Lan Ningzhen went to a small town not far from the mining mountain to drink wine and wait for soone. By the ti Xie Jue ca looking for her, the sky was already dimming. From a distance, he saw Lan Ningzhen laughing and chatting with a woman in the tavern. Xie Jue paused for a mont, hid his gaze, and walked over as if nothing had happened. The woman, noticing his approach, smiled and bade farewell to Lan Ningzhen before heading to the back courtyard of the tavern. Lan Ningzhen pulled Xie Jue to sit down and poured him a drink. "This is fruit wine. It doesn’t get you drunk. Try it."
This wine was made from fruits harvested in the spring from the hills near the mining area. Naturally suited for brewing, the alcohol content wasn’t high. Lan Ningzhen had already had several cups, finding it sweet and fragrant, and was eager to share it with Xie Jue. She had this habit—whenever she found sothing good, she always wanted to share it with him.
"Why did you wander into town?"
"The armory is heavily guarded. I am, after all, an outsider—it’s not proper for to linger there too long. Strolling around the town, enjoying the scenery, and seeking out good food suits better."
"Who was that woman just now?" Xie Jue tried a sip of the fruit wine. It was indeed as Lan Ningzhen described—refreshing and sweet. Unable to resist, he had a few more cups.
"She’s the shopkeeper of the tavern. She’s been running this place for years, mainly catering to people from the armory. If you want to know about the armory, she’ll tell you everything." Lan Ningzhen blinked, her tone playful, showing no fear that her earlier flirtation with the woman might provoke jealousy. After all, given Xie Jue’s temperant, being jealous was probably a lifeti impossibility.
A young woman running a tavern in a small town—it wouldn’t have been possible without so resourcefulness and connections. Naturally, Xie Jue knew this and was well aware that Lan Ningzhen had likely already acquired the information she wanted.
Although it was an unspoken understanding, he did not expose her. Xie Jue had a few more cups. Seeing that he enjoyed it, Lan Ningzhen ordered another pot. Xie Jue remarked, "It’s getting dark. Let’s return to the city early."
"It’s fine. We’ll take a carriage back. The road isn’t bumpy, so it doesn’t matter if we’re a bit late. The city gate guards will open the gate when they see the token." Lan Ningzhen asked seemingly casually, "How are things at the mine?"
"Three days ago, there was a mining accident. Sixteen people died. General Xiu Li covered it up instead of reporting it. The Great Prince probably found out about it, which is why he’s been making things difficult for us, hoping to ddle in the mining affairs. The Prince keeps tight control over the mine. Besides his seal, the confirmation of the Princess and General Xiu Li is also required. His seal can only be used with the unanimous consent of his advisors. And with the Princess and General Xiu Li, the resources of the armory can only be mobilized with the agreent of all three parties when the Prince is absent."
Lan Ningzhen raised an eyebrow at the complexity. "Was this your suggestion back then?"
"Yes." Xie Jue could never have anticipated this self-imposed predicant. At the ti, he thought that no matter how much the Second Prince trusted him, it would be impossible for him to get involved in mining matters. He hadn’t expected that, because of Lan Ningzhen, the Second Prince would regard him as family.
"These matters can’t be rushed. Take it slow!" Lan Ningzhen said.
After the two had drunk their fill, they set out for Fox City. Knowing in advance that it would be late upon their return and the night winds would be harsh, Lan Ningzhen had specially arranged for a carriage to shield against the cold.
Originally, she thought the journey back to the city would go smoothly without any unexpected occurrences. What she didn’t anticipate was that Xie Jue would end up drunk.
The fruit wine was sweet and its alcohol content truly wasn’t high, but perhaps preoccupied with troubling thoughts, Xie Jue had rarely indulged so much. Intoxication crept up on him, the warmth from the wine flushing his cheeks a deep red. At first, Lan Ningzhen hadn’t taken much notice. Yet Xie Jue suddenly reached out to touch her face, his gaze visibly unfocused, carrying a hint of anger as he asked, "Fang Chuning, why did you co to Beiman?"
Lan Ningzhen: "..."
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