Lingxi suddenly moved into the county office.
Xiao Shan understood perfectly, while Xue Niang, puzzled, began to imagine the relationship between her and Liu Donghuai.
Liu Donghuai had no family, so the back courtyard of the county office was entirely empty, with plenty of rooms. Due to Lingxi's status, Liu Donghuai was cautious, hiring a maid to attend to her daily needs and assigning escorts for her safety when she went out.
After all, he had brought her here and was responsible for sending her back safely.
As a new official, he was very busy. To ensure the people of Donglin lived well, the primary focus was agricultural development, and the construction of irrigation canals was prioritized.
Building canals required funds, which meant the wealthy households of Donglin had to contribute.
Liu Donghuai had no choice but to socialize, network, and even offer titles and benefits, putting in great effort.
One day, Lingxi happened to encounter him when she went out.
Liu Donghuai was drunk, supported by his attendant Zi Guan. Beside him were several similarly inebriated young gentlemen dressed in luxurious attire, accompanied by two heavily made-up women.
They stumbled out of a high-end restaurant, noisy and behaving extremely licentiously.
Lingxi could hardly believe her eyes.
She stood in the middle of the road, waiting for the group to pass.
"Liu Donghuai!"
How could he have changed so much in such a short time since his return? He had fallen so quickly! To think that her imperial brother trusted him so much. Was he not here for the people of his hometown, but to use his position far from the capital to enrich himself?
Lingxi's current furious gaze made her appear, to others, like a wife catching her husband in the act.
The young gentlemen chuckled, not understanding the situation.
This girl must be the one staying at the county office. Indeed, those who are kept in golden cages are always beauties.
"Brother Yizhi, you have good fortune!"
Liu Donghuai's face was flushed, his eyes hazy. A strand of hair fell carelessly by his eye, adding to his dashing demeanor.
He staggered over, speaking intimately, "Don't be angry, I'm going back now."
Then, as if losing his balance, he stumbled, his head brushing past Lingxi's ear.
"Hurry back!"
He was too close, and Lingxi felt dizzy from the smell of alcohol. Suddenly, she heard him whisper this.
His voice was not the soft, weak one from before, but carried a hint of sternness.
Lingxi looked at him in surprise.
He managed to stand straight, his eyes narrowed, indeed with a warning glint that vanished in an instant.
He wasn't drunk?
Then, he turned to those beside him and chuckled, "You've seen a joke, seen a joke."
"Haha, Brother Yizhi is now successful and accompanied by a beauty. I am truly envious."
One of the most luxuriously dressed young gentlemen looked at Lingxi with great interest and asked, "We are all former classmates of Brother Yizhi, and we are very close. Hearing your accent, little sister-in-law, you sound like you're from the capital?"
Little sister-in-law! She would settle accounts with him later!
Lingxi glared at Liu Donghuai hatefully and turned to leave.
Liu Donghuai chuckled softly, "She is from the capital, with a temper. Spoiled by her family, she is lawless."
From the capital.
Her grandfather had said that people in the capital had complex connections, and one should never offend them lightly without knowing their background.
However, a woman who had become Liu Donghuai's canary probably didn't have any powerful backing.
He himself was from a humble background, with no support, and had been demoted by the Emperor to serve as a minor county magistrate in Donglin, where he could only show off his authority to the common people.
Whether she was from the capital or not, he had no intention of bothering with a mere woman.
Liu Donghuai bid farewell to the others and, swaying, got into the carriage.
Once inside, he straightened his posture, rubbed his forehead, and thought about what had just happened. He would have to explain things upon his return.
Zhou Xingshen was indeed his classmate, but they had no prior connection. His family was noble, and he had connections in the capital. How could he treat someone like him, a country bumpkin, as a brother? Their current association was merely for mutual benefit.
However, Princess Lingxi's sudden appearance and her residing in the county office made their relationship difficult to explain.
It would be best to send her back as soon as possible to avoid damaging her reputation.
Upon his return, he was indeed confronted.
"Liu Donghuai, you were quite the actor just now, weren't you? You look so honest, but you have a heart full of deceit. Who are you related to? Why didn't you explain just now!"
"How can I explain? If you have no relation to me, why are you living in the county office? Should I say you are a princess? Will you need an entourage every time you go out? And I'll have to worry about your safety day and night?"
"You, you could say I'm a distant relative who came to seek refuge with you?"
"Yes, a lone orphan girl, easily bullied. Do you think those people just now were good people? With a simple trick, they could have taken you back to their manor as a concubine!"
Lingxi was stumped. She was poor at arguing and couldn't think of a retort.
"It's not as scary as you say. My brother-in-law is Xiao Shan. Who would dare do anything to me!"
"Princess Lingxi!" Liu Donghuai's expression turned cold, and that oppressive aura returned.
Lingxi couldn't help but swallow.
"They want to live a quiet life now. I advise you not to cause trouble for them."
These words were heavy, and Lingxi was stunned for a moment.
"Princess, you have seen the person you wished to see. It is not advisable for you to stay here any longer. I will arrange for your return to the palace."
"No!" Lingxi grabbed him, "I'll listen to you, okay? I promise not to interfere with your work anymore. I, I want to stay a few more days, is that okay?"
Liu Donghuai looked at her earnest eyes and sighed inwardly again.
"The Emperor has already selected a consort candidate for you. You will have to return to the palace sooner or later."
"I won't go back! If you send me back now, I'll jump into the river halfway! And you'll be implicated and have your nine generations of relatives executed!"
Lingxi, with teary eyes, ran back to her room and slammed the door shut.
Alas!
It's easy to invite a god, but difficult to send one away.
Liu Donghuai rubbed his aching forehead again.
"My lord, someone outside wishes to see you. They say it is your former teacher," Zi Guan called from outside.
Not just a teacher, but also a former father-in-law.
Su Liren.
He had aged considerably. At fifty, his hair was entirely white, his back stooped, and his once piercing eyes lacked spirit.
Liu Donghuai called out faintly, "Teacher Su."
"I dare not," Su Liren replied respectfully, "My lord flatters this humble one."
In the past, he was the one who critically viewed this son-in-law. Now...
Liu Donghuai was now capable of concealing his emotions well in front of outsiders. He no longer dwelled on the past. By nature, he would not deliberately make things difficult for this former father-in-law.
He invited the man to sit and asked his purpose calmly.
"Before the New Year, the Emperor, in his benevolence, released a group of prisoners with minor offenses. I went to bring Yu Ru back."
Ever since his daughter was imprisoned, Su Liren had been expelled from the academy and was no longer the respected teacher he once was. From then on, anyone could step on him, including students he had taught.
Human hearts are unfathomable, and the world is fickle.
And this man before him, now holding an official position and returning home in glory, the poor student and former son-in-law whom he had once looked down upon so much, did not add insult to injury, even though his daughter had committed unforgivable acts against him.
Did this mean he still had feelings for Yu Ru?