Chapter 101: Hand Over Shu Yao

Source: https://www.jjwxc.net/onebook.php?novelid=3614052
This translation was originally posted on https://love4baihe.blogspot.com please read it there. and check out other stories too. 

The visitor did not bring any attendants. She only carried her whip and sword, yet she dared to come alone to the meeting.  

That person was Su Zian’s childhood friend, Ying Siling.  

At this moment, Ying Siling was being stopped at the post station’s entrance, where her weapons were being removed. With just one glance, she had already noticed the two people by the window.  

Seeing that Su Zian was still standing there safe and sound, Ying Siling finally relaxed her tightly furrowed brows and allowed the guards to take her weapons.  

Unfortunately, after Su Zian met her gaze from afar, her expression became even worse.  

"What did you say to her? How did you trick her into coming?"  

Li Qiubai did not mind Su Zian’s rudeness. In fact, she was in such a good mood that she was even willing to explain the situation.  

"Nothing much. I simply had someone deliver your handkerchief to her and told her that if she wanted to see you, she had to come here alone. Look, perhaps because she was too worried, she rushed over in such a hurry."  

Su Zian: "…"  

If she had not received the benefits from this person today, which saved the Su family’s elders and children, she would have cursed her shameless right then and there.  

Unfortunately, having accepted help, she had no choice but to hold back her anger. No matter how furious she was, she dared not say anything too harsh, lest she became angry and went back on her word.  

"Lovers always consider each other. This Princess has been through it myself, so I understand what you are thinking. However, judging by her actions, it is obvious that she wants to help you. There is no need for you to reject her on her behalf. Just let her make her own choice."  

Su Zian was stunned. When she realized that the princess had misunderstood something, she felt stifled and replied, "Then Your Highness will be disappointed. We are not lovers and would never sacrifice everything for each other like you think."  

"Oh? How could that be? Could it be that you two have yet to make it clear?"

Li Qiubai was slightly surprised. After all, based on what she had seen, heard, and investigated, as well as everything these two had done for each other, not a single thing did not tell her that the relationship between these two was absolutely not just ordinary close friends.  

Thinking of this, Li Qiubai even kindly asked, "How about taking this opportunity? This Princess helps you test it out, how about it?"  

Su Zian: "..."  

She actually, shamefully, was a little tempted.  

But it was just a moment of hesitation. Immediately after, she tactfully refused, "Zian accepts Your Highness' kindness with gratitude, but there is no need to trouble yourself.”

To her, the biggest obstacle between her and Ying Siling was not the unspoken feelings they had never voiced, but the prejudice of the world.  

They were both daughters of official families, neither as carefree and unrestrained as women of the martial world, nor as high-ranking and powerful as this Princess, free to do as they pleased. Being women yet falling in love with women, for those of their backgrounds, was undoubtedly a shameful disgrace to their families.  

Unless they eloped and left their families far behind, otherwise, both sides were filled with countless obstacles.  

But she could not do that. She could be ruthless to herself, yet she could not bear to selfishly let Ying Siling lose the love of her family.  

Su Zian's thoughts drifted a little far. Not only did she recall scene after scene of their childhood growing up together, but she also remembered the fluttering heartbeat of first love.  

Unfortunately, that love still could not be spoken aloud.  

If not for Li Qiubai exposing this matter today, she would surely still be able to continue deceiving herself, telling herself that they were nothing more than ordinary friends.

Su Zian was still immersed in her memories, but Ying Siling had already stepped onto the second floor and knocked on the door.  

Only then did Su Zian come back to her senses and hurriedly stepped forward to open the door.  

She was aware of what this Princess had done last night. The commotion was so big that the Jinwei Camp had naturally been busy all night. As the leader, Ying Siling must have been even busier and more exhausted.  

A person who had not slept all night, even their eyes were filled with red veins.  

Seeing this, Su Zian only felt distressed.  

She directly stood in front of Ying Siling, blocking her way into the room, and reminded her, "You did not have to come."  

Ying Siling's gaze darkened slightly.  

Fortunately, she had always been cold-faced, so Su Zian did not notice anything unusual.  

"Mm, I know. But since I am already here, there is no need to leave anymore."

Ying Siling was not a fool. The person who came had not hidden their identity at the time. She knew that Su Zian had already set her sights on that Princess, and that Princess did not seem like someone who would act impulsively. So, Su Zian should not be in any danger at the moment.  

However, Ying Siling still could not convince herself to stand by and do nothing. After just giving the vice-captain some instructions, she hurriedly rushed over, fearing that something might happen to her.  

Seeing that Su Zian still refused to move, Ying Siling could only lift her hand, place it on her shoulder, and give her a light pat, gently pushing her aside. She then lowered her voice to remind her, "When I came, I ran into your father's carriage. I do not know how he managed to escape, but if it was the work of that person inside, then it can also be considered her helping you. Since she helped you with such a big favor, and only wanted to meet me, this small favor, I should at least give her."  

