Nanyi quickly realized that unless the pastries weren’t actually bought from Li Du Mansion but were just placed in Guoyu Tower’s food box.

Perhaps they were made right in their own kitchen, allowed to cool, then used to deceive people – these pampered people in grand mansions had no idea what food looked like after being frozen for three or four hours in wind and snow.

In an instant, Nanyi’s heart had grown cold. If the orange sand dumplings were fake, then the marriage to Zhang Yuehui was most likely false as well.

But Nanyi suppressed any unusual expressions and probed: “Three days… so fast? Is there enough time? His family isn’t here either. For such an important matter, I still want to meet him first.”

“This is precisely so you two can meet as soon as possible,” Madam Qin’s hand rested on Nanyi’s shoulder. “The army has its rules. If soldiers could just meet with anyone casually, wouldn’t that give spies opportunities?”

Nanyi pretended to nod in naive understanding, but in her heart she was even more certain this was a trap.

“He said he also very much wants to see you and is willing to keep everything simple. Young Master Zhang is quite tall, handsome and distinguished. He still has a bite mark on his tiger’s mouth – supposedly you bit it?”

Nanyi was shocked. In just a few short days, the Qin family had even investigated these details.

But thinking carefully, this wasn’t difficult. Deer River wasn’t large – they need only send someone to inquire there and would grasp seven or eight parts of their past.

Her mind calculated these matters, but Nanyi’s performance came naturally. She lowered her head and took a bite of the orange sand dumpling, using her downcast eyes to hide the contemplation in them, then shed a practiced tear.

“It really is him. How wonderful. Father, Mother, you’ve fulfilled my three-year dream… I’ll follow all your arrangements.”

Speaking to this emotional point, tears streamed down Nanyi’s face. Knowing she was losing composure, she hurriedly raised her sleeve to wipe them, but the tears only increased with wiping. Finally she simply gave up wiping, and with tears flowing, knelt on the ground and kowtowed three times to the parents before her.

Seeing Nanyi believe so sincerely, Madam Qin and Master Qin finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Over the next few days, Nanyi cooperated with the Qin family in busily preparing various wedding matters, while secretly using her street-smart survival skills of listening in all directions and observing everything to learn the truth of the situation.

It turned out the great Xie family of Li Du Mansion had sent a matchmaker to propose marriage, hoping the Qin family would marry their daughter to be the second wife of the Xie family’s eldest legitimate son.

No one knew how the great family had taken notice of the small Qin household. Everyone guessed the Xie eldest son was sickly, and perhaps his health was deteriorating further, so they hoped to use this marriage for good fortune. The well-matched prestigious families were unwilling to marry their daughters to him, so this good fortune fell to the Qin family.

But the Qin family’s legitimate daughter, Qin Zheng, had gotten pregnant from an illicit affair, and her belly could no longer be concealed. The Qin family was unwilling to give up this opportunity to climb socially with a great family, so they conceived the idea of finding a substitute bride. Just at this time Nanyi knocked on their door and fell into the Qin family’s trap.

Nanyi understood that since the Qin family had gone to such great lengths to deceive her, they absolutely wouldn’t let her escape easily.

If she tore away pretenses, she would still be no match for them in the end, only watched more strictly.

Her heart still carried the mission Pang Yu had entrusted to her – this was now the most urgent matter. She only wanted to reach Li Du Mansion quickly and personally deliver that message.

The Qin family deceived her by saying Zhang Yuehui’s home was in Deer River, too far away, so they could only temporarily hold the wedding at an inn in Li Du Mansion.

Nanyi figured the inn was probably false, but the destination of Li Du Mansion was correct. She could use the Qin family’s arrangements to get close to Li Du Mansion. Once in the wedding sedan, she’d be out of their sight anyway, and could find opportunities to escape during the journey.

At noon three days later, gongs and drums were already resounding outside the Qin residence gates.

Before boarding the sedan, Madam Qin had a maid bring a cup of tea and hand it to Nanyi.

Madam Qin smiled warmly: “Nanyi, the journey is long. To prevent thirst, drink a cup of our family’s hot tea before departing.”

Nanyi obediently accepted the tea and drained it in one gulp, then imperceptibly spat all the tea into the wide, thick sleeve of her wedding robe.

This cup of tea was the Qin family’s final plan. The tea contained drugs – even if she reached Li Du Mansion and discovered she’d been sold, she would have no strength left to struggle.

But Nanyi imperceptibly fooled all the Qin family’s eyes, obediently boarded the wedding sedan, and waited for a chance to escape.

She kept recalling the scene of Pang Yu’s death and the words he’d entrusted to her. She hoped she wasn’t too late, that the situation could still wait for her to deliver the message.

The wedding sedan swayed and set off through the wind and snow, carrying Nanyi whose fate hung in the balance. Everyone thought another woman was going to enjoy wealth and status in a prestigious family, unaware that this woman carried threads that could make the dynasty itself totter.

Wangxue Manor was the elegant name for the Xie family residence, located in the northwest of Li Du Mansion, occupying a full hundred acres.

Today Wangxue Manor was decorated with lanterns and colored streamers, bustling with activity. Originally a second marriage wouldn’t require such grand ceremony, but since the start of winter, Xie Hengzai’s health had grown worse and worse. To bring him good fortune, they’d made it more lively.

It was rare for the family to have such great celebration. The Xie family’s Grand Madam had long since seated herself in the main hall, Xuanying Hall, directing preparations. Maids and servants came and went in busy but orderly fashion.

