After Rebirth, I Married my Archenemy - Chapter 65

As the sun rose, the drifting white mist gradually dissipated, revealing the gleaming golden light atop the Zhaixing Tower.

Lu Huating looked up, spotting several coarse-clothed men crouched on the opposite eaves. Their faces were hidden behind roof ornaments, blending quietly with the architecture.

Looking downward, amidst the chanting voices, three attendants led a white horse around the Zhaixing Tower. On the horse’s back was a relic of Buddha’s bones. Whether it was the nobles gathered below or the commoners watching from afar, none dared to speak loudly.

In the vast space, only the sound of wooden fish and chanting filled the air.

The nobles had gathered beneath the tower. Empress Ma was particularly devout, supported by Princess Yan as tears of emotion glistened in her eyes. In stark contrast, Li Huan stood expressionless like an iron post, while Prince Zhao, Li Pan, appeared utterly disinterested, swaying on his feet as though about to doze off.

Li Xuan observed the behavior of those around him, standing straight and composed. He recalled that Qun Qing seemed to believe in such things but couldn’t spot her in the crowd. He asked, 

“Lady Qing isn’t here?”

Shouxi replied, “Lady Qing said she wasn’t feeling well and took leave to rest.”

“Not well? What’s wrong?”

“I’m not sure, Your Highness. I’ll send someone to check on her after this ends.”

Li Xuan nodded. Before him, dozens of palace maids adorned in ceremonial makeup, each holding a flower, processed in orderly rows.

The maids varied in age and physique but all carried themselves with focused solemnity, reflecting the emperor’s grace. They were to be released from the palace, and the harmony of their demeanor was striking.

Their ceremonial robes trailed across the velvet carpet. Lin Yujia, observing from afar, stared intently at the carpet. Seeing no sparks, he felt puzzled. He had tampered with it through Chu Dianyi and expected results. It must be the heavy morning dew; the spectacle would likely occur once the sun fully emerged.

Li Xuan hadn’t paid attention to the maids’ appearances, letting their hems pass in his line of sight until one maid’s gait struck him as familiar. His gaze shifted upward.

The maid had her head lowered and lashes downcast, yet even with her face obscured by ceremonial makeup, Li Xuan recognized her. He stared at her for several moments, his breath hitching. She was clearly in the procession—what was her reason for lying about being unwell?

Qun Qing, catching Li Xuan’s gaze lingering on her, realized he had spotted her. Up ahead, Zheng Zhiyi raised her voice, 

“Your Highness, you look pale—are you unwell?”

Zheng Zhiyi, holding a snow-white Udumbara flower, led this group of flower-bearing palace maids. She turned her gaze back toward Li Xuan, her expression carrying a subtle warning.

Li Xuan glared at her, but Zheng Zhiyi’s eyes showed no fear, suggesting her involvement in this.

Her question drew everyone’s attention to Li Xuan, including Emperor Chenming’s faintly disapproving glance. Under such scrutiny, Li Xuan suppressed his emotions and replied, 

“I am fine. I simply look pale during autumn. The Crown Princess needn’t be overly concerned; do not disrupt the procession. I am still waiting to escort the relic into the tower.”

Seeing Li Xuan’s restraint, Qun Qing tightened her grip on the flower and left with the other palace maids.

Upon returning to the incense stand, Qun Qing cast a deep, meaningful gaze at Lin Yujia.

Lin Yujia, representing the Ministry of Rites, was reciting prayers while holding three incense sticks. As their eyes met through the rising smoke, he curled his lips into a sinister smirk. Poor Liu Niang, so eager for revenge, he thought, unaware that once he acted, she would be the first to be implicated.

However, the unfavorable wind direction caused smoke to blow into Lin Yujia’s face, reddening his eyes.

When placing the incense into the stand, his hand trembled, causing a long piece of ash to fall onto the velvet carpet.

If the carpet’s flammable core caught fire, it would quickly spread toward the nobles. Yet, after a moment’s observation, his brow furrowed.

The ash scattered on the carpet showed no sign of igniting.

The carpet was different.

Realizing someone must have replaced the castor oil-soaked carpet, Lin Yujia glanced at Qun Qing. She feigned ignorance, gesturing for him to act.

Lin Yujia hesitated, then ignited a corner of the prayer scroll over the brazier, his mind a tangled mess. According to their plan, he was to “accidentally” drop the scroll onto the carpet. But now, he had no choice but to abandon the plan.

It seemed someone had discovered their plot. If Qun Qing wanted revenge, she would have to act on her own—he wouldn’t leave himself exposed.

Resolving this, Lin Yujia carefully burned the prayer scroll in the brazier, exhaling in relief as he stood aside.

