High-class Spring Joy

After Qingyuan left, Chensha returned as well.

"Young master, we've found out. It's Jiang Qingyun, the second young lady of the Dali Temple Minister. She's been waiting by the lake all night with her servants and maids. She probably knew that Miss Qingyuan would come."

The report was received by the sunken sand.

"The Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, from the Jiang family?"

Chu Jingxian's tone became a bit harsher.

Shen Sha immediately understood. "Ever since the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review brought Jiang Qingge to break off the engagement a month ago, the Fifth Young Master has been spending every day with that Miss Jiang. Whether it's spring outings or banquets, they're always together. Now there are some rumors circulating in Bianjing. They say... they say..."

As Chen Sha spoke, he grew increasingly angry, "This subordinate did not wish to speak out and anger the young master."

Anyone would be angry in this situation.

Chen Sha spoke up for her young master, saying, "If the eldest daughter of the Jiang family and the fifth young master had been mutually in love from the beginning, it would have been fine. But it was that Minister Jiang of the Court of Judicial Review who took the initiative to come to your door and arranged your marriage ten years ago. As soon as he heard that you had committed a capital crime, he didn't even visit you or ask about your situation. He was only focused on breaking off the engagement! Now, only a month after the engagement was broken off, he has the audacity to move into the Marquis's mansion and be seen with the fifth young master everywhere. Where does that leave you, young master?"

Chen Sha was so excited that he spoke with his face turning red and his neck thick.

Chu Jingxian's reaction was completely different from his; she remained remarkably calm: "It's only natural that she would seek other means after I was imprisoned. Besides, there was never any affection between us to begin with. I'm actually relieved that she broke off the engagement. But my fifth brother has a prior agreement with Qingyuan. Jiang Qingge is cunning, and Jiang Qingyun is arrogant and domineering. If he were to actually marry my fifth brother, how would Qingyuan cope?"

Shen Sha, who was never quick-witted, was immediately puzzled upon hearing Chu Jingxian's words: "Young Master, you... seem to care a lot about that little girl Qing Yuan? And you seemed very gentle with her today?"

Chen Sha's words were a wake-up call.

Chu Jingxian remained strangely silent for a moment before saying, "You've mistaken me for someone else."

Shen Sha shut up obediently, still feeling that his young master treated Qing Yuan, that little girl, differently.

It was the young master who was rejected in the engagement, and he almost became the talk of the town in Bianjing. So why is the young master not worried about his own reputation, but instead worried about Qingyuan's situation?

Isn't that strange?

Is that strange?

Chu Jingxian was silent for a moment: "What are you standing there for? Have you found the person we asked you to find?"

-

Qingyuan had gathered up all the embroidery she had accumulated over the years early in the morning, including brocade knots, purses, handkerchiefs, and so on. They weren't large items, but fortunately, there were quite a few of them.

Thinking it over, after helping Chu Jingyu get up, he would probably go looking for Jiang Qingge again, and then she would be able to leave the mansion.

Qingyuan was surprised that Chu Jingyu got up on his own today and hadn't even left the house yet.

When Qingyuan brought in the basin of hot water, Chu Jingyu was sitting upright at the table, which was set with more than a dozen kinds of breakfast dishes, with a wide variety of options.

As soon as she entered, she saw Chu Jingyu dressed impeccably and quickly knelt down to beg for forgiveness: "It was this servant's laziness that led to this; please punish me, young master."

Qingyuan has gotten used to it. Things have gotten better in recent years. When she first came to Chu Jingyu's courtyard at the age of eight, Chu Jingyu was only ten years old. Because of a disease he had been born with, he had a strange temper, and no servant or maid in the courtyard had not been beaten.

At first, Qingyuan was also hit by a vase for half a year before Chu Jingyu allowed her to serve him closely.

Gradually, perhaps having grown accustomed to Qingyuan's presence, Chu Jingyu would definitely fly into a rage if Qingyuan wasn't there when he got up.

Whether she was late or he was early, Chu Jingyu would have been in trouble if Qingyuan hadn't been serving him.

But today, Chu Jingyu's attitude was unusually gentle. Looking at her, he simply said, "Put your things down and come have breakfast."

Qingyuan was terrified.

It wasn't that she was flattered by his sudden tenderness, but rather... her experience over the past ten years had taught her—

When this scoundrel becomes unusually gentle, it's definitely not a good sign.

There must be a demon in the abnormal situation.

Qingyuan carefully carried the basin of water to the side and put it down, standing by the table without moving: "This servant is of lowly status and cannot dine with the young master."

"It's true you're a servant, but all these years, I've never treated you like one. It's just breakfast; we've eaten together before."

Chu Jingyu looked at her and smiled helplessly: "Listen to me, have breakfast with me. Does A-Yuan really have the heart to let me eat breakfast alone?"

Yes, we used to have breakfast together.

Back then, Chu Jingyu's words were even more cheesy than they are now, so sweet that they made people dizzy with flattery. He even said that they were all her favorite dishes, and Qingyuan believed him and went too far that one time.

But what Chu Jingyu didn't know was that on that one occasion, the old lady found out, and Qingyuan was punished with a beating.

Now, when Chu Jingyu speaks, he deliberately softens his voice, and his smile remains the same as before, as if nothing has changed.

Unfortunately, Qingyuan had seen his genuine smile.

Qingyuan did not sit down: "It is really against etiquette for this servant to dine with the young master. Please forgive this servant. If you need anything, please just let me know."

As she spoke, she took a step back.

Chu Jingyu's smile vanished. He thought she was sulking, and remembering her heartbroken look as she turned and left yesterday, he sighed. "A-Yuan, I know you were hurt by what happened yesterday, but I said I would find someone better for you."

After he finished speaking, several servants came in carrying trays filled with all sorts of purses.

The embroidery and craftsmanship are exquisite, some adorned with mutton fat jade and others with emeralds. Just looking at them, you can tell they are very expensive and precious.

"Look, which one do you like? If you like blue, I specially picked out blue. Or if you like both, I'll have them delivered to your room."