Chapter 30 is absurd! Did Xue Rongyue fall in love with him out of hatred?! ...
"I don't know what you two are busy with all day. We live in the same house, but I often don't see you."
As the cranes returned to the waterside pavilion, servants filed in and presented the delicacies with bowed heads. The clear and sweet peach wine rippled gently in the golden goblets, reflecting the flickering candlelight and gleaming with an amber light.
Princess Yu'an sat high on the throne, her wide sleeves lightly brushing against the white jade table, her beautiful eyes tinged with a hint of intoxication. With a smile, she glanced at the two people seated to her left and right, and teased, "I thought you had made peace, but who knew that after tonight's banquet, you are still so distant."
Qin Jin kneaded a cherry with his long, slender fingers, the faint blue veins hidden beneath his pale skin. He lowered his eyes and remained silent upon hearing this.
With one hand supporting her rosy cheek, Xue Rongyue casually withdrew her gaze.
Perhaps it was because she had teased him too much that night, but Qin Jin had been avoiding her these past few days, his whereabouts were unpredictable, and even when they met, he deliberately kept his distance, not even raising his eyebrows for a moment, as if she were a monstrous beast.
Xue Rongyue was unusually not annoyed by his defensiveness. Perhaps she admired his good deed of beating Liu Ruyu, or perhaps... she tasted a subtle pleasure from his bright red earlobes.
She suddenly realized that the system task of conquering Qin Jin wasn't so unacceptable after all.
There's even some fun in it.
Seeing that the two of them still avoided the topic, Princess Yu'an sighed helplessly: "The Empress and I both hope that the two of you can shake hands and make peace. What irreconcilable conflict is there that makes you so deadlocked?"
“Especially you.” Princess Yu’an turned her gaze to Qin Jin, her tone slightly stern. “The border is unstable, and the court is in dire need of talent. His Majesty intends to send you to General Xue’s command for training. You must live up to his expectations and not be unruly again.”
Qin Jin remained calm and dismissed the matter with a smile: "Where would I find such ability? Your Majesty overestimates me."
—To think too highly of someone?
Xue Rongyue recalled the description of Qin Jin's triumphant return in the original book and knew that this was just a casual remark.
Princess Yu'an was well aware of Qin Jin's concerns and situation. When his true identity was revealed, His Majesty would not have been able to resist the Empress Dowager's pressure if it weren't for the late Emperor's edict.
Over the years, the Empress Dowager has never given up on suppressing Qin Jin, and she is even more unwilling for him to embark on an official career and gain power. She spreads rumors in an attempt to nail the reputation of a playboy to him.
With a slightly darkened gaze, Princess Yu'an sighed, "His Majesty will handle things with the Empress Dowager. You need not worry. His Majesty will not allow your talents to be wasted in the bloodshed of Chang'an."
Princess Yu'an's words were so blunt that Xue Rongyue was startled.
The late emperor had nine sons, and the empress dowager raised two sons.
His son was virtuous and talented, and was made crown prince by the late emperor at a young age. Unfortunately, the emperor was jealous of his talent. After the late emperor passed away, the crown prince died suddenly before he could ascend the throne due to grief. He only had a child under the age of four, who was not able to shoulder the great responsibility.
To stabilize the situation, the Empress Dowager decisively supported her adopted son, the Fifth Prince, to ascend the throne, who is now the Emperor.
When the emperor first ascended the throne, his power base was unstable. The empress dowager seized control of the court with overwhelming force and still refuses to relinquish power. As the emperor's influence grew, the conflict between the two factions became increasingly acute and serious. Officials from various departments were caught in the middle and had no choice but to serve one side or the other.
Xue Rongyue had long suspected that the reason the Xue family suffered the fate of being executed along with their entire family in the original novel might be related to their choosing the wrong side.
If she wanted to avoid the tragic fate of the Xue family in the original story, she had to figure out whether the Xue family's crime was a fabrication or a genuine, undeniable mistake.
Unfortunately, the matter of leading troops into battle is not something she can understand overnight. All she can do now is manage the Xue family well, not give any incriminating people any leverage, and wait for her father to return so they can make further plans.
Princess Yu'an, unable to hold her liquor, was helped back to the courtyard to rest by a female official. Xue Rongyue called out to Qin Jin, who was about to leave alone, "Your Highness, it's getting late. Could you escort me?"
Qin Jin's expression was indifferent. He was about to call for a maid when Xue Rongyue quickly cut him off, saying, "I have important matters to discuss with the young master."
Walking side by side out of the waterside pavilion, Xue Rongyue learned from her previous experience and took the initiative to maintain an appropriate distance from Qin Jin.
The strategy should be approached with a balance of urgency and relaxation; rushing it will backfire.
Qin Jin sensed her aloofness, and his tense nerves relaxed slightly as he walked to her side without looking at her.
Xue Rongyue asked calmly, "Why did you beat Liu Ruyu that day, Your Highness?"
They've arrived.
