Xiao Jin woke up from unconsciousness and found herself lying in bed.
She turned her head and saw a blue sky outside.
While dreaming, Xiao Jin had never forgotten to curse the scumbag system. But when she woke up and saw such a beautiful sky, she couldn’t be bothered to curse anymore.
Thinking of the system, it started up and responded, “Host, actually your remaining lifespan hasn’t been used up yet, but there might be some uncontrollable reactions due to unexpected circumstances… or perhaps because the mission deadline is approaching.”
Xiao Jin asked, “What can you control?”
Witnessing the system’s attempt to shift blame, she initially wanted to mock it a bit more.
Then she thought, perhaps spitting blood was the instinctive reaction of the original owner, and the system really couldn’t control it.
Noticing that there was no one else in the room, Xiao Jin got up on her own and got dressed.
In the process, she also tied a box of sleeve arrows for self-defense.
Although the courtyard seemed quiet and there didn’t appear to be anyone, considering that she was still presenting herself as disabled, Xiao Jin decided to sit in the wheelchair before reaching out to open the window.
Taking a breath of fresh air, she felt that her vital signs were good. It seemed like the intense coughing and the feeling of imminent death from last night were all illusions.
Xiao Jin raised her hand and noticed that the blood-stained jade ring was gone. She guessed that Chu Shao must have taken it off.
Indeed, it couldn’t be a dream.
With this in mind, Xiao Jin lowered her gaze and looked at the black figure leaning against the window.
Ye Suyu was holding her whip close and had her eyes closed, meeting with the Duke of Zhou in broad daylight.
Not seeing Chu Shao and Ye Juege, but only a half-hearted Ye Suyu guarding the courtyard, Xiao Jin had a strong intuition that something significant had happened in the mansion.
So she spoke up and ruthlessly woke up the dozing Ye Suyu.
“Suyu, Ye Suyu.”
Hearing this voice devoid of any goodwill, Ye Suyu jolted and abruptly woke up, opening her eyes.
When she opened her eyes and saw Xiao Jin’s face, joy appeared on her face. “Your Highness, you finally woke up! If you didn’t wake up, the princess would have killed all the captured people.”
Xiao Jin had just woken up and didn’t immediately react to what “captured people” meant.
Seeing that Xiao Jin didn’t say anything, Ye Suyu added, “It’s Bai Lidan and Ye Feiyan.”
Xiao Jin instantly understood.
The idiom “when the city gate catches fire, the fish in the moat are affected” probably applied here. Chu Shao probably wanted to kill Ye Feiyan, and Bai Lidan, an old man, was most likely just a scapegoat for Chu Shao’s anger.
Thinking that these two people might still be useful in the future, and considering that there was some kinship between Ye Feiyan and Ye Suyu, Xiao Jin, although feeling a bit weary, still asked Ye Suyu to lead the way and go take a look.
On the way, Ye Suyu recounted what happened last night and continued into this morning.
Her words were long-winded, but when condensed, the main point revolved around one thing.
As a listener, Xiao Jin struggled to focus and sorted out the entire event. “The princess wanted to kill Ye Feiyan but was stopped by Tang Yu and Juege. Tang Yu left, Su Tan returned, and the princess asked Su Tan for poison to interrogate Ye Feiyan but was stopped by Tang Ling, who arrived after hearing the news.”
Coming and going, going and coming.
Playing a game of chain reaction.
This repeating chain reaction game that lasted all night had clearly distressed Ye Suyu. “Your Highness, now only you can stop the princess. If Ye Feiyan dies, it will be difficult to explain to Master Ye.”
Xiao Jin looked at Ye Suyu and said, “Ye Feiyan is also a member of the Ye family, just like you. Aren’t you worried about her safety?”
Ye Suyu paused her wheelchair-pushing movement and said, “Although I share the same surname as Miss Ye, I am only a collateral branch of the Ye family. It’s not my place to worry about her. She has people to worry about her.”
“Besides, our positions are different. She and Ye Ji, the master, are quite similar. They both inherit the arrogance of Old Master Ye and disdain flattering the powerful. The ones they detest the most are lackeys and lapdogs, such as…”
Ye Suyu didn’t finish her sentence, but Xiao Jin could understand.
She was probably referring to the Second Tang siblings.
Xiao Jin calmly said, “Ye Feiyan disdains flattering the powerful and has a proud temperament. But isn’t it acting as a lackey and lapdog to risk her life for the Crown Prince?”
Ye Suyu sighed softly, “Your Highness, in fact, Miss Ye and I have dug bird nests together and thrown stones at birds a few times when we were young. We were childhood playmates. After growing up, we’ve sporadically exchanged letters.”
Xiao Jin nodded and made an evaluation, “In terms of not behaving like a proper person, you and she seem to have similar interests.”
“…”.
Ye Suyu continued, “That’s why I know that she is serving the Crown Prince to repay a debt of gratitude from years ago.”
Xiao Jin thought to herself, another debt of gratitude scenario.
The male lead is really lucky, with a line of people waiting for him to save them. Then she remembered what Xiao Shuang had said to her before, that Old Master Ye had already retired from the court and no longer cared about the palace’s turmoil.
Xiao Jin couldn’t help but ask, “If Old Master Ye and Master Ye have already retired, why would they allow Ye Feiyan to get involved in court affairs?”
Ye Suyu thought for a moment and said, “My mother told me before that when Princess Zhao Yang had not yet demonstrated her power, Old Master Ye had also followed the late Emperor and wholeheartedly served Qi Country as a loyal subject.”
“After that, the Ye family faced suppression, and the Princess’s faction, who supported Princess Zhao Yang, were all exiled. Only because the late Emperor valued Old Master Ye’s contributions, he left a glimmer of hope for the Ye family and allowed him to retire with his second son, Ye Yuan, and enjoy his later years.”
Xiao Jin couldn’t evaluate Emperor Taizong’s behavior of hitting someone and then giving them a date palm, but she could guess Old Master Ye’s thoughts. “So, Old Master Ye had his title and power taken away, but instead he felt grateful for the late Emperor’s great kindness and showed mercy to the Ye family’s subordinates?”
What an ultimate Stockholm syndrome.
When it involved the direct line of the Ye family, Ye Suyu didn’t dare to agree too much and said tactfully, “I don’t know what Old Master Ye really thinks, but according to my mother, Old Master Ye is a loyalist who believes in orthodoxy.”
“If it weren’t for Empress Ye giving birth to Princess Zhao Yang, I’m afraid he would never have cultivated his followers or harbored those inappropriate thoughts.”
Xiao Jin didn’t have a good impression of Old Master Ye, who was so opportunistic, and asked Ye Suyu, “What do you think?”
There was no one else here, so Ye Suyu couldn’t hold back her sarcasm and commented, “Except for Princess Zhao Yang, that whole family of theirs is stubborn and old-fashioned.”
Xiao Jin didn’t respond.
Because from a certain perspective, she thought her aunt was quite stubborn too.
Although Ye Feiyan had been labeled as old-fashioned and stubborn by Ye Suyu’s words, Xiao Jin could sense that Ye Suyu’s steps were noticeably faster than before.
