Chapter 6

Tangxiu was unaware of the conversation at the Princess Consort’s Mansion.

Of course, even if she had known, she wouldn’t have cared. She never paid attention to what others thought.

Feng Jingrong had taught her that life was already tiring enough. If you cared too much about what others thought, were you living for them or for yourself? It was better to please yourself than to try to please others, because when you were happy, you were truly happy. When others were happy, it didn’t benefit her.

This applied to Chen Yue as well. When she wanted to divorce, she divorced. What Chen Yue did was none of her business.

She didn’t want the fire from her dreams to come to reality.

The same applied to the Spring Appreciation Banquet.

Therefore, in the face of the meaningful gazes and comments from those around her, Tangxiu remained unfazed, ignoring them completely. She didn’t have time to care about what outsiders thought. It was better to focus on her own sister.

She turned to Tang Ruo behind her.

She saw that her little sister’s cheeks were flushed, her white teeth biting her lips, and the thin layer of lipstick on her lips was almost melting. She was clearly even more nervous than she had been on the way. Tangxiu tapped her hand with her fan. “What are you afraid of? I’m here. Look up.”

Tang Ruo always obeyed her sister, so she reflexively looked up immediately.

As soon as she raised her head, her beautiful neck line was revealed. The crystal tassel earrings swayed gently, making her swan-like neck appear even more white and lustrous. Tangxiu tapped her waist again with her fan, and she trembled slightly in response. Even though the apricot-yellow short jacket and peach-pink horse-faced skirt concealed her, it was clear that her waist was slender, barely a handful, and her figure was very beautiful.

This kind of dressing made Tangxiu, who was only wearing a pale-green robe, look like a green leaf against a red flower, completely inconspicuous.

The only thing that stood out was her hairstyle, which had attracted everyone’s attention.

In the past, at various gatherings, Tangxiu usually just tied her hair up with a hairpin, which was too casual. This time, she had actually used jade hairpins and entangled flowers for decoration, and she was also wearing white jade earrings. Her beautiful face and elegant features made her look quite like a beauty who had once been the most beautiful woman in the capital before she got married.

This meant that even though they knew Tangxiu had just divorced and wasn’t a good candidate for matchmaking no one knew if Chen Yue’s recent silence was a sign of something brewing, or if he had any plans to win back his ex-wife. No one wanted to offend a Marquis for those vague guesses, and no one wanted to offend the Commander of the Jinyiwei there were still young gentlemen who couldn’t help but stare at Tangxiu. The charm of a married woman was something that an inexperienced girl couldn’t match.

“Let’s go.”

The married woman put away her fan and casually flipped it in her palm. Her fingers were slender like chopped green onions, and those gentlemen’s eyes couldn’t help but linger.

But she didn’t seem to feel those ardent gazes. Her tone was casual as she said, “Let’s go for a walk.”

Tang Ruo secretly told herself not to lower her head or hunch her shoulders anymore. She had to be as confident and composed as her sister. She raised her foot and followed.

The Spring Appreciation Banquet was held in a garden next to Taiye Pond. Perhaps because it was so close to the royal gardens, the garden was obviously built with a lot of money. There were pavilions, towers, terraces, verandas, boats, and everything else you could imagine. There was also a small lake where guests could go boating, and the scenery was beautiful and picturesque.

Young men and women gathered in groups of three or two, sitting or standing amidst the paintings. Occasionally, their eyes would fall on someone, a young man would raise his hand to bow, and a bold young woman would return a deep bow, causing a wave of exclamations and laughter.

In this atmosphere of youthful energy and budding romance, Tangxiu didn’t take Tang Ruo to where the young women were gathered, but instead found a pavilion to sit in.

The maids in the garden served tea and snacks. Tangxiu sipped her tea and fanned herself as she told Tang Ruo that the young man laughing loudly in front of them was the son of such-and-such a family, and the one with his back to them was the son of such-and-such an official, and the one in front of them…

Tang Ruo listened attentively, and under her sister’s guidance, she discreetly looked at each young man without attracting attention.

After looking at the young men nearby, Tangxiu took Tang Ruo out of the pavilion and strolled around.

They walked for a long time, and Tang Ruo was overwhelmed by the sights. She could barely tell the people apart.