After speaking, Ying Siling did not wait for Su Zian to say anything more. She directly walked past her and entered, bowing respectfully to Li Qiubai, who was seated inside. "Greetings, Your Highness."  

Su Zian never expected that Li Qiubai would not even need to say anything, and Ying Siling would take the initiative to show up, even asking the question herself.

"Your Highness, I do not know why you called for me. Is there something you need?"  

Too cooperative...  

Not only did Su Zian not expect it, but Li Qiubai was also stunned for a moment by her serious and proper attitude.  

"Well, there is nothing else. It is just that last night, I troubled the Jinwei Camp to search for me and the Prince Consort. They worked hard all night, and I feel a bit guilty. I thought to invite you here to inform you of our whereabouts, so you would not have to work too hard looking for us. I hope it has not caused too much trouble for Miss Ying?"  

Ying Siling barely managed to force a smile.  

How could it not be trouble? Not only was it troublesome, but it also made her anxious and fearful for a long time.  

If this person truly felt guilty, they would not have chased them all night along the river and still failed to find a trace.  

Everyone present was smart. Li Qiubai’s hint was subtle, but Ying Siling understood immediately.

"Your Highness is too polite. You have personally given me the credit for saving you, I should be thanking you, not finding it troublesome."

If this were in the capital, saving the Princess would indeed be a great achievement, and the Emperor would surely reward it generously.

It is a pity that this is in Yuzhou.

Now, the Prince of Yu probably already sees her as a thorn in his side, so this merit of saving the Princess is not a good one to bear.

Upon hearing this, Li Qiubai’s gaze towards Ying Siling showed a hint of appreciation.

On the side, Su Zian, upon hearing this, felt a sense of helplessness.

She had worried that this matter might inconvenience Ying Siling, but to her surprise, Li Qiubai didn’t need to pressure her at all; Ying Siling had already found a way to smoothly assist Li Qiubai herself.

Su Zian didn’t even have a chance to speak, as Li Qiubai and Ying Siling had already seamlessly come to an agreement, effortlessly collaborating to devise their responses to the officials when they returned to the city.

Meanwhile, at this very moment, the Qingyang Clan was not as peaceful as things were on the Princess' side.

Surrounded by heavy troops, the Qingyang Clan stood in full battle readiness, with swords drawn and vigilance on high alert.

Outside the main gate, the elite disciples of the Qingyang Clan, led by their eldest senior brother Ye Chi, were methodically setting up formations, diligently guarding the gate.

At this moment, standing before them were the elite soldiers of the Prince of Yu’s manor, along with crossbowmen stationed all around, and perhaps even some hidden martial artists from the jianghu.

Although there had been minor friction between Qingyang Clan and the Prince of Yu’s manor in the past, on the surface, they still maintained a courteous relationship. The Prince of Yu’s manor suddenly taking such drastic action was something they had not anticipated.

The Clan Master, He Ziyi, straightened his back, took a few steps forward, and stood between the two opposing forces. He looked toward the Prince of Yu, politely asking, "May I ask, Your Highness, what is the meaning of this?"

The Prince of Yu was not someone who could not accept defeat. Originally, he had only suffered a small loss at the hands of Li Qiubai. No matter how angry or upset he was, it was something he could endure.

But that child acted with such determination. Not only did she set fire to his study, but she also dared to steal the portrait from his secret chamber and ruined the entire room. 

All the thoughts and memories he had kept over the years were now destroyed.

This time, the Prince of Yu truly could not swallow his anger.

"Master He, it has been a while," the Prince of Yu greeted politely, yet he did not even dismount from his horse.

He Ziyi furrowed his brows slightly but quickly forced a smile, pretending not to understand. "May I ask if someone in my manor has offended Your Highness? For Your Highness to mobilize such a grand force."

"Not quite," the Prince of Yu replied. "But Master He, you have not been very forthcoming. We have known each other for so long, yet you never once told me that your precious son has a twin sister—one who looks almost identical to him."

At these words, the smile on He Ziyi’s face faltered.

To prevent the Prince of Yu from setting his sights on Chang'an, He Ziyi immediately sought an excuse and feigned sudden realization.

Source: https://www.jjwxc.net/onebook.php?novelid=3614052
This translation was originally posted on https://love4baihe.blogspot.com please read it there. and check out other stories too. 

"If Your Highness had not mentioned it, I would have almost forgotten that I even had such a daughter," He Ziyi said with a forced smile. "That child has lived with her mother since birth, far away from Yuzhou. I never dared to disturb them, so we have not seen each other for more than ten years. May I ask why Your Highness is suddenly bringing her up?"

