Chapter 68: The Sickly Prime Minister Poisoned to Death by Her Beloved

This southern inspection tour was grand in scale. The Prime Minister hadn’t even arrived in Jiangnan yet when she first displayed her might, leaving the Jiangnan aristocratic families grinding their teeth in hatred. Though they feared Xiao Jinse’s power, they didn’t dare say anything and still sent people to personally welcome her.

The day she arrived happened to be a rare sunny day amid several days of rain in Jiangnan. Everyone knew that Chancellor Xiao had topped the three imperial exams to claim the top spot, and later her military prowess in breaking the barbarians had only amplified her fame. The common people lined the streets to welcome her in their desperation, and when the news reached the Little Emperor’s ears, it took on a whole different spin.

The Little Emperor’s lips pressed into a tight line, twitching slightly before he slowly gripped the dragon throne, sneering coldly, “We’ll see if she can live up to that heavy expectation.”

The Jiangnan aristocratic families had entrenched themselves for a century; they weren’t that easy to deal with. Whether Xiao Jinse died in Jiangnan or uprooted the entire officialdom there, he would benefit either way.

—After all, he was the true master of these four seas.

However, what this master of the four seas said was one thing, and what he did was another.

With Xiao Jinse away, it was the perfect chance for him to flex his muscles. Since things had reached the point where he had no choice but to go all out, he naturally had to strike first.

He figured that with Xiao Jinse thousands of miles away, her influence couldn’t reach that far. He had to seize the time while she was gone to consolidate everything in the Capital City.

These developments naturally couldn’t escape Xiao Jinse’s notice. When she received the news, she was inspecting the river dikes amid torrential rain. Muddy water soaked through her official robes, and Xinyi frowned pleadingly, “Prime Minister, let’s go back.”

This struggle had no end in sight. Though there were arrangements in the Capital City, with the Prime Minister so far away, responses might fall short, leaving openings for others to exploit. The power center shifted in an instant, full of unpredictable changes—who knew?

The foundations she’d built over years could crumble in a moment of carelessness.

The strategist at her side frowned and said softly, “Perhaps… have you considered that the Eldest Princess is just bait to lure you here?”

The Eldest Princess was in Jiangnan. No matter how well they protected their messages, the Emperor might already know. Their communications couldn’t leak out, but the Eldest Princess could contact the Emperor herself, then set up this trap to draw the Prime Minister over—luring the tiger away from the mountain to seize control of the Capital City’s power core.

Xiao Jinse said nothing. Only the relentless rain drummed on the umbrella’s edge, then splattered into the muddy ground with a splash.

Some things went unanswered as an answer in themselves. Xinyi closed her eyes and didn’t dare say another word.

The Prime Minister was stubborn; once she set her mind on something, there was no second path.

After a long while, a faint coughing sound came. Her health was poor, and Xinyi felt a pang of regret.

With the Prime Minister’s wisdom, how could she not see through these things? Why force her to face the cruel reality when she was willing to deceive herself? Why strip it bare and make her see it with her own eyes?

—

Xiao Jinse wasn’t all talk. Despite facing obstructions on all sides, she achieved results in just a month. She investigated a batch of corrupt officials, recovered some of the embezzled funds, and retrieved half the disaster relief grain allocated from the national treasury. Just as the situation began to clarify, she was ambushed.

In a small town in Jiangnan, while escorting an official who had finally confessed, they encountered a large group of assassins. Everyone fought while retreating, and soon, amid the storm, they lost track of Xiao Jinse.

There weren’t many pedestrians in the heavy rain; most hurried home. Only a girl holding a white plum oiled-paper umbrella walked slowly, a basket on her arm containing two half-bloomed lotus flowers and a package of freshly baked brown sugar rice cakes.

At the corner into a small alley, she spotted winding blood trailing out— a streak of crimson merging into the muddy water, strikingly vivid. She paused only briefly before turning into the corner, where a woman in purple official robes huddled against the wall, drenched through, clutching her shoulder blade, her face deathly pale with eyes tightly shut.

—Behind her stretched a trail of blood; no one knew how long she’d walked.

She paused for a moment before slowly bending down. Just then, chaotic footsteps approached from outside. Xiao Jinse’s eyes cracked open but didn’t fully, her lips trembling as if to speak when someone swiftly stuffed something into her mouth.

It was warm, sweet, and fragrant, still carrying lingering heat.

She bit into it tremblingly—the taste of brown sugar rice cake.

Only after the footsteps fully drowned in the rain did Shi Qingyi turn her head. Somehow, the rice cakes had been eaten bite by bite, but the woman’s eyes remained shut, eyelids quivering faintly.

Shi Qingyi’s expression shifted. The one who’d finished the cakes now bit down on her hand and wouldn’t let go.

“…”

Shi Qingyi suddenly wanted to just leave her there.

The System instantly cowered: “No, no, no! Chancellor Xiao is injured like this—how can you bear it? Besides, she dragged herself to your doorstep, refusing the hidden guards’ help just to wait for you. With that kind of perseverance, you can’t just turn her away!”

For some reason, she wanted to dump her outside even more.

System: Calm down…

In the end, she still carried Xiao Jinse into the courtyard. The moment they crossed the threshold, Xiao Jinse let out a sigh of relief, couldn’t hold on any longer, and fainted, slumping against Shi Qingyi’s shoulder.

The spirited young Eldest Princess twitched her lips in anger.

So she didn’t need to pretend once inside? Who wouldn’t know she was faking it?

