Chapter 37

When they reached the screen wall, and saw Chang Feng standing outside the carriage, Xu Duanyi still had a look of disbelief on her face.

She stopped in her tracks, unable to believe what she was seeing, gazing at the carriage ahead.

“Princess.”

It was only when Chang Feng called her that the confusion in her eyes began to retreat a little.

A voice came from beside her, too.

“Your Highness.”

Xu Duanyi finally composed herself, her turbulent emotions now in check, and she lowered her eyes as she walked forward.

She reached the side of the carriage.

After Chang Feng exchanged greetings with her, he moved aside and lifted the curtain of the carriage.

The scene inside the carriage was fully revealed to Xu Duanyi. She saw that Xie Qingya was still sitting in the same spot as before.

She also noticed his gaze falling on her face.

It had been nearly half a month since their last meeting at the screen wall.

Seeing him again so suddenly now, even Xu Duanyi, who was usually calm, couldn’t help but falter for a moment when their eyes met.

“Your Highness.”

Perhaps feeling guilty, Xu Duanyi’s brain seemed slower to react than usual.

After she slightly bowed to greet him, she did not immediately enter the carriage but hesitated outside, lowering her lashes and asking Xie Qingya, “Your Highness, aren’t you busy today?”

Xie Qingya naturally understood the meaning behind her words.

His gaze swept over the awkwardness on her face, and he seemed to recall that night when she had thrown herself at him, looking pitiful and wronged.

The previous words she had said were now replaced with…

“I’m not busy.”

The unexpected answer made Xu Duanyi’s reaction slower once again.

She had originally thought Xie Qingya would say he was busy, which would have allowed her to send people back, as she sincerely didn’t want to trouble him.

Who would have thought he would say “I’m not busy”?

This left her at a loss for words after that.

There were other servants at the screen wall. Seeing that many people had started looking in their direction, Bixi lowered her voice and said to her mistress, “Your Highness, it’s about time.”

Although she was unclear as to why the Prince of Nanan had accompanied the mistress out today, it was undoubtedly a good thing.

Otherwise, it would be hard for her mistress to go alone without attracting gossip.

Chang Feng also spoke up beside them, “Princess, you should get in the carriage quickly. There’s a big celebration at the Duke’s mansion today, and the roads will surely be congested.”

Xu Duanyi couldn’t say anything more.

She simply nodded and allowed Bixi to help her get into the carriage.

She did not ask Xie Qingyao for help.

She lifted her skirt and bent down to enter the carriage, then habitually sat on the other side of Xie Qingya, just like when they had entered the palace together that day.

But today, Xu Duanyi’s mood seemed even more anxious than before.

As soon as she sat down, she felt the dimming of light inside the carriage as the curtain fell. Her heart tightened involuntarily.

Especially when she sensed the person sitting across from her.

Xu Duanyi was so nervous that she didn’t even dare to lift her head.

It had been a long time since she had felt this way.

Even when facing the two most respected figures in the palace, she had always remained composed.

Only in front of Xie Qingya did she lose control.

Her guilty conscience made her feel like a thief, unwilling to look up or meet his gaze, wishing she could shrink into an invisible shadow, unseen by anyone.

The carriage was about to move.

Outside, Chang Feng and Bixi were already seated. At this moment, Chang Feng was asking if they should set off now.

Xu Duanyi could feel Xie Qingya’s gaze on her, waiting for her response.

Xu Duanyi hesitated for a moment but did not immediately answer Chang Feng’s question.

Instead, she looked at Xie Qingyao and mustered up the courage to say, “Did Aunt Deng and… did they say anything? Actually, it’s fine if you don’t go. They won’t say anything.”

She still didn’t want to trouble Xie Qingya.

Xie Qingya hadn’t expected that, after all her hesitation, she would end up saying something like that.

Xie Qingya furrowed his brows and looked at her.

“Xu Duanyi—” he instinctively blurted out.

Xie Qingya wanted to ask her if she truly didn’t want to go with him, but seeing her awkward expression, he knew it wasn’t that simple.

In the end, he softened.

Xie Qingya didn’t question her. Instead, he simply said, “I’m not busy today.”

It was the same as before.

Without waiting for Xu Duanyi to speak, he addressed Chang Feng outside, “Let’s set off.”

