Chapter 79: You Are Such A Bad Person
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.
Sometimes, when burdened with worries, even falling asleep could be extremely difficult.
Young Master Meng was originally the same, as her worries had already robbed her of any trace of drowsiness. Unexpectedly, she was coaxed into playfulness by the Princess a few times. In that brief moment, she forgot those unpleasant matters, leaving only endless joy.
In the deep of night, the Young Master eventually succumbed to exhaustion and fell into a deep sleep. However, the Princess beside her was still wide awake. She held the Young Master in her arms, gently playing with the strands of hair scattered over her shoulders. Inhaling her scent, the Princess quietly indulged in her own thoughts.
Being fully well-fed was something the Princess had longed for during these days, but now her thoughts were mostly occupied with her plans. Because of this, she was willing to let go of the Young Master so quickly.
The night was deep, and there were few people in the courtyard. After everyone had gone to rest, the silence became extreme.
Because of this, the familiar rhythmic knocking outside the window sounded especially clear.
Recognizing it as the secret signal she had agreed on with Ye Wuyou, the Princess reluctantly left the Young Master's embrace.
Carefully climbing out of bed, she sat at the edge for a moment longer. After confirming that the Young Master had not woken up, the Princess got up, put on her outer robe, and walked to the door.
"What is it?"
Under the light along the corridor, Ye Wuyou noticed the faint charm in the Princess' eyes and brows. She immediately leaned closer and smiled meaningfully. "I hope I did not interrupt anything good?"
Li Qiubai raised her brow and asked in return, "If I said you did, how do you plan to make up for it?"
So it seems she really did interrupt...
Ye Wuyou felt a bit guilty after being rebuffed by the Princess. She quickly rubbed her nose and awkwardly laughed. Then, she pulled a letter from her chest and handed it to the Princess. "This is a secret report from the capital. I was worried you might not know, so I hurried to bring it to you."
The Princess did not pursue the matter further. She merely smiled faintly, took the letter, and opened it in front of Ye Wuyou to read.
Since she had left the capital, the smoke of war had already risen everywhere.
The Fourth Prince had been closely associating with Qi Yi and other court officials, which led someone to file a report against him during court. As a result, the Emperor placed him under house arrest for forming cliques and pursuing private interests.
In contrast to the Fourth Prince's impatience, the recently returned Grand Prince displayed an idle and uncompetitive demeanor, which the Emperor found much more pleasing. After confining the Fourth Prince, the Emperor even assigned a few lucrative positions to the Grand Prince, causing envy and resentment among the other princes.
Meanwhile, officials affiliated with the Prime Minister's faction also suffered repeated suppression from the Emperor due to their connection with the Fourth Prince.
Because of the Emperor’s reprimands, the Empress and the Prime Minister’s faction dared not intervene further for the Fourth Prince. Knowing the Emperor had grown displeased with him, the Prime Minister abandoned his support for the Fourth Prince and instead shifted his favor toward the Seventh Prince.
After all, for the Prime Minister, both the Fourth Prince and the Seventh Prince had mothers from the Shen family. Both princes were considered his own people. So, it did not matter who succeeded, as it would make no difference to the Shen family.
The Prime Minister had initially thought that supporting the Seventh Prince would help the Shen family avoid a disaster. However, the Seventh Prince turned out to be incapable, accustomed to idleness, and lacking ambition. Not only had he argued with the Prime Minister several times over the matter of abandoning the Fourth Prince, but he also repeatedly messed up tasks the Prime Minister had struggled to secure for him. This caused the Prime Minister to become extremely disappointed. After that, the Prime Minister no longer had any desire to strategize for the Seventh Prince. Instead, he quietly looked for opportunities to plead for the Fourth Prince with the Emperor.
Unfortunately, the Prime Minister did not get the opportunity to proceed with his plans. The Emperor suddenly caught a cold and had to take several days off from court, handling only a few matters in the palace. The situation, as secretly gathered from the Imperial Medical Institute, was not good. As a result, officials in the capital had begun to take sides, likely seeking a good future lord for themselves or hoping to earn a title as a "founding hero."
There were also those who feared they might offend the future emperor and end up losing their lives, shifting from silently watching to hesitating whether they should find a reliable backer.
As a result, the various factions in the capital began to stir, and more and more people were stepping into this murky water.
After closing the letter, Li Qiubai's face showed no sign of emotion.
After all, this situation was not much different from what she had expected.
Li Ruiyuan was not an oil-saving lamp*. If he allowed such a situation to unfold, it meant he intended to take advantage of this opportunity to blood the capital. Otherwise, even if his strength was lacking, he would not have tolerated those people acting so recklessly, not taking him seriously and operating independently.
*not easy to deal with.
For now, it seemed uncertain who would win or lose in the capital.
