Chapter 43 Unforgettable, he was tricked by a wild woman.
"What a coincidence, my wife and I are both people who steal moments of leisure in our busy lives... We're just finding a quiet place to relax in this bright spring sunshine."
Her smile was as radiant as spring flowers, and her complexion was bright and beautiful.
Yuan Yan's gaze was instantly drawn to him. Yang Lingyi might not have noticed this change in expression, but Jin Shu did.
“Young master, young master…” He gently tugged at Yang Lingyi’s sleeve.
"It's getting late, and the lord will probably send someone to look for the young master soon... Let's go back as soon as possible."
Jinshu was worried about the young master talking to this strange woman, Yuan Yan, in this secluded place, so she made an excuse that the eldest prince was coming to find him and tried again to urge the young master to leave.
Yang Lingyi had finally managed to escape and hadn't had enough fresh air yet, so naturally she didn't want to leave so soon.
Upon hearing this, a hint of hesitation involuntarily appeared on his face, and his bright eyes dimmed slightly.
"Jinshu, are you going back so soon...?" He forced a smile.
Yuan Yan noticed his reluctance and hesitated slightly. Just then, a group of tourists walked by. Not wanting to be disturbed, Yuan Yan wanted to leave and find another place, so he asked Yang Lingyi.
"Young master, I know of another scenic spot. Seeing that you also prefer tranquility, would you like to join me?"
Because Yuan Yan was present, he couldn't be too explicit, so he could only use his eyes to remind Yang Lingyi not to agree.
However, Yang Lingyi did not think so.
Yang Lingyi has always been good at judging people. She could tell that Yuan Yan had no ill intentions towards her and felt a certain fondness for him.
In addition, deep down he didn't want to be controlled in everything and was tired of the restrictions imposed on him by the household.
So, to Jinshu's surprise, he thought for a moment and then nodded.
"Alright, then I'll trouble you, madam." Yang Lingyi smiled slightly, revealing shallow dimples on her cheeks.
Jinshu struggled on the side, "Young Master? This...this can't be done..."
"Don't worry, I'm not far from your master."
However, Yuan Yan heard Yang Lingyi's reply and gave Jinshu a reassuring sentence.
At the same time, Yang Lingyi seemed completely oblivious to Jinshu's worries and said, "It's alright, Jinshu, you can wait for me here."
Yuan Yan walked to Yang Lingyi's side and extended his hand.
"Young master, please forgive me."
Before she finished speaking, she and Yang Lingyi began to use their light-footed skills.
Yang Lingyi felt her wrist being held, and her body suddenly felt light, as if she were being lifted up by the wind, and she abruptly left the ground.
"Is the young lady using her lightness skill?"
Yang Lingyi was surprised that Yuan Yan would use his lightness skill to take him away.
"Yes, the place we need to go is the lake ahead, so it's more convenient to use light footwork."
As Yuan Yan spoke, he asked, "Young Master, are you feeling unwell after traveling so fast?"
The wind whistled in my ears, and the shadows of the trees flashed past my feet.
Yuan Yan held his hand, his arm steady and strong, yet the force was extremely light, as if he were carrying a leaf.
"No, this is just the first time I've been led around like this... It feels so special."
With a swift and graceful movement, like a fleeting shadow, this is what the heroes in storybooks are like.
Yang Lingyi had never experienced such a strange feeling before. Her heart beat slightly faster, and she couldn't help but hold her breath.
Seeing the bright look in his eyes, Yuan Yan smiled, activated his inner strength to speed up, and stopped in just a few moments.
Before me lay a clear, tranquil lake.
A gentle breeze rippled across the emerald lake, shimmering in the sunlight. Several peach trees leaned against the lakeside, their pink and white petals swirling and drifting gently down in the breeze.
A couple of tourists strolled and chatted along the lakeside. Several small boats floated on the water, carrying tourists.
Yuan Yan gave the boatwoman a silver ingot, chartered a small boat, and boarded it with Yang Lingyi.
“Miss,” Yang Lingyi asked gently from the bow of the boat, “we’ve been talking for so long, and I still don’t know your name.”
“My surname is Lin, you may call me Lady Lin, sir,” Yuan Yan said.
Yuan is the imperial surname, and mentioning Yuan Yan would expose her identity, so she used an alias as usual.
Yang Lingyi slowly smiled, "So it's Lady Lin."
Yuan Yan then asked him in return, "May I ask how you should address me, sir?"
Yang Lingyi told her.
"Young Master Yang." Yuan Yan made a mental note of it.
The small boat slowly glided around the lake, and a flock of wild ducks swam past the boat, occasionally letting out a quack or two.
Yang Lingyi watched the ducks swimming freely. Although they weren't as elegant as the white cranes in the mansion, they still had a unique charm in this setting.
As he admired the surrounding scenery, he thought about how Jinshu had been humiliated in front of Yuan Yan, and a light smile unconsciously appeared on his face.
"Young Master Yang, it's just a boat trip on the lake. I wonder why you're so happy?" Yuan Yan found the young master rather endearing, seeing how cheerful Yang Lingyi was even just boating on the lake.
"Please forgive my rudeness, Madam Lin. This is not my first time boating on the lake, but today's experience is completely different from before. This time, without any servants or attendants, the scenery before me seems to have become even more beautiful."
Yang Lingyi smiled shyly and said softly.
