Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Since Ren Fengjue began acting as the head of the Ministry of Justice a year ago, he had established a modest two-courtyard residence in the Capital to make his commute easier.

He was solitary by nature. Aside from a steward who shared his surname and had followed him from the Marquis Mansion, there were only four servants in the household. It was a remarkably quiet place.

Strange as it seemed, though Lord Ren was born into the noble Marquis Mansion, he possessed not a shred of arrogance or extravagance. In his daily life, he lived simply, from his food to his clothing, and his residence was even somewhat sparse and humble. As a favored official of the Emperor, he refused to put on any airs.

Yu Lang never particularly enjoyed visiting the estate, but the two had always been close friends and shared professional duties. He inevitably found himself visiting several times a month.

Every time he came, he would wear a long face, complaining either that Lord Ren’s tea was bitter or that the food was too bland. Ren Fengjue never bothered to change his way of hosting, offering only a dry, “Vice Minister Yu may stay or leave as he pleases.”

Consequently, Yu Lang never visited without official business. Even when he had to come, he timed his arrivals perfectly, leaving the moment the business was concluded.

It was nothing like today…

He had actually brought a woman to the door.

They had arrived around the Hour of the Snake, stayed for the midday meal, and now, after several pots of tea, it was nearly the Hour of the Rooster, yet he still showed no intention of leaving.

A’chun, the servant, suppressed her confusion as she stepped forward quietly to refresh the tea once more. Seeing Yu Lang looking perfectly at ease, without a hint of impatience despite the long wait, she found it even more peculiar.

She looked at the woman beside him, who was equally difficult to read. Since entering the room, the woman had sat perfectly upright. She had only finished one cup of tea and occasionally closed her eyes to rest, barely speaking a word.

The atmosphere was so eerie that A’chun couldn’t help but glance at the sky. She wondered what kind of strange wind had blown these two in today.

At the peak of the Hour of the Rooster, Lord Ren finally returned home.

Overjoyed, Yu Lang rushed to the door. “Lord Ren, you’re finally back!”

Ren Fengjue’s eyelid twitched slightly. He couldn’t help but cast a glance into the room, where his eyes immediately landed on a pair of lotus-pink soft satin embroidered shoes stained with mud.

Just as he had suspected…

Frowning slightly, he lowered his voice and asked, “Why did you bring her to my home?”

Yu Lang looked surprised. “Was it not Lord Ren’s order?”

Ren Fengjue’s lip twitched.

“As I recall, my exact words were: ‘That woman has an eccentric personality and her movements are suspicious; you are to ascertain the truth before bringing her to see me.'”

When had he ever said to bring her to his private residence?

Yu Lang gave a dry laugh and explained, “Did you not have to enter the palace to have an audience with His Majesty? I couldn’t exactly take her to the Ministry of Justice or the Dali Temple, could I? She is but a frail woman who has just survived a harrowing ordeal; I feared she couldn’t handle the shock of such places.”

He added, “After thinking it over, I decided this was the most appropriate place.”

“…”

Ren Fengjue was speechless. He rubbed his brow, and finally, suppressing his exhaustion, he lifted the curtain and entered the hall.

***

Xia Ximo opened her eyes when she heard the voices at the door.

In the twilight, a tall, slender figure stood at the entrance. His face was still blurred against the backlight. However, she recognized him instantly as the man from the ship who possessed that unique aura.

The moment he stepped into the room, a wave of pure yang energy washed over her, instantly dispelling the chill that surrounded her.

How could it be such a coincidence?

He was the son of the Marquis of Renxuan?

As the two stared at each other, lost in their own thoughts, Yu Lang followed closely behind.

He spoke first, addressing Xia Ximo: “This is the person you were looking for.”

Xia Ximo carefully observed the man of striking character before her. His features were clear and refined, and his hair was tied up high. Though he had removed his official hat, he still wore a black cloak over his purple court robes, with spotless black boots on his feet.

