LOGINIt has been two months since the small gathering in Ying Yue, the same guests would meet every now and then at the same day to discuss the matters of Great Yan. They would meet in incognito sometimes wearing Ying Yue employee's attire and sometimes a big family celebrating something.
Since the day Guanting was reprimanded by Patriach Long their relationship turned to lukewarm state and this alarmed Long Jing as the other branches have been aiming for his father's position. Long Jing thought that having a son like Guanting, who is always been on top from business and skills against the other branches, would secure his inheritance as a patriach but he forgot that his father long before announced that the position will be passed to the person who will show the greatest capability. He instructed one of the servants to call Guanting to his study.
"Father you called for me?" Guanting slowly sit in front of his father. Long Jing noticed his son's behavior these past weeks from him being unable to focus at his work to the cold treatment he is giving his wife Qi Fan who is now two months pregnant. Qi Fan have been complaining to her mother in law about Long Guanting not visiting her unless told off by his mother.
"What are you doing to yourself? You've never been like this before!" Seeing that his son isn't planning to give him a reply he continues. "Don't tell me now that you have Qi Fan you will just throw her aside? Your mother has been stressed out by the complaints of your wife! Now you aren't even focusing at work!"
Long Jing release a deep sigh and Guanting fists clenched under his sleeves. The reason why he wasn't focusing at work was because he was busy trying yo dig out the information of Ying Yue's owner but every time he felt he is already near to the answers he has been looking for, all traces would just either vanished or the group he hired would meet another dead end.
Still not getting answers from his son he gestured him to leave.
Patriach Long have known all Guanting's actions these past weeks, he ordered the housekeeper to inform Guanting to be ready two weeks from now for the palace's banquet for Princess Xiang's engagement with Young Master Ji.
"Yingying I want us to perform during my engagement, the four of us!" Since the day of the Ying Yue's banquet aside from the meetings they had the princess would always disturb Xiuying and Qi Lian with her random visits in their residences, Qi Lian's embroidery shop and in Xiuying's office in Ying Yue.
"We can but we don't have that much time to prepare if you want it to be extravagant..." Xiuying started pondering what modern song they can play that isn't inappropriate for the celebration.
"A simple music piece is okay also let's wear the same dresses!" Princess Xiang added.
"No we cannot do that you are the main character in that event we won't steal everyone's attention from you..." Young Miss Hou rejected the princess' idea. The four spoke without formality as they are close enough and treated each other as sisters.
"En that's right Houjie! Hmm but we can wear the same accessory I can prepare something like a shawl of the same fabric with different style to our dresses, will that be okay Xiangjie?" Qi Lian suggested which both two misses nodded in agreement. When they didn't heard Xiuying's reply they all look at the beautiful lady who is currently lost in her thoughts.
"Yingying are you listening?" Young miss Hou pats Xiuying's shoulder startling the former.
"Uhh...what?" Xiuying dumbly said, her expression was so cute that the princess started pinching her cheeks while Qi Lian and Kang Hou laugh at their actions.
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