Chapter 152 -
The room on the left was large, quiet, and very warm.
Beautiful wooden screens separated the bed from a small tea table with soft silk cushions. A large copper heater burned in the corner, filling the room with cozy warmth. The big bed was piled high with soft, clean blankets, and warm paper lanterns lit up the whole room.
It was not as giant as her room back at the Xi Estate, but compared to the freezing tent, it felt like heaven.
Yueqing took off her heavy cloak and fell backward onto the soft bed with a happy sigh.
"So comfortable," Yueqing murmured, closing her eyes. "I never want to get up."
A small blue-green light flashed beside her pillow, and Nine appeared, floating over her face with his arms crossed.
[System 009: Host, do not get too comfortable.]
Yueqing opened one eye. "Why not? The room is warm and the bed is soft. What is wrong?"
[System 009: You are inside Prince Xiao Chen’s house—General Wenzhe’s biggest enemy!] Nine warned, glowing brightly. [This mansion is full of deadly guards and assassins. If Wenzhe finds out you are here, or if the Prince’s men think you are a spy, you will be in big trouble!]
Yueqing gave a small, quiet laugh and rolled onto her side.
"Nine, relax," Yueqing said softly, her eyes calm and confident. "Xiao Chen brought me here himself. He gave me a warm room and promised I could move freely. He acts mean to others, but he will not hurt me."
She looked at the warm fire in the corner, her smile turning fierce and strong.
"I am not his prisoner," Yueqing whispered. "I am here to protect my son. If Wenzhe or Duke Xi try to hurt him, they will have to go through me first."
Nine let out a tired sigh, his light dimming down.
[System 009: Fine, Host. Just please stay safe until morning.]
"Sure, sure," Yueqing replied lazily, waving a dismissive hand at Nine before the system vanished back into her mind.
She got up and changed out of her heavy traveling clothes into a simple, light-blue robe that was soft and easy to move in. She tied her hair up loosely, leaving just a simple jade pin to hold it in place.
Feeling completely relaxed, she stepped out of her room and walked downstairs in search of the library Xiao Chen had bragged about earlier.
Following the soft glow of paper lanterns along the wooden hallway, she reached a set of grand carved doors standing slightly open. Yueqing pushed them back gently and stepped inside.
The library was massive. High wooden bookshelves stretched all the way to the tall ceiling, filled with thousands of ancient scrolls and bound books. The room smelled sweetly of old paper, ink, and warm tea.
Sitting by a large wooden table near a burning fireplace was Xiao Chen.
He had taken off his dark cloak, wearing only his loose red robe with his golden-brown hair falling softly over his shoulders. A warm pot of tea sat beside him, surrounded by a pile of open books. He held a scroll in one long hand, looking completely relaxed in the quiet room.
Hearing her footsteps, Xiao Chen looked up from his scroll. His sharp black eyes fixed on her simple outfit, a quiet, entertained smirk touching his lips.
"You found it quickly, Lady Sue," Xiao Chen said softly, setting his scroll down on the table. "And here I thought you would be asleep after such a long journey."
Yueqing walked in smoothly, taking a seat at the low wooden table right across from him.
"I told you I don’t want to be bored, Your Highness," Yueqing said with a small smile, looking at the books spread out around him. "And you promised me a massive library and good tea."
Xiao Chen let out a low laugh, picking up the teapot and pouring a hot cup for her.
"Then welcome to my library," Xiao Chen murmured, his black eyes glinting with quiet amusement. "Help yourself to any book you like."
Xiao Chen set his teacup down, his black eyes fixing on her with a thoughtful, mischievous glint.
"Since you are here," Xiao Chen said smoothly, "why don’t I recommend one for you?"
He stood up effortlessly, his loose crimson robe swaying as he walked toward a high rosewood bookshelf near the corner. He scanned the neat stacks of ancient scrolls and bound texts before pulling out a thin, hand-bound book with a dark silk cover.
Walking back to the table, he placed the book lightly in front of Yueqing.
She looked down at the delicate silver brushwork on the cover. It was a collection of classic poems.
Yueqing opened the first page and read the fluid, dark ink lines written inside:
The mountain hawk flies high in peace, While the foolish wolf hunts in the dark below. He thinks the forest belongs to his bloody jaws, Unaware the sky is waiting to strike him down, Leaving only bones in the winter snow.
