Warm breeze, carrying specks of candlelight, swirled in through the beaded curtain, and the aroma of wine filled the chamber, scented faintly with sandalwood.
“Ah… it stings.” Zhong Li murmured softly, gripping the edge of the table with her fingertips.
Lu Wuxie stood before her, holding a small bottle in one hand, his fingertip gently lifting her chin. Hearing Zhong Li’s soft moans, he couldn’t help but mock, “It stings already? This Prince Consort thinks Magistrate Zhong could have waited a bit longer to return to Dali Temple. Tomorrow, when this eye inflames, you’ll have a reason for leave.”
Upon hearing this, Zhong Li, who had intended to ask the man opposite her to be gentler, swallowed her words. She bit her lip, appearing to endure the pain.
Lu Wuxie watched the steady trickle of liquid from the corner of her eye, seeing fine debris being washed away. His worried heart finally began to settle. “You truly are carefree, going for hot pot with Hua Yao, while I waited for you at Dali Temple for half the night.”
“Yao’er’s hospitality is difficult to refuse, how could I possibly decline?” Zhong Li retorted.
Lu Wuxie heard this and smiled, saying, “Then, according to Li’er’s wishes, this Prince Consort is the one that is easily refused?”
As he spoke, he casually placed the used small bottle on the table, deliberately adding, “Truly disheartening. For this bottle of eye wash, I scoured all of Jincheng and even went to the palace to obtain it from the head physician. I never imagined some people would be so unappreciative, thinking I am someone dispensable.”
With that, Lu Wuxie turned away, ignoring her.
Zhong Li watched his retreating back, observing his childlike behavior. Having spent so much time with him, she had a general idea of what he intended to do.
She stood up and walked around to face him.
Lu Wuxie turned away again.
She raised an eyebrow and circled him once more.
As Lu Wuxie was about to turn his back again, Zhong Li quickly said, “Then… what does Mo Cang want?”
Lu Wuxie raised an eyebrow and pointed to his own cheek.
Zhong Li simply looked at him, realizing that Lu Wuxie was banking on her feeling shy and indebted because she owed him a favor, and was thus trying to trick her into intimacy.
However, this method was truly a bit childish. The esteemed Prince Consort of Xian Prince’s Mansion indeed resembled a three-year-old child seeking a hug from his mother.
Lu Wuxie glanced at her continuously. He knew Zhong Li was perceptive, but if he didn’t act shamelessly now, how could he live up to his title as Jincheng’s number one dandy? Thinking of this, he brazenly moved closer to her.
Fine!
Zhong Li sighed and stood on tiptoe, preparing to lean in.
A growl from her stomach broke the sudden burgeoning intimacy.
Zhong Li came to her senses and lowered her gaze to the young man’s abdomen.
Lu Wuxie narrowed his eyes, looking at his own rather uncooperative stomach.
“Alright, don’t be angry anymore. I’ll go make you something to eat. Wait here.” Zhong Li abandoned her previous action, tidied the bottles and jars on the table, and turned to leave the room.
Lu Wuxie listened to the closing door behind him and sank back into his seat, picking up the clear tea and pouring a cup.
“Your Highness!” At the same time, Lin Jin entered from outside and walked up to him, saying, “Drinking tea so late might cause insomnia, Your Highness.”
Lu Wuxie inhaled the tea’s fragrance and said, “What do you know? This is to extinguish the anger in my heart.”
Hearing this, Lin Jin’s concerned expression instantly collapsed. He looked at his master’s stomach, barely holding back a smile.
Lu Wuxie cast a sideways glance at Lin Jin.
Lin Jin quickly composed himself, not daring to be presumptuous.
“By the way, Master, if you were truly this worried about Miss Zhong’s safety, why didn’t you just tell her to avoid charging into danger in the future?” Lin Jin asked.
Lu Wuxie finished his tea and looked at the simple furnishings in Zhong Li’s room, saying, “Lin Jin, have you ever loved someone?”
Lin Jin was startled. Before he could answer, Lu Wuxie continued on his own, “Yes, how could I forget? You won’t have until you’re twenty-two.”
