He grasped her wrist, his thin lips parting as warm breath brushed against her face, causing the woman to blush with flustered heat.
"You—let go!"
Yan Zheng didn’t release her. Instead, with a mischievous glint, he lightly traced his fingers over her pulse point.
A shiver ran through her entire body. Just as Chu Ruoyan was about to scold him, the sound of carriage wheels rolled in from outside, followed by Chu Huaishan’s voice: "Are all the young ladies in the residence? None have wandered off, I hope?"
She immediately stiffened, falling silent. Yet Yan Zheng, for some unfathomable reason, lifted a corner of the carriage curtain.
"!!!"
A gasp caught in her throat. She swiftly reached out to pull his hand away.
With a deft twist of his wrist, Yan Zheng stopped her, then pressed her forward so that through the gap in the curtain, she could just catch a glimpse of Chu Huaishan entering the estate.
"Ah-Yan, weren’t you going to scold me? Go on, say it~"
The rogue deliberately whispered in her ear, his warm breath teasing, but she dared not utter a single word, trembling as she endured until her father disappeared inside.
"Yan Zheng, you scoundrel!"
She raised her hand to strike him, but the wretch didn’t even flinch, merely grinning at her.
The slap never landed. After glaring at him for a long moment, Chu Ruoyan sneered, "Fine. So the Marquis of Anning has come to torment me. Well, I won’t entertain you any longer!"
She flung the carriage curtain aside and made to leave. Yan Zheng’s heart lurched. "Ah-Yan, I was wrong!"
Chu Ruoyan scoffed. "How could I dare accept such an apology? The Marquis is always quick to admit fault but never changes!"
Realizing she was genuinely angry, Yan Zheng hurriedly said, "It’s my fault, but you should at least hear about An Sheng’s schemes. Your second sister’s misfortune was entirely her doing—even Consort Xue has become a blade in her hands..."
Chu Ruoyan barely suppressed her fury, listening as he laid out the whole truth. Her almond eyes widened. "So, according to you, An Sheng obstructed Great Xia’s military campaign to collude with the southern barbarians and force a peace treaty. But what does she gain?"
"Plenty. Chaos in the court lets her fish in troubled waters. Or successive defeats erode the Emperor’s public support..."
"You’re missing one thing, aren’t you? Ensuring Prince Qin—a powerful ally—becomes your brother-in-law, all to smooth the Marquis of Anning’s path to rebellion, correct?" The more Chu Ruoyan spoke, the angrier she grew. Thinking of her heartbroken second sister, she seized his collar. "Marquis, you and yours scheme for grand ambitions, but do you realize how easily a single plot can ruin a woman’s life?"
Yan Zheng quickly distanced himself. "She acted alone! I had no part in it!"
"Hmph! And she did it for you!" Remembering his earlier mischief, Chu Ruoyan turned and leapt out of the carriage. "If you’ve no urgent business, the Marquis need not visit my residence anytime soon!"
Back to "Marquis" again!
Yan Zheng massaged his temples, still pondering how to appease her, when Meng Yang poked his head in. "Young Master, the young mistress seems furious. Truly furious?"
Yan Zheng’s gaze darkened. "If you’ve noticed, why are you standing around? Go find out what the young mistress likes—consider it your chance to redeem yourself!"
Meng Yang scurried off, only to return empty-handed.
Yulu stated flatly, "Our young mistress has declared that neither the Marquis nor his people are to set foot near the Bodhi Courtyard anytime soon."
Meng Yang: "..."
Too afraid to report back, he trailed after Yulu like a shadow.
Two days later, Meng Yang procured a wooden box. "Dearest Yulu, this contains Jade Beauty Cream—a hundred taels of gold for just one jar! If you tell me what I need to know, it’s yours!"
Yulu laughed in disbelief. "A hundred taels? How generous! Pity our young mistress has more of this cream than she could ever use. Not long ago, she gifted each of us two jars. Keep your little box for yourself!"
Meng Yang gaped. Was the young mistress truly so extravagant?
Quickly, he pulled out two silver ingots. "Then how about this? Just one thing—name one preference of your mistress’s that we don’t already know, and these are yours!"
