Zhong Li followed Lan Heng all the way to the palace gate.
Lan Heng glanced at the carriage waiting at the gate and asked Zhong Li, "How did you get here? Shall I give you a ride?"
Zhong Li's gaze swept around the palace entrance, noticing only Lan Heng's carriage. Just as she was about to refuse, Lan Heng added, "Where are you staying now?"
"The Prince of Xian's manor," she replied truthfully.
Upon hearing this, Lan Heng's eyes narrowed slightly. Before he could inquire further, Zhong Li continued, "I'm new to Jincheng and didn't know where to go, almost ending up at the Penglai Immortal Pavilion. Thanks to the heir's assistance, otherwise, I might have been sleeping on the streets in this capital."
"Is Li'er afraid I'll misunderstand?" Lan Heng asked with a relaxed smile.
Zhong Li looked up at Lan Heng with a slight frown. She wasn't really trying to explain anything, nor did she quite grasp what Lan Heng meant. She simply felt comfortable speaking to him like an old friend, having finally opened up.
"Come up," Lan Heng said, seeing her bewildered expression as if he were accustomed to it. He entered the carriage first and extended a hand to help her up.
"Thank you!"
Before Zhong Li could respond, an arm reached over her, a fair hand firmly gripping Lan Heng's and pulling him in, bypassing the woman blocking his way and entering the carriage first.
Zhong Li looked closely and realized it was Lu Wuxie.
"Heir, you're out already?" Her expression was one of surprise. She then looked around, noticing no carriage from the Prince of Xian's manor. It seemed he had slipped out of the palace and it wasn't yet time for the manor's carriage to pick him up.
Lu Wuxie looked at Zhong Li's clear eyes and was about to say something when Lan Heng, who had been squeezed to the side, spoke up, "The heir is quite elegant. Not taking your own royal carriage, but suddenly taking an interest in Lan's carriage."
Lu Wuxie turned his head, meeting Lan Heng's gaze.
"Yes, this heir has indeed never ridden in a minister's carriage before. I wish for Minister Lan to give me a ride smoothly. Minister Lan wouldn't be so stingy, would he?"
Lan Heng snorted through his nose and his gaze fell back on Zhong Li. "Li'er, Lan's carriage is a bit small, you might have to endure some inconvenience."
Zhong Li looked at the two men inside the carriage, feeling an unspoken tension simmering.
She disliked crowded situations, and the current one instinctively told her it would be tricky to handle. She decided to take a decisive action.
Zhong Li bowed to the two men inside the carriage, "Heir, Minister, you are both of noble birth and surely fear tiring yourselves. Zhong Li is but a village woman; a little extra walking will be good for my health."
With that, she turned and walked away without looking back, heading down Wenchang Street towards the Prince of Xian's manor.
Lu Wuxie and Lan Heng watched her go, both agitated, and jumped off the carriage one after another, chasing after her.
"Li'er," Lu Wuxie caught up to Zhong Li first and said, "Although the Prince of Xian's manor is not far from the palace, it would take about an hour's walk. You just rushed back to Jincheng with me this morning, you should be resting."
Hearing Lu Wuxie's concern, Zhong Li turned and looked at him steadily, saying, "Heir."
Lu Wuxie paused.
"You are quite strange today," Zhong Li continued. "Before we entered the imperial study, you and I agreed that I would serve as a female official in the Dali Temple. On one hand, I could earn a salary, and more importantly, I could review case files to find clues about the Judge's Brush. But after entering the imperial study, it changed. The heir used the excuse of Zhong Li's dissection knife being lost to prevent me from entering the Dali Temple. Although the heir is unrestrained, in Zhong Li's eyes, you are also someone who understands priorities and reason. When did you almost disrupt this entire plan over such a trivial matter?"
Lu Wuxie, upon hearing Zhong Li's words, felt the nonchalant expression that had been on his face instantly stiffen. If she hadn't reminded him, he wouldn't have realized his slip of the tongue in the imperial study and his lack of foresight.
Lan Heng walked past him to Zhong Li's side. They seemed to be discussing something, and Lu Wuxie couldn't quite hear. He watched helplessly as they gradually grew smaller and disappeared at the street corner.
Someone bumped into him, and Lu Wuxie suddenly snapped back to awareness.
Lin Jin, who had been following him closely, had his voice hoarse from shouting, "Heir, how long are we going to stand here?"
Lu Wuxie came back to his senses and looked at Lin Jin, whose eyes were filled with confusion. "Lin Jin."
Lin Jin cupped his hands.
"How long have you been with me?"
Lin Jin thought for a moment and calculated, "Since the heir began his tutelage at the manor when he was twelve, Lin Jin has been following the heir. Now, counting, it's about ten years, and soon it will be eleven."
"So long," Lu Wuxie murmured after hearing this, his eyes cast down. He lifted his sleeve and looked at the dot-like birthmark on his wrist, "I, a middle-aged man who has lived half my life, have actually fallen for someone and lost my composure."
What?
Lin Jin followed behind Lu Wuxie, listening to his words with a look of utter bewilderment. Ever since the heir returned from studying at Mount Taiheng ten years ago and encountered the incident with his primary consort, he had changed. He abandoned his previous decisive and composed demeanor and became the kind of dissolute heir that respectable young ladies in Jincheng avoided. Not only that, but he often spoke of being old.
Good heavens, his master was only twenty-two and unmarried. When had he become a sixty-year-old man?
It was truly bizarre.
Lu Wuxie, oblivious to Lin Jin's thoughts, quickly walked in the direction Zhong Li and Lan Heng had disappeared.
"The Dali Temple has rooms specifically for constables. During the late emperor's reign, when there were female constables, there were also vacant rooms. I've already sent word to Xu Qing to prepare one earlier. Li'er can report for duty at her convenience," Lan Heng said as they approached the Prince of Xian's manor, discussing accommodation matters with Zhong Li.
Zhong Li had been informed by Lu Wuxie earlier and naturally expected the Dali Temple to have private rooms for women. She had intended to discuss this with Lan Heng on the day she took up her post, but he had already made arrangements.
Since that was the case.
"I'll move there tonight," Zhong Li said, stopping at the Prince of Xian's manor.
Lan Heng, who hadn't quite heard Zhong Li clearly at first, froze for a moment.
"Staying at the Prince of Xian's manor, no matter what, is like being a guest. Since the Dali Temple is convenient, I'd like to move there now. Is that acceptable, Minister Lan?" Zhong Li felt it was a bit sudden, but she was an independent person. No matter how good her relationship with Lu Wuxie was, she couldn't stay at someone else's home for so long. There were always inconveniences.
Lan Heng quickly recovered and smiled, "Then I'll wait here for you? My carriage will arrive later, and I'll help you send your belongings back together."
"Thank you for your trouble. I don't have many belongings, so I'll be quick," Zhong Li said, bowing to Lan Heng before turning and entering the Prince of Xian's manor.
As her figure disappeared from Lan Heng's sight, a voice came from behind him.
"Minister Lan, are you waiting for Li'er?"
Lan Heng turned around. Lu Wuxie was standing behind him.
"Heir," Lan Heng cupped his hands to Lu Wuxie. Although their official ranks were the same, Lu Wuxie was of royal lineage, thus making him superior to Lan Heng.
Lu Wuxie nodded in greeting and turned to leave. However, Lan Heng suddenly said, "Li'er is going to reside at the Dali Temple with Lan today. She was waiting here to bid you farewell, but you were delayed. Since Lan sees you here now, I'll take this opportunity to inform you on behalf of Li'er."