Meng Shi only knew that Xie Wei was Jiang Boyou’s colleague and Jiang Xuening’s palace mentor, but she didn’t know that over four years ago, when Jiang Xuening returned to the capital from the farm estate, Xie Wei had traveled with her under an assumed name!

As early as then, he had known these secrets of the Jiang manor like the back of his hand.

For the sake of Jiang Xuehui, whom she had raised from childhood, Meng Shi had claimed that this daughter Jiang Xuening had been sent to live on the estate to avoid disaster according to a master’s divination. She had concealed the secret of their origins extremely well—how could she have anticipated it would be exposed in one sentence by Xie Wei, who seemed completely unrelated? Just the two words “deceiving the sovereign” made her heart pound uncontrollably, and her face instantly lost all color.

Even Jiang Boyou was somewhat unexpected.

Xie Wei served as an official at court, conducting himself with steady composure in all matters. His behavior was faultless and demonstrated his bearing—something everyone had almost grown accustomed to, naturally including Jiang Boyou. But within these seemingly gentle words just now lurked ten thousand kinds of danger!

Yet more than alarm, what he felt was surprise—

He had originally thought that even if Xie Wei, as a palace mentor, took extra care of his unworthy daughter, it was likely only out of consideration for a colleague’s face. He shouldn’t truly value Ning girl from the heart or regard her differently.

But from what he saw now, it seemed this wasn’t the case.

Having spoken this far, saying even one more sentence would likely brew into an irredeemable mistake. Having served as an official for many years, Jiang Boyou understood well the principle of restraint. He was also grateful that Xie Wei’s words were spoken gently on the surface—in any case, there were steps to descend.

So he smiled: “Ju’an speaks very correctly. Ning girl is just a bit mischievous—it doesn’t matter.”

He waved his hand at Meng Shi: “His Highness Prince Linzi is of noble character and has the Emperor’s favor—he should be a good match. This marriage for sister Hui is truly not bad at all. The Imperial Observatory will soon set a date. There are many things the household needs to prepare—a thousand threads, ten thousand strands. Madam should hurry and begin managing things.”

Meng Shi had her pain point struck and her vital weakness seized by Xie Wei’s single sentence. The momentum she had bitten her teeth to scold Jiang Xuening with had diminished. Her eyelids twitched several times. In the end, she said nothing more and turned to leave.

Jiang Xuening had her back turned and didn’t look back even once.

Jiang Xuehui’s face showed embarrassment. She seemed to want to say something, but the current scene truly wasn’t a place for her to speak. She could only give a bitter laugh and silently curtsy to Jiang Boyou and Xie Wei before withdrawing.

Jiang Xuening still had her head lowered, wiping her hands with the handkerchief.

Xie Wei watched her with lowered eyelids. He saw that she was wiping with considerable force—the back of her right hand had been rubbed red over a large area. The dirt had clearly already been wiped clean, yet she still hadn’t stopped, as if venting anger. Her small, pale face was completely expressionless.

He then said: “Everyone has left.”

Only then did Jiang Xuening’s movements stop. The originally snow-white handkerchief was now wrinkled in her hand and stained all over. It wouldn’t be appropriate to return it to Xie Wei, so she kept it in her hand, saying quietly: “Thank you, mentor.”

Xie Wei said: “With the Grand Princess preparing for the marriage alliance, palace lessons are no longer held. Your studies haven’t fallen behind, have they?”

Jiang Xuening was startled.

These past days she had either been busy pushing forward the marriage alliance proposal in the streets or busy meeting Xiao Dingfei and contending fiercely with Xiao Shu—where in her mind were the two words “studies”?

She instinctively looked up at Xie Wei, but concealed some guilt.

Though she said nothing, with one look at her shrinking, turtle-like posture—completely lacking the spirit she’d had when beating people with a wooden stick—Xie Wei knew she had been neglecting her studies during this time. He only said: “Excellence in study comes from diligence, ruin from play. Though you’ve already returned home, your studies must not be neglected. Perhaps one day I’ll come to your manor again to examine and test you.”

Jiang Xuening’s head immediately felt twice as large.

That this mentor had suddenly spoken up for her just now had truly surprised her to the extreme. Although she felt she wouldn’t have suffered a loss, how could she fail to recognize others’ goodwill? But thinking about the reasons behind it, she didn’t feel Xie Wei was especially particular about her—most likely her situation had made Xie Wei think of something else.

What floated into her mind was the Xiao clan from her previous life.

Her heart suddenly became vigilant.

