Chapter 33 It turns out the prince was planning to break into someone else's house...
Upon hearing this, Fu Huaiqing's eyes darkened slightly.
Can their relationship only be described as friendship?
In his twenty-five years of life, he had never heard of any two friends who could be so inseparable. Even two blockheads could never say that they were just friends.
Fu Huaiqing understood why she said that; she was worried that he would cause trouble for Jiran and didn't want to drag Jiran down because of him.
Even though he was the 'Jiran' she spoke of, the person she was protecting with all her might, he still felt uneasy, an indescribable sourness spreading through him, even the tip of his tongue felt numb from the sourness.
For her, silence was acceptable, but Fu Huaiqing was not.
Biezhi didn't know why the man's mood had suddenly plummeted, as if he were about to devour everything in front of him in the next instant.
Of course, that includes her too.
She wisely lowered her eyes, as if he couldn't see her unless their eyes met.
Jiang Yue, standing under the eaves of the pavilion, was also seeing his lord so emotionally affected for the first time. He hesitated, looking at Bie Zhi, who was pretending to be a quail with his head down. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the lord's expression falter slightly, then he closed his eyes briefly. When he opened his eyes again, his expression instantly returned to normal. Jiang Yue breathed a sigh of relief.
Fu Huaiqing took a sip of tea, the sour taste rising within him.
"So, I misunderstood," he said calmly.
The biting cold that had permeated the air dissipated, and the faint, oppressive atmosphere vanished. Biezhi, unsure of his thoughts, didn't rush to answer him, her gaze fixed on the tiny pebbles on the ground.
She didn't have to wait long before she caught a glimpse of a folded document appearing out of the corner of her eye. The man's well-defined knuckles pushed the document slowly and steadily until the edge of the document was just level with the edge of the table.
He succinctly summarized: "The life and deeds of Zhang Yan."
A glint of light flashed in Biezhi's almond-shaped eyes. Fearing the man might change his mind, she hurriedly cupped her hands and said, "Thank you for your help, Your Highness." As she finished speaking, she reached for the folded document. But when her fingertips were only half a palm's distance from the document, the man applied slight pressure to the knuckles of his fingers, causing the document, which was sitting on the table, to retract slightly in his direction.
She couldn't help but look up, and unexpectedly met the man's clear, deep, dark eyes, which held an unfathomable expression.
Biezhi looked at him nervously, and called out in a slightly suspicious voice, "Your Highness?"
“I can give it to you,” Fu Huaiqing said slowly, “but there are conditions.”
Biezhi certainly understood the principle of a transaction between money and goods, but she was surprised that in addition to keeping a close eye on the court officials who were dealing with Xu Wenche, she was also able to give Prince Su what he wanted.
She blinked: "What are the conditions?"
Fu Huaiqing's expression was calm, but his tone left no room for refusal: "For the next six months, you must come to the Prince's residence every day."
Upon hearing his words, Biezhi was stunned and stood frozen in place.
She stared blankly at the man under the dappled lamplight. The bright yellow palace lantern made him appear especially gentle, and even the fine downy hairs on his handsome face were clearly visible. However, the words that came out of his mouth were incomprehensible to her.
Why do you come to the Prince's Mansion every day?
It seems that there is nothing about herself that men would want.
Biezhi hesitated for a moment, then said, "Your Highness, I still have matters to attend to regarding Xu Wenche, I'm afraid—"
“It’s alright.” Fu Huaiqing interrupted her slowly and deliberately. “You only need to come for half an hour after nightfall. When you come to the Prince’s mansion, someone will accompany you.”
Biezhi's right eyelid twitched several times, as if she saw a brightly lit pit dug just a step away from her, waiting for her, the prey, to jump in.
She hesitated for a moment, then asked, "Why?"
“There’s someone who needs you to teach him self-defense techniques,” Fu Huaiqing said.
Since they were not familiar with each other, they could only try to force a closer relationship.
We saw each other every day for half a year.
Even if one is deaf and the other is blind, they should become familiar with each other after spending more than half a year together.
The other branch seemed about to speak but hesitated.
Even if it's not six months, she might have already left Beijing in three months.
Biezhi glanced at the folded document on the table, unconsciously licked her lips, remained silent for a moment, and then nodded in agreement to his request: "Okay."
Fu Huaiqing raised an eyebrow.
He didn't seem to have told her that when she lied, she would subconsciously lick her lips to ease her anxiety.
Fu Huaiqing naturally remembered that Biezhi had mentioned leaving the capital not long ago.
Thinking of this, his expression darkened, and he slowly withdrew his fingers from the folded paper, saying intentionally or unintentionally, "This will need to be done for the next six months, so please don't forget, young lady."
Upon hearing this, Biezhi's heart skipped a beat.
