After Rebirth, I Married my Archenemy - Chapter 48
Qun Qing said, “I’m sorry, I instinctively went to higher ground to avoid water and ended up at the pavilion on Chaofeng Terrace.”
She had a perfect view of everything, from Cui Ying falling into the water to Jian Su and Zhu Su retrieving her.
Jian Su and Zhu Su exchanged a glance, thinking:
What a formidable woman—truly the mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind.
“Did you see who did it?” Lu Huating asked.
“That person was wearing a straw raincoat, so their face was obscured. But judging by their figure, it was a woman,” Qun Qing replied. “She left heading in the direction of the Six Department of Palace Services.”
Xiao Jingxing quickly reassured her,
“Lady Qing, there’s no need to worry. Just proceed with your examination as usual. This person is most likely a Southern Chu spy, and we will catch her.”
Lu Huating watched as Xiao Jingxing consoled Qun Qing, who surprisingly nodded earnestly and looked away, seemingly suppressing the urge to speak. Her gaze landed on the wall.
“What about the token?”
“When Cui Ying fell into the water during the exam, her token was dropped in the examination hall, and I picked it up,” Qun Qing said calmly. “I saw her fall, and the advisor pulled her out. Whether she survives or not is uncertain, but given the advisor’s history of corpse-swapping, I thought: if something happens to her, having her belongings on me would be hard to explain if searched. So, rather than being passive, I figured I’d take the initiative and report the matter to the Court of Judicial Review, handing over the token and any clues. By chance, I ran into Sir Xiao at the gate.”
The casual “Sir Xiao” caught Lu Huating’s attention.
Xiao Jingxing added, “Lady Qing acted promptly. Had she not informed me of your involvement, I might have been blindsided by a corpse appearing tomorrow, disrupting your plans.”
Earlier, Qun Qing had volunteered to enter the confinement cell, sitting in the cramped chair as she gave instructions. She calculated that news of Cui Ying’s disappearance would take time to spread, and even longer for the discovery of her body to reach outside the palace. Using this window, she arranged for two female officials from the Court of Judicial Review to disguise themselves as maids and use Cui Ying’s token to visit her ancestral home in the southern provinces under the pretense of retrieving her belongings.
“Cui Ying’s temperament was notorious—she would scold or dismiss her maids at the slightest offense. As such, the staff at her ancestral home were accustomed to frequent maid changes. They didn’t question the token and allowed the disguised officials entry,” Xiao Jingxing explained, his eyes glinting in the firelight. “While they didn’t find the most critical ledger in Cui Ying and Cui Zhu’s quarters, they uncovered other incriminating evidence.”
Lu Huating’s hand in his sleeve curled slightly. He didn’t need Xiao Jingxing to elaborate further; he could already picture the scene. His gaze landed on Qun Qing’s silhouette in the shadows, inexplicably irritated. How many people could shine so brightly? Was this how she won over those who admired her?
It turned out it wasn’t just him—others could see it too.
Xiao Jingxing, known for his cold and aloof temperament, rarely regarded others highly. Yet in just one day, he seemed more familiar with Qun Qing than with Lu Huating himself. Unable to contain his dissatisfaction,
Lu Huating cut in, “When will she be released?”
Lu Huating’s tone was calm, but it carried an icy edge, as if shattering jade.
“Oh, according to the laws of Dacheng, any innocent party implicated in palace cases can be detained for one day and night before release,” Xiao Jingxing said, signaling a clerk to unlock the cell. “Lady Qing, you’re free to leave.”
The cell door creaked open.
Xiao Jingxing inclined his head slightly. Lu Huating stood with a lamp at a distance, while Qun Qing sat inside. They faced each other across the threshold, seemingly assessing one another, neither making a move.
“Aren’t you two acquainted?” Xiao Jingxing asked with mild confusion. “Last time, with the umbrella… Fine, I won’t bring it up.” Turning to Lu Huating, he added, “Lady Qing has no one to escort her. Since you’re here, why not see her back?”
Not wanting to alarm Lan Yue and the others, Qun Qing hadn’t informed them. Though she had endured a day and night in confinement, she struggled as she stood, her legs numb and weak. She barely managed to walk out, each step tingling with pins and needles.
Her vision briefly blurred, and as she swayed, Lu Huating suddenly grabbed her arm. The warmth and strength of his grip steadied her.
The pressure tightened momentarily before releasing. He slipped a cloth pouch into her hand. “Lady Qing seems to have a constitution that doesn’t handle hunger well. You should carry some food with you.”
