“Yes.” Li Hui lifted his foot to walk toward the pavilion but was pulled back by Li Jiǎo.
“Third Brother, what are you going over there for?”
“To greet Third Sister.”
Li Jiǎo wanted to speak but hesitated.
“What’s wrong, Eldest Sister?”
“If you go over now, won’t Third Sister feel embarrassed?”
“Why would she feel embarrassed?” Li Hui was completely puzzled.
Li Jiǎo pressed her lips together and said hesitantly, “Don’t you think Third Sister doesn’t treat that coachman like a coachman?”
Li Hui smiled dismissively: “That coachman was given to Third Sister by her godfather. Isn’t it natural for Third Sister to treat him differently?”
After saying this, he walked toward the pavilion. After taking a few steps, he turned back: “Eldest Sister, aren’t you coming?”
Li Jiǎo was infuriated by this foolish brother, but she couldn’t show it on her face and could only smile reluctantly: “Coming.”
Qiao Zhao heard the commotion and turned her head.
Li Hui walked into the pavilion with a smile at the corner of his mouth: “Third Sister—”
His tone paused as his gaze fell on the slightly red corners of Qiao Zhao’s eyes, and he couldn’t help but show surprise: “You’ve been crying? Did someone bully you?”
“No, I just got sand in my eyes.”
Li Jiǎo sneered inwardly.
What sand in the eyes—she had been crying.
Could it be that she felt there was no possibility with that coachman and cried from sadness?
“Eldest Sister, Third Brother, I got sand in my eyes and feel uncomfortable. I need to go back and wash them. I’ll leave first.”
“Let me escort you.”
“No need, Binglu is here. Third Brother, keep Eldest Sister company.”
Watching Qiao Zhao’s slender figure departing, Li Jiǎo bit her lip.
Now Li Third was becoming increasingly favored in the residence. It seemed that without concrete evidence placed before everyone’s eyes, others wouldn’t believe it.
She didn’t believe Li Third could keep from revealing her true nature forever.
After Qiao Zhao returned to her room, she barely touched her dinner and went straight to bed after a hasty wash.
It wasn’t very late yet, but candles had already been lit. Qiao Zhao tossed and turned in bed like a pancake being flipped.
“What’s wrong with Miss?” Outside the door, Binglu asked A’Zhu with a worried expression, speaking in a low voice.
A’Zhu shook her head.
“She’s been like this ever since meeting Chen Guang. Chen Guang must have said something that angered Miss. No, I’m going to settle accounts with him!”
Binglu angrily walked outside but was pulled back by A’Zhu: “Miss wouldn’t hold grudges against Chen Guang. Besides, it’s already dark—how would you find Chen Guang?”
Binglu immediately deflated.
But Qiao Zhao in the inner room suddenly sat up and called out: “A’Zhu, bring me a cup of water.”
A’Zhu quickly walked in: “Miss, here’s the water.”
Qiao Zhao reached out to take the water cup and drank it sip by sip, her eyes brighter than the stars in the sky.
Those bright black eyes made A’Zhu feel inexplicably panicked when she looked at them, yet the young lady’s calm gaze also settled her heart.
Qiao Zhao handed the cup back to A’Zhu: “Go rest. I’m fine.”
If she couldn’t figure out what sufficient motive Madam Mao had to harm Elder Brother, then she wouldn’t think about it. She just needed to ensure Madam Mao received punishment!
Fortunately, she had given the medicinal pill to Elder Brother early, allowing him to feign illness under the pretense of being frightened. Madam Mao shouldn’t make another move against Elder Brother for the time being.
She wondered what Shao Mingyuan would do when he learned of this matter.
Qiao Zhao had a resilient nature. Once she made up her mind, she became calm instead and soon fell into a deep sleep.
After hearing Chen Guang’s report, Shao Mingyuan pressed his thin lips tightly together and headed to Minister Kou’s residence with over ten of his guards.
