After Miss Jiang was sent away, the steward of the Yan Mansion told Xue Zi Ning to return and await news.
There was no news for three days. In the evening, Kui Xiang brought her word that the Yan Mansion's young master's attendant had been chosen – it was the person who, yesterday, had said one couldn't offend the Northern King's Mansion.
Upon hearing this, Xue Zi Ning stood up and started to leave. Kui Xiang hurried after her, asking, "Young Master, where are you going?"
"The Yan Mansion," Xue Zi Ning replied, walking out the door. Kui Xiang quickly followed.
Arriving at the Yan Mansion, Xue Zi Ning went to knock. Someone opened the door shortly after. The person who opened it looked her up and down and asked, "Who are you looking for?"
"Steward Yan," Xue Zi Ning said.
"Wait a moment," the servant said, closing the door.
After about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, no one had come out. Kui Xiang said, "Young Master, I doubt anyone will come out."
"If no one comes out, I'll break in."
Kui Xiang was taken aback. She looked up at Xue Zi Ning and saw her expression was cold and clear, as if she weren't joking. "Young Master, you..."
Suddenly, the door opened. Xue Zi Ning turned to see who had come out – it was Steward Yan.
She stepped forward and bowed, saying, "Steward Yan."
Seeing her, Steward Yan was slightly startled. He must have recognized her. He said, "Feng Ning?"
Xue Zi Ning nodded. "It is I. I don't quite understand. That day, you said whoever sent Miss Jiang away would be the young master's attendant. It was I who sent Miss Jiang away that day, yet I heard that the attendant did not approve of sending Miss Jiang away. Can you tell me why?"
"This..." Steward Yan appeared somewhat troubled.
"Does the Yan Mansion also go back on their word?" Xue Zi Ning raised her voice.
Steward Yan sighed and said, "I did indeed choose you, but it was the young master who designated Feng Kai."
"Yan Jin Chao?" Xue Zi Ning was stunned.
Upon hearing this, Steward Yan's expression soured. "How can you address the young master by his given name?"
Xue Zi Ning smiled and said, "My apologies. I am no longer of the Yan Mansion. It is not wrong to call him by his name."
"You..."
"I want to see Young Master Yan," Xue Zi Ning stated.
Steward Yan glanced at her and said, "The young master is not seeing anyone."
"If he's not seeing anyone, then he's not seeing anyone," Xue Zi Ning said, turning to leave.
Kui Xiang followed behind her, confused. "I thought Young Master would break in."
"Only a fool would do that." She wasn't a fool. Wouldn't it be better to sneak in quietly in the middle of the night?
Returning to the inn, Xue Zi Ning fell asleep immediately. Kui Xiang had to return to her room to deliver the message. In the middle of the night, the person still asleep in bed suddenly opened her eyes, got up, put on her night clothes, and left her room.
She arrived at the Yan Mansion in less than half the time it took during the day. She leaped into the mansion.
At this hour, everything was silent, save for the occasional sounds of the night watchman.
She had memorized the route to the Yan Mansion the day before. After the time it took for an incense stick to burn, she accurately reached Yan Jin Chao's room.
The room was already dark.
She blew the prepared sleeping incense into the room. After a while, she pushed open the door and walked in.
There was no moonlight tonight, and the room was pitch black. However, she could still sense a presence within.
Following the presence, she walked to the bedside and reached out to touch his hand. Only when she felt a cold touch did she find his pulse. Suddenly, her heart sank. Where was his inner strength? Why was it gone?
Suddenly, the hand she was touching grasped hers in return. A cold voice then came from the bed, "Who are you?"
"Yan Zhao, it's me..." she whispered.
"You have the wrong person..." his voice was low and cold.
"Yan Zhao, stop messing around. I am A Ning..."
What awaited her was a voice as cold as frost. "Leave here, or I will call everyone over right now."
She was stunned. Her Yan Zhao wouldn't speak to her like this. "Yan Zhao, don't you remember me?"
In the darkness, the eyes radiating only a chilling coldness. "I don't know what you're talking about. How would I know you?"
Xue Zi Ning took a step back but still wasn't giving up. "Yan Zhao, what exactly happened?"
"Not leaving?" He sounded impatient.
"I'm leaving..." Xue Zi Ning said.
"Go..." He wasn't even willing to spare an extra word.
"Yan Zhao, I will come back. I will take you home..."
With that, she turned and left.
The room suddenly lit up. The man on the bed looked at the opened door, stood up, walked to the door, and whispered, "From now on, no one is allowed to come near."
"Yes, Young Master," came a voice from outside the door.
Xue Zi Ning returned to the inn, clutching her chest. It hurt. Her Yan Zhao didn't recognize her. What could be more ironic than that?
"Young Master, what's wrong?" Kui Xiang's voice came from outside the door.
"Nothing."
"Young Master, may Kui Xiang come in?" Kui Xiang asked.
"Come in!" Xue Zi Ning said.
Kui Xiang pushed open the door and walked in. Seeing her dejected expression, she couldn't help but ask, "Does Young Master know Young Master Yan?"
Xue Zi Ning looked up at Kui Xiang and said after a pause, "An old acquaintance, but... the acquaintance does not recognize me."
"Young Master, besides Young Master Yan, do the people around him also not recognize you?"
Xue Zi Ning was stunned. She looked at Kui Xiang, her eyes brightening slightly. "You are right. There are still people around him."
But she thought for a long time and couldn't recall where Xue Feng, Xue Song, and Xue Li were. Where were they?
"Young Master, do you have any doubts?" Kui Xiang asked.
"The people around him are no longer the same as before."
Kui Xiang thought for a moment and said, "Perhaps those people have left."
Xue Zi Ning shook her head. "Impossible. Anyone can leave, but the people around him would not leave, unless they died..."
Suddenly, she was struck by a thought. Yan Zhao had lost his inner strength, and Xue Feng and Xue Song's strange absence from his side was itself a very unusual matter.
"Young Master, have you remembered something?" Kui Xiang asked.
Xue Zi Ning shook her head. It was clear now that Yan Zhao did not recognize her. What had happened to Yan Zhao before she arrived?
What had happened to make Yan Zhao lose his inner strength?
"Young Master, the Northern King's daughter is holding a painting banquet tomorrow. You could try attending."
Xue Zi Ning was startled. Kui Xiang continued, "I know Young Master has likely come here in connection with the Northern King's Mansion. Why not go and investigate the Northern King's Mansion?"
Xue Zi Ning nodded and asked, "Has the house been bought?"
Kui Xiang nodded. "It has been bought. However, I took the liberty of giving the servants to those who were homeless from the Feng Yue Tower."
"You did very well," Xue Zi Ning said, not blaming Kui Xiang at all.
Kui Xiang secretly breathed a sigh of relief. At the time, she had made a decision on her own to help Wen Nuan, which had brought about the downfall of the Feng Yue Tower. She owed an apology only to the women of the Feng Yue Tower.
She didn't know what those women could do after leaving the Feng Yue Tower, so she brought them in, hoping to provide them with sustenance and alleviate her guilt.