Chapter 93: The Unknown Past, the Terrifying Madam (Seeking Monthly Votes)

"This nun, if you want to beg for alms, go elsewhere. My master just moved in, and we haven't even lit the stove yet."

A sturdy woman said to the nun outside the door.

"Amitabha." The nun pressed her palms together and said in a calm tone, "This poor nun has come to seek an audience with your master, Miss Jiangxue. She and I are old acquaintances."

The nun appeared to be in her thirties; hair could be seen beneath her monk's cap. Her features were regular, her skin fair, and her tall figure was curvaceous. The loose, dark gray monk's robe could not hide the graceful curves of her body, and she exuded a temperament that made one feel at peace upon approaching her.

She held a horsetail whisk, yet a long sword was strapped to her back, showing she was a wanderer of the pugilistic world; if she could not save someone with Buddhist teachings, she could also use her sword to send them to the Western Paradise.

"May I ask for your religious name, Reverend?" the sturdy woman asked.

The nun parted her thin lips, "This poor nun is Miaoyin."

"Please wait a moment, Reverend Miaoyin." Ordinary people always held a bit more respect for these Buddhist practitioners. After saying this, the sturdy woman bowed and then turned to report.

She returned quickly, "Reverend, please come with me; my mistress invites you to meet."

"Amitabha." Miaoyin nodded slightly with a calm expression and followed the sturdy woman inside.

Jiangxue had been waiting in the main hall for some time. Seeing Miaoyin, she became somewhat agitated and waved at those around her.

"You all may leave first."

"Yes." The maid and the sturdy woman turned and left.

Once everyone was gone, Jiangxue walked up quickly with tears in her eyes and hugged the nun, "Aunt Chen."

"Hmph! It's a wonder you still remember me, you girl." A hint of tenderness appeared in Miaoyin's eyes, though her tone remained cold.

Jiangxue hugged the nun tightly, their ample bosoms pressing against each other through their clothes until slightly deformed. She said with a sobbing tone, "Of course I remember you. The last time I saw you was last year, and you didn't come to see me."

"Then do you still remember the vengeance for our wiped-out clan?" Miaoyin stroked her head and asked in a flat tone.

Jiangxue replied, "Xue'er has never dared to forget."

Miaoyin pushed Jiangxue away, turned her back to her, and said coldly, "I think you have likely forgotten it to the ends of the earth; otherwise, why would you covet a life of ease and wealth, and willingly degrade yourself to be someone's concubine?"

A draft blew through the hall, causing the loose monk's robe to cling to her delicate body, the curves of her full bosom striking, with alluring waist and hip lines rising and falling gracefully.

At this moment, even the wind had a shape.

"Aunt Chen, you misunderstand me!" Jiangxue found it hard to say that she had been forced by Pei Shaoqing the night before to perform oral services for him in public and had no other choice. She walked in front of Miaoyin and explained, "I just feel that it is too difficult for the two of us to seek revenge, so I want to borrow the power of the Baron of Pingyang."

"Still lying to me!" Miaoyin snorted and said in an icy tone, "There have been no shortage of official scions entangled with you in the past; why haven't I seen you have such an idea?"

"Because those people are unreliable." Miaoyin pursed her red lips and said, "Last night, the Baron of Pingyang stood up to the Shu Prince for Xue'er. Aunt Chen, my family fell into ruin and I was reduced to a prostitute; how many men in this world could do this much for me? He will definitely be willing to help me take revenge."

Clearly, Pei Shaoqing's understanding of her was already very deep, but her understanding of Pei Shaoqing was still very shallow.

Pei Shaoqing always acted only for profit; he would never make enemies for no equivalent gain.

He wouldn't even kill casually if there was no benefit to it.

Otherwise, it would be considered the person being killed taking advantage of him.

"Are those rumors true?" After entering the city, Miaoyin had also heard about Pei Shaoqing's act of anger for a beauty the night before, but she had dismissed it as an unbelievable rumor.

Jiangxue nodded earnestly, "Yes."

"If that is the case, this person is indeed worth entrusting, and it is better than you living a precarious life in that brothel." The expression on Miaoyin's face softened.

Jiangxue took her hand and sat down, "Aunt Chen, you haven't even had a sip of tea since you arrived."

