Chapter 62 - Three Thousand Stealth Guards

ntier was the Miao tribe."So you think about the consequences of keeping Night Qingran's portrait being known by that girl from the Southern Frontier. You might get cursed and I can’t save you then. E...Chapter 62: The Three Thousand Hidden Guards

Yun Qianyue noticed that the man's expression was odd and inwardly cursed, realizing she had probably said something wrong!

In this Heavenly Saint Dynasty, it would be rare for someone not to know her in this body. Yet, as she had only been here for a short time, the number of people who recognized her could be counted on one hand. Wasn't that telling him she wasn’t truly Yun Qianyue However, once words were spoken, they couldn't be taken back. She could only watch the man; as long as no one like Ling Yin's fortuneteller exposed her and provided evidence of soul possession, others would have nothing but suspicion.

The man trembled slightly before looking at Yun Qianyue with a sharp pain in his eyes.

Yun Qianyue was stunned. She kept her composure, staring straight at the man. Noticing he looked somewhat like Rong Jing, it seemed to be one of Rong Jing's brothers. However, she had never seen this man when she and Rong Jing were rescued from the Ling Tai Temple.

The man couldn't bear Yun Qianyue’s gaze for long and slowly averted his eyes, looking elsewhere. The sharp pain in his eyes vanished instantly; he remained silent without answering Yun Qianyue's questions.

Yun Qianyue pursed her lips, thinking that Rong Jing's family members were probably all arrogant creatures like him. She didn't want to deal with it and returned to reading her book.

Suddenly, Qing Shang’s hurried footsteps could be heard from outside, followed by her respectful voice: "Is it Mr. Maple who has arrived The Young Master had already instructed us that you would come; I thought you should have arrived more than ten days ago! I didn't expect to see you only today."

Mr. Maple Yun Qianyue's thoughts stirred, recalling Rong Jing saying something about a Mr. Maple coming when she entered the Honored Prince’s Manor with him. It seemed this was him.

"I am Rong Feng! Miss Yun Qianyue… Truly forgetful of noble people! We haven't seen each other for just a few years, and you don’t recognize me anymore Or do I really not deserve to be remembered" The man didn't reply to Qing Shang but suddenly spoke. His voice was heavy with fog as if it came from the heavens.

Yun Qianyue was startled and turned around abruptly.

The man didn’t look at her, suddenly turning and walking out. His steps changed from light to unsteady.

Yun Qianyue blinked in confusion; what was going on

Qing Shang had just arrived at the study’s door when she almost bumped into Rong Feng as he left. She quickly dodged and noticed his pale face, looking alarmed. "Mr. Maple"

Rong Feng glanced at Qing Shang but said nothing, lightly touching his feet to disappear.

Qing Shang was stunned; looking around again, she saw no sign of Rong Feng. She turned to Yun Qianyue in the study, who looked equally dazed and asked, "Miss Yun Qianyue, what’s wrong with Mr. Maple"

"I don't know!" Yun Qianyue shook her head.

"Never have I seen Mr. Maple so out of sorts. Although he is a year younger than our Young Master, his conduct sometimes exceeds that of our Young Master’s maturity. Our Young Master often mocks him as an old man; it's rare to see Mr. Maple like this. Something must be wrong," Qing Shang looked puzzled and asked Yun Qianyue, "Miss Yun Qianyue, what did Mr. Maple say when he came in I heard our Young Master had just returned!"

"I only asked him his name, and then he left." Yun Qianyue recalled Rong Feng's words, suppressing the bizarre thoughts that arose within her and shook her head innocently, "Maybe he’s afraid to meet strangers. And I did tell my own name; could it be because of me"

"How would Mr. Maple fear strangers Miss Yun Qianyue is so kind; how can you think he’d be afraid There must be something going on." Qing Shang smiled and shook her head, puzzled after a while. She decided not to investigate further and entered the room to ask Yun Qianyue, "Miss Yun Qianyue, have you finished reading The Young Master has just returned to his room; do you want to go see him"

"I haven’t finished yet; you can go first." Yun Qianyue waved her hand.

Qing Shang replied and left after closing the door.

Yun Qianyue looked at the remaining few books but lost interest in reading them. She closed her eyes to meditate, her mind empty except for memories of her past life and knowledge from these books. She sighed, wondering if this was a debt left by the original owner of this body It wasn't that she was dirty-minded; Rong Feng’s words forced her to think so.

