#6: Startling Night

The banquet dispersed, and thanks were given. Yan Chu and the others returned to the Prince Ding’s residence with Xiao Qi. All the way, Hongye kept asking about Lord Xiling and the Eternal Realm. Yan Chu didn’t deliberately hide anything, picking out unimportant details to tell her, and finally mentioned Consort Ying.

Hongye said indignantly, “We came with the Princess Consort. My name is Wanfeng, and her name is Qiuying. Those were names given by the Princess Consort. We used to be very close, but after the Princess Consort’s accident, she became restless. First, she tried to seduce the Lord, but he ignored her. Later, she somehow managed to get close to His Majesty and gained favor in the palace. And because of what happened before, she always opposed the Lord. To think that her family died in the war back then, and it was General Yue and the Princess Consort who took her in. If only I had known she was so ungrateful...”

As she spoke, the carriage stopped. Hongye quickly cut off her conversation, lifted the curtain, and helped Yan Chu out of the carriage. They followed Xiao Qi through the gate. Just as they reached the outside of the back garden, they saw Liu Yu standing there, supported by Yi Ru.

Xiao Qi’s expression worsened. He reprimanded Yi Ru, “Why did you let the Madam stand outside? Get inside!”

“You don’t need to take your anger out on her,” Liu Yu looked directly at him. “Yunze Xiao Qi, do you want this woman, or do you want me?”

Yan Chu smiled.

So, the gentle and kind facade couldn’t be maintained anymore? Forcing a man to choose in such a way, self-righteous women always treat men as fools. In reality, if you pay a little more attention, you’ll find that he knows far more than you imagine.

Since she wanted to cut off her own wings so quickly, it would truly be an unforgivable offense not to add some fuel to the fire.

Yan Chu lowered her gaze and said, “The back garden has always been a place of trouble. I beg the Prince Ding to allow me to leave. I don’t want to suffer such unexpected incidents again today.”

Xiao Qi coldly said, “The maid Yi Ru neglected her duties and instigated the Madam to cause trouble. Drag her away and await punishment.”

“Lord!” Yi Ru gasped in fright, “It’s not my business... Madam!”

Liu Yu was choked with anger. After a long moment, she gritted her teeth and said, “Yunze Xiao Qi, you are... If you want to punish her, punish me first!”

Xiao Qi was unmoved. With just a glance, the servants immediately came forward to drag the maid away. Liu Yu sharply ordered them to stop, but the servants were well aware of who the true master of this residence was, and they knew his methods, so they dared not disobey. They dragged Yi Ru out of the garden gate, and Liu Yu, regardless of her composure, hastily chased after them.

Xiao Qi also ignored them, instructing two maids to send Yan Chu back to Maple Garden.

As soon as Yan Chu left, Liu Yu rushed back, stamping her foot and angrily telling him, “Xiao Qi, quickly release Yi Ru, or else I... will die with her!”

The woman’s delicate face was contorted with anger, her usual gentleness now seven parts gone, and she resorted to the most foolish threat. Xiao Qi felt even more annoyed and coldly ordered, “Pack her things and send the Madam back to her family for a few days.” He paused, then added, “Send the maid Yi Ru back with her, saying that such a wicked servant cannot be kept, and let General Qin Chuan deal with her.”

For a woman who gives her all to a man, what could be more terrifying than losing her husband’s favor? The anger in Liu Yu’s eyes instantly turned to fear: “What did you say? You... you want to send me away? You’re tired of me?”

Xiao Qi softly said, “Liu Yu, look at yourself today. You weren’t like this before.”

He had been trained as the heir to the Yunze clan since childhood and deeply understood the importance of the Qi family. The back garden had always been a troublesome place. In the past, after Yue Xiluo married in, household affairs were orderly. After Yue Xiluo was gone, the back garden remained empty, which saved trouble. Now, the usually gentle Liu Yu had moved in to manage the household and was actually putting on such a show. This was entirely unexpected and violated his greatest taboo. For a moment, he was both disappointed and disheartened, intending to warn her, which was why he spoke such harsh words.

