"You even placed someone beside me?" She slightly widened her eyes, extremely surprised.
Chen Tingfeng coughed softly, his eyes immediately shifting to the side. Unusually, he looked a bit guilty. "I didn't mean to monitor you. It's just for your safety that I..."
"When did you place the person?" she asked softly.
Chen Tingfeng pursed his lips. "After the bandit incident."
Fu Zhen was stunned. "What?"
He sighed. "You were abducted that time. I managed to rescue you at the critical moment. But after we got back, I kept thinking. What if I hadn't seen you then? What if I had been a bit late? Would you have..."
"I will never let such a thing happen again."
Fu Zhen couldn't tell what she was feeling. After the shock, a wave of bitterness welled up in her heart.
Her eyelashes fluttered slightly. "So—you were already paying attention to me then?"
"Yes," he held her hand and looked at the frozen lake. The golden sunlight shone on the ice, as if the lake had come to life. "But at that time, I didn't know why I was paying attention to you. I just instinctively didn't want you to get hurt."
He was adept at all sorts of schemes and power - plays, but when it came to feelings, he was always slow to catch on.
Fortunately, sometimes when reason deceived him, his emotions would make the right decision for him first.
Fu Zhen took a deep breath, suppressing the bitterness in her heart. "Alright, I forgive you."
Putting aside the fact that he had placed someone beside her without permission, in terms of strategy, Chen Tingfeng could truly be said to be as cautious as a wily hare with three burrows.
He said, "Although this measure may not be used, just in case. I don't want the people around me to leave me, especially you."
The surging love hit her like a wave. Fu Zhen buried her head in his arms and murmured, "I understand."
Never before had she realized that Chen Tingfeng was also a flesh - and - blood ordinary person, rather than a heartless god sitting high above the nine heavens.
She really liked this side of him.
The two hugged quietly by the lake. After a while, Fu Zhen raised her head. "It's getting late. Let's go back and sort out the accounts."
"... " Chen Tingfeng. "Do we really have to sort out the accounts?"
"What if the Marquis Mansion is emptied by moths if we don't sort out the accounts?" she said with a smile.
Chen Tingfeng rubbed his temples and said calmly, "If the mansion can be emptied so easily, then Father doesn't deserve to be the marquis."
Only when the head of the family is incompetent and muddle - headed will such a large family be taken advantage of by the servants.
Chen Xuan was definitely not such a person.
Speaking of Chen Xuan, Fu Zhen asked curiously, "Where is Uncle today? It seems he's not in the mansion."
"I don't know either," Chen Tingfeng played with a lock of her hair absent - mindedly. "He probably went to visit the Zhangs, the Bais or the Duke's Mansion."
The Marquis Mansion had a close relationship with these families. Naturally, they would pay visits during festivals. But today, Chen Xuan might have just gone for fun, perhaps even without bringing any gifts. It was quite amazing that these families didn't drive him out.
Fu Zhen's eyes lit up. "I haven't seen Xiang Huan and Sister Zhang Lan for a long time. I'll visit them in a few days."
Chen Tingfeng sighed deeply. "Cousin is so heartless. Can't you just stay with me?"
Fu Zhen was annoyed by his clinginess. She looked at him in confusion. "I never saw you like this before."
He didn't seem like the kind of person who would pester his sweetheart before. It really showed that you can't judge a book by its cover.
Chen Tingfeng didn't know what was wrong with him either. Anyway, he just liked to be around her and wished he could be with her all the time.
After being rejected by her, he was like a neglected concubine, pretending to sigh long and loudly. Fu Zhen finally got impatient and pinched his face, manually closing his mouth. "You should also do some proper work. Isn't the court busy?"
Naturally, it wasn't. Even today when Fu Zhen went to the study, she could see a thick stack of official documents on his desk. These documents were sent by Xie Yan. There were some decisions that Xie Yan wasn't sure about, so he had to come and ask Chen Tingfeng.
But Chen Tingfeng didn't like to move in winter and didn't like to read these documents either. Anyway, he had skimmed through them and none of them were important. Delaying for a few days wouldn't cause any major problems.
However, Xie Yan came to discuss strategies with him today. Presumably, there would be some action in a few days. He really had to think carefully about what to do next.
"Alright," he murmured. "Since I won't be able to see cousin often in the future, as compensation, I'll accompany cousin to sort out the accounts tonight?"
The real intention was revealed.
Fu Zhen snorted. "Smooth - talking. Let's go."
The sky was getting dark. The wind blew occasionally by the lake. Standing there for a long time would inevitably make one feel cold.
Chen Tingfeng quickly caught up with her, took her cold hand and tried to pass on his warmth. He asked persistently, "So cousin agrees?"
Fu Zhen was speechless. "If you ask again, you won't see me tonight."
Chen Tingfeng immediately shut up.
On the sixth day of the lunar new year, the capital gradually returned to its usual bustling appearance. For the first court session after the New Year, even the old emperor didn't dare to be absent. He sat on the dragon throne obediently for once and listened to the morning court for an hour.
He just listened. Perhaps because the New Year was full of joy everywhere, the memorials only reported some trivial matters.
However, someone mentioned, "Your Majesty, General Mao has been guarding the border for many years and has made great contributions. How about sending some rewards during the New Year festival to stabilize the morale of the army?"
The emperor narrowed his eyes. As he got older, he became more and more muddled. He only heard the words "made great contributions" in his ears.
What did "made great contributions" mean? It was a minister's duty!
If he gave a reward for this, wouldn't the minister become too powerful and overshadow the emperor next time?
His face darkened and he looked a bit unhappy. "No need. We just distributed food, grass and cotton - padded clothes before the New Year. It's enough for them to have a good year."
The minister who proposed the idea immediately cowered and didn't dare to say anything more.
The old duke frowned silently. The old emperor's action might dishearten some military generals.
After this incident, the court fell silent again. Everyone already knew the old emperor's character. If they continued to persuade him, he wouldn't change his mind. So why bother?
Everyone remained silent.
After a moment, the eunuch announced, "Court is adjourned."
After the court session, Xie Yan changed his clothes and walked towards Concubine Rou's palace.
Unexpectedly, when he passed by the imperial garden, he was suddenly blocked by a maid who came out of nowhere. The maid was so reckless that she almost bumped into him. After coming to her senses, she immediately knelt on the ground and begged for mercy.
His eyes turned cold, but there was still a smile on his face. He asked gently, "Which palace are you from?"
The maid was sweating even in winter. She stammered, "This servant... This servant is from the Second Princess's palace. The Second Princess would like to invite the Second Prince to meet her."
"Oh?" He raised his eyebrows, but his tone became low. He said meaningfully, "The Second Princess wants to see this prince? But this prince remembers that this prince doesn't seem to have any acquaintance with her."
The maid trembled like a sieve. After stuttering for a long time, she said, "The Second Princess said... said that she can help the prince. She hopes that the prince will go and visit her for the sake of the emperor."
Xie Yan immediately narrowed his eyes.
Help him?
He smiled enigmatically. After a while, he said leisurely, "Alright, then this prince will go and see the Second Sister to see what she's up to."