The room was filled with the stunned gazes of the official young ladies.

Just moments ago, Ziyang Jun had been leaning against the bed with a serious expression, but now he suddenly stood up. His dark eyes glinted with a fierce intensity as he shot a glance at Cheng Xu, then reached for the outer robe draped nearby, throwing it over his shoulders as he strode out.

“Your Highness, your injury…”

As if he hadn’t heard, Jiang Xuanjin stepped out the door. The wind whipped his azure brocade robe around him. He quickly gathered the robe and tied the belt neatly, coldly asking, “Where is it?”

“Chongde Street.” Cheng Xu hurried to keep up with him, explaining, “When Lingxiu returned, Madam was still confronting someone. She doesn’t know how things are now.”

Lingxiu returned alone? Jiang Xuanjin frowned, a flicker of anger igniting in his heart.

As a servant, how could she abandon her master and leave first? Bai Zhujing might have some skills, but as she said, they were merely rudimentary. If she encountered real trouble, she wouldn’t be able to handle it!

His heart tightened, and he quickened his pace, directly summoning a horse. He mounted swiftly, grasped the reins, and galloped toward Chongde Street.

Along the way, he felt anxious and restless, forcing himself to think positively. What if it was just a few local ruffians? Then she should be able to handle it.

However, when he reined in the horse in front of a clothing store, Jiang Xuanjin glanced sideways and felt his heart sink.

The shop entrance was in disarray; decorative vases lay shattered on the ground, faint traces of blood visible among the debris. A long wooden beam used to close the door was askew, and inside, it was dark and unclear, but the sounds of fighting had ceased.

Had he arrived too late?

Staring at the bloodstains for a moment, Jiang Xuanjin dismounted and stepped over the shards of porcelain to enter.

Many garments were strewn haphazardly across the floor, the curtains hanging from the beams had been torn, the counter was toppled, and the racks for hanging clothes were broken. There was no longer a place to step without treading on something. He looked down, his breath growing shallow.

“Zhujing?”

He couldn’t see anyone in sight. He pressed his lips together, scanning the surroundings, and softly called again, “Bai Zhujing!”

There was a rustling sound behind the fallen counter. Jiang Xuanjin’s eyes brightened, and he turned to look, only to see a shopkeeper rising unsteadily, trembling as he stared at him.

“Where is she?” His eyes darkened, and he frowned in displeasure.

The shopkeeper didn’t understand who he was asking about and stammered, “I don’t know anything… Out of nowhere, someone barged in and caused trouble for the Madam. Oh, my shop…”

“Then where is the Madam?” he snapped.

The shopkeeper shook his head, having been hiding, how could he see anything?

Jiang Xuanjin grew anxious, a sense of anger swelling within him. He searched the shop twice, just as he was about to explode, when Cheng Xu called out from the entrance, “Your Highness!”

He turned back to see Bai Zhujing leaning against Cheng Xu, her clothes and hair in disarray, baring her teeth in distress.

His pupils constricted, and he strode out, supporting her as he asked, “Are you hurt?”

She nestled into his embrace, her voice muffled, “I’m alive. Just scared out of my wits.”

A person who feared nothing was trembling in his arms? Jiang Xuanjin inhaled sharply, gently patting her back, “Let’s go home.”

“Okay.”

The usually talkative Bai Zhujing was unusually quiet today, clinging to him tightly, her fingers gripping his clothing with a fierce intensity.

Jiang Xuanjin’s expression was grim as he rode back to the residence, without a word he closed the door and dismissed the guests. He then placed her by the bedside and quietly asked, “Where are you hurt?”

Li Huaiyu, looking aggrieved, rolled up her sleeve to show him the bruises, pouting, “I could have handled it, but there were four of them. Two fists can’t fight four hands; it infuriates me!”

Her hands were already not in perfect condition, and now there were more bruises, but fortunately, there was no blood. Jiang Xuanjin stood up to fetch some bruise ointment, rubbing it on her while asking, “Did you see what they looked like?”

Huaiyu shook her head, “All four were masked. Their skills were decent, but I don’t know why they came to trouble me. Lingxiu and I were just looking at clothes. We didn’t provoke anyone.”

Pausing in his movements, Jiang Xuanjin lowered his gaze, “You are the Ziyang Jun’s wife.”

Even if she hadn’t provoked anyone, it was inevitable that someone would want to make trouble for her.

“I thought in broad daylight, no one would be so bold, but there are people who dare to commit violence in the streets,” Huaiyu muttered.

Looking at the large bruises, Jiang Xuanjin’s tone turned harsh, “I told you to take Yufeng with you, but you didn’t.”

“Yufeng is a man, no matter how skilled he is, it’s inconvenient for him to follow me everywhere,” Huaiyu pouted. “I should find a skilled maid to take with me. If I take Lingxiu, I’ll have to protect her too.”

That was true. Generally, high-born ladies had a maid with some skills by their side, but given Bai Zhujing’s current status and situation, her maid needed to be exceptionally skilled to protect her.

It was already hard to find a woman who practiced martial arts, and one with exceptional skills was even rarer. He couldn’t watch her every moment; he needed to think of a solution.

