The abstinent and powerful minister is cold and aloof during the day, but he adores her in his dream

Chapter 145 Lu Zhan: Thank you for your concern, cousin.

"Lu Jinglan?" Ouyang Zhenzhu exclaimed in astonishment.

The person who arrived was none other than Lu Jinglan, who should have been in the capital.

With the help of her maid, she stepped down and smiled slightly at the group, saying, "It's been a long time. I hope you've all been well."

Zhiwan frowned slightly, but smiled and said, "What brings Aunt Jinglan here?"

“It’s almost June, and the heat in the capital is getting worse. It’s not as cool as Jiangnan. My mother feels sorry for me, so she asked me to bring Lan’er to Jiangnan to escape the heat and also to help Lan’er relax,” Lu Jinglan said with a smile, but there was an undisguised sense of pride in her eyes.

Lu Lan?

Several people were startled.

Then another girl stepped out of the carriage.

"Sister Zhiwan, it's been a long time." Lu Lan looked at Zhiwan with a harmless smile on her face.

"It's been a long time." Zhiwan nodded.

"Are you heading out?" Lu Jinglan asked.

“Yes, we’re going to the execution ground to watch beheadings,” Ouyang Zhenzhu said, deliberately trying to scare the two of them, clearly disgusted by their behavior.

Sure enough, both of their expressions changed.

"Sister Zhiwan, you... why would you want to see such a bloody scene?" Lu Lan asked, looking puzzled.

"Since we're just killing time anyway, let's just watch the fun. Do you want to come along?" Zhiwan invited.

"We're exhausted from our journey, so we won't join in the fun," Lu Jinglan politely declined.

"Then do as you please." Knowing they wouldn't want to go, Zhiwan nodded and got into the carriage with Ouyang Zhenzhu.

"By the way, is Jinzhi at the other residence?" Lu Jinglan asked hurriedly, as if she had just remembered.

"I don't know about that, since my cousin doesn't need to report his whereabouts to me," Zhiwan shook her head.

"Chen Jiu, you are Jinzhi's personal bodyguard, you should know that, right?" Lu Jinglan turned to ask Chen Jiu.

Chen Jiu was incredibly clever. Seeing Zhi Wan's reply, he also made up a story: "Miss Jinglan, Yangzhou City has been quite unsettled lately, with bandits and pirates running rampant. The young master is busy suppressing the bandits and is not in the city."

"Is it that dangerous?" Lu Lan's face turned pale, and she was a little scared.

"Then why didn't you and Duan Shaoqing help Jinzhi to suppress the bandits?" Lu Jinglan looked at the two of them suspiciously.

"Is Miss Lu instructing me on how to do things?" Duan Ling asked, displeased. "I didn't go; I naturally have other matters to attend to."

Lu Jinglan said awkwardly, "I overstepped my bounds, Duan Shaoqing, please don't take offense. I was just a little worried about his safety." After saying that, she looked at Chen Jiu.

Chen Jiu paused for a moment, then said righteously, "Miss Biao also needs protection. The young master has ordered his subordinates to stay and protect her."

Upon hearing this, Lu Jinglan clenched her fingers and looked at Zhiwan with some disapproval, "Jinzhi is busy with official duties and also has to take care of you. You really shouldn't be running around like this."

"Lord Lu himself is enjoying it, but some people are really just jealous," Ouyang Zhenzhu said sarcastically.

“He’s more than just enjoying it; I think he’s thoroughly enjoying it!” Duan Ling chimed in, though his words were rather intriguing.

Lu Jinglan was pondering the meaning behind his words when she heard Zhiwan urge, "Let's hurry up, or we'll be late."

"Yes, yes, let's hurry up, or we'll miss it and never see the execution scene again!" Ouyang Zhenzhu said excitedly.

Upon hearing this, Lu Jinglan's thoughts were interrupted, and her stomach churned. This Ouyang Zhenzhu, as the legitimate daughter of the Marquis's family, was so vulgar and vicious.

After Zhiwan and Ouyang Zhenzhu got into the carriage, Chen Jiu cracked his whip and drove the carriage away from the Lu family's villa, with Duan Ling riding alongside on horseback.

