Chapter 60
A chilly wind swept through Qingzhou City. In the main hall of the Prefect’s Residence, firewood crackled in the brazier, and from outside came the faint sound of light snow sliding off the trees.
Ye Rui listened to Mu Xue speak and immediately felt the pressure rise. “I’m only a squad leader right now. Aren’t you getting ahead of yourself?”
“Not at all.”
Mu Xue smiled, then said with complete confidence, “Within a year, you’ll definitely become a pivotal figure in the Qingzhou Army.”
You really think too highly of me.
Ye Rui didn’t know where Mu Xue got that confidence. She already thought becoming a captain would take a long time; how was she supposed to become some pivotal figure?
Mu Xue arched a brow. “Could it be you’re content to stay a squad leader?”
“Of course not!”
Ye Rui answered without hesitation. Since she had come to this place, she had no intention of drifting through life unnoticed and disappearing into this vast military path. Fish struggled to leap the Dragon Gate; people, too, had to strive upward. Ye Rui’s ambition was never going to stop at a tiny squad leader position.
Even without Hu Tu’s tasks, she would still climb step by step.
Only by standing higher could she avoid becoming a piece on someone else’s chessboard, and only then could she control her own fate.
Because of that, she understood Xie Tinglan; because of that, she admired Xie Tinglan.
Ye Rui thought of Xie Tinglan, and a flash of sorrow crossed her beautiful eyes before she quickly covered it up again.
“Then that’s more like it. I thought that after more than a month in the Phoenix Army, you’d understand that simply defending without ever attacking is nothing but pointless attrition.”
Mu Xue rarely looked this serious. When she spoke of strategy, when she spoke of war, the light in her eyes was different.
Ye Rui suddenly understood what it meant to be “radiant with spirit.”
“The Crow Tribe’s most valuable asset is its crystal ore veins. They can be used to forge many excellent weapons and armor; unfortunately, their forging techniques are poor, so leaving those ore veins in their hands is just a waste.”
As Mu Xue spoke, Ye Rui’s eyes lit up. She hadn’t expected Mu Xue to have been thinking the same thing. “I understand. And their animal husbandry is also very famous. If we take the tribe, we can get a lot of grain resources and raw materials for weapons.”
The two of them reached an agreement in an instant. Then Mu Xue said, “That’s exactly why I want you in the Phoenix Army. Li Yan’s abilities are good, but her strategy is always too conservative. With you helping her from the side, the Phoenix Army’s power will definitely rise sharply.”
She paused, then continued, “Li Yan isn’t someone who covets credit. If she uses your strategy and successfully captures the Crow Tribe, the merit will definitely go to you. After that, you’ll be able to make a name for yourself across the entire Qingzhou Army; even Marshal Zhang Tingluo will have to look at you differently.”
At that, Ye Rui was naturally stirred. But once she calmed down, she knew the Crow Tribe had never been taken for a reason; this was by no means an easy task, and it would require blood and lives.
“The barbarians mostly occupy barren lands. Even if you conquer them, it won’t be of much use. But the resources of a few tribes are extremely abundant; the Crow Tribe is one such case.”
Mu Xue lifted a hand and lightly stroked her chin, her gaze falling on Ye Rui. “If you can break the Crow Tribe, your military path afterward will be smooth as if riding the wind.”
Ye Rui’s eyes began to burn as well. It looked like she would have to seriously consider taking the Crow Tribe.
“I understand. I’ll think it over carefully.”
Ye Rui accepted it. Someone was offering her a path to success; was she really going to refuse?
Mu Xue’s red lips curved in satisfaction. She looked very pleased with this conversation. But soon, she changed the subject. “Xie Tinglan has come looking for me several times. To find out where you were, I had to hide from her all the way to Qingzhou City.”
As she said that, Mu Xue made a face of mock grievance, though in truth she was trying very hard not to laugh. She had wanted badly to see Xie Tinglan furious and exasperated, to watch her anxiously at her wit’s end; that was one of Mu Xue’s favorite sources of amusement.
