Chapter 17

First Volume, Chapter 17: Not even leaving me a scrap?

After a full day of bustle, Qin Feng went to bed early.

The next morning, as dawn barely broke, Qin Feng's loud, shrill yelling echoed throughout the Qin Residence's back quarters.

Qin Xiaofu thought something had happened, grabbed his club, and rushed into the room in a panic, shouting: "Xiao Xiangxiang, are you stealing another kiss from the young master again? You bold, lowly servant!"

Near vermilion, one turns red; near ink, one turns black.

Xiao Xiangxiang knew perfectly well what "stealing a kiss" meant, and her face flushed crimson: "You… how dare you slander my virtue out of nowhere!"

Qin Feng paced back and forth inside the room, occasionally stomping his foot and cursing loudly, as if furious beyond measure.

Qin Xiaofu was utterly baffled, unsure who had provoked Qin Feng so early in the morning, and asked softly: "Young master, what's wrong?"

Qin Feng, arms crossed, fumed: "Damn it, I hate more than anything being stood up. Only I can stand others up—no one stands me up!"

That traitor Cheng Fa was supposed to deliver Ten Thousand Li Silver last night!

An entire day has passed, and not a peep—Qin Feng figured the little brat clearly didn't take Master seriously.

"Daring to default on me in my own face—doesn't he know Qin Feng values money over his own life? Unthinkable!"

Furious, Qin Feng rolled up his sleeves, bared his arms, and prepared to storm the Cheng Fu and fight.

Fortunately, Qin Xiaofu and Xiao Xiangxiang blocked him on either side.

Qin Xiaofu, tense, said: "Young master, didn't you forget what happened yesterday? Going out now is too dangerous."

Xiao Xiangxiang nodded vigorously, quickly adding: "Those bandits dared attack on the street—who knows what else they might do?"

Angry as he was, Qin Feng understood the principle: "Boldness is boldness, caution is caution." A true man can be bold, but he can also be cautious!

But when you can be both bold and cautious, you must be cautious.

Yet Qin Feng simply couldn't swallow this hatred.

After thinking it over, Qin Feng's eyes lit up: since Li Rui wanted his life, he'd surely send Assassins to strike—so why not just take Protectors with him when he went out?

He remembered that this guy's Fourth Sister had a bodyguard of exceptional skill…

Thinking of this, Qin Feng instantly perked up, shoved the two aside, and ran out while wailing mournfully: "Fourth Sister, your little brother's been bullied—you must avenge me!"

Jing Qianying's Xiaoyuan wasn't far from Qin Feng's, separated only by Liu Hongyan's residence—he reached it in a few strides.

Jing Qianying's living quarters were utterly unique; not another like them existed in the entire Shedynasty. Legend said that during her travels, she'd stumbled upon this architectural style in some obscure backwater, fallen instantly in love.

After returning home, she remodeled her own residence to match it.

The eaves were wide, beneath them a corridor; the front door had been removed and replaced with a sliding double door, behind which lay a hollow great hall, the entire floor laid with wooden planks.

Qin Feng instantly recognized: this damn thing was Tang Dynasty style!

At this moment, Jing Qianying sat beneath the eaves, eyes closed, resting; her Jing Qianying's Sword lay beside her, within easy reach.

Her naturally loose hair was tied into a neat ponytail.

A white light robe, a crimson ruqun, like a rose turned upside down—heroic and graceful, fierce yet tender.

Hearing Qin Feng's shrill yelling, Jing Qianying showed no reaction, ignored him entirely.

Qin Feng rushed onto the corridor, collapsed to his knees beside Jing Qianying, and made a face more wronged than Dou'e: "Fourth Sister, that bastard Cheng Fa owes me money and won't pay—please avenge me."

Jing Qianying kept her eyes shut, reached out, grabbed Jing Qianying's Sword, and used it like a club to shove Qin Feng away, murmuring: "Keep your distance."

"Sis, I'm your little brother!" Qin Feng cried, utterly wounded.

"If you weren't my brother, I'd have killed you eight hundred times already. Before you fell in the water, you idled all day, committing crimes. Afterward, you went mad, acting without decorum—you've shamed the Qin Family beyond repair."

"Leave now. Don't bother me."

Damn, Fourth Sister's cold demeanor is truly legendary!

No wonder the original body's memories feared her most…

Qin Feng rolled his eyes, but he had no choice—money was at stake, so he'd keep begging shamelessly!

"Cheng Fa doesn't just owe me money—he's slapping your face. He knows your Sword Art is peerless in Heaven, yet still dares defy me—he clearly doesn't respect you."

"I'm not here for the money—I'm here to avenge you!"

"Even if you won't help me, I'll go alone—if anything happens on the way, it's my own fault. I'd be honored to be your little brother for life."

Qin Feng's righteous speech earned only a cold snort from Jing Qianying.

Jing Qianying slowly opened her eyes, her gaze unreadable—whether disgust or resignation: "In shamelessness, Cheng Fa can't even compare to you. All day long, you're slick, flattery-spouting—thank heaven you never entered officialdom, or Shedynasty would have another corrupt minister."

"What? Sister thinks I have the potential to be a corrupt minister? Wow, thank you for the compliment!"

Qin Feng's eyes sparkled—being a corrupt minister was great! Who among them didn't feast and drink their fill?

Jing Qianying sighed, utterly powerless against this rogue of a brother.

No matter how sharp her words, they landed on Qin Feng like blows against cotton—no effect whatsoever.

She'd always wondered: how could her father, upright and unbending all his life, have sired such a son?

…To get rid of him quickly, Jing Qianying relented: "Take a few Protectors with you."

Protectors? That's not enough—or Qin Feng wouldn't have come crawling here begging Jing Qianying.

Qin Feng knew that if he were in danger, Jing Qianying would act without hesitation—but she'd never help him collect a debt.

Qin Feng immediately turned to look at the servant girl Shu Feng, standing nearby, smirking.

Like a hungry wolf spotting prey…

That's her!

"Sis, could you lend me Shu Feng for a day?" Qin Feng asked cautiously.

Jing Qianying nodded: "Only if I'm dead."

Qin Feng feigned shock: "Pfft, pfft—bad luck! Sister, live a hundred years! I won't borrow her for free—I'll rent her for a day."

"Oh?"

Jing Qianying had little interest in silver, but knew this brat spent recklessly—money he got back would likely vanish again in a flash.

Adhering to the principle of saving the Qin Family as much money as possible, Jing Qianying looked at him:

"How much are you prepared to pay?"

Seeing there was a chance, Qin Feng immediately perked up, lowered his head to think for a long while, then finally gritted his teeth and blurted: "Ten taels of Silver!"

"Get out!"

Jing Qianying seized Jing Qianying's Sword and raised it to strike Qin Feng's buttocks.

Qin Feng shuddered in fright, quickly raised both hands in surrender, yet his expression was troubled: "Then how much do you want?"

Jing Qianying did not answer, but asked instead: "How much does Cheng Fa owe you?"

At these words, Qin Feng's heart sank halfway — Jing Qianying's meaning was clear: she intended to skim off the top!

"Sister, aren't you supposed to be above worldly concerns? Why have you suddenly become so greedy?"

Qin Feng sighed, utterly unwilling: "Ten Thousand Li Silver."

Jing Qianying put down Jing Qianying's Sword and slowly closed her eyes: "Shu Feng, accompany the young master and bring back my Ten Thousand Li Silver."

"What?!"

Qin Feng was stunned, crying out in despair: "Sister, you're too ruthless! Ten Thousand Li Silver — not a single tael for me?!"