The next day, on Azure Parting Street.
A luxurious and ornate carriage stopped in front of the clothing shop. This was a famous establishment in the Capital City, where princes, nobles, ladies, and wealthy merchants all liked to come to select clothing styles.
Thus, everyone who entered was either rich or noble—they were all gods of wealth, and none could be neglected.
The shop assistants inside had particularly sharp eyes. They proactively served tea, poured water, and offered fruits, striving to satisfy every customer.
One assistant glanced at the youth in front of the screen and secretly guessed: he probably belonged to the category of wealthy merchants.
Because the youth was dressed in Miao Frontier style, and there were no princes with foreign surnames in the Capital City, he must be a merchant from the southern border coming to do business.
But no matter his identity, once he entered the shop, he was their god of wealth.
After serving the tea, the assistant looked at the youth’s face and smiled warmly as he complimented, “Young lord, you are so handsome, and you match perfectly with that young lady from earlier!”
This statement was flattery, but it was also sincere.
He had never seen such a well-matched pair of lovebirds, just like Pan An and Xie Daoyun (a poetic couple from plays, symbolizing handsome man and beautiful woman).
Xie Shuo showed no reaction.
Only the knuckles of his hand hanging at his side, faintly pale and bluish, revealed his true mood.
He was very nervous and very dazed.
Last night, when he had used those words to threaten Xin Yi, he had not expected her to agree immediately. But once she really agreed, Xie Shuo could not help but wonder whether she had compromised out of fear or truly wished to marry him.
But no matter which it was, he would not let go now.
Anyway, they still had plenty of time. He would make Xin Yi know that this decision was not a mistake.
At that moment, the curtain behind the screen stirred slightly.
The sound of light footsteps reached his ears. Xie Shuo looked up and saw the woman’s exceedingly beautiful face. She wore ornate formal attire with hairpins, her dark tresses adorned with red flowers and a golden crown. Her fingers supported the crimson cape, as if the heavy garment made it hard for her to adapt.
Xin Yi also sensed the youth’s stunned gaze.
She had just relented last night, and this morning she was brought to the shop to try on the wedding dress. At first, she had been somewhat reluctant. But as soon as she looked up and met the youth’s eyes, the long-absent notification sound for changes in favorability rang in her ears.
“Ding-dong~ Detected Xie Shuo’s favorability increase by 5 percentage points. Currently at 95%!!”
“Victory is in sight. Please keep up the good work, host!!”
Xin Yi was somewhat dazed, then slowly realized: so Xie Shuo really liked seeing her in a wedding dress?
If she had known it was this simple to raise favorability, she would have put it on obediently long ago, without needing him to urge her.
With that thought, her eyes narrowed slightly.
Then, wearing the somewhat ill-fitting wedding dress, she walked closer to the youth. Suddenly, she smiled flirtatiously and sweetly called out, “Husband.”
“Husband, husband, husband…”
She had just wanted to test if calling him “husband” a few more times could max out the favorability. In fact, it proved it would not.
The favorability stayed where it was and did not rise further.
But Xin Yi was still pleased.
At least she was a bit closer to her goal, and barring surprises, it should happen in the next few days.
Making a wedding dress took a long time. Even with the Capital City’s most experienced embroiderers, it would take at least two or three months.
But Xie Shuo was clearly impatient and unwilling to wait that long. So he discussed with the shopkeeper to alter the try-on wedding dress to her measurements. It could probably be picked up in about five days.
Xin Yi showed no objection to this. Perhaps on their wedding night, the favorability would smoothly max out.
If Xie Shuo insisted on using this method to satisfy his sense of security, she had no choice but to go along.
She did not plan to notify the Bai family. There was even less need for Xie Shuo’s side. So all the pre-wedding arrangements could be simplified.
No matter from which angle, the auspicious date should be as soon as possible.
With everything planned, Xin Yi began considering more.
Mainly, she needed to send Xiang Lan away in advance. Otherwise, when she left this world, Xiang Lan would have nowhere to go.
By then, Xie Shuo would hate her to death and likely have no mood to treat her personal maidservant kindly. Not taking it out on her would already be good.
