That night, Nanyi’s wound began to inflame. She first felt ice-cold and shivered all over, then around dawn felt burning hot and restless, tossing and turning.
In her hazy state, she didn’t know that Xie Queshan had stayed awake all night watching over her. She had many fragmented dreams featuring Zhang Yuehui, Xie Queshan, even the deceased Pang Yu, Song Yushu whom she’d only met once, and Princess Lingfu separated by vermillion gates.
Then she was awakened by Gusha’s clamorous voice.
“Xie Queshan, I must ask you—the city defense maps are military secrets that only you and I have seen, yet yesterday’s fleeing remnants of the Bingzhu Division knew the city’s military defenses like the back of their hand. Tell me, what the hell is the reason for this?”
Xie Queshan feigned surprise: “General Gusha, you speak wrongly. You and I aren’t the only ones who’ve seen the city defense maps.”
“Of course not just us—I suppose you leaked them to the Bingzhu Division conspirators!”
“You never told me the city defense maps couldn’t be shown to others. Yesterday I handed the city defense maps to Prefect Huang Yankun. If Bingzhu Division remnants were planning a rescue, naturally the Li Du Mansion prefect would need to coordinate our defenses with us, wouldn’t he?”
“You—”
Gusha was stymied. He had suspected Xie Queshan and given him the city defense maps as a test of his loyalty. He was already highly suspicious, and every word sounded like sophistry, but Gusha couldn’t catch him in anything and was even led astray—indeed, Huang Yankun wasn’t completely trustworthy either.
Nanyi was now fully awake. Hearing Xie Queshan’s words, she marveled inwardly—he truly was a cunning fox, with backup plans for every move.
Gusha’s expression darkened: “Last night guards discovered someone had infiltrated Wangxue Hut. Following the trail, they found you having a romantic tryst with a woman under the moon. Quite a coincidence.”
Gusha turned toward the screen: “It wouldn’t be the same person, would it?”
Xie Queshan laughed coldly: “What, you want to see my woman too?”
Gusha and Xie Queshan faced off in a standoff. This moment was about who had more confidence.
Nanyi lying on the bed also grew nervous. If Gusha really dared to inspect, he might recognize her…
Xie Queshan struck first, hurling the cup in his hand at the screen with great force. The screen crashed to the floor, leaving the bedroom completely exposed.
Nanyi cried out and quickly turned away, her black hair scattered across the pillow.
“—Even if I gave you the courage, would you dare to look?”
Gusha glanced at the woman on the bed and finally smiled coolly, still yielding: “I have overstepped, Young Master Queshan.”
“Xie Zhu was abducted, Gusha. As the one responsible for guard duty, instead of reflecting on yourself, you come here spouting nonsense. At the Prime Minister’s side, it will be difficult for me to speak well of you.”
Gusha gritted his teeth and bowed: “This humble officer will certainly fulfill his duties faithfully in the future. After all, Xie Zhu was just bait—losing him means nothing. The final target is still Prince Ling’an—we have plenty of time.”
Having gained nothing, Gusha left a half-threatening remark and stormed off in frustration.
Nanyi sat up with her heart still pounding, looking at Xie Queshan: “Gusha is so suspicious. Can I still leave Jingfeng Residence and return?”
“Not yet.”
“Then when?”
Xie Queshan walked over and unhurriedly set up the screen: “Wait.”
…
Xie Queshan went out in the afternoon.
News that Xie Zhu had been rescued from under the Qi people’s noses quickly spread throughout the city, greatly heartening everyone. Li Du Mansion’s people were more united than ever. It was said that Wanyan Jun wanted to take over the Shipping Bureau but was thoroughly scolded by the scholars there. Xie Queshan had gone out precisely for this matter.
Nanyi waited restlessly, wanting to chat with He Ping, but He Ping completely ignored her. Finally, Nanyi squatted in the courtyard, listlessly watching a lone ant in the flower bed, then scraped away snow and began playing with mud.
The mud was shaped into a human figure. Nanyi took a dead twig and stabbed it viciously, treating it as Xie Queshan to vent her frustration.
“Curses don’t work without writing the name.”
Xie Queshan’s voice came from behind her. Nanyi didn’t bother looking up and stabbed the little mud figure again.
“Then teach me how to write your name so I can curse you to death.”
“Oh right, I almost forgot—you said you wanted me to teach you to read.”
“…”
Nanyi stood up speechlessly and turned to look at Xie Queshan: “You’re not serious, are you?”
The setting sun’s afterglow fell on Nanyi’s face, illuminating her expression with vivid life.
Xie Queshan had spent the day running around outside, dealing with matters like the citywide martial law still failing to find Xie Zhu, and Wanyan Jun being scolded by scholars until he jumped in rage but not daring to massacre them.
It was smoky and chaotic. Returning to the courtyard to see the girl with flowing black hair squatting in the sunset playing with mud somehow felt refreshing.
Xie Queshan smiled: “You’re bored anyway.”
Nanyi followed Xie Queshan into the room with drooping spirits.
“Wash your hands.” Xie Queshan nodded toward the water basin nearby.
Nanyi only dabbed her hands briefly in the water, considering them washed.
Xie Queshan frowned and walked over to press Nanyi’s hands back into the basin.
He embraced Nanyi from behind, making her momentarily stiff and at a loss, only able to let him manipulate her hands. He used soap to carefully wash her hands three times, and seeing her dirt-encrusted nails made him frown even more.
Without question, he pulled her to sit on the couch and found scissors from the drawer.
Nanyi became apprehensive when she saw him take out scissors and quickly withdrew her hands.
“I only poked the mud figure with a twig. You wouldn’t use scissors to poke me, would you?”
Xie Queshan rolled his eyes, pulled Nanyi’s hands back, and began seriously lowering his head to trim her nails… Nanyi watched nervously for a long time and found he was indeed just trimming her nails.