Blame the Villain – Chapter 218

Villainous Emperor (18)

“The young girl’s medical skills are quite good and she has a likeable appearance.” Just as Song Xuyi was struggling with whether to glare at Jiang Ruoyu again, Dong Rou smiled and spoke from the side, breaking Song Xuyi’s contemplation: “What’s more impressive is her composure – even with Ruoyu watching so coldly from the side, she can still maintain focus and continue applying needles…”

As she spoke, Dong Rou gave Jiang Ruoyu’s shoulder a moderate pat: “You! Stop bullying the young girl! You’re already an emperor now, yet at your age you’re still scaring people…”

After being scolded by Dong Rou, Jiang Ruoyu finally withdrew her hand that was pinching Song Xuyi’s cheeks. Watching Song Xuyi nod in agreement with Dong Rou’s words like trembling chaff, she inexplicably felt unhappy and unconsciously revealed a cold smile: “It’s fortunate she has these medical skills, otherwise I would have already burned this disrespectful palace maid to ashes…”

“You dare!” Before Song Xuyi could speak, Dong Rou cut in, glaring at Jiang Ruoyu: “This young girl is likeable, not only has medical skills, but I hear she can also tell stories and perform magic tricks… she’s much more likeable than you, my cold daughter who’s always talking about killing people. If you dare touch her, I won’t let this matter rest!”

Obviously Jiang Ruoyu hadn’t expected Dong Rou, who usually favored her, to speak this way. Her expression clearly froze, and while Song Xuyi watched Jiang Ruoyu’s stunned appearance, although she felt she shouldn’t, she couldn’t help but let her lips curve up slightly.

Jiang Ruoyu clearly noticed Song Xuyi’s schadenfreude [taking pleasure in others’ misfortune] and unexpectedly turned her head, her dark eyes fixing on Song Xuyi as she pressed her lips together.

Song Xuyi was startled and hurriedly lowered her eyes, then heard a cold snort as Jiang Ruoyu turned away with hands behind her back and walked past. Song Xuyi wasn’t sure if it was her imagination, but she heard a very light mocking tone—

“Little girl!”

With Jiang Ruoyu gone, that extreme feeling of pressure finally subsided.

The next day passed very pleasantly for Song Xuyi. She was kept by Dong Rou’s side to serve her. Dong Rou seemed very interested in Song Xuyi, holding her hand and asking questions continuously. Because time had been rushed, Father Song hadn’t prepared a background story for Song Xuyi’s body, so Song Xuyi used the same story she had given when registering with Fu Sheng:

Song Xuyi casually named a place far from the capital, claiming to be a woman from Pu County, who came to the capital seeking relatives after her parents died. In the vast sea of people she couldn’t find her relatives’ family, and happened to meet Fu Sheng who was selecting women for the palace. Thinking the palace treatment would be good, she registered to enter.

With the internal chaos in Jiang Kingdom these years, Song Xuyi’s fabricated background story wasn’t unusual, and Dong Rou didn’t suspect anything. After sighing, she changed the topic.

If earlier it was just Jiang Ruoyu’s attitude that made her curious about Song Xuyi, after this interaction, Dong Rou genuinely developed some fondness for her: it was hard to imagine someone could blend obedience and gentleness so perfectly. Although the young girl appeared young in age, spending time with her gave people a sense of calm and peace.

Dong Rou’s body was very weak, and having been tormented by leg pain for so long, she fell asleep not long after chatting with Song Xuyi.

After Dong Rou fell asleep, palace maids naturally took care of her, so Song Xuyi also took her leave and returned to her room to continue cultivation.

After interacting with Jiang Ruoyu today, Song Xuyi instinctively felt more sense of crisis: this Jiang Ruoyu’s temperament was almost completely different from the little girl she had adopted years ago. Song Xuyi couldn’t figure out what exactly was the situation between Jiang Ruoyu and Yin Shen, she could only intensify her cultivation. In case today’s Jiang Ruoyu had been completely possessed by Yin Shen, Song Xuyi didn’t hope to defeat Jiang Ruoyu, but wanted to have enough power to escape.

Cultivation time passed very quickly, and soon a night went by.

In the morning, Song Xuyi suddenly felt an obvious brazen gaze appear in the room, as if something was openly observing her. Song Xuyi’s heart skipped a beat, but she blinked and pretended to just wake up, sitting up from bed to fetch water and wash up.

This entire palace was under Jiang Ruoyu’s divine consciousness. Besides Jiang Ruoyu, no one else could so brazenly enter Song Xuyi’s room to observe her with divine consciousness.

