Chapter 090: Neck Pendant (Second Update)

Wu Qinglin’s hand, holding the piece, came to an abrupt halt.

Xiao Yue did not even look up. In his usual absent tone, he went on, “Yesterday I saw her in the street leaving the Vermilion Bird Tower with Huangfu Qi…”

The words made Wu Qinglin’s scalp tighten at once.

Some things could be joked about, but not this one. Especially not when Xiao Yue’s status was so unusual.

The Huangfu clan were imperial merchants. They held no real power, yet their standing throughout the Great Yin Empire was anything but ordinary. The Dingyuan Marquis House already carried the faint suspicion of eclipsing its sovereign; if it were to ally itself by marriage with the unimaginably wealthy Huangfu family… what had once been nothing would become something.

Though Wu Qinglin knew very well that nothing existed between Huangfu Qi and Wu Tan, he still could not help feeling tense. He hurriedly clarified, “Your Highness, do not misunderstand. My younger sister grew close to the old madam of the Huangfu family, and the two of them recognized each other as kin, which is why she sometimes has dealings with the Huangfu household. She explained yesterday’s matter to me as well. She was frightened at the Vermilion Bird Tower and asked her sworn brother to escort her home.”

“Oh. So they are sworn siblings.” Xiao Yue gave a thoughtful murmur, but his tone revealed nothing of whether he was pleased or displeased.

Wu Qinglin was truly afraid he might draw some other implication from it, so he hastened to add, “Besides, my sister is still young. Even my grandmother cannot bear to have her married off so early.”

Huangfu Qi had never been a proper one, and on that matter with Wu Tan, Wu Qinglin had actually warned him more than once.

Fortunately, he was not a man who failed to know where to draw the line. At times he might crack a joke and tease Wu Tan, but he would not go any further.

Xiao Yue still did not look up. He tapped the chess piece in his fingers lightly against the board twice, then said, “Early? Not really. If not for that interruption in between, it should have been the Second Miss who married the Crown Prince in two months’ time.”

For any other matter, Wu Qinglin would not have lost his composure, but when it concerned Wu Tan, he could not afford to treat it lightly.

He had always suspected that Xiao Yue knew the truth about the change of birth charts back then.

Now, seeing him bring up the old matter yet again, Wu Qinglin felt an urgent pressure rise in his chest. He was still wavering over whether he should lay everything bare and have a serious talk with Xiao Yue when a knock came from outside at just the right moment.

“Young Lord, are you in there?”

It was the voice of Ruyi, the head maid in the old madam’s courtyard.

Wu Qinglin steadied himself at once. “What is it?”

The maid answered, “The Lin family’s young lady cousin has just arrived. The old madam asks that you come to her courtyard for luncheon.”

“I understand. I have a guest here. Tell Grandmother I will be over shortly.”

“Yes.” The maid answered and went back to report.

Wu Qinglin gathered himself and looked at Xiao Yue with renewed seriousness. “Prince Sheng, the Dingyuan Marquis House has no quarrel with you. If there is any place where we have offended or slighted you, say it plainly to me. But please do not make light of my sister’s affairs. She is only a woman of the inner chambers. There is no need for her to shoulder the matters of the Wu family, and she could not bear them even if she tried.”

At this, Xiao Yue finally raised his head again, slowly.

His gaze settled on Wu Qinglin’s face.

Wu Qinglin met his eyes without yielding, braced for a clear attack.

Xiao Yue gradually let the curve at the corner of his lips fade, then asked with indifference, “If the Young Lord thinks this way, does your esteemed father share the same view?”

A distinctly teasing light flickered in his eyes.

Wu Qinglin’s brows drew together.

On Wu Tan’s matter, his bottom line and Wu Xun’s were not the same. He could place everything about Wu Tan above the entire Wu family, while Wu Xun’s bottom line would inevitably be the clan itself; as for Wu Tan, perhaps so long as her life was not endangered, that would already be enough.

Seeing this, Xiao Yue returned to his earlier languid expression.

He set down the chess piece in his hand, put on his shoes, and rose from the couch.

Wu Qinglin watched his profile intently, still weighing the meaning behind those words.

After Xiao Yue had straightened his robe and stood, he glanced back at him once more and finished the latter half of his sentence. “If that is so, then speak to this prince again once the Young Lord can make all decisions for the Wu family on your own.”

He bent slightly and took up the two books placed at the corner of the table.

Wu Qinglin also rose with a solemn expression and put on his shoes.

Xiao Yue said, “Was the Young Lord not about to go to lunch? Shall we go out together?”

Wu Qinglin felt that he was using that birth chart matter involving Wu Tan to hint at and threaten him, but since he refused to state it plainly face to face, Wu Qinglin could do nothing about it. He also no longer wished to host him any further, so he only declined politely. “I had not expected Your Highness to call today, and so I gave no orders for the kitchen to prepare a meal. Our usual fare would hardly do to entertain a distinguished guest such as yourself, so I have been remiss. Today, I shall not keep Your Highness to eat at the residence.”

