Chapter 10
"What should Your Majesty do if His Majesty does not come?"
Li Xiaoyi stood with his hands behind his back, holding the superior-grade Ziyang Hao sword. With a sudden flick of his wrist, he formed the character "浪" (lang, meaning "wave" or "wave") in a graceful manner.
Qi Nian'an chuckled softly, the golden hairpin on her head shining brightly.
Upon hearing this, she bit her lip, struggling to suppress a laugh, but remained silent.
The winter frost covers the branches, and the deep purple color of the winter plum blossoms makes people look even more beautiful and delicate.
Light snowflakes continued to fall on people's heads. Qi Nian'an watched from afar, seemingly lost in thought, as still as a virgin, holding an incongruous round fan in her hand, her bright red cloak thickly wrapped in fluff.
Li Xiaoyi was stunned.
A drop of ink, thick and rich, settled at the tip of his pen, slowly falling onto the white snow, strikingly bright.
Suddenly, a large group of people appeared in the distance.
"Young Master Li is truly blessed; he not only enjoys the scenery but also beholds a beautiful woman."
The voice carried a hint of unspoken sarcasm, and after speaking, it burst into laughter, immediately eliciting waves of agreement and laughter from those around.
Qi Nian'an raised an eyebrow and turned to look in the direction of the sound.
She was an extremely beautiful woman, voluptuous and stunningly beautiful, with an overwhelming presence that drew crowds at first glance.
This popularity is mixed with a lot of malice.
It seems that the news of Shao Sizhi's reward to her has already spread out of the palace, arousing envy among many. These ladies probably used the plum blossom appreciation as an opportunity to suppress her.
"Your Highness, Consort Jia, you don't know."
Consort Ling responded with great pride, glancing sideways at him with ill intent. "Consort An is the most skilled at seduction. A few days ago, she even encouraged Consort Ling to take male lovers. Even after His Majesty warned her, she still didn't know how to restrain herself. Now she's seduced Consort Ling's cousin. She's truly risking her life to be a loyal dog."
Qi Nian'an clenched her fists slightly, her chest heaving violently.
Public opinion can be devastating. I can't solve the problem by going crazy. Rumors will only spread further. In ancient times, women were not allowed to have male friends in the imperial palace. What seems normal to modern people would be a serious crime in the palace.
Oh, the ultimate move has been sealed.
"Yeah?"
She deliberately adopted the expressions and gestures she always wore in front of the camera, frowning slightly and smiling faintly. She casually twirled a strand of hair towards Young Master Li and gave him an extremely ambiguous wink.
Li Xiaoyi's face instantly turned red to the roots of his ears. He turned his head and bowed to the concubines, saying indifferently, "I, Li, am here on the orders of Consort Ling to teach Consort An how to appreciate masterpieces by famous artists. We are to conduct ourselves with the respect due to a teacher and student, and to be cautious in our actions. I hope Your Highness will be careful with your words."
“Yes,” Qi Nian’an shrugged, stepped forward and patted Consort Ling, “The calligraphy and paintings His Majesty bestowed a few days ago, as well as some rare and precious works of art, were not something I could identify, so I asked Consort Ling for help. Consort Ling wasn’t very knowledgeable either, so she found a famous teacher in the capital to teach me.”
"How did it become that I had a private affair with Young Master Li? I am just a concubine in the palace, how dare I casually associate myself with Young Master Li, who is the cousin of Consort Ling."
Consort Jia was taken aback by these words, then her face darkened and she impatiently pushed away Consort Ling, who was leaning in, and sneered: "Consort An, do you really think you've climbed up to Consort Ling? She has deep roots and great power in the palace. What are you, a mere consort, compared to her?"
"In my opinion," Li Xiaoyi's voice deepened upon hearing this, "Consort An is of noble character and does not contend with others, making her a trusted confidante of the Dowager Consort."
"Confidant?"
Consort Jia trembled violently as if she had heard the biggest joke in the world, her body shaking uncontrollably as she asked, "A trusted confidante?"
"Since we parted at Wangcheng Gate, Young Master Li has become quite confused."
Li Xiaoyi pursed her lips, but Qi Nian'an pushed her back.
She looked at him with disappointment and frustration.
This silly bird, it can't even understand a simple argument.
"Well, how should I put it?" Qi Nian'an pretended to be troubled, took a step forward, tilted his head and smiled, "I dare to throw mud at His Majesty, I dare to pretend to be a ghost and dig a pit for His Majesty, but even if I do such things, His Majesty will still reward me with treasures and dare not touch me in the slightest."
"Isn't it all because of Consort Ling?"
She turned around and looked at Li Xiaoyi, just like Consort Jia had done. The latter stared blankly at her smug face, his expression one of shattered dreams and clear-headed realization.
After a while, he suddenly realized what was happening and joined the group.
right--
Qi Nian'an couldn't help but rub her temples and let out a deep breath.
Suddenly, a tremendous force slammed into her. The dark figure moved with incredible speed in broad daylight, catching Qi Nian'an off guard.
? !
In a daze, she fell to the ground next to Li Xiaoyi. The young master of the Li family was an honest man. His hands were dangling in mid-air. He would rather roll into the pool next to him without taking any support than touch Qi Nian'an to help him.
Qi Nian'an reacted quickly, adjusting her center of gravity in no time, and reached out to pull the young master of the Li family up.
The pool was bottomless in the dead of winter, and it was also exceptionally frosty. Li Xiaoyi's lips quickly turned blue. Consort Jia watched coldly and, with a wave of her hand, ordered someone to step forward and restrain Qi Nian'an.
She stepped into the pool, coldly pushing Li Xiaoyi into it.
The young master of the Li family turned reddish-purple and looked at Consort Jia in utter astonishment.
"Are you crazy?"
