Temptation of the Lord of the House

“Alright...”

Trials and what not, aren't there guard division trials in three days?

The manor lord calling me alone... feels a bit off.

Could it be someone faking orders, trying to lure me out alone and then take me out?

Gotta be on guard!

Xue Yi returned to his room and opened the wardrobe, taking out the things inside a case and concealing them on his person before heading out.

Seeing him take things from the case, Xiao Qingruo's mouth quirked up at the corners.

After he left Lan Garden, she immediately put down her book and walked into his room.

Xue Yi had left in a hurry. The wardrobe wasn't locked, and the key was still in the silver lock.

She gently opened it and took out the case inside, then opened it with some curiosity.

The result... there was nothing inside.

"That stinky brat definitely knew I would peek so left it unlocked on purpose to play a trick on me, humph..."

The young miss was a little unhappy. She closed the case and put it back where it was.

However...

She looked at that lock.

This silver lock was originally from her room. Xue Yi had casually taken it to use. There was only one key, so she normally couldn't open it.

But she could replace it with another!

Returning to her own room to look around, she found a lock of the same style with two keys.

Inserting one of them and hanging it on Xue Yi's wardrobe to disguise it as the original, she kept the other key for herself.

This way, the next time Xue Yi went out to buy green jade dew, she could see what kind of secret "weapon" he really had!

"Hehe, little guard, completely in the palm of this young miss's hand!" Xiao Qingruo secretly felt smug.

...

On the other end, after leaving Lan Garden, Xue Yi headed straight for the manor lord's study.

Along the way he was very careful, checking each intersection to see if anyone was following him or lying in ambush ahead or behind.

He had assumed it was Xu Lingzhi faking orders to intercept and take him out while en route.

But he arrived at the manor lord's study without running into any ambush, leaving him very disappointed.

"Tie Yi, the manor lord summoned me over."

Xue Yi said to the middle-aged man in black armor at the study door.

Tie Yi nodded slightly. "Go on in."

It seemed the manor lord really had called him over for some matter.

Xue Yi dismissed his doubts and pushed open the door to enter.

As soon as he entered the manor lord's study, the smell of books washed over him.

The manor lord's study was bigger than Xiao Qingruo's residence, with several times more books.

Massive bookshelves nearly 5 meters tall encircled the study like a maze.

Manor Lord Xu Conglong currently sat in the open space before the bookshelves, eyes closed in tranquil cultivation.

"Manor Lord, I don't know for what you've summoned me?" Xue Yi respectfully bowed.

Xu Conglong didn't open his eyes, but lifted his right hand and waved it.

Whoosh~

A steady torrent of true qi spread out, forming a translucent purple-gold cover that enveloped them both.

This was a qi barrier that could muffle voices to prevent eavesdropping.

Seeing this, Xue Yi's expression inevitably grew solemn.

What great matter was this, that the manor lord was so serious even Tie Yi wasn't allowed to know?

"Manor Lord..."

Xue Yi asked again.

Xu Conglong's eyes remained closed as he calmly responded, "Xue Yi, how long have you been in the manor?"

Xue Yi: "Replying to the manor lord, thirteen years."

He himself had only come to this world three years prior, but the original owner of this body entered the manor at ten, first as an errand boy helping the young masters train and work, and after gaining some skills became a guard of the guard division.

"Do you still remember what you did before entering the manor?" Xu Conglong asked him.

Xue Yi said, "My parents were both escorts on the jianghu, killed by bandits. My grandfather was too old to care for me, so he sold me to Holy Might Manor as a servant."

These were all things from the memories. The original's grandfather had also passed away some years ago, leaving him an orphan.

"Compared to thirteen years ago, are you satisfied with your present circumstances?" Xu Conglong continued asking.

Xue Yi wondered to himself.

What was the manor lord trying to do asking these things?

Was he testing his loyalty?

Or was there another objective?

Not daring to speak carelessly, he replied, "Naturally extremely satisfied. Training martial arts in Holy Might Manor, I not only have strength now but money as well. Especially after gaining the young miss's favor these last couple days, I've been too excited to sleep."

"So do you want to continue living this way, until in the future you become powerful and rise to the ranks of Tie Yi, Shi Long, and He Haoshan?" Xu Conglong asked again.

Xue Yi's heart stirred.

There it was!

The crucial question was coming!

This question wasn't easy to answer. He skirted it and volleyed the ball back: "Manor Lord... your subordinate doesn't really understand."

Xu Conglong's meaning was that his good days might disappear, unable to last until the future!

But why was that?

He didn't dare speak recklessly, answering, "Naturally extremely satisfied. Training martial arts in Holy Might Manor, I not only have strength now but money as well. Especially after gaining the young miss's favor these last couple days, I've been too excited to sleep."

"So do you want to continue living this way, until in the future you become powerful and rise to the ranks of Tie Yi, Shi Long, and He Haoshan?" Xu Conglong asked again.

Xue Yi's heart stirred.

There it was!

The crucial question was coming!

This question wasn't easy to answer. He skirted it and volleyed the ball back: "Manor Lord... your subordinate doesn't really understand."

Xu Conglong's brow furrowed at this unanswered response.

In that moment, Xue Yi felt like a great mountain was pressing down on his shoulders, even his breathing growing strained.

Xu Conglong was clearly very dissatisfied with this reply. Staring at him for a couple moments, he said, "You have too many ulterior motives. Answer my question directly, don't play tricks."

Xue Yi immediately grew nervous, breaking out in a cold sweat.

This manor lord clearly disliked crafty people. The more cunning a guard was, the more it would displease his master!

This question was too difficult to answer directly. Even with his mind racing, Xue Yi didn't know how to respond in a way that would satisfy Xu Conglong. If he thought too much and acted too cunningly, Xu Conglong might slap him dead with one palm!

So Xue Yi simply gritted his teeth and boldly stated, "Since I am the young miss's personal guard, I naturally swear utmost loyalty to the young miss!"

After speaking he quickly added, "The young miss... would have no reason to betray Holy Might Manor, right?"

Xu Conglong said nothing, just looking at him tranquilly.

Xue Yi felt like he was on pins and needles, cold sweat streaming down and wetting his clothes.

After a long time, Xu Conglong's stern expression gradually relaxed, letting out a sound between derision and relief as he lightly laughed and said, "As a personal guard, you're already quite competent now. But as a person of Holy Might Manor, it's still not enough."

Xue Yi: "Please instruct this subordinate, manor lord!"

Xu Conglong: "I'll ask you three more questions."