Poor Taoist Qiu Chuji

Chapter 369 This person is toxic
Jia Baoyu led Lin Daiyu away from the Jia mansion, attracting the attention and pursuit of many of the Jia family's servants, but no one could keep up with their pace.

This also shows the decline of the Jia family. The servants and guards in the mansion are all showy but ineffective. If the two Dukes were still alive, the servants and guards in the mansion would be veterans who had retired from the battlefield. Even if they could not keep up with Jia Baoyu and Lin Daiyu, they could use military formations and tools to stop the two of them and prevent them from causing trouble outside the mansion.

When they arrived at Ningrong Street, Jia Baoyu continued to ride along, and even occasionally stood on the eaves and looked back, covering his mouth and giggling in Lin Daiyu's direction. Lin Daiyu, however, could no longer chase after him so openly. Instead, she used the eaves and wooden pillars to cover her figure and appearance, so as to avoid being seen by others.

She was, after all, a lady from a respectable family. Even though she had been influenced by the cultivation technique and had become more bold and unrestrained, she was not as drastically changed as Jia Baoyu, to the point of having her values ​​distorted.

"Is my sister still pursuing me?"

"If you don't come, then I'll leave!" The beautiful woman in red stood confidently on the rooftop, smiling. The pedestrians and vendors passing by on Ningrong Street were all dumbfounded.

Most of them were unaware of Jia Baoyu's identity, nor did they know that he was originally a man. However, at this moment, Jia Baoyu's beauty had surpassed the ordinary, and his demonic, ethereal, and divine aura was captivating to all who saw him.

People put down what they were doing and stared at Jia Baoyu in a daze, their expressions gradually becoming blank.

As Xue Pan rode his horse back across the street, he happened to see Jia Baoyu standing on the rooftop. At that moment, the sunlight was falling on Jia Baoyu's fair and delicate face, which was so beautiful that not a single blemish or pore could be seen. It was like a goddess smiling and looking down on all living beings, which immediately struck Xue Pan's heart.

"who is she?"

"I want her! No matter the cost... I want her!" Xue Pan's eyes were bloodshot.

Prior to this, Xue Pan had also boasted of being a romantic figure with extensive knowledge and experience.

But after that, he felt that all those he had seen before were nothing but ordinary beauties, not even worth a finger of the beauty before him.

The servant boy following Xue Pan was also momentarily lost in thought, but his lowly status actually helped him to sever any inappropriate romantic feelings. He looked closely at Jia Baoyu again, and then identified the jade pendant hanging from Jia Baoyu's waist. He then said to Xue Pan, "Master! That looks like... looks like Second Master Bao!"

"What? That...that's actually Brother Bao?" Xue Pan was both surprised and delighted upon hearing this.

He was also indiscriminate in his sexual desires. Seeing that Liu Xianglian was handsome, he tried to flirt with him, but ended up getting a good beating from Liu Xianglian.

From Jia Zhen to Jia Lian, and then to Xue Pan... these sons of wealthy and powerful families are all bisexual, perfectly illustrating what it means that as long as someone is good-looking, gender doesn't matter.

The fact that Jia Baoyu possessed feminine features, even reaching the point of being exceptionally handsome, had already become a widely discussed topic in the capital.

It's likely that among all the members of the Jia family, only Old Master Zheng is unaware of this.

This is not surprising. Old Master Zheng was not a quick-witted or sharp-eyed person. He had few confidants outside and little ability to restrain or manage within. With Lady Wang and Grandmother Jia giving secret instructions, Jia Baoyu's unusual behavior naturally did not reach Jia Zheng's ears.

As for Jia Baoyu's penchant for cross-dressing, at this point, neither Grandmother Jia nor Lady Wang really paid much attention to it.

After all, Jia Baoyu in the past wasn't exactly 'normal' either. Eating rouge and applying blush were routine practices. Now he's just wearing women's clothes, which is just a further step on his original hobby. What's the big deal?

The fact that Jia Baoyu and Qin Zhong were flirting and exchanging glances in the clan school was already common knowledge, yet neither Lady Wang nor Grandmother Jia made any comment.

This shows how open they were with Jia Baoyu in this regard.

However, this time, Jia Baoyu's outburst outside the mansion was destined to be unquenchable.

"Brother Bao! The weather is lovely today, would you like to come with me for a drink?"

"I happen to know a place with excellent wine and superb singing and dancing!" Xue Pan shouted to Jia Baoyu from his horse.

He's got ulterior motives; he's using iron ingots.

Upon hearing this, Jia Baoyu was overjoyed and was about to agree when Qiu Chuji, who could now slightly influence the outside world through the Heaven-Mending Stone, had no choice but to unleash a Heaven-Slaying Sword Qi.

The sword energy, powerful enough to tear the sky apart, only stung Jia Baoyu like a needle prick after crossing the barrier of the Sky-Mending Stone.

Jia Baoyu immediately sobered up and shuddered when he saw Xue Pan's undisguised greedy eyes.

