Chapter 20 · The Welcome Banquet

Jiang Ruoqing’s intentions were certainly not simple.

The two strolled to the winding corridor and sat side by side on the goose-neck chairs at the edge.

“Then the urgent task is to clear the stain on your reputation. Most importantly, you need to gain the trust of the prince and princess,” Lin Zhaoyan advised.

“I’ll tell them when I return, but they don’t want to believe me. No one believes me,” Zhou Jingxuan said stubbornly.

“They know you best. Rest assured,” Lin Zhaoyan smiled gently. “After more than twenty years together, don’t you understand the prince and princess’s temper?”

“Zhaoyan, be gentle,” Zhou Jingxuan changed the subject abruptly, teasing her.

Lin Zhaoyan teased back, “So the heir apparent wasn’t wronged after all, always provoking the ladies.”

“I only love to provoke the general,” Zhou Jingxuan blurted out.

Lin Zhaoyan was taken aback, her expression awkward.

As her gaze clearly traced Zhou Jingxuan’s beautiful starry eyes, she suddenly realized they were too close. Leaning back slightly, she distanced herself.

Just as she was at a loss, Taozhi came running up, bowing gracefully. “General, heir apparent, Nurse Wen ordered me to buy some men’s clothes. They’ve been prepared in the side chamber. Please come with me, heir apparent.”

“Heir apparent, go change first,” Lin Zhaoyan gestured to the side chamber and sighed in relief.

“Thank you, General,” Zhou Jingxuan said politely.

Lin Zhaoyan covered her chest, a strange feeling lingering within her.

But she couldn’t explain why.

At that moment, Nurse Wen approached Lin Zhaoyan. Shaking off the odd sensation, Lin Zhaoyan listened as Nurse Wen reported on the details about Xiaohua.

“Madam, I found out that Xiaohua’s family is poor. She’s the daughter of a tailor in the suburbs. Because she ruined a noble’s garment, her family was fined ten taels of silver, which is why Xiaohua was sold. But even then, she wasn’t sold for the full ten taels.”

Lin Zhaoyan was astonished. So poor they had to sell their daughter, and yet a living person was still worth less than a single garment?

Hearing this, Lin Zhaoyan felt a pang of pity.

Seeing Lin Zhaoyan’s sympathy, Nurse Wen guessed her intentions. “Madam, Xiaohua’s background is clean. Shall we keep her directly?”

Lin Zhaoyan shook her head. “No, let her work for a few days. Let’s see if her intentions are sincere. As long as she harbors no ill will, even if she works slowly, it’s fine.”

“Understood. I’ll take Xiaohua to settle in,” Nurse Wen smiled and added, “The dishes are almost arriving at the mansion. Later, please come with the heir apparent to the main hall.”

Lin Zhaoyan cast a puzzled glance. “Almost arriving at the mansion?”

“Nurse Wen and Taozhi… neither of us can cook,” Nurse Wen answered awkwardly. “So, we had to order from a restaurant and had the waiter deliver it.”

Historically, takeout began as early as the Tang Dynasty, called “suohuan” during the Song Dynasty, but in this evidently alternate era, there was takeout as well?

Lin Zhaoyan mused that no matter the world, people always know how to enjoy life.

Zhou Jingxuan changed into his new clothes, dressed in white, exuding an elegant demeanor.

---

They had lunch, and Zhou Jingxuan soon excused himself. Lin Zhaoyan propped her chin in her hand. “The General’s residence is short-handed. I won’t see you off. Are you okay alone, heir apparent?”

“The capital’s security is strict. Don’t worry, Zhaoyan,” Zhou Jingxuan said, then walked off carelessly. “As for these clothes, I’ll have my men wash them…”

“I’m giving them to you,” Lin Zhaoyan cut him off decisively.

After Zhou Jingxuan left, Lin Zhaoyan returned to her chamber and noticed a wooden box on the table.

It was given by the coachman yesterday, said to be a gift from His Majesty, who instructed her to keep it safely.

—Yesterday, after the tiring journey and freshening up, she had been too exhausted to open it.

Lin Zhaoyan opened the box to find a translucent jade pendant engraved with the character “Yun.”

