Chapter 106: Because You Are Unworthy
Translator: Kelaude Editor: Milkbiscuit
“Your Cave Master is really gutsy, since he isn't willing to come out and meet me, then I suppose I will just have to go in and see him myself.” Qing Ju smiled as she walked towards the silent quarters.
Qian’Er was a little anxious now, the Cave Master was still naked and taking his bath. Other than Xue'Er and herself being allowed to enter, how could she let an outsider in? So she took a step forward, and blocked Qing Ju’s path, “The Cave Master is in the middle of his bath, please wait for a moment Little Auntie.”
Qing Ju’s expression instantly turned cold, as she glared frostily at Qian'Er.
She could let Miao Yi’s disrespect pass, but a mere Cave Master’s little girl daring to get in her way, did they truly think she was this easy going?
Upon receiving her glare, Qian’Er was completely terrified, and could only bite her lip before getting out of the way.
After seeing her green dress depart, Yan Xiu quickly pulled Zheng Jinlong and Wang Zifa from the side and asked in a low voice, “What exactly happened?”
“Aye! It’s hard to explain; the Cave Master’s trip to South Edict Manor didn’t end well this time. He almost lost his life on the way back….” the two of them briefly explained what had happened.
Yan Xiu breathed in a breath of cold air when he heard the whole story, he hadn’t expect their Cave Master to be so ferocious, and was actually able to kill two Cave Masters.
Qian’Er and Xue’Er were also completely taken aback, they didn’t think their own Cave Master was actually so powerful that other Cave Masters were not even a match for their own….
Inside the silent quarters, when he saw Qing Ju walking in with her face all smiling, Miao Yi’s eyes widened in bewilderment thinking he must have been mistaken. He quickly searched to his left and right, grabbing a piece of cloth into the water and covered his crotch, as he anxiously said, “How did you come in here!? Didn’t anyone tell you I was in the middle of a bath!?”
“It is unwise to use these kinds of excuses to avoid me. Why don’t you spare a thought and figure out who in your East Arrival Cave would dare stop me? You reap what you sow.” Qing Ju stood firmly by the side of the pool without a trace of fear in her eyes, and snickered, “It’s no big deal even if I saw anything. Not to mention, you’re covering it so tightly that I can’t see anything at all.”
“Little Auntie, I sincerely admit I was wrong. Why don’t you head outside first, I will come over in a moment.” Miao Yi didn’t know whether to laugh or cry, as he begged for mercy.
“No need. This is quite nice, at least you’ll be a little more honest.” Qing Ju raised the hem of her skirt, and slowly crouched by the poolside. She extended her arm, gathering some water in her hand, before splashing it onto Miao Yi’s face and sighed, “Don’t tell me you actually believed the Manor Head had only assigned me to just simply escort you back?”
Miao Yi had completely admitted defeat. What sort of woman, when seeing a man in the middle of a bath, didn’t even have any trace of shame? He could only sigh back, “Little Auntie, what are you trying to say?”
Qing Ju asked, “Do you have complaints regarding the fact that the Manor Head had been biased towards Xiong Xiao?”
“I wouldn’t dare!” said Miao Yi, before adding another line out of indignation. “But those with eyes could easily tell that Xiong Xiao had been acting.”
“So what? It’s not a problem for the Manor Head to set things right,” said Qing Ju in return. “Do you even have the qualifications for him to do so? The reasoning is very simple. Regardless of how well the Manor Head has been treating you, you still don’t have the qualifications to replace Xiong Xiao. Do you honestly believe that the Manor Head will be willing to lose a major general for the sake of a weak cultivator such as yourself? Forgive me for being blunt, but if Xiong Xiao had turned furious out of shame and killed you on the spot, the Manor Head still would not have done anything to him, because you are not worthy. If it were not for the Manor Head’s honor, do you think Xiong Xiao would not dare do so?”
The brutal truth finally made Miao Yi sober up. He silently regained his composure, mute as a fish. He understood that his own disposition was the problem - he had been too sure of himself and had asked for too much. What qualifications and what right did he have to make Yang Qing run errands for him? He should have realised his own weight in the great order of things.
