Chapter 26 "I don't mind, Miss."...
Birds chirped merrily in the quiet garden. The ladies were on tenterhooks, never expecting Qian Yingyi to immediately lodge a complaint!
The woman holding the whip was none other than Qian Jiayuxing. She had a gentle face but a spirited personality. Seeing her younger sister crying like this, her sharp eyes immediately turned to look behind her.
Her gaze swept over the faces one by one, and after a moment, Qian Yuxing let out a laugh from her red lips, "You..."
"Are you going to step forward yourselves, or do you want me to search them out one by one?"
This statement was extremely arrogant, and the ladies were rendered speechless for a long time.
One of the young ladies, who had been pampered at home since childhood, mustered up her courage and stepped forward, saying, "Who, who bullied her! She's acquainted with the actor, and since the actor did some petty theft, it's only natural that we'd think of her, isn't it?"
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the ladies nodding smugly. Then the young lady continued, "We're not talking about her, we're just being reasonable. Today is Miss Yan's birthday, and it's all because of this play she knows... Ah!"
Before she could finish speaking, the young lady's waist was suddenly wrapped tightly with a thin whip, and the next moment, her slender body involuntarily staggered forward.
Qian Yuxing walked up to her in a few steps, looking down at her with a cold laugh: "You dare to talk about my sister in front of me, it's only natural that I teach you a lesson."
He then glanced at Yingniang, but addressed Yan Song, “Mr. Yan, I’m sorry, Yu Xing’s visit was very impolite. However, Mrs. Yan is right. If we don’t investigate this thoroughly, it will not sound good for either your family’s reputation or my sister’s reputation. Don’t you agree?”
Because Qian Yingyi and Yan Qiuyan often played together, Qian Yuxing also visited the Yan family a few times when he went back to Jinling to see his sister.
Therefore, Yan Song recognized her, but... he didn't expect her to attack that young lady in front of everyone.
Fearing that his words might be biased, he winked at Zhang, who understood perfectly. She was already holding her breath, so she straightened her back and said firmly, "Of course!"
Qian Linye helped his wife along the way. When they reached Qian Yingyi, he bent down and wiped away her tears, as if he were just having a little chat with her as a brother and sister. However, this surprised everyone.
"How did your brother teach you? If someone bullies you, just fight back. Are you going to put up with this kind of humiliation in Jinling?"
Everyone says he entered the Hanlin Academy at a young age, so he must be a reasonable and learned man. But all he talks about is fighting and killing; he doesn't seem like a scholar at all.
The silence deepened.
Having received Zhang's approval, Qian Yuxing's smile instantly softened. She patted Qian Yingyi's shoulder reassuringly and beckoned to the figure in dark blue, "Come here."
Yu Cheng smiled slightly and strolled around as if he were visiting his own garden. After a short while, he arrived in front of Madam Zhang and Yan Song and bowed to them one by one. "Junior Yu Cheng greets Elder Yan and Madam Yan. I should not have taken the liberty of visiting, but my wife's younger sister seems to be involved in a theft case. As the governor of Jiangnan, I should perhaps do my part to investigate."
Governor of Jiangnan? Yan Song's brow twitched repeatedly, though he didn't show it on his face; his mind was already racing.
The governor has always been known for his clean governance and anti-corruption efforts, yet there hasn't been a single word of news about it! Is His Majesty planning to purge the corrupt officials in Southern Zhili?
Before Yan Song could speak, the young lady who had been somewhat unconvinced earlier became frightened upon hearing that the matter was to be treated as a lawsuit, and hurriedly said, "We didn't mean that! It's...it's the young master!"
She pointed at Yu Minsen, "It was the Crown Prince who started it!"
Princess Rui was also slightly surprised by the sudden appearance of the Governor of Jiangnan. How could she allow someone to smear her son?
But after much deliberation, Qian Yingyi realized that she had already thoroughly analyzed her son's treacherous scheme, and further arguing would only cause her son to suffer...
Moreover, the arrival of the Governor of Jiangnan in Jinling is such a big event, which is not good news for the Prince.