While he was pondering, a Shiking sound of chains suddenly echoed at the door.

“Water.” Qingsi entered with a basin of water, only uttering one word before placing it down and handing over a cloth.

Jiang Xuanjin glanced at her, reaching out to take it, but she frowned and dodged his hand, stubbornly handing the cloth to Bai Zhujing.

“Thank you, but I…” She pouted, indicating her hands were busy applying medicine. Huaiyu looked at her pitifully and asked, “Can you help me?”

Qingsi nodded, biting the chain hanging from her hand, she wrung out the cloth and helped wipe Huaiyu’s slightly dirty face.

This peculiar princess’s maid seemed to have taken a liking to Huaiyu since she was released. Yufeng had been with her for so long, and aside from noticing she liked to be close to Bai Zhujing, there had been no unusual behavior, not even an attempt to escape.

Did she see Bai Zhujing as a benefactor? Jiang Xuanjin pondered.

Although Qingsi was ruthless, she had one good trait: she could distinguish between friend and foe. Once she deemed someone an enemy, like him, she would go to great lengths to eliminate them. But if she considered someone a benefactor, like Bai Zhujing, she would treat them gently, even suppressing her murderous aura to do maid-like tasks.

“What are you looking at?” the person on the bed asked curiously.

Jiang Xuanjin returned to his senses, withdrawing his gaze from Qingsi, and set down the ointment, “You rest for a moment; I’ll speak with Qingsi.”

“Speak with Qingsi?” She looked anxious, “You’re not going to lock her up again, are you? She’s not trying to kill you anymore!”

Her worried expression made him chuckle, “Who said I was going to lock her up?”

“Then what’s there to talk about?” she muttered.

Jiang Xuanjin shook his head, pressing her down onto the bed, then stood up to draw the curtain at the partition, bringing Qingsi into the outer room.

“Unchain her,” he instructed.

Yufeng nearby was startled, hesitantly asking, “Here?”

“Yeah.” He found a chair to sit down, pressing on the injury on his arm, and looked at Qingsi.

Qingsi’s eyes were cold, allowing Yufeng to unlock the chains on her hands. Although her eyes held no murderous intent, they were not friendly either.

“What do you want?” she asked.

Jiang Xuanjin replied, “I want you to do something.”

Have her do something? Qingsi frowned, looking at him warily.

“Mojü doesn’t keep idle people. Since your injury has healed, follow the Madam,” Jiang Xuanjin said. “With your skills, it shouldn’t be difficult to protect her.”

Qingsi was taken aback, her eyes brightening slightly, but she quickly lowered her gaze to hide her excitement, pressing down her joy as she asked, “Aren’t you afraid I’ll find a way to kill you?”

“If you have that ability, you can try,” Jiang Xuanjin said, looking at her with a raised brow. “But if you fall into my hands again, I’ll send you to the Tingwei Court’s prison. I won’t interfere with the old case in Danyang.”

Threatening her? Qingsi was surprised. Previously, when Ziyang Jun tried to extract information from her, he hadn’t used such tactics. Now, just to have her follow Jun’s wife, he spoke so openly.

With a complex expression, Qingsi glanced at him, unable to help but wonder how Ziyang Jun would react if he knew his wife was her master.

Seeing her lost in thought, Jiang Xuanjin frowned slightly, “Will you or won’t you?”

“I will,” Qingsi nodded.

Relaxing, Jiang Xuanjin stood up, “Then go find someone to get a maid’s outfit from the Jiang residence. Starting today, you’ll follow the Madam.”

After saying this, he turned and lifted the curtain, looking down at the eavesdropping person, “From now on, whenever you leave the residence, take her with you.”

Caught eavesdropping, Huaiyu felt embarrassed. Upon hearing this, her eyes lit up.

“Are you worried about me?” She laughed, wrapping her arms around him, looking up at him with sparkling eyes, “You’re giving me Qingsi? Isn’t she a very important witness?”

Allowing her to embrace him, Jiang Xuanjin turned his head away, “Utilize resources effectively.”

Huaiyu was genuinely delighted. When preparing for this grand play, she had been betting on how much Jiang Xuanjin cared for her, and it turned out she won! Qingsi could finally be by her side!

In her excitement, she jumped up and planted a kiss on his chin, a glimmer of saliva connecting them.

Jiang Xuanjin looked at her with great disdain, pulling her sleeve to wipe his chin.

“Hey, aren’t you a clean freak? Why are you wiping it on your clothes?” Huaiyu glared.

The person in front of him meticulously wiped clean, returned her sleeve, and raised his eyes, “Being clean is about oneself; this is your clothing.”

Implying that as long as he was clean, it didn’t matter if she was dirty.

Li Huaiyu was both amused and exasperated, lightly punching his shoulder.

The punch wasn’t hard, just playful, but Jiang Xuanjin acted as if he had been hit by a powerful blow, groaning and clutching his arm in pain.

“Ah, I forgot you were injured!” Huaiyu exclaimed, quickly helping him to the bedside, anxiously asking, “Are you okay?”

