They rode at full speed all the way to the Fuguogong Mansion. Led by the butler, Yun Qianmeng and Chu Feiyang walked through the exquisite pavilions and towers with heavy expressions. As the butler led them to Qu Feiqing's Tingyuxuan, Chu Feiyang stopped and said to Yun Qianmeng with a faint smile, "Meng'er, you go to Tingyuxuan! I'll go to Chuyun Pavilion!"
Yun Qianmeng knew that it was not convenient for Chu Feiyang to enter a woman's boudoir, and she was afraid that Chu Feiyang also had something to ask Qu Changqing at this time, so she nodded and asked the housekeeper to accompany Chu Feiyang to Chuyun Pavilion. She then walked towards Tingyu Pavilion under the guidance of the maid of the Fuguo Mansion!
"Cousin, the old lady and the lady are both in Tingyuxuan right now!" The little girl leading the way respectfully led the way in front and spoke in a low voice!
"How are grandma and aunt feeling today?" The rumor was probably still limited to the palace, but there was no guarantee that Old Lady Gu and Ji Shuyu had already known about it. Yun Qianmeng, who had always been calm and composed, became a little anxious at this moment!
After all, if the news had reached the ears of Old Lady Gu and others, then the other aristocratic royal palaces would have known about it long ago. In this way, the purpose of the person behind the scenes would have been achieved. He would have ruined Qu Feiqing with just rumors. Even if the Prince of Fuguo's Mansion was reluctant to give up their daughter, they would probably have to marry Qu Feiqing to Prince Rui for the sake of the family's reputation!
Was this vicious plot orchestrated by Emperor Yugan? Or was it that the Empress was displeased with the Queen Mother's intention to send Concubine Qu into the palace, and in order to prevent future trouble, she simply cut off the source of the problem and let Concubine Qu take the blame? Or was it that someone else, unwilling to see another concubine from the Qu family, deliberately framed her?
A series of questions quickly swirled in Yun Qianmeng's mind as she walked from the garden to Tingyu Pavilion. It was not until she stood at the door of Tingyu Pavilion that Yun Qianmeng put her thoughts aside, straightened the overly solemn expression on her face, and walked towards the attic in front of her with a faint smile!
"Miss, my cousin is here!" Le Yao entered the inner room to report as soon as Yun Qianmeng stepped onto the attic stairs!
"Please come in!" Qu Feiqing was having a headache because of her grandmother and mother at this time. When she heard Le Yao remind her, she immediately dropped the scroll in her hand, stood up from the table, and quickly followed Le Yao to the door of the inner room!
Seeing her running away, Old Lady Gu and Ji Shuyu shook their heads helplessly. Then they asked the maidservant beside them to roll up the scattered scrolls on the table and put them away. They both looked towards the door curtain, waiting for Yun Qianmeng!
Yun Qianmeng followed the maids as they lifted the curtains and headed towards the inner room. Suddenly, she spotted Qu Feiqing standing at the doorway, her face full of resentment. Seeing her gloomy face and the loving expressions of Old Lady Gu and Ji Shuyu behind her, Yun Qianmeng smiled and said, "Meng'er greets my grandmother, aunt, and cousin!"
After saying that, he pulled Qu Feiqing, who looked unwilling, towards Old Lady Gu and Ji Shuyu!
"How come you have time to come here today? Is your Second Mother feeling better?" Seeing the faint blue in Yun Qianmeng's eyes, Old Lady Gu immediately pulled her to sit down and said with some heartache, "Don't overwork yourself. Let the servants do some things. Don't tire yourself out! Look at your little face. It was still rosy yesterday, but today it's completely snowy!"
As she spoke, Old Lady Gu asked the maids to pour Yun Qianmeng a cup of hot tea to warm her up!
Yun Qianmeng saw Old Lady Gu speaking to her like this, and knew that they must not have heard the news from the palace yet, so she smiled lightly and said, "Grandmother, I'm sorry to have worried you! Meng'er is fine! When I went to the palace just now, Second Mother's fever had subsided, but she hadn't woken up yet. Right now, the old lady of the Wen family is at the palace with the first and second wives, and there are doctors guarding them. I'm sure Second Mother will be able to turn the danger into safety this time! Meng'er saw that there were so many people over there, and she couldn't help, so she took the time to run over here. Grandmother, I hope you won't find Meng'er annoying!"
