Chapter 8. Chapter 8 forbids him from staring at himself so boldly and directly...
After an hour's journey, they arrived in Jiangning County. As instructed by Qian Yingyi, Qin Lizheng parked the carriage under a willow tree east of the county government gate.
The main street near the county government office was bustling with activity. Sunlight shone on the vermilion gate of the county government office, and a gentle breeze carried the fragrance of osmanthus. Qian Yingyi, unable to sit still in the carriage, lifted the curtain and peeked into the gate.
Qian Qiyu was straightforward and impatient. "You've come all this way, and instead of going to look for him, you're just waiting here. If Yan Sanlang is busy with his affairs at the yamen, are you going to wait here until dark?"
“Nonsense,” Qian Yingyi stared intently at the county government office. “Wait another half hour. If it gets dark, I will know to go home. But you must not tell the elders about this.”
She simply loved beautiful things. Yan Sanlang was a man of refined character and handsome appearance. Whenever she thought of him, she felt that he was like a piece of exquisite porcelain.
Last year, on her eighteenth birthday, her grandfather asked her father to keep an eye out for a suitable marriage for her in the capital. She was unwilling to return to the capital to get married and kept putting it off, saying that she wanted to choose her ideal husband herself.
If her grandfather knew that she had traveled all the way to Jiangning just to see Yan Ruheng, he would definitely interrogate her.
Qian Qiyu chuckled mischievously, "What if I were to say it?"
Qian Yingyi calmly turned to look at him, "Then please go back and wash up, young master, and wait to be tied up and sent to Prince Rui's mansion. When you return home tonight, I will not plead for you."
"Sister, you!" Qian Qiyu feigned anger, then pouted after a moment, "You're cunning!"
Several alleys branch off from the county government office, with pedestrians frequently coming and going, but Yan Ruheng was nowhere to be seen emerging from the office. Xia Ling sighed softly and whispered to Qian Yingyi, "Miss, judging from this situation..."
Qian Yingyi didn't seem disappointed. Instead, she smiled and covered her mouth, saying, "How can you look so dejected with such a beautiful face?"
It seemed she wouldn't see Yan Ruheng today. Qian Yingyi turned to Xiao Daimao and asked, "Shall we go to that shop Xia Ling heard about to buy a pen? You used to travel a lot, do you know which pastries in Jiangning are good?"
The implication was that they would not stay there any longer.
Little Tortoiseshell pondered for a while, came up with a few ideas for a pastry shop, and was about to report back when a group of people suddenly appeared out of nowhere!
The first four or five people who ran ahead were dressed in thin ramie clothes, with sparse hair hanging down their sides. They were holding a steamed bun in their hands and biting it hard, looking like beggars who had appeared out of nowhere.
The two men chasing behind were broad-shouldered and burly, each holding a rolling pin, and looked fierce and menacing.
One of them quickly caught up with a beggar, tackled him to the ground at the entrance of the county government office, and shouted at the top of his lungs, "You little thief! I've caught you! How dare you steal under my nose! I'll send you to see the magistrate today!"
As they were talking, the man behind them caught up and smacked the beggar on the shoulder!
The beggar staggered and fell backward, half-kneeling on the ground, while the first man grabbed him by the back of the collar like an animal.
The commotion drew the doors of the surrounding houses wide open. The scholar in the blue robe, unaware of the situation, peeked at the beggar's disheveled appearance and couldn't help but feel sorry for him. He advised the two men, "It's better to be lenient when you can. He's just a little beggar, pitiful enough to not even have enough to eat. You've already beaten him, why send him to the yamen?"
The two men, both with fierce expressions, had similar eyes and looked like brothers. The one who was about to strike didn't like such words and turned around to glare at the scholar, saying, "You stinking bookworm, what kind of peacemaker are you?"
"He ate my food but didn't pay. I'm just a street vendor. If I had money to help beggars, why would I be working so hard from dawn till dusk? I'm going to take him to the authorities today!"
