The water clock dripped steadily.

Zheng Bao was on duty tonight and felt restless the entire time. Only when the assistant ministers closed the door with the Emperor to discuss matters did he quietly withdraw.

Returning to the side hall, a little eunuch in the corner shook his head at him.

Zheng Bao’s heart suddenly turned cold.

On the palace path that was the only route to Shunzhen Gate, layer upon layer of guards’ shadows stacked beneath the palace walls—a dark, gloomy mass.

Xiao Shu had been waiting somewhat impatiently.

She had cast her net for so long, yet no prey came to throw themselves in. Even the most patient hunter would inevitably grumble a few times.

She was just about to find someone to investigate again and get clear answers when out of the corner of her eye, she saw the clever eunuch she’d sent out earlier running quickly toward them.

Xiao Shu immediately asked: “Where is she?”

The eunuch was breathless, gasping: “She’s coming, but, but something seems a bit off…”

Xiao Shu’s brow furrowed. She wanted to ask what was off, but suddenly a whispered murmur arose among the guards who had been quiet.

So she shifted her gaze.

This time, without the eunuch needing to explain, she saw clearly—

Walking from the direction of the Imperial Garden, who else could it be but Jiang Xuening, whom she’d been waiting to trap in her net?

Only she was completely different from usual.

Gone was the familiar liveliness and cunning. Though she walked forward, she seemed like a piece of wood—her hands and feet wooden, her heart and soul wooden, even the expression on that delicately featured face wooden. A pair of originally slender, fair hands tightly held a clump of dirty earth. She seemed to see no one, acknowledge no one, gradually drawing near as if someone had extracted her soul, leaving only this walking shell!

At this moment, even Xiao Shu was startled by her terrifying appearance, shocked for an instant. Then her brow furrowed tightly.

She looked behind Jiang Xuening.

Not another person in sight.

She felt things didn’t seem to be developing in the direction she’d anticipated. She first gave the nearby eunuch a look, having him stop Jiang Xuening, then instructed the nearest guard: “Go check Shunzhen Gate.”

The eunuch went to stop her.

Only then did Jiang Xuening’s steps halt.

She didn’t know how she had walked out of that Imperial Garden. Her mind was muddled and dazed. Looking up to see this eunuch, she only saw his mouth open and heard sound enter her ears, but couldn’t distinguish at all what he was actually saying.

Until Xiao Shu entered her field of vision.

Actually, by this time, Xiao Shu already vaguely sensed that what she most anticipated tonight wouldn’t happen. But the more this was so, the more it made her detest that excessively beautiful face before her eyes.

She asked directly: “The one who secretly pushed the marriage alliance proposal to have me replace Shen Zhiyi—was that you?”

Jiang Xuening responded even more directly: “The jade ruyi case that framed me with treasonous words—was that you?”

Xiao Shu said: “If you say it was, then it was.”

So Jiang Xuening also said: “If you say it was, then it was too.”

The two stood face to face, eyes meeting, neither willing to yield.

Only Xiao Shu was sinister, while Jiang Xuening was desolate.

One had already regarded the other as her mortal enemy in this life; the other had suddenly transcended it and didn’t particularly care anymore.

Xiao Shu easily detected her contempt and her pupils contracted slightly: “Everyone has their own fate to meet. Your birth is inferior to mine, your schemes inferior to mine. I truly don’t know where you get the courage to look down on me.”

Jiang Xuening only felt it was laughable.

Even in her previous life, she hadn’t found Xiao Shu this laughable: “In the past, I also thought that with your good birth and high abilities, you weren’t inferior to Princess. But today, with these words and actions—she is the bright moon in the heavens, and even if just three parts of her clear radiance fall on me, I feel gratified; you’re merely dust on the ground, and even stepping over you, I’d dislike dirtying my shoe soles.”

Xiao Shu’s face darkened and she said nothing more.

The rustling wind seemed to sob faintly.

