Chapter 22

“Your Highness…” She called out softly.

She wanted to walk toward him, but stopped herself. The eyes that were gazing at Gu Jing veiled with a thin mist of tears. Her expression revealed a hint of timidity and hurt, making her appear endearingly pitiful.

Raising a hand to her forehead, she swayed unsteadily and tilted to one side…

“Xin’er!”

Though he had been angry, Gu Jing immediately panicked and rushed forward to catch Qin Xin by her slender waist. He asked with concern, “Xin’er, are you okay? Xin’er…”

In his arms, Qin Xin’s eyes were tightly shut. Her eyelashes trembled slightly, and her anxious heart finally settled.

Qin Xin’s fainting threw the waterside pavilion into chaos.

The noble young ladies gasped nervously. Some maids went to fetch smelling salts, others brought chairs, while someone else went to ask Princess Yingluo whether a physician should be summoned…

Gu Jing easily lifted Qin Xin into his arms and carried her to a chair that had been brought over. Even amidst the commotion, he didn’t forget to shoot Qin Jiu a look, his eyes filled hatred.

Qin Jiu: “…”

Forget it. Since she was the villainous supporting female character anyways, being hated a little or being hated a lot didn’t really make any difference… yeah right!

“Little girl, pour me some tea.” Gu Zezhi said at that moment.

Tea?

Only then did Qin Jiu come back to her senses, thinking to herself: This ancestor still loves to order people around!

Though she thought that, she still picked up the teapot nearby. In a surprisingly good mood, she told herself: I’ve already hugged the golden thigh today; if he wants tea, tea it is.

She carelessly poured him a cup, saying: “Big Brother, have some tea.”

Her attitude could not have been more perfunctory.

Then, she poured herself a cup as well.

Gu Zezhi looked at the foolishly grinning Qin Jiu, then at the murky tea in front of him, and was unable to hold back a laugh. His handsome features seemed to brighten, “Little girl, this tea won’t do.”

Qin Jiu raised her head from her teacup, looking as innocent as could be. Wasn’t it just a cup of tea?!

Gu Zezhi made a gesture, and a maid immediately presented a complete tea set.

With practiced ease, he began preparing tea: washing his hands, warming the cups, heating the teapot, portioning the tea leaves, rinsing them, brewing… His movements were elegant and nimble, yet clean and decisive, flowing as naturally as drifting clouds and running water. It felt less like making tea and more like performing some ritual.

Suddenly, Qin Jiu felt that what she had poured earlier really wasn’t worthy of being called “tea.”

A short while later, a cup of crystal-clear tea with a rich, mellow fragrance was pushed in front of her.

Gu Zezhi raised an eyebrow, “Drink.”

Without needing further urging, Qin Jiu picked up the teacup and took a sip. She blinked slowly.

The aroma was rich and lingering. The taste carried a hint of bitterness and a trace of astringency… not much different from what she had poured!

Those around them were either watching Qin Jiu and Gu Zezhi, or Gu Jing and Qin Xin. Their expressions were subtle as they whispered among themselves.

Gu Jing frowned. He couldn’t stay here any longer.

He picked Qin Xin up again and strode out of the pavilion. Qin Sheng hurried after them, instructing Qin Xin’s senior maid as she went: “Shuxiang, return to the Marquis’s residence first and report to Grandmother…”

The group departed hastily, leaving the remaining guests exchanging puzzled glances.

When Gu Jing brought Qin Xin back to the Marquis of Zhongyi’s Residence, Old Madam Qin was already waiting anxiously.

Qin Xin had already regained consciousness on the way home. Her face was deathly pale as she leaned weakly against Gu Jing’s chest, looking heartbreakingly delicate, like a tender flower bud swaying on a branch.

Old Madam Qin’s heart ached at the sight. She hurried forward and grasped her hand without waiting for Qin Xin to pay her respects, asking with concern: “Xin’er, Shuxiang said you fainted. What exactly happened? Don’t frighten your grandmother like this.”

