Chapter 42 Attracting the Fish to Swallow the Bait
It reminded Dou Qing’e of the last fire. She did cause a big disgrace of Concubine Chang and Concubine Liu in front of Qin Zhi, but finally the emergence was resolved by the letter of boss Yuan. She had dispatched people to investigate. Boss Yuan had come back hometown early and he couldn’t send a letter to the mansion. However, there was a seal on that letter. She had no idea how the seal was gained. If Qin Zhi allowed the discussion about this issue, she would figure out the whole thing and tell all to Qin Zhi.
“I’m off if no more things here.” Concubine Chang gave a gentle salute. This time, she decided to help Qin Yunuan publicly, which meant that she chose a totally different way from Dou Qing’e. Concubine Chang just ignored the malicious eyes of Dou Qing’e. Dou Qing’e had a strong family background, but if Concubine Chang kept relying on Dou Qing’e, Baoduan would be an idiot like Qin Yuzhao. If she allied with Qin Yunuan, she could ensure Baoduan to grow up safely and soundly with the help of the wisdom of Qin Yunuan and the power of Su Chenghai.
Seeing the leaving of Concubine Chang and Qin Yunuan successively, Dou Qing’e felt that she was shot in the back by two cold arrows, which made her freeze. She could not vent her anger now because she was at Furong Courtyard where Li Qiqi lived now. She glimpsed at Qin Yunzhuang who just now said a word and then kept silent. She vented her anger on Qin Yunzhuang, “You are useless. Why did you keep silent just now?”
Qin Yunzhuang was stunned. She had her reason. Beauties always loved gentlemen. She was obsessed with the charming and elegance of gentlemen like Zhang Ruting. Compared with those princes and young masters, Zhang Ruting was more catching. She thought her face was almost healed and last time she gave Zhang Ruting a hint wittingly or unwittingly. But he refused her straightly and said if she gave him a hint again, he would never visit Qin Family. Therefore, when Qin Yunzhuang heard that Dou Qing’e invited Zhang Ruting to check and treat Li Qiqi, she felt upset. At the moment Zhang Ruting came in, she felt crazy in her heart and ignored the battle between her mother and Qin Yunuan.
After almost all people quitted the hall, Dou Qing’e saw Qin Yunzhuang was still absent-minded, she frowned, “Do you fall in love with the only son of Zhang Family?”
Her secret was perceived and her face blushed in a minute. She lowered her head and said, “Young master Zhang is an excellent man.”
“Excellent man?” Dou Qing’e said in a disdainful voice, “There are so many excellent men in this world. But do they give the power to you? Do they give fame to you? Do they give you the better life you want? You have been amorous since you were young. I did not care you fell in love with your elder male cousin. But later, you were obsessed with Zhang Ruting, Li Jiaxuan and even the spoiled son born of the legal wife of Shangguan Family. Besides, When Su Chenghai just visited the mansion, you let Fusheng report the news of him first to you. Luckily, I deliberately prevented you from staying alone with Su Chenghai, or you would cause much trouble.”
Qin Yunzhuang was very ashamed of her mom’s words. She just loved those handsome men, so what? She did not do anything unruly. And then she heard again the low voice of Dou Qing’e, “Yun Zhuang, you should know that your luxurious life, such as valuable jewelry, your favorite cubilose, large sedan chair carried by four people and imperial doctor for your treatment of even little disease, all relied on the position of the eldest daughter born of the legal wife of Qin Family, instead of your beauty. Your beauty cannot create a rich life, understand? Your rich and luxurious life should rely on marriage with a promising prince. Mom has told you much, do you understand me?”
If Qin Yunzhuang, this spoiled princess, could not enjoy the cubilose, sedan chair and the fame of the eldest daughter born of the legal wife of the mansion of Grand Commandant, and had a much more menial marriage with much sarcasm than those maidens inferior to her in the Royal City, she would be extremely desperate.
“I understand, mother,” Qin Yunzhuang nodded and held the arm of Dou Qing’e well-behavedly, “I will follow you all the time, mom.”
Finally, the first sincere smile emerged on the face of Dou Qing’e today. She kindly fondled Qin Yunzhuang’s long hair which es as soft as water plants. Dou Qing’e had paid all her attention to his daughter. If Qin Yunzhuang could not marry a royal man to promote her position, all Dou Qing’e had paid for decades would be in vain.
“Fine, let’s go back to Cui Xuan Courtyard. I’ll let Xiu Gu prepare your favorite cubilose roll.” Xiu Gu was very good at cooking. She was the dowry maidservant of Dou Qing’e from Hangzhou and those south snacks were her specialty. Qin Yunzhuang nodded lovably and held the arm of Dou Qing’e more passionately. They left Furong Courtyard.
Looking at the backs of Dou Qing’e and Qin Yunzhuang who had walked away, Qin Yunuan went out from a pyinma tree which was so strong that four arms of two people could hold it all. The two-storied pyinma tree had many tender buds that were shined with green lights under sunshine. At the root of the tree, there were many fallen leaves piled last winter. People did not sweep them out in time but left them as the nourishment for the pyinma tree to have new tender buds.
