Volume One, Chapter 5: The Ground is Cold, Rise Up

Just now, he was so absorbed in arguing with Xie Shu that he forgot about this injury.

Who would have thought that Xie Shu would turn the tables and accuse him instead?

Ning Rongsheng shouted, “Lord Zhou! She’s slandering me! It’s all her false accusations!”

False accusations?

When Ning Rongsheng falsely accused her earlier, wasn’t he equally confident and resolute?

A sharp pain radiated from her knee. Having knelt for three hours straight last night at the palace gate, her knees were already swollen and bruised; now it must be even worse. Enduring the pain, Xie Shu knew that if she was going to pretend, she had to do it convincingly.

Zhou Xunli was a man who tolerated no deception.

Fooling him was no easy feat.

“Stand up.” Despite Ning Rongsheng’s shouting by his ear, Zhou Xunli did not spare him a glance but instead calmly stepped in front of Xie Shu and extended his hand.

Xie Shu feigned confusion, lifting her eyes slightly, her long lashes trembling at the corner, like a startled fawn in the woods—innocent and helpless. She had once despised using her beauty as a weapon, but now, even if all she was was a mere shell, she would wield it to the utmost.

Within the capital, Xie Shu was renowned for her beauty, captivating with her charm. Yet, her elder sister Xie Ying’s gallant demeanor and formidable reputation overshadowed her, causing many to dismiss the youngest sister as nothing more than a dependent child.

But as a member of the Xie family, no matter how proud or wild, Xie Shu was no fool. In her past life, she had been overly protected.

“The ground is cold.” Zhou Xunli’s expression remained unchanged as he uttered these three cold words.

The person opposite was utterly indifferent.

Xie Shu inwardly mocked herself: this beauty trap might be utterly useless.

“Thank you for your understanding, Lord Zhou.” Hesitating for a moment, Xie Shu finally grasped his hand when she saw it extended; after all, she didn’t want to remain kneeling forever.

Having pretended enough was enough.

Just like the warmth that had guarded her waist earlier, holding his hands brought an inexplicable sense of comfort to her heart.

Yet, she knew well that this man was not to be fully trusted.

In her previous life, although Zhou Xunli had helped overturn the case involving the General’s Mansion, he was a man loyal to the Empress, and all he did was to consolidate support for the Empress’s second prince.

Even though the case was overturned, Zhou Xunli used it to gain favor among the military officials, easing the ongoing power struggle between civil and military factions.

If Xie Shu’s intuition was correct, Zhou Xunli and the Empress had designs on the Xie family all along.

That was why Xie Shu deliberately sent word to the Jingzhao Prefecture today.

As it turned out, her suspicions were right.

The coolness in her palm made Zhou Xunli frown slightly—she was dressed too lightly.

Grasping the man’s hand, Xie Shu struggled to pull herself up; her knees stiffened greatly, and though she tried to steady herself, she swayed a couple of times.

Zhou Xunli intended to support her again but was avoided by Xie Shu.

A pity, he could no longer hold her waist as before.

Ning Rongsheng watched their interaction suspiciously. It was widely known in the capital that Zhou Xunli was indifferent to women, never even having a concubine. Why then would he repeatedly help Xie Shu?

Could it be that there was something between them?

“Lord Zhou, what do you mean by this? Are you secretly involved with Xie Shu and deliberately favoring her today? Are you trying to cause trouble for our Cheng’en Marquisate?” Ning Rongsheng blurted out. If Xie Shu wanted to drag him into disgrace, he would drag them all down and see who emerges victorious.

Then, he spat venomously, “That woman seduced me yesterday; tomorrow she could seduce anyone. Lord Zhou, don’t be fooled by her!”

“Defaming an imperial official is punishable by a fine of one hundred taels of silver, fifteen lashes, and seven years’ imprisonment.” Zhou Xunli removed his fox fur cloak and casually draped it over Xie Shu’s shoulders. He tugged at the corner of his mouth, his drooping eyes sharp and cold. Drawing out his words slowly, he asked, “Young Master Ning, you said just now that I have a secret relationship with Miss Xie? I didn’t quite catch that. Could you say it again?”

“N-no, nothing.” Under Zhou Xunli’s interrogation, Ning Rongsheng’s arrogance immediately deflated.

