Chapter 4, Secrets of the Palace (II)

Murong Qi glared at him for a long while with a pair of striking black-and-white phoenix eyes, and finally sat back down, propping her chin and said: "Very well, Chief Minister, it seems we should indeed have a good talk."

Ding-dong

I naturally trust the prince, but—" He paused, gently sipped his tea, and said slowly, "I have never had dealings with Princess Yanrong, and this matter is of great importance and must be approached with caution. I hope the princess can understand.

Since Prince Xin has agreed to let Qi Qi impersonate him in Liaoyang, I assume the two of you have reached a consensus—this cannot simply be about her pretending to indulge in pleasures, can it?" Wei Nange slowly walked forward until she stood in front of her, "May I venture a guess? Is it because he anticipated that this return to the capital would entail danger, which is why he chose the highly skilled Qi Qi, who possesses sufficient ability to protect herself, to take his place?"

Although she does not like to think, it does not mean that she knows nothing. A few days ago, at the birthday banquet of Bei Gong Tan Hua, the scene she accidentally witnessed, although she has vehemently denied it, was clearly not believed by Wei Nan Ge. Her seemingly casual question at this moment must have been regarded by him as a deliberate probe.

With this interruption, her momentary impulse also cooled down. After concentrating and reflecting, she was able to discern a general meaning from Wei Nange's seemingly nonsensical remark.

Murong Qi's heart couldn't help but leap heavily again, and he blinked his eyes and said: "Why are you not surprised at all? Did you already know that I was not dead? What exactly did Xiao Jiu tell you?"

To speak of this matter, it actually has some relation to her

What is the matter

Yet Wei Nange's voice still carried a faint smile, along with a steady strength capable of soothing the heart, "Do not worry, Qiqi, I am here to help you"

Before the late Empress married, she and Murong Qi's mother were close friends and book companions. The Empress herself did not raise a daughter, so she had a special affection for the imperial princess Yanrong, who was granted the title, and her favored status. Although she could not release her from the palace, she would do her utmost to satisfy her wishes. When she turned fifteen and came of age, the Empress Dowager wanted to arrange a good marriage for her. Since Murong Qi favored elegant and talented scholars, after much selection, the Empress finally chose the legitimate grandson of the Prime Minister's family—known as a 'prodigy' since childhood, who achieved high honors at the Golden Hall at the age of fifteen, and at the age of twenty became a Grand Scholar of the Wenyuan Pavilion, Wei Nange.

In the span of five years, she transformed from a beloved princess in the deep palace into a widow whose name has vanished from the royal genealogy. The lover who once vowed to follow her to the ends of the earth has become the current crown princess, while another has become the most trusted minister of the future monarch, separated by mere inches yet worlds apart

... ... Princess? Princess Yanrong?

Wei Nange shook his head and said with a faint smile, "Since Princess Yanrong is already dead, how can there be any reason for resurrection"

Two questions, two sentences, yet he used two different forms of address: "you" and "Princess Yanrong". His attitude is clear at a glance

Aren't you going to report me

Although she is easygoing, she considers herself to be quite principled, believing that there are limits to everything. For instance, while she thinks highly of Wei Nange, it does not mean that he can casually cross her boundaries

The marriage between high-ranking officials and the royal family is indeed a matter of great significance. The ever-cautious Emperor and Empress secretly sent someone to probe the situation, only to discover that Wei Nange and the daughter of the King of Yue, Yin Zilan, had grown up together and exhibited a strong inclination of "neither marrying nor being married to anyone else." The talented and promising son of the Chancellor is extremely devoted; since the age of sixteen, he has turned down many marriage proposals from wealthy and powerful families. After much deliberation, the Emperor and Empress, with the firm intention of ensuring that Princess Yanrong suffers no slight, ultimately decided to abandon this matter.

Murong Qi stared in astonishment as the cup in his hand fell to the ground

She is tall, standing half a head taller than the average woman, while Xiao Jiu has not yet reached the age of twenty, and his stature has not fully developed. Coupled with a lack of martial arts training, he does not have a robust physique. As long as she wears thick and loose clothing, slightly alters her facial features, adds a false Adam's apple, and uses pills to change her voice, even those close to Xiao Jiu, such as Young Master Zhao, would be unable to discern the truth from the falsehood.

Wei Nange shook his head and said, "Aren't you living well now?"

"Wait a moment." He also stood up, "The reason for inviting Qi Qi today is not to expose your true identity, nor is it to exchange for a promise of confidentiality on my behalf, but rather... there is another important matter I wish to request."

When she raised her head again, her complexion had returned to normal. Although her voice remained unchanged, the languid charm unique to Murong Jiu had faded from her gaze, replaced by a hint of curiosity as she looked at him and asked: "How did Lord Wei figure it out?"

Now, this secret is her bottom line

Wei Nange still appeared at ease, bending down to pick up the teacup that had fallen to the ground, and then taking a new cup from the tea tray, gently placing it in front of Murong Qi

Wei Nange listened quietly as she commented without reservation on the current crown prince and his privacy, yet he did not become furious, nor did he show any signs of embarrassment or unease. He maintained a smile, and in his deep brown eyes, there were glimmers of light.

