BXG - 18

Testing

Peng Yue didn’t linger, laughing loudly as he took his leave. He San, still shaken, stood at the door, head bowed, pondering how to apologize for his failure.

After identifying Yan Wuping, the Ministry hesitated to act directly due to his close ties with Peng Yue. Zhou Tan had instructed a few men to keep a close watch on him.

Yan Wuping spent the entire afternoon at Fangxin Pavilion. After leaving the brothel, however, he first went to Peng Yue’s residence. He San and his men had lain in wait at the front gate for hours but came up empty-handed. By the time they realized Yan Wuping might have slipped out through the back door, it was too late—East Street was already reduced to ashes, leaving behind only a blackened ruin.

He San stood rooted to the spot, cold sweat dripping down his face. To his surprise, Zhou Tan merely said after a long pause: “I understand. You may go. I’ll return to the Ministry shortly.”

Zhou Tan remained seated, calmly pouring the tea Peng Yue hadn’t finished. Once He San left, he coughed lightly.

“Come out.”

It took Qu You a moment to realize Zhou Tan was addressing her. She rose from the floor, pushing aside the pearl curtain: “You knew I was here?”

Zhou Tan stood and approached her: “If you’re coming with me, go change.”

Uncle De had prepared two horses in the rear courtyard. Zhou Tan mounted one, while Qu You changed into male attire but hesitated, unsure what to do. Seeing Zhou Tan glance over, she explained: “I don’t know how to ride.”

Zhou Tan paused, his brow furrowing slightly before relaxing again. Extending a hand, he said: “Get on.”

Preparing a carriage at this hour would be too troublesome. After a brief hesitation, Qu You placed her hand in his. Before she could fully process it, Zhou Tan lifted her onto the horse, wrapping his arms around her to secure her in front. They rode out of the estate, galloping through dark alleys and bustling Bian River streets, their hooves clattering against the cobblestones.

She turned her head, wanting to glimpse Zhou Tan’s expression, but he tightened his grip and warned softly: “Don’t move.”

Their heartbeats mingled. Clutching Zhou Tan’s sleeve, Qu You whispered: “You knew I was there. Why didn’t you mind?”

Zhou Tan remained silent, focused on riding, occasionally uttering a terse “Hya.” Only when nearing the Ministry of Justice outside the imperial city did he suddenly say: “Peng Yue is notorious for his fondness of beautiful women and relies on powerful backing. As you noticed, he didn’t care about offending me.”

This response was far from what Qu You had anticipated: “So you didn’t want me to meet him because…”

Before she could finish, Zhou Tan tugged the reins, dismounted first, then lifted her down with one arm.

At the entrance of the Ministry, they coincidentally encountered a group of guards returning from East Street. Bowing to Zhou Tan, their leader reported: “Master, we’ve brought the body back.”

Zhou Tan asked gravely: “Did you find signs of arson?”

The guard lowered his head: “Not yet.”

Qu You followed them inside—it was her first time seeing a corpse, and her face immediately paled. Someone lifted the white cloth covering the body, and Qu You forced herself to look.

The fire had left the corpse unrecognizable, but she faintly recognized the clothing Yan Wuping had worn earlier that afternoon. Her heart sank like ice.

She gripped Zhou Tan’s sleeve tightly. He frowned, glancing at her but didn’t pull away.

Breathing heavily, Qu You stared a few moments longer before her breath caught.

Her grip loosened, and Zhou Tan knelt, carefully covering the body with the cloth once more.

From the moment he heard about the fire until now, Zhou Tan had been unnervingly calm. Qu You had wondered during the ride why he remained so composed.

Now… she thought she understood.

A guard murmured nearby: “The coroner briefly examined the body. It’s undoubtedly a man in his mid-twenties. Though his face is too damaged to identify, we can confirm it’s Yan Wuping. The rest is being investigated now; the results will be reported shortly.”

Zhou Tan nodded slightly and headed toward the rear hall. Qu You tugged his sleeve, following him, a chilling suspicion forming in her mind—one even she struggled to believe.

The rear hall was unoccupied. He San, who had followed them, seemed to sense Zhou Tan wanted privacy and closed the door securely.

In just two days, the previously blank folding screen was filled with new writing. As Qu You passed by, she glimpsed different handwriting: “Which kind soul completed this verse?” and “Lately troubled by many worries, but thankfully Mother has money for medicine. Wishing the master well.”

But now wasn’t the time to dwell on such details. Zhou Tan turned to her, hands clasped behind his back, and asked directly: “What do you wish to say?”

“The body isn’t Yan Wuping,” Qu You said, meeting his amber eyes and finding no trace of surprise. “I was wondering earlier why you were so calm. Now I’ve guessed a little.”

Zhou Tan’s tone remained flat: “Oh?”

He paused, then asked: “How do you know it’s not Yan Wuping?”

Qu You fixed her gaze on him: “Because Yan Wuping is a woman.”

Zhou Tan raised an eyebrow, his voice tinged with approval: “You figured it out?”

“I disguised myself as a man—it’s something I’ve practiced since childhood. I know how to hide my features convincingly, and Yan—Miss Yan—is equally skilled,” Qu You replied. “Our disguises fool most people, and hers is better than mine. But she overlooked one detail—

“She forgot to draw an Adam’s apple.”

Instinctively, Zhou Tan glanced at her throat, noticing the subtle shadow she’d drawn to mimic a man’s Adam’s apple.

“If you’re not paying attention, you’d never notice such a flaw. Even the women at Fangxin Pavilion likely didn’t know her true identity. When I left, she asked why I trusted her. Because I knew she was a woman, I could empathize with their plight. And so could she.”

“You…” Zhou Tan murmured softly, “are both good-hearted individuals.”

“And what about you?” Qu You scrutinized his expression closely, countering: “When I left the Ministry yesterday, surely you knew where I went?”

Zhou Tan’s gaze darkened.

“I have a theory,” Qu You said, staring intently, a faint smile playing on her lips. “Perhaps you’ve known Gu Xianghui, the woman who fell from Fanlou, and Miss Yan, disguised as a man, for a long time. More drastically, perhaps they were working for you all along. From the day at Fanlou, you orchestrated an elaborate plan…”

Seeing Zhou Tan’s unruffled demeanor, she knew she was right. Her throat tightened as she continued:

“I was inadvertently dragged into your scheme, but you soon realized you could use me—or rather, I chose to investigate further, so it’s not entirely your fault. That’s why yesterday, you pointed out the madam to me, leading me to Fangxin Pavilion. No sooner had I arrived than Miss Yan appeared, trusting me without hesitation and entrusting me with her task.”

“You sent men to follow me but didn’t intervene to save me because you knew Miss Yan was one of your people. Yet she also knew I was your wife and still tested me, Zhou Tan—” Qu You addressed him by name, her gaze unwavering. “Do you suspect me?”

Zhou Tan fiddled with a string of small-leaf rosewood beads on his wrist, saying nothing. An oppressive silence settled between them.

The night deepened, and the candlelight flickered, bursting with a soft pop.

Finally, Zhou Tan raised his head, revealing a smile unfamiliar to Qu You. It was cold and mocking, devoid of fear despite being exposed. As she gazed at his face, Qu You realized with a start that Zhou Tan had been far too courteous to her until now. Only today did she finally see the man described in rumors.

Outside, the wind howled mournfully. Zhou Tan’s voice was barely audible, almost a whisper: “Yes, I tested you, doubted you…”

“So what?”