The Crybaby Always Wants to Redeem the Villainess - Chapter 8

“There are still two other Xiao Family daughters, so what are you afraid of? My reputation is already ruined, so what? It’s not like you’re desperate to marry me, right?”

Luo Anche nodded. That was true. The Late Emperor had only mentioned a marriage agreement with the Xiao Family, without specifying which daughter. Marrying any of them would fulfill the agreement.

“Besides, if I’m not scared, why should you be? If anyone should worry about me not finding a husband, it’s me.

Even if you marry someone else, the Xiao Family will still serve you. After all, you’re my father’s most esteemed disciple!

This plan was carefully considered and decided upon after consulting with my father and the others.

Otherwise, Prince Jin and Grand Tutor Gu would quickly see through my purpose in coming to the Capital, and we’d lose our chance to strike!”

Xiao Yi patiently explained the current situation and specific details to Luo Anche.

After listening, Luo Anche finally understood his master’s painstaking efforts and nodded. “So, when exactly will you make your move?”

“No rush. We need to gather all the evidence first. And we have to let them strike first, so we can trap them like fish in a barrel!

Right now, the main thing is to dig the pit. Once that’s done, we just wait for them to jump in! As long as my cover isn’t blown, everything will go perfectly,” Xiao Yi declared with unwavering confidence.

“Then be careful,” Luo Anche said. “Oh, and there’s a hunting expedition in two weeks. Don’t cause any trouble during that time, or you won’t be allowed to participate.” He suddenly remembered that Prince Jin and his faction would likely make their move against him during the expedition. If Xiao Yi were present, she might uncover some clues.

“Alright, alright, alright, I got it,” Xiao Yi nodded, acknowledging his warning.

“Protect yourself. If you need any assistance or cooperation from me, just send word.”

“Understood. If there’s nothing else, I’m leaving now.” Xiao Yi turned to leave, but Luo Anche called her back.

“Wait, why did you take that Gu Family girl to a brothel? I don’t understand that at all.”

Xiao Yi replied casually, “Boredom, I guess. I just dragged her along. You don’t need to understand! I’m leaving now!”

She had to take responsibility for this incident; otherwise, the young girl’s reputation would be ruined.

As Xiao Yi turned to leave again, Luo Anche called out, “Hey, hey, hey!”

“What now?” Xiao Yi’s impatience was palpable.

“I’ll come find you tomorrow. You’ve been defying imperial orders, and I need to give the ministers an explanation.” He had summoned Xiao Yi to the palace for days, but she had consistently refused to comply. He had to take some concrete action, or the ministers would never stop pestering him.

“Whatever!” Xiao Yi said without looking back, striding to the window and climbing out.

Luo Anche’s lips twitched. Why use the door when you can climb through a window? She’s becoming more like a street thug every day!

The next day…

News spread through the palace: His Majesty the Emperor would personally visit the General’s Estate today. The estate was to prepare to receive the imperial carriage.

The Emperor himself was coming to “invite” Xiao Yi.

Everyone knew the Emperor’s visit was for Xiao Yi, so they sent a messenger to inform her directly.

Xiao Yi had been sleeping soundly that morning when the commotion woke her. Enraged, she roared, “Shut your mouths and get out! I won’t see anyone, be it the Emperor or the Devil himself!

Even if the King of Heaven and Earth comes, block him! Anyone who dares disturb my sleep will be chopped up and fed to the dogs!

Don’t you know that disturbing someone’s peaceful dreams is like digging up their ancestors’ graves?”

The young maidservant trembled and knelt on the floor, terrified. “Eldest Miss, that’s the Emperor! Who would dare stop him? It would cost me my head!”

“I’ll say it again: I won’t see anyone. I’m not awake, and I won’t see anyone. No one is allowed to disturb me.”

“Eldest Miss, I can’t!” The maidservant looked utterly miserable.

“Nonsense! Just tell him exactly what I said. If he has any sense, he’ll scram.”

The young maidservant felt a bitter helplessness, knowing her fate was sealed. With her head bowed in despair, she trudged out of Xiao Yi’s courtyard and toward the main gate.

