Xie Xiaonan seemed like a completely different person from yesterday. Especially since he was exceptionally handsome, his smile at that moment was like a sudden blooming night-blooming cereus, giving the impression that he was genuinely amiable.
But Wen Lisheng knew his true nature and was not deceived by appearances. She simply lowered her head and replied politely, “Thank you for your praise, Young Master. I am undeserving.”
Seeing this, Wen Puchang straightened his back even more: Look, look, this is my daughter—so well-behaved and adorable!
With her brows slightly furrowed and head bowed, dappled sunlight filtered through the swaying tree canopy, spilling onto her dress. The light reflected off the golden threads, casting a faint, dazzling glow that made her appear even more exquisite and beautiful. For a moment, everyone who saw her secretly marveled.
Xie Xiaonan’s gaze lingered only briefly before shifting away. He continued exchanging pleasantries with Wen Puchang, mostly praising Yiguan County as a blessed land that nurtured both people and vitality. Knowing his daughter wouldn’t stay well-behaved for long and that she had already met and recognized the young master, Wen Puchang allowed her to go off and play on her own.
Maintaining her composure, Wen Lisheng curtsied, turned around, and quickly walked away with small steps, not daring to linger for a moment.
The Old Tree Hall was divided into inner and outer sections, covering the entire mountaintop with an expansive area. It usually operated as a winery, dealing in wine and spirits, which was why Wen Puchang had rented the venue from the Mei family to host Xie Xiaonan.
The number of attendees at the banquet was exceptionally large. When she had entered from the outer hall earlier, the paths were densely packed with people.
The main reason was that news of Xie Xiaonan’s arrival in Yiguan County had spread half a year ago. After such a long wait, various jianghu sects and officials of all ranks in the county wanted to catch a glimpse of this young master. Some sought to probe his background, while others simply wanted to get acquainted, if only to recognize his face and avoid any unnecessary incidents if they encountered him in the county later.
Thus, they not only came themselves but also brought along their trusted children, hoping to forge connections with the young master—the best outcome possible.
On another note, the date for the triennial Martial Appreciation Assembly in the jianghu was approaching, and the location was set in Yiguan County. It was said that the rewards this time were extremely precious, which was why many cultivators from out-of-town sects had been arriving in the county over the past few months.
Jianghu people loved to join in the excitement, and upon hearing that they could catch a glimpse of the young master here, they all flocked to the venue.
But seeing Xie Xiaonan’s gentle, smiling scholar-like demeanor earlier, Wen Lisheng knew he had long been prepared. It was likely no one would easily uncover his true intentions.
Fortunately, although her father was a corrupt official, he was not someone who sought to climb the social ladder. He harbored no ulterior motives toward Xie Xiaonan.
Wen Lisheng wandered around the inner hall with her personal maid, Yu Gui, for quite some time. Everywhere she looked were unfamiliar faces, with hardly any acquaintances in sight, leaving her feeling bored. She wondered where Shen Jiaqing was at the moment.
Just as she was idly wandering, a bell suddenly rang. Immediately afterward, servants filed into the hall carrying dishes, weaving swiftly yet steadily through the crowd to place the dishes on the tables.
Then, people began dispersing the crowds, grouping them into tables based on gender and age. As the daughter of an official, Wen Lisheng naturally wouldn’t eat with these people. But with her stomach growling from hunger, she had no choice but to turn back and find her father.
The weather today was exceptionally stifling. After walking just a few steps, fine beads of sweat had already formed on Wen Lisheng’s fair nose. Yu Gui quickly took out a silk handkerchief and gently wiped them away.After passing the ancient tree that was over a hundred years old, a long covered corridor appeared, and not far away stood pavilions and halls of varying heights. Wen Lisheng saw her father walking along the corridor with Xie Xiaonan.
She followed at a distance.
At the end of the corridor, after passing through an octagonal pavilion with open sides and a jeweled roof, they entered an expansive hall. Lotus-shaped lanterns hung from the ceiling, and several towering pillars came into view, each carved with intricate patterns in various colors.
Several tables were arranged in the hall, already laden with a wide array of delicacies, entirely different from the dishes served outside.
By the time Wen Lisheng entered, most people had already taken their seats. She spotted many familiar faces, all leaders of sects from Yiguan County, including Shen Jiaqing’s parents.
She had actually come to the wrong place. After just a glance, she was respectfully ushered by a servant to a side hall. Upon entering, she was met with a three-paneled jade screen, from behind which faint laughter and chatter from women could be heard.