He had guessed that Xue Rongyue would ask this question, but before he could speak, Xue Rongyue said to herself, "Liu Ruyu is hypocritical. It must be that the young master also disapproved of his sanctimonious behavior, which is why he took action to teach him a lesson."
Is that really what she was thinking?
Qin Jin fell silent for a moment, his thin lips parted slightly, but he hesitated and then closed them again.
"Isn't that so?"
Xue Rongyue turned her head to look at him.
Qin Jin, sparing with words, replied: "Yes."
Xue Rongyue smiled and stopped walking: "Since the young master also dislikes him, why not help me expose his hypocritical face?"
Qin Jin stopped in his tracks: "What do you want to do?"
"The day after tomorrow, Zhenjin Study will open for business, and will invite all the scholars and jinshi from Chang'an to compose poems. Even Grand Secretary Wang will personally go. Those jinshi who want to enter officialdom will not miss this good opportunity to stand out, and Liu Ruyu is no exception."
Xue Rongyue smiled unabashedly: "I'm going to ruin him in public while he's still riding high."
Qin Jin said in a flat voice: "Misconduct alone is not enough to shake Liu Ruyu's foundation."
"Of course, that's not all."
Having been busy these past few days, Luo Zhen had gathered considerable evidence of Liu Ruyu's audacious crimes. Everything was ready, except for the final push.
Seeing her confidence, Qin Jin lowered his eyes and turned the jade ring on his thumb: "Since you have planned everything so well, then I wish Lady Xue all her wishes come true."
—This is a rejection.
Xue Rongyue was not surprised, nor did she feel the anger Qin Jin had expected. She smiled and said nonchalantly, "I knew the young master would refuse me."
Qin Jin raised an eyebrow: "Then why do you still..."
With her round, almond-shaped eyes shining brightly, Xue Rongyue stepped forward, taking three steps closer under Qin Jin's wary gaze, her eyes brimming with a gentle smile: "Didn't the young master notice?"
Qin Jin averted his gaze: "What?"
"I believe in the Crown Prince, and this is to express my sincerity and loyalty to him."
Xue Rongyue spoke slowly and deliberately, her tone light and airy, her voice carrying a hint of mischievous laughter. It sounded less sincere and more like she was teasing or joking.
--here we go again!
With a tense jaw, Qin Jin suddenly felt a surge of impatience and said coldly, "Sincerity and loyalty? I have no such relationship with Madam Xue."
Without lingering on Xue Rongyue for even a moment, Qin Jin turned and left.
"See that?"
Jingnu was pondering the reason for Qin Jin's change of heart when she suddenly heard these words and couldn't help but ask in surprise, "What?"
Xue Rongyue chuckled softly, "Look at him, his ears are red again."
No matter how fierce her words were, they couldn't hide the fact that her ears turned bright red in an instant.
How come she never noticed before that Qin Jin was so interesting?
Jingnu asked cautiously, "Are you sure it wasn't from anger?"
"Tsk."
Xue Rongyue glanced at her sideways: "You don't even know this? When he's angry, his ears don't turn red; he just sneers."
Jingnu honestly replied, "This servant truly does not know, nor does she care about such things."
After a pause, she asked, puzzled, "Why would my wife pay attention to these things?"
Xue Rongyue: "...Shut up."
***
As the third watchman's clapper sounded, petals fell in a flurry, and only the bright moon hung high in the lonely courtyard.
Moonlight streamed in through the open window, leaving behind a cool, white glow.
"I guessed that the Crown Prince would refuse me."
Qin Jin turned to his right side.
"Didn't the young master notice?"
Qin Jin then flipped over to the left.
“I am expressing my sincerity and loyalty to the Crown Prince.”
Qin Jin sat up.
Frowning in despair, Qin Jin had to admit that he was once again unable to sleep because of Xue Rongyue.
—What exactly is she trying to do?
This problem tormented him every night. He repeatedly reviewed Xue Rongyue's recent actions: the two instances of offering him gifts, her initiative to form an alliance, her decision to stop confronting him, and those ambiguous words...
And what on earth was that damned book, "The Overbearing Prince"?!
Qin Jin became increasingly dizzy as he thought about it, his head still swollen and unbearably swollen from the alcohol.
We can't let Xue Rongyue lead us by the nose anymore! We must get to the bottom of this tonight!
Guang Sheng was also awake. He called someone in and said in a deep voice, "I have a friend..."
Guang Sheng yawned, and after hearing about his "friend's" ordeal, his gaze went blank: "Your Highness, why do these things sound so familiar?"
"Don't worry about these things!"
Qin Jin interrupted, "You just need to analyze objectively, rationally, and truthfully what this woman's intentions are."
Guang Sheng stroked his chin, his tone deep: "It sounds like they have ill intentions. Could it be a conciliatory strategy, to lower the guard of the Crown Prince's friend first, and then seize the opportunity to deliver a fatal blow to the Crown Prince's friend at the right moment?"
That makes a lot of sense. Guang Sheng's analysis was exactly what he had imagined, but for some reason, Qin Jin felt a strange unease in his heart.
