Chen Baoxiang was a martial officer of the Bureau of Regulatory Affairs. She had been dispatched to assist with grain collection, and in the course of her duties she had uncovered the matter of Xiao Hui Money House’s illegal land seizures — by reason and by logic, she ought to have informed Zhang Zhixu.

And Zhang Zhixu was a man who could not tolerate the slightest impropriety. Now that he knew of the Lu Family’s shady dealings, if he wanted to continue the investigation, he naturally had to make the matter blow up.

Looking at the whole process from start to finish, Chen Baoxiang had done nothing unreasonable whatsoever.

Yet Xie Lanting looked her up and down and still felt something was off.

A sheltered flower vase with no knowledge of the world who had come from the countryside — how could she be the one to weave everything together before and behind the scenes, getting things done so precisely and smoothly? It gave him the feeling of having been made use of.

“Where is Fengqing?” He turned to ask Jiuquan.

“In reply to the official — my master will be returning to the capital today.”

“Find a free moment and let me know. I’ll bring him wine.”

“Yes.”

With Fengqing’s standing behind it, even if Xie Lanting still harbored suspicions, he would first see the matter through properly.

After seeing Jiuquan and Chen Baoxiang off, he began sorting through the evidence.

Fengqing handled things with meticulous care. The accounts of Xiao Hui Money House and tampered loan contracts and other evidence had all been catalogued. The money house’s illegal seizure and sale of land was an incontrovertible fact, but the evidence directly linking Xiao Hui Money House to the Lu Family — aside from Lu Huan as the hidden proprietor behind it — was not direct or clear enough.

Xie Lanting stroked the account books in contemplation. He had just been about to instruct someone to continue gathering evidence when he heard his attendant report: “Young Master, the young lady of the Lu Family has sent a calling card — she says she wishes to invite you to the Leyou Plain to admire the flowers.”

Lu Qingrong had been sending him calling cards frequently these past days — at times asking him to accompany her on a stroll, at times to go boating on the lake with her.

His official duties kept him busy, and whatever remaining time he had he mostly spent at ease in Chunfeng Tower. He had not that many free hours to wait on a young mistress, so he had declined every single one.

But right now…

Xie Lanting stroked that calling card adorned with dried orchids, and slowly curled the corners of his mouth upward. “Very well — I’ll head over now.”

The Leyou Plain was lush and vibrant with the colors of spring. Young men and young women were dressed in brilliant, vivid clothes as they strolled and enjoyed themselves, laughing and teasing one another — a lively and cheerful scene.

Lu Qingrong moved among them, yet was in no good mood.

The Li and Zhou Families had smoothly settled their betrothal. Sun Fuyu had leapt from being the daughter of an idle official to become the prospective daughter-in-law of a high-ranking official of the Three Departments. Everyone in the social circle was envious without exception, and they had all begun discussing their own marriage prospects.

Cen Xuanyue went without saying — her family background was impressive and she herself was exceptional. Even without marrying, she was already a remarkable figure among her peers.

Lin Guilan currently had three families making inquiries, and whichever one she chose would at minimum ensure a comfortable life free from want.

And she herself…

Lu Qingrong bit her lip.

She had someone she cared for, but that person was truly so very busy. Every time she mustered the courage to invite him, he would send back a long letter, laying out in detail what he was occupied with — it all appeared so sincere and attentive.

— And yet the result was still that he would not come out. Seven or eight times in a row, and not once was he free.

She wanted to be angry at him, but seven or eight long letters, each different from the last — no matter how she looked at it, they did not seem like brushing her off.

She tried to be understanding, yet her heart simmered with irritation.

At just this moment, Wei Qingzhao came over without any sense of the situation and asked, “Elder Sister Lu, what did Master Xie say?”

What could he have said? Most likely he was busy again.

Lu Qingrong squeezed out a smile with great effort. “Let’s go take a look at those brocade carp brought from the foreign lands. I’ve heard the largest one weighs twenty catties.”

“Could it be that Master Xie has taken up with a new lover?” Wei Qingzhao puzzled aloud. “We’ve been out so many times and he hasn’t come to accompany you even once?”