He must have just come from the palace, not yet having had the chance to change into his casual clothes.
Xia Ximo stood up and took two steps forward. “Are you the son of the Marquis of Renxuan?” she asked.

Her tone was far from polite-so much so that Yu Lang, listening from the side, broke into a cold sweat on her behalf.

He knew this woman was bold, but he hadn’t expected her to be this daring!

In this day and age, from the high-ranking officials down to the common citizens, who would dare speak to the “Living Yama” in such a manner?

Ren Fengjue remained unfazed, his expression unchanged. “I am,” he replied. “And who might you be, Miss? What business do you have with me?”

Under his steady gaze, Xia Ximo did not shy away. She reached for her neck, pulled off a jade pendant, and held it out to him.

“My surname is Xia.”

Ren Fengjue stared at the crescent-shaped jade pendant, not reacting immediately. However, the mention of her surname sent a jolt through his heart.

Yu Lang had long known that Lord Ren was betrothed. His fiancée was the daughter of Xia Qing, the Great General Protecting the State who had stabilized the borders six years ago.

And this woman’s surname was Xia…

What was going on?

Ren Fengjue hesitated. “You are…”

“Xia Qing’s daughter, Xia Ximo.”

“…”

It really was her!

This sudden turn of events made Vice Minister Yu, who had been hoping to enjoy a bit of drama, wipe away another bead of cold sweat. It was incredibly awkward. Lord Ren’s fiancée had actually traveled to the Capital alone to find him!

*Tsk, tsk.* Such deep affection was truly enviable!

Ren Fengjue, however, felt a strange sensation in his chest. He had never truly given any thought to this woman he was betrothed to since childhood. Had his parents not mentioned her constantly at home, he wouldn’t have even remembered she existed.

In recent years, his mind had been entirely focused on the imperial court. Since he didn’t live at the Marquis Mansion, he had pushed the matter to the back of his mind.

Who would have thought that one day, she would show up at his door of her own accord?

His initial confusion quickly shifted to suspicion. Xia Ximo had lived with her maternal uncle’s family in Jiangnan for years. Because of this, the Marquis Mansion had always looked after the Mu family. Logically, Xia Ximo should be living a comfortable, sheltered life as a young lady of a noble house. What could have happened to make the Mu family allow her to travel to the Capital alone? And in such a bedraggled state…

“Is the Mu family… facing some sort of difficulty?” Ren Fengjue asked tentatively after a moment of deliberation.

Xia Ximo’s face remained calm, betraying no emotion. “It has nothing to do with the Mu family. I came to find you.”

“…”

Given her unique status, hearing her speak like this made Yu Lang feel like an outsider eavesdropping on a private couple’s quarrel. Should he excuse himself?

Ren Fengjue, who was usually unflappable regardless of the situation, actually felt a bit uneasy now.

“Find me?”

At this point, Yu Lang had already decided to quietly shuffle toward the exit. However, just as he reached the door, he heard Xia Ximo’s reply.

“Yes. I came to find you to break off our engagement.”

“!”

Vice Minister Yu’s footsteps faltered. He almost thought he had misheard her. Looking back at Ren Fengjue, the man’s expression was as complicated as his thoughts.

A fiancée he had never met before had traveled thousands of miles to find him, only to demand a broken engagement! No matter how one looked at it, the situation was absurd.

In an instant, a hundred thoughts flashed through Ren Fengjue’s mind. He had doubted her identity; he had even suspected she might be using the identity to plot something. But he had never expected her to say those words.

Standing by the door, Yu Lang was caught between leaving and staying. In his shock, he couldn’t help but chime in.

“Miss Xia, there must be some misunderstanding. You and Lord Ren have only just met. To say such a thing… it seems inappropriate!”

Xia Ximo remained cold. Her gaze toward Ren Fengjue was firm and resolute as she spoke again. “I am asking you. If you have no objections, then write me a letter of dissolution.”