After Shang Shaoyan woke up, Bai Feng helped her get dressed while saying, "Princess, the Duke just sent someone to tell you that Granny Li will be working here from today onwards."
After saying that, she picked up a letter from the table and handed it to Shang Shaoyan: "The Duke said that all his instructions are in here."
Shang Shaoyan smiled enigmatically, then slowly opened the letter after washing up and read it carefully.
It has to be said that Shang Yunlan is quite capable when she gets serious; she can win over Granny Li with just a few words, and Granny Li is a very shrewd person.
Although Shang Yunlan was like a frog in her previous life, only becoming the richest man by jumping when poked, Shang Shaoyan always knew that her brother was extremely smart, but unfortunately a bit lazy.
If Shang Yunlan heard Shang Shaoyan's inner thoughts, she would be absolutely shocked—who is lazier?
After reading the letter, Shang Shaoyan threw it into the charcoal brazier and burned it. He watched the flames lick away the remaining ash before saying to Bai Feng with satisfaction, "Let's go and invite Granny Li."
As a trusted subordinate of the Duke of Zhenguo's wife, Granny Li held considerable influence within the mansion and even had her own small courtyard to live in, not far from Yan Xuening's courtyard.
Bai Feng glanced at the sky outside and had a premonition that it was about to snow, so he grabbed an umbrella and followed Shang Shaoyan outside.
...
Yan Xuening looked at Qiao Xiuyu with a cold face and dislike in her eyes: "Who are you? Why are you wandering around like this? Aren't you afraid of bumping into the ladies of the manor?"
Qiao Xiuyu didn't like Yan Xuening very much either. After hearing Yan Xuening's blatant snide remarks, he couldn't help but sigh. They were supposed to be sisters, so why was Princess Heyang so lovely and generous, while this Miss Yan was so mean?
He didn't speak, which Yan Xuening interpreted as fear. She pressed on, "Now that your cousin has brought you back to the manor, you have to behave yourself and stay out of the way. Do you understand?"
Qiao Xiuyu: "...?"
When Qiao Xiuyu first met Princess Heyang, he had a vague feeling that he was being kept, but after seeing that Princess Heyang did not overstep any boundaries, he was completely relieved and realized that he had been overthinking things.
But deep down, I still felt a vague unease and a sense of inexplicable unease.
Well, now my guess has come true. Princess Heyang wants to make him her male favorite!
Qiao Xiuyu was, after all, a noble legitimate prince of Northern Zhou, and he was unwilling to suffer such humiliation. Thinking this, Qiao Xiuyu's face darkened, and he looked quite intimidating. Yan Xuening, who was always good at assessing the situation, immediately fell silent.
"What are you doing here?" a lazy voice rang out not far away. "In this cold weather, aren't you afraid of catching a cold?"
Who else could it be but Shang Shaoyan?
Qiao Xiuyu's heart skipped a beat. She turned around to look at Shang Shaoyan, her eyes showing a hint of humiliation, but Shang Shaoyan could clearly see a hint of grievance in them.
Upon seeing Shang Shaoyan, Yan Xuening felt emboldened and immediately complained, "Cousin, your musician is so unruly!"
Shang Shaoyan glanced at Yan Xuening with a half-smile, finding Yan Xuening's arrogant and domineering manner quite amusing, but she was very receptive to it, so she felt quite pleased: "Alright, you go back to your courtyard first. Your aunt will arrive in three days. You should personally arrange your accommodations. Your aunt will definitely be happy to hear that."
Yan Xuening was easily fooled and left happily on the spot.
Afterwards, Shang Shaoyan dismissed all the maids present and raised an eyebrow at Qiao Xiuyu.
Qiao Xiuyu pursed her lips, her clear peach blossom eyes staring straight at Shang Shaoyan, as if trying to confirm something.
Seeing this, Shang Shaoyan sighed and, feigning amusement, tugged at Qiao Xiuyu's sleeve: "Is Lu Lang angry?"
Qiao Xiuyu stared at the sleeve that Shang Shaoyan was tugging at, trying her best not to show her displeasure. After all, she still had to stay in the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion to gather intelligence, and a small act of impatience could ruin a great plan!
Shang Shaoyan rolled his eyes, then pretended to be angry, released Qiao Xiuyu's sleeve, and sat on the stone steps to the side.
She pinched her palm hard, the pain instantly bringing tears to her eyes; Shang Shaoyan glared at her with his tender phoenix eyes and accused, "You're actually angry with me! I'm not even angry, what are you angry about? Yes, I admit that at first I wanted you to be my gigolo! But that was just to spite my fiancé at the time!"
As she spoke, she choked up: "He and I had a fight, and I was so angry that I thought of finding someone to put him in a bad position. But the very next day, he came to break off the engagement!"
Qiao Xiuyu looked at the usually clever and mischievous girl, who was now vulnerable and sad, and needed someone to lean on.
He couldn't help but ask, "If that's the case, why are you still keeping me in your residence?"
Shang Shaoyan, who had only been choked up a little, burst into tears upon hearing this. Her eyes widened, and she looked extremely aggrieved: "In your eyes, am I such a heartless and ungrateful person? I brought you back. If I send you away, my ex-fiancé will come looking for trouble with you that very day! Besides, you are the musician I hired at a high price. Why would I send you away?"
Qiao Xiuyu stared blankly at Shang Shaoyan, and all the anger and humiliation in her heart inexplicably vanished, leaving her completely at a loss.
So... I had misunderstood her all along?
Qiao Xiuyu didn't even notice that he hadn't said anything or had a chance to get angry, but Shang Shaoyan had turned him from a victim into a perpetrator with a whole performance of singing, reciting, and acting.
Looking at the girl he had made cry, Qiao Xiuyu hesitated for a moment, then, mimicking Shang Shaoyan's earlier actions, carefully tugged at her sleeve: "Don't be angry. If you're really angry, just hit me."
Shang Shaoyan suddenly looked up, staring at Qiao Xiuyu in disbelief.
She was shocked, but didn't show it on her face. She just pursed her lips, intending to continue acting, but for some reason lost her focus and asked as if possessed, "Don't you think I'm being unreasonable?"
Qiao Xiuyu shook her head earnestly: "No, my mother... my mother said that a girl with a good temperament is the most precious creation of heaven. As long as she doesn't make a big mistake, her husband should just go along with her. Besides, you didn't do anything wrong. It's my fault for not asking you properly, and for believing what others said. Hit me, calm down, okay?"
Shang Shaoyan stared blankly at Qiao Xiuyu, trying hard to find a trace of pretense in his eyes, only to find that they were the most sincere eyes imaginable.
For some reason, Shang Shaoyan, who was usually eloquent, suddenly didn't know what to say. She stood up from the stone steps in a panic and cursed, "Idiot, who's going to hit you!"
After saying that, she left the courtyard somewhat embarrassed.
This person is really stupid.
But... she really is cute.
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