“Too courteous, Young Master Wu,” Xiao Yue said without concern. “This is my first visit, and there is no reason for me to stay and dine here.”

Wu Qinglin had no mind to deal with him.

Yet Xiao Yue immediately changed the subject and said thoughtfully, “Still, since I have come calling, I ought to at least greet the old madam of the Wu family. Otherwise it would be far too discourteous.”

The Dingyuan Marquis House was of no low standing, and the old madam was an elder. Though Xiao Yue’s rank was higher, it was only proper for a junior to pay respects to the elders of the household after paying a visit.

Wu Qinglin was already on full guard against him, but even if he suspected the man’s motives were not clean, he could not refuse. He had no choice but to nod. “Your Highness, please.”

Xiao Yue gave a slight incline of the head and walked out ahead of him.

Wu Qinglin had already endured him to the limit. Following behind him now, his expression was far from pleasant; he only wanted to send him away as quickly as possible.

But—

Just as Xiao Yue reached the doorway, he suddenly stopped.

His gaze fell upon a corner behind the door, and his expression turned faintly amused.

Wu Qinglin followed his line of sight and saw that he was staring at the painted parasol jar placed behind the door.

Still puzzled, he saw Xiao Yue turn back to him with a smile. “However, Young Master Wu, keeping this prince’s umbrella here seems rather inappropriate, does it not?”

Wu Qinglin stared for a moment, not immediately understanding. Only after looking at the jar did he suddenly realize, and at the same time his heart gave a hard leap.

Inside were three umbrellas in all: two belonged to this room, and the third had been brought back from Wu Tan some days ago.

Because it was a man’s item, he had felt it unsuitable to leave in Wu Tan’s possession. Yet Wu Tan had also said she did not know the person who had lent it to her, and when he brought it back, he had forgotten to dispose of it deliberately, leaving it there.

How could this be—

That umbrella was actually Xiao Yue’s? Then why had Wu Tan not admitted it?

Even if she had not known Xiao Yue’s identity at first, the next time they met at the temple fair, both sides had already made their identities clear to each other. How could she still have denied it afterward?

For an instant, Wu Qinglin’s thoughts turned muddled.

“Oh! So this umbrella was the one Your Highness lent my younger sister, was it not? She had said she wanted me to return it for her, but I was busy at the time, and later it was forgotten by accident.” Whatever the truth might be, Wu Qinglin did not want Wu Tan, or the Wu family, to be linked to this man in the slightest, so he set aside his doubts and immediately walked over to take the umbrella, offering it to Xiao Yue. “Since Your Highness is here, I shall return it on her behalf today.”

Xiao Yue merely lowered his eyes to glance at it, a smile in his lips, but made no move to take it.

Wu Qinglin’s brow furrowed tighter and tighter. He gave him a questioning look.

Xiao Yue said, “The Young Lord has misunderstood. This umbrella was given to the Second Miss by this prince, not lent. Since it was something bestowed, there is naturally no reason to take it back. This prince only feels that keeping it with you is rather inappropriate.”

He deliberately stressed the last few words.

Having said that, he stepped out the door first.

Wu Qinglin remained inside, holding the umbrella in his hand, but in his chest an earthshaking storm had risen.

This was not his imagination, nor simple suspicion. Xiao Yue truly had designs on the Wu family.

It was strange enough that he had suddenly abandoned his command in the northern army and returned to the capital. Xiao Yue was unlike the Dingyuan Marquis House in every respect. The Dingyuan Marquis House, as a vassal subject, was constrained at every turn by its station. But Xiao Yue was different. He was of the imperial clan, and as the emperor’s own legitimate son, he stood on equal footing with the ruler of the realm. If he had any further ambitions…

Then it was entirely possible.

Thus, at this moment, Wu Qinglin almost for the first time in his life began to doubt the reason why Xiao Yue repeatedly tried to probe and draw close to his family.

Admittedly—

He did not believe this man had any special intentions toward Wu Tan herself. He would only think that Xiao Yue meant to use Wu Tan as a bridge, to hook into the line of the Wu family.

The northern frontier was unstable, the men of Northern Yan had long been watching covetously, and in the south, Southern Liang merely observed from the sidelines while always harboring restless designs…

Those two borders together controlled more than half of the court’s military power. If they joined forces, the emperor’s throne would be anything but secure.

But—

Wu Xun was loyal to the court, loyal to the emperor.

So then, after all these roundabout moves, could Xiao Yue still be aiming for him and Wu Tan?

The thought was so mad that Wu Qinglin felt a shock unlike any before, but such a treasonous notion, he could not possibly confirm face to face with Xiao Yue. To do so would only drive his own family’s situation into an inescapable dead end. For the moment, he could only continue pretending ignorance.

