Chapter 16: Goodbye is Also Terrifying

"Young Master, what are you doing here?" Gu Zhiqing's gaze shifted toward the distant hills behind them, and a sense of alertness grew within him.

"And why would Official Gu be here?" Lingxiao didn't even glance at Gu Zhiqing, but walked up to Zuo Xiangling and offered his hand.

Zuo Xiangning looked at the distinctively jointed hand in front of her and slowly came to her senses.

She hesitated for a moment, then grasped the man's wrist in front of her and used it to help herself stand up from the water.

Her cloak, drenched and clinging to her body, was sky blue. Lingxiao moved a few steps to stand between her and Gu Zhiqing.

Gu Zhiqing looked on with a smile at the two people in front of him who had never communicated but seemed very close, asking, "Did the Princely Heir come here together with Miss Zuo?"

Lingxiao responded noncommittally, "Mr. Ling will seek out Official Gu for a gathering another day."

He turned to look at the woman shrinking behind him and said in a deep voice, "Let's go back."

Zuo Xiangning bit her lip and fluttered her long eyelashes, giving him a look before walking ahead, and Lingxiao followed naturally behind her, shielding her from Gu Zhiqing's probing gaze.

As Zuo Xiangning climbed up the riverbank, her round and perky rear end was right in front of Lingxiao, who felt an impulse to reach out and give it a push.

A faint and unwitting blush colored his handsome cheeks.

The carriage driver, upon seeing a drenched Zuo Xiangning returning with a man, was startled and called out softly, "Miss."

Zuo Xiangning said to the carriage driver, "Pan Xia is still up on the mountain, please go fetch her."

"Alright, I'll go right now," the carriage driver ran swiftly toward the foot of the hill.

Zuo Xiangning lifted the carriage curtain, climbed in, and sat down to calm herself down. Then she opened the window curtain, looked at Lingxiao still standing outside, and said softly, "Thank you."

Lingxiao, who had been watching the distance, turned to look at her and said, "If you have clothes, change first. I still have something to tell you."

Zuo Xiangning could guess what he wanted to say.

She had already thought, if Gu Zhiqing pressed too hard, she would rather give it to Lingxiao, to owe her a favor, than give it to Gu Zhiqing.

"Please speak, Young Master."

"What did Gu Zhiqing do to you?" Lingxiao had felt that Gu Zhiqing was too good at pretending and had taken a dislike to him long before.

He now felt even more that Gu Zhiqing must have used some underhanded method behind the scenes to make Zuo Xiangning so fearful of him.

Seeing Zuo Xiangning pursing her lips and not speaking, Lingxiao kindly reminded her, "You and your Zuo Family won't be able to keep this mountain safe."

Zuo Xiangning knew in her heart that, with her abilities, protecting this golden rice bowl would still leave her begging for food.

"I know there must be something on this mountain that you all want," Zuo Xiangning contemplated for a moment and said, "I won't transfer the mountain to you, but I agree to split whatever is in it half-and-half. What do you think of that proposal?"

"Half-and-half?" Lingxiao slowly repeated these words. "Do you know what's in this mountain?"

"No matter what it is, let's split it equally," Zuo Xiangning said firmly. "If the Princely Heir agrees, then we can finalize this matter. If the Princely Heir does not agree, tomorrow I will gift this mountain to the King of Chu and let him discover the secret of this mountain that both the Princely Heir and Official Gu have been vying for."

Lingxiao looked into her delicate brows and eyes, unsure, and asked, "How old are you this year?"

"If the Young Master doesn't believe it, then there is nothing more I can say," Zuo Xiangning sighed lightly, watching the carriage driver and Pan Xia making their way back. "I was originally expressing gratitude for the Young Master's lifesaving grace by suggesting sharing half. Since the Young Master does not agree, it seems I have taken an unnecessary step."

Lingxiao inwardly cursed Qiao the Half-Immortal for being unreliable.

If Qiao the Half-Immortal had found this mountain a day earlier, he would not have let this young girl get there first and cause him so much trouble.

But now regrets were useless. The gold mine was a secret, not to be publicized. The mountain was now in her hands; trying to take it by force could lead to falling out with the Zuo Family, Jiang Family, and even the Second Prince and the eldest imperial son, causing widespread knowledge of the dispute—too much to lose for too little gain.

