Chapter 119: Deepening Affection (2)

Qi Yin rose from his seat and walked toward Lu Zheng. Seeing his superior stand, Lu Zheng naturally followed suit, rising as well.

Qi Yin gestured for him to sit back down, then personally poured a cup of cool tea and handed it to him. Lu Zheng accepted it with trepidation, watching as Qi Yin took a nearby seat and spoke calmly. “Lord Lu, there’s no need to worry. I’ve summoned you here today only to discuss a minor case.”

Lu Zheng remained uneasy, sitting stiffly with his back slightly bent. “Oh? Ah… what case might this concern? Please enlighten me, Your Excellency.”

Qi Yin’s expression relaxed as he poured himself a cup of tea, tapping the rim of the teacup lightly. To Lu Zheng, however, it felt as if Qi Yin were tapping directly on his spine, sending waves of fear through him. Cold sweat trickled down his neck as Qi Yin continued, “It’s nothing major. I merely heard that there has been some unrest in the textile guild recently—a matter involving loss of life.”

Lu Zheng, despite his relatively young age, was no ordinary official. He prided himself on his ability to read between the lines. Hearing Qi Yin’s vague words, his mind quickly began to race.

What kind of person was Qi Yin? Matters as significant as wars between nations barely occupied his thoughts—how could something as trivial as the textile guild warrant his attention? Clearly, someone had overstepped their bounds and incurred the wrath of the young master.

Lu Zheng’s mind worked swiftly. Sitting in his position required not only access to information but also an acute understanding of the intricate web of relationships within the court. Misjudging who to offend or which cases to handle improperly could spell the end of his career. After a moment of reflection, he immediately thought of the rumors surrounding Qi Yin’s deeply hidden lover—a young woman rumored to be involved in the textile trade in Jiankang. Could it be that she had clashed with the guild?

It must be so! Otherwise, even if the guild were bold, how dare they provoke Qi Yin directly!

As Lu Zheng pieced together the situation, his initial panic subsided slightly. He concluded that this matter likely didn’t involve him directly. However, just as he began to relax, another realization struck him—the textile guild belonged to the Fu family.

Though the Fu family had declined, they were still one of the three great families. A man like him, without powerful backing, could never afford to offend them. This… this conflict between Qi Yin and the Fu family left him caught in the middle. How could he possibly navigate such perilous waters?

From the sidelines, Qi Yin observed Lu Zheng’s shifting expressions and knew he had grasped the implications.

He casually placed his teacup on the table, the faint sound causing Lu Zheng to flinch as if startled.

Unperturbed, Qi Yin continued, “I hear there is a steward named Yang Dong in the textile guild who has been acting arrogantly. The incident this time is quite serious. If I hadn’t known about it, perhaps I wouldn’t have intervened, but now that I do, I cannot simply ignore it.”

Lu Zheng broke into a heavier sweat, nodding repeatedly and murmuring his agreement.

Qi Yin glanced at him and added, “The Ministry of Justice falls under your jurisdiction, Lord Lu. It would be inappropriate for me to interfere. I thought it best to consult with you first.”

He paused, then added nonchalantly, “If you find this matter difficult to handle, we can always set it aside for now.”

Upon hearing these words, Lu Zheng’s heart sank further.

After years in the bureaucracy, he understood perfectly what Qi Yin meant. Though the young master’s tone was polite, if he dared to shelve the matter, the blame would inevitably shift from the guild to himself.

Qi Yin was truly enraged!

Swallowing hard, Lu Zheng wiped the sweat from his brow and cautiously ventured, “Such outrageous behavior! I must admit my negligence in failing to notice earlier. Now that I am aware, I will act promptly to rectify the situation and ensure no delay.”

After finishing, he heard Qi Yin respond with a faint “Mm,” seemingly satisfied with his response. Lu Zheng wiped more sweat and, gauging Qi Yin’s expression, asked carefully, “However… when it comes to passing judgment, there are always degrees of severity. May I ask how you wish this matter to be handled?”

He was asking whether Qi Yin wanted a lenient or harsh sentence.

A lenient punishment would imply a mere warning, not a severe consequence. But a harsh sentence…

Lu Zheng held his breath, waiting anxiously. Finally, Qi Yin spoke, “Handle it impartially, Lord Lu. There is no need to show favoritism.”

These words sent a chill through Lu Zheng.

Impartial handling… That essentially meant a severe sentence!

What had the textile guild done to provoke Qi Yin to such an extent? Was he willing to confront the Fu family itself to see them punished?

Panic gripped Lu Zheng. He had no idea how to proceed. Just then, Qi Yin cast him a meaningful glance and said, “The laws of Jiangzuo were largely established by the Ministry of Justice. Simply follow them impartially, and leave the rest to me.”

Lu Zheng understood. By saying the rest was not his concern, Qi Yin was giving him full authority to pass judgment, regardless of consequences or whom it offended. Qi Yin would shoulder all responsibility.

With this assurance, Lu Zheng felt relieved.

