After Rebirth, I Married my Archenemy - Chapter 76

Qun Cang was certain that the person before him was his daughter—there was no reason to doubt Qun Qing.

At a glance from Li Xuan, the palace maids stepped behind the screen and led Qun Qing forward to greet him.

Her plain figure slowly approached, yet it drew the attention of those around her. Shouxi’s expression subtly shifted once again.

The young eunuch beside him muttered first, 

“Why does it feel like Miss Qing looks different from when she left the palace?”

Shouxi stole a nervous glance at Li Xuan’s expression before hurriedly reprimanding, “Nonsense. As the saying goes, ‘A young girl’s appearance changes as she grows.’ It’s natural for her to look different.”

Despite himself, Li Xuan scrutinized her closely.

Qun Qing had already stepped before him. Her soft, fair complexion, refined bone structure, and clear, spirited gaze were vividly reflected in his eyes. It was difficult to pinpoint exactly what had changed, but her features had become gentler, more delicate—particularly her eyes, which carried a lingering charm that was hard to forget.

“The commoner Qun Qing greets His Royal Highness, the Crown Prince,” she said.

She felt Li Xuan’s gaze lingering on her face, his silence stretching for a long moment.

The subtle change in her appearance could be attributed to growth—or it could be grounds for suspicion. But at this point, all she could do was maintain her composure.

Then, Li Xuan suddenly asked, 

“Where did that injury come from?”

When Qun Qing bowed, her sleeves shifted slightly, revealing faint glimpses of purple scars on her arm.

She exhaled quietly, tugging her sleeve down to cover them.

“This humble servant was captured by Advisor Lu. Because I had once assisted the Crown Prince with court affairs, his subordinates questioned me. However, as I knew nothing, they eventually let me go.”

Li Xuan had been idly turning the teacup in his hand, but his grip suddenly tightened. Without offering a comment, he spoke evenly, 

“Where is the person who left the palace with you?”

Qun Qing hesitated for a brief moment before replying, 

“I was never good at judging people. That person took all the savings I had accumulated in the palace, abandoned me, and left on his own.”

Li Xuan let out a cold sneer. His throat bobbed slightly as he took a sip of the now-cool tea.

Meng Guangshen spoke up, his tone laced with irony. 

“What a coincidence—it’s almost as if everything was orchestrated to ensure Miss Qing’s return to the palace.”

Qun Qing looked up, her expression puzzled. 

“What does Lord Meng mean by that?”

Li Xuan, growing impatient, cut straight to the point. 

“Did you know that after you left, the Shanggong Bureau sent your palace records to my desk, claiming they were forged? They accused you of being a Southern Chu spy.”

Qun Qing took a moment to process his words before protesting her innocence, 

“I have served in the palace for over ten years, and my records date back just as long—there’s no way they could be fake. There are two copies of the registration. One was exchanged for a travel permit from the Ministry of Revenue when I left the palace. Your Highness can verify it with them.”

“If the Shanggong Bureau is accusing me of being a spy from Southern Chu, then I would argue that there’s a spy lurking within the Shanggong Bureau itself. I had already left the palace, and Your Highness was occupied with state affairs—yet they chose this moment to stir up trouble, diverting Your Highness’s attention to baseless concerns. I also heard that during this time, Prince Yan has completed the revision of the Dachen Laws and has even gone to Jiangnan to investigate cases…”

Prince Yan had always been a thorn in Li Xuan’s side. As expected, his face darkened at the mention of him. Shouxi, sensing the rising tension, quickly stepped in and pleaded, 

“Alright, alright, we all know Miss Qing is eloquent— No need to say more.”

Qun Qing pressed her lips together but said nothing further.

Li Xuan, however, let out a cold chuckle. 

“You seem so concerned about me—even after being captured by people from Prince Yan’s residence, you were still preoccupied with my affairs. If that’s the case, why did you leave the palace that day?”

Qun Qing’s voice dropped to a quieter tone. 

“Your Highness has shown me great kindness, and I remember it deeply. I only left the palace because I had spent my entire life confined within its walls and yearned for freedom. But after seeing the world outside, I realized I could not adapt to life among commoners and nearly fell victim to schemes. If Your Highness is willing to forgive me my deception, I swear to remain loyal forever.”

With that, her tone resolute while she lowered herself into a deep bow, her posture unwavering.

Meng Guangshen observed her as if watching a staged performance. Given Li Xuan’s inherently suspicious nature, there was no way he would let such a person remain by his side again. And yet—time dragged on. Meng Guangshen, waiting for the expected dismissal, eventually cast a glance at Li Xuan. But Li Xuan remained silent, lost in thought, showing no inclination to send her away.

Just then, Wang Xiang entered. His head was wrapped in a bandage from a fall off his horse, his face pale from the injury. The moment he caught sight of Qun Qing, his expression darkened in anger. Without delay, he knelt and reported on the situation in Jiangnan Road. 

