The Cousin Is About to Marry，The Abstinent Young Lord Loses Control-Chapter 208: An Extra Layer of Protection

Yuan Changan arrived on time as scheduled.

Ji Mingzhu and Xie Yunzhen went to the entrance of the mansion to greet him together.

The three of them were not the type to show their emotions openly, so after exchanging a few pleasantries, they silently walked towards the banquet hall.

Although it was said to be a housewarming, Yuan Changan was actually the only guest.

Ji Mingzhu still wanted to invite Mrs. Guan and Yun Ling, but feared that meeting Yuan Changan would be awkward for them.

So, she had to reschedule.

Anyway, they were all in Chang An, meeting anytime was possible.

Previously, when Ji Mingzhu and Yuan Changan interacted, although they weren’t extremely close, they were quite comfortable together.

This time, with Xie Yunzhen present, everything just felt awkward.

So when they arrived at the banquet hall, she offered Yuan Changan the seat of honor and ordered the maid to serve tea.

Then, she made an excuse to go to the kitchen to check on the dishes’ preparation, and slipped away.

Yuan Changan was amused and helpless, thinking he’s not some dangerous beast, nor would he have a conflict with Xie Yunzhen, why did she escape so quickly?

"My wife is naturally reserved, forgive her for the embarrassment," said Xie.

Yuan Changan, a graceful gentleman, was not easily bullied.

With a calm expression he said, "I am familiar with the Princely Heir’s wife, I know her temperament; she’s not the type to be unnecessarily shy."

His eyes glanced at Xie Yunzhen, "Could it be the Young Master is making things difficult for her?"

Xie Yunzhen was not easily rattled.

His lips curled into a slight smile, "Hmm, my wife is not shy, she instructed the kitchen to prepare dishes you love, just afraid of neglecting such an esteemed guest as yourself."

The words ’esteemed guest’ subtly emphasized the difference between the two of them.

Yuan Changan chuckled, "The Young Master seems lacking in confidence."

"What makes you say that?"

"If you were confident, regardless of people coming and going outside, your mind should be as steady as a mountain."

Xie Yunzhen’s smile deepened, "Young Master Yuan is perceptive; indeed, I am afraid that Mingzhu will be taken away."

Even though they were already married and their feelings were improving, that deep-rooted insecurity never faded.

Mingzhu was different from other women.

She had her own integrity and never felt that being married meant she was forever bound to him.

In front of Ji Mingzhu, Xie Yunzhen was inherently lacking in confidence.

With the added feeling of crisis, he was even more eager to cherish Ji Mingzhu, not giving anyone else the slightest chance.

He admitted frankly, with a calm expression, leaving Yuan Changan at a loss for words.

He had no choice but to present the housewarming gift.

Conventional yet decent—dessert gift box from Tianxiang Building.

With Xie Yunzhen entertaining the guest alone, Ji Mingzhu felt a bit uneasy.

After checking the dishes and confirming the serving time, she reluctantly returned to the banquet hall.

There was neither confrontation nor pleasant conversation; the two just sat there silently sipping tea.

Ji Mingzhu felt awkward on their behalf.

Sitting at her place, she took the initiative to ask Yuan Changan, "I’ve been busy lately and forgot to ask if you encountered any troubles in Chang An?"

A trace of melancholy flashed across Yuan Changan’s eyes.

Mingzhu was really polite to him.

But politeness often implied distance.

"I’m doing well, nothing happening, no need to teach at the academy, just reading books and drinking tea every day, almost to the point of growing mushrooms from idleness," he said.

Ji Mingzhu couldn’t help but laugh lightly, with a relaxed expression she said, "Finding leisure amidst busyness is also a fortunate thing."

The atmosphere of distance instantly disappeared.

Seeing the relaxed and pleasant smile on her face, Xie Yunzhen also laughed along.

After all, Mingzhu didn’t like Yuan Changan, so let her smile if she wanted.

It was quite lovely.

He liked it very much.

With his fist to his lips, he cleared his throat.

He said to Yuan Changan, "If you find the city dull, how about I take you autumn hunting?"

Yuan Changan looked terrified, "Even if you want to harm someone, no need to use such a scheme, right?"