She instantly understood that, indeed, Ye Suyu was all talk and no action. She didn’t hesitate to criticize the Ye family’s direct line.
In reality, she still hoped that she could go and save Ye Feiyan, to save her life. Just as they entered the side courtyard, Ye Suyu suddenly stopped in her tracks.
And Xiao Jin, sitting in the wheelchair, was also attracted by the large round wooden board in the center. More accurately, the round and enormous object looked more like a roulette.
Xiao Jin felt no sense of familiarity or fondness for a lucky roulette appearing in ancient times. Because the design of this roulette was clearly not very fortunate.
At this moment, Ye Feiyan was tied up with her hands and feet on the round board, while Zi Ling and Yin Zhu were responsible for pushing the edge of the roulette, assisting her in rotating.
Ye Feiyan spun around like a falling top. Her mouth was no longer filled with words, and even her curses seemed weak and feeble.
What made Xiao Jin’s brow furrow incessantly was Chu Shao, who stood on the opposite side of the roulette. The Chu Shao she was familiar with, the most beautiful scenery of the Prince Yan’s residence, was smiling as she watched the rapidly spinning roulette.
She raised her hand and took several poisoned darts from Su Tan’s hands.
Like throwing pebbles into a lake, Chu Shao’s posture was extremely casual as she casually threw the darts in her hand, listening to Ye Feiyan’s increasingly desperate screams.
“Ah—you lunatic! If you have the ability, just kill me—”
Every dart hit its target with incredible precision, barely grazing the edge of Ye Feiyan’s body and not piercing her.
However, the constant pressure of being on the brink of death was clearly overwhelming for Ye Feiyan, a young lady who had been pampered by her elders since childhood.
Xiao Jin could already guess that Chu Shao had survived more than once.
However, even knowing that Ye Feiyan was useful to her, Chu Shao still bound her to the roulette and started playing the game of the Wheel of Fortune.
It was evident that Ye Feiyan was truly an insignificant passerby.
As Chu Shao grew bored with the game, she decided to stop. She noticed that Ye Feiyan couldn’t produce anything useful and took the opportunity while Ye Juege was busy treating the critically injured Bai Lidan in a dark room.
As the roulette’s speed slowed down, Chu Shao held a dart and threw it towards Ye Feiyan’s forehead.
Ye Feiyan watched the dart aimed at her, her whole body filled with terror, unable to utter a complete sentence.
Seeing this scene, Ye Suyu, holding a steel whip, jumped up as if she wanted to intercept the dart with her whip.
However, an arrow shot from Chu Shao’s sleeve was faster than her whip.
“Ding!”
The dart and feathered arrow collided and fell to the ground.
Chu Shao followed the sound and saw the person sitting in the wheelchair, as well as Ye Suyu, who held the steel whip and seemed slightly surprised.
Xiao Jin smiled at her and said, “Spare her life.”
Chu Shao stared at Xiao Jin for a while, a smile forming on her face, and said to Yin Zhu and Zi Ling, who were beside her, turning the roulette, “You two can stop.”
Yin Zhu and Zi Ling stopped their actions.
But Ye Feiyan, still tied to the spinning roulette, stared blankly at the fallen dart and feathered arrow on the ground, remaining silent and appearing dazed.
Seeing that Xiao Jin had arrived, Ye Feiyan snapped back to reality.
She moved her lips and asked in a trembling voice, “Why do you have this style of arrow?”
Xiao Jin furrowed her brows slightly, not quite understanding what Ye Feiyan was saying.
However, Ye Feiyan continued, “Black arrow, white feathers… The shaft is engraved with cloud patterns. Isn’t this the Crown Prince’s arrow?”
At that moment, Ye Juege happened to arrive as well.
And this box of plum blossom sleeve arrows was the self-defense weapon prepared by Ye Juege for Xiao Jin during their trip to Qingzhou.
Xiao Jin looked at Ye Juege and asked, “What is she saying?”
Ye Juege met Xiao Jin’s gaze and her face showed genuine surprise, without any pretense, “Your Highness, this box of sleeve arrows was crafted by the craftsmen of Yan’s territory years ago according to your preferred style. It has nothing to do with the Crown Prince.”
Xiao Jin could believe this explanation.
After all, the original owner’s clothes were all black, and there were indeed cloud patterns embroidered on them.
Old Zhang, the steward, stood by and chimed in, “Your Highness, I’m sure of it! It was this arrow that brushed against Miss Bai Zheng’s neck back then. It was so close that it almost took Miss Bai’s life!”
“…”
Xiao Jin recalled the original owner receiving new sleeve arrows and the absurd act of using Bai Zheng as a target. For a while, she didn’t know how to evaluate it.
Ye Juege gazed at the black arrow on the ground, and her expression slightly changed, “Your Highness, I also remembered.”
Seeing that her subordinates were all remembering something, Xiao Jin naturally didn’t suppress their desire to express themselves and nodded, indicating for them to speak.
Ye Juege looked at the black arrow and began recounting a small incident that the original owner had done in the past.
As for how long ago it happened, even though Ye Juege had a good memory, she couldn’t recall the exact timeframe.
She only mentioned a certain year, month, and day when the original owner accompanied the Crown Prince on a trip and bought a newly published illustrated book. After that, they went to the most famous tea house in the capital, where they set up a black and white game of Go and played a match.
On the surface, it seemed like they were testing their Go skills, but in reality, the Prince Yan was not good at the game at all. She had just recently learned how to block with the game pieces and was simply looking for some amusement.
After losing several times, she didn’t want to play against the Crown Prince anymore and turned her attention to the newly purchased illustrated book.
Hearing this, Xiao Jin became curious and asked, “Ye Juege, do you remember the name of the book I bought?”
Given the premise of her memory loss and the well-known fact that the Prince Yan had a bad memory, Ye Juege wasn’t surprised and replied, “It’s called ‘Beauty of the Four Seas’.”
Just hearing the name seemed normal.
However, Ye Suyu’s expression became a bit strange, and she spoke softly, “Beauty of the Four Seas… Isn’t that the famous beauty picture album circulating in the brothels? Although it can’t be openly displayed in study rooms, mysterious people compile and publish it every year, and bookstore owners secretly sell it to the highest bidder.”
After hearing Ye Suyu’s words, everyone, including Chu Shao with a smile on her face, looked at Xiao Jin.
Regarding the embarrassing act the original owner did, as the scapegoat, Xiao Jin fell silent.
At the same time, she started to doubt the original owner’s claim of “not being interested in women.”
Going out of the palace specifically to find a bookstore and buy pictures of beautiful women, how could that not be considered an interest in women?
Fortunately, Xiao Jin could redirect the blame onto Ye Suyu to achieve her own purpose. “Ye Suyu, why do you know about this picture album? Have you bought it?”
“…” Ye Suyu didn’t expect Xiao Jin to shift the blame onto her and retorted with righteous words, “Your Highness, I am different from you. I don’t have any ill intentions. I just bought it out of curiosity.”
