Qiao Chu

Xie Yanfang sat down and poured tea for Chu Zhao.

"I had people investigate when I heard the news," he said. "The source was the Courier Soldier Camp. Several people had previously served with Yan Lai—"

Before he could finish, Chu Zhao shook her head with a laugh. "It wasn't them. Although they were present at the time, they wouldn't have been the ones to talk."

Xie Yanfang looked curious. "I wonder what the situation was then? When I asked Yan Lai, he refused to say a word, only commenting that you, Miss Chu, deserved it."

He relayed the exact words, but instead of seeing any displeasure on the girl's face, she burst into laughter.

"I knew he'd say that," Chu Zhao said, laughing.

Xie Yanfang smiled, took a sip of tea, and remarked, "So it seems those words were true after all."

Chu Zhao didn't hide anything from Xie Yanfang—there was no need to keep such matters secret, though she was somewhat surprised that A Jiu still hadn't told the Xie family about it, even now.

"It all started when I left the capital and found a way to get to the Border Commandery."

Chu Zhao recounted to Xie Yanfang how she had disguised herself, devised her plans, and what had happened along the way.

Xie Yanfang listened with great interest, sometimes laughing, sometimes asking questions as she spoke.

"At the time, I didn't know A Jiu was from your family, nor that he was on a secret mission," Chu Zhao said, looking at Xie Yanfang with a smile. "He didn't reveal his identity at all. It wasn't until I saw him being punished by his family on the street that I found out who he was."

Xie Yanfang looked at her and smiled. "I was the one who wrote the letter to your father and had Yan Lai deliver it. Even though your father has been in the Border Commandery for so many years, I've always believed that General Chu is a man worth befriending."

Chu Zhao showed a look of sudden understanding, then shook her head. "In that case, he should have told me at the time. Wouldn't it have been better if I had taken him to see my father?"

Xie Yanfang laughed heartily but didn't say, "Yes, what a pity." Instead, he replied, "There was no helping it, Miss Chu. With all your disguises and schemes along the way, who would dare to invite such trouble?"

Chu Zhao held her teacup and asked, "What if it had been you, Third Young Master, at the time?"

Xie Yanfang stopped smiling and said seriously, "I would have immediately taken you, Miss Chu, and rushed straight to the Border Commandery to find General Chu. I'm naturally unafraid of trouble."

Chu Zhao laughed loudly and finished her tea in one gulp.

"Miss Chu, don't you believe me?" Xie Yanfang asked with a smile.

Chu Zhao nodded. "I believe you, of course I do. I believe there's nothing in this world that Third Young Master wouldn't dare to do."

The girl spoke very seriously, her gaze clear and frank.

Xie Yanfang smiled and didn't pursue the topic further.

"So, because of my strange behavior—and, of course, A Jiu's own issues—we were both wary and suspicious of each other the entire journey, to the point where it nearly came to a deadly confrontation," Chu Zhao continued her story. "During the standoff, I fell into the water, but then another unexpected thing happened."

She looked at Xie Yanfang.

"We encountered the Crown Prince of Zhongshan, Xiao Xun."

Xie Yanfang understood immediately but remained silent, listening as Chu Zhao went on.

However, Chu Zhao couldn't mention her past-life entanglement with Xiao Xun here.

"The Crown Prince of Zhongshan was entrusted by Deng Yi to intercept me. To avoid being recognized, I had to think on my feet and pretended in front of the Crown Prince that A Jiu and I were lovers having a quarrel," Chu Zhao explained with a laugh. "That's how the words now circulating outside came to be spoken."

Xie Yanfang laughed heartily and clapped his hands. "Well done, Miss Chu, thinking on your feet like that."Chu Zhao smiled self-deprecatingly. "What's so good about it? In the end, I was still brought back. My quick thinking was useless and instead gave them leverage."

Xie Yanfang, sleeves rolled up, brewed tea over a small clay stove. "The Crown Prince of Zhongshan came for our Xie family," he said. "Miss Chu has been implicated."

It wasn't the courier who said it, nor did Xie Yanlai mention it—that left only the other person present at the time: Xiao Xun, the Crown Prince of Zhongshan.

Xie Yanfang was slightly surprised.

Prince Zhongshan had always kept a low profile, and his heir had always been refined and cultured. Why would he suddenly do such a thing? Was he declaring war against the Crown Prince? It didn't make sense.

