The young woman before him breathed a fragrance as delicate as orchid. Their proximity was such that even their breaths intertwined, and the wrist he held in his palm was so soft it seemed boneless—as if a single squeeze would snap it.
Lu Yuan released his grip. The terrifying aura radiating from him dissipated, and he no longer had the leisure to pursue the matter of her slap. His probing gaze swept over her from head to toe, as if weighing the credibility of her words.
Jiang Zhi added, “I’m still at the Jiang residence—where could I possibly flee? If in the end no assassin is found, Lord Lu can come arrest me then, and it won’t be too late.”
Only then did Lu Yuan curl the corner of his lips. “Why wait for another day when today will do? Since Miss Jiang is so willing, come with me now and let me see whether what you say holds true.”
But Jiang Zhi shook her head. “No.”
“And why is that?”
“Lord Lu has trodden on and dirtied my skirt. I must return to change my clothes,” Jiang Zhi said, paying no heed whatsoever to Lu Yuan’s gaze, which had darkened to the point of murder. “Moreover, it wouldn’t be appropriate for Lord Lu to go dressed as you are.”
“Oh? And how is it inappropriate?”
“To avoid alarming the snake and startling the grass, I must ask Lord Lu to return and change into plain clothes, and to unbuckle your Xiuchun Blade as well. Tomorrow at the hour of Chen, I’ll trouble Lord Lu to wait for me at Xiefangju.”
If she were to walk out the door with Lu Yuan right now, who knew what rumors would spread.
Watching her command him with such a serious, proper air, Lu Yuan found it nothing short of novel.
Aside from the current Son of Heaven, she was the first person who dared to issue orders to him like this.
“Fine. But if you dare to toy with me, don’t blame me for lacking a gentleman’s tenderness.”
He narrowed his eyes, the threat within them needing no elaboration. “There will surely be a place reserved for Miss Jiang in the Imperial Prison.”
Jiang Zhi extended her hand. “It’s a deal.”
Lu Yuan looked at her fair palm, her fingers slender as peeled scallion roots. He curled his lips, and his broad, calloused palm met hers in a light clap—touching for but an instant before parting.
He steadied his blade and departed.
But just as Jiang Zhi was about to breathe a sigh of relief, he stopped at the doorway and turned back, letting out a cold laugh from deep in his chest. “Miss Jiang’s two slaps—Lu has taken note. One day, I shall repay them in full.”
His ink-blue robes with golden threads billowed and vanished around the corner. Jiang Zhi rubbed her wrist, which ached from his grip, and let out a careful, guarded breath.
This Lu Yuan was truly terrifying.
She had better find that assassin quickly, so he would stop keeping his eyes fixed on her.
In her previous life, Lu Yuan had spent considerable time before finally capturing that assassin.
But before he could be thrown into the Imperial Prison for interrogation, the assassin had taken his own life on the way there out of guilt.
With the Jinyiwei’s methods, such a thing should never have been allowed to happen. The only explanation was that there was a traitor within the Jinyiwei’s ranks—that the mastermind behind it all had reach that touched the heavens, silencing the assassin forever.
At that time, Jiang Zhi had been confined to the rear courtyard of the Zhongqin Bojue Mansion, and had only vaguely heard that the assassin had come from Puzhao Temple.
She never learned who had dispatched the assassin, and in the end, the case was quietly dropped.
Whether Lu Yuan had failed to uncover the truth, or whether it involved some secret of the imperial household, the matter was never made public.
It was only later, in the brothel, that she learned some of the truth behind the case from that man’s lips.
But now, none of that had anything to do with her.
She only wanted to rid herself of him as quickly as possible.
Upon learning that Lu Yuan had left, Jiang Zhengting immediately came in to ask.
“What did Lord Lu ask you? I saw him leave with hurried steps—did you anger him?”
Jiang Zhi said slowly, “Lord Lu said that this matter concerns the assassination attempt on the Crown Prince, and I must keep it strictly confidential—I cannot mention it to a third party. However, if Father wishes to hear it, your daughter will certainly tell you everything she knows.”
