Chapter Thirty-Three: The Deal

Upon hearing Xue Qiu’s words, Xue Fanzhi apologized to Minglan, intending to return to her own quarters first.

The wall between the second and main branches of the family had been blocked off, so a proper visit required passing through the second gate. However, Xue Fanzhi, armed with memories from her previous life, knew there was a hidden passage through the garden behind her second great-uncle’s study that led back to the main house. This passage would later be sealed off after an incident involving the seventh young lady of the fourth branch, but for now, it remained open.

Leading Hongxiao, who had gone ahead to send word, along with two rough servant girls, Xue Fanzhi walked through the narrow corridor. Suddenly, one of the maids cried out in pain.

Turning back, Xue Fanzhi saw the maid crouched down, rubbing her knee.

“What happened to you?” Xue Fanzhi asked.

Hongxiao went to check. On the maid’s knee, there was a swollen, red spot about the size of a fingernail. It wasn’t too serious.

“What is it? Are you hurt?”

Sweat beaded on the maid’s forehead from the pain. Gritting her teeth, she replied, “It felt like a stone struck me out of nowhere, but when I turned to look, there was nothing!”

That was odd—there hadn’t been any sound. Xue Fanzhi glanced up and down the corridor, but saw no one.

“Could it have been an insect bite?” she suggested, but immediately thought herself foolish. The maid was wearing a skirt; what sort of insect could bite her knee?

Overwhelmed by the pain, the maid began to cry.

“Let’s find a doctor first and see what he says,” Xue Fanzhi said quickly.

She sent Hongxiao to fetch a physician, worried that anyone else might not be able to persuade one to come.

Hongxiao glanced at the two rough servant girls, looking uneasy. Other than Hongxiao and Honglian, all Xue Fanzhi’s original maidservants had remained behind in her family home—she had fled as a refugee, and was far from favored, unlike Xue Jiaoyue, who could bring anyone she wished. These rough servant girls were assigned by Xue Qiu; whether born in the household or newly purchased, she could not tell. Her second great-uncle was wealthy and generous to their branch, so he had seen to every detail.

Naturally, Xue Fanzhi trusted the people her second great-uncle gave her. She waved her hand, saying, “Go quickly! I’ll be fine here.”

Honglian agreed and set off at a run.

The maid with the inexplicably aching knee was named Yingying, and her companion was Xiaohua. Yingying still couldn’t move, and none of them were strong enough to carry her. Seeing Xue Fanzhi frown, Xiaohua, fearing she was keeping the young mistress waiting, said respectfully, “Miss, perhaps I should escort you back first. How could I let you wait for us? If the master found out, it would be a grave offense!”

In times like these, servants were little better than livestock. That the mistress would send for a doctor was already an act of great kindness; how could she keep the master waiting on their account?

Yet even as she said this, her gaze lingered on Yingying with palpable concern—a genuine emotion rarely seen in the palace, where even children as young as seven or eight could act convincingly. Xue Fanzhi was a little moved by this touch of sincerity and smiled, “It’s all right. We’ll wait together.”

She had barely spoken when a dark shadow darted across the wall as if in haste. Remembering that the sixth young lady of the fourth branch had met with misfortune in this very passage, Xue Fanzhi’s heart leapt. She called out, “Who’s there?!”

After her shout, all fell silent.

Yingying clung to Xiaohua, the two of them shrinking together in fear, their eyes filled with terror as they looked at her.

In a low voice, Xue Fanzhi said, “You two wait here. I’ll go see who it is.”

Xiaohua insisted on accompanying her, but Xue Fanzhi waved her off, “I’ll be fine!”

The sixth young lady’s accident had occurred in this passage, but that had been on their side of the main house. And this was the Xue family’s own residence—if she couldn’t even walk unafraid here, would she cower her whole life?

She gestured silently for the two maids to stay put, then crept quietly toward the second branch.

At the end of the passage, she saw a tall, elegant figure standing with his back to her, hands clasped behind him. His bearing was aloof and striking, his hair bound with a jade hairpin, his robe a pale moon-white, and a sword at his waist—the attire of a noble young lord. Who else could it be but Xiao Yi?

Xue Fanzhi was speechless.

“Ninth Prince, it was you just now, wasn’t it?” she asked.

Xiao Yi turned with a blink of wide eyes. “Xue Eight, what a coincidence! What brings you here?”

Xue Fanzhi was silent.

He had clearly been waiting for her, and had even injured her maid.

Recalling Xiao Yi’s previous claims of boredom, she asked with a hint of grievance, “Your Highness, you swore you bore me no ill will—have you forgotten? Why would you injure my maid?”

What Xiao Yi liked least about Xue Fanzhi was her dogged pursuit of the truth. Yet what he liked most was her childlike innocence, always needing to ask for clarity, never hiding her feelings.

He took two steps closer. “The Xue family head is injured, and I hear you’re now forbidden to leave your quarters. Why should that be? Haven’t you considered finding a way to escape his control?”

In a few days, not only the Qin family would arrive in Jiankang; the Sun family of Jiangdong would come as well. Though not as prestigious as the Wang and Xie clans, the Sun family was still highly influential among the nobility. One branch’s daughter-in-law was the old madam’s own niece, and since they hadn’t yet found a residence, they would be staying at the Xue household for some time.

Xue Yang was eager to curry favor with Sun Yunqi, the vice chancellor from the Sun family. In her past life, he had lavished attention on the Sun clan; even crippled, he would have dragged himself to entertain them. With all those guests, he would be too preoccupied to keep her under strict watch.

Though this was her line of thinking, Xue Fanzhi was still intrigued by Xiao Yi’s question. “Does Your Highness have a plan?”

Xiao Yi arched a brow, looking at her with a proud gaze. “It’s nothing at all.”

Xue Fanzhi fell silent, not wanting to ask what he wanted in return—it was obvious. Once again, Xiao Yi wanted to help her, presumably for her beauty, but she would never marry him in this life.

Yet Xiao Yi said, “If you side with me, and find a way to win your second great-uncle’s support for my cause, I’ll help you.”

Xue Fanzhi looked up suddenly. So it wasn’t her he wanted—it was her second great-uncle?

Had all his help, from the very beginning, been for her second great-uncle’s sake? Even in her previous life?

In her past life, Xiao Yi became emperor not only by luck, but also through his own machinations. Yet her second great-uncle hadn’t helped him much. In fact, because Xiao Yi married her, the emperor had grown suspicious and stripped her great-uncle of his military command. Only years later, when war broke out, did Emperor Hongde restore his authority—but by then, the emperor was dying and Xiao Yi was already the crown prince in all but name.

But Xiao Yi could not have known her second great-uncle would prove of little use.

Xue Fanzhi’s face darkened. So from the start, it had all been calculation.

Then, suddenly, she understood. Calculation was good—there was no need for feelings, only mutual benefit.

“How would you help me?” she asked.

Xiao Yi watched his wife’s face shift from grave to composed, her emotions written plainly. He knew she had misunderstood.

He had no way to explain, nor could he—not yet.

Instead, he smiled. “Come with me, and I promise that even if the Xue family head dies of illness, no one will dare force you to tend the sickbed.”

Xue Fanzhi replied earnestly, “If the family head really dies, I’d have to tend to him anyway, or else be branded unfilial!”

One must keep up appearances—she would not give others cause for gossip.

Xiao Yi was speechless.

He had half a mind to pat her on the head. “You really are something!”

Seeing the exasperated, amused look on his face, Xue Fanzhi laughed as well. As long as she could still laugh, life could not be all that bad.