Chapter 711: She Would Rightfully Become Empress Dowager
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
The covers blocked the black-clad assailant's sword, hindering their movement.
Seizing that instant, Lu Yunshuang rolled onto the floor, avoiding another attack from the assailant, and swiftly grabbed her sword from the wall.
"Who are you?" She pointed her sword at her attacker.
The person sneered. "I forgot that you've got some moves, but that doesn't matter. Today will be the day you die!"
The person's murderous words made Lu Yunshuang's mind go blank for a moment, and she stared in disbelief at the assassin dressed in black. "Chen Xuping? You're Chen Xuping!"
The assailant did not reply.
He had taken the great risk of breaking into the Eastern Palace today just to avenge himself and the entire Duke Chen Family.
Also... to end everything once and for all!
Seeing the sharp sword aiming for her once again, Lu Yunshuang turned pale with fright and yelled in panic as she dodged the attack. "Are you crazy, Chen Xuping? I'm Lu Yunshuang! Don't you care for me more than anyone else? You used to get all anxious over me getting a scratch. How could you try to kill me now?"
"I was a fool! And stop talking, Lu Yunshuang; you'll only make me hate you even more. Did you ever think about my feelings when you used me as a pawn? I did everything for you, and my family even ended up having our property seized, but have you ever felt the slightest bit of guilt?"
"How could I not? Otherwise, why would I have informed Zhao Heng to rescue you?" Lu Yunshuang averted her gaze. Thinking of something, she said furiously, "Have you been bewitched by someone else? Was it Lu Liangwei or Lin Qingyuan? We've known each other for so long, how could you believe them and not me? I'm so disappointed in you."
After saying that, she flung her sword onto the floor and started weeping as she recalled all the dreadful things that had happened over the past few days.
She did not believe that Chen Xuping would kill her.
She knew better than anyone how much he used to care for her.
He must have been goaded by Lu Liangwei into his current abnormal behavior.
"Since you hate me so much, you can just kill me. Come on, do it. If I fight back even a little, you can treat everything that I've said as lies." With that, she bared her neck and looked at him pitifully, tears streaming down her face.
Chen Xuping's eyes narrowed.
If he had not witnessed first-hand how double-faced she could be, he would have already been deceived by her now.
Gripping his sword, he made his way over to her without a word.
Lu Yunshuang relaxed when she saw his actions and said softly, "Xuping, I regret so much that I didn't choose you back then. I was a fool to cast a great man like you aside and marry into the Eastern Palace instead. How wonderful my life would be if I'd chosen you... I wouldn't have had to live such a difficult and painful life. Xuping..."
The moment Chen Xuping approached her, she clung to his arm weakly and even buried her face in his chest, rubbing herself against his body. "I regret it. I really regret everything. Xuping, let's be together."
Since Long Chi had chosen to treat her this way, he had better not fault her for giving him a taste of his own medicine.
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Since he was already impotent, she had to find a way forward herself. As long as she could give birth to a son, she could find an opportunity to kill Long Chi after he ascended the throne in the future. She would help her son become Emperor, and then she would rightfully become Empress Dowager.
Right now, Chen Xuping was her best choice.
She was confident that Chen Xuping would not be able to refuse her.
Given how much he used to like her, surely he must be mad with joy to see her throw herself at him now..
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Chapter 712: I Finally Got To See You For Who You Are Today
This time, she truly desired Chen Xuping.
He was sufficiently loyal to her, making him a suitable secret father for her son.
As she imagined her delightful future, her hand slid toward his waist.
When dealing with someone like Chen Xuping, she could easily make him obey her whenever she wished.
However, the next instant, the smile froze on her lips as her eyes bulged and stared at Chen Xuping in disbelief. "You..."
Chen Xuping wrenched the sword from her body. "Lu Yunshuang, I finally got to see you for who you are today. Now die!" He raised his sword to deal her another blow, but Lu Yunshuang avoided it in time.
Chen Xuping was about to give chase, but right then, the closed doors to the room were thrown open forcefully.
Hong Xiu burst in with a group of guards in tow.
When she saw the situation in the room, her expression became horrified. "My lady, are you all right? There's an assassin! Hurry up and catch him!"
The swarm of guards made Chen Xuping lose his chance to finish the job.
He was a little begrudging, but he knew he no longer stood a chance at this point.
After dispatching a few of the guards, he managed to fight his way to the exit.
However, the commotion had gotten extremely loud, and it quickly drew the attention of the imperial guards.
"Over there, quick!"
Chen Qiyu, who was sleeping, was jolted awake by the disturbance outside.
She sat up and called out, "Mei'er, what's going on outside?"
Mei'er hastily put on an outer garment and hurried in. "Miss, I was just listening in the courtyard, and it seems that an assassin has broken in."
