Chapter 31: Didn’t your mother tell you about your background?
Qin Xiaoning was happy: "Mr. Su is not only handsome, but also a first-class musician."

"A Ning, just now Mr. Su said that you look like an old friend of hers." Then, he pulled Qin Xiaoning and said solemnly, "Are you a princess from the palace who was exiled to the common people?"

Qin Xiaoning stared at Song Zhi for a while: "Where did you get this ridiculous idea?"

Songzhi analyzed seriously, "Look, Ms. Su was once a zither player in the palace. She is so kind to you and even said that you look like her old friend. Who knows, you are really the princess born to some lady in the palace."

Qin Xiaoning glared at her and said, "Don't talk nonsense. I have a mother."

Songzhi lost his temper after hearing this, and then asked, "A Ning, when your mother was dying, didn't she tell you about your biological father?"

Qin Xiaoning had never seen her father. Ever since she could remember, her mother told her that her father had died a long time ago of illness.

As for who her father was, what he did, and where he was from, her mother never told her until her death.

Seeing the smile on Qin Xiaoning's face suddenly disappear, Song Zhi regretted his slip of the tongue and reminded her of her sad memories, so he quickly shut his mouth.

The two of them walked in silence all the way back to Qingsong Garden. They happened to see Lu Ji coming back from outside. When he saw Qin Xiaoning, he stopped and smiled unconsciously. He asked her, "Did you go out to play?"

Seeing Lu Ji, the originally depressed Qin Xiaoning also became happy. She couldn't help but quicken her pace and walked towards him, looking up at him: "I just went to return the piano to Mr. Su, why did you come back so early today?"

"I have to go out soon." Lu Ji said, and then asked her: "Why haven't I seen you go to the private school these days?"

Without waiting for her to answer, he teased her, "Are you unable to keep up with what the teacher is teaching and are planning to give up?"

"Who said I can't keep up?" Qin Xiaoning glared at him and pouted, "Although I've only been gone for a few days, I'm outstanding in every subject. Don't you know, my Lord, that your Ah Ning is very smart?"

Lu Ji listened to this last sentence and smiled even more. He couldn't help but hold her hand, lowered his eyes and stared at her. His voice became gentle and he asked, "Why don't you go?"

Qin Xiaoning lowered her head for a long time, then looked up at him, hesitantly asked, "Is the Fourth Madam of the West Mansion here to cause trouble?"

The Fourth Lady came to the Duke's wife to discuss this matter. Naturally, the low-level maids in Qingsong Garden were not aware of this. Only high-level servants like Amber could hear some rumors. Amber was a smart person, and she would not say a word about anything that was not favorable to Qin Xiaoning.

If Qin Xiaoning is made unhappy, the prince will not let her off easily, and Amber will naturally not commit such a taboo.

Sure enough, as soon as Qin Xiaoning said this, Lu Ji's face suddenly darkened and he asked, "Did you hear from Amber?"

Qin Xiaoning said hurriedly, "No, I asked Hubo, but she didn't tell me anything." She looked at Lu Ji, tears welling in her clear eyes. She sniffed and said hesitantly, "Does anyone need to tell me? The Fourth Madam is such a person. She wouldn't dare to look for trouble with you after you beat her precious son like that, but she will definitely take her anger out on me."

Lu Ji frowned when he heard this: "You are mine, who dares to do anything to you except me?"

Qin Xiaoning lowered her head and said nothing.

"Don't worry, I'm here, no one dares to touch you." He stretched out his arms and embraced him, and comforted him in a gentle voice: "Whatever you want to do, if you want to go to a private school to study and learn the piano, just go there openly like before. If anyone dares to say anything bad about you, you don't have to argue with them, just come back and tell me, and I will stand up for you."

Since entering the mansion, with Lu Ji's protection, she has never suffered any harm.

Qin Xiaoning leaned in his arms, feeling at ease.

"Let's go back to the house."

As Lu Ji pulled her up the stairs, Desheng came over in a hurry and said, "Young Master, the Third Master of the East Palace is here and wants to see you." The Third Master was the boss of the East Palace. The reason he came to look for Lu Ji at this time was simply because of the Seventh Young Master's matter.

When Qin Xiaoning heard that the third master was coming, her heart started beating wildly, and cold sweat kept coming out of the palm of her hand that was held by Lu Ji.

Lu Ji sensed the panic of the little woman beside him, squeezed her hand hard, and comforted her softly: "It's okay, I'm here."

As he said that, he turned his head and rolled his eyes at Desheng, and said in a deep voice: "It's here, so why are you panicking?"

Desheng stood firm, put his hands down and said calmly, "The third master is waiting in the front hall. He wants to see you."

Lu Ji said to Qin Xiaoning: "You go back to the house first, I will be back soon."

Having said that, he took Desheng out of the courtyard and headed straight for the front hall.

When the Third Master came to the West Mansion, he not only looked for Lu Ji, but also alarmed Duke Ning. When Lu Ji stepped into the front hall, he saw the two old brothers with solemn expressions.

Lu Ji walked in and greeted his father and the third master. Before he could sit down, Duke Ning asked in a deep voice, "I heard that you beat Qilang to a cripple?"

Lu Ji sat down on the chair and asked, "So, Third Uncle is here to complain to Father?"

As he spoke, he looked solemnly at the third master who was sitting beside him.

The Third Master is nearly fifty years old and has been in charge of the prison. He has a calm and stern demeanor and all the men in the mansion are afraid of him. However, when he met Lu Ji's deep and calm gaze, the Third Master seemed a little uncontrollable.

The Third Master cleared his throat and questioned Lu Ji with a cold face: "You beat Qi Lang so badly that he was injured. Are you blaming me for coming to your father to complain?"

Lu Ji replied coldly, "Third uncle has been in charge of the prison for so many years, he should have known the whole story before coming here. Fourth uncle died early, and you, as an uncle, did not teach your nephew well, allowing him to bully his brother and peep at his sister-in-law, which is a great rebellion. I am here to educate him on behalf of your uncle, but your uncle does not reflect on himself, and he is looking for trouble with me. What's the reason for this?"

Lu Ji's attitude was cold and tough, and he had no intention of giving the Third Master any face.

Duke Ningguo knew his son's temper best. He knew that he was a stubborn person who would only respond to soft words and not to hard ones. If he was irritated, this kid would turn hostile to anyone, no matter who the person was.

Fearing that the uncle and nephew would lose their dignity if they quarreled, Duke Ningguo reprimanded his son in a deep voice, "Ji'er, how can you talk to your uncle like that?"

Then, he slowed down his tone and said to the Third Master, "I have also heard the whole story of this matter. It is indeed wrong for Ji'er to beat Qilang so badly, but there are reasons for it."

Seeing Ning Guogong speak out, the third master also softened his tone and said, "The fourth son passed away early, and my sister-in-law has always spoiled the child. Qilang has indeed been spoiled by this woman."

As he spoke, he looked up at Duke Ningguo and said, "Brother, you said that Qilang has become disabled and the fourth brother's wife is trying to commit suicide all day long. As the eldest brother, I have to step in to take care of it."

The third master was the Minister of Justice, so he was naturally not an unreasonable person.

Duke Ningguo also knew his difficulties and asked, "What exactly does Fourth Brother's sister-in-law want? Third Brother, just tell me."

Upon hearing this, the Third Master first glanced at Lu Ji, then said to Duke Ningguo, "My sister-in-law doesn't want to do anything to Erlang, she just wants the mansion to hand over the concubine surnamed Qin so that my sister-in-law can deal with her and vent her anger."

(End of this chapter)