Chapter 32: Mr. Hong's Favor and Attention

Pan Miaoqian sat on the ground, disheartened. She really couldn't imagine that one day she would hear such a heartless sentence from Pan Haiyun, who had doted on her since childhood. The moment she was escorted out by Qing Shan, she raised her eyes to look at Pan Yueqing standing behind Pan Haiyun. Her eyes were filled with resentment, and she was trembling with anger as she vented her fury at Pan Yueqing. "Why are you hurting my mother and me like this?"

"Third Sister, what you said is really ridiculous. Since I returned to the mansion, I just wanted to pick up my two maids. It was you and Auntie who tried to harm me because I was alone. Auntie's current situation is just what she deserves!" Pan Yueqing didn't seem to be afraid of her gaze, and a smile played on her lips. "Your house arrest was temporarily lifted during the prayer. If you really respected Father, you should have gone back to your room and stayed under house arrest obediently... Then you wouldn't have encountered all these things today. Or have you forgotten why you were under house arrest?"

"Third Sister, I'm giving you some face now. I've always been straightforward. Don't make me say something unpleasant," Pan Yueqing chuckled and made a gesture of adjusting her hairpin.

Pan Haiyun didn't want her to reveal any more scandals. He said to Pan Miaoqian, who was about to retort, "That's enough! Go to the Buddha Hall and reflect on your mistakes! Don't come out unless there's something important!"

"Father!" Pan Miaoqian's eyes filled with tears, but she didn't say anything more. She swallowed the resentful words on her lips and replied in a low voice, "Yes." Then she smiled slightly at Qing Shan. "Lead the way." Now she could see clearly that everyone in this room was a powerful figure that her father couldn't afford to lose. Pan Yueqing had a good uncle, but she didn't. Now even her mother was gone. She could only follow Pan Haiyun's words and seek the protection of her grandmother.

The Old Madam Pan woke up and angrily came out from the side room. With a shout of "Stop," she halted Qing Shan's action. As soon as Pan Miaoqian saw her grandmother, she felt extremely wronged. She grabbed the Old Madam Pan's robe and wept with her face covered, calling out sweetly, "Grandmother." This sound made the Old Madam Pan's heart ache.

"Haiyun! How could you treat your family like this! This is the daughter you've doted on since she was a child!" The Old Madam Pan had tears in her eyes, with a hint of disappointment. "Did I encourage you to make progress so that you would ignore your family?"

Pan Haiyun was momentarily lost in thought, remembering his youth. His mother, who came from a humble background, was very concerned about his studies. She would rather suffer herself than let him endure any hardship. But now, it was precisely his mother's lack of vision due to her humble origin that made her unable to see clearly that without the support of noble families, it was so easy for a family to be destroyed in the capital!

However, this was still his mother. He let out a slight sigh and turned around to persuade Pan Yueqing to let it go. Pan Yueqing met Pan Haiyun's eyes and understood the struggle and helplessness in them. She also let out a sigh. Pan Haiyun had already done enough to protect her, and she didn't want to make him too difficult. "Father, I've already got justice. As for how to deal with Third Sister, that's your right as a father."

Her original purpose today was just to firmly establish the charge of Liu Shi attempting to murder the legitimate daughter, repaying the crime of Liu Shi framing her for harming the concubine and the unborn child.

After hearing this, Pan Haiyun felt comforted. Seeing how understanding Pan Yueqing was, his eyes were filled with pity and guilt. In contrast, Pan Miaoqian, who was protected by the Old Madam Pan, was being unreasonable and yet looked so wronged. He felt annoyed and somewhat agreed with what those noble families said, "A child raised by a concubine is hard to be refined." He waved his hand and allowed Pan Miaoqian to serve the Old Madam.

Pan Yueqing watched as the Old Madam Pan and Pan Miaoqian left, and then she curtsied to Mr. Hong. Mr. Hong sat upright on the chair, with a kind and smiling face. "Why are you bowing to me?"

"You saved my life, which is like giving me a new life," Pan Yueqing said softly. She could see Pan Haiyun's fear of Mr. Hong. She also knew that Mr. Hong was doing things for Qi Sian, but she hoped to have more support. Moreover, today Mr. Hong really helped her handle all the follow - up matters. He found out the rumor - spreaders in such a short time. Without that, she wouldn't have been so sure that Pan Haiyun would deal with Liu Yingwei like this.

Mr. Hong understood Pan Yueqing's thoughts and cooperated with her to play the scene. His eyes unconsciously became gentle. He signaled the butler behind him to help him up, and then, leaning on his crutch, he slowly walked up to Pan Yueqing and pretended to help her up. "Silly girl, I regard you as my own junior. Saying such things to me is being too polite."

Butler Hong stepped forward to help Pan Yueqing up. Before Pan Yueqing could thank him, Mr. Hong waved his hand. "If you have time, come to my residence often. My wife and I are now retired at home and rather bored. If you're willing, come and chat with us to pass the time." After saying a few polite words to Pan Haiyun, he took his leave.

"Yue girl, aren't you going to see me off?" Before leaving, he called Pan Yueqing by name and asked Butler Hong to decline Pan Haiyun and Su Jing's offer to see him off. It was obvious to everyone that Mr. Hong had something to say to Pan Yueqing alone.

Pan Yueqing replied in a low voice, stood up, placed her hand on Mr. Hong's left hand, and looked submissive.

"Little girl, you're quite scheming," Mr. Hong walked three or four steps, still with a kind smile on his face. "You said that concubine tried to kill you while you were unconscious. But I think you weren't unconscious at all. You calculated that if you were away for too long, Pan Haiyun would send someone to bring you back to the flower hall, right?"

"Mr. Hong really has sharp eyes," Pan Yueqing smiled. She knew Hong Qiqiao's temperament. He didn't dislike people with schemes, but he hated it when people around him were insincere.

"Stop flattering me," Mr. Hong laughed heartily. "I used to feel very sorry. Your mother, I was really looking forward to another empress from the Su family. But I didn't expect that little girl Su Lan would fall for Pan Haiyun. But now that I think about it, with your mother's personality, if she had really become the empress, she might have died even earlier."

Pan Yueqing sensed the hidden meaning in Mr. Hong's words. She suddenly raised her eyes to look at Mr. Hong. "Was there something behind my mother's death?!"

Mr. Hong gently stroked his white beard on his chin. After thinking for a while, he said, "I've always been suspicious. Su Lan's death was really strange."

Pan Yueqing nodded slightly. Since she was a child, she had been told that her mother was pregnant and accidentally fell into a pond on a snowy and slippery day and died. Her hand on Mr. Hong's arm involuntarily trembled slightly. She couldn't help but look back at the plaque of the Pan Mansion's gate, feeling a sense of dread. She was only three years old when her mother died, so she naturally didn't doubt the "truth" told by others too much.

Mr. Hong raised his eyebrows and gently patted Pan Yueqing's arm, smiling. "Girl, I find that you're really able to stay calm. I like that about you." Mr. Hong took out a jade pendant from his bosom. "I've promised to treat you as my own junior. This jade pendant is for you. From now on, you can use this jade pendant for food and drinks in the East Quarter."