Yueqing’s eyes narrowed slightly as she processed the words. The ’mountain hawk’ was Xiao Chen, watching from above; the ’foolish, bloody wolf’ was Xi Wenzhe, marching off to war while thinking he controlled the empire. It was a sharp, direct poem promising a brutal end to her husband.
Xiao Chen rested his chin in his palm, watching her face closely, waiting to see if she would gasp, panic, or understand the deadly message hidden inside the art.
[System 009: Host, he is testing your intelligence! He wants to see if you are just a clueless noble lady or if you are smart enough to recognize his subtle threat against Wenzhe. If you reveal that you understand, his suspicion toward you will skyrocket!]
Yueqing caught the warning instantly. She closed the book with a gentle, careless motion, looking up at Xiao Chen with a sweet, completely innocent expression.
"It is a lovely poem, Your Highness," Yueqing said softly, her eyes wide and clear. "Though I must admit, I always feel a bit sorry for the poor wolf in these stories. Animals have such a hard time finding food in the winter snow, don’t they?"
Xiao Chen froze for a second, staring at her in absolute disbelief.
He had handed her a cold, veiled threat promises of her husband’s absolute destruction, and she was sitting there worrying if the wolf was hungry.
A moment of silence filled the warm library before Xiao Chen let out a low, breathless laugh, his black eyes sparkling with sheer, entertained disbelief.
"Hungry?" Xiao Chen repeated softly, leaning in closer with a wide smirk. "Lady Sue... you truly baffle me."
Xiao Chen shook his head, a dark, playful glint in his black eyes as he reached across the low table and picked up another thin, leather-bound volume.
"Let us see if you find this one more to your liking," Xiao Chen said smoothly, flipping through the pages until he stopped at a specific page. He slid the open book across the wood, stopping it right before her teacup. "Read this one, Lady Sue."
Yueqing looked down at the dark, sharp ink strokes:
The ambitious snake coils beneath the golden throne,
Hissing of loyalty while hiding a poisoned blade.
He dreams of wearing the tiger’s skin,
Yet forgotten that a crushed head leaves no crown,
Only blood spilled upon the palace floor.
The poem was even less subtle than the last. The ’ambitious snake’ was a direct jab at Wenzhe’s father, Duke Xi, and his faction’s greedy plotting to overthrow the royal court. Xiao Chen was blatantly telling her that he knew every traitorous move her in-laws were making, and that he intended to crush them all without mercy.
Xiao Chen rested his chin in his hand, watching her with a sharp, expectant look, waiting to catch even a slip of panic or recognition in her eyes.
[System 009: Host, hold your character! Keep playing dumb!]
Yueqing blinked slowly, tilting her head with a look of pure, harmless confusion. She traced a finger over the page, letting out a small, sympathetic sigh.
"Oh dear," Yueqing murmured softly, looking up at him with wide, innocent eyes. "What a sad poem, Your Highness. Why must people always speak so poorly of snakes? My maid back home once caught a little green snake in the garden, and it was quite shy. It didn’t want a crown at all—it just wanted to sleep in the sun."
She set the book down gently, looking at him with utter sincerity. "I think whoever wrote this poem was being far too harsh. Snakes are just misunderstood."
Xiao Chen stared at her, completely motionless for three full seconds.
He had just handed her a poetic death warrant for her husband’s entire bloodline, and she was sitting there defending garden snakes and talking about them sleeping in the sun.
Xiao Chen threw his head back and let out a rich, booming laugh that echoed through the quiet library. He laughed so hard a lock of his golden-brown hair fell across his face, his black eyes watering with pure, unadulterated amusement.
"Defending the snake!" Xiao Chen managed to say, leaning back against his cushions, his dark eyes sparkling with delight as he shook his head. "Lady Sue, you are either the most innocent woman in the entire empire, or you are completely out of your mind."
Yueqing offered him a sweet, helpless smile, picking up her hot tea. "I am just a simple woman who likes peaceful gardens, Your Highness."
Xiao Chen wiped a tear of laughter from the corner of his eye, his dark, usually cold face softened by genuine warmth. "A simple woman... right. Keep reading then, Lady Sue. I want to hear what you think of the rest of my library."