Chapter 104: Madam Ping’an
Xue Sui pursed her lips, remaining silent.
In the blink of an eye, Li Zhao’s face was close.
“Why aren’t you saying anything? What did you say?”
His facial features were sharply defined, as if carved by a knife, with a high nose bridge that accentuated his deep-set eyes beneath his brow bones. Though they held a faint smile, they exuded an inexplicable hint of malice.
Xue Sui replied, “I said that a wild dog suddenly appeared in the courtyard, and I kindly prepared some meat to feed it. I didn’t expect it to be so ungrateful. After eating its fill, it suddenly pounced on me and bit me. I was caught off guard, and my lips were bitten…”
Her tone was calm, and her story sounded plausible.
Li Zhao’s expression darkened with each sentence he heard.
With every subsequent sentence, his face grew even more somber and displeased.
“Does Li Huan believe it?”
Xue Sui replied respectfully, “Prince Duan is not as suspicious as the Crown Prince.”
“Xue Ping’an!”
Li Zhao stared intently at her, as if his deepest pride had been wounded.
After a moment, he adjusted his robes and sat down beside her.
“I haven’t eaten my fill…”
His voice was clear and resonant, laced with a playful teasing.
Within that mischievous smile, Xue Sui keenly detected a hint of danger and profound meaning…
Xiao Zhao’s gaze as she left reappeared in her mind.
The Li Zhao of the past never made such jokes.
Could the Love Silk Lure be that potent?
Xue Sui steadied herself and took a silent breath.
“Your Highness, you should leave quickly. Prince Duan is no ordinary person. If he said those words to your face, he might already have his suspicions…”
Li Zhao casually picked up a wood carving she had placed by her pillow and began to play with it absentmindedly. “I wish he would become suspicious.”
Xue Sui glanced at him.
The wood carving was of a small cat.
Xue Sui carved it for fun in her spare time, patiently sanding it until it was very smooth.
The little cat had a cheerful face and was incredibly endearing.
In the man’s palm, it was turned and spun, its smiling little cat face contrasting with Li Zhao’s stern countenance, like an innocent life fallen into the clutches of a demon…
Xue Sui couldn’t help but frown.
“I thought the Crown Prince was a steady person.”
Li Zhao’s fingers gently caressed the wood carving, the corners of his mouth curving into a faint, almost imperceptible smile as he looked directly into Xue Sui’s eyes.
“You’ve made me unsteady. Are you satisfied?”
Xue Sui’s eyelids twitched. “Sixth Miss Xue is not worthy of such a title.”
Seeing her nervous demeanor, Li Zhao’s lips curved slightly upward.
“Do you truly intend to go to the separate villa with Li Huan?”
Xue Sui replied, “I have no reason to refuse.”
Li Zhao smiled faintly, a cold glint flashing in his eyes.
“Shall I give you one?”
Xue Sui feigned surprise. “Thank you, but it’s not necessary.”
Li Zhao’s gaze fell upon her eyelashes, dark as crow’s wings.
They fluttered rapidly, betraying her guilt.
He let out a cold snort.
“Xue Ping’an, you are truly capable.”
Xue Sui raised her eyes and looked at him calmly. “As you wished, I have kept my distance from Prince Duan by feigning illness, and I will not entangle myself with him further. Why doesn’t Your Highness uphold the agreement of allies and cooperate with me wholeheartedly, each taking what we need?”
Li Zhao looked at her determined gaze and asked with a smile, “What do you want me to do?”
Xue Sui leaned slightly to the side, her gaze locked onto him.
“Minister of the Supreme Court Xie Yanzhan, Duke of Zheng Guo Pi, Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices You Zhu, Chancellor of the Grand Secretariat Xiao Wenyuan, Minister of War Lu Yuan, Vice Minister of Personnel Yuan Qili, and Grand Master of the Palace Gate Zheng Yan – are these individuals truly unconnected to the Ministry of Revenue’s corruption case?”
As Li Zhao listened to her recite the official titles and names in her clear, cool voice, as if she knew them by heart, his brow twitched violently.
It wasn’t the arrogance of a weak woman attempting to seek revenge against the Three Dukes and Nine Ministers, but a kind of indescribable sorrow…
The results of Chen Henian’s diagnosis were only reported to Li Huan.
