Chapter 84 Breaking Through Defenses: It Turns Out He Wasn't the Only One Who Gave It the Gift
Although Yin Yi believed in his heart that Xie Qingyu was a heartless and madwoman, this belief would be completely overturned by the Yue people.
He never expected to witness Xie Qingyu suffer like this again in his lifetime.
In the past, high-ranking officials of the first rank in Dongxi were required to have their bodies laid in state for 21 days, sometimes up to 49 days, before the mourning period ended and the formal funeral procession and burial took place. However, because Xie Zhi died by drowning and his body was recovered very late and severely decomposed, Xie Qingyu shortened the period of mourning to seven days, citing the need to preserve his father's remains.
Today is the last day for receiving visitors to pay their respects, and Xie Qingyu is obliged to attend in mourning attire. He could certainly delegate the task of returning the gifts at the funeral to his second brother, Xie Lianquan, but doing so would inevitably damage his carefully cultivated image as a filial son.
Yin Yi stayed by Xie Qingyu's side, enduring his low mood for almost the entire day.
As soon as the mourning ended, Xie Qingyu left the mourning hall without looking back. He went back to his room, changed into a clean white robe, and as the maidservant tied his hair and put on his crown, he stared at Yin Yi in the bronze mirror and asked, "Has the visiting card been sent?"
Yin Yi replied, "It has already been sent."
Xie Qingyu had a visiting card drafted and sent to the Princess's residence. The letter was sincere, expressing her wish to have a casual meal with Yue Yining at noon today, explaining that she wanted to personally apologize to her.
"apologize?"
Yue Yining was a little surprised when she received the visiting card. "What happened? Why are you suddenly saying you want to apologize to me?"
Fu Yao: "He didn't do anything to hurt you, Miss, did he?! If it's true, please don't forgive him, Miss!"
"Perhaps there's some misunderstanding?" Yue Yining didn't think too much about it. "But it's just as well."
The work was just finished, so let's hand it over to him today since there's no time like the present.
As the sun sets in the west, the sky is dyed crimson, and fiery clouds spread across the heavens in a myriad of colors.
The pear blossoms are bursting forth, weighing down the branches; ten miles of spring mist hangs in the air. A red-wheeled carriage travels along the long street and stops in front of a restaurant. A woman in green jumps down from the carriage and is led inside by people who have been waiting at the door.
Yin Yi, who was keeping watch on the rooftop, jumped down from the window when he saw that the person had arrived and reported to Xie Qingyu: "Young Master, Lord Yue has arrived."
Behind the screen, Xie Qingyu, dressed in a simple white robe and adorned with a jade crown, possessed an ethereal beauty that seemed almost otherworldly. Upon hearing this, he nodded slightly, indicating that he understood, but his fingers, hidden in his sleeves, unconsciously clenched into a tighter grip.
Not long after, he heard the sound of the door to the private room being pushed open. His heart tightened as a figure swept past from behind the white plum blossom screen, the lush green resembling mid-spring.
Yue Yining walked around the screen and immediately saw Xie Qingyu sitting on the wooden chair.
She smiled, her eyes narrowed, seemingly without any resentment: "When did you arrive? I'm so sorry to always make you wait."
Her bright smile remained unchanged. Xie Qingyu was finally able to breathe freely again, and her heart, which had been hanging in mid-air, slowly settled down.
"No, I didn't wait long," Xie Qingyu said gently. "Even if I had waited longer, it wouldn't have mattered."
Yue Yining nodded: "You said the same thing last time."
She had always thought that this person was just like that—kind, gentle, forgiving, and never competitive.
But... the scene of him scolding his servants with a frosty expression that day at the Prime Minister's residence changed her opinion of him somewhat.
Which side of him is the real him?
“Last time it was just a humble remark,” Xie Qingyu said, “this time it’s because I’m here to apologize to Miss, so it’s only right that I wait as long as it takes.”
Yue Yining rested her chin on her hand as she looked at him: "Speaking of which, I'm also curious about what you did wrong that made you suddenly want to apologize to me?"
