Yun Lie patted Xiong Xiaoyi on the shoulder, "No rush. Since someone has gone to great lengths to get me back to the capital, they certainly won't let me get away from Linchuan so easily."
They have plenty of time to investigate slowly, and the scope has now been narrowed down to just Luo Cuiwei and Huang Jingru.
Xiong Xiaoyi nodded solemnly, then said, "What about the calligraphy and paintings from a few days ago..."
Before we could even find the creditors for the old debts, we've already incurred new ones. Tsk.
“Write it down,” Yun Lie pushed open the study door and went in. “Once we get through this difficult time, we’ll have to repay Luo Cuiwei in the future.”
Although Yun Lie suspected that Luo Cuiwei's deliberate approach was for ulterior motives, he would settle things separately and make sure he paid the price.
4. Chapter Four
When the calligraphy and paintings that came with the Luo family's visiting card were sent earlier, Yun Lie did not delve into their intentions.
After all, the New Year was approaching, and large merchants and minor officials took the opportunity to send New Year's gifts to the homes of distant relatives of the imperial family and important officials, many of which were intended to curry favor and establish connections.
Such incidents happen every year. With festivals as a cover, even the censors and officials who are usually quick to find fault won't say much. It's an unwritten rule in the capital.
Although he wasn't considered particularly prominent among the princes, he had been in power for many years. In previous years, it wouldn't have mattered if he wasn't present at this time, but this year he happened to return to the capital before the New Year, and naturally, some shrewd people included him in the list of those to be taken care of. Speaking of the major merchants in the capital, besides the Luo family, the Xu family in the north of the city also sent New Year's gifts of appropriate value.
He was worried about winter food and clothing in Linchuan, and with the thought that he could scrape together as much as he could, he shamelessly accepted the money.
Luo Cuiwei personally came to his door and offered to spend money to buy a few leaves from him, which he found a bit strange. He instinctively felt that he should try to minimize contact with her.
However, since he had personally promised her that she could come to collect the purple-backed sunflower leaves every day, he couldn't bring himself to go back on his word. After thinking it over, he instructed the head steward, Chen An, that from now on, when Luo Cuiwei came each day, he didn't need to inform him; Chen An could simply greet her according to proper etiquette.
The following afternoon, Yun Lie and Xiong Xiaoyi were bored, so they dragged a few guards to practice their martial arts in the small training ground behind the palace.
The chaotic battle raged on until nearly late afternoon, lasting almost an hour before finally ceasing.
"Uncle Chen, what's wrong?" Yun Lie took the towel handed to him by someone, wiping the sweat from his face as he looked at Chen An who was rushing over.
The head steward stepped closer and reported to Yun Lie, "The Luo family girl has arrived. She says she wishes to meet Your Highness."
Upon hearing the word "girl," Xiong Xiaoyi's tiger-like eyes immediately lit up with a bright, teasing glint, and he grinned as he approached.
As if he had eyes in the back of his head, Yun Lie slapped him on the forehead and pushed him away, saying to the boss, "I won't see her. She wants the purple-backed sunflower leaves, let her take them herself."
“But she said that she almost caused a great disaster yesterday, and it was thanks to Your Highness’s help that she was able to save her life,” Chen An carefully observed Yun Lie’s expression, “and this ‘life-saving grace’ must be expressed in person to show our respect.”
At this moment, the old steward's weathered face was etched with doubt in every wrinkle. He remembered that His Highness hadn't left the mansion yesterday, and he truly didn't know where the "life-saving grace" that Miss Luo spoke of came from.
Not wanting to be left out, Xiong Xiaoyi came over again, laughing strangely, "Oh, a hero saving a damsel in distress?"
"What's it to you? Get out of here." Yun Lie kicked him with his heel, then frowned and thought for a moment.
Oh, that imperial vase.
His brows furrowed even more. "Take her to the main hall and wait there."
****
Yun Lie first went to the study to retrieve the sachet that Luo Cuiwei had left behind yesterday, and then headed to the main hall.
Yesterday, he caught the vase, saving her from the charge of "damaging a gift from the emperor." Today, she insists on thanking him in person, and her words are perfectly acceptable in terms of social etiquette. He has no choice but to bite the bullet and go see her.
But after this incident, he couldn't help but cautiously suspect that the seemingly unintentionally lost sachet was also part of Luo Cuiwei's plan.
To avoid the sachet becoming another excuse for her to insist on seeing him tomorrow, he decided to return it today.
Xiong Xiaoyi kept asking questions as he followed Yun Lie around, but Yun Lie refused to reveal a single word. This made Xiong Xiaoyi even more curious, so he simply followed him all the way to the main hall.
In the hall, Luo Cuiwei was still sitting in the same spot as yesterday.
Perhaps hearing the noise at the door, she turned her head and saw Yun Lie, then stood up with a faint smile.
“No need for formalities,” Yun Lie waved his hand casually, walked straight up to her, and handed her the sachet. “This is what you left behind yesterday.”
His expression and movements were full of defensiveness, as if he wanted to say, "Thank me quickly and leave as soon as you're done."
Luo Cuiwei was taken aback for a moment, then quickly took the sachet with both hands and put it away, and solemnly presented him with a thank-you gift.
Then, she turned around, picked up an exquisite rosewood food box with gold trim from the coffee table, and handed it to Yun Lie with a sincere smile.
“The vase from yesterday may be a trivial matter to Your Highness, but it saved my life. I could never thank you enough. However, gold and silver are too much to ask, and I was afraid that Your Highness would find it difficult to accept them. So I made some small snacks by hand as a small gift. Please do not refuse it.”
On the way here, Yun Lie had already thought that his current situation was already delicate. If he were to be tricked and given some leverage, the Linchuan Army would have an even harder time.
If she were to offer him a large sum of gold, silver, or other valuables as a way of thanking him for the vase yesterday, he would absolutely refuse. After all, the whole thing seemed increasingly suspicious, and even if he were desperate for money, he wouldn't be foolish enough to jump into a trap that looked suspicious.
But Luo Cuiwei was really cunning; she didn't follow the usual rules!
A box of "handmade" pastries was a sincere and thoughtful gesture; if he refused, it would seem too cold-hearted.
The food box had three layers, and she didn't know what was inside. She seemed to be holding it with some difficulty.
Yun Lie suppressed his inexplicable irritation and took the box with less-than-gentle movements, opening it right in front of her.
He was afraid that the cunning girl might be up to something with the food box, and he wouldn't feel at ease unless he confirmed it in person.
The three food boxes all contained the same thing: round, turquoise dumplings, each one perfectly round and neatly arranged in a row.
"After returning home yesterday, I picked shepherd's purse from the vegetable patch in my kitchen. It took me almost half an hour to chop it, but the head chef still complained that I didn't chop it finely enough. I can't make any pretty shapes, so it can only be round like this. I hope Your Highness will forgive me."