The morning breeze gently blew, and the lake shimmered.
After finishing breakfast, Su Yi took out some items and instructed, "Later, go to the Golden Stone Pavilion and pawn these useless things one by one, exchanging them for second-grade spirit stones and spirit medicines."
These items were part of the spoils obtained from Liu Hongqi yesterday.
There was another part that Su Yi kept.
A treasured sword talisman, a spirit sword named "Mountain Snow," fifteen third-grade spirit stones, and nine third-grade spirit medicines.
It had to be said that characters from the Moon Wheel Sect were indeed different. Their wealth was much more substantial than the secular warriors.
Seeing Liu Hongqi's relics, a trace of imperceptible sadness flashed in Te Jin's eyes, but then he nodded.
Seeing Su Yi stride towards the Shu Shi Residence, Te Jin couldn't help but ask, "Young Master, where are you going?"
"Just going out for a walk," Su Yi casually replied.
"Should I accompany you?" Te Jin couldn't help asking.
"No need, you can go to the Golden Stone Pavilion," Su Yi said as he had already walked far away.
Te Jin pondered for a moment, then picked up the items and decided to go to the Golden Stone Pavilion immediately.
As soon as he walked out of the gate of Shu Shi Residence, he saw a luxurious and exquisite carriage waiting there.
Zheng Tianhe, the patriarch of the Zheng clan, stood next to the carriage with a delicately made-up young girl in a black dress.
"Lord Su," as soon as Zheng Tianhe saw Su Yi, he smiled and greeted him.
This helmsman of one of the top five aristocratic families in Gunzhou City was like a kind wealthy elder when facing Su Yi, showing a hint of sincere respect from the bottom of his heart.
This made the young girl in the black dress couldn't help but be stunned. She couldn't help but carefully size up Su Yi. Is this the important person her father was talking about?
Indeed, he's exceptionally handsome!
Her eyes sparkled, her slanted willow leaf eyebrows slightly raised, and the corners of her deep eyes narrowed, resembling a charming and enchanting little fox.
"Do you need something?" Su Yi asked.
Zheng Tianhe chuckled and said, "I heard that you arrived in Gunzhou City only yesterday, and I thought you needed someone familiar with the city by your side. So I came here early, planning to introduce my useless daughter to you. In the future, she can accompany you and take care of some minor matters, saving you a lot of trouble."
Te Jin, who happened to walk out of the gate, heard this conversation and couldn't help but be startled, his eyes showing a strange look.
The esteemed head of the Zheng family, with such overwhelming power and status, who would believe that he would come here early in the morning to build connections?
Zheng Tianhe first smiled and greeted Te Jin, then waved his hand, saying, "Come over and meet your Uncle Su, girl."
The girl in the black dress approached gracefully, blinking her sparkling eyes, and said in a crisp voice, "Uncle Su, my father mentioned you to me last night. Don't worry, I promise to serve you attentively and not to upset you."
The girl appeared to be around sixteen or seventeen years old, her black dress swaying, her skin as fair as snow. She was stunningly attractive, with a touch of sensuality and charm. Her long hair had a light chestnut color, and her lips were moist and lustrous, resembling a tender peach.
There was a hint of admiration in her gaze towards Su Yi, which undoubtedly satisfied any man's vanity.
"Little vixen, why don't you call him 'godfather'? Why stop at 'uncle'?" Tea Jin murmured to herself.
"Young master, this is my unruly daughter, named Mu Yao. You can just call her Xiaoyao," Zheng Tianhe introduced with a smiling squint.
With just one glance, Su Yi could tell that this fiery and beautiful girl may seem obedient, but deep down, she had a streak of unruliness in her bones. However, he didn't really care about such matters.
Moreover, he did need someone familiar with the situation in Gunzhou City by his side. He nodded calmly and said, "Being by my side is not a problem, but I have one requirement: obedience and not causing trouble."
"Uncle Su, rest assured, I've always been obedient," the girl, Zheng Mu Yao, said with a shallow smile, her eyes curving like a little fox.
Su Yi saw through the girl's little schemes with just one glance, and he only agreed to her being obedient, not promising not to cause trouble.
Of course, Su Yi couldn't be bothered to nitpick on such small matters. If this girl dared to cause trouble for him, he wouldn't care about Zheng Tianhe's face and would ensure that she experienced the consequences of causing trouble.
"Su Gongzi, Miss Tea Jin, I'll take my leave now," Zheng Tianhe didn't linger any longer and turned to leave.
Before he left, he left behind a luxurious and exquisite carriage and coachman, serving as Su Yi's means of transportation.
"Young lady, your father left you here to work for the young master. You must not disappoint your father's earnest intentions. Think twice before you act, knowing what you should and shouldn't do," Tea Jin approached and softly spoke.
Zheng Mu Yao had noticed Tea Jin long ago. After all, such a stunning beauty would be hard to ignore.
She smiled and said, "How should I address you, Auntie?"
Tea Jin's face froze for a moment, "What did you call me?"
Innocently, Zheng Mu Yao replied, "Since you and Uncle Su are together, I assume you belong to the same generation. Naturally, I should respect you."
Intentionally or not, she emphasized the word "you."
Tea Jin felt annoyed in her heart. How could she not know that this little vixen was provoking her?
