mockery. “Now that it’s on you, don’t even think about escaping again.”
Xin Mei struggled with all her might, but it felt like there was a bronze wall and iron barrier behind her. She struggled until she was exhausted and simply gave up.
“How-how-how did you find me?” Finding one person among cities as numerous as stars was like looking for a single grain of sand on a beach.
Lu Qianqiao turned and walked forward, while she involuntarily followed three steps behind him.
“From the moment you knocked out Si Lan, I knew,” he said calmly. “I’ve been following behind you, wanting to see who you’d contact. Now I know your identity—the young lady of Xinxie Manor.”
Xin Mei felt her heart suddenly sink: “Don’t you dare trouble my father!”
He said nothing, just walked forward leisurely. From the direction, it seemed to be the restaurant she had just left.
Xin Mei felt a bit panicked: “Where are you going?”
“That useless immortal called Meishan is in the restaurant, isn’t he?”
She was shocked and quickly hugged his arm, desperately trying to stop him: “You-you-you’re going to kill an immortal?! I didn’t tell him anything about the Yunwu Array!”
Lu Qianqiao looked down at her hand, then at her face. She immediately released him like lightning, placing both hands properly behind her back.
“I have business with him.”
The stone-faced lord dragged the panicked little white rabbit into the restaurant.