However, the prescription he wrote and Xue Sui’s medical records eventually fell into Li Zhao’s hands.
After reviewing them, Zhang Huaicheng, the Eastern Palace’s imperial physician, remained silent for a long time before sighing.
“This woman has a life full of hardships. If she survives great calamities, she will surely have great fortune in the future.”
No one is born to endure such suffering.
How much pain must one bear to accumulate such a body of injuries and illnesses?
If he were in her shoes, Li Zhao might have retaliated with the same or even more brutal methods.
But he couldn’t be sure if he could have endured those dark times like Xue Sui, survived the pain, and then spent ten years meticulously planning, constantly honing himself, and slowly growing into a deep-thinking strategist…
What kind of strong and resilient heart would a delicate woman need to achieve such a feat.
Li Zhao lowered his head, not wanting to disappoint her, yet compelled to speak.
“His Majesty does not wish to see such an outcome.”
The intricate machinations of the imperial court were not as grand as ordinary people imagined, nor were they as simple. The relationships between the Three Dukes and Nine Ministers, high officials, and noble clans were deeply intertwined, often through marriage, where a single move could affect the entire system.
If it were not absolutely necessary, the Emperor would not want to dig too deep.
Doing so would leave the Liang Dynasty’s court scarred and bleeding.
Xue Sui fell silent.
She understood, and therefore remained silent.
Li Zhao said, “Wait a little longer.”
Xue Sui looked at him and smiled faintly.
“I understand what needs to be done.”
Silence lingered for a long time…
They faced each other in silence, their gazes as deep as an abyss.
After a long while, Li Zhao looked at the wood carving of the cat in his hand.
“You like cats very much?”
Xue Sui said indifferently, “It’s just something to pass the time when I have nothing else to do.”
“This smiling cat is quite charming.”
Li Zhao gazed at her, a fleeting tenderness in his eyes.
He must have seen Xue Ping’an when he was nine years old.
But she might have forgotten.
Or perhaps, she never remembered that time at all.
Because at that time, she was like a wounded kitten, barely clinging to life, almost dead.
—
It was a cold winter day.
Emperor Chong Zhao had punished Li Zhao by sending him to Pu Ji Temple to reflect on his mistakes.
He was filled with a sense of injustice and resentment.
He was being punished for a minor dispute with Ping Le.
And why was it always him who was in the wrong?
He had been the Imperial Grandson since he was five years old.
Two months later, the Former Emperor passed away, and he naturally became the Crown Prince.
Everyone said he was noble, but his Imperial Father always blamed and neglected him.
The reason given was always—he was the Crown Prince.
As a result, the young Li Zhao always believed that “being the Crown Prince” was the most severe punishment in the world, and the Eastern Palace was the most terrifying prison.
On that day, the monastic courtyard of Pu Ji Temple was covered in thick snow, and the biting wind felt like a knife, stinging his face.
Everything was silent, as if time had frozen.
He walked alone on the cold path, a book in his hand, but his heart was colder than the wind.
Just then, a faint meow came from behind the rockery.
He stopped and walked towards the sound.
There was no cat.
Only a frail girl.
She was curled up in a crevice beneath the rockery. The crevice was very small, with two large stones blocking the entrance. Li Zhao didn’t know how she had gotten in. She seemed to have desperately tried to crawl out for help but was stuck, having lost her strength and unable to move.
Li Zhao was intelligent and mature from a young age.
In his eyes, many children were ignorant and foolish.
This little girl before him was likely no different.
She had crawled into this narrow crevice herself and couldn’t get out, leaving her to freeze.
He didn’t want to meddle, but after taking a few steps, he couldn’t help but look back.
She was so much like a cat.
A few days prior, Li Zhao had rescued a shivering kitten, just like her now.
Soaked, weak from the cold, with helpless eyes…
Li Zhao had always loved cats, dogs, and all sorts of small animals since he was young.
Because, having become the Imperial Grandson at the age of five, he had few people who treated him sincerely. Everyone was more adept at feigning compliance and showing false affection.
Only with these small animals could he pour out his heart without reservation and alleviate his loneliness.
