Chapter 20: There Is A Demonic Aura Here
At the main gate of the Ji Manor. Chen An and Chichi Su were, as expected, stopped by the gatekeepers. However, perhaps seeing Chen An’s extraordinary appearance and temperament, the gatekeeper was very polite. “Excuse me, esteemed guest, could you please present your invitation?”
Chen An, of course, did not have an invitation. He shook his head. “Please inform Miss Qingge Ji, the Second Miss Ji, that I am here to return something.”
Qingge Ji? Hearing the name Chen An spoke, the gatekeeper’s eyes widened subconsciously, and he sized him up carefully. “Are you a Daoist priest?” the gatekeeper asked. “I suppose so,” Chen An replied.
Upon hearing the answer, the gatekeeper’s expression immediately soured, as if he had eaten a fly. He completely abandoned his initial politeness and began to wave them away. “Go, go, go. Ji Manor does not welcome you, and the Second Miss certainly will not. Hurry and leave.”
After being shut out, before Chen An could react, a slightly mocking male voice came from behind him. “I say, are you charlatans never going to stop? You must have heard about Second Miss Ji’s story from somewhere and come bothering her every day.”
The speaker was a young man in his early twenties. He was wearing a luxurious purple robe, exquisitely crafted, indicating he was someone of wealth and status. The man had two lackeys by his side, and upon hearing their master speak, they quickly jumped out to pledge their loyalty, each adding their own taunts: “What kind of person is Second Miss Ji, and what kind of person are you? She is a true immortal who has attained the Dao, and there is a world of difference between her and you smelly Daoist priests!”
“Exactly, exactly! If you ask me, it’s only because Second Miss Ji is kind-hearted; otherwise, she would have long ago used her magic to severely punish you smelly Daoist priests who seek to tamper with immortal arts!”
At this moment, the gatekeeper who had initially driven them away’s eyes lit up. He abandoned Chen An and quickly walked towards the man in the purple robe, greeting him with a fawning smile. “Oh, isn’t this Young Master Wang? Come, come, please come inside.” It seemed the two families had a deep connection. Young Master Wang cast a sideways glance at Chen An, snorted coldly, put his hands behind his back, and strode into the manor. If it weren’t for the fact that today was a joyous occasion for the Ji Manor, he would have surely had his men beat this smelly Daoist priest to death.
Chen An remained composed in the face of their taunts, his expression still calm. But Chichi Su was furious. She pouted and tugged at her master’s sleeve. “Master, I don’t want to eat anymore, let’s go!”
Seeing this, the gatekeeper looked helpless and tried to reason with them. “Daoist priest, it’s not that I don’t want to help you announce yourself, but it’s just that in Luoyang City, everyone knows the Second Miss detests Daoist priests the most. Please be understanding of my predicament.”
“I think you’d better leave quickly. Not to mention that the Second Miss is not even in the manor now, but even if she were, she would never agree.” The gatekeeper said, waving his hand again, signaling Chen An to leave.
But Chen An did not comply. He stood his ground, his gaze fixed on a carriage slowly approaching in the distance. The carriage’s decoration was very familiar. It was the same one they had encountered on the official road before, the one that had given Chichi Su pastries. Chichi Su had obviously noticed it too. She held onto her master’s arm and mumbled softly, “Master, this carriage looks so familiar. It seems to be the one I kicked a stone at…” Chen An glanced down at her. “You still have the nerve to say that?” The little girl playfully stuck out her tongue.
The gatekeeper beside them heard their conversation and couldn’t help but glare fiercely at the two of them before scrambling to the side of the road to await the carriage’s arrival. The carriage soon stopped at the gate. A woman, dressed in white as pure as snow, stepped out of the carriage. Her black hair cascaded like a waterfall, her teeth were pearly white, and her lips were rosy. Her graceful posture made her look like a painting.
