Chapter 128: The Young Miss Gets Flustered

“Daddy!” Li Baobao, who had a completely different aura from Lei Qing, slowly turned her head and spoke softly, “Daughter greets Father.”

“My good daughter, please don’t play these games with me. When you were little, didn’t you always act this melancholic and resentful whenever you wanted something? You made me guess until I got it right. It gave me the creeps,” Li Qianlong did not look like his usual commanding and power ful self at all. On his mature and charming face, he wore an expression trying to please his daughter. “How about it, my dear treasure? I just received a pair of night-shining pearls the size of pigeon eggs from the Western Regions to play with?”

“Daughter doesn’t want it.”

“Then, take the authentic work ‘Ten Thousand Horses Galloping’ by the Painting Saint Mr. Ouyang from three thousand years ago to appreciate?”

“Daughter doesn’t want it.”

“Oh my, you’re hard to coax this time. The Divine Sword Villa sent a Demonic Beast, the Overlord Fish, originally to be kept as a pet to show off. But to make my beauty smile, I ordered it to be slaughtered and stewed clear for you to eat. That is a Silver-rank Demonic Beast, oh~”

“No, no, Daughter doesn’t want to eat any clear-stewed Overlord Fish.”

“It seems I have to use my trump card. I will call that stupid kid Wan Liyun to come and act like a puppy to amuse you. Who told him he couldn’t even coax his own fiancée? Hmph, it makes this old man so angry.”

“No, no, no, Daughter doesn’t want to see Wan Liyun. Daddy, please make him scram back to Wan Family Fort to be a Young Master. Don’t let him be an eyesore here. I don’t want him to be my fiancé either.” Li Baobao stamped her feet in coquettish anger, her face turning pale and filled with annoyance.

“My good daughter.” Li Qianlong smiled sycophantically and put his arm around her shoulder. “Did that kid from the Wan Family offend you? Or did you hear something bad about him? Tell me, if he dares to act up, I will disown him as a son-in-law. My treasure, who are you? How could he bully you… If you ask me, there are plenty of young talents your age. The eighth son of Marquis Zhu Residence, the fifth young master Dongfang of the Divine Sword Villa, and also… well, forget Zhen Jimu, that bastard from the Zhen Family Ranch.”

“No, no, Daughter doesn’t want any of them. That kid surnamed Wan didn’t offend me either. In short, Daughter just doesn’t like the look of him, period.”

“Daughter, I’m not scolding you. Since you will inherit my position as Chairman in the future, you must consider the factor of matrilocal marriage. Although the Four Great Geniuses of the Alliance are excellent, you shouldn’t even think about them. They are all pre-destined heirs of their families and definitely cannot marry into the Li Family.” Li Qianlong spoke with a serious and earnest tone. “If you really don’t like the third young master of the Wan Family, I think this kid is indeed too dull and doesn’t know how to coax people. I will risk losing my face and go to the Wan Family to break the engagement. But daughter, you need a new target. How about the eighth son of Marquis Zhu Residence? I think that kid is quite lively and knows how to make people happy. He is a few years older than you and knows how to care for people.”

“No, I just don’t want to.” Li Baobao stamped her feet in anger again, puffing out her cheeks. “Daddy, you know, you know it clearly, but you keep making me angry, making me angry.”

Li Qianlong’s expression gradually became serious and solemn. He furrowed his brows and said, “No, that kid is absolutely out of the question.”

“Why is he absolutely out of the question?” Li Baobao argued back angrily. “He is also a young genius from an ancient noble family. Why is he absolutely out of the question?”

“I say no, so no.” Li Qianlong waved his sleeve in anger and turned away. “The Tianlan Lei Family indeed has deep roots, with two Sword Saints in their ancestry. Although they are somewhat declining now, I wouldn’t look down on the Lei Family. However, first, the Lei Family belongs to the Tianlan Empire. If we form a marriage alliance with them, what would the Empire Emperor think? What would our other allies think? Secondly, that kid has poor character. He is playful by nature, fond of beauty, has been hanging around brothels since childhood, and has unclear entanglements with the daughter of Yu Tianji. Most importantly, he had the gall to kidnap you, making the entire Pan-Continent laugh at us. Baobao, what good is that kid surnamed Lei? He kidnapped you and bullied you. And you are still thinking about him?”

“Daddy, how can you speak of him like that?” Li Baobao pouted and said defiantly. “You only see his surface, not his heart. Actually, he is a man of loyalty and righteousness, with strong bones and iron will.”

“I see the surface? Your father has eaten more salt than you have eaten rice; what kind of person haven’t I seen?” Li Qianlong sneered sarcastically. “He is a man of loyalty and righteousness? Have I not shown you what he did when he was a playboy in the Tianlan Empire? With strong bones and iron will, what a joke. He is just a good-looking empty shell, a fraud. He even climbed over a widow’s wall; is there anything he wouldn’t do?”

“Daddy, that was in the past. Now he has turned over a new leaf and is determined to build a career.” Li Baobao said with puffed cheeks. “Didn’t you often say, Daddy, that it doesn’t matter if people make mistakes, the most important thing is that they know to correct them after making mistakes. He is no longer the playboy he used to be.”