"I have only one requirement for you: do not forget the blood feud. Back then, out of over a hundred people in your Xu family, only you survived. You must live up to the spirits of your parents in heaven," Miaoyin said in a deep voice, holding her hand.

When the Xu family met with disaster, she was the only one who escaped with the young Jiangxue. During the escape, she lost Jiangxue while trying to lure away the pursuers, and had been searching for her ever since.

Meeting again years later was at Furong Xuan.

Jiangxue bit her lip, "Xue'er knows."

"I only came to Jingguan City to see you and will not stay long. I will go to the Capital next; you must take care of yourself," Miaoyin instructed in a soft voice.

Jiangxue grew anxious, "Aunt Chen, it was so hard for us to meet; can't you stay a few more days?"

"Silly girl, I also have to find a way to avenge the mistress as soon as possible. If your mother hadn't saved me and taken me in as her personal maid back then, I would have frozen to death in the ice and snow long ago," Miaoyin patted her hand and said.

Hearing this reason, even though Jiangxue was reluctant to let her go, she could no longer say anything to keep her.

Seeing her low spirits, Miaoyin decided to tell her some good news, so she said, "I have already found a way to get to know the wife of the Minister of Revenue, Qin. If I can clear this path, combined with your connection to the Baron of Pingyang, the Xu family will surely have a day when their grievances are redressed."

The people who framed the Xu family back then and caused the entire clan to be executed were all flying high now; to overturn the case, one must have sufficient political power.

"That old thief Xie Wenjin now holds a high position in the Capital, Aunt Chen, you must be careful." Jiangxue gripped Miaoyin's fair, slightly calloused jade hand tightly.

Miaoyin shook her head, "It has already been more than ten years; how could he remember a little maid like me?"

…………………………

Three days later, Pei Shaoqing returned to Tongzhou.

He happened to run into Zhao Zhilan at the entrance.

"Young Master, you're back!"

"Hmm, has anything happened recently?" Pei Shaoqing asked while handing his horse to a servant.

Zhao Zhilan hurriedly replied, "Yes, the Madam came out of seclusion four days ago. Small Flag Song came to report that the set of Armor you ordered has been finished, and Battalion Commander Chen said that the people sent to scout Medicine King Valley have returned."

"The Madam is out of seclusion?" Pei Shaoqing walked inside immediately, saying, "Have someone deliver that set of Armor to the manor, and call Chen Zhongyi over."

"Yes, Young Master." Zhao Zhilan replied obediently.

Watching Pei Shaoqing's impatient back, she bit her lip slightly, inevitably feeling a bit envious of Xie Qingwu.

Pei Shaoqing arrived at the inner residence, only to find the maid Qiuye squatting on the ground teasing General Li with a tree branch; he did not see Xie Qingwu.

"Oh! Master, you're back." Seeing Pei Shaoqing, Qiuye immediately dropped the branch and stood up to salute.

Li Jiangjun, who had been running around chasing the branch, immediately braked hard and looked up at the sky; what a sky it was.

Pei Shaoqing asked directly, "Where is the Madam?"

"In the dungeon," Qiuye replied with her head lowered.

Pei Shaoqing raised an eyebrow and turned to leave.

Li Jiangjun immediately scampered to follow. After leaving the small courtyard, it spoke in human language, "That stupid woman actually thought she was teasing me; in fact, it was this General teasing her. Being able to please me is her good fortune."

"Enough, stop trying to save face. I saw clearly that you were having a great time just now; don't suppress your feline nature," Pei Shaoqing said calmly.

"This General did no such thing!" Li Jiangjun stood up on its hind legs in a fit of shame and anger, hopping about as it said, "Only those brainless, foolish cats would let themselves be teased. This General long ago transcended such base interests!"

"Is that so? I saw it with my own eyes just now..."

"Silence!" Li Jiangjun snapped, its small face serious as it said, "A subject chooses their lord, just as a lord chooses their subject. If my Lord dares to mock this General again, I shall resign my post and depart."

Having said this, it turned and walked away with resolute determination.

"That's a real pity. The Armor I just had forged will have to be thrown away. After all, it was crafted to a cat's proportions; a human can't wear it," Pei Shaoqing shook his head with a feigned expression of helplessness.

