Chapter 39

Although Qin Qian was surprised, he quickly replied, "The fourteenth year of Jingming."

When Luo Yan "died," it was in the winter of the twelfth year of Jingming. Her ears immediately started ringing, and her face, hidden by the curtain, lost all color.

"Miss Luo?" In just a few days, she has become so considerate without anyone noticing, which is truly flattering.

"Thank you." Luo Yan accepted his kindness with composure, and nodded to the two servants who had been waiting at the entrance of the ladder through the thin silk.

Qingyan only caught a glimpse of a vague outline, but he could see that the girl was graceful and her height was just up to his own prince's shoulder. They walked side by side in such a graceful manner, and their backs looked very well-matched.

So he raised his elbow, nudged Qing Jiang, and asked in a low voice, "What do you think of this Lady Luo's appearance?"

Qing Jiang had been devoted to martial arts since childhood and was not good with words, let alone commenting on young ladies. Her ears immediately turned slightly red, and she grinned shyly: "Just as beautiful as Master, truly beautiful."

“Our prince is a first-rate handsome man.” Qingyan was skeptical and scoffed, “You’re always exaggerating.”

The group followed the waiter into the private room.

Luo Yan removed her veil and naturally handed it to Zhu Yun. The latter accepted it without changing his expression, hung it on the crown stand, and then raised his hand to part the jade-white beaded curtain, gesturing for her to come inside and sit down.

This time, without the gauze covering her face, her exquisitely beautiful features were revealed.

Her lips were full and red, her eyebrows arched like willows by the river in the misty rain of Jiangnan. Having walked along the long street, she felt a slight warmth, and her cheeks glowed with a delicate blush, like peach blossoms in spring—a natural and captivating beauty.

Before Qingyan could even conceal the amazement in his eyes, he suddenly felt a chill run down his spine and saw his lord glance at him indifferently. He quickly smiled apologetically and said, "I'll go and get a copy of the playbill."

"What playlist?" Luo Yan asked lazily, resting her chin on her hand.

Zhu Yun pushed the iced rice balls that he had ordered in advance in front of her and explained, "When we passed through the main hall just now, did you see the storyteller? In the private rooms, there was singing, dancing, playing the zither, and playing opera."

She nodded knowingly, stirring with a spoon while looking around.

Near the door to the side room was an exquisite little room, with a beaded curtain of jade hanging from the beam. Entering further in, past a screen depicting flowers and birds, the space suddenly opened up before us. Below the window was a chessboard, flanked by bookshelves on either side—a scene of utmost elegance.

A long table was placed at the head of the table, leaving the central area empty, with four square tables placed on either side. Looking back now, this was the place where performances were held.

Luo Yan thought to herself, "That's an exaggeration," but then she noticed that Zhu Yun and the others were all used to it. Even Qing Jiang was busy drinking tea to quench her thirst, and there was no novelty on her face.

Is the Jiang residence really this luxurious? All the top-tier rooms have been booked, and the two servants and Zhu Yun himself have been settled on either side of Luo Yan.

Therefore, when she pushed open the door, intending to call the waiter to bring some tea, and saw a tall, handsome young man standing in front of the door, she did not show any surprise. Luo Yan nodded slightly and smiled amicably: "Qing Jiang?"

Qing Jiang was a servant in the Eastern Palace, highly skilled in martial arts, and was left by Zhu Yun to take care of Luo Yan.

I had only heard her talking with His Highness the Crown Prince in the inner room; her voice was sweet and clear, like that of a young lady. I never knew she was so beautiful and charming.

"Miss, young lady." Qing Jiang's tanned face flushed red. She looked at him for a moment before politely looking away and introducing herself, "Young master ordered me to guard you. If you need anything, just let me know."

Luo Yan pondered for a moment, then suddenly thought, "It just so happens that I just finished packing up your young master's belongings. Could you please take them to his room?"

"good."

Qing Jiang was seventeen years old, the same age as Zhu Yun. Compared to him, she was of average appearance, but still quite dignified.

Zhu Yun glanced at her lowered eyelashes, then moved slightly downwards, landing on the pleasant curve of her lips.

His eyes darkened, and a chilling aura emanated from his body.

Just now, when she looked at Qing Jiang, her expression was more focused than ever before. Like a fishbone, delicate and fragile, yet it stung painfully.

If I had shown up even a moment later, what would she have done...?

"It's so hot outside."

Zhu Yun was pulled out of his reverie by Luo Yan's gentle tug at his sleeve, and heard her say in her usual affectionate tone, "Let's go inside first and talk."

A freshly replaced ice chest sat by the window, its coolness soothing Zhu Yun's anger.

He noticed that Luo Yan's temples were slightly sweaty, and he figured it was inconvenient to invite outsiders in, so he chose to sit in the corridor and talk. As time went on, her cheeks turned slightly flushed.