Could it be that Jiang Ruoyu had become suspicious of her?

While her heart was on high alert, Song Xuyi pretended not to notice on the surface, unhurriedly washing up. Almost as soon as Song Xuyi finished washing her face, there came a knock at the door – a palace maid knocking to say the Empress Dowager requested Song Xuyi’s presence.

The timing was too precise…

With the palace maid’s appearance, that gaze finally disappeared from the air.

Song Xuyi secretly sighed in relief and followed the palace maid into the Empress Dowager’s chambers, but hadn’t expected Jiang Ruoyu to be here too.

It was breakfast time, and Dong Rou’s table was laid with a dazzling array of dishes. As soon as Song Xuyi entered, Dong Rou warmly called to her: “Liu Yi, come quickly and sit down!”

There was only one seat left at the table, right between Dong Rou and Jiang Ruoyu.

Song Xuyi was wary of Jiang Ruoyu and didn’t want to go sit, lowering her head as she spoke: “This servant’s status is humble, I dare not…”

However, before Song Xuyi could finish speaking, a breeze passed by her side, and it was as if two invisible hands appeared in the air, lifting Song Xuyi’s arms and pressing her to sit down in the chair…

“Earlier you were so comfortable saying ‘I’ this and that, now you know to call yourself ‘this servant’…”

Song Xuyi knew it was Jiang Ruoyu’s doing and glared at her, but Jiang Ruoyu didn’t look at Song Xuyi, instead lowering her head and continuing slowly: “Since the Empress Dowager has spoken, you should sit.”

With Jiang Ruoyu saying this, Song Xuyi didn’t dare resist anymore and could only sit stiffly in the chair. After seeing Dong Rou and Jiang Ruoyu pick up their chopsticks, Song Xuyi lowered her head and picked at the rice in her bowl, trying hard to minimize her presence, just wanting this meal to end quickly.

Dong Rou naturally noticed Song Xuyi’s constraint, smiled and passed a bowl of soup to place in front of Song Xuyi, then gave Jiang Ruoyu a sideways glance: “Wasn’t it you who just had someone look for Liu Yi? How come now that she’s here, you’re scaring her again?”

It was Jiang Ruoyu who called for me?

Song Xuyi couldn’t help but raise her eyes to look at Jiang Ruoyu, but Jiang Ruoyu immediately denied it like a cat whose fur had been rubbed the wrong way: “I did not!”

“Mother, I merely asked once where this little palace maid had gone…”

“Alright, alright,” Dong Rou said with a disapproving face, speaking as if coaxing a child: “I thought Liu Yi was tired from last night and wanted to let her rest longer, but someone, I don’t know who, used divine powers to secretly check, then firmly told me Liu Yi was awake…”

So… Jiang Ruoyu used her divine consciousness to observe me just to see if I was awake, wanting to call me for breakfast?

“I-I didn’t secretly look!” Jiang Ruoyu seemed not to expect Dong Rou would say this, became somewhat lost for words, and only after a pause said: “I was looking openly and properly…”

Jiang Ruoyu’s face remained calm, but her skin was so fair that the blush at her ears was especially noticeable.

“Mother, please drink more porridge.”

Finally, Jiang Ruoyu seemed to realize her words were somewhat forced [unreasonable], and not wanting to continue this topic, stood up to serve Dong Rou a bowl of porridge. She then seemingly casually glanced at Song Xuyi, and seeing Song Xuyi’s slightly surprised eyes, her expression clearly showed some awkwardness. She pressed her lips together and piled some side dishes in Song Xuyi’s bowl, but her eyes didn’t meet Song Xuyi’s gaze as she coldly said: “Eat quickly! Lest others say this sovereign is mistreating you—”

Song Xuyi unconsciously curved her lips:

She hadn’t had much contact with Dong Rou before, never imagining Dong Rou would have such a personality!

In this world, probably only Dong Rou could control Jiang Ruoyu!

Had to admit, this awkward Jiang Ruoyu looked somewhat cute, making Song Xuyi feel a bit dazed, feeling as if Jiang Ruoyu had returned to her childhood appearance…

After eating a tasteless breakfast, Dong Rou asked Song Xuyi to accompany her for a walk to aid digestion.

Though Jiang Ruoyu had just become emperor and should be handling ten thousand affairs [extremely busy], she brazenly walked beside the two of them. A eunuch ran over hurriedly, seeming to want to speak but hesitating. Jiang Ruoyu seemed to know what he wanted to say and spoke coldly: “Today there will be no court session.”

