The next day, in the glazed garden of the North Prison Hall, Fang Qiongya sat upright on a jade stool, wholeheartedly tending to a bundle of flowers.
Just as Rongzhi walked over, before she even had a chance to deliver her message, a burst of laughter reached Fang Qiongya’s ears.
The visitor’s laughter arrived well before the person did. Frowning, Rongzhi prepared to block the intruder who had barged in without announcing himself.
“It is fine.” Fang Qiongya picked up a flower bud, sniffed it gently, and called out to stop Rongzhi.
“Hall Master Fang, trust you have been well since we last met!” The visitor seated himself opposite Fang Qiongya without a shred of hesitation, quite unceremoniously ordering Rongzhi to pour him some tea.
Stopping what he was doing, Fang Qiongya parted his thin lips slightly, “Prime Minister Cao, you truly are a noble person prone to forgetting.”
Leaning forward, Cao Guiyuan chuckled and asked, “How do you mean?”
“Lord Prime Minister has likely forgotten that Rongzhi…” Raising his eyes to fix a fierce, piercing stare on Cao Guiyuan, Fang Qiongya continued, “Only pours tea for me alone.”
Though a smile remained on Fang Qiongya’s face, his gaze was as terrifying and bottomless as an abyss.
Cao Guiyuan froze for a fraction of a second before quickly swapping back to a beaming smile. “It was this Prime Minister who acted rashly!”
Withdrawing his gaze, Fang Qiongya went back to arranging the flowers.
Assuming a respectful attitude, Cao Guiyuan said, “Without Hall Master Fang’s assistance and support, how could this Prime Minister have climbed to the position I hold today? Your immense kindness and great virtue, Hall Master, this Prime Minister has always kept firmly etched in his heart!”
The corners of Fang Qiongya’s mouth lifted slightly, though he did not look at Cao Guiyuan.
Undeterred, Cao Guiyuan continued, “The task Hall Master asked this Prime Minister to arrange has already been handled properly. I wonder if the Hall Master has any further requests for the next steps?”
While picking up a pair of shears to trim the stems, Fang Qiongya replied, “There is no need to trouble the Prime Minister with subsequent matters; I will handle them personally.”
“Oh?” Cao Guiyuan said, “For the Hall Master to say such things is to treat me as an outsider! Could it be you are still angry about what happened just now?”
Fang Qiongya gave no response.
Feigning utmost sincerity once more, Cao Guiyuan added, “The Hall Master requires medicinal treatments daily, making it inconvenient to travel out. If there is anything you need, just give the word!”
Upon hearing this, Fang Qiongya burst into hearty laughter. Puzzled and slightly apprehensive, Cao Guiyuan turned to Rongzhi and asked, “What is wrong with the Hall Master?”
With a blank expression, Rongzhi replied, “When the Hall Master says he will handle something personally, he means he will handle it personally. Lord Prime Minister need not worry.”
Fang Qiongya’s laughter was loud and open, yet to Cao Guiyuan, it sent a bone-chilling shiver down his spine, feeling utterly terrifying.
Therefore, he immediately stood up, bowed deeply to Fang Qiongya, and said, “If there is nothing else, this Prime Minister, I shall no longer disturb the Hall Master’s peace and quiet.”
Waving a hand, Fang Qiongya continued to smile. “Prime Minister Cao, please feel free.”
Bowing deferentially, Cao Guiyuan backed away step by step all the way to the entrance of the glazed garden, offering one final bow before he finally dared to leave.
The smile fading from his face, Fang Qiongya handed the arranged bouquet over to Rongzhi and gave a calm instruction, “Put it in his room.”
“Whose?” For the first time, Rongzhi failed to react immediately after hearing an order from Fang Qiongya.
The date market in Yichuan drew crowds of merchants, remaining lively and bustling through all four seasons.
With a green leaf clamped between his teeth, Yu Xingliang rested comfortably on his own crossed arms, kicking his feet up with one leg crossed over the other and humming a little tune as he reclined leisurely in the pavilion by the edge of the date market.
Come to think of it, this Gu Shaoyuan’s background was rather tragic. As an orphan with no parents, he had spent his childhood fighting wild dogs for scraps, but fortunately, the boy was sharp-witted and possessed innate talent.
