After Rebirth, I Married my Archenemy - Chapter 16

Two boxes of lotus flower cakes lay before her, and Lan Yue’s pupils widened.

She glanced at the lotus flower cakes, then shifted her gaze upwards to appraise Qun Qing.

Qun Qing’s clothes and veil were torn, her skirt covered in dust and blood, looking quite disheveled. Her hands were clasped together, exuding a mix of obedience and unease.

“You… didn’t steal those in a fight, did you?” Lan Yue licked her lips, suddenly feeling a twinge of guilt.

“No.” Qun Qing replied calmly, 

“I bought them in line, really.”

Lan Yue never imagined what Qun Qing had truly been through.

“Then let it be,” Lan Yue said, not pressing further about the whereabouts of the third box. 

“Listen, go clean yourself up, then stay at your place. Don’t come to the main hall.”

She said, 

“The Crown Prince is here!”

Qun Qing looked around.

Tonight, the number of candles and lamps had doubled, illuminating the hall beautifully, all because of Li Xuan’s arrival.

Qun Qing had no interest in the Crown Prince; it was simply better to stay alone in her quarters.

She boiled water for a hot bath, the perfect way to relax and rest.

The hot water enveloped her body in the wooden tub. For the first time since her rebirth, she stretched her limbs, feeling the tension ease away, only to realize that her entire body ached.

The body from three years ago had not endured so many battles; although healthy, it remained fragile.

Her wrist, holding the knife, was nearly fatigued, and the palm of her hand had a painful abrasion, throbbing in the hot water like countless thorny vines.

Qun Qing instinctively wanted to wrap it in a silk handkerchief but suddenly remembered she had left her handkerchief at the temple, so she simply held her hand upright.

Perhaps Lu Huating was indeed a bad omen for her; otherwise, how could she explain being dragged into such a predicament after only exchanging a few words with him?

Who would have thought that in the first year of Shenglin, Prince Yan would be so humble, with Lu Huating being chased down the street and attacked?

When pushed to the edge, even a passing dog had to be treated as a lifeline, and Qun Qing understood this.

The main reason she acted was for Kuang Su.

She never took advantage of two types of people: children or fools, for the hearts they offered were sincere. She had encountered too few genuine hearts.

If Lu Huating had sent out a more clever assassin, that person certainly wouldn’t risk his life to protect a stranger like her. That meant Lu Huating had some conscience left, contrary to her belief that he was entirely unscrupulous.

Some, but not much.

As Qun Qing pondered aimlessly, she sank deeper into the hot water, rinsing her hair. Her long, black hair flowed like seaweed in the water. Moments later, she broke through the surface.

Pain.

Her hand pressed against her cheek; perhaps the scalding water had caused her face to heat up. Through her skin, she felt as if she could touch the spring buds just breaking through the soil.

The bones of her face, previously treated by Li Langzhong, began to ache and itch again, almost unbearable without medication.

Fortunately, in the medicine bundle sent by Fang Xie with Xiao Song today, there was a packet of “Frost and Dew,” which could reduce inflammation and alleviate pain.

As Qun Qing opened the medicine package, a piece of paper fell out.

Before she even tore the paper fully, she stuffed the pill into her mouth. As the cool sensation spread in her stomach, relieving the pain, she picked up the paper to read it carefully.

It seemed to contain very important news, which was why Fang Xie had chased after her to deliver it.

The paper read: 

“Master has sent a letter. He encountered a woman among the refugees in Jiangnan who resembles your mother and is searching for her. Take care, sister.”

Qun Qing’s mind buzzed; she read “resembling your mother” several times, her heart racing.

Li Langzhong was an old friend of her mother’s, and he always spoke with precision. By saying “resembling your mother,” he implied that he had indeed met that person, most likely Zhu Ying!

Her mother was alive.

The news she had never received before her death suddenly appeared before her, giving her the first feeling of breaking free from her cage and glimpsing the light of day.

She had family in this world; her home was not scattered.

She would still have the chance to stroll through the market with her mother, enjoy the meals her mother cooked, and sleep beside her, sharing her thoughts and receiving loving caresses. All the irreparable regrets suddenly transformed into future possibilities.

However, Li Langzhong mentioned she was among the refugees in Jiangnan.

So far away, with no relatives nearby, having seen the state of the refugees in the city, Qun Qing felt a pang in her heart. She dared not think of what her mother might be like now.

If she could leave the palace, she would have set off to Jiangnan to search with her long ago.

The water turned cool, and Qun Qing forgot to dry herself before putting on her clothes.

Suddenly, the door swung open, and Ruo Chan appeared, her expression flustered. 

“Sister, it’s bad! His Highness the Crown Prince is calling for you!”

Li Xuan arrived at Qingxuan Pavilion after dark.