The eunuch seemed to want to say more, but Jiang Ruoyu interrupted him: “I know what you want to say.”

Jiang Ruoyu’s lips curved into a cold smile: “Those dog-fart [nonsensical] memorials, let Lord Lin make the decisions himself. I’d rather accompany Mother Empress, saving her from exhaustion—”

The eunuch respectfully withdrew.

Jiang Ruoyu watched the eunuch’s retreating figure, the cold curve of her lips deepening, but she didn’t speak further.

Song Xuyi raised her head to look at Jiang Ruoyu, just catching sight of the cold curve at Jiang Ruoyu’s lips, and her mind instantly began racing:

Song Xuyi understood that the Lord Lin in Jiang Ruoyu’s words was the female protagonist Lin Zhu’s father. Lord Lin, along with other officials and nobles, had deposed the mad Jiang Xin to put Jiang Ruoyu on the throne. Jiang Ruoyu had appeared very low-key these years, and Lord Lin and others probably didn’t take her seriously, thinking she was a soft persimmon [pushover]. The memorials they submitted were extremely perfunctory. Jiang Ruoyu hadn’t shown any reaction outwardly, and Song Xuyi felt this was because she was taking an observant attitude, not yet taking these people seriously. Once these people’s actions exceeded her bottom line, they would likely meet the same fate as in the original plot outline…

Not mentioning Yin Shen in Jiang Ruoyu’s body, now the Yinyue Sect was already under Jiang Ruoyu’s control. The Yinyue Sect had united various rebel forces – the Yinyue Sect alone would be enough to give these people trouble, let alone now that Jiang Ruoyu had the boundlessly powerful Yinshen within her.

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Song Xuyi’s scrutiny of Jiang Ruoyu naturally didn’t escape Dong Rou’s notice.

Dong Rou stood to the side watching Song Xuyi’s expression, and couldn’t help but tease with a smile: “Is Ruoyu good-looking?”

With Dong Rou speaking up, Jiang Ruoyu also looked over. After Song Xuyi came back to her senses, this time it was her turn to blush.

Song Xuyi naturally couldn’t say she was just thinking about matters. Facing Jiang Ruoyu’s narrowed eyes, Song Xuyi didn’t dare not answer, and remembering Jiang Ruoyu’s previous comment about her being ‘disrespectful’, could only lower her head and respectfully say: “Your Majesty has an appearance between heaven and human [divine beauty], naturally extremely beautiful.”

“Yes, I also think she was born quite well,” but Dong Rou sighed: “It’s a pity that now she’s become emperor, calling herself ‘this sovereign’ every day, and has truly become solitary [wordplay on ‘sovereign/alone’]. This child doesn’t approach women or men, keeps a cold face all day and doesn’t know how to talk, isn’t likeable, when clearly she used to be very sweet-tongued in childhood…”

Reaching this point, Dong Rou became talkative, holding Song Xuyi’s hand with a face full of emotion: “You don’t know, she met few people when young, then met a divine woman… an older sister. Back then she was so sweet-tongued and clingy, watching her clinginess made my teeth ache. Who could have thought she would grow up to become such a silent person like a closed gourd—”

Song Xuyi remembered Jiang Ruoyu’s childhood appearance, compared to now, deeply agreed, and also softly sighed. Then remembering those women’s fondness for Jiang Ruoyu when queuing earlier, she couldn’t help but point out the error in Dong Rou’s words: “Everyone values appearance, and Your Majesty is so beautiful, there are many men and women who admire Your Majesty—”

“Including you?” Song Xuyi hadn’t expected her answer would bring Dong Rou’s further questioning, and even Jiang Ruoyu beside them raised an eyebrow and looked over.

Dong Rou’s ability to always make people blush with her questions was truly remarkable!

However, now Song Xuyi was just a servant, and had no right to refuse the master’s questions.

Facing the intense gazes of mother and daughter, Song Xuyi finally managed to suppress her blush and softly said: “This servant is just a common person, naturally appreciates beauty.”

Dong Rou seemed not to expect Song Xuyi would be so honest, and hearing her words, laughed: “No wonder I often see you staring at Ruoyu—”

Song Xuyi lowered her head even more, not knowing what to say at this moment, after all, this was a situation where explaining would only make things worse. But Jiang Ruoyu spoke up in an extremely unhappy tone: “Mother! There’s no need to bring up past matters…”

But Dong Rou patted Jiang Ruoyu again: “Xuyi is one of our own, why are you being shy, there’s no harm in mentioning it to her!”