After saying that, he pressed the beggar down and led him into the county government gate.
Just before entering the door, the beggar finally swallowed the bread in his mouth, and shouted with his neck stiff, "I gave money! I gave money!"
The scholar, clumsy with words and unable to get anywhere with the man, was angrily searching for poetic lines when he suddenly heard the beggar speak. He quickly stepped forward and tripped the man, saying, "Wait! Didn't you hear what he said? He gave money!"
The man roared, "Where's the money? I haven't seen a single copper coin!"
The beggar timidly replied, "It's on your stall."
As the performance continued, another acrobat suddenly appeared out of nowhere, panting as he grabbed the man's arm, saying, "They ran so fast, I almost couldn't catch up. Look, they paid, it's definitely on the stall."
After saying that, he spread his hand out and showed the copper coin to the man.
"Oh, so you're just bullying people by taking advantage of your power," the scholar said, puffing out his chest and glancing at the man. "Then you're going to the authorities. I didn't know Jiangning had such unruly scoundrels like you!"
As they spoke, the scholar, emboldened by his own courage, pushed the man straight into the yamen, where commotion gradually began to emanate.
The man felt a pang of guilt. He exchanged glances with his brother, then let go of the beggar and slunk away.
Before long, a man walked out of the yamen. He was tall and straight, wearing a green robe with an oriole pattern and a black gauze hat. Although he was as handsome as jade, he had been an official for many years and was now in the yamen. As he walked, he exuded an air of integrity and incorruptibility.
Who else could it be but Yan Ruheng?
Behind him followed a squad leader with a sword. As soon as he stepped out of the door, the squad leader spoke first: "Sir, who is causing trouble in front of the county government office?"
The beggar glanced at Yan Ruheng, then timidly knelt down on the ground, saying, "This humble one...this humble one greets Your Honor."
Seeing that the fierce-looking man had run away, the scholar didn't want to get himself into trouble again. He helped the beggar up and said with a forced smile, "It was a misunderstanding, just a misunderstanding. I didn't expect it to alarm you, sir."
Yan Ruheng looked up at the two of them and gave them a friendly smile. "Are you really alright? If you are, just tell me, and I will take care of it for you."
The scholar shook his head repeatedly, deciding not to stay any longer. He helped the beggar away to the east, his gaze lingering briefly on the carriage under the willow tree before he subtly nodded his chin at Qin Lizheng.
As he watched the two leave, Yan Ruheng caught a glimpse of the carriage and noticed the character for "money" on it, causing him to pause in surprise for a moment.
After instructing the head constable to disperse the crowd, Yan Ruheng walked directly towards the carriage. Through a light yellow curtain, he asked softly, "Is this Miss Qian?"
Qian Yingyi never expected that her plan would backfire. After watching the commotion, she saw Yan Ruheng and hurriedly greeted him, "Lord Yan."
After saying that, she lifted the carriage curtain and gave Yan Ruheng a pretty smile.
Yan Ruheng immediately bowed, "Miss Qian, what brings you to Jiangning?"
Qian Yingyi secretly admired his face, her gaze sliding from his eyebrows to the tip of his nose. Realizing her rudeness, she quickly lowered her eyes and said with a smile, "The maidservant beside me said that there is a shop in Jiangning that sells painting brushes well. I didn't know if it was true or not, so I just came over. It just so happened that I was passing by the yamen."
"Just now..." She peeked out with half her face to look at the county government office in the distance, then turned back and asked, "Are you alright?"
Yan Ruheng chuckled, "It's alright, there are often disturbances in front of the government office."
As they were talking, they happened to see Qian Qiyu, and the two exchanged a polite bow.
Seeing that the sunlight was dimming, Yan Ruheng said, "Since we've met here, it would be my fault if I didn't treat you. If Miss Qian and Young Master Qian don't mind, after I finish my shift, how about we go to Shuxiuzhai by the river for a drink?"
