Chapter 27: Hidden Mystery

Leng Changxi focused his sight. There seemed to be light glowing in his dark pupil, as if he had wanted to look through the thick carriage curtain to take a good look at the eyes that sometimes indulged him. She was not a woman with the perfect face, but Leng Changxi found it difficult to keep his eyes off her. However, she seemed to be pretty defensive against him.

“General Leng?” Maner called him softly, “If you have nothing else to say, our miss has to return home now. The mansion of Grand Commandant is quite far from here. I’m afraid it’s already too late.”

“This, give this to your miss.” Leng Changxi took out a three-inch tall white porcelain bottle from his sleeve and handed it to Maner. “It was also found from Lvliu. After careful consideration, I didn’t take it out at Arhats Hall. However, I think it’s necessary that she knows about this.” Leng Changxi finished his words, then he flicked his sleeves and leave, bringing a wave of light and shadow.

“Weirdo.” Maner turned around and handed the porcelain container to Qin Yunuan, and muttered, “He was so focused when staring at your carriage that I thought he was going to do something bad.”

“Alright now, you can’t talk about others like that behind their back.” Qin Yunuan whispered softly, “It’s cold outside, let Tong come in to sit in the carriage together.”

“That’s inappropriate,” Maner wanted to refuse, “You’re the mistress and we are just your maids.”

Qin Yunuan held Maner’s hand and smiled, “Now that Lvliu’s not here, don’t be so constrained. You’re treating me like an outsider now. Besides, it would be warmer with more people.”

Maner and Tong couldn’t refuse it anymore. Besides, the sun was about to set, and wind started blowing.

Maner and Tong got on the carriage. Maner covered Qin Yunuan with a quilt and Tong was doing massage for Qin Yunuan’s leg. She said, “You’re either kneeling or standing today, miss. You must be tired.”

Qin Yunuan felt a bit tired and she pressed on her eyebrows, squinting her eyes. What happened today flashed through her mind again and again. Suddenly, she thought of the hysteric final call of Lvliu, “There’s something in the sutra.” She opened her eyes and said, “Give me the bottle that General Leng gave me, and the four sutra Lvliu took from Sutra Collection Pavilion.

The horse-drawn carriage moved slowly, and occasionally bumped due to the curve and scattered stones on the mountain road.

Qin Yunuan sat in the carriage, leaned on the pillow, and looked at the several sutras one by one. She did not want to miss a single word. Sure enough. When she was halfway through the second sutra, she saw a thin piece of paper falling out from it. There was a verse written on it, “Where there’s drought was once the sea, there’s no cloud except in Wushan. I didn’t even bother looking at the flowers, as I am half devoted to Buddhism and half devoted to you.”

“It’s a love poem,” Qin Yunuan frowned, “What about the bottle? What’s in it? Let me see.” Qin Yunuan sniffed at the opening of the bottle. There’s no smell at all. She directly poured out a small amount of powder, picked a little bit, hesitated for a moment, and was about to taste it.

“Third Miss, don’t!” Maner stopped her quickly, “Who knows if this powder is poison or not? Let me try it for you.”

“It’s alright. No matter how confused she was, my mother won’t poison me. Poisoning is way too low for her.” Before Qin Yunuan finished her sentence, she licked a bit of the powder and shut her mouth. After a short while, she felt her body getting warm. She quickly swallowed some water and came to the conclusion, “It’s Cold-Food Powder.”

In her past life, Qin Yunuan’s eldest brother, Qin Linfeng was addicted to Cold-Food Powder before Qin Yunzhuang got married for no reason. Qin Yunuan had seen him taking Cold-Food Powder during seizures and naturally got familiar with it.

However, Qin Yunuan did not expect that Dou Qing’e’s way would be so vicious and vulgar. If Lvliu did not get caught for what she did, she would be adding the Cold-Food Powder to Qin Yunuan’s food and drinks. By that time, the Cold-Food Powder would hallucinate her and drive her crazy. She could then find a random man to accuse her of misbehavior with the love poem in the sutra as the prove. Then, the reputation of the mansion of Grand Commandant would be ruined. For Qin Yunuan’s father, a conservative and reputable person, he would chase her out of the mansion to protect his reputation. Dou Qing’e had a very clear purpose for this trip. Apparently, she can’t tolerate Qin Yunuan anymore.

“I should have known that Dou Qing’e has a second move if the first move fails. The love poem in the sutra, the hallucinating Cold-Food Powder.” The more Qin Yunuan thought of it, the creepier it got. She slumped on the table with one hand, “She did not ruin my name by making the buddha cry, and yet she tried to ruin my reputation by accusing me of having a private affair.” Qin Yunuan’s heart was heavily shaded. If Leng Changxi did not discover Lvliu’s tricks promptly, or if he did not hand the porcelain bottle to her afterwards, Qin Yunuan would only know it when it happens, but not having the advantage of being preemptive now.

“Luckily Lvliu told Third Miss due to conscience and guilt at the last moment,” Maner sighed.

