Chapter 106

Chapter 106 What’s Lord Yun’s Intention?

“Cousin, did you notice anything wrong?” After Yue Wenhan left the side yard with Qu Moying, he immediately asked, feeling suspicious.

It was not only about Qu Moying’s attitude but also everyone from the Ji Family’s reaction.

He once visited the Earl Ling’an’s Mansion before. At that time, the Second Master of the Ji Family received him, saying that Earl Ling’an was severely sick and couldn’t get off the bed to meet guests. He didn’t find anything weird by then.

At this moment, Yue Wenhan still had no idea that Ji Yongming, Earl Ling’an, had lost his life long ago.

“I don’t know. I just have this weird feeling. Even if Cousin Yanyue really died of sickness, they at least had to announce it. If they didn’t want to affect the Crown Prince’s wedding, they could just keep a low profile about it. But instead, they chose to hide a person’s death from everyone like this. Moreover, it is a noble lady’s death. What if it was a maid? Does that mean they can do anything they want to her without anyone knowing? ”

Qu Moying twisted her brows into a frown.

Yue Wenhan nodded and put on a long face. He suddenly stopped at the corner of the porch. “Cousin, you’d better not go tomorrow. I will go check what’s going on there.”

Yue Wenhan knew what kind of person Qu Zhizhen was. If he cared about his daughter Qu Moying even a little more, Qu Moying wouldn’t end up in her current position. He didn’t think Qu Zhizhen would agree to visit the Earl Ling’an’s Mansion with Qu Moying.

“It’s okay. I really want to go take a look there. I just feel…something bad has happened.” Qu Moying lowered her head and sighed faintly.

“I doubt Vice Minister Qu’s ankle will recover tomorrow. I don’t think he can leave the mansion yet,” Yue Wenhan used a different way to convince Qu Moying politely.

His words made Qu Moying fall into silence for a while. Then she curtsied respectfully to Yue Wenhan, “Thank you, Cousin.”

Then she straightened up, stared at Yue Wenhan with a stern look, and added, “Cousin, if you notice anything suspicious, don’t urge to tell other people about it. We don’t have a clear grasp of the situation, so please act discreetly.”

Yue Wenhan was indeed in a perfect position to help her carry out her plan since he was related to both Qu Moying and Ji Hanyue. Fearing that he would act impulsively, Qu Moying had to keep reminding him.

Her meaningful words confused Yue Wenhan, but he still nodded at her. “Don’t worry. I won’t do anything reckless.”

“Alright, Cousin. If you have any news, please tell me at once. No matter what, I will pay a visit to the Earl Ling’an’s Mansion,” Qu Moying said firmly.

Feeling her persistence, Yue Wenhan didn’t try to stop her anymore. After a few words, he left first, leaving Qu Moying standing quietly on her spot alone!

She would go to the Earl Ling’an’s Mansion no matter what. If she couldn’t go this time, she would create a chance for herself next time.

Qu Moying noticed the abrupt change in Xiao’s expression when she said she would go visit them with Qu Zhizhen tomorrow. But knowing Xiao’s and Ji Youran’s personalities, they would try every means to stop her.

They would definitely come up with a way to deal with Qu Moying. As the Fourth Lady of the Qu Family, she was initially barely related to the Ji Family. But if they wanted to get rid of her, they must build a closer connection with her first.

Which was precisely what she wanted!

Ji Youran would be busy handling things in the Eastern Palace and the Earl Ling’an’s Mansion simultaneously. She wondered if Ji Youran was really capable of hiding each of her dirty secrets well…

“I heard you went to meet the Ji Family?” a tender voice came from behind. Qu Moying pulled herself out of her thoughts and turned around. Pei Yuanjun was strolling in her direction, followed by his chief eunuch Ji Hai, who hurriedly walked up to bow to her with a beam. Lord Yun looked as handsome and graceful as usual in the bright sunlight.

Qu Moying took a step back and curtsied to him, “Lord Yun, a pleasure to meet you.”

“I heard the Qu Family and the Ji Family cut off their connection a long time ago. Fourth Lady Qu, are you going to rebuild the connection?” Pei Yuanjun sized Qu Moying up with an amused look on his face. He seemed in a good mood with his lips curling up.

He didn’t look as indifferent and cold as usual, but even so, Qu Moying still couldn’t forget the true colors behind his charming smile. No matter what, he was Lord Yun, known for being ruthless and cold-hearted.

“My grandmother told me that the Ji Family and the Qu Family stopped contacting each other after my mother passed away,” Qu Moying lowered her head and explained honestly.

Since Pei Yuanjun came to ask her, he must’ve heard the conversation between her and Yue Wenhan. The best way to deal with a person like Lord Yun was always telling him the truth.

Moreover, her interest in the situation coincided with his.

Knowing Pei Luo’an’s personality, he would never tolerate Pei Luo’an’s existence if he ascended the throne. Qu Moying believed that Pei Luo’an was very aware of it.

In the beginning, she once considered working with Lord Jing, Pei Yusheng, for the same reason.

“Now that the Crown Princess died, you want to restore the connection with the Ji Family?” Pei Yuanjun raised his brow and asked. The look on his face was not the one when a man talked to a woman, but more like interrogating.

It was very judgmental.

