Xie Yushu looked at the new banknote of ten thousand taels of gold that Song Jie slid under her eyes but didn’t reach out to take it.
“Ten thousand taels of gold—this means you want to ask me for more than just answers, right?”
Who would ever raise their own price?
Clearly, he was offering this gold to make her do something else.
Sure enough, Song Jie smiled and said, “You are indeed smarter than I imagined.”
“If you have something to say, just say it.”
Xie Yushu was impatient to hear any meaningless words.
Seeing the money-only expression on her face, Song Jie placed the banknote on the back of her hand.
“This is a deposit. You just need to promise me that from today on, you will never use this face to play Jia Ning for profit again, and then you can take the money.”
So, he wanted to buy out her COS commission?
Xie Yushu looked at him in surprise.
He met her bright eyes and clarified, “Let me be clear: from now on, you can only play Jia Ning in front of me. You cannot do the same things for any other man, including the Fourth Prince or Pei Shilin.”
That was exactly buying her out.
Xie Yushu was about to speak when he added, “Of course, if I need you again, I’ll pay as before. This ten thousand taels of gold is just for your loyalty to me…”
Before he finished, Xie Yushu laughed.
“Song Xiang, have you lost your mind? Have you forgotten I’m a married woman? Loyalty to you?”
Her sarcasm overflowed, “Please, the fact that I’m standing in front of you at midnight just proves I’m no loyal wife to my husband, isn’t it?”
Song Jie was completely speechless, annoyed but unable to deny the truth of her words.
Indeed, if she were loyal, she wouldn’t be repeatedly appearing by his side or turning these unspeakable matters into business.
“I really don’t understand by what authority you say such things,” Xie Yushu mocked.
“Even if I agree, do you believe it?”
Song Jie’s face turned pale with frustration.
Even he thought he’d lost his mind.
How could someone as greedy, shrewd, and full of lies as her possibly be loyal?
She couldn’t even promise a single truth!
“Aren’t you afraid I’ll kill you?”
Song Jie stepped closer.
Sorry, this was the second time she’d heard that line tonight.
Xie Yushu almost laughed.
“Of course I’m afraid. I’m a lowly weak woman. I fear both Your Excellency and the Fourth Prince. If he really desires this face that looks like Jia Ning’s and forces me to be a substitute, what can I do?”
Who would refuse more business?
If Xiao Zhen insists on sending money, she can’t say no.
Song Jie grabbed her hand, pulling it close so she couldn’t hide any trace of fear.
“Xie Yushu, stop your silver tongue.
Are you telling me you can’t resist the temptations of the Fourth Prince’s wealth and power?
That you’re not afraid of death or disgrace and divorce?”
To be honest, she really wasn’t afraid.
But she didn’t want to waste time with Song Jie.
She pulled her hand away, snatched the ten-thousand-tael banknote, and said helplessly, “If you insist I take it, then fine, I’ll accept it. Is that enough?”
She stuffed the money away and asked, “Can I leave now?”
Her indifferent expression made it clear she just wanted to lie and get away from him as soon as possible.
Song Jie was furious to the point of heart palpitations.
So, his ten thousand taels of gold only bought him a single lie?
He could have thrown that money into the river and built a dam!
But he was the one who insisted on giving it to her!
His chest tightened with anger, and he coughed harshly.
Xie Yushu immediately said, “Cang Shu, get a clean set of clothes ready for Your Excellency, or you’ll be sick again soon.”
Xie Yushu only spoke such feigned words when she wanted to leave.
Song Jie, still in wet clothes, reluctantly agreed, “Come at the same time tomorrow night.”
“Hasn’t Your Excellency passed the worst of the illness?” she asked again.
“Why do you still need me?”
Song Jie frowned.
“How do you know when my illness peaks?”
Why did she seem to know so much about him?
Xie Yushu’s heart skipped a beat but kept her face calm.
“Cang Shu said tonight is your last day of the illness peak. I thought you were better. Isn’t that so?”
Song Jie looked at Cang Shu, who lowered his head, realizing he had spoken out of turn.
“I spoke out of turn, please punish me, Your Excellency.”
Before Song Jie could respond, Xie Yushu hurried to defend him, “Don’t punish him. I was the one who insisted on asking.”
For some reason, Song Jie’s anger became even more suffocating.
Xie Yushu was too familiar with Cang Shu?
She could pity a servant but chose to confront him instead?
Not even a single soft word?
He didn’t understand his own anger and forbade Cang Shu from seeing her out, telling her to leave on her own.
But once she left, the room fell silent again.
