My wife has a secret

Chapter 102 Wan Qingyuan

She clearly remembered that two days ago, the other party was still drooling over her beauty, and he was not honest at all even on the phoenix carriage where there were many people watching.

To be honest, Empress Gongsun still cannot forget the turmoil of that day.

But when I saw Xu Qing again today, he didn't show any desire or feeling at all, and was calm and composed as if nothing had happened before.

Despite her thoughts, Empress Gongsun finally bowed her head and stepped back, doing what Xu Qing instructed.

After all, their current identities are very different. She is more like a piece of fish that can be slaughtered at will on the chopping board, but Xu Qing is already a hot figure in the Xu Palace, and is sought after by everyone.

As night falls, the sky gradually darkens.

Everything is quiet and the stars are shining.

……

The next day, when Xu Qing woke up, there was a continuous sound of rain outside the palace, like a waterfall.

The palace door was slightly opened, and Empress Gongsun, who had changed into a palace maid's attire and put on light makeup, walked in with her head lowered.

According to the palace rules, she turned the charcoal in the stove one by one, spread out the clothes that Xu Qing was going to wear today, and then brought in a basin of water and prepared washing utensils with salt and strong tea.

After everything was ready, Xu Qing got up from the bed wrapped in gauze curtains.

When Xu Qing left the bed, he was shocked to find that the "treasure" on the pillow had changed color overnight.

The whole thing appears waxy yellow, as if all its essence has been drained away, turning into a lifeless and tasteless piece of waste paper.

"Is this thing effective?"

Xu Qing muttered something, which attracted the questioning of Empress Gongsun.

"Master, what are you talking about?"

"nothing."

Xu Qing waved his sleeves and waited for Empress Gongsun to help him pack his clothes before coming to the door.

Lianhua Jun, who knew today's itinerary, had prepared the carriage here early and was waiting for Xu Qing to go out with an umbrella.

After seeing the palace maid holding an umbrella for Xu Qing to see him off, her expression did not change at all and remained calm.

The convoy set out in the rain, and the imperial guards on both sides held huge wooden umbrellas to protect themselves from the sudden heavy rain.

"Do you know the maid just now?"

As the convoy drove onto Wangyue Road, Xu Qing expressed his suspicions.

"Why are you acting so calm? Is this what Auntie meant?"

Lian Huajun, who was driving, froze. After hesitating for a moment, he slowly replied, "Yes."

Xu Qing thought back to that night when Lian Huajun said that Empress Gongsun's destination had been determined by the Empress Dowager, and he came up with his own guess.

It seems that Princess Danyang trained her and gave her to herself with the Queen Mother's instructions.

"Why did Auntie send her to me?"

Lianhua Jun was silent for a while, as if he was considering how to start the conversation.

After a moment, Lian Huajun said slowly, "She was originally going to be sent to the queen, but the queen heard that the young master was interested in her, so she decided to send her here instead."

Xu Qing asked: "Who told aunt that I was interested in her?"

"Your Majesty knows everything that happened that night."

After hearing what Lianhua Jun said so bluntly, Xu Qing realized that even in a seemingly private space like the Fengjia, even the smallest movement could not be hidden from the Queen Mother's eyes and ears.

It seems that the inner garden of the imperial palace is just as Lord Lianhua said, it is completely controlled by the Queen Mother, and no one can make the slightest ripple.

But Xu Qing knew in his heart that he had no sexual desire for Empress Gongsun at all.

The situation was extremely tense at the time, and they wanted to use some special means to force the queen to submit.

Of course, he had to admit that he did feel a sense of pleasure at that time.

While Xu Qing was thinking, the carriage had already gone south along Zhuque Avenue, turned into the horizontal official road, and entered Qinrenfang again.

Arriving at the Moon-Watching Tower, Xu Qing could already see several bright lanterns hanging under the eaves through the gaps in the carriage curtains blown by the wind.

"If you are not interested, please stop in front of the building and let Mr. Xu get off by himself."

A light and somewhat familiar female voice sounded outside the car. Xu Qing stretched out his head and saw Cui'er and Yang Liu.

This time in the Wangyue Tower, the fawning and smiling Madam Wu was gone, as if she had been completely replaced by Qin Shuying, and replaced by one of their own.

Of course, the two women's domineering attitude also caused dissatisfaction among the accompanying imperial guards.

For them, the only ones who could give them orders were Lian Huajun and the young master of the Xu family in the car.