“Grandmother…”

The moment Qin Xin saw Old Madam Qin, all her grievances surged up. Her eyes reddened, tears glistening within them, but she said nothing.

Old Madam Qin felt like her heart was being squeezed, hurriedly asking: “Xin’er, tell Grandmother quickly. Where are you feeling unwell? Or did someone bully you?”

“I-I’m fine.” Qin Xin shook her head weakly. Her eyes grew even redder, tears on the verge of falling.

“What do you mean you’re fine? Second Sister, you even fainted!” Qin Sheng, who had returned with them, spoke indignantly, “Grandmother, it’s all that wild—Third Sister’s fault! Third Sister angered Second Sister so much that she fainted!”

“Fourth Sister, stop talking…”

“Second Sister, you’ve clearly been wronged.” Qin Sheng furiously said, “Grandmother, you don’t know what happened. In front of everyone at Shenghua Pavilion today, Third Sister said that Second Sister’s biological parents were murderers. She said Second Sister was a cursed lone star, and that she’d been living under her birth chart all these years.”

The more Qin Sheng spoke, the angrier she became, her little face turning red with rage.

“Grandmother, Third Sister has simple gone crazy! She doesn’t care about the Qin family’s reputation at all!

“This granddaughter was kind enough to bring her to Shenghua Pavilion to broaden her horizons, and she just had to cause trouble!

“At this rate, this granddaughter will be too ashamed to show my face in public.”

Qin Xin kept her head slightly lowered. At those words, the tears she had been holding back finally slipped from the corners of her eyes, making her look even more pitiful and endearing.

In a voice barely above a whisper, she said softly, “Grandmother, it doesn’t have to do with Third Sister. It’s all my fault…”

Old Madam Qin wrapped an arm around Qin Xin’s slender shoulders and comforted her gently.

Gu Jing’s heart ached as well.

Besides sympathy, what he felt more of was anger. The person who had been humiliated today was not only Qin Xin, but him as well.

Of course he wouldn’t blame Qin Xin. After all, she was innocent and suffered so much injustice in public.

It was all Qin Jiu’s fault.

Gu Jing’s expression darkened and shifted unpredictably. Qin Jiu was probably relying on Empress Wei’s support to deliberately humiliate them!

And Gu Zezhi too…

“Where is Qin Jiu?” Old Madam Qin demanded angrily.

“She’s still at Shenghua Pavilion.” Qin Sheng replied through gritted teeth, “Hmph, she doesn’t even feel ashamed.”

Old Madam Qin’s face hardened. Her dignified features turned cold as she ordered, “Cui Momo, go to Shenghua Pavilion yourself and bring Qin Jiu back!”

After saying that, she lowered her voice and comforted Qin Xin, “Xin’er, don’t cry. Grandmother will definitely stand up for you.”

Cui Momo hurried away.

As soon as she stepped outside, she secretly sent someone to notify Qin Zening. By the time she arrived at Shenghua Pavilion, Qin Zening had also ridden there on horseback.

After greeting Cui Momo with a respectful clasp of his hands, Qin Zening went straight inside.

The poetry gathering had not yet ended. After asking a maid, he learned that Qin Jiu was in the garden behind the pavilion and immediately hurried over.

Among the many well-dressed young ladies, Qin Zening spotted his younger sister at once.

The young girl sat in an octagonal pavilion with one hand propping up her cheek. Her delicate chin was slightly raised, and a gentle smile played on her lips. She looked as radiant and vibrant as the beautiful spring sunshine itself.

Upon closer inspection, he noticed that his sister wasn’t alone. Seated across from her was a handsome young man in a purple robe, refined and elegant in appearance. The man was speaking with a smile, while she listened attentively.

This attentive look gave Qin Zening an inexplicable feeling of discomfort.

His little sister had never sat down and talked with him like that before!

Taking three steps in place of two, Qin Zening quickened his pace toward them.

