Chapter 9: Loathing People Like Ghosts, 9 Demons and 1 Nightmare
Xiao Li chuckled and cast a meaningful glance at Liu Xueyin beside her. "Don’t be cross, Brother. Today, Imperial Sister-in-law came to see me specifically, begging me to reconcile with the Prince Consort. I thought this might be your wish as well, so I simply had to ask."
A flicker of a reaction finally crossed Prince Chen’s face. He lowered his gaze to his Princess Consort, his look as sharp and cold as a blade of ice.
Lu Yanzhi’s expression changed instantly as well, but he restrained himself, not daring to look at Liu Xueyin. He knew perfectly well why she had sought out Princess Xuanyang, but at this moment, he could not defend her.
"I didn’t!" Liu Xueyin blurted out, but the two words were all she said. She fell silent, her expression one of someone with a story they couldn’t tell.
Prince Chen frowned. "If you didn’t, then why did you seek out Xuanyang?"
"Princess Xuanyang." Liu Xueyin looked at Xiao Li reproachfully. "How can you slander me like this?"
Having no patience for Liu Xueyin’s pointless denials, Xiao Li continued with a dramatic sigh, "I was quite determined to go through with the separation. But Imperial Sister-in-law used herself as an example to persuade me, and I was deeply moved."
Prince Wei played the part of the perfect straight man. "Oh? And what did she say?"
Xiao Li said, "Imperial Sister-in-law spoke of her life with Prince Chen. She said that while there may be friction and misunderstandings, to become husband and wife is a rare twist of fate. You must be understanding and tolerant of one another."
Prince Wei said, "Imperial Sister-in-law is right."
Xiao Li continued, "She also said that Lu Yanzhi is a rare and wonderful man, and that I must cherish him."
Prince Wei hesitated. "Ah, that’s a bit of a stretch..." ’Lu Yanzhi’s reputation is hardly stellar at the moment.’
As soon as Xiao Li finished, all eyes turned to Liu Xueyin. Prince Chen’s gaze was particularly chilling and unsettling.
Liu Xueyin looked aggrieved and terrified, the picture of frustrated indignation, as if she wanted to defend herself but couldn’t find the words.
Lu Yanzhi shot her a single glance. ’His heart twisted as if in a vice.’ His hands clenched into fists. "This is a matter between us," he said, his voice laced with anger. "What does it have to do with Princess Chen?"
Xiao Li nodded in agreement. "I agree, it has nothing to do with her. But I do think she has a point."
She leaned back in her chair, gazing down at Lu Yanzhi with condescension. Her eyes were filled with malice, yet her words dripped with endless devotion. "For this princess to have become your wife, to be so utterly infatuated with you—this must be the fate I sincerely prayed for in a past life."
"This princess was simply too heartbroken before and spoke rashly in a moment of impulse. But having calmed down these past few days, I’ve had time to think. It doesn’t matter if the Prince Consort dislikes me for now. As they say, sincerity can move mountains. As long as I treat you with a true heart and never give up, I am certain that one day I will pry open your frozen heart."
’And she meant "pry open" in the most literal sense of the word!’
To the Lu family, Xiao Li’s "heartfelt confession" was utterly horrifying.
Chief Minister Lu’s gaze, sharp as a blade, landed unabashedly on Xiao Li. "A princess’s words are precious. How can you treat this matter so frivolously?"
Xiao Li replied, "This is a major life decision; one cannot be impulsive. I am merely thinking things through carefully."
The Emperor clapped his hands. "Xuanyang is right!"
Lu Yanzhi gritted his teeth, his eyes burning with hatred. "I have long since renounced all romantic feelings. I will never develop affection for the Princess in this lifetime."
Xiao Li retorted, "It’s enough that I have feelings for you. It’s not like things could get any worse."
Madam Lu was so furious she saw stars. On impulse, she made a disastrous move. "Yanzhi is impotent! He cannot perform his marital duties with the Princess."
’To think she’d personally spread a rumor about her own son’s impotence just to get rid of me. What a difficult position for her to be in.’
"Enough!" the Emperor thundered, his face dark. ’Does the Lu family think I am merely a decoration?’
