Chapter 61 Chang'an, she wouldn't stay here for even a moment longer...
The officials of the Court of Justice had already been informed by Wang Huan. They greeted her with smiles and led her to the dungeon. The dungeon of the Court of Justice was better than that of the Yongxiang Palace. The smell of blood was not as strong, and there were no shrill screams from the depths of the dungeon.
After passing through the dungeon gate, the guide led her to a cell where female prisoners were held. In this cell, she recognized several familiar faces: Madam Wu, Su Jinghao, Su Jingxian, and other female members of the Su family.
They were no longer adorned in fine silks and jewels, but instead wore prison uniforms, their hair disheveled, looking utterly wretched. Within days, their once full and fair faces rapidly withered, becoming sallow and emaciated, their eyes lifeless.
Huiyin stood in the corner for a moment, listening to the commotion inside. It was Wu Shi and Su Jingxian insulting Su Jinghao, cursing her for being ambitious but unlucky. They said that if Su Jinghao hadn't come up with some wicked scheme, her family wouldn't have ended up like this.
Su Jinghao sat quietly in the corner, leaning against the wall with her eyes closed, remaining silent in the face of the insults, as if she hadn't heard them at all.
Huiyin said to the official leading the way beside her, "Could you bring Su Jinghao out? I'd like to have a private talk with her."
The official nodded in agreement, then led Huiyin into a secret room on the left, before quickly leaving to fetch Su Jinghao.
Huiyin looked around. This must be a temporary resting place for some official. The furnishings were simple: a small table, two bookshelves, and a soft couch, nothing else.
The desk was covered in dust, indicating that the person hadn't worked here for a long time. Huiyin's gaze fell on the slightly open bamboo slips, a corner of which revealed two characters. Her heart skipped a beat, and she looked away, turning her back to calm herself.
Before long, a white figure appeared at the entrance of the secret room. Its hands and feet were shackled, and its feet dragged on the ground, the chains clanging and echoing through the long corridor.
As Huiyin watched her slowly approach, everything before her felt like a dream, unbelievable. She had never doubted Su Jinghao, nor could she comprehend what she had done.
Su Jinghao walked calmly into the secret room and stopped not far from Huiyin. There was no surprise on her face, as if she had known Huiyin would come all along. "I've been waiting for you for a long time."
Huiyin stepped forward, tidied the stray hairs flying across Su Jinghao's forehead and tucked them behind her ears. Her fingertips traced a path from Su Jinghao's temples to her lips, like a gentle caress between lovers. Su Jinghao's eyelashes trembled slightly, but she said nothing and did not push Huiyin away.
The two of them had a rare moment of peace and spent time together.
Huiyin withdrew her hand and looked at her sadly. "Even now, I still can't understand you. I thought I had to come and see you and ask you."
Su Jinghao moved her numb arms, which were bound, causing the chains to rattle softly. She smirked, "You really can't understand me. You were born with everything, how could you know my hardships?"
Huiyin looked at her, tears welling up in her eyes, "I know, I know how hard it is for you. Your father doesn't like you, your stepmother is domineering, and your brothers and sisters ignore you and beat and scold you at the drop of a hat."
Su Jing laughed, and she laughed loudly, tears slowly streaming down her face. "Yes, back then, I lived worse than a dog. At every banquet, I was always the one left out, the one who was disliked and fought over. Apart from you, no one wanted to get close to me."
“I was very grateful to you then, and also to your parents. You made me feel like I was a human being, not an animal. But the more that was the case, the more I envied you.”
"Huiyin, I'm jealous of you! I'm jealous of your parents' love, jealous that you're cherished by them. Every time I see your family gathered together happily, I wish your whole family would die!"
Huiyin looked at her hideous face. She kept saying she hated her, but tears kept flowing from her eyes.
She asked softly, "Do you hate us, or do you hate yourself?"
Su Jinghao's screams abruptly stopped. Her chest heaved, and she looked at Huiyin with tears in her eyes, breaking down as she cried out, "I hate all of you! And I hate myself too!"
"Why are you trying to take the position of Crown Princess from me? I can give up anything, but I can't give up this one!"
"I don't want to hurt you! I don't want to!"
The piercing sound echoed through the passageway, sending chills down one's spine.
