Chapter 70

In fact, Xie Hengzhi had never truly understood the person known as Shang Yiling.

When he left Jiangzhou Academy, Shang Yiling was only ten years old, still in her childhood years, with her looks and demeanor not yet mature. She was just an innocent little girl, unaware of the world around her, with no fully formed personality.

It wasn’t until their marriage that they met again.

That half-year of distant interactions was not enough to truly understand her nature.

Moreover, she had suffered through being forced into an unwanted marriage, being married to a man she didn’t love, falling into the water, and then suffering from a high fever for a month, only to narrowly survive.

Any drastic change in her personality was not something that could easily be dismissed.

Xie Hengzhi had even once suspected that this change in her might be part of a plan to conceal something—perhaps she was plotting to escape the capital and be with the one she loved.

However, the one thing that could not change was her relationship with others.

So when he discovered her unusual relationship with the young son of the Yishang family, Xie Hengzhi began to doubt whether she was still the Shang Yiling he had known.

But after investigating thoroughly, he found that she was still the same person—no replacement, no deception under his very nose.

It wasn’t until the appearance of Dr. Meng that things began to shift.

Her cry of “Yun Niang” and her frantic, uncontrollable tears when pretending to set fire to the Sad Field Workshop clearly showed her true feelings for Dr. Meng.

Xie Hengzhi had to question his previous assumptions, realizing he had missed something.

During that month when he had been away from the capital, had Shang Yiling truly escaped like a golden cicada shedding its shell?

But all of this seemed too absurd.

How could there possibly be two people who looked exactly the same?

Unless… it was something out of the tales, like “disguising techniques.”

Even if he entertained the idea of this absurd thing that only appeared in stories, how could Shang Yiling—who only knew poetry—have done this in a strange city like the capital?

Could he rely on her two dowry maids?

It would be like praying to the gods.

But Xie Hengzhi didn’t believe in gods. He believed in human capabilities.

He didn’t think Shang Yiling had the ability to do such a thing, so he still believed she was the real Shang Yiling.

Thus, he sent an emissary to summon Mrs. Shang from afar, hoping she could resolve these absurdities.

A mother, who had given birth and raised her, would be able to make the most accurate judgment.

But the truth was, after just one night, Mrs. Shang clearly felt that this was not her daughter.

Mother and daughter shared the most intimate bond in the world. Even if the daughter’s appearance had changed completely, a mother could recognize her child.

However, when her daughter’s appearance hadn’t changed at all…

If Mrs. Shang said she wasn’t Shang Yiling, then she certainly wasn’t.

No need for Mrs. Shang to offer concrete evidence; just the cold sweat on Yiling’s palms was enough to reveal everything.

Moreover, her complete ignorance about the Shang family only added to the suspicions. Even if she had truly lost her memory, why would she be so anxious when seeing her own mother? Why did she wish for Mrs. Shang to leave as soon as possible?

Layer upon layer of evidence had already forced Xie Hengzhi to abandon his stubbornness.

He had to admit it.

The woman lying beside him at that moment was not Shang Yiling.

The night was deep, and even the wind was still.

Xie Hengzhi opened his eyes, gently turned his head, and in the faint moonlight, he looked at the person beside him.

She still had her back turned to him, lying quietly, seemingly already asleep.

But Xie Hengzhi could sense that she was still awake… and even anxious.

Perhaps she also knew that her secret was about to be revealed.

But—

Looking at her familiar back, Xie Hengzhi thought, even if she wasn’t Shang Yiling, so what?

Should he expose her disguise?

It would bring him no benefit.

Should he find the real Shang Yiling?

It wasn’t necessary.

Should he investigate the purpose behind her swapping identities with the real Shang Yiling?

It didn’t seem important.

He was confident that a woman wouldn’t cause him any significant impact.

So? What then?

He thought of many reasons, but realized—he didn’t care whether she was Shang Yiling or not. 

He simply wanted to keep this person.

And this was not difficult for him.

As long as he didn’t act, no one else in the world would ever know she wasn’t Shang Yiling.

Even Mrs. Shang, he could find a way to suppress her doubts.

But now the problem was—if she wasn’t Shang Yiling, then who was she?

That was what Xie Hengzhi truly cared about.

No, to be more accurate, Xie Hengzhi originally wouldn’t have cared about this.

If he wanted to keep this person, he could do it no matter who she was.

But once he was certain that she wasn’t Shang Yiling, without even thinking too hard, countless clues about her real identity seemed to sprout hands, all pointing to one answer.

When he began to suspect, and then confirm, that she was not Shang Yiling, Xie Hengzhi remained relatively calm.

But at this moment, his heartbeat suddenly quickened, and the blood rushed to his head.

Suddenly, he held his breath, and his previously calm gaze became intense.

Yiling, who had been pretending to sleep for a long time, could no longer maintain the act.

She had always known that Xie Hengzhi was not asleep; she could even sense that he was watching her.

In the silent room, their breaths intertwined, rising and falling, each absorbed in their own thoughts.

Why wasn’t he asleep so late? What was he thinking?

Could it be that Mrs. Shang had pointed out various oddities to him, causing him to become suspicious?

