cause and effect
How could this be?
Despite the warm breeze, Xie Lingxi instinctively rubbed her hands together in fear and shivered.
A chill still crept up her back, causing her to break out in a light sweat—ever since that night when she stole the red jade, she had known that there was a scholar by Cui Sanlang's side. Based on his words, and combined with what Liu Xu had seen and heard in the brothel, she concluded that the little wingman was a man of the Prince of Pingnan.
As for Zhu Yu, she only met him once at Qi Lou that day. Since he was bait thrown out to lure Cui Jue into a trap, she didn't think much of it.
Can……
Now that the Prince of Pingnan is dead, it is highly suspicious that Zhu Yu is still lurking in the Cui residence.
What kind of deep affection is this? Xie Lingxi suddenly realized that this Zhu Yu was probably the princess's man!
The princess planted this pawn beside Prince Pingnan so early on—what was her purpose? Thinking deeper, ever since that night at Xiangshan Temple when she first saw Prince Pingnan in the secret passage, he had already appeared insane. She initially thought he was succumbing to the vicissitudes of life, but now she realized that wasn't the case—
It is likely man-made.
Xie Lingxi felt increasingly terrified. Her voice trembled as she asked, "If the princess had placed a pawn beside the Prince of Pingnan three years ago, what was the reason for that?"
Liu Xu also said in a deep voice: "Your thoughts are far-reaching, and your plans are far-reaching."
Yan Ying… Xie Lingxi chewed on these two words.
Was it the same in her past life? She couldn't recall the princess having participated in such a momentous event in her previous life. At that time, when the Prince of Jin ascended the throne, the Empress's lineage was either dead or crippled. Xie Lingxi was already in dire straits herself. Although she didn't know the specifics of what happened, with a little thought, she could guess a thing or two—
The princess's fate is unlikely to be good.
No, that's not right!
What does the past life have to do with this one? Xie Lingxi stepped onto the puddles of fallen petals, creating shallow ripples. Ignoring the wet hem of her clothes, her brows furrowed. "Let's go to the princess's residence."
Liu Xu did as instructed.
...
The Xie residence was only a few miles away from the princess's residence. The roadside was fragrant and lush, exuding the prosperous atmosphere of Chang'an in the spring, just like countless other spring days before.
The carriage was silent. Xie Lingxi listened to the intermittent sound of the wheel tracks, and her doubts grew deeper. Her brows furrowed involuntarily. Seeing this, Liu Xu smoothed the furrows between her brows and said cautiously, "Isn't this too rash?"
Xie Lingxi chuckled.
She used to be very cautious and meticulous, never willing to make a wrong move.
But now the situation is becoming increasingly unpredictable. She doesn't provoke others, yet there are always wolves and tigers waiting to devour her, one by one wanting to tear her flesh apart and gnaw at her bones...
She held the hand of the person beside her, knowing that her husband's heart was full of affection for her. If Yan Ying was truly a soul from a previous life, she would probably harbor resentment towards Liu Xu's faction for overthrowing the imperial power.
He then rubbed his palm and admitted, "It was indeed rash."
"If things are really as I think, I'm afraid the princess might be a threat to you. Perhaps... you should stay at home and wait for me to return?"
These words were spoken with great tenderness and affection.
If it weren't for the fact that they were inside a carriage with a howling wind, Liu Xu would have thought that he and Xie Lingxi were in a bedroom with a row of candles lit behind a screen, their bodies swaying back and forth with each breath.
Liu Xu pulled back the veil of red curtains and said with lowered eyes, "There is no reason for my wife to go into battle. Now that I'm in the carriage, I will naturally go."
This "car" is not that "car".
I still remember the vow they made to weather the storms together before their marriage three years ago. Liu Xu truly fulfilled it thoroughly. He stood at the bow of the boat and never intervened when Xie Lingxi was playing a game with someone. But when life was in danger, this gentle and kind young man would step forward like a sword or a bamboo pole.
