Chapter 106: Missed

  Thank you for the two pink votes from Die Xue, and thank you for the 2 rewards of peace symbols from Feng Guo Liu Xiang 01.

  On this day, Madam Jun from Qingjin's mother's side sent someone to say that the jewelry made for the young lady a few days ago was ready and asked her to go take a look. If there were any unsatisfactory parts, it would be best to have them fixed while the jeweler was still around.

  Qing Jin heard the words from the maid beside Jun Shi and nodded to the maid who came to deliver the message, just as she was about to follow the maid to Jun Shi's courtyard, she saw Yuanyang hurrying in from outside.

  Seeing Qingjin and Junshi's maidservants walking out, Yuanyang wanted to speak but hesitated.

  Qing Jin saw Yuanyang like this, Ma Shan understood that Yuanyang had something to say to her, so he spoke to the maid beside Junshi: "You go outside and wait for me first!"

  "Yes, miss!" The maid saw the hurried look on Yuanyang's face and knew that the second young lady must have something to say to her personal maid, so after Qingjin finished speaking, she wisely pretended not to see the two of them, bowed politely, and walked out to wait for Qingjin outside.

  After the maid left, Yuanyang didn't wait for Qingjin to ask and spoke directly to her: "Miss, our people have received news that Master Shuijingchen is leaving the capital today."

  "Is that so? Then come with me, we'll go to Banzhao Temple right away." Qingjin heard Yuanyang's words and decisively opened her mouth, striding quickly towards the outside, with Yuanyang following closely behind her.

  Who would have thought that Qing Jin had just walked out of the door when a figure rushed towards her, "Second sister, I know I was wrong. Please speak to mother for me, I don't want to marry an old man, I don't want to be a step-wife."

  Qing Jin instinctively dodged when she felt something pouncing towards her. Upon hearing these words, she shouted at the figure that had fallen to the ground: "Gu Qing Xia?"

  "Waaah... Second sister is me, I know I was wrong." Hearing Qing Jin's voice coming from beside her, Gu Qing Xia lifted up her head, her face covered in tears, and got up from the ground. She rushed towards Qing Jin, grabbing onto her hand and said: "Second sister, you go tell mother..."

  Qing Jin was anxious about the matter at Banruo Temple, and upon seeing Gu Qingxia rush over, she frowned and said: "What's with this getup of yours?" But it was clear that she didn't want to bother with this matter.

  "Second sister. It was always my fault, I shouldn't have taken advantage of second sister not arguing with me and repeatedly made things difficult for her. Second sister, I won't dare again, please go ask mother to plead on my behalf, I don't want to marry that Sun gentleman."

  Qing Jin looked at Gu Qing Xia's tear-stained face and took out a handkerchief to gently wipe away her tears and dirt. Her movements were soft and warm, causing Gu Qing Xia's body to stiffen slightly. She numbly let Qing Jin wipe her face, a hint of delight flashing across her heart.

  Qing Jin ignored Gu Qing Xia's stiffness and didn't miss the delight in her eyes. She gently wiped Gu Qing Xia's face clean, then handed the dirty handkerchief to Yuanyang beside her.

  Then, faintly to Gu Qingxia: "What is the fifth sister saying, this appearance. I thought my mother had done something to you, and the fifth sister was not young anymore. A man should get married when he grows up, a woman should get married when she grows up, why are you crying like this? It's as if you've suffered a great injustice, and people will misunderstand my mother..." She paused here, looking at the little maid following Gu Qingxia, "How do you serve your family's young lady? Remember not to let her run out with such disheveled appearance in the future. What if she runs into guests coming to our house?"

  That little maid heard Qingjin's words and immediately said with a tremble: "Second Miss is right, I know my fault, I deserve to die!"

  Qing Jin glanced at her, "You are the maid of the fifth sister, whether you should die or not is up to me to decide. However, your master's behavior is improper, and as a personal maid, you didn't advise your master, instead letting her run out like this with an unseemly appearance. You're indeed very derelict in your duty. I'll report your problem to mother another day, now hurry up and take your young lady back!"

  After finishing speaking, he handed Gu Qingxia over to her personal maid and walked out with his servants.

  Gu Qingxia and the little maid were stunned by Qingjin's actions and words, and when they came to their senses, they saw Qingjin bypassing them. Gu Qingxia thought that Qingjin had just wiped her face for her, preparing to help her, but unexpectedly, Qingjin still looked as ruthless as ever. She was really scared now, so she pushed the little maid away and pounced on Qingjin again. Qingjin dodged without a trace, and Gu Qingxia fell to the ground, but managed to grab onto Qingjin's sleeve.

  "Second sister, I know I was wrong, help me."

  "Let go!"

  "No, Second Sister..." Gu Qingxia pulled at Qingjin's clothes, she couldn't let go.

  Xiu Zi was pulled by Gu Qingxia, Qing Jin's heart was anxious to hurry to the Banruo Temple to find Shui Jingchen, impatient in her heart, she took out a dagger from her body.

  The people around were bewildered, and when they saw Qingjin take out a dagger, they widened their eyes in shock. Could it be that Second Miss wanted to kill Fifth Miss? But what they didn't know was that Qingjin only wanted to cut off the sleeve that Gu Qingxia was holding onto.

  Just as Qing Jin's dagger was about to fall, Wu Niang was about to be splattered with blood within five steps. The people around couldn't help but close their eyes, and the timid ones were almost unable to stand upright.

