Because of this letter from Song Yan, the entire Gu Residence was filled with joy.
Ting Yun had a gentle temperament, was low-key and generous in her conduct, and was well-liked by everyone in the residence. They were all reluctant to see her leave. Now that Song Yan could take up a post in Bianjing, Ting Yun naturally no longer needed to leave Bianjing due to marrying far away, and thus, she wouldn’t have to part from Lanyin either.
Lanyin was naturally happy as well.
Ting Yun and Shi Yu were both maids personally chosen for her by her maternal grandmother. Ever since she moved to Jinling, they had been serving by her side. After more than ten years of companionship, they were more than just servants—they were closer than family. To put it bluntly, not to mention Gu Qing, even her own mother was far less important to her than these two maids. What’s more, Ting Yun was highly capable in handling matters. With her around, Lanyin had much less to worry about. So, whether for public or private reasons, she was reluctant to let Ting Yun leave her side.
But she also couldn’t obstruct her happiness for her own sake.
Song Yan was a good man. He and Ting Yun had harbored feelings for each other for many years, and he had waited for her all this time, hoping to finally marry her. So, no matter how much she was unwilling, Lanyin would not forcibly keep Ting Yun by her side.
But now, things were different. Song Yan would soon take up his post in Bianjing, so Ting Yun no longer needed to go to Caizhou. To celebrate this joyous occasion, Lanyin even added another dozen guan of money to the Dragon Boat Festival bonuses that had originally been allocated for everyone.
The Gu Residence was bustling with excitement. However, because Lanyin was set to attend a banquet at the Qi Residence today, she felt it inappropriate to stay at home and join in the festivities. She also worried that her presence might make them feel restrained. So, she simply instructed the kitchen to prepare some fine dishes for the people in the residence to enjoy. Knowing that Shi Yu still harbored fear toward Qi Yubai and that Ting Yun was feeling particularly emotional today, she decided not to bring anyone along. Taking only a box in her hands, she prepared to head to the Qi Residence alone.
After all, it was only a few steps away, so there was no issue.
She had not expected that just as she stepped out of the courtyard, a voice called from behind her.
“Master!”
Lanyin halted and turned back to see Ting Yun running toward her breathlessly. “Slow down,” she admonished. When Ting Yun finally reached her, worried she might stumble, Lanyin reached out to steady her and asked, “Didn’t I tell you to rest at home today?”
“…I have something I want to ask Lord Qi,” Ting Yun said once her breathing had steadied.
At these words, Lanyin immediately knew what she wanted to ask. She paused briefly and then asked, “Is it about Song Yan?”
Ting Yun nodded. After a long moment, she bit her lip and said to Lanyin, “I just feel that something about this is strange. Song Yan does have some ability, but there are plenty of officials in Bianjing just like him, and many are even better at networking and pulling strings than he is…”
She was certainly happy that Song Yan could come to Bianjing.
But reason told her she had to consider whether he had been caught up in some sort of scheme. Otherwise, how could someone like him—who had neither background nor connections in Caizhou—suddenly pass the examination this year and be assigned to the Court of Judicial Review (Dali Temple), when he had failed the evaluations in previous years?
In truth, even if Ting Yun had not spoken up, Lanyin had already intended to ask Qi Yubai about this.
She also found the situation strange. In that previous life, Song Yan had remained a mere clerk in Caizhou—so why had he suddenly been appointed to the Court of Judicial Review this time? There were only two possibilities: either he had been caught up in some conspiracy, learned something he wasn’t supposed to, and was deliberately transferred to Bianjing so that he could be monitored—or even eliminated discreetly within the treacherous world of Bianjing’s officialdom. Or, someone had shown favoritism toward him.
But who would show favoritism to a mere clerk?
Song Yan came from a poor family and was naturally shy and reserved. So, just like Ting Yun, Lanyin also suspected that he might have been unwittingly entangled in some scheme. Seeing Ting Yun’s anxious expression, Lanyin gently reassured her, “Don’t worry. I’ll ask Lord Qi about it. Even if something really is going on, since Lord Qi is the Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, Song Yan’s direct superior, we can ask him to keep an eye on him in the future.”
Though, once again, this would mean troubling Qi Yubai.
Hearing this, Ting Yun finally felt reassured, and she repeatedly expressed her gratitude to Lanyin.
Lanyin knew she was anxious, so she didn’t urge her to stay behind. Instead, the two of them headed to the neighboring Qi Residence together. Having been there many times, Lanyin was now familiar enough with the layout that she would no longer lose her way even without a guide. Seeing that only Sun An, the gatekeeper, was on duty today, she worried that if someone came later to deliver something, there would be no one outside to receive them. So, she did not ask him to lead the way and took Ting Yun inside herself.
Just as they passed through a moon gate, she saw a figure dressed in blue walking along the path—it was Qi Yubai.
Lush greenery lined both sides.
And as he walked among it, his steps were composed and unhurried, his posture as steady as pine and cypress.
“My Lord!”
Qi Yubai stopped in his tracks and saw Lanyin approaching him, holding an ebony box.
Her steps were somewhat hurried—perhaps even Lanyin herself had not noticed that, every time she went to see Qi Yubai, her pace was always faster than when she went to see others. It was only when Qi Yubai said to her, “Slow down,” that she belatedly realized.
Thinking of how she usually prided herself on being a refined lady of a prestigious family, yet always seemed to lose her composure in front of him, a faint flush of red spread across her cheeks.
She did not know what to say.
Yet Qi Yubai seemed to understand the reason behind the blush on her face. His fingers curled slightly around the prayer beads he held, but his thin lips parted slightly, his gaze remaining fixed on her face as he said in a soft voice, “There are many stones on the road—be careful not to trip.”
