Chapter 432 Young Master Yongning who Thought He had Style
When Qu Moying saw Qu Qiuyan, she hesitated for a moment. However, when Xu Lipeng approached her, she confidently walked up to him.
In Xu Lipeng’s presence, she felt neither ashamed nor fearful!
Then, after catching Qu Qiuyan glancing in her direction, Qu Moying turned and walked away as if she hadn’t noticed her.
She stood still, no longer moving forward, patiently awaiting Xu Lipeng’s approach. Observing his determined demeanor, she couldn’t help but feel a sense of anticipation, as if he was about to interrogate her.
Her lips curved slightly, considering Xu Lipeng and Liu Jingyu as potential choices… They were indeed suitable candidates.
“Forth Lady Qu!” Xu Lipeng strode over and stood in front of Qu Moying, speaking in a cold voice. His gloomy gaze fixed on her face.
It had been a while since they last met, and the young lady before him seemed almost like a different person. If it weren’t for the familiar eye veil, Xu Lipeng might have mistaken her for someone else.
Her stature had also grown taller, exuding a more graceful and delicate aura. Standing there, she appeared fragile yet dignified, with her head slightly raised. After giving him a brief glance, she gracefully placed her hand to the side and performed a courteous side bow, exhibiting poise and confidence, devoid of any unease.
“Young Master Yongning.”
Compared to Qu Qiuyan from earlier, Qu Moying possessed an even more refined temperament. It was as if she, not the Third Lady Qu who had been meticulously groomed by the family, embodied the true essence of the Fourth Lady.
Although her facial features remained concealed, no one could deny her captivating beauty. Standing in the wind, her sleeves fluttered gently, her waist slender and delicate—barely a handful. She emanated an ethereal charm.
Even with the veil obscuring her face, this woman was truly a stunning beauty.
“Lady Qu, I must admit that I have always held a favorable opinion of you. Over the years, I never once considered withdrawing our betrothal, and I have been wholeheartedly determined to marry you. Even though your circumstances have been unfavorable, I never expected that upon your return, you would insist on canceling our engagement just because of Yu Qingmeng’s scheming. Can’t you tolerate this marriage and forget the fact that our household has been eagerly awaiting your return for all these years?”
Xu Lipeng regained his composure, suppressing his other thoughts, and spoke angrily.
“Master Xu, I don’t quite understand what you’re saying.” Qu Moying took a step back, increasing the distance between herself and Xu Lipeng.
“You don’t understand? Fourth Lady Qu, do you think I am unaware that it was you who orchestrated the cancellation of our betrothal?” Xu Lipeng’s anger escalated as he spoke. Hatred appeared on his handsome face, and he attempted to reach out and grab Qu Moying, his expression contorted with rage.
Qu Moying quickly retreated two steps, evading Xu Lipeng’s grasp. She raised her eyes, gazing coldly at him. “Master Xu, please have a little self-control.”
“Control myself? How can I? I have shown kindness and loyalty to your Qu family and to you, but how have you treated me? You have brought me to this point. Are you happy now?” Xu Lipeng vented his anger. Seeing Qu Moying’s calm demeanor in the face of his rage, an evil flame surged within him.
Initially, he intended to question her calmly, but at this moment, he couldn’t contain his rising anger. He found himself unable to control his emotions.
“That was funny. Miss Yu and you have had a secret relationship for a long time. Should I pretend to be ignorant and marry you, allowing you to trample on me? Are you planning to make Miss Yu your concubine, just like what happened to Madam Yu in the past? Is your intention to bring about my demise?” Qu Moying mocked, curling her lips and speaking calmly.
Within her calm words, there was a chilling tone that made Xu Lipeng, who was about to step forward, freeze in his tracks.
The situations involving Yu and Qu Zhizhen, as well as Little Yue, were information Xu Lipeng had inquired about afterwards. The reality seemed to align with what he had suspected.
“Master Xu, I am not my mother. I would rather not marry anyone than marry someone like you, someone resembling my father.” Qu Moying continued in a light, ethereal tone, her eyes slightly raised. She stared at Xu Lipeng with an exceedingly calm gaze, exuding a rebellious and cold aura that defied conventions.
She was referring to Qu Zhizhen, her own father, yet she spoke of him in such a manner.
Such words and actions were not befitting of a delicate young woman confined to her family. It took audacity to utter them.
Qu Zhizhen was her biological father, and even if he had done something wrong, it was not her place to speak of it. But here she was, speaking so callously, with disdain, as if it were a matter of course. Her face, concealed beneath the veil, remained calm and unperturbed.
In that moment, Xu Lipeng was stunned. He realized he had nothing to say, and as he opened his mouth, he looked at Qu Moying, unsure whether to rebuke her or say something else entirely.
“Master Xu, we have no connection now. The past is in the past. Although you once intended to scheme against me, your current situation is a result of your own actions. I am not willing to be manipulated by you. Is it my fault? Or have you become so domineering that anyone you wish to manipulate must obediently comply?” Seeing his silence, Qu Moying continued in a nonchalant tone.
After speaking, she cast a cold glance at Xu Lipeng and turned to leave.
Instinctively, Xu Lipeng took two steps forward and reached out to grab Qu Moying’s arm. “Fourth Lady Qu, is it all my fault that we find ourselves in this situation? Isn’t it your fault as well? If you can’t tolerate Yu Qingmeng, you could have told me. Was it necessary to create such a commotion?”
