Chapter 36

Sang Yin walked slowly towards Xie Yun, trying hard to control himself from subconsciously bowing. He wore a gentle smile on his face, which didn’t quite match his expression, and cautiously asked, “Nephew, did you call for me? Is there something you need?”

Xie Yun replied, “Indeed, there is a matter that requires your assistance, Minister Sang.”

Sang Yin couldn’t help but straighten his body.

This wasn’t a request; it was an opportunity, a rare opportunity!

Last time at the Ministry of Justice, he had volunteered to have a chance to meet Xie Yun, but this person was unyielding and he had failed to win him over.

And now, this cold-faced iceberg actually took the initiative to find him.

Sang Yin felt like he was facing a formidable foe and knew that no matter how difficult the task, he must accomplish it.

He was determined to seize this opportunity.

He said seriously, “Nephew, please tell me.”

Xie Yun held the small pearl earring between his fingers, still remembering how she looked wearing it, swaying arrogantly. The round and soft pearl set off her delicate earlobes, which were especially tender and delicate.

It seemed that she must have known about this advantage, which was why she deliberately dropped it.

Xie Yun held out his hand, the small earring dangling in the air. “Please return this item to Lady Yaoyao.”

Sang Yin didn’t react immediately.

He looked at the earring, then at Xie Yun. “…Huh?”

His mind was a bit slow to catch up, and he asked in disbelief, “Nephew, are you saying…”

“Sang Yao,” Xie Yun added for him.

…

His daughter’s name was Sang Yao, right? He didn’t remember wrong, did he?

Trembling, Sang Yin reached out and took the small pearl earring.

It looked familiar, indeed very familiar.

He had indeed seen his daughter, Yao Yao, wear this earring before.

“Thank you very much, Minister Sang.”

Sang Yin quickly said, “You’re welcome.”

Xie Yun nodded slightly and left without saying more.

The air was particularly fresh after the rain.

Sang Yin opened his palm, and the small pearl earring lay quietly on it.

If this were a book or something else, he wouldn’t be so dumbfounded, but it was an earring.

If it were someone else, his mind would be extremely clear right now.

What’s there to think about?

It must be that his clever daughter had seduced this young official, making him infatuated. Even a small earring had to be returned specially.

But when the person involved was the unfeeling Xie Yun and his vase-like nature then his silly daughter, his thoughts stagnated.

What does this mean?

He tried to find some serious reasons to explain this scene.

He failed to find any.

So, Xie Yun was actually successfully seduced?

Xie Yun was actually seduced by his little daughter?!

…The wise appear foolish indeed.

Ancient people do not deceive me.

He put the small pearl earring into his pocket, hands behind his back, and walked back with a dignified air.

His colleague hurriedly asked, “What did Minister Xie say to you?”

Sang Yin solemnly replied, “What else could it be? He just asked how I’ve been these days.”

The colleague said enviously, “It seems that Minister Xie really values you.”

Sang Yin sighed.

His colleague asked again, “Qingzhi, is there something bothering you?”

Sang Yin replied calmly, “To be honest, Xie Yun seems to have some interest in my little daughter.”

He could say something so outrageous?

His colleague’s face stiffened, struggling to maintain a smile.

Sang Yin continued to sigh, looking quite worried. “Whether he’s powerful or not doesn’t matter at all. As a father, I just hope she can marry a husband who makes her happy.”

•  

That night, as soon as Sang Yin returned from the palace, he couldn’t wait to summon Sang Yao to his study.

The wooden door closed with a bang, and Sang Yao stood nervously in front of the desk, not knowing what mistake she had made this time.

She asked cautiously, “Father, is everything alright?”

Sang Yin, with a solemn expression, tapped on the desk. “Look, is this yours?”

Sang Yao stepped forward and looked.

On the lacquered red table, a pearl earring was placed.

“It’s mine. Is something wrong?”

She had noticed one earring missing when she came back today. At that time, she guessed it might have fallen in Xie Yun’s carriage or where the carriage had been parked.

In the afternoon, she had sent a servant to look for it, but it was not found. It seemed that her father had picked it up when he passed by.

Sang Yin’s heart finally settled. He quietly picked up the porcelain cup beside him, took a sip of hot tea, and sighed, “Yaoyao, I misunderstood you before.”

“It turns out you’re just low-key.”

He praised her twice, saying, “Well done, well done.”

Sang Yao was inexplicably praised and didn’t quite understand. She frowned and said, “…Father, what’s wrong with you?”

Sang Yin said, “Tell me the truth. Do you know Xie Yun?”

Sang Yao had hardly ever lied to Sang Yin before. She thought about her current relationship with Xie Yun and then said with difficulty, “I know him, in a way.”

Sang Yin asked again, “Are you close?”

