Chapter 28: Exposing the Truth

Chapter 28: The Truth Revealed

◎“That’s the matter!”◎

“Ah Ci, you jest,” Xie Zhenchuan said calmly. “I seek nothing. Besides, the Li family resides in Taiyuan, and the Xie family in Chenliu. Even if we were to journey home, we would only travel together as far as the Stone Gate Post Road before parting ways.”

Though Li Ci was unfamiliar with the route and disliked long journeys, she eagerly offered, “If Brother Xie Zheng is willing, I could accompany you to Chenliu first, and then return to Taiyuan. My carriage is well-cushioned, so it won’t be bumpy. Even moving an entire household would be no trouble.”

In the past, Xie Zhenchuan would have suspected her of feigning ignorance. But now, familiar with Li Ci’s sincere and straightforward nature, he could only refuse her directly: “I will not become a live-in son-in-law.”

Nan Xuan’s hand trembled, grateful he had already set down the water jug. Otherwise, he might have dropped it on his foot.

Having witnessed his master’s decisive and ruthless demeanor in the capital, he never imagined the young master would need to declare his unwillingness to be a live-in son-in-law to reject a woman’s affections.

As he marveled inwardly, he looked up to find Miss Li’s eyes welling with tears. His astonishment quickly turned into a sigh.

Alas, who was to blame for this misfortune?

Upon hearing Xie Zhenchuan’s refusal, the sparkle in Li Ci’s eyes instantly dimmed. She lowered her head, pressing her lips together, her disappointment palpable.

It wasn’t just disappointment—there was a hint of sadness, as if she had painstakingly awaited a batch of pastries from the oven, only for the baker to declare them ruined and unsellable.

With that thought, tears welled up in her eyes, grieving not only for the lost pastries but also for the many treats she had enjoyed at Brother Xie Zheng’s place.

The more she thought about it, the sadder she became. The corners of her eyes and the tip of her nose turned red, and glistening teardrops trembled on her long, thick eyelashes. With a gentle blink, they rolled down, leaving dark stains on her clothes.

Li Ci kept her eyes downcast, poking at the dark spots on her hem, and obediently accepted. “Oh… I see. Very well then.”

Even Nan Xuan, an outsider, couldn’t help but sigh at the scene. For some reason, he mustered the courage to bring a fresh bowl of water and the handkerchief Miss Li had used earlier, presenting them to the young master.

Well, considering the lychee she had given him earlier, Xie Zhenchuan surprisingly did not scold Nan Xuan for his presumption. He actually stood up and, obligingly, wrung out the handkerchief for Li Ci.

His fingers were clean and slender, with distinct knuckles and slight calluses. When dipped in water, they resembled glowing white jade.

Xie Zhenchuan rarely engaged in such trivial tasks. With a thin handkerchief, he casually dipped it in the water a few times, wrung it dry, and handed it to Li Ci as a gesture of comfort.

Li Ci took the handkerchief and roughly wiped her face.

Fortunately, it was made of sturdy, double-woven Lujin cotton fabric. Otherwise, given the force she used, her delicate cheeks would have been left with two more red marks.

After wiping her face, Li Ci felt a bit better. She cheered herself up inwardly: other families’ pastries were also good, and it didn’t necessarily have to be Brother Xie Zheng. The fortune-teller said her romantic fortune was rising, and she would soon have new pastries… no, a live-in son-in-law.

This was perhaps the advantage of having an easygoing nature. After comforting herself in this haphazard manner, Li Ci quickly bounced back.

“This matter truly cannot be forced,” she said magnanimously. “Since Brother Xie Zheng is busy these days, I won’t disturb you further.”

Xie Zhenchuan, fearing Li Ci would persist, had prepared additional words to console her and even considered asking the kitchen to prepare more pastries. To his surprise, she had already composed herself. Without even touching the plate of winter melon candy on the table, she prepared to make her exit.

He felt both amused and exasperated, replying, “Then take care on your way. I won’t see you out.”

-

As night fell, Bei Ming, dressed in dark clothes, arrived in a hurry. Before he could enter the study, he was pulled aside by Nan Xuan, who was sighing in the courtyard.

Rarely seeing Nan Xuan so despondent—after all, he had served the young master for so long that he almost knew him inside out—Bei Ming couldn’t help but ask curiously, “What’s going on today?”

Nan Xuan dragged him to a secluded corner, first informing him of the young master’s order to investigate Zhang Kangju, then eagerly sharing the gossip. “While you were away today, Miss Li brought up that matter with the young master!”

Bei Ming rarely reacted so quickly. “It couldn’t be that matter, could it?”

“That’s the matter!”

“Ah, what did the young master say?”

“What could the young master say? Of course, he refused.”

“And then?”

“Then Miss Li left.”

Bei Ming found it strange—this didn’t seem like Miss Li’s style. “She just left like that?”

Nan Xuan nodded, then said with certainty, “I suspect Miss Li is playing hard to get. Just wait and see—she’ll probably come again—”

Before he could finish the word “knock,” the study door creaked open on its own.

At that moment, everything fell silent, even the chirping of insects in the courtyard pausing for a beat.

Nan Xuan immediately shut his mouth, nudging Bei Ming to indicate that the young master was summoning him and he should hurry inside.

