The Villainess Always Wants to Cuddle With Me [Quick Transmigration] - Chapter 8

Wild roses bloomed across Ling Jun’s face as she took several deep breaths, seemingly regaining her composure. Suddenly remembering the six attendants in the courtyard—three men and three women, a rather large group—she asked, “How dare you be so brazen today, entering my Changyang Palace with such a large entourage?”

Guan Qigui picked up a medicinal balm and applied it to Ling Jun’s forearm. After rubbing the balm between her palms to warm it, she gently massaged the area in slow, circular motions. “Didn’t you ask me for attendants a while ago? I’ve been carefully selecting them for you and finally brought them here.”

“Thank you…” A warm feeling surged through Ling Jun’s heart. She had assumed Guan Qigui had forgotten, but it turned out she had been keeping it in mind all along.

“Of course, I’m not giving them to you for free. Tell me, do you have any ambition… to become Empress?” Guan Qigui narrowed her eyes, her pupils so deep that their meaning remained unreadable.

Ling Jun frowned, her delicate eyebrows furrowing. She met Guan Qigui’s gaze and was immediately struck by the unwavering seriousness in her eyes. Stunned, she blurted out, “Are you out of your mind?! What kind of nonsense are you spouting?!”

“I’m only asking if you want to sit on that throne. If I help you ascend, naturally I’ll have a request in return.” The sincerity in Guan Qigui’s eyes made it clear she meant every word.

To become Empress… Ling Jun had heard tales of past Empresses from the Imperial Preceptor, and she had always admired them immensely. But to actually take on such a role herself? What could a blind woman possibly contribute?

“Lian Chen’s eye condition can’t help you…” Ling Jun’s eyes were filled with disappointment. If her sight were intact, she might have considered learning to rule. The Imperial Preceptor had even mentioned today that the Rin Kingdom’s destiny…

Guan Qigui finished applying the bruise ointment and now took Ling Jun’s arm to apply Snow Trace Ointment. “I need your legitimate Rin Kingdom bloodline. Just sit on that throne, and I’ll handle everything else.”

“You want to become Regent King?” Ling Jun couldn’t fathom Guan Qigui’s true motives.

“I need you to help me seize power in the Lu Kingdom.” Guan Qigui’s gaze was unwavering, leaving no room for doubt.

This conversation felt absurd, like children playing house, where reality bends to their whims. Ling Jun couldn’t understand the source of Guan Qigui’s confidence. She spoke as if it were a simple game, yet Ling Jun dared not underestimate her. Guan Qigui had proven her capabilities—a tributary prince wielding such financial and political influence in an enemy kingdom left no doubt in Ling Jun’s mind that she possessed the means to achieve her goals.

“Alright…” Ling Jun nodded, remembering that Guan Qigui was the key to the Collapsing World. Could it be that after seizing power, she became tyrannical and cruel in her actions? If so, I must subtly guide her toward change.

“Do you want me to take care of your maidservant?” Guan Qigui mused. Now that their alliance was sealed, it was best to keep Ling Jun under her control. The troublesome spies around her needed to be eliminated.

Ling Jun’s eyes widened in shock. How could Guan Qigui speak of taking a life so casually, as if crushing an ant underfoot?

“No need? She’ll only become a stumbling block on our path to success sooner or later.” After applying the medicine, Guan Qigui packed it away and left it with Ling Jun, hoping she wouldn’t need it again. As she considered this, the night-black depths of Guan Qigui’s pupils grew even darker.

Ling Jun bit her lip, her voice clear and soft as a whisper in an empty mountain. Without hesitation, she replied, “Xiao Mei has been with me since childhood. Though she’s the Empress’s spy, her genuine affection for me… is beyond question.”

True affection brooks no argument?

For some reason, hearing those words made Guan Qigui feel uneasy. But where did this feeling come from? She couldn’t understand it.

Forcing down the strange sensation, Guan Qigui pondered for a moment before proposing a solution. “Then I’ll help you sever your ties with the Empress, so you can be free. As for today’s incident…”

The moment Ling Jun heard this, the primal fear surged through her again, her face paling and fingertips trembling slightly.

“If you ever encounter Yuchi Yanqing again…”

Before Guan Qigui could finish, Ling Jun clamped her hand over Guan Qigui’s crimson lips, her brow furrowing slightly. “She’s the Fourth Princess.”