Exasperated, Yulu finally relented. "Fine! Our young mistress adores romance novels, especially those by Leisure Hermit—"
Before she could finish, her mistress called from inside. Yulu hastily excused herself, shooting Meng Yang a glare. "You heard? Now scram, and don’t pester me again!"
At the Great Bamboo Bookhouse, the largest repository of books in the capital...
Meng Yang wheeled Yan Zheng inside. Though seated, the noble’s fine silks and commanding presence marked him as no ordinary man.
The manager immediately dismissed his clerks and approached personally. "Might this one inquire what the gentleman seeks?"
Yan Zheng glanced at Meng Yang, who smoothly replied, "My master wishes to find works by... Leisure, Leisure..."
He scratched his head, suddenly blanking on the name.
Yet the manager brightened in understanding. "Ah! Leisure Hermit’s masterpieces, yes? The gentleman has excellent taste! Their works are the most sought-after in the capital right now. The latest volume sold five thousand copies in a month—printing presses can hardly keep up!"
That had to be it!
Meng Yang nodded emphatically. "Yes, Leisure Hermit’s! Bring the newest one!"
But the manager hesitated, eyeing Yan Zheng cautiously. "This... might I presume the gentleman isn’t purchasing this for his own reading?"
Yan Zheng frowned. "What difference does it make?"
The manager coughed awkwardly. "To be frank, Leisure Hermit’s works cater exclusively to female readers."
Yan Zheng understood. Capital bookhouses knew their markets—classics for scholars, romances for ladies. He nodded dismissively. "It’s for... my wife."
The manager beamed. "Ah! In that case, please wait—this one will fetch it at once!"
As he hurried off, the man’s exaggerated wink left Yan Zheng uneasy. He turned to Meng Yang. "Are you certain this is the right author?"
Meng Yang thumped his chest. "Absolutely! I badgered Yulu for two days—no mistake!"
Soon, the manager returned with an elegantly bound volume. "Here you are, sir! Leisure Hermit’s latest masterpiece—'The Tale of Yongniang'! Though the price..."
Meng Yang tossed two silver ingots without hesitation.
The manager nearly tripped over himself bowing. "Many thanks, my lord! Many thanks! If this is for your lady, she’ll surely be delighted—harmony and affection will surely flourish!"
The words painted a pleasing image in Yan Zheng’s mind—Chu Ruoyan’s anger melting into joy. "I’ll take your blessing."
After the noble and his servant departed, a clerk timidly approached. "Manager, buyers of 'The Tale of Yongniang' are either ladies themselves or their maids. This is the first time a man’s come for it... What if he reads it and blames you?"
The manager scoffed. "Fool! That lord’s clearly high-born. Their sort have twisted tastes—who’s to say he didn’t buy it precisely for his wife?"
"But... but 'The Tale of Yongniang' is about one woman taming five men! Would any husband tolerate his wife reading such things?"
The shopkeeper stroked his beard with an inscrutable expression. "You wouldn't understand. Some noble gentlemen prefer it this way. Besides, this master's legs are crippled—who knows if he's incapable in that regard? That's probably why he's seeking such a risqué book for his wife, to spice things up... What a considerate husband. Let’s just hope his wife doesn’t actually take inspiration from Li Yongniang and cuckold him with a lover!"
That very night, Meng Yang delivered the book to Chu Ruoyan.
By candlelight, Chu Ruoyan flipped through the first few pages, puzzled. Since when did the Leisure Hermit adopt such a flowery, scholarly style?
But as she read further...
"Though Li Yongniang was past thirty, her beauty still outshone the blossoms—her skin like snow, her jade-like features, and especially those bewitching eyes that had ensnared countless men. When her cousin, Scholar Zhang, came to visit, he found her bent over a vat of fermenting wine, her gauzy skirt slipping low, revealing a glimpse of intoxicating allure that dazzled his eyes... Scholar Zhang pressed forward, pinning Yongniang against the wall just as her husband, Teacher Zhou, called for her from the courtyard. Yet against that very wall, cousin and sister-in-law melted into hushed, wanton moans—"
SLAM!
Chu Ruoyan slapped the book shut, her face flushing scarlet.
Hearing the commotion, Yulu rushed in to find her mistress leaping to her feet, brandishing the book in outrage. "Are you certain Yan Zheng sent this?!"
