At the same time, on the Xianzhou Luofu, within the Divination Commission.
Fu Xuan was supervising Qingque as she personally wrote the betrothal letter and the wedding acceptance letter.
Qingque yawned, her face full of drowsy indifference.
"Grand Diviner, why am I the only one writing the betrothal letter and documents? What about you?! Don't tell me it's because I'm the 'groom'?"
Fu Xuan glared at her, grabbing her by the ear.
Qingque's eyes welled with tears as she begged for mercy.
"Ah!! Grand Diviner, I was wrong! I was really wrong! I was just joking. Please don't take it seriously!"
Fu Xuan snorted heavily and slammed a betrothal letter and acceptance letter onto the table.
"I have already prepared and written everything! And you?! If you don't write it well, don't even think about leaving work today!!"
Qingque sighed softly and muttered under her breath.
"Fine, I won't leave. At least I'll have you here with me, Grand Diviner."
Fu Xuan, of course, heard Qingque's mosquito-like complaint. She crossed her arms and smirked coldly.
"Gazing at the jade from afar, yet the door remains unadorned. Without plaque or precious stone, the heart's desire remains but an illusion."
Qingque looked up at Fu Xuan, who was quoting the classics.
"Grand Diviner, speak plainly!!"
Fu Xuan rapped her on the forehead.
"Others clock out and go home. You're stuck here working overtime, dreaming of jade tiles that will forever remain a fantasy. Do you think that's fair?"
Qingque clutched her head, pouting.
"Grand Diviner, there are still six days. Let me off the hook. Let me go play some jade tiles."
"No!! At the very least, finish the betrothal letter and deliver it to my father first."
Qingque gave a soft "Oh."
Seeing Qingque slacking off again, Fu Xuan spoke calmly.
"Qingque. If you finish the betrothal letter today, I'll accompany you to play jade tiles."
Qingque's dull eyes suddenly lit up. Her lazy, indifferent attitude vanished in an instant.
"Really?"
Fu Xuan nodded slightly.
"A Grand Diviner's word is her bond."
Qingque casually picked up her brush, ground ink on the inkstone, and with a few swift strokes, wrote it all in one go. No hesitation.
"Finished."
Fu Xuan froze. She stepped forward and carefully picked up the betrothal letter, examining it closely.
Brilliant prose. Like radiant moonlight. Even the knowledgeable, proud Fu Xuan couldn't help but praise.
"Exquisite! Remarkable! Divine! Profound! Qingque!! You're a master of prose too?! How many more extraordinary skills are you hiding from me?!"
Qingque played dumb, scratching her head with a wry smile.
"Grand Diviner, you flatter me. I'm not as amazing as you say."
Fu Xuan grabbed her, took the letter, and headed out of the library.
Qingque was alarmed.
"Grand Diviner?! The parlor isn't in this direction!!"
Fu Xuan gazed at her calmly.
"First, we present your betrothal letter to my father and the other Fu family elders. Then we go to the parlor."
"Ah?!"
---
Starskiff Haven, The Fu family's Temporary Rented Residence.
Fu Xuan pushed open the stone door, leading Qingque inside.
In an instant, countless cold, terrifying gazes fell upon Qingque. It felt like the chill of the deepest abyss. Qingque shuddered.
She whispered weakly to Fu Xuan.
"G-Grand Diviner? Maybe we should pick an auspicious day to visit the Fu elders."
Fu Xuan frowned.
"Qingque. I have already calculated. This moment is the auspicious day. No more words. Follow me."
Ignoring the stares, Fu Xuan took Qingque's hand and walked toward the family head, Fu Qing.
The moment they saw Fu Xuan take Qingque's hand, Elder Fu Xun gritted his teeth. His expression darkened. He could barely breathe.
His cane clattered to the floor. He nearly fell.
Struggling to pick it up, he pointed it at them, sputtering with rage.
"Decadence! Decadence!!"
"By the heavens and earth, by the Reignbow Arbiter! How could the Fu family produce such an unfilial, disrespectful, ungrateful wretch?!"
Several elders rushed to restrain him.
"Fu Xun, let it go."
"Yes, Fu Xun. The three Generals have already approved this union. Why must we oppose?"
"Fu Xun, read the room. Understand the times. That's how you survive."
"Infuriating!! Infuriating!!"
Fu Xun spat blood and collapsed.
Fu Qing waved a hand. Several younger Fu family members carried Fu Xun away.
Another elder stepped forward, half-closing his eyes and stroking his white beard.
"So you are the young prodigy who saved the Xianzhou Luofu? The diviner Qingque?"
Qingque looked at him and scratched her head with a silly grin.
"I'm just an ordinary diviner who likes to slack off. Please don't flatter me, venerable elder."
Every elder and family member present stiffened.
Having heard the true story of Qingque's deeds since arriving on the Luofu, they knew: this one forever plays the fool to hide her strength.
The elder questioned her with the tone of a senior reprimanding a junior.
"Niece Qingque, you know whether I flatter you or not. But... would you be willing to marry into the Fu family?"
Fu Xuan clutched her sleeve, looking at Qingque with concern. She didn't want to take advantage of her. And "Fu Que" really was an ugly name.
Qingque kept playing dumb, grinning foolishly. But she didn't hesitate to refute the elder.
"Marry in? The Grand Diviner and I are superior and subordinate at the Commission, yes."
"But in this marriage, Fu Xuan and I are equals. We will lift the tray to our brows. We will never betray each other."
Just as the elders were nodding in approval, Qingque smirked again.
"Old man, I'm not here to see you. Who's Fu Xuan's father? Take this betrothal letter."
"I have to get back to my jade tiles."
The elders' faces, which had just been filled with silent praise, collectively darkened—as black as ink.
No one stops Qingque from playing jade tiles. No one. (With the sole exception of Fu Xuan of course.)
(T/N: The last part was my addition hehe.)
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Power Stone Progress: 269/275 (5 Chapters)
Power Ranking: 38/10 (15 Chapters)