Li Qiubai understood this clearly. After putting down the letter, she simply said in a calm voice, “It seems that Imperial Grand Brother has not disappointed me. The more critical the moment, the more wisdom lies in not fighting or competing.”
Looking at Li Qiubai’s faint smile, which carried no real mirth in her eyes, Ye Wuyou could not hold back and spoke with a meaningful tone.
“Is it not so? Not only has he not disappointed you, but he is thriving in the capital. He even reached his hand toward you. I do not know where he learned about the little secrets between you and Chang'an. He actually sent me a letter asking me to keep an eye on you and persuade you. He said you should just play around and not get too deeply involved, warning you not to stray from the right path. He claimed that everything should be for the greater good. If your matter with Chang'an were to leak and cause a stir in front of His Majesty, letting others use it against you, he might not be able to protect you.”
At this point, Ye Wuyou could not help but laugh. She handed another secret letter to Li Qiubai with disdain and said, “But who does he think he is? Does he really take me as the lapdog of you siblings? Does he think I will do whatever he asks of me?”
Hearing what Ye Wuyou said, Li Qiubai slightly furrowed her brows. She took the secret letter and read through it. Her frown deepened further as she read.
She had not forgotten that night before the Young Master left the capital when she trespassed into the Princess’ residence and was nearly injured by her Imperial Grand Brother. It was within her expectations that he would notice something. However, she had not anticipated that he would try to interfere in her matters with the Young Master so quickly.
Upon reflection, it made sense. After all, with his personality, if Chang'an staying behind would cause trouble for her and end up implicating him or blocking his path forward, he would surely act to eliminate such a potential threat. For him to merely issue a warning as he did now could even be considered as leaving her a shred of kindness, could it not?
Seeing the Princess’ expression grow darker, Ye Wuyou had no choice but to rein in her teasing tone and speak seriously: "There is one more thing I almost forgot to tell you. Many in the palace have started investigating the He family’s past. Although not many people knew back then that the He family gave birth to a pair of dragon-phoenix twins*, it was not entirely unknown. In the Jianghu, as you know, if they manage to find a lead and spend some silver, they will eventually uncover some of the old stories from the elders of that time. If they keep digging, Chang’an’s identity will be impossible to hide. It will only be a matter of time before the truth comes out. Back then, before involving her, you promised us that you would ensure her safety. I trust you, and I hope you will not let us down. I do not want her, after your relationship is exposed, to spend the rest of her life confined to the Blood Flame Sect just to remain safe."
*mixed gender
Such advice was heard clearly by Li Qiubai. After thinking for a moment, she solemnly responded, "If she lives, I live; if she dies, I die."
With such a solemn promise, Ye Wuyou finally felt a little more at ease.
After quietly sighing at the Princess' foolishness, Ye Wuyou regained her smile, then smiled meaningfully and said, "Then you had better pay attention these days. Do not go touching Chang'an in front of others. Otherwise, the rumors might spread too quickly and ruin everything."
Li Qiubai helplessly tugged at the corner of her mouth, then said to Ye Wuyou, "Do not worry, I know my limits. I still need you to handle a few things for me in the next few days."
Ye Wuyou did not directly agree but leaned forward and smiled, saying, "You first tell me what it is, and then I will consider whether to help you with it."
Li Qiubai knew she always liked to joke, and for her to say this meant she had already agreed. Only then did she lean in close to Ye Wuyou's ear and quietly explain.
After hearing Li Qiubai's instructions, Ye Wuyou's smile actually grew even more intense, and she said with a playful smile, "What, if it is like this when your elder brother finds out, will your alliance still be able to continue?"
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.
Li Qiubai lowered her eyes, hiding the last trace of hesitation in her gaze, before finally speaking her mind calmly.
"I cannot only plan a path for him; I also need to leave a way out for myself. I cannot let Chang'an become someone else's leverage to control my weakness. There are some things I must fight for on my own first."
After saying this, she paused slightly before continuing, "I think, it is not only about revenge. There are things I can fight for, and there is no reason to just hand them over to others."
Perhaps, for her now, only by reaching the highest position could she give the Young Master a legitimate identity.
No matter how calmly Li Qiubai expressed her thoughts, the coldness, and ruthlessness in her demeanor could not be hidden at that moment.
Ye Wuyou naturally saw it, and she already understood Li Qiubai's intentions in her heart.
Sure enough, the most heartless were still those from the imperial family.
Whether it was father and son, or brothers and sisters, apart from use and calculation, perhaps there was no other form of kinship left.
She did not ask why Li Qiubai was so ruthless, only nodded slightly and casually said, "Alright, you decide. I will follow you. Anyway, once this matter is over, I will no longer owe you anything. Consider me repaying the debt my master owes your late mother."
After the Princess finished assigning all the tasks, Ye Wuyou received her orders and left, using Qinggong to depart from the Qingyang Clan.
