Just then, a servant brought tea. Qingchen took the tea and placed it on the table in front of him. "Have some tea. This is something I brought back from Yunnan."

Xu Silin didn't seem to care about her answer. He nodded, lifted the lid of the bowl, took a sip, and said, "Mmm, delicious."

After saying that, he took another sniff of the tea aroma, squinted his eyes, and seemed to be enjoying himself.

Through the hazy tea smoke, Qingchen looked at his face and felt both strange and familiar.

He was still as handsome as ever, his nose was still as high and straight, his eyes were still as bright, and his gaze towards her was still gentle, just like before.

Like that afternoon at the Hanlin Academy, when everyone was playing around in the classroom, he brought a copy of "Cai Gen Tan" to her and lifted her chin with one hand.

That somewhat eccentric and unruly young man led her through the city gate guarded by Lu Shenyun. Without saying a word, he jumped into the icy river to retrieve her pen. After getting ashore, he was shivering from the cold, but he stubbornly insisted that he wasn't cold.

He once argued with her from a different perspective, carefully revised her strategies, quarreled with her and caused her to fall down the stairs, had a snowball fight with her but was expelled from the mansion by Gu Shaoheng, and injured his finger with a firecracker while trying to save her cat, the scar still remains to this day...

In a way, all of this is not only a shared memory between her and him, but also her youth in the Ming Dynasty.

Now, the boy has become more mature and composed. His eyes have lost some of their confusion and become more determined and at ease.

It's probably because he's already living a married life with Mingxiang, which has made him more mature.

"What, it's been over a year since we last met, and you don't remember me? You've been staring at me the whole time." He put down his teacup, which he had just taken several large gulps of, and laughed. "We were classmates for two years, how can you be so heartless?"

Qingchen shook her head. "No... it's just that I suddenly feel like time is passing by a little too quickly."

"Ah, yes." The corners of his mouth curved upwards. "Things are different now than they were back in the Hanlin Academy. Do you know what the most obvious difference is?"

"What?"

"Back then, all I thought about was how to tease you for fun. Now, all I think about is you. There's no teasing or fun anymore." He had a faint smile on his face, looking half-serious and half-joking. His words seemed to contain a lot of emotions, quite complex.

"...I don't think there's anything fun about bullying people." Qingchen responded in a lighthearted manner.

He grinned again, "Of course it's fun. There are so many rules in the court, it's so boring. Luckily, I have you. But after bullying you for so long, I don't feel like I've gained much advantage. You're too clever... clever enough that even after almost two years, I haven't forgotten you. I'm not as heartless as you."

As he spoke, a gentle gaze drifted over again.

Qingchen pursed her lips, "Who says I'm heartless and ungrateful..."

“Before going to Shandong,” Xu Silin said to himself, “my father said that the Minister of Revenue had retired, and the former Vice Minister of Revenue was to take over the position, leaving a vacancy. He asked me who would be suitable to succeed him. Do you know who I thought of at the time?”

Qingchen shook her head. "I don't know."

“Me?” He looked at her, pointing to himself, “I told my father, ‘Your son, Dad! Your son is a grown man right in front of you, now a fourth-rank Left Vice Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate, if I’m not suitable, who is?’ But my father didn’t agree… Sigh, I wonder if he’s even my real father…”

Qingchen was a little embarrassed, "...Why?"

She could tell that he wanted to move up in the ranks.

It seems that at some point, he suddenly no longer wanted to be the carefree, unrestrained young master who only knew how to eat and drink. Instead, he wanted to rise up and firmly grasp the power that belonged to the Xu family.

Perhaps it wasn't sudden; this was his path, one that had been planned from the beginning.

"Why?" Xu Silin looked at her with a sad expression, as if he had a bellyful of helplessness that he couldn't express.

"Just kidding!" he suddenly said, instantly turning into a grin.

Qingchen: "..."

He was teasing her again. Sure enough, he was still the same Xu Silin who had stormed the city gates and asked her if it was exciting.

“I wasn’t talking about myself.” He smiled, his starry eyes shining brightly. “It was you.”

"I?"

He nodded. "Yes. I know about what you did in Yunnan. You've done so much for the people, you've sacrificed so much. My abilities are nowhere near yours, so of course I have to recommend you. I admire you from the bottom of my heart."

"Also, as I just said, I miss you. Getting you back to the capital is better than anything else."

"Thank you." Qingchen was silent for a moment, then asked, "What about Elder Xu..."

After all, she had thwarted Xu Yan's plans in the imperial palace, saving the crown prince. How could Xu Yan easily place her in such an important position?