He stole a glance at Qun Qing, only to find her smiling instead of looking disappointed.

Her smile was faint, like a spring breeze, a sign of quiet relief. But it stirred a sense of foreboding within Lin Yujia.

Qun Qing raised her eyes, gazing at the blazing sunlight above. Lin Yujia felt a sudden warmth on his shoulders as the wind picked up sharply, slicing across his face like blades.

In the gust, the wooden frame supporting the brazier unexpectedly snapped with a crack. The brazier toppled, spilling its contents at Lin Yujia’s feet. The section of the carpet he stood on burst into flames, licking the hem of his ceremonial robe and rapidly engulfing his entire figure in fire.

Thanks to phosphorus powder, the flames erupted in dazzling green light, making the scene both brilliant and horrifying.

The event unfolded in mere moments. The onlookers, including Emperor Chenming and the empress beneath the tower, were stunned into silence, their eyes reflecting the vivid light.

Then came the rhythmic sound of drums from above, interwoven with ethereal music. Qun Qing looked up to see four men standing on the surrounding eaves. One of them unfurled a thick, damp black cloth with a dramatic flourish. With skillful coordination, they secured its corners and descended like falling shadows, bells at their waists jingling crisply.

The men descended directly upon Lin Yujia, using the cloth to smother the flames. In an instant, the blazing fireball was extinguished, and Lin Yujia was carried away.

Watching this, Qun Qing mused that Lin Yujia indeed had a backup plan.

But it no longer mattered.

Outside the palace gates, the little child raised high on someone’s shoulders giggled, pointing and exclaiming, 

“Grandpa, look! It’s an acrobat show, just like the ones we’ve seen in Chang’an!”

Indeed, in the eastern market and western district, wandering performers often showcased acrobatics, including fire-spitting and flame tricks. These performances seemed dangerous but were executed with exceptional skill.

The sound of drums and gongs became even more fervent. In the open space, a brand-new dancing lion appeared, skillfully tossing and catching a brocade ball as it circled the carpet.

Realizing it was a performance, the commoners clapped and cheered, exclaiming, 

“Today is truly a festive occasion; it’s only fitting to celebrate!”

Amid the lively commotion, four strong men quietly carried Lin Yujia back to the De Lin Hall.

Lu Huating heard the footsteps and asked, 

“Is he dead?”

“Following the advisor’s instructions, we wrapped him in time. He’s alive, but the burns on his legs and body are severe enough to make him suffer for a while.”

The air was thick with the stench of scorching, even carrying a faint aroma of roasted meat. Jian Su uttered a quiet “Amitabha,” 

while Zhu Su waved a hand. “Quickly take him away and lock him up. In his current state, it’ll take days of treatment before we can interrogate him.”

From a distance, Lu Huating saw Qun Qing standing amidst the crowd, seemingly watching the lion dance, and he chuckled. 

“Who would’ve thought that Lady Qing could be so ruthless to her fiance? If I hadn’t intervened, she would’ve destroyed the leverage she promised me. Since it’s burned, why not make the spectacle even grander?”

When the lion dance ended, the crowd clapped heartily, except for the observing nobles.

Emperor Chenming’s face turned ashen. Fortunately, the ministers were far away, and the commoners didn’t notice anything amiss. Forcing a smile, he pushed the ceremony forward, ordering the emissaries to enshrine the Buddha’s relics in the Zhaixing Tower.

Inside the palace city, the Buddha relics were received without incident. Emperor Chenming then issued an edict to reduce household taxes for two years and grant fish, meat, and grain to the people. The cheers of the commoners grew louder and louder, and Chang’an seemed to be emerging from the shadow of war, fully embracing the embrace of the Chen Dynasty.

“Advisor, something terrible has happened!” Jian Su rushed in, exclaiming, “Because of the earlier fire, His Majesty is furious and has summoned everyone to the hall. The Crown Princess suddenly began accusing Princess Yan. I’m afraid the princess will be punished.”

This move was excessive and could indeed provoke imperial wrath. Upon hearing this, Lu Huating rose and said, 

“Tell the princess to push all blame onto me.”

He hurriedly descended the stairs.

As he descended, Qun Qing was pulling Lady Zhang, heading straight for the Shanggong Bureau.

Emperor Chenming had no interest in paying attention to this group of palace maids, so he let Zheng Zhiyi give the order to release them. Seizing the opportunity, she freed them. Qun Qing took a shortcut through less crowded paths in the palace.

Lady Zhang asked, “Why the rush? Aren’t you going to bid farewell to the others in the palace?”

Qun Qing had already taken their palace registry records from the female official. Each was stamped with the bright red character “expelled.” With this, she was no longer a servant of the palace.

