In the wild forest and snowy ridges, Wei Rao had not expected to encounter such an immortal-like figure.

The sky-blue brocade robe outlined his tall and upright form, like green cypresses and elegant bamboo rising from the snowy ground. His hair was black as ink, his features handsome and distinguished, and his fair complexion showed a jade-like luster under the bright spring light.

Having lived long in the capital, Wei Rao had seen many handsome young masters, but in terms of appearance and bearing, none could surpass the one before her. He was truly as gentle and refined as jade.

After the brief moment of amazement, Wei Rao suddenly noticed the change in this person’s attitude.

When she had just turned around, the man’s face clearly bore a gentle smile, but after his gaze swept over her face once, that smile disappeared. His eyes also began deliberately avoiding her, and the coldness seemed to carry a few traces of disdain.

This was the first time Wei Rao had encountered such a situation in all her years.

It was common for self-proclaimed proper official wives and daughters of noble families to disdain and find fault with her. Among young gentlemen, none had shown disdain for her—the bold and frivolous ones would stare at her endlessly, while the timid and rule-abiding would merely look away without giving her cold looks. This one across from her was truly strange. Wei Rao could understand wanting to maintain propriety and avoid suspicion, but what did this cold face and disdain mean?

Displeased that she, a woman, had stolen his prey?

Ridiculous. She had been about to leave just now, but he was the one with poor eyesight who eagerly called her “young master.”

Glancing at the wild boar on the ground that had only its last few breaths left, Wei Rao said coolly, “I didn’t know this boar had an owner before, so I acted. I meant no offense. Now that the property returns to its original owner, Young Master may take it as he pleases.”

After explaining, Wei Rao wanted to leave again.

For Lu Zhuo, entering the mountain to hunt was merely a whim. What was one wild boar? But that woman’s tone of disdain, as if she couldn’t be bothered to compete with him, seemed to mock him for being petty.

“The wild beasts in the mountains are all ownerless. The capable get them. This boar was hunted by you, so naturally it belongs to you. There’s no question of offense toward me,” Lu Zhuo said fairly. After speaking, he no longer paid attention to Wei Rao, took a rope from his pack, and went to bind the second wild boar.

Seeing this, Wei Rao didn’t continue being polite and went directly to deal with the first one.

Bringing back such a large wild boar would surely make her cousins lose with complete conviction, and her grandmother would be so delighted she couldn’t close her mouth.

The wild boar Wei Rao had shot was estimated to weigh about two hundred jin. Even though Wei Rao had practiced internal energy techniques, she couldn’t carry such a heavy object. Fortunately, she was well-prepared. Besides arrows, her quiver also contained two retractable iron rods that, when fully extended, reached three chi in length. Each rod head could be fitted with a detachable wheel.

Wei Rao took out these items one by one, crouched on the ground to assemble them, and was about to turn the wild boar sideways onto the simple cart made of two iron rods when a familiar, resonant voice suddenly came from above: “Fourth Lady?”

Wei Rao didn’t need to look up to know it was Second Master Qi, Qi Zhongkai.

At the same time, Wei Rao also remembered why she had found that person’s voice familiar—he was the one who had traveled with Qi Zhongkai this morning.

“So Second Master is hunting here,” Wei Rao patted her hands, stood up, and first exchanged pleasantries with Qi Zhongkai.

Qi Zhongkai was one of those vulgar people Wei Rao was familiar with who would be captivated by her beauty. However, some men would develop possessive desires toward beauties, doing everything to obtain the beauty, their minds full of unseemly bedroom scenes, while other men, though they also liked looking at beauties, only wanted to care for and cherish them without seeking any reward.

Qi Zhongkai was the latter type.

As if not seeing that Lu Zhuo was also there, Qi Zhongkai ran directly to Wei Rao’s front and said with delight, “Fortunately, I had seen Fourth Lady in men’s clothing before, otherwise I really wouldn’t have recognized you just now.”

Wei Rao smiled and proactively explained, “The leisure estate is nearby. We few cousins entered the mountain to hunt and happened to encounter that young master chasing two wild boars over. I rashly shot one first. I wonder if Second Master would be willing to part with it?”

Qi Zhongkai laughed heartily, “One wild boar—what’s this talk of parting with it? If Fourth Lady likes it, I’ll give you both.”

Wei Rao politely said, “One is sufficient.”

Qi Zhongkai noticed the iron rods she had brought and curiously picked them up to examine them. Guessing these were specially used for hunting to carry prey, Qi Zhongkai praised, “Fourth Lady is ingenious and skillful. I truly admire this.”