By contrast, the groom Xie Hengzai’s own Huaixu Courtyard seemed quiet, even revealing a hint of deadly stillness.

Xie Hengzai sat in his study, continuously stroking the brush rest beside him, his anxiety already showing through his movements.

A month ago, he’d received a secret letter from Chancellor Shen Zhizhong, charging him with receiving and escorting Prince Ling’an through Li Du Mansion.

Li Du Mansion was the necessary route south. The Quling River flowed into the Yangtze River. The Qi people weren’t skilled at water warfare, so once they reached the Yangtze, it would be the Yu Dynasty’s sphere of influence, making it much harder for the Qi people to pursue anyone.

Both the pursuing and escorting sides knew Li Du Mansion was the final decisive battleground for intercepting Prince Ling’an.

Li Du Mansion had unique terrain – the Quling River passed through the city, and there was only one ferry crossing for heading south out of the city. As long as they guarded that crossing, no one could escape even with wings.

The Qi people had long planted spies in Li Du Mansion, monitoring every movement in the city.

Xie Hengzai had drafted many plans and finally decided to use the pretext of taking a wife, using a wedding procession to deceive observers while receiving Prince Ling’an’s party from Tiger Kneel Mountain, letting them follow the wedding procession into Li Du Mansion without anyone knowing.

For the wedding procession to pass through Tiger Kneel Mountain’s valley, this marriage absolutely had to come from Luoyang Town.

For a great family’s second marriage, they couldn’t be careless either. In Luoyang Town, those who could match his family’s status and had daughters of appropriate age – there was actually only the Qin family. Fortunately the Qin family was very willing, and the marriage was quickly arranged.

But what worried Xie Hengzai now was that since his last meeting with Palace Guard Commander Pang Yu to explain the rendezvous plan, he’d completely lost contact with him.

The Qi soldiers pressed closely. Prince Ling’an’s party was hiding in Tiger Kneel Mountain, and all communication routes had been cut off. Even if anything changed, neither side could notify the other.

In such circumstances, what was most feared was the rendezvous plan being leaked. Xie Hengzai had already been extremely careful and cautious. Today was the day to execute the plan – success or failure would be decided in a moment.

While Xie Hengzai worried, Qiao Yinzhi entered the study carrying medicine. She discovered Xie Hengzai’s hands were terribly cold, hurriedly using her own hands to warm his, comforting him with heartache.

“Husband, wait a little longer. There will be good news.”

Xie Hengzai sighed, looking at Qiao Yinzhi with no small guilt: “Zhiniang, I’m only making you suffer, having you worry and fear alongside me… I originally promised you that with you here, I wouldn’t remarry. But now I’ve broken my word.”

Qiao Yinzhi quickly shook her head: “Husband, I understand everything. When great enemies threaten, small families can be sacrificed.”

Xie Hengzai gratefully grasped Qiao Yinzhi’s hand. His first wife had died early, and for all these years it was Qiao Yinzhi who accompanied him. More than ten years day and night together – she was the person in this world who best understood his joys and sorrows.

Her companionship brought him some peace, but immediately after, Xie Sui’an burst urgently into the study.

Xie Sui’an was the Xie family’s Sixth Miss. She didn’t love needlework but preferred swords and spears. Xie Hengzai didn’t restrain her either, indulging her martial practice, which was considered shocking among the aristocratic ladies of Li Du Mansion. But when chaotic times came, her martial skills proved useful.

“Elder Brother!”

Seeing Xie Sui’an’s expression was wrong, Qiao Yinzhi quickly bowed and left the room: “I’ll stand guard outside.”

When the door closed, Xie Sui’an spoke urgently: “Elder Brother, someone planted three stalks of bellflower at Ganxi Bridge on Tiger Kneel Mountain this morning. This is our agents’ most urgent contact method, but when our people rushed to the rendezvous point, no one was waiting, and the other party sent no message. I find this suspicious and hurried over to inform Elder Brother.”

Xie Hengzai’s brow furrowed tightly, his complexion growing even paler. He remained silent for a long while before making his decision.

“Go to Guoyu Tower and mobilize all the Bingzhu Division’s death warriors to Tiger Kneel Mountain for the rescue.”

Xie Sui’an was shocked, thinking she’d misheard: “Elder Brother, all the death warriors?”

“Yes, all of them.”

“But the other party sent no message at all.”

“No message actually means this is the most urgent situation. Otherwise they wouldn’t use this contact method. I fear the operation plan has been leaked, and today’s Tiger Kneel Mountain valley is a trap the Qi people have set for us… cough cough…”

Xie Hengzai forcibly smoothed his chest, then continued: “There’s no time left to notify His Highness. We can only fight the Qi people directly. Our people can be lost, but we absolutely cannot let His Highness come to any harm.”

“Elder Brother, if we battle Qi soldiers in the valley, it’s equivalent to declaring war directly on the Qi royal court. I fear all of Li Du Mansion will suffer.”

“The prefect opened the city gates wide, letting the Qi people enter without losing a single soldier. Whether we fight or not, Li Du Mansion has already fallen.”

“But Elder Brother… didn’t you say before that our forces are weak now, this isn’t the time for battle, and we’d best not tear away pretenses with the Qi people?”

“If the new emperor is lost here, what use would saving face be?!”

Xie Hengzai’s anxiety attacked his heart, and he actually coughed up blood.

Seeing this scene, Xie Sui’an was still somewhat alarmed and hesitant, but Xie Hengzai could no longer care about himself at all.

“Go quickly!”