Chapter 131 – Left on Foot or by Carriage
Yan Xiaosi’s brows knitted tightly.
She suddenly rushed forward two steps, grabbed Yan Shuqin’s slender arm, snatched the luminous stone, and shoved it at Yao Jin.
“Magistrate Yao, here’s the rock. Take good care of it. Since there’s nothing else, we’ll take our leave.”
“Eldest sister, let’s go.”
Not waiting for Yao Jin to respond, she directly pulled Yan Shuqin away and signaled for Ms. Zhong and the others to hurry and follow.
Yao Jin watched as their family of five left the hall without stopping them.
Only after Yan Xiaosi had taken her mother and three sisters out of the hall did he side-eye Yan Bozhang and ask, “Steward Yan, was that pretty girl earlier your third brother’s eldest daughter?”
He specifically mentioned Yan Shuqin. Yan Bozhang immediately understood his intention.
“Yes, sir. My third brother’s eldest daughter is named Yan Shuqin, seventeen years of age.”
“Seventeen years of age, just right. Has she been betrothed?”
“Sir, she is not betrothed yet.”
Yao Jin smiled with narrowed eyes.
Seeing Yao Jin’s lecherous smile, Yan Bozhang became even more certain he had taken a fancy to his third brother’s eldest daughter.
Over the years as Yao Jin’s Steward, he understood Yao Jin’s character intimately. Not only did Yao Jin bleed the people dry, he also liked bullying and violating women. He already had over a dozen concubines in the county courts’s rear courtyard.
Suddenly, Yao Jin’s smile vanished. “Let’s go pay our respects to General Zhan in the east wing first,” he said.
As for that girl, since he already knew her name, where she lived, and her background, she couldn’t escape from his clutches anyway.
The three men left the side hall for the east wing where Long Yu resided.
At the east wing’s outer courtyard, their way was blocked again by the Five Dragon Guards.
Long Er indifferently glanced at them and coldly said, “The general is dining. Magistrate Yao, please go back.”
Yao Jin smiled ingratiatingly and showed Long Er the rock he had just bought from Yan Xiaosi.
“This official obtained a treasure and specially came to present it to General Zhan. Please go in and announce it, Guard Long.”
Long Er lowered his gaze to the rock Yao Jin held.
The rock did look somewhat special.
“Please wait a moment, Magistrate Yao.”
Seeing Long Er go announce them, Yao Jin and Yan Bozhang father and son looked at each other, extremely excited.
Soon, Long Er returned and swept his indifferent gaze over the three men. “Please follow me,” he said coldly.
The three excitedly followed Long Er into the inner east courtyard to the dining hall before Long Yu.
With breakfast having been served, Long Yu and Murong Qinjian were playing chess and drinking tea. A mask covered half of Long Yu’s face, so his expression couldn’t be seen.
Unable to see if Long Yu was happy or angry, Yao Jin carefully approached, holding the rock, and said deferentially, “This official pays respects to General Zhan.”
“This commoner Yan Bozhang pays respects to General Zhan.”
“This commoner Yan Wenfeng pays respects to General Zhan.”
Yan Bozhang and his son followed Yao Jin in bowing, but Long Yu’s powerful aura and the pressure he emitted made them not dare lift their heads easily.
Long Yu didn’t even glance at them. His cool gaze stared steadily at Yao Jin.
“I heard Magistrate Yao came to present a treasure to me. Where is it?”
Hearing his calm tone, Yao Jin grew a bit bolder. He raised his head and presented the rock with both hands. “General Zhan, this is the treasure I wanted to present to you. It looks quite ordinary now, but at night it will glow. Its light can illuminate a whole room.”
“Oh.”
Long Yu acted very interested. He ordered Long Yi beside him, “Long Yi, take it.”
Yao Jin happily handed the rock to Long Yi, then pricked up his ears awaiting Long Yu’s reward. Yan Bozhang and his son also waited.
The three waited for a long time, but Long Yu simply continued his chess game with Murong Qinjian, completely ignoring them as if they were air.
Holding a black chess piece, Murong Qinjian glanced at the three men and asked in surprise, “Why are you three still here?”
Yao Jin wanted a reward but didn’t dare ask outright. He glanced at Long Yu and said, “General Zhan, do you have any orders for this official?”
Long Yu didn’t even look at him as he waved his hand. “You’re all dismissed.”
Since he had ordered them to withdraw, Yao Jin and the Yan father and son naturally didn’t dare linger. The three who had come feeling excited to present a treasure now left the east wing dejectedly.
Once out of the east wing, Yao Jin’s expression darkened as he gnashed his teeth. “I didn’t expect this General Zhan to be so ungrateful. He took my treasure yet didn’t reward us at all.”
The Yan father and son also had black faces.
They had originally hoped to gain favor with the nobleman through Yao Jin. They didn’t expect even Yao Jin himself hadn’t managed to curry favor.
“Magistrate Yao, father, are we just giving away that gemstone for nothing?” Yan Wenfeng asked, inciting Yao Jin’s fury.
Yao Jin glared fiercely at Yan Bozhang. “It’s given, what can we do?”
He didn’t dare go ask General Zhan to return the gemstone.
“It was all you father and son’s great idea, making this official unable to gain any benefit and losing twenty taels of silver.”
If he had followed his original plan to steal or seize the rock, he wouldn’t have had to lose twenty taels of silver.
Yan Bozhang didn’t dare get angry at being glared at. He smiled falsely at Yao Jin, “Sir, you fancied this subordinate’s third brother’s eldest daughter, didn’t you? This subordinate will find a matchmaker another day to ask for you so you can obtain a beauty.”
Hearing this, Yao Jin finally reined in his anger.
A beauty was worth twenty taels of silver.
At that moment, in the east wing.
Toying with the rock before him, Murong Qinjian glanced at Long Yu and said, “Long Yu, what kind of rubbish treasure is this? It’s just a luminous rock that glows at night. Don’t tell me you can’t even distinguish luminous rocks from night pearls now.”
Long Yu sipped some tea. “I’m not blind.”
“Since you know it’s a luminous rock, why take it? That bastard Yao Jin actually dared to use a mere rock to fool the Great Chu’s God of War and still wanted a reward. Simply preposterous,” said Murong Qinjian.
Why did he accept this luminous rock? Because he knew Yao Jin had spent twenty taels to buy this rock from Yan Xiaosi. If Yao Jin learned it wasn’t a gemstone at all, he would certainly look for Yan Xiaosi to settle accounts.
Realizing his own thoughts, Long Yu’s heart skipped a beat. His face stiffened as he didn’t answer Murong Qinjian.
Since when did he start caring so much about that brat’s life and death?
“This king takes what he wants to take. No reason needed,” he said.
Murong Qinjian: “…”
Long Yu raised his brows and looked at the Five Dragon Guards. “Has that brat left the county court?” he asked lightly.
Long Er replied, “He left safely.”
Long Yu said, “Did he leave on foot or by carriage?”
“What?”
Long Er thought he was hearing things.
His master actually cared whether another person left on foot or by carriage. His master was always coldly indifferent and never concerned himself with others like this before.