This time, Xu Lipeng steeled his heart. His grasp missed its mark, and he hurriedly took two more steps, attempting to reach out once again.
But the next moment, his hand was forcefully slapped away. “Master Xu, please behave yourself!”
Someone said sternly.
Xu Lipeng felt a stinging pain in his hand. After regaining his footing, he stared at Qi Xiuran, the eldest son of Duke Qi, who stood before him with an unpleasant expression on his face.
Qi Xiuran happened to pass by and noticed a dispute from afar. What bothered him the most was seeing Xu Lipeng repeatedly reaching out to grab Qu Moying. It was a disrespectful act. The people in the capital were well aware of the broken engagement and the relationship between Xu and a niece of the Yu family. It was obvious that he showed no enthusiasm to this engagement.
The only reason for not officially breaking off the engagement was to preserve Xu Lipeng’s reputation.
However, his current behavior was crossing the line.
Qi Xiuran took bold strides forward and firmly slapped Xu Lipeng’s hand away, refusing to let him touch Qu Moying again.
“First Young Master Qi.” Qu Moying inclined her body in a polite gesture as if nothing was happening.
Even in this situation, she remained composed in her actions, impressing Qi Xiuran. Young Master Yongning was truly undeserving of Qu Moying’s presence.
“Young Master Qi, please step aside. I have something to discuss with Lady Qu.” Xu Lipeng glared at Qu Moying, his expression unfriendly. He was feeling increasingly frustrated and couldn’t care less if he offended Qi Xiuran.
At this moment, Yu Dong also arrived and stood behind Qu Moying, her eyes carrying a concealed hostility towards Xu Lipeng. Though she had been standing far away earlier, she had witnessed Xu Lipeng’s actions. The Young Master Yongning had shown audacity by daring to grab the young lady’s hand.
He had malicious intentions, seeking to tarnish her reputation.
“Young Master Xu, you have already withdrawn your engagement to Lady Qu. Is there anything else to discuss?” Qi Xiuran spoke calmly, refusing to allow such misconduct where a man took advantage of a woman.
This argument was ruining the young lady’s reputation and revealed Xu Lipeng’s true character, far from the well-regarded noble son of Marquis Yongning.
“Young Master Qi, this is a matter between Lady Qu and me. I kindly request that you refrain from interfering.” Xu Lipeng’s voice carried a displeased tone as he glared at Qu Moying. His anger grew, and his eyes narrowed, his face turning increasingly unsightly.
“Young Master Xu, I don’t believe there is anything left for us to discuss. If there are any matters concerning your mansion, please have your mother go to the Qu Mansion and inform my grandmother. There is no need for further communication between us.” Qu Moying calmly addressed Xu Lipeng.
With her composed and poised demeanor, Qu Moying’s air of dignity surpassed Xu Lipeng’s irritated state, elevating her overall presence.
Xu Lipeng’s face turned livid with anger. He pointed his finger at Qu Moying and then at Qi Xiuran, sneered, and expressed his displeasure. Initially, he had no intention of heeding Qu Qiuyan’s words. While he understood her meaning, he was not willing to engage in actions that compromised his character. He believed he had his own style.
However, at this moment, he cast aside those thoughts. Qu Moying, who had been determined to distance herself from him, seemed to be connected to Qi Xiuran, the first young master of Duke Qi’s Mansion. Otherwise, why would Qi Xiuran protect her so fiercely? If she didn’t want to be his lawful wife, then she would become his concubine!
His Marquis Yongning’s Mansion could have another concubine!
Furiously shaking his sleeve, Xu Lipeng left in a fit of anger and headed towards the flower hall. Qu Qiuyan had hinted that Qu Moying had dropped a sachet in that location.
As Qi Xiuran watched Xu Lipeng storm off, his expression soured. Initially, he was not supposed to be among today’s guests. Qi Xiuran was unaware of who had invited him. The current situation had become quite unsightly.
Previously, Qi Xiuran had held a favorable opinion of him, but recent events had caused him to look down on Xu Lipeng. If he had no interest in the marriage, he should have broken it off earlier. There was no need to reach such a disgraceful state where he pursued reputation on one hand while engaging in ambiguous relationships with other women on the other.
It truly revealed the lack of noble character in this so-called privileged son of a prestigious family!
“Thank you very much, first young master.” Qu Moying said as she saw Xu Lipeng had already left, bowing to Qi Xiuran.
“No need to be like this, Fourth Lady Qu.” Qi Xiuran said sternly, his gaze sweeping in the direction Xu Lipeng had departed. “If he bothers you again later, you can inform the people in our mansion. We can’t let him act recklessly here!”
This indicated that the Duke Qi’s Mansion would support Qu Moying.
“Much obliged.” Qu Moying expressed her gratitude and looked at Qi Xiuran thoughtfully. Since they had met, there were some things that needed to be said, right?
“You’re too kind, Fourth Lady Qu.” Qi Xiuran nodded. Seeing that Qu Moying had no further business, he turned and headed towards the exit. He had originally been in the inner courtyard, about to move to the outer courtyard as per his father’s instructions to bring guests to the flower hall. It was almost time.
“Thank you for the gift you previously sent, first young master. The music score was excellent!” Qu Moying suddenly spoke as she watched Qi Xiuran about to leave without any intention of explaining anything.
“What gift?” Qi Xiuran was caught off guard by her words. He stopped in his tracks and asked, “Sending you a music score? When did that happen? How come I don’t know about it?”
