After dinner, Ning Yan was preparing to find Zhang Xingben and retrieve the indenture contracts.
Before she could even leave the room, the entire Zhang family arrived together. Zhang Xingben held the indenture contracts for all four members of Liu Zhan’s family.
With tears of gratitude streaming down his face, Zhang Heyu said, “I originally thought you were just fooling around. I never imagined you would actually uncover the truth. I was blind and looked down on you. Please be magnanimous.”
Ning Yan accepted the contracts and responded with a few perfunctory words.
Zhang Xingben then eagerly turned to Pei Yan. “Commander, it’s getting late. I’ve had a courtyard prepared for you. If you don’t mind, you can stay there.”
Pei Yan waved a hand. “No need. Wherever my master stays, I stay.”
Zhang Xingben froze. Turning toward Ning Yan, he hurriedly said, “Ning Yan, then you should move over there. The Commander is of noble status. We can’t possibly let him suffer by staying here.”
Ning Yan checked the contracts one last time and then set them on fire.
Liu Zhan and Liu Ye watched from the side, overwhelmed with excitement.
“Commander Pei, you can go back now,” Ning Yan said, looking at him. “You’ve had your fun. If this continues, it won’t end well.”
Pei Yan acted as though he hadn’t heard a word and continued drinking his tea.
“Ning Yan, how can you speak to the Commander that way?” Zhang Heting scolded. She seriously wondered whether Ning Yan’s brain had stopped working. The man sitting there was Pei Yan.
Before Ning Yan could reply, Pei Yan frowned and looked at Zhang Heting. “Get out.”
Zhang Heting froze. Her face instantly flushed red. Stomping her foot, she lifted her new skirt and ran off in tears. Why? Why was Pei Yan so agreeable toward Ning Yan, yet so harsh and merciless toward her? Why her? Why?!
Pei Yan then drove the rest of the Zhang family away, and the courtyard finally fell silent.
Ning Yan and Pei Yan sat facing each other. A single lamp flickered in the middle of the table. Neither spoke.
After a long while, Pei Yan tapped the tabletop and asked, “What are your plans?”
“You can’t intend to stay in the Zhang household as a maid forever, can you?”
“I need to find a place to live first,” Ning Yan replied. “As for everything else, there’s no need for you to concern yourself with it.”
Leaning back in his chair, Pei Yan studied her. She clearly hadn’t found a job, nor did she have anywhere better to go. Yet she remained completely unhurried, calm, and composed. She really was confident.
“I can point you toward a better path,” Pei Yan said.
Ning Yan wore an attentive expression, as if ready to listen.
“Come to the military camp with me.”
“Thank you for your kindness,” Ning Yan replied, “but a military camp isn’t what I’m seeking.”
Raising an eyebrow, Pei Yan said, “You enjoy solving cases and helping the weak. If that’s what you want, then the army is an even better place for you to realize your ambitions.”
“You see Zining County as peaceful and prosperous because I’m stationed here. But elsewhere, the world is in chaos. Join the army and help me. I’ll give you the opportunity to pursue your ideals.”
What Ning Yan couldn’t understand was why Pei Yan was so certain she had ambitions in the first place. She didn’t think she possessed any military talent, and there was no way Pei Yan could have somehow discerned military genius in her. The only explanation was that she possessed something he needed.
A talent, or perhaps a secret. Yet he had never brought it up directly, which made her suspect the matter was significant. Significant enough that Pei Yan needed time to build trust in her. Before that trust could exist, he would first make her his subordinate, putting her life and future in his grasp, which is exactly why she needed to stay far away from him. Her life and her future could only be controlled by herself.
Pei Yan stared at her without speaking.
The atmosphere between them instantly tightened, becoming tense and confrontational, like drawn swords on the verge of clashing.
“Forget it.” Pei Yan suddenly stood and began to take off his outer robe. “I’m your attendant. From now on, I’ll follow your lead.”
Ning Yan moved to stop him. “This is my room!”
“I don’t mind. I’ve stayed in places far worse and messier than this.” As he spoke, Pei Yan lay down on her bed.
Clutching her teacup, Ning Yan was so exasperated she laughed. “Well, what a hardship that must be for you.”
“Mhm, thank you for your understanding.” Reclining against her headboard with one arm behind his head, Pei Yan looked at her leisurely. “The days ahead are long. We’ll have plenty of time to get to know each other better.”
“This damned imperial era.” Ning Yan kicked the bench, then stormed out, slamming the door behind her.