Rong Feng said it had been years since they last met… meaning he knew her!

Yun Qianyue felt a dull pain in her head and rubbed her forehead, immediately stopping the thought. Whatever; she was no longer that Yun Qianyue from before and didn't need to worry about such things anymore. With this thought, she stood up, brushed off the dust on her clothes, and walked towards the study's door.

As soon as she got there, Qing Shang rushed in again and immediately said, "Miss Yun Qianyue, our Young Master says you needn't read anymore. The manager of the Cloud Prince Manor has come to pick you up; a carriage awaits at the entrance. He said it's getting late, so there’s no need for formalities; let's go back now!"

Yun Qianyue stopped and looked towards Rong Jing’s room where she saw that no lamps were lit inside, with curtains drawn and a faint figure standing by the window. She turned away and nodded, "Alright, I'll be going."

"Servant girls will escort you out!" Qing Shang hurriedly led the way ahead.

Yun Qianyue did not waste any more time and stepped outside.

After leaving the Purple Bamboo Grove, she saw two young scholars sitting on a bridge pavilion. They were precisely the two people she had seen at the gate when she entered that day; they were also Yong Jing's brothers. She ignored them and was led onto the suspension bridge by Qing Shang.

When she was just a few steps away from the pavilion, the two men inside the pavilion stood up together and bowed politely to her, saying, "I am Rong Yi, and I am Rong Zhe. Miss Qianyue, it's a pleasure!"

"Greetings to both young sirs!" Yun Qianyue always had difficulty looking cold at people when they were polite to her, except for Ye Tianqiong. She nodded to the two men but continued walking forward without stopping.

Rong Yi and Rong Zhe clearly did not expect Yun Qianyue to be so amiable towards them; they immediately showed delight on their faces. They dared not enter the Purple Bamboo Grove, and they had been guarding here for half a month just to wait for Yun Qianyue. How could they let her leave easily They quickly blocked her path, saying, "Miss Qianyue, please stay! Would you like to sit down and have some tea"

Yun Qianyue stopped walking, shook her head, and said, "I'm not thirsty!"

The two men were stunned for a moment, unsure of what excuse they could use to keep her there.

Qing Shang forced herself to suppress her laughter as she told the two men, "Young sirs, if you want to invite Miss Qianyue for tea, it's not the right time. Right now, Cloud Manor’s carriage is waiting at the gate and it's getting dark; Miss Qianyue urgently wants to go back. Do you think she has time to sit down and drink tea"

"Then let Cloud Manor’s carriage wait for a little while!" Rong Yi immediately said.

"That's right!" Rong Zhe also nodded quickly.

Now that they were closer, they found Yun Qianyue more and more beautiful and ethereal. As the sky darkened, she was dressed in a purple robe, her looks stunningly beautiful, with the Purple Bamboo Grove behind her as if she had stepped out of a painting. It made them breathe softly involuntarily.

Yun Qianyue thought this must be what people called 'hitting on someone'. She twitched at the corners of her mouth.

Qing Shang immediately said, "It's fine if Cloud Manor’s Chief Steward waits for a moment; however, we're worried that Secretary Lu from the Palace may not wait. Please let Miss Qianyue pass so he doesn't get upset! He has been waiting in Cloud Manor to convey His Majesty's words to her."

Upon hearing this, the two men immediately made way.

Yun Qianyue no longer paid them any attention and stepped past the pavilion. Accompanied by Qing Shang, she quickly left Rong王府.

After Yun Qianyue walked away, Rong Yi and Rong Zhe couldn't tear their gaze from her.

A short while later, two young maids came over side by side with lanterns. One of the maids greeted Rong Yi and said, "Young Master Second, Madam Second sent me to invite you back."

The other maid bowed to Rong Zhe and immediately added, "Young Master Third, Madam Third also asked me to tell you that she has prepared your favorite dishes for dinner tonight."

The two men finally tore their gaze away, showing annoyance in their eyes. They waved their hands together and said, "Tell them I won't be going over today; I have something else to do!"

"Young Master Second..."

“Young Master Third, Madam Third is waiting for you. If you don’t go..."

"I said I won't go! What can they do about it Get out of here quickly!" Rong Yi and Rong Zhe coldly waved their hands to shoo them away.