Therefore, Princess Rui gritted her teeth and endured it, raising her face to smile at Qian Yingyi, "Good child, the Prince already taught the Heir Apparent a lesson last time, how could the Heir Apparent bully you again?"
As she continued speaking, her tone became increasingly gentle: "I had already repeatedly reminded him before he came that there must be some misunderstanding."
“Ugh…” Suddenly, a dry heave came out. The woman with the light blue cloak beside Qian Linye said softly, clutching her chest, “My lord, I feel nauseous.”
Qian Yingyi almost gave herself away with a "pfft" sound. Fearing that others would discover she was just pretending, she quickly lowered her head.
Princess Rui's face darkened, feeling that she was losing face among the officials' wives, and she stopped talking for a moment.
Qian Yuxing was an impatient person, but she didn't make a scene at the Yan family. Instead, she went along with what Princess Rui said and said, "Since Your Highness said that the Crown Prince did not bully my sister, then my sister would not be slandered for no reason. I wasn't there just now, so Your Highness must know who it was?"
These words put Princess Rui in a difficult position again. If she didn't speak up, it would be an admission that Yu Minsen was bullying Qian Yingyi. But if she did speak up, how could she maintain her standing among the wives of officials in the future?
Princess Rui couldn't help but glare at Yu Minsen, but then she noticed him exchanging glances with another figure. She immediately understood, and recognizing the pale yellow figure, she remembered which family's young lady she was. A cold smile crept across her face.
So he turned to her and asked, "Miss Guo, I remember you suspected that the thief had stolen it. I heard that you often complained about Yingyi outside, and you loved to argue with her when you met her. Could it be... that you deliberately put this jade peach into the opera troupe's trunk?"
"As for what Yingyi said about Qingyi and Huadan," she glanced around at the elegant ladies and misses, her words carrying a hidden meaning, "Everyone loves to listen to opera. This actress has a melodious voice, so it must be someone who just mentioned that she sang Qingyi, and my son overheard it. Otherwise, how would my son know? Isn't that right?"
This statement neither implicated the other women nor pointed the finger at the instigator. The ladies breathed a sigh of relief and quickly looked at Guo Yue, realizing, "Yes... Miss Guo, you're the one who started this."
Guo Yue's heart pounded. How could she have known that Qian Yingyi's siblings would arrive so conveniently! She bit her lip, feeling outnumbered and outmatched, and could only secretly cast her gaze at Yu Minsen.
Yu Minsen was in love with her, so how could he bear to betray her? He figured that since he was the heir, no matter how powerful Qian Yingyi's siblings were, they wouldn't dare to do anything to him. Could they really send him to the yamen for severe punishment?
Therefore, believing himself to be a man of principle, he stepped forward and said, "It has nothing to do with Miss Guo; I did it!"
Princess Rui closed her eyes, wishing she could smash his mouth right there in the garden!
Upon hearing this, Qian Yuxing nodded immediately. "So that means you admit it. The young master has been smearing my sister for no reason. How do you plan to resolve this?"
With everyone's eyes on him, Yu Minsen didn't realize he had offended many people. He simply walked up to Qian Yingyi as usual and said perfunctorily, "I'm sorry."
Qian Yuxing laughed upon seeing this, "That's it?"
Yu Minsen said impatiently, "What else do you want from me?"
Qian Yuxing's gaze lingered on Guo Yue for a moment, then his voice suddenly lowered, only Yu Minsen could hear, "Your Highness, don't think I can't see who you're taking the blame for. An apology should be sincere. Your status as Your Highness is useless to me. If you don't satisfy my sister, I don't mind whipping her out to teach her a lesson."
"The current situation is extremely unfavorable for both the young master and her. The young master should think it through carefully."
Yu Minsen glared at her through gritted teeth, then secretly stared at Qian Yingyi, who remained silent with her eyes downcast.
For Guo Yue's sake, he could swallow his anger at this moment. He took a step back and bowed deeply to Qian Yingyi, his waist gradually bending. "Yingyi, it was my petty mind that bullied you. I will never do it again in the future. I swear on my status as the heir."
He then said to Yan Qiuyan, "Miss Yan, I'm sorry for ruining your birthday banquet."