So, for the sake of their master-servant bond, she needed to plan ahead.
When they returned from the street, Xin Yi called Xiang Lan aside alone. She first laid some groundwork in a proper manner.
Then she took out two land deeds from a box, along with some silver taels. She counted them in front of the little maid and sighed, “These are the two shops I bought a few days ago. The locations are not large and a bit remote, but they are enough to start a small business in the Capital City.”
Xiang Lan was somewhat surprised and looked at her without full understanding.
Xin Yi took a sip of tea and continued, “I plan to open a tea shop or pastry shop later. You go be the manager and watch over it for me.”
Seeing her hesitate, as if wanting to refuse, Xin Yi quickly cut her off. “This is settled. The silver for purchases and the house deeds are all yours to keep. Starting tomorrow, you and the mammy move into the shops.”
After saying this, she gave a few more instructions.
She told Xiang Lan that if she encountered any unsolvable difficulties in the future, she could seek help from the Eldest Princess.
Xiang Lan was not very willing. She had served her miss since the Bai family days, and suddenly separating would surely make her uncomfortable everywhere.
But seeing Xin Yi’s uncompromising expression, she could only agree grudgingly and nod obediently.
Two days later, General’s Mansion.
Goose Water Courtyard was eerily quiet. During the meal, no one spoke first.
Chu Chu had hesitated, wanting to say a few caring words.
But when she glimpsed the man’s tightly furrowed brows and tense profile, she swallowed her words again.
Bai Xinyi had run away.
She had left with Xie Shuo, and reportedly said extremely insulting words to humiliate him.
Though Chu Chu loathed Bai Xinyi, she could never have imagined the other woman would be so bold and reckless.
To dare hook up with Xie Shuo right under Xiao Cheng Ce’s nose, committing such immoral and scandalous acts without proper betrothal rites.
Men valued face the most, and someone like Xiao Cheng Ce was no exception.
No matter how bad Xie Shuo’s relationship with her was, he was nominally her younger brother, who had followed her from the Miao Frontier. Because of this, Chu Chu had found it hard to hold her head high in front of her husband lately.
But she also secretly felt fortunate, because no other woman in the General’s Mansion could overshadow her anymore.
The servant boy waiting on the side was trembling in fear, especially when his gaze fell on the plate of stir-fried asparagus with greens in the middle of the table.
Others might not know, but the close attendant understood deeply and had a belly full of grievances.
Ever since that day, the general could not stand the sight of green things, like green vegetable porridge or the green ruyi in the study.
His temper had also become more volatile and irritable, smashing things twice a day on average. Last time, he had nearly smashed the inkstone into his face.
If he had not dodged in time, he would have a scar.
Amid his trepidation, Xiao Cheng Ce stood up.
He placed his chopsticks on the plate. He had barely touched the food in front of him. “I am done eating. Tonight is the Empress Dowager’s birthday banquet in the palace. Do not wait for me for dinner.”
Just after the hour of Xu, carriages of officials had already filled the area outside the palace gates.
The imperial garden was brilliantly lit, filled with the sounds of silk and bamboo music. Palace maids occasionally passed through carrying lanterns.
By the time Xiao Cheng Ce arrived, his colleagues had already filled the seats.
He disliked chatting with others, so he chose a seat closer to the pond. As soon as he looked up, he saw the Tanhua Scholar drinking alone diagonally ahead.
Xi Lingyi wore a vermilion robe, his demeanor handsome and elegant. His seat was separated from the Eldest Princess by one empty spot.
But that spot was empty now, and so was the Eldest Princess’s seat.
Xiao Cheng Ce found it odd and asked the little eunuch attending him.
The little eunuch immediately bowed low, his voice fawning and shrill. “Replying to the general, the one arranged at the Eldest Princess’s right hand is the recently famous painter in the Capital City, named Tian Lingling.”
Xiao Cheng Ce suddenly froze. Though his gaze remained calmly on the empty seat, a spark of anticipation and curiosity rose in his heart.