Putting everything else aside, Xue Pan's appearance doesn't fit Jia Baoyu's aesthetic standards!
"No need! Brother Xue, go and have some fun!" Jia Baoyu said, cupping his hands in greeting. Then, he transformed into a red cloud and drifted away into the distance.

He had already sensed Lin Daiyu quietly approaching, so he drifted away from the direction of the Jia family mansion, aimlessly flying off to another place.

Watching Jia Baoyu's departing figure, Xue Pan chuckled foolishly, "My Bao-brother... he's really getting more and more handsome!"

"If my sister can get along with him, wouldn't it be possible to be close to him every day once he becomes my brother-in-law?"

Upon hearing this, the servant beside him quickly lowered his head, his cheeks turning bright red.

Even if you knew from the beginning that your uncle was unreliable, it's still astonishing that he would think this way.

In the shadows beneath the eaves, Lin Daiyu watched Jia Baoyu's departing figure, gritted her teeth, and then sighed.

She is no match for Jia Baoyu, after all.

Jia Baoyu could act recklessly because of his favored status, but she was living under someone else's roof and needed to consider things more carefully.

She had already gone too far in her attempt to 'awaken' Jia Baoyu. If she were to continue this behavior and make a fool of herself, she feared she would not be able to stay in the capital.

Thinking of this, Lin Daiyu sighed, then quietly flew back to the Jia Mansion. She immediately returned to her own courtyard, avoiding her two personal maids, Xueyan and Zijuan. She secretly changed her clothes, threw the lake-green dress into the brazier and burned it. Only then did she stop. She then sat by the window with a book in her hand, pretending to be sickly.

Previously, she was chasing Jia Baoyu at such a fast pace that ordinary people couldn't even see her face clearly. Now, Jia Baoyu's identity has been exposed, but hers hasn't.

As for Jia Baoyu's line, "Does my sister still pursue me?", the word "sister" can refer to too many people.

After all, Jia Baoyu had many sisters, a fact known throughout the Jia family.

There are already too many sisters in the mansion to count on one hand. If you add those outside the mansion, who knows who it is referring to?
Lin Daiyu finished dealing with the aftermath and reviewed the incident, thinking about any potential flaws that might be exposed, and preparing her explanation in advance.

On the other side, Jia Baoyu felt the true energy flowing through his body, helping him soar in the wind, a feeling of freedom that was especially comfortable.

Unfortunately, the weather turned against them, and a sudden downpour forced Jia Baoyu to take shelter in a pavilion beside a stone bridge.

This place is far from the bustling areas of the capital, closer to the entrance and exit of the North Gate. A sudden downpour has brought few pedestrians.

Those sedan chairs and carriages that could be rented temporarily were naturally unavailable.

Standing in the pavilion to shelter from the rain, watching the raindrops fall in waves, Jia Baoyu suddenly felt a pang of melancholy.

Now, despite his unparalleled beauty, he inexplicably feels a sense of loneliness and solitude.

He felt that although he was now exceptionally beautiful, there was no one to appreciate it with him.

He no longer had the same interest in women as before, but men...!

Thinking about the complicated situation, Jia Baoyu couldn't help but let out a long sigh.

The moss-covered stone bridge gleamed with a gradually murky, cold light through the rain.

The 'girl' in red covered half of her face with her pale white hand, then tilted her head to gaze at the distant clouds, revealing only half of her jade-carved chin.

Tears suddenly and inevitably filled my eyes, making them red, but I didn't actually shed any tears.

The sound of horseshoes striking the stone bricks of the bridge could be heard from the bridgehead.

The young man in black, wearing a rainproof cloak, reined in his horse and stopped three steps away. The long sword hanging from the side of the saddle was still dripping muddy water.

Rain soaked his sleeves, and the green horse suddenly snorted, startling Jia Baoyu, who was wallowing in self-pity. Jia Baoyu looked up and met the young man's gaze.

This moment truly feels like an eternity.

The young man's heart skipped a beat, and he instinctively looked away.

Then he looked at the woman in red and at the jade pendant at her waist, and couldn't help but feel regret.

He had already recognized the 'woman's' identity, which was why he felt regret.

If she were truly a woman, then regardless of her identity, he would spare no effort to bring her back to the palace and cherish her every day.

Unfortunately... it was a man.

He is still the young master of the Duke's mansion.

The young master of the Duke's mansion can be killed, imprisoned, or exiled, as long as the reason is justified, but he must never be abducted and taken back to the mansion to be played with.

Because this would break the rules and disrupt the foundation of the regime.

Let alone the fact that he is only a prince now, even if he were to obtain that position one day, he would never do such a thing... at least he would never let anyone know.

"Giddy up!" After weighing the options in his mind, the man in black knew there was no other way, so he spurred his horse and prepared to leave.

He should stay away from this 'troublemaker', because from the first glance he saw her, he knew that if he got too involved, he would inevitably become deeply entangled and unable to extricate himself.

A prince who prefers male lovers will find himself incredibly far from that position.

He even wondered if this was a trap deliberately set by someone, a "honey trap" that was hard to refuse.

