Cheng Xiran clicked her tongue. Out of the corner of her eye, she glanced at the servants beside her. Seeing them all with their heads down, she knew well that this was someone not to be trifled with.
The grand gate of the Regent's Mansion creaked shut rudely behind Cheng Xiran, leaving only a few guards standing guard.
Cheng Xiran cleared her throat a few times and shuffled step by step towards the guard. "Ahem, there's suddenly a celestial - like figure in your Regent's Mansion. How come?"
Seeing that Cheng Xiran couldn't get in, the guard kindly told her, "She just arrived today. I heard the commotion when she came back was quite something. Now she's staying in the South Courtyard."
The South Courtyard?
Cheng Xiran narrowed her bright eyes. A hint of surprise flashed in the depths of her eyes. She fell into deep thought. Wasn't that where she used to live?
"What's the relationship between this young lady and the regent?" Cheng Xiran asked in a hushed voice.
"I heard she's the daughter of a convicted official. She was welcomed back because of the emperor's amnesty. As for her exact relationship with the regent, how would we low - level servants know?"
What the guard said made sense. Cheng Xiran became even more interested in that woman. If the guards didn't know, there must be someone who did.
Cheng Xiran turned around and rushed straight to Chu Liyin's residence. She just needed to ask Chu Liyin and everything would be clear.
"Chu Liyin!" Cheng Xiran's clear voice echoed in the courtyard, with the reverberation lingering in the air.
Chu Liyin angrily pinched her ears and quickly poked her head out of the room. Her aggrieved eyes landed on Cheng Xiran.
"Dear lady, I can hear you even if you don't shout so loudly!"
Getting Chu Liyin's response, Cheng Xiran clattered into the room. On the green tea table, there were white jade teacups filled with clear tea, with a little tea foam floating on top. The curling fragrance of tea wafted in the air.
Cheng Xiran's throat was parched. She picked up a teacup and gulped down the tea. At that moment, Chu Liyin sat down opposite her, looking at Cheng Xiran with a look of disgust for her wasteful behavior.
"Why did you come to me? I bet you wouldn't come if you didn't have something to ask. Just tell me what it is."
Chu Liyin snapped open her folding fan and gently waved it. The gentle breeze from the fan blew the hair in front of Cheng Xiran's forehead, making it flutter in the air.
Cheng Xiran nodded. Her slender fingers picked up a tea dumpling from the table and chewed it slowly.
"I just finished the competition this morning and haven't had a drop of water. Let me catch my breath first." Cheng Xiran opened her bright eyes. After a while, she quietly stared at Chu Liyin and asked in a low voice, "There's a very beautiful woman in Helian Duo's mansion. Do you know her identity and where she came from?"
Looking into Cheng Xiran's curious eyes, Chu Liyin recalled seeing a mysterious carriage parked in front of the Regent's Mansion and hearing some gossips...
Could it be that Cheng Xiran cared so much about the woman in Helian Duo's mansion?
Chu Liyin stared fixedly at Cheng Xiran. Seeing her waiting for an answer without blinking, Chu Liyin waved her fan again and denied, "How would I know?"
Cheng Xiran immediately showed a look of disbelief.
"I don't care about other people's business. You should go back quickly. It's not proper for a young lady to run around." Chu Liyin closed her fan, stood up, and fussed about pushing Cheng Xiran out of the door.
Cheng Xiran snorted and swaggered towards the door.
If she wanted to know about Helian Duo, she'd have to go and ask him.
Watching Cheng Xiran's figure disappear at the door, Chu Liyin turned around and went to find the person who already had the answer in mind.