Lu Wanwan nodded, though she couldn't help but feel that something about Xie Yanxi seemed off.
Her gaze drifted to the young woman beside Song Lin. This was Meng Wan, the daughter of Song Lin’s mentor, Scholar Meng. In her past life, she was the "white moonlight" whose very existence—symbolized by nothing more than a memorial tablet—had left Lu Wanwan with no place in the Capital.
At that moment, Meng Wan asked Song Lin with undisguised admiration, "Brother Lin, are you very close with Superintendent Xie?"
"Although this is my first time meeting the Superintendent, I feel as if we are old friends," Song Lin said with a smile. "Perhaps this is a connection from a past life."
Such presumptuous words, if spoken to a lady, would almost certainly be considered rude and lecherous. But Xie Yanxi was a eunuch. Even if he felt harassed, what of it?
"I just knew you would stand out wherever you went, Brother Lin!" Meng Wan said happily. Even in Qingyang County, the fame of the Eastern Depot’s Xie Yanxi was like thunder in her ears. Rumor had it he was an orphan who had caught the eye of Emperor Yongguang, rising through the ranks to become the Commissioner of the Eastern Depot, even being granted the imperial surname. Despite his reputation for cold-blooded slaughter and the constant vitriol of the court, the Emperor’s favor remained undimmed. That Song Lin could chat so casually and brazenly with such a man was impressive.
She cast a bold look at Xie Yanxi, her eyes involuntarily softening with a desire to be close to him.
Xie Yanxi’s expression chilled further. He immediately spurred his horse forward, the hooves narrowly missing Meng Wan. Startled, she felt a flash of displeasure. How could he be so rude to a friend? The Eastern Depot was truly full of brutes!
Song Lin offered a confident smile. "The Superintendent has agreed. Let’s be on our way." He turned to the Lu family coachman and said, "It is fine for men to ride, but it is inconvenient for my fiancée, a young lady. Tell her to share a carriage with Wan—with Second Young Miss Lu."
He ordered the coachman to step down, only to be met with a sharp roll of the eyes.
"Did anyone agree to this, or are you just talking to yourself?" Eldest Sister-in-law Lu sneered. "I’ll spare you a bit of my contempt; go stand over there!"
"You—" Song Lin’s face turned slightly pale. "If you apologize to me now, I won't hold you accountable for offending me!"
Eldest Sister-in-law Lu laughed as if she had heard a joke. "Then let me offend you once more. Please, do hold me accountable."
With that, she whipped her sleeve, the lash cracking through the air toward Song Lin. His pupils contracted, and he retreated a few steps to the left, barely dodging the blow. His clothes were torn, leaving him looking quite disheveled.
Song Lin stared at Lu Wanwan, his face livid. No one in the Lu family had ever dared treat him this way, and now this shrew—this Eldest Sister-in-law Lu—had dared to strike him in front of Lu Wanwan. She was finished! Yet, even through his fury, a strange sense of satisfaction flickered in his heart.
Silence hung over the scene. Lu Wanwan was lost in her own thoughts, too indifferent to care. Eldest Sister-in-law Lu knew exactly what she was doing; she wouldn't strike a man in public, and since the whip hadn't actually touched him, was she still waiting for her to step up? Truly, a cheap woman, always putting on airs.
Seeing Lu Wanwan’s silence, a look of disbelief crossed Song Lin’s face. As he pondered, he caught sight of Meng Wan beside him and felt a sudden realization. Lu Wanwan was jealous; she must be upset seeing Meng Wan. That distracted look of hers... she must be heartbroken.
Meng Wan was also watching Lu Wanwan through the carriage window. The other girl’s features were exquisite, her attire magnificent. Meng Wan subconsciously lowered her head. Beneath her feelings of inferiority, there was a vague, indescribable emotion stirring in her heart. Song Lin... his tone when mentioning this Second Young Miss Lu had seemed so familiar.
She gripped Song Lin’s sleeve and bit her lip. "Brother Lin, how could I ride in such a fine carriage? I’ll just ride with you."
"It’s just a small carriage," Song Lin said softly. "Once I pass the imperial examinations and we are married, I will buy you the finest four-horse carriage." His own carriage was a custom piece from Prince Ping’s Mansion, adorned with treasures gifted by the Empress Dowager; both its materials and specifications were top-tier, quite suitable for Meng Wan.
