Chapter 146: Qiao Zhi and Qiao Yu

The other women listened to Lian Yue, smiles appearing on their faces, and a sense of anticipation grew in their hearts. Qiao Yu, relying on her status as a princess, had always forbidden anyone from wearing red whenever she was present. With this incident, they would no longer have to worry about such restrictions in the future; most young women naturally preferred vibrant clothing.

"Miss Yue, please don't hold it against my imperial sister," Princess Qiao Ling said, though Qiao Yu was never kind to her. Even now, she couldn't help but offer an explanation: "She only targeted you because of our Sixth Imperial Uncle."

Lian Yue arched an eyebrow upon hearing this. She was, in fact, curious. "I was wondering. I have never been to Xijing, nor have I had any dealings with her. For her to show such hostility the moment we met seemed quite unreasonable."

Although the Tenth Princess, Qiao Ling, was often bullied by her younger sister, she was soft-natured by default and felt that, as the elder sister, she should be more accommodating. Having left Qiao Yu behind earlier, she felt a twinge of guilt, which prompted her to defend her sister. Yet, what she said was the truth; because of her own submissive personality, Qiao Yu often treated her as a punching bag, coming to her to vent whenever she was frustrated.

"Before our Sixth Imperial Uncle went to Heluo, he doted on the Eleventh Princess more than anyone else. But since he returned, he has kept his distance from her. Then, the Eleventh Princess heard some idle gossip, which is why she targeted you so aggressively."

The others exchanged knowing glances. Zhuo Yuying scoffed, "The Sixth Prince ignores her only because she has become increasingly detestable. If I were the Sixth Prince, I would certainly regret having intervened to save her all those years ago."

So that was the story. Without needing to look, Lian Yue knew that Yao Yao’s eyes must have lit up. Because of Zhuo Yuying’s candid personality, Yao Yao had already been standing close to her, and now she leaned in even further, affectionately linking arms with Zhuo Yuying, and gossiped, "Sister Zhuo, could you tell me more?"

"If you want to hear it, I will tell you. It's not a secret; many people know about it."

Han Luyan looked at Zhuo Yuying with displeasure. Usually, the two were quite close, and at every gathering, Zhuo Yuying would be nearest to her. Today, however, aside from the occasional glance, they had barely interacted, yet Zhuo Yuying was chatting so happily with someone she had just met. This made Han Luyan feel deeply uncomfortable.

As for the other four, Han Luyan had never been on good terms with them. She was the Empress Dowager’s niece, and strictly speaking, they were her juniors. Thus, Han Luyan could not bring herself to be overly cordial, and she was left standing on the sidelines.

Through Zhuo Yuying’s narration and the additions from Shen Yemei and the others, Lian Yue finally understood. The Eleventh Princess’s mother was not favored in the palace, and she was frequently bullied by the Third Princess. It could be said that until she was seven, she lived in a state of constant misery.

One day, she fell into another of the Third Princess's traps, tumbling from a rockery into the lake nearby. She was rescued by Qiao Zhi, who happened to be passing by. The matter was brought before the Retired Emperor, and the Third Princess, having reached the age of marriage, was wed off to a distant land. From then on, Qiao Zhi protected Qiao Yu everywhere, and henceforth, no one in the palace dared to bully her.

Lian Yue now understood why Qiao Yu had fallen for her uncle. A hero complex is indeed easy to succumb to. Imagine being bullied at every turn, your life hanging by a thread, when suddenly a celestial being appears, saving you from the brink of death and sending your tormentors far away. Furthermore, this savior is strikingly handsome, possesses an extraordinary aura, and most importantly, was unmarried just as you were reaching the age of eligibility. Naturally, one’s heart would flutter, leading to endless fantasies.

Slowly, this formed a psychological suggestion: "He is mine, and no one is allowed to take him."

Even when Qiao Zhi was dispatched to Heluo Prefecture, Qiao Yu must have kept a close watch on his movements. Having finally waited for the Emperor’s birthday banquet, her "celestial being" was returning, only to be accompanied by a woman on the journey. This was likely the reason Qiao Yu had insulted Lian Yue upon meeting her.

And Lian Yue, being no pushover, had learned of Qiao Yu’s illicit infatuation from Qiao Ke. To provoke her, she had purposely called him "Brother" incessantly. Qiao Yu became convinced that there was something between them. Then, because Qiao Zhi treated Qiao Yu coldly and even mocked her using the descriptions provided by Lian Yue and Yao Yao, she became more certain of her suspicions, marking Lian Yue as her number one enemy.

