Wasn't he supposed to be beaten to death? Why did this powerful cousin love him so much?

On the day Xie Yao returned to the capital, the autumn rain had just stopped, and the osmanthus blossoms throughout the city had been washed away by the rain, leaving a damp, sweet fragrance in the air.

He had traveled a long way from Changzhou and had lost weight. His jawline had become more defined, and the frivolous and dissolute air that had once graced his handsome and striking eyes had been completely worn away, replaced by a restrained melancholy.

Shuxian and Xunfeng sat in the carriage behind, both of them looking much thinner and darker, as if they had just returned from guarding the border.

He stepped through the familiar city gates, only to be greeted not by the company of old friends or the sweet whispers of a gentle embrace, but by an unprecedented wave of clamor sweeping across the entire city—almost every teahouse, tavern, and brothel was staging the same play, or a version adapted from it. In the streets and alleys, everyone was talking about the mysterious and unpredictable "Return to Immortality."

"Have you heard? The new play by Hui Xiandai premieres tonight at Changyin Troupe!"

"I watched the Legend of the White Snake yesterday, and the singing and the movements were absolutely amazing! I heard that every script written by Huixian Dai becomes a hit!"

"I wonder who this Celestial is this time?"

The opera troupe's posters were bright and eye-catching, and the sounds of string and wind instruments filled the air. Even the mischievous children on the roadside were babbling and trying to imitate the opera excerpts.

The bustling and vibrant atmosphere seemed to be separated by an invisible barrier.

Xie Yao is no longer the dashing, arrogant, and pleasure-seeking young master of the Xie family.

Xie Yao's carriage did not stop at all and headed straight towards the Xie residence.

Xie Yao first went to his mother Princess Anning's courtyard to pay his respects.

Princess Anning had already received the news. Seeing Xie Yao enter, her eyes reddened. She urged him to sit beside her quickly, looking him up and down several times, and said with heartache, "You've become so thin and dark. You don't even know how to take care of yourself while you're away from home—how are those two brats, Shuxian and Xunfeng, serving you?"

Xie Yao let her hold his hand and said calmly, "Mother, don't blame them. It was my own choice to go. Changzhou is a good place to live, and my teacher treats me well. I read and write every day, and my days are fulfilling. But Mother, please take care of yourself at home."

As Princess Anning listened, her hand holding the handkerchief tightened slightly, as if she had made a decision, and she remained silent for a long time.

Princess Anning raised her eyelids and looked directly into his eyes, then suddenly asked, "Yao'er, tell your mother the truth—did you ask Li Shi to report Yi Hua?"

Xie Yao parted his thin lips slightly and said, "Yes."

Although she already knew, Princess Anning's face still paled instantly upon hearing her son admit it.

Princess Anning's voice trembled with disbelief: "Do you know what you're doing? Yihua is your own sister! If you hadn't had Li Shi report her, she wouldn't be in this state today! Do you know how I felt when I found out all this?"

Princess Anning's voice choked with emotion; her grudge against Jiang Sese had long since vanished after learning the truth.

But Xie Yihua is also her daughter.

Princess Anning cried out in anguish, "Your elder brother refuses to save her, and I can't do anything about him. Am I supposed to be helpless against a mere Li woman? You two—one refuses to save her, and the other goes to sue—are you trying to force her to her death, or me?!"

Li is just an ordinary person, and her mouth is not sealed at all. She told everyone she knew when Xie Yao scared her, and she still does now.

Xie Yao glanced at Princess Anning's heartbroken expression and said calmly, "Mother, Yi Hua harmed Cousin Sese, almost causing her death. Doesn't she deserve justice?"

"Justice? Do you expect your sister's entire life to pay for it?!" Princess Anning was heartbroken. Looking at Xie Yao's unfamiliar calmness, a chill rose from the bottom of her heart.

Princess Anning said in a trembling voice, "How have you become like this? You weren't like this before—you used to dote on Yihua the most, and you were the first to stand up for her when she was wronged. Now you're driving her to her death? Do you have any conscience at all?!"

"Conscience?" Xie Yao's lips curled into a chilling smile, which, far from melting the icy coldness in his eyes, only added a sharper edge. "Exile is already too lenient for her. If it were me..."

Xie Yao paused for a moment, then said, "If I were Xie Jue, I would never let her live to harm anyone again!"

Princess Anning gasped sharply, staring intently at her son as if she didn't recognize him.

Is this still her son who can be affectionate, funny, and the most gentle and considerate?

Yao'er used to always linger by her side, his words as sweet as honey, his peach blossom eyes crinkling when he smiled, making her forget all her troubles. How wonderful those times were, when everything was so good.

But the handsome young man in front of her, with his cold eyes and ruthless, murderous aura, made her feel an unprecedented sense of unfamiliarity and fear.

What chilled her to the bone was the way he addressed Xie Jue—

How dare he call Xie Jue that?!

Xie Yao stood up and said calmly, "Mother, this matter is settled. If there is nothing else, I still need to prepare for the provincial examination, so I will take my leave."

"Yao'er! You...you stop right there!" Princess Anning cried out in a trembling voice.

"What did you just call your older brother?! That's your own older brother!"

Xie Yao paused almost imperceptibly at the doorway, without turning around or offering any explanation.

A moment later, Xie Yao took a step and his figure resolutely disappeared outside the door.

Princess Anning stood frozen in place, feeling a chilling aura rush from her feet to the top of her head, instantly spreading to every part of her body. Staring in the direction Xie Yao had disappeared, her eyes were filled with nothing but horror and bewilderment.

A chill ran through my body.

Xie Yao walked out of Princess Anning's courtyard, through the still bustling and lively corridors and courtyards, and headed straight for his own courtyard, which he had not lived in for a long time.

Fame and fortune were his only goals in life.