Among the twelve departments, Lord Zhu Wei, who specialized in surveillance, answered upon hearing this: “My lord, Zhengning is still handling affairs in Linchuan Prefecture. I heard he was delayed by some minor matters and hasn’t yet returned to Jiankang.”

Among the Privy Council’s twelve departments, Xu Zhengning and Zhu Wei were the most distinguished in terms of seniority and position – one handling secret orders, one handling surveillance. The two had known each other and worked together for nearly twenty years, not only cooperating seamlessly in official matters but also maintaining deep personal friendship.

Zhu Wei was slightly older than Xu Zhengning – tall, pale-faced, with a perpetual smile at the corners of his mouth. He was a famous smiling tiger throughout the court. Though his surveillance duties might seem to overlap with the Censorate on the surface, in reality his jurisdiction was much broader, especially in secretly investigating treason. Once targeted by this lord, most wouldn’t even need to enter the Court of Judicial Review but could go straight to the execution block.

After Lord Zhu Wei’s reminder, Qi Ying recalled that before New Year he had assigned Xu Zhengning to investigate the riots and uprisings in various prefectures and counties, aiming to catch the Gao-Wei spies stirring up trouble behind the scenes. This matter was difficult to handle after all, so Xu Zhengning was probably struggling with it and hadn’t yet concluded and returned.

He nodded to Zhu Wei, didn’t ask further about Xu Zhengning, and turned to discuss military affairs with the eleven departments.

Wei State was especially well-behaved this year – not because they didn’t want war, but because their treasury was empty and they couldn’t afford to fight.

Though Gao-Wei had strong troops and horses, they weren’t prosperous. Years of southward campaigns had made their people suffer unbearably, with uprisings at least twice as numerous as those in Great Liang. Their internal administration was a complete mess. Moreover, their generals and ministers were at odds, and governance wasn’t very clean. Now they were already overwhelmed just dealing with internal troubles, giving Great Liang a rare breathing space.

However, this situation didn’t make Qi Ying feel secure – rather, it increased his worries.

If Gao-Wei couldn’t resolve their internal troubles yet refused to accept dynastic collapse, they would inevitably try to transfer the contradictions externally. Starting a new round of warfare would become their best choice: after all, once there was an external enemy, Wei’s people would unite against the common foe, viewing Great Liang as their sole enemy and completely forgetting how broken and incompetent their own country and court were.

What worried Qi Ying even more was that once Wei’s situation deteriorated, the Gu and Zou clans might shake hands and make peace. If the rift between their generals and ministers disappeared, whether Great Liang could continue resisting Gao-Wei’s iron cavalry would become unknown.

This was a difficult strategic game.

The eleven departments each reported on affairs under their jurisdiction while Qi Ying listened thoughtfully.

The meeting didn’t end until three quarters past noon. By the time Qi Ying returned to his office, it was nearly mid-afternoon, and he still hadn’t eaten lunch.

Qing Zhu carefully carried a food box into the room and carefully placed it on the young master’s desk, respectfully bowing beside him and tentatively saying: “Please eat first, young master. It’s already nearly mid-afternoon.”

At that time, Qi Ying was still holding a case file, absorbed in reading it. He merely waved his hand to signal Qing Zhu to withdraw.

Qing Zhu naturally understood the young master’s meaning and knew he couldn’t persuade him, but…

Qing Zhu pressed his lips together, secretly glancing at the young master with some difficulty: “Young master… this was sent by Miss Fang. She asked me to wait for you to finish eating before taking the food box back to her. This…”

As soon as these words were spoken, the young master’s gaze shifted from the case file.

He glanced at the food box on the desk, his brow furrowing slightly as he asked: “She delivered it personally?”

“Yes,” Qing Zhu bowed with lowered head, “she’s still waiting outside.”

Upon hearing this, Qi Ying seemed to freeze for a moment, then slowly set down the case file in his hands. After hesitating briefly, he reached out to open the food box.

