Young Master Is Being Jealous Again!
Chapter 367: The Pass Given by Third Master, Assuring His Entry into the Cabinet

Chapter 367: Chapter 367: The Pass Given by Third Master, Assuring His Entry into the Cabinet

Ling Xiaoxuan could already see Qin Ruan standing with the Huo family from afar.

Today, she came with her uncle. She would usually go ahead and approach Qin Ruan regardless of the situation, if it was in the past.

Now that Qin Ruan’s status had changed and she was surrounded by the Huo family and the people of the four major clans, Ling Xiaoxuan decided to give up on seeking Qin Ruan.

Once there is a change in status, she needed to be cautious even if she wanted to treat Qin Ruan as she used to, especially with the minor details.

Ling Xiaoxuan sat on a bar stool, holding a glass of red wine in her hand, her gaze casually sweeping over the wedding venue set up by the Nangong family.

The venue was luxuriously decorated, romantic, and imbued with an atmosphere of love everywhere.

To Miss Ling, all of this seemed rather ironic.

Why Nangong Chang married Xiao Wenrou was clear to anyone with half a brain in the higher circles.

For many years, the Nangong family had been trying to climb the social ladder, with both the Su and Xiao families deferring to the Nangong family.

The Su and Xiao families were just pawns of the Nangong family. In the end, the Xiao family came out on top, winning an alliance with the Nangong family in exchange for cooperation.

The Su family, just recently broke off their alliance with the Huo family, was discarded by the Nangong family like a useless pawn.

Of course, the Su family, being an aristocratic family, wouldn’t just fade away like that.

Ling Xiaoxuan heard from her uncle last night that Nangong Chang and Su Jingshu had an unclear relationship. She figured that the relationship between the two families wouldn’t be greatly affected by the alliance between the Nangong and Xiao families.

"Xiaoxuan!"

Qin Ruan approached with Third Master, noticing her staring blankly at the large heart-shaped decoration adorned with pink roses in the distance.

Ling Xiaoxuan turned her head and saw Qin Ruan and Third Master standing next to her, revealing a bright smile on her face.

Meeting Third Master’s cold and emotionless eyes, her smile subsided slightly.

Ling Xiaoxuan put down her wine glass, got up, and excitedly grabbed Qin Ruan’s hand, "I knew you would come."

Qin Ruan knew why she had guessed correctly, these days almost everyone in the upper echelons of the Capital City knew that Third Master was getting married, and she, who was the focus of everyone’s attention, was bound to make an appearance today.

She looked Ling Xiaoxuan up and down and noticed that her skin was a little darker, "Where have you been playing lately? Why has your skin turned dark?"

"Tsk, can’t you stop focusing on my skin?" Ling Xiaoxuan feigned displeasure.

There was a suppressed laughter in her eyes, and she said cheerfully, "I went to the south with my uncle for a few days and got a lot of sun on the beach. My skin gets dark easily, and it’s hard to recover in a short time."

It was evident to Qin Ruan that Ling Xiaoxuan thoroughly enjoyed her trip to the south, and she teased her, "I see you’re having a blast."

Ling Xiaoxuan played with her wine-red wavy hair, exuding allure. She squinted her satisfied eyes and chuckled, "Not bad."

Ling Zeheng was having a conversation with someone not far away. He glanced casually and saw Third Master and Qin Ruan standing next to Ling Xiaoxuan.

He whispered a few words to the person next to him, then hurriedly walked over.

"Third Master."

Ling Zeheng greeted as he stood next to Huo Yunjiao.

Third Master gave him a slight nod, his eyes studying Ling Zeheng - a tall and distinguished figure with striking facial features, and a gentle and warm demeanor.

Third Master’s deep eyes flashed with intrigue. "What have you been up to recently?"

Ling Zeheng was slightly taken aback but quickly regained his composure. He chuckled lightly, "Just keeping busy passing time."

