Jiang Zhuoying’s willow-leaf eyebrows slightly furrowed. This was merely her excuse…
Could he truly believe she had done wrong?
Or was he convinced she was involved in the Zhuozhuo Pond Water incident?
After some thought, Jiang Zhuoying spoke in a faint voice: “Your Highness… This servant has always been timid, never daring to commit any transgression.”
“After much reflection, this servant only fears there might be one misunderstanding. Does Your Highness suspect this servant’s involvement in the drugging of Zhuozhuo’s pond water?”
Jiang Zhuoying caught her breath and coughed lightly a few times: “This servant merely happened to be present and is unrelated to this matter.”
“Whether you’re involved or not isn’t for you to decide.”
The man’s voice carried noticeably more coldness than before.
Jiang Zhuoying fell silent. After several breaths, she actually managed to conjure a tearful tone: “Why… why must Your Highness target this servant so?”
Heavy footsteps sounded again. The light before Jiang Zhuoying’s eyes gradually darkened as a shadow loomed over her, his voice carrying undeniable pressure.
“What do you think?”
Jiang Zhuoying took a deep breath: “Cough, cough, cough…”
This time she had genuinely choked herself.
Feigning a few more sobs, Jiang Zhuoying hung her head without responding.
“Knock, knock~” The door sounded. “Master, this servant has brought your medicinal soup.”
“Enter.”
While wiping her tears, Jiang Zhuoying looked up to see Chu Yixin approaching from afar, carrying a food tray with a blue and white porcelain medicine bowl placed atop it.
As he drew near, he noticed the young girl wiping her tears, crying as delicately as pear blossoms in rain. Glancing at his indifferent master, Chu Yixin secretly frowned, feeling an indescribable concern.
Even with Miss Jiang’s exceptional beauty, his master remained this aloof?
Any ordinary man witnessing such a scene would have been stirred long ago!
“Let’s go.”
Another cold urging. Chu Yixin nodded: “Yes.”
He placed the items in his hands on the table, then turned to follow his master out.
Just as they stepped into the adjacent room, faint sobbing could be heard from behind, as if someone was struggling to suppress their cries – intermittent and extremely feeble.
Chu Yixin instinctively glanced at his master, whose expression remained unmoved…
He suddenly felt a pang of distress. If even such a beauty couldn’t stir his master’s heart in the slightest, then what about Eunuch Liu’s…
Watching the two figures disappear from view and the door close once more, Jiang Zhuoying immediately changed her expression.
Frowning, she took small sips of the medicinal soup – it was truly bitter.
Chu Yixin followed his master out of the main room. He glanced at Qi Fan again, hesitating to speak.
“What?” The man’s tone was flat.
“Master, did you make that girl cry?”
Chu Yixin measured his words while desperately searching his memory.
Having served his master since birth, this seemed to be the first time his master had made a girl cry?
The man walking ahead suddenly stopped, then after a moment of silence said: “She cried on her own.”
“Oh.”
Chu Yixin didn’t believe it. Why would a grown girl cry for no reason?
It must be that the master’s temperament was too cold, and he had said something unpleasant that upset the girl.
…
Evening found Jiang Zhuoying arranging her hair before a bronze mirror.
With nothing else to do – having been sent back in the afternoon, she had fortunately rested on the couch for half a day – her hair had become somewhat disheveled.
“Knock, knock, knock~”
“Who’s outside?” Jiang Zhuoying tilted her head and waited a few moments, but received no response.
She pursed her lips, rose, and approached the door. As soon as she pulled it open, she found Xie Ling standing there.
Jiang Zhuoying couldn’t hide her surprise. “It’s you? Didn’t His Highness send you and Servant Pei to investigate the shoe prints?”
The setting sun cast an orange-gold glow, making it hard to tell whether the flush on Xie Ling’s bronze complexion came from sun exposure or heat.
He drew a wax-paper package from his robe and offered it to the young woman. “Yes, we’ve made some progress. On my way back, I passed by a pastry shop. Hearing that young ladies tend to enjoy pastries, I brought these for you.”
Jiang Zhuoying grew even more astonished, her tea-colored pupils contracting slightly. Staring at the package resting in his dark palm, she suddenly found herself at a loss for words.
As a noble daughter of the Guogong Fu, she had spent most of her life secluded in inner chambers—where would any outsider have had such an opportunity to approach her?
Later, during her extended stay at the suburban estate observing mourning for her mother, she had even less contact with men from outside.
Thus, this was the first time she had so clearly felt…
Was this how a man showed affection?
“Miss Jiang? You don’t like them?”
Jolted by his reminder, she snapped back to attention, then frowned.
She couldn’t accept this gift of pastries.
