Qi Zhenzhen’s originally clear eyes suddenly filled with vigilance, and she looked at Gu Sinian defensively, “What does the Young Master mean?”
“Don’t get agitated, I don’t mean anything else. I just want to tell you that I know you are a lady from the Changping Marquis’s manor, and I also know that you were driven out by the principal wife. I also know that your mother took you and your brother and fled from the estate. I found out by chance, and I don’t intend to threaten you with this. I just want to tell you that the Marquis of Changping is secretly looking for you and your brother. Although they haven’t found you yet, I think if he’s determined to look, he’ll find you soon. You and Yi Ge’er are his flesh and blood, and no matter what, he will be lenient with you. But your mother…”
As a concubine of the Marquis of Changping, and now a fugitive concubine, walls have ears. The fact that the mother and children are wandering outside will slowly become known to everyone once they return to the Marquis’s manor. Why the young master and ladies of a dignified marquis’s manor are living in the countryside will need an explanation. The most effective way to protect the marquis’s reputation is to shift all the blame onto Madam Yun. After all, Qi Zhenzhen and Qi Yi were just children back then, and they certainly wouldn’t have run away.
“How did the Young Master know?” Qi Zhenzhen asked coldly.
“You’ve probably already guessed, Gu Chengyang is my man. You were building the estate and sought help from Qian Yuanbao. I know exactly what kind of people those are. Coincidentally, Gu Chengyang is a master in this area, so I sent him over. He was originally in the Ministry of Works, but because he refused to associate with those people and developed a disagreeable personality, he left the Ministry of Works and has been idle at home. When I sent him, I originally intended for him to keep an eye on things and prevent the Qian family from deceiving you. I didn’t expect the Qian family to just leave…”
Qi Zhenzhen interrupted Gu Sinian, “Please get to the point, Young Master.”
Gu Sinian awkwardly touched his nose, “Before Gu Chengyang left the Ministry of Works, he went to the Marquis of Changping’s manor when they were renovating a courtyard. Coincidentally, he saw Concubine Yun accompanying the Marquis of Changping, and you by her side. If he had only seen you, he wouldn’t have recognized you as a lady from the Marquis of Changping’s manor. After all, you were a little girl back then, and now that you’ve grown up, unless someone is particularly familiar with you, they probably wouldn’t notice.”
“So, Gu Chengyang sent you a message?”
“He told me in person when he went back to fetch tools,” Gu Sinian said honestly.
If that was the case, Gu Sinian had known about this for some time. Qi Zhenzhen didn’t understand why he had suddenly visited now and brought this matter up.
“What is your purpose in saying all this?” Qi Zhenzhen’s mind was no longer on romantic thoughts. The matter of her mother being a fugitive concubine needed to be handled carefully. She absolutely could not let the Marquis of Changping’s manor sacrifice her mother for the sake of face. She would have to think carefully about whether there was a way.
Gu Sinian shook his head, “I have no ulterior motive. I just don’t want to see you too distressed. You were eight years old when you left the Marquis’s manor, and you know many things. As you know, so-called noble families are not without their scandals. You wouldn’t be completely unaware of why your mother was driven out. What you suffered after going to the estate, if it wasn’t for someone’s instruction, those servants wouldn’t have dared to go too far…”
Qi Zhenzhen snorted coldly. She had no good feelings towards that marquis’s manor. The events before she was eight were not something she had truly experienced, and the memories she had, because they were not recalled often, had faded. But she wasn’t foolish. She understood the scheming and calculations within the grand households perfectly.
Why? Wasn’t it the struggle between the principal wife and concubines? Her mother’s personality was such that she couldn’t handle such struggles.
“You know more than just this, don’t you?” Qi Zhenzhen withdrew her thoughts and continued to ask Gu Sinian.
Gu Sinian simply told her everything he had investigated, including Lu Chen, to whom Qi Zhenzhen was betrothed, and Lu Chen’s excellence, without hiding anything from Qi Zhenzhen.
Qi Zhenzhen had not expected that the young man she was betrothed to would be such an outstanding person. However, she was not an innocent young girl. She, her younger brother, and their birth mother were now living in exile. Even if they returned in the future, such a good marriage might not fall to her. A noble family like the Lu family cared even more about reputation. Her wandering in the countryside and appearing in public, her disregard for reputation, would be a grave matter to the Lu family.
“You really know a lot, Young Master.” Qi Zhenzhen’s tone was laced with sarcasm. Anyone would feel uncomfortable being secretly investigated.
Gu Sinian heard her displeasure but was not annoyed. If someone investigated him like this, he wouldn’t like it either. On the other hand, he wished Qi Zhenzhen would investigate him, as it would show that Qi Zhenzhen had feelings for him.
“You know my feelings. So, after Gu Chengyang told me, I couldn’t help myself. I was eager to know about your past. Believe me, I just feel sorry for you,” Gu Sinian said solemnly.
Qi Zhenzhen was somewhat caught off guard. She hadn’t expected Gu Sinian to say something like this at this moment.
After a long silence, Qi Zhenzhen spoke again, her voice very soft, “It’s getting late, Young Master. Let’s go back.”
Gu Sinian grunted. This time, he walked behind Qi Zhenzhen, and they walked back one after the other.
Upon arriving home, Qi Zhenzhen quickly bowed to Gu Sinian and returned to her room.
After lighting the lamp, Qi Zhenzhen sat by the table for a while, her mind in a mess, unable to sort things out.
She unbound her hair and began to comb her dark, shiny hair, strand by strand. She recalled that when she first became Qi Zhenzhen, her long hair was dark but extremely dry, indicating a lack of oil and nutrition. In the past six months, her long hair had recovered. Thinking back, these past six months had been quite good.
At least, she had not failed the original owner’s trust.
Changing into loose and comfortable nightclothes, Qi Zhenzhen got into bed. It was warm and very comfortable.
The flickering candlelight, dim and bright, she stared blankly, suddenly thinking of Qin Lang’s visit a few months ago.
She had learned from Qin Lang that Madam Yun was a fugitive concubine. Qin Lang was certain that they would return to the Marquis of Changping’s manor. She remembered what she had said at the time: even if they returned, it wouldn’t be now. Moreover, she was currently only living in comfort, lacking sufficient wealth and a reliable backing. In terms of martial arts, she was confident in her ability to protect herself, but there was also Madam Yun and Yi Ge’er. Furthermore, the unfathomable nature of noble families was something she could not contend with.
Qi Zhenzhen suddenly hated herself. She had promised to protect Madam Yun and Yi Ge’er, but she had only managed to provide them with food and clothing, which was far from true protection. The Marquis of Changping’s manor was already looking for them. As Gu Sinian had said, finding them was only a matter of time. What should she do then? She and Yi Ge’er would at most suffer a little, but what about her mother?