Fei Pin Ying Qiang

Chapter 33- Rumors All Around

Qi Yunruo fell into his memories of his time at the Dong family’s residence. Back then, Shui Yuanyuan had noticed his strange expression. She said softly, “Did Qi Suxiao not return those things to you?”

Qi Yunruo rose to his feet. “I’ll be leaving first.” A yellow tinge to his face. Shui Yuanyuan’s worried gaze fell upon him. She was starting to regret saying what she had. But when she thought of her deceased master, her words were ruthless. “The people of Count Ziyang’s estate are too excessive! Master never entered through their doors as a concubine! What gave them the right to take away all her dowry?! Isn’t Qi Suxiao someone who cared about face the most? Back then, after the Imperial Censorate censured him, he distanced himself from master. I will definitely show everyone this hypocritical official’s real face!”　　　　

……　

By the candlelight, Qi Yunruo fell deeper into his thoughts. The room had been vacant for a few days, but because someone cleaned it every day, it wasn’t dusty. Li Chen personally folded his laundry and stored them away. Then he went outside and had someone fetch water for him.

“Your Highness…” said Qi Yunruo.

“What is it?”

Qi Yunruo looked at Li Chen and slowly said, “Maybe it’s because I’ve never had anything since young that I really want something now. It’s not something others can give me. Rather, it’s something that belonged to me in the first place. I should be able to get these things. Those things belong to me… Does your honored self understand what I’m saying?”

Li Chen sat across from him. Listened to him carefully.

But when Qi Yunruo opened his mouth to say more, he didn’t know where to start. Fury sparked in his heart, transforming from a small ember to a roaring flame. From the first day he had arrived at Count Ziyang’s estate, he learned that the existence of him and his mother brought the Qi family shame. Count Ziyang was preposterous in his youth. He spent a fortune on Shui Linglong. Because of this, the Qi family received a lot of criticism from the court. From a young age, Qi Yunruo no longer considered himself as a child of Qi Suxiao. He was all alone. He pretended that he was a guest of the estate. However, he had no one to rely on there. He could only watch with wide eyes as they sent him to Prince Chun’s estate… Why did Count Ziyang’s estate treat him like this?　　

“Your Highness, when I was very young I lived in a small house with my mother. I did not know I was a bastard. I only wondered why my father took so long to return home…” Qi Yunruo’s voice was light. Soft. “Back then, whenever Count Ziyang would come, I felt like it was a holiday, ceremonious and happy. At that time, he had lifted me and smiled at me. He had also bought many novel playthings from the street for me. When I was learning how to write, he would sit behind me and teach me how to hold the brush.”　　　　

Qi Yunruo’s expression was somewhat tinged with yearning. But such yearning disappeared in a flash.

“They all said that my mother and I owed Count Ziyang’s estate. But what exactly did we do wrong? Even if someone did make a mistake, it would be Count Ziyang himself. It was he who did not care about the court’s orders. It was he who ignored the rules of proprietary. It was he who broke the rules of the Qi family. Those things belonged to me. Those were the things my mother left behind for me. They don’t have the right to take them.” Qi Yunruo met Li Chen’s gaze as if seeking for approval. “Right? Your Highness, is it true that I can take back my things? They can’t keep them away from me, right?”

It was at that moment that Li Chen understood. He leaned forward. Wrapped his arms around Qi Yunruo reassuringly, hugging him to his chest.

Qi Yunruo stubbornly lifted his head and asked, “Is it true? Your Highness, I can take those things back?”