Meng Wan blushed, her eyes bright. "You are so good to me, Brother Lin!"
Not wanting to be made a fool of in front of Lu Wanwan, Song Lin turned to an Eastern Depot guard and ordered, "You, get down and wait here for someone to fix our carriage. Give me your horse." He stepped forward, preparing to take the reins.
*Whoosh—*
The guard drew his sword and pointed it directly at him, his gaze icy. "Are you looking for death?"
Anger flickered in Song Lin’s eyes. "I am an old friend of Superintendent Xie, a close confidant! How dare you commit such an offense?!"
"Go ahead and call out to our Superintendent. See if he answers you."
Song Lin’s face turned ghastly. In his previous life, the Eastern Depot had been so fawning and attentive toward him that he could not bring himself to lower his posture now. He turned toward Xie Yanxi in the front, refusing to believe that Xie would allow his subordinates to humiliate him like this.
"Superintendent Xie..."
Xie Yanxi flicked his horse whip and urged his mount faster, cutting Song Lin’s words off mid-air. The procession slowly passed them, leaving Song Lin standing there with an expression of utter disbelief, as if he had been betrayed.
"How could he... is he unwilling to say even a single word to me?"
Meng Wan, who had been terrified when the guard drew his sword, only dared to speak in a trembling voice now that they were moving away. "Brother Lin, aren’t you close friends with the Superintendent?"
Song Lin’s face was livid, his anger simmering. "The Superintendent appreciates my talent. Once I demonstrate my abilities before him, he will naturally look at me with new eyes!"
"Then what do we do now?"
Song Lin looked at the horse hitched to their carriage, stepped forward to struggle with the reins, and pulled Meng Wan onto the mount to chase after them. Since he had encountered Xie Yanxi, he could not let this opportunity to forge a connection slip away. Once they were friends, he would have that impudent guard executed on a whim to wash away today’s humiliation!
Meng Wan had never ridden a horse before. She held the reins tightly, leaning into Song Lin’s chest. Once they caught up, though they were forbidden from getting too close, they weren't driven away. Song Lin maintained his distance, hoping to showcase his talent to Xie Yanxi, even if the latter never once turned his head.
Lu Wanwan closed her eyes to rest, treating the sounds outside like the barking of dogs.
They soon arrived at Jing'an Temple.
"Jing'an Temple?" Song Lin said, surprised. "Aren't we going to the Capital?" But seeing the bustling crowds at the temple, he suddenly realized, "I forgot. Master Liaoran is holding a Dharma assembly tomorrow. It will be very lively; you can have a look, and the Superintendent and I can talk by candlelight."
Xie Yanxi’s movement as he dismounted paused. He looked at Song Lin with a flicker of disbelief. There really were people in this world with such thick-skinned audacity. He cast a discreet glance at Lu Wanwan, who, after thanking the Eastern Depot guards for their escort, was already heading toward the meditation rooms with Eldest Sister-in-law Lu.
"How could her eyes be so blinded..." he muttered, perplexed.
His subordinate, Cheng Feng, replied in a low voice, "Most talents in the Capital care about their reputation. A showy, shameless creature like Song Lin naturally catches Second Young Miss Lu’s attention... Young and ignorant of the Superintendent’s worth, she mistakes a piece of trash like Song Lin for a treasure."
Song Lin was neither as handsome as their Superintendent, nor was he as skilled in both literature and martial arts, much less as powerful. The only things he had over him were the extra layers of skin on his face and the worthless flesh beneath.
Xie Yanxi touched his own face, lost in thought.
Three paces away, Song Lin was carefully instructing Meng Wan: "Master Liaoran’s assembly will attract many people, so don't be nervous. The fourth young lady of the Marquis of Yongan’s mansion is a champion of justice, the second young lady of the Left Censor-in-Chief’s family is very kind, and then there is the Eldest Princess—she has the gentlest temperament. When you enter the temple, just go find them; they will take good care of you."
Cheng Feng’s expression turned subtle as he listened. He couldn't help but wonder if the Great Chu map was larger, or if Song Lin’s face was just thicker. Could Lu Wanwan’s favor for him be considered an act of territorial expansion for the country?