As Liu Yizhu, Tang Jue, and Zhong Liangyu arrived in the Capital City, everything had already been arranged. Tang Housekeeper went to the city gate to receive them and led them directly to Ji'an Alley in a horse carriage.
After days of jostling on the road, the three of them felt a bit weary. However, at the moment they caught sight of the bustling streets of the Capital City, their joy outweighed their fatigue.
Tang Jue lifted the carriage curtain and looked at the busy streets outside, exclaiming, "Indeed, it's so vibrant here!"
According to his mother, he had visited the Capital City when he was a child, but he was only two or three years old at that time and couldn't remember anything. Now, it could be considered his first time in the Capital City.
"I wonder how the girls in the Capital City sing their tunes," he pondered aloud.
Zhong Liangyu glanced at him sideways and said, "Are you also curious about the local wine in the Capital City?"
"You understand me, my friend!" Tang Jue grinned widely, sidling up to him and playfully kicking Liu Yizhu, who had been staring out of the carriage window. "After the long journey, how about we have a drink to relieve our weariness tonight?"
His words went unnoticed for a while, and Tang Jue felt a bit disappointed. Without Yang Jingyuan, he couldn't even enjoy a drink properly. He regretted coming to the Capital City with them and wished he had waited for Yang Jingyuan instead.
Zhong Liangyu's gaze fell on Liu Yizhu, following his line of sight as he looked outside. They had already left the bustling market behind, and there were no shops or pedestrians on the road. Zhong Liangyu wondered what Liu Yizhu was looking at.
"What's wrong?" he asked.
Liu Yizhu shook his head, remaining silent as he continued to gaze outside.
Tang Jue smirked and said, "What else could be on his mind? He must be thinking about his sister-in-law."
He patted Zhong Liangyu's shoulder, sighed, and added, "You wouldn't understand."
Their bond as a married couple was so deep. His sister-in-law cried so much that day, and it was truly heart-wrenching.
Tang Housekeeper called out to the coachman to stop the carriage and lowered the carriage stool, opening the curtain. "Young Master, we've arrived. Please alight."
Tang Jue was the first to jump down and walked a few steps forward. He peered through the wide-open mansion gate and thought, "This house looks pretty good."
Liu Yizhu followed behind Zhong Liangyu and stood at the entrance, looking up at the blank plaque above. Was this the place where they would stay for the next half year?
He wondered where Wei's house was.
Just as he had some concerns, Ah Xiu, who had been hiding on the side of the carriage, became excited. "This is it, this is it!"
"Are you sure?" A man dressed as a servant who accompanied her glanced at Tang Jue and Zhong Liangyu and asked in confusion, "Why can't it be those two?"
Ah Xiu turned around and slapped him, disdainfully saying, "Whether you understand Miss or not, I do. I said it's this one, so it's this one."
"Alright, if you say so. He looks decent, though a bit poor," the man remarked.
Ah Xiu nodded, pouted, and bumped into the person next to her. "Gou Cai, do you think I should make some better clothes for Young Master? It wouldn't look good if he meets Madam dressed like this."
"Forget it, you'll end up exposing Miss," Gou Cai replied.
"Fine then."
Ah Xiu reluctantly agreed and watched as they entered the house. She had made all the arrangements for him, hoping that he would make good use of them.
After the Tang Housekeeper finished tidying up the small courtyard and settled in, he became familiar with the layout of the house. He led the three of them to the area under the corridor bridge and gave them a brief introduction.
Tang Jue raised an eyebrow and said, "It's quite spacious. Must be expensive."
Liu Yizhu and Zhong Liangyu exchanged glances and said, "We don't know the rent, so we'll pay for our share ourselves."
"Well..." The Tang Housekeeper couldn't tell them that it didn't cost them anything. He bowed and said, "This was arranged by the master. I can't make decisions. I hope you won't make it difficult for me."
"That's right, that's right." Tang Jue slung his arm around their shoulders and laughed. "Why are you being so polite to me?"
Both of them felt uneasy, but seeing how nervous the Tang Housekeeper was, sweating on his forehead, they didn't want to make it more difficult for him.
The Tang Housekeeper breathed a sigh of relief and turned around to lead them to their living quarters. When they reached the main courtyard gate, Tang Jue naturally walked inside but was stopped.
"What's wrong?"
"Master Liu lives in the main courtyard, and you, young master, will live in the back."
Liu Yizhu frowned. "Why is that?"
Why? Because this is your family's house!
The Tang Housekeeper's forehead became even more sweaty, and he didn't dare to look at his young master. He made up a story and said, "The master instructed before he came. The young master doesn't understand things, so he asked me to consult with Master Liu about everything. That's why..."
What does this have to do with the house he's living in?
Tang Jue was a bit puzzled and thought for a while. He assumed that his father believed Liu Yizhu would become an official next year, so he wanted to please him by arranging it this way. He didn't argue and followed the servants to the back.
The Tang Housekeeper didn't dare to lift his head. According to Ah Xiu's instructions, he first took Liu Yizhu to the study in the main courtyard and said, "These are the books left by the master. As long as you handle them with care, you can read them freely."
Liu Yizhu randomly picked a few books that he hadn't read before and looked up at the almost full bookshelf, his face showing great joy.
He chose one and was about to read it when his gaze fell on the neatly arranged paper, ink, brush, and inkstone on the desk. He reached out and touched the brush, which was brand new.
Even the most naive person could sense that something was wrong. He smiled and looked at the Tang Housekeeper. "Did the master leave these as well?"
These things don't look cheap at all. Were they just bought and then discarded after moving?
"No, I prepared them."
"Is that so?" Liu Yizhu didn't believe it and took out his purse. "Then, Tang Housekeeper, how much did you spend? I'll reimburse you."
The Tang Housekeeper was taken aback. He didn't know how much money was spent!
He wasn't familiar with the prices in the capital city and didn't dare to say anything casually for a moment. He could only refuse, "No need, no need."
Liu Yizhu's expression turned cold. "Tang Housekeeper, if you keep acting like this, I'll find another place to live."
The Tang Housekeeper was drenched in cold sweat. If he had known, he wouldn't have taken on this job. He only agreed because he thought his father was getting old and it wouldn't be good for him to travel long distances. He never expected it to be so difficult.
He cast a deep gaze at Liu Yizhu, bowed in a formal gesture, and then exited the room, deciding to seek the young master's assistance.
Once he had left, Liu Yizhu closed the door and immediately began searching the study. Every word and action of Tang Housekeeper conveyed to him that something was definitely amiss.
Sure enough, he quickly found a small box hidden beneath the bookshelf. Inside, along with several books, was a purse and a piece of paper.
The paper bore a few bold words: "These books are not to be shown to anyone else, or else you'll be punished!"
Liu Yizhu found the handwriting strangely familiar, reminiscent of Li Mingwei's, yet different at the same time.
He didn't quite understand the concept of a personal maid, but he wondered, "Didn't Wei mention that there was a younger sister in the family?"
Then who could this be?
Regardless of her identity, Tang Housekeeper's peculiar arrangements had given him a clue.
Feeling disheartened, he slumped into a chair and absentmindedly opened the purse, finding a stack of silver bills inside. Their family was certainly wealthy.
"Sigh~"
Meanwhile, Li Mingwei, who was thousands of miles away, remained unaware that her repeated pleas and instructions to keep a certain matter hidden from Lord Tang had been inadvertently revealed by the overzealous maid, Ah Xiu, and subsequently sold out.