“Your Highness, how…”
“Since you haven’t, you certainly wouldn’t understand.” Before Lin Jin could finish his sentence, Lu Wuxie continued, “There are many ways to love someone. Some people mistake affection for confinement, fearing the slightest mishap for their beloved, and thus take away their freedom.
Some people mistake habit for affection, searching desperately, living in torment, only to end up dispirited, self-doubting, and unable to attain what they desire.
Some people simply wish for the happiness of the one they love, to do what they want, even if the path ahead is fraught with thorns, they are willing to share hardships and protect them.
Li’er is not a canary, she certainly does not need to be caged, nor live under anyone’s wing. She doesn’t need to be grateful or accustomed to anyone, do you understand?”
Lin Jin scratched his head, somewhat bewildered. When had his master become so sentimental?
“I knew you, you blockhead, wouldn’t understand.”
As soon as Lu Wuxie finished speaking, the door to the chamber was pushed open, and Zhong Li entered carrying a plate.
“I made some sweet potato dumplings. See if you like them.” She said, placing the plate on the table.
Lu Wuxie shot Lin Jin a glare.
Lin Jin bowed and exited the room.
“How is it?” Zhong Li asked, watching Lu Wuxie eat the dumplings.
“How did you make these? They taste really good.” Lu Wuxie’s lips curved upward, his expression very content.
Seeing that he had eaten his fill, Zhong Li reached into her robes and produced a letter, placing it before him: “Look at this.”
Lu Wuxie wiped his fingertips clean and took it to examine.
At first, he thought it was just a simple letter. But as he read its contents, his expression darkened, “This… who gave it to you?”
“Zhao Min,” Zhong Li said, taking back the letter and tucking it into her sleeve. “It fully records the dealings between Marquis Anping and the Beichuan Gang, and how the batch of weapons sent to Yingzhou was of inferior quality disguised as good. This letter alone is enough to have Marquis Anping’s entire family executed.
If I’m not mistaken, the bandits who ambushed us outside Liaocheng were also Marquis Anping’s men, weren’t they?”
Lu Wuxie nodded. The court was like this; on the surface, it was calm, but beneath, storms brewed. “Yes. The reason he didn’t make a move against us this time was that Zuo Teng is already dead, and we returned empty-handed. Without evidence, no one can convict him.”
“So, if I were to give this to the Emperor…”
“Li’er, absolutely not!” Lu Wuxie quickly stopped her.
“Why?” Zhong Li narrowed her eyes and looked at Lu Wuxie.
Lu Wuxie’s throat bobbed, as if he did not wish to say more.
Zhong Li lowered her gaze, pondering for a moment before saying, “Because the second batch of bandits came from Xian Prince’s Mansion, didn’t they?”
Lu Wuxie stiffened and looked up at Zhong Li.
“It was Xie Yunxi, wasn’t it?” Zhong Li continued. She remembered that if they hadn’t escaped in time, the second batch of men was prepared to kill them all. And at this moment, the only one who would do something so desperate was Xie Yunxi, who did not want Lu Wuxie and her to return.
Lu Wuxie gave a bitter laugh. He knew Zhong Li was this intelligent; he couldn’t hide anything from her for long.
“Yes, it was Xie Yunxi. If it were just Marquis Anping, I would have presented it to the Emperor long ago. Xie Yunxi is from Xian Prince’s Mansion, even if my father didn’t know, Xian Prince’s Mansion cannot escape responsibility.” He said, his brow furrowed. At this point, he still had no perfect solution.
Zhong Li recalled Lu Wuxie saying that his purpose in this life was to protect the nearly a hundred lives in Xian Prince’s Mansion. Now that Xian Prince’s Mansion was implicated in the Beichuan Gang affair, if someone in the court wished to suppress Xian Prince’s Mansion, it would be a good opportunity.
“So, what does Mo Cang plan to do?” she asked, pursing her lips and thinking.
Lu Wuxie closed his eyes and deliberated for a while before saying, “The Beichuan Gang affair is currently at a critical juncture, and the Naval Commander of Jinzhou has also been replaced. Even if Marquis Anping wished to act, he would have to postpone it for a long time. After things have calmed down, I want to find a foolproof plan to detach Xie Yunxi from Xian Prince’s Mansion.”
Zhong Li nodded. At this point, there was nothing else they could do. “Alright, I’ll wait for you.”