Chapter 8 Xie Baoqiong held a straw mat in her hand…

Xie Baoqiong sat on the couch by the window, holding a straw-woven cricket in her hand. Si Xi, standing beside her, twirled his fingers, and the next straw-woven cricket was already half-formed in his hand.

Sixi was the person Xie Zhuo had chosen from several people after he escorted Xie Baoqiong back to her courtyard that day. Xie Baoqiong randomly pointed to one, and that was Sixi in front of her.

Xie Zhuo then helped select another person who knew a little about martial arts, Sanqi, who was guarding outside.

In the past few days, apart from Xie Zhuo and Xie Rongjing's courtyards which she did not explore, Xie Baoqiong has searched almost the entire Marquis's residence, but has not obtained any useful information.

Because of Xie Zhuo's instructions, with two tails following behind, Xie Baoqiong, who had been running rampant in the Marquis's mansion for the past two days, did not hear any more of the gossip she had heard while hiding in the rockery that day.

Although the Marquis's residence did not impose any restrictions on Xie Baoqiong, the problem was that Xie Zhuo had given him a special instruction to forbid him from leaving the Marquis's residence for the next few days.

Xie Baoqiong didn't take it seriously at first, since he wouldn't listen to Xie Zhuo anyway.

But the Sanqi whom Xie Zhuo instructed to stay behind seemed to be more than just someone who knew a little about martial arts.

...

"Young Master, look." Xie Baoqiong was still listing Xie Zhuo's crimes in her mind when another straw-woven cricket was presented to her.

Xie Baoqiong put down the cricket she was holding and added it to the army of straw crickets on the table, then took the new cricket that Sixi handed her.

"That's enough." Xie Baoqiong stopped Sixi from continuing to weave the crickets.

The grass-green cricket was about half the size of Xie Baoqiong's hand. After watching Sixi weave it so many times, he had learned how to do it too. He would weave a basket of crickets for Xiaochun when he returned to Sishui Mountain.

"Then I'll weave some other things for you." Sixi happily picked up the cattail reeds again.

...

The faint sound of Sanqi at the door reached Xie Baoqiong's ears. He put down the straw cricket in his hand, rolled over, bent one leg, braced his hands on the windowsill, and hung half of his body outside the window to look at the person.

He didn't really want to see Xie Rongjing if the person who came was Xie Rongjing.

Xie Rongjing has been treating him too well these days. The servants in the courtyard run to Biyue Pavilion more than three times a day, sometimes to send some snacks, and sometimes to bring back novelties from outside the mansion.

However, if Xie Zhuo is indeed the murderer who harmed Princess Huayang, then even if Xie Rongjing was unaware of it, he cannot be considered innocent.

Only Sanqi remained at the entrance; Xie Baoqiong couldn't even catch a glimpse of the person's clothes.

But then an aura appeared behind him.

"My lord."

As Si Xi's voice rang out, Xie Baoqiong felt a pair of hands lift him up from under his armpits and pull him back from hanging outside the window.

"Why are you being so naughty? Be careful not to fall out and hit your head."

Xie Baoqiong was pulled back to sit down, still somewhat dazed.

After Xie Zhuo brought him back, he was busy with the case of cheating in the imperial examinations and usually only had time to see him at dusk. It was rare for him to come so early today.

He couldn't help but ask, "Has Lord Xie finished his work?"

Xie Zhuo sat down next to Xie Baoqiong, and his gaze swept across the table to notice the large army of straw crickets crammed together. He picked up the one that Xie Baoqiong had carelessly put down.

"It's almost done. That young master Su was released a couple of days ago, but it's inconvenient for him to visit the manor. Qiong'er, would you like to see him?"

Xie Zhuo spoke indifferently, his gaze fixed on the straw-woven cricket in his palm. Without waiting for Xie Baoqiong's reply, he waved away the servants in the room.

