Chapter Twenty-Seven: Rights and Wrongs of the Past
Luo Yanqing, her heart wracked with grief and her eyes brimming with tears, cried out, “Even if you kill me, it doesn’t mean Lord Yun will marry you just because you have feelings for him!”
“Who is she?” Xue Chun demanded, terror-stricken and anxious, unwilling to let anyone else claim what she believed was hers.
“She’s the legitimate daughter of General Tiao Shao’s manor, Tiao Shao Qianyu!” Luo Yanqing replied, feigning pitiful fragility but gritting her teeth with each word.
Xue Chun understood every word Luo Yanqing said, but when strung together, the meaning eluded her.
Seeing Xue Chun’s dazed expression, Luo Yanqing thought she was persuading her and continued, on the verge of tears, “Five years ago, Lord Yun couldn’t stop praising Tiao Shao Qianyu’s poem at Mingke Residence. It’s obvious he admires her talent!”
Bitterness surged in Luo Yanqing’s heart. Had she been the one to gain fame five years ago, surely it would have been her Lord Yun praised. She had prepared for the poetry gathering for a whole year, only for Tiao Shao Qianyu to ruin everything! Luo Yanqing had never guarded against Tiao Shao Qianyu, because she had always been silent in the past.
Xue Chun was unmoved and replied, “Well, her poem was indeed good. Didn’t you say you weren’t as skilled as she is?”
Luo Yanqing’s face froze, the truth cutting deep—she truly could not surpass Tiao Shao Qianyu’s poetry. This left Luo Yanqing perpetually unwilling to accept her fate. She was forced to maintain a facade of magnanimity, lest anyone compare her unfavorably to Tiao Shao Qianyu. Whenever others spoke of talented women, she would first humble herself before Tiao Shao Qianyu’s name.
What stung most was that despite her hatred, Luo Yanqing had to rely on Tiao Shao Qianyu just to draw her beloved’s attention. Her hatred festered; the moment she saw the Princess of the War King’s Manor, she recognized her as Tiao Shao Qianyu and was even glad she had finally married.
But then, outside the palace, she witnessed her shamelessly flirting with Yun Ming in front of the War King, and her hatred boiled over, compelling her to teach Tiao Shao Qianyu a lesson—hence, the slap at the palace banquet.
Xue Chun, seeing Luo Yanqing lost in thought, had no idea what filth was swirling in her mind. Suddenly, she exclaimed, “So what if Yun Ming likes the legitimate daughter of the General’s Manor? She’s dead, isn’t she?”
“You’re trying to trick me, aren’t you?” Flustered, Xue Chun slapped Luo Yanqing hard on both cheeks.
Luo Yanqing’s face burned crimson as she shouted, “Tiao Shao Qianyu isn’t dead! She’s the Princess of the War King’s Manor! She seduced Lord Yun the very day she entered the palace!”
Gone was any trace of the dignified, charming girl she had pretended to be at the palace banquet. She screamed hoarsely, her voice laced with hysteria.
“Watch your mouth!” Xue Chun, infuriated, delivered another two sharp slaps.
Luo Yanqing was slandering her mistress, something Xue Chun could not tolerate. Afterward, realizing she might have revealed too much, Xue Chun added, “You just said she’s the Princess of the War King’s Manor. Why are you spouting nonsense? Are you trying to get me to catch her so you can escape?”
“The Princess is a proper daughter of the Lu family, not some shameless woman like you! One moment engaged to the Marquis of Qin, the next trying to latch onto my Yun Ming! Shameless!” Xue Chun spat in disgust.
The news of the Duke of Lu sending his daughter to the War King’s Manor hadn’t spread far; only the western part of the city knew the Lu family had two legitimate daughters. Luo Yanqing was unaware.
“The Lu family’s legitimate daughter is no better! She was already married with a child and still dared to remarry the War King!” Luo Yanqing shrieked like a madwoman.
“The Duke’s second legitimate daughter was the one married with a child. The War King’s Princess is the eldest!” Xue Chun retorted, almost offhandedly, enlightening Luo Yanqing. “Is it because the legitimate eldest daughter of your own Marquis’s house got married, and now you can’t?”
