Chen Qiyu was taken aback. She had never thought that Lin Qingyuan would speak to her, and was therefore slightly surprised about this.
Chen Xuping had never treated Chen Qiyu well since she was young, and Lin Qingyuan had followed suit. The two women had always ignored each other whenever they crossed paths in the Duke Chen Mansion.
It took Chen Qiyu quite a while before she recovered enough to shake her head. “I’m fine.”
She paused a moment before adding, “Thank you.”
Lin Qingyuan shrugged. “There’s nothing to thank me for. I didn’t do a thing.”
Chen Qiyu said with slight awkwardness, “Thank you for willing to speak to me.”
Lin Qingyuan felt slightly embarrassed at this. “I was too narrow-minded before and too young to know better.”
Lin Qingyuan had never treated Chen Qiyu with any courtesy because of Chen Xuping. Now that she recalled this, Lin Qingyuan felt that she did not even have her own stand during those times. She had given all her attention to Chen Xuping and only cared about getting into his good books.
“You did nothing wrong. I did not know any better either,” Chen Qiyu said softly as she shook her head.
Chen Qiyu had also done many things that were not right. Back then, she regularly tried to show off. She suddenly realized how annoying she must have been as she thought of her past actions.
“Well, that’s all in the past. Let’s not talk about that anymore,” Lin Qingyuan said.
They looked at each other and smiled as they slowly walked into the city. The Eastern Palace guards followed behind them in a horse-drawn carriage.
“Oh yeah, I actually saw you being knocked out and taken away a while back, then I told Lu Liangwei about it. She played a big part with you being saved.” Lin Qingyuan suddenly mentioned this as the memory came to her mind.
Chen Qiyu was a little surprised. She had never thought that Lin Qingyuan had seen her being taken away the last time, however…
“The Empress?”
Lin Qingyuan replied in a low voice, “That’s right. I was almost beaten to death at that time when I tried to tail the people who kidnapped you. It’s only thanks to Lu Liangwei that I managed to survive. You know how much His Majesty dotes on her. His Majesty had gone to the brothel personally because she mentioned it to him.”
It was only then that Chen Qiyu how many people had been involved with the incident of her being captured and sent to the brothel.
That explained why His Majesty had appeared at the brothel that day.
“It was all thanks to her,” Chen Qiyu said earnestly and sincerely.
When she had sunk deep into the pool of inescapable mud, the Emperor had appeared to save her. Because of that, she would never forget what the Emperor and Empress had done for her.
They were both her benefactors.
When the Emperor found out she was pregnant with the Crown Prince’s child, he had even sent someone to take her back to the Eastern Palace and kept her time at the brothel a secret.
It did not matter to her what the Emperor’s motives were for doing that, she was still extremely grateful.
“Do you have any idea who was the person behind the suffering you endured?” Lin Qingyuan attempted to find out.
Chen Qiyu did not bother to hide it. “The Crown Princess.”
Lin Qingyuan was secretly relieved when she heard this. She pointed out to Chen Qiyu, “I used to be close with Lu Yunshuang, thinking she was a really kind person. I used to constantly make trouble for Lu Liangwei for her sake. In the end, it turns out I was the stupid one who was being played around by Lu Yunshuang. That Lu Yunshuang has a cruel and vicious heart. You need to be extra cautious now that you’re in the Eastern Palace. I don’t think she will let you off that easily.”
With that, Lin Qingyuan glanced at Chen Qiyu’s belly with some regret.
Lu Liangwei had mentioned to Lin Qingyuan that Chen Qiyu was now pregnant.
There was no way that cold-blooded Lu Yunshuang would allow a concubine to be the first to give birth.
Chen Qiyu replied seriously, “Qingyuan, thank you so much. I will remember your words.”
“Why are you suddenly acting all polite?” Lin Qingyuan said with some indignance.
Chen Qiyu laughed. This was the first time after the brothel incident that she had laughed so whole-heartedly.