Qi Huan leaned forward, his face full of curiosity. “Then have you told Second Miss Lin?”

Qi Shuo reached out and pushed away that suddenly enlarged handsome face, his tone carrying a faint warning. “No. And you two shouldn’t take it upon yourselves to say anything either.”

“Big Brother, if you don’t say anything, how will the young lady know? Being so passive won’t do.”

Qi Shuo glanced at his younger brother and said flatly, “Mother Consort went to propose marriage on my behalf.”

“How did I not know about this?” Qi Huan couldn’t help but look at Qi Qiong, only to see his sister’s calm face.

He was incredulous. “So I’m the only one who didn’t know?”

Qi Qiong smiled. “Probably just Second Brother.”

Qi Huan clutched his chest, wanting to pull out the little knife that had been stabbed in.

This was too much—could he have been picked up off the street?

The telepathy between the dragon-phoenix twins prompted Qi Qiong to offer a perfunctory consolation. “Perhaps Mother Consort forgot.”

Qi Huan fell silent. This was even worse than no consolation at all.

“So… it didn’t work out?”

“Madam Lin declined.” Qi Shuo said calmly.

Qi Huan had a realization. “Everyone says Madam Lin is especially fond of her daughters. If Madam Lin didn’t agree, could it be that Second Miss Lin was unwilling?”

Qi Qiong tugged at Qi Huan.

It was obvious—why ask it out loud and make Big Brother sad?

Yet Qi Shuo’s expression showed little change. “So don’t frighten her.”

“Second Miss Lin has no eye for quality.” Looking at his brother’s face that resembled his own in several ways, Qi Huan shook his head.

She couldn’t see the merit in such a handsome young man as Big Brother?

Qi Shuo stood up. “It’s late. Both of you go to bed. You don’t need to worry about my affairs.”

Watching their brother stride away, Qi Huan and Qi Qiong exchanged glances.

“Little sister, what do you think Big Brother is thinking? He doesn’t seem anxious at all.”

“I don’t know either.”

Qi Huan suddenly slapped his forehead. “Today’s incident with the loafers harassing Qin Wenyuan—could that have been Big Brother’s doing?”

“Impossible.” Qi Qiong denied it without hesitation. “Big Brother is upright and honorable—does he seem like someone who would deal with street ruffians and loafers?”

“True.” Qi Huan nodded, dismissing his suspicion.

Facts proved that harboring false hopes was inadvisable. The next day, the fresh gossip from Qixi had spread throughout the streets and alleys.

The Crown Prince’s Junior Preceptor Qin Yunchuan went to have tea with colleagues at a nearby teahouse and caught an earful of gossip about his nephew.

By the end, even the colleagues couldn’t sit still—for the first time understanding what it meant to feel embarrassment on someone else’s behalf.

With a light thud, Qin Yunchuan set down his teacup. “My apologies, I have some matters at home to handle. I’ll take my leave first.”

The colleagues also stood up, trying hard not to show anything unusual. “Minister Qin, take care.”

Qin Yunchuan nodded and left quickly.

The colleagues silently turned back to the teahouse.

Since he was alone now anyway, he might as well keep listening.

Absolutely no intention of watching the spectacle—mainly just to understand the situation.

When Qin Yunchuan returned to the estate, he asked the gatekeeper, “Has the First Young Master gone out?”

“The First Young Master hasn’t gone out.”

Knowing Qin Wenyuan was home, Qin Yunchuan headed straight for his courtyard.

At that moment, Qin Wenyuan was lying on the low couch in his study, staring blankly at the ceiling beams.

He had been uneasy and sent Qingyan out to discreetly investigate, only to find that everyone everywhere was talking about his affair.

Qin Wenyuan was completely stunned, his mind full of thoughts about what to do if his uncle found out.

“Young Master, the master is here!” Qingyan rushed in, looking like he was about to cry.

Qin Wenyuan sat up abruptly.

Qin Yunchuan lifted the door curtain and walked in with a dark expression.

“Second Uncle.” Qin Wenyuan lowered his head, not daring to look at his uncle’s furious face.

Qingyan pressed against the corner, trembling with fear.

