Jade hands painted with bright red nail polish lifted lightly, and the clear sound of the qin flowed forth. Outside the window were dancing ink brushes, singing voices, and frenzied orioles and swallows, but inside the window was suddenly complete silence. Within the slightly cloying incense, there flowed a solemn atmosphere completely at odds with the entire building.

Luo Yuan sighed and looked up, “Has my lord already confirmed it’s her?”

Xiao Du nodded, “I had already investigated to near certainty. If her previous act of tearing out that page and secretly passing it to me was unintentional, then her obvious guilt yesterday—confessing out of guilt before everything could be investigated—if we had truly believed her words and thought it was just a momentary confusion on her part, we couldn’t possibly have continued investigating deeper.” He closed his eyes, showing a pained expression, “I practically watched Xuan’er grow up. How could I not see what she was thinking? When has she ever had such scheming?”

The suspicion of Xuan’er had begun with that page. When he first saw it, he was indeed furious, wishing never to see those two again. Later, after thinking through the entire matter, he felt something was strange. Who had deliberately given him this page, and what was that person’s purpose? So he suppressed his anger and called Luo Yuan to inquire, only to discover that this scheme had been quietly orchestrated from behind the scenes since the day Yuanxi was kidnapped. Among those in the Marquis manor who knew that Yuanxi and Luo Yuan were old acquaintances, only Xiao Zhixuan, who had been in the cabin that day, was the sole person.

Luo Yuan’s eyes narrowed, “Miss Xuan is pure-hearted by nature. I’m afraid someone behind her has been instigating and leading her astray.”

Xiao Du’s gaze gradually sharpened, “Exactly. It seems that all these years, we’ve underestimated her too much. I never thought she would have such scheming and planning, and even less that she would sacrifice her own daughter for a bit of profit.” All along, Concubine Cai had been like a shadow, always hiding in crowds, timid and submissive, never drawing anyone’s attention, and no one would take her seriously. But who could have thought that this was her greatest advantage and convenience?

Luo Yuan was still puzzled, “Even if Concubine Cai has some scheming, she’s still a woman who never leaves the house. How could she possibly connect with Chancellor Xia’s people?”

Xiao Du also frowned, “This point I haven’t figured out either. It’s just that too many things are overly coincidental. If there weren’t someone in the manor colluding with him, how could Chancellor Xia know our every move so quickly?” So he simply went with the flow, using that incident as an excuse to drive Luo Yuan out of the Marquis manor and arranged to meet here, which indeed helped him escape Chancellor Xia’s suspicions.

He paused, then continued, “And that affair with Consort Wang was so ingeniously orchestrated, I really don’t believe Concubine Cai could have managed it alone.”

Luo Yuan shook his head, still confused, “But the Marquis manor is ultimately her home, and Miss Xuan is ultimately a young lady of the Marquis manor. What benefit could she gain from doing this?”

Xiao Du stood up, clasping his hands behind his back in deep thought, “Regardless of what intentions they harbor, now we are in the shadows while they are in the light. I have a method that could turn the tables on them. It’s just…” He seemed to think of something, struggling internally for a long time before finally sighing heavily.

At this moment, fallen leaves were gradually withering outside the window. After several days, the leaves had piled up, and autumn was becoming increasingly cold. Many rooms had already added charcoal braziers. Yuanxi and Xiao Zhixuan sat on the heated kang, with many embroidery patterns spread before them. Xiao Zhixuan smiled and picked up one of them, “Let’s embroider this one—twin lilies in bloom. The meaning is so auspicious, perfect for you and Big Brother.”

Yuanxi stared at the two lilies blooming together, thinking of that person in her heart, unconsciously showing a gentle smile. Then she hesitated somewhat, “But this pattern is so complex, I’m afraid I won’t embroider it well.”

Xiao Zhixuan patted her chest proudly, “Don’t worry, I’m here. Your sister-in-law may not have other talents, but I’m best at playing the qin and embroidery. All the masters who taught me embroidery praised me as clever and capable, saying I was promising material.”

Yuanxi looked at her bright smile that hadn’t appeared for a long time, feeling as if spring had returned to the room, but soon a shadow quietly crossed her heart.

Seeing her lower her head in silence, Xiao Zhixuan thought her words had displeased her and quickly said, “Sister-in-law, are you angry? I only know these two small tricks, but I can’t read books. Big Brother often praises you to me, saying you know much and that I should learn more from you.”

