C86

Her eyes were fixated on Murong Yan's face, something quickly flashed past her eyes, and the hands that were clasped in front of her tightened.

Seeing that, Qu Ling was alarmed.

Just as she was about to speak, she heard Murong Yan asking before her: "Does Miss Gu know me?"

Gu Xi lowered his eyes again. After a long while, he finally whispered: "I have."

"I wonder what Miss Gu has heard?"

"…"

However, Gu Xi lowered his head and did not say anything.

Murong Yan did not press him further. Instead, he looked at Qu Ling.

Qu Ling understood and waved towards Gu Xi: "Alright, there's nothing else. You can go back first."

Gu Xi blessed his body and replied: "Yes."

After Gu Xi left, Qu Ling asked again: "What do you think?"

Murong Yan said in a low voice, "I can't see any signs of a human skin mask, so I should be wearing my true appearance."

He himself was an expert at making human skin masks, and others could tell at a glance whether he was wearing them or not.

"Go and check on Gu Xi's matter, if you can find Chu Yu and ask him about it, that would be for the best." Qu Ling paused for a while, then suddenly changed the topic of their conversation, "Right, after the death of your concubine once again, did anything strange happen in your estate?"

Murong Yan had long since gotten used to her jumping thinking, so he said calmly: "Liu'er is not my concubine."

Qu Ling, "..."

She could only change her way of speaking, "Your Second Uncle has a concubine named Liu'er in his courtyard."

"I don't know."

Murong Yan paused for a moment, and said gently: "If you want to know, after we return, I will send a letter to Murong Villa to ask about it."

With that said, Murong Yan stood up and took his leave.

Qu Ling stood up to send him off. When he arrived at the main entrance, Murong suddenly said: "I'll get Jiang Huo to send the Jade Scorpion over to you later."

Qu Ling nodded, "Alright."

She watched as Murong Yan left. Just as she was about to turn around and return to her residence, the sound of horse hooves came from afar.

She turned to see a reddish-brown horse galloping to the front of the mansion and coming to a halt.

The man on the horse dismounted and walked in front of her with a few steps. He lowered his head and looked at her. With a frown, he asked, "Why didn't you add some clothes when you came out?"

It was already so cold that it would snow in a few days, and she was wearing such thin clothes that she had to run out.

Xiao Jingyue said, his eyes looking at Xiao Yi who was not far behind Qu Ling.

Xiao Yi was so scared that he immediately lowered his head.

This matter really couldn't be blamed on him. How could he control the matriarch's state of mind?

Seeing that, Qu Ling coughed softly and pulled him in: "I did not add anything, what are you looking at Xiao Yi for?"

Xiao Jingyue then retracted his gaze.

The two of them returned back to the front hall. Xiao Jingyue glanced at the tea on the table, which he had not taken off, and asked: "Did you just call a guest?"

Qu Ling replied honestly, "Murong came. I just left."

Xiao Jingyue remembered the words she had asked Murong Yan to come to his residence to see Gu Xi last night, so he did not ask any further.

Upon hearing about the palace feast, Qu Ling's small face immediately fell.

When she had first returned to the capital, her grandfather had liked to take her everywhere, to attend all sorts of palace feasts and banquets.

It was only because of that scene that she got to know the crown prince and the Eighth Prince.

To be honest, looking at the flattering smiles on the faces of the court officials' children, she was about to lose her fear of the banquet.

It hadn't been easy for her grandfather to settle down in the past two years, and the empress's aunt had also taken care of her, not allowing her to enter the palace to attend the banquet again. Why did she have to go now?

Xiao Jingyue held her ice-cold hands in his, and said in a low voice, "The Emperor has ordered me to go."

Hearing that, Qu Ling curled his lips, retracted his hand, and turned to walk out.

Xiao Jingyue did not follow him, but turned and went into the study room.

Gu Xi walked into the backyard of Clear Wind and took out a bamboo tube from his sleeve.

She opened the bamboo tube, and not long after, there was a rustling sound from the grass.

A small, rodent-like creature in a purplish-red shape crawled out of the grass and came to her feet.

Gu Xi squatted down and grabbed the little thing. He tied the paper slip he had prepared a long time ago to its hind leg and whispered: "Go."

The little thing gave two squeaks and leaped out of her palm. Its body disappeared from her line of sight in an instant.

As Gu Xi looked in the direction it had left in, traces of killing intent emerged from his narrowed eyes. He murmured: "Murong Yan …"

After lunch, Qu Ling greeted the Aunt Tao and went back to his room to take a nap.

At the beginning of Shen Wu Xia, Aunt Tao came over on time to wake her up.

Qu Ling lazily woke up, and changed into proper clothes and combed his hair with Aunt Tao's help.

"I might be late tonight, so you don't have to wait for me."

After taking care of himself, Qu Ling left behind these words, and then left the Fresh Breeze Institute.

Xiao Jingyue had been waiting at the door for a long time. When he saw Qu Ling coming over, his expression relaxed.

He did not ride a horse, but chose to accompany Qu Ling into the carriage.

As soon as the curtain was drawn, he took her in his arms.

Qu Ling struggled a bit, "What are you doing?"

He did not let go and seriously said: "Warm in my arms."

She was too lazy to expose him, so she put him on her waist and grabbed onto his restless hands.

Xiao Jingyue looked down at his hand that was being held, and sighed in disappointment.

Qu Ling laid in his embrace and pretended not to hear.

By this time, most of the officials had already left for the palace.

The road was densely packed with carriages from various houses.

A coachman who could drive a government official was no ordinary person; his eyes were as bright as the moon.

While looking at the road ahead, he paid attention to the carriages.

He moved aside when he saw people who were bigger than his master, and blocked those who were smaller than his master with ease.

The General Mansion carriage quickly stopped in front of the palace gate. Qu Ling then realized that her husband's son was actually quite big.

Officials and their families may change into palanquins after they have alighted from their carriages at the entrance to the palace.

Qu Ling did not want to sit on the palanquin, so he turned and suggested to Xiao Jingyue: "How about we go in?"

The journey from here to the imperial garden was not short.

Xiao Jingyue looked at her legs, he knew that if she was tired, she would let him carry her again, but he still agreed.

Before the two of them could leave, an official and his family member suddenly called out to them.

After greeting each other, Madam Guan looked at the hand Qu Ling and Xiao Jingyue were holding, and sighed: "General Xiao and Xiao Jingyue's relationship is really good ah."

Qu Ling smiled bashfully, and calmly looked at the lady standing behind the official, the lady who kept stealing peeks at Xiao Jingyue.

Waiting until the family rode on the palanquin before leaving, Qu Ling casually said while walking: "Just now, the young lady behind Lady Chen peeked at you."

Xiao Jingyue asked with a smile that was not a smile: "What does Madam want to say?"

Qu Ling said expressionlessly: "Nothing."

He let out a soft laugh, then suddenly leaned over and whispered something in her ear.

Qu Ling's little face suddenly turned red.

After a long moment, he bellowed, "Shameless!"

Xiao Jingyue's smile suddenly disappeared, he raised his head coldly and looked to the right.

Qu Ling vaguely sensed something, and turned to look in the direction of his gaze.

Seeing the person standing on the right, thinking about what he said to Xiao Jingyue just now, her little face suddenly flushed red.