"good!"
"Then let's go!"
"If we weren't waiting for Miss Qu Si, we would have left long ago."
The ladies stood up one by one, and a few of them glanced at Qu Moying. These words were not so pleasant to hear.
They were indeed about to leave just now, but they asked Liu Jingyu to stay, saying that they wanted to wait for Qu Moying a little longer. They didn't expect that they would have to wait for so long. Now seeing Qu Moying coming over leisurely as if nothing had happened, several young ladies were very dissatisfied. They didn't dare to say anything about Liu Jingyu, they just felt that Qu Moying, a little daughter of a minister's family, was really pretentious and really disliked her.
Qu Moying didn't say anything and continued to follow them.
However, they did not expect that they were still a little late. When they reached the intersection ahead, they ran into the group of young men from before. It seemed that they had changed their clothes. The young men in front of them were all graceful, with shiny clothes, and were extremely elegant.
Although he was surprised to see the ladies, he immediately stopped and bowed, being very polite.
"Cousin, why are you here?" Liu Jingyu said in surprise, looking at Qi Xiuran who was standing in front.
"Bring a few young masters over for a walk." Qi Xiuran said with a smile, his eyes fell on Qu Moying. The gauze eyeband was too conspicuous. It was obviously the lady he wanted to find out before. From the looks of it, she should be the fourth lady of Minister Qu's mansion.
He had looked at the list of people who came to the mansion today. The daughter of the auxiliary general was not there, so it couldn't be Miss Qi. Instead, the fourth young lady from Minister Qu's mansion was on the list, so it was obviously the one in front of him.
For some reason, he felt relieved. He felt that the fourth young lady of the Qu Mansion should be easier to talk to than the young lady of the General Fuguo Mansion. He heard that the young lady didn't even give face to King Jing, let alone to himself. There was no way she would give him the piano score that he had been coveting.
"Cousin, do you know Fourth Miss Qu?" Liu Jingyu looked at Qi Xiuran with a smile, obviously seeing the way Qi Xiuran looked Qu Moying up and down.
"I almost bumped into Miss Qu Si in the bookstore before. I apologize for my impoliteness." Qi Xiuran said with an apologetic smile.
Qu Moying turned aside and bowed gracefully: "Mr. Qi, you are too polite."
"Miss Qu Si, did you get a copy of the music score that day? I wonder if you can give it up. I will definitely give you a large reward as a thank you."
Qi Xiuran asked straight to the point. He liked the music score very much. Although he knew that what he said was a bit rude, he was still excited and spoke.
“I do have a few copies of the music score. I sold a few copies in the bookstore that day. But they are all my favorite things. I’m afraid I can’t…” Qu Moying smiled and shook his head, refusing.
The eldest son of the Duke of Qi's Mansion seemed like a good person, but she was wary of the Duke of Qi's Mansion now. She really didn't know whether he was a good person or had other intentions, so she had to be cautious in everything.
"This...this...young lady, has she appeared in the front yard just now? I...I'm sorry." A timid voice of a maid interrupted the conversation between the two.
Qu Moying then noticed the maid who came out from behind Qi Xiuran. She was the one who spilled water on her clothes before. She was also the one who said that was where Qi Xiangyu rested and there were no outsiders there. She almost tricked her into going in to change clothes.
Qu Moying left the outer courtyard, and her clothes were dirty. She had changed her clothes and they were clearly not the same ones she had worn before. Could it be that she had really changed her clothes in the outer courtyard
The ladies who heard about the accident suddenly thought of something.
After looking at each other, they all looked at Qu Moying in surprise. There were many meanings in these words. Could it be that it was really what they thought
What does Qu Moying want to do
"Outer courtyard? Didn't you say before that was where your young lady rests?" Qu Moying raised the corners of his lips and said with a faint smile.
The maid knelt down with a plop: "I didn't say that. I just said this is where the young lady rests, but I didn't say it's where the young lady rests. Sometimes when the young lady goes to the outer courtyard to look for someone, she will occasionally rest there."
"Where do I rest?" Qi Xiangyu asked in confusion.
"Yes, it's the place where the young lady occasionally rests in the outer courtyard." The maid nodded repeatedly, looking anxious and as if she was frightened.
"Brother's resting place? Why did Fourth Miss Qu go there?" Liu Jingyu looked at the two of them, understood, and asked in a soft voice of surprise.
That place was indeed Qi Xiuran's, not his main courtyard. It could be considered as a place for him to rest, but he rarely used it. Occasionally, when Qi Xiangyu was tired from walking in the outer courtyard, she would rest there for a while, so it could also be said to be her resting place.
Liu Jingyu naturally knew this place.
"Miss Fourth Qu, although that place seems very close to the women's courtyard, it is actually very far away. Did you go around it, Miss Fourth Qu?" Qi Xiangyu also heard something and looked at Qu Moying with displeasure.
Going around so far to the front yard when visiting someone else's house really makes people suspicious. Qi Xiangyu doesn't want to cause any trouble and then have the blame put on her, and then her grandmother will blame her.
My eldest brother is the future Duke of Qi, so he cannot afford to make even the slightest mistake.