Jiang Xuanjin inhaled sharply, muttering, “I just rode the horse, and the wound got pulled. You didn’t hold back…”

“I was wrong, I was wrong!” Huaiyu hurriedly apologized, looking at him helplessly, “I didn’t mean to! I’ll go call a doctor right now!”

With that, she hurriedly lifted her skirt and rushed out.

Yufeng watched from the side, seeing the pained expression on Jiang Xuanjin’s face, and after Huaiyu turned around, he broke into a smile, straightening up and casually continuing to review documents.

This was a classic case of “playing the victim”!

Yufeng sighed, realizing his master had truly been led astray.

However, playful banter aside, Ziyang Jun’s ability to hold grudges was still top-notch. If the Madam encountered danger on the street, if it weren’t for her skills and the fact that the assailants retreated upon seeing the crowd, the consequences would have been dire.

In the capital, under the emperor’s feet, such incidents happening in broad daylight would not be taken lightly by Jiang Xuanjin.

The one responsible for patrolling the capital was Hu Ben Zhonglang Jiang Yi. Naturally, Jiang Xuanjin’s first inquiry would be directed at him.

“It was my oversight,” Jiang Yi wiped the cold sweat from his brow, “I was patrolling the western part of the city at the time and didn’t notice the commotion on Chongde Street.”

The capital was vast, and he was alone. Even with the city guards, it was impossible to cover every corner. To hold him accountable based solely on this would be unreasonable.

Jiang Xuanjin asked, “According to the patrol schedule, was there not a single city guard on Chongde Street at that time?”

Jiang Yi quickly presented a document with both hands, “This is the patrol arrangement I prepared early this morning; please take a look, Your Highness.”

The document clearly stated that he was to patrol from the western city to the northern city, while another deputy was responsible for the southern to eastern city. Coincidentally, at the time of the incident, the city guards on Chongde Street were changing shifts.

With this document as evidence, Jiang Yi felt he would not bear any responsibility.

However, Jiang Xuanjin casually flipped through it and unexpectedly found the previous patrol arrangement.

“On the day of the incident at the Chang’an Street gambling house, it was you who led people to imprison the two young masters of the Bai family?”

Why was he suddenly asking this? Jiang Yi didn’t understand and hesitated before nodding, “Yes.”

Jiang Xuanjin pointed at the patrol arrangement from over ten days ago, narrowing his eyes, “But according to the arrangement, you should have been in the southern city that day. Why did you go to Chang’an Street?”

Jiang Yi was taken aback, finally realizing that Ziyang Jun had noticed something, and quickly explained, “The deputy had something to attend to and switched places with me.”

Seeing the flustered expression on his face, Jiang Xuanjin closed the document and said to Yufeng, “Please have the city guard deputy come here.”

“Your Highness,” Jiang Yi shook his head, “Today I also need to patrol the capital. It’s one thing for me to leave temporarily, but how can I call the deputy over?”

“That’s reasonable,” Jiang Xuanjin replied, “Then please continue your patrol, but have the deputy come here.”

Jiang Yi was momentarily speechless, his expression darkening. Yufeng stepped forward to signal him, and after hesitating for a moment, he had no choice but to leave.

Once he was gone, Huaiyu emerged from behind the screen, curiously asking, “What did you find out?”

Pulling her over, Jiang Xuanjin’s expression turned serious, “Jiang Yi lied.”

“Hmm?”

Without any defenses, he showed her the document, saying, “If it was a temporary switch, there would be a notation. Jiang Yi is flustered and can’t even lie properly.”

Huaiyu glanced at the document, uninterested, and tossed it aside, muttering, “I don’t know about other things, but his daughter is quite pretty.”

Jiang Xuanjin looked down at her, “What of it?”

Huaiyu puffed her cheeks, looking up at him, “Who’s prettier, me or her?”

“You’re not very pretty,” Jiang Xuanjin replied honestly.

Her face scrunched up, and Huaiyu got angry, straddling him and reaching to pinch his face, “Do you know what a wife of humble origins should not be cast aside’ means? We’ve only just married, and you’re already saying someone else is prettier than me?”

Allowing her to pinch his face, Jiang Xuanjin leisurely replied, “I didn’t say she was prettier than you.”

“You just said that!”

“Not really,” he said, “I only know your appearance; as for others, I haven’t looked closely.”

Li Huaiyu: “……”

Releasing her grip on his face, she couldn’t help but laugh and cry, “Next time someone tells me Ziyang Jun doesn’t say nice things, I’ll have them dig their ears out!”

“That’s not a nice thing,” Jiang Xuanjin said seriously, “It’s a fact.”

Unable to stay angry, Li Huaiyu hugged him and laughed, rubbing her face against his, “I love this fact!”

The warm breath brushed against him, and Jiang Xuanjin felt a tightening in his throat, reaching out to support her waist to prevent her from sliding off the bed. He whispered, “Someone will come later; be serious.”

“Isn’t it still not here?” Huaiyu teased, and when she looked up, she saw his slightly reddened ears, unable to resist leaning in to kiss him.

A shiver ran through him, and he inhaled sharply, pushing her away, “Don’t mess around!”

“Who’s messing around? I’m serious! Don’t move!” She pressed down on his hand, glaring at him, “Did you forget about your injury?”