Princess Rui finally couldn't bear it any longer. She suddenly flicked her sleeve and, without even saying goodbye, escorted Yu Minsen away from the crowd.
Zhang wanted Yu Minsen to apologize to her daughter, and now that she was feeling refreshed, she smiled and said, "Alright, it was all a misunderstanding. There was no theft. I thought the opera troupe's performance was quite good. The banquet is about to begin, so please take your seats quickly."
After saying this, Zhang secretly ordered two maids to help Yingniang up and slip her two whole silver ingots when no one was watching.
Yingniang was greatly shocked, and her theatrical makeup was ruined by crying. Naturally, she could no longer go on stage, so she forced herself to instruct the opera troupe to perform another play. In her heart, she couldn't help but complain bitterly about the superior nobles.
After settling his wife Ren Yuqing beside Qian Yuxing, Qian Linye quickly walked toward Yan Song, with his servants presenting him with three gifts.
Qian Linye said, “Elder Yan, it’s been three years since we last met, but you are still in high spirits. Please accept these gifts. Firstly, as an apology, my second sister was anxious to avenge Yingyi, which caused some trouble. Secondly, as a token of gratitude, my sister Xie Qiuyan has always spent time with Yingyi these past few years, making up for the regret of not being by her side. Thirdly, as a birthday gift, today is Qiuyan’s birthday, and it is only right and proper that we express our feelings.”
Yan Song didn't take it seriously, laughing and patting his shoulder, "Judging from your wife's expression just now, are you about to become a father? Yan Yan and Ying Yi have a good relationship, and I treat Ying Yi like half a granddaughter. Even if you weren't here, I would still stand up for her. It's just that you came and publicly humiliated Princess Rui..."
Having served as an official for many years, Yan Song was clearly more concerned with the intricacies of the situation. He asked in a low voice, "Is the Emperor going to suppress the princes? And what about the governor of Jiangnan?"
Qian Linye still had a smile on his face, and said only, "I don't know what the Emperor means."
Seeing that he was pretending to be confused, Yan Song didn't press him further.
Seeing that Qian Yingyi had been wronged, Yan Qiuyan felt extremely guilty and regretted giving her the jade peach. She simply plopped down next to Qian Yingyi, ignoring the other guests.
With the arrival of Qian Yingyi's siblings, everyone had their own thoughts after the banquet.
Then Yan Wenying, after boarding the carriage with Yan Ruheng, suddenly flung open the curtain and exclaimed in surprise, "Governor? Yu Cheng has actually been appointed governor? If he stays in Jinling to investigate, won't our plans have to be disrupted and we have to start all over again? We must go back and tell Father this news immediately!"
Yan Ruheng had just watched Qian Yingyi's sharp words and couldn't quite describe his feelings; there was envy and admiration.
What's swelling up now is the desire to fight back. Actually, given Yu Minsen's sudden misfortune, he could have easily stood up and defended Qian Yingyi. But after today, those officials' wives would still associate him with Qian Yingyi.
Yan Ruheng lowered her eyelids slightly, her hands on her knees clenched into fists, and she suddenly said, "Sister, Yingyi and I are already friends."
He didn't want to lie to her anymore. Perhaps it was with this thought in mind that he didn't step forward later.
Yan Wenying paused, as if she understood, a cold smile playing on her lips, "You want to let things take their natural course? You want a happy ending? You've really fallen for her? Will it take a year or two to win her heart?"
She said coldly, "Father's plans won't wait for you."
Yan Ruheng opened his mouth, wanting to defend himself and no longer want to go along with the corrupt practices.
But when he looked at Yan Wenying's face and thought of their past sibling-like relationship and the happy family gatherings they used to share, he swallowed the words back.
Yan Wenying could easily see through his indecisiveness. But eager to get home and talk to her father about serious matters, she simply closed her eyes and leaned against the car wall, leaving behind the words: "A real man should be decisive and not be so attached to love. Your older sister has never taught you to be like this before."
"Whether your father will be transferred to the capital in this lifetime is still unknown. Although you are currently a county magistrate, if you marry her, there is no guarantee that you will not go to the capital. The sooner this is done, the better. You should find a way to marry her first, and then cultivate your relationship with her. It's the same thing."
