After a long while, Nanyi finally processed this news.

Her mind was in chaos, thinking about how when Xie Queshan was preparing for the imperial examinations in Bianjing, Xie Sui’an had run away from home to find her brother. At that time, Xie Queshan and Pang Yu were close friends, so it wasn’t strange that Xie Sui’an and Pang Yu had met.

But Pang Yu was already dead, having died before Xie Queshan’s eyes, and Xie Sui’an still didn’t know.

Xie Queshan probably harbored enormous guilt toward his sister, which was why he protected her so fiercely.

The entire room fell into deathly silence. Nanyi didn’t know what to say to handle this sudden information.

Xie Queshan’s gaze was somewhat unfocused, his memories drifting to long ago: “When Little Six Xie came to Bianjing to find me that year, she dressed as a man every day, telling people she was my younger brother. Song Muchuan had a sharp mind—he saw through it early on, but Pang Yu was honest and straightforward, without so many cunning thoughts. Only he didn’t know that Little Six Xie was female. He was obsessed with martial arts and thought Little Six Xie’s kung fu was excellent, so he constantly wanted to spar with her. At first he was always beaten to the ground by Little Six Xie—though actually Pang Yu was going easy on her. He just liked being with Little Six Xie, and even if she always bullied and teased him, he was happy. By losing to her, he could often seek her out under the pretext of asking for guidance. One day Pang Yu suddenly realized he might have the cut-sleeve inclination and was troubled for many days, distracted all the time, even refusing all the marriage matches his family arranged. Later, when he finally learned Little Six Xie was a girl, guess what his reaction was?”

“He should have been very happy, right? His beloved was a woman, so they could be together without facing disapproving looks from society.”

Xie Queshan smiled slightly: “He was angry, very angry.”

Nanyi was puzzled: “Why?”

“Pang Yu was simple-hearted and never lied, so naturally he never thought others would lie to him. Thinking he had the cut-sleeve inclination, he struggled intensely day and night in his heart. When he finally accepted himself, he discovered his beloved was actually a girl who had deceived him for so long. He couldn’t accept it and stopped paying attention to Little Six Xie.”

“Then how did they end up together later?”

“Little Six Xie chased after Pang Yu every day and stubbornly won him back. Big Brother and Third Uncle were in the capital then and decided to arrange their betrothal… Originally they should have married then, but Pang Yu said he wanted to earn a scholarly degree first. His family background wasn’t high, and he worried he wasn’t worthy of Little Six Xie.”

“Your days in Bianjing then must have been very happy?”

Xie Queshan nodded: “Song Muchuan was elegant—he was always part of any romantic occasions. Pang Yu was loyal and honest, most reassuring to elders. Anything could be done using him as cover—just saying we were with Pang Yu meant the elders wouldn’t interfere anymore. And I…” He paused, calmly uttering two words: “Cunning.”

The beautiful reminiscence took a sharp turn downward, landing on this deeply pejorative word.

Nanyi felt her chest tighten with stuffiness.

Another long silence fell between them.

After a long time, Nanyi said: “Little Six Xie still doesn’t know about Pang Yu’s death.”

“Don’t tell her. Let him live a little longer in her heart.”

Nanyi’s tears flowed down.

Xie Queshan met her eyes. Her sadness was both comforting and piercing him. He raised his hand to cup her face in an extremely intimate gesture, looking at her, but did nothing except use his rough fingertips to forcefully wipe away her tears.

Nanyi inexplicably had the illusion that what he wanted to wipe away wasn’t her tears, but his own past.

“When he died, your heart must have been troubled too?”

“Caring too much about one’s own heart prevents getting things done.” He released his hand and sighed deeply, his tone full of exhaustion. “Go sleep.”

This was already the second night, and Xie Queshan still wasn’t planning to let her return. Nanyi was confused: “What are you waiting for?”

For a long time Nanyi got no response. She stopped asking and sensibly stood up, turning to enter the bedroom behind the screen.

Xie Queshan watched her figure. At this moment he was somewhat grateful that on this lonely night she was by his side, listening to him recall the past—the past that felt like a lifetime ago in his heart.

She hadn’t spurned him.

He didn’t care about the world’s contempt, but he would feel fortunate for this moment’s luck.

