Yun Xi and Yun Luo reached the main hall to find Qin Zhong and Ning Huan already there, along with another figure curled up in the corner — a man in gray cloth robes, head bowed low, as if terrified to be seen.

It was the mute man.

Seeing Yun Xi approach, Qin Zhong crouched down in front of the mute man, waved a hand to get his attention, then pointed toward Yun Xi behind him, saying patiently, “Look — see who’s come.”

The mute man was both deaf and unable to speak. He couldn’t hear Qin Zhong’s words, but he understood the gesture. After a moment, he lifted his head and looked toward Yun Xi.

Yun Xi crouched down as well, offering a gentle smile. “Uncle Mute, I’m A’Ting. Do you still remember me?”

The mute man studied her carefully, a flicker of curiosity crossing his face — but a moment later, fear took over. He shrank further into the corner, turning his face away, refusing to look at her, low, choked, wordless sounds rising from his throat.

Knowing the mute man was afraid of strangers and not wanting to frighten him further, Yun Xi stood and stepped back.

Qin Zhong sighed. “The mute used to be alright, honestly. He kept to himself, sure, but he wasn’t this frightened of people. Back then, he trusted the Marquis completely, and the Marquis’s personal guards — your Uncle Cui and the others — could still exchange a few words with him now and then. But then came that battle on the frontier… it was too brutal. The Marquis, old Cui — all gone. And the mute became like this.”

Yun Luo had already told Yun Xi much of this in recent days.

The mute man didn’t know sign language. When Yun Shuguang had first found him and brought him back from the battlefield, they’d communicated only through simple gestures.

About seven years ago, on his final campaign to the frontier, Yun Shuguang had entrusted two boys to the mute man’s care.

But the battle on the frontier had been devastating — over ten thousand soldiers buried there — and everyone the mute man had trusted was gone. The two boys in his household had vanished after that battle as well, leaving no way to confirm whether they had truly been the Fifth Prince and his young eunuch.

Yun Xi asked, “In this state, how are we supposed to use him to find the Fifth Prince?”

They couldn’t very well drag him door to door to identify people, could they? Looking at him now, he could barely stand being brought to Marquis Zhongyong’s household itself.

Qin Zhong said, “Right, that’s why we’re planning to find suspects first, then bring them here for him to identify.”

He added, “He’s not actually simple-minded, though — his mind’s mostly intact. Those of us who’ve spent years around him, he recognizes all of us fine. He’s just deeply wary, especially of strangers.”

Yun Xi made a low sound of acknowledgment.

Just then, Zhao Wu came into the main hall to report. “Young General, Young Miss, Captain Tian is here — says he has urgent business with the Young Miss.”

Yun Luo asked, “What’s the matter?”

“Seems to be about Master Tian.”

Wang’an? Something’s happened to him?

Hearing this, Yun Xi said quickly, “Show him in.” Then she went out to meet him herself.

But halfway there, she suddenly remembered the mute man was still in the main hall.

He was terribly wary of strangers, and even after all this time here, he was clearly still unsettled, not even willing to touch a sip of water. If he saw Tian Si now, it would only frighten him further. She turned to Qin Zhong. “Uncle Qin, could you take Uncle Mute to rest in the side room out back for a while?”

Qin Zhong agreed and helped the mute man up.

The mute man had been fine enough indoors, but the moment they stepped out of the main hall into the sunlight, he shrank behind Qin Zhong at once, following close on his heels toward the back courtyard.

Just as Yun Xi reached the courtyard, she saw Tian Si standing at its entrance, staring after Qin Zhong and the mute man’s retreating figures, lost in thought.

But worried about Tian Ze, she didn’t dwell on it and simply asked, “Tian Si, what’s wrong? Has something happened to Wang’an?”

It took Tian Si a long moment to snap out of it. He pointed toward the direction Qin Zhong had gone. “Just… just now, that person was…”

“Someone from the frontier,” Yun Xi said. “He came to Jinling last year with the Marquis’s former subordinates.”