“This time I have completely thrown aside all caution to the wind with Xiong Xiao. He will surely seek retribution in future. If he comes at me secretly, I am afraid not even the Manor Head’s words will be able to stop him.”
Miao Yi said in a hushed voice, this was what he was truly worried about.
Qing Ju smiled, “The Manor Head knows that you are worried about this. For that matter, if the Manor Head had asked you to let him go instead, but you found an opportunity to strike at him in secret, would you let him go then?”
Miao Yi was dazed, but after a moment of thought, he spoke in full honesty, “I wouldn’t!”
“That’s right, so do you understand now?”
“But it’s not the same, Xiong Xiao’s abilities are far stronger than mine; he could make a move on me at any time, but how would I dare touch him now?”
“Then do you wish for the Manor Head to be by your side and protect you everyday? Some things, you will just have to rely on yourself, others wouldn’t be able to offer you more than that. The fact that the Manor Head sent me here to counsel you is already an act of great benevolence, not many will get to enjoy this sort of treatment; if you still have complaints then that’s not my problem anymore.”
Miao Yi slowly nodded his head, “I understand.”
“The Manor Head has asked me to relay a few words to you - don’t blame him for being unjust, he protected Xiong Xiao today, but in the future, he could just as easily protect you. However, the prerequisite is that you, Miao Yi, possess the qualifications to replace Xiong Xiao. He will promise you one thing; if one day you have the capability to do so, forget about killing Xiong Xiao, it wouldn’t be a problem even if you wanted to take over Mount Shaotai. When that happens, the Manor Head will just open one eye and close the other, and the position of Mount Shaotai Mountain Chieftain will be yours! Forcing the others to submit and promoting you to your Cave Master position was already an exception; he won’t be able to keep making exceptions just to help you, because the Manor Head wouldn’t be able to justify it to the others. In the end, you will still have to show your own capability.”
After she had finished speaking, Qing Ju patted Miao Yi’s bare shoulder, using the opportunity to take advantage of his skin, and stood up, “Regardless of whether or not you have managed to think through things, I will only speak up to here. Alright, seeing as I was able to witness the Great Cave Master Miao in the bath, then this trip has not been wasted. If I continue to stay any longer, people might begin to suspect that I have done something improper to you. Take your time in the bath, I have already accomplished what the Manor Head asked of me, so I shall return to South Edict Manor now.”
Miao Yi hurriedly spoke up, “Please wait, let me send Little Auntie off.”
“Oh!” Qing Ju turned around, staring between his legs at the area being tightly covered up by his hands as he sat in the water, and teasingly said, “Alright then, hurry up and stand up, I’ll wait for you to send me off!”
“Uhh…..” Miao Yi’s face twitched, as he was thinking, ‘How am I going to stand up if you’re still here!?’
Qing Ju chuckled, then turned around and left, “No need to send me off.”
There were some things that she had not, and would not voice out loud in front of Miao Yi. Miao Yi was someone Yang Qing thought highly of, yet Xiong Xiao had made a move on him behind his back, it would be odd if Yang Qing was fine with this. However, now that South Edict Manor was being being heavily surveyed from the School of Blue Jade. Yang Qing was already short of manpower, so he could not take his anger out.
When Miao Yi came out of the water and put on his clothes, he ran outside and asked, only to find out that Qing Ju had already left. Yan Xiu had even sent Zheng Jinlong and Wang Zifa to escort her, making the two of them run back and forth, but that was also something that they couldn’t help but do….
Behind his back, Qian’Er and Xue’Er both felt like they had something they wanted to say but didn’t. They were wondering if the Cave Master had any clothes on when that Auntie Qing Ju went in, but some things they knew, were not in their place to question.
Even though the two of them knew that they were the Cave Master’s handmaidens and that they didn’t have any right to interfere, but they were still a little jealous; they felt that they were the only ones who could enter when the Cave Master was taking a bath. How would it seem if other women, especially the Manor Head’s handmaiden, walked in on that? Shameless!
“Cave Master, is everything alright?” to his side, Yan Xiu asked.
Miao Yi shook his head as he pondered, but he didn’t answer the question, “I’m going to take a look at the newly built ships by the seaside.”
Yan Xiu had reported earlier that the dock and ships had been finished, but sadly Miao Yi never had the time to go and see it.