Volume One, Chapter Seventeen: "Do You Think This Is Reasonable?"

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Song Yaozhu cursed silently, “Damn brat, quite strong,” as out of the corner of her eye she saw Yuwen Wuji approaching her in a bright yellow robe. Standing before the pavilion, Yuwen Wuji saw the young woman’s almond-shaped eyes brimming with tears, her face raised halfway in a mixture of shock and helplessness. The angle was perfect enough to momentarily make him think he was looking at Xie Wanqing.

But Xie Wanqing was always as resolute as iron, never showing such a pitiful appearance.

He sighed softly, waving his hand. Li Wei immediately understood and stepped forward to help her up personally.

“Princess, please be careful. Are you hurt anywhere? I will send for the imperial physician at once.”

Song Yaozhu steadied herself, casting a beseeching glance at Yuwen Wuji before hastily bowing. Large tears slipped down from the corners of her eyes, only emphasizing her fragile helplessness and stirring the man’s protective instincts.

Yuwen Wuji felt as though his chest had been struck by that single tear, suddenly choking him with a breath held tight in his heart.

“Where is Li Wei that brat?”

“Your Majesty, it seems the Free and Easy Prince has headed towards the palace exit!”

Yuwen Wuji looked at the flustered Song Yaozhu. “Have someone stop him! He’s a grown man—what kind of nonsense is this?”

Li Wei sighed and, noticing the scratches on Song Yaozhu’s palm, sent someone to fetch the imperial physician again.

The young eunuch helped Song Yaozhu to rest, and the Imperial Garden soon returned to its previous lively scene.

Song Wenyue watched the commotion with secret delight, thinking to herself that Song San’s life wasn’t as glamorous as it seemed on the surface.

After some thought, she said to Madam Song beside her, “Mother, Sister was frightened. It would be difficult for her to be alone in the palace. I’ll go keep her company.”

Madam Song nodded. “Go, but be careful.”

Before leaving, she had to seek permission from the Noble Consort, who waved her off after hearing her reason. The Emperor glanced twice at Song Wenyue, who, veiled, indeed resembled Xie Wanqing.

Song Wenyue thought she had played up the sisterly affection convincingly and hoped to win the Noble Consort’s favor. Little did she know the Noble Consort was close to despising both of them.

One looked strikingly like Xie Wanqing; the other was openly spoken of by the Emperor as someone to be admitted into the harem.

Both were a source of irritation!

Song Yaozhu rested in the side chamber where palace maids served her refreshments. By the time Song Wenyue arrived, the imperial physician had already applied medicine to her abrasions.

“Sister, are you all right?”

Song Yaozhu knew she had come to mock her and naturally refused to let her succeed.

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“Doesn’t sister have eyes?” Song Wenyue faltered, unsure how to continue her taunts. Since Song Yaozhu married, her sharp tongue had been like a firecracker, always silencing her.

“My brother-in-law is really something, how could he embarrass sister like that in front of everyone?”

“Don’t you dare call him ‘Prince’! It was clearly my fault for losing my footing!”

Song Wenyue cursed her stupidity inwardly. Even after such public humiliation, she defended the man. Yet she said, “Yes, yes, I’m glad sister sees it that way! But how did you anger the Prince so much that he left you standing there?”

At the mention, sorrow crept across Song Yaozhu’s face.

“I only told the Prince about paying respects to the Noble Consort today. You saw how Consort Shu looked at me as if I were a ghost. Do I really resemble the late Empress that much? The Prince got angry after hearing that, sigh…”

Song Wenyue had never seen the late Empress and didn’t know how much they resembled each other. But after her reminder, it was true that Consort Shu had been overly distraught that morning.

“How much do I resemble the late Empress? The way the Noble Consort, the Emperor, and even the Prince look at me—it’s as if they see her through me,” she murmured, inadvertently planting a seed in Song Wenyue’s mind.

After a while, the young eunuch entered and said to Song Yaozhu, “Princess, the Prince is here to escort you back to the manor!”

Song Yaozhu immediately stood up joyfully, showing no sign of grievance. Song Wenyue sneered inwardly, thinking how pitiful she was, only knowing how to wag her tail and beg men for favor.

Song Yaozhu saw through her thoughts and replied lightly, “I’ll go first. Sister, see you next time!”

Outside the door, Xie Liwei stood in the courtyard with his hands behind his back. Bathed in sunlight, he was tall and upright like a stately, solitary tree. Yet it seemed far too long since he had been in the sun—his demeanor was gloomy and worn.

Song Yaozhu walked briskly beside him, linking her arm through his. The young eunuch led them out of the palace, giving them ample space for conversation.

She pinched the flesh of his arm hard, only to find it as hard as stone, no flesh to pinch.

“Princess, what are you doing?”

“Revenge!” she said sharply. “You pushed me too hard just now!”

“That’s just fulfilling your wish.”

Song Yaozhu had been looking for a chance to assert herself before Yuwen Wuji. Compared to Song Wenyue, her face stirred more ambition in Yuwen Wuji. When one cannot have what one wants, one must settle for what is attainable.

Seeing Yuwen Wuji approaching, Xie Liwei “helped” her out.

“Thank you, but please don’t ‘help’ like this next time.”

“What? You still disdain me?”

“I could have made a graceful entrance and exit, but now look at my hand!”

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She opened her palm, which had a thin callus layer; only the skin was broken with no bleeding. The imperial physician had merely gone through the motions, giving her a jar of Jade Bone Regenerating Ointment used by palace concubines to nourish the skin.

“You just got a free jar worth a hundred taels?” Xie Liwei scoffed. He had been in the side chamber the entire time, overhearing the woman trying to brainwash Song Wenyue.

“You were eavesdropping?” Song Yaozhu widened her eyes dramatically. “Prince, please refrain from hearing improper things!”

Xie Liwei chose silence to shut her up.

Once in the carriage returning to the manor, Xie Liwei still found it strange. How had he and Song Yaozhu become so easy to talk to in such a short time?

Like old friends with perfect tacit understanding, when he suddenly flipped her to the ground, she immediately caught on and fell in an exquisitely delicate posture.

No need to say a word; they understood each other perfectly. It was unbelievable.

More importantly and terrifyingly, he found himself unwittingly lowering his guard around her. Talking to her was easy and brought a strange little joy from within.

Unthinkable!

Arriving at the manor, Xie Liwei immediately left for the study after dismounting. Song Yaozhu shook her head—he was grown but still stubborn as ever.

Was it really so hard to admit they got along?

Entering the study, Xie Liwei asked Qin Yu, “Has Fang Rao returned?”

Qin Yu replied, “Just arrived. I sent him to eat.”

“Tell him to come back and report immediately.”

Fang Rao entered with the results of his several days of investigation. The study fell silent. Xie Liwei stared at the papers, sinking into a strange silence.

“Do you think this makes sense?” he asked, pointing to the words on the paper.

Fang Rao grimaced for a long time. “Your Highness, I only record information, not analyze it.”

Qin Yu rolled his eyes silently, thinking he might as well admit he had no brain.

Qin Yu craned his neck and read the paper: This woman was born with the yin-yang eye, able to see both worlds and perceive a hundred ghosts.