That night, neither of them slept well.

That Xie Wei couldn’t sleep was nothing unusual.

But Jiang Xuening, wrapped in the quilt and lying facing inward, found that even after quieting down, her emotions were difficult to calm. Perhaps having already slept in the first half of the night, she truly wasn’t tired in the second half. She kept her eyes open until the sky grew dimly bright before finally feeling her eyelids grow heavy, dozing off for a bit.

When she woke in the morning, Xie Wei had already risen early.

From his face one couldn’t tell that anything had happened last night. He was calm and ordinary with no unusual signs. Even the blood-stained Daoist robe had been changed for a clean one.

The Celestial Teaching now treated him rather like a guest, sending over everything needed for washing up, all proper and regulated.

If not for the group of people below watching day and night without rest, one might think he was still the Master Dujun of former days, rather than a prisoner as he was now.

Jiang Xuening blinked her eyes.

She naturally knew that being held hostage by the Celestial Teaching and having no freedom, she shouldn’t be lazy. However, having not slept well in the latter half of the night, she really had no energy and even had some headache and felt weak.

Struggling to sit up, within moments she collapsed back down again.

Seeing this, Xie Wei inexplicably found the scene somewhat amusing. The person was in the quilt with only a messy head poking out, lacking the spirit from last night when she had teased him. He only asked her: “Awake?”

Jiang Xuening nodded while in the covers.

Then added: “Tired.”

Though only one word, her voice sounded somewhat different from usual, carrying a bit of hoarseness that revealed some decadent laziness. As soon as it came out, even she herself was startled. Immediately realizing something, she bit her teeth slightly and looked at Xie Ju’an with some annoyance.

Hearing her voice, Xie Wei was also stunned momentarily. But then he looked away, lightly brought his hand to his lips to cover it, and said: “Then continue sleeping?”

Jiang Xuening laughed coldly: “You even need to say that?”

Too lazy to bother with him, she huffily twisted her body and turned her head back around, wrapping herself up like a large caterpillar. Closing her eyes, she paid no attention to the situation outside.

Outside, daylight had already brightened. Through the snow-white, slightly aged window paper it shone on her. Her waterfall-like black hair was spread beside the pillow. Looking at her, Xie Wei only felt that the flowing time had become slow upon that soft hair.

Clearly this was a dangerous situation, yet it gave one a feeling of tender warmth.

He stood there for a while before slowly smiling and walking out.

Wan Xiuzi had sent someone to invite him early in the morning.

Throughout the manor, guards were stationed every three steps, every five steps—more strictly guarded than last night. All along the way, led by a silent acolyte, every Celestial Teaching follower he saw cast wary, watchful gazes at him without exception.

They stopped at a waterside pavilion by the lake.

Inside was not only Wan Xiuzi. Besides him and a few attending acolytes, there were also several branch altar masters of varying heights and builds. Some were dressed as Daoists, others merely as ordinary martial artists from the rivers and lakes.

But without exception, none of them looked like easy people to deal with.

Yesterday Wan Xiuzi said he would give an answer today, which was why he summoned him now. Seeing Xie Wei enter, he set down the teacup he had just raised, saying: “After killing people last night, did you sleep well?”

Xie Wei had always been rigorous and self-disciplined. He wasn’t one of those profligates who indulged early and had been hollowed out by wine and women. Whether in the past studying music by lamplight or reading at night, or later entering court as an official urgently discussing affairs, occasionally going one or two nights without sleep was nothing much. Naturally, nothing could be seen on his face.

Xie Wei didn’t pay attention to the barbs in Wan Xiuzi’s words.

He only said: “Very well.”

Very well?

Wan Xiuzi was not without ears and eyes.

Last night when he probed with words, that girl had become angry and embarrassed, rebutting him and claiming she had no relationship with Dujun. Yet sleeping in the same room at night on one bed, she showed no resistance. When people went in this morning to deliver basins and water, though Dujun had already risen, they couldn’t tell whether the two had slept together. However, this morning people who had been guarding outside last night came to report to him, saying there was no movement in the first half of the night, but when it reached the hour of Zi and entered the second half of the night, they heard some sounds coming from inside.

This was it then.

Dujun’s nature was steady and patient, but with beauty before him, in the same room—if there were no sounds, that would be strange. As for sounds only in the second half of the night, that was even easier to understand and more credible. After all, walls have ears—no one wanted to perform for others to see. And in the second half of the night when guards might be drowsy and less alert, taking advantage of this time to do some illicit things might not necessarily be discovered.