Glancing at the registry, Qun Qing tucked it into her bundle and said to Lady Zhang, “Thank you for your help along the way. The promise I made to you has been fulfilled. I hope you will find boundless freedom and never be enslaved again. I wish I could chat longer with you, but today, we must part ways.”

Lady Zhang opened her mouth to speak, but before she could respond, Qun Qing hugged her tightly.

When she came to her senses, Qun Qing had already released her and turned to leave the palace gates.

There were three gates in total. By the time Qun Qing stepped out of the palace city, her feet were aching, sweat dampened the back of her neck, and the sun overhead hadn’t moved an inch.

Meanwhile, the side hall doors opened as Lu Huating entered and pleaded guilty to Emperor Chenming. 

“The Ministry of Rites Officer Lin Yujia is suspected of being a spy from Southern Chu, attempting to sabotage the ceremony. It was I who acted hastily in apprehending him, fearing it would disrupt the ceremony. The princess knew nothing of it.”

Lu Huating glanced at Zheng Zhiyi. This Crown Princess, supported by Qun Qing, used to speak recklessly in her youth but had grown increasingly composed of late.

Zheng Zhiyi and Princess Yan had always been amicable. Her sudden outburst now felt peculiar.

If she had been instructed by someone else, thinking that targeting Princess Yan would restore her control over the harem, it would be incredibly foolish. Qun Qing was not so naive.

Something seemed amiss, but he couldn’t pinpoint it for the moment.

As he was about to speak, Xiao Yunru softly confessed, “Your Majesty, Your Highness, I am indeed at fault. Lately, my body has been unwell. I’ve often felt discomfort and lazily entrusted the ceremony arrangements entirely to the advisor. Yesterday, I consulted the imperial physician and discovered I am four months pregnant.”

Her words caused everyone’s expressions to change.

Emperor Chenming and Empress Ma were overjoyed. The recent sorrow over Consort Han’s miscarriage was dispelled by this news. Empress Ma beamed with delight. 

“This is wonderful news! I’m going to be a grandmother! Why are you still kneeling? Quickly, bring her a seat.”

Li Huan’s mask hid his shock, and Lu Huating was equally surprised. Xiao Yunru had never mentioned her pregnancy to him.

Xiao Yunru glanced at them and gestured subtly to indicate she had it under control. She said to Empress Ma, 

“Royal children are hard to raise, and my health is poor. I humbly ask Mother to issue an edict to keep this news private for now.”

“You all heard that, didn’t you? Seal your lips tight. If anyone leaks this, His Majesty will punish them severely.” Empress Ma then motioned to the imperial attendants.

With Princess Yan expecting, there was no point in pursuing any blame for negligence. Li Pan couldn’t help but glance at Li Xuan and said, 

“Who would have thought Sanlang would be the first among us to become a grandfather? Truly, congratulations.”

Li Xuan remained silent.

The birth of the imperial grandson by Princess Yan was undoubtedly a significant bargaining chip, one that could even shift Emperor Chenming’s favor towards Prince Yan.

He wanted to discuss it with Qun Qing but was suddenly reminded of the odd events earlier. Unease crept into his heart. Raising his phoenix-like eyes, he said to Zheng Zhiyi, “Father and Mother, let Prince Yan escort the princess back to rest early. Crown Princess, come back to the palace with me.”

Qun Qing passed through the palace gates and stepped briskly onto the street, her heart stressed with tension.

Her palace registry was handed to An Lin, who passed it to a petite official from the Ministry of Revenue. When it was returned, it had been exchanged for a thin permit.

The permit was then handed to a Jinwu Guard patrolling the street. After a brief glance, he returned it to Qun Qing and waved her on. An Lin exhaled in relief. 

“It seems there’s no issue.”

Qun Qing recounted how Lin Yujia had fallen into Lu Huating’s hands and added, 

“Brother An, I need to check on Fang Xie. I’ll contact you later via the lark.”

A young lady just leaving the palace needed to familiarize herself with her surroundings, find a place to stay, and purchase clothing. An Lin knew it wouldn’t be appropriate to follow her, so he gently advised, 

“There’s no pressing task at the moment. Take your time exploring. Find a discreet residence, and if you’re free, come find me or Yue Niang.”

Qun Qing thanked An Lin and crossed the street. Seeing no spies nearby, she broke into a run. She darted past trees and shops until the houses became sparse, the view opened up, and a misty river appeared before her.

At the bustling dock, the wind tugged at her clothing, and boats lined the Chan River. A figure spotted her, approached swiftly, and grabbed her arm. 

“Sister!”

It was Fang Xie, carrying a bundle and clearly waiting for her for some time. Before he could speak, Qun Qing pulled him onto a boat. 

“Quick!”