Xie Zhuo's gaze was clearly fixed on the cricket in his palm, but his thoughts seemed to have drifted far away.

"Young Master Su still needs to study, so I won't disturb him." Xie Baoqiong put the crickets on the table one by one into the prepared box.

Xie Zhuo lowered his hand, letting the last cricket fall into the box. He then took out a box from his sleeve and gestured for Xie Baoqiong to open it.

A brand new longevity lock lay in the center of the velvet cloth.

"This is a new lock that your father had made. I'll keep the old one for you for now."

Xie Baoqiong glanced at it twice, and seeing that it wasn't the small lock that Xie Zhuo had taken, he lost interest and closed the box, stacking it together with the box containing straw-woven crickets.

Xie Zhuo didn't comment on Xie Baoqiong's indifferent actions, but instead drew Xie Baoqiong's attention back to the straw cricket: "Qiong'er, your father has a question for you."

Xie Baoqiong shifted her gaze from the box in her hands, giving some of it to Xie Zhuo: "Lord Xie, I'm listening."

"Qiong'er, do you still remember the first time we met?"

"I remember." Xie Baoqiong nodded. Of course he remembered, after all, Xie Zhuo was the only one who wanted to be his father right away.

"How much do you know about Princess Huayang that you mentioned the other day?" Do you know where she is? Xie Zhuo restrained his emotions and did not throw out a series of questions.

Xie Baoqiong's fingers, which were fiddling with the straw-woven cricket in the box, paused, and her facial muscles tensed up stiffly. Was Xie Zhuo trying to find out what was going on?

As Xie Baoqiong stroked the back of the green grass-woven cricket, she lowered her eyes and said, "Princess Huayang is Lord Xie's wife."

"Anything else?" Xie Zhuo could tell from Xie Baoqiong's expression that she knew a lot.

Xie Baoqiong raised her eyes and said in a higher voice, "I don't know."

The sky outside the window, which had been bright and sunny, had turned gloomy, and the damp air weighed heavily on people's hearts.

Xie Zhuo's brows furrowed slightly, his eyes darkening, but his tone remained patient: "Alright, then let me ask you another way. Who gave you that little lock?"

Xie Baoqiong hesitated for a moment, then lowered his voice, sounding more like a mutter to himself: "Nobody gave it to me."

The warmth on Xie Zhuo's face gradually faded, but Xie Baoqiong suddenly slammed the box in her hand onto the table, straightened up, and stared straight at Xie Zhuo: "Why does Lord Xie ask these questions?"

If Xie Zhuo reveals any weakness, he will capture Xie Zhuo and take him to the tomb of Princess Huayang to apologize, then he can continue his cultivation in Sishui Mountain.

The sound of the box hitting the table woke Xie Zhuo. He realized he had acted too hastily and softened his tone: "Father just wants to know where your mother is now."

Xie Baoqiong stared at Xie Zhuo, but Xie Zhuo's reaction revealed nothing.

He picked up the box containing the straw-woven crickets, jumped off the daybed, and knew he wouldn't be able to fool anyone if he was questioned further.

He glanced at Xie Zhuo, then left with the words, "I already told you, Lord Xie, that I am not your son," and ran outside.

Xie Zhuo looked through the window at Xie Baoqiong's departing figure and sighed deeply; he had been too anxious.

—

Xie Baoqiong ran out of the courtyard alone, with Sanqi following closely behind him.

The sky was even darker than when we were indoors, and a few raindrops fell from the sky.

Xie Baoqiong gradually slowed her pace and looked up at the sky where it had begun to rain.

Thunder rumbled in the distance, reminding him of the day he gained sentience. Although many years had passed, his cultivation level was not much better than it had been then.

Before Xie Baoqiong could think it through, large raindrops began to pelt his head, forcing him to look around for a place to take shelter from the rain.

He remembered there was a covered walkway nearby where he could take shelter from the rain.

Before they even got close, they saw a figure standing under the corridor.

