Chapter 61
Chapter 61.1: He’s Called, Qing Ye Li
“How is that the same?” Yue Xin Yan glanced at him. “When you said this Princess here is lively and adorable, aren’t you also saying that I’m just like a child and not all that womanly?”
“…..” Baili Ji Ran choked on his breath. [This little one is really quite a handful.]
“Let’s go in. Standing out here by the doors seems a little inappropriate.” Qing Ye Li said emotionlessly, interrupting the two of them and then making his way inside on his own. It was only with that that Yue Xin Yan then let Baili Ji Ran off and went inside together with Qing Ye Li.
Baili Ji Ran rubbed his nose, feeling a little helpless. To think that there would be a day that his gift of the gab, his eloquent and witty tongue that charmed both men and women would fail him.
As Yan Su and Yan Xi Cheng held official positions, besides having to attend the Imperial Court on most days, they had many other duties to handle as well. Hence they were both not in the manor, with everything left in Yan Ning Luo’s hands to manage.
The women in the inner courtyard had all received news of this and they all were all eager to go to the main hall out front to have a look. However, Yan Ning Luo had made it clear before that the important guest today was beyond extraordinary and if they came to cause any affront to the guest, it would not be just simply be a light punishment that would be dealt on them. With those words told to them in no uncertain terms, no matter how much they were unable to suppress the urge in their hearts, they did not dare to even step out to the front casually.
The people coming today were to be a revered duke and a princess from another kingdom. Although Qing Ye Li had always kept a low profile, but with his illustrious identity and the widely spread assassination attempt from before, his closest aide and his Chief of Guards just could not allow him and the Ninth Princess to go out alone.
Although this was the Eternal Peace Duke Manor, the most closely guarded place outside of the Imperial Palace, no one could guarantee that any unexpected accidents would not occur. So the Chief of Guards had picked a small team of the most elite to protect the Duke closely, which would not draw so much attention, their numbers totalling only fifteen including the Chief of Guards himself.
The team of guards were all dressed in valiant and refreshing blue armour, all of them tall and highly resplendent, an eye catching sight. The young maids were all blushing red as they passed, their made up faces and rouged cheeks seductive looking.
Qing Bei had sat cross legged in his room to meditate and cultivate his powers the entire night and although he had not slept at all throughout it, he was still feeling energetic. It was easy to go without sleep once one reached a certain level.
By the time he came out, the servant maid had already gotten breakfast prepared, and was waiting respectfully at the side. “Second Young Master, your morning meal is ready.”
After a while Qing Yu came in from outside. She was wearing a very simple and plain white workwear, highly different from the graceful dresses she usually wore. Her hair was tied up high upon her head, her exquisite and beautiful countenance tinged with a certain handsomeness from the thin sheen of perspiration over her cheeks.
“What have you been doing?” Qing Bei asked, looking at her in surprise.
Qing Yu poured out a cup of tea moisten her throat before she said with helplessness: “Didn’t you say my herb beds were all dead? So I cleared them all up and replanted a new batch afresh.”
Qing Bei clicked his tongue in exasperation. “Shouldn’t you have just let it to the servants? But why would you need to replant a new batch?”
Hearing that, Qing Yu rolled her eyes helplessly. “Those little babies of mine all contain lethal poison, and I am the only one who knows how to handle them. Any person who touches them will instantly die and I do not want anyone to lose their life here in the Tranquil Abode. And, also because they are pretty to look at and it puts me in a good mood when I see them.”
“…..” Truly an answer that he was unable to refute.
The two of them were enjoying their breakfast when the familiar voice that they always heard before they would see the person rang out.
“Little Sister Qing Yu.” That overly sweet voice was none other than Yan Xi Ruo, with her signature pink dress, like a fluttering pink butterfly, a sweet looking young lady.
Behind her was Yan Xi Wu in a light blue dress. The two them were always not too far away from each other. They were clearly not as close as they showed themselves to be on the surface, but they still stuck to each other all the time, which was just puzzling to people.
Hearing that voice, Qing Yu froze for a moment, before she raised up an eyebrow as she turned to look. “Something our two elder sisters need?”
