Chapter 172 Exploitation

Chapter 172: Manipulation

Qiu Min turned to leave after saying that, and Ji Qingqing's face went pale.

She knew that with Qiu Min's temperament, once she left today, she would definitely do something to harm her.

Perhaps, even she would expose how she had instigated Qiu Min to target Ji Yuntang at the previous palace banquet.

At this critical moment, if her reputation was damaged and her virtue was called into question, it would be even harder for her to marry Luo Jingshen in the future.

Ji Qingqing immediately ran forward, stopped Qiu Min, and said to her, "Sister Qiu Min, please don't be angry. I'll get my eldest brother to meet you in the garden, okay?"

She thought that after being angry with Ji Huaiche for so long, he must have realized his mistake, and it was time for her to give him a way out.

Using Qiu Min's name as a pretext to meet him was actually a good opportunity.

Qiu Min's face instantly lit up with a smile, but in her heart, she disliked Ji Qingqing even more.

See, she knew Ji Qingqing was pretending. She could help but didn't want to, and only lowered her head when she threatened to break off their friendship.

People like her are just despicable.

"Thank you, Qingqing."

Ji Qingqing replied dismissively. She told Qiu Min to wait in the garden first while she went to get Ji Huaiche.

Qiu Min agreed readily. After she left, Ji Qingqing went to Songjiang Courtyard to find Ji Huaiche.

At that time, Ji Huaiche was reading case files in his study. When he saw Ji Qingqing come looking for him, he was very surprised.

After all, he had knocked on her door for seven days straight, but she had ignored him and even said she never wanted to see him again.

Ji Huaiche asked with a blank expression, "What are you doing here?"

Ji Qingqing's eyes were red, with tears glistening in the corners of her eyes. She said pitifully, "Big Brother, are you still angry with me?"

"I'm sorry. I was too headstrong before. I didn't understand your hardships and deliberately threw tantrums and ignored you. I now know I was wrong."

"I came today to apologize to you. I hope you can forgive me this time, please?"

Ji Huaiche was taken aback. Seeing the tearful Ji Qingqing, the little girl he had doted on for fifteen years, his heart softened.

"Forget it. I'll let it slide this time. But don't act so childish in the future."

"If the Crown Prince finds out about your temperament, he might distance himself from you."

Ji Qingqing immediately beamed. She happily ran forward and tugged on Ji Huaiche's sleeve.

"Thank you, Big Brother. I knew you're the best to me."

Ji Huaiche smiled, and the two seemed to return to their previous sibling bond.

Ji Qingqing was still young, and all her thoughts were written on her face. Seeing her worried look, Ji Huaiche asked, "You came to me today, I'm afraid it's not just to apologize, is it?"

"Tell me, have you encountered another problem you can't solve and need your big brother's help?"

Ji Qingqing's eyes darted around, and she said in a small voice, "Big brother, you really have sharp eyes. Nothing escapes you. But if I tell you, please don't be angry."

"You know, Miss Qiu from the Minister of Revenue's mansion is my good friend. She has admired you for a long time and has always wanted me to help arrange a meeting. Can you go see her now? She's in the back garden of the Marquis's mansion."

As soon as she finished, Ji Huaiche's face instantly turned cold. He said sternly, "This is absurd!"

"Miss Qiu is a young, unmarried lady. If I have a secret meeting with her, won't that ruin her reputation?"

"If word gets out, how can I, as the Heir, show my face?"

Seeing him suddenly so angry, Ji Qingqing also got upset. She felt that Ji Huaiche was not as patient with her as before.

Look at his fierce expression—is this how a brother treats his sister?

"Why are you so angry, Big Brother? I only asked you to meet Miss Qiu and say a few words. How is that a secret meeting?"

"Besides, she kept pressuring me to help arrange this meeting. Last time at the Dali Temple entrance, and now in the back garden. If I didn't help her, she'd break off our friendship."

"Miss Qiu likes you. If you don't like her, just reject her!"

Ji Qingqing spoke self-righteously, which gave Ji Huaiche a headache.

"Easy for you to say. You know she has a crush on me, yet you still ask me to meet her. Are you afraid their family won't cling to our Marquis's mansion?"

Although the Yongning Marquis's mansion and the Minister of Revenue's mansion were old family friends, Qiu Min's mother, Qiu Shi, was not someone easy to deal with.

Over the years, Qiu Shi had subtly hinted to Madam Meng about Qiu Min's marriage, hoping to marry her into the Yongning Marquis's mansion. But Madam Meng had always fended off with various excuses.

First, although Madam Meng was close with Lady Qiu, she didn't like her daughter Qiu Min, thinking she was foolish.

Second, the Minister of Revenue was a member of Prince Qi's faction. Ji Qingqing was expected to marry the Crown Prince. Although the Yongning Marquis's mansion had remained neutral so far without taking sides, it was only a matter of time before they sided with the Crown Prince.

If the Crown Prince found out they had formed a marriage alliance with Prince Qi's faction, and that Ji Qingqing was close to Qiu Min, her marriage prospects would likely fall through.

The current peace between the two families existed because Prince Qi and the Crown Prince were still relatively civil in court, without openly clashing.

But when the struggle for succession became intense and brothers turned against each other, the relationship between the Yongning Marquis's mansion and the Minister of Revenue's mansion would likely break.

Unfortunately, Ji Qingqing did not understand the stakes at all. She only cared about her own thoughts.

"Big brother, refusing to meet Miss Qiu—do you want to embarrass me on purpose?"

"Before, in front of Second Brother and Third Brother, you said I was your most beloved sister, and you would give me anything I wanted. Now, I only ask you to meet Miss Qiu once, and you're unwilling?"

"If that's the case, then I'll stay away from you from now on and never come to you again."

Ji Qingqing looked resentful. After speaking angrily, she turned to leave, but Ji Huaiche called her back.

"Wait."

Ji Qingqing stopped in her tracks, and heard Ji Huaiche say, "I'll go see her this time for your sake, but don't do this again."

"I have no objection to you being close to Miss Qiu, but don't come to me with such matters next time."

Ji Qingqing felt a surge of joy.

She automatically ignored everything else Ji Huaiche said and only heard the words: "I'll go see her."

She blinked, a faint smile curling at the corners of her mouth, looking very obedient.

"I knew Big Brother was the best to me."

Ji Huaiche said nothing and turned to leave.

------------