Chen Qiyu's chest tightened when she heard this. "Why is there such a big commotion? Is the assassin headed here?"
"I'm not sure either." Seeing her apprehension, Mei'er hurriedly reassured her, "The Eastern Palace is a big place. I don't think the assassin will come here."
She had barely finished when she saw Chen Qiyu staring at a spot past her shoulder with bulging eyes.
Dread crept into Mei'er heart, and she immediately had an ominous feeling.
Sure enough, before either of them could scream, a sword was already touching Chen Qiyu's neck.
"If you don't want to die, keep quiet." A man's hostile voice resounded inside the room.
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Pale as paper, Chen Qiyu exchanged a glance with Mei'er and said in a trembling voice, "B-brother?"
Instead of answering, Chen Xuping withdrew his sword abruptly and made his way out.
Chen Qiyu exhaled in relief.
At this moment, there was a banging on the courtyard doors, and a servant shouted from outside, "Is Beauty Chen asleep? An assassin has broken in, and we want to enter and do a quick search lest he escapes."
Mei'er looked at Chen Qiyu. "Miss, what should we do?"
Calling out to the black-clad man leaving the room, Chen Qiyu said, "You have nowhere to run, Big Brother. The guards are right outside."
Chen Xuping stopped in his tracks.
Chen Qiyu had already gotten out of bed, and she said a little awkwardly, "If you don't mind, you can hide in my bed first."
Chen Xuping's throat went dry when he heard this, and after a long while, he finally said, "I can't drag you into this."
Chen Qiyu's expression softened. "Don't worry; they won't barge into my room." She then said to Mei'er, "Go and open the doors."
"But..." Mei'er glanced at Chen Xuping hesitantly.
"It's all right. Just go and open the doors, but don't let fear show on your face, or they'll sense that something's wrong," Chen Qiyu instructed her gently.
Mei'er had no choice but to go out.
Seeing that Chen Xuping was still standing there, Chen Qiyu walked up to him and pulled him over.
"Hurry up and get into the bed. They won't be able to find you with me covering for you.."
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Chapter 713: Frequency Of Sleeping With The Crown Prince
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
Chen Xuping heard the courtyard doors being thrown open. A sea of lanterns swarmed in, illuminating the small courtyard and making it as bright as day.
If he were to hesitate a moment longer, he would get Chen Qiyu into trouble too. Eventually, he gritted his teeth and climbed into her bed.
After he lay down, Chen Qiyu sat down on her bed as well and adjusted the covers to hide him beneath them.
"My lady has already gone to bed, so you'd better keep your voices down and not disturb her. She's now pregnant, and the Crown Prince very much." Mei'er's voice was raised and sounded a little cross as if she was unhappy about the guards' intrusion.
The guards were naturally aware that Chen Qiyu was pregnant with the Crown Prince's heir. If they had another choice, they would not have barged in either.
"Miss Mei'er, we're just acting on orders. The assassin stabbed Lady Lu just now, and if we fail to seize him, we'll be in trouble when the Crown Prince gets back. Please understand and let us pass. Once we make sure that the assassin's not here, we'll leave right away."
"What are you saying? Are you suggesting that we're harboring that assassin? You just want to bully my lady now that the Crown Prince is not around." Mei'er's voice grew shrill.
The guard immediately said apologetically, "Don't be angry, Miss Mei'er. Our people are searching the other courtyards too; we're not targeting yours in any way. We just want to stop the assassin from escaping, and we're also worried that he'd hurt Beauty Chen if he'd somehow snuck in here."
Mei'er still looked furious, but her tone had softened. "Fine, you can do your search, but you must be quiet and not disturb my lady. She already has a hard enough time falling asleep at night now that she's pregnant."
Relieved to hear this, the guards wasted no time and started searching all the wing rooms.
Some time later, they stood outside the main house and said to Mei'er uncomfortably, "We've searched all the rooms except for this one. Could you..."
Mei'er stared at them in disbelief. "This is the main house where my lady lives, and you're asking if you can search inside?"
"I'm just worried about Beauty Chen's safety. Please step aside, Miss Mei'er." The guards had no choice either. However, Miss Hong Xiu had informed them just now that the assassin was Chen Xuping, a criminal on the court's most wanted list.
He and Beauty Chen were siblings.
Mei'er laughed coldly at his evasive reply. "In your dreams. How could I allow you to barge into my lady's room? If word gets out, her reputation will be tarnished. Besides, if you upset my lady, can you bear the consequences? Don't forget that she's carrying a royal heir in her womb."
The guard broke out in a cold sweat, and he tried to negotiate with her. "Miss Mei'er, we promise that we'll leave right after taking just one look, and we promise that we won't upset Beauty Chen."
