Hot Spring Garden (Zheng Hall)

  Charming and passionate moonlight, hot blowing wind night, refreshing fragrance of flowers, misty green grass, sound of running water, curl of smoke, tea’s fragrance was permeating the inside of Zheng hall, brightly lit candle. Everything was very beautiful, but the atmosphere was somewhat anxious, awkward and strange…… Lou Xi Yan and Zhuo Qing already changed the wet clothings. Lou Xi Yan sat at the guest’s seat, he was holding a cup of green tea. The corner of his mouth was still lightly raised, slightly narrowed his eyes to stare at the floating and sinking tea leaves on his hand. He kept silent, but was unable to see if he was happy or angry. Qian Jing was half-leaning to the patio, hand was flipping a thin like cicada wing’s throwing knife, felt boring with impatience face. Mo Bai stood next to Lou Xi Yan, a pair of blue eyes took precaution to stare at Qian Jing’s sharp blade on his hand. Zhuo Qing was sitting at the furthest seat on the side, one hand was holding a pastry and the other hand was holding green tea. She was eating eagerly and drinking to enjoy herself quietly, completely ignoring a group of men who were competing secretly in the room.

  Qi Tian Yu swallowed his saliva, looked at this, once again looked at that, was thinking that it would be more awkward if he did not say anything. In any case, he was the host, softly coughing, Qi Tian Yu got up to walk in the middle of Zheng hall. Looking towards Lou Xi Yan, he laughed and said: “This is Lou Xi Yan.” Inconveniently and straightforwardly saying Xi Yan’s status, Qi Tian Yu hesitated in a moment, then continued to say: “He is…… my good friend.”


  Looking towards Qian Jing, Qi Tian Yu thought, finally vaguely said: “This is Qian Jing, also my good friend.”


  Lou Xi Yan slightly raised his head, indifferently smiled and deeply said: “Many thanks, to Qian Gongzi (an honorific call for a noble) to come to help just a moment ago.”


  He is Lou Xi Yan?! That man who was grace, sensitive to people’s need, well-known in the six countries!? Qian Jing secretly cursed, this man was also too fake, he was exactly this kind of face at the hot spring a moment ago!! Skimpily cupping his hands to greet, Qian Jing mockingly said: “I do not deserve your praise! Prime Minister Lou is really not the same person as his famous reputation!” That ugly woman was following after him, cheated to death, also did not know how she herself died!

  Eh…… What hatred did the two of them have?! Qi Tian Yu had no idea what was going on, but also was not stupid enough to immediately ask, hurriedly pointed toward the side, to Zhuo Qing who was unconsciously and happily eating, he smiled and said: “This is Miss Qing Feng from Hao Yue’s Country.”


  “One of the three pretty women of the Qing Family?” Qian Jing suddenly straightened up, he was staring at Zhuo Qing tenaciously, for a good moment, with a desperate face, sighed and said: “Ck, ck, rumor can not really be trusted, eh, no, absolutely can not be trusted……” He listened to countless people that said how the three Qing’s sisters were graceful, elegant and outstanding beauties, what refine and outstanding, what gentle and graceful, he once thought to go to Hao Yue to take a glimpse at the beautiful face…… Now it seemed…… Fortunately, he did not go!

  Softly putting one hand on his back, the sharp blade on his hand was already hidden somewhere, Qian Jing touched his nose and said: “I would better leave.” Otherwise he did not know what type of person would appear to come out? Jiang Hu is dangerous ah, ah, ah…… Qian Jing strode over to go out, Qi Tian Yu anxiously became aware and chased: “Hold on! Brother Qian do not urgently leave ah! We have not discussed about that one matter properly yet, correct?”


  Qian Jing stopped, waved his hand, impatiently answered: “Ok, ok, you look for me to manage the matter, I will manage it well. As for the price, I will calculate exactly according to the professional price, I will not extort you.”


  After considering it also, Qi Tian Yu nodded: “That is also ok!”


  Tian Yu was rarely in such a hurry, Lou Xi Yan’s brows gently knitted and asked: “Tian Yu, what difficult matter that you have not told me? Strictly speaking, I will not come to disturb you.”


  “No, no, Xi Yan, actually it was nothing major!” Looking at Lou Xi Yan who got up, Qi Tian Yu was also anxious, afraid that he misunderstood what the urgent matter was. Qi Tian Yu immediately said: “Well, the matter was like this, an unknown person came out of nowhere to my family’s grand casino to gamble for three days, he lost more than ten thousand liang, he firmly spoke an allegation that the casino cheated, wanted me to give back the money to him. This was an impossible matter, a trouble afterwards, he unexpectedly sneaked into the family’s home, it was reckoned that he wanted to kidnap Tian Xin to threaten me. The conclusion was that he kidnaped Tian Xin’s personal maid, Ru-er. It had been 2 days, Tian Xin was very noisy with me everyday, making the whole family could not feel peaceful, I just wanted to seek Brother Qian to help me find that kidnapper, save Ru-er and save me the trouble from Tian Xin.”


  There was such a thing? Lou Xi Yan knitted his eyebrows and asked: “Did you report the case to the authorities?”


  “I did report it, your health is not good, you also hold an important position with many different kind of affairs, I will not trouble you in this sort of trivial matter.” Originally, he wanted to say to Xi Yan, that he was still considering if he wanted to tell him about this when his chronic illness recurred once again, how could he trouble him then!

  “Did the government office have any news?” He estimated that there was not any, otherwise Tian Yu would not find someone for help.

  Sure enough, Qi Tian Yu answered fidgety: “There was not any news at all.”