Tian Si went quiet again for a moment, then made a small sound of acknowledgment.

“Zhao Wu told me you’re here about Wang’an. Has something happened to him?” Yun Xi asked again.

“N-nothing’s happened,” Tian Si said after a pause. Seeing Yun Luo approach as well, he hastily bowed. “Y-Young General—”

Yun Xi pressed, “Truly nothing’s wrong?”

“Truly, truly nothing,” Tian Si said. “It’s just — a while back, Wang’an borrowed a scroll of books from the Young General when he visited the residence, and he lost it. I’ve come to apologize for it.”

Yun Luo smiled. “That’s nothing to worry about. I hardly read those books anyway — if Tian Ze found use for them, he’s put them to better use than I ever did. If anything, I should thank him.”

Tian Si thanked Yun Luo again, then, seeing Yun Xi about to lead him further into the residence, followed a few steps before suddenly stopping. “A-A’Ting, I won’t sit in the main hall — I’ll go to the back courtyard, to check on Uncle Bai. I… haven’t seen him in a while.”

Yun Xi nodded at this. “Alright, go ahead on your own.”

Tian Si went to the back courtyard, sat with Uncle Bai for a while, and upon coming out, asked a servant, “That person who came in earlier with Commander Qin — where is he?”

The servant led him to a side room, saying, “The mute man is wary of strangers and likes to be alone. Commander Qin told us to let him rest here for half the day — I just brought him some water.”

Tian Si nodded, hesitated for a moment, then said, “I’ll… I’ll go see him.”

Over the years, Tian Si had come and gone from Marquis Zhongyong’s household so often that he was practically family. The servant, seeing no reason to stop him, simply acknowledged the request and withdrew.

Tian Si stood before the door and took a deep breath, then pushed it open and stepped inside.

It was past noon, and the room was dim, lit only by a single candle on the desk.

The mute man had been sitting alone by the edge of the bed. Seeing someone enter, he immediately shrank into the corner of the bed, raising his arm to shield his face.

Tian Si said nothing for a moment, then walked forward and pulled the arm aside.

Terrified, the mute man fought back desperately, swinging his arms to push him away, striking Tian Si’s face and neck several times — but his movements slowed the instant he got a clear look at Tian Si’s face.

This man who never let strangers near him — the moment he made out Tian Si’s features, low, broken sounds began rising from his throat, “ah, ah,” his eyes brimming with tears, his expression a mix of shock, joy, and grief all at once.

Tears spilled down Tian Si’s face instantly. His voice came out hoarse. “It really is… it’s really you.”

“How… how did you end up in Jinling?”

The mute man stared at him, dazed, then began gesturing wildly.

Tian Si understood him and said gently, “Don’t worry. His Highness — he’s doing well.”

He spoke slowly, deliberately.

What Qin Zhong and the others didn’t know was that by the time Yun Shuguang had entrusted Tian Si and Tian Ze to the mute man’s care, the man’s hearing had already largely failed him. But faithful to the task he’d been given, he had gradually taught himself to read lips in order to properly care for the two boys, so as long as one spoke slowly, he could understand.

Tian Si continued, “I… back then, I followed His Highness to Jinling. We found the young miss, and all these years, we’ve… we’ve stayed by her side.”

“We’ve been well, these past years.”

“And you?”

The mute man opened his mouth, shook his head first, then pointed at Tian Si and nodded fiercely.

Tian Si understood — he meant, as long as you two are well, I am too.

The mute man made another gesture, asking how Tian Ze was doing, why he wasn’t here.

Tian Si said, “He’s as clever and kind as Consort Wan was. He’s an official now — he’s at the Ministry today, on duty.”

The mute man waved his hands urgently.

Tian Si said, “I know. Someone like him, becoming an official — it’s not good for him. Don’t worry — once everything is settled, His Highness and I will go back to the frontier grasslands, just as we always promised, and stay with you.”

The mute man waved his hands again, gesturing — don’t go back to the frontier, life there is hard. Jinling is good. As long as you’re both safe, stay in Jinling.

