Seeing someone there, the maid hurriedly hid on the side of the road with her head lowered.
Qu Moying walked by with the old woman, who kept introducing the scenery of the red plum blossoms to Qu Moying. She didn't notice the maid standing with her head down under a tree by the roadside.
"Miss Qu Si, it's very windy here. Would you mind if I take you to the warm room upstairs to sit? The view from there is excellent. You can see the scenery outside and it's warm."
The old woman stopped and pointed at a pavilion near the red plum blossoms and said with a smile.
The location is perfect, it is indeed a good place to enjoy the scenery.
"Thank you, Madam. But is this place...convenient?" Qu Moying asked with a slight smile after taking a look.
"It's convenient. There's no one in the warm room today. Apart from the county lord, few other people come here during this period. It won't bother anyone."
The old woman said attentively.
Qu Moying nodded and followed the old woman. Yu Dong walked behind her. She looked back and found that the maid who was standing in the corner under the tree was gone.
Qu Moying followed the old woman to the second floor. There were tables and chairs near the window on the second floor. Sitting here was indeed a good place to enjoy the scenery.
The window faces this patch of red plum blossoms.
"Miss Fourth, please sit here. I'll go get some tea and snacks." The old woman looked at Qu Moying sitting down in front of the window, said with a smile, and retreated.
"Miss, there was someone in the room just now. It must be a woman." Yu Dong whispered after the footsteps of the old woman faded away.
"How do you know it's a girl?"
"When I entered the room, I smelled a faint fragrance, very light, but not from the Madam. Usually, young ladies would use such incense... It's very elegant, but it can't be ignored." Yu Dong considered for a moment and chose his words.
The smell was not strong, but it was not to be ignored. Yudong was not a woman, so she could not tell what the smell was, but she could tell some common characteristics.
"The smell is one reason, and the position at the door is another reason. The curtain was slightly lifted, and I saw that there was a skirt in the inner room. It is impossible for a servant to lift the curtain and listen without knowing the rules."
Yu Dong gave another reason, and his last reason was also very sufficient: "When the young lady said goodbye, there was a slight movement inside, as if she accidentally bumped into something, and there were also thin footsteps, and she moved two steps."
Yudong was extremely sensitive in this regard. He had some doubts at first, and after discovering that the focus of his suspicions was in the inner room, he paid more attention to the inner room.
Qu Moying sat on a chair with Madam Qi, and he stood behind Qu Moying, with the door to the inner room on the side, and his attention was always focused there.
"Who do you think it is?" Qu Moying smiled slightly and said without comment. She also heard some noises afterwards and looked at Yu Dong at that time, wanting to get an answer from Yu Dong.
Yudong’s words were also expected.
The fragrance was very faint. She smelled it at the time but didn't pay much attention to it. Now when she thought about it carefully, she realized that there was no incense in Mrs. Qi's room. The smell was naturally brought in by someone.
That kind of elegant fragrance is exactly the smell that young ladies from aristocratic families like most.
"I guess it's the Lord of Jingyu County." Yu Dong thought for a moment and said, "What do you think, young lady?"
"It's County Lord Jingyu." Qu Moying nodded thoughtfully. Why did County Lord Jingyu care about her marriage again
She didn't think this had anything to do with Liu Jingyu!
"Miss, what does County Lord Jingyu want to do?" Yu Dong suddenly realized something and asked hurriedly. The maids around Qu Moying were very wary of County Lord Jingyu.
This man has never had any good intentions towards his young lady. It seems that he has done nothing wrong, so it may just be a misunderstanding. However, if you think about it carefully, it cannot be explained by just a misunderstanding.
"Just wait!" Qu Moying said slowly, his eyes falling on the peach forest in front of the window.
A maidservant came over with her, each holding a food basket in her hands, probably bringing some snacks.
Sure enough, not long after, the sound of footsteps was heard on the stairs, and the old woman appeared at the stairs with two maids.
"Miss Qu Si, I have brought some snacks and tea. You can enjoy the scenery here while having some snacks." The old woman came over with a smile and asked a maid to take out snacks from the food basket, and took out teacups and teapots from another food basket.
The water in the teapot is hot, and the tea has a faint fragrance, as if it was just brewed.
There was a pot and two teacups. A cup was poured and placed in front of Qu Moying. The old woman retreated respectfully, leaving the master and servant alone upstairs.
Looking down from upstairs, I saw that the old woman had not left, but the two maids who came with the food baskets had left.
The dim sum was very exquisite, with four plates in total. The appearance of the dishes made people’s appetites grow, and they seemed to be freshly made, with a pleasant aroma.
Qu Moying picked up the tea beside him and was about to drink it.
"Miss, wait a moment." Yudong said hurriedly.
Qu Moying knew what he meant and smiled, "It's okay. Even if there is something, it won't be done so blatantly."
I raised the teacup and took a sip. The tea was excellent, with an extraordinary taste.
It is not easy to have such tea at this time. It is more like the tribute we have drunk in the past. The tea of the Duke of Qi is not something that ordinary people can drink.