It was Lu Huating’s usual nonchalant yet melodious tone. However, it felt strange to hear such observations about herself from a political rival.
Not overthinking it, Qun Qing opened the pouch to find candied osmanthus. She popped one into her mouth, savoring the floral sweetness before resealing the pouch and attempting to return it.
Lu Huating, still holding the lamp, didn’t take it.
“It’s a cheap thing. Keep it.”
His gesture implied that since it wasn’t valuable and she had already touched it, it was better left with her.
Civil servants typically wouldn’t carry sweet osmanthus candy with them. Perhaps it was a gift from the restaurant. Qun Qing felt speechless but carefully wrapped it up and placed it in her bag. She didn’t think it was cheap; on the contrary, she hadn’t tasted handmade sweet osmanthus candy in ages and found it particularly sweet.
The palace gates were locked, and no palace maids were in sight. The air, freshened by the recent rain, carried a crisp chill. Qun Qing heard Lu Huating’s voice:
“Wang Siyi is dead, and now there’s a girl in a straw raincoat. My lady should tread carefully in the palace from now on. You won’t be so lucky every time.”
Clearly, he already knew. The spies from Southern Chu were suspicious of one another, and his words dripped with mockery.
Qun Qing replied calmly, “As long as the advisor doesn’t trouble me, I always manage to find luck.”
Lu Huating turned to look at her, meeting her moonlit gaze. Her innocent expression contradicted the subtle game she was playing. Lowering his lashes, he shifted his focus to the moonlight and murmured,
“I gave you a chance, yet you insisted on opposing me.”
Serving the Prince Yan was impossible for her. She hadn’t killed Lu Huating, and if anything, Li Huan owed her mother gratitude for that restraint. His resolve was as unyielding as stone, and his reaction was exactly what Qun Qing had expected. She chose to remain silent.
He had likely gone to Xiao Jingxing today to cover for her, ensuring their second visit to Si Ye Tower would proceed without trouble.
Every move he made was calculated against the Cui and Meng families. If this was a contest with Chancellor Meng, it aligned with Qun Qing’s deductions. Yet, something she overheard today unsettled her.
“Are you and Baoshu really siblings?” she couldn’t help but ask.
To her surprise, Lu Huating’s eyes darkened with fear, his presence exuding a sudden chill. His voice turned cold.
“With our relationship, do you truly need to know such things?”
Without waiting for her reply, he glanced back. Seeing that the Dali Court was already too far to discern, he thrust the lantern into Qun Qing’s hands and strode briskly into the night.
Qun Qing held the lantern, stunned at how easily she had unnerved him. Clearly, he hadn’t anticipated her presence at the Dali Court; otherwise, he would never have given her the chance to uncover such secrets. Watching his silhouette disappear into the night, she softly called out,
“Advisor.”
When Lu Huating looked back, Qun Qing glanced at the lantern and added,
“Let’s walk a little farther and part ways at the bridge.”
The moonlight illuminated her cheek, where bloodstains from the earlier clash mingled with her delicate features. Perhaps due to her injury, her usual cunning veneer seemed stripped away, leaving her with an air of striking sincerity.
Lu Huating paused, then slowly emerged from the shadows and walked beside her. Qun Qing raised the lantern, lighting their shared path in silence.
Glancing sideways, Lu Huating noticed her fair skin, where the distinct imprint of a hand stood out starkly.
They soon reached the bridge, where moonlit ripples danced across the water. Lu Huating stopped, averting his gaze.
To his surprise, Qun Qing abruptly thrust the lantern into his arms, nearly shoving him into the bushes. Before he could steady himself and look up, she had already fled, her skirt swishing as she ran, her shawl fluttering behind her. From a distance, she even turned her head back and seemed to smile..
Lu Huating was momentarily speechless, his heart pounding. Slowly, he brushed off the leaves clinging to his sleeves.
At the Shangfu Bureau, something went awry during the examinations, and the news reached Li Xuan. When Qun Qing arrived at Qingxuan Pavilion to report, she said,
“The first two tests went smoothly. We’re only waiting for the third and fourth.”
Li Xuan waved his hand, signaling her to rise. His focus wasn’t on the exams but on the recent death. When Qun Qing lifted her head, his eyes fell on her right cheek. He was momentarily stunned.
“Your face… what happened?”
Qun Qing, aware of the swelling, touched her cheek lightly. Though painful, it was nothing compared to the bone-deep ache she had endured earlier.
“Han Wanyi struck me,” she said plainly.
