My Love Rivals Have All Reborn - Chapter 41

Guilt-ridden, Zhao Can was afraid of Xie Yu. Upon hearing her voice, she hid behind Xiao Kunning, cautiously poking her head out. “Master, I was wrong. I just wanted to add some firewood, and I don’t know why it suddenly, suddenly caught fire.”

Xie Yu looked towards Xiao Kunning. “Did you learn your lesson after burning down the kitchen?”

Xiao Kunning offered a strained smile. Zhao Can quickly pointed to the sky and apologized. “I learned my lesson! I will absolutely never go to the kitchen with Sister Xiao again.”

Xiao Kunning: “…” Is the fault still mine?

Xie Yu walked toward Xiao Kunning. Her gaze lingered on the girl’s dirty sleeves. Finally, she lifted her hand. The redness and swelling on the back of the hand had subsided slightly, no longer as noticeable as before. Xiao Kunning’s nature responded well to gentleness and poorly to harshness, so Xie Yu swallowed her words of blame, making her tone slightly softer. “Your hand is injured; don’t let it touch water. Doesn’t it hurt?”

This was the first time in two lifetimes that Xiao Kunning had heard such concern from Xie Yu. Xiao Kunning felt instantly overwhelmed, forgetting how to refuse. She stared blankly at Xie Yu and blurted out, “Master, are you feeling unwell today?”

Has she gone silly again? Only Little Xie Yu would use this tone.

Xie Yu said, “When I show concern, you think there’s something wrong with my head?”

Xiao Kunning felt nervous under Xie Yu’s piercing gaze. “Isn’t there?”

Xie Yu choked. “You can care about others, but I’m not allowed to care about you?”

Zhao Can, who was hiding behind Xiao Kunning, felt something was amiss upon hearing this. She rubbed her forehead, thought for a moment, and said, “Oh, right! Master is benevolent; there’s nothing wrong with her being concerned about Sister Xiao.”

Xie Yu held her wrist, speaking sincerely. “My tone yesterday was poor. I apologize to you.”

Xie Yu had apologized.

Xiao Kunning felt struck by lightning. Xie Yu must be poisoned again. She instinctively wanted to touch Xie Yu’s head. “Master, if you don’t feel well, you should let Physician Su check your pulse. Don’t hide an illness.”

Xie Yu: “…”

The fire in the kitchen was extinguished. Looking in from outside, it was pitch black inside. The entire stove was burned beyond recognition. The cook cried a couple of times.

Xie Yu didn’t feel sorry for the kitchen, but she had deeper considerations in mind. Xiao Kunning misunderstood her too deeply.

In short, the apology failed.

Zhao Can pulled Xiao Kunning away to change clothes. Xie Yu returned to her courtyard alone, depressed. Halfway there, she encountered Gu Ning teasing a maid.

Gu Ning had heard the kitchen burned down and was about to ask when she saw Xie Yu walking over, looking crestfallen. Xie Yu’s discomfort brought her great pleasure. She walked over and sarcastically said, “Got rebuffed? Did the apology work?”

“No.” Xie Yu was glum.

Gu Ning bent over, laughing. “I’ve known you for so many years; when have you ever apologized? Your first apology failed. This joke is enough to last ten years! Serves you right for being arrogant, for cursing people, for being venomous. You deserved it.”

Xie Yu ignored Gu Shisui (Gu Ten-Years-Old) and turned to leave. After only two steps, she felt something was wrong in her heart and said, “Why doesn’t she believe me?”

“Are you asking for my advice?” Gu Ning perked up. Remembering the dozen qin instruments she lost last night, her heart ached terribly. She rubbed her chest and said, “Last night’s assassins crushed over a dozen of my qins. My heart ached so much I couldn’t sleep last night.”

Xie Yu glanced at her, forcefully suppressing the urge to strangle her. She said, “I permit it. I’ll have the accountant give you the silver later.”

Gu Ning was satisfied. She leaned into Xie Yu’s ear. “What did you apologize with?”

Xie Yu: “Does an apology require anything?”

Gu Ning looked utterly defeated. “You apologized just with your mouth?”

“Is a verbal apology improper?” Xie Yu did not understand.

