This girl is a troublesome person.
Xie Yanlai hadn't forgotten what she had done - all those wild statements she'd made to achieve her goals.
But he, Xie Yanlai, was also a troublesome person.
"You could have pestered anyone else, but you shouldn't have pestered me," he chuckled with schadenfreude. "Now you're in a fix, aren't you?"
He had repeatedly avoided her, yet this girl insisted on clinging to him.
Now that she was misunderstood, let's see how she would handle it.
Chu Zhao glanced at him but paid no attention, turning instead to look at Xie Yanfang.
Earlier, after Cai Bo had relayed the guest's message, he had invited her to the backyard, and Xie Yanlai had followed along.
Compared to the ordinary front courtyard, stepping through the backyard gate revealed refinement that rivaled the Chu Garden. Following a path through flowers and green vines, a young gentleman sitting by the stream came into view.
Unlike his appearance at the restaurant previously, Young Master Xie the Third appeared much more casual at home today. His jet-black hair was tied up with a wooden hairpin—or rather, a twisted branch. Chu Zhao couldn't help but take a few extra glances, suspecting he had casually broken it off from a nearby flowering tree since he couldn't meet guests with his hair loose.
He wore a slightly worn white robe tied with a black gold-threaded belt, sitting loosely on the ground. Holding a fishing rod, his sleeves were rolled up to reveal his forearms.
"I didn't expect Miss Chu to be so close with my brother," he continued, watching the young man and girl whispering to each other. "It was impolite of me not to greet you when we met at the Elegant Interest Pavilion last time."
Moreover, it wasn't just about not greeting her.
"And also, regarding the Chu Garden—"
Before he could finish, the girl stepped forward.
"Young Master Xie the Third, you've misunderstood," she said. "I became acquainted with Xie Yanlai because of you."
These words made both young masters surnamed Xie freeze.
The next moment, Xie Yanlai burst out laughing. Here we go again, here we go again! This scene wasn't unfamiliar. At this moment, he was like Xiao Xun rescuing someone by the river, while Young Master Xie the Third was just like him back then!
Tsk tsk tsk tsk.
Xie Yanfang showed no anger or discomfort. After the initial surprise, he smiled.
Xie Yanlai stood to the side, raising an eyebrow with a mocking smile. Young Master Xie the Third had been surrounded by women since birth and had witnessed countless tactics they employed for his attention. Young Master Xie remained untouched by any of them—he wouldn't believe nor fear such nonsense from you!
Xie Yanfang said, "Miss Chu, I've long admired your father's reputation, which is why I asked Yan Lai to convey my greetings. I meant nothing more by it."
Was he referring to having Xie Yanlai deliver the private letter to her father? Did he think she had come on her father's behalf? He had misunderstood too, but that didn't matter now.
"Young Master the Third, when I was causing that scene on the street earlier, it wasn't to tarnish your reputation," Chu Zhao continued. "It was to come see you."
Heh—Xie Yanlai made clicking sounds with his tongue, watching the girl's sincere expression. Aside from lacking some pitifulness, she looked exactly like A Fu back at the post station.
Such tricks were utterly ridiculous to someone like Xie Yanfang—he wouldn't pay them any mind.
Xie Yanfang appeared somewhat surprised: "Does Miss Chu have business with me?"
Chu Zhao nodded: "Yes." As she was about to speak, she glanced around—
Why look around? Just look at him directly! Xie Yanlai sneered.
"Yan Lai," Xie Yanfang said, "you may leave."
Xie Yanlai sneered and turned to leave. One step, two steps—he walked all the way to the courtyard gate before looking back. He saw that Xie Yanfang had already put away his fishing rod.
"Du Qi," Xie Yanfang called, "please bring a seat for Miss Chu."Du Qi, standing to the side, fetched a prayer mat.
Chu Zhao did not stand on ceremony and sat down opposite Xie Yanfang.
The girl went straight to the point: "Young Master Xie the Third, what is your opinion of the Third Prince?"
Heh—Xie Yanlai’s footsteps faltered, stumbling on the threshold. The maids waiting at the courtyard entrance, thinking he was about to fall, rushed over in a panic to support him.
Seeing the mess of wounds on Xie Yanlai’s back, the maids’ tears fell, but they dared not cry aloud.
"What’s there to fear? Are you afraid someone might hear?" Xie Yanlai said. "Cry loudly, so everyone can hear. Otherwise, wouldn’t this beating I’ve taken be in vain?"
The maids immediately burst into loud wails, the noise so overwhelming it made the ears of those nearby ring.
