After Rebirth, I Married my Archenemy - Chapter 40
Leaving Pingkang District, the noise finally faded.
Under the faint glow of a lantern hanging at a wonton stall in the night market, Lu Huating examined the ledger.
The book was thin, merely a few dozen pages. He lingered over each page for a moment, pausing particularly long on one, though his expression remained calm and unreadable.
After finishing, he closed the book and returned it to Qun Qing.
Noticing her surprise, Lu Huating raised a slight smile.
“Isn’t this what Miss Qing wanted?”
It was what she wanted, but his easy handover raised her suspicions.
“Is there something wrong with this ledger? Why doesn’t the Advisor need it?”
“These few pages are genuine accounts transcribed by the pipa performer Lady Chun before her death,” Lu Huating explained. “It seems Cui Zhu kept the original accounts under tight surveillance, so Lady Chun couldn’t take them and had to rely on her memory to write this copy. However, this transcription lacks Cui Zhu’s signature and seal, allowing him to deny its authenticity. Without proof, the court cannot convict him.”
Qun Qing flipped through the book. The handwriting indeed matched Lady Chun’s. Realizing it contained only a few pages, she quietly folded the corner of the page Lu Huating had stared at earlier, a sense of disappointment welling up inside her.
“So, this ledger is useless?”
It was hard to imagine that after a full day of effort, this was all they had gained.
“Not at all,” Lu Huating replied. “I intend to retrieve the original ledger from Cui Zhu himself. This transcription serves as a reference. Only if it matches the transcription can it be considered genuine. Otherwise, it’s a forgery.”
“How does the Advisor plan to obtain it?” Qun Qing asked cautiously. “Even someone as close as Lady Chun couldn’t get it. It’ll take considerable effort.”
Lu Huating’s response was calm:
“I simply need Miss Qing’s help one more time.”
Qun Qing froze momentarily, then let out a cold chuckle.
It seemed her previous performance had been satisfactory, so much so that Lu Huating sought further collaboration. If there was another opportunity, she wouldn’t shy away from taking a risk. With her skills, the outcome of this endeavor—whether the original ledger ended up in her hands or his—remained uncertain.
“In that case, I’ll handle the planning next time,” Qun Qing said while walking ahead. Lu Huating’s gaze followed her as she added, “Cui Zhu seems to have an interest in me. I could use that to my advantage.”
Lu Huating’s eyes darkened slightly.
So, she knew all along.
Perhaps it was her serene, unassuming face that made her statement seem so casual. Yet somehow, hearing it left him with an inexplicable discomfort.
“So, earlier today, was your behavior toward Cui Zhu intentional?” His tone betrayed no emotion.
“I was merely mimicking the other courtesans’ mannerisms,” Qun Qing replied.
Her quick improvisation came naturally. Whether or not her act had been convincing, she didn’t know. Now that she thought about it, a lingering unease crept in.
A cool breeze carried the aroma and calls from the nearby food stalls. Hunger gnawed at Qun Qing, and she noticed an old vendor roasting water chestnuts over a steaming stove. The nostalgic scent reminded her of her childhood, but she had to return to the palace.
Lu Huating, noticing her lingering glances, bought a basket of the chestnuts.
“I’m to blame for delaying your dinner. Please, have some.”
As he lifted his robes and sat down, his intention to dine became apparent. Qun Qing hesitated.
“I need to leave.”
Lu Huating began wiping the table, indifferent to her urgency.
“Miss Qing insists on arriving at the last minute but now wants to leave early?”
“You’re deliberately delaying me until my token of passage expires at midnight. If I can’t return, there won’t be another opportunity,” Qun Qing retorted coldly.
“I have a way to ensure your return,” Lu Huating reassured her, glancing at the steaming chestnuts. “If you trust me, eating one won’t delay you.”
Reluctantly, Qun Qing sat across from him and picked up a water chestnut. She peeled it slowly, her careful movements betraying her unease, even causing a thin sheen of sweat to appear on her brow.
Watching her struggle, Lu Huating picked up the water chestnut and demonstrated. With a firm grip on both ends, he pushed the shell apart, revealing the soft, white flesh inside.
“Do it like this.”
The night breeze swayed the lantern above. Qun Qing stared at the water chestnut in his hand, finding the situation absurd. She tried his method on another water chestnut and succeeded.
“Does the Advisor often eat these?”