The table was set for dinner, featuring six vegetarian and six meat dishes, with a vase of jade hairpin flowers exuding a faint fragrance. Zheng Zhiyi had a blooming flower in her hair, adding a touch of blush to her cheeks.

Li Xuan noticed that she had put on makeup today, with eyebrows dark like silkworms and lips a vivid red.

It looked somewhat out of place.

Dressed in a golden brocade round-collared robe, Li Xuan silently accepted three rounds of toasts from the minor consorts. Suddenly, she leaned in and said, 

“Your Highness, it’s time for us to consummate our marriage, right?”

Li Xuan could no longer drink the wine in his cup and subtly pushed her away. 

“Let’s postpone that. I’ve been busy with affairs lately. We’ll wait until your sixteenth birthday.”

Unexpectedly, Zheng Zhiyi became anxious, her hairpin clinking loudly. 

“You said the same thing last year. Are you really lacking in strength, or do you just not want to touch me?”

Li Xuan shot her a warning glance.

Rejected, Zheng Zhiyi recalled the flowers she had specially brought back from outside the palace and felt utterly humiliated by the lack of even a glance from him. 

“Do you want to preserve your body for that wretched Yang Fu? I was the one promised to you first. You’ve already gotten involved with her behind my back, and I knew nothing about it!”

Li Xuan slammed his wine cup heavily onto the table. 

“Princess Bao’an is still ill. Do you want me to remind you how she fell sick? You’re a consort; even throwing a tantrum has its limits.”

Zheng Zhiyi knocked over the vase, the crisp sound startling Lan Yue. 

“Do you still consider me a consort? I am your legitimate wife! You promised my grandfather that you would treat me well, yet you’ve turned your back on me. It’s clear you never liked me; you only used me!”

Li Xuan’s face turned pale with anger, and after a long pause, he spoke, 

“When I had dinner in my father’s palace, I thought you had changed. Turns out you haven’t.”

Li Xuan’s favor had originally stemmed from that dinner.

At the palace banquet, Zheng Zhiyi had seen the long-absent Emperor Chenming and Empress Ma. They wore golden court robes, adorned with crowns and gold ornaments, appearing somewhat changed.

For some reason, Zheng Zhiyi suddenly recalled Qun Qing’s admonition, but it wasn’t solely because of that; Emperor Chenming, burdened with state affairs, had greying hair at his temples and looked much older. Upon seeing the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes, Zheng Zhiyi truly thought of her grandfather and blurted out, “I miss my grandfather.”

After saying that, tears streamed down her face uncontrollably.

Zheng Zhiyi’s grandfather had once been the leader of bandits, following the Li family during their rise, only to die in battle for them.

In cold weather, the Zheng family had favored the Li family, while the Li family felt indebted to Zheng Zhiyi, the daughter of a humble family; both sides understood this well. Zheng Zhiyi’s crying made Emperor Chenming and the Empress feel uncomfortable.

Emperor Chenming ordered generous rewards for Zheng Liangdi, while the gifts from Luanyi Pavilion went unnoticed.

Zheng Zhiyi finally stopped crying but lost her desire to complain. Empress Ma said, 

“I thought this child would have trouble adapting to life in the palace, but now she seems much more composed.”

Emperor Chenming addressed Zheng Zhiyi, 

“Wasn’t the Empress also once a woman in seclusion? As long as you don’t show fear when speaking in front of others, that’s enough.”

Empress Ma, perceptive as always, urged Li Xuan not to neglect the consort in favor of caring for Princess Bao’an.

Zheng Zhiyi didn’t understand the intricacies of the situation; all she knew was that Li Xuan hadn’t seen her for months. Whenever she spoke, he would respond coldly, leaving her confused about what had made him angry.

Seeing the atmosphere become tense, Lan Yue hurriedly presented a dish. The plate contained delicate pastries shaped like half-open lotus flowers, intricately crafted. 

“Your Highness, the consort remembered you love the lotus cakes from Lingxin Ji, so she specially bought them for you. Please have a taste.”

Li Xuan hadn’t intended to argue and picked up his chopsticks. However, as soon as he touched the lotus cake, it seemed to have been struck hard and shattered in the middle!

Lan Yue gasped in shock. Li Xuan tightened his grip on the chopsticks and questioned Zheng Zhiyi, 

“Lingxin Ji? You left the palace?”

“The consort didn’t leave the palace; she gave her fish token to a palace maid to go buy them,” Lan Yue explained.

“You’re a noble consort! How could you casually give your fish token to a palace maid? What about palace rules? Didn’t the Ritual Office teach you?” Li Xuan’s expression turned even angrier.

Zheng Zhiyi’s eyes widened in shock, a mix of fear and indignation washing over her, and tears began to flow. 

“Li Xuan, you weren’t like this before!”