Prince Zhongshan was no fool. Though he had been even more inconspicuous than Chu Ling in the capital all these years, the fact that the Empress Dowager had personally intervened to cripple him back then showed how much of a threat he posed to the Emperor.

As for the Crown Prince of Zhongshan, Xie Yanfang had naturally heard of his reputation—a reputation exquisitely tailored to his status, neither conspicuous nor mediocre.

Was Prince Zhongshan planning to bet on the Third Prince and go all out?

Xie Yanfang did not interrupt his thoughts to entertain Chu Zhao, lost in deep contemplation. Chu Zhao didn't mind his sudden silence, pouring tea for herself and drinking it. She knew what Xie Yanfang was pondering—he must think Xiao Xun was targeting the Xie family and the Crown Prince.

She had no intention of explaining. This was precisely why she had rushed to find Xie Yanfang first—to make this clever Third Young Master set his sights on Xiao Xun.

And it was the truth. Xiao Xun not only targeted the Crown Prince but would later seize the throne from him and engage in a life-and-death struggle with Xie Yanfang.

Since Xiao Xun had already jumped out to scheme against her, why not let him and Xie Yanfang fight to the death right now?

...

...

When Xie Yanlai arrived, this was the scene he witnessed.

In the water pavilion, a man and a woman sat opposite each other, as if part of a painting. The young master, dressed in white, focused on brewing tea, his movements fluid and graceful. The young woman leaned against the railing, one hand holding a teacup as she drank, the other tossing fish food playfully.

They were at ease and relaxed.

"A Jiu?"

A Le, standing guard not far from the water pavilion, happened to turn around and see him. She called out, then glared.

"You came at just the right time—"

But before she could finish, Xie Yanlai turned and walked away.

"Hey!" A Le shouted, but Xie Yanlai paid no heed, disappearing behind a cluster of flowering trees.

The flowering tree, shaken by his passing, was abruptly grabbed by a hand. Unable to withstand the swaying, petals fell like rain, covering the ground and dusting Xie Yanlai's hair and shoulders.

"Young Master," two maidservants rushed to support him, their voices filled with concern. "What are you doing?"

His wounds hadn't even healed yet. Upon hearing that Miss Chu had arrived, he had insisted on coming. The maids had repeatedly pleaded, "Young Master, please rest. We will go and invite her—even if we have to kneel and beg to bring her here."

But Xie Yanlai wouldn't listen.

"Why kneel to her? I don't want her to come see me. I want to see her, to watch her make a fool of herself," he sneered, stubbornly rising from his sickbed, putting on his robes, and walking step by step from his residence—refusing to be carried no matter what.

The maids watched as the back of Xie Yanlai's robes stained crimson with fresh blood.

After enduring such pain to come here, why turn back now?

Xie Yanlai leaned against the flowering tree, waiting for the sharp pain of his wounds to subside. Coldly, he said, "Miss Chu is eloquent. She'll surely convince Third Brother. With Third Brother here, there's no spectacle to see. No need to waste time."

With that, he strode away.

The two maids hurried after him. Fortunately, other maidservants had also arrived, carrying a daybed for eight people to lift."Young master, those attendants are heavy-handed; carrying you will only make you more uncomfortable."

"Let us do it. We have a gentle touch—surely you can trust us, right?"

"Young master, you wouldn't even distrust us now, would you?"

Amid the plaintive, twittering pleas, Xie Yanlai smiled. Tormenting and troubling maids was the most tedious pastime. He complied, lying prone on the divan as the maids, with delicate exertion, lifted him and moved along with rhythmic, effortful grunts.

Xie Yanlai closed his eyes, resting his head on his arms.

Suddenly, a maid whispered by his ear, "Young master, did Miss Chu truly say those words to you?"

Xie Yanlai replied coldly, "You foolish girls, wake up. Don't mistake honeyed words for a sincere heart."

The maids giggled. "We would never!" "We're more accustomed to you speaking harshly to us." "When others speak sweetly, it feels strange instead."

Ignoring their playful banter, Xie Yanlai closed his eyes and fell silent, gradually drifting asleep as the divan swayed.

……

……

Xie Yanfang poured a freshly brewed cup of tea for Chu Zhao.

"My mind wandered," he said. "Please forgive me, Miss Chu."

Chu Zhao smiled. "For Third Young Master to let his mind wander in my presence means he doesn't treat me as an outsider. That makes me very happy."

The girl's eyes curved into crescents like a pair of smiling moons.