Ex-Girlfriend – Chapter 32.1
by Little PandaVolume 2: Power Over Court and Country
The Deposed Empress 07
Covering The Heaven With One Hand
Xin Lan didn’t expect Qu Zhi’an to send her a note asking about her recent situation, which surprised her a bit.
Since that day, they hadn’t been in touch again.
To Xin Lan, she is a useful person and would greatly help her while also weakening the emperor’s power. However, she cannot yet be fully used for her own purposes.
Qu Zhi’an has just entered the court, and is a rising star, but her foundation is not stable yet. Whether she stays or leaves all depends on the emperor’s wishes. The old-school officials, especially the Xin family, definitely do not want her to establish herself here.
Speaking of the Xin family, Xin Lan naturally has no feelings for that family, but she doesn’t dislike it either.
The Xin family indeed treated the original host as a discarded piece, but given the situation, there was no other choice.
As Xin Lan previously said, it makes sense but doesn’t feel right.
Moreover, before, Madam Xin entered the palace to give silver coins and sent someone over, also instructing Xin Long to listen to her more, so it wasn’t as if they ignored her.
In short, the Xin family didn’t owe the original host anything because Wu Yanqing, her husband, was chosen by the original host herself, not arranged by the Xin family. With the support of the Xin family, she could have a glorious life, but it was also because of this that she swallowed the bitterness in the name of love.
The relationship in this is too complex to explain in a few words, and Xin Lan didn’t consider the Xin family as her own support.
The purpose of the Xin family has always remained the same: to place an empress in the inner palace, then either give birth to or raise the prince, and support that prince to ascend the throne so that the Xin family can continue to enjoy glory.
It doesn’t matter who the empress is, as long as she is someone from the Xin family who will surely be loyal to them.
But looking at the current situation, Xin Long doesn’t yet have that ability, and the emperor is trying to have high-ranking consorts, such as the Noble Consort or Consort Xi, become pregnant. This way, when the child is born, he has a way to prevent the child from going to Xin Long.
The Xin family may seem glorious now, but in reality, they are already in great danger. The emperor has been on the throne for four years, lying low for two years, and in the last two years, he has started taking big actions, purging many people from the Xin family.
Pulling one hair moves the whole body (a saying meaning a small action can affect the whole situation), this game of chess seems hard to play, but it’s not impossible to break through.
Xin Lan’s ideas are quite similar to the Xin family’s. She plans to control the emperor and then force him to abdicate, as there are plenty of children in the royal family, so there’s no worry about having no one to succeed.
Their path is the same, and Xin Lan has a reason to get the Xin family’s support. However, the Xin family alone is not enough, as the emperor is very wary of them. It must be someone he trusts who can catch him off guard.
There’s no better choice than Qu Zhi’an, but Qu Zhi’an has no reason to join her in dealing with the emperor, and persuading her is also a problem.
The emperor indeed has improper intentions towards Qu Zhi’an, but thanks to Xin Lan’s intervention, nothing happened. Treason is a serious crime, and it’s not something that can be done easily.
Even if the Xin family has the intention, they don’t have the courage.
Xin Lan held the embroidered handkerchief, calculating in her mind.
Qu Zhi’an, the Xin family, the emperor, military power—each links to the next. To accomplish great things, none of these factors can be missing.
Xin Lan gently exhaled a breath, knowing she must not act too hastily.
Speaking of it, engaging in politics is more troublesome than fighting in battle. Thinking about tactics is much more interesting than scheming, but she has gotten used to it, more and more accustomed.
A soft sigh dissolved in the wind as Xin Lan touched the piece of paper and tucked it away in her bosom.
At this moment, Ling Jiu issued a warning in her mind.
Ling Jiu: They are going to harm Ah Rou!
Xin Lan’s expression turned sharp, and she asked where, who it was, and instructed Ling Jiu to calculate the chances of rescuing her.
If the emperor sent someone from his side to do this, then there might not be any opportunities to intervene and save her.
Xin Lan had considered this possibility from the very beginning, yet she still watched Ah Rou go.
This matter poses much greater risks if left unspoken than if addressed.
