My Lady Always Lacks Ambition

I am indeed the very Master Buqiu.
Once Qin Liuxi said this, Mrs. Xie watched as Mr. and Mrs. Ding Shouxin looked as if they had been struck by lightning. She couldn’t help but tug at Mrs. Gu’s sleeve and whispered, "What’s with them? They look like they’ve lost their souls."
Mrs. Gu shook her head, but she glanced at Qin Liuxi, harboring some guesses in her heart.
Perhaps Liuxi did something covertly, something that shocked them to their core. But what could it be?
Ding Shouxin eyed Qin Liuxi; despite the smile curling at her lips, it was filled with malice.
"You, you are the Junior Temple Master of Qingping Temple, Master Buqiu?" Mrs. Ding inquired in a piercing voice, visibly incredulous.
Young in age, powerful in skill, invited as an honored guest by Governor Xiao and Yu Qiucai for the Qin family’s sake, and came forward to help the Qin family. Is this so-called master actually her herself?
A female Taoist!
Mrs. Ding felt as if she had swallowed a fly.
They had thought that Qin Liuxi was merely fostering at the Daoist Temple and had then met a capable Taoist who helped her family. But in reality, she helped her own family.
Is she really that powerful?
Did she truly harm her own family?
Thinking of all the recent misfortunes, the look Mrs. Ding gave Qin Liuxi was like seeing a ghost—wary, fearful, reverent. She subconsciously took two steps back.
Equally wary was Ding Shouxin, long entrenched in officialdom.
He knew she was not simple from the moment he met Qin Liuxi. And upon conversing with her, that notion only grew stronger. A fifteen- or sixteen-year-old girl faced an official hardened by years without a trace of fear, rather, she looked down arrogantly as if he was nothing but an ant. Moreover, she had been sent back to her ancestral home alone from a young age. Yet, despite this, there was no sign of timidity or humility about her.
Is it because she’s a proper female Taoist in the temple, destined to become the Junior Temple Master?
Is this the source of her confidence?
Or perhaps her profound abilities are her real backbone!
"Master is just flattery from good people, I don’t claim the title. But if you ask anything else, I am." Qin Liuxi looked at Ding Shouxin with a placid smile, "Hence, the advice I offered you is genuine—perform good deeds, and dispense wealth to ward off calamity."
"Did you, did you put a curse on our family?" Mrs. Ding’s voice trembled.
What, a curse?
Mrs. Xie’s eyes widened as she looked at Qin Liuxi.
Impressive, my niece!
Once Mrs. Ding spoke, she realized she had been too direct, her complexion turned pale.
Ding Shouxin glared at her, scolding, "What nonsense, Qingping Temple is a proper Daoist Temple, it exterminates evil and defends the Dao. Why would it do such venomous deeds? Aren’t you afraid of being struck by lightning?"
His words were both a probe and a veiled curse.
Would Qin Liuxi be annoyed?
"Mr. Ding speaks amiss. Mrs. Ding asked about me, not about the Daoist Temple behind me. Qingping Temple might not do it, but it doesn’t mean I wouldn’t. As for being struck by lightning, cause and effect, cause comes before effect, heaven has its own justice." Qin Liuxi narrowed her eyes and continued, "Whether it’s venomous or not depends on whether someone forces my hand."
Ding Shouxin’s expression grew stern, saying, "Qingping Temple sure is capable of producing such an heir as you."
"Indeed, had they lacked the skill, they wouldn’t have me as their Junior Temple Master!" Qin Liuxi brazenly praised herself.
Everyone: Your face isn’t that big, yet your words surely are!
Mrs. Xie thought to herself: This girl is even more shameless than I am.
Ding Shouxin stared at her: "Your audacity knows no bounds. Are you not afraid of bringing disaster upon Qingping Temple? Under the sweeping skies, all land is the emperor’s; by the shores of its dominion, all are subjects of the king. Qingping Temple, after all, falls under the dynasty’s rule, subject to local governance."
