Chapter 109: What Misdeed Have You Done?

Chapter 109: What Misdeed Have You Done?

After the formalities were over, Ruan Qinghuan had Xia Lian take Zimo and Qingchi back to the Prime Minister's residence, while she herself was pulled by Chu Li to a teahouse.

Once they were seated, Chu Li chided, "Ruan Xiaoyue said all that, why didn't you teach her a lesson?"

"Didn't you stand up for me? Everything I wanted to say, you said it for me."

Hearing this, Chu Li smiled, "I must say, arguing feels great, and winning an argument feels even better."

"What kind of sentiment is that? In the capital, is there anyone you can't argue with?"

At this, Chu Li's eyes flickered, and after a while, she mumbled, "It's Ji Lingchuan, who tricked me into accompanying him for a month of military training using a warhorse... he even requested an imperial decree."

Ruan Qinghuan was completely puzzled. It wasn't unusual for Ji Lingchuan to ask her to go to the military camp—after all, chasing a wife is like walking through a minefield, one must find ways to create opportunities.

Ever since Chu Li was severely injured and unconscious for several days in Lu City, Ji Lingchuan became a different person.

Previously, he would instinctively want to flee at the sight of Chu Li, unaware that his feelings for her were not as resistant as he imagined. It wasn't until he nearly lost her that he finally saw his own heart clearly.

But to specifically request an imperial decree for this matter was unexpected.

Chu Li knew what she was thinking and explained, "That horse of his was untamed, and he proposed a bet: whoever tamed the warhorse first would win. As for the loser..."

She sighed, "I had no idea that the horse was a gift from the Emperor, and this bet was prearranged with the Emperor. To put it bluntly, the Emperor was angry about my reckless actions upon returning from Lu City and was deliberately punishing me."

"I think it's quite fair. Earlier, you chased him, now he chases you... but since it's a bet, you shouldn't have so many complaints," Ruan Qinghuan poured her tea, smiling as she brought the conversation back on track.

Chu Li: "..."

But for that month, she became Ji Lingchuan's follower, at his beck and call, which made Chu Li, who had always longed for military life, develop a resistance to the military camp for the first time.

As they were talking, a commotion came from outside the window. Chu Li, being someone who loved to join in the excitement, immediately ran to the window. After watching for a while, she suddenly widened her eyes, "Hey, isn't that Mr. Ruan?"

Qingzhou?

Initially indifferent, Ruan Qinghuan immediately came to the window upon hearing this and indeed saw Qingzhou being chased by a woman. The woman knew martial arts, and even though Qingzhou was leaping over walls, he couldn't shake her off.

She heard the woman shouting as she chased, "Qingzhou Ruan, stop right there!"

This scene excited Chu Li; the girl's martial arts were really impressive.

**

This was the most troublesome moment of Qingzhou Ruan's life. After running for nearly half an hour, he still couldn't shake her off. Helpless, he had to stop in an alley.

The girl, her eyes filled with anger, stood facing him, slightly out of breath, and demanded, "Why don't you keep running? Why did you stop?"

"Zi Ning, why are you chasing me?" Qingzhou Ruan looked helpless.

"After you left Jiangnan, there was no news of you. I asked at the Zhou residence many times, and they always brushed me off. It was only after I found someone to look up the official documents in Tongzhou that I learned you had returned to the capital," the girl spoke with anger, but also a hint of grievance, "Why didn't you say anything when you left?"

If he had said something, could he have left?

Qingzhou Ruan spoke earnestly, "My home is in the capital; it's only natural to return home."

"What about me?"

"You can stay with the master. By the way, did you tell the master you were coming to the capital?" Facing this junior sister, Qingzhou Ruan had a headache. He thought he would have peace after returning to the capital, but she actually followed him here.

"Of course, I couldn't tell my father, otherwise I wouldn't have been able to leave Jiangnan," Zi Ning's tone softened, "Senior brother, why did you have to return to the capital? Wouldn't it be better to stay in Jiangnan?"