Liu Yu, however, was genuinely frightened. She stepped forward and grasped his hand, looking up, tears falling like pearls: “I said that because Consort Ying was instigating things in front of His Majesty, wasn’t I? I didn’t want Consort Ying to hate you again...”

Seeing her remorse, Xiao Qi finally extended his arm and embraced her, sighing, “You know better than I why I punished Yi Ru. I can tolerate temporary foolishness, but I cannot tolerate such malicious tactics, otherwise how can the back garden be peaceful! Behind me is the entire Yunze clan. As the saying goes, a virtuous wife makes a prosperous family. If you insist on favoring such a wicked servant, you will cause me to misunderstand.”

As a powerful minister, he naturally had eyes and ears everywhere. How could he not know every move in the palace?

Liu Yu’s face turned pale: “You... suspect me?”

“Of course it’s not you. It’s Yi Ru holding a grudge from her previous punishment and intentionally framing her,” Xiao Qi said. “Yan Chu hasn’t done anything to threaten you. You shouldn’t worry. Rash actions will only ruin my important plans.”

Liu Yu said, “But Yi Ru...”

“She served you well; I will punish her leniently,” Xiao Qi’s tone was severe. “I don’t want to see this kind of thing happen again, Yu’er. I hope you can understand.”

“Don’t be angry, I... understand.” Liu Yu tightly hugged his waist.

Xiao Qi gently patted her back: “It’s good that you understand. I won’t blame you anymore. I just hope you will always be the Yu’er I know.”

The news of the newcomer’s clash with the Madam quickly reached Maple Garden. After learning the outcome, the maids were even more attentive to Yan Chu, serving her diligently and cautiously. After bathing, only Hongye was nowhere to be seen, but Yan Chu didn’t ask further. She lazily leaned against the headboard, taking the herbal soup offered by the maids.

A century had passed. A trusted maid might not still be trusted. She constantly scolded Qiuying, yet she didn’t realize that from the moment she called herself Hongye, she was no longer the former Wanfeng.

This attempt at framing was destined to fail. Xiao Qi still needed to use her to appease the Yue army, so he had to protect her. Qin Chuan Liu Yu had only outsmarted herself.

According to Xiao Qi’s character, Yi Ru would definitely be sent away.

What if she had succeeded? Qin Chuan Liu Yu simply didn’t understand him. Overestimating oneself is the biggest mistake women often make. She completely failed to grasp that he was Yunze Xiao Qi first, and then her, Qin Chuan Liu Yu’s man. He would never tolerate a vicious woman by his side who could harm the family’s interests.

Believing he had married the most gentle and virtuous madam in the world, then slowly seeing her other side, how would Xiao Qi react? It was something to look forward to.

With the identity of a disciple of the Eternal Realm, Yan Chu’s return to the Eternal Realm became legitimate. This time, there was no white-clad envoy to greet her. As she stepped into the valley, the scenery before her automatically disappeared, and she found herself standing on the platform of the Go Cliff. Beside her, the short maple whispered in the wind, and many small green fruits had appeared on the flower trees ahead.

The wind lifted his sleeves and hair ties. Lord Xiling sat alone before the stone chessboard, playing against himself with black and white pieces, his face clearly visible.

“You’ve arrived.” His voice was devoid of inflection.

She never expected him to personally receive her, so Yan Chu felt somewhat uneasy, even more nervous than when she first met him. Her hands in her sleeves couldn’t help but clench.

In fact, ever since she learned his identity, she had always held him in awe, not daring to be presumptuous in front of him. His public protection was truly unexpected. Yan Chu felt very uneasy. After all, the identity of an Eternal Realm disciple was too significant. Possessing this identity meant possessing his protection. The two were not close, and he was only her benefactor. The only explanation was that she had been chosen by the One-Leaf Flower, and he had reason to ensure the safety of the flower’s caretaker, thus giving her extra attention.

“Many people have fainted here already.”

“Ah?”

“I don’t mind one more person.”

Even if Yan Chu were foolish, she could tell he was joking, which surprised her greatly. In her embarrassment, she quickly unclenched her hands and bowed: “The Taoist sect’s spatial movement technique is indeed profound. Yan Chu is fortunate to witness it.”

Lord Xiling raised a hand, and instantly, the plank path outside the cliff reappeared.

