The security in the Grand Tutor's Mansion was indeed tight! Taking advantage of the moment before the guard could act, Ji Feiyu tossed a handful of sleeping powder at him. When it came to poisoning and making potions, who could compare with her? Ji Feiyu grinned smugly. With great effort, she dragged the unconscious guard to a secluded corner and then began to search for Lin Zhiran's residence.
Along the way, there were constantly servants and guards on patrol. Ji Feiyu dodged and evaded them again and again. Finally, she managed to reach an empty garden. Just as she was thinking about where to go next, she faintly heard a familiar voice.
Huh! Wasn't that the voice of Lord Lian? Ji Feiyu tiptoed towards the source of the sound. She climbed onto the roof beam and heard him say, "Ah, Grand Tutor! It's all because my daughter has been in poor health that we've postponed the wedding for nearly a month. Now that she has fully recovered, I wonder about the wedding between her and your son..."
The Grand Tutor looked at him with a forced smile. He slowly picked up the white jade teacup, took a small sip, and then said, "Is this the reason for your visit today, Lord Secretary?"
Lord Lian smiled and replied, "Yes. I wonder what your opinion is, Grand Tutor?"
The Grand Tutor gave a fake smile. He kept stroking the cup with his thumb and calmly said, "Since this marriage was arranged by my wife, I have no objections. However, there seem to be some rumors about your daughter..."
Sure enough, old fox Lin! As soon as he opened his mouth, he hit the nail on the head. How treacherous! Ji Feiyu lay on the roof beam eavesdropping and couldn't help but sigh silently.
Everyone knew that Lin Chujie was the most treacherous official in the court, and this was something Ji Feiyu and Yong Yaxuan were both aware of. The reason why Yong Yaxuan still kept him in office was that, firstly, his influence was too great to be easily removed, and secondly, he had some talent in governing the country and could come up with some policies beneficial to the country and the people for the Great Yong Dynasty.
It was well - known that this man was extremely good at amassing wealth and winning people's hearts. Now it seemed that the rumor was true.
However, since Lord Lian, the Secretary of the Supreme Court, dared to come and curry favor with the Grand Tutor, it showed that he was just as bad as the Grand Tutor.
The Secretary of the Supreme Court was in charge of the review of all important cases in the country. Although he was not the top leader, he held a lot of real power. So even though his official position couldn't be compared with that of the Grand Tutor, he was still very important.
Ji Feiyu thought that although the Grand Tutor might look down on Lord Lian because of his low official position, he didn't dare to show it too obviously. After all, if the two families were really well - matched in status, he had to worry about being too ostentatious and giving Yong Yaxuan a handle. After all, a king's greatest aversion was a minister who overshadowed the king with his achievements, and forming cliques was the same thing. Ji Feiyu guessed that the Grand Tutor had this kind of consideration.
Sure enough, when Lord Lian was feeling embarrassed, the Grand Tutor added, "However, those rumors are not important. As long as your daughter is safe and intact, that's fine. Since you've come today, you must be well - prepared. I think it's better to choose a day than to wait. Three days from now will be an auspicious day. How about setting the wedding date for three days later?"
Lord Lian was trembling with fear as he listened. He wiped the sweat from his forehead and said yes. Ji Feiyu was also shocked. Three days later was too soon. The "butterfly" hadn't even recovered from her injuries. How could she rescue her? No, no. It seemed that it was imperative to disrupt this marriage alliance.
Startled by this thought, she lost her breath control, and was immediately noticed by a master in the Grand Tutor's Mansion. The master shouted, "Where did this little thief come from? How dare you break into the Grand Tutor's Mansion privately!"
"Who!" Both the Grand Tutor and Lord Lian, who were in the middle of the conversation, were startled.
Ji Feiyu thought that if they saw her in this situation, it was still uncertain whether the marriage would go ahead. If she made a bigger scene, the marriage would definitely fall through. So she scattered a handful of sleeping powder in the direction where the master was coming from and then jumped off the roof beam!
