Chapter 22: Has She Got Something on You?

Grace cracked a melon seed, "Yesterday, when I asked Aunt why the Empress Dowager was targeting me, she told me it was because of Father."

Marquis Qingyun's expression darkened, "What does this have to do with the inner courtyard? She shouldn't have told you."

Grace couldn't bear his male chauvinism, "According to you, should the inner courtyard and the outer courtyard never interact? Should us women and you men be separated by hundreds of feet of stairs, unable to reach your level, not even worthy of knowing or discussing public affairs that are not even secrets?"

"That's not what I mean."

"Based on my experience, when you deny something, at least half of the time you mean it."

"Was this also taught to you by her?" Marquis Qingyun asked.

Grace was about to tell the truth, but halfway through, she glanced outside the pavilion and changed her mind, "What if it was?"

Marquis Qingyun's face turned unpleasant, and he clenched his fists, his eyes showing obvious annoyance. Just when Grace was waiting for him to explode, he slowly loosened his fist, and then his tense expression softened!

"It's nothing."

Grace was dumbfounded!

Aunt Ning led the original host onto the path of being a wastrel, and her methods weren't exactly subtle; she just took advantage of the original host's simple-mindedness and soft ears. But Aunt Xing and the others, though hindered by being distant relatives, couldn't see through it at all?

She asked this just to see what Marquis Qingyun's thoughts were. Because this didn't conflict with the task assigned by Empress Dowager Lu. If she wanted to subvert him, she first had to get close to him.

And the result?

She stretched her neck three inches longer, and he, a mighty commander who had ruled the battlefield, just gave her a "It's nothing"?! 

Grace stared at him for three seconds, then said deeply, "Father, could it be that Aunt has something on you?"

"What could she have on me? Nonsense!" Marquis Qingyun's skin around his beard quickly turned red, and his voice suddenly rose.

"Why do I feel like Father is a bit wary of Aunt?"

Was she just talking nonsense? When she mentioned Aunt Ning earlier, Marquis Qingyun's face changed, and then when faced with her assumption, he quickly showed displeasure. According to common sense, shouldn't he have held Aunt Ning accountable? Even if she was a close relative, if she crossed his bottom line, could he still tolerate her out of sentimentality?

But he just endured it!

If Aunt Ning didn't have something on him, how could this be explained?

"Why would I be wary of her?" Marquis Qingyun stood up, "You keep talking nonsense! I won't talk to you anymore! Just don't get involved in court matters. And if the Empress Dowager asks you to do something, don't agree!"

"The Empress Dowager's orders are imperial edicts, how could I dare to refuse?"

"I'm here to cover for you, what are you afraid of!"

After saying this, Marquis Qingyun hurried away as if chased by a ghost.

Grace followed him to the courtyard gate, watching his retreating figure, unable to resist touching her chin.

"Miss!"

Just as she was lost in thought, a thunderous voice suddenly came from behind, almost making her jump in place!

Facing her were Hua Xiangrong and Yun Xiyi, curiously staring at her. Hua Xiangrong's hand was still on her arm, "What are you looking at here?"

Grace didn't answer, instead pushing them aside and walking back a few steps to look around the courtyard. She saw that of the four maids who had been serving outside the hexagonal pavilion earlier, only Xiao Ju and Xiao Lan, along with a second-grade maid named Cai Xia, were present now. She turned to Hua Xiangrong and said, "Don't worry about what I'm looking at, go see where Cai Yun, that maid, has gone."

Hua Xiangrong and Yun Xiyi exchanged a glance and then walked off to look for Cai Yun.

Grace turned back to Yun Xiyi and beckoned her over, then sat back down in the pavilion.

Yesterday, Grace had made a few appearances in the mansion, though her performance was memorable. Yun Xiyi was someone who relied on her brains, and her thoughts were inevitably more profound.

She had been living in the Marquis's mansion for over a year, and if things went as expected, she could probably continue for another year or so. But after Grace came out of the palace, her "unexpected" arrival seemed to have changed everything!

Previously, Grace had relied on others to think for her, and her mind was very simple. When she caused trouble yesterday and was taken away by the Empress Dowager, it wouldn't have been surprising if she ended up being implicated in the Marquis's mansion. But she came out, and even cooked for the Empress Dowager!

Most importantly, after coming out, she didn't cry or scream, but calmly saved them under Marquis Qingyun's command, and even showed concern for the Flower Moon Society...

Why would she care about the Flower Moon Society?

It seemed completely unrelated!

Out of responsibility, Yun Xiyi analyzed for a moment, but she still felt uneasy.

Why did Grace seem like a different person now? She couldn't figure it out, but based on her change, it was probably not something a few lines of script could explain. She needed to plan ahead for her career.

When Hua Xiangrong arrived, they exchanged their thoughts, and then Grace had a request for her.

"Did Marquis visit just now?" she asked tentatively. She had clearly seen Marquis Qingyun's official robes flash by, but she didn't know why he followed her father.

Grace glanced at her and thought about her gossip-loving nature, then asked her directly, "Since you've been living in the Marquis's mansion, have you heard any rumors about Aunt and Father?"

Yun Xiyi's mouth dropped open, "Aunt and Father?! When did this happen..."

"It's not a matter of when!" Grace interrupted her, then motioned for her to keep her voice down, "I'm just asking, it doesn't mean there's necessarily anything between them. Just tell me if you've heard anything."

When it came to gossip, Yun Xiyi was an expert!

She immediately straightened up, lowered her voice, and cast aside all her doubts about Grace, "I haven't heard anything specific. Mei Yingzhai is quite far from the main courtyard, and Marquis's side is also guarded quite strictly. Ordinary people can't get in, unless it's urgent, and even then, they need Marquis's permission. No one can get in without it! What did you hear?"

"I haven't heard anything either," Grace shook her head.

She just thought that since Marquis Qingyun was making noise about taking a concubine, and Aunt was by his side, why hadn't anyone tried to match them up?

Yun Xiyi looked at her for a moment and concluded, "You have something on your mind!"

"Isn't that obvious?" Grace sighed

.

Yun Xiyi pondered for a moment, "Tell me, maybe I can help alleviate your worries?"

The sigh was clear indication that she couldn't solve it. But she suddenly asked, "You've been in the mansion for quite some time, right?"

"Over two years. Why?"

Damn it, Aunt Ning actually let the Marquis's mansion support a freeloader for over two years!

"I want to study again. Starting tomorrow, arrange for me to study and practice calligraphy."

"... "