“You!” Princess Fu’an could no longer pretend to be composed. She shot up abruptly, pointing at Qin Shuying, “You, how do you know?”

What Princess Fu’an wanted to ask was how Qin Shuying knew about the matter between Madam Liu and Concubine Kang, and how she knew that she herself liked Liu Junqing and wanted to marry him.

However, Qin Shuying deliberately twisted her words, saying: “Your Highness, this subject’s daughter is the principal wife, so I can only trouble Your Highness to be a noble concubine. Could it be that Your Highness doesn’t even want to be a noble concubine, and would be willing with just the title of concubine? Since Your Highness so admires this subject’s daughter’s fiancé, I cannot bear to let Your Highness return disappointed. This subject’s daughter hereby promises to definitely grant Your Highness the position of noble concubine.”

“You… you…”

Princess Fu’an flushed red with anger and actually began to cry.

After all, she was only a twelve-year-old girl. She wholeheartedly adored Liu Junqing, even convincing her mother consort. Madam Liu had met with her mother consort and hadn’t refused.

Now, being so humiliated by Qin Shuying, she couldn’t think of how to respond in such a short time. Afraid that this marriage wouldn’t come to pass, she simply burst into tears.

Seeing her cry, Qin Shuying felt a moment of softness.

But just then, Princess Fu’an suddenly wiped away her tears, pushed away Lu Ruyang who was about to comfort her, pointed at Qin Shuying, and said viciously: “Throw her into the water for me! Then call someone to rescue her!”

Calling someone to rescue her was meant to ruin her reputation, ultimately forcing her to marry that person. As for who that person would be, without thinking, it wouldn’t be anyone decent.

Nanny Cao immediately said: “Yes!”

This was clearly a pre-arranged setup.

Seeing those palace maids about to approach, Qin Shuying quickly said: “If Concubine Lian finds out, I’m afraid she won’t let you have your way, Your Highness! The Liu family belongs to the Qin family. You’re trying to poach Concubine Lian’s people – can she let this go?”

Princess Fu’an was already beside herself with rage. Moreover, she had sworn she must marry Liu Junqing, so she paid no heed and shouted: “Hurry up!”

Qin Shuying just smiled. When those people surrounded her, she retreated to the ship’s rail. Ziteng, who had been standing at the entrance, quickly rushed over, wielding a stool and striking wildly, forcing the palace maids back until she reached Qin Shuying’s side.

The two exchanged a glance, quickly used the stools to drive away several palace maids, then grabbed the stunned Princess Fu’an and Lu Ruyang. In the ensuing chaos, all four fell into the water.

By this time, the pleasure boat had long since left the shore and was already in the middle of the lake.

Everything happened too quickly. Nanny Cao couldn’t react in time and watched helplessly as the princess fell into the water, turning pale with shock: “Come quickly! Come quickly! The princess has fallen into the water!”

Unfortunately, they had originally prepared to humiliate Qin Shuying before throwing her into the water, so they had chosen a secluded spot where there was no one around.

Fortunately, there were four water maidens on the boat. Hearing Nanny Cao’s shouts, they all jumped into the water.

However, the four people in the water could not be found.

Under the boat.

As soon as Qin Shuying and Ziteng entered the water, they grabbed Princess Fu’an and Lu Ruyang’s hands from behind, preventing them from flailing wildly. Otherwise, if they grabbed onto them, they themselves might not fare well.

Qin Shuying and Ziteng used their momentum to press them hard underwater. Princess Fu’an and Lu Ruyang swallowed a bellyful of water. The discomfort in their noses and mouths need not be mentioned – they were terrified, with death so close to them.

Ziteng was even more vicious, pressing Princess Fu’an’s face against the iron plates at the bottom of the boat, scraping it several times until blood seeped from her face and the water turned red before stopping.

When the water maidens saw the red color, they swam over. Only then did Ziteng release Princess Fu’an. She and Qin Shuying changed direction, quietly hanging onto the bottom of the boat and surfacing to catch their breath.

The boat was now in the center of the water, still a long distance from shore. The recent struggle had exhausted all their strength, so they needed to rest here for a moment and wait to recover their energy before quietly swimming away.

Now, the people on the boat were busy rescuing Princess Fu’an and probably had no time to worry about the two of them.

Indeed, when Princess Fu’an was rescued, there was a flurry of activity, with the palace maids’ terrified crying filling the air.

Underwater, Qin Shuying and Ziteng looked at each other, and admiration appeared in Ziteng’s eyes.

She didn’t know when Miss had learned to swim, but her own swimming was something Miss had taught her. Miss had a warm pool in the suburbs of the capital and often gave her time to go learn swimming. She had been very dedicated and learned quickly.

Miss had said that in the intrigues of the inner quarters, drowning was often used as a tactic, so learning to swim was essential.

While resting, Qin Shuying recalled why she had learned to swim in her previous life. At that time, she had just married Lu Changxuan for barely a month and was still living in that chaotic alley, going out daily to peddle goods.

Once, when she went to sell brown sugar, she encountered harassment from the thugs of the major brown sugar merchant on that street, who also tried to steal her brown sugar. The five pounds of brown sugar in her basket was the money for oil and salt for the next few days – how could Qin Yaoyao let others steal it? Once stolen, it would never be returned!

So she ran for her life carrying the basket, panicking and eventually falling into a water pool. The brown sugar merchant’s thug sneered and simply walked away.

She struggled in the water, but no one passed by, and no one came to save her. She choked on a lot of water and felt terrible, thinking she would surely die that day.

Just when she thought death was certain, someone actually jumped into the water to save her.

It was a male servant who, after rescuing her, placed her on a carriage. Qin Shuying had only choked and hadn’t fainted, so she saw everything clearly.

There were more than ten adult men in total, and the one who saved her was one of them.

Then a child came over, a little boy about ten years old who looked particularly handsome. His clothing was obviously different – probably the master of this group.

Beside him was another boy of similar age. Qin Yaoyao heard him ask that boy: “Yanjun, she’s not dead, is she?”

“Young Master, she’s not dead.”

The handsome boy frowned, examined her thoroughly, then raised his right hand to rest on his small chin, tilted his head thoughtfully. A blood-red mole on the back of his right hand caught Qin Shuying’s eye.

Then, like a little adult, he sighed and said: “Whether she lives or dies, it’s up to fate.”

Then, leaving behind a blanket and several strips of cloth, they wrapped her up and left her by the roadside before the whole group departed.

Qin Shuying didn’t even get a chance to say thank you.

From that day on, she was determined to learn swimming.

…

Driving the memories from her mind, Qin Shuying was about to swim toward shore when suddenly, two small boats came speeding over from somewhere. People from one boat boarded the pleasure craft, while the other boat headed straight for them.