C35 (1/2)
Chapter 35 - Interutilization
”Eldest Miss, you can go in.” Housekeeper Liu invited the person to the study room's entrance and retreated out of the study room's courtyard. He waited outside the moon gate to prevent anyone from intruding.
Yun Qianliang crossed the threshold and walked into the study.
Yun Qinan was seated behind her desk, waiting for her to come. Upon hearing the sound, he raised her eyes and looked towards the door.
Yun Qianliang had changed into a moon-white dress with a moon-green cloak embroidered with plum blossom smoke. The lanterns and flames that were placed under the eaves at the entrance were reflected on her fair and reddish face, giving his a rosy and glossy appearance. She walked through the night. The cold night mist was like smoke that was rippling on her body. He was dazzlingly beautiful, as if he was an enchantress that had walked out into the night to attract souls.
As Yun Qinan looked at that face, the image of the person in the portrait appeared in his mind. It was also a breathtakingly beautiful face, but the corners of the person's eyes kept concealing her worries.
Yun Qinan pinched the center of her brows, shaking off the beautiful images in her mind, and said to her daughter who was walking into the study: ”Close the door.”
Yun Qianliang turned his body to the side, turned her head and looked at the empty Qing Hui courtyard, in the end, she still turned around and embraced the two sides of the door, and then closed it.
”It's already deep into the night, why hasn't father rested yet?” Yun Qianliang seemed to have forgotten the incident with the Assassin that caused a huge ruckus.
”Come over and sit.” Yun Qinan waved towards Yun Qianliang, telling her to sit in the chair opposite the desk.
Yun Qianliang walked over obediently and sat down obediently, like an obedient girl.
”You are a premature baby, born a little one. In the blink of an eye, you have grown into a slender and graceful young lady. You are now a married woman.” Yun Qinan talked about the past under the candle flame, as if she had aged a lot. The candle flame swayed in the wind that blew in through the window, and landed on the side of his face, which still retained the handsome face of her youth. There was an additional calmness and vicissitudes, as well as a hidden shrewdness and calculation in her eyes.
”Daughter's family will always be married when she reaches her prime.” Yun Qianliang replied indifferently.
”That's right, a girl can't stay in a girl's university.” Yun Qinan sighed, she seemed to be a kind father, ”In the day, your mother will be watching, so there are many things that I shouldn't ask.
Yun Qianliang nodded and listened carefully.
”Qian Qian Qian, have you ever blamed your father? You and Jin Wang were already betrothed to each other, but your father allowed Qing Yan to have very close interactions with the Jin Wang, so much so that later on, you committed suicide and almost lost your life. ” Yun Qinan took note of the expression of the person in front of him, afraid that he would miss out on anything strange.
Yun Qianliang was startled, a look of loneliness flashed past her eyes, but she smirked and laughed: ”There is a good saying: To know that I am fortunate is to lose my life. In the past, I was no longer stubborn, so there is no need for Father to feel guilty about it. ”
”Are you really uninterested in the Jin Wang?” Yun Qinan kept asking.
Yun Qianliang nodded, ”I do.”
The more attached she was, the more heartless she became. When she decided to discard an item, even if the other party begged her to be kind, she would remain indifferent, and would even be stingy with her charity.
The Yun Family was something she had to abandon, and Song Shujin was also someone she had to.
When the two were of no use, they were less valuable than trash in her eyes!
”It's a good thing that you can give up, your mother had committed crimes and was sent to a bitter and cold place, that year I did my best to make your mother my concubine, and that I had to protect your life and mother's. But at that time you had already developed deep feelings for the Jin Wang, and marrying a Jin Wang with your status would only lead to suffering, becoming an uncrossable joke in the Royal Family.” Yun Qinan continued to explain the reason for him objecting to her marrying the Jin Wang, it was true meaning, but in Yun Qianliang's eyes, her actions now were more like a joke.
”In the past, the imperial edict stated that the sin of not being able to marry into the family, and my father still resolutely made my mother into an aunt. This caused my mother to suffer every day, and finally perish.” Yun Qianliang's clear eyes looked at her father who was pretending to be affectionate and benevolent, the scheme in his eyes was deep, but it was unable to hide from her eyes. She spoke of the past calmly, to the point where his words could not be heard.
”You are still young, there are too many things that you do not understand. If I do not do that, once Yun Xiang Mansion falls, court officials will look for all kinds of ways to fight against Yun Xiang Mansion, how can I protect you and your daughter?” Yun Qinan explained anxiously, trying to redeem her fatherly image.
”Then, did you manage to protect it?” Yun Qianliang asked.
Yun Qinan was momentarily at a loss for words. There were many words stuffed into her throat, making him unable to say a single word.
The cold wind outside the window rapidly beat against the door and the windowsill. The atmosphere in the study was eerily quiet. Facing that quiet person, his heart actually felt a sense of oppression, causing him to feel a little nervous.
Yun Qianliang saw his reaction, and only pursed his lips and chuckled.
Yun Qianliang frowned, the shadow of his eyelashes falling on his eyelids caused his to become more calm and collected.
”Father, you can say what you want from me.” Yun Qianliang didn't mince his words, the light in her eyes was hidden by the shadows, and the only thing that could be seen on her face was the reflection of the candle flame, giving off an indescribable sense of loneliness.
Yun Qinan withdrew her amiable face, her eyes filled with alertness and shrewdness.
”Do you know the purpose of Gu Xiang coming to the Yun Palace?” Yun Qinan said cautiously.
”Purpose?” Yun Qianliang repeated in confusion, then shook her head, raised her eyebrows and revealed an uneasy look in her eyes, ”I do not understand father's meaning, could it be that Gu Xiang is lying when he accompanied me back to the sect, and the reason why he came to Yun Xiang Mansion is real?”
Yun Qinan stared at her frowning eyebrows, as well as the unease in her eyes. He did not reply immediately, guessing at the extent of the mutual understanding between his and Gu Yicheng, guessing that if he dared to make the relationship between them clear with Housekeeper Liu, she already had the confidence to occupy a seat in the Gu Xiangfu, but today he claimed that he did not understand the purpose of his words, and the credibility was very low.
”Qian Qian, don't tell me you …” Yun Qinan's face turned dark, ”You must be testing me out?”
Yun Qianliang fearlessly met that pair of cold eyes and did not say anything for a long while.
The two of them were planning on a psychological battle to see who would retreat first.
However, the more emotions Yun Qinan revealed, the more stable she seemed. She just sat there and quietly looked at the people in front of his, without a guilty conscience or fear, as time passed, her advantage became more obvious.