Chapter 32: Feng Yuxi, Uncoerced

The person who entered was Xie Zhao. He was still wearing his night-ops gear, his figure lean and tall. A black mask covered his face, revealing only his smooth forehead and a pair of long, narrow, captivating phoenix eyes. His hair was tied up in a high ponytail, giving him a youthful air.

Observing the two women he had bound, Xie Zhao narrowed his eyes fiercely. Holding a sharp dagger, he slowly approached Gu Nanshu and Feng Yuxi.

By this time, Feng Yuxi had slowly regained consciousness. The moment she was fully aware, she began to struggle violently, her muffled cries echoing through the white cloth stuffed in her mouth. The sounds of her struggle grew more intense, sounding at once like curses and pleas, though no coherent words could be discerned.

The feeling of being at someone's mercy easily breeds terror. Gu Nanshu’s own state of mind grew tense, and she forcefully bumped her shoulder against Feng Yuxi, shouting, "Feng Yuxi, can you stop making noise? Shut up!"

Because her mouth was also stuffed with cloth, her voice was muffled and unintelligible. Feng Yuxi could not understand a word, but she recognized the voice of her Imperial Aunt, Gu Nanshu. She stared in confusion, thinking, *How did the Imperial Aunt get captured too? What on earth is going on?*

Xie Zhao squatted down beside them, cast a cold, sharp glance at each of them, and then used his blade to flick away the blindfold over Feng Yuxi’s eyes. Once the blindfold was off, Feng Yuxi regained a sense of autonomy, and she let out a secret sigh of relief. However, seeing the sharp dagger in Xie Zhao’s hand so close to her, her fear and dread welled up again. She widened her eyes and made muffled noises at Xie Zhao: "Who are you? Why did you kidnap me? What are you going to do to me!"

Though he could not understand her, Xie Zhao did not rush to remove the cloth from her mouth. Instead, he coolly tapped her cheek with the dagger and sneered, "Feng Yuxi, you're asking who I am, why I grabbed you, and what I intend to do, aren't you?"

"Mm-hmm," Feng Yuxi nodded vigorously.

"I am, naturally, someone who wants to kill you, because you deserve to die."

Feng Yuxi’s face turned pale. She widened her eyes further and made muffled protestations: "I have no grudge against you, why do you want to kill me? Who are you?"

Tired of guessing what she was saying, Xie Zhao reached out and ripped the white cloth from Feng Yuxi’s mouth, narrowing his eyes impatiently. "What did you say? Say it again."

Trembling with fear, Feng Yuxi repeated, "I have no grudge against you, why do you want to kill me? Who exactly are you?"

This question made Xie Zhao’s expression grow significantly colder. He suddenly pressed the dagger against the carotid artery in Feng Yuxi’s neck and threatened, "You and I may have no grudge, but the death of Feng Sanniang is absolutely tied to you and Jiang Mubai."

He gritted his teeth, his voice rising as he shouted, "Speak! How exactly did Feng Sanniang die? Was it murdered by you and Jiang Mubai?"

The name "Feng Sanniang" made Feng Yuxi’s expression change drastically. She was horrified to realize that the person who had abducted her was someone seeking revenge for Feng Sanniang.

*How could that be?* Feng Sanniang was an orphan, wasn't she? She had been raised by her neighbors; there was no one left in the world to protect her. How could a man bent on avenging her suddenly appear?

Feng Yuxi’s heart felt as though it were being shredded; a complex array of emotions surged within her, forcing her into silence. She had not heard the name Feng Sanniang in months. Xie Zhao’s interrogation made her recall the scene of that night when Feng Sanniang was killed. Although Feng Sanniang had ultimately died at the hands of guards, the masterminds were her and Jiang Mubai—they were both murderers.

This was a secret that could never be told, not even with a blade pressed against her throat. And now, with Xie Zhao’s blade at her neck, she would never admit to being the killer.

"Kind sir, I don't know what you are talking about! While I know Feng Sanniang was once the former wife of Master Jiang, she was unfaithful to him. She was caught in bed with a servant. When the scandal was exposed, she was too ashamed to live. She killed the servant and then committed suicide—it was not murder by me or Master Jiang!"

Feng Yuxi’s intense words were filled with a pretense of grievance, making everything sound as if it were the truth.

Xie Zhao listened with growing irritation, and just as he was about to retort, Gu Nanshu spoke up.

"Feng Yuxi, your words are far too self-righteous. I have heard that Feng Sanniang was an upright and honest woman who would never stoop to such tawdry affairs."

"To help her husband pass the imperial examinations, she braved wind and rain for six years, selling tofu every single day to fund his studies. If not for her, how would Secretary Jiang have achieved his success today?"

"She loved her husband so dearly; everything she did was for him. After Secretary Jiang rose to prominence, why would she suddenly ruin his reputation and her own honor? She was not insane—you are spreading lies!"

Gu Nanshu could no longer contain herself. Her bound hands tightened into fists, and she poured out all the grief and indignation in her heart in one breath. She spoke with such fervor that her chest heaved visibly.

These subtle changes in her did not escape Xie Zhao’s notice. He frowned slightly, his gaze fixed intently on the still-blindfolded Gu Nanshu.

Feng Yuxi, hearing Gu Nanshu lecture her, felt a surge of displeasure. Combined with what her brother had previously told her about Jiang Mubai’s flirtation with the Imperial Aunt, her annoyance turned into sharp jealousy.

"Imperial Aunt, whose side are you on? Why are you speaking up for that Feng Sanniang? Everything I said is the truth. Feng Sanniang could not endure her loneliness, which is why she committed adultery with a servant. She is not as noble and virtuous as you make her out to be."

Gu Nanshu sneered, "Why is the eldest Miss Feng so agitated? Could it be that you had been having an affair with Secretary Jiang for a long time, and fearing the scandal would be exposed, you killed Feng Sanniang and faked the adultery to cover up the evidence of your crime?"

"No! Imperial Aunt, stop spouting nonsense! I would never stoop to—"

Feng Yuxi was filled with anger, panic, and the fear of being exposed. Her face turned bright red before she could finish her sentence. Xie Zhao grabbed the white cloth again and stuffed it back into her mouth with force.

"Enough!"

Xie Zhao barked, speaking coldly to Feng Yuxi, "Listen, Feng Yuxi. Whether it was you or Jiang Mubai who killed Feng Sanniang, the fact remains that she is dead, and both of you must pay with your lives."

"I have already sent word for Jiang Mubai to come here alone. If he does not appear before sunset, I will start by cutting off one of your arms and letting you bleed to death."

Feng Yuxi’s eyes were filled with terror. Muffled, desperate cries erupted from behind the cloth in her mouth: "No! We didn't kill her! Please, you must believe me!"

Too lazy to listen to her babbling, Xie Zhao struck her, knocking her unconscious.

Immediately after, Xie Zhao used his knife to swiftly flick the blindfold from Gu Nanshu’s eyes, staring at her with a look of deep scrutiny.