I Got Together with the Goddess [Quick Transmigration] - Chapter 6

After drinking the medicine brewed from the Nine-Star Heavenly Ginseng, Great General Si Ye’s illness actually recovered overnight. When this news reached the outside world, it became a strange tale that people talked about with great interest. Everyone knew that in previous years, the country had been far from peaceful. It was entirely thanks to the Great General repelling foreign enemies and suppressing internal rebels that the current era of peace and prosperity existed.

However, after long days of peace, people tend to forget their roots. Seeing the Great General’s health decline day by day, some had gradually begun to eye the hundreds of thousands of elite troops behind him. But now that Si Ye had recovered overnight—and was said to possess even greater physical strength than before—those who had harbored ill intentions could only be disappointed.

General Si was only middle-aged, his “precious saber” had not yet grown old, and he was far from retirement. He walked among the military ranks alongside Si Xuansu, which significantly lightened Si Xuansu’s pressure. However, as her father’s successor, she did not slacken in the slightest. Despite her youth, Si Xuansu was already a General of the Central Army, no less impressive than the Great General had been in his younger years.

For several days in a row, Jiang Yiqing explored the General’s Mansion, hoping to test her luck and see if she could find another rare treasure like the Nine-Star Heavenly Ginseng. But it seemed impossible to strike gold every time. All she found were low-level medicinal materials similar to the Purple Narcissus, with the mall’s purchase price ranging from a few coins to dozens of coins.

However, Jiang Yiqing did not stop just because the returns were small. She wanted to accumulate as many items as possible—perhaps they would come in handy one day, just like when she had traded the “Scented Soul” for the “Disguise Powder” earlier.

Furthermore, taking strolls allowed her to exercise her body; it was a way to kill two birds with one stone.

One day, while she was wandering about, Si-furen’s attendant, Sibo, came to tell her: “The Marchioness of Ningyang has invited Madame to attend a Peony Banquet. Madame has asked me to invite the Son-in-law to go along.”

Jiang Yiqing’s first reaction was a mix of surprise and worry: “If I go, won’t my identity be exposed?”

“Outside, it will be said that you are a distant niece of Madame. No one will suspect a thing,” Sibo said with a smile.

“So that’s how it is.” This meant she could go out and walk around in her female form, and even visit Si Xuansu at the military camp. Jiang Yiqing thought this was great and felt grateful for the Madame’s thoughtfulness.

However, Jiang Yiqing smiled a bit shyly— “Will Sister Si be going?”

She cared most about whether Si Xuansu would be there. If she went, she could truly enjoy such a banquet; otherwise, going to a place full of strangers felt meaningless. Moreover, Jiang Yiqing felt that gatherings of the nobility were certainly not that simple; there was no telling what might happen.

“The Young Master will arrive a bit later,” Sibo said.

“That’s great!” Hearing this, Jiang Yiqing immediately agreed. “Then I’ll go pack up and set off with my mother-in-law!”

Sibo signaled the two small maidservants beside her to show the clothes to Jiang Yiqing, saying: “Madame has already instructed the tailors to make more dresses for the Son-in-law. This is a masterpiece that was just finished; please take a look. Madame’s intention is for you to wear this when you go.”

Jiang Yiqing’s gaze had long been captured by the brilliant and magnificent dress. It was a lake-blue gown, with the color transitioning from light at the top to deep at the bottom. It was embroidered with colorful peacock feather threads in patterns of koi fish and waves, looking refreshing, elegant, and movingly beautiful.

“Isn’t this… a bit too flashy?” As beautiful as the dress was, Jiang Yiqing felt it wasn’t low-profile enough.

“What is there to fear?” Sibo covered her mouth and laughed, saying, “Madame said that you are a bright and beautiful girl in the prime of your youth. If you don’t dress up beautifully now, when will you?”

“I am truly grateful to Madame,” Jiang Yiqing said, not without emotion. Girls really did love beauty; looking at such a beautiful dress, Jiang Yiqing was also moved.

After she changed into this “Seascape Leaping Koi Dress,” her entire being looked refreshed. Her already enchanting face was complimented by the dress, making her beauty incomparable. When Zhi Gui and Zhi Li held up the mirror for her to see, they could not stop praising her.

Jiang Yiqing followed Sibo to the Baiyang Courtyard and boarded a carriage with Si-furen to head toward the Ningyang Marquis Mansion.

Since she was sitting separately from Si-furen, Jiang Yiqing could not hide her excitement along the way. She pulled back the carriage curtain to look outside; this was the first time she had seen the world outside the General’s Mansion.

When she first arrived here, sitting in the wedding carriage, she had been so nervous she didn’t even dare to look outside. But now it was different; Jiang Yiqing looked at the scenery outside openly.

