But whether she didn’t trust him or found him frightening, actually neither was really the problem.

Chu Zhao was silent for a moment, then nodded.

“That Prince Zhongshan could reach today’s position is actually still because of his status,” she said. “His status was born with him. Third Young Master, you’re different. Your status is something you sought for yourself. Regardless of how the world views it, in my eyes, you’re more formidable than Prince Zhongshan. Not just you—in my eyes, Deng Yi is the same.”

These words were very candid and also very pleasant to hear.

Only Xie Yanfang wasn’t looking for pleasant words. He smiled thoughtfully and nodded. “I know. People find formidable things and people frightening. So all along I’ve been frightening Miss A Zhao.”

Chu Zhao hurriedly waved her hand. “Not frightening—inspiring.”

Her eyes shone brightly as she looked at Xie Yanfang.

“I’m fortunate to have met someone as formidable as you, so I too must become formidable.”

Before Xie Yanfang could speak again, she nodded.

“So this recent affair was my opportunity.”

Saying this, she paused slightly and smiled self-deprecatingly.

“Actually, putting it this way, my feelings are the same as Third Young Master’s. Prince Zhongshan raising troops was also a good thing for me.”

She too had gained renown by defeating Prince Zhongshan.

Xie Yanfang shook his head. “No, don’t say that. You can’t think of it that way. Miss A Zhao wanted to seize an opportunity, not hope for this opportunity.”

Chu Zhao sighed inwardly. When this Third Young Master had claimed earlier that he wasn’t a good person, who could fail to consider him one?

He truly was very kind-hearted.

Chu Zhao expressed thanks: “Thank you for Third Young Master’s understanding.” Not continuing this topic—discussing the good and evil in her own heart wasn’t important—she went on: “I knew that with you there, Prince Zhongshan would certainly be dealt with, but I didn’t want to sit and watch from the sidelines. After all, I’m now the Empress. So I analyzed the situation, arranged personnel, and like Third Young Master, struck back at Prince Zhongshan. As for why I didn’t contact you—”

She looked at Xie Yanfang, her eyes bright.

“Third Young Master, you were fighting for yourself, and I was fighting for myself. I didn’t want to disrupt Third Young Master’s plans, and even more, I couldn’t let Third Young Master plan for me.”

Xie Yanfang smiled, turning the tea cup in his hand, drinking it all in one go. “Even if you and I each fight our own battles, as long as our goals align, it’s still fighting side by side.”

Chu Zhao nodded. “Right, and moreover—” She smiled again. “Precisely because I know Third Young Master is formidable, I deeply believed that even if I failed, there would still be Third Young Master who could turn the tide and be invincible.”

Xie Yanfang laughed heartily and poured tea again, suddenly saying: “Earlier when I used Master Chu Lan’s past affairs without telling you, it was—”

“No need to say more. Even if I hadn’t had my own plans to borrow strength from this matter, I also knew that in revealing the past, Third Young Master wouldn’t let me, Chu Zhao, bear a stained reputation,” Chu Zhao interrupted him. “You would certainly have a way to eliminate any unfavorable impact on me.”

Xie Yanfang looked at her.

Her eyes were bright and brilliant, clear as snowmelt at the bottom.

She trusted him.

“Actually, you’re the one who’s truly candid with me,” he said with a soft sigh. “You know me, trust me, never resent me. You even understand me better than I understand myself.”

Understand him better than he understood himself? She didn’t dare claim that much. Chu Zhao raised her tea cup. “I said before that being able to meet Third Young Master in this life is heaven’s mercy toward me. Although Third Young Master said it was what I deserved, Third Young Master may not be able to appreciate how knowing you and being able to walk side by side with you is such an honor for me.”

Xie Yanfang was stunned, then slowly smiled. This time he didn’t praise Chu Zhao again, but raised his tea cup and lightly touched it to hers.

“I am honored,” he said, drinking the tea in one gulp.

Chu Zhao also drank her tea in one gulp.

“Although there’s no wine, try these drinking snacks,” Xie Yanfang said, pointing to the plates. “These are famous local delicacies. See if they suit your taste?”

The topic had shifted. This matter was concluded.

Chu Zhao wasn’t polite and tried them as suggested. One bite was sour, the next spicy, and her eyebrows scrunched together.

