Chapter 450 What does the eldest young master want?
As night fell, the Xie family's large mansion, which occupied an entire street, appeared hazy and tranquil.
The old servant carried a letter and walked briskly along the quiet path. In early autumn, the trees and flowers were still growing lushly, but they were much more disordered than before, and there were no longer any busy servants to be seen along the way.
The old servant had long since grown accustomed to all of this, but he still often felt a sense of desolation. He hurried to the main courtyard, and as he reached the door of the study, he softly called out, "Young Master."
"Come in." Xie Ning'an's clear and indifferent voice came. The old servant pushed open the door, bowed, and presented the letter with both hands. "Young Master, it is from the Duke of Chu's mansion."
Xie Ning'an reached out and took the letter. Seeing the strong yet delicate handwriting on the envelope, his hand involuntarily tightened. He waved for the old servant to leave, glanced at the letter again, and then opened it. The contents were concise and clear: he should attend the appointment and act according to the circumstances.
He read those few lines of text over and over again countless times, as if the shape of each stroke was etched into his mind. After an unknown amount of time, a crackling sound of an exploding lamp wick brought him back to reality.
He gave a silent, bitter smile. Only he knew the pain of this fruitless longing. Slowly, he put the letter into an envelope, stood up, walked to the antique shelf, picked up an exquisite box, placed the letter inside, and the soreness on his face disappeared.
He walked to the desk, picked up the official documents, and began to study them carefully. Romantic relationships, regardless of his current situation, were a luxury for him.
As night deepened, the candlelight in the study burned until late afternoon before finally going out. A tall, slender figure emerged from the study...
Xie Ning'an had to go to the government office every day to assist Jiang Yu in the reform of money shops and trading companies. However, since the reform was nearing completion, Jiang Yu had shifted her focus to affairs in Lingnan, so Xie Ning'an could not see her every day, and today was no exception.
Xie Ning'an knew that once the reforms were over, his mission would be complete. He needed to find a way out, or rather, a way out for the Xie family's future. In truth, the Xie family's future was very uncertain; he was the only adult male left in the family. Furthermore, males within the Xie family for three generations were forbidden from participating in the imperial examinations. His only option was to go into business…
After spending the day at the government office, he finished his shift at 3:45 PM and left, taking a sedan chair to the teahouse where he had arranged to meet Zhu Junning. The teahouse was owned by the Prince of Lingnan, and upon entering, he was led by a waiter to a secluded private room.
Pushing open the door, one sees a woman in a crimson robe standing in the center of the private room, looking at one with a polite smile befitting a hostess. Her appearance is strikingly beautiful, and the intelligence in her eyes is undisguised. It's easy to tell that this is Zhu Junning, the legitimate daughter of the Prince of Lingnan.
"Young Master Xie, it's an honor to meet you!" Zhu Junning showed no trace of female shyness or restraint, cupping her hands in greeting to Xie Ning'an.
Xie Ning'an's eyes flickered slightly, and she also cupped her hands and said, "Princess."
Zhu Junning glanced at him briefly, then gestured for him to sit down. "Young Master Xie, please have a seat."
Xie Ning'an walked to the tea table and sat down. Zhu Junning sat opposite him, her posture casual yet carefree, her tea-making movements fluid yet unrestrained. She was indeed different from ordinary women, but in front of someone who had seen great things and important figures, she appeared naive and laughable.
For example, Xie Ning'an.
He lowered his gaze and fiddled with the small celadon-glazed blue-and-white porcelain cup in front of him, then asked, "What business does the princess have with me?"
His voice was indifferent, as if wrapped in ice. Zhu Junning paused in his tea-making, then casually poured the steaming tea into a teacup and handed it to Xie Ning'an.
"My father has always felt guilty about what happened to the Xie family." Zhu Junning's voice was gentle, and his expression was filled with regret. "We never expected that the Duke of Chu would act so quickly and ruthlessly. My father didn't even have time to intervene and save the situation."
Xie Ning'an watched as Zhu Junning held the teacup in her jade-like hand, hovering it steadily in front of her. She didn't take it, but instead leaned back in her chair, looking at Zhu Junning's serious face with a mocking gaze.
Zhu Junning felt awkward under his gaze, but her expression remained unchanged. She raised the corners of her lips, placed the teacup in front of him, looked into Xie Ning'an's eyes, and said earnestly, "Does the eldest young master harbor resentment towards my Lingnan Prince's Mansion?"
Xie Ning'an leaned back lazily in his chair, his eyes lowered as he stroked the jade pendant at his waist, exuding the languid air of a noble young master. He didn't look at Zhu Junning, and said in a calm voice, "Shouldn't I harbor resentment?"
Zhu Junning hadn't expected Xie Ning'an to be so difficult to deal with. She frowned slightly and looked at Xie Ning'an. His gray cotton robe didn't diminish the noble air of his aristocratic family in the slightest; instead, it added a touch of elegance to his bearing.
No wonder he was one of the most prominent young noblemen in the capital!
"Young Master Xie." Zhu Junning leaned back in her chair, creating distance between them. Her demeanor was distant and suggestive of negotiation. She looked sharply at Xie Ning'an's handsome face and said, "Back then, the cooperation between the Xie family and my Lingnan Prince's Mansion was a mutual agreement. I think you, Young Master Xie, are well aware of what you were after when you cooperated with my father."
Xie Ning'an's indifference vanished, replaced by a cold stern expression. "If it weren't for your Lingnan Prince's Mansion using my Xie family to harm Jiang Chengye, would my Xie family have offended the Duke of Chu's Mansion and Jiang Yu?"
"Isn't this because Young Master Xie is less skilled than others?"
........
The room was deathly silent!
"Hehe..." After a while, Xie Ning'an's laughter rang out. He smiled and said in a mocking voice, "Then I, Xie, would like to see how the Princess and the Prince of Lingnan will make the Duke of Chu suffer a loss."
Zhu Junning's face stiffened for a moment. She knew very well that the Lingnan Prince's Mansion had no intention of confronting the Chu State Duke's Mansion or Jiang Yu. She silently took a deep breath and softened her tone, saying, "Young Master, we have a common enemy, don't we?"
Xie Ning'an remained silent, sitting casually and lazily, but her usual coldness had vanished. Zhu Junning silently breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing this, picked up the teacup in front of him, took a light sip, and said, "Junning invited the eldest young master here today to try to restore some of the trust between us, and also to find out if there is anything my Lingnan Prince's Mansion can do to help you right now."
Xie Ning'an lowered her eyes and stroked the jade pendant at her waist, asking without even looking up, "What can you give me?"
Zhu Junning: "What does the eldest young master want?"
"If you want my Xie family to regain its former glory, can your Lingnan Prince's Mansion do it?" Xie Ning'an asked sarcastically.
Zhu Junning's hand tightened subtly around the teacup, her gaze falling on Xie Ning'an's lowered eyelashes. In the light and shadow, a small, faint shadow was cast on the bridge of his high nose. This silent resistance made her clench her fists involuntarily.
"It's not impossible for the Xie family to regain its former glory. As long as my Lingnan Prince's Mansion succeeds, the eldest young master can have whatever he wants."
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