Chapter 564: A Time of Prosperity (I)

There was nothing to say all night, and the next morning.

Qin Ku, with sleepy eyes, yawned as he followed the two maids, tidying up his messy clothes, swaying as he walked through the house and yard, heading straight for Ling Xiaoxiao's room.

"Deputy Fan, Madam is waiting for you inside, please!"

Looking at the two serious maids, Qin Ku was confused and became more and more bewildered.

I knocked on the door and entered the room, which was dark and lifeless, forming two completely different worlds compared to the bright sunshine outside.

Ling Xiaoxiao, who had not slept all night, sat at the table as quiet as a clay sculpture, with a dull look in her eyes and an inexplicable expression. Even when Qin Ku walked in front of her, she was still unaware of him, which was very strange.

"Cough cough!"

When Ling Xiaoxiao woke up from her thoughts and saw Qin Ku with a silly smile on his face, her eyebrows slightly frowned.

"Sit down and talk."

"Thank you, madam!"

Qin Ku's eyes rolled around as he looked around inside and outside. When he saw the neatly-laid bedding on the bed in the inner room, his expression froze slightly, and then he pretended to be ignorant and complimented, "The mansion master got up really early, worthy of being the leader of the martial arts world who is busy with all kinds of affairs."

Hearing this, Ling Xiaoxiao's expression suddenly changed, a trace of sadness flashed in the depths of her eyes, and she replied indifferently: "A day's plan begins in the morning. Brother Jin... always gets up at the crowing of the cock, burning chaff to make firewood."

"That's right! That's right!" Qin Ku nodded repeatedly, "Who is the mansion master? How could he be as lazy and greedy as me?"

"You don't have to underestimate yourself. If you don't have real talent and knowledge, Brother Jin won't make an exception to promote you."

Seeing that Ling Xiaoxiao was not angry at his teasing, but answered his questions, Qin Ku couldn't help but feel suspicious. He laughed dryly and said, "Madam said that you and I should try not to meet in the mansion. Why did you suddenly call me here today?"

"I am upright and aboveboard, so why should I be afraid of other people's gossip?"

"That's what Madam taught you."

"No need to compliment me." Ling Xiaoxiao waved her hand and said, "How did you find out about Liu Xunyi's background?"

"Liu Xunyi is extremely cautious and never lets anything slip." Qin Ku said guiltily, "But don't worry, Madam. I will continue to find his flaws."

"The more vigilant you are, the more problems there are." Ling Xiaoxiao pondered, "Time is running out, I must know whether Liu Xunyi is loyal or treacherous?"

"What do you mean?" Qin Ku asked in astonishment, "What do you mean by 'not much time'?"

Ling Xiaoxiao's eyes changed, knowing that she had said something wrong, but her face remained calm, and she said calmly: "The wedding date is getting closer, doesn't that mean there is not much time left?"

"Oh." Qin Ku laughed and said, "There is something I have been wanting to find a chance to tell my wife, but I am afraid that my wife will blame me..."

"What's the matter?"

"To be honest, I have already told Liu Xunyi the truth about what my wife asked me to do."

"what?"

With just these words, Ling Xiaoxiao's expression suddenly changed, and she angrily shouted: "Qin Ku, you are so brave! I have warned you many times..."

"Madam, please calm down and listen to me." Qin Ku explained quickly, "I told Liu Xunyi the truth not to betray you, but to gain your trust."

"Gain trust?" Ling Xiaoxiao snorted coldly, "You betrayed me, and you have so many excuses?"

"Every word is true!" Qin Ku said seriously, "Before I told him everything, he went out early and came back late, deliberately avoiding Liu Xunyi, and only revealed his cards to him half a month ago."

"Why?"

"Because I want Liu Xunyi to know that I have thought about this matter carefully and repeatedly." Qin Ku said with a wicked smile, "Only in this way can he believe that I really betrayed his wife."

"What's the benefit of doing this?" At this moment, Ling Xiaoxiao had heard a clue from Qin Ku's words, and the anger on her face gradually dissipated. She asked suspiciously, "What are you up to?"

"Let Liu Xunyi think that I have deep feelings for him, so that he can completely trust me until he lets down his guard and tells me the truth. Hehe..."

Looking at Qin Ku's treacherous face, Ling Xiaoxiao couldn't help but sneer: "Counter-espionage plan?"

"That's right! Until now, Liu Xunyi has completely lost his guard against me."

"Oh?" Ling Xiaoxiao raised her eyebrows slightly and asked with a half-smile, "In that case, do you think Liu Xunyi is loyal or treacherous?"

"Although I dare not say that I am loyal, at least I have no rebellious heart." Qin Ku pondered, "Excuse me for being frank, Liu Xunyi does not seem to have any feelings for the young lady, but he is sincere to the Xianwang Mansion. It is normal to think about it. After all, without the Xianwang Mansion, there would be no Liu Xunyi today."

"In your opinion, Liu Xunyi is not suspicious?"

"During this period, I was with him all day. Apart from practicing martial arts myself and supervising the three disciples to practice martial arts, the rest of the time was nothing more than eating and drinking, which were all harmless trivial matters." Qin Ku recalled, "Oh, right! He often went to drink with Lin Fangda. They said that they were sworn brothers, but I felt that there seemed to be a gap between them. They hardly talked when they met, but just drank heavily until they were drunk."

"Lin Fangda has admired Yu'er since childhood. How can he be happy to see that the woman he loves most is about to get married?"

