Qi Zhen let out a long sigh and slumped into the chair, rubbing his temples with a weary look. “Father, even your son knows that she’s special, but…”
He didn’t finish the sentence, but both father and son knew what he meant.
Special was special—but just a little too special.
So special, in fact, that no one quite knew how to deal with her.
A girl who had opinions and ability, but who didn’t conform to the conventional expectations of a noblewoman—and was entirely beyond anyone’s control. It left people at a loss.
Just as the old marquis was about to speak, Liu Zhong rushed in to report that Qi Yuan had returned.
Qi Zhen jumped to his feet with a whoosh. The fire he’d just barely suppressed instantly flared back up. He waited with a cold face for Qi Yuan to come in and let out a sarcastic laugh: “So you do remember to come back? What do you take this home for?”
Qi Zhen had been holding in resentment these past days.
Yes, his daughter was clever, capable, and indeed very resourceful.
But she was also sharp-tongued, tough as nails, and utterly self-reliant.
Her birth mother disliked her, and she simply acted like her mother didn’t exist—so much so that the woman was still bedridden from anger.
Her older brother tried to beat and scold her, but ended up with two missing front teeth and a whistle in his speech.
This girl was like a bronze pea—impenetrable and impossible to bite into.
Qi Zhen truly couldn’t tell if keeping her was a blessing or a curse.
But just as he finished yelling, a cough rang out.
Only then did he see the man standing behind Qi Yuan.
He hadn’t noticed before, but when he focused now, he immediately recognized the man escorting Qi Yuan home—it was Jing Wang.
Startled, he instantly stood and knelt: “Your Highness, forgive me! I had no idea you were coming—I failed to welcome you properly!”
The old marquis also scrambled to his feet in a hurry.
Father and son exchanged glances, both of them shocked.
Qi Yuan had indeed tried to persuade them to abandon Qi Wang and side with the crown prince.
But they had not known that she was already this close with Jing Wang.
Close enough that Jing Wang personally escorted her home.
Did that mean… the two had spent the entire night together?
Qi Zhen’s expression turned from green to pale. That daughter of his was beyond discipline, and clearly destined to stir up countless future disasters.
Xiao Yunting took in their expressions with ease. Naturally, he knew what they were thinking, so he smiled slightly and said: “No need to be tense, Marquis and Young Marquis. Last evening, the Eldest Princess invited Lady Qi to accompany her for the night on the mountain. Today, I was simply tasked with seeing her home.”
The old marquis let out a breath of relief.
Saying she had spent the night with the Eldest Princess—well, that explanation would do.
It showed that Qi Yuan did understand decorum and wasn’t completely careless.
He glanced at his son, then smiled and thanked Xiao Yunting.
Xiao Yunting, clearly not planning to overstay his welcome, rose and took his leave.
Once he had gone, Qi Zhen looked at Qi Yuan with a complex expression. “I know you’re capable, and I know you’re different from the usual noble girls. But in this world, no one can escape public scrutiny and judgment. Don’t think that others’ words don’t matter. You must understand—repeated gossip can melt gold and accumulated slander can grind bones to dust.”
Surprisingly, Qi Yuan didn’t argue back. She simply nodded quietly and replied, “Yes.”
Her rare obedience left Qi Zhen at a loss for words. Seeing how travel-worn she looked, he simply waved her off to go wash up.
The old marquis was silent for a moment, then suddenly asked, “Guess where she really went last night?”
That story about the Eldest Princess—of course, they didn’t believe it.
That was just the cover Qi Yuan had arranged through Xiao Yunting—a way to tell them, plainly, that she had powerful backing.
Qi Zhen thought for a moment but couldn’t figure it out.
Fortunately, he didn’t have to wonder for long.
When he arrived at the Ministry of War, he learned that something major had happened at the Yihong Courtyard in the city outskirts last night.
A massive fire had broken out. One Fifth-Rank Transfer Commissioner from the Transport Bureau had died in the blaze. An Assistant Secretary from the Ministry of War’s Armory Division had been injured.
This was something that had never happened before in the current dynasty.
Especially since, after the fire, many women came forward crying injustice, claiming they had been forced into prostitution—sold against their will.
The scandal exploded.
Censors bluntly accused the Shuntian Prefecture and the Baodi County government of negligence. Such a den of corruption right outside the capital, countless decent girls sold and ruined, and the officials had no clue?
The famously upright and merciless Censor Tie even publicly declared the Baodi magistrate deserved death.
The uproar grew, dragging out old grievances.
Some pointed out that the Yihong Courtyard had been reported many times in the past, yet each case had been suppressed.
Others said that some girls had even tried to file complaints directly to the emperor—but were intercepted, arrested by the Baodi magistrate, and left to die in prison.
Emperor Yongchang was furious. He ordered the Embroidered Uniform Guards to launch an immediate investigation.
He bypassed the usual judicial process entirely—no joint tribunal, just the Embroidered Uniform Guards.
Everyone was shaken to the core.
Qi Wang, upon hearing the news, was furious. His eyes burned red as he stared at Jinbao and said coldly: “What did you just say?”
Jinbao was trembling from head to toe, scalp tingling, and stammered out: “Your Highness, we can’t find Miss Hong Xiao…”
CRASH! Qi Wang flipped the entire table.
Eunuch Xu rushed in. Seeing Jinbao shivering like a quail, he too was frightened but quickly stepped forward to calm the prince: “Your Highness, please don’t worry. At worst, this matter will only implicate Lord Zhan…”
Qi Wang let out a cold snort. He was enraged, yes, but still clear-headed.
He knew well—right now, the key was Hong Xiao.
Zhan Wenhui was dead, but Hong Xiao still held ledgers—who knew what incriminating evidence she might possess?
At this critical moment, he could not afford to be dragged into this scandal.
He took a deep breath, suppressing his fury, and said coldly to Eunuch Xu: “Send people out. The moment Hong Xiao is found—kill her on sight.”
Eunuch Xu instantly understood, his face grave as he nodded.
Meanwhile, Qi Yuan was calmly playing chess with herself. She placed a black piece down, the corner of her lips tugging into a cold smile: “What assassin could be more convincing than one sent by Qi Wang himself?”
She hadn’t delivered the killing blow—because she knew that as long as things escalated, Qi Wang would inevitably try to silence Hong Xiao.
And Hong Xiao wasn’t the type to sit and wait to die.
So long as she wasn’t sure Qi Wang wanted her dead, she wouldn’t make a move.
But once she was sure—she would become his most vicious enemy.
Qi Yuan was just waiting to see whether Qi Wang would continue, like in her previous life, to be the emperor’s favored son.
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