Chapter 78
Chapter 78 Nothing Sown, Nothing Reaped
Let her decide all these for herself!
Throughout the entire process, Second Madame and the others remained silent, as if they were mere passers-by. But even they had to stick out their tongues in shock. Hua Qiyue had suddenly become a prized commodity to the Four Great Families. Their resentment and jealousy became even stronger.
“Congratulations, Elder Sis. You have received such an honored invitation. I feel happy for you.”
Hua Mengshi said with a faint smile.
Her voice was utterly crisp, sweet with a feminine gentleness. It broke the silence of the hall. Everyone stared at Hua Mengshi.
They saw a girl in a pink skirt, with delicate, pretty features–very delectable.
Although she was not as beautiful as Hua Qiyue, her bearing was outstanding. As such, Baili Nan cast her additional glances.
“You must be joking, Second Sis. I know that Young Master Ouyang is generous. But the Dragon Cave is the prime treasure of the Ouyang family. How can I enter as an outsider? Nothing sown, nothing reaped. Thank you for your favor, Young Master Ouyang!”
Hua Qiyue said nonchalantly. So, she wasn’t at all interested in the Dragon Cave full of Crystals.
A tinge of astonishment clouded Ouyang Youche’s formerly clear and sparkling eyes.
Very few Qi Artists could resist the temptation of the Magic Crystals. Even a high-level Qi Artist would be attracted by the prospect of rapid advancement.
Yet Hua Qiyue had remained unmoved.
Everyone heard her and their countenances changed. All sorts of thoughts hovered in their minds. This girl was still quite an extraordinary girl after all. Had she something more powerful than even Magic Beast Crystals?
When they thought about how she defeated Princess Mingzhu in one move, everybody quietly inhaled in a cold breath.
Hua Qiyue slowly stood up, raising her wine cup with a radiant smile. “I know the thoughts of all present. They are absolutely sincere. But I, Hua Qiyue, cannot receive a reward without having done anything to deserve it. So thank you, all. If you wish to befriend me or Hua’s Mansion, we will be deeply honored!”
Hua Qiyue’s words made Old Madame and the Four Great Families all heaved a sigh of relief.
Her meaning was very clear. Although she would not accept any gifts from the Four Great Families, they could still be on friendly terms.
“Princess Jinghua is so pure and self-abnegating. I admire you greatly!” After some time, Ouyang Youche said with a smile. His eyes were full of admiration.
He could not see the gentle gaze from Hua Mengshi. Hua Qiyue before him was even more attractive. She was like a luminous body giving off mysterious allure and light, making one turn his gaze at her.
“Right, right! Princess Jinghua is so forthright! How delightful!”
“Her Highness is a true heroine, neither vain nor snobbish!”
Everyone said with a smile. Hua Qiyue toasted them one after another. The Old Madame saw Hua Qiyue’s practised civilities and was a little surprised.
The former Hua Qiyue was never this calm. It looked like her grand-daughter had really grown up! She had really changed!
Second Madame now opened her mouth with a smile. “Thank you for gracing our mansion. Why don’t we take our meals together?”
This sort of invitation would generally be extended by the owner of Hua’s Mansion. That the invitation came from Second Madame made it seem rather inappropriate.
But the Old Madame could not say anything with the guests around. She had to smile. “That’s right. I have already got the cooks to prepare dinner. Everyone should stay for this evening meal. It’s a rare reunion. I am most happy to oblige everyone in this hall.”
“Grandma is right. You are all honored guests. Don’t stand on ceremony since you’re here.” Hua Qiyue smiled faintly. Tianci stared at this man and that.
When he saw Xia Tian’s unfriendly eyes, Tianci became quite displeased. He tugged at Hua Qiyue’s robe sleeve.
No one was impolite enough to reject Old Madame and Hua Qiyue’s zealous offer. Of course, they wanted to ingratiate themselves on the Huas. The servants lay down their gifts one after another. Hua Qiyue did not reject them.
She knew that she had to accept the small presents if she rejected the big gifts.
These eminent families really did not lack money. Accepting the gifts would make it easy to talk. Everyone understood this principle in their hearts.
However, Hua Qiyue swept her gaze at Liu Mo. The Liu family was the Empress’s maternal family. This meant that Hua Qiyue was destined to have a great foe. Soon, she estimated, the Empress would not hold herself back and would act.
However, the Lius would have to think of the overall situation. Even if the Empress dealt with her, the Liu family would not support it.
After all, there were three other families Hua Qiyue had not offended.
Xia Tian was obviously very reluctant. He glared at Hua Qiyue sitting on the host’s seat and saw her calm and collected. She seemed not to have noticed him.
Of course, Hua Qiyue did not show any “lewdness” toward the other handsome men around. She was nonchalant and calm, totally indifferent.
Xia Tian could not help but be somewhat surprised. Was the former Hua Qiyue he met a pretence? Why did she have to pretend? To hide some mysterious truth?
Hua Mengshi was very warm to Ouyang Youche. Her manners, however, were appropriately demure. No one felt that she was too upfront.
Ouyang Youche, however, remained quite indifferent to her. His distant smile made Hua Mengshi feel very uncomfortable.
Dinner was ready. Everyone was seated. Ouyang Youche sat to the left of Hua Qiyue, the melancholic look in his eyes quite dissipated. There was now a strange gleam in his eyes.
