Chapter 73

A Late-Night Dispute

The room was pitch black, terrifyingly so. But at this moment, what frightened Nie Jinxuan even more was the questioning voice that suddenly came from within the room.

The voice was terrifyingly low, terrifyingly sinister, and also terrifyingly dangerous. As Nie Jinxuan had just walked into the room, she trembled violently, but she suppressed the tension in her heart and replied with pursed lips:

"Nowhere, just out for a walk."

As she spoke, Nie Jinxuan turned and walked toward the dressing table as if nothing were the matter, then fumbled to light the lamp on the table.

In an instant, the flickering candlelight dispelled the darkness, and it was only then that Nie Jinxuan suddenly discovered Yin Fengzhan sitting in the corner of the room.

He sat there quietly, but his intimidating and gloomy eyes were fixed tightly on Nie Jinxuan. Her heart trembled violently again, but she forced herself to remain calm and sat down with her back to Yin Fengzhan.

But no sooner had Nie Jinxuan sat down than she saw Yin Fengzhan raise his sword-like eyebrows.

"A walk? Where did you go for a walk?"

"It was dark, I forgot!"

"Since you forgot, how do you remember to come back?"

"I came back anyway!"

As her nervous mood gradually calmed, Nie Jinxuan reached out to the bronze mirror to take off her hairpins and ornaments and put them away.

"So, I am going to rest now. If you want to question me, please leave."

While tidying her long, flowing hair, Nie Jinxuan spoke nonchalantly. After she finished speaking, she stood up and walked toward the bed behind the screen...

Having been busy all night and staying up late at the Ministry of Punishments to perform autopsies, Nie Jinxuan was truly tired. But after she had only taken two steps, she saw Yin Fengzhan, who had been sitting in the chair, stand up abruptly and reach out to grab her wrist.

"Nie Jinxuan, I will ask you one more time: where exactly did you go!"

Yin Fengzhan spoke in a low voice, his cold tone filled with obvious anger. His deep eyes were fixed on Nie Jinxuan, not blinking for a second.

Being grabbed by Yin Fengzhan, Nie Jinxuan felt as if her wrist were about to be crushed by the man before her. She began to struggle.

"Yin Fengzhan, what are you doing? You, let me go! Let go!"

"Let go? Let go so you can go out for another walk?! Come to think of it, the Princess Consort's walk was truly long—it took four hours..."

It would have been better if Nie Jinxuan hadn't struggled; her struggling only provoked Yin Fengzhan's anger further. After a sarcastic remark, Yin Fengzhan pulled her hard, pushed her against the screen behind her, and leaned in over her.

"Nie Jinxuan, what I hate most is lying!"

Leaning down close to Nie Jinxuan's ear, Yin Fengzhan spoke word by word. His hot breath tickled Nie Jinxuan's sensitive ear, but the words he spoke made her heart turn cold in an instant.

Nie Jinxuan was startled again, but she still forced herself to look up and meet the man's eyes.

"I, I don't know what you are talking about!"

"Heh... you don't know? Then tell me, who is that man?! Who is the man who brought you back?"

……

In truth, Yin Fengzhan had been very angry earlier that evening at Shuyu Xuan because of the serving of the dishes. But after returning to Wangyue Ju, he suddenly sensed that something was amiss.

After all, Nie Jinxuan was definitely not a woman who would deliberately do things to please him. Even if it were to put on a show in front of Han Luoxue and the others, she would not choose such a method. Therefore, after noticing this, Yin Fengzhan felt more and more that Nie Jinxuan's behavior tonight was very strange.

So, after thinking through everything that happened at Shuyu Xuan in his mind, Yin Fengzhan finally discovered the most likely issue. Gu Zongguan's words later confirmed his suspicions: tonight at Shuyu Xuan, Nie Jinxuan was just trying to find an opportunity to warn him that some things could not be eaten!

For example—the pickled cabbage fish.

