My Love Rivals Have All Reborn - Chapter 26

Who was Elder Princess Gaoyang? She was the daughter born late in life to Emperor Gaozong. She was doted upon and protected while he was alive. To prevent her from being bullied, he had her feudal land designated early and granted her many privileges.

Despite such protection, she eventually married a sickly man and became a widow after only three years. The stories of her romantic escapades in her feudal land made people blush just hearing them.

Su Ying was not a young girl. Hearing these stories and observing Xiao Kuning’s beauty, it was highly likely that Gaoyang had developed an illicit interest.

Xiao Kuning acknowledged her concern. The one who should be headache wasn’t her, but the Empress Dowager.

She understood Empress Dowager Yan’s thoughts clearly.

Upon arriving at the Xie Manor, Xie Yu gazed at the plaque. The grandeur was impressive. She tugged at Xiao Kuning’s sleeve and asked, “Whose residence is this?”

Xiao Kuning felt a sense of unease. Xie Yu’s appearance was unchanged, but her words were unconsciously childish. Could this childish Xie Yu fool those old foxes?

She recalled her time as Empress in the previous life. At that time, she had successfully overshadowed Xiao Wenxue and was inwardly pleased. The palace was vast but boring. She often led people around to walk and play.

The scenery in the Hall of Perpetual Autumn was unchanging—the same colors today and tomorrow. After a while, she no longer wanted to look at it and often visited Zhao Ji’s Hall of Cold Light. Zhao Ji’s health was deteriorating then, and he was unwilling to summon concubines to serve him, living alone.

Even when Elder Princess Jingyang shamelessly sent Yan Ruyu into the palace, Zhao Ji rarely saw her. Only after Zhao Ji died did she realize that the Emperor had long been incapable of conjugal relations.

Considering this with later events, she looked at Little Xie Yu. This woman had a truly poisonous heart.

That was why Zhao Ji later handed over great power to Xie Yu. Whenever she visited Zhao Ji, she would encounter the Grand Tutor.

Xie Yu was not the kind of person with sharp edges. Instead, she was cool as water. A slight glance could make you feel her coldness. She was perfectly described as pure and upright, spotless and impeccable.

The Xie Yu in front of her… Xiao Kuning scrutinized her carefully. Cool as water?

Dream on.

She was only a boundless fool of a Xie Yu.

Seeing the gatekeeper approaching, she quickly instructed Xie Yu: “Later, pretend to be unhappy, be cold, and don’t say a single word.”

This might allow them to fool people.

Xie Yu was obedient, did not object, and nodded docilely.

The gatekeeper recognized Xie Yu. Seeing her return, he smiled broadly: “Master is back.”

Xie Yu looked at him, her watery eyes blinking. Xiao Kuning pulled her along, entering the manor through the main gate.

The Xie Manor was built in the style of a Jiangnan garden, showing no signs of desolation even in autumn. Xie Yu’s intellect was low, and her ‘age’ was small, yet she kept her gaze straight ahead, not looking left or right.

Good manners were evident from a young age. Xie Yu’s current demeanor could not have been cultivated overnight.

A thoughtful light flashed in Xiao Kuning’s eyes. Was Xie Yu truly just a woman from a Luoyang aristocratic family?

The gatekeeper did not follow. Instead, Xie Yu’s maidservant hurried over. Seeing Xie Yu, she was overjoyed: “Master is back! You haven’t returned in days, you must be tired. Would you like to bathe and wash up?”

How thoughtful. The first question upon returning is about bathing. Xiao Kuning glanced at the stern-faced Xie Yu out of the corner of her eye. Xie Yu seemed to have paused. Seeing the person looking at her, she guessed the woman was talking to her. But she didn’t recognize who the woman was.

She couldn’t remain silent. She carefully replied: “No need.”

The maidservant sensed the Master’s displeasure. She bowed and stepped back, following the two from behind.

Xiao Kuning did not know Xie Yu’s courtyard. She slowed her steps and spoke to the maidservant: “Master is attending a banquet tomorrow. Please bring her palace-appropriate clothes. They should be elegant.”