Taking a break, Tang Ruo gently dabbed her eyes with her handkerchief and asked Tangxiu, “How do you know so many young men, Sister? And you remember them all so clearly.”

She could just glance at them from afar and tell their names, ages, identities, etc., and she never got it wrong. What was even more amazing was that her sister even knew the names of each young man’s parents, how many brothers and sisters they had, their strengths and weaknesses, and so on. Her sister knew everything, as if it were all at her fingertips.

Tang Ruo thought that her elder sister was incredibly impressive. It must have taken a lifetime of experience to achieve this level. She dared to say that none of those young men could compare to her sister in this regard.

“I don’t know.”

Tangxiu played with her fan idly, showing no interest in those young men.

They were either too thin or too short. None of them were to her liking.

Then she casually said, “Maybe I just have a good memory. I can remember everything I see.” She paused. “Do you want to keep walking?”

Tang Ruo hesitated and shook her head. “I don’t really want to walk anymore.”

Understanding that Tang Ruo didn’t have anyone she liked either, Tangxiu took a piece of tea and thought, okay, they were sisters after all. They had the same high standards when it came to men.

They had already seen most of the garden anyway. It was time to go home.

She told the maids in the garden to inform the host of the banquet, and Tangxiu got up and took Tang Ruo away.

Seeing the sisters leave, a young man sighed regretfully. “Why are they leaving so early? I haven’t even had a chance to talk to her.”

Someone nearby heard him and asked with a laugh, “Which her are you talking about? The older one or the younger one?”

“Of course, the older…”

“Shhh, don’t say that,” the other person quickly stopped the young man, gesturing towards the direction of the Jinyiwei headquarters. “If it weren’t for the fact that he’s out on a case, do you think she would be here at this Spring Appreciation Banquet?”

“A case?”

The young man suddenly realized. No wonder he hadn’t heard anything after the Duke of Jiangxia went to the palace to see the emperor. He thought he and Tangxiu were really over. But it turned out that the emperor, as her uncle, didn’t care about his nephew. As soon as they divorced, he was sent on a case. The emperor’s orders were hard to refuse, so he couldn’t immediately reconcile with his ex-wife.

And that was indeed the case.

At the Princess Consort’s Mansion, Princess Consort Rui’an was listening to a maid recount the news she had gathered about the Spring Appreciation Banquet when she saw her stupid son enter.

Princess Consort Rui’an had a headache whenever she saw Chen Yue.

What kind of karma had she committed to have such a stupid son who couldn’t even hold onto his wife?

She tried to hold back, but she couldn’t. She rolled her eyes in a rather unladylike manner. “Why are you here again?”

After rolling her eyes, Princess Consort Rui’an was about to adjust her expression, but then she suddenly thought of something. Her fingertips unconsciously moved in the air, as if she had an epiphany.

Her Princess Consort’s Mansion was located on the Duke of Ten’s Street. If Tangxiu was coming home from Taiye Pond, she would have to pass by the Duke of Ten’s Street.

So, was Chen Yue here to take this opportunity to intercept Tangxiu?

As soon as Princess Consort Rui’an realized this, she immediately asked Chen Yue. He didn’t say anything, but his expression clearly indicated agreement.

Princess Consort Rui’an was speechless.

Even if Tangxiu’s carriage passed by her mansion, how could he dare to stand at the entrance and wait to intercept her?

“You…”

Princess Consort Rui’an wanted to scold him for being stupid, but then she suddenly realized that she knew whether her son was truly stupid or just pretending. He had been busy with his case these past few days and hadn’t had time to find Tangxiu? That didn’t seem likely.

“Are you secretly doing something?” Princess Consort Rui’an looked at Chen Yue with suspicion. “Is there something I, your mother, can’t know?”

Sure enough, Chen Yue replied, “I’m investigating something, but it’s not convenient to tell you.”

He was investigating why Tangxiu had divorced.

After leaving the palace the day before, he had started investigating the Duke of Jiangxia’s Mansion thoroughly. He had found something, and yesterday he went to the Tang Mansion to verify it. Now, he had a rough idea and wanted to find Tangxiu to confirm his suspicions.

