ambition
Before her eyes lay bloodstains and broken porcelain, mixed with leftover tea and puddles of rain. Her sky-blue dress, as clear as a cloud-covered lake, was suddenly creased with several wrinkles. Xie Lingxi looked up, a rare hint of vulnerability showing on her face.
Yan Ying rested her chin on her hand, leisurely examining the disheveled appearance. "It's really strange. What would others think if they saw Third Sister looking like this?"
She kindly held Xie Lingxi's hand, turned her bleeding palm upwards, and slowly picked up the broken porcelain shards with tweezers.
After a while, Xie Lingxi's mind finally cleared. "You...were all those words you said back then just lies to me?"
What kind of time is this to still be agonizing over this question?
The young master in the courtyard had already disappeared; perhaps he had been led somewhere. Yan Ying paused for a moment, then tilted her head and said, "Delaying time? It's useless. Lord Liu won't be back anytime soon."
Xie Lingxi remained silent, her face ashen and pale as a broken blade of grass. Seeing the princess carefully wrapping her left hand with silk, she felt a pang of fear and said again, "I only have one question for you—you said you would join forces with me to kill Yan Ji and support a puppet emperor. Is this the truth or a lie?"
Yan Ying's expression was complicated, her gaze fixed on her bloodless lips. "In the current situation, I am the butcher and you are the fish on the chopping block. Is it appropriate to ask such a question?"
Before she knew it, all the maids and guards in the princess's residence had disappeared, leaving only the two of them in the lotus pavilion. Xie Lingxi paused for a moment, "Is something wrong?"
"Everyone's been cleared out, what's next?"
What shady business are you planning to do? For example, invite Yan Ji to your residence for a chat?
Xie Lingxi had just drunk the princess's tea when she felt a pain in her stomach, which made her feel uncomfortable all over. Now she felt much better, pressed down on the bandage, and straightened up.
"If no one else is coming, why don't we go inside and talk? What kind of behavior is it to hang around here?"
Yan Ying glanced down and saw that she was still sitting on the stone bench, while Xie San Niangzi, who had been lying on the ground, had stood up neither humbly nor arrogantly. The two women's clothes were tangled together, and the ground was covered with muddy water.
She suddenly chuckled: "You're right."
"This place is truly unworthy of Third Sister's elegance."
What a graceful demeanor.
Xie Lingxi stepped over the mess, but the princess led her into the inner room first.
With its gilded drum-shaped waist and embroidered eaves, it was a scene completely different from the Liu residence. The two passed through an arched gate and lifted the curtain adorned with diamond-shaped auspicious cloud patterns. She asked, "Is this incense?"
Yan Ying looked up: "What's wrong?"
She never allowed outsiders into her bedroom. As soon as Xie Lingxi stepped inside, she smelled a rich fragrance. She sat down and rubbed a finger with incense ash. "What kind of fragrance is this?"
"Doesn't Third Sister like pepper flowers and orchids?"
The fragrance of pepper and orchids is usually pleasing to the ear, but Xie Lingxi sensed something different in it. Three years ago, the autumn rain was particularly bleak, almost extinguishing this fragrance. She unexpectedly said, "Cui Yu and Tao Li are both your people."
“It’s not just Prince Pingnan who likes jade; you’re one of them too.”
That's a sure thing.
The saying goes, "The mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind it." But who knows that behind the oriole, there is a hawk eyeing the bird with predatory intent?
Xie Lingxi sighed: "I truly admire how he managed to outwit the Prince of Jin and the Prince of Pingnan."
Three years ago, during that harrowing rainstorm in Jingzhou, Cui and Tao clearly sided with the governor, so why did they help the Prince of Pingnan kidnap her? Now, thinking back, it turns out they were deceiving both sides.
The windows were closed, and the room was filled with a hazy, dim atmosphere, completely lacking the openness of mid-spring. Yan Ying squinted in the darkness, smelled the fragrance, and realized: "So it was this pepper orchid that gave it away. Third Sister, you are very knowledgeable and have a great memory. I admire you very much."
Everyone has their own preferences and formulas for using incense. The princess's formula included aphrodisiac incense, so once she smelled it, she wouldn't mistake it.
Just moments ago, the two were clearly distinguished by rank, but now they are sitting on equal footing in the master's bedroom. Xie Lingxi chuckled and said, "Your Highness has finished testing me. Do you think I am the one who can help you succeed?"
"Testing?" Yan Ying waved her hand. "Wasn't I helping you? In your dream, you died unjustly, Yan Ji seized the throne and killed your father and brothers. But were there really no other conflicts involved?"
"You can't see the situation clearly, but I can. If you can't figure things out, I'll just show you the clues. Isn't that a good thing?"
The princess was different from her after all.
Since her rebirth, she has been searching for the truth. Everything she has done has been driven by fate and her own thoughts. She saved Tang Zexue and prevented the Langtao Terrace from collapsing, and finally grasped a faint clue.
then……
She said, "Your Highness speaks so grandly, but it is only because you have inherited my past and followed in my footsteps that you have set your sights on the two of them."
Yan Ying curled her lips and pulled him closer. "With others fighting for me, why should I do it myself? Wouldn't that be too tiring? With us working together, are you satisfied with the current situation?"
I'm very satisfied!
Xie Lingxi brushed her hand away and straightened his clothes. "What did you mean by those words just now? Ah Xu is going against Yan Ji... what are you planning?"
Given the princess's habit of turning against people immediately after using them, her relationship with the Prince of Pingnan was merely a charade, a mutual exchange of benefits. I wonder what absurd promise she made to Yan Ji this time.
