"Then I won't be polite. I'll invite you to see my princess mansion then. You can draw up some blueprints, and I'll have the Craftsmen's Bureau build it for me."
Princess Jiayi also liked Lin Yan's attitude very much.
Few people treated her this way, as if she were an ordinary person, not a princess.
Ever since she learned of Princess Jiayi's engagement to Feng Feiyu, the heir of Marquis Huaiyin, fragments had been constantly produced in Tang Xinyi's room.
She truly didn't understand why Princess Jiayi had to interfere. She had already made an impression on Madam Huaiyin at several banquets.
She was only one step away from becoming his fiancée, his wife. But why had everything changed?
In her previous life, Princess Jiayi had married someone else. Why was she suddenly going to marry Feng Feiyu this time!
She was clearly supposed to marry... Why couldn't she remember who Princess Jiayi married in her previous life?
She only seemed to remember that her half-sister Tang Xinyi had lived a very good life, and that Feng Feiyu had treated her very well.
From the moment she was reborn, Feng Feiyu had been her goal. Now, how could she compare herself to Princess Jiayi?
But without a goal, where should she go? With Feng Feiyu as the shining example, who else could she possibly fall for!
After Lin Yan's crisis was resolved, Xing Shaojun still felt uneasy and investigated her situation. Upon learning that she and Princess Jiayi were getting along well, he was somewhat relieved.
Although Princess Jiayi had a bad reputation outside, she was very good to her own people. With Princess Jiayi protecting her, she should be able to live quite well in the capital.
He could put his mind at ease regarding Lin Yan, but the secret of Duke An's mansion had not yet been uncovered. The two young ladies of Duke An's mansion were definitely problematic, and he had already reported this to His Majesty.
However, the spies had investigated for a long time and found no issues with them, yet their behavior was sometimes truly illogical.
He had already handed this matter over to His Majesty's covert operatives, so he wouldn't worry about it anymore.
Xing Shaojun was returning on horseback from the outskirts of the city when he encountered Lin Yan's carriage heading towards the outskirts.
"Miss Lin, after you saved me last time, I haven't had the chance to visit and thank you!" Although he had sent gifts as a token of his gratitude, he had not personally visited.
After all, he had been in danger at the time. If people knew that she had saved him, then someone would surely target her.
How could Miss Lin, a frail woman, be a match for those villains?
"It was just a small favor. Young Master, you don't need to be so polite." Lin Yan opened the carriage door and looked at Xing Shaojun on his horse.
"It seems Miss Lin already knows my identity." Xing Shaojun said with a smile, not minding that Lin Yan might have investigated him privately.
"Young Master's reputation is well-known throughout the capital, how could a mere woman not know!" Lin Yan replied with a smile.
"Is Miss Lin teasing me? I don't believe I've done anything to offend Miss Lin." Xing Shaojun's smile was tinged with a hint of bitterness.
"Has Young Master Xing forgotten? The bruises on my maid's neck only disappeared a few days ago!" Lin Yan said with some displeasure.
"This was my fault. I apologize to your maid on behalf of myself." Xing Shaojun said without any pretense of arrogance.
"I will convey your apologies to my maid. Does Young Master Xing have any other business?"
"No, Miss Lin, please proceed!" Xing Shaojun moved aside to let her pass.
"Then, Young Master, farewell!" Lin Yan nodded slightly and closed the carriage door.
The carriage slowly drove towards the manor in the outskirts of the city.
Xing Shaojun gazed silently at the departing carriage for a while, a ripple of emotion stirring within him.
He had originally thought that after repaying Lin Yan's favor, their paths would no longer cross.
But because Princess Jiayi had intervened, he hadn't done anything. Now, seeing her on the road, he looked at this delicate face that he should have found most annoying and suddenly felt his heart beat faster.
"Miss, who is this Young Master?" Xiao Man had never met this Young Master before and didn't know his relationship with her mistress.
"Someone I know." Lin Yan didn't say much. The reason she was going to the manor this time was because some of the flowers she had planted had bloomed, and she wanted to see how they were doing.
If they had reached their full bloom, she would prepare to host a flower-viewing banquet at the manor, which would also be a chance for Xu Ling and the others to relax.
After all, women in this era had very few opportunities to go out, let alone leave the city.
However, meeting Xing Shaojun was an unexpected joy. It seemed his injury had fully recovered. She wondered how long he would stay in the capital.
Upon arriving at the manor, Lin Yan found that all the flowers she had collected were growing well and were beautifully bloomed. However, it was still early, and not many had opened yet.
They should be even more beautiful in a few days, so Lin Yan could start writing invitations when she returned.
After instructing the gardener to place a few potted flowers on her carriage, Lin Yan took some other specialties from the manor and returned to her carriage.
The invitations for others were delivered by Madam Fang's subordinates, but the invitation for Princess Jiayi was personally delivered by Lin Yan.
Princess Jiayi's princess mansion had already been selected. Lin Yan had visited it and had a general understanding of the layout of the residence. Lin Yan had drawn some blueprints and submitted them to the craftsmen there.
To ensure that Lin Yan was taken more seriously by these craftsmen, Princess Jiayi had left a confidant there. Lin Yan was now delivering this invitation to this person to forward to the princess.
After Lin Yan left the princess mansion, she encountered Xing Shaojun again.
"Miss Lin, we meet again." Xing Shaojun greeted Lin Yan with a smile.
If his friends saw him at this moment, they would surely be very surprised.
The Young Master of the Xing family would actually take the initiative to greet a woman, and this woman was someone he had previously disliked the most – a delicate and frail woman.
"Young Master, greetings!" Lin Yan bowed to Xing Shaojun.
"Miss Lin, there's no need for such formality! Miss Lin, are you...?"
"I came to deliver an invitation to Princess Jiayi. I've already delivered it, so I'll be leaving now." Lin Yan said and prepared to depart.
"Miss Lin, you really don't want to spend any time with me?" Xing Shaojun said with a hint of hurt.
"Young Master, you are being too serious! It's just that we are an unmarried man and woman, it's better to maintain some distance."
"A man unmarried, a woman unwed. Why does Miss Lin avoid me like a fierce tiger?" Xing Shaojun suddenly felt that the person in front of him was very much to his liking.
Although he was not very familiar with Lin Yan's past, based on her actions, she was meticulous, confident, calm, decisive, dignified, and possessed her own integrity.
Despite having a sickly appearance, her heart was strong. With such a person by his side, it would likely not hinder his career.
No, not only would it not hinder his career, it might even resolve his worries. The more he thought about it, the more suitable she seemed!
He looked at Lin Yan and felt even more satisfied with the person before him.