Mei'er was about to retort when Chen Qiyu's voice came from inside the house. "Mei'er, they're just acting on orders. Since they want to search the place, just let them in so that everyone can be at ease."
The guards were overjoyed to hear this. "Thank you for understanding, Beauty Chen."
Mei'er had no choice but to move aside.
Once she did that, the guards poured into the main house.
The moment they opened the doors, they spotted a graceful figure behind the folding screen.
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They had seen Beauty Chen before during their usual shifts in the Eastern Palace, and although they did not dare to stare at her insolently, they were still well aware of her charm.
Among all the beauties in the Eastern Palace, Beauty Chen was the most favored, aside from Lady Lu.
Moreover, when it came to the frequency of sleeping with the Crown Prince, Beauty Chen probably surpassed Lady Lu by a comfortable margin.
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Chapter 714: Such Determination
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
The guards did not dare to even breathe loudly when they entered the beauty's room.
However, that would not prevent them from conducting the usual investigation as professionals.
The guards circled past the folding screen and snuck a look at the bed.
Half of Beauty Chen's shoulder was laid bare, clear for everyone to see.
"Why... Why did all of you barge in here?" It seemed like Chen Qiyu did not expect them to enter all the way to the inner room as she screamed and pulled her clothes up frantically.
The guards could hardly focus as they felt something warm flow out of their nostrils.
The main guard in charge pulled himself together as he quickly ordered everyone to back out while he stood behind the folding screen to apologize. "We did not mean to offend. We implore Beauty Chen not to sentence us to any punishment."
Chen Qiyu roared in frustration, "Get out, all of you! How am I supposed to face the Crown Prince now?"
The guards gave a start as they all hurried back out the door.
However, the memory of the fair skin they just glimpsed flashed in their minds.
Such fair skin!
Mei'er quietly sighed with relief once everyone had left the courtyard. She quickly shut the courtyard doors tight before returning to the main room.
Chen Qiyu had gotten out of bed and was standing in the room.
Chen Xuping had also left the bed with his head lowered.
"Thank you," he said awkwardly.
Chen Qiyu shook her head and said lightly, "It's nothing. I'm just giving a helping hand."
She paused before asking, "I overheard the guards saying that Lu Yunshuang is injured. What's going on? You didn't actually hurt her, did you?"
Chen Xuping did not deny it. He replied with regret in his voice, "I did, but unfortunately, I wasn't able to kill her."
Chen Qiyu was astonished.
Even though Lin Qingyuan had told her that Chen Xuping recently found out about how Lu Yunshuang was using him like a tool, Chen Qiyu had never thought that he would muster such determination to come seeking revenge on her.
Chen Qiyu had assumed that even after finding out the truth, he would only blame himself for being stupid and would never be able to get angry at Lu Yunshuang.
After all, he was once completely obsessed with her.
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He would do anything for Lu Yunshuang, even sacrificing the Duke Chen Family.
When it came to this older brother of hers, it could not be said that Chen Qiyu did not harbor any ill emotions toward him. Even putting aside the fact that they have never liked each other growing up, the current situation of the Duke Chen Mansion being seized was enough for her to feel utmost hatred toward him.
It was his fault that her parents had to suffer the hardships of wandering from place to place at their old age.
However, when she saw how he tried to leave to avoid getting her into trouble, her heart softened.
"It is unfortunate," she said softly after a while.
Chen Xuping glanced at her and felt suddenly remorseful. "I have never treated you well in the past. I'm sorry."
Chen Qiyu looked at him in surprise. She had never expected him to apologize.
It took her a while before she managed a cold snigger. "There's no need for an apology. You may have looked down on me in the past, but I've never exactly looked up to you either. Did you know that whenever I look at you-the honorable heir presumptive of the Duke Chen Family-following behind Lu Yunshuang like a pitiful dog wagging its tail, I can barely stop myself from laughing? I've made fun of you quite often in private."
Chen Xuping looked slightly frustrated. "I was a fool not to see Lu Yunshuang's true colors."
Chen Qiyu said nothing; the old Chen Xuping was indeed stupid.
Chen Xuping suddenly remembered something and said imploringly, "Qiyu, regarding your abduction into the brothel, I had no idea about it. Lu Yunshuang had it done behind my back. I..."
He wanted to say that no matter how much he disliked his younger sister, no matter how much of a jerk he was, he would never have harmed his sister-his flesh and blood-this way..
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Chapter 715: How Could Someone So Thick-skinned Exist In This World
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
Chen Qiyu paused and her eyes reddened. She turned her back toward him. "It's fine. Everything is in the past."
Most of all, she did not want to bring up the brothel at all, because any mention of it would remind her of the darkest and dirtiest period in her life.
Chen Xuping knew that even though Chen Qiyu had saved him, she must still have her reservations about him.
He was silent for a while before saying, "It's late, and you're pregnant. You should turn in early. I'll take my leave now."
