WNST - 107

These days, Nan Yi was in the most despondent state.

She had fallen into an endless wait. The Bingzhu Division had told her to stay silent, and there was still no news from Xie Que Shan.

She kept thinking of the last thing he said to her.

Xie Que Shan had said, “I’ll come back when it gets dark.”

At the time, she had been in a daze, and his words had clearly slipped past her ears. But as time passed, his voice, tone, and that fleeting kiss grew clearer and clearer in her mind.

She had to force herself to remember, constantly trying to reconstruct that moment, to make sure it hadn’t been a dream. It was like holding a loach in her hand, and if she wasn’t careful, it would slip away, leaving her with an empty hand, as if it had never existed.

The screen in his room, painted over, had been discarded as broken garbage. She had stood in the corridor, watching the servants carry it away, unable to stop them. The secret between them, like the ink stains on the screen, was startling and unspeakable.

She truly felt like a forsaken woman in a secluded chamber—listless and idle.

A sudden message finally jolted her back to life.

The message was brief and blunt, without any finesse. She was out when a portly man bumped into her and quickly shoved a slip of paper into her hand before hurrying off.

The message read, “Wan Yan Pu Ruo has secretly gone to Jinling.”

Nan Yi didn’t know Wan Yan Pu Ruo, but since the Wan Yan family was a prominent one in Qi, she guessed that this person must be important. What puzzled her was... who was the messenger? Were they an enemy or an ally? And how did they know her?

Why was the message delivered so carelessly? The Bingzhu Division wasn’t known for such sloppiness.

But Nan Yi didn’t dare take it lightly. She subtly inquired from Madam Gan Tang and found out that Wan Yan Pu Ruo was actually the powerful Princess of Qi. If the message was true, it could mean something big was hidden here. She felt it necessary to inform Song Muchuan so that the Bingzhu Division could investigate its authenticity.

However, Song Muchuan was still closely watched by Wan Yan Jun, and she couldn’t find a suitable opportunity to contact him.

At the same time, a lingering suspicion began to gnaw at her—was Wan Yan Pu Ruo’s sudden appearance related to Xie Que Shan’s abrupt return to Great Qi?

A thunderous sound rang out, and the spring thunder rumbled. In the blink of an eye, torrential rain poured down, and the rain dripped from the eaves, forming lines that unrelentingly pounded the earth.

Nan Yi snapped out of her long reverie. Just as she was about to close the window, she suddenly heard faint rustling sounds outside, barely audible over the rain.

Someone was climbing the wall? It was after the first gong had sounded; why would anyone be near her courtyard at this time?

Nan Yi immediately grew cautious, slowly pulling out a dagger from her waist, inching her way to the door along the wall.

Sure enough, faint footsteps were approaching.

As soon as the door was pushed open, Nan Yi raised her dagger, only to hear a familiar voice.

“It’s me.”

But Nan Yi’s hand was already about to strike, and she narrowly turned her wrist. The blade skimmed the person’s cheek, leaving a not-so-shallow wound.

“Song, Mr. Song?” Nan Yi felt both guilty and surprised.

In the rain, climbing a wall—these actions didn’t seem to fit the image of the refined gentleman, Song Muchuan. Yet here he was, standing right under the eaves.

He was drenched from head to toe, with blood dripping down his face, but his eyes remained clear, like two smooth stones freshly pulled from the water.

“Sorry, I startled you,” Song Muchuan said apologetically.

“You should come inside,” Nan Yi hurriedly pulled Song Muchuan inside, carefully checking outside before closing the door.

The deafening sound of the rain was shut out, and the room seemed to become an isolated space, growing even more tranquil. This calmness carried a certain refreshing quality, not like incense, but more like freshly shaken sheets, mingled with a hint of soap and the woody scent of furniture...

He had barged into her private space, yet she welcomed him without hesitation, and this made him feel awkward, yet strangely at ease.

Today, he had finally found an opportunity to break free from Wan Yan Jun’s control and come to find Nan Yi.

He shouldn’t have done it, but he did.

That night at the ship’s office, he had realized that it was Nan Yi who had shot the arrow at Hu Sha from the roof. But how did Nan Yi know the news, and why was she there? Who had helped her clean up the aftermath?

None of this had been part of his calculations.

That night’s events had started with a great uproar but ended quietly, with a soldier stepping forward to take the blame, clearly a scapegoat. There were too many things he couldn’t figure out. He was also surprised to realize that, in places he couldn’t see, someone had quietly helped him along the way. Was it Nan Yi, who had always been with him? Or was it Xie Chao’en, who appeared indifferent but had secretly lent him a hand?

If it hadn’t been for the circumstances these past few days, he would have come to find Nan Yi long ago. But now that he was facing her, he found himself at a loss for words.

In her mind, everything was overwhelmed by the thought that every meeting in such turbulent times was precious.

Perhaps, without a sound, there would be no next time.

Seeing that Song Muchuan seemed to be zoning out, Nan Yi tugged at his sleeve: “Mr. Song, sit down, I’ll help you treat your wound.”

Song Muchuan obediently sat down, letting Nan Yi handle it. He calmed his thoughts before finally speaking.

“Nan Yi, do you know anything about the death of Husha that night?”

Nan Yi subconsciously avoided his gaze. She hadn’t figured out how to respond yet, and just focused on wiping the water and blood from his face.