As she spoke, Yun Qianmeng pulled Old Lady Gu's arm and shook it slightly, just like she did before she got married. Although her lips were pouting, there was a smile in her eyes!
"You!" Old Lady Gu had no choice but to reach out and touch her forehead, then she lovingly hugged Yun Qianmeng into her arms, and said earnestly, "Meng'er, don't blame grandma for nagging. Grandma has observed your second mother several times. Although she always smiles and doesn't show any temper flaws, you should be more careful with people like her! And this time, bandits actually hijacked the carriage of Prince Chu's Mansion on the official road. What kind of bandits are so bold that they dare to hijack the carriage of Prince Chu's Mansion? You'd better be careful and don't be fooled by other people's sweet words! Moreover, if Prince Chu is determined to abdicate, I'm afraid that there will be unrest in the Prince Chu Mansion in the future! You are the eldest grandson's wife of Prince Chu, so you should pay more attention to your words and deeds, and don't let others catch you making mistakes!" These words were only said by Old Lady Gu in the Fuguo Mansion. Yun Qianmeng was so assured!
Old Lady Gu and the King of Chu were of the same generation. Many of their past events were unknown to outsiders, but she knew them clearly. Although she could not speak openly in front of the younger generation, Old Lady Gu tried her best to make Yun Qianmeng understand the meaning of her words!
Yun Qianmeng also listened attentively. Knowing that Old Lady Gu was devoted to her, she took even more care to remember her every word. Then she nodded carefully and said seriously, "Meng'er will definitely remember Grandma's teachings! I will definitely remember my status and not let others find fault with me!"
Seeing Yun Qianmeng being so obedient and sensible, Old Lady Gu smiled with satisfaction. However, remembering that there was still a disobedient child in the family, she frowned slightly and complained to Yun Qianmeng, "If your cousin was half as sensible as you, I would be at ease even if I close my eyes right now!"
"Grandma, what are you talking about? Grandma will surely live a long life. Besides, when have I ever been ignorant?" Seeing that her grandmother had started again, Qu Feiqing quickly stood up and retorted in dissatisfaction!
But her eagerness to clarify made everyone in the inner room laugh. Even the maids and servants who were serving beside her couldn't help but cover their mouths and laugh secretly. They just felt that the eldest lady was getting more and more adorable!
Ji Shuyu, on the other hand, pulled her daughter, who had stood up anxiously, back to a sitting position. She gently reached out and tapped her forehead, jokingly saying, "You still say you're sensible, but you have such an impatient temper. When will you become more steady? I'm glad I'm not scolding you today, otherwise you'd probably tear the roof off the Prince of the State's Mansion!"
Ji Shuyu's words caused another round of laughter in the room, but also made Qu Feiqing shut her mouth with an unhappy look on her face. It would be okay if she didn't say anything, right?
As everyone laughed heartily, Yun Qianmeng cast her eyes on the table. She saw a pile of mounted paintings piled high on the round table where they were sitting. She asked curiously, "What are these? Is Grandma appreciating paintings?"
But there are too many paintings. Generally, the ladies of noble families can spend a whole day appreciating just one painting, let alone so many paintings. It will take at least one or two months to appreciate them all!
When Qu Feiqing heard Yun Qianmeng ask this, her cheeks couldn't help but blush slightly. She immediately reached out to pick up the pile of scrolls in front of her and was about to leave, but Ji Shuyu quickly stopped her. She snatched the scrolls from her arms and pulled Qu Feiqing to sit down. She smiled at Yun Qianmeng and said, "Yes, but this painting is not a landscape painting. It is the future husband that your mother has chosen for your cousin! But this girl has been looking at them for half a day and can't find a single one that satisfies her. It really drives us crazy! I don't know how to make her agree!"
Hearing Ji Shuyu's words, Yun Qianmeng was slightly stunned, and then her gaze turned to Qu Feiqing who had been forced to sit down. Seeing that she was looking at her pleadingly, she knew the awkwardness and unwillingness in Qu Feiqing's heart!
Yun Qianmeng smiled at Qu Feiqing, then took a scroll and unfolded it. A portrait of a handsome man immediately came into view. It must be said that Old Lady Gu's love for Qu Feiqing was real!
Just imagine, what grandmother would do this for her granddaughter?