Who was Qi Yin? In all of Jiangzuo, there was nothing he couldn’t handle. With his guarantee, Lu Zheng felt emboldened—even if it meant arresting or punishing members of the Fu family itself.

No longer sweating coldly, Lu Zheng bowed deeply to his superior and delivered a righteous speech about upholding the law, earning apparent approval. After sharing a brief moment of tea with Qi Yin, he respectfully took his leave.

By the time Lu Zheng departed, it was nearly the hour of Hai. Qi Yin was utterly exhausted.

Yet, he was still thinking of Shen Xiling.

And… he desperately wanted to see her.

At this very moment, tonight, he longed to see her.

He found himself utterly absurd—not only had he developed feelings for the girl he had raised himself, but now he couldn’t even bear to wait. It was ridiculous. Yet, longing was undeniable. He felt that if he didn’t see her tonight, he would be unable to sleep again—even though he was already exhausted.

Qi Yin sighed, hesitating.

He had told Shen Xiling he would return in a few days, yet he was already contemplating returning tonight. However, Fenghe Garden was quite a distance from the Chancellery. Even on horseback, the journey would take at least half an hour. By the time he arrived, she would likely already be asleep, and he probably wouldn’t see her. Moreover, he had to attend court early the next morning. The round trip would be too exhausting…

Qi Yin listed several reasons why he shouldn’t return to Fenghe Garden tonight. Yet, in the end… he went anyway.

This irrational decision made him mock himself inwardly, reflecting wryly on how overwhelming longing could be. Was it truly such a merciless thing?

When Qi Yin entered Fenghe Garden, it was past the middle of the Hai hour.

Qing Zhu followed closely, observing his master’s expression. He intended to ask if Qi Yin wished to eat first, but seeing him stride purposefully toward Woyu Courtyard, Qing Zhu realized his master’s thoughts were entirely consumed by the little lady. He wisely held his tongue.

Arriving at Woyu Courtyard, Qing Zhu noticed the lights were off, and there was no one keeping watch outside. This was unusual.

Without waiting for instructions, Qing Zhu searched the servants’ quarters and woke Zijun, asking why no one was on night duty in Woyu Courtyard.

Zijun, groggy from sleep, stepped outside and saw the master had returned. Startled awake, he hastily bowed and replied, “Tonight, the young miss… slept in Huaijin Courtyard. Fengchang is on night duty there…”

Qing Zhu was taken aback, glancing subtly at his master, who also appeared momentarily stunned but soon softened.

Like the bright moonlight of this night.

Outside Huaijin Courtyard, Fengchang was drowsily leaning against the door, dozing. She vaguely heard approaching footsteps and opened her eyes blearily, only to see the master returning. Like Zijun, she jolted awake and scrambled to bow.

But Qi Yin waved her off, signaling her to remain silent so as not to disturb whoever was resting inside.

Fengchang understood, bowing her head and watching as Qi Yin entered the room. As she looked up, Qing Zhu signaled to her—it seemed she wouldn’t need to stay on duty tonight.

Inside, the lights were extinguished, save for a single candle left burning in the outer chamber. The inner room was dim, and it seemed the occupant was already asleep.

Qi Yin quietly entered the inner chamber, first catching a faint, intoxicating scent—hers. It differed from the usual atmosphere of the room, evoking a sense of gentle intoxication.

He approached the bed and gently lifted the bed curtains. By the faint moonlight filtering through the window, he saw her peacefully curled up in the blankets, sleeping soundly just as she had the previous night. She looked comfortable, resembling a small cat coiled up with its tail tucked in.

The sight made Qi Yin’s heart soften beyond measure.

He slowly sat beside the bed.

Seeing her, even though she was asleep and they hadn’t exchanged a word, he felt a faint joy. His restless heart, agitated all day, suddenly found peace and became content.

The spring night stretched endlessly.

Qi Yin gazed at her silently for a while, gently tucking the blanket around her before preparing to rise. He had returned from outside, still carrying the night’s chill, and didn’t want to pass it on to her.

Before he could stand, Shen Xiling stirred awake. She had been sleeping lightly, and despite his careful movements, she had woken.

Blearily opening her eyes, she saw him but didn’t immediately register his presence, her expression hazy, as if she thought she was dreaming.

Qi Yin was amused by her expression and called softly, “Wenwen?”

His voice was real, and Shen Xiling finally snapped out of her daze, realizing the person before her was truly him.

Overjoyed, she immediately shook off her sleepiness and sat up, throwing herself into his arms. Clinging tightly to him, she said, “Why have you come back…”

Her happiness was palpable, and her dependence on him was evident. Qi Yin felt her emotions and held her firmly, his eyes smiling as he whispered, “Did I wake you?”

Shen Xiling nestled against him, shaking her head continuously, refusing to let go. Softly, she murmured, “I thought it would be a long time before I could see you again…”

Her words were simple, but her tone carried an underlying tenderness that stirred both their hearts. Their breathing grew slightly labored.

Qi Yin held her waist, enveloped by the lingering fragrance of her scent, which now seemed especially alluring. He whispered in her ear, “Why did you sleep here tonight?”