Li Shiyan was sleeping soundly. After Su Ziluo covered him with a light blanket, he went out.

He ordered Qi’er to close the door!

“Young Master, where are you going?”

“To the study.”

“Yes.”

Qi’er pushed him to the study and poured him a cup of hot tea.

Su Ziluo usually liked to stay in the study. At this moment, the desk still had books he hadn’t finished reading before. Qi’er had always been meticulous in her care, so the pages were still open to where he had last read.

With an exquisite bookmark placed in between!

Over these years, he was truly fortunate to have Qi’er.

“Young Master, then Qi’er won’t disturb you. I’ll wait outside.”

He gave a sound of acknowledgment!

After Qi’er left, he flipped through the book in front of him and read a few lines, but his thoughts gradually drifted elsewhere.

A gentle breeze from outside the window entered through the window, softly sweeping across his melancholy face.

It made one feel very comfortable.

Yet involuntarily, he let out a deep sigh, and his thoughts were unintentionally pulled to very distant places…

Five years ago, he had returned to Qujiang from that land of Dalin, covered in blood.

Lie’er’s death remained the greatest knot in his heart.

He would never forget the look in Lie’er’s eyes when he died—so despairing, so agonizing. Whenever he thought of it, it was as if knives were peeling away his flesh layer by layer, cutting him bloody and mangled, making it impossible for him to breathe for a long time. That kind of torment was probably unbearable for ordinary people.

Yet he had endured it for five years!

Apart from Qi’er by his side, no one knew how he had passed these five years.

The events of those days were scars in his heart, memories he could never erase for his entire life.

The gentle breeze outside the window suddenly turned cold, making his bones involuntarily shiver.

His thoughts also cleared!

Yet unknowingly, tears had filled his eyes.

But he didn’t know whether those tears were cold?

Or hot?

At this moment, he had no more heart to continue reading. He simply closed the book and rested in the wheelchair.

…

Su Manor was entirely quiet, but at this moment, Kangding Marquis Manor made people break out in cold sweat.

The servants who had gone out to search for the Young Master had all returned empty-handed.

After all, Li Shiyan was riding a horse, and who knew where he had actually gone? They had searched all the teahouses Li Shiyan usually frequented and all the places those dissolute young masters loved to gather, but they hadn’t found even a trace of him.

Worried that the Marquis would be anxious, they could only return first to report.

They were counting on Little Lu Zi to quickly bring the Young Master back.

When the manor’s steward learned of this, he began scolding those people: “What exactly have you been doing? Don’t you know what day today is? If the Young Master isn’t here, what will this look like?”

The Minister of Rites was visiting!

And he had even brought his own daughter personally for the matchmaking meeting!

This showed great respect for the Kangding Marquis. But if Li Shiyan wasn’t present, wouldn’t that be equivalent to slapping the Minister of Rites across the face?

Truly a warm face pressed against a cold backside!

If word of this got out afterward, wouldn’t people laugh at them?

The steward became anxious and scolded them several more times in succession.

Finally, he asked: “Who usually serves in the Young Master’s courtyard?”

A young lad walked over, lowering his head very low, responding timidly: “Head Steward, I’m the one who serves there.”

“Tell me, how exactly do you do your job? Why couldn’t you even keep watch over the Young Master? We already gave instructions yesterday that Minister Zhu would be visiting the manor today, and no matter what, you had to keep a good watch on the Young Master. And what did you do? You still let the Young Master go out, and now we can’t find him. In a while, the Marquis will definitely hold each of you accountable!”

“This has nothing to do with us. We were already watching closely in the courtyard. It was…”

“It was what?”

“It was Little Lu Zi who secretly helped. He said the Young Master wanted to bathe and told us all to guard outside. I thought… probably because he was going to meet guests, the Young Master wanted to dress up, so I went out. Who knew that in the blink of an eye, both the Young Master and Little Lu Zi had disappeared.”

In the end, Little Lu Zi was the accomplice, and he should be the one punished most severely!

Hearing this, the steward was both angry and anxious.

Watching as time passed minute by minute and the Young Master was still nowhere to be seen, he couldn’t punish people at this critical moment. Finally, he said: “Fine, you all hurry and continue searching. No matter how long it takes, and no matter what methods you use, you must quickly find him and bring him here. Go quickly!”

“Yes!”

The servants were frightened and anxious, breaking out in cold sweat all over. They quickly called for more hands to continue the search.

But just as they left the door, they saw Little Lu Zi returning.

The lead servant, upon seeing him, immediately rushed forward and grabbed his clothes tightly.

He demanded loudly: “You still know to come back? You’ve really harmed us terribly.”

If it weren’t for Little Lu Zi’s help, Li Shiyan wouldn’t have had the opportunity to run out.

Little Lu Zi quickly put on an apologetic smile and said: “Didn’t I just follow the Young Master’s orders? When the master commands, how could I dare not comply?”

“Then why did you come back alone? Where’s the Young Master?”

“The Young Master is currently at Master Su’s manor!”

“At Master Su’s manor? Then… then why didn’t you drag the Young Master back? Don’t you know the manor is entertaining distinguished guests right now? What are we supposed to do without the Young Master?”

Little Lu Zi said with a reassured expression: “Just rest easy. Master Su personally said he wanted to teach the Young Master some knowledge and told me to come back and report to the Marquis.”

Everyone in the manor knew that the Kangding Marquis desperately hoped Su Ziluo would teach Li Shiyan something, lest he inherit the title in the future knowing nothing and disgrace the Li family name.

Everyone now looked at each other!

Although the Marquis desperately wanted Master Su to provide instruction, on this particular occasion today…

Wasn’t it somewhat inappropriate?

Little Lu Zi was too lazy to continue this awkward conversation with them and quickly went to tell this matter to the manor’s steward.

When the steward heard this, his expression stiffened for a few seconds, then he went to tell this matter to the Marquis who was receiving guests in the great hall.

But seeing the Marquis chatting happily with Minister Zhu, he waited at the doorway for a moment.

The Kangding Marquis was usually a very talkative person, and in Qujiang’s court, he frequently associated with numerous officials. Through these comings and goings, they were quite familiar with each other.

However, what worried him most in his heart was still his own son!

He himself had good connections in the official circles, but Li Shiyan was unruly and uneducated, just waiting to inherit his title in the future and become a lazy parasite who did nothing.

Therefore, the Kangding Marquis had no choice but to resolve Li Shiyan’s marriage matter during these two years while he could still maintain his foundation in the court!

After much deliberation, he finally locked his target onto the daughter of the Minister of Rites. The two families could truly be called well-matched, and the ages of the two children were also suitable. The Zhu family could help his son’s official career in the future.

It was the best choice!

So, the Kangding Marquis made the arrangements!