“I failed to keep my subordinates in check and have disappointed Your Highness… I fear that Song Wen has already been sent to Dali Court’s prison.”

Meng Guangshen was momentarily stunned into silence. Li Xuan, too, said nothing—but the veins on the back of his hand bulged as he clenched his fist.

In just seven days, Lu Huating had managed to uproot the entire Xuzhou case. How had he moved so quickly?

“We should detain Miss Qing first and decide later,” Meng Guangshen suggested.

Li Xuan cut him off with a sudden fit of coughing.

Qun Qing’s long eyelashes fluttered slightly. She had to fight for her own future. 

“Your Highness may deal with me however you wish, but I beg you to show mercy to my father, who suffers from infected sores on his legs. Could you send a physician to treat him?”

She sought only to plead for Qun Cang’s well-being.

A vein throbbed on Li Xuan’s forehead as he fixed his reddened gaze on her, as if suddenly recalling that she still had bl00d relatives. 

“How much do you care about this father of yours?”

Qun Qing lowered her eyes briefly in thought before bowing resolutely. 

“I am willing to exchange my life for my father’s.”

From a distance, Qun Cang’s anxious voice rang out. 

“Don’t say such foolish things! I am already half-buried in the ground. You’re still so young—stop this nonsense!”

Li Xuan turned back to Qun Qing. “If I let you reunite with your father, what would you do?”

“Your Highness—” Meng Guangshen felt it was inappropriate and tried to intervene, but Li Xuan raised his hand to stop him.

Qun Qing’s expression remained calm as she knelt again, saying, “If Your Highness shows such great mercy, I am willing to to lay down my life to repay Your Highness’s kindness. I will never leave.”

She understood that now that she had returned, Li Xuan would never trust her easily. If she were truly Qun Qing—someone bound by familial ties and attachments that could be controlled— then Li Xuan would feel more at ease using her.

As expected, Li Xuan asked, “How will you prove it?”

Qun Qing replied, “Within one month, I will root out the Southern Chu spies hidden in the Shanggong Bureau and prove my innocence.”

Li Xuan remained unmoved. “And?”

“When I returned to the palace, I heard that His Majesty now favors a new concubine, and Concubine Han and Concubine Lu are both in high standing. Rumors say that the Emperor is considering deposing the Empress, and the choice of a new Empress lies between Concubine Han and Concubine Lu.”

Qun Qing raised her gaze to meet Li Xuan’s. 

“Concubine Lu was once closely aligned with Prince Yan’s faction, but a rift has formed between them. I see an opportunity. Rather than idly watching these two women vie for power, it would be better to bring Concubine Lu to our side. If I can persuade Concubine Han as well, Concubine Lu’s support will be secured.”

Li Xuan studied her, offering no immediate response.

“I also heard that the Empress is unwilling to concede defeat and intends to assign a female official to teach Concubine Lu palace etiquette—to punish her for being too favored,” Qun Qing continued. “I previously passed the examination for a female official position in the Shangfu Bureau. If I enter Concubine Lu’s palace under this pretext, I will have the chance to speak favorably of Your Highness before her.

“Moreover, the Crown Princess treats me like a sister, and I do not wish for any misunderstandings to arise. Your Highness likely does not want me staying in the Eastern Palace to serve either.”

Li Xuan looked at her, then suddenly coughed again. After a long pause, he finally said, 

“I will appoint you as an eighth-rank female official in the Shangyi Bureau. You will serve in Concubine Lu’s palace. I will purchase a residence for your father and arrange for a physician to treat him. You may… live.”

Qun Qing had not expected Li Xuan to agree so readily. A weight lifted from her chest as she kowtowed in gratitude. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed that Li Xuan looked much paler and thinner than before.

But she did not wish to dwell on the reason.

Li Xuan turned to Wang Xiang, his voice weary. 

“Go and accept your punishment.”

Meng Guangshen interjected, “Your Highness, I have already advised you that you can’t use commanders who are too young. In the past, there was still Meng Guanlou to consult, but now, Your Highness has no one left to turn to.”

Wang Xiang, kneeling on the cold tiles, did not refute the rebuke. “I was at fault. But regardless, the silk shops in Xuzhou were problematic. Even if this matter had not fallen on me, sooner or later, someone else would have used it as leverage against Your Highness. If Prime Minister Meng were truly looking out for you, why was he not more cautious when selecting officials?”

Meng Guangshen cast a cold glance at him. “You have no understanding of my considerations.”

“Enough.” Li Xuan had heard the veiled criticism. He pressed a hand to his brow and sighed. 

“I am tired. If there is anything else, we will discuss it later.”