His position in the Ling family was peculiar, neither terribly high nor low. If he wanted to progress further, he would need to be promoted by those above him.

Out of the blue, Third Master asked him. He could only assume it was a casual question.

A faint smile played on Third Master’s lips, "You’ve been in your current position for a while now, it’s time for a change."

His tone was indifferent, as if he was casually musing.

Ling Zeheng’s hand holding his wine glass involuntarily tightened, his pupils contracted and the flesh on his cheeks tensed. He took a moment to compose himself and then replied quietly, "Yes, after being involved in the same matters for a long time, I’ve thought of trying a different position, to see if I can handle other unfamiliar affairs. It’s a bit of a shame that I’ve been narrowly missing these opportunities."

Third Master studied Ling Zeheng and the smile on his face grew more genuine. He enjoyed dealing with smart people. Ling Zeheng was the most promising member of the Ling family to enter the power center. Despite his young age, he was already highly regarded by those at the top, but unfortunately, there was an obstacle in his way.

The Nangong family had been quiet for a few years, giving the Ling family a hint of surpassing the six major aristocratic families. If the Nangong family truly had no desire to climb higher, they wouldn’t obstruct Ling Zeheng’s advancement into the cabinet.

The reason he had the ability but hadn’t moved up was because of the Nangong family’s prevention. The Nangong family couldn’t let the Ling family rise to the top of the six major families. Third Master said with a smile, "The cabinet should introduce some fresh blood. I’ll have your family make some moves."

Ling Zeheng kept his voice low, "May I ask, Third Master, how sure are you?"

"With complete certainty," replied Third Master, his tone steady and undeniable. This statement was equivalent to giving Ling Zeheng a golden ticket, ensuring his smooth entry into the cabinet. Ling Zeheng was not foolish, he knew that such a good deal wouldn’t just be handed to him for free.

He stared at the wine glass in his hand, gently swirling the wine inside, and ventured, "The election is coming up next year and it seems like the Capital City has been rather restless lately. What are Third Master’s thoughts on this?"

Third Master’s thin lips curved into a wicked smile, his expressive eyes half-closed. He exuded a lazy and luxurious aura, "No need to probe me, letting you into the cabinet is a way to train you. You will eventually leave the Ling family. It’s better to plan some things in advance. Once in the cabinet, all you need to do is assist the new monarch. You don’t need to worry about anything else."

He spoke slowly and deeply.

Ling Zeheng licked his lips and raised his wine glass towards Third Master, "Thank you, Third Master. I am deeply grateful."

With a glass of wine in hand, Third Master made a toast to him in the air, his voice playful, "All for the sake of my girl."

Their eyes moved away to Qin Ruan and Ling Xiaoxuan chatting animatedly nearby.

The two of them were completely oblivious to the conversation between Third Master and Ling Zeheng.

The topics women discuss always revolve around beauty, weight loss, shopping, and men.

What Qin Ruan and Ling Xiaoxuan were discussing, however, was about a woman.

"Qin Ruan, let me tell you, Li Manning has such good skin. If it weren’t for the fact that I knew she would be performing today, I wouldn’t have wanted to come."

Ling Xiaoxuan caressed her freshly manicured nails, her face full of anticipation and excitement.

Qin Ruan recalled the artist named Li Manning. Every piece of information about her flooded into her mind because this woman was too famous; she had been a top actress in the entertainment industry for many years.

"She seems to be quite mysterious."

Ling Xiaoxuan squinted her eyes in agreement, "Yes, apart from filming and concerts, she rarely participates in any variety shows. Moreover, out of the 365 days in a year, almost every day is fully scheduled. It’s estimated that she doesn’t have even a month off in a year."

Qin Ruan sat on the bar stool, propped her chin up and said, "I heard she is quite a workaholic."

Huo Zhi came over, brought a glass of freshly squeezed juice to Qin Ruan, and quietly said, "Madam, this is fresh juice. Please taste it to see if it suits your palate."