"Wait a minute." Xiao Xun's voice rang out again, still steady, but carrying an invisible force that made Xin Jiuwei's steps freeze in place.
“Princess, your words are unrestrained and disrespectful, offending Miss Xin.” Xiao Xun’s gaze finally turned to Princess Yongjia, whose face had turned pale and then red, clearly stunned by his shocking words. His tone was indifferent but left no room for argument. “Why don’t you apologize to Miss Xin?”
Princess Yongjia's face flushed crimson instantly—a mixture of shame, anger, and disbelief. "Royal brother! You want me to plead with her..." she pointed at Xin Jiuwei, her voice shrill.
"Apologize." Xiao Xun interrupted her, uttering only two words, yet they carried immense weight. His gaze was calm and unwavering as he looked at Yongjia, a calmness that revealed a bottomless abyss, causing even the proud Princess Yongjia to involuntarily shiver.
The atmosphere in the hall was tense. Princess Yongjia bit her lower lip tightly, her chest heaving violently, clearly furious, but under Xiao Xun's invisible pressure, she dared not retaliate. She glared fiercely at Xin Jiuwei, her eyes filled with venomous resentment.
Xin Jiuwei felt a chill rise from the soles of her feet. Xiao Xun's actions, seemingly to stand up for her, had in fact pushed her completely to the opposite side of the noble ladies' circle in the capital! Yongjia's humiliation today would surely be avenged tenfold, a hundredfold, upon her!
Her inward sneer deepened. This man was indeed calculating at every step! She didn't linger any longer, and didn't care whether Yongjia would apologize or not. She turned and resolutely walked out of the hall.
"Miss Xin, please wait." Xiao Xun's voice came for the third time, and this time, he stood up.
Xin Jiuwei kept walking, ignoring everything.
"Regarding your brother Xin Yunzhou," Xiao Xun's voice was not loud, but it clearly reached her ears, "I have the latest news from the Northern Border military report."
Xin Jiuwei's steps suddenly stopped, as if she were being restrained by an invisible thread.
Brother! Yunzhou is serving in the army in the Northern Frontier, where life and death are uncertain amidst the clash of swords. This is her deepest concern and her greatest weakness.
She had her back to him, her shoulders tense, her hands clenched into fists at her sides, her nails digging deep into her palms again. Anger and worry for her brother clashed violently in her chest.
Xiao Xun watched her stiff back, a barely perceptible ripple passing through the depths of his eyes. He slowly walked around the round table, stopping a step behind her, his voice lowered so only she could hear: "Come with me to the study. This is not the place to talk."
Xin Jiuwei closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and suppressed her surging emotions. For the sake of her brother's whereabouts, she swallowed this humiliation for the time being. She didn't turn around, but coldly uttered a single word: "Lead the way."
The study door slammed shut behind him, completely shutting out the probing or disdainful gazes from the hall. The air was thick with the scent of fine pine ink and old books, calm and chilly, completely out of place with the clamor of the farce outside.
Xin Jiuwei stood by the door, her back as straight as a drawn sword, exuding a chilling aura that kept everyone at arm's length. She didn't even glance at the layout of this study, a symbol of the core of power; her gaze was fixed on the man a few steps away, standing with his hands behind his back in front of his desk.
“Message.” She spoke, her voice cold and hard, as if pulled from an ice cellar, carrying an unquestionable tone of command. All pretense and restraint vanished after he publicly exposed her most shameful secrets and manipulated her through her brotherly authority.
Xiao Xun turned around, the dim light of the study lamp illuminating his sharply defined profile, half bright and half hidden in shadow, making him appear even more profound and unfathomable. He was not angered by her attitude; instead, he picked up a thin report from his desk, stamped with the Ministry of War's wax seal, and handed it to her.
"Your elder brother, Xin Yunzhou, ambushed the enemy at Black Wind Gorge the other day, achieving a victory against overwhelming odds, beheading the enemy chieftain and capturing a deputy general alive. The military report has been presented to the Emperor, and the commendation order for his promotion to captain will be issued soon."
Xin Jiuwei's heart leaped, as if struck by a heavy hammer, then filled with immense joy and sorrow. Brother! He did it! He truly fought his way through the Northern Army! She suppressed the urge to snatch the military report immediately, staring intently at the document in Xiao Xun's hand, her voice trembling slightly: "Really?"
"The Ministry of War's urgent dispatch, delivered over 800 li, could not possibly be false." Xiao Xun handed the letter forward again.
This time, Xin Jiuwei didn't hesitate. She stepped forward and almost snatched the thin sheet of paper. Only when her fingertips touched the cold paper did she feel its reality. She quickly unfolded it, her eyes greedily scanning the clear handwriting—"Xin Yunzhou," "Black Wind Gorge," "Beheading," "Captured Alive," "Promoted to Captain"... Each word was like a burning brand, searing her eyes and making her nose sting. A huge weight that had been pressing on her heart for so long finally eased a little.
However, this surge of emotion did not last long. When she confirmed the authenticity of the news, carefully folded the letter and tucked it into her sleeve, she looked up, the brief tenderness in her eyes vanished, replaced by a deeper wariness and a cold questioning.
"Your Highness went to great lengths, using a vicious scheme to lure me into the capital, and then deliberately informing my brother of the good news at this time..." She narrowed her eyes slightly, scrutinizing every subtle expression on Xiao Xun's face, "What exactly is your intention? Surely you haven't taken pity on me, have you?"
Xiao Xun did not answer directly. He strolled to the rosewood bookshelf against the wall, his fingers brushing over the rows of heavy books, finally stopping at an inconspicuous copy of "Commentary on the Waterways Classic," which he pulled out. Tucked between the pages was a small, exquisite jade earring, entirely emerald green, carved into the shape of a butterfly wing.
That earring… Xin Jiuwei’s pupils constricted sharply! It was the one she had lost during her trip to Yuncheng! And it was with him!
Xiao Xun picked up the earring, the emerald green jade shimmering with a warm luster between his slender fingers. He didn't look at Xin Jiuwei; his gaze remained fixed on the tiny butterfly wing, his tone flat and even, as if stating something utterly ordinary:
“Xin Jiuwei, I’ve said it before, you are extraordinary.” He paused, finally raising his eyes to look at her. For the first time, her image was clearly reflected in his deep, pool-like eyes, with a complex and unfathomable focus. “I need someone… to stand by my side. Someone who is smart enough, and also… ruthless enough.”
“The Xin family needs a powerful backer. A backer who can ensure your brother has no worries in the northern border and allow the Xin clan to regain its footing in the capital.”
He gently stroked the emerald green butterfly earring with his fingertips, paused only briefly, then changed the subject, his tone carrying an invisible weight:
"And I, the king, need you."
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