Chapter 160: Heaven and Earth Reversed
Li Zhao’s breathing suddenly hitched, but his wrists were bound, leaving him completely unable to move. He signaled to Xue Sui, but she ignored him, her grip unwavering.
“Shh… don’t move!”
Li Zhao’s throat tightened, and he felt a tingling sensation spread from his neck to his spine, his breathing suddenly becoming rapid.
Xue Sui glanced at the approaching flames outside the window, her fingertips swiftly tracing Li Zhao’s Adam’s apple.
Then she lowered her body and whispered into his ear, her voice as soft as a mosquito’s hum.
“If Your Highness doesn’t want this to end in a complete breakdown, then pretend to be dead.”
With that, she hooked her finger and completely tore open his outer robe, pressing the brocade quilt flat on top of him, and then deliberately smashed the celadon medicine bottle on the bedside table to the ground.
“Crash—”
The crisp sound of shattering startled the footsteps in the courtyard, which abruptly halted.
Jinshu and Xiao Zhao, carrying glass lamps, approached the corridor and bowed in unison.
“This maid greets Your Highness…”
Li Huan’s fingertips rested on the waistband with ornaments at his waist, his gaze fixed on the carved wooden door of Xue Sui’s residence.
“Is Ping An well?”
Xue Sui raised her hand and tousled her long hair, barefoot she circled around the screen and, with a slight gasp, pushed open the window frame, “Your Highness! Just now a wild cat leaped onto the windowsill, Ling Yu was startled, knocked over the medicine bottle, and was thrashing about wildly in the room…”
Ling Yu obediently flapped its wings, making cooing sounds, as if truly frightened.
Li Huan’s gaze swept into the room through the gauze curtain.
The moonlight was hazy, and the gauze curtain behind the screen swayed gently.
Xue Sui was dressed in thin, plain light clothing, hastily wrapped in a cherry-colored cloak, her long hair falling over her shoulders, her eyes still heavy with sleep, as if she had just woken from a dream.
Li Huan frowned and asked, “Do you need someone to come in and clean up?”
Xue Sui shook her head, “Xiao Zhao and Ru Yi will clean it up. I am truly afraid of disturbing Your Highness’s rest.”
Li Huan pondered for a moment, then took a few more steps forward.
“Then shall this Prince come in and keep you company?”
“No need for Your Highness’s concern.” Xue Sui pinched her palm, her voice growing colder, “This concubine has started her menstruation, which is quite inconvenient…”
Upon hearing this, Li Huan nodded and slowly walked back.
Xue Sui had originally intended to block any unnecessary trouble like a search, but she hadn’t expected her to say such private things to Li Huan. Li Zhao gritted his teeth.
Li Huan stopped, “What is it?”
Xue Sui rushed over and forcefully covered Li Zhao’s mouth and nose, speaking in a strained voice, “This stupid thing scratched me again.”
A hint of doubt appeared between Li Huan’s brows, and he chuckled softly.
“You pigeon are quite wild…”
Xue Sui sensed his footsteps approaching the window and covered Li Zhao’s mouth and nose even more forcefully, feigning anger.
“Indeed! I’ll pluck your feathers tomorrow and weave you a bird’s nest. Let’s see if you dare to be mischievous then!”
Li Zhao met her gaze, his eyes sharp and cold, and a dissatisfied hum escaped his throat…
Ling Yu circled the room twice, flapping its wings and chirping, making rustling sounds.
Seeing this, Li Huan said, “Never mind, you should rest well.”
He lingered for a moment, ordered the guards to increase their patrols, and reprimanded the maids who had just gotten dressed and gotten up, before finally turning to leave.
As the footsteps faded into the distance, Xue Sui let out a long sigh. She turned back and lifted the brocade quilt, only to see Li Zhao with his eyes tightly shut, truly appearing as if he were “dead.”
Had she been too heavy-handed just now?
She quickly checked Li Zhao’s breathing, but her wrist was suddenly seized by him.
At some point, he had already broken free from his restraints.
“Xue Ping’an, who gave you the courage to attempt murder on the Crown Prince?”
Li Zhao gripped her waist with one hand, his finger tracing her neck as if by accident, his eyes dark and unfathomably deep, filled with malice.
“Hmm? Trying to suffocate me?”
His long fingers tightened their grip.
It was clear that he was truly angered.
Xue Sui sighed helplessly, her face slightly stiffening. The moonlight shone through the window, outlining her graceful figure. Her voice was like a warbler’s song, “If Crown Prince continues to act out, and Prince Duan returns, I won’t be able to save you a second time.”
Li Zhao couldn’t stand the word “save” and chuckled coldly, “What can he do to me?”
What an arrogant man!
Xue Sui cursed him inwardly, but on her face, she put on a look of earnest persuasion, “I advise Your Highness to restrain your sharpness and not to push things too far…”
Li Zhao raised his eyebrows coldly and let out a scornful laugh.
“Are you acting as a mediator for Li Huan?”
Xue Sui shook her head, “I’m talking about the Luo family’s affairs. If Your Highness insists on eradicating them completely, I fear all the old ministers in the Imperial Court will feel threatened and turn their attention to the Eastern Palace. The water that is too clear has no fish. The nobles in the Imperial Court are all intertwined; which one doesn’t have some unsavory dealings… Your Highness might as well leave a sliver of room, consider them as whetstones to sharpen your blade…”
Li Zhao’s gaze was deep, “Are you teaching me the way of a ruler?”
“I dare not. I am merely reminding Your Highness—” Xue Sui pursed her lips and smiled, “Although Luo Huan is greedy, he has not been involved in the Xiao family’s major case. If you force him to his death now, the remaining bad debts in the Ministry of Revenue will have no one to settle them.”
