The Minister: Cold by Day, Hot by Night

"Yes, the Princely Heir is very concerned about you, Miss. If you were to write him a letter about how things are since your return to the Capital, he would certainly be pleased," Chen Jiu urged.

Zhi Wan was swayed by the idea.

’My cousin is so far away in Jiangnan. He must be worried about what’s happening at home, and about Aunt.’

’I really should write him a letter to put his mind at ease.’

But she had a concern. "I don’t know if my cousin is in Yangzhou or Jiangning right now. When would the letter even reach him?"

"You don’t need to worry about that, Miss. Just write the letter and give it to me. I will send it for you. The Princely Heir will receive it in half a day at most," Chen Jiu said with certainty.

"He’ll receive it in half a day?" Zhi Wan was astonished.

"We use carrier pigeons," Chen Jiu explained.

Zhi Wan understood at once. "Then I’ll go write it now."

Chen Jiu was overjoyed. "Then I will wait for you in the front courtyard."

"Alright."

Zhi Wan felt a flutter of excitement.

’I’ve never written a letter before.’

But when she returned to Yaoguang Pavilion and sat at her desk with a brush in hand, she didn’t know what to write to her cousin.

After thinking for a long time, she finally lifted her brush and wrote a line: *Dearest Cousin, It has been over half a month since we parted. I hope you are well over there. Is your official business proceeding smoothly? Have you already gone to Jiangning?*

Then, she detailed the situation at the manor in the letter.

This included the matter of Aunt Wang and her son, as well as the plot against my uncle all those years ago.

After finishing, she found Chen Jiu and gave him the letter. She then watched with her own eyes as he tied it to the pigeon’s leg and released it.

Watching the carrier pigeon cut across the sky and fly into the distance, Zhi Wan felt a peculiar sensation.

’According to Chen Jiu, it will arrive in half a day. My cousin will probably receive my letter by this evening.’

’I wonder if he’ll be happy when he receives it?’

"Ah Jiu, can this pigeon really deliver my letter to my cousin?" she couldn’t help but ask.

"It most certainly can. You can rest assured, Miss," Chen Jiu guaranteed, full of confidence.

Zhi Wan nodded, her heart easing.

But then she thought, ’My cousin is so busy. Will he even read my letter?’

Zhi Wan was filled with a mix of anticipation and unease.

...

「Jiangning. Evening.」

Lu Zhan returned from the Government Office and went into his study to discuss matters with Duan Ling.

Just then, Jiang Shi hurried in, holding a pigeon.

"Princely Heir, a letter from the Capital."

"Give it to me," Lu Zhan said.

Jiang Shi immediately untied the letter from the pigeon’s leg and presented it.

Lu Zhan took it and slowly unfolded the paper.

He had assumed it was a letter from Chen Jiu, but unexpectedly, what met his eyes was the hairpin-flower small regular script of a woman.

The characters were elegant, the lines fluid.

It was a very beautiful example of hairpin-flower small regular script.

When he saw the signature at the end, Lu Zhan’s lips curled up, and a flicker of a smile flashed in his dark eyes. It was a letter from his cousin.

Forgetting that Duan Ling was still waiting to discuss matters, he lowered his head and began to read it carefully, word by word.

Duan Ling had been waiting for a long time, nearly finishing a whole pot of tea. Seeing that Lu Zhan was still reading, he couldn’t help but ask, "It’s just a letter. What’s taking so long? Or did it mention something so important that it has you stumped?" As he spoke, he put down his cup and walked over.

Lu Zhan snapped back to his senses and calmly put the letter away. "It’s nothing important. We’ve finished discussing what we needed to. You can go."

Duan Ling was speechless.

However, remembering it was his first day in Jiangning and there were still many things for him to handle, he didn’t linger and took his leave.

As soon as he was gone, Lu Zhan unfolded the letter again.

Jiang Shi noticed the Princely Heir’s teacup was empty, so he took the teapot over to refill it. His gaze swept over it unintentionally and happened to see the four words at the end: "Your cousin, Zhi Wan."

