The two guards looked at each other, neither knowing how to decide.

At that moment, a voice rang out: “What’s going on?”

The two men grabbed onto this lifeline and quickly bowed with cupped hands: “Lord Cheng, the eldest daughter of the Yun family seeks an audience with the prince.”

Chengxu was a third-rank first-class guard and also the vanguard commander for bandit suppression. Those below him all addressed him as “Lord.”

Chengxu walked out from within the residence and saw the woman wearing a black cloak. Naturally recognizing her as Madam Xie, he immediately said: “Madam Xie, please come inside.”

This Madam Xie was quite remarkable. Not only were the two young masters very close to Madam Xie, but even the prince treated Madam Xie extraordinarily differently. Naturally, she couldn’t be slighted.

Yun Chu nodded: “Thank you very much.”

She followed Chengxu as he stepped into Prince Pingxi’s residence. It was late at night, and dim yellow lanterns illuminated the courtyard, lighting the path ahead.

“Madam Xie, please sit in the side hall for a moment. I’ll go report to the prince right away.”

Chengxu had the maid on duty serve tea and some refreshments before heading to Chu Yi’s quarters.

Just as he reached the entrance to the inner courtyard, an old woman blocked his path: “Lord Cheng, the prince only extinguished his lamp and went to sleep half an hour ago. These past days, it’s been so difficult for him to get a peaceful night’s sleep. Whatever you have to report, wait until the prince has slept a bit longer, won’t you?”

The old woman was Chu Yi’s nursemaid. She had followed him since he was small and naturally felt protective of her master.

Chengxu knew that the prince had indeed been busy lately—court matters, bandit suppression matters, unexpected incidents—one after another, all handled by the prince.

Being able to sleep peacefully was truly not easy for the prince.

But Madam Xie…

Chengxu scratched his head.

“Nanny, I’ll just keep watch in the courtyard. Whenever the prince wakes up, I’ll report then.”

Seeing his conflicted expression, the nanny guessed it must be some important matter, so she lowered her arm and let him through.

Chengxu paced back and forth at the entrance to Chu Yi’s sleeping quarters.

He knew the prince cared about that Madam Xie, so he didn’t dare delay matters concerning her.

But the prince needed rest, and he didn’t dare wake him either.

He could only pace back and forth to ease his anxiety…

After walking for about half an hour, he heard a cold, deep voice from inside: “Chengxu, if there’s something to say, say it.”

“Your Highness, forgive me!” Chengxu startled and quickly said, “About half an hour ago, Madam Xie came seeking an audience, saying she has very important…”

Before he could finish his sentence.

The two doors in front of him were pulled open.

Chu Yi walked out from the room, putting on his outer robe as he walked, only picking up his boots once he reached the courtyard.

He walked swiftly outward while saying: “From now on, regarding any matters concerning Madam Xie, no matter what this prince is doing—whether sleeping or conducting business—you must report immediately.”

“Yes!”

Chengxu breathed a sigh of relief and led Chu Yi toward the side hall.

Yun Chu had been waiting for about half an hour when she saw Chu Yi stride in.

She immediately stood up: “Coming late at night, I’ve greatly disturbed you. I ask Your Highness to forgive this transgression.”

Chu Yi gestured for her to sit: “For Madam Xie to come calling at this hour means the matter is of great importance. Please speak.”

He was somewhat worried about what might have happened to her.

At the same time, a hidden corner of his heart felt joy.

Because when she encountered trouble, she was willing to come to him for help.

And she came calling in the middle of the night, which was enough to show that in her eyes, their relationship could be considered friendship.

Yun Chu began: “Regarding Marquis Xuanwu Qin Mingheng escaping and returning to the capital—I wonder if Your Highness is aware?”

Chu Yi nodded.

After the Xie family was surrounded, he had continuously arranged for people to monitor the situation at the Xie residence.

He also knew that after returning to the capital, Qin Mingheng had broken into the Xie residence.

