Not long ago, Ye Zhao had heard the name Su Rao. Today, he had come to Que Tower specifically for Miss Li’s sake, never expecting to encounter the woman herself.
As it turned out, the person Miss Li had been visiting to refine her zither skills was none other than her.
Ye Zhao and Jiang Ziqi stood in the fourth-floor corridor, watching the closed door of the room opposite them.
Ye Zhao said, "Find an empty room nearby and wait for me. I’m going in."
"Wait, wait!" Seeing Ye Zhao about to leave, Jiang Ziqi grabbed his arm. "What are you doing?"
"Isn't it obvious?" Ye Zhao replied bluntly. "I’m going to see Miss Li! Isn't that the whole point of this trip?"
Ye Zhao wondered if Jiang Ziqi had lost his wits.
Jiang Ziqi hesitated for a long time, his mind clearly racing. After a few seconds, he finally released his grip and urged, "Then... make it quick. Come back soon."
Ye Zhao gave him a look, too lazy to respond. Heaven only knew what was going through the man's head.
Normally, Su Rao did not accept other guests while she was already entertaining someone. However, she could not withstand Ye Zhao’s sheer thick-skinned persistence. He insisted he was only there to listen to the music and promised not to disturb them, even going so far as to pay the guest fee.
The two women fell silent for a moment and eventually let him be.
True to his word, Ye Zhao did not utter a single syllable from the moment he entered. He sat quietly and listened to the zither, which significantly improved the two women's impression of him.
In the end, it was Miss Li who spoke first. "Does Young Master Ye also have a fondness for the zither?"
Miss Li wore a goose-yellow gown with wide sleeves. She was slender, with long, tapering fingers as pale as jade. With her rosy cheeks and cherry-blossom lips, she did not seem as cold and unapproachable as Princess Xiyue; instead, she possessed a sunny, cheerful disposition and a gentle temperament. Her dark hair was like a cloud, gathered into a half-up hairstyle adorned with a few delicate pearl hairpins.
She was a beauty of high standing.
Taking advantage of the moment he needed to reply, Ye Zhao completed his first impression of her. He answered unhurriedly, "I have nothing better to do, so I came to listen. After all, how could a dandy like me truly understand the zither?"
He spoke with such candid bluntness that both women couldn't help but let out a soft laugh.
They had heard certain rumors recently—especially Li Yunrong, who had heard her father mention the matter personally. She hadn't expected to run into him here today. She smiled and said, "Who speaks of themselves in such a way?"
Ye Zhao adopted a thoughtful expression. "Whether others say it or I say it, it’s just talk. Since it’s just talk, what does it matter who says it? Why take it seriously?"
Li Yunrong smiled. She truly felt that Ye Zhao was not as insufferable as the rumors suggested. "Young Master Ye has a fine temperament," she remarked.
This praise was sincere. She could see that although he carried that reputation, he truly did not care for the opinions of others. Such a mindset was rare.
Now that the conversation had opened, it was Ye Zhao’s turn to probe into Miss Li’s character. "Does Miss Li enjoy the zither?"
She paused, clearly not expecting him to turn the question back on her. "…Yes."
Ye Zhao had listened to her play for a long while. He noted, "I see that Miss Li’s skills are superb. It seems you have achieved such mastery only after many years of study?"
"How did Young Master Ye know? Did you hear it in the music?" she asked, curious.
"Not exactly. I mostly saw it with my eyes." Ye Zhao looked at her hands. "One look at Miss Li’s hands tells me she has practiced for many years. There are faint calluses on her fingertips; she must have put in a great deal of hard work."
Li Yunrong hadn't expected him to say that. She looked down at her hands resting on the zither. A smile flickered at the corners of her mouth before slowly fading. Ye Zhao, who had been watching her expressions and movements closely, naturally noticed that the smile was strained.
She replied, "Young Master Ye's guess is correct. I have practiced the zither since I was a child. It has been over ten years now."
*Minister of Rites...*
Ye Zhao’s mind revolved around those words. He asked, "Was it Minister Li who required you to learn?"
A flash of surprise crossed Li Yunrong’s face. "Young Master Ye guessed correctly again?"
*So that’s how it is.* Ye Zhao lightly tapped the handle of his fan against his palm, a new calculation forming in his mind. On the surface, he replied nonchalantly, "It wasn't hard to guess. As the Minister of Rites, it is no surprise that Lord Li would be strict regarding your education and etiquette."
"That is true," the other two thought, finding his logic sound.
Ye Zhao glanced at the tea and snacks placed before them—mung bean cakes.
This was different from what was written in Jiang Ziqi’s little notebook. Shifting his gaze, he saw the tea in front of Li Yunrong had already gone cold. Ye Zhao took the initiative to speak. "The tea is cold. Allow me to call for a fresh pot of hot tea. What would you two like to drink?"
Just as he finished speaking, there was a knock at the door.
*Hmm?*
Ye Zhao wondered if Jiang Ziqi had grown impatient and come looking for him.
The door opened.
It was Xie Yusong, and... Su Jinzhou?