Hearing these words, the embarrassment in Lanyin’s heart noticeably lessened.
She lifted her head.
Looking once more into Qi Yubai’s deep, pitch-black eyes, she no longer felt the discomfort she once did, nor did she instinctively avert her gaze as she had before. Under his gaze, a faint curve appeared at the corners of her lips, and her almond-shaped eyes lifted slightly in amusement. It was a stark contrast to her usual composed and distant demeanor. Perhaps because she had gotten used to calling Qi Yubai “elder brother” in front of his grandmother, she truly felt a sense of familiarity with him.
At this moment, she simply responded with a light “Mm.”
It was a bright and airy tone, revealing her good mood.
Qi Yubai looked at her radiant smile, and his already dark gaze grew even deeper. The hand behind his back tightened slightly around the prayer beads. The two locked eyes for a moment, but in the end, it was Qi Yubai who first looked away. From the corner of his eye, he noticed the box she was holding, but he did not ask what was inside. Instead, he simply said to Lanyin, “Let’s go. Grandmother is probably waiting for us.”
“All right.”
Lanyin nodded and walked alongside Qi Yubai toward Songzhi Courtyard.
From the corner of her eye, she noticed Ting Yun behind them, her head lowered. She knew that, given the presence of Qi Yubai, Ting Yun would never dare to ask her question directly. So, Lanyin took the initiative and asked Qi Yubai beside her, “My Lord, do you know of Song Yan?”
Qi Yubai’s dark, lacquer-like eyes fell on her, his tone as indifferent as ever. “The clerk from Caizhou?”
“You know him?”
Lanyin was slightly surprised.
Ting Yun, at this moment, could no longer afford to be afraid. Clutching her sleeve, she lifted her head and asked Qi Yubai anxiously, “Lord Qi, do you know how he was admitted to the Court of Judicial Review?”
Her words were too abrupt.
Qi Yubai glanced at Ting Yun but did not respond.
And the usually calm and composed Ting Yun, under Qi Yubai’s sharp, lacquer-dark phoenix eyes, felt as though cold sweat was about to drip from her forehead, let alone say another word.
Lanyin took one look at Ting Yun’s pale face and sighed inwardly. She really didn’t understand why these maids were so afraid of Qi Yubai. He hadn’t even said anything, yet she was already so flustered. In the end, Lanyin had to step in to rescue Ting Yun from her predicament.
“Please don’t take offense—Song Yan is her fiancé. She’s only asking because she’s worried about him.” As she said this, Lanyin suddenly paused. Looking at Qi Yubai, she cautiously asked, “Is this something that is difficult to answer? If it is, you don’t have to say anything.”
She had momentarily forgotten that official matters had their own rules and restrictions.
“There’s nothing difficult to answer.” Qi Yubai finally withdrew his gaze and looked at Lanyin as he said, “Song Yan’s essay this time was well written, and my teacher also praised him. Later, when I reviewed his record, I saw that he had solved several cases in Caizhou. Since the Court of Judicial Review had an opening, I had him transferred over.”
Lanyin had never expected that it was actually Qi Yubai who had spoken up for him.
Seeing his calm and unperturbed demeanor, as if this was nothing more than an ordinary or even trivial matter… Although she couldn’t quite understand why things were different from that past life, she thought that since she had already divorced Xiao Ye, it wasn’t all that strange for some things to deviate from their original course.
At that moment, the doubts and worries in her heart dissipated. Looking at Qi Yubai, a gentle smile appeared at the corners of her lips, and she sincerely said, “Thank you.”
“Hm?”
Qi Yubai looked at her, seemingly not understanding the reason behind her gratitude.
Lanyin explained, “I don’t have many people I can rely on, and Ting Yun has grown up with me since childhood. My bond with her is unlike that with others. Now that Song Yan can come to Bianjing, I no longer have to worry about being separated from her.”
As soon as she finished speaking, Ting Yun seemed to finally return to her senses.
Though she still held a sense of reverence toward Qi Yubai, she gracefully bowed to him and gratefully said, “Many thanks, My Lord.”
Qi Yubai, however, did not accept this gesture. Lowering his gaze to look at Ting Yun, he said in a calm tone, “If he didn’t have the ability himself, no amount of recommendations would have made a difference.” The young man stood with his hands behind his back on the narrow path where light and shadow intertwined, his expression serene. “So, there’s no need to thank me—this is what he deserved.”
Though he spoke in such a way, the gratitude in Ting Yun’s heart remained undiminished. She was well aware that without this Lord Qi speaking up, no matter how capable Song Yan was, he would never have made it to Bianjing. She had already made up her mind—once Song Yan arrived, she would earnestly instruct him to work diligently in the future and never disappoint Lord Qi’s high expectations!
“Let’s go.”
Qi Yubai did not concern himself with Ting Yun’s thoughts. After withdrawing his gaze, he addressed Lanyin.
“Alright.”
Lanyin nodded. But just as she looked down at the box in her hands, she suddenly called out to him, “My Lord, wait a moment.”
Qi Yubai stopped and looked at her.
He watched as she opened the ebony box in her hands.
Following her gaze, he saw two sachets inside. His eyes fell upon the one with a blue background and bamboo pattern. Even Qi Yubai, who rarely revealed his emotions, could not help but feel his heart stir—like a small stone striking the surface of a tranquil lake, sending out ripples one after another.
He heard her say, “Today is the Dragon Boat Festival. I didn’t know what to gift you and Grandmother Qi, so I made two herbal sachets by hand.”