to seek refuge

In the capital city, in the scorching early summer, even the wind from the corners of clothes is hot and unbearable.

A carriage that could not be simpler was parked outside the gate of Qi Mansion in the south of the city.

The people coming and going are all busy with their lives, looking around curiously for a moment, and walking hurriedly without stopping.

A pair of slender white hands lifted the curtain, and a little girl in a gray shirt, with almond eyes and snow-white cheeks, slowly got off the carriage using a horse stool, stood firmly, turned around, and stretched out her hand towards the carriage.

Qi Qinghe whispered to A Niang to be careful and helped her get out of the car steadily.

After thanking the driver and paying the fare, the mother, daughter and their only maid, Qin'er, stood in front of the steps, looking at the black and gold-plated plaque of the Qi Mansion.

Qi Qinghe's round eyes were filled with curiosity. He looked left and right, blinking his thick eyelashes. Half-believing and half-doubting, he asked his mother if she was sure this was the place.

Mother Qi Xu nodded almost inaudibly.

Qi Xu and her husband Qi Feng both had their ancestral home in the south of the Yangtze River. The Qi family had made a living by farming for generations. When it came to Qi Feng's generation, they were unwilling to guard a few acres of land for their entire lives. Especially after their daughter Qi Qinghe was born, they spent all their efforts to set up a shop, hoping to do some small business.

Unexpectedly, no one in the family was cut out for it.

He originally wanted to add some dowry for his daughter, but he never expected that it would backfire. In a fit of anger, Qi Feng collapsed to the ground and became seriously ill. He died in just three or two months.

Before his death, Qi Feng finally revealed the secret.

It turned out that he had a brother who was very ambitious and studious, but his family was poor and he could not continue his studies after a few years.

It was because Qi Feng, the eldest brother, felt sorry for his younger brother that he worked day and night, and only then was his younger brother able to continue his studies.

However, what no one in the family expected was that after the younger brother went to Beijing to take the imperial examination, he disappeared for many years without a trace and did not even send back a letter.

After thinking it over, Qi Feng finally understood that his brother had passed the exam and didn't want to see them again.

But at the moment, Qi Feng really had no other choice but to leave a letter, asking the orphan and his widowed mother to go to Beijing for refuge, so that they would not have to stay at home and have no food.

"Now that you're here, there's no need to think so much." Qi Xu said in a low voice. Everything that could be sold in the house had been sold, and the entire capital had been searched. There was no reason for her to retreat at the last moment.

Qin'er was a little girl of fifteen years old, without a father or mother. She ran up the steps in two or three steps and knocked on the door.

Qi's mother and daughter followed closely behind and stood on the steps.

After a while, the heavy door opened a crack, and a servant with shifty eyes stuck his head out and asked them what they wanted.

Qi Qinghe smiled and spoke in a sweet voice, "We are here to look for our relatives..."

Unexpectedly, before he could finish his words, the open door closed again in an instant.

The smile on Qi Qinghe's face froze.

The servant's words were still lingering in the wind. "It's such a long time now, how can there still be so many liars?"

"Mother, did we really not admit our mistake?" The girl stared at her mother with her almond-shaped eyes wide open.

Qi Xu remained silent, staring blankly at the heavy vermilion door, gnashing her teeth, "Knock again, I must knock this door open today."

At this point, they had no way out. All the meager change they had was used to rent a carriage and hire a driver, so they had no extra money left.

It didn't matter to her, but she was afraid that her daughter would suffer.

What the three of them didn't know was that the Qi family was in chaos at this time.

The prince is about to choose a concubine, and Qi Qingyu, the girl from the Qi family who had put her name forward, escaped!

At one o'clock in the morning today, the maid who went to invite the girl to dress her up knocked on the door for a long time but no one answered. She pushed the door open and found that the room was empty and she couldn't even see the girl.

The master of the Qi family, Qi Lin, the current Minister of Justice, smashed a table of teacups and flew into a rage in the front hall after learning about this.

"With so many people unable to watch over a little girl, what's the point of having you?" Qi Lin spitted wildly, scolding a bunch of useless servants and asking them to drag them out and punish them one by one. He just didn't believe that he couldn't find out the whereabouts of Yu girl, so he turned to his wife Qi Zhang.

"And you, you always spoil her, that's why she's so ignorant. If the Eastern Palace blames us, our whole family will be in trouble!"