This person still remembered he was injured? Jiang Xuanjin was truly furious, struggling to push her away. Just as he exerted some force, she let out a cry.

“What’s wrong?” he paused.

Pulling her leg, Huaiyu buried her head in his shoulder, groaning, “I cramped! My leg! Ah, don’t move!”

Jiang Xuanjin froze, genuinely not moving, worriedly looking at her leg, afraid of touching the wrong muscle. But… why was this person, who was in so much pain, still blowing hot air into his ear?

“Hey.”

“Ah, it hurts so much! Don’t move!” Her face was pressed against his ear, and unable to see her expression, Li Huaiyu grinned widely, shouting in pain while taking advantage of him.

In the past, she hadn’t liked the cold aura Jiang Xuanjin exuded. She found it chilling, but now that she was close, she realized this scent was incredibly pleasant, especially when mixed with his body warmth, it felt warm and inviting, making her want to snuggle closer.

Stealing a few kisses, Huaiyu was satisfied to see the blush spreading from his ears, her hands naturally wrapping around his neck, humming as she asked, “If my face isn’t pretty, what about other places?”

His breath hitched, and Jiang Xuanjin gritted his teeth, “Shut up!”

Huaiyu burst into laughter, grabbing his chin to kiss him.

“Your Highness.” Yufeng’s voice rang from outside the door, “Deputy Jiang has arrived.”

His body stiffened, and Jiang Xuanjin immediately wanted to push her away. However, Li Huaiyu reacted even faster, swiftly pulling down the bed curtain.

“You…” He glared, wanting to scold her, but she quickly covered his mouth.

“Shh, they’re coming in!”

Jiang Qu entered behind Yufeng, not looking up, respectfully bowing, “I pay my respects to Your Highness.”

He was here to discuss serious matters, yet a woman was hiding in the bed curtain. Even if the people outside didn’t know, Jiang Xuanjin felt utterly embarrassed. His voice tightened, “Please rise, my lord.”

Hearing Ziyang Jun’s serious tone, Jiang Qu felt anxious, “What orders does Your Highness have?”

“It’s not an order; I just want to ask, on the day of the incident at the Chang’an Street gambling house, where were you?”

Was this an inquiry for punishment? Jiang Qu felt wronged, his face contorting as he explained, “Your Highness, on that day, I was supposed to patrol the Chang’an Street area, but for some reason, Deputy Yi suddenly went to Chang’an Street, leaving me to check the surroundings. I received the order and left, but who knew that within half an hour, trouble broke out on the street?”

“Oh?” Jiang Xuanjin asked, “Did Deputy Yi go to Chang’an Street before the incident?”

“Yes.”

This was interesting. He had left his post without permission and specifically gone to Chang’an Street, where an incident just happened to occur. This was not a coincidence; Jiang Yi was waiting to catch someone at Chang’an Street. If it had been Jiang Qu, he certainly wouldn’t have been so quick to imprison the Bai family members.

Jiang Xuanjin’s eyes flickered as he pondered.

Beside him, Li Huaiyu rested her chin on her hand, smiling.

Ziyang Jun was truly clever. Dealing with such a clever person was easy as long as one was smart enough. It was truly a relief.

After a moment, Jiang Xuanjin spoke, “My lord, please continue your patrol. Just have the deputy come here.”

Jiang Qu was stunned, feeling a bit of relief. He quickly bowed and left, disappearing in a flash.

“Are you going to deliver soup to your father tomorrow?” With no outsiders in the room, Jiang Xuanjin turned to the person beside him.

Huaiyu toyed with his fingers, casually replying, “If you want me to go, I’ll go.”

“Alright.” He nodded, “Take Qingsi with you, and while delivering the soup, pass on a message for me.”

As he spoke, he pulled her closer, whispering in her ear. Finally, he asked, “Can you convey it?”

Huaiyu nodded randomly, grinning as she pulled him in for a kiss, her bright eyes sparkling as she gazed at him.

Feeling slightly breathless from her kiss, Jiang Xuanjin turned his head away, annoyed, “Did you hear me clearly or not?”

“Ah, such a simple thing, how could I mess it up?” She shot him a look, biting his lip as she murmured, “You’re so fierce. It’s like I’m an unambitious husband, and you’re a capable wife.”

“What nonsense are you spouting?” He frowned.

“Don’t be angry,” Huaiyu said, lowering her head to plant a kiss on his nose, grinning, “I promise I won’t let my husband down!”

Narrowing his eyes, Jiang Xuanjin felt it was necessary to assert his authority as a husband.

“Hmm… what are you doing? Your injury!” Suddenly, the person in front of him pressed down, startling Huaiyu, who instinctively reached out to support him, “Your wound!”

“The wound has scabbed; as long as you don’t move around, it’ll be fine.”

“Hey… no, I’m afraid it’ll hurt you!”

“As long as you don’t shout in pain, it’s fine.”

“……”

Cheng Xu and Yufeng quickly retreated, closing the main door and covering their ears as they squatted at the entrance. Before long, they heard Jiang Xuanjin’s voice pleading, “I was wrong! I was wrong! I won’t call you ‘Madam’ again!”

“Too late.”

