How could Qi Zhen not regret it?
The truth was, he simply didn’t have a say in the matter. Keeping a wooden expression, he took a sip of tea, then turned to look at the Old Marquis. “Father, that girl held back.”
Otherwise, it wouldn’t have just been about throwing Liu Mingzhu half to death. If she really wanted to, she could have killed Liu Mingzhu on the spot.
The Old Marquis stroked his beard. “Let’s go. Let’s ask her about it.”
Qi Yuan had already changed her clothes and gone to the Old Madam’s courtyard.
The Second Madam had been so frightened she was sent to rest by the Old Madam.
When Qi Yuan entered, she saw only the Old Madam, the Old Marquis, and Qi Zhen sitting there.
Seeing her come in, the Old Madam waved. “Yuan Yuan, come sit by Grandmother.”
Qi Yuan sat by the Old Madam and raised her eyebrows when she noticed Qi Zhen hesitating to speak. “The Liu family sent someone already?”
Qi Zhen gave a complicated hum. “What exactly happened this time? Why did you provoke the Liu family?”
“It was the Liu family who had Zhou Wang’s household send me the invitation,” Qi Yuan said briefly. “Probably because of what happened with Zhou Ping— the Liu family likely couldn’t stand me and wanted to teach me a lesson.”
Unfortunately, these petty social tactics meant to exclude and humiliate others were laughably naive to her.
The noble ladies and their families spent their whole lives carefully chasing one thing: appearances. As if losing face meant life was no longer worth living.
But Qi Yuan had thick skin. Face couldn’t fill one’s belly. In the end, ‘face’ was just about enduring humiliation to keep others happy. She had no interest in that.
When he heard it was the Liu family who arranged the invitation, Qi Zhen immediately understood that Qi Yuan’s previous deduction was entirely correct.
Zhou Ping hitting Qi Fangyun and the whole drama about wanting to marry a concubine— that was all orchestrated by the Liu family.
They were trying to avenge their nephew.
In the end, it all started with Qi Wang’s scheme.
Qi Zhen took a deep breath and rubbed his brow. “Just now Second Master Liu came storming in to hold us accountable. From their posture, they won’t let this go easily.”
Of course not. Being humiliated by a girl they despised— how could they just swallow that?
Qi Yuan chuckled lightly. “I know.”
Although Qi Zhen knew she was capable, he still couldn’t help but be anxious. “It’s not so easy to kill Qi Wang. The Liu family is a noble duke’s household. Liu Jinghong is in the Emperor’s good graces…”
This time, Qi Yuan had truly attracted a huge storm.
“It’s happening soon.” Qi Yuan leaned back in the circle chair, her expression calm as she said, “Tomorrow, the Eldest Princess will send someone to escort me to Mount Baiyun.”
…
How did the topic shift so quickly?
The Old Madam couldn’t help but ask, “Are you planning to use the Eldest Princess’s help to escape the Liu family?”
But how could the Liu family possibly let things go so easily?
“Of course not.” Qi Yuan smiled meaningfully. “Why would I avoid them? I’m leaving to draw the tiger away from the mountain. Right now, all their attention is on me, including Qi Wang.”
She then explained that Qi Wang had hidden himself in Peach Blossom Wall, intending to kill her.
At this, the Old Marquis, Qi Zhen, and even the Old Madam’s expressions drastically changed.
Qi Wang wants to kill Qi Yuan?!
The Old Marquis blurted out, “Why?”
If it were because of Han Yue’e’s affair, Qi Wang had not yet made a move against the Qi family…
Qi Yuan raised an eyebrow. “Because Qi Wang saw that I was the real threat, didn’t he?”
She said this lightly, then looked deeply at the Old Marquis and Qi Zhen. “None of that matters. What matters is that, on the surface, I’m being taken away by the Eldest Princess, but in reality, I’ll be detouring to Fujian. That way…”
Qi Zhen and the Old Marquis immediately understood!
Qi Yuan claimed she was leaving with the Eldest Princess, but in truth, she was changing course midway.
In doing so, both Qi Wang and the Liu family would think she had an ulterior motive—that she’d learned something about Liu Wangfei and her child, and had gone to find them!
Qi Zhen’s heart pounded as he lowered his voice and asked, “What should I do?”
“Report to His Majesty and leave the capital tonight.” Qi Yuan looked at him intently. “Father, this is your only chance. Find Liu Wangfei and her son and bring them back to the capital. Only then can you break free from Qi Wang and Duke Chu’s household.”
This clearly meant that Qi Yuan was now certain the incident with Liu Wangfei and her son back then wasn’t the doing of the Feng family.
Otherwise, given her relationship with Xiao Yunting, she would never do something that would hurt the Crown Prince’s side.
Qi Zhen took a deep breath. “Alright! But if Liu Wangfei resents the Feng family even more…”
Qi Yuan smiled faintly. “She won’t. She’s the daughter of the primary wife. Out of that whole big Liu family, only she and her child were harmed, while the rest sat back and enjoyed wealth and comfort. She’s not a fool—she’ll know what to choose.”
After finishing, Qi Yuan, already growing tired, left the Old Madam’s room.
The Old Marquis and Qi Zhen went into the study, and the light there stayed on all night.
By the next morning, the carriage from Mount Baiyun had arrived to pick up Qi Yuan.
Qi Zhen watched her get into the carriage, feelings tangled.
Qi Yuan had made it sound easy to divert Qi Wang’s men and the Liu family’s eyes.
But she clearly hadn’t even recovered from her wounds…
Did she really not fear death?
Qi Wang had even dared to try killing her in Zhou Wang’s residence. Clearly, he was determined to see her dead.
Was Qi Yuan really unafraid?
Inside the carriage at that moment, Xiao Yunting coolly pushed something toward her. “Take this.”
Qi Yuan was slightly surprised. She reached out and took it, instinctively clenching it in her palm.
She looked down without speaking. After a while, she finally asked, “Why are you giving this to me?”
It was a bronze leopard—only half of one—but it looked majestic.
She recognized it. It was a token used by the guards around Xiao Yunting.
Xiao Yunting’s face carried a touch of a cold smile. “Of course it’s because I’m afraid you’ll actually get yourself killed. You’re bold, I’ll give you that. Do you have any idea how many capable people Qi Wang and the Liu family have at their disposal?”
Even gods wouldn’t play it this recklessly.
And Qi Yuan wasn’t some real deity.
Qi Yuan gripped the bronze leopard, raising her eyes to look at him. “Your Highness, we’re just allies. I’ve already reached the breaking point with Qi Wang—he’ll assume I’m going to find Liu Wangfei the moment I leave the capital…”
So, really, her usefulness to Xiao Yunting ended here.
Xiao Yunting glared at her in frustration. “What, are you seriously planning to die this time?”
“Of course not.” Qi Yuan steadied herself and said calmly, “I won’t die.”
Xiao Yunting let out a cold laugh. “Who do you think you are?”
“I’m nobody special. But Qi Wang won’t really kill me.” Qi Yuan’s lips curled into a faint, sarcastic smile. “If he truly could, I’d have died in Zhou Wang’s residence.”
But when she feigned pain in her arm, Qi Wang let down his guard and even let her get her hands on a weapon.
Someone who’s already died once—and still came back—asks her why she dares?
Isn’t the answer already clear?
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