Chapter 100: Battle Bathed in Blood

“Ruqing wouldn’t dare claim acquaintance with the princess consort—oh no, with madam. It’s just that back when madam served in the General’s Mansion, she uttered a few words,” Qiao Ruqing said with a gentle smile, linking arms with the nineteenth princess, Lanxin.

“So the imperial sister-in-law once served in the General’s Mansion? I wonder what kind of service it was?” Lanxin asked.

“She attended to the general,” Qiao Ruqing replied in perfect harmony with Lanxin, clearly trying to provoke trouble. Their performance was seamless.

I didn’t mind what they said about me, but since they were connected to Li Yexuan, I couldn’t let him lose face. His expression was already quite grim.

“The son of Grand Academician Liu—his whereabouts have been unknown lately. I haven’t seen him for a long time. He is talented, but due to his mother’s circumstances, he was sent far away. It must have been quite a hardship for him. I should have reported this to the emperor sooner,” Lanxin continued.

I truly had no knowledge of Grand Academician Liu’s son. Li Yexuan spoke so casually, but I noticed Lanxin’s nearly twisted expression. Could it be that...

“Brother, please don’t blame me. Lanxin is inexperienced,” Lanxin quickly interjected.

“We are siblings, born into royalty, which is always different. As your elder brother, I must advise you. Now that you are married, do you still need me to teach you the dangers of loose talk?” Li Yexuan admonished.

“You’re right, brother,” Lanxin replied, tears threatening to fall. I quickly tugged Li Yexuan’s sleeve, signaling him to stop.

“Why are you so harsh? She’s just a child,” I said. It was Yun Rong and Qiao Ruqing who had bullied me, not Lanxin, so I had no reason to offend her.

“If only she were as obedient as you,” Li Yexuan muttered.

“...”

“Since you’ve come, Lanxin, stay for the meal,” I invited.

“Thank you, sister-in-law,” she said gratefully.

I took Lanxin’s hand and left, with Li Yexuan walking beside me. Qiao Ruqing remained where she was; her status barely allowed her to speak.

Lanxin seemed to understand something, turning to Qiao Ruqing. “You may leave now. Tell the general that I won’t return for the meal.”

Qiao Ruqing bowed and left.

“Sister-in-law, how old are you?” Lanxin asked as we strolled by the lake. Li Yexuan had long retreated to the study to attend to his affairs.

“Fifteen. And you?”

“Wow, you’re a year younger. How did you manage to marry? My brother is notoriously difficult to win over. Many women have stood before him, yet none caught his eye.”

“I don’t know...” I truly didn’t. Why had Li Yexuan chosen me? No matter how much I concealed it, he could never erase the memory of that other woman, Huangfu Ziyun.

“Sister-in-law, you’re truly beautiful. They say the late Eldest Princess of Lingyun Kingdom was the fairest, but I think you surpass her,” Lanxin said.

Her words sent a chill through me, and I forced myself to reply, “Have you seen the Eldest Princess?”

“No, but I wish I had. Such a figure—I really wanted to meet her. Alas, beauty was her curse, and she passed away young. Only our eldest brother, the emperor, saw her. He used to joke that if not for their age difference, he would have gladly won her hand.”

I had nothing to say, only vague murmurs. Lanxin thought I was unwell and didn’t press further. Instead, she chattered on endlessly.

After lunch, Lanxin took her leave.

“What do you think of Lanxin?” Li Yexuan asked as we walked by the lake.

“She’s still a child,” I replied, concerned whether she’d be mistreated in the General’s Mansion. Could someone like Yun Heng really look after her properly?

“Don’t underestimate her. When she adopts a princess’s demeanor, she’s formidable,” he said.

I smiled silently. Indeed, the princess’s bearing was formidable. When she arrived, the disdain in her eyes was palpable. If not for Li Yexuan’s presence, she probably wouldn’t have exchanged many words with me.

“After all, I’m not your princess consort. Why let her call me sister-in-law?” I said, worried that rumors might cause trouble. I could not bear those hostile looks.

“Fan Fan, you don’t think I’m joking, do you?” Li Yexuan’s voice startled me, making me step back twice.

“Do I need to show you properly?” He closed the distance between us step by step, and I retreated until my back nearly touched a pavilion pillar.

“I’m your husband; do you want me to rip out my heart and show it to you?” he teased.

I was pressed against the pillar, almost trapped.

“Hm? Fan Fan?” I placed my hand against his chest.

“Go away,” I said firmly.

“Hmm?”

“I do trust you.”

Li Yexuan stepped back, and I breathed a sigh of relief—only to fall into his arms the next moment.

“Wait, there are servants nearby,” I whispered.