This was both a warning and a threat!
Qin Liuxi laughed, though the smile did not reach her eyes: "Is it because I’m young? To me, it sounds like you’re issuing a warning, or perhaps teaching me how to live?"
Ding Shouxin felt a chill in his heart.
"Once upon a time, you called my grandfather ’teacher.’ In consideration of that relationship, I’ll offer you some advice. Never offend a capable Daoist; when they go mad, they take the enemies’ descendants with them to the grave. As for me, when I go mad, even I am afraid of myself!"
Mrs. Ding covered her mouth, looking at Qin Liuxi in fright—she must be a madwoman.
Not only the targeted pair, but even Mrs. Wang and several others dared not even breathe heavily; Mrs. Xie, watching Qin Liuxi’s back, felt oppressed by her presence to the point of wanting to flee.
This girl is too eerie.
Ding Shouxin suddenly forced a smile: "Look at this child, you can’t even take a joke. Your great uncle was just teasing you."
Qin Liuxi melodramatically patted her chest: "Really? I thought you were warning me!"
"How could that be? The bond between our two families is not something any ordinary family could compare with." Ding Shouxin pulled several silver notes from his sleeve and handed them over, saying: "They say doing good deeds accumulates virtues. This incense money, on behalf of your great uncle, donate it to the Daoist Temple to spread some kindness."
Mrs. Ding glanced at them; five notes, each worth a hundred taels.
It was expected that Qin Liuxi would refuse as Mrs. Wang might, but she accepted them, her smile beaming: "Blessings to the Infinite, sir, you are kind-hearted; surely, this streak of bad luck will come to an end."
Mrs. Ding: "..."
Ding Shouxin looked at her deeply, his smile one of contempt: "Then I will count on your auspicious words."
"Who’s outside? Show our guests out," Qin Liuxi called out.
Chief Li quickly entered, bowing respectfully.
Ding Shouxin took a deep breath and said: "Then I shall not impose any longer, I bid you farewell. Besides, when the Ding Mansion sends out invitations for the annual celebration, we hope that your niece will honor us with her presence."
Qin Liuxi smiled but did not commit to attending or not.
Ding Shouxin turned around; the fake smile quickly vanished from his face and he left with a dark expression.
Once they were gone, Mrs. Wang approached Qin Liuxi and asked: "Xixi, are you alright?"
"I’m fine. Ding Shouxin is but a coward who cherishes his life; whether it’s for the sake of reputation or life, he wouldn’t dare do anything to the Qin family," Qin Liuxi said indifferently.
If he dared, he would have to pay an appropriate price.
Mrs. Xie also stepped forward, eyeing the silver notes in Qin Liuxi’s hand: "Those silver notes..."
Qin Liuxi stuffed them into her bosom and said: "Second aunt, this is incense money for the Daoist Temple; surely you aren’t thinking of taking it?"
Mrs. Xie choked, then said to Mrs. Wang: "Sister-in-law, they’re compensating us with a shop as an apology; why wouldn’t we accept it? It’s what we deserve."
"What ’deserved’? If they’d smashed our shop and made it impossible to continue, you could take over. But if the shop is still peaceful and thriving, why take it?" Qin Liuxi spoke out before Mrs. Wang could answer: "Second aunt, there are some things you shouldn’t covet for a small benefit. Just because someone offers it to you doesn’t mean you should take it; you never know, it might just be a trade for your good fortune and life."
"What do you mean by that?"
Qin Liuxi said with a sly smile: "Some people will seek wicked alchemists to cast magic, deliberately seeking to exchange another’s fate for their own. Whoever accepts their benefit implicitly agrees to take their place. Such things—I’ve just encountered one recently. That unfortunate soul simply picked up a bag of cursed silver and nearly met death."
That unfortunate soul, Xie Chong: I’ve reformed, please forget about me, and thank you.
Mrs. Xie’s face turned white, and she stepped back, nearly begging: "Please stop smiling, it’s scaring me!"