Chapter 131 Cascades: Heartbreak

Xue Yiqi was beaming as he stepped into an area of a teahouse part.i.tioned by a screen, ill.u.s.trated with watercolour paintings of flowers and majestic landscapes. Inside, already waiting for him, was Qi Jianqiu, dressed in the clothes of a man.

“Jianqiu, you're finally free today!” Xue Yiqi sat down happily, taking over the cup of hot tea handed to him by Qi Jianqiu. He took a sip, looking at Qi Jianqiu intently, joy and excitement apparent in his big eyes.

Qi Jianqiu laughed sheepishly. “I'm pretty free these days; it's mostly you who's busy, now that you've gotten promoted again.”

Xue Yiqi smiled foolishly, scratching his head. “I'm indeed a little busier than before. I'm a little dense, and there's a lot of things I have to learn about. But if you were to invite me, I'll definitely be here! You can find me anytime you're bored.”

Qi Jianqiu dare not look at Xue Yiqi's eyes any longer. The better Xue Yiqi was to her, the more guilty she felt.

“Inspector, I believe that if the records are kept by two separate people, we can minimise the chances of such embezzlement happening again.” An official suggested to Gan Qingjia.

Another official chuckled. “We were only supposed to have fun today, but yet we're bothering the Inspector with such matters again.”

The official looked at Gan Qingjia guiltily and was about to apologise when he say Gan Qingjia looking at a part.i.tion on the second floor of the teahouse. Following his gaze, the officials could only make out two silhouettes behind the part.i.tion from their angle on the stairs, unable to clearly identify the patrons behind the part.i.tion.

“Inspector?” An official asked gingerly, noticing that the smile had drained from Gan Qingjia's face.

Gan Qingjia returned to his senses and, not speaking a word, gestured for the group to leave the teahouse. As soon as they were outside, the officials quickly took their leave, knowing that the gathering was not going to proceed with Gan Qingjia's apparent foul mood. His face cold and emotionless, Gan Qingjia headed to Moonglade across the street.

Behind the part.i.tion, Qi Jianqiu made small talk as Xue Yiqi finished his cup of tea. Naturally, Xue Yiqi was beyond delighted to be able to spend time with Qi Jianqiu in such a manner. Finally, she worked up the courage to broach the subject. She met Xue Yiqi's eyes, innocent and full of unmasked delight. She swallowed audibly.

“Yiqi, there's something I want to talk to you about.”

Xue Yiqi tensed up. He recalled the incident where he'd proposed to QI Jianqiu again just a few days back, and his hands balled into fists below the table.

“What…what is it?”

Qi Jianqiu paused for a while. “Can we just be friends?”

Xue Yiqi felt as if a pail of freezing cold water was doused onto his heart. “Why?” His voice was hoa.r.s.e. “Am I not good enough for you?”

“No,” Qi Jianqiu said, shaking her head vehemently, “you're brilliant, Yiqi. I don't know how to put this…but matters of the heart are unpredictable and abstruse; its not a matter of how good you are.”

Qi Jianqiu's thoughts were a mess, but she continued. “I really do see you as a good friend Yiqi, and I love to hang out with you, having a good time wherever we are. But such feelings I have for you will not develop into the feelings of the other kind, you know?” Xue Yiqi had been silent all the while, and she did not know what to expect. She was afraid that she'll lose the good friend she'd had in him, but she could not deceive him any longer.

“Is it because of Third Brother?” Xue Yiqi suddenly asked, looking straight into her eyes.

Qi Jianqiu froze, a red flush creeping up her face all the way to the tips of her ears. She quickly looked away and kept mum, not wanting to lie to him.

Xue Yiqi saw her reaction and the light in his eyes died. His face fell, disappointment written all across his expression. His voice was hoa.r.s.e and painful to listen to. “I understand. Your heart is already taken, and I apologise for having put you in a difficult spot.”

Xue Yiqi stood up and left. He'd came with joy and a lightness in his heart, but left with a broken heart weighing his steps down.

QI Jianqiu set behind the part.i.tion, overwhelmed by guilt, but a little relieved at the same time. Her heart was heavy, for she hated to break the heart of Xue Yiqi, but there was nothing she could do. It was only when the other part.i.tions have cleared out did she finally stand up and left the teahouse.

“Where should I go at such a time?” Qi Jianqiu stood on the street, momentarily lost. Her eyes fell on Moonglade that sat across the street and lit up. “Let's go to Moonglade! It'll probably be the last chance I get to enjoy myself before I tell that fellow what I just did.”

She strode across the street to the zither parlour and was quickly recognised by the owner, who led her to a private room. QI Jianqiu turned to the owner. “I'm sure Miss Linglong is free today; I want her to play a song for me.”

The owner panicked. “Linglong is with other guests at the moment; can we let Songzhi accompany you instead? She's almost as good as Linglong on the zither.”

Qi Jianqiu was about to agree, but she remembered that it was rare for Linglong to entertain guests alone. “Who is she with? It might be someone I know, and then it'll be good if we get to sit together.”

The owner let the cat out of the bag. “It's Master Gan, the Inspector of the Imperial Granaries.”

“What did you say?” Qi Jianqiu slammed her hand onto the table, her eyes blazing with anger. “Him?”

The owner mistook the reason for her anger as a feud between the two of them and quickly tried to calm her down. “Shall we get Songzhi instead?”

Qi Jianqiu puffed her cheeks. “No. I want you to go to Linglong and tell her about my request for her in my room. Let's see who she decides to accompany.” The owner had no choice but to comply with her wishes.