Just then, the Emperor arrived at the General’s Estate, followed by a vast crowd of commoners eager to witness the spectacle. They knew Xiao Yi was about to face dire consequences and had flocked to join the spectacle.

As they approached, they heard the maidservant’s trembling voice: “Your Majesty, my Eldest Miss says she will receive no one, no matter who they are. She… she… she even said that disturbing her rest is like… like… like digging up her ancestors’ graves! Even… even… even if the King of Heaven himself came, no one is to disturb her. She… she… she’s sleeping and… and… and says everything must wait… wait… wait until she wakes up.”

After stammering out her message, the maidservant braced herself, closed her eyes, and awaited execution. But an unnatural silence descended around her. Peeking open one eye, she cautiously glanced at the imposing Emperor before her.

Luo Anche took a deep breath. He had known that meeting Xiao Yi, given her current temperament, wouldn’t be easy. He had indeed arrived too early and likely disturbed her rest. His face darkened as he stood at the gate of the General’s Estate.

And so, Luo Anche stood at the gates of the General’s Estate, his face dark as thunder, while inside, the maids and guards knelt in perfect unison.

The commoners who overheard the maid’s treasonous words were terrified.

Would they be caught in the crossfire?

Surely not? Surely not?

Xiao Yi’s audacity is beyond belief! How dare she block the Emperor at the gate!

This alone is enough to warrant her execution a hundred times over!

By mid-morning, Xiao Yi slowly crawled out of bed, tidied herself haphazardly, and opened the door to find the entire courtyard filled with kneeling maids, her aunt, and her younger siblings standing stiffly in the yard.

Xiao Yi stared in bewilderment. “What’s all this? It’s not a holiday—why are you all bowing so deeply?”

Xiao Ran glared fiercely at Xiao Yi, her anger blazing. “Don’t you know what you’ve done? That was the Emperor, the ruler of the entire nation! You blocked him at the gate! You’re finished! Our entire estate is doomed! And you have the nerve to ask?”

Only then did the oblivious Xiao Yi recall the morning’s events. A maid had mentioned the Emperor was here to see her. Still half-asleep, she had snapped back at the maid. Considering the maid had disturbed her sleep, she should count herself lucky she hadn’t been beaten!

Looking back now, damn, she’d really messed up.

Even though she had a good relationship with Luo Anche, publicly humiliating him like this would undermine his authority as the new Emperor. How could he establish his imperial dignity? She quickly slipped on a pair of shoes and raced to the estate gate.

When she arrived, she was stunned by the scene before her.

Inside the General’s Estate, the guards and maids knelt in unison. Outside the gate stood Luo Anche and the palace guards, with the citizens of the Capital kneeling in neat rows behind them.

As Xiao Yi froze in place, a young man noticed her staring intently at the new Emperor, not even blinking. He nudged his companion with his elbow and whispered, “Look, look! Could that bully have taken a fancy to His Majesty? Our Emperor is renowned for his unparalleled beauty, after all.”

“No way! No way!”

“Why not? Just look at the way he’s staring at His Majesty—like he wants to cling to him forever!”

“I see it now.”

“Right? Right!”

A bystander overhearing their conversation chimed in, “That bully is utterly shameless!”

“He’s not just shameless—he’s courting death! He dares to covet even His Majesty the Emperor!”

Hearing the conversation behind him, Luo Anche quickly cleared his throat.

Xiao Yi snapped out of her daze. “Ah, Your Majesty! This humble subject, Xiao Yi, greets Your Majesty. Please, Your Majesty, come inside.” She offered a crooked curtsy, her movements awkward and clumsy.

The corner of Luo Anche’s mouth twitched for a moment before he quickly regained his composure. With a cold snort, he strode into the General’s Estate.

Xiao Yi glared at the crowd craning their necks outside the gate. “What are you staring at? Get lost! One more glance and I’ll gouge out your dog eyes!”

When the crowd showed no signs of dispersing, she barked at the Manor Guards, “Anyone who doesn’t leave immediately will be dragged to the latrines to clean the night soil!”

The Manor Guards…

The crowd…

All scattered like startled birds, vanishing in an instant. They had come to mock Xiao Yi, not to help her clean latrines!