Ex-Wife is a Big Villainess
Chapter 296 - 172 Er Liang Was Led Astray

Chapter 296: Chapter 172 Er Liang Was Led Astray

In a tavern named "Fengying".

The table was a lavish spread of enticing dishes and delicacies.

Amber-like glistening pork knuckles, jade-like fresh stir-fried vegetables, crispy golden fried fish, and plates of fresh and appetizing pickles...

The fragrance wafted everywhere, tempting the appetite.

However, Er Liang was just silently gnawing on her dry rations.

Sitting across from her, Luo Wanqing, a bit helpless, propped her chin and sighed, inadvertently letting her sleeve slip down to reveal an arm as delicate as exquisitely carved mutton-fat jade, so translucent it seemed you might discern the subtle pulsing of veins...

The patrons at the nearby tables stared wide-eyed, swallowing their saliva one after another.

"In this world between heaven and earth, saying one thing, hearing another is what connects you to your destiny. As long as you understand reason, can speak wisely, and are willing to listen, that’s not bad."

With a sense of helplessness, Luo Wanqing said, "You girl, you don’t listen, nor do you like to talk; you’re just stubborn. It’s just a meal, do you think I’d poison you?"

Er Liang seriously replied, "How could that be, without the master’s permission, I cannot casually eat others’ food."

"Then, later, I’ll just ask him for money," Luo Wanqing said with a laugh.

Er Liang shook her head with force, her voice crisp as she said, "How could that be, without the master’s permission, how can I let him spend money?"

Luo Wanqing held her forehead.

She had thought to bring this young girl along to lighten her mood on the journey; instead, she found herself frustrated.

Luo Wanqing’s beautiful eyes gyrated, and with a smile brimming with amusement, she said again, "Then you earn your own money, like keeping me company for a chat, practicing swordsmanship with me, or joining me for meals; I’ll pay you for that."

Er Liang shook her head, "How could that be, without the master’s permission, how can I earn money myself?"

"..."

Luo Wanqing’s mouth twitched slightly beneath her veil, "Then aren’t you afraid you’ll starve to death?"

Er Liang said, "I can beg."

Luo Wanqing immediately seized the loophole, "Without your master’s permission, how can you beg?"

Er Liang replied, "Before I met the master, I was a beggar."

Luo Wanqing had nothing to say.

Looking at the feast spread across the table, then at the girl’s dry rations, as well as her frail appearance, Luo Wanqing curiously asked, "If you can’t wait for your master, under what circumstances would you eat the food on this table?"

Er Liang was stumped by this question.

After sincerely pondering for a moment, with her clear and lively eyes staring directly at the dignified and noble woman before her, the girl said, "If you were my master’s wife, I would eat because you are the mistress, one family."

Luo Wanqing suddenly froze.

Soon after, the woman burst into uproarious laughter, shaking like a peony in the breeze, and under her garment, the two moons became as large as pancakes.

Er Liang was completely confused, not understanding why the other party was laughing.

Had she said something incorrect?

While laughing, Luo Wanqing said, "Then you’ll never get to eat the food on this table in this lifetime."

She stretched out her slender finger, dipped it in tea water, and drew lightly on the table.

Seeing the woman had not touched her chopsticks from the beginning, Er Liang asked curiously, "Sister, why aren’t you eating?"

"If you won’t eat, neither will I," Luo Wanqing said offhandedly.

"But I already ate dry rations," he replied.

Er Liang hesitated for a moment, then broke off a piece of the dry rations for the other, "How about you eat some dry rations, sister?"

"No need, you... just keep it," she said.

Luo Wanqing took the dry rations from the girl’s hand and casually tapped on the table.

The droplets on the table instantly flew up, transforming into streaks of water-colored talismans, shooting out in all directions and landing on the bodies of the surrounding guests.

The formerly covert and blatant prying eyes of those guests all retracted, as they woodenly focused on the dishes and utensils in front of them, either raising their glasses to drink or bowing their heads to eat, emitting an air of lifelessness.