“Personally?”
Ye Rui didn’t know why she even asked. The moment it was out, she regretted it. Xie Tinglan’s affairs had long since had nothing to do with her. She no longer owed Xie Tinglan anything, and Xie Tinglan’s business had nothing to do with her.
“Personally.”
Seeing Ye Rui’s furrowed brows, Mu Xue couldn’t help sighing. “Looks like you still haven’t let her go.”
“I have, I have!”
Ye Rui waved her hand. She wasn’t angry; she just looked impatient, as if shooing away a fly. Then she asked, “Did you come to see me today for anything else?”
“Of course.”
Seeing how earnest Ye Rui looked, as though waiting for orders, Mu Xue found her rather adorable. Unfortunately, this “important matter” was probably going to disappoint her.
“It’s just that you’re having dinner with me tonight.”
When Ye Rui’s face immediately fell, Mu Xue burst out laughing. Ye Rui could only sit there in speechless silence.
Fine, fine. Food was the first necessity of life, and eating really was an important matter.
**
Light snow drifted down over the cold Golden Phoenix Palace. The entire imperial palace was busy with New Year preparations, but the Golden Phoenix Palace stood apart, especially quiet and especially cold.
In the study, Helian Shaohua sat at the desk practicing calligraphy. She looked calm and composed. A gilded incense burner on the table sent up wisps of pale smoke, half-veiling her cold, incomparably beautiful face and making her seem even more like an immortal.
Shen Zhuiying returned from outside in a hurry, but Helian Shaohua remained unmoved, not even lifting her head. Only when Shen Zhuiying spoke did she move.
“Empress, Prime Minister Xie has already handled what you instructed. Helian Yong, because of Helian Chi’s exclusion and suppression, could no longer bear it and finally decided to turn against Helian Chi.”
Helian Shaohua’s lips curved slightly; it was a thin, cold, indifferent smile.
“Once Helian Chi discovered it, he personally used the family punishment. The two of them came to blows in a heated confrontation, and in the end Helian Yong was beaten to death by Helian Chi by accident.”
Shen Zhuiying paused, then added, “Helian Chi himself was so furious that he suffered a stroke and fainted. He still hasn’t woken up.”
“The Helian family can be considered split in four.”
Helian Shaohua sneered softly and finished the last stroke before setting down the brush. Shen Zhuiying lowered her eyes to look; a chill suddenly ran down her back. Written on the paper were the three characters: Helian Yong.
Helian Shaohua picked up the sheet of paper, folded it, then opened the incense burner and casually dropped the folded paper inside.
“Empress, if the Empress loses the support of her family, won’t you be bullied even more in the harem?”
Shen Zhuiying was deeply worried. Helian Shaohua uprooting her own family was like hurting the enemy by a thousand while harming herself by eight hundred. Would the emperor still value her?
“Bullied? This is only the beginning of this palace’s counterattack.”
Helian Shaohua let out a cold laugh. When she looked up at Shen Zhuiying, madness flashed in her eyes, like a bloodthirsty asura.
“Now it’s time for Eldest Sister to take the stage.”
The Helian family had two sons and two daughters. Everyone only knew the second daughter, Helian Shaohua; she was the most honored woman in Great Yan, the empress revered by the people. Because of that, even though Emperor Yuan hated her in his heart, he still did not dare send her to the Ice Palace for fear of provoking public resentment.
Few people knew who the Helian family’s eldest daughter was. She was already nearly forty and unmarried; everyone in the household said she was stupid. But only Helian Shaohua knew that her eldest sister had been lying low for so many years and had finally waited for her chance.
Helian Duanhua; a woman who had played the part of a fool for thirty-eight years. It was time the world saw what kind of person she truly was.
“The Helian family will only grow stronger from here on.”
Helian Shaohua’s gaze burned brightly. Looking at the gray, overcast sky outside, she thought: Eldest Sister, after laying out the board for so long, it should be time for you to reap the rewards.