Surprise flashed across Jiang Shi’s face.

’So it was a letter from the Miss to the Princely Heir.’

’I’d thought it was a report from Chen Jiu about important matters in the Capital.’

’Chen Jiu must be muddle-headed. Those carrier pigeons are for transmitting vital information, yet he used one for the Miss’s personal letter.’

’But the Princely Heir is reading it so intently... could something major have happened at the manor?’

Just as he was thinking this, he suddenly heard his master order, "Take this pigeon down and feed it well. Let it rest for the night. Tomorrow morning, I have a letter to send back."

Jiang Shi suppressed his confusion and replied respectfully, "Yes, sir."

With no one else in the study, Lu Zhan’s thumb gently caressed the signature for a moment. As he looked at the letter’s contents, he could almost see the girl’s bright, lively little face as she wrote it.

The smile playing on his lips didn’t fade for a long time.

After a long while, he set the letter down, spread a fresh sheet of paper on the desk, and lifted his brush to write a reply.

「Meanwhile, at the Lu Family Villa in Yangzhou.」

Seeing Lu Jinglan’s sullen expression, Lu Lan’s eyes flickered.

It was no wonder Lu Jinglan was so angry, though.

She had come all this way, eagerly running to Yangzhou, only to see Lu Zhan just once.

Lu Jinglan had thought that with Zhi Wan back in the Capital, she would finally have her chance. So, the day Zhi Wan left, she couldn’t wait to move into the courtyard Zhi Wan had occupied, thinking she’d have the advantage of proximity. But after that day, Lu Zhan never came back.

When she asked Elder Tian about Lu Zhan’s whereabouts, he remained tight-lipped and she couldn’t get anything out of him.

"Auntie, Lu Zhan still hasn’t returned to the villa. Are we just going to keep waiting aimlessly? Elder Tian is the steward here; it’s impossible that he doesn’t know where Lu Zhan is," Lu Lan said, feigning anxiety as she wrung a handkerchief.

Lu Jinglan’s face was grim. "I’m going to find that old fool and ask him again."

"I’ll go with you."

Soon, the two of them found Elder Tian.

"Where did the Princely Heir go? Why hasn’t he been back for so many days?" Lu Jinglan demanded unhappily.

Elder Tian replied helplessly, "This old servant truly does not know the Princely Heir’s whereabouts. He left no word when he departed. However, I heard he is on an imperial mission to inspect Jiangnan. Since he has not returned to the villa, he has likely left Yangzhou for another place."

"He left Yangzhou?" Lu Jinglan swayed and nearly fainted, but Lu Lan caught her.

On the way back to their courtyard, Lu Jinglan was in a daze.

She had schemed and plotted to come to Yangzhou, only to see Lu Zhan a single time. He had left Yangzhou without even telling her, leaving her to wait here like an idiot.

’Does Lu Zhan despise me that much?’

Lu Jinglan’s face was deathly pale as she clenched her fists tightly.

"Miss Lu!"

Just then, a voice suddenly called out from behind them.

Lu Jinglan and Lu Lan turned around at the same time.

They saw a young woman with uncommon beauty standing there.

Looking at the girl’s beautiful face, Lu Jinglan felt an instinctive dislike. "Who are you, and why are you here?"

"This humble one is Chuchu. I was a gift to the Princely Heir from the former Magistrate, Liang Qixian," the woman said, stepping forward and bowing humbly.

Hearing this, Lu Jinglan’s already ugly expression grew even fouler. "You were a gift to Jinzhi?"

Chuchu paused, guessing to herself, ’Jinzhi... that must be the high official’s style name.’

Seeing the other woman’s shocked and angry expression, she feigned shyness and lowered her head. "This humble one isn’t sure if I count as one..."

"What do you mean, you’re not sure?" Lu Jinglan was consumed with unbearable jealousy, feeling like she was about to go mad. She gritted her teeth and asked, "Have... have you attended to him?"