"...Yesterday I had someone deliver a decorative piece to the Princess's residence." Xie Qingyu lowered her eyes and said softly, "I noticed you really liked the apricot tree in the residence, and I thought you might be pleasantly surprised to receive a gift. I was too presumptuous to act on my own initiative, and I didn't expect it to displease Miss."
"It's all my fault, please forgive me, Miss."
Yue Yining was stunned by his solemn apology. Seeing that he was about to get up and bow, she quickly reached out and pressed his shoulder down, "Lord Xie, there's no need for that!"
"That was a small matter, I wasn't angry..."
"But the servant who spoke to me said you seemed quite displeased." Xie Qingyu lowered her eyes. "I also remember that Miss previously said I was not allowed to send you any more gifts, and I knowingly violated that rule..."
He was so eager to please her that he went to great lengths and seized every opportunity to curry favor with her. This wasn't out of kindness, but rather a base desire for self-gratification; he wanted to see her smile at him, even forgetting that she might not appreciate such behavior.
Yue Yining: "......."
She couldn't help but try to recall what she had said at the time... but she couldn't quite remember. Her mind was completely focused on the flower she couldn't embroider, and she was feeling quite annoyed when someone came to bother her.
She did refuse, but her words may have been somewhat inappropriate, and there was inevitably an element of venting her anger. To be honest, she was also at fault.
Oh well, let's just make the best of a bad situation.
Yue Yining sighed: "I understand. Then I forgive you. Let's consider this matter over and not mention it again."
"As for the gift-giving..." Yue Yining scratched his chin, "Actually, I don't mind too much, but I'm afraid that if I accept too much from you, it won't be a good thing for your current position, and it could easily cause disputes."
"And you? You're always trying to curry favor with me. Aren't you afraid that His Highness the Seventh Prince will become suspicious of you?"
Xie Qingyu shook her head: "I will handle things with His Highness the Seventh Prince. I won't let you worry about me."
"After that, may I still give Miss gifts?" Xie Qingyu added, "I won't give her anything too expensive anymore."
Yue Yining nodded. "Okay."
The misunderstanding was finally cleared up, and the atmosphere at the dinner table was as warm as spring flowers blooming. Both of them secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
Yue Yining then remembered the real purpose of her trip. She exclaimed "Ah!" and smiled brightly at him: "By the way, I also have something to give you."
Xie Qingyu was stunned, somewhat surprised: "Give it to me?"
"Is it a gift? Miss, you don't need to reciprocate. Don't spend money on me..."
"Don't worry, it's not a very expensive gift." Yue Yining took out a sachet from her sleeve and handed it to him. "This sachet is for you. It's only fair to return the favor. Please accept it."
Xie Qingyu took the sachet in a daze. The sachet in her hand was no bigger than her palm. It was made of blue satin with gold thread embroidery of two clumps of black bamboo, and two blood-jade leaves were tied to the end of the rope.
It features bamboo-shaped patterns inlaid with gold.
On the surface, it has the dark branches of a gentleman's bamboo, but in reality, each bamboo joint is formed by the fine, hair-like seal script characters "May we never forget each other".
The essence of this pattern lies in the two dots of cinnabar adorning the tips of the bamboo leaves. At first glance, they appear as dewdrops, but they are actually the eyes of the lovebird from the Classic of Mountains and Seas—a bird that always carries bamboo seeds to its mate as a token of its affection.
Xie Qingyu's breath hitched, a deafening roar filled her mind, and her mind went completely blank.
His fingers trembled as he held the sachet. He dared not think too much, yet his thoughts wandered involuntarily.
So I thought about everything, both what I should and shouldn't have thought about. The countless unspoken hopes and joys hidden in my heart were like a gust of wind finding its own golden bell, vibrating and resonating throughout the mountains and fields.
It took him a long time to find his voice: "This...this is..."
Yue Yining smiled, her eyes crinkling: "I made it myself."
Xie Qingyu was suffocating; her heart was pounding like thunder and lightning on a stormy night.
