Chapter 209 The So-Called Colorful Yarn
“Great-aunt, I shall leave the guests to you. I am tired!” Chu Liuchen’s slender fingers stroked his head as he said softly,
“Go ahead!” Rui’an Great Elder Princess stood up to ask a servant to lead Chu Liuchen to his chamber.
“Don’t trouble yourself, great-aunt. I will go out by myself and take a stroll. I will just rest there if I’m tired!” Chu Liuchen replied casually.
Xiao Xuanzi, who was at the side, hurriedly bowed to Rui’an Great Elder Princess. Then he smiled and glanced at Qin Wanru before pus.h.i.+ng Chu Liuchen out. When they reached the door, two elderly maids on both sides reached out together and grabbed the wheel. Xiao Xuanzi raised the back of the wheelchair, and the three lifted the wheelchair steadily.
With a creaking sound of the wheel, they left slowly.
“Sit!” Rui’an Great Elder Princess sat down and smiled, pointing her finger at the chair next to her.
Qin Wanru walked over and sat down.
A servant girl rushed over to serve tea and then left. Shao Yuanhao took a look at Qin Wanru and then at Rui’an Great Elder Princess. He thought for a moment, and then went to sit in a chair on the right of Qin Wanru.
“Hao’er really likes you!” Rui’an Great Elder Princess couldn’t help smiling as she watched. The youngsters looked suited for each other.
“I like Hao’er as well!” Qin Wanru grinned and ruffled Shao Yuanhao’s soft hair.
“I want to thank you for your help at Duke Xing’s Mansion!” Rui’an Great Elder Princess’s expression darkened. The people she sent came back with reports of what happened to Shao Yuanhao.
Of course, Rui’an Great Elder Princess reprimanded the man and got a new servant for Shao Yuanhao. There was no point in having a person like him!
“Well, in Duke Xing’s Mansion, Hao’er…” Qin Wanru pondered, rephrasing her words, “It seems that Madam of Duke Xing likes him a lot and gives in to Hao’er on everything. Even if Hao’er did something wrong, she would have taken the blame for it!”
Her words were subtle.
“She likes him? She doesn’t even like Hao’er’s biological mother, how could she like Hao’er. She is just good at acting!” Rui’an Great Elder Princess snorted.
“Princess, Madam of Duke Xing did not get along with you?” Qin Wanru asked in surprise.
“We got along fine on the surface, but in fact… she has never liked my son.” Rui’an Great Elder Princess continued, “Since she doesn’t like my son, how could she like Hao’er? I heard what happened that day. She apologized on Hao’er’s behalf without hesitation, but she pushed all the blame on Hao’er. How dare she bully such a young kid?”
“Hao’er is still so young, why did she treat him that way? This looks like it’s been going on for a while too!”
Qin Wanru was confused, her memories for that day was still vivid. She had thought about it for a long time but came up with nothing. She knew Madam of Duke Xing was improper, but why did she deal with a kid that way?
The t.i.tle already had nothing to do with Duke Xing’s Mansion. Couldn’t Madam of Duke Xing be good to a kid who had lost his parents?
“She is too ambitious! How dare she try to control Hao’er?” Rui’an Great Elder Princess thought with eyes full of anger, “If I find out they had anything to do with Hao’er’s parents’ death, I will not spare them!”
Qin Wanru remained silent. It seemed that there was something she did not know. She did not want to meddle with other people’s affairs as she was busy with her own. Moreover, a fragile lady like her should not interfere with imperial matters.
She reached out and ruffled Shao Yuanhao’s hair. This child looked so obedient. Staring with his pair of big eyes and straining his ears.
Rui’an Great Elder Princess seemed to realize her words had embarra.s.sed Qin Wanru and changed her topic, “How is that Young Lady from your mansion? Why did she suddenly crash into Hao’er that day? Hao’er claimed that she did it on purpose and toppled his ink!”
“Yes, she did it on purpose!” As soon as the matter was mentioned, Shao Yuanhao fidgeted in his seat, and his eyes widened in anger.
He even pouted his cute little mouth.
He looked angry yet awkward, Qin Wanru and Rui’an Great Elder Princess laughed.
“Okay, I believe you!”
“You are a good sister and she is a bad one, don’t let her come next time!” Shao Yuanhao was satisfied, and his eyes sparkled.
“Sure, we will not let her come over!” Qin Wanru smiled and pacified him.
After that, she turned to Rui’an Great Elder Princess and said, “Though Big Sister had some problems, she would never want to offend you. Someone must have paid her to do this, or she thought she would gain from this! Of course, she didn’t know about Hao’er’s ident.i.ty at then!”
Qin Wanru knew Qin Yuru well, and she would not dare offend Rui’an Great Elder Princess. However, if someone had suggested something to her without telling her Shao Yuanhao’s true ident.i.ty, she could probably have done something! She will never forget when Shao Yuanhao and she talked about Rui’an Great Elder Princess, Qin Yuru’s face turned pale.
