Chapter 383: Clarification

Gu Xixi looked at Jiang Mingyuan, and actually did not refuse his thanks.

He Jinglan watched from behind, her gaze unfathomable.

Dou Rongshan said, "Thanks for saving my life; next you won't say you want to repay with your body, will you?"

Jiang Mingyuan's eyes widened slightly, but when he straightened his waist, he had already regained his composed demeanor.

An Qinghe said displeasedly, "Miss Dou, you can eat food randomly, but you cannot speak randomly."

"If someone overhears and misunderstands, it's bad for anyone."

Dou Rongshan didn't care, "There's no one else here."

She turned to He Jinglan, "Right?"

He Jinglan gave her a sideways glance, smiling, "Our household still has some order."

"Even if the servants hear something, they definitely won't gossip."

He Jinglan turned to Jiang Mingyuan, "Miss Dou is the beloved daughter of General Dou of Shu."

"She's recently been reading storybooks at the drill workshop, so it's inevitable she brings lines from the stories into reality."

"Please, Top Scholar, don't take it to heart."

Jiang Mingyuan smiled, "Miss Dou is witty and humorous; Zi Chu certainly wouldn't take a joke seriously."

He spoke as always, gentle and approachable.

Even when looking directly at other women, his gaze naturally carried just the right distance, boundaries clear.

No matter who looks, they feel his attitude is only kind and respectful, with no hint of ambiguity.

Even if He Jinglan is picky, she can't help but admire him in her heart.

Indeed he is an upright gentleman, open and aboveboard.

As the host of the flower-viewing banquet, she still had to finish the formalities.

First she expressed her apologies again, then exchanged greetings.

Jiang Mingyuan naturally replied politely, saying his falling into the water was not due to negligence of the He household.

On the contrary, as a guest, his careless fall into the water disturbed everyone's elegant flower-viewing mood.

At the same time, he added trouble to the host, which was indeed improper.

The two exchanged pleasantries for a while, and the matter was finally let go.

He Jinglan hesitated a moment, then went with the flow and asked, "May I ask what caused the Top Scholar to fall into the water?"

She feared Jiang Mingyuan might have some hidden matter, not suitable to speak aloud.

He Jinglan immediately continued, "Oh, I was thinking, if the stones by the bank aren't slip-resistant enough, or if there's a gap somewhere that could trip someone, we should quickly find a craftsman to eliminate these hazards."

Jiang Mingyuan also didn't know whether he had heard what He Jinglan really wanted to ask.

He smiled and said, "Your mansion's garden is exquisite everywhere, with no hazards whatsoever."

He Jinglan opened her mouth, at a loss for words for a moment.

At that moment, Gu Xixi spoke up, "I have something to say to Brother Zi Chu."

"You all go out and wait for me, okay?"

He Jinglan, as if granted a pardon, grabbed An Qinghe's sleeve with her left hand and seized Dou Rongshan with her right, dragging those two sharp-eyed fellows out.

Then she didn't forget to thoughtfully close the door.

Outside the door, He Jinglan sternly ordered the maid, "Go keep watch; no guest may approach the east wing guest rooms."

She thought for a moment, then lowered her voice and added another sentence.

"If it's the Regent Prince who comes, make an excuse to detain him and send someone to report to me first."

Green Wax startled, her face showing difficulty, "Ah?"

He Jinglan understood, "I didn't mean for you to deceive him, nor to forcibly block him."

"Just say a few words to buy some time, got it?"

Green Wax nodded with difficulty, then turned and left.

He Jinglan let out a breath, full of ambitious vigor.

Although she still hadn't figured out what was going on, taking precautions beforehand is never wrong.

So as not to let the love rivals meet later and escalate the conflict.

Inside the room only Gu Xixi and Jiang Mingyuan remained.

Gu Xixi sat down at the table by herself, gesturing for Jiang Mingyuan to sit as well.

Jiang Mingyuan turned, first opening the window on the side of the corridor.

His heart was open and upright; he naturally didn't fear gossip, but he had a responsibility to consider Gu Xixi's welfare.

As the window was opened, the three people crouching beneath it all jumped in fright.

After Jiang Mingyuan walked away from the window, He Jinglan let out a breath and then complained:

"What are you two doing crowding over here? Move over a bit!"

An Qinghe basically didn't hear, with one ear pressed against the wall, expression like facing a great enemy.

Dou Rongshan covered her mouth with one hand and whispered, "Of course, just like you, I'm listening to see whether Sister Xixi leans toward my cousin or toward the Top Scholar."

He Jinglan was exasperated, "I shouldn't have agreed to let you stay!"

Helpless, since she couldn't make a big move now, He Jinglan could only let Dou Rongshan lean against her to listen at the wall together.

Inside, Gu Xixi watched Jiang Mingyuan approach, smiling, "Brother Zi Chu, are you sure you want them all to hear?"

Jiang Mingyuan said, "Between me and Xixi, there's nothing that cannot be told."

The three at the base of the wall all had tense expressions.

An Qinghe suddenly, without a word, slipped away from beneath the windowsill, crouching low.

Although he never wanted to be a gentleman, he also didn't want to be a petty villain.

It was agreed that they would compete fairly with Jiang Mingyuan, but Xixi also wanted to speak with him alone.

If he still shamelessly listens, wouldn't that be disgraceful?

He Jinglan and Dou Rongshan, having nothing to do with this competition, continued to squat steadily.

Jiang Mingyuan spoke first, saying, "I indeed slipped and fell into the water myself."

"Although the Regent Prince was present at the time, I did indeed exchange a few words with him."

"But he didn't lay a hand on me, much less push me."

Gu Xixi stared into Jiang Mingyuan's eyes and said, "I know."

Jiang Mingyuan and the two eavesdroppers outside the window were all startled.

"You trust him that much?"

Perhaps Jiang Mingyuan himself didn't even notice, but his remark sounded a bit sour.

Gu Xixi said, "Just for jealousy, petty squabbles, scheming against each other."

She couldn't help laughing a few times, "Such childish tricks—how could he possibly pull them off?"

Outside the window, He Jinglan and Dou Rongshan nodded in unison.

Exactly, how could he possibly push someone into the water—such a childish trick!

With that effort, why wouldn't he just kill to silence?

He Jinglan finally realized her earlier worries were unnecessary.

Dou Rongshan kept pressing, "As childhood friends, you still don't know my cousin as well as Sister Xixi does."

He Jinglan glared, signaling her to keep quiet and continue listening.

After a moment of silence, Jiang Mingyuan said, "Aren't you curious what he said to me?"

Gu Xixi shook her head, "If I wanted to know, I'd just ask him."

She smiled at Jiang Mingyuan, "But Brother Zi Chu should already know, the Regent Prince has another name in Huachi Du Cun, right?"

Jiang Mingyuan looked at her with a complex expression, "He is none other than Chen Fang."

At that time, the fiancé Gu Xixi had bought ran away, which happened to be the opportunity when their fate began.

Later he fell for her, once thinking it was a heaven‑sent destiny, bringing her to his side neither too early nor too late.

But unexpectedly, Chen Fang had always existed, merely transforming into the Regent Prince, Mu Nan Zhao.

Despite Jiang Mingyuan's reluctance to admit it in every way.

But the fact is, Xixi's bond with the Regent Prince began earlier, inevitably involving many entanglements he can no longer partake in.

Thinking of this, Jiang Mingyuan still unwillingly opened his mouth:

"Xixi, the apricot blossom I gave you…"

She did not return the apricot blossom, perhaps…

However, Gu Xixi took out from her small cloth bundle the wooden box holding the apricot blossom.