It was precisely the season when grass grew and orioles flew. People heading out for spring outings came in waves, one after another. The ten-mile peach blossom forest in Tongzhou was renowned far and wide, especially favored among various scenic spots. Even the rest pavilion at the foot of the mountain had no empty seats left.
Han Zhi, who had just stirred up a scandal, seemed utterly oblivious to the clamor. Turning a deaf ear to the bustle outside, he focused wholeheartedly on holding a book in one hand and chess pieces in the other, playing against himself.
He had sat quietly for barely a moment when a handsome-looking man with a gold-embroidered belt around his waist sat down beside him with practiced familiarity. Casually picking up Han Zhi’s teacup and taking a sip, his tone carried intimacy and casualness: “What, now that Wei Yanjun is dead, you’re this heartbroken? You’ve kept things cold and quiet around you these two years. Don’t tell me it’s to observe national mourning.”
Han Zhi casually set down the book in his hand and looked up at him. Some emotion flooded his eyes, but quickly he lowered his head again: “Why did you come?”
“Why couldn’t I come? I’m not like I was in the old days. Do you think I’m still that young master who commanded servants and was tightly controlled by his family?” He gave a scornful laugh, his eyes fixed tightly on Han Zhi: “Thanks to you and that certain highness, I’m now a merchant who even has to forge household registration documents.”
Han Zhi pressed his lips together. His usually expressionless face actually showed some guilt and restraint. The chess piece in his hand unconsciously dropped without him realizing it. Only when he saw the person beside him about to leave did he hurriedly stand up and grab him, calling out with infinite tenderness: “A-Run!”
Zhang Run ultimately stopped in his tracks, his back to Han Zhi for a long while without uttering a word.
Seeing him stop, Han Zhi breathed a sigh of relief inwardly and lowered himself even further: “A-Run, you know my heart has never changed. If Wei Yanjun weren’t your person, I wouldn’t have touched him at all.”
“What’s the point of telling me this now?” Zhang Run suddenly turned his head to look at him, making Han Zhi retreat several steps before coldly pointing at him and demanding: “My family is already destroyed—you’re telling me this now?!”
Han Zhi pressed his lips and lowered his head, yet his hand gripped Zhang Run’s arm tightly without the slightest relaxation: “Your father, he only lost his position. He didn’t have to die originally.”
Hearing him mention Zhang Yuan, Zhang Run grew even more furious. He flung off his hand with such force that the veins on his neck stood out clearly one by one: “But losing his position made life worse than death for him! You said we’d be together long and well, said you’d eventually find a way to make my father agree—was this the method you came up with?! Having me go traveling and studying beforehand while secretly conspiring with the Palace Attendants Bureau to expose the Songjiang cloth affair. Don’t think I don’t know—they send up the same things every year. How much silver has the Palace Attendants Bureau taken? Yet last year they suddenly couldn’t help but expose it?! Han Zhi, do you really take me for a fool?!”
Han Zhi sighed softly and moved before Zhang Run, staring at him without blinking: “If I took you for a fool, I would have pushed all responsibility away completely. Back then I truly did make efforts. My father also hinted more than once for him to turn to our side. But he was devoted heart and soul to Prince Gong—there was really no solution. You know I couldn’t play any role in between. My father and that person in the Eastern Palace—who would listen to me?”
“Your words make me sick!” Zhang Run sneered repeatedly: “Don’t make it sound so nice. You couldn’t play any role? Were the words you extracted from my sister few? The connections and inside information you got from me—were those few? If you hadn’t tricked me into revealing evidence of my father privately violating the maritime ban to smuggle tribute textiles overseas for sale, could they have executed this matter so smoothly?!”
Han Zhi’s lips moved, but ultimately he lowered his head without saying anything.
In fact, he had nothing good to say. Extracting information from Zhang Run was a fact. Through Zhang Run and Zhang Han, he had indeed provided Zhou Weiqi with considerable intelligence. Now that the entire Zhang family had fallen, Han Zhengqing was still scrambling to distance himself from them.
Earlier when he made excuses for himself, Zhang Run felt angry. Now that he had nothing to say, Zhang Run felt even more sorrowful. Thinking of his always kind and affectionate mother and his perpetually gentle sister, his heart felt as if a thousand knives were stabbing it.
How could he have been so bewitched as to fall for someone like Han Zhi?! How could he have gone against his conscience and had an affair with his sister’s fiancé?!
His fist clenched so tightly, bit by bit pressing into his flesh. Yet he felt no pain at all. With blurred eyes, he smiled bitterly and asked: “Why did you still let me live? If I had died, wouldn’t you all sleep even more soundly?”
He actually knew why—Zhou Weiqi probably wished nothing more than for him to die and be done with it. But Han Zhi was different. After all, they had spent three or four years together intimately at the academy. Though Han Zhi was rotten to the core, ultimately he still had a trace of reluctance.
Han Zhi indeed sat back down again, reaching out to grasp Zhang Run’s hand: “A-Run, I won’t let you die. As long as I still have a day to live, I absolutely won’t let you die.”
Zhang Run still withdrew his hand, though the resentment on his face had diminished considerably: “Even if you won’t let me die, so what? Back when I was still the Zhang family’s eldest young master, we were already impossible. Much less now that I’m just a merchant with forged household registration documents. Madam Han could crush me with one raised hand.”
He looked at Han Zhi, who remained silent and somewhat changed in expression, then shifted his tone: “Moreover, if I’m not mistaken, His Highness and Madam Han are both urging you to marry now, aren’t they? Given your Han family’s disposition, how low could the family status of your bride be? If she knew about our relationship, could she tolerate me? How do you plan to arrange for me in the future—the same as Wei Yanjun?”
This sentence touched Han Zhi’s heart. He hurriedly defended himself: “How could I treat you the same as him?! Rest assured, I already have a plan. I guarantee she’ll obediently serve as a shield in front of us.”
“You take me for a three-year-old child?!” Zhang Run laughed: “A noble lady from an aristocratic family would be willing to serve as our shield, letting us live freely and happily?”
At least he was no longer dwelling on the Zhang family matter, turning instead to worry about the future. This was better than holding onto resentment about the Zhang family and being unable to let go.
Han Zhi breathed a sigh of relief, gripping Zhang Run’s hand tightly without relaxing for even a moment: “Naturally others wouldn’t, but the one I’ve set my sights on now will definitely be willing to serve as our shield. You can rest assured. Give me some time and I’ll make proper arrangements. When the time comes, even she herself will be willing, and my family will have no reason to pursue our affairs.”