However, in truth, while Lian Yue was not particularly calculating, she was naturally clever, and Qiao Yu’s level of craftiness was far beneath her notice. Since Qiao Yu disliked her, she would simply do as she pleased.

"So that was the reason. It seems I misjudged the Eleventh Princess. Is it not improper that we left her behind? Since we haven't gone far, why don't we return and clear the air?"

No sooner had Lian Yue made the suggestion than Zhuo Yuying was the first to object: "Miss Yue, there is no need for such unnecessary effort. People like her are better kept at a distance."

Shen Yeqiu pursed her lips. "Exactly. And this wasn't your fault." Her tone made it clear that she, too, was not fond of Qiao Yu.

"Is that really best?" Lian Yue looked at the group with a troubled expression, though she was actually observing their reactions.

She sighed inwardly, thinking that Qiao Yu was the architect of her own misfortune. Of the six women present, only Qiao Ling, who had always viewed her as a sister, seemed tempted by Lian Yue’s suggestion. Zhuo Yuying wore her dislike on her sleeve, while Shen Yemei and Shen Yeqiu looked visibly displeased.

The impassive Qiao Wanwu and the scholarly Mu Jinrong remained indifferent, as if it had nothing to do with them. Only Han Luyan’s expression left Lian Yue puzzled; if one looked only at her face, she appeared troubled, but her eyes betrayed her—Lian Yue sensed a trace of disdain. But who that disdain was directed toward, Lian Yue could not be sure.

Having come this far, Yao Yao had no desire to turn back. Knowing that Lian Yue likely had no intention of doing so either, she spoke up: "Sister Yue, this is clearly the fault of that... the Sixth Prince. Since he loves to meddle so much, let him deal with it himself."

As soon as Yao Yao finished speaking, a male voice rang out: "And what have I done wrong to deserve such slander from Yao Yao?"

Following the voice, Qiao Zhi, dressed in a python-patterned robe and wearing a jade crown, emerged from the nearby moon gate, holding the hand of a small child in a red robe with a jade belt. Yao Yao stuck out her tongue; she had barely finished speaking before the subject himself appeared.

Qiao Zhi squinted his peach-blossom eyes, his gaze landing on Lian Yue. A flash of imperceptible awe crossed his eyes. He had always known Lian Yue was beautiful, but since seeing her in Heluo Prefecture, she had only worn simple, everyday attire. He had thought her lovely then, but today, dressed with such care, she was three parts more stunning than usual.

"Greetings, Sixth Prince."
"Greetings, Sixth Imperial Uncle."
"Greetings, Your Highness the Crown Prince."

Except for Lian Yue and Yao Yao, the others bowed respectfully to Qiao Zhi and Qiao Ke.

"Rise." Qiao Zhi winked at Lian Yue with his long, narrow eyes. He had been in the front receiving guests, but worried that Qiao Yu might cause trouble for Lian Yue, he had found an excuse to come toward the Ci Ning Palace. He had not expected that he was merely overthinking it. "Where are you all headed?"

"Answering the Imperial Uncle, Miss Yue asked Ling to take them to see the Imperial Garden," Qiao Ling said, her voice still soft and timid, yet audible to everyone.

Qiao Zhi looked at Qiao Ling, who was cowering beside Lian Yue, and his brow furrowed slightly. But when he turned back to Lian Yue, his eyes filled with a smile, and the corner of his mouth curved upward. "It must have been you, Sister Yue, who felt bored and encouraged everyone to come out."

Qiao Zhi’s tone was very intimate. Shen Yeqiu nudged her dazed sister with her elbow. Shen Yemei withdrew her gaze from Qiao Zhi’s face and offered her sister a wry, nodding smile. No one else noticed, however.

Lian Yue, holding the hand of Qiao Ke, who had rushed to her side, raised her brows at Qiao Zhi’s roguish expression. "You are mistaken this time. It was the Eleventh Princess who suggested it to the Empress Dowager."

Qiao Zhi’s heart sank. His niece was truly troublesome; she dared to target Lian Yue. She must have felt her life was too comfortable. Since she was not here, she must have suffered a setback at Lian Yue’s hands. That was just as well; it would teach her a lesson.