After being spotted by Jiang Taoyue and taken in as a disciple, by the age of eighteen, he had become the most formidable figure in the Southern District.
Truly a case of: a terrible starting hand played into a royal flush.
“Boss! Boss!” Meng Ren dashed into the pavilion in a frantic rush.
With his eyes closed, Yu Xingliang asked lazily, “What is it? Rushing about like a headless chicken, you look nothing like a constable.”
Panting heavily, Meng Ren stammered, “The recruitment order.” Catching his breath, he continued, “The imperial city is recruiting Dragon-Guarding Envoys!”
Snapping his eyes wide open, Yu Xingliang sprang up and snatched the recruitment notice right out of Meng Ren’s hand.
According to Gu Shaoyuan’s memories, this recruitment order was issued from the imperial city down to every district; this was precisely the opportunity the original Gu Shaoyuan had been waiting for all along.
“Those who pass the preliminary trials can enter the imperial city for specialized training, and top performers will ultimately be selected to enter the palace and protect His Majesty?” Staring at the black characters on white paper in absolute disbelief, Yu Xingliang widened his eyes and eagerly sought verification from Meng Ren.
“Yes! What an immense honor this is!” Meng Ren replied with excitement.
“Dragon-Guarding Envoys.” Overflowing joy practically spilled from Yu Xingliang’s eyes, though it lasted only a brief moment before vanishing entirely.
Handing the recruitment order back to Meng Ren, Yu Xingliang lay back down with a dejected sigh. “Sigh, I suppose I’ll just stay in Yichuan.”
Puzzled, Meng Ren asked, “Why?”
Yu Xingliang let out a sigh. Although Gu Shaoyuan was undeniably formidable, this recruitment order would undoubtedly draw elites from every district, and Yu Xingliang had zero confidence in his ability to outmatch them all.
If his martial arts exposed any flaws during the competition, wouldn’t he simply ruin the male lead’s reputation for nothing?
With no other choice, Yu Xingliang reasoned aloud, “I feel like Yichuan needs me more.”
“Chief constables from every district are required to go. You have to participate.” Jiang Taoyue walked over at that exact moment.
Yu Xingliang quickly stood up, joining Meng Ren in bowing respectfully to Jiang Taoyue.
“Chief, I…”
Jiang Taoyue interrupted, “Say no more. You possess brilliant martial arts; you shouldn’t remain cooped up in Yichuan forever.”
With a conflicted expression, Yu Xingliang lowered his head.
Jiang Taoyue patted Yu Xingliang on the shoulder. “I am your master. Do I not know what is on your mind? You can go ahead and chase this with absolute peace of mind! Yichuan has your master right here.”
“Master.” Yu Xingliang felt a lump forming in his throat.
Jiang Taoyue said, “You are Yichuan’s divine constable, after all! Once you reach the imperial city, you must not bring shame upon our Yichuan!”
“That’s right! Constable Gu, you’re meant for high office!”
“Constable Gu, you can do it! We believe in you!”
“You are the pride of Yichuan!”
Before he knew it, the area outside the pavilion had filled with townsfolk, all sincerely cheering and rooting for Gu Shaoyuan.
“You guys…” Moved to tears by the scene, Yu Xingliang was momentarily left speechless.
For the very first time in his life, he experienced the genuine sensation of being a hero.
“Divine constable, go get them!” People shouted from all directions.
Daniu, the sesame-cake vendor frequently helped out by Gu Shaoyuan, called out loudly, “You’ve always been our armor, and we are more than willing to be your strongest backing!”
“Hahahaha.”
“Pfft, hehehe. Where on earth did Daniu pick up lines like that?” Wearing a wide smile, Yu Xingliang bowed deeply to the townspeople and promised, “Thank you, everyone! On this trip, I will certainly not bring disgrace to Yichuan!”
Standing nearby, Jiang Taoyue stroked his beard with an expression of proud satisfaction, while Meng Ren was already sobbing miserably beside them.
Amidst the warm send-off of the townsfolk, Yu Xingliang returned home with his arms full of gifts. After bidding farewell to the residents at his doorstep, he turned around to find Jiang Yuhan sitting in a bamboo chair in the courtyard waiting for him.
Seeing Yu Xingliang return, Jiang Yuhan hurriedly stood up to greet him.
