Peeking

"You're smiling so happily, it seems Yun Yi has some good news to tell you?"

Lin Yunwan put down the letter, a smile still on her face, "My mother can see people again."

"Oh? That's wonderful news."

Qi Lingheng congratulates Lin Yunwan.

Lin Yunwan and curtsied, saying, "Thanks to you." She added, "If you hadn't brought Seventh Master Li there, my mother's eyes wouldn't have recovered."

He can't take credit for this.

Qi Lingheng said, "Even if I didn't bring him, Old Madam Xia would have made him go anyway. I just happened to be a step ahead of him."

Thank you anyway!

Qi Lingheng said with a faint smile, "You may get up."

A Fu stepped forward and said, "Miss, you and the Prince don't need to be so formal."

He originally wanted to please Lin Yunwan, but Lin Yunwan wasn't buying it.

"Your Prince, I've been out for too long..."

Lin Yunwan wanted to leave; she didn't want to spend too much time in private with the Prince right now.

Qi Lingheng looked at her hair ornaments, his gaze lingering, and asked, "Why aren't you wearing that gold hairpin?"

Which one?

Lin Yunwan has a lot of jewelry, and she didn't know which one Qi Lingheng was referring to, but as soon as she said it, she remembered.

"Is Your Prince referring to the gold hairpin in the wooden box that the Zhao Residence sent the other day?"

"Um."

Qi Lingheng answered casually, but in fact, he had carefully selected the hairpin. The style was unremarkable, but the craftsmanship was exquisite. Lin Yunwan could wear it whenever she wanted, and it wouldn't look out of place at all.

Lin Yunwan immediately understood.

That wasn't given to her by Zhao Jingyi!

"So it was... the hairpin you gave me?"

Qi Lingheng nodded slightly.

Lin Yunwan looked into his eyes and said calmly, "Then I shouldn't wear it at all."

She thought that Lord Zhao was afraid the letter would be discovered, so he had to send a gold hairpin as a cover.

If she had known it was a gift from the Prince, she wouldn't have accepted it.

Qi Lingheng wasn't angry.

I'm just a little helpless... I should have taken it slow and not told her directly so quickly.

"If Your Prince has nothing else, I will take my leave now."

Lin Yunwan curtsied to him, intending to take her leave.

"Wait a minute."

Qi Lingheng stood up and said, "Don't rush off."

Lin Yunwan looked at him with confusion and suspicion.

Qi Lingheng walked up to her and asked softly, "Why did you come to the Zhao Residence?"

Lin Yunwan: "..."

Is that even a question?

"Your Prince, don't you know perfectly well?"

She wrote a letter asking Lord Zhao to help connect her with the Yan Residence; her meaning was quite clear.

Perhaps it's just that you have to speak frankly with Prince.

Lin Yunwan didn't mince words. "Your Prince, I came for Yan Jingzong."

Qi Lingheng's eyes darkened, and he said, "... Since that's the case, come with me."

She went straight outside.

Lin Yunwan was completely bewildered.

Qi Lingheng stood under the eaves urging her, "If you don't come soon, you won't see the person you want to see."

"... You want to take me to see Yan Jingzong?"

Lin Yunwan frowned. Is the Prince... serious?

Don't you want to see him?

Qi Lingheng smiled meaningfully.

Lin Yunwan said, "I want to see him. But a private meeting is absolutely out of the question. If the Yan Residence finds out..." they will look down on her.

She could have acted openly and honestly, so why did she do this?

Qi Lingheng solemnly replied, "Of course, I am not asking you to meet in private."

How could he possibly allow Lin Yunwan to meet with a complete stranger in private?

Yan Jingzong shouldn't even think about it.

"Lin Yunwan."

"Um?"

Lin Yunwan still wanted to hear what Qi Lingheng had to say, so she walked over.

Qi Lingheng then asked her, "You only looked at his background and assessed his ability to handle emergencies, and that's how you decided it was him?"

"Of course not."

These two points alone are not enough to truly understand a person.

"Then what else would you like to investigate?"

Lin Yunwan had thought it through clearly, "At least we need to see how he handles his relationships with women, and also his—"

Wait a minute, didn't she go into too much detail with the Prince?

Why is she telling the Prince all this?

That's completely unnecessary.

After realizing Lin Yunwan remained silent and quietly looked at Qi Lingheng.

Qi Lingheng smiled, his dark eyes shining. "That's it then. Come with me, I'll show you."

Lin Yunwan was increasingly confused.

Qi Lingheng had already left, but turned back to look at her and asked, "Lin Yunwan, are you going or not?"

"... go."

Lin Yunwan couldn't refuse. She was just a woman Inner Residence, and it was already difficult enough for her to occasionally go out to offer incense. If she wanted to thoroughly investigate, this was a rare opportunity.

Besides, wasn't her purpose in attending the banquet at the Zhao Residence today to personally understand the Yan family?

The two of them walked out of the Through Hall together, with Xiruo following at a distance and A Fu leading the way.

"Your Prince, may I ask why you helped me meet with the Yan family?"

Lin Yunwan couldn't hold back any longer.

How could Qi Lingheng go to such lengths? She had clearly rejected him both indirectly and directly.

Qi Lingheng stopped and looked into her eyes, asking, "If I don't help you, will you give up the idea of contacting the Yan family?"

"Won't."

No matter how difficult it is, Lin Yunwan is determined to find out everything about Yan Jingzong.

She couldn't very well push herself into a fire.

"Um."

Qi Lingheng responded with a faint "yes".

Since she's determined to do it, and he can't stop her, why not let it happen right under his nose?

Besides, that Yan Jingzong... even if she really got to know him, would she necessarily like him?

"Arrive."

Qi Lingheng led her inside a courtyard wall, which was built along a hillside. Walking up the slope, one could see the Covered Walkway outside the wall.

"They've arrived."

Qi Lingheng gestured for Lin Yunwan to look into the distance.

Lin Yunwan saw a maid leading a man over, and the two were talking. She slightly hid and frowned, saying, "Your Prince, are you taking me to eavesdrop?"

She rarely does anything so unruly!

A lady from a respectable family is bound by strict rules in her words and actions. Some things are done out of necessity, but it's not really appropriate to do something like this.

"That is Yan Jingzong."

Qi Lingheng also stepped down and stood shoulder to shoulder with Lin Yunwan.

Is it Yan Jingzong has arrived?

Lin Yunwan thought for a moment, but still couldn't help but steal a glance.

At that time, on the second floor of the Xiaoxiang Pavilion, I could only see Yan Jingzong's figure, but not his face. Now I can see his general appearance. He is a man with a decent appearance, but not particularly outstanding.

Are you satisfied?

Qi Lingheng leaned down slightly and asked in a low voice.

Lin Yunwan glanced at him without saying a word.

If she's picky about looks, then she shouldn't get married. A man who's good in every way, even good-looking, why should he end up with an ordinary, unloved legitimate Di Daughter of the Lin Residence?

"Satisfy."

Lin Yunwan countered Qi Lingheng's question, "Is Your Prince satisfied with this answer?"

Qi Lingheng's lips twitched. "What do you think?"

Lin Yunwan pursed her lips, suppressing a smile.

... He brought it on himself!

Seeing Qi Lingheng's distressed expression, she secretly found it amusing.

She couldn't help but look at his eyebrows, eyes, and nose. In terms of appearance, Qi Lingheng was actually the most outstanding man she had ever seen.

He was good-looking from a young age.

She remembered when he came to visit her father when he was a child. The moment she saw him, she knew he was different from other young masters.