After the two met, there was no awkwardness at all; they were like old friends who hadn't seen each other for years, and neither of them was reserved.
"Having a cup of tea is fine, but playing chess is out of the question. You know me, I don't have that talent."
Mo Lan followed Jiang Mian to the reception hall, where the decorations were full of festive spirit.
Red-budded wintersweet in a vase, perfectly blooming purple water lilies, bright red paper-cut window decorations, and lanterns with auspicious symbols of fortune, prosperity, longevity, and happiness hanging at the door—everywhere exudes an atmosphere of the approaching New Year.
Mo Lan gently touched the petals of the water lily, saying, "It's not easy to grow water lilies with such beautiful colors in our northern region."
Jiang Mian stood beside Mo Lan, reached out a finger to touch the purple petals, and spoke gently.
“Cultivating them in the greenhouse only requires a little charcoal and careful water temperature control, so it's not too difficult. If you like Cymbidium orchids, there are a few more pots in the greenhouse; I'll bring them to you later.”
"Although I really want it, I'm afraid it will freeze to death on the way, so I won't move it to avoid wasting it." Purple water lilies are very delicate; they can die on the spot if you're not careful.
"It's just a potted plant, not that delicate. It'll bloom in time for the New Year, which is good for the festive season." Jiang Mian said, and then directly instructed the housekeeper, "Go to the greenhouse and pick out two good ones to take with you, Cymbidium goeringii."
"Rest assured, Your Highness, this old servant will go and prepare immediately." Steward Jiang bowed and replied, then turned and left.
"Actually, there's no need to be so polite. If I happen to have other ideas, I'll be too embarrassed to ask." Mo Lan laughed. She did indeed like purple water lilies, and Jiang Mian was also a lover of flowers. She felt she was taking what others liked.
"Haha... Mo Lan, come with me to the study in a bit. Take whatever you like. If it catches your eye, it's a blessing for those things." Jiang Mian liked Mo Lan's unpretentious and easygoing nature.
"Alright, I'd like to see if your study contains many rare and unique documents."
After exchanging a few playful words, Mo Lan actually followed Jiang Mian to the study.
Outside, it was freezing cold, but inside the study, it was warm and cozy.
Besides rows of bookshelves, Jiang Mian's study had a soft couch by the window where the two sat facing each other. Mu Zi set out tea for them and then stepped aside.
“After you left, people from the Wang family of Jiang County and the Song family of Guan County came to investigate, but I turned them away. They probably didn’t have any evidence, so they didn’t dare to do anything forceful.” Jiang Mian fiddled with the tea set in his hands, while describing the situation in Ye County to Mo Lan.
“I’ve been to Guan County and Jiang County, and I’ve also checked on the Song and Wang families. Perhaps they’ve concealed it too well, or perhaps they simply don’t care. I haven’t found anything too unusual,” Mo Lan said helplessly, looking at the glowing fire in the stove.
“Born into a prestigious family, besides comparing birth, you also have to compete on ability. When someone dies, the family may feel sorry, but it won’t shake the foundation of the clan. It’s not surprising that you can’t see sadness. One after another, prestigious families have no shortage of descendants.” Jiang Mian listened to Mo Lan’s analysis without any surprise.
"You talk as if you're not from a noble family."
Mo Lan looked at Jiang Mian and sensed the vicissitudes in his tone. She was a little puzzled. This guy was someone her grandfather had been grooming, and he had directly bypassed her father to inherit the position of prefect of Ye County. Among so many scions of aristocratic families, he should be the luckiest one.
"It is precisely because of this that I understand it thoroughly."
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