Chapter 352 – The Winds of the Capital (Nine)
Upon hearing this, An Yina clenched her fists tightly in secret.
Inside the tea house, Wu Ma Jun calculated the timing and felt that An Yina had already left. He then stood up to exit, only to unexpectedly find her still speaking to a Maidservant at the tea house door. He smiled to himself, thinking this woman couldn’t seem to leave him behind.
“There’s someone next door,” An Yina explained coldly, “I don’t know their background.”
Upon hearing this, Wu Ma Jun‘s nerves tensed up, and a surge of anger flooded his heart.
He almost choked on his fury, “Is there no sense of decorum? Doesn’t the Shopkeeper know today is a special day? This tea house doesn’t serve guests?”
As these thoughts raced in his mind, a layer of guilt and anxiety surfaced. Yes, he and An Yina were meeting in secret, but he never intended for this to be exposed.
The Dongqing royal family was in chaos; seizing brothers-in-law and bullying subordinate’s wives—sleeping with his father’s concubine was not uncommon. Such scandals were typically stirred up by the elders. Wu Ma Jun aspired to the throne and harbored ambitions of unifying the realm, meaning he had to maintain a virtuous public image. If it were revealed that he had been entangled with his sister-in-law, effectively cuckolding his own brother, that would be tantamount to a death wish.
After great struggle, Wu Ma Jun shed the reputation of the neglected prince, gradually gaining the Emperor‘s favor and building his connections. His external image was one of respect, kindness, and humility; he had accumulated much influence, gaining a circle of followers.
In a few days, he was to marry Liu Zhi’s illegitimate daughter, which meant a powerful Yue family alliance. He couldn’t afford to mess it up now.
He had to remain the noble prince, absolutely not a beast entangled with his own sister-in-law.
In the past, when he met with An Yina, the surrounding tea houses would be left vacant, unserving guests, and it had always been this way, which was why Wu Ma Jun had let his guard down… Who would have thought today would turn out so disastrous? He felt the world dimming around him as he nearly lost his footing.
Faced with Wu Ma Jun’s rebuke, the Maidservant knelt on the ground, trembling uncontrollably, her back teeth chattering.
“Find out who is in this room first; if they aren’t significant, we need to act quickly to avoid any long-lasting issues.”
Princess An Yina whispered calmly into Wu Ma Jun’s ear, her normally beautiful voice dripping with chilling intent.
Wu Ma Jun‘s dazed mind became clearer at once, instantly agreeing with her suggestion.
When it came to himself versus others, he naturally chose himself; anyone who hindered his ascent should die!
With that thought, a sinister glint flashed across his face.
An Yina smirked coldly at the sight.
The so-called land of etiquette, Dongqing, was no different.
From top to bottom, they were all beasts decked in refined garments.
“I know,” Wu Ma Jun replied coldly.
Inside the tea house, Jiang Pengji overheard the commotion; the malevolence and killing intent emanating from her hadn’t gone unnoticed.
She elegantly took a sip of her tea and then gracefully rose.
Her posture was utter relaxation, commanding admiration from anyone who glanced her way.
“Let’s head out to greet our esteemed guests outside.”
Xu Ke set down his tea bowl, frowning slightly, sensing trouble was brewing.
But were they really bold enough to do something to him, the Young Master? Could they possibly have the guts to take him down?
Outside, Wu Ma Jun had just concocted several plans in his mind, contemplating how to silently deal with the intruder when the door swung open unexpectedly.
“Xiaoyu, be sure to bring enough money with you, or today I might just have to pawn you off here…”
As soon as the door opened, an amiable voice transformed from a murmur to clarity, both Wu Ma Jun and An Yina instinctively turned to look.
They saw two youthful figures emerge, one tall and striking like a jade tree, while the other deliberately lagged three steps behind, even taller and with a hardened expression, his thin lips pressed tightly.
Oddly enough, the youthful man in the blue scholar’s robe had his right cheek covered with layers of gauze, making him look peculiar.
Wu Ma Jun felt a surge of killing intent but was struck thunderstruck when he recognized Jiang Pengji‘s face.
At that moment, Jiang Pengji “coincidentally” spotted him, her lacquer-like eyes lit up as she walked towards him.
“Zhengze? Is that you?” The Young Boy’s voice carried a hint of uncertainty, but as he approached, it transformed entirely into delight.
Xu Ke smirked behind him, admiring Young Master’s acting skills.
Wu Ma Jun suppressed the urge to flee and, bracing himself, clasped his hands towards Jiang Pengji, “Lan Ting.”
“Hey, just calling me Lan Ting feels a bit distant! In a few days, you’ll be my brother-in-law; we’re all family, so why be so formal?”
Jiang Pengji smiled brightly, her face devoid of any shadow, her gaze sparkling as she breathed and expressed herself perfectly.
Even if it was all for show, even if she was lying through her teeth, she could master the perfect reaction.
Princess An Yina, hearing their exchange, felt her beautiful eyes dim slightly, as she pieced together Jiang Pengji’s identity, realizing the complicated situation.
Wu Ma Jun’s brother-in-law; Liu Zhi’s legitimate second son—an identity that was touchy.
Since it couldn’t be touched, it was time to probe and see if Jiang Pengji had overheard anything she shouldn’t have in the tea house.
Clearly, Wu Ma Jun thought the same.
“In that case, I won’t hold back calling you ‘Big Brother-in-Law!’” Wu Ma Jun smiled, chatting casually with Jiang Pengji as if their relationship was incredibly close. After they chatted for a while and the atmosphere warmed up, he pretended casually to shift the topic to the tea house.
Jiang Pengji understood his intention and invited both of them into the tea house, showing no curiosity about An Yina’s identity. It was as if An Yina was merely a Concubine in Wu Ma Jun’s backyard; this reaction was normal. Even a brother-in-law had no place meddling in his future brother-in-law’s backyard.
She instructed the Maidservant to tidy up the tea table, serving new tea supplies and utensils.
Wu Ma Jun asked, “What brings you here for tea, Big Brother-in-Law?”
“I came along with Xiaoyu to buy some things for his new bride. Tsk tsk, can you believe these two have gotten married and are still so lovey-dovey? It’s sickeningly sweet.”
With that single line, Jiang Pengji tossed all the blame onto Xu Ke.
To this, Xu Ke remained speechless.
Wu Ma Jun had a low laugh, finding the exchange amusing.
Jiang Pengji continued, “He’s tall and strong, not worried about exhaustion, while my two little legs can barely handle it. Seeing a tea house here, I thought I’d stop for a breather. This place is actually quite pleasant; it’s right in the bustling market yet so peaceful when you come up here. Just a bit too quiet.”
Wu Ma Jun commented, “That’s incorrect; it’s meant to be a place of elegance. If it were filled with the clamor of the outside world, wouldn’t that ruin the ambiance?”
“True enough; that would indeed make it seem dowdy and mundane.” Jiang Pengji laughed, “Hearing you say that, this tea house does indeed have a subtle charm hidden from the market. Though I worry the tea here is pricey; I wouldn’t dare come often.”
Thinking of Jiang Pengji’s complaints about the price of tea when she left, Wu Ma Jun chuckled again.
