Her expression remained calm and composed. As she passed through the moon gate of the flower hall, she glanced back slightly. Fortunately, everyone was rushing to squeeze out, and Zhang Zhiyan was the last to leave. It was unlikely that any female guests had noticed the moment when Liu Lang snatched her handkerchief earlier. She cursed Liu Lang inwardly for being a scoundrel who caused trouble regardless of the occasion.
Watching her graceful figure hurriedly depart, Liu Lang felt in high spirits today.
"Miss, are you alright?" Lüyin approached, having waited anxiously by the hanging flower gate. "I was separated from you earlier by the crowd."
"It's just the Wu De Si guards searching the inner courtyard of Wenguo-gong-fu. It has nothing to do with us outsiders." Zhang Zhiyan took Lüyin's hand and walked toward the western side gate of Wenguo-gong-fu.
Lüzhu was already waiting with the carriage. "Miss, a large group of Wu De Si guards rushed in earlier. Over a dozen male guests from the outer courtyard were taken away. Seeing the situation was off, I wanted to go in and find you, but the second gate was blocked." Lüzhu lifted the carriage curtain. "Please get in quickly. Let's leave this troublesome place."
"Exactly! I almost thought the Wu De Si was going to raid Wenguo-gong-fu." Lüyin patted her chest, genuinely frightened earlier.
After boarding the carriage, Zhang Zhiyan lifted the curtain and looked out. The road was filled with carriages from other mansions departing Wenguo-gong-fu, scattering in all directions.
"Lüzhu, take a detour through Tongque Alley."
"Yes, Miss."
Lüzhu asked softly, "What if we encounter the heir?"
Zhang Zhiyan sneered, "What's there to fear? It's not me keeping a mistress. If we do run into him, he’d probably try to slip away at the sight of our carriage."
She only knew that the mistress, Lu Yao, lived in Tongque Alley, an area inhabited by wealthy households. She still didn’t know exactly which residence Lu Yao occupied. Moreover, Liu Lang’s villa was also here, so she needed to familiarize herself with the location in advance.
In the time it took to drink a cup of tea, they arrived at Changning Street. Turning from Changning Street led to Tongque Alley. There was indeed a bridge here, beneath which flowed the century-old Cenxi River. Across the river was Lukang Street, lined with bustling shops—inns, taverns, teahouses, tailor shops, pastry shops, goldsmiths, and more—making it one of the capital’s prosperous districts.
"Would you like to get out, Miss?" Lüzhu asked.
"No need. Let’s just drive slowly." Zhang Zhiyan lifted the carriage curtain. Outside, the sun was shining brightly. A row of willow trees planted along the riverbank swayed freely in the wind, their dense, slender branches casting a green curtain over the lively bustle across the river.
The carriage moved slowly along the wide road by the riverbank and soon reached the bridgehead. Beside it stood a century-old camphor tree, lush and full of foliage.
Directly opposite was a residence with tightly closed gates and towering walls, from which only the tops of large trees inside were visible. The entrance bore no plaque or stone lions, only two vermilion doors adorned with door gods to ward off evil.
Zhang Zhiyan recalled Liu Lang’s mention of his villa. It seemed this was the place.
"Miss, are you hungry? Would you like to have lunch on Lukang Street across the river? With all the commotion caused by the Wu De Si earlier, we didn’t get to eat at Wenguo-gong-fu’s banquet." Lüyin asked with concern.
"Let’s take a stroll around here first before heading across." Zhang Zhiyan leaned against the window, contemplating when she should come here herself to pinpoint exactly which residence Lu Yao occupied. Only then could she proceed with her next plan.
Lüyin slipped outside to sit with Lüzhu, who was driving the carriage, and whispered softly to her, "If one day our mistress leaves Huguo Gongfu, we should buy a house here in Tongque Alley. I think this place is quite nice."
Lüzhu laughed, "How naive. It's not so easy for a woman to establish her own household. Our mistress has a celestial beauty—I'm even afraid that thieves might take notice. Besides, her natal marquis household will surely arrange for her to remarry."
Lüyin frowned, "It's truly beyond our control. I'm so tired of these people; I don't want to stay in either of these mansions."
Lüzhu also sighed, "Let's endure for now. Fortunately, we are of one heart. As long as our mistress is well, we will naturally be well too."
Zhang Zhiyan had been holding up the curtain the entire time, never letting it drop. She roughly memorized the houses on both sides of Tongque Alley—some had plaques hanging at their gates, while others did not.
