Chapter 75: Who is the Regent's Fiancée?

"I was wondering who it was; it turns out to be Jiang, the heir." Hearing the voice, Yan Shengyu walked over immediately. Seeing Jiang Weiran, she was surprised at first, but then immediately spoke up to protect her friend.

Jiang Weiran looked at Yan Shengyu and the others with a blank expression at first, then realized they had all come to study at Qinghe Academy. Since they appeared here, he assumed they had passed the academy's test.

That meant they had at least obtained a grey Spirit Testing Stone.

Jiang Weiran ignored Yan Shengyu and looked at Cheng Xi again, "May I have a few words with you alone?"

"No need." Cheng Xi had nothing to say to Jiang Weiran.

"It concerns Cheng Fenglan and her brother." Jiang Weiran frowned slightly as he said this, then remembered that Cheng Xi did not have a good relationship with them, and a flash of awkwardness crossed his face, not knowing how to continue.

Yan Shengyu listened from the side and found it quite laughable, "Jiang, how do you still have the face to mention Cheng Fenglan in front of Cheng Xi? Are you just never satisfied with bullying people?"

Jiang Weiran's face flushed red instantly, but he still looked at Cheng Xi, waiting for her answer.

Cheng Xi glanced at him and turned back to say to Yan Shengyu, "Wait for me."

Seeing Cheng Xi nod, Yan Shengyu did not stop her and went to the side to wait with Xuan Nongying and the others.

Li An stood by without speaking, only glancing at Jiang Weiran before withdrawing his gaze.

He naturally recognized the heir of the Zhenguo Duke Mansion, who used to have a stellar reputation in Jindu, though the other party did not recognize him.

At that time, he was merely the second son of an Imperial Physician; how could he catch the eye of such noble young masters?

The two walked to a secluded spot, and Jiang Weiran looked at Cheng Xi quite uncomfortably, "I received a letter from home and know you are doing very well in Jindu."

Cheng Xi looked at him with a half-smile, "It has nothing to do with you."

Jiang Weiran nodded, "Yes, it has nothing to do with me. I just received news—Yan Qingli gave you a hard time in front of the Tongtian Ta, didn't she?"

"What does this have to do with Cheng Fenglan? If you don't want to say it, then forget it."

"No, it really does have to do with her. You don't know yet, but Cheng Fenglan is now following Yan Qingli."

"What do you mean by 'following' Yan Qingli?" Cheng Xi asked suspiciously.

"Yan Qingli is the daughter of the Dean. She knows that Cheng Fenglan's relationship with you is poor, so she kept her by her side. Furthermore, Cheng Yunjian has already entered Jindu Academy and become a student of Liang Xiangze."

Cheng Xi remembered that when the siblings said they were coming to Qinghe Academy, she hadn't expected them to turn around and go to Jindu Academy. She looked at Jiang Weiran suspiciously, "Does this have something to do with you?"

Jiang Weiran looked desolate and nodded silently, "They originally wanted to enter Qinghe Academy, but when they saw me here, Cheng Yunjian beat me up and took Feng Lan away. I didn't know what happened to the Cheng Family later; if I had known, I definitely would have gone back."

Jiang Weiran's voice was very low, his expression dejected and filled with guilt, but Cheng Xi did not feel he was pitiful. She only said, "I don't want to know about the grudges between you. It is their freedom to go wherever they want. However, Jiang, you and Cheng Fenglan had an affair. By rights, you should have taken responsibility and set a marriage contract with her, or married her into your home, but you didn't."

"Cheng Fenglan begged Lu Jinfan to set your arm for you. She failed me, but she was very good to you. Yet when she encountered trouble and needed your help, you were nowhere to be found, and your mother turned her away at the door without even seeing her."

"A person like you is completely irresponsible, selfish, and cowardly. If it were me, I wouldn't just walk away; I would definitely make you pay the price."

Cheng Xi dropped these words and turned to leave. She didn't care at all whether Jiang Weiran was at Qinghe Academy or not; if someone had to be kicked out, it would definitely be him!

Cheng Xi went back to buy the piece of Gold-Entwined Stone, then continued to browse the market with Yan Shengyu and the others. Only then did she learn some news, such as the fact that high-grade spirit medicines, treasures, and Talismans were not sold here, but rather at auction houses, where the highest bidder won.

Cheng Xi was very poor right now; she couldn't even afford to browse the market properly, let alone think about auctions.

Yan Shengyu and the others knew some of this news, but they couldn't get through the doors of an auction house either.

The group wove through various stalls. The sounds of hawking and haggling rose one after another. The stall owners were all very enthusiastic, clearly able to tell at a glance that this group, who didn't even have Dharma Robes, were new customers who were easy to fleece and deceive.

After walking a circle and satisfying their curiosity, the group returned to the inn.

Baohua had been staying quietly in the sleeve pocket, and only jumped out once they were back in the room, her Black Flood Dragon Eyes fixed on Cheng Xi.

Cheng Xi looked at her, "What do you want to do?"

Baohua turned her head to look at the mountains behind them.

"You want to go into the mountains?"

Baohua nodded.

"No, you are too weak right now. The depths of the mountains are too dangerous. You can go when you are a bit bigger."

Baohua tugged on Cheng Xi's sleeve.

"You want me to go with you?"

Baohua nodded again.

Cheng Xi refused again, "No, I am too weak as well."

Baohua:...

Cheng Xi reached out and patted her little head, "What's the rush? There will be plenty of time for you to play later. Let's get settled first; you are not allowed to cause trouble."

Baohua lay on the table and stopped moving.

Cheng Xi smiled and ignored her.

She hadn't grown up yet, but she had plenty of schemes, knowing how to negotiate with her.

The group ate dinner at the inn. Yan Shengyu and the others were pleasantly surprised; the food contained faint traces of Spirit Essence, though the price was also quite "touching."

The next day, the five of them ate breakfast and decided to go see Qinghe Academy.

After leaving Wanxing City, the five of them took a Green-Eyed Beast Cart and arrived at the foot of the mountain in half an hour. All outsiders had to stop here.

To go to the Academy, one could only climb up on foot.

Looking up, the mountains were as if washed clean, lush and dripping with green. The towering peaks pierced straight into the clouds, and the stone steps wound their way up, with no end in sight.

Besides them, quite a few people had gathered at the foot of the mountain; it seemed they were people from other places who had passed the Spirit Testing Stone test. The crowd was bustling, and the sound of chatter was endless.

Cheng Xi and the others stood in a corner and were not particularly conspicuous, but with the arrival of Yan Qingli, almost everyone's attention was drawn away.

"She really came to Qinghe Academy. Won't the Dean be angry?"

"Why would he be angry? She's his only daughter; naturally, he lets her do as she pleases. Besides, Qinghe Academy is the head of the four great academies; what's so strange about her coming here?"

"Don't you guys know yet? Yan Qingli came for Li Zhi'an."

"Li Zhi'an is now the Regent of the Heavenly Empire and isn't even at Qinghe Academy. What you're saying makes no sense at all."

"What do you know? The Regent isn't here, but his fiancée is. Yan Qingli only came because she wanted to compete with her."

"Really?"

"Which one is the Regent's fiancée?"

Cheng Xi:...

As expected, no matter the space-time, gossip is human nature.