"I didn't see Fourth Miss Qu. Maybe she came in by mistake and left immediately. After all, the two places are too close." Qi Xiuran's gaze fell on Qu Moying. Seeing her standing there with a calm expression, her cherry lips slightly pursed, without a trace of panic, he spoke.
The young masters following behind him nodded repeatedly, they indeed did not see anyone.
"As for this girl, where did she come from? Why did she follow us here?" Qi Xiuran looked at the maid kneeling on the ground with a cold expression.
There were so many people around just now that he didn't notice it. Only now did he realize that there was such a maid among the crowd.
“Master, this servant… this servant has been following you!” The maid was startled. She didn’t expect that the first person to attack her would be Qi Xiu Ran, her real master. Her face turned pale with panic.
"You're just a maid who takes care of the house. When did we need you to come here?" Qi Xiu Ran could no longer help but guess that something was wrong. The maid just stood up and testified against Qu Moying without saying a word, which raised many doubts.
"My Lord, this servant..."
"Someone, take her away and send her to my grandmother later. You don't have to keep her by my side anymore." Qi Xiuran said coldly.
Even though he was a little impolite regarding the music score, it didn't mean he didn't understand it!
A servant came over and pulled the maid up.
The maid didn't dare to struggle and retreated while crying.
Qi Xiuran bowed deeply to Qu Moying and said, "It was the servants in the mansion who lied and almost deceived Fourth Miss Qu. I hope Fourth Miss will forgive me."
It was a very simple sentence, not only did it erase what the maid had said before, it also helped Qu Moying explain the cause and effect.
This Qi
The eldest son of the Duke's Mansion was a good person and also a smart one. With just a few words, he turned the whole situation around.
How could Qu Moying not understand that the other person was kind to her? She turned aside and returned the greeting: "Master Qi, you are too polite. It was originally a misunderstanding. Maybe the maid in the mansion also misunderstood."
As for what the misunderstanding is and whether to believe it or not, that is a matter of opinion.
Qi Xiuran had already taken the initiative to help her out, and Qu Moying would not be so narrow-minded as to hold on to her. As for other matters, it would be enough for her to just keep knowing about them. Everything in Duke Qi's Mansion gave her an indescribable feeling, it was very strange!
Whether it is good intentions or bad intentions, it seems to be just the tip of the iceberg. I can't see the reason clearly, but I always feel that there is something going on. I just don't know where to start.
"Miss Qu Si, you are too polite!" Qi Xiuran said, glancing at his cousin and said, "Xiangyu, since you are here to enjoy the scenery, we will not disturb you. Let's go to Yishui Pavilion to enjoy the scenery."
This was a hint to Qi Xiangyu not to bring these ladies with her.
"Yes, big brother." Qi Xiangyu was not stupid and nodded in agreement.
Qi Xiuran led his people away, but after walking a few steps, he still couldn't let go of his worries. He turned around and said to Qu Moying sincerely: "If Miss Qu Si doesn't like it so much in the future, can you lend it to me to read?"
He really wanted that sheet music.
"Since Young Master Qi likes it so much, I can lend it to you first." Qu Moying agreed softly, and this was because Young Master Qi was a really good person.
Qi Xiuran was overjoyed, rolled up his sleeves, and bowed deeply again: "Thank you, Fourth Miss Qu."
Originally he just wanted to say one more sentence, but unexpectedly she agreed. Qi Xiu Ran was delighted. It turned out that this Fourth Miss Qu was easy to talk to. If it was the daughter of that auxiliary general, she might not be so easy to talk to.
Since his wish had been fulfilled, Qi Xiu Ran did not hesitate and turned around and walked away.
After seeing the men leave, the young ladies returned to normal. Since it was just a misunderstanding, and a misunderstanding deliberately caused by a maid, no one took it to heart. They just thought that this maid from the Duke of Qi's Mansion was so bold that she dared to mislead Miss Qu Si. No one knew what her intention was.
But this Miss Qu Si is truly innocent.
Liu Jingyu looked at Qi Xiuran's receding back, then looked at Qu Moying who seemed nonchalant. He frowned unconsciously and felt unhappy.
But he did not show it on his face, and continued to stroll with the young ladies. Before they had finished the tour, the wife of the Duke of Qi sent someone to ask them to go back, saying that a distinguished guest was coming, and asked them to go and meet him together.
Who would come at this time? And the strangest thing is that they would want to see these ladies
After being surprised, several young ladies went to a nearby courtyard to wash and put on makeup again. No matter which noble person wanted to see them, they must be careful when dealing with them.
After everyone had washed and dressed, they all went to the flower hall. When they arrived outside the hall, they saw the maids and old women standing in a neat row on both sides.
There were also several eunuchs and palace maids standing there.
He is actually someone from the palace
The young ladies looked at each other and became more and more cautious. After a maid went in to report, the maid who came out summoned Liu Jingyu and Qi Xiangyu. These two were the masters, so it was only right for them to meet the young ladies of the masters first.
Qu Moying followed a group of young ladies waiting outside the door. Her eyes fell on a eunuch standing outside the door and she felt that he looked familiar...