Han Bi and Yan Hong had already stepped aside on their own initiative, but they didn't go far.
Lan Miao frowned slightly and looked at Wen Yuanning unhappily. She stared directly into his compelling gaze without any evasion.
"Whom I meet is my own business. Please don't ask too much, Third Master Wen."
Her tone was quite calm, but the meaning in her words was clear. Now she had no relation with the Marquis Mansion, and even less with Wen Yuanning. Where did he get the stance to question her, and on what basis?
Wen Yuanning's brows knitted even tighter.
It seemed that he couldn't believe Lan Miao would say such heartless words. But in an instant, his eyes darkened, and he sank into a deeper and more tangled mood.
His voice was hoarse.
"It's inconvenient for sister - in - law to have contact with outside men in the palace. You should be more careful."
Lan Miao couldn't listen anymore at this moment.
Her tone was bone - chillingly cold.
"That gentleman is a jade carver from the Qi State, and I'm also a jade carver. Although in your eyes, jade carving may be just a humble skill, we were exchanging our insights on jade carving. Is such a thing also worth being careful about? Then why are you standing here? Shouldn't you and I be more careful?"
Lan Miao's fair face was tinged with anger, like a layer of pink glaze had been applied, exuding an astonishing beauty.
Wen Yuanning stared at Lan Miao intently, licked his lips, and it took him a long time to react. He was stunned by Lan Miao's words. His lips trembled, and he didn't know how to respond for a moment.
Since he knew that Lan Miao had divorced, he had suppressed a lot of his feelings. With one change after another in the mansion, he had focused all his attention on his official duties.
But when he met Lan Miao again and saw the brand - new her walking and chatting cheerfully with another man, he just couldn't control himself.
Why could others do it?
But he couldn't.
However, Lan Miao's words made him feel once again what it was like to face her in the mansion.
The inexplicable gloom on his face disappeared, and he became as cautious and at a loss as he used to be in front of her.
Wen Yuanning swallowed hard.
He bowed with his hands clasped in front. "Sister - in - law, Yuanning was wrong. I hope you'll forgive me."
His attitude changed so quickly that Lan Miao didn't know how to react.
She looked at Wen Yuanning who was bowing his head and admitting his mistake in front of her, and felt a sense of relief. Fortunately, she had divorced. Otherwise, if she were still in the Marquis Mansion, she didn't know how much entanglement there would be between them in the future.
"I'm no longer your sister - in - law. Please don't call me that, Third Master Wen."
"Yes... Lady Lan."
Wen Yuanning stood up and stared blankly at her. It was the first time he used this address, and he wasn't quite used to it yet.
Lan Miao had no intention of talking to him anymore. She tightened her cloak and wanted to bypass him and go ahead. But as soon as she moved, Wen Yuanning also took a step. He turned in front of Lan Miao again and stammered,
"Lady... Lady Lan, tomorrow is mother's birthday banquet. Xue'er is still a young lady of the Marquis Mansion. I wonder if you could bring Xue'er back to attend mother's birthday banquet tomorrow?"
The old lady's birthday banquet?
Lan Miao showed a thoughtful expression. She counted on her fingers and found that she had indeed forgotten. Tomorrow was the birthday of Old Lady Wen of the Marquis Mansion. In previous years, it was always Lan Miao and Mrs. You who had organized the birthday banquet. It was not only tiring but also unrewarding.
She originally wanted to decline directly, but then she thought that Xue'er was still a young lady of the Marquis Mansion. If she didn't go, it would be disrespectful to the elders. She couldn't just cut off all relations with the Marquis Mansion.
"I'll think about it. Xue'er still has to go to school tomorrow. I'm worried about delaying her studies."
Lan Miao thought seriously.
The loosening tone in her words gave Wen Yuanning a glimmer of hope.
"For the birthday banquet of the elder in the family, Xue'er can take a day off. I'll go and tell Xue'er's tutor. Do you still have any concerns, Lady Lan?"
"No."
Lan Miao thought carefully. This might be a good opportunity to leave the palace. She could take the time to deal with those pieces of jade with marks.
"I'll go tomorrow. There are still some things to be settled with the Marquis Mansion."
Hearing this, Wen Yuanning's eyes dimmed for a moment and then returned to normal.
He showed full - fledged courtesy.
"Then we'll be waiting for Lady Lan to visit our humble abode tomorrow."
"Um..."
Lan Miao lowered her head and said no more.
She stood there blankly, neither meaning to leave nor to speak. She stood there like a divine and transcendent Buddha statue.
Wen Yuanning thought he had offended Lan Miao and didn't dare to stay any longer to make her unhappy. So he bid farewell and left. But then he thought that he could see Lan Miao in the mansion tomorrow, and his steps quickened a bit when he left.
When they saw Wen Yuanning walking far away, Han Bi and Yan Hong stepped forward and supported Lan Miao.
"Are you okay, Lady Lan?"
"Fine. Let's go too."
Lan Miao smiled calmly. She was just thinking about which place in the Marquis Mansion was suitable for hiding those pieces of jade. Even if those pieces of jade were discovered one day, she could still be out of it.
They walked a few steps and passed through a moon - shaped archway. Lan Miao walked slowly, with her head down, thinking about where in the Marquis Mansion was suitable for hiding things. Suddenly, she felt a chill around her.
Lan Miao looked back. Han Bi and Yan Hong, who had been following behind, had stopped at some point. Their faces were as white as paper as they looked ahead. Then they knelt down tremblingly.
Looking further ahead.
Emperor Jingxiang, wearing a golden robe with dragon patterns, stood not far away, like a breathing jade carving, looking at her calmly.
The imperial entourage was beside him. The waiting palace servants and guards were all kneeling.
Even though they were only a few steps apart, Lan Miao could still see the darkness and gloom deep in Emperor Jingxiang's eyes. He stared straight at her, as if Lan Miao was some prey he had set his eyes on.
The dangerous possessiveness seeped out from the bottom of his eyes, making Lan Miao's scalp tingle.
She didn't know how long Emperor Jingxiang had been standing there or what he had heard. But judging from his expression, he might have misunderstood.
Lan Miao's legs went weak. Just as she was about to kneel down and pay her respects, "Your Majesty..."
Before she could finish her words, Emperor Jingxiang had already walked up to her in a few steps. He grabbed her wrist, not only preventing her from kneeling but also pulling her up. Without caring about the people kneeling around, he just pulled her hand forcefully and dragged her all the way onto the imperial entourage.
After Lan Miao got on the entourage, her mind was still unsettled.
Emperor Jingxiang beside her remained silent all the time.
She thought she should explain, but his strong aura was really intimidating. She felt inexplicably flustered and could only whisper, "Your Majesty, I was just talking to Third Master Wen about the Marquis Mansion's birthday banquet tomorrow. I didn't say anything else."
Emperor Jingxiang's face became darker and darker.
The sedan chair was steady, but Lan Miao always felt like she was flying.
She really didn't say anything else. She didn't understand why His Majesty was angry.
"Your Majesty, are you angry?"
Lan Miao asked carefully.
Her tone softened a bit, but it was also the truth in her heart.
Why was he, a man in his thirties, so easy to get angry?
He was angry yesterday, and angry again today?
But Emperor Jingxiang ignored her all the time. He just held her wrist tightly, with a gloomy face, looking hard to approach.
Lan Miao was very nervous. When the entourage stopped, Emperor Jingxiang still held her wrist and dragged her into the Yangxin Hall in big strides.
The palace door closed.
She was directly taken to the bed by him.