It was her lifelong support.
Xie Lingxi's expression softened instantly, like a lotus flower shimmering in water. She looked up and saw that the other person still had a tense face. She sighed and said, "Why are you so nervous? I didn't forbid you from coming."
"Besides..." she paused, her eyes flashing, "this isn't a trip to my death."
It's not suicide, but survival is not guaranteed either.
Although Liu Xu was still worried, he didn't say much, only saying, "Don't try to get rid of me."
Xie Lingxi replied helplessly, "Of course."
As the two were talking, the carriage, driven by Bai Shi, stopped in front of the princess's residence a quarter of an hour later.
Before anyone could announce their arrival, a person slowly walked out of the bronze-yellow gate. Tall and elegant, with a face veiled in white gauze, he looked frail and delicate, as if he had been through many hardships.
However, although his face was handsome, his expression was completely different—
Zhu Yu's face was gloomy, and the eyes that were barely visible were no longer as bright and sparkling as they had been when she saw them outside the Qi Lou. They were like the vertical pupils of a venomous snake, coldly flicking its tongue: "Third Lady, Lord Liu, His Highness invites you in for a talk."
Zhu Yu.
Xie Lingxi was not in a hurry at all. She took Liu Xu's arm and began to greet him: "Young Master Zhuyu, it's been a long time. What happened to your face?"
Asking a question you already know the answer to.
Zhu Yu was still mentally playing funeral music for the rouge shop that had "flown away" as soon as she got her hands on it, and when she heard this, she turned her head away and ignored it.
Xie Lingxi wasn't annoyed. She stared at the person in front of her and said, "If you can't answer this question, then you must know how Prince Pingnan died, right, Young Master Zhuyu?"
Zhu Yu's eyes were bloodshot: "You—!"
The princess really didn't lie to him! How did this woman know that...? He was clearly so wary!
Even though it was just a random guess, she actually guessed it right!
His mind was racing when he suddenly heard the princess's voice approaching from afar. Amidst the falling petals from the eaves, Yan Ying gracefully approached, scrutinizing Xie Lingxi for a while before raising her eyebrows and smiling: "Why must Third Madam Xie make things difficult for a mere strategist?"
--really.
The two spoke together from inside their stomachs.
Xie Lingxi's smile vanished, replaced by a chilling aura that made her appear unapproachable. She spoke calmly, "Your Highness's strategy is truly profound."
Yan Ying also said, "Likewise."
The tense atmosphere was completely hidden under the soft sunlight.
The Princess's Mansion is majestic. Stepping through the screen door, there is a three-sided covered corridor. Xie Lingxi walked slowly through it and felt a warm fragrance on her face. When she looked up again, she saw a red sticker still hanging in front of the door with the four characters "Plum Blossoms and Snow Compete for Spring" written on it.
The two women sat down with the princess and went straight to the point: "Zhu Yu is your person."
"yes."
As she spoke, she stared intently at Xie Lingxi's face, not missing a single expression. "I am not surprised that Lord Xie has such discerning eyes and has noticed his difference. But Third Sister, how can you conclude from this that he killed the Prince of Pingnan?"
Xie Lingxi: "Kill? Your Highness is putting too much pressure on me. The Prince of Pingnan died suddenly from a serious illness. What does that have to do with me or Tong Zhuyu?"
These words were spoken without revealing their true intentions.
Xie Lingxi liked to speak in such roundabout ways, and Yan Ying understood this.
But today, this woman rushed into her residence in such a hurry, which was unusual and only confirmed her suspicions...
Even if we reveal something about this information, it's not a loss.
After thinking it over, she broke off a flower, picked up a few drops of glistening morning dew, and said, "It has nothing to do with it."
"But didn't Third Miss come to my residence today to demand an explanation?"
Her gaze fixed on Xie Lingxi, tearing away all pretense. "I did not kill Bo Ren, yet Bo Ren died because of me. How tragic and sorrowful!"
