Chapter 63: The Journey
One year, then another.
“Xuan Rui, I’ll kill you.” Li Youqing hadn’t seen him this vicious in a long time—even more terrifying than in her dreams.
She couldn’t tell whether fear or resentment weighed heavier in her heart.
“Try me.” The man’s rough fingertips continued downward, undoing her buttons: “Kicking down the ladder after crossing the bridge—you play this game well, Princess.”
“If you really don’t want to return, this General wouldn’t mind right here—” Xuan Rui’s tone was casual, but his eyes burned crimson as he unhesitatingly parted her legs with his knee.
The motion was practiced, just like before.
“Beast!” Li Youqing raised her hand, but her wrist was caught. Meeting those emotionless cold eyes, she slowly forced back her tears.
She had betrayed him first. Having long known his temperament, this reaction was only to be expected.
“When did you start colluding with Zhao Ze, hmm?” He remained unhurried, using his fingertips to trace her collarbone.
The second button came undone.
“What are you talking about?” Li Youqing’s cheeks flushed despite herself, her gaze furious as she glared at him.
Xuan Rui shook his head with a mocking smile: “Never mind. This General won’t trouble himself with a dead man.”
When Li Youqing processed his words and caught the scent of blood on him, she froze momentarily, exclaiming in surprise: “You… you actually killed him.”
“He was sent by the palace! Aren’t you afraid—” Before she could finish, her lips were bitten harshly.
Yet the expected kiss never came.
Raising her eyes, she saw his stern expression, and her heart gradually turned cold.
Xuan Rui narrowed his eyes slightly, his voice slightly hoarse as he examined her wrist: “You’ve grown so thin. Won’t people think this General has mistreated you when you return?”
“You’re letting me go?” Li Youqing stared at him wide-eyed, trying to discern something from his face.
But he remained utterly inscrutable.
A faint sense of humiliation rose within her. So he wasn’t as she had thought…
Indeed, at this point, her staying would only become a burden to him.
The third button opened, revealing full curves that glowed whitely in the night.
“Just a passing amusement. The Princess overestimates herself.” He lowered his gaze, his expression shamelessly brazen.
Strangely, Li Youqing found his attitude instead eased her fear.
She propped up her upper body, even arching forward slightly: “Weren’t you here to collect a debt? Why hesitate?”
Xuan Rui’s throat tightened. He drew an exquisitely crafted dagger from his robe and pressed it into her hand: “Everything returns to its rightful owner. From now on, we owe each other nothing.”
With that, he removed the Nine-Eyed Dzi Bead—once given as a birthday gift—from her wrist.
Li Youqing suddenly laughed, her tone laced with sarcasm: “So the great Commander chased me all this way just to reclaim this.”
Owe each other nothing…
Suppressing her anger, she maintained a blossoming smile: “Commander Xuan, you’re truly remarkable.”
“Your flattery is misplaced. I cannot compare to Your Highness, who turns ruthless without warning and flees faster than anyone when trouble arises…” His large hand caressed her, his brow involuntarily furrowing as he lifted it to her head and smoothed down her hair.
The silky texture slipped through his fingers like cascading threads. He chuckled carelessly.
Li Youqing took a deep breath, one hand gripping his collar while the other slipped downward.
Truly, there was no reaction at all.
This seemed to be the first time since they’d met.
So, had he truly lost interest in her?
Even though she had been the one to leave first, this man’s change of heart was far too swift.
How dare he mock her for being fickle…
A sudden, sharp pain clenched in her chest. Biting her lip to endure it, she tested again with her hand.
“It appears the debt here cannot be collected,” Xuan Rui seized her wrist, turning to sit up.
Li Youqing withdrew her hand, watching helplessly as he tucked the bracelet into his robes. Calmly, she stated, “Are you so certain that we will never meet again?”
“Your Highness should perhaps pray for your closer allies that such a day never comes.” Xuan Rui stood, his tone laced with threat.
The room fell into silence. Li Youqing heard him enunciate each word clearly: “Since His Majesty has appointed me to command the three armies, this marshal will not disappoint you.”
“Fine,” she replied indifferently.
“Qingqing, take care of yourself,” he continued mercilessly, “Wait for this marshal’s troops to arrive at your gates!”
A sharp crack echoed—this time, caught off guard, he took the full force of Li Youqing’s slap.
Noises suddenly arose outside, as if guards were patrolling. After they passed, silence returned.
Xuan Rui straightened his robes, glanced at the ashen-faced woman on the bed, and calmly climbed out the window.
About half an hour later, hurried footsteps sounded in the corridor once more.
Jin Cheng pushed the door open directly, lantern in hand. Seeing her alone in bed, he quickly turned away and asked worriedly, “Your Highness, there was an intruder earlier… Are you… unharmed?”
“I’m fine. Whether the ice on the road has melted or not, we depart tomorrow.” She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.
Her hand still clutched the dagger he had shoved into it, gripping so tightly her knuckles turned pale.
Xuan Rui, you bastard. You truly are something.
~
The final stop on their return journey was the banks of the Luo River.
The weather had noticeably improved. Along the way, they could see tall green trees and vibrant red plum blossoms in full bloom.