Was this really meant for her? Lin Zhaoyan tugged at the corner of her mouth, quickly closed the box, and locked it in the cabinet.

She pretended she never saw it.

What kind of person was this emperor!

Thinking of Su Chengyun, Lin Zhaoyan’s scalp tingled.

What exactly did he want?

Nevertheless, Lin Zhaoyan could not avoid attending the cleansing banquet.

The cleansing banquet was held in the palace, personally arranged by Consort Li Xianyu, grand and ostentatious.

Invited attendees included officials of fourth rank and above, as well as consorts and female relatives of officials.

Lin Zhaoyan arrived early and was firmly held by Li Xianyu, unable to move.

“This is the Qingfeng Terrace, the best place to enjoy the moonlight at night and listen to the flowing water. The scenery is exquisite,” Li Xianyu said with a smile, gripping Lin Zhaoyan’s wrist tightly as if afraid she would run away. “Do you like it?”

Lin Zhaoyan forced a smile. “I do.”

But this was already the third time Li Xianyu had said this.

“And these dishes…”

Save me!

Lin Zhaoyan glanced anxiously around.

Suddenly, she spotted Prince Zhou and Zhou Jingxuan.

She abruptly pressed Li Xianyu’s hand and pushed it away forcefully. “Isn’t that Prince Zhou? I’ll go say hello, I’ll leave first!”

Without giving Li Xianyu a chance to interrupt, Lin Zhaoyan slipped away swiftly.

“Hey, General?!”

---

“My sister, what are you doing…” Li Xianjin looked at Li Xianyu in confusion, her gaze involuntarily falling on Lin Zhaoyan’s retreating figure.

“Why are you so late? I was just talking to Lin Zhaoyan for a long time!” Li Xianyu complained.

“I… was delayed,” Li Xianjin mumbled vaguely.

“Enough, enough. You’ll have to find another chance. You must seize it. It’s rare to see Lin Zhaoyan,” Li Xianyu waved her sleeve, unwilling to bother with Li Xianjin further.

Li Xianjin was speechless for a moment. In truth, only Li Xianyu couldn’t meet her. He had to attend court, and Lin Zhaoyan would be at court in a few days. Meeting her was hardly difficult.

Only Li Xianyu was confined deep in the palace.

“Zhaoyan!” Zhou Jingxuan’s face lit up brilliantly as Lin Zhaoyan ran toward him.

“Untamed,” Prince Zhou scolded.

“No matter. I am familiar with the heir apparent as well,” Lin Zhaoyan smiled, indicating she did not mind.

Prince Zhou finally smiled in relief. “That’s because my son loves to cause trouble. Just yesterday he…”

“Zhou Cangli!” A middle-aged woman waved a handkerchief, rushing over anxiously. “Where are you sneaking off to again?”

“I’m not!” Prince Zhou defended.

“You dare argue?” This must be Princess Zhou, Jiang Lian.

“I’m not… I was just congratulating the General,” Prince Zhou whispered.

Princess Zhou looked at Lin Zhaoyan, her face beaming. “So this is the General! Excuse me, this is my son, Zhou Jingxuan. And this is our Jiang family’s second young lady, Jiang Ruoqing.”

Princess Zhou stepped aside, and Lin Zhaoyan finally saw the delicate Jiang Ruoqing standing behind her.

Seeing Jiang Ruoqing, Zhou Jingxuan’s face turned green. He endured for a long moment before suppressing the urge to curse.

Lin Zhaoyan smiled warmly, appraising her from head to toe. “So this is Miss Jiang, truly beautiful and pitiful at first sight.”

Jiang Ruoqing shyly smiled. “General, your bearing is extraordinary. Ruoqing feels an immediate kinship.”

“Zhou Jingxuan,” Princess Zhou’s face darkened as she said sternly, “take your cousin around.”

“I don’t want to.”

Jiang Ruoqing’s smile faltered briefly, then she obediently bowed. “It’s fine, I’ll look around by myself.”

“Look at how well-behaved Ruoqing is, and then look at you!” Princess Zhou was exasperated.

Suddenly, Lin Zhaoyan spoke up, “I see Cousin likes it very much. How about I accompany her for a walk together?”