Jiang Zhengting frowned deeply. “Does this matter involve the Jiang household?”
Knowing his temperament well, Jiang Zhi simply shook her head. “It has nothing to do with us. Lord Lu only asked about my whereabouts last night.”
“Very well, as long as it doesn’t implicate the Jiang household.” Seeing that Lu Yuan had taken the trouble to come and apologize in person, and hadn’t taken Jiang Zhi away for questioning, Jiang Zhengting felt reassured and set his concerns aside.
The next day, at Xiefangju.
When Jiang Zhi descended from the carriage, she saw Lu Yuan waiting at the entrance.
He wore a dark casual robe today, cut cleanly and fitting him well, with a black leather belt at his waist that accentuated his tall, broad frame. His imposing presence, however, remained entirely unchecked—even those who didn’t know his identity instinctively gave him a wide berth as they passed, forming an invisible circle of empty space around him.
Jiang Zhi stepped forward and greeted him with a bow. “Lord Lu, apologies for keeping you waiting.”
“Let’s go in.” Lu Yuan was a man of few words.
Xiefangju specialized in cosmetics, powders, and incense, offering a wide variety of goods—including many rare items imported from the Western Regions—and was deeply beloved by the women of Jingdu.
An attendant ushered them inside. Jiang Zhi browsed by the counter for a while, lifting each item to her nose for a gentle sniff, yet she still couldn’t find the same scent from that night.
“Miss Jiang, don’t forget what you promised me.” Watching her wander about as casually as if she were strolling through the streets, Lu Yuan couldn’t help but remind her.
Jiang Zhi smiled. “Lord Lu, don’t be hasty. Since that scent is special, it wouldn’t be something placed on the counter for just anyone to pick up.”
Her gaze settled on Lu Yuan. “I’ll need to ask Lord Lu for a small favor.”
Lu Yuan let out a snort, but he knew his role for today, so he called out in a clear voice, “Where is the shopkeeper?”
Before long, a charming woman dressed in fine clothes, with a golden peony hairpin slanting through her hair, approached with a smile curving at the corners of her lips. “Esteemed guest, this one is Madam Fu, the shopkeeper of Xiefangju. Has my staff been remiss in attending to you?”
Lu Yuan cast her a sidelong glance. “You dare to sell such common, vulgar wares? Xiefangju is nothing special after all.”
Seeing that Lu Yuan and Jiang Zhi, though simply dressed, carried themselves with extraordinary bearing, Madam Fu knew they were no ordinary customers. She immediately smiled and ushered them upstairs to a quiet private room, ordering a servant to serve tea.
“This gentleman has fine taste indeed. The best goods at Xiefangju aren’t shown to just anyone,” Madam Fu said, having a tray brought over laden with exquisitely packaged cosmetics and incense. “Every one of these is a treasure, rarely found on the open market. They’d make the perfect gift for a beloved.”
Jiang Zhi realized the shopkeeper had mistaken them for a couple.
Lu Yuan rarely showed himself in public. Though the people of Jingdu had heard of his name, few had ever seen his face.
As for herself, she wore a veil, so the shopkeeper didn’t know her identity—and she couldn’t be bothered to correct the misunderstanding.
Lu Yuan, meanwhile, coughed lightly into his fist. “Hurry up and bring them over for her to see.”
The tray was placed before Jiang Zhi.
The cosmetics and incense upon it came in a variety of colors, exquisitely crafted—clearly worth a small fortune.
But after examining them for a long while, Jiang Zhi still couldn’t find what she was looking for.
She shook her head at Lu Yuan.
Lu Yuan’s expression darkened. “It seems Xiefangju is not as all-encompassing as the legends claim—nothing but things that can’t be shown in public. Let’s leave.”
Lu Yuan made as if to pull Jiang Zhi away, but was repeatedly stopped by Madam Fu.
“Oh dear, look at my memory,” she said with an apologetic smile. “Just a few days ago, I acquired a rare item from the Western Regions. Ordinary ladies of the boudoir don’t care for it. If you, sir, are interested, I’ll have someone bring it up right away.”