“The Fourth Princess. If you ever run into her again, avoid her.” Guan Qigui watched Ling Jun’s actions with amusement, finding the girl before her utterly fascinating. She was the one who loathed, feared, and desperately wanted to never see that person again, yet she still referred to her as “Princess.”

“Lian Chen understands. You should leave quickly. If you’re discovered, it will be bad.” Ling Jun glanced at her with concern, the warmth in her heart compelling her to embrace Guan Qigui. Her voice was barely audible, like the buzz of a mosquito. “Thank you, Qi Gui…”

Thump… thump…

The soft warmth in her arms made her heart race. So this was what it felt like to do good. As Guan Qigui left Ling Jun’s chambers, she pressed a hand to her chest, the insistent thumping a vivid reminder of her own existence.

The courtyard attendants knelt the moment they saw Guan Qigui emerge. With a wave of her hand, Guan Qigui declared, “From this day forward, Yuchi Lingjun is your mistress. The rest should be clear enough.”

“We will serve the Princess with utmost loyalty and diligence, dedicating our hearts and minds to her service,” the lead attendant replied, her eyes lowered.

Xiao Mei’s quarters were in the western wing, closest to Ling Jun’s chambers. Guan Qigui approached the door and rapped casually.

“Coming!” Xiao Mei called out, opening the door. Her expression faltered slightly when she saw Young Master Guan. What could he possibly want with her now?

Noticing Xiao Mei’s hesitation to invite her in, Guan Qigui’s mischievous nature stirred. Her sword-like brows furrowed, her eyes gleaming with icy coldness as she spoke: “Ye Yunmei, orphaned daughter of the Ye Clan, whose father was the disgraced Vice Minister of War. Your younger sister, Ye Yunlan, remains at large. Have I missed anything?”

Each word struck like a blade piercing Xiao Mei’s heart. Her eyes widened with growing dread as she realized Young Master Guan was far more perceptive than she had imagined.

“I haven’t…”

“Empress Zuoqiu entrusted you and your sister to her care at your father’s request, solely because the Ye Clan had once shown kindness to the Zuoqiu Clan, asking her to protect your lives. Was that wrong?” Guan Qigui stood with her hands clasped behind her back.

“No…”

“So now, though you reside in Changyang Palace, you serve as the eyes of Kunning Palace. Is that wrong?”

Guan Qigui knew! The Princess… Xiao Mei’s heart grew colder. Having entered the palace, she had long abandoned any thought of her own life, but she couldn’t abandon her younger sister who remained outside.

“Young Master Guan, what do you mean by this?” Since Guan Qigui had come to her, there must be room for negotiation. But this meant she had once again placed a weakness in someone else’s hands, leaving herself vulnerable. Xiao Mei frowned, her hand clenching into a fist at her side.

“Naturally, I’m giving you a chance to repay your debt,” Guan Qigui said, a smirk playing on her lips as she toyed with the young master’s fan in her hand.

What debt? What debt was she talking about? Xiao Mei asked, puzzled, “What debt does this servant owe you, Young Master?”

“Black Hawk.”

Black Hawk responded instantly, landing beside Guan Qigui and respectfully presenting a sealed document. Xiao Mei was astonished to see such a capable figure at Guan Qigui’s side.

Guan Qigui raised the secret document in her hand, her crimson lips parting slightly. “This reveals the hidden truth behind the Ye Clan’s annihilation. You’ll understand as soon as you read it.”

Xiao Mei took the document, her fingertips trembling slightly. For some reason, she hesitated to open it. She closed her eyes, steeled her resolve, and thought, Whatever hellish trials I’ve already endured, I’ve survived. No matter how unbearable the trials ahead—mountains of knives or cauldrons of boiling oil—I will face them!

With her resolve firm, Xiao Mei opened the document. Her gaze burned as she stared at the characters before her, as if she couldn’t recognize them. The paper crumpled in her trembling fingers. This was proof that Empress Zuoqiu had orchestrated the Ye Clan’s downfall… So her father truly had no treasonous intentions…

The truth from that year struck her with such unexpected force…

Years ago, the Vice Minister of War had saved Empress Zuoqiu’s life. The Zuoqiu faction, exploiting the Empress’s influence, had reaped immense benefits in the capital. Just as the Emperor’s patience reached its limit, the Vice Minister sent a secret letter to Zuoqiu, advising her to donate years of embezzled funds to the national treasury to avert disaster. Zuoqiu, suspecting nothing, immediately complied.

