After Rebirth, I Married my Archenemy - Chapter 83

Yang Fu had been supported by palace maids all the way to the side hall, tears falling continuously.

Through the blur of her teary vision, she saw Li Huan remove his outer robe, but she made no move to stop him.

After a long pause, Li Huan unexpectedly removed the golden mask covering half of his face, revealing a pale complexion. His expression was complicated as he said, 

“My mother once told me that a husband and wife should be honest with each other. Since childhood, I’ve been reckless. No one had expectations for me because of this birthmark, so whatever I wanted, I took for myself—by force if necessary—regardless of what others thought.”

He paused before continuing, “I remember when my elder brother was ill, and I was sent to Chang’an to present tribute. That was when I first saw you on the Tonghua Terrace, and from that moment, I liked you. But I knew you were a princess and could never marry an unknown nobody like me. The more impossible it seemed, the more obsessed I became. On the battlefield, men long for their wives, but I had none. I only thought of you. You can call me shameless, but my feelings were sincere.”

He gently wiped away Yang Fu’s tears with his fingers and sighed. 

“If Yingsu hadn’t switched your poisoned wine today, did you ever consider the consequences?”

Hearing the sudden seriousness in his voice, Yang Fu flinched.

“If it were just you and me, we could go to hell together. But I have my brothers and the people of this country to consider. You still know how to avenge your motherland—if I thought only of myself, wouldn’t that make me even worse than you, a mere girl?”

Yang Fu clutched his sleeve, but he remained unmoved, as if making the hardest decision of his life.

“If you trust me, I will still honor you as my concubine and provide for you at Xianyou Temple. If what we once had was just the reckless love of our youth, then let it be buried as the past.”

As he finished speaking, a single tear fell from his face. But his expression had already turned calm, even cold with determination. He withdrew his sleeve from Yang Fu’s grasp.

Li Huan did not stay the night. He turned and walked into the rain.

The night rain dripped down the window lattice.

Yang Fu’s eyes were already swollen red. She felt an overwhelming emptiness and despair.

Leaving Ruo Chan to deal with Concubine Lü, Qun Qing put on an oiled cloak and made her way through the narrow paths toward Jinglian Pavilion. As expected, Kuang Su stopped her.

She took out a small pastry from her sleeve and pretended to hand it to him. Kuang Su pointed toward the inner room without moving.

Inside, a single dim lamp flickered. Despite the late hour, Lu Huating was still working.

Qun Qing put on a serious expression. 

“The Advisor called for me. Hurry up, don’t delay important matters.”

Kuang Su was skeptical, but when Qun Qing spoke in such a firm and commanding tone, her gaze sharp as a blade, he hesitated and let her in.

The candlelight in the inner chamber wavered briefly. Lu Huating lifted his head from his documents, listened for a moment, then stopped Zhu Su from checking outside. Instead, he continued writing.

“If Kuang Su let someone in, deduct his monthly salary.”

He didn’t stop Qun Qing.

Firstly, he had revised Dachen’s laws in his previous life, and reading through them now was making him drowsy. Secondly, Xu Lin had refused to confess. If Qun Qing could get something out of her, it would save him the trouble.

Qun Qing removed her cloak.

She had traveled through the rain, her robes slightly damp. Cold eyes swept over Xu Lin. In just a few hours, Xu Lin had become disheveled, her hair a mess, her body covered in bruises.

Qun Qing believed Xu Lin must have wanted to see her. As expected, the moment she entered, Xu Lin’s expression turned feral, as if she wanted to tear her apart.

“It was you—using Princess Bao’an’s name to discuss an assassination with me, and then using my name to discuss an assassination with Princess Bao’an! You set both of us up!”

Xu Lin’s voice was cold as ice. “I can accept that the princess of Southern Chu is a coward. But how do you have the ‘Heaven’ seal?”

Qun Qing’s expression remained unreadable as she held up the triangular seal. 

“I am indeed a ‘Heaven.’ I was granted this honor after returning to the palace.”

Xu Lin’s eyes darkened with disbelief. “How could the Master elevate a traitor to ‘Heaven’?”

