The Dreamer in the Spring Boudoir

“Prince Zhangjun told me to go back.” Ji Man sighed and said in somewhat pleased with herself tone, “Right now, I have control over the grain price in the capital. As an important person, I naturally have to go to a safer place. If I stay in the capital and someone recovers her memories and spills the beans, will you protect me when your master seizes me and wants to behead me?”

Ning Yuxuan was frozen in surprise for a moment. He lowered his eyes. “You’re right. But if you leave so early, I won’t be able to see you for a long time.”

Ji Man paused before chuckling. “That’s okay. Marquis, aren’t there other people by your side? Wouldn’t it be better to look at them than to look at a man’s face every day?”

She turned around and went back to tidying the cabinet. By the time she finished separating all of the records for the old debts and the new ones, her back ached from tiredness. When she turned her head, there was no one sitting at the table.

He had silently slipped in here and silently slipped out. People with martial arts were just that good. Ji Man clicked her tongue in admiration, then she left the room to look for Yan Buba to make arrangement for certain things. Once she was done with that, she would go prepare her luggage.

—

During the next several days, Marquis Moyu didn’t come over. Ji Man didn’t mind. She thought that he was probably busy with something.

However, on the morning that she was boarding the carriage to leave the capital and go to Zhangjun, Ning Yuxuan still hadn’t appeared.

Feeling a bit uneasy, Ji Man looked at Yan Buba and asked, “Has something happened in the imperial court recently? Has an important official been caught and put into the imperial prison or perhaps, put under house arrest? Say, someone like Marquis Moyu?”

Yan Buba was calculating something on his abacus. He looked at her oddly and answered, “Boss, don’t worry. You can leave. Marquis Moyu is fine. He hasn’t been imprisoned or put under house arrest.”

Then, why hadn’t he come over to visit her? Ji Man furrowed her brow. Habit was truly a terrifying thing. Over time, she had gotten used to Ning Yuxuan coming over every day. When he had suddenly stopped coming, she felt a visceral uneasiness. She clearly didn’t care about him. It was like when you were sitting in a slow-moving car and didn’t feel as if you were moving, but when the car suddenly braked, your body would involuntarily lean forward.

Was this how Marquis Moyu seduced women? Ji Man chuckled. She finished packing and set out on her journey with two armed guards.

Fine, if he wasn’t going to come here to send her off, she didn’t care.

Was the carriage driver deliberately going the wrong way? Why would they pass by Marquis Moyu’s estate on their way out of the capital? Even if they were going to pass by, why didn’t he find an excuse to stop there? They had already passed the estate’s entrance.

With an unhappy expression, Ji Man called out, “Stop.”

The carriage driver obediently stopped the carriage and turned his head to look at her with a confusion expression. “Boss?”

“There’s an old friend inside. I have to go and say goodbye to him.” Ji Man coughed twice, put down her wrapped bundle, and jumped down from the carriage. “Wait here.”

“Understood.”

Ji Man walked to the entrance. When the person at the front entrance saw Ji Man, he didn’t even ask why she was here. Beaming, he bowed and called out, “Mister Ji.”

Ji Man awkwardly nodded. Before she could ask a question, the servant said, “The marquis is home. He’s probably in the western courtyard. Mister Ji, you can go inside.”

So enthusiastic. Ji Man pursed her lips, expressed her thanks, and headed inside.

—

Ning Yuxuan had actually woken up very early today. He was frowning as he had a servant girl help him change his clothes. He asked Guibai, “Is she leaving today?”

Guibai nodded. “My lord, didn’t you say that you wouldn’t go to send her off?”

Ning Yuxuan snorted. “I was only asking. I just happened to want take a stroll outside. It’s not because I want to see her off.”

Guibai nodded again. “There’s no need to hurry then. Master, you can go out for your stroll after you had breakfast. The kitchen servants are still preparing it.”

Marquis Moyu’s expression changed. He looked at Guibai and said, “Have I indulged you too much lately?”

Guibai looked at him blankly. He had no idea what he had done wrong. However, seeing his master’s expression, he knelt down to ask for forgiveness. “Master, don’t be angry. You’ll be hungry later if you skip breakfast.”

Wen Wan’s voice came from the other side of the doors. “My lord, this servant has a prepared a light breakfast for you and brought it over.”

Ning Yuxuan raised his eyebrows. Guibai had already gotten up to open the doors. Wen Wan came into the room with a slight smile. She brought seven small plates of side dishes and one bowl of congee. The breakfast looked quite appetizing.

Wen Wan was standing at the side and somewhat bashfully clutching her handkerchief as she said, “My lord, you should eat breakfast before going out. This servant doesn’t know what my lord likes to eat, so this servant freely made a few dishes.”

The seven side dishes on the platter looked very similar to the food that Ji Man had made during the Southern Trip. After Ning Yuxuan briefly looked over them, he sat down and picked up a piece of food to taste.

En, it wasn’t as tasty as Ji Man’s food. However, Wen Wan hadn’t known how to cook previously. She had finally become sensible enough to learn.

After eating several bites, Ning Yuxuan got up and wanted to head out. It wasn’t early anymore.

When Wen Wan came over to clean up the dishes and chopsticks, she stumbled and ended up falling into his arms. Seemingly flustered and embarrassed, she pulled his sleeve and mumbled, “Yuxuan...”

Startled, Ning Yuxuan lowered his head to blankly look at her.

Estimating what time it was by looking at the sky, Guibai wanted to reminded his master that it was time to leave, but Marquis Moyu said, “Guibai, you can go out first.”