Chapter 85 Prince Xin, Lian Chengtai

Lin Shiyuan thought for a moment and said, "Let's go with a three-courtyard layout."

Yao Qingling glanced at him.

She didn't know how much the General of Zhennan earned, but there were rewards for winning battles; she could also share in the gold and silver treasures captured after defeating the enemy; plus her private property, she could accumulate quite a bit with a little effort.

Yao Qingling knew what was going on, so she took Lin Shiyuan to the housekeeper and told him that she wanted a house in a good location with three courtyards.

A three-courtyard house in a prime location, it would fetch over ten thousand taels of silver in the capital.

For Fang Yazi, this was a big deal.

But judging from how plainly this man is dressed, is he rich?

But it could also be running errands for someone important.

Fang Ya put on his professional real estate agent persona, beaming as he pulled out a fish scale catalog for customers to choose from.

Lin Shiyuan looked at the picture book, frowned slightly, and remained silent.

Fang Ya looked at his expression and said, "Is the young master not satisfied? It's alright, I have something even better here."

He took out another fish scale painting book: "This, and this one, are all very good... Look, this house is a four-courtyard house, and in front is Old Xiao Wang's house... These houses are all very sought after."

When Yao Qingling heard "Old Prince Xiao," her heart stirred slightly. She remembered that Zhan Xingxiang and Old Prince Xiao's granddaughter were on good terms; Old Prince Xiao's granddaughter had come to the capital to discuss marriage.

I just don't know if there's a man I've taken a fancy to.

Yao Qingling glanced at Lin Shiyuan, forgetting to ask his age; however, he currently held no military post, which Old King Xiao was probably not satisfied with.

However, with such good looks, Lin Shiyuan must have been very attractive to women.

If he wants to be reinstated, this is a shortcut.

Yao Qingling was lost in thought when she leaned over to take a look at the house.

Lin Shiyuan looked at her: "You like this house?"

Yao Qingling blinked: "Why are you asking me? I'm not buying a house."

Lin Shiyuan closed the booklet and returned it to Fang Ya. After thinking for a moment, he asked, "Are there any others, just inside the courtyard, not necessarily in a very good location?"

Fang Ya glanced at Yao Qingling, then at the man, and her face fell.

Are you kidding me?

After all that effort, it turned out to be nothing.

He said some unpleasant things.

Yao Qingling was also somewhat surprised and glanced at Lin Shiyuan.

The man did not refute Fang Yazi's disdain, nor did he feel ashamed or embarrassed to storm out.

His expression was indifferent, and despite being dressed in simple clothes, he still exuded an air of nobility.

However, Yao Qingling noticed his embarrassment from the faint blush on his ears.

Yao Qingling remembered that Lin Shiyuan had entered the capital in a prison cart.

Since they were going to be transported in a prison cart, there was no reason for them to bring a box of silver notes to the capital.

He said on the way that he was from Qinghe and had been stationed in southern Xinjiang for a long time, so his property was either in Qinghe or in southern Xinjiang.

Yao Qingling also recalled the scene of Lin Qiao performing in the bustling city.

Actually, the poorer he is, the better. The Emperor probably wouldn't want to see a general, now retired from his armor, living a comfortable and carefree life.

Qingling thought for a moment, then glanced at Lin Shiyuan again.

She said coldly to Fang Ya, "The fact that this young master doesn't want to buy the house only means he's not satisfied with the house you offered. Besides, fair transactions don't mean that just because someone has seen your catalog, they have to buy it."

"Didn't you say that many people are vying to buy this house? Then go sell it to those people."

Suddenly, a sneer came from behind me.

Yao Qingling turned around and saw a man wearing a red brocade robe and a jade crown, holding a folding fan, stepping over the threshold and entering.

Several servants followed behind him.

The man, exuding an aristocratic air, slightly raised his chin, glanced at Yao Qingling, then at Lin Shiyuan, and said with a sarcastic smile, "Yao Qingling, you fought tooth and nail for a divorce, and it hasn't been long since then, and you're already keeping a gigolo?"

Yao Qingling frowned, stared at the man for a while, and said in a low voice, "Do I know you? You talk as if you know me very well."

Prince Xin, Lian Chengtai, stared blankly.

Yao Qingling doesn't recognize him?

She doesn't even recognize him?