“I’ll answer that—but first, tell me, was it you who exposed my identity to the prince?”

A flicker of cruel satisfaction crossed Xu Lin’s face. “The night you were just a lowly palace maid sneaking into the archives for records, I grew suspicious. So, I hid your files and later had Liu Siyi send them to Yeting Court. You walked right into my trap. You’re clever, but still too naive. Did you really think you could spy in the palace and walk away unscathed?”

At the time, all Qun Qing had wanted was to escape the palace. But looking back now, she realized she had already drawn Xu Lin’s attention. Remembering how desperately she had searched for her own records, a bitter ache settled in her chest.

She let out a cold laugh. “You ask why the Master made me a ‘Heaven’? Because the Master has changed. There was a coup in the Southern Chu palace. Crown Prince Zhao was replaced by Ling Yun Nuo.”

Xu Lin froze, her gaze fixed on Qun Qing, as if trying to confirm the truth. Her lips trembled. “A coup in Southern Chu… What about my Yun’er?”

“What?” Qun Qing didn’t catch her words.

Xu Lin whispered, her voice barely audible. “My daughter is in Crown Prince Zhao’s hands.”

As soon as she spoke, tears streamed down her face. The revelation shattered her. She curled up, shaking, sobbing uncontrollably, the chains around her clanking.

Qun Qing stood there, staring at the scene before her.

The hatred she had carried suddenly felt complicated.

“So that’s why you risked everything for Southern Chu…”

Xu Lin trembled as she handed Qun Qing a slip of paper. The writing on it was messy, blurred by tears. Qun Qing recognized the words “Ah Niang” written in a shaky hand. It was hard to imagine how much effort had gone into obtaining this single note—perhaps every drop of sweat and bl00d was exchanged for it.

“He used your loved ones as leverage, but when did you realize his true intentions?” Qun Qing asked. “You’re smart and cautious. You must have thought it through.”

Xu Lin, having cried, finally spoke: “Of course, I thought it through.”

“Besides assassination, poisoning, and acting as a spy, there was one more path.”

Qun Qing was curious about what that path was.

“I was a senior official in the Ming Dynasty, with high rank and status. If I could rise to the Ministry of Rites as a female official of third rank or above, I wouldn’t have to keep killing.”

“A third-rank official—what difference would that make?”

“Third-rank officials can participate in court affairs and have more chances to serve the emperor. If Dachen ever wages war against Southern Chu, there would still be opportunities to resist.” Xu Lin explained slowly. “If the Crown Prince ascended the throne, he would need advisors. Whether peace or war, the Ministry of Rites would be crucial. I could have secured a diplomatic role, negotiated peace talks… or at least met my daughter once more…”

As she spoke, Xu Lin suddenly coughed violently, spitting out a mouthful of bl00d.

Qun Qing instinctively reached out, but Xu Lin weakly gripped her hand instead. She rasped, “I can’t make it… I was poisoned with cold lung disease long ago. If I hadn’t fought so hard, I wouldn’t have lasted this long.”

“Can I ask you for a favor?” Xu Lin gazed into the surrounding darkness, slowly raising her arms before pulling out a seal from somewhere. “I know you hate me, and I know I won’t survive. But please… tell Southern Chu that I’ve been killed. If possible, find Yun’er for me.”

Qun Qing took the sweat-soaked seal and said, “Give me your subordinates, and I’ll agree to your request.”

She held her breath, quickly pulling out a white handkerchief to wrap the seal. Just then, footsteps echoed behind her.

Xu Lin’s head had already drooped. Zhu Su pressed her fingers to the side of her neck before carefully reporting, “Registrar Xu has committed suicide.”

Lu Huating, who had just arrived, frowned. “This Registrar Xu was tight-lipped. We interrogated her all day, and she wouldn’t reveal her subordinates. But as soon as you arrived, she chose to end her life?”

Qun Qing turned her face, her expression calm. “I don’t know what was wrong with her. We barely spoke before she decided to kill herself.”

Lu Huating glanced sideways at her. Qun Qing’s face looked pale, and her breathing was uneven. As if he had discovered something amusing, he commented, “Afraid of bl00d, yet you dare to come here at night.”

