Chapter 31 An Lan's Secret

Liao Fuyu took a sip of tea and said in a clear voice, "My biological mother was the only daughter of a wealthy businessman in Northern Xinjiang. She died of complications during childbirth. My father was busy with military affairs, so he married a girl from a small family to take care of me. When I was two years old, my stepmother gave birth to my younger brother.

My stepmother didn't like me and hoped that I would die soon so that my brother could inherit the inheritance left by my mother. At first, she wanted to marry me off to a silk merchant in northern Xinjiang and took away the betrothal gifts without my father's knowledge. Fortunately, the emperor's decree came down and I escaped..."

There was total silence in Jinghong Garden.

The only voice left in the room was Liao Fuyu's voice.

Ye Wanqing listened quietly, and the more she listened, the more distressed she felt: "Has Marquis Jingbei been kept in the dark about all this?"

Looking at Liao Fuyu, she thought of her daughter Lu Qingcheng from her previous life.

They are of similar age and have similar personalities.

"Maybe." Liao Fuyu looked indifferent: "Even if he knew, it wouldn't change anything. After all, he still counts on my stepmother to help him manage the household and take care of the old and young at home."

Ye Wanqing was speechless.

Liao Fuyu drank the remaining tea in the cup and said, "Actually, don't think I'm living a miserable life. I'm actually living a pretty good life. Although my stepmother doesn't care much about me, she doesn't restrict me either. I secretly learned to ride a horse and practiced swordplay. I've been living a happy life these years.

The only bad thing is that I have bad skin, I look skinny, and my clothes don’t look good on me. I’m always ridiculed when I come to Jindu!”

Ye Wanqing comforted her softly as if she were looking at her daughter: "The water and soil of Jindu are good for health. If you take good care of yourself, your skin will improve and your figure will become more and more beautiful."

"Really?" Liao Fuyu raised her head in surprise.

Ye Wanqing smiled: "What good would it do me to lie to you?"

Liao Fuyu happily rushed over and hugged her arms: "Qing'er, I don't understand anything here, I can only rely on you for help!"

"Okay, I'll help." Ye Wanqing's smile became softer.

She pulled Liao Fuyu to the dressing table, opened the two layers of drawers and introduced them one by one: "The first layer is rouge and powder for makeup, and the second layer is facial cream for nourishing the skin. Pick the scent you like..."

Ye Chenxi returned home after class and almost bumped into Liao Fuyu at the door.

"Sorry, I can't see the road."

Liao Fuyu carried three small wooden boxes and strode towards the carriage on the street.

"Stop! Who are you?" Ye Chenxi came to his senses and immediately ran forward to stop her.

Liao Fuyu poked half of her head out from behind the box and gave him a silly smile: "You are Qing'er's elder brother, right? My name is Liao Fuyu, and I'm Qing'er's new friend."

Ye Chenxi recalled carefully, and then he suddenly realized: "Oh! You are the daughter of Marquis Jingbei?"

"Yeah, that's right." Liao Fuyu nodded repeatedly.

Ye Chenxi also nodded: "Yeah. Hello, Miss Liao."

Liao Fuyu grinned at him: "Hello, young master."

At this time, the curtain of another carriage on the street was half opened, and the person in the carriage urged impatiently: "Chen Xi, be quick."

Ye Chenxi immediately turned around and said, "Cousin, wait for me. I'll go borrow some money from my sister and come back!"

After saying that, he ran home.

Liao Fuyu was stunned: "This——"

She stood at the door of Ye's house, holding the box, a little awkwardly.

She glanced at Ye Chenxi's back, then looked at the people in the carriage, and her face blushed visibly: "You...I..."

Oops, she didn't know who he was.

The person in the car glanced at her calmly and said, "I am the prince of Duan, Chu Xiaoyan."

"Hello, my name is Liao Fuyu..."

The door of Jinghong Garden was closed for a short while before it was pushed open again. Ye Chenxi ran in breathlessly: "Sister, lend me five hundred taels of silver. Chu Xiaoyan wants to take me to buy a bow for autumn hunting."

Chu Xiaoyan?
Done!

Ye Wanqing's eyelids twitched, and she asked in a panic, "Did you run into Fu Yu when you came in?"

"I saw him and said hello." Ye Chenxi urged: "Sister, hurry up, Chu Xiaoyan is still waiting for me outside the door!"

Ye Wanqing sighed helplessly in her heart.

As expected, everyone has his or her own destiny. Even if one is reincarnated, one is still destined to continue the relationship of the previous life.

She took out the banknotes and asked Ye Chenxi, "What has Chu Anlan been doing these days?"

Ye Chenxi happily accepted the banknote and laughed, "An Lan didn't let me tell you! You will know later!"

Not allowed to tell her?
Ye Wanqing was immediately displeased. She stretched out her hand and snatched the banknote back from Ye Chenxi's hand, still smiling: "What is An Lan doing? Why is he so sneaky?"

Ye Chenxi watched the banknotes being taken away, and said angrily: "Sister, how can you threaten me with banknotes! I trust you so much that I only ask you to borrow money!"

Ye Wanqing said calmly: "You can also go find your father or mother."

Ye Chenxi gritted his teeth, hesitated for a while, and then stamped his feet and said: "Okay, okay, I'll tell you! But you have to pretend that you know nothing, okay?"

Ye Wanqing waved her hand and said, "Alright, alright, I'm just teasing you. Take the banknote and go find Chu Xiaoyan. Don't make him wait anxiously."

"You don't want to hear An Lan's secret again?" Ye Chenxi scratched the back of his head.

"You said it was a secret," Ye Wanqing chuckled, "Since An Lan is willing to tell you the secret, it means he trusts you. As your good sister, how could I destroy his trust in you?
Besides, everyone should have their own secrets..."

She wanted to marry Chu Anlan, not to control Chu Anlan.

……

After autumn begins, the weather gets cooler day by day.

Originally, Chu Yanran planned to hold a chrysanthemum-viewing banquet and invited the noble ladies and wives in Beijing to the chrysanthemum garden of the Ye Mansion to appreciate the flowers.

The invitation was stopped before it was sent out.

Because news came from the palace that the Crown Princess was critically ill.

Chu Yanrong had no choice but to cancel the chrysanthemum viewing banquet. Looking at the various precious chrysanthemums blooming in the garden, she couldn't help but sigh, "What a pity..."

I don’t know whether I should cherish the flowers or the people.

The Crown Princess was seriously ill, so the chrysanthemum viewing banquet could not be held. Therefore, she ordered people to send the most blooming pots of flowers to the palace for the Emperor and the Empress Dowager.

Coincidentally, Princess Dun came to visit at this time.

The garden is full of autumn chrysanthemums, some are tender yellow, some are snow-white. A faint fragrance drifts in with the slightly cool autumn breeze. The occasional bird calls slip into the endless silence, adding a bit of liveliness.

When Ye Wanqing arrived, the chrysanthemum tea was cooked just right.

Ye Wanqing walked over with lotus steps and bowed, "Mother, Fu Jin."

The wife of Prince Dun's eyes fell on the golden phoenix hairpin in her hair. She paused for only a moment before looking away and said with a smile, "Qing'er, I brought some snacks made by the chef in the mansion. Come and try them and see if you like them."

"Fujin is thoughtful."

The flower pavilion is filled with the fragrance of tea.

On the stone table, there were several plates of exquisite snacks, including lotus cakes, Longjing tea cakes, and osmanthus cakes.

The tea is fragrant and the snacks are sweet.

Ye Wanqing took a bite and raised the corners of her mouth slightly: "These snacks are delicious, thank you, Madam."

(End of this chapter)