As the little eunuch closed the heavy palace doors, the grand yet empty Mingde Palace was left in silence, save for the soft crackling of incense wafting from the burner. Shouxi, reading the tension on Li Xuan’s face, quickly signaled for another eunuch to add rosemary to the burner.

Yet even with the windows tightly shut, they could not stifle the coughing that wracked Li Xuan’s body.

That afternoon, a fever struck without warning.

Caught in an alternating haze of dreams and delirium, Li Xuan found himself transported back to his youth.

Every year during the Spring Festival, the Li family was permitted to return from the frigid north to Chang’an. As the eldest son, it was his duty to ascend Tonghua Terrace and offer prayers to the Emperor and the Crown Prince of Chu.

The bitter wind cut through his thin robes. Again and again, he knelt on the frostbitten stone steps until his knees were numb from the cold, but he could only grit his teeth and endure.

It was not until Princess Bao’an appeared that Li Xuan finally lifted his gaze toward the terrace.

She had not yet been married then. A palace maid followed behind her, holding a round fan to shield her face. But occasionally, Yang Fu peeked out from behind the fan—and their eyes met.

She had thought, as so many others did, that he admired her. A blush crept over her cheeks.

Yang Fu had always believed he was looking at her.

Even after she lost her innocence at Qingjing Temple, she still believed she could marry him.

But the Emperor of Chu ordered the Li family’s exile to Huaiyuan, casting them into years of hardship in the bitter cold.

How could he have ever loved a princess of Chu?

He had not even had the time to hate her.

That year on Tonghua Terrace, the maid who stood beside Princess Bao’an was straight-backed, her posture elegant. She was nearly the same height and age as the princess. Under the glow of the fireworks, her fair features were illuminated—her refined brows and bright eyes reflecting the brilliance of the night sky.

Li Xuan saw her in the crowd once a year—at seventeen, eighteen, and nineteen. He watched as she grew from a naive girl into a graceful young woman. Each year when he returned to Chang’an, he would inevitably catch sight of her, yet a silent concern always lingered in his heart.

Every year, Li Pan would ask him to describe Princess Bao’an’s beauty. But only Li Xuan knew that he had never truly been looking at Yang Fu.

The year he came of age, he feigned illness to avoid traveling to Chang’an, sending Li Huan in his place. He had been forcibly kept in a mountain village by Zheng Zhiyi, and his parents had already decided on his marriage.

Li Xuan woke with a start, drenched in cold sweat. In the darkness above the canopy, a face he had long forced himself to forget loomed in his mind’s eye.

He recalled the way Qun Qing had looked at him today. Something about her face stirred an uneasy feeling within him—an uncanny resemblance that touched upon the deeply buried demons in his heart.

“Do you also think I shouldn’t trust Lady Qun?” Li Xuan asked Shouxi, who was attending to him at his bedside.

Shouxi carefully blew on the medicine before offering it to him, concern evident in his expression. 

“It’s just the appointment of a female official. Your Highness is already the prince—you may do as you please. If you continue to overthink, your health will never improve! Besides, Your Highness always has your reasons for making decisions.”

—

Qun Cang was placed in a small residence within the palace city—a quiet and secluded place, well-suited for recovery.

Because of his leg injury, Qun Qing carefully supported him step by step as they entered the pavilion. But as soon as the door closed behind them, Qun Cang gently pulled his arm away from Qun Qing’s grasp. His previously calm expression faded, replaced by a quiet sorrow that seeped into every line of his face.

Qun Qing was startled. She stood aside, uncertain, watching him helplessly.

“Child, you don’t have to say it.” Tears slipped down Qun Cang’s weathered face. “I’ve known for a long time—she’s gone.”

“Every autumn, Qingqing would send me a set of winter clothes. But two years ago, the deliveries suddenly stopped.” Qun Cang’s voice was hoarse. “A few months later, a jailer brought me another set of winter clothes. The moment I touched the fabric, I knew.”

“She never had such fine stitching as you.” He gave a bitter smile. “From that moment, I understood everything.”

For some reason, Qun Qing found herself crying as well. 

“I’m sorry.”

“No need to apologize. I will help you—I have my own reasons too.” Qun Cang wiped his tears away with trembling hands. Slowly, he reached into his sleeve and retrieved a small slip of paper, pressing it into Qun Qing’s palm.

He had received it on his way back from the Eastern Palace. A palace maid had taken the opportunity to slip it to him in passing.

Qun Qing only needed a glance to recognize that the message had come from Lu Huating.

“You investigated the Xuzhou case and uncovered the Yufei Pills. That’s how I knew you were a righteous person,” Qun Cang’s voice was low but firm.

“Back then, I risked my life to advise His Majesty because the Lu family had brought the disaster of Beirong upon the State of Chu. I never imagined that after all these years, the danger would still be festering in the south.

“Advisor Lu once promised to help me overturn my case. My family was wiped out—how could I not seek justice?”