Merits and demerits cancel each other out
*
Shen Rou returned to her room, quickly closed the door, and leaned against the door, letting out a soft breath.
She raised her hand to untie the hairpin that bound her hair, and her long, flowing hair cascaded down, obscuring her slightly pale face.
Her movements paused slightly as her fingertips touched the straps of her nightgown, and she seemed to hear the soft clatter of the tile echoing in her ears again.
She almost got discovered.
“Xiao Zhouyan…” she murmured the name, a complex emotion flashing in her eyes.
After changing out of her night clothes, she put on a plain white nightgown and hid the night clothes in a secret compartment under the bed.
Just as my fingertips left the edge of the hidden compartment, a very light footstep suddenly came from outside the window, as if someone had deliberately moved quietly.
Shen Rou's eyes sharpened, and she quickly blew out the candle, disappearing into the shadows. Her hand stealthily reached for the dagger under her pillow, holding her breath in concentration.
"Miss, are you asleep?" A maid's voice sounded softly from outside the door.
Shen Rou closed her eyes briefly, and when she opened them again, her eyes were calm. She pushed the dagger back to its original place and softly replied, "I've already rested. Let's talk about it tomorrow."
Once the maid's footsteps faded into the distance, she slowly loosened her clenched palms, where several red marks had already been left by her fingernails.
As the night deepened, Chen Rou leaned against the window, gazing at the swaying shadows of the trees in the courtyard, a cold smile curling at the corner of her lips.
"Indeed, it's different from the previous life."
Chen Rou gazed at the night outside the window, her fingertips gently tracing the window frame, her eyes filled with a cold indifference.
My past lives are still vivid in my mind.
When the regent of the Li Kingdom, Yan Zhan, saved her from dire straits, she willingly became the sharpest blade in his hand.
She infiltrated the Great Zhou Dynasty for him, navigating the powerful and influential, gradually climbing onto the emperor's throne, disrupting the court, and helping him annex the Great Zhou.
He promised her the throne, and she promised to eliminate his rivals and place the crown on his head. But in the end, his drunken words, "You're just a pawn," shattered her illusions.
So she smiled and helped him take in many beauties, watching him indulge in wine and women, and gradually neglect his duties in government.
She secretly cultivated her power, undermining his authority, and ultimately, when he attempted to depose their son, she did not hesitate to send him to his death with a cup of poison.
She ascended the throne, becoming the first female emperor of the Li Kingdom, and worked diligently to consolidate her rule. However, her son gradually revealed his fangs, ambitiously coveting her throne.
Indeed, the most untrustworthy thing in this world is the human heart.
She slowly curled the corners of her lips into a smile, but there was no hint of a smile in her eyes.
In this life, she will never walk the same path again.
Since Yan Zhan can use her, why can't she turn the tables and use Xiao Zhouyan's power to completely overturn the chess game of Li Kingdom?
She turned and walked to the desk, picked up her brush, dipped it in ink, and quickly wrote a line on the paper. Then she rolled up the paper and stuffed it into a delicate bamboo tube.
"Someone come here," she called softly.
A dark figure appeared silently behind her and knelt on one knee: "Master."
Shen Rou handed over the bamboo tube, her voice cold and low: "Deliver it to the residence of the Second Prince of Da Zhou. Remember, be sure to avoid Xiao Zhouyan's eyes and ears."
"yes."
The dark figure took the bamboo tube, and in a flash, disappeared into the night.
Shen Rou gazed at the gradually brightening sky outside the window, a calculating glint in her eyes.
Since Xiao Zhouyan has already begun to suspect Yan Zhan, she might as well add fuel to the fire.
In this life, she will make Yan Zhan personally taste what it feels like to be betrayed by the most trusted pawn.
As for Xiao Zhouyan...
She gently stroked the dagger in her sleeve, her smile deepening.
"A formidable opponent? No, in this life, I will make you the sharpest blade in my hand."
***
After spending a few days in Liangzhou, Xu Qingyao and Xiao Zhouyan prepared to return to Shangjing.
Upon hearing the news, the Jiang family elders had already prepared carriages and horses, along with a large quantity of Liangzhou specialties, insisting on seeing him off personally. Old Madam Jiang held Xu Qingyao's hand, her eyes slightly red: "This departure... who knows when we'll meet again..."
