Revisions begin with Chapter 94. [Upon testing, the main plot of the original work has been changed...]
Night fell, dark clouds hung heavy, casting a menacing shadow over Chang'an. A long, howling wind raged on, and the old trees in the courtyard leaned askew, their once verdant branches and leaves drooping to the ground.
The bedchamber was quiet. Although the doors and windows were tightly closed, the noise of the wind outside could not be concealed. After the candles were lit, the servants bowed their heads and retreated, their movements cautious and careful. They did not even dare to breathe loudly. Even after leaving the bedchamber, they did not dare to talk. They would glance at each other and then quickly lower their heads again.
A heavy, deathly silence enveloped the bedchamber, like a taut bowstring, tense with unease. Princess Yu'an frowned, holding a cup of hot tea to her lips but unable to drink it, muttering, "How could this be..."
how so?
Xue Rongyue also wanted to ask.
Her fingertips dug tightly into her palm, but the sharp pain did not bring Xue Rongyue back to her senses. Her mind was in a daze, her thoughts were in disarray, and she could not believe what she had just heard.
However, the facts are right in front of us.
The servant sent by Princess Yu'an to gather information rushed in to report, recounting in detail the unexpected accusation—
The accuser was named Liu Yuanhu, a former subordinate of Xue Xiude. He had been deeply trusted by Xue Xiude, but was later punished by Xue Xiude for being greedy for merit and reckless. As a result, he was crippled in one leg and could no longer lead troops into battle. He was recuperating in his hometown of Huanan County, but now he has traveled thousands of miles to Chang'an just to expose several of Xue Xiude's crimes.
He knelt in front of the Jingzhao Prefecture gate and loudly accused Xue Xiude of several crimes. Many people heard this and it caused a great uproar. He was then taken into the Jingzhao Prefecture.
These charges cover a wide range of offenses—
Colluding with bandits to cause trouble, betraying the country, disregarding human life, and embezzling military pay are all shocking crimes. One of them is that he used bandits to kill his own son, Xue Huaijin. At the same time, Gao Hongxi, who had been imprisoned in the Guard Division and interrogated for a long time but had not spoken, finally couldn't hold back and confessed. His confession also pointed directly to Xue Xiude.
They colluded with bandits and used them to kill their own children.
Princess Yu'an felt a mix of emotions. She put down her teacup and couldn't help but look at Xue Rongyue.
Xue Rongyue's face was as pale as paper, and even her usually delicate lips had completely lost their color. She looked dazed, and fine beads of sweat rolled down her forehead, as if she had just been pulled out of cold water.
Her lips trembled, and Princess Yu'an pondered for a long time, unsure of what to say. More importantly, a pressing issue weighed on her mind.
Is Liu Yuanhu's lawsuit actually true?
If it's true, Xue Xiude's death is not a pity, but what about Xue Rongyue?
She is a daughter of the Xue family.
She was a daughter of the Xue family. How could she, an unloved daughter, have any control over or involvement in the various crimes committed by Xue Xiude? Yet... she was a daughter of the Xue family.
If true, the Xue family will inevitably suffer the punishment of extermination or implication because of Xue Xiude. What will Xue Rongyue do then?
Even though she and Qin Jin were betrothed by His Majesty, the wedding date was set for next spring. Now that the marriage has not yet taken place, if Xue Xiude is convicted, will His Majesty still allow her to remain unscathed?
Princess Yu'an could not get an answer to this question for the time being, nor could Xue Rongyue.
Outside, dark clouds gathered, and the wind grew stronger and stronger. The night wind kept battering against the doors and windows, seeping in bit by bit. The damp, cold air clung to the skin, making one shiver involuntarily.
Xue Rongyue was in a state of turmoil, her fingertips were trembling, and a heavy, suffocating feeling welled up in her throat, making her unable to speak at all.
Her thoughts swirled between the accusation that Xue Xiude had colluded with bandits to murder her own child and her current predicament. Xue Rongyue felt as if she were standing on the edge of a cliff, with an abyss in front of her and wolves lurking behind her.
All of this ultimately boiled down to one thought—why so fast?!
When she fell into the water, the system told her that these events would happen two years later, which is why she had the opportunity to defy fate and receive a series of system tasks. But why, only a few months after she fell into the water, have these shocking accusations come crashing down on her?
Moreover, Xue Rongyue was certain that in the original story, which was the previous life, Xue Xiude was absolutely not accused of murdering his own child.
One reason: the cause of the elder brother's death had been altered.
The second reason is that if this crime existed, it would be impossible for it not to be mentioned in the original story.