"If I were a man, I would be a thousand times more decisive than you."
At midday, the sun was at its zenith. The carriage passed the banks of the Qinhuai River, and the shimmering water reflected off the curtains, revealing Yan Wenying's ambition. But in just a moment, the carriage gradually moved to the other side.
Back at the Yan family's place, all the guests had left, leaving Qian Yingyi in Yan Qiuyan's arms, who wouldn't let go, repeatedly apologizing to her and saying he would find another treasure to give her.
Qian Yingyi was amused by her and spent half a day coaxing her before she was able to get away.
Qian Yuxing wanted to talk to her younger sister more, so she gently pulled Qian Yingyi's arm and led her outside. "It's a good thing that Qi Yu was home and told you you were here. Your older brother and sister originally wanted to give you a surprise, but when we heard you were being bullied, humph, since we're at someone else's house today, I can't make a scene. As for Guo Yue and those other girls who bullied you, I'll settle the score with them slowly."
"Hey, don't say that in someone else's house."
Qian Yingyi was very happy to have outmaneuvered Yu Minsen. Thinking of her sister-in-law's pregnancy, she quickly turned to look at Ren Yuqing's lower abdomen, her eyes becoming even brighter.
Ren Yuqing spoke very gently, and with a hint of shyness, "She's still young, you can't really tell."
The group laughed and joked as they walked through the hanging flower gate. Qian Yingyi seemed to realize that someone was missing, and then turned to Xia Ling to ask, "Huh? Where's Lin Zheng?"
Xia Ling glanced around and spotted the tall figure of the guard behind her. She pointed and said, "There he is!"
Lin Zheng? What Lin Zheng? My sister's guards are always called Little Tortoiseshell, right? When did this Lin Zheng appear?
The group turned around and looked back, following Xia Ling's finger to gaze at the tall figure. He wore a black arrow-sleeved robe, held a sword in one hand, had indifferent eyebrows and eyes, and his hair was tied high on his head with a silver hairpin. He exuded a cold and sharp aura and was following behind at a leisurely pace.
Qian Yuxing looked away and put her arm around her sister's shoulder. "When did you change your companion?"
Qian Yingyi chuckled and said, "He's quite skilled. There were always some annoying guys following me before, and the other guards in the house were timid and hesitant. So Grandpa chose him to follow me. I even picked him up from the street."
Qian Yuxing nodded and said nothing more.
Before long, the group left the Yan residence and returned the same way they had come.
It was already late afternoon when they finally returned to Pipa Lane. Several birds were singing in a crooked tree outside the gate. Qian Lanting had already heard the news and hurriedly returned home. He was now waiting anxiously at the gatehouse.
Upon seeing them, he was so happy that the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes almost disappeared into his temples. "You're finally back! Let Grandpa take a good look at you!"
Qian Yuxing was also very happy. With one arm around Qian Yingyi and the other supporting Ren Yuqing, he hurriedly moved closer to Qian Lanting.
The grandmother and granddaughter chatted and laughed for a while, when Qian Yingyi suddenly turned to look at Qian Linye, who was unloading things. "Brother? We're going in now. Aren't you and brother-in-law coming over?"
Qian Linye stood in the sun, smiling at her from afar, "We two grown men will help with some work, you go in first."
So Qian Yingyi nodded, and the group went inside in a lively atmosphere.
Gradually, the servants finished carrying the things and followed closely behind into the house.
Qian Linye's face suddenly darkened. He twisted his arms behind his back and went around to a secluded spot by the side gate. As soon as he stopped, he heard footsteps behind him and suddenly punched the silent guard behind him. "Go to hell! What are you doing with my sister?!"
As if that punch wasn't enough to vent his anger, he suddenly drew the sword from the guard's waist!
The waiter accepted it, but remained silent.
Yu Cheng was also taken aback. He quickly stepped forward to stop Qian Linye's movements, spread his body apart, and looked at the guard with a wary gaze. He lowered his voice and said, "Commander Qin, you'd better tell the truth."
Qin Lizheng wiped the bloodstain from the corner of his lips with the back of his hand, his tone revealing neither joy nor anger, "Besides serving the Emperor, what else could I be doing?"
