Although the two spoke in hushed tones and Wang Rong and others had deliberately prevented others from approaching, in this climate where every family was restless and scheming, even a fool could guess Jiang Huanran's intentions with his recent actions.
Naturally, no one believed Jiang Huanran was particularly sincere. Upon receiving the news, various families secretly cursed the Jiang Family for breaking the unwritten rules and taking the lead.
When Jiang Xinde learned of this, he could only sigh and let them be. In the past, he wouldn't have believed a carnivore would suddenly turn vegetarian, but his youngest son's recent diligence and ambition were enough to prove that his desire to marry Hua Zhi wasn't just empty talk. The boy even wanted to improve himself to become worthy of her.
Jiang Xinde wasn't surprised by this outcome. Not only did Hua Zhi have no interest in his son, but even if she did, she wouldn't agree. Huanran simply couldn't protect her. With such a wealth-bringing deity in the family, who would let her go unused? He admitted he wouldn't be able to resist either.
In the end, this result wasn't bad. Given Hua Zhi's character, she would likely feel indebted to Huanran to some extent and wouldn't forget the Jiang Family when opportunities arose in the future. It was an unexpected gain.
Thinking of his son who hadn't left his room since returning, Jiang Xinde ordered everyone not to disturb him. Such matters would fade with time—he too had experienced youthful infatuation and understood those feelings.
Meanwhile, the Hua family's carriage drove directly into the front courtyard. Seeing the man holding up the curtain, Hua Zhi raised an eyebrow and looked at him with an amused, knowing expression, making no move to disembark.
Gu Yanxi, adept at reading her mood, climbed into the carriage himself.
"... " The servants exchanged glances. Su Momo coughed lightly, signaling the others to disperse while she personally kept watch nearby. The senior maids covered their mouths to hide their laughter—their young mistress certainly had him wrapped around her finger.
Sitting beside A Zhi, Gu Yanxi touched her slightly cool cheek, then removed his cloak and wrapped it around her. "You've heard?"
"As the person involved, I was probably the last to know."
Gu Yanxi smiled. "It's just a trivial matter. Not knowing doesn't matter."
"If it were truly trivial, you wouldn't have added more people around me." Hua Zhi was somewhat displeased. Being prepared and unprepared were two completely different things. Had she known their intentions, she would have been wary from the start—considering potential dangers whether going out or doing anything else, rather than moving about today without any caution.
This incident served as a wake-up call. All her information came from Yanxi and his Seven Constellation Bureau. If these two sources were cut off, she'd be left blind and deaf. Ultimately, she needed her own intelligence network, but that was easier said than done. Building such a channel required personnel first, then time—and she lacked both.
"Don't be angry." Gu Yanxi held her hand, rubbing it to warm her. "I was just... jealous."
Hua Zhi hadn't been that angry to begin with, and his frank admission dissipated her remaining irritation. She glanced at him and snorted. "You certainly know what works on me."
Gu Yanxi smiled, pressing her hand against his cheek, his eyes filled with tender affection. "I'm angry too. If they were all like Jiang Huanran, I might respect them more. But they only want to use you for their family's benefit, without any genuine feelings. I'd like to whip them until their faces are covered in welts. I've stationed enough people around you—if they don't resort to tricks, fine. But if they try any underhanded tactics..."Gu Yanxi smiled, but it was a cold and detached expression. "I'll make them understand what true agony means."
Hua Zhi vigorously rubbed his face with both hands. "That smile isn't the least bit appealing. Give me back my gentle sweetheart."
The power of the words "sweetheart" was immense. Gu Yanxi was immediately pleased, visibly shedding his coldness bit by bit as subtle smiles crept into the corners of his eyes and brows.
Hua Zhi rewardingly kissed his lips, but when Gu Yanxi leaned in to pursue more, she pulled back and covered his mouth. "Speak properly."
Gu Yanxi didn't argue about who was failing to speak properly. He nodded and began speaking earnestly, "I want to wait for the right moment to bring The Heir to the forefront and formally announce your engagement using his status as The Heir."
Hua Zhi thought for a moment. "In that case, several princes in the palace, Haoyue, and perhaps other interested parties would guess that the leader of the Seven Constellation Bureau is The Heir."
"If there is no leader of the Seven Constellation Bureau after me, these issues will no longer matter. The original purpose of the mask was to guard against the complex relationships within the imperial family, maintaining the Seven Constellation Bureau's independence to the greatest extent and preventing control by parents or relatives for any reason. Traditionally, the leader of the Seven Constellation Bureau only needed to pledge loyalty to the Emperor. But these restrictions are useless to me. Ling Wang should thank heaven and earth that I don't cause him trouble. As for others—who would dare?"
"Don't rush this decision. Let's observe further." Hua Zhi still felt uneasy. She instinctively believed that if Yanxi proceeded this way, it would provoke the Emperor's fury. She didn't care whether the Emperor treated her well or poorly, but Yanxi did. The small amount of concern the Emperor had shown him was among the rare warmth he had experienced over the past decade. Since the Emperor had only a few years left to live, it would be good to preserve this relationship.
Thinking this, Hua Zhi emphasized, "You must discuss it with me before deciding to do this."
"As you wish."
Sweetened by these words, Hua Zhi suddenly remembered his earlier mention of Jiang Huanran. Clearly, he knew what had happened on the road. Though rejecting someone's deep affection wasn't inherently right or wrong, she still felt indebted. "Don't cause trouble for the Jiang Family. Regardless of what other members of the Jiang Family might be planning, Jiang Huanran's openness and honesty are rare."
"Overestimating himself. How dare he claim he can protect you? He can't even withstand the pressure from his own Jiang Family."
"He did his best, given his circumstances."
Gu Yanxi looked at A Zhi, who kept defending Jiang Huanran, and leaned closer, his tone carrying a hint of danger. "Think highly of him, do you?"
"When we first met, he was still a spoiled young master. Now he's settled down, and his eyes show determination. Given time, he might achieve something... Mmm..."
Gu Yanxi fiercely kissed the lips that spoke of another man's virtues, his heart sour with jealousy. After a long while, he released her swollen, red lips and murmured against her forehead, "You've never given me such high praise."
Hua Zhi nearly laughed aloud. Was he actually feeling wronged now?
"You can kiss me—can he? You can hold me—can he? You can come and go as you please—can he? You can..." Her lips were sealed again, but unlike the previous storm, this kiss was noticeably gentler, as if in apology.
Pushing his face away, Hua Zhi rubbed it vigorously. She couldn't bring herself to quarrel with a man who cared for her so deeply. When it came to feelings, if you liked someone, you should be together properly; if you didn't, you should part ways. There was no need for conflict—feelings couldn't be forced through arguments, but they could certainly be driven away by them.After tidying up slightly, Hua Zhi put on her hood and stepped down from the carriage. Keeping her head lowered to conceal her lips, at least superficially, the two appeared to have maintained proper boundaries. Of course, this couldn’t escape the notice of her personal maid.
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