Chen Qiyu immediately turned to face him when she heard this and tried to convince him to stay. "Lu Yunshuang is heavily wounded. They will be on a strict lookout for you. You'll be discovered the moment you walk out of here. It's better for you to stay the night and leave when their guard is lowered slightly tomorrow."
She paused, worried that he would overthink things, and elaborated, "No matter what, it's a fact that our family is in a horrible predicament now because of you. Moreover, Father is old. When I saw him off the other day, his hair had turned entirely white. I'm saving you today because I hope that you will repay Father with filial piety and take care of him for the remainder of his life."
Chen Xuping felt a deep sense of remorse when he heard this.
She was right. He had caused his family irreparable harm and was the reason why his father was suffering now...
Chen Qiyu continued, "If you still have any conscience left in you, you should treat Father well."
With that, she turned her gaze away from him and instructed Mei'er, "Take the young master away so he can rest. Pay close attention to what's going on outside as well. Once the guards are more relaxed with the search, find a way to lead him out."
Mei'er was quite upset with Chen Xuping-he had never treated her Miss as a sister, and he and Lu Yunshuang had been in cahoots.
Miss had ended up in such a terrible predicament because of that Lu Yunshuang.
Not long ago, the matter had even been exposed to the Crown Prince. If not for Miss Chen Qiyu being quick-witted, she would have not been able to escape the punishment of death.
All the foul things that happened were all planned by Lu Yunshuang.
It was difficult for Mei'er to not place some of the blame on Chen Xuping.
Where was Chen Xuping when her Miss begged for help and mercy in the brothel with no one to turn to?
Now that he was in trouble, he had some nerve to accept Miss' help so readily.
How could someone so thick-skinned exist in this world?
However, since her Miss had already given the instructions, Mei'er could only obey no matter how unwilling she was. However, her tone remained quite unfriendly as she said, "Follow me."
Chen Xuping was not afraid of death, but Lu Yunshuang was still alive and his father was in his late years. He had to take the responsibility of taking care of his father, which was why following Chen Qiyu's plan was the only thing he could do now.
He could not help but turn back to look at Chen Qiyu before he left.
For some reason, that face which was once thick with make-up and a source of disgust to him, now looked incredibly innocent and clean. Those once seductive eyes had also become calm and tranquil.
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He was taken aback, and suddenly felt another wave of remorse.
Even though he was not the accomplice behind her abduction into the brothel, he did not go out of his way to stop it from happening, even though he knew that Lu Yunshuang was wary of Chen Qiyu taking away the Crown Prince's love and that she was planning to do something to her.
At the end of the day, he was still held accountable for this.
Once the other two left, Chen Qiyu sat down on the bed.
She wondered if she had done the right thing.
If this had been some time before, she probably would not have cared if Chen Xuping was alive or dead.
They had never gotten along since they were kids. Chen Xuping had always looked down on her, and even more so toward her mother, Aunt Liu.
Chen Xuping had always viewed the mother and daughter as seductive women who could only deal with matters in unorthodox ways.
On Chen Qiyu's side, she had never liked this older brother of hers either.
However, she had come to understand many things since her predicament at the brothel, which had led to a drastic change in her personality.
She had now learned to let go of much of the bad blood between herself and Chen Xuping from all those years ago..
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Chapter 716: A Lethal Blow
However, the truth of the matter was that she was ultimately willing to help Chen Xuping today because they were half-siblings and shared the same bloodline.
Moreover, she could tell that Chen Xuping had changed a lot since escaping his execution.
It looked like he was no longer the fool he once was.
At the very least, he was not slovenly happy to be wrapped around Lu Yunshuang's little finger anymore.
Meanwhile, Lu Yunshuang's room was in a state of utter chaos.
The sudden appearance of an assassin stabbing the lady had resulted in the floor being covered with blood. The palace servants were shuddering in fear at the scene.
Even though Lu Yunshuang had been demoted from Crown Princess to Lady Lu, the Crown Prince still treated her well, which was why the servants did not dare relax in their service for her.
They immediately requested for the imperial physician to check on her while others set off to help capture the assassin.
After getting a thorough check-up from the imperial physician, Lu Yunshuang was fortunate enough to escape fatal injury despite being heavily wounded, however...
The imperial physician glanced at Lu Yunshuang's pale, bloodless face and gave the matter some thought before informing her regretfully, "Your Highness, your life might not be in danger, but that stab has gone deep through your abdomen. Not only has your one-month-old fetus been miscarried, but your womb has also been damaged. I'm afraid it would be quite difficult for you to get pregnant again in the future."
The imperial physician had actually given a conservative overview of her condition.
He fell short of mentioning that it was impossible for Lu Yunshuang to get pregnant again due to the damage.