Waiting for Xu Duanyi to give an order would take who knows how long.

He didn’t mind whether they went to that Duke’s mansion or not, nor was he concerned about being late. He simply didn’t want her to be late because of him.

“Yes!”

Chang Feng replied, and quickly urged the carriage to begin.

This only made things more confusing.

Chang Feng furrowed his brows and pondered but couldn’t figure it out. He could only look toward Xie Qingya and say, “Your Highness…”

Just as he finished speaking, a sudden chime of a bell rang through the room.

The sound was particularly clear in the quiet of the night.

And the only one who could cause this bell to ring was one person.

Chang Feng momentarily cleared his thoughts, then whispered to Xie Qingya, “Your Highness, it’s Lord Mei.”

Xie Qingya naturally knew who had come.

But instinctively, tonight, he particularly did not want to see Mei Xuezhen, and even more so, did not want him to know what had happened in the mansion tonight.

The hand resting on his knee had unknowingly clenched into a fist.

His fingers, clearly defined, were now tense and rigid.

But this silence and sense of avoidance lasted only a moment. Xie Qingya loosened his fingers, lowered his eyelids, and spoke, “Go open the door.”

“Yes!” Changfeng acknowledged and left to attend to the matter.

The undercover agent also knew Lord Mei’s identity, so he did not hide his presence and instead faced Xie Qingya, asking, “Your Highness, what should we do now?”

Before Xie Qingya could respond, footsteps were heard from behind.

“I thought you’d be here by now,” Mei Xuezhen casually remarked as he entered.

He was about to look toward Xie Qingya when his eyes suddenly caught sight of someone else.

Upon seeing the man in black, Mei Xuezhen’s face, which had been relaxed and smiling, suddenly froze.

When the undercover agent bowed and called out, “Lord Mei,” Mei Xuezhen seemed to snap back to attention.

“How are you here? Did you find something wrong? Who is it?” Mei Xuezhen asked as he walked, his face turning pale with urgency.

The undercover agent glanced at Xie Qingya.

Seeing that he made no objection, the agent didn’t hide anything and told Mei Xuezhen everything that had happened that day.

After hearing this, Mei Xuezhen’s initial panic shifted to confusion. Just like when they first learned of this matter, he furrowed his brow, “Taken away halfway and then assigned somewhere else… What is the Crown Princess trying to do?”

“Is there no other news?” Mei Xuezhen asked the agent.

The agent reluctantly shook his head.

“His Highness told us that Miss Yu’s martial arts are not low, so we were afraid that getting too close to Linfeng Pavilion might attract attention…”

Mei Xuezhen didn’t speak further.

He simply sat silently opposite Xie Qingya.

After a while, he looked up at Xie Qingya, “What do you think?”

Xie Qingya replied, “Keep watching for now.”

That was the only course of action for now, and Mei Xuezhen had no better plan.

Seeing that there were no further orders, the undercover agent said, “Then I will return and have someone continue to monitor Linfeng Pavilion and Fushui Residence. We will see if we can uncover any clues.”

Xie Qingya nodded.

The agent didn’t linger and, after saluting both of them, took his leave.

After he left, Chang Feng poured tea for Mei Xuezhen.

Just as he was about to step out, he suddenly heard Mei Xuezhen ask, “What do you think the Crown Princess means by all this?”

Chang Feng halted his steps.

But he didn’t dare look back, fearing that Mei Xuezhen would notice something and cause a dispute between the Princess and the Prince.

He remained silent and continued walking out.

“I don’t know.”

The voice of the Prince came from behind him.

At this moment, Mei Xuezhen didn’t sense anything amiss.

He simply assumed that Xie Qingya genuinely couldn’t figure it out.

He couldn’t either.

“Regardless of what she means, one thing is now clear: the Crown Princess clearly doesn’t know nothing.”

“Qingya, you need to be careful.”

When Mei Xuezhen said this, he suddenly looked up, his gaze deep and alert as he stared at Xie Qingya.

Xie Qingya’s hand on his knee subconsciously tightened once more.

He looked at his tense fingers, then lightly acknowledged with a “Hmm” and after a moment, deliberately shifted his gaze and changed the subject, asking Mei Xuezhen, “What brings you here so late?”

They had agreed beforehand.

If there was no urgent matter, they wouldn’t meet privately.

