Zhao Mian was surprised to find himself somewhat tempted by Wei Zhenfeng’s invitation.

He never needed to personally handle investigations; he had plenty of people at his disposal. With a single command, he could get the results he wanted.

He pursued perfection in his affairs and rarely acted rashly. Take the matter of finding the antidote. Even if he had a seventy or eighty percent chance of obtaining it himself, he would still report it to his family beforehand. That way, if he failed, the situation wouldn’t devolve into the worst-case scenario that he couldn’t accept.

Wandering around Wan Huameng’s territory late at night with Wei Zhenfeng was clearly unwise, not in line with his usual behavior. But even if he didn’t go, Wei Zhenfeng would go alone. If Wei Zhenfeng discovered crucial information, he might not tell him in order to gain the upper hand. The balance of power would shift, and Wei Zhenfeng certainly wouldn’t be so subservient as he was now.

And then there was… Perhaps the moonlight was too beautiful tonight, and that man’s eyes too bright. He seemed to be infected, and his suppressed nature, dormant for many years was stirring, urging him on.

It wouldn’t hurt to let go of caution just once tonight, would it? He had confidence in himself—he wouldn’t cause any trouble.

By the bed, Wei Zhenfeng was still waiting for his answer.

After weighing his options again and again, Zhao Mian said, “Clothes.”

Wei Zhenfeng was confused. “Huh?”

Zhao Mian got out of bed and commanded, “Hand me my clothes.” He gestured with his chin towards the screen, where his outer robe was hanging. “Or do you want me to go investigate with you dressed like this?”

Wei Zhenfeng was slightly taken aback, his gaze lowered and his eyelashes swept down.

He had been talking to Zhao Mian for so long, and it was only now that he realized the man was wearing his sleeping attire, pure white and loose-fitting robes with the sash hanging down his waist, exuding a sense of elegance and grace.

He hadn’t put up his hair, either. His long hair fell down on either side of his chest, none of the gold and jade ornaments he usually wore in sight, not even a hair ribbon. He looked simply and beautifully handsome.

It was hard to say which was more striking, Zhao Mian’s aura or his appearance. He had originally thought Zhao Mian’s appearance was the only thing that defied the heavens, but now he realized that his aura was impressive too. Even without the gold and jade treasures that symbolized wealth, his beauty was not diminished in the slightest.

“Young Master Xiao is quite the commander,” Wei Zhenfeng said, walking to the screen, picking up the outer robe, and tossing it onto the bed. “By the way, did those people make you try on their hideously ugly wedding attire?”

“Yes,” Zhao Mian said, biting on a hair ribbon, his hands busy arranging his long hair. “They even wanted me to gain weight.”

Wei Zhenfeng said expressionlessly, “You have it good. They wanted me to shrink. Are they sick in the head?”

Zhao Mian resisted the urge to laugh, maintained his cold expression, and casually tied his hair into a high ponytail with the ribbon. He put on his clothes and said decisively, “Let’s go.”

Wei Zhenfeng opened the door, and the two of them, one in front of the other, plunged into the night.

Wei Zhenfeng had taken some precautions on his way over, diverting anyone who might have spotted them. The two of them successfully left the courtyard, and Wei Zhenfeng whispered, “Do you know where we should go?”

“You think I’m an idiot?” Zhao Mian wanted to roll his eyes to show his contempt, but then felt that the action would detract from his dignity and beauty so he refrained. “Naturally, I’m going to the storeroom.”

The easiest way to investigate the relationship between those three weddings and the Wan Huameng was to find the guest registry recorded at the time.  The gift lists would detail who attended the ceremonies and what gifts they brought.

It’s clear that Xuyuan has remained in its original state from over a decade ago. The gift list from back then is likely stored in the warehouse along with the gifts.

Wei Zhenfeng laughed, “Smart. I scouted the area during the day. If I’m not mistaken, the storeroom should be to the south. Stay close and don’t wander off.”

Zhao Mian responded with an “Mm.”

This scene reminded him of his younger brother, incompatible with him according to their horoscopes, who loved being mischievous since childhood and enjoyed playing pranks. Even this year, he still occasionally caught his sixteen-year-old brother skipping school with his study companion, sneaking around the palace. Whenever he caught him red-handed, his brother would immediately kneel down, hug his leg, and wail, “Elder Brother, my heart is suffering!”

Zhao Mian had never skipped school, and didn’t know what it felt like. Now, sneaking behind Wei Zhenfeng, he couldn’t shake the odd sensation that Wei Zhenfeng was leading him on some sort of rebellious escapade.