Xin Lan speculated that the Xin family might encounter some trouble soon, especially if Wu Yanqing acts as she predicts.
Fortunately, the situation hadn’t reached the worst-case scenario. The eunuch only instructed his subordinates to carry out the task.
With the emperor’s approval, secretly dealing with a palace maid is simple, but the body cannot be left within the palace.
“Sitong, Chunyue.”
Xin Lan called the two maidservants over and gave them an instruction.
After listening, they nodded and left the Biyue Palace.
The bright summer light was scorching, warming the green bricks and red tiles.
Ah Rou followed the eunuch leading the way in confusion. Just a moment ago, Eunuch Mei suddenly came over and said there were some items she should check to see if they belonged to her master, and had someone lead her away, so she followed along.
She originally thought she was going to her master and felt happy because after fleeing in a hurry last night, she reported the information to the emperor today and had been stuck in the side hall without being able to leave. She hadn’t been able to go back to see her master at least be buried properly.
But as she walked, she realized this was not the way back but a different, unfamiliar path.
“Gonggong (a respectful term for a eunuch), where are we going?”
“Just follow along. Would I lead you astray?” The eunuch looked at her impatiently. Ah Rou thought of how he was named by Eunuch Mei to lead her and immediately fell silent.
The eunuch’s eyes had a cruel glint. It wasn’t easy to move a body in broad daylight, but throwing it in the well would do.
Anyway, there are always a few remote palaces in the royal complex where no one lives, and no one knows how many lost souls lie at the bottom of the wells inside.
Ah Rou was taken to a place she had never been before, where wild grass grew in the corners, and the eunuch standing there urged her to go in.
Ah Rou hesitantly took a couple of steps and wanted to turn back to ask, but suddenly felt a pain in the back of her neck and collapsed to the ground.
Seeing this, the eunuch snorted coldly and began to fetch rope and stones.
With stones tied to her feet and her hands and feet bound, one end of the stone had already fallen into the well. The young eunuch pushed her into the well, and the sound of a heavy object splashing into the water echoed, as he turned and left.
After he left, Chunyue and Sitong hurried over.
Sitong also fetched a rope, but since it wasn’t long enough, she tied one end to Chunyue and the other around her own waist, letting Chunyue go down to untie Ah Rou, while Sitong pulled from above.
“Can you hold on? Maybe I should go down, and you pull?” Chunyue asked worriedly.
“No need, Sister Chunyue. I used to do farm work at home. Don’t be fooled by my appearance; I’m quite strong.”
Chunyue nodded, not hesitating any longer, and went down into the well to rescue Ah Rou.
The well had a stench of decay that almost overwhelmed Chunyue.
Judging by the eunuch’s demeanor, this probably wasn’t his first time doing such a thing. Perhaps many people had indeed died in this well.
Fortunately, the well wasn’t very deep, and Chunyue saw half of Ah Rou’s head above the water.
Ah Rou had been unconscious, but when she fell into the well, the splash of water woke her up. Her mouth was gagged, and as she looked at the light shining into the well, she felt a bit of despair. Then she noticed someone was coming down to rescue her, and she became excited.
Chunyue untied the ropes on Ah Rou’s hands, and Ah Rou removed the cloth from her mouth and proceeded to untie the ropes on her feet.
Chunyue went up first, then lowered the rope again, and the two of them pulled Ah Rou up together.
“Good thing you came.”
“Let’s not talk about it now; we need to hurry back. If someone sees us, it will be bad.”
Ah Rou nodded, and the three of them quickly returned to the Biyue Palace.
Fortunately, the Biyue Palace was an isolated and neglected part of the palace, otherwise, coming and going on the road wouldn’t have been so easy.
“Master, the person has been brought back.”
“Good, let her sit and calm down.”
Xin Lan nodded. Along the way, she used the system to track Ah Rou and predict their destination. Ling Jiu calculated dozens of possible locations.
Xin Lan thought that if they intended to kill someone, they would need to dispose of the body, and an inconspicuous well would be the best choice. She instructed Ling Jiu to eliminate other routes, finally selecting a location for Chunyue and the others to wait.
Sure enough, it was there.
Chunyue, having gotten wet from going down, told Xin Lan she was going to the back to bathe and change clothes.