Wei Rao explained, “I just wanted to be a bit lazy and came up with an idea. This contraption was figured out by craftsmen whom Eunuch Li found.”

Qi Zhongkai’s flattery had missed the mark, but he didn’t mind. He placed the iron rod cart on the ground, rolled up his sleeves, and proactively helped Wei Rao move the dead wild boar onto the small cart. The wheels had a braking mechanism that was in braking mode. Suddenly bearing such a large wild boar, the small cart only swayed but didn’t immediately roll away.

“This boar is too heavy. Shall I escort Miss down the mountain?” Qi Zhongkai offered enthusiastically.

Wei Rao smiled, “No need to trouble yourself. I can manage on my own.” Fearing Qi Zhongkai would insist, Wei Rao glanced toward Lu Zhuo’s direction, hinting that Qi Zhongkai should go help his good friend. That person was tall and imposing in stature, but seemed like a scholarly gentleman—how could he manage the work of moving and carrying wild boars?

Qi Zhongkai, understanding her meaning, suddenly burst into loud laughter. He laughed until his face turned red, and the accumulated snow on tree branches nearly shook down from his laughter.

Lu Zhuo, who had finished binding the wild boar, stood up and frowned as he looked in their direction.

Qi Zhongkai covered his aching stomach with one hand and pointed at Lu Zhuo with the other, “Shoucheng, Fourth Lady, is worried you can’t carry the wild boar and quietly reminded me to help you. Hahaha, do you need help? If so, just say the word—I’ll carry the boar with one hand and support you down the mountain with the other.”

Lu Zhuo remained expressionless, cast a glance at Wei Rao, grabbed the rope on the wild boar’s back with one hand, and walked toward the path they had come from.

He looked so effortless, as if what he carried wasn’t a two-hundred-plus-jin wild boar but a light bucket of water.

What left Wei Rao most stunned was that even carrying a wild boar, he managed to display the graceful bearing of an immortal retreating into the mountains.

Seeing her gaze following Lu Zhuo’s retreating figure, Qi Zhongkai introduced with a smile, “Fourth Lady, this is the heir of Duke Ying’s mansion, Lu Zhuo, styled Shoucheng. He just returned from the border, so you haven’t met him before. Also, don’t let his appearance as a top scholar fool you—once he’s on the battlefield, he’s a demon who kills without blinking. The only difference between him and a demon is the face.”

Wei Rao was shocked again.

Was this the heir of Duke Ying’s mansion?

Duke Ying’s mansion—while the women of the Zhou family had such bad reputations, the men of Duke Ying’s mansion were equally respected by people. As far as Wei Rao knew, among the men of the Lu family’s previous generations, very few had died natural deaths—almost all had died on battlefields. Not to mention distant ancestors, Lu Zhuo’s father, second uncle, and third uncle had all died in battle. The only surviving fourth uncle had also lost a leg and could only travel in a wheelchair.

In Lu Zhuo’s grandfather’s generation, several grand-uncles had also died, and now only the old Duke remained alive.

Wei Rao also admired such a loyal family of generals who served the country.

During the late reign of the previous emperor and the twenty-plus years since Emperor Yuanjia’s ascension, the current dynasty had been able to enjoy peace and prosperity entirely because of the Lu family men who had led thousands upon thousands of border soldiers in successive battles, trading death for that hard-won victory that completely deterred the formidable enemies on the grasslands.

However, admiration aside, Lu Zhuo’s attitude toward her just now had been quite discourteous.

A series of footsteps sounded from behind—Qi Zhongkai’s laughter had been too loud and had attracted Huo Jue and his sister, along with Zhou Huizhu.

Wei Rao introduced them to each other.

Since Huo Jue was there to help the beauty transport the wild boar, Qi Zhongkai bid farewell and went to catch up with Lu Zhuo.

Once he caught up, Lu Zhuo immediately tossed the wild boar to him.

Qi Zhongkai was unaware of the small unpleasantness between Lu Zhuo and Wei Rao. He just chatted with Lu Zhuo with a smile, “That was the Fourth Lady of Earl Cheng’an’s mansion we encountered at the city gate this morning. How about it? Beautiful enough, right? She’s already this pretty in men’s clothing—if she wore women’s clothing, she’d be like a celestial maiden descended to earth.”

Lu Zhuo had already guessed based on their conversation.

Wei Rao was indeed outstanding in appearance, but as a daughter of an official family, instead of staying home properly, she had changed into men’s clothing and snuck up the mountain to hunt. Her tree-climbing and jumping skills were extremely practiced—clearly someone who had long disregarded proper behavior. Zhou family women had a tainted reputation, and she, being half a Zhou family woman, not only failed to restrain herself but became even worse. She had no self-respect.