Su Jinghao lowered her head, letting her tears fall to the ground, spreading across the dusty tiles. She hated herself, hated herself for being so despicable and so dark. Huiyin had been very good to her, and she had told herself countless times that she must be good to Huiyin in the future and repay her properly.
But the blood of Su Wenyi, that filthy and shameful blood, still flowed in her veins, and could never be washed away. Every time she saw Huiyin radiant and winning everyone's praise, she could only stand by her side like a green leaf setting off a red flower, forcing a stiff, fake smile.
She couldn't control her jealousy and hatred. Why was she so wonderful? She had everything: looks, family background, and good character. More importantly, she had a father who loved her!
As for Su Wenyi, she couldn't help but feel nauseous whenever she saw his face. Why was this wretched life hers?
But each time, this surging hatred would involuntarily dissipate when she saw Huiyin looking at her with a smile.
Su Jinghao couldn't help but think that Huiyin had such magic that she could make people fall in love with her and get close to her.
At fifteen, she was humiliated in the street, and it was the passing Crown Prince who came to her rescue and helped her vent her anger. That was the first time Su Jinghao experienced the taste of power; power could make those she hated grovel at her feet and beg for mercy, and power could make anyone she didn't want to see disappear.
From that moment on, she made up her mind to become a truly superior person and to crush those who had bullied her under her feet.
She had her first goal in life: to become the Crown Princess, then the Empress, and finally the most powerful person in the Southern Dynasty, second only to the Emperor.
Therefore, she diligently practiced etiquette, striving to perfect every smile, gesture, and movement as a model of aristocratic elegance. She donned a mask for herself, cultivating a reputation, and fortunately, her efforts were not in vain. Her fame in Chang'an finally began to rise, catching the eye of Empress Pei.
Last year, news spread that Empress Pei was going to choose a wife for the Crown Prince. She only had her eye on two people, Song Huiyin and Su Jinghao.
Upon hearing the news, Su Jinghao knew she would lose. She was no match for Huiyin in any way. Huiyin was a beautiful jade, while she was just a broken stone. Anyone with eyes could see which one to choose.
That night, she sat frozen, clutching the hairpin her mother had left her, and made up her mind. No one could stop her; she was determined to become the Crown Princess.
The room remained silent for a long time. Su Jinghao, who had been keeping her head down, raised her eyes, her tears gone, and said coldly, "I accept my defeat. I foresaw this day when I made my move."
Huiyin asked in a hoarse voice, "Have you ever regretted it?"
"I repent." Su Jinghao said softly, "My biggest regret is that I was soft-hearted and spared your life. If I had known this would happen, I should have killed you to prevent future troubles."
Huiyin nodded with tears in her eyes and said calmly, "I've always known that you wanted to be the Crown Princess, and I've never thought of competing with you for it."
Su Jinghao scoffed.
Huiyin didn't pay any attention and continued, "After the news spread that Empress Pei favored me as the Crown Princess, my father came to ask me what I thought. Do you know how I answered?"
Su Jinghao stopped smiling, pursed her lips, looked at Huiyin, and remained silent.
“I said, I don’t want to go to the palace. I love Wang Huan, and I want to marry him.”
Su Jinghao's breathing suddenly became rapid, and she gritted her teeth to continue listening.
Huiyin looked at her, her gaze passing through her to see the Su Jinghao of the past. "I wanted to tell you this good news, but you were angry with me back then and refused to see me."
Huiyin stepped out. Chang'an was truly a heartbreaking and painful place. She couldn't stay there for another second.
"Huiyin, thank you for not telling anyone about that!" Su Jinghao's voice was trembling with tears.
Huiyin did not turn around. In fact, she found it difficult to hate Su Jinghao. Even now, when she came to see her, she still held onto a sliver of hope.
Long ago, when the two had only known each other for a short time and before Su Jinghao's mother passed away, Huiyin was invited by Su Jinghao to visit her home. The two children played hide-and-seek with the maid and fell asleep under the bed without realizing it.
When she woke up again, she witnessed Su Wenyi and his wife arguing. They were arguing about divorcing each other and remarrying. Huiyin and Su Jinghao, who were hiding under the bed, were full of surprise and covered their mouths without making a sound. No one knew that things would develop like that.
