Chapter 1194: Wang Xiao

The joy that had filled Shang Shuqing's face froze in an instant.

Because once Niu Youdao turned around, the face she saw was not Niu Youdao's at all.

Although Niu Youdao's disguise would not withstand close scrutiny by a Dharma Eye, it was hardly crude enough to be seen through by ordinary mortal sight.

When he heard her say, "I didn't know before. So Master Dao has already returned from the Sacred Realm," and then saw her reaction the moment she saw his face, Niu Youdao almost felt like covering his face and weeping.

So it had been a misunderstanding.

She had nearly scared him to death.

The heart that had been clenched tight with tension finally began to relax.

Fortunately, he was a man who had weathered great storms before. He could keep his composure.

Calmly, he asked, "Young lady, were you calling me? And you are...?"

Naturally, he deliberately suppressed and altered his voice.

Hearing this, Fu Junlan beside them became confused all over again.

He discovered that since arriving at this place full of experts, his mind seemed unable to keep up.

Had the Commandery Princess mistaken the man for someone else?

Embarrassment flashed across Shang Shuqing's face. She could not resist asking, "And Sir is...?"

Out of the corner of her eye, Yun Ji noticed Niu Youdao's hands behind his back making a small hooking gesture with his fingers.

She immediately stepped forward and interrupted. "He is one of my people from Duyun Mountain. His name is Wang Xiao. Commandery Princess, do you know him?"

"Wang Xiao..." Shang Shuqing stared at Niu Youdao's face, then hesitantly shook her head.

Yun Ji then said to Niu Youdao, "Wang Xiao, this is Prince Yong's younger sister, Shang Shuqing, Commandery Princess of Great Yan."

Niu Youdao immediately bowed respectfully. "Wang Xiao pays respects to the Commandery Princess."

Shang Shuqing dipped slightly in return. "Qing'er was discourteous and impetuous. I hope Sir will forgive me."

"The Commandery Princess is practically an old member of Maolu Villa. What forgiveness is there to ask for?" Guan Fangyi, having recovered, hurried over and teased.

Her own heart, which had been pounding wildly, finally calmed as well.

She smiled brilliantly and waved one hand, speaking with exaggerated warmth and liveliness to divert everyone's attention.

"Commandery Princess, this isn't the place to talk. And this young brother too—come, let's all go into the main hall for tea. Whatever there is to say, we can sit down and speak slowly."

She warmly invited Fu Junlan as well.

Fu Junlan repeatedly responded with polite modesty.

So she had only mistaken him for someone else.

The Maolu Annex guards who had briefly shown themselves around the courtyard quietly disappeared again.

Under the eaves, Yuan Gang slowly exhaled.

Even with his usual composure, that scene had genuinely frightened him.

He finally understood what it meant for a single sentence to shock everyone present.

Feng Ruonan relaxed too.

For a moment, she had thought Niu Youdao had somehow returned from the dead.

Yet the incident also filled her with a faint unease.

She was one of the people who knew Niu Youdao was dead.

What part of this man looked anything like Niu Youdao?

Feng Ruonan had met Niu Youdao before almost anyone else present. She had known him since he was still a youth.

They could be considered old acquaintances.

Compared with the man before them, there was not the slightest resemblance.

Yet Qing'er had suddenly run over and called him Master Dao.

Had she become obsessed to the point of delusion?

Feng Ruonan also knew what Shang Shuqing had once said when she openly revealed her feelings for Niu Youdao—words that had sounded almost possessed.

And now, the moment Shang Shuqing saw people from Maolu Villa, this was her reaction.

She was calling strangers "Master Dao" on sight.

It truly worried Feng Ruonan.

Her heart ached for this younger sister-in-law of hers.

Such a good woman, driven nearly mad by one-sided love.

Concern was concern, but the etiquette of the Prince's residence could not be neglected.

Feng Ruonan called, "Qing'er, don't be discourteous!"

Shang Shuqing looked back at her.

After being reminded, she again dipped slightly toward Niu Youdao in apology.

Niu Youdao looked as though he did not dare accept such courtesy and returned the bow with clasped hands.