Upon hearing this, Qian Yingyi looked at Qian Qiyu, her expression somewhat troubled, "I still have things to attend to at home..."
Yan Ruheng still wore that gentle smile on his face, and it was not appropriate to keep him any longer. He glanced around and pointed to a dried fruit shop not far away, "In that case, shall I offer you two some snacks?"
Qian Qiyu laughed loudly, "Brother Yan, although you are a few years older than us, don't treat us like three-year-olds. What kind of adult craves snacks? I..." At this point, Qian Qiyu stopped speaking. It turned out that Xia Ling had approached him at some point and secretly nudged him with her elbow.
Qian Qiyu snapped out of his daze and thought to himself that Qian Yingyi had come here just to talk to Yan Ruheng a little more. He had almost missed a great opportunity, so he rubbed his nose in embarrassment and smiled at Yan Ruheng, "Let my older sister go, she likes sweets."
The air in Jiangning was slightly fresher than that in Yingtianfu, and the air was filled with the fragrance of flowers. Even through the carriage, Qian Yingyi could smell the citrus scent on Yan Ruheng.
She clung to the car window, unable to resist looking at his face more, so she pursed her lips slightly and nodded in agreement.
As a result, when Qian Yingyi got off the carriage, Yan Ruheng led the way, with two maids following at a distance. They could feel a sense of intimacy between the two figures in front of them in the hazy light of the sky.
Little Tortoiseshell withdrew her gaze, leaning against the carriage wall and teasing, "I guessed last night that Miss would definitely meet Yan Sanlang today. It's truly a match made in heaven."
"You even know how to calculate this?" Qian Qiyu asked in surprise, wrapping his arm around the little hawksbill turtle and quietly leading it to the other side. "You can calculate it for me too..."
Qin Lizheng had no curiosity whatsoever about his search for the little hawksbill turtle. He stood alone under the willow tree, watching the two of them, and then quietly disappeared when they were off guard.
His men forced Yan Ruheng out of the county government office, and now was the perfect opportunity for him to sneak in.
Leaping over the wall into the Jiangning County Government Office, Qin Lizheng evaded the guards in the screen room and soon sneaked into the County Magistrate's courtyard, where the doors were tightly shut.
The room was simply furnished. Qin Lizheng went straight to the desk, rummaged around for a while, and saw that it was mostly ordinary official business. His heart sank. He looked around for a while and then his eyes fell on the inconspicuous pen holder on the desk.
Sunlight streamed through the window and onto the desk, the beams of light revealing dust. The desk looked as if it had been newly made by a craftsman, and all the office supplies were brand new, except for the pen holder, which appeared somewhat worn.
Qin Lizheng's mind stirred, and he immediately turned the pen holder upside down, and sure enough, he saw a mechanism at the bottom.
With a gentle touch, the bottom of the pen holder pops open, revealing a roll of paper inside.
Qin Lizheng maintained his composed expression, unfolded the scroll, and scanned its contents at a glance.
This official document mentions that Jiangning County recently needed to repair roads and hire more craftsmen, requesting 30,000 taels of silver from Yingtian Prefecture.
There was a thin piece of paper, about the size of a palm, stuck to the bottom corner of the paper. Qin Lizheng couldn't help but scoff inwardly. He took out some tinder from his pocket and heated it back and forth on the thin paper, about half an inch away. Sure enough, some writing gradually appeared.
The thin paper concealed a secret; it turned out to be another official document.
This implies that Yingtian Prefecture only allocates funds, but what kind of craftsmen to hire and what kind of mud to transport once the money arrives is another matter entirely.
Qin Lizheng chuckled softly, took out paper and pen and copied everything into the book. Only after the writing that had appeared due to the fire had faded did he put the things back in their original places.