No matter how turbulent the winds and clouds were in the capital, the few people currently in Yuzhou had not been affected in any way. Things were as they should have been, and there were no noticeable changes.
Li Qiubai declined the invitations of the major officials of Yuzhou, citing poor health as the reason. Coincidentally, the Emperor's decree had appointed He Changping as the imperial envoy, so the Princess decided to entrust all matters concerning the officials to He Changping and asked Lin Xingyang to assist. Meanwhile, she focused on her own recovery within the clan, handling a few secret reports.
After several days of rest, Li Qiubai had finally recovered to a great extent.
Once the Princess successfully obtained Shen Lingyun's consent to let her go, she then extended an invitation to the Young Master.
"Chang'an."
Hearing the Princess call her several times, the Young Master, who had been lying on the soft couch engrossed in a storybook, finally came to her senses.
"Huh?"
When the Young Master sat up and dazedly asked, the Princess had already gracefully walked to the side of the bed and directly sat on the Young Master's lap. She wrapped her arms around her neck and playfully complained, "What? Is there any storybook more interesting than this Princess? How can it captivate you so much?"
When the beauty suddenly threw herself into her arms, the Young Master no longer had the heart to continue reading that silly storybook.
Without hesitation, Meng Chang'an immediately tossed the book aside and used both hands to embrace the Princess.
"Ahem, it was just that I saw Sister Lingyun was still treating you earlier, and I had nothing else to do, so I picked up a storybook to pass the time."
The oblivious blockhead rarely explained, but the Princess was satisfied. She did not make things difficult. She continued her actions, leaning in the Young Master's embrace. She raised her hand and gently touched the Young Master's flushed cheek.
"I heard tomorrow is the Lantern Festival in Yuzhou. Will you come with me to the streets?"
The Young Master grew up in Yuzhou. Though she did not live in Yecheng often, she grew up in the Demonic Sect on the mountain. Every year during the Lantern Festival, the elders took her down the mountain for a walk.
After all, to her, it seemed as though the Lantern Festival was no different year after year. She only watched as the elders around her paired off and enjoyed their love, while she seemed like a troublesome burden, always being carried along beside them.
Now that she had received the Princess' invitation, the Young Master did not have any romantic thoughts. She just firmly and justifiably refused, saying, "No, your injuries have not fully healed yet. At this time, if you want to go out and play, what if you accidentally bump into something again?"
"How could that be? Miss Lingyun has already said that my injury is almost healed. It has been so long, and if I do not go out for a walk now, staying cooped up like this, I fear I might end up making myself sick even though I am not actually ill."
Seeing the Princess so eager to get some fresh air, Meng Chang'an could not help but begin to hesitate.
"This..."
Before the Young Master could come up with a reason to convince herself, or even figure out a reason to persuade the Princess, she saw the Princess already grasping her hand, leading it inside her own clothes.
It was still broad daylight, and yet the Princess was so reckless?
Just a moment ago, the Princess had applied the medicine herself, and now her clothes were completely empty, with nothing inside.
Upon discovering this secret, Meng Chang'an's face immediately turned red, but she could not muster the strength to push the person away. After looking around and confirming that there were no other people in the room, Meng Chang'an finally allowed the Princess to lead her hand to rest over her heart. She could only weakly sigh and say, "Do not... do not make trouble..."
No matter what the Young Master thought in her heart about rejecting, once she was pressed against that scorching softness, she was already in a state of confusion.
Seeing the Young Master's thoughts becoming more and more restless, the Princess smiled joyfully, then leaned close to the Young Master's ear and whispered softly, "Look, my injury really is much better. If you do not believe me, just feel for yourself."
The beauty in her arms gave a seductive glance, and with such an initiative invitation, how could the Young Master resist?
Since it was the Princess who asked her to feel, how could she refuse? She should naturally follow the Princess' wishes, raising her fingertip to gently stroke and feel.
Once she felt the hand on her chest becoming increasingly improper, the Princess stopped the Young Master's wrist, leaned forward, and gently bit her ear, smiling as she asked, "I only asked you to touch the injury. Where are you touching now?"
At the crucial moment, being stopped by someone, the Young Master felt disappointed and could not help but gritted her teeth, saying, "You are such a bad person."
Upon hearing this, the Princess only smiled more happily. After her little scheme succeeded, she continued to lean close to the Young Master's ear, gently blowing on it.
"Then, would you be willing to go with me tomorrow to enjoy the Lantern Festival?"
Under the Princess' teasing, the Young Master's earlier firm refusal was already forgotten. As her mind wandered, the Young Master could only give in and follow the Princess' lead.
"Yes, I am willing... is that not enough?"
Only then did the Princess graciously release the grip she had on the Young Master's wrist.
