Lu Huaijin ignored him and said in a deep voice, "Go!"
Upon receiving his order, Lin Wanyu bowed and then walked out briskly.
Lu Zian gave a charming smile, and his eyes followed that dainty figure all the way until it disappeared outside the door.
"Your Highness, you've come so early in the morning. What are your commands?"
Lu Huaijin lifted his eyes and glanced at him, with a hint of coldness in his eyes.
Lu Zian came back to his senses, coughed dryly, and said pretending to be serious, "Naturally, I've come to see you! I didn't see you at the court session this morning and was worried. After inquiring, I learned that you were injured. So, I rushed here right after the court."
"By the way, you've really changed. In all these years, I've never seen a woman here with you, let alone such a charming beauty. Where did you find her?"
As he said this, his eyes almost seemed to run after Lin Wanyu on their own.
Lu Huaijin's black eyes darkened slightly. "Your Highness came to see me empty - handed?"
Lu Zian paused slightly, flicked his robe sleeve, and said seriously, "Of course not. I... you know, I was so worried about you that I rushed here on horseback first. The gifts are on the way. I'm not a stingy person. You should know that."
How could Lu Huaijin not know the nature of the King of Chang? When he got tired of the food in the palace and wanted to try something new in the restaurant, he would persuade others to invite him. Because if others invited him, he wouldn't have to spend any money.
"Your Highness doesn't need to go to the trouble of preparing gifts. Last time I went to the Palace of Chang, I saw a golden bow in the palace. Your Highness doesn't like to wield swords or play with weapons. Why don't you give it to me?"
Hearing this, the smile on Lu Zian's lips immediately froze on his face.
That golden bow had taken a year for the craftsman to make and was priceless.
"Huaijin, you may not know that this golden bow is... is the betrothal gift I'm preparing for my future princess. How about..."
"Then the pair of blue - glazed imperial lion gilded vases in the main hall."
Lu Huaijin's eyes were calm, and his tone was as serene as the spring lake.
As soon as the words fell, Lu Zian felt as if his heart was broken. These vases... he might as well have agreed when Lu Huaijin asked for the golden bow.
This kid...
"Your Highness surely isn't reluctant, is he?"
With a "click", Lu Zian felt as if his teeth were crushed. "Of course not! I'll send someone to fetch them right away!"
Lu Huaijin hooked his lips. "How dare I trouble Your Highness? I'll order Si Chen to go and get them himself."
As soon as the words fell, Si Chen's voice sounded outside the door. "Your Highness, the tea is ready."
"Please."
Lu Huaijin smiled innocently, made a gesture of invitation, and then walked out first.
Lu Zian adjusted his expression, forced a smile, and followed him out.
He shouldn't have come today. He didn't know what had gotten into this kid!
After they were seated, Si Chen poured tea for Lu Zian and rarely showed a smile. "Your Highness, please have a taste. This is the new tea this year. Our young master knows that Your Highness likes it and specially reserved it for you."
Lu Zian didn't feel like talking at this moment, but for the sake of face, he still had to act. "Your young master is thoughtful."
Si Chen smiled, put down the teapot, and stood beside Lu Huaijin, waiting for orders.
Lu Huaijin glanced at Lu Zian and then waved to Si Chen.
Si Chen understood and leaned over to listen to the order.
"Go to the Palace of Chang to fetch the pair of blue - glazed imperial lion gilded vases. Exchange them for silver and give it to Miss Lin."
"Yes."
After Si Chen left, Lu Zian coughed dryly, suppressing the pain in his heart, and said seriously, "I heard that you were assassinated on your way back after training the troops in the western suburbs?"
"Your Highness is really well - informed."
Lu Huaijin picked up the jade cup in front of him and smiled meaningfully.
Lu Zian waved his hand. "You know how much I'm worth. One of my confidants was patrolling the manor in the western suburbs and happened to see it. But at that time, he only had a few weak servants with him and couldn't help you. He came back and was so remorseful when he told me about it!"
"Your confidant was patrolling the manor in the western suburbs?"
Lu Huaijin lifted his eyes to look at him, his ink - colored eyes full of integrity.
Lu Zian twitched the corner of his lips, waved his hand, and said impatiently, "Alright, alright. It was my old butler who was arranging a beauty for me. He just happened to see you on his way back. Why do you always see through me at a glance? After all, I'm your elder cousin. Give me some face."
Lu Huaijin pursed his lips and said nothing, his slender fingertips constantly playing with the cup in his hand.
Lu Zian coughed dryly, picked up the tea in front of him and drank it all in one gulp. Then he said mysteriously, "Guess what else he saw?"
Lu Huaijin looked up at him but didn't say a word.
"An hour before your accident, that old guy Feng Qishan passed by there with a group of troops."
"After the court session today, I also saw that old guy getting very close to the King of Heng. This matter is very unusual. I've told you, so you should keep it in mind."
Hearing this, Lu Huaijin frowned slightly. "Your Highness said just now that you rushed here right after the court. You even had time to observe whether the Minister Feng and the King of Heng were getting close?"
Lu Zian pursed his lips, picked up the teapot on his own, poured another cup of tea for himself, took a sip, and then stood up. "This is really good tea. Well, I still have something important to do. I need to go to the Wanchun Tower. You should take good care of your injury. I'll come to see you again in a few days."
After saying that, he casually picked up the teapot beside him and walked out, muttering to himself, "Good tea, really good tea..."
Lu Huaijin shook his head with a smile, put down the tea cup in his hand, and was just about to go back to the bedroom to lie down for a while. When he casually lifted his eyes, he saw Lu Zian blocking Lin Wanyu's way and talking to her.
It seemed that a pair of vases was still not enough.
Lin Wanyu had been preparing pastries in the small kitchen. Hearing that Lu Zian was about to leave, she finally carried the heated medicine and the freshly made milk cake out of the small kitchen.
Who would have thought that Lu Zian, who had already reached the courtyard gate, turned back.
"What's your name?"
Lin Wanyu lowered her eyes and curtsied. "May Your Highness be in good health."
Lu Zian frowned slightly, but the smile on his face remained. "I'm asking what your name is?"
As he asked, his eyes lingered on Lin Wanyu's delicate and charming face.
Lin Wanyu had no choice but to answer truthfully. "My name is Wanyu, Your Highness."
Lu Zian nodded thoughtfully. His finger with the jade ring rubbed the jade pot in his hand and showed off. "The evening moon shines on the pavilion, and the jade beauty leans on the weeping willow... It's really a good name."
"Your Highness is overpraising. It's just an ordinary name."
Lu Zian shook his head seriously. "It's not ordinary at all. In my opinion, it's very special."
"How much do you get as a monthly salary for serving here? Why don't you come with me to the palace and serve me? I'll surely pay you more than your young master does. What do you think?"