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nQin Yunzhuang had heard much about flattering words. Still, she was uncomfortable when seeing the popular Eunuch You around the emperor trying to cater to Qin Yunuan, this daughter of a concubine. It was like needles pinning her heart.

nQin Yunuan nodded her head with a smile. She was very humble and honest, “My pleasure. You are an important man next to the emperor. I still have to rely on your reminder to prevent from doing anything inappropriate.” Qin Yunuan signaled with her eyes. Maner, who was next to her, stepped forward immediately and put a jade bracelet of excellent color into Eunuch You’s hand without any trace.

nEunuch You was stunned but then heard Qin Yunuan continue very naturally, “I have heard that you have a hobby of collecting antiques. This is just a jade bracelet bought from the market a while ago. It is said to be from before the Six Dynasties. I am clumsy in evaluating the object. So I want to ask Eunuch You to take it back for good identification. You have a unique vision and would, of course, understand it more than I do.”

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nThe bribery in such a delicate way was impossible to refuse. Eunuch You smiled happily and satisfied, touching the shiny and quaint jade bracelet with the other hand secretly. It was warm to the touch and felt good. He didn’t have to look at the bracelet to know how expensive this must be.

n“Of course, as you have entrusted, I would look into it carefully.” Eunuch You smiled back and returned.

nQin Yunuan turned back. Qin Yunzhuang scolded to her face, “You are indeed a slut.”

nQin Yunuan paused, and her eyes moved indifferently to Qin Yunzhuang. She had lost a lot of weight, almost overnight. But Qin Zhi hadn’t told her that Dou Qing’e hanged herself in Psycho Tower.

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n“Are you talking about yourself?” Qin Yunuan smiled slightly.

n“Do you really think you could turn from a sparrow to a phoenix fawning on Leng Changxi, that illegitimate son of Prince Ning’s Mansion?” Qin Linfeng held Qin Yunzhuang back and spoke for Qin Yunzhuang, “You should know better than other people. What you are in your bones. Your mother was nothing more than an embroidery girl climbing up my father’s bed.”

nWith a snapping sound, Qin Yunuan slapped Qin Linfeng’s face hard, as if she were exhausting her life’s strength. Qin Yunuan felt her arms numb.

nThis slap came very suddenly, and Qin Linfeng didn’t react at all. After the slap, he glared, “How dare you, as a daughter of a concubine, to hit me?”

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nQin Linfeng waved his arm and was about to teach Qin Yunuan a lesson. Suddenly another hand slapped on his face again, at a fast speed and a fierce strength ten times greater than before. Although Qin Linfeng was prepared, he was too late to hide. The opponent was speedy, giving him another two slaps almost in the blink of an eye.

n“Leng Shuang, enough. He doesn’t worth your third slap.” Qin Yunuan shouted at Leng Shuang to stop, who was enjoying the good fight. She was the sister of Leng Wu that Leng Changxi once mentioned, following Qin Yunuan back from the Xiangguo Temple together. On the way, Qin Yunuan saw Leng Shuang’s skill. She was decisive and used only effective, deadly tricks. Although she couldn’t be as powerful as Leng Wu, she was sturdy and nimble. It was very safe to carry her along the journey.

nQin Yunuan wondered why people with skills like Leng Wu and Leng Shuang would willingly stay by Leng Changxi as a follower. From Leng Shuang’s words, she learned that Leng Changxi had rescued them unintentionally. Since then, the brother and sister had decided to follow Leng Changxi.

n“My father said that a good deed should be repaid.” Leng Shuang spoke very little, and her expression was cold. But from her firm eyes and automatic reflex of shielding others, Qin Yunuan believed that she was a warmhearted person. She was also convinced that she could warm her heart and draw her close.

nAnd Leng Shuang’s two slaps had well confirmed that she had begun to think on the side of Qin Yunuan.

n“A maidservant dare to beat me?” Qin Linfeng was very embarrassed. He yelled angrily towards the family servant next to him, “You, go there and tie this maidservant up. I’d like to see who is in charge of the family after all.”

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n“Don’t you dare to move her!” Qin Yunuan suddenly shouted, and she took out the token of Infanta Ping of the fifth-grade of rank, which was awarded together with her suit. The bright token was like a shiny sword, choking Qin Linfeng suddenly.

n“I am the Infanta of the fifth-grade of rank. My eldest brother, you should salute me. But I understand that you had been studying for a long time and forgot the rules. Then you insulted my birth mother and origin. Insulting an Infanta should be punished with a bludgeon of 80 times. I was considerate of your reckless behavior, and that was the reason I rewarded you with only a slap. Now, brother, do you still want to punish my underling?”

nQin Linfeng’s face changed slightly, but his anger did not diminish. Qin Yunuan said towards Maner again, “Maner, tell my elder brother, what punishment would one get if he commits the offense to the Infanta?”

nManer was downright honest. “In minor circumstances, he will be fined for one year’s salary. If the circumstances are serious, he should be sent to the army.”