All these years, Helian Duanhua had been kept in the inner quarters, forbidden from contacting anyone except Helian Shaohua. When Helian Shaohua went to Rizhao Temple, she would occasionally have members of the Helian family bring Helian Duanhua along to pray, and their plan had been made before the Buddha.
In secret, Helian Shaohua paved the way for Helian Duanhua, transferring all the businesses she controlled into Helian Duanhua’s name, step by step seizing control of the economic lifeline of Nan Yue Workshop. That was Helian Duanhua’s greatest leverage.
This trap had been laid for eighteen years. They had painstakingly managed it, carefully and cautiously seizing the economic lifeline little by little. It had been a long haul, but now it had finally been accomplished.
“Eldest Sister has also cultivated many people over the years; from here on, it depends on her.”
Helian Duanhua had not simply been pretending to be mad. Over the years, the maids and guards by her side had all been carefully trained by her; they were also her most loyal blades.
Helian Shaohua seemed to be in a very good mood. The corners of her brows and eyes carried a bit more pleasure as she picked up the brush and continued practicing calligraphy.
Shen Zhuiying paused, then continued, “Empress, I’ve also found out about Cui Zhu. Her family received one thousand taels of silver. They were about to flee toward Youlan City, but our people intercepted them on the road.”
Helian Shaohua raised a brow and said coldly, “One life in exchange for one thousand taels; who knows whether those so-called family members can spend that money in peace.”
After that, Helian Shaohua continued, “Did you get all the evidence?”
“We did. Cui Zhu left them a letter. Everything written in it was an apology to Your Majesty, saying that Li Fei had taken her family hostage and she had no choice but to do this. In the end, she could only resort to this method, working for Li Fei and leaving the letter as evidence. This subordinate believes she was hoping Your Majesty would spare her family’s lives.”
After Shen Zhuiying finished speaking, the tip of Helian Shaohua’s brush paused slightly.
“This palace had already told her that her family only treated her as a cash cow, but she simply refused to listen. Now she’s even begging me for mercy on their behalf.”
Helian Shaohua sighed. “Forget it. This palace is in a good mood today. For the sake of her ten years of service, spare her family.”
“Yes, Empress.”
Helian Shaohua beckoned to Shen Zhuiying, who had bent slightly at the waist in salute. “Zhuiying, come here.”
At the command, Shen Zhuiying walked to Helian Shaohua’s side and asked, “What are Your Majesty’s orders?”
“This palace feels a little sore in the shoulders. Zhuiying, come rub them for me.”
Helian Shaohua lightly tapped her own shoulder and moved her neck slightly; she did indeed look somewhat tired.
“This subordinate obeys.”
Shen Zhuiying came behind Helian Shaohua and placed both hands on her shoulders. Her long fingers pressed with just the right amount of force; she found the stiff spots and slowly worked them loose, until Helian Shaohua couldn’t help but let out a soft sigh of comfort.
“Still, Zhuiying is the one most to this palace’s liking.”
Helian Shaohua set down the wolf-hair brush and lightly rested her hand over the back of Shen Zhuiying’s hand on her shoulder. In a low voice, she said, “In this deep palace, if this palace had no Zhuiying by her side, she would surely feel lonely.”
Shen Zhuiying’s face turned red. The spot touched by Helian Shaohua felt as though it had been struck by lightning, numb and tingling, just like that night... that night...
Her face burned terribly hot, and even her lips felt a little numb. In a daze, Helian Shaohua’s words seemed to echo in her ears again: Zhuiying doesn’t know how to kiss?
The confinement of the Golden Phoenix Palace brought not only a cold that no one visited, but also those thoughts buried deep in her heart being recklessly pulled into the open; with just a bit of heat, they could be set ablaze.
Shen Zhuiying remembered that at the time, she still had some reason left. She told Helian Shaohua that this was forbidden. But Helian Shaohua only laughed, as if she had heard something ridiculous.
Forbidden? There is no taboo this palace cannot break, she had said.
