The Minister: Cold by Day, Hot by Night-Chapter 57: Zhi Wan Grabbed Lu Zhan’s Belt

After leaving the Ya Xing, Zhi Wan had Chen Jiu take the family of three to the shop to get settled. Meanwhile, she and Shuang’er went to buy clothes and bedding, as well as cookware, tableware, and basic groceries, delivering everything to the shop.

"From now on, you’ll live here. This shop of mine will also be left in your care."

Seeing the table piled high with food and clothing, the husband and wife were deeply moved.

"Thank you, Miss. From now on, I will certainly do my utmost to serve you." The man, Zhao Dong, was the first to declare his loyalty.

The woman, Lady Yu, also pledged her loyalty. "Miss, you are like a second mother and father to us. I will be utterly loyal to you."

Zhi Wan nodded and handed them a packet of medicine. "This is for your child. I had the prescription filled. Go and decoct it right away so he can drink it."

"Thank you, Miss." Lady Yu’s eyes reddened. She took the medicine and hurried to the kitchen to decoct it.

"Alright, you must be tired. Get a good rest today. We will come see you again tomorrow," Zhi Wan said.

As she left the shop, Zhi Wan felt a little more secure.

She now had a shop and had secured a pastry chef. All that was left was to renovate the shop a bit, and then she could open for business.

Zhi Wan felt that her future was looking brighter and brighter.

Overcome with happiness, she turned to Chen Jiu and said, "Ah Jiu, thank you for your help today. Let me treat you to a drink."

Chen Jiu was taken aback for a moment, then scratched his head, feeling both surprised and flattered. "You’re too kind, Miss."

"It’s only right," Zhi Wan said.

Chen Jiu thought for a moment, then pointed to a noodle stall by the road. "Well, since you’re offering to treat me, Miss, let’s just eat there."

Zhi Wan was a little surprised. "You just want noodles?"

"Noodles are more than enough. The Princely Heir has strict rules. Drinking during the day can lead to mistakes, and if I’ve been drinking, he won’t allow me to serve him directly."

Hearing that he still had to report for duty before Lu Zhan when he returned, Zhi Wan didn’t press the issue. "Noodles it is, then." 𝘧𝘳𝘦ℯ𝓌𝘦𝒷𝘯𝑜𝑣𝘦𝓁.𝒸𝘰𝓂

The noodle stall was simple, but fortunately, the owner was a skilled cook, and the broth was delicious.

Zhi Wan ordered a large bowl for Chen Jiu, while she and Shuang’er each had a small one.

After finishing their noodles, Zhi Wan was eager to get back to her painting, so they didn’t linger.

Just as the carriage pulled to a stop before the gates of the Duke Dingguo Mansion, Zhi Wan, still inside, heard a woman’s sharp cry. "Lu Zhan, you stop right there!"

Zhi Wan was surprised. ’Who would dare call my cousin by his full name?’

For a moment, she wasn’t sure if she should get out of the carriage.

"Commandery Princess, this is the Duke Dingguo Mansion, not your Prince Gao Yang Mansion. If you wish to cause a scene, please do it elsewhere!"

Just then, Lu Zhan’s deep voice rang out, his tone laced with impatience, showing the other party no courtesy whatsoever.

Silence fell outside for a moment. Then, the woman who had spoken suddenly turned her fury on Zhi Wan’s carriage.

"Who’s in there? Get the hell out!"

Zhi Wan: "..."

"Who is that? How can she be so rude?" Shuang’er grumbled, though only in a whisper.

Although she wasn’t sure who the other party was, she had heard the Princely Heir address her as a Commandery Princess, which meant she was not someone they could afford to offend.

Zhi Wan had no intention of eavesdropping from inside the carriage. But now that she had been addressed so rudely, she knew it would be improper to stay hidden.

Leaning on Shuang’er’s hand, she was about to exit when she suddenly heard Lu Zhan’s frosty voice. "Is this how the Prince Gao Yang Mansion educates its Commandery Princess?"

The Commandery Princess, flying into a humiliated rage, retorted, "Lu Zhan, don’t think you can disrespect me just because the Grandfather Emperor thinks highly of you! Believe it or not, I’ll go and report you to him!"

"Feel free, Commandery Princess." Lu Zhan’s expression was scornful; he clearly held her in no regard.

This thoroughly enraged the Commandery Princess.

