In a flash, Xie Sui’an rolled over and hid on the rooftop. After coming to her senses, she realized that the familiar voice seemed to be Nanyi’s.
Xie Sui’an realized the situation inside had changed. She had no time to wonder how Nanyi had mixed into the banquet or what exactly was happening inside. Since Nanyi had chosen to use such a risky method to “startle the snake by beating the grass,” there must be enormous danger. She dared not linger and immediately left.
Gusha was somewhat annoyed. He also knew that this had ruined everything—the plan to lure the enemy deep had failed. He angrily scolded Nanyi: “Where did this person come from? What nonsense are you spouting, you wench?”
“This servant, this servant just vaguely saw a dark shadow…”
She was still acting, her voice so soft it seemed drawn into a thread, answering pitifully, with each word’s warm breath exhaling beside Xie Queshan’s neck.
Xie Queshan suddenly became somewhat irritated. She really didn’t need to learn everything so quickly, even picking up seven or eight parts of a singing girl’s seductive charm.
With a cold face, he pushed her down without any tender consideration.
“Meddlesome fool—get lost.”
Nanyi was pushed to the ground. The force he used was just right—it didn’t hurt. She was somewhat confused. Could he let her go so easily? But since he had spoken, how could she not run? She hurriedly got up, but when she raised her eyes, she unexpectedly saw that the singing girl beside Xie Zhu looked somewhat wrong, as if she had slipped something into Xie Zhu’s hands. But everyone’s attention was on her, so no one noticed them.
That singing girl—she was a Bingzhu Bureau spy!
Nanyi realized what was about to happen. She wanted to quickly leave the scene, but just as she was about to push the door and exit, with fresh air from outside the private room flowing into her nostrils, a cry of alarm came from behind her.
The ropes binding Xie Zhu had somehow been untied, and taking advantage of everyone’s inattention, he had jumped directly from the window.
Nanyi looked back, also shocked.
She had thought Xie Sui’an had retreated, but the spy in the room was still unwilling to give up and wanted to continue rescuing Xie Zhu. Unexpectedly, the singing girl had only helped Xie Zhu loosen his ropes so he could make this gesture of dying to prove his integrity.
By jumping from Huachao Pavilion’s private room, Xie Zhu was declaring to all of Li Du Mansion in full view of everyone that he had not betrayed to the Qi. The false impression the Qi people wanted to create naturally crumbled without attack.
The private room was thrown into chaos. The singing girls screamed and wailed, and that spy deliberately led everyone to rush outside. Nanyi also took advantage of the confusion to leave the room.
Gusha had no time to care about this group of women. Looking out from the window, he was so angry smoke came from all seven orifices.
From this height, Xie Zhu wouldn’t die either. There were still Qi soldiers stationed at Huachao Pavilion’s entrance, so no one could possibly rescue him. But the nearby streets and alleys were packed with onlookers, and this scene was seen clearly by the people. The sound of discussion from downstairs grew louder and louder.
“A bunch of useless fools! Why don’t you go drive away those lowly onlookers! Clear this street immediately!”
The Qi generals in the room received their orders and rushed downstairs in haste.
Xie Queshan sat motionless, glancing indifferently at Gusha: “Gusha, you messed up.”
His tone carried some sarcasm.
Gusha twisted his lips, gritting his teeth: “Damn it, I underestimated Xie Zhu. He does have backbone.”
“No matter, the one playing the good cop will arrive soon.”
“Xie Queshan, what do you mean?!” Gusha flew into a rage, roaring at Xie Queshan.
Xie Queshan didn’t answer. He drained the wine in his cup, got up to leave. Just as he opened the door, he saw Huachao Pavilion’s madam appearing outside the door in a panic.
“Master, master… this servant just discovered an unconscious singing girl in the woodshed, and her clothes have been stolen…”
This news was like adding fuel to fire. Gusha was so angry he kicked over the chair in front of him. The lacquered wooden chair couldn’t withstand such force and immediately fell apart. He forced himself to take a deep breath and reacted: “That bastard must still be inside Huachao Pavilion!”
“Seal off Huachao Pavilion and search for the person.” Xie Queshan calmly commanded.
