Chapter 56: Intentional or Unintentional

  Everyone in the hall, after hearing Shen's words, stood up and bowed to bid farewell, except for Qingjin's father, Gu Huaili.

  Gu Ningxuan was the first to rush to Gu Qingjin's side after Shen's words fell, "Second sister, get up quickly, we'll follow Mother back." Qingjin smiled at him, this child used to be embarrassed to call her sister, but now it came so smoothly, as if the two had always been siblings with a good relationship, rather than being on opposite sides like water and fire in the past. However, she really liked this younger brother of hers.

  Thinking so, she also stood up under the traction of Gu Ningxuan, and after saluting Shen Shi and Gu Huaili, the women in the house walked out of the main hall, leaving only Shen Shi and Gu Huaili's father to entertain the mysterious guest from the Third Prince's Mansion.

  As soon as everyone had just left the hall and walked up to the corridor, they saw the butler leading someone from the other side towards the hall, and everyone involuntarily stopped in their tracks.

  Qing Jin felt the footsteps around her come to a stop, and she too stopped moving forward. She looked up to see everyone's curious faces turned in one direction, and followed their line of sight to see the butler leading a young man towards the main hall. The man was dressed in black, with a straight back, and although he clearly felt the gaze of the women on this side, he politely did not turn his head.

  Qing Jin glanced over and then withdrew her gaze, she didn't care or show any curiosity about who the newcomer was or what they wanted. On the other hand, Gu Qingyao, Gu Qingxia, and Gu Qingqi beside her showed some curiosity, gazing from a distance.

  When the butler and the man in black disappeared at the entrance of the hall, Qingyao finally withdrew her gaze and leaned towards Qingjin's side, "Second sister, is everything all right?" Her eyes were filled with concern.

  "No, thank you for your concern, Fourth Sister." Qing Jin said lightly.

  Hearing that Qing Jin didn't mean to blame her for what happened in the hall, Qing Yao spoke up again, "Second sister, did you see the black-clad man who was with the steward just now? He seemed to be the same guard who was by Xuan Yi Gongzi's side when we met him on the street twice."

  "Is that so, I didn't see clearly because it was too far away." Qing Jin said ambiguously, but in her heart she thought, did Gu Qing Yao mean that she had a good impression of Long Han Yuan after the two encounters? It's just unknown whether when the news of Third Uncle saving the emperor comes back and Emperor Ming intends to bestow marriage, Qing Yao will choose the current object of her affection, Long Han Yuan, or the Sixth Imperial Son who can make her the Empress.

  "Second sister, what are you thinking about? Why are you staring at Y'ao like that?" Seeing Qing Jin's expression of deep thought, Qing Yao couldn't help but ask, and for some reason, being stared at by her fourth sister made her feel a little psychologically flustered.

  "There's nothing, just feel that the fourth sister has also grown up, and she is getting more and more beautiful, don't know what the fourth sister will be like in the future..." thought of something, but didn't finish speaking.

  "Second sister... you're annoying... how can you say such things to tease Yáo'er, Yáo'er is still young and hasn't reached the age of discussing marriage yet. Besides, it's a matter of parental orders and matchmaker's words, this thing, when the time comes, Yáo'er will listen to mother and father's words." Qīng Yáo looked at Qīng Jǐn with an uncomplaining expression, but her eyes shone brightly as she gazed at her.

  "The fourth sister laughed and said, 'Second sister, I didn't say anything, okay? We've arrived at the intersection. Mother and Third Aunt are already waiting for us separately. I'll go first.'"

  "Alright then, see you tomorrow, Second Sister!" After that, the two people went in opposite directions.

  After Qing Yao followed Su Shi to leave, Qing Jin followed Jun Shi, and Ning Xuan walked in the direction of their main house. When they arrived near Jun Shi's courtyard, Qing Jin and Jun Shi said goodbye. However, Ning Xuan enthusiastically invited Qing Jin to follow him and Jun Shi to Jun Shi's place. Qing Jin was worried about Yuanyang being punished and refused him.

  He immediately had a hurt expression, but when he heard Qingjin say that she was in a hurry to go back and see the injured Yuanyang, although he was reluctant and no longer forced Qingjin, his small face was pulled long. Only when Qingjin promised to come and see him early tomorrow morning did he smile and bid farewell to Qingjin.

  Qing Jin bid farewell to Jun Shi and her reluctant younger brother Ning Xuan, and walked back to her own courtyard. She had thought that today's punishment was unavoidable, but unexpectedly, someone from the Third Prince's mansion suddenly appeared, and she couldn't help but think of Yuanyang who was being flogged. She silently cursed, "Why didn't they come earlier? This way, Yuanyang wouldn't have to suffer punishment."

  In a flash, she felt that she was being too fanciful, and her own punishment was still uncertain whether it could be escaped or not. Her grandmother had only let them return temporarily, saying that perhaps after the people from the Third Prince's mansion left, they would call her over again to receive punishment.

  Thinking so, after returning to his own yard, he rushed straight to Yuanyang's room.