’The Imperial Physician already confirmed there is nothing wrong with Lu Yanzhi, yet they still dare to use this to fob people off.’
"It is better to tear down ten temples than to ruin a single marriage. From the start, this was a matter of the Prince Consort wronging Xuanyang. Now that she has had a change of heart, you two will live out your days together properly."
At this moment, the Emperor finally chose to assert his authority and majesty.
The Empress Dowager, seeing the matter settled, quickly chimed in to seal the deal. "This has been going on long enough; it’s time to put it to rest. Don’t become a laughingstock for the entire realm. As it happens, I have a Mandarin Duck and Lily Mirror from my dowry. I shall bestow it upon you both."
The Empress, who had maintained a low profile throughout, also spoke up to bestow two gifts in celebration. And with that, the matter was set in stone.
The Lu family’s expressions were incredibly grim. They never imagined that after causing such a scene, the Princess would actually go back on her word.
’And Princess Chen...’
The Lu family sat down, seething with frustration. The rest of the banquet was tasteless to them.
As for Lu Yanzhi, he was so filled with hatred he didn’t touch a single bite of food. The wine cup in his hand was on the verge of being crushed.
Seeing this, Xiao Li ate with even greater relish.
’Lu Yanzhi, you had a guard humiliate me, and you still think you can escape my grasp? Hah...’
Lu Yanzhi’s head snapped toward Xiao Li, his eyes filled with unconcealed shock.
"You..." ’She knows. She actually knows.’
"Is this your revenge?"
Xiao Li’s lips curved into a smirk. "What do you think, my dear Prince Consort?"
’Her goal was to get revenge on Lu Yanzhi, not grant his wish. This marriage could only be ended on her terms, not in a way that would give him exactly what he wanted!’
"Brother Yanzhi, I never said those things! I went to beg her to let you go, how could I possibly push you into the fire?"
"The Princess must dislike me, so she’s deliberately targeting you. Brother Yanzhi, this is all my fault..."
Hearing the pitiful sobs and gentle words of comfort from around the corner, Xiao Li scoffed to herself.
’She wanted to curse her for having such gall, but she had to admit, Liu Xueyin had stumbled upon the truth.’
It wasn’t just Liu Xueyin she couldn’t stand, however. It was both of them.
’Besides, this is the Imperial Palace. Do they think they’re in some deserted wilderness? Is she not afraid that Prince Chen will find out and torment her body and soul all over again?’
Xiao Li turned with a cold smirk, only to find a tall, slender figure standing right in front of her. She had no idea how long he had been there, his cold, wicked eyes staring straight at her.
The smirk froze on her face, and her heart hammered in her chest.
Taking a closer look, she realized it was the same strikingly handsome eunuch she had seen the other day.
His already androgynous features looked even colder and more sinister in the darkness. His eyes, in particular, were like those of a lurking beast, enough to make one’s blood run cold.
"Do... you need something?"
When Xiao Li spoke, the man slowly lowered his gaze. "Princess, His Majesty summons you."
"Oh."
Xiao Li took two steps forward before something occurred to her. She stopped abruptly and turned back. "What’s your name?"
His eyes remained half-lowered; Xiao Li could only see the cold, wicked upturn of one corner. "To answer the Princess, this servant is named Lou Yan."
"Oh. Which ’yan’ is that?"
"The ’yan’ from ’to loathe’. The ’yan’ that means ’nightmare’."
Xiao Li paused for a moment. "Well, that’s certainly a unique name."
’Not only is the man himself sinister, but his name is also brimming with malice.’
’Lou Yan... that shouldn’t be the name of some unknown person. And yet, he never once appeared in the book she had read.’
’Then again, the story she’d read was told from Liu Xueyin’s perspective. It recounted her tangled web of love and hate between the male lead and the supporting male lead, while also detailing the life of the original Princess Xuanyang.’
’Both women were prisoners of their own love and hate, their joy and their madness all revolving around men.’
’The male lead’s struggle for the throne was only glossed over in a few short passages, so why would the book ever go into detail about a eunuch who likely died along with the late Emperor?’