Two graceful figures stood against the wind on the small hill north of the courtyard.
"Miss, I've inquired. That Ji Mo lives in the courtyard ahead, but Miss Tang is also there. Should we really go find him?"
The maid, Xiao Lan, said to Wen Xi beside her.
Ever since her treasured "An Ode to My Humble Abode" was destroyed by Ji Mo, Wen Xi had been harboring resentment.
Furthermore, with her family constantly urging her to find a husband and marry soon, her hatred for Ji Mo only deepened.
Thus, Wen Xi finally couldn't bear it any longer and had Xiao Lan investigate Ji Mo's residence, personally coming to settle the score.
"Master's illness is getting worse. Miss, please don't dwell on the author of 'An Ode to My Humble Abode' anymore. The world is vast, who knows where he is? Perhaps he's a decrepit old man, or perhaps he's already passed away," Xiao Lan advised earnestly. One couldn't ruin one's life for a phantom person.
At the same time, she was puzzled. Was her young lady obsessed? Just because of a poem, she was fixated on someone she had never met and wanted to marry him.
The Wen family in Mingyue City was in decline, with no male heirs in this generation, only the sisters Wen Xi and Wen Die.
Now, the head of the Wen family, Wen Zhong, was in declining health and wanted to select an heir, thus forcing his two daughters to find sons-in-law.
Wen Xi, being the elder sister, naturally bore the greatest pressure.
In fact, she had already set her heart on someone and was determined not to marry anyone else, but she just couldn't find that person.
"Xiao Lan, you don't understand. My intuition tells me that only the person who wrote 'An Ode to My Humble Abode' is my destined one."
As a talented woman of her generation, Wen Xi possessed her own pride and persistence. She would never sacrifice her lifelong happiness for the sake of the family. She couldn't marry just anyone.
Moreover, although there were many men in the world, only the elegant gentleman who wrote "An Ode to My Humble Abode" could stir her heart.
Xiao Lan knew Wen Xi's personality well. Once she set her mind on something, even nine oxen couldn't pull her back. Since it had come to this, further persuasion was useless.
She could only silently pray that her young lady would soon get her wish.
"It's all that scoundrel surnamed Ji's fault. He tore up my poem and ruined my dream. Today, no matter what, I must get an explanation from him."
Wen Xi's dark eyes gazed into the distance. Seeing Ji Mo chatting and laughing with Tang Xueyi further fueled her anger.
Why should this pair of lovebirds flaunt their affection while she was left alone?
Furthermore, for some reason, seeing Ji Mo and Tang Xueyi standing together ignited an inexplicable rage within her, making her very agitated.
"Let's go settle the score with this scoundrel."
Wen Xi snorted and strode towards Ji Mo's courtyard.
"Alas, love makes people blind," Xiao Lan sighed, following behind.
The mistress and maid soon arrived in front of Ji Mo's courtyard.
Tang Xueyi noticed their arrival immediately and frowned, stepping forward.
"It's that fiery young lady from the Wen family. What is she doing here?" Ji Mo murmured.
This eldest daughter of the Wen family, known as the foremost talented woman in the southwest, had inexplicably spoken ill of him last time, leaving Ji Mo with a very poor impression of Wen Xi.
Therefore, Ji Mo was disinclined to pay attention to such a petulant and willful rich young lady, choosing to ignore her and avoid any interaction.
"Wen Xi, what do you want?"
Tang Xueyi blocked the furious Wen Xi.
"To settle the score?"
Wen Xi pointed at Ji Mo not far away, her eyebrows furrowed.
"Still holding a grudge for what happened last time? Listen to my advice, let it go. Why make an enemy of Mr. Ji over a mere poem?"
Out of their past acquaintance, Tang Xueyi kindly advised.
Although Ji Mo had a good temper, if provoked, Wen Xi would likely not fare well.
"A mere poem? In my heart, 'An Ode to My Humble Abode' is a priceless treasure, concerning my lifelong happiness. I will not let this matter rest."
Wen Xi gritted her teeth, stating she would not back down.
Tang Xueyi was helpless, not expecting Wen Xi to value a poem so highly.
Reasoning with an angry woman was impossible, which gave her a headache.
But she still firmly blocked her way: "With me here, I will not allow you to harass Mr. Ji."
"Ji Mo, you coward, hiding behind a woman. Are you even a man?"
Wen Xi directly cursed at Ji Mo, wanting to see what Tang Xueyi could do to her.
"This little lady is actually calling Mr. Ji a non-man! I won't stand for it!"
The Ginseng King's eyes lit up upon hearing this.
Wasn't this a great opportunity to show off? It immediately emerged from the soil, intending to teach Wen Xi a lesson.
Xuan Ao pressed the Ginseng King back with a claw and whispered, "It's none of your business. Know your place and be a mere root. Mr. Ji is tempering his heart in the mortal world; don't get involved carelessly."
"Ah, so Mr. Ji intends to achieve enlightenment through the mortal world. No wonder he deliberately pretended to be an ordinary person!"
The Ginseng King's face was filled with admiration.
Throughout history, how many exceptionally talented individuals had sought to achieve the Great Dao of the mortal world, yet none had ever succeeded.
To think that Ji Mo had such courage, knowing it was impossible yet attempting it, deeply impressed the Ginseng King!
Ji Mo had no intention of paying attention to Wen Xi, but now that he was being directly insulted, he had no choice but to step forward.
"Miss Wen, is it? Do we have a feud?"
Ji Mo walked forward, facing Wen Xi directly.
He wanted to clarify what offense he had committed.
"You tore up my 'An Ode to My Humble Abode.' Are you trying to renege?" Wen Xi said angrily.
"'An Ode to My Humble Abode'? Yours?"
Ji Mo was bewildered.
"An Ode to My Humble Abode" was a poem he had casually written while practicing calligraphy. How did it become hers?
Moreover, it was just a piece of scrap paper. Was it worth all this?
"If it's not mine, could it be yours? But I bought it for a hundred thousand taels of gold. If you don't compensate me, I won't let you off."
Wen Xi said coldly. She had indeed spent a fortune to buy it, and the receipt with black and white characters was still there.
"You bought a piece of scrap paper for a hundred thousand taels of gold? Is your brain flooded?"
Ji Mo was dumbfounded.
Then, he decided not to argue with Wen Xi anymore. Arguing with a child was foolish.
His casually written piece of paper could sell for a hundred thousand gold coins? Who was he kidding?
"Fine, I'll compensate you. It's no big deal. Wait here."
Ji Mo gave up arguing. It was truly unnecessary to waste so much breath over a mere piece of scrap paper.
After saying this, Ji Mo directly pulled Tang Xueyi into the house, too lazy to get entangled with Wen Xi.
Wen Xi was completely enraged. The thing she valued most was belittled as scrap paper by Ji Mo, which she found utterly unacceptable.
Revenge was a must.
"Xiao Lan, go back and send a message to Father, telling him I've found a potential husband." Wen Xi's eyes blazed with fury.
"Ah, Miss, what are you planning to do?"
Xiao Lan's heart pounded upon seeing the look in Wen Xi's eyes.
Every time Wen Xi had that expression, it was a prelude to a major disaster.
"Hmph, I want to take this scoundrel as my husband. I want him to move into my house as a live-in son-in-law."
Wen Xi revealed a look of hatred.