At that moment, Shen Zhuiying seemed to suddenly come to her senses. Her reason no longer struggled. She wrapped a hand around Helian Shaohua’s neck and kissed her back; clumsy, yet fervent, as if trying to tell that person: I have loved you for a very, very long time.
“Zhuiying, what are you thinking about?”
Seeing Shen Zhuiying fail to respond, even her hands pausing, Helian Shaohua turned around to glance at her. She was first stunned, then smiled. “What is Zhuiying thinking about, and why is your face so red?”
Only then did Shen Zhuiying snap back to reality. Her entire body jolted. Seeing the smile in Helian Shaohua’s beautiful eyes, her face only grew hotter. “Please forgive me, Empress. This subordinate lost focus for a moment.”
“What distracted you?”
Helian Shaohua clearly had no intention of letting her off. Shen Zhuiying lowered her head a little guiltily and did not dare answer; she didn’t know how to answer either. How could she possibly say those things aloud? At that time, her reason had been burned away, but in broad daylight now, it felt as though eyes were watching from everywhere.
“Oh? You won’t say?”
Helian Shaohua raised a brow and made a show of anger. That frightened Shen Zhuiying so badly that cold sweat broke out all over her. She could only stammer, “It’s just... just thinking about that night...”
Helian Shaohua was not surprised. There was only understanding in her eyes, but she didn’t tease her any further. Some things couldn’t be pushed too far.
“Don’t think about it. Come back and keep massaging me. I’m sore and tired.”
Helian Shaohua straightened up again, her gaze returning to the paper. What she wrote were poems and verses she had learned as a child; what she missed was the time spent with Helian Duanhua.
Shen Zhuiying’s hands returned to Helian Shaohua’s shoulders, kneading with just the right amount of pressure. Helian Shaohua, however, grew more and more distant, thinking of the year she was eighteen, when after being poisoned and losing the ability to bear children, she had gone to Rizhao Temple to pray.
That day, she had desperately wanted someone beside her, so she called Helian Duanhua over. Back then, she thought her eldest sister, though simple-minded, was the person in the family who treated her best; she was willing to share anything with her.
In that sorrowful moment, she had also wanted Helian Duanhua to keep her company.
It was also that day that Helian Duanhua first revealed her true self; a self that was extraordinarily clear-headed, even more decisive and ruthless than Helian Chi.
“Shaohua, you’re this clever; how could you not understand who poisoned you? You simply don’t want to accept it.”
After a moment of shock, that was the first thing Helian Duanhua said to her.
Yes. Helian Duanhua was right; how could she possibly not know who poisoned her? She had always been clever. If she had not been blinded at the time by the stirring of young love, how could she still refuse to admit the truth now?
She and Yan Mu had known each other since they were young. Yan Mu had treated her very well. Youthful affection was always so pure and direct; how could Helian Shaohua have imagined that she was merely a stepping stone for him on his road to the throne?
Back then, the Helian family was powerful, nearly able to contend with the Zhongshan Prince, and Yan Mu had approached her precisely because of that. Did Yan Mu truly have feelings for her? Helian Shaohua believed he did, because the look of love could not be hidden or faked. Unfortunately, in that man’s heart, she was not even worth one ten-thousandth of his empire and power.
Two years after becoming crown princess and in her first year as empress, she was poisoned. Several imperial physicians died because of it, and the excuse was that she had accidentally ingested a poison that would prevent childbirth.
At the time, Helian Shaohua felt as though the sky had collapsed. It was as if all the beautiful dreams tied to the young Yan Mu had turned to ash. But very quickly, she understood everything. So when that man hypocritically consoled her and showered her with rewards, Helian Shaohua only felt disgust.
The vows of growing old together, the promises to protect her for life, the young man’s oath before heaven and earth that he would love her forever; all of it had only bought him a cup of poison, and a tool to balance his power.
She had gone to Rizhao Temple claiming to pray for blessings, and that was what she told others; it was also what she lied to herself about. But only she knew that she had gone because murderous thoughts had risen in her heart, and she wanted to tear apart those hypocritical faces. That was why she had no choice but to come before the gods and Buddhas to calm herself.