“Hey, Sister Chunyue, do you think our master is really clever? How did she know Ah Rou was there?”
“Silly, didn’t someone pass a note to the master?” Chunyue said with a smile as she scooped water into the bucket, speaking to Sitong.
Sitong nodded and didn’t ask further questions.
What does this indicate? It indicates that the master also has connections on the emperor’s side. Truly impressive.
Xin Lan didn’t know that the two maidservants thought this way, but even if they didn’t, she wouldn’t bother to explain.
The advantage of being alone is that no one asks too many questions, but having people to use means she doesn’t have to do everything herself, avoiding being overwhelmed.
Xin Lan prefers this superior-subordinate relationship because whatever she says, those below will follow without asking too many questions.
In front of her, Ah Rou still seemed unsettled, completely soaked and not sitting down, gently trembling.
“Are you scared?”
Ah Rou nodded.
“If I hadn’t received the news in time to save you today, you would have died.”
“Thank you, Lady, for saving my life.”
Ah Rou knelt down and bowed her head in gratitude.
“I only ask you one thing: if you had known when you went out this morning that you might not return, would you still have gone?”
“I would.” Ah Rou said with certainty.
She had already avenged her master. Consort Man was placed under house arrest, with no chance of rising again. Although she couldn’t see her die, the emperor would certainly not spare her.
However, regarding the matter of the deposed empress… even if the emperor knows the empress is innocent, things can’t go back to how they were, since the position of the empress is already filled.
Ah Rou didn’t understand the court’s power struggles or the complicated twists and turns; she simply sighed in this way.
“You cannot return now; you are already a ‘dead person.'”
Although official records wouldn’t be destroyed, in the emperor’s eyes, this person was already dead. She definitely couldn’t stay in the harem and must be sent away.
“I understand.”
“Do you have any family outside the palace?”
“No one.”
“Good, that avoids trouble.”
Xin Lan already had a plan, watching Ah Rou thoughtfully.
Ah Rou felt uneasy under her gaze and quickly declared her loyalty.
“Lady, I was sold into the household as a maid from a young age, following my master wholeheartedly. Now that my master is gone, I don’t know where to go. You saved my life; you are my savior reborn. Whatever you say, I will do.”
Ah Rou knocked her head on the ground twice in gratitude. Other than serving people, she knew nothing else. Now that the emperor considered her dead, she naturally couldn’t stay in the palace. She didn’t know where to go.
She only knew that the person in front of her must have a way.
For some inexplicable reason, she felt that this person, who had saved her twice and was seen by others as a useless deposed empress, was very reliable.
Xin Lan was also thinking. She intended to do something but was unsure if this maid was suitable or capable.
For a brief moment, Xin Lan contemplated returning to her role as the villain.
Except for a few unfortunate ones, which villain doesn’t have a group of followers? There’s no need to worry about having no one to use.
There’s no other reason; it’s just about trust.
Xin Lan doesn’t trust people easily, regardless of who they are.
It’s not about feeling safe; it’s just a habit.
She only has absolute confidence in her partners, like the mech she used to pilot or Ling Jiu.
“There are two paths for you to choose from, but once you choose, you can’t regret it,” Xin Lan said, looking at her as if trying to see into her heart. “The first path is to leave the palace, leave the capital, and live however you want, but don’t come back. The second path is to work for me. But you must be brave, not afraid of matters, and cannot hide anything. I require absolute loyalty.”
“Which do you choose?”
One path represents stability, and the other represents the unknown.
Xin Lan gave her a choice, and while Ah Rou hesitated, Xin Lan also considered.
Ling Jiu had already provided information about her. She wasn’t young, was healthy, and had a clean background. Xin Lan didn’t need her for anything major, just to procure some items she needed.
Ah Rou bit her lip, caught in a dilemma.
How should she choose…?
If she left, she couldn’t stay in the capital. Should she work as a maid in another place?
Although Ah Rou hadn’t experienced too many great storms, she had been through enough and had stayed in the palace for a long time. She felt both fear and helplessness towards the flattery, scheming, and intrigue.
She was very much like her master, only wanting a peaceful and stable life.
