After parting from Shen Guanzhi, Jiang Zhuo returned to the Jiang residence and saw the carriage bearing the insignia of Marquis Wuwei parked at the gate.
Ling Heng had come.
Jiang Zhuo paused for a moment, then still walked inside.
This was her own home. Surely she could not stop returning to it simply to avoid Ling Heng.
Gritting her teeth, Jiang Zhuo strode into the front hall and, sure enough, saw Ling Heng seated in the guest chair, leisurely drinking tea, looking more like the master of the house than she did.
“Earlier, I noticed that the garments worn by the concubines in my household appeared quite alluring on Miss Jiang. Now that Miss Jiang is dressed in plain white, she looks especially pure and pitiful,” Ling Heng said as he set down his teacup and appraised her from head to toe. “Indeed, the beauty of a true beauty lies not in clothing, but in appearance.”
“Marquis Ling has come specially to pay a visit today—surely it isn’t just to praise me?” Jiang Zhuo also took a sip of the tea a maid had brought her and replied with cold sarcasm. “There’s no need to be so attentive. After all, I am still in three years of deep mourning, and the Marquis will have plenty of chances to admire me in the future.”
The scene of Ling Heng luring her into the dark chamber during the birthday banquet that night was still vivid in her mind.
Since Ling Heng did not mention it, Jiang Zhuo would not bring it up either.
“Three years is nothing. This marquis can afford to wait,” Ling Heng said as he unfolded his gold-bamboo folding fan. His narrow phoenix eyes fixed tightly on Jiang Zhuo, as though she were prey that already belonged to him. “But today, I have come to discuss business with Miss Jiang.”
“I didn’t realize I had any business to discuss with the Marquis.”
Jiang Zhuo lowered her gaze deliberately, avoiding Ling Heng’s eyes.
She disliked this sort of look that treated her as private property.
When passion was strong, it appeared ardent and fervent—but once beauty faded and youth passed, she would be cast aside like worn shoes.
“I can help Miss Jiang manage the shops and estates under her name, taking only thirty percent of the surplus profit. What do you say?”
Jiang Zhuo naturally understood Ling Heng’s intentions. First, he would take control of her assets. If she later truly married him, he could legitimately swallow them up. Even if she did not marry him, should he falsify the accounts, she would likely be unable to tell.
“I can give all the surplus profits to the Marquis,” Jiang Zhuo said, looking straight at Ling Heng and forcing herself to smile innocently. “On the condition that I participate fully in managing my own businesses, learning how to run shops and estates. If the Marquis is willing, we can first set a one-year contract.”
Ling Heng was momentarily stunned, then suddenly laughed.
“I truly didn’t know Miss Jiang possessed such ambition.”
He laughed as though he had discovered that the rabbit he kept in his courtyard was secretly studying the Four Books and Five Classics in preparation for the imperial examinations.
Jiang Zhuo remained quietly smiling, waiting for Ling Heng’s reply.
“Since Miss Jiang has the desire to learn, how could I refuse to teach?” Ling Heng stood up and approached her, speaking teasingly. “It’s just that commerce is complicated. I fear Miss Jiang may not be able to learn it all within a single year.”
“If I can’t learn it, then please have the Marquis renew the contract for a few more years,” Jiang Zhuo lifted her head and smiled sweetly at him. “I only hope the Marquis won’t find me foolish and be unwilling to teach.”
In her previous life, after learning that Zhao Mingjing liked official daughters skilled in music and talent, Jiang Zhuo practiced the pipa relentlessly for three years. Ling Heng was amorous and often frequented entertainment houses, so she apprenticed herself to the most famous Hu courtesan in the capital to learn the Whirling Barbarian Dance. Su Yanqing was refined and elegant; to be able to converse with him, she devoted herself to studying poetry and literature. As for Xie Guanlan—Jiang Zhuo thought for a moment—she really knew very little about him. On the one hand, he was taciturn by nature and did not like dealing with people; on the other, she had fallen ill almost as soon as she arrived at his residence.
To Jiang Zhuo, learning was a way of proving her worth, and she had considerable confidence in her own ability to learn.
Only in her previous life, she had always learned for the sake of pleasing a particular man. In this life, Jiang Zhuo wanted to live for herself, and to learn in order to survive better.
Ling Heng paused, then quickly snapped his fan shut, revealing a smile full of certainty.
“Since Miss Jiang says so, it would be improper for me to refuse.”
“It’s already late today, and there probably isn’t time to draw up the contract,” Jiang Zhuo said with a faint smile, then ordered someone to present a list of assets. “This is a list of all my properties in the capital. The Marquis may first go and organize and audit them. When I return, we can discuss matters further.”
“Return? Where are you going?” Ling Heng frowned.
“To Pucheng. I leave tomorrow,” Jiang Zhuo replied seriously. “It is, after all, where my father is buried. As his daughter, I should go and see him. Such is human duty—I hope the Marquis will understand.”
“That may not be so,” Ling Heng said. He examined Jiang Zhuo’s face carefully and raised an eyebrow. “What if, like Vice Minister Jiang, you meet with misfortune on the road? Then wouldn’t all my efforts on your behalf be wasted? This marquis does not do unprofitable business.”
…If I truly died on the road, and there were no heirs to my estate, the person who should be happiest would probably be you.
Looking at Ling Heng, who took advantage and still acted coy, Jiang Zhuo clenched her teeth inwardly.
“How about this,” Ling Heng said, using his fan to lift Jiang Zhuo’s chin and leaning his own face closer. “Or Miss Jiang could give this marquis a kiss as a deposit for managing your assets—how about that?”
Jiang Zhuo froze.
In her previous life, whenever Jiang Zhuo coquettishly asked Ling Heng for something, he often said the same thing.
“For the hairpin you want, A-Zhuo, your husband ran to three shops across the capital. Seeing how hard I worked for you, shouldn’t you give me a kiss in return?”
Jiang Zhuo had always been someone lowly to the bone. Having the chance to live again, she naturally did not care about dignity or reputation.
But this was only Ling Heng’s attempt to test the waters and push the relationship forward. Jiang Zhuo understood that once she used physical intimacy as a bargaining chip in dealings with Ling Heng, they could never again be equal partners in negotiation.
“The Marquis really knows how to joke,” Jiang Zhuo said coolly, turning her gaze away in refusal.
“A true wooden beauty,” Ling Heng said, not angered in the least, but instead amused.
He straightened up and clapped his hands.
A black shadow landed soundlessly on the ground.
Jiang Zhuo was startled.
The warm tea splashed slightly, dampening her fingertips.
From the moment she entered the room until now, Jiang Zhuo had not even noticed that someone had been hiding in the beams above!
“This is Black Hawk, a shadow guard. From now on, he is yours.”
With that, Ling Heng turned and was about to leave with a sweep of his sleeve.
“Today, this marquis had a very pleasant conversation with Lady Zhaoning. I hope that the next time we meet, the lady will still be as safe and sound as she is today.”
“A-Zhuo thanks the Marquis,” Jiang Zhuo replied.
Marquis Wuwei wielded immense power through commerce and finance. Jiang Zhuo knew that the reason this negotiation had gone so smoothly was largely because Ling Heng had yielded to her.
She bent and saluted toward Ling Heng’s departing figure.
“I’m leaving,” Ling Heng said, waving his hand as he strode out of the main hall without looking back.