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墨書 Inktalez
"Yes!" Qing Luan did not want to hide at all, gazing at her with pride as she replied calmly.
"It really is you!" Chen Yan'er exclaimed, her eyes wide with hatred. "Why did you do this? Why did you harm me? If it weren't for you saving her, I wouldn't have ended up in this situation!" That vicious woman deserved to die!
Meeting Chen Yan'er's resentful gaze, Qing Luan sighed inwardly: there are some people who never think they are wrong and always shift the blame onto others, and Chen Yan'er was one of those people.
"If you hadn't schemed against her, would you have ended up like this?" Qing Luan raised an eyebrow, looking at her incredulously as she asked each word carefully. "You don't like being a concubine; does my elder sister like it?"
"You..." Clenching her fists, Chen Yan'er struggled to control herself. Offending the princess would make her future difficult, so she shot a fierce glare at Qing Luan and threatened, "Zhu Qingluan, just wait! One day, I will make you regret this!"
Qing Luan brushed the wrinkles of her skirt lightly and glanced at her with indifference. "I'll be waiting!"
"Hmph!" Chen Yan'er was so furious she nearly suffered internal injuries. With red-rimmed eyes filled with resentment, she shot one last glare at Qing Luan before turning to leave.
"Chen Yan'er, I remember the Zhou family is an Imperial Merchant..." Seeing her turn back with a puzzled look, Qing Luan smirked mysteriously and continued, "It's just that their business hasn't been doing well in recent years; the position of Imperial Merchant should be given to someone else."
"Given to someone else?" Chen Yan'er laughed at the lightness of her words. "Zhu Qingluan, while Jade Pavilion may be doing well, it can't even compare to the Zhou family—it's laughable to say such things!" Her dismissive attitude had its reasons; even her grandfather, Prime Minister Huang, was wary of the Zhou family's status as Imperial Merchants and had always taken a step back.
Otherwise, how could she possibly join the Zhou family? They were also cautious of her grandfather's influence and didn't trouble her too much. However, having to pay respects to the matriarch every day made her feel inferior and resentful.
Understanding her thoughts, Qing Luan did not argue further but said lightly, "Whether it's laughable or not, you'll find out later!" The Zhou family and Prime Minister Huang were currently holding each other in check; she needed to break that relationship to stir up some trouble in court. Plus, with General Bu's matter... things were about to get lively.
After finishing her words, Qing Luan turned gracefully and moved away without waiting for Chen Yan'er to respond, completely ignoring the hatred simmering in Chen Yan'er's heart.
After the gathering concluded, Yun Nishang revealed the purpose of inviting everyone—selecting a young lady to stay in the Princess Mansion with her.
She mentioned that she had originally chosen Qing Luan but decided against it since she wanted to do business; instead, she chose Chen Family's eldest daughter, Chen Qingyuan. As soon as she said this, gasps filled the room as everyone exchanged stunned glances.
"Your Highness, my elder sister has reached marriageable age. My father is about to arrange a marriage for her; I'm afraid this will thwart your good intentions!" Chen Yan'er felt flames of fury rising in her eyes upon hearing this news. If Chen Qingyuan stayed in the Princess Mansion, how could Young Marquis's plan ever succeed?
It was nothing to fail to accomplish, but for Chen Qingyuan to stay in the Princess Mansion, wasn't that a step towards greatness?
Chen Yan'er, you really are persistent. Qing Luan watched her anxious demeanor and couldn't help but sneer inwardly, though she kept her mouth shut, feeling as if she were watching a play, completely detached from it.
"Well, it's about time for marriage. Since she's the one I've chosen, I will definitely find her a worthy husband to please your father," Yun Nishang said. Having grown up in the palace, where deceit and scheming were the norms, Chen Yan'er's rebuttal meant nothing to her. She continued speaking, shifting the topic entirely.
"Princess," Chen Yan'er wanted to argue again but fell silent under Yun Nishang's lofty gaze.
"I simply want Miss Chen to stay in the Princess Mansion with me. I will take care of her marriage; what more do you want? Let me tell you, since I have set my eyes on her today, even if she never marries, she must accompany me... Now then, today's banquet is over. Nanny, see our guests out!" As a princess, it was only natural for her to throw a tantrum occasionally.
Chen Yan'er wore a face of dissatisfaction, but the princess's words left her too intimidated to say anything further. She bit her lip and shot an angry glare at Zhu Qingluan before turning to leave with the others. She knew that all of this was Zhu Qingluan's doing. Yun Nishang never interacted with others much; she had no idea how Yun Nishang came to know Zhu Qingluan and why she would help her like this, allowing Chen Qingyuan to move into the Princess Mansion.
"Princess," Chen Qingyuan still felt somewhat dazed. She understood what it meant to live in the Princess Mansion and found it hard to believe. She opened her mouth to say something but found herself unable to voice any words.