After figuring this out, Yin Fengzhan could not help but feel a bit strange. After reading for a while in his room, he came directly to find Nie Jinxuan. When he left Wangyue Ju, he even specifically brought Gold Sore Medicine.

But what Yin Fengzhan did not expect was that when he arrived at Nie Jinxuan's room in Ningxiang Yuan, he found she was not there! So, he sat down and waited out of curiosity, but this wait lasted for a full four hours! Furthermore, what surprised Yin Fengzhan even more was that when Nie Jinxuan returned, he discovered she had not returned alone. She had been brought back by a man with extraordinary martial arts!

Sitting in the room, he could even faintly hear their voices and the man's occasional light laughter. What made it even harder for Yin Fengzhan to accept was that when he questioned her, she actually lied!

So, Yin Fengzhan was furious! An inexplicable anger burned away his reason, which he had always been proud of. At this moment, hearing Yin Fengzhan say this, Nie Jinxuan was startled and pursed her lips slightly.

"Yin Fengzhan, do you want to hear the truth?"

Since she had been discovered, Nie Jinxuan had nothing to hide! After all, she hadn't done this for herself! But upon hearing this, Yin Fengzhan gave a cold laugh.

"Fine, but you had better be truthful! Otherwise, I won't be so easily dismissed!"

"You..."

Yin Fengzhan's words were filled with mockery. Hearing this, Nie Jinxuan was so angry that her eyes widened. But she calmed her mood slightly, raised her eyes, and looked straight into the man's deep eyes, which were still filled with anger.

"I went to the Ministry of Punishments tonight. Someone asked me to come over to help—they said it was to help with an autopsy. That is why I just returned!"

In truth, Nie Jinxuan did not know where to begin regarding tonight's events. But before she could finish, Yin Fengzhan interrupted her.

"Going to the Ministry of Punishments to help with an autopsy? Do you think this is a good excuse?"

"It is not a good one. So if I were making up an excuse, I would find a better one!"

With an unmoved expression, she countered Yin Fengzhan's sarcasm, and then Nie Jinxuan continued to explain.

"I don't actually know the specific situation. In short, I heard that Mr. Meng has been unwell for the past two days and has been resting at home, but the Ministry of Punishments encountered a tricky case, so they asked me to go over and help. As for the man who came to find me, I don't even know his name..."

"So you just followed a man whose name you don't even know?"

Hearing that Nie Jinxuan had followed the man without even knowing his name, Yin Fengzhan became even more furious. But Yin Fengzhan had a temper, and Nie Jinxuan had one too. Furthermore, ever since she returned tonight, not a single word Yin Fengzhan had said was kind. So, as soon as Yin Fengzhan finished speaking, Nie Jinxuan could not help but shout:

"Yin Fengzhan, can you not be so sharp and mean? Who do you think I, Nie Jinxuan, am?! Let me tell you, even if I don't care about you, Yin Fengzhan, as a husband, I still know who I am! If it weren't for the fact that your night intrusion into the Imperial Palace was discovered by the other party and used to threaten me, do you think I would have gone with him?!"

……

Nie Jinxuan was so angry that her eyes turned red. Yin Fengzhan, who had also been looking grim, saw this and his eyes flashed; he grabbed Nie Jinxuan's wrist again.

"What did you say? He threatened you?"

"What else did you think?"

Seeing the shock on Yin Fengzhan's face, Nie Jinxuan's mood eased slightly, and she took the opportunity to push him away.

"That man said he saw you break into the Imperial Palace that night, but he didn't say anything else... so I had no choice but to go with him. If you still don't believe me, you can go to the Ministry of Punishments and ask Mo Yujue. Otherwise, if you cannot ask him directly, you can have Gu Zongguan secretly investigate at the Ministry of Punishments. Just a few days ago, three corpses were found on the outskirts of Yao Family Village, ten miles outside the capital. All three died of arsenic poisoning, and their faces were destroyed before they were dumped. The three were from wealthy backgrounds and were fond of gambling; the murderer is likely a friend of those three."