“Baobao, my good daughter. What kind of potion did that bastard surnamed Lei give you?” Li Qianlong trembled with anger. Suddenly, a possibility came to his mind, and his eyes widened. “You, you two haven’t… eaten the cooked rice… that is… You bastard, bastard kid, I will definitely kill you.”

“Daddy.” Li Baobao’s face turned red and her ears burned. She hurriedly grabbed him and stamped her feet. “Do you think Daughter is that easy?”

“Of course you are not easy, but that kid is easy!” Li Qianlong had long had a thorough understanding of Lei Qing’s background. The more he looked at Lei Qing, the less he liked him. He snorted angrily. “I think he is definitely a dog that cannot stop eating shit!”

“Daddy, how can you look at a person with such prejudice? If he really is the kind of person you said, why did he not… in the two months we were together?” Li Baobao was very angry and said coquettishly as she turned around. “I will never talk to you again.”

Li Qianlong was most incapable of handling his daughter. Seeing her so angry, he had to turn back and speak gently. “Daughter, okay, okay, it was Daddy who spoke wrongly. That kid surnamed Lei, uh, Lei Qing, is a treasure, is that okay?”

“Pah, he is not a treasure! He is a bastard.” Whenever Li Baobao thought of some things, she would blush slightly, act shy, and stamp her feet.

“Okay, he is a bastard.”

“Daddy, how can you speak of him like that?”

“…” The Golden Abacus Li Qianlong was going crazy.

“Daddy, I want to go out to clear my head.” Li Baobao turned around, grabbed Li Qianlong, and began to act coquettishly.

“No, no, there are many things to do now. I am not worried about you going out.” Li Qianlong thought to himself, if I let you go out now, you will definitely go find that kid surnamed Lei. This is absolutely impossible at this moment. If you really get eaten by that bastard kid, what then? Calling to heaven will not answer, calling to earth will not respond?

“Daddy, I just feel stifled and want to go for a walk.” Li Baobao knew exactly what her father was thinking. She acted coquettishly and said repeatedly. “How about I go to the Zhen Family Ranch to play with Huan’er?”

“Are you really going to find Zhen Huan’er?” Li Qianlong looked suspicious.

“Daddy, do you think Daughter is that cheap?” Li Baobao said coquettishly. “If I walk right into his arms, won’t he bully me to death in the future?”

“That is… what?” Li Qianlong’s head felt like it was splitting. Suddenly, his eyes moved. “It is fine for you to go play with Zhen Huan’er. Anyway, you sisters haven’t met in two years. But Daddy is not worried about your safety, so I will send two Retainers and two squads of Personal Guards to protect you. You know, these are troubled times.”

“Thank you, Daddy. You are the best.” Li Baobao finally smiled happily and ran towards her bedroom. “Daddy, I’m going to tidy up.”

Li Qianlong slapped his head but then became serious again, resuming the dignified posture of the head of the Li Clan. “Someone, go tell that kid surnamed Wan to go to the Zhen Family Ranch to settle down first. If he cannot win Baobao’s heart this time, don’t even think about being my, Li Qianlong’s, son-in-law in this life. Also, keep a close eye on the intelligence regarding that kid surnamed Lei. Report any abnormal situations immediately via Raven. Remember, do not disturb him.”

“Yes…” A shadow flashed by.

…

Let us return to Lei Qing’s side. Although the monthly gathering had some minor issues, it ended smoothly. This time, due to good business, they actually collected more than one hundred and twenty Gold coins, which was a good start.

During this period, Lei Qing also started to get busy. Because Mr. Hao’s plan had been finalized, after Lei Qing checked it and found no problems, he began to execute it.

They encouraged the villagers, enclosed empty lands to build ranches and farms. They also spent money buying breeding stallions, breeding sheep, breeding cattle, and so on. It was bustling with activity.

Just as Lei Qing was riding a horse and inspecting a location for a ranch, a scout suddenly reported. There was a secret letter from Xiahou Huan of the Iron Cavalry Regiment. Opening it, he first saw various words of congratulations, praising Lei Qing for his courageous attack and defeat of Helian Bo.

However, at the end of the letter, there was an attached piece of intelligence. It said that near Yehe Town, in a region of the Lianyun Mountains, a Gold-rank Thunder Element One-Horned Tiger had recently appeared. Fearing the demon tiger might come down the mountain to harm the common people, Xiahou Huan ordered him to eliminate it.

Lei Qing looked at it and laughed on the spot. What did he mean by ordering him to eliminate it? In reality, this was giving Lei Qing a gift. Although a Gold-rank Demonic Beast was powerful, this place was not like the Hengduan Mountains with such complex terrain. Besides, he was no longer the same as before. He had many men and horses under his command. If he arranged carefully, that Gold-rank Thunder Element One-Horned Tiger was simply sending him a Crystal Core.

Demonic Beasts are only difficult to deal with when hidden in deep mountains and large marshes. If a Demonic Beast runs into human inhabited areas, it is practically seeking its own death.

Of course, no matter what, that was still a Gold-rank Demonic Beast. Lei Qing dared not be careless at all. Immediately, surrounded by his Personal Guards, he galloped back to Yehe Town and gathered his subordinate commanders to start holding a meeting to discuss the matter. He did not want his men to die pointlessly in the hands of a beast.

…