Soon, Nanyi learned what Xie Queshan was waiting for.

The next day, Xie Sui’an brought someone about Nanyi’s height wearing her clothes into Jingfeng Residence.

Xie Sui’an showed no courtesy to Xie Queshan, not even willing to greet him, getting straight to the point: “Sister-in-law is here with you, isn’t she?”

With Xie Zhu rescued, Lu Jinxiu guessed her daughter was involved but emerged unscathed, so naturally there was no reason to continue restraining her. When Xie Sui’an discovered Nanyi hadn’t returned to Zheyue Pavilion, she immediately arranged for a woman of similar build to impersonate her, staying behind closed doors in the room while searching for Nanyi’s whereabouts elsewhere.

After various inquiries, Xie Sui’an learned that on that night, Xie Queshan had a romantic tryst under the moon and brought a “maid” back to Jingfeng Residence.

Xie Sui’an guessed that person should be Nanyi. Though she didn’t know why Xie Queshan was protecting Nanyi, since this matter hadn’t been exposed to the Qi people, there was presumably still room for negotiation. So she hurried to Jingfeng Residence with someone to “exchange” Nanyi back.

The maid Xie Sui’an brought was reliable and could pose as Xie Queshan’s concubine. After swapping out Nanyi, she could walk openly out of Jingfeng Residence without arousing the Qi soldiers’ suspicion.

Nanyi heard Xie Sui’an’s voice and emerged from the inner room. Xie Sui’an went to meet her, looking at Nanyi nervously.

“He didn’t do anything to you, did he?”

Nanyi smiled reassuringly at Xie Sui’an and shook her head.

Xie Queshan unhurriedly sipped his tea, glancing at the deep sisterly bond between them: “Little Six Xie, I protected your accomplice and let you escape unscathed. Is this the attitude with which you thank me?”

Xie Sui’an immediately nervously explained: “She’s not an accomplice! Sister-in-law was forced by me. Everything was my idea. I needed an assistant and coerced her.”

“What’s done is done. Regardless of who initiated your actions, since it was to save Third Uncle, I’ll turn a blind eye.”

“I owe you a favor, and I’ll repay it.”

“Then repay it now.”

“What do you want?”

“Tell me—since you coerced her into being your assistant, what did you promise her?”

Xie Queshan’s distant, cold gaze lingered on both of them.

Both Xie Sui’an and Nanyi turned pale.

Xie Sui’an feared Xie Queshan would discover Nanyi’s identity as “Yan.”

Nanyi felt as if she’d fallen into an ice cave. She had considered many possibilities for what Xie Queshan was waiting for before letting her safely return to Zheyue Pavilion. She had spent two days and nights with him, even developing the illusion that he was one of her own people, completely unaware that he had become suspicious of her.

She thought she was clever, managing both sides—stabilizing Xie Queshan on one hand while having Xie Sui’an help her leave on the other. But she never imagined Xie Queshan had seen through her completely.

He had calmly waited with her for two nights, all for Xie Sui’an’s arrival, taking advantage of the situation to accept her favor and force her to reveal her true intentions!

This man… was monstrously intelligent and unfathomably deep!

No one spoke. Xie Queshan set down his teacup and looked at Xie Sui’an: “If you don’t tell the truth, I’ll kill her.”

Xie Sui’an spoke with difficulty, trying to buy time for more thinking: “How would you know if what I’m saying is the truth?”

“Anything that doesn’t satisfy me isn’t the truth.”

Nanyi gritted her teeth and spoke before Xie Sui’an: “I don’t want to remain a widow in the Xie family. I asked Sixth Sister to help me leave the Xie family and go to Jinling.”

Xie Queshan stared into Xie Sui’an’s eyes: “Is that so?”

Xie Sui’an nodded stiffly. She knew this was the truth, but only half the truth. Nanyi had concealed her identity—she just didn’t know if Xie Queshan would believe it.

Xie Queshan smiled slightly, his gaze falling on Nanyi: “Sister-in-law, at Big Brother’s tomb, I promised in front of everyone to let you remain a widow for him. If you run away, your loyalty, righteousness, and chastity will be gone—with just a worthless life, how do you plan to survive to reach Jinling?”

Nanyi’s entire body turned ice-cold.