Mentioning the Emperor, Qian Linye's expression softened slightly, but he frowned and asked, "What does your work for the Emperor have to do with our family? Could it be that the Emperor wants to investigate the Qian family?"
Qin Lizheng said, "It's not convenient to talk here."
The young man remained calm and composed, turning his back and walking away. Qian Linye suppressed his anger and followed behind him, as did Yu Cheng.
Upon arriving at the music hall and meeting Chu Zhiyan, Qin Lizheng spoke frankly, “As early as before the New Year, the Emperor ordered me to secretly come to Jinling. The Emperor suspected that Yan Yu and Lin Bianhong of Yingtian Prefecture were involved in embezzlement, so he ordered me to thoroughly investigate all corrupt officials.”
Yu Cheng's thick eyebrows furrowed as he listened: "What does that have to do with you being by Yingyi's side?"
Chu Zhiyan was the most quick-witted. His gaze lingered on Qin Lizheng's lips for a moment, and he knew that the injury must have been inflicted by Qian Linye. So he chuckled and said, "Listen to me first. It's all a misunderstanding, a misunderstanding."
"Our commander originally planned to be taken back by Lin Bianhong, but by some coincidence, Miss Qian picked him up first. In order to complete the Emperor's mission, the commander had no choice but to stay with Miss Qian as a guard so that he could get close to them."
Qian Linye disliked this commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard very much. They had had an unpleasant encounter when they met in the capital before, so how could he let him continue like this? He said, "The Emperor has assigned you a task, so just do it. Don't use my family as a cover. Commander Qin, you'd better leave my sister's side as soon as possible."
Qin Lizheng looked up at him and said, "Do you know that Yingyi has been targeted by them?"
These words startled Qian Linye, who hadn't even noticed when Yu Cheng called him "Yingyi." In a brief exchange of glances with Yu Cheng, he suddenly understood the implications and asked, "Did they really embezzle?"
Qin Lizheng poured tea for each person and handed it out, saying, "Not only is he embezzling, but he also has protectors in the capital, and he's deliberately keeping an eye on the film studio..."
He looked at Yu Cheng and said, "It's because Lord Yu is in the Ministry of Revenue. If we were to travel on the same boat, Lord Yu would have no choice but to use his authority to protect them."
Seeing the two deep in thought, Qin Lizheng spoke again: "Let me remind you two, the governor of Jiangnan is in charge of the entire Jiangnan region. Lord Yu will not stay in Jinling for long, and Editor Qian is also heading to Yangzhou. You are not by her side, and even if you send more people to keep an eye on her, you may not be able to protect her."
Qian Linye suddenly looked up and stared at him.
Qin Lizheng smiled slightly, his words concise and to the point, "But I can."
"I can protect her."
The Embroidered Uniform Guard is known for its ruthlessness and efficiency. Qin Lizheng's ability to rise to the position of commander demonstrates a level of vigilance and defensiveness that is beyond the reach of ordinary people.
Therefore, it is false to say that Qian Linye remained steadfast.
But he sensed a deeper meaning, raised an eyebrow, looked at Qin Lizheng, and scanned him up and down.
After a long pause, Qian Linye's confrontational tone gradually faded, but he still wanted to put him in a superior position, warning him: "For my sister's safety, I will trust you for now. You can investigate your corrupt officials. If you have any other intentions, don't blame me for being unreasonable."
"I'll be keeping a close eye on you while you're at home!"
After saying that, he pulled Yu Cheng up and walked outside, but Qin Lizheng stopped him after taking only two steps.
Qin Lizheng walked towards the two of them unhurriedly, his voice very soft, "This matter is of great importance. If word gets out carelessly, it might alert the enemy. I believe... you two will not say a word more than necessary."
This wasn't advice; it was a blatant threat. Qian Linye glared at him without any attempt to hide it, but considering the importance of the task, he silently agreed.
It was already dusk when they returned to the Qian residence. At the dinner table, Qian Yuxing asked where the two had been. Yu Cheng made up an excuse to get rid of them, saying that he had accompanied Qian Linye to the banks of the Qinhuai River to find some calming incense for Ren Yuqing.
