Chapter 27

"Got it … You can leave first!" Duan Zitong's bright eyes moved slightly as she waved her hand and spoke with a gentle smile.

Qing Lan retreated after hearing her voice, but didn't take another look at Xiao Yuxuan. With her identity, how could she be greedy?

"I hope the Imperial Tutor won't mind, but Zitong has something to do. I will be back soon…" Duan Zitong pursed her lips as she spoke in a soft voice.

"Princess, please feel free…" Xiao Yuxuan lowered his brush and prepared to send her off.

"I won't bother the Imperial Tutor, please continue with what you're doing… I'll show myself out."

The moment he saw Duan Zitong's figure fade out of the Tutor Hall, Xiao Yuxuan gritted his teeth and used some strength in his hand to break the brush. His sword-like brows creased and his clear eyes flashed with an icy coldness!

He recognized that girl. That day, if it wasn't for her pretending to be Duan Mu Yan, the result between him and Mu Yan definitely wouldn't be like this! So she was Duan Zitong's person.

At this moment, Qing Lan was waiting outside the Tutor Hall. When she saw Duan Zitong walk out, she hurried over to salute her!

"What is it…" The clear and cold voice carried a trace of sullenness as Duan Zitong spoke indifferently!

"Reporting to the princess… I've brought Su Jinxiu here…" Qing Lan lowered her head and replied accordingly.

"Oh, I almost forgot… Let's go and take a look…" Duan Zitong's expression instantly changed, and a cold light couldn't help but burst out of her eyes.

Within the Phoenix Storage Pavilion, Su Jinxiu waited fearfully. She racked her brain to think of the reason why the Seventh Princess of the Mo Dynasty would ask to see her. From what she knew, the Seventh Princess might be from the mortal world, but by nature, she was of a devilish woman you shouldn't cross.

With a light steps, Duan Zitong slowly walked back to the Phoenix Storage Pavilion. As she entered, she instructed Qing Lan to close the door from the inside!

"This servant greets Seventh Princess—" The instant she met Duan Zitong's sharp eyes, Su Jinxiu's body trembled violently. Just those eyes alone were enough to make people tremble with fear!

Duan Zitong narrowed her phoenix eyes and swept a glance at Su Jinxiu. She could be considered pretty, but her eyes were filled with jealousy.

"Save it… Get up and sit…" Duan Zitong sat down beside the jade chair and looked at Su Jinxiu with her probing eyes.

"Your name is…?"

"Reporting to the Princess, this servant is Su Jinxiu…" Despite standing up with slightly bent upper body, Su Jinxiu still further bent down humbly, not daring to look Duan Zitong in the eye.

"Xiu'er... This name was a joyous name. Let me ask you, how long have you been with the Xiao Family?" Duan Zitong picked up her tea and took a sip. The aroma was rich, sweet and refreshing, with a light soothing fragrance lingering in her nose.

"Reporting to the Princess, this maidservant had been in Xiao General's manor for seven years after my Mistress had married the first son of the Xiao family…" Su Jin Xiu cowered and opened her mouth. She felt as if she was sitting on pins and needles!

"Seven years… In other words, the Prince of Qi and your Mistress had been a husband and wife for seven years?" Duan Zitong put down her teacup and dubbed her cherry lips with handkerchief, as if surprised.

"Yes… My mistress was married into the Xiao Manor for exactly seven years." In her heart, she seemed to have guessed that perhaps this Seventh Princess was a friend and not an enemy.

"Hmm, then how was your Mistress' relationship with the Prince of Qi?" Although Duan Zitong had heard how Xiao Jin Feng had loved and cherished his beloved wife when she was still alive, Su Jin Xiu's words were more convincing and truthful.

"In reply to the Princess, the Prince of Qi had treated my Mistress like a gem. While she was bedridden, he took great care of her personally. For seven years, I had not seen them fight nor had any misunderstandings towards each other. It can be said that they respect each other very much." Su Jin Xiu did not lie. It was the truth.

"Is that so… I heard that on the day of the wedding, your mistress…" With a hint of shrewdness in her dark eyes, she glanced at Su Jinxiu. She could tell with a single glance if she was a loyal servant or not.