She couldn't help but smile and reached out to ruffle Zheng Mu Yao's hair, speaking in an elder's tone, "Such a childish temperament. Remember, when children make mistakes, their bottoms are the easiest to be punished."
Zheng Mu Yao was taken aback for a moment but suddenly sweetly smiled and said, "Auntie, rest assured. If Uncle Su really spanks me, it's also for my own good. I understand that."
With a mouthful of "Auntie," Tea Jin clenched her teeth in frustration, but maintained a bright smile on her face, nodding and saying, "That's good to hear. I believe that's what your father wants to see, and you surely won't disappoint your father, right?"
Zheng Mu Yao let out a cold hum internally, but smiled playfully, saying, "It doesn't matter if my father is disappointed, as long as Uncle Su isn't disappointed in me."
Su Yi grew impatient and asked, "Are you done talking?"
Both Zheng Mu Yao and Tea Jin fell silent, exchanging a glance that carried an invisible air of competition, slowly brewing within them.
"Let's go for a stroll in the city," Su Yi said, boarding the carriage directly.
Zheng Mu Yao hurriedly lifted her skirt and followed, waving at Tea Jin as she left. "Auntie, I'll accompany Uncle Su for now. We can chat properly later."
With that, she climbed into the carriage.
Soon, the carriage slowly moved away towards the distant streets and alleys.
Tea Jin watched the carriage disappear, and the smile on her beautiful face faded little by little. "Just a little girl, daring to compete with me. She truly has no fear..."
However, a faint worry arose in her heart. What if this little vixen, in order to please Su Yi, resorted to questionable methods? What should she do then?
Wait a minute.
Why am I even thinking about this?
Tea Jin was taken aback, shook her head with self-mockery, and extinguished the thought of having a conflict with Zheng Mu Yao.
After all, she was just a little girl who would only accompany Su Yi for a few days at most. It wasn't worth caring about.
...
Inside the carriage,
It was spacious, with a carpet made of tanned animal fur covering the floor. On the mahogany cabinets were wine flasks, tea cups, fruits, and snacks.
The exquisitely crafted seats were also very comfortable, allowing one to recline without feeling any bumps.
A fist-sized night pearl hung from the carriage's ceiling, while there were openings on both sides for ventilation, preventing any stuffiness.
"Truly a worthy carriage for the head of the Zheng family, not bad," Su Yi lazily reclined, thinking to himself whether he should also get a carriage like this for convenience during future travels.
But soon, he dismissed the thought.
The greatest enjoyment of traveling in the world was to witness the beauty of heaven and earth, to appreciate the magnificence of mountains and rivers, so as to cultivate one's heart and comprehend the power of creation.
Of course, using such a carriage for transportation in the city would undoubtedly be the most comfortable option.
Zheng Mu Yao sat with one knee bent, revealing a pair of slender and crystal-clear snow-white legs beneath her black dress, accentuating her fiery and exquisite figure, forming an alluring curve.
"Uncle Su, where are we going?" the girl asked with a playful smile, her breath fragrant, her eyes like sparkling stars, boldly and directly gazing into Su Yi's eyes.
The carriage was spacious, but Zheng Mu Yao, whether intentionally or unintentionally, sat with her knees bent, very close to Su Yi.
At a casual glance, one might think she was leaning against Su Yi's side.
With such proximity and being alone together, the atmosphere in the carriage carried a hint of allure.
"Let's take a stroll around the city first," Su Yi glanced at the girl who resembled a little fox, then pointed to a corner of the carriage. "You can sit over there."
Zheng Mu Yao blinked her eyes, her voice soft and tender as she said, "Uncle Su, I don't mind. You can... um... not mind either."
Her voice was sweet and soft, but it carried a hint of teasing.
"I do mind," Su Yi wrinkled his nose. "The sachet you're wearing contains a blend of nineteen fragrances, including Bai Zhi, Purple Perilla of a hundred years, Water Luo Ding, Bingshan, Long Nao, and so on. Although it may be alluring, for me, the rich fragrance carries a certain atmosphere that is suffocating."
"Now, do you understand what I mind about?"
Zheng Mu Yao was stunned for a moment, her pretty face slightly flushed. She took a sachet the size of a copper coin from her slender waist and threw it out of the carriage window.
Then, the girl shifted her delicate body and sat in the corner of the carriage, biting her glossy lips, looking pitiful as she said, "Uncle Su, if I had known you didn't like this fragrance, I wouldn't have worn it. If you want to punish me, you can... scold me? Or even hit me, as long as it makes you feel better."
Su Yi rubbed his temples, let out a soft sigh, seemingly uninterested, and said, "Little girl, this kind of teasing method is too crude. I advise you to cultivate and refine yourself further. Your appearance and figure are excellent, but your temperament and charm are somewhat lacking, quite dull."
What does true temperament and charm mean for a sixteen or seventeen-year-old?
It stems from emotions, originating from the essence of youth. That is the most extraordinary!
Like Wen Lingxue, every move, every smile, is pleasing to the eye.
But the Zheng Mu Yao in front of him was clearly "performing." This seemingly beautiful and seductive, obedient and charming girl was suppressing her inherent wildness and rebelliousness.
In other words, what she was currently showing was not her true self.
Zheng Mu Yao was completely stunned, her delicately made-up oval face showing uncertainty. She seemed completely lost...