Chapter 42 is quite interesting.
Shen Qingci frowned. What was that?
Was someone eavesdropping outside?
Who is it?
She carefully recalled that during her conversation with Wanqing, she had referred to Huo Yunzhan as "Lord Marquis" and had not called him by his given name. Only then did she breathe a sigh of relief.
Fortunately, it seems she'll have to change her habits from now on.
Wanqing rushed to the window and opened it, but there was no one outside.
Wanqing then turned back: "It's gone."
Her gaze fell on the crumpled paper: "Let me see what this is."
Wanqing picked up the crumpled paper, unfolded it, and after reading it, looked at Shen Qingci again.
Shen Qingci asked blankly, "What's wrong? What does it say?"
Wan Qing coughed lightly and showed the note to Shen Qingci.
Shen Qingci looked up and saw that it read: I can make Liu Ruolan dare not bully you anymore, but I have conditions.
The dragon and phoenix dance below is Chu Jichen's name.
Shen Qingci raised her hand and silently rubbed her forehead.
What is this person doing?
Why are they suddenly resorting to this weird trick of passing notes?
How can we make Liu Ruolan stop bullying her? We can't just make her marry him immediately and become the Regent's Consort, can we?
What are the conditions?
Shen Qingci even managed to discern a hint of arrogance in the few words on the note.
Arrogance... doesn't seem to have much to do with Chu Jichen?
"This regent is quite different from what I've heard. He seems... to have quite a sense of humor."
Fun and interest.
Shen Qingci was almost unable to hold back. What the hell?
Shen Qingci took a deep breath, took the note, and folded it up: "Let's wait and see. I don't think the Marquis necessarily went to the Prime Minister's residence to pick up Liu Ruolan."
"After all, in the eyes of the old lady Hou and everyone else, Liu Ruolan was the one who did something wrong this time."
“If she does something wrong, and the Marquis still immediately and humbly takes her back, then Liu Ruolan will definitely become even more arrogant.”
“According to Madam Hou and Huo Yun…” Shen Qingci paused. Although the person who came just now was Chu Jichen’s man, it also showed that there were ears on the other side.
They had to be extra careful with their every move in the Marquis's residence: "Given the Marquis's temperament, they should probably give her a break first."
"Let's wait and see."
Wan Qing nodded, but there was still a hint of teasing and amusement in her eyes. Her gaze fell on the note in Shen Qingci's hand: "Miss, it seems like it's been four or five years since you last passed a note, hasn't it?"
"Who was it with last time? I think it was... one of the master's students?"
"If the Regent wants to negotiate with Miss, shouldn't he meet with her first? But he hasn't arranged to meet her. Could it be that he's planning to sneak into the Marquis's residence again at night?"
Shen Qingci glared at her: "You should go down now, you talk too much."
Wanqing laughed and withdrew.
Shen Qingci unfolded the note again and glanced at it.
Wanqing's words reminded her of some past events; she had indeed passed notes to others before.
It seems that my father's old friend passed away, leaving behind a child of about ten years old. My father thought he was a rare talent for military affairs, so he took him back and let him stay in the mansion for two years. He followed my father to the camp to learn how to fight and learn military strategy with her and her brother.
The man was rather taciturn, and she once suspected that he was mute, so she tried to test him by writing notes to him.
It was only later that I learned that the person had experienced a major upheaval, which was why his personality had changed.
Her few experiences of passing notes were with him.
She remembered that the person's name was either Xiao Tu or A Tu, which was a rather perfunctory name.
That person lived in their Shen family mansion for more than two years before leaving. My father said he went home.
I didn't even say goodbye to her.
There has been no news of that person since then; he was a heartless and ungrateful man.
Shen Qingci pursed her lips, wondering why she suddenly thought of that person. She collected her thoughts and put the note Chu Jichen had given her into a box.
Just as I finished packing my things, I heard footsteps and voices outside the door.
A short while later, Wanqing came in.
Wanqing's expression wasn't very good; she just pursed her lips and said, "The Marquis has sent someone."
She placed a box on the table: "These are tonics sent by the Marquis."
Soon, a servant's voice came from outside the door: "Upon returning to the manor and hearing about what happened today, the Marquis specifically sent me to inquire whether the Second Madam is well. Should we call the manor physician to examine her?"
A mocking glint flashed in Shen Qingci's eyes, and she laughed.
Should we send a servant to inquire?
I'm afraid Huo Yunzhan wouldn't dare come in person, lest Liu Ruolan use this as an excuse to cause trouble again.
He was also afraid that she would see the slap mark on his face.
Huo Yunzhan is truly a pathetic Marquis of Yongning.
"No need, I'm fine. Thank you for your concern, Lord Marquis."
The servant outside the door responded and then continued, "What happened today was the fault of the Lady of the Marquis. The Marquis said that the Lady of the Marquis has been menstruating recently and is in a bad mood and has been quite irritable. She is really sorry to the Second Madam."
"The medicine in the box is a top-quality tonic that the Marquis specially ordered to be found. Please don't take it too seriously, Second Madam, and take good care of yourself."
"The Marquis also said that the Second Madam's mention of leaving the manor to the Old Madam is still open to discussion. Now that the General Who Conquers the West has not yet been a hundred days old, it would be easy for the Second Madam to leave the manor suddenly, which would easily cause controversy."
"At the very least, we should wait until the Second Madam observes a hundred days of mourning for the General. It would be more appropriate to discuss this further then."
Shen Qingci raised her eyebrows and couldn't help but smile. Huo Yunzhan wanted her to observe a hundred days of mourning for him?
That's really... hilarious.
She didn't know what Huo Yunzhan was planning, or what he intended to do after these hundred days.
But how could she so easily give him his way?
"Then please ask the Marquis for me. There are still more than twenty days until the hundredth day. Can he guarantee that nothing will happen to me during these twenty days?"
"I don't want to die."
Shen Qingci's voice was soft and weak, as if she was still choking up: "I fell into the lake yesterday, and today I was kicked hard for no reason. I'm really scared."
The servant hurriedly replied, "The Marquis said that the Second Madam can rest assured that such a thing will never happen again."
"Alright then, I'll trust him one more time..."
After the servant left, Shen Qingci asked Wanqing in a low voice, "Has the Marquis returned to the manor? Did he bring Liu Ruolan back?"
"No, the Marquis came back alone."
Shen Qingci nodded; that should be about what she had in mind...
She knew she couldn't leave, so since they didn't want her to go, she might as well make the Marquis's mansion even more chaotic.
That evening, Shen Qingci thought Chu Jichen would come, but he was disappointed to find no one there.
She felt a vague sense of loss, and couldn't help but wonder what exactly the conditions Chu Jichen had mentioned were.
Even on the second night, Chu Jichen still didn't come.
It wasn't until the afternoon of the third day that Wanqing hurriedly arrived: "The Marquis has gone to bring Liu Ruolan back!"
Wanqing lowered her voice: "And someone has already come to invite you, Miss, to go to the main courtyard."
No sooner had Wanqing finished speaking than the person arrived.
"Second Madam, the Marquis and his wife request your presence in the main courtyard."
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