Luo Yanqing was dumbstruck. She had thought Tiao Shao Qianyu had assumed Lu Yanran’s identity to marry into the War King’s Manor. She had no idea Lu Yanran actually had an elder sister.
But then, Luo Yanqing sneered, “So what if she’s the Lu family’s legitimate eldest daughter? She’s still Tiao Shao Qianyu. Let’s see how the War King tolerates her infidelity, running off with her cousin-in-law!”
Xue Chun paused, noticing Luo Yanqing’s air of certainty. She must have planned everything; soon, the rumors would spread like wildfire.
Lu Yanran’s husband, Lin Yichu, was the son of Tiao Shao Zhuhao, Tiao Shao Qianyu’s aunt. When Tiao Shao Qianyu was six, Lin Yichu was nearly betrothed to her, but Lady Tiao Shao refused. The year Tiao Shao Qianyu came of age, Lin Yichu went to the capital for the imperial examination, intending to propose. Yet three days before her coming-of-age ceremony, Feng Jinye requested an imperial marriage decree at the New Year’s Eve banquet, making Tiao Shao Qianyu the War King’s Princess by the Emperor’s own order.
Afterward, Lin Yichu, resentful, schemed to live at General Tiao Shao’s estate, creating scandalous rumors about Tiao Shao Qianyu and even threatening her into writing a break-up letter to Feng Jinye.
That incident was the origin of all tragedy between Tiao Shao Qianyu and Feng Jinye.
Two years ago, on New Year’s Eve, Feng Jinye was away at war for months. Tiao Shao Qianyu brought Feng Qingxuan to celebrate at the General’s Manor, secretly plotting with her to sneak out and find Feng Jinye without her father’s knowledge...
The next morning, Tiao Shao Qianyu went to the main courtyard to pay respects to General Tiao Shao Zhantian, expecting to see Feng Qingxuan as well, but she was nowhere to be found.
“Where’s Qingxuan?” Tiao Shao Qianyu wondered aloud.
“Yes, where is she? That child is always so proper and would certainly come early to pay respects. Could she be ill?” General Tiao Shao Zhantian muttered.
Tiao Shao Qianyu hurried to Feng Qingxuan’s room, only to find her missing. The secret guards in the area had all been rendered unconscious by incense. The horrifying realization struck—Feng Qingxuan had been kidnapped.
Trembling, Tiao Shao Qianyu thought not only was a woman’s reputation her life in this era, but if Feng Qingxuan were used to threaten Feng Jinye, the consequences would be unimaginable.
“Summon Physician Leng!” Tiao Shao Qianyu forced herself to remain calm, ordering in a cold voice, “Seal the city gates, search every corner—find Qingxuan!”
She prayed the kidnappers hadn’t taken Feng Qingxuan out of the city. If she was still within, there was hope.
The likely purpose was to threaten Feng Jinye, a typical base tactic from the Western Yan Kingdom.
Physician Leng was dragged to the General’s Manor in less than a quarter of an hour and quickly revived the guards. They revealed they’d been overcome by the scent of incense at dawn, believing it to be the customary New Year’s Day ritual, which had made them drop their guard.
General Tiao Shao Zhantian ordered the city sealed and personally led the troops in an intensive search. On New Year’s Day, almost no citizens left the city, but not a trace of the kidnappers was found.
When General Tiao Shao Zhantian returned and spoke of the situation, Tiao Shao Qianyu grew increasingly uneasy. If the kidnappers intended to threaten Feng Jinye, they should have left the city immediately. Clearly, the plan was thorough—if they targeted Feng Qingxuan, they would have prepared well in advance.
Unless the kidnappers hadn’t left the city, and their true target wasn’t Feng Jinye, but Tiao Shao Qianyu herself.
The thought shocked her, but she also felt a sense of relief.
Banqiu and Dongnuan combed the estate for clues. Midway through the search, a maid confessed that the cousin had entered the eldest miss’s courtyard last night and didn’t leave until morning.
The cousin? Lu Liyuan? No, it was Lin Yichu!