Her kindness, Helian Shaohua feared, could no longer be maintained.
“He did it because he didn’t want the Helian family to continue growing too powerful. You have no children, and he can also use the harem to keep the front court in balance; he uses the harem to check the court.”
Helian Duanhua saw through the emperor’s intentions at a glance. Yet Helian Shaohua was not sorrowful at that moment, nor did she sigh; she only wanted to laugh.
Beneath that solemn Buddha statue, she laughed out loud.
“Eldest Sister, I want to kill him.”
Helian Shaohua did not think she hated Yan Mu. She simply found him disgusting, like an ugly growth left on her life’s path. Hate comes from love; but did Helian Shaohua love Yan Mu?
No. It had only ever been a dream she had even tricked herself into believing. Now that the dream had shattered, she finally saw the truth of this world. It was only now, after refusing for so long to step out of that beautiful illusion, that she understood: once the illusion broke, what remained was the ugliness she had always known, but refused to know.
Love? Promises? The empress admired by all? None of it was anything more than the product of her own wishful thinking. She had thought she did not need to face it, but her unwillingness had always been destined to make her confront it and fight it.
Only at this moment did Helian Shaohua understand that she was grieving for her own foolishness; that disgusting man was not worthy of even a single shred of her emotion!
“No, younger sister. You still can’t kill him yet.”
Helian Shaohua fell silent. She naturally knew she couldn’t. At that moment, an absurd thought rose from deep within her; before the gods and Buddhas, her urge to break free from the fate of being the fish on the chopping block only grew stronger.
“You must endure. You must lay your plans slowly. Sister will help you.”
Helian Shaohua still remembered her sister’s hand on her shoulder before pulling her into an embrace.
“We sisters will never yield to the ways of this world.”
Back then, Helian Shaohua had not asked why her sister had pretended to be foolish. By the time she learned the truth, she understood even more clearly: forging oneself into a sharp blade required patience, and it required acting.
If you couldn’t even bear to sacrifice your body, if you couldn’t even fake a proper expression, then how could you possibly become the blade that cuts others down?
**
The servants of the Xie Residence were all busy moving back and forth, pasting festive red paper on the front gate and hanging up delicate paper cuttings, making the entire residence feel much livelier.
Ri Xi had said that since Xie Tinglan’s illness had improved this year, they ought to celebrate the New Year properly and pray that everything in the coming year would go smoothly.
The one flaw, naturally, was that someone was missing from the residence this year.
Every time Ri Xi passed by Ye Rui’s room, she would stop for a few moments. Thinking of their time together in the past, she would smile, then feel a wave of loneliness.
That person who always did things her own way was gone; otherwise, she would surely have been overjoyed by today’s bustle.
This year, Xie Tinglan found a free day and, in a rare move, accompanied Ri Xi to buy New Year goods and even picked out quite a few new clothes. At first, Ri Xi thought Xie Tinglan was buying them for herself, but the style didn’t really fit that guess. Only when Xie Tinglan placed all those new clothes into the wardrobe in Ye Rui’s room did Ri Xi finally understand.
Ri Xi believed that in the past, Xie Tinglan had always been afraid that one day she would not be able to hold on and die, or that she would be assassinated. Then Ye Rui would surely be devastated, heartbroken to the point of collapse, so there had always been some invisible barrier between them.
Now Xie Tinglan’s poison had been cured, her body was slowly recovering, and there were also plenty of troubles on the court for Emperor Yuan to deal with, leaving him no time to pay attention to Xie Tinglan.
The Zhongshan Prince had begun to stir; even that carefree prince had recently been showing signs of restlessness. Naturally, the emperor feared even more those old foxes whose foundations ran deep.
Of course, these developments were inseparable from Xie Tinglan’s own maneuvering behind the scenes. Many times, Ri Xi would wonder whether if Ye Rui had been able to wait until now, if she had trusted the Lord once more, the ending might have been different.
