The Wang matriarch was surrounded by people as they went to view the trousseau laid out in the courtyard. The smile on her face couldn’t be suppressed. Seeing Zhao Erlang enter covered in snow and water, she immediately scolded, “Why don’t you quickly change clothes and come entertain the guests?”

Seeing Zhao Zheng, Zhao Rong, and others following behind him, she quickly said, “You all go too. The residence is in your hands today.”

Though Zhao Hanzhang’s wedding was tomorrow, with so many relatives and friends visiting today to add trousseau, the house was also hosting a banquet, so Zhao Erlang and the others were needed to entertain.

While the Zhao residence bustled with activity, the Fu residence on the other end was much quieter.

Fu Tinghan first went early to the warehouse outside the city to inventory salt just arrived from Qingzhou and Guangzhou. Holding official documents, he rode his horse toward home. Hearing how lively the Zhao residence was, he reined in his horse to glance that way.

Fu’an immediately spurred his horse forward. “Young Master, today seems to be the Zhao family’s trousseau addition.”

He sighed. “Originally this was also the day for you to deliver betrothal gifts, Young Master, but Sanniang changed the marriage system, so you can’t go.”

Fu Tinghan, who hadn’t felt anything particular before, suddenly wanted very much to see Zhao Hanzhang. The urgency in his heart stunned him for quite a while.

Fu Tinghan asked, “She’s marrying—as her colleague, shouldn’t I go add trousseau?”

Fu’an: …Young Master, wake up—the person she’s marrying is you.

Never mind that you’re not delivering betrothal gifts today—even if you were following old customs to deliver betrothal gifts, the two of you still couldn’t meet.

But how could Fu Tinghan be so easily persuaded?

He kicked his horse’s belly. “Let’s go—we’ll add trousseau for her.”

Fu’an quickly urged from behind, “Young Master, Young Master, your belongings are all packed as betrothal gifts—what will you use for trousseau?”

“Not necessarily. Didn’t Father give me an inkstone and set of brushes yesterday? Fetch them—we’ll go add trousseau.”

Fu’an wanted to cry. “Young Master, you said last night that those brushes were made extremely well and very suitable for your drawings—why are you giving them to Sanniang now?”

Fu Tinghan glanced back at him. Fu’an could only obediently comply.

As they passed the abandoned neighbor’s house, Shi Hongtu, who had been silently following behind, suddenly accelerated forward to block Fu Tinghan’s side, saying in a low voice, “Minister, be careful!”

Fu Tinghan looked up questioningly, then heard rustling from behind the wall. Under everyone’s vigilance, four hands grasped the top of the wall, and two heads slowly emerged.

Two youths of about twelve or thirteen climbed atop the wall. Without looking back, they reached inside to pull up three more people, including two girls.

All five were about the same age.

Fu Tinghan silently looked up at them.

The five youths, carrying two large bundles, were about to turn outward when they suddenly saw the people below and cried out in alarm, nearly falling from the wall. Seeing it was Fu Tinghan, they sighed with relief and immediately explained, “Young Master, I, outside, this garden is uninhabited.”

Fu Tinghan asked, “Does uninhabited mean you can enter? What’s in your bundles?”

The five youths hung their heads dejectedly. One opened his bundle but seemed reluctant, so he only showed a corner, hesitantly refusing to show him. “Just, just some flower branches and petals—nothing valuable.”

Fu Tinghan: “In weather like this, what flowers are in the garden?”

The youths didn’t want to say, but the one holding the bundle was bumped by his companion and lost his balance. His grip loosened and the bundle opened—pink and red plum blossoms cascaded toward Fu Tinghan’s head. He caught a handful in bewilderment, watching the other party silently.

The other also sat atop the wall watching him silently, then dumped the remaining half-bundle into his arms. Together with the other companions, they clutched the remaining bundle and like rabbits, quickly slid down the wall and ran off.

Shi Hongtu moved to pursue, but Fu Tinghan stopped him. “No need. They appear to be students from the school—children being mischievous. No need to investigate deeply lest we frighten them.”

