Chapter 202 Breaking into a Woman's Boudoir
"Hmm, the food and wine today..." Ye Liangze suddenly said.
"Is there something wrong?" Jiang Zhi asked him, snapping out of her daze.
She ordered food according to Ye Liangze's usual habits, which consisted mainly of beef, mutton, and strong liquor.
Ye Liangze frowned. "Zhizhi usually prefers light food, and she especially loves sweet things. But today I see that there aren't many of the dishes that Zhizhi likes on this table."
Jiang Zhi panicked and secretly glanced at Lu Yuan.
But he drank his wine with a normal expression and showed no unusual reaction.
She breathed a sigh of relief and explained, "I don't particularly like it either. Young Master Ye must have misremembered. I like all these dishes too."
She is very careful when she goes out.
They never reveal their past preferences to outsiders.
Ye Liangze chuckled, “I’ve eaten with you a few times. Although I haven’t said it outright, I remember that you always pick up the sweeter dishes the most.”
Jiang Zhi broke out in a cold sweat.
Isn't Ye Liangze supposed to be carefree and easygoing? How come he even remembers which dishes she picked up extra?
Lu Yuan chuckled coldly, "Having a sweet tooth isn't shameful. Miss Ji, are you unwilling to admit it because you're afraid others will find out?"
“How could that be?” Jiang Zhi replied dryly. “I didn’t even realize it myself. It’s Young Master Ye who was so thoughtful.”
Ye Liangze raised an eyebrow smugly, "That's right, I care about Zhizhi the most."
Jiang Zhi ate this meal absentmindedly.
Lu Yuan will be staying in Xuzhou for quite some time, and given his suspicious and meticulous nature, it's hard to guarantee that he won't notice any clues in the details of her daily life.
Perhaps I should find an excuse to leave Xuzhou and avoid him for a while.
It's not too late for her to come back after Lu Yuan returns to the capital.
With this in mind, Jiang Zhi made up her mind.
She would set off after she had settled the matter of the spice business with the Canal Gang in the next few days.
Before Jiang Zhi could finish what she was doing, she received news that Lu Yuan was going to visit his uncle and aunt at the Feng residence.
Today, Jiang Zhi happened to be going to the dock to check the last batch of goods, so she simply left the Feng residence secretly as planned.
After Lu Yuan delivered the Emperor's decree and rewards to the Feng family, he asked to meet the cousin from the Feng family who had come to visit.
"I wonder what happened to Ya Ya? She is timid by nature, and Lord Lu's sudden visit may frighten her." Feng Chenghan was nearly fifty years old. Although he was dressed simply, one could still see the composed demeanor he had when he was an official in the court.
To be honest, Lu Yuan's request was indeed somewhat impolite.
How could he, a man from outside the family, casually meet a virgin?
"I only wish to ask about the bandits she encountered back then," Lu Yuan had already prepared his excuse, "and I would be grateful if Lord Feng would grant me this favor."
Although Feng Chenghan is now a commoner, Lu Yuan still addresses him as Lord Feng to show respect.
Since it involved official business, Feng Chenghan had no reason to refuse.
But she wasn't Ji Zhiya at all, so how could she know about the bandits back then?
“Ya Ya was frightened, and many of her memories of the bandits from that time are now confused and unclear. Perhaps we should ask Lord Lu…” Feng Chenghan wanted to refuse.
But Lu Yuan interrupted him directly, "This humble official knows about this matter, and Miss Ji has already met me a few days ago. It won't frighten her, so please rest assured, Lord Feng."
Seeing that Feng Chenghan was still hesitating, Lu Yuan asked again, "Does Lord Feng know that the Princess of Qinghe County has passed away?"
Feng Chenghan's expression changed slightly. "This subordinate understands."
"As the maternal uncle of the Princess of Qinghe County, Lord Feng must be deeply grieved, right?" He stared straight at Feng Chenghan, his gaze calm yet scrutinizing.