The two maids looked at each other, then had no choice but to leave. They thought that Madam Second and Third would probably be furious again. For nearly half a month now, the two young masters had been guarding here without doing anything else. Before they understood what was going on, it turned out that Miss Qianyue of Cloud Manor had moved into Purple Bamboo Courtyard. The two young men didn't think about the fact that both of them were married men with wives and concubines; how could they still marry Miss Qianyue Even if she acted improperly and her reputation was tarnished, she was still the legitimate daughter of Cloud Manor. It wouldn’t be their turn to marry her anyway. They didn't know what had suddenly made these two young masters go crazy, becoming infatuated with Miss Qianyue.

After the maids walked away, Rong Yi and Rong Zhe retracted their gaze, exchanged a glance, sighed, and sat down.

"Second Brother, I think we shouldn't drink tea today; let's have some wine instead!" Rong Zhe said.

“You’re right. Who knew that Miss Qianyue would be so...beautiful If only I had known earlier, I wouldn’t have married so soon,” Rong Yi said somberly.

"Such a beautiful woman, if I could taste her grace for even a moment, it would be worth living this life," Rong Ze lamented.

"Hmph, that's too bad for him. She has been in his courtyard these days; she probably isn't clean anymore," Rong Yi’s tone was sour like someone who couldn’t reach the grapes.

Rong Ze glanced at the Purple Bamboo Grove and harrumphed. "How many more years can he live We’ll see!"

Rong Yi also looked toward the Purple Bamboo Grove, harrumphing as well. “This Rong王府 indeed deserves a new master!”

The two simultaneously withdrew their gazes and tacitly understood each other without speaking further. Inwardly, they were both thinking of ways to bring that woman who had just left over to them. Even if she couldn’t be brought near them, tasting her grace or spending a wanton night with her would suffice.

Of course, Yun Qianyue was oblivious to the two men’s dirty intentions and continued walking until she arrived at the entrance of Rong王府. Sure enough, there stood her extremely conspicuous carriage in front of the gate. Sitting by the carriage was Yun Meng.

"Alright, thank you for sending me out. Let's go back!" Yun Qianyue waved to Qing Shang.

"Miss Qianyue, take care on your way!" Qing Shang stopped and bowed.

Yun Meng hurriedly lifted the carriage curtain and said with a pained expression: "Miss Qianyue has lost weight! Hurry back to the manor! Grand Eunuch Lu from the palace is waiting at the manor right now, saying that His Majesty sent him here to pass on a message. He wants to personally see Miss Qianyue and give her some instructions."

Yun Qianyue nodded and got into the carriage.

Yun Meng whipped the reins urgently, and the carriage left Rong王府.

Qing Shang felt guilty over Yun Meng’s words about how Miss Qianyue had lost weight. The girl was already slender to begin with, but even before coming to Rong王府 her complexion wasn’t as good. These days of not eating or sleeping well while constantly reading had caused her to lose a significant amount more weight. She originally planned to wait until Yun Qianyue finished those books and then nourish her back up, but they left so quickly without warning that she was reluctant and sighed before turning around to walk back.

Just as Qing Shang took two steps backward, she saw two women being hurriedly escorted by maidservants. It was precisely the wife of Second Young Master Rong Yi and Third Young Master Rong Ze’s wife. She frowned but ignored them and walked inward. Since she had been following Prince Jing since childhood and serving in Purple Bamboo Courtyard, there was no need for her to bow to these people. The ladies of Rong王府 were not as esteemed as a lady-in-waiting of the crown prince.

"Qing Shang, where is that Yun Family’s Miss Qianyue" Second Young Master’s wife asked first.

"Second Madam, Miss Qianyue just left," Qing Shang stopped and replied in a formal manner despite not agreeing with their words.

"What She actually left so quickly" Third Young Master’s wife sounded slightly sharp.

"Perhaps she was afraid of what we might find out after seeing her doing something shameful, hence fleeing," Second Young Master’s wife said in a livid tone. Over these days, she had endured enough from Rong Yi and naturally harbored resentment toward Yun Qianyue as well.

"Hmph, I think so too. Now that she knows to be afraid Then stop seducing other men!" Third Young Master’s wife was equally full of hate. These days, Rong Ze hadn’t visited her chambers and had been bewitched by the pavilion outside Purple Maple Grove day and night. She felt helpless toward her husband and could only seek out Yun Qianyue to warn her.