Explaining this would involve Xie Que Shan’s position, but he had always been unwilling to reveal his identity to Song Muchuan. Without his permission, she couldn’t casually disclose his secrets.

Besides, Nan Yi could sense why—Song Muchuan appeared calm and composed, but he was someone easily swayed by emotions.

He was too righteous and soft-hearted, making him someone who could hardly lie. Others might be able to act, but for him, it was much harder.

He had carried such complicated feelings for Xie Que Shan for so many years. How could he overturn them in an instant? Who could bear the consequences at this juncture?

As Nan Yi’s thoughts drifted, her cool fingers occasionally brushed against Song Muchuan’s face, and the cold ointment on his wound sent a sharp pain straight to his heart. He tried his best to remain focused, but his thoughts were scattered, his heart racing, feeling lost in the myriad reflections that seemed to pull him into a void.

Suddenly, he snapped back to his senses, quickly standing up and stepping back.

He shouldn’t have come. It seemed like he had made a mistake. Even though no one would blame him, he felt contempt for himself, swayed by a momentary flutter of the heart.

“It’s just a minor injury on my face, nothing serious. I only came to check if the lady was well and ask about Husha. I’m truly sorry for disturbing you so late, I cannot stay long. I must leave now.”

Nan Yi was a little stunned. Why did he call her “lady” again? And so polite too? Sometimes, Mr. Song was unexpectedly formal, which made her helpless.

“Wait a moment!” Nan Yi quickly grabbed Song Muchuan, who was about to leave. “I need to tell you something important—do you know about Wanyan Puruo?”

Song Muchuan’s expression immediately grew serious. “How did you know about her?”

Seeing his reaction, Nan Yi realized Wanyan Puruo must indeed have arrived in Lidu.

“I received a message saying that Wanyan Puruo secretly went to Jinling.”

Song Muchuan stood there thinking for a long time. He wanted to ask how Nan Yi had received this information, but he didn’t ask. Over the past few days, he had already realized that Nan Yi wasn’t as simple as he had imagined—like a blank sheet of paper. She had concealed some things about Husha, but he didn’t intend to dig into it. He trusted her, knowing that even if she hid something, it was a form of protection and helplessness.

Moreover, the weight of this news was enough to change some passive situations.

“I understand. This news is very important. Thank you,” Song Muchuan said.

Nan Yi gritted her teeth, feeling a bit nervous as she asked, “Do you know Xie Que Shan has returned to Great Qi?”

“I’ve heard about it. It happened very suddenly,” Song Muchuan replied. This was also something that had been bothering him. When the Husha incident occurred, Xie Que Shan was recalled to Great Qi. He had also learned that Wanyan Puruo was heading to Lidu. Putting everything together, it seemed that Xie Que Shan’s situation was delicate.

But whether Xie Que Shan had merely lost trust or had his identity exposed, Song Muchuan dared not think about it.

He thought Nan Yi might know something, but she didn’t say a word.

“Do you think this might be some kind of conspiracy by the Qidi people?” Nan Yi cautiously asked.

Song Muchuan frowned in thought.

Nan Yi carefully suggested, “Could we send someone to follow him?”

It was half out of personal interest and half because something seemed off.

“I’ll send someone to investigate when I return. If there’s anything unusual, I’ll try to inform you,” Song Muchuan replied.

Nan Yi let out a sigh of relief. “Okay.”

“By the way,” Song Muchuan suddenly remembered something, “Zhang Yuehui’s Return Hall actually grew rapidly with Wanyan Puruo’s support. I heard he came to Wangxuewu to propose marriage to you... If you encounter him, be cautious.”

Song Muchuan opened the door and stepped back into the heavy rain.

The rain night concealed all traces of their secret meeting.

Jinling had not yet experienced the ravages of war. It had always been a prosperous land, rich in fish and rice, and the city exuded a peaceful atmosphere of song and dance.

Wanyan Puruo secretly headed south, traveling in the guise of an ordinary merchant. She spoke good Han Chinese and was well-versed in the customs of the Yuzhao dynasty. With a little effort in her appearance, she blended in seamlessly with ordinary Han women.

She thought she was hiding her identity well, but as soon as she entered the Jinling post station, there were decorations, drums, and gongs welcoming her, shouting greetings to the Great Qi envoy.

Not long ago, Song Muchuan had sent a confidential letter to the Minister of the Imperial Secretariat, Shen Zhizhong, informing him of Wanyan Puruo’s arrival in Jinling. He believed that she would try to use deception from the shadows, and it would be difficult to stop her, so it would be best to draw her into a public setting.

After sending the letter, Song Muchuan cut off most of his contact with the Jinling Bingzhu Division. Wanyan Puruo’s boldness in traveling to Jinling meant that the traitor was likely someone in a high position, and most probably from the Jinling Bingzhu Division.

Shen Zhizhong arranged for Xie Zhu, who had already settled in Jinling, to make a grand gesture in welcoming Wanyan Puruo, announcing that the Princess of the Long Kingdom was there on a diplomatic mission to the Yuzhao dynasty.

In an instant, Wanyan Puruo became the target of public suspicion, and her presence quickly spread among the common people.

This subtle move forced Wanyan Puruo into the open, turning her initial advantage into a passive position.