At that moment, the blood in Jiang Xuening’s entire body seemed to boil and instantly freeze. Her face became deathly pale.

She couldn’t feel even half a trace of warmth.

Yet Zhang Zhe merely smiled wordlessly. His cold face, stained with blood, unexpectedly took on a hint of warmth. Then he raised his hand and gently placed it on her slender shoulder, slowly tightening his grip—

The place where Xie Wei stood and the mountain valley below were separated by merely a dozen zhang.

Both Daoqin and Jianshu’s expressions changed.

Although he rarely displayed his archery skills before others, Xie Wei was by no means a powerless scholar who couldn’t even truss a chicken. How fierce was the momentum of that single arrow? When it tore through the air, it even emitted a sharp whistle!

Only this arrow was aimed neither at Jiang Xuening nor at Zhang Zhe, but instead shot past their heads like lightning, heading straight toward the person behind them—

Xiao Dingfei!

Heaven knows that the moment he saw Xie Wei appear, he already knew things had gone terribly wrong. He crouched down, preparing to sneak away. He had originally thought Xie Wei hadn’t noticed him—who could have anticipated this arrow was coming for him?

A “whoosh” sound rang out.

How powerful and fierce was the carved-feather arrow? In an instant it pierced through his shoulder. After bringing forth a spray of blood, the force even knocked his entire body backward, toppling him to the ground!

Everyone present froze for a moment.

Only when they turned to look at Xiao Dingfei did they discover that this person had unknowingly hidden himself at the back. Given a bit more time, he would likely have retreated into the thorn bushes behind to hide.

However, Xie Wei’s cold and ruthless arrow had clearly extinguished all his hopes.

Clear pain immediately flooded his handsome features, and cold sweat instantly poured down his forehead. Yet as he lay in the bloodstained wild grass, pressing hard on his wound with his hand, a bone-chilling smile somehow appeared at his lips. It carried a defiant arrogance quite unlike his usual lazy and frivolous manner. He raised his eyes to look at Xie Wei standing at the heights, his face bearing sarcastic mockery.

Dujun ultimately despised him after all.

Even wearing the skin of a saint-like person, ordinarily not commenting on him much, Xiao Dingfei had always been quite self-aware and saw it clearly in his heart.

He had known long ago that Xie Wei wouldn’t easily let him go.

A drop of fresh blood slid down the still-trembling bowstring. Under the dim light of the sky, it appeared somewhat shocking to the eye.

Xie Wei slowly lowered his arm.

At this moment, Daoqin recovered from his slight shock and turned his head. First catching sight of the blood droplet on the bowstring, then looking toward Xie Wei’s fingers hanging down within his wide sleeves, he discovered that his fingertips had been cut by the bowstring from holding it too long and too tightly earlier. Blood was dripping from his fingertips.

Yet he showed no reaction whatsoever.

Above and below the mountain valley, complete silence reigned.

Daoqin watched for a long while, yet didn’t dare speak up to remind him.

After shooting down Xiao Dingfei with one arrow, Xie Wei merely said: “Seize him.”

Jianshu’s eyelid twitched. He led people down and immediately pinned down the wounded Xiao Dingfei. Moreover, with extreme swiftness, he pulled out a clean cloth and stuffed it in his mouth before having people take him away under guard.

The remaining people were surrounded on all sides.

Jiang Xuening still maintained her posture of shielding Zhang Zhe behind herself. Watching that carved-feather arrow fly past overhead, she actually didn’t know what she felt in her heart.

The only warmth came from that hand resting on her shoulder.

The instant Xie Wei lowered his bow, she felt all the strength drain from her body. She nearly went weak at the knees and collapsed to the ground.

Could this be considered… winning the gamble?

Clearly the result was what she wanted, yet when the wind blew, she still felt waves of cold throughout her body.

All because of Xie Wei’s silent gaze watching her from above.

She had offended him again.

Xie Wei extended his hand to return the bow to Daoqin, as if he had done nothing just now, and gave orders as usual: “Check Lord Zhang’s wounds.”

Immediately people went down to support Zhang Zhe.

He was indeed gravely injured.

Jiang Xuening stood to the side, still stunned and motionless.

Xie Wei spoke to her in a flat tone: “Ningning, come up.”

If one could say that the peach blossom pastries he had given her to eat in the palace had gradually eliminated her wariness of Xie Wei from the previous life, then today, the arrow he had drawn and once aimed at Zhang Zhe had summoned back all her terror of this man.

This was the person who had slaughtered the imperial clan.

This was the person who had exterminated the Xiao clan.

This was also the person who had nailed the severed head of her confidant Zhou Yinzhi to the palace gates.

He had never been any kind of benevolent saint!

But why, why would he intend to kill Zhang Zhe?

They were clearly officials serving the same court.

Moreover, this time the Xiao clan had actually gotten involved. Xie Wei truly didn’t seem like the type of person who cared about having credit stolen by others.

She turned her head to glance at Zhang Zhe. Seeing that two soldiers were indeed bandaging his wounds, she lowered her eyes and gently clenched her fingers hanging at her sides. Finally, she still walked toward Xie Wei step by step.

