Chapter 366
“If Liu Xiangshan sends someone over, just let them wait first.” Pei Yuanjun said lazily as he closed his unfathomable eyes.
“Yes, Your Highness.” Ji Hai complied, but then he asked hesitantly, “But what if he sends Miss Liu over?”
“Same!” Pei Yuanjun said lazily, “The one I brought into the capital turned out to be a fake Miss Liu. It was generous enough for me to send the fake one back safe and sound.”
Ji Hai was clear about what happened when Pei Yuanjun returned to the capital. If not for this matter, Pei Yuanjun wouldn’t have noticed Qu Moying. Thinking about it this way, Ji Hai thought it was a good thing.
As for the incident Pei Yuanjun had mentioned, Ji Hai thought it was an accident. It happened because Pei Yuanjun was unwilling to bring Miss Liu to the capital.
Of course, Pei Yuanjun was innocent, to the extent that he was as innocent as a lamb.
Ji Hai asked cautiously, “Your Highness, what do you plan to do?”
Pei Yuanjun said indifferently, “I don’t plan to do anything. I just want her to stay away from me! I feel sick to see her!”
“Yes, Your Highness. I get it.” Ji Hai understood what Pei Yuanjun meant. Pei Yuanjun would refuse to see anyone Miss Liu sent over and would return any letter she delivered to him.
Ji Hai was somewhat impressed by Miss Liu’s audacity. How dare she try out Pei Yuanjun’s feelings? If Pei Yuanjun did feel interested in her, she would not have to test him again and again because he must have taken action.
It was just like what he did when he met Qu Moying. Although he didn’t have the chance to know her at first, he created a chance to bump into her.
There were many rumors about this incident in the capital. Many people thought that Qu Moying deliberately bumped into Pei Yuanjun, but the fact was that Pei Yuanjun took the initiative to bump into her. Ji Hai knew this clearly and felt he had the most say in this matter.
Of course, this was also an accident for Pei Yuanjun. He didn’t want to see the Empress at that time because the Empress was going to choose a wife for him, whereas he didn’t have the slightest intention of marrying anyone. Bumping into Qu Moying gave him an excuse not to go.
However, if Pei Yuanjun had taken Qu Moying as an ordinary lady, he would not have bumped into Qu Moying. There were quite many people in Crown Prince’s Mansion that day. If he wanted to make an excuse for not going to the Empress’ place, he could bump into any princes, young masters, or officials, and he didn’t have to bump into a lady.
Ji Hai felt that he had the most thorough understanding of Pei Yuanjun’s feelings for Qu Moying and perhaps even more thorough than Pei Yuanjun himself.
Therefore, he thought it was really ridiculous for Miss Liu to play hard to get with Pei Yuanjun. She was like a clown, but she seemed to be complacent with her doing.
Pei Yuanjun came to the border because the North was in chaos, not because of Miss Liu. Ji Hai hoped that Miss Liu would not get it wrong again!
As for General Liu, he was also a troublemaker, and he had been making trouble for many years…
Ji Hai knew all of this, but he kept it in his heart. Although he was Lord Yun’s confidant, he was nothing more than a eunuch…
Qu Moying did not know that someone far away from the capital was paying attention to her every move. Right now, she was looking at what Granny Yan had prepared for her.
Granny Yan prepared not only a set of clothes but also some accessories, which amazed Qu Moying.
“Is this fan an accessory?” Qu Moying asked in surprise as she picked up a small jade fan. It was very small, only the size of three fingers, and every section was similar in length. The white jade handle and the picture on the fan were clearly visible and vivid.
There was a faint red at the top of the fan, which ordinary jade could not produce.
As she held it in her hand, she could see that the jade material of the fan was exquisite, and the top part was red, like a layer of light red embroidery on the fan. It was elegant, somewhat bright and beautiful.
“Yes, it is an accessory. It is usually hung next to the sachet by the waist. Lady, you can put a tassel on it, which could make it look delicate and unique. If you wear it, others won’t think your accessories are too simple.”
Granny Yan pointed at the fan and said with a smile.
Qu Moying looked at the fan and saw a small hole in the handle of the fan, which should be the place to hang a tassel. Although her embroidery skills were not the best, she knew how to make tassels.
Qu Moying put down the jade fan in her hand and pointed at the other things in front of her. “Do I need to bring a qin and chess set with me?”
Everything was ready for her to show her skills of qin playing, chess, calligraphy, and painting.
In front of Qu Moying, there was her own Fengyu Qin, together with a delicate chessboard, writing brushes, ink, paper, and inkstone. Granny Yan had really prepared a lot for her. It seemed that Qu Moying was not going to attend a gathering but to go on a talent show, which was what scholars usually did.
“Lady, such gatherings of ladies often have competitions. It is the first time for you to attend such a gathering since you returned to the capital, so there must be other ladies making things difficult for you and deliberately embarrassing you. If you don’t show your real ability, I’m afraid you won’t be able to blend into the circle of these noble ladies, and people in the capital city will ridicule you.”
Granny Yan said.