The woman from Wangyue Tower was born into a lowly family. What right does she have to say such things?
"After not seeing you for a few days, I have become someone else's young master?"

Seeing Xu Qing getting off the car, Yang Liu and Cui Er no longer dared to say anything polite. They all bowed and called out in unison, "Young Master."

The habit that had been ingrained in them over the past two years still made them dare not act rashly in front of Xu Qing.

"Okay, then you guys stay here, I'm going in."

"Yes."

After Lianhuajun responded, Xu Qing followed them into Wangyue Tower.

This time, Cui'er was leading the way with an umbrella in front, while Yang Liu was holding an umbrella for him to keep the rain off.

The road inside the Moon-Watching Tower was empty, with only the heavy rain pouring down, splashing countless ripples on the ground, like a waterfall flowing thousands of miles away.

The high corridors on both sides were filled with beautiful young women in brightly colored clothes.

They leaned against each other in the corridor, looking at Xu Qing with curious eyes.

"I heard that this young master is the young master of the Xu family who came to welcome the bride two years ago?"

"When Sister Shuying got married, it was also as lively as it is today."

"Hush, you guys really dare to say that. This person is the most beloved nephew of the current Queen Mother. He is considered the most powerful person in the entire Da Qi."

The heavy rain blocked out the chattering of the women, but Xu Qing could hear from the faint sounds that these brothel women were discussing him.

“Have I walked this road in previous years?”

Yang Liu, who was holding the umbrella, smiled slightly and replied in a sweet voice, "Sir, of course you don't remember. It rained so heavily on this day that year, and I was the one who held the umbrella for you as well."

"Oh?"

Xu Qing was a little surprised. He didn't expect that the time and weather when solving the puzzles twice had something in common.

"Master, please stay here and prepare to solve the first puzzle."

Cui Er in front of him paused, causing Xu Qing to stay where he was, wanting to see the true face of the nine puzzles. Cui Er stepped aside, and then Xu Qing saw four women coming out with swords in the pouring rain.

The faces of the women were not clear, but among the reflections of the dripping water, Xu Qing could make out their tall figures and the long swords in their hands.

There is a distance between the two sides, which makes the rain become a natural curtain, adding a different color.

Yang Liu beside him whispered, "Master, please look carefully."

Just as Xu Qing was about to ask Yang Liu why she said that, the four women in the rain began to move.

They were seen dancing back and forth, their steps light and harmonious, like a flowing painting.

The heavy rain seemed to have no effect on these people. They were like a gust of wind passing over the water, creating ripples on the surface.

After about a cup of tea, the sword dances of the four became faster and faster, like a cold light passing through the air, making a slight hissing sound.

Xu Qing finished watching the sword dance without realizing it. It was only when the four women bowed and left that he realized the performance was over.

"interesting."

Xu Qing thought about it for a moment and asked, "I heard that Shuying learned from Gongsun, the best sword dancer. Those four people just now..."

"They are geishas that my young lady has taught, and they make a living by sword dancing, but young master, please don't think that my young lady is among them."

Cui Er looked at Xu Qing and said with great certainty: "I wouldn't say my lady's swordsmanship is the best in the world, but her sword dance is definitely the best in the world, no one can compare to her."

Xu Qing did not feel the same admiration as Cui'er, because he had never seen a dance that was the best in the world.

Even the songs and dances that were very popular in the previous life were only at the stage of being nice to listen to and look good.

Cui Er pursed her lips and looked back, staring at Xu Qing with her big eyes, and asked in a tender voice: "Master, my lady's first puzzle is, what is the name of this sword dance?"

"name?"

Xu Qing thought he had heard it wrong, because he had never seen Sword Dance and felt that the puzzle was a little too difficult.

Have you really never met?
Xu Qing was slightly startled by the idea that popped up from nowhere in his mind and fell into deep thought.

Yang Liu unknowingly approached Xu Qing's body, stretched out her white jade fingers, and secretly wrote a few words on his back.

The strange feeling coming from his body made Xu Qing tense slightly, and he followed Yang Liu's instructions and answered, "Wan Qingyuan."

Cui Er squinted at Yang Liu, causing him to lower his head slightly. Then he straightened his face and replied, "Congratulations, Master. You answered the first riddle correctly."

Xu Qing was secretly shocked. Yang Liu had just reminded him, and was now secretly telling him the answer by gestures behind his back.

Wasn't she also a girl who had been with Qin Shuying for many years? Why did she help herself?
"Master, Wan Qing Yuan is the first question, and it is also a question designed by my young lady with great intentions... The graceful sword dance symbolizes Qing Yuan, which does not refer to the paper kite of the same name, but represents a hairstyle that is popular in this dynasty."

