The Night Before the Divorce, She Was Reborn to Before Her Marriage - Chapter 57

In truth, Lu Xingzhi’s feelings for Ning Fu were an open secret among them. Even Zong Duo had given up on her precisely because of Lu Xingzhi.

After speaking, Lu Xingzhi looked up at Zong Si. His expression held no hint of provocation; he was merely stating a fact.

“So, last night—you did that on purpose?” Zong Si countered.

He was referring, of course, to the incident at the Princess Mansion where Lu Xingzhi had been overly familiar with Ning Fu. If it had been a calculated move, Lu Xingzhi’s reputation as a “upright gentleman” would certainly need to be stripped away.

Lu Xingzhi remained silent for a long while before finally answering. “I like the Fourth Lady, but I have no intention of competing with the Heir. If you are willing to treat her well and protect her, I will naturally keep my distance.”

If Zong Si truly loved Ning Fu, this would be an easy matter—he could simply thank Lu Xingzhi for his grace. However, Zong Si’s interest in her was far from a level where he would sacrifice himself.

“If Xingzhi is so devoted to her, it is not impossible for me to step aside,” Zong Si replied, his tone thin and detached.

It all depended on what chips Lu Xingzhi could bring to the table. If the price was right, Zong Si could easily withdraw his interest. Given Lu Xingzhi’s devotion, he would surely be able to shelter her, especially with the “past ties” Zong Si remembered from his previous life.

Lu Xingzhi’s brows furrowed. “The Heir is still young. You believe that love can never weigh more than the state and its affairs. You do not realize that when the time truly comes—when you watch your beloved leave you—the pain may be unbearable.”

“Xingzhi thinks that if I were to love someone unto death, that person would be Ning Fu?” Zong Si’s lips curled into a smirk. He didn’t believe the Fourth Lady had such power over him, nor did he appreciate others’ presumptuous speculations.

The only reason she was “different” was because she had been his wife in their previous life. Because of that, he felt a lingering, faint sentiment for her—nothing more.

Lu Xingzhi said no more.

The two sat opposite each other. Zong Si was noble and composed, like a grandmaster of a chessboard, unmoved and steady. Lu Xingzhi remained silent, his lips pressed thin.

Time passed in a heavy silence.

“Then, Heir, stop being so hot and cold with her,” Lu Xingzhi said, looking directly at Zong Si. “If you do something to hurt her, you will surely regret it in the future.”

What else they discussed that day remained unknown to outsiders, but from that day forward, Ning Fu did not see Zong Si again.

Yue Niang would occasionally stop by to sit with her, though she never breathed a word about the Heir’s business. She did, however, offer a few pointers on the garments Ning Fu was making for Lu Xingzhi and Xie Heng.

Logically, Zong Si should have found some clues by now, but there was no movement. Ning Fu grew increasingly anxious.

One day, while Xie Heng was visiting to keep her company, Yue Niang brought over some snacks. Seeing him, she smiled and said, “These are pastries commonly made in the capital; the flavor is quite different from what you have here in Yongzhou. Please, Young Master, have a taste.”

Faced with such a beauty speaking so politely to him, Xie Heng flushed and ate a piece.

Ning Fu shook her head inwardly. A young boy like Xie Heng was no match for the charm of a mature woman like Yue Niang. With every frown and smile, her effortless elegance was enough to stir any man’s heart. Xie Heng stole a guilty glance at Ning Fu, then immediately straightened his posture and looked away from Yue Niang.

“The Heir will be returning to the capital soon,” Yue Niang said with a smile. “I don’t know if the Fourth Lady and I will meet again in the coming days, so I came today to say my goodbyes.”

Ning Fu frowned. “When did the Heir decide this?”

“It has been decided for a few days. The Emperor never intended for the Heir to stay long. Now that the Grand Princess’s birthday is over, it is time to return.” Though Yue Niang was gentle, she revealed nothing of Zong Si’s plans.

A sense of foreboding rose in Ning Fu’s heart. She feared that Zong Si had already secured the confession letter and was now planning to “burn the bridge” after crossing it.

After sending Xie Heng away, Ning Fu spoke plainly. “Sister Yue, you must know what deal I made with the Heir. Does he truly have no intention of discussing the details with me?”

Yue Niang gave a bitter smile. “Fourth Lady, please do not make things difficult for me. How could I possibly interfere with the Heir’s plans?”

Ning Fu pursed her lips.

She decided to slip away to the East Court. Ever since she learned from Jingcheng that the East Court’s small kitchen connected to the garden, she had memorized the shortcut. She hadn’t expected to use it so soon.

“A few days ago, Grandmother interrogated several people,” Jingcheng had told her, her voice trembling with uncertainty. “She refused to reveal anything, only telling me that if anything happens, I should go to the Prince of Jin. Those people… they were clearly Lord Tu’s subordinates.”

Ning Fu’s heart sank. If Tu Zhizhong was the problem, the Princess would have dealt with him. But if she hadn’t moved against him, it meant the problem was massive—it meant he had a backer that even the Princess feared.

Tu Zhizhong was effectively the third-in-command of Yongzhou. If he wasn’t the one plotting against her grandmother, then who was the mastermind?