Not only was he charged with murdering his own child, but he was also accused of other crimes such as colluding with bandits, disregarding human life, and embezzling military pay, which were not mentioned in the original work.
Why are there so many new accusations in this lifetime?
Xue Rongyue's heart was suddenly filled with doubt, feeling that there was some unknown purpose hidden under these intricate threads. However, she was unable to sort out these complex thoughts and uncover the buried clues in the face of this sudden turn of events.
Because there is a more pressing situation ahead.
Now, she has one foot off the edge of the cliff, and the other foot is facing the vicious wolf that is about to pounce on her. She is stuck and cannot move forward or backward.
"Your Highness, something terrible has happened! The Imperial Guards have not only surrounded the Xue residence and imprisoned General Xue, but they have also sent a troop of men to the residence!"
The servant who came in to report the news pressed his head to the ground, his voice trembling.
Upon hearing this, the female official's expression changed drastically. She looked at Princess Yu'an in front of her and couldn't help but panic: "Your Highness..."
Jingnu's body went limp, and she almost knelt down. Her vision blurred, but suddenly a pair of hands firmly supported her arms, preventing her from sliding down her precarious body.
She looked up abruptly, and a contract of indenture appeared before her eyes first.
Xue Rongyue pressed her lips together, her ashen face now revealing an almost resolute calm: "You can leave."
"My lady!" Jingnu realized what was happening, tears streaming down her face, and she growled, "Where do you want me to go?!"
"No matter where you are, there's always a place to stay. You're not a servant of the Xue family, so leave before the Imperial Guards arrive." Xue Rongyue turned her face away, no longer looking at her, and roughly shoved the indenture into her hand.
"I'm not leaving!"
Without a second thought, Jingnu threw the indenture she had shoved into her hand onto the ground, as if it were not a way out, but a hot potato.
This was the first time Jingnu had refused to obey Xue Rongyue's orders. With red eyes, she glared defiantly at Xue Rongyue: "I have followed you since I was a child and have long regarded you as blood relatives, but now you want to drive me away? I will never leave!"
A heart-wrenching bitterness welled up in her eyes. Every word of the original novel's description of Jingnu's tragic death was clearly etched in her mind. At this moment, Xue Rongyue only regretted that if she had known earlier that the system's two-year countdown was so unreliable, she should have arranged a way for Jingnu's future sooner, instead of parting so hastily now, unable to even prepare more wealth for her.
Faced with Jingnu's stubborn refusal to leave, Xue Rongyue was so anxious that she couldn't contain her anger: "Stay? Do you know that staying will only cost you your life? Why do you choose to go and die when you have a way to live!"
"I want to stay with my wife, even if it means dying!"
"You!" Hearing the commotion that had already started in the front courtyard of the Princess's residence, Xue Rongyue suddenly stood up, intending to knock Jingnu unconscious and send her out.
Jingnu clearly sensed Xue Rongyue's intention. She took two steps back, pulled out the hairpin from her hair bun, and pressed the sharp end hard against her neck, instantly cutting her skin and drawing blood.
Tears fell, mingling with the blood on her fingertips. Jingnu's eyes were red as she said, each word distinct: "If my wife insists on sending me away, I would rather die here tonight!"
Xue Rongyue stopped in her tracks, and tears that had been welling up in her eyes fell uncontrollably. An even stronger surge of emotions overwhelmed her once again, and even her lips trembled.
"Alright! What time is it? You two better behave yourselves and stop fooling around!" Princess Yu'an suddenly stood up, her gaze sweeping over the two tearful figures, lingering on Xue Rongyue's face for a few moments before she strode out.
"Your Highness..."
Xue Rongyue turned around and looked at Princess Yu'an's back. Her tears fell like summer rain, unstoppable.
"Qin Jin has already gone to the palace to see His Majesty. Before His Majesty issues a clear decree to imprison you, I will not allow anyone to take you away, no matter who comes."
As she pushed open the door, a muffled clap of thunder suddenly boomed from the dark clouds, and a gust of cool wind rushed in, scattering the papers on the table. Princess Yu'an slowed her pace, turned her head slightly to look at Xue Rongyue, and said in a deep voice, "But all I can do... is this."
No matter how close she was to Xue Rongyue in private, she was still a princess of the royal family and could not disobey the emperor's edict. Even as the eldest princess, this was all she could do.
Xue Rongyue trembled slightly, staring blankly at Princess Yu'an. She then wiped away the tears that had fallen from the corners of her eyes, lowered her head, and solemnly bowed to Princess Yu'an: "That is enough."