Qing Shang originally didn’t intend on speaking up but was irritated by their slanderous words about Yun Qianyue, so she said without being deferential: "I think the two madams are mistaken. Miss Qianyue has been staying in Prince Jing’s study since entering the manor and hasn’t seduced anyone. Just now, Grand Eunuch Lu from His Majesty’s side personally came to Yun Manor to convey a message on behalf of Miss Qianyue; hence she left urgently. There was no question of her running away out of fear."

The two women were taken aback at Qing Shang defending Yun Qianyue.

Qing Shang then warned them coldly: "The two madams must be careful with their words, for if Prince Jing hears it, I don’t know whether he would get angry. After these days of interaction, I discovered that my prince cannot bear to hear anyone speak ill of Miss Qianyue."

With those words, Qing Shang ignored the two women and walked into the manor.

The two exchanged a glance with their powder-painted faces slightly pale. They finally left without saying another word, returning to their respective courtyards. They were well aware that in Rong王府 although Old Grand Prince was the most powerful figure, he didn’t actually run the household; it was Crown Prince Jing who now managed things after being bedridden for ten years and coming out of retirement. From entering the manor two or three years ago to this day, they hadn’t even had a chance to see Crown Prince Jing once, but no one in Rong王府 dared speak ill of him, whether maidservants, pages, servants, or attendants from all the courtyards - not even behind his back. Qing Shang was an attendant by Crown Prince Jing’s side; how could they dare say another word after hearing that he would defend Miss Qianyue Even if their hearts felt aggrieved, knowing that their husbands wouldn’t be able to get her despite them being bewitched, they were somewhat reassured.

Yun Qianyue was currently seated in the carriage and had no idea about this small incident after she left. She also didn’t know that she had accidentally seduced someone without intending to do so. Her thoughts were solely on what the grand eunuch from His Majesty’s side wanted to speak with her.

The carriage returned smoothly to Yun Manor, and before it even stopped, Grand Eunuch Lu’s voice boomed: "Ah, Miss Qianyue has finally come back! I’ve been waiting for you!"

Yun Qianyue reached out to lift the curtain and looked at Grand Eunuch Lu with a radiant smile. "How could I know that Your Excellency would come If I had known earlier, I would have bathed, changed my clothes, and waited for you."

Grand Eunuch Lu was taken aback but then laughed heartily. “Ah! After several days of not seeing Miss Qianyue, your words are even more sweet; they’ve made this old servant’s heart bloom.”

Yun Qianyue's body trembled slightly. She sat in the carriage without moving and looked at Eunuch Lu through the curtain, her smile not diminishing: "I wonder what matter has led to your visit"

"It’s not that this old servant came looking for you! It was His Majesty who ordered this old servant to tell Miss Qianyue that there will be a martial arts examination on the training ground tomorrow. Knowing that Miss Qianyue enjoys martial arts, His Majesty specially allowed her to watch it." Eunuch Lu said with a smile.

"His Majesty has granted me permission to attend the martial arts examination" Yun Qianyue looked at Eunuch Lu.

"Yes, Miss Qianyue. This is a special event for men only. Women are never allowed to participate. Even the Empress and the noblewomen in the palace don’t have the right to attend this. His Majesty specially granted you permission alone! He also ordered me personally to convey this message to you. What an honor it is!" Eunuch Lu said with another smile.

Yun Qianyue guessed what His Majesty’s intentions might be, but she remained composed on the surface and smiled even more happily: "That’s wonderful! Uncle Emperor treats me so well. I’ve always wanted to witness the martial prowess of my Heavenly Saint's male heroes. Now that there is an opportunity, it naturally makes me very happy. I will definitely go tomorrow!"

"I knew Miss Qianyue would be delighted," Eunuch Lu said with a smile as he bowed and added: "Then this old servant shall return to the palace to report back to His Majesty."

"Alright!" Yun Qianyue nodded with a smile.

Yun Meng took out a silver ingot from his pocket and handed it to Eunuch Lu, showing extreme respect as he sent him off: "Eunuch Lu has run all the way here. The roads are slippery at night. Please take care."

"Thank you! Thank you!" Eunuch Lu did not refuse, smiled and accepted it, then got into his carriage.

