Xie Yanfang sat down and poured tea for Chu Zhao.

“When I heard the news, I had people investigate,” he said. “The source was the post station garrison, where several men had once been with Yanlai—”

Before he could finish, Chu Zhao smiled and shook her head: “It wasn’t them. Although they were present at the time, they wouldn’t have said this.”

Xie Yanfang was curious: “May I ask what the situation was back then? I asked Yanlai, but he wouldn’t say a word, only that you, Miss Chu, got what you deserved.”

He quoted the exact words, and rather than appearing displeased, the girl laughed heartily.

“I knew he would say that,” Chu Zhao said with a laugh.

Xie Yanfang smiled and raised his teacup for a sip: “Then it seems these words were true.”

Chu Zhao didn’t hide anything from Xie Yanfang. There was no need to conceal such matters, though she was somewhat surprised that even at this point, A-Jiu still hadn’t told his family.

“It started when I left the capital, trying to find a way to reach the border commandery.”

Chu Zhao told Xie Yanfang how she had disguised herself, how she had planned, and what had happened along the way.

Xie Yanfang listened with great interest, sometimes smiling, asking questions as she narrated.

“At that time, I didn’t know A-Jiu was from your family, much less that he was on a secret mission,” Chu Zhao said, looking at Xie Yanfang with a smile. “He never revealed a hint of his identity, until I saw him being punished by his family in the street, only then did I know who he was.”

Xie Yanfang looked at her and smiled: “I was the one who wrote the letter to your father and had Yanlai deliver it. Although your father has been at the border commandery for so many years, I’ve always believed that General Chu is a worthy person to befriend.”

Chu Zhao showed a look of sudden understanding, then shook her head: “Then he should have told me at the time. I could have taken him to meet my father, wouldn’t that have been better?”

Xie Yanfang laughed heartily, but didn’t say ‘yes, what a pity’: “What could he do? Miss Chu, you were in disguise and scheming all along the way—who would dare to cause you such trouble?”

Chu Zhao held her teacup and asked: “What if it had been you, Third Young Master?”

Xie Yanfang stopped smiling and said seriously, “I would have immediately taken Miss Chu and ridden at full speed straight to General Chu at the border commandery. I am born without fear of trouble.”

Chu Zhao laughed heartily and drained her tea in one gulp.

“Does Miss Chu not believe me?” Xie Yanfang asked with a smile.

Chu Zhao nodded: “I believe you. Of course I do. I believe there’s nothing in this world that Third Young Master wouldn’t dare to do.”

The girl spoke very seriously, her gaze forthright and clear.

Xie Yanfang smiled and didn’t continue the topic.

“So, because of my strange behavior—and, of course, A-Jiu’s issues—we were constantly wary of each other the whole way, eventually reaching the point of trying to kill each other,” Chu Zhao continued. “During our confrontation, I fell into the water, but then another accident occurred.”

She looked at Xie Yanfang.

“I encountered the Crown Prince of Zhongshan, Xiao Xun.”

Xie Yanfang immediately understood but remained silent, letting Chu Zhao continue.

However, Chu Zhao couldn’t mention her past life entanglements with Xiao Xun here.

“The Crown Prince of Zhongshan was acting on Deng Yi’s instructions to intercept me. To avoid being recognized, I improvised and pretended that A-Jiu and I were lovers quarreling in front of the Crown Prince of Zhongshan,” Chu Zhao said with a smile. “That’s why I said those words that are now spreading outside.”

Xie Yanfang laughed heartily, clapping his hands: “Miss Chu improvised brilliantly.”

Chu Zhao gave a self-deprecating smile: “What was so brilliant? In the end, I was still brought back. My improvisation was useless and only left behind evidence against me.”

Xie Yanfang adjusted his sleeve and brewed tea on the small clay stove, saying: “The Crown Prince of Zhongshan was targeting our Xie family. Miss Chu was caught in the crossfire.”

It wasn’t the post station soldiers who had spoken, and Xie Yanlai hadn’t said anything either, so it must have been the only other person present at the time—the Crown Prince of Zhongshan, Xiao Xun.

Xie Yanfang was somewhat surprised.

The Zhongshan King had always kept a low profile, and the Crown Prince had always been refined and elegant. Why would he suddenly do something like this? Was he making an enemy of the Crown Prince? It didn’t make sense.