Glutinous rice lotus root, stir-fried red cabbage, Chinese yam and black chicken soup… all good for the stomach.

She had made it herself – it carried the fragrance he was familiar with.

He fell into silence.

Qing Zhu couldn’t quite gauge the young master’s intentions, and his silence left him at a loss. He couldn’t help but secretly glance up at the young master’s expression, seeing his face was calm and inscrutable, yet his eyes seemed somehow complex, making it even harder to know what to do.

Qing Zhu waited anxiously for a long time, then saw the young master close the food box lid again.

It was made by Shen Xiling’s own hands, yet he seemed to have no intention of eating it.

Qing Zhu’s heart grew increasingly fearful. Then he saw the young master stand up, his voice slightly cold as he asked: “Where is she?”

Shen Xiling was in a carriage in the back alley behind the Privy Council offices, accompanied by Shuipei and Liuzi.

On New Year’s Eve she had decided to take the initiative to find him, but after much consideration, she felt the main residence was complicated with many people, and her rash visit might easily cause him trouble. So she had patiently waited until his rest period ended to find him at his office.

The Privy Council was a place of authority – she didn’t dare enter, also fearing to delay his official duties. She could only hide far away in the back alley, in her own carriage, sending him a food box, hoping that after eating what she made, he would realize his recent coldness toward her and be willing to come out and see her.

Getting the food box inside hadn’t been easy – she had pleaded with Qing Zhu for quite some time.

Though Qing Zhu was young, he had quite a temper. She had accumulated many debts of gratitude for his guidance before he finally nodded and took her food box inside. But even until mid-afternoon, Qi Ying hadn’t come out to see her, and even Qing Zhu hadn’t emerged to give her word.

Shuipei couldn’t bear to see her mistress wait so long and feared she would be heartbroken. She kept trying to persuade her in the carriage to return to Fenghe Garden early.

Shuipei said: “Perhaps the young master has been too busy with official duties lately and can’t spare the time. Why don’t we go back first? Once the young master gets through this busy period, we’ll surely be able to see him.”

Shen Xiling naturally knew Shuipei’s words made sense. She knew that if Qi Ying was determined not to see her, there was no way she could see him. Waiting here endlessly wasn’t a solution – it would only exhaust herself needlessly.

But she just didn’t want to leave.

She hadn’t seen him for two months. Since following him three years ago, they had never been separated for such a long time.

She couldn’t bear it anymore.

Shen Xiling maintained her composure, smiled and shook her head at Shuipei: “Let’s wait a bit longer… just a bit more.”

Looking at her mistress’s forced smile, Shuipei sighed inwardly, thinking: Wait for what? If the young master continues avoiding her, would she really keep waiting so regardless of everything?

Shuipei sighed secretly and was about to persuade her further when, before the words left her mouth, she heard Liuzi’s delighted voice from outside the carriage.

He called out “Young master.”

As soon as Liuzi’s voice reached inside, Shuipei saw her mistress’s eyes brighten. Those beautiful eyes that had been somewhat dim suddenly became radiant, so beautiful that even she as a woman found it hard to look directly at them.

She was happy for her too, smiling as she exchanged a glance with her, then voluntarily got off the carriage herself to pay respects to the young master they hadn’t seen in so long.

The young master didn’t respond, merely boarding the carriage expressionlessly.

Watching the curtain fall behind the young master, Shuipei felt an ominous premonition arise in her heart for some reason, vaguely sensing that today’s meeting… might not go as smoothly as her mistress hoped.

Inside the carriage, Shen Xiling finally saw Qi Ying.

After two months apart, he showed no particular change – still handsome and noble. If there was any change, it was perhaps that he seemed even more aloof. Shen Xiling thought this might be because they hadn’t seen each other for some time, making her feel he was distant. Once they talked a bit, things would improve.

He sat on the other side of the carriage facing her, neither close nor far. As soon as he settled, he casually asked: “Why did you come?”