"Hm?" Li Jiangjun's eyes lit up. With a *whoosh*, it darted back, walking backward beneath Pei Shaoqing's feet, beaming with joy, "My Lord, I was merely joking just now! I am loyal and devoted to you! My Lord!"

"A fickle and disloyal subject, stop blocking my path," Pei Shaoqing kicked it flying with one foot.

"My Lord! I am a loyal subject! A very loyal subject! How about I change my name to Li Zhongxian? Both loyal and virtuous!"

Li Jiangjun scrambled up and scurried after him, hugging Pei Shaoqing's leg with its two front paws, being dragged along the ground, "My Lord, let me see the Armor!"

"Doesn't it hurt to drag your balls like that?" Pei Shaoqing asked curiously after dragging it for a distance.

If it wore its balls out.

Then it could truly change its name to Li Zhongxian.

Li Jiangjun paused for a moment, "It actually feels quite good."

Pei Shaoqing's face darkened. You cat, are you treating me like a sex toy? He shook his leg and kicked it flying again.

"If you dare follow me again, the Armor goes into the water."

Li Jiangjun, who had just bounced up and was preparing to pounce, heard this and had to forcibly pull its paws back. It said with heartbreaking grief, "To have merit and not be rewarded, but instead be threatened by this to coerce a loyal subject—a tyrant without Dao! A tyrant without Dao!"

Pei Shaoqing arrived at the entrance of the dungeon and froze.

Because he happened to see Xie Qingwu walking out of the dungeon with the Saintess, the two of them one after the other.

"Husband!" Xie Qingwu saw him too and walked up to him with a joyful face, "Your wife greets you, Husband."

To her, Pei Shaoqing was the only acquaintance she had in Tongzhou; seeing him made her feel at ease.

"Wife, why did you let her go?" Pei Shaoqing pursed his lips, staring at the Saintess with eyes full of vigilance.

He was terrified that the woman might suddenly lash out at any moment.

After all, he knew exactly what he had done himself.

"Husband, there is no need to worry," Xie Qingwu smiled, looking at the Saintess, "Why haven't you come to pay respects to your master? Have you forgotten what I said?"

"Yes, Mistress." The Saintess knelt down directly, crawled on her hands and knees with her rounded buttocks raised until she reached Pei Shaoqing, and bowed her head to the ground with a flushed face.

"This slave pays respects to Master. May Master be well."

Pei Shaoqing was utterly shocked, his gaze darting back and forth between the Saintess and Xie Qingwu.

Xie Qingwu felt very proud; she lifted her chin slightly and said with feigned calm, "In the future, she will be the Saintess of the Xuan Sect in public, but in private, she is just a dog raised by my husband. You can have her bite whoever you want."

Then what if I want her to bite me?

"How could this be? Is the poisonous pill that my wife refined truly so terrifying?" Pei Shaoqing praised, but deep in his eyes, there was a hint of vigilance.

Xie Qingwu knew that this husband of hers lacked a sense of security and was suspicious by nature, so she quickly explained, "Of course not. The Heart-Devouring Pill I fed her requires an antidote three times a month; otherwise, once she circulates her internal energy, her heart will burst and she will die. But it doesn't have this effect."

"Then she is..." Pei Shaoqing looked at the Saintess, who was lying obediently on the ground without moving.

She had never been that obedient in front of him.

Xie Qingwu curled her lips, looking at Pei Shaoqing with a smile that wasn't quite a smile, "It's nothing more than the methods used to train dogs and tame hawks—breaking a person's spirit and body before rebuilding them. Is that difficult? Besides, Husband had already walked ninety-nine steps; I only walked the final one."

After speaking, she squatted down to stroke the Saintess's cheek and sighed, "And to walk this final step, I spent a full three days in the dungeon. In the end, I am still not as skilled in this art as you, Husband."

Watching the Saintess, who looked so docile while her face was being toyed with, Pei Shaoqing thought she was truly humble!

Aside from not knowing martial arts.

Xie Qingwu seemed to grasp everything else instantly.

Even the art of controlling people was the same; it took her only three days to turn the arrogant Saintess into this state.

Hiss~ This woman is truly terrifying.

(End of this chapter)