This time, Nie Jinxuan was detailed. But at this moment, Yin Fengzhan had no heart to think about how the three died; his attention was focused entirely on the man who said he saw him break into the inner palace.

"So, Mo Yujue knows that man?"

"Of course he knows him! Otherwise, since it was originally Mo Yujue's business, why would that man have stepped forward himself?! Moreover, from what I can see, the relationship between that man and Mo Yujue is extraordinary; they are by no means mere drinking buddies."

"Then how do you know him?"

"I wouldn't say I know him; I've only met him once before."

Since it had already come to this, Nie Jinxuan had no need to hide anything. She told the whole story of how she had been examining Wang Fu's corpse late at night when the young man suddenly appeared.

After explaining the sequence of events and some of the details, Nie Jinxuan let out a soft sigh.

"So, I feel that young man doesn't seem like a bad person. I was quite suspicious of his identity at first, but judging by his relationship with Mo Yujue, when he came to examine Wang Fu's corpse, he mainly wanted to figure out the cause of death. After all, Wang Fu's true identity was that of a Ministry of Punishments man, so his coming over was logical!"

"Moreover, the Ministry of Punishments was at a disadvantage in this matter; they sent an undercover agent privately without saying a word. Now that something has happened, the people from the Ministry of Punishments, or rather Mo Yujue, naturally cannot come to the door to ask directly."

Nie Jinxuan had found a good reason for the young man and Mo Yujue. But upon hearing Nie Jinxuan's words, Yin Fengzhan frowned.

Yin Fengzhan stopped talking, and the room became exceptionally quiet. Seeing this, Nie Jinxuan knew what he was thinking, so she said in a low voice:

"That man is only in his twenties, a little shorter than you, about this tall, looks quite good, and is always smiling... anyway, he is the exact opposite of you, quite likable!"

Nie Jinxuan was definitely telling the truth, but unfortunately, sometimes the truth does not sound so pleasant. As soon as Nie Jinxuan finished speaking, she saw Yin Fengzhan, who had been deep in thought with his eyes lowered, suddenly look up and glare at her.

Nie Jinxuan immediately fell silent. But seeing Yin Fengzhan lower his eyes and stop talking again, she could not be bothered to pay him any more attention and turned to leave... but before she could take a step, she caught a glimpse of something on the table nearby. She walked over to look and discovered it was a container of Gold Sore Medicine.

"Yin Fengzhan, you waited for me for four hours in the middle of the night just to have me help you change your dressing?"

Nie Jinxuan found it unbelievable. Hearing this, Yin Fengzhan, who had been thinking about things, was stunned. He followed Nie Jinxuan's gaze to the Gold Sore Medicine, pursed his lips, and turned to sit on the bench nearby.

"Change the dressing!"

Nie Jinxuan sometimes truly felt that Yin Fengzhan was an immature child. Although he had a mature and mesmerizing face, it could not change his childish mind! For example, his gloominess, irritability, and childishness... so, in the end, she summarized him with one word: moody!

Compared to the battle of wits and courage in the Imperial Palace the night before, which was exceptionally tense, tonight also made Nie Jinxuan feel what it meant to be exhausted.

Even so, although Nie Jinxuan could not help but grumble, she still helped Yin Fengzhan change the dressing on his leg. However, as soon as she finished, she collapsed onto the bench and fell asleep. She didn't even know when Yin Fengzhan left later. By the time Nie Jinxuan woke up again, it was already noon!

……

The weather today was still very good. Although Nie Jinxuan did not get up until noon, the sensible Xiao Xiu did not say or ask anything, quietly helping Nie Jinxuan wash and dress before setting out lunch.

However, just after Xiao Xiu had finished preparing lunch, an unexpected person walked in—it was Aunt Wu.

Seeing Aunt Wu arrive, Nie Jinxuan, who was sitting at the dining table, was stunned for a moment, but then asked with a slight smile:

"Aunt Wu, how do you have time to come here today? Is there something the matter?"

Nie Jinxuan asked straightforwardly. Hearing this, Aunt Wu, who had already walked through the door, paused and walked a few steps toward Nie Jinxuan.