Pei Yan glanced toward the doorway, amusement hidden in his eyes. After a quarter of an hour, Shiwen slipped into the room silently. “My lord, are you really planning to stay here?”
He hadn’t expected that when his master pursued a woman, he would be so… resourceful.
“She won’t stay here forever. Three days at most,” Pei Yan said.
Shiwen thought to himself: Surely you don’t actually intend to remain Ning Yan’s attendant the whole time?
Deciding he ought to offer his master a bit of advice regarding matters of the heart, he said: “My lord, if you really like Miss Ning, you should be a little more polite when you talk to her. When our prince speaks to the princess, he’s always gentle and considerate.”
Pei Yan was in the middle of drinking tea. At those words, he immediately choked. After coughing for a while, he snapped, “Which eye of yours saw me liking Ning Yan?”
“W-What? Then you’re not staying here because you like her?”
“What do you know? Do I have to explain everything to you?” Pei Yan tossed his teacup at him.
Startled, Shiwen jumped up and barely caught it. “You… you don’t like her? I don’t believe that.”
“Get out. If I see you again, I’ll skin you alive.”
Shiwen fled at top speed.
“Idiot.” Pei Yan lay back down. Thinking of the way Ning Yan had analyzed the case earlier that day, he muttered to himself, “She really does have some impressive skills.”
It was the first time he had seen anyone handle an investigation with such meticulous precision.
That night, Ning Yan and Liu Ye shared the same bed. It was so hot that neither could sleep. Ning Yan got up to enjoy the cool night air, but when she opened the door, she found Pei Yan sitting against her doorway. His eyes were closed. She couldn’t tell whether he was asleep or lost in thought. She walked over, but he didn’t react.
Ning Yan frowned. What kind of habit is this? Instead of sleeping in a bed, he’s sitting out in the courtyard?
“You can’t sleep either? Want to chat?” Pei Yan suddenly spoke without opening his eyes.
Ning Yan rolled her eyes, turned around, went back into her room, and shut the door. The next morning, when she got up, Pei Yan was nowhere to be seen. She sighed in relief. Apparently, this great lord couldn’t endure the rough conditions any longer and had returned to his luxurious residence.
The previous night, she had discussed their plans with Liu Zhan and Liu Ye. The family had 140 taels of silver in savings, enough to rent a storefront. But if they also needed to secure a place to live, their money still wasn’t enough.
Ning Yan thought of Zhang Xingben. So she went to him to borrow money.
“The master won’t lend it,” Liu Zhan said worriedly. “He’s always been stingy.”
“It doesn’t matter. It’s only a few words. Even if he refuses, I lose nothing,” Ning Yan replied.
She went to find Zhang Xingben, but to her surprise, he didn’t hesitate at all. He immediately handed her five hundred taels of silver. “Even if you hadn’t come, I was planning to look for you. This is your payment for solving the case.”
Ning Yan was astonished. “In the future, I’d appreciate it if Miss Ning could put in a few good words for me when you’re speaking with the Commander.”
So that was the reason.
Ning Yan accepted the money without any ceremony. “Of course. Certainly,” she said.
Zhang Xingben then asked, “Now that you’ve gotten your indenture contracts back, what are your plans?”
Ning Yan did not hide anything. “We plan to open a small food shop.”
“A small food shop…” Zhang Xingben thought for a moment. “What a coincidence. I happen to have a small property available. There’s a storefront in the front and a little courtyard behind it. As for the location, Liu Zhan knows where it is.”
Liu Zhan’s face lit up with delight. “Master, y-you’re willing to rent it to us?”
“We’re practically family. Why be so formal?”
“Then we thank you very much,” Ning Yan said with a smile.
Once Zhang Xingben had left, Liu Zhan could no longer contain himself. “A Yan, did you threaten him or something? Otherwise, there’s no way he’d suddenly become so generous, even offering money on his own.”
“How could I?” Ning Yan tucked the banknotes away. “Forget it. Since he’s giving us the money, we’ll take it. As for his real reason, we can worry about that when it reveals itself.”
“Mhm, mhm. Let’s go look at the shop.”
Then Liu Ye asked excitedly, “What do you think Father and Mother’s reaction will be when they come back and see that we’ve opened a shop?”
“What kind of reaction would they have? They’d be happy, of course,” Liu Zhan said with a smile.
“I think Mother would cry,” Liu Ye said. “Cry from happiness.” She wrapped her arms around Ning Yan and planted several loud kisses on her cheeks. “And it’s all thanks to our A Yan. We’re free now!”
Laughing and chatting, the three headed out into the streets together.