I'm afraid that a man may not even see a portrait of his bride before getting married. However, this portrait not only shows the person's appearance, but also clearly describes her wealth. It can be seen that Old Lady Gu has indeed put a lot of thought into it. Such favor is probably unique in the whole of Western Chu!
Yun Qianmeng flipped her wrist slightly and placed the portrait in front of Qu Feiqing, obscuring both her own and hers. She asked softly, "Cousin, this young man is a great candidate for a husband. Take a look, perhaps he'll satisfy you! He comes from a clean family and doesn't have many relatives in the mansion. If you marry him, you won't have to deal with too many people or things!"
Listening to Yun Qianmeng's serious and solemn commentary on the person in the portrait, Qu Feiqing immediately raised her hand and gently pinched Yun Qianmeng's rosy cheek, mouthing, "Since you understand my feelings, don't join Grandmother in teasing me!"
Yun Qianmeng looked at her anxious look with raised eyebrows and couldn't help but smile, but she was still deeply worried about Qu Feiqing in her heart!
The reason why Old Lady Gu chose a husband for Concubine Qu so quickly was probably because she wanted to take the initiative. Marrying Concubine Qu to an ordinary official family with a clean background is better than letting her enter the palace!
Besides, even if Concubine Qu had luckily escaped yesterday, who knows if there will be more difficult problems to solve next? It would be better to marry Concubine Qu off before the Queen Mother makes her next move, so as to dispel her plans!
However, if the rumors are not stopped and leak out of the palace, and Qu Feiqing marries into an ordinary official family, it is likely that it will become an excuse for those with ulterior motives to attack the Fuguogong Mansion!
How to stop the rumors, how to preserve Concubine Qu's reputation, and how to prevent the Duke of Fuguo's Mansion from becoming a victim of political disputes, these are the three things Yun Qianmeng was thinking about at this moment!
"Fei'er, even Meng'er said so. You can't be willful anymore! You are already seventeen years old. Looking around the whole capital, is there any girl as old as you who is still unengaged?" Thinking that Yun Qianmeng was really trying to persuade Qu Feiqing, Old Lady Gu immediately joined in the persuasion!
Just thinking about the age of their granddaughter is enough to give Old Lady Gu and Ji Shuyu a headache. Girls in Western Chu usually get married at the age of fifteen or sixteen, and the daughters of wealthy and powerful families are even betrothed since childhood, and will get married when they reach the age of marriage. However, Qu Feiqing has a special status. Even if they decide to betroth her to someone privately, if the empress dowager does not agree, the marriage will probably end in vain, and it will damage Qu Feiqing's reputation. That's why they keep postponing it. Now, seeing that she is seventeen years old, it really can't be delayed any longer at this age. In addition, the empress dowager's actions these times really hurt Old Lady Gu's heart, so she made up her mind to act first and report later, and settle the marriage first. Even Emperor Yu Gan can't ruin other people's marriages at will!
Qu Feiqing understood the good intentions of her grandmother and mother, especially last night, if it weren't for her eldest brother looking at the unfamiliar stack of scrolls in front of her, Qu Feiqing would have felt bitter in her heart. Comparing family affection with her own feelings, she found it difficult to make a decision for a moment. She could only lower her head, holding back the tears that were about to burst out of her eyes and remained silent!
"Grandma, let me talk to my cousin! I believe my cousin will understand your good intentions!" Yun Qianmeng rolled up the scroll in her hand and placed it on the table, asking Le Yao to put it away temporarily to avoid arousing Qu Feiqing's rebellious psychology!
Old Lady Gu looked at Ji Shuyu and saw that her granddaughter looked dejected, while her granddaughter looked frank and calm. She nodded and walked out of Tingyuxuan with the support of Ji Shuyu!
"Meng'er, I don't want to get married! Can't I stay in the Fuguo Mansion for the rest of my life? Even if my eldest brother takes charge in the future, I don't think he will kick me out of the Fuguo Mansion!" Feeling sad and seeing her grandmother and mother leaving, Qu Feiqing immediately raised her head and spoke sadly with tears in her eyes!
Seeing her like this, Yun Qianmeng felt very uncomfortable. She raised her arm and wiped away the tears from Qu Feiqing's eyes with the handkerchief in her hand. After thinking it over again and again, she said, "Yingxia, Yuandong, Leyao, you go guard the door and don't let anyone in!"
