Ties of Love, Ruan Wan

After Xia Changfeng left, Yu Jie told Linglong about Xia Changfeng talking and holding hands with Ruan Wan.

Linglong's expression changed drastically, all traces of her previous composure and dignity vanishing. "That Ruan Wan, even after marriage, still clings to His Highness. How shameless! We can't keep someone like her around."

A glint of ruthlessness flashed in Linglong's eyes, but it vanished in an instant. She smiled and instructed Yujie beside her, "Let Lou Qianyuan know what just happened."

Yu Jie smiled and said, "I've already spoken with the wife of the Kyoto garrison commander; she knows what to do."

Linglong nodded in satisfaction. "You're really smart. Smart people live longer."

For this full moon celebration, only Rong Yufen was able to take charge of the inner quarters, but she was a complete incompetent and useless person.

Fortunately, the Empress knew she was incompetent and sent her personal maid, Granny Qiu, to help, along with the Prince's servants, so things didn't get completely chaotic.

Rong Yufen was busy greeting the women outside, while Granny Qiu stood to the side.

After exchanging a few pleasantries with the ladies, Granny Qiu bowed to Rong Yufen and said coldly, "The concubine shouldn't have acted like the mistress. The only masters of this mansion are His Highness and the Princess Consort. This is overstepping your bounds."

Rong Yufen was so annoyed by Granny Qiu that she felt like she had no will to live. Every word she said, Granny Qiu would find fault with. It wasn't like she had chosen to take charge of this matter.

She must have been so full to host the full-month celebration for the matriarch of the household that she was so eager to do it.

Rong Yufen looked at the guests coming and going to offer their congratulations, then looked down at her belly, wondering when she would have her own child, and when her child would be able to celebrate its one-month birthday.

Ruan Wan sat at the same table with the other princesses as before. The old princesses and dowager princesses did not attend, as it was acceptable not to attend the full moon celebration of the younger generation.

This time, the princesses weren't as united as they were at the New Year's banquet; each of them had their own thoughts and concerns.

The Third Princess remained silent throughout the entire meeting. Xia Ziru's escort of Duomuhe had resulted in this incident, and his punishment will likely be announced after the peace talks conclude.

Therefore, she dared not say more, fearing that someone might deliberately try to shift the blame onto the Third Prince.

The other princesses harbored various grievances, for they hadn't received the same treatment when they gave birth.

Before the baby was even a month old, the Empress bestowed a name upon him, the Emperor granted him a title, and almost all the powerful officials in the capital came to offer their congratulations.

This means taking sides completely, even though the factional struggle has always been between the Third Prince's faction and the Seventh Prince's faction.

However, if the Third Prince falls from power this time, His Majesty may support another prince instead.

The emperor is in good health and it is not yet time to pass the throne to him, so he will certainly not allow Xia Changfeng to become the sole ruler.

They had no interest in dealing with Ruan Wan, and the meal was eaten peacefully and without incident.

Even Rong Yufen, who is usually quite troublesome, was very well-behaved throughout the entire process because of Granny Qiu by her side.

On the carriage ride back, Ruan Wan leaned on Lou Qianyuan's shoulder; she was a little tired.

How can there be so many social obligations in the capital? Today it's someone's birthday, someone else's baby, and tomorrow someone else's wedding.

Fortunately, most of them only required sending someone to deliver a gift. Even so, the remaining banquets still left Ruan Wan feeling exhausted.

After the carriage had been gone for a while, Ruan Wan noticed that the atmosphere inside the carriage was a bit strange. Lou Qianyuan hadn't said a word the whole time, and he hadn't drunk too much either.

Ruan Wan tried to look up at him, but Lou Qianyuan reached out and pressed her head against his shoulder. "Don't move."

Ruan Wan turned her head to the side, then pinched Lou Qianyuan's chin, forcing him to look at her. "What's wrong with you? Why is your face so dark?"

Lou Qianyuan suddenly looked like he was about to cry. "Wan'er, did you go to see Changfeng?"

Ruan Wan sat up. "Who told you that?"

