Chapter 405 The Gaffes

When Qin Yuru stopped, Shao Jie’er quickly said, “Fine, it is a good idea. I will tell my, eh, mother. As for the other things, my mother will deal with them!”

“I sure appreciate, Second Miss Shao!” Qin Yuru was overjoyed because she just completed a major task that was to get in touch with people of Duke Xing’s Mansion when she finally was able to walk out of Qin’s Mansion. Even though the one was not Madam of Duke Xing whom she wanted to contact, it could also be regarded as a good omen!

“My pleasure. You know, if you are accepted by Duke Xing’s Mansion, we will be good sisters!” Shao Jie’er smiled and said as she stood up, “I have to leave now for my third sister must be looking for me!”

“Great. I think it is better for us not to leave here together, so I will wait for another moment here and then leave!” Qin Yuru answered with a smile and also stood up. Since she had finished the task Nanny Huang gave her, she now was able to do her own things!

“Fine!” When Shao Jie’er was ready to leave, she suddenly stopped and quickly turned back to face Qin Yuru. Pointing in the direction of the garden, Shao Jie’er warned, “Don’t go there. You now have engaged to someone. Thus, it will be ominous for you if being selected by Prince Cheng.”

“I know that! Just go!” Qin Yuru pretended to be obedient to Shao Jie’er’s warning and kept nodding, but she just twitched her mouth privately.

Shao Jie’er then left and headed towards the inner courtyard!

Seeing Shao Jie’er leaving, Qin Yuru immediately put on a mocking smile. “Let me not go there? She must fear that I will be chosen by Prince Cheng! She must have the same idea!”

However, even if Shao Jie’er had the idea, she could not win Qin Yuru for she was only a daughter of a concubine! No matter how she wanted to be selected by Prince Cheng, she had nothing to do with the glory, wealth and rank!

Qin Yuru didn’t leave until Shao Jie’er’s figure disappeared in her sight. Then she started to walk in that direction again. Now most people must be in the Flower Hall and it was said that Rui’an Great Elder Princess was in charge of the reception. Given Rui’an Great Elder Princess’ influence, everything must run according to her mind. Even if those ladies had the chance to visit the garden, they would do it together!

If Qin Yuru went with that group of ladies, Prince Cheng would not notice her. Thus, she had to seize the opportunity! Since there was nobody in the garden right at this time, it would be good for her to come here first to attract Prince Cheng’s attention and to impress him!

That was Qin Yuru’s plan! Thus, when she moved towards the rockery, she quickly assumed a graceful and delicate look by appreciating plum blossoms affectionately from time to time or standing by a lake fairily. Qin Yuru was trying her best to make her look charming and enchanting, hoping she could make Prince Cheng have a crush on her.

In order to draw Prince Cheng’s attention, Qin Yuru particularly kept walking back and forth. She went to almost every corner of the rockery.

To show her beautiful bodyshape, she stood uprightly and decently. In case Prince Cheng who was in the pavilion found out she did it on purpose, Qin Yuru didn’t dare to look up. Thus, it would be reasonable for her to claim that she didn’t know Prince Cheng was there.

However, Qin Yuru’s coquettish manner had already been noticed by Prince Cheng, and Prince Zhou, who were sitting in the pavilion on the rockery.

Seeing Qin Yuru now standing under another plum tree and gracefully reaching out to pick a plum blossom carefully, Prince Zhou could not help laughing. He glanced at Prince Cheng and smirked. He said, “Uncle, the lady is quite pretty and she is trying her best to draw your attention wholeheartedly. For her sake, just take her!”

In the imperial palace, there were endless palace maids who wanted to throw themselves at those princes while outside the palace, there were also ladies of aristocratic families who postured to impress them. These princes had seen many ladies who pretended to run into them accidentally or to fall in front of them deliberately. Thus, they immediately understood what Qin Yuru was thinking from her coquettish performance.

She must have known the Prince Cheng’s location and tried to show herself here on purpose.

Prince Cheng’s thoughtful gaze fell on Qin Yuru.

From his view, he could only see her side look which, however, made him feel familiar. Prince Cheng then began to recall when he had met this lady before.

Her side look was enchanting from his view. The harmonious scene that Qin Yuru sniffed plum blossoms delicately made everyone think Qin Yuru a fairylike lady.

Not hearing Prince Cheng’s answer, Prince Zhou was stunned and he also took another glance at Qin Yuru. When he found she was pretty, he praised, “Uncle, she is really pretty! Why not ask about her background and just take her! Although her behavior is improper, she might really admire you and come here in particular!”

After all, these princes would never care about the number of their concubines!

For Prince Zhou, the lady was really beautiful but her manner was terrible, which meant that she didn’t come from a well-known aristocratic family. Thus, it would be the best for her to be granted a position of concubine and there was no need to waste the precious titles of consorts.

His mother kept warning him to be friendly with Prince Cheng so it might be a good idea to send a beauty to him as a gift here.

“Her mansion?” Prince Cheng finally spoke.

Xiqi who was standing behind him hurried to answer, “I have no idea, Your Highness. Should I go to ask her while you wait here for a moment?”

