Xie Shi’an took the invitation and went to visit his former classmates.

As the carriage traveled along the road, it became blocked ahead, so he had to get out and walk. After walking just a few steps, he saw a familiar figure on the street.

His pupils couldn’t help but contract, and he quickly chased after it.

But that figure passed through an alley and disappeared into some shop.

Xie Shi’an looked up—before him was a gambling den.

His expression immediately darkened.

If he hadn’t seen wrong, that figure just now was He Xu, who had disappeared several months ago.

Though it was only a side profile, he dared to confirm it was definitely his maternal uncle, whose real name was He Xu.

There were people in the capital investigating the He family matters. For He Xu to appear in the capital was truly too dangerous.

His birth mother had been driven to death because of this, yet He Xu was still living so carefree. If he were targeted by someone, the consequences would be unthinkable…

Xie Shi’an made an immediate decision to enter the gambling den. Inside, voices were clamorous, people crowding everywhere. He searched around inside but didn’t see any sign of He Xu.

He couldn’t be bothered to deliver the invitation to his classmate anymore and hurriedly returned to the Xie residence.

He went to the study to find Xie Jingyu, but the servants said Xie Jingyu hadn’t returned yet.

He knew that ever since Elder Sister became a princess consort, Father had been “recalled from mourning” by the court, ending his mourning period early, and had been given a lucrative position.

It was said to be a lucrative position that everyone in the Ministry of Revenue envied—counting the treasury silver every day…

Not until nightfall did Xie Jingyu return.

His health had never been good, and with consecutive days of exhaustion, even his walking was somewhat limping and hunched. His left leg dragged on the ground as he walked, completely lacking the graceful bearing of the former top scholar.

But his face was full of spirit and vitality, as if glowing with health.

Xie Shi’an quickly went over to support his father, helping him sit in a chair in the study, and hurriedly poured a cup of tea to hand over.

Xie Jingyu wasn’t in a hurry to drink tea. From his sleeve he pulled out a stack of banknotes—at least five or six thousand taels of silver.

Xie Shi’an looked completely disbelieving: “Father, where did this money come from?”

After Old Madam’s funeral, their Xie family didn’t have much silver left. Otherwise, they wouldn’t have been unable to prepare even a decent dowry for Elder Sister.

“The Ministry of Revenue’s accounts are complicated and jumbled. These past days, I re-examined and reorganized the accounts from the past five years, and this extra silver appeared.” Xie Jingyu’s voice carried a hint of hidden excitement. “From this you can see how incompetent the people who previously managed the accounts at the Ministry of Revenue were. Some places recorded too much, some places recorded too little. Adding and subtracting, in the end there was a full seven thousand one hundred taels of excess silver. I only took five thousand and recorded the remaining two thousand-plus in the public accounts.”

Xie Shi’an’s brows furrowed: “Father, you’ve only just taken over this position. I’m afraid doing this is inappropriate.”

Wouldn’t it be more secure to wait until his position was firmly established, until there weren’t so many eyes watching, before doing such things?

“You don’t understand.”

Xie Jingyu shook his head.

He had obtained this lucrative position through Prince Pingxi’s connections. He had to produce results to make Prince Pingxi trust him.

From the five thousand taels of banknotes, he separated half to keep in his own study. The other half he placed in a box. Once it accumulated to about the right amount, he would send this box of banknotes to Prince Pingxi to fully demonstrate his loyalty.

Xie Shi’an’s lips parted. He wanted to persuade further, but suddenly remembered he had more important matters, so he changed the subject: “Father, I think I saw He Xu on the street today.”

“Truly?” Xie Jingyu stood up urgently. “Didn’t he owe over ten thousand taels of silver and, fearing being killed by debt collectors, flee the capital long ago?”

Xie Shi’an spoke in a deep voice: “I saw him enter a gambling den, but couldn’t find him. I don’t know if I saw wrong.”

He Xu owed so much money—how could he dare return to the capital, how could he dare enter a gambling den, and how would the gambling den people let him in?

Could it be he saw wrong?

“Whether you saw wrong or not, this matter cannot be taken lightly.” Xie Jingyu’s fingers tapped on the desk. “I’ll arrange for a few people to stake out the gambling den. As long as he appears, they’ll take him to a place with no one… Only dead men don’t reveal secrets.”

Xie Shi’an lowered his eyelids.

He had personally driven his birth mother to death. His maternal uncle didn’t seem to matter much.

When he achieved success and fame in the future, when he was ranked among the hundred officials, when he cleared the He family name, he would definitely establish memorial tablets for Mother and Uncle and have his descendants worship them for generations…

Just as Xie Jingyu arranged for people to go to the gambling den, Yun Chu’s people brought He Xu from the gambling den to a temporary small courtyard.

As soon as he entered the courtyard gate, He Xu saw Chen Defu sitting in the courtyard drinking tea. He said with a guilty expression: “Chen Bo, I was just going out for a stroll. I didn’t go gambling…”

Back then, when someone had cut off his private parts and he nearly died, it was Chen Bo who saved him.

It was Chen Bo who arranged for people to escort him back to his hometown in Jizhou.

He had gotten bored staying in his Jizhou hometown and wanted to return to the capital for some fun. It was also Chen Bo who gave him travel money and arranged this spacious residence for him.

On his second day after arriving, he had originally wanted to go to the Xie family to ask his younger sister He Lingying for some money to spend freely, but couldn’t find her. So he wandered to the gambling den. He feared Chen Bo would get angry and stop caring about him—then he would be finished.

“He Xu, do you know your life almost ended?” Chen Defu said coldly. “I took pains to save you because I hoped you would live, not die carelessly.”

He Xu said indifferently: “I still owe the gambling den so much silver. They won’t kill me—at most I’ll take a severe beating.”

Chen Defu shook his head: “The person who wants your life is the Xie family’s eldest young master, Xie Shi’an.”

“What? Xie Shi’an?” He Xu frowned. “How could he possibly kill me? Chen Bo, you must have misunderstood something.”

He was An’er’s maternal uncle—a blood relationship.

“You were promoted by my own hand, so I won’t hide things from you.” Chen Defu looked at him and said, “You and the Xie residence’s Concubine He are legitimate siblings, right?”

He Xu’s eyes tightened: “How do you know?”

“I also know that Concubine He is the birth mother of the Xie family’s eldest young master, second young master, and eldest young miss. I know even more—that Concubine He is also the legitimate daughter of the He family.” Chen Defu’s voice was very low. “The Xie family offended someone, and people are currently investigating the He family matters, preparing to deal the Xie family a fatal blow… Therefore, Concubine He, this witness, was jointly driven to death by the Xie father and son… Xie Jingyu and Xie Shi’an have been searching for your whereabouts. You just returned to the capital and were already targeted. The next person to die will be you!”

“No—impossible!” He Xu’s complexion changed drastically. “My younger sister has a hard life. She can’t possibly be dead. You’re lying to me!”

“Alas—” Chen Defu sighed long and deeply. “If you don’t believe my words, just wait and see. I can only say this much.”

He patted He Xu’s shoulder and strode out.

Walking to the courtyard entrance, he turned his head to the two guards in the shadows: “Watch him carefully. He absolutely cannot die.”

After watching He Xu for several months, he was about to be put to use. He just didn’t know if the Xie family could withstand this great gift the Madam had specially prepared.