Ren Yuqing was indeed not eating or sleeping well, and she looked thinner than Qian Yuxing. However, she ate more at this meal, which pleased Qian Linye.
When she looked at her younger sister again, she finally suppressed her urge to speak.
After all, to him, this was no different from helping outsiders deceive his sister, but his sister hated being lied to... He didn't want to be hated by his sister.
Knowing they would be back in the afternoon, Qian Lanting had asked a craftsman to make a lot of fireworks in advance. After dinner, the family happily stood in the garden to admire the dazzling fireworks.
However, due to the long journey, the group gradually became tired after only half an incense stick's time.
Before long, everyone returned to their respective courtyards, and the fireworks, which had been going off for a while, gradually stopped.
With a smile on her face and light steps, Qian Yingyi returned to Yunteng Pavilion and saw that the maids were still working, so she quickly told them to go and rest.
Once she was alone in the courtyard, she quickly climbed onto the stone table, stood tall, and spread her arms to take a deep sniff of the lingering smell of fireworks in the air, wanting to inhale all the excitement.
"You're so happy to see your older brother and sister?"
Qian Yingyi was startled and turned around to look in the direction of the sound. The guard was walking towards her step by step. After a moment, he stopped in front of the stone table, blocking her way down.
The guard looked up at her, a slight smile playing on his lips. "Hmm? Miss is still smiling. Are you happy that the person who stood up for you has finally returned?"
Qian Yingyi couldn't get down, so she could only look down at him as he braced his hands on the hem of her skirt, making her feel awkward standing in this small space. She couldn't help but shrink her feet further into the hem of her skirt.
He seemed to be casually supporting her, yet it was as if he had already enveloped her.
"...I'm happy, but not entirely because of that," her voice trailed off for no apparent reason, "Could you please move aside for a moment?"
Qin Lizheng glanced at her slightly reddened earlobes, found it amusing, and straightened up, taking a few steps back.
Qian Yingyi glanced at him discreetly, then climbed down from the stone table, grabbing her skirt and casually brushing off the non-existent dust from the hem.
Seeing her dodge, and recalling her conversation with Yan Ruheng earlier that day, Qin Lizheng rubbed his fingers behind his back for a while before asking, "Why did you speak up for that actor today? The situation was not favorable to you."
Qian Yingyi said, "Although she is a bit greedy for small gains, I also consider her a friend. As a friend, of course I have to speak up for her. I guessed it wasn't her who stole it."
"If Miss's older siblings hadn't come today, would Miss have let them bully her?"
Qian Yingyi clenched her fist and raised it, grinning, "Then I can fight back on my own. Actually, I didn't take their gossip to heart, but since my older brother and sister are here, I have no reason to suffer in silence. That's why I said they were bullying me. I also have my own ways of dealing with Yu Minsen, I..."
You are not alone.
Qin Lizheng stared at her swaying earrings, which seemed to pull out the words in his heart: "You still have me."
Qian Yingyi's eyes widened slightly. "What did you say?"
Qin Lizheng took a deep breath, pursed his lips, and said, "I'm telling you, you still have me. You don't need to do it yourself; I can teach them a lesson for you."
These words struck Qian Yingyi as having a deeper meaning. She had a suspicion in her mind, but dared not dwell on it, nipping it in the bud before it could take root. She simply said, "Yes, yes, I still have you. You are my guard. If you're not the first to stand up for me, who else would?"
But the more she talked, the more uncomfortable she became. She lifted her skirt and moved to the side, trying to avoid him, her words becoming incoherent, "You, you, you move aside, I'm busy, I need to go see the stars, I..."
"Where would you like to see the stars, Miss?" he suddenly interrupted her again.
Qian Yingyi's anger flared up instantly. She knew he was deliberately trying to antagonize her, so she said, "Rooftop! I want to go to the rooftop to see the stars, okay? I'll go get the ladder right now! You're not allowed to follow me!"
After saying that, she stamped her foot and walked towards the outbuilding in the west wing.
Before he had taken four or five steps, his waist was suddenly gripped tightly by a hand. The next moment, his feet were dangling in the air, and after a series of earth-shattering spins, he was sitting on the green tiles of the roof.