Jiang Xuening held that earth as if holding some treasured object, only looking at her and slowly saying: “I originally had no intention to harm you, yet you framed me first out of fear and wariness. Xiao Shu, long ago I was like you—using any means to achieve my goals. But if you persist in your delusion, retribution will eventually come. It’s only a matter of sooner or later.”

Xiao Shu gave a cold laugh, completely disbelieving.

But Jiang Xuening knew this was her last respect for this nemesis from her previous life. Having said all she would, whether she believed or not, she would say no more. She lifted her foot to leave.

“Stop!”

Xiao Shu’s eyes flashed, and she actually directly spoke out to stop her.

“Deep in the palace’s forbidden interior, with your inhuman, ghost-like appearance, even though you were once my schoolmate, at such an extraordinary time, I don’t know what you’ve actually done. I must be cautious. Someone, please ask Second Miss Jiang to sit briefly at the Office of Careful Punishment. After questioning her clearly, then escort her out of the palace!”

The guards on both sides immediately closed in.

Hearing her words, Jiang Xuening understood: regardless of whether she had actually brought the princess out of the palace today, the other party had an excuse to detain her. Even if no evidence could be found, keeping her overnight would be enough to make her suffer terribly, and who knew what extraordinary events might occur…

Just like the tactics used during the jade ruyi case.

Moreover, given her current appearance, who wouldn’t be suspicious?

But just as those guards were about to surround and subdue her, from the other end of the palace path, a voice suddenly rang out urgently: “Consort Xian, please wait!”

Xiao Shu’s brow immediately furrowed again.

Jiang Xuening looked up and saw it was actually Zheng Bao striding over. Upon reaching them, he bowed neither humbly nor arrogantly, catching his breath before saying: “Your Highness, His Majesty has just finished his council meeting. Teacher Xie heard that Second Miss Jiang hasn’t yet left the palace and specially sent me to invite her. He’s waiting outside the palace now. What do you think?”

Xie Wei?

Xiao Shu’s form stiffened, her sharp gaze boring into Zheng Bao.

Zheng Bao remained respectfully standing throughout.

Who in the palace didn’t know Xie Ju’an?

Though Xiao Shu had been an imperial consort for only a short time, just from her understanding of the court when she was still a young lady of the Xiao clan, she knew what a pivotal figure this person was. Moreover, after becoming a consort and serving at Shen Lang’s side, she knew even more clearly how much Shen Lang relied on this person.

Shen Lang’s affection for her wasn’t genuine after all.

She was already surviving in the cracks—how would she dare risk adding such a formidable adversary for herself? No matter how unwilling she was in her heart, today she could only let Jiang Xuening go.

Xiao Shu’s palms, hidden in her sleeves, quietly clenched tight. When she smiled, there was no flaw: “Since Teacher Xie has asked for her, naturally I shouldn’t wish to keep her. However, I only hope that after Second Miss Jiang returns, she’ll properly restrain herself and not do anything she’ll bitterly regret.”

Zheng Bao bowed once before withdrawing.

Jiang Xuening stared at Xiao Shu for a moment before turning to follow Zheng Bao and leave together.

When they had gone far, the guards gone, the palace attendants gone, she suddenly smiled.

Zheng Bao didn’t know what she was smiling about.

Jiang Xuening looked toward the palace gate gradually drawing nearer ahead, her expression holding countless sorrows, only saying: “You don’t know that Teacher Xie has been avoiding seeing me for over a month. At this critical moment, you dared invoke his name to save me. Fortunately, Xiao Shu doesn’t know. But if Teacher were to find out, you too would suffer the consequences.”

Zheng Bao glanced at her, opened his mouth to speak, but in the end still didn’t explain.

With him leading, they smoothly left the palace.

But having just walked out through those enormous palace gates and looking up to see the lantern-lit carriage beneath the city walls outside, and the person standing quietly waiting by the carriage shaft, Jiang Xuening finally froze.