Pedestrians passing by on the street stopped in their tracks at this moment, turning their heads to look, their expressions of surprise and admiration evident. Someone whispered to their companion, “Looking at that elegant and noble aura, she must be the legendary Second Miss Ji, Qingge Ji.” Some passersby even exclaimed, “To have the opportunity to witness such unparalleled beauty in this life is truly a life well-lived!”
The gatekeeper seized the moment, stepped forward, whispered a few words, and then pointed at Chen An, who was at the gate. Upon hearing this, Qingge Ji looked up. Her eyes lit up when she saw Chichi Su. However, in the next moment, when her gaze fell on Chen An, who was holding the little girl’s hand, her brows furrowed slightly.
She began to walk over. Qingge Ji was tall, exuding an aura of sacred and inviolable dignity. When she reached them, she ignored Chen An and first reached out to stroke Chichi Su’s head. “Call me sister,” she said, her voice clear and melodious. Surrounded by so many people, Chichi Su did not feel shy and obediently called out, “Sister!” The woman let out a sound, and the corners of her mouth curved upwards.
Only then did she turn to look at Chen An. Her gaze lingered on his face for a moment, a fleeting moment of daze, but Qingge Ji reacted quickly, and it was unlikely anyone could have noticed the detail. She was somewhat surprised in her heart, never imagining that there could be someone in this world even more handsome than herself. And this person was actually a man! And a smelly Daoist priest at that! “Good evening, Second Miss Ji,” Chen An said first, breaking the silence in the air.
Qingge Ji collected her thoughts, nodded slightly, and then turned towards the main gate. “The banquet is about to begin, come in,” she said casually. Chen An took Chichi Su’s hand and followed behind her into the manor. They walked one after the other. The gatekeeper couldn’t help but scratch his head, wondering what was going on. Did this Daoist priest really have some past connection with the Second Miss? Thinking this, he felt a sense of dread. Fortunately, he hadn’t offended the man too much before. He could only hope the Daoist priest would not hold it against him.
…
…
Entering the manor, they were greeted by sprawling rock gardens and lush greenery, with intricately carved beams and painted rafters. Servants and maids bustled about everywhere. At a fork in the road, Qingge Ji stopped and said, “I need to go to the backyard. Follow this cobblestone path straight ahead, pass through the garden, and wait in the hall ahead to dine. I thought Chen An was here to freeload. As for his excuse about returning something, Qingge Ji found it amusing. It was just a few pastries, why bother caring about them? It was most likely just an excuse for the young Daoist priest to sneak in and see the sights. However, for the sake of that adorable little girl, Qingge Ji couldn’t be bothered to expose him. As long as he behaved himself, no one in the Ji Manor would deliberately target him. In such a grand City Lord’s mansion, could they really be short of one pair of chopsticks?
But Chen An clearly didn’t think so. He looked at Qingge Ji’s retreating back and called out to her, kindly reminding her. “I sense a strong demonic aura from the backyard. Please be careful, Second Miss Ji.” Hearing this, Qingge Ji turned around, her face showing a hint of anger. She said irritably, “Daoist priest, don’t you know today is my elder sister’s wedding day?” Chen An nodded. “I heard a bit about it at the inn before.” Qingge Ji then asked, “And don’t you know the widespread rumors that I have the power of immortal arts and am a high-revered expert who has attained immortality?” Seeing Chen An nod again, the woman was amused to the point of anger. “If that’s the case, how dare you spew nonsense and claim there’s a demonic aura in front of me?”
Qingge Ji’s expression turned cold. “The people currently in the backyard, besides my own sister and mother dressed in their wedding attire, even the servants have been driven out. By your logic, are you implying my mother is a demon? Or my sister is a demon?” At this point, Qingge Ji had completely lost interest in the Daoist priest in front of her. She turned and left, leaving behind a domineering statement. “Even if something truly unclean has infiltrated, I can make it vanish in an instant.”