Bei Ming quickly wiped the shock off his face, straightened his dark attire, and scurried in.

Inside the study, a single lamp burned dimly. Xie Zhenchuan leaned back in an armchair, a plate of pastries before him. His profile was illuminated by the light, his expression calm.

Bei Ming straightened up and reported, “Sir, I’ve had the Jixian Bookstore watched for several days and verified the number of visitors and the accounts. So far, we’ve only found the surface accounts recorded by Xu Yuxuan. Since the bookstore sells paintings under pseudonyms, and Xu Yuxuan deliberately mixed the income and expenses of various names, it’s impossible to trace the details. Moreover, during my surveillance of Xu Yuxuan these past few days, I noticed something unusual about him.”

Xie Zhenchuan raised his eyes slightly, not particularly surprised. “What is it?”

“Based on my observations and inquiries with the bookstore’s neighbors, Xu Yuxuan usually stays in the shop to mind the business and his children, occasionally visiting some clients—likely wealthy merchants seeking to buy tribute quotas. However, after meeting with a salt merchant from Huai’an Prefecture the day before yesterday, he stopped going out. The bookstore was closed today, and according to the neighbors, he seems to be preparing to take his wife and daughter on a long trip.”

“He’s moving quicker than I expected,” Xie Zhenchuan leaned back further, the candlelight flickering and casting shadows on his face. “While surveilling Xu Yuxuan, did you notice anyone else?”

Bei Ming nodded. “There wasn’t anyone initially, but these past two days, someone else has also been secretly watching Xu Yuxuan.”

“No more waiting,” Xie Zhenchuan decided decisively. “Arrest Xu Yuxuan tonight.”

“Should we act under the name of the Zhuoying Department?”

“No need. Arrest him first.”

Bei Ming asked further, “Should we bring his wife and daughter back as well?”

“Keep them at the bookstore for now. Post guards to watch them closely these next few days. Sooner or later, someone will make a move,” Xie Zhenchuan said unhurriedly. “If someone acts first, even if it means revealing the Zhuoying Department’s involvement, ensure their safety at all costs.”

Understanding the order, Bei Ming was about to take his leave when he noticed a dark shadow swiftly passing by outside the door.

No—the shadow had already boldly slipped inside.

Bei Ming focused his gaze and saw a small squirrel with a striped back and white belly.

Oh no. The master valued cleanliness above all—how could he tolerate such a wild creature running wild here?

Gritting his teeth, Bei Ming removed a hairpin, flicked it like a dart, and shot it straight at the squirrel—

The squirrel, oblivious to the danger, twitched its bushy tail and curiously looked around, as if trying to distinguish the differences between day and night in this place.

“Squeak!”

As the hairpin dart closed in, the squirrel finally sensed the unusual movement and let out an instinctive yet futile cry.

At the critical moment, a winter melon candy flew from Xie Zhenchuan’s hand, catching up to the hairpin dart and, with its soft form, knocking the wooden hairpin aside.

The hairpin clattered to the floor.

Only then did Bei Ming realize he had made a mistake, cold sweat nearly breaking out on his forehead. He instinctively glanced at his lord, but the man showed no reaction, as if he hadn’t just casually saved the little squirrel.

Not daring to act rashly again, he could only stand and watch.

Having narrowly escaped danger, the little squirrel remained oblivious to what had just happened, only aware that food had seemingly fallen from the sky.

It hopped over excitedly, using its short front paws to clutch the winter melon candy—almost as large as its own head—and began munching noisily.

The room was unusually quiet, filled only with the faint rustling of the squirrel eating.

Xie Zhenchuan chuckled softly, his voice deep and languid, low in the night. "Is it tasty?"

The brown markings near the squirrel’s ears twitched slightly, but it didn’t lift its head, wholly absorbed in nibbling at the candy.

Xie Zhenchuan strode over and crouched down with some effort, snatching the winter melon candy right from the squirrel’s mouth.

"Squeak, squeak, squeak!"

Deprived of its heaven-sent treat, the little squirrel protested loudly.

"If you don’t like it, no need to eat it," Xie Zhenchuan declared mercilessly as he stood up, casually tossing the remaining half of the candy into the waste receptacle.

Bei Ming remained silent. To him, the squirrel clearly enjoyed the candy, and he wasn’t sure whom those words were meant for.

Xie Zhenchuan brushed the sugar dust from his hands, frowned slightly, and instructed, "Keep this little beast in the side room. Fetch a bowl of fresh water and a dish of peanuts."

Sheepishly, Bei Ming picked up his hairpin and reached out to catch the squirrel. The little creature, now being chased, immediately began scampering wildly. Fortunately, his agility prevailed, and he managed to catch it without issue.

By now, the night had deepened. Nan Xuan was in the bedchamber preparing toiletries for his lord. Unsure whether his lord would attend the Literary Gathering the next day, he deliberated for a while before selecting an everyday snow-purple round-collared silk-blend robe and a formal jade-colored plain silk gown with auspicious cloud patterns for banquets.

Just as he finished hanging both outfits, he heard the sound of water from inside the room—his lord washing his hands. He quickly asked, "Which outfit will you wear tomorrow, my lord?"

After finishing washing his hands, Xie Zhenchuan entered and saw the two sets of clothing. He said curtly, "The right one."