Still, he could mention it to Zhao Cheng, who managed the schools, to conduct moral education nationwide—even vacant houses couldn’t be entered at will.

Fu Tinghan handed the half-bundle of plum blossoms to Fu’an. After thinking for a long time without finding a use for them, he simply said, “Take them home for the Princess—perhaps she’ll have use for them.”

Fu’an agreed with a smile.

He was about to sweep the blossoms from his body and horse, but looking down felt it wasteful. He simply stuffed them all into his sleeves, and took several short flower branches as well.

Fu Tinghan returned to fetch the inkstone and brushes. After thinking, he also brought today’s official documents.

He told Shi Hongtu, “Just the three of us. Have the other personal guards stay home—too many people is inconvenient.”

Shi Hongtu: …Inconvenient for slipping in?

Fu Tinghan was his superior. Shi Hongtu agreed immediately.

At this time, many people were entering and leaving the Zhao residence. The three of them unobtrusively followed the crowd inside. The gate guards saw them, but Fu Tinghan was so familiar, and this wasn’t within their scope of vigilance—for a moment they didn’t realize anything was wrong.

By the time they noticed Fu Tinghan shouldn’t be appearing here now, only his back was visible in their peripheral vision.

The two guards hesitated. Perhaps there was some urgent official business?

Besides, people were still guarding the inner gate—if inappropriate, they would refuse Fu Tinghan.

The inner gate guards would refuse Fu Tinghan, but the people inside the inner gate wouldn’t.

With Zhao Hanzhang’s permission, the inner gate guards let Fu Tinghan through.

Fu Tinghan handed the trousseau gift to Fu’an, having him deliver it, while he himself carried official documents in one hand and several small plum branches in the other as he went inside.

Wang Huifeng was speaking with Zhao Hanzhang when the door was pushed open. She looked up and saw Fu Tinghan pushing the door open with an excited expression.

Seeing her, his smile diminished slightly. He wanted to bow but realized he held flower branches. As he fumbled awkwardly, Wang Huifeng smiled and rose, bowing to Zhao Hanzhang before withdrawing.

Fu Tinghan stepped aside to let her pass. Only when they were alone in the room did he exhale deeply.

Zhao Hanzhang looked at the flower branches in his hand, asking curiously, “Where did the plum blossoms come from?”

Coming specially today wouldn’t be just to deliver plum blossoms, would it?

Fu Tinghan presented the flowers to her. “I encountered some mischievous students on the road who’d snuck into an abandoned garden to pick plum blossoms. I frightened them, and a whole bundle of plum blossoms fell all over me. I thought they were beautiful, so I grabbed some to give you—not just branches, but many petals too.”

He wore official robes today—wide sleeves and voluminous clothing with layer upon layer of sleeves inside, plus sleeve pockets. Fu Tinghan simply pinched a corner of his sleeve and poured outward. Petals tumbled out in profusion, fluttering down toward Zhao Hanzhang, landing perfectly on her head and face.

Zhao Hanzhang sat cross-legged on the wooden platform, staring at him blankly as a red plum petal slowly drifted to settle between her brows.

Watching her, Fu Tinghan’s eyes flashed with amazement. Before even his own mind could react, he leaned forward and kissed her forehead.

The plum fragrance grew increasingly rich, intoxicating to the senses.

Fu Tinghan straightened up, reaching to gently remove the red plum from between her brows, closing his hand into a fist to hold it in his palm.

Zhao Hanzhang watched him fixedly for a moment, then suddenly smiled. She reached up to grasp his collar and pulled him down, tilting her head up to gently bite his lip…

Fu Tinghan paused, then his loosely curled fist involuntarily tightened around her lower back as he knelt on one knee, leaning forward to half-press against her…

Wang Huifeng, who had left the room, couldn’t help glancing back as she nearly exited the courtyard. She saw the overlapping silhouettes faintly visible inside the room.