Qi Zhangshi was not one to be bullied. She sneered and replied, "Without your consent, how could I dare to indulge her? She is lawless. Didn't she learn all this from the master?"

The couple was arguing with each other, neither of them willing to give in, and they were both red in the face.

Qi Lin snorted and sat down with his sword. "You are so capable, so what do you say we should do?"

When Qi Zhang heard this, she became excited and said, "Since Yu-ya-chan is unwilling, I think we should find someone to replace her."

"Isn't that deceiving the emperor? You dare to think of such a method." Qi Lin looked at his wife with a smile, and understood it after thinking about it.

His wife's little niece is currently at home.

Before Qi Zhang could say anything else, a servant came into the front hall and reported that someone had come to look for relatives.

The servant was merely a gatekeeper. Although he had turned away the three people who knocked on the door, he should have also informed the master, "Master, there are three strange men outside our house, claiming to be your relatives. I've chased them away several times, but they won't leave. Master, do you think I should call a few men to get weapons and beat them out?"

Qi Lin listened carefully to the servant's words, thought for a moment, and decided to get up and meet the person.

After all, it is in the capital, at the feet of the emperor. Those who pass by may all be rich and powerful, and one can easily get into trouble if not careful.

Qi Zhang hurriedly stopped him, "The capital is a thousand miles away from your hometown. How could they, mother and daughter, possibly come to the capital? Who knows where they are, they might be liars. Why bother meeting them, Master?"

"Whether it is true or not, you'll know after seeing it." Qi Lin didn't want to say more to his wife, so he responded casually and strode out the door.

The three people outside the door hid under a leafy tree, discussing what to do next.

I can't get into the Qi family. I don't have much money on me right now, so I won't be able to hold on for a few days.

Just when Qi Qinghe made up her mind to find some work, Qin'er suddenly tugged at her sleeve and said, "Look, girl, the door is open."

The door slowly opened to both sides, making a teeth-grinding creaking sound.

Qi Qinghe took a look and saw a man in a black robe with gold-plated sleeves, striding out of the door surrounded by servants. He looked around with a slightly expectant look and soon met her gaze.

His identity was self-evident; it was her uncle whom she had never met. His eyes, which looked so much like her father's, explained everything.

As soon as she saw this man, she felt uncomfortable. The scrutinizing gaze made her feel uncomfortable all over. She walked forward slowly, smiled, and bowed slowly, "Niece Qi Qinghe, greeting uncle."

Qi Lin said nothing, but looked carefully at the person in front of him.

She looked very similar. Although her clothes were tattered and she looked like a beggar, her facial features and eyes were very similar to Yu Yatou.

Since you must find someone to replace Yu Yatou, why not choose the person in front of you?

Qi Lin nodded repeatedly, reaching out to help the person, his eyes passed the girl in front of him and fell on the unremarkable Qi Xu in a gray shirt.

"I haven't seen you for many years. Why didn't you tell me that my sister-in-law was coming? I could have gone to pick you up to avoid any misunderstandings."

The misunderstanding he was talking about was naturally that he was mistaken for a liar by the gatekeeper.

The misunderstanding was resolved and the three were kindly invited into the mansion.

"After several years of not seeing you, my niece has grown quite a bit. As this is our first meeting, I haven't prepared anything special, so I'll just give you a small gift. Please don't be offended, niece." Qi Lin gestured for the servants to serve tea, then said with a cheerful smile, "If I remember correctly, my niece is about eighteen years old, not much different from your sister. You could spend more time together."

"Since we are here, we should make the best of it. Sister-in-law and niece, just stay at home and feel at ease. If you have any problems, just come to me." Qi Lin looked at the faces of his sister-in-law and niece, thinking about how to explain the matter of the substitute marriage.

"After all these years, why haven't you sent a single letter home?" Qi Xu lowered her head, staring at the cup of tea for a long time without moving.

"Uncle, if you have anything to say, just say it." A'niang's words woke Qi Qinghe up from her dream. Qi Qinghe thanked her uncle for the tea. On the way into the mansion, her uncle asked her about her well-being and was very enthusiastic. She felt curious and asked directly.

"That's right, niece." Qi Lin explained with a cheerful smile, deciding it was better to be direct. After all, they had already entered the mansion, and with so many servants waiting, they wouldn't be able to stop a little girl. "You have a sister who is very naughty. I don't know where she has gone these past few days. I can't even find her. And the Crown Prince is about to choose a concubine. Are you willing to do me a favor?"

