He Zhifei did not live in Luting Garden. Luting Garden was Xie Jiang's study, where Xie Jiang handled affairs.
However, during this recent period, He Zhifei had spent more time in Luting Garden than Xie Jiang.
It was late again tonight when he emerged from Luting Garden.
His attendant, He Tie, held a lantern in front of him. As the master and servant passed by Fuyun Xuan, they saw many people carrying things in and out.
He Tie stopped someone and asked, "Has Young Master Xie not rested yet? What are you all doing?"
While He Tie was whispering with the servant, He Zhifei had already identified what was being carried out piece by piece.
It was a dismantled bed.
There was also a blood-stained screen and bed curtains.
He Zhifei's heart skipped a beat as he looked at the splattered blood. His first thought was, had her old injury worsened?
Before He Zhifei could react, he had already unconsciously quickened his steps towards the entrance of Fuyun Xuan courtyard.
Knowing that his young master was definitely worried about Young Master Xie, He Tie, after finding out what was happening, immediately hurried forward with the lantern.
"It's not Young Master Xie, it's Young Master Su Yang..."
After hearing this, He Zhifei fell silent for a long time. He glanced at the brightly lit Fuyun Xuan courtyard, then turned and walked towards his own residence.
He Zhifei's courtyard was some distance from Fuyun Xuan. The Nanhai Marquis Mansion had many vacant courtyards, and both He Zhifei and Lou Yian had chosen remote ones to live in.
Whether in Lanyong or elsewhere, Su Yang would definitely choose a courtyard closest to Xie Jiang. If the courtyards around Fuyun Xuan were not within their selection range, Su Yang would have chosen to live next door to Fuyun Xuan.
What was the use of living even closer? To please Young Master Yi, the young master had dismantled the bed Su Yang had warmed and thrown it out, even burning it completely.
The distance was only in her heart.
As long as she had the intention, even from a great distance, it would feel close.
~
Su Yang smashed everything breakable in the room to pieces.
What was wrong with the bed he had slept in!
Did he have poison on him that could kill someone surnamed Yi?
Did the young master like someone surnamed Yi that much? Whatever someone surnamed Yi said, he would do as they said, and if they wanted to burn the bed, he would let them burn it!
If they had the guts to burn the bed in the middle of the night, they had the guts to sleep on the floor!
But Su Yang knew that there were two small buildings on either side of the young master's residence.
One of them was specifically reserved for Yi Yian.
The young master's bed had been burned, and now the young master and Yi Yian must have gone to that small building? Was Yi Yian very smug? The young master was obedient to him in everything!
Why?
Why was someone surnamed Yi so overbearing, and even arrogantly wanted to monopolize the young master? He had been by the young master's side for so long, what was wrong with the young master favoring him?
If someone surnamed Yi couldn't stand it, they could get lost!
The young master always kept his word, why did he need to look at others' faces?
The young master was treated so rudely and disrespectfully by someone surnamed Yi, and the young master forgave him with just a turn of his head?
Was someone surnamed Yi that good!
Su Yang was so angry that his eyes were bloodshot. He even flipped over the heavy desk.
Burn it if you want to burn it!
He didn't want any other man to sleep in the bed he had slept in!
But how could the young master, how could he let Yi Yian humiliate him like this!
~
For the next few days, Xie Jiang did not leave his residence.
Lu Yuqing and the other two, under orders from the elders, had been reporting to the Nanhai Marquis Mansion for five consecutive days.
This time, their purpose was not to invite Xie Jiang to enjoy the spring scenery.
It turned out that frequenting brothels was a good method to make Xie Jiang forget about the person he shouldn't be thinking about. However, places of pleasure could also allow Xie Jiang to unleash his skills. Who knew who would be on the receiving end of Xie Jiang's fists next?
Their purpose for these past few days was to keep Xie Jiang confined to the Marquis Mansion.
The elders had no expectation that Xie Jiang would obediently stay in his residence and reflect in seclusion, even though they had repeatedly warned him that day.
Using Xu Shuo, Yue Lin, and Lu Yuqing as stumbling blocks, if they couldn't keep Xie Jiang in the mansion, then wherever Xie Jiang went, the three of them would follow. Xie Jiang couldn't possibly bring a large group of people to the Third Prince's mansion to steal chickens and dogs.
Seeing that Xie Jiang had not stepped out of the mansion for several days, the elders felt that this method was very effective.
So they encouraged Lu Yuqing and the other two to persevere.
They also told the three of them to call Xu Hengyi and Xia Zeshi.
Lu Yuqing and the other two were resigned to their fate.
Xia Zeshi was somewhat suspicious of the elders' intentions. He could understand that the elders were afraid Xie Jiang would harass his third brother, but why would they push him specifically in front of Xie Jiang? Could it be that they hoped Xie Jiang would shift his target and harm him?
When Xia Zeshi voiced his doubts,
He swore he saw a flicker of evasion in Marquis Yongxin's eyes!
Marquis Yongxin smiled as if to cover something up and said that the Fifth Prince was thinking too much, that the Fifth Prince was still a child, and how could Xie Jiang harm a child?
Xia Zeshi's heart became even more uneasy. How could Xie Jiang not harm children? When did the elders have such confidence in Xie Jiang's character?
Besides, why was he still a child...
When they met on the road, Lu Yuqing yawned and said, "What's the use of us blocking Marquis Xie every day? Since Prime Minister Xun ordered Marquis Xie to reflect in the mansion for ten days, the elders have ordered us to block him for ten days. What do the elders plan to do after those ten days?"
"And why do the elders assume that Xie Jiang will definitely go against the Third Prince? It was just one incident when he was drunk. I don't think Marquis Xie is a person who enjoys drinking. Are the elders being too worried?"
Yue Lin also couldn't figure it out. "Since the elders are so certain, there must be a reason."
Although the elders were old, they were not senile and did not act on rumors.
The three of them met and headed towards the Nanhai Marquis Mansion. Xu Shuo, riding on his horse, had an elegant demeanor. "The elders have been busy lately, and they are probably planning to place Marquis Xie in the Imperial College."
"The Im, Imperial College?"
Lu Yuqing, before finishing his yawn, heard this and choked on his breath.
Yue Lin smiled and nodded, "That is a good idea."
Once in the Imperial College, there would be endless coursework every day, and Marquis Xie would not have the extra energy to think about the Third Prince.
In fact, it would be better to send him to the army for tempering. Marquis Xie did not seem like a studious person, but Marquis Xie's status...
"Then the Imperial College will be lively from now on!" Lu Yuqing actually looked forward to it a little.
Xu Shuo smiled and looked at Lu Yuqing, "You just want to stir up trouble, don't you?"
The three of them met Xia Zeshi and Xu Hengyi outside the Nanhai Marquis Mansion.
It was almost the same time every day. The five of them greeted each other and then entered the Nanhai Marquis Mansion together.
For the first two days, Xie Jiang still showed his face and made a few perfunctory remarks. Starting from the third day, Xie Jiang was too lazy to see them and directly told Tian Kangtai to make their own arrangements.
Xu Hengyi had not seen Xie Jiang for two days and was about to pull Xia Zeshi to see what Xie Jiang was busy with, perhaps secretly eating delicious food in Fuyun Xuan. Then he saw Yue Lin and Xu Shuo taking out books and coursework.
Xu Hengyi's face immediately turned green. He turned to Xia Zeshi and Lu Yuqing and asked, "You guys didn't bring your coursework too, did you?"
Xia Zeshi shook his head. It was a rare opportunity to relax, so there was no need for that, right?
Lu Yuqing sighed, "It looks like I'll have to bring it tomorrow, at least to put on a show."