Chapter 18 Secret Cried even louder.

Chapter 18: The Secret / Crying Even Louder.

Describing Xie Chi's scent as "fragrant" wasn't entirely accurate. It was more of a sensation—the clean, fresh feeling after a bath, mingled with his body heat, surrounding Zhong Yao. With every breath, she was filled with this scent, making her head spin and her breath catch.

Zhong Yao thought it smelled wonderful. She always thought she smelled nice after a bath too, so she just called it all "fragrance."

But Xie Chi clearly disliked this description.

Seeing Xie Chi's increasingly stormy expression, it finally dawned on Zhong Yao that her choice of words was inappropriate.

"I'm not teasing you!" Zhong Yao hurriedly explained. "I'm complimenting you. You're so clean, Heir Xie. A very hygienic man."

This statement successfully poured oil on the fire.

Xie Chi had never been treated with such liberties before.

If it were anyone else, he wouldn't have let it go easily. But this girl before him was different.

Arguing with her would make him seem foolish.

But not arguing meant this pent-up anger was hard to vent.

If he could return to that perilous situation in the cave that day, Xie Chi would never again raise his knife toward those two vicious dogs, nor toward that bandit. He would put down the knife, hold Zhong Yao back firmly, and never give her any chance to shield him from harm.

Xie Chi stared at Zhong Yao with a heavy gaze for a long while. Ultimately, his conscience outweighed the fury in his chest.

He lowered his eyes and issued a cold warning: "Don't let there be a second time."

The timid girl before him nodded hurriedly, appearing thoroughly chastened.

Xie Chi released her. Catching sight of Xue Fang nearby, sniffing surreptitiously in his direction, his face darkened. "Get out!"

Xue Fang didn't dare provoke him at this moment. His eyes darted around a few times before he regretfully scurried out.

Zhong Yao also wanted to scurry out, but she still had matters to confirm with Xie Chi.

She took a deep breath. In the exhale, she could still faintly detect Xie Chi's scent, but it wasn't as overwhelming now. Her mind gradually cleared, and the heat in her face subsided a little.

Zhong Yao glanced at Xie Chi. He had returned to the table and was drinking cold tea. She knew why he was angry but couldn't quite understand.

Wasn't praising his cleanliness a good thing?

Moreover, every summer, many laborers at the docks worked shirtless. She'd never seen them afraid of being looked at.

Perhaps Xie Chi was different from others.

He was shy, so he feared being seen by others.

Zhong Yao's thoughts wandered for a while. Thinking Xie Chi must have calmed down, she cautiously moved to his side and gently tugged at his sleeve.

The sleeve had barely moved when Xie Chi forcefully pulled it back.

Zhong Yao let out a soft laugh, coaxing in a gentle voice, "Don't be angry. I won't tell anyone."

Xie Chi ignored her.

Zhong Yao observed his expression, thought for a moment, cleared her throat, and put on an air of magnanimity. "It's okay to be mad. The one who got the short end of the stick has a right to be."

If her previous clarification was unintentional, this statement was a blatant provocation.

Xie Chi gave a cold laugh. "Are you in a good mood now?"

Zhong Yao was, a little.

She had just suffered a loss at the hands of the Dowager Lady Xie, and now she had gotten even with Xie Chi. She felt balanced again.

And upon careful thought, she had rushed over in a panic to protect Xie Chi's virtue, only to end up stumbling right beside the bathtub and seeing him completely exposed... It was somewhat amusing.

She couldn't say that, though.

Blushing, Zhong Yao said, "Yes, I'm happy thinking about how you got my letter a few days ago and immediately sent people to secretly protect my father."

Xie Chi hadn't replied to her letter at all. She mentioned it on purpose, hoping Xie Chi would give her a definite confirmation.

"I did send people to follow him," Xie Chi granted her wish.

Zhong Yao's eyes instantly sparkled. She looked at Xie Chi eagerly and quickly assured him, "Heir Xie, you're so good. Please rest assured, my family is different from Lord Lian's household..."

She emphasized that her family had never done anything bad.

After listening to her, Xie Chi asked, "Is there anything else?"

Zhong Yao's eyes curved into crescents. "There's a little more, but they're all trivial matters. No need for you to worry; I can handle them myself."

For instance, Xue Fang being disobedient, the Dowager Lady Xie bullying her... If she really complained about these two in front of Xie Chi, who knew who would end up being disliked?

"Heir Xie, you rest well. I'll go back to the front to find Second Miss Chen now..."

"Wait."

Xie Chi stopped Zhong Yao.

He summoned a guard, gave a few instructions, then looked back at Zhong Yao. "Haven't you always wanted to know why I forbade you from telling your parents about the matter?"