Xie Baoqiong stopped in her tracks, then turned her toes and walked back into the rain.

"Qiong'er." Xie Rongjing, who was under the corridor, also saw the person in the rain and took the umbrella from the servant and quickly stepped forward.

The oil-paper umbrella was opened overhead, and the sound of raindrops falling on its surface forced Xie Baoqiong to stop.

He turned around, his eyes innocent, as if he hadn't heard Xie Rongjing's words: "Your Highness."

Xie Rongjing did not respond, but pulled him back to the corridor and took out a handkerchief to wipe the water droplets from his head.

Xie Baoqiong stared as Xie Rongjing's face, which bore a slight resemblance to Xie Zhuo's, approached. She gently wiped his face, her expression turning puzzled.

"Why is the young master so kind to me?"

Xie Rongjing paused in wiping Xie Baoqiong's face, put away the handkerchief, and then pinched the soft flesh on Xie Baoqiong's face.

Her eyes held a smile, but her tone was somewhat vicious: "I thought you were a stone, that you couldn't feel my kindness towards you?"

Feeling guilty after her identity was exposed, Xie Baoqiong even forgot to reach out and stop Xie Rongjing's "evil act".

Xie Rongjing stared at Xie Baoqiong's drooping eyelashes, thinking that his words had made his younger brother feel down, so he let go of his hand, cupped Xie Baoqiong's face and rubbed it.

“Qiong’er has been calling me ‘Young Master’ these past few days. I thought she didn’t want to acknowledge me as her brother.”

Xie Baoqiong never expected that Xie Rongjing would mind this. He raised his eyes and looked at Xie Rongjing, whose tone was tinged with grievance.

Xie Rongjing was not entirely innocent, but he had not committed any evil deeds.

Xie Baoqiong thought about it carefully, then pulled Xie Rongjing's hand away and said, "I am not actually Lord Xie's son."

Xie Rongjing lowered his eyes and met Xie Baoqiong's clear gaze, and breathed a sigh of relief. So it was his father's fault.

What Xie Baoqiong saw was that the face in front of her had slightly trembling eyelashes, as if his words were too heartless. After all, for humans, kinship seems to be very important.

However, since it's been said earlier, Xie Rongjing probably won't come looking for him anymore.

But Xie Rongjing's answer seemed to be a little different from what he had expected.

"If Qiong'er is implicated because of Father, wouldn't I be pitiful? Besides, I am a bit older than Qiong'er. Even if we are not related, it is normal for her to call me brother."

Her expectant gaze met with a stone, and Xie Baoqiong's expression revealed doubt. Is there really such a rule in the human world?

The red mole between Xie Baoqiong's eyebrows furrowed as her expression changed. Xie Rongjing raised his hand and tapped the red mole: "Alright, your brother won't tease you anymore. Qiong'er, you don't need to force yourself."

As soon as he finished speaking, Xie Rongjing straightened up and looked out of the corridor: "The rain has lessened a bit. Let me take you back to change your clothes first, so you don't catch a cold."

Xie Baoqiong's gaze followed Xie Rongjing as he looked outside.

In the rain, a figure in dark blue held up an oil-paper umbrella. The person hidden under the umbrella had a faint smile on their face and stretched out a hand towards him. In the distance, the first rays of dawn broke.

—

Xie Rongjing escorted Xie Baoqiong back to her courtyard, while Xie Zhuo had already left Biyuxuan long ago.

As the rain subsided, Xie Rongjing stayed in Biyuxuan until the rain stopped before getting up.

Under the eaves, Xie Baoqiong watched Xie Rongjing's figure as he told her to go back inside, and the image of Xie Zhuo speaking without revealing any flaws came to mind.

An idea immediately popped into my head: since we couldn't get any clues from Xie Zhuo, wouldn't it be a better option to start with Xie Rongjing?

He suddenly thought of a spell that could come in handy.

A note from the author:

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