Gu Ning wanted to smash open her head. “If you don’t have the skill, don’t try to secretly like someone! If a verbal apology worked, why would you be rebuffed? Also, I think she and Wen Yu-ke are quite well-matched. Just let her go.”

Xie Yu’s expression turned cold. “You haven’t sent over the accounts for the Hengxiang Pavilion these past few days…”

Gu Ning panicked. “No, no, no! I’ll teach you, I’ll teach you! Buy some things she likes and apologize in person. Do some things she likes. Don’t constantly put on the airs of the Empress Dowager. You have to consider that you are already this old; you’ve already wasted all the time you could. Things like dignity are already gone, so you might as well lose face completely and directly state your feelings. She still needs to be coaxed, so don’t be too calculating about everything.”

Xie Yu was confused. “If she dislikes it, wouldn’t that be very awkward?”

Gu Ning rolled her eyes at her. “Your face or Xiao Kunning? You choose. I’m leaving you with this: if you want your dignity, you won’t have Xiao Kunning.”

“Do not try to deceive me with such nonsense.” Xie Yu didn’t believe it. Gu Ning’s words had too many flaws; dignity and Xiao Kunning were not mutually exclusive like fish and bear paw.

Gu Ning gave up. Xie Yu was utterly clueless about feelings. Finally, she analyzed the situation for her. “I’ll give you a clear path: go see how Xiao Kunning treats Wen Yu-ke.”

Based on last night’s events, Xiao Kunning’s reaction was definitely problematic. The duty of a fellow traveler was a load of nonsense; her having ulterior motives was the truth. There was one more thing to remind Xie Yu: “Do not be too excessive toward Wen Yu-ke in front of Xiao Kunning.”

She was overly anxious. Having an old maid who couldn’t be married off was genuinely taxing, especially when Xie Yu was clueless about feelings and only knew how to be jealous, which was the quickest way to offend people.

Xie Yu took the advice to heart. Meanwhile, Xiao Kunning secretly went to Wen Yu-ke’s courtyard. Before she could enter, Nuongqin blocked her outside. “Master has instructed that no one is allowed to enter.”

Nuongqin was straightforward and not as efficient as Yu Yin. A rule was a rule; it could not be broken. Xiao Kunning wore down her mouth, but she couldn’t change Nuongqin’s mind. She had to return to the Xiao Estate in the afternoon and would have no chance to check on Wen Yu-ke otherwise.

Nuongqin guarded the door. Forget a living person; not even a fly could enter.

Xiao Kunning lingered at the courtyard gate for a while. She thought of many reasons, but all were blocked by the phrase, ‘Master instructed that no one is allowed to enter.’

Having no choice, Xiao Kunning held a cup of tea, lowered herself, and went to plead with Xie Yu.

The Xie Estate was busy today. Even Princess Jingyang came to visit. Xie Yu had just returned from the kitchen when she met the doorman and ushered Princess Jingyang into the front hall.

Princess Jingyang was ten years older than Princess Gaoyang. Although her exquisite makeup concealed her wrinkles, one could see the slackness in her face upon closer inspection. In court, she had always been dominant, yet the women in Prime Minister Yan’s inner courtyard were numerous. Crucially, she had no children of her own, and the one she adopted wasn’t close to her heart. Yan Ruyu’s betrayal had chilled her heart.

Xie Yu deferred to her, seating her in the place of honor while taking the seat below. Her attitude was respectful but did not comfort the Princess, who instead felt Xie Yu was putting on an act. She refused the tea and directly spoke. “This Princess is here to see if Wen Yu-ke has died.”

Xie Yu chuckled. “She has not died.”

Princess Jingyang was displeased. “She has a strong life. So many people died, why didn’t she die? Since she isn’t dead, I want to ask how far along she is with her investigation. Gaoyang is using this as an excuse not to return to her fief. The sooner the case is clarified, the sooner she can get lost.”

The intention was sharp, laced with hostility. When it came to being overbearing, she surpassed Gaoyang. Gaoyang often teased people, but Princess Jingyang spoke directly of wanting people dead.

Xie Yu showed no sharp edge, ignoring the underlying meaning of her words. She showed a faint smile. “Minister Wen has not died, but she is unconscious. There is no use in your seeing her.”

Princess Jingyang said, “I heard the Grand Tutor has taken on last night’s case. I wonder if there is any progress?”