The maidservant dared not look at Xie Yu and left according to Xiao Kuning’s instructions.

The Xie Manor was gifted by Emperor Zhao Mian after his ascension. It was originally a Princess’s residence, abandoned for many years. The Emperor had it renovated, greatly changing its appearance. Xie Yu was initially unwilling to move in but only agreed after Zhao Mian strongly insisted.

The foundation of a princess’s manor was large. It occupied a significant area, and next door was the Prince of Zhennan’s manor. The two residences occupied an entire alley.

This showed the Emperor’s regard for Xie Yu.

It was inappropriate for the two to stand idle. Seeing a nearby pavilion, Xiao Kuning called Xie Yu over to sit.

The garden was quiet and secluded. With no one else around, it had a natural, earthy scent. A few strands of green remained in the cracks of the bluestone slabs, indicating that few people usually visited.

Xie Yu looked around and a purely innocent smile spread across her face: “Jiejie seems unhappy.”

Xiao Kuning snapped back to reality. The Xie Yu she knew was gone. The childish Little Xie Yu was more likable. She was curious about one thing: “You do everything I ask. Why don’t you ever ask for the reason?”

Little Xie Yu seemed not to resist her, a stranger, at all and even trusted her completely.

The pavilion was open on four sides. The cold wind from the lake blew in, making Xie Yu’s face red. She covered her face, her eyes still holding a smile. She said happily: “Jiejie has a beautiful face.”

Xiao Kuning’s mouth twitched. Little Xie Yu’s words were sweet, much better than Xie Yu’s. The venomous Xie Yu never had a kind word for her, only glares and insults.

Putting aside their past grievances, Little Xie Yu was quite cute. She wondered why she became so twisted later.

Twisted more than a little bit.

Xiao Kuning rested her chin on her hand and watched Xie Yu. There was a smile in her eyes after all. She reached out and touched Xie Yu’s face: “Be a good girl.”

Xie Yu’s eyes lit up, as if she had discovered a secret. She tried to lift her stool and move it closer. Only when she wrapped her arms around the stool did she realize it was made of stone and couldn’t be moved.

Helpless, she sighed and sat down. She mimicked Xiao Kuning, resting her chin on her hand, and quickly pleaded: “If I’m a good girl, will you sleep in the same bed as me tonight?”

Doctor Su said it didn’t thunder last night, so it will thunder tonight.

Xiao Kuning rolled her eyes and almost slapped her hand away, feeling stifled. She pinched Xie Yu’s cheek: “You’re a big girl. Sleep alone.”

Xie Yu softly huffed. Someone approached in the distance, and she quickly sat up straight.

The person who came was an advisor. Xie Yu had a few advisors living in the manor. Xiao Kuning didn’t know their identity, but the gold-embossed invitation in the man’s hand was eye-catching.

The advisor was a middle-aged man, refined and proper. Maintaining the separation of genders, he handed the invitation to Xie Yu without raising his head and reported: “Elder Princess Gaoyang invites you to appreciate chrysanthemums together the day after tomorrow.”

Xie Yu looked at the invitation in a feigned manner, then secretly shifted her gaze toward Xiao Kuning, looking lost and anxious.

She subconsciously reached out to hug the stool again. Realizing she couldn’t move it, she glared irritably at the advisor.

It’s all your fault for ruining my chance.

Xiao Kuning also feigned confusion: “Elder Princess Gaoyang is famously promiscuous. What is she here for?”

The advisor stood below, looking at the ground. Only upon hearing the words “famously promiscuous” did he speak: “It is known among court officials that Elder Princess Gaoyang and Elder Princess Jingyang are not on good terms. Although she favors beautiful people, she has not committed any outrageous acts. Furthermore, she has returned to say she intends to marry a beauty and take her back to her feudal land.”

Xiao Kuning was stunned. Although women could marry, it was generally frowned upon. Gaoyang was so open about it, with such confidence.

She was truly admirable.

Xie Yu furrowed her brow and her eyes darted back and forth between the advisor and Xiao Kuning. She pursed her lips, wanting to speak, but dared not.

