Chapter Seventy-Five: Longing for You as If We Were Face to Face

Wu Jin scrambled out of the crowd, rolling and crawling until he finally escaped, tail between his legs. Only then did the gathered scholars relent, regaining the composure and dignity befitting men of letters—polite and unruffled, exuding righteous integrity.

After such a commotion, Gong Qingfeng had no heart to continue his lecture, so the crowd gradually dispersed. Li Yunjie stooped to pick up two scattered letters from the ground, and “accidentally” caught a glimpse of their contents, causing his brow to furrow slightly.

“My dearest Qiwuwu, as if I were speaking to you in person, …”

In translation: “Darling Qiwuwu~ I miss you so much, will you run away with me? If you’re willing, meet me tonight at midnight where we first met~”

Wasn’t this enough to make any girl dizzy with infatuation?

Li Yunjie gave Gong Qingfeng a look of astonishment—old fellow, you certainly have your tricks!

As for the farewell letter, it consisted of only a few words:

“My dearest Qiwuwu, let us part ways forever.”

Still calling her “darling” even at a breakup—shameless.

So, the woman Gong Qingfeng had admired in his youth was none other than Yun Qiwuwu?

Then who was this Yun Qiwuwu of today?

Li Yunjie pursed his lips, deciding to ask about it later. He folded the letters and handed them back to Gong Qingfeng, noticing that the old man’s gaze was fixed on something behind the locust tree, his expression complex.

“I wonder, Your Highness, how did you come to know someone from the Yun family?” Gong Qingfeng asked curiously.

Li Yunjie thought for a moment. “That story begins when Miss Yun asked to borrow something from me.”

“Borrow something? What was it?”

“Uh…” Li Yunjie was at a loss for words.

My… chastity.

“Aren’t you going over to see her?” Li Yunjie changed the subject.

Gong Qingfeng waved his hand. “If she wishes to see me, she will come on her own.”

The old man was quite proud.

Li Yunjie didn’t press further. After all, considering how the Yun family had treated him, it was natural for him to harbor some resentment.

Bidding farewell to Gong Qingfeng, Li Yunjie walked toward the large locust tree.

“How did you know I was here?” Yun Qiwuwu removed her veil, her face full of puzzlement.

“I followed your scent.”

Yun Qiwuwu frowned. “Are you a bloodhound?”

“You’re the dog,” Li Yunjie shot back. “I was born with a sharp sense of smell.”

Nonsense—it was all training from sniffing out women’s fragrances.

“Those two letters were yours to Wu Jin, weren’t they?” Li Yunjie changed the topic. “You used his identity to stir up trouble—was it just to learn the truth about the past?”

Yun Qiwuwu turned and headed toward the street, answering as she walked, “Since you already know, why bother asking?”

Li Yunjie smiled and continued, “Then let me ask what I don’t know.”

“Who are you, really?”

Yun Qiwuwu hesitated, then turned to Li Yunjie with a dimpled smile. “Take a guess.”

“Could you be Yun Qiwuwu’s granddaughter?”

That was Li Yunjie’s first thought. Gong Qingfeng and Yun Qiwuwu had been in love fifty years ago, and this Yun Qiwuwu before him looked about twenty. By the timeline, she ought to be a granddaughter.

Li Yunjie was quite confident in his deduction.

“No,” Yun Qiwuwu dashed his hopes with a splash of cold water. “She had no children.”

Li Yunjie’s curiosity surged. “Then who are you?”

“If you’re not related to Yun Qiwuwu, why are you so interested in her old affairs?”

Yun Qiwuwu chuckled mischievously. “You’re so clever, figure it out yourself.”

With that, she leapt onto the eaves of a roof. “Until we meet again~”

Li Yunjie stared in a daze at the spot where Yun Qiwuwu had vanished. “At least tell me how I should address you!”

No reply.

Li Yunjie sighed to himself.

“Can’t bear to part?”

“Why not go after her?”

Just as he was feeling lost, Su Qingmeng’s voice pierced the air behind him, making Li Yunjie’s hair stand on end.

“Surely she wasn’t the one flirting with you this time?” The way you rushed over to the locust tree—I saw it all, clear as day!

Li Yunjie turned around sheepishly. “I just wanted to get to the bottom of things.”

“Have you figured out your own affairs?” Su Qingmeng said coldly. “Yet you still have time to meddle in others’ affairs of love and hate?”

With that, she glared at him, bumped past him, and strode away.

Shiyi let out a long sigh and patted Li Yunjie’s shoulder. “My lord, sometimes it’s best to restrain yourself.”

“Restrain what?” Li Yunjie fumed. “What have I done that’s so outrageous?”

“It’s not that bad,” Shiyi shook his head. “But after all, Miss Qingmeng is your principal wife. My lord, if you’re going to flirt, at least don’t do it in front of her!”

“Enough!” Li Yunjie protested. “We haven’t even held the wedding ceremony yet—how can you call it marriage?”

“Don’t you know?” Shiyi asked in surprise.

“Know what?”

“The night before you left the Prime Minister’s manor, you and Miss Qingmeng drank yourselves senseless—and held the ceremony that very night!”

“What did you say?!” Li Yunjie was thunderstruck.

Others lose control under the influence, but I lose control at the altar…

“It’s true!” Shiyi insisted. “Everyone in the manor saw it!”

Li Yunjie’s vision went black, for Shiyi had never been known to lie.

After a moment’s mental turmoil, Li Yunjie asked in a low voice, “Does she know?”

Shiyi shook his head. “No one’s told Miss Qingmeng, as far as I know.”

“Good,” Li Yunjie breathed a long sigh of relief. “Don’t you dare tell her!”

Shiyi narrowed his eyes, nodding with a knowing smile. “I understand, I understand~”

Do you really?

Li Yunjie rolled his eyes, too exasperated to explain, and strode off, sleeves billowing.

…

Li Yunjie didn’t return to the inn, but instead made his way to the Jiangnan government office.

Recently, Song Yongnian had been exiled, and the corrupt officials in the yamen had been swept out along with him. Now, as he entered the yamen once more, the previous chaos and corruption were gone. In their place was an orderly scene of diligent work.

“Lord Li!”

Jiang Kui spotted Li Yunjie from afar and hurried over, with Lu Xin close behind.

“What brings you to the yamen, my lord?” Jiang Kui asked.

Li Yunjie was direct. “I came here just to see you.”

“Me?” Jiang Kui’s voice held a joyful note, and he thumped his chest. “At your service, my lord!”

Li Yunjie chuckled. “Change into plain clothes, and bring Qin Fang and Chang Yuan with you.”

“Go to the Qianjin Gambling House on Yangchun Street and keep an eye on the people inside.”

“You’re all new faces—makes things easier.”

Jiang Kui bowed and went off eagerly to carry out his orders.

Li Yunjie then turned to Lu Xin with a smile. “I’d like to borrow a few men from Lord Lu—if you don’t mind?”

“Of course I don’t mind,” Lu Xin replied with a wave and a smile. “Those three are already under your command.”

He glanced after Jiang Kui and sighed. “You have no idea, Lord Li.”

“When those three heard I was coming to Jiangnan, they pleaded with Lord Xu to let them come along as my escort.”

“Lord Xu had no choice but to agree.”

Lu Xin couldn’t help but look Li Yunjie up and down. “I wonder what it is about you, my lord.”

“You’ve only known them a few days, yet they follow your every word.”

“Even in my own Henglu Pavilion, there are still those who won’t accept my authority.”

Li Yunjie just smiled in silence.

Ah, this damned personal charisma of mine…