Conquering the Male Supporting Character – CH 009

Chapter 9. Debunking the Rumors

No wonder Lu Wan was surprised; Shi Yao was someone who rarely showed herself.

Lu Wan had carefully examined the original owner’s memories long before she learned that Shi Yao was the female lead in the book, only to find that she had absolutely no recollection of this person.

She had only heard that Shi Yao was orphaned at a young age, her family had declined, and she lived in the Xie family mansion, rarely venturing out.

Following behind Lu Xiao, she glanced at Shi Yao out of the corner of her eye, secretly wondering if the two of them were now developing a relationship.

Xie Yu, accustomed to those who admired him, remained unfazed by Lu Xiao’s unusual enthusiasm.

He introduced the elegant young woman beside him: “Ah Yao, this is the Third Young Master and Fifth Young Lady of Minister Lu’s residence.”

Lu Xiao, seeing that he recognized him, was even more excited, his eyes shining brightly, and he bowed deeply.

“I have not yet thanked Judicial Minister Xie for saving Ah Wan’s life. If it were not for you, my sister would have likely been harmed. Such a great favor, Lu Xiao will certainly repay.”

Every noble family’s young master and lady began memorizing their family genealogies as soon as they could speak. Shi Yao knew the families of Luoyang like the back of her hand, and she immediately recognized them.

She was also somewhat curious. Was this beautiful young woman the same lady her cousin had saved some time ago?

“I suppose this must be Young Lady Shi,” Lu Wan smiled amicably, casually stepping past Lu Xiao.

“I’ve heard Master Xie mention you before; this is the first time I’ve seen you in person.”

As she spoke, she observed Xie Yu’s expression. Seeing that he did not even blink, not exposing her words, she focused her attention on Shi Yao’s changing expression.

Then, somewhat surprised, she found that she showed no unusual reaction and even returned her greeting with impeccable manners.

Hearing her words, if Shi Yao had any feelings for Xie Yu, she would inevitably have glanced at her a few times. It seemed she truly was not moved at all.

Lu Wan found it amusing. It seemed Xie Yu was indeed just a supporting character.

That was fine. She felt more relaxed now. Without the female lead as a strong competitor, she might be able to win him over faster.

Xie Yu heard a strange voice in his mind, and his fingertips twitched slightly.

【Ding! Lu Wan’s favorability +5, current favorability 10. Please keep up the good work, host.】

“Why has Master Xie come to Xingyuan today? I’ve heard that the Court of Judicial Review is very busy every autumn.”

Lu Wan asked with feigned curiosity and an intimate tone, making Shi Yao glance at her again.

She and Xie Yu had grown up together, and she knew that beneath his gentle exterior lay a cold heart; he mostly avoided any young woman who admired him.

So, hearing Lu Wan’s words, she watched Xie Yu with amusement, wanting to see how he would respond.

Lu Wan was not sure how Xie Yu would respond, either, and still looked at him hopefully.

Unexpectedly, Xie Yu smiled and immediately extended an invitation. “The servants have prepared tea. Why not come inside with me? I can answer your questions, Fifth Miss.”

His tone was calm, and although it was an invitation and a suggestion, it revealed an unquestionable authority from someone who had long held a high position.

Lu Xiao’s eyes burned with anticipation; he could not be happier. He quickly followed, racking his brains to strike up a conversation with Xie Yu, sharing current events and anecdotes.

Lu Wan and Shi Yao exchanged a glance and tacitly followed behind them.

“Young Lady Shi rarely goes out; otherwise, I might have become friends with you long ago.”

Lu Wan smiled and teased.

Shi Yao shook her head. “Going out is too tiring. Carriages are time-consuming, and horseback riding is bumpy. If my aunt had not given the order today, I would not have wanted to go out.”

These words resonated with Lu Wan, and she was somewhat tempted.

“That’s true. Luoyang City has dozens of wards, but most of the mansions are located in the north of the city, near the palace. To go sightseeing, one has to go to the south.

Going back and forth is really inconvenient.” Most importantly, there were no cars.

Seeing Shi Yao nod in agreement, she seized the opportunity to further cultivate a closer relationship.

“We are about the same age, so why not just call me Ah Wan? It would be too informal for me to call you Ah Yao.”

