Reborn as Powerful Minister's Beloved
Chapter 140 Second Update

Chapter 140: Chapter 140 Second Update

Zheng Haoyuan left Qishun Building and looked for an opportunity to find Wen Zan. "Only half, what does that mean?"

Wen Zan was stunned for a moment. It wasn’t symmetrical. This thought had just begun to form in his mind when a sudden idea opened a new door. Asymmetrical, but rather a whole flower vine forming a complete picture. Where did such an ingenious idea come from?

"Is there another half?" Zheng Haoyuan didn’t care whether Wen Zan was slow-witted or whatever; he just wanted the item.

"Your Highness, don’t worry, I will go and plead with Lord Ju, and it will be ready in a couple of days," Wen Zan quickly said, confident that Scholar Ju would, after all, sell his Wen Family some face.

"Which Lord Ju? Go and talk to him now," Zheng Haoyuan didn’t have time to wait; it seemed his cousin was very fond of it.

"Your Highness." Such an opportunity didn’t come every day, and he also wanted to get his hands on the remaining unique fabric from the Fourth Prince; naturally, he needed to diligently please Zheng Haoyuan.

Wen Zan leaned in and whispered a few words alongside Zheng Haoyuan, who turned his head suspiciously.

"Really?"

It was indeed a coincidence. How did he run into such an exceptional individual? That bearing and appearance were unique, truly outshining you and me. Do you know how this person came to be here?"

"I don’t have time to guess with you. If you have something to say, spit it out," Zheng Haoyuan was getting impatient. He wasn’t particularly interested in going to see it himself, but his cousin might like it.

"Yes, I picked him up, half-dead from starvation. I gave him two bowls of rice, and after having him trained for so many days, he turned out to be a rare find. Fourth Prince, let me tell you, I’m not into that sort of thing, but even I fell for that man upon seeing him," Wen Zan said.

"What’s so good about a man?" Zheng Haoyuan didn’t believe it.

"Fourth Prince, I’m not lying to you. I thought, someone like that showcasing my clothing would definitely attract attention," Wen Zan said with a look of longing.

Zheng Haoyuan was slightly stunned, and suddenly he had a new idea. However, he was worried that Wen Zan might be unreliable, so he decided to meet the person himself.

"In that case, I shall meet him. But for an entire evening, I can’t just stare at a man. Invite a few more people, those new colleagues of yours; it’s better to stir up some excitement altogether."

Wen Zan thought this made sense. All of them were learned gentlemen, and those of similar age naturally tended to get along well. The Hanlin Academy valued genuine talent and knowledge; in the future, there would surely be many opportunities to rely on them.

Zheng Haoyuan also felt this approach wasn’t bad. In the future, those people would be under Prince Duan’s command. Getting familiar with them was naturally beneficial, and perhaps through their words, Prince Duan would no longer obstruct his cousin from joining him in amusements.

...

That night, Wen Zan invited Luh Xingze and three others to dinner, saying it was fate that brought them all to the Youchun Workshop together.

Mu Qingfeng and Luh Xingze did not quite agree. They were indeed chosen together by fate, but as for this Second Young Master Wen, that was no fate.

But after all, they were young fellows of similar age, and aside from appearing somewhat like a spoilt young master, Wen Zan was very approachable, without much temper, and even had a very agreeable personality.

Thus, Luh Xingze and the other three were taken out by a carriage, jolting around for nearly half an hour before finally arriving at a very unique estate outside of Zheng Capital.

Those who came from Youchun Workshop were mostly from average families, and upon seeing this vast estate, they were already dumbfounded. Even more so when they learned that it was a place Wen Zan had thought of visiting on a whim, they all felt a certain inexplicable pang of jealousy.

"Brother Wen, such a large estate, just left empty?" Luh Xingze had never seen such a big estate before. From the moment he entered through the gates, with their pavilions, rockeries, and ancient trees, Luh Xingze couldn’t name them, but everything here was something he had never seen before. Even if he had seen something similar, what was before his eyes now seemed more refined and more meaningful, as if the descriptions of rare trees and treasures in books had found a concrete comparison.

They were all talents who had emerged from the competitive examination, so even if they hadn’t seen such sights before, they were not devoid of knowledge.

Wen Zan casually pushed aside a slanting branch of a century-old crabapple tree, even finding it somewhat in the way, and then invited his new colleagues to his secret base with great sincerity and enthusiasm.

"Not to deceive you gentlemen, although I have only been acquainted with a few brothers for a few days, you have made me feel as though we’ve known each other forever, very cordial. This here is my private estate, and I usually only entertain distinguished guests here," Wen Zan said, leading the way to a promenade behind the rockery. Hidden behind pavilions and buildings, various climbing plants in different shapes emitted exotic scents, and the ends of the house were out of sight. But after walking a few dozen steps and making a slight turn, they saw an historic building, like a sleeping behemoth, lying in the fading light of dusk, steeped in the thickness of history, eliciting a spontaneous respect.

This wasn’t a weight that any ordinary house could carry.

"Brother Wen, this place is really fantastic," Luh Xingze exclaimed with unrestrained enthusiasm. He was straightforward by nature, speaking his mind no matter what he saw, and wore his emotions on his face. Yet these frank words were exactly what everyone was thinking at that moment. And Luh Xingze’s guileless disposition actually made him quite popular.

"Gentlemen, I have not invited you here just to view the garden; there are even better things waiting for you," Wen Zan said mysteriously, leading everyone into the house. The thick wooden door was carved from a single piece of ebony wood. Inside, a complete set of ebony-backed chairs matched the door, the colors indistinguishable from the same forest, truly priceless.

What surprised Luh Xingze the most was not this, but the fact that the tables and chairs inside were arranged in a semi-circular fashion around a wooden platform one foot above the ground in the center. The platform was very large, taking up one-third of the room, and was also made of smooth, lustrous ebony.

In front of the circle of chairs, wide desks were placed, each set with exquisite bowls and dishes.

Once Wen Zan had seated everyone, female servants filed in from a side door of the main hall, bringing dishes and wine cups.

"Brother Wen, your banquet is quite elegant," someone remarked.

"Yes, indeed, it truly has opened my eyes," another agreed.

All four nodded repeatedly in agreement.

"Gentlemen, to be truthful, there is a distinguished guest arriving today who, due to a special status, I dared not mention for fear that if I did, the guest might be discouraged from coming," Wen Zan disclosed.

"Brother Wen, what are you implying with this mystery?" Shen Houmu asked, speaking for the first time since arriving. The man’s eyes were deep, his presence commanding; even though he was dressed in a plain Forged Robe, he exuded an innate nobility and brightness.

Before Wen Zan could answer, a series of orderly footsteps were heard. The Imperial Forest Guard, dressed in blue outfits with rhinoceros horn belts and bat patterns, had arrived at the entrance, startling everyone who hastily stood up, bowing in greeting.

"Fourth Prince has arrived—" Eunuch Cang Er entered first, not glancing sideways, his voice sharp and resonant with the dignity of the Royal Family, cutting through everyone’s thoughts in an instant.

"Paying respects to the Fourth Prince," Wen Zan led the bowing as everyone followed suit.