Lu Qingrong’s expression darkened. She turned and walked on her own toward the brocade carp pond.

If he didn’t come, then he didn’t come. Her father was about to be promoted — with a family standing like hers, what kind of man could she not find? Why did it have to be this Xie Lanting?

At Chen Baoxiang’s housewarming banquet, it was clearly him who had first shown interest in her — and it was also clearly him who had reached out to contact her privately first. How had it turned into her being the one waiting earnestly on him?

The more she thought about it, the more indignant she grew. Lu Qingrong grabbed a handful of fish food and hurled it into the pond. The force was so great that the jade bead bracelet on her wrist flew off along with it.

That bracelet had just been purchased from Wanbao Tower — a very expensive piece of jade!

Lu Qingrong’s pupils contracted sharply. On instinct she reached out to catch it, but there was no railing at the edge of the brocade carp pond, and the stones near the water were smooth and slippery. Her body lurched to one side and she was about to tumble in along with it.

“Careful.” A sturdy arm swept across and caught her at the waist.

Lu Qingrong looked up in a daze, and saw that string of jade green beads fall onto the lean and slender fingertips of the person who had come, while she herself was lifted up in his arms.

Silver-embroidered lapels pressed against her nose. The scent of ink and books mingled with a faint fragrance of peach blossom, and it enveloped her in an instant. Her waist was held in his grip — his broad, warm palm blazing with heat — separated only by a thin spring garment, and even through that layer her skin flinched at the warmth.

Looking up further, Lu Qingrong saw him clearly.

His gaze was like still autumn water; his bearing cut like spring mist rendered into silk. A form of jade, radiant and refined; a presence like translucent jade, graceful and unhurried. People all said Zhang Zhixu was like an elegant orchid and jade tree, but she felt that the Xie Lanting before her was the one whose beauty was truly moving — his alluring eyes were filled with flowing spring colors, and one glance alone was enough to steal away a person’s soul.

Compared to that cold and aloof Zhang Second Young Master who kept people a thousand miles away, he was incomparably better.

The people nearby gathered around to pay their respects. “Master Xie.”

Xie Lanting smiled only at her, his gaze deep and tender. “How can you be so careless with yourself.”

The grievance and anger from before dissolved in an instant. Lu Qingrong straightened herself and said, stumbling over her words: “You — you, how did you come?”

“The great young lady of the Lu Family has given her summons — how would I dare not to come?” He snapped open his fan with a smile, and gracefully offered greetings to those around them.

His robes fell in loose, flowing lines, and his manner was free and easy — as though this Leyou Plain were not some place of noble refinement, but merely a wild stretch of land beyond the city outskirts.

Lu Qingrong was utterly captivated.

But she worried that being so easily pleased would make her seem cheap, so she feigned displeasure and turned to walk in the other direction.

The person behind her followed, and said with a smile, “Well now — you invite me here, and then ignore me?”

“The official is busy with many affairs. This lowly one fears being a burden.”

“It is true that I’ve been rather busy — but if I were to neglect a beautiful woman, would I not end up alone for the rest of my life?” He drew close to her side, the corners of his mouth lifting.

Lu Qingrong’s heart — with no dignity whatsoever — raced wildly once again.

Was this his way of proposing to her? Was he saying he would take no one but her?

And yet, the only son of the illustrious Dongrong Manor — how could he truly end up alone in life?

“Hmm.” Xie Lanting shifted his shoulder with a slight furrow of his brow.

Lu Qingrong stopped thinking about anything else and immediately asked, “What’s wrong?”

“Half a month of unbroken toil over documents and paperwork, not sleeping properly — I’m genuinely quite exhausted.” He sat down in a pavilion nearby, and a tiredness suddenly welled up in his eyes.

He was this worn out, yet the moment he heard one word from her, he came rushing over at once.

Lu Qingrong’s brows softened, and she suddenly felt both remorseful and glad.

Remorseful that she had been so inconsiderate of him, still doubting his sincerity all along. And glad — because it seemed that she truly did hold a very important place in Xie Lanting’s heart.