Xie Lingxi: "Who is Bo Ren?"
What is that princess babbling about?
Too lazy to beat around the bush, she simply laid it all out: "The death of Cui Sanlang, seemingly Cui Sanlang himself, was actually caused by His Highness Prince Pingnan. What kind of drug did Zhu Yu give Prince Pingnan that drove him mad, causing him to die from exhaustion?"
Yan Ying remained silent.
Xie Lingxi, however, continued speaking as if completely unaware.
“Three years ago, His Highness brought me into the palace to be a princess’s companion and tricked me into saving Princess Yanyun. Now, he has deliberately taken me to the brothel and dragged me into this disaster... Every single thing is a scheme.”
Xie Lingxi was furious and complained, "What kind of joke is this about forming an alliance to kill someone with a borrowed knife?"
"..."
Yan Ying remained silent for a long while before finally speaking, her eyes shining with a chilling light, "Third Sister is right—three years ago. What happened three years ago, or rather..."
Upon seeing the woman before her, her breathing quickened, and she curled her lips into a smile—
What exactly happened in the first year of the Dacheng era?
The first year of the Dacheng era marked the beginning of everything's destruction. Xie Lingxi didn't want to recall it, so she closed her eyes briefly. "You really are?"
“No,” Yan Ying said, “I just had a dream.”
"Three years ago today."
She dreamt that the fifth prince ascended the throne, her own brother was accused of treason and rebellion and died amidst public condemnation, several powerful families were destroyed, the Lu family was wiped out and became Yan Ji's prey.
On the day of the palace coup, a wealthy princess was quietly hanged in the inner palace filled with jewels and ornaments.
She awoke abruptly from a dream, drenched in sweat. Whether it was real or not, she considered the dream a... terrifying prophecy.
After listening, Xie Lingxi remained silent for a long time, took a deep breath, and suddenly asked, "Who is Bo Ren?"
When the princess was hanged in her past life, she was...
Yan Ying sighed, "You remember now? You were blind to help Yan Ji plan the succession and the throne. Without the Xie family, how could he have succeeded?"
That's right.
She thought she had found a good place to stay, but it turned out to be an abyss. She helped Yan Ji, but became the so-called "executioner," causing the deaths of countless people.
"They really are blind."
Xie Lingxi said, "My fate wasn't good either. Does Your Highness feel at ease now?"
Yan Ying didn't mean to blame her.
The nightmare was truly terrifying, and what was even more frightening was that everything in the dream was so vivid—the blood and tears, the pain and sorrow—it was as if I had experienced it myself!
She was filled with resentment and could not get out. She hesitated and remained silent, but with a resolute heart, she stepped into the muddy water.
She glanced at Liu Xu, who was standing in the courtyard admiring the flowers and playing with the orioles, and chuckled meaningfully: "Lord Liu, you have truly impressed me."
That sounds awkward.
Even if Liu Xu did something unorthodox in his past life, Yan Ying is dead, so the blame can't be placed on him. Xie Lingxi asked warily, "What are you going to do?"
"It's nothing, I just thought that the fate you two cultivated over two lifetimes has brought you together as a loving couple, which is truly enviable."
"If that's the case..."
Yan Ying poured herself a cup of tea, sat down and took a sip. "I'm really looking forward to seeing how he will confront Yan Ji now that things have changed so much."
Prince of Jin?
Xie Lingxi wondered to herself, "Could it be that Yan Ji has also come?"
She quickly dismissed the thought, for in an instant, her veins and bones felt as if they were being devoured by countless insects, and she cried out in pain—"Ah... Ugh!"
Unable to bear it any longer, Xie Lingxi knocked over a pile of broken porcelain. She fell to her knees, pressing her palms haphazardly onto the shards, from which blood trickled down.
She suddenly remembered the antidote from that day, "You...you gave me...what did you eat...?"
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