After Rebirth, I Married my Archenemy - Chapter 91

Lu Huating hadn’t expected the first words of their reunion to be this. His dark eyes froze for a moment.

He lowered his gaze, then after a brief silence, a brilliant smile bloomed on his face. 

“I’m quite curious—if I refuse, what will you do, my lady?”

Qun Qing pulled him closer, sensing the slight hitch in his breath. She looked at her own reflection in his pupils and spoke seriously, 

“Then I’ll testify and have you executed.”

The sound of armor and voices shattered the night’s silence. A group of Jinwu Guards barged in to announce an imperial decree, and only then did Qun Qing release her grip.

“By His Majesty’s command, Lu Huating is charged with disrespecting the emperor’s consort and is to be sent to the Imperial Prison.”

Lu Huating glanced at the guards, then at Qun Qing, surprised.

Yet, her expression remained utterly calm.

The leader of the Jinwu Guards noticed Lu Huating’s bloodstained robes, the silver needles scattered on the ground, and the confession still in Qun Qing’s hands. He frowned. 

“According to Dachen law, using private torture to extract confessions is a grave offense. The Minister of Justice has already reported this woman—she is to be detained at the Court of Judicial Review for trial.”

Lu Huating turned to look at her. Qun Qing, as if having anticipated this outcome, remained kneeling in place without resistance.

She could have avoided getting involved.

She had always been cautious, and Lu Huating had never expected her to intervene.

So why had she come? The question stirred something within him.

“Official Qun,” he called.

Qun Qing looked up. Lu Huating’s face was partly hidden in shadow, but his dark eyes shone as they locked onto her. 

“Wait for me.”

With that, he was shackled and taken away.

Qun Qing did not respond as she, too, was escorted out.

Meng Guangshen stood at the doorway, watching her leave with a cold gaze. Before long, Li Pan’s sedan chair arrived.

“Grand Chancellor, what happened to Lu Huating?”

Meng Guangshen stood still in the night, as if steadying his emotions. After a long pause, he finally answered, 

“He has been taken to the Imperial Prison. The emperor himself oversees it—even His Highness cannot intervene. For some reason, Concubine Lü suddenly made a stupid move. It looks like a punishment, but in reality, she’s letting someone slip from our grasp. Someone in her palace is scheming.”

“So it really was her?” Li Pan clicked his tongue.

“The little lady thinks she’s clever, relying on the crown prince’s favor. I’ve tolerated her until now, but tonight, I’ve had enough.” Meng Guangshen sneered. “Since she dared to come in person, she shouldn’t expect to leave unscathed. We might as well remove her from the crown prince’s side altogether.”

Li Pan pondered for a moment, then smiled. “If I do it, will it anger my royal brother?”

“The late empress’s memorial day is approaching. The crown prince has been observing ritual purification for days. You two are brothers from the same mother, and in the Battle of Feihu Pass, she even risked her life to save him. If it were anyone else, the crown prince might be furious. But if it’s you…” Meng Guangshen’s tone was icy. “A mere female attendant isn’t worth the trouble.”

—

Qun Qing was taken to the Court of Judicial Review.

As she walked, she quietly observed her surroundings. This was not her first time here.

The row of iron cages ahead was a place for detaining criminals. She had been confined there once before, during the case involving Cui Ying’s body.

But this time, something was different.

Instead of putting her in a cage, the jailers led her to a row of wooden prison cells. One unlocked the door and gestured for her to enter.

In the dim torchlight, Qun Qing saw that the cell was clean and spacious, even furnished with a bed. She turned back and asked, 

“Is this because I hold an official rank?”

The two jailers exchanged glances but did not answer.

She remained silent for a moment, then heard coughing and the sound of teeth grinding behind the thin wooden wall.

“Are there others in the neighboring cells?” she asked.

“This whole row is filled with prisoners. How could there not be?” one of the jailers replied.

As they prepared to lock the door, Qun Qing asked again, “Is Minister Xiao of the Court of Judicial Review here?”

“Minister Xiao is out on official business,” the jailer replied, giving her a glance. “No need to seek connections—everyone in this row holds an official rank or is of noble status. You are not special.”

With that, he locked the door.

Even Xiao Jingxing was absent.

Lu Huating was in the Imperial Prison, beyond reach.