However, how could Dujun know?

He had given instructions early on—how would this group dare to be lax at all?

Wan Xiuzi didn’t believe in any damned love and affection. Under heaven there might perhaps be women who remained faithful to one person all their lives, but where did men who would live or die for love come from? Women to men were nothing more than tools for releasing lust, implements, garments—only some were ugly and some beautiful, some coarse and some delicate.

Close your eyes, and they’re all the same.

If not for that particular act, what man would be willing to talk about feelings and love with women?

Therefore, if Xie Wei didn’t touch Jiang Xuening, he would actually become suspicious. Now he somewhat believed that Xie Wei had been temporarily blinded by the illusion of romantic love.

However, Wan Xiuzi wouldn’t bring up this topic. He only said: “The conditions you proposed yesterday—this seat and several branch altar masters have already discussed them. After all, you’ve been in court for many years, so knowing the nine cities’ military deployment maps is nothing unusual. My Celestial Teaching’s situation, starting from Jinling, has already occupied four provinces: Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Fujian, and Jiangxi—势如破竹, unstoppable momentum. We’re about to proceed west and north, swallowing the central heartland like a whale. If you can offer the military deployment maps and contribute to the great plan, a mere weak, delicate woman—naturally this seat won’t hold on and refuse to release her.”

Xie Wei looked at him but didn’t pick up the conversation.

Sure enough, Wan Xiuzi wasn’t such an easy person to talk to. His words took a turn: “However, regarding military deployment maps, no one in the Teaching knows the details, and we cannot verify their accuracy in advance. Even if you casually draw one to fool us, we couldn’t distinguish true from false. True gold must be tested by fire—only when truly engaging in battle will we know whether what you said is true or false. If you intend to set a trap, and this seat deploys troops and generals according to your map, perhaps the entire army will be destroyed, suffering great losses. These conditions—if you were this seat, would you agree?”

This was seeing the value in Xie Wei’s military deployment maps, yet not wanting to release anyone.

Indeed, what Wan Xiuzi said wasn’t wrong.

However, beneath such high-sounding words, who couldn’t know that he kept Jiang Xuening wanting to use this girl as a handle to grasp and control Xie Wei, forever making Xie Wei obediently submit? If useless, Xie Wei couldn’t escape; if useful, he could continue driving Xie Wei to serve him.

Xie Wei said: “Sect Leader, you may speak plainly.”

However, Wan Xiuzi laughed coldly: “How could you not know what I want to say?”

Not a single surrounding altar master interjected.

The already false smile on Wan Xiuzi’s face was pressed down by rising gloom. His eyes added several degrees of calculating viciousness. He only said: “That girl—this seat absolutely cannot release her now. The nine cities’ military deployment maps are critically important. If there’s an error, even ten of your heads couldn’t bear the responsibility. At this point, you’re on my chopping block with no room for choice. Draw out the deployment maps, and perhaps if this seat’s mood is good, I might spare you both. But if the deployment maps can’t be drawn, or if they’re false after being drawn and the front lines suffer defeat, I’ll have her be buried with you first!”

Anger instantly flashed across Xie Wei’s face, and his gaze also turned cold and heavy.

Wan Xiuzi didn’t rush him, only saying: “It’s your turn to consider it.”

But actually there was only one choice.

Indeed, as Wan Xiuzi said, Xie Wei had no choice.

Offering military deployment maps to make himself valuable could still exchange for a thread of hope for survival. If he stubbornly resisted now, his head would roll immediately with not half a chance to turn things around.

Smart people would choose the former.

And Xie Ju’an indeed sensibly chose the former.

Upon hearing him give an affirmative answer, yet seeing his fingers hanging at his side half-tucked in his sleeves clench tightly, Wan Xiuzi actually felt an unprecedented sense of satisfaction—

Even with your myriad superior schemes, what waves can you stir up?

Having a weakness, you only deserve to be manipulated!

And he had precisely grasped this weakness, thus standing in an invincible position.

On this day, the twenty-third of the first month, Xie Wei first drew for Wan Xiuzi the deployment map of Huizhou, closest to Jinling. Wan Xiuzi didn’t even glance at it before having someone send it directly to the front lines.

He never traveled together with the army.

Over twenty years ago, having failed in raising troops together with Prince Pingnan, fleeing in disarray from the capital and escaping far to Jiangnan, the court’s pursuit of him had never stopped all these years. This had also cultivated Wan Xiuzi’s excessively cautious and careful habits. In Jinling alone, there were countless residences unknown to others.

Even Xie Wei from back then only knew one or two.