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Probably understanding that denying being ‘not shy’ wouldn’t convince Dong Rou, Jiang Ruoyu closed her lips. And Dong Rou was clearly in high spirits for conversation, remembering that Fu Sheng had mentioned Song Xuyi could do magic tricks when bringing her over. Seeing fresh flowers blooming in the courtyard, she suddenly picked one and handed it to Song Xuyi: “Liu Yi, can you make this flower appear on Ruoyu’s head? This child, who knows who she takes after, never wears flowers, only wears crowns on her head and nothing else, wasting all the accessories I prepared for her…”

“Today I insist on seeing how she looks wearing flowers!”

Song Xuyi was stunned, not expecting Dong Rou to make such a request. Looking at the bright pink rose Dong Rou handed over, her face unconsciously fell: if Dong Rou couldn’t accomplish this, why did she think Song Xuyi could?

Jiang Ruoyu also froze for a moment, frowning as she looked at Dong Rou: “Mother, I really don’t like wearing flowers…”

But Dong Rou interrupted her with a confident expression: “How about this, if you wear the flower, I know you’ve always wanted to learn magic tricks, I’ll lend Liu Yi to you for a day to teach you magic…”

Song Xuyi thought Jiang Ruoyu wouldn’t agree: not only had Song Xuyi never heard of Jiang Ruoyu being interested in magic tricks, but even if she really liked magic tricks, with Yin Shen in Jiang Ruoyu’s body now, what couldn’t she transform?

However, to Song Xuyi’s surprise, Jiang Ruoyu’s expression stiffened, her eyes cast an obscure glance at her, and actually pressed her lips together without speaking further!

She… did this mean she agreed?

Song Xuyi widened her eyes, finding it hard to believe, while Dong Rou stood to the side with folded arms, looking thoroughly interested.

Song Xuyi looked at Dong Rou then glanced at Jiang Ruoyu. Jiang Ruoyu’s dark eyes were now staring at her without moving. Song Xuyi bit her lower lip, and her palm holding the flower even began to sweat.

“Why are you dawdling?” Jiang Ruoyu spoke softly, frowning as she stepped forward, stopping in front of Song Xuyi, her face showing impatience, yet she looked down at Song Xuyi, half-crouching to be at eye level with her: “Hurry up! Or do you not know how to do magic tricks at all?”

Song Xuyi let out a long breath.

So-called magic tricks are actually just testing the speed of one’s hands. Song Xuyi knew Jiang Ruoyu was divine, and after reaching the divine realm, any movement could be quickly detected. Song Xuyi’s hastily learned magic tricks couldn’t possibly fool her, but Jiang Ruoyu’s attitude showed she was willing to cooperate and not expose her, so given this, Song Xuyi gained some confidence.

Song Xuyi quickly gathered the flower into her sleeve, then using the long sleeve as cover, inserted the flower at the side of Jiang Ruoyu’s jet-black hair.

Whether it was because Jiang Ruoyu’s beauty was too captivating, or because the distance between them while pinning the flower was mysteriously intimate, when getting close to Jiang Ruoyu and looking into those pitch-black eyes, Song Xuyi’s cheeks involuntarily grew hot again. Her heart suddenly began beating ‘thump-thump’ rapidly, and for a moment, Song Xuyi even felt Jiang Ruoyu might hear her heartbeat that seemed about to jump out of her chest…

Accompanied by Dong Rou’s coordinated applause, Song Xuyi adjusted the rose at the side of Jiang Ruoyu’s hair, quickly stepped away, lowered her head to stand aside, and secretly sighed in relief.

Afraid Dong Rou might suddenly come up with another idea, Song Xuyi didn’t dare walk next to Jiang Ruoyu again, deliberately falling behind. Vaguely, it seemed Dong Rou said something to Jiang Ruoyu, and Jiang Ruoyu widened her eyes but pressed her lips together without speaking.

Just as Song Xuyi wanted to ask the system what those two had discussed, Jiang Ruoyu had already helped Dong Rou walk back to Song Xuyi’s front.

“Liu Yi, you should eat more to grow taller, otherwise you can’t keep up with us.” Dong Rou smiled at Song Xuyi, her other hand holding Song Xuyi’s arm.

Song Xuyi could only vaguely lower her head and softly ‘mm’ in response, not noticing Jiang Ruoyu’s thoughtful gaze.