But he noticed that after Shang Shuqing raised her head, her gaze still refused to leave him.

She was very clearly staring into his eyes.

Niu Youdao's heart gave a thump.

Changing one's face was easy.

Changing one's eyes completely was not.

Almost instinctively, he made his gaze a little more unfocused.

Then he abruptly noticed Shang Shuqing's nostrils move slightly.

She seemed to be testing some scent.

Niu Youdao reacted quickly.

Alarm sounded in his heart.

He was so frightened that he almost held his breath, even though he knew perfectly well that holding his breath would do nothing to conceal the scent of his body.

It was still an instinctive reaction.

He had been afraid of meeting Shang Shuqing in the first place.

That was why, the moment he learned she was coming, he hurried out of the main hall to hide outside.

Who could have imagined that trouble would still find him?

With her sister-in-law calling from the other side, Shang Shuqing did not linger.

She turned and went back.

Fu Junlan had finally understood that she really had mistaken the man for someone else.

He hurried away after her, inwardly relieved.

For a moment, he had thought that on his very first visit he was actually going to meet that legendary figure.

"I padded my shoulders higher. She could still recognize me?" Niu Youdao murmured, barely moving his lips. "Didn't you say even someone familiar with me wouldn't recognize me?"

Guan Fangyi, who had come over to interrupt, replied with barely moving lips of her own. "I miscalculated. That girl combed your hair for more than ten years. When it comes to familiarity with your back, I'm afraid no one can compare with her."

Niu Youdao murmured, "Get me several sets of looser clothes."

Just then, Shang Shuqing, who had already walked away, suddenly turned her head and looked toward Niu Youdao again.

Niu Youdao could not have felt guiltier.

He casually turned his head to look elsewhere, almost crying out inwardly for Shang Shuqing to spare him.

Guan Fangyi, who needed to entertain the guests, immediately put on another brilliant smile and began chattering animatedly to keep everyone's attention elsewhere.

When she reached Shang Shuqing's side, she conveniently took her hand.

Then, as though only now noticing, she exclaimed in surprise, "Commandery Princess, this outfit is beautiful. Tsk, tsk, what a figure. You put the rest of us to shame!"

She genuinely was surprised.

Back at Maolu Villa, she had never seen Shang Shuqing dress this way.

She had certainly never seen her wear clothing cut so closely to the body.

Niu Youdao glanced back as well.

He had noticed it too.

He had never seen Shang Shuqing dressed like this before.

The clothing truly did display the fine curves of a woman's figure.

Of course, Niu Youdao's attention was focused more on Fu Junlan.

He had already obtained detailed information about Fu Junlan and knew there should be no major problem with the man.

But this was the first time he had seen Fu Junlan in person.

Niu Youdao had his own seasoned method of judging people.

Fu Junlan was fairly good-looking, and from his speech and conduct he seemed to be a proper, well-behaved man who did not overstep his bounds.

If Shang Shuqing married him, she should not suffer too much grievance.

Seeing the man with his own eyes reassured Niu Youdao somewhat.

Otherwise, he always felt as though he owed Shang Shuqing something.

That was what he told himself.

Yet some faint, inexplicable strands of emotion still tugged at him because of that sense of indebtedness.

The feeling itself was strange.

He was an exceptionally calm and rational man. He would not develop some special attachment merely because she had combed his hair.

The Shang siblings had received far more than they had ever given.

By emotion or reason, he owed them nothing. One could even say they owed him far more.

Yet that inexplicable feeling remained.

He could not make sense of it.

Sometimes he would even feel for no reason that Shang Shuqing was looking at him.

Then he would turn his head and discover that she really was.

It was a peculiar sensation, as though faint, invisible threads had always existed between them.

In the end, he had followed her down the mountain from beneath the peach tree at Shangqing Sect the very first time they met.

He had always wondered whether it was because Shang Shuqing had freed him from Shangqing Sect in the first place...

"Hongniang is joking!" Shang Shuqing said modestly from the other side.

The praise made her somewhat embarrassed.

Her face even reddened.

Fu Junlan was still beside her.

With clothing like this, her curves were strikingly displayed.

Whenever she went out, she always felt people staring, especially men.