“I was also just curious.”
Xiao Jin decisively ended the topic.
After this incident, except for Ye Feiyan, who was still tied to the spinning roulette, and who had a general understanding of the story, only Chu Shao remembered that Ye Juege hadn’t finished telling this story and reminded him, “General Ye, please continue.”
Of course, the premise was that Chu Shao knew that Xiao Jin was not the previous Prince Yan. Otherwise, with the statement of “just out of curiosity,” things would not end well.
Ye Juege nodded and continued.
While the Prince Yan was enjoying the picture book, there was a commotion downstairs.
Looking up, the Prince Yan saw a young female martial artist and several armed men engaged in a fight amidst the crowd.
Listening to the tea house owner’s explanation, Prince Yan roughly understood that the young female martial artist had some grudges with the knife-wielding men at the neighboring table. With the narrow path of enemies, it seemed that bloodshed was inevitable.
The Prince Yan usually didn’t like to meddle in other people’s affairs, but for some reason at that time, she activated the mechanism of her sleeve arrow and saved the young female martial artist who was being surrounded by the knife-wielding men.
Ye Suyu glanced at Xiao Jin and made a reasonable guess, “Most likely, Your Highness wanted to test the effectiveness of the new sleeve arrow again.”
Xiao Jin remained silent.
In her opinion, it was highly probable that the original owner was disturbed by the crowd fighting downstairs while admiring the beautiful women in the picture book, and out of annoyance, decided to intervene.
Don’t ask her why she understood it so well.
It’s because she had experienced the frustration of reading manga with poor internet connection, where the images wouldn’t load properly, leading to a sense of helpless anger.
For whatever reason, Prince Yan intervened and saved the young female martial artist. Despite having knife wounds, she was grateful and climbed up the stairs to express her gratitude to her savior.
Who would have known that Prince Yan didn’t want to take credit for the act and asked Ye Juege to intercept the young female martial artist, stating that she didn’t want to meet her.
Ye Juege was not from the main branch of the Ye family; she was just an orphan adopted and raised by Ye Ji. Moreover, she had only been raised for a few years before being assigned to Xiao Shuang by Xiao Jin.
She rarely accompanied Ye Ji on outings, and apart from Ye Suyu, she had hardly seen anyone from the Ye family, so she didn’t recognize the young female martial artist’s identity.
The young female martial artist was stopped by Ye Juege but persisted and insisted on coming up.
Prince Yan was getting annoyed by her persistence and was ready to send someone to chase the young female martial artist away where she couldn’t see her.
The Crown Prince hurriedly advised against it, stating that it was inappropriate for a gentleman to act this way.
Looking at the Crown Prince who resembled Tang Sanzang, Prince Yan suddenly had an idea. If she pushed the Crown Prince forward as the young female martial artist’s savior, then she could comfortably sit in the elegant pavilion and enjoy her tea.
Prince Yan proposed this idea, but the Crown Prince politely declined.
Prince Yan suggested it again, and the Crown Prince refused once more.
Finally, the Crown Prince compromised.
If they continued to refuse like this and stayed here, the idle people in the teahouse would recognize the Prince Yan and her identity.
After listening to this bizarre story, Xiao Jin’s expression was indescribable.
She felt that from the moment she entered this book until now, the biggest disappointment was not the system but the suffocating original owner.
Ye Feiyan also felt suffocated, but in a physical sense.
The person who saved her…
Was not the Crown Prince, but the Prince Yan?
If that’s the case, then yesterday, she almost killed her own savior, didn’t she?
Realizing this, Ye Feiyan found it difficult to breathe. Hanging on the roulette, without opening her mouth to speak, tears fell from her eyes first.
“I’m sorry… I’m sorry…”
Xiao Jin couldn’t stand seeing people cry. Her headache resurfaced and she tried to console her, saying, “It’s not necessary.”
Little did she know that upon hearing those words, Ye Feiyan released her voice and cried even louder.
After soothing Ye Feiyan for a long time and finally stopping her tears, she began kneeling on the ground, begging Xiao Jin to kill her.
Xiao Jin looked at this familiar scene and turned to look at Ye Juege.
Ye Juege lowered her head, looking at the stones on the ground.
Xiao Jin frankly told Ye Feiyan the truth, “If I kill you, Master Ye will cause trouble for the Prince Yan’s residence.”
Otherwise, do you think you would still be alive now?
Ye Feiyan widened her almond-shaped eyes and sadly realized that whether she lived or died, she would be trouble. So she said to Xiao Jin, “Your Highness, I was wrong, I realized it too late.”
“As a person burdened with great sins, I should not be pitied even if I die. But before I die, if there is a place where you can use me, even if it means going through fire and water, I will do it!”
Mentioning this, Xiao Jin looked at Chu Shao with a glance.
She didn’t have any use for Ye Feiyan, but Chu Shao definitely did.
However, Chu Shao showed no reaction and continued to smile at her, “Why are you looking at me like that, Your Highness?”
The tear mole in the corner of her eye was particularly captivating.
This statement was very ordinary, but when it reached Xiao Jin’s ears, it brought back memories of their embrace in the rain last night, causing her mind to become chaotic.
Fortunately, Xiao Jin was currently in a state of handling important matters and quickly regained her composure.
After dismissing everyone except Chu Shao, she asked Ye Feiyan an important question, “Where is the other half of the right imperial seal of Yao Country?”
Both Chu Shao and Ye Feiyan were stunned.
Xiao Jin, who knew the original plot, remained calm.
According to Gongsun Xun’s words, before the original owner attacked the main city, Emperor Yao Chu Yu had divided the jade seal into two parts, hiding the left seal in the sleeping quarters of the abandoned Empress Ning.
The other half, the right imperial seal, was entrusted to the Marquis of Pengcheng.
But Xiao Jin vaguely remembered that in the original story, the right imperial seal did not seem to have been taken away by the Marquis of Pengcheng as rumored.
On the contrary, for some unknown reason, it ended up in the hands of the male lead.
After all, in the later stages of the story, after the male lead ascended to the throne, he had Ye Feiyan retrieve the right imperial seal and hand it over to Chu Shao.
This indicated that Ye Feiyan should have been responsible for guarding the right imperial seal.
Even if she wasn’t that capable, she must have been involved in some way.
As expected, when Xiao Jin asked this question, Ye Feiyan showed hesitation on her face.
Between her eyebrows, several large characters were written: I know where the right imperial seal is, but I don’t know if I can say it.
After a long silence, Ye Feiyan seemed to make up her mind and bit her lip, saying, “Your Highness, I do know where the right imperial seal is.”
Xiao Jin remained calm and asked, “Where is it?”
Ye Feiyan said, “I didn’t want to help you obtain the right imperial seal just because Your Highness once saved my life. I only heard from my uncle that keeping it in Qi Country would eventually bring calamity. It would be better to destroy it than to store it in the treasury.”
Chu Shao asked with a smile, seemingly already aware of the answer, “But did he actually destroy it?”
