The Fourth Lady novel Chapter 82

Qingyan looked to Liangchen with a smile, "My, isn't this Jiang yiniang's Liangchen. Our miss usually likes vegetables, but it's not like you don't know that our miss is also raising a bunch of small animals." She took a step forward, still carrying a smile on her face, "And right now the small fox is hungry, so miss told me to come get a chicken to feed it."

When Liangchen saw Qingyan, she couldn't help but to take a step back. Afterwards, she spoke in surprise, "Your miss feeds all the chickens to the fox?"

That arsenic will only show evidence of poisoning after lingering in a person's body after days and months. But if a small animal were to eat it, who knows what will happen.

"I know right." Qingyan still had a smiling face, "I don't have time to say anymore, miss might even scold me when I get back."

After taking a few steps Qingyan glanced back to the retreating figure of Liangchen in the distance. Even if it was just a slight stagger from Liangchen, Qingyan still noticed it.

Qingdai watched Qingyan turn to leave the backyard and quickly followed after, "Miss, are you not going investigate anymore?"

Qingyan looked to her and shook her head, "We already know who did it, what's the point in investigating anymore." With that said, she began walking forward.

Jiang Mengrou, since you want to treat me as such, then don't blame me for being merciless.

"Miss, why do I feel that Liangchen isn't some good person. It really is like master, like servant." Qingdai said in disdain.

Qingyan turned around to look at Qingdai, "Then what Qingdai means is that I'm not a good person either?"

Qingdai looked to her and shook her head, "Of course not, our miss is gentle and kind little darling. If I was a man, I would definitely want to take miss for a bride."

Qingyan looked to Qingdai helplessly, "Could it be that lately you've been reading those romance playwrights with Fengqing? I can't believe you would even say words like little darling."

Qingdai giggled, not knowing how to reply to Qingyan.

Qingyan glanced to the speechless Qingdai and thought of what she'd just said, letting out a reluctant smile.

If I was a man, then perhaps I wouldn't marry such a cold-blooded woman like myself.

A girl like her who was not only cold-blooded, but also ruthless.

Every incident and matter, which ones were not of her own design.

Yet she stood by like an observer, coldly observing till the end.

And for Murong Jingxuan, they are mostly the same type of people.

The same cold-blood and heartless, and can kill without batting an eye.

That's because they were originally from hell.

When Qingyan got back to her room, Yaoyao had already recovered its usual energy. Qingyan lovingly held Yaoyao in her arms, "These few days, I'll get food from the outside for you, don't eat anything from the manor."

Yaoyao nuzzled against Qingyan's arm, "Master, I've made you worry."

Qingyan also stroked Yaoyao's fur, "Yaoyao, if you were to have some mishap, what will I do? After all, you were an engagement gift* from him."

(*TN: The original term means a gift given as a vow or token of love.)

Yaoyao peacefully nested itself in her arms, "Master, are you referring to Shizi or his Highness, King* Rui?"

(*TN: Brothers of the Emperor are sometimes bestowed the title 'King', however, in the ancient Chinese hierarchical system, not all 'Kings' are in blood relation to the Emperor as vassal lords can receive such a title as well. Even Princes can be given the title; here, however, will be used to differentiate from 'Princes' that are children of the Emperor.)

Qingyan rubbed her nose on Yaoyao's forehead, "Both!"

She didn't know why she liked this fox so much either; the only reason she could think of was probably because of Weisheng Junmo. It was once an engagement gift from Weisheng Junmo.

And after five years, this fox once again returned to her side, but this time it was a gift from Murong Jingxuan.

She didn't know how to express her current feelings either, perhaps this was the so called fate.

Fate can closely tie them together, and let them find a shred of warmth in this boundless darkness.

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Yaochi crouched atop a tree, observing Qingyan for a long while. He found that Qingyan certainly shared many similarities with Qilian Qingyan. When she was drinking tea or even when she held the small fox that looked a lot like Yaoyao, the resemblances were there.

But in the end, he still wasn't able to be certain whether this young girl before him was Qilian Qingyan or Su Qingyan.

To say she was Qilian Qingyan, but in the end they were not the same person.

To say she wasn't, yet their behavior and movements shared many similarities.

Especially how she treated that small fox of hers.

In the past, Qilian Qingyan also adored every pet she had by her side like that.

Little fox, white tiger, but she had always raised them in other places, and not like this moment, where she would raise them by her side.

While Yaochi was thinking about all these things, he found that he'd already arrived outside the inn. At the moment, he really felt a bit perplexed, especially when he was facing Qilian Qingyan.

In his heart, he'd always felt that he was the one that had brought about Qilian Qingyan's death. If he hadn't left her side at that time, then perhaps Qilian Qingyan wouldn't have become a 'Demoness', and she wouldn't have ended up without even a corpse.

The current Empress Qilian Qingyi and Weisheng Junyan act as if she'd never existed.

And for the children she left behind, if it wasn't for King Rui, Weisheng Junmo's, protection, then how could they even survive in that kind of place.

As for the old General Qilian, he willingly retired into Jianghu, using his status as General to protect Qilian Qingyan's orphaned children. And as for Qilian Qingyan's full younger brother, he was exiled by the Emperor and saved by the people of the Thousand Beast Pavilion. He currently resides at the Pavilion.

Although he didn't know what kind of place the Thousand Beast Pavilion was, he knew Yaochi was once his elder sister's close bodyguard.

However, Yaochi didn't tell him the truth of the matter.

"Brother, you've returned! How did your investigation go?" Yanmei saw Yaochi standing at the door and asked with a smile. "So, was she our Mistress or not?!"

Yaochi looked to Yanmei and shook his head, "Yes and no."

Seeing Yaochi in a daze, Liushang just knew he was thinking of Qilian Qingyan again. It was as if Qilian Qingyan had became Yaochi's greatest regret that he was unable to let go of.

Even if that person was already long gone.

"What do you mean yes and no?!" Anying looked to Yaochi and spoke out in frustration, "Could it be...."

Yaochi didn't wait for Anying to finish speaking, before speaking himself, "That Miss Su certainly have some resemblance to our Mistress on her, especially that small fox. But if she really is our Mistress, then in the beginning, why didn't she come to the Thousand Beast Pavilion for help?"

Liushang walked up next to Yaochi and patted him on the shoulder, "Brother, do you still remember the rules of the Thousand Beast Pavilion?"

Hearing Liushang say this, Yaochi frowned, "Naturally, I remember. The Thousand Beast Pavilion's rules...." Yaochi stopped in his tracks, and as if he'd just remembered something, he looked up to Liushang, "Are you saying, the Miss is waiting for an opportunity, and this opportunity is the blood jade?"

Liushang looked to him and nodded in all seriousness, "I'm afraid so." Liushang recalled back to what Qingyan softly whispered into his ears that day. "And if a blood jade really were to appear, then it just means that that person also knows the specifics of the matter."

Anying immediately thought of Yunhen, but that Yunhen always appears and disappears without a trace and was practically a mysterious existence. And now, just where would they have to go to find that Yunhen to resolve the questions in their heart.