I am the champion of palace intrigue, and even the proud prince bows his head in submission.

Chapter 72 Qiu Yueli brought shame upon herself.

Lady Hou took Qiu Yueli's hand and patted it in her palm.

"Yue Li, you are beautiful and talented. As long as you are bold enough to do it, you will definitely be able to win the heart of your cousin Yan Li."

Qiu Yueli's ears turned bright red, and she nodded gently. "Aunt, I understand."

evening.

"Are you sure Prince Xie will pass by here?" Qiu Yueli asked.

Shanqin nodded. "I've inquired, and this is the only way for Young Master Xie to return to Qinglan Courtyard. There's no mistake."

Qiu Yueli pursed her lips, took off her cloak, revealing the dance costume underneath.

Her dance costume was white, as pristine as fresh snow, and its exquisite tailoring perfectly accentuated her graceful curves.

The neckline has an elegant, rounded shape, revealing Qiu Yueli's slender and beautiful neck and collarbone.

Her jet-black hair cascaded down her back, simply tied back with a jade hairpin, with a few strands falling around her fair neck, making her skin appear even more like solidified cream.

Qiu Yueli clenched her fists tightly with her fingertips. Although she was living under someone else's roof in Linzhou, she was still a young lady from a prominent family.

I've never done anything like this before, wearing a dance costume and dancing for men in public.

But if you want to get what you want, you have to be ruthless and willing to go all out.

Qiu Yueli recalled Xie Yanli's ethereal figure, her ears turned red, and a sudden surge of courage welled up within her.

She would do anything to get him.

As darkness fell, Qiu Yueli turned to Shanqin and said, "Let's begin."

Shanqin nodded and took out a long flute from her sleeve.

As the sound of the flute began, Qiu Yueli gracefully swayed her long sleeves.

In the afterglow of the evening, she danced gracefully in her white dance costume.

The skirt of her dance costume was layered, each layer as thin as a cicada's wing, and when she danced, the skirt resembled a blooming white lotus.

Qiu Yueli danced gracefully in the pavilion, but her eyes were fixed on the direction of the path.

Finally, a familiar figure appeared at the end of the path.

Xie Yanli was dressed in a red robe, which only made him appear more aloof and otherworldly, like snow jade in the mountains.

The afterglow of the setting sun fell upon him, illuminating his extremely aloof face.

He stood tall and walked with a steady gait, exuding a cold and aloof air that kept people at a distance.

When Qiu Yueli saw him, a glint of light flashed in her eyes.

She then danced even more energetically, her figure as delicate as a willow in the wind, evoking pity.

However, Xie Yanli didn't even glance at her, and walked straight past the pavilion towards Qinglan Courtyard.

Qiu Yueli's smile froze on her face instantly.

Her dance steps became chaotic, and she almost fell to the ground. Shanqin immediately stepped forward to support her.

Qiu Yueli bit her lip tightly, watching Xie Yanli's gradually disappearing figure, her eyes filled with disappointment and resentment.

She couldn't understand why, after she had gone to such lengths, Prince Xie would treat her this way.

Not only did they not stop to appreciate her dance, they didn't even glance at her before walking away!

Tears welled up in Qiu Yueli's eyes. Back in Linzhou, countless men admired her, but now she was being humiliated like this!

Xie Yanli strode forward, and Zizhu asked in confusion, "Young Master, was someone dancing in the pavilion just now?"

His master left so quickly that he hadn't even seen who the person was yet.

Xie Yanli said coldly, "Is it that important?"

Sensing the coldness in the young master's tone, Zizhu immediately said, "It's not important, it's not important."

Zizhu wiped the cold sweat from her forehead. The young master's temper had been getting worse and worse these past two days.

Before, they were just a little cold and didn't like to talk, but now they're freezing to death!

Xie Yanli naturally saw Qiu Yueli.

But he had seen this kind of trick far too many times, and he felt it was a waste of time to even glance at it.

At the pavilion.

"Miss, don't be sad." Shanqin stepped forward and draped the cloak over Qiu Yueli's shoulders.

