Drunk Against the Tower

A cousin from out of town, Qin Yuan, arrived at the Duke's mansion.

Qin Yuan had grown up in the water towns of Jiangnan, and her delicate, charming manner was completely different from that of the noble young ladies of Shengjing.

But no one knew that her main reason for coming to Shengjing was to find a powerful patron to shelter under.

In the height of summer, her maid helped Qin Yuan stroll to a pavilion to escape the heat.

Thinking of what the Old Madam had said that morning, Qin Yuan asked leisurely, "What do you think of the heir?"

The maid had been by her side since childhood and understood what she meant. "The heir is certainly a good choice for a husband."

Qin Yuan nodded slightly. "Mm, then it'll be him. Help me find out where he goes and when..."

A figure suddenly appeared in front of them. Qin Yuan's eyes widened in alarm, and she stopped speaking. After a moment's hesitation, she curtsied. "Greetings, Heir."

Fu Yanji, the heir, gazed at her with deep eyes that seemed to hold a trace of impatience.

Qin Yuan put on a composed smile. Only after Fu Yanji left did she let out a breath of relief.

The maid was anxious. "Miss, what should we do?"

Qin Yuan turned and sat on a stone stool, perfectly at ease. "It's fine. Second Cousin is a good choice too."

As soon as she finished speaking, a gust of wind suddenly blew past her. Qin Yuan raised her eyes unhurriedly and saw only Fu Yanji's retreating figure.

Qin Yuan: "..."

-

Later on.

After not seeing Qin Yuan for a good while, Fu Yanji glanced at the guard beside him.

The guard hesitated for a moment, then, under that piercing gaze, reported truthfully, "The cousin miss went out on a spring outing with the second young master."

Fu Yanji's brush paused mid-stroke, and black ink spread across the paper. He calmly set down the brush and crumpled the paper into a ball. "Lead the way."

[Reading Guide]

* The male and female leads are not related by blood.

* A fictional setting, with privately established rules about the mountains.

* The characters aren't perfect. Discussion is welcome, but please don't be abusive.

* The blurb was screenshotted on 2023.03.05.

Theme: The willing will take the bait