Lou Qianyuan held his head in his hands, looking at Ruan Wan with disbelief. "You actually went to see him?"

Ruan Wan rolled her eyes. "I went to congratulate someone on their daughter's one-month celebration. I was already at their house, how could I not see them?"

Lou Qianyuan said indignantly, "They said you met him in private."

"Can they see us in private? And who exactly are they?"

Lou Qianyuan was suddenly stunned. Indeed, if it were in private, how could they have seen him!

Lou Qianyuan grabbed Ruan Wan's arm and asked, "So what exactly happened?"

Ruan Wan truthfully replied, "I went to the backyard to visit Linglong. I saw Xia Changfeng when I went out, we exchanged a few words, that's all."

Lou Qianyuan breathed a sigh of relief, but immediately straightened up again. "What did you say to Changfeng?"

Ruan Wan knew that if she didn't tell him, he definitely wouldn't give up and would probably bother her all night. "I told him to stay away from me and not let Rong Yufen and Linglong harm me anymore."

Lou Qianyuan breathed a sigh of relief, smiled, and sat down next to Ruan Wan, linking his arm with hers. "I knew you and Changfeng were innocent."

Ruan Wan frowned at Lou Qianyuan, pulled her hand away, and moved it to the side. "You just don't believe me. The other day when I went to see Liang Kun, Ah Jin told you, and you rushed back in a hurry. And today, you have the same dark face."

Lou Qianyuan smiled obsequiously, sat down beside her, and took Ruan Wan's hand. "No, it's just that too many people have their eyes on you, and I'm scared."

Ruan Wan withdrew her hand and moved a little to the side. "That's because they're thinking about me, not the other way around. What are you afraid of?"

Ruan Wan moved a little to the side, and Lou Qianyuan followed a little closer, the two of them chasing each other inside the car.

The carriage swayed from side to side, and Ah Jin, the driver, shouted loudly, "Hey, young master and madam, don't move around! The carriage is going to overturn!"

Lou Qianyuan grabbed Ruan Wan's hand, pulled her close, and hugged her tightly. "Did you hear me? Don't run around, the car's going to overturn."

Ruan Wan tried desperately to break free from Lou Qianyuan, but she couldn't. Lou Qianyuan pleaded softly, "Wan'er, I was wrong. Please forgive me this once. I really won't do it again."

Suddenly, laughter came from outside the carriage. Ruan Wan blushed instantly. Did the people outside think they were doing *that* in the carriage?

Ruan Wan huddled in Lou Qianyuan's arms, not daring to make a sound.

Lou Qianyuan shouted sternly, "Ah Jin, why are you stopping instead of leaving!"

Ah Jin immediately waved his whip, "Young master and madam, the carriage is about to depart, please don't move!"

At this moment, Ruan Wan wished she could rush out and kick A Jin off the carriage.

When he returned to the manor, Haiping had been waiting at the gate for a long time. Upon seeing the carriage, Haiping went to greet it.

Lou Qianyuan carefully helped Ruan Wan down, then asked, "Have you brought Uncle Li back yet?"

Haiping said with a bitter face, "Young Master, Butler Li still refuses to come. No matter what I say, he remains unmoved."

Lou Qianyuan looked at Ruan Wan, and Ruan Wan nodded.

Lou Qianyuan then instructed Haiping, "Take Chaosheng with you, and the two of you go to the estate tonight. Tell Uncle Li that you will take him to see Sun Shishi first thing tomorrow morning."

Ruan Wan said, "You can stay there tonight. Tomorrow morning, take Uncle Li directly to Lingquan Temple. We'll meet at the temple gate. If anyone asks, just say we're going to the temple to pray for the master. Don't let the word get out."

"Yes, young master and madam, I'll set off right away," Haiping jogged into the mansion to find Chaosheng to go with him.

Lou Qianyuan led Ruan Wan inside, with A Jin following behind, looking worried. "Young Master, Madam, won't so many of us be too conspicuous going to the temple? It wouldn't be good if someone found out."