Tian Si was about to say more when he heard footsteps approaching outside, someone calling, “Young Miss.”

He quickly made a gesture — meaning, next time I’ll bring His Highness with me, don’t tell anyone about us — then wiped his eyes with his sleeve and left the room.

Before Tian Si even reached the back courtyard corridor, he ran into Yun Xi. Seeing he hadn’t come from Uncle Bai’s quarters, she asked, “Tian Si? What are you doing here?”

“I… I sat with Uncle Bai for a while, and when I came out, I saw someone bringing water and pastries to the back side room. I heard it was someone from the Marquis’s former subordinates, so I thought I’d go help out.”

Yun Xi had only asked out of idle curiosity, and hearing he’d gone to help, she smiled. “The residence has plenty of servants now — you don’t need to trouble yourself with things like that.”

“Well, he’s one of the old subordinates, after all — no harm in lending a hand,” Tian Si said, then added after a pause, “Marquis Zhongyong’s household has done a great kindness for me and Wang’an.”

He asked, “A’Ting, what brings you here?”

Yun Xi said, “I’m still worried. You came looking for me today — truly nothing’s happened?”

“Truly, nothing,” Tian Si said, avoiding her gaze, walking with her toward the front courtyard. “Didn’t I already say? It’s just the matter of the book the Young General lent him.”

Tian Si had spent years devoted entirely to Tian Ze, treasuring his younger brother above his own life. Seeing him insist so firmly that nothing was wrong, Yun Xi chose to believe him, and instead brought up matters concerning the Western Hills Camp. The two of them walked together to the front courtyard, where Tian Si excused himself, saying he had errands to attend to, and hurried off.

After seeing Tian Si off, Yun Xi returned to her own quarters.

But somehow, she couldn’t shake a lingering unease. Thinking back on Tian Si, something about his manner today had felt off, as if he were hiding something from her.

She recalled that he’d clearly come today about Tian Ze’s business, and yet upon seeing her, had changed his story for some reason.

Unsettled, and having been ordered to remain confined to the residence recently, Yun Xi called for Zhao Wu and asked after Yun Luo’s whereabouts.

Zhao Wu said, “The young master left for the Privy Council after noon. He may also be heading to the Western Hills Camp this evening — he probably won’t be back until tomorrow.”

Noticing Yun Xi’s troubled expression, Zhao Wu asked, “Young Miss, is something wrong?”

Yun Xi couldn’t quite say.

She had met Tian Si and Tian Ze during the hardest years of her life, and the three of them had leaned on each other ever since. The two brothers felt like family to her — she couldn’t bear to see anything go wrong for them.

With that thought, she said, “Go to the Censorate. Ask whether Wang’an is safe and well today, on behalf of the Third Young Master.”

Zhao Wu acknowledged the order and had just turned to leave when Yun Xi called out, “Wait.”

She thought for a moment. “I’ll go myself.”

If she was going to break the confinement order, then so be it — if something had truly gone wrong, being there herself would let her help right away, and if it turned out to be nothing, worst case she’d take some punishment for it.

Yun Xi had just reached the residence gate when the sound of galloping hooves reached her.

Cheng Ye came riding hard, reining in sharply just outside the gate. Seeing Yun Xi, he didn’t even pause for greetings, launching straight into the matter. “Did Brother Tian come find you today?”

“He did,” Yun Xi said.

Cheng Ye and Tian Ze were close friends. Seeing him like this, Yun Xi already sensed something was badly wrong and quickly ordered a servant to prepare the horses, asking as she did, “Has something happened to Wang’an?”

“It’s about the theft of the Ministry of War’s defense map,” Cheng Ye said. “There was already evidence pointing to General Xuanwei and Guard Ning as the thieves — but after this morning’s court session, Wang’an said… that he’d gotten the evidence wrong, that he’d wrongly accused General Xuanwei. Right now the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of War, even the Secretariat are all in an uproar. His Majesty means to hold him personally accountable. If you’re free, come with me to the palace.”