Chapter 95: A Sense of Grievance Wells Up

Sunlight slowly crept over the eaves.

The temperature on the ground also gradually rose with it.

Zhao Huairen did not answer, so the others naturally did not dare to interject. In the midst of the silence, Yan Yiqing skillfully created a way out for herself. “Although my hand hurts a lot and it’s inconvenient to move… as long as the Heir Apparent says the word that she doesn’t want to—”

It was the most clumsy trick.

Yet she, who was so perceptive, seemed utterly oblivious to it.

“I’m willing,” Zhao Huairen took the initiative to grasp her right hand, which hung in the air. The corners of her lips curved up almost imperceptibly as she said warmly, “Young Master Yan was injured because of me. It’s no trouble at all. I’ll help Young Master Yan into the carriage right now.”

Although leveraging a favor for personal gain was a bit shameful, it was for Huairen… so even the most shameful methods, she would use! Yan Maomao nodded calmly, then pretended to be weak again. “I originally didn’t want to trouble the Heir Apparent. Mm~ Thank you, Heir Apparent.”

Her smooth shoulder line couldn’t help but tremble.

But in the end, Zhao Huairen successfully suppressed her laughter.

Her distinctively jointed fingers lifted a corner of the carriage curtain and sent the delicate Yan Maomao inside. Just as Zhao Huairen was about to step in, her bending motion suddenly paused. She turned back to look at Hong Xiujie, who stood beside Qin An, and said in a clear voice, “I’m docking one month’s pay. Today is an exception. If anything like this happens again—”

“This subordinate knows her mistake. In the future… I absolutely won’t do it again.” Hong Xiujie lowered her head, a flash of shame in her eyes.

She knew why Luo Juaner had insisted on coming to give thanks today.

It was just that bit of compassion.

It made her unable to watch her old friend fall into despair.

In short, she had taken it upon herself… and done something she shouldn’t have.

The moon-white hem of her robe traced a half-arc in the air. The heavy carriage curtain rippled in layers before quickly settling back into stillness, blocking out all external sightlines and carving out a private world for the two wives inside.

Seeing this, Hong Xiujie said in a flustered tone, “Sister Qin An…”

“You just need to remember today’s lesson. Since the Heir Apparent said it’s an exception, it won’t be mentioned again.” Qin An sighed faintly, flipped herself onto the driver’s seat, waved her hand, and said, “You two hurry back. I need to drive the carriage.”

Hearing this, the slightly uneasy Hong Xiujie felt a bit more settled. She bowed to Qin An, then stood in place watching the carriage depart.

The crisp sound of hooves gradually faded in the street.

Like a clear breeze that scattered the clouds and then quietly departed.

“Since Lord Zhao saw through it… why was she still willing to give our mother and daughter a way out?” Luo Juaner led her daughter to Hong Xiujie’s side and gazed at the empty street ahead, her eyes full of confusion.

Hong Xiujie withdrew her gaze, lowered her head, and reached out to pat Luo Leding’s head. “I’m not sure. Maybe she thought Leding was cute.”

Looking at her obedient and sensible daughter.

The woman understood something, her expression turning somewhat complex.

“Leding, do you remember that gentleman from earlier?” Luo Juaner squatted down, straightened her daughter’s collar, and said gravely, “She’s our mother and daughter’s lifesaver. In this world nowadays, good officials like her are rare.”

“She’s not.” Luo Leding shook her head.

“What’s wrong with you, child?!”

Luo Juaner was just about to get angry, but Luo Leding scrunched up her little face and said seriously, “The benefactor isn’t a gentleman; she’s a lady.”

Her childish voice was clear and crisp. Luo Juaner and Hong Xiujie couldn’t help but exchange smiles upon hearing it.

At that moment, neither of them—

took Luo Leding’s childish words seriously.

–

The wheels rolled over the dust-covered streets.

Retracing the path they had taken earlier, only a few starving refugees remained on the streets.

Qin An sat on the driver’s seat, reins in hand, but her gaze looked toward the distant wisps of white smoke rising. This city, drained to the bone, remained dilapidated and desolate, but in the unseen corners, wild grass had already begun to sprout quietly.

The gloom between her brows dissipated considerably. Qin An tightened the reins in her hand, wanting to hurry and rendezvous with Zhuyu waiting outside the city.

“These next few days will probably be a bit of a grievance for Young Master Yan.”

The pleasant voice was like an oriole in a secluded valley, like a handful of white snow gently jolting awake the dozing little cat. Yan Yiqing rubbed her eyes and mumbled, “What grievance?”

He memorized every one of her movements in his heart, painting them and cherishing them carefully.

Just being with her like this.

The age-old accumulated snow melted, turning into babbling clear streams.

“This time, there are few people traveling with us, so Young Master Yan will probably have to make do with me… inside the carriage for a few days.” Zhao Huairen raised her hand to her lips, her long lashes casting shadows under her eyes, concealing the mischief that flashed through them.

A grievance…?

This was completely a reward.

The initial burst of joy upon first hearing it had already passed, but now hearing her mention it again, Yan Yiqing couldn’t help but secretly rejoice once more.

“Well, it’s a bit of a grievance, but there’s no way around it…” Yan Maomao bit the soft flesh inside her cheek to swallow her laughter, then met Zhao Huairen’s pure and innocent gaze. A twinge of guilt welled up unbidden, but she still blinked and continued to coax in good conscience, “Doesn’t the Heir Apparent think I’m aggrieved too?”

Zhao Huairen said nothing.

She merely lifted her smooth chin slightly.

Hee hee hee… Huairen was so easy to fool; she was taking her down bit by bit like this!