Walking around the screen, she saw that the side hall was filled with women, many of whom she recognized. At one table, a girl waved to her, inviting her to sit.
This girl was Wen Lisheng’s classmate. They had spoken a few times at the academy but were not close. Yet now, seeing Wen Lisheng, she acted as if greeting a dear relative, full of warmth.
Wen Lisheng remembered her name was Zhao Yue.
As soon as she sat down, Miss Zhao affectionately linked arms with her, about to speak when an exclamation from across the table interrupted her.
“Really? You truly had a connection with Young Master Xie in your childhood?”
Wen Lisheng looked up and saw a girl with a rosy complexion sitting opposite her, dressed in a lotus gauze skirt, her delicate shoulders and slender neck faintly visible beneath the sheer fabric.
Her name was Zhuang Ying, the eldest daughter of the Deputy County Magistrate. In her childhood, she had stayed at her maternal grandfather’s home in the capital for several years. Upon returning, she looked down upon the people of Yiguan County, constantly boasting about the capital’s splendor.
Wen Lisheng found her extremely annoying.
Seeing the astonished gazes of the girls around Zhuang Ying, it was clear she was showing off about the capital again.
Zhuang Ying beamed with pride. “Of course. My grandfather’s home was on the east side of Chenxiang Road, just half a street away from the Jing’an Marquis’s estate. Sometimes, as soon as I stepped out, I could see the young master.”
None of the girls had ever been to the capital, so they naturally didn’t know where Chenxiang Road was. But hearing her mention such a specific street name, they assumed it must be true.
Thinking of how they could only catch a distant glimpse of him, while Zhuang Ying had the fortune of having a connection with the young master, they were filled with envy and admiration. Seizing the opportunity, they flattered her, saying that Miss Zhuang was so beautiful the young master must still remember her, or that if she had stayed in the capital longer, she might have shared a romantic tale with him.
Only Wen Lisheng scoffed inwardly. As she ate, she thought to herself, Following this rebel, you’ll suffer in the future. Whether you’ll even live long enough to enjoy the fortune of becoming the mother of the nation is uncertain.
Zhao Yue, unable to contain herself, leaned closer to Wen Lisheng and asked, “Did you see the young master earlier?”
This question was entirely unnecessary. After all, beneath that ancient tree earlier, anyone who had glanced toward Xie Xiaonan would have seen Wen Puchang leading her to pay respects to the young master.
Otherwise, she wouldn’t have been so warmly invited here.
Wen Lisheng didn’t point this out and simply nodded. “I saw him. He’s incredibly handsome.”
This was the truth. Xie Xiaonan had once been compared to a bright, luminous moon by the people of Yiguan County.Zhao Yue slumped her shoulders and said, “It’s a pity we can only catch a distant glimpse, not even seeing his features clearly.”
Thinking of those cold, frosty eyes, Wen Lisheng shuddered and mumbled, “There will be chances to see him in the future.”
With that, she lowered her head and dug into her meal, eating with such focus that she gave Zhao Yue no further opportunity to speak.
Zhuang Ying’s gaze swept over her several times, but seeing Wen Lisheng wholly absorbed in her food and showing no reaction to her words, a flicker of disdain appeared in her eyes as she continued to boast.
The girls chattered incessantly, all crowding around Zhuang Ying to hear about her childhood experiences with the young master, with no intention of eating. Wen Lisheng found the noise unbearable and quickly finished her meal before leaving the table.
Once outside, she found clamor everywhere—everyone was drinking and having a great time. But Wen Lisheng found it too noisy and led Yu Gui toward a secluded area, hoping to find a quiet spot to lie down for a while.
Wandering around with Yu Gui, the sounds of revelry grew fainter until they reached a pavilion.
Wen Lisheng thought this would be a perfect place for a nap, so she lay down on the wide bench of the pavilion, asking Yu Gui to keep watch.
She wasn’t particularly tired, but after eating and drinking her fill, a sense of laziness washed over her. Resting her head on her arm and closing her eyes, she occasionally heard birds chirping, and the warm breeze brushed her face, bringing a feeling of leisurely comfort. Before long, she actually fell asleep.
She wasn’t sure how long she slept, but she began to feel stiflingly hot, sweat beading on her forehead. She opened her eyes and sat up, asking Yu Gui for a handkerchief to wipe the sweat away, muttering, “Why is it getting hotter and hotter?”
Yu Gui also looked up at the sky and said, “It seems like it might rain soon…”
Wen Lisheng thought the same and decided to head back early to avoid getting caught in the rain on the way.