"Yes, miss!" Several maids bowed at the same time, then cautiously walked out of the inner room and stood guard outside!
However, Yun Qianmeng pulled Qu Feiqing closer and told her all the rumors in the palace in a very low voice!
"What did you say?" Qu Feiqing cried out in surprise. She stood up from the stool in a panic, staring at Yun Qianmeng with disbelief in her eyes. Her body trembled involuntarily, but she was so angry that she had nothing to say!
At this moment, Yun Qianmeng's expression was solemn and murderous, completely different from the gentleness and elegance she had shown when facing Old Lady Gu and Ji Shuyu. The whole person was shrouded in a shadow, revealing her cruelty towards the person who spread the rumors!
Looking at Yun Qianmeng like this, Qu Feiqing knew that Yun Qianmeng could not possibly make up such a lie to scare her. Panic suddenly flashed through her heart. Her hands that were holding the edge of the table slowly clenched, tightly grabbing the brocade on the table, but she could not utter a word!
Seeing that Qu Feiqing was frightened, Yun Qianmeng pulled her to sit beside him and comforted her softly, "Cousin, don't panic! The reason I told you is because I didn't want you to be kept in the dark!"
At this time, Qu Feiqing was sitting beside Yun Qianmeng in a daze, her mind was blank. It was not that she was not smart enough, but if anyone encountered such a thing, they would not know what to do!
At this time, such rumors are only spread in the palace, but if they spread outside the palace, not only will I be ashamed to face others, I am afraid that it will also implicate my family!
Qu Feiqing's face was pale at this moment. The only thing she could do was to grab Yun Qianmeng's arm tightly, and with trembling lips, she sought others' trust, "Meng'er... I didn't... It's not me... I went back to the Fuguogong Mansion with my brother last night..."
As she spoke, tears began to fall from Qu Feiqing's eyes. She must have been extremely confused, and even her speech was incoherent and illogical!
Yun Qianmeng looked at the pair of jade hands that were tightly grasping her arms, and felt the slight tremors all over Qu Feiqing's body. Her heart grew colder. She put her arm around Qu Feiqing and whispered to her in a soothing voice, "Don't worry, cousin. We will definitely find a way to clear your name!"
Some things cannot be let go just by avoiding others. Even if something does not exist, as long as others are willing, they can still distort the facts and harm others. The distortion of human nature in this palace is already outrageous. I am afraid that if they take the initiative this time, there will be no other way!
By this time, Concubine Qu had already burst into tears. Thinking of Yun Qianmeng's previous banging of her head against the pillar in the Golden Palace because of breaking off the engagement, she felt extremely upset! After all, this incident was fundamentally different from breaking off the engagement. If an unmarried woman was rumored to have had an affair, it wasn't something that could be resolved by simply committing suicide. Even if she died to prove her loyalty, the contemptuous eyes of those noble ladies would still be directed at the Duke of Fuguo's mansion!
At this time, Qu Feiqing was completely confused, with thousands of thoughts in her mind but she couldn't make sense of them. She could only lean on Yun Qianmeng's shoulder and cry silently!
Yun Qianmeng patted her back gently, but his eyes were cold, and he was quickly thinking of a way to have the best of both worlds!
"Miss!" At this time, Le Yao opened the door curtain and walked in. Seeing that her young lady had become a tearful person, the faint smile on her face paused slightly, and then she bowed to Yun Qianmeng and Qu Feiqing!
Yun Qianmeng continued to comfort Qu Feiqing. Seeing a hint of worry and anxiety in Le Yao's eyes, she immediately asked, "What's the matter?"
"My dear cousin, Guard Xi just came to report that Han Han is at the gate of the Duke of Fuguo's Mansion right now!" Seeing Yun Qianmeng asking, Le Yao immediately conveyed Xi Lin's words!
"Han Hanlin?" Yun Qianmeng's expression was solemn upon hearing Han Che's name. A hint of confusion flashed across her eyes. Then she glanced sideways at Qu Feiqing, who was still crying. A hint of understanding flashed through her mind. She gently handed Qu Feiqing to Yuan Dong, asking her to take good care of her. She stood up and asked Le Yao, "Where is the Prime Minister now?"