Ah Rou thought that if she left, she was still young enough and knew how to serve people, so finding a job wouldn’t be too hard. However, leaving her master’s remains in this devouring palace left her with an indescribable sense of melancholy.
Yet, despite the turmoil in her heart, when she met those black eyes, all those thoughts vanished.
Those eyes were calm, like a vast starry sky, beautiful yet lonely, making one feel small and willing to submit willingly.
“Ah Rou is willing to follow the master. No matter the demands, Ah Rou will strive to fulfill them, for a lifetime, with unwavering loyalty.”
Ah Rou didn’t know what changes this decision would bring to her life, but she felt that not making it would lead to regret.
“Alright, tonight I’ll take you out of the palace, get you settled, and then tell you what you need to do.”
Ah Rou nodded, and this time, instead of bowing her head, she performed a full kneeling ceremony (a deep bow often used in traditional Chinese culture to show great respect and gratitude).
Xin Lan sat in the chair, fingers touching the porcelain cup, lifting the tea lid, and sipping leisurely.
She dismissed Ah Rou, telling her to find Chunyue to change her clothes.
She put down the cup and looked at the empty room.
Ancient times are really boring, she thought.
It’s not as interesting as attending classes in the previous world, where at least you could hear some knowledge, which was quite engaging if you listened.
Here, she could only stare into the air.
Ling Jiu had finished watching the silly drama series and was looking for new interesting shows.
Xin Lan used to pass the time with those, but now she didn’t even have anything to while away the time.
She felt bored and, for once, a bit lonely.
Xin Lan thought that next time she could ask Ling Jiu to buy some books and store them in the system space, so she could read them when she was bored.
If there could be VR games, that would be even better, as Xin Lan enjoys combat games.
The more she thought, the more bored she felt, so Xin Lan stood up from the chair.
When she saved Ah Rou, Xin Lan did it with the mindset of “do good deeds without asking for future rewards”, believing it wouldn’t affect her plans. Later, she thought Ah Rou could be a useful person.
Ling Jiu: Host, are you very bored?
Xin Lan: A bit. Why, is there something interesting?
Ling Jiu: No, but I can chat with you.
Xin Lan: Like what?
Ling Jiu: Gossip, like two hosts dating, and one ends up getting cheated on while being greened. (cheated on)
Xin Lan: Tsk, that’s miserable.
Ling Jiu: What’s worse is that the person involved doesn’t know. After all, hosts rarely do missions intensively in one world, so who would know about cheating in a mission world?
Xin Lan: How do you know about it?
Xin Lan showed a bit of interest. It’s true, if someone cheats in a mission world, their real body isn’t affected, and with memory fading, there’s no worry about accidentally calling out someone else’s name while in bed with their lover.
Ling Jiu: The host’s system mentioned it, with details censored on the system forum. I don’t know who the real person is, but I’m reading the post. It seems the cheating happened more than once. I really pity that host’s partner.
Xin Lan: That’s a lot of getting greened.
Ling Jiu: Why do some people talk about love yet betray and act nonchalant about it?
Setting aside such feudalistic behavior, Ling Jiu indeed saw many people like that unnamed host, making one wonder how someone could be so shameless. Yet, straightforward people are rare, and some even forgive.
Ling Jiu’s deep conclusion came from having a first host who was both charming and unfaithful. The men she cheated on still expressed willingness to take her back.
Xin Lan: People come in thousands of types, and the world shows a hundred faces.
Xin Lan’s character would never allow her to do such things. People should be straightforward and decisive.
Ling Jiu: Host, do you think those people should be forgiven?
Xin Lan: If you want to forgive, then forgive. Handle your own matters. Some are worth it, some aren’t.
Ling Jiu: What if it were you…?
Xin Lan: Would I give such a chance?
Ling Jiu: Just imagine, hypothetically.
Xin Lan: Making them suffer would be too easy. If I don’t vent my anger, I wouldn’t be called Xin.
For some reason, at home, Qu Zhi’an suddenly sneezed.
LP: Re-translated on December 08, 2024
Lol, better not make mc wear a green hat little female lead.
XL: They wont even dare to think about it
XL: They wont even dare to think about it