"On the day of the Prince's wedding with the Imperial Third Princess, my Mistress had her last breath with resentment… the Prince had not even able to say goodbye to my Mistress nor see her before she departs this world…" Her soft voice was slightly choked with sobs. Su Jin's eyes were filled with mist as tears filled her eyes.

"What a pity… However, there was a saying, 'Death ends all sorrow'. Your Mistress was blessed for if she was still alive, who knew how much her heart would ache as she watched Prince Qi falls in love with his concubine... It's good that she's dead, cause she can still stay in the heart of the Prince Qi for a very long time…" At the very least, Su Jinxiu was the type of person she needed at the moment. Although her eyes were filled with tears, her heart was fake. She was simply too conniving.

"Princess, you might not know, but the Prince of Qi was very sensitive to my Mistress' feelings. Even if my Mistress didn't have the good fortune, the Prince's heart is still only filled with my Mistress…" Su Jinxiu could hear Duan Zitong's probing. Since she wanted to know, she would tell her. It wouldn't be bad for her to be on the Princess' side. A trace of sharpness flashed through her shallow eyes.

Duan Zitong stood up leisurely and walked towards Su Jinxiu with light lotus steps. "How dare you!What you mean is that the Mo Dynasty's Third Princess, my Third Imperial Sister, is not comparable to a dead person?!" The clear and cold voice contained a bone-piercing coldness as Duan Zitong coldly reprimanded her!

"This servant doesn't dare… This servant was only speaking the truth, even the Prince of Qi was very cold towards his concubine... However, it's a good thing that the Duke Xiao took the Third Princess like his own daughter and protected her in every way!" After hearing Duan Zitong's reprimand, Su Jinxiu quickly knelt on the ground with her eyes lowered as she spoke while trembling!

"Oh… Do the Old Duke Xiao really dotes on my Third Imperial Sister?" Duan Zitong's eyes flashed with a cold light. She was already planning on how to transfer Xiao Yin out of that manor.

'Duan Mu Yan… You are quite lucky! But not for long... Who asked you to be my opponent?! I will make your life in that Manor a living hell.'

"In reply to the Princess, this servant doesn't dare to hide anything. Duke does indeed have a good relationship with the Royal Concubine, but…" Su Jinxiu could feel the strangeness in Duan Zitong's eyes. That eerie and cold gaze made people shudder in fear!

Su Jinxiu knew that Duan Zitong was only using her mouth to know about Duan Mu Yan's situation in the Xiao Manor. Moreover, she was certain that this Seventh Princess was even more scheming than her to make Duan Mu Yan die a horrible death! The fact that she had sent Xiao Yuxuan to the Imperial Palace was enough to prove everything!

"But what?" Duan Zitong's beautiful eyes swept across Su Jinxiu on the ground.

"It is precisely because of this that the conflict between the Prince of Qi and the old Duke is getting bigger and bigger! And it was a fact too that the Prince of Qi saw the Third Princess the reason why he was separated forever to his beloved wife, my Mistress, that there remained a huge grudge in the Prince's heart!"

"Is that so… In that case, the Prince of Qi had a long relationship…" Duan Zitong's cherry lips curled up and a hint of strangeness appeared on the corner of her mouth. Her eyes fell back onto Su Jin Xiu's body!

"Xiu'er... You've been in the Xiao family for so many years, and you've worked hard even without any merits. Now that your Mistress has returned to the oblivion, you… What are your plans?" Unbeknownst to them, Duan Zitong wanted to probe more of Su Jinxiu to see if she had any value to her.

"Reporting to the princess… It had already been seven years since this servant followed the Mistress into the Xiao Residence. In this servant's heart, the Xiao Residence had long become a place for this servant to stay for the rest of her life. Although the Mistress was no longer here, there was still the Prince, her beloved husband… This servant is determined to serve the Mistress as usual…" Su Jinxiu's words were so explicit that Duan Zitong naturally heard them and a trace of a dark feeling flashed across her heart.

Duan Zitong's delicate eyebrows slightly raised as her clear eyes swept past Su Jinxiu. Her cherry lips moved slightly, but she hesitated to speak!

"Qing Lan…" Qing Lan understood tacitly and took out a silver note from her sleeve, handing it over to Su Jinxiu.

"Princess…" Su Jinxiu looked at Duan Zitong in astonishment, but her heart was filled with joy. She didn't care about the money, she just wanted to find someone who could kill Duan Mu Yan. So she guessed right.