The advisor suggested: “Elder Princess Gaoyang may seem reckless, but she has not made any mistakes so far. Elder Princess Jingyang and the Empress Dowager have always tried to find fault with her, but have failed. This shows that this Princess should not be underestimated.”

Xiao Kuning suddenly understood: “When is she returning to her feudal land?”

The advisor replied: “I heard she leaves on the Winter Solstice.”

She’s staying for a month. Xiao Kuning immediately had an idea. She pretended to speak to Xie Yu: “Master, why don’t we wait and see? Meet her before she leaves to gauge her intentions. What do you think?”

Xie Yu looked blank, her eyes calm yet confused, like a still pool of water. She echoed Xiao Kuning: “Mmm.”

The advisor was not suspicious. Xie Yu rarely spoke on normal days, mostly remaining silent. He understood, bowed, and retreated from the pavilion.

After walking a few steps, he looked back at the pavilion. Master Xie’s posture was the same as before, straight as a bamboo—resilient and unwavering.

Xiao Kuning felt a jolt of alarm. A few more incidents like this, and they would surely be exposed. She pulled Xie Yu and hurried toward the main gate, instructing the maidservant to send the clothes to Su’s Pharmacy and the qin to Elder Princess Gaoyang’s official residence as agreed.

The moment she stepped into the carriage, she felt as if she had survived a great ordeal and practically collapsed onto the seat.

Xie Yu sat upright. When Xiao Kuning looked up, she could see her long, snow-white neck—beautiful but suggesting helplessness. Her gaze was gentle as a floating cloud, different from that night.

That night, Xie Yu was cold and hateful, a mass murderer, staring at her from atop a pile of corpses.

The person in front of her was as beautiful as ever, elegant and gentle, seemingly descending from the clouds, wrapped in softness.

Xiao Kuning narrowed her eyes slightly, a thoughtful look on her face. She suppressed her guilt and smiled at Xie Yu: “Are you from Luoyang?”

Xie Yu nodded: “Luoyang.”

Xiao Kuning asked again: “Have you ever lived in Chang’an?”

Xie Yu pursed her lips, refusing to speak.

From this, Xiao Kuning concluded that Xie Yu had spent time in Chang’an when she was young, not as she claimed, that she had never left Luoyang before the age of eighteen.

Xie Yu was a person with a history, and she was desperately trying to conceal her past.

The carriage clattered back to the Moxiang Study. Unexpectedly, they saw Elder Princess Gaoyang’s scandalously flamboyant carriage from a distance.

The carriage was pulled by two horses. The striking point was that the horses were white, completely snow-white. The carriage body was covered with the new brocade that the Zhao family had just produced this year. It was far superior to the silk from Su and Hang, incredibly soft to the touch. Crucially, the brocade cost a hundred taels of silver per bolt, and the Zhao family, unsure of the market, had only produced about ten bolts.

It was practically snatched up the moment it hit the counter. This carriage required no less than ten bolts of the fabric.

The fist-sized Luminous Pearl on the roof was the most striking feature. Who had so much silver to spare that they would use a luminous pearl to decorate a carriage?

Xiao Kuning pressed her hand to her forehead. Xie Yu, sitting beside her, also widened her eyes looking at the carriage: “That… that is so much money. What a fool. Luminous pearls are for lighting up a room. They’re useless on a carriage. Don’t show off your wealth. Foolish and rich.”

After two days, she had learned ninety percent of Gu Ning’s way of speaking.

Just as Xie Yu finished speaking, the person inside the carriage stepped out. Gaoyang was wearing a bright red brocade jacket with opposing lapels. The red was incredibly noticeable in the light, and the jewels in her hair were breathtaking. First place in showing off wealth, a golden-leafed beauty with a licentious air.

Gaoyang spotted Xiao Kuning immediately. She gestured toward the carriage behind her, covering her mouth with a laugh: “Your mother gave this to me.”

In the whole world, only Zhao Xiran would think to put a luminous pearl on the roof of a carriage and use the finest brocade for the body.

Little Xie Yu was right: foolish and rich.

Xiao Kuning felt a pang in her chest from sheer exasperation.