Chapter 36

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Li Zhi delivered Li Jinzhi’s corpse back to the armored soldier he served. Upon hearing that Li Jinzhi had angered the Duhu Mansion, the soldier did not hesitate to throw his body into the wilderness to feed the dogs.

She returned to the Duhu Mansion alone in the carriage, where Lu Congruan awaited her in the courtyard of Fufeng Courtyard with a cold and hard expression.

Li Zhi immediately noticed his displeasure, and judging by his demeanor, she could tell it likely had something to do with her. She obediently lowered her head, stepped forward to greet him, and respectfully reported the matter of Li Jinzhi’s death during the journey.

Lu Congruan had no interest in Li Jinzhi’s death. His gaze remained fixed on Li Zhi the entire time.

“Who gave you permission to visit Bamboo Courtyard without my approval?”

Li Zhi froze for a moment and looked up at him.

“In the past, I could turn a blind eye, but from now on—” Lu Congruan clasped his hands behind his back, standing in the courtyard as he glared at her coldly. “Without my permission, you are not allowed to have any contact with Bamboo Courtyard.”

There were a few other maids and servants on duty in the courtyard. They stood beneath the corridor, pretending to look at their noses and toes, but in truth, their ears were pricked high, listening intently.

“Why, Young Master?” Li Zhi asked.

“There is no ‘why,’” Lu Congruan said. “You are my servant. Your only responsibility is to obey my orders.”

The usually easy-going Lu Congruan suddenly revealed the authority of a master. Li Zhi understood that there was no room for negotiation and responded with the proper deference of a servant,

“This servant understands.”

Lu Congruan turned and walked toward the courtyard. “Come inside with me.”

Ignoring the varying gazes of the other servants, Li Zhi followed Lu Congruan into the courtyard.

“What do you do at Bamboo Courtyard?” Lu Congruan asked.

“I read and grind ink,” Li Zhi replied honestly.

“The Imperial Grandson has his own maids and servants. Why does he need a maid from my Fufeng Courtyard to serve him?” Lu Congruan sneered, his displeasure with Xie Lanxu practically written on his face.

“In order to treat my younger brother’s illness, I borrowed ten taels of silver from His Highness. Reading and grinding ink are merely ways to repay the debt,” Li Zhi explained.

“Just ten taels? Why didn’t you ask me for the money?” Lu Congruan frowned deeply.

“At that time, my younger brother’s life was hanging by a thread, and the Young Master was not in the estate…”

Lu Congruan was frequently out of the estate during the day. What Li Zhi said was reasonable.

“Then why didn’t you ask Xuan’er?”

“The young lady has already shown me great kindness on many occasions. This servant did not want to trouble her further.”

Lu Congruan’s anger gradually subsided. He untied the heavy pouch of coins from his waist and tossed it to Li Zhi.

“Here. I’ll repay it for you tenfold.”

With Lu Congruan’s temperament, refusing him now would undoubtedly provoke him further. As nothing more than a servant, Li Zhi understood that openly opposing Lu Congruan was as unwise as directly clashing with the Madam of the Mansion.

She decided to think of another solution later. For now, she silently accepted the pouch of silver.

“You like reading books?” Lu Congruan asked again.

“I read a few in my spare time to pass the time,” Li Zhi answered cautiously.

“In a few days, I’ll take you to the family school to attend classes,” Lu Congruan said. “You may leave.”

Li Zhi bowed and was about to leave when Lu Congruan called her back.

“From now on… you are the head maid of Fufeng Courtyard.”

Li Zhi wasn’t surprised.

After leaving the main courtyard, Lu Congruan’s personal servant entered, glancing worriedly in the direction of Li Zhi’s departure.

“Young Master, I fear if the master learns of this, he might…”

“I already have a plan,” Lu Congruan said with a cold smile.

He beckoned to the servant, who hurriedly leaned in. After a few whispered words, the servant’s face lit up with surprise and delight.

“Young Master, this is truly brilliant! I’ll go to the Yu family immediately!”

Lu Congruan waved his hand, and the servant quickly exited.

Standing by the window, Lu Congruan sneered as he looked in the direction of Bamboo Courtyard.

“A traitor’s orphan thinks he can compete with me?”

—-

The setting sun bathed the Bamboo Courtyard in golden light, dancing on the slender green bamboo leaves.

Xie Lanxu reclined early on the long couch by the window, with a book Li Zhi hadn’t finished reading last time lying on the tea table. The same spring breeze, when paired with the evening sun, felt warm, but with the encroaching night, it turned cold.

Lying on the couch, Xie Lanxu’s expression was as icy as the moonlight.

“Withdraw, let’s return to my room,” he finally said.

Taozi stepped forward to help Xie Lanxu into his wheelchair, but the maid named Xigua walked in briskly and softly reported that someone had come to deliver a message on Li Zhi’s behalf.

