When he realized what had happened, Duan Ling said angrily, "It’s just one cup of tea! You wouldn’t even let have it!"
Lu Zhan gave him a cool glance and finished the tea in his cup. "This wasn’t poured for you."
Duan Ling asked in surprise, "If it wasn’t for , then who was it for? Who was here before I arrived?"
"No one." Faced with his questions, Lu Zhan subconsciously concealed the fact that Zhi Wan had just been there.
An idea struck Duan Ling, and he teased, "Don’t tell a young lady ca to visit?" Without waiting for Lu Zhan’s reply, he shot up and began searching the entire room, muttering, "The cup is still warm. Maybe the lady is hiding sowhere in here."
However, he made a full circle around the room, even checking behind the door, but found no so-called young lady.
"Old Lu, did I co at a bad ti? Did I interrupt sothing good?" Duan Ling grinned aningfully.
A vein throbbed on Lu Zhan’s temple. He said coldly, "What is it you ca to see about?"
At the ntion of business, Duan Ling’s energy deflated. He sat back down, grabbed a cup, and poured himself so tea. "I’m on that boat every day. I’m so sick of it I could puke, and you still won’t let co ashore to relax? Just let stay here for a few days."
"The bandits and the stolen goods are still on the ship. This is a matter of great importance and cannot be handled carelessly. There can be no mistakes before the officials sent by the Court arrive to take custody," Lu Zhan said gravely.
Duan Ling frowned. "Those bandits are all in chains. Nothing is likely to happen."
"It is better to be cautious!" Lu Zhan said. "This matter has already been reported to the Court. If anything goes wrong, neither of us can bear the consequences."
Duan Ling thought for a mont and offered a compromise. "Just for tonight. Tonight, have Jiang Shi and Chen Jiu stand guard on the main ship. I’ll stay here for one night, and I promise I’ll go back to the ship tomorrow morning."
Lu Zhan pondered for a mont before agreeing. "Mm."
Duan Ling breathed a sigh of relief and reverted to his usual devil-may-care attitude. "Old Lu, I hear the girls in Yangzhou are all lovely and fun. How about we go out and enjoy ourselves tonight?"
"No!" Lu Zhan refused flatly.
Seeing his ascetic look, Duan Ling suddenly scoffed. "There’s no need to be so prim and proper in front of your brother, is there? I heard that on the very night you arrived in Yangzhou City, you visited every single brothel here.
"We’re all n, I get it. What man in this world isn’t interested in won? If there is one, he must have sothing wrong with him physically."
The corner of Lu Zhan’s eye twitched suspiciously. He said coldly, "Do you think everyone is like you?"
Duan Ling frowned, unconvinced. "What’s wrong with being like ? A youth without romance is a wasted youth! Old Lu, you’re just too uptight. It’s not that you’re uninterested in won, you’re just too picky. Speaking of which, Cousin Zhi Wan is an exquisite beauty with a natural allure. If she weren’t your cousin, I..."
"You what?" Lu Zhan’s handso face darkened. His gaze was like an icicle, radiating a cold aura, and his voice held a faint trace of killing intent.
Startled by his murderous look, Duan Ling rubbed his arms and quickly said, "Nothing. I was just talking nonsense."
Lu Zhan lowered his eyes, hiding the chill within them, and warned in a low voice, "My cousin is not soone you can trifle with or joke about. If I hear you do it again, don’t bla for turning on you!"
Duan Ling had already regretted it.
The two of them had grown up together, so he knew Old Lu’s temperant best. Anyone Lu Zhan valued was not to be disrespected by anyone, not even in jest.
Besides, Cousin Zhi Wan was so pure and innocent. How could he make such a joke about her?
He wiped the cold sweat from his forehead. He had indeed been reckless.
"I understand. I’ll never say it again," he promised with a solemn expression.
"Get out!" Lu Zhan, his mood ruined, still looked displeased.
Knowing he was in the wrong, Duan Ling quickly left.
...