  "Second sister, don't...don't kill me..." Gu Qingxia was frightened to the point of having a pale face, feeling helpless and weak, just like a fragile lamb waiting to be slaughtered.

  At that moment, Gu Qingxia made Qingjin think of herself, unable to resist her own fate. She looked down on him and said, "Who says I want to kill you? I just want to cut off the hand you're using to pull my sleeve." Her eyes were fixed on Gu Qingxia's hand, which was grasping her clothes.

  Seeing Qing Jin looking at her hand, Gu Qing Xia subconsciously loosened her grip on Qing Jin's clothes, her eyes filled with pleading as she looked at Qing Jin and said: "Second sister..."

  Qing Jin's footsteps, which had initially been about to turn and leave, came to a sudden stop. She turned her head and looked at Gu Qingxia, who was cowering on the ground, saying: "Gu Qingxia, I usually don't bother you, but since you like to cause trouble, go ahead and do so. Others may only say that you're boring, but I'm magnanimous. Just wait until I get the chance, and with one slap, I'll knock you dead, making you cry without being able to turn over."

  When Qing Jin finished speaking, Gu Qingxia's face turned pale. Just as she was about to say something, Qing Jin didn't wait for her to speak and continued, "You're very lucky today, but remember, this is your last stroke of good luck." After saying that, he hastily left the courtyard without waiting for anyone's reaction.

  Gu Qingxia sat on the ground, staring blankly at Qing Jin's receding back, thinking about the words that had just made her feel like she would never be able to turn things around. Her face was ashen, but suddenly she thought of Qing Jin's last sentence, and she lifted her head, gazing at the spot where Qing Jin had vanished from view, a mixture of tears and laughter on her face.

  Qing Jin came out from the courtyard and handed over to the maid who was waiting outside by Jun Shi's side, asking her to tell Jun Shi on her behalf that she had something important to attend to and would be leaving the mansion for a while. Then, accompanied by Yuanyang, she hastily got into the carriage of the Anji Marquis' residence and hurried towards the Banruo Temple.

  The carriage of the Anji Marquis's mansion stopped at the gate of the Banruo Temple, where Qingjin was on board. She happened to see a group of monks standing at the temple gate, as if they were seeing off an important person.

  Qing Jin got down from the horse carriage and stood at the temple gate. The monk who was about to turn around and go back into the temple saw Qing Jin's gaze flash like lightning among the group of monks, and his eyes landed on a familiar old monk with white eyebrows and a white beard in the middle - it was none other than Kong Wu Da Shi, whom Qing Jin had met before.

  Legend has it that Master Kongwu rarely meets outsiders, and in the capital city, those who can get Master Kongwu to personally see them off are limited to the most noble person under heaven, and perhaps Water Mirror Dust, Master Kongwu's favorite disciple. Just now when she came over, I didn't notice any special person or carriage, so the person Master Kongwu saw off is likely...

  "Master Kongwu." Although she thought that aside from the most noble person and Shuijing Chen, there shouldn't be anyone else in the capital worthy of Master Kongwu's personal sendoff, Qingjin couldn't help but call out to him.

  The Empty Void Master, who was turning around, heard someone calling out and stopped in his tracks. He turned around and looked towards Qing Jin's direction, his eyes changing from confusion to certainty as he spoke to her: "Miss Gu?"

  Qing Jin heard that Kong Wu had recognized her with one glance, and walked to his front, saying: "Master, do you still remember this humble woman?"

  "Of course I remember." His eyes were empty and clear.

  "Is Master bringing all of you out to see someone off?" Qing Jin finally spoke up and asked.

  Kong Wu heard Qing Jin's question and his gaze cleared up as he looked over, reciting a Buddhist mantra to Qing Jin: "Amitabha!"

  Qing Jin heard the empty and default-like "Amitabha" and fell silent. She thought that if she had heard the news of Shui Jing Chen's departure, she would have been very disheartened. However, now that it was confirmed, she felt a mix of emotions - she was indeed disheartened, yet at the same time, she also felt a great sense of relief.

  From the moment she met Shuijing Chen, it seemed like she had been causing trouble for Shuijing Chen all along. Now that she wanted to design an escape from marriage, she also wanted to use Shuijing Chen to protect the Anji Hou Mansion after her disappearance, when Emperor Ming was going to punish the Anji Hou Mansion. However, unexpectedly, Shuijing Chen took a step ahead and left first. But it's good that he's gone!

  "Miss Gu wants to enter the temple?" Kong Wu asked politely, looking at Qing Jin who was silent.

  "No... I won't go in then. My mother is still waiting for me at home, I'll come to the temple again next time to burn incense and worship Buddha!" Qing Jin heard Kong Wu's words, thought for a moment, and prepared to return to the manor.

  "In that case, I won't see you off!" said Kong quietly with an empty expression.

  "Master, no need for more courtesy! This humble woman takes her leave!" After saying that, she led the swans back to the carriage of the Marquis of Anji's estate.

  Kong Wu stood at the gate of Bao Ruo Temple, watching the horse carriage of Anji Marquis's mansion gradually move away. He silently chanted a phrase: "Amitabha!" and led the monks behind him back into the temple.

  On the carriage inside Angjiehou's mansion, Yuanyang looked at Qingjin who was distracted and asked: "Miss, judging from Kong Wu Da Shi's appearance, Shuijing Chen Da Shi shouldn't be far away. If we drive the carriage to chase after him, we should definitely catch up. Miss, why don't you let the coachman go and take a look?"