Lu Yunshuang's wounds had been patched up, but she was still sweating profusely from the pain. She forced herself to stay conscious with her very last breath, and when she heard the imperial physician's diagnosis, she was frantic and was filled with sorrow.
She had been pregnant all this while?
But now...
She was unable to accept the imperial physician's words, and her eyes rolled back as she lost consciousness.
"Lady Lu!" Hong Xiu exclaimed in shock.
She turned to the imperial physician and said hurriedly, "Please check if Lady Lu is okay."
The imperial physician was also shocked by this and did not delay a second as he quickly checked Lu Yunshuang's pulse. He discovered that she had just passed out due to a spike of anger and frustration. He sighed with relief.
"Lady Lu is fine. She just needs to quietly recuperate to regain her health."
The imperial physician left after leaving a prescription.
Hong Xiu looked at Lu Yunshuang, who was lying unconscious in bed. She knew that Lu Yunshuang's time was up.
What future was there for a woman in the Palace who was unable to bear a child?
The most regrettable thing of all was that Lady Lu was actually pregnant. The fetus was almost a month old but now it was gone and she would never be able to get pregnant again.
Hong Xiu passed the prescription over to a maid distractedly. She instructed the maid to get the medicinal herbs, then sat in front of a table.
She could not help but see the irony in this.
Lady Lu had schemed and calculated numerous plans, yet she had ended up not only losing her Crown Princess title, but she had also brought about her own miscarriage. To top it all off, Lu Yunshuang could never get pregnant again.
This was a lethal blow for a woman.
That was even more pronounced for a highly ambitious woman like Lu Yunshuang.
Being unable to get pregnant meant that all of her desires could never be more than dreams now.
Lu Yunshuang would probably go berserk once she woke up and Hong Xiu would have to bear the brunt of it as she vented.
Hong Xiu sighed soulfully as she got up and left the room.
...
Cool Mountains.
The Autumn Hunt had recently begun. The men entered the enclosure to pursue their prey while the women strolled about outside.
Some of the more courageous aristocrats' daughters had followed into the enclosure as well, flanked by guards.
Lin Qingyuan was itching to enter the enclosure to hunt as well because she had the coma-inducing medicinal balls given to her by Lu Liangwei.
"Weiwei, let's join the hunt inside the enclosure too. We've got Chu Jiu with us anyway. Even if a wild beast somehow came after us, she would be able to protect us from it." Lin Qingyuan persistently tried to convince Lu Liangwei..
Chapter 717: An Ulterior Motive
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
Chu Jiu darted a look at Lin Qingyuan.
Lu Liangwei pushed away Lin Qingyuan's hand that was wrapped around hers and replied disinterestedly, "Go on if you want to. In any case, Chu Jiu will only protect me. If you are in danger, she will never save you. Wake up, Lin Qingyuan."
Lin Qingyuan dropped the plan when she heard Lu Liangwei's words. She gave a cold snort and said condescendingly, "Stop giving excuses for your cowardice."
Lu Liangwei admitted openly, "You're right. I am a coward, which is why you shouldn't be inviting me along if you want to hunt in the enclosure. It would be better if you find someone else to go with you."
Lin Qingyuan choked after hearing this.
When Lu Liangwei saw that Lin Qingyuan had no retort, she strolled to the area outside the enclosure with Chu Jiu tagging along.
Lu Liangwei was fine with horse-riding, but hunting did not pique her interest too much.
She was able to hunt down small rabbits, but if she was told to enter the enclosure to hunt ferocious beasts, she might not be able to do so, nor did she want to. It would be much more productive to spend her time scouring for herbs on the hills outside the enclosure.
Her medicinal shop's business has been doing well lately. If she could find suitable herbs, she would happily collect them and deliver them to the shop.
Lin Qingyuan watched as Lu Liangwei ditched her. She quickly ran after her.
She was slightly unhappy with Lu Liangwei's lack of competitive spirit, "Why are you being such a coward? Even Ji Linghui is going in. You're the Empress, after all. You shouldn't let yourself be overshadowed just like that."
Lu Liangwei raised an eyebrow.
Lin Qingyuan pointed toward the enclosure and pursed her lips in that direction. "Over there. You can see her there."
Lu Liangwei looked at where Lin Qingyuan was pointing and, sure enough, Ji Linghui and Ji Lingxiu were right there, riding their respective horses. They were leading a few guards into the enclosure.
Lu Liangwei was taken aback. She had not expected Ji Linghui to heal so quickly, even managing to join the hunt at the Cool Mountains.
She was rather surprised.
Lin Qingyuan lowered her voice and said, "Do you really think she's here to hunt? She clearly has an ulterior motive. I bet she's using the hunt as an excuse to 'accidentally' bump into His Majesty. If that happens, do you think His Majesty might suddenly pity her and take her back into the Palace?"
