Since Fu Lingchuan’s time, the State Preceptor could not reside within the palace—this was the rule. The residence that the Queen had bestowed upon Yu Haizhen was located south of the palace city, neither too far nor too close, showing that Fu Lingchuan had truly been thoughtful when selecting this location for her.
Just as Yu Haizhen was about to speak, a voice cut in from the side, “State Preceptor Yu.”
She was quite popular today; everyone wanted to speak with her. Yu Haizhen recognized the voice immediately, and Liang Yu nodded respectfully as well. “Lord Chen.”
“You’ve returned,” Yu Haizhen blurted out before she had even decided how to respond.
She knew that Chen Dachang had gone out on another mission for the Queen. Despite his low official rank, his trust in the sovereign meant that no one in the court dared to offend him.
This was also why Liang Yu was especially courteous toward him.
“Lord Liang.” Chen Dachang first greeted Liang Yu, then said to Yu Haizhen, “The Queen instructed me to come.”
Another mission by royal command—these words displeased Yu Haizhen. Her pretty face immediately hardened. “Is it an urgent matter of grave importance?”
Chen Dachang thought for a moment and answered honestly, “Not really.”
“Then we’ll discuss it later.” Yu Haizhen turned and walked away. “I have matters to attend to this afternoon.”
After walking a few steps, she noticed Liang Yu hadn’t followed, so she turned back with a slight smile. “Minister Liang, where is your carriage?”
Liang Yu was overjoyed and led her, saying, “This way, this way.”
Yu Haizhen boarded his carriage without even a backward glance.
By evening, the sky was filled with crimson clouds when a guest arrived at the State Preceptor’s residence.
A young maid came to report, “Lord Chen has arrived.”
“This man isn’t completely foolish after all,” Yu Haizhen murmured, then said, “Show him in.”
Chen Dachang was led to a small lakeside within the residence. He saw the female master of the State Preceptor’s residence sitting in a wicker chair, her white soft robe dyed to a pale red by the sunset’s afterglow. Beside her was a golden cup filled with bright red pomegranate seeds.
Perhaps from eating the pomegranate, her slightly pouting red lips appeared as tempting as ripe fruit.
She looked casually indifferent, yet possessed a fatal attraction to men.
Chen Dachang unconsciously stared at those red lips for several moments before shifting his gaze. “State Preceptor Yu looks quite at ease.” Where was all that busyness now?
Yu Haizhen glanced at him askance. “Busy at noon, but not necessarily in the evening.”
It seemed Liang Yu hadn’t stayed for dinner. Chen Dachang didn’t voice this thought aloud but merely looked around. “Where is Hu Tian?”
The monkey was usually inseparable from her except when entering the palace, so why wasn’t he here now?
“Miao Hansheng took Hu Tian to play again. They should be in Golden City right now.” Princess Han Yue’s son was nine years old with boundless energy, forming a perfect mischievous duo with the playful monkey Hu Tian.
Chen Dachang moved closer, his tall figure blocking out the sunlight. Before Yu Haizhen could express her displeasure, he took out bottles and jars from his storage ring and arranged them in a row on the small table beside her. “I stopped by the Red Cauldron Fair. These are all the items you specifically requested: Dragon Poison Secretion, Bee Tail Needle, White Snake Tongue Grass…”
There were quite a few items, fifteen or sixteen in total. Yu Haizhen picked them up one by one to examine them carefully, as seriously as a teacher grading a child’s homework. “Thank you for your trouble, buying so many materials for me.” She picked up the White Snake Tongue Grass, examined it from the roots, and then turned it over to show Chen Dachang. “However, this plant is diseased. The roots are already rotten; it can’t be saved.”
Chen Dachang was stunned. “This…”
He had no expertise with living plants. White Snake Tongue Grass was an especially valuable spiritual herb—a single plant cost three hundred spirit stones.
Cheated by an unscrupulous merchant!
Yu Haizhen waited with burning eyes for his response. Chen Dachang could only scratch his head. “I’ll go buy another one next time.”
“White Snake Tongue Grass isn’t so easily obtained. You might not find even one plant in ten trips.” Yu Haizhen waved her hand dismissively. “Never mind, without it, the medicine will just be slightly less effective.”
Seeing her look of regret, Chen Dachang felt uncomfortable as well. His toes moved slightly, but he didn’t turn to leave.
Yu Haizhen put away all the materials, her expression turning indifferent again. “Now that you’ve delivered the items, does Magistrate Chen have other business?”
Chen Dachang hesitated before answering, “No.”
That’s it? Hadn’t the Queen said he was bringing her a gift? Yu Haizhen felt anger rising and dismissed him. “Then please leave slowly. No need to see you out.”
Chen Dachang said, “Farewell,” and indeed started to leave.
This fellow was as impenetrable as ever. Yu Haizhen’s fingers itched with irritation, but she restrained herself and asked, “Chen Dachang, let me ask you something.”
Chen Dachang had already stepped onto the stone path but turned back at her words.
“Weren’t you once very close with the Sacrificial Officer Xie’s daughter?” She looked at him askance, drawing out her words. “Why didn’t you marry her in the end?”
Time had passed so quickly—more than six years in the blink of an eye. Chen Dachang was now twenty-nine, his appearance not much different from when she first met him, except his gaze was more determined, his brow showed more maturity, and his physique was more robust than when he was in his early twenties.
He wasn’t as handsome as State Preceptor Wei, nor as refined as Liang Yu, but he was solid and dependable, giving people a sense of absolute security.
What girl wouldn’t want to find a reliable man? Yet since rejecting Miss Xie, Chen Dachang had also kept his distance from other women. Eventually, a few noble daughters dared to court embarrassment.
After all, Ursul City had its high society, where embarrassing incidents would spread from one to ten, ten to thousands.
When were he and Miss Xie ever “very close”? Chen Dachang frowned. He had no interest in willow-like delicate ladies; even with the Queen’s matchmaking, he couldn’t ruin someone else’s life. However, Miss Xie had persistently pursued him for quite some time. He had firmly declined, and finally, Sacrificial Officer Xie found her another good match, ending the entanglement.
Yu Haizhen had observed this entire affair clearly from beginning to end, often making sarcastic remarks. Why was she asking him about it now?
Chen Dachang was about to explain, but the words that came out were instead: “Minister Liang has been very attentive to the State Preceptor recently.”
In fact, for the past two years, he had often volunteered for missions abroad, precisely to avoid a certain person. He should have been indifferent to these trivial matters, but he had a Queen who gave him no peace of mind. Whenever assigning him orders, she would always include some news about State Preceptor Yu’s recent activities.
Both the Queen and the State Preceptor were renowned beauties, nicknamed by contemporaries as the “Twin Beauties of New Xia,” their fame spreading far and wide. The Queen was one thing—everyone in and outside the court knew she was a flower with poisonous thorns. But State Preceptor Yu’s suitors were countless, too many to enumerate.
From what he could see, Yu Haizhen seemed to show just a hint of favor toward Liang Yu.
Of course, this was the Queen’s assertion.
“Is that so?” Yu Haizhen’s eyes moved fluidly, naturally emanating a subtle charm. “So what?”
What business was it of his?
Chen Dachang said in a deep voice, “Minister Liang is a court official, and you are the State Preceptor.”
“Therefore?” Yu Haizhen could barely suppress a cold laugh.
“The State Preceptor cannot marry officials—this is a decree of the Kingdom of New Xia.” Chen Dachang took a deep breath. “Please show restraint.”