Su Wenyi accidentally killed Madam Su, his first wife. Madam Su's blood soaked through the bed, dripping onto Su Jinghao's face, staining her fair complexion with crimson.
Afterwards, President Hui wondered if, had the two of them spoken up, Madam Su wouldn't have been accidentally killed by Su Wenyi, and Su Jinghao wouldn't have witnessed her father killing her mother.
But before Madam Su's body was even cold, Su Wenyi married Wu and sent the young Su Jinghao to a side courtyard.
Huiyin then realized that there was no accidental killing at all; he had done it on purpose. Seeing that Madam Su's family was weak and he wanted to become the son-in-law of the Wu family, but he didn't want others to criticize him for abandoning his wife, so he decided to kill her and covered it up as an illness.
Wanting both, Su Wenyi is truly heartless.
Su Jinghao also understood the gravity of the matter, and the two agreed never to reveal the truth to a fourth person. This is why Huiyin always felt sorry for her and did not believe that she would cooperate with Su Wenyi.
As she left the Court of Justice, she bumped into the newly appointed Minister of Justice. The official leading her quickly pulled Huiyin aside and looked enviously at the person being escorted forward by a group of people, sighing, "People are indeed different. This Minister Xie has become one of the Nine Ministers at the age of thirty. He truly has a limitless future."
Huiyin followed his gaze and saw that the Lord Xie he mentioned was very young, without a beard, and looked very young and handsome. He had a gentle temperament and was talking with the official beside him with a slight smile.
Someone whispered beside him, their tone extremely sarcastic, "What promising future? He just climbed up through nepotism, it's shameful."
Huiyin turned around to look. The person who spoke had a disdainful look on his face. His clothes were of no rank, so he should be a minor official from the Court of Justice.
The official leading the way couldn't help but retort, "You're just being a sour grapes. Lord Xie is a talented young man who has made many contributions during his tenure. What does that have to do with whether he is the son-in-law of Marquis Xu?"
As they spoke, the group had already reached the gate of the Court of Justice. The man in the middle, Lord Xie, glanced at them, and the two people behind him who had been talking dared not utter a sound and lowered their heads.
Huiyin lowered her eyes and waited until the group of people had passed before asking, "What is the background of this Lord Xie?"
The minor official chimed in: "He was originally from a poor family like us, but he won the favor of the only daughter of the Marquis of Xu and married a noblewoman. From then on, he rose through the ranks. He was stationed in Yizhou for several years, but His Majesty recently recalled him to serve as one of the Nine Ministers and the Court of Justice."
Marquis Xu was of the same generation as Grand Marshal Pei Qing. His family also rose through the ranks of military merit and were deeply favored by the Emperor. He had only one daughter, whom he cherished dearly.
This matter was none of Huiyin's concern. She nodded and returned to the carriage, heading towards the other courtyard. The alchemist Yan Niang had consulted had calculated an auspicious day for the earth-moving ceremony tomorrow. She planned to leave Chang'an tomorrow, exhume the coffin, and return to her hometown, taking her father and mother back to Jingzhou to be buried in the ancestral graveyard.
——
The following day at noon, after everything was ready, Huiyin bid farewell to Wang Huan and Feng Cheng, and set off with Yan Niang and several guards sent by Wang Huan to escort her.
She took one last look at Chang'an and gave the order to depart. The caravan traveled at a leisurely pace for five miles before suddenly stopping. A guard rode up to Huiyin's carriage, knocked on the window, and asked, "Lady, there is a master and servant couple ahead who wish to see you."
Huiyin peeked out and saw two slender figures standing not far from the convoy. Mu Li couldn't see their faces clearly. She replied, "Let them come over."
The master and servant were led over by Feng Cheng. As they got closer, the woman lifted the curtain, revealing a beautiful face. Huiyin's eyes widened. The person who had just met her twice was actually Leyi.
Yueyi stepped forward and gave a slight curtsy. "Miss Song, I've come to see you off."
A smile spread across Huiyin's eyes as she opened the carriage door and invited her to get in for a chat. Yanniang also got off the carriage and went to instruct someone to prepare tea.
