Waking Up to an Imperial Marriage with My Archenemy - Chapter 19

Leaving the pavilion, Zheng Wei was a boiling cauldron of rage and regret.

That cousin of mine is a useless waste who spends his days idling about; what kind of good idea could he possibly have? How could I have been stupid enough to believe him and come here just to be humiliated?

And then there was Chen Mingxi. That sharp-tongued brat was nothing more than a daughter from some destitute branch of the Chen clan, yet she dared to mock him—the legitimate heir of the Duke of Ning! She was a classic case of the fox borrowing the tiger’s majesty. She had better pray she stayed in that old hag’s good graces forever; otherwise, one day, he would drag her away and show her exactly what true humiliation felt like.

Zheng Wei was deep in his silent curses when a sudden voice from the side made him jump. Turning around, his heart sank even further.

He hadn’t even found the chance to settle the score with Luo Fengxin yet, and here she was, appearing before him as if looking for another round of trouble.

“Greetings, Princess,” Zheng Wei said with a dark expression, cupping his hands in a perfunctory bow.

“Commander Zheng, why is it that every time I run into you, you are neglecting your duties?” Luo Fengxin walked toward him, her voice cool. “Today is an audience day. Shouldn’t you be guarding the palace gates? What are you doing in the Imperial Garden?”

As she approached, Zheng Wei instinctively rested his hand on the hilt of his saber. Having had his weapon snatched by her last time, he was on high alert.

“The Empress Dowager knows that I have been diligent in my duties lately, so she summoned me here for a reward.”

Zheng Wei knew that Luo Fengxin and the Empress Dowager were at odds; there was no way Luo Fengxin would go and double-check his story. By invoking the Empress Dowager, he could both excuse his presence and remind the Princess that he had a powerful patron.

“Is that so? From your expression, you don’t look like a man who was just rewarded. You look like one who was just scolded,” Luo Fengxin mocked. “What’s the matter? Did you fail to play the ‘good dog’ today and upset her?”

Zheng Wei had already been fuming from Zhang Zihe’s report of her insults the previous night; being mocked to his face today made him grit his teeth so hard they nearly cracked. For a fleeting second, he considered drawing his blade.

So what if she’s a Princess? Even if the Emperor protects her, look at Qiao Wan—the Emperor values her, yet he still has to yield to the Chen family. If I killed Luo Fengxin, the Empress Dowager might even promote me!

But reality set in. Having lost to her once, he knew he was no match for her in a fair fight. Attempting to strike now would only lead to further humiliation.

If I can’t win alone, I’ll win with numbers, he thought. He decided to swallow his pride for now. Next time, he would bring his men. If she dared to provoke him again, he would cut her down first and fabricate a crime later. The Empress Dowager would surely protect him if he removed such a thorn from her side.

“The Empress Dowager is just ahead. If the Princess doubts me, she can ask for herself.”

“I don’t care whether it’s true or not. I simply despise those who curry favor, especially when that person is a lecherous coward who only knows how to bully the weak.”

As she spoke, Luo Fengxin’s leg suddenly lashed out. Zheng Wei’s guard had slipped during their conversation; he had been so focused on protecting his sword that he didn’t expect a low kick. The strike was so fast and powerful he had no time to react. He tumbled forward, hitting the ground face-first in a pathetic “dog eating dirt” posture.

Zheng Wei clenched his fists against the gravel. Above him, Luo Fengxin’s voice continued to drip with disdain: “Commander Zheng, you really are too polite. Every time I see you, you are either belly-up or face-down.”

The maids and servants following Luo Fengxin giggled uncontrollably, causing Zheng Wei to tremble with fury.

“An incompetent rat isn’t worth my hand. Let’s go.”

Luo Fengxin signaled her servants and stepped directly over Zheng Wei’s head. “A word of advice: spend less time on wine and women. You were a hollow shell to begin with, but now your constitution is weaker than a common townswoman. Instead of wasting time, you should focus on how to please the Empress Dowager and Grand Preceptor Chen. Perhaps if you bark well enough, they’ll toss you a meat bun.”

“You actually said that?”

Inside the Princess’s Estate, Qiao Wan was happily munching on osmanthus cakes that Luo Fengxin had brought back. She let out a whistle of disbelief after hearing the day’s events. “He actually held back from attacking you? He’s sturdier than that idiot Zhang Zihe. What did he look like at the end? Was he breathing fire? Ah, it sounds so satisfying; I wish I’d been there to see it.”

“I didn’t see his face. He stayed face-down on the ground, not daring to get up,” Luo Fengxin said, shaking her head.

“That is pathetic!”

“It’s not surprising. He knew he couldn’t win, so why stand up just to be lectured further? Better to play dead.” Luo Fengxin looked at Qiao Wan with a hint of curiosity. “I’m more interested in how you were so certain he would be snubbed by the Empress Dowager.”