Nanyi thought that as long as she left that room, she would be safe. However, before she could exit the back courtyard, Qi soldiers had sealed off Huachao Pavilion.
It would be difficult to climb over the wall and escape now. If she couldn’t return to Wangxue Manor and was caught here, falling into Gusha’s hands… Nanyi dared not think of the consequences. With old and new grievances, she feared they would all be counted against her.
No wonder Xie Queshan had toyed with her like that—he had anticipated that this trip would be a one-way journey for her.
The sound of Qi soldiers marching in formation through the corridors approached. Nanyi’s heart became confused. Looking around, there was a carriage parked in the back courtyard.
…
The carriage belonged to Xie Queshan.
Catching people was Gusha’s business; he didn’t need to remain at the scene, so he prepared to return to Wangxue Manor. Just as he lifted the felt curtain of the carriage, the light from the full array of lanterns poured into the dim interior, and Xie Queshan saw a young woman crouching inside.
She had removed the tasseled veil, and her face was still covered in heavy makeup, giving her a kind of striking, flamboyant beauty.
He Ping was surprised and was about to speak out, but was stopped by Xie Queshan.
Nanyi stared at Xie Queshan, enormous determination flashing through her eyes. Steeling her heart, she knelt down with a thud.
“My life was given by Young Master. I’m willing to work for Young Master’s life. Whatever Young Master tells me to do, I’ll do.”
Nanyi was definitely a qualified fence-sitter.
When Xie Queshan had told her to watch Xie Sui’an, she hadn’t agreed. But to resolve the current crisis, she could only throw caution to the wind and first display a wave of loyalty. Either way, she couldn’t escape today, so she might as well try to find a solution from Xie Queshan.
Xie Queshan remained noncommittal and stepped on the footstool to enter the carriage.
As the curtain fell, the cramped space was left with only the two of them.
Xie Queshan took his seat, and Nanyi shifted her knees to follow his direction, looking at him with eager eyes, as obedient as could be.
“Really?” Xie Queshan raised an eyebrow.
“Absolutely true, otherwise may I be struck by lightning!” Nanyi swore on the spot. Anyway, she had accumulated enough divine retributions to help immortals transcend tribulations; she didn’t lack this one “sincere” oath.
“You should know that what you promise me cannot be just empty words.”
Nanyi was speechless. She knew lightning wouldn’t really strike her, so she dared to swear casually. But she knew that once Xie Queshan discovered her betrayal, he would really kill her.
Outside, the footsteps of Qi soldiers grew closer and closer.
Xie Queshan leisurely leaned back, closed his eyes to rest, his fingers lightly tapping his knee, unhurried and calm.
“If you can’t figure it out, then go outside and think it through.”
Nanyi finally understood what Xie Queshan meant when he said “running away won’t work every time.”
Now she truly could not escape even with wings. She could only cling tightly to Xie Queshan like a lone boat. Once she let go, she would be swept into the raging sea and stormy waves.
But this wasn’t something she could decide. If she wanted to board his boat, he still had to nod his permission. Her life and death were just in Xie Queshan’s single thought.
Couldn’t she have even a little initiative?
In an instant, a bold idea crashed into Nanyi’s mind.
“If you make me get out, I’ll tell Gusha that you sent me to Huachao Pavilion. You don’t want your dear sister to be in danger but couldn’t appear personally,” Nanyi’s voice became urgent. At this moment, she had broken through that window paper, her tone containing some determination of mutual destruction. “And at Tiger Kneel Mountain, it was you who let me go. At Xie Hengzai’s funeral, it was you who instructed me to cause a scene. Which side you’re really on depends on how Gusha sees you. Anyway, I’m your person—dead, I’m still your ghost. Either we stand on shore together, or we go into the water together.”
Xie Queshan opened his eyes and stared at Nanyi.
After finishing this speech, Nanyi felt parched and shaking all over—not from cold, but rather feeling somewhat feverish, having poured all her strength into these rebellious words.
She wasn’t completely confident either.
For instance, Xie Queshan might kill her with one sword and kick her out of the carriage without giving her any chance to speak.
But she still wanted to gamble. In Xie Queshan’s eyes, she still had that bit of value as a “plaything” in the arena.
After a long while, Xie Queshan spoke, calling out: “He Ping, back to Wangxue Manor.”
