When Wei Zhao was ready to pick up someone from the tea house, half an hour had already passed.

Although he hadn’t gotten any blood on him, after spending so much time at the execution ground, he had specially changed his clothes before heading over.

Seeing how particular he was, Xiao Huaian clicked his tongue in amazement from the side.

"Is it necessary?"

Xiao Huaian: "Why don’t you also stay vegetarian, chant scriptures, burn incense for three days before seeing your sister-in-law?"

Wei Zhao couldn’t be bothered to respond to him.

Xiao Huaian continued talking to himself.

"I’ve heard Chi Yu mention that when you were fighting outside, you didn’t even have time to take off your muddy, blood-stained armor, and without washing your bloodstained hands, you would just wipe them on coarse cloth and sit down to eat dry rations without any fuss alongside the Wei Family Army under you."

"Of course, that was on the frontier. Beggars can’t be choosers when it comes to conditions. You want to stay clean, but it’s difficult."

"But if I remember correctly, three years ago, you had just killed someone with your own hands before coming back to the Capital, and then immediately attended my appointment."

Back then, he was meticulously wiping the bloodstains off the Cloud-breaking Spear by his side.

Xiao Huaian was quite touched at the time, thinking that Wei Zhao was afraid he’d waited too long, putting their meeting as a priority.

But looking at it now...

Xiao Huaian spoke more and more uneasily: "Why didn’t you change your clothes when you met me then?"

Wei Zhao found him noisy.

His dark eyes were deep and unfathomable, like a cold lake.

"You..."

Wei Zhao wondered, pausing for a moment: "Are you really that clueless?"

Xiao Huaian: ...

"Then why didn’t you prepare another set in advance? At the very least, you could have sent me a message earlier."

He knew Shen Zhiyi was in the tea house, so naturally, he had to follow along.

Xiao Huaian lowered his head and took a sniff. Initially, he didn’t feel anything, but now he felt he had a bit of a smell.

Someone like Shen Zhiyi, who always wanted the best of everything, would complain about this and that back when they were cellmates in the prison.

Always picky.

Wei Zhao spoke softly, smoothing the creases on his sleeve: "No wonder you’re still single and all alone at this point."

Xiao Huaian: ...

Alright, alright, you have a wife, you’re amazing.

Wei Zhao: "But it’s no big deal."

He always had little pleasant to say.

"Whether you change or not, Miss Shen won’t care."

Xiao Huaian: ...

You might as well have died!!

But he didn’t forget the main business.

"So what do you plan to do later? Ying Yin seems to have picked up a bargain."

Indeed, with the Crown Prince Faction completely subdued, a fair wind has blown directly towards Ying Yin.

Moreover, Ying Yin’s uncle, Duke Qing, Qing Tan, colluded with the officials below and embezzled the relief silver and grain allocated by the court during the famine years, and has already been dealt with by Wei Zhao.

This is Ying Yin’s blemish.

Ying Zhi’s uncle, on the other hand, is still alive, but he’s lame, and despite having a son, he falls short of Ying Yin by several tiers.

There are only so many princes.

Xiao Huaian’s playful expression faded: "The more accomplished and esteemed Ying Yin is, the more people will call for him to be established as the heir; that person in the palace won’t be able to turn a blind eye."

"Ying Yin is also acutely aware of this, so he’s been keeping a low profile lately."

"Do you need me to do anything?"

Xiao Huaian smiled: "Flatter and destroy?"

Wei Zhao drooped his eyelids: "Wait."

"Back when the Crown Prince was still around, even though his health was weak, the Dog Emperor was unwilling to let him grow too powerful, supporting Ying Yin, keeping him close, and nurturing him personally."

Emperor Ying often mentioned in front of the civil and military officials that the Crown Prince was diligent and sincere, while the fifth son was clever and obedient.

"Do you think he cares for Ying Yin as a son?"

Clearly, he was allowing his two sons to contend openly and covertly, to check and balance each other.

With the Crown Prince gone, he then permitted the Duke Zhou Mansion to continue to restrain Ying Yin.

Yet now, the Duke Zhou Mansion has fallen.

Wei Zhao was unconcerned, casually cracking a walnut. With a slight exertion, there was a ’snap’.

His hands were strikingly beautiful, and extracting the nutmeat was unusually pleasing to the eye too.

"We don’t need to take action; the Dog Emperor will just promote other princes."

They merely need to sit back and watch the tigers fight.

————

By the time Wei Zhao arrived, Yu Tingwan was in the private room digesting food, having already finished all the tea and snacks ordered afterward.