Lu Liangwei frowned at those words.
She also did not believe that Ji Linghui was simply here to hunt.
According to Zhu Yu, Ji Linghui was wounded all over her body when Duke Ji picked her up at the Palace. She could barely walk then, yet it took only a few short months for her to heal up sufficiently to go hunting in the mountains.
Lu Liangwei would never believe it if someone claimed that the idea had never crossed Ji Linghui's mind.
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When Lin Qingyuan saw that Lu Liangwei looked like she agreed with her, she dropped the subject. Instead, she said, "I'm not trying to coerce you into going hunting with me. I just can't stand the sight of those Ji sisters. You didn't notice the way Ji Lingxiu was looking at you, like you're her mortal enemy. I feel like giving her a hard slap to wake her up."
Lin Qingyuan's tone was filled with some kind of righteous fury at the end of her sentence.
Lu Liangwei looked at the Ji Sisters who were not far away and went into deep thought.
Right then, Ji Linghui suddenly turned around as if she sensed something, then gave a start when she spotted Lu Liangwei. Then, a condescending smile appeared on her lips while she shot Lu Liangwei a confrontational look.
Lu Liangwei was not angry, but Lin Qingyuan, who was next to her, could no longer take it. Lin Qingyuan put her hands on her waist and said, "She's being too arrogant! Who does Ji Linghui think she is? How dare she disrespect you?!"
At the same moment, Ji Linghui rode her horse and came over to Lu Liangwei.
One of them was inside the enclosure while the other was outside. They were only separated by a wooden fence.
Lin Qingyuan's voice paused when she saw Ji Linghui suddenly coming over.. She was about to say something when Ji Linghui suddenly flashed a smile and said, "Your Highness, forgive me for being unable to curtsy to you as your humble servant is riding a horse."
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Chapter 718: Not Appropriate To Watching Eyes
Lin Qingyuan's eyes bulged at those words. However, before she could raise her voice for Lu Liangwei, the horse Ji Linghui was riding suddenly neighed for no apparent reason and it lifted its hooves high into the air. Ji Linghui toppled off the horse, completely caught off guard.
Bam!
The noisy surroundings suddenly went silent as everyone turned to look at Ji Linghui with shock as she fell off the horse.
Lin Qingyuan was dumbfounded as well. What had just happened? Was it because the horse could not stand Ji Linghui's arrogance as well?
Chu Jiu glanced at Lu Liangwei.
Lu Liangwei acted as if she had not expected this as she stared at Ji Linghui, who was lying sprawled on the ground, with a shocked expression. "First Miss Ji, there is no need for this. Even if you aren't willing to curtsy at me, I will be magnanimous and won't hold it against you. What are you doing sprawled on the ground like this? Even if the grassy fields are soft, it's not appropriate to watching eyes if you stay on the ground this way. You had better get up quickly."
Ji Linghui was already seeing stars and breaking out in cold sweat after being abruptly thrown off the horse.
Her wounds had not completely healed and now that she took this rough fall, she felt as though every bone in her body was breaking.
Her lips were trembling from the pain and she looked extremely pale.
The physician had advised her to stay in bed for another half a month before her body was fully recuperated, but she could not wait any longer.
It was the Autumn Hunt and a rare opportunity for her. How could she miss out on seeing His Majesty?
However, she had ended up in a state of embarrassment before being able to follow through with her plan.
When she heard the seemingly concerned tone coming from Lu Liangwei, which was actually filled with sarcasm, the look on Ji Linghui's face contorted unpleasantly. She banged her fist viciously on the ground and made a direct accusation. "Your Highness, how could you be so vicious? It was just a small matter that I wasn't able to get off my horse in time to curtsy. How could you do something so cruel to me?"
Ji Lingxiu noticed what had transpired and quickly rode her horse forward. She caught Ji Linghui's words and could not hold back as she roared at Lu Liangwei, "Lu Liangwei, you are such a wicked person! Wasn't it enough that you were responsible for my sister being kicked out of the Palace? And now, you aren't happy to see her doing well and caused her to fall off her horse. How could you have such vicious tendencies? A wicked person like you is not worthy of being the Empress!"
"How dare you!" Chu Jiu called out coldly. She swiftly jumped into the enclosure and yanked Ji Lingxiu, who was shouting at Lu Liangwei, off her horse. She raised her hand and gave Ji Lingxiu a sharp slap.
"How dare you think you can call the Empress by her name?! Not only did you not curtsy when facing the Empress, but you have also insulted the Empress vainly. This alone would be enough for the Empress to punish you!" Chu Jiu's cold voice was commanding.
Ji Lingxiu was jolted after being given a hard slap, but she was not willing to back down. "I was just stating the truth."