“Wife~”

“……”

Hearing the commotion, Cheng Xu and Yufeng hurriedly withdrew. The spring scenery was beautiful, but it was best to avoid such reckless behavior under Ziyang Jun’s roof.

The official young ladies were still inquiring about the news from Mojü. Upon hearing that Bai Si Miss had gained favor again, they all felt uneasy.

“What’s she relying on?” Yi Su couldn’t understand, “What makes me inferior to Bai Zhujing?”

A nearby maid whispered, “After all, Bai Si Miss is already married to the Jun; she belongs to him now.”

For a man, there would always be a bias towards his own woman, treating her differently from other women.

Yi Su frowned in contemplation. After a long while, her expression suddenly turned resolute.

The next day, Li Huaiyu slept until noon. When she opened her eyes, she found Jiang Xuanjin staring at her coldly.

She smiled sleepily, “A day as husband and wife is worth a hundred days of kindness. What does it mean for you to look at me like that when you wake up?”

Jiang Xuanjin replied, “You stole my blanket.”

After the wind had stopped and the rain had ceased, he had been tired and wanted to hold her for a good rest. Who knew she had fallen asleep and repeatedly pushed him away, turning to hug the blanket tightly, not giving him a corner?

Huaiyu blinked innocently, “I was asleep; I didn’t know anything.”

Looking at the sky outside, she sat up, stretched lazily, and softly hugged him before getting out of bed to change, “I still have to deliver soup.”

Gathering the blanket, Jiang Xuanjin rubbed his temples wearily, “You go ahead.”

Seeing he was also tired, Huaiyu didn’t push it. After washing up and tidying herself, she ran over to kiss him before heading out.

Bai Dezhong had been investigating the gambling house case for nearly half a month. He arrived at the Tingwei Court at dawn and returned only at sunset. The investigation into the gambling house was going smoothly, but there was a large sum of black money that remained untraceable.

When Li Huaiyu entered, Bai Dezhong was frowning at the accounts. Hearing the noise, he looked up and frowned, “What are you doing here at such a busy time?”

“On the orders of the Jun, I’m here to deliver a bowl of soup to Father,” she said.

Soup? Bai Dezhong sighed, putting down the account book and rubbing his forehead, “I can’t drink right now.”

“If it were someone else’s soup, you definitely wouldn’t drink it, but this is different since it’s from the Jun.” She smiled meaningfully, “Why don’t you take a look?”

Looking at her with confusion, Bai Dezhong reached out and lifted the large soup bowl. Instead of soup, he found a rolled-up piece of paper stuffed inside.

“This…” He took it out and looked at it, startled.

It was a copied document detailing the patrol arrangements in the capital. The date on it was July 18, the day the two unworthy sons of the Bai family were imprisoned, and the person responsible for the Chang’an Street area was Jiang Qu.

“The Jun has a message for you to pass on,” she said, touching her lips, recalling Jiang Xuanjin’s angry expression as he asked her if she remembered clearly. Huaiyu smiled and shook her head, smoothly saying, “He said that upon investigation, the owner of the gambling house has dealings with the former Chancellor Li Fengxing and Hu Ben Zhonglang Jiang Yi. Li Fengxing still has two hundred thousand taels of embezzled disaster relief funds that haven’t been verified, so please take care of it, Father.”

Two hundred thousand taels of disaster relief funds for the Jiangxi drought! Bai Dezhong was overjoyed, slapping the table, “If this is true, it would be a great help to me!”

“Hmm?” Huaiyu pretended not to understand, “Help with what?”

Bai Dezhong stroked his beard, laughing, “The Jun is wise. I hadn’t even noticed Jiang Yi, nor had I investigated the owner of the gambling house, so the black accounts have remained unresolved. With this bowl of soup, it will be much easier.”

“You all have your matters; I don’t understand,” Huaiyu sighed, feigning melancholy, “I should return home to serve the Jun well.”

Bai Dezhong didn’t expect her to understand. In a good mood, he couldn’t help but remind her, “Being able to marry the Jun is your fortune; cherish it and bear children for the Jiang family as soon as possible.”

Her mouth twitched, and Huaiyu replied, “I just got married; isn’t it a bit too soon to be talking about children?”

Bai Dezhong glared, “Is this considered too soon? In ordinary families, wives start hoping for children as soon as they enter the door.”

But she wasn’t an ordinary family! Li Huaiyu smiled with a hint of bitterness. Marrying Jiang Xuanjin had its benefits, but having children? Impossible.

One day, the truth would come to light, and at that time, she wouldn’t be able to stay by Jiang Xuanjin’s side. In such a situation, having a child would only bring her trouble.

However, Bai Dezhong had reminded her to think of ways to guard against this.

“Father, you continue with your work; I’ll take my leave first.” After dealing with him, Huaiyu turned and began searching for Qingsi.

“Master, I’m here.” Qingsi appeared silently, asking, “What are your orders?”

“Go find a pharmacy and get me a few prescriptions.” Her expression serious, Huaiyu pulled her over and whispered a few words.

Qingsi was slightly taken aback but immediately understood her meaning and left to fulfill her orders.

At Mojü.

Jiang Xuanjin hadn’t slept long before he was awakened by noise.

