Offered As A Lucky Bride To The Mad Princess To Ward Off Misfortune - Chapter 74

74: Visiting the Dali Temple, Unbearable in the Carriage

Three days later, in the prison of the Dali Temple.

Ever since Fan Zhijing was locked up, he hadn’t dared to close his eyes.

At first, it was the pain. After being dragged into the Dali Temple by Xiao Qiling, he had been tormented by insects and rats in the cell, their bites gnawing at him. The once-pampered Minister of Revenue, accustomed to a life of luxury, hadn’t even needed torture to be reduced to a shadow of his former self.

Initially, he had clung to the hope that Princess Rongxi would save him. But as one day passed, then two, and the prison guards began gossiping about the failed palace coup, his hopes crumbled completely.

Fan Zhijing leaned against the prison wall, his feet resting on a moldy straw mat, the air thick with the stench of decay. He stared blankly, wondering how it had come to this.

Princess Rongxi wielded immense power. If they had successfully installed Prince Chen as the Crown Prince, wealth and glory could have lasted another fifty years.

But now, everything was gone.

As he pondered any possible way to seek help, the rusty prison door creaked open. The sound of fierce fighting grew closer, marking the fifth wave of intruders in the past three days.

Fan Zhijing didn’t know who had sent these people, but anyone daring to storm the Dali Temple’s prison must have a powerful backer.

Were they here for him? To save him, or to silence him?

He had already confessed everything he knew, and the Dali Temple Minister hadn’t interrogated him in two days. Wasn’t it a bit late to silence him now?

His mind uneasy, Fan Zhijing’s thoughts raced as the sounds of combat drew nearer. A sudden realization struck him, his face turning ashen. Could it be because of that matter?

A deafening clang echoed as the guard at his cell door was pinned to the wall by a long blade, bl00d splattering into Fan Zhijing’s eyes.

A bolt of lightning tore through the sky, its serpent-like flash illuminating half of Fan Zhijing’s pale face.

The intruders were clad in black, their faces masked, their voices deliberately roughened. “Fan Zhijing, Minister of Revenue?” one asked.

Wary, Fan Zhijing didn’t confirm his identity. The chains on his feet clinked heavily, anchoring him in place, making escape impossible.

“Who sent you?” he asked, eyeing the approaching blade and gritting his teeth. “At least let me die knowing.”

The man in the lead smirked, looking at him as if he were an insect. “You don’t need to know.”

As his words fell, the man raised his blade, its white gleam flashing. Before Fan Zhijing could cry out, a white blade pierced the black-clad man’s chest. His long sword clattered to the ground with a heavy thud.

The other intruders were cut down in the same instant. Fan Zhijing gasped, drenched in cold sweat. Years of navigating the treacherous waters of officialdom made him instantly understand the situation. He lowered his head, letting out a bitter, desolate laugh.

“So it’s finally my turn?”

“It seems Lord Fan has known for some time?” a gentle voice rang out.

Fan Zhijing’s heart jolted. His gaze moved past the guards who had come to his rescue, landing on a figure outside the cell. Someone stood tall and graceful, approaching slowly, looking at him through the iron bars.

“Your Highness Prince Ning, truly a master of concealment.” Fan Zhijing said coldly.

The night he was brought to the Dali Temple, he had been drinking heavily at the Western Garden, unaware of the gravity of his situation. He had even planned to petition Emperor Wenjing himself.

But then the Dali Temple Minister subjected him to torture. He saw his colleagues brought in one by one, and he heard of Princess Rongxi’s failed coup.

“Flattering words.” Xiao Qiling replied, glancing at the dead assassins. She signaled to her subordinates.

The guards promptly cleaned the cell, though the thick smell of bl00d lingered.

“I’ve already signed and sealed my confession. Why isn’t Your Highness presenting it to His Majesty to close the case? What brings you to a place as ill-omened as this?” Fan Zhijing asked.

Xiao Qiling replied, “This prince came to see you.”

Fan Zhijing sneered. “I’ve never had much dealings with Your Highness. Am I worth your visit?”

“In the second year of Zhaoyuan, this prince still remembers how spirited Lord Fan was when you topped the imperial examinations. Your impromptu Ode to the Mountains and Rivers in the Golden Throne Hall, expressing concern for the nation and its people, earned praise even from the Grand Scholar of the time.”