"My dear cousin, the Prime Minister is still in Chuyun Pavilion!" Le Yao walked to the wooden rack, took the handkerchief from the rack, soaked it in the basin, wrung it dry, and then came to Qu Feiqing's side and gently applied the handkerchief to her slightly swollen eyes!
"Yuandong, please take good care of my cousin. I'm going to Chuyun Pavilion!" Seeing Qu Feiqing was about to stand up, Yun Qianmeng gave her a comforting look, then left Yuandong and Yingqiu behind, and walked out of Tingyu Pavilion with Muchun and Yingxia!
But unexpectedly, enemies met on a narrow road. Halfway through the journey, they saw Tan leading Qu Jingqing walking towards them!
"Hello, aunt and cousin!" According to their ranks, it should be Tan and Qu Jingqing who should greet Yun Qianmeng, but this time they were in the Fuguo Mansion, and Yun Qianmeng was the youngest, so naturally she took the initiative to greet the two of them!
"Oh, I never thought that Madam Chu would take the initiative to greet us. Mother, although my second aunt has never taught my cousin, she has learned etiquette since she got married! It seems that Prime Minister Chu's family is really good at training people!" Qu Jingqing looked at Yun Qianmeng, who was dressed simply but still represented the identity of Madam Chu. She had been twisting the silk handkerchief in her hand with jealousy, and sneered at Yun Qianmeng!
Yun Qianmeng, however, smiled elegantly, not considering the two in front of her as rivals. She replied nonchalantly, "Of course, she's no match for my eldest cousin's stubbornness. She's attended so many palace banquets and feasts, yet she's still so rude. It's clear she's a piece of rotten wood that can't be carved. Even with phoenix feathers, it's still hard to hide her pheasant nature!"
These words instantly changed the expressions of the arrogant mother and daughter. Qu Jingqing even stepped forward and put his hands on his hips, scolding, "Yun Qianmeng, what are you so proud of? Don't think that you can become the Princess of Chu just because the King of Chu abdicates. Don't think that the Fuguogong Mansion will always support you. Now that Concubine Qu is in trouble, I'm afraid..."
"I'm afraid that my cousin has just come from Prince Chen's Mansion. What's the matter? You want to start making trouble after hearing some gossip? Be careful not to attract trouble. Instead of achieving your goal, you will get yourself into trouble! Prince Chen has always been taciturn. I believe he will not like noisy women. If my cousin can't learn this, I'm afraid there will be no hope for you to marry into Prince Chen's Mansion in this lifetime!" At this time, there were maids and servants coming and going in the Fuguo Mansion. If Qu Jingqing said something that was detrimental to Qu Feiqing, even though this was the Fuguo Mansion, it would probably cause harm to Qu Feiqing!
When necessary, Yun Qianmeng was more vicious than anyone else. She instantly diverted the attention of the mother and daughter in front of her and focused on their weaknesses, making Qu Jingqing jump up like a cat whose tail was stepped on!
"Yun Qianmeng, you are really well-educated. Is this how Prime Minister Chu's Mansion teaches people?" Sure enough, Qu Jingqing felt pain when Yun Qianmeng poked him hard. He instantly lost his usual calmness, glared at Yun Qianmeng with vicious eyes, and started to curse without thinking!
She was probably older than Qu Feiqing. Among the unmarried young ladies in Kyoto, Qu Jingqing was the oldest. But for the sake of Prince Chen, she turned down all those who came to propose marriage. Seeing that she was getting older, and Prince Chen was not saying a word, how could Qu Jingqing not be anxious?
If she delays it for another one or two years, even if she wants to marry someone else, that person may not be willing to marry her!
This matter also became a thorn in Qu Jingqing's heart, so he frequently appeared in Prince Chen's Mansion, but he often could not see Prince Chen. Today, he accidentally heard the rumors in the palace from the maids who served Concubine Yuande in Prince Chen's Mansion, so he rushed over to mock Qu Feiqing, but he didn't expect to meet Yun Qianmeng, the plague god, again!
"When does it become other people's turn to point fingers at the tutors in the Prime Minister's Mansion?" Little did they know that at this moment, two slender figures walked out from the corner of the corridor. Chu Feiyang, dressed in a black brocade robe, looked coldly at the arrogant mother and daughter opposite with a frosty face, which frightened Tan and Qu Jingqing so much that they lowered their heads!