His voice was dry as he confirmed, "...Is it really for me?"
"Okay! You can keep it. I just made it casually because I couldn't think of anything else to make, so I made a sachet. It contains some borneol, sandalwood, and spikenard—a calming and soothing formula," Yue Yining explained. "The craftsmanship isn't very good, but you can place it in your bedroom or on your desk; you don't need to wear it—"
Xie Qingyu smiled, her eyes bright and captivating: "I will wear it every day."
Yue Yining was almost blinded by his smile.
No longer the impregnable, unyielding gentle warmth, Xie Qingyu's face was now filled with joy and happiness, like a child receiving a beloved possession with pure delight.
This startled Yue Yining.
His reaction completely exceeded her expectations. Although she had been somewhat prepared beforehand, she hadn't anticipated that he would be so happy.
It's clearly just an ordinary sachet.
She looked at him, her eyebrows gradually curving downwards, and she couldn't help but smile as well.
Yin Yi could have stayed inside and overheard their conversation, but he wasn't interested in his master's love and hate, so he deliberately stood outside the door.
Maids carrying dishes and snacks filed in and quickly left empty-handed. Some time passed, until the sky outside the corridor gradually darkened, before the door to the room next to him was opened from the inside, releasing a faint fragrance of orchids and irises.
He glanced over out of the corner of his eye and first caught sight of Xie Qingyu's profile, draped in a snow-white robe. He stepped out slowly, looking down at the woman in green beside him, a faint smile playing on his lips.
Yin Yi remained expressionless, but a thought popped into his mind: Had they made up?
Yue Yining spoke first to say goodbye: "You treated me both last time and this time, which really made me feel bad. If we meet again next time, please make sure I pay the bill."
"Okay." Xie Qingyu's voice was even gentler than usual. "I'll do whatever you say."
This wasn't the first time Yin Yi had heard Xie Qingyu and Yue Yining talk, but he still got goosebumps.
I can't take it anymore.
Yin Yi followed the two downstairs.
The two walked side by side the whole way, chatting about things unrelated to politics. Xie Qingyu saw them off to their carriage, and then whispered a few more words through the window before slowly stepping aside.
With a flick of his whip, the coachman sent the red-wheeled carriage rolling away, leaving behind a trail of clear, crisp horse bells.
Yin Yi breathed a sigh of relief; it was finally all over.
Just as he was about to step onto the carriage at the Xie residence, Xie Qingyu called out to him, her sleepy phoenix eyes beaming with smiles.
Have you noticed anything different about me compared to before?
Yin Yi: "......?"
She seemed to be in a better mood? But this didn't seem to be a change in her "body." Yin Yi pondered for a moment, his gaze slowly descending, finally noticing a blue sachet hanging from Xie Qingyu's waist.
Where did this come from? He remembered that Xie Qingyu hadn't hung anything on her belt before she left.
Yin Yi pointed at it: "This is..."
Upon hearing this, Xie Qingyu smiled and asked, "Is it pretty?"
Yin Yi: "It's really good..." But he seemed to have seen similar ones in many embroidery shops.
Xie Qingyu then added, "This sachet was a gift from Lady Yue; she made it herself."
Interrupted, Yin Yi: "......."
Having finished showing off, Xie Qingyu strode away, carrying a sense of pleasure that disregarded the lives of others, and boarded the Prime Minister's carriage, leaving Yin Yi standing there bewildered in the wind.
However, the torment was not over yet. The next day, Xie Qingyu led the main branch of the Xie family to the funeral procession and formally buried Xie Zhi and Madam Wang's coffins. After returning, he stayed in the house to deal with the official documents that had piled up due to the funeral arrangements.
Yin Yi stood guard at the gate. Before long, it was time for dinner. He went to have dinner with Huang Qiu, who was off duty, and then returned to his post.
As soon as they met, Huang Qiu approached, greeting him with a dazed expression, "Brother Yin..."
Yin Yi noticed his absent-minded look and asked, "What's wrong?"