*What on earth?*
Since when were these two on such good terms that they were moving together?
From the first time Ye Zhao had seen them, he could tell they were at odds. Moreover, they belonged to different factions and had undoubtedly clashed in the shadows countless times. The fact that the Crown Prince and King Rong could contend so fiercely was largely due to the efforts of these two men.
Ye Zhao watched as the two of them sat down beside him after a few brief words, one on his left and one on his right. Even as companions, they maintained a clear divide.
Being sandwiched in the middle made Ye Zhao feel rather awkward. He gave a smile that was both strained and polite. "Why have you two come as well? To listen to the zither?"
Xie Yusong replied with a smile, "Indeed. I mentioned Miss Su Rao to you a few days ago. Since I happened to be here today, I felt the urge to listen to her play."
*Ha... haha...*
*I really have my own big mouth to blame for this...*
Ye Zhao’s smile stiffened. He turned to Su Jinzhou on his right. "And you, Young Master Su?"
*Are you here for the music too?*
*What a father of a coincidence.*
Su Jinzhou replied, "No. I heard Young Master Ye was here, so I came to find you."
"At least you're blunt about it," Ye Zhao thought.
He didn't believe for a second that this was a coincidence. It was highly likely that his conversation with Jiang Ziqi the other day had piqued their curiosity.
Xie Yusong might have invited himself in, but he did not lose his poise as a scion of a great house. Seeing the cold tea and snacks on the small table, he immediately ordered them to be cleared and replaced with fresh ones.
Ye Zhao: "..."
He endured it.
However, he never expected that Xie Yusong would be quite well-acquainted with Miss Li due to his relationship with Princess Xiyue. The two could be considered friends. Thus, as soon as this old friend arrived, Ye Zhao—who hadn't even managed to become a new friend yet—was successfully pushed to the sidelines.
Ye Zhao: *I have a thousand choice words I’d like to say...*
Xie Yusong reminisced with Miss Li, discussing calligraphy, paintings, and the curios they had seen the last time they met. Ye Zhao sat to the side, gathering useful information. While observing Li Yunrong, he would occasionally interject a comment. The three of them chatted animatedly, appearing perfectly harmonious.
Su Jinzhou and Su Rao watched silently from the side, gradually sensing something.
Seeing that Xie Yusong was naturally helping him draw out a great deal of information about Miss Li, Ye Zhao’s mindset slowly shifted. He had misjudged Xie Yusong; the man was actually being a huge help!
An hour later, Li Yunrong rose to take her leave. Once she was gone, Ye Zhao dropped his refined and polite posture. He rubbed his face with his hands and walked out.
Outside the door, Xie Yusong saw his actions and let out a chuckle. "...Ye Zhao, did you come here today specifically for Li Yunrong?"
Xie Yusong didn't believe for a moment that he was here for the music. If it wasn't for the zither, it was for the person.
Ye Zhao’s mind raced as he tested the waters. "What if I said yes?"
A thoughtful look appeared on Xie Yusong’s face. He asked, "Why? Have you taken a liking to her?"
Ye Zhao was startled, nearly jumping. "How could that be?!"
If that were the case, Jiang Ziqi would probably come after him with a cleaver!
"Then...?" Xie Yusong asked with a hint of doubt, thinking of the recent news that Li Yunrong was looking for a husband.
Recalling what Jiang Ziqi had told him about the close relationship between Li Yunrong and Xie Yusong, and how much Minister Li admired him, Ye Zhao hesitated. "It’s just for something else."
He stiffly changed the subject. "Never mind me. I see that you and Miss Li are on very good terms. Why? Do you have feelings for her?"
Xie Yusong was stunned, then broke into a helpless laugh. "Of course not. We became acquainted because of Xiyue; we’ve been friends for many years."
*Oh...*
Ye Zhao’s mood instantly relaxed. Seeing Jiang Ziqi waving at him from a distance, he patted Xie Yusong on the shoulder. "Farewell."
With that, he walked away.
Xie Yusong watched the two of them walk into the distance, his thoughts unknown.
Su Jinzhou also departed. From this trip, he had already figured out Ye Zhao’s objective.
*Li Yunrong...*
"Jiang Ziqi, congratulations. You have one less formidable rival." On the street, Ye Zhao and Jiang Ziqi walked side by side.
"Huh?" Jiang Ziqi was confused.
"Xie Yusong. All that effort you spent trying to imitate him was a complete waste," Ye Zhao told him. "He and Miss Li are just good friends. It’s not what you thought..."
Ye Zhao could tell that Xie Yusong had been sincere when he said those words.
Jiang Ziqi was stunned at first, then a wave of joy suddenly surged within him. "Really?! That’s fantastic!"
It was indeed fantastic.
If Xie Yusong were willing to marry Miss Li, even if Miss Li were unwilling, the marriage would be set in stone given Minister Li’s approval.
Thinking about the challenges ahead, Ye Zhao felt a bit of a headache coming on.
*Forget it... I’ll just take it one step at a time.*
***