It took them a while to come back to their senses, and they reluctantly saluted Chu Feiyang, "Greetings, Prime Minister Chu, Madam Chu!"
However, their politeness at this moment did not win Chu Feiyang's forgiveness. His tightly pursed thin lips revealed an undisguised anger. Facing those who bullied and insulted his wife, Chu Feiyang was always ruthless and would not give them any chance to fight back. Just a cold look was enough to oppress Tan and Qu Jingqing so much that they were speechless!
Moreover, the two of them had just heard all their conversations from the corner. Seeing them talking about Qu Feiqing behind her back, Qu Changqing, who was following behind Chu Feiyang, looked directly at the two people who lowered their heads and remained silent with a frosty face. The anger in his eyes broke his usual calmness, and he directly said to the butler beside him, "Kick these two out!"
"Yes!" Seeing his young master getting angry, the housekeeper couldn't help but sweat on his forehead. He didn't know which blind person had let the mother and daughter in. He would definitely teach them a lesson when he got back!
"Qu Changqing, how dare you! I am your aunt, what qualifications do you have to kick us out of the house!" Upon hearing this, Tan immediately raised her head and used her status as an elder to suppress Qu Changqing!
"Really? But aunt, don't forget that I am the eldest grandson of the Duke of Fuguo's Mansion! Now the illegitimate sons have already separated and left the Duke of Fuguo's Mansion. What's more, what my second uncle has done recently has not benefited the Duke of Fuguo's Mansion at all. Why should I treat him with courtesy!" Although Qu Changqing didn't speak for a long time, he touched his bottom line, so he would naturally retort!
His words made Tan's mother and daughter look at each other for a moment, and their brows couldn't help but slightly frowned, as if they were considering the meaning of Qu Changqing's words!
"However, Meng'er has something to say to my aunt and cousin. There are some things you can say and some things you can't say. If you say the wrong thing and it affects the careers of your family, it would be unfair. Please be careful with your words and actions, otherwise you will end up with nothing!" Qu Yan has been wanting to sit on the position of Marquis of Fuguo Mansion for a long time. If the two of them really knew about the rumors in the palace, I'm afraid they would exaggerate and destroy Concubine Qu's reputation! Therefore, Yun Qianmeng warned them with a faint smile!
When Qu Jingqing heard Yun Qianmeng's warning, a hint of ferocity flashed across his eyes. He was about to open his mouth to refute, but was stopped by Tan. The two of them glared at Yun Qianmeng angrily, and then turned and left with anger!
"It seems that this rumor is getting more and more serious!" Looking at the two people who left angrily, Qu Changqing frowned and spoke, feeling extremely worried about his sister!
"I have already told my cousin to leave Yuandong and Yingqiu to look after her! Although my cousin is very emotional at the moment, I believe she will calm down. But please pay more attention to the emotions of my grandmother and aunt, especially my grandmother who is old!" Seeing Qu Changqing speak like this, he knew that Chu Feiyang had told him everything just now, and Yun Qianmeng also spoke without hiding anything!
Qu Changqing listened, nodded slightly, and personally escorted the two out of the Fuguo Mansion!
"Where is Han Che?" Yun Qianmeng asked when she didn't see Han Che at the gate of the Duke of Fuguo's Mansion!
"He is in the Prime Minister's residence right now!" Chu Feiyang had already asked Xi Lin to take him to the Prime Minister's residence!
Yun Qianmeng nodded, then leaned into Chu Feiyang's arms and said softly, "Here, having power and influence isn't necessarily a good thing, but being powerless means you'll probably be trampled on and humiliated at will!"
Listening to Yun Qianmeng's almost whispered words, Chu Feiyang raised his eyebrows slightly, and looked down at the quiet face in his arms with surprise. He put one arm around her waist, pulling Yun Qianmeng closer to him, and whispered, "The strong prey on the weak, this is the principle of survival!"
Hearing this, Yun Qianmeng couldn't help but close her eyes. After a while, she slowly opened them, then sat up straight and said with a firm look in her eyes, "Fei Yang, perhaps the position of Princess Chu is a very good one!"
Hearing Yun Qianmeng's words, a smile appeared in Chu Feiyang's eyes. He then took her hands and placed them on his lips, kissing them a few times. He said with a smile, "I will work hard!"