"Hmm, don't you think the eldest young master is acting a bit strange today?" Huang Qiu hesitated, then continued, "You know, he's usually handling official business, and he's always so aloof, but today he keeps suddenly bursting into laughter for some reason..."
“Wasn’t he furious just the day before yesterday? It hasn’t even been two days, how come he’s so happy now…” Huang Qiu shuddered as he said this, touched his arm, and lowered his voice, “To be honest, it really feels like he’s possessed by a ghost.”
Yin Yi: "......."
Another guard who was traveling with them quickly said, "I know why the young master is always smiling! I saw it!"
Huang Qiu: "Huh? What did you see?"
"It seems the young master has acquired a sachet he really likes. I'm on duty by the window, and I often see him take the sachet out of the box, look at it a few times, and then put it back."
"A sachet?" Huang Qiu's eyes widened. "What's so interesting about that?"
"That's right. No matter how expensive or good a sachet is, it's still just a sachet. How precious can it be?"
Yin Yi: "......."
"Could it be that the sachet is just a smokescreen? What the young master actually treasures isn't the sachet itself, but what's inside it!"
"It might be a priceless gem!"
"Evidence that can bring down a rival official!"
“That must be it!” Huang Qiu began to speculate. “But I think it must be some kind of rare poison from the Western Regions! The kind that can kill without a trace with just a fingernail!”
"Oh oh oh oh—!"
Yin Yi: ".............."
Yin Yi: "That's enough."
As soon as he spoke, the previously restless group of people instantly fell silent.
Yin Yi sighed silently and said in a serious tone, "I have a piece of advice for you. If you want to stay in the manor, don't mention this sachet in front of the eldest young master."
Huang Qiu and the others: "Yes..."
At the Princess's residence, Yue Yining, who had gotten up early, was planning when to send out the other sachet when a rare guest arrived at the door.
The newcomer was dressed in a light blue brocade robe with orchid patterns, holding several scrolls of books in his hand. His features were bright and spirited; he was none other than Shen Liude.
Yue Yining stood up in surprise and went to greet him: "What brings Lord Shen here?"
Shen Liude: "I brought you something. I also had something to discuss with Her Highness the Princess, so I came in person."
"I've finally made some progress on the matter you asked me to investigate." Shen Liude handed her the dossier. "I've recorded everything I could find in this file."
Yue Yining straightened her expression and reached out to take it.
Shen Liude lowered his eyes and watched her flip through the files page by page, and said softly, "As you said, I first checked the communications and meeting records of the month before the Wang family's downfall, found several officials who had testified in court that the Wang family had plotted a rebellion, and then checked their recent social interactions."
Yue Yining also saw the result. Her eyes hardened.
She slowly began to speak: "...These people all have close ties with the Xie family members."
Shen Liude: "Yes, and it's almost impossible to find anything by only investigating their meetings before the downfall of the Wang family. Instead, they've only recently started to come to light. Perhaps they thought that since the Wang family had been brought to justice, no one would continue to investigate, so they relaxed their vigilance."
"After getting to this point, I investigated the Xie family, especially the whereabouts of Xie Zhi, Xie Qingyu, and Xie Lianquan, and finally identified Xie Zhi as the suspect. This is because only Xie Zhi had ever entered the palace to meet the Emperor."
Yue Yining: "I see."
Sure enough, she guessed right.
The mastermind behind the downfall of the Wang family was Xie Zhi, the head of the Xie family and the current prime minister.
Shen Liude: "Xie Zhi handled this matter very cleanly, leaving almost no evidence. Moreover, the Wang family has already fallen, and the Wang family members who still hold official positions have either been demoted or exiled, and they are no longer of any importance. The truth is not important, and no one will pursue the truth anymore."
Yue Yining tapped the book, her long, drooping eyelashes saying, "Don't you find it strange?"
"What?"
"Why would Xie Zhi suddenly take such a ruthless approach against the Wang family? The interests of the aristocratic families are aligned, and the Wang family is a good ally and ally. Most importantly, the Wang and Xie families have been related by marriage for generations and are deeply intertwined. If this bond is broken abruptly, the Xie family will suffer as well."
