Real Empress from a Noble Family

Chapter 32 The True Face of Cousin

The next day. After Qiu Yelan washed and dressed up, she visited General Ruan as usual. She saw that Ruan Qingyan and Deng Yi stood at the left and right side of General Ruan’s couch when she just entered. One beat his shoulders and another kneaded legs. They were attentive to General Ruan.

She was stunned for a while. Deng Yi turned his head and stared at her fiercely while kneading General Ruan’s legs. She suddenly realized—Ruan Qingyan must guard him as a thief. So, he had no chance to see her. And he stayed here because she had to come here to greet General Ruan.

Sure enough, Ruan Qingyan, who was beating General Ruan’s shoulders on the other side, said with a fake smile when she hadn’t spoken yet, “You came, cousin? Come to talk with grandfather. I will accompany young master Deng to the study room—You are really toilsome this morning, young master Deng!”

Deng Yi said with a grimace, “I have something to say to Commandery Princess Ningyi alone.”

“Your request was presumptuous.” Ruan Qingyan was immediately angry, “Even if you have an engagement, you haven’t married after all! Wouldn’t this ruin my sister’s fame? My grandfather is sick, and my aunt was gone. I can’t be regardless of my cousin’s future! Please say it in front of me if you want to say something!”

From yesterday to today, Deng Yi requested him several times to let him see Qiu Yelan. But he was rejected by Ruan Qingyan in various ways. If he hadn’t waited for Qiu Yelan to come over now, he would have suspected that they were playing with him. Unexpectedly, Ruan Qingyan still obstructed him when Qiu Yelan came. He almost got mad in his heart. And he said with a somber expression on his face, “You are only the cousin of Commandery Princess Ningyi, and you don’t have Qiu as your surname. Why do you say so much nonsense!”

Ruan Qingyan was not angry and he smiled lightly, “But my cousin is in General’s Mansion now. This is the place of Ruan Family. I can’t bear the responsibility if something happens to my cousin here!”

“...” Deng Yi would go up and give him a punch if he lost his mind!

He was too lazy to beat around the bush. He looked at Qiu Yelan and gnashed his teeth. And he asked directly, “About the thing you promised me that night, do you want to....”

Hearing the words “evening” and “promise,” not only the people present were wide-eyed, but also Ruan Qingyan stood up directly. He asked with a pale face, “Which night?! What is it!”

Qiu Yelan glanced at Deng Yi speechlessly. — You were seeking death! Jiang Yashuang just said a few words in the middle of the night, but Cousin Ruan wanted to peel his skin! Did you think your lifespan was too long!?

Sure enough, Ruan Qingyan asked Qiu Yelan with a pale face. But there was a murderous gleam hard to hide in his eyes when he looked at Deng Yi!

“... Cousin, don’t be angry. In fact, ... he wants to worship me as a teacher!” Qiu Yelan explained embarrassingly, and she pulled Su He out, “If you don’t believe me, you can ask Su He!” It was estimated that her credit was not enough because she played too many little tricks these two days.

But Su He gave her an answer that made her speechless, “I was almost dead that day and I didn’t hear what you and young master Deng said.”

Fortunately, Ruan Qingyan was still a little rational, and he asked expressionlessly, “Young master Deng?!”

“Nonsense!” Unfortunately, Deng Yi wasted this opportunity. He said without thinking, “How can I worship you as a teacher?!”

So he was lifted up by Ruan Qingyan who grabbed his collar immediately!

“I, I just want to learn Kung Fu from Commandery Princess Ningyi!!!” After all, he was a young Xiucai. Deng Yi finally understood his current situation because he was out of breath by the tight collar. And then he shouted in panic, “I didn’t say worshiping! Why should I worship her as a teacher? Commandery Princess Ningyi is younger than me!”

Ruan Qingyan stared at him with a sullen look on his face for a long while. He snorted and dropped Deng Yi until his legs were weak. And then Ruan Qingyan turned his head and asked Qiu Yelan, “When did you learn Kung Fu? And he even knew?”

“I almost killed him in the palace....” Qiu Yelan explained in detail resentfully the part that was deliberately passed in the last description. Ruan Qingyan frowned immediately and reprimanded her severely as she thought.

Deng Yi was scared just now, but he was also very courageous when he regained consciousness. He adjusted his robe and calmed down. He even dared to keep up insisting on Qiu Yelan fulfilling her agreement.

Anyway, they had already had a conflict. Additionally, Deng Yi, the grandniece of Empress Dowager, wanted to learn Kung Fu secretly from his fiancée who almost killed him, instead of trying to find a way to worship.... Ruan Qingyan saw through the inside story at a glance. He also lost his previous politeness and said with a sullen face, “Since my cousin has promised, let me teach you!”

Deng Yi was dissatisfied, “Commandery Princess Ningyi agreed at that time....” He was so impressed that Qiu Yelan even killed two bodyguards at that time. Even if he wanted to keep this from his family, he also didn’t want to find somebody casually to learn.

“My cousin’s skill can only beat weak scholars just like you!” Ruan Qingyan didn’t see the scene in person, but he estimated based on what he knew. He could not help sneering at Deng Yi who was inexperienced. In order to prove this, he told servants to bring up a porcelain tea bowl. He rubbed it in front of Deng Yi. And the porcelain tea bowl turned into fallen porcelain powder. “If you really want to learn Kung Fu, you should welcome if I am willing to teach you!”

