The rumors grew more and more intense, and peoples imagination became richer. Zhang Gui saw that the crowd had gathered almost enough, so he sneaked out quietly and blended into the crowd.

  "After a while, Xiao Mo said: This place is not suitable for lingering, since everyone has arrived, lets go. His words reminded the crowd that since this place might have thieves, its better to leave quickly."

  Everyone rushed into their carriages, and Zhang Gui also got into his own carriage.

  Zhang Jinguang sat down and saw Zhang Qi getting on the carriage beside him. She glared at her, about to get angry, but upon seeing Xiao Mos carriage, she softened her tone, "Where did you go just now?"

  It turns out that Zhang Jin had noticed him too.

  Zhang Qi didnt know that Zhang Jin had been paying attention to Xiao Mo, and only then did he discover that Zhang Qi was also gone.

  Zhang Qi said in a low voice: "I, I want to go to the toilet, walking and walking, but lost my way." Seeing Zhang Jins face as cold as water, she anxiously bit her tongue, "Sister, dont be angry, I say, I say, its just that I havent seen whats outside before, and I got lost in the direction because of playing around for a while."

  She said that, Zhang Jin believed her. She glared at him and said in a low voice: "Hes just an inexperienced country bumpkin!"

  Just then, she felt a gaze sweep over her and hastily turned around.

  Looking at her, it was indeed Xiao Mo. Their eyes met, and Xiao Mo gave Zhang Jin a gentle smile. This smile was like a refreshing ice cube on a summer day, making Zhang Jin feel cool all over, and the disappointment of being ignored by him suddenly disappeared.

  Originally, this trip was proposed by Xiao Mo. At that time, Zhang Jin still thought that she could spend a happy half-day with her lover.

  Xiao Mos smile seemed to have a profound effect on Zhang Jin, whose mood visibly lifted. When he looked at Zhang Qi, his expression was no longer as stern and critical.

  Zhang Qi looked at this and couldnt help but think: Could it be that the madam has already agreed to let Xiao Mo and Zhangs cousin get close?

  Thinking of this, she was frightened and tightly wrung her handkerchief. Zhang Gui thought: If the ban on Madam is lifted and the matter of Prince Guangling is resolved, I will be sent to the Xiao Mansion in a horse-drawn carriage.

  No way, cant be like this!

  She bit her lip and thought: this kind of passive feeling is really bad!

  Suddenly feeling a gaze on herself, Zhang Qi looked up. As she did, Zhang Xuan gave her a warm smile and nodded.

  Is it Ninth Brother?

  In front of him, Zhang Qi was relaxed and smiled back.

  The horse carriage returned to the Zhangs residence.

  As soon as she landed, Zhang Qi felt extremely exhausted. Back in her room, she lazily lay on the couch, and if it werent for her identity, she wouldnt have had the privilege of taking a casual bath, she thought about soaking in water to calm down.

  Turning her head sideways, looking at the sky outside the window, Zhang Qi thought: Can only wait.

  Yes, all she could do was wait, whether it was the decision of Prince Guangling or the actions of Xiao Mo, she could only passively accept.

  Perhaps, in the eyes of some people, being taken by two excellent men is an honor. But Zhang Qi deeply understood that they took her as if she were any other object they had set their sights on, just a plaything.

  In her memory, she was never a plaything, and in this life, its even more impossible for her to be a plaything!

  Thinking of exhaustion, Zhang Qi closed her eyes.

  Until Ah Lus laughter occasionally floated in from outside, Zhang Qi didnt get up. She took out the house deed that Xiao Mo had given them from her bosom, gritted her teeth, and flipped over the previous land deed on the ground, then put them together.

  This house is as good as earned by myself!

  A day has passed in the blink of an eye.

  This day passed extremely quietly for Zhang Qi.

  The next day, early in the morning, Zhang Qi found Zhang Xuan still reading on the pavilion, leaned against him, and learned poetry with him for a while before lowering her eyes dejectedly.