「That evening.」
Zhi Wan and Ouyang Zhenzhu had just reached the gate of the courtyard when they heard Duan Ling’s smiling voice, "Cousin Zhi Wan, Little Girl Ouyang."
Zhi Wan’s face lit up with joy when she saw him. She stepped forward and curtsied. "Junior Minister Duan, it’s been a long ti. Have you been well?"
Seeing her, Duan Ling couldn’t help but rember his inappropriate behavior in Lu Zhan’s room that afternoon, and he felt a pang of guilt.
’My cousin is so wonderful, yet I spoke of her like that.’
’It was truly out of line!’
He cleared his throat and nodded. "Quite well."
Ouyang Zhenzhu shot him a sidelong glance. "So you’re still alive. I thought you’d fallen into the river and been eaten by fish."
Duan Ling faltered, then laughed in exasperation. "You’re both young ladies of good families. Look at Cousin Zhi Wan, she knows how to speak so graciously. Then look at you. You don’t have the slightest air of a proper young lady."
"You and Lord Lu are also both sons of prestigious families. Look how cultured Lord Lu is. Then look at you, full of the bad habits of a wastrel!" Ouyang Zhenzhu retorted, not to be outdone.
Duan Ling: "..."
Seeing him choked speechless by her words, Ouyang Zhenzhu felt a wave of triumph.
Zhi Wan didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. Sure enough, whenever these two got together, they were bound to bicker.
Fortunately, Lu Zhan ca out just then, and the two of them fell silent.
"Let’s go," Lu Zhan said coolly, his gaze sweeping over them.
Zhi Wan took Ouyang Zhenzhu’s hand and got into the carriage first.
She had been worried that Ouyang Zhenzhu would be bored staying alone at the courtyard, so earlier that evening, she had Shuang’er ask Lu Zhan for permission to bring Ouyang Zhenzhu to the banquet, and Lu Zhan had agreed.
「Hongyun Restaurant.」
The restaurant, usually bustling with booming business, was quiet today. The Lord Prefect was hosting a distinguished guest here and had booked the entire establishnt.
In front of the restaurant, Liang Qixian, along with several officials and the female mbers of their households, had already been waiting for a long ti.
Zeng Jiayi’s legs were aching from standing. Seeing that the guests had still not arrived, she felt quite displeased.
’Just what is the background of this Lord Imperial Envoy, to make the Lord Prefect and so many other officials personally wait for him? And on top of that, he even makes us female relatives attend, just because he brought his own female companions.’
"They’re here."
Soone said, and everyone imdiately looked up.
Sure enough, two magnificent carriages were approaching, one after the other.
Liang Qixian imdiately led his group forward to greet them.
Lu Zhan disembarked first, followed by Duan Ling.
"Greetings, Lord Lu." Liang Qixian led the officials in a bow.
Lu Zhan gave a slight nod. "There is no need for such formalities."
"Lord Lu, this is..." After straightening up, Liang Qixian noticed Duan Ling. Seeing that he also had an extraordinary air, he couldn’t help but ask.
"This is Junior Minister Duan of the Ministry of Justice," Lu Zhan introduced.
Liang Qixian tensed. "I was not aware of Junior Minister Duan’s arrival. Please forgive my lack of courtesy."
Duan Ling waved his hand. "Lord Liang, you are too kind. I was simply bored today and tagged along with Lord Lu to freeload a drink. I hope you won’t bla for coming uninvited."
"Junior Minister Duan, you speak too seriously. It is our honor that you are willing to grace us with your presence," Liang Qixian said hurriedly.
"Lord Liang certainly has a way with words," Duan Ling said with a loud laugh, looking every bit the unrestrained hedonist.
Seeing this, the assembled officials breathed a collective sigh of relief. One Minister of the Ministry of Justice was already enough to make them tremble in fear. When a Junior Minister arrived as well, they were truly afraid the heavens over Yangzhou City were about to change. But now, seeing that one of them loved to frequent brothels and the other had the air of a rogue, it seed they were nothing to be afraid of after all.
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