Xu Hengyan's abdomen was hit hard, but he ignored the pain. He wasn't sure if he was mistaken, but for a moment, when she looked at him, her eyes seemed unusually cold.
This gave Xu Hengyan a sudden, indescribable feeling of discomfort.
"What's wrong?" Xu Hengyan straightened up, leaning on the desk, and looked back at her.
"I'm unhappy," Xie Jiang's displeasure was evident on her face, and she stopped reading.
Guang Bai was full of grievances. Just because she was unhappy, she could treat the young master like this! She kicked him without hesitation!
Xu Hengyan didn't think much of it. Recalling what he had just said, he guessed there might have been something inappropriate. "Your father..."
Xie Jiang said unhappily, "That kick was too light. Do you want another one?"
Xu Hengyan seemed to understand. Perhaps her relationship with her father was not good, or perhaps her father...
In any case, it was best not to mention her father in front of her.
Guang Bai asked worriedly, "Young Master, are you alright?"
Xu Hengyan's abdomen still ached faintly, but he waved his hand calmly, signaling Guang Bai to clean up quickly.
Guang Bai called a young servant, and the two of them quickly tidied up.
Xu Hengyan looked at Xie Jiang and said, "It's raining outside. Do you want me to escort you back?"
Xie Jiang curled up, clearly not wanting to say anything.
Xu Hengyan said no more. The desk had been wiped clean, and the letters were re-sorted and placed on the other side of the desk.
Xu Hengyan casually picked up a letter and opened it. After quickly scanning a couple of lines, he couldn't help but turn back and look at Xie Jiang, who had suddenly become dejected.
The content of this letter was related to her.
After reading it, Xu Hengyan thought for a moment, then patted her shoulder. "Do you want to see it?"
She seemed to have recalled something unpleasant, and he didn't know the reason or how to comfort her.
"What is it?" Xie Jiang mumbled.
Xu Hengyan handed the letter to her. "News from the capital."
Xie Jiang took it casually and read it while lying down.
Then she looked up at Xu Hengyan, delighted. "Someone has memorialized asking for me to suppress the bandits in Huanglan Mountain?"
Recently, rumors had suddenly spread in the capital that Xie Jiang had been ambushed by bandits and narrowly escaped death. After being rescued, she reportedly hated the bandits and vowed to be irreconcilable with them.
Thus, some people memorialized, requesting that Xie Jiang be sent to suppress the bandits.
Since Xie Jiang was already at odds with the bandits, it would be better to go with the flow and have the imperial court issue a decree, which would also give Xie Jiang a legitimate reason for the campaign.
In the following days, such voices grew more numerous.
"Do you need my help?" Xu Hengyan sought her opinion, not forcing his way in.
It wasn't difficult to suppress this matter, especially with her connection to Yi Yancheng.
Xie Jiang threw the letter away. "No need. Let them do as they please."
"You must have a good idea who is fanning the flames behind the scenes?" Xu Hengyan picked up the letter she had carelessly thrown and placed it in the pile of read documents.
"I haven't offended too many people, so it's easy to figure out." The Zhu family from Xing Shun Bo's mansion had performed well, and their actions aligned with her wishes, which deserved praise.
Xu Hengyan: "Hmm?"
She hadn't offended many people?
From a certain perspective, perhaps it was true, as she hadn't been given the opportunity, and she hadn't stayed in the capital long enough.
Guang Bai, who was yawning at the door, overheard snippets and couldn't help but think that perhaps Young Master Xie had offended too many people in Lan Yong, which was why he was banished to Da Yu.
"What 'hmm'?"
"His Majesty probably won't let you suppress the bandits."
The matter of the entire Xie clan intending to pledge allegiance had only been hinted at by her, and there had been no actual actions. His Majesty would not easily let her command troops.
Xu Hengyan had intended to comfort her, but seeing her completely unconcerned demeanor, he probably thought too much.
She didn't seem worried at all.