Wei Zhenfeng, who had been guiding them without issue, suddenly noticed the distance between them widening. He stopped and saw Zhao Mian slowly walking forward, lost in thought. He asked, “Something wrong?”

Zhao Mian said slowly, “I remembered a ghost story my father used to tell me and my brother.”

“Oh? Let’s hear it.”

“There was once a young lady confined to her inner chambers, only able to meet men from outside her family during weddings or funerals. At her father’s funeral, she fell in love at first sight with a distant cousin and yearned for him day and night. Later, to ease her longing, she didn’t hesitate to kill her mother and sister, just so that the family could hold a funeral and she could see that cousin again.”

After briefly telling the story, Zhao Mian asked, “Don’t you think this strange tale and Wan Huameng’s obsession with wedding ceremonies have something in common?”

Wei Zhenfeng nodded. “A bit.” He pulled a dagger from his boot and handed it to Zhao Mian. “Take this for self-defense, just in case.”

Zhao Mian weighed the dagger in his hand a few times. It was light and well-balanced, surprisingly easy to wield. A memory surfaced and said, almost without thinking, “I vaguely remember you using spears, how come you’re using knives and swords more now?”

“Now you’re really being an idiot,” Wei Zhenfeng mocked him without holding back. “Me, using a spear here? I might as well shout ‘Assassin!’ at the top of my lungs. Spears are for the battlefield. For horseback riding. Understand, Young Master Xiao?”

Zhao Mian admitted that his question was a bit stupid, but even if he was in the wrong, he couldn’t lose face. “Understood. Shut up, and lead the way.”

No matter how special Xuyuan Garden was, it was still just a government official’s residence in terms of layout and size. The night patrol was sparse, only two or three people, not comparable to the experts in the inner court and Nangong Palace, so they were nothing to worry about.

The two proceeded smoothly, quietly infiltrating the storehouse located in the southern courtyard. The storehouse was unguarded, with a lock on the door. Zhao Mian watched Wei Zhenfeng pull out a key from his pocket and align it with the lock. With a “click,” the lock opened.

Zhao Mian was surprised. “How do you have the key to Xuyuan Garden’s storehouse?”

Wei Zhenfeng said, “Stole it from a steward when the opportunity came.”

During the day, after Wei Zhenfeng and Zhao Mian separated, he was taken to another room. Like Zhao Mian, he had noticed the problem that the furnishings inside were too old. He deliberately broke a porcelain vase that looked quite valuable.The maid gave him a good scolding, then said to a young servant girl, “Go find Steward Wang and have him fetch an identical vase from the storeroom.”

Wei Zhenfeng remembered this Steward Wang, and then, after putting in some effort, found an opportune moment to secretly “borrow” the key from him.

Zhao Mian never missed an opportunity to speak ill of the other country, saying, “So, your Fuxue Tower dabbles in such petty thievery.”

Wei Zhenfeng turned his face to look at Zhao Mian’s profile. He originally didn’t want to acknowledge this guy who was at an advantage yet still complaining but as he pushed the door open, he couldn’t resist retorting, “Don’t worry, your Qianji Institute will learn it too.”

The storeroom was relatively clean, at least without cobwebs or dust flying into their faces, and there were no strange smells either. It seemed someone was taking good care of it.

There were no windows inside, so moonlight couldn’t penetrate, leaving it pitch black. Wei Zhenfeng used the fire starter he carried to light an oil lamp. The light was weak and flickering, only illuminating a small area around them. Zhao Mian had to follow closely behind Wei Zhenfeng to see what was in front of him.

Gift boxes were piled on the floor. Zhao Mian casually opened two boxes to look at them. One was filled with silk, the other with antique calligraphy and paintings. There were also many gift boxes placed on wooden shelves, mostly containing jewelry, jade ornaments, and gold hairpins.

Because the light was so dim, Zhao Mian carelessly bumped into a bench hidden in the shadows. The corner of the bench scraped the ground, making a creaking sound. Although the sound was soft, in the silent night, if someone happened to be passing the storeroom, it would be enough to attract their attention.

Wei Zhenfeng stopped and looked back at Zhao Mian. He waited for a moment, listening to make sure no one was outside. “Clumsy.”

Zhao Mian: “…?”

He was the only one who ever called others clumsy. Since when did someone else dare to call him clumsy?

“I admit I was careless just now,” Zhao Mian said coldly, “but haven’t I been giving you too much leeway lately?”

Wei Zhenfeng spoke the truth: “Ever since you decided to put aside our personal grudges and prioritize curing the poison, you really have been giving me a lot of leeway. Truly worthy of being called Young Master Xiao who puts the big picture first.”