After all, this new identity was beneficial and harmless. Accepting his protection was the best choice. She had fallen into such a predicament, what was there to be reluctant about? Moreover, given his identity and status, what more could he want from her?

Once Yan Chu understood this, she calmed down. She went straight to the snow cave to feed the flower, then returned to the cliff along the plank path. After some thought, she asked, “Yan Chu has something she doesn’t understand. This flower grows slowly. I haven’t nurtured it before, so how did it grow a flower bud?”

Lord Xiling picked a black piece from the bowl, dropped it, and said, “A hundred years ago, you were injured and fell unconscious, losing too much blood.”

Yan Chu suddenly understood.

Lord Xiling suddenly said, “Your heart meridian is damaged, an injury from the Ice Dissolution technique. While fire therapy can alleviate pain during an attack, it conflicts with Ice Country magic and will only worsen your injury.”

Ice Dissolution technique? Yan Chu was truly startled this time. Thoughts whirled in her mind, but she ultimately did not ask the question: “Thank you, Lord Xiling, for your guidance, but it’s out of necessity; I can only make do.” The old illness of Yue Xiluo appearing on her own body meant Xiao Qi would not merely be suspicious. When a person experiences greater pain, they realize that this pain is actually not difficult to endure, and this injury is nothing.

His gaze remained fixed on the chessboard. Lord Xiling waved his hand: “Go.”

Seeing his hand pick up a white piece again, Yan Chu couldn’t help but blurt out: “May Yan Chu have the honor of knowing Lord Xiling’s given name?”

His long hand, holding the white piece, paused in mid-air for a long time before slowly descending. The white jade chess piece settled onto the stone chessboard with a soft click.

Yan Chu felt very uneasy. She lowered her gaze and said, “Yan Chu was rash. Farewell.”

Just as she walked a few steps—

“Fengqi, Xiling Fengqi.” His voice came from behind her.

________________________________________

With a mind full of doubts, Yan Chu returned to the Prince Ding’s residence escorted by the attendant. As soon as she entered Maple Garden, a maid reported that Liu Yu was there. Yan Chu calmly said “Oh,” walked towards the small building, and the maid waiting outside the door quickly lifted the curtain to let her in.

Seeing her return, Liu Yu stood up.

Yan Chu gestured for the maids to withdraw: “Madam’s presence is an honor; please forgive my discourtesy.”

Because of the previous incident, Liu Yu smiled rather unnaturally: “Consort Ying has always been at odds with the Lord. Yesterday, I heard her instigating things in front of His Majesty, and I was momentarily flustered... I have come specially to apologize to you, Miss.”

Yi Ru had followed her since childhood and was most loyal. How could she bear to send her away? After Xiao Qi had cooled down, she repeatedly pleaded and guaranteed. As they had only recently married, Xiao Qi ultimately couldn’t bear to hurt her. Since the public order could not be easily retracted, he subtly gave her a few pointers. To keep her trusted maid, she finally came to Maple Garden to apologize. Now, only Yan Chu interceding was most appropriate.

Yan Chu understood: “The Prince Ding sent Madam?”

A fragile woman, so easily stripped of her arms, yet capable of hateful deeds. Fortunately, she received Xiao Qi’s love. Not indulged, but definitely protected.

Her prediction was accurate, and Liu Yu was suddenly caught off guard: “Yi Ru, she...”

Before she could finish the carefully chosen words, she suddenly heard a single word.

A soft voice, just loud enough for the two of them to hear, so clear, so close, like a nightmare clinging tightly to her heart, making her whole body tremble with fear.

Opposite her, the beautiful serpent was showing off: “Tell me, will I still let your person stay?”

“It’s you! You’re not dead!” Liu Yu recoiled in shock, bumping into a flower stand. The jade vase carved with maple leaf patterns fell, scattering fragments everywhere.

The maids were surprised and quickly came to help her.

“Do you think he’ll believe you?” Realizing her loss of composure, Liu Yu clenched her hand in her sleeve, trying to calm herself, and sneered, “Even if you come back, he’s still mine. You can’t touch me!”

