Chapter 95: Testing

Xie Wuqi, do you think that by climbing back to the general's mansion, you can get back on the ship of King Jin?

She gently stroked a jade pendant hanging around her waist, which was given to her by Pei Ji.

The cool touch from her fingertips strangely calmed her chaotic mood.

Compared to the muddy water in the Xie Mansion, she cared more about the future that she and Pei Ji were about to create together.

…

In the study, Luo Jince threw the finest rain-soaked blue-glazed teacup to the ground, making a sharp and crisp sound.

His chest heaved violently, his handsome face tensed with anger, his voice practically squeezed out from between his teeth: "Sister! Tell me, what exactly does Liu Yueli want? Is it for Xie Wuqi's face? Is it for the Xie family's wealth? Or is it for the Xie family, from General Xie to the servants, who all despise him so much that they want to eat him alive!"

Luo Jince irritably kicked away the broken porcelain pieces that rolled towards his feet, making a harsh and rubbing sound.

"She gave up her innocent and pampered adopted daughter status in our Luo family and jumped right into that fire pit! With no status and no position, she's willing to be a concubine! Is her mind filled with the wind and sand of Mocheng or Xie Wuqi's magic potion? How despicable!"

Luo Zhaohan sat upright behind his desk, oblivious to his brother's rage, his eyes fixed on the Xuelang paper spread out in front of him.

In her previous life, Liu Yueli's "aunt took her away" scene was so realistic.

The woman was wearing the dusty coarse cloth clothes of Mocheng, with wrinkles carved on her face. She hugged Liu Yueli and cried loudly, thanking the Luo family for raising her for many years. She kept saying that she wanted to take her poor niece back to her hometown in Mocheng to live a peaceful life.

Who in the Luo family, including her, Luo Zhaohan, would not sigh and lament?

Who wouldn’t be secretly glad that Liu Yueli was able to avoid the horrific disaster of the Luo family’s subsequent confiscation of property and extermination of the entire family?

Until she dragged her sick body outside the dark and damp courtyard and saw with her own eyes Liu Yueli, with a bulging belly, being carefully supported by Xie Wuqi.

She would recognize that face even if it was burned to ashes!

What is Aunt Mocheng? What is returning home safely?

These are all huge lies carefully woven by Xie Wuqi and Liu Yueli, a pair of dogs and bitches!

Just so that Liu Yueli could escape from the Luo family's sight without anyone noticing, so that she could have an affair with Xie Wuqi and even get pregnant!

Luo Zhaohan's fingertips silently pinched into his palm, and a slight stinging pain came, which allowed him to barely suppress the anger surging in his heart.

Liu Yueli, what are you doing here? Xie Wuqi?

Is he worth you giving up all your glory and dignity, and even risking your life and future?

Or... is there another purpose?

"What's the point?" Luo Zhaohan finally spoke. She picked up a purple hair brush from the desk, dipped it in thick ink, and hovered the tip of the brush over the white paper.

The scene of the flower-viewing banquet clearly emerged in Luo Zhaohan's mind.

When his mother casually mentioned that Princess Xinyi Zhaoyang of Liuyang seemed to have a crush on a certain talented young man, everyone at the table simply laughed it off. Only Xie Wuqi, whose usually composed face suddenly lit up like water after a stone had been dropped.

His back was straight, his fingers gripping the wine glass slightly white from the force he exerted. His eyes were incredibly bright as he pressed on eagerly, "Really? Princess, did you really mention this in person?"

He, Xie Wuqi, had long been wild in heart, and had flown to higher branches!

Liu Yueli and their deep friendship were nothing more than the cornerstones for him to step on as he climbed up.

"For love? For profit?" Luo Zhaohan's lips curled up very slowly, his smile icy and piercing straight into Luo Jince's eyes. "You'll know after trying it."

Luo Jince looked at the chilling light in his sister's eyes and couldn't help asking, "Sister, do you have a solution?"

"It's almost ready." Luo Zhaohan said no more and wrote quickly.

"A letter from Aunt Zhang: Please find an opportunity in the near future to casually reveal to Liu Yueli the fact that Xie Wuqi intends to marry Princess Xinyi Zhaoyang of Liuyang. Be sure to observe her expression and carefully observe her reaction. Remember this."

As the last stroke of the pen fell, before the ink had even dried, Luo Zhaohan called out to his trusted maid, Chunxi: "Go quickly and hand it to Aunt Zhang personally. Tell her that I, Luo Zhaohan, will remember this favor."

"Yes!" Chunxi carefully took the letter, not daring to look at it any longer, and quickly retreated.

In the west courtyard of Xie's house, a slightly remote small courtyard, the lights were lit early.

Aunt Zhang was leaning on the Xiang Fei couch, twirling a pair of silver scissors between her fingertips, slowly and methodically trimming the wick of a lamp.