In the main courtyard, Lin Yanyao’s sudden arrival greatly surprised Wu Tan. Originally, she had planned to make a trip to the Lin residence herself the next day, never expecting Lin Yanyao to come first.

At that time, she happened to be playing with the old madam, and by noon she was preparing to stay for lunch. Hearing that Lin Yanyao had arrived, she quickly told Cheng Cheng to bring her over as well.

Because she felt guilty toward the Lin family and Lin Wanniang, the old madam was especially kind to the younger generation of the Lin household.

After Lin Yanyao came over to pay respects to the old madam and sweetly said a few words, the old madam was delighted. On a sudden whim, she even taught her, hand over hand, her own special method for tying decorative knots.

Lin Yanyao had nimble fingers. The old madam taught her only twice before she had produced something quite presentable, prompting the old madam to praise her again and again. “Yes, yes, exactly like that. Pass it through here, pull it snug, and the flower shape appears!”

Wu Tan stretched her neck to watch from the side for ages, growing anxious as she cried out, “Oh! Slower, Grandmother… that thread just now, I didn’t see where it went. Ah, slower…”

The old madam pressed her lips together in amusement, but she did not spare her any mercy. “You need not join in the excitement. You only waste your effort. What Cheng Cheng taught you was already the simplest method there is, and you have been at it for half a month without making anything decent…”

Her own granddaughter was so clumsy it had become a matter of awe. At first, the old madam thought it shameful for a girl to be so incapable. Even if the household garments and bedding could be entrusted to embroiderers, when she grew up and married, surely she would need to make something for her husband and children with her own hands. So she sent capable maids and older women in turn to teach her. But after discovering that her granddaughter truly was not cut out for it, and after enough disappointments, she simply gave up.

“Oh, I’m just slow at learning. I am trying seriously!” Wu Tan refused to accept such criticism of her incompetence in this area. She stared fixedly at the nimble fingers of Lin Yanyao and the old madam while tugging at the tangled heap in her own hands, far less composed than usual, fumbling in a flurry of confusion.

Seeing that she was so anxious she could hardly sit still, Lin Yanyao laughed until she was all but doubled over. “You were born to a life of luxury, with meals brought to your lips and clothes laid out for you. None of us can compare with you. Come on, stop tormenting yourself. Marry into some immensely wealthy household in the future and have your husband hire embroiderers for you!”

The old madam was also pleased to watch the two girls bicker. After estimating the hour, she turned to Ruyi, the head maid who was setting the meal in the outer room, and asked, “What guest came to see Qinglin? Has he still not been sent off? Did he really say he would come over?”

“Yes,” Ruyi replied. “At the time, the Young Lord and the guest were talking behind closed doors. This servant did not see who it was, but the Young Lord did indeed say he would come in a little while.”

Mama Zhou saw that it was nearly mealtime and suggested, “Old Madam, shall I go take a look at the Young Lord’s side again?”

The old madam waved a hand. “Forget it. If he is not coming, there must be something keeping him. Let him tend to his business.”

After saying that, she turned and called to the two girls, “Stop playing. We will not wait for Qinglin. Let us eat first.”

“All right!” the girls answered, quickly putting on their shoes and climbing down from the warm couch, busying themselves with gathering up the silk threads.

Mama Zhou had just stepped forward to help the old madam put on her shoes and get off the couch when a little maid’s greeting sounded from the courtyard outside. “Greetings, Young Lord!”

Mama Zhou’s hands paused, and then a maid had already lifted the half-drawn bamboo curtain.

“I was just thinking of you…” the old madam said with a smile as she looked toward the doorway.

Wu Qinglin stepped inside in one stride.

Lin Yanyao happened to be laughing at the knot Wu Tan had made. Seeing him enter, she hurriedly held it up for him to see. “Cousin, come look at the knot Tan’er made!”

“Give it back!” Wu Tan was startled and quickly reached to snatch it.

Lin Yanyao had already anticipated this. She retreated two steps at once, laughing as she dodged in the direction where Wu Qinglin had entered, lifting the grotesquely twisted knot high above her head.

Wu Tan still had her pride. She chased after her to seize it.

But Lin Yanyao was now half a head taller than she was. Wu Tan reached out and still missed.

And with Xiao Yue following behind him, Wu Qinglin was already getting a headache seeing the girls make such a racket. He casually pulled Lin Yanyao, who had retreated to him, out of the way first. Just as he was about to use his left hand to tug Wu Tan aside as well, he never expected her to be driven into a corner; her face reddening, she abruptly sprang upward and lunged straight at Lin Yanyao.

At the exact moment Lin Yanyao was pulled aside by Wu Qinglin, Wu Tan’s arms closed on empty air. Instead, she crashed right into the Xiao Yue who had come in behind them, and ended up hanging from his neck.

Wu Qinglin: ……