Chapter 190: Misunderstanding

I, too, do not break my promises to others.

Jiang Xuening felt a moment of confusion upon hearing these words, as she was unaware of any promises Xie Wei had made to anyone. It wasn’t until a vague memory surfaced in her mind, accompanied by a voice from the past that she had nearly forgotten, that it all came rushing back to her.

“Master Xie, when will the iron hooves of the Central Plains breach Yanmen and bring His Highness back?”

“Soon, very soon.”

At that moment, it was as if a crack had formed on the surface of ice, and something rushed through, suddenly touching her, causing her lips to part slightly as if she wanted to say something.

But Xie Wei simply averted his gaze.

His expression was calm and cold, exuding an aloofness that kept others at a distance. Before she could speak, he added, “Moreover, I have my own plans.”

Jiang Xuening was momentarily stunned.

Xie Wei continued, “Firstly, Yan Lin is too sentimental. You have unfulfilled wishes, and while I might turn a blind eye, Yan Lin may not. If you were to ask him for help, he would undoubtedly go to great lengths for you, even at the risk of his own life. The border wars are extremely perilous. If anything were to go wrong, years of my planning would be ruined.”

His voice grew even more indifferent.

He stood up from the table, picked up a towel nearby, and wiped his hands, saying, “Ning’er, you are stubborn by nature. I cannot dissuade you from rescuing the princess, nor can I kill you to eliminate future troubles out of respect for our past relationship. That’s why I came all the way from the capital to Jinling. Although you may not be the most brilliant, you should be able to see the situation clearly. I presume that in the past two days since you haven’t come to see me, you’ve already had someone tally up all your assets and accounts, right?”

“…”

Jiang Xuening could hardly believe what she was hearing.

She abruptly stood up, staring directly at Xie Wei!

Her clear eyes even held a hint of anger.

She had indeed made some preparations before coming.

When Xie Wei visited her two days ago, he mentioned that he was going to the border.

You Fangyin had prepared a large sum of money to participate in next year’s salt trade competition, but the authorities had found some excuse to exclude them. Even Lu Xian, who had gone to great lengths to get involved in this matter, hadn’t invested much money.

What did this mean? It meant that Lu Xian’s funds had suddenly been diverted to another purpose, and he hoped that their money wouldn’t be handed over to the court for next year’s salt trade competition!

What matter required a trip to the border?

What matter required a large sum of money?

The most likely possibility was that they were preparing to wage war against the Tatars!

Moreover, even if Xie Wei hadn’t planned this, the news that Shen Zhiyi was trapped among the Tatars and had sent a plea for help to the court had been confirmed. Since Jiang Xuening had made a promise to someone, she naturally intended to fulfill it.

Indeed, as Xie Wei had said—

If there were no other way, she would hope that Yan Lin could lend a hand.

So, after much deliberation that day, she had instructed You Fangyin and Ren Weizhi to quickly tally up all the available funds and assets that could be liquidated in the near future.

This was all to ensure that they could be put to use as soon as possible.

But she hadn’t expected Xie Wei to see through it all at a glance, nor had she anticipated the cold calculation behind his words.

“I forgot,” Jiang Xuening said, the warmth that had begun to rise in her heart suddenly frozen by an icy chill. Her fingers, hanging at her sides, clenched slightly, and her voice carried a hint of sarcasm.

“Your ambitions are beyond what ordinary people can fathom, and how could you possibly possess the heart of an ordinary person?”

Xie Wei lowered his eyelids, offering no explanation.

Seeing his calm and unperturbed demeanor, Jiang Xuening felt even more stifled. She thought it laughable that she had momentarily believed there might still be some trace of warmth or compassion in this man’s heart.

A saint’s appearance, but a devil’s heart.

How could she have been so naive as to trust him?

But now, aside from Xie Wei, who else could she turn to?

The princess was in grave danger, and she had no other choice.

At this moment, she wasn’t sure whether she was more angry at Xie Wei or at herself. Jiang Xuening took a step back, bowed to Xie Wei, and her voice took on a colder, more solemn tone as she said, “I am but a fish stranded in a dried-up rut, while you, sir, have lofty ambitions. It is already a great fortune to have your mercy and favor, let alone your help in rescuing someone. The funds and assets have been tallied, and the account books will be delivered to you by evening. Since we depart tomorrow, I must beg your pardon for my rudeness. I need to return and make some arrangements, so I shall take my leave.”

Xie Wei set down the towel he had been using to wipe his hands.

Jiang Xuening didn’t wait for him to respond, taking his silence as assent. After bowing, she turned with a cold expression and swept out of the room.

Outside, Lu Xian had just returned.

The two of them came face to face.

After all, it had been two years since they last met. When Lu Xian saw that bright yet icy face, he was momentarily stunned before realizing who it was.

He had intended to greet her, but Jiang Xuening glanced at him, let out a cold laugh, and walked away.

Lu Xian’s heart sank.

He turned around and looked toward the window of the room where Xie Wei was staying. After a moment of hesitation, he straightened his scholar’s robe and braced himself to walk in.

Xie Ju’an appeared to be his usual self, with nothing out of the ordinary.

Lü Xian forced a smile and approached him, saying, “I just saw your Ning’er leaving?”

Xie Wei glanced back at him. “How are things going?”

