“Mother!” Di Fenglan whined, stamping her foot.
Counting on the power of being Zhaoyi Di’s favorite niece, Di Fenglan had always been arrogant. She’d certainly never been taunted by a little girl.
“Let’s go!” Countess Yong looked at Qin Wanru’s small figure and frowned. She’d come off a little too aggressive just now, which let the little girl take the upper hand.
At the thought of Madam Di’s request, she sighed inwardly. What had happened just now showed her family’s hostility towards Shui Ruolan and Qin Wanru in front of everyone.
The little girl was crafty. It was no wonder that Madam Di had always been in a disadvantageous position.
Countess Yong had always been shrewd. Although Qin Wanru had embarrassed her, she calmed down after resting for a while. After walking a few steps with the crowd, she even chatted with some Mesdames beside her and told some jokes. At the moment, she was talking and laughing with no hint of anger at Qin Wanru.
Di Fenglan fiddled with her handkerchief and walked behind Qin Yuru with a scowl. Nevertheless, she knew this was not the place for irresponsible remarks. Even if Zhaoyi Di was favored, it was Great Elder Princess Rui’an’s Mansion. This was not a place where she could do whatever she wanted to. But she was unbearably indignant.
She turned around and was about to talk to Qin Yuru. Suddenly, a little eunuch rushed out.
“Get out of the way! Get out of the way!” he shouted.
The attendees split down the middle. Di Fenglan was quick to respond, turning and hurrying away.
However, perhaps because of his miscalculation or other reasons, the little eunuch bumped into her hand, staggered and subconsciously grabbed the arm of Qin Yuru who was beside her. Both girls fell to the ground.
“Sorry, sorry!” Seeing them on the ground, the little eunuch gave the hurried apology and kept running.
Countess Yong was wanted to ask someone to get the little eunuch back, but an old maid beside her pulled her sleeves and stopped her.
A little eunuch was no one important, but the master who sent him was most likely someone from the palace.
It was normal that for guests from the palace to come to the banquet of Great Elder Princess Rui’an. Every time, some of the several young nobles came over. Sometimes even all of them showed up.
Duke Yong’s Mansion couldn’t afford to blame any one of them.
The girl servants and old maids hurried to help them up. Di Fenglan was fine, because she fell on Qin Yuru. Qin Yuru was dragged to the ground, caught beneath Di Fenglan, injuring her wrist. She turned it over and found two bloodstains on her sleeve.
She couldn’t help but groan in pain, and her tears fell down.
“Yuru, how are you? Are you alright?” Countess Yong asked with concern.
She stepped forward, reaching out to hold Qin Yuru’s hand. She carefully cleaned the gravel off her white and delicate hand with a handkerchief.
“Aunt, it hurts!” Qin Yuru cried.
Besides the two wounds on her wrist, she her palm also stung. Her hand had been seriously burned before. Although upon arrival in the capital, she had used the ointment granted by the palace, her hand was still recovering. The scar was not obvious now but could still be if one looked closely.
The new skin was especially tender, so the pain in her palm was sharp.
“Yuru, maybe you can return to Duke Yong’s Mansion and see the doctor. The doctor in our mansion is excellent!” Countess Yong said with concern.
“Okay!” Qin Yuru was reluctant, looking at her dirty and torn sleeves, she had to nod with tears.
She lowered her head and wiped the tears, while bearing a grudge against Di Fenglan. She finally managed to enter Great Elder Princess Rui’an’ Mansion, but her plan was repeatedly embaressed by Di Fenglan before she got to meet other noble Mesdames.
However, Qin Yuru did not dare to say that in front of Countess Yong and could only wipe the tears with a frustration. She looked very pitiful.
“Mother, maybe I…” Di Yan said with distress.
Before he could finish talking, Countess Yong gave him a hard look. Knowing that he’d annoyed his mother again, he quickly bowed his head. Marriage between him and Qin Yuru had not been settled because Countess Yong was not very satisfied with Qin Yuru. She wanted to choose a better daughter-in-law.
He sincerely wanted to marry Qin Yuru. Nevertheless, he was clever enough to know that he would inevitably cause draw his mother’s scorn if he insisted on protecting Qin Yuru right now. He could only helplessly stand aside and steal glances at Qin Yuru.
Countess Yong sent an old maid and a girl servant to escort Qin Yuru back to their mansion.
By the time she got on the carriage, the pain in Qin Yuru’s hand had lessened. She gloomily told the coachman to go directly to the Qin’s Mansion instead of going to Duke Yong’s Mansion.
She had something to discuss with Madam Di. Qin Yuru had seen the way her aunt glared at her cousin. She ask her mother to urge her grandma to settle the marriage between her and her cousin as soon as possible.