“Father said that I’m on the same page as the Emperor. The Emperor approves of you, so naturally he’ll agree.” Xu Silin chuckled and scratched his head. “It was the Emperor who sent you back. Actually, I wasn’t much of a help…”

That being said, things aren't that simple. Xu Yan, as the Grand Secretary, was the key to Qingchen's return to the capital by not interfering. But for now, he doesn't intend to tell her the reasons.

He didn't tell her that Song Yue had prevented her from returning. He figured she would find out anyway, even if he didn't tell her.

"Thank you anyway."

"Hey, stop thanking me all the time. It's good that you're back." He looked at her and sighed. "Yunnan is so chaotic, you must have had a tough time there."

He had cruelly let her go to Yunnan to forget Song Yue, but the longing was unbearable. Every time he heard she was facing difficulties, he worried about her, especially after her involvement with the White Lotus Sect. Now that the opportunity had come, he wanted her to come back as soon as possible.

"I'm fine... How is Mingxiang doing at your residence?"

"Yes, she's alright," he said truthfully.

He didn't say it was good, he just said it was okay.

Because it was the truth, he didn't want to lie to her.

Because Mingxiang had once attempted to assassinate Xu Yan, she was confined to her own courtyard. Although the courtyard wasn't small, it was still a closed space. How could one be content when confined and deprived of freedom? She was unhappy, and all he could do was try his best to provide her with a good life, at least so she wouldn't have to toil in the world for survival.

Given more time, she should be able to let go of her hatred for her father, and things will probably get better.

Xu Silin didn't tell Qingchen about Mingxiang's failed assassination attempt, fearing she would worry. Qingchen also didn't ask too many questions about Mingxiang's daily life. After all, she was now someone else's concubine, and asking too many questions wouldn't be appropriate.

That concludes the discussion about Mingxiang. After a few more casual words, Qingchen poured some tea for Xu Silin.

Her wrists were slender, and her fingers, holding the celadon teapot, were delicate and fair, captivating Xu Silin.

Having not seen each other for over a year, one hand touched the depths of his heart.

"I heard that the White Lotus Sect incited the people to storm your government office." He came to his senses and asked, "And you even let them sit down and gave them water. Aren't you afraid at all?"

"I'm not afraid, but I'm not afraid either," Qingchen said. "They are all my people, and I should treat them this way."

"Um."

Xu Silin thought to himself, "She truly lives up to her reputation as a former high-ranking official. She's calm, refined, and radiates confidence. She has indeed grown a lot in the past year."

I wonder how much of her feelings for Song Yue are left.

He desperately wanted to know, but dared not ask.

He couldn't wait any longer; he wanted to marry her.

After a short while, Xu Silin got up to take his leave. Qingchen escorted him to the gate and watched him get into the carriage.

As soon as Xu Silin got into the carriage, he lifted the curtain, smiled, and waved to her, "Let's go!"

"goodbye."

“Hey,” he suddenly said.

Qingchen leaned closer. "What?"

"When are you going to see the embankment again? Let's go together."

"..."

During her day off, Qingchen went to Lin Xiaojin's house again.

She visited him once when she first returned to the capital and met her second uncle. It was the first time the Lin family had ever hosted a high-ranking official of the third rank, and the mansion was decorated with special care to receive her with the highest level of courtesy.

Although they are relatives, they are very considerate in every way.

When Shen Qian saw her, there were faint tears in his eyes. Qing Chen was also very excited, but seeing that he was not well, she felt very sad.

Shen Qian's foot was injured. Although Xu Silin had invited a famous doctor to treat it, the bone was broken and it would never fully recover. When he walked, he always felt that he was not as free and graceful as before, like iron that had been used for a long time and had rusted.

Qingchen had promised him that she would visit him often, so today, being a day off, she bought medicine and came to see him again.

When it was time to leave, I was still a little reluctant to go.

The setting sun shone on his solitary figure.

On the way back to the manor, Qingchen stopped by the Zhenfu Division office.

Before leaving, she had planned to buy a house for Mingxiang, but Lu Shenyun ended up paying for it. Today, she brought the money back with interest, intending to repay him.

When they arrived at the gate of the Zhenfu Division, the Imperial Guards recognized him and knew that she was a friend of the two commanders, so they let her in without asking permission.

Qingchen walked to the doorway and heard Lu Shenyun talking to Huang Yu.

Huang Yu said, "Last night, I think I saw Grand Secretary Song and the Imperial Concubine. What do you think of those two...?"

Qingchen's heart suddenly clenched.