The Flirtatious Beauty Decides to Steal the Princess - Chapter 8

When the announcement was made, Wen Ying, hiding under the table, could even feel Fu Qingyin stiffen slightly as she held her. Wen Ying lifted her head to look at Fu Qingyin and, unsurprisingly, saw an unshakable resentment in her eyes.

Wen Ying lowered her head again. If it were her once a beloved princess in her own country, now forced to become a humiliated hostage here, how could Fu Qingyin not hate it all?

But now, Fu Qingyin absolutely must not act impulsively. Wen Ying reached out and took Fu Qingyin’s delicate hands in hers, squeezing gently, hoping to comfort her in her own way. Feeling the warmth of Wen Ying’s small hands carefully holding hers, Fu Qingyin’s heart settled somewhat.

The emperor, dressed in bright yellow robes, paced outside the imperial kitchen. Naturally, he would never step into such a mundane place. When Noble Consort Xin heard of the emperor’s arrival, she immediately saw him as her savior and quickly dropped her arrogant demeanor.

Dabbing a handkerchief to her fox-like eyes, she sobbed as she walked out. Upon seeing the emperor, she cooed, “Your Majesty, Baizhi was the most loyal maid by my side. Now she’s died inexplicably in the dry well of the imperial garden. You must seek justice for her!”

Noble Consort Xin’s tears came on command. Peeking out from under the tablecloth, Wen Ying watched the spectacle unfold this grand drama had truly fallen into her lap. Noble Consort Xin’s ability to switch expressions was unmatched in the harem. The last time Wen Ying had seen her was during the New Year’s banquet, where she had angered the empress but, the moment the emperor arrived, threw herself into tearful apologies without a second thought.

Even now, the palace maids and eunuchs still gossiped about it though no one dared let Noble Consort Xin know.

The emperor watched as Noble Consort Xin wept and fawned before him, rubbing his temples in exasperation. He wasn’t unaware of how Baizhi had bullied others in the harem under Noble Consort Xin’s influence, but since Wen Yuan favored her and Noble Consort Xin relied on Baizhi, he had turned a blind eye.

Now that Baizhi had died without any effort on his part, it actually aligned with the emperor’s wishes. But with Noble Consort Xin pleading so desperately, even disregarding the servants’ mocking gazes, and considering her family’s influence, the emperor had no choice but to relent. “Fine, we’ll investigate thoroughly.”

Having achieved her goal, Noble Consort Xin immediately brightened. Linking arms with the emperor, she walked away, casting a glance at her attendants to continue the investigation.

Even then, Wen Ying still didn’t think any of this had anything to do with her. But by sunset.

As dusk fell, Wen Ying and Fu Qingyin had already returned from the imperial kitchen with pastries in hand. After crouching for so long, Wen Ying finally stretched her limbs, while Fu Qingyin remained silent. Thinking she was still upset about the emperor, Wen Ying timidly tugged at her sleeve.

“Beautiful sister, don’t be unhappy. Would you like me to read you a story?” Whenever Wen Ying was sad, Yun Chu would read to her, so she believed that to cheer Fu Qingyin up, she should read her a tale from a storybook.

But Fu Qingyin shook his head, opened the food box, and stuffed a piece of cloud-slice cake into Wen Ying’s mouth. “You, little child, shouldn’t overthink things. I’ll head back first.”

He handed the remaining pastries to Wen Ying as well, then turned away. His solitary figure soon disappeared into the Hanguang Palace.

Wen Ying stood frozen in place, the cake still unswallowed in her mouth. A sense of melancholy at parting with a friend filled her heart, and she had no choice but to turn back toward the Ninglu Palace.

The sight of moss greeted her eyes, while the fading sunlight spilled through the cracks of the dilapidated palace walls. The weathered wooden doors and windows gave the place the air of a deserted village except when Wen Ying lifted her head, she saw only the square patch of sky above.

For fifteen years, Wen Ying had never felt lonely. Yet now, she felt utterly alone and missed Fu Qingyin terribly. It seemed that just being with him, even in silence, brought her joy.

What was happening to her? Wen Ying didn’t know. She could only carry the two food boxes into the house. The empty main room was instantly filled with the aroma of pastries as she entered.

