The events that had transpired in the palace these past few days were still fresh in Xie Wei's mind. He was forcing Jiang Xue Ning to obey and not to make any trouble, or her life would be in danger.
Jiang Xuening avoids Xie Wei more like a mouse seeing a cat.
However, Xie Wei was deep and unpredictable, and he never showed his thoughts on his face. At this moment, although he had many suspicions about Jiang Xue Ning and Chu Yuan appearing together at the Marquis's residence, he did not show it on his face at all, and remained polite, giving people a feeling of being bathed in a spring breeze.
"Young Master Yan, I've come uninvited. Is that too much of a bother?"
Yan Ling quickly stepped forward to greet him, "Sir, you're too kind. I'm overjoyed that you've come; how could I possibly find it distasteful? It's just that my father isn't home today, so if you..."
"I came here specifically to find you." Before she could finish speaking, Xie Wei interrupted her.
Moreover, he strolled leisurely and casually toward Chu Yuan and the others. When he stopped next to Chu Yuan, he sincerely praised, "Roasted meat? It tastes good. I wonder if I, Xie, have the honor of trying this rare roasted mutton in early winter."
Chu Yuan, "..."
Yan Ling & Jiang Xue Ning; "..."
Zhou Yanzhi shifted his feet, feeling speechless and inexplicably uneasy.
He always felt that Xie Shaoshi's gaze towards him was particularly unfriendly.
Isn't this a trap?
"What are you all standing there for? Sit down, sit down. Qingfeng, is there any more skewered lamb left in the kitchen? Tell them to get more. Today, Brother Zhou, Master Xie, Miss You, and Ningning are all here. Let's drink some wine and eat some roasted meat. What a great pleasure in life!"
So, the group of people, each with their own thoughts, sat down together.
They appear to be having a good time, but in reality, they are full of suspicion.
Jiang Xuening was wary of Zhou Yanzhi, Xie Wei, and even You Yue.
Xie Wei was on guard against Zhou Yanzhi and Jiang Xuening.
Zhou Yanzhi, on the other hand, was wary of everyone present.
Looking around, Yan Ling seemed completely at ease, even more so than Chu Yuan.
It was supposed to be a gathering of friends, but no one spoke. Xie Wei didn't even touch his lamb skewers, not even bothering to pretend. He only occasionally took a sip of sake, his whole demeanor as serene as a mountain in the light rain.
While dealing with Yan Ling's conversation, Zhou Yanzhi felt a chill run down his spine under Xie Wei's cold, unsettling gaze.
Jiang Xuening buried her head in her food, looking like a starving ghost reincarnated.
Chu Yuan was certain that Zhou Yanzhi had ingested poison, and that he would definitely die from the poison when the time came and would no longer be able to harm the people she cared about. She felt relieved and ate and drank while listening to Xie Wei and Zhou Yanzhi play Tai Chi.
"Do you hold a position in Xingwu Guard?"
It's understandable that Zhou Yanzhi couldn't see through Xie Shaoshi's saintly appearance; after all, many people can't. He answered cautiously, "Yes, I am honored that Prince Yan thinks highly of me, disregarding my humble status, and is willing to befriend me."
When he said this, his eyes darted away, avoiding Xie Wei's gaze.
Xie Wei may seem like just a scholar, but his narrow eyes are cold yet clear, as if they could see through the wicked intentions hidden in his heart.
After a few words, Xie Wei's expression remained unchanged, and his tone was intriguing: "Lord Zhou's heroic act of killing the horse is known to everyone in the capital. He was truly ruthless and decisive."
But interpersonal relationships are different from raising horses.
You cannot betray someone's trust and stab them in the back just because they have some faith in you. Don't you agree, Lord Zhou?
Chu Yuan lowered her head and chuckled to herself. If this continued, Zhou Yanzhi's cold sweat might extinguish the charcoal fire.
Xie Wei is amazing!
Seeing this, Yan Ling quickly stepped in to smooth things over, "Hey, stop talking, the lamb skewers are cooked!"
Then he asked Chu Yuan, "Miss You Yue, Mr. Xie seems to be a little drunk. Could you pour him a cup of tea to sober him up?"
He then pulled Jiang Xuening aside and muttered something to himself.
She probably doesn't understand why she, like Xie Wei, harbors such great hostility towards Zhou Yanzhi.
Chu Yuan sighed silently. This fool, it's because Xie Wei is his cousin, and Jiang Xuening, after being reborn, didn't want him to suffer the same fate as in his previous life, with his family destroyed and exiled to Huangzhou.
"Thanks."
Xie Wei's voice was neither warm nor cold, but suddenly changed: "Second Miss You, what were you secretly laughing about just now?"
"Huh?" Chu Yuan's eyelashes trembled, and she blinked in surprise.
He found out!
Chu Yuan didn't know how to answer for a moment, but in that brief moment of hesitation, she noticed Xie Wei's eyes were fixed on the bamboo stick that Zhou Yanzhi had casually thrown into the grass. Coincidentally, all the other used sticks were piled up in the pavilion, but the poisoned one that she had deliberately let Zhou Yanzhi taste was left there all alone.
Suddenly, Chu Yuan's heart started racing, afraid that Xie Wei would notice something.
Fortunately, after a moment, Xie Wei withdrew his gaze. "I didn't know that Miss You Er is such a skilled painter. She also did very well in the written examination at the palace the other day. With such proficiency in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting, her purpose in entering the palace must not be merely to be a companion to the princess, right?"
Chu Yuan, “???”
They didn't develop mad cow disease, but instead became paranoid?
She suddenly calmed down. "You Yue is good at painting, and she has read some books at home, but she knows nothing about music and chess. Why do you make such unfounded assumptions, sir?"
"Really?" Xie Wei glanced at her hand.
People who are good at playing the piano will have calluses on their fingers and long, slender fingers, which is easy to spot.
But Xie Wei was taken aback when he saw this; it wasn't what he had expected.
Could it really be a misunderstanding?
Chu Yuan's heart was pounding. She was very grateful to the original owner for her ignorance and incompetence. If Xie Wei suspected her, then she would be in big trouble!
Finally, the grueling party is coming to an end.
Jiang Xuening went to the restroom, and Xie Wei said he wanted to stroll around the glutinous rice ball, probably to catch Jiang Xuening again. Zhou Yanzhi and Jiang Xuening have been seeing each other frequently lately, and Xie Wei's men aren't blind.
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