Chapter 120: A Change of Heart, What Do You Think of the Heir of Di?

"Is this the outfit your Eldest Miss sent to your Second Miss?" Qi Rongzhi stretched out her hand to shake the garment, then stood up. Her maids, Chunyi and Chunxi, hurried over to hold it against her, but it was immediately apparent that it was far too short.

"Yes, it is exactly what the Eldest Miss and the Madam sent to our young miss," Yujie replied respectfully, her face calm and natural, as if she had not noticed the garment was a few inches too short.

"This is for Qin Wanyu? With her tiny stature, she’d be swallowed whole inside this thing!" Qi Rongzhi scoffed, tossing the garment onto the table. "Go back and tell your miss that I cannot wear this either."

"Then this servant will take it back," Yujie replied, yielding gracefully as she reached to retrieve the clothing.

"Wait a moment!" Qi Rongzhi stopped her coldly. "Since your miss is dissatisfied with it, leave it with me. I shall study it to see what kind of styles are currently popular among the young ladies in the capital."

She had been hoping to sell a few sets of clothing in this style, but found it inconvenient to move about the Qin estate. Having a sample to work with was quite convenient.

As for Qin Wanyu rejecting the clothes, Qi Rongzhi found it entirely normal. So much had transpired between Qin Yuru and Qin Wanyu that if Qin Wanyu had even a shred of sense left, she wouldn't continue to play the affectionate sister with Qin Yuru, let alone favor anything sent by her.

However, since the gift also came from Madam Di, Qin Wanyu had to maintain a facade of respect, even if she detested the woman. That was likely why she hadn't simply tossed the clothes into the trash. Giving them to her was a way for everyone to save face.

"Since the Eldest Miss wishes to study it, then it shall remain here; there is no need to return it to our miss. What about these handkerchiefs? Does the Eldest Miss like them?" Yujie pointed to the handkerchiefs half-hidden beneath the clothes.

"Leave them as well," Qi Rongzhi said indifferently. She picked one up to examine it. She was actually quite fond of these; they were neither too long nor too wide, and the fabric felt exquisite. It was clear that Madam Di had spent a fortune this time.

Embroidered with a few flowers, they would be both chic and respectable—truly a fine item!

But what did it matter if Madam Di spent a fortune to curry favor with Qin Wanyu? In the end, it was all to her own benefit!

With a mocking sneer, she instructed Chunyi, "Later, take this clothing to my older brother. Tell him to find me a few similar outfits tailored to my height, and tell him that the clothes I had made in Jiangzhou are simply too embarrassing to wear in the capital."

She herself was not free to go out, but her maids were not restricted.

"Yes, servant understands. But what if the Young Master asks about the Eldest Miss of the Qin family?" Chunyi asked cautiously. In the past, whenever Qi Rongzhi visited the Qin estate, Qi Tianyu would always summon the maids to privately inquire about the Qin sisters. Sometimes, Qi Rongzhi felt that Qi Tianyu treated the Qin sisters better than he treated her.

"Let him ask! Tell him that Qin Yuru is about to marry the heir to the Earl of Yongkang. Tell him to give up on her and focus on his studies instead. If he gains a good reputation and official rank in the future, then he can make Qin Yuru regret her choice!" Qi Rongzhi said testily. She had already taken the opportunity to get close to Di Yan and had found out everything clearly.

Qin Yuru and Di Yan had indeed been involved for some time, but the Countess of Yongkang would not consent to the marriage, which was why it had not been finalized yet.

"The Young Master will be angry if I tell him that!" Chunyi said uneasily.

"So what if he is angry? It was his own fault for being blind and falling for a fickle woman like Qin Yuru. Now that she doesn't want him and is reaching for higher branches, what else can he do?"

***

Recalling how her brother used to be at Qin Yuru’s beck and call, and then thinking of how Qin Yuru had flaunted her impending marriage into the Earl of Yongkang’s mansion, Qi Rongzhi felt a surge of jealousy and hatred.

"Yes, I understand. I will go out tomorrow to find the Young Master," Chunyi said, not daring to say more. She bowed and left, carrying the clothes.

"Wait! Tell my brother to think of a way to get me an invitation to the Marquis of Fengyang’s estate." Thinking of that banquet, Qi Rongzhi felt unwilling to give up.

She was new to the capital, and if she had the chance to attend that banquet, she would surely stun everyone. Perhaps she could even find a better match than Qin Yuru.

Thinking of Di Yan’s background, she was consumed by jealousy. If she were the cousin of the Heir of Di, she would surely make him favor her even more, and there would be no room left for a fickle woman like Qin Yuru.

"Yes, I understand!" Chunyi nodded repeatedly.

Qi Rongzhi waved her hand, signaling for Chunyi to leave. Chunxi began to tidy up the clothes strewn about the room. The room was quiet, with only the sound of Chunxi moving about.

"Chunxi, what do you think of the Heir of Di?" Qi Rongzhi did not go to sleep right away. The more she thought, the more unwilling she felt. Suddenly, a thought struck her.