She always felt that the surroundings were gloomy. If she hadn't only mentioned leaving the capital to Jiran, Biezhi would have really thought that Prince Su had discovered that she was going to leave in three months and that her current agreement with him was just a temporary measure to get the memorial.
She gathered the folded document into her palm, clutching the branch tightly, afraid that Prince Su might think of another request in the next instant, and that she might inadvertently fall into another trap he had set.
Falling into one hole is an accident, falling into two holes could be due to obstructed vision, but falling into three holes just shows that he's too cunning and I'm still a bit naive.
In terms of cunning, she, a mere commoner, knew she couldn't compare to the power-hungry Regent. He might just glance at her in his spare time and she would be completely manipulated.
Biezhi didn't stay in the Prince's mansion for long before the guards on duty came to report that Su Ci had arrived, allowing her to escape.
When Su Ci, who had rushed over, caught sight of the figure in the long corridor across the empty courtyard, his solemn eyes widened slowly as he looked at the girl in disbelief, then at Cheng Jin following behind her.
Watching the girl walk out of the palace gates, Su Ci, who had been in a daze for a long time, finally came back to his senses.
It's almost midnight, what's she doing here?
Su Ci looked thoughtfully in the direction of the Prince's study, quickened her pace, and walked into the courtyard where the study was located.
The study door was wide open, and he went in.
Fu Huaiqing absentmindedly fiddled with the pen in his hand, not even glancing at a single word of the memorial before him. Hearing Su Ci enter, he raised his eyes and glanced at him, noticing the meaningful look in Su Ci's eyes, and said indifferently, "I saw it."
"Hmm." Su Ci didn't stand on ceremony with him, found a place to sit down and poured herself some tea: "You're quick on the uptake. We've only met a few times, are you really sure it's her?"
They have known each other for nearly twenty years. Although the people of the capital have been spreading rumors in recent years that Prince Su and Qin Wan were childhood sweethearts who met when they were young and were waiting for a wedding date, in reality, it was all just a pipe dream.
Su Ci knew that he had never been interested in women. When the Imperial Concubine was still alive, she had arranged his marriage many times and had arranged marriages for him with all the eligible noble ladies in the capital, including Qin Wan. However, he rejected them all without exception. Even the palace maids sent to his bedchamber were all returned.
After the Imperial Concubine passed away, the late emperor asked her several times, but she politely declined each time, saying that she had no interest in romantic relationships.
Later on, no one dared to mention it anymore.
As time went by, we arrived at where we are now.
Who would have thought that he wasn't indifferent to romantic love, but simply hadn't met a woman he liked? But now things were just right. Even if he didn't say he was interested in another woman, his family background alone was enough to stop some courtiers from thinking about sending their daughters to the royal palace.
Thinking of this, Su Ci smiled and said, "Love at first sight?"
Fu Huaiqing sat upright behind his desk, his deep eyes as still as a cold pool.
His thoughts are impossible to read.
After a brief exchange of glances, Fu Huaiqing put down his pen, stood up, and walked over, denying, "It doesn't count."
If he had fallen in love at first sight, he wouldn't have only recently realized his own feelings, nor would he have allowed his relationship with Biezhi to reach such a predicament.
"Not really..." Su Ci asked in confusion. The Qin family had only recognized their youngest daughter about ten days ago. Even if they saw each other every day, it would only be ten days in total. "Where did you get the time to develop feelings over time?"
Fu Huaiqing said casually, "I've known her for a long time."
Upon hearing this, Su Ci was stunned.
The study was so quiet that only the sound of the wind rustling through the treetops could be heard. Fu Huaiqing paused for a moment, then added, "But she doesn't know."
Su Ci: "..."
He opened his mouth as if to say something, but after a long while he finally said, "This means you get to know her unilaterally, not that the two of you become acquainted."
Fu Huaiqing glanced at him indifferently.
Su Ci's thin lips parted slightly, and he silently took back what he had already said. "Let's just pretend you two know each other for now." He took a sip of tea to suppress his surprise and said, "However, I don't think she seems very interested in you, and she has always kept her distance from the Qin family."
If it weren't for their frequent interactions, and the fact that the Qin family had recently held a lavish banquet to announce the discovery of their youngest daughter, few officials in the capital would have known about this matter.
“She has someone she likes.” Fu Huaiqing said, his gaze fixed on him.
Su Ci's eyes widened suddenly as a barrage of messages rained down on him, leaving him stunned for a long time. "Who?"
Fu Huaiqing: "You don't recognize him."
Su Ci knew, of course, that she didn't know him; otherwise, she wouldn't be standing there dumbfounded.
He stared at him quietly for a moment, then understood. A hint of a smile appeared in his eyes as he teased, "So, Your Highness was planning to steal someone else's partner, and now you've come to me for advice."
Fu Huaiqing remained calm and did not utter a word.