“You can find this kind of thing near water.,” he replied nonchalantly, placing the peeled water chestnut into his mouth.
Before Qun Qing could eat hers, a eunuch’s sharp voice pierced the air, followed by the clang of a gong:
“The Crown Prince is returning to the palace! Clear the way for the Crown Prince!”
Panicking, Qun Qing grabbed the basket and prepared to leave. Lu Huating held onto it firmly.
“I said you’ll make it back, and you will. Finish eating first.”
“I’ll eat when I’m back,” she countered.
“They’ll be cold by then,” he said, his bright black eyes unwavering as he looked at her. In his tone was the persistent persuasion of an aristocratic gentleman urging a friend to drink.
“Miss Qing, eat while they’re hot. The taste is entirely different.”
Qun Qing took a bite of the water chestnut, and the steaming aroma burst in her mouth. As she swallowed, the warmth spread through her body, soothing her entirely.
Li Xuan’s white egret carriage, adorned with fluttering pennants, moved slowly forward. The deep chime of the midnight bell tolled from the Chengtian Gate. Suddenly, a bright dragon lantern burst out from the Eastern Market, rolling merrily toward them. Drums and music erupted, fireworks shot into the sky, and the crowd shouted with excitement:
“Stop, stop, stop!”
It turned out that tonight, the ninth day of the month, was the night for the Eastern Market’s dragon lantern performance. The Crown Prince’s procession had to halt to let the enormous dragon lantern dance past.
The dazzling display blocked the palace guards’ formation, allowing a drab, dusty ox cart transporting incense for the palace to slip ahead. It took advantage of the moment to occupy the now-empty road, heading straight for the palace gates.
Qun Qing lifted a corner of the coarse cloth curtain on the ox cart.
Earlier, after Qun Qing ate the water chestnut, Lu Huating stopped the young eunuch driving the cart, giving her the opportunity to sneak onto the ox cart when no one was watching.
Her gaze lingered briefly on the lively dragon lantern parade and the masked performers dancing energetically. The boisterous noise gradually receded into the distance.
She had prepared a fish-shaped token to enter the palace but remained concerned about the slow actions of the gate guards. If the dragon lantern passed and Li Xuan’s carriage caught up, they might run into each other at the gate.
To prevent this, she had just hurled a needle with all her strength at the corner of Li Xuan’s carriage, creating a slight disturbance.
Right after she threw it, she saw Lu Huating step onto the road and block Li Xuan’s procession.
Hurriedly, Qun Qing lowered the curtain as the ox cart entered the palace gates.
“Your Highness, Advisor Lu has blocked the path and wishes to speak with you,” Shouxi said with some irritation. Lu Huating’s actions were always brazen, but stopping the Crown Prince’s egret carriage in public was outright disrespectful.
Fatigue pressed heavily on Li Xuan as he rested his head and kept his eyes shut. Upon hearing this, he said,
“Let him speak.”
Lu Huating lifted the curtain of the carriage and offered his apologies to Li Xuan. Suddenly, there was a sharp noise. A corner of the intricately carved carriage window shattered, startling both men. Shouxi, alarmed, assumed an assassination attempt, but Li Xuan raised a hand to calm him.
“Don’t panic. It’s likely a flying stone kicked up by the dragon dance.”
Lu Huating’s gaze shifted upward. It wasn’t a stone—it was a shiny needle embedded in the window frame.
Qun Qing clearly didn’t trust him.
Unperturbed, Lu Huating pulled out the needle and asked,
“How did Your Highness find today’s investigation among the people?”
“The people are resentful and agitated,” Li Xuan replied, opening his slender phoenix-like eyes. “I’ve already sent someone to pacify them. Advisor, there seems to be a hint of alcohol on you. Were you just at Siye Tower?”
Lu Huating bowed before speaking solemnly.
“The Cui family has been digging underground chambers, using the pretext of issuing tokens to detain women from decent families among the refugees, subjecting them to abuse and forcing them into prostitution. Their crimes are countless. Has Your Highness considered how to deal with the Cui family?”
“They’ve harmed the people, so they’ll naturally be punished severely,” Li Xuan said with a cold smile. “Your probing makes it seem as though I’d shield them.”
Lu Huating replied, “The Cui family is about to marry into the Meng family. After all, Prime Minister Meng is Your Highness’s tutor, and his family is closely connected to the Eastern Palace.”