“What’s that sound?” He frowned.

Cheng Xu nervously replied, “Miss Yi is requesting an audience; she’s been kneeling outside for quite a while.”

Not just kneeling, but crying. If they wanted to drive her away, the Mojü was filled with family servants and guards, and the maids had all been taken away by the Madam, so no one dared to approach her easily.

Impatiently propping himself up, Jiang Xuanjin said, “Go ask her what she wants.”

Cheng Xu shook his head, “I asked; she insists on speaking to you in person.”

If it had been before, Yi Su wouldn’t have dared to act this way. She could only blame him for letting people into Mojü these past few days, making her think he had become easier to deal with.

With a scoff, Jiang Xuanjin propped a soft pillow behind him, “If she insists on seeing me, let her in.”

“Understood.”

Yesterday, the news of Jun reconciling with the Madam spread, and today, the young ladies from various families didn’t come out of respect. Yi Su thought this was a good opportunity, being the only one there would make it easier to speak.

After waiting for an hour, Jun finally allowed her in. Yi Su nervously pinched her skirt, gathering her courage to walk into the inner chamber, and kneeling again.

“There are some things I must clarify with Your Highness today.”

Her knees hit the ground with a thud, and her words were firm. Jiang Xuanjin raised his eyelids but didn’t interrupt.

So, Yi Su boldly continued, “Previously, I went to the mountains to pray for Your Highness, which delayed me for two months. If it weren’t for this, I would have shamelessly recommended myself to marry you. I’ve inquired, and you’ve only known Bai Si Miss for a short time, far less than the time I’ve admired you.”

Bai Zhujing was already married, and those who understood the rules would call her “Jun Madam.” Yet this one was bold enough to still refer to her as “Bai Si Miss”?

Jiang Xuanjin’s gaze turned cold, but he put down the document in his hand, appearing to listen seriously.

Seeing this, Yi Su thought he was paying attention, straightening her back as her eyes filled with deep affection, “I met Your Highness at the palace banquet four years ago and was captivated by your elegance. Over the past four years, my father has tried to marry me off to others, but I have stubbornly resisted, clinging to my feelings for you.”

“But now I’ve reached a marriageable age, and if I delay any longer, it will bring shame to my family. I believe that in terms of both appearance and sincerity, I am not inferior to Bai Si Miss. If fate has gone awry, I am willing to be beneath her, just asking for an opportunity to serve you by your side.”

Listening quietly to her lengthy speech, Jiang Xuanjin asked, “How do you know you’re not inferior to Zhujing in appearance and sincerity?”

Yi Su was taken aback, biting her lip, “It’s not that I’m self-righteous, but everyone with eyes can see it. Even if sincerity can’t be measured, in terms of appearance…”

“How is appearance?” Jiang Xuanjin asked, puzzled. “Is Zhujing worse than you?”

This question stunned not only Yi Su but also Yufeng beside her. Who was it that said the Madam wasn’t pretty yesterday? Was this not a case of “saying one thing and doing another”?

Moreover, with this attitude, it was truly biased to the point that one didn’t know what to say…

Yi Su found it hard to believe, “In Your Highness’s eyes, am I not as good-looking as Bai Si Miss?”

How could that be? Her beauty was widely recognized as stunning, and if one counted Qi Siyuan as the first beauty in the capital, she could at least claim the second place. How could Bai Zhujing’s modest beauty overshadow her?

Yet, surprisingly, Ziyang Jun nodded seriously.

Yi Su: “……”

This must be a joke. With Jun’s discerning eye, he couldn’t possibly come to such a conclusion! He must be trying to reject her, using this method to make her retreat. She couldn’t back down!

Taking a deep breath, Yi Su said, “Even if my looks are lacking, my sincerity is not. Your Highness, your harem is still empty. Rather than welcoming those with ulterior motives to serve you, it’s better to…”

“The harem is not empty,” Jiang Xuanjin interrupted her, “and I won’t welcome anyone to serve me in the future. I don’t lack people by my side.”

Looking at him in panic, Yi Su shook her head, “How can you not lack people? With just her alone, how can that be enough?”

“Enough.”

“How can it be enough!” Emotions surged, and Yi Su lost control, “Do you know what people are saying about Bai Si Miss outside? She can’t even take care of herself, how can she take care of you? I’ve inquired about so many things, and I truly haven’t found anything good about her that’s worth your treatment!”

“Miss Yi,” Cheng Xu frowned from the side.

Ignoring him, Yi Su stared at Jiang Xuanjin, “She was a fool before and hasn’t done anything good since. She offended Li Daren and angered Liu Tingwei. Her words and actions are completely out of line! How can such a person be Jun’s wife?”

“If you had welcomed Miss Qi into your home, I wouldn’t be kneeling here saying these things. But Bai Si Miss… if she can be the Jun’s wife, why can’t I serve you?”

Every word dripped with resentment, echoing throughout the main hall until it finally quieted down. Once the room fell silent, Jiang Xuanjin slowly asked, “Are you done?”

Yi Su nodded defiantly.

Cheng Xu thought his master would have him drag her out, and he was already prepared to reach for her.