She had foreseen this outcome before leaving home.

There wasn’t even a candle in the cell. Qun Qing stood quietly in the darkness. Years of undercover work had trained her to be wary in unfamiliar environments.

She wiped the dust off the table with a handkerchief, then took off her outer robe and draped it over herself.

Not daring to sleep on the bed, she leaned on the table to rest.

She did not know how long she had slept before a noise startled her awake.

Qun Qing snapped to attention, only to see a smiling face illuminated by the soft glow of a glass lantern.

Li Pan.

He had somehow entered her cell, accompanied by two young eunuchs.

The two attendants held wooden trays, and the sight of the wine jug atop one of them was all too familiar.

In her past life, she had died drinking poisoned wine.

Qun Qing had expected Meng Guangshen to seize this chance to eliminate her, but she hadn’t thought they would be so ruthless.

She quickly reached for the bell in the corner to summon the jailers, but at some point, the bell’s cord had been cut.

Li Pan watched her panic with amusement and said leisurely, “Official Qun, can you guess who let me in? Even if you scream, no one will come to help you.”

The noise next door fell silent, as if everyone was quietly watching her—it was fate.

“I do not know when I have offended Your Highness Prince Zhao,” Qun Qing said.

Li Pan said: “Official Qun has been on duty in the palace for a long time. Why don’t you know how to please your noble master, and instead go against him?”

Qun Qing replied, “I hold a sixth-rank official post, not a servant.”

“In my opinion, they’re all the same. The female officials of the royal family are nothing but dogs in the end,” Li Pan said. “Just like I told you last time—doing the right thing is far more important than merit.”

Qun Qing was about to speak when Li Pan interrupted her. He pulled out the whip from his waist and said, “Wait a moment, I have another option for you. Either you let me whip you, or I will petition His Majesty to make you my concubine. What’s wrong? Judging by your expression, you don’t want that?”

Qun Qing lowered her eyes and stayed silent for a long moment before finally saying, 

“Give me the wine.”

Li Pan signaled to a young eunuch, who quickly brought over a wine jug and stuffed it into Qun Qing’s hands. He didn’t believe she would actually drink it.

Qun Qing took the jug, opened the lid, and glanced inside before slowly raising it.

In that instant, she threw the wine onto the wooden partition. A crisp sound rang out as she swept the glass lantern off the table, smashing it against the partition. The two young eunuchs rushed to steady Li Pan, but they were too late.

The candle flame met the wine, instantly igniting into tall, fierce flames. In the blink of an eye, a large, charred hole appeared. Panicked shouts erupted from the next room as people tried to smother the fire with their clothes, only to fan the flames even more.

“The South Wing is on fire!” A distant prison guard spotted the thick smoke and ran over in alarm.

Amidst the firelight, Li Pan backed into a corner, his gaze locking onto Qun Qing’s—cold and mocking, reflecting the flames. “Your Highness, you probably didn’t notice that the prison lanterns here are specially made, did you? They don’t shatter, they don’t break. Many thanks to Prince Zhao for bringing such a precious lamp here tonight. But precious things, more often than not, are fragile.”

She remained seated at the table, unmoving. The sound of approaching footsteps grew louder and closer.

A prison guard rushed in and urged Li Pan, “Your Highness, you must leave now! If the Minister of Justice is alerted, this won’t just be about my head rolling—it could implicate the entire Prince Zhao’s residence.”

The echo of shattering glass still lingered in Li Pan’s ears. He gave Qun Qing a deep, unreadable look before his eunuchs hurriedly escorted him out.

Once Li Pan had left, a large bucket of water was dumped over Qun Qing, extinguishing the flames on her robes.

“Madam, are you too scared to move? Your clothes caught fire, and you didn’t even think to dodge?” The prison guard who had brought her in shooed her toward the door. “Hurry up and get out.”

Qun Qing wrapped her soaked clothes tightly around herself as she stepped outside. She noticed that the other prisoners in nearby cells had also been moved to a safer area. Because of the cold night, a young nobleman was accompanied by two servants who were anxiously helping him put on dry clothes.

So, the wooden prison cells in the South Wing were indeed meant for officials and those awaiting trial.