Before Li Xuan could respond, she bowed and continued, “I have reached an agreement with Han Wanyi. If Your Highness assists her in removing the imperial child, she’s willing to form an alliance with you.”
Han Qingxu was the most resourceful figure in Emperor Chenming’s harem, but Han Wanyi already possessed an established power base. Aligning her with the crown prince ensured that once Qun Qing left the palace, Li Xuan’s attempts to force her to stay would be less likely.
Li Xuan remained silent for a long moment, his gaze complicated as he looked at her.
She worked too fast.
All he’d asked was for Qun Qing to take the exam. Yet, not only had she done so and endured a beating, she had even won over Han Wanyi.
“And how,” Li Xuan finally asked, forcing himself to speak, “do you plan to resolve the matter of the imperial child?”
Qun Qing smiled faintly.
“I haven’t figured that out yet.”
“How dare you agree without my permission?” Li Xuan was furious.
“I thought there are still a few months before the end of pregnancy,” Qun Qing’s eyelashes trembled as she tested the waters. “You can think it over slowly in the meantime.”
Li Xuan’s face darkened. Never would he have imagined that one day, as the Crown Prince, he would conspire with the inner palace to commit such a treasonous act and deceive the Emperor, all under Qun Qing’s influence. But now that they had come this far, what could be done?
In a calm voice, he ordered,
“Someone, bring the Jade Face Balm.”
As Li Xuan unscrewed the lid of the ointment, Qun Qing quickly interjected,
“Thank you, Your Highness, for the gift, but I can apply it myself.”
His hand froze in place, then he set the container down. After a moment, he looked at her, unwilling, his phoenix eyes staring directly at Qun Qing as he sneered,
“Rest assured, I have no interest in you.”
“I know,” Qun Qing replied with no hint of embarrassment, finally tucking the balm into her sleeve.
“I heard from Shouxi that Han Wanyi gave you trouble during the third trial?” Li Xuan’s fingers tightened as he asked about the examination.
“I was just about to report to Your Highness. The embroidery fabric used in the third trial was Huanxue Silk. I had never embroidered on it before, so I couldn’t grasp the technique,” Qun Qing explained. “I heard this silk was a tribute from Fusang, used for crafting prayer robes for offering Buddha’s relics. Your Highness should have some…”
“You want to practice on my prayer robes?” Li Xuan found it absurd. “I only have two sets, one as a spare. If you tear it, I won’t have anything to wear on that day.”
Yet, concerned that Qun Qing might fail the trial, he ordered Shouxi to fetch one set.
“Don’t others have any problems?”
“The daughters of noble families seem very adept. They must have prepared at home,” Qun Qing said as she received the snow-white prayer robe on a tray. She ran her fingers over the material, as delicate as cicada wings. A single mistake could puncture it, requiring her to adjust her needlework technique.
Though she spoke without malice, her words planted seeds in Li Xuan’s mind. As the Crown Prince, he had only two prayer robes, so where did these others acquire enough Huanxue Silk for their daughters to practice embroidery?
“No wonder Father is so furious. I think executing one as a warning to others is necessary to command respect from these prominent families.”
Qun Qing picked up the prayer robe and only cut a narrow strip from the hem to practice. Then she spread the robe open and asked,
“Does Your Highness find any part of this garment unsuitable?”
Li Xuan was puzzled.
Qun Qing asked him to stand, then helped him put on the prayer robe. Looking down, Li Xuan noted,
“The shoulders seem to stick up, and the front hem droops downward.”
Qun Qing carefully measured, noting everything. Her touch on his shoulders was light as a feather, but her expression was meticulous and earnest. Li Xuan held his breath, remaining perfectly still.
“Your Highness only has two prayer robes. I can’t afford to ruin them just for practice,” Qun Qing said. “Please lend this robe to me. I will do my best to return it intact.”
Meanwhile, outside, Lan Yue couldn’t resist checking on Zheng Zhiyi’s slumber. She yawned as she peered through the window, startled to see shadows moving inside. Qun Qing, who should have been holding a lamp, was assisting Li Xuan in dressing.
Because of the assassination threats, Li Xuan disliked having anyone near him. He never allowed palace maids to assist him with his clothing, making this scene even more bizarre.
Lan Yue thought she was dreaming. Rubbing her eyes, she confirmed Li Xuan and Qun Qing were indeed conversing, their demeanor surprisingly familiar.
Inside the curtains, Zheng Zhiyi slept soundly. Lan Yue’s mind buzzed with confusion, leaving her unsure of what to do.
Returning to the side hall, Qun Qing placed the Huanxue Silk made prayer robe aside, quickly lit a lamp, and began cutting paper.