“No, no, this bundle is heavy.” Stepping away from Jiang Yuhan’s outstretched hands, Yu Xingliang spoke softly, “I’ll carry it.”
Withdrawing the hands that had reached out to help, Jiang Yuhan forced a smile. “I was thinking that since Shaoyuan-gege sets off tomorrow, there wouldn’t be enough time to prepare many things. But seeing this, it seems Han’er was worrying over nothing.”
Yu Xingliang gave a cheerful grin, “These are just some snacks gifted by the folks at the date market. They really did send a lot.”
Placing the parcels and food boxes gifted by the townsfolk onto the bamboo table, Yu Xingliang noticed the look of sorrow on Jiang Yuhan’s face, so he quickly unwrapped one of the packages, pulled out a large sesame flatbread wrapped in oil paper, and handed it directly to Jiang Yuhan.
“Does Han’er want a bite? It’s still warm!”
Accepting it with a faint smile, Jiang Yuhan frowned and said, “Shaoyuan-gege… I have something I need to tell you.”
Pulling out another flatbread for himself, Yu Xingliang began chewing thoughtfully while listening intently.
Gathering her courage as if bracing for a monumental task, Jiang Yuhan blurted out, “Shaoyuan-gege, marry me!”
Hearing this, Yu Xingliang stopped chewing and stared at Jiang Yuhan in utter disbelief.
With her eyes tightly shut, Jiang Yuhan practically roared out the rest, “I am no longer young, and since the two of us share mutual affection, we might as well settle our marriage plans first!”
With a sharp thud, the flatbread slipped from Yu Xingliang’s hand and hit the ground.
How was he supposed to tell Jiang Yuhan that he didn’t actually like girls?
Swallowing the unchewed piece of flatbread in his mouth with considerable difficulty, Yu Xingliang cleared his throat and said, “Han’er, the truth is… I’ve always treated you like a younger sister…”
“Is it because Shaoyuan-gege is going to the imperial city, and I picked the wrong time to bring this up today?”
“No, it’s not that.” In his entire life prior to this, aside from Fan Ruyi, Yu Xingliang had barely interacted with any girls, leaving him no choice but to confess, “I really have only ever seen you as a little sister.”
Tears welled up in Jiang Yuhan’s eyes. “You’re lying! You clearly love me too! Is it because you’re afraid I’ll wait for you after you go to the imperial city? I’m willing to wait for you!”
Seeing Jiang Yuhan cry, Yu Xingliang panicked slightly, yet he refused to tell a lie. “Han’er, I’m not lying to you. I…”
Clutching the hand Yu Xingliang had used to wipe away her tears, Jiang Yuhan looked at him with fierce determination. “Fine! Even if I misunderstood, you don’t have anyone else in your heart right now, and now that you know how I feel…”
“I do.”
“What?” Jiang Yuhan froze.
Gently, Yu Xingliang said, “Han’er, there is someone I hold in my heart. Although I may not be able to see him right now, that doesn’t stop me from loving him deeply.”
Staring at Yu Xingliang for a long moment and realizing he wasn’t joking, Jiang Yuhan slowly let go of his hand.
With tears streaming down her face, she said, “Han’er understands. Shaoyuan-gege, take good care of yourself on your way to the imperial city tomorrow. You need to rest early tonight, so Han’er will take her leave first.”
“Then Han’er, let me walk you out.”
“No need!” Jiang Yuhan said resolutely. “Shaoyuan-gege, let me walk the rest of the way by myself. I cannot stay by your side forever; I have to learn to walk on my own.”
Watching Jiang Yuhan’s sorrowful retreating figure, Yu Xingliang directed a wave of self-blame inward: “I actually made Han’er this sad, I really am a total jerk! Wait, could this Jiang Yuhan be the female lead?”
“No, that’s not right.” A mental image of the breathtakingly gorgeous pink-clothed maiden flashed across Yu Xingliang’s mind, and he muttered to himself:
“If anyone’s the female lead, surely it should be that pink-clothed maiden from the North Prison Hall. I wonder how she’s doing right now… Ah, wait! What is wrong with me? Han’er is over there heartbroken, and here I am having the mind to think about other girls. If I keep going like this, this Gu Shaoyuan is going to turn into a complete scumbag!”
Hidden in the shadows, a dark figure flashed past.