Chapter 345 (1/2)

Chapter 345: The Person Entering the Human Realm (Part I)

There were only two friends little handmaiden Sangsang could get along with in Chang'an. The first was the Princess of Tang, Lee Yu, and the other was Mistress Jian's maidservant, Xiaocao.

The difference in status between the Princess of Tang and the maidservant of a brothel was like night and day. But Sangsang treated the both of them the same. She spoke with them blandly and was silent most of the time, preferring to listen instead.

Xiaocao hit the railings twice and looked at Sangsang, who was beside her. She asked curiously, ”I heard that the Calligraphy Addict is one of the three Addicts in the world. I suppose she must be very famous. Is she beautiful?”

Sangsang nodded.

Xiaocao said furiously, ”Men are indeed fickle.”

Sangsang looked at her puzzledly.

Xiaocao said even more angrily, ”I'm talking about that young master of yours.”

Sangsang grew even more confused.

Xiaocao looked at her worriedly and said, ”Everyone in Chang'an knows, that Ning Que brought home a beautiful woman from his travels. Are you not worried?”

Sangsang looked at her and asked seriously, ”What should I be worried about?”

Xiaocao held her hands and said worriedly, ”According to what you have said, you often sleep with your young master, so you can't marry someone else anymore. You will definitely be his concubine in the future. He did not tell you anything and brought a woman home, so it must be that he does not have much feelings for you. If that woman marries your young master in the future, she will be in charge of household matters. What will you do then?”

Sangsang lowered her head and looked at her hands that clutched the railings tightly. After a pregnant pause, she said softly, ”Young master has to marry someone when he grows up. When young master and I first came here, we returned home and immediately discussed who would make a better wife for him. Even if he wants to marry Ms. Calligraphy Addict, I won't be upset about it.”

...

”You've missed them to death? Which parts of them did you miss? Or do you wish for them to die? You've been tortured for half a year in the Wilderness. And yet, you did not study in the Academy upon your return to Chang'an but came to have fun in the brothel. I wonder how the Headmaster of the Academy and Yan Se had taught you. Are you prepared to spend your life with women upon entering the human realm? ”

Mistress Jian glared at Ning Que, dissatisfaction written plainly on her face as she berated him.

Ning Que stood still and did not dare to retort. The ordinary looking woman before him was not ordinary at all. She not only ruled the brothel in Chang'an, she had a close relations.h.i.+p with Youngest Uncle and the Academy. He did not dare to act rashly.

After his travels on the Front Gate of the Devil's Doctrine, and having heard Lotus' memories, he could be certain that the girl, Xiaoxiao, who had died before the Lanke Temple had something to do with the House of Red Sleeves. Youngest Uncle had torn apart the Devil's Doctrine because of her death. Second Brother had once said, that Youngest Uncle was close with Mistress Jian. What had happened between them? He could have asked Mistress Jian about the girl named Xiaoxiao, but he figured it was a sad past and there was no need to bring it up again, which was why he did not say anything.

He suddenly thought that Mistress Jian would like to know about Youngest Uncle. He said, ”I have inherited Youngest Uncle's mantle.”

Mistress Jian was slightly surprised. She asked in a trembling voice, ”The Haoran Sword?”

Ning Que nodded, ”Yes.”

Mistress Jian looked at him incredulously with deeply furrowed brows. She leaned forward and stared into his eyes sternly. ”Only the Haoran Sword?”

Ning Que was startled and nodded once more.

Mistress Jian relaxed upon his confirmation. She leaned back tiredly and said, ”That's good.”

Ning Que looked at her expression and wondered if Mistress Jian had known the truth about Youngest Uncle joining the Devil.

”I do not wish for you to walk down the same path as he did.”

Mistress Jian looked at him earnestly. ”You have to go through many challenges in order to have the world acknowledge that

that you are qualified to represent the Academy to enter the human realm. He was just a little turquoise robed scholar when he rode that black donkey into Chang'an. He couldn't control his mental state, and created chaos in the world and ended up in a miserable state where he couldn't even die in peace. You have to remember, to act discreetly and cautiously. You musn't offend too many people.”

This was the second time Ning Que had heard Mistress Jian seriously mentioning about entering the human realm in today's conversation. He could not help but grow curious about what that actually was. He heard her use Youngest Uncle's example as a warning to himself and could not help but laugh. He answered, ”Do not worry, I am not as strong as Youngest Uncle. If anything really happens, I will just hide in the Academy.”

”Do not think that the Academy is really the best in the world. If the Academy could really solve all things in the world, would your Youngest Uncle end up like that? So what if he managed to cut down all those peach blossoms on that mountain after the incident had happened?”

Mistress Jian said coldly, resentment filling the crow's feet by her eyes.