Under the gaze of Her Royal Highness the Princess, Xie Yunxiao finished an entire plate of pastries without leaving a single crumb.
He left nothing behind.
After asking Su Ye to come in and tidy up the food box, Wen Qianyue glanced at Xie Yunxiao's desk. A book was lying face - down on the table, seemingly trying to hide something.
It was a grass - woven cricket cage.
Wen Qianyue knew the principle of "going too far is as bad as not going far enough". One shouldn't push a child too hard. Sometimes, it was necessary to loosen the reins a bit and let the child catch his breath.
Before Wen Qianyue could say she was leaving, a young servant ran in from outside and reported, "Your Highness, Miss Meng is here."
Meng Ruxue hardly ever set foot in Xie Yunxiao's residence. Usually, it was Xie Yunxiao who went to the Ice - Clear Courtyard to find her.
"I suppose she has something to say to you. It's not appropriate for me to show up. It's too late to leave now. I'll hide in the inner room for a while," Wen Qianyue said.
Xie Yunxiao nodded.
Meng Ruxue walked in slowly. Before she could say a word, Xie Yunxiao stood up and helped her sit down.
"It's freezing outside. If you have something to say, you could just send someone to call me over. Why did you come here in person?"
Wen Qianyue didn't show herself. From outside, she could clearly see what was going on inside.
Meng Ruxue looked embarrassed. "I thought it'd be better for me to tell you this in person, but it's kind of hard for me to say."
Xie Yunxiao frowned slightly. "What's so hard to say between you and me?"
"My uncle's birthday banquet is coming up in a few days."
Xie Yunxiao was a bit surprised. "A birthday banquet?"
He knew Meng Ruxue had an uncle and had met him before, but it seemed that her uncle didn't like him very much.
Meng Ruxue nodded. "It was postponed for some reasons before. I'm here today to ask if you're free, so that you can come to my uncle's mansion?"
Xie Yunxiao never refused Meng Ruxue. "Of course I can."
"But..." Meng Ruxue looked a bit embarrassed.
"What's wrong?"
Meng Ruxue hesitated. "You know that my parents died early. I've been raised by my uncle and aunt all these years. But... they've never liked you. This is a good opportunity. If you can win my uncle's favor, then we..."
She lowered her head, seemingly shy.
Outside, Wen Qianyue understood that all this was just a prelude from Meng Ruxue.
Sure enough, Xie Yunxiao asked, "What should I do then?"
"… My uncle always likes rare things. If you can present some rare treasures this time, you'll surely win their favor," Meng Ruxue explained softly. "A Xiao, it's not that I insist on these things. You know me. I just... want them to accept you earlier."
"I understand," Xie Yunxiao said seriously, already having an idea in mind. "Don't worry, Ruxue."
After Meng Ruxue left, Wen Qianyue walked in.
Seeing Xie Yunxiao lost in thought, she asked, "What are you going to give as a birthday gift?"
She didn't even need to ask if Xie Yunxiao would go. The answer was obvious.
So she didn't bother asking.
Xie Yunxiao thought his princess mother was worried about him and comforted her, "Don't worry. I know what I'm doing."
You know what you're doing, but I'm in the dark!
Wen Qianyue complained in her heart.
Meng Ruxue's uncle... wouldn't that mean Ji Wenzhen would also show up?
Come to think of it, if she hadn't appeared, Ji Wenzhen would have been partly responsible for Xie Yunxiao's tragic death later.
At night, the mansion was lit up everywhere. The quiet pebble - paved path was brightly illuminated.
"Miss, you guessed right. His Highness the Prince just left," Su Ye rushed over.
Wen Qianyue was reading a book. Hearing the news, she nodded slightly.
Su Ye was a bit stunned. "Aren't you going to stop him?"
She was also in the study this afternoon and heard what Meng Ruxue said. His Highness the Prince was simple - minded and owed Meng Ruxue a debt of gratitude, so he wouldn't think much about it. But Su Ye had understood something.
Wen Qianyue calmly turned a page of the book. There were scattered papers beside it - these were the information about the Ji family that Yue Heng had investigated.
"Go and find out what His Highness the Prince took and redeem them."
Meng Ruxue knew that the Prince's Mansion was running out of silver, so she came up with this idea to make Xie Yunxiao sell the mansion's properties himself. A lean camel is bigger than a horse. Once the valuable things were sold, the Ji family would surely make a fortune.
"Redeem them?" Su Ye was confused. "But you already know that Miss Meng is lying to our Prince. Why would you still..."
Having been with Wen Qianyue for a while, she had also noticed something wrong with Meng Ruxue.
She thought Wen Qianyue, as the Prince's relative, didn't want to see him being cheated, so she did these things.
Wen Qianyue looked up. "No matter how clearly I explain it, Xie Yunxiao won't be willing to believe it."
After all, he had to experience it himself, taste the sweetness and then fall down. Only then could he figure out right from wrong.
Although Miss Wen and the young Prince seemed to be of the same age, Su Ye didn't have the slightest bit of imagination.
Miss Wen looked just like a mother waiting for her stubborn child to go out, get hurt, and come back crying.
Su Ye was silent for a moment and then said, "Yes."
Wen Qianyue nodded in satisfaction. Su Ye was a smart girl who knew when to keep silent.
Early the next morning, Wen Qianyue asked Su Ye to do her makeup and then went out.
The carriage was waiting outside the mansion. After she got in, it slowly moved forward with the sound of horse hooves.
Looking at the familiar words, Wen Qianyue couldn't help but have tears in her eyes. Memories of the past came flooding back, as if her father had never left.
Back then, her father traveled all over Yunsheng. When he came to Lingzhou, he was impressed by the charm of the old dean and praised him highly. He even personally inscribed a plaque for the academy.
This was one of the reasons why she chose this place.
Her father always had good taste.
Yue Heng had been waiting here for a long time. When he saw Wen Qianyue coming, he said, "My lord, I've investigated. The dean is inside. Do you want me to go and announce your arrival now?"
Wen Qianyue shook her head. "I can't reveal my current identity." She took out a jade pendant from her body and handed it to Yue Heng.
"Give this to Dean Shen."
Yue Heng immediately understood what she meant. "Yes."
This jade pendant belonged to Lu Wanqing. He had given it to her personally when they left the capital. It could represent his identity as the prime minister, which was convenient for her now.
After a while, someone from the academy came to invite Wen Qianyue in person.
Hearing that an honored guest had come, Dean Shen was a bit flustered. When he saw Wen Qianyue, he quickly stepped forward to greet her. "I didn't know Miss Wen was coming. I'm really sorry for not greeting you properly. Please forgive me."
Wen Qianyue smiled and said indifferently, "You're too polite, Dean Shen."
"I wonder what the prime minister sent you here for?" Dean Shen observed the expression of the person in front of him.
Wen Qianyue was flawless and showed no trace of guilt. "It's nothing else. I just want to send someone to your academy."
"Send someone?" Dean Shen was a bit stunned. "Who is it?"
He hadn't heard that anyone from the capital had come to Lingzhou recently. Although his academy was a bit famous, it wasn't famous enough for the high - ranking officials to send their sons to this remote place.
Moreover, it was said that Prime Minister Lu was in his thirties and wasn't married yet.
"His Highness the Prince of Huainan."