Chapter 61: Chang’an, It Hurts
Source: https://www.jjwxc.net/onebook.php?novelid=3614052
This translation is originally posted on https://love4baihe.blogspot.com please read it there. and check out other stories too.
Is life or death uncertain?
When Li Ruiyuan, sitting on the dragon throne, heard the secret guard reporting the situation of that battle, he was stunned for a long time. He did not even notice that the ink from the wolf-hair brush in his hand had dripped onto the memorial.
“Your Majesty, the ink.”
Only when Qiu Sheng, waiting by his side, reminded him did Li Ruiyuan suddenly snap out of his daze.
After the secret guard finished reporting the results of the investigation, Li Ruiyuan said, “I see, you may leave.”
It was only after the secret guard had exited the imperial study that Li Ruiyuan threw down the wolf-hair brush and leaned back on the dragon throne behind him.
“Interesting, Wuxiang Sect. Is that not the sect secretly supported by my dear brother?”
Baiyun Inn actually sent someone openly to Wuxiang Sect to demand repayment at a time like this?
What an unusual event.
Li Ruiyuan let out a mocking laugh and then said, “Qiu Sheng, what do you think of this matter?”
In the Jianghu, there is no shortage of assassin sects, and the Wuxiang Sect happens to be one of them.
If it were an ordinary sect that carried out this assassination attempt on the Princess, it wouldn’t raise much suspicion. However, the connection between the Wuxiang Sect and Prince Yu runs deep.
Initially, since Wuxiang Sect hadn’t done anything to threaten the court, and out of consideration for family ties, Li Ruiyuan had turned a blind eye, allowing his brother to collude with martial sects. But to think they would dare to make a move on Li Qiubai this time.
Thinking of this, Li Ruiyuan’s gaze darkened even more.
It was surprising how, after just setting the bait, so many people were already eyeing it. Where did they get the confidence to target that child, using the chaos caused by outlaws in the Jianghu? Did they really think such a diversion could fool the heavens?
Qiu Sheng, who had served the Emperor for a long time, sensed the coldness in Li Ruiyuan and immediately asked, “Shall I assign more guards to Her Highness?”
After a long silence, Li Ruiyuan spoke again, “Enough, enough.”
After hiding the coldness in his eyes, Li Ruiyuan returned to his usual calm demeanor and said indifferently, “Jianghu matters belong to Jianghu. Over the years, that child has not lacked eyes on Jianghu. Let her stir things up this time. If I have to worry about even this little matter, then what use do I have for her?”
Upon hearing this, Qiu Sheng could not help but sigh inwardly.
Indeed, in the Emperor’s eyes, there were only benefits and losses, useful people and useless people.
Before Qiu Sheng could speak again, Li Ruiyuan continued, “Coincidentally, the heir of Prince Yu’s family came to the capital not long ago to deliver a congratulatory gift and has not yet left. Remember to send some people to keep an eye on him. If this matter is indeed related to Prince Yu, then I must show some hospitality and properly entertain his son. I cannot let him leave the capital so easily.”
Understanding the deeper meaning of Li Ruiyuan's words, Qiu Sheng immediately replied, “I understand, Your Majesty.”
With that, Li Ruiyuan’s expression softened slightly as he sat up straight to review the remaining memorials. He casually asked, “I believe others have also heard about the Baiyun Inn incident. What about the other old fellows? Have they made any movements?”
“The Prime Minister has been the same as usual these days, while the Duke of Dingguo is still staying behind closed doors and has shown no unusual behavior.”
It seemed that Lu Jing, the old man, could truly endure. Even after his beloved granddaughter was seriously injured and her life hung in the balance, he remained unperturbed and did not seek justice for his own granddaughter. It was just like when his most cherished daughter passed away; he did not lose his composure. After her death, he still fought for the country as usual.
Li Ruiyuan revealed a mocking smile and continued to ask, “What about the Empress?”
