Chapter 6: A Visit to the Residence

After receiving his permission, Luo Yunyao stepped forward toward the desk to retrieve the document. As fate would have it, the document lay right beside Qin Jinghao. Seeing that Qin Jinghao had no intention of making space, Luo Yunyao braced herself and stretched her arm out. Their bodies brushed against each other without warning. Luo Yunyao felt a jolt to her heart, her face flushing as if set ablaze. She snatched the document, mumbled a hasty "farewell" to Qin Jinghao with her head bowed, and hurried out of the courtyard.

Watching the figure disappear at the gate, Qin Jinghao inadvertently touched the spot where they had collided, feeling a strange sense of loss. He had been raised to be courteous and gentle, yet he possessed a peculiar quirk: he disliked being touched by others, not even by the hem of his robe. But when Luo Yao touched him just now, he felt no such intense repulsion.

Why was that? Could it be that Cang Shu was right, and he subconsciously harbored a penchant for men?

He suddenly chuckled at the thought. Throughout his life, he had been clear-headed and transparent, always acting according to his own heart. Since when had he allowed such groundless nonsense to disturb his state of mind?

Luo Yunyao left the General’s Manor in a hurry, her heart in utter turmoil from the contact with Qin Jinghao. It seemed that every encounter with him left her flustered and at a loss. She shook her head in frustration, determined to be cautious and guarded whenever she faced him. Unexpectedly, she had tripped up again. Clutching the document to her chest, she resolved that next time—if it wasn't absolutely necessary—she would simply take a detour.

If she couldn't afford to provoke him, couldn't she at least hide from him?

Muttering to herself as she walked, she followed the servant around a corner, where her sensitive nose caught a familiar, heavy scent of perfume. She let out a fierce sneeze, and a sense of foreboding washed over her.

Sure enough, a familiar figure appeared around the corner. To see Qin Jinghao today, Yue Liuxi had specifically worn a newly made gown from the Neon Clothing Pavilion and applied the finest rouge offered by the borderlands. She refused to believe Qin Jinghao would keep her out again. Little did she expect that before she even reached Brother Qin’s door, she would bump into that country bumpkin from the other day.

Last time, with Brother Qin present, Yue Liuxi had been unable to settle the score. Now that she had bumped into him, her delicate brows furrowed. Moreover, she had failed to see Brother Qin several times, so why was this rustic fellow allowed in? Yue Liuxi gripped her silk handkerchief tightly. Could it be that there was truly something between him and Brother Qin? At this thought, her brows knitted even tighter.

"Greetings, Princess."

The servant bowed as soon as he saw Yue Liuxi. Luo Yunyao followed suit, though she retreated a few steps, partly because she couldn't stand the smell, and partly because she had heard this Princess had been infatuated with Qin Jinghao since childhood. Anyone, man or woman, who got too close to him was usually dealt with harshly, either openly or in secret. She had no intention of wasting time playing mind games with the Princess.

Recalling the incident at the inn, Luo Yunyao felt grim. This young lady looked like the type to hold a grudge. She had truly fallen into a trap today.

Ignoring the two as they bowed, Yue Liuxi looked down upon them with disdain, pointing directly at Luo Yao as she haughtily demanded of the servant, "Who is this? What is he doing at the General’s Manor?"

"Answering Your Highness, Master Luo is this year’s top scholar, recently promoted to Minister of War. He is here to coordinate matters with General Qin."

"Minister of War?" Yue Liuxi’s scrutinizing gaze swept over the downcast Luo Yunyao, her undisguised contempt intensifying. "Not much of an official, is he? Why does Brother Qin insist on associating with such low-born people?"

She spoke loud enough for everyone present to hear. The servant, fearing trouble, pretended not to hear, and the maids, well-acquainted with their mistress's temperament, dared not respond.

The only one whose expression shifted was the subject of her remarks. Luo Yunyao scoffed inwardly. Given this young lady’s arrogant attitude, if she were Qin Jinghao, she wouldn't even spare her half a sentence; she would simply close the gates, release the hounds, and toss a few chicken bones at her for good measure.

Yue Liuxi continued to ramble, then, as if remembering something, commanded Luo Yunyao, "You, you are forbidden from seeing Brother Qin ever again."

What was this pampered miss ranting about now?

Luo Yunyao couldn't be bothered to look at her arrogant face. She now held a high position in the Ministry of War, and Qin Jinghao was the Great General of the dynasty; they were bound to deal with each other on official business. How could she not see him? Even if she didn't want to!

Seeing that Luo Yunyao remained indifferent and ignored her, Yue Liuxi’s temper flared. No one had ever dared to treat her this way. Her face darkened, her brows twisted, and she began to issue threats. "If you dare to disobey me, I have plenty of ways to make you regret it."

Luo Yunyao sighed inwardly; she didn't have the time to indulge this spoiled lady’s ego.