"Princess Consort, I have come today to apologize to you!"

"Oh? To apologize?"

Aunt Wu's answer was very direct. But hearing that it was an apology, Nie Jinxuan raised her eyebrows in surprise.

"I wonder what fault Aunt Wu has?"

"Uh... I have come to apologize to you, Princess Consort, for my previous offense against you!"

As she spoke, Aunt Wu took a step forward and knelt before Nie Jinxuan with a 'thump'.

"Princess Consort, I was muddled at the time and forgot my place, which is why I offended you and committed a great wrong. After reflecting on my actions these past few days, I have realized my mistake... Therefore, perhaps you still hold a grudge against me, but I still had to come and apologize to you."

Aunt Wu spoke very sincerely. Hearing this, Nie Jinxuan smiled gently.

"Aunt Wu, what are you saying? Aunt Wu took care of the Prince in the palace years ago, and now in this Wangfu, the person who can be considered close to the Prince and trusted by him is surely you, Aunt Wu, besides Gu Zongguan. Sometimes, even I cannot compare to the status you hold in the Prince's heart~!"

"As for the previous matter, I was also angry at the time. After all, a murder case had occurred in the Wangfu, and I had just cleared my name when this happened, so the punishment for you, Aunt Wu, was perhaps a bit too heavy... Sigh, but now that the matter has passed, the Prince has complained to me privately more than once about this, so I am the one who should be apologizing~!"

When it came to speaking nicely, Nie Jinxuan naturally would not fall behind. Hearing Nie Jinxuan being so kind, Aunt Wu was naturally very happy. However, Aunt Wu was also observant; seeing that the meal was prepared, she naturally understood what was going on. After exchanging a few more simple words with Nie Jinxuan, she left.

After Aunt Wu left, Xiao Xiu ordered the servants to reheat the food and whispered to Nie Jinxuan:

"Princess Consort, why do you think Aunt Wu came today? Why does it seem so strange to me?"

"What could she be doing? Didn't you see it all?"

"Is she trying to curry favor with you, Princess Consort? But Aunt Wu didn't even mention asking you to help her get out of Shuyu Xuan and become the manager of the back courtyard again. If not that, what else would she be trying to curry favor for?"

Although Xiao Xiu was timid, her mind was sometimes very sharp. The last thing she said hit the nail on the head, and even Nie Jinxuan was amused by her. But then, Nie Jinxuan's smile faded; she looked out the window and said faintly:

"Because Aunt Wu knows what it means to 'take the long view'~!"

As she spoke, Nie Jinxuan looked at Xiao Xiu and then cast her gaze back outside the window. Upon hearing this, Xiao Xiu blinked in confusion and went off to busy herself with chores... Thus, Xiao Xiu, who had already left, did not see that the moment she walked out of the room, a flash of contemplation crossed Nie Jinxuan's calm eyes...

……

After Aunt Wu left, Ningxiang Yuan became much quieter. After lunch, Nie Jinxuan had Xiao Xiu find her a book, and she curled up in her room to read.

Such days could be considered leisurely, allowing Nie Jinxuan, who had been tired for two days, a rare chance to rest well. As time passed bit by bit, in the blink of an eye, it was dusk.

Seeing Nie Jinxuan curled up in the room for the whole afternoon, Xiao Xiu could not help but advise:

"Princess Consort, you have been reading for the whole afternoon; you should rest for a while~!"

Xiao Xiu was worried, but Nie Jinxuan, who was immersed in her book, just waved her hand and looked up at Xiao Xiu with a slight smile. But just as Nie Jinxuan was about to say something, she heard a young maid's announcement from outside the room:

"Reporting to the Princess Consort, there is a young master outside the Wangfu who wishes to see you."

The young maid's voice was filled with childishness, but upon hearing this, Nie Jinxuan was stunned. Xiao Xiu hurried to ask:

"May I ask who it is?"

"This servant does not know; the young master only said his surname is Mo."