Palace Coup 40

She knew his injuries were extensive, so he must have been heavily bandaged; his inner and outer robes were tied loosely, and she could see the traces of white bandages peeking out from his collar.

With a face as smooth as fine jade, he looked like a celestial being descended to the mortal realm. Watching him from a distance was truly a feast for the eyes.

In truth, Xie Yuanju had known the moment Xie Miaoxuan stepped out of her room. Seeing her wander about, stopping and starting, touching this and that, he realized she was merely trying to pass the time. Yet, he still kept his steps at a distance, circling around her.

"I am quite well. I am the young lady’s retainer, and because I allowed you to fall into such a dangerous predicament yesterday, I shall stay by your side from this day forward to ensure your safety."

His expression was pale with a hint of illness, and he offered Xie Miaoxuan a helpless smile. "As for the grain purchase you tasked me with, I have already secured a partnership with a large merchant; the first order is settled at one hundred thousand taels of silver. Our foundation in the salt and iron trade is still too shallow, and we can only purchase small amounts on the open market. To hoard a significant quantity, I need time to probe the connections in the black market."

"As for the topographical maps, such confidential matters are unavailable even in the black market. I will have to wait until my wounds heal to go to the Grand Commandant’s mansion myself... and borrow a copy."

Although his tone remained cold while he spoke, there was a strange, subtle edge to it that made her feel he was being rather sarcastic.

She hadn't expected this reasoning and felt a bit sheepish. "I am perfectly safe at the estate. I’m not going anywhere, so there is no need for a personal bodyguard."

"You said that yesterday as well, and look what happened."

Xie Miaoxuan: "..."

His gaze was clear, and he wore no extra expression as he spoke, standing tall and immovable like a sturdy pine. A man as gentle as jade is hard not to like. Yet the more he acted this way, the more Xie Miaoxuan felt he could not be as calm as he appeared; perhaps he was berating her in his heart. Once that last remark left his lips, she was certain: he wasn't just thinking it—he was being passive-aggressive to her face.

She cleared her throat and changed the subject. "Where is Da Niu? You are still injured; you should have just sent him."

Xie Yuanju’s lips curled, breaking the snowy indifference on his face. "Because Da Niu failed in his duty as a guard, he requested ten lashes as punishment upon returning yesterday and has added two hours of extra training to his daily routine."

As he spoke, he gestured, and Xie Miaoxuan looked over. The retainers practiced every day and went for long runs morning and evening. Sure enough, before long, she saw a troop of men sprinting past. Leading them, Da Niu was baring his teeth and waving his arms at her.

The still-happy Da Niu had no idea what kind of blow was coming his way later.

Xie Miaoxuan watched him drift past like the wind. "..."

She wanted to continue wandering, but seeing Xie Yuanju, pale-faced and still insisting on following her, she finally turned her feet around.

Forget it. Better to go back and lie down.

Just as she turned the corner, a pungent fragrance assailed her. Her vision blurred, and a man seemed to drop from the sky.

The newcomer wore wide robes and large sleeves, with a bright red inner garment beneath an ochre-colored outer coat. His waist was cinched with a pale green belt, he wore wooden clogs, and a tall cap sat upon his head. With deep-set features and a straight bridge of the nose, he could be considered a handsome man. But his eyes held the calculating look of a merchant assessing goods.

Xie Miaoxuan recognized him instantly: Xun Ming. One of the primary culprits who had caused the original owner's death.

A flash of severity crossed her eyes. He had tracked her down quickly. She looked behind him; ten yards away, aside from a luxuriously decorated carriage and the attendants guarding it, there was no one else. Clearly, after finding her, he had not yet notified the Xie family; he intended to strike before them.

After all, in her memories, he had feigned deep, romantic affection to deceive Xie Miaoxuan, only to turn hostile and enraged upon learning that the vast family fortune she brought to the capital had been swindled by the elder branch of the family. He had even repeatedly cursed her for being a fool. From start to finish, it had all been about the money.

The moment Xun Ming saw Xie Miaoxuan, his eyes never left her face. The young girl had delicate, moth-like brows and cloud-like hair; her skin had a translucent, porcelain-white hue, and her lips were a cool, pale shade. She looked somewhat fragile from illness, but those eyes, clear and moist like glass, swept over him, making his legs go weak. He felt an urge to prostrate himself before her immediately.

Xun Ming was very confident in his appearance; he was considered one of the most prominent among the aristocratic youth in the capital. He had assumed that Xie Miaoxuan, having grown up in the southern barbarian lands, would be unsophisticated and would surely lose her heart to a handsome man like him.

He initially felt a slight discomfort at the thought of having to seduce a "country girl." But upon seeing her in the flesh, he decided that while she might lack the background and polish to match him, her beauty was barely sufficient.

His status in his own family was becoming increasingly awkward. His elder brother had already come of age and was betrothed to a woman