But she still couldn't help complaining, "Miss, you don't know. A Li woke up even earlier than us. When I woke up, she was already guarding outside your room."
Cheng Xiran found it both funny and absurd. She was really curious about Mu Li... No, rather, about how Helian Duo usually trained his spies. Otherwise, why were they all so much like him?
She decided to go to the prince's mansion to ask him right after having breakfast with the old lady.
When she arrived at the old lady's courtyard, she was directly led into the inner room by Nanny Jin. Although it was only early autumn, a small stove had already been set up in the old lady's room.
The old lady was sitting upright with her eyes closed, taking a rest. Hearing the noise, she gave a signal to the maids beside her.
The maids presented the delicate food one by one and then withdrew, leaving only Nanny Jin to wait on her.
Cheng Xiran roughly knew what the old lady was going to say next, but she still pretended to be stupid and served the porridge for her. "This lily porridge tastes sweet. Grandmother likes it, and I do too."
The old lady looked at her with all the love in her eyes. She just couldn't get enough of looking at her. After that, she let out a long sigh. "It's a pity. The person most suitable for you is the one you don't take a fancy to. It's a pity that you two are destined to be apart."
Through the steaming heat rising from the bowl of porridge in front of her, Cheng Xiran carefully observed the old lady's facial expression. Seeing the sorrow on her face, she said with a beaming smile, "Grandmother, Li Yin likes Xue Lianyu. I don't want to compete with her. Besides, I'm really not interested in Xue Lianyu. Even if I marry into the Xue Mansion, I can only live a peaceful life in the second half of my life, not a happy one."
But the old lady's next question left her speechless for a moment.
"Are you interested in the Regent?"
After much thought, Cheng Xiran still shook her head vigorously. But this made the old lady's face look even more unpleasant. "Well, now it's good. There's not even a single person to protect you."
Then she talked about Yan An, saying that Yan An's status was too low to protect her. Cheng Xiran listened silently until she mentioned the matter of the Qian family.
"Yesterday, Young Master Qian came here for some unknown reason and specifically said he wanted to marry you. I know what kind of person he is. But his status is not low either, and the Qian family has the support of the Empress Dowager. Their power cannot be underestimated. I'm really worried."
Cheng Xiran let the words go in one ear and out the other. "Anyway, I won't marry him. I won't marry him no matter what. I'd rather die than marry him."
"Shoo, shoo, shoo. What kind of discouraging words are you saying so early in the morning..." The old lady quickly retorted and then said, "I'm telling you this so that you can be on your guard. That guy openly snatched a civilian girl on the street. What can't he do?"
After saying that, she let out several more sighs in a row. "If his grandfather were still alive, it would be good. It's a pity that the old master passed away last year. But don't worry. I will never let you marry into the Qian family. I'll set off right away and talk to Lord Qian."
Cheng Xiran felt a bit guilty. The old lady was old, but she still had to work hard for her affairs.
Should she go and trouble Helian Duo? He was the Regent. Dealing with a mere Qian Youliang should be a piece of cake for him. It should only take a single word, right?
However, she had no reason to trouble him.
Moreover, this matter didn't seem to have reached an unmanageable stage yet.
"Grandmother, you don't need to go to so much trouble. Let me handle this..."
Before she could finish her sentence, the old lady interrupted her. "Xiran, don't worry. As long as I'm alive, I'll protect you for one more day. Lord Qian will surely give me some face. It'll be all right."
Cheng Xiran drank the porridge absent - mindedly, with a jumbled mind.