"Your Highness, as a fellow official serving in the Ministry of War alongside General Qin, it is difficult to grant your request to never meet again. I hope you can understand."

"You..." Yue Liuxi had never seen anyone dare to contradict her; she turned pale with rage, unable to speak.

Luo Yunyao judged that the time was right—if she didn't leave now, the Princess would surely explode—and quickly took her leave. "I have urgent matters to attend to, so I cannot stay to chat further."

Waving her sleeves, she didn't bother to admire the distortion of the Princess’s beautiful face and strode away.

Upon reaching the gate, she saw a carriage bearing the General’s crest waiting. Luo Yunyao was puzzled; it was midday, was Qin Jinghao going out?

Before she could finish the thought, a servant approached her. "Master Luo, the General has ordered me to provide a carriage to see you off."

Eh... she paused for a second, only then realizing the carriage was for her.

"Then I shall accept his kindness. Please convey my thanks to General Qin." Luo Yunyao spoke politely to the servant, then stepped onto the footstool and into the carriage. If there was a convenience to be had, why not take it?

The carriage drove to the residence of Du Runsheng. Luo Yunyao quickly packed her things, bid farewell to Du Runsheng and his father, the Minister of Revenue, and endured the usual pleasantries.

Once she finally emerged, she moved into the Ministry of War residence. Without lingering, she quickly changed into her official robes and reported for duty. It was her first day, and there wasn't much for her to do; it was just a formality to meet the subordinates and understand their respective duties. By the time she finished, the sun was setting.

Standing in the doorway of the Ministry of War, Luo Yunyao stretched her back. There was at least one benefit to ancient times: she didn't have to work overtime day and night, right?

After stretching her limbs, she stepped out of the gate. She finally had her own residence; she had to go back, take a hot bath, and get to sleep early to refresh her mind for work tomorrow.

But heaven seemed unable to let her enjoy herself. As soon as she stepped out, several servants waiting by the gate walked over quickly. "Master Luo, our Marquis requests your presence."

The Marquis?

Luo Yunyao knew exactly which Marquis they meant. But wasn't he being a bit too impatient? She had only taken the post that morning and officially reported for duty in the afternoon; his men had arrived truly fast!

So fast that Luo Yunyao gritted her teeth, tempted to give him a sarcastic round of applause!

Composing herself, she realized her plans for a relaxing night at home would have to wait. Although Marquis Xiangguo was somewhat arrogant, relying on the influence of his two daughters in the palace and his own standing before the Emperor, one could not deny the deep-rooted power and complex connections his family had accumulated over generations. As a minor official new to the court, she could not afford to offend him.

Since she couldn't offend him, she had no choice but to follow the servants to the Marquis's residence. She would deal with whatever came her way; surely, the Marquis wouldn't dare do anything extreme to her directly.

At the same time, in the study of the Prime Minister’s residence, the faint sound of a scroll being unfurled echoed through the room.

"Mo'er, look at this. This is the answer sheet of the new top scholar, Luo Yao." Prime Minister Lu used an inkstone to press down the slightly curling paper, from which a rich scent of ink wafted.

Xiao Limo set down his teacup and rose from his seat. With a slight flutter of his sleeves, he walked over to the desk where the paper was spread out. He examined it carefully. The handwriting was elegant, clean, and dignified, and more importantly, every word was a gem of wisdom. It clearly and lucidly outlined several sound strategies for governing the nation.

After a long while, Xiao Limo’s gaze shifted from languid to surprised, then to wonder. He tightened his grip on the white jade fan he habitually carried. It was a long time before he could tear his eyes away from the text, and he did not hesitate to offer his praise. "No wonder Father bestowed the top honor upon this essay; it truly has its own unique brilliance."

"Look at this line: 'The people are the water, and the ruler is the boat. How can one not know that water can carry a boat, but it can also overturn it? The nation and its mountains are like water and boat; only then can it be passed down for thousands of generations.' Such profound insight—I fear it is a rare masterpiece in this age." Following the pointing of the jade fan, Xiao Limo felt his own spirits stirred, admiring the scholar’s erudition and feeling a sense of regret that they had not met sooner.

Prime Minister Lu had originally read the paper and merely thought Luo Yao was a talent, but he hadn't expected Xiao Limo to hold him in such high regard. He wanted to ask if he should recruit this person, but it seemed unnecessary to ask; the answer was already clear. Moreover, he had always valued talent, and having heard that this scholar was on good terms with the Ministry of Rites, he began to form his own plans.

At that moment, a knocking sound came at the door. Following Prime Minister Lu’s "Come in," a servant entered to report.

"Your Highness, Minister Lu, someone just reported seeing Master Luo Yao boarding the carriage of the Marquis Xiangguo."

The carriage wheels rumbled steadily, finally coming to a stop in front of the Marquis Xiangguo’s mansion.