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“Does Dowager Consort Qu value Fourth Lady Qu so highly?” Beauty Li asked with a smile.

Qu Qiuyan lowered her head, a bitter smile on her face. “My younger sister has always been smarter and more capable than me, but it’s just that mother underestimates herself…”

Her words trailed off, as if she realized she had spoken too much. She immediately stopped and let out a low cough, trying to hide her slip-up. “Beauty, please forgive me. I misspoke.”

Observing her cautious demeanor, Beauty Li tilted her head and smiled. “Could it be that not all the rumors about your household are true?”

“Rumors are seldom reliable. My younger sister has always possessed remarkable beauty, but her appearance has been concealed by a veil. Moreover, she is intelligent, yet people spread baseless claims about her lack of talent and beauty. How can those who have never seen her judge her appearance? And how can they say she lacks talent?”

Qu Qiuyan cleverly addressed Beauty Li’s inquiry about the rumors surrounding her own reputation while subtly touching upon the rumors about Qu Moying.

The deflection was executed skillfully, even making Beauty Li skeptical. After carefully observing Qu Qiuyan for a few moments, Beauty Li suddenly burst into laughter. “Lady Qu, you truly are an intriguing person!”

“You flatter me, Beauty!” Qu Qiuyan replied softly.

Her appearance and demeanor piqued Beauty Li’s interest to some extent, as they differed greatly from her preconceived image of the Third Lady of the Qu Mansion.

In her imagination, the third young lady of the Qu Mansion displayed a delicate and weak demeanor that was quite repulsive and made people want to vomit at first sight. However, unexpectedly, she appeared to be quite clever.

Leaving aside the authenticity of her words, the implications behind them were somewhat intriguing, suggesting that she was not entirely ignorant. In fact, she seemed to possess a certain degree of intelligence, albeit mixed with a hint of arrogance.

In the palace, everyone had their own intricate thoughts. After all, how else could they have survived?

“Someone, bring a reward!” Beauty Li smiled and looked relatively satisfied. She raised her hand and instructed the palace maids behind her.

A maid approached and presented a pair of jade bracelets. Qu Qiuyan graciously expressed her gratitude and took her leave. Beauty Li did not detain her and watched her departure with a pensive expression.

If this Lady Qu possessed such intelligence, she wouldn’t mind establishing a favorable connection. Although it was inconvenient to maintain close contact within the palace, it would be much easier to communicate with her in the future. All she needed was to know when the Fourth Lady Qu would enter the palace again…

Qu Qiuyan returned to the palace of Dowager Consort Qu and took a few steps before gesturing for a palace maid to approach. She inquired, “Has the fourth sister returned?”

“The Fourth Lady Qu has not returned.” the palace maid replied with a bow.

“Still in that direction?” Qu Qiuyan extended her hand and pointed towards the direction from which Qu Moying had departed earlier.

“Yes!” confirmed the palace maid.

Qu Qiuyan nodded, waved her hand to dismiss the palace maid, and proceeded towards the path Qu Moying had taken before.

It would be ideal if Qu Moying went outside the palace. That Beauty Li seemed far from a good-natured person. As Qu Qiuyan had made clear in her previous words, if Qu Moying headed outside the palace, she would undoubtedly be intercepted by Beauty Li.

At that point, Qu Qiuyan would have no control over what would be said and done.

If she could insert her own influence into the situation, Qu Moying would eventually encounter trouble. Even if Qu Moying possessed exceptional abilities, she would have no choice but to comply and say whatever was demanded. If anything were to happen to Dowager Consort Qu afterwards, it would not be traced back to Qu Qiuyan but rather fall upon Qu Moying.

If Qu Moying chose not to go out this time, it would still be fine. Judging by Dowager Consort Qu’s appearance, her illness was severe. Qu Moying would likely enter the palace occasionally in the future. If Beauty Li had any intentions, she could easily intercept Qu Moying and engage her in conversation.

Qu Qiuyan had positioned herself in such a way that Qu Moying would inevitably encounter trouble sooner or later!

Moreover, this matter had nothing to do with Qu Qiuyan. She couldn’t help but feel a surge of satisfaction. During her time at the Qu Mansion, she had been at a disadvantage. To regain her position, she needed to exercise caution and be even more careful. It would be best to avoid any involvement with herself.

Recalling her second brother, Qu Qiuyan couldn’t help but snort disdainfully. She had always considered her second brother to be quite intelligent, and his words had always been reasonable. However, since the arrival of this maid named Qing Mei, things had taken a peculiar turn. Qing Mei not only caused her and her second brother great embarrassment but also had a suspicious background. Surprisingly, her second brother continued to trust her.

Based on what Qu Qiuyan had observed before, she hadn’t noticed anything unusual between her brother and this maid. It must be the person behind this maid who caught her brother’s attention.

This thought made Qu Qiuyan very uncomfortable.

She had always believed that her brother should treat her the best and that no one could replace her in his heart.

Fortunately, this maid had been severely beaten by their father and sold off. Otherwise, Qu Qiuyan would never have tolerated her. Just because she had caused her second brother so much trouble and strained his relationship with herself, she would not spare her.

“Lady, the fourth lady is over there.” Qing Ju, who was following closely behind, spotted Qu Moying leaning against the window on the second floor, enjoying the view. She promptly alerted Qu Qiuyan in a low voice.