Xiao Qiling gazed at the disheveled figure in the dim cell. “Do you ever regret it?”

“If Your Highness came here to enlighten me, I’m afraid you’ll be disappointed.” Fan Zhijing said, sitting casually on the ground, his tone frank. “Whether it was then, now, or even when I face the executioner’s blade, I have no regrets for anything I’ve done—whether serving the nation and its people or aiding a tyrant.”

Xiao Qiling’s tone remained calm. “Even if you’re killed tonight and your entire clan is implicated?”

A flicker of surprise passed through Fan Zhijing’s eyes before he burst into laughter. “I’ve navigated the court for twenty years—longer than Your Highness has served. It’s not easy to trick me with this act.”

“You think those assassins were sent by this prince to scare you?” Xiao Qiling looked at him steadily. “Lord Fan, you overestimate your importance.”

Fan Zhijing stared into Xiao Qiling’s eyes, searching for another answer.

The longer he looked, the more his heart raced. “Could it be Prince Chen?”

Princess Rongxi was close to the Noble Consort, and Prince Chen was young. Logically, their past dealings shouldn’t involve him, but perhaps they wanted to silence him just to be safe.

“Even if it were Prince Chen, it wouldn’t warrant implicating your entire clan. Since the founding of Great Qi, only one person has ever suffered such a fate…”

His voice stopped abruptly.

The only one whose entire clan was exterminated was Cabinet Elder Cui, fifteen years ago.

And at that time, Elder Cui, aside from his duties in the Inner Cabinet, held the rank of First-Grade Grand Scholar of the Wenyuan Pavilion.

Coincidentally, Xiao Qiling had just mentioned the “Grand Scholar.”

Fan Zhijing opened his mouth, but no sound came out. After a long moment, he said hoarsely, “You really came for that matter. If you want to overturn the Cui family’s case, why not just investigate the old records?”

Xiao Qiling glanced at him, chuckling softly. “I can naturally discern the discrepancies in those records.”

“Then it really wasn’t your people who came to kill me?” Fan Zhijing lowered his eyes, pondering for a moment before suddenly looking up, staring fiercely at Xiao Qiling, his expression twisted.

“Not every crime can be pinned on Princess Rongxi. Of those who know the truth about the Cui family, barely one in ten remains. Who do you think is most desperate to keep this case buried?” The cold night wind blew in, mingling with Xiao Qiling’s voice. “I always thought Lord Fan was someone who could read the times.”

To want him dead and have the power to be enraged enough to exterminate his clan—there was only one person. Fan Zhijing’s heart sank to the depths as he uttered, word by word, “His Majesty.”

The Dali Temple prison was perpetually damp and cold, eerie even in summer. The guards dragged out the assassins’ bodies, leaving a chilling air of slaughter behind.

Such assassinations loomed over everyone’s heads and hearts, sowing fear.

Fan Zhijing’s cell had been moved several times to keep him alive this long. The Dali Temple Minister, already overwhelmed by recent imperial decrees to investigate cases, was now exhausted from dealing with intruders attempting to silence prisoners.

The first official killed was the Capital Prefect, Lu Guangping, followed by a string of others already convicted with evidence. The Dali Temple Minister had reported this to Emperor Wenjing, but the emperor merely ordered increased security without dispatching the Imperial Guard.

After Princess Rongxi’s coup attempt, the remaining Imperial Guard had been heavily deployed to protect the imperial city. Five thousand elite soldiers each from the nearby provinces of Yizhou and Qingzhou were temporarily summoned to bolster their ranks, fortifying the imperial city impenetrably.

Yet no troops were spared to guard the Dali Temple prison.

Though courtiers privately disapproved, they understood. Having witnessed the palace coup at Emperor Wenjing’s birthday banquet, they reasoned that convicted officials would die sooner or later—what difference did it make?

Gossips speculated wildly about who was behind it all, some even betting on who would be the next to die.

After leaving the prison, Xiao Qiling sought out the Dali Temple Minister.

The minister, nearing sixty, had been working tirelessly at the Dali Temple. Even delegating interrogations to the Vice Minister and focusing only on sorting case files and accounts was taxing.

The Western Garden matter was straightforward, with solid evidence. But the old cases Princess Rongxi had exposed in the Golden Throne Hall were far more complicated.

