Chapter 21: Breakup (1)

She was really curious about how the gentleman would deal with it when that day came... But no matter what, it would definitely be interesting.

"Are you talking about Mr. Qu, the Grand Music Master of the Ministry of Rites, who just left?" Father Chu was skeptical and looked at the figure that was already too far away to be seen. He didn't understand what the princess was thinking.

"That's right. It's profitable for me to keep him. He's a stepping stone on my road to revenge." Chu Qingluo paused abruptly, then smiled softly, "No, he should be a flawless jade."

"I want to take this jade into my pocket and use it for myself."

"The princess is wise, and the day when she will accomplish her great cause is not far away." The two elders in the hall said in unison when they saw the scene. They had heard earlier that the princess was very courageous, and now they saw that it was true.

If they really want to revive the Long Kingdom, they can only rely on the secret power of this princess of the fallen country.

The drizzle gradually stopped, and the raindrops falling on the red walls and black tiles turned into mist and dissipated. The flowers and trees everywhere were covered with dew and swayed gently in the wind.

It was several hours later when she returned to the Siyue Mansion. Before she had taken a few steps into the mansion, she saw the messenger boy hurriedly coming and bowing to her not far away.

Fu Guang seemed more serious than usual. After thinking for a moment, he said seriously, "Miss Chu, the master wants you to go to the side hall."

She nodded and decisively turned away, her expression extremely calm, but she knew that this trip was by no means a good thing.

Well, if she could really ruthlessly cut off all the close ties that had been built before today, it would be what she wanted. She could just make a ruthless end of it, and the subsequent gains and losses would depend on her husband's luck.

See how he chooses and how he falls under her skirt...

As she was walking lightly in the side courtyard, she happened to meet Princess Mu Xiao coming towards her. She brushed past her, gave her a subtle glance, and then walked away as if nothing had happened. Chu Qingluo knew the hidden meaning behind this, that the princess had already told her master about introducing Qin Ji to her.

He became angry after hearing this and called her here to scold her.

While she was thinking, she had already walked into the elegant room and saw the young master with a gloomy face, looking down at the book in his hand, and paying no attention to her.

Or maybe... Mr. was sorting out the anger that was surging in his heart.

Seeing that he didn't move for a moment, she stood aside and started to leave: "I just heard that the master called me, so I came here. If the report is wrong, I will leave now."

"You let Mu Xiao interfere with the roster. Do you take me, a gentleman, seriously?"

Qu Hanjin suddenly raised his voice, his tone cold and chilling, and slammed the book shut. Her actions had made him unable to suppress his anger any longer.

She was full of doubts, and asked with a clear conscience, as if she had violated a taboo again and again: "I want to go to the palace banquet, and the princess is also happy to go. This is the princess's invitation, not your choice, so why not?"

"You are so stubborn, how can you learn the piano with such a character..."

Upon hearing this, the young master stood up angrily and waved his sleeves with a glare.

When he stood up, the noise was so loud that the book fell to the ground, making a slight sound in the hall.

Chu Qingluo was silent for a while, and then he looked at the master for a moment. His words suddenly became softer, but more indifferent: "My temper has nothing to do with you. If you don't like it, I will try to appear in front of you as little as possible."

"You broke the rules of the Music Bureau and even contradicted your teacher. You are so stupid!"

He raised his sleeve and pointed coldly outside the hall. He personally ordered the guests to leave, and his words became colder.

"Get out! Don't come to this side hall anymore!"

Since her husband had said it, there was nothing she could do to change it.

Her eyelashes fluttered several times before she replied resolutely, walking away decisively: "I'm tired of being ordered around by the teacher all the time. This is perfect. I don't have to see the teacher's displeasure anymore."

In fact, the moment he said it, he felt regretful, and hated himself for being so determined as to never let her come here again...

Qu Han was frozen when he heard the words, but he couldn't take them back, as the damage was done.

"Qingluo, you..."

Before he could respond with a few words, he watched the delicate face walk away, cold as ice, without any reluctance.

The closeness between me and her was inexplicably distanced, and the feeling of boredom seemed to be lingering in every dark corner of my heart.

He didn't move for a long time.

The scene of her leaving just now and the unbearable dream slowly overlapped, leaving him helpless.

There were only a few young ladies from the mansion sitting in the piano room in the main hall. At this hour, the young ladies who were selected to enter the palace should be coming to the hall to practice piano music.

The teacher had not arrived yet. Song Yan was quietly chatting with her girlfriend. When she heard someone coming in, she raised her eyes and glanced at Chu Qingluo, who was not on the list.

This bright and graceful figure sat down upright, ignoring the discussions around her, quietly looking at the jade harp in front of her, and actually played the song "Plum Blossom Introduction" with peace of mind.

Looking at her behavior, Song Yan was even more confused. She lowered her voice and asked the person next to her, "Why is she in the piano room? I don't remember her name being on the roster..."

"My guess is, she probably begged for it..." Mu Wanxian gave him a disdainful look, pondered for a few moments, and then said to the people around her as if she had realized something, "Think about it, she often stayed in the side hall, and she had many opportunities to talk with the master. She must have begged for it then."

"Hmph..." Upon hearing that the teacher's reputation was to be slandered again, the eldest daughter of the Xu family snorted in anger, and then defended herself in a solemn voice.

"If it's really just a matter of saying a few words to get the chance to play the qin at the banquet, then everyone in the mansion should have begged for it. The master has always been impartial and selfless. It must be that the second young lady of the Chu family was very resourceful and forced the spot."