“No,” Ye Feiyan shook her head. “My uncle said it is an extremely valuable item, and he wouldn’t destroy it nor have any reason to do so. At that time, I thought if it disappeared, no one would covet it, and it would reduce many conflicts.”
Xiao Jin could believe the reasons why Ye Feiyan helped her. However, she couldn’t help but feel that Ye Feiyan seemed unreliable, and she might have been caught by soldiers right after entering the treasury.
She asked, “How do you plan to steal it?”
Ye Feiyan earnestly described her plan. After hearing it, Xiao Jin realized that Ye Feiyan didn’t have a solid plan. She was relying on her identity as Ye Ji’s niece and her access tokens to freely move around the major palace gates without being arrested.
Just as Xiao Jin was about to advise Ye Feiyan to be cautious, Chu Shao, who had been quietly listening, smiled and said, “The plan doesn’t have to be so complicated. I know the secret passages of the Qi Country’s palace. Give me the access token, and I’ll go steal it.”
One sentence silenced both of them.
Xiao Jin knew that Chu Shao had lived through more than one lifetime and quickly understood.
Indeed, in the original story, Chu Shao unified the world later on, and it wasn’t unusual for her to take a stroll in the secret passages of her own palace.
Ye Feiyan was extremely surprised and wanted to know how Chu Shao, a person from Yao Country, knew about the secret passages of the Qi Country’s palace.
However, Chu Shao smiled and remained silent, giving off the impression that she didn’t want to talk to her.
Ye Feiyan had no choice but to drop the subject and bring up another matter, saying, “But if you steal the imperial seal with the access token my uncle gave me, won’t everyone know that I am the one who stole it?”
Chu Shao’s tone was casual, “Then let them not know.”
Ye Feiyan looked puzzled.
Chu Shao continued, “I’ll use the access token to enter the palace gates first. After a short while, you can inform the guards on duty that your access token has been stolen, and they will search for me elsewhere.”
“When an unexpected intruder breaks into the palace, as the Inspector of the Nine Gates, Ye Ji will surely strengthen the guards in the forbidden court. On the contrary, the guards at the treasury will be reduced.”
“At that time, no one will suspect you, and I can take the opportunity to retrieve the imperial seal when the security at the treasury is weakened.”
Ye Feiyan listened with a puzzled expression. She found it hard to believe that this was a spur-of-the-moment plan from Chu Shao, not something she had meticulously planned for a long time.
Chu Shao simply smiled and remained silent. After all, whether Ye Ji would be punished because of this had nothing to do with her.
Upon hearing Ye Feiyan’s words, Xiao Jin suddenly had an idea.
“I have a way to steal the imperial seal without implicating Master Ye,” she said.
Both Chu Shao and Ye Feiyan looked at her.
Xiao Jin said, “However, we’ll need to find a skilled artisan first to make a mask.”
….
A few days later.
It was night, and the imperial guards looked at the stars in the sky, feeling drowsy.
Standing at the palace gate, they guarded the motionless palace, having spent another peaceful day.
One of the guards was contemplating that after finishing his shift, he would go to the tavern and have a few pounds of good wine. He squinted his eyes and saw a cloaked figure in the darkness.
The cloak was pitch black and had a loose design, almost covering the entire figure.
The guard immediately became alert, waking up his drowsy companion and gripping the sword at his waist. He asked sternly, “Who goes there? How dare you trespass into the palace!”
The person approached, removing the hood of the cloak, revealing a blood-red mask.
The guards drew their swords, startled by what they saw.
But their astonishment didn’t last long. The person raised a piece of bronze token and spoke in a hoarse voice, “I’m doing tasks for the master. Stand aside.”
On the token, there was an imprint of a leaf.
The guards exchanged glances. Although they still had doubts, they sheathed their weapons and dispersed.
Watching the figure receding into the distance, one of the guards couldn’t help but ask, “That person just now seemed suspicious. Shouldn’t we report it to Master Ye?”
Another guard agreed, “Absolutely! I looked at that mask, and it gave me an ominous feeling. It reminded me of the organization my father used to tell me about, the one that kills without blinking an eye and even captures children to devour.”
While their companions continued discussing, the guard who had planned to go for a drink broke out in a cold sweat.
He knew what the mask represented, making him unable to believe that Master Ye would have any connection with that organization and even send someone to display the access token openly at the palace gate.
Wait… something’s not right.
Even if Master Ye is really connected to that organization, he would never allow someone to openly carry his access token and walk into the palace.
The faces of the imperial guards changed, and they immediately sent a fast runner to inform Ye Ji. At the same time, they led their companions to other gates to intercept the mysterious person.
However, they didn’t wait for the runner’s response, nor did they find any trace of the mysterious person. Instead, they were greeted by someone else.
Ye Ji’s niece came running, gasping for breath, and shouted, “Something bad has happened! The people from the Blood Rain Pavilion infiltrated the mansion and stole the access token!”
…
Tonight, the palace was in chaos.
The Blood Rain Pavilion, a mere martial arts organization, dared to be so audacious, entering the palace as if they were walking through an empty space.
Not only did they alarm Ye Ji, who led his elite troops to search every corner of the palace, but they also broke into the treasury and stole a precious item.
No one knew what that item was.
But they were well aware that some influential figures in the capital city would not tolerate the Blood Rain Pavilion’s actions.
At this moment, Xiao Jin was sitting in the courtyard, leisurely sipping tea from her cup.
Upon hearing Ye Feiyan’s words, she swirled the tea leaves floating on the surface with her cup and said, “They won’t tolerate the Blood Rain Pavilion, and they don’t have the audacity to confront them either.”
Ye Feiyan was puzzled, “Why?”
Xiao Jin looked at Ye Feiyan, thinking about how the male lead kept the matter of the Blood Rain Pavilion a secret, even hiding it from his loyal subordinates.
Cunning and suspicious, it was no wonder he became the emperor and survived until the end.
Chu Shao had already obtained the right imperial seal, so she wasn’t satisfied with Ye Feiyan still lingering in Prince Yan’s mansion.
Therefore, she reminded her, “Miss Ye, Master Ye will come looking for you tonight. Everyone knows that you have been released by Her Highness. If you stay here, it will only raise suspicions about Prince Yan’s mansion.”
Although Ye Feiyan didn’t necessarily feel obliged to follow Chu Shao’s words, she couldn’t help but admit that she was right. She excused herself and left.
After Ye Feiyan left, Xiao Jin stared at the half piece of the imperial seal in her palm for a while, then handed it over to Chu Shao.
Chu Shao was slightly stunned, “Does Your Highness not want the right imperial seal?”
“No, I don’t,” Xiao Jin answered straightforwardly. “This doesn’t serve any purpose for me. I just thought you might need it, so I wanted to give it to you.”
Chu Shao stared at Xiao Jin for a long time before reaching out her hand to accept the half piece of the imperial seal she placed in her palm.
The imperial seal was carved from high-quality Hetian jade, with a lustrous shine and a chilling touch.
While holding the half piece of the imperial seal, Chu Shao didn’t carefully examine or verify whether it was real or fake. As she touched this cold object, she couldn’t help but savor the cool and smooth temperature when it touched Xiao Jin’s hand.
