Chapter 77 Seek for Revenge
“The daughter of the Dou Family, her name is Qing’e.” These words were clear and firmly thrown into Qin Yunuan’s ears. She believed that Qin Zhi, who was sitting in front of her, must have heard it more clearly. No wonder Qin Yunzhuang seemed so confident today, and Qin Linfeng picked up his arrogance before he was under house arrest. Everything was just because of the return of their mainstay, their mother. Dou Qing’e, who had been in charge of the Qin Family for many years, was coming back.
Also, she came back in the light of the old princess of Prince Ning’s Mansion. Qin Yunuan didn’t even know that the old princess had another old friend related to the Dou Family.
Seeing Princess Ning hesitated for a moment, the old princess seemed a little upset, “What? Don’t you agree? Alas, I just want someone to talk to.”
“Of course, I agree,” Princess Ning smiled apologetically in haste. Her eyes shifted to Qin Zhi, who was stunned, “But this Dou was Grand Commandant Qin’s married wife. Mother, wouldn’t it be inconvenient if you force her to stay in Prince Ning’s Mansion?”
“Yeah,” Prince Ning also helped Princess Ning humbly and modestly, “Although you are in a good mood meeting the daughter of your old friend, and I shouldn’t talk much as a son. But we should always consider Grand Commandant Qin’s earnest longing after not seeing his wife for a long time. Mother….”
“That’s easy,” the old princess cut into the conversation before Prince Ning could finish. “Let her go back to the mansion of Grand Commandant. I’ll ask her when I want someone to chat with. She would be visiting as a guest. That would be it.”
The pure Princess Ning let out a sigh of relief in the end. She thought that the old princess was devoted to playing and tried to force Qin’s wife to be her companion. She smiled and said, “It would be best if you thought it in this way. I will also find time to accompany you from now on.”
Prince Ning followed, “I will also spend more time with you.”
Leng Changan, Leng Changxuan, Ruan Ruyi, and all the concubines of Prince Ning followed up. It was a scene of family harmony.
But Qin Yunuan knew it well in her heart. Letting Dou Qing’e return to the Qin Family was the real purpose of the old princess. The old princess had fought with the old lord for political power and won military medals. Her vision and strategy were extraordinary. As the saying went, the older the wiser. The old princess’s trick was unexpected.
“Master Qin,” the old princess said gracefully to Qin Zhi, “Excuse me for taking back your Madam hastily this time.” The old princess reminded Qin Zhi indirectly that Dou Qing’e was under her protection. Whether now or in the future, Dou Qing’e always had a place to stand in the Qin Family as long as she lived.
“It would be okay,” Qin Zhi appeared to be elegant and even had a look of joy on his face, “I have been thinking about bringing my wife back to the family to reunite, but I don’t know if she is in good health. Thanks to your care this time.”
During their talk, Dou Qing’e appeared on the other side and was led by the servant girl into the center of the banquet. Having left the mansion of Grand Commandant for a few months, Dou Qing’e looked a lot thinner, which added to her charisma of quietness and peace. Her demure and gentle look was very lovable.
Dou Qing’e was in plain clothes. Firstly, she thanked the old princess for taking care of her at Guo’an Temple, and then she greeted Qin Zhi. Glancing at Qin Linfeng and Qin Yunzhuang, she walked straight in front of Qin Yunuan’s seat. Her red lips opened gently, and the words flew out like breezes in the mountains.
“Third Miss, we haven’t met for a long time.”
Qin Yunuan lifted her eyes slightly and watched Dou Qing’e chuckling inwardly. Suddenly she smiled gently, “Yes. From the time that you got seriously ill and went to the temple to recuperate, it has been much less lively in the house.” Much fewer troubles, to be exact.
“Please feel assured,” Dou Qing’e leaned down gently and whispered in Qin Yunuan’s ear, “In the future, the Qin Family will be more lively than it was in the past.”
Just after their talk, Qin Yunzhuang, who hadn’t been able to talk about how she missed her mother during her absence, revealed the anxiety of a young daughter and called her mother over. The two were just about to talk when a male voice rang loudly and interrupted the slightly bizarre picture.
“Madam Qin, this is my mother’s birthday banquet, not a boudoir for mothers and daughters like you two. If you have anything, please leave it later.” Leng Changxi looked at Dou Qing’e sideways. There was irresistible majesty in his cold eyes. He never cared about these affairs in the inner houses, but because of Qin Yunuan, he knew a little about the Qin Family.
Dou Qing’e, Qin Yunzhuang, and Qin Linfeng were a family of villains he didn’t like. Look, it turned out that his Yunuan also didn’t like them. He matched her well.
After a small episode, the banquet continued, followed by a few pieces of music prepared by some girls of noble birth. The distant sound of guzheng was accompanied by a light, harmonious flute. The beautiful music seemed to flow in everyone’s heart. The atmosphere was comfortable and cozy.