Only Huiyin and Yueyi remained inside the carriage. Huiyin looked at the person opposite her and said softly, "You have helped me twice, and I have not yet thanked you in person."
Yueyi smiled faintly, her lips slightly pursed, her beautiful features becoming softer at this moment, "This thank you is from me."
Huiyin took the teapot from Yanniang and poured a cup of tea for Yueyi.
Yueyi picked up her teacup and took a sip, reminiscing about the past. "Miss Song, do you remember two years ago on Zhuque Street, when you instructed your servant to take a seriously injured passerby to the clinic?"
Huiyin thought for a moment, then shook her head; she didn't remember.
Yueyi was even happier, a bright smile on her face. "You're kind-hearted and have saved countless people. It's normal that you don't remember them all."
Huiyin looked at the somewhat bitter smile on her lips and asked, "Who is that person to you?"
“He was my elder brother, born of the same mother. We grew up together, relying on each other since childhood. He was seriously injured and died that time.” Yueyi lowered her head, hiding the tears in her eyes.
Huiyin handed over the handkerchief, saying apologetically, "I'm sorry, please accept my condolences."
Yueyi took the handkerchief and held it in her hand, smiling gently, "When I learned that you were leaving today, I specially asked the King of Wu to see you off. Now that I see that you are doing well, I am relieved."
"Huiyin, you must take good care of yourself from now on."
A surge of indescribable gratitude welled up in Huiyin's heart. She gripped Yueyi's hand tightly, her heart filled with worry for Yueyi's future. "The Prince of Wu will be marrying soon. Consort Zheng has taken a liking to Wang Shiqi Niang. This Qi Niang is the eldest daughter of the main branch, and her temperament has always been unpleasant. You..."
"Don't worry about me, I know what I'm doing." Yueyi got off the carriage and waved to Huiyin.
As the convoy set off, Huiyin pressed her face against the car window, watching Yueyi's figure until she became a tiny black dot in the vast earth before she looked away and rolled down the window.
Yan Niang frowned and thought back, "I feel like I've seen this lady somewhere before."
Huiyin, biting into a chestnut cake and studying the map, replied, "Where have I seen this before?"
Yan Niang shook her head. She couldn't remember, but she felt that this woman looked strangely familiar.
Huiyin told Yanniang about what Yueyi had just said about how she had once saved Yueyi's brother. Yanniang paused for a moment, then clapped her hands and said, "I remember now! Two years ago, on Zhuque Street, you instructed me to take a seriously injured man to the clinic. Yueyi is that man's sister."
Huiyin swallowed the chestnut cake and responded softly, indicating that she already knew about it.
Yan Niang continued with a sigh, "At that time, this man accidentally bumped into the carriage of the King of Wu and was beaten seriously by the servants of the King of Wu's mansion. He died on the spot. At that time, Lady Yue cried very sadly."
Huiyin finally looked up from the map, her eyes filled with surprise and doubt. "Who do you think that person is?"
"King of Wu".
——
Incense smoke curled gently from the burner. Pei Yu slowly opened his eyes. The floral pattern of the curtains before him was both familiar and unfamiliar. He stared at them for a few moments before realizing that this was his bedroom in Shuofeng Hall. Since returning from Ganquan Palace, he had either stayed at the garrison or lived in Linshui Pavilion, and had not been back here for a long time.
A few soft words of advice came from behind the screen. Pei Yu's heart stirred, and he sat up and looked outside. Behind the screen, a graceful figure was talking to someone.
He was in a daze, and opened his mouth, "Huiyin."
Hearing the noise, the man lifted the curtain and came in, his expression worried. "Brother Yuanxi, you're awake?"
Pei Yu stared at that face, the color draining from his own, his voice turning cold, "What are you doing here?"
Liu Tan lifted her skirt and stepped forward, picking up the still steaming medicine from the small table beside the bed and handing it to Pei Yu. "I heard that my brother is seriously injured, and I'm really worried about him..."
Pei Yu frowned and interrupted her, "Who let you in?"
Liu Tan was speechless for a moment, and when she looked up again, her eyes were filled with tears, and she looked shy and timid.
Pei Yu avoided her, got out of bed, grabbed his coat from the hanger, put it on, and walked out with a cold face, "Su Feng!"
