“Miss, Lord Xie recognized you.”

After everyone left, Baizhu tugged at the princess's sleeve and said.

Jiamin's face turned even redder.

“I heard it…” I had thought Xie Lang hadn’t recognized me, but I didn’t expect him to remember our first meeting.

...

At the Xie residence, Qingzhu, who was anxiously waiting at the gate, persuaded the young lady, who was feeling quite hot from the sun, to go to the small pavilion next to her to rest. Only then did he return to the gate to wait for his master to come back.

As dusk fell, the long, golden light revealed a slender figure in the distance.

Although they couldn't see the figure clearly yet, even as gray bamboo, they could recognize their outstanding adult.

Qingzhu immediately stood up and shouted, "Miss, Miss, the master is back!"

"You're back!" Xie Hongyu's cheeks were flushed from the sun, and she quickly stood up and ran towards the door.

Looking at the smiling young man emerging from the distance, she wiped the sweat from his face with a hint of annoyance: "What's with the fragrance of beautiful women outside? They've kept you waiting for so long!"

Qingyin smiled helplessly, looking at her sister who was worried and carefully wiping her sweat, and said with a smile, "Sister, you're really making things difficult for me. I only came back late once, but you think I was out having fun and leaving you all alone in the room."

"You!"

"That mouth of hers really knows how to talk." Xie Hongyu poked Qingyin's forehead, too lazy to ask her why she was late.

It's good that you're back.

"Ah Tao, serve the food."

Qingtao stood to one side, smiling as she replied, "Okay."

Qingyin smiled and said, "My sister is so kind to me; she knew I was hungry."

Xie Hongyu rolled her eyes at her, "Alright, stop being so cheeky, come and eat."

There weren't many dishes on the table. Spring had passed and the weather was getting hot, so the Xie family's chef served a seasonal bamboo shoot and chicken stew, along with some congee and stir-fried greens. The food was crisp, tender, and sweet, so it didn't make people feel greasy after eating the heavy-flavored chicken stew.

Qingyin took a bite of the bamboo shoot, finding it crisp and sweet, and exclaimed with surprise, "This bamboo shoot is quite good."

Xie Hongyu watched the scene, a slight smile playing on her lips, but outwardly maintaining a calm demeanor: "The cook at home noticed that you like fresh food, so he thought that this is the season when bamboo shoots sprout. He remembered that there is a large bamboo forest in the mansion, so he planned to try and find some. Unexpectedly, he actually found some. The bamboo shoots here have probably been in the pot for less than three hours. How could they not be fresh and delicious?"

Xie Hongyu didn't mention digging bamboo shoots, but she also contributed some of the effort herself; perhaps some of the bamboo shoots in this pot were dug by her.

Qingyin looked up in surprise, her eyes crinkling as she looked at Xie Hongyu, who was secretly pleased with herself. She didn't reveal her feelings but praised, "No wonder it tastes so good. I really have to thank the people who dug the bamboo shoots for letting me eat the best bamboo shoots I've ever had."

As Qingyin praised her, Xie Hongyu's eyes shone with pride.

She wasn't shameless enough to look Qingyin in the eye and praise her from every angle, so she awkwardly changed the subject: "Well, a lot of people have been sending visiting cards to our residence these past few days. Should I accept them?"

Xie Hongyu hesitated. Although she had some thoughts in mind, she was afraid that her recklessness would drag Qingyin down, so she ignored the invitations.

When the topic turned to business, Qingyin's expression became serious. She saw the worry in Xie Hongyu's eyes and reassured her, "Sister's wisdom is no less than mine, so why worry about anything else? Sister, just make your own decisions about these matters and don't be afraid of anything else."

Xie Hongyu was stunned. "Aren't you afraid that I've brought you trouble?" She looked into Qingyin's sincere eyes and understood. She didn't ask any more questions, but her eyes were slightly moist.

"Okay, I understand."

Xie Hongyu was a clever and resourceful woman. With Qingyin as her backer, she used her skills in dealing with men on the wives of officials. Even though they looked down on her previous status, she quickly infiltrated these inner quarters.

Like a fish in a river, she was incredibly at ease. When someone with ulterior motives tried to befriend her by using the women to inquire about Qingyin's whereabouts, they often ended up getting a lot of information from Xie Hongyu before they could even achieve their goal. This information was then passed on to Qingyin, allowing her to secretly set many traps for Lin Bichen.

As dusk fell, Xie Hongyu looked at the pretty woman sitting beside her and smiled meaningfully: "Oh, this must be our Minister Lin's wife, Madam Lin. She's quite striking. No wonder I heard that Minister Lin Bichen is very loving towards his wife and sends her flowers every day."

"Yes, yes, Minister Lin and his wife have a really good relationship. As for my wife, let's not talk about her."

The two teased Duan Ruwei, who was sitting to the side. She couldn't sit still any longer and said angrily, "Alright, stop teasing me. Oh dear, if you keep talking, I'm going back."

Duan Ruwei, the daughter of the Prime Minister's family and Duan Ruyi's older sister, took a fancy to Lin Bichen a few years ago and married him.

The wife of the Mo family was on good terms with her and was a close friend.

Xie Hongyu, with her thick eyelashes drooping, held a steaming cup of tea, seemingly unaware of the heat on her fingertips. She smiled faintly and said, "So this is the kind of woman he married."

The rising heat dampened her eyelashes, but Xie Hongyu couldn't discern her inner emotions at that moment. She gave a smile that seemed both sarcastic and mocking, making it difficult for anyone to see through her.

Duan Ruwei was oblivious. She looked innocently at her friend and new acquaintance, and said sweetly yet anxiously, "These past few days, Lin Lang has been coming home late for some reason, and his tone has been harsher when he talks to me. I'm worried..."

Madam Mo, with her plump face, didn't take it seriously, thinking that the two had some minor problems: "Oh dear, it's just that Lord Lin has been too good to you and has made you naive. Don't think too much about it. Men just get more stubborn the more you try to control them. Just wait a couple of days, and he'll come to you on his own."

Xie Hongyu blew on the tea in her cup and said with a smile, "Perhaps Lord Lin was busy with official duties, which is why he was unable to spend time with Madam Lin."

Duan Ruwei blushed and said timidly, "I'm just scared... I didn't think about it, I'm just not used to it."

"I know, all women are like that," Xie Hongyu smiled slightly.

Isn't this what women who are pampered by men and their families are like? Terribly naive.

Xie Hongyu gently comforted her, and Duan Ruwei's feelings for her grew stronger under her comforting words. Some important information was unconsciously revealed to Xie Hongyu.

As darkness fell, Xie Hongyu, now back in the carriage, rubbed her forehead and prepared to return home.

She didn't hate Duan Ruwei, but she had to take Lin Bichen's life.

Therefore, she will not be merciful, just as she would never let Lin Bichen go if he discovered her identity.