“Those two cousins are equally foolish.” Qiao Wan finished one cake and reached for the next. “It’s one thing to be stupid, but they assume everyone else is as well. They think they are the only ones who realized that if the Eastern Supervision post fell into their hands, they—along with the Emperor would have the power to rival the Chen family.”

“You mean the Empress Dowager was already on her guard?” Luo Fengxin asked.

“Years ago, if the Chen family hadn’t been afraid of the late Emperor’s suspicion, they never would have given the command of the Imperial Guard to Zheng Wei. They only gave it to him to keep it out of the Crown Prince’s hands. Did you really think it was because he married the Empress Dowager’s niece? Look at how she treats Chen Mingxi. If she truly cared for Zheng Wei, would she let him ruin himself with debauchery without a single word of correction?”

The plate of cakes was half-gone. Qiao Wan had intended to save half for Luo Fengxin, but seeing the Princess lost in thought, she stealthily swiped another piece.

“The Empress Dowager has spent her life navigating the treacherous waters of power; she is far sharper than him. The moment he opened his mouth, she knew exactly what he was angling for. Dealing with someone like her requires patience. You can’t let her feel like she’s being led by the nose; you have to make her feel like she’s the one in control of everything.”

When Qiao Wan had first proposed the plan to Luo Fengxin, she hadn’t gone into detail about how she would provoke Zheng Wei. For one, the success depended entirely on her own traps. Secondly, she had to adjust her “leash” on the situation based on the feedback Luan Yu provided—holding just tight enough to keep the prey on track, but loose enough that they didn’t sense the danger.

Since she had only focused on what she needed Luo Fengxin to do, the Princess was only now realizing how deep Qiao Wan’s calculations went. A mix of admiration and a strange, bitter ache rose in her heart.

This person is even more calculating than she was years ago. If the Empress Dowager’s shrewdness was forged through decades of struggle, what about Qiao Wan? How had she spent these last four years? Had she spent countless nights unable to eat or sleep, pouring all her energy into these schemes?

Qiao Wan didn’t notice Luo Fengxin’s shift in mood. Aside from talking, her eyes were fixed entirely on the osmanthus cakes.

These were made by the imperial chefs; no street vendor could match them. It was a treat she used to enjoy occasionally when she lived in the palace with Luo Fengxin. Since the Princess left for the Northern Frontier, Qiao Wan hadn’t tasted them once. She had spent the entire morning pestering Luo Fengxin to bring her a plate from the palace.

“Now that the late Emperor is gone and the current Emperor’s foundation is still shaky, I suspect the Empress Dowager is looking for a way to take back control of the Imperial Guard anyway. After all, it’s safer to hold your own life in your own hands. At a time like this, Zheng Wei goes and asks for a promotion for his cousin, how do you think she’ll interpret that?”

Luo Fengxin nodded in understanding. Just as she was about to speak, she saw Qiao Wan holding a cake in each hand, with crumbs dusting the corner of her mouth.

Caught red-handed stealing the Princess’s portion, Qiao Wan sheepishly put the untouched cake back on the plate and pushed it toward Luo Fengxin. “Here, I saved these for you.”

Looking at Qiao Wan’s pouting, guilty expression, Luo Fengxin felt a surge of complicated emotions. “Are you really that greedy? Is it as if you haven’t eaten in eight hundred years?”

“Pretty much! Why else would I have begged you all morning?” Qiao Wan closed her eyes, trying to resist the temptation. “When you were in the North, who else could I have asked? The Emperor?”

“Why couldn’t it be my Imperial Brother?”

Qiao Wan blinked, stunned by the question. She thought Luo Fengxin was just making small talk, but the Princess’s expression was strangely serious.

“Why couldn’t it be him?” Luo Fengxin repeated. “You followed him for so long. What’s so difficult about asking him for a plate of cakes?”

“Why on earth would I ask the Emperor for cakes?” Qiao Wan was utterly confused. “Asking him for gold or jewels as a reward is one thing, but asking for snacks is just weird.”

Seeing Luo Fengxin remain silent, Qiao Wan glanced at the plate, then back at her. “Are you going to eat these or not? If not, I’ll just—!!!”

Before Qiao Wan could finish, Luo Fengxin suddenly reached out. Her thumb brushed firmly against the corner of Qiao Wan’s mouth.

“Your eating manners are terrible. Go ahead and finish them; I lost my taste for these long ago.”

Luo Fengxin turned and walked out of the room before Qiao Wan could find her voice.

Oh my god!!! Did she just get possessed?

Qiao Wan shook her head. Whatever. She took another bite of cake to calm her racing heart.

Outside, Luo Fengxin leaned against a pillar and let out a long, shaky breath. Slowly, she brought her thumb still dusted with crumbs to her lips.