Yan Yiqing ran through all her sad memories in her mind. Fortunately, there were too many sad things, and the little cat instantly wilted. “The wound still hurts a bit… Don’t worry about me; as long as it doesn’t delay the Heir Apparent, it’s fine.”

“Young Master Yan is truly understanding.”

Praised by Zhao Huairen, the little cat narrowed her eyes in anticipation of more, but suddenly furrowed her brows—why no follow-up!?

Just one compliment and that was it?

Huairen wasn’t going to give her any benefits?

“What’s wrong?” Noticing the gaze upon her, Zhao Huairen set down the book scroll in her hand and looked up. “Does Young Master Yan have something to say?”

She hesitated for two seconds between face and substance.

In the end, Yan Yiqing resolutely chose Zhao Huairen.

“It’s nothing,” Realizing that Zhao Huairen looked away after the first five words, Yan Maomao’s pupils shrank. She no longer dared to keep up the pretense and directly laid it bare. “The Heir Apparent has to compensate me! Compensate me!”

Zhao Huairen’s sword brows furrowed slightly, and the beauty seemed somewhat troubled.

“The Heir Apparent said I’m aggrieved, so… shouldn’t there be compensation?” Afraid her scheme would be seen through by Zhao Huairen, Yan Yiqing lowered her head to stare at her shoe tips, her voice soft like a sneaky little cat craving dried fish.

The mischievous little cat lowered her eyes.

The pure-hearted woman boldly stared at her.

“There’s some truth to that. So, Young Master Yan… how would you like me to compensate you?” Zhao Huairen’s fingers on her knee tapped rhythmically, clear pleasure in her eyes, though her voice remained hesitant, without a trace of lightness.

In an instant, countless ideas flashed through Yan Yiqing’s mind.

She didn’t dare to be too greedy.

But she also couldn’t bear to let this opportunity slip.

Yan Yiqing fell into contemplation, and the air inside the carriage suddenly quieted. The satin-like pale pink connected the two hearts close at hand, entwining and soft, just like Zhao Huairen’s gaze upon her.

Until the carriage stopped.

Finally breaking the atmosphere inside.

“Knock knock!” Qin An lightly tapped the carriage twice and called inside, “Heir Apparent, the carriage has rendezvoused with Zhuyu and the others. Shall we continue now?”

The moment Yan Yiqing looked up, Zhao Huairen’s expression returned to normal. After pondering Qin An’s words for a moment, she replied, “Mm, continue. Have Zhuyu bring the letter in.”

“What letter?” Yan Yiqing asked casually.

“A secret letter from the scouts.”

Not expecting her to answer, Yan Yiqing blinked, her peach-blossom eyes bright like ink jade soaked in a lake.

“Mostly news from Yanjing. Though we haven’t been gone long, the court situation changes every day.” Thinking Yan Yiqing was interested in the letter’s contents, Zhao Huairen didn’t hide it and spoke frankly.

The little cat nodded thoughtfully, sneaked a glance at Zhao Huairen, seemingly plotting some mischief in her mind again.

“Knock knock.” Zhuyu symbolically tapped the carriage, lifted the curtain, and bent down to enter.

It was still the same comfortable couch carriage from before, exquisite and cozy—but it seemed much more spacious now. Zhuyu imperceptibly pursed her lips, her gaze lingering on Yan Yiqing for a moment before quickly withdrawing.

The carriage hadn’t become more spacious.

Young Master Yan was just sitting closer to the Heir Apparent.

“The letter.”

The cool voice pulled Zhuyu’s thoughts back. She took several folded secret letters from her sleeve and handed them to Zhao Huairen with both hands, gesturing: Without baggage to slow them, riding hard, they could reach Yanjing in three days.

A three-day journey.

Just in time to arrive the day before the death anniversary.

“You’ve worked hard.” Zhao Huairen took the letters and said warmly.

Zhuyu shook her head lightly, bowed to Zhao Huairen, and then turned to exit the carriage.

…

The carriage soon set off again.

Only now, several neat sets of hoofbeats accompanied them.

The envelope made the woman’s fingertips look as white as jade. Zhao Huairen peeled open the sealing wax, took out the paper filled with small regular script, and read attentively.

Seeing her wife so focused.

Yan Yiqing didn’t disturb her and lifted the carriage curtain a bit.

Once the bright light entered, Zhao Huairen’s sword brows relaxed instantly. She tightened her grip on the letter paper, a flush tinting her ear tips as she said, “If Young Master Yan has nothing to do, you can think about what kind of compensation you’d like.”

“There’s no rush,” The greedy little cat didn’t hurry to claim her benefits. Instead, she stared eagerly at the secret letter in her hand, hesitated, and probed, “Heir Apparent, what do these letters say?”

Her peach-blossom eyes reflected fragmented light and shadows.

Her full lips were a vivid crimson.

There was curiosity in the little cat’s eyes, and a trace of expectation that was easy to overlook.

Zhao Huairen noticed that trace of expectation in her eyes.

Without answering her question, she directly handed over the secret letter.

The woman’s simple action was like a gale, effortlessly tearing away Yan Yiqing’s feigned nonchalance. Her jet-black lashes trembled, and she parted her lips slightly. “I… I can look?”

“Of course. Young Master Yan isn’t an outsider.”

The clear voice echoed repeatedly in Yan Yiqing’s mind. Unbeknownst to her, red tinged her earlobes as she awkwardly took the letter. More than receiving a letter, Yan Yiqing’s demeanor was like accepting a marriage contract.

The handwriting on the letter paper was slightly inferior to Zhao Huairen’s.

Neat and elegant, it clearly recorded the interactions among officials.

Every capital official of sixth rank and above had their comings and goings noted without omission… their Mingjing Division, painstakingly built over many years.