Feeling slightly better, she placed the box Fu Qingyin had opened on the table and stored the other in the cabinet.

Though Xiao Tang was close to her, she had secretly given these extra pastries behind their master’s back. Wen Ying didn’t want to put Xiao Tang in a difficult position, so she knew these treats would have to last her a long time.

Sometimes it was pastries, sometimes meals thanks to Xiao Tang and Yun Chu, she hadn’t starved to death in the rear palace.

Wen Ying remained optimistic. She arranged some cloud-slice cakes neatly, waiting for Yun Chu to return so they could eat together. But suddenly, a gust of wind blew outside. The wooden door had gaps, and the wind slipped through, chilling her. Shivering, she quickly stood up and grabbed a ragged garment to block the cracks. Then,

She saw a group of guards passing by the Ninglu Palace, heading straight for the Hanguang Palace.

What was going on?! Could it be that her father was in such a hurry to kill Fu Qingyin?

Panic seized her. She didn’t dare barge into the Hanguang Palace recklessly, yet she was too worried not to find out what was happening inside.

Wen Ying ran into the courtyard, first closing the gate of Ninglu Palace, then stepping onto the same stone bricks from that night to climb the wall again. This time, she didn’t dare stick her head out too far. Her delicate hands clung to the bricks as she peeked cautiously with just her eyes.

The guards, swords gleaming at their waists, had completely blocked the entrance of the Hanguang Palace’s main hall. Wen Ying had never witnessed such a scene before. Visions of bloodshed flashed through her mind until Fu Qingyin emerged, as composed and ethereal as the moon, just like that night. Once again, Wen Ying was stunned.

How could someone’s eyes be so alluringly soft yet turn cold and untouchable like an exiled immortal? Wen Ying strained to hold onto the bricks, her fingertips aching, but she refused to climb down, keeping a close watch on the unfolding events inside.

“What’s this? Is this how Emperor Wen’s rear palace treats its guests? Blocking my quarters without a word since when is this the way of the world?”

When Fu Qingyin said these words, she didn’t seem to take the gleaming blades seriously at all to her, they were nothing more than toys. The guards, unlike Bai Zhi, weren’t acting high and mighty either. They simply said, “We are only following orders. Noble Consort Xin claims that an earring belonging to the princess’s maid was found by Bai Zhi’s well, and the evidence is now in hand. That’s why we were summoned to Hanguang Palace to detain the two of you and await further instructions.”

Hearing this, Fu Qingyin narrowed her eyes. She was the one who had done it, and she certainly hadn’t been wearing any earrings at the time. Noble Consort Xin was quite the liar. Leaning against a pillar, Fu Qingyin scoffed, “Your noble consort spins lies with remarkable skill. Given how harshly we’ve been treated, where would we even get earrings to wear? Not to mention, during lunch, my maid Sangzhi never even left Hanguang Palace.”

As they stood in confrontation, Wen Ying froze. There was no way Sangzhi could have done such a thing, and given that this involved relations between two nations, her father, the emperor, surely wouldn’t punish Fu Qingyin over a mere maid. But, if Noble Consort Xin was determined to frame them, Sangzhi’s life would undoubtedly be forfeit, and her beautiful elder sister would be even more heartbroken.

Wen Ying couldn’t help but start thinking of a solution. A gust of wind blew past, and she felt her fingertips grow cold and painful. Distracted, she lost her grip and fell.

Fortunately, the wall wasn’t very high, and the spot where she landed was overgrown with weeds. Though the fall wasn’t too severe, she had landed squarely on her backside, leaving her grimacing in pain, her small face twisted in agony.

But,

“Your Highness, you and that hostage prince should be as incompatible as fire and water. It’s one thing to be close in daily life, but now the Hall of Radiant Light has somehow offended someone. Whoever can command guards to move freely in the inner palace is certainly not someone we can afford to provoke. I’ve raised you well all these years to honor Her Majesty’s dying wishes. Please don’t make me ashamed to face Her Majesty in the afterlife.”

This was the first time Yun Chu had mentioned Wen Ying’s mother her birth mother in front of her.

Wen Ying’s playful hands dropped to her sides. She didn’t want to make Yun Chu’s life difficult, but her beautiful sister shouldn’t be wrongfully accused for no reason.

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