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“No,” Qin Yunuan was utterly calm, “It was not guilt. She was just betting on the secret in exchange if her sister’s safety.”

“Third Miss, shall I throw the love poem away? If anyone discovers….”

“Don’t, Maner. Keep it. The sutra is for my mother. If she found out that it’s missing, she would know that I am expecting her plan.” Qin Yunuan half leaned on the pillow. She just applied Huayulu to the frostbite on her hand. The clear texture soothed her pain. Her wound was almost healed after using it for half a month. At this moment, Qin Yunuan was like a warrior who was ready. She opened the curtain and looked far away, mumbling, “Father is coming back, right? It’s time that he realizes how madam, who he trusted so much, manipulates and controls the whole Qin Family.”

At about six, the carriage stopped at the gate of the mansion of Grand Commandant. The only person waiting there to greet them was Dou Qing’e’s maid, Xiu Gu.

“Master will return tomorrow so madam is busy at the moment and couldn’t come out to meet you, Third Miss.” Xiu Gu smiled and directed her subordinates to remove things from the carriage for Qin Yunuan. Especially when she noticed the extra books, her face lit up immediately. She praised,” Madam has been longing for the sutra for a long time. Now that Third Miss had borrowed them all, Madam must be very happy.”

“Yeah, my father is coming back tomorrow.” Qin Yunuan muttered, with rosy joy on her face, looking pure and innocent.

“Sister,” accompanied by a loud shout, Qin Yunuan saw a figure rushing out of the corner door, running out of the yard to Qin Yunuan. He was wearing a brown robe and he cried, “Sister, you’re finally back. See, this is the little robe nurse Liao made me from your old robe. It’s ugly! So ugly! I am the Second Master of Qin Family. Why can’t I have new robe and new clothes?”

Qin Yunuan was stunned. Baochuan had always been sensible. However, she saw the savvy eyes of Xiu Gu looking at Baochuan constantly, seemingly guessing whether Qin Baochuan’s words and emotions were real. Qin Yunuan got it immediately and she persuaded Baochuan, “Baochuan, I’ve tolerated you making troubles in the yard, but now you are making troubles out here. If father sees you like this tomorrow, he will get angry again. Come on, let’s go back inside with me.”

Qin Baochuan turned his head, posing a look of dissatisfaction, and continued to mutter that he was the Second Master of the Qin family and he deserves good food and drinks.

“I’m so sorry that you have to see all these, Xiu Gu.” Qin Yunuan looked as if she’s disappointed.

Xiu Gu’s eyes flashed sharply, and she immediately said, “It’s alright. If there’s nothing else I could help you, Third Miss, I would return to Cui Xuan courtyard now. Madam’s waiting for me to send her the sutra.”

After Xiu Gu left, Qin Yunuan took Qin Baochuan and hurried back to the yard. Nurse Liao had already set the fire. As soon as they entered the room, Qin Yunuan couldn’t help but poked Qin Baochuan’s head and laughed, “Tell me, where did you learn these tricks from?”

Qin Baochuan smiled. Recently, the snacks sent by Su Chenghai nourished him good that he grew some baby fat. His cheeks were soft and trembled with the laughter, “I was reminded by cousin a few days ago.”

“Cousin?” Qin Yunuan’s hand paused.

“Yeah,” Qin Baochuan nodded, “Sister, haven’t you let me start taking cold showers recently? You were not here a few days back. Cousin came to ask me if you are quite busy recently, as he sees Madam’s servant girl Cui’e coming out of our yard every morning. He thought that Madam was asking you for some help in embroidery work.”

“Then?” Qin Yunuan asked anxiously.

“Later, I observed for several days and found that whenever I take a cold shower every morning, Cui’e would really hide behind the yard. However, she won’t come in, like, emm, like watching me. I guess that the reason Madam sends Cui’e to watch on me is the same as the reason she chased us to this bad yard.” Qin Baochuan was firm and calm, overly mature for his age.

“What do you think is the purpose?” Qin Yunuan asked tentatively. She had never communicated with Baochuan like this in the previous life. All she knew was to behave well in exchange of Baochuan’s safety. Now, she couldn’t believe that Baochuan was such a young adult.

“She simply doesn’t want us to be prosperous, and she doesn’t want our father to notice us.” It was so heavy a sentence, but still feels a little innocent when said by Qin Baochuan. “Sister, I know that you do everything for my good. You tried to protect me even though it risks yourself. However, Baochuan would like to see sister living happily too. Although I am young now, but I will grow up. By that time, Baochuan can protect you, trust me.”

After hearing Qin Baochuan’s words, Qin Yunuan was even more touched. She held Qin Baochuan’s small hands tightly, her glance gentle like the sea. “You can rest assured,” Qin Yunuan said firmly, “Father will be back tomorrow. One day, sister will try my best to come up with a way so that father would know that you are not as unskilled as Dou Qing’e and Qin Yuwan rumored. I’ll let father know what a good son he has.”

“Well, sure,” Qin Baochuan nodded solemnly like an adult, “Baochuan will also study hard, practice calligraphy, exercise well, and not let sister care for me too much.”