Jiang Xuening didn’t dare disobey Xie Wei’s words in the slightest. She obediently nodded and said: “Mentor’s admonishment is correct. This student will resume her studies today.”

Her overly well-behaved and obedient appearance inevitably made Xie Wei feel somewhat stifled. Moreover, with Jiang Boyou beside them and official matters to discuss, it wasn’t good to keep her to say anything more. So he let her go first, preparing for him to examine her studies another day.

Jiang Xuening naturally took the opportunity to escape while she could.

Not until she had swiftly run past the hanging flower gate and disappeared from their sight did her footsteps slow down. She even couldn’t help turning back to glance: This person Xie Wei—his heart’s warmth and coldness were difficult to fathom, yet his measured sense of propriety in conduct and behavior was truly admirable. Even someone like her who knew his inner nature well couldn’t help but be confused by him at times. What exactly had the Xiao clan and the imperial family done to him back then, what kind of deep hatred had they forged, that could make this person tear away such a solid and reliable sage’s skin and transform into a devil?

You Fangyin’s subtle words and expression from her previous life floated into Jiang Xuening’s mind, actually arousing in her heart some curious desire to investigate.

But the instant she thought of this, she shuddered.

She immediately suppressed this thought. What was truly urgent now was plotting how to rescue Shen Zhiyi from this perilous situation, and in this lifetime her interactions with Xie Wei were best limited to just this—not going any deeper—

Preventing Shen Zhiyi’s marriage alliance, and interactions with Xie Wei?

Jiang Xuening’s heartbeat suddenly quickened for that moment. Standing in place, she slowly raised her left wrist: On her slender, white wrist, a light-colored scar slanted across, vaguely still able to make one imagine the alarming sight of blood sliding down from the wrist.

One dangerous thought had just been suppressed.

But another even more dangerous idea actually completely beyond control, madly occupied her mind, making her heart race—no matter what, she couldn’t shake it off!

If in her previous life she had used old affections to coerce Xie Wei into sparing Zhang Zhe when she slit her wrist, then in this lifetime, could she also use this sole debt to entreat Xie Wei…

Shen Lang’s sudden and unpredictable order to begin investigating the Xiao clan’s Ganzhou relief funds case truly made the court officials handling it scratch their ears and cheeks, only because they couldn’t figure out what the Emperor truly meant. They were afraid of handling the matter incorrectly—not only would there be no merit or credit, they would also lose imperial favor and invite blame.

Xie Wei’s visit to the Jiang manor was also mainly to discuss this matter with Jiang Boyou.

After the Yongyi Marquis manor was raided, the changes in the political situation made people anxious. Sometimes Jiang Boyou had no choice but to seek Xie Wei’s assistance, only because this young mentor was famously far-sighted in court, skilled at planning strategies.

Their discussion lasted a full half hour.

During this time, Jiang Boyou never mentioned the earlier incident with Jiang Xuening in the covered walkway.

Only when the discussion ended and he was seeing his guest out did he smile and say: “Ning girl’s experiences have truly been quite bitter. But when parents encounter such trying matters, it’s truly difficult to balance everything. In those first two years after she returned, if we wanted to strictly discipline her—she had already suffered so much wandering outside, firstly we feared she’d be sensitive, hurt, and unhappy, secondly we feared she’d think we didn’t care for her. If we wanted to be lenient and treat her well—but managing too loosely, not knowing proper behavior, not understanding human relations, how could she improve? Before long, she ended up playing around with the heir apparent. The heir apparent indulged her… ah, never mind.”

Xie Wei looked at him.

Jiang Boyou shook his head as if wanting to dispel that bit of distress, then gazed at Xie Wei and said: “The changes in Ning girl since entering the capital—Ju’an should also have seen them. You’ve watched her grow up. Seeing that Ju’an is actually willing to teach her, and she’s quite well-behaved before Ju’an, I momentarily feel I’m inadequate as a father.”

Serving as officials at the same court, who didn’t praise Xie Wei’s noble character and upright conduct?

So Jiang Boyou didn’t think in other directions at all.

Xie Wei’s special regard for Jiang Xuening—he only took it as a deep teacher-student bond, and said: “I trust Ju’an’s character. It’s just that if Ning girl can learn even a fraction from studying under Ju’an and change these unruly, immature habits, I’ll be relieved.”

Unruly and immature?

Xie Wei recalled that young girl’s bearing—prickly like a sharp thorn on brambles, fragile yet like a gorgeous flower atop a cliff. Rarely after hearing Jiang Boyou’s peaceful words did he feel some discomfort.

