Chapter 8: The Painting from Hanwen Bookstore

Princess Ning’an was worried that Yan Ziqi might destroy the contracts again. Though getting another copy would be easy, she preferred to save the Ministry of Revenue some trouble.

She gave Hongxiu a glance, and Hongxiu brought all the contracts to the accounting room, handing them over and ensuring the accountant would follow her instructions.

Hongxiu didn’t close the door, leaving the accountant to his work while she waited in the corridor for any summons from the princess.

Inside, seeing Yan Ziqi calm down, Princess Ning’an released him from her grip.

She then remembered the painting and sighed.

“Ah, I wonder if beating up Fu Minglang would make him reveal where the painting is.”

“Who are we grabbing? I’ll go!”

Yan Ziqi suddenly stood up, eager to leave.

Princess Ning’an hurriedly lunged at him. When the butler entered, he saw the young master on the floor, Princess Ning’an clutching his clothing, and Yan Ziqi looking excited while Princess Ning’an had her head resting on his waist.

The two were tangled on the ground.

This…

The progress was too rapid.

It had only been a moment since the sobering soup was prepared.

So embarrassing.

The butler set down the sobering soup and quickly left.

He even glanced admiringly at Hongxiu standing in the corridor.

No wonder the princess’s maid wasn’t inside.

He was getting old and muddled.

He hoped he hadn’t disturbed the young master and princess’s private affairs.

Princess Ning’an hadn’t expected things to turn out this way.

She had intended to catch Yan Ziqi and stop him by grabbing his hand.

Who would have thought that her grip on his clothes would cause him to fall, dragging her down with him?

She felt stars in her eyes.

Before she could explain, the butler had already left, giving her no chance to clarify.

Princess Ning’an could only feel helpless.

But she had once relentlessly pursued Fu Minglang for three years, so she could endure this misunderstanding.

It actually suited her purpose.

Naturally, Princess Ning’an couldn’t expect a drunk person to get up on his own. Not wanting Hongxiu to see her embarrassing state, she found something to support herself and kicked Yan Ziqi on the ground before pulling him up.

What a ruckus over drinking.

It was broad daylight.

Even if she wanted to catch Fu Minglang, it should be done at night.

Yan Ziqi seemed to sense something, feeling cold. He took Princess Ning’an’s hand to stand up and then spread his arms, expecting her to help him put on his clothes. Princess Ning’an, having never done this before, struggled with the buttons, getting them all wrong.

Yan Ziqi grinned widely, finding her clumsiness amusing.

“Xiao Anzi, how can you not even manage to fasten clothes?”

Princess Ning’an, furious, almost wanted to tear his clothes off and leave him to fend for himself.

“Hóngxiù, let’s go.”

Princess Ning’an shouted outside and walked past Yan Ziqi.

Hongxiu, unaware of what had happened inside, followed the princess with her head lowered.

Only then did the butler dare to enter, finding Yan Ziqi sitting on the chair Princess Ning’an had occupied, looking downcast.

Yan Ziqi complained, “Uncle, I have a headache.” He glanced at the sobering soup. “Didn’t Father say not to drink?”

“Quickly take it away. You’re going to get scolded again.” Yan Ziqi waved his hand, his feet pulled up on the chair, indicating he hadn’t moved.

Well.

The young master was still drunk.

He seemed to be back in the past, remembering the master’s arrival.

The butler reminded, “This was sent by Princess Ning’an.”

“When did she arrive?” Yan Ziqi shook his head, trying to recall.

He looked down at his clothes. “Ah, that rogue, Li Ning’an!”

Yan Ziqi wrapped his outer robe tightly around himself.

He must have been drunk earlier!

What on earth did Li Ning’an do?

What kind of wine did Guo Zhou bring?

Not to mention Yan Ziqi being so drunk, Guo Zhou nearly caused a ruckus at Hongfu Residence. It took a lot of persuasion to finally get everyone back.