Yuanxi couldn’t help but giggle, “The books I read aren’t suitable for you. You should study properly with your tutor. Otherwise, your big brother will say I’ve led you astray.”

Xiao Zhixuan thought of Luo Yuan, her heart growing dim again, so she stopped talking and began teaching Yuanxi to embroider according to the pattern, hand by hand.

The sunlight outside slowly climbed up the window frame. After embroidering for about half an hour, Xiao Du pushed the door and entered. Xiao Zhixuan looked up to see him, quickly put down her needlework, and called out sweetly, “Big Brother.” Xiao Du also smiled and nodded at her, but his expression showed a moment of discomfort.

Xiao Zhixuan’s smile became slightly stiff. Seeing Xiao Du lift his robe and sit beside Yuanxi, then look up at her, her heart suddenly panicked. She looked up with a smile, “Since Big Brother has returned, I won’t disturb you two. Sister-in-law, I’ll come teach you again tomorrow.” Having said this, she winked at them and skipped out of the room.

She bid farewell to the maids and nannies outside, but suddenly stopped when she reached the courtyard. She carefully looked back, and seeing no one paying attention to her, she suddenly turned around and crept to a side window outside the house.

Slowly crouching down and listening to the sounds from inside, her heart suddenly felt somewhat sorrowful. She was too familiar with every room in this manor, easily knowing where was most suitable for eavesdropping without being discovered. But she would rather know nothing and be able to return to being the innocent and simple Third Miss in their eyes.

Meanwhile, inside the room, Xiao Du picked up the embroidery pattern in front of him and smiled mischievously at Yuanxi, “Are you embroidering this for me?”

Yuanxi’s face reddened slightly, her eyes glancing at the sachet hanging from his waist, with some teasing, “To save you, the dignified Marquis Xuanyuan, from carrying around such an ugly sachet every day for all to see.”

Xiao Du pulled her into his arms, leaning close to her ear and saying softly, “Who dares say it’s ugly? What my wife embroiders for me is the most beautiful.” Having said this, he took her earlobe in his mouth and played with it.

Hearing the sounds from inside, Xiao Zhixuan’s face immediately reddened. Just as she was about to quickly slip away, she suddenly heard Yuanxi say slightly breathlessly, “By the way, are you really certain about that matter?”

Xiao Du sighed deeply, “I’m afraid I’m eighty percent certain. I can confirm it’s her.”

Xiao Zhixuan’s heart skipped a beat, and her hand supporting herself against the wall began to tremble slightly. At this time, she heard Yuanxi say again, “But I still don’t believe it. She’s still so young, how could she possibly…”

Xiao Du gripped her hand tightly, his tone also somewhat heavy, “Actually, I don’t believe she could do such a thing either, but… forget it, let’s not think about it now. Tonight at the hour of the Snake, the shadow guards I sent out will deliver the collected evidence to the study. Then the truth will be revealed.”

Xiao Zhixuan sat dazedly by the wall, her mind buzzing, unable to hear anything. A cold wind blew, and she pulled her clothes tighter, feeling a bone-deep chill throughout her body.

The moon reached the center of the sky, and the night watchman’s wooden clappers sounded outside the walls. Beyond the layers of powder-pink walls, outside the tightly closed study door, a petite figure was hiding.

She had been sitting by the wall for a long time, her body already somewhat stiff, yet she still hadn’t seen a single person. She anxiously twisted the flower petals in her hands, occasionally craning her neck to peek outside, her heart restless and uneasy.

Just as she couldn’t bear it anymore and stood up, preparing to secretly look inside the room, the originally pitch-black room suddenly blazed with bright lights. Under the orange lamplight appeared a cold, hard silhouette, and an all-too-familiar voice came from within the window, “Xuan’er, come in.”

Xiao Zhixuan froze abruptly. That voice had countless times made her feel warm and close, but now it made her feel as if she had fallen into an ice cellar. She bit her lip, trying to calm herself, and walked into the room with unsteady steps.

Though it was only a few steps, she walked as if enduring many days and nights. Upon entering, she saw Xiao Du standing by the window, his cold, hard face flickering bright and dark in the candlelight, quietly watching her.

Xiao Zhixuan forced a smile, “Big Brother, why are you inside? My rabbit ran away again, and while looking for it, I somehow ended up here.”

Xiao Du stared at her, his eyes showing incomprehension, pity, and sadness, “Xuan’er, do you remember I told you that you were never good at lying?”

Xiao Zhixuan still smiled, but her eyes carried infinite desolation, “But, Big Brother, I’m no longer that little girl who understood nothing.”