This “little cat” made it impossible for him to simply turn and leave.
He walked back and, with great effort, managed to move the two large stones blocking the crevice.
The stones were incredibly heavy, leaving him breathless. His new fox fur cloak also got dirty.
After moving the stones, he discovered that this “little cat” was not only thinly dressed but also injured. There were bloodstains and wounds on her feet, legs, arms, and body. She had clearly been beaten and then pressed behind the rocks of the rockery…
So she hadn’t been playing around.
“Who hurt you?” Li Zhao couldn’t help but crouch down and examine her injuries carefully.
The little girl showed no reaction, her eyes vacant and hollow, filled with fear and despair.
Li Zhao took out a clean handkerchief from his pocket and tried to wipe her wounds and stop the bleeding.
Her body trembled slightly. She didn’t resist, nor could she.
“You should leave quickly…”
“Little cat,” she finally spoke.
Her voice was as weak as a mosquito’s hum, as if she had used all her strength, or perhaps out of extreme fear.
“They… will hit you… Leave quickly… Don’t let anyone see you…”
Li Zhao was stunned. “What is your name? And who are they?”
She didn’t respond. Her purplish-black lips moved, and she just repeated.
“Leave quickly.”
Li Zhao disliked this feeling intensely.
In that moment, he wanted to make her believe that he had the ability to deal with bad people, even though he was only nine years old.
“Tell me, I’ll help you get revenge, I’ll protect you.”
She stared at him motionlessly and shook her head.
“No one… no one can protect me… You leave quickly…”
Li Zhao didn’t move.
Like a cornered kitten, she bared her fangs and claws, spitting at him.
“I told you not to meddle! Leave, go away…”
Li Zhao’s new clothes were hit by her spit…
“Ungrateful.”
He gritted his teeth in anger.
As he left, he took off his soiled cloak and threw it over her cold body.
Later, he remembered the new fox fur cloak and the little girl who had dirtied his clothes, and went to the rockery to look…
The wind and snow had erased everything; she had left no trace.
Her clothes and bloodstains were gone.
Slowly, he forgot about the incident.
It wasn’t until Xue Sui broke into You Huang Ju and revealed that shocking scar that he remembered the “little cat” who had dirtied his clothes and spat at him that year…
—
“Your Highness?”
“Your Highness, it’s late. Please leave.”
Xue Sui saw Li Zhao lost in thought, gazing at the wood carving of the cat, and unsure of what he was thinking, she couldn’t help but remind him.
“Prince Duan has been wary of me lately. We should act with caution…”
Li Zhao’s lips curved.
He seemed to like this statement very much.
“You and I” were partners fighting side by side.
Prince Duan was the common enemy.
The clear distinction between friend and foe made the “Love Silk Gu” within him feel very comfortable, as if it had tasted the sweetest bait, becoming excited and active in an instant, his eyes filled with burning light.
As an adult, he understood that the little girl’s plea for him to “leave quickly” and force him away was not out of ingratitude, but out of fear that he would be implicated and bullied by those people.
The grown-up girl asking him to “leave quickly” now should be out of the same concern.
“Are you afraid I can’t defeat Li Huan?”
Xue Sui was startled, completely unaware of what he was thinking.
“Of course not. The Crown Prince is the Crown Prince, his status is supreme.”
“Hmm?” Li Zhao raised an eyebrow.
The twenty-year-old Crown Prince looked like a handsome and shy youth, his dark eyes filled with burning flames…
“Alright, I’ll listen to you…”
He lowered his head and looked at her deeply.
They were close, their breaths audible.
For a moment, Xue Sui thought he might do something inappropriate, or bite her in displeasure like last time…
After all, he had always acted unrestrainedly and wouldn’t be hesitant because she was Li Huan’s Ru Ren.
But Li Zhao quickly sat up straight, tidied his robes in an orderly fashion, and resumed his usual stern and majestic demeanor.
“Don’t look at me like that. I’ll leave.”
The Crown Prince was, after all, the Crown Prince.
In the blink of an eye, he transformed back into the aloof and awe-inspiring heir apparent.
Xue Sui smiled faintly. “I bid Your Highness farewell.”