The imperial seal remained in Chu Shao’s hand for only a moment before she casually set it aside.
Her fingertips curled around Xiao Jin’s fingers, sliding up her wrist and into her sleeve.
Leaning forward, she drew closer and kissed her.
Xiao Jin allowed Chu Shao to kiss her without saying a word.
She lifted her hand and caressed the person’s hair in front of her, the strands of dark hair wrapping around her fingers, familiarly soft and smooth. As she looked at that dark hair, her heart seemed to be grasped by a pair of hands, tightening slightly, causing a sudden pain.
Xiao Jin didn’t know where this pain came from or how it would end.
All she knew was that while Chu Shao held her in the wheelchair, lifted her hand, and firmly clasped her fingers together, she kissed her neck.
The kisses that landed on her neck were as fine and dense as rain. To her, they were no different from being poisoned.
Before leaving this world, Xiao Jin had already experienced the pain of losing Chu Shao. Unfortunately, she also knew that she had given the half piece of the imperial seal to Chu Shao to fulfill her mission. She had planned her departure well in advance.
“I’m sorry.”
Upon hearing Xiao Jin’s words, Chu Shao raised her head and looked into her eyes.
She tried to see something, but couldn’t make it out clearly.
After uttering this nonsensical sentence, Xiao Jin returned to her usual soberness and asked, “Shao’er, why did you appear in the palace that day? How did you find Bai Lidan a few months ago?”
Since Chu Shao needed an access token to enter the Imperial Palace, it was evident that the Forbidden City was heavily guarded and not easily accessible.
Chu Shao didn’t answer immediately.
After a moment, she explained, “I ran into Commander Tang, and she helped me obtain the imperial decree from Princess Zhao Yang.”
Her aunt’s name followed her everywhere. No matter what happened, her hand could always be seen behind the scenes.
Thinking of this, Xiao Jin suddenly remembered an unfinished matter.
“Bai Lidan.”
“Shao’er, how did you find Bai Lidan few months ago?”
Since Chu Shao needed an access token to enter the Imperial Palace, it was evident that the Forbidden City was heavily guarded and not easily accessible.
Chu Shao didn’t answer immediately.
After a moment, she explained, “That night, I went to find Doctor Su, and he happened to be drinking with Bai Lidan, so I took them both back to the Prince Yan’s mansion.”
Then, Chu Shao recounted the incident where the vice master of the Blood Rain Pavilion tried to snatch her away.
Combining the above information, Xiao Jin couldn’t help but feel that something was off. She thought there were too many coincidences.
She wanted to summon Su Tan and question she in detail.
Soon, Su Tan arrived.
Xiao Jin picked a question that wasn’t too obvious and asked Su Tan, “When you and Bai Lidan were drinking that day, who chose the location?”
Although Su Tan didn’t know why Xiao Jin was asking this question, she still answered, “He chose it.”
Indeed, it was Bai Lidan who decided on the location. She had accepted the conditions offered by the Crown Prince and was only responsible for inviting Bai Lidan out for a drink.
At the same time, Su Tan’s palm was also sweaty.
Looking into Xiao Jin’s eyes, she felt as if the other person had begun to suspect that she had some connection with the Crown Prince.
Xiao Jin and Su Tan locked gazes.
After a while, Xiao Jin just touched the armrest of the wheelchair and said, “I see.”
Su Tan was momentarily stunned, feeling that Xiao Jin seemed to have changed in some way, but she couldn’t pinpoint exactly what was different.
After Su Tan left, Xiao Jin turned her head to Chu Shao and said, “Bai Lidan might have been under Aunt’s command before, but now he is probably loyal to the Crown Prince.”
“He invited Su Tan for a drink at the tavern, and the vice master of the Blood Rain Pavilion appeared right after. If we say it’s a coincidence, it’s too much of a coincidence.”
Chu Shao smiled faintly and said, “Indeed.”
“However, Your Highness, perhaps there is another possibility.”
Xiao Jin understood what Chu Shao meant.
Not only Bai Lidan, but Su Tan might also have a connection with the Crown Prince.
Xiao Jin had considered this possibility, but at this point, whatever intentions Su Tan harbored no longer mattered.
“No matter whether Su Tan or Bai Lidan is the mole from the Crown Prince’s side, or if it’s both of them, I won’t touch Su Tan. As for Bai Lidan, he’s dead, and it’s better than letting him live.”
….
In fact, Xiao Jin’s guess was correct.
Bai Lidan had indeed been under Xiao Shuang’s command in the past, but since he went to Yao Country and developed the Gu poison, his thoughts had changed.
He had been a poison doctor all his life, dealing with poisons day in and day out.
He had thought that he would never regret it in his life, walking this path of the unacknowledged evil.
But in the end, Bai Lidan was hidden by Xiao Shuang in Quzhao, living in a quiet corner of the mountains and listening to the villagers talk about the chaos in Yao Country during the day.
Although the villagers were from Quzhao, when they talked about it, they cursed the poison doctor who was born in Quzhao but wreaked havoc in Yao Country, sincerely hoping that he would go to the eighteenth level of hell.
When he dreamed at midnight, Bai Lidan often saw those test subjects, those people tortured by the Gu poison, their bodies withered and their gazes fixed on him through the thin bamboo curtains.
So after that, he couldn’t bear it any longer and sought refuge with the Crown Prince, becoming the head of the Tenth Court of the Blood Rain Pavilion.
Xiao Jin flipped through the confession that Bai Lidan had recently presented, which had been obtained through Chu Shao’s interrogation. The statements in it were almost identical to what she had guessed.
She tapped her finger on the table, but there was one point she couldn’t quite understand, so she furrowed her brows.
Taking advantage of the dim light in the secret room, Xiao Jin looked up and gazed at the old man lying on the heap of grass, barely clinging to life.
Ye Juege noticed Xiao Jin’s gaze and leaned in close to her ear, whispering, “Your Highness, Doctor Su said that Bai Lidan is old, and combined with the excessive torture, he is now beyond redemption. His life is hanging by a thread, sustained only by the sip of ginseng soup he just drank.”
Xiao Jin nodded, “I see.”
She then looked at the several broken bloodstains on Bai Lidan ‘s fingers and asked, “I just don’t understand, what did the Crown Prince promise you that was worth betraying Princess Zhao Yang and sacrificing yourself for him?”
“What benefits can the Crown Prince give you that Princess Zhaoyang cannot?”
Bai Lidan, lying amidst the heap of grass, his white hair stained with blood and clinging to his face, making the wrinkles appear vividly red, raised his clouded eyes and struggled to breathe as he replied, “The Crown Prince… he, he made me a promise. He promised me…”
“What did he promise you?” Xiao Jin asked.
Bai Lidan exhaled a slow breath and after a moment, he actually smiled.
“He promised me… that when he ascends the throne and unifies the world, my name will be erased from the historical records of the nations.”
Xiao Jin was taken aback.
She hadn’t expected that Bai Lidan, in sacrificing himself for the Crown Prince, only wanted his own name erased from the records.