“Registrar Xu betrayed me once. I couldn’t let it go. I acted on impulse and disturbed you—I’ll take my leave now.” Qun Qing said. But Lu Huating did not step aside.

He spread his palm open. The flickering candlelight illuminated his striking face, and his dark eyes bore into her. The room was so still that the candle flame stood straight.

Qun Qing understood—he wanted her to hand over Xu Lin’s network. They had interrogated her for half a day, but she had taken that secret to her grave. Without answers, Lu Huating couldn’t report back to the emperor.

Lu Huating disliked things slipping out of his control. He naturally disliked his opponents growing stronger.

“These people are still useful. They can gather intelligence for me. Otherwise, I have no network in the palace, and future cooperation will be inconvenient.” Qun Qing glanced at his outstretched hand but remained unmoved. “If the Advisor wants compensation, I can split my deducted salary with you.”

“These are Southern Chu spies. Do you plan to gather a group of them to run errands for you?” Lu Huating’s black eyes locked onto hers, his tone carrying a trace of cold amusement. “Have you forgotten? Someone still holds leverage over you.”

“You have never been a mere pawn. That’s why you don’t understand—these spies were once people with flesh and bl00d, too.” Qun Qing lifted her gaze. “I’m taking them with me. You can stop me if you wish—unless, of course, you don’t want the antidote.”

She looked at him twice more before breaking through the window and vanishing into the night.

Zhu Su and Jian Su stared at Lu Huating in shock. He remained standing, seemingly lost in thought.

He recalled the way Qun Qing had looked at him just now—sharp and bright, like a blade.

He turned back. Rain pattered against the window. In the darkness, Qun Qing’s silhouette had already disappeared.

This was a small matter. On bigger matters, there could be no compromise.

“Dispose of the body,” he said calmly. “Go and inform Lady Qing that tomorrow is someone’s birthday. Tell her to wait at An Ding Hall.”

The Next Morning

Another female ceremonial officer from the Shangyi Bureau knocked on Qun Qing’s door, delivering two sets of plain official robes. They resembled women’s court attire, but even simpler.

Seeing them, Ruo Chan asked curiously, “What kind of uniform is this?”

“The imperial exam next spring has been moved forward, and they need extra staff. Since Concubine Lü recommended me, I’ll be helping the Ministry of Rites with the arrangements.”

Emperor Chenming valued this upcoming exam highly. This was likely Concubine Lü’s way of currying favor.

Qun Qing put away the robes. Since she had a day off, she slipped out of the palace.

Yesterday, Wen Su had passed on a message—Lu Huating’s birthday was today. She had a feeling that wasn’t the real reason he had summoned her.

Outside An Ding Hall, Qun Qing spotted Lu Huating.

Seeing that she wore a veiled hat, Lu Huating kept his distance. She caught him in her peripheral vision, leisurely keeping pace with her, so she headed straight for the western market.

The streets were crowded and bustling—something seemed to have happened.

“It’s my birthday. Will you treat me to a bowl of noodles?” Lu Huating remarked as he sat down at a street stall.

“I’ve only been paid for half a year’s work, so I’m not exactly well off.” Qun Qing shamelessly grabbed the chopstick holder and ordered two more bowls of noodles.

She chose this place because from here, she could clearly see the execution grounds.

On the frozen city walls, two severed heads stained with bl00d were hung high. A crowd had gathered around, pointing and whispering about the lifeless figures.

Lu Huating glanced at them. “Those two were bandits tortured and executed by Li Pan.”

Qun Qing looked up. The lid of the vinegar bottle in her hand suddenly slipped, and she quickly pulled back—but half the bottle had already poured into Lu Huating’s bowl.

“Is this how you normally eat?” he asked, staring at the ruined dish.

Qun Qing replied, “It’s a Chang’an custom. Try it, you’ll see.”

Lu Huating’s deep, black eyes lingered on her before he smiled slightly.

“I’ll ask you for a birthday gift then—there are two scouts hidden in that crowd, trying to steal the bodies. I want you to drive them away.”