Qiu Yueli felt a pang of sadness, and her lips were almost bleeding from being bitten so hard.

"Perhaps it's because Young Master Xie left in such a hurry that he didn't even notice that it was you dancing, Miss."

Shanqin comforted him, "If the young master knew it was you, Miss, dancing, he certainly wouldn't have left so indifferently."

Qiu Yueli's eyes lit up immediately after hearing this.

Yes, Prince Xie left in such a hurry just now, he probably didn't even get a good look at her face.

If they had known it was her dancing, they probably wouldn't have left so easily.

Qiu Yueli pulled her cloak tighter, a dark glint flashing in her eyes. "Shanqin, you're right. I can't give up so easily."

"Miss, what should we do now?"

Qiu Yueli smiled and said, "Go to the kitchen."

Her mother had told her that to win a man's heart, she had to show him her good qualities.

Not only is she a skilled dancer, but her cooking is also exceptional...

Qinglan Courtyard.

"Young Madam, Miss Qiu has arrived," a maid announced.

Why is Qiu Yueli here?

Qin Jiuwei put down her teacup, frowned slightly, and said, "Let her in."

The person was already at the door, so she couldn't just kick her out; otherwise, she would be the one with a bad reputation.

"Sister-in-law." Qiu Yueli walked gracefully into the room, carrying a food box in her hand, and called out softly.

Qiu Yueli was still dressed in that ethereal white robe, but tonight her hair was not loose as usual.

Instead, her hair was loosely half-tied, with a few strands falling down, adding a touch of feminine charm to her ethereal beauty.

Seeing her like this, Qin Jiuwei's lips curled into a cold smile.

She calls you "sister-in-law" but is actually thinking about your cousin. This woman is really...

Although Qin Jiuwei was displeased, she did not show it and her face remained peaceful.

"Miss Qiu, it's so late and the dew is so heavy, what brings you here?"

"My aunt asked me to come," Qiu Yueli chuckled. "My aunt was worried about Cousin Yanli's health, so she instructed Yueli to make some ginseng soup for him to nourish his body."

Qin Jiuwei took in her shy expression.

It's probably not Lady Hou who's worried about Xie Yanli's health, it's you who's worried.

Qin Jiuwei said with a forced smile, "Is that so? Then Miss Qiu must have had a hard time."

Qiu Yueli's cheeks flushed slightly. "It's not hard work. As long as it's for Cousin Yanli's good, it's nothing for Yueli to work a little harder."

Qin Jiuwei: ...I don't want to talk anymore.

"Sister-in-law, where is Cousin Yanli's study?" She waved the food box in her hand at Qin Jiuwei, a smug look flashing in her eyes. "I made this for Cousin Yanli myself, and I want to deliver it to him personally."

I heard that Qin Jiuwei can't even cook, unlike her, who can make her cousin Yanli eat the food she cooks.

"Xiao He," Qin Jiuwei called softly, "take Miss Qiu to the deceased young master's study."

Xiaohe was taken aback upon hearing this, but still nodded and said, "Yes, young mistress."

"Thank you, sister-in-law." Qiu Yueli curtsied gracefully, a mocking smile playing on her lips.

That Qin Jiuwei is really stupid; she didn't even realize what she was trying to do.

They actually pushed their cousin Yanli onto her like that.

She probably knew she couldn't hold onto her cousin Yanli's heart, so she simply gave up.

Although Qin Jiuwei was foolish, she was still self-aware.

After the two left, Granny Song frowned and advised, "Miss, are you really going to let Miss Qiu go and deliver the soup to the young master?"

Dressed up so nicely late at night, and going to her adult cousin's room on her own initiative, even a fool would know what she was up to.

Miss Qiu is from a respectable family, how could she do such a thing?

Qin Jiuwei casually put down her teacup and smiled slightly.

"She's going to humiliate herself, why should I stop her?"

She was naturally uncomfortable that her husband was being coveted and so blatantly provoked.

Fortunately, she understood Xie Yanli, so Qiu Yueli wouldn't get anything good out of it.

How can she be the only one suffering? Qiu Yueli shouldn't expect to be happy either!