Chapter 71 Spreading Rumors: I Don't Believe in Fate, I Only Believe in Myself
"I will follow Zhengqing's instructions."
The stewards immediately understood that this magistrate was not someone to be easily fooled, and naturally dared not offend him. They all agreed, "We, the barbarians, will certainly do our best to complete the task and will obey the magistrate's orders."
Yuan Yan stood behind Yang Lingyi, watching this scene with a sense of satisfaction.
Although Yang Lingyi was usually gentle and naive in front of her, he was still a man raised by the eldest prince, and he certainly had the ability to establish authority and manage a household.
"How many more surprises Yi'er has in store for me is unknown to me."
After the stewards left, Yuan Yan came out from behind, took Yang Lingyi's hand, and smiled slightly.
When Yang Lingyi was pulled along like that, his imposing aura immediately dissipated by more than half. He, who had just been putting on a stern and authoritative face, softened his voice.
"Sister Yan, I'm managing things at home."
Yang Lingyi said this clearly to avoid getting close to Yuan Yan, lest she lose control and suffer the consequences.
But the words that came out sounded like a coquettish pout.
Yuan Yan couldn't stand her husband's words, so she smiled and agreed, "Alright, Yi'er, you go ahead and do your work. I'll come see you later."
"Yes, Sister Yan, come back soon." Yang Lingyi felt a warmth in her heart as she looked at her smile.
Only after Yuan Yan left did Yang Lingyi remember.
Didn't we decide to rest tonight? How could I just agree so carelessly after my sister mentioned it?
He couldn't help but feel a little annoyed. But mixed in with this annoyance was a hint of sweetness, which made his heart completely sink and soak in honey water.
...
When Yang Lingyi checked the accounts that evening, she discovered that the expenses in Shen Lianzhou's courtyard did not match the accounts in the mansion.
"What's going on with the account books in Shen Shuqing's courtyard?" Yang Lingyi summoned the steward for questioning.
"My lord may not know, but the expenses in the Shuqing Courtyard are always a bit higher. However, he doesn't use much of the manor's money; the extra portion comes from his private account," the steward said.
Yang Lingyi only found out after asking. With Yuan Yan's permission, Shen Lianzhou set up a small kitchen in the courtyard, using only the finest ingredients, specifically to prepare meals when Yuan Yan came.
“Shen Shuqing is quite attentive to His Highness.” Yang Lingyi thought of the soup she had delivered last night and said nothing more. Instead, she turned around and had her servants find out all of Yuan Yan’s usual preferences and write them down in her mind.
He is the rightful master of Yan's sister, so it is only natural that he should be the one to take care of her.
When Yuan Yan returned, he found that the dinner had changed.
"Why have you changed the menu today?" Yuan Yan glanced at it and noticed that the dishes on the table were all her favorites.
"Do you like it, sister? This is a recipe I had specially learned. If you like it, please use more." Yang Lingyi smiled as she served her food, a shallow dimple appearing on her cheek.
“Of course, I like everything Yi’er prepared.” Yuan Yan sat down and ate all the dishes that Yang Lingyi had put on her plate.
Looking at Yang Lingyi's smiling expression, Yuan Yan thought of the trips they had taken together before their marriage and felt a pang of nostalgia.
With only a few days left on her honeymoon, she invited Yang Lingyi to go on a trip to the countryside to admire the osmanthus blossoms.
"Sister Yan, the fragrance of this osmanthus is so strong... Even though we've gone so far away, it still feels like we're still carrying its scent."
We spent most of the day sightseeing.
When they returned, Yang Lingyi smelled the fragrance on the two of them and sighed.
Yuan Yan smiled: "If Yi'er likes them, you can have a few moved into the manor."
As the two were talking, they suddenly noticed that a large crowd had gathered on the street in front of the Prince's Mansion.
"Sister Yan, what are they doing over there?" Yang Lingyi asked.
Yuan Yan led him over and found that it was a fortune teller who was reading people's faces.
