Yun Xi said, “By what you’re saying, Luo Shu must come to the mansion quite often. Why haven’t I…”

She’d meant to ask, why haven’t I seen her much?

But before the words left her mouth, Yun Xi suddenly realized something.

That wasn’t right—she had, in fact, seen Luo Shu before.

Last time, when Steward Feng of the Pei household had come to the mansion to invite her to the old matriarch’s birthday banquet, Luo Shu had been there too. And she’d come to the mansion specifically to accompany Fang Fulan to the apothecary.

After Steward Feng had left, Ke Yong had come to tell them about the boatman’s confession.

At the time, Luo Shu had been right at the mansion gate—she must have heard what Ke Yong said as well.

Yun Xi thought further—why hadn’t she seen Luo Shu at the mansion since then?

This, in fact, had a simple enough explanation.

Ever since the boatman’s confession, aside from her regular duties, Yun Xi had spent every spare moment watching over the woodshed, on top of dealing with the broken engagement with the Pei household and her brother’s case—she’d been so busy she’d barely had a moment to herself. Meanwhile, Luo Shu’s visits to pick up Fang Fulan for the apothecary took no more than a couple of hours round trip, so it made perfect sense they simply hadn’t crossed paths.

“Young Lady, what’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” Yun Xi said, then, after further thought, asked, “I was just thinking—these past few years since we moved back to Jinling, the Luo household and ours haven’t had much contact. When did Luo Shu grow so close with Sister-in-law?”

Mingcui said, “Since early spring this year.”

“After early spring, once the young mistress’s mourning period ended, she had to go into the palace at the start of every month with the other noble ladies of Jinling to pay respects to the Imperial Noble Consort.”

“The young mistress has always been rather quiet by nature, and because of… what happened with her own family in the past, she’d grown distant from many old acquaintances. Only Miss Luo still made a point of talking with her from time to time, and over time, the two of them grew close.”

Early spring this year…

Yun Xi turned the timing over in her mind.

The Third Young Master had fallen into the water and nearly been killed during the Flower Festival, which had also taken place in early spring this year.

For a moment, Yun Xi felt the heart that had sunk to the depths slowly begin to rise again.

But she still didn’t let her guard down. Glancing at the shattered medicine bowl on the tray, she instructed Mingcui to brew another dose, then left the mansion without a moment’s delay.

Yun Xi went to the apothecary where Fang Fulan had been treated over the years and questioned the physician carefully. The physician answered, “Reporting to the Eldest Young Lady, yesterday, the moment the young mistress arrived, she went straight to the inner room for acupuncture and never left throughout the treatment. As for the young lady from the Luo household who accompanied her—ah, yes, she did step out once, for about half an hour, saying she needed to buy something.”

Yun Xi nodded, thanked the physician, and then went to trace Zhao Wu’s and A’Ling’s movements one by one, following the same approach.

The shopkeepers at the various stores Zhao Wu had visited all confirmed he had indeed been there.

As for A’Ling, the medicine for Uncle Bai’s leg ailment had run out, and when she’d gone out to buy more the day before, she’d even run into Tian Si’s younger brother, who was studying for the imperial examinations.

Given all this, it did indeed seem most likely that Luo Shu was the one who had informed the true culprit.

Yun Xi spent the entire day running from place to place, and by the time she was heading home, dusk had already fallen. Passing by Baoyanzhai, she suddenly recalled what Fang Fulan had said that morning: “I thought… in a few more years I’ll be old, so I might as well get some rouge to wear.”

Yun Xi thought that, even if this had been an excuse Fang Fulan had used to put her off, it had been nearly four years since Yun Luo’s death, and aside from a single box of powder and a stick of kohl bought right after her mourning period ended, for an obligatory palace visit, Fang Fulan had never once bought herself anything since—she still wore her old, worn clothes.

A sudden pang of guilt struck Yun Xi’s heart at the thought that she’d actually suspected her sister-in-law today, and she felt deeply ashamed.