Lou Qianyuan smiled and looked at A Jin, "That's your job. You need to send someone to keep an eye on us to see if we're being followed. Also, send someone to Lingquan Temple in advance to let them know that my wife and I are going to offer incense tomorrow and don't want to be disturbed."

Ah Jin immediately understood and ran towards the gate.

Back in the room, Ruan Wan asked, "Why don't you cultivate your own network of informants? That way, you won't be so passive when you want to do things."

Lou Qianyuan sat in a chair, pulled Ruan Wan to sit on his lap, and laughed, "I am a troublemaker in the capital, and also Changfeng's henchman, but I cannot be Changfeng's strategist. Changfeng has spies, Xia Ziru has spies, but I cannot have any."

Ruan Wan was somewhat confused. "Why is that?"

"This is the path my father arranged for me long ago. I am now in such a high position only because I have the backing of the Lou family and the Empress. Even though it is a high position, it is a sinecure. The Lou family's current situation can only last if their heir is incompetent."

Lou Qianyuan looked at Ruan Wan and said, "The flood response strategy and the prescriptions for treating the illness were all your work, but when His Majesty rewarded those who had contributed last year, he didn't mention the Lou family at all. Do you remember?"

Ruan Wan also found it strange at the time. She thought that Lou Qianyuan was promoted because of his merit in this matter. Later, all the officials, big and small, who were involved in this matter were rewarded, but Lou Qianyuan was not among them.

"This whole affair was entirely Changfeng's doing. He came up with the solution, and he had people develop the prescription. It has nothing to do with me."

Ruan Wan still didn't quite understand. "The emperor is wary of the Lou family's military power, but you still hang out with Xia Changfeng all the time. Aren't you still siding with Xia Changfeng?"

Lou Qianyuan shook his head. "Changfeng and I are cousins, so naturally we'll be on the same side. Blood ties have already determined this fact. But military power won't fall into my hands. I'm not a powerful minister in the court; I'm just a relative who relies on Xia Changfeng."

"What does that have to do with whether or not we cultivate spies? In this capital, which prince or noble family doesn't have its own spies?"

Lou Qianyuan laughed and said, "Having informants means you have secrets you're afraid others will find out, and you also want to know other people's secrets."

Lou Qianyuan suddenly smiled slyly, leaned close to Ruan Wan's ear, and whispered, "Actually, our Lou family also has an informant."

Ruan Wan stared wide-eyed at Lou Qianyuan, mentally calculating who in the entire mansion could be his spy.

After thinking it over, none of them seem like informants, or they are either very cunning and deeply hidden.

Ruan Wan asked, "Can you tell me who this informant is?"

Lou Qianyuan just blinked at Ruan Wan without saying a word.

"It's okay if you don't tell me. It's better that way, so I don't have to pay too much attention to him and end up giving myself away."

Lou Qianyuan kept blinking.

Ruan Wan then realized what was happening and pointed at Lou Qianyuan, "The informant you're talking about, you wouldn't happen to be yourself, would you!"

Lou Qianyuan smiled and nodded. "Going to taverns, teahouses, watching plays, listening to storytelling, and visiting brothels are all ways I gather information."

He gathered information while indulging in eating, drinking, and entertainment, and cultivated an image of a playboy in the eyes of the world.

Ruan Wan recalled that this was the image she saw when she first met Lou Qianyuan.

Ruan Wan frowned as she looked at Lou Qianyuan. "With your image as a spoiled and incompetent playboy, how did Princess Chang Le ever fall for you?"

Lou Qianyuan, however, looked smug. "Naturally, it's because of his handsome appearance and dashing demeanor."

Ruan Wan silently rolled her eyes, ignoring him. "Then when we go to see Sun Shishi this time, won't we be under someone else's watchful eyes?"

"The shoe repairman at the left alleyway in front of our house is the Third Prince's informant, the wonton stall opposite him is Linglong's informant, and the guard at the house around the corner at the right alleyway is the Sixth Prince's informant."

The Third Prince and Linglong Ruanwan could be understood, but why did the Sixth Prince, Xia Wuxiu, also need to place spies at the entrance of the Lou Mansion?