"...Oh my, amazing! How did you calculate that? Something really did happen to my family a few days ago."
At the fortune-telling stall, a woman listened to the Taoist priest's words and couldn't help but sigh.
"Wow, this is the third one to get it right. It's really accurate." Some onlookers whispered among themselves.
The woman inquired about the solution and left after expressing her deepest gratitude.
Just then, the fortune teller noticed Yuan Yan outside the crowd and called out.
“Young lady, I see that you have an extraordinary bearing and a remarkable destiny. Would you be willing to let me tell your fortune?”
The Taoist priest stared at Yuan Yan.
Fortune telling? What kind of fortune telling?
She only ever believed in herself and never in fate.
Yuan Yan had no interest in this matter whatsoever, nor did he believe the fortune teller's words, taking it merely as a fortune teller's usual rhetoric. Just as he was about to refuse, he noticed the curious look on Yang Lingyi's face.
"Sister Yan, are fortune tellers really that accurate?" he asked in a low voice.
"Yi'er wants to know? Try it and you'll find out."
Upon hearing this, Yuan Yan immediately changed the subject and asked the Taoist priest a question.
"What's the big deal?"
The Taoist priest said, "I'll just do a simple character divination."
She dispersed the crowd gathered in front of the stall before speaking to Yuan Yan.
“Woman, tell me the words that are on your mind right now.”
Yuan Yan's gaze shifted slightly, and he noticed the apricot blossoms embroidered on Yang Lingyi's clothes. He casually remarked, "Apricot, the apricot blossom."
Yang Lingyi blushed slightly when she saw that she had chosen her own name as the subject.
"Xing, Mukou Xing..."
The Taoist priest mentally calculated with his fingers, pondered for a moment, and then spoke.
“This young lady has an extremely noble destiny. However, the character ‘杏’ (apricot) contains both ‘口’ (mouth) and ‘木’ (wood), which is not an auspicious character. The ‘木’ (wood) inside the mouth subtly combines with ‘困’ (trapped).
"The young woman is currently like the character '杏' (apricot). She is trapped inside by a large tree above her head and cannot get out," the Taoist priest said slowly.
Yuan Yan's expression remained unchanged. "Then what do you suggest we do?"
"My lady, do not worry. Two fires overcome wood, and your destiny is extremely noble. This calamity is destined to be resolved. Now you only need a suitable opportunity to get out of this predicament and rise to great heights."
"Two fires overcome wood"—is this referring to Yuan Yan's name?
Even the most oblivious person should realize something's wrong now.
Upon hearing this, Yang Lingyi quietly tugged at Yuan Yan's sleeve, "Sister..."
Even he sensed it; this person seemed to be intentionally targeting Sister Yan.
"Heh." Yuan Yan didn't buy it after hearing the fortune teller's words and sneered.
"Guards, seize this man for me."
As soon as he finished speaking, the guards behind him stepped forward on command. The commotion startled the people in the distance, who quickly made way for him.
"May I ask, madam, what crime have I committed that warrants my arrest?"
The Taoist priest showed no surprise whatsoever upon hearing Yuan Yan's self-identification. Clearly, he already knew Yuan Yan's identity and had been waiting for her there on purpose.
"How dare you!" Yu Liu immediately rebuked on behalf of his master.
"You sorcerer, you deliberately sought out the whereabouts of the King of Qin, and you're here spreading your heretical rumors. And you still say you're innocent?" she said sternly.
Yuan Yan was very unhappy that his trip with Yi'er was ruined by this incident before it was even over.
Yuan Yan raised his hand, stopping Yu Liu from saying the rest of her words.
"Stop wasting words with this person. Bring her into the manor; I will interrogate her myself."
After saying that, she turned to Yang Lingyi, her sharp expression instantly softening.
"Yi'er, you go back first. I'll come back after I've finished dealing with things."
"Hmm... Sister Yan, please don't get angry. I'll wait for you to go back for your meal."