Xu Anyao disdained to look at him and deliberately raised his voice, wanting the shameless person to hear: "Have you all forgotten the scene of her and the princess drinking happily in the pavilion a few days ago?"

Covering her lips as if suddenly realizing something, Song Yan looked at her with disdain and muttered softly, "So... she is a villain who has achieved success and only entered this elegant hall..."

Listening to the gossip around her, Meng Yatou ignored it and was happy that she could enter the palace to play the piano, and she would have company for the next few days.

"Qingluo, I told you, the teacher must have been too busy before and forgot about you for a moment..." As she was saying this, the piano hall suddenly became quiet. Meng Ying'er was no longer surprised. She knew that the teacher had entered the hall, so she quickly stopped talking.

That cold jade-like figure walked slowly into the hall, his face even more distant and cold than usual, as if he didn't have the slightest bit of joy.

"Chu Qingluo was added to the original list because of my lack of consideration. I added her today." Qu Hanjin passed it over without saying anything more. He raised his eyes and asked calmly.

"The piece to be played at the palace banquet is 'Pingsha'. Do any of you know any of it?"

Hearing this question, the daughter of the Xu family proudly straightened her body and replied calmly, "Sir, I will."

He immediately gave the order, his voice as cold as usual: "Xu Anyao can help the zither girl in the hall to tune her zither on weekdays. I will teach you the rest."

"Yes, I will obey your orders."

It is a great honor to be able to help Mr. Shang. Xu Anyao was overjoyed and responded quickly, not forgetting to look around arrogantly.

Afterwards, the noble ladies who were chosen to attend the banquet in the main hall began to practice their piano music. The clear shadow in the hall did not glance at her, nor did she stop.

The master has openly agreed to let her enter the palace, but his thoughts are still confusing.

Chu Qingluo didn't think about it any further and just sulked with the master. What he should pay attention to right now was the assassination attempt on Sun Chong.

Now entering the palace has become inevitable, and there are only Sun Zhong and Princess Mu Xiao at the banquet, and the rest are soldiers who are familiar with each other on the battlefield.

If something really happened to the general, only the princess could report it properly to Emperor Xuanlong. She would have to do it without anyone noticing so that she could escape.

Another night falls, the evening clouds are filled with coldness, the crescent moon hangs lightly on the parasol tree, the sparse stars shine on the red door, and cast a few drops of lonely and cold sunlight.

Seeing that no one else had noticed, she leisurely went up the back mountain, sent out smoke signals in the woods, and waited for quite some time before she heard footsteps among the flowers.

The person coming was not alone. Chu Qingluo looked intently in the night and saw Feng Yan struggling to support Ning Zhu and walking slowly.

When he reached her, the man silently withdrew, forced the woman to kneel down, and patted his robe with great disgust.

"I took great pains to bring this fellow here tonight," Feng Yan curled his lips into a smile, looking down at the now-insignificant hero from above, sneering, "Princess, if you have any questions, just ask her directly."

A light sweat still covered his forehead. Ning Zhu was too seriously injured to stand up. He could only whisper in a trembling voice, "This subordinate...this subordinate comes to apologize to the master."

Feeling deeply that he had committed a serious offense due to negligence, Ning Zhu reported in a low voice, his eyes trembling: "I am guilty. My identity has been discovered by the secret guards of the Ninth Prince of Daning. Fu Zhao has lost several capable generals."

She had learned a lot of this news from Feng Yan. The Ninth Prince was secretly looking for Fu Zhao's people in order to eradicate the problem and prevent future troubles.

It’s a pity that although Prince Daning is intelligent, he has no evidence to support his claim. The Ninth Prince dares not act rashly, nor does he dare to report the matter to His Majesty at the risk of being charged with deceiving the emperor.

This prince had a brilliant idea of ​​single-handedly achieving great success in eradicating the remnants of the previous dynasty...

"The Ninth Prince only knows that Fu Zhao is still alive, but he doesn't know who the master behind the scenes is and where he is. He dare not easily alarm Emperor Daning. He can only search secretly like a headless fly..." Chu Qingluo chuckled and narrowed his eyes, as if he didn't want to delve into Ning Zhu any further, and said fearlessly.

"Look for a good opportunity to kill him and silence him."

Half-kneeling, Ningzhu clasped his fists solemnly, thinking that he would make up for his mistakes one day: "Whatever Fu Zhao does, he will obey the orders of the Lord."

"What about you?" She smiled faintly as she looked at the man leaning against the side. Her gentle eyes took on a hint of fierceness, a sharp edge that fell directly on him. "Have you found the medicine I asked you to prepare?"

Accustomed to the princess's cold words, Feng Yan took out an exquisite porcelain bottle and a dagger from his sleeve and handed them to her.

The moment he touched it, he refused to let go. A smile of interest appeared on Feng Yan's lips. "Princess, take it. There is also this smoke powder and an ordinary dagger. I have also prepared some for you."

"I never knew Feng Yan could be so attentive..." Chu Qingluo smiled sweetly upon seeing this. Not only did she not retreat, she even moved a little closer to him, making the man's delusional thoughts stir. "I have really impressed you."

Feng Yan rarely saw the princess so friendly. Whether intentionally or unintentionally, he was disturbed. A dark tide appeared in his eyes. He whispered back, "I treat the princess with all my heart, so naturally I will give her the best..."