Chapter 21 Stumbling Upon a Tryst

Chapter 21: Caught in the Act

Qin Jiao's expression changed, and he quickened his steps. He meant to hurry down the stairs and sprint back to the fitting room, but the more anxious he became, the more mistakes he made. In a moment of panic, he missed his step!

"Ah——"

Qin Jiao let out a low cry, but the pain he expected never came. Someone appeared from the side and reached out to catch the falling Qin Jiao.

Panicked, Qin Jiao crashed into his arms. Lifting his head while still catching his breath, he saw it was Xie Nai.

Before Qin Jiao could speak, Xie Nai pressed him firmly against his chest.

What are you doing!

Qin Jiao's heart raced. He tried to pull back, but Xie Nai's grip on his waist was so strong he couldn't break free.

"Young master?" The manager had already come looking for him with the young maid, and then in the next second, the manager quickly halted his steps!

"Oh dear, I didn't know the two distinguished guests were here... being intimate here. Sorry for disturbing you..." The manager looked embarrassed at having stumbled upon their intimate moment.

Amidst the flying colorful brocades, the aloof and stern young man held the slender and graceful young master in his arms. The exceptionally handsome young man now had cold brows and eyes filled with anger.

Qin Jiao, buried in Xie Nai's embrace, couldn't see anything around him, but not being discovered by the manager was already a great relief.

Xie Nai waited until Qin Jiao's breathing steadied in his arms before releasing him. "I only took my eyes off you for a moment, and you end up in such a mess." Xie Nai frowned at Qin Jiao's wet wrist.

"It's nothing, just accidentally spilled water. I'll change the medicine immediately." As Qin Jiao spoke, he gave the manager a meaningful look. The manager quickly presented the medicine and gauze.

"Luo Yue, come along."

"Yes." Luo Yue responded from not far away, then walked over to the manager's side, snatched the tray from his hands, and let out a loud "Hmph."

The manager trembled in fright. He dared not look at Xie Nai's expression, knowing well that Xie Nai probably wished he could skin him alive. He decided to beat a hasty retreat. "Young master, watch your step..." Turning around, the manager hurriedly led the young maid after Qin Jiao.

"Forgive us, master. Our hospitality was lacking this time. Please come this way and have a cup of tea to calm your anger..."

After the manager and the others left, Madam Xun Xi also descended gracefully from the fourth floor, followed by Yun Niang behind her.

Xie Nai's face remained cold, and he turned to leave directly. Xun Xi and Yun Niang quickly hurried to follow. Gazing at the aloof, unreachable man before her, Xun Xi subtly tightened her grip on the fan in her hand.

Back in the warm room, Luo Yue re-bandaged Qin Jiao's wound. Fortunately, Qin Jiao had been careful when he knocked over the orchids, so the wound on his wrist had not worsened.

Luo Yue was fully immersed in the role of a loyal guard "worrying about the young master." During Qin Jiao's fitting, he glared fiercely at the manager several times. When Qin Jiao came out after trying on the clothes, he saw the manager giving him pleading eyes.

Qin Jiao found it amusing inside, but on the surface he maintained a refined and gentle demeanor. "I'm done changing. Let's go." Since they had come under the pretense of buying clothes, they had to play the part through.

It was the time when sunlight spread like brocade over the city. The sparse winter clouds drifted in the distant sky like spring willow catkins. Amidst the swaying and graceful tree shadows, Qin Jiao, dressed in white, pushed open the door and entered.

With a clear spirit and an elegant bearing, his ethereal grace and jade-like complexion painted the portrait of a distinguished young master. When the young master lowered his head and smiled, not even the most beautiful spring flowers could compare to his charm.

Though a young master, he was even more beautiful than a woman. Truly... The manager sighed to himself and looked at Xie Nai with a smile: "Sir, how does the young master look in this outfit?"

Xie Nai was also watching Qin Jiao.

The young master was already graceful and handsome, a picture of youthful elegance. Now in white, he looked like frost—slender, pure, and noble.

Qin Jiao felt a little awkward under Xie Nai's stare. It's just an act—why look so seriously?

"I don't think it's that good. Let's skip it..."

"We'll take it."

Qin Jiao and Xie Nai's voices came one after the other. The manager was overjoyed, and Xun Xi and Yun Niang also smiled. Only Qin Jiao was stunned. Buy it? What for?