The colorful butterflies-embroidered shoes trod those fallen leaves, generating some crisp sounds. Qin Yunuan looked at the distance with her profound eyes.
“Third miss, you have done a good step,” the sound was Concubine Chang behind. She could not help but praise, “How come Dou Qing’e predicts that you have already known that today master has dispatched people to safeguard and protect Concubine Li for selecting accessories. You chose the same time as Concubine Li to go out and deliberately decorated the horse carriage exactly like the carriage Concubine Li took. It was unexpected that the curtain you had prepared for the carriage was double layered with two colors– blue and claybank. When you came back, you put down the secret claybank curtain to substitute the blue curtain. But the carriage of Concubine Li which stopped at the First Boite of the Royal City was blue. Therefore, the scouts waiting at the gate were misguided and started to track the carriage of Concubine Li. When Concubine Li was about to come back to the mansion, you had already been at the mansion.”
Concubine Chang praised Qin Yunuan, but she was a little bit confused, “But how come you know that Concubine Li will choose a distant way to the First Boite of the Royal City after she purchases the jewelry?”
“It’s simple,” Qin Yunuan tided her light-yellow skirt’s hemline, “I just disclose some information to her deliberately last night to let her know that the big boss of the First Boite of the Royal City is the cousin Su Chenghai.”
Concubine Chang was confused but understood right now. She felt very surprised and covered her mouth to lower her voice, “Li Qiqi has an affair with young master Su Chenghai….”
“I don’t think so,” Qin Yunuan said seriously, “I can’t figure out the mind of my cousin Su Chenghai. But in the fire that night, I noticed specially Li Qiqi’s eyes towards Su Chenghai. I am sure that at least Li Qiqi fell in love with Su Chenghai. An 18-year-old beauty was in her age of puberty. If she knew that the guy she loved opened a boite, she was likely to show up there and took a chance to visit the boite. What do you think of it?
Concubine Chang pondered and nodded.
“As to Su Shiqi,” Qin Yunuan added, “Money can drive everything. Dou Qing’e paid much and I can pay more money, double or triple than her.” Money should be used in the right place. If she could make a successful deal with that boss Shen, Qin Yunuan would be confident to earn much money.
Qin Yunuan was quite upset and frowned, “Concubine, what you said just now is true?”
Concubine Chang turned sideways and said seriously, “Actually at the first sight I met Li Qiqi, I feel familiar with her. And later, I remember that her eyes, eyebrows and facial expressions are identical to the young Concubine He. I remember when Concubine He was dead that night, Baochuan was born exactly. So, I think that’s why you and your little brother gained little love from your father. The other days, my maidservant A Shui went out for purchasing, and she just met some old servants who had ever worked in our mansion for a long time. They said that at that time, madam invited a barefoot nanny and the nanny said Baochuan was a bad sign for Concubine He’s death. Besides, Concubine He was dead strangely. She scratched her bloody face, which was so horrible.”
“That nanny was invited by Dou Qing’e and she followed Dou Qing’e radically.” It was the first time that Qin Yunuan called the full name of the legal wife of the family. Due to her malicious tricks, she and Baochuan had suffered a lot of ignorance by the family for many years. Qin Yunuan was not able to pretend to be pious to Dou Qing’e.
“Yes,” Concubine sighed, “Now you see how master cares about Li Qiqi. That’s because she was identical to Concubine He. It’s clear that master has not forgotten Concubine He. The more love master gives to Li Qiqi, the more difficulties Baochuan will have.”
The two people were talking as they were walking. Now they were at a crossing stone road. Those maidservants followed them far away and could not hear their talk.
“Today I hear that the carriage of Grand Young Master has arrived at the suburbs of the Royal City. Tomorrow he will arrive at the mansion. He is always on the side of Dou Qing’e. You must be more careful.” Concubine Chang said as she held the cold little hands of Qin Yunuan.
“Concubine, you too. Now you help me publicly which means that you tell Dou Qing’e that we are on the same side. She hates me very much so she will hate you very much too and treat you more seriously. ” Qin Yunuan patted the back of the hands of Concubine Chang. They looked at each other and went back to their courtyards respectively.
The next day, Qin Yunuan got up early and went to greet Dou Qing’e. She wore a pure long dress and a hairpin with a pink silk flower. At the moment Xiu Gu was about to raise the door curtain to let her in, suddenly a cold and calm male voice came with the sounds of flower vine, “Mother, I am Linfeng. I am late.”
Qin Yunuan turned back and saw a twenty tall and handsome young man turning back from the flower-decorated winding corridor at the other end. The bright man with an upright face wore a light dress whose eyes and eyebrows resembled Qin Zhi, dark and profound. His thin lip line was like Dou Qing’e. Qin Yunuan felt that his smile covered his inner tricks when his mouth up.