The tightly shut window was gently pushed open.
Li Zhao glanced at her, saying nothing.
A figure flashed past, and a gust of cold wind howled in, then quickly disappeared.
Xue Sui remained seated, silent for a long time.
Xiao Zhao called softly from outside, “Miss, do you need anything?”
Xue Sui: …
Xiao Zhao, like her, had practiced martial arts since childhood and had sharp hearing and keen eyesight. She must have heard the commotion in the room.
This question unsettled her slightly.
She placed the wood carving of the cat back by her pillow, thought for a moment, then decided against it, moving it further away before responding with a blank expression and a faint tone.
“No, you should rest early.”
Xiao Zhao seemed to be relieved.
“Yes.”
—
Today was the day Emperor Chong Zhao visited Empress Xie’s bedchamber, a monthly occurrence.
Inside Jiaofang Palace, candlelight flickered, casting shadows on the walls, illuminating the most noble couple in the Daliang Dynasty.
Empress Xie personally helped the Emperor undress, and subtly said,
“Zhao’er is growing up and it’s time for him to get married.”
Emperor Chong Zhao’s hands paused, his gaze distant.
“Why bring this up again?”
Empress Xie’s heart tightened.
Currently, Li Huan had planted his own people in many key positions in the court. This was clearly the Emperor giving him the opportunity to cultivate his faction and expand his influence.
Familiarity breeds affection.
The Crown Prince was too distant from the court officials.
Empress Xie desperately hoped the Crown Prince would marry soon so he could integrate into the core of the court and gain more support. However, the Emperor’s question left her unsure how to proceed.
“It is normal for a son to marry when he comes of age.”
Her voice was gentle yet firm, attempting to persuade Emperor Chong Zhao.
She knew the Emperor wasn’t oblivious; he simply didn’t want the Crown Prince to covet his power too early.
Empress Xie held a heart full of grievances.
But she would not, like Consort Xiao, resort to feigning weakness and pity before the Emperor.
She steadied herself and continued, “What parent doesn’t worry about their son’s marriage? Even ordinary families would be making arrangements. Your Majesty is busy with state affairs and has many children, perhaps you don’t have the time to attend to it. But I, as your consort, only have Zhao’er as my son… This matter has been delayed for so long, and others might think that I, as his mother, am not diligent enough.”
Emperor Chong Zhao’s brow furrowed slightly.
He detested it when Empress Xie spoke like this.
What did she mean by having only one son?
Did not every Imperial Prince respectfully call her “Imperial Mother”?
Showing favoritism was contrary to the Empress’s virtuous character.
As Emperor, he had a harem and many children, which was natural. How could she be dissatisfied and complain like this?
Emperor Chong Zhao said coldly, “As parents, we should respect our children’s wishes. The Crown Prince himself has submitted a memorial stating that he is still young and wishes to focus on the art of governance, and not marry for the time being. As his father, should I force him?”
He paused. “Besides, there is no suitable candidate for Crown Princess at the moment…”
Empress Xie quickly said, “Didn’t Your Majesty also favor the Second Young Lady from Grand Tutor Lu’s family a few days ago?”
Emperor Chong Zhao glanced at Empress Xie with a hint of mockery.
“Second Young Lady Lu is close with Ping Le. Does the Empress not mind?”
Empress Xie replied, “I value Grand Tutor Lu’s family for their noble lineage and strict family traditions. As long as they are loyal to the court and to Your Majesty, what does it matter who the young lady associates with? Does Your Majesty truly believe I am such a petty person?”
Her gaze was clear, and her tone was neither humble nor arrogant.
Her words implicitly accused Consort Xiao of being narrow-minded.
To a certain extent, Empress Xie was indeed more composed and dignified than Consort Xiao, and her conduct was proper.
Otherwise, the Crown Princess would have been from the Xiao clan, not the Xie clan.
The Xie clan was personally chosen by the Former Emperor for him.
Emperor Chong Zhao disliked Xie Shi for no particular reason; he disliked her from the very first moment he saw her.
But the Former Emperor was autocratic, and once a decision was made, it could not be changed.
Looking back now, his dislike for Xie Shi might have been mixed with the helplessness of being an Emperor who could not make his own choices.
