On the ground, Minghai stood with his neck craned upward, still not reacting even after the two figures disappeared from sight.
Leng Yue’er held Pei Qingmin in her arms. The man was not heavy at all; if anything, she felt him as light as air. The pavilions and buildings beneath them flashed past rapidly. In her arms, Pei Qingmin’s heartbeat thudded like a drum. Looking up at her focused profile as she moved forward, his heart beat even faster.
Leng Yue’er retraced their path. Along the way, they passed maidservants, old women, and attendants, and even several unknown shadow guards hiding in the dark. When she finally stopped, she had arrived at the other end of a waterside pavilion. It was cool, breezy, and offered a beautiful view. A fine spot indeed.
“How… Why did we stop here?” Even though they had already stopped, Pei Qingmin still felt slightly dizzy. Her speed while carrying him had been astonishingly steady. He had never properly taken in the scenery of Princess Changyu’s residence before. It was beautiful, but he felt uneasy. Still, standing on solid ground felt far more reassuring.
“Isn’t this a good spot?” Leng Yue’er said as she shifted aside. “Your Highness, stand behind this rockery. It will block the wind from the water, and it won’t affect your view.”
The waterside pavilion was built along the lake. Willow branches and lotus ponds swayed in the breeze, the most beautiful season of the year.
The pavilion had two levels. The lower level was so close to the water that one could almost touch the surface, where ripples drifted among floating duckweed. The upper level allowed a distant view of the surroundings, offering a broader, more layered beauty.
On the opposite side stood the rockery where Leng Yue’er and Pei Qingmin were. It was tall, with water flowing down its surface, and large banana leaves planted nearby. Water streamed over the leaves and dripped down, adding a unique charm.
From here, they could clearly see what was happening at the pavilion, while those on the other side could not see them clearly.
“This place should be where County Lady Xiangrong is hosting the young ladies. Is something about to happen?” Pei Qingmin asked in a low voice as he looked at Leng Yue’er, who was leaning lazily against a banana plant with no proper posture.
“Indeed,” she replied. “Just watch. This live broadcast is far more interesting than any replay.”
She snapped her fingers crisply and nodded toward the scene.
The next moment, a loud splash echoed from across the water.
“Someone fell in?” Pei Qingmin frowned, looking over.
“A minor maidservant,” she replied indifferently.
“How do you know?” he asked, turning to her.
Leng Yue’er sighed inwardly. Bringing him along had its benefits, things were convenient, and he could block trouble when needed, but she had recently been doing far too much explaining.
Not only did she have to let him “watch the broadcast,” she also had to “replay the behind-the-scenes story.” No, not story, incidents.
“Long story short,” she said, “Liu Jingyu originally planned to frame Fourth Miss Qu Moying. She bribed a maid in the residence to tamper with the platform by the waterside so that anyone stepping on it would slip into the lake. But the plan failed, and the maid fell in instead. That’s not all. Keep watching.”
A faint smile curled on her lips. Her peach-blossom eyes shimmered, dazzling Pei Qingmin for a moment. His heart skipped again, and he quickly looked away toward the pavilion.
At that moment, chaos had already broken out. Voices rose in panic, sharp and piercing.
County Lady Xiangrong and Liu Jingyu hurried over, followed by the other young ladies.
Before Pei Qingmin could ask further, Leng Yue’er continued casually, “Liu Jingyu and County Lady Xiangrong are here now. Liu Jingyu thought the one who fell in was Qu Moying. Heh… the person in the lake hasn’t even been rescued yet. Everyone, step closer, take a better look…”
“Splash!”
“Splash!”
Two more sounds of falling water rang out.
“Who fell this time?” Pei Qingmin asked, leaning closer instinctively. He was now almost resting against her shoulder, his gaze fixed on the pavilion.
Leng Yue’er casually wrapped an arm around his waist without concern.
“Liu Jingyu and her maid,” she said.
“How do you know?”
“I guessed,” she answered without hesitation, then tugged at his sleeve and led him down the rockery steps.