"That Lu Jinglan is such a persistent nuisance, actually coming all the way to Yangzhou on his own," Ouyang Zhenzhu said sarcastically.

Thinking of the trouble Lu Jinglan caused the night before they arrived in Yangzhou, Zhiwan wasn't too surprised.

“She likes her cousin, so naturally she’ll follow him no matter what.” “What?” Ouyang Zhenzhu was extremely surprised. “Lu Jinglan likes Lord Lu? No, what makes her dare to like Lord Lu? Isn’t she Lord Lu’s nominal aunt? Old Madam Lu has recognized her as her goddaughter.”

“You said it yourself, it’s only in name,” Zhiwan said.

"She's so shameless! Doesn't she have any self-awareness? Lord Lu clearly doesn't like her. If he did, would he have waited until now? I think even if Lord Lu liked you, he wouldn't like her," Ouyang Zhenzhu said disdainfully.

Zhiwan's eyelids twitched. "What nonsense are you talking about? If you're talking about her, then talk about her. Why are you dragging me into this?"

Ouyang Zhenzhu said awkwardly, "I was just anxious. And I was telling the truth. You are a thousand times better than Lu Jinglan. If Lord Lu didn't like you, why would he like her?"

Zhiwan: "..."

She rubbed her forehead. "I don't like your analogy at all."

Ouyang Zhenzhu blinked and teased, "What do you dislike about me? Does Lord Lu look down on you?"

"If you keep talking nonsense, I'll throw you off the carriage!" Zhiwan threatened, her face stern.

Ouyang Zhenzhu quickly covered her mouth, "Okay, okay, I won't say anymore."

“Miss, the young master didn’t have breakfast this morning. Would you like to buy some breakfast and send it to the government office?” At this moment, Chen Jiu’s voice rang out from outside.

Seeing that it was still early before noon and her cousin should still be at the government office, Zhiwan replied, "Then stop up ahead, I'll go down and take a look."

"Yes," Chen Jiu replied, and drove the carriage to the front of a shop.

He's such a clever fellow.

The prince will surely be happy to see that his cousin bought him breakfast.

Chen Jiu thought to himself with a touch of smugness.

"I'm going back to the ship, so I won't accompany you," Duan Ling said to Zhiwan and Ouyang Zhenzhu as they disembarked from their carriage, sitting on his horse.

"You should leave now, no one wants you to keep them company." Ouyang Zhenzhu pouted.

Duan Ling was so angry he wanted to bite her. As he was leaving, he suddenly bent down and tugged at her hair.

By the time Ouyang Zhenzhu realized what was happening, he had already ridden away on horseback.

"That bastard, don't let me run into him again, or I'll bite him to death!" Ouyang Zhenzhu said angrily.

Zhiwan was both amused and exasperated. "You and Duan Shaoqing really do seem like sworn enemies."

“Who’s his enemy?” Ouyang Zhenzhu said, dissatisfied.

Zhiwan ignored her and went into the shop to choose breakfast for Lu Zhan.

The breakfast shops in Yangzhou mainly offer local specialties.

When Zhiwan saw that Lu Zhan liked the Three-Ingredient Buns, she ordered some and also bought some other things.

When they arrived at the government office, Lu Zhan was in his office, reviewing a case with his head down.

"Young Master, Miss Biao has brought you breakfast," Chen Jiu reported, leading Zhi Wan inside.

Lu Zhan was stunned for a moment, then looked up and saw that Zhi Wan had arrived.

"Cousin, let's eat something first before dealing with official business." Zhiwan stepped forward with a food box, took out breakfast from the box, and placed it on the table.

Looking at the sumptuous breakfast on the table, Lu Zhan paused, put down his pen, and said in a low voice, "Thank you for your thoughtfulness, cousin."

"Of course," Zhiwan replied without much thought.

"Would you like to eat together?" Lu Zhan looked up at her.

“I’ve already eaten.” Zhiwan shook her head, looking at the fatigue between his brows. She paused and couldn’t help but advise, “Cousin, you still need to take care of your health. You’re still injured. Staying up all night like this will ruin your body.”

(End of this chapter)