Ostensibly, it was for road repairs in Jiangning County, but in reality, it was a means of embezzlement. Since Yan Ruheng and the Prefect of Yingtian Prefecture were father and son, it would be more straightforward to discuss this private matter behind closed doors. Why bother with official documents and risky tactics?
This father and son even seem to enjoy putting on a full-blown act.
Qin Lizheng looked around the room. The furnishings were simple and unpretentious. He couldn't help but smile sarcastically. He thought to himself that if an uninformed bystander came in, they would think that Yan Ruheng was a man of integrity and upright character.
Having uncovered a trace of evidence of embezzlement, Qin Lizheng made no attempt to linger and left the place exactly as he had come.
When they returned to the carriage, Little Tortoiseshell and Qian Qiyu were sitting on the stone steps, dozing off.
Hearing the noise, the little hawksbill turtle opened its sleepy eyes and shielded its eyes from the light with its hand. "Where did you go?"
"I've gone to the restroom, hasn't Miss come yet?"
Qian Qiyu lazily opened her eyes and glanced at him, then gestured towards the dried fruit shop with her lip, "Don't you have any sense of propriety? Can't you see my sister is happy?"
Qin Lizheng followed his gaze and looked over.
The sunlight swayed gently, and two figures stood in front of the shop. Qian Yingyi walked out slowly, her figure graceful. Her already fair face appeared even more rosy and delicate in the light and shadow.
Yan Ruheng had a faint smile on his lips, carrying a bag of dried fruit in his hand, his eyes always fixed on Qian Yingyi's back.
Gradually, the two walked side by side. Yan Ruheng said something, and Qian Yingyi was initially surprised, but soon smiled again, her usually chatty lips pursed slightly.
When I went to Yunteng Pavilion to look for her this morning, she was sitting inside the west window, laughing so hard she was shaking. Strangely, she is so reserved now.
“Tsk,” Qian Qiyu leaned close to Qin Lizheng’s back at some point and said to Xiao Daimao with a tilted head, “This Yan Sanlang is good-looking and acts with proper manners. I’m quite satisfied with him.”
Little Tortoiseshell chuckled and chimed in, patting Qin Lizheng's shoulder, "What did I tell you? Don't you think Miss and he are a perfect match? Miss is dignified and graceful, and Yan Sanlang is gentle and refined..."
It's only February, but the warm sunshine seems to vanish as quickly as it appears.
Qian Yingyi and Yan Ruheng initially chatted happily and bought some dried fruit. However, Qian Yingyi, unusually, didn't know what to say and just kept staring at Yan Ruheng's face to spy on him.
After being amused by Yan Ruheng's recollection of childhood anecdotes, Qian Yingyi lowered her head again, watching the shadow cast by the sunlight at her feet gradually disappear.
Suddenly, she seemed to sense something, feeling a gaze fixed on her, so she looked up to search...
Caught off guard, they met the guard's eyes.
The lingering feeling of anger from being teased by the guards earlier inexplicably resurfaced in my mind.
Because Yan Ruheng was still by her side, Qian Yingyi glared at the guard from afar as a warning, her eyes ordering him not to stare at her so boldly and directly.
When she glared at people, her dark eyes always widened, her pupils becoming even brighter and clearer. She also liked to slightly raise her chin and gently pout her two tender red lips.
Little Tortoiseshell's words were still ringing in Qin Lizheng's ears, but he didn't quite hear them and let her glare at him.
He half-smirked, a smile playing on his lips, mocking the facade of "dignity and gentleness" she put on in front of Yan Ruheng.
She was always graceful and lively; if she could patiently continue playing the role, why would she bother to glare at him?
A note from the author:
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Since Yan Ruheng was slow to come out, Qin Lizheng decided to help him.
Qian Yingyi: What a beautiful face! Let me look at it some more!
Qian Yingyi: Tsk, what's wrong with you? Don't stare at me like that!
Guess when Qin Lizheng will fall in love and realize his own feelings~ Leave your comments, I love to read them.
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