As Eunuch Lu's carriage disappeared in the distance, Yun Qianyue finally stepped down from the carriage. She wiped off her smile and pondered over His Majesty’s intentions: all women in Heavenly Saint Kingdom were forbidden to attend this examination except for her, which was indeed a great honor as Eunuch Lu said. But she felt that being an exception would not be good. Turning to look at Yun Meng, who had the same worried expression on his face, she raised her eyebrows and asked: "Uncle Meng, do you have any thoughts"

Yun Meng was startled; he hadn’t expected Yun Qianyue to ask him this question. He quickly nodded, then shook his head, finally sighing: "Although this is a great honor, the old servant feels that it’s not as simple as that. His Majesty must have other intentions. However, tomorrow Prince Jing will also attend, and our prince will be there too. If anything happens, Prince Jing and our prince will take care of Miss Qianyue. You don’t need to worry. Since His Majesty personally sent Eunuch Lu with a message, you can’t defy the imperial decree and not go."

"Alright!" Yun Qianyue nodded, recalling what Rong Jing had told her half a month ago about only having half a month left. It seemed that he was right. The martial arts examination tomorrow would likely be anything but peaceful.

"Miss should go to Old Prince," Yun Meng said.

Yun Qianyue snorted: "I won’t go. That old man only bullies me."

Yun Meng immediately laughed: "That’s because Old Prince likes Miss very much. If anyone else bullied you, he would have stopped them long ago! The other young ladies in our household even wish that Old Prince could bully them a little. However, Old Prince doesn’t look at them."

"Then what about Rong Jing I didn't see him stand up for me," Yun Qianyue snorted again.

“How would Prince Jing dare to bully Miss Please don't joke around like this. Prince Jing treats you very well! The old servant saw it with my own eyes,” Yun Meng said, urging her cheerfully: “Old Prince is probably waiting for you now. You should go quickly!”

Yun Qianyue rolled her eyes. Why didn’t anyone see how black-hearted Rong Jing was Especially when mentioning him to this chess-playing Yun Meng, who revered Rong Jing as a deity and would not like hearing anything bad about him. She sighed in frustration and walked towards the palace with an expression only she could understand.

She had barely taken two steps when a woman approached her from the opposite direction. Not young but still dressed like a maiden, her green dress accentuated her elegant figure and delicate beauty, far surpassing that of the side consorts in the household. Her beauty came not just from her appearance, but her graceful demeanor.

Yun Qianyue looked at this woman; she could smell an ink scent even before getting close to her. She guessed who it was: Green Twig, a maid next to Prince Yun who served by the side of the prince and took care of his writing materials every day.

This kind of woman would be able to serve such a playboy as a father. What good luck!

“I am here to pay my respects to Miss Qianyue, the Prince has requested her presence in his study.” Green Twig intercepted Yun Qianyue’s way and bowed politely, speaking with a soft but respectful voice.

“What does Father want” Yun Qianyue asked as she nodded.

"The Prince didn't say anything specific, he just instructed me to personally come and invite Miss Qianyue," Green Twig replied.

Yun Qianyue hesitated for a moment. After all, the prince was still her father in this body. She nodded: "Alright then, please lead the way."

"As you wish, Miss Qianyue!" Green Twig turned and headed back the way she came.

Yun Qianyue followed behind Green Twig. Her entire person seemed to be infused with ink, her body exuding a fragrant scent of ink, making her silhouette appear hazy under the moonlight as it was already dark outside. Truly an alluring woman. She couldn’t figure out how this beautiful woman ended up serving such a debauched man like her father.

Upon arriving at Lord Yun's study, Lüzhī stopped at the door and respectfully said, "Lord Yun is waiting for Miss Shanyue in his study. You can go straight in."

Seeing that the study was lit up and Lord Yun sitting by the window writing something, Yun Shan Yue pushed open the door and walked in.

The study wasn't very large, but it couldn't be compared to Rong Jing's thousand-volume library. However, it was cozy and clean with fresh air filled with the scent of ink. Several pots of tea flowers were placed by the window. Everything was neat and tidy, and Lord Yun had a thick pile of memorial scrolls on his desk that he was busy writing.

Yun Shan Yue stopped in her tracks, looking at Lord Yun with an indifferent expression. Since the day she first came here without asking any questions and accepted Phoenix Concubine's punishment for her crimes, no matter how kind this man was to her or showed his affection, she couldn't feel filial piety towards him as a father. She didn't know what the previous owner of this body would think about Lord Yun's current change in attitude, but she certainly couldn't be like that with Old Lord Yun.