Ri Xi sighed. Looking at the letter sent back by the informant, she still had no clue where Ye Rui was.
Just then, a servant came over and asked how to hang the big red lanterns, interrupting Ri Xi’s thoughts. After that, she resumed her work and no longer worried about it.
Huan Jing had also returned. She loved liveliness the most, and she also loved making trouble, so with her around, the residence felt even more alive. Here she was cutting up a servant’s freshly finished paper cuttings; there she was smearing paste on a stool; and then she even drew a couple of marks on Lin Aunt’s face, so angry that Lin Aunt chased her around the room.
Though the scene was a little chaotic, it was rare warmth. Even Yin Yue, who was never one to smile, could not help but show a smile when she saw it.
As for Xie Tinglan, she was in the study writing Spring Festival couplets. She looked very satisfied with the pair she had written on the red paper: “Ye unfolds to the azure clouds, carrying auspicious qi; Rui opens upon the purple avenues, reflecting spring radiance.”
These were to be pasted on her own front gate.
The ink had dried. Xie Tinglan’s long fingers rested on the characters “Ye” and “Rui,” stroking them again and again, before she gave a bitter smile and murmured, “Where are you now?”
“Did you really... not want me anymore?”
Xie Tinglan’s eyes reddened again. Then she drew a deep breath and forced back the tears. She continued writing the next pair of Spring Festival couplets.
This was the first time in so many years that Xie Tinglan had personally written Spring Festival couplets. In the past, every winter she was so cold she was nearly frozen to death; simply surviving was already a blessing. How could she have had the energy to care about the New Year decorations in the residence?
In the past, that had all been Ri Xi’s responsibility.
This year was especially lively; everyone seemed very happy. If that person were also here... then it would be perfect.
But heaven always seemed unwilling to let people have perfection. It was like a trial for the world, one that kept people moving forward while also leaving behind lingering regret.
It was especially hard to bear.
But could she blame anyone? No, not at all. Ye Rui had been utterly disappointed in her before she left. By the time Mu Xue came to deliver the Yama Flower, Xie Tinglan already knew that Ye Rui had long been considering this transaction, only unable to make up her mind.
That resolve had even been given to her by Xie Tinglan herself.
That word, “distraction,” every time she thought of it, made Xie Tinglan feel as if ten thousand insects were gnawing at her heart. She was in the government district; even if the people around her were trusted, she still could not reveal a single true word. She could not make even the smallest mistake.
But who could really go through life without making any mistakes?
Thinking of this, Xie Tinglan’s hand slipped and she ruined another couplet. She crumpled the mistaken red paper into a ball, spread out another sheet, and was just about to write when Ri Xi hurried in and stood at the doorway.
“Lord, someone from the Xie family has come.”
Xie Tinglan’s hand paused. Frowning, she looked up. Ri Xi then said, “It’s Madam Xie.”
Xie Tinglan let out a cold laugh and did not set down the wolf-hair brush. She continued writing line by line. “Let her wait. If she can wait, then let her wait; if she can’t, tell her to get lost.”
“Understood.”
And so Xie Tinglan stayed in the study writing couplets. She threw away the ones she didn’t like and started over again and again, until at last, an hour later, she had finally finished. It was also lunchtime.
Just as Xie Tinglan stepped out of the room, Ri Xi slowly came over.
“She still hasn’t left?”
“She’s still waiting outside the residence.”
After hearing that, Xie Tinglan gave another cold laugh. “Go prepare lunch. This minister will be there shortly.”
“Yes.”
The woman standing outside, so cold that she was nearly stiff, let out a long breath of turbid air when she finally heard that Xie Tinglan was finished. She tucked both hands into her sleeves and followed the servant inside.
Xie Tinglan was waiting in the main hall. Just as she lifted her teacup and was about to take a sip, the woman dropped to her knees in the center of the hall.
Xie Tinglan gave the servant a look, and the servant immediately closed the door and withdrew.