“Oh, so this is the boy Master Xuanji got Her Highness to adopt. Well, his eyes are clear as spring water, his brows like distant mountains. His aquiline nose is firm. He has the physiognomy of someone who will achieve great things,” Liu Mo said with a smile. The others acquiesced.
Hua Qiyue smiled gently. “So long as he is healthy and safe, I will be satisfied.”
While she said this, Tianci suddenly put down his chopsticks. His face flushed as his hands quivered as in a spasm.
Hua Qiyue had a great fright. She stretched out her hand and touched him. His forehead was burning.
“Tianci, how are you feeling?” Hua Qiyue asked nervously. Her former calm had completely disappeared.
She stretched out her delicate jade-like hand and caressed Tianci’s forehead gently. So hot! Tianci gripped her arm tightly, his throat gurgling noisily.
Hua Qiyue was scared out of her wits. The only thing propping her up after her reincarnation had been Tianci.
If something untoward were to happen to Tianci, she could not live. “Tianci, how are you feeling? Get the physician, quick… no, get the horse carriage ready and head for Prince Nan’s!”
Hua Qiyue’s voice was quaking. She had completely forgotten the existence of the other guests in the hall. Everyone stared at her in great shock. Since the arena competition, no one had seen this strange upstart so flustered and alarmed.
“Yue’er, you are an unmarried girl. How can you bring Tianci to Prince Nan’s mansion personally?” The Old Madame bellowed fiercely and urgently.
After all, all the House Masters and young masters of the Four Great Families were here. If they witnessed Hua Qiyue bring her adopted son into Prince Nan’s mansion, there would surely be much idle talk!
The company looked at Hua Qiyue in shock as she swooped the shivering Tianci up into her arms. “Grandma, Tianci is my child. I can’t delay his rescue because of some superfluous formalities. Excuse me, everyone!”
As her voice descended, her figure had already streaked ahead like lightning, as rapid as a swift gale. She left only wafts of her perfumed scent.
The Old Madame sat there, her face ghastly.
Xia Tian could not help it and at last smirked coldly. “What’s so strange about this woman barging into Prince Nan’s mansion? Humph!”
“Tian’er! Say no more!”
Xia Yuan was almost about to throw up blood in rage. He thought that coming with him, his son might get acquainted with Hua Qiyue and they might like each other. If that happened, the Xia family would benefit.
He did not expect his blockhead son to dislike Hua Qiyue and oppose her instead. He made sarcastic remarks, making Old Xia regret his decision bitterly.
Xia Tian snorted coldly. Ouyang Youche said with an indifferent smile, “Old Madame, women nowadays make better Qi Artists than men. We can do without all these old and hackneyed formalities. After all, Prince Nan is a celibate and there are pharmacy apprentices everywhere in his mansion. They will conduct themselves respectably. Why should we care about other people’s gossip?”
Ouyang Youche’s words were more pleasant to the ears. The Old Madame’s countenance recovered a little. The other old men were not so pedantic and they hurriedly acquiesced. “Young Master Ouyang is right. Women nowadays are strong. We don’t need to follow these formalities so strictly.”
However, in their hearts, everyone was grumbling inwardly. Hua Qiyue must have the help of a mysterious master. The whole claim about her adopting a child to change her fate was absurd.
She insulted men’s intelligence and was completely lacking in womanly decorum.
Yet Hua Qiyue was still the person they needed to woo. So, no matter what, they have to concur.
The Old Madame thought about all the changes in Hua Qiyue over the period. For some reason, she started to worry. But once she remembered the dazzling Long Red, her heavy heart relaxed.
………
Hua Qiyue, with Tianci in her arms, did not wait for the horse carriage. Instead, she directly executed her Mourning Steps and dashed over to Prince Nan’s mansion, barging in after kicking open the door. She so astounded the apprentice guards that they left their posts to pursue her.
Hua Qiyue dashed into the grand hall, panting. She saw Yun Shimo taking his meal with Huangfu Xuan. Suddenly, they saw Hua Qiyue who had barged in and raised their eyebrows.
“Yun Shimo, quick… see what’s wrong with Tianci! Save him, quick!” Hua Qiyue yelled in terror. She placed Tianci on the inner couch. The two pharmacy apprentices rushed in. “Master… ”
“It’s alright. You two leave us.”
Yun Shimo waved his hand and strode into the inner hall. He saw Tianci lying on the long couch, his arms and legs shaking violently. There was a gurgling noise in his throat.
Hua Qiyue crouched on his side, her hand tightly grasping Tianci’s. Her other hand was frantically wiping off the cold sweat on his forehead.
“Tianci, are you alright? Don’t be scared, don’t be scared… We are with Uncle Prince… ”
The rims of Hua Qiyue’s eyes reddened. She looked terrified.
Yun Shimo and Huangfu Xuan both started. They had never seen Hua Qiyue like this before.
After she returned from Hanyue Temple, this woman had emanated a mysterious aura. She was collected when faced with all sorts of ordeals. She had never behaved in this way before.
Yun Shimo advanced and placed his fingers on Tianci’s pulse. He raised his brows quietly. “He’s fine… But the pill is too strong… You must have given him a strong dose?”
Hua Qiyue nearly threw up blood in rage. It was he who had made her split the pill into three parts for Tianci. Now, he was telling her she had given him too strong a dose?
“The medicine is a bit too strong. I will try now to revive his damaged Spiritual Qi.” Yun Shimo said quietly. He injected a whiff of silver Qi gently into Tianci’s palm.