The carriage slowly stopped at the gate of Prime Minister Chu's residence. The two men got off the carriage and immediately went to the front hall. They saw Han Che sitting upright in his seat, with a calm gaze and a cool expression, just like the impression he usually gave people, cold and arrogant!
But when he saw Yun Qianmeng beside Chu Feiyang, Han Che's unchanging eyes flashed with a hint of surprise. Then he remembered Yun Qianmeng's witty reactions at the palace banquet, and his heart was slightly relieved. Perhaps only a woman like this could be worthy of the extremely intelligent Chu Feiyang!
"I hope you don't mind my rude invitation to Prime Minister Chu's residence!" Seeing Han Che stand up and salute, Chu Feiyang waved his hand and asked him to sit down. He then took Yun Qianmeng to sit in the first seat. His majestic demeanor was the essence of thousands of trials and tribulations, and his elegant demeanor in every gesture made people willingly convinced. Even the usually arrogant Han Che had to admire such a Chu Feiyang from the bottom of his heart!
"Your Majesty, you are joking. It is an honor for Han Che! I just don't know what your Majesty wants to say!" As for Chu Feiyang, the recent contacts made Han Che realize that this person is unfathomable, and he became more cautious in dealing with him!
At this moment, Yun Qianmeng smiled gracefully. Seeing Han Che's pride in not being swayed by wealth and status, a hint of admiration flashed in her eyes. She asked directly, "I wonder what important matter has Han Hanlin gone to the Fuguo Mansion for? If it's official business, he can discuss it with my cousin after the morning court session. Besides, my cousin is in the Ministry of Justice, and Han Hanlin is affiliated with the Hanlin Academy. The two sides should have no intersection!"
Yun Qianmeng's words made Han Che look at Chu Feiyang. He saw that Chu Feiyang was just idly drinking the tea in his hand. He knew in his heart how important Yun Qianmeng was in Chu Feiyang's heart, and he showed more respect to her. Today, Chu Feiyang took him away when Qu Changqing was in the Fuguo Mansion. It can be seen that the Fuguo Mansion has handed over its affairs to the two people in front of him. If he did not get their permission, it would be difficult for him to set foot in the Fuguo Mansion!
"I believe that Madam must have guessed what I am thinking!" Han Che put down the teacup in his hand and said seriously, with an extremely serious and cautious look flashing in his eyes, which made people feel his sincerity!
"But you also know that this is definitely not the best time to bring up this matter. Otherwise, not only will you not be able to help your cousin, I'm afraid even your future will be ruined!" Yun Qianmeng was very observant and slowly pointed out the key point. The faint smile on his face faded little by little, replaced by the same solemn expression!
"Madam, you are absolutely right!" This was also the reason why Han Che stayed outside the Duke of Fuguo's Mansion instead of going in!
If I propose marriage to Concubine Qu at this time, marrying the daughter of a marquis's family as a sixth-rank official will definitely lead to criticism!
Not only will it not help Qu Feiqing avoid the rumors, it will probably increase the credibility of the rumors. Outsiders will definitely think that Qu Feiqing must have an affair with Prince Rui. In order to cover up the truth, the Duke of Fuguo's Mansion married his daughter to a minor official. I'm afraid that Qu Feiqing will be the one who suffers the most!
"But, let's not talk about Lord Han's love for my cousin! I admire Lord Han's bold behavior of going to the Fuguo Mansion!" Although he admired Han Che, Yun Qianmengduan was not sure about his background yet. He would not trust him easily, let alone give him hope of marrying Qu Feiqing!
"Whatever Madam and the Prime Minister want to know, I will tell you everything I know!" Han Che had already made preparations. He also knew that Chu Feiyang and Yun Qianmeng would never trust others easily, so he spoke firmly and sincerely!
Yun Qianmeng turned her head slightly, exchanged a glance with Chu Feiyang, and then slowly said, "Is what happened last night related to Han Hanlin?"
Han Che raised his head slightly, his eyes clear as he met Yun Qianmeng's inquiring gaze and asked, "What are you referring to, Madam?"
"What happened after the palace banquet ended and my cousin was left in the harem!" Yun Qianmeng was very clear and unambiguous and repeated her question clearly!
Ever since learning that Han Che appeared in the Fuguo Mansion, Yun Qianmeng thought about it in the carriage and felt that most people would be happy to see Qu Feiqing marry Prince Rui. At that time, the power of the Fuguo Mansion among the four major families would be weakened, which would be a welcome thing for many people!