"Young master, you agreed to come out for a boat trip on the lake with me on our first meeting today. Aren't you afraid that I am a wicked person with malicious intentions?" Yuan Yan teased Yang Lingyi, seeing his shyness.
“No, my son is not afraid.” Yang Lingyi shook her head. “Madam Lin is dressed in fine clothes and has an extraordinary bearing. She is obviously not an ordinary person and must come from a wealthy family.”
"When she saw my face, she didn't stare at me like some lewd women, but treated me with the same peace and politeness as an ordinary person. How could such a person do anything to a mere man like me?"
Yang Lingyi's words touched Yuan Yan's heart, making her feel a sense of pleasure.
"It's truly a rare treat. I never expected to find someone so compatible with me on this rare day when I have a moment of leisure."
Yuan Yan smiled slightly at his words, his smile bright and cheerful.
Yang Lingyi's cheeks flushed slightly. Just as she was about to say something more, the voices of Jinshu and the other servants of the Changhuangnan Mansion came from the shore.
"Young master, young master?" Jinshu called out, searching for him from the shore.
"Young Master, if you don't return to the manor soon, the Lord will definitely be angry when he finds out..." he said nervously.
The guards who had been summoned by Jinshu also began searching.
When Yang Lingyi saw that so many people were looking for him, he knew he couldn't delay any longer.
After spending time together, he had come to regard Yuan Yan as a friend. He was afraid that if Jin Shu shouted, it would reveal his identity and Yuan Yan would hear it.
Although reluctant, Yang Lingyi still stood up.
"Madam Lin, thank you for accompanying me on this trip today. I am very happy... However, the servants from the manor have come looking for me, so I'm afraid I must leave now."
Yang Lingyi looked at Yuan Yan, her beautiful almond-shaped eyes filled with sadness.
"If that's the case, then I'll take my leave here. I won't see you off, young master."
Seeing that he was leaving so soon, Yuan Yan felt a slight, inexplicable regret. He nodded and told the boatwoman to bring the boat to shore, watching Yang Lingyi disembark.
After Yang Lingyi returned to her residence.
When the eldest prince learned that he had secretly slipped out of the mansion, he reprimanded Yang Lingyi and ordered people to drag Jinshu and the other servants serving in the courtyard away and punish them.
"Father, please don't be angry. I felt stifled at the banquets these past few days and couldn't stand it, so I forced Jinshu to come out with me. If you want to punish them, then punish me first."
Yang Lingyi stepped forward at this moment, blocking Jinshu and stopping the eldest prince.
"Yi'er, if you don't want to tell your father, then you can. Why sneak out of the manor? What if you run into bad guys while you're out without any guards?"
Upon hearing this, the eldest prince realized that Yang Lingyi's opposition to the prime minister had reached such a point, and couldn't help but sigh.
Yang Lingyi obediently admitted her mistake and did not argue with the eldest prince. She only said, "Father is right. I know I was wrong. I shouldn't have made Father worry... I will never do it again."
Seeing his obedient appearance, the eldest prince's heart softened.
"Fine," he finally said.
He turned to the brocade book on the ground and warned it in a stern tone.
"Jinshu, since your master pleaded for you this time, I will temporarily spare you from punishment. This is a one-time exception; there will be no next time. If you commit this offense again, I will not forgive you."
"Yes, thank you for your magnanimity, Your Majesty. I will never dare to do it again," Jinshu quickly replied, expressing her gratitude.
For this reason, Jinshu was afraid that the eldest prince would become even angrier, so she subconsciously covered for the young master and did not mention that Yang Lingyi and Yuan Yan had gone out alone.
After returning home.
Yang Lingyi never forgot Yuan Yan, and even secretly instructed Jinshu to inquire about the whereabouts of that Lady Lin.
Jinshu was taken aback upon hearing this.
"Young master, how come you haven't forgotten that lady yet?"
"You two only met by chance and exchanged a few words, why do you still need to inquire about her... If the Crown Prince finds out that the young master is still hung up on a girl from outside the manor, we servants will probably all be kicked out of the manor."
Jinshu felt a little scared when she thought about the eldest prince's personality.
That day, the eldest prince was furious simply because he knew that the young master had secretly left the manor.
If the eldest prince were to find out that the men he had carefully raised had been deceived by a woman of unknown origin with just a few words, then all of them, the male servants, would surely be dead.
Jinshu became increasingly worried and shook her head repeatedly, refusing to inquire for the young master this time.
However, he did not expect that Yang Lingyi, who was usually gentle and mild-mannered, would be so insistent on this matter.
Jinshu refused to help, so Yang Lingyi found someone else to help.
"Well, has Lady Lin found out?" Yang Lingyi asked the male servant.
This male servant had a sister who worked in the outer courtyard. His sister was quick-witted and adept at gathering information, so Yang Lingyi entrusted this task to him.
"Young master, I've inquired with all the official families in the capital, and there are indeed several families with the surname Lin," the servant whispered.
"However..." he said, but a troubled look appeared on his face, and he hesitated.
Upon hearing this, a glint of light appeared in Yang Lingyi's eyes, and she urged softly, "Speak your mind, but what is it?"
"However, none of these households have a maid who matches the young master's description," the servant said.
Yang Lingyi was slightly taken aback.
How could this be?
"Could it be that Lady Lin isn't a daughter of an official..."
Thinking back, it seems that Madam Lin really didn't reveal her identity that day. He only assumed she was the daughter of an official because of her luxurious clothes and refined speech.
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