His mind was restless.
Like a dazed man, he couldn’t stop thinking about how she would return to the Pei Mansion.
She was still wearing his robe—would Pei Shilin give her trouble if he saw it?
Maybe he should keep her at the Xiang Mansion one more night…
He was shocked by the thought himself.
That was Xie Yushu.
He knew very well she wasn’t Jia Ning.
How could such a thought arise?
He should hate her, use her, treat her only as Jia Ning’s substitute.
How could he be troubled over a substitute?
Want to keep one?
In the dim room, sitting at the edge of the couch, he felt overwhelming disgust for himself.
Panpan suddenly ran out from behind the screen, shaking something in her mouth as she played.
“Panpan, come here.”
Song Jie held out his hand.
The huge mastiff obediently walked over, still holding the item.
He reached out and pulled it free, realizing it was a jade-green sash embroidered with a row of white plum blossoms.
It was Xie Yushu’s sash.
His mind flashed back to her warmth in the bathtub, her frowning face…
Cang Shu pushed open the door and knelt down to report, “Your Excellency, the Fourth Prince was found. After leaving the Duke of England’s Residence, he went to Yuqing Monastery and stayed there overnight. The monks confirm he was indeed there all night.”
Yuqing Monastery…
Was he visiting his Mother Consort?
Song Jie’s chest felt like it had been frozen.
He had barely survived the worst of his poisoning, yet the woman who poisoned him had spent the night happily at Yuqing Monastery with her beloved son, Xiao Zhen.
How laughable.
He let out a bitter laugh, throat coated in medicine.
Why should Xiao Zhen be better off?
“Prepare the carriage, Cang Shu.”
Song Jie tucked the sash into his sleeve.
“We’re going to Yuqing Monastery.”
His face was extremely grim.
Cang Shu dared not speak and immediately arranged the carriage.
A black carriage raced through the midnight streets, stopping quietly outside Yuqing Monastery.
When Song Jie and his men burst into the meditation hall, Xiao Zhen had just fallen asleep.
The door was slammed open, and Xiao Zhen’s servant was pushed to the floor as the cold night air swept inside.
Startled awake on the bed, Xiao Zhen saw Song Jie in a purple robe sitting a few steps away by the tea table, his eyes cold and mocking as he said, “Fourth Prince, sleeping well?”
Xiao Zhen wasn’t surprised to see him but was shocked he had come so quickly, meaning Xie Yushu had not stayed in his residence.
She hadn’t stayed?
Then what exactly was her relationship with Song Jie?
Xiao Zhen threw on his outer robe and bowed.
“Song Xiang, is there an emergency?”
Song Jie nodded at Cang Shu.
Cang Shu immediately stepped forward, grabbed Xiao Zhen, and forced him to kneel.
Knees scraping the stone floor, Xiao Zhen winced in pain, hair falling loose to the ground, but he kept his head bowed without a trace of resentment, used to such humiliations.
“No emergency, just a question.”
Song Jie leaned back in his chair, chin resting on his hand as he asked, “Did you leave the Duke of England’s Residence suddenly today to meet Xie Yushu?”
Xiao Zhen showed no surprise, simply answering, “I did send someone to find Madam Xie Yushu, but she did not come to see me, just as she said.”
“Do you think she looks like Jia Ning?”
Song Jie pressed.
As he was about to answer, Song Jie coldly said, “Look up and answer me.”
Xiao Zhen raised his head and looked at him.
“Don’t you think she looks very similar? Otherwise, you wouldn’t have kept her at the Guogong Mansion, nor would you have come here in the middle of the night to ask me this.”
Song Jie noticed a red rash spreading across the right side of Xiao Zhen’s face and neck.
Xiao Zhen explained, “I don’t know what flowers I touched at the Guogong Mansion; it gave me hives.”
Song Jie understood why he came to the monastery tonight.
Xiao Zhen had been like this since childhood: any minor ailment sent him to his mother’s care.
His mother always showed overwhelming worry and pity. He was the best at playing the victim.
“You’re still like when you were a child.”
Song Jie’s tone was calm, but he flicked a silver hairpin on the tea table at the red rash, “Playing dumb and pitiful, always dragging your mother into small matters.”
The slender hairpin scraped the already swollen rash, making it redder and ready to burst.
Song Jie pressed harder until it drew a bit of blood.
Seeing Xiao Zhen wince in pain, he felt slightly better.
“Don’t see Xie Yushu again. If I find out you’ve had contact with her, I’ll kill you.”
Xiao Zhen did not move.