It was terribly embarrassing.

She had not wanted to wear it at all, but her sister-in-law had forced her.

Feng Ruonan, hearing the compliment, beamed.

She had inadvertently been praised herself.

This was all her handiwork.

She even raised her brows at Shang Shuqing, as though saying, See? Your sister-in-law has good taste, doesn't she?

Holding Shang Shuqing's hand, Guan Fangyi warmly led her away while calling for everyone else to follow.

After so many years mixing in the worldly dust, entertaining guests was one thing Guan Fangyi did better than almost anyone.

The group entered the hall and began a long conversation.

Yuan Gang, who had exchanged a greeting with the visitors beneath the eaves, did not go inside.

He was not accustomed to sitting among a group of women and wasting words.

His gaze shifted toward Niu Youdao in the pavilion.

"Put your hands down," Yun Ji suddenly said inside the pavilion.

Niu Youdao stared. "What?"

Yun Ji raised her brows. "I said, stop holding your hands behind your back. Get this straight. Right now you're my subordinate follower. Why do you keep instinctively standing before me with your hands clasped behind your back?"

"And when your hands are back there, your fingers keep moving. Are your hands itchy, or are you afraid people won't recognize you?"

"If you don't want to be recognized, then behave yourself!"

"..."

Niu Youdao was speechless.

He quickly lowered the hands he had been holding behind his back and broke into a faint cold sweat.

Changing one's face was easy.

Changing habits was hard.

Those habitual motions were exactly what he feared.

He did not even dare carry his sword in his hand now.

He was afraid he might instinctively plant it against the ground.

That signature posture would be far too conspicuous among the people of Maolu Annex.

Now he wore the sword tied at his waist.

Even so, every time his hand touched the hilt, he would unconsciously want to pull the sword free and plant it on the ground. Only when the fastening strap tugged against him would he realize what he was doing and let go.

"Let's go. We shouldn't stay here. We'll head to the inner courtyard." Niu Youdao murmured.

Shang Shuqing's gaze had made him nervous.

Every time she looked at him, he felt guilty all over again.

Yun Ji knew he was uneasy.

A cold smile touched the corner of her mouth.

Even so, she stood.

"Wang Xiao," the subordinate follower, immediately behaved properly and followed right behind her.

Yuan Gang watched coldly from the side.

He had to admit, the act looked quite convincing...

Niu Youdao had assumed hiding in the rear courtyard would solve the problem.

Who could have expected that while he stood beneath a pavilion looking around, he would discover a group of women apparently touring the grounds?

Frightened again, Niu Youdao retreated into the room and said to Yun Ji, "Why are they wandering around now? Go find out what's happening."

Yun Ji sneered, then went out.

A short while later she returned and said, "I asked. That Commandery Princess really does care about the people of Maolu Annex. She's playing the host and checking how everyone has been housed."

"Hongniang sent word too. She says you'd better hide for now. Once they've left, she'll notify you."

Niu Youdao said nothing.

He simply stayed hidden in the room and refused to show his face.

Toward evening, melodious qin music suddenly drifted in from outside.

Niu Youdao stepped from the room and craned his neck to look.

He saw Guan Fangyi and the others gathered among the pavilions and towers.

Somehow, that Fu Junlan fellow seemed to be displaying his talents and was playing the qin for everyone.

Niu Youdao immediately went back inside and complained, "Did Hongniang take the wrong medicine? With things already like this, why isn't she sending them away? Why has someone started playing the qin now? This is ridiculous."

"Big Sister, help me ask what's going on."

Yun Ji found it amusing. "Aren't you supposed to be so capable? One ugly young woman has frightened you into this state? This doesn't seem like you."

Niu Youdao sighed repeatedly. "Stop making trouble. You saw what happened earlier. She attended me for far too long. I'm worried she'll see through me."

"Big Sister, if this keeps going, people will die. A lot of people will die. Please, go."

Yun Ji raised her brows. "You really are treating me as some servant who runs errands for you now?"

"It's all my fault. Could you show some mercy?" Niu Youdao bowed repeatedly.

"Hmph!" Yun Ji gave a disdainful snort and left.

[End of Chapter 1194]