Chapter 231: The Fop

Hua Zhi remembered him. He was the first person to step into the courtyard on the day that Shi Zhai opened.

Later, when Yan Xi mentioned these people to her, she also mentioned his name. Jiang Huanran of the Jiang family, a typical fop, seemed to live only to prove his virility.

She didn't dislike such people. After all, some people are just born with a silver spoon in their mouth. He had the capital to play around.

With a slight bow, Hua Zhi greeted him crisply, "I didn't expect to meet Young Master Jiang. What a coincidence."

Jiang Huanran's eyes lit up. "Miss Hua knows me?"

"Shi Zhai is grateful for Young Master Jiang's patronage."

Jiang Huanran unconsciously puffed out his chest. He had said to himself that if he couldn't guard her at the Hua residence, he would go to Shi Zhai every day and order a table. One day, his name would definitely reach Miss Hua's ears. And wasn't this exactly what had happened?

But the food at Shi Zhai was really delicious. He had never known that one ingredient could have so many different ways of cooking. Even if he wasn't trying to curry favor, he would gladly hold his dinner parties there.

Jiang Huanran smiled, revealing eight teeth. "Where is Miss Hua going?"

"Visiting a relative."

"Oh," Jiang Huanran drawled. "I'm going to Xiangyang in Jingzhou. I wonder if I'll have the good fortune to travel with Miss Hua."

Hua Zhi was a little surprised. It was really a coincidence that they were going to the same place. Since she couldn't hide it anyway, she nodded. "What a coincidence. I'm also going to Xiangyang."

"One coincidence is a coincidence, but two coincidences aren't. This is called fate." Jiang Huanran laughed, his eyes shining brightly, looking rather malicious. Shao Yao's fingers twitched, about to make a small move, but Hua Zhi glanced at her, and she reluctantly relaxed.

"I won't disturb Young Master Jiang. I'll be on my way."

Jiang Huanran stepped in front of her. "Such a beautiful sunset, it would be a pity not to look at it. Why is Miss Hua in such a hurry to go back to her room? If you find me bothersome, I'll just stay far away."

Hua Zhi glanced at the red sky and turned back to say, "No matter how beautiful the scenery is, it depends on who you're standing with."

If Yan Xi were here, she would be admiring the beautiful scenery. But now, the person in front of her was just an unimportant person, and no matter how beautiful the scenery was, it was just a natural phenomenon.

Watching Hua Zhi walk past him, Jiang Huanran raised an eyebrow. Does Miss Hua mean that because the person standing here is him, the beautiful scenery is not worth looking at?

"Oh, how interesting."

Hua Zhi watched as Xiao Liu returned to the cabin before going back herself. She wasn't worried about Xiao Liu's safety. Not only were there several people protecting her in plain sight and in secret, but even if someone on this boat wanted to do something, they wouldn't dare. A ship on a long journey would always stay in the middle of the river before docking. Even the best swimmer wouldn't choose to cause trouble on a boat like this.

"Hua Hua, stay away from that man, he's no good."

As soon as the door closed, Shao Yao stuck to Hua Zhi like a burr, muttering incessantly. This was her eldest sister, and she would peel anyone who had ill intentions to shreds!

"What does it matter to us whether he's good or bad?" Hua Zhi patted her hand away and sat down, twirling a chess piece between her fingers. "Is Yan Xi safe on this trip?"

"The Seven Stars Division has received news that a Seven Stars Cult has suddenly appeared in Yu Prefecture. They say the cult leader can bring the dead back to life and has extraordinary abilities. In just a short time, the cult has grown to two thousand members. Yan Ge is worried and decided to go there himself."

Hua Zhi understood. Historically, any cult that appeared suddenly wasn't there to join in the fun. Yan Xi had a strong sense of crisis and must have sensed something was wrong, which was why he had left in such a hurry.

"How is His Majesty?"

"He's not completely recovered, but he's slowly getting better. It's impossible for him to fully recover." Shao Yao felt a little down when she mentioned the emperor. Even with all their efforts, she and her master could only restore him to his current state.