It was a marriage he was forced to accept under circumstances he could not resist.
It was a wife the Former Emperor had forced upon him.
Emperor Chong Zhao sighed and softened his tone.
“Empress, do not worry. I will slowly select a Crown Princess who is both virtuous and talented, who can assist him in the future, embody the virtues of a queen, and protect the destiny of the nation…”
Empress Xie’s fingernails dug into her palm, but her face wore a gentle smile.
“Everything is up to Your Majesty’s decision.”
She knew in her heart that the Emperor’s words were meant to reassure her.
The implication was that no matter how much he doted on Prince Duan and Princess Ping Le, Li Zhao’s position as Crown Prince was as stable as a mountain, unshakeable.
After all, before the Former Emperor passed away, the five-year-old Li Zhao had been enfeoffed as “Imperial Grandson,” and the Former Emperor had placed boundless hopes on him.
On his deathbed, the Former Emperor had repeatedly warned the current Emperor not to change the Crown Prince, lest it destabilize the foundation of the nation.
Therefore, even if the Emperor was biased and dissatisfied with the Crown Prince, he had to maintain the appearance of a just and benevolent father in the imperial court.
To be a wise ruler admired by all, he could not easily violate the ancestral rules, nor could he disregard the Former Emperor’s dying words.
Before sleeping, neither husband nor wife spoke again.
The closest and most distant of relationships, husband and wife.
They didn’t have much to say to each other on a daily basis, and now they were even more speechless in each other’s presence.
Empress Xie carefully helped the Emperor lie down, then bowed and said:
“Your Majesty, please rest early. I have prepared a nourishing soup and porridge on the stove that Your Majesty can have when you wake up tomorrow. The heat is not yet right, so I will go and tend to it for a while longer. To avoid disturbing Your Majesty’s dreams, I will rest in the side hall after I’m done. I will be back shortly.”
This was her excuse to avoid sharing a bed with the Emperor.
They both knew this perfectly well.
She didn’t want to serve him, and he didn’t want her to.
But in this deep palace, everything had to be done with propriety, even for the most noble of couples, they had to maintain appearances.
Emperor Chong Zhao’s brow furrowed slightly. As he watched her bow and withdraw, he suddenly spoke, “Empress, wait…”
Empress Xie paused, then slowly turned around, her face still wearing a smile.
“Does Your Majesty have any further instructions?”
Emperor Chong Zhao looked at her. “Today, Prince Duan requested an imperial decree for Miss Xue to be promoted to Ru Ren, with the title ‘Ping An.’ What are the Empress’s thoughts on this?”
“Madam Ping’an?”
A fleeting emotion flashed in Empress Xie’s eyes, quickly replaced by calmness.
“What did Consort Xiao say?”
On such matters, the Emperor must have consulted with Xiao Lingrong first.
The two of them were more like a couple, always discussing matters together, while she, bearing only the title of Empress, was merely informed…
As expected, Emperor Chong Zhao sighed softly.
“She had no objections. Ru Ren Xue cured Prince Duan’s long-standing insomnia, and she suffered some grievances at the mansion this time. The Consort had no reason to object…”
The Xiao clan had no reason.
Did she, the Empress, have a reason to object?
He always made the decisions regarding the children born to Consort Xiao.
Was he trying to make her play the villain?
Empress Xie showed a faint smile.
“Sixth Miss Xue is learned, sensible, gentle, and lovely. It is only natural for Prince Duan to favor her. Everything is up to Your Majesty’s decision; I have no objections.”
Emperor Chong Zhao looked at her and nodded slightly.
“Empress, you may attend to your duties. I will rest now.”
An extra-long chapter, combined into two.
New Year’s Eve is here. I wish all readers of 《 Wen Jiu Qing 》 good health, freedom from illness and disaster, continuous good luck, and abundant wealth! May your wishes come true, and may the Year of the Snake be auspicious!
With all buffs stacked, Er Jin is here to wish you all a Happy New Year…
Xue Sui: Happy New Year, Happy New Year, Happy New Year.
Li Zhao: Adding joy, adding happiness, adding auspiciousness, receiving blessings, receiving luck, receiving peace!