Although it was late at night, she felt no fatigue. Her heart pounded in her chest, energized by an important discovery earlier that day while reviewing documents.
The Western Barbarian Kingdom’s defeat led to a retreat. Prince Yan and Prince Zhao secured a major victory. Prince Yan’s army would return to Chang’an via Jian’nan Road by the end of the month, while Prince Zhao would first inspect water management in the south.
Li Huan was coming back!
Qun Qing meticulously memorized the battle report, then relayed it to An Lin.
An Lin, who had previously persuaded the Crown Prince of Southern Chu, decided to wait for Li Huan’s return before ambushing him. But when asked whether to proceed, Qun Qing hesitated.
While she wanted Li Huan dead, she worried the plan might hinder her departure from the palace.
As she pondered, Qun Qing absently broke open a few wax pellets from her makeup box—gifts from Su Run. Though he nervous at Princess Danyang’s residence, Su Run insisted on helping her, and Qun Qing secretly gave him a lark to use for communication.
Su Run thought of himself as her subordinate and nearly shared every detail of the princess’s mansion and its daily life. Qun Qing only read his reports when she felt bored.
“Princess Danyang summoned two male pipa musicians today and ordered me to serve them. Since I didn’t know how to toast, the princess scolded me.”
“Princess Danyang asked me to dance, but I refused. I’d rather die than perform something so seductive. She scolded me and imposed a fine.”
“The princess scolded me again today because I refused to drink with other family officials. My mother and sister had promised I wouldn’t touch alcohol, but I couldn’t comply. What should I do?”
Qun Qing scanned these entries, realizing that Lu Huating was truly devious to send Su Run to Princess Danyang. Fortunately, Su Run’s tenacity allowed him to endure the princess’s temperament.
Princess Danyang, however, turned out to be different from what Qun Qing had expected. She thought the princess was lying low after being stripped of her military authority, but perhaps she had been completely broken by it instead.
“Recently, Meng Guanlou came to visit. This morning, Princess Danyang took off her clothes, lay on a low couch, and ordered me to paint her. It’s inhumane, but I can’t defy her threats. I don’t know how to handle this—please advise me, my lady.”
Reading this, Qun Qing stood up abruptly and wrote back: “Better to be punished than to act.”
Until now, the issues were limited to drinking and dancing. For the princess to suddenly act so outrageously seemed deliberate. Qun Qing suspected she was using Su Run to provoke Meng Guanlou.
She quickly kneaded a wax ball, placed it in the groove beneath the window frame, and began reflecting on another matter.
The assassination had been orchestrated by spies from Nanchu. She was merely a messenger in the scheme, the link in a long chain of transmission. By the time anyone traced it back to her, she would have left the palace.
If there was a chance to eliminate Li Huan without getting directly involved, she was willing to attempt it in this life.
Hatred welled up within her. Suppressing it, she picked up her pen and wrote under the dim light, the characters deliberate: Act.
Throwing the wax pellet into the bushes, she froze at a faint noise by the window. Opening it suddenly, she nearly bumped into Lan Yue, whose evasive expression betrayed her.
“What are you doing outside? Why not come in?” Qun Qing’s gaze softened, though her guard remained up.
The grove beneath her window often concealed wax pellets. At this moment, Lan Yue unknowingly stood atop one in her embroidered shoes.
“I saw you awake so late and…” Lan Yue hesitated before blurting out, “Just now, I just saw you and the Crown Prince… Are you alright?”
“You saw me speaking with His Highness?” Qun Qing calmly reassured her, “I was carrying out His Highness’s orders. My duties are similar to Shouxi’s. Since His Highness prefers to keep things private, he hasn’t made it public.”
Lan Yue visibly relaxed, placing a hand over her chest, she murmured. “That makes sense. No wonder you suddenly wanted to take the examination of the six department of palace services. I didn’t dare ask—was that His Highness’s idea?”
Qun Qing nodded slightly. “Yes, His Highness asked me to gather information. I might not pass, and even if I do, I won’t stay. You know I plan to leave the palace.”
“You’re still determined to leave,” Lanyue said with a hint of disappointment. Apologetically, she added, “I was overthinking. I’ll head to bed now.”
As Lan Yue stepped away, her sleeve brushed against the windowsill, knocking the wax pellet loose. Two larks descended, each snatching a pellet before flying off.
Seeing the birds leave, Qun Qing double-checked the area and, finding no suspicious signs, closed the window. Exhausted, she lay down in bed, her mind weighed down with thoughts.