But how could she make Xie Ling understand that she wasn’t the right match for him?
Meanwhile, in the east xiangfang.
Qi Fan stood by the window teasing Zhuozhuo. Lifting his gaze, he narrowed his eyes as if he had spotted something…
Jiang Zhuoying took a step back. “My apologies, I don’t care for them.”
“Ah?”
Xie Ling stiffened, never expecting such a gentle, refined lady like Miss Jiang to reject him so directly.
Jiang Zhuoying carefully formulated her response. “Guard Xie, I…”
She clenched her teeth. “I’m already betrothed to someone back home.”
Xie Ling’s face went blank, the faint blush that had colored his cheeks completely vanishing.
His heart sank abruptly upon hearing this, the flutter of excitement he had felt instantly dissipating.
“So… I cannot accept your kindness.” Jiang Zhuoying finished her statement with pressed lips.
“Do you understand?”
Xie Ling’s arm holding the package tightened suddenly, yet he stubbornly kept it extended instead of immediately withdrawing.
“I… I understand what Miss Jiang means, but perhaps you’ve misunderstood. I didn’t intend it that way. These pastries were originally bought for my younger sister—I simply bought too many by accident. Since I don’t particularly care for such treats myself, if you wouldn’t mind, please accept them.”
“I regard you as a sister, just like my own blood sister.”
His eyes held a stubborn glint, his outstretched arm remaining in place.
After brief consideration, Jiang Zhuoying ultimately decided to accept. Since he had put it that way, she couldn’t outright reject his gesture without causing embarrassment.
“Very well.”
She nodded, using both hands to receive the wax-paper wrapped pastries. Peeling back a corner, she discovered several varieties of pastries popular throughout Luo Jing inside.
“My, my, what are you all doing standing at the door?”
A shrill voice rang out. Jiang Zhuoying looked up. “Eunuch Chu.”
Her gaze shifted slightly upward to the tall, straight-backed man following behind Chu Yixin, though his pitch-black eyes seemed to glint with ice…
Jiang Zhuoying shuddered involuntarily. She curtsied. “Greetings, Your Highness.”
Xie Ling at her side did the same.
After waiting several moments, they received only a cold “Hmm” in response.
Hmm?
Jiang Zhuoying frowned inwardly. Was she permitted to rise or not?
Chu Yixin glanced at her master’s expression and coughed lightly, “Ahem, Miss Jiang, please rise quickly. Your health hasn’t fully recovered yet!”
Jiang Zhuoying bit her lip, trembling as she dared not stand. She stole a glance toward Xie Ling’s direction—he remained as upright as a pine tree.
Suddenly, it struck her that the current situation felt like beating a pair of lovebirds with a stick.
Although she and Xie Ling were hardly a pair of lovebirds.
This man’s temperament was truly peculiar—why hadn’t she noticed it back when she was a mere carp?
“Don’t understand?”
A cold voice sounded above her head again. Suppressing the fire in her heart, Jiang Zhuoying trembled as she rose: “This servant failed to grasp Your Highness’s intention. I beg for Your Highness’s forgiveness.”
Yet an indescribable rage burned within her.
Just wait—if she ever got the chance, she’d make him taste every bit of the humiliation she suffered today!
She had straightened up, but Xie Ling remained kneeling.
“Has the matter been investigated?”
The man glanced at the pastries in Jiang Zhuoying’s hand, his words clearly directed at Xie Ling.
“Reporting to Your Highness, Pei Yun and I have uncovered some clues, but haven’t had the chance to report back yet.”
Chu Yixin averted her gaze with a “how could you be so hopeless” expression—no time to report to His Highness, but enough time to deliver pastries to Miss Jiang?
“Follow me.”
Qi Fan flicked his sleeves and strode away. Xie Ling had no choice but to rise and follow closely, without any opportunity to signal to Jiang Zhuoying along the way.
Chu Yixin still managed a strained smile and nodded at Jiang Zhuoying before turning to follow.
East Xiangfang.
“…Your Highness, Pei Yun has gone to investigate that person’s background and details.”
Xie Ling stood tall and straight. Previously, Miss Jiang had indeed been somewhat suspicious.
But this investigation confirmed that someone with ill intentions had commissioned clothing and shoes identical to those of the mansion servants from the cloth shop.
According to the shopkeeper’s recollection, the person closely resembled the trusted aide beside the Third Prince.
Pei Yun had gone to verify this matter—Xie Ling had specifically returned to give His Highness an early report.
The report was complete, yet Qi Fan, seated behind the desk, remained silent for a long while.
Xie Ling waited a while longer, thinking his master had become lost in thought. Just as he was about to remind him, the man behind the desk spoke.
