Chapter 103: Arriving in the Dead of Night
Xue Sui tugged at the quilt that had slipped off her body, feigning a shiver. She delicately twisted the corner of the quilt, appearing nervous, her voice as soft and weak as a mosquito’s hum.
“That day, I ate too much noodle soup and accidentally scalded myself…”
Ru Yi, standing by the bedside, knelt down with a thud before Li Huan upon hearing this.
“This servant deserves death! I didn’t test the temperature before placing the piping hot noodle soup, fresh from the pot, before Madam…”
Li Huan lowered his head slightly, a faint smile hidden in his deep eyes.
He was not someone who easily revealed his emotions.
However, Xue Yuechen keenly sensed that he was displeased at that moment.
Her heart skipped a beat, and she asked with a gentle smile, “Your Highness, did Medical Officer Chen say something to you? How is my sister’s condition?”
Li Huan smiled and replied, “Nothing else, just that she needs careful recuperation.”
Xue Yuechen sighed softly.
“I had hoped that with Sixth Sister entering the mansion, we could all live harmoniously and serve Your Highness together. Who would have thought that her lack of ambition would lead to Consort Yuan coming to the mansion to cause trouble…”
She had her own intentions.
While seemingly defending Xue Sui, her words carried hidden meanings.
She knew clearly in her heart that Yuan Qingzhu’s target was her, the Princess Consort.
After all, Xue Sui was merely a Ru Ren and could not stir up much trouble. What she wanted to tell Li Huan was that Yuan Qingzhu’s actions were merely a bid for the position of Princess Consort.
Xue Yuechen lowered her head slightly, her eyes glistening with tears, appearing pitiful. She was already a stunning beauty, and anyone who saw her would feel compassion.
Li Huan withdrew the coldness from his eyes and looked at her again with a gentle and magnanimous smile. “Princess Consort, please rest assured. I will handle this justly and give her what she deserves.”
Xue Yuechen’s face showed gratitude, and she stepped forward with red eyes, bowing gracefully.
“This concubine thanks Your Highness for upholding justice for my sister and me!”
Li Huan gently supported her arm and said with a smile, “Princess Consort, why must we be so formal with each other?”
This was exactly what Xue Yuechen wanted to hear.
She lowered her head, lightly wiping away the tears from the corners of her eyes, and said softly, “Sixth Sister is pitiful. After living among the common folk for ten years and enduring so much hardship, she thought her life would finally be smooth and worry-free. Little did she know that upon entering the mansion, she would be unjustly accused…”
Li Huan looked deeply at Xue Sui.
A teenage girl, severely injured to the point of lung damage, where even pregnancy might harm her vital energy – what kind of hardships had she endured?
And his Princess Consort, how much did she truly know about the situation?
Li Huan did not ask further questions, only spoke in a gentle and soft tone.
“The weather has been hot lately. In a couple of days, I will take you all to the separate villa outside the city to escape the heat and relax.”
He glanced at Xue Sui again. “Don’t you like using flowers in your cooking? The separate villa has many rare flowers and exotic plants; you’ll have plenty to play with.”
Xue Sui smiled weakly, as if too tired to respond.
Xue Yuechen also smiled…
But a part of her heart felt as if a corner of accumulated snow had collapsed, silently sinking.
The person who liked using flowers in cooking seemed to refer to her, but it wasn’t entirely her.
The new dishes she prepared in Mu Yue Residence were said to be learned from Xue Liu, but weren’t the ideas Xue Liu’s?
For ten years of marriage, Li Huan had always been busy. He wasn’t cold, but there was never any warmth. He had never proactively suggested taking her, or any of the women in the inner chambers, out for a change of scenery.
To say he was heartless would not be entirely accurate.
Because he had always been this way, showing no favoritism.
But now, Xue Liu hadn’t even served him yet, and she had already received his special attention…
How could this not make her feel a pang of bitterness?
Affection comes in different forms.
Just like the flowers in the garden, they all bloomed so beautifully, but not every single one could capture his heart…
At this moment, Cheng Fu announced his arrival from outside.