Now at such a critical time, the front lines were the most dangerous place. If any battle failed, the rest might be killed or captured—either situation was unacceptable to Wan Xiuzi.

Therefore, his route was completely opposite to the Celestial Teaching army’s advance.

The Celestial Teaching marched from east to west, while Wan Xiuzi traveled from west to east. When the army took down one city in the east, he would advance one city eastward. If nothing unexpected happened and the war went smoothly, they would meet the army at some city along the way.

With such cunning-rabbit-three-burrows methods, even if someone wanted to make a move against him, they probably couldn’t track his whereabouts.

From Luoyang to Jinling by fast horse was just two or three days.

The front lines had already received Wan Xiuzi’s instructions. First, twenty thousand were divided from the sixty thousand troops to attack Huizhou at the weak points shown in the military deployment map. Troops dispatched at the end of the first month had already occupied the area by early second month, planting the Celestial Teaching’s “Great Unity Banner” all over the city walls.

When news reached Luoyang, the entire manor was energized.

This undoubtedly also verified the correctness of this military deployment map from Xie Wei.

Suddenly, his former status as “the Celestial Teaching’s strategist” and “Master Dujun” seemed to have returned. Even Wan Xiuzi was pleasant and agreeable toward him. Aside from not mentioning releasing Jiang Xuening at all, it was about the same as when Xie Wei was with the Celestial Teaching before.

In mid-second month, everyone set out heading east.

Leaving Luoyang, the next city was Xuchang. As usual they lodged at a Celestial Teaching branch altar—this time a Daoist temple that wasn’t particularly large.

Xie Wei had gained some freedom of movement. At least as long as he was under others’ watchful eyes, he could walk around the vicinity without having to be cooped up in his room all day.

However, the Celestial Teaching’s restrictions on Jiang Xuening hadn’t lessened by half.

It could even be said that after arriving at the Daoist temple in Xuchang, as long as he remained within the manor, wherever he went, not too many people interfered. As long as they could still see him under their noses, they didn’t bother with him.

However, not only was the guarding of Jiang Xuening not relaxed, it was even more careful and cautious than in Luoyang. Though they served her good food and drink, most of the time they didn’t let her leave her room even one step.

Jiang Xuening, being of a lively nature, was nearly driven mad by these people.

During this period she cursed Wan Xiuzi day and night. At night when sleeping with Xie Wei, she would say: “Right now we’re under someone’s roof and must bow our heads. But one day if this old geezer falls into this young lady’s hands, I’ll beat him until he can’t recognize even his ancestors back eighteen generations!”

Xie Wei spent all day outside calculating, not daring to err in a single step, a string in his head always taut. Coming back to hear her angrily complaining in such an amusing way, he couldn’t help but laugh along.

However, knowing she had pent-up frustration in her heart, he comforted her saying: “Soon.”

Jiang Xuening only rolled her eyes at him.

After a while, she hesitated before asking: “Cry out tonight?”

During this time, the two of them had truly performed their act convincingly, even sharing one tub of bathwater. Though Wan Xiuzi seemed to already believe their relationship, no one dared relax lest they accidentally reveal a flaw one day. So they still cried out every few days, making some commotion.

Xie Wei was quiet for a moment before saying: “Cry out.”

However, Jiang Xuening didn’t move for quite a while.

As if having some concerns, hesitating.

These past days, Xie Wei had heard her cry out more than once.

After all, the act had to continue.

However, perhaps because his arousal hadn’t received true relief, not only had he not grown accustomed under day after day of torment, but rather his reactions grew stronger with each hearing. He always couldn’t help doing something to her, and each time he did more than the last. By the end, she didn’t even need to pinch her voice and pretend—she was truly bullied by him to the point of begging for mercy, inevitably with tears filling her eyes, crying finely.

But when it became too shameful, she wouldn’t cry out instead.

She would bite her own reddened lips, or her slender fingers, unwilling to make too many sounds.

Whenever this happened, Xie Wei would have clearer recognition of himself.

He would discover that deeply buried wickedness.

Usually restrained by a sage’s outer shell, at such times it all surged up from the suppressed depths of his heart. Not only would he not let her go, he would deliberately kiss open her lips, move away her fingers, watch her being pressed by him until tears filled the corners of her eyes and they reddened, finally limply collapsing in his embrace in complete grievance, releasing those sounds in an even more provocative manner.

The last time was two days ago.

She had clearly learned her lesson from previous days and cried out very restrainedly.

But he still couldn’t control himself.