Qiu Sheng replied truthfully, “The Empress summoned the Fourth Prince to the palace only once while the Princess was leaving the capital. After that, the Empress did not see the Fourth Prince again, and there had been no significant stirrings in the harem. Although the Fourth Prince has been a bit more restrained recently and has not caused any public conflict with the First Prince, he has been getting closer to General Qi privately.”
“That brat still does not change his ways,” Li Ruiyuan said, the sarcasm on his face growing, “The old guys have remained quite patient, but the younger generation lacks ambition and has disappointed me greatly.”
After saying this, Li Ruiyuan whispered, “By the way, the Empress Dowager has always favored that girl. It is best not to let her know about this matter, lest her old age cannot bear the shock.”
Source: https://www.jjwxc.net/onebook.php?novelid=3614052
This translation is originally posted on https://love4baihe.blogspot.com please read it there. and check out other stories too.
“Understood, I will manage the people in the harem properly,” Qiu Sheng replied.
With that, Li Ruiyuan sighed deeply. “Whether it is a blessing or a curse, whether it is life or death, it all depends on her fortune.”
After the arrow was pulled from Li Qiubai’s body, Bai Shuangyan placed her in a residence deep within Baiyun Inn, shielding her from many people who were probing both openly and secretly.
Li Qiubai remained unconscious for an entire day. It was not until the following afternoon that she slowly awoke.
“Elder Sister! You finally woke up!”
At this moment, there was no one else in the room, only the two sisters, one lying down and the other sitting.
“How do you feel? Does the wound still hurt?”
When Shu Yao, who sat by the bedside, asked this, Li Qiubai finally became aware of the pain radiating from her chest.
She merely furrowed her brows slightly but did not call out in pain. Instead, she propped herself up with her elbow, trying to rise.
While unconscious, Li Qiubai often heard that person calling her softly, urging her not to sleep any longer. However, when she woke up, the first person she saw was unexpectedly not that person.
Li Qiubai felt slightly disappointed and could not help but ask, “Have you seen Chang'an?”
Seeing her struggle to get up, Shu Yao stood up to help, supporting Li Qiubai to sit up against the head of the bed.
“She went to brew medicine for you. Do not worry, take your time getting up, or the wound might reopen!”
At that moment, fresh blood had already seeped through the bandages on her wound, staining Li Qiubai’s white inner robe. However, Li Qiubai did not care about her injury. Instead, she gazed at the mask covering the left side of Shu Yao’s face.
Unaware of this, Shu Yao's eyes remained fixed on the blood spreading over Li Qiubai’s chest. Seeing the blood seeping through the robe pained Shu Yao deeply, and she finally could not hold back her guilt, saying, “Elder Sister, I am sorry… If it were not for me, you would not have been hurt like this.”
At this moment, Li Qiubai was half-reclining in Shu Yao’s arms. Hearing her sister’s self-reproach, she sighed helplessly and said, “A'Yao, when did we sisters become so distant?”
After saying this, she struggled to lift her hand, reaching to touch Shu Yao’s mask. “Take off the mask and let me see.”
Since reuniting with Shu Yao, Li Qiubai had been preoccupied with that half-mask for a long time.
However, even though Li Qiubai had been concerned for so long, she still did not forcefully pull off Shu Yao’s mask. Instead, she quietly gazed at her, waiting for her to voluntarily explain.
They stared at each other in silence for a long time, and when Li Qiubai showed no sign of changing her mind, Shu Yao finally gave in, resigned to her fate. She slowly pinched the edge of her mask.
“Let me say this first, it is a little ugly. You better not dislike it.”
After joking lightly, Shu Yao finally removed her mask.
The gruesome scar came fully into Li Qiubai’s sight.
The left eye, which had been hidden beneath the mask, now appeared empty and lifeless in front of Li Qiubai.
Even though Shu Yao had not said much, how could Li Qiubai not realize that her dear sister had not only been disfigured but also blinded in one eye?
Li Qiubai reached up to touch Shu Yao’s cheek once more.
But this time, her fingertips could not stop trembling.
The once stunning beauty had now become like this.
Looking at the scar on Shu Yao’s face, Li Qiubai felt that this hurt far more than the arrow wound in her chest that had yet to heal.
