Inside a private room on the second floor of Zuiyue Tower, a table laden with delicious dishes, the aroma filling the air. Jiang Luoluo sat by the window, while Xie Yizhi and Jiang Gan sat opposite each other.
Jiang Gan put down his folding fan, picked up the celadon wine bottle, and poured a glass of baijiu for each of them. The clear aroma of the wine instantly filled the air.
On the other side, Xie Yizhi naturally picked up the teapot, slowly poured out a cup of tangerine peel and mint tea, and pushed it in front of Jiang Luoluo.
Jiang Luoluo took the teacup, smiled, and softly thanked him, "Thank you, Your Highness."
Xie Yizhi nodded slightly, his voice deep and gentle: "After recovering from a cold, this tangerine peel and mint tea is just right."
Jiang Luoluo nodded obediently, carefully took a sip of tea. The tea was mellow and fragrant, with the refreshing taste of dried tangerine peel and the slight coolness of mint. A satisfied smile appeared on her face.
Upon seeing this, Xie Yizhi unconsciously raised the corners of his lips slightly, and a hint of tenderness flashed in his eyes.
This tangerine peel and mint tea was something he specifically instructed the waiter to prepare before going upstairs.
Jiang Gan watched as Xie Yizhi took meticulous care of Jiang Luoluo, even better than he, as her older brother, had done.
A half-smile played on his lips as he raised his wine cup and offered it to Xie Yizhi: "Your Highness, please."
Xie Yizhi accepted the wine glass. "Thank you, Brother Jiang."
The three clinked glasses, the crisp sound of the glasses hitting each other revealing a tacit understanding.
Amidst laughter and conversation, Xie Yizhi picked up a piece of osmanthus-flavored fish belly with his chopsticks, skillfully removing the long bones, and then pushed the plate in front of Jiang Luoluo.
Jiang Luoluo glanced at it, then picked up a piece and put it in her mouth. The fish belly was fresh, tender, and smooth, with a delicate fragrance. She squinted her eyes in satisfaction, and her eyebrows lifted with a hint of joy.
Seeing her joyful expression, Xie Yizhi's eyes revealed a subtle smile, which Jiang Gan noticed.
Jiang Gan's gaze shifted back and forth between the two, finally settling on Jiang Luoluo. He sighed to himself, "This girl, she's really something else entirely once she grows up."
After the three had eaten about half their fill, they began to discuss serious matters.
Jiang Gan spoke first, his gaze slowly sweeping between the two men. His tone was calm yet slightly amused, "I have already contacted my parents. The most important task at present is to secretly transfer a portion of the Flying Feather Army to Jiaozhou for future operations. I wonder if Luo Luo and His Highness Prince Yi have any suggestions?"
Jiang Luoluo and Xie Yizhi exchanged a glance and said almost in unison, "Open more stores, turn the Flying Feather Army into law-abiding citizens, and hide among them."
Upon hearing this, Jiang Gan raised an eyebrow, a half-smile curving his lips.
He twirled his folding fan twice and said leisurely, "I never expected that His Highness Prince Yi and Luo Luo would be so in sync. It's truly surprising."
Jiang Luoluo's cheeks flushed slightly at the words. She lowered her head to avoid Jiang Gan's teasing gaze, tactically picked up her teacup, took a small sip of tea, and concealed her embarrassment.
Xie Yizhi looked at Jiang Luoluo's slightly flushed face, his gaze gentle, with a hint of smugness in his eyes.
He slowly raised his glass and said with a faint smile, "Brother Jiang can't envy this; this tacit understanding is a gift from heaven."
As soon as he finished speaking, his gaze shifted, glancing again at Jiang Luoluo, who was drinking tea with her head down. His eyes were full of tenderness and certainty.
Seeing this, Jiang Gan couldn't help but shake his head and chuckle, thinking to himself, "Indeed, a family with a daughter will attract a hundred suitors."
In his memory, Xie Yizhi had always been taciturn and aloof, so seeing him show such a gentle side today was quite unexpected.
After the banter, the three resumed their serious discussion.