This also proves that, in her heart, Zhu Yun is not an outsider.

Zhu Yun's eyes softened. He used his dagger to cut the thin rope binding the books, laid them out one by one on the round table, and said in a clear voice, "Take a look. If you like any of them, let me know later."

Luo Yan smiled broadly, opened a copy of "Strange Tales of Qianjiang", but didn't rush to read it. She looked up at him and asked, "When will you be done with your work?"

The concern in his words gradually brightened Zhu Yun's eyes. He answered slowly, his voice low and tender: "Go to the escort agency at noon and be back before curfew."

"So late."

She raised her eyebrows regretfully, but quickly came up with a plan. She smiled again and said, "Let Brother Qingjiang accompany me to the market to buy some things. The weather has been getting hotter and hotter lately, so I need to change to some cooler fabrics."

When Zhu Yun asked the question, the veins on his neck trembled slightly. He seemed to be trying his best to restrain himself so as not to be too harsh and offend her for no reason.

Luo Yan was indeed pleased. Resting her chin on her hand, she said casually, "I originally wanted to address you as 'Young Master,' but Brother Qingjiang said he doesn't have a surname. Since he's older than me, it's inconvenient to call him by his name directly. After thinking it over, I'll just call you 'Brother' to be polite. Is there anything wrong with that?"

There is nothing wrong with it.

It only reached his ears; the intimacy went too far.

Zhu Yun's Adam's apple bobbed twice, as if he wanted to ask her why she had never called him that before. But the words caught in his throat, and he suddenly snapped back to reality, startled by the overwhelming sense of loss of control that welled up inside him.

Luo Yanjian also noticed his unusual behavior, softened her tone, and asked with concern, "A-Yun, why are you acting strangely today? Is the task you have to do later too difficult?"

"It's alright." He suppressed his emotions and calmly changed the subject, "You seemed to be... extremely happy when you chatted with Qingjiang just now."

"Here comes the playbill." Qingyan bent down and put down the brochure, then took the jade pot from the servant's hand, pretending to pour wine for Zhu Yun.

Zhu Yun waved her hand: "I don't need you to serve me."

Qingyan respectfully replied "Yes," straightened up, and sat back down at the square table below.

Luo Yan's puzzled gaze lingered between the two, thinking to herself that Qing Yan, as a servant, was perhaps a bit too meticulous. Not only was he skilled in martial arts, but he was also adept at reading people's expressions and served food without needing anyone's help; he was more like a combination of a servant and a subordinate.

She pondered silently for a moment, but to no avail, attributing it only to the differences between aristocratic families in the capital and those in the countryside.

Zhu Yun had little interest in singing and dancing. He spread out the program, turned his head and asked her, "Would you like to hear some music?"

Luo Yan was about to refuse, but the words were on her lips when she smiled crisply: "Okay, I'll listen to the zither then."

Thanks to the enthusiasm of modern parents for enrolling their children in extracurricular classes, Luo Yan was exposed to Go, calligraphy, and musical instruments from a young age. However, due to her active nature, she ended up only practicing piano and guzheng, which she has persisted in for more than ten years.

There's no better time than now, so she decided to take a look at the skills of the musicians of the Great Zhou Dynasty, which would serve as a reference for her to assess her own abilities in this field.

Zhu Yunchao nodded slightly, and the latter understood, quickly lowering the gauze curtains on both sides.

A short while later, the young musician entered carrying a zither. He bowed to the head of the table, and after receiving permission from Zhu Yun, he sat down and gently plucked the strings, the soothing melody spreading out.

Luo Yan listened carefully for a moment, then nudged Zhu Yun's toes under the table.

He paused, casting a puzzled look at her. She couldn't very well admit that she had openly and secretly inquired about Zhu Yun's love life in the capital. Even for the sake of appearances, Luo Yan had to omit this detail, only vaguely replying, "It was just some trivial family stuff."

Zhu Yun was an exceptionally perceptive person.

Seeing her evasive gaze, he felt a pang of bitterness in his heart and said listlessly, "You've never asked me any of these things."

Even if she has lost her memory, in order for the marriage negotiations to proceed smoothly, the entire household will have to tell her about all the affairs of the Jiang family. Since she already knows everything, why ask again?

The boy's raven feathers drooped slightly, concealing the cold light in his icy eyes. For the first time in his life, he understood what "defeat" meant.

The reason for this was simply that at the beginning of their acquaintance, she had mistakenly taken over the identity of Young Master Jiang. From then on, she had no legitimate reason for everything she did, and could only continue to endure.

Just then, the ice in front of the window melted due to the summer heat, making a "hissing" sound.

Zhu Yun looked away under some pretext. His gentle features seemed to be immersed in shattered ice, exuding a faint coolness.