Earlier this month, the nephew of the Princess Consort of Qing had recklessly ridden through the streets and killed the son of a peddler. The grieving parents knelt and wailed before the Qing Mansion’s gates, seeking justice, only to be beaten by the guards. Yet, Zhou Xunli had led troops straight into the Qing Mansion, seized the culprit, and sent him to the judicial authorities.

Thinking of this, Ning Rongsheng was chilled to the bone. He had been so angry that he forgot this crucial fact.

He hurriedly added, “I didn’t say anything just now. It must have been the wind—yes, the wind. Lord Zhou, you must have misheard.”

“Just now, Young Master Ning said I had a secret with Lord Zhou.” Nearby, Xie Shu tightened her cloak around her and suddenly spoke.

The large cloak enveloped her entirely. Zhou Xunli lowered his gaze to see the small figure standing in the snowstorm, looking especially fragile and pitiful.

She deserved to be protected in the palm of a hand.

In that instant, Zhou Xunli understood why Xie Ying doted on her so dearly. If he had such a sister, he would likely shelter her at home as well, raising her ignorant of the world. She only needed to rely on him.

The strange thought flashed briefly, and Zhou Xunli quickly withdrew his eyes, unwilling to look further.

“Xie Shu, shut up! When did you, a mere girl, get the right to interrupt my conversation with Lord Zhou?” Ning Rongsheng spat at her, desperate to cover up, then cautiously glanced at Zhou Xunli’s expression.

Snowflakes drifted down from the sky. This winter was colder than usual. The heavy snow had fallen for three consecutive days. The capital, located in the north, was filled with onlookers who tightened their collars and warmed their hands with their breath.

Zhou Xunli scanned the crowd; he disliked being treated as mere entertainment. He nodded to Lin Sheng beside him. Lin Sheng immediately commanded a squad to disperse the crowd.

“Move along, move along. It’s freezing; everyone go home.” Lin Sheng rubbed his nose, which was red from the cold. “No one’s allowed to stay here.”

Seizing this chance, Lady Li brushed past Ning Rongsheng’s covert obstruction, shook off her son’s hand, and arrogantly approached Zhou Xunli, pointing at him. “Lord Zhou, what if Xie Shu is falsely accusing my son? My son is the heir of the Marquisate! How can anyone ruin his reputation at will? Today, you must give us an explanation!”

Ning Rongsheng’s head spun. Not even his father dared speak to Zhou Xunli like that! He grabbed Lady Li and pleaded, “Mother, please, don’t say anything now.”

“How can I? That little wretch is deliberately causing trouble for our Marquisate and must not be let off easily!” Lady Li, being a woman, understood well the hardship women faced to prove their innocence. Did Xie Shu want to frame her son?

Ha! What a daydream.

“With her kind, dreaming of marrying into our Marquisate? She’s delusional!” Lady Li turned and spat harshly at Xie Shu.

In her previous life, Xie Shu, out of gratitude to Ning Rongsheng, had indulged Lady Li’s torment. Because Xie Shu had been married into the Marquisate for two years without bearing children, Lady Li openly and covertly mocked her as a “hen that wouldn’t lay eggs.” Xie Shu not only served Lady Li tea daily but also knelt before the Buddha for two hours every day, chanting sutras and praying for her.

When the Princess Dowager returned to the capital, Lady Li’s attitude grew even more domineering, constantly insulting Xie Shu, accusing her of being a troublemaker occupying the heir’s wife position and wishing the Marquisate’s lineage to end. She often made Xie Shu stand in punishment by the corridor, exposing her to the ridicule of passing servants.

By then, Xie Shu had exhausted all the family’s remaining resources. Even her dowry was almost gone. Wen Ying advised her to seek a divorce and return to the General’s Mansion: “Why waste your years here? Even if you want to repay a debt, you’ve already done so!”

The debt was repaid, but after living with Ning Rongsheng day and night, Xie Shu had indeed fallen for him.

Alas, she knew Ning Rongsheng loved her sister, not her. His rescue was not out of love.

Thus, Xie Shu concealed her once proud nature and humbled herself in the Marquisate, only wishing Ning Rongsheng would recognize her feelings.

But all of that was an illusion.

This lifetime, Xie Shu would repay every grievance and every hatred.

Everything owed to her by the Marquisate, she would take back with interest.

“Madam Marquis, some things are better not spoken too soon.” The cloak brought a trace of warmth. Xie Shu looked at Lady Li’s swollen, fleshy face and replied softly.

Zhou Xunli heard her clearly and glanced at her with curiosity.

What did she mean?