“I hope you cherish this moment,” Zhao Mian said with a sneer, snatching the oil lamp from Wei Zhenfeng’s hand and walking ahead to lead the way. “Your life probably won’t be this easy in the future.”

The two searched in the dark for almost half an hour before Zhao Mian found what they were looking for among a pile of ancient books: the gift records from the three weddings held at Xuyuan in the eighth year of Tianwu, the tenth year of Tianwu, and the first year of Zaixi.

ei Zhenfeng stood behind Zhao Mian, leaning slightly forward, his gaze passing over Zhao Mian’s shoulder. “Shall we look together?”

Zhao Mian handed the gift list from the eighth year of Tianwu to Wei Zhenfeng. “You look at this one first.”

Wei Zhenfeng didn’t move, but instead stared at the gift list from the first year of Zaixi, which Zhao Mian held tightly in his hand.

They both knew that if there were any important clues in the gift lists, they would most likely be in the one from the wedding in the first year of Zaixi. That was also the year Wan Huameng asked the Empress Dowager of Dongling to bestow Xuyuan Garden upon him.

Wei Zhenfeng saw through Zhao Mian’s little scheme. Zhao Mian wanted to be the first to know the clues and then decide whether or not to share the information with him. But they were so close, and Zhao Mian’s every move was right under his nose. Was it really necessary?

Zhao Mian said impatiently, “Are you going to look or not? My arm is getting tired from holding it up.”

Only then did Wei Zhenfeng take the gift list: “You’re so delicate.”

Preoccupied, Zhao Mian ignored the disrespect. He faced Wei Zhenfeng as he opened the gift list from the first year of Zaixi, quickly scanning it by the dim light at the edge of the circle of illumination.

At that time, Jia Huai held a high position and was a renowned scholar throughout the country. When his son got married, eight or nine out of the ten officials in the capital of Dongling paid a visit with generous gifts, along with his disciples who had not yet entered officialdom. It was a thick stack of gift lists, each page filled with names.

Zhao Mian saw many names that were familiar to him. Sixteen years ago, they were Jia Huai’s students; sixteen years later, they were indispensable ministers in the Dongling court.

Jia Huai’s disciples were practically everywhere in the capital. If they were all willing to follow Jia Huai in impeaching Wan Huameng, the storm on October 12th would likely be even greater than he imagined.

Suddenly, a name unexpectedly burst into Zhao Mian’s view. The pupils in his eyes dilated slightly, then returned to normal in a very short time, as if he hadn’t seen anything.

However, in the shadows not illuminated by the oil lamp, the corners of the young man’s lips couldn’t help but curve up, little by little.

Zhao Mian, without betraying any emotion, glanced at Wei Zhenfeng out of the corner of his eye. Seeing that the other man was focused on the gift lists, he decisively kicked the footstool beneath him. As the footstool made a sound, he quickly tore a page from the gift list.

Wei Zhenfeng looked up from the gift records of the eighth year of Tianwu: “What’s wrong ?”

Zhao Mian calmly hid the paper in his sleeve: “Nothing, just bumped into something again.”

Wei Zhenfeng seemed to believe him and lowered his head to continue looking at the gift records.

Just as Zhao Mian thought he had fooled Wei Zhenfeng and was about to breathe a sigh of relief, he heard Wei Zhenfeng say, “So, you were deliberately acting clumsy just now? You bumped into it once, so you thought I wouldn’t care if you bumped into it a second time?”

Zhao Mian paused, feigning composure. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Wei Zhenfeng closed the gift record in his hand and tossed it casually onto the table: “Don’t pretend, your face has already betrayed you.” He approached Zhao Mian step by step, entering the weak, small circle of light, like a beast searching for food in the night. “You definitely discovered something.”

Everything around them was dark, only the small area between them was lit, illuminating their contrasting faces.

Zhao Mian, enveloped by Wei Zhenfeng’s tall figure, could only see Wei Zhenfeng’s prominent Adam’s apple when looking straight ahead. He flung the gift list from the first year of Zaixi towards Wei Zhenfeng’s chest. “If you don’t believe me, see for yourself.”

Wei Zhenfeng didn’t reach out, letting the gift list hit his chest and fall to the ground. He looked down at Zhao Mian and smiled. “No, you can’t be so unfair. We agreed to look for clues together, and I even invited you. How can you hog all the discoveries for yourself? I don’t want to argue with you, Young Master Xiao.”

Wei Zhenfeng seemed to be reasoning with him in good temper, but there wasn’t a trace of a smile in his eyes. This made Zhao Mian instinctively sense danger, and his left hand couldn’t help but reach towards his waist, where the dagger Wei Zhenfeng had given him for self-defense was tucked.