Xu Qingyao gently patted the back of her hand and said softly, "Grandmother, there's no need for that. We were just on a mission to Gaochang Kingdom and stopped by to visit you two on our way back to the capital. How could we dare trouble you to see us off personally? If word gets out, it will seem like we don't know the proper etiquette."
Old Master Jiang stroked his beard, and although reluctant, he nodded and said, "Qingyao is right. Official business is important, so we won't keep you any longer."
Xiao Zhouyan stood to the side, nodded slightly upon hearing this, and said in a steady tone: "Don't worry, elders, we will definitely come to visit again once things in the capital have calmed down."
Madam Jiang reluctantly let go of his hand and then instructed, "Be careful on the road, and remember to send a letter when you arrive in the capital."
Xu Qingyao smiled and agreed, then turned and boarded the carriage. Xiao Zhouyan mounted his horse, and the group slowly drove away from the Jiang residence.
The carriage wheels rolled over the bluestone road, and the morning breeze in Liangzhou carried a slight chill. Xu Qingyao lifted the carriage curtain, glanced back at the receding gates of the Jiang residence, and sighed inwardly.
Xiao Zhouyan spurred his horse closer to the carriage window and whispered, "What, you're reluctant to part with it?"
Xu Qingyao withdrew her gaze and shook her head: "I just feel that my grandmother is getting old, and every time we part, it feels like we'll see each other one last time."
Xiao Zhouyan was silent for a moment, then said, "After this matter is settled, I will stay with you for a while longer."
Xu Qingyao looked up at him, a slight smile playing on her lips: "Okay."
As the carriage drove further and further away, the outline of Liangzhou gradually blurred in the morning light.
***
The study of the Duke of Wei's residence.
Xu Lian unfolded the letter in his hand, his gaze sweeping over the familiar handwriting on the paper, and the solemnity between his brows finally eased slightly.
"Father, did Zhou Yan send a letter?" Xu Zhiyuan stood to the side and couldn't help but ask when he saw his father's expression soften.
Xu Lian nodded slightly and handed him the letter: "Read it yourself."
Xu Zhiyuan took the letter, quickly glanced through it, and finally relaxed his tense shoulders: "Sure enough, Zhou Yan has found Qingyao, and they are on their way back to the capital."
In the letter, Xiao Zhouyan succinctly recounted what had happened during this period. He had received news of Qingyao in Liangzhou, and after traveling westward from Liangzhou, he finally found her in Tubo, which had not yet been annexed by Gaochang.
Although the twists and turns were not detailed, a sense of danger could still be gleaned from between the lines.
"This kid didn't disappoint us." Xu Lian snorted lightly, but a hint of approval flashed in his eyes.
Xu Zhiyuan folded the letter, put it back on the table, and smiled, "Father may not say it, but he probably already approves of this son-in-law, right?"
Xu Lian glared at him but didn't refute him. He simply said, "When he comes back, let him come to see me in person. There are some things that need to be clarified in person."
"Yes, son understands." Xu Zhiyuan replied with a smile, then, remembering something, asked, "What about my second brother..."
"Go tell him," Xu Lian waved his hand. "He's been talking to me about it a lot these days. It'll put his mind at ease and save me the trouble."
Xu Zhiyuan chuckled and nodded, saying, "Okay, I'll go right away."
After Xu Zhiyuan left, Xu Lian picked up the letter again, his gaze falling on the last line:
"Father-in-law, rest assured, I will protect Qingyao and return to the capital soon to apologize in person."
Xu Lian sighed softly, put the letter into the drawer, and muttered to himself, "You brat, I'll settle the score with you when you get back."
Outside the window, dusk was falling, but everyone in the Duke of Wei's mansion breathed a quiet sigh of relief because of this letter.
*
As Lunar New Year's Eve approached, a light snow began to fall in the capital.
Xu Qingyao lifted the carriage curtain and gazed at the familiar city gate, her heart filled with mixed emotions. Just a few months ago, she was a bride who had hastily fled to complete a system mission, but now she had returned as the wife of the Marquis of Zhenyuan.
"System..." Xu Qingyao was about to ask what was on her mind.
[Host, don't worry. Xiao Zhouyan took "Xu Qingyao" to express his gratitude the day after the wedding.] The system picked up the conversation precisely.
? ? ?
"How did you know..." What should I ask?
