The next morning, Xie Wei had already vanished without a trace.

The side of the bed was empty.

When Jiang Xuening opened her eyes and sat up, she discovered that her hair dampened last night had already been carefully dried by someone. After talking with Wei Liang outside the city for several hours, encountering Zhang Zhe at the city gate, then coming back to attend to that ancestor—her state of mind had been troubled and oppressed. She had even forgotten how she fell asleep.

This was originally Xie Wei’s room.

Only, presumably he had given instructions. The two maids Tang’er and Lian’er were waiting outside the door to serve, and there was even Jianshu present.

After using porridge and rice in the morning, Zhou Qihuang came to take her pulse.

She found it strange: “What’s this for?”

Jianshu bowed and said: “When the master left, he instructed that you came back yesterday after being in the wind. Fearing you might catch a cold, he asked Doctor Zhou to come take a look.”

Jiang Xuening then recalled: “Where is your master?”

Jianshu didn’t even dare look at her more, saying quietly: “There was an urgent report from the front lines before dawn. The master went to the army before daybreak.”

He left before dawn?

How truly “clean and efficient”!

Jiang Xuening was stunned for a moment. Having lived two lifetimes, for the first time she actually felt like someone had taken advantage of her for free. She was somewhat angry from all directions, nearly rolling her eyes. What she had originally thought was that she would wait until this morning when she was calmer and had considered things more thoroughly, then discuss with Xie Wei future matters including marriage—that would be more proper.

Who could have thought this person would run away early in the morning?

She pondered for a long time but truly couldn’t figure out whether she was at a loss or whether Xie Wei was at a loss.

In any case, it was one muddled account she couldn’t understand.

Jiang Xuening laughed in anger, raised her slender fingers to press her temples. As her gaze flowed, she inadvertently noticed Jianshu’s posture of lowered brows and downcast eyes actually seemed like he knew something. Her thoughts thus stirred slightly.

Last night Xie Wei’s whole person had been strange.

At the time her head had been empty with no leisure to think much, but now recalling it, she discovered the clues.

She suddenly asked: “He knows I went to see Minister Zhang last night?”

Jianshu never expected Jiang Xuening would directly ask this. He was nearly scared into breaking out in cold sweat all over his neck. He opened his mouth, not knowing how to answer all at once.

But Jiang Xuening no longer needed him to answer.

Just looking at Jianshu’s flickering gaze and not daring to speak—what didn’t she understand?

Calling him Xie Ju’an a vinegar jar would be giving him too much credit.

This person was an entire sea of vinegar.

Even without wind, he could stir up waves, making things difficult for himself.

Only when she calmed down to think, she felt she actually seemed to understand him.

Xie Wei was different from her.

Though they had similar experiences, she had never possessed anything from the moment of birth. In the previous life, she yearned to possess things, but when those things truly came into her hands, she discovered they were nothing special. In this life, she didn’t deliberately chase after things anymore, but whatever she was fortunate enough to possess, she was grateful for. But Xie Wei had originally possessed everything, only a calamity in his youth caused him to lose it all.

Thus everything became scars.

He lived in this world yet didn’t have the slightest sense of security, so he would rather never possess anything again. But what about once he possessed something?

A faint sourness rose in the bottom of Jiang Xuening’s heart. After having her pulse taken by Zhou Qihuang, she only instructed Jianshu with one sentence: “When your master returns, inform me. I have something I want to say to him.”

Hearing this, Jianshu’s scalp went numb.

But he didn’t dare rashly speculate what kind of words this “something to say” referred to. He could only lower his head and acknowledge with a sound.

Ordinarily for deliberations or going to the army, it was only half a day’s effort.

Jiang Xuening thought she could see Xie Wei in the afternoon.

But unexpectedly, forget about the afternoon—even on the second day, the third day, she hadn’t seen his shadow!

Only upon asking did she learn that in this short span of two or three days, Xie Wei, who originally would arrange to stop and rest for ten days to half a month upon reaching each city, this time had actually acted completely contrary to usual. Together with Yan Lin, he swiftly reorganized military forces, apparently unwilling to delay even one day. At dawn on the third day, he directly sent troops toward Baoding Prefecture where the Heavenly Teachings currently were!

Upon first hearing this news, Jiang Xuening almost thought Xie Wei had lost his mind.

However, calming down to think—

If the Heavenly Teachings knew of the movements on the Xinzhou army’s side, what should they do? Either stop and clash head-on with the Xinzhou army, but Wan Xiuzi encountering Xie Wei had long been like a bird startled by a bow—he probably wouldn’t be willing to undertake this certain-death action and let the court profit like the fisherman. Or else, like a wild beast driven by hunters, he would have no choice but to exhaust himself fleeing for his life, sending troops to attack the capital before Xie and Yan could…

Xie Wei wasn’t going mad.

He clearly was too lazy to wait any longer and was forcibly compelling Wan Xiuzi to attack the capital!

On this side, Jiang Xuening had just figured out the thread. On that side, Xie Wei, who hadn’t shown his face for three whole days, finally appeared again.

The carriage had already been prepared.

Yan Lin was at the front lines.

He entered the room and extended his hand toward her: “Let’s go.”

Jiang Xuening was still looking down at the qin score. Seeing him extend his hand toward her, she instinctively first placed her hand in his before asking: “What for?”

Xie Wei gazed at her and pulled her to her feet.

His voice was calm, but the meaning within was earth-shattering. He only said: “Taking you to kill someone.”