No, he had quietly invited Mrs. Shang to the capital, which seemed to be a test in itself!

Thinking this, Yiling’s heart suddenly began to race, and her breathing became cautious.

If his invitation to Mrs. Shang was truly for that purpose, she might not be able to avoid it.

Especially when she felt his gaze burning more intensely on her back, she couldn’t resist looking over her shoulder.

Unfortunately, the night was too dark, and she could not see his expression clearly.

“What’s wrong?”

They were both on the same bed, and the surroundings were silent.

When her anxious voice reached his ears, Xie Hengzhi felt as though he had fallen into an abyss, and his body seemed to lose all sensation.

After a long while, he closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and said, “It’s nothing. Go to sleep early.”

The next morning, at the Crown Prince’s residence.

“Mrs. Xie has arrived. Please bring her in quickly!”

When she heard that Yiling had arrived, Shen Shufang was very surprised. She had learned a couple of days ago that Yiling had returned to the capital, but since she assumed the journey must have been tiring, she had planned to wait until Yiling rested before inviting her over.

She didn’t expect that on the third day, Yiling would take the initiative to come see her so early!

Shen Shufang was overjoyed. She hurriedly sat at her vanity to prepare, instructing the palace maids to prepare tea and snacks.

However, when Yiling entered, Shen Shufang noticed the dark circles under her eyes; she looked extremely exhausted.

“You look so tired,” she said.

Yiling thought, If she weren’t tired, that would be strange!

Lying next to her was Xie Hengzhi, and a few rooms away in the east wing, Mrs. Shang was also there. How could she sleep?

Now, the Xie residence felt like a den of danger. She had no need to pretend anymore—there was only one word: hide.

So, this morning, as soon as Xie Hengzhi left, she immediately had someone inform Mrs. Shang that she had an early engagement with the Crown Princess and couldn’t delay it.

Although this action might raise more suspicions from Mrs. Shang, Yiling couldn’t worry about that anymore.

Using the excuse of the Crown Princess’s summons, Mrs. Shang couldn’t possibly drag her back.

Besides, Yiling explained that she looked so haggard because she had had a disagreement with Xie Hengzhi and fabricated a harmless reason. Shen Shufang understood and even expressed that she would let him “cool off,” so she stayed for dinner.

Coincidentally, the Crown Prince was busy and hadn’t returned yet, leaving the two of them with free space.

Music and plays were arranged, and she even had her homemade green plum wine warmed up.

So Yiling stayed at Shen Shufang’s place for the entire day.

But in the end, the Crown Prince’s residence wasn’t a place she could stay overnight. As night fell, she had to take her leave.

The capital in early spring was the most comfortable time of the year.

Riding in a steady carriage, Yiling opened the window, letting the cool night breeze blow in.

The streets were now empty, and the guards holding lanterns rode ahead, illuminating the road.

Perhaps it was the courage brought on by the wine or the calm day she spent in the Crown Prince’s residence, but Yiling, like the morning before, couldn’t help but feel a sense of luck.

She had survived so many dangers before.

This time, it should go as she hoped, and she would get through it safely.

When the carriage stopped outside the Xie residence and she saw that everything seemed normal, her sense of luck only grew stronger.

“Where is mother?”

As soon as she stepped into the Xie residence, she immediately asked the maid, Mama Cao, who had come to greet her.

“Madam was tired from the journey and rested in the morning. After lunch, she spent time talking with the old madam and then went boating on the lake. She has already retired for the night.”

Mama Cao answered.

“Thank you for your hard work, mother,” Yiling said. “I didn’t get to accompany her today. She didn’t say anything, did she?”

Mama Cao clenched her hands and replied stiffly, “She said you were summoned by the Crown Princess, so naturally, she couldn’t stop you from going.”

Yiling nodded and didn’t ask further.

When she entered Linfeng Yuan, she saw that the lights were still on in the east wing, but everything was calm. She finally let out a breath.

However…

When she looked toward the bedroom, which also had its lights on, Yiling hesitated for a moment and asked, “Did the master ask about me today?”

“Yes.”

Mama Cao replied, “He heard you were meeting the Crown Princess and didn’t say anything.”

That’s good.

When they reached the bedroom door, Yiling took a deep breath and entered with her head lowered.

Xie Hengzhi should have just returned. He was sitting at the table eating.

As soon as Yiling entered, he asked, “You’re back?”

His voice was calm, and his tone was unremarkable.

Yiling nodded, pretending to be in a hurry to bathe.

But as she passed by him, he called her.

Turning around, she saw him point to a bowl of red date sweet soup on the table.

“Your mother said you like this, so she specially made a bowl for you to drink when you come back.”

Just a bowl of sweet soup.

Yiling sat down, took the spoon, and drank it bite by bite while keeping an eye on Xie Hengzhi out of the corner of her eye.

He seemed fine, eating slowly and enjoying his meal.

“Did you drink?”

He asked.

Yiling nodded but did not say much more.

“You two are quite leisurely.”

He murmured as he put down his chopsticks.

Just then, Dao Yu walked in, smoothly picking up the mouthwash tea and handing it to Xie Hengzhi.