Qian Yingyi was about to cry out in surprise when her lips were gently covered by that hand again. "Shh, don't shout. If Xia Ling and the others find out, how will we be able to see the stars?"
She stared wide-eyed at his face so close to hers, forced to inhale the minty scent of his palm, forgetting to speak.
Qin Lizheng lowered his eyes to look at her trembling eyelashes, and only when he noticed that she was gradually calming down did he slowly release his hand.
“I forgot to tell you, Miss,” he said, “the ladder is broken.”
Qian Yingyi remained silent for a long time before finally saying, "You scared me to death, didn't you?"
This time, the guard remained silent.
Qian Yingyi turned her head and glared at him, only to find that he was staring intently at the Milky Way in the sky. She pursed her lips for a moment, then had no choice but to look at the starry sky as well.
Perhaps because the scenery was so beautiful, or perhaps because she knew he would protect her, Qian Yingyi gradually relaxed, stretching her legs forward, and felt quite comfortable for a moment.
"You asked me just now why I helped Yingniang, and I said I considered her a friend," she said, as if possessed, she had the urge to confide in someone. "Actually, that's not entirely true. Through her, I was reminded of an old friend."
Qin Lizheng was afraid of interrupting her from opening up to him, so he remained silent. After listening for a while, he realized that she had mentioned the woman who sold rice cakes again.
This was the second time she had brought it up in front of him. The first time, she was completely unaware, as she was drunk. This time, she was perfectly sober.
Qin Lizheng's heart softened, and he listened quietly as she continued.
"My elder sister has a beautiful name, Yan Lian."
“At that time, Prince Heng had not yet rebelled, and his fiefdom was close to the capital, so Prince Heng often took his heir to the capital for entertainment.”
Qian Yingyi stared blankly at a star and said softly, "At that time, I was only focused on playing with Sister Lian and didn't realize that something was wrong with her. Later, she told me that she was leaving the capital, and I learned that the Prince Heng's son had his eye on her and often sent people to bother her."
As she spoke, her voice grew softer and softer: "Sister Lian is just a powerless commoner. How can she fight against the Prince of Heng? It would be useless to refuse her. When I found out, I couldn't bear to part with her, so I begged her to stay one more night. I promised her that I would go home and ask my grandmother and mother to take her in as my adopted daughter."
“My family was quite influential in the capital at that time. I thought that with my family’s protection, no matter how audacious the Prince of Heng was, he would not dare to openly oppose my family.”
At this point, a "thud" sound came from the tile.
Qian Yingyi reached out her sleeve to wipe away her tears, but a handkerchief was handed to her unexpectedly. She immediately felt a lump in her throat and was lost in memories.
"I pestered my grandmother for most of the night, and she finally agreed. I then happily went to sleep."
“But…but the next morning, Xia Ling told me,” she finally couldn’t help but cover her face and sob, “that Sister Lian died that night.”
When she spoke of her painful past, she almost buried her face in her palms, but a large hand gently pulled her up.
Qian Yingyi was already in tears, and she crumpled the handkerchief into a ball. She wanted to unfold it to wipe her tears, but suddenly an arm reached out to her.
“I don’t mind, Miss,” he said. “It doesn’t matter if it gets on my clothes.”
Qian Yingyi pursed her lips and held back her tears, but in the end she couldn't help but wipe them all on his arm. "At that time, I was rushing out to find her, but I was so shocked that I fainted on the spot. When I woke up, my mother told me that some hooligans broke into Sister Lian's courtyard at night. Sister Lian was forced to take her own life."
“I know there’s no scoundrel watching her. It’s all a conspiracy by the Prince of Heng. I wish I could expose him, but I have no evidence.”
She cried so hard she could barely breathe, and simply grabbed his arm to wipe her tears. "But I hate myself even more. If I hadn't kept her, she wouldn't have died. I'm the one who killed her."
"It's me..."
Perhaps this secret had been bottled up inside her for many years, and now that it had suddenly come out, Qian Yingyi was even more heartbroken.
Qin Lizheng stayed by her side the whole time. When she let go of his arm, he moved his hand to her back and gently patted her back to help her catch her breath.