From a distance, the young man’s warm voice drifted over on the breeze:

“…The temperature of the water used to brew tea is important as well. Different teas require different temperatures. Even Pu’er tea has many considerations. For example, aged Pu’er is best brewed with boiling water, while Imperial Pu’er made from tea buds and raw Pu’er tea cakes should not be brewed with boiling water, otherwise the leaves may be scalded and overcooked.”

“Different varieties of tea also require different brewing times. Older teas and coarser teas can steep longer, while delicate and tender teas should steep for a shorter period…”

“If the heat isn’t right, it can ruin both the tea’s fragrance and its flavor.”

“…”

Qin Jiu sat there absentmindedly, nodding from time to time.

She heard what Gu Zezhi was saying but didn’t understand¹Hear but not know. Wasn’t Pu’er just Pu’er? What Imperial Pu’er or raw Pu’er? She had absolutely no idea. They all tasted the same anyways!

Qin Jiu responded half-heartedly, her large almond-shaped eyes filled with confusion.

Gu Zezhi looked at Qin Jiu and couldn’t help curling his lips into a smile.

This little girl looked innocent and harmless, but her claws were sharper than anyone else’s. Now that she was sitting there in a daze with her claws tucked away, she appeared pure and guileless again.

Just like a cat with two faces, very amusing.

The autumn air was neither too hot nor cold. The fragrance of flowers lingering around them made people unconsciously relax and feel at peace.

Gu Zezhi’s smile at the corner of his lips deepend as he pushed the teacup towards Qin Jiu, “Try making another cup of tea…”

“Little Sister.”

A man’s voice interrupted him at exactly this moment. Qin Jiu felt as though she’d been granted a pardon, her spirits lifting instantly. Turning toward the voice, she called out happily, “Big Brother!”

Qin Zening strode over to the pavilion and said to Qin Jiu, “I came to take you home.”

As he spoke, he cast a guarded glance at Gu Zezhi.

“Sure!”

Qin Jiu had been worrying about how to find an excuse to escape, so she immediately agreed and jumped to her feet, “Big Brother, I’m heading home first.”

Qin Zening froze for a moment before realizing that this second “Big Brother” wasn’t directed at him.

His eyes narrowed, darkening noticeably. Looking at Gu Zezhi once again, his gaze now held not only caution, but also dissatisfaction.

“And this gentleman is…?” Qin Zening asked casually.

“Prince Duan Manor’s Third Young Master. Big—Third Young Master Gu, this is my big brother.” After the quick introduction, Qin Jiu looked intently at Qin Zening, hinting: Can we leave now?

Gu Zezhi smiled faintly, “Little girl, what I just taught you…”

Qin Jiu’s heart skipped a beat. Afraid he was about to make her brew tea again, she hurriedly interrupted: “Thank you for your guidance, Big Brother. Next time, I’ll treat you to a fine cup of tea.”

Gu Zezhi nodded, “Little Sister should remember what she just said.”

“Remember. Of course I’ll remember.”

Qin Jiu replied perfunctorily and quickly grabbed Qin Zening and ran off.

Left alone in the pavilion, Gu Zezhi calmly brewed himself another cup of tea. Every movement was graceful and composed.

Seeing that Qin Jiu had left, Third Prince Gu Rui walked over with an apologetic expression, “Imperial Uncle Ze, my Second Imperial Brother was simply too anxious earlier.”

He truly didn’t know what his second brother was thinking, actually leaving Gu Zezhi behind and storming off on his own. Sigh, that flipping faces was executed so poorly²More accurately means done in a way that appears fine on the surface, but actually means something else. This was too blatant..

Without showing any hints on his face, he smoothly changed the subject: “Imperial Uncle Ze, they’re playing a game of guessing riddles over there. Would you like to take a look?”

“Sure.”

Gu Zezhi set down his teacup and followed Gu Rui over to the group of young noblemen gathered beneath a willow tree not far away.