The coachman swallowed hard. He knew it was not proper to come too early, but this was his master's order. There was nothing he could do about that.

Dongfang Ming should know that too.

"My master sends me here at this hour to fetch Master Ling and Madam Ye because he plans to have a meal together among the flowers. He says the fragrance is very refreshing and will make for a different experience."

The coachman conveyed Dongfang Ming's message to them verbatim.

Ye Mo did not buy that. "Screw this 'having a meal among the flowers' and this lame talk of a refreshing experience! It's just food! How special can it get?"

He might have had three years of schooling, but he did not like these so-called refined hobbies among scholars.

Afterward, he left for the kitchen to make a fire for their breakfast. Ye Liu followed him. Only Ye Yang, the coachman, and Hei Xiaomeng were left in the yard.

On the other side of town, Dongfang Ming got himself ready in a luxurious blue satin brocade, his hair tied with a jade pin. He stood tall and straight, like the gentleman that he was, exuding an extraordinary temperament.

Right behind him stood a man of similar height, wearing a dark brocade, looking not too shabby himself at the age of twenty-two.

He was Dongfang Ming's personal bodyguard, Ming Yan.

Dongfang Ming had previously sent a carrier pigeon to the capital, asking for him.

"Master, is it right to fetch Madam Ye and Master Ye Ling at this hour?" Ming Yan expressed his concerns to Dongfang Ming.

Dongfang Ming stood overlooking a large pond, home to an abundance of lotus leaves and water lilies. He paid no mind as he replied, "There's no problem. The earlier we begin flower gazing, the better. What better way to indulge in their fragrance and appreciate their early morning wonders. They'll understand."

Ming Yan probed no further.

By the time the coachman returned to Lotus Village, another horse carriage had arrived too. There was no room for two carriages to travel together.

Wang Xiaoliu said, "Move aside, let me through first!"

This was Wang Xiangyun's carriage. She had rushed here when she found out Dongfang Ming came to this location.

She had not visited Dongfang Ming in the past few days, but that did not mean she had given up. She simply did not want to cause him trouble. She was satisfied just staying near him.

And she had been thinking about one thing: what should she do to win his affection?

The coachman had become acquainted with Wang Xiaoliu before, and he did not want to argue. "Alright, you first."

Little Tian took a peek outside and said, "Miss, Mr Dongfang should have arrived at Lotus Village by now, so who's that in the carriage? Could it be his partner, Master Ye?"

Wang Xiangyun was leaning against the soft couch. There was not a touch of joy on her beautiful face. In fact, she looked quite drawn and haggard. It was the kind of look that tempted others to lift her worries, to make her smile again!

"Probably, Brother Ming doesn't have other friends in this little town."

The coachman grabbed onto the reins and followed Wang Xiaoliu's carriage as the two trotted to Dongfang Ming's location.

Ming Yan saw them coming and frowned. "Master, Miss Wang is here too."

He did not like Wang Xiangyun at all. He thought that she had nothing else to offer other than her beauty, and she liked to follow his master around like a dog-skin plaster.

Dongfang Ming could see that and frowned slightly too. "Ignore that."

The carriages came to a stop. Liu Duo alighted first before assisting Ye Ling carefully.

She was wearing a light yellow dress today, her hair meticulously combed and pinned into place by Ye Ling. The magnolia jade pin he used was simple in design, but very nice to look at.

It amplified her purity and flattered her charms.