"Why would the sixth prince also plant spies at our doorstep? Does he also want to seize the throne?"

Lou Qianyuan also had some doubts. "It might be a candidate for the Zhang family. Xia Ziru and Xia Wuxiu are both sons of Consort Zhang. From a young age, one of them leaned towards imperial power, while the other leaned towards military power. Perhaps Xia Ziru has no chance of succeeding to the throne, so the Zhang family will turn to cultivating Xia Wuxiu."

"So how did you figure out that these people were other people's informants?"

Lou Qianyuan laughed and said, "Naturally, it was all discovered by Changfeng's spies."

Indeed, even the common people in the capital knew that Xia Changfeng and Lou Qianyuan were so close that they practically shared the same pair of pants. The Seventh Prince's spies were also Lou's spies.

According to this logic, Lou Qianyuan indeed does not need to cultivate his own informants.

Early the next morning, Cui Mo and the others were preparing for the Mid-Autumn Festival at the mansion, while Ruan Wan and Lou Qianyuan drove to Lingquan Temple early in the morning.

The people of this capital have a long-standing custom of offering incense and worshipping Buddha during festivals, so many carriages were parked at the foot of the mountain.

Therefore, Lou Qianyuan and Ruan Wan walked on the steps without attracting attention.

As usual, I bowed to the Buddha, added incense, and then drew a fortune stick in front of the Buddha.

Lou Qianyuan said, "The fortune sticks at Lingquan Temple are the most accurate. Let's go to the temple keeper to have them interpreted."

The temple keeper was an elderly man with white hair and beard, who looked like a wise and otherworldly being. Ruan Wan handed him the fortune stick, and the old man took it and asked with a smile, "What does this lady wish to ask for?"

Ruan Wan smiled and said, "I wish for a child."

The old man glanced at the fortune slip and smiled, "Madam's request will surely be fulfilled."

Lou Qianyuan smiled and gave him the reward money.

Yesterday, Ah Jin had already informed the abbot of the temple, so Ruan Wan and Lou Qianyuan let the young novice monk stay in the back hall of the temple's meditation room for a short rest.

Lou Qianyuan lay down immediately upon arriving at the meditation room. Ruan Wan, fearing they might be following them, leaned close to Lou Qianyuan's ear and asked, "Aren't we going to see Sun Shishi? And Uncle Li, where is he?"

Lou Qianyuan laughed and said, "It would be too conspicuous for so many of us to go see him. The purpose of this trip is to confirm with Uncle Li that Sun Shishi is still alive."

"What about Uncle Li? We haven't seen him either?"

"They arrived early this morning in the inner hall with the food delivery carts. Someone will take Uncle Li to see Sun Shishi; we just need to wait."

Ruan Wan looked puzzled. "Then what are we doing here?"

Lou Qianyuan laughed and rolled over, pinning Ruan Wan beneath him. "Didn't I tell you? Lingquan Temple is the most efficacious; naturally, we've come here to pray for a child."

Seeing the restless look in Lou Qianyuan's eyes, Ruan Wan hurriedly pushed him away, saying, "Don't do anything reckless. This is a sacred Buddhist site; don't offend the gods and Buddhas."

Just then, someone knocked on the door. "Esteemed guests, our temple has prepared a vegetarian meal. Would you two like to have some at our temple?"

Lou Qianyuan replied loudly, "No need, we'll just sit for a while and then head back."

After the young novice monk left, Lou Qianyuan pulled Ruan Wan up by the hand, saying, "Alright, we can go back now."

Ruan Wan asked in a low voice, "Is this some kind of code?"

Lou Qianyuan feigned mystery, put his finger to his lips, and shushed.

They rode back to the Lou residence in the carriage, and just at the main gate, they ran into Haiping and Chaosheng, who were there to pick up Uncle Li.

Lou Qianyuan personally helped Uncle Li down from the carriage. Uncle Li, however, was quite different from his usual indifferent self. When he saw Ruan Wan and Lou Qianyuan, his eyes darted away.