nQin Yunuan smiled contemptuously, “Sent to the army. Now it was a tense time between North Di and Qi. Our border lacked strong men.” Qin Yunuan said to the fellows around, “Who wants to try? It was said that North Di could be very cruel to its captives. They cut off the head of a living person, cut off the ears, dig out the nose, shrink the head into a fist large with liquid medicine, and hang it in the waist as a loot. If any of you were interested….”

nBefore her words were finished, the little servants all retreated.

nQin Yunuan landed her eyes lightly on Qin Linfeng and smiled, “What? Brother, do you want to try?”

n“Don’t make a big fuss about the emperor’s casual marks. Did you really take yourself as someone important?” Qin Linfeng turned his head. Although he was not convinced, his tone had softened by half. He was reckless but still knew that he lacked strength comparing to Qin Yunuan. He just hated why he hadn’t killed Qin Yunuan in the first place. Otherwise, she would not be so arrogant now.

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n“I did not assume that I am important,” Qin Yunuan smiled and shrugged, “It’s Queen Mother who titled me, and she looked up upon me.”

nThe porter suddenly came to report, saying that there was an invitation from the palace. Grand Miss Qin was also invited to the banquet of Queen Mother tomorrow. Qin Yunzhuang’s gloomy face suddenly lit up. Holding the invitation in her hand, she was rejoiced and couldn’t help but said to Qin Yunuan, “See, even though you are an Infanta, I will also be Prince Ray’s wife in the future. I can also go where you can.”

nHearing the words “Prince Ray’s wife”, Qin Yunuan saw Qin Linfeng’s body stiffen, and the expression on his face soon became unnatural. His little sister, who he had been in love with, was about to marry another man. Anyone would feel unhappy, let alone the possessive Qin Linfeng.

n“Yeah, congratulations to my elder sister.” Qin Yunuan didn’t mind Qin Yunzhuang’s show off at all. She was about to leave Qin Linfeng and Qin Yunzhuang as usual, but her movements stopped suddenly. She straightened her spine brightly, “Look. I forgot about it again. Now it’s time for my elder sister and brother to salute me. Brother, why don’t you make up for your negligence?”

n“You…” Qin Linfeng was choked with words. He was just about to take a step forward and teach a lesson to this daughter of a concubine when he glanced at Leng Shuang, whose expression was solemn and murderous. He swallowed down his anger, bowed his head, and said unwillingly, “See you, Infanta Ping.”

nQin Yunuan gave him a smile, raised her head and left without replying.

nSoon after Qin Yunuan left, Qin Linfeng angrily removed the jade pendant from the waist, dropping it on the ground like an emotional disclosure. The servants had left and scattered around early, leaving only Qin Yunzhuang and Qin Linfeng.

n“Brother, what should we do?” Qin Yunzhuang was distraught, “Now the Dou Family had lost its power, and our cousin killed himself in Xiangguo Temple. I don’t know what happened to our mother in the Psycho Tower. What should we do?” Qin Yunzhuang said, her tears shed like blossoms that fell with rain, and Qin Linfeng’s heart softened all at once.

nWith an impulse of motion, Qin Linfeng hugged Qin Yunzhuang and said, “Relax, you have me. Even if no one else wants you, your elder brother will still be with you.”

nQin Yunzhuang couldn’t help but tremble in Qin Linfeng’s arms while crying, “Tomorrow, what about the banquet? I couldn’t win Qin Yunuan. If I failed to leave a good impression in front of the Queen Mother and empress, my life would be hard in the future.”

n“You can rest assured,” Qin Linfeng said, wrapping his arms tightly around Qin Yunzhuang, “Tomorrow, I won’t let her take away your glory even if I had to exchange it with my life.”

nIn the Fuxi Courtyard, Qin Yunuan just finished making a pot of Lapsang Souchong when Ting Xue entered the door. She nodded to Qin Yunuan and said, “Third Miss, it’s all arranged. We had people at the Psycho Tower and in the Caizhi Courtyard. Grand Miss will definitely not receive the news that Madam had died.”

n“Well,” Qin Yunuan took a sip of tea.” According to my father’s temper, he will not take the initiative to tell Qin Yunzhuang. Hum, let’s see what kind of show Qin Yunzhuang will have to make tomorrow. It’s her nature to wear the most gorgeous clothes and the most precious jewelry to attend the banquet tomorrow. How dare a girl who just had lost her mother dress up so gorgeously? I don’t even need to do anything tomorrow. The saliva of noblewomen in the power circle will drown her. She must be delusional attempting to bully Baochuan and me with her power after becoming Prince Ray’s wife!”

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nQin Yunuan saw everything very clearly. Because of this, Qin Yunzhuang was a weak opponent to her, but there was also Qin Linfeng beside her. Although he acted recklessly, he was still the heir of the Grand Commandant. It was a bit tricky.

nAfter a while, Leng Shuang knocked on the door and came in. She only glanced at Maner serving tea next to Qin Yunuan and said, “As Third Miss Qin had expected, Qin Linfeng is ready to take action.”

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