"You're back" asked Lord Yun when he heard the door open and looked up at Yun Shan Yue.

Yun Shan Yue nodded. "Yes, I just got back!"

"Have you lost weight these days Prince Regent Rong Jing must have given you a lot of work," Lord Yun frowned as he saw the thinness in Yun Shan Yue's jaw and cheeks.

Yun Shan Yue remained silent. How could she say it was merely hard work when it was practically inhumane If she hadn't taken on this body's memories, she would never have managed to finish everything even if she died trying.

"This is due to my negligence over the years for not taking responsibility for you properly. Otherwise, if you had learned how to read earlier, you wouldn't be suffering like this," Lord Yun sighed with remorse when he saw that Yun Shan Yue was standing by the door motionless and distant from him, making him uncomfortable but also acknowledging that it was his fault for hurting his daughter's heart over these years. He then said in a gentle tone, "How are your studies going now Could you manage household affairs yet"

Yun Shan Yue thought about whether she should say that she didn't need to study because she already knew how to run the household or if not knowing how to read was just this body's owner pretending. She continued to remain silent, unable to find a way to express it.

"You've only studied for a few days; naturally, you can't manage the household yet. I'm being too impatient," Lord Yun explained when he saw that Yun Shan Yue was hesitating and assumed she didn't feel confident about her abilities. He then tried to reassure her, saying, "Don't worry. You have plenty of time left. Just keep studying for a while more."

Yun Shan Yue stayed silent, thinking as long as Rong Jing wouldn't mind her letting him down, she would continue studying however long it took.

"The eunuch from the palace just came to deliver His Majesty's message, specially allowing you to attend tomorrow's tournament for martial arts champions. It's unprecedented in a hundred years since Tian Sheng established its dynasty for women to watch such an event. I don't understand His Majesty's intentions and couldn't find out anything within the palace either. He hasn't mentioned this matter on court either. So, be careful when you go tomorrow; it seems complicated. You're close to reaching maturity now and should start considering marriage soon. The Emperor might be testing your suitability for the imperial harem or perhaps arranging a match for you," Lord Yun said slowly.

Yun Shan Yue was startled by this news. She was fifteen years old in this body, but she hadn't turned fifteen yet. In this world, girls were considered adults at fifteen and marriageable age. But in her world, that age would still be too young to consider marriage seriously. The thought of it made her feel cold.

"There are precedents where women do not involve themselves with court affairs, even the talented Empress Zhenjing never did so during her reign," Lord Yun continued solemnly when he saw how attentive Yun Shan Yue was listening. "The imperial examinations for both civil and military officials have always been to select talents for the government's use, traditionally a male domain. A woman's literary talent is usually evaluated by the Empress privately among ladies of the court, mere harmless social gatherings. Like the failed poetry appreciation gathering organized by the Empress in the palace due to your incident recently. The Emperor specially allowing you to watch this tournament raises many questions; I'm telling you about it so that you have a psychological preparation for this is not just because you like martial arts but something deeper, so be cautious and adapt as necessary."

"Yes," Yun Shan Yue nodded.

Furthermore, Lord Yun continued to inform her, "In recent years, the appearance of the Tian Sheng dynasty seems prosperous, but internally it has long been hollow. Some small countries that submitted during its founding have grown powerful now, especially Nan Liang which hasn't paid tribute for several years, a real threat to us. Although the Emperor wishes to deter them, Nan Liang's behavior is so compliant that he can find no fault with their actions, thus becoming his major concern. Prince Regent Nan Liang will be invited by the Emperor tomorrow for the tournament despite his recent visit under the pretense of celebrating Buddha’s birthday at Lingtai Temple on Fragrant Spring Mountain. Have you seen him there during your visit"

"No, I was drunk," Yun Shan Yue shook her head.

Lord Yun nodded. "Yes, I heard about that. The wine left by you was sent to the Venerable Liuyin who gave it to Prince Regent Nan Liang as a gift. He had been severely intoxicated for days and only recently recovered. This must be a potent brew!"

Yun Shan Yue looked up at the ceiling, thinking of how Rong Jing would dare to do such a thing.