Then she clammed up and didn’t change her first statement at all.
“Suggestion?” Rui’an Great Elder Princess understood instantly. Her eyes turned cold and she sneered, “This child was born into a bitter life. His father died early and his mother, who is my daughter, died giving birth to him. Duke Xing’s Mansion claimed that this child was their blood and forbade me from bringing him away. They promised to treat Hao’er well and since he refused to leave, I let him stay in Duke Xing’s Mansion!”
“I didn’t expect Duke Xing’s Mansion to start scheming so early. It’s my fault!”
If someone wanted to spoil Shao Yuanhao’s reputation and make him look like an ignorant and rude kid, there is no one else besides those in Duke Xing’s Mansion.
Previously, Qin Wanru saved Shao Yuanhao, and Rui’an Great Elder Princess was grateful to Qin’s Mansion for that. Then, Qin Yuru purposely crashed into Shao Yuanhao and pushed all the blame on him. Rui’an Great Elder Princess doted on the kid and might unleash her anger on Qin Wanru.
The man who planned everything secretly had fully understood the most crucial point.
He not only could destroy Shao Yuanhao’s reputation, but also create a breach between Qin Wanru and Rui’an Great Elder Princess. What a good move!
Qin Wanru never felt that this was malicious speculation towards Duke Xing’s Mansion. In her previous life, someone had been planning behind the curtains, causing the tragedy that befell her after entering the capital. Although she had no idea who it was, the person must have been connected to Duke Xing’s Mansion.
“Great Elder Princess, do you know the reason?” Qin Wanru asked because this matter was related to herself.
“It’s all because of the n.o.bility t.i.tle. Do you really think that the t.i.tle of n.o.bility for Duke Xing’s Mansion will exist forever!” Rui’an Great Elder Princess snorted and banged on the table. “They were willing to do anything just for a t.i.tle. Now that Hao’er is in my mansion, I warned the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law. If I ever hear any rumors about Hao’er again, I will not spare them!”
Qin Wanru’s eyes flashed with understanding. No wonder after that day, there was almost no word about Shao Yuanhao’s incident. It turned out that Rui’an Great Elder Princess had made her move!
This must have been why Madam of Duke Xing was so quiet. Looking at the situation that day, Madam of Duke Xing had already thought of an excuse to go to Qin’s Mansion.
Whether it was the clothes left by Qin Yuru or to show their appreciation, she could go to the mansion. However, Duke Xing’s Mansion remained still and kept things the way it was.
Looking at the gift from Madam of Duke Xing, it was surely not just speculation.
“Today, Madam of Duke Xing sent me a gift!” When Qin Wanru came to the mansion, she immediately winked and quietly mentioned it
“She sent you a gift?” Rui’an Great Elder Princess was surprised.
“Yes, just today, she said that she liked me and welcomed me as her guest at Duke Xing’s Mansion!” Qin Wanru told the truth.
Rui’an Great Elder Princess looked Qin Wanru up and down, yet she couldn’t see why Madam of Duke Xing thought so highly of her. She certainly didn’t believe that Madam of Duke Xing liked Qin Wanru because of her love for Shao Yuanhao.
“What did she give you?”
“A set of clothes and a set of jewelry!” Qin Wanru answered.
“Did you bring them?” Rui’an Great Elder Princess asked.
“Yes, they are in the carriage. Yujie, go and get it!” Qin Wanru commanded.
Rui’an Great Elder Princess nodded and called an old maid over to accompany Yujie.
When the two returned, they placed the gift box on the table. After opening it, Rui’an Great Elder Princess was surprised by the set of delicate clothes, “Colorful Yarn?”
“What is Colorful Yarn?” Qin Wanru asked as she had not heard of it.
Rui’an Great Elder Princess reached out and picked up the clothes, and she placed it in her palm. The material slipped down, and she took it up again and walked to the window, examining the clothes against the sunlight.
Immediately, the clothes revealed an extremely vibrant color, which got even more vibrant as if it had been highlighted. Moreover, there seemed to be traces of other colors glowing from it.
But as she studied it in detail, it was just one color.
“Sure enough, it is Colorful Yarn. This is a very rare tribute. Even in the palace, it is hard for the maidens to get such clothes. Mostly, they use Colorful Yarn to make handkerchiefs!” Rui’an Great Elder Princess took the clothes and sat back down in front of the bed, examining the clothes thoughtfully.
Duke Xing’s Mansion was generous with this gift!
She looked up at Qin Wanru and compared her size with the clothes, then she sneered, “Unfortunately, the best-laid plan was destroyed by your size. Otherwise, which young lady could resist the temptation of such beautiful clothes? But if you wore it, and let… see it, that would be a disaster!”