Mei Xuezhen, reminded by Xie Qingya, recalled the reason for his visit today.

“I almost forgot because of what happened earlier,” Mei Xuezhen said, then explained his purpose. “Quan Fangtong is preparing to come to the capital, and he’s expected to arrive in about half a month.”

“I’ve already informed His Majesty about your plans, and His Majesty has no objections. When he arrives, I will approach him and mention that His Majesty has intended for him to be the Inspector of Salt Affairs.”

“Mm.”

Xie Qingya nodded.

“However, Qingya—”

Mei Xuezhen suddenly changed his tone, his brow furrowing, “Do you really think this will work? Quan Fangtong has always feared Cao Da. Do you think he will defy Cao Da’s wishes?”

“Cao Da has given him quite a lot over the years.”

Mei Xuezhen was worried that this wouldn’t work.

If it didn’t, could they control Quan Fangtong? Could they make him turn on his brother and reveal the truth of what happened years ago?

Xie Qingya didn’t seem as concerned as Mei Xuezhen. He said, “Quan Fangtong is always greedy. How could he be satisfied with the little Cao Da has given him?”

Quan Fangtong had his own people.

Xie Qingya knew his character and his insatiable greed.

On this point, he never worried.

Though Quan Fangtong and Cao Da were brothers, they weren’t full brothers.

Even full-blooded brothers sometimes harbor grudges—let alone these two. They were never that close.

Confused.

He didn’t understand.

He didn’t understand why the person who, crying, had apologized to him that night was now saying such things to him.

Her face full of concern and worry.

As if afraid he had been bullied by others.

Or perhaps, he actually understood.

At that moment, Xie Qingya even wanted to directly ask her.

To ask her.

Xu Duanyi, what exactly are you thinking?

To ask her.

Xu Duanyi, aren’t you tired?

To ask her.

Xu Duanyi, do you…

But in the end, he didn’t ask any of those questions. He didn’t even show any suspicious expressions.

The fool in front of him, so timid.

If he revealed anything he shouldn’t, she would probably run far away.

“Xu Duanyi—”

Xie Qingya still had that carefree, unruly look. Leaning against the carriage, his face was bathed in sunlight, giving him a hazy glow.

His handsomeness and sharpness were subdued.

But it also hid the tenderness that had originally been hard to conceal in his eyes.

“Are you protecting me?”

He asked Xu Duanyi, even his tone laced with a careless, mischievous manner.

Xu Duanyi’s brief moment of courage suddenly seemed to evaporate, and even her eyes, which met his, couldn’t help but flicker slightly.

She suddenly hesitated.

Wondering if what she was doing was not quite right.

Did Xie Qingya dislike it?

But under the gaze of Xie Qingya’s eyes—both passionate and indifferent—Xu Duanyi struggled for a moment before finally speaking softly, “…If you don’t mind.”

Xie Qingya didn’t respond immediately.

The noises outside made their carriage even quieter.

Just when Xu Duanyi couldn’t stand his gaze anymore and was about to look away, she suddenly heard a voice from outside: “But has the Princess arrived?”

Immediately, Bixi’s voice followed: “Master, it’s Li the Steward from the Duke’s mansion.”

Xu Duanyi couldn’t help but sigh in relief.

She finally had a reason to look away from him.

The voice of Li the Steward could be heard outside.

“Princess, please don’t worry. I’ve already instructed people to clear the way for you, and you’ll be able to pass shortly.”

“Thank you, Li the Steward,” Xu Duanyi expressed her gratitude.

Li the Steward, of course, didn’t dare accept her thanks and smiled outside, “Did the Princess come on her own today, or…?”

Xu Duanyi glanced opposite her.

Who would’ve thought Xie Qingya was also looking at her, and when she looked up, their gazes met again.

Xu Duanyi’s eyes flickered slightly, and she quickly looked away, saying to Li the Steward outside, “The Prince is also here. Please take the Prince to my elder cousin later.”

She deliberately mentioned her elder cousin.

And didn’t mention her second cousin, Xiao Yuanfu.

Her second cousin was a reckless troublemaker who often caused trouble. She didn’t like him and naturally didn’t want Xie Qingya to face any difficulties from him.

Li the Steward, naturally, didn’t refuse, and quickly agreed with a smile, saying, “Earlier, the Young Master was asking about your and the Prince’s whereabouts. I’ll personally take the Prince there.”

