Chapter 28: Perfect Murder Scene

  After he finished speaking, he got up and left, and Hua Yu thought of calling him back but it was too late.

  She couldn't help but turn her head to look at Fang Lisheng, with an unpleasant expression saying: "I won't sign a contract with you, if you want those grains, go and rob them yourself, don't put him in harm's way."

  Fang Xuan didn't think much of it and smiled: "It's not me who put him in danger, he seems to be so happy because of you."

  He lightly pointed out the crux of the matter, leaving Hua Zhe Yu momentarily speechless. This was merely a thought that had just flashed through her mind, yet he had spoken it aloud. His thinking was incredibly quick and his powers of observation were razor-sharp, far more so than his appearance would suggest. Inwardly, she couldn't help but feel even more annoyed and disgusted with him.

  "The prince is not a reckless person, he dares to do things that he has a grasp on, you don't have to worry too much." Seeing a servant come over to pour tea, Fang Lisheng said another sentence and stopped, waiting for the servant to leave before smiling and saying: "However, this place doesn't seem suitable for discussing business either, let's change places later."

  "I said I won't sign a contract with you, so there's no need to change the location." Hua Zhe Yu almost turned away with a hint of resentment, not wanting to see his calm and collected face, who did he think he was?

  Fang Ling smiled softly and said, "You will sign a contract with me, trust me."

  This remark made Hua Zhe even more angry, just as he was about to reveal the fact that Chu Ba had been deceived. He caught a glimpse of Chu Ming walking towards them and quickly shut his mouth.

  "This brother has a great demeanor, really making people surrender without knowing whether to ask for his surname and full name?" Chu Mingqiu smiled and came over to greet him.

  Fang Lingyin stood up calmly and said: "I dare not. I am Fang Lingyin, thanks to the Fourth Prince for his appreciation."

  Chu Ming felt unfamiliar with the name and didn't say anything like "I've long admired you", but instead asked: "May I ask where did your esteemed self come from?"

  Fang Xuan didn't respond to him, but instead looked at Hua Zhiyu with a smile and said: "Miss Qi just said she wanted to meet the Empress Dowager, didn't she? The Empress Dowager is waiting for her in the inner chamber."

  When did she say she wanted to meet the eldest princess? Obviously, he didn't want her to hear his identity and deliberately drove her away. Did he think she was eager to understand him? It just so happened that she had no good feelings towards Chu Mingqiu either. Moreover, all the idle princes and ladies around her were staring at her with envy, except for Li Si Tong's foolish little boy. She didn't want to sit here being stared at, so she stood up and bowed to Chu Mingqiu, without even looking at Fang Lishuang, then turned and walked into the hall.

  Until the curtain fell behind her back, the silent peony whispered from behind: "Miss, you're angry."

  "Can't you help getting angry?"

  "This doesn't seem like Miss's style." Yu Rong reminded softly.

  Suddenly startled by the rain, it's just a person who seems to be dangerous, even if his behavior makes people angry and resentful. According to her principle of being indifferent to everything and not getting angry, she needs calmness, not anger, to think about how to prevent him from harming her, where is the spare time for anger?

  This realization suddenly made her break out in a cold sweat, and she couldn't help but sigh, turning around to pat the shoulder of Yu Ru and say: "Fortunately you're here, otherwise no one would have reminded me, I'm afraid I would have let my own nature run wild."

  "Miss has always been fine, I just hope Miss can be more clear-headed here and not be disturbed by some unrelated things."

  Hua nodded with raindrops on her head, "I will."

  At this time a decently dressed girl came over and asked: "Excuse me, are you Miss Hua Qi?"

  "May I ask what brings you here, miss?"

  The young girl hastily curtsied and said: "The eldest princess requests Miss Seventh's presence for a chat."

  Unexpectedly, the Grand Princess really wanted to see her, and Hua Yu let the young girl lead the way. The young girl led them out of the central hall of the lake and walked straight towards a round-topped house on the left wing, with lush greenery surrounding the path, in addition to the emerald lotus flowers on the lake's surface, making the scenery very exquisite.

