FID – Chapter 1014

Chapter 1014 – A Meeting of Minds

Hearing the young man’s answer, the Elder discreetly pressed a hand to her forehead: Honglian, Qinglian.

One of the two must be lying. She leaned more toward that stubborn girl, Qian Yi.

As for the reason, she would find out after questioning the young man. She would make sure to ask the girl what game she was playing.

At the crucial moment when the imperial envoy was about to arrive to select girls, a protector suddenly appearing could very well indicate hidden motives.

Refocusing on the present, the elder’s gaze sharpened as she looked at Xue Honglian.

“Qian Yi says you are her protector. In our Saintess Tribe, a guardian is a girl’s lifelong protector, and also the one she will entrust her life to in the future. Do you acknowledge this role?”

“Xue Qinglian naturally acknowledges it.”

“Don’t play word games with me. Do you acknowledge it or not?”

Xue Honglian lifted his gaze and quietly met the elder’s eyes. “I do.”

“Good. But before your relationship is officially established, I need to know everything relevant to you—your background, your identity. These are things a senior must understand. I’m not forcing you to answer now; you can go back and think it through. When you’ve made up your mind, you can come and tell me, but your time to consider won’t be long. The deadline I give you is before the imperial envoy arrives.”

“There’s no need to think. Since you want to know, Elder, I can tell you right now.”

The young man’s words floated out the window, making Qian Yi so frustrated she wanted to claw at the wall.

The Elder had already said to give him time to think, so why did he refuse so decisively?

Answering right now, answering what?! She hadn’t even coordinated their story yet. Now the Elder would definitely think she was lying.

Qian Yi tilted her head up to the sky, feeling utterly dejected. She realized that Xue Honglian was deliberately setting her up.

Since they had met, apart from him saving her life on the cliff, the rest of the time had been spent scheming against her. She had never had a moment of peace.

But panicking here was useless. Inside the room, the young man’s low, steady voice rang out again.

“I have had no father or mother since childhood. I am an orphan. From a young age, I drifted about with no fixed place to live. I am ashamed to say I did not inherit any family estate. Over the years, I survived by learning martial arts and taking on bounties, earning enough to sustain myself. Even now, I am alone. There is nothing to consider, and nothing I cannot say.”

Qian Yi: “…” That sounded almost exactly like the story she had told the Elder. What a coincidence! She hadn’t expected her fabricated tale to accidentally line up perfectly.

The Elder’s sharp gaze pierced straight into the young man’s eyes. There was nothing in them but bottomless darkness.

On the surface, he seemed open and straightforward, yet it was impossible to gauge his depth. One could not tell whether what he said was true or false.

Finally, the Elder withdrew her gaze and let out a silent sigh. There was no way to verify anything, so she decided to listen for the time being.

“What are your intentions regarding Qian Yi?”

“Qian Yi is still young. Neither she nor I have plans to marry immediately. Although we have feelings for each other, we’ve only known each other a short time and do not fully understand one another. We will spend some time together first, and in the end, Qian Yi may not marry me. She is only seventeen, and her disposition is not yet settled. As a senior, you would not want her to make a rash decision and regret it for a lifetime, right?”

“Her disposition may change in the future, and she might alter her decision. What about you?”

“I am not an immature boy with an unformed mind or impulsive temperament. Once I decide on something, I do not change it. At the same time, I do not like to force matters. What happens between Qian Yi and me ultimately depends on the choice she makes.”

“It is good that you think this way.” The Elder regarded the young man intently and said, “Qian Yi is indeed still young. I see that you are much older than her. Perhaps after another year or so, she might even think you are too old. Our Saintess Tribe girls never lack suitors, so there’s no need to rush. However, your relationship must be settled first. Otherwise, when the imperial envoy arrives to select, if Qian Yi is chosen, there will no longer be a chance for the two of you.”

The only way for Qian Yi to avoid being taken to the palace was if she already had a fiance and their engagement had been formally established.

Even so, this was extremely risky, especially for Qian Yi, because her bloodline was far too pure.

This was the greatest temptation for the emperor.

The Elder could not be certain. If the emperor knew this, would he spare them because Qian Yi’s engagement had already been settled?

If he did not spare them, the Saintess Tribe would be powerless. They were citizens of Xiliang, subjects of the emperor, and all matters had to prioritize the royal family. If the emperor were willing to bear the stain of forcibly taking a citizen’s wife to seize Qian Yi, the tribe could do nothing.

“A few days ago, the village received word from the imperial envoy that the people had already reached Mo City and would soon arrive at the village. But now several days have passed with no news. Something seems amiss. Tomorrow, Qian Yu will go to the city to check, and you should go with Qian Yi. Assess the situation and also purchase items needed for the engagement ceremony. Regardless of whether you two ultimately succeed, the engagement ceremony must take place. Only then can your relationship withstand scrutiny.”

Glancing at Qian Yu, Xue Honglian nodded. “Understood.”

Knowing the Elder had nothing more to say for the moment, Xue Honglian exited the courtyard.

His temperament rarely led him to explain things in detail, and he had never spoken so many words in a single breath.

It was only because the elderly woman in the courtyard gave him a feeling similar to the old matriarch of the Liu family that he was willing to show her some favor.

Even when faced with her nearly piercing questioning, he did not feel annoyed.

Once this matter was settled, regardless of whether his Life Link Gu could be removed, he would return to Xinghua Village and live in the Liu family courtyard.

As Xue Honglian.

If Xue Qinglian dared to compete with him, he would just beat him.

He would choose a grave for himself in Xinghua Village. If, unfortunately, the Gu poison acted up and he died there, at least someone who truly cared for him would mourn over him, remembering that he once existed in this world.

Then he would have no regrets.

“Xue Honglian! Xue Honglian!” The girl jumped out from behind, her small hands patting his shoulder. “I heard everything you said just now inside. I didn’t expect our answers to be exactly the same. We really are connected heart-to-heart!”

“Are you happy?” Xue Honglian lowered his eyes, glancing at her.

“Of course I’m happy! We didn’t rehearse our answers, yet we didn’t slip up in front of the elder. Aren’t you happy?”

“Happy? How stupid would I have to be to have a heart-to-heart with someone of your intelligence?”

Qian Yi: “……” Was he insulting her just now?

Clenching her hands, she chased after him, fuming. “You’re the guest, so I’m letting you have your way! Don’t get cocky! What’s wrong with my intelligence? I’m smart and clever. Many girls can’t compare!”

Xue Honglian said indifferently, “So there are so many fools in your village.”