That Fair-Faced 'Sage' {Completed}

29. The Ming Manor Scandal

.

The Ming Gardens were quite beautiful, with a canopy of rare flowers covering the path to a beautiful pagoda.

They all sat around, and plish cushions, and after a few cups of cold beverage and flower cakes, LanFen idly watched the three Ming daughters entertain them.

The girls swirled beautifully in a dance routine they had titled 'Swaying blossoms, falling petals', and as they swayed and spun about, their hair, veils and flowing robes followed behind gracefully, really giving the impression of petals flying in the wind.

But LanFen's gaze constantly shifted from them, to the fifth Ming Madam, and in turn, the fifth Madam avoided her gaze. She smiled perfectly at the dancing girls, from one of the cushioned seats beside Lord Ming.

The wives had followed him in their rank order earlier, but now the fifth madam was seated right beside him, being the youngest and current favourite, and the first Madam sat on his other side.

After the dancing was done, there was general applause, and the young ladies bowed, before returning to their own cushioned seats.

But from where they sat, it became obvious that the girls, and a few maids, were constantly casting admiring glances at Shuǐ ChénLín and LanFen. This made Shuǐ ChénLín uncomfortable, but only brought out LanFen's innate desire to be mischievious.

She reclined on her cushion, and her fan appeared. "Fènghuáng-Jun, allow me to say, I indeed saw beautiful petals swaying about... Didn't you?"

"Tsk!" Shuǐ ChénLín clicked his tongue and reprimanded her with his eyes. "Mind your manners!" He whispered furiously, but the ladies just giggled behind their own pretty fans, eyeing them pointedly.

They lounged in the garden for a while, before politely taking their leave, deciding to go round the city and try talking to the residents.

"It's fine, it's fine." Lord Ming accepted their bows. "My wives are also leaving the manor, and returning to their relatives to help out."

.

After walking through Lode City's scanty and practically deserted markets, LanFen and Shuǐ ChénLín had not found out anything new.

In fact, the few people who agreed to chat with them, became scared, once they mentioned the attacks, or more notably, the white cat.

Before they realized, the sun was setting, darkness was descending and lamps around the city were beginning to flare into life.

They both decided to return to the Ming manor, and after washing up and changing to a set of house robes, LanFen sought out Shuǐ ChénLín, who had been exploring Lord Ming's sizeable library.

"Fènghuáng-Jun, will you die, if libraries ceased to exist?"

He didn't even bother turning, as he replied, "No. Because I own numerous books, and there are many ways to acquire even more." He turned a page on the book he currently held, which seemed to be a large and detailed history of Lode City.

"Wouldn't that be considered a library? Heh..." LanFen sighed, fanning herself. "Even if one wants to read, there are so many amazing books out there on romance, and 'nightly cultivation'. Why read these boring thing- Ei?!"

She ducked out of the way, narrowly avoiding one of his gleaming needles, surrounded in his usual blue aura.

The Lamp beside him had flickered from the brief burst of his aura, making shadows dance across their faces.

"Disciple Zhao." Shuǐ ChénLín had frozen for a while at her words, but now appeared calm.

However, a vein was ticking around his furrowed brow. "I will only say it once. Don't speak such improper things around me."