  After pushing aside the curtain and entering the round house, I found it was very spacious inside. A picture of good fortune and longevity hung on the wall in front of me. Various rare and precious antiques were arranged inside the room. On the red wood table in the middle, a pot of fragrant tea had already been brewed, emitting a gentle steam.

  By the table, sat a woman in her thirties. The woman wore a purple and gold skirt, not considered beautiful, but with a regal demeanor, sitting quietly there, her gaze turned, unsmiling yet majestic.

  Hua Zhe Yu stepped forward and bowed respectfully, saying: "Hua Zhe Yu pays respects to the Eldest Princess, wishing the Eldest Princess peace and tranquility."

  The princess did not let her continue to bow, stretched out her hand and gently said: "No need for too much courtesy, although it's the first time we've met, I've heard people mention you countless times, so we're not strangers."

  Flowers in the rain, stunned for a moment, who is she that people have mentioned many times?

  "Come here and let me take a look. Two years ago, your sister and I didn't get to meet due to some circumstances. I heard that you two are extremely alike as twin sisters, and now I want to see what kind of girl has the same fate as Hua Zhenzhu." The Empress Dowager's voice was extremely gentle, making Hua Zheyu feel a bit uncomfortable for a moment. Someone like the Empress Dowager, who had experienced so much turmoil in the imperial family, shouldn't be more hateful towards people?

  She sat quietly beside the Empress Dowager, who gazed at her with a serious expression. "Indeed, she bears some resemblance to Hua Zhenzhu, no wonder they are aunt and niece..."

  She repeatedly mentioned the flower pearl, and naturally knew that it referred to the Flower family girl who had been engaged to Xiqi before, and had gone not long ago, buried in a foreign land. Now, with just a handful of yellow earth, it's desolate beyond compare. If it were really the case that the princess was the one sitting here reminiscing, her fate would have been the same, so how could she be sitting here now, lost in thought?

  It seems that Hua Zheyu's face didn't look too good, so Princess Chang smiled and changed the subject. "You've already met the Crown Prince, right? I heard that I'm hosting a Lotus Appreciation Banquet here, and the other day he specially asked me to invite you over. Originally, as someone who is already engaged, you weren't part of my plans, but he said there was something extremely important and I don't know if your matters have been resolved or not?"

  Huā zhù yǔ shū lí dào: "Zì rán shì jiàn guò le, bú guò nà jiàn shì jiào má fan, bù néng shuō jiě jué jiù jiě jué."

  Translation:

  "Of course I've seen it before, but that matter is rather troublesome, can't just say it's resolved and have it be resolved."

  The princess nodded, "I know that the Gu family's power is quite great now. The crown prince wants to take food from a tiger's mouth, so he must use some tactics, but I believe he can do his best."

  The rain was pouring down, and I thought the Empress Dowager wouldn't know about this matter. Unexpectedly, Chu Ba told her everything clearly. It seems that Chu Ba is extremely trusted by this imperial aunt of his. She couldn't help but raise her eyes, and the Empress Dowager seemed to see through her thoughts, nodding slightly. "The Crown Prince knows that I, this aunt, am lonely and miserable, so every now and then he would come to visit me here. He is also extremely fond of our Si Tong, if only Si Tong weren't like that..."

  As she spoke, her eyes suddenly welled up with tears, and for a moment, Hua Zhe Yu didn't know how to comfort her, so he could only gently hold her hand and sit silently.

  "In the past, I was thinking of finding a suitable match for him, someone who is knowledgeable and understanding to accompany him for life. But some people look down on others... The Empress Dowager withdrew her hand, picked up the tea cup from the table, and smiled coldly. "Did you see today? My family's Si Tong was playing happily in the main hall, those high-and-mighty young ladies from wealthy families are now accompanying him, not one of them dares to leave."

  The flower is in the rain, and she holds a cup to drink tea. It seems that Princess Chang held this Lotus Banquet because her foolish son was humiliated by his wife, but it's unknown which family offended her. But why did she tell him these things?