Shi Yao paused, then readily agreed, “Ah Wan?”

“Ah Yao?”

Shi Yao smiled and said proactively, “I do not go out much, and I do not have many close friends. If Ah Wan does not mind that I am not very talkative, I’d like to spend more time with you.”

Unexpectedly, Shi Yao was so agreeable, and Lu Wan readily agreed.

She glanced at Xie Yu’s tall and slender figure, feeling satisfied. It was a pleasant surprise to be able to speak with Shi Yao.

At least now she’d have an excuse to visit the Xie residence in the future.

Behind the dark blue curtains, a black lacquered square table was placed in the center. The four people sat down, and Lu Wan happened to sit opposite Xie Yu.

A low table made of paulownia wood was set up on one side, upon which sat a guqin shaped like a banana leaf, its long, sky-blue silk tassels reaching the ground.

The square table was small, with some tea snacks arranged in celadon and white glass dishes. A complete tea set was also laid out where Xie Yu sat.

The kettle on the small red clay stove bubbled gently, steam rising in wisps.

“Cleansing away stagnation, bringing clarity and harmony, serene and pure, with a lofty and tranquil rhythm…”

Lu Xiao, intending to attract the attention of the refined and aloof Young Master Xie Yu, coughed lightly and recited the praises of tea from ancient times.

Unfortunately, Xie Yu did not react, nor did he respond. Lu Xiao felt somewhat embarrassed, and even Shi Yao could not bear to watch.

She subconsciously glanced at Lu Wan, then smoothed things over.

“Is what you are referring to, Young Master Lu, the tea ceremony of the previous dynasty? I vaguely remember the last line being, ‘As for tea, it possesses the refined elegance of Fujian and Zhejiang…'”

Lu Wan was frowning as she looked at a bamboo tray beside her, neatly arranged with snow-white salt, chopped scallions, sliced ​​ginger, and dried tangerine peel…

She looked at Xie Yu incredulously. The current dynasty had long since changed its tea-drinking methods; simply steeping it in water was sufficient. Why was he still using the old method of boiling tea from the previous dynasty?

Forgive her bluntness, but the brewed tea still had a hint of tea fragrance and sweetness; what was the difference between this and boiled tea?

It was a complete waste of tea leaves.

Xie Yu lowered his eyes, his slender, jade-like fingers deftly portioning out the ingredients. He gently lifted the lid of the teapot and poured the measured amounts of seasonings from the bamboo tray into the pot.

Lu Wan felt a chill run down her spine and considered refusing.

Even if the person brewing the tea was elegant and refined, she still disliked this strangely flavored soup, a jumbled mess of tastes that was hard to discern.

She rose uncomfortably, making up an excuse.

“Thank you, My Lord, for brewing this tea for my brother and me. I felt the table was a bit lacking in decoration. I saw a clump of wild chrysanthemums not far away, and there’s an empty vase here, so I will go pick some to put in it—a delightful surprise.”

“Then I will go with you, Ah Wan.”

Shi Yao made a move to get up, but Lu Wan gently pressed her shoulder and smiled at her.

“My brother and I are the guests; how could we trouble our hosts?”

Lu Wan even thought somewhat unkindly, “You should just enjoy this wretched tea; hopefully, it will be cold by the time I get back.”

It was only a dozen or so steps; the golden wild chrysanthemums lay profusely by the roadside, blooming in a vibrant display. She instructed A-Yun to hold the bottle she had taken from the table, and then, using her own hands, picked out some flowers she liked, carefully adjusting the angle of the stems once she had roughly filled the bottle. She dawdled, wasting time.

“Oh, Wenxu, is this not the young lady of the Lu family?”

The flirtatious tone made Lu Wan look up, and she saw a group of brightly dressed young men, arms around each other.

Seeing her looking over, the one who spoke let out a clear whistle.

Lu Wan recognized him; it was Zhou Kan, the heir of the Prince of Yanping’s residence, who often hung out with Zhou Yan, another heir of the imperial family.

“Where did you get the information, Lady Wan, that Wenxu was going to pass through here? Well, you really caught her red-handed!”

Zhou Yan, who had been patted on the shoulder and mentioned, looked displeased. His long, slanted eyebrows arched, and his narrow phoenix eyes revealed a disdainful look; he would not even glance at Lu Wan.