The painting he had bought before still hung in his study, admired daily. He had not expected to see the artist’s true face tonight.
It seemed that the person you were meant to meet would appear sooner or later, no matter how they hid.
Moments later, he heard whispers nearby.
They said the mysterious painter was the Eldest Princess’s honored guest, praising her composed demeanor and stunning beauty, like a celestial fairy. They even said she had just been invited over to speak a few words with the Empress Dowager.
Xiao Cheng Ce’s interest was fully piqued, and he felt unusually eager.
Night fell, with a gentle breeze.
The imperial garden bloomed with clusters of hibiscus. The dancers swayed gracefully, and the pond edges shimmered with lights.
Then he saw that slender figure approaching slowly, and that familiar woman’s face.
The wine from his cup spilled all over him, startling those nearby to ask what was wrong. But Xiao Cheng Ce said nothing, his eyes fixed deadly on Bai Xinyi, his expression like gritted teeth.
He saw the woman in smoky cyan robes sit at the Eldest Princess’s right hand.
So… she was indeed the mysterious painter famous in the Capital City? So that was her confidence when she left the General’s Mansion?
A wide aisle separated the banquet tables, but the distance between them was not far.
So as soon as Xin Yi sat down, she felt the scorching gaze from across. But she pretended not to notice and leisurely savored the delicacies, while enjoying the dancers’ performance ahead.
Princess Zhaohua, seeing this, chuckled lightly and murmured in her ear, “Your ex-husband looks like he wants to devour you. But the more he cares, the more it shows his old affections linger.”
She knew these men best—they did not cherish what they had until it was gone, then began to regret.
Hearing this, Xin Yi smiled too. “Perhaps.”
Of course she understood Princess Zhaohua’s mindset right now—purely finding it amusing and enjoying the spectacle. But watching Xiao Cheng Ce’s drama was harmless.
She lowered her head to pick up a piece of smoked fish, but her mind thought of the youth obediently waiting outside the palace walls.
Today’s banquet was special, the occasion unique. Even she was only here by Princess Zhaohua’s invitation. There was no way to bring Xie Shuo in too, so after some thought, she had told him to wait in the carriage under the palace walls.
After finishing the smoked fish, Xin Yi felt another sticky gaze.
But compared to the previous one, this owner was much closer. So she looked up at the youth beside her. “What a coincidence. We meet again.”
She was not face-blind and naturally recognized the handsome youth beside her as the one whose lantern she had stepped on by the lake.
Back then, feeling bad, she had given him her sugar painting as compensation.
Xi Lingyi looked at the woman’s beautiful face and heard the words from her red lips. A thread of astonishment and delight spread in his heart.
She… she actually still remembered him.
And today at the palace banquet, they happened to sit side by side. Did that not mean there was some fated connection between them?
Seeing him stare blankly without speaking for a long time, Xin Yi could not help but laugh with rippling eyes. “Young lord staring at this lady like this—could it be love at first sight again, unable to contain your feelings?”
Xi Lingyi was stumped by the question, his handsome face flushing slightly.
He had never met such a bold lady, but despite his stirred heart, he tried to restrain himself. “It is quite a coincidence. Last time we met in haste, and I did not get to ask the lady’s name.”
“Xin Yi, Xin Yi from the magnolia flower.”
Princess Zhaohua overheard their talk and could not help her curiosity. “What’s this? You know the Tanhua Scholar too?”
So Xin Yi briefly explained their previous chance encounter to Princess Zhaohua, then received a teasing and meaningful look from her.
How could she not understand what the Eldest Princess was thinking?
But something so unrelated and groundless was not worth explaining, lest it paint an even darker picture.
Halfway through the banquet, Xiao Cheng Ce across from them kept glancing over.
And each time he did, Xin Yi deliberately chatted more intimately with the youth beside her.
Xi Lingyi sensed something off and finally asked, “You seem to really dislike General Xiao. Is there some past grudge?”
Xin Yi nodded. “See that man? He tired of me for a new love and cast me aside for his concubine.”
As her words fell, the youth’s gaze toward her suddenly turned utterly shocked. Then he fell silent for a long time.