"Prince Regent Nan Liang is known for his debauchery, disliking official duties and spending most of his time in pleasure. Yet, he enjoys great favor from his father who regards him as invaluable and is supported by many officials too, so he isn't as simple as he appears. You haven’t met him but should avoid him tomorrow because your status doesn't allow you to get close," Lord Yun warned.

"Understood," Yun Shan Yue nodded seriously.

Moreover, Lord Yun reminded her, "Also, when you encountered and injured the young prince of Xiaoxing王府半個月前你在去榮王府的路上遇到了孝親王府的冷小王爺，並且將其打傷，將其十二名貼身護衛全部殺死的事情。雖然這件事最後由景世子出麵壓了下來，私了了事，但是本王覺得那個冷老王爺和冷小王爺必然不會就此善罷甘休的。要知道培養一名隱衛要花費多少心血，如今據說損失的還是冷小王爺貼身的一等十二名隱衛，所以你以後出門更要小心提防。”

“嗯！”雲淺月點頭。她倒是巴不得那個冷邵卓彆再找她的麻煩了，否則真怕自己會忍不住殺了他，她又不是冇殺過人？

“我們榮王府和孝親王府雖然都是先祖皇帝冊封的四大王府之一，但是終究咱們雲王府自始至終枝繁葉茂，並且幾代後宮之主傳衍至今勢力龐大，定是讓皇上忌憚了。哪個天子容得臥榻之側有人對他形成威脅？尤其最嫉恨外戚專權。況且咱們當今的皇上可不是當年的老祖宗皇帝，冇有老祖宗皇帝的心胸氣度，對你的姑姑也是不冷不熱。”

“嗯！”雲淺月點頭。想起她那日在皇宮見到的那個姑姑也冇什麼好感。

雲王爺覺得今日的話多了些，不知道自己說的雲淺月能聽進去多少，但是還是想都告訴她知道的好，繼續道：“孝親王府這些年每代嫡子都是不堪大用，漸漸有些衰敗之勢。自古帝王都要維持平衡，本王以前不覺，最近幾年卻感覺皇上每每都有扶持孝親王府的意思，所以才造成了孝親王府的人如今天不怕地不怕的作為。這中間事情牽扯太多，再加上你和冷小王爺結了不少仇怨。我怕他私下暗箭傷人，你會吃虧。就像那日若景世子不出現的話，吃虧的就是你了。所以一定要小心提防。”

"Hm!" Yun Qianyue nodded again. She was well aware of the ways of an emperor's court. Although she might not have understood the current world situation before, after receiving the memories left by this body and reading those books from Rong Jing, she had become very knowledgeable about it. Even though what the books described about court politics were subtle and obscure, they were still not difficult to investigate further.

"I'm glad you understand! From now on, when you go out, you must have Mo Li follow you, and also take some secret guards with you." Looking at his daughter who was calm as ever and showed no change in expression, the Marquis of Yun felt that she understood everything he had said. Maybe even more than what he explained. His heart eased slightly. He fished out a jade token from his sleeve and passed it to Yun Qianyue. "This is the token to mobilize all secret guards of this Wang Fu. Father will give it to you today."

Yun Qianyue was taken aback, “All secret guards”

"Yes, our Wang Fu has three thousand secret guards. Every Wang Fu can privately keep one thousand secret guards. But since about ten years ago when we found out the Emperor's intentions, we started to privately keep three thousand of them." The Marquis nodded his head. "Since you'll manage this Yun Wang Fu in the future, it wouldn’t be inappropriate for me to give all these secret guards to you."

"You should give it to my brother! He’s the Crown Prince; how long can I stay here" Yun Qianyue refused to take it.

"I originally wanted to divide them equally between you and your brother, but he doesn’t want any of that. So, he gave all to you instead. If so, then just accept it!" The Marquis felt relieved. Normally, a son or daughter would be overjoyed if they could take charge of these secret guards, but his children weren't enthusiastic about them at all. Seeing Yun Qianyue not come forward to receive the token, he walked towards her and pushed it into her hand slowly, saying: "Father knows that I have neglected you in recent years. Even though I also hate your ignorance and lack of decorum, my heart has never forgotten you. The dozens of secret guards I gave Fei Concubine before are nothing compared to what she would get now if she had these. How could there be a place for you then Father wouldn't be that foolish. And you… don’t hate the past anymore!"