[Because you haven't turned off the mind-reading function.]
The system is installed.
“Madam, the general instructed me to escort you back to your residence first, as he needs to go to the palace to report back,” Wei Yi said respectfully from outside the carriage.
Xu Qingyao nodded.
As the carriage entered the Zhenyuan Marquis's residence, Xu Qingyao had just stepped off the carriage when a pink figure rushed towards her like a whirlwind.
"Miss!" Yuejian cried, tears streaming down her face, and clung tightly to her waist. "I thought...I thought you didn't want us anymore..."
Xu Qingyao felt a lump in her throat and gently patted Yuejian's back: "Silly girl, I'm back now, aren't I?"
The other maids also gathered around, their eyes red-rimmed. Even though Xu Qingyao didn't say anything explicitly, Xiao Zhouyan didn't make things difficult for her dowry maids; on the contrary, he took good care of them.
"The general said that the lady will return one day, and told us to take good care of the courtyard," Chun Tao said, wiping away her tears.
Xu Qingyao felt a warmth in her heart as she followed the maids toward the courtyard that Xiao Zhouyan had arranged for her—Guanyue Pavilion.
The name reminded her of a dream she once had, and of the man who relentlessly searched for her amidst the wind and sand of the desert.
After bathing and changing, Xu Qingyao put on a light blue ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress), with only a white magnolia hairpin in her hair. Yuejian combed her hair while rambling on about the changes in the Marquis's mansion over the past few months.
"I heard that the general never lets anyone near the Moon Gazing Pavilion in the west. Everyone says that his treasures are hidden there," Yuejian said mysteriously.
Xu Qingyao raised an eyebrow: "Oh? What treasure?"
"Nobody knows. Once, the cook's youngest son wandered in by mistake and was dragged out by the Marquis himself. The boy was so frightened that he couldn't speak for three days."
***
Inside the Imperial Study in the palace, Xiao Zhouyan knelt on one knee to report to the emperor.
"Your subject Xiao Zhouyan was sent as an envoy to Tibet by imperial decree, but due to a change in the situation, he changed his route to Gaochang at the last minute and did not have time to request permission. I beg Your Majesty to punish me."
Emperor Chu Huaiyuan sat behind his dragon desk, his fingers rhythmically tapping the tabletop. The candlelight cast varying shadows on his angular face, obscuring his expression.
"Minister Xiao, do you know what a serious crime it is to arbitrarily change the itinerary of an imperial envoy?" The emperor's voice was calm and unhurried, yet carried an undeniable air of authority.
Xiao Zhouyan stood ramrod straight: "Your Majesty, I know my crime. But at that time, Tibet had already been annexed by Gaochang. If we proceeded according to the original plan, it would not only be futile, but we might also fall into danger. Weighing the pros and cons, I had no choice but to act first and report later."
"What a blatant act of acting first and reporting later!" The emperor suddenly slammed his fist on the table and rose abruptly, "Do you even have any regard for me as the emperor?"
The air in the imperial study froze instantly. Su Chenghai, who was standing to the side, broke out in a cold sweat and quietly took half a step back.
Xiao Zhouyan replied neither humbly nor arrogantly: "Your subject dares not. It is precisely because I care about the country that I have dared to make this decision. The new king of Gaochang, Yuwen Heng, intends to establish friendly relations with our dynasty. Reopening the Silk Road would benefit trade between our two countries. If we wait for the news to reach the capital before requesting an imperial decree, we may miss a golden opportunity."
The emperor stared at Xiao Zhouyan for a long time, then suddenly burst into laughter: "Good! You truly deserve to be my General Zhenyuan!"
Even though he was absolutely certain that the emperor wouldn't blame him, this change still startled Xiao Zhouyan slightly.
The emperor descended the dragon steps and personally helped Xiao Zhouyan up: "My dear minister, you have handled the situation with great skill. Not only did you reach a trade agreement with Gaochang, but you also facilitated an alliance between the remnants of the Tibetan tribes and our dynasty. This is a great achievement. What I was doing just now was merely a test of your courage."
Xiao Zhouyan finally breathed a sigh of relief: "Your Majesty is wise."
“However,” the emperor changed his tone, a sly glint in his eyes, “your decision-making on your own was indeed against the rules. Considering your merits and demerits, I will not reward you.”
...
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