Chapter 61.2: He’s Called, Qing Ye Li
Upon seeing Qing Yu again, the two of them were again bedazzled by her Heaven defying beauty for a moment. They then turned to look at the similarly good looking youth with his handsome features and said: “Is this Little Bei? We haven’t seen you for a number of years and you’ve become more and more handsome.”
Qing Yu was speechless. “…..”
And so was Qing Bei. “…..”
[Have these two people come here to make clowns out of themselves?]
[With the Tranquil Abode in such a far away place, could they possibly have come all the way here just to praise them for their looks?]
The two sisters did not seem to have noticed their faces and Yan Xi Ruo acted all too familiar, coming to sit herself down beside Qing Yu, holding her arm intimately. “Qing Yu, after breakfast, let’s go out for a stroll together!”
“? !” Qing Yu’s face was flabbergasted as the youth opposite her gave her a deep meaningful glance with his eyes.
“Could these two women possibly thought up some dumb idea to bring us trouble again?”
“It doesn’t look like it. Moreover, After the last time, they have been rather friendly to me.”
“You can see a person and his face but you can’t see into their hearts. They must have dreamt up a idea to make you go out and humiliate yourself. This is not the first time they have done this. Grow a memory for Heaven’s sake!”
Qing Bei immediately thought back to the Qing Yu from six years ago, where she had foolishly been played and toyed by these very two sisters.
Seeing that Qing Yu had not responded to her, Yan Xi Ruo became a little anxious. “Qing Yu, do you know that we have a very important guest in our manor today?”
“Important guest?” As the Tranquil Abode was faraway from the main hall, they had not heard any news about that.
“That’s right. Do you know who it is?”
Qing Yu raised an eyebrow. “Who?”
“It’s the Ninth Princess and the Duke of Vast Seas! Don’t you just want to go have a look?” Yan Xi Rou looked at her excitedly.
Yan Xi Ruo had greatly admired all those famous heroes from a young age and even with the Duke of Vast Sea’s notorious infamy, she was still as infatuated with him as ever. She had been seated so far away from him at the banquet previously and she had not even been able to see him clearly. But this time, he had come right into the Eternal Peace Duke Manor itself!
How could she not be excited by that? She would finally be able to see Qing Ye Li close up!
“The Duke of Vast Sea is here?” These words suddenly tumbled out. Qing Yu had not shown much of a reaction but it was instead Qing Bei who had been casting a highly impatient gaze upon the pair of sisters who was astounded a moment, before he then asked in shock.
Yan Xi Rou immediately saw that opportunity and she struck while the iron was still hot. “Little wants to go see as well don’t you? The Duke of Vast Seas is not someone people are able to meet that easily. He will be returning to the Water Edge Kingdom in a few days and there wouldn’t be another chance to see him then!”
Rumours abound out there about how terrifying that man was, but these few people here seemed to worship and like him quite a lot.
Qing Yu arched up an eyebrow thoughtfully and then said with a smile. “Since my elder sisters want to see the Duke of Vast Sea, why are you not going on your own but have come to ask me along?”
Once those words came out, Yan Xi Rou’s face immediately twisted up with rage. It was Yan Xi Wu who quickly opened her mouth to explain. “Because Yan Ning Luo gave orders that no one is to go to the main hall today, setting the area out of bounds for us. She is the eldest daughter and we do not dare defy her.”
“Then what will I be able to do about that?” Qing Yu then asked with a helpless face.
“It is of course different for you.” Yan Xi Wu’s tone subconsciously became excited as she spoke, before seeming to realize she might have gotten caught up in the heat of the moment where she quickly restrained herself a little. “Father has personally given his orders and no one will dare to stop you at all. With the exception Yan Ning Luo, your words carry the most authourity in this manor.
“Is that so?” Qing Yu rubbed her chin with one hand, her alluring eyes casually narrowed lazily. “But I do not want to go see whoever that Duke of Vast Sea at all. And the main hall is so far away from here, the time taken will be enough for me to have a afternoon nap under the sun instead.”
“But…..”