Chu Jiu sneered. "The truth? It sounds like you're giving Her Highness a bad name on purpose. Why aren't you even kneeling?"
With that, she kicked Ji Lingxiu at the back of her knee.
Ji Lingxiu's knee gave way as she fell kneeling to the ground. She attempted to get up but Chu Jiu had sealed her pressure point and Ji Lingxiu was suddenly unable to move.
Ji Lingxiu shouted furiously, "Why did you seal my pressure point?"
Chu Jiu ignored her and returned to Lu Liangwei's side.
Lin Qingyuan gave Chu Jiu a thumbs up. "Good job, Chu Jiu."
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Lu Liangwei smiled as well and patted Chu Jiu on the shoulder.
The guards from the Duke Ji Mansion were shocked to see both their Misses get into trouble. One had fallen off the horse, while the other's pressure point was sealed. They were about to approach them when they saw the cold look in the Empress' eyes. It stopped them in their tracks; they did not dare to go any nearer.
Lu Liangwei was quite satisfied with this outcome. She turned her gaze away and moved a few steps forward toward the Ji sisters on the other side of the fence.
"Ji Lingxiu, you keep claiming that I'm a wicked person, but what evidence do you have, or did you see it with your own eyes that I've done something bad? I have no idea why you would claim that I'm a vicious person for no good reason.. Or, have you been coerced by someone else to do so?"
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Chapter 719: Who Is The True Wicked Person Here
Ji Lingxiu was momentarily stunned at those words but she quickly sneered. "What evidence do I need? Everyone present here knows the truth, but they're just too scared to say anything. My older sister has always had a peaceful life in the Palace before you married your way into it, but the moment you came into the Palace, my sister was constantly framed and maligned by you. You were the one who caused my sister to be kicked out of the Palace. Isn't this enough to prove how vicious you are?"
"You stupid thing!" Lin Qingyuan could no longer hold back when she heard those words.
She pointed at Ji Linghui and snarled, "I've never seen anymore more stupid than you. You're saying all this based on just your sister's words, aren't you? You've been sold out by your sister without even realizing it. If you would like to know who is the true wicked person here, just check with your sister's personal maidservant. Her maidservant has been serving your sister for so long, yet she was unwilling to leave the Palace when the opportunity came. She even begged Butler Zhao to keep her in the Palace. Do you know why that is?"
"It was because of your good sister. Every time something went wrong, your sister would torture the maidservant and vent all frustrations on her. Do you know how your sister tortured Xiao Xia? She used sharp, thin needles to poke her skin, and no one would notice as the wounds were covered by her clothes. She has caused Xiao Xia so much bodily harm that she would rather stay in the Palace than return to your sister's side."
"Moreover, there is no need for Her Highness to frame your sister. Your sister was the one who was jealous of Her Highness, which was why she took the risk of attempting to harm the Grand Princess' little Prince to frame Her Highness. It was lucky that Her Highness was smart enough to see through her scheme. Your sister was clearly the one who committed all those crimes. How can you see it as Her Highness framing her instead?"
Ji Lingxiu's eyes widened. "No, that's impossible. You're lying. My sister is a kind person. How could she torture Xiao Xia? How is it possible that she would attempt to harm the Grand Princess' little Prince?"
Lin Qingyuan continued, "I know you and your sister have a close relationship and you're unwilling to believe this, but those are the facts. If you don't believe me, you can ask Xiao Xia for the truth."
She paused and said with slight disdain, "Ji Lingxiu, I've always thought that you may be a brash person, but you're actually good at heart. I've never expected for you to be deceived by your sister to such an extent."
Ji Lingxiu was somewhat shaken by Lin Qingyuan's words. "Big Sis, is Lin Qingyuan telling the truth?"
Ji Linghui was enraged and frustrated with Lin Qingyuan's words, but she was unable to stand up. Her lips moved when she heard her younger sister's accusatory tone and she denied everything. "Xiu'er, why are you believing an outsider over me? Lin Qingyuan has a close relationship with the Empress and it's only natural that she sides with Her Highness. Why would you be silly enough to listen to her? If I really tried to harm the Grand Princess' little Prince, would His Majesty allow me to live? Also, it's clear that Xiao Xia has been bought over by someone to frame me."
Ji Lingxiu hesitated again at her words.
When Lin Qingyuan saw that she was about to be convinced again by a few words from her older sister, she clapped her hand on her forehead and cursed, "What a stupid thing!"
Lin Qingyuan had finally witnessed what a blatant liar looked like. "Ji Linghui, there's no need for you to pretend to be innocent. You know very well why His Majesty spared your life. I've heard that Duke Ji had begged for your mercy and exchanged the jade bangle bestowed to him by the late Grand Empress Dowager for your life. If I were you, I'd stop with all the scheming and get on with my life by being a better person because Duke Ji has nothing left to protect your life anymore."
