By the time he returned from the Yamen, it was nearly midnight.
After escorting Sister Bu back to Parrot Alley, Xie Jinhuan did not disturb her further at such a late hour and returned alone to the nearby Eldest Princess's Residence.
In the depths of winter, light snow fell soundlessly. Lights were scattered sparsely throughout the vast residence, and apart from a few guards patrolling its perimeter, there was not another sound.
After a glance around, Xie Jinhuan headed straight to Wanyi's courtyard. He had intended to sneak inside and go to bed, but before he reached the door, he heard quiet conversation within:
"Aunt, do you think Young Master Xie was secretly summoned into the palace by the Empress Dowager?"
"What nonsense are you talking about? Yang Dabiao said they caught some bandits, and he's busy with official business at the Yamen."
"Of course that's what they'd tell everyone. Young Master Xie can't openly announce that he went into the palace to keep the Empress Dowager company-"
"You have a point-"
*?*
What do you mean, she has a point-
Xie Jinhuan felt that, with Zisu chattering in her ear all day long, Wanyi had begun half believing the rumors too. He did have something going on with Guo D Meiren,
so he could hardly clear things up.
Seeing the two women chatting away so enthusiastically, he clearly could not very well butt in. Instead, he turned toward Momo's courtyard and glanced inside.
Qingmo always kept regular hours, so she was certainly asleep by now. The courtyard was quiet, but the snowmen built that morning were still there. Wanyi must have discovered them sometime during the day and stood the reclining snowman upright beside his, leaving one on either side to keep him company.
Big Coal Ball, a born