Emperor Wenjing had only ordered a review of old cases without specifying which ones. In the cases handled during the current minister’s tenure, there could be no errors. If there were mistakes, it meant earlier evidence had been tampered with.

They only knew from Princess Rongxi that there were “wrongful judgments,” but not where the errors lay. The evidence was old and difficult to trace, and those now in prison might be the last who knew the truth.

“Though we’ve uncovered some details, it’s merely the tip of the iceberg,” the Dali Temple Minister said angrily. “From their confessions in other cases, we can infer how rampant they were in the Cui case!”

These corrupt officials had likely been so brazen for years, even decades.

“If Your Highness wants to reopen the Cui case, we’ll need more confessions.”

“The more he tries to silence them, the more it shows the Cui case threatens his imperial authority,” Xiao Qiling said. She hadn’t intended to intervene, but for Emperor Wenjing, a reigning emperor, to resort to assassination was unexpected.

After reviewing the case files compiled by the Dali Temple Minister and discussing strategies, Xiao Qiling left the temple.

Outside, spies from various factions were watching, but Xiao Qiling didn’t avoid them, heading straight to her carriage.

Inside the carriage, Yu Nanqing was idly eating candied fruit. Hearing movement, she turned, her mouth still full, cheeks puffed out.

Xiao Qiling had deliberately avoided bloodshed today to keep the scent of bl00d off her. The air of menace around her dissipated upon seeing Yu Nanqing.

“Been waiting long? I told you to come inside with me.” Xiao Qiling said, casually tucking a strand of Yu Nanqing’s dark hair behind her shoulder, still damp from the earlier rain.

The rain had stopped, and the moonlight faintly outlined Yu Nanqing’s slender frame. Xiao Qiling chuckled softly, “I’ve been taking care of you for so long, how come you haven’t gained any weight?”

Yu Nanqing finally swallowed her candied fruit and swatted Xiao Qiling’s hand away expressionlessly. “I eat the same meals as Your Highness every day, and I don’t see you turning into a pig either.”

Xiao Qiling could tell Yu Nanqing was annoyed and didn’t dare tease further. She pulled her close, signaling Yin San to drive the carriage back to the residence.

Xiao Qiling’s cold had subsided that night, but Yu Nanqing, still worried, had been accompanying her outings these past few days.

As the carriage clattered along, Yu Nanqing focused on picking through her candied fruit, ignoring Xiao Qiling. But then she redirected a piece she was about to eat, offering it to Xiao Qiling’s lips.

Xiao Qiling smiled silently and leaned forward to take it.

Her dry lips brushed Yu Nanqing’s fingertips, pulling the candied fruit into her mouth, her tongue lightly grazing her finger.

Yu Nanqing’s eyelashes fluttered, her earlobes quietly reddening.

She turned slightly, letting her hair fall to cover her ears, and asked, “How’s Fan Zhijing?”

Xiao Qiling rested her chin on Yu Nanqing’s shoulder, nuzzling her neck until she caught the faint scent of snow lotus before recounting the prison events. “Your plan was clever, using a few condemned prisoners to make Fan Zhijing suspicious.”

Yu Nanqing toyed with a new ring on her finger, a translucent red jade piece, exquisitely carved and smooth, which she had taken from Xiao Qiling before entering the Dali Temple.

“Your acting was better,” she said. “Fan Zhijing has been an official for nearly twenty years and climbed to Minister of Revenue. His ability to read people is exceptional. If Prince Chen had questioned him, he’d have seen through it in a few sentences.”

After the courtiers’ assassinations, clues had dried up. Emperor Wenjing, to cover his involvement, might rage to the point of implicating entire clans—but anyone seasoned in court politics wouldn’t take it seriously.

Yet Fan Zhijing had witnessed the Cui family’s extermination and had been involved. Fresh from escaping an assassin’s blade, the combination of events made him believe it.

He might doubt the “clan extermination” threat tomorrow, but he wouldn’t question that the emperor was behind the assassins.

Though, indeed, it was Emperor Wenjing who wanted him dead.

Yu Nanqing raised an eyebrow, sharing a soft laugh with Xiao Qiling. “So it’s all thanks to Your Highness.”

She brought the ring to her lips, her teeth lightly biting the red jade as if testing something.

Xiao Qiling’s gaze followed her movements, tightening and loosening her hold on Yu Nanqing’s waist, then tightening again.

