Wen Heyu boldly reached out his hand and rushed forward quickly. Like a lecher, he tried to grab Shen Linyi's hand and even leaned his whole body closer.
His move was rather abrupt. His warm breath sprayed on Shen Linyi's hand, making her shiver in disgust.
Shen Linyi quickly dodged and suddenly stood up. Suppressing her displeasure, she said, "Lord Wen, it's getting late. Please go back first. I won't see you out."
So before Liuyun could bring the tea, Wen Heyu was driven out by Shen Linyi.
When the door was closed, Wen Heyu was still indulging in his own fantasy. He stupidly raised his hand, closed his eyes and took a deep breath.
Just now, he had touched Shen Linyi's sleeve. Now he seemed to be able to smell the delicate fragrance on Shen Linyi's body from his own hand.
"Miss Shen... You will surely be mine," Wen Heyu murmured. Then he opened his eyes and returned to his usual gentle look, as if nothing had happened.
When Liuyun came back, there was no tea in her hand. She knew that her young lady couldn't tolerate Wen Heyu for long, so she didn't bother to make tea. After learning that Shen Linyi had agreed to go to the Lin Pavilion Banquet with Wen Heyu, Liuyun's eyes were full of worry.
"Miss, Qin'an Tower is by the Huai River. It's the most prosperous place in the capital. There are countless dignitaries and nobles there. Aren't you worried that you might meet...?"
"Moreover, the young master from the Prime Minister's Mansion also took the imperial examination this year. We don't know his ranking yet. If he makes it on the list, you may meet him at the Lin Pavilion Banquet."
Shen Linyi picked up the jade pendant beside her and stroked it a few times. Smiling, she said, "I'm going with Wen Heyu. No matter how smart the people from the Prime Minister's Mansion are, they will never guess that I have anything to do with this year's third-place laureate. Besides, six years ago, in the eyes of my prime - minister father, I was already a dead person."
Then, Shen Linyi was in a daze for a moment and whispered, "Time has passed so quickly. That boy can even take the imperial examination now."
"My younger brother..."
Liuyun sighed.
Six years ago, after the lady passed away, Miss Shen was driven to the estate by a concubine in the mansion, but her younger brother was left in the mansion and adopted by that concubine.
In the previous years, Shen Linyi was crazy about inquiring about the young master's situation. Later, after learning that the young master was well - taken care of by that concubine and even called her mother, Shen Linyi seemed to be heart - broken and never paid attention to the young master's affairs again.
Liuyun could understand what Shen Linyi was thinking. She didn't have the ability to take her younger brother away, so she could only let him stay in the mansion.
Shen Linyi was afraid that her younger brother would be mistreated by the concubine and have a hard time, and at the same time, she was also afraid that the concubine would be too kind to him and make him recognize the enemy as his mother.
After so many years, when she knew that they might meet, Shen Linyi didn't know how to face him.
But avoiding was not Shen Linyi's style. Anyway, she had to see with her own eyes what her younger brother had become.
After Shen Linyi agreed to go to the Lin Pavilion Banquet with Wen Heyu, Wen Heyu sent someone to deliver a large box of clothes and jewelry.
Shen Linyi picked up one piece, took a look and then threw it aside.
Seeing this, Liuyun also curiously took a look. Then she pursed her lips and said in disgust,
"Lord Wen is at least a third - place laureate. How could his taste be so strange? He sent such tacky clothes. And those gold and jade hairpins are expensive, but if you wear them on your head, you'll look like a nouveau riche."
"How tacky! It's really too tacky!"
Shen Linyi pointed to a small box in the box and lifted her chin, indicating Liuyun to open it.
Liuyun obediently opened the box. Then, with a shocked face, she took out a thick stack of rice paper from it.
There was a long list of instructions written on the rice paper. The words were written densely. All the rules and regulations were what Wen Heyu had told Shen Linyi to pay attention to.
Rule 1: There will be a gathering of dignitaries at the Lin Pavilion Banquet. As a woman of humble status, Miss Shen, everyone present has a higher status than you, so you should pay great respects. If necessary, you can kneel down and kowtow.
Rule 2: There are rules for eating and drinking at the banquet. It is recommended that Miss Shen fill herself up before setting off. Don't touch any of the delicious food at the banquet to avoid making a fool of yourself.
Rule 3: To avoid offending the nobles, Miss Shen must stay close to me. No matter where I go, Miss Shen must follow me closely.
Rule 4: Don't reveal our relationship to others...
...
Wen Heyu actually wrote nearly six hundred such rules.
Each of these rules was demeaning to Shen Linyi.
"What is this! That heartless Wen Heyu is actually humiliating you like this!"
Shen Linyi pursed her lips tightly, her eyes full of coldness.
"The reason he takes me to the Lin Pavilion Banquet is nothing but to make me make a fool of myself, to let me understand the huge gap between us and be willing to submit to him."
"These rules of his are not teaching me. He is deliberately leading me to make a fool of myself. If I were really an ignorant girl from the countryside, I might really be bluffed by him."
The materials of the clothes he sent were expensive, but they were embroidered with large patches of flowers. Even the colors were glaring yellow or bright red.
If one wore these clothes and the jewelry, one would look just like a walking money bag, making people laugh.
In order to strike at Shen Linyi's pride, Wen Heyu didn't even care about his own face.
Maybe in Wen Heyu's imagination, when Shen Linyi made a fool of herself at the banquet, he would descend like a god to save her, and then Shen Linyi would be completely devoted to him.
Liuyun angrily threw those boxes on the ground and stamped on them a few times to vent her anger. "It's really unlucky!"
"Miss, are we just going to take this anger from Lord Wen?"
"Of course not," a sly look flashed in Shen Linyi's eyes. "At the Lin Pavilion Banquet, we don't know who will make who look bad yet."
As soon as Liuyun saw Shen Linyi like this, she immediately knew that Shen Linyi had an idea.
She had been with Shen Linyi since childhood. When they left the mansion, Shen Linyi sent someone to rescue her. Then they grew up together in the south of the Yangtze River.
Although they were master and servant, their relationship was more like sisters.
So Liuyun knew every move and every expression of Shen Linyi very well. One look from Shen Linyi and Liuyun would know what she was going to do.
Now seeing her young lady smiling so brightly, Liuyun knew that Wen Heyu was going to pay the price.
Thinking that there would be a good show, Liuyun also got excited and began to look forward to the day of the Lin Pavilion Banquet.
"By the way, Liuyun, inquire about Qinghe in the neighborhood these days. She hasn't shown up for several days. I'm always a bit worried."
"Yes, Miss."
In the past few days, their treatment in the nunnery had improved a lot. Although the nuns didn't clearly say who had given the order, Shen Linyi guessed that it was all arranged by Qinghe.
Regarding the matter between Qinghe and the head nun, Shen Linyi felt that it was not as simple as it seemed on the surface.
The head nun's status in the temple was second only to the abbot. And as her daughter, if Qinghe was really out of favor, how could she act willfully in the nunnery?
It was probably because Qinghe was young and didn't really see many things clearly.