She hurried into Baoyanzhai, emptied every last coin from her purse, and bought a box of rouge.

By the time she returned to the mansion, night had fully fallen. Fang Fulan, feeling unwell that day, had gone to bed early. Yun Xi placed the newly bought rouge on the windowsill of her room and went to sit alone in the main hall.

It wasn’t that she wasn’t tired—she simply couldn’t settle her mind enough to rest.

The Third Young Master, as the noble Young Prince of Prince Cong’s household, His Majesty’s own nephew, had already faced two attempts on his life since early spring this year, the most recent one at the waterside pavilion of the Pei residence, where the mastermind had gone so far as to activate a sleeper agent planted within the princely household for thirty years—there was no reason he would stop now.

If it truly had been Luo Shu who’d leaked the information, then how could a mere woman like her possibly afford to offend Prince Cong’s entire household? Even the whole Luo household together couldn’t afford such an offense.

Someone must be behind Luo Shu, giving her instructions.

Yun Xi couldn’t fathom what connection there could possibly be between the Luo household and Prince Cong’s household.

She was eager to seek out Luo Shu the very next morning to press her for the truth, but feared that doing so might spook the culprit into hiding.

After much deliberation, she suddenly remembered something and called Zhao Wu over to ask, “This morning, Sister-in-law mentioned that the Princess Consort of Nan’an has recovered from her illness and is hosting a banquet at her mansion, and sent over an invitation. Do you know where Sister-in-law put that invitation?”

Zhao Wu said, “The young mistress figured you wouldn’t want to go, Eldest Young Lady, so she already gave the invitation to this one, telling me to go decline it at Prince Nan’an’s mansion first thing tomorrow morning.”

Yun Xi said, “No need to decline it. Bring me that invitation.”

The banquet at Prince Nan’an’s mansion would likely have drawn invitations to most of the noble ladies of Jinling, and Luo Shu would surely be among them at such a gathering. Meeting her there would be far less likely to arouse suspicion than showing up unannounced at her household.

Before long, Zhao Wu brought the invitation, and asked, “Eldest Young Lady, does this mean you intend to go to Prince Nan’an’s mansion?”

Yun Xi gave an affirmative “Mm” and nodded.

Prince Nan’an was a collateral branch relation from the previous emperor’s generation—decades ago, his household had actually held the rank of a first-tier prince, but after committing some offense, he had been sent to his fief to reflect on his wrongdoing and demoted to the rank of second-tier prince.

Since taking the throne and consolidating power firmly in his own hands, His Majesty had been unwilling to let princes and nobles remain too long in places beyond his immediate reach, fearing the local populace might grow divided loyalties. Under the pretext of a special pardon, he’d gathered all such princes and nobles back to Jinling, framing it as “recalling them to their ancestral home.”

Living right under the Emperor’s watchful eye, all the princes, marquises, and ministers conducted themselves with the utmost caution, and given that Prince Nan’an’s own ancestors had once committed an offense, his household was even more careful than most.

So much so that the current Prince Nan’an had, with great caution, married only a horse trainer from the palace’s inner court, one with no family background to speak of. Their sons, though accomplished in their own right, held only modest official posts—even the young Prince of Nan’an held nothing more than a lowly seventh-rank commander’s position.

The banquet at Prince Nan’an’s mansion was scheduled for the evening, but the invitation listed the hours as running from past noon, the hour of Wei, all the way to the hour of Hai.

The mansion boasted an exquisitely designed flower garden, filled with rare and exotic plants, a bamboo grove, and an elegant pavilion, all provided for the enjoyment of the female guests. To the east lay a stable yard, home to several dozen magnificent, spirited steeds.

Since Yun Xi had urgent business seeking out Luo Shu, she headed to Prince Nan’an’s mansion shortly after noon that day.

A servant from the mansion led her to the flower garden, and looking around, Yun Xi spotted Luo Shu had indeed already arrived.