Qun Qing turned her head and grabbed a prison guard’s arm, her lips trembling slightly. “My clothes are ruined. Can someone bring me a new set?”

“Madam, I know you’re cold, but it’s the middle of the night. There’s no rule allowing visitors at this hour.”

“And yet, bringing personal servants to attend to a prisoner—does that follow Dachen’s laws?” Qun Qing pointed at the nobleman in the distance.

The guard was momentarily speechless. After a long pause, he muttered, “That’s the Prime Minister’s son… he hasn’t been convicted yet…”

Qun Qing felt as if the icy water had seeped into her very bones, making her shiver uncontrollably.

Though the man before her was gaunt and haggard, his presence was utterly different from the last time she had seen him. But she hadn’t mistaken him. It was Meng Guanlou.

She looked at the prison guard. “I haven’t been convicted either. In terms of rank, I’m even higher than Young Master Meng. And yet, not only am I locked up with male prisoners, but I’m also left in a state of disarray. If I leave this place and still remember the injustice I suffered in the Ministry of Justice’s prison, and I happen to mention it to the Crown Prince, are you sure you want to take that risk?”

The guard hesitated. Seeing that she wouldn’t let go, he finally whispered, “Who do you want me to fetch? I’ll run the errand, but it can’t be too far.”

“It’s not far. Just by the Ministry of Justice—go to the Imperial Music Division.”

Not long after, someone hurried in.

Her flowing skirt swayed as she walked, her steps light. Upon seeing Qun Qing, she unfolded the wrapped clothing and gracefully knelt. 

“Madam.”

Her fox-like eyes were bright and innocent, her delicate face slightly plump—she was Yu Nu.

Qun Qing changed into the dry clothes, noticing Yu Nu’s lips curving into a smile. Uneasy, she asked, 

“What are you smiling about?”

“I’m just happy Madam doesn’t mind wearing my clothes.” Her voice was soft and sweet.

How could she mind? This was her brother’s beloved. Qun Qing’s expression softened. Yu Nu quickly removed her own cloak and wrapped it around Qun Qing. 

“You wear this—I can handle the cold.”

Qun Qing took out a hairpin and, despite Yu Nu’s protests, gently peeled back a layer to reveal a small piece of gold foil, which she tucked into Yu Nu’s hair.

She whispered something into Yu Nu’s ear. Though Yu Nu didn’t fully understand, she still nodded and picked up her basket to leave.

Just then, an anxious voice called out, “Yu Nu? Yu Nu, is that you?”

Because of the fire, several prisoners had been relocated to a larger cell. Meng Guanlou, who had been listening intently to their conversation, immediately perked up when he heard Yu Nu’s voice.

For so long, he had believed she was dead. Yet now, under the moonlight, there she was—her face bright and fresh, wearing a refined, elegant dress from the Imperial Music Division, with no trace of her former life. 

“Young Master, you’ve lost weight.”

Tears streamed down Meng Guanlou’s face. “Yu Nu… Have they hurt you?”

“Advisor Lu helped me remove my slave status. I now belong to the Imperial Music Division, and no one mistreats me anymore. Young Master, why are you here?”

For someone like him to end up in this place, even as the Prime Minister’s son, it could only mean disaster. Meng Guanlou was silent for a long time before he finally said, 

“Yu Nu, can I hold you?”

Just like before.

Yu Nu knelt and embraced him. In her warm, selfless hold, Meng Guanlou wept, his body trembling.

The gold foil hidden in her hairpin glinted in the firelight, pressing lightly against his cheek.

“Take care, Young Master.” She bid him farewell and left.

Meng Guanlou reluctantly let her go, never noticing that his face had turned faintly red.

Yu Nu returned to Qun Qing and shook her head, then left with her basket.

Qun Qing lowered her eyes. The gold foil she had given Yu Nu contained a trace of Wushi powder. Meng Guanlou’s reaction confirmed that he had never taken the drug before.

Which meant that neither Li Pan nor Meng Guanlou was the one who had poisoned her brother in Qingjing Temple.

Then who was it? Who could mimic Li Huan’s mannerisms and command his personal guards within the palace?

She didn’t want to think about it anymore. She leaned against the wall and closed her eyes.

On the other side, Meng Guanlou scratched his arm and pulled at his collar. A rash had started spreading across his skin, and a strange heat coursed through his body.

