Chapter 63: A Chance Encounter with Xiao Qi (Part 2)

  Two more chapters for pink powder, four thousand big chapters yeah~

  "Empress Dowager, may I take my leave to visit my younger sister?" Lin Zhao Yan now urgently needs to know how badly Lin Ruo Yan is injured and also wants to understand what exactly happened to Lin Xing Yan.

  The Empress Dowager nodded in agreement and went with Lin Zhao to the Warming Pavilion.

  As soon as he stepped into the house, he heard Lin Ruoyan's crying voice, which sounded both wronged and angry.

  Lu scolded from the side, "This is in the imperial palace, not in the marquis's mansion! The imperial physician has already said that there will be no serious consequences and no scars will be left. What are you crying about? It's already embarrassing enough, do you want the marquis's mansion to become a complete laughing stock?"

  Lu's voice sounded genuinely angry, without a hint of schadenfreude.

  Lin Zhao's words made Lin Xing more certain that Lu was completely unaware of his actions.

  A few people entered the house, and the palace maid standing inside immediately bowed her head, "Your Majesty the Empress Dowager!"

  Lu immediately restrained his anger and walked a few steps towards the Empress Dowager, apologetically saying: "Empress Dowager, I'm really sorry to have caused you so much worry. The Persian cat you raised has already been sent for, please don't be anxious."

  The empress glanced at Lin Ruoyan who was crying on the soft couch, then turned to Lu Shi and said: "The cat is a small matter, what's important now is the injury on your fifth young lady's face, it's not serious, is it?"

  Lu shook her head, "The imperial physician has just been here and said it's only a minor scratch. After going back to rest for a few days and not eating greasy or fishy foods, she will recover quickly."

  He glanced at Tai Hou's face and continued: "The Empress has already sent someone to fetch the Snow Flower Dew, and she herself went to help find the cat."

  She heard from the palace staff that the Empress Dowager was very fond of that Persian cat, which was raised more luxuriously than the young ladies in ordinary families. What she said just now was just a courtesy.

  It suddenly happened that the queen handled it properly and suppressed it in time. Otherwise, the Hou Mansion would have lost face this time, and her aunt would definitely blame her when she returned.

  The queen has never been in Empress Dowager's good books, she said so hoping to help the queen and also repay her kindness.

  The empress dowager murmured a faint "en", and from her expression alone, it was impossible to discern her emotions.

  She walked towards Lin Ruoyan.

  Lin Ruoyan had stopped crying, but tears still rolled down her face.

  The empress dowager stood before her, looking down at her from a high position, and asked: "What's going on, tell me the whole story."

  The empress has an aura of superiority that is born with her. It makes people involuntarily feel weak in the knees and fearful at heart.

  Lin Ruoyan's usual arrogance and boldness were completely useless in front of the Empress Dowager, let alone with what had happened.

  She burst into tears and couldn't say a word.

  Lu's family watched with a mixture of anxiety and schadenfreude, knowing that Lin Ruoyan had lost face this time, even to the point of being rejected by her own grandmother, the Empress Dowager.

  As expected, the Empress's brow furrowed even tighter.

  They say that Lin Wu is the most favored daughter of the Hou Mansion, proficient in poetry, books, etiquette, zither, chess, calligraphy and painting. But look at her now, does she look like a noble lady?!

  Although it's about choosing a girl from the Jian'an Marquis' manor, since the marquis is willing to send her into the palace, there's no need to worry about whether she'll be favored or not. What matters most is that she should be pleasing to His Majesty's eyes.

  Someone who will accompany her every day from now on, she doesn't want her to cry and shout loudly when something happens!

  Such a person will not be able to help her in the future either.

  Just as the Empress Dowager was getting impatient with Lin Ruoyan's crying, Lin Xingyan, who had been standing silently at the side, suddenly stepped forward and said, "In response to Your Majesty's words, I was also present when Fifth Sister encountered the incident earlier, so I am also aware of what happened."

  This is what Lin Ruoyan meant to say.

  The Empress Dowager had no objection. "Speak."

  Lin Xing told everything that had happened from start to finish.

  It turned out that Lin Ruoyan accidentally spilled the soup on Zhao Liu's body, and Zhao Liu thought Lin Ruoyan did it on purpose. The two started arguing, and when they didn't see eye to eye, Zhao Liu also splashed all the soup water onto Lin Ruoyan's body.

  Lin Ruoyan's chest was soaked, and the empress shouted for the palace maid to take her down to handle it. Who knew that the Persian cat raised by the Empress Dowager suddenly pounced over, scratched Lin Ruoyan's face, and ran away itself.

  Lin Xing said slowly, "Because Miss Zhao Liu had some minor conflicts with Fifth Sister earlier, Fifth Sister just said a sentence to her, who would have thought she would retaliate like this."

