Chapter 208 Lord Lu, what a coincidence!

Feng Yuan wasn't entirely without guile; she raised an eyebrow and asked him, "Brother-in-law, tell me what it is?"

Shen Ci'an said, "Next time your cousin and Lord Lu go out together, you should go with them and secretly find out what they said and did for me."

"This...isn't this a bit inappropriate?" Feng Yuan hesitated. "Why should I help you with something like this?"

Shen Ci'an knew she would refuse, and a harmless smile appeared on his handsome face. "It's like this, as you know, I am familiar with Lord Lu. He has always been cold and unromantic, and he doesn't have any women around him. He has been alone for many years."

"I think he might be in love with your cousin, but he can't say it outright, since your cousin's status is too different from Lord Lu's."

He paused, successfully noticing that Feng Yuan had already frowned and begun to look worried.

"Therefore, I would like to ask my cousin to confirm their feelings for me. If they are truly in love, with me helping to persuade them, we can help them become a couple."

He appeared to be acting as if he was looking out for Lu Yuan's benefit.

In reality, she just wanted to use Feng Yuan to find out what Lu Yuan was planning and why he treated Ji Zhiya differently.

"So that's how it is," Feng Yuan said, having been successfully tricked by him. She patted her chest and said, "Don't worry, brother-in-law, leave this to me!"

Cousin Ya Ya is having an affair with Lord Lu.

Cousin Ya Ya is usually so gentle and kind, how could she possibly like a cold and aloof man like Lord Lu?

She has a facial injury, and her status is not a good match for Lord Lu. If the two of them are really interested in each other, they will definitely encounter great obstacles.

She was determined to help her cousin-in-law make this happen!

However, Lord Lu looks tall and strong, while Cousin Ya Ya is frail and sickly and would fall over if the wind blew. The difference in their physiques is obvious. I wonder if she can handle it?

Feng Yuan waited and waited, her heart filled with impatience. She only glanced at the sword manual a few times before tossing it aside. Finally, her opportunity came.

"Cousin Ya Ya, where are you going today?"

Feng Yuan, who had been waiting at the gate for several days, excitedly asked Jiang Zhi, who was about to leave.

Jiang Zhi stopped in her tracks. "I'm going to Xingguang Temple to offer incense and pray to Buddha. Would you like to come with me, Yuan'er?"

She knew that Feng Yuan was the most restless person, and she always hated these kinds of things, like burning incense and worshipping Buddha. She would always try to escape whenever she could, which left her aunt feeling quite helpless.

Therefore, although she spoke up, Jiang Zhi was prepared that she would definitely not agree.

To everyone's surprise, Feng Yuan immediately became interested upon hearing this, "Go up the mountain to worship Buddha? Since Cousin Ya Ya has invited me, I'll go with you."

Jiang Zhi was somewhat taken aback.

Today, Lu Yuan, who rarely spared a day, invited her to go up the mountain to enjoy the scenery, so she made an excuse to go to worship Buddha and went out.

Unexpectedly, Feng Yuan actually agreed to go.

“Yuan’er, you don’t have to force yourself to come with me. I know you don’t like going to those kinds of places,” she tried to persuade her.

Feng Yuan immediately waved her hand, "No, that's not true. I love going up the mountain to worship Buddha. I can't wait any longer. Let's go, cousin."

Jiang Zhi looked at her suspiciously.

Is the sun rising in the west today?

But since it was her idea, who told her to do it?

So they had no choice but to agree.

The rather simple carriage of the Feng family passed through the main street and slowly moved forward on the mountain road.

Jiang Zhi was absent-minded the whole way. Suddenly the carriage lurched, and soon the curtain was lifted, and a tall figure leaned in.

"Azhi..." Lu Yuan called out, only to find Feng Yuan sitting in the corner. He was stunned for a moment, and his face immediately turned cold.

Feng Yuan was startled when she saw Lu Yuan enter, her dark eyes staring at him.

