Chapter 106: Gathering Together to Discuss Matters

  Where is Qihai?

  This old man is so angry, he's almost vomiting blood!

  "What's good about you, huh? Ah?" The old man circled Qin Dai, his heart racing with anger, almost to the point of cursing, "Which shameless person taught you such rotten martial arts? They didn't even teach you where the dantian is? Ah?... Didn't I waste all this time teaching you the fundamentals?"

  Qin Dai's finger pointed at the old man, "Ah, I said why is it that every time I sleep, there's always someone whispering in my ear, going on and on, it was you all along?"

  The old man glared, "What are you pointing at? What's with the endless muttering? That's a mental technique, do you understand? How many people have begged me to teach them this technique, and in your eyes it's not even worth anything? No way, you must become my apprentice."

  Qin Dai Xin felt that she had really gone mad, how did she get entangled in such a thing. Even if she wanted to make him her master, she was scared off by his crazy energy! However, the old man in front of her was absolutely a superior person, and if she became his apprentice, she probably wouldn't be at a disadvantage.

  "Hey, old man, tell me, why do you have to make me your apprentice?" Qin Dai's face was full of curiosity. "Maybe if I knew the reason, I'd change my mind and agree to it impulsively?"

  This strange old man heard Qin Dai Xin say this, and suddenly came to his senses. "Ah, this...this..." He turned his head around, just wanting to tell her, when a cold, pale face suddenly appeared in his mind. He involuntarily shivered! Uh, no way, that little brat will eat him up.

  "Which one? Why didn't you say so?" His face changed quickly.

  "Alas, I won't tell you. But you're really suitable to be my apprentice, truly." The strange old man was relentless and decided that unless Qin Dai'er agreed to become his apprentice, he would continue to pester her until she agreed.

  "Are you or aren't you? Hmph, never mind. I'm going back to sleep." She said and turned to leave.

  The old man was displeased, "Girl, you haven't said whether you agree or not!"

  Qin Dai's heart was already made up, despite her pretentious thinking. This old man had exceptional martial arts skills and was a powerful backer. Having eaten his food and learned from him, not calling him "Master" would be ungrateful. She recalled telling Su Shi that a mysterious expert had taken her as an apprentice to cover up the truth. Now it seemed everything was predetermined by fate. Reality and lies were once so far apart but now they were so close, even overlapping.

  "Alright, I agreed." Qin Dai felt that she had gotten a great deal!

  The old man was somewhat unbelievable, staring with his eyes and asking again, "Are you saying you agreed?" So readily?

  "Really!"

  "Good, good, too good. Well-behaved apprentice, call Master to come and listen." This girl is really spirited and clever, just like Ling'er.

  Qin Dai Xin solemnly knelt down on the ground, "Master is above, please accept the disciple's great courtesy." After finishing speaking, she didn't care about the withered branches and leaves on the ground, and gave the strange old man three solid kowtows.

  "Alright, alright, alright. Get up quickly." The strange old man said three "alrights" in a row, and the corners of his eyes seemed to be shining with tears. He hastily turned around, gazing at the distant mountains, and was actually entranced.

  Qin Dai Xin got up, without even bothering to brush off the dirt on her body, and stared blankly at the strange old man who was gazing into the distance. At his age, he could still see sorrow amidst joy, probably because he had experienced too many things in his life! She didn't even know her master's name yet! She couldn't keep calling him "old head" forever, or else he would say she didn't understand respect for one's teacher and wouldn't take the wine gourd in his hand to knock himself dead?!

  It's actually quite endearing to call him old man.

  It wasn't until much later that the old man's voice slowly rang out: "Girl, it's getting late, you should head back! I'll find a time to contact you, and from now on we can meet here. I'll teach you well and pass on all my unique skills to you. For now, you should be off."

  Qin Dai suddenly felt that this old man, who usually looked crazy and eccentric, probably had too many sad stories. His back looked so desolate and lonely, just like the withered and decadent scenery, all in gray. But fortunately, spring is not far away, everything will get better.

  Qin Dai'er didn't dare to linger, and softly said: "Master, take care, I'll be leaving now." After speaking, she stepped on the dry leaves and walked back along the same path. It was getting late, so she didn't dare to slow down, using her extreme speed to hurry towards Taizhou City.

  Murong Ba's mouth curved into a smile as he muttered to himself, "Ling'er! This little girl is really too much like you. It's a pity we don't have children; I'll treat her like my own daughter and spoil her rotten." He then suddenly shook his head, saying, "No, no, that won't do. If that young whippersnapper found out, he'd kill me! Just thinking about the way he looks at me gives me chills. Sigh...no good." With a flick of his toe, he lightly leapt forward, covering over ten meters in an instant. Borrowing momentum from the branches, he stepped out several more meters, disappearing into the depths of the forest after a few flips and turns.

  Qin Dai'er quietly returned to the Qin Manor, taking advantage of the remaining darkness in the sky. She tiptoed back to her own room. Chunli, who was sleeping on the outer room's kang, was sleeping extremely soundly and didn't notice that her own mistress was standing beside her observing her. Qin Dai'er shook her head, this girl is really heartless. Then she turned around and went back to her own room to catch up on sleep.