Two servants hiding in the bushes nearby hurriedly slipped away upon catching Li Yexuan’s glance, as if they had grown extra legs and were fleeing for their lives.

Li Yexuan brushed his cheek against mine and pulled me toward the study.

“Li Yexuan, where are we going?” I asked.

“The study.”

“But aren’t you busy? I don’t understand...” I trailed off.

“You should,” he said.

“What should I understand?” I asked.

He suddenly stopped, turning to me. “Fan Fan, you haven’t talked this much in a long time.” Then he ruffled my hair.

I must have been quiet for quite some time. Could it be that he preferred my cheerful side? Surely Lanxin’s influence had rubbed off on me.

We reached the study quickly.

Li Yexuan sat down while I poured tea for him. Although servants could do this, I liked attending to him personally, and he didn’t object.

“Why bring me to the study? Is there something to do?” I asked.

“Has anyone told you you’re smart?” he tapped the table.

“Just average. Didn’t you say I was naive before?”

“Who said that?” he teased.

“...” Li Yexuan, you win.

“Let me guess, you want to talk about royal matters,” I said.

“Of course. You’re now part of the royal family,” he said.

I was royal by birth, though not from their branch—something I could only think, not say aloud.

Li Yexuan pulled me closer, seating me on his lap. I tried to escape but was held firmly.

“Don’t move.”

I felt embarrassed.

“Speak your mind, my lord.”

“Lanxin, it’s best not to associate with her too much.”

I rested my head on his shoulder. “Alright, I’ll listen to you.”

“Do you remember when we first met, at the Crown Prince’s mansion?”

“Of course—surrounded by endless beauties, the Crown Prince, your eldest nephew.”

Li Yexuan’s lips twitched as I played with the hair near his ear. His hair was so... bewitching.

“Lanxin’s biological mother and the second prince’s mother are aunt and niece,” he said.

I stopped playing with his hair, my eyes growing serious.

“And what about you? Whose side are you on?” I asked, then immediately regretted it. “I shouldn’t have asked, and you needn’t answer.”

As I lowered my hand, he grasped it.

“I’m not on the same side as him,” Li Yexuan said, clearly referring to Yun Heng. I understood. It was said Lanxin met Yun Heng in the palace and had long harbored feelings for him, creating a romantic tale. How much of it was true, only Yun Heng knew.

“If you want to act, then go. I’m yours; the past no longer concerns me. I won’t make things difficult for you.”

“Yun Heng is not as simple as we think.”

“I know. He once approached me.”

Li Yexuan suddenly tensed.

“What did he want from you?”

“No need to rush. It’s all fine. He just wanted to use me, though I have no idea what his real intentions were—why target me?”

Li Yexuan pulled me tighter, the stingy man.

“Why didn’t you agree? Maybe you could’ve become Lady Yun,” I joked, feeling a pang of jealousy.

“I didn’t care at first. If I agreed, I agreed. After all, I was alone. But then I came to you, and you took me to the Maze Valley, then we accidentally went to Maple Leaf City, and you know what happened after.”

“Looks like I was really clever.”

It was all by chance, really. Clever, nothing more.

“Li Yexuan.”

“Hm? I thought you’d forgotten my name.”

“Impossible. Li Yexuan, do you like me?”

My head nearly dropped to the floor.

“What do you think?” he teased, lifting my chin.

“I want you to say it,” I said, breaking free from his grasp.

“I thought I was obvious enough. How can you still be so dense?”

“What do you like about me? I’m just a maid, clumsy and often causing trouble, bad-tempered, cold, and unfriendly.”

He stroked his own chin.

“Well, you do have many faults. I’ll have to reconsider.”

“...” I lifted my head from his shoulder, and he quickly leaned close, whispering into my ear.

“I like to eat, and you…”

He was still pondering, so I pushed him gently—but didn’t push him away.

He lifted me up, clearing everything off the large desk in the study.

He placed me on the table, about to lean over me.

“No!” I shouted.

“Do you want it or not?” His hand gripped my collar.

“No!” I repeated.

His hand moved, about to tug my collar.

“Wait.”

Li Yexuan looked at me puzzled.

“My lord, are you preparing for a bloody battle?”

His face darkened instantly.

For the first time, I hoped my menstrual cycle would last longer.

I stepped down from the table and adjusted my clothes.

Then I approached Li Yexuan, stood on tiptoe, and planted a kiss on his cheek.

Just as he reached to grab me, I slipped away, giggling.

But then my head was seized again.

“Stop…”

“You’re weak. Let Zi’er prepare some medicinal broth for you.”

“Alright.”

In that moment, I was touched and threw myself into his arms. Our moments together were scarce, but that day remained vivid in my memory—how he warmed the parts of me that had grown cold.