When he turned around, she quickly raised her pretty little face, her eyes filled with hope, and asked, "It's so lively outside, has a new restaurant opened?"

"Um."

Luo Yan took a couple of bites as a gesture, and seeing the smile in his eyes, she immediately looked uncomfortable and said, "You don't need to worry about me."

Zhu Yun smiled and said, "I'll take you for a stroll outside the city tomorrow when I have some free time."

"If you're willing to eat a couple more bites, then my word will stand."

She smiled and agreed, "It's a deal."

Through the moon-white gauze curtain, Qingyan took in the intimate actions of the two and was momentarily amazed.

Qing Jiang found it quite ordinary, and picked up a piece of crisp lotus root: "My benefactor is even more beautiful than the empresses in the palace. She is a perfect match for His Highness. No wonder His Highness likes her."

"Can looks put food on the table?" Qingyan pouted, feeling indignant for her master. "Your Highness has always been the center of attention, but now, you're serving food and tea to a commoner woman, and she acts like it's nothing unusual."

“That’s right,” Zhu Yun said. “I will disguise myself as Young Master Lin.”

Luo Yan raised an eyebrow: "What about me?"

Instantly, his fair face flushed crimson. He lowered his eyes and pondered for a long time before saying with a hint of panic, "You, pretend to be my new wife."

Just to be on the safe side, Luo Yan leaned forward, reducing the distance between them from an arm's length to a fist's width. She asked in a low voice, "What do you think?"

Zhu Yun knew this was an illusion, but a subtle and lingering joy still welled up in her heart.

Luo Yan kicked again, her eyebrows raised: "Pay attention to me." It was almost dusk, and the summer heat had subsided slightly. Qing Jiang followed Luo Yan out of the restaurant and drove to South Gate Street.

Before getting off the carriage, she put on her veil to avoid any trouble.

Luo Yan entered the money exchange on her own. After inquiring briefly, she learned that a household registration certificate or similar document proving identity was required to open an account. She was not disappointed. She took out a gold ingot and reluctantly pushed it to the clerk, who then exchanged it for silver notes that were easier to store.

Not far from the money exchange, there was the town's largest clothing store. I had previously bought three simple sets of clothes, enough for changing, but the fabric was mediocre and made my neck ache from chafing.

Therefore, Qing Jiang was sincerely grateful to Luo Yan.

Her cheeks flushed, but she smiled without saying a word. It was simply because Zhu Yun survived that he was incredibly lucky, and it couldn't be attributed to Luo Yan.

Luo Yan asked, "What does your master like?"

Qing Jiang's eyes narrowed slightly: "The master's likes and dislikes are taboo. They must not be spread, discussed, or easily expressed."

"ha?"

She opened her lips in surprise, unable to help but think to herself, "Is there a throne to inherit in this family? They're so strict."

Luo Yan had not expected that a stranger would be concerned about her marital status, so she didn't beat around the bush and gently asked, "Why does Madam ask this?"

"I meant no harm."

He looked away, slightly flustered, picked up his wine glass and drank it all in one gulp. After calming himself down, he asked, "What is it?"

"What do you think of this musician's skill?"

Zhu Yun let out a quiet sigh, stepped back, and said matter-of-factly, "Nothing special."

“Great minds think alike.” With that, Luo Yan sat up straight.

She forced herself to wave and walked around to the narrow strip of trees, her steps unsteady, showing none of the steadiness she had shown earlier.

In the dead silence, Xuebao noticed that the fur on its neck had become wet. It looked up in confusion and saw Luo Yan biting her lower lip tightly, crying silently.

The large tears were like the torrential rain on the day we first met, plentiful and heavy.

Olaf wanted to comfort her, but human emotions were far beyond its comprehension, so it could only rub its head against her hand and let out a pitiful "woof".

Luo Yan, however, seemed to have grasped at a lifeline. Ignoring the Qin siblings a few steps away, she put Xuebao down and asked anxiously, "How could two years have passed in such a short time? Can't you lean into the mirror and let me see Grandma and A-Yun?"

She paused, then calmly looked away, picking up a hairpin with intertwined branches and inserting it into her hair.

Zhu Yun took the comb from her hand with practiced ease, saying, "I'll do it."

As the saying goes, practice makes perfect.

Is this really her A-Yun?

Hesitating about what to say to ease the tension, or at least to call the person down for a face-to-face chat, a familiar voice came from the temple rooftop: "This time, the double is quite similar."

Her eyes lit up at first, confirming that it was indeed her A-Yun, then her eyes widened in surprise: "A substitute? Me?"

The next moment.

His voice, imbued with internal energy, pierced the night, as if exploding right next to someone's ear. He said maliciously, "Tell me, what kind of death do you want?"

"!"

Luo Yan retreated rapidly, her voice trembling: "System, it seems my childhood sweetheart really is the villain."