It was him! After half a year of calm, Tiao Shao Qianyu had almost forgotten this person.
The maid made her confession in front of all the household servants, utterly destroying Tiao Shao Qianyu’s reputation.
Hearing the confession as she passed by, Tiao Shao Qianyu’s voice was cold as ice, uttering only two words: “Kill her!”
“Kill her? Isn’t that…” Banqiu hesitated, realizing how this would look—blatant murder to silence a witness. All the servants had heard the confession; they would certainly think Tiao Shao Qianyu was covering something up.
But Tiao Shao Qianyu drew her sword without hesitation and drove it through the maid’s heart. Blood spattered, and terror-stricken servants fell to their knees, fearing they’d be next.
She flung her sword to the ground in fury. “You have only yourselves to blame for using Princess Qingxuan against me!”
“Spread everything you heard, let them have what they want!” Tiao Shao Qianyu commanded, exuding unyielding power.
She turned and returned to her bedchamber. “Come out!”
From the shadows stepped Lin Yichu, dressed all in black, utterly unlike the refined scholar he once appeared to be.
“What do you want?” Tiao Shao Qianyu’s tone was cold, as if speaking to a stranger.
Lin Yichu was silent for a long time, watching her icy expression. The pain buried in his heart was wrenched to the surface.
“You…” Lin Yichu started, but the words caught in his throat.
Finally, he said bluntly, “Write to Feng Jinye. End this doomed relationship with him!”
“You want to destroy what I have with Feng Jinye!” Tiao Shao Qianyu sneered. At the time, she couldn’t understand how her aunt, such a gentle and wise woman, could have raised someone so despicable.
Despite her mocking tone, Lin Yichu was dazed, recalling how he’d always believed Tiao Shao Qianyu’s radiant smile should have belonged to him alone. Yes, Feng Jinye had stolen her away—how could he not hate him? The hatred for a stolen wife, a stolen love!
But with Feng Jinye’s power and status, Lin Yichu had no choice but to cooperate with the Western Yan people.
“Not only that, I want to live in the General’s Manor—in your courtyard!” Lin Yichu turned away, unable to meet her mocking gaze.
“Fine!” Tiao Shao Qianyu’s last trace of a cold smile vanished, replaced by pure loathing. “Ten letters. You stay in my courtyard for a month. Is that enough?”
“Agreed!” Lin Yichu accepted her terms without hesitation.
“I’m going to start writing now. Leave my sight immediately!” Tiao Shao Qianyu said, her voice devoid of emotion, every word like a dagger of ice.
Ten letters to sever all ties with Feng Jinye in exchange for Feng Qingxuan’s safe return.
Even as Ye Shiyi searched tirelessly for any trace of Feng Qingxuan, the effort proved fruitless.
Tiao Shao Qianyu wrote letter after letter, racking her brain to guess where Lin Yichu might have hidden Feng Qingxuan.
Soon, tales of her supposed infidelity with her cousin-in-law were spread far and wide, and Tiao Shao Qianyu became the object of everyone’s scorn in Yuandu.
...
Xue Chun snapped back to the present and looked at Luo Yanqing with utter contempt. “You truly are vicious. She’s already the Princess of the War King’s Manor—how does she threaten you? Why must you hurt her so?”
Luo Yanqing dropped her pitiful act and sneered, “Don’t pretend, I know you’re one of Tiao Shao Qianyu’s people!”
“You’re wrong. I’m Yun Ming’s!” Xue Chun retorted, knowing each time she addressed Yun Ming as “brother,” Luo Yanqing was left speechless.
Xue Chun suddenly burst into laughter. “I was only testing you, to see if you’re worthy of Yun Ming!”
Feigning shyness, she went on, “I don’t kill or slander others—Yun Ming doesn’t like that! Go on, you may leave!”
Xue Chun deliberately provoked Luo Yanqing, adding, “Yun Ming would never like you. You’re not worthy of him and pose no threat to me!”
Luo Yanqing’s body trembled, venomous eyes fixed on Xue Chun, but she was stunned when Xue Chun actually untied the rope from her back and let her go.