His attire and face are recognizable even to ordinary people, yet she claims not to recognize him.

But when Prince Xin observed Yao Qingling closely, her expression didn't seem feigned.

Lian Chengtian thought for a moment and figured it was probably because he hadn't been to Beijing for a long time, and Yao Qingling didn't have much contact with them, so it was normal that she didn't remember.

The man slightly raised his chin, glanced at Yao Qingling, and waved his folding fan with an arrogant air: "Bu Fang, tell her who I am."

One of his sword-wielding guards stepped forward and said, "You don't even recognize our Prince Xin? You're blind."

Upon hearing "Prince Xin," Yao Qingling thought for a while before finally remembering.

He studied at Qingshan Academy with Zhan Xingzhuo and was also a student of Grand Tutor Zhou.

Yao Qingling touched the conical hat she was wearing and smiled slightly: "So it's Prince Xin."

She was a little curious; she had dressed up like this, so how had she still been recognized?

"I've heard that Prince Xin travels extensively throughout the country, and has met countless people. Yet he still remembers me. Prince Xin has a good memory."

Lian Chengtai waved his fan even more enthusiastically.

Of course he has a good memory; not everyone has the ability to remember everything they see.

However, the reason he remembered Yao Qingling was because the Grand Princess forced Zhan Xingzhuo to marry her back then.

He did not attend Zhan Xingzhuo's wedding to offer his congratulations, and was quite surprised to hear that he was marrying someone other than Zhou Zhining.

I thought he had met some stunning beauty and had given up on Zhou Zhining, with whom he had been engaged since childhood, for her.

Lian Chengtai wrote a letter asking Zhan Xingzhuo to take a look at the bride's appearance.

Zhan Xingzhuo actually drew a portrait of him.

Unlike Zhou Zhining's rich and elegant appearance, Yao Qingling has a somewhat heroic look.

Later, when Lian Chengtai returned to the capital, everyone ate and drank together and got drunk. Yao Qingling came to pick up Zhan Xingzhuo and took him back to his residence. Zhan Xingzhuo lost his temper with her and said that she was meddling in other people's business.

At the time, everyone thought Yao Qingling was going to cause trouble—after all, she was the daughter of a general, and it was easy to imagine that she had a fierce personality.

To everyone's surprise, the young mistress simply whispered in Zhan Xingzhuo's ear, "My lord, it's time to go home."

With a firm pull, he helped Zhan Xingzhuo up.

After that, Zhan Xingzhuo really did leave obediently.

Therefore, everyone thought that Zhan Xingzhuo had fallen in love with Yao Qingling and was actually being controlled by a woman.

However, that "My Lord" was so beautiful that even Chengtai has never heard a voice that he remembers more vividly.

"My lord, it's time to go home."

Gentle, yet powerful.

Lian Chengtai remembered that voice, and it was from that voice that he recognized Yao Qingling today.

However, it should have been Zhou Zhining who called him "my lord".

Lian Chengtai looked down at Yao Qingling with a condescending attitude. Thinking of Zhan Xingzhuo, who was currently suffering in Luozhou, and seeing Yao Qingling keeping a gigolo, he found her very displeasing.

He wanted to avenge Zhan Xingzhuo.

Lian Chengtai then recounted how Zhan Xingzhuo had given him the portrait.

Yao Qingling's expression changed, and her fingers clenched tightly inside her sleeve.

In the first year of their marriage, she and Zhan Xingzhuo had a very good relationship.

I clearly remember that he had her lie on a huge rock in the yard, and he spent the whole morning drawing on it.

As he requested, she struck a somewhat alluring pose.

Although it was already mid-spring, the stone was hard and cold. Seeing that he was happy, she endured her discomfort and stayed with him for a morning.

After the painting was finished, Yao Qingling looked at it and, although she felt shy, she also thought it was well done.

She was alone on the rock, with a large expanse of flourishing wisteria behind her.

Zhan Xingzhuo held her in his arms as they looked at the paintings hanging up. He smiled and said, "Qingling, you look like a wisteria fairy."

After that, he put the painting away. When asked, he said he had put it in his study.

Later, they moved to a new house, and when asked again, he said it was probably lost during the move.

That was the end of it.

Unexpectedly, the painting ended up in the hands of Prince Xin!