Xie Yanlai appeared to be choking, unable to speak, but he hadn’t spat out the pill.
Chu Zhao felt relieved and quietly asked A Le, "Why is the pill so large?"
A Le replied apologetically, "The pharmacist rushed it and did a sloppy job when I pressed him." She quickly produced three porcelain bottles and added, "But I prepared these medicinal powders myself—they’re fully effective."
Chu Zhao accepted them with a smile. "A Le’s skills are unmatched."
A Le grinned in response.
As Chu Zhao turned with the bottles, she noticed Xie Yanlai glaring coldly at her.
He said, "I won’t ask your intentions, and you needn’t sweet-talk me. Get out of here now."
A Le frowned in displeasure. "Young Master A Jiu, how can you be like this? My lady is trying to save you. She specifically instructed me to prepare these medicines. Don’t think you’re fine—your injuries are severe—"
Here, she chuckled lightly.
"But once you’ve taken my pill, your energy and blood will replenish instantly."
"Sprinkle these powders, and the bleeding will stop immediately. Then apply my ointment, and I guarantee no scars will remain."
Xie Yanlai sneered. No need for pretense now—even the maid who earlier feigned ignorance was glib-tongued.
"Does your lady not distinguish right from wrong? Can’t she tell good from evil?" he remarked with a mocking smile, turning to Chu Zhao. "Miss Chu, why are you so kind to someone like me? Do you think those villagers deserved to die?"
A Le’s expression stiffened. She had rushed downstairs with Chu Zhao, who ordered her to immediately use her lifesaving skills to prepare wound-healing medicine, and she had dashed off without delay.
She had forgotten that A Jiu was now Xie Yanlai.
She had heard about the things Xie Yanlai had done.
Such a person truly wasn’t worth saving!
A Le looked at Chu Zhao.
Chu Zhao gazed at Xie Yanlai and asked curiously, "What happened with the fire?"
Why ask? The whole street was buzzing with it—why question him? Xie Yanlai said coldly, "Don’t you know? Haven’t you heard?"
"I’ve heard," Chu Zhao replied. "That’s why I’m asking you."
She had heard, yet she still asked him—did that mean she didn’t believe what she’d heard and only wanted his account?
Xie Yanlai laughed in disbelief, propping an arm on his knee as he studied Chu Zhao. "Miss Chu, what exactly do you want from me? I’ve already said—such tricks won’t fool me."
Chu Zhao met his gaze. "Exactly. You’re so clever and alert—would you really get drunk, fall asleep, and let the goods burn? I know you well enough: if you were escorting cargo, not even goods with legs could escape you."
Xie Yanlai couldn’t help but laugh aloud, though he quickly stifled it.
"What nonsense are you spouting?" He raised an eyebrow and pointed outside. "You’ve gotten your wish—I’m to be handed over to the authorities. Get out of the carriage now and stay far away."
He raised his voice.
"If you don’t remove her, I’ll kick her out myself."
He lifted his foot.
A Jiu was someone who meant what he said, and A Le clearly knew it. She immediately knelt upright, shielding Chu Zhao. "How dare you!"
She even reached for the thorny branches behind Xie Yanlai.
"If you dare kick my lady, I’ll whip you!"
The commotion inside grew louder, and the carriage jolted to a halt.
The curtain was lifted, and an elderly servant outside smiled at the three in confrontation. "We’ve arrived."
Arrived?
Chu Zhao lifted the curtain to look outside and frowned. "This isn’t the government office."
The carriage had entered a courtyard—exquisitely designed, with servants standing attentively on all sides.
A gust of wind swept from behind. Chu Zhao nimbly leaped down, avoiding the kick."Of course this isn't the government office." Xie Yanlai ignored his reopened wound dripping blood as he jumped down after her, "This is my home."
Chu Zhao paid him no mind, her gaze fixed on the person before her.
The middle-aged man who had been whipping Xie Yanlai so viciously earlier had disappeared. Now only the old servant stood before them.
He introduced himself as Cai Bo, steward to Young Master Xie the Third.