Qu Qiuyan raised her head and looked at the grand window on the second floor of the opposite pavilion. Qu Moying leaned against it, seemingly enjoying the view. It was a great spot to appreciate the scenery, as it offered a high vantage point. Qu Qiuyan hesitated for a moment but ultimately decided not to go up.

Her brother’s words were wise. She needed to be cautious when dealing with Qu Moying, not rushing for immediate gains. She couldn’t let Qu Moying sense her intentions. If it didn’t work this time, there would be another opportunity.

“Let’s just walk around casually, no need to go over there.” Qu Qiuyan continued walking forward. When her gaze silently met Qu Moying’s in mid-air, she smiled faintly and continued confidently.

It appeared as if they accidentally bumped into each other.

Privately, they had nothing much to say, so they met without displaying a close sisterly bond. It was better for both of them that way.

Otherwise, they would become suspicious no matter who came close.

Qu Qiuyan confidently strolled past the pavilion where Qu Moying stood, seemingly unfazed by her presence.

Qu Moying responded with a subtle smile, a slight curl at the corner of her lips. Qu Qiuyan had become smarter this time.

“Lady, why didn’t the Third Lady come over? When she was at the palace gate earlier, she asked twice about the direction you were coming from. Now she directly came here and even saw you, but she didn’t come up?” Yu Dong was quite surprised. She clearly saw that the Third Lady looked up and spotted the Miss.

Moreover, the repeated questioning at the palace gate was not just a casual inquiry. It was understandable to ask once when leaving, but to ask again upon returning and then come towards their direction— it seemed like the Third Lady wanted to find the Fourth Lady. Yet, in the last moment, she didn’t make her way up.

Yu Dong couldn’t help but feel perplexed.

“She must have encountered someone when she went out. I wonder who it was.” Qu Moying speculated with a smile. Qu Qiuyan didn’t spend much time at the palace, and at this moment, Dowager Consort Qu was likely still asleep. Since Qu Qiuyan had returned so quickly, it meant she had achieved her desired outcome.

“The Third Lady found someone to deal with you?” Yu Dong’s heart skipped a beat.

“More or less. It’s likely someone approached her.” Qu Moying dismissed it lightly. Qu Qiuyan wasn’t influential enough to be a concern when she entered the palace.

Dowager Consort Qu’s sudden appearance made the emperor take notice. The concubines who previously had no knowledge of Dowager Consort Qu couldn’t sit still anymore. There must be someone lurking near Dowager Consort Qu, trying to gather information. So, when Qu Qiuyan unexpectedly left, it was just the right timing.

“My lady, then in the future—when you enter the palace, don’t leave through this palace gate.” Yu Dong suggested after giving it some thought.

Qu Moying gently shook her head. “It’s pointless. Even if I visit Dowager Consort Qu without leaving through the palace gate, I still have to enter or exit the palace. On my way, there are plenty of ways to stop and question me. As a mere daughter of a low-ranking vice minister, I am no match for the favored concubines. It’s only natural that they will inquire and I will answer.”

Listening to her, Yu Dong realized she was right. Her face changed slightly as she pondered, about to say something, but Qu Moying interrupted with a smile and a wave of her hand. “Actually, it’s not a big deal. They only pull me aside for a chat. After all, I’m here to see the Dowager. As long as they haven’t uncovered the true depth of the Dowager’s influence, they won’t dare to act against me. Of course, it’s possible that someone has been instigated…”

Qu Moying paused, her face turning serious, and a chilling glint appeared in her watery eyes. There was indeed a possibility!

Under normal circumstances, the palace concubines wouldn’t dare to make a move against her. However, among these concubines, there were some who were foolish enough to be swayed by others or secretly given orders. They might directly target her.

It seemed she needed to be extra cautious.

“Lady!” Yu Dong realized the same thing and spoke urgently.

Qu Mo Ying nodded, lightly pinching her fan with her fingers, and calmly said, “I understand. I will be more cautious the next time I enter the palace.”

It’s not just the next time, but every time she entered the palace, she wouldn’t take it lightly. However, one thing she could be certain of is that even if someone does try to harm her, that person’s status wouldn’t be too high. The concubines in the palace, especially those with high positions, were all astute and careful. They would never give anyone an opportunity to gain leverage over them.

It was usually the young and lower-ranked ones who act recklessly, thinking they are favored and even daring to approach the empress. They were the ones who might attempt such things.

Although it was initially just a vague thought, there are countless possibilities for how it could be executed. The palace was never a stable place.

Her long lashes blinked twice as she gazed into the distance, and she inexplicably thought of Pei Yuanjun. The coldness in her eyes and brows softened slightly. Since they first met, it had been Pei Yuanjun’s first time leaving, and it has been some time since he left the capital. What could have happened in the North?

“My lord, there is news from Duke Xing Mansion.” Ji Hai said cheerfully, handing over a letter. It was a message from the lord’s own brother.

The lord had a close relationship with Duke Xing, as they were true brothers and both legitimate sons of the former Lord Yun. They were close in age and had been practicing martial arts together since childhood. The title of Duke Xing was also earned by the lord. As a result, their bond grew even stronger.

Every time the lord received a letter from Duke Xing, his mood was uplifted!

The duke resided in another city at the border, quite far from their current location. However, it formed a strategic angle with this place and another city, collectively safeguarding this region. It was an important defensive position on the border.

Pei Yuanjun lazily accepted the letter, the sunlight gleaming on his earrings, flashing briefly and revealing a sharp, icy aura that sent a shiver down Ji Hai’s spine.