His eyes narrowed slightly and his gaze fell on the pastries in front of him. Such exquisite pastries would not be made often even in the Duke of Qi's Mansion.
If she was not mistaken, the recipes for these pastries were not easy to make, and the ingredients were not readily available at all times.
What a coincidence today, the delicious tea and snacks seem to be prepared carefully for me.
Her eyebrows knitted slightly. Madam Qi's attitude was too anxious today. The people hiding in the inner room, as well as the specially prepared tea and snacks...
The handkerchief unconsciously wrapped around her fingers lightly, and she looked thoughtfully at the red plum blossoms outside the window. The plum blossoms were bright in color and blooming in full bloom. It was a good time and place to appreciate the plum blossoms, and this was also a good place to appreciate the plum blossoms.
"Miss, is that the prince of Duke of Qi coming over there?" Although Yu Dong did not understand the other meanings in the tea, he had been paying attention to the people below. Suddenly, he saw three people hurriedly coming over. The first one was Qi Xiu Ran, the current prince of Duke of Qi, and the one beside him was a servant.
There was a maid following behind him. Yudong looked at the maid carefully and suddenly found that this maid was the one who was standing in the corner under the tree with her head down when they came over just now.
"Miss, the maid behind Prince Qi is the one who hid on the roadside when we came here just now." Yu Dong said hurriedly. He had the sharpest eyes.
"The one who left and came back?" Qu Moying asked.
"Yes, I went there and came back." Yu Dong nodded and looked alert. Today's events were full of doubts, so he had to pay more attention to them.
"Yudong, go down to the stairs.
If Prince Qi comes over to ask about something, don't let him go upstairs." Qu Moying said with a cold expression.
From her angle, she could no longer see Qi Xiuran.
"There is a maid downstairs. She should be able to stop Prince Qi first." Yu Dong said as he walked out, but he could hear the sound of footsteps coming up the stairs.
Is it the old woman who came up to report? Subconsciously, he turned his head to look at Qu Moying.
"No need to go over there, I've already come up, go and greet Prince Qi." Qu Moying raised his head and said lightly.
"That old woman..." Yu Dong said hurriedly, the footsteps getting closer and closer.
"That woman should have left. It's okay, just go and welcome her!" Qu Moying said, with a hint of coldness in his eyes. Everything that happened today showed that someone was working in secret, but no one knew why.
Now that she is here, she will meet and see who is behind it and what the purpose is!
Qi Xiuran appeared at the stairs and Yudong went to greet him.
"This servant greets Prince Qi."
Qi Xiuran was not surprised and walked towards Qu Moying. Qu Moying had already woken up. When he saw him coming, he bowed and said, "Prince Qi."
"Miss Qu Si, you are so polite. Please take a seat." Qi Xiu Ran pointed to a chair with a smile and sat down first.
Qu Moying also sat down. Yu Dong came to the table, picked up the teapot, filled another empty cup with tea, and respectfully presented it to Qi Xiu Ran: "Prince, please enjoy."
"Miss Qu Si, you are too polite!" Qi Xiuran said with a smile, his expression was very elegant. After picking up the teacup and taking a sip, he looked up at Qu Moying and said straight to the point, "Miss Qu Si, I have an unsolicited request. I wonder if Miss Qu Si can do me a favor."
So, he really came to find me.
Qu Moying glanced at Qi Xiuran and saw that he looked sincere. Although his eyes were a little hesitant, he was still calm. His behavior was no different from the past, except that his movements seemed a little urgent.
"Did the prince specially have people prepare the tea and snacks?" Qu Moying said calmly.
"Yes, it's a small token of my appreciation. The tea was gifted by the palace, and I heard that the snacks are also extraordinary. I have a request for Fourth Miss Qu, so I specially asked someone to make it. It was when I heard that Fourth Miss Qu was coming to our house. This is my sincerity." Qi Xiuran blurted out.
"How did the prince know that I was coming to your house?" Qu Moying asked again.
"Everyone in the mansion knows about it. I asked someone to find out and they found out. I also asked the servants to keep an eye on Fourth Miss Qu just now. When I heard that Fourth Miss Qu came here to appreciate the plum blossoms, I came here specially to meet her." Qi Xiuran explained. Not only did he tell everything he knew, but he also explained it in even more detail than what Qu Moying asked.
So there is the matter of maids, and the matter of pastries and tea.
Seeing Qi Xiuran's expression, he knew that he wanted to ask a favor of him. However, thinking about Madam Qi's abnormal behavior and the people in the inner room, Qu Moying's lips curled silently. When he raised his eyes to look at Qi Xiuran again, his expression was calm and cold. "No matter what Master Qi wants, I can only say sorry. I'm afraid... I have to disappoint Master Qi. Master Qi should seek help from someone else!"
"I... I haven't said anything yet..." Qi Xiuran spread his hands innocently.
"No matter what it is, it's not allowed!" Qu Moying narrowed his eyes, took a deep breath, and refused decisively with a firm look in his eyes.