The journey had gone too smoothly. Only when she handed silver ingots and their permits to the workers and slipped into the narrow cargo hold did she finally kneel on the wooden floor, inhaling the damp, moldy air. Feeling the tremors and jolts of the boat’s movement, she realized—she had truly left the palace.

“Sister, have some water,” Fang Xie’s soft voice sounded from behind, dreamlike as he handed her a water pouch.

Through the gap in the window, Qun Qing watched the river rippling as the boat passed, her heart stirring with faint uncertainty. She was seasick and vomited after just a sip.

The sky turned gray, and a suffocating atmosphere enveloped Qingxuan Pavilion. Even the lampstands and incense burners seemed shrouded in a cold gloom.

Li Xuan sat in his chair, while Zheng Zhiyi stood stiffly upright nearby, with Consort Han fanning herself at the side.

Before leaving, Qun Qing had specifically instructed Zheng Zhiyi to invite Consort Han over to avoid Li Xuan causing trouble.

Shouxi reported, “Your Highness, the palace maids have already left. The Shanggong Bureau provided proper documentation, and they left the gates immediately. It’s likely too late to track them now.”

Li Xuan remained silent. Rising to his feet, he ignored Shouxi’s attempts to stop him and walked to the side hall, kicking the door open.

The door creaked weakly as it swung inward.

The Crown Prince rarely lost his composure in anger, and Shouxi froze in fear.

The side hall, Qun Qing’s former residence, was being seen for the first time today. The bed curtains swayed gently in the breeze, and the room was impeccably tidy, as if newly arranged. The desk and cabinets were bare, with all writing materials cleared away.

Just yesterday, she had slept here. Today, she was gone. It was absurd.

“Did you know about this?” he asked in a low voice.

“This servant is guilty for failing to notice,” Shouxi hurriedly replied. “But that young lady, after all the effort Your Highness put into grooming her, how could she be so ungrateful?”

Li Xuan suddenly recalled that when reviewing documents earlier, Qun Qing had persistently urged Princess Yan Consort to release palace staff.

So she had been plotting this for some time.

“Indeed, ungrateful,” Li Xuan said through clenched teeth. Returning to the main hall, his pace quickened. The humiliation of being deceived simmered into a cold rage. When his eyes met Zheng Zhiyi’s defiant gaze, his anger erupted.

“You’ve grown bold,” he said.

“What have I done? It was Princess Yan Consort who released them, and Qun Qing wanted to leave,” Zheng Zhiyi retorted.

“Do you know how much confidential information she’s handled?” Li Xuan demanded. “How could you let her leave the palace? How dare you?”

Zheng Zhiyi countered sharply, “Qun Qing said she wanted to leave to get married. How was I supposed to know anything about confidential matters? You’ve never told me!”

“Are you out of your mind?” Li Xuan roared.

“I think you’re the one who’s lost your mind,” Zheng Zhiyi replied, uncharacteristically calm. Her dark eyes reflected his face as she added, “I am your Crown Princess.”

Her words jolted him back to reality.

Yes, the person before him was his wife, his companion. How could he have lost composure over a servant girl at her disposal?

“Alright, alright,” Consort Han interjected to diffuse the tension. “Your Highness, don’t take your anger out on the Crown Princess. Qun Qing was clever, but there are plenty of people in this world cleverer than her. Everyone has their own path. Why force things? In a few days, Your Highness won’t even remember her.”

Li Xuan glanced at Consort Han.

Before leaving, Qun Qing had aligned herself with Consort Han, her calculations flawless. Consort Han was indeed more powerful and astute than Qun Qing, making her dispensable.

Just a mere palace maid—her absence didn’t matter.

Li Xuan sat down, yet a subtle obstruction lingered deep within him, difficult to express.

In Prince Yan’s residence, a physician was examining Xiao Yunru’s pulse.

Lu Huating had been on his way to interrogate Lin Yujia but was interrupted by the news of Xiao Yunru’s pregnancy. She refused to call for the palace physicians. Recalling her mysterious death in their past life, likely tied to this pregnancy, Lu Huating summoned a trusted doctor instead.

Distracted, he recalled the scene of Qun Qing standing among the flower-bearing palace maids.

He had yet to understand why Qun Qing had joined that group, but unease gnawed at him. Calling for Jian Su, he ordered, 

“Go check if Qun Qing has returned.”

Jian Su had just left when Cui Yu entered with a report. 

“Your Highness, the flower-bearing maids have already been released from the palace.”

Lu Huating’s fingers twitched inside his sleeve as he raised his eyes with a faint smile. 

“They didn’t let Qun Qing out with them, did they?”

“Of course they did,” Cui Yu replied. “Didn’t the advisor witness it earlier today?”