Chapter 328: Chapter 188: You Bullied Us, Didn’t You?
Besides, the Jinyi Guard’s Spirit Binder Xingzi have close access to officials of all ranks. There’s no need for seduction or anything like that.
Judging by the various porcelain ornaments in the room, the previous prefect must have been an incredibly extravagant person.
’This last prefect was definitely no saint,’ he thought. ’It was probably a case of dog-eat-dog.’
Seeing that Lu Yuan was about to question her further, Xiaoqian fell into deep thought for a good while.
Lu Yuan didn’t press for an answer. It was better to let Xiaoqian think it through on her own.
「After a long while.」
Xiaoqian suddenly spoke. "I... I... I don’t know his name. I only know he’s an official."
Xiaoqian wasn’t lying. Her adoptive father had never told her much of anything.
Xiaoqian didn’t even know her adoptive father’s name, only what he looked like.
Lu Yuan took a sip of his cold tea. "That’s easily solved. Tomorrow, I’ll summon every official in Dongchang City. Then, Xiaoqian, you can hide behind a screen and point him out for me."
Xiaoqian nodded.
Su Liyan covered Xiaoqian’s hand with her own. "He’s not your adoptive father. He’s an animal. You don’t owe him anything."
As a woman, Su Liyan understood the female mind better than Lu Yuan did and could guess what was worrying Xiaoqian.
Xiaoqian nodded, squeezing out a single word: "Mm!"
Her voice wasn’t loud, but it was enough for Lu Yuan and Su Liyan to sense that Xiaoqian had made up her mind.
Xiaoqian resolved to no longer help wicked men. She would do what she wanted to do. The deeds she had been forced to commit had more than repaid him for raising her.
Lu Yuan got up, stretched, and said, "Alright, we’ve been talking all morning and we haven’t even eaten breakfast. Let’s wash up and go eat together."
Upon hearing this, Xiaoqian pointed to herself and asked uncertainly, "’Us?’ I can eat with you, together at the same table?"
Su Liyan rose and took Xiaoqian by the hand. "Of course, Xiaoqian. Let’s go!"
Xiaoqian was truly overwhelmed by the gesture.
The three of them left the room one after the other. Su Liyan and Xiaoqian chatted and laughed while Su Liyan pointed out the various sights in the courtyard.
Xiaoqian had only ever left the room where she was kept when she was on a mission.
She had never had a chance to truly appreciate the vast world around her.
In the courtyard, a few of Lu Yuan’s confidants saw this scene and stopped what they were doing to watch.
’What in the world happened in that room?’
’Just this morning, they had this bewitching girl tied up, and now she’s not only free but also laughing and talking with them.’
These confidants simply couldn’t comprehend their young master-by-marriage’s series of actions.
’No wonder he’s the one who managed to win over Madam Zhao.’
’I’ve been a Mansion Guard at the Zhao Mansion for years,’ one thought, ’and I’ve never seen any of us manage to win over Madam Zhao.’
’But Lu Yuan, with his own outstanding abilities, had managed to latch onto Zhao Qiao’er as his meal ticket.’
Breakfast for Lu Yuan’s new little household was relatively light, without any heavy or greasy dishes.
Su Liyan kept placing food into Xiaoqian’s bowl.
Even this simple, ordinary breakfast brought tears to Xiaoqian’s eyes.
Having never experienced such kindness growing up, Xiaoqian was easily moved.
After breakfast, Su Liyan took Xiaoqian to pick out a side room of her own liking.
In a side room not far from Lu Yuan’s, Su Liyan found a brush, ink, paper, and an inkstone, and was patiently teaching Xiaoqian how to write her own name.
After all, Lu Yuan had taught Su Liyan how to write many characters in the very same way, guiding her hand with his.
Now, it was Su Liyan’s turn to guide Xiaoqian’s hand.
As they were both from the Half-demon Race, Su Liyan and Xiaoqian got along exceptionally well.
The Snake Woman and the Little Fox, who had been locked in a life-or-death struggle just last night, were now as close as sisters.
Watching the close pair through the window, Lu Yuan thought of his two "aunts," Zhao Qiao’er and Song Meiqin. ’At least Su Liyan has a companion now,’ he mused.
Lu Yuan summoned one of his confidants from the doorway and said sternly, "Take these invitations and inform all the officials in the city that tomorrow, at the South City Spring Garden Restaurant, I will be hosting a return banquet for them in the four second-floor rooms: A, B, C, and D."
In the past few days, nearly every official had come to his door to congratulate Lu Yuan on his promotion to Prefect of Dongchang City.
Since he had accepted their gifts, it was customary for him to host them in return.
This was the perfect opportunity to expose the person who had been controlling Xiaoqian from the shadows.
After his confidant left, Lu Yuan stood up and cracked his knuckles loudly. "It’s time for the heavens over Dongchang City to change," he said.
「The next day.」
Officials of every rank arrived early at the Spring Garden Restaurant, following the information on their invitations. They found their seats and sat down, awaiting the arrival of the Prefect.
Lu Yuan had not booked out the entire Spring Garden Restaurant, so there were still other patrons eating in the main hall on the first floor.
On the already desolate streets, the few scattered commoners who saw the massive procession of officials entering the Spring Garden Restaurant began to whisper amongst themselves.
"Who’s hosting this banquet? What a grand display!"
"Right? It looks like nearly every official in Dongchang City has shown up."
The patrons eating on the first floor of the Spring Garden Restaurant watched the officials file upstairs one after another, and their food suddenly lost its flavor.
They either settled their bills and left immediately or had their food packed to eat elsewhere.
On the second floor, the various officials chatted amongst themselves, trading flattery and exchanging hollow pleasantries in their usual bureaucratic tones.
The Right Investigating Officer slapped the table. "Uncle, what is Prefect Lu playing at? Why did he arrange for all of us to be in Room B?"
The Right Deputy Magistrate shot the Right Investigating Officer a look and snorted coldly. "You’d do well to keep that mouth of yours shut and cause less trouble."
The Right Investigating Officer cradled his cheek, hissing in pain from time to time.
The cheek that Lu Yuan had slapped with his Tooth Card a few days prior was still red and swollen.