“Master, I just bumped into two people at once! I knocked over the young madam of Duke Yong’s Mansion and the hypocritical sister of Second Miss,” Xiao Xuanzi said cheerfully, acting out the story with energetic gestures so his master would be able to picture is clearly.
“Not bad!” the bored voice was a little indolent.
Chu Liuchen lounged on an over-sized wheelchair. Hair highly braided into a long plait, he wore a purple and gold crown, a purple gown, and a jet black jadeite belt, which made him look handsome and gentle. He fluttered his long eyelashes and raised his thin and pale lips, smiling faintly.
Although it was a small smile, Xiao Xuanzi knew his master was happy.
“Master, you didn’t see it. The Young Lady of Qin’s Mansion cried as she was helped up and looked particularly pathetic. The son of the Di family wanted to protect her, but was forced to stand by helplessly.”
Xiao Xuanzi hadn’t left after he’d bumped into the girls. Instead, he hid behind a big tree and watched. He came back now to amuse his master.
But they hadn’t considered if they had the status to bully Second Miss Qin.
“Third brother, what’s making you laugh so happily?!” Chu Liuxin walked in, his face smudged with dirt. He looked like a dog coming out from a foxhole rather than a prince attending a banquet.
Honestly, he was a little scared of the sickly and beautiful Chu Liuchen. He used to not dare approach him, but seeing his third brother smile with delight in a distance, he thought that his third brother must have gotten good news. Hoping it had put him in a good mood, he steeled himself to come over and greet his third brother.
Chu Liuchen closed his eyes, feebly leaning himself on the bar of his wheelchair and waving a hand. His handsome face drained of color like a fading flower.
Xiao Xuanzi smiled at Chu Liuxin with regret.
“Your Highness, our master feels uncomfortable and can’t play with you. Please accept my apologies!”
“Is third brother alright?” Chu Liuxin unconsciously lowered his voice.
Xiao Xuanzi nodded his head gently, indicating that his master was alright, and then pushed Chu Liuchen away.
Watching Chu Liuchen leave, Chu Liuxin crouched down unhappily, face darkening as he idly plucked a weed.
“Young Master, let’s go and change your clothes quickly. If Great Elder Princess Rui’an finds out that you secretly crept into a hole, she will definitely go to the palace to complain about you.” Knowing that he was in a bad mood, Xiao Liuzi, the little eunuch following him, also crouched down to advise him.
“Why does third brother keep ignoring me? We used to be so close, but he just ignores me now!”
It had been different when they were children. Prince Xin was young, and he wanted to be close again, but Chu Liuchen was so cold towards him. The loss was painful.
“Young Master, Prince Chen has always been a little aloof. Besides, his poor health doesn’t allow him to play with you. Perhaps because he can’t play with you, he doesn’t feel like seeing you play happily!”
Xiao Liuzi words calmed his master.
It was an important reminded to Chu Liuxin. He brushed the dust off his clothes and stood up. He had allowed himself to look unrestrained and immature as he watched Chu Liuchen leave, but he was not completely ignorant of how things were.
How could he remain innocent, growing up in the palace? There were many children who died in there before they were even old enough to be ranked by their age.
“Come, let’s see if Big Brother and Second Brother have come!” said Chu Liuxin. He turned to walk out. He was the first to arrive, so after walking around and finding nothing to do, he crawled through a hole in the backyard.
Xiao Liuzi was so anxious that he panicked. As a young noble, he crawled through the dirt. If that was found out by the palace, Xiao Liuzi would definitely be severely punished. However, this boy had never cared about that.
It was true that the young master was calm while the eunuch was anxious!
Now, hearing that his master intend to stop getting into trouble and act go see the sights with his brothers like a proper young gentleman, Xiao Liuzi breathed a sigh of relief..
“Young Master, please come with me. I’ve seen the eunuch of Prince Yue.”
“Let’s go to see Big Brother! Come!” Chu Liuxin became cheerful again. He turned around happily and went outside with Xiao Liuzi. It wasn’t that he was particularly close with Chu Liuyue. He just preferred him to the bossy and headstrong second prince, Chu Liuzhou.
The second prince, Prince Zhou, was Chu Liuxin’s least favorite person.
Relying on his mother, the empress, backing him, and considering that he would inherit the throne someday, Prince Zhou often gave his brothers a cold shoulder. It could be said that except for Chu Liuchen, no one could hold Prince Zhou back.
As the emperor’s youngest living son who, Chu Liuxin knew his temperament. He just needed to pretend to be close to his second brother Prince Zhou.
He happy to go find Chu Liuyue, but did not know that there was a problem in this mansion, and it was related to him…