LOGINThe next day the commoners are busy admiring the wedding procession of Qi clan's second young miss to Long Fu.
Qi Fan is wearing a red wedding dress embroidered with gold threads and phoenix headdress. Witnessing envy in the eyes of the ladies watching the procession her eyes brightens with delight and her smile widens. Qi Lei carry her on his back and helps her to the wedding sedan, he reminded her to always act appropriately since the rules in Long Fu is different with theirs. Qi Fan ignored his brother's reminder for her being married to Long Guanting who is the doted grandson of Left Prime Minister Long is the highest honor she gave to Qi clan and her mother and father in laws likes her.
Qi Lei seeing her sister's ignorance can only sigh inwardly. He loves his sister however her and their parents' action towards his third uncle's family, for him is the dumbest thing they did. They could have schemed without hurting Xiuying but they still did, helping Guanting on the assassination plans which caused their stores to almost closed.
Their cousins Qi Jie and Qi Lian heard what their sixth cousin reminded the bride and in their minds they agree to what Qi Lei said. When they were much younger, all young misses and masters of Qi Fu are close to each other and treated everyone as siblings, they don't know when it changed. But when they were ten years old, Qi Jie and Qi Lian was warned by their father, Qi Bai to always observe their cousins interaction with them and the reasons behind every action and words being told and shown to them. That's why they are both aware how Fan treated Xiuying like they are sisters in front of the latter but helped spread bad rumors behind the scenes.
Qi Lian being youngest miss and adored by Xiuying tried to warned her but Qi Fan's servants always blocked or interrupts her. She was never left alone with Xiuying thus making her unable to tell Xiuying about the real face of their second cousin.
Seeing her bride finally inside the wedding sedan, Guating's heart feel warmth. This is my wife, a wife who is one of four beauties of Great Yan. My beloved Fan'er you are finally my wife.
The servant at his side confirms that everything is set, he immediately signals everyone to start the procession.
In the middle of the crowd, Qi Xiuying is also watching the wedding procession. Xue can only sigh inwardly to her young miss insistance to watch due to her curiousity. Qi Lian notices Xiuying in the crowd and silently separate from her family and approached Xiuying. Xue was startled when Qi Lian tap her shoulder to let her be beside her cousin who is busy watching.
"Hello Yingjie!" Qi Lian speak up as she taps Xiuying shoulder. The latter looks at her face for a while Xue realizing this, whispered Qi Lian's name to Xiuying's left ear before the girl smiled at her widely. "Hello fifth cousin!"
Hearing that Xiuying greeted her back, Qi Lian started to tear up and hug Xiuying. Xiuying jolted in surprise but seeing innocent eyes of this cousin of hers she smile and gently pat the back of the girl.
"I'm sorry Yingjie I tried to warn you before you went to the temple but I was always blocked by their servants." Qi Lian explained in between her sobs.
"Don't cry anymore, see I'm okay now... Do you want to go with me to the tea shop? It is inconvenient for us to talk here." Qi Lian nodded and Xue look at Xiuying before approaching Qi Bai to let him know that his daughter is with them.
Qi Bai have long noticed Xiuying in the crowd and how she interacted with his daughter so when Xue's eyes met his, he nodded knowing Qi Lian's attachment to Xiuying they will talk for a while.
Qi Lian was guided by Xiuying in her tea house. They haven't open it in public and Qi Lian's eyes shine brightly while looking around. When they arrived in the third floor of the establishment Xiuying chuckles as she sees her cousin's puzzled look.
"This is my own tea house so you don't have to worry about someone hearing us." Xiuying explained calmly while Xue went outside to instruct the kitchen to prepare her young miss' favorite lavender tea and few desserts.
"Wow! Yingjie this is your own tea house?! This place is so beautiful and different from the tea houses I've been." Qi Lian was surprise, she looks at her Yingjie who is smiling at her and sits beside her.
Noticing her cousin's stares, she lightly cough but the girl just continues to stare at her like an owl. Qi Lian suddenly felt pain on her forehead she rubs it with her hand gently.
"Aiyo! Yingjie!"
"Stop staring at my face and you don't have to worry I don't blame you. So forget about it and besides we already moved out which is the best outcome of what they did."
"Thank you Yingjie!"
Xue came back from the kitchen with two female servants carrying two trays of tea and desserts. Seeing the unusual desserts in front of her, Qi Lian glance at her cousin who started to eat and closes her eyes as if in bliss.
"Fifth young miss you won't be able to talk with miss while she eats. She is always in her own world when eating desserts." Hearing this Qi Lian nodded and fill the cups with the tea and places one in front of Xiuying afterwards started to eat her share.