"...It's not necessarily that absolute."
He pursed his lips, searching for reasons to refute her: "She knows her friend's preferences, which is not something that can be achieved overnight, and some of what she said sounds somewhat believable."
Guang Sheng asked curiously, "What did you say?"
Clearing his throat awkwardly, Qin Jin recounted Xue Rongyue's rambling words.
Guang Sheng suddenly realized and slapped his thigh: "Oh my, isn't this love born from hatred!"
"What?"
Qin Jin's heart skipped a beat, and he wondered if he had misheard.
I've only ever heard of love turning into hate; this is the first time I've heard of hate turning into love.
And who loves whom?
Did Xue Rongyue fall in love with him out of hatred?!
"Of course there is!" Guang Sheng asserted confidently. "My wife and I are exactly like that!"
"When I was young, my wife and I were neighbors and grew up together. She was a few years older than me and often picked on me, always bullying me. I always thought she hated me, and I was heartbroken for a long time because of it. Later I found out..."
Guang Sheng blushed and chuckled, "She likes me, but due to her nature, she is too shy to express it and doesn't know how to get along with me amicably, so she can only tease me to get my attention."
Qin Jin was speechless and lost in confusion.
Is this even possible?!
"That's it!" Guang Sheng pressed his advantage, "Is that lady arrogant?"
Qin Jin nodded blankly.
Xue Rongyue was like a proud peacock; there was probably no one in the entire Chang'an who was more difficult to serve than her.
"Does she often target those who provoke the Crown Prince's friends?"
Qin Jin couldn't help but nod twice more.
In the past, Xue Rongyue did nothing but eat and sleep, and she would always try to torment him.
He couldn't help but start listening.
"Does she always say one thing and mean another?"
That's natural; even her own brother thinks so of her.
Guang Sheng asked confidently, "Did she say anything about disliking the Crown Prince's friend?"
Qin Jin's eyelids twitched suddenly.
It's more than that! Not only did I hate him, I've said I wanted to bite him to death, chop him up, hang him, and cut him into eight pieces.
"See? That's right!"
Guang Sheng declared resolutely and loudly.
Qin Jin was deep in thought when he was startled by the sudden rise in his voice, his eyelids twitching wildly: "What are you looking at? What's right? How is it right!"
Guang Sheng was exasperated: "How can the young master be so obtuse when it comes to feelings? You've read so many books, don't you understand the meaning of saying one thing and meaning another?"
“If she says she hates it, it means she likes it; if she says she’s going to get lost, it means she’s coming here; if she says she won’t eat it, it means she wants to be fed!” Rolling up his sleeves, Guang Sheng instructed Qin Jin, “The young lady is naturally shy, and that young lady is also a proud person by nature. Even if she likes the young master’s friend, she won’t say it out loud.”
"Look."
Guang Sheng shrugged: "Doesn't it all match up?"
The moonlight streamed in, and the candlelight on the table flickered restlessly, reflecting in Qin Jin's pupils.
Qin Jin couldn't believe it. His heart was pounding, making his already drunken brain even more foggy: "...How is this possible?"
Seeing Qin Jin's doubts, Guang Sheng immediately became displeased: "How can it be impossible? My wife and I are living examples. Why doesn't the young master believe it?"
The swaying green branches cast chaotic shadows inside the room. With his brows furrowed and his Adam's apple bobbing violently, Qin Jin's rapidly beating heart made it difficult for him to breathe.
Guang Sheng glared: "How can you be so arbitrary, Your Highness? You are not that young lady, how can you be so sure? I am a man who has married a wife, and I am more knowledgeable about matters of the heart than Your Highness."
"Alright, that's enough."
His voice trembled at the end, but Qin Jin forced himself to remain calm: "You may step back now."
Guang Sheng reluctantly got up, secretly thinking to himself, "The young master is just too clueless about relationships!"
Just as they reached the door, a hoarse, low voice suddenly called out from behind: "...Wait."
Qin Jin's voice sounded like it was being squeezed out from between his teeth, his Adam's apple bobbing several times before he finally managed to say, "...Tomorrow, go and buy me two books."
Guang Sheng looked bewildered: "What book?"
"..."
The candle flame popped with a "snap," and Qin Jin's ears turned bright red. He abruptly closed his eyes, his knuckles clenching until they turned white. The title of the book rolled three times on his tongue, but he ultimately swallowed it back down.
He simply couldn't bring himself to say it!
-----------------------
Author's note: Guang Sheng was also awake, and we agreed to have a heart-to-heart talk.
This seems to be Guang Sheng's revenge after being dragged to stay up all night by Shi Zi, who doesn't sleep at night. He's practically been tricked into becoming an embryo by Shi Zi. Guang Sheng: I have a wife, do you have a wife? You don't have a wife and you still won't listen to me?!
I'll be posting on the app tomorrow (July 23rd). I'll still update, but it will be moved to 11:45 PM on July 23rd. Please understand this is a special schedule. Love you all~
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