The Fourth Lady novel Chapter 44

When Su Qingyan heard this voice, she knew it was already impossible to leave. She walked out from behind the potted plants and bowed to Chunyuan Grand Princess, "I'd inadvertently intruded upon this place, I hope Grand Princess would forgive me."

When Chunyuan Grand Princess saw Qingyan, Qilian Qingyan's figure surfaced in her mind. She walked up next to Su Qingyan and held her hand, "Yan'er, did you come back? I just knew you wouldn't easily die like that. It must be because you're unwilling to part with royal mother*, that's why you came back right?"

(*TN: She's Qilian Qingyan's mother-in-law, which is why she addresses herself like that.)

Qingyan look to her with a smile, "Your Highness, are you mistaking me for someone?"

After staring at Qingyan for awhile, Chunyuan Grand Princess turned to her side to Liu Shang, "Too similar, she really is too similar, even how we first met is similar."

Liu Shang glanced at Qingyan and tightly furrowed his brows. However, he was unwilling to retort Chunyuan Grand Princess's opinion and could only nod along.

Liu Shang carefully studied Qingyan's appearance. This young girl that looked about 14 has an innate dignified aura, and this kind of aura he'd only felt on the former pavilion master, Qilian Qingyan, before.

In these five years, it's not like he'd never thought of extracting revenge for the pavilion master, but Qinglong* and the others had constantly been stopping him. They could only helplessly watch as Qingyan died.

(*TN: Azure Dragon, unsure whether it's being used as a name or he is the Azure Dragon in human form.)

Died in that mysterious fire.

By the time they all rushed back to Nanchen, they'd received news that Qilian Qingyan's corpse had disappeared as well. Weisheng Junyan, seeing that she'd never done anything improper in her life, gave her posthumous title of Xianyi Empress.

But he knew that she must have experienced something terrible at the end, to have chosen to end her life by burning herself. But all those involved in that incident had all mysteriously died, so they didn't know where to start looking for the truth of the matter.

"What is your name? Why did you intrude here?" Chunyuan asked her with a smile.

Qingyan met her eyes and simply replied, "Your Highness, my name is Su Qingyan, I once heard that Xiexiu Hall was built by a princess of the previous dynasty, and that there was a plum orchard here. That's why I wanted to have a glance, yet I unexpectedly startled your Highness."

Chunyuan instantly started to like Qingyan, especially when she heard her say she was also called Qingyan. The joy in her eyes couldn't help but grow. She pulled along Qingyan's hand, "Yan'er must also be here for the talent conference."

Qingyan look to Chunyuan and earnestly nodded, "Correct."

Chunyuan turned to Liu Shang next to her with a smile, "Liu Shang, I'm suddenly interested in seeing the talent conference today, will you accompany me there?"

Liu Shang look to her and sighed, "That is of course."

Chunyuan pulled Qingyan along with her towards the main hall, and following behind their steps was Qingdai and Chishao.

Liu Shang stared at Su Qingyan and thought of Donghe's Dingguo General, Su Yun. It's said that his one and only daughter was being raised in Diqiu this whole time. And that she'd become arrogant with a rude and willful personality.

But it seems this girl must be either Su Ming or Su Yan's daughter.

"May I ask who miss's father is?" Liu Shang casually asked her.

Qingyan turned her head around to Liu Shang with a warm smile, "My father Su Yun is the Dingguo General."

Liu Shang look to her in surprise; this young girl before him, clad in a long green plum blossom decorated dress, was actually Dingguo General Su Yun's daughter? She was completely different from the impression he had of her.