The Minister: Cold by Day, Hot by Night

At her words, Chen Jiu nearly dropped the bowl in his hands.

’He’d been so discreet about yesterday’s events, yet he never imagined the Miss would still find out.’

His eyes darted before he flatly denied it. "Why would you say such a thing, Miss? I certainly didn’t plot against Dongxiang."

"Don’t lie to me," Zhi Wan said, her expression serious. "Dongxiang told me everything. She said something suddenly struck her leg, causing a flash of pain. That’s why she lost her footing and fell onto Bai Yi."

Seeing this, Chen Jiu frowned. "Even if that’s true, why would you suspect me, Miss? Perhaps Bai Yi was overcome with lust and plotted against Dongxiang himself."

"Bai Yi would never do something like that. Besides, he doesn’t have the skill to pull it off," Zhi Wan stated firmly.

Chen Jiu retorted, "How many days have you known Bai Yi, Miss? As the saying goes, you can know a person’s face, but not their heart."

"That saying suits you better, don’t you think?" Zhi Wan shot him a look. "So, tell me. Why did you do it? If you don’t start telling the truth, I’ll write to my cousin and let him deal with you."

Chen Jiu was speechless.

’Could he tell her that he did everything on the Princely Heir’s orders?’

’And yet, he couldn’t say a single word!’

Seeing that the Miss was relentless, he had no choice but to put on a fawning expression. "I’ll talk! I’ll talk! Please, Miss, don’t tell the Princely Heir. The truth is... Dongxiang and I have some bad blood between us. I just wanted to teach her a little lesson yesterday, embarrass her a bit. I never thought she and Bai Yi would actually hit it off. My revenge failed, and I ended up playing matchmaker for her instead. Talk about shooting myself in the foot!"

Toward the end of his explanation, his face was a mask of frustration, as if he were recounting a true story.

"Is that really true?" Zhi Wan was skeptical.

"It’s true. Dongxiang used to say nasty things about me behind my back, and I overheard her. I confronted her, but she flatly denied it and wouldn’t even apologize. I was furious with her. When the opportunity arose yesterday, I just wanted to get a little bit of revenge," Chen Jiu said, clenching his fists, his face a mask of righteous indignation.

Seeing how earnestly he spoke, Zhi Wan’s doubts began to fade. "Alright, I understand. But you’re a grown man. How can you be so petty? Trying to harm someone over such a small matter?" Shaking her head, she turned and left.

Chen Jiu was speechless.

’The Princely Heir is clearly the petty one! He’s the one who forbids the Miss from getting involved with other men, so how did I end up taking the fall for it?’

Chen Jiu felt utterly wronged.

「Yaoguang Pavilion.」

Back in her room, Zhi Wan mulled over the reason Chen Jiu had just given her. The more she thought about it, the more it felt wrong.

’She’d known Chen Jiu for a long time and interacted with him frequently. As far as she knew, he wasn’t that narrow-minded. Why would he try to get revenge on Dongxiang over such a petty grievance?’

’Chen Jiu was lying!’

At this realization, Zhi Wan’s brow furrowed.

’But why would Chen Jiu lie?’

’What was the real reason?’

’Chen Jiu belongs to my cousin. Anything he does is likely on my cousin’s orders.’

’Could it be... that my cousin told him to do it?’

’But why would my cousin do that?’

Zhi Wan composed herself and carefully pieced together the events.

’If it hadn’t been for Dongxiang, she would have originally planned to have Bai Yi marry into her family.’

’But because Dongxiang got involved, both she and her aunt had given up on Bai Yi...’

At this, a thought struck her. ’My cousin didn’t want me and Bai Yi to be together, so he had Chen Jiu devise a scheme to ruin it?’

’But how could that be possible?’

’My cousin has no reason to do such a thing.’

Zhi Wan was completely baffled.

’Was she just overthinking things?’

’But then she remembered how Princess Chang Le had also suddenly appeared at Qingyin Pavilion yesterday and taken a liking to Shen Longjin.’

’She had initially thought it was a coincidence, but now, it didn’t seem like one.’

’If it wasn’t a coincidence, was it deliberately arranged?’

’But who had the influence to get Princess Chang Le to do something?’

’My cousin!’

The thought flashed through her mind, and Zhi Wan’s expression turned to one of astonishment.

She couldn’t fathom why her cousin would do such things, yet every incident seemed to be inextricably linked to him.

Zhi Wan was lost in confusion.

"Miss, look what this is!" Just then, Shuang’er came in with a joyful expression, followed by two sturdy serving women carrying something between them.

Zhi Wan snapped out of her thoughts and asked, "What is it?"

"It’s an ice box! Chen Jiu said the Princely Heir specifically ordered it to be sent to you." Shuang’er was all smiles as she directed the women to place the ice box beside the daybed.

After setting it down, the serving women bowed and took their leave.

"With this, you won’t have to worry about the heat, Miss," Shuang’er said, stroking the ice box in wonder.

Zhi Wan’s gaze followed, and she carefully examined the ice box.

It was a box-like object made of bronze, with rings on either side, a lid on top, and two vents.

She had seen one like it in her aunt’s room before. It was used to store blocks of ice and to chill fruits, and when placed in a room, it could help lower the temperature and provide relief from the heat.

She placed her hand over one of the vents, and sure enough, a wisp of cool air drifted out.

She immediately felt a delightful coolness.

A delighted expression appeared on her face. "Did my cousin really have Chen Jiu send this?"

"That’s what Chen Jiu said," Shuang’er nodded with a smile. "He also said there are fruits inside, and that you can help yourself whenever you like, Miss."

At her words, Zhi Wan immediately reached her left hand into the ice box and pulled out a cluster of lychees.

"Miss, it’s lychees!" Shuang’er’s eyes lit up, and she couldn’t stop her mouth from watering.

Zhi Wan was surprised as well.

’As far as she knew, lychees only grew in the south. It seemed her cousin must have had them specially delivered.’

She paused for a moment before handing the lychees to Shuang’er. "Here, have some."

"Thank you, Miss!" Shuang’er didn’t stand on ceremony. She peeled a lychee and popped it into her mouth. "Miss, it’s so cold and delicious! You have to try one." As she spoke, she peeled another one for Zhi Wan.

The chilled lychees were cold, sweet, and indeed delicious.

Zhi Wan closed her eyes slightly, savoring the taste.

After finishing the lychees, she took out two slices of watermelon from the ice box and shared them with Shuang’er.

"The Princely Heir is so good to you, Miss," Shuang’er remarked suddenly. "With this ice box, the summer will be much more bearable for you."

Zhi Wan paused. Recalling her earlier thoughts, she became a bit distracted.

’The man in her dreams wouldn’t let her find another man because he wanted to marry into her family himself. So, what about my cousin?’

’Why is my cousin stopping her from finding a live-in husband?’

’Actually, the man in her dreams had originally been against the idea of marrying into a family. He had even told her explicitly that he wouldn’t do it. But he had recently changed his mind because his father was keeping a mistress and even had an illegitimate child with her...’

At this thought, Zhi Wan’s beautiful, almond-shaped eyes suddenly widened.

’The man’s father kept a mistress and had an illegitimate child, and her cousin’s family situation was identical. This... seemed like too much of a coincidence.’

’Speaking of coincidences, she suddenly recalled even more.’

’Back in Yangzhou, her cousin had injured his left arm. The man in her dreams had also injured his left arm. And then there was the smell of alcohol... Yes, on the night before they left Yangzhou, the man in her dream had reeked of alcohol. The next day at the docks, she had smelled alcohol on her cousin, too...’