Of course, the implication was that you watched me show such a skill, you were definitely unwilling to learn Kung Fu if you still entangled my cousin! You must have an ulterior motive!

Not only Deng Yi, but also Qiu Yelan was stunned when she saw the porcelain tea bowl easily turned into porcelain powder by him! Although the killing skills she practiced in the last phase were extremely effective, they were all kinds of exquisite skills that had nothing to do with internal force. She blurted out at this time, “I also want to learn!”

Ruan Qingyan stared at her fiercely, “Learn needlework first!”

At this time, Deng Yi revived from the shock, “You... are you really willing to teach me such skill?”

“My cousin promised you. I will certainly teach you.” Ruan Qingyan proudly said, “But if you want to learn to this extent, you have to endure unimaginable hardship. If you can’t endure, in that way....”

“I want to learn!” Deng Yi took a deep breath and said straightforwardly!

Ruan Qingyan saw that he didn’t seem to be in disguise, then his face softened and said, “You and I are about the same age. You don’t need to worship me as a teacher. I just return the favor for my cousin.... You go back to Cuiwei Pavilion first. I will test your level later and think about how to start.”

Deng Yi asked worriedly, “Will you regardless of me just like yesterday that you deceived me to Cuiwei Pavilion and locked the door?” Now Qiu Yelan knew more about the limit of Ruan Qingyan....

“Can I lock you up until Lantern Festival?” Ruan Qingyan smiled.

... After Deng Yi left, Ruan Qingyan struck servants that they should hold their tongues unless they would ruin Qiu Yelan’s fame. And then, Qiu Yelan was dragged into the next room by him. He sternly asked if she concealed any other things!

Although Ruan Qingyan gradually showed his true face, would he easily control Qiu Yelan? This was impossible!

So, Qiu Yelan shamelessly played her trump card when she was questioned for less than three sentences, “I will say nothing! Will you hit me!?”

Would Ruan Qingyan hit her? No, he wouldn’t.... So, he could only try his best to touch her in the end. But Qiu Yelan’s hard heart was the same as her killing skills. They were thoroughly tempered in the last phase. And she wouldn’t change if she decided.

“Are the girls so vexing when they grow up?” Ruan Qingyan watched her go away proudly. He shook his head and asked the maid next to Dongran. Dongran, two or three years older than Qiu Yelan, said carefully, “Commandery Princess does have more ideas.”

“She is still young...” Ruan Qingyan sighed and said with a down mood, “Ask Deng Yi to practice horse stance first when you come to Cuiwei Pavilion!”

Dongran asked, “Are you going to teach him by yourself, young master? It is imperial examination in spring ahead.”

“Let him practice horse stance until I finish the exam.” Ruan Qingyan said absentmindedly, “I teach him by myself... If he is willing to break off the engagement to my cousin, I can teach him some; if he is unwise, I will trouble him!”

Dongran covered her mouth and smiled, “You said you would be refined when you got here.”

“Cousin is not here.” Ruan Qingyan didn’t have a refined temperament as a melancholy superb young master anymore. He looked haughty and behaved lazily. He squinted at the gray sky outside the window, and said lightly, “Grandfather wouldn’t know if I am good or bad since he was sick... Why should I pretend when my cousin isn’t here?!”

After being domineering for a while, he sighed again and again, “I don’t know how many things my cousin had hidden from me? I really trembled with fear for her.... Why is she so disobedient? I don’t know if she was like this when aunt was alive?”

Thinking of Princess Ruan, Ruan Qingyan’s eyes dimmed....

Qiu Yelan was not as worried as Ruan Qingyan after returning to Lvqiang Court.

She had lunch in a good mood. And she practiced boxing in the yard at noon because General Ruan had to sleep. After finishing, General Ruan had not woken up and she thought about finding something to do. But Qiuran came suddenly, and she said solemnly, “Qu Shan’s family is here. Young master asked you to the front hall, Your Grace!”

“Qu Shan?” Qiu Yelan was stunned for a moment. It seemed that she was familiar with this name. Mrs. Zhou beside said to Su He surprisingly, “Didn’t they being sold far away by Lady Yuqing? How will they come back?”

Qiu Yelan suddenly remembered after being reminded that there were other servants besides Mrs. Zhou and Su He who served them when Princess Ruan was alive. However, Princess Yang and Qiu Yuqing took away all the good things after Princess Ruan passed away. They even sold and drove away their servants.

Mrs. Zhou was too old to be sold. And Su He was so good-looking that Qiu Yuqing wanted to sell her at a high price, so she didn’t sell her temporarily. But Qiu Yelan came back at this time. So, she released them and let them continue to serve her. That was how they survived.

Qu Shan was one of the servants who served Princess Ruan before. His family was working in the kitchen. Qu Shan was in charge of purchasing. His wife and mother were female cooks. And his daughter was an unskilled maid. The couple were just in the prime of their lives. The mother cooked good food, and the daughter was smart and diligent. Mrs. Zhou said that they were sold first.... And the place was not close!

Qiuran said, “It seems that the buyer had trouble?”

So, they came to ask me to take them in? Qiu Yelan thought it was not that simple.