The deathly silent atmosphere in the room lasted for who knows how long before Qin Yunchuan slowly spoke. “Have you forgotten everything I told you?”

“Second Uncle, I didn’t—”

“You didn’t?” Qin Yunchuan’s face grew even more gloomy. “Now everyone in the capital knows you made things difficult for the young lady who broke off the engagement with the Heir of Marquis Pingjia, saying you and the Heir of Marquis Pingjia have an improper relationship.”

“Second Uncle, those people are talking nonsense.”

Qin Yunchuan laughed coldly. “If you hadn’t harbored thoughts of seeking revenge for the Heir of Marquis Pingjia and gone looking for trouble, would you have gotten yourself into such a mess?”

Qin Wenyuan’s face alternated between pale and flushed, unable to argue.

“And what’s this about those loafers?”

“Your nephew doesn’t know how he provoked them…”

“Wenyuan, even now you won’t tell Second Uncle the truth?” Qin Yunchuan shook his head. “You’ve disappointed me greatly.”

“Second Uncle—”

“Do you really think those loafers finding you was just bad luck? Someone clearly schemed against you. Even now you’re being evasive—even if Second Uncle wants to get to the bottom of this, I’m powerless.”

Qin Wenyuan struggled internally for a moment but still didn’t dare speak the truth. “Your nephew also knows those loafers were problematic. Perhaps the First Miss of Earl Huai’an’s household and the Second Miss of the General’s household bribed those loafers to harm your nephew.”

“I heard those two young ladies were together with the young county princess of Prince Jing’s estate and others the whole time. How could they have bribed people to harm you?”

Qin Wenyuan was stumped by the question.

Qin Yunchuan looked at Qingyan. “As the First Young Master’s personal servant, you should have timely dissuaded your master from improper behavior. Instead, you allowed things to happen. Go receive fifty strokes of the rod yourself.”

Qingyan’s legs gave way and he collapsed to his knees. “Master, spare my life! Master, spare my life!”

Qin Yunchuan looked away, ignoring the servant’s pleas.

Though Qin Wenyuan was angry with Qingyan for his incompetence, the servant had followed him since childhood, so he couldn’t help but plead. “Second Uncle, fifty strokes is too many—”

Qin Yunchuan’s cold gaze swept over. “Wenyuan, you should think about your own future. His Majesty will certainly inquire about your affair.”

Qin Wenyuan’s body swayed, and he collapsed back onto the couch.

Seeing Qingyan not moving, Qin Yunchuan gave an order, and soon servants came in to drag him out.

“Young Master, save me! Young Master, save me!”

Qin Wenyuan’s mind was full of his own troubles—how could he spare any thought for pleading for the servant?

Though Qingyan was called a servant, he had never done rough work. His daily life was even attended to by others. With his pampered constitution, after barely twenty strokes he was crying to heaven and earth, confessing everything.

“It was the young master who told this servant to find those loafers…”

After hearing Qingyan’s confession, Qin Yunchuan ordered expressionlessly, “One hundred strokes.”

After one hundred strokes, Qingyan unsurprisingly breathed his last.

Upon learning of Qingyan’s death, Qin Wenyuan wept bitterly.

“You feel sad?”

Qin Wenyuan was covered in tears and snot. “Qingyan has followed me since childhood…”

“This is the price. From now on, think things through thoroughly before doing anything.” Qin Yunchuan looked at his nephew with disappointment. “Wenyuan, put your mind in the right place. Don’t engage in such unseemly schemes.”

To actually instruct loafers to harass young ladies—just thinking about it made his heart ache with anger.

Qin Yunchuan had guessed correctly. Within two days, Emperor Tai’an, having heard of the incident, summoned him to the palace.

“Minister Qin, I hear your nephew has quite a good relationship with the Heir of Marquis Pingjia?”

Qin Yunchuan knew he couldn’t hide anything from Emperor Tai’an and explained, “When Wenyuan was young, he was once saved by the Heir of Marquis Pingjia. The child is grateful by nature, so he has maintained contact with the Heir of Marquis Pingjia.”

“But he’s not a child anymore now.” Emperor Tai’an stroked the white jade paperweight on the dragon desk, his expression inscrutable.