"Amur," a handsome young man spoke, "I told you before we came out, you mustn't lose your manners."
Amur shrunk his neck. "Cousin, I..."
The young man bowed to Madam Gu. "Madam Gu, please forgive him. My young cousin is not from Da Feng, and he is new here. He is not very familiar with our customs. Although I spoke to him before we came out, in his haste, he forgot everything. He absolutely did not mean to offend Madam Gu or your sister."
The young man looked unfamiliar, but his bearing was extraordinary. Qi Zhenzhen guessed that his status was not ordinary.
"Zhao Qingcheng, is he your cousin?" Rui Ning asked, narrowing her eyes.
The man called Zhao Qingcheng nodded. "He is my aunt's son. My aunt who was married off fifteen years ago."
Rui Ning understood. She knew this history.
"How is your aunt? I heard my mother mention her. She was a woman of great righteousness," Rui Ning said.
"She's dead. Aunt is dead," Zhao Qingcheng said softly after a pause.
"My condolences," Rui Ning said, stunned for a moment, then lowered her voice. Although she had never met the woman her mother spoke of as kind and righteous, it did not prevent her from respecting her. It was said that she had volunteered for the marriage to prevent war. Such a person deserved respect.
"Before she died, my aunt's greatest concern was Amur. He will be staying in the capital for a long time. So my family asked me to bring him out to make some acquaintances," Zhao Qingcheng said, his expression still calm. "It's just that he didn't grow up in the capital, and he's learning all the customs here from scratch. If he has offended anyone, please bear with him."
That day, when they first met, Qi Zhenzhen only guessed that Amur's identity was not simple. Now it seemed it truly was.
Li Ruyi had quietly introduced Zhao Qingcheng earlier. It turned out that this man was also of royal blood, the legitimate son of Emperor Chongwen's younger brother. His aunt, therefore, was also of royal blood, making Amur half a royal descendant.
She had heard a saying before: in the imperial city, you could grab anyone at random, and they might be of noble birth. It was indeed true.
Zhao Qingcheng used this opportunity to introduce his cousin, which was a convenient way to do so. Those who attended the lotus appreciation banquet were all of considerable status. By having Amur acknowledged by these people, he would feel more at ease when Amur went out in the future.
Because of Zhao Qingcheng, everyone was very polite to Amur. Of course, a large part of the reason was also because he carried half royal blood in him.
Amur was probably not good at socializing and was a bit overwhelmed by everyone's enthusiasm, looking somewhat bewildered. However, he kept glancing at Qi Zhenzhen, his eyes showing a hint of pleading.
Qi Zhenzhen whispered a few words into Rui Ning's ear. Rui Ning nodded. She and Zhao Qingcheng were relatives, so it was fine to speak privately.
Zhao Qingcheng's lips curved slightly. He glanced at Qi Zhenzhen, nodded at her, and pulled Amur away. If they stayed any longer, who knew what else his young cousin might say that could be misunderstood? The young lady of the Changping Marquis's estate, although a concubine's daughter, was raised by the old madam. With a sister who was already a marquis's wife, such a girl's future would not be poor. They couldn't let this boy unintentionally ruin her reputation.
"Cousin, you didn't fool me, did you?" Amur asked Zhao Qingcheng after they left Rui Wang's estate.
"If the Marquis's wife didn't fool you, then this matter is true," Zhao Qingcheng said helplessly. "In the future, in such occasions, you cannot casually inquire about a young lady's affairs. It will ruin her reputation! Da Feng is not like where you come from. A woman's reputation is especially important. If it is ruined, she will not find a good husband."