Just one simple sentence, and the matter was made clear.

Before Qi Qinghe could speak, Qi Xu suddenly stood up and refused without a second thought. "The Crown Prince's selection of a concubine is so important. How can you let my daughter take his place? It's all wishful thinking. I thought you invited us in because you felt guilty and worried about not being worthy of your brother, my husband's sincerity. So this is your plan. Who do you think I, Xu Zhen, am? It's better for us not to stay in your Qi family!"

As she spoke, Qi Xu pulled her daughter and Qin'er up and walked out quickly.

Qi Lin snorted coldly, "Do you think this is a place where you can come and go as you please?"

Hardly had he finished speaking when several strong maids and several young and strong servants appeared from the main hall door where servants had not been seen before.

These people blocked the mother and her two daughters tightly.

Qi Qinghe subconsciously protected A Niang behind him and asked Qi Lin in panic what he wanted.

Qi Linfu regained his cheerful demeanor. "Sister-in-law, why are you so anxious? Just listen to me. If this goes through, our Qi family will prosper. Besides, if my niece enters the Eastern Palace, she will enjoy endless wealth and glory. Girls will eventually get married when they grow up, so why bother choosing someone else?"

"Now that you have entered my Qi family, you have no right to say no. If you agree, everyone will be happy, and I will save myself a lot of trouble and effort. If you don't agree, I have plenty of ways to send you to the palace."

Qi Lin walked slowly in front of the few people, and his tall figure seemed to be looking down on them.

In Qi Qinghe's eyes, it was like a flood and a beast. She bit her lip and was about to speak when her mother tugged at her sleeve.

After her husband passed away, Qi Xu's only wish was that her daughter grow up safely, get married and have children, and live a smooth life. She never had any thoughts of having her daughter marry into a wealthy family.

At this time, the daughter was an orphan and a widow, and was under the control of others. She was afraid that if her daughter agreed, her life would be ruined, so she burst into tears.

Qi Qinghe couldn't stop breathing heavily, her face red and white. After a short silence, she agreed, "I can help my sister enter the palace. I also ask my uncle to take good care of my mother because we are relatives. If you need anything, just come to me."

Her uncle was no pushover. If she said no, wouldn't her mother's life be in danger?!

Seeing that she was quite sensible, Qi Lin agreed immediately, raised his hand to call over a group of maids, and asked his niece to dress up.

"Qinghe, don't be confused. He's the crown prince, a royal relative. How can he be fooled? Don't listen to him, my dear girl. He's lying to you." Qi Xu cried and spoke intermittently, beating her chest violently. "It's all my fault. I was bewildered and had to come here. It's my mother who has dragged you down!"

The mother and daughter collapsed on the ground, hugging each other.

Qi Qinghe hugged A Niang and gently wiped away her tears with her sleeve. "Don't be afraid, A Niang. This matter is far from the end of the road. There is still room for improvement. A Niang must not blame herself."

No matter what, it's just a selection of concubines, and if you use some tricks, you will be eliminated.

Since they lost the election, the uncle couldn't blame them, mother and daughter.

About an incense stick later, Qi Qinghe changed his clothes and came to the main hall to bid farewell to his mother.

Qi Qinghe, dressed in a light purple dress, had a rosy face, snow-white cheeks and red lips. Her hair was decorated with two silver-white hairpins, which made her look neither too beautiful nor too conspicuous.

Qi Lin nodded with satisfaction. Originally, she looked 60% to 70% like Qi Qingyu, but after putting on makeup, she looked 90% like Qi Qingyu.

Fortunately, he had been serving as an official in a remote area and had just returned to Beijing with his wife and daughter this year. He didn't have many acquaintances, so he could have kept the secret by making proper arrangements.

Qi Qinghe slowly walked up to A'niang, bowed to her, comforted her, told her not to worry, and instructed Qin'er to take good care of her. Then he left the house with the maids and servants.

Perhaps her thoughts were seen through, as soon as she got on the carriage, the accompanying maid spoke in a gentle voice and told her in detail about her sister Qi Qingyu, whom she had never met.

From living habits to words and deeds, the maid named Mo Yun told Qi Qinghe everything she knew.

Finally, Mo Yun advised kindly, "Young lady, please don't try to be clever. Your every move cannot be hidden from the master."