But Han Che showed up at this time. Considering that he was a student from a poor family and held the position of sixth-rank editor, no one would have the courage to appear alone in the Marquis' Mansion. Although Han Che's background was still unknown at this time, Yun Qianmeng intuitively felt that Han Che was not as simple as he seemed!
Han Che hadn't expected Yun Qianmeng to be so clever and extend the question to such a deep level. He was surprised, but his expression remained calm. He said calmly, "If this is what Madam wants to know, then my answer is yes!"
Yun Qianmeng was surprised at Han Che's straightforwardness, but she was sure of his feelings for Qu Feiqing. Only if he really cared about his cousin would he answer so straightforwardly, even though such an answer might get Han Che beheaded immediately!
"Xi Lin, show the guest out!" At this moment, Chu Feiyang suddenly spoke, called in Xi Lin who was guarding outside, and sent Han Che, who had a calm face, out of the Chu Mansion!
However, only Han Che himself knew how tightly he clenched his hands hidden in his sleeves, for he was afraid that Chu Feiyang and Yun Qianmeng would reject him!
But what Chu Feiyang said just now actually gave him a glimmer of hope. At least they were willing to consider the possibility of this matter instead of rejecting him immediately!
Watching Han Che leave, Yun Qianmeng did not speak for a long time. She could not imagine that such a seemingly weak scholar would do such a dangerous thing for her cousin. It can be seen that Han Che should not be underestimated!
But no matter how sincere Han Che was to Qu Feiqing, his lifelong affairs naturally needed Qu Feiqing's approval before they could be carried out! Moreover, with Han Che's personality, even Yun Qianmeng was unsure whether he was really suitable for the simple Qu Feiqing!
He shook his head and smiled bitterly for a while. The most important thing now was to quickly resolve Qu Feiqing's issue. Yun Qianmeng immediately told Chu Feiyang all about her plan. Then, under his unfriendly gaze, she asked Xi Lin to go to Rongshan Hall to invite Rong Yunhe over!
"Rong Yunhe greets Prime Minister Chu and Madam!" As always, he gave people an indifferent feeling, but Chu Feiyang still felt that Rong Yunhe's voice was a little gentler when he called out "Madam". He hummed twice in his nose as a response, then picked up the teacup in front of him to cover his face, but his eyes couldn't help but look at Yun Qianmeng!
"How is the situation at Rongshan Hall and the shops today? I should have gone to take a look in person, but there were a lot of things going on in the mansion recently, so I was delayed!" Yun Qianmeng smiled as she watched Rong Yunhe sit down. She felt more comfortable and free in her conversation with him. After all, they were friends who knew each other very well, so there were not so many concerns!
"Everything is fine. I will have someone send the profits and account books over at the end of the month! Are these the only things you are asking about today?" Rong Yunhe glanced at Chu Feiyang who was sitting quietly beside him. Seeing his alert expression, he couldn't help but laugh in his heart. He was afraid that the officials in the court would never dream that Chu Feiyang would have such an expression!
Hearing this, Yun Qianmeng lowered her eyes slightly. After thinking it over again and again, she spoke carefully, "Of course, there are other things I'd like to trouble you with!"
Having said that, Yun Qianmeng fell silent again. This kind of thing seemed to be a piece of cake, but it was also a bit dangerous. She didn't want to drag innocent people into the water, but this was the only way to break the rumors in the palace!
Seeing her being so cautious, Rong Yunhe knew that Yun Qianmeng was in a dilemma. Perhaps she was afraid of getting him into trouble, so she was having trouble making a decision. Rong Yunhe smiled elegantly. The vicissitudes of life in his eyes showed that he had seen all kinds of things in the world, but he only smiled for the woman in front of him. He said elegantly, "What makes you so embarrassed?"
Yun Qianmeng frowned slightly, but still explained the whole story in detail. "It's inconvenient for me to enter the palace. Otherwise, I'll attract other people's attention and my efforts will be ruined!"
Rong Yunhe lowered his eyes and listened carefully to what Yun Qianmeng said. He nodded and said casually, "It's just a small favor. However, I hope Prime Minister Chu can arrange the other details so that this matter can be flawless!"
In this way, Rong Yunhe has already agreed to Yun Qianmeng's request!
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