Free Web NovelChapter 691: Chapter 691: Hi! Lord Wang
The two exchanged a silent gaze for about seventeen or eighteen seconds.
Mu Ling’s eyes stung with soreness as she couldn’t resist any longer, admitting defeat first with one hand on her hip and scratching her head in frustration, "Could you just let it be a beautiful misunderstanding and continue as it is?!"
Qin Yao responded firmly, "No."
Mu Ling pointed at her, "You are truly ungrateful. Such a good opportunity to show loyalty to the Princess, and you don’t cherish it. Even if you admit it, I wouldn’t expose you, wouldn’t everything fall into place?"
In these circumstances, she didn’t believe Qin Yao couldn’t see who the real winner was in the end!
Qin Yao sighed helplessly; she couldn’t reason with Mu Ling. They were not the same type of people.
"I’m leaving." Qin Yao squatted down, politely performed a full salutation, before turning to leave.
Mu Ling strode after her, "Wait a moment!"
Qin Yao stopped and waited, "What else does the general have to say?"
Mu Ling scanned her seriously from head to toe before quietly asking, "You wouldn’t go to help the Crown Prince, would you?"
Qin Yao was puzzled, "Why do you ask that?"
Up till now, she hadn’t done anything that would benefit the Eastern Palace faction, had she?
Mu Ling didn’t answer immediately but stared at her expression to confirm repeatedly that she genuinely didn’t know, only then did she speak gloomily, "Your husband has entered the National Master Mansion. Are you not aware of this?"
"Entered so soon?" Qin Yao laughed in surprise, "It seems recruiting house servants went smoothly."
This matter required an explanation to Mu Ling, to avoid any unnecessary misunderstandings that could hurt allies, which would be unfortunate.
"You must have investigated our family’s situation. He entered the National Master Mansion just to take care of the teacher. Besides that, there’s no other intent or idea." Qin Yao explained.
Mu Ling harbored doubts but seeing Qin Yao’s candid gaze, she held nothing back and directly voiced her suspicion:
"There are so many servants in the National Master Mansion, with Imperial Physicians going there twice daily, and so many students showing concern. Is your husband really needed for care?"
"Technically, it’s unnecessary." Qin Yao shrugged with a powerless expression, "But someone set up a trap to draw him in. We just played along."
Being able to openly see the person she wanted, while earning a rich reward—she couldn’t bear to refuse.
"We ordinary folks do not have a steady livelihood. Expenses in the Capital City are high, earning some silver to support the family isn’t unreasonable, right?"
"You still lack silver?" Mu Ling was almost speechlessly amused.
Qin Yao nodded naturally, "Who thinks there’s too little silver? The more, the better, of course."
Mu Ling snorted, indifferent about her ’selling her husband’ matter.
But if Liu Ji entered the mansion simply to care for Gongliang Liao, then she was at ease.
"Originally, the martial artist affair was handled beautifully, I was preparing to take you to meet the Princess, but now it seems you lack such fortune."
"However..." Mu Ling threw Qin Yao a coy smile, "If not now, there’s always next time."
What did she mean by that? Qin Yao suddenly felt uneasy.
But before she could ask more, Mu Ling had turned and swiftly walked away, as if she knew Qin Yao wanted to ask and ran deliberately.
Actually, Qin Yao wanted to ask her one more thing.
Who did the court assign to investigate Prince Feng’s case?
Regrettably, she had already left, and Qin Yao forgot to ask at the time, sigh~
"Mother!"
Upon hearing the child’s call, Qin Yao glanced up to see Si Niang standing in the corridor, excitedly waving the copied booklist.
Qin Yao smiled and walked briskly towards the little girl, took the booklist she handed over, glanced quickly, folded it, and thanked Caiwei, preparing to take her daughter and leave.
Dean Tong appeared from nowhere, holding a roll of announcements in one hand and a half bucket of paste in the other, cordially asking, "Mrs. Qin, how’s your equestrian skill?"
Raising the announcement he was about to post, "The Garden plans to recruit an Equestrian Master to teach the children to ride horses. Would you be interested in trying?"
Qin Yao motioned for Si Niang to follow her along, the three walked towards the main entrance together. She shook her head helplessly, "Riding horses isn’t my forte, but I’m pretty good at archery. Is the Garden interested in hiring an archery master?"
Thinking she was joking, Dean Tong smiled and said no more, after all, he needed an equestrian master.
Unexpectedly, Qin Yao spoke seriously, "If the Garden recruits an archery master, Dean must inform me. I’d like to try being a teacher."
Dean Tong chuckled wryly, nodding, "Alright."
"By the way!" Qin Yao curiously asked, "What is the general doing at the Women’s Garden?"
"Selling horses." Dean Tong replied naturally.
Qin Yao wordlessly acknowledged, and led the joyful Si Niang away.
Dean Tong watched the mother and daughter walk out of the alley until they were out of sight, then retracted his gaze and let out a long sigh.
Earlier, when Mu Ling left, she had a sour expression on her face. Within Capital City, only the Princess could cause her to show such a face without acting out.
Yet today Mrs. Qin provoked Mu Ling and came out fine, what did that say?
It indicated that this lady was not to be trifled with!
Dean Tong shook his head, dismissing the chaotic thoughts, and applied paste to the empty spot on the announcement board before posting the equestrian master recruitment announcement.
Having newly acquired horses, there was a need to parade them around openly, wasn’t there?
The previous physical skill masters had superb riding skills, but unfortunately were temporary; only coming occasionally for half a day. Now that there were more horses, all the children needed riding lessons, requiring a full-time professional equestrian master.
After Qin Yao and her daughter left the Women’s Academy, seeing it was still early, they headed straight to the South Market Bookstore, purchasing all the supplementary books Si Niang needed.
They strolled about the street for a while, and only returned home once they were satisfied.
By dusk, the private academy classes in Kuanzheng Square had ended, the streets were full of children walking together, chirping, jumping, so full of life.
Si Niang’s enrollment was successfully settled, the mother and daughter were in high spirits, holding hands as they walked through the alley, discussing the Divine Power Book Boxes in the children’s hands, and whose were more interesting.
As they walked, Qin Yao glanced inadvertently over to the opposing alley, catching sight of a familiar back.
She halted.
Seeing her mother stop, Si Niang turned back and called, puzzled, "Mother?"
Qin Yao kept her gaze on the figure in the opposite alley, lifted a hand and made a hush gesture to Si Niang, revealing a mischievous smile.
Though Si Niang blinked her big eyes, not quite understanding, she obediently closed her mouth, trailing behind Qin Yao as the pair sneakily entered the opposite alley.
Wang Jin was intently standing before the carriage, directing the servants to unload its luggage, oblivious to the approaching presence behind him.
Technically speaking, he could sense people passing by, but as classes just let out, many children were passing by, so he wasn’t paying close attention.
Thus, it was no surprise the sudden hand placed on his shoulder startled him into a shudder.
"Who!"
Wang Jin turned around, horrified, goosebumps rising on his cheeks.
Because that hand on his shoulder instinctively made him think of some unpleasant, bloody scenes.
Qin Yao waved, "Hi! Lord Wang."