The Emperor did not wish to make things too ugly.
Buying a life with money to enrich the national treasury and alleviate the Western Frontier’s plight would be a win-win situation.
Li Zhao suddenly smiled, “If Ping’an were a man, she could also hold a position of power.”
Xue Sui didn’t know how much of it he had taken to heart. Seeing that the night was growing late, she slowly lay down, turning her back to him.
“Your Highness, please do as you wish. I am tired.”
Li Zhao was slightly taken aback.
He had always been the one to dismiss others; this was the first time in his life he had been asked to leave.
This Xue Liu acted so boldly, defying all conventions…
Why was she so endearing?
The love gu had misled him!
–
The next day, as soon as Xue Sui got up, Li Huan arrived at Tan Qiu Courtyard with his hands behind his back.
She quickly changed and tidied herself up, then went out to greet him, “Your Highness has come quite early today. Is there something important?”
Li Huan smiled, his expression amiable, and sat on a rosewood chair with an elegant and relaxed posture. Xue Sui could not discern anything from his face, so she knew he had come about the matter of the Old Mausoleum Swamp.
She curtsied, “When will Your Highness be free? I would like to arrange a meeting with Mister Qiu.”
Li Huan indeed smiled warmly and said, “This Prince has half a month of leave. I await your convenience at any time.”
Xue Sui pondered inwardly.
Xiao Jing’s severe injuries, Luo Huan’s imprisonment, and the fire at Yongfeng Granary – with this series of difficult cases, the Emperor likely did not want Li Huan to be implicated, hence he sent him home to recuperate and avoid the storm.
As expected, the Emperor’s favorite son.
She smiled faintly and said, “Then allow me to make proper arrangements. Once the date is set, I will inform Your Highness.”
Li Huan sat for the time it took to drink a cup of tea and ate some pastries before leaving with satisfaction.
On the evening of the third day, Li Huan arrived again.
He did not beat around the bush, sat down leisurely, and played chess with Xue Sui, inquiring about the Imperial Envoy matter along the way.
Xue Sui replied that she had already sent someone to deliver the letter to Mister Qiu. He then nodded slightly, played two more rounds of chess, and only left after dinner.
On the evening of the fourth day, Li Huan arrived punctually once more.
This time, Xue Sui gave him a definite answer.
“Tomorrow at 11 AM, we will meet Mister Qiu at Qing Feng Pavilion.”
Li Huan nodded and played chess until late into the night before returning with satisfaction.
In this way, in just a few days, the news that Madam Ping’an had gained the deep affection of Prince Duan and was favored above all others in the inner court spread like wildfire.
In Prince Duan’s Mansion, everyone treated her with respect, and it was known to all that she was Prince Duan’s favored concubine, enjoying immense prestige.
On the fifth day, Xue Sui, under the envious gazes of everyone, boarded Li Huan’s carriage and accompanied him to Qing Feng Pavilion.
Mister Qiu was already waiting in a private room on the second floor. He was dressed in a gray robe and appeared humble and submissive, bowing deeply with clasped hands.
“This humble one was blind and did not recognize your greatness. I offended you greatly last time. I hope Your Highness will be magnanimous and forgive this humble one.”
Li Huan’s face was full of amiability, and he smiled, waving his hand. “Mister Qiu is too kind. It was this Prince’s oversight; I did not reveal my identity and thus slighted you.”
Mister Qiu, filled with trepidation, nervously invited them to sit and have tea. He then glanced at Xue Sui, took out the silver ingots he had received from Li Huan last time, and offered them with both hands.
“Please accept this from Your Highness…”
Li Huan let out a hearty laugh and pushed the money back to him.
“Since this is a business transaction, this is the remuneration you deserve. How can I take it back?”
Mister Qiu awkwardly accepted the silver, smiling obsequiously. He was completely different from their last meeting, as if he were a changed person.
“Your Highness summoned this humble one, is it still about doing business at the Old Mausoleum Swamp?”
Li Huan did not answer directly, only saying, “This Prince has an important matter and wishes to meet the Imperial Envoy.”
Mister Qiu stroked his beard, “The Imperial Envoy usually does not meet outsiders. However, finding someone is difficult, but delivering a message is not a problem. If Your Highness has something to convey, please speak freely. This humble one will surely deliver the message to the Imperial Envoy…”
Li Huan’s lips curved into a smile, “Since you can deliver a message, why can’t this Prince meet the person?”
Mister Qiu said sincerely, “To be frank with Your Highness, this humble one cannot see the Imperial Envoy either. I merely do business at the Old Mausoleum Swamp… Heh, all sorts of people, from all walks of life, merchants and laborers, each has their own methods. If I were to give you my informant, wouldn’t I be ruining my own reputation and be unable to establish myself in the future?”
Li Huan nodded slightly, pondered for a moment, and then suddenly smiled, “Her Imperial Grandmother’s birthday is approaching. This Prince wishes to find that Nine Dragons Playing with a Pearl Glazed Pottery Lamp as a birthday gift. That item has been considered an auspicious sign for decades. It is rumored to have been lost in the former dynasty’s Imperial Mausoleum and obtained by the Big Dipper Seven Sects. Now, to find it, only the Imperial Envoy can accomplish this…”
For their first transaction, he had not made any personal requests, merely a casual excuse.
Mister Qiu understood and patted his chest, assuring him.
“This matter is on my shoulders. Whether it succeeds or not, I will give Your Highness an answer in three days.”
Li Huan smiled and handed him a money bag of gold leaves, “Thank you for your trouble.”
After exchanging pleasantries, Mister Qiu accepted the money bag and bowed to bid farewell.