“Your martial skills are excellent, and you’ve served as a guard for several years. If I were to assign you to assist Fei Ying in gathering intelligence, would you have any objections?”
Xie Ling shuddered, then raised his head with shining eyes: “This subordinate has no objections! Thank you for Your Highness’s promotion!”
“Mm, dismissed.”
“Yes!”
“You’re still young. That girl in the courtyard isn’t the right match for you—you’ll understand in time.” The man added this with a stern face.
At these words, Chu Yixin whipped her head around to look at Qi Fan, her fingers clutching the horsetail whisk trembling slightly.
Had their master… finally gained some insight?
“Your Highness, this subordinate understands. Moreover, Miss Jiang is already betrothed—I would never take what another cherishes!”
Chu Yixin froze, then snapped her head toward the kneeling Xie Ling.
What had Guard Xie just said?
Already betrothed?
She couldn’t help but study Qi Fan’s expression again…
The man’s face remained as impassive as ever, stern and unreadable. But she could sense it clearly—her master was displeased.
Oh dear… how did things come to this?
If Miss Jiang was already betrothed, then what should their master do?
Jiang Zhuoying remained completely unaware that the Second Prince’s courtyard had been stirred up by her arrival.
All she knew was that she hadn’t seen that man for three days.
Since that day at the main chamber entrance when she caught a glimpse of the man alongside Xie Ling, the Second Prince seemed to have vanished entirely…
Even Zhuozhuo in the side chamber was being fed regularly by Pei Yun on schedule.
What was to be done?
If this dragged on any longer, she would have no excuse to remain here.
On the desk lay the “trap” she had prepared long ago – the cursive script calligraphy she had originally written was now deliberately soaked and blurred beyond recognition.
But without seeing the Second Prince, how could she make him fall into this “trap”?
She sighed softly and followed her gaze toward the screen wall, then suddenly her eyes lit up…
It was Eunuch Chu!
If he was here, could the Second Prince be far behind?
After brief consideration, she decided there was no time like the present – she would execute her plan today.
Jiang Zhuoying rose and hurried toward the secondary room, simultaneously rubbing her eyes vigorously with force…
She had barely taken her seat when her tears were nearly perfectly conjured, just as a knock sounded at the door.
“Miss Jiang? Are you inside?”
Jiang Zhuoying responded with a sob, her voice choked with tears: “Is that Eunuch Chu? Yes, this maid is inside, please enter.”
With a ‘creak~’, the door was pushed open, followed by approaching footsteps.
Jiang Zhuoying hurriedly stood up, bowing her head: “Eunuch Chu.”
“Ah, what’s wrong, Miss Jiang? Why are you crying? Has someone in this residence been bullying you?”
Chu Yixin’s heart sank. He had originally intended to send this girl back today – how could trouble arise again?
Jiang Zhuoying shook her head: “No, no one has bullied this maid. It’s… it’s that I’ve brought misfortune upon myself.”
Both her eyes were rimmed red as she shook her head in panic and distress, resembling a rabbit frightened by a gray wolf.
At such a moment, no one could bring themselves to tell her to leave immediately.
This naturally included Chu Yixin.
“This… what misfortune have you brought upon yourself?” he asked cautiously, not yet daring to promise any resolution.
Jiang Zhuoying wiped her tears while gazing at the calligraphy on the desk, seemingly too choked up to speak: “This was brought by my lady, who heard that His Highness the Second Prince is exceptionally skilled in cursive script and wished to seek his guidance…”
“But… I accidentally ruined it like this. This was my lady’s most cherished piece of calligraphy.”
“Wuwuwu…”
After speaking these words, Jiang Zhuoying felt somewhat guilty. To conceal this guilt, she cried even more violently.
“Oh dear… this calligraphy.”
Chu Yixin stepped forward to examine it thoroughly – the entire piece was soaked and blurred, certainly beyond salvage.
With Jiang Zhuoying weeping inconsolably before him, he knew this situation must be reported to his master regardless.
“Don’t distress yourself, miss. Let me first inform my master and see if he can devise a solution.”
With that, he turned and left. Jiang Zhuoying continued sobbing until his figure shrank to the size of a grain of rice.
Jiang Zhuoying turned and went before the bronze mirror, making several expressions while studying which angles and expressions made her appear most pitiful.
Before long, footsteps approached again – this time sounding like more than one person…
Instantly, her small face fell, her mouth drooping accordingly.
The dark blue hem of a robe had already floated past the doorway threshold. Jiang Zhuoying knelt on the carpet facing the direction from which the man approached.
“This maid pays respects to Your Highness.”
Qi Fan strode through the door and quickly approached the Eight Immortals table, where a piece of wild cursive calligraphy was indeed displayed.
