Chapter 40 demands that she offer herself in marriage to enter the Prince's mansion...
When Xu Wenche went down the stairs to the ground floor, he had already entered the Chaohui Pavilion.
Upon encountering Zhang Yan, who arrived shortly after, Bie Zhi slowed her pace. She frowned and watched as Zhang Yan stopped under the eaves of Chaohui Pavilion, his eyes lowered as he spoke to the guards who had come with him. The guards nodded and left before he stepped into Chaohui Pavilion.
Biezhi took a half step back without making a sound and asked the innkeeper to open a side room facing the street.
Following the servant up another set of stairs, she glanced at Jiang Yue and Cheng Jin, who stood on either side of the door like door gods. She slightly withdrew her gaze, turned to the side and told Hua Chao to wait outside, then went into the room alone.
The door was closed, and Biezhi quickly walked to the window.
In an instant, her gaze locked onto Zhang Yan, who was walking up the steps through the long backyard, and watched him walk to a door and knock on it.
The door opened from the inside out, and Yuan An, standing next to Xu Wenche, came into her view.
The moment Zhang Yanshen's gaze turned to her, Biezhi shifted half a step inward, using the wall to shield herself, and waited a short while before returning to normal.
The doors to the side rooms of the Chaohui Pavilion across the street were already closed.
Biezhi casually pulled a chair to the side of the window, rested her chin on the edge of the window, and stared idly at the tightly closed door.
The memorial sent by Prince Su clearly details the life of Zhang Yan.
A scholar from a small county town in the south gradually made his way to the capital. At the end of last year, he was promoted by Prince Su to the position of Vice Minister of War, a position that gave him considerable influence in the court. After Prince Su promoted him to this position, countless court officials flocked to him to curry favor.
Biezhi couldn't understand the intricacies of officialdom, but if this person was promoted by Prince Su, she didn't want to waste any more effort on him.
However, Zhang Yan was too ruthless; he would kill without hesitation.
Biezhi recalled the scene from that night; if Prince Su hadn't arrived in time, she probably wouldn't have been able to escape.
Strictly speaking, Prince Su could also be considered his savior.
A drop of kindness deserves a spring of gratitude in return.
Aside from offering herself in marriage.
Other branches should not be in a state of constant pleasure and joy one moment, and then feel like they are standing on the edge of an abyss, in a state of burning fire the next.
Asking her to marry into the royal palace is less appealing than taking her life.
As her thoughts drifted, the door, which had been tightly closed for a long time, was suddenly pushed open. Biezhi quickly bent down, crouched down, and walked to the window, secretly peeking out.
The smile that had been in Zhang Yan's eyes vanished the moment he turned around, replaced by a deep, unfathomable look. He pursed his lips slightly and left Chaohui Pavilion.
Only after he got into his carriage and left did Biezhi rush to Chaohui Pavilion.
Just as she stepped out of Wangchun Terrace, she met Xu Wenche's gaze. After a brief exchange of glances, he raised an eyebrow and walked over. "It's been a long time. What brings Miss Biezhi here?"
"I heard from my elder sister that Yong'an Street was bustling, so I came to take a look," Biezhi said. Her gaze swept over the man's empty back, where his servants were nowhere to be seen. A hint of suspicion flickered in her large almond-shaped eyes: "Young Master Xu, are you all alone?"
Xu Wenche nodded. "Did you come alone, young lady?"
“My sister didn’t have time to go out with me, so I wandered around by myself. I never expected to run into Young Master Xu here,” Biezhi said.
After saying that, the girl seemed to remember something. A light flashed in her round almond eyes, and the dimples at the corners of her mouth appeared and disappeared. Her expression was somewhat conflicted, as if she wanted to say something but stopped herself.
Xu Wenche pondered for a moment, then smiled and asked, "If you don't mind, young lady, I've been here a few times. Shall I accompany you for a stroll?"
"Is that alright?" Biezhi's eyes suddenly lit up.
“Of course,” Xu Wenche said.
Suddenly, the girl smiled gently, a smile that seemed to surpass even the most beautiful pear blossoms in the courtyard.
Biezhi wasn't so foolish as to not see through Xu Wenche's underlying intentions. She clearly realized that she needed something from him, and coincidentally, he also needed something from her, so they hit it off immediately.
In the past two weeks, Xu Wenche had indeed visited Yong'an Street quite a few times, and she had come with him. The shops he took her to were mostly places he had been to before.