“Not to my taste,” she said, covering her mouth.

Seeing the girl’s little face wrinkled up, Xie Yanfang laughed heartily and poured her more tea. “You always have to try something new.”

Chu Zhao held the tea and drank it all in one breath. “I need to continue my journey.”

Xie Yanfang nodded. “A Yu is waiting for you in his heart. Return early.”

Chu Zhao stood up and gazed at the peach grove ahead. “Thank you, Third Young Master, for letting me stop to see such beautiful scenery.”

Xie Yanfang reclined against the armrest, also looking at the peach grove. “And thank you, Miss A Zhao. It’s also been a long time since I’ve looked at scenery.”

Since that night when everything happened unexpectedly, events had followed one after another. Even the eagle soaring at the mountain peak had to keep his nerves taut at all times.

Chu Zhao turned to look at him and called: “Third Young Master.”

Xie Yanfang withdrew his gaze to look at her.

“Although Third Young Master didn’t personally cut down Prince Zhongshan with a blade,” Chu Zhao said, “I think you have ten thousand ways that don’t require seeing blood—clipping his wings, breaking his bones. Prince Zhongshan was a mountain, but Third Young Master could level him with bare hands.”

Spring water rippled into a smile across Xie Yanfang’s face.

“That’s right,” he nodded, his voice no longer gentle as jade but with an unprecedented cold pride. “I can.”

……

……

When Steward Cai came over, Xie Yanfang was reclining against the armrest, gazing at the peach grove. Across from him, Du Qi sat cross-legged, eating and drinking.

He looked into the distance, watching that girl gallop away on the main road, becoming a black dot beside the peach grove like clouds and sunset.

“What did she say?” Steward Cai asked. “Is she deliberately opposing us? Does she have a deal with Prince Zhongshan? What are her true intentions? She clearly became A Yu’s Empress—why is she so distant from our Xie family?”

Xie Yanfang’s gaze was distant, on the horizon. “Deliberate—you could say it’s deliberate, but it’s not a deal with Prince Zhongshan, nor is it opposing us. Distant? She is distant, because even though she became A Yu’s Empress, she is only herself. So when she acts, it’s first for herself.”

Though these words were convoluted, Steward Cai still understood. He said flatly: “The Chu clan and our Xie clan are not of one heart.”

Xie Yanfang smiled. “We’re not of one heart with her either.”

Steward Cai sat down, frowning. “It doesn’t matter if she’s not of one heart with us, but if she’s of one heart with that Deng Yi—”

Xie Yanfang shook his head. “No, no, Steward Cai, you don’t understand. There’s no need to care about who she’s of one heart with. She’s not that kind of person.”

“Then what kind of person is she?” Steward Cai didn’t understand.

Xie Yanfang looked at him with a smile, pointing at himself. “My kind of person.”

He’d said this before. How many times now? The third time? Things don’t go past three. Though Steward Cai believed his young master was unique in all the world, still—

This girl’s momentum truly couldn’t be underestimated now.

“Does Young Master truly think she’s like you?” he asked.

Xie Yanfang propped his head on his hand, looking at the horizon. “Although I don’t know why, she hasn’t experienced the pleasure of standing at the highest mountain peak, but what she seeks is the same as me.”

She too seemed to take in this mortal world at a glance.

Therefore, she too wanted to tower above others, with all things only under her own control.

Hearing this, Du Qi put down the food in his hands. “Then I’ll go kill her.”

Steward Cai was startled, then amused. He also remembered—Xie Yanfang had said before that if this girl was truly like him, he would kill her.

Steward Cai looked into the distance, thoughtful. “Actually, though she has quite a few troops, to accomplish it wouldn’t be difficult—”

Xie Yanfang pressed a cup of tea into Steward Cai’s hands. “Steward Cai, it’s not a question of difficult or not.”

He had said before that if there was someone like himself, because he knew how frightening he was, he would kill them.

But when he looked at this girl standing before him, praising him, wary of him—she was candid yet solitary, passionate yet dispassionate.

She was like sunlight, aggressive and pressing, yet also like a deep pool, profound and drowning.

Steward Cai held the tea and looked at him. “Then what’s the problem?”

Xie Yanfang smiled. “The problem is, I can’t bear to.”