Not cotton
Hearing this, Qin Yuyao felt completely relieved. Before coming to the banquet, Qin Yuyao also learned about some of the secrets of the banquets in Shengjing.
Among them were many young ladies from official families or noble ladies who were set up by people with ulterior motives and were taken advantage of for no reason because of their struggle for fame and fortune.
Although she didn't care about the criticism, she couldn't help but care about Luan Zhengya's reputation. Even though his reputation was already bad, she couldn't add any more slanderous remarks.
Entering the bedroom, Qingyu considerately closed the door. To be on the safe side, she also locked the window. Then she turned around to change Qin Yuyao's clothes.
Behind them, the wardrobe, which hadn't been opened, was slowly pushed open. A man in black climbed out from the bottom compartment. Qin Yuyao, who had just loosened her belt, accidentally glanced at the bronze mirror in front of her.
He instantly reached out and embraced Qingyu behind him, looking coldly at the man with a smug expression on his face: "Who are you? How dare you trespass into the residence of the Minister of War?"
Qingyu grabbed Qin Yuyao's sleeve, trying to block her young lady, but she held him down. This girl had only learned to take care of people's clothes and food since she was a child, and her strength was not as great as Jinyu's. If she stood in front of her, Qin Yuyao was afraid that they would both get hurt.
The fat on the man's ferocious face trembled. "Since I dare to come here, I'm not afraid of the Minister of War. Miss, you'd better be obedient and don't do anything tricky, otherwise you and the girl next to you will suffer."
As he spoke, the man gradually approached the two of them. Qingyu, finding strength from nowhere, suddenly lifted Qin Yuyao's hand and blocked the man.
"Miss, run!" Qingyu reached out and grabbed the man's sleeve tightly, pulling him to the other side of the room.
"Qingyu!" Qin Yuyao exclaimed, watching the man grin and kick Qingyu to the side. Still a little unsatisfied, he cursed, "You little bitch, you still dare to resist? With the strength of a little chicken like you, humph, you're courting death!"
Still feeling a bit unsatisfied, he lowered his head and began searching the room. He completely ignored Qin Yuyao who was standing beside him, and finally he set his sights on the wooden shelf with the washbasin in the bedroom and reached out to take it.
The next moment, he fell to the ground with a muffled groan. Qingyu looked at Qin Yuyao in surprise, only to see that she was holding the wooden box on the dressing table with both hands.
"Miss..." For a moment, she didn't know whether it was because of the pain from the kick on the waist that made Qingyu confused, or because she was dazzled. She was a little dazed that her young lady easily subdued the villain.
Seeing the man lying on his side with his eyes closed and blood faintly flowing from the back of his head, Qin Yuyao breathed a sigh of relief. She gritted her teeth to stay calm and helped Qingyu up with some trembling.
The two of them supported each other and walked out of the room. Outside the hall, Ye Jiajia felt that she had waited a little too long. She turned around to see if the two of them were okay.
She happened to run into Qin Yuyao and the other person: "Sister Yuyao? What's going on with you?" Seeing Qingyu's distorted face and Qin Yuyao's ugly expression, she immediately guessed something in her heart.
"Jia Jia, are there any other places in the Minister of War's Mansion that you are familiar with? No matter what, we have fallen into a trap. If we continue to stay here, I'm afraid someone will come soon." Qin Yuyao's voice was three points colder than usual.
Hearing her ask this, Ye Jiajia scratched her arm anxiously and said quickly, "I know, it's also nearby. I used to stay at Yuling's place occasionally and slept there."
As she spoke, Ye Jiajia walked outside first, saying anxiously, "Follow me, we're going over there."
Just as he took a step with his left foot, he saw the old lady guarding the door leading a group of people in.
Walking on the side were Qin Wenxin and Madam Lin with smug smiles, and leading the way was Madam Liu with a rather solemn expression. No matter who got into trouble, it would not be a good thing for her as the host.
Just now, when everyone was watching a show outside, Qin Wenxin from the Right Prime Minister's family loudly asked where the Princess of Zhen'an had gone. For a moment, everyone followed out of curiosity and the desire to watch the show.
Anyway, those people are all daughters of officials and wives of noble ladies. Even if Prince Zhen'an loses face later, he will not take action against so many people.
Qin Yuyao slowly walked out of the house. She had just heard footsteps from inside and now looked at Qin Wenxin with a cold expression.
No matter who found that man, it must be related to Qin Wenxin. Qin Wenxin looked at Qin Yuyao at this moment, without a trace of guilt or remorse on her face.
"Big sister, didn't you say you'd come in to change clothes? Why are you still wearing those dirty clothes? Oh, why is the belt around your waist so messy?"
This sentence caused everyone to subconsciously look at the somewhat loose band around Qin Yuyao's waist, and they couldn't help but discuss it. She clearly had a maid by her side, so how could she come out dressed so casually?
"I heard that Prince Zhen'an dotes on you very much. How could you be so desperate as to have a secret meeting at someone else's party?" Qin Wenxin said with a smile, as if she didn't know how much hurt her words would cause to Qin Yuyao.
