Rarely had the snow stopped and the sun come out. Since the temperature inside and outside the room was the same, Nanyi simply sat in the courtyard to bask in the sunlight.
The servants came and went as if they couldn’t see Nanyi, tacitly ignoring her.
Nanyi sat until afternoon when she was truly too hungry. Remembering Xie Queshan’s words, she calculated in her mind—such a large place as the Xie family surely wouldn’t let someone starve to death in their courtyard.
She decided to try. Mustering her courage, she intercepted a group of servants and commanded them in an ordering tone:
“Bring me a pot of water—and, and bring me a bowl of mutton noodles.”
Nanyi thought she’d have to wrangle with the servants for a while, but unexpectedly they only curtsied expressionlessly and replied with a simple “Yes.” All the words in Nanyi’s belly were blocked back—it was really that simple?
Soon, what she had requested was delivered. Hot water, hot mutton noodles—not one item missing, but nothing she hadn’t asked for would be given extra either.
“Names matter more than substance”—Xie Queshan’s words circled in Nanyi’s mind. As she cautiously put them into practice, she discovered that every word he said was correct.
Only after wolfing down this entire bowl of steaming mutton noodles did Nanyi feel as if she had come back to life. Survival for her was just one meal, one night’s sleep, coming through bit by bit like this.
Every day she lived, she felt was good.
Nanyi patted her rounded belly and decided to move around a little in the courtyard. Just as she was getting up, a servant’s announcement came:
“Sixth Miss has arrived.”
Nanyi turned around to see a girl in red clothes walking briskly toward her. Not knowing who Sixth Miss was, she only felt this must be a noble person and hurriedly knelt to pay respects.
“Sixth Miss.”
Xie Sui’an was startled and quickly helped Nanyi up.
“Sister-in-law, this is too much—we’re family, why perform such grand ceremonies?”
“Don’t need to… kneel?” In the noble family, Nanyi felt herself inferior to others. Having someone suddenly be so polite to her made her somewhat fearful.
Xie Sui’an warmly pulled Nanyi back to sit in the pavilion, instructing the surrounding servants:
“You all go down. Sister-in-law and I have things to discuss—don’t let anyone enter this courtyard.”
Xie Sui’an turned to smile at Nanyi: “I’m called Xie Sui’an, sixth in the family ranking. Sister-in-law, just call me Little Six. How can there be reason for sister-in-law to bow to younger sister?”
Xie Sui’an propped her elbow on the table, leaning forward with curious eyes examining Nanyi closely.
Nanyi also carefully looked at Xie Sui’an.
She appeared about the same age as herself but radiated vigorous vitality. Though she had crescent-moon smiling eyes, she had a pair of thick sword-like eyebrows. Even with black cosmetic powder pressing down the tail ends, it couldn’t hide the heroic spirit on her face.
“Sixth Miss, why are you… looking at me like that?”
“It’s you, isn’t it? Sister-in-law.”
Nanyi was completely puzzled.
“Before his death, elder brother mentioned that Bingzhu Division had an absolutely secret hidden piece with the codename ‘Goose’—it’s you, right?”
“I don’t understand what Sixth Miss is saying.”
Xie Sui’an had an “I understand” expression.
“Sister-in-law is so cautious, but I’m one of us—I also work for Bingzhu Division, you can completely trust me. If you hadn’t sent out intelligence saying you would create chaos at the funeral scene, letting our people take the opportunity to respond to Prince Ling’an, how could Prince Ling’an have entered Li Du Mansion so smoothly?”
This news came out lightly from Xie Sui’an’s mouth but struck Nanyi’s ears like thunder from a clear sky.
So that’s how it was!
When she had hijacked Xie Queshan, all the Qi soldiers surrounded them, naturally meaning no one was monitoring the entire funeral procession. It must have been during that time that they completed the response operation.
But she had never told anyone about her intention to hijack Xie Queshan. Who had calculated her into their plan?
Xie Queshan?
If not for that conversation in the ancestral hall that day, she wouldn’t have changed her mind to stay and wait for this day of martyrdom. But how could Xie Queshan be certain what she would do? Even if he was skilled at manipulating hearts, why would he help Prince Ling’an? He was clearly a rebel minister of the Yu Dynasty.
Could it be…
Impossible. An absurd thought flashed through Nanyi’s mind, but she quickly dismissed it herself. She guessed that perhaps someone had planned a different accident, but her commotion had inadvertently helped them complete their plan. She wasn’t “Goose,” but that “Goose” hadn’t appeared either, had they?
“Names matter more than substance”—Xie Queshan’s words echoed in her mind again, and Nanyi quickly made her decision.
“Yes, I am. I also know about the response plan at Hugui Mountain.”
“So it really is you!” Xie Sui’an was even more delighted. “Sister-in-law truly has excellent strategies! So your Qin family identity was also fake?”
“The identity was naturally fake. All of this was planned between me and the eldest young master. Of course he couldn’t just randomly find a woman and use her wedding procession to respond to the new emperor from Hugui Mountain. With me sitting in the bridal sedan, I could help him keep watch in all directions.”
Nanyi spoke without hesitation.
Xie Sui’an appeared bright and spirited, quite favored. If she could win her favor, it would help her establish herself in the Xie family faster. She couldn’t escape this place for the time being, so she needed to find ways to make her life better. Moreover, who could guarantee the Xie family wouldn’t someday find her unlucky again and arrange a new way for her to die?
At this moment, Xie Sui’an completely believed in Nanyi’s identity.
If she weren’t “Goose,” how would she know such important information about using the wedding procession to respond to Prince Ling’an, and how would she happen to create chaos at the funeral scene?
Xie Sui’an gripped Nanyi’s hand with emotion:
“Wonderful, sister-in-law. Though the Xie family is a prominent household in Li Du Mansion with great influence, what we do hangs our lives on knife points. It cannot be spoken of to others—it’s like crossing a river on a single log, isolated and weak. One more companion means one more chance of victory.”
Nanyi cried bitterly inside—she had no great righteousness for country and family and didn’t want to risk her life for anything. She had acknowledged this identity only hoping to find backing, never expecting the other party to drag her into deep waters together.
But her expression remained flawless as she smiled at Xie Sui’an. No choice—Xie Sui’an was currently her best option.