"You are wonderful, but not the right match for me."
In the dream, the man wore a dragon - robe, his voice was gentle as if he was pouring out tender affection, yet the words he spoke chilled one's blood by seven - tenths. From his eyes, Pan Yueqing saw her own tragic appearance, clutching her stomach, with blood oozing from all her orifices. The poisoned wine was so bitter that it burned her throat. All her grievances and resentments were blocked by a mouthful of fishy sweetness.
At dawn, when the sky was just turning a fish - belly white, Pan Yueqing, who should have been fast asleep, suddenly sat up in horror from her dream. She covered her eyes with both hands, and faint gasps of not yet escaping the nightmare came out through her fingers.
"Miss? What's wrong, Miss?" Wan'er, who was on night duty, lifted the curtain. Before her eyes could even land on Pan Yueqing, she was grabbed by the throat by a pair of strong hands and thrown onto the bed. In a state of shock, she opened her eyes wide and saw that it was Pan Yueqing who was choking her. There was a terrifying murderous intent in the girl's eyes, and she was so frightened that a sense of suffocation surged like a tide.
"Oh, it's Wan'er..." Pan Yueqing saw Wan'er's tear - filled and pained face in her murderous eyes. She came to her senses and immediately let go of her hand. She sat down on the edge of the bed, hugging her knees. Her long hair, like a waterfall, covered all her emotions. "Did I scare you?"
"Did Miss have a nightmare?" Wan'er rubbed her neck and asked cautiously. She was really scared of Pan Yueqing just now. After serving in the Dingyuan Marquis Mansion for so many years, she had never seen such a terrifying murderous intent.
"Yeah." Pan Yueqing replied sullenly.
Wan'er knew she shouldn't ask too much. She got up and wanted to persuade the girl to sleep a little longer. Unexpectedly, Pan Yueqing got up on her own. Wan'er stepped forward to serve Pan Yueqing to change clothes. She spoke softly. While making a net - like braid for Pan Yueqing, she said, "I heard from the gatekeeper that the eldest Miss and the eldest son - in - law are coming back today. They must have heard about the third Miss's matter."
"Pan Yingqian is coming back?" Pan Yueqing put down her outstretched hand, put on a front - opening robe embroidered with peach blossoms in pinkish hues, put on a pair of double - ringing coiled - dragon bracelets, and turned her head to Wan'er with a smile. "I suppose she can't sit still either."
"Not only the eldest Miss and the son - in - law, but also Liu Yang, the nephew of Concubine Liu. He just passed the imperial examination and became a scholar this year. He is also coming to pay a visit." Wan'er tidied up things, looking down at her nose and then at her heart, lowering her head and eyes to tidy up Pan Yueqing's bedding.
"Very good." Pan Yueqing couldn't help but look at Wan'er a few more times and praised her. She thought to herself that the person chosen by her grandmother was really extraordinary. In just one day, she could find out all this news.
"However, Miss, the third Miss was only punished with house arrest yesterday. It's normal for the eldest Miss, who is her own sister, to come back and have a look. But Liu Yang rushed here in such a hurry..." Wan'er looked up worriedly and met Pan Yueqing's eyes. "I always feel something is wrong."
"That's exactly right." Pan Yueqing sneered.
The Liu family and the Pan family were originally family friends. But as Pan Haiyun's career soared, while the Liu family's descendants were unworthy, the gap between the two families gradually emerged. The grandmother, Lady Liu, was the biological aunt of Concubine Liu. When Pan Haiyun became the Number One Scholar, he should have gone back to marry his cousin Liu Yingwei as his old mother had intended. Unexpectedly, Pan Haiyun fell in love with Su Lan, the eldest daughter of the Dingyuan Marquis Mansion, and was bestowed a marriage by the emperor, making a perfect couple.
The niece that the old Madam Pan had favored early on could only become a concubine. This was also the main source of the old Madam Pan's prejudice against Pan Yueqing.
The descendants of the Liu family were unworthy. After three generations, finally, Liu Yang passed the imperial examination and became a scholar. Liu Yingwei then wanted to form an alliance with the Pan family again. Originally, Pan Lianshan was to be married to Liu Yang. But unexpectedly, Liu Yang had already fallen in love with Pan Miaoqian long ago.