Hua Zhi wanted to know how much longer he had to live, but she wasn't impulsive. She understood that such words couldn't be said to either Yan Xi or Shao Yao. She patted Shao Yao on the head and changed the subject.

Life on the boat was boring. Hua Zhi and the Sixth Prince could sit still for hours, playing chess. Shao Yao, however, couldn't. She ran back and forth inside and outside. Hua Zhi handed her Master Siqing's book on military strategy, and she finally sat down.

Bao Xia brought in the food and quickly closed the door behind her. She leaned in and whispered, "That young Master Jiang is waiting outside again."

"Just let him wait. I'm not going out. Tell everyone to ignore him."

"Yes."

The Sixth Prince, who had been thinking for a long time without coming up with a solution, simply resigned and raised his head. "Sister Hua, shall I go and send him away?"

"In what capacity? You can't stop him without revealing your identity as a prince. Just ignore him."

The Sixth Prince was a little unhappy. Hua Zhi had the habit of taking an after-dinner walk. It would have been nice to watch the sunset with her again. He secretly glared at Sister Shao Yao, but seeing that she didn't even give him a glance, he could only give up.

Jiang Huanran waited for nine days. Seeing that he would soon reach Jingzhou, he hadn't been able to catch a glimpse of the young lady since that day. The more he waited, the more he wanted to wait, and he waited longer each day. His face was starting to get tanned from the sun.

Now he finally understood why the young lady of the Hua family was not known to the people of the capital for so many years. Just by her ability to stay indoors for nine days to avoid him, he was truly impressed.

On second thought, Jiang Huanran admired himself even more. She hadn't gone out for nine days, but he had waited for nine days. How many people could do that?

Just as he was thinking this, the door that had been tightly closed opened. He thought it was the beautiful maid again and casually lifted his eyelids. When he saw the person who came out, he stood up straight with a start!

He had waited for her!

Excited, he waved and greeted her, "Miss Hua."

The wind was blowing in the right direction today, and the boat was moving faster than on the first day. Hua Zhi tucked a strand of loose hair behind her ear and gave Jiang Huanran a slight nod. "Young Master Jiang looks well."

"I wouldn't be so well if I hadn't waited for Miss Hua. Miss Hua is truly patient."

"I'm used to it," Hua Zhi walked past him to the side of the ship. The temperature in the south was higher than in the north, and the wind carried a unique southern humidity. This feeling was so familiar, even though she hadn't felt it in many years.

Jiang Huanran was not at all upset by being ignored. He smiled and stood beside Hua Zhi, his natural demeanor exuding a carefree and elegant charm that was not at all unpleasant. "Have you been to the south before, Miss Hua?"

"No."

Seeing that the young lady was willing to talk to him, Jiang Huanran immediately seized the opportunity. "The south is very different from the north. It rains much more often in the south than in the north. Although it's inconvenient to travel, there are some beautiful sights that can only be found in the south. Miss Hua should bring an umbrella with her."

"Thank you for the reminder," Hua Zhi turned to look at him. "Do you come to the south often, Young Master Jiang?"

"My ancestral home is in Xiangyang. I come here once every one or two years. I'm quite familiar with this place. When we get to the city of Xiangyang, I can show you around."

Hua Zhi declined politely, "I'm only going to Xiangyang City. There's no need to trouble Young Master Jiang."

———TN: A Translator's Little Break

Hey there, fellow language lover! Just wanted to let you know I took a quick breather from the world of translations. Think of it as a little recharge, like plugging a device into a socket. Now, I'm back, ready to dive back into the linguistic pool!

To show my appreciation for your patience, support, and love, I'm planning a little surprise: a whopping 20+ chapters of translated goodness, all for you! Consider it a thank-you gift, a token of my gratitude for being such an amazing reader.

So, get ready to embark on a new adventure, filled with words, worlds, and wonderful stories. Stay tuned!