Afterward, the Emperor not only refrained from punishing her but even rewarded the Zuoqiu Clan, praising their “profound patriotism” and “benevolent intentions.”

Yet, a few years later, Empress Zuoqiu watched as the Zuoqiu Clan gradually declined, failing to produce any outstanding literary or military talents. A scheme began to form in her mind. She presented fabricated “evidence” to the Emperor, claiming to have heard rumors of the Ye Clan plotting treason. The Emperor immediately dispatched investigators, who naturally uncovered the “evidence” meticulously prepared by the Zuoqiu Clan.

Enraged, the Emperor ordered the execution of millions. In a single night, over two hundred members of the Ye Clan were slaughtered, leaving only Ye Yunmei and Ye Yunlan alive. Ironically, Ye Yunmei had once regarded the Empress’s favor as a boundless spring of gratitude.

Who could have imagined that the Empress Zuoqiu herself was the mastermind behind this catastrophe?

After the Ye Clan’s annihilation, the Emperor lavishly rewarded the Zuoqiu Clan, granting them immense power. Members of the Zuoqiu faction now dominated the imperial court, occupying positions of fifth rank or higher in both civil and military offices. Ye Yunmei bit down so hard on her lower lip that it drew bl00d.

Fifth rank… Her father, who had toiled tirelessly for the nation for over twenty years, had barely reached the third rank…

Ye Yunmei’s resolve hardened instantly, her eyes burning with fiery determination. She knelt before Guan Qigui and kowtowed three times, the force of her bows leaving a faint red mark on her forehead. Straightening her back, she declared solemnly, “I thank Young Master Guan for revealing the truth to Ye Yunmei. I wish to ask, how can I repay this debt?”

How to repay this kindness? The answer was obvious…

“You must serve Yuchi Lingjun faithfully and never betray her by serving two masters. As for the Empress, you know what to say and what to keep silent. And this…”

Guan Qigui pulled a celadon porcelain bottle from her sleeve and tossed it to Xiao Mei. “Find a way to slip this into the Zuoqiu Clan’s incense burner.” She then produced a plain, round bottle. “Put this one in the Empress Dowager’s burner. As for how… you should know what kind of incense the Western Regions tribute. I don’t need to teach you that, do I?”

“Understood,” Xiao Mei replied, carefully accepting the medicines. How could she miss such a chance for revenge? No matter what poison Guan Qigui had provided, she would help her, out of both loyalty and reason.

Shortly after Guan Qigui left, Yuchi Lingjun arrived at the western wing’s door with the remaining bruise ointment. She knocked lightly three times. “Xiao Mei?”

Xiao Mei opened the door and froze at the sight of Lingjun. Recalling Guan Qigui’s earlier words, she wondered if the Princess was also involved. Her expression softened, though the bloodshot in her eyes lingered as she helped Lingjun sit down, tears welling. “Why has the Princess come?”

Ling Jun remained silent, opening the medicine bottle and carefully applying it to Xiao Mei’s wounds. Xiao Mei noticed the Princess’s clear expression, her own face reflected in the Princess’s pupils. In a sudden realization, she understood: the Princess seemed to be…

Xiao Mei immediately knelt. Ling Jun frowned at her movement, asking, “What are you doing?”

Xiao Mei dared not rise. She kowtowed sincerely, saying, “This servant, Ye Yunmei, is guilty. My eyes were blinded by two leaves, but now that the path ahead is clear, I pledge to serve the Princess with utmost loyalty, offering my heart and liver.”

Ling Jun was speechless. Xiao Mei’s actions must have a reason… but she couldn’t tell if Guan Qigui was behind it.

“Rise,” Ling Jun said, pinching the bridge of her nose. “Lian Chen is tired. We do not welcome the future, nor dwell on the past. Lian Chen does not blame you. There are too many things in this world beyond our control, and no one can remain untouched. Since you have made this decision, Lian Chen trusts you.”

Ling Jun pinched the bridge of her nose. Too much had happened today, and she was truly exhausted. She recognized the unwavering resolve in Xiao Mei’s eyes, a steadfastness she could feel even from a distance. Perhaps… Guan Qigui had already begun making her moves.

And she…

was already caught in the game.