Lu Xian felt a bit awkward but, recalling the look on Jiang Xuening’s face as she left, decided not to press further. He replied, “After receiving the secret letter a few days ago, I went to Huangzhou to make the necessary arrangements in advance. Young Master Yan has already set off for the border yesterday to make preliminary preparations. Xie Ju’an, the Tatars have gathered their elite forces this time. It’s not like before when they were barely surviving under the iron hooves of the Central Plains. If this battle goes poorly, we won’t have another chance to fight back!”

For the past two years, Xie Wei’s plans had been flawless.

To the south, he had dealt tactfully with the Heavenly Sect led by Wan Xiuzi, never openly breaking with them and even occasionally offering assistance.

To the north, he had ignored the Buddhist faction led by Monk Yuanji, avoiding confrontation and allowing them to grow.

Even Meng Yang, who had a vendetta against Monk Yuanji for killing his wife, had been quietly restrained by Xie Wei.

The emperor, neglecting state affairs and ruling through manipulation and intrigue, had naturally stirred discontent among the people, allowing the Tian Sect to grow stronger. Meanwhile, the White Horse Temple, thanks to Monk Yuanji, had been designated as the national temple and enjoyed a strong reputation among the populace.

Coincidentally, Monk Yuanji and Wan Xiuzi had a long-standing feud.

The evil monk and the demonic Taoist were locked in an endless struggle.

Xie Wei, biding his time in the middle, had quietly amassed his forces and supported Yan Lin, waiting for the two sides to exhaust each other in their conflict. Even if one side emerged victorious, it would be a exhausting victory.

When the time came, he would seize the opportunity to reap the benefits.

This way, he could march north with minimal losses and stage an earth-shattering rebellion!

But now, because of Princess Leyang, Shen Zhiyi, they were being forced to move Yan Lin, their key piece, to deal with the Tatars and rescue the princess! In Lu Xian’s eyes, this was utter madness.

However, he didn’t dare to speak too harshly to Xie Wei. Muttering under his breath, he said, “The court isn’t even willing to lift a finger to help the princess. We’re outsiders, and we’re planning to commit treason in the future. After all, she carries royal blood. If we risk our grand plans to save her, what will we do with her when you storm the capital and slaughter the royal family? How will she fit into all this?”

In other words, saving Shen Zhiyi would bring them nothing but harm!

Xie Wei, slightly annoyed by Lü Xian’s lengthy speech, casually picked up a cup of cold tea from the corner of the table and handed it to him. “Aren’t you thirsty?”

Lu Xian frowned. “I’m not thirsty.”

But he still took the cup and, out of habit, took a sip.

The tea was strong and had a stale taste.

Lu Xian immediately spat it out, incredulous. “Xie, this tea is cold! And it’s old tea! How dare you serve me this!”

Xie Wei, however, was reminded of the look on Jiang Xuening’s face when she had abruptly stood up earlier. There had been a hint of… disappointment in her eyes?

Did she not see him as a monster? Did she still think there was hope for him?

Disappointment wasn’t necessarily a bad thing.

Slowly closing his eyes, Xie Wei felt truly weary. Sitting by the window, he raised a hand to massage his tense temples and said, “Hot tea wouldn’t have shut you up either. Later, Ning’er will be sending over some account books. According to the plan, I’ll set off for the border tomorrow. I’ll need you to manage things on the home front. Provisions and supplies are the lifeblood of the army. There can be no mistakes.”

“Account books from Miss Ning?”

Lu Xian’s eyelids twitched. He wondered why Jiang Xuening was sending account books, but as soon as the thought crossed his mind, he recalled the grim expression on her face as she left. A sense of foreboding washed over him.

He asked, “What did you say to her?”

Xie Wei, with his eyelids slightly lowered, said, “If she wants to save Shen Zhiyi, no one else can help her but me.”

Lu Xian drew a sharp breath.

It took him a long moment to recover, and he couldn’t help but feel exasperated. Stomping his foot, he said, “But you clearly… How can you win a lady’s favor like this?!”

Xie Wei remained silent.

The autumn wind was bleak, and the leaves of the plane trees had turned yellow.

In the evening, the city of Jinling was bathed in a glorious, dusky glow.

A few small boats, dragging fishing nets, returned from the river.

Everything seemed peaceful and tranquil.

But Jiang Xuening, who had just left the guesthouse, was seething with anger. By the time she returned to Xie Bai Residence by carriage, her frustration had only grown. She smashed three or four vases in the flower hall before finally calming down.

After gulping down half a cup of tea, she first sent someone to deliver the account books to Xie Wei’s guesthouse, then summoned You Fangyin to give her some instructions.

Although the account books had been handed over, many matters still needed to be managed.

She planned to personally go to the border, but someone had to stay behind in the Central Plains to oversee things. You Fangyin was the only one she trusted to handle matters smoothly in her absence.

You Fangyin was stunned. “Miss, why are you leaving everything to me?”

Jiang Xuening was already having her luggage packed. She simply said, “I’m leaving tomorrow.”

You Fangyin was shocked. “Where are you going?”

Jiang Xuening replied decisively, “To the border.”

You Fangyin was completely dumbfounded. “But… but it’s so sudden. You’re leaving tomorrow?”

Jiang Xuening picked up the wooden box containing the soil and carefully placed it in her luggage. She turned to look at You Fangyin and said, “There’s no time left. If we don’t rescue the princess by early spring next year, there won’t be another chance.”

In her previous life, the moment the Tatars launched their war was also the moment the princess met her tragic end!

This meant that—

If they wanted to reverse the fate of the past and save the princess, they had no choice but to strike first. They had to launch a surprise attack against the Tatars before the Tatars could declare war on the Central Plains, catching everyone off guard!

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