Chapter 348
Qu Xuexin was brought to a wing room to check her wound while Qu Qiuyan and Qu Moying were seated in front of a stone table in the yard.
A big tree blocked the sunlight. Dappled sunlight shone through the leaves of the tree and cast shadows on the stone table and stone benches. It was comfortable and cool to sit under the tree. There was a pool on one side, in which there were gravel and swimming fish.
It was a good place to avoid the heat!
Qu Moying and Qu Qiuyan sat in front of the stone table. They were both looking at the small fish hiding in the gravel that occasionally swam out.
When it was just the two of them, there was really nothing to say.
Qu Moying’s eyes fell on the pond, but she was paying attention to the sound in the wing room. Her ears had always been sharp. After hearing Qu Xuexin enter the wing room just now, she heard Qu Xuexin let out a low scream and then return to normal. Seeing the old maid who just led the way retreat outside the door, she curved her lips silently.
It was Pei Luo’an!
She was sure that Pei Luo’an was here right now.
There should be a back door in that wing room. He entered the wing room through the back door so that they could not see him. Why did Pei Luo’an spend such great efforts to meet Qu Xuexin?
Was it for what happened last night?
Qu Moying didn’t think so. She didn’t think that Pei Luo’an would personally ask about this. Was it because of Qu Xuexin?
She denied this guess at once. A person like Pei Luo’an would not fall in love with someone at first sight. He had been pretending to be affectionate only to Ji Hanyue, but it turned out that he was just creating an illusion for Ji Hanyue.
The blood of the first branch woke Ji Hanyue up from the illusion.
How could someone from the royal family really be affectionate?
Pei Luo’an was such a man. Pei Yusheng and Pei Yuanjun were naturally the same. She believed they were all cold-hearted.
Therefore, she thought it unnecessary to talk about love with such people. She thought it was best to talk about the deals directly as she and Pei Yuanjun did, which would not hurt each other.
If not for those reasons, was it for the sachet?
After thinking about it, Qu Moying felt that it was not very possible. But if not for this, she could not think of anything else. She stared at the fish in the water and quietly waited to see what would happen. Even if Pei Luo’an acted perfectly, she would know after Qu Xuexin came out later.
“Your… Your Highness?” Qu Xuexin’s voice trembled as she knelt down. She didn’t expect the Crown Prince to sit in the room.
As soon as the door opened, she entered the main room with Hong Mei’s support. Then, she followed the maid into the inner room. She was shocked and panicked to see Pei Luo’an in the room, but she was also secretly happy.
“Get up!” Pei Luo’an said gently and reached out to help her.
The maid of Eastern Palace helped Qu Xuexin up. Qu Xuexin did not dare to look up and said in a shivering voice, “Thank you, Your Highness.”
As if not noticing Qu Xuexin’s embarrassment, Pei Luo’an smiled and asked, “Did you embroider this sachet? Can I have a look?”
“Yes… yes.” Qu Xuexin hurriedly said, her face blushing.
Hong Mei helped Qu Xuexin take off the sachet hanging on her waist and handed it over. The maid took it and presented it to Pei Luo’an.
Pei Luo’an did not take it. He looked at the sachet in the maid’s hands with a strange expression and remained silent.
Qu Xuexin calmed herself down and stole a glance at Pei Luo’an. She saw a trace of sorrow on Pei Luo’an’s handsome face. He slowly reached out and gently pinched the sachet. Then, he pinched it in front of his eyes and carefully examined it.
His hand moved slowly as if the sachet in his hand was heavy. He was very gentle as if he was looking through the sachet.
Qu Xuexin was standing right opposite him. She saw the affection in his eyes and hurriedly lowered her head. Her heart was beating so crazily that it almost jumped out of her mouth. She subconsciously reached out and clenched the handkerchief in her hand. Her face was almost burning.
Was the Crown Prince interested in her? Was this why he deliberately let someone bump into her?
Her heart was beating wildly, and she was shy and happy.
Pei Luo’an’s gaze slowly fell on the sachet. He looked at the sachet over and over again. Then, he held it tightly in his palm as if he was holding something extremely precious. After a long while, he asked, “Did you embroider this?”
Qu Xuexin hurriedly replied, “Yes, I… I embroidered it.”
“Did you really embroider it?” Pei Luo’an asked again. His eyes darkened, and he looked down at Qu Xuexin.
Qu Xuexin’s face turned pale as she sensed his chilling aura. Her legs felt weak again, but she didn’t want to let go of such a great opportunity. She might not have any other opportunity in the future. She gritted her teeth and forced herself to say, “I embroidered this sachet, and I drew the pattern myself.”
“Really?” Pei Luo’an asked again, as if he was confirming something.
“Yes… Yes.” At this point, Qu Xuexin dared not to change her words.
There was a long silence. Qu Xuexin’s back was faintly sweating. She felt her throat dry and itchy, but she did not dare to move. She froze there.
“Can you give it to me?” It was a long time before she heard Pei Luo’an’s gentle voice. The cold aura around her immediately disappeared, and Qu Xuexin felt like she was about to collapse.
