Xiao Yunting frowned at the girl before him. Seeing that she even nodded, he couldn’t help but grow anxious. “That place really isn’t suitable for you!”
Worried that Qi Yuan was underestimating the situation, Xiao Yunting spoke in a low voice to explain, “Zhou Wang is technically my great-uncle. He and my imperial grandfather are full brothers and have always been very close. Because of that, his daughter is especially favored—she was granted the title of Commandery Princess Luochuan from a young age and was raised in the palace by the Empress Dowager.”
Qi Yuan gave a soft acknowledgment.
She already knew.
“A Commandery princess raised with such precious care has eyes and heart for no one but herself.” Fearing she wouldn’t understand, Xiao Yunting made it even clearer. “Let me put it this way—among the noble ladies in the capital, they fall roughly into five ranks. The first rank includes Commandery Princess Luochuan, Commandery Princess Xianning—those born into the imperial clan. The second are the daughters of princesses, given the title of County Princess.”
Qi Yuan rested her chin on one hand, listening intently.
Seeing she was paying attention, Xiao Yunting relaxed a little.
He already felt uneasy knowing Qi Yuan was going to Zhou Wang’s polo event. And judging from her expression, she already knew it was orchestrated by the Liu family—clearly, a setup.
That made it worse.
Up until now, the people Qi Yuan had killed were either servants or individuals like Qi Jin and Han Yue’e—special cases. Either the Qi family had reasons to protect her, or she used the situation to force Qi Wang to back off.
But this was Zhou Wang’s residence—completely different.
“As for the third rank, those would be daughters of dukes and marquises—the daughters of nobility. Their social interactions and games are never simple. They are exclusionary and operate in a strict hierarchy—it’s hard to cross the line even once.”
He drummed his long fingers on the table, prompting Qi Yuan to return from her thoughts.
“Oh,” she said, quirking her mouth into a half-smile, “I get it. In short, they’re all born noble, backed by powerful families, and not people I can afford to offend.”
Xiao Yunting was silent.
What she said was blunt—but not wrong.
He spoke gravely, “So—”
Before he could finish, Qi Yuan suddenly laughed.
When she laughed, the corners of her eyes tilted upward slightly, her spirit radiant, eyes bright and clever. For a moment, Xiao Yunting forgot what he was going to say.
Until she, wearing that dazzling smile, said one of the most unforgettable things he’d ever heard: “Wow, that’s great then! They’re all fairies living off dew and moonlight, pampered with golden rice and jade plates. My one measly life doesn’t even measure up to theirs, right?”
…
Xiao Yunting was so stunned he laughed from exasperation. “Be serious!”
He had told her all this so she would be more cautious—preferably skip the polo event entirely.
And if she had to go, at least go quietly, tail tucked in.
But her? She was happy about it.
He didn’t even know what she was so happy about!
Qi Yuan beamed. “I’m telling the truth. I’m just a lowly nobody. Barefooted people aren’t afraid of those wearing shoes—because I have nothing to lose, I fear nothing. But they’re different. Even a small injury could cause a big headache for their families, right?”
Xiao Yunting stared at her for a moment. “Why do you say you’re a ‘lowly nobody’?”
There was a trace of uncontrollable anger in his voice.
Qi Yuan, who had still been riding the thrill, calmed down a bit.
She smoothed back a few strands of loose hair with composure. “That was poorly phrased. Thank you for pointing it out, Your Highness. I’ll keep it in mind.”
She admitted her mistake so quickly, yet somehow, Xiao Yunting’s anger only deepened.
He didn’t know why—but that phrase “I’m just a lowly nobody” stirred something deep and hidden in his heart.
His throat tightened, breath stuck somewhere in his chest. He stared at her and said, “Don’t take risks. If anything happens, I can help you.”
Qi Yuan didn’t take it seriously.
There’s no such thing as certainty in this world. Even mountains collapse—only oneself is reliable.
Still, there was no point in arguing about that.
She smiled and thanked Xiao Yunting for his kindness, then relayed what Qi Zhen had discovered.
From her demeanor, it was clear she hadn’t taken his warning to heart, which irritated Xiao Yunting.
But seeing that she was shifting to business, he could only suppress his frustration and grunt in response. “If we report this to the emperor, he’ll most likely order your father to retrieve Liu Wangfei and her son.”
Qi Yuan smiled. “Right—and I’ve already had Father leak the information to Qi Wang in advance.”
Xiao Yunting immediately understood her plan. Once Qi Wang learned, he would no doubt try to kill Liu Wangfei and her son to silence them.
That way, the emperor’s men would be able to catch him red-handed.
He laughed. “Qi Wang really chose the wrong person to mess with.”
Qi Yuan didn’t disagree. “I think so too.”
They exchanged a glance and both laughed.
Xiao Yunting sighed. “I’ll attend Zhou Wang’s polo match as well. If anything happens, come find me.”
He hadn’t originally planned to go. But seeing Qi Yuan charge headfirst into this, he decided he had better be there too—just in case she stirred up more trouble than she could fix.
At least he could help clean up after her.
Qi Yuan didn’t particularly care whether he went or not.
She had no ulterior motives. After seeing him out, she began preparing in earnest for the upcoming polo match.
——
Second Madam Qi was surprised and a little uneasy when she received word from the Old Madam that she would be escorting Qi Yuan to the match. “Me? You want me to take Ah Yuan?”
That didn’t seem appropriate…
The Old Madam’s mood was just as complicated. She chose her words carefully as she instructed her second daughter-in-law: “Just bring Ah Yuan along. If anything happens… just protect her.”
This only made Second Madam even more nervous.
It was just a polo match—what could possibly happen?
Besides, though Zhou Wang’s residence had sent invitations to the Qi family before, they had almost always gone to the first branch…
Still, since the Old Madam had made her decision, Second Madam respectfully accepted the task.
She was a kind-hearted person. Since she had been assigned, she took the opportunity during the carriage ride to gently comfort Qi Yuan. “It’s just a bunch of young ladies competing at polo—it’s nothing serious. They’ve been practicing since they were little. We can just watch from the sidelines, no need to be nervous.”
Qi Yuan smiled and nodded.
Second Madam felt a little more reassured, thinking how sensible and mature Qi Yuan really was.
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