At this moment, all the servants and guards in the Grand Tutor's Mansion rushed over upon hearing the noise.
Ji Feiyu hadn't run far when she heard the Grand Tutor say, "How dare you disturb my honored guest! Capture this person!"
Ji Feiyu immediately leaped onto the roof. Several guards rushed towards her. She scattered another handful of sleeping powder to hold them off and then jumped into a courtyard she didn't know.
The gardener in the courtyard was so frightened by Ji Feiyu's sudden appearance from the sky that he let out a loud scream. Ji Feiyu immediately pounced on him, knocked him unconscious with a palm strike, dragged him behind some short trees, and then stripped him of his clothes and put them on herself.
But the time was too short. Before she could hide the gardener properly, she heard a team of footsteps approaching. They appeared at the moon - shaped gate. Ji Feiyu quickly adjusted her hat, blocked the bushes with her body, and pointed to the west wall and said to them, "Ah, ah, ah. Just now a figure ran in that direction!"
Hearing this, those people didn't think much and chased after the "thief" through the west moon - shaped gate.
Seeing them go far away, Ji Feiyu dragged the gardener further into the bushes and then fled in the opposite direction.
In her hasty flight, whenever she saw the chasing servants, she would give them random directions. As a result, she got dizzy from running around in circles. But she didn't expect that, by sheer luck, she actually reached Lin Zhiran's residence.
Among the flower branches, she saw that person standing in front of the window, painting with a brush in his hand. He was as elegant as jade, looking so leisurely.
Ji Feiyu stared blankly for a moment and slowly walked closer. When he lowered his head, he was indeed as good - looking as Cheng Xuan, gentle and refined.
It really was a case of "Searching high and low without success, but finding it without even looking."
Ji Feiyu was hiding aside, watching him and savoring the moment. Unexpectedly, someone patted her on the back and said, "You little servant are so rude. Instead of doing your work, you're here slacking off and staring at the young master. What are you looking at?"
Ji Feiyu couldn't help but turn around and saw a man in the appearance of a military general frowning at her. When she turned back to look at Lin Zhiran, she saw that he had noticed them and walked out of the door.
"What brings you here, Ran Hao?"
Seeing this, Ji Feiyu immediately walked to Lin Zhiran's side and said, "I'm the new page boy the young master just bought! I wasn't slacking off just now."
The man named Ran Hao then cupped his fists at Lin Zhiran and said, "Oh, there was a thief in the mansion just now. I came here specifically to check if anything happened to you, young master!"
So this man who looked like a military general was actually the head guard of the Grand Tutor's Mansion. Ji Feiyu immediately understood.
Hearing this, Lin Zhiran also came to his senses. He gave Ji Feiyu a meaningful look and then smiled at Ran Hao and said, "Oh, this is indeed the new page boy I just bought. He just angered me, so I told him to stand outside the house as a punishment. I didn't see any thief."
"In that case, I've disturbed you, young master." Ran Hao said embarrassedly as he cupped his fists. He said to Lin Zhiran seriously, "I'll go check other places."
"Okay."
After saying that, he turned around and left. Lin Zhiran, however, took Ji Feiyu back to the study.
"Tell me, what did you steal in the Lin Mansion?" As soon as they entered the study, Lin Zhiran turned around to face Ji Feiyu, and the smile on his face disappeared.
Ji Feiyu cleared her throat and explained, "I didn't steal anything."
"Then what are you doing in the Lin Mansion?" A look of confusion appeared on his face.
Ji Feiyu smiled and said, "Actually, I came here specifically to see you." After saying that, Ji Feiyu reached out and took off the servant's hat along with the hairpin inside. Her long, beautiful hair cascaded down smoothly at this moment, filling the room with a delicate fragrance.
Seeing this, Lin Zhiran's face couldn't help but change.