The Zhongshan King was no fool. Although he had been as silent as Chu Yi in the capital for many years, the fact that the Empress Dowager had personally crippled him in the past showed how much of a threat he posed to the Emperor.

As for the Crown Prince of Zhongshan, Xie Yanfang had naturally heard of his reputation—a reputation perfectly calibrated to his status, neither too conspicuous nor too ordinary.

Was the Zhongshan King preparing to place his bet on the Third Prince, risking everything?

Xie Yanfang fell into deep thought despite having Chu Zhao as a guest. Chu Zhao didn’t mind his sudden silence and poured herself some tea. She knew that his deep contemplation was about what he was thinking—he must believe that Xiao Xun was targeting the Xie family, targeting the Crown Prince—

She didn’t intend to explain. This was precisely why she had immediately rushed to find Xie Yanfang, wanting this clever Third Young Master to fix his attention on Xiao Xun.

This was the truth, after all. Not only did Xiao Xun target the Crown Prince, but in the future, he would also seize the Crown Prince’s throne and fight Xie Yanfang to the death.

Since Xiao Xun had already emerged to scheme against her, let Xiao Xun and Xie Yanfang fight to the death now.

…

…

When Xie Yanlai arrived, this was the scene he witnessed.

In the waterside pavilion, a man and woman sat opposite each other, like a painted scene. The young master in white attire was focused on brewing tea, his movements flowing smoothly. The young lady leaned against the railing, one hand holding a teacup, drinking, the other tossing fish food playfully.

They were relaxed and at ease.

“A-Jiu?”

A-Le, standing not far from the pavilion, happened to turn around and see him. She quickly called out, then glared.

“You’ve come at just the right time—”

But before she could finish, Xie Yanlai turned and walked away.

“Hey!” A-Le shouted, but Xie Yanlai ignored her, turning past a flowering tree and disappearing.

The shaking tree was suddenly grabbed by a hand, preventing further swaying. Flower petals fell like rain, covering the ground and Xie Yanlai’s head and body.

“Young Master,” two maids supported him with concern, “what are you doing?”

His wounds hadn’t yet healed. When he heard Miss Chu had arrived, he had insisted on coming. The maids had repeatedly pleaded: “Young Master, you should rest. We’ll go and invite her—we’ll even kneel and beg if necessary.”

But Xie Yanlai wouldn’t listen.

“Why kneel to her? I’m not asking her to come see me; I want to see her, to laugh at her predicament,” he had said coldly, forcing himself to get up from bed, putting on clothes and walking step by step from his quarters—refusing to be carried.

The maids saw that Xie Yanlai’s back was stained red with blood.

After enduring such suffering to come all this way, why had he turned back?

Leaning against the flowering tree, Xie Yanlai waited for the pain from his wounds to subside, then said coldly: “Miss Chu is eloquent and will surely convince Third Brother. With Third Brother there, there’s no spectacle to see, no need to waste time.”

With that, he began walking away.

The two maids hurriedly followed. Fortunately, other maids had also arrived, eight of them carrying a daybed.

“Young Master, those servants are rough-handed and would make you more uncomfortable carrying you.”

“Let us do it. Our hands are gentle, surely you trust us?”

“Young Master, you haven’t lost faith in us, too, have you?”

Their voices were like those of orioles and swallows, full of gentle complaint. Xie Yanlai smiled—tormenting the maids was the most boring thing to do. He lay down on the daybed as suggested, and the maids lifted it with delicate effort, walking with rhythmic calls of “heave-ho, heave-ho.”

Xie Yanlai closed his eyes, resting his head on his arm.

Suddenly, a maid’s soft voice asked near his ear: “Young Master, did Miss Chu say those words to you?”

Xie Yanlai replied coldly: “You foolish girls should wake up. Don’t assume that someone who speaks passionately is a passionate person.”

The maids laughed. “We would never do that.” “We’re more used to Young Master saying harsh words to us.” “We’re not comfortable when others speak kindly to us.”

Xie Yanlai ignored their playful laughter, keeping his eyes closed and saying nothing more. Gradually, he fell asleep on the swaying daybed.

…

…

Xie Yanfang poured freshly brewed tea for Chu Zhao.

“I was lost in thought,” he said. “Please forgive me, Miss Chu.”

Chu Zhao smiled: “For Third Young Master to be lost in thought in front of me means you don’t see me as an outsider. I’m quite pleased.”

The girl’s eyes curved into crescent moons as she smiled.