Wen Tinglan gracefully took a seat and then asked, "Oh? What do I like to drink?"

"How could I not know?" Yan Fu replied with a smile brimming across his face. "Rest assured, the mansion is well-prepared!"

It was clear that Yan Fu did not remember what tea Wen Tinglan liked to drink, but for the housekeeper of the Yan Mansion, this surely was not a problem.

Jiang Wang smiled, making no superfluous movements, indicating that he completely did not understand the underlying currents in their conversation.

Wen Tinglan obviously knew the answer but did not press the issue further; she merely made a light remark and let it pass, then changed the subject, "We’re all seated, why are you still standing?"

"Ha ha, true," Yan Fu laughed more than usual today.

Whether he was genuinely happy... it did not matter.

At this moment, he was standing alone.

Jiang Wang and Wen Tinglan were sitting opposite each other, separated by the space between them.

Yan Fu glanced at the empty seat next to Jiang Wang and the one next to Wen Tinglan, chose neither, and seated himself at the head of the table instead.

Looking between the two, he laughed again, "Today, I am really, truly happy."

Yan Fu’s laughter usually demonstrated his charisma, but now his aura seemed somewhat subdued, twisting his smile grotesquely.

Jiang Wang did not know what crucial lever was being held over him, nor did he want to know.

If it did not concern him, he would not bother.

He sipped his tea, slowly.

But... the tree desires quiet, yet the wind will not cease.

After another bout of laughter from Yan Fu that met with no response, he glanced at Jiang Wang and seemingly casually asked, "Brother Jiang, what do you think?"

"The tea is excellent!" Jiang Wang responded enthusiastically.

Even though Jiang Wang’s response was completely beside the point, Yan Fu was still able to continue, "So Brother Jiang, you are also a connoisseur of tea. You must talk more with Miss Wen. Mr. Wen is a master of tea ceremonies, and Miss Wen has been immersed in it from a young age, her expertise is truly extraordinary!"

It was as if he were about to force Jiang Wang into conversing with Wen Tinglan, trying to ease the tension.

Wen Tinglan, ever so polite, did not slight Jiang Wang for his less noble heritage, and sweetly said, "My father has a place called Lanxin Garden on the outskirts of the town, not open to outsiders, so not many know of it. But inside, there are quite a few excellent teas. If Brother Jiang has leisure time in the future, please come to taste and evaluate them. I shall have a place reserved for you."

The Imperial Court Adviser specifically constructed it for tea drinking; the status of this Lanxin Garden speaks for itself.

Wen Tinglan was indeed giving Yan Fu sufficient respect.

Jiang Wang could only use the act of drinking tea to mask himself, "I will definitely, certainly visit."

Seeing that the atmosphere seemed to soften a little, Yan Fu then seemingly casually said, "Ting Lan, coming here this time, why didn’t you mention it beforehand? You caught me unprepared; I fear there might be some discourtesy in the rush that leaves me uneasy, ha ha."

"Oh, it is Ting Lan who was rude," Wen Tinglan looked at him and said, "I should have sent word ahead before coming to the Yan Mansion."

"Uh, that’s not what I meant."

"What do you mean, then, Young Master Yan?"

Yan Fu glanced at Jiang Wang for help.

Hmm, Jiang Wang was looking down at the tea leaves, seemingly lost in their beauty. Those verdant leaves were unfurling freely in the water, looking utterly charming. They were indeed too entrancing; he looked at one leaf and then another, never raising his head.

This guy was no help at all.

Who said that Jiang Qingyang always put righteousness first? That was hardly righteous!

Finally, Yan Fu faced reality, left to navigate the situation alone, "What I meant was, you’re accustomed to finely arranged necessities of life, and it might be hard to find satisfaction with external arrangements. Had I known you were coming today, I would have prepared a new residence ahead of time, arranged equivalently to Wen Mansion to spare you any discomfort. How could I bear..."

Building a new residence just for one occasion of receiving a guest. If it were anyone else saying this, it would likely just sound like empty words. But coming from Yan Fu... he definitely could do it.

