They had already investigated her entire family background in painstaking detail—what else could she possibly say?
Her lips trembled.
As someone who had managed household affairs for so many years, how could Tian Momo not understand the purpose behind what Qi Yuan had asked someone to tell her?
Qi Yuan was making it clear: all the people she cared about were now within Qi Yuan’s grasp.
And she didn’t doubt Qi Yuan’s threat in the slightest.
Qi Yuan had killed Eldest Madam Lu without so much as blinking—so what would holding her family’s lives in her hands mean to her?
Tian Momo’s gaze was complicated, her feelings even more so.
Back at the recognition banquet, who would have thought that this so-called “real daughter,” raised by a butcher and laughed at like a joke, would one day stir up storms in the capital, with the power to turn her hand to cloud and overturn it to rain?
But she really had done it.
It was easy to imagine that the fate awaiting Duke Chu’s household would not be any better.
Completely disheartened and chilled, Tian Momo prostrated herself on the ground: “Miss Qi, I beg you, please be generous. This old servant will do exactly as you say. I will do everything exactly as you say!”
Qi Yuan raised her brows lightly and stood up: “I’m a person of my word. Your descendants don’t have access or opportunity to know about these matters, so as long as you’re sensible, they can all live out their lives in peace.”
As she spoke, she glanced at Shunzi.
Shunzi immediately nodded: “Don’t worry, Miss. I know what to do.”
Qi Yuan responded with a soft “Mm” and went straight home.
Ever since Qi Yuan had gone out after receiving the letter, Old Marquis Qi and Qi Zhen had been anxiously waiting the entire time.
They knew that whoever sought out Qi Yuan today was essentially courting death. But the question was—who was it, and how did the killing go? The suspense was killing them.
The whole family sat together for dinner, but the atmosphere was strange.
Tomorrow was New Year’s Eve. By all rights, today should have been a day to slaughter chickens and ducks, for the estate to deliver New Year’s gifts, and to distribute offerings and festive goods to the clan.
The children should have been joyfully comparing the fabrics and styles of their new clothes for the year.
But this year, none of that was happening.
Everyone was sitting in an eerie silence.
Until Liuzhong’s cheerful shout came from outside: “Miss Qi is back!”
The stagnant, dead atmosphere in the house was instantly broken. It was like everyone had come back to life.
Old Madam Qi quickly and repeatedly ordered the Second Madam: “Quick, quick, quick! Have the kitchen make a bowl of chicken noodle soup with the hanging chicken broth! No, no, also tell the kitchen to get the fire going again—make whatever they can, she must be starving.”
The younger generation of the Qi family exchanged glances.
Why did it feel like Grandmother was trying to curry favor with Qi Yuan?
Was this a total reversal of power?
The Second Madam quickly stood up and went to arrange everything.
Old Marquis Qi and Qi Zhen couldn’t wait and immediately went to the Mingyue Pavilion.
Old Madam Qi also stood up: “You all keep eating, I’m going to take a look first.”
……
Qi Changting scratched his head: “So should we keep eating, or go see what’s happening?”
In the Mingyue Pavilion, Old Marquis Qi patiently waited for Qi Yuan to finish changing before hurrying to ask: “Ah Yuan, how was it? Who was it that asked you to meet?”
At this point, every step that followed would be critical.
How things would develop would directly determine whether the Qi family would advance further—or face complete ruin.
Although they knew Qi Yuan was formidable, of course they still wanted to get clarity.
Qi Yuan changed out of her blood-stained clothes and handed them directly to Lianqiao: “Burn them.”
Lianqiao quickly took the clothes and withdrew.
After that, Qi Yuan finally said to Old Marquis Qi and Qi Zhen: “Eldest Madam Lu sent me a letter in the name of the Eldest Princess, claiming there was something urgent she needed to discuss with me. But the Eldest Princess is in the palace—how could she possibly send me a letter at this time?”
Besides, even if something needed discussing, it would usually be Xiao Yunting who spoke with her.
Old Marquis Qi immediately thought Eldest Madam Lu was ridiculously foolish. No—foolish wasn’t the word. She was outrageously arrogant.
Now that Liu Wangfei had returned to the capital, all the culprits connected to what happened back then should logically be lying low and waiting for news.
But Eldest Madam Lu? She was still scheming at a time like this.
What on earth was she thinking?!
“And then?” Qi Zhen couldn’t wait to ask.
Qi Yuan sneered, the corner of her mouth tugging slightly: “She hired two street thugs and planned to use some despicable method against me. I despise that sort of thing the most, so I simply sent her down to reunite with Grand Commander Lu.”
That husband and wife—wolves matched with tigers and leopards—belonged together. Better not to separate them.
Qi Zhen opened his mouth, then finally said: “Serves her right!”
But…
Old Marquis Qi looked at Qi Yuan: “Have you thought about how to clean this up?”
Every time Qi Yuan killed someone, she always managed to walk away untouched, because she tied up all the loose ends perfectly, leaving no trace of evidence.
But Eldest Madam Lu had publicly invited Qi Yuan out this time.
If Qi Yuan went out to meet her and Eldest Madam Lu turned up dead, that would be a little tricky to handle.
Qi Yuan raised her eyebrows: “It wasn’t exactly an honorable matter. Only Eldest Madam Lu and her trusted Momo knew about the meeting. Now that Tian Momo is going to report that it was Duke Chu’s people who killed Eldest Madam Lu—silencing her because of the attempted assassination of the Princess Consort back then—it all wraps up neatly.”
Problem solved.
Old Marquis Qi’s feelings were even more complicated.
Sigh, such a pity.
It was truly a pity that Qi Yuan wasn’t a man. Otherwise, the Qi family surpassing Duke Chu’s household and becoming a top-ranking noble family would have been just a matter of time.
He quickly gathered his thoughts and summarized the situation, then narrowed his eyes and said: “So now, we just have to wait for Princess Consort Lu to return to the capital, and the truth of what happened back then will finally come to light!”
Never mind the Princess Consort’s true identity for now—at this point, Lu Minghui had failed to silence Princess Consort Lu. Plus, they had the prefect Ma Xuan and Zhou Wang as witnesses. This would be enough to prove that the one who had hunted down the Princess Consort back then was Lu Minghui!
And now, Eldest Madam Lu had conveniently died at the hands of Duke Chu’s people.
What a massive net. What a brilliant game of chess.
Qi Yuan’s mind—how could it be described as anything less than unfathomable?
This girl’s experience, her judgment in the midst of power struggles, her decisiveness, and her incredible control—all of it was far beyond what someone of her age, or even what any young woman, should possess.
Utterly terrifying!
For some reason, what Qi Zhen thought of in that moment was actually Qi Yuan’s earlier comment about making dumplings.
Now, with another Eldest Madam Lu dead, and Duke Chu likely not having many days left either…
Was Qi Yuan’s dumpling reference actually that kind of dumpling?
Qi Yuan glanced at the sky, when suddenly, the window was knocked.
Baizhi opened the window, and Xiao Yunting’s face appeared.
Old Marquis Qi and Qi Zhen were startled and quickly knelt in greeting.
Xiao Yunting smiled, waved his hand, and gestured for them to rise: “No need to be so formal, you two. I just came to keep my appointment—to pick up the dumplings Miss Qi made.”
He really came to pick up dumplings?
Qi Zhen instinctively looked toward Qi Yuan.
Qi Yuan, however, remained calm: “Your Highness, you came too early. Didn’t I say we’d make dumplings on New Year’s Eve?”
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