He knew that if he didn’t find out the real reason, no matter how hard he tried to win her back, he wouldn’t be able to hit the right spot for Tangxiu.

She was always different from others.

Learning that Chen Yue was investigating something related to Tangxiu, Princess Consort Rui’an was overjoyed. She wasn’t worried that he would be doing useless things in trying to win Tangxiu back. She was afraid that he wouldn’t do anything at all.

Since he was secretly doing something, she didn’t have to worry too much. He was even able to secure the position of Commander of the Jinyiwei . She believed that winning his wife back was only a matter of time.

On one side, Princess Consort Rui’an, relieved, began to teach her son the rules of winning back a wife from the novels she had read, but she got so engrossed in her teaching that Chen Yue missed the chance to intercept Tangxiu’s carriage. Princess Consort Rui’an was so regretful that she almost threw away all her treasured novels. On the other side, Tangxiu, who had a smooth journey back to the Tang Mansion, was greeted by the maids from Jingxin Courtyard who invited her to go there. Tang Ruo went back to the third branch of the family to see Yun Fu Ren.

Back at the third branch of the family, Tang Ruo told her adoptive mother about what she had seen today. Finally, she expressed her amazement at Tangxiu’s memory. She could recognize people faster than reading aloud from a book.

“Mother, do you know that Sister has a photographic memory?” Tang Ruo asked. “I’ve never heard of it before.”

Yun Fu Ren said, “I think so. I haven’t heard of it either.”

Tang Ruo thought for a moment. Maybe her sister wasn’t fond of showing off, so she had never mentioned it.

Yu San Ye interjected, “It’s not unusual to not have heard of it. I’ve watched her grow up, and I didn’t even know she had a photographic memory. I’d say it’s because she lived with Chen, cough, the Duke of Jiangxia for three years, and she saw him investigating cases every day. She was unconsciously influenced by him. If I were in her place, my memory would also improve drastically.”

Tang Ruo was confused. Was that really the case?

But memory was something innate. Unless you were exceptionally gifted, ordinary people would need to spend a lot of effort to improve their memory. How could it be as simple as living together and being unconsciously influenced?

If that were true, wouldn’t all the Jinyiwei under the Duke of Jiangxia have photographic memories?

Tang Ruo thought that her adoptive father was wrong. Her sister’s photographic memory was definitely innate, it had nothing to do with the Duke of Jiangxia.

So her sister was just amazing. Why did she have to attribute the reason to the Duke of Jiangxia?

She didn’t know if the Duke of Jiangxia knew about her sister’s ability. Tang Ruo thought resentfully, after three years of marriage, even the most careless person would notice some of their spouse’s strengths, wouldn’t they?

She didn’t believe that the Duke of Jiangxia didn’t know anything.

“…She went out again as soon as she got home?”

The Duke of Jiangxia, who was being blamed from afar, listened to his subordinate’s report, thought for a moment, and mounted his horse.

By the time he made some preparations and arrived at the suburban estate, Tangxiu was already soaking comfortably in the hot spring on the estate.

Then, with a splash, as the sun began to set, the hot spring, which had only been occupied by Tangxiu, now had a second person.

Tangxiu didn’t panic. She calmly looked at the second person. Seeing that his scarlet robe was unusually red, as if stained with blood, she said, “Are you injured?”

Chen Yue said, “No.”

“Oh, then please leave,” Tangxiu’s expression didn’t change. “This is my private estate. Outsiders are not allowed.”

Chen Yue didn’t argue. He got out of the hot spring as he was told.

But he didn’t leave. He simply took off his blood-stained robe, revealing the clean undergarment underneath. The undergarment was already soaked and clung tightly to his body, revealing the contours of his smooth and strong muscles. Water droplets slid down his Adam’s apple, spreading wetness. Tangxiu couldn’t help but look away.

Tangxiu felt she couldn’t look at Chen Yue. This body, which was so much to her liking, if she kept looking, something might happen.

She didn’t know that Chen Yue couldn’t look at her either.

A thin towel was wrapped around his shoulders, vaguely revealing the white and soft curves and valleys…

Chen Yue’s throat tightened.

He averted his eyes.

The hot spring water seemed a little too hot.