However, the person on the bed didn’t get angry. His dark eyes focused on his fingers as he calmly spoke, “Offending Li Daren? Li Fengxing is already a prisoner; who is right and who is wrong still needs me to explain?”

Yi Su was taken aback, not expecting Jun to clarify, and frowned, “But she also fought with Liu Tingwei…”

“That was Liu Tingwei who offended me first. As Jun’s wife, it is only natural for her to protect her husband. She has done no wrong.”

Was he this biased towards Bai Zhujing? Yi Su couldn’t believe this was the previously unapproachable Ziyang Jun. Her anger flared even more, “Even if there are reasons for all this, her behavior is still out of line, right? I’ve heard that she refers to herself in plain terms in front of you and doesn’t even bow!”

Jiang Xuanjin nodded, “That is indeed true.”

Yi Su was overjoyed, “As Jun’s wife, how can she not understand these basic courtesies? Such impropriety…”

Unable to hold back, Jiang Xuanjin raised his eyes, his expression calm and his tone sincere as he asked, “What’s wrong with being indulgent?”

“……”

“……”

“……”

The delighted Yi family young lady, along with Cheng Xu and Yufeng beside her, were all stunned by this statement—“What’s wrong with being indulgent?”

What kind of arrogance, what kind of deep affection, what kind of shamelessness was this?!

Wasn’t Ziyang Jun supposed to be dignified and composed? Why was he not dignified at this moment? Why was he not composed? Your wife has no manners, and you should at least feel a bit ashamed, right? Even if you don’t feel ashamed, you should scold her a little to reflect the Jiang family’s proper conduct!

No scolding! He even thought she was quite good!

What kind of attitude was this?

Yi Su was stunned for a long time before she finally reacted, her eyes slowly turning red as she bit her lip, staring at Jiang Xuanjin for a long time before choking up and running outside.

Having said this, who could still stay? She thought she could ask Jun for a title, even if it was just a concubine, there would still be a chance to rise, but who knew he didn’t even plan to take a concubine! Even if she tore her face and begged, he wouldn’t budge!

She had completely lost face and dignity, and now she was laughing at Bai Si Miss. If this matter spread, she would become the new joke in the capital!

The more she thought about it, the more aggrieved she felt, and Yi Su cried out, rushing out of Mojü, nearly colliding with someone.

“Eh? Miss Yi?” Li Huaiyu steadied herself, reaching out to support her, and looking up at her tear-streaked face, she asked in surprise, “What happened?”

Seeing the “prettier than her” face in front of her, Yi Su felt a surge of anger and swatted her hand away.

Huaiyu was taken aback, not having time to react when Qingsi approached with a cold expression, grabbing Yi Su’s wrist.

“Ah, it hurts!” Yi Su struggled, “What are you doing?!”

Pulling back her hand, Huaiyu patted Qingsi’s shoulder, “Don’t be agitated; this girl has a bad temper; let her go.”

Qingsi nodded, and with the same force she had used on Yi Su, she flung her hand away.

Looking at her in fear, Yi Su turned and ran.

Li Huaiyu rubbed her chin, watching her retreating figure, “Crying so miserably, could it be that our Jun took advantage of her?”

Lingxiu whispered, “If she was taken advantage of, she wouldn’t be crying.”

That made sense. Given how these girls rushed to Jiang’s residence every day if they had the chance to marry, they would be overjoyed. Shaking her head, Huaiyu decided to go in and ask about the situation.

Inside the room, the lively chatter had faded, leaving only Jiang Xuanjin reading documents on the bed. He was handsome and composed, appearing as if nothing had happened.

Huaiyu looked around, leaning in to ask, “Is there something you want to tell me?”

Jiang Xuanjin didn’t answer but instead asked, “Did you deliver the soup?”

“I did!” Huaiyu sat down, “My father was so happy, saying you helped him a lot, and he instructed me to take good care of you.”

Nodding, he continued reading without looking up, “Then you take care of me.”

“Hmm, okay… wait a minute, you don’t have anything to say to me?” Huaiyu put her hands on her hips, glaring, “I just ran into Miss Yi at the door. Don’t think I don’t know anything!”

Jiang Xuanjin smiled slightly, continuing to flip through the documents, showing no intention of responding.

Cheng Xu, unable to bear it any longer, sighed, “Madam, you might not know, but Miss Yi came in and said a lot of words of admiration for Jun, kneeling and crying for a long time, wanting to ask for your compassion and a title.”

“Wow.” Huaiyu was shocked, “So bold? Coming to ask for a title, does she think I’m dead?”

Cheng Xu nodded in agreement. “But don’t worry, Jun has already sent her away, so she probably won’t harbor any ill intentions anymore.”

Upon hearing this, Huaiyu blinked, curiously reaching for the document in front of Jiang Xuanjin, asking, “What did you say?”

Jiang Xuanjin shot her a glance, taking another document, “I didn’t say anything.”

“Right, right, right, saying nothing is enough,” Cheng Xu made a gesture of “eight” with his fingers.

Jiang Xuanjin looked at him coldly, “The stable hasn’t been cleaned in a while; do you want to help out?”