Xiao Jin had intended to say that one’s reputation after death was insignificant.
But Bai Lidan ‘s hand fell onto the grass heap, his lips slightly parted, and he took his last breath.
The poison doctor who had developed the Gu poison, harmed Rong Lian and Chu Shao, and indirectly caused her own disability for a year, died so easily.
Xiao Jin lowered her gaze and looked at Bai Lidan ‘s lifeless body, feeling no satisfaction, only a sense of calmness. “Since the thing Bai Lidan cared most about in his lifetime was his reputation, let it be as he wished. No need for a coffin, just wrap him in a random mat and throw him into the mass grave.”
Leaving the secret room, Xiao Jin looked up at the clear sky, free from impurities, with white clouds floating in it.
Occasionally, a cloud would drift by, obscuring the flight of birds.
Xiao Jin remembered that when she first came to this world, she saw the same clear blue sky.
In ancient times, there were no calendars to flip through page by page, so she silently counted in her mind, calculating how long she had been in this world and how much longer it would be until she could leave.
Turning her head and looking back, it felt as if only a fleeting moment had passed.
The passing clouds, everything had gone by just like that.
At that moment, Xiao Jin felt that indeed, human nature was full of contradictions.
At first, she longed to return home, but when she finally could, she found it difficult to let go.
What she couldn’t let go of was nothing more than the reflection of the moon in the ChunTan Street’s lake and the figure dressed in pure white, fluttering in the heavy rain and snow.
Thinking about it, Xiao Jin didn’t want to dwell on it anymore.
Perhaps it was because the memories flashed back, a few petals of peach blossoms, or a scarlet red robe like blood.
In the end, she was still a person who contradicted herself.
Before going to sleep that night, Xiao Jin, with nothing else to do, started organizing the things she had accumulated in her secret compartment over the past year.
As she searched through, she found a handkerchief that had been washed but still had bloodstains on it, embroidered with silver-blue flower petals.
It was the handkerchief Chu Shao had used to wipe her lips on the day of the forced marriage, during the wedding night with candles.
The second item was a note that the original owner owed to Xiao Shuang, a total of forty-eight thousand characters, and who knows how long it would take to repay it.
Inside the secret compartment, there were also the city defense map of Yao Country and a portrait hidden among the book pages, obtained from an unknown source.
The features of the person in the portrait were reminiscent of the clear and refined smile that Chu Shao showed her every time.
Xiao Jin looked at it again and again. In the end, she picked up the pair of pearl earrings hidden deep in the secret compartment.
A gentle breeze blew over the lake, and the blue lotus bloomed abundantly.
Xiao Jin tightly grasped the pearl earrings in her palm, then loosened her grip, set them down, and returned them to the secret compartment.
That night, Xiao Jin had many dreams.
She dreamed of a woman in white, holding an umbrella, walking forward, continuously walking. She chased after her from behind, wanting to grab the hem of her clothes, but she always fell short, unable to reach.
She could only watch as the woman walked into the wind and snow, disappearing from sight.
In the second dream, a bronze bell rang, playing elegant music.
The officials kneeled on the ground, bowing with their hands held high above their heads, paying homage to the person standing on the steps, shouting, “Long live Your Majesty!”
That person turned around, raised their chin slightly, and the pearl tassel swayed lightly.
In an instant, Xiao Jin caught a glimpse of familiar eyebrows and eyes. However, there was no smile in them, and they no longer resembled the person from before.
Then everything spun, and those familiar eyebrows and eyes dissipated.
Xiao Jin fell into the third dream, entering a military tent.
Smoke rose from the intricately carved bronze censer, and a woman in a scarlet robe held a silver hairpin, gazing at her.
She knew who that person was, so she stood still, listening as the other person spoke many words they had said before.
The woman said, “Jin’er, I have many selfish desires for you. I want you to be strong, to possess great power over the world, to become a strong individual who determines the life and death of others, rather than a fish at the mercy of others on the chopping block.”
Xiao Jin shook her head, prepared to tell the woman that she was not the person she had entrusted her wishes to, that she had made a mistake.
But before the words could leave her lips, sunlight pierced through the curtains, making Xiao Jin nearly unable to open her eyes.
After dressing, Ye Juege entered the room and whispered, “Your Highness, the elite troops you secretly moved from Yan territory a few days ago have now arrived outside Fengyang City. They are currently stationed there, ready to follow your orders at any time.”
Xiao Jin nodded.
Since she had already promised Xiao Shuang to help her fulfill her unfinished wish, apart from the troops deployed around the capital, she also needed to bring in some personnel from her fiefdom to be prepared for any unexpected situations.
After Ye Juege finished reporting this information, she paused and added, “In addition, Princess Zhao Yang feels… that simply mobilizing troops from Yan territory may not be enough. She has also dispatched personnel from her private army in her own fiefdom, and they are currently waiting on the outskirts. Please bring the tiger token with you and go for an inspection.”
Xiao Jin no longer found it strange that Xiao Shuang knew everything she had done.
After all, it was likely that half of the soldiers in the original owner’s fiefdom were arranged by Xiao Shuang.
Even though Ye Juege had severed ties with Xiao Shuang, she still had ways to know about the arrangements of the elite soldiers that were mobilized.
After all, the original owner had no secrets when it came to Xiao Shuang.
Understanding this, Xiao Jin could also comprehend why the original owner had left most of the available personnel in Yan territory during the rebellion against Yao Country .
If not for that, she would have probably been captured by her aunt before she even started running away.
Thinking about these matters, Xiao Jin found it somewhat amusing. But knowing that this kind of life would soon come to an end, she mustered up her spirits and said to Ye Juege, “Let’s go take a look.”
Just as she sat in the wheelchair that Old Zhang had newly replaced for her, she realized that her instructions were a bit inappropriate and added, “Bring the Princess as well.”
Fengyang City was not too far from the capital. It would take only an hour’s journey by horse if they traveled quickly.
Xiao Jin had once visited Fengyang City under the pretense of investigating the incense pills from Yanyu Building. The residence she stayed in was prepared by Old Zhang—a white-walled house with grey tiles, a rare sense of freshness and elegance.
At that time, she had just met Chu Shao and was accompanied by Su Tan. Carrying a wooden box of medicinal herbs, she often wore a resentful expression, displaying a bitter face.
Ye Juege and Ye Suyu had not returned from Yan territory at that time, and Princess Zhao Yang was still at Dali Temple, making vows before the statues of the Buddha.
Thinking about it now, those were all distant old memories.
As the situation had not reached its final stage yet, even when Xiao Jin arrived in Fengyang City, she still needed to pretend to be disabled in the wheelchair.
Holding the half piece of the tiger token in her hand, she swept her gaze over the soldiers clad in armor, but she couldn’t clearly see their faces. It was just a casual glance.
After observing for a while, Xiao Jin frowned, feeling that something was not quite right.
There were too many people.
Xiao Jin pointed to an archer standing in the middle of the back row and said, “Step forward and come in front of me.”
The archer responded and moved forward.