Chapter 61.3: He’s Called, Qing Ye Li
“What I think, is that besides having looks that stand out from most people which makes him a rare sight to everyone, isn’t the Duke of Vast Sea just a person with one nose and two eyes like everyone else? Nothing all that interesting to see at all.” As she spoke, Qing Yu even let out a lazy yawn.
On Yan Xi Ruo’s face, it was written: [How could there be someone that can be so uninterested in the Duke of Vast Sea?]
Even Yan Xi Wu who was always able to hide her emotions was stunned for a moment, seeming like she had not expected such a reaction.
The two sisters continued to persuade for a long while but Qing Yu remained unmoved, which infuriated the pair of sisters to no end. They felt so much like saying some unpleasant words to vent their frustration but when they gazed upon that flawlessly beautiful face, they just could not bring themselves to do it, and they just left the place in a huff.
Seeing their angry backs leaving in helpless rage, Qing Yu could not help but burst out in laughter.
“Sis, are you really not curious about the Duke of Vast Sea in the least?” Qing Bei asked, looking at her in amazement, like he was looking at a person from another world, though she had indeed come from a different world.
“Huh?” Qing Yu blinked her eyes at him blankly. “Why should I be curious?”
Right from the beginning, she had already shown that she did not care about it at all.
“But if I were to tell you about his exploits, then you will definitely come to develop an interest in this person.” Qing Bei said, his face resolute and certain.
“Oh? Tell me something about him then.”
“Let’s not mention anything else yet, but it is rumoured that the Duke of Vast Sea had descended from another world as well. He’s not from our world.”
Qing Yu was a little surprised. “From another world?”
[So coincidental?]
“That’s right. He came to the Water Edge Kingdom more than ten years ago, and he was immediately bestowed with the title as the Duke of Vast Sea, a position that put him above all people, second to just one man. More than ten years ago, the Water Edge Kingdom was locked in a period of tumultuous war. But after the Duke of Vast Sea appeared, he immediately quelled the situation in the Water Edge Kingdom. If not for an unexpected incident seven years ago, the Water Edge Kingdom would now be the leader among the three kingdoms. The Water Edge Kingdom has an Emperor with unsurpassed intelligence and a highly meticulous mind. Together with the support from such a powerful Duke of Vast Sea, it was only natural that they would become the leader among the most powerful kingdoms.”
Qing Yu nodded her head after hearing that and said: “He is indeed a great talent. But how had his infamy as the god of slaughter come about?”
“It was when the Duke of Vast Sea was supporting the new Emperor to ascend to the throne. A group of rebels had attempted to strike at the frail and sickly new Emperor and in a fit of rage, the Duke of Vast Sea had washed the entire Imperial Palace with blood. It was said that red blood stained a great part of the sea before palace and that was how he got that name.” Qing Bei was indeed a loyal fan of the Duke of Vast Sea, who truly knew a lot about the man.
“It seems to me that he is not as cruel and brutal as the rumours say just falsehoods spread by hearsay.” Qing Yu commented in understanding.
“It is just a case of differing views among different people.” Qing Bei said sagely, before he suddenly laughed and continued to say: “But there is one thing that I think is a great coincidence.”
Qing Yu smiled and lifted her teacup to take a light sip before she asked: “What?”
“The Duke of Vast Sea has a special surname, that is just like ours. His surname is Qing.”
“Qing?” Qing Yu’s expression became flustered for an instant, suddenly having thought of something.
The youth had not noticed her change of expression as he went on to say: “That’s right. He is called, Qing Ye Li.”
The slender fingers froze, and the teacup slipped out from her grasp to fall onto the floor, resulting in a crash.
Qing Bei was startled and seeing that the expression on her face did not seem right, he asked with great concern: “Sis, are you alright?”
Qing Yu came back to her senses, and picked up another cup to fill it up. She took a big gulp of the tea and then said: “I’m fine. I did not hear you clearly just now. What did you say the Duke of Vast Sea is called again?”
“Oh. His name is Qing Ye Li, but as very few people dare to address him by his name, as time passed, not many people can remember it anymore.”
[His name is Qing Ye Li.]