Watching her disappear beyond the curtain, Yan Chu felt at ease, calmly instructing the maids to clean up the shattered pieces. After being served and changing her clothes, and eating her meal, Xiao Qi indeed entered the garden shortly after.

Yan Chu leaned against a pillar on the veranda railing. Seeing him, she asked, “Is Madam alright?”

Xiao Qi said, “She came to apologize and had no ill intentions.”

Yan Chu’s lips curled: “She always suspects I’m the Princess Consort, she must have been scared. Is the Prince Ding here to blame me for that? Or are you blaming me for being narrow-minded and unwilling to accept her apology?”

Qin Chuan Liu Yu confirmed her identity because of the meaning represented by that word. Unfortunately, she had already anticipated that Qin Chuan Liu Yu wouldn’t dare tell Xiao Qi, letting that woman live in terror day after day. She wouldn’t do anything foolish either.

Xiao Qi said, “She was a bit confused this time, listening to her maid’s instigation. Why must you quibble with her?”

Yan Chu stood up: “She’s confused, so she doesn’t need to be argued with, but I must endure being framed. Is that what the Prince Ding means?”

Xiao Qi said, “That’s not what I meant.”

Yan Chu said, “I only know that Yi Ru framed me, almost causing my death at Consort Ying’s hands. If she stays, won’t everyone dare to target me in the future? The Madam has the Prince Ding’s protection, but I don’t want to die a mysterious death. I, Yue Yan Chu, am not that good-natured. I will seek revenge for every wrong. Yi Ru absolutely cannot stay.”

Xiao Qi looked at her, a little lost in thought.

This strong personality, this manner of managing affairs, even the love and hate expressed in her words were equally direct.

According to Hongye’s report, even when called at night, she never used the name “Wanfeng.” Her personality and preferences had both differences and similarities with Xi Luo, making it difficult to judge. Knowing Lord Xiling’s given name indeed indicated a connection with the Eternal Realm, but with the Eternal Realm’s capabilities, saving someone from the ice flow would be even easier.

Xiao Qi was silent for a moment, his tone unconsciously softening: “It was thoughtless of me to let Liu Yu come to plead. I will send Yi Ru away.”

Yan Chu sat back down, casually picking two maple leaves to play with.

Xiao Qi watched her actions and said, “Xi Luo also liked to do that.”

Yan Chu angrily retorted, “She is her, I am me. I don’t remember anything.”

Xiao Qi, seeing this, instead pursed his lips and smiled, changing the subject: “I hope you can come with me to see someone.”

Yan Chu asked without thinking, “What if I don’t go?”

Xiao Qi said, “No matter, you’ll only go if you’re willing.”

Yan Chu stared at him for a long time, then burst out laughing: “Since you’re willing to protect me, I’ll listen to you this once. Tell me, who do you want to take me to see?”

“Old General Lushan, General Yue’s sworn brother, who fought alongside General Yue many times, risking their lives together. He has great prestige in the Yue army,” Xiao Qi paused slightly, then said, “He is like an uncle to Xi Luo. Xi Luo often mentioned him when she was alive.”

Yan Chu was puzzled: “Old General Lushan has quite a reputation, but I heard he left military service many years ago.”

“The old man prefers tranquility and doesn’t wish to be disturbed by outsiders, so his residence is naturally more secluded,” Xiao Qi said. “He is now the only person in the Yue army familiar with Xi Luo. If you can go, it might make the old man happy, after all, you resemble Xi Luo too much.”

“He’s not very pleased about you marrying the Madam?” Yan Chu understood. “If I want to make the old man happy, it’s best to let him know you haven’t forgotten the Princess Consort.”

Xiao Qi was clearly accustomed to her sharp tongue: “How about tomorrow?”

Yan Chu thought for a moment: “My leg injury still hurts a bit. Let’s make it in a couple of days.”

________________________________________

After dinner, night fell in Maple Garden. Since the garden usually wasn’t inhabited, there were few lanterns, and Yan Chu didn’t ask for more. She waited for Hongye to meticulously help her get into bed, and when the lights were extinguished, the room became completely dark.

Not long after, rain began to fall outside. The maple forest outside the window rustled, mixed with the sound of rain hitting the pond, carried to her pillow, making it feel even more desolate.

