Chapter 32 – Entering a n.o.ble house as deep as the sea
Actually, she didn"t have a lot of stuff, just two small bags. When she saw one of the guards lift up her stuff as if he was lifting up two newborn chicks, Chu Qing-Yan suddenly felt as if it was happening to her.
Under Chu Family"s insincere "rubbing their eyes reluctant to part" appearance but inwardly jubilant expression, Chu Qing-Yan stepped into the carriage prepared from Prince Ying"s Manor. She lifted up the curtain to see her parents" eyes filled with tears, a strong sense of reluctance blooming in her heart.
All of a sudden, a thought aroused in her heart, in the future, if there was a chance, she would definitely ask Prince Ying for a privilege, see if it was possible to often return to visit her parents!
Under the rolling sounds from the carriage"s wheels, Chu Qing-Yan leaned against its wall and slowly sorted through her own thoughts.
The two imperial guards who drove the carriage to fetch her were twins. The face with an expression as if someone owed him 1.08 million taels was the older brother, called Gu Rong. The face with a smiling expression was the younger brother, called Gu Yi.
Perhaps it was because she was still young that other people didn"t think it was worth concealing their thoughts. These two people were like a pair of black and white fiends. One had a disdainful enmity towards her, while the other was all smiles but had a cold gaze.
Chu Qing-Yan"s heart knew that a lot of people were not pleased with this marriage, even she herself wasn"t pleased. Let alone to say these people who followed by His Highness"s side all year long. In accordance to their gazes, they must look down on her, at least in the manner of she was unsuitable to enter their Highness"s door for this marriage!
However Chu Qing-Yan"s lips tugged upwards. What has it got to do with her? This marriage was personally bestowed by the Retired Emperor himself, Western Xuan"s Emperor personally wrote the decree that clinched it. Even if they secretly were dissatisfied, on the surface, they still wouldn"t dare do something to her.
In any case, she had made up her mind. After entering Prince Ying"s Manor, it would be fine for her to become a rice weevil. She wouldn"t hinder anybody"s matters and just consider it as entering the retirement period in advance!
However, the idea was rich whereas reality was thin.
Chu Qing-Yan never dreamed that from the moment she entered Prince Ying"s Manor, she was destined to live a tiring life and never a peaceful one.
Prince Ying"s Manor.
These three words were concisely and powerfully engraved onto that board. Don"t know if it was because Prince Ying had walked on battlefields, Chu Qing-Yan felt that these words carried a faint murderous feeling. She immediately lowered her head and obediently stepped inside.
The moment she stepped through the Manor"s gate, it was as if she came from the warmth of spring and walked into early winter.
Serene and cheerless, as if a cold wind had blown directly into her face.
Chu Qing-Yan unconsciously shifted up the clothes at her neck and couldn"t help but a.s.sociate this with that silver-masked Prince Ying. It"s no wonder his body always gave off a threatening cold aura. Since he was living in such a cheerless place, how could he not be infected by this cold aura?
Although this prince"s manor gave people a feeling of pure coldness, however, the standard in arrangement made Chu Qing-Yan, a modern person, suck in a breath of cold air.
Worthy of being the residence of a n.o.ble prince, a majestic manor spread out in a spectacular sight from the middle road, a never-ending number of courtyards and residences. Just looking at a corner of the prince"s manor, you could already feel how ma.s.sive and imposing it was, and so uniquely arranged. The landscape was unique and magnificent.
Gu Rong and Gu Yi brought her through a path of twists and turns before finally arriving at a courtyard, and then handed her over to a 40 to 50-year-old man with a dignified expression. Gu Yi, still smiling, gave her a salute before turning around to leave. Gu Rong didn"t even spare her a glance before he left, as if she was some sort of disease, his disdain was very evident.
But Chu Qing-Yan didn"t mind a bit and put up a shy smile, wringing her fingers while looking at the middle-aged man before her. Just now, Gu Yi had said that this person was Prince Ying Manor"s housekeeper. Looks like her food and drink expenses were all grasped in his hand. It would be out of the question for her not to perform well!
