The two entered the residence together, and Jiang Suizhou’s palanquin was already parked at the side of the path, just waiting for his return.
Seeing the palanquin and Meng Qianshan approaching them, Jiang Suizhou thought for a moment, and then shook his head. He said, “No need, I’ll take a walk with Miss Lou.”
Although he was in poor health and always went around the residence sitting on a palanquin, due to the vast land area, there was only one palanquin at present. It would be inappropriate for him to sit in a palanquin and let his guests follow along.
Meng Qianshan quickly responded and instructed the servants to lift the palanquin away.
The place was a common prince’s residence, but Lou Wanjun was more interested in the stance of Jingwang’s large retinue, so she struck up a conversation, chatting smilingly with him.
Although Jiang Suizhou still needed to maintain that cold and haughty appearance, he was a bit overwhelmed, and before he knew it, he was chatting along with her.
He had to admit that Lou Wanjun exuded a vivid and lively attraction, brought about by years of experience on the battlefield and in the military camps.
The pair strolled while chatting, and gradually arrived outside Anyin Hall. The Prince’s residence was vast, and it had been a long time since Jiang Suizhou had taken such a long walk. By the time he arrived at the courtyard door, his legs were already quite wobbly.
Lou Wanjun was keenly aware of it.
“Your Highness Jingwang is too weak,” she commented.
Jiang Suizhou lowered his head and said, “I’ve made you laugh. This Prince’s illness was inborn. There has been no improvement for so many years.”
Lou Wanjun shook her head straight.
Sure enough, if a man was perfect in every respect, even God would envy him.
The two entered the courtyard while chatting. Jiang Suizhou raised his hand and gestured toward Huo Wujiu’s quarters: “That’s the place. Help yourself, Miss. This Prince will go back to the room to rest.”
When they meet, they probably would have something private to say to each other, so he, too, should have some insight.
However, Lou Wanjun asked in surprise, “Don’t you two live together, huh?”
Jiang Suizhou nodded.
Lou Wanjun sighed for some unknown reason, and then continued, “Well then, thank you, Your Highness. I have no more concerns. Go ahead, don’t worry about me, Your Highness.”
Jiang Suizhou hummed in response and nodded at her words. Out of courtesy and because he wouldn’t have any reservations after returning to his courtyard, he nodded and smiled towards Lou Wanjun.
Lou Wanjun cupped her hand at him with satisfaction, and led the servant behind her to Huo Wujiu’s room.
Jiang Suizhou watched her back in silence for a moment. Then, as if he was trying to escape something, he turned around and headed to the main house without uttering a single word.
He closed the door quietly.
——
Lou Wanjun had never liked Huo Wujiu very much since she was a child.
Since childhood, she followed her father wherever he was transferred. It happened that at the time when she could already remember things, her father took her to Yangguan.
Her mother died in childbirth. Thus, be it her father or the elders around her, they were more compassionate toward her. What was more, those naughty boys who grew up in the border had never seen a little girl, so whenever they went out to play, they usually took her along.
The only exception was Huo Wujiu.
Among the naughty boys at the border, only he had the worst temper and he always turned a deaf ear to discipline. Even Uncle Huo, who was assuredly powerful and healthy, would at times pat his chest in anger.
But he was tall and excelled both in fighting and horseback riding. Even if he was arrogant with his chin almost rivaling the skies, gave everyone the cold shoulder, and cared for nobody, the children still liked to follow his cold face around. They only followed his lead, just like a local overlord occupying a mountain.
On top of that, he, Huo Wujiu, was indifferent to playing with little girls.
It was during that time that Lou Wanjun suffered unprecedented ostracism, the bitter cold violent kind —— Although Huo Wujiu never poked fun at her, he ignored her. With a wave of his hand, he led a bunch of wild boys, hooting and hollering, to the wilderness, up trees, riding and hunting, none of which were activities Lou Wanjun could keep up with.
She was small back then, so she always ended up crying in anger. Fortunately, Huo Wujiu had a quiet older brother, Huo Yuyan, who was willing to stay, wait for her, and play with her.
“Wujiu is just a bit arrogant. He doesn’t mean any malice.” Huo Yuyan always comforted her in such a gentle manner. “Don’t argue with him.”
But Lou Wanjun didn’t listen to him. When she grew older, she learned martial arts and found ways to compete with Huo Wujiu. She believed that she would beat him down one day, become the leader and isolate him, too.
As a result, the cold and arrogant man surnamed Huo still looked down on her as if she were a young girl. Even after she beat Huo Wujiu’s minions one by one, he still never cared about fighting with her.
This was their relationship. Lou Wanjun one-sidedly considered them irreconcilable for more than ten years. Until now, Lou Wanjun would gnash her teeth in anger at the mere thought of it.
Yet her father even wanted to marry her off to Huo Wujiu?
Might as well kill her.
Lou Wanjun strode to Huo Wujiu’s door without knocking. The moment she lifted her leg, the door flew open in response.
She turned around and took the gift from the servant, raised her chin, and said, “Wait outside the door.” She walked into the room and kicked the door again.
The five-room large courtyard was pretty spacious, with luxurious interior and first-class furnishings. One could tell from a glance that this guy, Huo Wujiu, was living well here, so he needed no care at all.
While carrying her gift, she scanned the surroundings, and heard the sound of a moving wheelchair.
She followed the sound and saw a tall young man sitting in the wheelchair, with particularly long legs. It was rather degrading and an injustice to put him in a wheelchair.
The man’s eyebrows were sharp. One side of his eyebrow peak was marked by a scar, and his eyes under his eyebrows were like that of an eagle. This was Huo Wujiu.