Yu Nanqing knew exactly what she was doing but pretended not to notice, pushing the ring back onto her finger, her red tongue briefly visible. “Once this is over, the court will have many vacancies. Has Your Highness made any plans?”

“Haven’t you already selected candidates?” Xiao Qiling pulled her closer. “Since my princess has entrusted me with this, I’ll handle it well.”

Yu Nanqing froze, not expecting Xiao Qiling to have seen the notes she wrote in the study, nor that she’d mistake them for her wanting to place people in power.

The courtiers she chose were loyal to Xiao Qiling and had proven integrity in her past life.

In her previous life, due to her ties with Xiao Qijun, she hadn’t been close to those courtiers. How could she have any intention of placing people?

“I didn’t mean…” Yu Nanqing sat up from Xiao Qiling’s embrace, eager to explain.

Xiao Qiling suddenly laughed, her eyes sparkling with charm.

Yu Nanqing realized Xiao Qiling was teasing her.

She pushed Xiao Qiling away and leaned back. “Fine, fine. Your Highness has been so busy lately, leaving me lonely and bored, secretly colluding with your trusted aides, waiting for the day you succeed so I can seize power.”

Xiao Qiling narrowed her eyes. “Don’t use ‘collude’ to describe yourself.”

Yu Nanqing, unbothered, smiled. “If I really did that, how would Your Highness deal with me? You know I studied the Four Books and Five Classics, not the Three Obediences and Four Virtues. If Your Highness neglects me too long, my lonely heart might wander.”

“If I’m in a good mood, I won’t make things difficult for you. But if I’m not…” Yu Nanqing toyed with the red jade ring, slipping it onto her thumb like Xiao Qiling. “Then Your Highness might be in danger.”

“You won’t get that chance.” Xiao Qiling said, leaning close to her ear, her voice low. “I’ve promised not to take other wives or concubines. The inner courtyard will only ever have you. If I’m too busy during the day, I’ll make up for it at night, keeping you in bed all day. How’s that?”

Yu Nanqing’s shoulders shrank, her ears burning again.

Still, she explained, “Those I listed are people with real achievements. How many to appoint and to which positions, Your Highness should decide carefully.”

Xiao Qiling murmured her agreement. The people Yu Nanqing chose were her trusted allies, with impressive records and outstanding abilities.

She couldn’t help but think of that dream.

If Yu Nanqing hadn’t entered the Ning Prince’s residence but had instead joined the court, she’d likely be a valued minister by now. Fortunately, Yu Nanqing was her princess—otherwise, Xiao Qiling might go mad with jealousy.

Xiao Qiling took Yu Nanqing’s hand, slowly sliding the ring off.

Yu Nanqing thought she wanted it back and let her take it.

“In the stories you’ve read, there’s one about an object like this ring.” Xiao Qiling said, rubbing the jade. “Do you remember?”

Yu Nanqing didn’t know what object Xiao Qiling meant, but since she mentioned a story, it couldn’t be ordinary.

“What is it?”

Xiao Qiling’s lips curved slightly.

Then, with a teasing smile, “I thought you already knew, given what you did earlier.”

Yu Nanqing was puzzled. As she turned her head, Xiao Qiling gently pressed her shoulder down, her fingertips brushing her burning earlobe, whispering two words in her ear.

Instantly, Yu Nanqing’s entire body flushed, from her face to her neck.

Xiao Qiling’s lips moved away, a chuckle escaping as she kissed Yu Nanqing’s lips. “It’s from a story you picked yourself. How did you read it so carelessly?”

Yu Nanqing’s fingers gripped Xiao Qiling’s shoulder, trying to push her away, but pressed against her, she couldn’t move. Soon, she was enveloped in Xiao Qiling’s arms, thoroughly indulged.

“Mmm…”

Having just eaten candied fruit, Yu Nanqing’s mouth was sweet, kissed thoroughly by Xiao Qiling. The familiar tingling sensation rose again, their breaths growing sticky, the sweetness fading.

Yu Nanqing’s eyes fluttered open, catching Xiao Qiling’s narrow eyes closed, her refined features hardened by her male attire, exuding an intense, dangerous allure.

Caught up in the moment, Yu Nanqing let out a soft, strained gasp, her breath growing damp. Xiao Qiling’s voice carried a laugh as she shed her final pretense. “Don’t you want to try it in the carriage?”

Like a succubus luring her into the abyss.