Back on Dry Land

"Really?" Fang Yue asked doubtfully. "Don't hide anything from me. This is important!"

"...Yes. After Lord Ye asked me, I sent a servant out of the city to feed your Blazing Red Horse.

"But before long, the servant came running back in a panic and said the horse had disappeared, leaving only a pool of blood on the ground.

"I suspected a night raider or an anomaly had killed it.

"But I was afraid you'd blame me if you found out, so... I secretly had someone buy another Blazing Red Horse and brought it to the mansion. I thought that if you asked about it, I could say this was the one you'd had all along..."

Her voice gradually trailed off. Yang Hongxia's little scheme clearly wasn't something she wanted to admit.

If Fang Yue hadn't pressed her, she felt she might have gotten away with it.

After all, horses all looked alike. Unless you spent a long time around them, who could tell one from another?

What's more, Yang Hongxia had personally picked out a replacement that looked much like the Blazing Red Horse she remembered. From its appearance alone, it would have been hard to notice the difference.

But now...

Yang Hongxia nervously looked at Fang Yue, only to see that he didn't seem to be blaming her.

"As I thought... the horse is gone."

Fang Yue paced back and forth. When another drop of Night Rain landed on his head, he abruptly stopped and said, "Go back for now. I'll think this over myself. And remember, if anything happens, just send a distress signal."

Yang Hongxia backed away, looking over her shoulder every few steps. Seeing that Fang Yue had closed the door without even walking her out, she couldn't help stamping her foot.

"What a blockhead..."