“Let them in,” Xie Lanxu ordered.

A moment later, Jia Sui entered the study and nervously bowed to Xie Lanxu, who was reclining on the couch.

Though Xie Lanxu was only the son of a deposed Crown Prince, Jia Sui had never met a member of the imperial family in her life. Naturally, she felt nervous in his presence, keeping her head low and not daring to meet his gaze.

“What message are you delivering on Li Zhi’s behalf?” Xie Lanxu asked.

“The Young Master was furious and forbade Li Zhi from visiting Bamboo Courtyard without permission. The silver she owed Your Highness has also been repaid immediately,” Jia Sui said, pulling out a pouch of silver coins from her robes. It was the same pouch Lu Congruan had given to Li Zhi.

“Li Zhi asked this servant to relay her words to Your Highness: she will never forget Your Highness’s kindness.”

The pouch of coins remained in Jia Sui’s hands. Without a word from Xie Lanxu, no one dared to take it.

Left with no choice, Jia Sui raised her head. On the long couch, the young man sat under the moonlight, appearing as pure and noble as an orchid or jade tree—high and untouchable. He picked up the teacup on the table, took a sip, and his expression remained unreadable, like an impenetrable undercurrent.

“Tell her this—” Xie Lanxu finally said. “However long she promised to serve as a maid, she will serve for exactly that long.”

He raised his eyes and smiled faintly at Jia Sui.

“Not a single day less.”

“Your Highness—” Jia Sui hesitated. Though she had been terrified moments ago, she now mustered the courage to plead for Li Zhi’s case. “This is not up to Li Zhi. The Young Master has forbidden her from coming to Bamboo Courtyard. Li Zhi is merely a servant—what can she possibly do?”

Xie Lanxu had previously paid no attention to this unfamiliar maid, but now he examined her closely.

“What is your relationship with Li Zhi?” he asked.

Jia Sui lowered her head further and answered, “…When Li Zhi was still the young lady of the Li household, this servant was her personal maid.”

Xie Lanxu, sharp as ever, immediately understood why Jia Sui was here.

“To choose servitude twice, just to follow your mistress,” Xie Lanxu remarked with mild surprise. “You are truly loyal.”

Jia Sui remained silent, though her back was already drenched in sweat. Despite Xie Lanxu’s seemingly gentle demeanor, she instinctively felt a deep fear toward him.

“You may leave,” Xie Lanxu finally said.

“…This servant takes her leave.”

When Jia Sui left Bamboo Courtyard, the night wind made the chill on her back even more pronounced.

She hurried back to the small room in Fufeng Courtyard where Li Zhi stayed. After shutting the door behind her, she recounted Xie Lanxu’s words verbatim.

“Banban, what do we do now?” Jia Sui asked anxiously, her face filled with worry.

“You don’t need to worry. His Highness won’t make things difficult for me,” Li Zhi replied, as though she had already anticipated Xie Lanxu’s response. There wasn’t a hint of surprise in her expression.

“I don’t think this prince is someone easy to deal with. You must be extra cautious,” Jia Sui said, gripping her hand tightly.

“I will,” Li Zhi reassured her, patting the back of Jia Sui’s hand to comfort her.

After sending off Jia Sui, who had braved considerable risks to deliver her message, Li Zhi reflected on what Xie Lanxu had said.

“However long you promised to serve as a maid, you will serve for exactly that long. Not a single day less.”

How long had she promised again?

Xie Lanxu had said he needed a maid to serve tea and grind ink, and she had readily agreed.

Looking at it now, wasn’t the duration entirely up to Xie Lanxu to decide?

Forget it. This wasn’t something she needed to dwell on.

She had no intention of simply obeying Lu Congruan’s orders, but outright defying him wasn’t appropriate either. Li Zhi didn’t want to attract too much attention. As long as Xie Lanxu remained within the Duhu Mansion, she would always have opportunities to meet him.

After much thought, Li Zhi decided to stay put for now.

——-

A few days later, Lu Congruan fulfilled his promise and brought her to the family school to attend classes. Yet, for reasons unknown, he didn’t seem like someone bringing a maid to study; it felt more like he was taking a fighting rooster to a match.

And Li Zhi was the fighting rooster.

Before they set out, he carefully selected an outfit for her and even borrowed a maid skilled in hairstyling from Xuan Zhi Courtyard to doll her up. Only when she was dressed impeccably did he seem satisfied enough to take her out.

As they walked through the long corridor, they bumped straight into Xie Lanxu and his group.

Xie Lanxu was seated in his wooden wheelchair, pushed by Taozi. Two maids whom Li Zhi recognized—Xigua and Pingguo—followed behind him on either side.

The two groups met head-on, both halting in their tracks.

Lu Congruan cupped his hands toward Xie Lanxu, his face wearing a smile so insincere it bordered on mockery.