“No need for further words; let’s go.”

Unfortunately, Zhou Kan, who had been calling him, saw Lu Wan standing there gracefully, her beauty breathtaking, and his heart itched.

“Wenxu, this young lady went through so much trouble to catch you, and you are so cold-hearted, showing no mercy whatsoever. Lady Wan, come, I will make the decision. Just follow me. Wenxu may be cold on the outside, but he’s warm on the inside…”

He took a few steps closer, and the closer he looked at Lu Wan, the more his heart pounded. He could not resist the urge to pull her away.

Seeing this group of people talking amongst themselves and refusing to leave, Lu Wan could not help but feel annoyed.

She took a step back, her expression darkening.

“Young master, please have some self-respect. I have no connection with the young master. Please be more careful with your words in the future.”

Zhou Kan laughed out loud. “Who in Luoyang does not know that you, Fifth Young Lady Lu, admire Brother Wenxu? We’ve had dealings before, so why are you trying to distance yourself so much?”

He chased after her, trying to pull at the shawl wrapped around her arm, but was easily blocked.

A clear, resonant male voice rang out, “Such behavior is not gentlemanly.”

Zhou Kan was about to explode when he saw the handsome young man calmly shielding Lu Wan behind him. While his expression was not cold, it was not exactly warm either.

The young man was strikingly handsome; his mere presence was enough to draw everyone’s attention.

Zhou Kan, however, felt as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over him. The reason? It was none other than Xie Yu, the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review.

Xie Yu was a name known to everyone in Luoyang.

His appearance was secondary; his talent was exceptional. He had passed the imperial examinations at a young age, excelling in calligraphy and literature, and was highly regarded by scholars and intellectuals.

Furthermore, as Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, he was in charge of criminal justice, a sharp blade in the Emperor’s hand. Most people treated him with deference, lest they fall into his hands.

He was protecting Lu Wan? How did they become acquainted?

The young man who had acted observed the situation, his mind racing with thoughts.

Although he was also of royal lineage, his family’s title was only that of a prince, making him merely a wealthy idler. Xie Yu was on the list of people his family had repeatedly warned him against offending, so he naturally could not afford to be presumptuous again.

Lu Xiao, his face flushed with anger, shouted, “Young Master Yanping, my Lu family has never offended you! Why are you making things difficult for Ah Wan?”

Zhou Kan was utterly embarrassed. He had only been attracted to Lu Wan’s beauty and, in a moment of lust, wanted to tease her; he truly had no other ill intentions, only to be caught red-handed by her brother.

He bowed and apologized. “I was merely joking earlier. Please do not take offense, Lady Wan.”

Lu Wan had been waiting for this moment.

When she saw Zhou Yanping, she immediately thought of the original owner’s outrageous affair.

If she did not clear up this mess, winning over Xie Yu would not be easy.

Who would want their beloved woman to be embroiled in a scandal with another man, especially one they could not afford to be with?

She had estimated the distance and figured her brother and the others could hear the commotion, so she felt relieved.

However, Xie Yu’s protection of her before Lu Xiao stepped forward was unexpected; she had thought her brother would make the first move.

Lu Wan stepped out from behind him and curtsied to the young man who was about to attack, and he blushed deeply, waving his hands to avoid her.

She then stepped forward a few paces, bowed in Zhou Yan’s direction, and spoke sincerely.

“We’ve met by chance today, and I also have some things I’d like to say to the Prince. Some time ago, I fell into the water and fell seriously ill, but since waking up, I feel much clearer-headed. In the past, Ah Wan was immature and caused trouble for the Prince, but I will be more careful in my words and actions in the future and will never do it again. I apologize to the Prince here.

Whether the Prince is willing to forgive me or not, I promise that I will never deliberately appear before the Prince again.”

Lu Wan put on a completely sincere appearance, but was met with a somewhat mocking tone.

“You’ve said the same promise several times; I am tired of hearing it. Want something new?”

Author’s Note:
Quoted portion—Emperor Huizong of Song, Zhao Ji: “As for tea, it possesses the elegance of Fujian and Zhejiang, and embodies the spirit of mountains and rivers. It dispels stagnation, brings clarity and harmony; this is something that ordinary people and children cannot understand. Its essence is tranquil and pure, its flavor refined and serene…”