Who was the backstage manipulator?
Leng Changxi looked down at Qin Yunuan’s slightly raised face. The fair face was as beautiful as jade. The inquiry and anxiety in her glance implied that she was clearly concerned about him. At least that was what he thought.
“I don’t know,” Leng Changxi hastily avoided the question.
Qin Yunuan lowered her head without further asking. When they were about a dozen steps away from the backyard of Prince Ning’s Mansion, they dismounted the horses and walked on feet. The back door was already cleared by the eighteen shadow guards. It was the courtyard where the birthday banquet was held at the far end of the pavement. The singing and dancing sounded slowly, and the Prince Ning’s Mansion was still in a peaceful and joyous mood. No one would have imagined that just now. There was such a danger in the woods just a few miles away from Prince Ning’s Mansion.
Leng Changxi was walking in front, as Qin Yunuan followed. They went back to the yard where Qin Yunuan was taken away, and it was time for their temporary separation.
“Today…” Qin Yunuan cleared her throat, “Anyway, thank you. But in the future… we should take care of ourselves.” It was weird. She had been cautious to Leng Changxi after she knew that he had been pretending to be Su Chenghai to deceive her. However, when the truth was fully talked though between the two, she felt much calmer. Maybe it was because that he had always been helping her, whether as Leng Changxi or as Su Chenghai. Or maybe, it was just because of the affectionate kiss in the woods.
Thinking of the kiss, Qin Yunuan couldn’t help turning her face away.
Leng Changxi didn’t want to embarrass her, so he just smiled and looked at Qin Yunuan. Even though there was a mask on his face, it seemed that Qin Yunuan could still see Leng Changxi’s almost perfect face in the moonlight.
When there were not many people, Qin Yunuan returned to the banquet. Fang Ziying had returned from being drunk. She asked with care where Qin Yunuan went, seeing that she had left for quite a while.
“I’m drunk.” Qin Yunuan’s face was still ruddy. Tonight, she was really drunk.
Then, Qin Yunuan looked up at the upper end of the table and saw an empty seat. She asked Fang Ziying, “Why isn’t Princess Ning there? She’s the protagonist of today’s banquet.”
Fang Ziying rubbed her slightly swollen temple and said, “She seems to be unwell, so she left to rest early.”
In the dark and unlit courtyard, Leng Changxi watched Qin Yunuan’s figure disappearing among the flowers, but he didn’t retract his glances yet, and kept looking in that direction. It seemed that his mind could also turn around the corner and follow Qin Yunuan away.
He was not going back to the banquet anyway. There were always some people who didn’t want him there. More importantly, there were too many things that he needed to handle tonight. However, as he turned around, he saw a figure in the octagonal pavilion where a fishing lamp was lit. There was a moment of surprise in his eyes. He bowed slightly, which was his most respectful action.
“Mother,” Leng Changxi softly called Princess Ning in the pavilion.
Princess Ning was beautiful. Even when she was angry, she looked calm. She had raised Leng Changxi for 20 years, and knew him better than anyone else. When Leng Changxi left the banquet in a hurry, her heart seemed to tremble a bit as well. She knew that Leng Changxi’s people were all around the courtyard. But she also knew that she was the only person they wouldn’t dare stopping.
Hence, she saw everything that just happened between Leng Changxi and Qin Yunuan. She frowned slightly, as if she were extremely worried.
“Mother,” Leng Changxi approached, seeing the dim fish lamp reflecting on Princess Ning’s sad face, “It’s windy out here, why are you waiting here? Let me help you back.”
Princess Ning turned her head like a child and said, “Changxi, you are so confused.”
Leng Changxi knew what she meant, as he withdrew his hands and asked, “Why? Isn’t that good?”
Princess Ning said frankly, “Do you know who she is? She’s just a concubine’s daughter of the mansion of Grand Commandant, whose mother was just an embroideress. Even though the recent rumors about her in the Royal City are mostly good, saying that she’s smart, generous, kind and polite. But a concubine’s daughter is a concubine’s daughter anyway. It just like your elder brothers, no matter how much they want the position as the first heir, they could only think about it.”
Leng Changxi replied lightly, “Is identity the only thing mother cares about?”
Princess Ning was stunned for a moment, as she looked back at her extremely determined son, and sighed, “You know I’ve always loved you the most. For the girl you fancy, how could I… However, your grandmother would definitely disagree.” The old princess was born in the mansion of Duke Jingguo, and she was most particular about social status. Besides, the old princess was related to the legal mother of the Qin Family for some reason. Seeing the old princess’s protection for Dou. It was hard for her to accept an enemy of this Dou.
Princess Ning’s mind was simple and pure, which was why the old princess could get along with her. It was hard for a smart mother-in-law to live with a smart daughter-in-law peacefully. However, Qin Yunuan was exactly a smart and sharp little girl. Leng Changxi had taken that into consideration.
But… so what? He naturally had the ability to protect the woman he fancied.
“Mother,” Leng Changxi’s words sounded deep and cool together with the summer breeze, “I will marry her. I don’t care if you are willing, or if grandmother is willing, or if the world is willing. I will marry her no matter what, and since I dare marrying her, I naturally dare promising her a peaceful life.”