“Indeed, my sister only had one daughter, and now she’s gone too. The Feng family is naturally heartbroken.” Feng Chenghan had experienced many ups and downs, but now, being stared at by Lu Yuan’s seemingly tangible gaze, he felt a sense of tension.
Lu Yuan added, "This matter has also alarmed His Majesty, who is deeply saddened by it. That is why he sent me to Xuzhou with rewards, as a way to give the Feng family an explanation."
Feng Chenghan broke out in a cold sweat.
He didn't know how much Lu Yuan actually knew about the inside story.
But he understood the unspoken meaning in Lu Yuan's words.
If Jiang Zhi's fabricated death is exposed, then the Feng family, who took her in, will be guilty of deceiving the emperor.
The already crumbling Feng family will face utter annihilation.
He wiped the cold sweat from his forehead. "Yes, please convey my gratitude to His Majesty for his concern, Lord Lu. I am deeply grateful."
“Of course,” Lu Yuan laughed. “May I go see Miss Ji now?”
Feng Chenghan was preoccupied with his own thoughts, so he could only send a servant to take Lu Yuan to Ji Zhiya's residence.
Just as Lu Yuan stepped into the courtyard, he heard a maid in the courtyard report that Ji Zhiya had gone out.
Lu Yuan knew she was definitely avoiding him, so he didn't stand on ceremony and sat down on the stone bench in the courtyard. "It's alright, I'll wait for her to return here."
The maid was somewhat embarrassed, but knowing that they were distinguished guests of the Feng family, she dared not be impolite and had no choice but to go and make tea.
Since they parted ways at the restaurant, Lu Yuan had sent people to investigate Miss Ji in detail.
Although she had arrived in Xuzhou a year ago, she was seriously ill and kept to herself. She only fully recovered more than two months ago.
This coincides perfectly with the time when Jiang Zhi left Kyoto.
After she recovered from her illness, her personality changed a lot, and she began to secretly contact the canal gang without the knowledge of the Feng family.
Moreover, her figure is almost identical to Jiang Zhi's, and her eyes are similar as well, plus she loves desserts...
An irrepressible glimmer of hope arose in his heart.
Could this Miss Ji be Jiang Zhi?
But he also feared that this was a deliberate trap set by someone with ulterior motives, intended to lower his guard and hinder his investigation.
He had to confirm it himself.
Before the maid returned, Lu Yuan got up and pushed open the door to the inner room.
This is an extremely ordinary young girl's bedroom.
The decorations are simple and the layout is monotonous, perfectly befitting the identity of an orphan girl who came from the countryside to live with relatives.
His gaze fell on a piece of paper spread out on the desk by the window.
The paper was covered with many words, but it wasn't finished yet; the half-dry pen was still resting on the pen rack.
The handwriting above is delicate but somewhat weak.
The handwriting was completely different from the handwriting Jiang Zhi used to use when copying Buddhist scriptures.
A hint of sadness flashed in Lu Yuan's eyes.
The inner room was not large. Behind the screen was a bed with a few simple, ordinary clothes hanging on a rack. The bedding was neatly folded and exuded a faint fragrance from an unfamiliar woman.
Lu Yuan didn't know what he was looking for either.
This was the first time he had ever done such a thing with a strange woman, and his throat tightened slightly.
But he always had a vague feeling that something was wrong.
It was as if an invisible force was pushing him.
He reached out and unfolded the bedding on the bed.
The soft pillow was tilted slightly, revealing a touch of crimson underneath.
It was a woman's undergarment that she had changed out of.
He hesitated for a few moments, then finally used his fingertips to hook out the bodice and examine it closely.
The girl's fragrance became even more intense, lingering around his nose as if she were standing right in front of him.
There was nothing unusual about the undergarment.
The style is ordinary, and the fabric is not of high quality. There is only a "知" character embroidered in the corner, with an orchid on top.
It's as ordinary as it gets.
Lu Yuan sighed.
He has now stooped so low as to break into a woman's boudoir and even examine her intimate clothing up and down.
If someone were to see him, his lifelong reputation would be ruined...
He was about to put the undergarment back when he heard a soft "bang" behind him.
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