The carriage started moving. The curtains swayed, and the candlelight filtering through the thin felt gradually dimmed—they must have left Huachao Pavilion and reached the street. The carriage wheels rolled over the stone slabs, making everyone bounce up and down with the motion.
Nanyi knew she had escaped disaster and let out a long breath, her whole body relaxing.
“What did you come to Huachao Pavilion to do today?”
Nanyi dared not push her luck after gaining an advantage, answering truthfully: “Sixth Miss said she was going to rescue Third Uncle, but last night I heard outside Young Master’s room that you were planning to set a trap. I was afraid Sixth Miss would be in danger, so I wanted to come warn her.”
“How did you know Xiaoliu was coming to Huachao Pavilion?”
“A servant saw her.”
“Does anyone else know about this?”
Nanyi was startled. She indeed hadn’t thought carefully about this question. If that servant couldn’t keep his mouth shut, many people in Wangxue Manor would know. She had previously deduced there was a Qi spy in Wangxue Manor, so Xie Sui’an’s whereabouts must have been leaked, which was why there was a trap waiting for her at Huachao Pavilion.
“I… don’t know.”
“Watch Xiaoliu and report her movements to me.” This time it wasn’t a discussion, but an order.
“Will you harm Sixth Miss?”
“She’s my real sister.”
Hearing this answer, Nanyi was actually somewhat happy. So he wasn’t someone whose humanity had been completely extinguished! Come to think of it, she had been able to successfully pass a message to Xie Sui’an partly with his tacit permission.
“But if she becomes too deeply involved with the Bingzhu Bureau and blocks my path, I’ll have no choice.”
His voice was surprisingly cold, like a basin of cold water poured over her head, instantly sobering Nanyi.
Nanyi fell silent. After a long time, she suddenly thought of something and asked: “So that day in the snow, the character I chose—was it ‘life’?”
“No.”
“What did that character mean?”
“Hong, the death of princes and nobles.”
“I chose wrong, but you still let me go—among those characters, there was no ‘life’ at all, was there?”
“Correct.”
“You’re truly terrifying…” Nanyi murmured. “I should never, ever have stolen your purse.”
“Remember, at Wangxue Manor, you are the young madam, the one in charge of the inner courtyard. Every word and action will be closely watched. Put away those petty thieving tricks of yours.”
“I understand.” Nanyi answered sincerely. She realized that when he decided not to kill her, most of what he said was for her own good.
Then he said nothing more. In the cramped, quiet carriage compartment, they could both hear each other’s breathing.
Most of the time, Nanyi didn’t dare look at Xie Queshan, but at this moment she didn’t know where she found the courage to stare steadily at him, watching the light and shadow from the curtain gaps change across his face.
The carriage moved forward. The long street shrouded in night seemed like a section of rushing river water, the crowded houses on both sides like dark mountains. They were squeezed together in a tiny flat boat, both draped in bright moonlight.
They were honest but didn’t share hearts, sharing the boat but not depending on each other, together following the river toward an unknown future.
Then the small boat stopped.
Her body involuntarily lurched forward. Just as she was about to hit the carriage wall, what she touched instead was his broad palm.
He reached out to block her, his gaze briefly meeting hers before withdrawing, once again assuming that aloof, uninvolved appearance.
“Young Master, we’ve arrived at Wangxue Manor.”
He Ping lifted the curtain. The carriage had stopped in the back courtyard of Wangxue Manor.
Nanyi’s lips moved slightly, but in the end she swallowed back the words of thanks. Just as she was about to get up, Xie Queshan pressed her down. She looked up in confusion, and a cloak was draped over her head.
Xie Queshan said nothing and left with long strides.
Nanyi looked at the cloak, then at the gaudy clothes on her body, immediately understanding. Appearing in Wangxue Manor in this attire would probably get her cursed to death by the dignified people of this noble family. She hurriedly put on the cloak. By the time she got off the carriage, Xie Queshan and He Ping were already walking in the corridor back to Jingfeng Residence.
Watching Xie Queshan’s figure disappear around the corner, a strange feeling rippled through Nanyi’s heart.
The carriage had stopped, and they had returned to their respective positions, but the river water was still rushing—she felt as if she were still on that lonely boat.