Sang Yao immediately shook her head and said, “We’re not close.”

Sang Yin said, “That’s impossible, I don’t believe it.”

Sang Yao asked with concern, “Father, are you okay? Has something happened at home again?”

Sang Yin tapped the table and said, “Yaoyao, you have to seize the opportunity.”

“Look, Xie Yun is known for not being interested in women. If he can be so close to you, he must have some thoughts about you. Let’s not think about becoming his wife, but at least aim to become a concubine!”

“…”

It was all said, and Sang Yao couldn’t pretend not to understand.

Sang Yao’s face fell, and she said, “Father, you’re thinking too much!”

She and Xie Yun weren’t even friends; they had only spoken a few times. She didn’t know what nonsense her father was talking about.

Feeling more and more uncomfortable, she continued, “And Father, why do you always want me to be someone’s concubine?”

Sang Yin looked at her and said gently, “Do you still want to be Mrs. Xie? The main Wife?”

He tactfully said, “People’s desires are insatiable. Yaoyao, you should be realistic.”

It’s not that he wanted Sang Yao to be a concubine, but Sang Yao’s marriage was difficult to arrange. She was beautiful, but her family background was low, making it embarrassing for her to be a principal wife in a high-ranking family. If the other party’s family was also of low status, there would be problems with the rules and regulations in the family. Besides, Sang Yao was simple-minded and could be easily deceived by the man.

So, it might be better to step back and be a concubine.

He was troubled to find a man for Sang Yao who was high in status, good in character, from a clean family background, and good-looking.

Sang Yao felt it was absurd. She struggled to explain, “What Mrs. Xie? Father, you’ve misunderstood. I have nothing to do with him.”

Sang Yin said, “It’s okay, it will be in the future. Trust your father’s judgment.”

Sang Yao didn’t believe it at all. “You said the same thing about Prince Wu before.”

Sang Yin was silent for a moment, with a somewhat embarrassed expression. “Why bring up that unlucky thing!”

“He can be compared to Xie Yun? Believe me, this time I won’t be wrong.”

The more she listened, the more absurd it sounded. Sang Yao didn’t want to continue the conversation with him and just made some perfunctory replies before running out of the study.

Her father had always wanted to climb up the social ladder with the Xie family, but he didn’t expect that he would target her. Moreover, Xie Yun was not the kind of person who would show favoritism or cheat. Otherwise, her father would have succeeded in winning him over after so many years.

Fortunately, it was because of Xie Yun’s good virtue that he did not resort to forceful actions against her.

Sang Yao sighed silently, thinking that she should have just said she didn’t know Xie Yun.

And who had revealed her acquaintance with Xie Yun to her father?

---

The night was deep.

At this moment, Xie Yun, the one who had revealed the matter, was sitting in front of the desk, looking through the scrolls in front of him.

The surroundings were quiet, the room was simply furnished, and light smoke rose from the incense burner.

A servant replaced his tea and then respectfully withdrew.

Jinglian walked in from outside, holding an exquisite wooden box in his hands. He approached quietly and said, “Master, this is the sinking water incense that Madam brought back from the temple. It is said to contain calamus, which has a calming effect. I have instructed someone to change it for you.”

Xie Yun did not answer, his gaze still on the densely packed scroll.

Jinglian handed the wooden box to the servant and whispered, “Go.”

Xie Yun was used to staying up late and had shallow sleep. These fragrances were just a change of scent for him.

Jinglian stood beside Xie Yun and then whispered, “Master, there is news about the matter you asked me to investigate last time.”

“Speak.”

Jinglian said calmly, “Miss Sang indeed does not like to use fragrant lotion. There has been a bottle of fragrant lotion in her room for two years, and it has not been used halfway. She rarely goes out, and even uses very little powder.”

Xie Yun was silent for a moment. In the small space, the faint jasmine fragrance seemed to waft over again.

He said, “How do you know she hasn’t used it secretly?”

What kind of question was this?

It’s said that men become foolish when they encounter love. Wasn’t his master an exception?

“I believe… Miss Sang should not have a need to do so.”

But Xie Yun did smell it.

He put down his pen and said, “Forget it, you may leave.”

He was tired.

He had never seen a servant from another family discussing whether a girl had used fragrant lotion with his master late at night.

“I take my leave.”

There was only Xie Yun left in the room. He looked at the scroll in front of him again.

The densely packed small characters began to make him restless. He quickly glanced at them, but his gaze involuntarily picked out two unimportant words.

Abundant.

At the bottom of the scroll, inconspicuously, it read, “The national treasury is abundant, and the wealth is hidden among the people.”

But another scene that should not have appeared came to his mind.

He clenched his lips, and for the first time, his thoughts were beyond his control.

He no longer thought about the inexplicable fragrance.

Instead, he thought about her body.