Luo Wanqing removed her face veil, nibbling on the dry rations with small bites.

"Sister, you’re so pretty," he exclaimed.

Er Liang gazed at the stunningly beautiful and exquisite face of the lady and sincerely admired her.

Luo Wanqing smiled faintly, "Praising me, are you? Then I must say thank you. To express my gratitude, give me some more dry rations, will you?"

Er Liang glanced at the remaining scraps of dry rations, hesitated, and handed them over.

Luo Wanqing stared at the girl and asked softly,

"Living with the virtuous is like entering a room filled with orchids; after a while, you don’t smell their fragrance, for you have become one with it. Living with the wicked is like entering a fish market; after a while, you don’t notice its stench, as you have also become part of it. Little girl, do you understand what this means?"

Er Liang shook her head gently, her face filled with confusion.

Luo Wanqing pinched the girl’s cheek and chuckled mischievously, "It means, if I hug you while sleeping, I too will become fragrant."

Er Liang blushed, "I... I’m not fragrant."

"No, you are fragrant," Luo Wanqing insisted.

She ate the last piece of dry ration in her hand, her fingertips caressing the corner of her lips, elegantly and calmly brushing away the remaining crumbs.

She placed the golden veil back over her face, and with a smile said, "Er Liang, you haven’t eaten yet, are you really considering begging?"

Er Liang hung her head, silent, and a little saddened.

"How about this, you’re like a little beggar now, this meal is what you’ve begged for. Will you eat or not?" Luo Wanqing asked.

Er Liang said, "But I’m not hungry now."

"Not hungry?" Luo Wanqing touched the girl’s little head, "Are you sure?"

The very next moment, Er Liang’s stomach growled.

The girl’s eyes widened, feeling that even though she had been full, she suddenly started to feel hungry again.

Yet she still insisted on shaking her head, "Real begging and pretend begging are different. When I used to beg for food, some people would give me spoiled meals, while others gave me fragrant rice, but I never begged for these expensive delicacies. I won’t eat them."

Luo Wanqing stared at the girl, the teasing in her heart dissipating as she mocked herself, "Fine, I’ll indulge you this once. You are the third... no, the fourth person I’ve made such a concession for in my life. Right now, I am your master’s wife, so you should listen to what I say, shouldn’t you?"

Er Liang clearly didn’t believe her, "You’re just teasing me."

The corners of Luo Wanqing’s lips slightly curved, "No woman dares joke about her own reputation. I’ve seen your master, he’s quite manly, becoming his wife is a good deal. Could it be, Er Liang, that you think I’m not a good match for him?"

Seen what, seen a hammer.

Luo Wanqing secretly curled her lip. What manliness was there around Jiang Yi? That flirtatious fox spirit had long since turned him into a pretty boy.

Er Liang quickly said, "It’s fitting."

The little girl was still quite easy to coax and eventually wolfed down the entire meal.

Luo Wanqing nodded in satisfaction and snapped her fingers.

"Owner, check please," she called out.

The woman’s voice was clear and cold, her tone steady.

Following that snap, the patrons who had been momentarily dazed as if in a trance seemed to awaken as though from a dream, their attentions swiftly returning to Luo Wanqing, casting glances at her stunning figure.

The restaurant owner hurried over, rubbing his hands and smiling, "Dear guest, was the meal to your liking?"

"Ask her," Luo Wanqing said, nodding towards Er Liang with a teasing look in her eyes.

Confronted with the owner’s inquiring gaze, Er Liang’s cheeks flushed red as she hastily waved her hands, "It was... very delicious, very much to my liking."

The restaurant owner nodded with a smile, "That’s good if it was to your taste."

Luo Wanqing spoke indifferently, "She praised your food for being delicious, why don’t you say ’thank you’?"

"What?" The restaurant owner was a bit baffled.

Luo Wanqing stood up and took Er Liang’s hand gently saying, "Never mind, consider this meal our thanks."

In the owner’s stunned gaze, the two of them left just like that.