Each step felt like treading on knife points, thrilling and terrifying.

His wide snow-white cloak was lifted by the wind. His calm gaze fell upon her face as she approached, giving her an even stronger feeling of being unable to breathe.

Jiang Xuening kept her head lowered and said: “Teacher.”

Xie Wei looked at her cheeks scratched by several bloody marks from thorns, her somewhat disheveled black hair, then looked at her bluish lips and the rough cloth dress that had become wrinkled. His brows carried an air of elegant detachment as he said: “When I drew my arrow just now, why did you block in front of Lord Zhang?”

Jiang Xuening mumbled, not daring to answer.

Xie Wei let out a barely audible low laugh: “A young girl wildly imagining things—could it be you thought your teacher was going to kill your sweetheart?”

Word by word, sentence by sentence, wrapped in silk yet hiding needles.

Jiang Xuening thought, how could someone like Xie Ju’an exist in this world? In that moment, she had clearly sensed his killing intent. Yet his current calmness and low laugh made it seem as though she had truly worried needlessly and misunderstood, only causing her to feel boundless anxiety and unease.

She was trembling: “I…”

But Xie Wei said: “I see you’re cold.”

He removed the thick crane cloak from his own body, raised his hand to drape it over her, wrapping up her frail form. He also smoothly brushed aside a lock of black hair that had fallen by her cheek before saying indifferently: “Lord Jiang is very worried about you.”

That crane cloak still carried some residual warmth.

The mountain wind was strong, but now it was all blocked outside.

Jiang Xuening instinctively raised her hands to gather the cloak closer, yet felt that though this warmth wrapped around her, it seemed separated by a layer, unable to reach her heart.

Below, the group of Heavenly Doctrine followers had long since been captured.

The defeated remnants on the Xiao clan’s side were also successively carried or supported out. Xiao Yuan was even more anxious about his precious son. After ordering people to move the stones pressing down on Xiao Ye, he had people carry Xiao Ye out quickly to find a physician. He didn’t notice people taking Xiao Dingfei away under guard.

Zhang Zhe’s wound was only hastily wrapped.

The soldiers who came along only knew some rudimentary methods to stop bleeding. To truly treat injuries still required a physician. Therefore, after seeing the blood no longer flowing, the soldiers wanted to help him up. But he shook his head in thanks and walked up by himself.

Xie Wei lowered his hand and turned to see him, yet still spoke to Jiang Xuening: “Your disappearance was not made public. The capital doesn’t know—they only think you fell ill. The Grand Princess’s marriage alliance has been decided, and she rather misses you. I imagine you’ve suffered quite a fright. Xiaobao, find a place nearby in the temple, clean it up, and let Second Miss Ning rest.”

This meant he was sending her away.

Xiaobao froze for a moment, then bowed in acknowledgment and went to invite Jiang Xuening.

Jiang Xuening hesitated, glancing toward Zhang Zhe.

Xie Wei smiled faintly: “This ambush of the Heavenly Doctrine was led by me. I still have some words to exchange with Lord Zhang.”

So this entire affair had originally been his scheme.

No wonder everything was under control.

Jiang Xuening only felt bitterness in her heart. Though she didn’t know how many depths were hidden behind this, she guessed she must have spoiled some small matter of Xie Wei’s. Right now, even worrying about Zhang Zhe seemed of no use.

She bowed and performed another courtesy before turning around.

As she moved away, she caught sight of Zhang Zhe. His cold, rigid face was utterly silent, his lips pressed into a straight line, saying nothing.

Soon, she had gone far away.

The sky overhead grew increasingly overcast—it was going to snow.

On Xie Wei’s body remained only that snow-white Daoist robe. Somewhat sensitive to cold, standing in the wind, he resembled a piece of snow himself. Yet he stood with hands clasped behind his back, gazing down at those Heavenly Doctrine followers in the valley bottom who had already been subdued and were awaiting slaughter with outstretched necks.

Just earlier, after taking back the bow, Daoqin had led people down to search these people for something.

Before long, the person returned.

But his delicate brows were tightly furrowed as he reported to Xie Wei in a low voice: “It seems to have been lost. We didn’t find it.”

Xie Wei lowered his eyelids and casually waved his hand: “Kill them all.”

The archers had been standing above all along.

Hearing his words, the taut bowstrings all relaxed. Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh—another rain of arrows fell toward the Heavenly Doctrine followers below who were already without weapons. In an instant, blood flowed freely. All collapsed to the ground, killed cleanly.

A thick smell of blood permeated the mountain valley.

So Xie Wei thought, it should snow now too.

Watching his ruthless methods that left not even a single survivor, Zhang Zhe remained silent and still. He suddenly recalled that in the previous life’s prison, after enduring every torture, after Xie Wei wrote his verdict and he only awaited execution after autumn, on that day when the late spring cold was biting, an unexpected visitor came.

The current Grand Preceptor who already held great power was still just as unruffled.

Only at that time, he had felt an indescribable deep loneliness and distance about this person, like great snow covering the entire earth, cold branches and silent sparrows.

He said, Ningning has died.

