It was not convincing to say that Qin Yunuan had no feelings for Su Chenghai. But these veiled and unclear emotions had been weakened by the uncertainties around him. Just like what she thought before, she believed in his personality, but she could not fully trust in his background and identity. She had the intuition that this cousin that she had not seen for years had many secrets.
If he really had been a businessman who had just arrived in the Royal City, then how could he get the precious goods from East Qin, the seal of boss Yuan and a wedding dress from the Yuman Embroidery Shop in such a short time? He was sometimes elusive and sometimes considerate as if he had been able to read her mind. Would a man like him be a mere businessman?
Seeing that Qin Yunuan did not reply, Li Qiqi made a self-mockery, "Well, my bad. I should not ask you that question. Third Miss has exceptional abilities. You have the situation well in your hand and have everything under your control. You could even fool around Madam. I've heard that she has been sent to reflect at the temple. The play you asked me to perform with you was really very effective, Third Miss."
Qin Yunuan stirred the incense ashes in the burner calmly. Li Qiqi was not silly. It did not take long before she realized that Zhang Ruting covered for her ankle that day because of Qin Yunuan. She knew that no one in the womenfolk would do any unrequited favor for other people. There had to be a reason for Qin Yunuan's help. Besides, Qin Yunuan had caught her failing. Li Qiqi was a sophisticate that had a lot of experience with people. So when Qin Yunuan asked her to pretend that she had seen a ghost in the Furong Courtyard, the first thing that came to her mind was what benefits she would get from her.
"Benefits?" Standing under the moon, Qin Yunuan was wearing a bluish white trailing Crane Robe, which made her look like a shiny and elegant gardenia lit by the moon, "Wasn't the disgrace of Dou a good thing for you? And I guess you don't want your secret to be known by the public, right, Lily?"
Lily was Li Qiqi's stage name when she was a singer at the teahouse before she was sent to the brothel. The inferiors of the Su Family also called her "Sister Lily". Qin Yunuan was meant to tell her that she was clear about her experience in the Su Family by calling this name.
Li Qiqi looked up with her misty eyes that seemed to be veiled by clouds. She gazed at Qin Yunuan, the daughter of a concubine, who was even younger than her. How could she know her background so clearly? What ability did she have? Li Qiqi did not buy that she might learn those things from Su Chenghai. She had met Su Chenghai at the winding corridor, the pavilion and outside the flower hall several times. But he always greeted and looked at her emotionlessly with an indifferent look, as if he had already forgotten her.
She had changed her name, and he also abandoned medicine and started to do business. He looked more persevering and masculine than before. Maybe as time flew, he had already left Lily who was in the Su Family behind.
Qin Yunuan stared at Li Qiqi, who looked at the ground all the time to hide her sadness with the long and thick eyelashes. Qin Yunuan heaved a gentle sigh, "Concubine, do not push around the bush. People all thought you had hurt your ankle and were taking a rest at the courtyard. You must have some requests since you had risked coming here."
Li Qiqi trembled as if she had been seen through. After a long while, she finally held her head high and said to Qin Yunuan in a steadfast way, "Please do me a favor, Third Miss. Please arrange a private meeting for me with young master Su Chenghai."
Qin Yunuan examined the crystal tears in her eyes. Li Qiqi's affection for Su Chenghai was real.
"Concubine. You should bear in mind that you are my father's concubine as I just called you. Seriously, cousin Su has to address you as his aunt," Qin Yunuan did not make it very clear that she should not meet in person with Su Chenghai. Li Qiqi was an alert person. Surely enough, she knew how damaging it would be to their reputation if she really met him as Concubine Li.
"Besides, I'm just a concubine's daughter of the Grand Commandant. Since you wanted to see cousin Su, why would you come to me for help?"
"This family is big, but I only have an acquaintance with you," Li Qiqi said in a more sorrowful tone, "And we have cooperated before. I cannot find any other people that can be trusted except you. What's more important was that young master Su cared about you. He would show respect to your feelings and come to the meeting if you invited him."
With a sip of Biluochun tea, Qin Yunuan put the teacup on the table and wiped her mouth with a handkerchief, "You have a thorough plan. It is your best choice to ask me for help indeed. Well, what if I do not want to risk myself for you?" Everything would be just fine if she could set up the meeting between Su Chenghai and Li Qiqi successfully. But if someone came between them or kicked down the ladder, it would be Qin Yunuan's fault.
However, Li Qiqi clenched her teeth and insisted, "Third Miss, have you ever had feelings for anyone? Have you ever fallen in love with someone? There are things that I may regret my whole life if I don't tell young master Su. Please help me to achieve my wish, Third Miss." After she finished this, she was going to kneel down. Qin Yunuan did not stop her, and when her knees were almost on the ground, Qin Yunuan smiled and then said, "Fine, I promise you."
