I steeled myself and said, “Your Highness is joking. May I ask what important matter you have summoned me for?”
“It’s like this,” Xia Zhiyuan leisurely opened his fan and waved it. “I heard that my lady is concerned about her brother’s marriage prospects, so I specially came to see if there is anything I can do to help.”
Was the East Palace simply bored and coming to join the excitement, or had my elder brother’s marriage become a national issue? I looked at him suspiciously and gave a wry smile: “Your Highness’s concern for the people is truly admirable.”
He seemed to notice my doubts and waved his hand. “Please do not be suspicious, my lady. In fact, I have a request and specially came to meet you.
If Your Highness has a request, I will certainly do my best,” I said politely, while my heart was beating nervously. He wanted something from me, yet instead of openly visiting An Manor or arranging a meeting through An Jin, he had taken such a roundabout way to this teahouse. Clearly, he wanted to avoid being overheard. What could be so secretive that not even An Jin could know?
An Jin hesitated slightly and instructed me to wait until he returned to discuss matters.
An Jin was called away by his mother-in-law for a conversation, so I immediately pulled Que’er aside and interrogated her thoroughly. Que’er firmly maintained that she had indeed found An Jin at the Ministry of Personnel’s office and accompanied him home, insisting there was absolutely no romantic involvement with another woman.
I looked her over suspiciously multiple times, and Que’er maintained an air of righteous indignation, ultimately expressing great anger at my doubts. In her view, An Jin had rushed back early upon hearing I had been away from home for a long time, urging his horse forward with great urgency, and I was being unnecessarily suspicious, which was unfair to his sincere intentions.
The atmosphere in the house that day was somewhat strange. His mother and An Jin had been talking in the room and hadn’t even eaten dinner.
It wasn’t until the lamps were lit that An Jin returned to the room, looking slightly tired.