Today she was just trying her luck, and she was skeptical of what Shen Ci'an said.

I never expected to actually meet Lord Lu!

So, my cousin Ya Ya invited Lord Lu to go up the mountain with her today!

She immediately became excited, secretly clenching her fists. She looked at Jiang Zhi and then at Lu Yuan, trying to glean some clues from the expressions on their faces.

Feeling guilty under Feng Yuan's gaze, Jiang Zhi could only manage a dry laugh, "Lord Lu, what a coincidence! Are you also going up the mountain to offer incense?"

As she spoke, she subtly winked at him.

Lu Yuan immediately understood and coughed lightly, "Yes, I heard this temple is quite efficacious. However, my horse got spooked halfway there, so I thought I'd borrow the carriage. I'm really sorry to have startled the two young ladies."

His explanation only served to cover up the truth.

The black horse was exceptionally swift and intelligent, so how could it be easily startled?

But for now, we can only make do with it.

Jiang Zhi turned to Feng Yuan and asked, "I'm fine, but I wonder if Yuan'er minds?"

Feng Yuan would never refuse; she just wanted to shrink herself into a corner so as not to disturb the two of them. "It's alright, it's alright, Lord Lu, please make yourself at home."

Lu Yuan cupped his hands in greeting to her, then lifted his robe and sat down next to Jiang Zhi.

Jiang Zhi deliberately didn't conceal the scars on her face today in order to see Lu Yuan, and only covered her face with a veil.

To prevent Feng Yuan from noticing anything amiss between her and Lu Yuan, she sat upright the entire way without glancing at Lu Yuan.

Feeling stifled, Lu Yuan used the cover of her wide sleeves to slip his hand inside and grasp her slender, soft fingers.

His fingertips twirled in her palm, swirling and circling, seemingly there but not quite, like a complaint, or perhaps a seduction.

Jiang Zhi was so itchy that she tried to push his hand away.

Instead, he grabbed her with his five fingers, pried them apart one by one, forcefully inserted them, and held her firmly, making it impossible for her to break free.

Jiang Zhi glared at him.

He lowered his head as if to ask her with concern, "What's wrong, Miss Ji? Are your eyes bothering you?"

Jiang Zhi: ……

She turned her head away and ignored him.

We arrived at Xingguang Temple in no time.

Lu Yuan jumped off the carriage first, helped Jiang Zhi down through his sleeve, and stepped into the temple gate without even glancing at Feng Yuan.

Feng Yuan tugged at the corner of her lips.

I didn't want him to help me.

But isn't Lord Lu's differential treatment a bit too obvious?

The three of them went into the temple to offer incense and pray to Buddha, with Lu Yuan following behind the other two.

Watching Jiang Zhi and Feng Yuan chatting and laughing, without even glancing at him, Lu Yuan's face remained sullen, his thin lips pressed tightly together. The more he looked at Feng Yuan, the more displeased he became.

He was about to return to the capital with the fleet and wouldn't be staying in Xuzhou for long. He finally managed to find some time to visit Jiang Zhi, but Feng Yuan ruined the trip.

He watched the two of them come out of the hall after offering incense, and said in a gentle voice, "I heard from the young monk that the pomegranate flowers on the mountain behind the temple are in full bloom, bright, vibrant and full of life. I wonder if Miss Ji would be interested in seeing them? I also have some questions to ask you."

He only invited Jiang Zhi; surely Feng Yuan wouldn't have to come along with them?

However, he underestimated Feng Yuan's determination to help Shen Ci'an complete the mission.

Without Jiang Zhi even needing to speak, Feng Yuan immediately nodded emphatically, "Okay, okay, I also want to see pomegranate flowers. Cousin Ya Ya, let's go with Lord Lu."

As soon as she finished speaking, she felt a chill on the back of her neck, as if she were being stared at by a cold-blooded animal, and her hair stood on end.

He looked up and saw Lu Yuan's sharp, gloomy eyes, half-closed, carrying an unspoken threat.