"You don't need to worry, Master Zhuang!" Wei Tingyu said with a smile. "It seems that the day's events were too much for Madam Zhuang, and she lost her mind. I feared she would truly go mad, so I knocked her unconscious."
"Just send her back to her room, and she'll wake up naturally in the morning."
Everyone in the courtyard was stunned. No one there knew martial arts, much less how to use internal energy to knock someone out. Even Zhuang Yushan, who had been dismissive of Wei Tingyu, was now looking at him with admiration. She was a wild girl who loved martial arts and riding. She now wanted to learn from him.
Zhou Ruyin, equally impressed, noticed her daughter's starry-eyed gaze. She was pleased. Her biggest worry was that Zhuang Yushan wouldn't cooperate with her plan to marry her to Wei Tingyu. Now that her daughter was interested, Zhou Ruyin knew she only needed to give them a little push.
"Oh, good, good!" Zhuang Shixiang, who wasn't really concerned about his wife's well-being, said with a sigh of relief. "Send the madam back to her room! I'll explain everything to her in the morning!"
Nanny Chen, who was loyal to Ruan Xiwen, nodded and took her mistress back to her room.
"Hanyan... can you walk?" Zhuang Shixiang asked, now that the madwoman was gone.
Zhuang Hanyan could walk, but she knew the act wasn't over. She nodded weakly, pretending to try and stand up.
"You look so tired... don't force it!" Zhuang Shixiang cut her off and turned to Wei Tingyu. "I'm old and can't carry my daughter. Please, Duke, if you don't mind..."
Everyone's eyes widened. He was asking the Duke to carry his daughter to her room. They all knew what he was trying to do.
"Sir! The Duke must be tired!" Zhou Ruyin said, trying to stop the two from getting closer. "We have strong servants here. It's not proper for an unmarried girl to be carried by a man. If the word gets out..."
"Silence!" Zhuang Shixiang cut her off with a fierce glare. He was a loving husband but wouldn't let anyone, not even his father or grandfather, get in the way of a marriage with a Duke. Zhou Ruyin's heart pounded in her chest. She had never seen such a brutal expression on her husband's face.
Wei Tingyu wasn't surprised. Zhuang Shixiang's character was all about climbing the social ladder.
"Are you suggesting that the Duke and Hanyan have a private relationship?" Zhuang Shixiang said, now to his wife. "With so many witnesses, the Duke has nothing to hide! He only stepped in to save Hanyan! What if the whole capital laughs at us? The Zhuang family knows that the Duke's actions were just!"
He was saying one thing, but Wei Tingyu knew he would spread the news himself. Wei Tingyu didn't care. He picked up the still-feeble Zhuang Hanyan in his arms and strode toward her room, leaving the stunned crowd behind.
Zhuang Shixiang smiled proudly. If it weren't for social etiquette, he would have arranged for the two to get married that night.
"Mother..." Zhuang Yushan was jealous. She tugged at her mother's sleeve.
"Stop it!" Zhou Ruyin said, giving her daughter a glare. She had been trying to get her to impress the Duke, but Zhuang Yushan wouldn't listen. Now she was jealous. But Zhou Ruyin was happy. As long as her daughter had a goal, she could help her achieve it.
Wei Tingyu carried Zhuang Hanyan to her room without stopping and gently put her down. The maid, Shu Hong, was smart enough to leave them alone and stand guard outside, leaving the door slightly ajar to avoid rumors.
Zhuang Hanyan stared at Wei Tingyu the whole way. He hadn't even broken a sweat. She had so many questions, but now that they were alone, she didn't know what to say.
Wei Tingyu wasn't bothered by the silence. He found a chair and sat down comfortably.
"It's late," Zhuang Hanyan said, "Aren't you going back?"
Wei Tingyu laughed. He had saved her, and she wasn't even grateful. She was just trying to get rid of him. "I have a few questions for you."
Zhuang Hanyan knew she couldn't get rid of him. She poured him a cup of tea and handed it to him. He was pleased. She was stubborn, but she would still serve him tea.
"What is it that you need to ask me now?" Zhuang Hanyan said, annoyed by his smug expression. She hated being outsmarted.
"Sit down, Third Miss," Wei Tingyu said, his eyes twinkling.
"Thank you for your concern," Zhuang Hanyan said, rolling her eyes. She knew he knew she wasn't weak. "I'm fine standing."
Wei Tingyu nodded and put his tea on the table. "I came here for two things. The first is to see how your health is. After that long journey, you, a frail girl, made it all the way back to the capital. It's a miracle, really."
"Thank you for your concern, Duke," Zhuang Hanyan said, knowing what he was getting at. She had prepared an answer. "I have to thank my uncle and aunt for protecting me from heaven." She was going to play dumb. "Even I don't understand how I did it."
"That is possible," Wei Tingyu said with a smile. "Your uncle and aunt were so good to you. They would surely watch over you."
Zhuang Hanyan's face hardened. She remembered the seventeen years of abuse.
"What's the second thing?" she said, eager to get rid of him.
"Oh," Wei Tingyu said. "Did the Dali Temple ever question you again about the murder case in Danzhou?"
"No," she said, frowning. "You are very interested in that case, aren't you?"
"Of course," he said, moving closer to her. "We are destined to be together, so I must care about the cases that concern you."
Zhuang Hanyan's heart pounded. She instinctively wanted to step back, but she was in her room, and she couldn't show weakness. She stood her ground, her chin held high. Wei Tingyu came closer, his face inches from hers. She could feel his breath. Her face flushed, but she still didn't move.
"Have you found your answer?" Wei Tingyu asked, his voice low.
"What are you talking about?" Zhuang Hanyan said, her face losing its color. She tried to hide her panic, but he saw it. Wei Tingyu knew he had to be careful. If he wanted to win her trust, he had to show her that he knew her secrets but wouldn't harm her.
"Why did you deliberately provoke Zhuang Yuchi into saying those things?" he asked.
"You're joking, Duke," she said, forcing a laugh. "How could I do such a thing?"
"Then I'll tell you," Wei Tingyu said. "You did this to test everyone. You didn't know anyone here—their personalities, their relationships, or their statuses. You were desperate to find out who would accept you so you could find a place to belong."
Zhuang Hanyan's face went white. He had exposed her whole plan, a plan that she had made up on the spot. But she had to stay calm.
"I am a simple country girl. I don't understand what you're saying." She would deny it, no matter what. He couldn't prove anything.
"And the assassin," Wei Tingyu whispered in her ear, "you brought her here, didn't you?"
Zhuang Hanyan's heart stopped. She and Chai Jing had planned everything in secret. There was no way anyone else could have known. He knew everything.
"Duke!" she said, trying to control her fear. "You're getting too close! Please, respect me! If you don't back off, I'll scream for help!"