Chapter 23: The Web Tightens

Bai Yue sat across from Weishan, the dim glow of a single candle casting flickering shadows along the wooden walls of her chambers. The silence between them was heavy, filled with unspoken questions and tensions that neither dared acknowledge.

Weishan leaned back against the chair, his dark eyes fixed on her with a quiet intensity that sent a shiver down her spine. He was waiting, letting the weight of the moment settle.

"You wanted to know what I know," he said finally, his voice smooth but edged with something sharper. "But are you prepared for it?"

Bai Yue straightened her posture, her chin lifting slightly. "I wouldn't have asked if I wasn't."

A faint smile tugged at the corners of his lips, but it didn't reach his eyes. "Very well. The man staying in the west wing isn't just an ordinary noble. He's an envoy from the Imperial Court, someone with enough power to crush the Bai family if he so chooses."

Bai Yue's brows furrowed. "An envoy? Why would he be here, hidden away like this?"

Weishan's gaze darkened. "Because the Bai family is offering him something… off the books. The second mistress is brokering a deal, and whatever it is, it's not meant to be known to the public."

Bai Yue's mind raced, piecing together the fragments of information she had gathered. The stolen herbs, the secret deliveries, the tension among the household staff—it all pointed to something far more sinister than she had anticipated.

"Do you know what they're offering him?" she asked, her voice steady despite the unease curling in her chest.

Weishan hesitated for a moment before answering. "Not yet. But I do know that it involves something valuable enough to risk everything for."

Bai Yue's fingers tightened around the edge of the table. "And you? Why are you so involved in this?"

Weishan smirked, but there was no humor in it. "Because someone has to keep you from getting yourself killed."

Bai Yue narrowed her eyes. "You're avoiding the question."

He leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table, his gaze unwavering. "Let's just say I have my own reasons for keeping an eye on this deal. And you, Bai Yue, have a knack for stumbling into things you shouldn't."

She exhaled slowly, trying to steady her thoughts. "So what now? Do we wait, or do we act?"

Weishan's expression grew serious. "We watch. Carefully. The second mistress is cunning, but she's not infallible. Sooner or later, she'll make a mistake."

Bai Yue nodded, her mind already calculating the next steps. "I need to get closer. I can find out more through the servants—if they trust me enough to talk."

Weishan's jaw tightened. "Too risky. The second mistress already has eyes on you."

Bai Yue lifted a brow. "I thought you liked risk."

His lips curled into a slow, dangerous smile. "Only when I control it."

She rolled her eyes but couldn't ignore the way his unwavering gaze made her pulse race. "Then let me handle this my way, and you handle it yours."

Weishan studied her for a long moment before finally sighing in resignation. "Fine. But if you get into trouble, don't expect me to stay in the shadows."

Bai Yue felt a flicker of something—relief, perhaps, or something deeper she refused to name. "I'll keep that in mind."

The next day, Bai Yue slipped into the bustling kitchen, the air thick with the scent of roasted meats and simmering broths. The servants barely glanced at her as they hurried to prepare dishes for the evening meal.

She moved quietly, listening intently to the snippets of conversation that floated through the room.

"…another delivery tonight, through the side gate…"

"…the second mistress has been so secretive lately…"

"…they say the guest in the west wing isn't well…"

Bai Yue's ears perked at the last remark. She stepped closer to a group of maids huddled near the stove, their voices hushed.

"He barely touches the food," one of them whispered. "And the doctor who visited said nothing."

"Maybe it's poison," another maid murmured, her eyes wide with suspicion.

Bai Yue's blood ran cold. Poison? Was the second mistress trying to eliminate him… or was he already sick when he arrived?

She needed to find out more.

Before she could probe further, a hand suddenly gripped her wrist, pulling her away from the kitchen. Bai Yue barely suppressed a yelp as she found herself face-to-face with Weishan in a secluded corner of the hallway.

"You don't listen," he said, his voice low but filled with exasperation.

Bai Yue yanked her wrist free, glaring up at him. "I'm gathering information."

Weishan's eyes darkened with something dangerously close to frustration. "You're drawing attention to yourself."

"I'm careful," she countered.

He stepped closer, his hand pressing against the wall beside her, effectively trapping her in place. "Not careful enough," he murmured, his gaze locking onto hers.

Bai Yue swallowed hard, but she refused to look away. "You can't protect me from everything, Weishan."

His jaw clenched, and his fingers grazed against her chin in a touch that was both possessive and gentle. "I can try."

A sharp breath escaped her lips, and for a moment, she felt the weight of his words settle heavily between them.

Then, a voice echoed down the corridor.

"Bai Yue?"

She stiffened, recognizing Bai Rong's voice, and immediately pushed past Weishan, smoothing her expression as Bai Rong approached, suspicion written all over her face.

"What are you doing here?" Bai Rong asked, eyeing them both.

Bai Yue smiled innocently. "Just discussing some herbal remedies with this gentleman."

Bai Rong's gaze flickered between them before a smirk tugged at her lips. "Be careful, cousin. You wouldn't want rumors to spread, would you?"

Bai Yue forced a smile. "Rumors are a waste of time."

Bai Rong chuckled. "We'll see." She walked away with a knowing glance at Weishan, leaving Bai Yue with a sinking feeling in her chest.

Once Bai Rong was gone, Weishan leaned in and whispered, "You're playing a dangerous game, little one."

Bai Yue tilted her chin up defiantly. "Then I guess we're both playing."

Weishan's eyes gleamed with amusement, but beneath it, something darker lingered. "Don't get too comfortable, Bai Yue. The stakes are higher than you think."

She watched as he walked away, her mind racing with possibilities.

If the second mistress was truly plotting something dangerous, she needed to find out soon—before it was too late.

And whether she liked it or not, Weishan would be right there with her.