So he stopped in his tracks.

The smile on his face was rarely so faint it was almost invisible. Facing Jiang Boyou, he slowly said: “Ning’er’s temperament is hard on the outside, soft on the inside. She probably never received anything good growing up—she responds to kindness, not harshness. Whenever others give her some kindness, she becomes devoted to them. A young lady shouldn’t be raised this way—she’ll be easily led astray by others. She acts out because she’s distressed. With insufficient upbringing returning to the capital, did Minister Jiang and Madam truly never feel disappointed by her crude words and coarse behavior? Young girls have delicate, sensitive thoughts. Even if they don’t hear people’s words, just watching others’ expressions, they inevitably feel frightened and dejected. She’s neither unruly nor ignorant—it’s just that you don’t understand her, and I failed to notice. We’ve hurt her.”

Jiang Boyou froze, speechless.

Having finished speaking, Xie Wei seemed somewhat downcast. He said nothing more, only bidding “farewell,” and walked slowly past the just-budding wisteria arbor toward the manor gates.

His carriage was waiting at the side gate.

But when he walked out, he saw that Jianshu wasn’t sitting on the carriage shaft but standing ramrod straight beside the carriage. Upon seeing him, his expression was also strange.

Xie Wei’s brows furrowed.

Before he could ask, a figure standing behind the carriage walked out and actually bowed to Xie Wei: “This student greets mentor. I’ve been waiting for mentor for quite some time.”

Jiang Xuening was extremely anxious. She had waited outside for a long while, and that bit of courage that had suddenly emerged was almost exhausted in this gradual waiting. She had nearly wanted to give up and flee back to her room.

Fortunately, Xie Wei came out at this moment.

She steeled herself to come forward and bow, forcing out an awkward smile, her heart pounding violently like beating drums.

Heaven knows that even in her previous life when she spoke asking him to save Zhang Zhe before taking her own life, she hadn’t been this nervous!

Xie Wei hadn’t expected her to be waiting for him here, so he looked at Jianshu.

Jianshu shook his head at him, indicating he also didn’t know.

His gaze flowed, easily guessing the situation. Thinking she had something to find him for, his voice softened somewhat: “What is it?”

Jiang Xuening’s voice trembled somewhat: “This student, this student wishes to entreat mentor for help. Mentor perceives worldly affairs and observes minutely—you must be fully aware of the winds and rains in the streets. In the palace, Her Highness the Grand Princess has treated this student most generously, yet due to circumstances is being sacrificed by her own family, actually having to travel far to the Tatars for a marriage alliance. The barbarian tribes drink blood and eat raw meat. She’s but a weak woman, and her status is still special—how do we know she won’t be harmed by the barbarians in the future? Though this student has some meager strength, I fear I cannot save her from fire and water. I wonder, I wonder if I could ask mentor to help, to help…”

Xie Wei’s brows immediately furrowed slightly.

As Jiang Xuening spoke, she was also gauging his expression. Seeing this posture and fearing Xie Wei wouldn’t agree, she immediately raised her left hand and swore an oath: “Only this once, never again! It’s not that this student is exploiting a debt—truly my capabilities are insufficient and I’m entreating mentor to assist a little, make things convenient! After this matter, this student and mentor will owe each other nothing, all debts settled, no further entanglements!”

Owe each other nothing.

All debts settled.

No further entanglements!

Did she want so badly to draw a clear boundary with him?

Xie Wei gazed at her. His originally peaceful state of mind seemed swept by a wild wind into chaos. His tense body harbored an indescribable, suppressed fury. Even the hand clasped behind his back was clenched tight.

The smile disappeared from his lips.

Dark clouds slowly crept into his pupils.

In her previous life when Jiang Xuening had exploited the debt demanding he repay it, she had been inside the great hall and only heard his emotionless single word “Alright.” She didn’t know what expression Xie Wei wore outside the hall. But she supposed it should have been peaceful and calm, like a sage untouched by worldly matters.

But in this moment…

He stood there like an unfathomable abyss. She actually had the feeling that she’d provoked him and would be strangled in the next instant. Shuddering, she retreated a step.

A long silence.

Jiang Xuening didn’t dare speak.

Xie Wei finally withdrew his gaze and actually smiled peacefully, as if that surging violent energy and emotion were merely others’ illusions. He walked directly past her. When his words emerged, they were completely calm—not half a word more than in her previous life. He only said: “Alright.”