What entered her sight were unfamiliar streets and unfamiliar people, but those wood-and-earth buildings looked incredibly ancient. Just looking at them filled one with a sense of yearning. Jiang Yiqing saw a child on the road biting their finger and casting a curious look at her, and she couldn’t help but laugh out loud.

She thought that the scenery unfolding before her in the future would only become wider. At some point, she had stopped feeling even a shred of fear about being transported to this world.

After about fifteen minutes, the carriage stopped in front of a luxurious residence that was on par with the General’s Mansion. Many carriages and sedans were already parked in front of the gate. Jiang Yiqing was helped out of the carriage by a maid and walked toward the site of the Peony Banquet with Si-furen.

Along the way, many people greeted them. Under Si-furen’s introduction, Jiang Yiqing greeted them back, and they became acquainted with one another.

When they reached the site of the Peony Banquet, Jiang Yiqing’s gaze was firmly captured by the sea of peonies. The phrase “purples and reds” was not enough to describe the beauty; flowers, no matter where they were, were truly things that made one’s mood pleasant.

Peonies are originally spring flowers, but it was said that this family had specifically set up a greenhouse to cultivate them so that the “national beauty and heavenly fragrance” could be appreciated even in winter. Everyone marveled at this.

After everyone had admired the flowers for a while, Si Xuansu arrived late. Jiang Yiqing had been looking forward to her for a long time; seeing her arrive, she immediately waved to her.

Si Xuansu walked toward her and Si-furen with a smile. She was wearing red riding gear, and her long legs were particularly prominent, making her stand out among the crowd of fragrant beauties.

Jiang Yiqing’s eyes almost fell out of her head, thinking that indeed, no matter where she was, the Goddess was the most eye-catching person in the crowd.

The Goddess was like the bright moon in the sky, pure and brilliant, gentle and profound.

But looking at such a Goddess, someone actually spoke up with mockery. It was a fellow who had popped out of nowhere, saying to the Goddess: “Strange clothing, no sense of propriety.”

Si Xuansu glanced at him and said nothing, but her aura alone forced the man to lower his head. She gracefully ignored him and came to the side of Jiang Yiqing and her mother.

However, Jiang Yiqing was still very upset. No one was allowed to mock the Goddess, no one! She wanted to give that person a piece of her mind, but the Marchioness of Ningyang spoke up.

“Kang-er, you are truly sensible. If I had known, I wouldn’t have invited you over.”

“Aunt, I was wrong.” Someone whispered a few words in the man’s ear, and he seemed only then to realize Si Xuansu’s identity. He immediately didn’t dare to even breathe loudly.

Since the Marchioness of Ningyang had come out to settle the matter, Jiang Yiqing felt it wouldn’t be right to keep pressing, so she temporarily suppressed her anger.

Afterward, a competition was held at the Peony Banquet: a game where the guests had to guess which pot of peonies was the most valuable.

The guests would place a precious item they carried onto the peony they selected. Once the results were revealed, those who guessed incorrectly would have to surrender their items, while those who guessed correctly could choose an item they wanted from the pool of surrendered goods.

As she listened to the rules, Jiang Yiqing knew she was bound to win this competition.

This was because she could tell at a glance whether a peony flower had spiritual energy. Flowers without spiritual energy wouldn’t even qualify to become “fragments,” and the more precious the flower, the higher the value of the fragments.

The guests took turns handing over their treasures: mutton-fat blood jade, exotic bodhi seeds, night-luminescent pearls, ivory dice—there were all sorts of strange and wonderful things.

Jiang Yiqing saw that the fellow named Zhou Kang didn’t seem to have brought any treasures and was standing there with an embarrassed expression. She thought to herself: Serves you right.

“Host, that fellow named Zhou Kang thinks he doesn’t have any treasures on him, but he is actually carrying an exotic treasure no less valuable than the Nine-Star Heavenly Ginseng. Among all the treasures present, he is the most precious,” the System said to Jiang Yiqing at that moment.

Jiang Yiqing was quite shocked. She hadn’t expected someone like Zhou Kang to have such a treasure. But… isn’t this perfect? Since he dared to speak ill of the Goddess, watching her make him bleed for it.

Having made up her mind, Jiang Yiqing walked over to Zhou Kang and asked, “This gentleman, have you perhaps not brought a treasure?”

When Zhou Kang saw a beautiful woman with a jade-like face approach him, a cold fragrance wafted over as soon as she drew near. Before she even spoke, his heart was already fluttering.

What was rare was that beauty was also so helpful.

He scratched his head and said, “It’s truly unfortunate. If I had known there was such a segment, I would have brought the ancient jade from home…”

Seeing him trying to save face, Jiang Yiqing sneered in her heart but still smiled on the surface, saying, “I happen to have a few extra treasures here. I can give one to you, sir. What do you think?”