Qin Yunuan also learned the stories between the old princess of Prince Ning’s Mansion and the Dou Family from Fang Ziying.
“It’s just a promise,” Fang Ziying said in this way, “The old lord was lost when he followed the Emperor to pacify the southern rebellion and was later rescued by the team of the Dou Family. After Dou Shaochun realized that he was a royal member following the army, he didn’t only personally escort the old lord back to the camp but also sent ten thousand silver tael as military payment. Both the old lord and the Emperor were very moved. The Emperor gave the Dou Family a loyal plaque, which was the reason why the Dou Family took off. The old lord promised that Prince Ning’s Mansion in Royal City would make every effort to assist if future generations of the Dou Family were in need.”
Dou Shaochun was Dou Qing’e’s biological father.
Qin Yunuan savored the meaning carefully and nodded, “So the old friend that the old princess mentioned about was the old master of the Dou Family, who had helped the old lord. The two families were not entangled in other ways.”
“Probably,” Fang Ziying nodded, “It was a troubled time. Saving lives was indeed not an easy move. Also, the older generation valued commitment the most. It was most likely that the old princess helped Madam Qin was just because she would like to return a favor for the old lord.”
Huh, Qin Yunuan settled down in her heart. It seemed that the alliance between the old princess and Dou Qing’e was not as reliable as she had imagined. The promise was only half the reason why the old princess was willing to help Dou Qing’e. She must have made up some reasons why she was sent to the temple. After all, she could never say that she was punished for doing something wrong.
Looking at Dou Qing’e chatting cheerfully in the distance with rosy cheeks, she might not yet know that the daughter of a concubine, who she tried her best to destruct, had now found a way to break through the line of defense.
Halfway through the banquet, the dishes were fully prepared. The table was filled with delicious food and wine. But someone seemed to be absent and eating without relish.
Leng Suxin happened to be seated opposite of Qin Yunuan. In Fang Ziying’s words, she was the only lady in Leng Family whose temper was carved out of the same mold as Leng Changxi. Leng Suxin’s expression was sullen. It was as if she had hated such a party very much. She didn’t even move the cup or her plate of dim sum in front of her. When the dancing girls exited, she suddenly stood up and took advantage of the crowd to get out of the banquet.
It was probably the sense of closeness she had to people with cold temper, Qin Yunuan’s eyes also followed her involuntarily. When Leng Suxin left in a hurry, she accidentally bumped into a servant girl with dishes. The handkerchief in her hand fell on the ground not far from Qin Yunuan. It was a white handkerchief embroidered with a pair of butterflies.
Fang Ziying was a little drunk and had been helped by her maid to take a rest in the little lakeside pavilion. No one was there to talk with, and the atmosphere at the banquet was becoming overwhelming. Qin Yunuan also stood and picked up the handkerchief. She followed Leng Suxin’s steps to the back of the yard.
There was no one along the way. Most of the housekeepers and servant girls were busy ahead. Having walked a hundred meters away, Qin Yunuan finally felt that the suppressed atmosphere at the banquet was gone. Breezes came to her face in the early summer nights. The coolness of the water vapor patted on her cheeks. It was moist and made her very comfortable.
Strangely, she didn’t see Leng Suxin’s figure in the yard, though she was just a few steps ahead of Qin Yunuan.
Suddenly, a strange wind blew past. The smell of rust seemed to be mingled in the air.
This was the smell of blood! By the time Qin Yunuan realized, a cold blade had been placed on her neck. The chilling sensation of terror dipped into her bone, suffocating Qin Yunuan.
“Who?” Qin Yunuan maintained to be stiff. She felt the intermittent breathing of the person behind her. The smell of rust came from him. Almost instantly, Qin Yunuan knew that this person was injured.
Sometimes, a wounded wolf could be more terrible than a ferocious tiger.
“This is Prince Ning’s Mansion, you know who I am?” Qin Yunuan decided to be the fish in troubled waters. If she said nothing, perhaps this person would mistake her as people of the Prince Ning’s Mansion. It was a much more useful identity than Third Miss Qin, who was the daughter of a concubine of the Qin Family.
But the person behind didn’t seem to fall for her tricks at all. He laughed insidiously, and his voice was like a hoarse duck making the final struggle, “I know who you are, Third Miss Qin Yunuan. I’m waiting for you especially. I wouldn’t have spent so much time thinking if it weren’t for you.”
“Who the hell are you?” Qin Yunuan frowned and began to calculate the possibility of survival. The coldness of the blade at the neck seemed to have paralyzed her thinking ability, but Qin Yunuan always believed in one thing. She was going to survive! For Baochuan, she must survive!
“Who am I?” the man behind smiled dumbly but did not answer. He seemed to get some vague information from the shaking of the surrounding trees. He reached out to Qin Yunuan’s acupuncture point and froze her. Carrying her body on his shoulders, he was light like a flying swallow, jumping directly on the ridge of the house. Then he hurried towards a forest east of Prince Ning’s Mansion.