Perhaps he was wicked to begin with, originally wanting to indulge, wanting to be like an ordinary person, even more excessive than ordinary people. So he moved closer and with a hoarse voice, told her to take it in her mouth.

She refused.

Half coaxing, half forcing, he made her open her mouth and take in a little. She pushed it out with her tongue, eyes looking at him, tears falling pitter-patter. Finally she cried his heart soft. He punished her by making her turn around and press her legs tightly together before finishing the matter.

So naturally Jiang Xuening was intimidated today.

She deeply felt that lying beside Xie Wei was like being a rabbit that could be eaten by a wolf at any moment. Once she even dreamed of that rabbit she had brought back when first meeting Xie Wei years ago—he had grabbed it and skinned it.

But what could she do if she didn’t cry out?

Could she actually let Xie Wei do it?

Never mind Xie Wei himself—even she couldn’t imagine that scene. Just one thought turning that direction and she couldn’t help but shudder.

So in the end, she resigned herself to fate.

She had thought it would be like the previous few days.

But unexpectedly, today’s Xie Wei was extraordinarily quiet, neither moving his hands nor his feet.

Having cried out halfway, she was puzzled. Opening her mouth, she instinctively wanted to ask “what’s wrong with you today?” But when the words were about to come out, with a start, she suddenly realized—why was she asking this? Did she think she wasn’t dying fast enough?

So she quickly swallowed the words back down.

However, Xie Wei suddenly spoke at this moment, saying: “You continue crying out. I have something to tell you.”

Jiang Xuening was startled and immediately understood somewhat. She cried out slightly louder.

Xie Wei lay flat at her side, leaning close to her ear. Lowering his voice, he said: “Wan Xiuzi travels from west to east. The front lines take one city, only then does he move one city. From Luoyang to Xuchang to Jinling—altogether there are only nine strategic cities. Next I’ll continue providing deployment maps, but if we want to escape this predicament, it must be before he meets with the Celestial Teaching army—at least by the fifth city. Counting down the nine cities, including Xuchang, there’s Nanyang, Runing, Luzhou, Anqing…”

Jiang Xuening’s heart immediately jumped in alarm.

Xie Wei venturing alone into the tiger’s den—of course he couldn’t truly have come without purpose. He only said: “Wan Xiuzi keeping me now is also like seeking skin from a tiger. I can see that the fifth city, Anqing, is a strategic location. Once there, there will be no more opportunity to reverse the overall situation. Wan Xiuzi can naturally see this too. His vigilance against me will absolutely not dissolve so easily, so he will guess what I’m guessing.”

Jiang Xuening said: “You want to make your move in Anqing?”

Xie Wei smiled: “No—I must make my move before Anqing. But even you can think of this. How could Wan Xiuzi not think of it?”

So Jiang Xuening thought, if Wan Xiuzi could anticipate it, then Xie Wei definitely wouldn’t choose to act there. He’d have to move up one city earlier, which would be…

She said: “Luzhou Prefecture?”

Xie Wei said: “I’m pondering what Wan Xiuzi is thinking. But what if Wan Xiuzi is also pondering what I’m thinking?”

Jiang Xuening’s head was about to spin in circles.

She counted on her fingers one by one: From analyzing the situation, when Wan Xiuzi met with the army would be when the overall situation was decided. So if they wanted to act, it must be before they reached the fifth city, Anqing. Both Wan Xiuzi and Xie Wei knew this. Therefore, regardless of whether Xie Wei chose to act in the fifth city Anqing, Wan Xiuzi would definitely make his move against him before reaching the fifth city—at the latest in the fourth city, Luzhou. Xie Wei could guess that Wan Xiuzi thought this way. If he waited until the fourth city Luzhou to act, it would be too late, so he would choose the third city Runing, or even earlier. But couldn’t Wan Xiuzi think that Xie Wei was also pondering his thoughts?

Continuing to extrapolate like this, where was the end?

She became nervous from his explanation, couldn’t figure it out, and simply asked: “If we keep calculating like this, wouldn’t you have to act in the very next city, or even right here?”

Xie Wei poked her head: “This place has no troops ahead, no bandits behind, doesn’t border either side. How could we act here?”

Jiang Xuening was confused.

Seeing her stop, Xie Wei couldn’t help but remind her: “Continue crying out.”

Jiang Xuening looked at him resentfully before perfunctorily crying out two more times. Then she asked: “Then where will you choose?”

Xie Wei’s gaze flashed as he said: “Runing Prefecture.”

The third city, Runing?