The candlelight flickered, illuminating her well-maintained face that still showed the marks of time, and also illuminating the years of resentment deep in her eyes.

The little maid held her breath and handed over the tightly sealed letter with both hands.

Aunt Zhang didn't even raise her eyelids, she just stretched out two fingers and picked up the letter.

She opened it and scanned the paper quickly. When she saw the words "Liu Yueli", she paused in trimming the wick.

She slowly put down the scissors and brought the thin piece of letter paper close to the candlelight, almost touching the flame.

The dancing firelight cast flickering shadows on her face, making the gradually widening smile at the corner of her mouth look particularly sinister.

"Heh..." A sneer escaped from her throat. "Liu Yueli..."

She chewed on the name, and every word seemed to be tempered by ice.

"When you plotted against my Yu'er, intending to make her lose face among the noble ladies and nearly ruin her reputation, did you ever imagine that you would end up in my hands today?"

She pressed her fingertips so hard that she almost pierced the letter paper.

"Miss Luo's move really hits the nail on the head! Great, very good!"

She held the letter to the candlelight, and the flames licked it, and in an instant it turned into a small handful of ash, which fell into the copper bowl.

Aunt Zhang stared at the dark red spark until it completely extinguished, then she slowly stood up, smoothed her temples, and her voice returned to its usual gentleness, yet with a hint of calculation: "Come here, bring out that jar of fine Mingqian Longjing tea I just got the other day. Then go check on Miss Liu. If she's free, tell her I've got some good tea and invite her over to taste it and have a chat."

Liu Yueli was placed in an extremely secluded courtyard in the Xie Mansion, far away from the main courtyard, and even some distance away from the west courtyard where Aunt Zhang lived.

The night was shrouded in darkness, and only a single lamp was lit in the yard, the light was dim and yellow.

The furnishings in the house were simple, far less than one-tenth of what she spent at Fuyuan General's Mansion.

Liu Yueli sat alone on a half-worn embroidery cushion by the window. In the dim light, she was concentrating on sewing a sachet for a man with a silver needle flying in her hand.

On the plain brocade background, a pair of embracing mandarin ducks are delicately outlined with gold and silver threads. The stitches are so fine that it is obvious that a great deal of thought was put into it.

The candlelight flickered, illuminating her lowered profile.

There were very light footsteps outside the door, followed by the deliberately lowered voice of the maidservant beside Aunt Zhang: "Aunt, please slow down. This gravel road is uneven... Alas, Miss Liu is really something. She insisted on living in such a remote place. Aunt, you are just getting better. Don't get tired walking all the way."

Aunt Zhang's smiling voice then rang out, "It's all right. Miss Liu just arrived, and she probably likes some quiet time. Let's be quiet and not disturb her."

Liu Yueli paused for a moment as she gripped the silver needle. She raised her head, a flattered smile plastered across her face. She put down her work, stood up, and walked to the door. "Madam Zhang? Why are you here in person? Please come in."

The voice was soft, with a hint of surprise and respect.

Aunt Zhang was supported by a maid and walked in gracefully. Her eyes seemed to casually sweep over the simple furnishings in the room, and finally fell on Liu Yueli's face.

"Miss Liu, please stop being so polite." She held Liu Yueli's slightly cold hand affectionately. She felt that the hand had distinct joints and was so thin that it was a little uncomfortable.

"Are you bored in the room doing needlework? Look at how tired your eyes are." She spoke with concern and pulled Liu Yueli to sit down with her.

The maid deftly arranged the pot of Mingqian Longjing tea and all the tea sets she had brought, then quietly retreated and closed the door.

There were only two people left in the house.

Aunt Zhang skillfully scalded the cups, warmed the pot, washed the tea, and brewed the tea with high and low pressures. Her movements were smooth and flowing, and the fragrance of the tea spread with the misty hot steam, elegant and long-lasting.

"This tea was newly acquired in the mansion yesterday. It is said to be the extremely rare buds from before the Qingming Festival. There is only a small jar of it." Aunt Zhang gently pushed a cup of clear green tea in front of Liu Yueli.

"Our Madam took pity on me for not feeling well recently and gifted me half a jar. I tasted it and it's truly the best, sweet and refreshing. Thinking Miss Liu has seen a lot and must understand tea, I eagerly sent it to you. Please try it."

Liu Yueli picked up the cup of tea, lowered her eyes to watch the tender green buds floating in the cup, blew on it gently, took a sip, and praised: "It's really good tea, thank you for your concern, Auntie."

Aunt Zhang picked up her teacup and took a sip. Her eyes seemed to casually glance at the unfinished mandarin duck sachet that Liu Yueli had placed on the low table beside her. A meaningful smile played on the corner of her mouth. "Speaking of which, I went to the front yard this afternoon and accidentally heard a new story."