“Ah, if it isn’t the Imperial Grandson. Where might you be headed?”

Xie Lanxu responded with a polite smile, his gaze sweeping briefly over Li Zhi, who stood behind Lu Congruan.

“I’m on my way to the study room. Would Young Master Lu care to join me?”

“I won’t intrude on tea and chatter. If I’m late to the family school, the teacher won’t let me off easily,” Lu Congruan replied, cupping his hands again with a laziness that barely concealed his disdain. “I’ll take my leave first, Your Highness.”

With long strides, Lu Congruan walked past, and Li Zhi, keeping her head bowed, brushed past Xie Lanxu without making eye contact.

“Your Highness—” Taozi couldn’t help but exclaim. “He’s nothing but a spoiled fop. How dare he mock Your Highness!”

Xie Lanxu remained indifferent, raising his right hand to stop Taozi’s complaints. The latter had no choice but to swallow her frustration.

When Xie Lanxu’s group arrived at the study room, the gatekeeper, Ma Guozi, rushed inside to announce his arrival. Within moments, Lu Han emerged, lifting the hem of his robe as if preparing to kneel.

“My lord, no need for formalities,” Xie Lanxu said.

Taozi stepped forward to help Lu Han back up.

“What brings Your Highness here today?” Lu Han asked, his expression tinged with confusion.

“I have benefited from your care for many days now. My health has greatly improved, so I’ve come to personally express my gratitude,” Xie Lanxu replied.

Propping himself up on the wheelchair, Xie Lanxu stood on his own, steady and upright, before bowing formally to Lu Han in thanks.

Lu Han was utterly shocked. The lingering worry on his brow disappeared instantly, replaced by a look of pure joy. “Your Highness! Your legs—”

“They’ve mostly recovered,” Xie Lanxu said with a faint smile. “I owe it all to you, my lord. Without your assistance, I might have died a meaningless death in some unknown corner.”

“This is excellent news! Excellent news indeed! There’s no need to speak of such unlucky things now. Your Highness has recovered, and I, as your humble servant, can now face the late Crown Prince with dignity!” Lu Han laughed heartily as he invited Xie Lanxu into the study.

Once they were seated on the couch, Ma Guozi served hot tea, and shortly thereafter, the physician who had been treating Xie Lanxu arrived.

The physician first took Xie Lanxu’s pulse, then used silver needles to stimulate his knees. After completing his examination, he put away his tools and clasped his hands with a smile.

“Congratulations, Your Highness, and congratulations to you, my lord. Your Highness’s fortune has prevailed. The poison has been completely expelled. Aside from some lingering weakness, you are now no different from an ordinary person.”

“Wonderful! Wonderful!” Lu Han laughed heartily and instructed Ma Guozi to escort the physician to collect his reward.

When the study was empty except for the two of them, Xie Lanxu spoke first. “I noticed as you left the study earlier that you seemed deeply troubled. Is there something I might assist you with?”

“This…”

“Does it have something to do with me?” Xie Lanxu immediately perceived the source of Lu Han’s discomfort.

After a moment’s hesitation, Lu Han sighed and admitted, “To be honest, one of my subordinates, Assistant Magistrate Yu Jingrong, is a man of integrity and impartiality. He has repeatedly admonished me regarding Your Highness’s presence.”

Xie Lanxu had long anticipated this day.

Calmly, he said, “Apart from an empty title as a member of the imperial clan, I am no different from the criminals sent to Mingyue Tower to serve their sentences. It is indeed improper for you to keep me at the Duhu Mansion for so long. Now that my legs have healed, it is time for me to leave.”

Lu Han was unwilling to see Xie Lanxu leave. After all, where in Mingyue Tower could be safer than the Duhu Mansion?

However, Yu Jingrong’s words were not without merit. The Emperor’s mind was unpredictable, and Lu Han could not guarantee how his favoritism toward Xie Lanxu would be perceived in the capital.

If word spread only in a small circle, it would be manageable. But since Yu Jingrong was already involved, Lu Han had no choice but to curtail his partiality.

“Sigh…” Lu Han let out a heavy sigh, his expression full of guilt. “The Duhu Mansion oversees numerous private estates and shops, as well as a horse ranch in the Xipeng Grasslands. Your Highness may choose wherever you wish to go, and I will ensure you are well cared for.”

“It’s best not to provide special treatment anymore, to avoid further criticism,” Xie Lanxu replied with a faint smile. “Now that I’ve recovered, I’m willing to serve at the horse ranch. I hope you will permit it.”

Xie Lanxu’s understanding and reasonableness only deepened Lu Han’s guilt. His expression twisted in pain as he lifted his robe and knelt before Xie Lanxu.

“I have failed in my duties and caused Your Highness great suffering!”

Xie Lanxu helped Lu Han to his feet, his expression warm as he comforted him.