Xiao Jin stared at the archer’s uniform for a long time and said in a calm tone, “Take off the quiver on your back.”
The archer seemed hesitant, but military orders were absolute, so in the end, he complied.
As Xiao Jin looked at the totem of the elite troops on the quiver, she took a deep breath.
Suppressing the uneasiness in her heart, she tried to ask calmly, “Although you are not wearing the armor of the elite troops, you forgot to change the quiver that represents the Shenji Camp Troops. Therefore, you are a member of the Shenji Camp Troops.”
“Whose order did you come here under?”
The archer remained silent for a long time before answering Xiao Jin’s question, “Under the order of Princess Zhao Yang.”
Xiao Jin held the tiger token in her hand, but her palm was sweating coldly.
She didn’t inquire about the reasons from the archer, assuming that he probably didn’t know either. She just ordered all the soldiers to lay down their weapons on the ground.
Chu Shao pushed the wheelchair for Xiao Jin as they inspected row after row.
Bows adorned with the blackbird totem.
Armor with the word “Yan” engraved on it.
The dazzling golden crow and the hilt of a longsword adorned with the emblem symbolizing Princess Zhao Yang. And, in the quiver, a striking arrow with a phoenix feather symbol.
Fengling Guards.
In an instant, Xiao Jin’s mind went blank, and her ears echoed the words Xiao Shuang had said to her that day: “I will give you everything, and you help me fulfill an unfinished wish.”
Thinking of a certain possibility, Xiao Jin grabbed the wheelchair armrest and said to Ye Juege, “Return to the capital! Return to the capital now… with these people, at the fastest speed…”
Her words carried a tremor that even she hadn’t noticed.
Although Ye Juege didn’t understand Xiao Jin’s intentions, she immediately conveyed the order.
The army stood ready, weapons hitting the ground, and dust filled the air.
At that moment, a carriage drove through the splashing sand, and a woman in palace attire opened the curtain and shouted, “Your Highness, please wait.”
Xiao Jin’s heart pounded uncontrollably, unable to slow down.
She initially wanted to ignore the woman in the carriage and continue leading the army forward. However, upon seeing the woman’s face, she suppressed the surging in her heart and waited for her to approach.
The woman was a senior palace maid from Wenyue Palace, as well as the personal maid of Princess Zhao Yang.
Her name was Zisu.
She walked up to Xiao Jin, bowed, and respectfully presented something, saying, “Your Highness, this is what Princess Zhao Yang ordered me to give you.”
It was a folded piece of paper.
Xiao Jin tucked the tiger token into her bosom, took the paper, and unfolded it to read.
There was only one sentence written on it: “Jin’er, I have always wished for your freedom.”
After reading the words, it took a while for Xiao Jin to remember that she should fold the paper back. She belatedly moved her fingers, but she couldn’t fold it back to its original shape.
Zisu’s voice sounded in Xiao Jin’s ear, “Princess Zhao Yang said you can leave from the west gate of Fengyang City. The guards there are under her command and won’t stop you.”
“Time is of the essence, chaos is about to erupt in the capital, so please depart as soon as possible.”
Strangely, as Zisu finished relaying all the instructions from Xiao Shuang, Xiao Jin’s heart palpitations gradually calmed.
She even felt that there wouldn’t be a moment when she would be more composed than now.
Xiao Jin put away the letter and stood up under the silent gaze of the generals.
Leaving the wheelchair behind, she mounted the horse.
Turning back, she said to the five thousand Biaoqi calvary behind her, “Follow me back to the capital.”
….
Xiao Jin was riding Ye Juege’s horse.
It was obedient and didn’t resist her riding. Instead, it became quite affectionate towards her.
The cold wind was sharp, brushing past her ears and pouring into her eyes and mouth.
Xiao Jin couldn’t see the scenery ahead clearly, but she held the reins tightly, wanting the horse beneath her to run faster, faster, or else it would be too late.
She knew that Xiao Shuang deliberately sent her away at this critical moment and left behind this letter. She was probably planning to lead the army to the palace alone.
But without the half piece of the tiger token in Aunt’s possession, and with only one-third of the Fengling Guards left for her, the chances of success were slim.
That’s why Xiao Jin had to go back, and she had to go back.
However, not all soldiers were equipped with horses. If she brought all the elite soldiers back to the capital, they would definitely be too slow. She could only lead five thousand Biaoqi cavalry and rush to the capital.
Xiao Jin and Chu Shao’s horses were the fastest, leading the other soldiers and arriving at the city gate first.
The two of them sat on their horses, looking up and seeing the billowing smoke above the Forbidden City.
Then Xiao Jin knew that it was probably too late.
The more urgent the situation, the more Xiao Jin had to force herself to calm down. She said to Chu Shao, “In the outskirts of the capital, there is a place where Prince Yan used to keep a thousand Biaoqi cavalry. I just asked Juege to send a message to Suyu, asking her to lead the troops and take the back roads to return to the mansion.”
“I have half of the tiger token from the Shenji Camp Troops, and the other half is with the Crown Prince… he has the Blood Rain Pavilion, and Aunt also has the Fengling Guards protecting her. Everything is still under control.”
Chu Shao had been quietly listening to Xiao Jin’s words, but she didn’t respond.
It wasn’t until Xiao Jin finished speaking, took out a golden token from her sleeve, and said to her, “… If things change, take Qin Xueting and the disciples of Tianya Sect and leave this place. Hold this token, and no one will dare to stop you.”
Chu Shao stared at the token and finally spoke.
Her voice was very soft: “Your Highness, why do you have a pardon token?”
Xiao Jin said, “The Master of the Blood Rain Pavilion once owed me an unconditional promise. Although it was said to be unconditional, if the conditions were excessive, both Emperor Qi and the Crown Prince would not agree.”
“That day, Emperor Qi summoned me, and I asked him for this pardon token. It seems that only a few meritorious officials in Qi Country have it.”
“Shao’er, you may not believe it, but I have seen many of the things I have experienced so far in a book. So I know that this token can not only grant a pardon but also serve as proof of seeing the emperor. With this token, you can pass through all the city gates and return to Yao Country.”
Chu Shao stared at Xiao Jin and listened as she continued, “By the way, there’s also Su Tan and Ye Feiyan. Take them with you; they will help you… Ye Feiyan might not listen to you, but when the time comes, tell her it’s my order, and she might…”
At this point, Chu Shao interrupted Xiao Jin’s words.
“Your Highness, do you want me to stay here while you lead the troops into the city gate alone?”
Xiao Jin did not answer.
Chu Shao continued to ask, “Do you want me to stay here and help Princess Zhao Yang alone?”
Xiao Jin still did not answer.
Chu Shao looked at Xiao Jin and suddenly said, “I understand now. You want me to restore the country, which is why you investigated the Left Seal and helped me obtain the Right Seal. But if that’s the case, why not take this opportunity and leave with me?”
Xiao Jin shook her head. “I can’t leave now.”
“Because of Princess Zhao Yang?”
Xiao Jin nodded, “Yes.”