Hearing the angry shout, Su Feng, who was busy outside, immediately ran in, his face full of joy, "Young General, you're awake."
Pei Yu pointed at Liu Tan, who was walking out of the inner room, and said in a low voice, "Why is she here? Who let her in!"
Su Feng looked back and saw Liu Tan's face turning pale and then red, biting her lower lip tightly, tears welling in her eyes.
He lowered his head and replied, "The young general has been in a coma for many days. Miss Liu was worried about your health and asked the madam to stay and take care of you."
Liu Tan explained softly, "Brother Yuanxi, I didn't mean anything by it, I just wanted to take care of you."
Pei Yu opened the door, his back to Liu Tan, and said in a flat tone, "You can leave now. Don't come back again."
Liu Tan looked on in disbelief, clutching her chest and stumbling backward until she bumped into the screen. Seeing this, Su Feng quickly bowed and retreated.
"I thought you had feelings for me?"
Pei Yu turned to look at her, his eyes cold and devoid of warmth, like a sharp dagger piercing straight into Liu Tan's heart. "To me, you are no different from He Jiaying."
Liu Tan gritted her teeth and said, "He Jiaying is your cousin, and I am your betrothed since childhood. How can we be the same!"
Pei Yu frowned: "The marriage was arranged by my parents, not by my own will."
Liu Tan's tears soaked her clothes, and she questioned in a hoarse voice, "These are all your excuses! You still hate me for abandoning you to marry someone else, and you despise me for being unclean! You used to treat me very well."
Pei Yu's expression remained unchanged. His gaze unconsciously fell on the curtain, recalling Huiyin's past accusations against him. She was right; it was only natural for her to blame him.
"Before, when I knew you were my fiancée, I didn't have many thoughts about you. At a banquet, everyone was mocking my mother for being stingy, but you were the only one who spoke up for her. At that time, I thought it wouldn't hurt to marry you, at least you didn't look down on my mother. I have never had any romantic feelings for you, and I am very sure of that."
Liu Tan didn't believe it. Her eyes were red as she sobbed, "It's impossible! You're lying to me!"
"I didn't lie to you." Pei Yu finally turned his gaze to her. He saw Liu Tan with tears streaming down her face, looking heartbroken, but he felt nothing.
Huiyin was different; he couldn't bear to watch her tears, and even a slight frown from her would stir his emotions.
Pei Yu said calmly, "When I returned from my near-death experience and heard the news that you had remarried, I felt no anger at all; on the contrary, I felt relieved."
Liu Tan stood frozen in place, still unwilling to give up, and said, "Then why have you helped me time and time again!"
"You know very well, don't you?"
Pei Yu walked outside, looked up at the sky, where dark clouds were churning and a light rain was beginning to fall.
Not long after he returned to Chang'an after winning the battle, Liu Tan's husband died unexpectedly. When Pei Yu heard the news, he only sighed inwardly and had no other thoughts.
It was Liu Tan who wrote to him from afar, complaining bitterly. In the letter, she explained that she wanted to remain chaste for Pei Yu, but her father was so cold-hearted that he forced her to marry someone else.
After her newlywed husband died, she wanted to return home, but the Dong family of Qingzhou refused to let her in, forcing her to remain chaste for her deceased husband and preventing her from remarrying.
Her father completely disregarded her life or death, so he had no choice but to beg Pei Yu for help. In her letter, she earnestly pleaded, and Pei Yu, remembering their past relationship, personally went to Qingzhou to negotiate with the head of the Dong family. He used some benefits to exchange for her only three years of widowhood.
That year, rumors about the two were rampant, and Pei Yu knew all about it. But even without Liu Tan, his mother and aunt would still find him Li Tan or Wang Tan. Pei Yu couldn't explain why he was so resistant to marriage, but the Liu Tan incident made him realize that he could no longer casually arrange a marriage.
Therefore, when he learned of the rumors, he did not stop them; in fact, he secretly fueled the flames, using this as an excuse to avoid the three-year wedding date.
Liu Tan wept uncontrollably, and before she knew it, she was sitting on the ground, her eyes closed and silent.
Pei Yu ignored the people behind him and walked straight out of the house. He had to see someone, and he was worried that he wouldn't have enough time if he was late.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
