Chapter 50: Xiao Yuanchi Has Changed

To speak in such a veiled and sarcastic manner to the current Crown Princess—if overheard by malicious ears and spread abroad, Xiao Yuanchi would undoubtedly be memorialized and impeached once more tomorrow. Yin Jiaojiao hastily spoke up, "Your Highness!"

Yin Yuyu returned a composed and proper smile, not the least bit annoyed.

"Seventh Brother remains as fond of jesting as ever." Her soft-spoken words carried an underlying firmness. "What needed to be said, I have already said. Jiaojiao is clever and understands at a hint, which is quite reassuring. It is merely that this journey will be arduous; I only hope Seventh Brother will bear in mind when necessary who your true wife is, and who is most in need of your care."

"That requires no worry from Eldest Brother and Sister-in-law."

Faced with such a gentle, kind, and terminally ill sister-in-law, Xiao Yuanchi still showed not a shred of courtesy, treating her as if she were a formidable and dangerous adversary. Yin Jiaojiao knew it was simply because the other party belonged to the Crown Prince's faction and the Yin family, and offering such commonplace advice had touched upon his taboo.

Gu Xuezhi was his taboo.

After the Crown Princess departed, Yin Jiaojiao gazed abstractly at her receding carriage.

Xiao Yuanchi said with lingering impatience, "If I recall correctly, when she married into the Eastern Palace, you weren't even qualified to attend the grand wedding. The birthday banquet was only the second time you two met. How is it that a mere two encounters have fostered such sisterly affection?"

"Some people need only two meetings to entrust their hearts, while others face each other day and night yet remain estranged. The ways of the world have always been wondrously unpredictable."

"..."

"My lord, it is nearly dark. Are we not leaving yet?"

Yin Jiaojiao cast a cold glance at Xiao Yuanchi and was the first to step toward the carriage.

One of Yin Yuyu's remarks had been entirely correct: this matter had already reached the imperial ears and could not be altered. Rather than engaging in petty and futile resistance, it was better to face it with generous poise. Since fate insisted on treading its established track, there was no point in fleeing.

Yin Jiaojiao sought out a corner to curl up in, clutching a hand warmer in silence.

The carriage sped along relentlessly, soon passing through the city gates and entering the official highway.

On both sides of the road stretched continuous green trees and crimson flowers, scenery similar to the one she had traversed in her past life when she pursued her husband for a thousand miles. Back then, she had initially taken the official road, only to receive news from Liangzhou seven days later reporting the outbreak of war, with several towns along the route sealing their post stations for strict inspections. Overcome with anxiety, she followed Xialan's advice to take a shortcut, and inadvertently walked right into an ambush.

Thinking back calmly, although she was retracing the old path now, Xialan was gone, and she was traveling the official road alongside Xiao Yuanchi's official entourage. Even if an ambush were to strike, the unfortunate ones would be them rather than her; under no circumstances could the outcome be the same as before.

It might not have reached a stage beyond salvation.

At this thought, Yin Jiaojiao glanced sideways at Xiao Yuanchi. He was engrossed in a military treatise. At the four corners of the carriage hung corner-lamps crafted from luminous pearls, casting a pale, bluish-white glow across his intensely focused profile, creating an illusory aura of serene tranquility.

From Eastern Capital to Liangzhou, traveling via the official road took seven days at best, and half a month at worst.

In other words, she would have to spend at least seven or eight days alone with him in this carriage. In her previous life, this would have been unthinkable—not to mention that he never allowed her to interfere in his official duties, he detested her clinginess above all else, making haste to leave after every shared chamber, let alone willingly giving her such an opportunity to indulge her persistence to her heart's content.

"Staring at me all this time. Do you have objections again?"

"My lord." She shot him a flirtatious look. "Didn't you intend to send me away earlier? Why did you suddenly change your mind?"

Xiao Yuanchi received her flirtatious glance without dodging or evading.

"Jiaojiao says she doesn't want to go with her mouth, yet her heart desires it, putting on all sorts of postures—wasn't it simply because you wanted to come along with me? I was moved by your proactive and diligent heart, that is all."

Yin Jiaojiao blinked, inching her way over along the thick rug covering the soft couch. Xiao Yuanchi did not evade, so she simply rested her head against his shoulder, pretending to gaze at his military book while speaking in a coy tone, "Is what Your Highness said true?"

"Naturally true." Xiao Yuanchi naturally wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her into his embrace and seating her upon his lap. "Is Jiaojiao happy?"