Ji Linghui blanked out.
Ji Lingxiu knelt where she was, stupefied. She had no idea how to react to this and it took her quite a while before finally she finally found her voice. "Big Sis, is she telling the truth?"
Ji Linghui was spasming from the pain over her entire body. All she wanted to do now was to quickly visit a physician. She said soothingly, "Xiu'er, don't believe the words of others. I'm hurting a lot right now. Please bring me to see a physician quickly.."
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Chapter 720: You're Afraid His Majesty Would Be Attracted To Me
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
Lu Liangwei gave Chu Jiu a nod.
Chu Jiu understood the message and shot out a vital energy from between her fingers which shot straight at Ji Lingxiu's pressure point.
Ji Lingxiu was soon able to move again.
She stood up quickly and ran toward Ji Linghui. She helped her sister up by the shoulders and said, "Big Sis, tell me now that you didn't do any of those things. Tell me that someone framed you."
Ji Linghui was in so much pain that she was not able to say anything more. Her lips trembled. "Quick... Quickly..."
Ji Lingxiu lifted her head to glance at Lu Liangwei, who was standing not far away, and she next looked around at everyone watching them.
It felt like she could see the disdain in everyone's eyes.
Ji Lingxiu suddenly found herself unable to face the situation as she thought about what Lu Liangwei and Lin Qingyuan had just said.
She looked at her older sister sprawled on the ground, going pale from the pain. Ji Lingxiu frowned and suddenly let go. She stood up to leave, not wanting to look at her older sister any longer.
Her father had only given her a vague explanation on how her older sister had been kicked out of the Palace. Her sister had enraged His Majesty, which was why she had to endure punishment by bamboo beating and was kicked out of the Palace, but he made no mention of the jade bangle.
Her sister had instead made insinuations that Lu Liangwei was the one who had caused all of this to happen.
Now that Ji Lingxiu thought about it, she was indeed too stupid to have believed it.
Lin Qingyuan had said something true. There was no need for Lu Liangwei to frame her sister. His Majesty adored and loved Lu Liangwei. His eyes were only meant for her and no one else. Why would she spend time scheming and framing a concubine who was not loved by His Majesty?
There was also Xiao Xia...
No wonder Xiao Xia would always look away, stammer, and not be willing to say much every time Ji Lingxiu met her.
Her sister had claimed that Xiao Xia was bought over, but it did not seem possible.
Ji Lingxiu believed this because Xiao Xia had been serving her sister since she was young. Xiao Xia was extremely loyal. Once, her sister almost got struck by a petrified horse while out shopping and Xiao Xia was the one who put herself in danger to push her sister to safety. Xiao Xia ended up being knocked down by the horse instead and was bedridden for several months before she was healed.
The loyal Xiao Xia could never be bought over by anyone.
However, if no one bought over Xiao Xia, that would mean that there must be something going on if she was unwilling to leave the Palace.
Why would she not want to leave the Palace? It should be better for Xiao Xia to stay by her older sister's side and serve her, right?
Could Lin Qingyuan's words be true? That Xiao Xia was tortured terribly by her sister and was stricken with fear?
Ji Lingxiu closed her eyes and left the enclosure quickly. She no longer wanted to have anything to do with her sister at this point.
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Ji Linghui clenched her teeth angrily when she saw that Ji Lingxiu had left her all alone.
That ingrate. Has Ji Lingxiu forgotten who was the one who took care of her when she was young?
Just as Ji Linghui was cursing her sister in her heart, a pair of pink boots appeared right in front of her eyes.
Ji Linghui lifted her eyes only to see Lu Liangwei staring back down at her.
"Ji Linghui, I know why you're here at Cool Mountains today, but you're about to be disappointed. His Majesty would never see you. I'd like to advise you to give it up."
Ji Linghui panted and her lips trembled as she sneered. "Lu Liangwei, you are truly a wicked one... You made me fall off the horse on purpose just to stop me from seeing His Majesty. You've schemed this very well... But this proves that you're afraid, you're afraid that I'll meet His Majesty... Afraid that His Majesty would be attracted to me..."
Lu Liangwei was not provoked. Instead, a small smile appeared on her lips. "It looks like not only do you have a vicious personality, but you have a pretty wild imagination as well. His Majesty would be attracted to you? What a huge joke!" With that, Lu Liangwei suddenly raised her leg and stomped heavily onto the back of Ji Linghui's hand.
Ji Linghui screamed in pain. "Lu Liangwei..."
"Oh, is First Miss Ji in tremendous pain? Hurry up and get the physician here. It looks like every bone in First Miss Ji's body is broken by the fall. If she doesn't get treatment in time, she might end up bedridden for the rest of her life," Lu Liangwei said anxiously, turning toward the people watching from outside the fence..
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