  The empress gazed at Lin Ruoyan with a thoughtful expression, then turned to face her. "This is the palace, didn't your grandmother teach you to be cautious and prudent before you came here? I won't discuss with you who was right or wrong between you and Zhao's sixth miss for now. As the eldest lady of the Lin family, what is the most important quality you should have? Being so willful and impulsive, you are far from your aunt's description of a talented and virtuous Lin Wu!"

  The empress dowager rarely got angry like this, and besides, Lin Ruoyan was not even her granddaughter. She had no need to educate someone else's child. But since the empress dowager said so, it meant she was extremely disappointed in someone who had originally been full of expectations.

  Lin Xing's lips curled up into a triumphant smile.

  Lin Ruoyan's body trembled and she immediately knelt down on the ground.

  "Empress, Empress Dowager, I am not..."

  "Enough." The empress cut off Lin Ruoyan's words without any mercy, saying coldly: "Ah Bi has always been well-behaved and wouldn't suddenly lose her temper with someone for no reason. It's clear how much she dislikes you."

  Lin Ruoyan's face was deathly pale, her body trembling violently as she cowered on the ground.

  Lu Shi symbolically broke the siege, "Empress Dowager, actually, actually my family's Wu Yaotou is not usually like this, she has always been very well-behaved and sensible."

  No matter how you listen to this, it's just "talking nonsense with your eyes open", which makes the empress dowager even more disgusted.

  The empress dowager furrowed her brow deeply, not even wanting to look at Lin Ruoyan again. She only spoke to Lu Shi: "This child is soaked through and can't go out to see guests wearing this. It's also uncomfortable for her. You take her back to the manor first!"

  It means no chance at all.

  Lu's heart was secretly gloating, but her face showed a melancholy and sorrowful expression, and she responded softly with a "yes".

  The Empress Dowager said: "Let Zhaoyan stay behind, I have something to say to her. When the time comes, someone will send her back to the mansion."

  Lu's eyebrows furrowed slightly as she looked at Lin Zhao Yan with a hint of discontent in her eyes.

  Although she didn't dislike Lin Zhaoyan that much, after all, she was Liu Yuxin's daughter. Entering the palace would still make the third house proud. Can't add trouble for Liu Yuxin!

  Lu was worried about how to refuse when Lin Zhaoyan stepped forward. She said loudly: "In response to the Empress Dowager's words, I'm afraid this humble girl cannot stay in the palace to accompany you."

  "Oh?" The empress dowager didn't get angry either, but instead looked at her with great interest, "Why?"

  Lin Zhaoyan glanced at Lin Ruoyan and clearly felt her hostile gaze.

  She lowered her eyes and said lightly: "Elder sister is like a mother, now that Mother is not by our side, Fifth Sister has been injured, I as the elder sister should be accompanying you."

  This reason is actually untenable, after all, there is still Mrs. Lu, but Lin Zhao is determined that the Empress Dowager will let her go.

  As expected, the empress dowager hesitated for a moment before speaking slowly: "Since you two sisters have such a good relationship, I won't force anything on you."

  Saying so, he paused for a moment and then spoke with a hint of a smile, "Anyway... there will be plenty of opportunities in the future."

  Lin Zhaoyan's head hung even lower.

  She knew the empress dowager would not choose her to enter the palace. But that didn't mean the empress dowager wouldn't declare her entry into the palace again.

  The empress gazed at her with an intensity that made her feel uneasy, as if she were examining a rare treasure, intent on grasping her entire situation and then claiming her for herself.

  Although this metaphor is a bit strange, she really feels like that.

  A very uncomfortable feeling.

  "Remember the promise I made to you. If I, Ah Jia, have been saved by you, I will keep my word and grant any request you make in the future." The Empress Dowager spoke solemnly once again.

  Lin Zhaoyan nodded slightly.

  She understands that once a superior makes a promise to you, you can't help but recognize their kindness.

  The empress dowager shifted her gaze to Lin Ruoyan, lightly tossing out a sentence, "I detest the scent of peonies the most. If you truly wish to serve me, first figure out my preferences before speaking!"

  Lin Ruoyan came out of Cining Palace and sat in a soft sedan chair, having fully recovered.

  She stared at Lin Zhao Yan across from her, just staring at her without saying a word.

  Lin Zhaoyan felt uneasy under her gaze, she was used to being ignored and didn't like to be the center of attention, nor did she enjoy being stared at so brazenly.

  She turned her body and heard Lin Ruoyan say: "I want to hear a true word from you."

  "What?"

  "I'm asking you, did you know Tai Hou before? Was everything you've done so far just a calculation to deceive me?"

  Lin Zhaoyan was stunned for a moment before lightly laughing out loud, "Don't you even have the ability to distinguish right from wrong?"

  Lin Ruoyan also sneered, "I know I don't have as many tricks up my sleeve as you do, but at least I'm genuine. Whatever I say is what I mean, not like you who's so hypocritical and hides everything in your heart! You never trust anyone, only yourself, no wonder nobody likes you!"

  Lin Zhaoyan was too lazy to argue with her, "Whatever you think, instead of blaming me, why don't you think about how you ended up like this today?"