Yue Yining murmured to herself, "Did Xie Zhi discover something? Did he discover that the Wang family actually has a secret he doesn't know, and that this secret could harm the Xie family's interests? What is it?"
Thinking of this, many fragments that she had previously overlooked came together. Yue Yining suddenly understood.
rebellion.
Yes, Wang's initial charge was also treason.
But wait, that's not right. The case against Wang has been thoroughly investigated and the final result has been reached: the charge of treason against Wang was completely fabricated.
If they had truly been convicted of plotting a rebellion, the capital of Yanjing would likely have been ravaged by bloodshed. It was only the charge of corruption that allowed the Wang family to escape the extermination of their entire clan and leave some members alive to eke out a living in the court.
What exactly happened?
Shen Liude: "That's all I can find. There are only some letters, but I can't find any conclusive evidence. It's really my fault that the Lord of Yue entrusted me with this task, but I haven't been able to help much."
Yue Yining smiled and said, "No, Lord Shen has already done me a great favor."
She saw the person out of the palace. As if remembering something, Shen Liude suddenly turned around and asked, "By the way, the spring hunt is in a few days. Will you be attending with Her Highness the Princess?"
Yue Yining smiled and said, "Your Highness mentioned it to me before. I'm not good at riding and archery, but she wanted me to go with her. If there's no urgent matter to attend to, I will go."
Every year in late April, after the rains of Qingming have stopped and the spring scenery is in full bloom, the emperor would lead his civil and military officials to hunt in the royal mountains and forests, a practice known as "spring hunting".
Not only will court officials attend, but also princes and princesses of the appropriate age from the palace will participate. Beyond the social and ceremonial aspects, participants will also compete to see who can hunt the most prey, and the one who captures the most prey will receive a reward from the emperor.
The moon sets and the sun rises, the rain clears and the sky brightens, and the spring hunting season quietly arrives.
As the eldest son of the Xie family and now in charge of the family affairs, Xie Qingyu naturally had to attend. Xie Lianquan, having been dismissed from his post, could only stay at home. Accompanying Xie Qingyu were members of the second and third branches of the Xie family who held positions in the imperial court.
Spring hunting is best done in simple attire, but proper etiquette is still essential.
Early in the morning, the servants in the Spray Frost Courtyard began to busy themselves, with maids surrounding Xie Qingyu and tidying his clothes and appearance.
Xie Qingyu originally planned to bring that sachet with her every time she met Yue Yining.
However, with many hunters around in spring, and the need to ride horses and carry bows, pendants like sachets are easily lost. After much deliberation, Xie Qingyu decided to keep the sachet safe.
Surrounded by verdant peaks and flowing blue valleys, the carriage stopped by the roadside at the pre-arranged hunting grounds of the royal forest.
Xie Qingyu bowed and got off the carriage. As she looked up, she saw a familiar face standing not far away, dressed in a royal blue riding outfit, with sword-like eyebrows and bright eyes.
Oh, it's this person.
Xie Qingyu had almost forgotten about him.
After all, following the Green Ghost case, he had come to understand the guy's temperament and abilities to some extent, and realized that he posed no threat whatsoever.
He glanced at the other person indifferently. He needed to have Yin Yi investigate whether this person had been bothering Yue Yining frequently lately.
Just as I was about to look away, I accidentally caught a glimpse of a blue shadow at the man's waist.
Xie Qingyu's attention was instantly drawn.
Ye Miheng had a familiar sachet tied to his belt. It was made of blue satin, with a cluster of black bamboo embroidered in gold thread, and two blood-jade leaves hanging from the end of the rope.
Xie Qingyu suddenly stopped.
At the same time, Ye Miheng walked through the colorful crowd and came up behind a figure in green, patting her on the shoulder.
Yue Yining, who had been patted on the shoulder, turned around and saw him. She was surprised for a moment. She didn't know what Ye Miheng had said, but she burst out laughing, her eyes bright.
The smile on Xie Qingyu's face disappeared.
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