“I don’t want to search you either.” Wei Zhenfeng’s gaze swept over him indifferently. “You made such a fuss about kneeling once, if I, this ugly, dark-skinned man, actually touched you everywhere, you’d probably hunt me down for the rest of your life, wouldn’t you?”

Zhao Mian’s eyebrows were like frost. Even while being cornered and threatened, he remained commanding and unyielding, his arrogance undiminished. “You know it well.”

“Stop it,” Wei Zhenfeng said, extending his hand in front of Zhao Mian. “Give it here.”

Zhao Mian lowered his eyes to Wei Zhenfeng’s open palm, his long eyelashes trembling almost imperceptibly.

Wei Zhenfeng didn’t urge him, waiting patiently.

After a long silence, Zhao Mian closed his eyes and reluctantly pulled a torn page from his sleeve, saying something irrelevant: “You people from Beiyuan really love talking backwards.”

The paper was crumpled into a ball by Zhao Mian. When Wei Zhenfeng reached for it, he inadvertently touched Zhao Mian’s hand and was surprised to find that Zhao Mian’s fingertips were damp.

This young master was actually so nervous? He looked calm on the surface, without the slightest hint of something amiss.

What an actor.

Wei Zhenfeng unfolded the crumpled paper in front of Zhao Mian. Each page of the gift list had three columns: the guest’s status, name, and the gift they presented.

Scanning down the first column, almost all were Dongling officials, except for the last one, which began with the character “Nan” followed by an official title: Grand Tutor to the Crown Prince of Nanjing, Rong Tang, presented several ancient texts.

The Grand Tutor to the Crown Prince, the Crown Prince’s teacher.

And the line following the Grand Tutor of the Crown Prince of Nan Jing clearly stated Wan Huameng’s name:

Imperial Advisor, Wan Huameng, presented a bottle of Millennium Heart-Protecting Pill.

Wan Huameng indeed came to Xuyuan to attend the ceremony in the first year of Zaixi. As for the other person…

Wei Zhenfeng looked up at Zhao Mian: “Your teacher came to Dongling sixteen years ago?”

Zhao Mian remained noncommittal.

Wei Zhenfeng asked, “What did he come to Dongling to do?”

“How would I know?” Zhao Mian said calmly. “My teacher was a Tanhua scholar in the imperial examination, a man of literary talent and unparalleled brilliance. Jia Huai is a master of Dongling’s literary world. If they had some private academic exchange, it would be perfectly reasonable.”

This explanation was plausible. Nanjing valued scholarship, and scholars often traveled to study in all directions.  It wasn’t strange for the Grand Tutor of the Crown Prince to be an emissary to Dongling.

But Wei Zhenfeng still felt something was off: “If that’s all it was, why would you hide it from me?”

Zhao Mian retorted with righteous indignation: “Why should I show you, an outsider, the matters of my Nanjing?”

Wei Zhenfeng was speechless, unable to find a suitable argument for the moment.

Zhao Mian gave him a way out: “If you’re curious, I can write a letter to ask my teacher exactly what happened back then.”

Wei Zhenfeng readily compromised: “Alright.”

The two continued their investigation, but found no other clues even after the lamp oil had burned out. It was already past Choushi, 1-3 AM, and daybreak would come soon if they didn’t leave.

Wei Zhenfeng yawned and walked away: “Let’s call it a day. Farewell.”

Zhao Mian called out to him: “Wait.”

“What, do you want me to see you off? I’m sleepy.”

“No need. I remember the way.” Zhao Mian paused for a moment, seemingly absentmindedly saying, “”I just suddenly remembered that I don’t think I ever asked you, what exactly did you, from Fuxue Tower, come all the way from Beiyuan to Dongling for?”

Wei Zhenfeng stopped walking, pondering why Zhao Mian asked him this now. He didn’t hide it, nor did he need to: “I’m here to find something.”

Zhao Mian asked, “What thing?”

Wei Zhenfeng smiled: “Whatever it is you came to Dongling to find, that’s what I came to Dongling to find.” He opened the door and said, “I’m leaving.”

Zhao Mian watched Wei Zhenfeng leave, until his figure was swallowed by the darkness, before he collapsed slightly, letting out a long sigh of relief.

He slowly opened his palm, and there, quietly lying, was the clue that Wei Zhenfeng had just pressed him for.

At the time, he had torn off two gift lists. And Wei Zhenfeng only took one of them.

The one remaining in his hand was the truly useful information.