(End of this Chapter)
Chapter 20: There Is A Demonic Aura Here
At the main gate of the Ji Manor. Chen An and Chichi Su were, as expected, stopped by the gatekeepers. However, perhaps seeing Chen An’s extraordinary appearance and temperament, the gatekeeper was very polite. “Excuse me, esteemed guest, could you please present your invitation?”
Chen An, of course, did not have an invitation. He shook his head. “Please inform Miss Qingge Ji, the Second Miss Ji, that I am here to return something.”
Qingge Ji? Hearing the name Chen An spoke, the gatekeeper’s eyes widened subconsciously, and he sized him up carefully. “Are you a Daoist priest?” the gatekeeper asked. “I suppose so,” Chen An replied.
Upon hearing the answer, the gatekeeper’s expression immediately soured, as if he had eaten a fly. He completely abandoned his initial politeness and began to wave them away. “Go, go, go. Ji Manor does not welcome you, and the Second Miss certainly will not. Hurry and leave.”
After being shut out, before Chen An could react, a slightly mocking male voice came from behind him. “I say, are you charlatans never going to stop? You must have heard about Second Miss Ji’s story from somewhere and come bothering her every day.”
The speaker was a young man in his early twenties. He was wearing a luxurious purple robe, exquisitely crafted, indicating he was someone of wealth and status. The man had two lackeys by his side, and upon hearing their master speak, they quickly jumped out to pledge their loyalty, each adding their own taunts: “What kind of person is Second Miss Ji, and what kind of person are you? She is a true immortal who has attained the Dao, and there is a world of difference between her and you smelly Daoist priests!”
“Exactly, exactly! If you ask me, it’s only because Second Miss Ji is kind-hearted; otherwise, she would have long ago used her magic to severely punish you smelly Daoist priests who seek to tamper with immortal arts!”
At this moment, the gatekeeper who had initially driven them away’s eyes lit up. He abandoned Chen An and quickly walked towards the man in the purple robe, greeting him with a fawning smile. “Oh, isn’t this Young Master Wang? Come, come, please come inside.” It seemed the two families had a deep connection. Young Master Wang cast a sideways glance at Chen An, snorted coldly, put his hands behind his back, and strode into the manor. If it weren’t for the fact that today was a joyous occasion for the Ji Manor, he would have surely had his men beat this smelly Daoist priest to death.
Chen An remained composed in the face of their taunts, his expression still calm. But Chichi Su was furious. She pouted and tugged at her master’s sleeve. “Master, I don’t want to eat anymore, let’s go!”
Seeing this, the gatekeeper looked helpless and tried to reason with them. “Daoist priest, it’s not that I don’t want to help you announce yourself, but it’s just that in Luoyang City, everyone knows the Second Miss detests Daoist priests the most. Please be understanding of my predicament.”
“I think you’d better leave quickly. Not to mention that the Second Miss is not even in the manor now, but even if she were, she would never agree.” The gatekeeper said, waving his hand again, signaling Chen An to leave.
But Chen An did not comply. He stood his ground, his gaze fixed on a carriage slowly approaching in the distance. The carriage’s decoration was very familiar. It was the same one they had encountered on the official road before, the one that had given Chichi Su pastries. Chichi Su had obviously noticed it too. She held onto her master’s arm and mumbled softly, “Master, this carriage looks so familiar. It seems to be the one I kicked a stone at…” Chen An glanced down at her. “You still have the nerve to say that?” The little girl playfully stuck out her tongue.
The gatekeeper beside them heard their conversation and couldn’t help but glare fiercely at the two of them before scrambling to the side of the road to await the carriage’s arrival. The carriage soon stopped at the gate. A woman, dressed in white as pure as snow, stepped out of the carriage. Her black hair cascaded like a waterfall, her teeth were pearly white, and her lips were rosy. Her graceful posture made her look like a painting.