Dong Rou’s health was poor, and after walking this while she felt somewhat tired. Supporting both Song Xuyi and Jiang Ruoyu’s arms as she walked back, unlike the flower viewing on the way there, the group soon arrived in front of the sleeping chambers.

Afraid Dong Rou might bring up more embarrassing topics along this path, Song Xuyi took the initiative to speak, telling a folk joke she learned from a storyteller.

Song Xuyi timed it perfectly – just as the group reached Dong Rou’s chambers, Song Xuyi reached the ending. Hearing the unexpected funny conclusion, Dong Rou laughed heartily, and even the contemplative Jiang Ruoyu glanced at Song Xuyi, her eyes rippling with a hint of laughter.

After sending Dong Rou through the door, Song Xuyi secretly sighed in relief. Just as she was about to release her hand supporting Dong Rou to let her sit in the chair, unexpectedly, Dong Rou grabbed Song Xuyi’s hand and placed it in Jiang Ruoyu’s palm—

“Liu Yi, I promised Ruoyu to let you teach her magic tricks, naturally I can’t go back on my word. Don’t worry, I’ve already told Ruoyu, she definitely won’t bully you. If she breaks her promise and takes advantage [literally: breaks promise and grows fat], you must tell me…”

Jiang Ruoyu’s skin was as cold as her appearance. When touching Jiang Ruoyu’s palm, Song Xuyi instinctively shrank back a bit, and hearing Dong Rou speak like this, she froze even more on the spot.

However, Dong Rou had already called palace maids over to help her change clothes. Before Song Xuyi could explain, she was pulled out of the room by Jiang Ruoyu holding her hand.

Only after walking out of Dong Rou’s chambers, seeing the shocked gazes from the guards along the path, did Song Xuyi belatedly think to break free from Jiang Ruoyu’s hand.

Song Xuyi struggled a bit, and Jiang Ruoyu released her hand.

Probably because Dong Rou was no longer nearby, when Song Xuyi looked over, Jiang Ruoyu had furrowed her brows again.

With Jiang Ruoyu’s appearance being what it was, even her frowning look was beautiful, but Song Xuyi took one look and lowered her head again—

Song Xuyi didn’t know what was wrong, clearly she had come to deliberately get close to Jiang Ruoyu, yet now standing beside Jiang Ruoyu, just seeing her appearance made her heart extremely flustered.

Especially when feeling Jiang Ruoyu move closer to her afterward, Song Xuyi felt her whole body break out in sweat, and her legs mysteriously became somewhat weak…

Song Xuyi could feel Jiang Ruoyu’s gaze fixed on her, seemingly examining her carefully. The air pressure around suddenly became extremely low, making Song Xuyi even more afraid to raise her head…

Jiang Ruoyu moved her feet. She didn’t speak again, and Song Xuyi didn’t dare open her mouth, following Jiang Ruoyu’s steps exactly until they reached Jiang Ruoyu’s chambers—

This was Song Xuyi’s first time coming to Jiang Ruoyu’s chambers.

Only when about to cross the threshold did Song Xuyi react, stopping in time to stand outside the hall.

During this time, Song Xuyi had heard: Jiang Ruoyu had peculiar habits, normally disliking strangers entering her sleeping chambers.

To Jiang Ruoyu right now, she was indeed a stranger.

All along this path Song Xuyi had been muttering in her heart, probably due to a guilty conscience, Song Xuyi always felt Jiang Ruoyu had discovered her flaws and was testing her, yet thinking it through, Jiang Ruoyu’s manner didn’t seem like it at all…

What exactly was the reason?

Song Xuyi mysteriously recalled the conversation between Jiang Ruoyu and Dong Rou during the walk…

Taking advantage of this interval while waiting outside the door, Song Xuyi finally couldn’t help but speak to the system: “System, what exactly did Dong Rou say to Jiang Ruoyu?”

But the system seemed to have been waiting for Song Xuyi to ask, almost as soon as Song Xuyi spoke, the system called out: “Dong Rou told Jiang Ruoyu to keep wearing that flower…”

“Xuyi, you’re in trouble! Dong Rou tricked you, she told Jiang Ruoyu to wear that flower for the whole way, and afterward would lend you to her for seven days…” Although speaking words of sympathy, the system’s voice carried obvious schadenfreude: “Are you ready?”

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The author has something to say:

Dong Rou — This book’s biggest assist attacker [wingwoman].

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LP: Re-translated on December 21, 2024

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