But even demanding a half share, her appetite certainly seemed too large.

Yet he thought again, could he not handle a young lady closeted in her boudoir?

"Agreed," Lingxiao nodded in assent.

"Great!" Xiangning's face revealed two dimples, faintly visible, "My people will come over tomorrow to start building the courtyard. If Young Master has any arrangements, you can discuss them with a man named Zhang Rui. He has a few men under him, who not only know how to build, but also understand mining and smelting, and should be able to assist you."

Watching the departing carriage, Lingxiao couldn't quite grasp what she knew in the end.

She had even found people skilled in mining and smelting?

Lingxiao waved his hand behind him, and a man dressed in black appeared behind him like a shadow.

"Where's Gu Zhiqing?" asked Lingxiao.

"He's on the north side of the mountain with that middle-aged man," said the man in black.

"Make sure he doesn't discover anything, and he must be watched closely." Lingxiao spoke with gravity, "Check which people from the Zuo Family have been to this mountain in the past few days, where they've been, whom they've met, and thoroughly investigate everything."

The man in black, accompanied by an affirmative "Yes," vanished without a trace.

Lingxiao called, "Changfeng," and his attendant Changfeng brought two horses to his side.

"My lord, today is the Second Prince's birthday," Changfeng reminded him.

Lingxiao mounted his horse, pondered for a moment, and then said, "Back to the residence!"

Xiangning instructed her people to drive the carriage to the Corner Gate beside the kitchen, and she sent Pan Xia back to Xianglan Residence to fetch a cloak for her.

By the time the two of them alighted from the carriage, just crossing the kitchen, they saw Auntie Liu approaching.

"Xiangning?" Auntie Liu called out her name in surprise, "Where have you been?"

Xiangning let out a soft sigh.

This Auntie Liu was truly looking for trouble. Xiangning had no time to deal with her now, but she insisted on imposing herself.

"Auntie Liu?" Xiangning looked up at the sun overhead and smiled, "Why aren't you at Shian Hall reading scriptures to the old madam today?"

"Xiangyu is accompanying the old madam," Auntie Liu smiled, moving closer and taking Xiangning's hand, "Look at your little hand, why is it so cold? I've made a new cloak for you and will send someone to deliver it shortly. The fabric was brought from Yangzhou by your father; I only got one piece, and even your third sister did not receive it from me."

In her past life, Xiangning fell for this tactic most easily.

"Auntie, you should keep it for my third sister. Lady Zuo gave me several pieces of fabric just a few days ago, and I'm still thinking how to use them," Xiangning withdrew her hand, wrapping herself tighter in her cloak, "I'm in a hurry to go to Fanghua Courtyard. When I have time, I'll chat idly with you."

"What are you always busy with, child?" Auntie Liu affectionately linked arms with Xiangning, chiding her, "Always bustling in and out, it's hard even to see you nowadays. Whenever you go out, it's for the better part of the day. Where have you been?"

Xiangning blinked, speculating as to Auntie Liu's intentions, and counter-questioned, "Why is Auntie in such a hurry to find me? Is there something urgent?"

"How come I've heard people say you bought a mountain?" Auntie Liu asked with a smile, "Where is that mountain? How much silver did it cost?"

"Is Auntie managing the accounts all the way to my room now?" Xiangning's lips curled slightly, but her eyes showed no mirth, "Using my own saved silver, whatever I wish to buy, I shouldn't need to report to you, should I?"

Auntie Liu's face turned bright red on the spot, her arm stiff as a board while linked with Xiangning's.

"Xiangning, what's gotten into you?" She examined her face, aggrieved, "Your mother and I were close as sisters, and you grew up with Xiang Yun and Xiangyu, I've always treated you as my own. How can you speak to me this way?"

"Since Auntie treats me the same as you do my second and third sisters, then I wonder how much dowry you've prepared for me?" Xiangning smiled, "I've heard you gave two shops and one thousand taels of cash silver for my second sister's dowry, and surely you wouldn't give less to my third sister. So, how much do you plan to provide for mine?"