She held Asu tightly, terrified of losing her. The blazing emotion shattered her last shred of reason like a sharp sword. Her tongue probed again, stirring in Asu’s mouth, filling it with the bitter medicinal taste, hoping desperately that Asu would swallow.
Swallow, and there’s hope, right?
Her brilliant eyes dimmed instantly to ash. Xun Yisu showed no reaction. Yuan Man still held her, like the steadfast cypress in the room. She slowly stood, and a tear slid into her mouth. She took a deep breath; this tear was so bitter.
I don’t know what happened to you, but I only know I like you. If not in this life, I’ll guard you forever. In the next life, I’ll beg His Majesty early, even if despised by all—I won’t care.
The splendid lights adorned the sky, stars falling in the Milky Way.
Asu, I’ll guard you day by day, alright?
Asu, I’ve prepared the wedding robes and found a matchmaker. Though no parental consent, there will be the matchmaker’s words.
Asu, I’ve invited many friends to witness…
On the streets outside the Prince’s Mansion, two horses appeared. Ana Yanran, who had returned, sat astride one, a flicker of tenderness in her icy eyes. Her subordinate suddenly asked, “Princess, are we just letting Yuan Man go like this?”
Ana Yanran clamped her legs against the horse’s flanks. The earlier aggression toward Xun Yisu was gone, replaced by a soft, feminine glow. “She’s no longer Border City’s general; killing her is pointless. No one knows Xun Yisu is dead and that I’m in the borderlands. Your task is to recruit and train soldiers, then march soon to breach Border City.”
Yuan Man, Xun Yisu—the rest of the road is yours to walk. If you stumble, don’t blame me.
………………………………………………………………………………………………
Dark clouds swirled over the Imperial Capital, with a faint slanting wind that brought no relief, only stifling oppression.
The drum of injustice before the Ministry of Punishments rang out again. Spectators gathered and saw a woman dragging two children, wailing her grievances. With kids in tow, was she like in the plays, suing some official for abandoning his wife for a new one, defying the law?
Such a lively scene naturally drew the curious. After hearing the woman’s complaint in the hall, they felt disappointed—it was just her husband missing for days, along with several other village men.
For missing persons, report to the local magistrate; why alarm the Ministry? But the woman said the local official ignored them, so the villagers pooled money to send her to the Imperial Capital to sue.
The matter could be big or small, but for some reason, it alarmed His Majesty. The Ministry had no choice but to take the case and investigate.
A spring thunderstorm arrived suddenly. Xun Changqing emerged from the palace without an umbrella and couldn’t wait for the rain to stop, so she ordered a carriage back to the mansion. No matter how careful, her shoes and socks got wet.
For the past few days, His Majesty had kept her in the palace, preventing her return to the Prince’s Mansion or seeing Wei Lingci. Thus, before even entering the Prince’s Mansion, she went straight to the County Princess Mansion.
Seeing her soaked shoes and socks, Wei Lingci ordered hot water brought for a bath to dispel the chill, then sent someone to the Prince’s Mansion for a change of clothes.
After all the fuss, dusk had fallen. Xun Changqing sat on Wei Lingci’s bed, wearing a thin undergarment, wringing her damp hair tips herself. Her cheeks were flushed, her peach-blossom eyes narrowed in a smile as she chatted about palace matters. “That woman’s complaint—I guessed right away it was Uncle Master’s doing. I mentioned it before His Majesty, drawing his attention, and he immediately ordered the Ministry to investigate thoroughly.”
Wei Lingci took the ginger tea from Xian Yun’s hands, blew on it gently, and handed it to her. She couldn’t help asking, “How did you mention it?”
The ginger tea was spicy on the throat. Xun Changqing took a sip, felt even warmer, and it burned her mouth, so she stuck out her tongue and fanned herself with her hand. She replied, “I just said one line: ‘The people are the most important; the state comes second.'”
The court was already rife with undercurrents, a vortex suppressed by the emperor beneath the calm surface. The Empress was at its center, confined for nearly a month. Xun Yiran grew increasingly irritable, reprimanded multiple times at morning court. The Shao Family had been quiet lately; Xun Changqing vaguely suspected Mu Chen’s involvement.
Xu Ke had vanished somewhere, and Wang Pingjun had been driven out of Lingyun Mountain by him, wandering like a stray dog. Xun Changqing already resented him for the poisoning incident and now seized the chance not to let him go. She ordered his martial arts crippled and him thrown into Lingyun Rear Mountain to be wolf food—whether he lived or died was up to fate.
Naturally, she couldn’t tell Wei Lingci this, lest she worry.
Mu Chen had taken control of Lingyun Mountain, pouring all manpower and resources into finding iron mines. With such numbers, results were inevitable.
Xun Changqing had grown much steadier. The emperor summoned her to the palace every few days; they occasionally discussed capital affairs. Though she never mentioned the Empress, she sensed His Majesty’s intent to depose her growing clearer. Because of this, she leaked some rumors to Xun Yiran, adding fuel to the boiling pot.
Outwardly steady, in front of Wei Lingci, she still seemed immature. Xun Changqing took a sip of ginger tea and set it down. She looked obedient on the surface, but her eyes darted around, always trailing behind Wei Lingci. This earned a stern glare from Wei Lingci. “Why are you always staring at me? Not drinking the ginger tea, not putting on proper clothes.”
