Lu Bao Hong’s gaze, however, couldn’t be pulled away from the vegetable pancake on Xie Jiang’s lips.
He had been living a rather meager life lately, and even a simple vegetable pancake seemed like the ultimate delicacy!
“I heard Luo Lu summoned you last night, intending to make you pay for his daughter’s life? Fortunately, Luo Lu’s daughter was strong enough to pull through, otherwise, would you have been able to return?”
Xie Jiang feigned indignation, “Lu Bao Hong, are you out of your mind, coming here early in the morning to be scolded!”
Xu Heng Yan couldn’t help but silently praise her acting.
Seeing her like this, Lu Bao Hong’s excitement grew. He had always been the one to be put in his place by Xie Jiang, when had he ever seen Xie Jiang flustered?
“Your good intentions were fed to dogs, weren't they? You tried your best to curry favor with the people of East Village, even personally cooking delicious food for them, only for Luo Lu’s daughter to suffer from a stomach ailment and for them to blame you. Those bumpkins are simply ungrateful…”
Xie Jiang said impatiently, “Are you done yet!”
Lu Bao Hong became even more animated, “Young Master Xie, make one for me. I’m different from those people in East Village, I promise I won’t be a heartless wretch.”
Xie Jiang retorted, “Go eat shit!”
Xu Heng Yan silently tore off another piece of vegetable pancake and stuffed it into her mouth.
Lu Bao Hong’s stomach churned, and he rolled his eyes. These two were being so intimate in front of him, did they think he was dead?
“Speaking of which, you two should be grateful to me. If I hadn’t gone to such lengths to abduct you and bring you to this secluded village, could you have lived such a carefree and blissful life, like an ordinary young couple? Xie Jiang, make me a braised pork dish today, consider it a wedding gift for me!”
Hearing this, Xu Heng Yan’s gaze turned icy cold towards him. Even from across the low wall, her stare was so chilling it felt as if it could pierce a bloody hole in Lu Bao Hong’s neck.
What did he mean by ‘like an ordinary young couple’! And ‘wedding gift’?!
To say such nonsense in front of her, Lu Bao Hong deserved to be cut into a thousand pieces!
She didn’t have any concept of marriage between men and women. Lu Bao Hong’s words were essentially telling her that marriage between men was also possible!
Xu Heng Yan looked at Xie Jiang with a darkened expression, warning her that while some vulgar words might enter her ears, they should never be taken to heart.
Xie Jiang chewed the pancake slowly, looking at her innocently. She clearly wasn’t thinking anything of it.
Lu Bao Hong instinctively took a few steps back. He didn’t know what he had said wrong to provoke Xu Heng Yan into wanting to kill him.
Only after Xu Heng Yan’s gaze shifted away from him, and the suffocating pressure receded, did Lu Bao Hong suddenly understand the reason.
Xu Heng Yan was not like Ruan Zi Ji, a dissolute young master who cared nothing for reputation. The Duke of Wei’s heir, however, could not afford to ignore it.
Therefore, Xu Heng Yan and Xie Jiang’s relationship was something that could not be brought to light. They had been acting secretly, trying to avoid attention. Wouldn’t Xu Heng Yan want to silence him for exposing them?
But they were acting so obviously, did they think everyone else was blind?
Xu Heng Yan was so domineering, and the one named Xie was so ruthless. Perhaps even if others saw through it, they would pretend not to?
Lu Bao Hong dared not utter another word. Seizing the opportunity before Xu Heng Yan’s death glare returned, he quickly fled.
Xie Jiang put a piece of fried egg into his mouth, “Don’t be angry, okay? Why bother with trash like Lu Bao Hong.”
Xu Heng Yan glared at her unhappily, “If it weren’t for your misleading words earlier, why would people like Lu Bao Hong look at our relationship differently.”
Xie Jiang said aggrievedly, “I clearly said our friendship was as strong as gold, it’s Lu Bao Hong who is ignorant and misinterpreted my meaning.”