Zhang Zhe didn’t know who he was talking about and only felt confused.

The other party paused for a moment, as if only then realizing he couldn’t understand, and changed his words plainly: Your empress has died.

Zhang Zhe felt as if in a dream.

Yet the man actually smiled and told him: She left words, asking me to release you. But that made Yan Lin hate you to the bone. He got drunk and cried at her spirit for several days. This morning he threw down his wine, took up his sword, and wanted to come here to kill you. Lord Zhang, you’re truly too formidable.

So Zhang Zhe felt himself falling into a patch of clouds and mist. That patch of clouds and mist fell down and transformed into a heaven-drenching downpour, shrouding lotus leaves that reached the sky.

In a trance, it was again that chance encounter in the sudden afternoon rain at the summer mountain villa.

He was that Assistant Minister Zhang with a foul temper who gave no one a pleasant expression. She was that mischievously tyrannical Empress who delighted in teasing people.

She deliberately stepped on the hem of his robe.

He thought, if given a chance to choose again, he wouldn’t bend down to tear the hem free. He would just let her step on it, entirely as she pleased, letting her step on it as long as she wished.

Then he heard him stand up, have someone open the prison door, and say to him: You may go.

The chains hanging on the prison door swayed lightly, making a sound.

Zhang Zhe, wearing blood-stained prisoner’s clothes, sat in the prison for a long time before finally laughing and saying: This guilty minister only wishes to offer incense for his mother.

And then…

And then.

Zhang Zhe looked at Xie Wei before him from afar, only feeling that to the people of the world, this person was an unfathomable mystery. However, in this life he seemed to have gained a trace of traceable human quality, no longer seeming like that unreachable saint.

Xie Wei neither walked over nor called him over, merely saying: “The Duke of Dingguo requested orders from the sage, rushing ahead to enter the city and disrupting this one’s plans. It caused Lord Zhang to suffer a calamity. Fortunately your life was spared, otherwise this one would be hard-pressed to escape blame.”

Zhang Zhe said: “You speak too seriously.”

Xie Wei said: “That student of mine, Ningning—headstrong temperament. Thanks to Lord Zhang’s care along the way. She didn’t cause you any trouble, did she?”

Hearing those words “Ningning,” Zhang Zhe recalled the choice this man before him had selected in the previous life. He thought that perhaps there were some circumstances he didn’t know about. Yet toward Xie Wei—this person destined to become a traitorous minister, a rebel, a scheming hero seizing the heavens—he felt no disgust.

Was it because once the realm was settled, heroes must be cooked?

Or was it because of something else…

He slowly said: “Second Miss Jiang, she is… quite clever and intelligent…”

Only her temperament still couldn’t quite be restrained.

Xie Wei, seeing he still wouldn’t come over, smiled: “Lord Zhang seems not entirely approving of this one.”

He glanced at the piled corpses of those Heavenly Doctrine followers below, his eyes showing no ripples.

Yet Zhang Zhe merely lowered his eyes and took something from his sleeve, saying flatly: “Was Teacher Xie not just now having someone search for this item?”

Between his fingers was half a thin page of paper.

It was unmistakably the secret letter from the mountain hermit Dujun that the Heavenly Doctrine’s Left Minister Feng Mingyu had been holding!

The corner of Xie Wei’s eye twitched slightly.

Daoqin’s heart tightened even more.

Zhang Zhe handed this page to Daoqin. Recalling all the puzzles from the previous life, all were answered upon seeing the handwriting on this page. After all, hadn’t he also seen such handwriting in the previous life?

Only amid all the chaos and confusion, what concern was it of his?

He looked toward Xie Wei and said: “Just now I thought, since this is a secret letter sent by that dragon-like Mister Dujun of the Heavenly Doctrine whose head is seen but tail never found, perhaps we could glimpse the truth from it and catch all the rebellious party in one net. Therefore I kept my attention on it and took advantage of the chaos to retrieve this letter. The journey was full of trivial matters, difficult to explain in a few words. If Teacher Xie has no other matters, then wait for this official to report in detail later.”

When Daoqin received that secret letter, his other hand quietly gripped the blade at his sleeve.

He likewise looked toward Xie Wei.

In secret, murderous intent was on the verge of erupting.

Xie Wei couldn’t help but wonder—how much had this Zhang Zhe learned on this journey? Was returning this secret letter truly without any awareness…

If Lü Xian were here, that arrow just now would likely have already pierced through this person’s skull.

Even if by some momentary lapse he had been allowed to survive until now, having seen the secret letter, he would probably act decisively and ruthlessly, rather killing a thousand wrongly than letting one escape.

He slowly raised his finger. Feeling a trace of pain, he lowered his eyes only to see that drawing the bow and nocking the arrow earlier had caused the bowstring to cut his hand. Thus tasting a bit of absurdity, he suddenly looked toward Zhang Zhe and said with considerable amusement: “Ningning said she likes you.”

Zhang Zhe’s form abruptly stiffened.

Xie Wei took this in, pulled at the corner of his lips, and said with keen interest: “As her teacher, I’m quite curious—do you also have feelings for her?”