Xie Yanfang did not accompany Chu Zhao to meet Xie Yanlai. Of course, events that happened in the household flowed like water, eventually converging before him.

“They almost came to blows,” Steward Cai said. “What could they possibly have to quarrel about?”

Xie Yanfang kept his head down, busy with his work, and casually replied, “Those two were bound to fight upon meeting.”

Steward Cai said, “They’ve already schemed their way to you, young master. What’s the point of going further? Both brothers scheming—isn’t Miss Chu afraid of cracking her teeth?”

Xie Yanfang laughed, “Steward Cai, don’t be so harsh on a young girl. She has neither father nor mother by her side. When bullied, she finds ways to fight back—it’s only human nature and quite commendable. If it were me, I would do the same.”

“Why do you always compare yourself to a young girl?” Steward Cai sighed helplessly. “Do you truly see this young miss as yourself in your youth?”

Xie Yanfang laughed heartily, “She just reminds me of how interesting I was in my youth. If she were truly like me—”

He took up his brush and made a light mark on a letter.

“I would kill her.”

Only he knew how terrifying he truly was.

…

…

The carriage swayed as it departed from the Xie residence. Chu Zhao leaned against the carriage wall with her eyes closed, seemingly tired.

A-Le let out a surprised sound beside her.

“What is it?” Chu Zhao quickly opened her eyes and saw A-Le holding a small gourd in her hand. It looked like a gourd but also resembled a cricket cage, delicate and adorable, bright green and translucent.

So this was a—

“A cricket cage carved from a gourd,” A-Le explained with a smile. “It belongs to A-Jiu. The maids let me look at it, and I forgot to return it, so I accidentally brought it out.”

After thinking for a moment, she snorted.

“Since I’ve already taken it, let’s consider it compensation to you, Miss.”

She pushed the cricket cage into Chu Zhao’s hands.

Chu Zhao accepted it with a smile, holding it up and shaking it gently. “Then let’s catch a cricket to keep when we get back.”

A-Le nodded with a smile, then sighed: “This A-Jiu still has such a bad temper. I don’t think he’ll help us.”

Chu Zhao said, “I actually don’t know if he’ll help or not. We can try.”

“Aren’t a few medicinal pills too few?” A-Le said, feeling her money pouch. “We have money now. How about gilding the pills?”

Chu Zhao burst into laughter: “He wouldn’t care about that.”

A-Le didn’t laugh, but frowned with concern: “Then how do we persuade him?”

Chu Zhao said, “With sincerity. Perhaps he’ll be moved.”

What was sincerity? A-Le was even more confused.

“There are many forms—the medicinal pills you made, my visit to him, the words we speak,” Chu Zhao smiled. “It could be anything. We’ll see what touches him.”

This time A-Le laughed heartily: “Miss, you might as well forget about visiting him. You nearly got into a fight with him.”

Chu Zhao laughed along: “He is quite deserving of a beating.”

The mistress and servant were giggling and bumping heads in laughter when the carriage suddenly jolted to a stop.

“Miss,” the driver said timidly, “someone—”

Was someone stopping the carriage? Was it Liang Qin again? A-Le fiercely lifted the carriage curtain, “Who—oh?”

Her shout was cut short when she saw who was standing in front of the carriage.

The person before the carriage had already been startled by A-Le’s fierce demeanor.

“Miss A-Le, I, I came to—ah, this is all my fault,” Zhang Gu said with a flushed face. “Many people have been inquiring at the postal station barracks. I’ve already instructed everyone not to speak carelessly, but somehow, word got out—”

As he spoke, he bowed low.

“Words are useless now. I’ve come to apologize to Miss Chu—”

Chu Zhao had already jumped down from the carriage: “Officer Zhang, please rise. This matter has nothing to do with you.”

A-Le followed, jumping down as well. Hearing Chu Zhao’s words, she rushed forward to help Zhang Gu up.

“I know it wasn’t your doing,” Chu Zhao said sincerely. “This matter is—”

Zhang Gu’s face was anxious as he hurriedly said, “It couldn’t have been A-Jiu’s doing.”

Chu Zhao looked at him and stopped speaking.

“A-Jiu isn’t that kind of person,” Zhang Gu said, then became somewhat embarrassed. What kind of person was A-Jiu? The kind like Xie Yanlai.

What kind of person was Xie Yanlai? A scion of the Xie family, a man who killed and plundered throughout the countryside—

What right did he have to be so certain to this girl that it wasn’t A-Jiu?

“Miss Chu, I’m just guessing blindly. It’s just that when A-Jiu was with us,” Zhang Gu lowered his head and said softly, “he never allowed us to joke about you, and never mentioned you. After returning to the capital, he simply disappeared.”

