Chapter 34: Zhi Wan Pulled into the Pool

Chapter 34: Chapter 34: Zhi Wan Pulled into the Pool

When Zhi Wan realized it was Lu Zhan, a wave of panic washed over her. Her heart sank even further when she saw the sticky sugar stain she had left on his robes.

"I’m sorry, Cousin..."

Overcome with shame, she took out her handkerchief, wanting to wipe it for him. But propriety between men and women held her back, and she didn’t dare. She just stood there, completely at a loss.

Lu Zhan’s lips pressed into a thin line, a clear sign of his displeasure. But looking at the flustered young woman, he finally just said coolly, "Forget it. It’s nothing. You didn’t do it on purpose."

Zhi Wan was mortified. Clutching the sugar painting, she said, "Then... Cousin, when you change out of your robes, I’ll have someone wash them for you."

’She had to be thankful he wasn’t wearing his official robes today. That would have been a real problem.’

"There’s no need," Lu Zhan refused coolly. Perhaps sensing his tone was too harsh and might have frightened her, he softened it. "Chen Jiu will see to it." With that, he turned and returned to the mansion.

Zhi Wan let out a sigh of relief, her small hand patting her chest.

As she and Dongxiang reached the front courtyard, they came face-to-face with a group of people. They quickly stepped aside and lowered their heads.

Leading the group were Lu Jingsi and Lady Lou.

The pair were respectfully seeing their guests out.

Zhi Wan watched the group leave, a thoughtful expression on her face.

Dongxiang whispered, "Miss, I heard yesterday that someone would be coming to the mansion today to propose to the Third Miss. It looks like that was them just now."

Zhi Wan nodded but didn’t say anything more.

Perhaps it was because they had gone out together, or maybe it was the sugar painting Zhi Wan had bought for her, but the usually reserved Dongxiang became quite chatty on the way back to Yaoguang Pavilion.

"The matrons in the mansion were saying that the proposal today came from the son of the Jixian County Magistrate. Jixian County is right next to the Capital City, so being the County Magistrate there is a very profitable post. But his son has already had two wives, and neither of them survived a year. They both died. No one knows the real story."

Zhi Wan paused. ’He’d married two wives before, and both of them died?’

If he wasn’t cursed to lose his wives, then it meant there was something wrong with the Jixian County Magistrate’s son.

Judging from how respectfully Lu Jingsi and Lady Lou treated those guests, the engagement was likely already settled.

But even if there was something wrong with the County Magistrate’s son, the Second Master and Second Madam were still willing to marry Lu Xin off to him.

Lu Xin, who prided herself on being the only legitimate daughter of the Lu Family, had always been haughty and condescending toward her.

’To think that in her own parents’ eyes, Lu Xin is nothing more than a pawn to be traded for personal gain.’

’I wonder if Lu Xin will have a breakdown when she finds out.’

Zhi Wan mused silently.

...

After changing his robes, Lu Zhan went to the Ministry of Justice.

The moment he arrived, Ouyang Lei eagerly handed him a case file, clearly looking for praise. "Sir, I have finally fulfilled my duty. After lying low in Xuzhou for half a month, I’ve uncovered the true culprit in the soldier’s murder case. Here is the file. If everything is in order, I’ll be starting my leave tomorrow."

Lu Zhan glanced at him, took the file, and began to read.

After a moment, he closed the file and remained silent for a long while.

Ouyang Lei sighed. "Honestly, Ah Xiang and Lady Zhong are both quite pitiful. If fate hadn’t played such a cruel trick on them, they could have married and lived a happy life together."

Lu Zhan didn’t elaborate, only asking, "Has the soldier been released and exonerated?"

"Yes," Ouyang Lei said. "I saw him released from prison myself. I also had the local County Magistrate provide him with some compensation."

"Mm."

"Also, I found a reliable family to look after Ah Xiang and Lady Zhong’s son for a few months. Once Lady Zhong finishes her three-month sentence, she can be reunited with him," Ouyang Lei added. He paused for a moment before continuing, "The local Government Office recognized that Ah Xiang was forced into the killing, so they didn’t sentence him to death. However, framing an innocent man is a heinous crime, so they sentenced him to the punishment of Mutilation and Lifelong Penal Servitude."

According to the laws of the Great Chen, the punishment of Mutilation and Lifelong Penal Servitude meant having one’s toes cut off and one’s face tattooed. It was a life sentence—one would spend the rest of one’s days building fortifications for the state, never to return home. It was the most severe punishment short of death.

Ouyang Lei’s mood grew heavy as he finished.

’A single bad decision, and Ah Xiang had thrown his entire life away.’

’But as long as he was alive, there was still a sliver of hope.’

At that thought, his usual playful grin returned.

He said with feigned casualness, "Boss, I handled that assignment perfectly. Is there a reward?"

"Didn’t I give you half a month of leave?" Lu Zhan shot him a cool glance.

"That was promised beforehand, so it doesn’t count!" Ouyang Lei said, rubbing his hands together. "There’s not much going on at the Government Office today. How about we clock out early and go for a drink?"

"Alright." Lu Zhan nodded.

Ouyang Lei froze, staring at him in suspicion.

’What’s going on?’

’Normally, Lu Jinzhi would have refused by now.’

’But today, he’d actually agreed. It was unheard of.’

"Why are you being so agreeable today?" he asked, his expression wary.

’He hadn’t forgotten that the man had been just as unusually agreeable right before sending him to Xuzhou.’

"You haven’t set another trap for me, have you?" he couldn’t help but ask.

Lu Zhan raised his eyes to look at him. "Then we won’t go."

"No, no, no! You already agreed, you can’t take it back," Ouyang Lei said hurriedly. "I’ll go get Duan Ling. The three of us aren’t going home until we’re good and drunk!"

「Duke Dingguo Mansion.」

Zhi Wan wanted to finish more paintings to sell to the bookshop, so after dinner, she worked at her desk late into the night.

She grew so tired that she decided to just rest her eyes for a moment, but she fell asleep as soon as they closed.

When she opened her eyes, she found herself in an unfamiliar room.

The room wasn’t very large, but in the center was a pool.

Judging by the steam rising from it, it seemed to be a hot spring.

Zhi Wan hadn’t taken her bath for the evening yet, and the sight of the pool made her want to get in.

She glanced around. Seeing that the room was empty and the door was bolted, she was about to undo her dress when she suddenly saw the faint outline of a person sitting in the billowing steam.

She jumped in fright and instinctively turned to run, but a man’s low, slightly hoarse voice stopped her. "What are you running from?"

Zhi Wan froze. She recognized that voice.

"It’s you!"

Realizing it was a familiar acquaintance, Zhi Wan was no longer afraid. She even dared to walk closer to the man.

As she drew near, she could see the man’s body, partially submerged and obscured by the water.

GULP.

She couldn’t help but swallow, her beautiful eyes widening as she tried to get a better look.

’Just a moment ago, she’d been worrying about what to paint. She never expected to find ready-made reference material right here.’

The man’s skin was fair, but his chest was solid and his waist was lean and powerful, the lines of his body extending down into the water...

She was so engrossed in the sight that she didn’t notice the man’s arm reaching for her.

Not until a loud SPLASH did she realize what was happening, as she was pulled into the pool.

She wiped the water from her face and glared at the man. "Why did you pull me in?"

The man seemed to raise an eyebrow, his low voice laced with amusement. "Didn’t you want a look? Isn’t this a much clearer view?"