Cui Er continued to explain: "The Qingyuan hairstyle is quite troublesome to make. It requires careful handling of the places where the black hair is tangled. Only with enough patience and care can you handle the knots on the black hair. My young lady also has a desire for love. She hopes that her lover can personally tie up a Qingyuan for her, symbolizing the love knot."

Xu Qing's first reaction was disbelief.

Qin Shuying was born in the secular world, how could she have hope for love?

I don't know if the other party said this to deceive me or if he really meant it.

"Master, besides tying the hair to signify love, there is another saying about Wan Qingyuan... It is said that after a woman finds a partner or ends a relationship, she will tie up her long hair to show that the love has ended."

"Which one does your lady mean?"

Cui Er was prepared for Xu Qing's question and answered, "This is one of today's puzzles. Once you solve the first three puzzles, Cui Er will ask you the answer to this one."

……

Qin Shuying held onto the wooden railing on the second-floor windowsill, looking at the hazy raindrops in the rain.

Her hair today was like clouds, draped over her perky buttocks.

She was wearing gorgeous clothes and a long skirt that dragged on the ground.

Under the railing, several women, who were soaked all over and whose clothes were clinging to their slender bodies, walked into the house, performed a sword-worshiping ceremony towards Qin Shuying from a distance, and then left with their swords in hand.

"Sister Qin, the sword-dancing geisha is back, but the people in the building who ran to watch the show are still at the front door. Doesn't this mean that the young master of the Xu family has passed the first test and solved the puzzle?"

A gorgeously dressed woman wearing gold and jade appeared on the second floor.

Although the style of her clothes and her makeup were a bit tacky, the woman's eyes were like autumn water, with a slight smile and full of warmth.

Especially the cherry lips and pearly teeth, and the delicate facial features.

At a glance, she is somewhat similar to Qin Shuying.

"You came."

"How dare I not come to Sister Qin's invitation?"

The woman smiled faintly and said, "After all, Sister Qin taught me a lot of things in Wangyue Tower a few years ago. Now is the opportunity to repay her kindness."

Qin Shuying sighed and leaned against the railing.

The woman behind her was also a junior whom she had personally helped in Wangyue Tower. However, she was unwilling to live under her shadow, so she left Wangyue Tower and moved to other courtyards in the capital.

When the nine puzzles were designed, the other party was also an indispensable part of the questions.

"Sister Qin, people say you are cold-blooded... When Master Xu solved the problem last time, you gave him three months. Why is it only one day this time? Could it be that the Xu family, with the Queen Mother as its backer, is not worthy of your attention?"

Qin Shuying tapped lightly on the railing with her jade-like fingers, like peeling onions, and her eyes revealed extremely complicated emotions.

"Zi Su, you and I entered the building at the same age, and we spent more time together than Cui Er and the others when we were young, so you naturally know what I want."

"Sister Qin, you are prettier than me, and you can do everything better than me, so it was you that Granny Gongsun chose, not me... It's a pity, who would have thought that the most beautiful woman in the capital, who has won the title for three consecutive years, would have the thoughts of a young girl in love?"

The woman named Zi Su covered her mouth and chuckled twice, then turned sideways and continued, "Then Zi Su should also go down to prepare. After all, the first six puzzles are not difficult."

"Thanks for your hard work."

Qin Shuying smiled faintly, but her originally bright and beautiful face suddenly became a little dull.

……

"Master, the second puzzle is a lantern riddle."

Outside, where the sound of rain was falling and pattering, Cui'er stood in front of him again and gave him the hint for the second question.

"It's just that Cui'er won't tell you the title of this question directly. She can only hint at it... It's hidden in the corridors on both sides, on the body of an unmarried girl."

Xu Qing frowned when he heard this, because he had seen the length and scale of these corridors with his own eyes when he followed Nanny Wu two days ago.

The corridor of Wangyue Tower is different from other places. It is like a display cabinet for prostitutes to show their beauty and solicit patrons.

Apart from the two sections of the road at the entrance, it also runs through the entire periphery of Wangyue Tower, covering a very large area, and it takes a lot of effort to run a circle.

What was the idea behind looking for someone here and finding a riddle topic?

Cui Er looked at Xu Qing's confused eyes and said, "Master, this question only takes half an incense stick of time, and the timer has already started since you finished answering the first question."

(End of this chapter)