Ji Yu pricked up her ears, leaning slightly toward Nan Xing. She blinked her large, bright eyes and looked surprised.
“Wow! Master Qi actually knows such powerful people? Does that mean your family are officials?”
“Not exactly,” Nan Xing replied calmly. “My family are merchants. We travel all over the country, so we get to know all kinds of people—both martial artists and officials.”
He reached for the teapot to pour himself some water, but Ji Yu was quicker. She picked it up and filled his cup for him.
“Thank you.” Nan Xing took a sip, put down the cup, and looked at her. “Miss Ji, do you know the Young Marquis of the Loyalty Marquis Manor, Zhao Ke?”
“You mean that playboy Zhao Ke?!” Ji Yu’s eyes widened in shock.
She knew him very well! Zhao Ke was a regular at the brothel *Xunfang Tower*. Every time she went there to paint portraits for the girls, she would see him surrounded by beauties.
Once, he even asked her to paint him with a courtesan. Because she did a good job, he rewarded her with ten taels of silver! She had been over the moon, hoping he would ask her again so she could earn more. But after that, even though he came often, he never called for her again. She had been disappointed for ages.
But why would the Third Prince know a dandy like him?
Well, birds of a feather flock together. But she knew from the novel that Qi Yu was a man of high moral standards. If they were friends, then Zhao Ke must actually be a good person. He was probably just pretending to be a playboy to fool people!
That made sense! She remembered once bringing some erotic paintings to the bookstore and running into Zhao Ke there, holding exactly the book she had drawn. A nobleman buying that kind of thing? He should have sent a servant! Unless… he did it on purpose just to maintain his image as a useless playboy!
“We lived in Qingzhou for a while when we were children,” Nan Xing said softly. “That’s how I knew him. But… It has been ten years since we last saw each other.”
Ten years? So Zhao Ke really had just turned into a playboy over time? Nan Xing’s eyes flickered slightly, hiding complex emotions, showing only a look of nostalgia.
Ji Yu was confused. Wait, did she miss something in the book? She remembered the Third Prince grew up in the capital and only came to Qingzhou later, not when he was young.
“I wonder if he still remembers me,” Nan Xing murmured.
“Of course he will!” Ji Yu said seriously. “Friends from childhood stay in your heart forever, no matter how much time passes.”
She had a friend like that. They lost contact when she moved, but met again ten years later and recognized each other instantly. They even went to the same university and became best friends.
Nan Xing smiled faintly. He took something off his wrist and handed it to her. It was a simple bamboo whistle. She had seen it before when she changed his clothes.
“This whistle was a gift from him when we were young. Take this, along with a letter I will write, and go find him. He will help you for my sake.”
“But…” Ji Yu hesitated, looking doubtful. “In everyone’s eyes, Zhao Ke is just a useless womanizer. Even if he is a Marquis’ son, he has no real power. Would Prefect Chen even listen to him?”
“Perhaps not completely,” Nan Xing nodded. “But he will definitely consider the face of the Marquis Manor. He won’t let Du Cong get away so easily. However…”
He paused, looking at her seriously. “Du Cong’s end might not be as satisfying as you hope. At least… he won’t be executed.”
Ji Yu nodded immediately. “I know. I guessed he would only get a few years in prison.”
Actually, a few years was good enough! At least he would be locked up and couldn’t hurt any more girls during that time.
She took the bamboo whistle carefully and tucked it into her money pouch. Such an important item belonged with her most precious valuables.
She stood up and smiled brightly at him.
“The pork rib soup should be ready by now! I’ll go bring it over!”