Qu Xuexin said in a panic, “Okay… okay.”
“Reward her!” Pei Luo’an held the sachet in his hand and said slowly. Then, he stood up and strode past the folding screen.
The maid smiled and brought over a brocade box to Qu Xuexin. “First Lady Qu, this is a reward from His Highness.”
“Thank His Highness!” Qu Xuexin hurriedly said, blushing again.
Hong Mei took the brocade box, which was not big and could be put into her sleeve.
Qu Xuexin changed her clothes. She fell heavily, and her knee was scraped. Coincidentally, there was a set of clothes here for her to change into.
Qu Xuexin did not ask the maid to call the doctor. She held Hong Mei’s hand and walked out.
Seeing Qu Xuexin come out of the room in a new set of clothes, Qu Qiuyan stood up and asked arrogantly, “Eldest Sister, can we go back now?”
Her contemptuous attitude made Qu Xuexin angry and annoyed. She secretly gritted her teeth. “She is so arrogant just because of Lord Jing’s power, but I will let her pay after I enter Eastern Palace!”
She collected her thoughts and said indifferently, “Let’s go!”
However, she was too excited just now, and the blush on her face had not faded yet. Her eyes were more watery than usual, and she looked quite pleasing to the eye.
Qu Moying stood up quietly. She was now certain that Pei Luo’an was in the room just now. Only he could make Qu Xuexin so throbbing that she lost her composure and had not calmed down until now.
She lowered her eyes and found that the sachet hanging around Qu Xuexin’s waist was gone. Her eyes were full of mockery. Did Pei Luo’an think that the sachet was embroidered by Ji Hanyue?
Of course, she did not think that he had taken it because he missed Ji Hanyue. At most, he would pretend to be affectionate by using it. She thought she was too negligent to let such a scene happen today.
It seemed that Qu Xuexin did not tell who exactly drew the pattern on the sachet.
However, Qu Moying had expected this. How could Qu Xuexin change her words when she found that she was about to gain wealth and glory?
What happened just now was like a turn for Qu Xuexin, and it was a great turn.
Although Qu Moying did not embroider the sachet, she drew the pattern on it. She could not help but feel sick of Pei Luo’an. She was killed by him, but he still pretended to be affectionate to her, which was ridiculous.
If he was really affectionate to her, why did he plot against her back then? His so-called affection for her was just something to cover his hypocrisy.
She looked outside the yard. Just now, she noticed someone peeking at the entrance of the yard. It should be Ji Youran’s people.
She thought that Eastern Palace was getting more and more interesting. The women Pei Luo’an met were all quite scheming. But it would be good if they all entered Eastern Palace. Things would be easier for her.
The three of them walked out together. This time, Qu Qiuyan was walking in front. She was already a little anxious and did not want to care about Qu Xuexin. She had always looked down on Qu Xuexin and Qu Caiyue who were from East Mansion. Even if Qu Xuexin was East Mansion’s wife-born daughter, Qu Qiuyan did not take her seriously.
Originally, Qu Xuexin was inferior to her in every aspect.
However, she stopped after a few steps and waited for Hong Mei to help Qu Xuexin over.
Qu Qiuyan asked directly, “Eldest Sister, was there anyone inside just now?”
Qu Xuexin was shocked and quickly shook her head. “There was no one inside. How could there be anyone? My leg is injured, and I have to go back home to deal with it. I just changed my clothes.”
“Was there really no one?” Qu Qiuyan looked her up and down a few times. She didn’t believe it because Qu Xuexin looked really worked up.
Qu Xuexin knew that Qu Qiuyan suspected her, so she tried to say calmly, “Yes. If you don’t believe me, you can go to have a look.”
She stole a glance at Qu Moying on her other side, only to see that Qu Moying pursed her lips tightly. Qu Moying’s expression was calm and natural, and she did not seem to suspect anything.
“It made sense. With Qu Moying’s knowledge and experience, what could she know? But Qu Qiuyan might have discovered something.”
Thinking of this, Qu Xuexin focused on Qu Qiuyan.
On the way out, Qu Qiuyan asked Qu Xuexin some questions from time to time, which made Qu Xuexin very panicked. In the end, she didn’t answer Qu Qiuyan’s questions on the excuse of being uncomfortable.
As they spoke, the three of them had already arrived at the gate of Eastern Palace. Qu Qiuyan and Qu Moying were the first to get on the carriage. Qu Xuexin’s legs ached, and she was prepared to be the last to go up. Holding Hong Mei’s hand, Qu Xuexin was about to slowly get on the carriage. At this moment, a maid ran out from the gate.
As she ran, she looked left and right. When she saw Qu Xuexin and the others, her eyes lit up, and she shouted loudly, “First Lady Qu, please wait. Our Master still has something to tell you.”
Hearing the maid’s words, Qu Xuexin blushed again. She no longer moved. She stood still and shyly watched the maid running over. Her heart was beating quickly, “Could it be that the Crown Prince has something to ask the maid to tell me? “