Chapter 173 Private Meeting

Chapter 173 A Private Meeting

In the Marquis's Residence Garden, at the Tinglan Water Pavilion.

Qiu Min waited in the pavilion for a long time, drinking an entire pot of tea until her patience was nearly exhausted. Then, a tall man dressed in a black robe approached.

Qiu Min's face lit up with joy. She stood up and greeted him, shot him a playful, reproachful look before quickly lowering her head.

"Lord Ji, you came. I..."

Before she could finish her sentence, Ji Huaiche cut her off.

"Miss Qiu, the eldest daughter, I only agreed to meet you because you're close friends with Qing Qing. But please don't force Qing Qing to do things she doesn't want to do anymore, or ask her to arrange meetings with me. She's just a young girl, stuck in the middle and in a tough spot."

"It's not proper for us to be alone together. If there's nothing else, then I'll be on my way."

Ji Huaiche didn't want to stick around, but his words caught Qiu Min off guard.

What did he mean, she forced Ji Qingqing to do things she didn't want to?

She agreed to it herself, plain and simple!

Ji Qingqing sure knew how to pat herself on the back.

Snapping back to reality, Qiu Min immediately scurried over and blocked Ji Huaiche's path, stretching out her arm to stop him.

"Lord Ji, please hold on."

"Lord Ji, I think there's been a misunderstanding. Qing Qing promised me she'd get you to meet me, way back at the palace banquet. There's no way I forced her."

"I have no idea what she told you, but this was a deal we made. I helped her cause trouble at the palace banquet to go after Princess Ye, and in return, she'd set up a private meeting with you. If you don't believe me, go ask Second Miss Ji yourself."

Ji Huaiche's eyes narrowed. He stared at her with a piercing, intimidating gaze.

"Is that really true?"

"Absolutely, one hundred percent. I may have feelings for you, but I still know right from wrong. If Second Miss Ji hadn't given me her word, I wouldn't have kept asking her to set up meetings with you."

Ji Huaiche's face darkened instantly.

He'd always thought Qiu Min was the one being unreasonable, forcing Ji Qingqing to set up these meetings. Little did he know, a whole month ago, Ji Qingqing had already struck a deal with Qiu Min.

And he was just a pawn in their deal.

A storm brewed in Ji Huaiche's eyes. Under his sleeves, his fists were clenched so tight his veins bulged. It'd be a lie to say he wasn't pissed off.

Ji Qingqing—what a great sister she turned out to be! To get at Ji Yuntang, she'd even sell out her own brother.

"Good, very good."

Ji Huaiche let out a bitter, angry laugh. He pushed down his feelings, turned to Qiu Min and said in a calm tone:

"Miss Qiu, today's situation seems to have been a misunderstanding. I apologize for my earlier rudeness. For the sake of both our families, please keep this to yourself."

"Next time I get a chance, I'll invite you out for a private talk. Does that work for you?"

Ji Huaiche knew full well that if Qiu Min told him this today, she could just as easily blab it all over town.

The Yongning Houfu's relationship with Ji Yuntang was already strained, and rumors were rampant—that the Houfu mistreated its illegitimate daughter, forced Ji Yuntang to marry a living-dead prince, and even wanted her dead.

Ji Qingqing's relationship with Ji Yuntang was even worse.

Now that things had somewhat calmed down, with public attention drawn to Prince Ye's illness, if news of Ji Qingqing inciting the Minister of Revenue's daughter to maliciously target Ji Yuntang at the palace banquet were to spread, the Yongning Houfu would once again become the center of public criticism. Not only would they be scolded by the entire capital, but it would also confirm the rumors of their mistreatment of Ji Yuntang.

Others might not know, but the people of the Yongning Houfu were well aware: Ji Yuntang was no illegitimate daughter.

She was the Houfu's true legitimate daughter.

As for Ji Qingqing, the beloved second miss of the Houfu, she was actually a foster daughter.

She couldn't even be considered an illegitimate child, and she had no blood relation to the Houfu at all.

In the laws of Dongchen, the distinction between legitimate and illegitimate children was highly emphasized. Legitimate was legitimate, illegitimate was illegitimate; illegitimate sons and daughters could never compare to legitimate ones.

Especially in large families like theirs, the divisions were even stricter.

If this matter were to be exposed, revealing that Ji Yuntang was not an illegitimate daughter, the Houfu's reputation would be completely ruined.

Ji Huaiche clenched his fists. He felt that Ji Qingqing was more of a liability than an asset, utterly thoughtless.

But after all, she was his sister, and the Yongning Houfu was a single entity—flourishing together, suffering together.

For now, he could only cover for her.

Qiu Min was overwhelmed with joy. She hadn't expected that Lord Ji, who had just been about to leave, would now take the initiative to invite her out.

She pinched her arm hard until the pain confirmed that this wasn't a dream—Ji Huaiche had truly invited her.

Did that mean he actually liked her too?

Qiu Min blushed and said happily, "Alright, Lord Ji. If you have time, just send someone to let me know. I'm free anytime."

Ji Huaiche was extremely displeased. His original purpose was to cut off her hopes, but now he had only given Qiu Min more opportunities.

If this wasn't handled properly, he might end up being entangled by this infatuated woman.

Ji Huaiche's head throbbed. He felt that everything had deviated from its original course, leaving him besieged on all sides, exhausted and frustrated.

Yet he still had to maintain a warm smile and say to Qiu Min:

"Then it's settled. I have many affairs to attend to and need to report to the Dali Temple soon, so I won't keep you company, Miss Qiu. Farewell."

With that, he left. Qiu Min stared at his back, lost in thought.

She felt her chance had come again.

What was Ji Qingqing?

As long as she married Ji Huaiche and became the Heir's wife, she would be Ji Qingqing's sister-in-law, her elder.

Then, wouldn't it be easy to deal with Ji Qingqing?

Ji Huaiche strode out and returned directly to the Dali Temple, without going back to see Ji Qingqing.

He was afraid he wouldn't be able to stop himself from slapping Ji Qingqing twice.

Ji Qingqing learned from the servants that Ji Huaiche and Qiu Min had been talking in the garden for a long time, and that Ji Huaiche had turned and left midway, as if they had argued.

Ji Qingqing then felt that things were settled; Ji Huaiche must have rejected Qiu Min and severely humiliated her.

Now, Qiu Min's dream of becoming the heir's princess should be shattered.

Whenever Ji Qingqing thought of Qiu Min's defeated expression, she couldn't help but burst out laughing.

No one knew that although the two were friends, neither wanted the other to do better than herself.

They had always been in competition and had always been using each other.

*

Two more days passed, and on this day, the gates of Prince Ye's mansion finally opened, but only Ji Yuntang and a pretty young maidservant emerged.

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