"It's not a matter of good or bad. This is my home, you get it, right? Just like you prefer to stay in Jiangnan because your home is there!"

"No, for you, I can leave Jiangnan."

Ruan Qingzhou: "..."

When Ruan Qinghuan chased after them, there was no trace of the two. Chu Li teased, "Looking at the girl's relentless pursuit, she won't stop until she catches him. Could it be that your brother owes some romantic debt?"

Ruan Qinghuan: "..."

She wasn't sure about it either. Qingzhou had mostly lived at his maternal grandfather's house in Jiangnan since childhood and had apprenticed there.

Over the years, he had never mentioned any girl, nor had he ever said he had a crush on someone. Otherwise, he wouldn't have agreed to the blind date arranged by his father.

But someone had indeed come looking for him, and the matter needed to be clarified.

**

At the entrance of the Ruan residence, Ruan Qingzhou stopped, and at the same time, the carriage from the Prime Minister's residence arrived. Ruan Qinghuan stepped down from the carriage.

Seeing his sister, Ruan Qingzhou seemed to see a savior. Before she could get close, he hurried over to her: "Sister, I need your help with something."

Ruan Qinghuan gave him a once-over: "What's going on?"

Ruan Qingzhou whispered something in her ear, his eyes full of pleading. After speaking, he was about to leave, but as soon as he turned around, Ruan Qinghuan yanked his ear: "You're right at the doorstep, you should go in and explain to our parents and grandmother yourself."

Seeing Ruan Qingzhou trying to run again, Xu Zining was about to chase after him, but unexpectedly, she was stopped by this woman.

Seeing that she looked somewhat similar to Ruan Qingzhou, she ventured a guess: "Excuse me, are you Shixiong's sister?"

Xu Zining didn't know Ruan Qinghuan's status as the Prime Minister's wife, and being from the martial world, she only bowed to her in greeting.

"Do you know me?" Ruan Qinghuan looked at the girl with a sharp presence, sweet-looking but with a free-spirited vibe of a martial artist. She wore a water-blue long skirt with multi-colored ribbons fluttering at the hem of her skirt, looking casual and lively, her beautiful almond eyes with a hint of wariness.

Xu Zining nodded: "I used to visit the Ruan family often, and it was the uncles and aunts there who told me about you. They said you were as beautiful as a fairy, and I didn't believe it until today. You really are beautiful."

Hearing this, Ruan Qinghuan chuckled softly, not expecting this girl to have ties to her grandfather's family: "Are you Qingzhou's shimei?"

Xu Zining nodded: "My father is his master. My name is Xu Zining. Sister, you can call me Zi Ning."

"Alright, welcome to the capital, Zi Ning. Let's not stand here; let's go inside and talk."

Seeing that Ruan Qinghuan didn't put on airs as the host, Xu Zining put her doubts to rest and looked at Ruan Qingzhou: "Shixiong, I'm heading in now."

Seeing her go in first, Ruan Qingzhou whispered pleadingly: "Sister, you're my own sister, you can't side with outsiders. Please let go, I'll crash at your shop for a few days."

"No, the shop has already opened, and the back rooms are for the staff."

"Then I'll stay at an inn."

"Ruan Qingzhou." Ruan Qinghuan's face turned cold: "This girl has traveled all the way to the capital to find you, and you're acting like a scaredy-cat. What exactly have you done wrong?"

"Nothing, I haven't done anything. Zi Ning is just too clingy, it's driving me nuts."

"A guest is a guest, especially the daughter of your master. What kind of behavior is this?" Ruan Qinghuan sighed: "At least be a good host."

It was clear that Zi Ning liked Qingzhou. Ruan Qinghuan had never thought of interfering in her brother's love life, but proper etiquette should still be observed. Running away like this only made it seem like he had something to hide.