Unlike her usual arrangement, however, Luo Shu wasn’t with Yao Susu today—she sat alone with her maid in a leisure pavilion by the lake.

Yao Susu, cradling Snowball, was chatting merrily with a few young ladies from official households in the garden.

Yun Xi walked over to the pavilion and called out, “Luo Shu.”

Hearing her voice, Luo Shu turned, startled for a moment, then said with delight, “A’Ting, what brings you here?”

She took Yun Xi’s hand and pulled her down onto the corridor bench beside her. “I thought you didn’t care for gatherings like this and wouldn’t come. It’s wonderful that you’re here today—now I’ll have some company.”

Yun Xi smiled. “I only heard from the maids in the household a few days ago that Sister-in-law’s health has been poor since early spring this year, and that you’ve been accompanying her to the apothecary. I’ve been so busy with yamen duties that I’ve left you to shoulder that burden instead.”

Though Yun Xi’s words were meant to probe, they were also, in part, genuinely sincere.

Hearing this, Luo Shu’s expression froze for a moment. “You already know about that?” She added, “Didn’t your sister-in-law say not to mention it to you?”

Just as Yun Xi was about to answer, she suddenly heard a burst of silvery laughter from somewhere in the garden.

She and Luo Shu both turned toward the sound to see Snowball, cradled in Yao Susu’s arms, apparently having just woken from a nap, giving a lazy yawn before licking its paw to clean its face.

Yao Susu played with it for a moment, then lifted Snowball and handed it over to a young woman standing nearby.

Yun Xi’s gaze landed on that young woman, and she was momentarily taken aback.

It was none other than that Miss Lin, Lin Ruonan.

Last time, at the banquet at the Pei residence, the other noble young ladies had seemed to view the Lin household as opportunistically currying favor with the marquis’s household and had kept their distance from her—so why, today, did everyone seem so warm and friendly toward Lin Ruonan?

Lin Ruonan looked both delighted and nervous around Snowball, reaching out carefully to pet it, and seeing it merely narrow its eyes without much reaction, finally took it from Yao Susu’s arms.

Luo Shu’s gaze, too, was fixed on Lin Ruonan, and after a long moment, she lowered her voice. “A’Ting, guess how Lin Wan’er got here today?”

Yun Xi had no idea what she meant.

How had she gotten here? By carriage, obviously.

“She didn’t come along with her mother’s group—she rode in Prince Cong’s consort’s own carriage, with the Third Young Master’s carriage following right behind theirs.”

Yun Xi was startled. “The Third Young Master came to Prince Nan’an’s mansion too?”

But the moment the words left her mouth, she suddenly grasped the implication behind Luo Shu’s remark.

Though the Lin household had some family ties to Prince Cong’s household, their standing was still worlds apart. For Lin Ruonan to travel alongside the princess consort, she had no business whatsoever riding in the same carriage as the consort herself.

And yet the consort had allowed her aboard her own carriage—what did that suggest?

Did it mean she was being treated as family already?

A dull, inexplicable heaviness settled over Yun Xi’s heart, as though some formless gloom had gathered inside her chest.

She was a perceptive person—after everything these past months, whatever joy or sorrow, worry or unease she’d felt, how could she not see clearly where it came from?

She only felt that this heaviness had no right to be there.

It wasn’t that she looked down on herself.

She simply, inexplicably, felt too far away.

She stood in the mortal world, while he walked among the clouds. Eight thousand li of mountains, rivers, and seas lay between them—she might never even brush the hem of his robe.

“A’Ting?” Luo Shu called out to her again. “What’s wrong with you?”

Yun Xi shook her head. “Nothing.”

Her gaze drifted back to Lin Ruonan, just in time to see Snowball, cradled in her arms, seem to catch some scent or sound, its fur bristling as it stared fixedly toward a small bamboo grove nearby.

Suddenly, it let out a “meow” and leapt from Lin Ruonan’s arms, dashing swiftly toward the grove.