“Your subordinate takes his leave!” Sensing the situation was off, Cheng Xu immediately bowed and retreated, turning to leave, gripping the sword sheath as he hurried out. His movements were smooth and practiced.

Li Huaiyu squinted, “You can’t keep blocking people’s mouths like this; I want to hear!”

“There’s nothing to hear.”

Wasn’t that worth hearing? Yufeng couldn’t help but sigh, “If Jun had said it earlier, the Madam wouldn’t have had to be angry.”

If he were to say something nice, he would say that there was nothing good about her. But when the Madam wasn’t around, he didn’t hold back at all!

Yufeng’s words made Li Huaiyu anxious, scratching her ears and cheeks, glaring at Jiang Xuanjin, “Hurry up and say it!”

After glancing at Yufeng, Jiang Xuanjin said, “It’s just eight words; if you want to hear it, I’ll say it.”

Huaiyu nodded, her hands clasped over her heart, looking at him with anticipation. Jiang Xuanjin’s thin lips parted slightly, and he said affectionately, “There’s a fierce tiger at home; a beauty cannot enter.”

Her smile froze, and Li Huaiyu’s face fell, angrily turning to Yufeng beside her, “Isn’t this infuriating?”

There’s a fierce mother tiger at home, and beauties can’t be married in—if he had said this earlier, she would have been even angrier! What nonsense was this? She had been looking forward to it for nothing!

Yufeng hesitated, glancing at his master’s expression. He swallowed hard and cupped his hands, “Cheng Xu can’t clean the stable alone; I’ll go help him.”

After saying this, he hurried after Cheng Xu.

Li Huaiyu glared at Jiang Xuanjin’s retreating figure, and Lingxiu couldn’t help but defend him, “Why are you glaring at Yufeng? You can’t blame the Jun!”

“That’s obvious, right? How could I bear to glare at the Jun?” Turning her head, Huaiyu gently took Jiang Xuanjin’s hand, winking at him, “Well done!”

Lingxiu: “……”

Jiang Xuanjin snorted softly, pulling her onto the bed to sit beside him as he continued reading the documents.

The document he held was written by Yun Lanqing. It mentioned the Daxing Year Six Jiangxi drought, and as he carefully read, he tried to soothe the restless person beside him.

“Daxing Year Six.” Huaiyu leaned against his shoulder, casually glancing at it, smiling, “I recognize this character!”

“Recognizing such simple characters is worth being proud of?” he asked. “If your father knew that the Bai family’s scholarly upbringing produced someone who couldn’t read, he would surely be heartbroken.”

“Who said I can’t read? I just forgot how to write!” She pouted, pointing at the characters on the document, reading aloud, “In the past, the Grand Princess sealed off three cities in Jiangxi to curb the plague, but unexpectedly, she was framed by evil people, accusing her of embezzling disaster relief funds and disregarding lives… At that time, there was no way to refute it, but now the truth can be seen.”

“Eh, is it the Danyang Grand Princess again?”

Jiang Xuanjin nodded, “Li Fengxing embezzled two hundred thousand taels of disaster relief funds, which means that during the Jiangxi drought, the one pulling the strings behind the scenes wasn’t the Grand Princess; everyone wronged her.”

Huaiyu paused, her hand resting on his sleeve, “You also think she was wronged?”

“She had a bad reputation before, leading to rumors that hurt her. No one believed her, including me,” Jiang Xuanjin lowered his gaze, “But now it seems I lacked virtue. I viewed her with prejudice; she was wronged.”

Feeling a bit pleased, Huaiyu tried not to smile too broadly, burying her head in his shoulder, “It’s not too late to clear her name!”

Clear her name? Jiang Xuanjin shook his head, “This is just a small matter; compared to her previous misdeeds, it’s insignificant. Even if she was wronged, it can only be considered her retribution.”

“……” The smile faded, and Huaiyu stiffened, watching him continue to flip through the documents, feeling as if a stone had been tied to her heart, sinking deeper and deeper.

“What’s wrong?” Noticing her unusual demeanor, Jiang Xuanjin turned his head.

Huaiyu pressed her hand against his chin to hide her face, speaking with a smile, “Qingsi likes that Grand Princess. She often brings her up. Hearing her say that, I feel like the Grand Princess has her reasons for doing things and isn’t entirely a bad person.”

Hearing Qingsi say that? Jiang Xuanjin was dismissive, “She must only be saying good things about the Grand Princess.”

Was she so bad that only bad things could be said about her? Li Huaiyu puffed her cheeks, feeling a surge of anger rising in her throat, wanting to grab his neck and tell him: The Danyang Grand Princess is innocent!

However, thinking of the consequences, she held back.

“Master.” Qingsi entered with a bowl of medicine, respectfully handing it to her.

Seeing the medicine, Huaiyu stood up, took it, and gulped it down, wiping her mouth vigorously afterward, feeling her anger dissipate.

“What kind of medicine is this?” Jiang Xuanjin looked at her in confusion.

Contraceptive medicine! I’ll make sure you, Ziyang Jun, can’t have children! The little devil in her heart gritted its teeth.

However, when Li Huaiyu looked up, she smiled brightly, “It’s a tonic for blood and energy; drink more to nourish your body.”