Xiao Yunting was no longer the same as in the previous life.
Qi Yuan had noticed this change very early on.
But she hadn’t paid it any mind—nor did she want to.
The world is vast, with mountains and rivers wide and deep; love is not the only thing worth holding onto.
She could tell that in this life, Xiao Yunting liked her.
But liking wasn’t enough. No matter how much someone liked her, it meant nothing unless the feelings were mutual.
Even mutual affection wasn’t enough. What she wanted was unwavering favoritism—a resolute, unshakable choice.
And those were things Xiao Yunting could not give her.
She knew Xiao Yunting was the most beautiful flower she would ever encounter.
But liking didn’t mean one had to possess. It was enough to have seen the flower in bloom—why obsess over whose hands would pick it?
She rode hard, galloping away from it all, leaving those thoughts far behind. She still had much to do, many wishes yet unfulfilled.
She didn’t have the time or energy to spend on such matters.
Xiao Yunting stood there for a long time.
He had finally come to terms with his feelings—but at the same time, he also understood Qi Yuan’s.
She was such a sharp and sensitive person. He didn’t believe she couldn’t see how differently he treated her.
But each and every time—she chose to avoid it.
Babao tossed aside the sunflower seed shells in his hand, dusted off the ones stuck to his robe, and reached a smug hand toward Liujin. His face showed thirty percent pride and seventy percent smugness. “Twenty taels of silver, thank you for your business.”
Liujin was annoyed. He slapped two silver ingots into Babao’s hand and grumbled, still not convinced. “How did you know Miss Qi wouldn’t accept our Lord’s feelings?”
His Highness’s affection was so obvious!
That first incense at the Baiyun Temple during New Year—Xiao Yunting lit it for Qi Yuan.
The peace charms, of which only three could be obtained each year—Xiao Yunting had gotten one just for Qi Yuan.
When she refused him, he even used a sky lantern to send it to her doorstep.
When he heard she left the city, he guessed she was going to kill someone and followed without hesitation, working all night to clean up after her.
If that wasn’t love, then what was?
Miss Qi wasn’t blind or deaf. She could feel it.
What was wrong with our Lord? Why wouldn’t she even look at him?
Babao raised his eyebrows, shook his head in mock sympathy for his master, then thought for a moment. “Hard to say. But I can tell that Miss Qi only likes killing people. At least for now, there’s no way she’s going to fall for His Highness.”
Sigh, His Highness really was pitiful… but earning twenty taels of silver felt so satisfying!
By the time Qi Yuan spurred her horse back to the Qi residence in the capital, Qi Yunzhi had already arrived home.
His health had never been good, which was why he had long been kept in the countryside. Even now, he still looked thin and frail.
When he saw Qi Yuan, he looked a little scared, a little nervous, and shyly called out, “Big Sister.”
Having just returned to this household, he wasn’t familiar with anyone.
Though his grandparents were both kind and gentle, his father was an imposing and strict man. His mother and older brother weren’t around. Qi Yunzhi had learned to observe people’s expressions. When he saw how both his grandfather and father’s faces changed at Qi Yuan’s return, he immediately understood—this big sister was someone formidable.
Qi Yuan glanced at him. Her first impression was: so pitifully thin.
Just like she had been at age ten.
Blood ties really were a strange and powerful thing. Just one look at Qi Yunzhi, and she knew—this was her little brother.
After a pause, she reached out, patted his head, and smiled. “Yunzhi, welcome home.”
Qi Yunzhi looked at her seriously for a long while, then cautiously took her hand.
Her hand wasn’t like other girls’ hands—it was covered in calluses.
He looked up at her in surprise, wanting to say something… but hesitated.
Qi Yuan didn’t have time to sit and chat with Qi Yunzhi.
She knew he would feel sensitive and uneasy, having just returned home. After thinking for a moment, she said to the Old Madam Qi, “Grandmother, why don’t we arrange for Yunzhi to stay with you?”
The Old Madam agreed without hesitation.
She had already been considering it.
Qi Yunzhi was the only legitimate son remaining in the main branch of the family, and now it seemed he was fond of Qi Yuan too.
That was enough—he was worth nurturing.
The Old Madam looked at Qi Yunzhi with loving eyes. “Your elder sister just returned. We still have some things to discuss with her. You go rest for now in the back wing. In a couple of days, I’ll have the East Wing tidied up for you. Would you like to live there?”
Qi Yunzhi sensibly nodded and agreed.
As soon as he left, Qi Zhen couldn’t help but press Qi Yuan: “Ah Yuan, you were out all night saying you had something to take care of—what exactly were you doing?”
What he really wanted to ask was—who did you kill?
But after thinking about it, that sounded a bit too direct.
Qi Yuan, without batting an eye, said, “Cishan—Pu Wuyong’s only nephew. He’d been hidden away by him at Wanan Temple, posing as the abbot. Over the years, who knows how many girls he’s ruined. Lihua was one of the ones he took. Pu Wuyong threw you all into the Imperial Prison, so I made sure he’d never have descendants!”
……
Qi Zhen once again grabbed the nearby rosewood display shelf to steady himself.
Thank heavens the shelf in his mother’s room was made of sturdy huanghuali wood—otherwise, he’d probably be on the floor right now along with it.
So what you’re saying is, Qi Yuan had gone and picked a fight with a senior eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial—the top eunuch in the palace—just to avenge him?!
He swallowed hard and forced himself to ask, “So… what do you plan to do next?”
First, someone from the Qi family was thrown into the Imperial Prison, nearly framed for treason and collusion.
Next thing, Cishan turns up dead.
Unless Pu Wuyong had completely lost his mind—or actually had no brain at all—he’d only need a toe to figure out who was behind it.
Qi Yuan really didn’t lack courage!
In comparison, both the Old Marquis and the old madam remained shockingly calm.
The Old Marquis was simply used to it by now.
He had already prepared himself. When Qi Yuan went out, what else would she be doing if not killing someone?
As for the old madam, she wasn’t calm because she was used to it—she was just so shocked that she didn’t even know how to react anymore.
Even the Old Marquis finally asked Qi Yuan, “Then you…”
“I want to drag him down from his seat as the Chief Eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial!” Qi Yuan smacked the table.
Everyone in the room instinctively flinched.
Qi Zhen’s voice involuntarily dropped lower: “Then… how are you going to do that?”
Qi Yuan lowered her gaze. “I’m going to see Lai Chenglong first.”
—
At that moment, however, Lai Chenglong had no time to see anyone.
For one reason, and one reason only—Pu Wuyong had gone mad!
During the New Year no less, he had claimed that an official had died unjustly at the hands of the Embroidered Uniform Guard—and had personally supervised the punishment, beating several Embroidered Uniform Guard officers to death right on the spot!
And every single one of them… happened to be under Lai Chenglong’s command.
This d*mn eunuch—he had well and truly lost his mind!
Lai Chenglong clenched his fists tightly—only to see Pu Wuyong, eyes bloodshot, suddenly turn his head toward him.
“The copper mine at the Shanxi Protectorate has run into issues. The imperial envoy sent there is dead. You—take your men and go investigate it immediately!”
This d*mn eunuch had lost it, hadn’t he?!
He hadn’t even recovered from his injuries yet—was he supposed to fly there?!
Crazy eunuch!
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