Li Xuan’s eyes were pitch black, her expression unfamiliar. After a moment, she spoke softly, 

“You’d best never mention the past in front of me again.”

“Your Highness, forgive me,” Lanyue quickly knelt down. 

“The fish token was given by this servant; Liangdi was unaware… Buying snacks and picking flowers were all suggestions from that maid called Qun Qing. Liangdi could not resist her persuasion and ended up with such thoughts!”

After a moment, Qun Qing knelt beside the desk.

Li Xuan’s face had regained its calm. He held a glass cup, his posture while drinking elegant and composed, though it was unclear what decision he had in mind.

“The snacks were bought by this servant,” Qun Qing said, her hair still damp, droplets falling onto her clothes. 

“I just came from the Yeting, unfamiliar with palace rules, not knowing that the fish token cannot be borrowed. Whatever Lanyue instructed, I did.”

“You!” Lanyue became anxious. 

“Always deflecting responsibility.”

Li Xuan lowered his gaze, staring at Qun Qing without speaking. After a pause, he suddenly flicked his sleeve.

A silver flash appeared before Qun Qing, and wine splashed down on her, the rich scent of alcohol filling her nostrils as the liquid dripped down her eyelashes and cheeks, the chill creeping into her clothing.

Li Xuan had thrown wine all over her.

Zheng Zhiyi and Lanyue were stunned:

The Crown Prince was usually gentle and would never act with such malice towards a servant unless he was thoroughly disgusted.

At this moment, Li Xuan indeed looked at Qun Qing with distaste.

This wasn’t the first time he had seen her: he clearly remembered how she had flattered and belittled Princess Bao’an, then turned around to please Zheng Zhiyi. He had watched everything from outside the window.

“The disturbances in the palace are due to the improper conduct of the maids close to the Liangdi, who have failed to fulfill their duties in assisting her,” Li Xuan said slowly. 

“This palace is not going to hold Liangdi accountable, but this maid must be severely punished…”

“What are you saying? It was I who sent her…” Zheng Zhiyi exclaimed in disbelief, but before she could finish, Lanyue interrupted, 

“Liangdi, do not speak!”

As for Qun Qing, before Li Xuan could finish his next sentence, she, like a demoness revealed by a splash of wine, lost her usual composure.

She suddenly lunged at the hem of Li Xuan’s robe, grasping his sleeve, 

“I was wrong, Your Highness! Please don’t expel me from the palace. It was so difficult for me to come out from Yeting, and I just want to serve you all well here in Qingxuan Pavilion…”

All the servants in the hall were terrified.

They understood Li Xuan’s temperament well: when the Crown Prince was angry, he hated it most when servants clung to him incessantly. Yet, Qun Qing continued to plead, repeatedly calling Li Xuan not to throw her out.

Li Xuan’s pale fingers grasped his robe, enduring his discomfort as he pulled it free, casting her a weary glance, 

“Then as you wish, be expelled from the palace.”

Once those words were spoken, Zheng Zhiyi was stunned, Qun Qing fell silent, and just as she was about to plead again, Lanyue grabbed her sleeves and forcefully dragged her out, sternly saying, 

“Did you hear? You fool! Hurry up and pack your things, don’t stay here to annoy His Highness.”

Qun Qing’s pleas continued until they reached outside the pavilion, gradually fading away.

Such episodes of rewards and punishments often occurred; it was nothing new. An ordinary maid would not be remembered by any noble, especially by a Crown Prince whose ambitions lay far beyond.

Outside, the night was deep. Lanyue sighed with relief: someone was taking the blame, and Liangdi was finally safe.

Qun Qing also breathed a sigh of relief: she was unexpectedly lucky today, getting what she wanted.

She wiped the wine from her face with her fingers, her dark eyes unusually calm. Holding her bundle in one hand and being pulled by Lanyue with the other, as they passed through the flower garden, she secretly tossed the empty wax seal into the bushes, and upon seeing the lark pick it up, she felt reassured and continued on.

Perhaps An Lin would be shocked by her speed of leaving the palace.

The only pity was that the Crown Prince did not expel her sooner. Now, with the palace gates locked, even if she were to be swept out, she would have to wait until the next morning to truly leave.

“Lanyue, where are you taking me?” Qun Qing asked.

She noticed they were nearing the Cheng’an Gate. Inside was a narrow stable, a place where inner palace officials and maids could spend the night if they needed to leave early the next morning.

Clearly, Lanyue was unwilling to let her spend even this last night in her quarters.

“Sister, I just thought of something…” Qun Qing refused to budge.

Lanyue dragged her along like a burlap sack,

“I don’t want to hear it.”

“I remembered that my palace credentials are still with the Bureau of Palace Attendants. As long as my credentials aren’t stamped with the expulsion mark, I am still a palace maid. You treat me like this, be careful I don’t turn the tables on you in the future…” Qun Qing said hurriedly.