Those without plaques were likely private residences whose owners did not wish to be discovered by outsiders, much like Liu Lang's villa. Such houses would probably be difficult to inquire about to find their true owners, unless someone voluntarily revealed information. Those with plaques, however, would be much easier to investigate.
If she couldn't find it today, it didn't matter. There would always be a day when she stumbled upon it.
"Go to Lukang Street across the bridge to buy some pastries. I'll eat them when we return to the mansion," Zhang Zhiyan said, lowering the curtain and instructing Lüzhu.
Thus, the mistress and her two maids returned to the mansion with three full food boxes from a well-known pastry shop on Lukang Street. As soon as they stepped into Yu Qiong Yuan, the steward sent an outer courtyard matron to report, "Madam Shizi, Huguo-gong is waiting for you in the outer study to discuss important matters."
"I'll go after changing my clothes," Zhang Zhiyan replied, sitting in the passageway and taking a sip of tea.
Lüyin selected a white egret playing in water-patterned Suzhou embroidery outer robe with a front closure and wide sleeves for her. Her hairstyle remained the same feitian bun she had styled in the morning, but she removed the heavy headdress, replacing it with two rose-shaped pearl flowers and slantingly inserting a gilded lotus-pair hairpin inlaid with emeralds.
When Zhang Zhiyan arrived at the outer study, Shizi Liao Chuan was also there.
"Your daughter-in-law greets Father-in-law," Zhang Zhiyan said, curtsying. As she rose, she pretended her eyes were filled with joy. "This is the first time I've seen my husband in broad daylight within the mansion."
Liao Chuan showed a look of disgust. "I happen to be on leave today."
Zhang Zhiyan didn't ask him the reason for his leave. In any case, not a single word from his mouth was truthful, and she couldn't be bothered to listen.
Huguo-gong actually knew that his son was rarely at home all day and was even aware that Liao Chuan secretly kept a mistress. His expression remained unperturbed. "After court ended early today, Wen Guo Gong took the initiative to speak with me, wanting Mingzhu to marry his legitimate youngest son. I politely declined."
Zhang Zhiyan listened silently. In her previous life, Liao Mingzhu had lived a life where she got whatever she wanted, but unfortunately, she ruined it herself. Although she married the seventh young master of Wenguo-gong-fu, the two were a quarrelsome, resentful couple, constantly returning to her natal home to complain and causing chaos in both Wenguo-gong-fu and Huguo Gongfu.
Now, because Zhang Zhiyan had exposed her true origins, Liao Mingzhu could no longer live as she had in her previous life.
Liao Chuan pleaded, "Father, even if Mingzhu is not legitimate, she has been in the mansion for so many years and is still known to outsiders as the eldest Miss Liao. Let her marry into that family."
The Duke gave Liao Chuan a cold glance. "Her temperament is arrogant and domineering, her heart is narrow, and she utterly lacks tolerance. Marrying into a noble household would only bring ridicule, making people think our Huguo Gongfu lacks proper upbringing. Moreover, she is not my biological daughter, so why should I go to great lengths to cover for her? You need not regard her as your sister anymore. Besides, Wenguo-gong-fu has run into trouble and nearly faced confiscation. Others are avoiding them like the plague, and we must not get involved in the slightest."
"Father-in-law is absolutely right," Zhang Zhiyan nodded. Liao Chuan shot her a glare from the side.
"Mingzhu's in-laws have written, saying they want to expedite the wedding. The elderly lady on their side is unwell and may not last beyond the Mid-Autumn Festival. Simply prepare the dowry in full, and when they come to the capital to fetch her, send her off on the boat," the Duke instructed Zhang Zhiyan.
The formalities of the three letters and six etiquettes for a grand betrothal typically require at least half a year to prepare. As it stands now, this wedding is already exceedingly simple and hasty, lacking even the basic procedures.
"Yes, Father-in-law."
"You may leave."
"Your daughter-in-law takes her leave." Zhang Zhiyan withdrew, closing the door behind her.
In the study, it was extremely quiet. Huguo-gong suddenly slammed his hand heavily on the desk. "You have achieved nothing in your career, yet you excel in indulging in women. Either have that mistress, Madam Lu, beaten to death or sell her off. Choose one."
Liao Chuan looked up in terror and immediately knelt. "Father, that cannot be done."
"Why not?"