But now, how should she go back around

However, it seems that Xiao Jiu's relationship with him is not merely that of casual acquaintances. She looked at him and couldn't help but ask: "Lord Wei, are you not afraid? I am a 'dead person', you know! And a *picture* book"

What should I do? Suddenly, I feel so happy. Murong Qi quietly pressed her hand against her wildly beating heart, held it in for a moment, but still couldn't help but say: "In fact, there are many good girls in this world. Besides looking ahead, you can see them wherever you look..."

Murong Qi rolled his eyes secretly. Since he had already asked this way, denying it would only provoke baseless suspicion and more complicated probing. It would be better to admit it early and observe how things unfold.

Murong Qi stared at those long and beautiful hands, secretly relieved that he had not just said something embarrassing like "I have a younger sister who can marry you"

At this moment, when Wei Nange said, "The prince indeed saw it," Murong Qi was propping his chin with one hand and receiving the small and exquisite purple clay tea cup from Wei Nange's hand with the other, wearing an expression of indifference as if a dead pig is not afraid of boiling water, and replied readily, "Yes, I saw it all."

Murong Qi stumbled, nearly dropping the teacup in his hand

As for the identity of that woman, it was only later that she thought of it

Wei Nange's actions paused for a moment, and then a faint smile blossomed at the corners of his lips, as if he had just breathed a sigh of relief: "The prince indeed saw it."

She came back to her senses with a calm voice, chuckling: "Just call me 'Qiqi'. You are Xiaojiu's friend, which makes you my friend as well." She paused for a moment and continued: "As for the reason you came to find me— I can swear to the heavens that I will never tell anyone about what I saw that day. However, there are some things you need to think through. Yin Zilan has been married to Murong Zheng for several years now, and their son is already two years old. I don't know what earth-shattering past you two share, but please don't let it happen again. If someone else sees it, I won't be as easy to talk to. Murong Zheng may seem useless, but he is actually very petty, and he is about to become emperor. You must be more aware than I am of the consequences that may arise.

Wei Nange only smiled without speaking, simply pouring tea from the kettle. Murong Qi waited a long time for an answer, yet was captivated by his smooth and elegant movements, almost entranced.

She took a breath and said, "Is what Lord Wei referred to the matter of meeting with the Crown Princess that day?"

Regarding this court secret, she actually knows far more than what she initially told Ji Che. During the years of her youth when she was confined in the palace, her days were exceedingly dull, and eavesdropping on gossip became a part of her daily life. At that time, there was a palace maid in the East Palace who had served the Crown Princess before her marriage, and that maid was also close to a maid who had served the late Emperor and Empress. On one occasion, while the two were secretly chatting and gossiping behind the rockery in the imperial garden, Murong Qi was napping under a nearby large tree and happened to overhear the whole story.

Murong Qi was left speechless. Is this answer really addressing her question? Why does it sound completely unrelated? In fact, she just wanted to continue by saying: "If you don't have anyone in mind, I happen to have a younger sister who is quite nice. Would you be interested in meeting her?"

Murong Qi paused his steps, turned around with a grin, and was just about to speak when he was interrupted by Wei Nange

Wei Nange, who was personally washing the cup and brewing tea, was momentarily taken aback. After a while, he replied, his gentle voice carrying a hint of barely perceptible sternness: "Since the prince already knows why I invited you here today, that is even better."

In that case— Wei Nange also took a cup from the tea tray, gazing at the emerald green tea, and slowly said: "Let us discuss the terms."

The Prime Minister's lips curled into that gentle smile that made Murong Qi's heart flutter: "I do not possess any special talents; it is merely that before the prince departed, he once told me that after this farewell, the next time he returns, it may not be himself."

As for the later demise of the emperor and empress, Murong Qi married a short-lived heir, which is a tale for another time

The former Princess Yong'an, now the Crown Princess Yin Zilan, was someone Murong Qi had seen before. During the few gatherings of the palace ladies she participated in, she had seen her from a distance several times. Although her impression was not deep, she still had to address her as "Sister-in-law of the Emperor" due to her status. Therefore, when they unexpectedly met under the cherry blossom tree that day, she felt a sense of familiarity.

However, how did Wei Nange, who is not familiar with either of them, manage to do it?

Regarding the secret agreement between Prince Xin Jun and His Royal Highness the Crown Prince

Wei Nange observed her reaction and smiled, saying: "I did not understand the meaning of his words before, but when I saw the princess at the Tanghua Prince's residence that day, I truly understood—the princess's disguise is so convincing that it could easily deceive anyone. However, the prince's martial arts skills are not very good; if he were hiding in a tree to spy, he certainly would not be able to climb down so quickly by himself"

However, it was not until five years later that she first met the man who almost became her husband.

At the age of fifteen, that was the first time Murong Qi heard the name Wei Nange

No need for that. Rest assured, I will not speak of it." Murong Qi waved his hand

There will not be another time, but still, thank you—" he said gently after she finished speaking, "—Qiqi."

The affairs of the world, with their countless twists and turns, are nothing but this

Of course, excluding Ji Che...! ... Between them, it is not just closeness; it is practically a fateful bond!

I understand. Wei Nange looked at her with gentle brows and eyes, but Murong Qi felt somewhat embarrassed for some reason and hurriedly stood up to cover it up, saying: "It's getting late, I have to go."

Murong Qi could not help but laugh upon hearing this; he was right, this was indeed her oversight