Chapter 5: Faithful Words Grate Upon the Ear
Translator: Flying-Lines
Noticing Qingqing’s change, Qin Zizheng thought Qingqing was intimidated by Lord Seventh’s aura, so he stood up, walking to Lord Seventh reverently, “Qingqing is merely a country girl, a person with narrow view . Please forgive her if she has offended you inadvertently, on no account did she do that on purpose . ”
The man called Lord Seventh stood in front of them domineeringly, “Narrow view? I highly doubt that, so far she is the first person under the sun to speak to me like this . ” His voice was bitterly indifferent .
Qingqing withdrew her rattled thoughts, feigning calmness, “Lord Seventh, what you just said was no music to the ear . A country girl I am, I have been schooled since I was young . I’m literate enough to know the traits of loyalty, filial piety and the sense of courtesy, justice, integrity and shame . If your memory serves you right, you should be aware that what I just said was anything but offensive . If I’m convicted based on what I just said, I can only say that your mind doesn’t match your noble appearance, you are no leader material after all . ”
“Qingqing...”
Qin Zizheng was shocked to the core by how blunt that Qingqing could be .
He appreciated Qingqing’s straightforwardness, but he didn’t appreciate the way Qingqing blatantly voiced that out .
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Qin was about to help Qingqing out when he saw Lord Seventh lift one arm and gesture in the direction of Qin while making a sign of silence .
“Your name is Bai Qingqing?”
“Correct . ”
“The disciple of the Divine Physician?”
“Exactly . ”
“Do you have any idea what disease I developed?”
Bai Qingqing gazed at him, replying decently, “Blindness . ”
“Are you positive about the outcome?”
Qingqing was infuriated by his overbearing tone . She clenched her teeth, “I can only let you know the answer after I give it a try . ”
Lord Seventh responded with a sneer, “What you are saying is that I’m a guinea pig of yours . ”
“If you have to interpret it that way . ”
“Bai Qingqing, are you brave enough to make a bet with me?”
“What’s the bet?”
“I’ll allow you to have a try . If you cure me in a month, be it fortune or power, I reward you anything . If otherwise...”
Lord Seventh lifted the jade cane in hand with his expression shifting to a fierce one, pointing to Qingqing, “Your life is going to be at the mercy of me . ”
The atmosphere went down to ice cold immediately .
Qin Zizheng’s heart wrenched, he was about to help out when Bai Qingqing responded, “Fortune doesn’t interest me, power doesn’t excite me . I suggest we bet on something else if you are really keen on betting . ”
Her suggestion caught Lord Seventh’s attention, he raised his eyebrow with great interest, “Continue!”
Bai Qingqing walked towards him, gazing him directly into the eyes, “My life is at the mercy of you if I fail you, but you owe me an apology in person if I cure you . ”
The word “apology” was emphasized by Qingqing .
Not only Qin Zizheng was shocked by Qingqing, even Lord Seventh who wasn’t able to see anything frowned upon her boldness .
For those who didn’t know better would presume Bai Qingqing and Lord Seventh were sworn enemies .
The Prime Minister knew it very well that Bai Qingqing and Lord Seventh had not met each other before . But why did this little girl exasperate him verbally on the first encounter like he was her biggest enemy?
Everyone was mute . Bai Qingqing sneered at Lord Seventh, “Why? Too weak to take the bet?”
He smiled and replied softly, “Sure, I’m in . ”
Qin Zizheng felt like he was walking on a piece of drifting cloud until they left Ink Garden, what just happened was purely unrealistic .
How come it ended this way?
He intended to merely take Qingqing to treat Lord Seventh, how come that led to a bet?
After they got back home, the Prime Minister was so fidget that he kept pacing around in the room .
He would not allow any mishap to befall Qingqing in the capital city solely because she was trained by Mo Shoude in person for six years, just to put aside the fact that he adored Qingqing from the bottom of his heart .
However, no ordinary soul could afford to offend the one in Ink Garden .
What if Qingqing failed to cure Lord Seventh and that cost her life in the end? Didn’t that mean he inadvertently killed the child that he adored?
“Prime Minister, please quit pacing around, you are making me dizzy . ”
While Qingqing on the other hand, was enjoying a big apple lightheartedly . She disapproved the Prime Minister on being so nervous .
Qin Zizheng was infuriated by Qingqing’s attitude, he exhaled so heavily that his beard was blown up and down, “Little girl, have you got any idea the person you met at Ink Garden... who he really is?”
Qingqing lifted up her eyes and smiled, “Is he by any chance the Jade Emperor (the emperor with ultimate power in Chinese mythology)?”
“Are you still in the mood of kidding? Do you know you would probably lose your life if you cannot cure him?”
“Prime Minister, that’s only half of the bet, Lord Seventh said my life would be at his mercy if I fail to cure him, he didn’t say he would kill me for sure . And, why are you so sure that I cannot cure him?”
Qin Zizheng’s eyes lit up, he hastily walked to the chair opposite her and sat down, “Child, how positive are you on this bet?”
Bai Qingqing, who just finished her big apple, threw the core out . She smiled at Prime Minister, “I haven’t felt his impulse yet, so the answer still remains unknown . ”
Seeing him presume the long face, Qingqing consoled, “Prime Minister, when my master took me under his wing six years ago, he told me that I had auspicious features and blessed fate, luck would be on my side wherever I go . I understand your concern on the fatal disaster that my offense to Lord Seventh may put me into, but please show me a little trust that probably I am able to earn his apology in public by curing him . ”
Hearing that, Qin Zizheng couldn’t help but frown, he asked Qingqing with a bit curiosity, “Child, this question has been hovering in my mind since we left Ink Garden, there’s no hatred between you and Lord Seventh, right?”
Qingqing, who was picking up the tea cup and about to have some tea, gripped the tea cup harder unconsciously . She restrained the fidgetiness deep down and put on a smile, “What a question! I met Lord Seventh for the very first time today, we were perfect strangers to each other before today, is it possible for me to hold hatred against a stranger? Besides, he is such a dignified man, I’m merely a country girl, I fully understand the difference of social ranking between us . ”
“Hmm, you are aware of Lord Seventh’s true identity?”
Qingqing replied unhurriedly with a smile, “No, the only thing that I know is a person respected so by the first-ranked official is by no means someone that can be messed with or violated by a country girl like me . ”
Such a watertight reply convinced Qin Zizheng completely .
Qin Zizheng thought to himself that he was over thinking . Over the days spent with her, he found that Qingqing might be young by age, but her mind was quite sophisticated .
Mo Shoude was just an uncouth bumpkin, there stood no chance that this old friend of his mentored Qingqing, who was highly cultured and steeped in propriety .
To put it in other way, it was true that Qingqing was in plain clothes and of humble origin, but her attainment and knowledge stood out even among the ladies raised in noble families .
In addition, it was like this girl could read his mind, she managed to master his likings and preferences after living under one roof only for several days .
Surprisingly, she knew he enjoyed Longjing tea before the rain that brewed by morning dew, he tended to put a dish of assorted fruit by the chessboard when he played go .
The list could go on and on .
Things like that brought Qin Zizheng to suspect whether Qingqing knew him before .
When he witnessed the heated conversation between Qingqing and Lord Seventh, he couldn’t help but wonder whether the two knew each other before .
“Prime Minister, Lord Seventh is not that young, but when you took me to Ink Garden the other day, I didn’t see the madam, is he married...”