She paused, as if she was organizing her words, or as if she was admiring the shadow under Liu Yueli's drooping eyelashes.

"It was Duoshou, the servant who went out with the young master, gossiping with the doorman, Old Zhao. That quick-witted fellow said they were going today... I think they were going to some bookstore. On the way, they happened to see the Liuyang Princess's carriage returning home from afar. The display was so grand, wow, it was truly magnificent. That silly fellow, Duoshou, kept praising the Princess like a celestial being, with such extraordinary grace..."

Aunt Zhang took another sip of tea. She saw that Liu Yueli's fingers holding the teacup tightened a little, and her knuckles turned slightly white.

Aunt Zhang sneered inwardly, but her face remained gentle as she said, "Wuqi was also in the car at the time. He only had a glimpse from afar through the curtains. You didn't see the way Duoshou imitated others!"

She deliberately imitated an exaggerated tone, with a hint of contempt, "He said that the look in the young master's eyes at that time was so staring that everyone was stunned! The car had already gone a long way away, and he was still looking back with the curtain lifted! Duoshou even asked foolishly: 'Master, are you...'"

Aunt Zhang paused at the right moment, as if the following words were difficult to say, but also as if leaving enough room for Liu Yueli's imagination.

She sighed, with regret and a subtle hint of provocation: "Alas! What do these shallow-minded servants know? What is Hu Qin talking about! But... Miss Liu, you are very perceptive. Do you think Wuqi really has such thoughts in mind? After all, she is the Princess of Liuyang! A legitimate royal bloodline, extremely noble. If we can get married..."

"Bang!"

A crisp shattering sound suddenly rang out, breaking the deliberately created tranquility in the house.

The delicate white porcelain teacup in Liu Yueli's hand fell, and some broken pieces even bounced up and landed at her feet.

Aunt Zhang's heart skipped a beat, and she could hardly suppress the excitement in her eyes.

His eyes were as sharp as torches, fixed on Liu Yueli's face.

Liu Yueli seemed to be awakened by the sudden sound of shattering.

She lowered her head suddenly, and her eyelashes trembled violently like the wings of a frightened butterfly.

Then she quickly squatted down and reached out to pick up the broken porcelain pieces, her movements so fast that they almost brought up a gust of wind.

"Oh! Miss Liu, be careful with your hands!" Aunt Zhang pretended to exclaim and pretended to stop her.

"It's okay." Liu Yueli's voice sounded. She lowered her head, and Aunt Zhang could only see her black hair and a small part of her snow-white, slender neck.

Soon, the broken porcelain on the ground was gathered in her palm.

She stood up, her face surprisingly calm again, as if the loss of composure had never happened.

But that face, in the dim candlelight, was as white as a piece of paper, without a trace of blood.

"I'm sorry to have embarrassed you, Auntie." Liu Yueli's voice was still gentle, without any trace of emotion.

She walked to the corner of the room, gently placed the broken porcelain pieces into a clay pot, then picked up a cloth in the corner and wiped her hands carefully.

Aunt Zhang looked at her with her back to her, feeling confused and uncertain. This reaction was too calm!

She had anticipated that Liu Yueli would be shocked, angry, crying, and questioning...but she had never expected it to be like this.

What is hidden beneath this calm?

"He..." Liu Yueli finally turned around and faced Aunt Zhang.

"He wants to marry the princess?" Her voice was very soft, as light as a feather falling to the ground.

Aunt Zhang felt an inexplicable chill in her heart when she was looked at by those eyes, and she was unable to utter the words she had prepared to add fuel to the fire.

She forced herself to remain calm, maintaining a superficial concern, and sighed: "Alas, as a concubine, I shouldn't comment on my master's future. But the servants spread the story with details, and plus, that kid Wuqi, alas, you know his temper, Miss Liu, he is extremely arrogant and only thinks about bringing glory to the family. As for the Princess of Liuyang..." She shook her head, her unfinished meaning was evident in her words.

The room fell into a suffocating silence.

The candle flame flickered restlessly, stretching and distorting the shadows of the two people on the wall.

Aunt Zhang stared at Liu Yueli's face, but there was nothing. That extremely pale face was filled with silence.

Time seemed to freeze. Just as Aunt Zhang could no longer bear the strange silence and was about to speak again, the corners of Liu Yueli's mouth twitched upwards in an extremely stiff manner.

That was not a smile.

It lingered briefly on Liu Yueli's pale lips, then disappeared without a trace, so quickly that Aunt Zhang almost thought it was an illusion.

"Heh..." A sneer escaped from Liu Yueli's throat.

Aunt Zhang's heart suddenly tightened, and a strong sense of uneasiness gripped her.