"Although you're only a servant, this princess greatly appreciates your loyalty. This is a reward for you, take it…" Duan Zitong returned to her jade chair with a casual wave of her hand and sat down before picking up her teacup again!

Su Jinxiu bowed respectfully and slowly took the silver taels from Qing Lan's hands!

"It's getting late, it's not convenient for you to stay in the palace any longer! If this princess ever gets bored and flustered, I'll call you over… Somebody! Accompany her out..." Duan Zitong waved her hand and someone brought Su Jinxiu out from the pavilion.

Seeing Su Jinxiu's figure gradually disappearing from her line of sight, a dark and cold glint flashed across Duan Zitong's eyes! Would Xiao Yin view Duan Mu Yan as though she was her own daughter? This old thing was probably muddled! Humph.

"Qing Lan, send someone to investigate this Su Jinxiu's background. If it's really as she said, then this person is kind of useful!" Duan Zitong lightly parted her cherry lips!

"Yes, Princess!" There were some questions in Qing Lan's mind, but it wasn't her style to ask questions. When she saw the doubt in Qing Lan's eyes, Duan Zitong couldn't help but wipe her lips and smile!

"You think she has no value?" Duan Zitong retorted!

"This servant doesn't dare!"

"Don't underestimate this little girl. The light in her eyes is much sharper than yours. If you are talking about tricks, you might not be her match! You just heard it too... She kept saying that she would serve Xiao Jin Feng for the rest of his her. Don't you know the hidden meaning behind her words? The main wife dead. She wants to take her place. Heh…" Duan Zitong admired Su Jinxiu's whimsical imagination.

If she could pull Su Jinxiu to work for her, her wish wouldn't be unfulfilled. Chu Shirou being the first wife and riding on Duan Mu Yan's head, this play… It would be interesting.

Xiao Yuxuan's figure flashed in Qing Lan's mind. Her white clothes were whiter than snow, and his prowess was like the wind. 'Could a maid marry a prince...?'

"Qing Lan… Are you okay?" Noticing the change in Qing Lan's expression, Duan Zitong couldn't help furrowing her brows.

"Ugh… This servant is fine! I was only shocked by Su Jinxiu's daring thoughts…" Qing Lan lowered her head to hide her guilt!

"Qing Lan, let me tell you, there is nothing in this world that cannot be done only if you put your mind to it! Su Jinxiu is stronger than you that she dared to dream and do it! Just watch! This Su Jinxiu will definitely make Duan Mu Yan's days in the Xiao Manor go up in colours…" A frightful cold light flashed through her dark eyes. The corners of Duan Zitong's mouth curled up in a way that would cause chills to run down one's spine.

On the second day after Su Jinxiu's visit in the Palace, an imperial edict arrived at the Xiao manor! "The war in the north is on the verge of breaking out. Special order: For Duke Xiao to set off immediately and rush to the north to reinforce them!"

"This…" After Eunuch Li read out the imperial edict, he put it away properly and walked towards Xiao Yin, hoping that Xiao Yin would not refuse the edict.

"Eunuch Li… Is the border war in a hurry...? Why didn't General Deng Yong hand over the paper earlier…" Xiao Yin looked at Eunuch Li with doubts.

"I say, General Xiao, you are asking the wrong person! I am just a eunuch. In the matters of the nation, I am not the one involved. Don't even think about it. Hurry up and accept the decree and get ready to set off!" Eunuch Li was helpless.

Every time he read an imperial edict at this residence, he would always in a predicament. At the very least, this was a royal decree for Xiao Yin. Otherwise, who knew what kind of trouble it would cause him again.

"Stop! Eunuch Li! I will be accepting this royal decree in place of royal father!" Just as Xiao Yin was about to extend his hand to receive the imperial edict, Xiao Jin Feng rushed to the front like an arrow and grasped the imperial edict in his hand!

"The Prince of Qi doesn't dare to accept the imperial edict carelessly! The imperial edict is for Duke Xiao, you… What are you doing with that calculation!" Eunuch Li looked at Xiao Jin Feng helplessly. When it was his imperial edict, he didn't dare take it, now that it was not his, he dared to take it?! The people from the Xiao Manor were becoming more and more unafraid of death.