Hua Yao had been waiting for Zhong Li at the palace gate. Seeing her emerge from within, she hurried to meet her.
"Li'er, you're finally out."
Zhong Li looked at Hua Yao, whom she hadn't seen in a long time. "You were waiting for me?"
"Of course! You've finally returned from Lin Zhou, and as a good sister, I must be here to welcome you!" Hua Yao affectionately linked her arm with Zhong Li's and guided her into her carriage.
After telling the carriage driver the destination, Zhong Li replied to Hua Yao, "Then you must have been waiting outside for a long time?"
"Not really. I knew that as soon as you returned from outside, the first thing you'd do was report to His Majesty. So, I used this time. Look what I bought for you?" As Hua Yao spoke, she retrieved a paper package from a low cabinet at her feet.
Zhong Li glanced at the paper package and sniffed the aroma wafting through the carriage. She had already guessed what was inside. "Knowing I love duck, and you went out of your way to buy it for me. Thank you."
As she spoke, her gaze unintentionally fell upon a corner of the cabinet where the duck was kept. Her eyebrows twitched slightly.
Hua Yao didn't notice Zhong Li's expression. She opened the duck and placed a leg in front of Zhong Li. "Of course. In my heart, Li'er is the most important."
"Is that so?" Zhong Li took the duck leg and then noticed Hua Yao's bandaged fingertips. "I don't think so. You probably have deeper little secrets."
Hearing this, Hua Yao followed Zhong Li's gaze, realized something, and quickly hid her hand behind her back.
Shaking her head, Zhong Li smiled faintly. "There's no need to hide it. I've already discovered it. Have you made progress with Lan Heng?"
Hua Yao's cheeks flushed. She glanced at the items in the cabinet behind her. Knowing she couldn't hide it, she took them out. "I wish I had, but nothing has even begun."
"Then why are you embroidering a sachet for him?" Zhong Li asked.
Hua Yao's face turned even redder at this. With her eyes cast down shyly, she said, "Wasn't it the Qixi Festival over half a month ago? Your Excellency sent me something."
Zhong Li paused in her eating of the duck leg, looking at Hua Yao in surprise. She knew Lan Heng's personality. While he was bold in expressing his feelings, he was also inflexible, especially towards her and Hua Yao. In her opinion, this man had fallen for Hua Yao, yet he stubbornly believed that his true feelings were for Zhong Li. Now that he had sent Hua Yao something for Qixi, did it mean...
"Although the item Master Lan bought was meant for you when you returned, he gave it to me because it had a flaw. But I still felt quite happy," Hua Yao said.
Just as Zhong Li had this thought, she heard Hua Yao's latter half of the sentence, and all her relief vanished.
She looked at Hua Yao, who was holding the half-embroidered sachet in her palm. Zhong Li suddenly felt both pained and relieved. Anyone else might have been furious and parted ways with her by now, but Hua Yao lived with more clarity and insight than anyone.
"Lan Heng is a bit ungrateful!" Zhong Li scoffed.
Hua Yao's eyes twinkled with a smile. She shook her head. "It's I who shamelessly followed him. I don't ask for his affection; I just want to do things I like before I get married."
"You're getting married?" Zhong Li's brows furrowed when she heard Hua Yao say this. She had only been gone for a short while, and Hua Yao was already getting married?
Hua Yao first shook her head, then quickly nodded. "I don't know if it counts. A few days ago, I accidentally overheard outside my father's study. Father intends to send my portrait to other high-ranking officials in the same court to find a suitable husband. After all, I've already passed my capping ceremony for a year."
Hearing this, Zhong Li recalled meeting Hua Yao for the first time last year, around the same time. Hua Yao, disguised as a man, couldn't hide her inherent cuteness. Now, a year later, she was about to get married. It was normal. At her age and with her family background, Hua Yao could find a good match. If they waited longer, she would become leftovers for others to pick at and disdain.
"So, what do you think?" Zhong Li asked.
The smile on Hua Yao's face froze. After a long pause, she finally shook her head. "I don't know. If... Your Excellency truly has no feelings for me, I can't force it. However..."
She said this, then suddenly changed the subject, a childlike smile reappearing on her face. "The time spent with Your Excellency, I will surely remember it for a lifetime."
Zhong Li pursed her lips, looking at Hua Yao. She was like the morning sun after the rain, always optimistic and proactive.
"Okay, enough about me!" Hua Yao sniffled, waving her hand. "Let's talk about important matters!"
Zhong Li put aside the duck bones she had finished eating and poured two cups of tea, waiting for Hua Yao to continue.
"Wu has been promoted to Magistrate of the Department of Justice," Hua Yao said.
"So quickly?" Zhong Li was slightly surprised. A month ago, during the investigation of the Gu Ling case, Wu was just a highly capable young constable. Now, he was only two ranks below her.
"Yes!" Hua Yao nodded. "While you were away, Li'er, you didn't see how hard Wu worked in the Dali Temple. There are some old cases in the Dali Temple that you intended to investigate thoroughly but didn't have time to, remember?"
Zhong Li nodded. She recalled three such cases.
"Wu solved them all."
"Solved them?" Zhong Li was surprised.
Hua Yao nodded. "Yes. Not only did Wu solve all of them, but a serial murder case occurred a few days ago. Five or six young girls died in Jincheng. Wu solved it in three days, and the public praised the Dali Temple for its swift and effective case-solving. His Majesty heard about it and granted Wu an extraordinary promotion."
Hearing this, Zhong Li's eyes were filled with admiration. She knew that the three old cases she left behind were not simple. In just over half a month, Wu not only solved them all but also cracked more cases. She herself didn't possess such capability, but Wu had achieved it. It seemed she had underestimated him.
"That's very good. Since Wu is so capable, at least the people of Jincheng can receive some fair treatment in this regard," she praised sincerely.
"Good? What's good about it!" Hua Yao sounded unhappy.
Zhong Li rarely saw her like this and couldn't help but ask, "What's wrong?"
Hua Yao pouted. "You have no idea. Ever since Wu became the Magistrate of the Department of Justice, he's won over many constables in the Dali Temple. Some constables even flatter him, saying that within half a year, Wu will become your direct superior."
"Are you saying Wu will become the Minister of the Dali Temple?" Zhong Li asked.
"Li'er, you know very well that's not what I mean!" Hua Yao said unhappily. "They're saying that as a joke, but their ulterior motives are obvious. They are trying to sideline you!"
"Oh, I see!" Zhong Li smiled and shook her head. "Ever since I joined the Dali Temple, I've been ostracized. Have you forgotten?"
"Are you referring to Xu Qing?"
Zhong Li sighed. "After all, this court is a man's world. As a woman, I'm already an anomaly in their eyes. Now that the Dali Temple has someone like Wu, I will undoubtedly be the first target."
"Then..."
"It's alright!" Zhong Li waved her hand. "We just need to do our jobs well. As for the rest, if others don't offend me, I won't offend them!"
Saying this, she lifted the curtain and looked outside. Turning to Hua Yao, she said, "We've arrived at the post station. Get off the carriage. His Majesty asked me to escort the remaining special envoys from Yingzhou out of Jincheng. You'll accompany me."