Almost simultaneously, there was a commotion in the bamboo grove, followed instantly by the bark of a dog. Before Yun Xi could make out what was happening, a streak of yellow flashed through the green bamboo, and Snowball let out a piercing shriek.

The noble ladies in the garden were all startled. Yao Susu, without a second thought, screamed, “Snowball!” and hitched up her skirts to rush into the grove.

Inside the bamboo grove, Snowball lay weakly on the ground, its hind leg soaked in blood—clearly bitten.

Not far away stood an old shaggy dog, roughly knee-high, standing on guard, as though it would fight to the death if Snowball came even an inch closer.

Servants from Prince Nan’an’s mansion rushed over as well, and upon seeing the scene, all gasped in alarm.

Everyone knew that this cat, cradled in Miss Yao’s arms, had been a gift from the current Imperial Noble Consort herself. Now that it had been injured, Prince Nan’an’s mansion could hardly escape responsibility.

Yao Susu clutched Snowball to her chest, heedless of the blood staining her robes, crying urgently, “Get a physician, quickly, a physician!”

“Reporting to Miss Susu, someone has already been sent to fetch the mansion’s physician for livestock.”

Yao Susu stroked Snowball, her eyes brimming with tears, and glared furiously at the old shaggy dog. “Deal with it for me, at once!”

Several guards, armed with clubs, moved at her word.

At that moment, a servant of the mansion stepped forward from the crowd, trembling as he spoke. “Miss Susu, this shaggy dog originally belonged to the Princess Consort of Nan’an, kept to watch the horses. Now that it’s grown old and lost its strength, the consort passed it on to us servants. This lowly one… has spent years with it, grown attached, and so brought it here to the bamboo grove to live out its remaining years in peace.”

“Later, somehow… it turned out to be pregnant. Its health wasn’t good, and it struggled through two difficult months before finally giving birth to three puppies—two didn’t survive, leaving only one.”

“Just now… it was likely Miss Susu’s precious cat that discovered the puppy in the grove and wanted to investigate. The old dog, fiercely protective of her young, must have thought the cat meant to harm her puppy, and bit it out of that instinct.”

He hurriedly added, “This lowly one has kept dogs for years and knows how to treat wounds. Miss Susu’s precious cat’s injury isn’t actually severe—with some medicine and proper bandaging, it should heal fully within ten days to half a month. This lowly one begs Miss Susu, out of consideration for the old dog’s age, to spare its life.”

At his words, everyone turned to look behind the old dog, and only now, upon closer inspection, did they notice it had been desperately guarding a bamboo basket the whole time.

And indeed, inside that basket lay a puppy no bigger than a palm, fast asleep.

Yao Susu let out a cold laugh. “The life of a mere beast, daring to compare itself to Snowball?”

Still fuming, she refused to relent. “Even the consort herself abandoned it—clearly it’s an unlikable creature through and through! A dog that bites has no business remaining in this world, and whatever it’s bred certainly can’t be any good either. Someone, beat them both to death!”

The guards responded with a “Yes” and immediately raised their clubs, striking at the old dog and its puppy.

The servant who had spoken earlier cried out “No!” and threw himself forward, shielding the old dog with his own body.

But what were the lives of two dogs worth, in the end?

The people of Prince Nan’an’s mansion knew all too well how to weigh their priorities. Would they really risk offending the Privy Council Commissioner and the Imperial Noble Consort just to protect a dying dog?

Two guards stepped forward to pull the servant away, while another restrained the old dog, club raised, ready to strike—but the club, still in mid-air, was suddenly seized by someone’s hand.

Yun Xi, her expression utterly indifferent, shoved the guard backward, club and all.

She positioned herself between the old dog and its puppy, shielding them, and said coldly to Yao Susu, “It was your cat that tried to harm the puppy in the first place—that’s why the old dog bit it. And she didn’t even bite hard—if she had, do you think your cat would still be alive? It’s nothing more than a minor flesh wound. Why must you demand their lives over something so trivial?”