Chapter 67: A Very Serious Anger

The seventh day of the fourth month.

It was the transition between late spring and early summer, and the temperature climbed higher with each passing day.

“Thank you, Aunt~”

“Aunt, you’ve worked hard.”

“Sister Wansu, you’re so pretty~”

On the first floor of Ji Pavilion, Granny Liu and Wansu were taking Zhao Yan’s measurements, preparing to make her several sets of summer clothes.

Upstairs, Ding Suian and Lin Hansu sat facing each other, neither speaking for the moment.

Both were listening intently to the commotion downstairs.

Zhao Yan’s naive, adorable nature stemmed from never having lived among humans; she was by no means foolish.

Just like now, after Ding Suian’s continuous guidance, at least her mouth had grown sweeter.

Calling them ‘Aunt’ and’Sister’ one after another, she had even learned how to flatter.

The flattery, she had learned from Chest Hair and the others.

Because Ding Suian himself had always disdained and never knew how to flatter.

“Sister, how can there be someone like you in this world? It’s not enough that you’re so beautiful, but you’re also so kind, generous, tolerant, intelligent, and gentle… Sister, how are other women in this world supposed to live? Ah, Sister, why are you pursing your lips? These are my sincere words, absolutely no intention of flattery.”

Ding Suian sat particularly upright, meticulous and serious in expression.

Hoping to add just a tiny bit of credibility to his words.

Lin Hansu leaned against the long couch, her phoenix eyes slanting a glance, a hint of mockery at the corner of her lips, yet carrying a trace of helpless amusement. “Flatterer! Alright, alright, it’s just making her a few sets of clothes, right? Let’s talk business.”

“Mm. Prince of Shuochuan came yesterday. He mentioned that in a few days, I’ll likely be recalled to Central Heaven for commendation and promotion.”

“…”

Lin Hansu’s heart couldn’t help but tighten. She lowered her eyelids to hide her emotions.

Ding Suian’s promotion was naturally what she wished for. But a promotion back to the capital also meant the two would have no legitimate reason to meet.

Over there, Ding Suian continued, “Last night, I thought about it. There’s nothing in Lanyang Prefecture worth Sister’s attachment. How about leaving a trusted, loyal servant to handle the trivial matters and have Big Bro…”

“Who?”

“Uh… Uncle. Uncle Lin. Have Uncle Lin ask Prince of Shuochuan to plead with Princess Xingguo, to allow Sister to return to her maiden home to observe mourning rites… so that in the future, when I’m lost in life, I can seek Sister’s advice.”

Convenient for secret rendezvous, just say convenient for secret rendezvous. ‘Lost in life,”seek advice.’

This proposal stirred something in Lin Hansu, but she didn’t show it immediately. Following a man wherever he went, trailing at his heels, would make her seem utterly lacking in ambition.

After a brief moment of thought, she quickly pushed aside matters of the heart, sat up straight, and said, “Did Prince of Shuochuan mention how he plans to arrange things for you next?”

“He mentioned a little. The Vermilion Bird and Black Tortoise armies were almost completely annihilated. With both armies being rebuilt, they intend to transfer me to the Vermilion Bird Army as a Dutou…”

“Dutou?”

Lin Hansu slowly rose and began pacing the room. A Dutou commanded a hundred men. Though still a junior officer rank, the Young Master was only nineteen!

Looking across the entire Imperial Guard, you couldn’t find a second nineteen-year-old Dutou.

After thinking for a moment, Lin Hansu fetched brush and ink, pulled a stool over to sit opposite Ding Suian, and in her elegant, small regular script, wrote down several names. She said seriously, “Young Master, Commander Li is your superior; Li Meimei is the son of Li Qiushi, Vice Minister of Justice; and from what you’ve said, that Third Young Master Gao is likely the third son of Prince Huanyang, Gao Shizhen. Prince of Shuochuan goes without saying. These people, their family backgrounds far surpass yours, and they are all older than you. They can only be your allies, not your subordinates. Understand?”

At this point, Lin Hansu pointed a slender finger to the first name on the paper. “Wang Xigui, cautious and pragmatic, can serve as your deputy. Transfer him under your command to assist with daily drills. Zhu Feifei, seemingly reckless and crude, is actually rough with a hidden finesse. He can play the role of a path-breaking vanguard. Hu Jiangjiu…”

“…lacks sufficient wit but makes up for it in loyalty. He can serve as the leader of your personal guard.” Lin Hansu frowned delicately, thought for a moment, and added, “In the future, when giving him orders, be absolutely clear and explicit. Don’t leave room for him to ponder or interpret things ambiguously. Gongye Ni is disciplined and self-restrained.”

After analyzing each one, Lin Hansu summarized, “They are your subordinates, share a bond with you, and also have their identities within the Shadow Division… Promoting them is an act of favor. When the time comes, I’ll get some Medicinal Pills for you to aid their cultivation, nurturing usable people for the future early on. Using your own people ensures smooth communication from top to bottom, orders followed without question, preventing subordinates from taking advantage of your youth, Perfunctorying or overheading you.”

