As the last rays of sunlight faded and the lanterns were lit, a chilly wind blew as Wei Shuwan emerged from the carriage, ruffling her hair.
Wei Shuwan raised her hand to wipe away the stray hairs at her temples, and subconsciously looked up at the second floor. She saw that the peach blossom paper on the window was illuminated by the faint candlelight, casting a warm, dim yellow glow.
She and Li Qingchen hadn't checked out when they left at noon, and the fact that the lights were on now meant that Li Qingchen had returned before her.
Worried about running into Wei Chengxu or Qi Dazhong coming downstairs, Wei Shu wore a veiled hat when she returned to the inn late at night. After going up to the second floor, she paused for a moment in front of Qi Dazhong's room next door. Only after finding that she could not hear any noise did she give up and go to her own room.
Just as she was about to knock on the door, it opened from the inside. Suddenly meeting Li Qingchen's eyes, she couldn't help but smile slightly beneath her veil. Having an accomplice with exceptional hearing was indeed a good thing; he was thorough in everything and saved her a lot of unnecessary trouble.
Incense was lit in the room, and the faint sandalwood scent was the same as the one she usually smelled on Li Qingchen, indicating that it was something he was used to.
Wei Shuwan removed her veil: "Whether things succeed or not tonight, I sincerely thank the young prince for his righteous help. If the young prince ever needs my help in the future, I will certainly not refuse."
Wei Shuwan spoke these words with utmost sincerity, for this matter had troubled her for two lifetimes, and now that it was resolved, it truly relieved her greatest regret.
Seeing her earnest expression, Li Qingchen couldn't help but chuckle and tease, "You've saved my life so many times already, do you still have to come over?"
“But I also…” Wei Shuwan bit her lip and didn’t finish her sentence. She originally wanted to say that she had also saved Li Qingchen once, so that the debt of saving her life would be even, but after thinking about it, she felt that this was a bit shameless.
Although she didn't say it aloud, Li Qingchen understood and nodded with a faint smile: "Okay, then we'll call it even."
Feeling her little scheme exposed, Wei Shuwan blushed slightly. She moved on from the matter and asked, "Has there been no movement from next door?"
"Yes, that person hasn't arrived yet. But it's already sunset, so he should be here soon."
As Li Qingchen spoke, he sat back down in his chair and poured a cup of hot tea for Wei Shuwan: "This is mulberry bud tea from Qiaochuan. Try it."
Wei Shuwan sat down opposite Li Qingchen, took the cup of tea, brought it to her nose and smelled it, a clear light flashing in her eyes: "Indeed, it is good tea."
Since their time in Jiangzuo, the Wei family has always enjoyed the finest food and drink. After arriving in Shengjing, they have taken advantage of the city's convenience to savor all kinds of delicacies and fine teas. However, the tender mulberry buds are not something that can be tasted simply by having money.
"It is said that this tea comes from a thousand-year-old tea tree, which is called the ancestor of tea by the people of Qiaochuan?" She looked up at Li Qingchen, her eyes filled with surprise.
Li Qingchen curled his lips slightly. “That’s right. This tea tree, known as the Ancestor of Tea, grows in the backyard of the Prince’s Mansion. When I was a child, I often saw my mother personally watering it. Back then, it could produce several catties every year. But since it stopped being watered by my mother, no matter how carefully others take care of it, it can only produce seven or eight ounces at most each year. And that’s when the season is good. If the season is bad, it’s normal to have no harvest at all.”
"No wonder it's so precious. Aside from the imperial palace, it's probably only available in your Qiaochuan Prince's Mansion." After saying this, Wei Shuwan took a small sip along the rim of the cup with a devout and respectful attitude.
The tea was indeed fragrant, but what she was truly curious about at that moment was Li Qingchen's mother. She knew that Li Qingchen's mother had long since passed away, and she also knew that the Prince of Qiaochuan had a new wife, but she did not know why the former wife had died.
However, if she were to ask about this matter out of mere curiosity, it would be tantamount to reopening someone's wounds, especially such a painful one. Wei Shuwan ultimately refrained from speaking, and instead continued to savor the timeless tea, sip by sip.
Two candles illuminated the elegant room, their occasional crackling adding to the tranquility.
When the two were alone, one handsome beyond compare and the other beautiful and charming, the excessive quiet created a certain ambiguous atmosphere.
Just as Wei Shuwan inexplicably felt restless and began to feel uneasy, a deep voice came from the other end: "He's here."
Wei Shuwan immediately snapped out of her unease and stared intently at Li Qingchen's face opposite her.
Li Qingchen frowned slightly. "He walked very lightly and didn't knock on the door."
Upon hearing this, Wei Shuwan became inexplicably excited, her eyes burning as she waited for Li Qingchen's description.
At least this beginning aligned with her inner desires; Wei Chengxu's furtive behavior proved that he was following the path she had paved for him.
“He’s already inside,” Li Qingchen said calmly, then asked, “When do you plan to make your move?”
"No rush, let's wait a bit longer." Wei Shuwan was quite composed.
There was no sound from next door until about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, when Li Qingchen said, "I heard the sound of a door opening and closing. He must be leaving."
At this moment, Li Qingchen had roughly figured out Wei Shuwan's plan, and his tone became more confident: "You should take action."
Wei Shuwan was startled by his words, her clear eyes narrowing instantly. She felt a sense of unease, as if her thoughts had been seen through. After a moment of hesitation, she nodded and said, "Let's do it now."
Looking into Li Qingchen's dark eyes, Wei Shuwan felt that he had indeed seen through her plan.
Li Qingchen smiled and casually tossed the empty glass in his hand, which flew in an arc and struck the wooden door precisely.
Yuan Que and Gu Zhuang, who had been waiting in the opposite room, immediately pushed open the door and came out when they heard the sound of the cup being smashed. Then, several sounds of fighting reached Li Qingchen and Wei Shuwan's ears. In the blink of an eye, the noise stopped, obviously Yuan Que and the others had subdued the person.
Before long, Yuan Que knocked on the door and reported: "Young Prince, the man has been captured."
Wei Shuwan got up and walked out with Li Qingchen. She saw a person kneeling in front of the corridor, whose hands were tied behind their back and whose head was hanging down by Gu Zhuang.
"Make him raise his head." Li Qingchen gave the order, and Gu Zhuang grabbed the man's hair and forced him to raise his face.
The moment Wei Shuwan's eyes met his, Wei Chengxu's reaction was even stronger than Wei Shuwan's. His eyes widened in disbelief as he exclaimed, "It's you?!"
Wei Shuwan couldn't help but chuckle, her eyes curving into crescents: "Why did you steal my words, elder brother? I should be the one being surprised, not you?"
Wei Chengxu trembled slightly, his gaze uneasily drifting towards Qi Dazhong's room, the same room he had just come out of.
Wei Shuwan followed his gaze and asked, "What are you worried about, brother? Could it be that something bad has happened to the person in that room?"
She still wore a gentle and charming smile, but to Wei Chengxu at that moment, that face looked like a viper wearing a smiling mask! The smile on her face seemed so ironic.
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