His servant called out, “Ninth Young Master?”

Meng Guanlou could no longer hear them. His breathing grew heavier.

At home, his father had ordered the imperial physicians to use acupuncture to suppress his addiction. But tonight, for some reason, the treatment had failed. The craving surged within him like a parasite gnawing at his bones. He needed another dose. Now.

Then, with a loud thud, Meng Guanlou collapsed. He curled up on the floor, drenched in cold sweat, convulsing and muttering incoherently, as if trying to shed invisible scales from his skin.

“Someone! Help! Save the Young Master!” His servant panicked. The prison guards rushed to call for a doctor, and soon, the Minister of Justice, Li Shun, arrived with a group of people.

“This isn’t an illness,” the doctor hesitated before saying, “Young Master Meng has been addicted to Wushi powder for seven or eight years… but suddenly stopped…”

Silence fell over the crowd. Li Shun’s expression darkened.

Since the previous dynasty, Wushi powder had been strictly banned. Where had the Meng family obtained so much of it? And how had he been using it for years?

With so many witnesses, Li Shun spoke gravely, “This matter is serious. I will report it to the higher authorities.”

Amidst the commotion, Qun Qing tightened her cloak around herself, unseen by anyone. Finally, she allowed herself to sleep.

Doctor Li explained that the amount of wushi powder applied to the gold foil was minimal and harmless to the average person. However, for someone who had previously used powdered drugs, even a whiff could trigger cravings—it was highly dangerous.

Meng Guangshen wanted her gone. And although Li Pan had just backed off because of her, he wasn’t going to let her go so easily. Now that she had made a move, they finally had an excuse not to protect her.

–

That night, Li Huan and Xiao Yunru were outside the palace.

Inside, Concubine Lü cried in fear and refused to let Emperor Chenming leave, agitating and angering him.

Li Pan arrived with the cold wind, casting a mocking glance at Li Huan before heading into the palace. Zheng Fu allowed him inside.

Li Pan, born of Empress Yuan and physically disabled, was doted on by Emperor Chenming. Since he posed no threat to the throne, the bond between father and son remained unusually close.

“Father, I want to take a concubine,” Li Pan said. Thinking back on the day’s events, he suppressed his rage, helped Emperor Chenming with his outer robe, and respectfully poured him ginseng tea.

“Don’t you already have enough concubines?” Emperor Chenming replied.

“This time, I’ve chosen—”

Before he could finish, a military report arrived. After reading it, Emperor Chenming flew into a rage and threw the memorial in Li Pan’s face.

“The Empress Dowager will forfeit one month’s salary. The Prince Zhao will lose three months’ salary and be confined for a month. Before the former Empress Yuan’s birthday—don’t disgrace yourself again!”

Li Pan’s face changed. He picked up the memorial, glanced at it, and couldn’t help but feel a deep resentment.

Previously, he had tortured and executed bandit captives. Li Xuan, on the other hand, had ordered the bandit leader summoned to Chang’an for peace talks. But the bandit, fearing a trap, allied with nearby refugees and staged a rebellion.

“Father, I’m willing to go suppress the bandits,” Li Pan said.

“If it hadn’t been for your recklessness, your brother wouldn’t have been forced to make such a desperate move, and the people wouldn’t have suffered!”

Outside, Li Huan looked puzzled. “Isn’t this the report from several days ago? The unrest in the four counties of Shandong was already suppressed.”

“The Advisor told me this could be used as a contingency if absolutely necessary.” Zhu Su lowered her head. “If I hadn’t left the Advisor to investigate the artillery factory, I wouldn’t have let Concubine Lü take advantage of it.”

Hearing this, Li Huan knelt and said, “Father, I am willing to lead the suppression myself. But the Advisor of Prince Yan’s household is experienced in handling bandits and unrest. If he can be put aside for now, this would be the perfect opportunity…”

Unexpectedly, Concubine Lü’s sobs grew louder, grief-stricken and desperate. Emperor Chenming gave her a glance but said nothing.

Xiao Yunru spoke softly: “Father, you are a celestial being. Please take care of your health. Why not rest tonight? We can talk more in the morning.”

At last, Emperor Chenming stood and left to rest in the Empress’s quarters.