Mu Xiang did not want to get involved in the matters between their master and disciple, so she stood up and walked away.
Piao then glanced at Mu Xiang’s departing figure, and then looked at Chen, who remained silent and seemed displeased, saying, "Why aren't you speaking anymore?"
"Master, you really embarrassed me," Chen said, wronged.
Piao continued to look calmly at Chen’s aggrieved expression and, thinking of Mu Xiang’s mocking look just now, she smiled, "A bet is a bet, and you can't afford to lose, Chen. That's not good."
"Since I made the bet, I had no intention of losing. You, however, had nothing to do with this, but you insisted on getting involved, and it ended up making me..." Chen said, glancing at Mu Xiang’s retreating back as she headed for the counter, and continued, "...mocked by that mortal."
"She is a mortal, but the jade stone she wears is no ordinary item," Piao said, picking up her teacup, taking a sip, and turning to look at Lin Yan, who had stopped by the table. "What is it?"
"Since you're taking her, can you take me too?" Lin Yan said in a low voice.
"Take you..." Piao put down her teacup. "If you follow me, I'm going to find Mu An Xiao, not Feng Qi Shi. Besides, you are not my disciple, so what would it look like if I took you?"
"You're going to Jincheng for business, right?" Lin Yan suddenly said.
"..." Piao frowned.
"I've been there too, although it was when I was young, but..." Lin Yan, under Piao’s gaze, felt an awkwardness and continued, "But I guess I have been there." His voice was less forceful than a moment ago.
Piao: "What can you do if you follow me?"
"The people there are all incredibly snobbish. If you only take her with you," Lin Yan said, glancing at Chen, "they will definitely think you are all show and no substance."
"What do you mean?" Piao continued.
"As far as I know, Jincheng is very different from our small towns and villages. They have rules."
"I know," Piao said lightly.
"Do you know the rules regarding women?" Lin Yan asked again.
Piao frowned. "The rules for women," she said, glancing at Chen. "What do you mean? I don't quite understand."
"Generally, people who go to Jincheng don't bring maids with them, but wives. Of course," Lin Yan said seriously, "generally, people don't bring wives. You..."
"What exactly are you trying to say?"
"I'm trying to say that if you take Chen directly, I guarantee that the moment she steps into Jincheng, half her reputation will be ruined, unless you treat her as your wife."
"But some businessmen take their maids, and I haven't seen..."
"Think carefully, don't those who bring maids also have a wife with them?"
However, Lin Yan hadn’t said it, but Piao hadn’t considered this issue. Hearing Lin Yan’s words now, she recalled everything she had seen on previous trips to Jincheng and realized, "It seems that's how it is."
"Generally, businessmen have two servants with them. As long as Chen poses as a man, it will be twice as effective," Lin Yan said, as if making arrangements.
Piao listened to Lin Yan's words, then looked at the disheveled Chen, who had completely lost her feminine image, and said, "This plan is good."
"Master, I'd rather stay here," Chen said, pointing at Lin Yan. "You can just take him."
"No," Lin Yan said seriously, wanting to leave with Piao. "You must take two servants."
"..." Chen glared at Lin Yan, leaned forward, and stared at Piao's face, saying earnestly, "Master, the team members who follow me are all very powerful. I can assign any two to you, how about it?"
"..." Piao did not respond.
Chen continued, "Master, look at this Lin Yan. What can he do? All day long, he only eats. After eating, he can only do a little work. Not only that, but he's also a coward." She said, "Do you know that dilapidated temple belongs to him? And now, it’s occupied by those beggars. He, however, dares not ask for it back. You see, he doesn't even dare to ask for his own things back. Later, after going to that city, if your identity is discovered, he'll be the first to run away."
"What identity?" Piao retorted.
Chen gave a dry laugh.
Lin Yan glanced at Chen, then thought about his dilapidated temple occupied by beggars, and his heart sank. He said, "I did go there, but the previous backup deed was burned. I couldn't produce evidence, so they used that as an excuse not to return my property. Don't talk nonsense."
"Stop bragging," Chen glared at Lin Yan.
"I'm not bragging. I went to find them a few days ago, and then..."
"And then they beat you up. I know about that," Chen said.
"..." Lin Yan’s eyes flickered, and he touched his arm.
Then, Piao glanced at the inexplicably arrogant Chen, and then looked down at Lin Yan's injured wrist, saying, "Your injury was caused by them."
"Mm."
"Why do you suddenly want to go to Jincheng with me?" Piao became serious. "I know you must have a purpose."
"I want to get my deed back."
"Your deed?" Piao was confused. "Wasn't your deed burned?"
"My father, fearing I would be wasteful, wrote me a deed as proof. It had my father's handprint on it. My father called it a backup deed," Lin Yan explained patiently. "As for the real deed with my name on it, my father gave it to relatives in Jincheng."
"Your relatives?"
"Yes. Honestly, I had already given up. When I heard you were going to Jincheng just now, I had this thought. If you don't want to take me..." Lin Yan pursed his lips, "then forget it."
"Aren't you waiting for your master?"
"..." Lin Yan lowered his head and said, "It's been three months, and I haven't improved at all. In the end, I'm still bullied by them. If my master sees me like this in the future, he will definitely think I, his disciple, am a disgrace. Therefore, I want to take this opportunity to go out and experience things with you."
"It will be very difficult with me," Piao conceded.
"I'm not afraid," Lin Yan said firmly.
Chen showed a disgusted expression. "Master, are you really taking him? He's just a burden."
"..." Piao’s face turned cold, and she looked at the impertinent Chen, saying, "Chen, before we leave, I'll make it clear to you. If you continue to be disrespectful to me, I'll turn you into a mute."
"Master..."
"You must come with me, or I will sever our master-disciple relationship. Not only that," Piao interrupted, her eyes cold, "I will also take away your demonic arts and turn you into a cripple."
Chen knew that Piao was a person who kept her word, a demon. Therefore, she dared not be arrogant anymore and said weakly, "Master, I will listen to you. But before that," she pursed her lips, "can I say goodbye to my brothers?"
"They've all gone to the forbidden forest," Lin Yan said.
Hearing this, Chen immediately shot a deadly look at Lin Yan. "How can you be everywhere?"