“Really? What kind of treasure? Let me see.” Zhou Kang was worried about not having a treasure and didn’t have the face to ask his aunt. Hearing that she was willing to help him, he spoke urgently.

Jiang Yiqing took out a crystal cup from her space. This crystal cup was common in modern times, but in ancient times, it was a rare and astonishing treasure.

Upon seeing the crystal cup, Zhou Kang said in shock, “Miss, you actually have such a treasure? This is truly amazing!”

Furthermore, she had said she had “a few extra treasures.” Zhou Kang couldn’t help but marvel at the depth of her family wealth, wondering which family she belonged to; he thought it would be quite good if he could get to know her.

He hadn’t looked closely earlier and didn’t know Jiang Yiqing was sitting next to Si-furen and Si Xuansu; otherwise, his eyes would have popped out right now.

“However, sir, I cannot give you the item for nothing. Don’t you agree?” Jiang Yiqing smiled craftily, but Zhou Kang didn’t notice at all. He only felt that the beauty looked even prettier when she smiled and stared at her intently.

“That is only natural…” Zhou Kang said while looking at her. “But I really don’t have anything on hand right now. How about another day…”

“Forget about another day,” Jiang Yiqing said. “Who knows when I’ll see you again? What do you have on you now? I’ll just pick one thing from it. You know, I don’t lack treasures; it’s just for the sake of a fair trade.”

Zhou Kang nodded repeatedly and said, “What the Miss says is true.”

He began searching through his pouch, completely unaware that he had walked into a deep pit dug by Jiang Yiqing.

When she saw the contents of his pouch, a line of text floated before Jiang Yiqing— “Silver-Thread Spirit Tooth Fragment x1”.

That thing that looked like a white kidney bean was the Silver-Thread Spirit Tooth? Although Jiang Yiqing could hardly believe it, it was likely true.

Zhou Kang helplessly spread the contents of his pouch in his hand and said, “If there is anything in here that the Miss wants, please feel free to take it.”

You said it yourself, so I won’t be polite, Jiang Yiqing thought. She pointed at the Silver-Thread Spirit Tooth and asked, “Where did you find this thing?”

Zhou Kang found it strange that she would ask about the origin of an unremarkable bean, but he still said, “I picked it up on the road. I thought this bean looked a bit peculiar, so I kept it. Don’t laugh at me; sometimes I like to pick up random things. If you like it, I’ll give it to you.”

Jiang Yiqing felt a bit disappointed. She had thought the place where he found the Silver-Thread Spirit Tooth was a special location. It seemed she had overthought it; this guy just had good luck, like her, finding a treasure.

But this treasure was hers now.

Zhou Kang placed the Silver-Thread Spirit Tooth in Jiang Yiqing’s hand. Jiang Yiqing accepted it and said, “Then I shall give the crystal cup to you.”

Zhou Kang looked as though he had gotten a huge bargain, saying with a look of joy, “Miss, you are so easy to talk to. By the way, what is your name? —”

Before he could finish his sentence, Jiang Yiqing turned and left.

Zhou Kang watched her retreating with a sense of loss, completely unaware that he had suffered a great loss.

Jiang Yiqing returned to her seat. By this time, the guests had all submitted their gifts, and it was time for the flower judging.

Jiang Yiqing said to the two of them, “I am actually quite an expert when it comes to flowers.”

“Is that so?” Si-furen laughed. “Then Xuansu and I will follow your lead, Yiqing.”

“Alright! I won’t let you lose money. We’re going to make a big profit!” Jiang Yiqing said with a bright smile.

How could Si-furen lack these things? Even if they lost, she wouldn’t care. But seeing how enthusiastic Jiang Yiqing was, she couldn’t help but feel the vitality of youth and laughed along with her.

On the other hand, Si Xuansu’s expression looked a bit gloomy.

When Jiang Yiqing turned to look, she was startled, thinking: The Goddess must have misunderstood my going to find Zhou Kang just now!

She hurriedly explained, “Xuansu, I just now…”

Before she could finish, Si Xuansu interrupted her, saying, “You don’t need to explain. I believe you have your own plans for what you do. I just came back from the army and am a bit tired, that’s all.”

Even though she said that, why did the Goddess’s face look somewhat disappointed?

Jiang Yiqing looked at her cautiously and asked, “Then do you want to rest for a bit?”

“It’s fine,” Si Xuansu said.

She just felt that that man looked a bit an eyesore, that was all.

After Zhou Kang submitted the crystal cup, he was observing the quality of the flowers, hoping to make a profit. But suddenly, he shivered, feeling as if thorns were pricking his back, as if someone was looking at him with a gaze like a blade. He turned his head to look—it was that woman in the riding gear.