Li Huan summoned him in. Cheng Fu, seeing that the Prince did not object, bowed and said:
“Your Highness, we found ink and brushes for drawing talismans in Shu Yu Pavilion, and ashes of burned talisman paper in the incense burner. Also, also…”
Li Huan asked, “And what else?”
Cheng Fu lowered his head and said in a low voice, “In a sandalwood box in Consort Yuan’s bedroom, we found a hidden compartment containing Illusion Heart Grass.”
Chen Henian had once said that Illusion Heart Grass was extremely rare.
If one had no intention to harm others, ordinary people would not possess it.
Li Huan immediately flicked his sleeve and left, ordering Yuan Qingzhu to be brought to the main hall for interrogation.
Upon receiving the news, Yuan Qingzhu’s entire body went limp.
Two maids helped her to the hall, where Li Huan was already seated, looking as if he were about to conduct a stern interrogation.
Yuan Qingzhu’s face was ashen, her legs gave way, and she knelt down with a “thud.”
“Your Highness, this concubine truly knows nothing about Illusion Heart Grass. I’ve never even heard of it, let alone used it to harm anyone… I implore Your Highness to investigate!”
Li Huan asked, “Then how do you explain the unburned talisman ashes in the incense burner?”
Yuan Qingzhu was speechless for a moment.
She looked up at Li Huan, tears streaming down her face, falling one after another.
Li Huan’s expression was stern, with no trace of pity on his face.
“Are you still refusing to tell the truth?”
Yuan Qingzhu bit her lower lip and cried, “This concubine has been in the Prince’s Mansion for ten years and even bore Your Highness our eldest daughter, Xi Ci. I have always served Your Highness wholeheartedly, so how could I possibly curse Your Highness, an act of such great treason…”
Li Huan said coldly, “It seems you are still unwilling to speak the truth!”
Although his voice was light, it carried a chilling coldness that made one’s blood run cold.
“Cheng Fu, take Consort Yuan away. Tomorrow, I will report to His Majesty, strip her of her title as Consort, demote her to commoner status, and sentence her to three years of cultivation at Jingci Nunnery to atone for her sins.”
Yuan Qingzhu’s expression froze, and her tears flowed even more profusely.
“Your Highness, after all these years, do you truly have no regard for our marital bond?”
Li Huan replied, “The Princess Consort and I are husband and wife.”
Yuan Qingzhu felt as if struck by lightning. Looking into Li Huan’s cold eyes, her widened pupils held disbelief, as well as unwillingness, indignation, sorrow, and despair.
She had always believed that Xue Yuechen was the obstacle between her and Li Huan. If it weren’t for Xue Yuechen, she and Li Huan could have become true husband and wife.
As a Consort, she had always considered herself Li Huan’s wife.
She had never imagined that in Li Huan’s heart, she was merely an insignificant person, no different from a concubine.
“Your Highness, you are so heartless.”
“Shu’er has been with you for ten years, and you show no regard for our past affection. Your Highness, do you not think of me, nor our daughter?”
Li Huan’s expression was impassive.
“Madam Yuan, you have brought this upon yourself. Who can save you?”
The words were soft.
His expression was not cold.
Yet, they were like a sharp blade, piercing directly into her heart.
Yuan Qingzhu collapsed onto the ground, weeping mournfully.
“If you wish to punish me, then punish me. The talisman was drawn by my maid Ming Xue at my instruction. I even specifically instructed her not to make it resemble Your Highness in any way. I never intended to harm Your Highness…”
Li Huan asked, “What about my birth details?”
Yuan Qingzhu was speechless.
If she wanted to frame Xue Liu and drag Xue Yuechen down with her, how could she succeed without writing down Li Huan’s birth details?
Forget it.
The victor becomes king, the loser becomes a bandit.
Just like when she was enfeoffed as a consort back then, she had lost.
Yuan Qingzhu touched her forehead to the ground.
Her voice was hoarse and dry, her shoulders trembling, conveying a sense of utter despair.
“This concubine was foolish and deceived Your Highness. I am willing to accept the punishment.”
—
Yuan Qingzhu was the daughter of Yuan Qili, the Vice Minister of Personnel. Li Huan, considering his reputation, could not simply dismiss her like a servant.