There was no reproach in his words, but no joy either, making Shen Xiling’s heart tighten with a trace of disappointment.

She had actually hoped… he would be a bit surprised, at least a little happy.

But clearly he wasn’t.

Shen Xiling pressed her lips together, struggling to overcome her disappointment, then managed a smile and answered: “I went out today to check on business and happened to pass by here, so I thought I’d come see you…”

This was naturally a lie – she had come specifically and waited at the entrance for two full hours.

Qi Ying also heard the untruth in her words, but he showed no reaction, merely nodding.

Shen Xiling glanced at him, thought for a moment, then asked: “Have you eaten lunch? Did it suit your taste?”

After asking, her heart felt strained.

Previously when she spoke with him, though he was also a man of few words, he would always look at her with gentle, approving eyes that seemed to encourage her to speak, always making her feel comfortable and delighted. But today that kind of look had disappeared, making him suddenly appear stern and cold, leaving her at a loss.

She heard him say: “Not yet, I was delayed earlier.”

Having said this, he had nothing more to add.

The strain in Shen Xiling’s heart became more apparent, but she didn’t give up, continuing to search for conversation: “Oh, then… has the food gone cold? If it’s cold, you shouldn’t eat it – it’s bad for your health. Yilou is nearby – shall I have them make something fresh and send it over?”

This time his response was even briefer, just saying “No need.”

Shen Xiling’s heart, which had been full when she came, seemed pierced by a thin needle and gradually deflated bit by bit.

She lowered her head, not knowing what else to say.

He had never made her feel so awkward and difficult before. He had always taken care of her, always made her feel she was favored and cherished by him.

Therefore, she actually lacked the ability to handle the current situation.

Qi Ying glanced at her, remained silent for a moment, then asked: “Did you come today because you have something to discuss with me?”

Perhaps her business had encountered some difficulty and she needed his help.

This sentence seemed to barely contain a hint of concern for her. Shen Xiling’s heart softened, her eyes grew warm, and tears almost immediately threatened to spill.

She felt that if she cried now it would look very ugly. Not wanting that, she desperately controlled herself, only looking up at him once, smiling, and saying: “No, I just… came to have a look.”

I just wanted to come see you.

I just miss you so much.

She didn’t voice these words, but her eyes knew how to speak for her tongue – so implicit yet unrevealed, so hazy and affectionate.

It was that familiar, hesitant look he knew so well.

He seemed to freeze for a moment, then looked away, saying: “Mm, in the future when there’s no business, don’t come here. Official buildings are different from other places after all.”

His words were cold, making Shen Xiling shrink back.

She didn’t know how to respond, so she could only lower her eyes and nod woodenly.

Qi Ying glanced at her, remained silent again, then said: “Since there’s nothing urgent, I’ll go first. You should head back quickly too.”

He seemed truly very busy. Having finished speaking, he appeared about to rise and leave, catching Shen Xiling somewhat off-guard.

Unable to restrain herself in the moment, she instinctively reached out to grasp his sleeve, asking with some urgency: “When will you return to Fenghe Garden?”

When can we be like before?

Qi Ying turned back to look at her, then glanced at her pale fingers grasping his sleeve. Sensing his gaze, Shen Xiling somehow suddenly released her grip.

She was stunned by her own reaction in that moment, remaining dazed for a long time. Then she looked at her hand in confusion, then at him, her expression appearing somewhat vacant.

At that moment, some emotion seemed to flash through his eyes, or perhaps not – it was hard to tell. Young Master Qi had always been obscure and difficult to understand. As long as he didn’t wish it, perhaps no one in the world could truly understand him.

He looked down at her, his expression becoming vaguely gentler – not very clearly, just a little – as he said to her: “I can’t return recently. I’ll mostly be at the office or the main residence. I’ll return after some time.”

Author’s Note: Writing this section reminded me of the first volume – these two people are always very much in love yet very conflicted. (Zhu Wei is a character mentioned before – I wonder if any angels remember~)