Pan Yueqing had heard about this incident by chance when she entered Qi Sicheng's mansion. However, later Pan Miaoqian cried pitifully to her and Qi Sicheng, saying that everything was forced on her by Liu Yang. Anyway, in her past life, she was as brainless as could be in the affairs of this inner courtyard, believing everything.
Pan Yueqing put on her makeup, changed her clothes, and called Gu Pan and Wan'er to bring the lotus - shaped pastries made in the small kitchen. She was about to go to pay her respects to the old Madam Pan when she unexpectedly met Pan Haiyun, who was about to go out, as soon as she stepped out of the door.
Looking at Pan Haiyun in casual clothes, she suddenly remembered that Pan Haiyun was on leave today. She gracefully curtsied to Pan Haiyun and said softly, "Father."
"Going to pay respects to your grandmother?" Pan Haiyun glanced at Pan Yueqing with the food box and nodded with a smile. "Paying respects morning and evening is very filial. Father is also going to Ci'an Pavilion. Want to go with Father?"
Accepting Pan Haiyun's offer, Pan Yueqing deliberately walked half a step slower, handling these rules that she had previously ignored extremely well. Pan Haiyun looked at Ci'an Pavilion not far away and was very satisfied with Pan Yueqing's obedience and propriety.
Although they didn't talk much along the way, Pan Yueqing could tell that Pan Haiyun was in a very good mood. She couldn't help but smile slightly. Hearing faint laughter, it seemed that there were guests in Ci'an Pavilion from a distance. She said softly to Pan Haiyun, "Father, we've arrived at Ci'an Pavilion."
Inside Ci'an Pavilion, the old Madam Pan was holding a bowl of fragrant cloud tea, smiling and listening to Liu Yang talking about some interesting things in the imperial examinations. Liu Ya, who was sitting nearby, was resting her head on the old Madam's lap, laughing along with the old lady. However, Liu Zhong, the elder brother of Liu Yingwei, who was sitting on the side, was holding a tea cup. Although he was smiling, he couldn't get a word in.
As soon as Liu Yingwei, who was serving on the side, saw Pan Haiyun come in, she stood up and said with a smile, "Master, Yang'er became a scholar this year and came specially to thank you. I heard that this year's examiner is your student and said he was taken care of by you."
Pan Haiyun waved his hand and turned his eyes to the old Madam Pan. "Mother, did you sleep well last night?" Taking this opportunity, Pan Yueqing greeted everyone present one by one and then stepped back behind Pan Haiyun, saying no more.
Seeing that Pan Haiyun didn't want to say much, Liu Yingwei stepped aside and smiled at Pan Yueqing, who was following behind Pan Haiyun. "Second Miss, the old lady was just thinking about you."
The old Madam Pan looked at Pan Yueqing kindly and smiled at Pan Haiyun. "Yue girl is so well - behaved. Now Yang'er is also very promising, passing the imperial examination and becoming a scholar in one go. I was just thinking of asking the master. Why not let these young people get along first? In the future, when Yang'er ranks among the top three in the imperial examination, it will also be a fine story among the honest and upright civil officials."
As soon as these words were spoken, Liu Zhong on the side nodded happily. This was a legitimate daughter of the Pan Mansion. There was no need to say how many benefits there would be to marrying her, and they could also climb up the high branch of the Dingyuan Marquis Mansion.
When Liu Yang heard this, he was in a panic. Originally, at home, he had discussed with his father to propose marriage to his cousin Pan Miaoqian. How could it suddenly become about Pan Yueqing?!
Pan Yueqing half - lowered her eyebrows, took a tea cup from the serving maid in Ci'an Pavilion and presented it to Pan Haiyun, saying softly, "Father, have some tea."
This action, seen by Liu Yang, seemed like a sign of shyness. He opened his mouth to refuse, but Pan Haiyun first took a sip of the tea presented to him and politely smiled at the old Madam Pan. "Mother, Liu Yang is still young, and his path in the imperial examinations is still long. He shouldn't be distracted from his future by love affairs."