The front courtyard was in complete chaos, clearly indicating the arrival of the Imperial Guards. A servant rushed over to report the arrival, but before he could speak, Princess Yu'an waved him off. As the footsteps faded into the distance, Princess Yu'an's figure blended completely into the night until she disappeared at the end of the corridor.
The female official stepped forward and helped Xue Rongyue up, her eyes filled with pity and tenderness. However, after thinking it over, she really didn't know what to say to comfort her.
She sighed softly, placed a cup of hot tea beside Xue Rongyue, and said, "I don't know if Prince Qin took something into the palace, but when he left, he specifically asked Your Highness to take good care of you and not leave you alone. He must have a plan, so please don't worry for now."
Then she stood up and went to the front yard.
Now that things had come to this, Xue Rongyue had completely calmed down. Although a chill still lingered in her heart, she was no longer as panicked as before. She looked out the window and saw flames shooting into the sky in the front yard. She could faintly hear footsteps and arguments, as if someone was trying to break in and being stopped.
Jingnu felt a pang of panic and suggested, "My lady, why don't we run away together?"
Xue Rongyue withdrew her gaze and gently shook her head.
Jingnu knew this was nothing short of a fantasy, and worried that Xue Rongyue would bring up the past again, so she bit her lip and walked outside: "I'll go and find out some information."
After saying that, he left in a hurry without giving Xue Rongyue a chance to speak.
The bedroom door closed once more, but it couldn't conceal the standoff in the front courtyard.
It was unclear how much time had passed, or what Princess Yu'an had said, but a moment later, a large troop of imperial guards suddenly stormed into the courtyard. Through the windows, one could see that each of them carried a sharp sword, exuding an imposing aura.
They drove all the servants out of the courtyard, then pushed open the door and coldly swept their gazes over the room, confirming that Xue Rongyue was still in the bedroom. However, they did not immediately arrest her, but instead retreated and stood guard outside the courtyard.
Xue Rongyue knew very well that they were waiting for the Emperor's decree.
Gazing at the steaming teacup in front of her, Xue Rongyue's eyes were deep and thoughtful. She reached out and touched the cup, and her stiff fingertips finally felt a slight warmth.
Of course you can't run.
Let's not even talk about whether they can escape. Even if they can escape the Princess's residence and the heavily guarded city of Chang'an without anyone noticing, then what?
If she really runs away, she will undoubtedly be courting death. Once the authorities issue an arrest warrant, where can she hide?
With her palm pressed tightly against the rim of the cup, Xue Rongyue lowered her eyes and fell into deep thought once more.
Why did this happen so suddenly?
Who is the person behind Liu Yuanhu who instigated him to file this complaint?
The original plot clearly states that the Xue family would be sued and wiped out two years later, but compared to the present, it has happened a full year or two earlier. Otherwise, she wouldn't be in such a passive position.
Although it is unknown whether Xue Xiude actually committed treason, the extermination of the Xue family two years later was most likely due to the defeat of the Empress Dowager's faction and their subsequent purge by the Emperor.
But what about now?
Now that the Empress Dowager's faction and the Emperor's faction are locked in a fierce struggle, Xue Xiude, as the Empress Dowager's most powerful trump card, has been accused of so many crimes at this time. Who authorized this?
Your Majesty?
Liu Yuanhu has a chronic leg ailment and comes from a poor family. Without help, he may not be able to travel thousands of miles to Chang'an.
He knelt before the Jingzhao Prefecture and loudly recounted Xue Xiude's crimes, attracting the attention of countless people. Yet, no yamen runners immediately took him inside. It wasn't until a full quarter of an hour later that the runners finally arrived, making it hard not to speculate.
But if it was truly His Majesty's doing, why did he still bestow a marriage upon her and Qin Jin? Why did he allow her to temporarily reside in the Princess's residence? Was it merely to appease the Xue family for the time being?
Moreover, if that's the case, what exactly prompted His Majesty to take action against the Xue family ahead of schedule? Or against Xue Xiude?
The burning sensation pulled Xue Rongyue from her thoughts. She frowned and took the original book, which she always carried with her and was burning hot, out of her sleeve.
Upon opening it, sure enough, a new chapter had emerged, and five black characters eagerly rushed into Xue Rongyue's eyes—
The Death of Xue Rongyue
At the same time, the system's sharp, piercing alarm sounded—
[Upon inspection, the main plot of the original work has been found to be incorrect!]
[The main plot of the original work has been disrupted!]
[The main plot of the original work has been disrupted!]
[Fixing has begun!]
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Author's Note: The countdown to the end is truly on! If I can follow my daily chapter outline, the main story should be finished by the 15th of this month. [emoji]
Goodnight, see you tomorrow! [shy]
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