Chapter 69: A Mischievous Idea
Chapter 69: A Mischievous Idea
Dongzhi City
County Magistrate Office
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"Say that again." Master Chen ordered as he kept his gaze glued to the official document he had been reading for the past ten minutes. "There’s always rumors about her. What is so new about it?" He sounded like he wasn’t the least bit interested in the topic that was being discussed.
"Master, the rumors this time are so different from before. They say that Young Lady has changed a lot..."
Master Chen immediately chuckled at Steward Su’s words as if he found, what the latter was saying, funny.
"Can you stop it?" Madam Sheng reprimanded her husband before she turned her attention toward Steward Su and with curiosity-filled eyes, asked, "What else are the rumors saying? Tell me everything."
Steward Su complied without wasting any time. "Madam, the rumors say that ever since returning from the temple, our Young Lady has changed. She is no longer causing trouble in the City. Instead, a few weeks ago, everyone saw her returning to the City with Young Master Li and a lot of other people who are now living in the manor."
There was a look of surprise as well as satisfaction on Madam Sheng’s face after listening to Steward Su’s words. However, her husband didn’t allow her to be happy for long enough.
"Who else can be these people? She must be adding new members to her harem." Master Chen said and immediately received a deadly glare from his wife.
"She’s your daughter. Mind what you are saying." Madam Sheng reprimanded her husband again but Master Chen wasn’t giving up. "Because she is my daughter, I know her better than anyone. It’s you who should pay attention to your thoughts. Don’t expect too much from nothing."
Madam Sheng gave her husband a very unhappy look before she dismissed Steward Su. Turning her attention back to her husband, she asked, "Master, don’t you think we are being too harsh on Xing’er? Despite her personality, she’s still our daughter-"
"A daughter that is now married. She’s no longer our responsibility. Let her husbands take care of her. If they can’t even feed her and look after her, none of them deserve to be my son-in-law." Master Chen was resilient in his stand.
Madam Sheng let out a frustrated groan at her husband’s obvious rigidity. "Don’t speak as if you aren’t aware of their situation. Those poor kids need even more help than your daughter. Haven’t they been punished enough after marrying her?"
"Now you are speaking for them." Master Chen finally put down the document and turned his full attention toward his wife. "They all should have seen this day coming. Don’t worry too much about them. They all are grown-ups. They will not starve themselves to death."
"Master-"
"No more discussion on this topic. We aren’t returning to the manor and no one is allowed to send her money." He added the last sentence knowing that his wife would do exactly that.
* * *
The knock on the door pulled Xiang Ling’s attention toward it. She walked toward the door and pulled it open only to find Li Xian standing outside.
Surprised to see him, she asked, "Why are you here?"
Li Xian appeared hesitant for a moment before he quickly answered, "All of us are going to sit in the open courtyard and enjoy the night for a while. Do you want to join?"
His eyes were looking at her expectantly and while Xiang Ling thought of denying at first, the look in his eyes made her change her mind. She nodded her head and replied, "I would love to, but let me take a bath first. I will join later."
"It’s alright. Take your time." Li Xian failed to contain the smile that immediately bloomed on his lips. As he left, Xiang Ling closed the door and entered her space.
She quickly prepared bath water for herself and took a quick bath. She washed her hair first before she rubbed her body clean. After ten or so minutes, she stepped out of the bathtub and used her powers to dry herself.
She then took her time to pamper her hair and body before she finally moved to choose a dress. Everything was normal until her gaze landed on a particular section of dresses.
A smile curved the corners of her lips as a mischievous thought entered her brain. She quickly scanned this particular section of clothes before she finally made her choice and pulled out a particular dress that made her smile even bigger.
The dress consisted of three pieces in total - a white crop top, a long white skirt with dark blue hem, and a blue-colored outer robe which was made of such a thin material that it left nothing to imagination.
Xiang Ling slipped on the dress before she put on a little bit of makeup and styled her hair. The only accessory she put on was the jade hairpin and after putting on her shoes, she was ready to join her husbands.
Looking at her reflection in the bronze mirror, she was unable to hold back the giggle that left her lips. Didn’t know why but she was suddenly feeling like teasing her husbands a little bit and the revealing dress she was wearing at the moment was perfect for the job.
Feeling satisfied, she returned to the bedchamber before stepping out. As she walked down a couple of stairs, she noticed the group of men who were already seated around the wooden table on the platform. As if they sensed her presence too, all of them turned their attention toward her and Xiang Ling almost felt hesitant under their heavy gazes.
Still, she kept moving forward while looking anywhere but at them. That was why she didn’t notice how intensely their eyes were following her. Each man was taken aback as soon as his eyes landed on her. They had noticed that the woman had started looking prettier ever since she changed her style but nothing prepared them for what their eyes were witnessing at the moment.