Qu Moying knew she acted too far away from her image in the rumors. She was almost like a different person. She took a deep breath to calm herself down. Her rebirth was the biggest bargaining chip she had, and no one would ever consider its possibility. If it didn’t happen to her, she would never believe this kind of thing.

So, there was no way Pei Yuanjun could make the right guess.

Her action was strange, but it was still explainable.

She cast a glance at Pei Yuanjun and then looked around. Even though they wouldn’t get watched everywhere in the Eastern Palace, it was not a good place to have a talk.

“Don’t worry. Just say it. Nobody can hear us,” said Pei Yuanjun carelessly.

Qu Moying took a deep breath and then lowered her head. She talked very lowly in a faint and low voice, “I had…a dream one night… I saw my cousin, and she…she said someone killed her.”

She didn’t say which night, just one night.

“The Crown Princess appeared in your dream?” Pei Yuanjun looked at Qu Moying with a faint smile on his face. Her figure was more petite than ladies at her age. With her head lowered, she looked even more like a young girl who hadn’t grown up yet. Suddenly, Pei Yuanjun reached out, gently patted her head, and chuckled.

“It’s true.” Qu Moying felt speechless, stepping back a little more to avoid his hand. Then she gracefully curtsied to him. “My lord, I still have things to do. Please allow me to leave first!”

He didn’t stop her this time, waving his hand and letting her leave.

Then he turned around and walked towards the outside. He had just said goodbye to Pei Luo’an before, and now he was heading to the royal palace.

After he left, a guard rushed into the altar room and secretly reported to Pei Luo’an about what he saw from a distance.

Pei Luo’an stood up immediately and took the guard to the side room.

Ji Youran noticed them and wanted to follow him but got stopped by another guard. She had to return in embarrassment and then saw the sarcastic smile on Ming Xian’er’s face, who was kneeling on the ground and burning paper money. She flew into a rage immediately, but she knew she couldn’t cause any trouble again.

She had no other choice but to hold her temper.

Surprisingly, a maid from the Earl Ling’an’s Mansion rushed inside. Seeing Ji Youran, the maid walked up to curtsy and whispered something in her ear. The expression on Ji Youran’s face suddenly changed. She cast a glance at Ming Xian’er, who was staying still on the ground, and then left with the maid.

Ming Xian’er knelt on the ground, watching Ji Youran leaving as all kinds of thoughts came across her mind. But then she lowered her head again. At this moment, she had to act more thoughtfully and sweetly than Ji Youran to earn the Crown Prince’s pity. This was her only way out of trouble. She risked her life to break into the funeral and earn herself temporary safety, but her dilemma was not over yet.

Right now, she could stay with the Crown Princess’s coffin and mourn for her to make up for her misbehavior of breaking into the funeral. But what about things in the future? Ji Youran would probably grab every chance to remind the Crown Prince of her fault. Even though she was an official concubine, it would still be easy for the Crown Prince’s second wife to take her life.

Ji Youran must hate her a lot. But with Ming Xian’er background, she couldn’t possibly climb up to the same position as Ji Youran. Right now, the only person who could help her was Fourth Lady Qu…

“Uncle talked to Fourth Lady Qu for a while? And he even smiled at her?” Pei Luo’an asked, frowning.

“Yes, they indeed had a talk. But I didn’t dare to walk any closer, so I couldn’t hear them,” the guard reported.

Pei Luo’an paced back and forth, having a headache. The person he minded the most was his uncle Pei Yuanjun. If it weren’t for him, Pei Luo’an would’ve started a rebellion long ago to force his father to pass him the throne.

No matter how he looked at it, Qu Moying and Pei Yuanjun looked like people from two totally different worlds. What could they talk about?

“Did they meet purposefully or just run into each other?” Pei Luo’an had an explicable feeling of annoyance.

“They should just run into each other. Fourth Lady Qu was talking to Mr. Yue before. After Mr. Yue left, Lord Yun went up to talk to her for a little while,” The guard took a second to think and then said. He had been following Lord Yun all the way. First, he saw Lord Yun stand somewhere for some time as if he was enjoying the view or something interesting. Then Lord Yun encountered Fourth Lady Qu on the way.

Of course, he wouldn’t consider the possibility that Lord Yun was waiting for Yue Wenhan to leave.

Lord Yun always let other people wait for him, never waiting for someone else. Even the Crown Prince didn’t dare to put on airs in front of Lord Yun, let alone a vice minister’s daughter.

Pei Luo’an nodded at him, so his guess was correct. They just ran into each other. Fourth Lady Qu didn’t get scared talking to his uncle since she was blind and couldn’t see him. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have the courage to talk to him and even say something funny to make him smile. It was just her ignorance that made her fearless.

Maybe she didn’t even know who she had met.

“Your Royal Highness, I think I saw Lord Yun patting Fourth Lady Qu’s head,” the guard added.

“Uncle patted Fourth Lady Qu’s head?” stunned by his words, Pei Luo’an repeated them blankly.

“Yes, I’m pretty sure that Lord Yun touched Fourth Lady Qu’s hair. Then she got startled and left immediately,” the guard said firmly but also found it understandable. Every noble lady would panic if a strange man touched their head.

“What does Uncle mean by this? Don’t tell me he’s interested in that blind girl!” The Crown Prince mumbled to himself. How was that…even possible?