"Sister, don't say anything. Just stay here for now; the princess will take care of you. Once everything is settled, you can return to our mother," said Chen Qingyang. This elder sister was kind-hearted but perhaps too kind for her own good. Chen Qingyang was much more capable; she had vanished without a word. Although there was some concern for her whereabouts, it was better than falling into Huang's hands.
" Luan'er, I..." Chen Qingyuan knew this was all Luan'er's idea; otherwise, how could she have won the princess's favor?
"Alright, don't say anything. Just stay here peacefully; I won't bully you, so don't worry," Yun Nishang said with a smile to lighten the touching atmosphere before signaling for Nanny to take care of Chen Qingyuan properly.
" Nishang, I will remember this kindness!" Chen Qingyuan felt grateful towards Yun Nishang; if she hadn't agreed, she would have truly been at a loss.
"Why are you being so polite with me?" Yun Nishang replied with slight annoyance.
"Well, I’ll remember this. If you ever need my help in the future, I will do my utmost without hesitation!" Qing Luan never expected that not long after, she would indeed clear everything out for Yun Nishang without a second thought...
Yun Nishang recognized her sincerity and nodded. The bond they shared was something only they understood. Such genuine feelings were rare for her, which made her cherish them even more.
Her identity had already forced her to reject sincere feelings, so she was particularly grateful to know Zhu Qingluan.
After leaving the Princess Mansion, Qing Luan returned to the Jade Pavilion and instructed Sister Yun to implement what she had discussed today. She then ordered the spirits to contact the Merchant Alliance to find out if there was any news from Chimera—she was feeling a bit impatient.
On one side, Qing Luan wanted to know about the fishing village, while on the other side, Xuanyuan Rui brought her explosive news.
Xuanyuan Rui's expression was cold and piercing, leaving Qing Luan filled with confusion—hadn't his parents already died? Why did he look as if he had a deep-seated grudge against someone, making her shiver?
She thought to herself, hadn't she done anything to provoke him!?
This guy occasionally brought a chill with him, leaving her speechless.
"Xuanyuan Rui, put away your killing intent, or don't blame me for throwing you out," she said. Her mood was quite good at the moment; she had just given Chen Yan'er a piece of her mind and arranged matters for Chen Qingyuan. With less burden on her heart, she felt naturally uplifted. However, his presence dampened her spirits a bit.
" Luan'er, something happened in the fishing village!" Xuanyuan Rui said heavily.
"What?" Qing Luan had initially been joking with him, but upon hearing this, she became alarmed and asked, "How do you know?" She hadn’t received any news; how could he be faster than her?
"The court... During this morning's court session, Prime Minister Huang said he received a report from General Bu that a group of pirates had been wiped out—over a hundred people—with no casualties among the common folk!" His tone was filled with gravity.
"Are you worried that those over a hundred pirates were ordinary citizens?" Qing Luan understood his concerns and proactively brought it up.
"Yes," he was worried, which made his mood heavy; he feared history would repeat itself.
Qing Luan felt a knot in her heart, anxious and uneasy. Afraid that his speculation might come true, her black eyes darkened as she said fiercely, "Regardless of whether this matter is true or false, that General Bu cannot be left alive." If she wasn't mistaken, both the destruction of the village and Xuanyuan General's death involved him; otherwise, Prime Minister Huang wouldn't trust him so much.
Only by having each other’s secrets could they solidify their mutually beneficial relationship.
"If they are truly innocent civilians, I want him to die without a grave," Xuanyuan Rui's killing intent surged like his current mood—cold and sharp, instilling unease in those around him.
"I feel the same!" She needed to clarify this matter quickly, fearing that her stronghold would be the one in trouble. If anything happened there, it would be a tremendous loss for the Merchant Alliance.
The waiting was the most agonizing part. Xuanyuan Rui was restless, and Qing Luan was no better... A day felt like a year, like a century. Finally, in the dead of night on the second day, they received news.
"It's not what we feared," Qing Luan sighed in relief upon seeing the message delivered by carrier pigeon. The tension that had gripped her for two nights and a day finally eased, leaving her feeling weak. Without Qin'er supporting her, she might have fainted.
Xuanyuan Rui immediately snatched the paper from her hands and read it carefully. A glint of sharpness flashed in his black eyes as he displayed the decisiveness and shrewdness typical of the battlefield. "This time, that guy is as good as dead!"
"Yes, he's definitely dead—dead beyond recovery," Qing Luan sat down with Qin'er's help, a beautiful smile gracing her lips that captivated everyone around her.
It turned out that General Bu had indeed sent people to attack the fishing village, specifically Uncle Ma's place, disguising it as a pirate raid to reenact history and earn a hefty reward from the court. The plan had initially gone smoothly until it was disrupted by the foresight of Qing Luan. She had dispatched Chimera to intercept them, resulting not only in thwarting their attack but also in capturing some of them and locking them up, leaving General Bu in a state of panic.
Those captured were soldiers—his men—and their disappearance demanded an explanation.
"Trust me, it won't be long before he tells the emperor that those soldiers died fighting pirates," Xuanyuan Rui said with a sardonic smile on his lips, his gaze cold and bloodthirsty.
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