“The Meng family is the Meng family; I am myself. There is a distinction between ruler and minister, with the minister beneath the ruler,” Li Xuan said. “As the Crown Prince, I make my own decisions and don’t need your conjectures. You may leave.”
“With Your Highness’s reassurance, I am at ease,” Lu Huating said, bowing before taking his leave.
As the curtain fell back into place, Shouxi muttered,
“Truly baffling.”
“It’s not surprising,” Li Xuan said, his fatigue worsening into a headache. He massaged his temples with a frown. “Lu Huating is planning to act against the Cui family. He came to gauge my stance.”
“Then will Your Highness intervene?”
“They’ve committed countless crimes. Why should I stop him?” Li Xuan replied with a sneer. “But, Shouxi, remember this: in matters like this, it doesn’t matter whether the people are wronged, whether Lu Huating and the Meng family are at odds, or even what I think. What matters is the emperor’s will. If the emperor wishes to protect the Cui family, I’ll help mitigate their crimes. If he decides they should be punished, I’ll go along with it. Only by sitting in the highest seat can I have my own opinions.”
“I understand…” Shouxi murmured.
The egret carriage resumed its journey through the night. Weariness engulfed Li Xuan.
“Head to Qingxuan Pavilion—someone is still waiting there.”
The four small dishes for supper were hastily served at Qingxuan Pavilion.
Qun Qing had just returned and barely had time to retrieve the plain silk fan from her sleeve. “Ruochan, use this as a pattern for the floral embroidery,” she instructed.
The flowers painted in rouge on the fan seemed so vivid they could burn one’s gaze. After handing it to Ruochan, she didn’t spare it another glance, instead changing her attire and returning to her duties in the hall.
Li Xuan lightly tapped at the midnight snacks with his jade chopsticks but seemed to have no appetite, likely due to exhaustion. He glanced at Qun Qing under the lamplight.
“Have some yourself?”
Unaware of their earlier near encounter outside the palace, Li Xuan’s voice seemed distant to Qun Qing, as if the events beyond the palace were but a fleeting dream.
“I’ve already eaten, Your Highness.”
“Is it because there’s nothing you want to eat?” Li Xuan asked. “What would you like?”
Qun Qing replied, “I’d like to eat water chestnuts.”
Li Xuan’s expression froze briefly, a trace of disappointment flickering across his face. He did not pursue the matter further.
“There are no water chestnuts in the palace.”
The night deepened, with crickets singing incessantly. Lu Huating returned to the inner hall, carrying his outer robe. Jian Su and the others were already asleep.
Perhaps it was the earlier excitement, but in the darkness, a profound sense of solitude struck him.
In his hand, he still held the icy embroidered needle. Under the lamplight, he tried bending it forcefully, intending to break it, but the needle’s cold rigidity defied him. He had no choice but to give up, opened the drawer, and coldly threw the needle gently onto Qun Qing’s plain handkerchief.
A faint fragrance, reminiscent of floating tang blossoms against snow, lingered in the air. It came from the outer robe he had given Qun Qing. Picking it up, his long lashes reflected a frosty chill.
There was still half a pot of wine by the window. He drank it silently and swiftly, then threw the robe into the brazier, letting it burn to ashes where no one could see.
T/L:
Hi readers!
I’m excited to share some updates with you! 🎉 Starting today, I’ll be unlocking one chapter per day until Dec 8 as a token of gratitude for the amazing support I’ve received on Ko-fi. Thank you so much for your encouragement—it means the world to me! 💖
In addition, I’ll also begin releasing 2 advance chapters per day this month. I hope you look forward to the new chapters! 📖✨
On another note, I’ve recently started uploading two novels as pre-trial translations here on Dragonholic. I’d love for you to check them out and share your thoughts on whether I should continue translating these series. Your feedback is invaluable!
The titles of the novels are:
Both are now available, and I’m excited to hear what you think about them!
Also, I updated the term from “Six Ministries” to “Six Departments of Palace Services” to make things clearer. Apologies for the mix-up! From now on, I’ll be using “Six Ministries” to refer to the six main government ministries (like the Ministry of Rites or Ministry of Justice) instead.
If you’re curious, you can check out Liubu 六部 on ChinaKnowledge for more info about the Six Ministries.
Thank you again for your continuous support. Let’s enjoy these stories together! 💕