Zheng Bao said softly: “Miss, return to the residence. Take care along the way.”

Then he quietly withdrew.

Jiang Xuening looked at that person, holding that handful of earth, yet unable to move a single step.

Xie Wei’s Daoist robe flew like snow. Looking down at her from his height, his gaze fell on her numb, dejected face and also on the earth held in her cupped hands. He only called once: “Jianshu.”

Beside him, Jianshu reacted extremely quickly, retrieving an empty box from behind the carriage.

He opened it and held it before Jiang Xuening.

But Jiang Xuening stood there in a daze, unmoving.

The depths of Xie Wei’s eyes gradually grew cold and heavy, his voice losing its warmth: “How long do you intend to keep holding it?”

A single tear from the corner of Jiang Xuening’s eye rolled down, falling into this handful of earth, moistening a small spot, disappearing without a trace in the blink of an eye.

She slowly loosened her hands, allowing the earth to slide through the gaps between her fingers.

Falling into the box, it filled a little less than half.

Jianshu closed the wooden box and was about to turn.

But Jiang Xuening said: “Give it to me.”

Jianshu looked toward Xie Wei.

Xie Wei was expressionless: “Give it to her.”

The closed wooden box was handed back to Jiang Xuening. She held it tightly in her arms.

Xie Wei seemed to find her useless. Standing on the carriage shaft without moving, he only said to her: “Get in the carriage.”

Jiang Xuening walked over.

Jianshu didn’t dare help her.

Holding the wooden box with one hand and grasping the edge of the carriage with the other, she tried several times to board but couldn’t get on the carriage. Only then did she realize her hands were shaking badly, her legs shaking badly—her entire body seemed to have been soaked in ice water, trembling.

Seeing how useless she was, the corners of Xie Wei’s eyes and brows seemed to gather frost and snow. Unable to bear it any longer, he leaned down, grabbed one of her arms with one hand, grasped her waist with the other, and half-embraced her as he hauled her up.

Lifting the carriage curtain, he pushed her inside.

Jiang Xuening’s entire being remained muddled and dazed.

Seeing her bedraggled state, Xie Wei didn’t need to ask even half a question to know the matter had failed. And everything had originally been arranged perfectly—Miss Ning Er wasn’t trapped in the palace, nor had the matter been exposed, so there was only one possibility—

Grand Princess Leyang, Shen Zhiyi, had no intention of escaping.

Only this could make her lose her soul like this, turning herself into this detestable ghost-like appearance!

Outside, Jianshu asked: “Teacher, return where?”

Xie Wei was silent for a moment, then said: “The Jiang residence.”

Jiang Xuening’s hands that had held the earth were filthy all over, yet she seemed completely unaware.

Xie Wei couldn’t find a silk handkerchief and frowned. He simply yanked his own wide sleeve, pulled her hands over, and vigorously wiped them clean bit by bit, yet his words were merciless: “If she’s unwilling, it’s also her own choice. You’re this useless—what are you grieving for her about?”

Inside the carriage, it was pitch dark, with no one else present.

The tears Jiang Xuening had held back the entire way all fell in a rush. Surprisingly, she didn’t argue with Xie Wei even half a sentence, only murmuring: “Teacher is right. It’s all my fault. I didn’t learn well. First, I have no ability; second, I have a temper. I can’t save anyone, can’t protect anyone. Thinking I could change someone’s fate and destiny—I’m nothing but a clown. I truly am incompetent, a waste…”

Xie Wei’s words had been said in anger—how could he have anticipated that she, usually so unruly, would have no rebuttal at all?

When he noticed her crying, he already realized his words had been too harsh.

For a moment, he fell silent, actually somewhat at a loss.

After quite a while, he finally said slowly: “Silly Miss Ning Er, you’ve already done so much, done so well. It’s just that some things can’t be salvaged overnight. You’re still so young, yet already so self-pitying and self-blaming. If you brought out some of your usual spirit, Teacher wouldn’t have to scold you.”

