The next day, the sky finally cleared.
Zhi Wan had just pushed open the window when she heard Chen Jiu asking Shuang’er, "Is the Miss awake yet?"
"I’m awake. Is my cousin looking for ?" Zhi Wan quickly called out.
Hearing her, Chen Jiu went around to the window and reported, "Miss, the Princely Heir said that since it’s not raining today, he sent to ask if you would like to return to Jurong to sweep the graves."
"Yes, I do. Please tell my cousin I’ll be right over," Zhi Wan said imdiately.
"Understood. Once you are ready, Miss, please wait directly outside the courtyard gate." After speaking, Chen Jiu left.
After Zhi Wan finished getting ready, she brought Ouyang Zhenzhu to the courtyard gate, where Lu Zhan was already waiting.
"Cousin."
"Mr. Lu."
The two of them stepped forward and bowed.
Lu Zhan gave a slight nod. "Get in the carriage."
Zhi Wan nodded. Just as she was about to get into the carriage, another carriage ca speeding over and stopped in front of the gate. A middle-aged man then stepped out.
He walked straight up, bowed to Lu Zhan, and said, "This subordinate, Liang Qixian, Prefect of Yangzhou, greets Mr. Lu. I was unaware of your arrival in Yangzhou and failed to give you a proper welco. I hope you will forgive ."
Lu Zhan stood with his hands behind his back and said lightly, "There’s no cri in ignorance. Mr. Liang, please don’t give it a second thought."
Hearing this, Liang Qixian breathed a silent sigh of relief.
He had, in fact, received news that the Emperor had appointed Lu Zhan, the Minister of the Ministry of Justice, as the Imperial Envoy to inspect Jiangnan. He had even made preparations for a reception. He just hadn’t expected Lu Zhan to be so low-key upon arriving in Yangzhou, entering the city so quietly.
When he heard yesterday that Lu Zhan had already arrived in Yangzhou, he was startled.
He had thought this Imperial Envoy’s incognito visit to Yangzhou ant he was planning to make a big move. He never imagined that by evening, he would receive news of Lu Zhan touring all the brothels in Yangzhou.
The anxiety that had been weighing on his heart instantly subsided.
’This Minister of the Ministry of Justice is nothing like the rumors say—he’s not so impartial and incorruptible after all.’
’A prodigal son who enjoys frequenting brothels won’t be hard to deal with.’
His mind was already scheming. Seeing Zhi Wan beside Lu Zhan, he paused and asked, "This must be your esteed wife?"
Zhi Wan froze. Just as she was about to deny it, Lu Zhan spoke first. "Mr. Liang, you’ve misunderstood. This is my younger sister."
Liang Qixian was surprised but wore an embarrassed expression. "This subordinate has poor judgnt. Please forgive my offense."
"It’s nothing," Lu Zhan said coolly. "My sister and I have business to attend to, so we’ll be taking our leave."
Hearing this, Liang Qixian tactfully replied, "This subordinate will see you off, Mr. Lu, Miss Lu. When you return, I will host a banquet at Hongyun Restaurant. I hope both of you will grace us with your presence."
"We’ll see when the ti cos." Lu Zhan neither refused nor imdiately accepted.
"Understood." Liang Qixian stepped aside.
After Zhi Wan and Ouyang Zhenzhu boarded their carriage, Lu Zhan got into a separate one.
Soon, the party set off.
Liang Qixian stood outside the courtyard gate, watching the carriages disappear into the distance before he finally left.
Inside Lu Zhan’s carriage, Chen Jiu poured him a cup of tea and stepped aside.
Lu Zhan lifted the cup, took a sip, and asked coolly, "Did you find anything yesterday?"
"Just as you predicted, Princely Heir, the Prefect of Yangzhou, Liang Qixian, and the Assistant Magistrate, Zeng Gong, are colluding closely behind the scenes. I haven’t had ti to investigate the specifics yet," Chen Jiu imdiately replied.
Lu Zhan nodded and said no more.