The Prince of Yu sneered. "Oh? Do you truly not know, or are you just pretending? Last night, your precious daughter broke into the imperial prison and rescued a criminal of the court. Left with no choice, I have come to you to claim her."

Not knowing whether the prince was deliberately deceiving him or if this had actually happened, He Ziyi could only feign ignorance and continue to go around in circles with him.

"Could there be some misunderstanding, Your Highness? That child is not even in Yecheng at the moment, so it is even more impossible for her to have any connection with the criminal you mentioned. Why would she suddenly have a death wish and break into the prison?"

"Oh? According to the prison guards, the person looked exactly like our Prince Consort and even carried his personal token. But the Prince Consort was with me last night, sharing a banquet, so he could not have done it himself. If it was not his twin sister, then who else could it have been?" 

The Prince of Yu spoke with such certainty that, had He Ziyi not known that the one who accompanied the Princess to see the lanterns last night was Chang'an and not Changping, he might have almost believed it.

"Besides, whether it is a misunderstanding or not, would it not be clear if I searched your manor?"

At these words, He Ziyi became even more wary.

"Your Highness must be joking. In the martial world, there are plenty of people skilled in disguise. How can you determine the culprit based on a mere prison guard’s testimony? There are many elderly and young ones in my manor, and I fear they would not withstand the fright of Your Highness' elite soldiers. As for this matter of searching my manor, the Qingyang Clan cannot comply. I ask for Your Highness' understanding."

This matter was merely an excuse to begin with. The Prince of Yu never expected this stubborn Clan Master to go along with his wishes. If He Ziyi were so easily persuaded, he would not have been the same man who had repeatedly shut the Prince out when he attempted to recruit him.

Now that he had exerted enough pressure, the Prince of Yu did not continue to harp on the matter. Instead, he took a step back and switched to pleasantries. "Since Clan Master He has said as much, then of course, I must give you this courtesy. Very well, let us set aside the search for now. However..."

He Ziyi’s nerves had yet to relax when the Prince of Yu's deliberate pause set his heart on edge once more.

"If Your Highness has something to say, please speak plainly."

Only then did the Prince of Yu leisurely continue, "I assume Master He has already heard that the Second Princess and the Prince Consort unexpectedly fell into the water last night and were taken by criminals. Their fate remains unknown. I sent men to search through the night, but they could not be found. I fear the worst. For such a grave incident to happen within my territory is my failing. I have truly let my imperial brother down. 

As it happens, I have heard that the Third Princess is currently residing in your esteemed manor. To prevent another unfortunate accident from occurring and to avoid facing my imperial brother with further shame, I shall take this opportunity to bring her back to my residence for proper care. That way, I can ensure her safe return to the capital."

He Ziyi was somewhat aware of last night's incident, as He Changping had given him a prior warning, instructing him to act as usual today and not to concern himself with their affairs.

However, this so-called "Third Princess" was something he truly had no knowledge of.

"Your Highness, what kind of misunderstanding is this? At present, only one princess resides within Qingyang Clan, and that is precisely the one whose fate remains unknown according to your words. How could there be a Third Princess? Moreover, if I recall correctly, was it not reported that the Third Princess encountered an accident while en route to her marriage alliance and has been missing ever since?"

"It is understandable that Master He is unaware," the Prince of Yu said lightly. "I, too, only recently learned that the child did not perish back then. Instead, she was saved by the Young Master of the Divine Doctors Sect and was taken in as a guard. She now goes by the name Shu Yao. Both young ladies are currently within Qingyang Clan. I hope you will do me this favor and bring them out."

He Ziyi felt an immediate headache.

He truly had not expected such entanglements between them and the imperial family.

If it were merely a misunderstanding, that would be one thing. But if this Shu Yao was indeed the Third Princess, then matters had become significantly more troublesome.

It seemed clear now—this man had suffered a setback at Li Qiubai’s hands and was now seizing the opportunity while the Princess was absent to take away her younger sister, using her as leverage against the Princess.

If not for the elite soldiers surrounding them with predatory gazes, he might have actually believed that the Prince of Yu had come merely to reminisce with the other princess.

But this kind of display, both overt and covert, was nothing less than a blatant warning to He Ziyi—if he handed the person over obediently, then all would be well. Otherwise, the Prince of Yu’s elite soldiers and crossbowmen would surely slaughter the Qingyang Clan.

Given such circumstances, how could he dare to truly surrender them?

If he did, that person would undoubtedly meet a grim fate.

Yet, if he refused…

Even if Qingyang Clan fought with everything they had and battled to the death, could they bear the casualties and consequences of such a clash?

Author's Note:

Just as I said that I was heaven’s chosen laborer, I accidentally tested positive. Taking this chance to take leave and focus on writing at home. Luckily, many familiar cuties are still here. If you keep leaving comments as actively as before, the author will be very happy. Let’s see if I can add an extra update today.