Guo Zhou was naturally in for a good scolding.

“Who do you think you are, playing tricks with him?”

“Relying on me to clean up your mess, and you keep causing trouble.”

“You make me go out and beg, and you cause trouble every day.”

“Just wait until I beat you to death.”

The bamboo rod of the Ministry of Justice’s Secretary made a whistling sound.

It was only when his mother came out, fussing over him and hugging him tightly, that the Secretary of the Ministry of Justice finally stopped.

Guo Zhou was lifted to his bed, holding his grandmother’s hand and crying. Although Grandma Guo was heartbroken, she knew that the young master Yan was not someone to be provoked.

“My dear, rest well. Grandma will get you some money to soothe your pain.”

Guo Zhou clutched five hundred taels of silver, but his backside was still sore.

After three to five days of recovery, he still couldn’t get out of bed.

Guo Zhou silently vowed.

“Yan Ziqi.”

“I’m not done with you!”

Meanwhile, Yan Ziqi was at Hanwen Bookstore.

Hanwen Bookstore had a vast collection of books and paintings. They could be borrowed, copied, or purchased. The owner often hunted for rare and unique paintings, either selling them at a fixed price or auctioning them on specific dates.

The first floor featured a circular platform used for auctioning items.

There were several tables and chairs, functioning as a large hall where scholars and literati could leave their marks with calligraphy and discuss poetry and prose.

At the back, there were screens and canvases of varying sizes where the works of artists were displayed.

The second floor was surrounded by railings, with tables and chairs arranged. Elegant items like plum, orchid, bamboo, and chrysanthemum were used as screens, and light gauze curtains were used for privacy, making it hard to discern who was inside. However, if the gauze was lifted, one could see into the main hall below.

Today, the owner had acquired a good painting and held an auction.

Yan Ziqi had chosen a private room on the second floor, which offered a view of the painting on the circular platform.

Beside him sat a beautiful woman in a lake-blue dress, with a slim figure and a sky-blue veil on her head.

The gauze inside the screen had been rolled up, so many in the building could see the two of them.

The woman had no shyness whatsoever. She leaned close and affectionately addressed him, “My lord~” She clung to his arm and pointed at the painting on the circular platform. “Please choose a good painting for me today.”

A scholar downstairs saw this and felt embarrassed. He looked disdainfully at the scene but didn’t dare offend Yan Ziqi, so he muttered under his breath.

“Vulgar.”

Yan Ziqi lounged comfortably in his chair. When he felt the woman leaning in, he immediately straightened up.

Fearing that someone might discover her identity, he didn’t dare shake off her arm and whispered, “Li Ning’an, enough already.”

It wasn’t that he was infatuated with Fu Minglang or constantly thinking about him.

Fu Minglang remained calm and composed.

Or perhaps he truly didn’t care about this foolish girl.

Unfortunately, her attempts to make Fu Minglang jealous were in vain.

Li Ning’an hadn’t visited the Ministry of Revenue for several days. Initially, Fu Minglang was relieved, thinking that the princess was finally no longer obsessed with him.

However, every time he reached the Ministry’s entrance, he would glance toward the palace.

The convicted slave had been bought back, but when would she seize the opportunity to send it over?

The contracts had indeed been taken by the palace maids around her.

His mother, believing they were sent by the princess, managed them diligently despite her lack of business acumen.

Even though some money from the Fu family’s coffers was lost, Fu Minglang didn’t mind.

He thought the princess might feel that the Fu family treated her too well and become more demanding.

Yet, Fu Minglang still hadn’t seen Princess Ning’an.

She didn’t appear by his side or at the Fu residence.

He hadn’t even seen Ming Ying for several days.

Could it be that she had truly decided not to pester him anymore?

Fu Minglang felt a strange emptiness in his heart.

He shook off those thoughts and walked into Hanwen Bookstore.

He had heard some news and hoped to find an opportunity here that might lead to Master Wen helping him transfer to the Zhongshu Province.