As the weather changed, her heart began to ache again. Yan Chu closed her eyes.

Xiling Fengqi.

The shock still hadn’t subsided, not because the name was confirmed, but because the truth of her heart condition was too unexpected. She had slept for many years due to a congenital defect, but after waking, she was left with heart pain. Her father only said it was congenital damage to her heart meridian and kept inviting famous doctors to examine her. Who knew it was actually an injury from the Ice Dissolution technique? It was said to be a lost ancient art from the Extreme Ice Kingdom. Why did her father conceal it?

The pain was unbearable. Yan Chu was about to use fire therapy, but then she suddenly remembered the warning from earlier in the day and dismissed the idea, instead focusing on the upcoming events to distract herself.

This day had finally come. Stepping into the tiger’s den, she was finally approaching her goal. The Yue army was currently under Xiao Qi’s control. No one would believe a woman merely because of her appearance, nor did she know who had already been swayed by Xiao Qi. Acting rashly would only alert the enemy. Only by gaining the recognition of their most respected person, Old General Lushan, would she have the greatest certainty.

However, this was a meeting under surveillance. If she revealed even the slightest clue, the danger would not just be for her. The old general had no guard against Xiao Qi, and his communication channels should have long been controlled by Xiao Qi. Xiao Qi hadn’t acted against him, but had hidden his whereabouts for years. Now, his willingness to take her there naturally meant he was confident in preventing any accidents.

She had her own agenda, and he might also be testing her—a dangerous confrontation.

Regardless, she was about to learn the old general’s whereabouts, and that was a good start. It was also her purpose for returning to the Yunze family. A person who had waited a hundred years had no shortage of patience.

In the darkness, the rustling of rain sounded, and the ground seemed to vibrate.

Noticing the anomaly, Yan Chu was startled. She quickly collected her thoughts and listened intently, realizing the movement came from the northeast corner of the garden.

The northeast corner was the ancestral hall, separated from Maple Garden by only one wall, with a direct connecting door within the residence. The vibration earlier was extremely faint; an ordinary person wouldn’t have noticed it at all. Moreover, this was the back garden, and most women in the Flame Kingdom did not practice martial arts, so the maids naturally didn’t notice.

Her chest ached severely, and Yan Chu couldn’t help but turn over.

“Miss, you’re still awake,” Hongye’s voice came. “Are you feeling unwell?”

Helplessly activating her fire therapy, the pain slightly lessened. Yan Chu tried to regulate her breathing and calmly replied, “I’m a bit thirsty. Light a lamp and pour me some tea.”

________________________________________

The rain stopped just before dawn. By the time she had breakfast and went out, the sun was just rising, its light illuminating the remaining raindrops on the maple leaves, making them sparkle delightfully.

Yan Chu, as usual, went out to the streets with Hongye, accompanied by guards behind them. Remembering the events of last night, she deliberately walked along the street. Passing the ancestral hall, she couldn’t help but glance at it. The main gate faced the street, and like the ancestral halls of other officials, it only had a few guards. After all, it housed only ancestral tablets and no valuable items; no one would be bored enough to scheme against another family’s ancestral hall.

The commotion last night was certainly unusual. A hundred years. What new secrets had the newly built royal residence acquired?

Yan Chu walked along, thinking, occasionally stopping to buy a few things. When she reached the main street, she suddenly saw two people sitting in a window on the upper floor of a building at the street corner opposite, one of whom was the beautiful Southern King.

Their gazes met. Yan Chu unhurriedly turned her face away. Conveniently, across the street was a courtesan house. Because it was under renovation, the sign “Sui Xin Hua Yuan” (Garden of Free Will) was currently taken down and laid against the door. Yan Chu, seeing this, couldn’t help but smile and pulled Hongye over to peek inside.

Hongye awkwardly urged her, “This kind of place... Miss, you should leave.”

“What’s there to be afraid of? I’ve even been inside before.” Despite her words, Yan Chu didn’t insist and allowed Hongye to pull her away.

After they left, the last three characters of “Sui” reappeared.

The Southern King smiled as he withdrew his gaze and raised his cup to the Censor of the Ministry of Justice opposite: “Please.”