Even though Wen Tinglan was annoyed inside, her anger had somewhat subsided, and she softly said, "The way you put it, do I really seem so pampered?"

"Of course you’re not pampered," Yan Fu replied, his spirits high as if aided by some deity, "I’m just over-concerned about you."

Jiang Wang almost spat out his tea but fortunately, due to his exceptional ability, managed to swallow it.

In front of Jiang Wang, Wen Tinglan felt somewhat embarrassed and complained, "I don’t know who you learned that from—sounding like a charmer, typical of those bred among rouges."

Yan Fu glanced at Jiang Wang unintentionally. He said nothing further, as everything was understood without words.

Jiang Wang: ...

Truly shameless, this Dog Steward!

Luckily, Wen Tinglan didn’t believe him and just sipped her tea, saying, "I see Young Master Jiang as a sincere person, unlike you all."

Yan Fu certainly wasn’t foolish enough to ask who this "all" included, whether it was Xu Xiangqian or Gao Zhe, or perhaps other young masters in Linzi—being associated together did them no favors, as all had the reputation of troublemakers in social settings.

He, Yan Fu, was indeed an individualist!

Thus, he replied nonchalantly with a smile, "Lotus stems stay clean though born from mud, and the spring breeze carries sweetness over still waters. It still depends on one’s personal cultivation."

Wen Tinglan implied something in her response, "It’s a pity personal cultivation is only known to oneself, after all, hearts are hidden behind bellies."

Then she turned with a smile, "But as for Young Master Jiang, he indeed has an excellent reputation."

Jiang Wang had to admit that, setting aside everything else, Yan Fu and Wen Tinglan—those two, with their family backgrounds, demeanors, poise, talents—were indeed well matched.

Yet being amidst these two, who definitely had some unresolved issues, caused an especially intense feeling of discomfort.

"I wouldn’t dare talk about reputation, just trying to be an honest person," Jiang Wang humbly said.

He quickly glanced at Yan Fu, communicating with his eyes—Should I leave?

Yan Fu returned a look that clearly meant ’don’t even think about it.’

"Being an honest person, Young Master Jiang has said it well," Wen Tinglan smiled and inquired, "By the way, what were you discussing before I arrived?"

"We were just about to talk about that!" Probably fearing that Jiang Wang would reveal his insistence on keeping him there as a cover, Yan Fu hurriedly continued, "Brother Jiang here wishes to participate in the Yellow River Gathering, to bring honor to our country. I plan to help write a recommendation for him,"

Jiang Wang inwardly sighed.

The Dog Steward was being too clever for his own good. Originally, there was nothing amiss, but his hurried response made it appear as if there was indeed something inconvenient for Wen Tinglan to hear.

Sure enough, the slightly emerging smile on Wen Tinglan’s face quietly faded,

Yet she still preserved her manners on the surface, "This shouldn’t be difficult for you, as Young Master Jiang lacks neither character nor talent. I will also keep an eye out."

"Mainly because Jiang Qingyang is truly capable; otherwise, it would be difficult," Yan Fu felt exhausted, cautiously saying with the mindset that whether he acted or not, the result would be the same, "You seem... to be in a not-so-good mood today?"

"Not necessarily,"

Wen Tinglan softly spoke, then suddenly shifted the conversation, "However, during this period, I’ve indeed heard some petty talk... impossible to ignore really."

Yan Fu’s smile became somewhat difficult to maintain, "Oh? May I ask about what?"

Sensing the eminent danger, Jiang Wang promptly stood up, "Um, perhaps I should excuse myself?"

Wen Tinglan gave a gentle and beautifully tender smile, "Young Master Jiang, even if Yan Fu went overseas, he was looking for you. I think there’s really no need for you to leave."

"Please, have a seat," she softly invited.

She was clearly the master of the premises, controlling the entire scene.

Jiang Wang obediently sat down, while Yan Fu remained silent.

In this moment, two illustrious figures of Daqi, their aura utterly suppressed, seemed to shrink like two witless quails.