The Court of Imperial Sacrifices!

This time, Wen Che had truly kept his word and fulfilled his promise, finding a good position for Luoyang.

Wen Yu and Shu Tian on the side were both stunned. Officials at the Court of Imperial Sacrifices were generally scholars, or else people with genuine ability and talent, or those transferred from the Ministry of Rites. One had to know that the Court of Imperial Sacrifices presided over rituals and sacrificial ceremonies—they served the court directly. If even the slightest error occurred, it could be a life-threatening matter. Not everyone could bear such responsibility. Yet Luoyang, with his careless nature, flamboyant personality, and explosive temper—where was he someone fit to be an official at the Court of Imperial Sacrifices? Even assigning him to guard the city gates seemed inappropriate.

Wen Yu asked in surprise, “Brother, when did you arrange this?”

“I’ve been working on it all along.”

“But…”

“Now it’s all arranged!”

Wen Yu’s expression became extremely unpleasant.

He was truly worried. After all, if Luoyang went to the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, it would be equivalent to the Wen family recommending him. If something went wrong, everyone in the Wen family would suffer the consequences!

Luoyang hadn’t expected such good fortune to suddenly fall into his lap—he had thought there was no hope at all.

He also didn’t know whether this position was good or bad.

But he didn’t seem to care much! With Ji Yunshu having left Yanjing City, he felt like he had lost his life’s purpose, completely uncertain what his next step should be. He even felt there was no necessity for him to remain in Yanjing City anymore, since the main reason he had come here in the first place was because of Ji Yunshu.

Wen Che carefully observed his expression and was surprised to see him hesitating. Such a good official position—anyone would want it. What was this boy hesitating about? He frowned slightly and asked, “What, you don’t want to go to the Court of Imperial Sacrifices?”

Luoyang swallowed, his face full of conflict.

“If you don’t want it, you can say so directly. I’ll find something else for you.”

“It’s not that I don’t want it, I… let me think about it.”

“Fine, you can take your time considering. Since I’ve already promised you, I absolutely won’t go back on my word.”

Luoyang waved his hand. “Alright then, I’ll let you know when I’ve decided. I’m leaving now.”

Leaving these words, he departed.

Once he left, Wen Yu asked in confusion, “Brother, have you gone mad? You’ve always been prudent in your affairs—how could you send him to the Court of Imperial Sacrifices? What if something goes wrong?”

Wen Che remained calm, his attitude firm. “He saved you. Like Miss Ji, he’s our benefactor. It’s only right that I help him. I can’t really send him to guard the city gates, can I?”

“Sending him to guard the city gates would already be too generous.” “That boy injured you back in Nansai. I also truly wished I could have killed him that day to avenge you. But afterward, if not for him, your life would have been lost, and Prince Jing’an’s remains would have decomposed. Our entire Wen family would have faced execution.”

Wen Che explained to him.

Wen Yu’s emotions gradually calmed, though he still worried. “But Luoyang’s temperament is completely unsuited for the Court of Imperial Sacrifices. Brother, what’s your purpose in planning this?”

“There’s no purpose.”

“Then…”

“Don’t ask anymore. I just want to help him. But whether he accepts or not in the end is up to him.”

Therefore, Wen Yu stood up with a flick of his sleeves. “Since you’ve said this, I won’t ask anymore. I have some business at the Ministry of Revenue—I’ll be going.”

With that, he left.

Shu Tian watched his departing figure, then turned to ask Wen Che, “Master, this subordinate also can’t understand why you’re arranging for Luoyang to go to the Court of Imperial Sacrifices?”

Wen Che didn’t want to say more and only replied, “I’ve already said—there’s no other meaning.”

“…Yes.”

Shu Tian didn’t ask anything further.

…

After leaving the Su residence, Luoyang wandered the streets like a soulless person until his stomach rumbled with hunger, then he found an inn and went inside.

A waiter with a towel draped over his shoulder came up to him. “Customer, what would you like to eat?”

“Bring out all the good wine and dishes.”

“Right away!” He found an empty table and sat down, lifting one foot directly onto the stool—his rogue-like manner fully on display. He reached into the bamboo container to pull out a pair of chopsticks and jabbed them hard against the table several times, telling the waiter to quickly bring a pot of wine. As he drank, his eyes also wandered around in all directions.

Just then, people were discussing the courtesan selection!