Jiang Gan fanned himself and said slowly, "I was thinking the same thing and plan to open a branch of Zuiyuelou in Jiaozhou. But, when should we set the opening date?"
As soon as the words were spoken, Jiang Luoluo and Xie Yizhi blurted out almost simultaneously: "Mid-Autumn Festival!"
The two exchanged a glance, and Jiang Luoluo's cheeks immediately flushed red as she shyly turned her gaze to the side.
She herself had no idea that her tacit understanding with Xie Yizhi was so seamless and natural.
Seeing this, Jiang Gan's smile deepened. He pointed lightly at Jiang Luoluo with his fan and said in a relaxed and teasing tone, "It really is true that 'a daughter is not meant to stay at home once she grows up.'"
Jiang Luoluo's face instantly turned as red as the morning glow. She turned her head slightly to the side, covering half of her face with her slender hand, trying to hide her shyness.
Xie Yizhi looked at her, a faint smile appearing on his lips, and continued, "The Mid-Autumn Festival is a lively time, and the soldiers' checks will be relaxed. In addition, there will be a large flow of people, so opening the store will not attract attention. It is the best time."
"Good, great minds think alike!" Jiang Gan said with satisfaction, gripping his folding fan.
With the major decisions made, the group discussed some details. Jiang Gan was about to set off for Jiaozhou.
Whether it was at the Gu family's celebration banquet or at Jiang Yunjiao's coming-of-age ceremony, Jiang Gan had personally heard a lot about Xie Yizhi's care for Jiang Luoluo.
As a man, he could somewhat discern Xie Yizhi's thoughts.
However, he only had this one younger sister, and he was always a little worried about her. After all, there were some things he needed to talk to Xie Yizhi about.
So, Jiang Gan found an opportunity to send Jiang Luoluo away to go shopping, leaving only him and Xie Yizhi in the house.
Jiang Gan picked up the wine pot, poured himself another cup, and the smile on his face gradually disappeared, replaced by a serious expression. "Your Highness Prince Yi, what about my Luo Luo?"
Without any hesitation, Xie Yizhi raised his cup and drank it all in one gulp, his eyes resolute. "That's right, I love her."
Jiang Gan frowned, his expression slightly worried. "Luo Luo is simple-minded. If she gets involved in the royal infighting, it will definitely be a tough battle. How does Your Highness plan to protect her?"
Xie Yizhi was silent for a moment, then slowly said, "Brother Jiang should know that the General Weiyuan's Mansion has long been involved in this conflict."
The capital city appears calm on the surface, but undercurrents are surging. Luo Luo is clever and intelligent; if she had the title of Princess Consort Yi, and with me by her side, she could confidently do what she wanted without too many worries.
He paused, his tone becoming increasingly composed, "However, regarding the matter of the former Princess Yi, it was indeed unfair to Luo Luo."
Given the current situation, I ask Brother Jiang to keep this a secret. If the circumstances allow, I will tell her myself one day.
Jiang Gan could sense the sincerity in Xie Yizhi's words. After a moment of contemplation, he finally nodded, "Alright, from now on, when I'm not in the capital, I'll entrust Luo Luo to Your Highness's care."
Xie Yizhi smiled slightly, his expression becoming even more pleased. "Brother Jiang, you're too kind. Taking care of Luo Luo is only what I should do."
He slowly took out a letter from his sleeve and handed it to Jiang Gan. "I cannot propose marriage in front of you two in person. Please give this letter to you, Brother Jiang."
Jiang Gan gripped the heavy envelope, a meaningful smile appearing on his face. He thought to himself, "This kid was prepared all along."
Xie Yizhi breathed a sigh of relief when he saw Jiang Gan accept the letter.
Having passed the test with her brother-in-law, the only remaining hurdle is dealing with Jiang Luoluo's parents; time will tell.
However, Jiang Luoluo's challenge was far more difficult than he had imagined.
He could sense Jiang Luoluo's trust in him, but he never felt any love from her.
Between the two, there is more familiarity than anything else; one could even say it's just a tacit understanding between them.
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