Ding Suian looked at Lin Hansu, then at the word ‘deputy’ written after Wang Xigui’s name on the paper. He couldn’t help but remark, “I actually feel like Sister is my deputy.”

He swore to the heavens, his words were purely literal, with absolutely no other meaning intended.

It just so happened that Lin Hansu’s thoughts somehow took a wrong turn, and the scene of their spear-and-stick farewell performance from the first month popped into her mind.

A blush quickly flew across her porcelain-white cheeks. Her pretty face tightened. “Why is your mind always full of those things? I’m discussing serious matters with you!”

“???”

Just whose mind was full of those things???

Even saying ‘deputy’ could lead to a misunderstanding.

After a brief moment of shyness, Lin Hansu returned to business mode. “Of course, without military achievements to their names, they can’t leap into position all at once. In short, transfer them to your side first. Later, use some money to promote them slowly.”

“In that case, there won’t be many trustworthy people left in the estate. What about Sister’s daily protection?”

After Ding Suian asked, Lin Hansu smiled radiantly. “Didn’t you just say it? Have your sworn brother ask Prince of Shuochuan to plead, allowing me to return to my maiden home to observe mourning rites.”

Since she hadn’t picked up on it earlier, Ding Suian thought she was unwilling. He blurted out, “Sister is willing to return to Central Heaven?”

Lin Hansu smiled reservedly, stood up, leaned her arms on the table, and bent her upper body forward. Snowy peaks dipped, the valley between them deep. The thin summer clothes offered a hazy view.

Her charming face stopped half a foot away from Ding Suian’s, then she said in a Su Meivoice, “Seeing the Young Master about to rise rapidly through the ranks, if I don’t go to Central Heaven to keep an eye on you, and someone else gets the advantage, wouldn’t that be a huge loss for me?”

Lately, with Zhao Yan almost always around, the two of them rarely had time alone.

Now, at a distance of half a foot, their gazes met, her breath as fragrant as orchids.

Ding Suian leaned closer, wanting to deepen their Lip Friendship, but suddenly, Zhao Yan’s voice rang out from downstairs. “Husband~ Husband, Nunu is all measured~”

“…”

“…Go on, go.”

Lin Hansu straightened up and waved her hand dismissively, displeased.

Second floor of Ji Pavilion.

By the window, Lin Hansu watched helplessly as the bouncing, skipping Zhao Yan followed behind Ding Suian all the way across the training grounds.

Her true feelings at this moment were not as magnanimous as she had appeared before Ding Suian earlier.

When Zhao Yan first entered the estate, Lin Hansu was displeased, but she could still view the matter from the perspective of a future ‘principal wife and matron.’

She could reluctantlyaccept it.

But Chen Yi’s visit to the estate yesterday, personally presenting Zhao Yan with a Head and face, had somewhat destabilized Lin Hansu’s mindset.

A little orphan girl from Southern Zhao and a Prince’s sworn sister were two completely different concepts.

At that very moment, outside the gates of Prince Lanyangs Estate…

A young girl dressed in a plain white Daoist robe, with a sword hanging at her waist, was looking up at the plaque above the gate that read ‘Imperial order to build the Lanyang Prince’s Palace’.

The young Daoist nun had an oval face, plump, pouty lips, and a pair of large, round eyes that were exceptionally lively and adorable, yet her face was veiled with an ethereal Qingjin, as if untouched by worldly Fireworks.

“This little Daoist nun has been standing here for ages. What’s she doing?”

Chest Hair, who was on duty at the estate gate, nudged Jiangjiu with his elbow.

But Jiangjiu just kept grinning foolishly at the person on the steps below.

After a short while, the little Daoist nun stepped onto the Steps.

“Miss, are you looking for someone?”

Chest Hair addressed her. The little Daoist nun glanced at him but ignored him, instead looking at Hu Jiangjiu.

Hu Jiangjiu scratched his head and A silly smileed. “Ruan Ruan, what brings you here?”

“Ruan Ruan is for you to call?! Call me’Sister’!”

“Tsk~”

Chest Hair looked at Jiangjiu in surprise, thinking, when did Jiangjiu get such a Waterysister?

Immediately after, he heard the little Daoist nun say, “Jiangjiu, is Brother Yuanxi in the estate?”

“!”

Chest Hair vaguely guessed something.

“Husband! Cover my duty for a bit!”

Seeing melonto eat, Chest Hair Hurrycalled out to Gongye Ni in the gatehouse and chased after Jiangjiu and the little Daoist nun, running towards Diying Garden.

But due to the shift change, he was ultimately a moment too slow.

By the time he reached Diying Garden, the little Daoist nun was confronting Zhao Yan, with Ding Suian standing between them.

He heard the little Daoist nun say to Ding Suian with utmost seriousness, “Brother Yuanxi, right now, I am having a very, very serious anger!”

Next week, I’ll be on Sanjiang for the first time in my life.

Thank you, everyone!