"Enough," said Cai Bo, standing nearby. "Quickly help Young Master Yanlai back to his quarters, lest the Third Prince change his mind and send him to the prison."
Any Xie family member sent to prison would no longer be considered part of the Xie family—and that meant only one fate awaited them.
The maids dared not continue their loud crying and did not allow Xie Yanlai to say another word, dragging him away together.
The servants at the door also withdrew, leaving only Cai Bo behind. The middle-aged man who had earlier whipped Xie Yanlai approached, and Cai Bo bowed to him, addressing him as "Seventh Master," indicating that this man was also a member of the Xie family.
"Did she really come for Yanfang?" Seventh Master Xie asked, frowning as he glanced inside, where he could see the young master and the girl sitting opposite each other but could not hear their conversation. "Is this Chu Ling’s intention?"
Cai Bo shook his head. "It’s unclear for now. The Third Prince said we’ll have to wait and see."
"Xie Yanlai has long been involved with Chu Ling’s daughter," Seventh Master Xie said with a cold, stern expression. "He actually kept it hidden from the family. I’ve always said he’s an ungrateful wretch. I really should have whipped him to death earlier."
He clenched his hand with a vicious smirk.
"Though I may not be a match for Du Qi, those last two lashes will at least keep that brat bedridden for two months."
Cai Bo smiled. "Seventh Master, don’t be angry. Whether he’s loyal or not, he’s still one of ours. You must be tired—please go and rest."
Seventh Master Xie took another look at the two sitting inside. The girl appeared thin and small, still a child, utterly insignificant in the presence of Young Master Xie the Third. With a disdainful laugh, he walked away.
…
…
She really was an outspoken child.
Hearing Chu Zhao’s question, Young Master Xie the Third smiled, showing no hesitation or difficulty in his response: "My status and the Third Prince’s status are destined by heaven. Therefore, there is no need for us to discuss our opinions of each other."
His reply was quite frank—destined by heaven, meaning he and the Third Prince were irreconcilable. Chu Zhao said, "The Third Prince is a very dangerous man. Young Master Xie the Third, do not think that by avoiding him, you can remain safe and untouched."
Was this a warning that the Third Prince was not benevolent?
Or perhaps it was a way of stating her position?
She believed the Third Prince was not benevolent and should not be approached—
Xie Yanfang looked at the girl, thought for a moment, and asked, "Miss Chu, may I ask, are these your words, or do they reflect your father’s intentions?"
If she said it was her own opinion, someone like Young Master Xie the Third would not believe it. Chu Zhao replied, "It is my father’s."
Xie Yanfang straightened his posture and bowed formally to the girl. "Yanfang thanks General Chu for his guidance."
Chu Zhao accepted the gesture calmly and made her point even clearer: "Young Master, do not assume that even if the Third Prince is not benevolent, he is merely a scholar who will only do what scholars do."
She looked at Xie Yanfang and lowered her voice."The Third Prince knows how to kill, dares to kill, and intends to kill."
Killing—the Third Prince had actually taken quite a few lives already. Xie Yanfang looked at the girl, though he understood that the person she referred to now was the Crown Prince.
Knows how, dares to, intends to.
Xie Yanfang pondered for a moment, then said gravely, "I have taken note."
Chu Zhao breathed a sigh of relief. "Third Young Master, you can never fathom how terrifying human hearts can be, nor imagine what horrifying deeds those who appear harmless are capable of."
Xie Yanfang nodded. "I have never presumed to see through people's hearts, nor claimed to control everything. The world is unpredictable, and human nature is inscrutable—no one can be certain of what will happen next."
Chu Zhao smiled. "I am relieved to hear you think this way, Third Young Master."
Xie Yanfang gave a faint smile. "Miss Chu, there is something I do not wish to conceal from you—I was about to mention it earlier."
What was it? Chu Zhao quickly asked, "Please speak, Third Young Master."
"The matter of the Chu Garden Literary Gathering—the cause actually lies with me," Xie Yanfang said, watching the girl. "It was I who made the Third Prince resent you out of humiliation and anger."
Chu Zhao was stunned—it was actually him!
Seeing the girl's eyes instantly widen, her porcelain-like face no longer bearing the solemnity of before, Xie Yanfang lowered his gaze with a slight smile. So this was the inscrutability of human hearts and the unpredictability of the world.
You were kindly reminding the other to be wary of someone,
while that very person had already used you to provoke that someone, sitting back to watch the tigers fight.
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