He scratched his head, "Thank you?"

Regaining his senses, he wanted to chase after them, but recalling the woman’s proud and noble demeanor, he feared she might be from some wealthy household.

If he upset her, his restaurant might face trouble.

Once outside the restaurant, Er Liang, blushing with embarrassment, said, "Mistress, isn’t it rather improper to leave without paying?"

"Didn’t you already praise them? If he doesn’t say ’thank you’, then he must make amends," Luo Wanqing replied.

Luo Wanqing pulled out a handkerchief to wipe the girl’s lips, smiling as she said, "Remember the Mistress’s words from now on—when buying something, always give a compliment. If the other person doesn’t say ’thank you’, just take it and go."

"Oh."

Er Liang responded blankly.

"All right, next we’ll be robbing the rich to help the poor and at the same time, practice your swordsmanship. I am your mistress now, and you must obey me, understand?" Luo Wanqing said.

"Understood, but Mistress, how do we rob the rich to help the poor?" Er Liang asked, not understanding.

Luo Wanqing inquired, "Do you have any money on you now?"

Er Liang shook her head, "None."

Luo Wanqing let out a sigh, "So you see, you are the poor person right now."

She pointed towards the restaurant, "Do you think the owner is rich?"

"Yes," Er Liang answered.

"Exactly, he is the rich one. So we are going to take his wealth to aid you, the poor person. Do you understand now?" Luo Wanqing explained.

"But... but the owner hasn’t done anything wrong, why should we rob him?" Er Liang still felt unease.

Luo Wanqing narrowed her eyes and asked earnestly, "Er Liang, after eating so much, do you feel any discomfort in your stomach?"

"No discomfort," she replied.

"Not full?"

"...Well, maybe a little," Er Liang admitted, patting her little belly.

Luo Wanqing snapped her fingers, "There you have it, your stomach is bloated, which means there’s something wrong with the food. If the food has a problem, then the owner has a problem, and so our robbing the rich to help the poor is justified."

Luo Wanqing tapped the sword in the girl’s hand, "The restaurant has a few tough guys, don’t go easy on them."

——

There are no feasts that don’t come to an end.

No lovers stay entwined in bed forever.

Horseback riding vouchers ultimately have an expiration date.

Ultimately, the next day, they embarked on their separate journeys to Longsu Town... It was Yelü Miao’s decision.

In her view, the two of them had already established their relationship.

Once back in Yanrong to inform the Empress Dowager of her safety and stay a few days, she would come to Dazhou to visit Jiang Mo. Even if she couldn’t make it, when Jiang Mo finished his current affairs, he could also visit her in Yanrong.

What she hadn’t told Jiang Shouzhong was that her Dharma-body strength had been restored upon the Buddhist pagoda.

Now she could go wherever she wished.

Anyway, the two of them no longer had any significant psychological burdens.

Before leaving, Jiang Shouzhong once again made a paper airplane as a gift for the girl, writing both their names on it.

Jiang Shouzhong felt that giving a gift of folded paper was meaningful.

Next time, he would fold a frog for Xia He.

When they came out of the inn, they unexpectedly ran into Jin Ao, who was also about to leave.

After exchanging glances, Jin Ao couldn’t suppress the intrigue in his heart and asked first, "Jiang Shouzhong, where do you plan on going now? You’re not heading to Longsu, are you?"

Jiang Shouzhong shook his head gently, "Not going to Longsu, we’re headed back to Yuzhou. What about you? Heading to Longsu?"

Upon hearing this, Jin Ao denied with a wave of his hand, "Not to Longsu, we plan on going to Tongzhou."

After hearing the response, Jiang Shouzhong nodded slightly, "In that case, I wish you a smooth journey, until we meet again."

Jin Ao also smiled in response, "Until we meet again."

With that, the two headed off in different directions.

...

In the afternoon, Jiang Shouzhong arrived in Longsu and saw Jin Ao, who had also just come.

The two looked at each other in silence.

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