As expected, he heard her casually say "oh."
Xu Hengyan pondered for a moment and reminded her, "The Zhu family might not be unaware of this. They probably have other tricks up their sleeves."
Xie Jiang was very dismissive and said lazily, "Let them come at me."
"You're always like this, never taking any opponent seriously?" Xu Hengyan sighed deeply.
Xie Jiang immediately told him yes, "Don't insult the word 'opponent'."
Xu Hengyan felt she hadn't suffered enough losses. "Never underestimate any opponent, even if your opponent seems as foolish as a pig."
Xie Jiang turned to lie on her side facing him and smiled at him suddenly.
Xu Hengyan was somewhat puzzled. "What's wrong?"
"So this is the Xu Hengyan you are."
"What kind of Xu Hengyan?"
Xu Hengyan suddenly wanted to know what he was like in her eyes.
If it were anyone else besides her, he wouldn't be interested. He had never cared about what others thought of him.
He couldn't explain why he was curious about her opinion.
Perhaps it was because her actions always exceeded everyone's expectations?
Perhaps the him in her eyes was different from the him in others' eyes?
Unexpectedly, Xie Jiang shook her head. "I can't tell you."
Xu Hengyan became even more curious. "Why?"
Because I want to keep you hooked, make you curious but unable to find the answer.
Silly.
Xie Jiang continued to shake her head.
Xu Hengyan: "..."
Can't say it? Can't tell him?
What kind of person would that be?
Xie Jiang smiled mysteriously without speaking.
Actually, it was nothing much.
She just felt that Xu Hengyan was outwardly cold but inwardly warm. Normally, he always appeared cold and very serious, making him seem unapproachable. Xu Hengyi never dared to be presumptuous in front of him.
Perhaps only those whom he accepted from the bottom of his heart could truly discover his other side.
~
The next morning.
Xie Jiang woke up in Xu Hengyan's bedroom.
The rain had been too heavy the night before, so she hadn't returned. Xu Hengyan had given her his bedroom and slept in the study himself.
Xie Jiang put on her wrinkled clothes and opened the door. Seeing movement from the study, she walked over.
Guang Bai happened to be coming out of the study. Seeing Xie Jiang heading straight for it, he quickly stepped aside from the doorway to bow.
"Young Master Xie, you're awake. The Young Master is currently..."
Young Master Xie hadn't even finished dressing and had a messy, bird's nest of hair. It was clear he had just gotten out of bed.
Guang Bai intended to remind her that the Young Master was currently meeting a guest, but before he could finish speaking, Young Master Xie had already entered the study.
"Xu Hengyan, last night you weren't..." pulling an all-nighter, were you?
The two people talking in the study looked towards the door in unison.
Lu Zhiheng was extremely surprised.
He was surprised by the fleeting vision of the world that appeared before his eyes the moment he saw the person's face, and also by the fact that someone in disheveled clothing had appeared in Xu Hengyan's study.
Xie Jiang hadn't finished her sentence. She glanced at Lu Zhiheng, then immediately looked at Xu Hengyan. "Hey? You have a guest."
Seeing her disheveled state, Xu Hengyan couldn't help but rub his forehead. "You're awake. This is Lu Zhiheng, the young master of the Duke of Qin's mansion." He then introduced to Lu Zhiheng, "This is Xie Jiang, Young Master Xie."
Lu Zhiheng came back to his senses, stood up, and bowed to Xie Jiang. "So it's Young Master Xie. I've heard your name for a long time."
Xie Jiang rubbed the back of her head. "Hello, Young Master Lu. I think I've heard someone mention you."
Lu Zhiheng: "..."
Xu Hengyan interjected to explain, "She's always like this, uninhibited. She says whatever she thinks."
Lu Zhiheng suddenly turned to stare at Xu Hengyan, as if seeing Xu Hengyan for the first time.
From the moment this Young Master Xie entered the study, Xu Hengyan had become somewhat different.