Their daughter, Li Xi Ci, who had just turned six, rushed over upon hearing the news and knelt outside the door, pleading for her birth mother.
Li Huan remained silent for a long time, then sighed.
“Go to Jingci Nunnery.”
He did not truly act ruthlessly. Instead, as previously stated, he sent Yuan Qingzhu to Jingci Nunnery to cultivate for three years to expiate her sins.
As for stripping Madam Yuan of her title as Consort, that matter would no longer be mentioned.
Li Xi Ci knelt and thanked her father for his grace, requesting to go to the Buddhist hall with her mother to pray for her father’s blessings.
Li Huan agreed.
Yuan Qingzhu wept heartbrokenly in Shu Yu Pavilion.
She was still Consort Yuan, still had maids, nannies, servants, and a carriage at her disposal, and could still live in luxury.
However, three years were enough to change many things. For Yuan Qingzhu, who had fallen in love with Li Huan at sixteen, these things she had possessed since birth were never important or precious.
What she desired – Li Huan’s love and affection – was now unattainable.
In that case, all external possessions had lost their value to her.
–
The next morning, before dawn, the Prince’s Mansion’s carriage carried Yuan Qingzhu and Li Xi Ci away from Shangjing.
Yuan Qingzhu did not meet anyone, nor did she bid farewell to Li Huan or Xue Yuechen, the Mistress.
She had committed a grave mistake and engaged in witchcraft and curses, fearing she would implicate her maternal family and become a laughingstock among the noble ladies of Shangjing. Li Huan’s leniency was already a favor to her father and daughter, so she dared not cause further trouble.
With her departure, Tan Qiu Courtyard became quiet again.
Xue Yuechen sent many nourishing items, and Li Huan also instructed Chen Henian to visit daily to check Xue Sui’s pulse…
This, however, put Xue Sui in a somewhat passive position.
That day, she had taken her medicine in advance, which triggered her symptoms and caused her internal energy disorder.
As for the old chronic illnesses that Chen Henian diagnosed, they were indeed the lingering ailments from her childhood and not fabricated. In the hands of an experienced Medical Officer like Chen Henian, they were easily detected.
Of course, this was also what Xue Sui wanted him to tell Li Huan.
For her, it was killing two birds with one stone.
~
“Young Lady, it’s time for your medicine.”
Jinshu entered with the medicinal soup. Seeing Xue Sui sitting by the bed, holding an embroidery of flowers and birds, she hurried forward, snatched the embroidery away, and chided her.
“Young Lady, you truly can’t sit still. Do you still want your body and eyes?”
Xue Sui’s gaze was lazy, with a hint of playful amusement.
“You know how my illness came about, Auntie.”
Jinshu sat on the stool by her bed, picked up the medicine bowl, blew on it gently, and then offered it to her lips with a spoon.
Xue Sui turned her head. “I don’t want to eat it.”
Jinshu said, “This isn’t Medical Officer Chen’s medicine; it’s a nourishing prescription from Eldest Young Master.”
Xue Sui’s eyes held a flicker of warmth for a moment, but she still resisted the bowl of dark liquid.
“My mouth tastes bitter, everything I eat is astringent, it has no flavor at all.”
Jinshu smiled. “Then I’ll make some sweet and sour drinks later to cool you down, and also some candied fruits to help with the bitterness?”
Xue Sui broke into a smile.
In the past, at the Xue Mansion, Jinshu only came to see her to deliver messages. They never had the opportunity to spend so much time together.
Now, with them together day after day, she realized that Jinshu was truly a reassuring and warm person.
She was attentive to the smallest details, meticulous in everything, and considered all aspects.
“Auntie, you don’t need to work so hard in the future. I don’t want you to get tired.”
Jinshu smiled. “What is this little bit of work? As long as Young Lady is healthy, I am happy.”
The summer weather was muggy. As night fell, the heat had not yet dissipated. Starlight and moonlight filtered through the clouds, casting a clear glow.
After dinner, Xue Sui asked Ru Yi and Xiao Zhao to help her as she strolled in the garden of Tan Qiu Courtyard.
