Perhaps, to Cui Yun, it’s not worth ntioning. But for Ji Teng, who was sent away as a hostage at the age of eleven, it’s too heavy.
At that ti, so might have pitied him, but beyond pity, more so.
——Finally gone, the smoky battlegrounds have cald.
Or maybe it’s still.
——Being a hostage is just our dynasty’s surrender. Only giving up territory and paying reparations to appease the smoky battlegrounds, this Third Prince is a disgrace.
Upon hearing this, Cui Yun’s lips carried a faint indifferent smile.
He was about to speak when he overheard the girl next door changing from her previous low spirits to being furiously upset.
Shen Hua: "What nonsense are you talking about?"
"I live in the Marquis Mansion, but I’m not sleeping on Cui Yun’s bed. The child isn’t his."
"That’s not right. They said you’re not pregnant! It was a fra-up."
"Why don’t you believe ?"
Wei Yingying couldn’t believe it, yet the girl showed her the virginity mark.
She was stunned for a mont: "That can’t be right. You look like this. Annoying as you may be, you indeed entice people, and I see that Marquis Cui treats you extrely well. Saying you have nothing to do with him, I wouldn’t believe that."
Shen Yangyang always liked when others complinted her.
She couldn’t help but smugly curl her lips.
"Then you go ask him. Even if all the n in the world are moved by , I can’t help it. I admit I am beautiful, but whose fault is it if his eyes are blind?"
Cui Yun felt his brow furrow deeply.
With heavy eyes, he closed them. His patience over the years was certainly not false.
Ji Teng, with his head lowered: "The Old Marquis had shown kindness; after his passing, I haven’t even offered incense at his morial. Indeed, I’m very sorry."
Cui Yun composed himself: "Third Prince has a good heart, father would not mind."
He offered a slight smile: "Excuse for a mont from this gathering."
"The Marquis may do as he pleases."
————
Wei Yingying has already drunk herself under the table.
Shen Hua, kicking at a wine jug by her feet, found it very dull.
But at this ti, a steady knock ca from outside.
Shen Hua thought it was Yicui, lazily saying: "Co in."
’Creak,’ the door was pushed open from outside.
Cui Yun stepped in leisurely, bypassing the cheap screen.
The girl was slouched in a chair, casually swinging an embroidered fan, lightly tapping a wine jug on the table with her fingertips.
She lifted her chin in disdain.
"You dare to drink with with such a low alcohol tolerance."
"I could drink three n under the table."
"Is that so?"
The bland male voice seed to co from nowhere. To Shen Hua, it was like a clap of thunder.
She stiffly withdrew her raised chin, then awkwardly turned to look at Cui Yun.
The man stood tall and dignified, noble and steady, with eyes light and clear as the moon in the sky.
The girl lifted her hand with warmth yet perfunctorily: "What a coincidence. Marquis, what brings you here?"
"Wasn’t Miss Shen just calling my full na a mont ago?"
Shen Hua’s eyes widened: "How could you eavesdrop like that?"
She preemptively accused him, without a trace of sha.
People like Cui Yun, who don’t usually quibble, would certainly not have dwelt on it, but he thought, if Shen Hua is not put in her place now, she might end up saying whatever foolish thing she wants in the future.
The man glared at her.
"After all, I may be blind, but my hearing isn’t bad."
Shen Hua’s aura faded, and she silently lowered her head, her hand that was touching the wine jug suddenly retracting into the mink fur.
Just like Xue Tuan, she dirtied his painting and then ran away—it’s really the sa old habit.
A shadow passed through Cui Yun’s eyes.
"I’ll take you back to the mansion."
"...No need, I still have things to do."
Cui Yun’s gaze slowly drifted to another place. Soon, without a word, he walked out.
Shen Hua let out a sigh of relief.
However, not long after, Cui Yun returned, followed by Ji Teng.
"Why have you drunk so much?"
Ji Teng moved forward, calling out: "Lady Wei."
Wei Yingying gave no response.
He had no choice but to raise his voice and call out again.
Wei Yingying remained motionless.
Ji Teng curled her fingertips and finally lifted the person up. She then turned her head and whispered softly, "I’ll take her back now. Thank you, Marquis and Miss Shen, for your troubles."
After the two left, Cui Yun took his seat indifferently.
Shen Hua was cautious, "Aren’t you leaving?"
Cui Yun chuckled lightly, "I’m free today."
Oh.
Monts later.
"Then why do you keep staring at ?" Shen Hua’s face inexplicably turned red under his gaze.
"Just seeing if you are truly as beautiful as they say."
Shen Hua was incredulous.
"How can you..."
...say such frivolous words with a face of decency.
Her voice was steady but trembling, "Then... have you seen enough?"
"No rush."
"When you co to a conclusion, rember to tell ."
A blush crept across her pretty face, adding a touch of allure to it. Her expression flickered, yet she refrained from bowing her head even once.
Girls of her age would either have marriage engagents or have been promised to soone already.
Shen Hua... was not young anymore.
Unlike the man’s indifference, Shen Hua wanted to shrink into a quail after dropping that line.
Fortunately, Yicui returned at that mont.
She rushed in with her veil lifted, but caught a whiff of the faint scent of alcohol, which made her apprehensive as it reminded her of Shen Hua’s last drunken episode.
Then, seeing Cui Yun, Yicui was montarily perplexed.
Shen Hua looked up, "What happened?"
Cui Yun knew her secret, so there was no need to hide it.
"Just say it."
Yicui stated seriously: "I ran into Manager Cheng by chance, but thankfully I heeded madam’s advice and covered my face with a white veil, so he did not recognize ."
"I have brought soone with ."
She called out, "Co in."
Soon, a person entered with a bowed head and then knelt in front of Shen Hua. He kowtowed.
"Madam."
Shen Hua recognized him; he was her source of gossip in Fengzhou.
Every ti she visited the embroidery workshop, she would summon him.
"Er Rong?"
Er Rong’s eyes were brimming with tears: "Madam actually rembers . Whatever you ask, I’ll tell you everything I know."
To highlight his knowledge, he even particularly ntioned.
"Manager Cheng has a ten-year-old concubine outside, bought for ten silver taels; I know everything clearly."
"Right, and there’s also He Chu, who you despise, marrying Zhou Zhizhi. That second-room lady nurtured by Shen Qu is flaunting around with the Shen Family’s silver, sending over celebratory gifts. Isn’t that a slap in your face?"
Shen Hua: !!!
She slamd her hand on the table in anger, "What?"
"To celebrate He Chu’s wedding? Is it to announce to the citizens of Fengzhou City that it was not He Chu’s fault that I was rejected, but that I’m not good enough for him?"
Shen Hua trembled with rage.
"How can he be so disgusting!"
Shen Hua turned to look at Cui Yun.
Ever since Yicui entered, the man had stopped looking at her. And now, he was leisurely preparing tea.
???
Not even as good as Wei Yingying, at least when she sobers up, she can help scold!
Perhaps Shen Hua’s gaze was too intense, leading Cui Yun to pause in his actions. He emitted four words.
"The acts of a petty person."
That’s more like it.
Shen Hua puffed up with anger.
Er Rong was even more infuriated: "Madam, you don’t know! That day He Chu even boasted that marrying Zhou Zhizhi was the luck of his lifeti, and as for you, you were the He Family’s narrowly-avoided disaster."
Shen Hua: ???
Damn it!
All of them should be damned!
Her eyes reddened with fury.
Before she could speak, the man across her stirred, exuding an air of familiar laziness.
"Another blind fool."
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