"Brother! Could you give me a ride?" Jia Baoyu asked, his eyes red, as he looked at the man in black who was about to ride past on his horse.

The man's imposing presence pleased Jia Baoyu. Although they couldn't get closer, getting to know and befriending such a person helped alleviate his loneliness.

The Third Prince was taken aback upon hearing this, stiffly turning half his face away, his nerves taut: "It's inconvenient!"

Having said that, he was about to throw off the reins, whip the horse's rump, and hurry away.

"Is there anything inconvenient?"

“We are both men, and we are riding together. Lend me half of your cloak, and we can enjoy the rain and chat along the way. Wouldn’t that be delightful?” Jia Baoyu continued, seemingly not understanding the refusal.

Upon hearing this, the Third Prince was greatly agitated and almost agreed immediately.

But then he suddenly lashed the horse's rump with a whip, and then fled in a somewhat disheveled manner.

"If you don't want to, then you don't want to!"

"How dare you be so rude!" Jia Baoyu was almost whipped and was greatly displeased.

He had no idea of ​​the shock and awe he was bringing to people, or the contradictions within them.

Within the Heaven-Mending Stone, Qiu Chuji sensed waves of mortal energy sweeping in like ripples, impacting the stone's crystal walls and slightly thinning their originally thick structure.

At the same time, more of the Qi of Creation emerged, which Qiu Chuji absorbed into his body and formed his foundation.

As the wave swept through, Qiu Chuji was able to extend his power outwards even further, but having witnessed such an unusual encounter, he only felt awkward.

Although he was the one who pushed for and facilitated everything, to be honest, he had been trying his best to avoid this outcome.

If Jia Baoyu had listened to even a fraction of the advice, he would be a completely different person now, and he would have had the chance to truly be remembered for eternity, possessing the "dragon's bearing and phoenix's beauty," rather than being a "femme fatale."

Not long after the Third Prince left, a carriage sped up through the rain.

A fair-skinned, beardless middle-aged man sat at the front of the carriage, bowing to Jia Baoyu: "Are you Jia Baoyu, the young master of the Rongguo Mansion?"

Jia Baoyu said, "It is indeed me!"

He is now dressed in women's clothing, more feminine than 99% of women, but he is not ashamed to admit his identity.

"Then please get in the carriage, young master!"

"My master specifically ordered me to come and escort the young master back to his residence," said the middle-aged man on the hood of the carriage.

He is one of the few who, having seen Jia Baoyu as he is now, can still remain calm and composed.

After all, Jia Baoyu now possesses a stunningly beautiful appearance, and due to his status and gender, he can be said to be attractive to both men and women.

Jia Baoyu didn't suspect anything and got into the carriage.

After settling into the dry, comfortable carriage, he realized he hadn't asked who his host family was, so he asked, "I wonder... who is your host family?"

"I will personally visit you to express my gratitude when the weather clears up!"

The middle-aged man laughed and said, "My master is the current King of Qi!"

"Prince Qi? The Fourth Prince?" Jia Baoyu was surprised. Although he also came from a wealthy family, he had never crossed paths with a truly important figure like the Fourth Prince.

In fact, nowadays, very few members of the four great families of Jia, Wang, Xue, and Shi still have the qualifications to associate with the top elites.

In the entire Jia family, apart from Jia Yuanchun in the palace, only Grandmother Jia was qualified to pay respects to figures like princes.

"My master will be hosting a banquet at Juxianlou for the scholars who have come to the capital for the imperial examinations the day after tomorrow. If you have the time, young master, you are welcome to attend this grand event!" the middle-aged man said.

Generally speaking, it was somewhat inappropriate for a prince to openly associate with a large number of candidates taking the imperial examinations.

However, this time it was a special imperial examination opened by the emperor, and the fourth prince was chosen as the chief examiner, which gave the fourth prince a reason to host a banquet for the candidates.

Jia Baoyu has always disliked the imperial examinations, believing them to be a means for corrupt officials to scheme and plot.

However, he was grateful for the favor he had received and had a good impression of the fourth prince who had helped him, so he reluctantly agreed, saying, "Alright! I will definitely go then."

After he finished speaking, there was no further sound inside or outside the carriage.

After sending Jia Baoyu back to the Jia family mansion, the carriage disappeared at the end of Ningrong Street.

At the Prince of Jin's residence, upon hearing the eunuch Liu Fu's reply, the Third Prince let out a long sigh of relief, suppressing the sadness and reluctance in his heart.

Now that the King of Qi is powerful and his reputation for virtue has spread throughout the court and the country, many civil officials are secretly inclined to support him.

However, if he were to have some kind of "good story" with the young master of the Jia family, the civil officials who originally supported Prince Qi would immediately change their tune.

As for whether the King of Qi will fall for the trap?
The Third Prince believed...it would!
After returning to his residence, he visited both the Princess and the Consort to calm his restless heart.

The Prince of Qi has never been to the battlefield, and his heart is not as hard as his. If the timing is right, he will definitely not be able to escape the clutches of that young master of the Jia family.

(End of this chapter)