It wasn't long before a knock sounded on the door of the room.

Qi Jianqiu said lazily, “Enter.” She sighed inwardly. Just as she raised her head, about to praise Linglong for recognising her importance, her eyes met with Gan Qingjia, who was leaning against the frame of the door, a wide grin on his face.

“Hmph!” Qi Jianqiu turned away. “Liar!”

Gan Qingjia calmly closed the door behind him and sat down across from Qi Jianqiu, pouring himself a cup of tea.

Back in Linglong's private room, she sat with her hands still holding her zither, s.h.i.+vering in anger. Gan Qingjia had rushed out of a door as soon as the owner mentioned Qi Jianqiu's name. How is he treating me like that!

The owner stood at the door, looking at Linglong. “It doesn't matter anyway; you already have someone else in your heart. Don't forget that we're here on a mission.”

“I don't need your reminder!” Linglong's beautiful face was frosted over in anger.

In Qi Jianqiu's private room, she could not hold it in any longer and aimed a kick at Gan Qingjia's s.h.i.+n under the table.

“What a liar you are! You'd just promised to tell me wherever you go in the future, and now you're here at a zither parlour without telling me about it! I'll never believe you again!”

Gan Qingjia dodged the kick. “That's supposed to be the case after you've accepted my proposal, but you haven't. Not only that, you even spent time drinking tea with others intimately in a teahouse!”

“What are you talking about? Hmph! Who had tea with others intimately in a teahouse?” Qi Jianqiu glared at Gan Qingjia, suddenly remembering her meeting with Xue Yiqi in the teahouse just hours ago.

Qi Jianqiu caught the look on her face and shook his head mockingly. “Seems like you've remembered what you'd done.”

Qi Jianqiu frowned. “I was having tea with Yiqi just now, but we were not intimate at all!”

“Yiqi? Hmph!” Gan Qingjia turned away from her, covering his face with the cup of tea. He would never have done such a childish action before.

Qi Jianqiu looked at the man in front of her and held in her urge to scream at him. She patiently explained herself. “Do you know why I was meeting him?”

“How would I know?” Gan Qingjia put his cup down and laughed harshly. Since when did I become a person that is so petty?  He stood up and turned to leave but was stopped by Qi Jianqiu.

“Will it kill you to just listen to what I have to say?” Qi Jianqiu flared.

“Alright then. Please go ahead, Young Miss Qi.” Gan Qingjia stopped and leaned by the doorframe, arms folded across his chest.

Qi Jianqiu was irritated by the tone in his voice but continued with her explanation. “I'd asked him to meet so that I can make it clear to him that the two of us can only be friends, and that I'll never accept his proposal. Are you happy now?”

Gan Qingjia froze. He knew that the expression on his face was hilarious.

Qi Jianqiu was pleased with his reaction. “Now then, it's my turn. So why are you here in Moonglade?”

The expression on Gan Qingjia quickly changed as he walked towards Qi Jianqiu, smiling. He sat down and poured a cup of tea for her. “Ahhhh…I saw that the two of you were together and my mind went blank! I didn't know what I was doing! Please forgive me, my Lady.”

Qi Jianqiu took the cup of tea from her and glared at him. “Who are you calling your ‘Lady'? What if you do it again next time? I'm not gonna believe you anymore!”

The smile on Gan Qingjia's face froze. “I, Gan Qingjia, vow to the heavens that I will never visit zither parlours and pear orchards without the knowledge and consent of my Lady, or may I be punished by the heavens.”

Qi Jianqiu glared at him. “Are you trying to take advantage of me again? So you're saying that I have to become your Lady for you to be good?”

Gan Qingjia held her hand in his and snaked an arm around her waist. “This is taking advantage of you.”

Qi Jianqiu struggled a little, but let his hands be. “Hmph! I'll like to see how you're going to get through my father; I'm not going to help you!”

“What!”

At the Feng residence, an Imperial Decree had arrived. Every member of the household knelt on the floor as the Imperial Attendant read the decree.

“By the will of the Heavens, and the command of the Emperor, both the daughter of Chamberlain Feng, Feng Luodi, and the Duke of Anping, Situ Muye, have my care and blessings. I bestow the blessing of marriage upon the two of them, to find a date suitable to be wedded.”

The Imperial Attendant smiled at Chamberlain Feng. “Chamberlain, please acknowledge the Imperial Decree. I'm sure the entire city of Chang'an would be envious of you having such a good future son-in-law.”

The Chamberlain kowtowed and took the decree from the Imperial Attendant, a little confused. “Why is his Majesty bestowing marriage upon my daughter all of a sudden?”

Feng Luodi was frozen in place, unable to move. Scarlet helped her to her feet as the two Ladies of the household looked at her.

The Imperial Attendant bowed. “The Duke had requested for the decree from his Majesty, and his Majesty had agreed without hesitation. Congratulations, Chamberlain Feng. I shall take my leave now.”

“Thank you, Imperial Attendant.” Chamberlain Feng had Fu Bo walk the Imperial Attendant to the gate as he turned to Feng Luodi.

“Luodi?” The First Lady called out to her. “Didn't you like that Duke of Anping as well? Why are you looking so pale?”

“Mother,” Feng Luodi said as she stared blankly at the First Lady, panic welling up in her eyes, “I don't want to marry. I don't want to marry him!”

“Now that things have come to this stage, it doesn't matter even if I disagree with it.” Chamberlain Feng approached Feng Luodi. “If we refuse the decree, the entire clan would be slaughtered.”