Jiang Luoxi frowned as the gatekeeper still remained motionless, losing some of her patience.
But in the next moment.
Bang!
With considerable force.
The gate slammed shut!
The coachman screamed, "Ah! My hand!" If he hadn't reacted quickly, his hand would have been lost!
Because he retreated swiftly, the gate only managed to pinch his fingertips as it closed.
But it was still extremely painful.
Jiang Luoxi's brows furrowed deeply, anger flashing in her beautiful eyes. She then heard the gatekeeper's words.
"The Old Master gave orders. If Miss Jiang comes again, refuse her entry directly. The Old Master does not wish to see Miss Jiang. You should not come anymore!"
Hearing the gatekeeper's words, Jiang Luoxi was somewhat taken aback. "Did the Old Master give this order yesterday or today?"
Yesterday, it was because Yun Shu's three children were causing trouble, but late at night, when everything was quiet, all necessary tasks were completed.
There should be no problem.
Therefore, the problem must lie with the gatekeeper.
The gatekeeper, hearing Jiang Luoxi's question, rolled his eyes on the other side of the gate, "It was the Old Master's command this morning! Miss Jiang, one's dignity is something to be cherished. Never throw it away yourself, lest you be unable to pick it up again."
Then, the sound of the gatekeeper leaving could be clearly heard.
He just left!
Jiang Luoxi's face instantly turned extremely displeased.
The coachman dared not look at Jiang Luoxi.
Jiang Luoxi clenched her fists tightly, the bell in her hand feeling somewhat rough.
Some sharp edges had even cut through her palm.
A few drops of blood dripped from her palm.
Seeing this, the coachman became even more terrified. He had rarely seen his young lady so angry! This was the first time!
"Young lady?"
Jiang Luoxi lowered her gaze to her pierced palm and the blood-stained golden bell, her voice low, audible only to their master and servant, "Where exactly did things go wrong?"
The coachman could not answer this question.
The one who could answer, Old Master Qin, was still feasting heartily.
...
The gatekeeper hurried over, reporting Jiang Luoxi's arrival to Old Master Qin.
At this moment, Old Master Qin was enjoying a hearty meal.
He had an excellent appetite.
Even after an all-night vigil, he was still full of energy.
And because he hadn't slept, Old Master Qin felt extremely hungry.
Seeing Old Master Qin about to finish an entire chicken, the gatekeeper's eyes nearly popped out in shock.
"This little brat has ill intentions," Old Master Qin said without looking up, his attention focused on the chicken leg. He was just one chicken leg away from being full.
The gatekeeper's heart skipped a beat, and an unbelievable thought crossed his mind. "Old Master, she has repeatedly sought to see you. Could it be... could it be that she wants to become the Old Madam of our estate?"
Years ago, many people had ambitions of marrying the Old Master as a concubine, mostly with an eye on his fortune.
In the past two years, fewer people had such ambitions, so they hadn't thought much of it. Now, looking at it, the situation seemed different!
Her persistence indeed showed ill intentions!
Old Master Qin was about to swallow the chicken in his mouth when he heard the gatekeeper's words and spat it all out.
He coughed several times.
"Old Master! Your old servant speaks from the heart. Miss Jiang is truly setting her sights on you, Old Master. You must be wise and firm! Otherwise, the Qin family's fortune will go to others!" the gatekeeper earnestly advised.
The other servants nodded in agreement.
They felt the gatekeeper was absolutely right!
In recent days, the Old Master's actions had been erratic, unlike before. They feared that with age, his thinking was becoming less clear, and they had to think for him.
Old Master Qin listened, rolling his eyes. He almost vomited out what he had spent so much effort eating.
"What nonsense are you spouting? She's after my grandson, wanting me to put in a good word for her! Does she think this old man is senile? She thinks she can find a loophole through me. She must be out of her mind."
Hearing this, the servants breathed a sigh of relief.
The Old Master was still wise.
"Grandfather is indeed wise."
Suddenly, Zhan Tianye's voice came from not far away.
They looked over.
They saw Zhan Tianye.
The moment Old Master Qin saw Zhan Tianye, he snorted through his nostrils, "Do you really think I'm senile? When have I ever not been wise?"
He said this with righteous indignation.
The servants beside him lowered their heads.
The Old Master had indeed been wise in the past, but now...
It was hard to say.
Zhan Tianye glanced at the leftover chicken bones on the table and then at his grandfather's ruddy face.
Old Master Qin, a man of extreme shrewdness, felt inexplicably scrutinized by Zhan Tianye's gaze.
"What's wrong with you? Staring at your grandfather with that strange look? Tell me, what malicious thoughts are brewing in your mind?" Old Master Qin felt goosebumps from being stared at. He certainly didn't believe the brat had any affection for him.
Zhan Tianye suddenly opened his palm, revealing a golden bell.
The moment he saw the golden bell, Old Master Qin's eyes widened abruptly, "How do you have this golden bell?"
Zhan Tianye didn't speak, merely shaking it twice.
The bell's sound was not clear and crisp, but rather muffled.
Old Master Qin's expression turned grim. He slammed the table and stood up abruptly, "Brat, I'm asking you!"
"Doesn't Grandfather feel a headache?" Zhan Tianye asked.
Old Master Qin blinked, then cursed with spittle flying, "Headache, what headache! I've seen this thing in my dreams. Ringing it twice made me have a headache. Now, even if you shake it by my ear, I won't get a headache! Did I see this bell at your estate? This bell is somewhat ominous. How could I dream about it?"
Hearing this, the gatekeeper was greatly alarmed, "Old Master, this bell is yours!"
Old Master Qin looked astonished, "What? Impossible, how can I not remember?"
"Old Master, it's the bell that Jiang Luoxi gave you yesterday," the gatekeeper added.
Old Master Qin's expression immediately turned serious.
He could see from the expressions of both the brat and the people in the estate.
A look that suggested he had forgotten.
"It wasn't a dream?" Old Master Qin's voice trembled slightly.
Zhan Tianye stared intently at Old Master Qin, a hint of unreadable light in his eyes.
"Does Grandfather remember you scolding Yun Shu, telling her not to marry me, and saying she had a secret you couldn't utter?"
The Old Master before him did not seem to be joking.
He glanced at the golden bell again.
Could it really be as Yun Shu said?
When Old Master Qin heard this, he became furious. Killing intent surged through him, and he slammed the table again, nearly shattering it.
"Absurd! You brat, are you plotting something malicious? You're slandering me! How could I possibly tell Yun Shu not to marry you? I begged her to marry you! Are you so conceited that you don't even know yourself? What unspeakable secret could Shu'er have? She's completely upright!"
Qiu Lu and the other servants nearby all changed their expressions.