  Originally, Qian Jing wanted to leave but hearing this here, he groaned disparagingly and answered proudly: “If it is not because of the authorities who are not able to accomplish this, otherwise what are you doing still looking for me.”


  Lou Xi Yan lightly raised his eyebrows, looked at the man who was facing the outside door. The Qi Family owned and managed the casino, even at the capital, they had to request an assistance from somebody, in the end, what kind of person? Furthermore, he and Qing Feng seemed to be old friends…… Since Qian Jing seemed to not refrain from his own identity, Xi Yan had also an interesting appearance. Qi Tian Yu brightly smiled and said: “Brother Qian is the most famous bounty hunter in Qiong Yue, Brother Qian is able to arrest and bring justice to a lot of people who can not be arrested by the authorities. He seeks to arrest the murderer in this aspect, is really awesome.”


  Bounty hunter! Qiong Yue definitely had a lot of bounty hunters, however the ones who could receive famous reputation’s praises, there were only two men, ‘Ye Mei’ (Night Charm), and ‘Ao Tian’ (Rambling Sky). He had not heard Qian Jing, or he was, ‘Ye Mei’ or ‘Ao Tian’.

  Lou Xi Yan was reckoning secretly, one clear sound of a woman’s voice that was not light nor heavy sneered: “Indeed very awesome, to arrest a criminal who is also able to let him run away, awesome ah!” Zhuo Qing patted her hands to get off of the crumbs of pastries, and with disapproval look on her face.

  The original proud face was motionless all of a sudden, glaring at Zhuo Qing, Qian Jing angrily said: “Woman, you do not need to be too arrogant, pay back the money!”


  Zhuo Qing was laughing: “You are indeed Qian (money) Jing (extremely-fine), want money like crazy, when do I owe you money. Alzheimer’s disease flares up?”


  What Alzheimer’s disease?! But it was not a good thing, Qian Jing stepped across to go inside the living room again, casted sidelong glances at Lou Xi Yan, and was scolding Zhuo Qing again: “You were wounded last time, I gave you the medicine that was valued at 50 liang!! 50 liang!! Return the medicine money, you are the Prime Minister’s woman, surely can afford 50 liang!”


  “When did I become his……” Woman!!

  Zhuo Qing had not yet finished talking, Lou Xi Yan’s cold voice unhurriedly echoed: “Many thanks to Qian Gongzi who decided to help at that time, these silvers should equal to the medicine fee.”


  Lou Xi Yan’s voice dropped just now, Mo Bai was already taking a stack of banknotes and walking in front of Qian Jing. Qian Jing looked up and looked, oh wow, very big style in spending money, this stack had at least 200 liang!

  Qian Jing had not yet reached out to accept it, one fair hand already took the stack of banknotes from Mo Bai’s hand and ran!

  There was money but no place to spend it, would be better to just give it to her, why wasted it! Zhuo Qing was in front of Qian Jing, took the money, and tucked it inside her sleeve, grimly laughed and said: “You dare to mention the injury’s matter to me, then I will give you the calculation properly.”


  Lightly raising her head, the scar from the knife on her neck was faintly discernible, Zhuo Qing slowly and clearly said: “You arrested the criminal and hurt me, the wound still hurt up until now, my physical and psychological’s harms that were caused by this injury were tremendous, furthermore it might leave behind some residual effects, thus you ought to pay me money for medical fees for any other injury that would appear later on. Lost on income fees, nourishment fees, mental loss fees, etc. In retrospect, considering that you had consciousness to help, I just charged you 100 liang, ok. You could deduct the so called medicine money, then you gave me 50 liang, I would not be arguing with you anymore.”


  Standing in front of Qian Jing, Zhuo Qing stretched out her hand agilely, spit out a few words: “50 liang! Pay back…… the money!”


  Medical fees? Lost of income fees? Nourishment fees? Mental loss fees?? Qian Jing was a little stupid, but hearing 50 liang, he sobered up immediately and shouted: “50 liang, you extorted money ah.”


  Zhuo Qing leisurely answered: “One lousy pill that you did not know where it came from, you wanted 50 liang, who was extorting money after all?”


  “What lousy pill, that was indeed a medicine from that strange Doctor Xi Mu!! 50 liang was cheap for you!” As expected, this woman was speaking unclear rational!! Waving his hand irritably, Qian Jing firmly answered: “Forget about it, forget about it, I am too lazy dealing with this type of childish ignorant woman’s long winded talk.”


  Childish ignorant woman?! Very good, Zhuo Qing lightly raised the corner of her mouth, and raised her head to plaster a fake smiling expression, sneery said: “Well, even if that lousy pill of yours is valued at 50 liang, then you also owe me 50 liang, return the money!”


  “You!!” He already did not want to argue with her, she was still unwilling to spare him!! Qian Jing opened his eyes widely, the angry voice was somewhat trembling: “Regard me to have bad luck!! Woman, do not let me see you again!!” Next time she was looking for him, even if she would kneel to request him, he would not seek her!!

  Groaning lowly, Qian Jing did not answer and rushed out of the living room. Zhuo Qing’s hands were on her chest, looking at the desolate and fleeing view of his back, arrogantly laughed and said: “Remember to return the money next time!”


  The devil sound winded on his ears, Qian Jing lowly cursed, never next time, absolutely never!! He would not want to see this ugly woman anymore!

  Looking at Zhuo Qing’s back who was laughing heartily, Lou Xi Yan’s expression was gloomy. What was the relationship between her and Qian Jing after all, in front of him, even though she was arrogant, arguing sharply, but yet having less of the normal calm, arrogant and guarded, like she was not approachable…… Was it Qian Jing, he, would remember……