Jun Jiuling

Manager Gao turned around and lifted up the carriage curtains to look at the two gla.s.s bowls sitting in the carriage.

"Tian San p.a.w.ned these in Gaoping. Our banknotes were definitely cashed in there too," added the coachman. "Should we investigate it?"

"Investigate what?" asked Manager Gao. "What’s there to investigate. Tian San won’t say it himself. That night, he was sitting by the bridge chewing bread and someone sat down and said that he lost a shoe and wanted to buy his shoe."

The coachman naturally was not a coachman. He was, rather, Manager Gao’s disciple. He thought about the description he just heard.

Tian San’s shoes were broken and dirty. It was unimaginable that anyone would want them, so of course, he was extremely happy when someone wanted them.

That person had tossed him a few coppers, then threw away one of his own shoes.

That shoe, according to Tian San’s words, was particularly good. He had never seen the workmans.h.i.+p or material before. It was hard for him to see it be thrown away, so he picked it up and wore it.

Then that person had laughed and didn’t blame him. Instead he told him they would make a lot of money together.

That lot of money, naturally, was the Lantern Festival five thousand tael Go arrangement lantern.

In the end, that person had not leaked anything. Tian San said that that person had given him a large portion of the five thousand taels, and also the two gla.s.s bowls.

"Did you ask for a more detailed description of that person?" asked the disciple.

"What’s the point of that? You want to know how old he is or if he’s married? Are you acting as his matchmaker?"

Manager Gao gave him a look.

The disciple smiled.

"Master, aren’t you curious, even a little?" he asked, pointing at the carriage. "Then why did you still buy those two gla.s.s bowls, and ask around about what happened to Tian San?"

Manager Gao stared at him.

"I borrowed this gla.s.s bowl from Old Lady," he said. "Young Lady said that her lost money was lost so she didn’t care about it, and so I didn"t go ask. But the gla.s.s bowls aren’t Young Lady’s, so of course I would return them."

He waved his hands.

"Enough  with the nonsense. Do not bring this up again. Now hurry up to the relay station so we can confirm the deputy’s story. This time the Jinyiwei are here for the heir of the Duke of Chengguo, so they definitely won’t let it go. We ordinary people must stay far away from the fights of immortals."

Naturally, the disciple knew the pressing and severe circ.u.mstances of the situation and whipped the horse faster.

...…

When Miss Jun entered through the gates, Liu’er received her, asking about her well-being.

"Young Miss, just play outside without worry. I will look after the internal affairs well," she said.

She smiled and pa.s.sed her a pinwheel.

"This is for you," Miss Jun said with a smile.

Liu’er’s eyes sparkled with happiness. She raised the pinwheel in the air so it could catch wind.

"Young Miss has one and I have one?" She looked at the other pinwheel in Miss Jun’s hands.

"This one is for Young Master," she said with a smile.

"Oh, oh," said Liu’er.

"Young Miss is truly a good person to be thinking of him," she commented.

The two smiled at each other as they pa.s.sed through the courtyard gates. They weren’t far in when they heard the crisp and clear laughter of a girl coming from inside.

When they saw Liu’er come in, the two servant girls immediately jumped in fright.

"It was Young Master who wanted someone to go in and wait on him," they said quickly. "Lingzhi went in by herself; we didn’t."

It was no wonder others would call this into question. The servants waiting on the young master seemed like thieves, scared as they were discovered.

But Liu’er and Miss Jun did not feel like that.

One believed that her young miss’ words were the laws of the universe. The other didn’t want anyone to get close to Fang Chengyu now.

"Waiting on him for what? You were laughing so happily," Liu’er questioned grumpily.

The laughter in the room had stopped. A girl came out somewhat unsteadily, then greeted Miss Jun.

Miss Jun knew her as Fang Chengyu’s original servant girl, Lingzhi. She smiled at her and nodded.

"Give this to Young Master to enjoy," she said, handing over the pinwheel.

Lingzhi stared without response.

Seeing these people"s expressions, what did they take young miss for; Liu’er was not happy.

"Didn’t you hear her? This is something Young Lady bought especially for Young Master," she said with a glare.

This time, Lingzhi fl.u.s.teredly stepped forward to accept it.

"Thank you Young Lady, thank you Young Lady," she stammered out.

"Hey, what are you thanking her for. This wasn’t bought for you," said Liu’er. "Who do you think you are, saying thank you for Young Master?"

Lingzhi was alarmed.

"Enough." Miss Jun stopped Liu’er’s rebuke and smiled at Lingzhi. "Then go and give it to Young Master."

Not waiting for Liu’er or Lingzhi to say anything, she went to the study.

"Liu’er, come with me."

Liu’er glared at Lingzhi one last time before catching up to her.

Seeing the two go into the study, Lingzhi sighed in relief. She looked at the pinwheel in her hand and hesitated before going back in.

Fang Chengyu was seated in his wheelchair reading a book, his expression calm. It seemed as if he hadn’t heard the commotion outside.

"Young Master." Ling Zhi smiled and carried the pinwheel in. "Young Lady bought this for you. Take a look."

She blew into the pinwheel, and it spun with a whir.

Fang Chengyu looked at it and smiled.

"It’s very nice."

The fourteen-year-old youth’s smile by the bright and beautiful window was dazzling.

Lingzhi could not stop her eyes from sparkling. She felt that Young Master’s gaze was not on the pinwheel, but on her.

Was Young Master saying she looked good?

Lingzhi blushed slightly, and seriously focused on blowing the pinwheel.

Young Master, look, look.

Liu’er put her pinwheel onto Miss Jun’s desk.

"The flower arrangement today is wonderful," said Miss Jun as she looked in the room.

Liu’er was pleased and proud.

Young Miss said she did good.

"Liu’er, go and take out that map of the roads to the capital," Miss Jun ordered.

Liu’er went over to the bookshelf and took out a map from a box.

Jun’er spread it flat over the desk.

"Does Young Miss want to go to the capital?" Liu’er couldn’t help but ask when she saw her focused expression.

She remembered that Young Miss wanted to use the money from backing out of the engagement to go to the capital. Afterwards she had asked about things in the capital. Although she didn’t mention it now, she actually never forgot.

Just because you wanted to go didn’t mean you could go.

Miss Jun smiled.

"No," she said. "I’m thinking about the person who made the map."

Liu’er made an ‘o’ sound.

"What about the person that made the map?" she asked curiously.

She was curious about this. Should the first thought that flashes through your mind be who the person who made the map is?

This was probably why Miss Jun felt that talking with those servant girls was so easy.

She always asked what she wanted to. Now that she thought about it, she wasn’t the type to give nonsense explanations.

Miss Jun smiled as she continued studying the map.

"I don’t know this person," she said. "I just heard of them when I was outside."

Liu’er said ‘o’, but couldn’t help but feel strange.

Young Miss didn’t need to be familiar with everyone. That would be too tiring.

Miss Jun really did not know Zhu Zan.

Because the Duke of Chengguo was mainly in the northern territory, and his wife had come to live with him, Zhu Zan had lived in the northern area since he was small. Occasionally, he would return with Madam Duke of Chengguo to the capital to have an audience with the emperor or visit his relatives. On top of that, he was a boy, so they didn’t have much relations.h.i.+p with the princesses.

Yet when she heard this name, she knew the person, because Zhu Zan had once come to fight with Royal Twelfth Uncle.