  Zhang Xuan looked at her and asked with concern: "Is Ah Gui uncomfortable?"

  Zhang Qi shook her head and said in a low voice, "No." She blinked her big eyes, thought for a moment, and then said, "I have something to hide from Ninth Brother." She looked at him, "Ninth Brother, will you blame me?"

  Zhang Xuan saw her pitiful and lovely expression, and couldnt help but reach out to stroke her hair, saying softly: "Why would Ninth Brother blame you?"

  Zhang Qi smiled brightly and said, "Really, Ninth Brother doesnt blame me?" She looked at him and whispered, "Last time, I embroidered a painting and put it outside for sale. As a result, His Majesty saw it and gave me eighty gold..."

  Zhang Xuan couldnt believe it and exclaimed: "Really!"

  Facing Zhang Yis serious face, which didnt seem fake, he stood up, with his hands behind his back and said: "Today, Your Majesty has a deep understanding of poetry and painting. If even you like the things that Ah Gui embroidered, then they must be extremely good."

  Zhang Qis face turned red from his praise, she took out a handkerchief from her bosom, glanced at Zhang Xuan from under her eyelashes, and said with a mixture of joy and shyness: "Its just as good as this one."

  Zhang Xuan reached out and took it.

  As soon as he opened the handkerchief, he was taken aback. In a moment, he sighed and said: "Ah Qiu is really clever!" In a moment, he thought of her cleverness when she studied poetry and it didnt seem strange anymore.

  Zhang Qi carefully took out an oil package, looked around and saw that no one was paying attention. She bit her lip and said: "There are two sets of house deeds and some land deeds, which were bought by Jin. I want to ask Ninth Brother to help me sell them."

  She lowered her head, her left hand twisting the hem of her garment, and muttered: "I had thought that if one day I could marry out, these would still be useful as dowry... Now Ah Kui understands, this body is after all a floating duckweed, who knows which day it will drift to the end of the sky. Its better to keep some silver money by her side."

  Her voice was low and weak, her small body trembling with cold in the spring breeze.

  Even if Zhang Xuan was already used to it, even if he thought from the bottom of his heart that a lowly-born concubines daughter being taken as a concubine was extremely normal. At this moment, a hint of sympathy also arose.

  He looked at Zhang Qi, as if only now did he realize that she was also a living, breathing person who feared death, loneliness and bullying.

  Zhang Xuan silently took the oil package from her hand.

  He had just taken it, and saw Zhang Qi staring at the oil package with a look of hope, tension, fear, and even confusion on her small face. It was as if what he held in his hand was her lifeblood, the foundation of her existence. Without them, she would have nothing!

  Zhang Xuan felt a pang of sadness.

  He put the oil package into his bosom, stretched out his hand to stroke her face, and said in a low voice: "Dont worry, brother will handle it properly."

  He then anxiously asked, "Is the exchange of silver money proper?"

  Zhang Qi shook her head and said in a low voice, "Ive heard that when the concubines and maids of those large households leave or enter the house, some powerful slaves will search their bodies."

  "Then change them all into gold," said Zhang Xuan, frowning in thought for a moment. "Gold is easy to hide."

  Zhang Qi nodded vigorously, her tender white face both lovely and pitiful, "Alright alright, thank you Ninth Brother."

  Zhang Xuan had already made up his mind that when the time came, he would fold it into gold and add some more to it. He would just say that the selling price had gone up.

  He reached out and pinched Zhang Qis soft face, smiling: "No need to thank me." After a pause, he said: "In the future, when you get married, Ninth Brother will take care of it, and wont let that frivolous and dissolute guy get his way."

  Whats the use? Is Xiao Mo a dissolute person? Guangling King is not. Guan Jian is, she cannot marry anyone as a concubine or servant.

  Of course, Zhang Qi wouldnt say it out loud. She playfully saluted Zhang Xuan with a smile and said: "Thank you, Ninth Brother."