At dusk, many households were already showing wisps of cooking smoke, and there were few pedestrians on the streets.
The sound of horse hooves striking the blue stone pavement created a rhythmic clatter. At the very front rode a man in white robes with black hair and an upright posture, followed by more than ten men in black clothing riding uniformly black horses, with a carriage bringing up the rear.
Though these men showed no expression and not a trace of fierceness, the unified and powerful clatter of hooves, along with their nearly identical riding postures, created an invisible but tremendous pressure on passersby.
Those hoofbeats seemed not to strike the blue stone pavement but to stamp directly on pedestrians’ hearts, causing inexplicable fear.
Pedestrians hurriedly moved aside, lowering their heads and not daring to breathe heavily. After this cavalry had passed, driven by curious nature, they craned their necks to look.
Some people discovered with surprise that the cavalry had stopped in front of the residence of the Minister of Justice.
Shao Mingyuan tilted his head and nodded slightly.
One of his guards dismounted and approached the vermilion lacquered gate to knock.
“Who is it? At this hour—” The gatekeeper opened the door just a crack and stuck half his head out. His dissatisfied muttering stopped abruptly when he saw the uniform tall horses, and his voice changed pitch: “Who goes there?”
“Marquis Guanjun has come to visit your master,” announced the guard loudly.
The gatekeeper had never seen such a formation and momentarily forgot that Marquis Guanjun was his master’s grandson-in-law. He turned and ran inside, reporting breathlessly: “This is terrible! Marquis Guanjun has come with many people and horses!”
Minister of Justice Kou Xingze had just returned from court not long ago. Being in poor spirits, he had called his eldest son Kou Bohai to drink with him.
The father and son were drinking together when they suddenly heard the gatekeeper’s report. Kou Bohai immediately stood up and headed outside.
“Stop!” Minister Kou set down his wine cup and called out.
“Father, didn’t you hear? Marquis Guanjun has come! For him to visit suddenly at this hour, there must be some important matter!”
“Bohai, who is Marquis Guanjun?”
“Marquis Guanjun? He’s the ever-victorious general personally enfeoffed by His Majesty, a figure of unparalleled prominence in the military—”
Minister Kou slowly stood up and said gravely, “You’ve forgotten that Marquis Guanjun is also my grandson-in-law, who should call you uncle.”
Kou Bohai opened and closed his mouth, then smiled awkwardly: “In my urgency, I did forget.”
After speaking, he glared at the messenger and scolded: “You can’t even speak clearly. What are you panicking about?”
Minister Kou glanced at him and said flatly, “Enough, don’t argue with a servant. You go welcome him.”
“Father, Marquis Guanjun is a junior before us. What’s there to welcome—”
“Foolish!” Minister Kou glared at his eldest son. “Just now, I was reminding you not to forget this family relationship. Now I want you to understand that even though Marquis Guanjun is our junior, his most important identity is still that of the Marquis Guanjun personally enfeoffed by His Sacred Majesty. Whether his visit at this time is official or personal business is still unclear. How can you, a fifth-rank minor official, act superior before him?”
“Father’s instruction is correct.” Kou Bohai calmed his emotions and, adopting an attitude that was casual yet appropriately respectful, went out to receive the visitor.
The vermilion gate opened, and Kou Bohai laughed heartily: “Lord Marquis has arrived! Please, quickly come in.”
Shao Mingyuan handed his reins to a nearby guard and strode over.
Behind him, more than ten black-clad guards followed in perfect unison.
Kou Bohai couldn’t help but sweep his gaze over those guards.
“I pay my respects to Uncle.” Shao Mingyuan performed a proper bow to Kou Bohai, his pair of deep black eyes calm and waveless as they swept across his face.
Though the young man before him was impeccable in his manners, Kou Bohai inexplicably felt that penetrating gaze carried bone-chilling coldness.
The sense of elder superiority brought by that address of “Uncle” immediately vanished into thin air.