“My Lord.”

She glanced toward the outside.

Xie Hengzhi nodded, signaling that he understood. After rinsing his mouth, he stood up to leave.

“Are you going out?”

Yiling immediately asked.

“I’m just going to the study to discuss something.”

Xie Hengzhi replied, “You’ve had some wine; rest early. You don’t have to wait for me.”

“Hmm…”

Yiling heard his tone so ordinary, so she lowered her head and continued drinking the sweet soup, saying nothing more.

After hearing Xie Hengzhi leave the room, she let out a long sigh.

It seemed like it was going to rain tonight, with the night wind bringing a slight chill.

As soon as the door behind him closed, Xie Hengzhi’s face darkened, no longer the calm demeanor he had shown in front of Yiling.

Li Chun was eager to report, but Xie Hengzhi raised his hand to stop him.

Once in the study, Xie Hengzhi lifted his robe and sat behind the desk, staring at the lamp on the desk, his brows and eyes half-hidden in the candlelight.

After sitting silently for a long while, he finally spoke.

“Speak.”

“I’ve been to the Yifu.”

The task was simple, and Li Chun’s reply was brief and to the point. “Doctor Meng indeed stayed at the Yifu for seven years, and the only one who called her ‘Yun Niang’ was that…”

Having drunk wine and not having slept well for several days, Yiling was extremely tired.

But at this moment, as she stared at the top of the bed’s canopy, an uneasy feeling crept into her heart.

There was no movement from Mrs. Shang in the East Chamber, and it seemed like Xie Hengzhi had no abnormalities either.

The room still had the light on, and the bedding covering her was soft and warm.

But the excessive stillness made Yiling feel like it was a sign of an approaching storm.

She tossed and turned for a long time, growing sleepier yet more awake in her mind.

Suddenly, the wind and rain began outside, accompanied by the sound of footsteps.

As though the ominous omen had come true, Yiling hurriedly sat up, lifted the curtain, and looked outside.

At that exact moment, Xie Hengzhi pushed the door open and walked in.

She couldn’t tell whether it was her own guilty conscience, but despite Xie Hengzhi seeming perfectly normal, Yiling felt that his footsteps were particularly heavy.

She was anxious but didn’t dare to speak, only watching as Xie Hengzhi approached her.

As he got closer, she could clearly see his expression.

“Why aren’t you asleep yet?”

Xie Hengzhi raised an eyebrow.

She stared at him for a long while, confirming that there was nothing strange about him, before she spoke, “…I’m going to sleep now.”

Seeing that he didn’t seem to be planning to sleep either, she asked, “What about you?”

“The case in Songyuan County is far-reaching; I still have things to handle.”

He spoke while loosening the leather belt around his waist. “After I bathe, I’ll go to the study.”

He turned and took a few steps, suddenly turning back, saying, “By the way, I plan to have your mother return to Jiangzhou tomorrow.”

Huh?

The suddenness of it caught Yiling off guard. She stared at him for a long time, unsure of his intent, before asking, “Why?”

“When I heard you calling out for your mother in your dream in Songyuan County, I thought you were missing her.”

“……”

So, he had secretly invited Mrs. Shang over, and it was just to give her a surprise!

He glanced at her before continuing, “But it seems you don’t like her much. You didn’t even want to accompany her when you went to see the Crown Princess.”

Yiling had been in a daze, and upon hearing him, she couldn’t deny it, so she just stayed silent.

Luckily, Xie Hengzhi didn’t press further. He just furrowed his brows, showing some impatience toward Mrs. Shang, even his words becoming unkind.

“Besides, your mother only just arrived yesterday, and she’s already asking about everything. 

She’s not a person who knows how to be settled.”

Hearing that Mrs. Shang was asking around, Yiling’s heart involuntarily skipped a beat.

Fortunately, it seemed that Xie Hengzhi didn’t know exactly what Mrs. Shang was inquiring about. He simply thought she was restless and didn’t want to stay in the house.

This was probably the real reason why he wanted to send Mrs. Shang away.

Yiling couldn’t help but let out a sigh of relief and murmured, “Mother… perhaps she’s just curious.”

“Is this a place where she should be curious?”

Xie Hengzhi left that comment and turned to the bath.

Not long after, the sound of water from the bath could be heard.

Accompanied by the sound of rain outside, Yiling’s brow finally relaxed.

When Xie Hengzhi came out of the bath, the rain had intensified.

The light in the room was still on, but the person in the bed was breathing steadily and deeply.

Xie Hengzhi knew that she hadn’t had a good night’s sleep for several days.

At this moment, it should be her most peaceful time.

He quietly sat by the bed, staring at her sleeping face for a long time.

Until the rain outside gradually slowed, he extended his hand.

When his fingertips touched her nightgown, Xie Hengzhi found that his hand was actually trembling slightly.

He gently lifted the collar, his gaze fixed on her pure and flawless chest, without a single scar, his breath uneven. The words that Li Chun had said earlier echoed in his ears.

“Only that… the Yi family young lady who was shot and killed by you with an arrow in Qingyang.”