An Ran then remembered that the handkerchief had fallen to the ground and been picked up by Chen Qian.
Her heart skipped a beat.
Whenever An Ran thought of Chen Qian, she didn't want to comment on him anymore. She just wanted to have nothing to do with him in this life and stay far away from him.
Unexpectedly, I saw him again under these circumstances.
"I'm fine, let's talk about it when we get back." An Ran composed herself and took the handkerchief Qing Xing handed her. She took a few deep breaths, making sure no one would notice anything amiss, before helping Qing Xing away.
The handkerchief is gone, it's just an ordinary handkerchief.
An Ran couldn't help but feel fortunate that the handkerchief she had lost was sold in the pavilion. It was bought as a gift by Jinping when she returned home because of its exquisite design. An Ran liked it and carried it with her. Although the handkerchief was well-made and stylish, anyone could buy it.
Therefore, no one can claim that the handkerchief is hers. Even if someone picks it up, it doesn't matter.
She remained calm and no longer showed any panic on her face.
Even though her heart was churning with turmoil, she could only force herself to remain calm. It didn't matter; Chen Qian didn't know who she was, and besides, her current identity was no longer that of a poor girl; she was not someone Chen Qian could covet at will.
Thinking this, An Ran straightened her back and gradually took steady steps.
But she gripped the handkerchief in her hand tighter and tighter.
******
After An Ran and Qing Xing left, Chen Qian emerged from behind the tree.
The ancient tree was as thick as two people could hug, enough to completely conceal Qingxing's figure as she approached. He watched her departing figure, his gaze growing ever more profound.
Today, he came to Qixia Temple with his new friends. After worshipping Buddha in the front courtyard, his friends made an excuse to leave for a while, and he wandered around the temple at his leisure.
In Chen Qian's nineteen years of life, there have been few times when he has been left out in the cold.
From the time he was born, the Chen family was a well-known wealthy merchant family in Yangzhou. Over the next ten years, their business grew larger and larger, making them one of the most prominent merchants in Jiangnan. Before the current emperor ascended the throne, he needed to raise military funds. The Chen family, along with nine other well-known wealthy merchants in Jiangnan, provided grain and silver to support the former crown prince, Yun Shu, in his attempt to seize the throne.
As expected, Yun Shu ascended the throne, and those who had donated military funds were thus rewarded for their service. Tan Lang, the person in charge of raising the funds and now the Minister of Revenue, kept his word, and all these wealthy merchants became imperial merchants. The Chen family thus took another step forward, achieving their current immense wealth.
However, if they want to maintain this arrangement in the long term, they need someone in the capital. They can't curry favor with the Minister of Revenue and others, and the officials in the capital they used to pay tribute to have already retired and returned to their hometowns. The Chen family urgently needs someone to help them mediate.
The Chen family was willing to spend money, but they lacked suitable candidates. Coincidentally, Chen Qian's mother, Madam Ding, remembered that she had a distant relative who was an official in the capital. Although he was only a minor eighth-rank official, he could help make connections.
Therefore, Ding took her son Chen Qian with her to the capital to make connections.
After several twists and turns, Ding managed to get in touch with Consort Li, the favorite concubine of Prince Yi, and invested a lot of jewels and silver to persuade Consort Li to agree to help them smooth things over.
Chen Qian's friend today is the nephew of the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, and it is said that he also has some connection with the family of Consort Li. That's why Chen Qian befriended him, and he had to give him money and flatter him with his words.
In the past, others always fawned over him, the young master Chen, showering him with compliments and presenting him with precious gifts from time to time.
Since arriving in Beijing, Chen Qian had witnessed firsthand what true aristocratic families were like. The refined elegance emanating from their very being was the result of generations of accumulated wealth, unlike the newly rich merchants he had encountered. He realized that someone like himself was utterly insignificant in the face of the powerful and influential.
Therefore, Chen Qian's spoiled attitude has been greatly reduced, and his ability to observe and interpret words has improved considerably.
This time, being left out in the cold, he didn't get angry at all; instead, he strolled around by himself with great interest.
This was Chen Qian's first time here. He took a quiet path and unknowingly wandered into a forest of steles. He had been indulging in artsy pursuits lately, and today he was quite interested in admiring the calligraphy of famous calligraphers on the steles.
Suddenly, a series of hurried, frantic footsteps came from not far away.
Chen Qian, unaware of who the newcomer was, slipped behind a thick, ancient tree, not wanting to cause any trouble. Unexpectedly, the newcomer stopped two trees in front of where Chen Qian was hiding.
A clean white handkerchief, with a faint fragrance, gently floated down in front of him.
He peeked out slightly, and what he saw was no small matter.
Standing there was an extremely beautiful young girl. Even Chen Qian, who had seen many stunning beauties in Jiangnan, was momentarily stunned.
She wore a light blue dress, which accentuated her fair and delicate skin, as white as the first snow. She was like a lotus blooming gracefully in a pond, extremely beautiful without a trace of vulgarity, making people forget the mundane world upon seeing her.
Her thick, jet-black hair was styled into a cloud-like updo, with lustrous, full pearls shimmering among it, giving her a serene and gentle appearance. Her delicate features, even with her face filled with panic, did not diminish her beauty in the slightest; instead, they evoked even more pity in others.
What a beauty!
A strange feeling, one that Chen Qian had never experienced before, flashed through his mind.
Before he left home, his father had instructed him that the capital was full of powerful and influential people, and that he should act cautiously and avoid trouble. Chen Qian had always done so.
But today, as if by some strange twist of fate, Chen Qian stepped forward, picked up the handkerchief, and even said a few words.
Unexpectedly, the little girl was stunned. She was in a daze for a while, and before he could say anything more, she dropped her handkerchief and ran away in a panic.
Not wanting to be misunderstood as a lecher, Chen Qian did not chase after him.
Sure enough, not long after, a maidservant quickly came to greet them.
Chen Qian lowered his footsteps and, using the ancient trees for cover, moved closer to follow her. He saw large tears rolling down her cheeks; she looked completely frightened.
Like dewdrops clinging to lotus petals, so delicate and pitiful...
Chen Qian was startled by his own thoughts.
After watching the master and servant walk away, Chen Qian gazed at them for a long time before finally emerging from behind the tree.
He still held the white handkerchief in his hand. It was an ordinary handkerchief; any embroiderer he could find in his family could make it more exquisite. But Chen Qian carefully folded it and put it close to his body.
Judging that it was about time, Chen Qian returned along the same route and came back to the front of the palace.
Once I started, the flutter in my heart just wouldn't go away.