The Duke Mansion was originally a Prince Estate of the previous dynasty. It was granted to the Duke of Chengguo and later restored. Although it had been mostly uninhabited for years, it was still well-maintained.
The trees towered high. The houses, though a bit old, were clean and tidy, without any signs of decay.
"Looks good, doesn't it?" Zhu Zan said, glancing at Miss Jun, who didn't enter the house but instead surveyed the surroundings. "Never seen a courtyard this big, huh?"
He stepped closer to her as if a thought occurred to him.
"As long as we part amicably, you'll be welcome in my home anytime. How does that sound?"
This seemingly amicable offer naturally still had its ties to the title of Heir's Wife, making Miss Jun chuckle.
"Zhu Zan," she said seriously. "Then praise me a little, make me happy."
Praise her?
"I'm not very good at praising people," Zhu Zan said, rubbing his chin and furrowing his brows. "After all, there are hardly any people as impressive as I am."
Miss Jun laughed heartily.
"But you do have a beautiful smile," Zhu Zan suddenly remarked, as though discovering something. "A smile as radiant as sunlight, dazzling and bright, akin to flowers blooming in profusion—it's truly delightful."
Miss Jun raised her sleeve to cover her mouth.
"Ah, even like this, your look is graceful and charming," Zhu Zan continued. "It removes your rugged... ahem, bold exterior to reveal your true nature."
Miss Jun nodded, her eyes curving into a smile.
"Besides looks, I have talent too," she said.
Zhu Zan shook his head.
"You're being modest," he intoned seriously. "You're not just talented, but courageous and resourceful too. Many men can't hold a candle to you."
Miss Jun laughed again.
Her laughter echoed throughout the courtyard, bringing life and vigor to the previously silent space.
Even the standing servants at the back couldn't help but crack a smile.
"What are they doing?" one servant whispered.
Instead of going inside, they roamed the courtyard, stopping under the trees to chat and laugh.
"The Princely Heir is wooing Miss Jun," an older maidservant said with a sigh. "Never expected him to know how to woo someone. He must have met someone he genuinely likes."
Looking at the joyful woman laughing under the tree and the tall, focused man beside her, the servants nodded with gratification.
"Guess it's true love finally coming together."
"I suspected it the moment the Heir stopped Thousand-Man Commander Lu from smashing the Jiuling Hall's plaque."
"You're making stuff up. You didn't say that back then."
"I just didn't tell the truth. There are times when you can't speak the truth."
At this moment, Miss Jun posed the same question.
"Truth or lies?" she asked Zhu Zan. "Am I really that good?"
"Of course it's the truth. If I were lying, wouldn't that mean I'm blind?" Zhu Zan sneered. "Do I seem like that kind of person?"
Miss Jun chuckled heartily.
"No, you're not," she said. Then, she pursed her lips into a smile. "So, if I'm this good, why are you so unwilling to let me be the Heir's Wife?"
Going through all that trouble to sweet-talk him—turns out it was for that one sentence!
This mischievous woman!
Zhu Zan raised his hand and pointed at her.
"Miss Jun, if you keep teasing me like this, I might just lose my temper," he said, furrowing his brows and gritting his teeth.
Miss Jun hummed in response.
"Go ahead," she said with curious amusement. "Lose it, let me see."
Zhu Zan's brow twitched. Just as he was about to say something, a series of loud calls echoed from behind.
"The Duke is back!"
Zhu Zan and Miss Jun both turned to look, spotting the Duke of Chengguo walking over unhurriedly.
"What's making you so happy?" he said with a smile. "Why haven't you gone inside?"
Zhu Zan immediately approached him.
"Father…" he called out, raising his voice with a hint of grievance. "She..."
The Duke nodded at him before turning to Miss Jun.
"I hope you're comfortable here," he said. "It hasn't been lived in for years."
Miss Jun smiled and nodded.
"It's lovely," she said. "The layout and architecture of the Duke Mansion are excellent. And it's been well cared for throughout the years—it feels very welcoming. I like it a lot."
Back when the Imperial Ancestor granted this estate to the Duke, he had been exceedingly generous. Originally intended as the Crown Prince Mansion, its grandeur matched that of imperial palaces. Thus, arriving here reminded Miss Jun of something familiar—a familiarity that brought comfort, tinged with a hint of sorrow.
Zhu Zan cleared his throat.
"Father, about what just happened—what do you think?" he asked. "My arrangements of people, resources, timing…"
The Duke nodded and smiled at him.
"You did well," he said, complimenting him yet cutting him off. Then, looking back at Miss Jun, he added, "My wife won't return for some time yet. Feel free to make yourself at home here, Miss Jun."
Miss Jun responded with a polite and smiling agreement.
"Father, you don't need to say that. Even if you didn't, she'd make herself at home," Zhu Zan muttered beside them.
"Zan'er, go check how Miss Jun's quarters have been arranged," the Duke said kindly.
"Why me?" Zhu Zan protested.
"Since it's just the two of us here, do you expect me to do it?" the Duke replied.
Zhu Zan instantly deflated and sulked away, kicking stones as he went. Behind him, the Duke gestured for Miss Jun to follow him.
"…Miss Jun, are you planning to receive any guests?" he asked.
"It's my teacher's wife and others," Miss Jun answered, walking with him toward the hall.
"If there's anything you need help with, feel free to let me know," the Duke said.
Listening to this, Zhu Zan smirked.
This woman is so capable—she hardly needs anyone's help. She even managed to secretly bring tens of thousands of northern refugees here unnoticed. A matter like this? What a trifling thing. His father really was wasting time asking about such minor matters, whereas what Zhu Zan had accomplished earlier was significant and went unacknowledged.
"Lord Heir, Miss Jun's quarters have been arranged in Zuiyue Building next to the Lady's residence. Please have a look…" a servant interjected quietly.
"Why Zuiyue Building? That's where I stay," Zhu Zan snapped, stomping away with heavy steps.
Snatched away his mother, snatched away his father, and now they wanted to snatch his lodging too—unforgivable.
............…
Nightfall draped over the capital. The day had been so eventful that the city's inhabitants were both exhausted and exhilarated, making the night market livelier than usual.
But in the spacious Huang Family estate, although brightly lit, silence hung heavy. The singers and handmaids were nowhere to be seen, and the servants moved swiftly with muted steps and lowered heads.
Huang Cheng reclined lazily in the study, while his staff passed him one written report after another, heads bowed.
"So, they say sending all those refugees here cost quite a bit of money," Huang Cheng remarked, his eyes closed.
"At least several hundred thousand taels of silver," one staff member replied. "Besides food and drink along the way, apparently each person was even given a hardship allowance."
Huang Cheng chuckled hoarsely, sitting up as he unconsciously rubbed his cheek—the spot where he'd been hit with rotten fruit earlier today.
Though he had washed, he found himself repeatedly wiping the area—a reminder of the humiliation he had suffered.
"In the end, it's all about money," he said, his gaze growing cold, yet tinged with amusement. "I thought it was about winning hearts."
"No different from those merchants rousing people with their schemes. The only difference here is they're richer and spend even more," another staff member added.
Huang Cheng looked at the pile of reports on the desk.
"The old saying is true—when people have money, they often go astray," he said, tapping a report that bore the name 'De Sheng Chang.' "Those who stray must be dealt with. Otherwise, the world descends into chaos."
...…
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(Two updates today)