Chen Guang pushed the door open and saw Shao Mingyuan sitting silently by the window.

He was turned sideways, making it impossible to clearly see his expression, yet inexplicably there seemed to be an oppressive atmosphere shrouding the surroundings.

“General—” Chen Guang suddenly regretted coming in.

The captain had tricked him! How was this “fine”?

Shao Mingyuan turned around, his gaze falling on Chen Guang, and said indifferently: “Come here.”

Chen Guang shuffled over reluctantly, steeling himself to call out “General” again.

“What is it?”

“General, have you heard about the rumors outside?”

Shao Mingyuan’s expression remained calm: “You’ve heard about it, so how could I not have?”

Chen Guang quietly breathed a sigh of relief.

So the master was unhappy about this – then he’d come at the right time!

“You came here just to ask about this? Chen Guang, ever since you became Miss Li’s coachman, you’ve become more and more idle.”

Upon hearing this, Chen Guang’s heart skipped a beat.

Oh no, the General was truly in a terrible mood!

The little coachman hurriedly demonstrated his loyalty: “General, your subordinate isn’t idle with nothing to do. It’s because Third Miss has also heard about it.”

Shao Mingyuan’s expression changed slightly, showing some embarrassment.

Why would a young lady hear about such things so quickly?

“You told Miss Li?”

Chen Guang shivered.

Why was the room so cold?

“It wasn’t me! It was Third Miss’s maidservant who heard it from outside.”

He couldn’t understand either – Third Miss’s maidservant, called A’Zhu, seemed so quiet and gentle, so how could she be such a gossip?

“Oh.” Shao Mingyuan thought for a moment and felt his reaction had been somewhat excessive.

Since he had deceived his father, he hadn’t planned to care about public opinion.

He shouldn’t care even less about a young lady’s opinion.

“General, please don’t worry. Your subordinate already asked Third Miss for you.” Chen Guang hurried to comfort him.

“Asked what?” Shao Mingyuan suddenly had an ominous premonition.

Chen Guang lowered his voice to claim credit: “Your subordinate asked Third Miss if your illness could be treated. The third Miss said she could try. General, what’s wrong with you?”

Shao Mingyuan stood up and said indifferently: “Turn around.”

Chen Guang turned around in confusion, only feeling a great force hit him before being kicked out the door by Shao Mingyuan.

With a miserable cry of “Ouch!”, Chen Guang sprawled on the ground face-first, seeing three pairs of black boots.

He slowly raised his head to see Chi Can’s mesmerizing, handsome face, with Zhu Yàn and Yang Houcheng beside him.

Chi Can crouched down halfway: “Your general lost his temper?”

“Ah.” The little coachman nodded dazedly.

Chi Can chuckled softly and walked inside.

Chen Guang: “…” He had thought Chi Gongzi was going to help him up just now. What wishful thinking!

When the three entered, they saw someone sitting ramrod straight with an ashen expression.

Chi Can couldn’t help but be amused: “Tingquan, what made you so angry?”

Hahaha, saying Shao Mingyuan was incapable? Just thinking about this gossip made him want to pound the ground laughing.

Shao Mingyuan glanced at him without speaking.

Chi Can recklessly approached: “What’s wrong exactly? Tell us about it. Aren’t we brothers? Brothers should share fortune and bear hardship together. Whatever difficulties you encounter, don’t bear them alone.”

Zhu Yàn and Yang Houcheng simultaneously touched their noses.

Such brothers were better left unwanted.

“Tingquan, we heard some gossip, so we came to check on you,” Zhu Yàn said.

“It’s just an unimportant, trivial matter,” Shao Mingyuan replied.

“That’s good then.”

But Chi Can wasn’t satisfied, smiling as he glanced at Shao Mingyuan: “Tingquan, tell the truth – are you actually capable or not?”

Shao Mingyuan leaned back in his chair, raised an eyebrow slightly, and asked with unruffled composure: “Are you hoping I’m capable, or incapable?”

Chi Can’s mouth fell open and didn’t close for a long time.

When honest people became shameless, it was truly deadly!

“I’m officially moving in three days,” Shao Mingyuan announced.

Yang Houcheng smiled, showing his white teeth: “Excellent! You should have moved long ago. That marquis’ residence of yours isn’t as comfortable as staying in an inn.”

Zhu Yàn nodded in agreement.

“Remember to come drink that day. I still have some matters to attend to now, so I won’t keep you.”

Shao Mingyuan returned to the Marquis Jing’an’s residence and brought up the move to the marquis’s couple.

Marquis Jing’an was somewhat surprised: “So urgent?”

Lady Shen was directly annoyed: “Moving? I know – you find the morning and evening greetings troublesome, so you want to move out early to live freely, right?”

“Mother is overthinking.”

Lady Shen sneered: “I’m overthinking? Then why are you so anxiously eager to move out? You unfilial son, you stayed in the Northern Territories for so many years, and after returning for just a few days, home can’t keep you anymore!”

“Mother, the Marquis Guanjun’s residence is a mansion bestowed by His Majesty. Now that it’s been renovated, if I don’t move, I’m afraid it would displease His Majesty.”

Hearing Shao Mingyuan bring up the Emperor, Lady Shen couldn’t say much more, saying bitterly: “Then do as you please.”

Three days later.

Marquis Jing’an asked Lady Shen, “Madam, the second son is moving into the Marquis Guanjun’s residence today. Have you prepared housewarming items?”

“I’ve prepared them. Why is the Marquis so concerned about such small matters? Am I such an inconsiderate person?” Lady Shen said indifferently.

Marquis Jing’an smiled awkwardly: “I was just asking casually.”

The man manages external affairs while the woman manages internal ones – he shouldn’t have asked about this by rights. It’s just that he was clear about his wife’s attitude toward his second son, so he couldn’t help asking.

“The Marquis can rest assured. The gift I prepared for second son will make him happy,” Lady Shen said meaningfully.

She had prepared an unforgettable grand gift for Shao Mingyuan, just waiting for the moment of revelation to make him “happy.”

The Marquis Guanjun’s residence was unusually lively today. Not only did Chi Can and the other two come, but Shao Jingyuan and Shao Xiyuan also arrived. Adding the recovered Qiao Mo, everyone filled a table. Even Chen Guang had specially requested leave from Qiao Zhao to come join the festivities.

After three rounds of wine, Shao Jingyuan spoke: “Second brother, congratulations. To become a master of a residence at such a young age makes the elder brother quite envious.”

Chi Can frowned upon hearing this.

The heir of Marquis Jing’an’s words sounded rather sour.

Shao Mingyuan smiled faintly: “Elder brother will have such a day sooner or later, too.”

“Uh, right, that rosewood box tied with red silk was brought by my mother’s orders as a housewarming gift for you. Mother instructed me to tell you – I nearly forgot after drinking.”

Shao Mingyuan looked toward the rosewood box sitting quietly on the table.

Mother would send him a gift?

“What is it, using such fine rosewood box to contain it?” Chi Can got up and picked up the rosewood box, weighing it in his hands. “Not too heavy. Tingquan, shall I open it?”

That old witch wasn’t anything good, always being harsh to Tingquan. He wanted to see what it was.

“Mm.” Shao Mingyuan didn’t object.

That Lady Shen would send a gift was already beyond Shao Mingyuan’s expectations. In his thinking, at most it would be some valuable but insincere items.

Chi Can opened the rosewood box and couldn’t help being stunned, murmuring: “Why are there so many letters?”