“Wonder who will win this year’s courtesan competition.” A burly man said while eating meat, talking to those around him. “We’d all better keep our eyes wide open and watch carefully.” “Just look around the city now—young ladies everywhere! Each one looking like a peach, those faces oval-shaped and rosy-white. Just looking at them makes one’s heart flutter.” The thin man beside him stuck out his tongue and licked it several times as he spoke, displaying a salivating, lecherous appearance.

That manner truly made one want to slap him hard across the face!

“How could those beautiful women possibly look at the likes of us?”

“Exactly, they probably wouldn’t even glance our way. Who told us to be poor?”

At least they had some self-awareness.

A young, handsome fellow said, “By the way, on the first day of the courtesan selection, it seems Miss Hua Zheng will also appear?”

Mentioning that Miss Hua Zheng, everyone’s eyes lit up.

Back then, the entire Yanjing City had been stirred up because of her!

Acclaimed as the foremost beauty!

Everyone envied her.

Someone said, “Seems she’ll come, but this past year, who knows what’s happened—that Miss Hua Zheng seems to have disappeared without a trace.”

“I know someone who said he went to Cuiyue Pavilion to find Miss Hua Zheng, but Red Matchmaker said she was ill and couldn’t make appearances. But it’s been a whole year—no matter how ill, she should have recovered by now!”

“I heard that too. This past year, Red Matchmaker has turned away gifts from who knows how many wealthy young masters. Tell me, who pushes silver away like that?”

…

Those people grew more animated as they talked.

Luoyang also pricked up his ears to listen.

The words he heard most were about how beautiful that Miss Hua Zheng was, how devastatingly gorgeous, how she made all men’s hearts flutter…

At this, he smiled slightly, softly uttering a sentence under his breath: “No matter how beautiful, how beautiful could she be?”

Could she be more beautiful than Ji Yunshu?

Thinking this, the waiter brought up the dishes—fish and meat. He was about to start eating when he suddenly saw a veiled woman coming down the stairs. Her steps were light, her figure slender. Even with her face covered, one glance at those eyes showed they were exceptionally lovely. Between her brows and eyes flowed a gentle aura, like a lotus unstained by mud, making one’s heart suddenly skip a beat. Though just one glance, he found it somewhat familiar, as if she were…

Ji Yunshu?

Luoyang had seen Ji Yunshu wearing a veil before!

Although those eyes and that brow didn’t bear perfect resemblance, there were indeed some similarities.

He quickly dropped his chopsticks and followed after her.

Thinking, what if it really was Ji Yunshu!

Perhaps she hadn’t left Yanjing at all.

The woman who came down from upstairs didn’t leave the inn but walked toward the inn’s back courtyard.

Luoyang followed behind her.

The woman’s walking gait wasn’t like Ji Yunshu’s.

It probably… wasn’t her!

But he still held onto that tiny shred of hope.

Liu Yunyan sensed someone seemed to be following her. Her steps halted abruptly as she turned to look, meeting Luoyang’s gaze directly. Her heart trembled, her brow furrowing, very frightened. “You… who are you? Why are you following me?”

Hearing this voice, he negated his assumption.

The hope that had just ignited was immediately extinguished!

He quickly said, “Um, I mistook you for someone else.”

“Mistook me?”

She didn’t believe it!

“You’re very similar to a friend I know. The first time I saw her, she was also wearing a veil.”

Liu Yunyan looked at him dubiously, her beautiful eyes staring straight at him. The stare made Luoyang extremely embarrassed. For a moment, he didn’t know how to resolve the situation. Pulling at the corners of his mouth in a smile, he said, “Um, don’t misunderstand—I really don’t mean anything by it. I’m not some scoundrel. I’m a decent person! It’s just because you resemble her too much.”

“I didn’t say you were a scoundrel. Don’t overthink it.”

“Then… I won’t disturb you further.”

Liu Yunyan nodded slightly.

Luoyang scratched his head, then turned and left. Liu Yunyan stood in place, staring blankly for several moments until her maid came out from the kitchen. Seeing her, she quickly asked, “Miss, why did you come here? This servant is still brewing your medicine—it will be ready soon! The poison in your body has only just been neutralized. You should quickly return to bed and lie down.”

She shook her head. “I’m fine. I saw Yunzhu was missing and came out to look for her.”

“Isn’t Second Miss in her room?”

“She’s not.” Liu Yunyan became somewhat worried. “That child just loves excitement—I hope nothing happens to her.” “This servant will go find Uncle Qiao right away and have him search.”