If Qin Yunuan had heard this, her heart must have been feeling warm again. The future that she once longed for was described so solidly by this man.
That night, Qin Yunuan fell asleep late. While Dou Qing’e, who was so proud of herself, got up very early the next day.
After getting out of bed as usual, Tong immediately brought warm water in. She saw Qin Yunuan dazed in front of the makeup box, holding the peach wood comb in her hand, combing her hair without paying attention. She teased, “Third Miss, your face is blushed. Is there anything good happening to you?”
Qin Yunuan turned back violently, but the comb fell to the ground. She stared at Tong, pretending to be angry and said, “It’s only been a few days that I haven’t disciplined you, and you’re now naughtier than Baochuan!”
After Qin Yunuan rinsed her mouth, she asked about Maner’s condition again. Knowing that Maner’s wounds had recovered very well, and her complexion had turned normal gradually, Qin Yunuan was much relieved.
Qin Yunuan pulled the braided bun, and then bundled the long hair hanging down from her ears to the back, forming two beautiful arcs. It made her look decent and nice. Together with a pale yellow pearl flower on her head, it added a bit of young girl’s tranquility.
“How about Baochuan?” Qin Yunuan asked, “It’s time to wake him up for breakfast. Don’t miss the time for family academy.”
Just when the words fell, nurse Liao ran in sweatingly and said, “Third Miss, the Second Master is taken away by Xiu Gu on behalf of Madam.”
“What?” Qin Yunuan stood up immediately. It was the first day Dou Qing’e returned to the mansion, and she had already started torturing Baochuan. She must have thought that her status was still as in the old times, “Don’t rush, nurse Liao, tell me what happened.” Even though Baochuan was taken away, Qin Yunuan was confident that Dou Qing’e wouldn’t dare doing something too bad to him.
“It’s all my fault,” nurse Liao said with tears in her eyes. “In the morning, just after I woke Second Master up and got him dressed, Xiu Gu came. She said that Madam would like to see the Second Master’s homework recently, and she wanted Second Master to go to the Cui Xuan courtyard. I was reluctant to let Xiu Gu take him away like that, so I said that I should ask Third Miss first. However, Xiu Gu was determined and had a rough attitude. Moreover, she ordered the two servant girls who came with her to beat Ting Xue who was trying to block them. I couldn’t resist them, so I could only watch Xiu Gu taking Second Master away, and came to you immediately to discuss what we can do.”
Taking Baochuan away hard, and hurting the servant girl. Dou Qing’e, you really were more arrogant.
“Let’s go,” Qin Yunuan twisted her eyebrows and straightened her neck, “Let’s go to Cui Xuan courtyard.”
She wanted to see how Dou Qing’e, a tigress without paws, could still be arrogant.
Just when she entered the door of Cui Xuan courtyard, Qin Yunuan saw the servant girls who were doing the sweeping were avoiding her and scattering one by one. It was most likely that they went to tell Dou Qing’e about her visit.
When Qin Yunuan stepped inside Chuihua Gate, she heard Baochuan reciting the poems loudly. He must have been doing this for a long time, that his sound was hoarse. As for Dou Qing’e, she was leaning lazily on the chair, with exquisite refreshments and fruits by her hand. She was closing her eyes and recuperating, while listening to Baochuan’s recital. She occasionally nodded, with a trace of disgusting smile at the corner of her mouth.
Qin Yunzhuang was also there on the side.
Xiu Gu saw that Qin Yunuan was there, and she turned towards Dou Qing’e and said, “Madam, Third Miss is here.”
“Greetings from Yunuan, mother.” Qin Yunuan bowed slightly with a faint smile on her face, looking obedient and honest. The smile on the corner of Dou Qing’e’s mouth slowly expanded, but she opened her eyes with a surprised look and said, “Oh, it’s Yunuan. I didn’t even notice. It must because that Baochuan’s recital was too loud and energetic. However, I didn’t expect that the Third Miss of the mansion of Grand Commandant, a concubine’s daughter, would know how to greet an elder.”
This was a great sarcasm.
Qin Yunuan leaned slightly and lifted Baochuan who was kneeling on the ground that his legs were a bit numb, and stopped Dou Qing’e’s spiritual torture on Baochuan naturally. Then she replied, “It’s not that Yunuan is lazy. It’s because that mother had been in Guo’an Temple before and father had ordered that we shouldn’t disturb you if there had no serious matter. It’s all trivial matters in Yunuan’s yard, so I didn’t dare bother mother. It was unlike in elder sister’s yard, where everything happened was thrilling. Naturally, she would have more contact with mother.”
These words had again reminded Dou Qing’e and Qin Yunzhuang of their immoral deeds.
Dou Qing’e’ slanted her mouth and leaned back again. She waved her hand towards Baochuan and said, “Why do you stop? Continue. I love listening to Baochuan’s recital. I could sleep better listening to it.”
Qin Yunuan’s voice suddenly became extremely gloomy, “Mother, enough is enough.”