At this moment, Madam Lin, who had been silent for a long time, stood up and bowed to Madam Liu, her face full of apology: "I am sorry to have caused trouble for Madam Liu and all the other young ladies. Yuyao is my daughter after all. If she committed such an act, it is because I, the Right Prime Minister's Mansion, failed to discipline her properly."
As soon as these words were spoken, everyone present suddenly looked grim. Some discerning people thought that Madam Lin was trying to confirm the secret meeting between the Princess and the Prince of Zhen'an at the banquet. Others followed Madam Lin's lead, thinking that if this matter were exposed, the reputations of these innocent noble ladies would be ruined.
"Why don't you do it at home instead of coming to this party? What bad luck!" Someone in the back murmured in disdain. But because everyone had fallen silent at the same time, the silence was particularly noticeable.
"Princess Zhen'an, how do you explain this matter?" A lady who had always stood with Madam Liu spoke first. There was no accusation in her expression, and it seemed that she just wanted to hear Qin Yuyao's explanation.
Hearing this, Qin Yuyao slowly let go of Qingyu, and Jin Yu hurried forward to support her.
"I'm sorry to have worried you all. Originally, Jia Jia and I were pulled over by this old nanny. She said that Sister Yuling's boudoir is not allowed to be entered easily, and it was your intention, Madam Liu. So we came to the room next door. After all, we are not familiar with the owner's family." As she spoke, Qin Yuyao pointed her finger at the old nanny who was standing outside the crowd without saying a word and now hurriedly knelt down without saying a word.
After a pause, seeing that the old nanny still didn't speak, Qin Yuyao smiled lightly: "I don't know if it's because this room hasn't been cleaned for a long time or what, but when my maid and I went in and were about to change our dirty clothes, we were startled by a mouse that rushed out." Qin Yuyao spread her hands so that everyone could see the dust on her clothes. It was indeed that the room hadn't been cleaned for a long time.
"I am a timid maid and my legs became weak with fear. I was fine and hurried out, and then I saw you all coming." After saying that, Qin Yuyao looked at Ye Jiajia beside her.
Seeing this, Ye Jiajia nodded hurriedly: "That's right, I was just about to take Sister Yuyao to the bedroom where Yuling and I slept before to change, but who knew you would come."
Seeing that everyone seemed to believe Qin Yuyao's excuse, Qin Wenxin immediately said unwillingly: "You say it simply, who knows if she came out after having a secret meeting with a man!"
"Well, if my sister insists that I'm having an affair with a man, why would I, the Princess of Zhen'an, leave the handsome and extraordinary Prince of Zhen'an at home and come here to have an affair with some wild man? Is it possible that I'm crazy?"
This immediately caused some of the young ladies who had never heard such straightforward words to laugh. This made sense. After all, if Prince Zhen'an had a more amiable demeanor, then the young ladies from official families who had seen many handsome men could not help but blush.
"How could a mouse make them look so miserable?!" Qin Wenxin was furious. She walked out of the crowd and reached out to pull Qin Yuyao's clothes.
Qin Yuyao immediately grabbed her and said, "How can you be more certain about this than I am? Could it be that you sent this old nanny? Madam Liu, the servants in this mansion must be properly disciplined. Don't let them help others harm others just because they have been caught in a dangerous situation?"
Qin Yuyao glanced at Madam Liu who was still silent, and immediately let Madam Liu know that if she didn't speak up, they would be held accountable for the assassination of Prince Zhen'an's wife in the Minister of War's Mansion.
"Miss Wenxin, what you said is indeed a bit far-fetched. After all, there are so many of us here. If something really happened, the Princess of Zhen'an would never dare to lie in public." Madam Liu said, turning around and looking at the people behind her and smiled.
"You must have been tired from the trip back and forth. After all, the distances are not short. The play on the stage is only halfway through. It would be a pity if you missed it. After all, this is the last time this troupe will be in Shengjing this year." Madam Liu did not lie. This was the last show of the troupe in Shengjing this year, and she had spent a lot of money to invite them to her house.
Seeing the others nod and about to leave, Qin Wenxin immediately became anxious: "How can you believe her one-sided words? If she really has a clear conscience, let us go in and see if there is any wild man hiding in there!"
Suddenly, the place fell silent again. However, an impatient young lady said, "Qin Wenxin, are you annoying? You were the one who just said you were coming, and now you've been the one causing all this trouble. You're quite calculating. After all, she's not my biological sister, yet you're trying to defame her with just a few random words."
After saying that, the person who first confronted Qin Wenxin turned around and walked back towards the stage with the maid beside him.
Seeing her daughter shaking with anger, Mrs. Lin quickly took her hand and said, "Yuyao, this matter has been known to everyone after all. Why not just let everyone go and see it? Otherwise, we don't know how this rumor will spread after we go back."
In between words, he actually wanted to take people to see it. Qin Yuyao shook her head, a tear dripping from the corner of her eye: "It's ok that my stepmother didn't think about how to defend me, but she even helped my sister to force me. In that case, let's go and see it together."
As she spoke, she leaned on Ye Jiajia's shoulder and sobbed. For a moment, everyone looked at her in a dilemma.
Qin Yuyao's action just now was not intentional, but she saw a man in black flash by on the eaves in the distance.
Suddenly, I felt confident.
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