“No.” Prince Cheng shook his head. He just felt familiar with her appearance and he didn’t really want to know her background.

He had turned his mind wholeheartedly towards Buddhism. Even though he was to deceive the public by this to some extent, he was deeply affected by Buddha. Thus, he didn’t like her when noticing her coquettish manner.

“Uncle, let Xiqi ask her! Once we know her background, you can choose her as your concubine! Besides, beauties like her are rare in the capital city!” Prince Zhou smiled. He believed Prince Cheng was attracted by her while he must feel shy to ask about her background in front of him. Thus, Prince Zhou directly waved his hand and called his little eunuch.

“Go and ask which mansion she comes from!”

His eunuch answered and left hurriedly. Prince Cheng tried to stop him but it was too late. Then he smiled bitterly and shook his head, allowing Prince Zhou’s trick.

Qin Yuru now also got anxious and was a bit dispirited when finding there was no response. How could he not notice her when she had been walking here for a long time? Why didn’t he take any action?

Did Prince Cheng not like her or was he not there coincidentally? She had a strong desire to look up and check but she knew she could not do this, so she had to curb her impulse!

Since she had been circling the rockery for several times, so now she had no other place where she could go or other view which she could appreciate. Qin Yuru was unwilling to give up easily but she knew her plan would be exposed if she kept walking around the rockery. Thus, she now stood in front of a plum tree and hurried to think about what she should do next by pretending to appreciate the blossoms.

If Prince Cheng noticed her and liked her, he would send somebody to ask her!

Why was there nobody coming to ask her!

When she felt upset, she suddenly heard a slight cough behind her! Extremely excited, she still pretended to be half-hearted and turn around. When she found the person was a little eunuch, she nearly failed to maintain her poker face.

Trying hard to suppress her excitement, Qin Yuru asked mildly, “Hi, what’s the matter?”

“May I know which mansion you come from?” the little eunuch smiled and asked. He served Prince Zhou so he knew his master intended to make a match between Prince Cheng and this lady. Thus, he was very kind to her.

“There he is!”

Restraining impulses, Qin Yuru pretended to be serious and asked, “What do you mean and why?”

“My master sends me to ask if you dropped your handkerchief on which there are some characters. So he wants to know where you come from!”

The little eunuch took out a piece of handkerchief to show that he was here only to see whether Qin Yuru lost her handkerchief and there was no other meaning. His action also told Qin Yuru that he would not let her violate the doctrine of women.

“My master is from Ningyuan Army General’s Mansion.” Mei Xue stepped forward and answered loudly.

“A lady from Ningyuan Army General’s Mansion? Would you mind telling me your identity exactly?” the little eunuch asked with a bright smile.

“My master is First Miss of Qin’s Mansion,” Mei Xue answered.

“Well, it seems that the handkerchief doesn’t belong to this lady!” putting the handkerchief away, the little eunuch claimed and turned around smilingly. Since he had known her background, the handkerchief which was used to support the excuse now was useless.

“May I have a look at the handkerchief because I lost mine just now!” Qin Yuru asked sweetly.

“You lost your handkerchief?” Stunned, the little eunuch turned to look at them immediately. Even though the handkerchief didn’t belong to him, it didn’t belong to this lady in front of him! How could she really claim she lost her handkerchief?

“Yes, so may I?” looking kind of shy, Qin Yuru asked again softly.

Finding she was kind and nice, the little eunuch didn’t turn her down and just gave her the handkerchief.

The design of this handkerchief was simple in that there was no embroidery on it. Given the stitchwork and the material, it was obvious that this handkerchief possessed a fine quality and was much better than that of Qin Yuru! A little eunuch definitely could not afford one but it was possible for his master to have it!

The handkerchief was larger than those which ladies used and Qin Yuru’s own handkerchief was only half the size of this one!

Checking over, Qin Yuru looked disappointed. She folded it carefully and then gave it to the little eunuch. Shaking her head, she said, “Thank you very much! Unfortunately, it is not mine!”

The little eunuch glanced at Qin Yuru thoughtfully, smiled and then left.

When the eunuch left, Qin Yuru was finally relieved for she got her plan off her chest! Although the handkerchief was not real, the following things about the earrings would be real!

This time she didn’t linger but decided to leave. However, since she didn’t want her action to be too obvious, she then turned around and kept pretending to appreciate the view in the garden while walking away.

In the pavilion on that rockery, when Prince Cheng knew the lady was First Miss of Ningyuan Army General’s Mansion from Prince Zhou’s little eunuch, a thought just occurred to him! He finally realized when and where he had seen this lady!

A smile touched his lips. He stared at Qin Yuru’s figure and was surprised. “It is her!”

No wonder he felt familiar when seeing her face. They did meet before!

“Uncle, how do you feel? She is a beauty!” seeing Prince Cheng just smiling, Prince Zhou then walked to him and asked with a smirk.

“She is!” Prince Cheng gave him a meaningful answer.

“Great! Then it is her! Uncle, you have to know that it is I who make a match between the beauty and you! I suppose you should thank me sincerely!” Prince Zhou laughed.

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