Zhao Xianyao titled Jun Wang by the previous emperor due to his credit in military. Every person in the kingdom fear at the same time admire the young general. He accompanied the Old General Xi as a disciple since ten years old despite being a prince the old general treated him like any soldier he trained which Xianyao admired. The young prince trained and fight along with Qi Ming who later became his best friend. Xianyao is very talented both in fighting and making strategies earning the trust and admiration of his fellow soldiers including the stubborn eccentric old general though he doesn't say it. During the selection for the crown prince, Xianyao supported his brother and step down from the competition. The prince said he doesn't want to be inside a golden cage when old general heard this he recommended the prince to replace him in managing the army of the kingdom while having Qi Ming as his vice general.No one would expect that the man who is always seen to bath with h
After two months of being away from the capital Long Guanting came back in Long Fu and is currently in Qi Fan's courtyard. Qi Fan have been six months pregnant and being taken care of the two wet nurses assigned by Patriach Long.Looking at the woman resting in front of him, he can't help but feel disgusted. Discovering all the schemes done by Qi Fan and her parents to Qi Xiuying behind his back, he is helpless at the retribution he is facing. His supposedly wife whom he now love can be engage to another man that is most probably be Jun Wang, as he heard of the frequent visits of the prince to Ying Yue and in Qi Chen's residence. Now he recalls what his grandfather told him when he went to Ying Yue during the first banquet held for the closest aides if the emperor.The road I chose indeed is one without a way out huh... He can't help but mock himself for being a fool. He loved Qi Fan and is sure of it but discovering that all the instances they have met were all fabric
"Young miss Old Hu came..." Xiao Hua said while looking at Xiuying who busily checking the month's revenue of Ying Yue."Bring him in." Xiuying instructed without removing her attention to the account books."Young miss..." the old man from the slum bowed respectfully."Elder Hu you came is there anything urgent?" Xiuying looks up seeing the man's appearance far from he usually looks like when she visits the slums. He was wearing a decent attire of Ying Yue's employees and with a stern bearing, people who don't know him would assume right away that he have the same position as Manager Ba."One of our people in Fang Fei courtyard found this." He gave the sachet decorated with white lilies. Xiuying sniffed the faint fragrance from it, her expression changed drastically. "Did you know who gave it to Fang Fei?""It was given by Qi Chang's second wife named Lin Hei. I think you noticed that there's a faint smell of opium poppies and salvia which results
Qi Lei accompanied Qi Fan in returning to Long Fu, she still can't believe that her father killed Fang Fei and is now in jail she have lost her support. Although their grandfather is still alive he is in critical condition and there's no guarantee that he will wake up soon. If he does by then Qi Bai have already stabilized his position as the heir since her brother is still too young."Qi Lei... I need your help we can't let uncle take control of Qi Fu... I will lose my support to stabilize my position here in Long Fu!" Qi Fan said while biting her nails as they arrived in her courtyard's receiving area. Qi Lei just stared at his sister before taking steps to leave but he heard another scream from her. "Qi Lei! You ungrateful bastard you shouldn't have been born if father didn't need a heir!"Instead of walking towards Long Fu's gate Qi Lei went to Patriach Long's study and sees the housekeeper guarding it. "May I ask if Patriach Long will have few minutes to spare?"
"Master, Fang Fei was killed by Qi Chang this morning but it was concealed that the first madam died due to illness as for Eleven she is safe and ready for your next task while Qi Bao is currently in critical condition.""Is Qi Bao concious at least?" Xianyao smirked as he listened to the report of One."Yes.""I see, advise Qi Bai to make sure he will be the one to inherit everything in Qi Fu. Have Qi Fu's physician declare that Qi Chang became insane due to what happened. Have the city peacekeeper detain Qi Chang. About Eleven tell her to leave Qi Fu, her role as second wife of Qi Chang's done.""Master, should we tell Mistress about this?" One asked since both of them are causing problem in Qi and Long Fu, his master should at least show off his efforts to the Mistress."She doesn't need to know, she'll be mad at me once she knows I laid my hands on her enemies."I see Master is truly knows Mistress, why am I so dumb about what Mistress w
Xiuying is currently walking near the slum with her maidservants and guards with baskets full of food from Ying Yue. It has been a habit of hers to visit the slum to provide food on weekly basis though she only go personally once a month. While Xue'er and Xiao Hua are handing out the food to the people, Xiuying had Ping, one of father's shadow guards go with her and rest in the same residence of the old couple."Thank you for helping me out these past months." Xiuying elegantly bowed to pay respect and thanks the old couple. "You don't need to thank us at all Young Miss as what we did give us benefits to help the children here finally go to school and physician to check their health." The old man stated, few months ago Xiuying went to them to hire them to sabotage the stores of Qi Chang and Long Guanting. Though they just needed to reveal the dirt in Qi Chang's stores they took time to do it so it wouldn't arouse any suspicion. Despite being an asshole it is not surprising th