Although Su Ci joked, she was indeed a bit troubled. The problem was: "I've never stolen anyone's partner, so coming to me won't be of much use in this matter."
Upon hearing this, Fu Huaiqing looked away.
He picked up his teacup, took a sip to moisten his dry throat, and said, "There's no need to mention today's events in front of Qin Xiao."
Su Ci naturally understood what could and could not be said, but the fact that he had spoken up to remind her already showed how much he cared about this matter.
Seeing that he had no intention of continuing to discuss the matter, Su Ci changed her mind and explained the purpose of her visit: "I have already instructed them to bring her into the manor. What should be done next?"
"Leave the rest to her to handle." Fu Huaiqing paused for a moment, his fingers stroking the teacup, thinking of the friendship between Biezhi and Fang Tingzhi, and said, "If you have time, just take care of her more often."
Upon hearing this, Su Ci raised an eyebrow: "Who is this person that deserves such attention?"
“I can dismantle your family,” Fu Huaiqing said.
Su Ci: "..."
Fu Huaiqing was right.
If Fang Tingzhi were to get into trouble at the Su family's house, Biezhi would definitely tear the Su family's house down.
It's not like she hasn't done it before.
Having already dismantled the branch once, doing it again will surely be a piece of cake.
On the way back to the Qin residence, Biezhi sneezed several times in a row. If she hadn't actually felt unwell, she would have thought she had suffered from heatstroke.
Before pushing open the side gate of the courtyard, Biezhi glanced down at her clothes to make sure there was nothing unusual before opening the door. Suddenly, a figure lingering in the courtyard came into her view.
She frowned slightly and stepped forward: "Madam Qin."
Madam Qin, who had been waiting for nearly half an hour, turned around when she heard the sound. When she saw Biezhi finally return, her tense body suddenly relaxed. She stepped forward and took the girl's hand in hers, saying, "Just now, Xiao'er wanted to come over, but I stopped him. The people in the courtyard said you weren't there. I told him you went out to play today. If it weren't for someone from the Dali Temple calling him over, the truth would have been revealed today."
"He's looking for me?" Biezhi frowned, noticing Madam Qin's slightly hesitant expression, and asked, "What happened?"
Madam Qin was silent for a moment, then said, "He heard it last night."
Upon hearing this, Biezhi suddenly remembered that Qin Xiao had been in the courtyard when they were talking yesterday. She roughly knew how much he had heard, but she didn't know what happened after she left.
Seeing that her expression was as usual, it was clear that she understood what she meant. Madam Qin was stunned for a moment, and then looked at the girl with a slight tremor in her eyes, recalling what her son had said last night.
Honestly, whether in terms of temperament or interpersonal skills, Madam Qin did not think that Biezhi was any different from the noble ladies in the capital. Talent and knowledge were not something she could choose for herself. If it weren't for the pressure of life, how many people would be willing to risk their lives for money to make a living?
From the very beginning, she had a good impression of the girl.
only……
Madam Qin still had some hesitation about the possibility of her daughter-in-law becoming her daughter-in-law.
His son was already in dire straits, with no fewer than a hundred people wanting to kill him. The identity of the assassin from another branch was quite similar to his own. If the two of them got together, the days ahead would inevitably be chaotic and filled with unrest.
Madam Qin also had her own selfish desires; she hoped that her two children could live out the rest of their lives peacefully. She hesitated for a long time, looking at Biezhi, before finally choosing not to speak, and said, "There's something I'd like to ask you for help with, is that alright?"
A slight twitch appeared between Biezhi's brows.
She did not agree immediately, but said, "Madam, please tell me what it is."
"In the future—" Madam Qin looked into the girl's clear almond eyes and found it increasingly difficult to speak. After hesitating for a moment, she hardened her heart and said, "I hope that you can avoid Xiao'er, so that he won't bother you."
Biezhi thought it was something serious, and after hearing her words, she didn't intend to ask why, and readily agreed: "Okay."
The crisp reply momentarily stunned Madam Qin. She knew she had made a mistake; she shouldn't have placed the blame on Biezhi, but instead advised her own son.
After a moment of silence, her eyes gradually softened with determination, and she said, "I will also tell Xiao'er not to come and disturb you, Miss."
Biezhi was unaware of Madam Qin's wandering thoughts. However, Madam Qin's request was not difficult for her, and from the beginning, she had never intended to have any interaction with Qin Xiao.
Qin Xiao and I had a purely transactional relationship, with money and goods exchanged.
However, what Biezhi did not expect was that just the night before, Madam Qin had mentioned this matter, and the next morning she ran into the man who had been waiting for a long time outside the side gate of the courtyard.
Biezhi and Qin Xiao exchanged glances for a moment, nodded in greeting, and then left without looking back.
A moment later, steady footsteps sounded behind me.
They followed at a distance that was neither too close nor too far.
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