“Yes,” Chu Zhao said softly. “I know it wasn’t him. If he truly had such intentions, why would he wait until now?”

Not only did he lack such intentions, but he had also avoided her. As a member of the Xie family, he hadn’t mentioned her even once to Xie Yanfang.

Knowing his family wanted to connect with the Chu family, he still remained silent.

And then there was Xiao Xun, who, knowing she retreated at every step, still pursued her relentlessly, time and again, always using these base tactics between men and women—

Zhang Gu saw the girl’s solemn expression and couldn’t help but step back, shivering.

Was she speaking ironically?

Chu Zhao noticed her slip and quickly composed herself, saying gently, “It truly wasn’t him. We’ve already met, and we know who did it.”

“We?” Zhang Gu noticed this word and felt completely relieved. So they had indeed met. That was good, that was good. The most fearful thing between men and women was misunderstanding. Meeting face to face and clearing things up was for the best.

Miss Chu had already visited the Xie family, which meant she had met the elders too.

Since the elders knew, this matter wasn’t an issue anymore.

“How is A-Jiu doing?” Zhang Gu couldn’t help but ask.

Chu Zhao smiled, “Not well. He was beaten badly, so badly he couldn’t even get up from his bed.”

She seemed quite happy about it. Was this the playfulness of young lovers? Zhang Gu forced a smile, then thought about why A-Jiu had been beaten, and his smile faded.

“So he did that thing?” he asked.

This simple military man now had a complex expression—pain, anger, and bewilderment. Chu Zhao put away her smile and said seriously, “I don’t know. I asked him, but he didn’t answer me. Officer Zhang, if he did it, then he deserves what he got now.”

Zhang Gu nodded, “Right, Miss Chu speaks truly. If he did evil, then he is an evil person and should face retribution.”

And if he didn’t, then there would be no retribution.

Chu Zhao smiled, “I knew you all would be concerned. I should have sent someone to inform you first, but I truly don’t have many trustworthy people at hand, so I’ve caused Officer Zhang to make this trip personally.”

Zhang Gu’s heart trembled again, different from his earlier fear. This time it was a soft trembling. This clever, approachable girl who treated people with such sincerity was truly General Chu’s blessing.

Who wouldn’t want such a daughter?

“Miss A-Fu, when you speak like this, I truly cannot accept such an honor,” he said.

This address of “A-Fu” made Chu Zhao smile more deeply, “Yes, Officer Zhang. When I met you all, I was A-Fu. Before you, I will always be A-Fu. We came to know each other through conflict, knowing each other well.”

Zhang Gu laughed heartily, the gloom in his chest completely dispelled.

“Good, A-Fu,” he said, bowing with clasped hands. “If you ever need anything, just say the word.”

Chu Zhao bowed to him in return, “Good, then I won’t stand on ceremony when the time comes.”

After bidding farewell to the military officer, Chu Zhao returned home by carriage.

Chu Tang was waiting for her.

“Did you go see the Third Young Master Xie?” she asked.

Chu Zhao smiled, “These rumors about men and women aren’t just my affair alone. Of course, I had to find the man involved.”

Chu Tang breathed a sigh of relief: “You can still joke about it, so I assume the matter is resolved?”

“I’ve left it to Third Young Master Xie,” Chu Zhao said. “He said he would resolve it. As a weak woman, I won’t concern myself with it anymore.”

Chu Tang sat down, fanning herself: “This matter won’t be easy to resolve. Even if Third Young Master Xie comes forward to clarify that there is no such thing, it won’t be very effective. After all, this is between you and a Xie family son. However, the Xie family explains it, it will seem like they’re trying to cover something up.”

She placed her fan on the table and looked at Chu Zhao.

“Even if they say you and the Xie son are betrothed by parental decree, it won’t work. It would only confirm the rumors.”

She picked up her fan again and waved it.

“This matter won’t be easily settled.”

But by the next day, the matter had been settled simply and decisively.

Liang Siqing was found guilty and thrown into prison. The Liang residence was surrounded, and the entire family, old and young, male and female, were all detained.

Among the usual charges, there was an inconspicuous one that caught the attention of the capital’s citizens.

Spreading rumors and seeking personal revenge.

Overnight, the rumors about Chu Zhao and the Xie family’s son vanished completely.

“Impressive,” Chu Tang said once more as she sat with Chu Zhao, holding her fan.

Chu Zhao nodded, teacup in hand: “Indeed impressive.”

She had also thought this would be a difficult matter to resolve, with no good way to dispel the rumors. Unexpectedly, Xie Yanfang had directly dealt with the people involved, and the rumors could only remain as rumors.

Impressive. Truly worthy of being called the Swallow Wolf.