  As soon as these words were spoken, they hit Lin Ruoyan's weak point.

  "I know you're gloating, but do you think I'll let them get away with it?" Lin Ruoyan said, a faint hint of disdain floating in her eyes. "Whether it's Lin Xingyan or the Lus who want to harm me, I'll make sure they understand that harming others will ultimately harm themselves."

  Lin Zhaoyan was slightly surprised, she really thought Lin Ruoyan didn't know anything, but unexpectedly she also had a clear understanding in her heart.

  It's just...

  "You're like this, probably can't enter the palace."

  Lin Ruoyan's face showed disdain, "Isn't this exactly what you wanted? Moreover, I never thought of entering the palace."

  "What?" Lin Zhaoyan furrowed his brow.

  Lin Ruoyan turned her head away and ignored her, her gaze into the distance slightly dim.

  She had never been interested in accompanying the empress dowager into the palace, but later listened to her mother's words and thought that as long as she entered the palace, she could marry her cousin Sheng, so she wanted to strive for it.

  However, since she went to the Chengguo Gongfu to thank Yan's elder brother for his words about Nian'er, after hearing what he said, she never had the idea of entering the palace again.

  He also told her that Lin Xingyan and Lu would not sit idly by, so she should use them to make it impossible for herself to enter the palace. This way, she can maintain her position in her grandmother's heart while exposing Lu and Lin Xingyan and making them pay the price.

  She actually wanted to tell Lin Zhao Yan about this plan, but before she could say anything, the incident with Wen Xuan's brother happened.

  She was angry with her, so she deliberately said those harsh words.

  Lin Zhaoyan gazed into Lin Ruoyan's profound eyes and felt that he couldn't quite understand her anymore.

  She had always thought that Lin Ruoyan was a straightforward and simple girl who dared to love and hate, saying whatever she wanted without hiding anything. But looking at it now, she clearly knew that she would be schemed against by either Lin Xingyan or the Lu family, and yet she deliberately let them have their way, probably in order to expose them once she returned to the Hou Mansion.

  This way, she can avoid going into the palace and won't offend Old Lady Lin either.

  But is Lin Ruoyan the kind of person who could come up with such an idea? At least, based on her eight years with him, it's impossible.

  But apart from herself, everyone around her, including Liu Shi, Old Lady Lin and even Shiliu, hoped that she would enter the palace.

  So who was it that taught her this idea?

  Lin Zhaoyan was perplexed at this moment, and the sedan chair that had been moving steadily suddenly came to a stop.

  The coachman's voice came from outside the carriage, "Two young ladies, there is a carriage of Xiao Wangfu ahead, we need to pull over and give way."

  Xiao Wangye, as the emperor's younger brother and the only prince left in Shengjing, enjoyed many privileges, including being able to enter the palace without having to switch to a smaller sedan chair.

  Such a large carriage indeed needs to be avoided.

  Lin Zhaoyan had no objection, she was not good at arguing with others, and besides, the other party was not someone they could argue with. Just as she was about to answer "good", a clear and loud male voice slowly rang out.

  "Is he from Jian'an Marquis's residence?"

  So familiar voice...

  This was Lin Zhaoyan's first reaction.

  But she thought carefully and couldn't recall where she had heard this voice before.

  Lin Ruoyan's face suddenly changed, and she said in a bad tone: "It's that rogue again!"

  "You say he is Xiao Qi?" Lin Zhao asked in surprise.

  She had always thought that Xiao Qi was the kind of dissolute and depraved young master who would have a weak and languid voice, hoarse from excessive indulgence.

  Who would have thought his voice was so clear and bright?

  Lin Ruoyan glanced at her and said, "What? Have you taken a liking to me?"

  Lin Zhao said: "......"

  The carriage driver answered Xiao Qi's question and said that the ones sitting in the sedan were the fourth and fifth misses of Jian'an Marquis Manor.

  Xiao Qi's voice rang out again, "A big man, how can he make a woman give way? Chen Qi, drive the carriage to one side and let the sedan go first."

  "Hypocrite!" Lin Ruoyan snorted disdainfully.

  Lin Zhaoyan lost his smile.

  It seems that disliking someone means finding him annoying no matter what he does.

  But to be honest, her good impression of Xiao Qi has risen sharply.

  Not to mention whether he is really as rumored, just because he didn't bully them with his power, but instead yielded to them, it proves that his character isn't so bad after all.

  However, Xiao Qi's next sentence immediately broke Lin Zhao Yan's all good feelings towards him.

  "For a beauty like Miss Lin Wu, one should be even more humble and considerate, showing the elegance of a man."

  Lin Ruoyan's face suddenly turned liver-colored.

  Lin Zhaoyan almost choked on his own saliva.

  She's gone blind with her calculations.

  This Xiao Qi is indeed a charming and romantic young master!

  Thank you for Qianqian's reward!

  Tonight at 7 o'clock, there will be an update with He Shi Bi

  Lin Ruoyan is going to make her move~ (......)