An Xin said, "You're smart!"
Yan Zhen said lazily, "After all, Lord An gave me a jar of osmanthus wine. I have to give him face since I'm being so kind as to accept his gift."
An Xin: "..." So that Buddha statue was actually her family's jar of osmanthus wine!
"Madam An has been coughing incessantly for the past few days..." An Xin couldn't help but feel worried, and was waiting for him to continue, but unexpectedly, there was no more to say!
An Xin casually lifted the curtain and said, "Dewdrop, let's hitch a ride back and tell Brother Yang that we don't need to hire a carriage anymore."
Dewdrop opened her eyes wide and said, "Miss, Constable Yang said he would personally escort us to the capital."
An Xin said calmly, "Brother Yang is busy with official duties, how could he have time to take us to the capital? I'll decline." Once she made a decision, she would never change it.
The dewdrop immediately and obediently agreed.
Upon arriving home, An Xin jumped off the carriage to pack her belongings, only to find someone already waiting outside. Wang Yihe greeted her, saying, "Sister Xin'er, I specially hired a carriage to take you to the capital..."
"No need." An Xin entered the courtyard without stopping.
Wang Yihe suddenly froze on the spot.
Yan Zhen got off the carriage, but paused at the door. Her embroidered folding fan partially covered her face, and her eyes swept coldly over Wang Yihe.
Wang Yihe, who was standing there stiffly, suddenly widened his eyes.
When he met that cool gaze, Wang Yihe felt as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over his head, chilling him to the bone in an instant.
Yan Zhen waved his folding fan and slowly walked into the courtyard. Minghe followed and whispered, "This man is Wang Yihe, the son of the village elder. He passed the imperial examination at the beginning of the year... It is said that he and Miss An have been childhood sweethearts..."
"Then let him be a scholar for the rest of his life," Yan Zhen said calmly.
Minghe glanced at Wang Yihe with sympathy and twitched her lips: "Yes!" No wonder the adults were so heartless; after all, Wang Yihe was An Xin's childhood friend!
An Xin has very few belongings; she has always preferred to travel simply, and besides, there's not much to take care of in this house.
Yan Zhen wandered around her room, then her gaze fell on a table on one side, where several sheets of paper were scattered haphazardly. She picked one up at random, and her face immediately darkened when she saw the words "Opening".
An Xin casually packed a package, then turned around and snatched the letter away, unusually flustered, saying, "What are you looking at! Don't you know it's shameful to pry into other people's privacy?!"
Yan Zhen's eyes flashed with a faint coldness, but her words made An Xin's lips twitch: "If you're not satisfied, you can watch me."
"I'm not sick!" An Xin glared at him, then casually put away the letters. All the letters she had sent to Jing Lan had been lost in the sea of letters. Over time, she lost the will to send them and kept them.
It was a hard feeling to explain, like someone had seen through her secrets. However, she had never liked to hide anything, so she felt inexplicably embarrassed and uncomfortable.
Yan Zhen said, "I never expected that the Left Prime Minister would catch your eye..." He couldn't finish his sour words. He was proud and noble, and he never expected that he would be jealous of his rival. His expression turned somewhat unpleasant.
An Xin glanced at him and said, "The Left Prime Minister is renowned throughout the land, a true gentleman. What's so strange about him catching my eye?"
Yan Zhen said calmly, "There's nothing strange about it. It's just that the Left Prime Minister is engaged. You may treat him well, but he may not reciprocate with the same kindness!"
An Xin was taken aback: "A marriage contract?"
Yan Zhen's voice grew even more indifferent: "At that time, when the Left Prime Minister gets married, I will naturally take you to see the bride's beauty, and then you will know what a perfect match it is."
An Xin felt inexplicably depressed, but the strange and persistent feeling made her too lazy to think about it deeply. She simply said, "Okay, it's a deal."
Yan Zhen looked at her quietly for a moment, then suddenly smiled and said, "The Left Prime Minister is gone, but there is still the Right Prime Minister. It's just a difference of one word."
An Xin glanced at him and said, "A single word makes all the difference."
Yan Zhen raised the corner of his lips and said, "The Prime Minister and the Left Prime Minister are like a cloud and mud."
An Xin chuckled coldly twice. She glanced at the letter in her hand, and for no reason, a ripple of emotion stirred within her. After thinking for a moment, she casually lit the white candle and then tossed it into the brazier.
Yan Zhen suddenly raised the corners of her lips, casually took the other letters from her hand, and said, "I'll help you."
An Xin shoved everything into his hands and turned to pack her bags.
Yan Zhen glanced at the letters, a cold glint flashing in his eyes. He casually tossed them aside, and the envelopes landed in the brazier, gradually turning to ashes.
---Aside---
Sorry ladies, the internet was down this morning. Some readers left comments saying they couldn't read the VIP chapters, and I'll check with customer service. Also, the duplicate chapters in chapter 44 have been corrected and won't affect reading. Those who have already read them don't need to reread them. Because I'm very busy at work, I might not be able to reply to all the comments, but I will read them all. Thank you all for your monthly tickets, diamonds, flowers, and reviews. I don't have time to list them all, but I truly love you all. Regardless of the results, this story will have a beginning and an end; it won't end abruptly. Please read with confidence. (Group chat)
Chapter Forty-Nine: Sacrificing Family for the greater good
The carriage was extremely spacious, and everything was arranged with great care. For example, the teacups were intricately carved gold cups, the wine cups were intricately carved gold goblets, and the tea was top-grade West Lake Longjing tea...
Dewdrop volunteered to drive with Minghe, and Anxin gave her some rare instructions. Yan Zhen smiled and said from the side, "This girl is just like that by nature. To imprison her nature is tantamount to murder."
Minghe thought to herself that it was rare for the adults to speak up for others, but this girl had really hit the jackpot today, managing to win the adults' protection.
An Xin: "..."
The carriage was furnished with bookshelves, and An Xin casually picked one out. It was indeed a copy of "The Unofficial History of Dayi," and she raised an eyebrow, saying, "The Right Prime Minister reads this?"
Yan Zhen glanced at it, then casually poured her a glass of water and handed it to her, saying, "Unofficial histories are not necessarily all fictional; a large part of them can reflect people's lives."
An Xin was quite surprised that the all-powerful Right Chancellor could utter the words "people's livelihood." She casually took the waterway and said, "But it seems that there are more criticisms of the current Right Chancellor in these unofficial histories. The dignified Mo Shanghua is described as an utterly wicked and treacherous person!"
Yan Zhen smiled and said, "Xin'er, it seems you're feeling indignant on my behalf?"
An Xin said calmly, "Those who are not in a position cannot meddle in its affairs, nor do they know the hardships of governing. Rumors spread by falsehoods are naturally unreliable. How could the Right Chancellor be so wicked and treacherous? He is clearly unpredictable and wicked. Ten unofficial histories could not capture even a fraction of his character!"
Yan Zhen's eyes shimmered with the light of spring, and she slightly raised the corners of her lips as she said, "It's lonely at the top, but thankfully I have Xin'er who understands me."
An Xin's lips twitched slightly as she pointed to an illustration in the unofficial history and said, "This artist certainly has a unique eye."