The low couch inside the carriage was somewhat narrower than a bed in a chamber; to sit steadily, one had to sit close. The man's breath brushed against the shell of Yin Jiaojiao's ear, almost causing her composure to shatter.

"H-happy." Yin Jiaojiao lowered her eyes, putting on a shy and timid expression. "My lord, you have finally seen my heart. Then... once Madam Sun returns to Liangzhou this time, she won't be returning to our manor with us anymore, right?"

As his taboo, whenever she mentioned Gu Xuezhi, the two of them would invariably cause a cataclysmic row. Later on, to avoid incurring his disgust, Yin Jiaojiao avoided the topic whenever possible, though it had brought her no benefits either.

Sure enough, the perfectly masked composure on Xiao Yuanchi's face froze for a fraction of a second. Yin Jiaojiao's heart sank. The next moment, she heard him say, "Perhaps."

The carriage wheels rolled over the wide pathway of the official road, jolting occasionally. Yin Jiaojiao was bumped slightly and instinctively grabbed onto the lapel of Xiao Yuanchi's robe.

"What did you say?"

"You said perhaps? You are actually willing to let her stay in Liangzhou?"

Xiao Yuanchi gazed down at her, still unyielding.

"My will is unimportant. Whether she stays or goes depends on Xuezhi's own wishes." He grasped her hand and pulled it away from his lapel. "Understood?"

The heart that had leapt wildly into her throat plummeted heavily back to earth, and Yin Jiaojiao's disappointment was difficult to conceal.

A man as absolute and unyielding as Xiao Yuanchi actually had no will of his own before Gu Xuezhi; her choice was his command. To be so humble, to be so deeply in love—it truly sounded more enchanting than any sweet words.

"Do you really like her that much?"

She heard her own muffled, resentful interrogation.

From above, however, the man replied irrelevantly, "Perhaps Xuezhi will be willing to stay."

"She is deeply devoted to you; how could she possibly be willing to stay?"

"The affairs of the world are unpredictable."

Xiao Yuanchi bounced his knee slightly, jarring Yin Jiaojiao into lifting her head. Her eyes were red and her lips pouted, making her look like a wrinkled mandarin orange.

"If I die in Liangzhou, then she will have no choice but to stay, won't she?"

Yin Jiaojiao was stunned.

"Will you truly die?"

"I am human too, and all humans must die." Xiao Yuanchi leaned in closer, as if he wished to peer past her eyes and straight into her heart. "By then, you will become a widowed princess consort; no one will harm you anymore, and no one will give you grief. After three or five years when matters are settled, you will be completely free to do whatever you please."

Yin Jiaojiao swallowed hard, involuntarily letting her imagination wander.

If she could not escape far away, this was undoubtedly the only method. Two assassins might find it difficult to finish off Xiao Yuanchi, but a turbulent border town might not fail. As long as Xiao Yuanchi died, all problems would be solved.

Xiao Yuanchi's voice carried a hypnotic allure: "Are you looking forward to it?"

The light that was about to dawn in Yin Jiaojiao's eyes was extinguished at the critical moment. She gave him a shove, but failed to push him away.

"I am not looking forward to it! What kind of nonsense are you spouting, My Lord?" she scolded angrily. "I don't want you to die!"

With that, she immediately threw herself into the man's arms, feigning fragility.

After a long while, the man's large palm finally landed on her back. He patted her twice and did not continue.

There was no mistake.

Xiao Yuanchi had changed.

Yin Jiaojiao was certain of it.

Time and again, she had tested him, and he had been testing her in return.

Perhaps bringing her along to his post was another form of testing. Clearly, he had detected her murderous intent but could not be certain, leaving him no choice but to search for the answer step by step.

Yet the Xiao Yuanchi of her past life would never have acted thus; once a suspicion arose, regardless of whether it was true or false, he would have eliminated her at the first opportunity to prevent future trouble.

Unexpectedly, given a second chance, Xiao Yuanchi had begun to hesitate and even procrastinate, testing her repeatedly. Yin Jiaojiao did not know what exact factor was causing him to waver, but she could sense a trace of genuine affection mixed within it—she knew not where it stemmed from, but it should exist.

He might still deeply love Gu Xuezhi, but the balance had shifted just a fraction.

This was a golden opportunity.

As long as she could grasp it, she could exploit the openings, striving to avoid the impending disaster while plotting for the future. The best outcome would be to drive a wedge between him and Gu Xuezhi, making him abandon the thought of killing her. The worst...

Yin Jiaojiao listened to the steady, unhurried beating of Xiao Yuanchi's heart and closed her eyes.

The worst would be to kill him once more, making him truly die in Liangzhou.