Just as Chu Yixin had described, the brushstrokes flowed like drifting clouds and startled dragons. Judging by the strength of the brushwork, the calligrapher must have practiced for at least over a decade.
He hadn’t expected Jiang Zheng’s daughter to possess such masterful wild cursive skills. A trace of surprise flickered in the man’s eyes.
“…Your Highness?”
Jiang Zhuoying choked back a sob and called out to him again. Had he forgotten about her?
“Ahem, is this the trouble you caused?”
The man resumed his originally indifferent expression.
Jiang Zhuoying sniffled: “Y-yes, it is.”
“Why did you only discover this problem today?”
“This servant fell ill for two days after drowning and wasn’t thinking clearly. I noticed this two days ago, but Your Highness wasn’t in the courtyard at the time…”
“Wuwu, this was Miss’s favorite piece of calligraphy. It was created under my lord’s guidance before he left Luo Jing.”
“Now that this piece is ruined, this servant… this servant will surely face severe punishment when I return.”
Her face was pale as paper, her entire body trembling uncontrollably. Not only were her words fragmented, but her physical form shook as well.
This wasn’t ordinary fear – it bordered on terror, excessive dread.
Qi Fan’s brow furrowed almost imperceptibly: “Are you truly that afraid of that Miss Jiang?”
The slender figure before him shuddered violently, then buried itself even lower: “This servant… isn’t afraid.”
“This servant has committed a grave offense. However Miss chooses to punish me would be justified.”
The man stared at the small, trembling form before him for what felt like an eternity – so long that Jiang Zhuoying felt her tears had completely dried up.
Only then did the man not far away slowly speak: “Hmm.”
Jiang Zhuoying: “???”
She froze in disbelief, then gradually raised her head at a perfectly calculated angle.
Her peach blossom eyes glistened with crystalline tears, evoking pity in any beholder.
Choking on pretended sobs, she feigned anger: “If Your Highness doesn’t wish to help this servant find a solution, so be it. But why must you mock me?”
The man’s dark eyes deepened like lacquer. As if recalling something, his gaze abruptly shifted away from her.
“Rise.”
Jiang Zhuoying pressed her lips together, uncertain of his intentions, but had no choice but to stand up temporarily.
“When you return, tell them I accidentally damaged this piece of calligraphy.”
“…Ah?” Jiang Zhuoying stood frozen in place.
She hadn’t anticipated the Second Prince would propose such a solution.
According to her plan, she would play the pitiful card to earn the Second Prince’s sympathy, then have him help recreate the calligraphy.
That would allow her to remain here longer, buying herself a few more days.
If she still hadn’t gathered information about the Rui Guo Gong Manor by then, she could devise another strategy.
But this… was he taking the blame for her?
“Since you appear to have recovered, and the calligraphy matter is resolved, go pack your belongings. I’ll have someone escort you back shortly.”
Jiang Zhuoying: “…”
Was she some kind of monster?
What was wrong with her?
She was being so obedient, gentle, pitiful, and beautiful – why was he so eager to send her away?
As if he couldn’t bear another moment…
Jiang Zhuoying suddenly felt disheartened, momentarily forgetting even to feign fainting.
Only after they had both left the room did she gradually regain her senses.
Scanning her surroundings, could it be that the Second Prince thought she had taken over his main quarters?
She clearly didn’t have to stay here… It wouldn’t have been impossible to let her stay in the xiangfang either…
Having failed with her first scheme, Jiang Zhuoying had to ponder for a long while before devising another plan.
She casually packed some of her personal belongings—these were actually items Eunuch Chu had arranged for someone to buy for her a few days earlier.
After finishing her packing, she lifted her skirt and decided to head to the east xiangfang.
She resolved to use bidding farewell to Zhuozhuo as an excuse to faint in front of the Second Prince once more!
Jiang Zhuoying tiptoed past the xiangfang window, but before she could reveal herself, she overheard the conversation inside.
“Has everything been arranged with the person?”
“Indeed, this servant has already instructed Servant Pei to escort Miss Jiang back…”
Chu Yixin hesitated to speak further. He had originally thought that finally, a girl who could move his master’s heart had appeared, but who would have thought…
Ah, what a pity, truly a pity!
Qi Fan glanced at him: “You should be able to tell this maid has impure motives. Even if the crab meat in the pond has nothing to do with Miss Jiang, with such beauty and skill in raising carp…”
He paused, then recalled those tender, watery eyes that seemed to hook one’s soul.
And she was already engaged.
Author’s Note:
Yingbao: “Am I some kind of ferocious beast?”
Qi Dog (shaking his head frantically): “Let me explain…”
Our Yingbao, hearing Qi Dog’s suspicions, realized that pretending to faint wouldn’t solve the problem—it was time to unleash her ultimate move!