Xu Heng Yan had never known ‘as strong as gold’ could be used in such a way, “Are you sure it was Lu Bao Hong’s ignorance?”
“Alright, let’s not dwell on these meaningless things. Why should we care what trash like Lu Bao Hong thinks?” Xie Jiang pointed at the little rabbits under the shade of the tree, “Do you think it matters what they think of us? Is it worth caring about what the chickens and ducks by the roadside think?”
Xu Heng Yan replied, “Three people can make a tiger, and widespread gossip can melt metal.”
Xie Jiang said dismissively, “Then let everyone shut up.”
Xu Heng Yan countered, “Shouldn’t we ourselves be upright and proper, leaving no room for criticism?”
Xie Jiang looked genuinely shocked, “Why make things difficult for ourselves? Isn’t it easier to make things difficult for others?”
Xu Heng Yan: “…”
After breakfast, Xu Heng Yan tidied up the bowls and chopsticks and went to the kitchen to wash them.
Then, she gathered the dirty clothes they had changed out of into a large basin and took them to the courtyard to wash.
The water in the vat had run out. Without Xu Heng Yan needing to say anything, the guards on watch proactively went to fetch water.
Xie Jiang picked up a water ladle and began watering the mosquito-repelling grass planted behind Wu Qian’s house.
“Xiao Xie.”
Xu Heng Yan, who was washing clothes, suddenly spoke.
“En?”
“Have you ever thought about studying at the Imperial Academy for a few years?”
Xie Jiang frowned and turned back, “Why?”
Xu Heng Yan had already prepared her speech, “Studying at the Imperial Academy can help you integrate into Da Yu quickly.”
“Aren’t I integrating quite well now? The most outstanding young talents of Da Yu, including Duke Xu, have become my good friends,” Xie Jiang said proudly.
However, Xu Heng Yan tried to persuade her, “Your subordinates are doing a great job at the glass factory; you don’t need to worry about it anymore. Going to the Imperial Academy to study would benefit you more than it would harm you.”
Xie Jiang’s small face darkened, and she slammed the water ladle into the vat. Water splashed all over the guards who had just returned with two buckets of water and were about to pour them into the vat.
The guards waited for the water to settle, silently poured the water in, and then went to fetch more.
Duke Xu’s laundry was too water-intensive.
Xie Jiang glared at her, “Xu Heng Yan, if you think I’m uneducated, just say it. Why are you beating around the bush and implying things?”
“I didn’t mean it that way…” She just felt that Xie Jiang’s thoughts were very dangerous. A few years of study at the Imperial Academy, with some proper guidance, might help reshape her values.
“Then what do you mean?”
“Right now, countless people in the capital are watching your every move. After you eliminate the bandits of Huang Lan Mountain, even more people will be paying attention to you.”
Xu Heng Yan stopped rubbing the soap, “If you could stay at the Imperial Academy, those people in the capital wouldn’t be fixated on you, and His Majesty would be more at ease with you.”
Xie Jiang frowned and pondered for a moment, then nodded as if convinced, “Listening to you, it does seem to make sense.”
It was good that she could take advice. Xu Heng Yan breathed a silent sigh of relief, “Think about this carefully. Once you’ve made up your mind, I’ll arrange your admission.”
Xie Jiang tilted her head and thought, seeming to gain some interest, “Is the Imperial Academy fun?”
Xu Heng Yan replied, “I’m not sending you to the Imperial Academy to have fun, I’m sending you to study.”
Xie Jiang asked, “Isn’t Xu Heng Yi also going there to have fun?”
Xu Heng Yan said, “There are people like Xu Heng Yi at the Imperial Academy who are unmotivated, but those who are muddle-headed like Xu Heng Yi are ultimately a minority. Most students at the Imperial Academy are genuinely talented and will become pillars of the court after the imperial examinations. If you enter the Imperial Academy in the future, you should socialize and learn from those who are exemplary in character and learning, and stay away from those who are unmotivated like Xu Heng Yi.”