Jiang Xuening opened her mouth wanting to ask why. However, a map of the Great Qian’s provinces along the Yangtze River suddenly surfaced in her mind. Her scalp almost instantly tingled. Her eyes slightly widened as she looked at Xie Wei.

However, Xie Wei only smiled calmly.

The prefecture bordering the south of Runing Prefecture was none other than the place where the Yan clan had been exiled years ago—

Huangzhou!

And over the past two years, whether Jiang Xuening or Lü Zhaoyin, they had secretly sent shocking amounts of silver to Huangzhou. The use of this money—she had never asked about it even once.

However, in the previous life, You Fangyin had secretly assisted Yan Lin by using it to raise troops!

Yet in this life, though the money was still provided, when Yan Lin left Huangzhou for the border, he went alone with a single horse. The troops used at the border were the border garrison—when had there been any trace of Huangzhou soldiers?

Thinking of this, she gasped.

Runing Prefecture was closest to Huangzhou. If they chose to act there, it was indeed most suitable.

But the premise was…

Jiang Xuening said: “Runing Prefecture is the third city. What if Wan Xiuzi chooses to act before reaching Runing?”

Xie Wei said: “Calculations have no end. Both he and I are taking a gamble.”

Jiang Xuening was speechless: “This still depends on luck? If it fails…”

Xie Wei laughed lightly: “How could it fail?”

Jiang Xuening was once again puzzled.

Xie Wei patiently explained to her: “If Wan Xiuzi chooses to act against me in the fourth city, he will definitely lose. If he chooses to act in the third city, colliding with me, the odds are fifty-fifty. If he chooses the first or second city, when he acts against me I haven’t yet acted—I’ll deal with him falsely and deceptively, enticing him with great benefits. He still won’t kill me. He thinks he’s grasped my weakness, but doesn’t know his nature of greed and suspicion is also a weakness. Thus, even if he chooses the first or second city, for me, the worst case is merely raising troops together with the Celestial Teaching. Originally, reaching the capital was sufficient—who breaks in matters not so much.”

This was also the fundamental reason Xie Wei dared to risk himself.

At worst, it was just helping the Celestial Teaching fight the court.

Jiang Xuening listened dumbstruck.

Xie Wei only looked at her, lowering his head to lightly kiss her forehead. In his eyes was that kind of smile showing cunning wisdom bordering on demonic, planning strategies to win a thousand miles away. He only said: “Xie Ju’an may not always win, but he will never lose.”

Jiang Xuening couldn’t say a word. She only looked at him.

However, Xie Wei said: “When the time comes to act, the scene will definitely be chaotic. I’ve been to Runing Prefecture’s branch altar, and this altar master was one of Gongyi Cheng’s old confidants. He will definitely make trouble for me. According to Teaching rules, I should be taken to the Heavenly Platform for public display. The Heavenly Platform is a built sacrificial altar. Below it, going twenty steps from due east northward, there’s a secret chamber left behind by Dao, Qin, Jian, and Shu that outsiders don’t know about. When the time comes, don’t worry about others. Once chaos breaks out, go hide inside. Don’t come out unless you hear Yan Lin’s or Dao, Qin, Jian, and Shu’s voices. Can you remember?”

A scene of flashing swords and bloody shadows was almost imminent.

Jiang Xuening silently recited this in her heart, nodded and said: “I remember.”

Xie Wei had her repeat it twice before feeling assured. He had her cry out for a while longer, then called for someone to bring water. Then he pushed Jiang Xuening: “Go bathe.”

Jiang Xuening still hadn’t quite recovered from the shock.

These days she had truly been lazy. From last night until now she hadn’t left the room once. She hadn’t touched half a speck of dust nor broken half a drop of sweat. From head to toe she was clean and tidy. Right now she really didn’t want to move, so she mumbled wanting to delay: “Why do you always make me go first every day? Today you go first, I’ll wash later.”

“…”

Xie Wei’s eyes looked deeply at her.

Jiang Xuening still didn’t understand. She said: “Go on.”

The corner of Xie Wei’s eye twitched slightly. Standing at the edge of the bed, looking down at her, he ultimately still said in a calm, even voice: “If you want to carelessly end up bearing me a child, that’s not impossible either.”

Bear a child?

Jiang Xuening was stunned, completely dazed for quite a while before understanding.

In this instant, her cheeks flushed completely red.

So angry she pulled the pillow from behind her head and threw it at Xie Wei. Her voice was trembling: “Shameless—the height of shamelessness!”

Despicable!

Obscene!

What exactly had this person been doing while bathing?!