“Lord Xie, please, please save Yuqi! Please!”
Listening to the richly dressed, heavyset woman sobbing and pleading with her, Xie Tinglan remained unmoved. In fact, she even felt like laughing.
“Madam Xie, I don’t understand what you’re talking about.”
Xie Tinglan idly played with the tassels on the table that had not yet been assembled. The hall was filled with decorative items for the festival, along with many unassembled small pieces. Xie Tinglan casually picked them up and toyed with them.
The woman first froze, then hurriedly explained, “Lord, Yuqi was drunk and injured the son of Minister Chen. He was only muddled for a moment, so I beg you to plead for mercy for Yuqi!”
“Minister Chen? Since he bears this matter in his heart, he’ll surely seek repayment. This minister is powerless to help.”
Xie Tinglan twisted the meaning to say that Minister Chen was vindictive, speaking in a roundabout way without leaving a handle.
The woman heard this and bowed her head again and again. “Lord, for the sake of my being your aunt, please save Yuqi. He didn’t mean to hit Minister Chen’s son!”
Xie Tinglan looked at Madam Xie with a sharp, frosty gaze, as if she were looking at some insignificant stranger. “Madam Xie, this minister remembers that in the past, you never gave this minister’s mother trouble in the residence, and when this minister was beaten, you also gave me shelter; that is why I was willing to receive you in the residence today.”
At this point, Xie Tinglan paused.
“However, the last time Xie Yuqi got drunk and caused trouble, this minister already helped him settle it and returned your favor. If last time was only a moment of muddled judgment, then this time he has truly become muddled. An overindulgent mother ruins her son. Madam Xie, please go back.”
With that, Xie Tinglan stood and was just about to leave when Madam Xie refused to give up and kept bowing. “Save him one more time, just one more time, I beg you!”
The terror and pleading on Madam Xie’s face were blurred by tears. Her voice shook as she knelt before Xie Tinglan as though worshiping a bodhisattva; but Xie Tinglan was never any bodhisattva.
“This minister already said it. I’ve repaid your kindness.”
At that moment, Yin Yue came in from outside. Her aura was ghostlike, and in no time she had reached Xie Tinglan’s side, afraid the woman might have ill intentions toward her.
Xie Yuqi, Xie Tinglan’s elder brother and the legitimate son of the Xie family; Xie Tinglan still remembered exactly what he had said at his mother’s funeral.
Because of that, this time no matter what, she would not help him again. She would be delighted if Xie Yuqi were beaten to death by a mob.
If one Xie Yuqi died, wasn’t there still Xie Yujiang?
They were all equally worthless, one no better than the other. Besides, the Xie family was already in such decline; what difference did it make whether there was one son or two?
“Throw her out.”
At that, Yin Yue stepped forward and, dragging and pulling, “invited” Madam Xie out of the Xie Residence. Only after Xie Tinglan could no longer hear Madam Xie’s cries did her mood finally settle.
There were still New Year preparations to be handled in the residence today, and she also had to go to Rizhao Temple to pray for blessings. She absolutely could not let this kind of person ruin her mood.
Repay kindness with kindness; repay vengeance with vengeance. Speaking of which, she had already repaid the kindness, but the vengeance had yet to be settled.
What a pity; she hadn’t even made a move, and the Xie Residence was already in decline to this extent. Everyone knew the Xie Residence was Xie Tinglan’s family. At first, people still feared them somewhat, but later, seeing that Xie Tinglan had no dealings with the Xie family, they only thought Xie Yuqi had been punished because he had offended someone last time.
The reason Xie Tinglan hadn’t stepped forward personally last time was precisely so that others would not know she was protecting the Xie family. They were not worthy of even a sliver of her protection, and that had only been to repay Madam Xie’s kindness.
Now the capital was in turmoil; Xie Tinglan had no mind to deal with these petty matters.
As for what came next... that person was going to strike back, wasn’t she!
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Author’s note: [dog head][dog head] The Empress, that wicked woman, really is... captivating, hahaha!