Yan Ying smiled radiantly, showing no resentment towards Xie Lingxi's rude behavior. She simply said, "Yan Ji's lifelong pursuit was nothing more than the throne and the Empress. Although he has lost power now, there is always a chance to turn things around. As a mere woman, it is understandable that I would try to deal with him for the sake of my life and future wealth and honor, isn't it?"
Xie Lingxi finally understood! With the death of the Prince of Pingnan, Yan Ji had vented most of his anger at being plotted against in the northern frontier, and now he was happily dreaming again!
Xie Lingxi frowned. "What makes Yan Ji think he can defeat His Highness the Prince of Qin?"
The King of Qin is the princess's own brother. If the princess wanted to seek personal gain, she shouldn't have gone to him. Instead of helping her own family, she turned against the King of Jin—such suspicious behavior, couldn't he understand?
Yan Ying: "Because of arrogance."
Xie Lingxi: "...I understand."
At this point, Yan Ying stood up, took out an exquisite jade bottle from a drawer next to her, grabbed Xie Lingxi's wrist, and untied the silk cloth layer by layer.
"what you do--"
Xie Lingxi tried to pull her hand back, but the next moment, she felt a cool touch in her palm, and the sweet scent of ointment filled her hand. In her ear, the princess's voice rang out, "Does it hurt?"
Xie Lingxi slightly rolled her eyelids.
It will definitely hurt.
It wasn't just the pain; it nearly scared her out of her wits. The Yan family was truly heartless and cold-blooded. After the medicine was applied and the bandage was reapplied, she suddenly pulled her hand back. "What exactly did you promise him?"
Even if Yan Ying didn't say it, she could guess what was going on. What she did just now wasn't a test at all. Just like the day Cui Jue died, she had chosen her after weighing the options.
Using her as a dagger, rather than as a bargaining chip, will yield more benefits.
Sure enough, Yan Ying stroked the nail polish on her fingertips and slowly opened her lips: "Originally, I was going to sell you to be his concubine, but now I think that fighting like a cornered beast is a bad idea. It would be better if we plotted together."
"What do you think of me becoming the emperor?"
...
The idea of a princess becoming empress was utterly outrageous. Liu Xu listened for a moment, then tenderly stroked Xie Lingxi's hand, saying, "You've gotten another new injury in just a short time."
He had carelessly stuffed the medicine into Xie Lingxi's mouth earlier, and thinking about it, he was extremely annoyed: "It's my fault. I fed it to you without checking its properties, which is why you suffered this pain for nothing."
Xie Lingxi took out another pill from his pocket. It was round and brownish, about the size of a quail egg.
"Why blame you? I lost my balance and fell to the ground. I also accidentally broke the cup. Tell me, this one should be the real antidote, right?"
Liu Xu nodded.
Today, he was in the courtyard discussing matters with Xie Lingxi when Zhu Yu suddenly passed by, covering her face and sobbing, muttering things like "Prince Jin," "Princess," and "despicable"...
He sensed something was amiss, so he followed them.
"Killing the Prince of Jin now is not difficult, but if the princess wants to ascend the throne and become emperor, the Prince of Jin cannot die so easily."
Liu Xu embraced Xie Lingxi, binding her arm tightly. Peach petals fluttered down onto their shoulders and hands, making her look incredibly beautiful. She then analyzed the situation carefully: "When a woman ascends the throne, there will definitely be considerable resistance in the court. Moreover, the princess has not yet achieved any political success, and the prosperity of her maternal clan will only invite criticism."
Since ancient times, the greatest taboo has been interference in politics by the maternal relatives of the emperor. As a woman, the princess was feared to become a mere figurehead for power, while the real power lay with someone else.
Xie Lingxi plucked a peach blossom petal from his hair; it was as red as blood. "You don't object?"
Liu Xu: "What's there to object to? The position of Beichen belongs to the capable. The princess is both talented and virtuous. Besides, you've already agreed, how can I, as her husband, say no?"
...She understood why Liu Xu, who had always studied the classics, was able to rise up in rebellion in his previous life.
What a great saying, "The capable should take the lead!"
"Alright then."
Xie Lingxi stroked the black hair of the man beside her and tied it into a knot with her own.
She leaned to the side, and Liu Xu, afraid of hurting them both, leaned towards Xie Lingxi. A lean, strong, and warm body pressed against her. Xie Lingxi chuckled, "What are you doing? Pressing against me?"
Liu Xu instead held his wife tighter, inhaling the fragrance of orchids in her hair, "How outrageous, Lingxi, you're turning the tables on me."
A shower of petals fell from the wind, and the two embraced, whispering sweet nothings. Night fell, and they tidied their clothes, returned to their room, lit candles, and drew the curtains.
Sweet dreams and a good night's sleep.
...
The next day.
After Liu Xu went to court, Xie Lingxi was still sleeping in her room when she suddenly heard the sound of people wielding spears and sticks behind her. The noise kept her awake for a while. After circling the room a few times, she put on her outer robe and went to investigate.
"Knock knock knock—"
The gate of this military officer's house was simple, with hardly any flowers or plants. Xie Lingxi raised the door knocker and knocked heavily. "Is anyone home?"
The shouting in the courtyard finally stopped.
After a while, the door opened from the inside, revealing half of the general's body. His upper body was naked, he was burly and strong, and sweat was still dripping down his wheat-colored chest. He looked at Xie Lingxi and asked, "What is it?"
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