When Biezhi goes out on her own, she usually goes with a purpose, buys what she wants, and then goes home. She doesn't usually have much free time to wander around. Today, she walked around with Xu Wenche and felt more and more tired than when she was on a mission.
Moreover, she always felt as if someone was following her.
But she walked halfway down the street and still couldn't find the person who was following her.
Xu Wenche noticed her absent-mindedness and saw her glance back at him again. He asked thoughtfully, "Does the young lady not like it?"
"I didn't rest well yesterday, and my legs are a bit numb from walking around so much." Biezhi casually made up an excuse, her gaze sweeping across both sides of the street before landing on a teahouse in a pavilion. When her eyes met the scrutinizing gaze of the man inside, she looked away as if nothing was amiss.
Zhang Yan left Yong'an Street half an hour ago, so why is he here again now...?
She composed herself and said, "Shall we find a place to rest for a while?"
Xu Wenche had the same idea. "How about Chaohui Pavilion?"
They had just come from Chaohui Pavilion, and it would take them the time it takes to drink a cup of tea to walk back. There were plenty of teahouses and taverns around, but Biezhi composed herself, smiled casually, and said, "That's fine too. I've heard that the pastries at Chaohui Pavilion are also exceptional."
Before leaving, she glanced sideways at the deserted building, her thoughts turning serious.
Biezhi didn't quite like Zhang Yan's gaze.
Like a rat in a sewer, peering through a narrow hole.
The backyard of Chaohui Pavilion is quiet and boundless, and the sound of tea being poured into teacups is pleasant and crisp.
The girl beside him was very quiet, unusually so compared to how he had seen her before. Xu Wenche subtly observed her expression, the sounds of their conversation from not long ago echoing in his ears.
He has been in Beijing for more than half a month and knows the streets and buildings of the city very well. The layout of major industries is already saturated, and the people in charge behind the buildings and restaurants are behemoths that are hard for ordinary people to match. If he rashly sets up industries in Beijing, he may put the Xu family in trouble.
If the Xu family wants to break out of this predicament, it is no different from his previous guess: they can only do so through introductions from high-ranking officials and nobles in the capital. Otherwise, they may easily fall into a predicament set up by others.
The Xu family and Zhang Yan had known each other for a long time, and Zhang Yan had always opposed the Xu family's move to the capital.
'The Bian family of Suzhou, the Liu family of Hezhou—both of them met tragic ends after plotting their entry into the capital.'
"Even before you arrived in the capital, rumors were already circulating. On your very first day, you were accompanied by entourage. While things appeared peaceful on the surface, undercurrents were swirling beneath. How many lives of the Xu family are at the mercy of the powerful figures in the capital?"
'Moreover, the Xu family has previously traveled between border countries, which inevitably makes them a target for criticism.'
"If you meet the same fate as the Bian and Liu families, people will still feel sorry for you. But if you are branded with the crime of treason, a thousand years from now, the Xu family will only be despised. Why bother getting involved in this mess?"
"Qin Xiao is currently investigating the massacres of the Bian and Liu families. Do you really think he can find anything out? Or even if he does, what can he do to them?"
"The Qin family is dependent on Prince Su. As long as Prince Su is alive, Qin Xiao can naturally investigate any remaining mysteries without any scruples. But what if the powerful figures behind them are other courtiers who are also dependent on Prince Su, or what if they present a scene of the thief crying 'stop thief!'"
"Young Master Xu?"
The sudden sound of a soft voice broke Xu Wenche's thoughts. He came back to his senses and looked at the girl who was tilting her head slightly, her almond-shaped eyes filled with doubt.
A faint smile played on her lips. "What are you thinking about, Young Master Xu, so engrossed?"
Xu Wenche suppressed his thoughts and looked at the girl opposite him with a half-smile: "I remembered something from the past."
In an instant, Biezhi realized there was a hidden meaning in his words.
It seems they wanted to find out something through themselves.
She pretended not to notice and followed his lead, asking, "The past?"
Xu Wenche hummed in agreement and patiently guided her: "Yesterday I heard that the Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review is thoroughly investigating the massacre of families in Suzhou and Hezhou. Today, when I met you, I couldn't help but think of my family's past."
I had heard a little about the massacres in Suzhou and Hezhou. I heard that the deaths were horrific. The heads of the two families and their wives were hung above the door plaques, their eyes wide open and staring straight at the street, which terrified the passersby so much that they vomited every night.
It was not just murder, it was humiliation.