“Turn the tables? Do you think spending one more night will change anything?” Lanyue laughed at her audacity, 

“I have acquaintances in the Bureau of Palace Attendants. I’ll help you get the stamp tonight and put your hopes to rest! Once the palace gates open tomorrow, get out immediately!”

The Six Palaces of the Bureau of Palace Attendants—De Wen, De Xin, Chong An, and Chong Jing—were magnificent under their flying eaves. The simple round lanterns illuminated the tightly shut palace doors. It was deep night, and the female officials had already retired.

Lanyue was not lying; it seemed she truly had acquaintances. She chatted with the palace officer on duty for a while and managed to wake the attendant wrapped in a sleeping robe to open the door for her.

The palace attendant was responsible for managing keys, and every key in the palace was recorded and kept by her. Unable to resist Lanyue’s pleas, the attendant went to retrieve the keys from the main hall of the Bureau of Palace Attendants. After a while, she emerged empty-handed and whispered a few words to Lanyue. Her voice was distinctly audible in the night: 

“Can’t find it? How is that possible?”

Cold sweat trickled from Qun Qing’s fingertips hidden in her sleeves.

The attendant was searching for the palace records, while Lanyue paced back and forth in agitation, completely unaware that behind her, Qun Qing was even more tormented.

Qun Qing was just one step away from leaving the palace—her palace credentials still held at the Bureau of Palace Attendants. As long as she had the credentials stamped with “expulsion,” she could exchange them for a token and leave safely.

Qun Qing waited for a long time, long enough for her heart to sink like the setting sun, until she finally saw the attendant draped in a robe walking straight toward her.

The attendant was not carrying the credentials but was holding a lantern. The white light suddenly illuminated the area in front of her. Qun Qing turned her face aside, and as the attendant recognized her, she turned to Lanyue, 

“Who ordered the expulsion of this maid?”

“By order of His Highness the Crown Prince. She has been of poor character, and His Highness was greatly angered. Please, Attendant Xu, hurry and stamp her expulsion; we cannot allow such a person to remain in the palace.”

“I have some impression of you; you were transferred from Yeting?” Attendant Xu looked at Qun Qing. 

“Your credentials are not with me; Yeting hasn’t sent them yet.”

Qun Qing felt a surge of uncertainty.

Lanyue urgently exclaimed, 

“That can’t be! How long has it been? Attendant Wang just saw the credentials of other Yeting maids; how could hers be missing? Shouldn’t they all be together? Was Attendant Xu not thorough in her search? If you’re tired and unwilling to move, I could go inside to look myself.”

Attendant Xu coldly regarded her, 

“Do you think the Six Palaces are your home?”

Lanyue choked, 

“I serve His Highness the Crown Prince! I could go ask in Yeting. If it’s not found, you will have to make a trip anyway. Isn’t this your duty?”

Holding the lantern, Attendant Xu turned to leave, 

“I don’t care who you ask! Palace officials don’t work emergency night shifts. Even if the Emperor himself came to knock, I wouldn’t open the door. Come back tomorrow when I’m on duty; I will look for it again according to the rules.”

“You!” Lanyue was so furious she almost jumped, but there were plenty of female officials in the palace who were equally unyielding. She took out a gold bead, ready to chase after Attendant Xu, but then hesitated.

A distant, ethereal voice called out to them both.

Ruxian’s voice grew closer as she rushed in holding a lantern, breathless, 

“I finally found you! Sister, His Highness has rescinded the command; you should hurry back!”

Lanyue stood frozen, her eyes wide, staring at Qun Qing.

Could there really be a turn of events? Was Qun Qing perhaps blessed with good fortune, even the heavens aiding her?

Qun Qing’s gaze was glued to the nearby palace gate. The cool breeze brushed against her damp clothes, and she finally felt a sense of desolation as the chill crept up to her forehead, bringing her back to her senses, causing her to retract her gaze.

It felt disappointing to have her wishes fall through; to say she wasn’t disheartened would be a lie. But given the situation, Qun Qing could only accept it.

Unexpected events are always filled with loopholes.

Qun Qing comforted herself this way.

She asked Ruxian, 

“What will happen when we go back? How will I be punished?”

If she made a misstep, she needed to know what kind of situation she would face next.

“Confinement…,” Ruxian said. Seeing Qun Qing’s gloomy expression, she must have been frightened. She took Qun Qing’s hand with her cold fingers, 

“It’s just confinement in a side hall; this is much better than being expelled!”

Confinement, after all, was much lighter than what Qun Qing had anticipated. She had thought he would send her back to Yeting, and if that happened, wouldn’t all her efforts be in vain? Her tension dissipated as the three of them returned, each harboring their own thoughts.

Yet, the Crown Prince was not someone who changed his orders on a whim. Why would he suddenly show mercy and spare her?

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