“Improper words should not be spoken,” Lu Zhuo stated his position, unwilling to discuss the beauty or ugliness of the Wei family woman.

Qi Zhongkai chuckled, “Fake propriety. I don’t believe there’s any man who truly doesn’t love beauties.”

Lu Zhuo smiled without speaking.

He also loved beauty, but propriety came first.

At the foot of the mountain, the four were tallying each other’s prey.

Wei Rao had hunted one wild boar and one fox, making her the undisputed first place.

Zhou Huizhu and Huo Lin had hunted several mountain sparrows, quite impressive in quantity.

Huo Jue, having been distracted by his three sisters, had only hunted one rabbit and became the acknowledged last place.

“Sister Rao, what do you want Cousin to do?” Zhou Huizhu instigated.

Wei Rao looked toward Huo Jue.

Huo Jue smiled, “A bet is a bet. Cousin, feel free to command me.”

Wei Rao had already learned from the adults’ conversations that Huo Jue and Huo Lin would stay in the capital for about half a year. Coincidentally, she indeed had a place where she could use Huo Jue’s help.

It was still early before evening, so the four rode slowly back. Wei Rao chose to ride alongside Huo Jue and said honestly, “I won’t hide it from Cousin—I’ve saved up some silver over these years. Keeping it at home in the bottom of a chest only gathers dust, so I want to take it out to acquire a shop and do business, making money with money. But I’ve never done business and don’t know what kind of shop would be suitable. With my small amount of money, I’m too embarrassed to ask Uncle for advice. Cousin, please help me think it over.”

Earl Cheng’an’s mansion didn’t have much family wealth, but Wei Rao had a grandmother who owned a thousand mu of good farmland, an aunt who married the richest man in Jin territory, and Emperor “Second Father” sitting on the dragon throne. Having received various gifts and New Year’s money, and since Wei Rao never spent money carelessly, she had gradually saved up a foundation of over two thousand taels.

Wei Rao had used one thousand taels to buy land last winter, leaving one thousand taels remaining that she wanted to use for business.

After all, one shouldn’t put all eggs in one basket.

Huo Jue glanced at the two girls ahead and asked Wei Rao in a low voice, “How much capital do you have?”

Wei Rao smiled and held up one beautiful finger toward her cousin.

Huo Jue: “One thousand?”

Ten thousand was too much, one hundred too little.

Wei Rao nodded.

Huo Jue had an idea. Looking ahead, he pondered for a moment before giving his suggestion: “Our Huo family deals in the tea and silk business. These two require traveling north and south to find the most suitable sources. It would be inconvenient for Cousin to travel around, and you probably don’t understand selecting and inspecting goods. Even if you hired help, you could easily be deceived by subordinates. Better to do business you can completely control.”

“How about opening a restaurant?” Huo Jue turned his head to look at Wei Rao and analyzed, “The capital is full of powerful nobles and wealthy merchants—no lack of customers. Cousin only needs to hire several chefs with excellent culinary skills and develop more dishes rarely seen in other restaurants. As long as the food is delicious, over time, the business will naturally flourish.”

Wei Rao recalled the several major restaurants currently in the capital and worry creased her brow: “Cousin makes it sound easy, but where would I find master chefs who meet such requirements? Besides, there are too many restaurants in the capital with too much competition. Even if my restaurant opened, it would be hard to stand out.”

Huo Jue smiled, “I’ve been to many places with Father these past few years. Each place has its specialty dishes. After I taste all the restaurants in the capital, I’ll send people to various regions to seek out the local famous chefs for Cousin. I guarantee to provide Cousin with several signature specialty dishes that the high officials and nobles of the capital have rarely tasted.”

Wei Rao was delighted: “That would be wonderful! When Cousin goes to taste dishes, call me along—I’ll go with you.”

Since she wanted to do the restaurant business, Wei Rao had plenty to learn. Those major restaurants were perfect places for her to steal techniques.

She couldn’t steal culinary skills, but she could study restaurant management techniques and gather the strengths of all establishments.

Huo Jue paused and asked her, “Can Cousin also freely go out from the Earl’s mansion?”

Wei Rao smiled. Of course, she could. Her grandmother had long been persuaded by her, as long as she had legitimate reasons, her grandmother wouldn’t obstruct her.

Having an elder in the family was like having a treasure. Wei Rao had her grandmother supporting her in the capital and her maternal grandmother doting on her in the suburbs—she possessed two treasures!