Qin Jiao turned his head in a daze to look at Xie Nai. Xie Nai didn't look at him, just lowered his head and sipped tea. Meanwhile, Luo Yue had already gone to settle the bill with the manager.

"Alright, let's buy it then."

Qin Jiao wailed inwardly with a mournful face: I'm okay with buying, as long as I'm not the one paying...

After buying the clothes, the group left the Embroidery Tower. Luo Yue's carved suitcase had been replaced by a bamboo-carved begonia clothing box. Qin Jiao made a point of keeping his distance from Luo Yue; after all, it was the shop's prize possession bought for a thousand taels of gold—if he bumped it and broke it, he couldn't afford to compensate.

Xun Xi, Yun Niang, and the manager saw Xie Nai and his group downstairs. When they reached the first floor, Qin Jiao spotted Xu Rujin and Aunt Wu not far away. They must have spotted them as well. Xu Rujin gave a slight bow to Qin Jiao and the others, and Qin Jiao nodded in return.

Xie Nai didn't let Xun Xi and the others see them off all the way; they stopped at the front hall of the first floor. Qin Jiao and Xie Nai walked side by side slowly toward the door. Maybe because they were far from the madam host, from the first-floor hall to the carriage outside, Qin Jiao and the others caught quite a bit of gossip from the maids and servants.

"Oh, Miss Rujin is really pitiful. She was supposed to marry the tanhua (third-place scholar) and become the wife of a juren (provincial graduate), but now she's being bullied so badly by Yun Niang..."

"That's right, but Yun Niang wasn't like this before. Did Miss Rujin offend her somehow?"

"Who knows? But come to think of it, Miss Rujin's voice has changed a lot—it's gotten much hoarser."

"They say her fiancé passed away, and she cried her voice hoarse. She even started wearing a veil because she didn't want to see strangers."

"Is that so? Or is it my imagination? And I think Miss Rujin seems to have grown taller..."

"Ah, everyone should mind their own business. The frost on others' roofs is none of our concern."

"Ah, true..."

Hearing all this gossip along the way and thinking about what Xu Rujin had just experienced, Qin Jiao felt deeply troubled. Heaven is so cruel—the gentleman fell into the river, gone without a trace; the lady still lives, her heart broken.

The bustling Embroidery Tower remained lively with people coming and going. Xun Xi stood on the fourth floor, watching Xie Nai's carriage wind through the crowd, pushing through the bustling market, and finally disappearing around a corner adorned with red plum blossoms.

Behind her, Yun Niang clutched the gold and complained quietly, "If you're buying clothes, just buy clothes. Daughter, why did you also give them a jade hairpin? That jade hairpin is also quite valuable."

Xun Xi turned to see Yun Niang trying to bite the gold. Seeing this, Xun Xi let out a cold laugh. "Do you know who came today?"

"Just a wealthy guest, isn't it?" After speaking, seeing Xun Xi's unusual expression, Yun Niang's heart jolted, and she felt something was wrong. "Is Governor Xiao sending someone to check on us?"

"It's the Prince of Lingnan."

Although Xun Xi had never met the Prince of Lingnan, she could easily guess who the visitor was.

That young gentleman possessed an extraordinary aura, with a faint aura of battle. It seemed that only the resplendent, carved, and jade-adorned Tianyuan Palace could produce such a noble, powerful, and high-ranking figure.

Yun Niang had just been dazzled by the gold, but now she was completely sober. Thinking of Master Wu's matter, she spoke hesitantly, "I saw that the Prince of Lingnan didn't mention anything about the murder case just now. Perhaps we've avoided his investigation?"

"Mother, you really are getting more muddled with age. Not mentioning it doesn't mean not investigating. Just now, if I hadn't stopped in time, Xu Rujin and her mother might have splattered blood on the fourth floor."

"How could that be? I know my limits." Yun Niang gave an awkward smile, her face showing a hint of embarrassment.

"Prepare yourself."

Holding a bright red hawthorn fruit in her hand and playing with it, Xun Xi said coldly.

"Prepare for what?"

"Xiao Nianzhang should be arriving soon." Xie Nai was only conducting a secret investigation; Xiao Nianzhang should be arriving shortly.

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