Chapter 581: Chapter 581: Alarmingly Consistent Good Looks

"Lady, Lady, let go, Lady..."

Feeling like he was about to suffocate, Liu Ji immediately begged for mercy as soon as his mouth was freed.

Besides, this was in the Lotus Courtyard, not at home. Being dragged around like this, doesn’t he care about his face?!

Gongliang Liao coughed lightly twice, suppressing his laughter. After all, he doted on his student, speaking gently to Qin Yao:

"Yao Niang, spare him."

Qin Yao chuckled, her arm tightened with a warning squeeze around Liu Ji’s slender neck, then abruptly let go.

"How many times have I told you not to shout loudly when there’s nothing going on!"

As soon as the arm around his neck was removed, Liu Ji immediately bent over and coughed, hiding behind his teacher while nodding repeatedly, face flushed, "I won’t dare, I won’t dare, never again..."

Gongliang Liao clicked his tongue and signaled the attendant student to pour Liu Ji a glass of water. Taking advantage of the distraction while Qin Yao was putting away bacon, he asked with concern:

"Are you alright? Why do you provoke your fierce wife, you know what this is called, right? Hurting the enemy eight hundred but injuring yourself a thousand! Even if you want to get your fierce wife’s attention, you shouldn’t have to risk your life."

Gongliang Liao shook his head, indicating he couldn’t understand the young people’s way of dealing with relationships.

Liu Ji took a couple of sips of water, feeling much better, a recovery rate that indeed made Shi Tou and other guards envious.

Qin Yao had already returned after putting things away and didn’t ask Gongliang Liao about deciding to return to the Capital. She smiled in greeting and then went with Shi Tou and other guards to the backyard to help prepare for the journey back to the Capital.

Liu Ji stayed behind, his eyes seemed glued to her back. Even after she disappeared, he tilted his head towards the backyard, only to be flicked back by Gongliang Liao.

"Teacher, why did you hit me?" Liu Ji covered his head, though his head turned back, his gaze remained slanted, still paying attention to the happenings in the backyard.

Gongliang Liao felt both anger and concern. After deciding to return to the Capital, what worried him most was his weak student, Liu Ji.

Knowing Qin Yao’s strength, the old man didn’t expect him to regain control over his wife, just hoping he wouldn’t act too recklessly and would calm himself, lest he die before him unexpectedly.

"Do you know why your teacher decided to return to the Capital?" Gongliang Liao brought up the topic Liu Ji was most curious about.

Sure enough, only then this soft-boned student could focus, squatting seriously in front of him to listen.

In the front hall, the sounds of conversation between the teacher and student could be heard at a moderate volume, and Qin Yao in the backyard could hear it if she listened closely, but she focused on preparing the Qi Family’s luggage instead.

"Three days from now, the snow will be deeper. You should bring shovels and other tools for removing snow, and Mr. Gongliang can’t stand the cold; I’ll have Ah Wang bring some wolf pelts from home later for you to make a blanket for him..."

After arranging for Gongliang Liao, Qin Yao went to check on Qi Xian’s luggage. Since it was autumn when they arrived at the village, they only prepared two pieces of fur clothing for warmth.

Qin Yao asked the maid taking care of Qi Xian, "Are we going straight back to the Capital? Or stopping by the Qi Family’s old residence?"

The maid replied, "The young master said we’re escorting Mr. Qi directly back to the Capital, not stopping at the old residence."

Qin Yao nodded in understanding and instructed the maid to make a windproof cloak for Qi Xian when the wolf pelts arrived.

She also checked the dry food prepared by the cook; the guards and servants ate wheat cakes, while the masters’ meals were to be freshly prepared, and they could buy from local people along the way in villages and towns.

Qin Yao remembered that Bai He and his group were also traveling with them, which would surely limit the teacher’s freedom to some extent. With the severe weather, who knows what might happen on the road.

But the productivity here was low, and convenient instant foods were nonexistent, nor could they be made in the short term. To ensure balanced nutrition, Qin Yao told the cook to go to the Liu Family’s old house and ask Mrs. Zhang for two jars of pickles, promising to pay for them later.

Watching the cook set off towards the Liu Family’s old house, Qin Yao stood in the yard, considering all the details she could think of, making sure nothing was missed, before returning to the front hall.

Gongliang Liao, Liu Ji, and Qi Xian, comprising the teacher and his students, had finished their conversation.

When Qin Yao arrived, Liu Ji was embracing his senior apprentice brother, bidding a poignant farewell, a scene truly moving to those who witnessed it.

Not catching a cold, Qin Yao gently brushed her nose with her fingertips, patiently waiting for the pair to complete their heartfelt farewell.

Liu Ji: "Senior Brother, once you’re in the Capital, don’t forget about your junior brother!"

Qi Xian: "Don’t worry, Junior Brother, I will write to you often."

Liu Ji: "No, that’s not what I meant... I meant, if fortune smiles upon us, never forget me."

Qi Xian hesitated, pushing away Liu Ji, who held him tightly with a helpless sigh, "Alright."

Having gotten the answer he wanted, Liu Ji wiped away the tears formed by the cold, stood up contentedly, saluted his teacher, and obediently followed his wife home.

On the way, without waiting for Qin Yao to ask, Liu Ji relayed the entire conversation between him and Gongliang Liao word for word.

The sudden decision to set off back to the Capital in three days was because Gongliang Liao suddenly had an epiphany.

"The teacher said he decided to go back to the Capital while he still has some influence, to pave the way for both me and my senior brother’s official careers!" Liu Ji repeated excitedly.

Since learning the truth, he no longer felt worried or afraid.

It turned out, the teacher still cared deeply for him, his dear student.

Thinking of this, Liu Ji felt a little emotional, raising his handsome face to meet the roaring northern wind, the chill successfully suppressed his fleeting sentimentality.

Qin Yao sighed softly; Gongliang Liao had indeed put sincere effort into disciplining this unruly disciple.

How could the power struggles in the court possibly be easy? Given Gongliang Liao’s frail body, he had little left to leverage with the powerful officials.

Under his calm smile lay a turbulent resolve.

Suddenly quiet, Liu Ji skeptically turned back to see Qin Yao had stopped and was staring blankly at the Lotus Courtyard.

"Lady, what are you looking at?" Liu Ji returned, standing in front of her, "Are you reluctant for Senior Brother and the teacher, too?"

He knew that despite her tough demeanor, she actually had a soft heart; if it weren’t the case, she wouldn’t have intervened yesterday to heavily injure the Black Cavalry, saving him and the teacher.

Qin Yao withdrew her gaze and looked at him. Liu Ji felt a bit guilty, weakly testing:

"Lady, is there something you want to do to me? Like...punch me with your fist as big as a sandbag?"

Yin Le had reminded him that Qin Yao was very angry, and the consequences were severe.

Yet the expected punch didn’t land on his face.

Qin Yao glanced at him indifferently. His handsome features were brushed by the icy northern wind, making his skin look even paler, lips redder, and those peach blossom eyes were as clear as the crystals in the river, with only her reflection in them, free of any pettiness or selfishness.

This man, his looks remained astonishingly stable!

Qin Yao slightly raised her chin, "Let’s go home." She had long passed the point of anger.

"Oh, okay!" Liu Ji felt flattered, quickly catching up.