Pedestrians passing by on the street stopped in their tracks at this moment, turning their heads to look, their expressions of surprise and admiration evident. Someone whispered to their companion, “Looking at that elegant and noble aura, she must be the legendary Second Miss Ji, Qingge Ji.” Some passersby even exclaimed, “To have the opportunity to witness such unparalleled beauty in this life is truly a life well-lived!”
The gatekeeper seized the moment, stepped forward, whispered a few words, and then pointed at Chen An, who was at the gate. Upon hearing this, Qingge Ji looked up. Her eyes lit up when she saw Chichi Su. However, in the next moment, when her gaze fell on Chen An, who was holding the little girl’s hand, her brows furrowed slightly.
She began to walk over. Qingge Ji was tall, exuding an aura of sacred and inviolable dignity. When she reached them, she ignored Chen An and first reached out to stroke Chichi Su’s head. “Call me sister,” she said, her voice clear and melodious. Surrounded by so many people, Chichi Su did not feel shy and obediently called out, “Sister!” The woman let out a sound, and the corners of her mouth curved upwards.
Only then did she turn to look at Chen An. Her gaze lingered on his face for a moment, a fleeting moment of daze, but Qingge Ji reacted quickly, and it was unlikely anyone could have noticed the detail. She was somewhat surprised in her heart, never imagining that there could be someone in this world even more handsome than herself. And this person was actually a man! And a smelly Daoist priest at that! “Good evening, Second Miss Ji,” Chen An said first, breaking the silence in the air.
Qingge Ji collected her thoughts, nodded slightly, and then turned towards the main gate. “The banquet is about to begin, come in,” she said casually. Chen An took Chichi Su’s hand and followed behind her into the manor. They walked one after the other. The gatekeeper couldn’t help but scratch his head, wondering what was going on. Did this Daoist priest really have some past connection with the Second Miss? Thinking this, he felt a sense of dread. Fortunately, he hadn’t offended the man too much before. He could only hope the Daoist priest would not hold it against him.
…
…
Entering the manor, they were greeted by sprawling rock gardens and lush greenery, with intricately carved beams and painted rafters. Servants and maids bustled about everywhere. At a fork in the road, Qingge Ji stopped and said, “I need to go to the backyard. Follow this cobblestone path straight ahead, pass through the garden, and wait in the hall ahead to dine. I thought Chen An was here to freeload. As for his excuse about returning something, Qingge Ji found it amusing. It was just a few pastries, why bother caring about them? It was most likely just an excuse for the young Daoist priest to sneak in and see the sights. However, for the sake of that adorable little girl, Qingge Ji couldn’t be bothered to expose him. As long as he behaved himself, no one in the Ji Manor would deliberately target him. In such a grand City Lord’s mansion, could they really be short of one pair of chopsticks?
But Chen An clearly didn’t think so. He looked at Qingge Ji’s retreating back and called out to her, kindly reminding her. “I sense a strong demonic aura from the backyard. Please be careful, Second Miss Ji.” Hearing this, Qingge Ji turned around, her face showing a hint of anger. She said irritably, “Daoist priest, don’t you know today is my elder sister’s wedding day?” Chen An nodded. “I heard a bit about it at the inn before.” Qingge Ji then asked, “And don’t you know the widespread rumors that I have the power of immortal arts and am a high-revered expert who has attained immortality?” Seeing Chen An nod again, the woman was amused to the point of anger. “If that’s the case, how dare you spew nonsense and claim there’s a demonic aura in front of me?”
Qingge Ji’s expression turned cold. “The people currently in the backyard, besides my own sister and mother dressed in their wedding attire, even the servants have been driven out. By your logic, are you implying my mother is a demon? Or my sister is a demon?” At this point, Qingge Ji had completely lost interest in the Daoist priest in front of her. She turned and left, leaving behind a domineering statement. “Even if something truly unclean has infiltrated, I can make it vanish in an instant.”
(End of this Chapter)