Seeing this, Chen Jiu kept his mouth shut. ’I knew that the Princely Heir’s true purpose in coming to Jiangnan was to secretly search for the descendants of King Jin. However, I also knew that he would never let court vermin like Liang Qixian and Zeng Gong off the hook. That’s why he’d had deliberately spread the news of him frequenting brothels last night—to make Liang Qixian and Zeng Gong lower their guard against him. This would make it much easier to investigate the two of them thoroughly.’
Jurong was half a day’s journey from Yangzhou City.
By the ti the group arrived in Jurong, it was already afternoon.
Setting foot in this county town again, Zhi Wan was flooded with a myriad of emotions.
Her feelings grew even more complicated, especially as the carriage passed the County Governnt office.
In her childhood, her father had served as the County Magistrate of Jurong. Although it wasn’t a high-ranking position, their family lived happily. Her father was deeply respected by the local people for his fairness and integrity.
But she never expected all that happiness to be destroyed overnight.
Her parents had made a trip to Yangzhou City. On their way back, they were ambushed by bandits and brutally killed.
Afterward, thieves broke into their ho and looted it completely.
She beca a helpless orphan...
She pushed open the window, her eyes growing moist as she gazed at the building next to them, the one with the "County Governnt" plaque hanging high.
’It’s been five years. I’ve only ever seen this place in my dreams.’
’I never thought I would one day be able to co back.’
Ouyang Zhenzhu saw her staring blankly at the County Governnt office and asked, puzzled, "What’s so interesting about a rundown old governnt building?"
Zhi Wan snapped back to her senses and retorted, "This place isn’t rundown. Back then..." She trailed off, her eyes dimming.
’When my father was in office, he governed Jurong so well that it was orderly and prosperous everywhere.’
’But now, it’s mottled and desolate wherever you look.’
"Back then what?" Ouyang Zhenzhu pressed curiously. After asking, she rembered that Zhi Wan had once lived here. She paused, then asked softly, "I forgot to ask, what did your parents do? How did they... pass away?"
Zhi Wan was silent for a mont before saying, "My father was the County Magistrate here. He and my mother were... killed by bandits."
Ouyang Zhenzhu was too stunned to speak. When she ca to her senses, she was filled with self-reproach. "I’m so sorry, I didn’t know."
"It’s okay. It’s been a long ti," Zhi Wan said, forcing herself to rally.
Ouyang Zhenzhu hugged her tightly, her face full of sympathy, and said no more.
The atmosphere in the carriage grew somber.
Shuang’er deliberately broke the silence with a cheerful tone. "Miss, I rember that Zhang’s Cake Shop, the one you loved as a child, is just up ahead. In a mont, I’ll go see if it’s still open. If it is, shall I buy you so of your favorite pastries?"
Zhi Wan composed herself and nodded. "Alright."
"Then you’d better buy extra. I want so too," Ouyang Zhenzhu said to Shuang’er, deliberately feigning interest.
"Understood," Shuang’er replied with a smile and a nod.
In the carriage ahead, Lu Zhan was reading when Jiang Shi suddenly reined the horses to a halt.
Chen Jiu opened the door and asked, "Have we arrived?"
Jiang Shi shook his head. "The Miss’s carriage has stopped. Shuang’er went into a shop."
Chen Jiu leaned out and looked back, and sure enough, the carriage behind them was parked by the side of the road.
He quickly jumped down from the carriage and went over to ask what was happening, just as Shuang’er ca out of the shop with the pastries she had bought.
"Why did we stop?" Chen Jiu asked.
Shuang’er quickly pulled him aside and whispered, "We just passed the County Governnt office. Seeing it made the Miss sad, reminding her of the Master and Madam. The pastries from this shop were her favorite when she was little. I thought I’d buy so to cheer her up, so I got out."
Hearing this, Chen Jiu understood.
"I bought so extra. Let the Princely Heir try so too." Shuang’er pressed a bag of pastries into his hands.
Chen Jiu took it and returned to the front carriage.
"What was it?" Lu Zhan asked, putting down his book.
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