The moon shone brightly in the sky, the stars sparse. The trees, rocks, and grass in the courtyard were clearly visible, and red silk lanterns, yet to be removed, hung from various corners. Alas, the quiet, cold courtyard, bathed in the stark crimson glow, seemed to carry an inexplicable trace of sorrow. The usual chirping of insects rose softly in the air, and the gentle night breeze brushed against her face. The scenery had not changed; only the viewer and their heart had.
Inside the main hall, the household servants dared not disturb the new lady of the house, merely lighting two lanterns in the doorway. The soft light filtered into the hall, where Zhuo Qing remained seated at the same spot she had been in earlier that afternoon. She knew she had been sitting there for a long while; she simply did not wish to move.
A faint sound of footsteps approached, and a slender figure flashed past her. A low male voice followed: "You should eat something."
Before the words had fully left his mouth, a bowl of warm meat porridge was gently placed into her hands. Zhuo Qing looked up, and the first thing she saw was a face as pure and innocent as that of an angel. The usual playful smile had faded, and his bright eyes were now filled with concern as they gazed at her.
Recognizing the person, Zhuo Qing, after a moment's hesitation, softly asked, "Why haven't you left yet?" He should have already gone.
"Leave?" Bai Yi furrowed his brow. "Where would I go?"
Placing the bowl of porridge on the nearby table, Zhuo Qing, feeling a little weary, replied, "A gentleman does not stand beneath a dangerous wall. As the heir to a kingdom, you should know this. The residence of the Xiang family is no longer a place you should remain."
"I don't care about any dangerous walls!" Bai Yi said in a hushed yet fervent voice, not bothering with propriety as he grabbed her hand and said aloud, "How could Lord Lou possibly be guilty of treason? He must have been framed! I will never leave you while the Xiang family is in danger! Rest assured, I am the heir to the throne. With Lord Lou gone, I will protect you!"
Bai Yi's hand, much like the rest of him, was slim but warm. His youthful face was filled with righteous anger. Zhuo Qing smiled softly, and this was likely the first time she had smiled since midday.
She gently withdrew her hand and sighed, "Enough. I understand your intentions. Please, leave now."
He was a foreign prince, yet his claim to protect her seemed rather absurd. But then again, he was just a child, and his heart was in the right place, so she chose to thank him.
"I won't leave!" To her surprise, he actually threw a tantrum, plopping down onto the floor by her feet. Bai Yi persisted, grumbling, "Not only will I stay, but I will also find a way to clear Lord Lou's name!"
"You?" Zhuo Qing was stunned by his childish behavior. He was a prince, yet here he was, acting like a spoiled child.
Although she had appreciated his good intentions, she did not need him adding to her troubles.
She glared at him, and he met her gaze, the two staring at each other for some time. Eventually, Bai Yi softened, leaning closer and speaking in a playful tone, "Don't underestimate me. I've already sent someone to investigate. Want to know what I found?"
Zhuo Qing responded curtly, "What?" She didn't believe he could have uncovered much in the few hours since the afternoon.
With a triumphant smile, Bai Yi pulled out a piece of paper from his chest and handed it to her. Zhuo Qing opened it with suspicion, only to find it was a transcript of an interrogation, likely from when the rebels were captured. The date suggested it was recent, only a few days before their return to the capital.
Zhuo Qing stared in astonishment, while Bai Yi crossed his arms over his chest, proudly analyzing, "When the army caught the rebels, they were interrogated once. They claimed to have conspired with the former Minister of the Treasury who opened the vaults, and signed their confessions. But when they were brought back to the Ministry of Justice, they suddenly accused Lord Lou and his son of masterminding everything. Isn't that strange? Why would they frame Lord Lou? Someone must be behind this!"
Zhuo Qing's sharp gaze fixed on Bai Yi's youthful, handsome face, her voice low and questioning, "Where did you get this from?"
Such documents would normally be kept by the Ministry of Justice or the General's Mansion, and yet, here he was, a foreign prince, holding it. How had he managed this in such a short time? Had she underestimated him, or was it possible that everything was somehow connected to him?
Bai Yi, clearly sensing her wariness, smiled brightly, his eyes gleaming with satisfaction. "I have my ways, of course! I told you I could protect you, and now you see I wasn't lying!"
Zhuo Qing held the document in her hand, realizing that there was much more to this boy than met the eye. His actions showed a level of sophistication beyond his age, and she knew not to underestimate him. Yet, looking into his pure and innocent eyes, she couldn't help but feel a little guilty for her earlier suspicion. Perhaps he truly did mean to help her, and his actions were simply a reflection of his genuine concern.
Her mind then returned to what he had said earlier. Zhuo Qing furrowed her brow again. "Are you suggesting that General Suo is deliberately framing Xi Yan? That's impossible!"
Suo Ling wasn't that kind of person.
Bai Yi curled his lips and responded, "I didn't say it was definitely General Suo, but we can't ignore the fact that he is the prime suspect."
With no solid evidence yet, Zhuo Qing couldn't argue. General Suo did indeed seem suspicious.
Not giving her a chance to refute, Bai Yi made himself comfortable, sitting cross-legged as he casually continued, "I think the most important thing right now is to prove that the rebels were lying and slandering Lord Lou. Once we can prove that Lord Lou was wrongfully accused, we can free him from prison. As for who's behind this, it's better for Lord Lou to investigate that himself. He's wise and clever, and his strategies are certainly more refined than ours."
Zhuo Qing shook her head, exhausted. "It's not that simple."
She understood his reasoning, but the charge of treason against Lou Xiyan was a serious one. Throughout history, it had been a capital offense. Whoever wanted to frame him would certainly have covered their tracks well.
Bai Yi waved for her to come closer, and with a sly smile, whispered in her ear, "Actually, it's not that hard."
Not that hard? Zhuo Qing gave him a skeptical look, her mind racing with questions. As she leaned closer, Bai Yi, making sure no one was around, whispered softly, "We can forge some evidence to prove that the rebels were ordered by General Suo to frame Lord Lou. That way, we'll show that he was wrongfully accused! Once he's out, we can investigate further to find the real mastermind. If it turns out it wasn't General Suo, we can still clear his name!"
"No!" Zhuo Qing hissed, glaring at him. "That's framing someone else!"
Bai Yi muttered in disagreement, his voice low, "But Lord Lou is already being framed. They forged evidence against him, why can't we do the same? Besides, this is only a temporary solution. The real goal is to get him out of prison."
Zhuo Qing was furious. How was what he suggested any different from what those who had framed Xi Yan were doing? Did he really think General Suo would just let this go? It was absurd!
She slapped her hand to Bai Yi's head in frustration, muttering, "You really are just a child. You can't treat this like a game!"
Rubbing the spot where she had struck him, Bai Yi pouted but persisted, "It's not a game. It's just a matter of misdirection. We can confuse the evidence to expose the flaws in their case, without affecting General Suo too much. It's a win-win, don't you think?"
Zhuo Qing had no idea how to respond. Her head was starting to ache, and her thoughts were in turmoil. She massaged her temples, gesturing impatiently for him to leave. "Enough. Go now, I need some peace and quiet."
"Alright." Seeing her discomfort, Bai Yi didn't argue further. He got up, patted his clothes, and started walking toward the door, calling back as he left, "Don't forget to eat!"
With her eyes closed, Zhuo Qing replied absently, "Mm."
Finally, as Bai Yi's footsteps faded into the distance, she slowly opened her eyes and glanced at the interrogation record in her hands. Her already pale face grew even more haggard as she contemplated the situation.