Yang Lingyi hesitated for a moment, knowing that she couldn't help in this matter, and then returned to her courtyard with her male servant.
The Taoist priest was escorted all the way to the Prince's mansion.
"Speak, who are you?"
Yuan Yan sat on the high seat and looked down at the man.
"What are you plotting by deliberately doing this to attract my attention today?"
The guards held the man down.
The Taoist priest knelt on the ground without struggling, and raised his head slightly upon hearing these words.
"My name is Zhang Xiaoju, a native of Dengzhou... I previously served as a staff member in the Prince of Qi's residence."
Upon hearing this, all the officials of the Prince's Palace present showed strange expressions.
"Are you one of the King of Qi's men?" the chariot officer couldn't help but ask.
“Exactly.” Zhang Xiaoju nodded.
Xue Lang frowned, gripped the hilt of his sword, and looked at Zhang Xiaoju warily.
The King of Qi's men came to the King of Qin's residence to plan this incident; they must have had ulterior motives.
Yuan Yan gave a cryptic smirk: "Heh, since you're one of the King of Qi's men, what are you doing here?"
Zhang Xiaoju smiled but did not answer, only glancing sideways at the group of subordinates in the hall.
Yuan Yan watched her actions, his eyes narrowing slightly. After a brief pause, he raised his hand, signaling Xue Lang and the others to step back for the time being.
"Your Highness?" Xue Lang hesitated for a moment, worried about Yuan Yan's safety.
"It's alright, I have something to ask this advisor Zhang privately."
Yuan Yan, however, was not afraid. Not only was she highly skilled in martial arts, but she also had hidden guards protecting her, while Zhang Xiaoju was just a scholar who couldn't even kill a chicken and couldn't hurt her in the slightest.
"Thank you for listening to my words, Your Highness. I have come here today disguised as a Taoist priest for Your Highness's sake."
"Your Highness possesses great talent, as can be seen from your political affairs. You have the strategic mind to manage the world. I admire you and am willing to serve you."
With the guards no longer restraining him, Zhang Xiaoju straightened up and spoke.
"What you're saying is somewhat inappropriate," Yuan Yan said, taking a sip of tea.
"The fact that Prince Qi is currently the Minister of the Imperial Secretariat is enough to show His Majesty's thoughts, and most of the court officials also have a high opinion of Prince Qi."
"Under such circumstances, why would you go against the grain and abandon the King of Qi to serve me?"
Yuan Yan was not blinded by Zhang Xiaoju's flattery and looked at her, asking a question.
"This is because the villains around King Qi see it clearly. Although King Qi has the title of the eldest son, he is actually incompetent. He is praised for his benevolence, but he has no regard for the people."
"In comparison, His Highness the Prince of Qin has investigated the grain transport, revised the laws, cracked down on corruption, and proposed opening up maritime trade routes... He has made many contributions to the court, cares about the people, and is more suitable to shoulder the heavy responsibility of the nation."
After listening to so much, Yuan Yan remained noncommittal, only saying, "You can't just say things like that."
“You say you want to serve me, but you have no proof or evidence, and you also have this kind of identity.”
"How can I believe that you are not feigning allegiance to gain my trust, but plotting with the King of Qi to set a trap for me?"
Yuan Yan spoke frankly about this.
"Host, host, I know that." The system interjected at this moment, telling Yuan Yan in his mind.
I received her message shortly after Zhang Xiaoju volunteered to serve.
"Currently, she only has 12 loyalty points to the King of Qi, but 46 points to you, which means she is probably telling the truth," the system said.
Yuan Yan was not convinced. "46's loyalty is not high either, so it doesn't prove anything."
The system thought for a moment: "That's because this person isn't the loyal type to begin with. Whether it's true or not, I don't accept just anyone. She's come to me willingly, so she has to show some proof."
Yuan Yan deliberately asked that question to Zhang Xiaoju, actually to demand a pledge of allegiance.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