She was unbearably full.

Upon hearing the door knock, she went to open it before Tan Jiang could, and as her gaze met Wei Zhao’s, she caught a glimpse of Xiao Huaian.

The room wasn’t large, and a glance would take everything in. Xiao Huaian didn’t see Shen Zhiyi and was about to ask, only to see Yu Tingwan looking at him playfully.

"Who are you looking for?"

Yu Tingwan: "Wouldn’t be Miss Shen, would it?"

Xiao Huaian: ...

"She left an incense stick’s time ago."

Xiao Huaian: ...

Wei Zhao had misled him!

If he hadn’t changed clothes, maybe he’d have caught up!

Yu Tingwan reached out to him: "Where’s the fan? She said if she saw you, to help retrieve it."

Xiao Huaian: ...

Yu Tingwan, in a sweet voice, said easily: "I’m not usually one to help. But I am, you know, very warm-hearted."

Xiao Huaian: ...

He wished he hadn’t come.

The fan was hidden up his sleeve, but more than that was a hidden agenda.

"What a pity, it got left somewhere else."

Yu Tingwan couldn’t tell if she believed this nonsense or not, but she certainly wasn’t eager for the fan.

"Oh, indeed, how unfortunate."

Since the person wasn’t there, Xiao Huaian casually mentioned he was busy, intending to leave.

No one tried to stop him.

Yet watching Xiao Huaian walk ten steps away, Yu Tingwan leaned against the door and carelessly said.

"The day after tomorrow, Shen Zhiyi and I will be going out, husband, remember to prepare a carriage and staff."

Though this seemed directed at Wei Zhao, it successfully slowed Xiao Huaian’s pace.

Yu Tingwan continued: "Not going anywhere far, just heading to Changdu Temple to have the Daoists at the mountain foot divine her prospects for romance."

"She’s been held back by the Chu Family for many years, and it’s high time for her to be matched. She’s not in a hurry, but the elders in the family are."

Xiao Huaian turned back, bowing deeply to Yu Tingwan: "Thank you, sister-in-law, for the tip."

After people departed, Yu Tingwan then turned to look at Wei Zhao.

The first thing she said.

"Husband and he are really inseparable."

Wei Zhao’s eyelid twitched.

Yu Tingwan spoke softly, deliberately: "Why is it every time I see you, you’re always with a man? And you don’t change outfits when you go out."

Wei Zhao was quiet for a moment.

Glancing at her, he plainly retorted: "Realize you’re worried?"

Yu Tingwan: ???

In the past, he would scowl.

Now he’s all airs, isn’t he.

Wei Zhao unrushedly fastened the full purse around the lady’s waist, filled with the peeled walnut meat earlier.

Wei Zhao walked the way Yu Tingwan did, leaving her with nowhere to retreat, even mimicking the lady’s usual teasing tone: "Caring for me to such an extent?"

Yu Tingwan: ...

Her lips opened and closed, unsure what she should say.

It’s rare for her to be at a loss with him.

"Since I’ve been here, you’ve spoken ten words total. Eight of those were for Xiao Huaian."

The man’s hands kept moving as he lifted his gaze to see her.

Darkly.

"Stingy with a couple of lines for me, yet you’re nitpicking to rile me?"

Yu Tingwan asked: "So, did I manage to annoy you?"

Of course, Wei Zhao wasn’t annoyed.

But it was evident that Yu Tingwan was bored.

Though she often took lessons in the main courtyard, she always found little leisure amid her work, and often amused herself. Now truly left idle, there was nowhere to find distraction.

Since this wasn’t the place to talk, the two boarded the Duke Shun Mansion’s carriage.

Yu Tingwan didn’t ask about the execution ground, and Wei Zhao wouldn’t mention it to her.

Wei Zhao: "Waited long?"

Indeed.

Yu Tingwan was about to nod.

Wei Zhao: "Quite adept at waiting."

Yu Tingwan: ???

Yu Tingwan pursed her lips: "Use a different compliment."

Wei Zhao, obliging her, darkly: "You’ve got a bit of something."

Yu Tingwan: ???

He was clearly doing it on purpose.

Wei Zhao asked: "Are you annoyed?"

Indeed, she was annoyed.

Then Yu Tingwan thumped him twice.

Wei Zhao: ...

Her strength was indeed growing.

She used to hammer him with consideration for his health.

Now, she shows no restraint.

Wei Zhao merely fluttered his eyes lightly, languidly sitting in his wheelchair, fragile, offering no resistance.

It wasn’t due.

He really did enjoy it... a bit.