Seeing the girl's slightly furrowed face, Xu Wenche knew she was thinking of the rumors. He said slowly, "Actually, when the Bian family was still alive, they had always had dealings with our family. Our family has never believed that the Bian family's massacre was related to the bandits. Therefore, I also hope that the Dali Temple can find the real culprit to comfort the Bian family's spirits in heaven."
His gentle, flowing tone stirred her thoughts, like a seductive thread, enticing her heart. She pursed her lips slightly, not following the lead he had given her, but instead said, "I hope Young Master Xu's wish comes true."
Xu Wenche gazed at her for a moment, then smiled and said, "I hope so."
He picked up his teacup and sipped the tea slowly, raising his eyes to observe the second daughter of the Qin family across from him through the gaps between his fingers. She looked directly at him, staring at him with a slightly dazed expression, and he didn't know what she was looking at.
The other branch was naturally looking at his appearance.
What Xu Wenche said was nothing to worry about for her. She could tell that he didn't suspect her, and she didn't want to know too much.
Their line of work is already dangerous enough; she didn't want to cause any more trouble.
The teacup tapped on the table, and Xu Wenche suddenly spoke up: "Does the young lady know why the Bian family of Suzhou and the Liu family of Hezhou suffered such a terrible fate?"
Biezhi: "..."
His purpose was far too obvious.
Clearly, he had no intention of maneuvering further, but instead decisively left a clue in his mind.
She blinked and shook her head.
Xu Wenche: "Before the Bian and Liu families were wiped out, they both had plans to enter the capital."
Upon hearing this, Biezhi's pupils narrowed imperceptibly for a moment before quickly returning to normal, and she asked bluntly, "Does that mean they all have the same plans as the Xu family?"
Xu Wenche's lips twitched slightly, and he nodded in agreement.
"In that case, Young Master Xu should be extra careful in all matters in the capital." Biezhi said through the words of the second daughter of the Qin family. For half a month, Xu Wenche moved around the capital. Not to mention the sharp-eyed and sharp-eared court officials, even the servants who came to greet and see off people in various buildings could see through his intentions.
Xu Wenche glanced out the window, seemingly lost in thought, and said, "Miss, don't worry. To prevent me from getting into trouble, my family specially hired Xianyun Tower to secretly follow me." He looked back for a moment, glancing at Biezhi, whose expression had changed from doubt to curiosity, and who was looking at him with an eager expression. He said, "With them around, they can also protect me from some assassination attempts."
If it weren't for the master's insistence on Qingshan giving her a new identity, Biezhi would have thought that since Xu Wenche knew that Xianyunlou had sent people to follow him secretly, he should just tell him directly.
Just then, someone knocked on the tightly closed door.
Xu Wenche's servant, Yuan An, pushed open the door and walked in. His gaze swept over the second daughter of the Qin family by the window, and he quickly walked to his young master's side and whispered.
His voice was very low, almost a whisper.
Biezhi still heard it.
Zhang Yan invited Xu Wenche to her home for a small gathering.
The two had met not long ago, and less than an hour later they were meeting again...
After listening, Xu Wenche nodded and said, "I'll be there in a bit."
Upon hearing this, Biezhi stood up and said, "Since Young Master Xu has other plans, I won't disturb your schedule any longer. See you another time when you have time."
Watching the carriage carrying Xu Wenche disappear at the end of Yong'an Street, Biezhi's smile faded slightly; the probing in his words made her feel exhausted.
She felt that she still preferred to speak her mind directly.
If Xu Wenche hadn't been the person she wanted to protect, she would have collapsed to the ground the second time he tried to test her.
After leaving Chaohui Pavilion, Biezhi returned to her residence and went to Mingyue Lane outside the Xu family's residence, telling everyone that the second young lady of the Qin family had come to have her body measured and made.
In reality, she changed her clothes, put on a veil, and left Mingyuefang through a side door.
The branch had already figured out where Zhang Yan lived.
However, it was still early, and going there blindly at this time would definitely attract the attention of others. She did not rush to the Zhang residence, but waited in the forest garden in the backyard of the Xu family.
As evening approached, Yuan An hurriedly returned, entered the study to retrieve some items, and then left again in a hurry.
Biezhi, who had been hiding behind the artificial hill for a long time, quietly emerged and followed in his footsteps.
The moment she took a step and landed, her long-relaxed thoughts suddenly sharpened.
Biezhi didn't turn around, but instead subtly glanced behind her. When she saw the sharp arrow piercing the sky, she nimbly dodged to the side by the artificial hill.
She listened quietly to the footsteps.
Besides the archers, ten people came.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