Ji Mingzhu added, "Such a terrible idea!"

Her eyes were full of teasing when looking at Xie Yunzhen.

Banned by the new emperor from leaving, yet always wanting to run outside, isn’t that harming others?

Xie Yunzhen wasn’t one for humor, but he was quick-witted, and immediately caught on.

Playing with the teacup, he said, "This place used to be the General Mansion. There’s an archery ground, no need to go outside the city; we can compete at the training ground, how about it?"

Yuan Changan wasn’t falling for it.

Xie Yunzhen was a military general and had even been to the battlefield. Word was his riding and archery skills were exceptional, with perfect accuracy.

Competing with him in archery would only give Xie Yunzhen a chance to shine.

Yuan Changan didn’t care for fame but didn’t want to lose face in front of Ji Mingzhu either.

Nor did he want to let his rival feel proud.

Calmly sipping tea, he said, "The Young Master is full of energy, I am not as capable; if you wish to let off steam, you can go to the training ground alone. I won’t go to embarrass myself."

Xie Yunzhen, known for his sharp tongue, found himself at a loss for words for the first time.

The scene he imagined of bullying Yuan Changan didn’t happen; seeing Xie Yunzhen thwarted, Ji Mingzhu was delighted.

Serves him right for always having bad ideas. Now look, the other party didn’t even take the bait!

Relieved, she clapped her hands to start serving the dishes.

If they sat idly any longer, who knows what trouble would ensue next.

Xie Yunzhen, thick-skinned, quickly adjusted his mood.

No longer intentionally looking for trouble, he turned to more serious matters.

"There’s something, I wonder if Young Master Yuan knows about it."

His face was serious, and he even dismissed the maidservants, so Yuan Changan knew it was no trivial matter.

Sitting upright, he said, "Young Master, please speak freely."

"The Yang Family has privately mined iron to forge weapons, which have ended up in the army."

These things the new emperor had not disclosed to Yuan Changan.

Even though the initial clues were found by him.

Even though he was mentally prepared, Yuan Changan was still shocked.

"Are they planning a rebellion?" 𝚏𝐫𝚎𝗲𝕨𝐞𝐛𝕟𝚘𝐯𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝗺

Xie Yunzhen didn’t answer directly, only saying, "I know you are a gentleman, I will be leaving Chang An soon. By then, I hope you can look after Mingzhu a little more."

Ji Mingzhu knew he was leaving Chang An for important matters.

But asking Yuan Changan to look after her, was the sun rising from the west?

Yuan Changan was also surprised, clearly aware of Xie Yunzhen’s guard against him like a thief.

Why suddenly allow him to interact with Mingzhu?

Xie Yunzhen pursed his lips; despite having an imperial edict, he still felt uneasy.

Once he left Chang An, if anything happened to Mingzhu, any news reaching him would be too late.

Though Yuan Changan wasn’t skilled in martial arts, his mind was decent. Having him look after Mingzhu was indeed good.

He knew he was thick-skinned, but even considered leveraging Yuan Changan and the new emperor.

But as long as he could provide more security for Mingzhu, he would do anything, regardless of face.

Xie Yunzhen wasn’t one to take advantage.

"I will send personnel for you to command, in peaceful times they will protect you; when I return to Chang An, those Hidden Guards will be yours."

"I also have a piece of fertile land in Yangzhou, which I usually find inconvenient to manage. I’ve disturbed you when I previously stayed at your mansion, so I’ll offer it to you as a token of my gratitude."

Training a Hidden Guard requires a significant amount of manpower and resources.

Moreover, he was offering several hectares of fertile land.

Xie Yunzhen’s gesture was indeed generous.

Ji Mingzhu came to realize what worried him.

She said, "Actually, it’s not that serious."

Xie Yunzhen was helping the new emperor eliminate obstacles; the new emperor wasn’t insane enough to do untimely things now.

Ji Mingzhu was initially frightened, hence her anxiety.

Now calmed down, she wasn’t as scared as before; should anything unexpected happen, she could find a way to save herself.

Yuan Changan’s gaze shifted between them, aware of the gravity of the situation.

Xie Yunzhen didn’t say it outright, nor did he ask.

But he assured, "If there is a need, Yuan shall do his utmost!"