“Grandmother met with the Heir a few days ago,” Jingcheng added. “No one knows what they discussed, but they parted on very bad terms.”

The guards in the East Court were few today; even Qu Yang was absent, clearly out on a mission. Inside Zong Si’s bedchamber, only a faint candle flickered.

Ning Fu climbed silently through the window. Inside, Yue Niang was attentively helping him undress. A woman with such delicate hands and a gentle, caring manner while changing a man’s clothes could soothe anyone’s spirit.

With a single glance, Ning Fu identified the clothes as night-travel gear. He had just returned from outside.

Startled by the noise, Yue Niang let out a soft cry and grabbed Zong Si’s sleeve, shrinking behind him. Only when she saw who it was did she let go. “Fourth Lady.”

Zong Si glanced sideways at her, his expression unreadable.

“I am here for one thing,” Ning Fu said, looking him straight in the eye. “Have you found the confession letter?”

With her memories of her previous life, she knew the confession was here in Yongzhou. For someone like Zong Si, with his countless hidden guards and resources, it was impossible that there were still no results.

“The Heir must have heard my grandmother’s words the other night. She did not kill Li Fang to cover her tracks; she didn’t even intend for him to die. Yet, he died by her hand at the perfect moment. Clearly, someone wanted to frame her for ‘killing to silence a witness.'”

Ning Fu calmed herself before continuing. “My grandmother may be guilty of some things, but she is no ‘treacherous official’ like those in the capital claim. My uncle even died for Great Yan. The Prince of Xuan’s mansion has also exhausted itself for the dynasty; surely you have some empathy. Shouldn’t your goal be to find out who the true villain of Yongzhou is?”

Zong Si’s gaze was deep and dark, like an abyss where one could see neither the bottom nor his true intentions.

“Must you… must you drive my grandmother to her death?” she asked with a bitter smile.

Though she was hurting deeply, she showed no weakness on her face. In a negotiation, to lose one’s composure is to lose the game.

“The confession letter is not in my hands,” Zong Si said.

“Meaning… it can no longer be obtained?” Ning Fu was quick to catch his meaning.

Zong Si replied flatly, “I can no longer interfere in this matter. Please return, Fourth Lady.”

Ning Fu was first confused by his attitude, but as she thought it through, a sudden chill ran down her spine.

Why was Li Fang transferred just before the trouble began? Why was the confession letter he wrote to the Prince of Xuan intercepted so easily? Why did a government official like Li Fang die exactly when her grandmother didn’t want him to, and why was the court’s investigation so delayed? And why did her grandmother fear to move against Tu Zhizhong?

Because the mastermind was Emperor Jingwen.

Her grandmother and Zong Si must have reached this conclusion during their investigations over the past few days. Only the Emperor could transfer officials at the perfect time, intercept secret letters, and use Li Fang’s life as bait. He likely trusted no one in Yongzhou—not even Li Fang—so Li Fang’s death meant nothing to him.

This was a trap set by Emperor Jingwen to slowly dismantle the Princess’s influence.

Ning Fu’s face turned deathly pale. The confession letter hadn’t appeared because it had to be “destroyed” by her grandmother, giving the Emperor the perfect excuse to charge her with fabricated crimes.

Tu Zhizhong hadn’t been looking for the confession that night at the country house; the two men were there to let Zong Si know the letter existed and to ensure the rumors reached the Princess’s ears, lure her into searching for it, and lead her straight into the trap.

Even sending Zong Si here had been part of the plan. The Emperor disliked the Princess Mansion, but he also disliked the Prince of Xuan’s mansion. When the clam and the snipe fight, the fisherman wins. If the Princess were destroyed, great. If she escaped, the Emperor could use “failure to complete the mission” to suppress Zong Si. It was a win-win for the Emperor.

“The Heir guessed the reason behind this, which is why you have been keeping your distance from me lately, right?” Ning Fu asked after a moment. She knew Zong Si’s choice to protect himself wasn’t “wrong”—after all, the Emperor’s move was also aimed at his own family.

But the fact that he had been flirting with her just days ago and was now so cold made her realize more clearly than ever: Men cannot be relied upon.

Zong Si frowned. “It is not because of that. I promised Xingzhi that I would stay away from you.”

“The Heir is not so easy to talk to. What did Lord Lu promise you in exchange?” Ning Fu asked. Clearly, Lu Xingzhi had made a trade.

For some reason, Zong Si felt a surge of irritation. He knit his brows and said coldly, “I am not an ally of the Duke of Ning’s mansion, I am not your relative, and I am certainly not your husband. On what grounds does the Fourth Lady question me?”

“Actually, even if you were my husband, you still wouldn’t help me,” Ning Fu said softly, her thoughts drifting far away.

Zong Si froze. For a fleeting second, a flash of violent energy rose within him. He hated the way she spoke of him. But as he calmed down, he knew she wasn’t wrong. Just as with the matter of the Grand Princess, he would not risk himself for her.

“Heir, Qu Yang has returned,” Yue Niang said, glancing outside the door.

Ning Fu looked at Yue Niang, knowing it was a polite request for her to leave.