"Ninth Miss is too courteous! This old servant, Bai Hu, is the chief housekeeper of the prince"s manor. Today, His Highness told this old servant to help arrange Ninth Miss"s living quarters. Please follow this old servant." Although Bai Hu"s tone was respectful, but what flashed through his eyes was a touch of scorn.
"I"ll be troubling Housekeeper Bai then." Chu Qing-Yan maintained her innocent appearance.
Bai Hu shot her a glance before walking towards a direction, with Chu Qing-Yan obediently following behind him. It was at this moment that she noticed a little maid following behind them, she was carrying the bags Gu Yi had helped her carry. She blinked her eyes and soon concentrated her attention on the road she needed to walk before her.
After walking for half an incense stick"s effort, the more they walked, the more out of the way it became. Waiting until Bai Hu stopped, Chu Qing-Yan looked around her surroundings. This area was desolate, seemingly like being abandoned in a corner somewhere.
Bai Hu smiled insincerely and said, "Ninth Miss, this is the place you"ll be living in from now on."
Chu Qing-Yan deliberately pretended to frown with a disgusted expression, as if she had been treated unjustly.
Bai Hu had antic.i.p.ated that she would have this kind of thoughts and couldn"t help but to flatly say, "Ninth Miss, I think you also know that this marriage was bestowed by His Majesty. His Highness doesn"t have any say in it, but His Highness can decide on how to treat you. His Highness usually likes the quiet and doesn"t like to be bothered by insignificant people, therefore, I hope Ninth Miss would be capable of abiding by your role scrupulously. Don"t go provoke His Highness to be displeased, this old servant can only remind you of these."
Sure enough, it was a display of authority, not outside of Chu Qing-Yan"s expectations.
These words could only fool a ten-year-old child, Chu Qing-Yan coldly laughed in her heart. However, she didn"t disappoint Bai Hu and immediately manifested a "being afraid" appearance, in a yes-man manner, she complied.
Only then did Bai Hu nod his head in satisfaction and then point at the maid behind them, "This maid was sent from the inner courtyard to Ninth Miss, called Xi Ning. Xi Ning, come greet the Ninth Miss."
The maid stepped out, "Xi Ning greets Ninth Miss."
Half a child, perhaps only older than her by one or two years. Chu Qing-Yan revealed a thought-provoking smile. Letting a child take care of another child. If this wasn"t making things difficult for her, then what was it?
However, she accepted this challenge.
Bai Hu once again intentionally probed Chu Qing-Yan with a few sentences, and after finding her to be naive and ignorant, he then left, feeling at ease.
Finally sending off that smiling tiger, Chu Qing-Yan could finally rub her face that was stiff from smiling. Afterwards, she turned around and her gaze landed on the little maid in front of her.
"Ninth Miss, you are really pretty, just like a porcelain doll, exceedingly adorable." Xi Ning"s round eyes turned, seemingly very quick-witted.
Chu Qing-Yan smilingly looked at her, a child who still hadn"t grown up had a heart that was quite pure. Otherwise, where would you find a servant that would praise their own master that she looked like fragile porcelain. However, seeing that she really liked Chu Qing-Yan, she also replied, "You are also very cute."
Being praised by her new master made Xi Ning very happy, her tail couldn"t help but stick up. "Master, you are a really nice person."
Chu Qing-Yan"s smile couldn"t help but to expand. It seemed as if everyone in Prince Ying"s Manor, just like the housekeeper, treated her like an insignificant person. Otherwise, they wouldn"t arrange such a young and unsophisticated little maid to attend to her.
Perhaps, this Prince Ying wanted to live a life where they would never meet until they die.
However, this also suited her wishes, at least she wouldn"t be tailed all day long and could live an even more relaxed life.
This time, leaving Chu Family, she didn"t bring Shan Cha. Because a person had betrayed her once, no matter how loyal she was after that time, she wouldn"t easily trust her again. Rather than people who had already stabbed her by her side, it was better not to bring her, to cut off misfortunes in the future.
"Then, let"s tidy up this courtyard!" Chu Qing-Yan laughed and folded back her sleeves.
Just when Chu Qing-Yan was tidying up her courtyard, Xiao Xu returned to the manor.