Even though they were already some distance away, Wang Chan decisively dropped the curtain.
Then she turned to Xiang Rong with disapproval. “You better hold your tongue! The Feng family has returned—and in such a grand manner. From now on, we’ll be seeing them often. Don’t go offending them.”
Xiang Rong sneered. “Why so nervous? I just don’t like all this superstitious nonsense.”
Auspicious clouds, huh?
She didn’t believe it one bit.
Having grown up studying with her father, Xiang Rong was fully aware that these so-called records were often nothing more than a layer of myth spun by those in power to glorify themselves.
Come to think of it, the Feng family really was ambitious.
Otherwise, why else—back when their situation was so desperate—would they still bother spreading claims in their hometown about giving birth to an auspicious child?
Tsk tsk.
Seeing her getting more and more blunt, Wang Chan couldn’t help but turn to Qi Yuan for help. “Can’t you say something to her?”
For some reason, even though the Xiang family and the Qi family had fallen out over the broken engagement, Xiang Rong seemed to quite like Qi Yuan.
Especially after the issue with Cheng Wang was resolved, Wang Chan would often bring Wang Jun over to the Qi household, and since Xiang Rong and Wang Chan were close, the three of them gradually became well-acquainted.
Qi Yuan glanced at Xiang Rong. “She does need to be a bit more cautious.”
Lowering her gaze, she suddenly understood why Qi Wang had been smiling earlier.
So, that’s what it was.
Wang Chan felt relieved once Qi Yuan spoke and chimed in right after, “Exactly! Watch your mouth—disaster comes from careless words.”
She had always been gentle and never made things difficult for others, and naturally didn’t want her friends to end up offending someone they shouldn’t. So she added softly, “My father said the Feng family returned in such splendor because they’re bound to be given important roles. Why go out of your way to make enemies…”
Lowering her voice even further, she continued, “Besides, since the Feng family declared her as an auspicious sign, that must mean they believe she’s destined to be someone extraordinary. Do you understand?”
Xiang Rong frowned and didn’t speak further.
But Qi Yuan wasn’t concerned.
Did Qi Wang think she would be devastated or secretly upset just because Feng Caiwei had returned?
What a joke.
If, after being reborn, her mind was still tangled in love and relationships, then her ending would be no different from Qi Wang’s.
She came back for revenge. That was all.
Whether Feng Caiwei came back or not had nothing to do with her.
Once the Qi family’s situation stabilized, and once Lai Chenglong returned from his diplomatic mission to Japan, she would leave.
Her last life was spent killing; this life was the same.
But this time, she wanted to travel without rushing, to leisurely see the world.
The world was vast—her life was never meant to revolve around just one person.
At that very moment, inside the Feng family’s middle carriage, Feng Caiwei also lowered her curtain and slowly asked the steward standing beside the carriage, “Uncle Qiu, the insignia on that carriage—is it Yongping Marquis’s?”
Steward Qiu followed her gaze, let out an “oh,” and nodded quickly. “It is. Yongping Marquis is currently one of the most influential figures in the capital. Marquis Qi Zhen has just taken command of the capital garrison—he’s riding high these days.”
Feng Caiwei looked thoughtful. “I saw a woman sitting in that carriage.”
“The female members of the Qi family who would be out at this time must be the eldest young lady,” Steward Qiu responded smoothly. “The same one who made a sensation at the polo match—nearly threw Duke Chu’s household’s eldest miss off her horse.”
Feng Caiwei curled her lips into a smile. “I know her.”
Steward Qiu sighed with a hint of emotion. “Yes, the news from the capital has only reached us later, but judging by what we’ve heard, this eldest Miss Qi is quite a remarkable person.”
Feng Caiwei watched as that carriage slowly followed the flow of traffic and disappeared into the distance. She slowly let down the curtain, and the smile on her face vanished without a trace.
This small incident, Qi Yuan was unaware of—and she didn’t care either.
After returning home, she first went to the Old Madam Qi’s courtyard to check on Qi Yunzhi and Shen Jialang.
These two children had already started schooling. A private tutor had been hired to teach them both, and at Qi Yuan’s insistence, they were also learning horsemanship and archery.
Qi Yuan’s standards for them were even stricter than those for adults.
So much so that Qi Zhen sometimes suspected whether Qi Yuan simply distrusted the Marquis household’s education methods—afraid they’d end up raising another Qi Yunting.
But ultimately, this was a good thing. Of course, he wasn’t foolish enough to actually think Qi Yuan was being too strict.
Only this time, when he saw Qi Yuan return, he sat there looking like he had something to say—picking up his teacup and putting it down, over and over, clearly struggling with whether to speak.
Qi Yuan wasn’t blind; of course, she noticed. Her tone dropped. “Father, is there something you wish to say?”
Both Shen Jialang and Qi Yunzhi looked up at him curiously.
Qi Zhen felt a slight toothache just thinking about it. After a moment’s hesitation, he couldn’t help but blurt out, “The Feng family… they’ve returned to the capital!”
“Oh.” Qi Yuan nodded, indicating she already knew.
Qi Zhen grew anxious. Oh? What did oh mean?
He hadn’t even finished yet!
But looking at Qi Yuan’s calm face, he didn’t even know whether it was appropriate to bring up Feng Caiwei’s name.
After all, every time the subject of Xiao Yunting came up, Qi Yuan’s attitude had always been absolutely firm—flat-out refusal.
In the end, he could only clutch his aching tooth, sit quietly while Qi Yuan chatted with the two children, and eventually walk away.
Once Qi Yuan had left, the Old Madam Qi sent the two children off to do their lessons. Then she glared at Qi Zhen with a look of deep disappointment. “Look at you—can’t even keep your composure. You’re not half as steady as your daughter!”
Qi Zhen immediately felt wronged. “Mother! How am I supposed to keep calm about this? The Feng family has always had close ties to the Eastern Palace. Now, with them publicly touting Feng Caiwei as born under auspicious signs, it’s obvious they have ulterior motives. Of course I wanted to remind Yuan’er!”
Otherwise… wouldn’t Yuan’er’s position as the Crown Prince’s Heir Consort end up slipping right out of her hands?
The Old Madam Qi snorted coldly. “Do you really think that’s something you need to tell her?”
Qi Zhen was momentarily stunned.
That was true—how could Qi Yuan possibly not already know?
The grand spectacle of the Feng family’s return today—anyone who needed to know, already knew.
It was said that the people lining up to send gifts to the Feng family had been ready for days—the entire alley where their house was located was jam-packed.
Qi Yuan had come back from outside. She definitely knew.
He sighed heavily. “Then what exactly is Yuan’er thinking?”
Qi Yuan wasn’t thinking anything at all.
When she returned to Mingyue Pavilion, she walked in to see Xiao Yunting holding an orange, teasing Ah Huang.
He’d toss it, and Ah Huang would happily chase after it and bite it back. Then Xiao Yunting would toss it again—man and dog, completely absorbed in their little game.
The moment they saw her return, both the man and the dog’s eyes lit up.
Ah Huang bolted toward her first, wagging his tail, circling her restlessly with excitement.
Qi Yuan frowned as she looked at Xiao Yunting walking over. “Why are you here?”
The Feng family’s back—shouldn’t the Imperial Grandson be busy welcoming them?
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