Xie Yu sighed. “Minister Wen is injured. I am merely assisting from the side. The document you have in your hand is just the statistics the Minister of Justice gave me earlier.”

Princess Jingyang sat in the main seat, where the document Xie Yu was just reading lay. She did not hesitate, opened it, and read it directly. From beginning to end, it was a list of the deceased, which was similar to what she already knew. Xie Yu was deceiving her. A night had passed, and she was concealing whether the assassins had been caught. She immediately slammed the document down. “The Grand Tutor is deceiving me.”

Xie Yu smiled. “I am not.”

A surge of frustration choked her throat, making her extremely uncomfortable, but Princess Jingyang held back. Xie Yu was, after all, a favorite of the Emperor, and the Emperor never doubted her words. She could not be casually offended. Although the current situation was not optimistic, there was no need to provoke Xie Yu.

She softened her tone before speaking. “How does the Grand Tutor plan to proceed with the investigation?”

Princess Jingyang’s high-handed manner always made people uncomfortable. Xie Yu also withdrew her smile, a sense of solemnity enveloping her. “The Ministry of Justice is proceeding. Your subject does not know. If Your Highness asks your subject, why not ask the Minister of Justice? He got started quite quickly.”

Xie Yu was habitually soft and diplomatic. Princess Jingyang did not regard her as a formidable figure. Since both were women, she understood Xie Yu better than others. No matter how much fame she accumulated, it was all just for the position of Empress.

Xie Yu originated from a declining noble family in Luoyang, lacking prestige there, and even less worth mentioning now that she had come to Chang’an. To become Empress, her background alone was insufficient.

Princess Jingyang saw through her but would not actively speak of it. However, blocking the path she wanted to take was unacceptable. Xie Yu’s character somewhat resembled that annoying Princess Leyang from the past. She seemed indifferent to everything but secretly held things tightly, only concerned with maintaining appearances.

“You and I are both women. Why beat around the bush? If the Grand Tutor doesn’t want to speak, this Princess won’t force you. But you handle this case. If you handle it well, good. If you investigate haphazardly, you are nothing but a Grand Tutor. Even as the Emperor’s Teacher, this Princess can make you crawl back to where you came from in disgrace.”

Xie Yu’s eyes were cold. She had no patience for pretense, but she would not quibble with this woman over gains and losses. She merely said, “Your subject remembers Your Highness’s words, but your subject remembers one thing: Li Ye was recommended by you to His Majesty before he ascended the throne.”

Princess Jingyang’s expression changed. She slammed the table and stood up. “Xie Yu, you are presumptuous.”

Her voice was overly sharp, startling Xiao Kunning, who was holding the tea, whose heart trembled. This voice was exactly like Princess Jingyang’s. In the previous life, Princess Jingyang was arrogant and domineering, treating human lives like a joke. Xiao Kunning heard she was forced to hang herself, but she didn’t know the specifics.

Inside the room, Xie Yu curled her lips into a smile. A boundless coldness enveloped her. Leaning back in her chair, she stared at the furious Princess Jingyang. “If you say I am presumptuous, then I am presumptuous. Your subject works for His Majesty. What words Li Ye might speak is something neither you nor I can fathom.”

Xie Yu seemed soft, yet she was sharp at every turn, leaving others speechless. She was like a seemingly harmless needle, slowly inserted into the skin, gradually deepening, and then suddenly piercing the heart, dealing a fatal blow.

Princess Jingyang felt suspicious. Xie Yu dared to be so presumptuous, which must have been ordered by Zhao Mian. The current situation was unfavorable. Could the Emperor be planning to move against the Yan family?

The room fell silent. Xiao Kunning waited outside.

After a cup of tea’s time, Princess Jingyang walked out, looking dejected, completely different from her previous sharpness. She left without seeing Xiao Kunning, who was saluting on the side.

Xiao Kunning also wouldn’t proactively provoke Princess Jingyang. She held the tea and stepped into the hall.

Xie Yu, who was feeling annoyed, was rubbing her forehead. When she saw the person with the beautiful smile approaching gracefully, her heart skipped a beat. She wanted to speak but restrained herself. Gu Ning had said she could not be provoked; she still needed to be coaxed.