C113

Ran Hao silently walked in from outside the door. When he smelled the heavy fragrance of the incense in the room, he secretly heaved a sigh of relief. He lightly closed the door and walked towards the incense burner.

Zhao Qingyan feared the light at night, so the curtain covering the window completely blocked out the morning light. The room was still as dark as before. But no matter how dim the light was, it was enough to make out the small amount of cinders on the table by the incense burner.

Ran Hao stopped abruptly. His face turned pale and he wanted to turn around to see if Zhao Qingyan was still awake. However, his body remained stiff and unable to move.

"What is it? "You dare to put incense in my mouth yet you don't dare to look at me?" Behind him, Zhao Qingyan's chuckling voice could be heard, along with the rustling sound of her sitting up from the bed.

Ran Hao's fingertips tightened nervously, but he still slowly turned around and kneeled down, lowering his head without saying a word.

"Lift your head and look at me." Zhao Qingyan said lightly as he raised his eyebrows, "Why are you so afraid of me?" Even if I didn't find out, are you still planning to keep it a secret from me? "

Ran Hao raised his head, took a glance at him and then quickly lowered his eyes, "Hao, I dare not."

It was unknown whether it was because he was angry or because he had not rested well, but Zhao Qingyan's expression did not look good. There was a faint smile on his face and his eyes were as dark and hard to understand as ever.

Zhao Qingyan looked at him for a while and suddenly said, "Stand up. I won't be angry this time."

Ran Hao was stunned. He glanced at Zhao Qingyan and quickly bent down to apologize: "This subordinate knows his wrongs and asks Young Master to punish me severely."

"Punishment? What punishment could I possibly have? " Zhao Qingyan sighed, "If I was angry, I wouldn't have watched you leave. Or perhaps, I won't allow you to put incense in a censer. "

Ran Hao's expression changed, "Young Master was still awake at that time?"

Zhao Qingyan glanced at him and said, "I haven't been sleeping." He reached out to grab his clothes and threw them on, then stood up to open the window and muttered, "You think you're the only one who misses your master? I don't want to, do you?"

Ran Hao was momentarily at a loss for words.

Zhao Qingyan turned around and leaned against the window, lowering his eyes to look at Ran Hao, "You can see now, there are many people watching my every move, I can no longer be as carefree as before."

Ran Hao listened silently, and still did not speak.

Zhao Qingyan did not seem to want him to answer. He leaned forward and poked the window lightly with his finger. "You will be the champion soon. I hope you do not make this kind of mistake again. I do not want to see it happen."

Ran Hao pursed his lips and said in a low voice: "I will not offend you again, please rest assured young master."

Zhao Qingyan looked out of the window for a while and then lightly said, "Go out and take a look around to see if there are many people watching. If there aren't many people, go to the Wind Cloud Pavilion yourself. "If someone is watching, then write a letter to Feng Yunxuan's branch and ask them to send it over. Tell them that I will be there in a few days.

Ran Hao asked: "Young master has guessed it too?"

Zhao Qingyan turned to look at him and frowned, "What?" Who else? "

Ran Hao repeated what Ran Xingchen had said, looking at Zhao Qingyan with a worried expression.

"He went too." After all, he had not slept for the entire night. The fatigue on Zhao Qingyan's face was obvious, and even if she intentionally tried to hide it, it could not be concealed, "Let me rest for a while. Wake me up in two hours. You can go out when I wake up. " He left the window open and went back to lie down, staring at the sky.

Ran Hao silently stood up, took the ashes out of the incense burner and poured it outside, then lit a new calming incense.

"Hao, what do you think they chose this time of day for?" Zhao Qingyan shrunk back into the blanket and covered her chin as well as she spoke softly.

Ran Hao said, "The time for choosing the champion has been decided when Master Bai told the Crown Prince. Maybe it's just because the young lord is close to being hired?"

Zhao Qingyan said, "The number one choice is extremely expensive. With just Bai Zhen, it's impossible to decide the timing. The University Scholar could hand over the organization of the event to him, but it was impossible for him to leave the entire matter to Bai Zhen to decide. Not only Qingfeng, your master also has a deep friendship with a Grand Scholar. What reason did he have to set the date of the event to three days before his appointment, the date of your Master's death? "

Ran Hao did not answer, he only looked at Zhao Qingyan's pale face and said: "I will go to Feng Yunxuan to ask for information, I will get the result in at most ten days. Young Master, don't think too much."

Zhao Qingyan sighed lightly and nodded. She then shrunk back into her blanket. "Help me fill in a handstove. It's a little cold."

A hint of worry flashed across Ran Hao's eyes. He silently nodded his head and went to the brazier in the corner of the room to fill up the brazier with charcoal for Zhao Qingyan, then went to the corner to fill the brazier with new charcoal.

Zhao Qingyan hugged the furnace to her chest and adjusted to the temperature. Then, she turned around and slowly closed her eyes.

Ran Hao stood there for a while, waiting for the scent of the incense in the room to dissipate before closing the window. Only then did he go outside to meditate and rest.

— —

"Please pass on my message that an old friend has come to request a meeting." Jiang Wuyan took out a bamboo token about the size of a finger and handed it over to the guard outside the manor.

The guard was slightly startled, but he seemed to be in a difficult position: "Isn't it inconvenient at this time? If it's not an emergency, could you please come back another day? " Glancing at the busy servants, he shrugged his shoulders helplessly.

Jiang Wuyan took out a silver note and wrapped it around the token before handing it to the guard, "Please pass this to me, Master Hou will be willing to see me."

When the guard saw the corner that appeared from his palm, a sliver of surprise appeared in his eyes, and the resolution on his face wavered slightly. In the end, he took the medallion and said, "Then please wait for a moment, I'll ask the duke for his permission. "If the duke doesn't wish to see you, then …"

Jiang Wuyan smiled slightly, "It's alright, as long as I'm able to help."