Yun Qianyue looked at the token in her hand, thinking about how Fei Concubine only displayed dozens of secret guards on that day. She didn't doubt what the Marquis said was true. Sighing silently, she wasn't the real Yun Qianyue and hadn’t experienced his indifference or lack of affection. Of course, there was no reason for her to harbor any grudges towards him either. Nor would she forgive him merely because of one conversation. She raised her head to look at the Marquis and nodded with a faint smile: "Since my brother also gave it to me, I'll accept this token. As for things from before, I can't remember much anyway. Father needn’t worry about that either. Thank you for your instructions today, I’ll be cautious tomorrow."

"You and your brother are the future hope of Yun Wang Fu. The current situation is unpredictable; even Grandfather and Father might not protect you. It all depends on your own luck now. Especially as a legitimate daughter of Yun Wang Fu, everyone watches your every move. One wrong step could mean no place to be buried in death. You should know this well enough yourself." The Marquis nodded his head again, seemingly wanting to touch Yun Qianyue but hesitated when he saw her expression. He smiled and waved his hand: "Grandfather is probably waiting for you; go over there! These days, he's often talking about you. Don't blame him for pushing you into studies as it was all for your own good."

"Alright!" Yun Qianyue nodded her head and turned to leave the study.

Green Branch stood outside the study waiting. Seeing Yun Qianyue come out, she greeted with a respectful bow: "Miss Yun Qianyue, please be careful."

Yun Qianyue stopped in her tracks and looked at Green Branch, studying her intently for quite some time. Even then, Green Branch remained composed and unyielding. Yun Qianyue smiled faintly: "I always thought there was nothing redeemable about my father; but hearing his words today and seeing you standing by him all these years, I feel he does have something admirable."

"The Marquis merely fell into a few years of melancholy after the Dowager Consort's passing," Green Branch said.

Yun Qianyue nodded without further comment and walked towards Old Grandfather Yun’s courtyard.

After watching Yun Qianyue leave, Green Branch went back into the study. Seeing that the Marquis seemed lighter in spirit today compared to his usual gloomy demeanor, she smiled: "The Marquis has misunderstood Miss Yun Qianyue all these years!"

"Yes," The Marquis agreed with a nod.

"From now on, the Marquis needn't worry. You should believe that someone like Madam Dowager wouldn’t raise a daughter as unruly and ignorant of court etiquette as Miss Yun Qianyue is. Old Grandfather may be old but his mind isn't clouded," Green Branch remarked.

The Marquis sighed: "I've been foolish all these years! As my own daughter, I didn’t know her true character; she’d surely be disappointed in me."

Green Branch remained silent.

The Marquis said nothing either, looking up at the sky with a nostalgic and sorrowful expression.

Yun Qianyue made it to Old Grandfather Yun’s courtyard. It was completely dark inside.

Jade Bracelet waited by the door. Seeing Yun Qianyue arrive, she immediately bowed: "I greet Miss Yun Qianyue; Old Grandfather just went to sleep. He said that since the Marquis has finished his conversation with him, there's no need for further talk. Just be cautious tomorrow yourself. Even if he doesn’t go, Marquis, Crown Prince and Jing Crown Prince will all be at the training ground tomorrow, along with Xiao Wang of Yan. With these close ones around you, if you’re afraid then you're not his granddaughter. Also, don't come back after being bullied; that would just make you look weak!"

Yun Qianyue rolled her eyes and looked at the pitch-black house in the courtyard with a snort: "This old fart!"

Jade Bracelet couldn’t help but laugh out loud, winking at Yun Qianyue. She whispered: “Old Grandfather is probably still not asleep yet; he should still be able to hear what Miss Yun Qianyue says.”

Indeed, as soon as Jade Bracelet finished speaking, Old Grandfather’s voice came from inside the house: "You stinky brat! I heard you've lost another layer of skin at Jing Crown Prince's place; don't stay up anymore! If tomorrow you come back after being bullied, be prepared to lose a layer of your skin."

Yun Qianyue looked up at the sky and didn’t bother with this old man any further. She turned around and went back to Qingyue Pavilion.

— Interlude —

The monthly votes are climbing fast! Exciting battles are coming soon, dear readers, more monthly votes please! (⊙_⊙)ted"Ye Qingran put down the tea cup and glanced at himself uneasily before snorting, “I don’t know either; it’s been several days, I suppose."Yun Qianyue was speechless but somewhat touched. For her w...