By now, Pei Qingmin had grown used to speaking with her. Whatever she said, true or false, it was best not to take it too seriously. Otherwise, getting upset would only be inevitable.
He said nothing further and let her lead him down slowly. The steps of the rockery were steep in places, so he had to steady himself by holding her arm. By the time they reached the bottom, a fine layer of sweat had formed on his forehead.
His body truly was weak.
Leng Yue’er raised an eyebrow and casually pulled out a pill from her waist pouch. Without warning, she pressed it against his lips and made him swallow it.
Consider it cheap for him.
Pei Qingmin did not resist. If she wanted to harm him, it would be effortless. Instead, he only noticed the faint medicinal fragrance still lingering on his lips and the cool touch of her fingers.
He silently followed behind her. After taking the pill, the fatigue in his body eased noticeably.
The two of them walked unhurriedly through the winding waterside corridor and arrived near a two-story pavilion. Nearby was a flower hall where several young ladies were resting. Faint voices could still be heard from within.
As they circled the hall, they happened to meet a maid from Princess Changyu’s residence. Before she could even speak, Leng Yue’er pulled her over.
“This is Prince Wei. His health is not good and he is a bit tired from walking. Find him a quiet room to rest, prepare some tea and snacks, and inform Minghai to come and attend him,” she said.
The maid’s expression immediately changed. She quickly bowed respectfully and led them into a nearby room. Soon, tea and snacks were served, and she went off to fetch Minghai.
Leng Yue’er pushed open half a window. The voices from the flower hall became even clearer.
At this moment, Liu Jingyu had just been rescued from the water and changed into dry clothes. Her anger was close to exploding. The one who was supposed to fall into the water had been Qu Moying, yet she had become the one humiliated.
“Fourth Miss Qu, did you really not see who pushed me into the water?” Liu Jingyu questioned sharply. “You were closest. You must have seen something clearly.”
“I’m sorry,” Qu Moying replied calmly. “As everyone knows, I have poor eyesight. I only saw people, not faces. Besides, even County Lady Jingyu herself does not know who pushed you. How could I possibly know?”
Liu Jingyu nearly wanted to slap her.
“Then why did your maid scream?”
“What did she scream about? She only said someone was still in the water and had not been rescued. Is that now considered a crime?”
Pei Qingmin frowned as he listened. He disliked these kinds of disputes among women. What meaning did they hold? Yet it seemed every household was filled with them.
When his gaze turned to Leng Yue’er, he saw that her usually cold, expressionless face had become lively, almost vivid. It was strikingly animated.
He sat by the window, resting his chin on one hand as if listening to the argument, but his eyes were fixed on her instead.
Just then, someone arrived.
Consort Jing.
This was part of Qu Moying’s earlier setup. Since Liu Jingyu had come to Princess Changyu’s residence, Consort Jing would naturally also arrive. With these two people bound to clash, peace was impossible.
Leng Yue’er sat on the edge of the table, leaning against the window frame. She turned to see Pei Qingmin staring at her and waved a hand in front of his eyes.
“Don’t watch me. Watch the show. I’m not narrating for you.”
“No need,” he replied.
“You think it’s boring? Then let’s leave,” she said, jumping down from the table. She picked up a piece of pastry, smelled it, then ate it herself before casually feeding him another without asking.
Pei Qingmin quickly opened his mouth and swallowed it. It was slightly too much, puffing out his cheeks.
Leng Yue’er chuckled. She poured herself a cup of tea and drank it first.
Then she handed him another cup. “Drink it, warm yourself. Then we’ll leave.”
Behind them, Minghai finally arrived. Watching this scene, he felt a mixture of complicated emotions. What exactly was this relationship supposed to be? It looked more like a couple than anything else.
As they left the room, Minghai quickly followed. Pei Qingmin walked ahead slowly, Minghai stayed half a step behind, and Leng Yue’er walked at the back with a calm expression.
She had not finished watching the excitement yet. How could she leave now?