Four Harmonies and Good Fortune

Chapter 422 Rhetoric
Wang Yan changed into a newly made blue robe, and a servant carefully smoothed out all the wrinkles in the clothes.

After fussing for quite a while, the servant cautiously glanced at his master. Normally, the master would have waved him away long ago.

It's just that my husband doesn't care about these things, and his clothes should be simple and not too complicated. When my wife sent me this garment, I thought... my husband probably wouldn't wear it.

Perhaps the young master was in a good mood today, for he not only wore the clothes but also patiently let him fiddle with them.

The servant thought for a moment and then said, "Madam also had some new boots sent over, why don't you put them on, sir?"

Wang Yan nodded in agreement.

The servant immediately went to fetch it.

He Tan waited outside for a long time, but no one came out, so he simply went in by himself. He was stunned to see that Wang Yan was brand new from head to toe.

"What? Are you going to kowtow to your uncle and aunt to wish them a Happy New Year?"

Wang Yan ignored He Tan and instead instructed Sang Dian at the door: "Go and bring the cat over."

Sang Dian responded.

He Tan walked around Wang Yan, clicking his tongue in disapproval. Wang Hechun, dressed like this, looked exceptionally handsome.

"Don't you dislike clothes with subtle embroidery?"

"Even the crown has been replaced with a new one."

"If you bow to me now and say auspicious words, I will surely reward you with some silver."

This appearance was even more grand than when meeting the emperor.

Seeing that He Tan showed no sign of leaving, Wang Yan asked, "Is there anything else, brother?"

Before He Tan could reply, Wang Yan finished speaking: "Brother, you will be away from Daming Prefecture for many days. My mother will surely be worried. Why don't you go and talk to her?"

This was clearly a case of casually handing him over to his aunt. He Tan didn't know whether to be angry or sigh. He had only met a young woman, how could such a perfectly good person have turned into this?
Wang Yan stood at the door until Sang Dian brought the cat over. He took it in his hands and weighed it in his hand. He was relieved to find that the cat hadn't lost weight.

With everything prepared, Wang Yan looked at He Tan and said, "I'll see you off first thing tomorrow morning."

Hearing this perfunctory tone, He Tan frowned: "If I hadn't asked you to come with me to Daming Prefecture, where would you be today?"

Wang Yan said, "Didn't you also arrest Prefect Liu and his men? Now that you have the imperial decree, you can reorganize the troops when you return to the north."

He Tan raised his eyebrows. Thinking about it this way, it seemed to make sense. He hadn't lost out. Considering that Wang Yan had been leaving early and returning late lately, it was a pity that he finally had time to see his sweetheart.

Since that's the case, he decided not to argue with Wang Yan.

After Wang Yan left, He Tan had no choice but to go and pay his respects to Madam Lin.

Upon seeing her nephew, Madam Lin was naturally delighted and busied herself preparing a meal.

"You're going back to Daming Prefecture so soon," Madam Lin said. "If I had known, I would have brought your mother here earlier."

He Tan said, "The imperial court is opening border markets, and the north is in a busy period. If it weren't for Prefect Liu's case, I wouldn't be able to return to the capital."

"I will definitely be able to go home by New Year's Day this year."

Madam Lin said, "I heard that the Emperor is going to assign you another task?"

He Tan had handled the mission in Daming Prefecture well, and was promoted to the position of Deputy Commander of the Daming Prefecture Circuit. Madam Lin was happy for her nephew upon hearing the news, but a hint of worry flashed in her eyes. He Tan saw this clearly and carefully considered his aunt's thoughts. He had been promoted, but Wang Yan's appointment had been delayed, which was probably why his aunt was troubled.

He Tan said, "Aunt, there's no need to worry about He Chun. The Emperor values ​​He Chun highly and has always wanted to keep him by his side. However, he has to weigh the pros and cons, since Uncle is the Grand Chancellor of Liang, and both father and son wield real power, which might draw criticism..."

Before He Tan could finish speaking, he saw Madam Lin burst into laughter.

“Silly child,” Madam Lin said, “Do you think your aunt is worried about this? Even if Yan’er doesn’t enter officialdom, I won’t worry.”

At this point, Madam Lin deliberately looked outside.

"Let me ask you, is the robe that Yan Ge'er is wearing today handsome? I just made it for him a few days ago."

He Tan nodded subconsciously: "It looks good."

Madam Lin smiled and said, "When will you be able to be like him?"

He Tan couldn't immediately decipher the meaning behind his aunt's words.

"Don't think about those things in the government all day long," Madam Lin said. "You're so young, it's the perfect time for you. You brothers went to Daming Prefecture together, how come you only got a promotion?"

He Tan looked surprised. Could it be that his aunt was referring to...?

“Look, so many years have passed, even Yan Ge’er has found a place to go,” Madam Lin said, looking at He Tan. “When you have free time, all you can do is talk to your aunt.”

He Tan's heart suddenly sank. He hadn't thought much of it when he saw Wang Yan running out with the cat, but now that he thought about it, he actually felt sorry for Wang Hechun for not seeing his sweetheart, while he himself didn't even have a sweetheart.

but……

He Tan was now certain that his aunt already knew. He looked at Madam Lin and asked, "Did He Chun tell your aunt?"

Madam Lin shook her head, her smile deepening: "No one knows a son better than his mother. I don't know what official position the Emperor will give him, but I can see pretty much what he's thinking."

"So, your mother has introduced you to so many women, but she still hasn't settled your marriage, because she knows you don't like any of them."

He Tan pursed his lips, couldn't help but pick up his tea and take a sip. Before he could even process what his aunt had said, Madam Lin continued, "Now, tell your aunt, what does the woman that Yan-ge'er like look like? Did they meet in Daming Prefecture? And have they come to Bianjing together?"

He Tan immediately shut his mouth, afraid of saying another word, but it seemed to be too late. His aunt had already gotten all the information out of him by taking advantage of casual conversation.

……

The South City Wharf used to be very deserted, but now it's different; even after dark, it's still brightly lit.

People come and go, walking in groups, and laughter can be heard from the teahouse from time to time.

Sang Dian carried a lantern to a courtyard, knocked on the door, and after a moment, he saw Yang Xiaoshan's smiling face.

"The lady said that the young master might come today, and sure enough..."

Wang Yan strode in, about to ask Xie Yuyan where she was, when he saw the tassels of the big red lanterns swaying in the wind, and she was standing there under the warm lamplight.

Wang Yan wondered if it was just his imagination, but Xie Yuyan's cheeks seemed slightly redder than usual, and her eyes were slightly upturned, containing a hint of a smile.

Wang Yan's heart seemed to be struck, and the emptiness that had been there these past few days was instantly filled. Just as he was about to walk over quickly, he suddenly felt a lightness in his arms, and a dark shadow jumped down from his arms and darted into Xie Yuyan's arms with a "whoosh." Then came a coquettish cry, which made Xie Yuyan hug it tightly and reach out to stroke its fluffy head.

The enchanting atmosphere from just now has completely vanished.

It's a bit late today, there's one more chapter.