Only then did the guard relax. He said a few words to the guard beside him and quickly left.

Jiang Wuyan wasn't in a hurry. She clasped her hands behind her back as she looked at the bustling Marquis Mansion. There was a hint of a smile in her eyes, as if she was reminiscing about something.

He didn't have to wait long before the duke of Trojan Horse personally arrived. His gaze landed on Jiang Wuyan and he frowned, "Jiang Wuyan?"

Jiang Wuyan threw up her hands and asked, "Is the duke not going to invite me in?"

The Duke of the Trojan Horse had a complicated look in his eyes. It was clear that he did not welcome him, but he still took half a step back. He made a 'please' gesture, then turned around to lead the way.

With the Marquis of the Trojan leading the way, Jiang Wuyan naturally wouldn't be stumped by the formation. He followed the marquis for three steps, and even had the leisure to look around. Unlike the outside, the courtyard and surroundings of the marquis were extremely quiet. No one moved. Walking in the middle of the formation with properly trimmed shrubs and flowers, the only sounds that could be heard were the light breeze blowing the leaves and the sound of the flowing spring water. He could not help but feel relaxed and his heart became much calmer.

It was obvious that the duke of Trojan Horse didn't have the mood to enjoy the beautiful scenery with him. He directly went to his study and said indifferently, "Sit as you wish. If you don't need tea, I won't look for someone else to brew it for me."

Jiang Wuyan smiled, "Is this the way the duke treats his guests?"

The marquis looked at him and said slowly, "You are an uninvited guest that I did not expect."

Jiang Wuyan didn't care about these details. She sat down with a light expression and a smile on her lips, "What should come will eventually come. There's no way to avoid it." Even if Master Hou wants to end this here, you still have to ask us what we mean, no? "

The marquis' eyes carried a bit of ridicule as he said, "That's right, what should come will eventually come. But I didn't expect that you, an 'old friend', would come."

Jiang Wuyan stroked her chin and asked leisurely in reply, "Could it be that Your Lordship has someone waiting for you?"

The Duke of Trojan Horse turned a deaf ear to his words and spoke in a deep voice, "It's been so many years, can't you let this matter pass?"

"Is that possible?" Jiang Wuyan snorted disdainfully, "As long as that thing is still there, it's impossible to get there."

The marquis was silent, and after a long time he asked in a low voice, "What else do you want? So many people have died, is that not enough? "

Jiang Wuyan said, "As long as it's possible, I definitely don't want this matter to continue." But do I have a choice? You want me to deceive myself that that thing will never be discovered? " He laughed coldly a few times as his eyes narrowed, "Before they were even discovered, the Ren Sect had already ordered the slaughter of the clan. "If we were to be discovered, not to mention the nine clans, even ten clans wouldn't be enough."

The marquis was speechless.

Jiang Wuyan changed her position and raised her chin a bit, "Or do you think that Yun Mo can protect the Mansion of the Marquis? The current him is far from qualified. "

The marquis took a deep breath and suppressed his anger. "I admit that I have my own selfish motives in marrying Qing Han to him, but I definitely do not have the intention of using this as a threat to protect myself."

Jiang Wuyan raised an eyebrow, "I don't care about marriage, what I care about is what the duke plans to do." That thing of self-deceiving prayer will never be discovered? A life and death struggle for the life of a descendant's family? Or perhaps, it would be better if we could clarify this matter with Yun Mo and have him help us steal that thing? "

"Absolutely not!" The duke of Trojan Horse let out a soft cry, only then did he see the ridicule in Jiang Wuyan's eyes, "Don't use Mo'er anymore, he can't take any more of this."

"Use it?" Jiang Wuyan sneered, "At the very least, I met him without knowing about it. It was all thanks to your meticulous plans that you made an engagement with the Qi King Manor."

"This was not my intention."

Jiang Wuyan said, "Yes, it wasn't your intention. It was your father's idea. It was only natural for a father to repay his son's debts. Furthermore, why haven't you rescinded the engagement for more than ten years? Don't you feel guilty? "

The Duke of Trojan Horse also became a bit angry. "What right do you have to blame me?"

Jiang Wuyan's expression immediately changed and the mocking look on her face disappeared. "Since the both of us are in the same situation and we don't have a better choice, cooperation is the best option for us, right?"

The duke of Trojan knew that he had fallen into his trap, but he couldn't refute him. He only asked, "Do you want my answer now?"

Jiang Wuyan shook her head, "Of course not. After all, our differences are not small." I am only notifying the marquis in advance. The marquis will think about it slowly, so we are not in a hurry. "

The eye of the marquis moved and he asked: "You guys? Who else? Feng Yunxuan or the Poison Wine Hall? "

"Yu Yin Pavilion." Jiang Wuyan gave a vague answer before asking, "Does the duke care?"

As expected, the marquis didn't pursue the matter any further. He pondered for a moment and said, "Can I give you a concrete answer after Mo'er has left?"

Jiang Wuyan, of course, had no objections, "I'd rather not." He leisurely stood up and said, "Then I won't disturb the duke anymore. I'll visit again in a few days." He stretched out his hand.

The marquis returned the token and asked, "Can you get out by yourself?"

Jiang Wuyan said, "Follow the route you've taken to get back to the city. There should be no problems."

The duke of Trojan Horse said, "Then I won't be sending you off. Let's go."

Jiang Wuyan didn't mind the duke's attitude. She cupped her hands in a farewell salute and left without waiting for the duke to return the gesture.

The marquis remained silent for a long time, then he suddenly ordered, "Wood Decay, go and prepare the divination materials for me. I'll go and bathe in incense."