Chunxi hesitated, glanced at Qi Rongzhi's expression, and said cautiously, "This servant thinks the Heir of Di is quite excellent—good family background and a gentle temperament."

Qi Rongzhi fell silent. After a moment, she couldn't help but say indignantly, "Why is Qin Yuru’s luck so good? First, she had my brother devoted to her, and now there’s this Heir of Di. A woman like that actually has men lining up to marry her, while I lost my own engagement because of her. By what right!"

This was not a question, and Chunxi dared not answer. Holding the clothes, she looked at Qi Rongzhi with trepidation, her heart pounding wildly. She remained stiff, not daring to move for fear that Qi Rongzhi would notice something.

"Chunxi, do you think my brother will help me get that invitation?" Qi Rongzhi asked herself, then turned to her maid.

"I... this servant does not know!" Chunxi lowered her head to hide her panic. She knew Qi Rongzhi did not expect an answer from her.

"No, there are only a few days left. I cannot miss this opportunity." Qi Rongzhi frowned. She could not go, but both Qin Yuru and Qin Wanyu had the chance to attend. What would others think of her? Even if she had the chance to attend future banquets, others would think she was inferior to the Qin sisters.

Back in Jiangzhou, Qi Rongzhi had never felt so stifled.

"After the Heir of Di left that day, has he been back?"

"This servant does not know."

"You are useless! Go tomorrow and find out exactly when the Heir of Di is coming to the mansion!" Qi Rongzhi snapped.

"Yes, I understand!"

***

The next day, Qingyue saw Chunxi skulking near the hanging flower gate. Chunxi had been talking to the gatekeeper, but as soon as she saw Qingyue approaching, she hurriedly ducked away.

"What was that maid asking about just now?" Qingyue stopped and asked the gatekeeper. The woman was hired locally in the capital and did not recognize the new maids, but she knew the head maids serving the mistresses.

Recognizing Qingyue, the gatekeeper did not hide anything. "A maid from the Eldest Miss's side came to ask about the Heir of Di!"

"What about the Heir of Di?"

"She asked if he had been here before and when he was planning to come again!" the gatekeeper said. Everyone in the mansion knew the Heir of the Earl of Yongkang was the Eldest Miss's cousin, and that the two families were considering a match, so it wasn't surprising that Qin Yuru would inquire about Di Yan.

"The Heir of Di is coming to the mansion?" Qingyue blinked.

"I don't know about that. He didn't say when he would come." The gatekeeper shook her head with a bitter smile. She was just a gatekeeper; how could she possibly know the schedule of the Earl's heir? She didn't know what was wrong with these young ladies, both of them sending people to ask.

Unable to glean any useful information, Qingyue turned to leave. Before she did, however, she pointedly remarked to the gatekeeper, "The maid you just spoke to is not from the Eldest Miss's side. She is the personal maid of the Eldest Miss Qi, who arrived with the Old Madam!"

The gatekeeper froze, a look of suspicion flashing in her eyes. After Qingyue left, Chunxi emerged from behind a tree, hoping to ask more about Di Yan, but the gatekeeper brushed her off, claiming she was only a gatekeeper and knew nothing, and that if she wanted to know about the Heir of Di, she should ask Madam Di.

That was as good as saying nothing. Seeing she could get no answers, Chunxi went to report back to Qi Rongzhi.

Hearing that even a gatekeeper refused to say anything, Qi Rongzhi’s face went pale with rage. But she knew this was not her home in Jiangzhou. Before she came, her mother had repeatedly warned her not to quarrel with the Qin sisters and to use the Qin family's connections to secure a good marriage. She had already asked the Old Madam and Qin Huaiyong to look out for a suitable match for her.

Qi Rongzhi's previous engagement had been ruined by Qin Yuru, and Qi Rongzhi had also been targeted by Madam Di—this was the result of the compromise between the Qin and Qi families.

Bringing Qi Rongzhi to the capital and finding her a good husband was the condition for the Qi family to stop making trouble.

Unable to cause a scene, she felt restless and anxious. When Chunyi finally returned with the news that her brother had flatly refused to help her get the invitation, she was so angry she nearly smashed the porcelain in the room. Fortunately, her two maids managed to hold her back, reminding her that this was the Qin estate, which finally helped Qi Rongzhi regain her composure.

"When you delivered the clothes, did you tell my brother to come see me?" Qi Rongzhi gritted her teeth, trying to calm herself.

"This servant did, but the Young Master... he said he would see, and if he had time, he would come," Chunyi replied.

"If it were about Qin Yuru, I’m sure he wouldn't just 'see if he had time'!" Qi Rongzhi felt a stifling anger in her chest. She had always respected her brother, but since the incident with Qin Yuru, she felt her brother had become a complete fool.

How could he have fallen for a woman like Qin Yuru?

Thinking of Qin Yuru, a flash of inspiration struck her, and a smile appeared on her face. How could she have forgotten about Qin Yuru!