"Do you know who did it?"
No matter how much Li Qiubai tried to suppress it, the anger she harbored could not escape Shu Yao’s eyes.
"Let it go, it is all in the past. There is no need to pursue it," Shu Yao replied calmly, quite indifferent to the scar on her face. She even smiled lightly as she said, "Besides, the fire was too intense at the time. The person who started it did not leave any clues, and I have no idea who it was. But you know, this could be considered a blessing in disguise. Just think, thanks to the arsonist, I did not even need the rescue team you arranged beforehand to help me fake my death and escape. It also made the envoy, who failed in his duties, so guilty that he kept silent, preventing another war between the two nations. Is not that something we can all be happy about?"
Li Qiubai frowned slightly, carefully recalling the events of that year.
When a princess “died” unexpectedly on her way to an arranged marriage, the court certainly would not let it go easily.
At the time, more voices were calling for war than for peace. If not for the treasury being emptied from the prolonged wars and widespread resentment, Shu Yao's "death" would have certainly triggered another conflict.
As she thought of this, Li Qiubai’s gaze deepened.
Originally, it should have been her going south for the marriage alliance, not Shu Yao.
If Shu Yao had not taken the initiative to volunteer, unwilling to see her live with resentment for life, the one bearing this suffering now might have been her.
Thinking of the hardship Shu Yao endured in her place, the pain in Li Qiubai's heart only intensified.
"Other than your face, where else are you injured?"
Before Shu Yao could reply, and before Li Qiubai could pull open Shu Yao’s collar to check for more wounds, the door to the room was suddenly pushed open.
Meng Chang'an and Shen Lingyun entered, each carrying medicinal herbs. Upon seeing the two sisters in a half-embraced, intimate posture, both froze for a moment.
Li Qiubai and Shu Yao were also momentarily stunned at the interruption.
Caught in such a situation, with their awkward expressions, Shu Yao suddenly felt as though she had been caught in the act of an illicit affair, leaving her somewhat flustered.
It was Meng Chang'an's first time seeing Shu Yao's face without her mask, and she was utterly shocked, unable to recover for a long while.
Shen Lingyun, however, slowly exuded a chilling air.
So, besides being willing to take off her mask in front of her, Shu Yao was also willing to do so in front of this Princess?
Shen Lingyun let out a self-mocking laugh, then fixed her gaze on Li Qiubai's hand resting near Shu Yao’s collar.
Before the two could say anything, Shu Yao was the first to react. She quickly pulled down Li Qiubai’s hand that had fallen on her collar, carefully helping her lean back against the bed. Then, she hurriedly put her mask back on and turned to look at Shen Lingyun, nervously twisting the corner of her clothes.
“Lingyun, I…”
Having been caught by Shen Lingyun in such a scene, Shu Yao felt that any explanation would be powerless. Yet, she dared not reveal her true identity in front of Shen Lingyun, so she could only mutter weakly, “There is nothing improper between us. Please do not misunderstand.”
Hearing this, Meng Chang'an’s expression became even stranger.
Who said there was anything improper between the two of you?
This overly defensive explanation made Meng Chang'an’s heart feel even more stifled.
Li Qiubai, still on the bed, felt a headache coming on after hearing Shu Yao’s words.
It seemed Shu Yao was so concerned that she was losing her usual composure.
Having already gleaned from their letters the feelings her sister harbored for her beloved, Li Qiubai naturally understood what Shu Yao was anxious about at this moment.
To avoid being unnecessarily dragged into the matter, Li Qiubai did not offer any rash explanations. Instead, she simply turned her head toward Meng Chang'an and called out, “Chang'an.”
At this moment, all the cold hatred and anger Li Qiubai had shown while speaking with Shu Yao earlier had vanished. She softly called out, “It hurts.”
It was rare to see the Princess display such a soft demeanor. Meng Chang'an felt her heart skip a heavy beat. Even the jealousy she had felt upon catching the two in their intimate moment disappeared completely, leaving only a deep ache of sympathy.