Whether Jiang Xuening heard or didn’t hear, who could say—she sat motionless.

But in the distance outside the carriage came sounds of cheering.

It was Grand Princess’s marriage alliance carriage finally driving out through the palace gates, proceeding straight along the long Chang’an Avenue all the way toward the city outskirts.

Jiang Xuening remembered this sound.

In her previous life, she had heard it.

Only in her previous life when she heard it, she had been cold and indifferent, even happy in her heart that this future imperial sister-in-law who would cause her trouble was leaving. Hearing it now, she felt the mountains distant, the waters far, that once past Yanmen Pass, there might be no return. Her liver and intestines broke inch by inch. She could only endure for a moment before crying aloud.

Heart-rending, lung-splitting.

As if needing to vent something—if she didn’t let herself cry like this, she would be buried in the abyss by endless oppression and despair.

Xie Wei had never felt the road from the palace to the Jiang residence so long, so torturous—every sound entering his ears was like a dull knife cutting at the heart. Only when she later hugged that box and cried herself tired, closed her eyes, and gradually fell asleep did the world return to tranquility.

But his heart was more tumultuous than when she had been crying.

He sat rigidly in his position for a long time, as if entering meditation.

Only when the carriage stopped and Jianshu called to him from outside did he return to himself.

Xie Wei responded.

Then he leaned over, intending to wake Jiang Xuening. But when he drew near, that small face with tear tracks not yet dry came into view. Even in her dreams, she seemed unhappy, her fine brows like wisps of smoke lightly furrowed. He lowered his lids, his eyes flowing. Finally, he slowly extended his hand, brushing over her soft dark hair. His two thin lips pressed down, yet only clumsily and carefully pressed against her moist lashes.

At this moment, Jianshu happened to lift the carriage curtain.

Xie Wei calmly turned his head to look.

Jianshu was instantly horrified.

However, he immediately discovered that after Teacher’s gaze paused on his face for a moment, it actually passed over him to look behind him. So he too turned his gaze to look—

At the Jiang residence entrance, Jiang Boyou stood on the steps at some unknown time. His originally upright and peaceful face had already darkened, his eyes showing shock and deep anger, looking directly toward Xie Wei inside the carriage.

Xie Wei’s form stiffened for a moment, then immediately relaxed.

He withdrew slightly, creating distance between himself and Jiang Xuening, as if nothing had happened just now. He gently patted her cheek, waking her: “We’re home.”

Jiang Xuening opened her eyes, dazed for a moment, before saying: “Thank you for the trouble, Teacher.”

She got out of the carriage holding that box.

Her steps staggered.

Xie Wei reached out to steady her. She was so distracted she was completely unaware. After walking two steps, she seemed to remember something and turned back, a pair of slightly reddened eyes looking at him: “Teacher Shaoshi, when will the Central Plains’ iron cavalry be able to break through Yanmen Pass and bring Her Highness back?”

Xie Wei’s sleeve that had become dirty and wrinkled fluttered in the night wind. One hand was hidden within it, yet quietly clenched tight. He slowly curved his lips, seriously answering her: “Very soon, very soon.”

Jiang Xuening looked at him for another moment before turning away.

Seeing Jiang Boyou at the entrance, she only woodenly called “Father” before walking straight inside.

But Jiang Boyou stood outside the gate for a long time. For the first time upon seeing this colleague, he didn’t step forward with a smile to exchange pleasantries. Instead, his face cold, he turned and left with a flick of his sleeves.

Jianshu knew he had caused great disaster. He knelt before Xie Wei: “Just now, this subordinate was rash—”

Xie Wei actually said calmly: “It’s not necessarily bad.”

He withdrew his gaze, glanced at his own sleeve, then returned inside the carriage.

But Jianshu was stunned, unable to recover for a long while.