Zhong Yao did want to know, but since Xie Chi hadn't explained before, his sudden kindness now made her a bit suspicious.

She cautiously said, "I don't want to know that much anymore."

Xie Chi ignored her and said, "Because once a secret is known by a third person, it is no longer a secret."

If Zhong Yao's parents knew, they would tell her two elder brothers. Who could guarantee her brothers wouldn't tell their friends or the girls they fancied?

Who could guarantee that those who knew about his relationship with Zhong Yao wouldn't try to use this debt of gratitude for other purposes?

"Since over forty years ago, when the late Emperor intended to discipline the descendants of the founding meritorious officials, my household began to lie low. To this day, although I have re-entered the court, I do not wish to be entangled in troublesome matters. Do you understand?"

Zhong Yao understood, accepted, and even empathized, but she still didn't grasp why Xie Chi suddenly brought this up now.

Seeing her confused expression, Xie Chi's lips curved slightly upward. "Do you know why His Majesty suddenly began to favor me?"

This was the first time Zhong Yao had seen Xie Chi smile.

When he smiled, all his sharp edges melted away. He appeared gentle and refined, his brows and eyes seemingly holding the shimmering, rippling water of spring, so handsome it was hard to look away.

No wonder everyone called him a refined gentleman. So this was how he looked when he pretended to be one.

While Zhong Yao was still dazed, Xie Chi continued, "This goes back to four years ago when His Majesty personally led a military campaign."

"Personally led a campaign?"

Zhong Yao remembered this matter very clearly. When the emperor took personal command of the campaign, there could be no slip-ups with provisions, weapons, or anything else. Her father had to work tirelessly day and night for months because of it.

Zhong Yao also knew the campaign was against the northern barbarians. That region was mostly grassland, and when winter came and food ran short, they would raid border towns.

That winter, they came as usual to plunder, killing hundreds of civilians and garrison soldiers outside the pass. This enraged the emperor, who decided to personally teach those barbarians a lesson.

The court dispatched thirty thousand troops—more than enough to subdue a small nomadic tribe.

No one doubted the outcome of that battle, and indeed, it turned out just as the court officials and commoners had expected. The emperor led his troops to capture the enemy’s chieftain and general alive. On the day of their triumphant return, the people of the capital lined the streets, cheering.

For half a year, you could hear people praising the emperor almost everywhere.

They said he was peerlessly brave, bold in strategy, and prescient, that he had played the enemy like a fiddle…

“His Majesty has read many military texts and is a natural at deploying troops and formations, full of ambition and confidence. But he was so intoxicated by the prestige of leading the expedition himself that he forgot there is a term called…” Xie Chi’s voice grew slower and slower, until he was practically drawing out the words one by one, “…armchair strategist.”

Zhong Yao: “…”

Suddenly realizing something, she panicked and covered her ears, shouting, “I won’t listen! I don’t want to know!”

Xie Chi grabbed her wrists and pulled them away, smiling as he looked at her. “In the first battle, His Majesty led nine thousand troops, while the enemy had only two thousand. Guess what the outcome was?”

Zhong Yao didn’t want to guess!

With her hands restrained and unable to cover her ears, she could only look at Xie Chi with tearful eyes, pleading for him to stop.

Xie Chi was quite satisfied with her expression but remained unmoved. “He fell into a trap. The main force was lured away by the enemy, leaving only five hundred men guarding him. He was surrounded by enemy troops and was scared to tears…”

As he spoke, Xie Chi’s hands tightened around Zhong Yao’s wrists. He leaned close to her ear, his voice carrying a hint of laughter as he said slowly, “…just like you are now… so pitiful.”

Zhong Yao burst into loud sobs—even the rich fragrance that enveloped her ears and neck, making her feel weak all over, couldn’t stop her sorrow.

The emperor not only lacked military prowess but was nearly captured. So, although that personal expedition ended in a glorious victory, it wasn’t as the rumors claimed—that the emperor was toying with the enemy. Instead, it was Xie Chi who had salvaged his dignity.

No wonder Xie Chi was restored to favor.

No wonder the emperor trusted Xie Chi so completely.

Such a huge secret, not a single whisper had leaked out, and now she knew it.

“You must keep this secret well,” Xie Chi said with utmost seriousness. “I’ve only told you about this. If word ever gets out…”

If word ever gets out, the emperor might not dare to touch Xie Chi, but he certainly wouldn’t show Zhong Yao any mercy.

Xie Chi was in a better mood now. He released Zhong Yao’s wrists, bent down, and gently brushed away the tears beneath her eyes, comforting her softly, “Don’t be afraid, it’s alright. Your family already has so many capital offenses—what’s one more?”

“…”

Zhong Yao cried even louder.