His people had immediately informed him that the woman before him was uninjured, which was when he had finally gone to sleep.

“I wonder which lord is handling Qin Mingheng’s interrogation?” Yun Chu said slowly. “Can Your Highness intervene in this case?”

Chu Yi’s fingers rubbed together: “You mean you hope I’ll take it over?”

Yun Chu lowered her eyelids: “I trouble Your Highness. I know this request is quite unreasonable, so I’ve brought the land deed for the hot spring estate. I ask Your Highness to accept it.”

Previously, when Imperial Concubine Yin wanted to buy this estate, she had been unwilling to sell.

Now, asking someone for help, one needed to have the proper attitude. She was willing to offer the estate.

“Mad—” Chu Yi began, his tongue turning as he openly changed his form of address. “Miss Yun, you’re being too formal.”

He pushed the land deed back, then gave Chengxu a few instructions. Chengxu quickly left the prince’s residence.

Yun Chu knew he had gone to handle Qin Mingheng’s matter.

She was about to speak.

When she saw a young servant hurry to the entrance and whisper something in Chu Yi’s ear.

Chu Yi’s expression suddenly changed as he looked at Yun Chu in disbelief: “Your husband, Xie Jingyu, is dead?”

Yun Chu was stunned for a moment.

Xie Jingyu’s death had not been announced. Currently, only the Xie family members knew. Even the guards at the entrance to the Xie residence might not know yet.

How had the man before her received the news so quickly?

Could it be he had been having people monitor the Xie family?

Seeing Yun Chu’s silence, Chu Yi’s heart suddenly sank: “Did your husband die at Qin Mingheng’s hands?”

So she had come to ask him to take over Qin Mingheng’s case to avenge Xie Jingyu?

Was that it?

“No.”

Yun Chu directly denied it.

She pressed her lips together and said, “Because the Xie family encountered trouble, he drowned his sorrows in alcohol. His health was already poor, and drinking too much caused an incident… It has nothing to do with anyone else.”

Chu Yi’s gaze became somewhat obscure.

During Xie Jingyu’s one-year mourning period, it was he who, for his own selfish reasons, recalled him to court and arranged for him to take the most lucrative position in the Ministry of Revenue.

He had deliberately had someone tamper with the account books, deliberately placed falsified accounts before Xie Jingyu’s eyes.

He had thought that if Xie Jingyu could resist such great temptation, it would prove he was an honorable gentleman, and then he would let himself give up completely.

But on the very first day Xie Jingyu discovered the loopholes in the account books, he took several thousand taels of silver from the Ministry of Revenue.

He was glad that Xie Jingyu was a petty man.

He pitied that Yun Chu had married such a person.

What he hadn’t expected was that Xie Jingyu would drink himself to death before the court could even investigate the case thoroughly.

“It was I who arranged for Xie Jingyu to take this position.” He spoke with difficulty. “If it weren’t for me, perhaps this wouldn’t have happened…”

“At the root of it, it’s a matter of his own character.” Yun Chu spoke lightly. “People may act, but heaven watches. This is the fate he deserved.”

From her light tone, Chu Yi heard complex emotions.

He thought that even if her husband was a hypocrite who embezzled silver, even if her husband had done so many things to wrong her, there was still a place for Xie Jingyu in her heart.

As they spoke, Chengxu returned.

“Your Highness, when your subordinate went to the Court of Judicial Review, Marquis Xuanwu was undergoing flogging. The Minister of the Court of Judicial Review was preparing to execute him by beheading when the sun rose.” He reported. “Your subordinate informed him that Marquis Xuanwu still had other cases pending, so the Minister spared his life.”

Yun Chu breathed a sigh of relief.

For criminals who escaped during exile, the supervising guards had the authority to execute them immediately.

When Qin Mingheng was captured, she had guessed he probably wouldn’t survive until the sun rose the next day, which was why she had come in the middle of the night.

Fortunately, it wasn’t too late.