Qi Nian'an never expected that there was such a person in the palace.
Knowing that a mentally ill person was around, Li Xiaoran should have brought more people to surround the area. In order to ensure that the two of them would not be disturbed and that the plan could be carried out smoothly, Li Xiaoran tearfully transferred Nan Zhi and Zhi Yang away.
Now it's truly a case of crying out to heaven and earth, but receiving no response.
"Back then, under the city gate, I shamelessly begged you for an answer, pleading with you to look at me and save me." Consort Jia laughed hysterically, her red lips like an invincible black hole pouring out the unbearable resentment in her soul.
"You turned your head and burned your poems and essays, and continued to be your gentle and refined noble young master, and your foremost scholar."
Qi Nian'an's hand was squeezed so hard it hurt, and she listened to everything in a daze.
There's some juicy gossip!!!
“I… am destined to be the son of the Li family, and you… I cannot save you.”
Li Xiaoyi found it increasingly difficult to breathe, and his breathing gradually became weak with each cough.
Qi Nian'an snapped back to reality.
This could really lead to someone's death; Consort Jia seems to have truly gone mad.
However, the fact that she was alone with Li Xiaoyi should not be known to outsiders. Who was it that found out about it and quickly led Consort Ling and Consort Jia to the vicinity, and who knew about Consort Jia's past and was sure that Consort Jia would go crazy?
She did not resist, and her infamy will live on after her death.
If she resists, her crime of insubordination will be compounded.
While hesitating and pondering, the person in the water was defeated and died. Consort Jia sat on the muddy ground without any dignity, the melted snow water on her body slowly running down her temples.
Qi Nian'an closed her dull eyes, a smile welling up in her heart.
She now understood the extent to which Consort Jia would go for her previous obsessive love, and how treacherous and cunning the person behind the scheme was.
She let out a long sigh.
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Qi Nian'an stood there coldly, watching the chaotic scene around her, the water droplets splashing high in the water, the cold water hitting her face and sending a chill down her spine.
Li Xiaoyi's head was firmly gripped by the long, red nail polish, which frantically lifted and pressed down, then lifted again.
Suddenly, a pair of hands with prominent veins gripped Consort Jia tightly.
Behind Qi Nian'an was a groaning eunuch lying on the ground, while Consort Ling huddled in a corner, trembling, looking at Qi Nian'an, who was radiating coldness.
"That's enough, Consort Jia."
She grabbed Li Xiaoyi, pulled him out of the water, and took off her cloak to wrap him up.
Then, she walked step by step into the water, the surface of which gradually became calm and still, leaving only the empty, bowed head of the madwoman Jiafei. Water dripped slowly down her temples, she smiled lightly, her beauty gone, the gurgling water flowing downwards, indistinguishable from pool water or teardrops.
"Love can breed anger. I can't understand how much pain you're in, but I do know that if you die in agony, are convicted, imprisoned, or have your family ruined for life, you'll be doomed."
Consort Jia gave a cold laugh and wiped the water stains from her cheeks with her palms.
Who do you think you are?
"What do you know about love and anger?"
"You're really rude." Qi Nian'an sighed, feeling her patience about to run out. If it were a man, she would definitely kick him back into the water to vent her anger.
But the person on the other end is a murderer who just committed a crime of passion, and although he has his reasons, he does not agree with him.
She has more important things to verify.
"How did you know that the young master of the Li family was here? Who told you?"
She gripped Consort Jia's collar, her knuckles turning white.
The mirror-like surface is ethereal, and the clear river reflects the ripples. A red and a white figure stand facing each other with bowed heads, yet remain speechless amidst the shimmering waves.
The woman in red kept tearing off her hair and throwing it into the water one by one, acting frantically and coldly, shutting herself off and refusing to say anything more.
Qi Nian'an let out a long sigh.
She cracked her knuckles to loosen her muscles, then quickly stood up, letting the water splash around her.
The longest hairpin was firmly held in her hand.
She walked step by step toward Li Xiaoyi of the Li family. Her hair was wet and water dripped down her neck. She was dressed in thin clothes, and a gust of wind would send shivers down one's spine and make one tremble with fear.
"Play along with me in a play."
Li Xiaoyi watched as the sharp, long hairpin slowly and deeply pressed against his neck, his eyes wide as he stared at Consort An.
What a hellish demon! The girl who rose from the water had disheveled hair, which fell in strands against her cheeks in the bright winter sun.
Those dark eyes were exceptionally cold, though they held a faint hint of affection, they were utterly resolute.
The hairpin gradually pressed against the artery, a flash of golden light appeared, and the pain even surpassed the fear and cold.
"How about I do it for you? Then the three of us can keep each other company on the road to the underworld. Hey, you're trying to kill him, but I see you're getting tired. I'll help you!"
Qi Nian'an pressed even tighter, her entire arm lying across Li Xiaoyi's chest, then slowly moving upwards to touch his face.
Those hands were also so slippery and cold, like a clinging venomous snake.
Qi Nian'an became anxious when she saw that Li Xiaoyi had no expression at all.
Kiss me.
She breathed softly and gently nuzzled his ear.
Li Xiaoyi froze, and involuntarily pushed her away. Qi Nian'an seized the opportunity to grab his wrist and gradually moved it upwards, and the two faced off.
"Enough!"
"Enough!!"
Qi Nian'an looked up in bewilderment, and the already frenzied scene gradually heated up.
As she raised her hand, she met a stern, handsome face that radiated coldness and anger.
Shao Sizhi spun the ring on his finger rapidly, without blinking. His eyes were as cold as an abyss, and a murderous intent gradually rose, carrying an inexplicable calculation and gloom.
Qi Nian'an released the hairpin and the hand that was holding Li Xiaoyi.
Oh no, we're doomed.
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