Seeing that the princess had eaten barely anything all day, Jin Cheng worriedly asked, “Your Highness, what troubles you? Perhaps sharing it might ease your burden.”
“A Cheng, when we return to the palace, will I still be residing in Liushang Palace?” Li Youqing rested her chin in her hands, gazing at the receding scenery outside the window.
She had been preoccupied with the harsh words that bastard had hurled at her before leaving, unable to focus on anything else. Now, nearing their destination, she remembered the mess awaiting her in the imperial city.
“No,” Jin Cheng replied, his heart heavy. Knowing some matters could no longer be avoided, he spoke plainly, “At year’s end, His Majesty permitted the Crown Prince to establish his own residence, granting him the former Prince Rong’s estate from the previous dynasty. Artisans have been renovating it ever since.”
“What does the Crown Prince establishing a residence have to do with me?” Li Youqing felt somewhat perplexed.
Jin Cheng frowned. “His Majesty has approved the Crown Prince’s request. Upon your return to the capital, Your Highness will first reside in the Crown Prince’s residence.”
Li Youqing was stunned for a moment, her emotions in turmoil. She wished she could wander outside for another year or two rather than return.
Jin Cheng saw through her thoughts and after a long pause, managed a less-than-comforting remark: “Your Highness, the Crown Prince might… be a good match.”
“The Crown Prince should marry next year.” Li Youqing leaned gloomily against the carriage wall, a refined jade-like face surfacing in her mind.
Setting this matter aside, the Crown Prince was actually an excellent person.
Gentle in temperament and humble in character.
If not for his act of kindness when they were young, she would likely have died from illness long ago.
But how could it be—
Whenever she thought of Li Jing’s feelings toward her, Li Youqing felt extremely uncomfortable.
Recalling how they had even shared the same bed when she was fifteen or sixteen made her even more frustrated.
She did like the Crown Prince, but only as a younger sister would like an elder brother, never anything more.
“The Crown Prince should indeed marry.” Jin Cheng followed her lead: “At least he needs to have children so His Majesty can rest assured. With the entire court watching and the Sima Family waiting like tigers, the current situation is unsustainable.”
“A Cheng, I have a favor to ask.” Li Youqing looked at him pleadingly. What she was about to say was a decision she had pondered for days.
Since her Imperial Brother had such intentions, she absolutely could not enter the Crown Prince’s residence.
Although Father Emperor still acknowledged her as his daughter on the surface, he surely didn’t want her becoming the Crown Prince’s consort.
Firstly, her mother was from the Sima Family, and secondly, her biological father might be—
Thinking of this, Li Youqing grew even more agitated and uneasy.
If her suspicions were true, even if Father Emperor didn’t kill her, insisting on staying by the Crown Prince’s side would make her a target for the entire court.
Throughout the imperial city, only the Jin family intervening could possibly turn this situation around.
“Your Highness saying ‘favor’ makes it sound distant. Don’t you understand my feelings? Since childhood, I’ve—”
“A Cheng, I beg you—please ask Father Emperor for my hand in marriage.” Li Youqing blinked. Though this was despicable behavior, she truly couldn’t think of any other solution.
Grand Tutor Jin was the Crown Prince’s mentor and most trusted by Father Emperor. She and Jin Cheng had grown up together.
If Grand Tutor Jin could step forward, there would be an eighty percent chance of success…
A blush spread across the young man’s face, joy barely surfacing when he heard her continue: “I know this will ruin your prospects and your future marriage, but I’m truly desperate. We just need to delay for three to five years until Imperial Brother marries and has children, until his stubborn feelings fade. Then we can annul the engagement, and I’ll beg Father Emperor to let me guard the imperial tombs or become a nun…”
“It’s no trouble.” Jin Cheng smiled gently. “Nothing is troublesome. Everything is as Your Highness commands.”
“Really?” Li Youqing still felt guilty.
A Cheng had always been one of the few people in this world who genuinely cared for her.
Yet this time, to protect herself, she was ruthlessly using him.
Including Zhao Ze’s death—A Cheng had also agreed to conceal it for her, disguising it as an accident.
She knew better than anyone that upon returning to the palace, everything would be turned upside down.
After all that had happened, those opportunistic sycophants would surely find ways to trample her.
Closing her eyes, she could almost see those people’s gazes and hear their filthy words.
Of unknown paternal origin, coveted by her elder brother, detested by her birth mother…
All of these formed a dense, overcast net that had been looming over her head, leaving her nowhere to hide.
Suddenly, she remembered Xuan Rui’s words: “Just a fleeting plaything…”
This entire journey had been sustained by that very sentence.
Thinking of his shameful indifference and coldness that night, the other hardships seemed somewhat more bearable.
Jin Cheng stayed by her side for a while. Seeing that she was willing to eat, his furrowed brows relaxed as he murmured: “Your Highness spent your seventeenth birthday away from home. This subject failed to give you a proper celebration. Next year, we must hold a grand banquet to make up for this one.”
Li Youqing listened to his incessant chatter by her ear, though she couldn’t quite make out what he was saying. She only felt the howling wind blowing through the window – familiar yet strange.
One year, then another.