The Fourth Lady novel Chapter 44

When Su Qingyan heard this voice, she knew it was already impossible to leave. She walked out from behind the potted plants and bowed to Chunyuan Grand Princess, "I'd inadvertently intruded upon this place, I hope Grand Princess would forgive me."

When Chunyuan Grand Princess saw Qingyan, Qilian Qingyan's figure surfaced in her mind. She walked up next to Su Qingyan and held her hand, "Yan'er, did you come back? I just knew you wouldn't easily die like that. It must be because you're unwilling to part with royal mother*, that's why you came back right?"

(*TN: She's Qilian Qingyan's mother-in-law, which is why she addresses herself like that.)

Qingyan look to her with a smile, "Your Highness, are you mistaking me for someone?"

After staring at Qingyan for awhile, Chunyuan Grand Princess turned to her side to Liu Shang, "Too similar, she really is too similar, even how we first met is similar."

Liu Shang glanced at Qingyan and tightly furrowed his brows. However, he was unwilling to retort Chunyuan Grand Princess's opinion and could only nod along.

Liu Shang carefully studied Qingyan's appearance. This young girl that looked about 14 has an innate dignified aura, and this kind of aura he'd only felt on the former pavilion master, Qilian Qingyan, before.

In these five years, it's not like he'd never thought of extracting revenge for the pavilion master, but Qinglong* and the others had constantly been stopping him. They could only helplessly watch as Qingyan died.

(*TN: Azure Dragon, unsure whether it's being used as a name or he is the Azure Dragon in human form.)

Died in that mysterious fire.

By the time they all rushed back to Nanchen, they'd received news that Qilian Qingyan's corpse had disappeared as well. Weisheng Junyan, seeing that she'd never done anything improper in her life, gave her posthumous title of Xianyi Empress.

But he knew that she must have experienced something terrible at the end, to have chosen to end her life by burning herself. But all those involved in that incident had all mysteriously died, so they didn't know where to start looking for the truth of the matter.

"What is your name? Why did you intrude here?" Chunyuan asked her with a smile.

Qingyan met her eyes and simply replied, "Your Highness, my name is Su Qingyan, I once heard that Xiexiu Hall was built by a princess of the previous dynasty, and that there was a plum orchard here. That's why I wanted to have a glance, yet I unexpectedly startled your Highness."

Chunyuan instantly started to like Qingyan, especially when she heard her say she was also called Qingyan. The joy in her eyes couldn't help but grow. She pulled along Qingyan's hand, "Yan'er must also be here for the talent conference."

Qingyan look to Chunyuan and earnestly nodded, "Correct."

Chunyuan turned to Liu Shang next to her with a smile, "Liu Shang, I'm suddenly interested in seeing the talent conference today, will you accompany me there?"

Liu Shang look to her and sighed, "That is of course."

Chunyuan pulled Qingyan along with her towards the main hall, and following behind their steps was Qingdai and Chishao.

Liu Shang stared at Su Qingyan and thought of Donghe's Dingguo General, Su Yun. It's said that his one and only daughter was being raised in Diqiu this whole time. And that she'd become arrogant with a rude and willful personality.

But it seems this girl must be either Su Ming or Su Yan's daughter.

"May I ask who miss's father is?" Liu Shang casually asked her.

Qingyan turned her head around to Liu Shang with a warm smile, "My father Su Yun is the Dingguo General."

Liu Shang look to her in surprise; this young girl before him, clad in a long green plum blossom decorated dress, was actually Dingguo General Su Yun's daughter? She was completely different from the impression he had of her.

"I see, so you're General Su's daughter. General Su must also be very proud to have a daughter like you." Chunyuan patted her hand carrying a warm smile on her face.

"You're flattering me." Su Qingyan supported Chunyuan step by step towards the main hall of Xiexiu Hall. "Grand Princess, there's something you don't know, I'm the laughing stock of Diqiu, everyone says I'm arrogant."

Chunyuan look to her and shook her head, "I've always been accurate at judging people, you and that child, Yan'er's, personality are too similar, both gentle like water."

Qingyan knew that the Yan'er Chunyuan spoke of was her former self. In the past, she certainly was as gentle as water, but that was why she'd ended up like that.

Although hearing Liu Shang's tone, 'Xianyi Empress' was probably the title granted to her by Weisheng Junyan after she'd died out of pity.

Thinking of it like that, her past incarnation was truly tragic, lamentable, and pitiful.

But this time, she surely won't follow that same path again.

"Thank you Grand Princess for the praise, I'm undeserving of such." Qingyan look to Chunyuan still with a gentle smile.

Chunyuan gazed at Qingyan's appearance liking her more and more. She brought out a handkerchief to help wipe the sweat off Qingyan's forehead. "After this talent conference is over, I'm definitely going to tell my royal nephew."

"Thank you very much, your Highness." Su Qingyan bowed to Chunyuan.

Chunyuan lead Qingyan along a long corridor, and on either sides of the corridor were filled with plants and flowers. The scent of the flowers invaded their nose as they slowly walked along this long corridor, enjoying the fragrant of nature and admiring the verdant wutong tree.

As soon as she step foot into the yard, she heard Cui Hanqun's voice come through, "Everyone look, it must be that ugly girl arriving."

When they all turned their heads at the sound of Cui Hanqun's voice, they unexpectedly saw a young girl clad in a green plum blossom decorated long dress walking towards them. Standing next to her was a wealthy looking madam, and behind her stood a young man in white, carrying an ancient qin on his back.

"Who is that girl?! And who is that woman next to her?" Du Yulin softly muttered as she stared at Qingyan.

"Qingyuan, why hasn't that ugly sister of yours appeared yet? Don't tell me she's scared, so she didn't dare to come!" When Cui Hanqun looked to Su Qingyuan, he had a warm smile.

When Su Qingyuan heard that voice, she lifted her head and saw Su Qingyan and next to her stood an unknown old woman.

"Yan'er, what took you so long? We've all been waiting for you for a while now." Luo Yixin walked up before Qingyan with a smile.

As soon as Luo Yixin finished speaking, the sound of shock was heard from behind her. The young girl before their eyes in green was actually Su Qingyan?! How could that be?

"Xin'er, sorry for the wait." Su Qingyan apologized to Luo Yixin with a bow.

Seeing how the others acted, Chunyuan knew that Qingyan's days here were not well. She pulled along Qingyan as she walked up the main seat to the side and sat down. "Yan'er, just sit by my side today, I guarantee those people won't bully you."

Just as Chunyuan sat down, Ning Siyao's voice sounded, "Where did this shrew hag come from, to dare sit in the main seat. Do you know who gets sit in the main seat?"

Just when Liu Shang was about to step forward and teach her a lesson, Chunyuan looked up to Ning Siyao with a smile, "This madam, do you know who I am?"

Ning Siyao, thinking that anyone that comes in with Su Qingyan is definitely not some decent person, condescendingly replied, "I don't care who you are. This main seat isn't somewhere you can sit. As for that little wench next to you-!"

'Pah.' Just like that, a slap landed across Ning Siyao's face. The one that slapped her was an unknown maiden clad in red. "What an arrogant fellow, not kneeling before the Grand Princess and even daring to be so impudent."