After a few more exchanges.

The previously congested road was cleared, allowing their carriage to pass.

The carriage continued on its way.

Li the Steward continued speaking outside.

The commotion naturally stirred up much gossip from the onlookers.

Xu Duanyi could hear their discussions but didn’t hear any reaction from Xie Qingya.

Ever since Xie Qingya hadn’t answered her earlier, the little courage she had mustered had completely evaporated.

In her mind, she was thinking of sending someone to inform her elder cousin later to watch over things.

Today, her elder cousin was the host.

With him taking care of things, no one would dare bully Xie Qingya.

Thinking of this, Xu Duanyi felt a bit more at ease.

The carriage stopped shortly in front of the Duke’s mansion.

Xu Duanyi was about to speak to Xie Qingya and have someone get off when she saw him looking at her, and he suddenly said, “Xu Duanyi.”

Xu Duanyi instinctively responded, “What is it?”

Then she saw Xie Qingya looking at her, continuing, “Don’t worry about me being bullied, relax, no one dares to bully me.”

After saying that.

He even curled the corner of his lips and scoffed, “What you should worry about is those who dare to bully me.”

He finished speaking and directly lifted the curtain to get out.

Outside, many guests were gathered.

They had been guessing ever since they saw the carriage arrive.

When Princess Jia Shun and Prince Nanan had married, there had been much gossip. Many people said that Prince Nanan didn’t like the noble Princess Jia Shun.

On their wedding day, he didn’t show her any kindness.

Because of this, those who had once admired Princess Jia Shun and had ceased their courtship now began to show disrespect toward Prince Nanan again.

With today being the Duke’s celebration, many wondered whether Prince Nanan would come.

If he didn’t come, it would prove that the rumors were true.

That Prince Nanan really didn’t like his new wife.

But who would have thought that the curtain was lifted, and a tall figure in red jumped down from inside the carriage.

And then, they saw the handsome face and elegant figure.

It was none other than the renowned Prince Nanan!

No one expected him to come today, and even more so, they didn’t expect that after he stood firm, he would stretch out his hand to the carriage.

This action was so unexpected that even Bixi couldn’t help but widen her eyes. Fortunately, she had a calm temperament; had it been Shiyu, her eyes would likely have popped out in shock.

Bixi silently stepped aside.

Although she was puzzled, she didn’t try to interfere with the actions of the Prince of Nannan.

So when Xu Duanyi got out of the carriage, what she saw was Xie Qingya extending his hand toward her.

This scene was truly shocking.

Even Xu Duanyi was momentarily stunned.

It was the steward, Li, who was genuinely pleased.

Li was an old servant of the Xiao family, once sheltered by Xu Duanyi’s mother, Xiao Yuan. This protection allowed him to survive and eventually become the steward of the Protectorate Duke’s mansion.

He had always been grateful for the favor from back then.

Therefore, he naturally cared for and respected Xu Duanyi, the young lady from the family.

Earlier, when he had heard the rumors outside, he had been deeply concerned.

He feared that the young lady might have been wronged in the Wang family.

But now, seeing this, it was clear that the Prince of Nannan didn’t seem to be as bad as the rumors had suggested.

Wasn’t he showing concern for their princess?

This showed that the rumors outside were not accurate.

He smiled happily, feeling in a good mood.

“Princess, come down quickly,” he cheerfully reminded Xu Duanyi.

Xu Duanyi then came back to her senses.

Not wanting others to notice anything unusual, she hurriedly lowered her gaze, placed her hand in Xie Qingya’s palm, and, with his support, carefully stepped down from the carriage.

However, she was so shaken in her heart that, without realizing it, she missed the step.

By the time she realized what had happened, it was too late. Xu Duanyi’s face changed slightly, and she thought to herself that she was surely going to embarrass herself today.

She was already mentally preparing to face the crowd with composure.

Unexpectedly, in the next moment, a strong hand caught her soft waist, and her entire body leaned against Xie Qingya.

Her feet had already landed on the ground.

Xu Duanyi instinctively looked up and met Xie Qingya’s gaze. When he saw her looking up, he furrowed his brow and reminded her, “Xu Duanyi, be careful.”

Xu Duanyi blinked, and after a while, she softly responded, “…Alright.”