"So you didn't actually take him to the government office?" Chu Zhao frowned at him. "You never intended to send him there at all."
Cai Bo smiled, openly admitting: "Of course not. Those of the Xie family can only be punished by the Xie family. This is our internal affair."
An internal affair, one performed for outsiders to see. Chu Zhao gave a faint, mocking smile. "Aren't you afraid of what the common people will think?"
After all, she had made Xie's family members declare in the streets that they were taking him to the government office. She had insisted on following to witness it, and naturally many commoners would have followed along to watch.
She glanced toward the tightly shut mansion gates. There must be quite a crowd gathered outside the Xie residence right now.
Cai Bo maintained his gentle expression: "The Third Young Master says the common people won't actually care whether he's sent to the authorities or not."
Chu Zhao raised an eyebrow: "The Third Young Master isn't concerned about damaging his reputation?"
"The Third Young Master isn't afraid," Cai Bo replied. "If it's damaged, he can always restore it." He smiled at Chu Zhao, "Besides, Miss Chu doesn't really care either."
She truly didn't care. Chu Zhao looked at Cai Bo, or rather, at the person behind Cai Bo - Young Master Xie the Third.
How formidable indeed.
Earlier in the street, when faced with her sudden provocation, he had immediately refuted her. Now he was openly declaring that he didn't care about these matters, while also pointing out that he knew she didn't care either.
Chu Zhao didn't respond to this point, merely saying: "So this is what the Third Young Master of Xie is like."
Xie Yanlai spoke coldly from behind: "Now that you know what the Third Young Master is like, you should get lost."
Chu Zhao glanced at him, equally cold: "Does this household really give you any say in the matter?"
Hah! Xie Yanlai's expression darkened as he stepped forward.
Another servant hurried over from behind and whispered a few words to Cai Bo. As the whispers continued, Cai Bo's expression shifted to surprise. He looked at Xie Yanlai, then at Chu Zhao, before suddenly understanding and smiling.
"Please calm your anger, Young Master Yan Lai," he said with a smile, then turned to Chu Zhao. "Since the two of you know each other, Miss Chu is a guest of the Xie family."
Xie Yanlai's steps faltered.
Chu Zhao didn't look at Cai Bo, but rather at Xie Yanlai, her eyes unable to conceal her surprise.
From this statement, she could tell that A Jiu had never mentioned her to his family. The Xie family knew nothing about her encounter with A Jiu during their journey.
He had actually never breathed a word about it.
......
......
"It was my oversight earlier," Xie Yanfang said, holding a fishing rod as he sat by the stream. "Although I'd heard that Miss Chu had beaten someone and fled the capital, and knew that Miss Chu had returned, I didn't pay attention to how Miss Chu had made her way back. If I had asked more at the time—"
He would have learned she was captured by Deng Yi, with Prince Zhongshan's assistance.
He would have learned more details of the process, such as how Chu Ling's daughter had traveled using military couriers.
Xie Yanlai had been serving as a courier at that time.
"No wonder Miss Chu was so angry in the street," Xie Yanfang turned his head to look at the girl standing nearby. "Seeing someone dear to one's heart being punished like that would naturally cause heartache and fury."
Chu Zhao blinked, not quite understanding. Someone dear to her heart?
Xie Yanfang then looked toward Xie Yanlai standing beside the girl."You refused the marriage arrangement with Miss Liang, and it turns out you indeed had a pact with someone else. I heard you and Miss Chu pledged to share life and death, never to abandon each other, right before the Crown Prince of Zhongshan."
He spoke with a smile, but as he looked at Xie Yanlai, the smile faded from his face.
"Yan Lai, you'd declare your devotion before outsiders, yet you hide it from me, your own brother. This truly breaks my heart."
Chu Zhao understood the implication, her expression turning somewhat peculiar.
Xie Yanlai burst into laughter, sounding thoroughly amused at her predicament.
"Don't blame me for this," he leaned closer and whispered to Chu Zhao, "I told you to leave quickly. Since you didn't, you brought this upon yourself."
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