The Fourth Lady

When Su Qing looked to the cobra, her eyes reflected a happiness that others could not detect. It was as if coiled around her arm wasn't a cobra but just an ordinary accessory.

"I summoned you all here today in order to help me with one thing." Qingyan looked to them as her clear and hollow voice sounded. This voice seemed to be different from her usual voice, but as to where, it was difficult to say.

"What does miss need our help with?" The cobra looked to Qingyan, flicking its tongue. And all the snakes behind it all flicked their tongues too, as if they were responding to the cobra's message.

"Help me by concealing yourselves in everyone courtyard in this manor, alright?" Su Qingyan look to them still in a nonchalant manner, as if she was fully confident in controlling them.

As if receiving an order, all the snakes charged out. And in no time, only the cobra remained, still coiled around Qingyan's arm.

"How about you stay by my side from now on?" Qingyan glanced at the cobra on her arm and gently said, "Aside from the four girls in my yard, I don't trust anyone else. If all you little ones can keep me company, then even if its just to cheer me up, I would be very pleased."

"It's my honor to serve you." The cobra hissed with its long tongue, as if responding to her affections.

"Fengqing, thank his Highness Shizi for me. If he needs anything in the future, then I, Su Qingyan, will return the favor." Qingyan glanced at Fengqing before turning around to return to her room. When the cobra followed Qingyan back to her room, it saw a fox on the window sill and a golden ringed snake next to it.

"From now on they will be your comrades. Also the python on the pillar outside will be your companion too.

The cobra once again flicked its tongue at Qingyan, then it slithered up onto the window sill and curled itself into a ball, minding its own business.

Fengqing observed everything that had happened. If his master, Shizi, wasn't also well versed in the language of snakes, then he would have probably thought that Su Qingyan was insane to be talking to snakes like that. But then he also saw a small fox in Qingyan's room. Looking at it now, this female master of his, the future Shizi consort, must be well versed in the language of all beasts.

Fengqing glanced at the already darkened room and swiftly leaped onto a tree. Holding his sword, he rest against the trunk of the tree.

Early morning of the next day.

After receiving a letter from her family, granny Ruo found out that her two precious grandsons seem to have contracted some illness. They've been lying on the bed for two days now and have yet to get up. When she heard the news from her son, she could only rush to Su Qingyan to explain the situation so that she could return.

After hearing what granny Ruo had to say, Su Qingyan smiled, "Since granny Ruo's grandsons are ill, it's only natural that you should quickly head back to attend to them." She glanced to her side at Zizhu. Zizhu handed granny Ruo the bag of money they had prepared in advance, "This is the money miss prepared for you, although it's not much, but you also know that it's difficult at the manor for the miss as well."

Granny Ruo glanced at Su Qingyan, still thinking she was the same Su Qingyan as before, gratefully thanked her many times. Afterwards, she quickly headed home. For something like this to have happened to her grandsons, she was more worried than anyone else. After all, her two grandsons were like her lifeline.

Seeing granny Ruo's figure from behind, Zizhu asked as she was perplexed, "Miss, you obviously knew that granny Ruo has betrayed us, yet why are you still so good to her?"

Su Qingyan lightly stroked Yaoyao, who was in her arms, and gently responded, "Zizhu, think about it, if granny Ruo were to ask how her grandsons were poisoned, how do you think her son and daughter-in- law would respond?"

"Probably would say that they ate something sent by a stranger, or think of some other excuse." Baizhi stood to one side, smiling, "But they wouldn't know that it was sent by miss!"

"That's right." Su Qingyan smirked, "Lunch won't fall from the skies." She leaned back on the chair and closed her eyes. As if she could already imagine the look on granny Ruo's face when she sees the pastries. However, won't that be an amusing scene to see?

"Miss, I heard that because of the matter with miss Wei, the school will temporarily be closed for two days. I also heard that miss Wei managed to survive, but will be bound to the bed for life." Lue entered, holding a pile of books, "Miss, didn't you always disliked reading?"

Qingyan walked up next to Lue and caught the pile of book. She replied smiling, "That was before, though I certainly do dislike the contents of those books." She waved the 'Art of War', "I prefer these military strategy books more."

Zizhu look to Qingyan's smiling appearance, "Miss seems to have already predicted that there won't be class today?"

"Of course, did you think that with the incident regarding miss Wei yesterday, for something like that to have happened in Bogu Hall, that no one would have to take responsibility?" Qingyan said without lifting her head from the strategy books.

"But the capital's magistrate will mostly likely suspect young miss, since miss was standing the closest to miss Wei at that time." Zizhu look to Qingyan with a serious expression, "Who knows how that lord Wei will frame miss."

"Take whatever measures necessary. Zizhu, you can withdraw for now. Regarding this matter, I know what to do." Su Qingyan waved her hand at Zizhu before continuing to read her book.

She picked up the brush and recorded all the information she'd gotten from the 'Pavilion of Thousand Beasts' previously. The 'Pavilion of Thousand Beasts' was the largest information network within the four countries. It is said that it contains the most complete collection of information. At that time, in order to help Weisheng Junyan secure the throne, she had expended all her methods. It's such a shame that these information were used by him, although it wasn't a bad thing.

Su Qingyan wrote at a fast pace; she simultaneously recalled and wrote down the information. Everything that she could remember, she made it appear before her eyes. In the end, she smiled at the filled pages before her. Although they weren't the most detailed, but she still could remember this much.

If only should could get a piece of blood jade and make a flute from it, then even as Su Qingyan, she could have control over the 'Pavilion of Thousand Beasts'.

But most importantly: where could she get the rare blood jade?

"Fengqing." Su Qingyan called out the window.

Fengqing hung from the roof and looked to Qingyan, "What does miss need?"

If Murong Jingxuan were to go look for the blood jade, then he would definitely suspect her identity. Thinking of this, Su Qingyan shook her head and waved her hand at Fengqing, "Nothing."

Fengqing look to Qingyan and shrugged his shoulders. She clearly looked like she had something to say, but why did she suddenly not want to say it?

Su Qingyan set the thing she wrote to the side. She leaned on her desk with one hand and closed her eyes, resting for a bit.0000000