Mo Lan tossed a few copper coins to the vendor, then clutched a purse in her hand. Her daughter, Hua Bao, loved these little trinkets. She had promised to take her with her on her patrol trip, but in the midst of her busy schedule, she'd left her at the escort agency and forgotten about her. She'd heard that the girl had gotten angry and gone back to the village.

“Miss Mo Lan is too kind. The Prince has been extremely busy lately. Fortunately, the trade fair has been very successful and is nearing its end. The remaining matters can be handled by his subordinates. Therefore, the Prince specially asked me to invite you and this gentleman for tea.”

To be honest, Mu Zi has known Mo Lan for more than two years. From initial dissatisfaction to current politeness, he has to admit that she is very capable and can come and go as she pleases. In addition, with the Prince's indulgence towards her, Mu Zi doesn't know what to say anymore.

Since the day he started following the Prince, he had never seen anyone treat him so well, allowing her to sneak into the mansion time and time again without getting angry, and occasionally even exchanging a few teasing words with him. Although they were all about harmless things, he noticed that the Prince was always in an exceptionally good mood after meeting Miss Mo Lan.

Because he loved her so much, he dared not show any disrespect to Miss Mo Lan.

Especially during this trade fair, the lord kept a close eye on the girl's movements until she turned to leave, at which point the lord sent him to invite her back.

Even the young master Qin, who was standing to the side, had been inquired about by the county lord. The county lord was not too surprised to know his identity, but was curious about how he and Miss Mo Lan got together.

Qin Su glanced at Mu Zi's attitude and Mo Lan's casual expression, her eyes flashing. "Mo Lan is so familiar with the Prefect, I'm benefiting from it too."

Mo Lan glanced at Qin Su. His tone sounded strange. Was this something that had been planned beforehand, or was he trying to cause trouble?

"Mu Zi, lead the way."

"Please, both of you," Mu Zi glanced at Qin Su, turned around and walked to the front, leading them to Yuquan Tea House, before explaining with a smile, "The Prince just left the trade fair, and his return to the manor would cause too much of a commotion, so he chose this tea house."

"It's alright. Your prefect has been working non-stop these days, it must be very tiring."

The three entered the private room of the teahouse and saw Jiang Mian, dressed in casual clothes, sitting behind the tea table, fiddling with the charcoal fire in the stove.

Seeing Mo Lan Qin Su enter, he stood up and cupped his hands in greeting, "Please sit down, the tea is just ready."

Qin Su looked at Jiang Mian and returned the greeting with a cupped hand, "It is said that the Prefect is young, brave, gentle and elegant. Meeting him today, I can see that he is indeed extraordinary."

"Your Highness Qin is too kind. If we're talking about bravery, how could I possibly compare to the young general's son?" Jiang Mian smiled gently. He found Qin Su's straightforwardness more acceptable, as they were all in the same circle and knew each other to some extent.

Mo Lan watched the two exchange cryptic remarks, then found a seat and waited for them to continue their pleasantries.

Jiang Mian had been watching Mo Lan's actions closely. Seeing her like this, he couldn't help but chuckle, "It's been a while since I've seen you. Mo Lan is still as carefree as ever."

“I’m different from you. People from the mountains don’t want to follow those complicated rules, and I’m afraid I’ll never change in this lifetime.” Mo Lan leaned back in her chair, her eyes sweeping over the two of them, and she curled her lips into a smile.

"Hehe~, Mo Lan is the real deal, I can only envy her."

Jiang Mian shook his head and chuckled, gesturing for Qin Su to sit down. While setting out the tea set, he observed the expressions of the two men. "The sudden appearance of Mo Lan and Prince Qin together has surprised me quite a bit."

Hearing Jiang Mian's probing, Qin Su smiled slightly, "I've known Mo Lan for a long time."