The System joined in frustration: “Yeah, why didn’t Chancellor Xiao fool you a bit longer!”

Shi Qingyi: “…”

If she ever couldn’t resist exposing Xiao Jinse, it would be the System’s fault.

When Xiao Jinse woke again, it was already dusk that day. The rain hadn’t weakened; the window was half-open. Jiangnan folk dwellings weren’t as spacious as the Prime Minister’s Mansion—the bed was small, the window small. Outside, the peach tree, battered by wind and rain, hung with a few pitiful fruits.

By the door, a woman fanned a small stove with a palm-leaf fan, boiling a pot of medicine. The bitter herbal scent wafted over faintly.

Her hair was in a simple commoner’s bun, her long black hair loosely draped over her shoulders. Conditions here naturally couldn’t compare to the Capital City’s fine clothes, delicacies, and luxuries, but back at the mansion, she’d grown thinner day by day. After half a year apart, despite her endless travels, she actually looked a bit plumper.

Xiao Jinse clutched the quilt, staring in a daze. Only after a long time did she snap back. The woman turned, her face covered by a long veil reaching her waist. She brought the medicine to the table by the bed, her tone gruff.

“Aren’t you going to drink it?”

Xiao Jinse’s eyes grew a bit wet.

It had been half a year since she’d last heard Her Highness’s voice.

She drank the medicine sip by sip. When finished, she noticed several pieces of brown sugar rice cake on the table. The veiled figure pretended not to look at her, though they clearly hadn’t been there before.

The rice cakes were very sweet, sweetness reaching straight to her heart.

The certain do-gooder surnamed Shi who refused to even give her name tried to send her away after saving her life, only to be firmly rejected.

The world-famous Chancellor Xiao tearfully complained of having no one to rely on, no trusted aides, nowhere to turn, and being gravely ill—speaking so sincerely it could move listeners to tears and sorrow. The Eldest Princess listened with twitching lips.

The little courtyard was truly tiny; aside from the kitchen for boiling medicine, there were no other rooms. Shi Qingyi lived alone and had no choice but to let Xiao Jinse share her room.

In the middle of the night, arms reached from behind to hug her. At first just testing, but when she didn’t push away, they grew bolder, hands sliding to her waist. Shi Qingyi gritted her teeth: “What is it now?”

Xiao Jinse hugged her beloved’s neck tightly, letting out a whimper from her throat: “It hurts…”

The rain poured like a leak. Soon, someone bit her earlobe: “Bite this and it won’t hurt…”

Shi Qingyi: “…”

Something felt off, though.

Pain relief by biting should be an arm, not an ear. And why let her bite her own ear? Couldn’t she bite wood?

Moreover, this wasn’t biting anymore—it was licking.

Xiao Jinse kissed very lightly, with a faint tremble, like savoring a favorite candy. In her cherishing, careful motions was a reckless fondness.

Shi Qingyi tightened her grip, her voice hoarse: “Do you know who I am?”

Don’t you dare if you don’t? And if you do, you still dare?!

The warm voice replied against her ear: “I know.”

“Then who am I?”

Shi Qingyi’s closed eyes slowly opened, her hand unconsciously clenching as wordless anger surged from her heart: “Xiao Jinse, do you just paw at any pretty girl you see? Hugging and holding after knowing her just a few days?”

Xiao Jinse moved to undo her clothes, dodging the question and changing the subject.

“Your Highness,” her voice was hoarse and hot, blending with the downpour outside, “you’re aroused…”

Shi Qingyi: “…”

She said nothing, so Xiao Jinse kept murmuring: “I miss you so much… I can’t sleep night after night…”

I want to drag you back and lock you up, regretting my decision every day, wanting to tear off my hypocritical mask and be a thorough villain.

But of course, she couldn’t say that. She just endlessly professed her longing and attachment.

Her cover pierced, Shi Qingyi lost patience, flipping to pin her down, looming over. She’d lost weight rapidly, almost skeletal, yet still beautiful—fragile and exquisite in the dim light, her waist barely a handful.

She was quite angry, tugging at Xiao Jinse’s clothes, only to be caught off-guard by a sudden upward kiss to her eye corner.

This time, the Eldest Princess bullied her thoroughly, clearly furious. Xiao Jinse understood why.

She’d confined her for so long, stolen her freedom. A proud soul like hers would harbor resentment from the humiliation. Even now freed, she probably hated her. Yet despite the hate, she’d still brought her back.

Was she angry at Xiao Jinse appearing before her again, or at herself for not being able to abandon her? No one knew.

Xiao Jinse slowly closed her eyes. When it hurt, she begged softly. Though the Eldest Princess still looked angry, she truly lightened up, not tormenting her, occasionally kissing comfortingly.

She suddenly pitied Shi Qingyi so much—why had she encountered such a persistent madwoman? Across two lifetimes of endless time, she still wouldn’t let go.

Shi Qingyi could never fully escape her.

She felt her own heart was vicious and cunning. At first, she thought to release Shi Qingyi, give her freedom—then regretted it, scheming to torment her thoroughly, make her realize she couldn’t survive without her, only protected at her side.

Yet she couldn’t bear any grievance on her. Now she appeared before her again; promises of never meeting again, parting amicably, were all jokes.

What was this?

Probably releasing to capture.

If only Her Highness would obediently return. If not—

She slowly closed her eyes, hugging that person tightly.

She shouldn’t have looked again. One more glance, and she couldn’t bear to let go.