Seeing someone emerge from the carriage, she didn’t hesitate, swinging the horsewhip in her hand and lashing out forcefully.

Zhi Wan had just stepped down from the carriage when she saw a whip lashing toward her.

Clearly, the Commandery Princess was dissatisfied with Lu Zhan’s attitude and was using this as an opportunity to vent her redirected anger.

It all happened so suddenly that Zhi Wan had no time to dodge.

Just as the whip was about to strike her, she felt a sudden, tight grip on her arm, and in the next instant, she was yanked aside.

CRACK!

The whip struck the carriage shaft, shearing off a splinter of wood.

It was clear how much force the person wielding the whip had used.

One could only imagine the pain if that whip had struck flesh.

Zhi Wan’s face turned pale with fright.

Lu Zhan’s expression was also incredibly dark.

He grabbed the tip of the whip and, with a powerful tug, snatched it away, then threw it far into the distance.

"That the Commandery Princess would use her status to bully the weak right in front of the Duke Dingguo Mansion... I shall report this incident to the Emperor tomorrow, exactly as it occurred!"

She hadn’t hit anyone, and now her whip was gone. The Commandery Princess was about to erupt in anger again, but upon hearing his threat, her expression faltered. She softened her tone, saying, "I didn’t do it on purpose. Besides, no one was even hurt, were they? This is your fault anyway. Why were you ignoring me?"

Lu Zhan replied coldly, "No one hurt? If I hadn’t caught that whip in time, my cousin would have had a chunk of flesh torn from her! Furthermore, for the Commandery Princess to so brazenly disregard her maidenly decorum and chase after a man in public—is such improper behavior now somehow my fault?"

The Commandery Princess replied dismissively, "Who made the rule that only men can pursue women, and not the other way around? That’s just some nonsense made up by stuffy old traditionalists. I couldn’t care less about it. The fact is, I adore you!"

Hearing such shocking and unconventional words, Zhi Wan forgot her earlier fear. Her eyes widened in astonishment as she stared at the other woman.

Being confessed to by a woman in public brought Lu Zhan no joy; on the contrary, he only felt disgust.

His handsome face was glacial as a single, ice-cold word escaped his thin lips: "Out!"

Seeing his utter indifference, the Commandery Princess’s face flushed with humiliation. She let out a loud "WAAH!" and burst into tears, pointing an accusing finger at Zhi Wan. "Are you being so cruel to me because of this vixen?"

Zhi Wan was stunned.

’Why does this Commandery Princess always take her anger out on others? First, she tried to whip me, and now she’s insulting me.’

Zhi Wan couldn’t hold back her anger. "That’s ridiculous! I am no such thing! He’s my cousin."

Zhi Wan’s sudden outburst made Xuanyuan Jing’s crying falter. The princess turned to size her up.

Seeing that this girl, who looked younger than herself, possessed such a devastatingly beautiful face, Xuanyuan Jing felt a pang of jealousy. "And you still say you’re not a vixen? What girl from a good family looks like you, reeking of seduction from head to toe? You’re just a shameless hussy!"

Zhi Wan’s face flushed crimson with fury. Her chest heaved, and her fists clenched as she fired back, "A girl from a good family doesn’t act like you, either—spending all day chasing after men! So what does that make you? Besides, my cousin has already clearly rejected you. If you had an ounce of shame, you’d know when to stop. You are utterly and completely shameless!"

Xuanyuan Jing’s eyes widened, and she stared at Zhi Wan in disbelief.

She had been doted on her entire life, always getting whatever she wanted. Never before had anyone dared to speak so harshly to her.

Yet today, to be publicly lectured by this hussy was, in a way, even more humiliating than when Lu Zhan had told her to get out.

Lu Zhan also looked at his little cousin in surprise.

’He’d never imagined that his normally timid and shy little cousin could dress someone down with such sharp words.’

Watching the young lady, her face flushed and delicate brows furrowed in anger, he found her inexplicably adorable. The corner of his mouth curved in an almost imperceptible smile, and a flicker of amusement crossed his eyes.

"You wretched bitch! I’ll rip your mouth off!" Suddenly, Xuanyuan Jing roared and lunged, her hands like claws aimed at Zhi Wan’s face.

Zhi Wan was frightened by her ferocious expression.

In her panic, she ducked behind Lu Zhan and instinctively grabbed onto his belt.