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"Miss, are you alright?" Sister Yun asked with concern as she noticed her staring blankly out the window, not saying a word for quite some time.
"I'm fine," she replied, turning to look at Sister Yun. A bitter smile crossed her face as she said, "I was just thinking that now that the mask is off, the road ahead will be even harder." She truly couldn't bear being treated like a pawn; everyone looked at her as if she were a piece of gold, eager to melt her down.
"What are you afraid of?" Sister Yun said proudly. "It was only a matter of time before the mask came off. Honestly, I don't like seeing you pretend to be submissive, and I don't want them plotting against you. It's best to draw a clear line with them!" She didn't want to live in constant fear; aging came too quickly.
"Heh..." Sister Yun's words made Qing Luan chuckle lightly, easing some of the gloom on her face. With a sigh, she said, "Well, I still hold onto a glimmer of hope. After all, I am Chen Xiaode's daughter; he wouldn't want me dead—at least that's what I thought. But it seems I've been naive; deep down, he never regarded me as his daughter."
Her actions were entirely for the sake of Chen Qingluan, who had died five years ago; after all, he was her biological father. But now it seemed she had been overly self-important; not everyone cherished familial bonds.
From that moment on, she would be the reborn Chen Qingluan, no longer thinking about the Chen family members; they had no connection to her. As for those who treated her well, like the Zhu Clan and Azure Phoenix, she would treat them with genuine care.
"Miss, if he truly cared about his daughter—let's not even mention anything else—just think about Chen Yan'er. He should have protected her. Instead, he would rather use his own daughter to secure his position. A person like that is cold and selfish; do you really think he would care about any shred of familial affection? If given the choice between his position and his parents right now, he would definitely choose the former!" Sister Yun analyzed coldly, hoping to awaken her mistress.
"I know. Don't worry; I'll be fine!" She smiled at Sister Yun and then looked out the window with determination. "From now on, Zhu Qingluan will still be the same Zhu Qingluan as before—an orphan with no family." In her past life, she had been just as lonely and isolated. In this life, she had many who were not related by blood but felt closer than family; she should be grateful.
"Miss, you still have me," Sister Yun pouted and said with a hint of sorrow.
Qing Luan felt a dark line cross her forehead; she was completely defeated.
At the Marquis's Residence.
"Mother, she's really the Boss of Jade Pavilion! That's a source of immense wealth! Please help me plead with the Emperor to grant me a marriage!" With an imperial decree, even if Chen Qingluan disagreed, she would have to comply; otherwise, defying an edict was punishable by death.
"Is it really that impressive?" Madam Marquis looked at her son skeptically, wondering if he had been bewitched to be so anxious.
Qiu Mingqi, seeing his mother’s disbelief, recounted the events of the day with certainty. “She gifted those prayer beads worth over a thousand taels as soon as she opened her mouth, and even gave some to those who didn’t buy anything. Do you think she lacks that kind of ability?” It was precisely because of her imposing demeanor that he was so eager to marry her.
“Since she is so capable, why did you say you wanted to take her as a concubine before?” Chen Qingluan's name and the situation were known to her. Initially, she thought it was just a matter of a concubine, so it didn’t matter. Now that he mentioned seeking an imperial decree to marry her as a wife, it required more consideration.
As soon as his mother asked this question, a flash of resentment crossed Qiu Mingqi's face. He replied angrily, “It was all Chen Yan'er’s idea. She said that Chen Qingluan had been rejected in marriage and wasn’t worthy of me… Who would have thought that Chen Qingluan deliberately concealed her identity, claiming to be a maid from Jade Pavilion? That’s why I considered taking her as a concubine…” He blamed himself for not asking clearly; otherwise, things wouldn’t have become so complicated.
“Can you be sure she is the Boss of Jade Pavilion?” Hearing about the extravagant gift worth over a thousand taels being given away so casually made her cautious in her inquiry.
“Yes, Mother, I can guarantee it!” Seeing his mother deep in thought, he pressed on. “As long as the Emperor grants the marriage, she won’t escape. Mother, if anyone finds out that Chen Qingluan is the Boss of Jade Pavilion and realizes how profitable it is, there will surely be many who will set their sights on her. If she marries someone else, we won’t have time to regret!”
Madam Marquis knew he spoke the truth but hesitated. “But her status doesn’t match yours!” Deep down, she still preferred Zhuang Youlan; at least her background was more fitting for her son.
“Mother,” he said, showing signs of frustration at her continued hesitation. “Let’s marry her first. Once she’s in our household, whether she becomes a wife or a concubine will depend on my wishes. If you like Youlan, we can make her the primary wife later… Once we acquire Jade Pavilion, Chen Qingluan will mean nothing.”
Upon hearing this, Madam Marquis's eyes lit up. She nodded and said, “Yes, let’s marry her first; afterward, we’ll see how it goes. Alright, Qi’er, I’ll send a message to the palace right away to request the imperial decree for this marriage.” As long as they secured the financial resources from Jade Pavilion, the Marquis's Residence could return to its former glory.
“Alright, Mother, hurry back! I’ll wait for news at home,” he said impatiently.
In the General’s Mansion.
“Xuanyuan Rui!” Yun Nishang kicked open the tightly shut door and called out without any courtesy.
Hearing her voice, Xuanyuan Rui immediately darkened his expression. He approached and saw the door cracked from the kick; rolling his eyes, he said, “Aunt, can’t you be a little gentler?”
"Acting so gentle and virtuous in front of others, and then pretending to be gentle in front of you, is driving me crazy," Yun Nishang lamented helplessly. Only in front of Xuanyuan Rui could she reveal her true self; otherwise, if she continued to wear this mask, she might not even recognize herself anymore.
Rolling his eyes, Xuanyuan Rui felt utterly helpless against her. She was the youngest princess of the emperor, the biological sister of his mother. Perhaps their close ages allowed them to bond more easily. It was only in front of him that she showed her straightforward and candid nature, which was also why he could accept her.
Their connection was forged from the meager familial ties they shared.
In the royal family, having familial bonds meant risking half of one's life. Those who ascended to the Sovereign's position often committed fratricide or patricide, so within the palace, they had to remain vigilant, wearing cautious masks.
"Aren't you supposed to return to the palace? Why are you here again?" He felt powerless against her roughness and violence, hoping that one day she would find someone who truly loved her, so her sincere heart wouldn't go to waste.
"Isn't it for you?" She casually sat down in a chair, completely different from the elegant and noble demeanor she had displayed at the Jade Pavilion.
"For me?" Xuanyuan Rui was taken aback. "What have I done to offend you?"
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