“It’s strange, I never wanted to tell this secret before,” Qian Yingyi gradually calmed down and forced a smile. “But I’ve told it today. Fortunately, heaven has eyes. Later, the Prince of Heng’s rebellion failed, and the Prince of Heng’s heir was executed along with him. It can be considered that he avenged Sister Lian.”
She didn't want to cry anymore, so she opened her eyes wide and stared at the stars in the sky. "Maybe Sister Lian is watching me from heaven. If there really are gods and monsters in this world, I hope she will come and see me. She can scold me or beat me, so that I can feel more at ease."
Qin Lizheng had not expected that it was such a heavy and oppressive past. After a long silence, he comforted her, "Don't take the blame for the evildoer's crimes. You meant well. If your sister Lian has a grudge, she will also accuse the Prince of Heng of his crimes to Yama when she meets him in the underworld. But I think she won't blame you."
He sat a little further away from her, his gaze lingering on her profile. He thought he finally understood why she didn't want to return to the capital.
Her unwillingness to marry was only one reason; what she truly resented was this past. Perhaps if she returned to her home in the capital, she would only need to walk to the side gate to recall this matter.
In her storybooks, there are always characters who transform into spirits to avenge themselves.
In her writing, there are always men who pay the price for their evil deeds.
She was probably reminding herself in this way not to forget that she was indirectly responsible for this tragedy. Perhaps it was also because of her own obsession that she projected her beloved sister Lian onto every character. Since her sister Lian could not take revenge, she wanted to make every character she created take revenge.
There's no room for maneuver in reality, but there is in storybooks.
She has been running away.
Fortunately, after speaking her mind, Qian Yingyi relaxed a lot. She gazed at the horizon and said softly, "Sister Lian was oppressed by the powerful and wealthy, and so was Yingniang. Although their experiences were different, today I only want to speak up for Yingniang. My strength may be insignificant, but I still want to protect everyone."
"Does that include me?" the person behind me asked in a low voice.
Qian Yingyi's heart skipped a beat, and she turned her head slightly to look at him. "W-what did you say?"
Seeing her emotions suddenly surface, Qin Lizheng smiled and abruptly reached out to pull out her hairpin. "Just kidding. See, don't you feel less like crying now?"
She quickly reached out to snatch it back, "Hey, what are you doing! Give it back to me!"
Qin Lizheng stopped her from snatching it with one hand, a smile appearing on his indifferent eyes. "Don't move, look."
He pulled out the delicate string hidden beneath the petals and said, "You always want to protect this and that, but have you ever thought about yourself? You say I'm here today, but what if I weren't? When you want to protect others, you must first protect yourself."
“I went to find this thin string on purpose,” Qian Yingyi said, looking at him with slight surprise as he fiddled with the mechanism. She heard his deep voice in her ear: “If you pull it out when you encounter danger, it can take a person’s life without you even realizing it. The reason I told you about this mechanism is because you always think about others.”
"Sometimes you have to learn to think more about yourself, hmm?"
"You...how could you..." Qian Yingyi's swollen eyes were also a little sore. It was the first time she had heard him say so much, the first time she had heard him speak so frankly, and she had never expected that he would secretly add a trap to her hairpin. So she was speechless for a long time before she finally said, "Lin Zheng, what do you mean?"
His voice still had a heavy nasal tone, yet it trembled slightly.
Qin Lizheng chuckled softly twice, then put the hairpin back into her hair bun. "I just wanted to say that you can choose yourself first."
The young man's movements as he put the hair in her hair were so gentle that she almost didn't feel it.
The night breeze was gentle, carrying the lingering scent of fireworks from the other side of the large garden. The sky seemed to brighten even more, and I couldn't tell if it was an illusion, a vision of the fireworks from before, or if my eyes were stinging and the stars seemed to be doubled.
"Did you understand?"
The words entered her ears softly. Qian Yingyi's fingertips quietly gripped the green tile, as if she were uncontrollably setting off fireworks in her heart.
Heavy and loud.
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The author's note: The first step in the trapping plan is to get closer to the lady and make it obvious.
Yingyi, think about yourself first~
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