  Darkness slowly receded, and the light returned to the earth. In the east, a fiery glow emerged, as the sun slowly rose above the horizon. The servants of the Qin estate had already risen to sweep and tidy up, each busily attending to their duties in an orderly manner. The stoves were also lit, with some boiling water and others cooking rice, creating a lively atmosphere. In the courtyard of Qin Dai's residence, the maids who had been called out earlier were already waiting outside the door. At this hour every day, they should have risen long ago, but since there was no noise, none of them dared to knock on the door.

  Chunli woke up early, but didn't dare disturb Qindai. She quietly got herself ready and helped Ailian with breakfast. When she saw that the meal was almost done, she thought it was time to help her mistress get dressed. After washing her hands, she headed towards the main house, only to find that the maids were still standing outside the door with their basins! What's going on? Why hasn't the mistress gotten up yet? She became anxious at once.

  "What time is it now, Miss? Can't you get up? Don't you know to call her? If this gets passed on to the mistress, there will be more trouble." She said the last sentence especially softly, afraid of being overheard.

  "Spring beauty, the young lady has a bad temper, we don't dare." This little girl was as old as Spring Beauty, but didn't have Spring Beauty's good hairdressing skills, so she could only be a low-ranking maid who did chores. They had few opportunities to serve Qin Daihe, and couldn't get close to her, so their impression of Qin Daihe remained stuck in the past.

  "Affectation." Chun Li said in a low voice, then stepped forward and knocked on the door. "Miss, miss, I'm coming in," she said, pushing open the door to enter, letting the little maids follow her into the inner chamber.

  Qin Dai Xin had actually woken up early, but because she was tired from chasing and running around last night, she lay down for a while longer. When Chun Li and the others came in, they saw her sitting up on the bed.

  "Miss, it's getting late, time to get up." Then he helped Qin Dai Xin wash her face and hands, and served her as she dressed. The clothes were the ones she had found early in the morning, so it wasn't a bother at all.

  The little maids had made the bed and taken away the clothes that Qindai Xiang had changed out of, and they bowed and left.

  Chun Li busily helped Qin Dai comb her hair, seeing that her expression was unchanged, she asked in a low voice: "Miss, tomorrow is the second day of the second month, have you thought of a way to persuade Madam?"

  Qin Dai Xin looked at Chun Li from the copper mirror, saw her concerned appearance, and knew that this little girl must want to go out and take a look.

  "It's not difficult for Madam, but it's hard for me because I can only bring two maidservants out on the street, what do you think we should do?"

  "Ah?" Chunli didn't expect this outcome, she could only bring two maids? That miss must be taking Ruyi sister with her, and probably also Xueqing, then there would be nothing left for herself! Ah, and Ailian, she probably couldn't go either. Thinking of this, Chunli couldn't help but sigh again, the annual February 2nd Flower Meeting was a grand occasion! What a pity.

  This girl, I don't know what she's thinking about, shaking her head one moment and sighing the next. Qin Dai finished dressing up and was ready to go to Fang Wanru's place. First, she had Chunli find Ruyi and instructed: "Yan Shi is also a housekeeper in this house, from tomorrow on, let her officially move into the house. Today, call her over, we have to meet with the mistress anyway."

  Having received the order, he hastily found someone and left. Just as he was leading Yan Shi into the house, Ai Lian arrived with Xiao Yatou to deliver lunch.

  "Let's put it aside for now, there's no time to waste. I'll go see the mistress first and then come back to use it." She said as she walked out of the house, Ruyi and Yanshi naturally didn't dare to slack off and closely followed behind her.

  The three of them hurried along together and went to Fang Wanru's courtyard.

  Xiao Yatou had set up a screen for Qin Dai Xin, and as soon as she entered the room, Qin Dai Xin saw Lin Qing Yue. She was wearing a pearl white half-sleeved dress, with only a simple hairdo, a purple jade hairpin slanted into her hair, lightly made-up, without even earrings, yet this simple attire had outshone Qin Qian Xin's elaborate finery beside her. Her whole person was like a tea flower, fresh and elegant.

  It was Qin Ruoxin, who sat quietly to one side, still with a cautious and reserved demeanor. When she saw Qin Daihe come in, she only smiled shyly at her, with a pitiful expression of not daring to speak out loud, but her affected mannerisms were quite impressive.

  Qin Dai Xin first greeted Fang Wanru, then exchanged pleasantries with Lin Qingpeng. After seeing Qin Qianxin and Qin Ruoxin separately, she finally found a seat on the side to sit down. She didn't have the mood to reenact the "sisterly love" act with Qin Ruoxin again, so she didn't naturally sit beside her as usual.

  Qin Dai Xin smiled and looked at the women in the room who were all preoccupied with their own thoughts, gathered together like this, surely there must be something that can't be done?

  Wishing you all a happy Lantern Festival!