  When Qingjin came in, Yuanyang was lying on the couch, with a small maid beside her. Seeing Qingjin come in, she struggled to get up and pay respects to Qingjin. Qingjin quickly walked over and pressed down on her: "You're injured, don't bother with so many formalities."

  "Girl..." Seeing Qingjin come to see her, Yuanyang's heart was a little excited, and after hearing Qingjin's words, she was so moved that she didn't know what to say, and could only call out these two words.

  "Alright, don't say anything, just take care of your injury...". Then she spoke to the little maid beside her, "You go to my room and bring me some ointment, apply it on your Swan Sister."

  The little maid heard Qingjin's words and knelt down to pay her respects, then quickly ran out.

  "Thank you, miss... Mandarin duck..."

  "What's going on? Don't you know that you're wrong? Knowing your mistake is a good thing!" Qingjin said directly without waiting for Yuanyang to speak.

  "Yuan-yang knew she was wrong, young lady, the old madam didn't punish you, did she?" She lifted her head and carefully examined Qing-jin, seeing that Qing-jin had no signs of punishment, she immediately spoke up happily: "I knew the old madam was fair-minded, young lady would do such a thing only because of the young master..."

  "It's wrong, there are noble guests coming, grandma asked me to come back first, wait for the noble guests to leave and then go over to receive punishment..."

  "Ah? Then..." Yuanyang looked at Qingjin with some concern.

  "Don't worry, Grandma won't heavily punish me, at most she'll just make me kneel for a night in the ancestral hall!"

  "But now the weather has cooled down, what if the young lady catches a chill after staying overnight in the temple? Why don't I accompany the young lady to the temple instead?" Yan Yan hastily expressed her concern and was about to get up.

  "Alright, must I not live without you, young lady? You'd better lie back down. If grandma really punishes me to go to the ancestral hall, I'll remember to bring two more sets of clothes."

  "But..."

  "Alright, stop arguing." At this moment, the little maid who went to get the medicine also returned. Qing Jin spoke to the little maid: "You help Yuanyang apply these medicines."

  "Yes, miss." The little maid replied respectfully.

  Upon hearing the little maid's words, Qing Jin stood up and was about to leave, but when she reached the door, she turned her head back around and looked at Yuanyang with a gloomy expression. She couldn't help but open her mouth to comfort her: "You rest well, once your injury is healed, hurry and come attend to me, it's really not quite right without you by my side."

  Yuan Yang's face, which had been gloomy, immediately lit up with joy when she heard Qing Jin's words. "Miss, Yuan Yang will definitely recover from her injuries as soon as possible and come to serve you."

  Qing Jin heard Yuanyang's words, nodded and left Yuanyang's room, returned to her own room to let people prepare for bathing, then held a book waiting for Grandmother Shen to send someone to summon her to receive punishment.

  But by the time it was late in the evening, no one from the Shen family had arrived. It wasn't until a young maid came up to ask Qingjin what she wanted for dinner that Qingjin noticed the sky outside had darkened somewhat.

  Qingjin beckoned to the little maid, "You go and find out if that noble guest who came to our mansion today has left, and what grandmother and father are doing."

  The little maid nodded seriously after hearing Qingjin's words and walked out.

  After a while, the little maid walked in and said to Qingjin: "Miss, I went to ask around, that noble guest who came today just left for a short while, the old lady and the master are still discussing matters in the main hall."

  Upon hearing Xiao Yatou's words, Qingjin probably also guessed what the noble guest of the Third Prince had said to her grandmother and father. Looking at this situation, it seemed that she would likely avoid today's punishment by a margin of eight or nine out of ten. However, there was always a strange feeling in her heart - was this coincidence just her being overly cautious or...

  The little maid looked at Qingjin who was obviously deep in thought, and didn't know whether to leave or stay. She had just asked a question but the young lady hadn't responded yet. Looking out at the darkening sky, she finally couldn't help but ask again: "Young lady, do you want me to bring your meal up for you?"

  Qing Jin heard the little maid's words and frowned slightly, then said after a moment: "You go bring it up!"

  The little maid seemed to have finally let out a sigh of relief after hearing Qingjin's words, and immediately ran out quickly. The young lady had just seen her look really scary.

  Qing Jin looked at the little maid running out and shook her head. The problem that had just been tangled was no longer tangled, she would rather think too much!

  When the sky was completely dark, Shen's side finally sent someone over, but it wasn't about punishing Qingjin. Instead, they said that the old lady had important matters to discuss with Hou Ye and asked everyone to retire early.

  Shen's words were transmitted to the master of the mansion at the same time, and everyone couldn't help but speculate what the mysterious noble guest who came to the Third Prince's mansion today had said to Shen and Qingjin's father, Gu Huaili, even putting aside such a big event today.

  The lady on the other side was overjoyed when she heard the old lady's words being passed down. She didn't care what that certain third prince's noble guest had said to the old lady, and as soon as she heard that the old lady hadn't mentioned punishing her daughter, she immediately knew this meant her daughter had escaped this time. After coaxing her son to sleep, she happily went to bed.