However, both of them had poor memories. As they tried to retrace their steps, they must have taken a wrong turn somewhere. When they reached the front of a courtyard, a figure in dark blue robes suddenly darted out, moving so fast that he vanished from sight in the blink of an eye.
While Wen Lisheng was still stunned, a large black-furred dog leaped out, its amber eyes locking onto her immediately.
She had never seen such a large dog before and gasped in fright, quickly pointing in the direction the dark-blue-robed figure had run. “He went that way!”
But the big black dog paid no heed, baring its fangs and barking before charging straight at Wen Lisheng.
She barely had time to think, lifting her skirt and turning to run for her life. “Help—!”
Yu Gui also screamed, and after running for a while, they reached a fork in the path. With unspoken tacit understanding, they split left and right, hoping the dog would only chase one of them while the other could go for help.
Unfortunately, Wen Lisheng was the unlucky one. The big black dog paused briefly at the fork, made its choice, and then chased after Wen Lisheng, barking furiously.
Her soul nearly left her body. She thought about climbing a tree, but there wasn’t a single tree in sight. Glancing back, she saw the dog closing in. Two legs were no match for four, and the longer she was chased, the worse her situation would become. In her panic, she zigzagged left and right, somehow managing to temporarily shake off the dog.
Wen Lisheng didn’t dare rest. Scanning her surroundings, she spotted a row of large jars by the wall, likely used for storing water.
Heavens, this was truly a lifesaver!She quickly stepped forward to lift the wooden lid, saw that it was empty inside, and without a word, jumped in. After closing the lid, she obediently crouched inside the jar.
Just as she settled in, she heard barking approaching from a distance. In moments, it was right in front of her. The dog seemed to sniff around the area before barking again and running off.
Stupid dog.
Wen Lisheng cursed inwardly but didn’t dare to get up immediately, fearing the black dog might return.
After crouching in the dark jar for a while and confirming the dog wouldn’t come back, she was about to leave when she heard a woman’s voice call out, “Young Master, please wait!”
Wen Lisheng’s eyes widened in shock.
Was there a second young master in Yiguan County?
She pushed the wooden lid open slightly with her hands, creating a tiny crack, and peeked out with her eyes. Sure enough, Xie Xiaonan stood about ten steps away.
With his dark hair and snow-white robes, he stood under the sunlight, his expression utterly indifferent, devoid of the gentle and kind demeanor he had shown earlier in public, keeping others at a distance.
The one who had called out to him was Zhuang Ying, who had been boasting at the dinner table earlier. She seemed to have rushed over in a hurry, sweat beading on her face, with strands of hair sticking to her skin in slight disarray. “Young Master, do you remember me? I had the honor of meeting you on Chenxiang Road when I was a child.”
Wen Lisheng clicked her tongue in pity, thinking to herself that Zhuang Ying must have been so carried away by the flattery that she actually sought out Xie Xiaonan, only to humiliate herself.
Xie Xiaonan couldn’t even be bothered to spare an expression. His attendant spoke up, “Miss, my young master has met far too many people in his youth. Needless to say, he wouldn’t pay attention to those who are unimportant.”
The words were brutally straightforward. Zhuang Ying’s face flushed red with embarrassment and shame. Wen Lisheng watched the scene with great amusement, but just as she was enjoying herself, she noticed Xie Xiaonan’s gaze sweep over, seemingly landing right where she was hiding.
Her heart skipped a beat, and she immediately lowered her head, not daring to look any longer. She gently lowered the wooden lid with both hands, making no sound at all.
She could still hear Zhuang Ying shamelessly continuing, “I am the daughter of the Left Assistant Magistrate, named Zhuang Ying. If in the future…”
“Miss,” the attendant interrupted her, his voice unclear, “a young lady should preserve some dignity, lest word gets out and becomes a laughingstock.”
Zhuang Ying, likely feeling defeated, said nothing more and presumably left.
Wen Lisheng crouched in the jar for a long time, sweating in the stifling heat until her legs grew numb. Only then did she lift the wooden lid cautiously, looking left and right. After confirming that no one was around, she boldly pushed the lid upward.
Before she could stand up, a flash of white clothing in her peripheral vision caught her attention from the right side—a blind spot. Startled, she tried to shrink back, but her right wrist was suddenly grasped by a warm hand and forcefully pulled upward.
Half of Wen Lisheng’s body was yanked out of the jar. As she looked up, she met Xie Xiaonan’s icy gaze.