Li Qiqi raised her head. Her eyes were filled with tears that were about to drop, which made this glamorous woman look more appealing.
"Thank you, Third Miss."
"I will send a servant girl to inform you once I finish the arrangements. Concubine Li, you have to remember that you own me once." Qin Yunuan was as scrupulous as she always did.
Li Qiqi's face was finally lit up. She thanked for many times and then rushed back while there were few people around.
As soon as Li Qiqi left, Maner came in and closed the door carefully. "Third Miss, Tinghe has come into the courtyard," she said to Qin Yunuan.
Humph. Tinghe? Here came another "guest" after sending Li Qiqi off. Qin Yunuan took a sip of the Biluochun tea leisurely. Her lips and mouth were full of the unique aroma of the tea. After a glance at the small shadow on the window paper, Qin Yunuan raised an eyebrow and pouted her lips to Maner as a signal. Maner got to know what she meant at once, and then shouted, "Third Miss, I have put that thing under the book on the third layer of the bookshelf. It's very concealed. No one would ever find it."
"Why do you shout so loudly?" Qin Yunuan pretended to be exasperated, "I just gave you a scolding, and now you are shouting at me? Thank god, only the two of us know that thing. If other people know we have such an important thing…. Never mind. Get out and get your things done quickly. You are making me annoyed."
Maner smiled faintly and then got out to add water to the teapot tacitly. After a second, her ringing voice arose from the outside. "Oh, you are here, Tinghe. I did not see you just now. You've come here at the right time. Third Miss asked me to do some things today, and the chores of cleaning the room are all yours." She greeted Tinghe.
Tinghe got a fine oval face with small eyes and a tiny mouth. There was glowing light in her eyes when she heard what Maner said. But she repressed it at once. Without direct rejection, she held the hem of her clothes embroidered with azalea and came out the yard after the exchange of conventional greetings.
Nurse Liao came in and changed Qin Yunuan's quilt into a thinner one. As long as she lay down, she fell asleep because she had exhausted herself for almost a whole night. Afraid of getting up late, she asked nurse Liao to come in after sleeping for less than four hours. She put on a light green dress and a coat with a light cyan vest over it. Her hair was bound up loosely with a light-yellow ribbon, and several locks of hair hung down gently by her ears, which was as shiny as golden silk under the warm sunshine.
Qin Yunuan had just checked Qin Baochuan's homework and calligraphy practice when Tong came back after tracking Su Chenghai. Her forehead was covered with sweats and her round face turned red.
"Come here. Sit down. Take it easy." Qin Yunuan served a cup of tea for her in person. But she did not dare to take the seat. After closing the door, she took hold of the table and then reported to Qin Yunuan about what she had seen today.
"Young master Su Chenghai had nothing suspicious. After entering the First Boite of the Royal City, he came directly into a private room on the second floor. I supposed that he was to deal with some bosses here. I remembered that you told me not to keep very close, so I just did as you said. When I was about to return with no more findings, the servant of young master Su Chenghai whose name was Xiao Si sneaked away from the backyard on the first floor, which was weird in my mind. So, I followed him and found that he actually entered Prince Ning's Mansion from the alley. I waited outside for a long time, but he had never come out after that."
"Prince Ning's Mansion has always been very well-guarded. Other people cannot get in there freely without permission." Qin Yunuan did not continue. There was a speculation in her mind that she did not dare to think deeply. But it seemed that all those signs were suggesting her….
"Ah!" suddenly, the peaceful atmosphere in the room was broken by a panic shriek of a woman from the back of the house.
Subconsciously, Tong rushed out of the room to see what had happened. At the same time, nurse Liao came hurriedly from the back of the yard to protect Qin Yunuan. When Qin Yunuan came to the place where the sound came from, she saw that Ting Xue was trembling in the arms of Maner who came here in time. With red eyes and a scared look on her face, Ting Xue was still suffering from the shock.
Under the rocks by the corner of the wall was a green bamboo snake that was more than three inches long. Its triangular head had been smashed and the scales on its body were covered with clammy blood and dust which made it look dirty. Although the snake had died, its body still kept twitching again and again, which frightened people who saw it.
"Snake? Why would a snake appear in this yard?" nurse Liao said with a lingering fear.
Qin Yunuan narrowed her eyes and stayed calm. She was very clear that green bamboo snakes originated from the southeast area where the climate was warm and moist. This kind of snake was never common in the Royal City. And it should be more difficult to find such snakes in the bathroom of the mansion of Grand Commandant, as it was cleaned every day. Obviously, the snake was let in by someone on purpose.