Granny Yan was very confident in Qu Moying. The rumors about Qu Moying had always been fake. If she had not stayed with Qu Moying for a period of time, she might have believed that Qu Moying was neither beautiful nor talented. After all, it was reasonable for Qu Moying to be untalented because she used to live in that kind of environment.
However, Qu Moying was not only beautiful but also talented.
In addition, with the support of Lord Yun Mansion, Granny Yan thought it was not difficult for Qu Moying to gain a foothold among the noble ladies. This was the first time Qu Moying attended such gatherings, and there would naturally be someone who was determined to challenge her. Therefore, Qu Moying had to be fully prepared so that she wouldn’t be flustered and other ladies wouldn’t look down on her.
Since she was going to attend it, she had to play her best.
Granny Yan was confident in Qu Moying.
“So, I have to bring two maids with me this time?” Qu Moying really did not understand the hidden rules of such gatherings. She didn’t have to know it in her previous life because no one dared to offend the future Crown Princess. Moreover, Ji Hanyue’s original status was high enough that no one dared to look down upon her.
Granny Yan nodded. “Yes, Lady. Bring both Yu Chun and Yu Dong with you. In addition, take two other young maids with you, and ask them to stay by the carriage to guard these things. If you need anything, just let them send it to you.”
Qu Moying turned around, sat down on the chair, and asked with a smile. “So, there will be someone challenging me?”
Granny Yan said with a smile, “There should be. Every newcomer will be put in a difficult position. This is an unwritten rule in the circle of noble unmarried ladies in the capital city. In fact, it can’t be considered to be deliberately against you.”
Qu Moying’s eyes swept over the things on the table. In addition to the matching clothes and accessories, a qin, chessboard, and so on occupied a large part of the table. It was not like she was going to attend a gathering, but that she was going to compete in a test to prove herself.
Qu Moying asked thoughtfully, “This will happen to every attendee who is new in the capital?”
“Basically. It won’t happen unless you don’t want to be accepted by the noble young ladies’ circle. In that case, even if you have a high status, you will feel alienated and uncomfortable. I met an imperial concubine in the palace before. She wasn’t a native of the capital and only entered the capital after she grew up. I heard that when she first came to the capital, she was not recognized and was always despised and ridiculed by others. Later, she studied diligently for a long time and gradually integrated into the noble ladies’ circle.”
Granny Yan said, “But even so, she was still mocked by other imperial concubines after she entered the palace.”
“There are such gatherings among young unmarried ladies. What about young madams?” Qu Moying bit her lips. She did not ask about the imperial concubine that Granny Yan mentioned but switched the topic and asked, “What will happen to a madam who has just married into the capital? Will she be isolated by others?”
“Many young madams have been friends with each other when they were unmarried. Unlike those old madams, their status didn’t change much after getting married. They will gather together for chitchat occasionally. It is easier to blend into young madams’ circle than to blend into noble young ladies’ circle. At least, madams have different ideas. They could make friends with whomever they want, but if…”
At this point, Granny Yan glanced at Qu Moying. She had already guessed the meaning of Qu Moying’s question.
Granny Yan still said bluntly, “But if a madam is not recognized, she will be isolated by her peers.”
Hearing her words, Qu Moying was lost in thought, “It means that my mother was probably isolated when she just married into the capital. She was new in the capital and rarely appeared on open occasions. Moreover, there was the previous marriage matter that involved my mother and Mrs. Liu, which even Liu Jingyu minded so much, so Mrs. Liu must have ill feelings towards my mother.”
Mrs. Liu was said to be a paradigm of nice manners among madams, but Qu Moying had been skeptical about this.
Liu Jingyu was quite vicious, and she probably inherited it from her mother. Since Liu Jingyu hated Qu Moying to the core, her hatred must have been rooted in something big.
But when Mrs. Liu snatched Minister Liu away from Qu Moying’s mother, Liu Jingyu hadn’t been born!
Qu Moying curled her lips silently. She really needed to step into this circle to investigate what had happened back then. There must be something worth exploring.
She even suspected that her mother died not because of the difficult labor.
She pressed her hand on the chair hard to suppress the emotions in her heart. Her long eyelashes fluttered, and then she slowly raised her head. Her watery eyes were unfathomable, beautiful but dangerous.
Qu Moying said, “Granny Yan, prepare a few more chess books for me!”
In the four arts, she was relatively a little worse at playing chess, so she decided to read more chess books to improve her skills in these few days.
“Yes, I understand.” Granny Yan smiled and nodded. She was relieved in her heart. She was afraid that Qu Moying would refuse to attend the gathering. Now that Qu Moying had agreed, it was the best.
Then, she turned around and was about to leave.
“Granny Yan, where did you get this jade fan?” Qu Moying asked casually. Her eyes casually glanced at the outstanding jade fan. Qu Mansion did not have such a fan, and she did not have one before.
Granny Yan immediately stopped and explained, “Lord Yun Mansion sent over a set of jewelry. I didn’t dare to keep the whole set, but I saw that this jade fan was pretty good, so I kept it and brought it to you. Just now, you didn’t ask me who sent it over, so I didn’t dare to say it.”