Chu Shao looked into Xiao Jin’s eyes and asked softly, “Your Highness, if I ask you to leave with me, would you agree?”
There was silence for a long time.
Xiao Jin spoke slowly, “I can’t.”
Chu Shao reached out and held Xiao Jin’s cold fingers, gently saying, “Your Highness, Emperor Qi is dying, and the Crown Prince has power in the palace. Even if Princess Zhao Yang forces her way into the palace, out of consideration for you, she wouldn’t want to be hated by you for a lifetime and wouldn’t kill her.”
“Princess Zhao Yang won’t die. Come with me.”
Xiao Jin also knew that with the presence of the original owner, the Crown Prince wouldn’t harm his aunt.
However, her aunt already knew that the original owner had died.
With the loss of Prince Yan, what would Princess Zhao Yang do? Xiao Jin didn’t dare to think about it, nor could she come up with an answer.
In the distance, the sound of horse hooves approached.
Listening to the approaching neighs, Xiao Jin whispered to Chu Shao, “This time, I can’t.”
Chu Shao said, “But even if you go to help Princess Zhao Yang, it won’t change anything.”
Xiao Jin was slightly stunned.
Chu Shao continued, “That day, I went to Tang Ling’s private residence. I was outside and heard the sound of pipa playing ‘Chang Xiangsi.'”
“Tang Ling told me that she started a fire and burned down the National Teacher’s Residence. But inside the private residence, there were only old items from Nan Jin.”
“Then I remembered. One year, Xiao Yu became the Emperor of Qi and, after ascending the throne, transferred Tang Ling’s records and raided her home.”
“I’ve seen that record book, and Tang Ling’s birth mother was from the He Jue people. After the He Jue tribe was defeated, she was sold to the brothels and became a prostitute. She had a fleeting affair with the head of the Tang family at the time and gave birth to Tang Ling. However, due to her low status, the Tang family did not acknowledge her.”
“The head of the Tang family took pity on her, while Emperor Taizong was promiscuous and often indulged in the pleasure quarters. When he heard about this, he had the head of the Tang family recognize Tang Ling as his own.”
“Afterward, the head of the Tang family gave his illegitimate child, Tang Ling, to Princess Zhao Yang, making her the Princess’s support.”
….
The autumn wind was chilly.
For a long time, Xiao Jin remained silent.
Now she understood. Emperor Taizong said that Tang Ling was a chess move he gave to Princess Zhao Yang, but what did it really mean?
It turns out he owed a debt to Tang Ling. And Tang Ling wasn’t a pawn he gave to Princess Zhao Yang, but rather his own secret move planted for her.
Until her blood froze completely, Xiao Jin moved her lips and said, “So, Shao’er, you knew all this. You knew about Tang Ling, but you kept it from me and didn’t tell me?”
Chu Shao’s eyes were still beautiful. She smiled, and a bright moon rose from the lake.
This kind of person, smiling faintly, said to her, “Your Highness, in my eyes, all of these things are irrelevant. I don’t care who lives or dies, except for you.”
Of course, Chu Shao knew that Xiao Jin didn’t want Princess Zhao Yang to die, which was why she calculated to that extent and wanted to kill Tang Ling.
But after hearing that song, she changed her mind.
Since Tang Ling still cherished Nan Jin, she wouldn’t sincerely devote herself to Emperor Taizong, Emperor Qi, and the Crown Prince.
In that case…In the end, Qi Country would fall into chaos, and these people would be mutually wounded.
Out of consideration for Xiao Jin’s feelings, the Crown Prince wouldn’t kill Princess Zhao Yang. Without Princess Zhao Yang, Xiao Jin wouldn’t cough up blood in the rain, wouldn’t get injured, and wouldn’t stay in Qi Country.
Princess Zhao Yang, Princess Zhao Hua, Ye Juege, Ye Feiyan, Bai Zheng… These people would never appear before Xiao Jin again.
At that time, there would only be her by Xiao Jin’s side.
It had to be said that Chu Shao’s calculations were flawless. However, she still missed two things.
First, Xiao Shuang knew that the real Xiao Jin had already died.
Second…
Chu Shao could feel Xiao Jin’s fingers still in her hand. But the person in front of her suddenly smiled.
The laughter was very soft.
After moving her fingers and withdrawing the warmth from Chu Shao’s palm, her voice gradually became hoarse.
Chu Shao looked at Xiao Jin and saw her smiling as she said, “So, that’s how it is.”
“So, even you are like this.”
Xiao Jin felt helpless, wanting to sigh. It turned out that in this world, there truly wasn’t a single normal person.
Before she could truly sigh, the taste of blood surged up her throat, and Xiao Jin spat out a mouthful of blood first.
Chu Shao’s hand reached out as if to help wipe the blood, but she was pushed away by Xiao Jin with force.
The strength was heavy.
Just as she pushed away, Xiao Jin coughed up another mouthful of blood.
Her heart and lungs were torn by tuberculosis, causing unbearable pain.
Xiao Jin covered her blood-soaked hands, raised her sleeve, and wiped off the red stains on her lips.
She couldn’t speak, and she didn’t feel like saying anything anymore. Gripping the reins, she rode her horse forward.
From behind came Chu Shao’s voice, “Your Highness, have you forgotten that we have a covenant between us?”
Xiao Jin turned her head back, “Covenant?”
Chu Shao looked at her.
Xiao Jin laughed, “Covenant, what covenant? Shao’er, on the day of the forced marriage, the wedding night with candles, that covenant was just a few words I said casually to save my life.”
“Shao’er, I don’t blame you. After all, I’ve been using you as well. I came here only to fulfill a mission. The condition for completing the mission is to help you restore the country, become the Empress, and then let you personally kill me. Only then can I go home.”
“I don’t want to pretend anymore, and I don’t want to stay here any longer. This is not my homeland.”
“Shao’er, do you know? I want to go home, back to my own hometown.”
After saying these words.
For a long time, Xiao Jin regained her calmness and said to Chu Shao, “The defense map of Yao Country is in the third layer of the secret compartment. If you need it, go and take it.”
As soon as she finished speaking, Xiao Jin shook her head, realizing that she had done another foolish thing.
Chu Shao was the one who knew everything. She didn’t need her defense map.
The cavalry had already arrived in front of them, and from the other side of the capital, the faint sound of Ye Suyu’s signal transmission echoed.
It was time to regroup.
Xiao Jin turned her head without looking at Chu Shao’s expression, rode her horse, and entered the city gate.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Translator’s note: Xiao Jin is so bad, why did she say those words? 😔 I understand you want to save Xiao Shuang, but you don’t need to tell her that. I know you love her, so don’t hurt her. I also know Chu Shao is a selfish person, but she has her reasons. Throughout all her lifetimes, this is the only one where I truly believe she feels love for someone. Rong Lian, her biological mother, doesn’t love her and even poured a gu poison on her. Only you, Xiao Jin, have helped her heal from that loneliness. I know you have a mission, but you don’t need to say those words. 😔😔🙂 But I still hope for a happy ending. 🙂
TO BE CONTINUED….
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