In a corner of the courtyard was a patch of flat grass dotted with tiny flowers.
A gentle breeze made the flowers sway, attracting two butterflies that danced in the lamplight.
Xue Sui’s gaze followed the direction of the butterflies, her smile slowly fading. She paused, stumbled, and almost fell.
Xiao Zhao, quick as lightning, caught Xue Sui.
She looked at the flat blue bricks on the ground and couldn’t help but wonder.
“Young Lady, did you kick something?”
Xue Sui smiled slightly. “My legs are a bit weak. Help me back to lie down.”
As soon as she stepped over the threshold, Xue Sui let go of her hand.
“You and Ru Yi have worked hard these past few days. Go rest early; there’s no need to keep watch.”
Ru Yi, overjoyed, agreed without thinking much.
Xiao Zhao, however, gave her a deep look and quietly closed the door.
For some reason, even after Xiao Zhao’s footsteps had faded, Xue Sui still felt that lingering glance as if it were a sharp thorn on her back, burning her cheeks with a fiery intensity.
In the past, she never avoided Xiao Zhao.
Now, having done nothing wrong, why did she feel so guilty?
As she was thinking, the window made a soft “creak.”
A tall figure entered through the window like a gust of wind, his toes lightly touching the windowsill, his robes fluttering, landing silently…
Then, he closed the window with a flick of his wrist.
It was done in one smooth motion, swift and composed.
If not Crown Prince Li Zhao, then who?
As soon as he entered, the room suddenly felt cramped.
Xue Sui frowned, her eyes cold as she watched the young, handsome man walk over with steady steps and casually sit on the armchair by her bed, stirring up a faint breeze. He seemed like a master returning home after a long absence, at ease, unrestrained, without any trace of awkwardness or formality.
“I heard you fainted from anger, so I came to visit.”
Xue Sui replied, “It was to fulfill my promise to the Crown Prince that I had to do so.”
Li Zhao’s lips curved into a half-smile.
“So, you blame me?”
Xue Sui avoided the question, only asking, “Your Highness, what important matter brings you here so late at night?”
Li Zhao looked at her. “Gu Jie has been released from prison.”
The Marquis Jingyuan’s Mansion made up for the deficit. His Majesty, remembering his ancestors’ merits, gave Gu Jie a lighter sentence. However, his position in the Gold Department was revoked, and he would only be able to live idly at home from now on, with no hope for his official career.
Xue Sui was not very surprised. Her expression was calm, and she lowered her gaze faintly.
“Marquis Jingyuan and Madam Chun sold all their family property, but they did a good deed and saved their son.”
Li Zhao smiled.
He looked up at her and suddenly asked, “Did you use the Love Silk Gu on Prince Duan?”
Xue Sui raised an eyebrow and retorted, “Does the Crown Prince think the Love Silk Gu is something easily obtained? It’s very precious.”
Li Zhao chuckled softly.
“After the morning court today, in the Imperial Study, Prince Duan requested leave from His Majesty, saying that the recent heat was unbearable and many of the women in his household were unwell, and he wished to take you and the Princess Consort to the separate villa outside the city to relax…”
Xue Sui’s expression was calm. “His Consort harmed me to this extent; he must feel guilty and wants to make amends.”
Li Zhao: “Prince Duan also requested His Majesty to grant you the title of Ru Ren.”
He then glanced sideways, raising his eyebrows slightly.
“I imagine you will receive this good news tomorrow morning. Congratulations, Xue Ping’an.”
His expression was unreadable, showing neither joy nor anger.
Xue Sui, however, was inwardly startled.
Why would Li Huan take leave from the Emperor in front of Li Zhao and describe his actions in such detail?
A conspiracy?
Or perhaps he wanted to verify something?
Xue Sui subconsciously touched her lips. “He asked me that day why my lip was injured?”
Li Zhao leaned closer, his gaze burning as he looked at her.
“How did you answer? Did you say I bit you?”
I’ll only update one chapter today. This chapter is over 4000 words, so consider it a two-in-one chapter~~
It’s the New Year, and there are many family matters. Please understand! Mwah~ Love you all~