"The woman he loves the most marries his best brother. Tsk, tsk, tsk, it's really fate." Qin Ku said with regret, "It's a pity that lovers can't end up together. The one who likes the young lady doesn't like her. And the one the young lady likes doesn't like her. Alas! The matchmaker made a mistake in tying the red string, delaying two pairs of mandarin ducks." "Two pairs of mandarin ducks?" Ling Xiaoxiao was curious and asked back, "I only know that Lin Fangda has feelings for Yu'er, but I don't know who will be a couple with Liu Xunyi?"

"Can't Madam see it?" Qin Ku pretended to be mysterious, "It's far away in the sky, but it's right in front of us."

"you are right……"

"Xunzhen!" Qin Ku curled his lips and said, "During this period, every time they meet, they are always at loggerheads, as if they had a grudge against each other in their previous life. After thinking about it, there is only one reason, that is, Xunzhen is jealous and turns love into hate..."

"That's enough!" Seeing Qin Ku was about to talk nonsense again, Ling Xiaoxiao couldn't help but feel upset and interrupted, "Don't mention boring things anymore. Just tell me, is Liu Xunyi... worthy of trust?"

"Although he is so distant from the young lady and doesn't seem to have deep feelings for her, but... I have known him for so long and have never seen him flirting with women or cheating on women. He is a gentleman." Qin Ku pondered, "Liu Xunyi's personality is 'if someone respects him one foot, he will respect them ten feet'. If the lady is willing to be honest with him, I believe... he will return his heart to the lady."

Hearing this, Ling Xiaoxiao couldn't help but glare at him, and said sternly: "Qin Ku, are you so bold as to play tricks in front of me?"

Qin Ku was stunned and immediately looked aggrieved.

"Stop pretending in front of me!" Ling Xiaoxiao said angrily, "You are not using a sowing discord strategy in front of Liu Xunyi, but you are playing both sides and trying to please both sides, using double sowing discord!"

"This..." Qin Ku cried, "Where should I start?"

"You keep saying you're betraying me to gain Liu Xunyi's trust. Now that you're betraying Liu Xunyi, aren't you just trying to deceive my guard?" Ling Xiaoxiao shouted coldly, "You're just sweet-talking, full of evil intentions, and you don't tell a single truth."

Qin Ku showed displeasure and argued, "Catch the thief and seize the stolen goods, catch the adulterer in bed! Why does Madam humiliate me?"

"Why?" Ling Xiaoxiao laughed in anger, "Just based on what you said just now, 'be honest and sincere, exchange hearts for hearts', it's obvious that you want to trick me into telling Liu Xunyi my true feelings."

Qin Ku glared and said angrily, "Madam, you are checking for your daughter and testing your future son-in-law. What's the harm in telling Liu Xunyi the truth? As Madam just said, it's aboveboard. Why do we have to be sneaky?"

At this point, Qin Ku's eyes flashed with contempt, and he teased, "Madam, do you want to regret it? After using me, you don't want to reward me, so you just find an excuse to perfunctory me?"

"How dare you!" Ling Xiaoxiao scolded, "Do you think I am you?"

"Hehe, of course Madam won't be so stingy." Qin Ku said with a playful smile, "I have always kept accounts clear and settled all grudges. I will work for whoever gives me money. If Madam doesn't trust me, just let me go away."

Ling Xiaoxiao closely watched Qin Ku's words and actions. After a long silence, she suddenly sighed and said bitterly, "Forget it! I'll trust you for once."

"Madam, don't force yourself. I have been an orphan since I was a child. I am poor and have little ambition. I am thin-skinned. I really can't stand this kind of grievance..."

Seeing Qin Ku's voice filled with tears, Ling Xiaoxiao couldn't help but show impatience and said, "At most... I'll give you a little more of last month's reward money."

"My lady is wise!"

Qin Ku's expression changed as quickly as turning the pages of a book, and his face of shame, anger and grievance was instantly covered with a kind and respectful smile.

Ling Xiaoxiao hesitated again and again, and asked tentatively: "Qin Ku, are you... willing to be mine?"

"Ah?" Qin Ku was horrified, and fell to his knees with a plop, kowtowed repeatedly like a chicken pecking at rice, "No! Absolutely not! Madam, this matter is of great importance, it is not trivial. My innocence is small, and your reputation is big. Once the Lord of the Mansion finds out, neither you nor I will be able to escape..."

"Asshole!" Seeing that Qin Ku misunderstood her meaning, Ling Xiaoxiao couldn't help but blush and spat, "I asked you to do something for me, what did you think?"

"Do things for you?" Qin Ku stared at Ling Xiaoxiao blankly, blinking dozens of times, as if he couldn't react.

"Forget it!" Ling Xiaoxiao was exhausted physically and mentally, and had no intention of arguing with Qin Ku. She took out a stack of banknotes from her sleeve and threw them on the table, waving her hand and saying, "You can go down!"

"Then... do I still need to keep monitoring Liu Xunyi?"

"No need." Ling Xiaoxiao said absentmindedly, "You just said that Liu Xunyi is clear about gratitude and resentment, and likes to 'exchange hearts'. If I continue to let you monitor him, won't it make him feel disappointed?"

Qin Ku looked disappointed and muttered to himself: "I don't know if he is disappointed or not, I only know that my source of income has been cut off..."

After saying that, the distraught Qin Ku left Ling Xiaoxiao's room and staggered towards the East Courtyard like a zombie.

"Qin Ku!"

Suddenly, a cold voice sounded from the corridor, which immediately startled Qin Ku.

At the bend, Murong Bai, with a serious expression, flashed out and blocked his way.

"Seventh Master?"

"Qin Ku, what were you doing in Madam's room just now?"

Hearing this, Qin Ku's face suddenly changed, and he quickly explained: "Don't get me wrong, I just..."

"Stop talking nonsense and follow me to see the Palace Master!"

……

(End of this chapter)