Fate Trading System – Chapter 202

Plan A

Guiding Stars 18

Doubt

“She… she’s back?”

Yue Xingyao still appeared somewhat dazed, her face marked with a mix of disbelief. She had just been writing letters to that person, letters she could never send, and in the next moment, she heard the news of her return.

“It’s true! As soon as I heard, I ran over to tell you,” Liujin said, gripping the doorframe. His face, usually expressionless, now bore a wide smile.

This was indeed good news, as his master would undoubtedly be very happy.

“Where is she now? Has she already returned?”

“She’s almost at the palace gate. Her Majesty [Emperor] even sent people to welcome her.”

“I should go too… Liujin, is there anything dirty on my face? How does my outfit look today? I haven’t become uglier compared to before, have I?”

Yue Xingyao swallowed nervously, speaking with some apprehension.

“Pfft, Your Highness, you’re going to see your jiejie, not a lover. Why are you so nervous and concerned about your appearance?”

Liujin was amused by Yue Xingyao. Never mind his master’s age, which wasn’t even at the stage to consider such things, but his master’s behavior was quite entertaining.

In this moment, she truly resembled a child, showing expressions befitting her age.

“I just want to leave the best impression on my huangjie.”

Yue Xingyao emphasized, her expression still betraying her anxiety.

It had been six years since the last time. Her huangjie was now an eighteen-year-old youth, and she herself was already twelve.

Six years—a period so incredibly long.

Yet, in the repetition of day after day, time seemed to pass so quickly.

She wondered what Da Huangjie would look like now and whether she still kept the farewell gift she gave her back then.

“I heard that this time Da Dianxia has returned after achieving great success. The Emperor Consort will meet her, and you can accompany the Emperor Consort,” Liujin said, straightening Yue Xingyao’s clothes to ensure everything was perfect.

“Alright.”

Yue Xingyao recalled the ink-stained letter on her desk, but now she didn’t have time to tidy it up. In a hurry, she rushed out, only to realize she was a bit flustered after a few steps. She steadied her pace, waved her sleeve, and walked forward calmly.

Liujin closed the room door and followed behind her.

At the entrance of the Emperor Consort’s palace, the Emperor Consort was already standing there with a group of palace attendants.

“Yao’er, your Da Huangjie has returned. When you see her, make sure not to lose your composure, alright?”

“Mm.”

Yue Xingyao fiddled with her pinky, trying hard to stay alert.

She wasn’t usually like this. But for some reason, when it came to anything related to Su Xin, she found it impossible to remain as calm as before.

After all, it was just a sister returning after a long absence, but that sister was not just anyone.

Following the Emperor Consort’s footsteps, Yue Xingyao absentmindedly but respectfully saluted the Emperor and then stood at the door, looking out.

The sound of horse hooves came from a distance, getting closer and closer, creating a distinct rhythm on the bluestone pavement. Fine dust rose into the air, becoming subtle and transparent in the sunlight.

Yue Xingyao’s heartbeat was perfectly in sync with the rhythm of the horse hooves striking the bluestone pavement, each beat resonating as if her heart was about to burst forth from her chest.

She stood slightly on tiptoe, craning her neck to see further.

She was here.

Su Xin dismounted her horse with ease, but her presence was now vastly different from six years ago. If back then she was a sleeping lion or an unsheathed blade, with her brilliance hidden beneath a thick mask, now she exuded an aura that made it hard to meet her gaze directly—a bloody aura forged from the borderland flames of war.

The once-calm lake was now churning, bubbling with turbulent foam.

“Mother Emperor, Father Consort.”

Su Xin paid her respects. This time, she returned with few companions, for the troops at the border were hers but not entirely trustworthy. Though she had confidants there, she couldn’t bring them back in a way that others would notice.

She returned with only a few people, just as when she left, she only took Jinxiu with her.

“Wu Meimei.”

Su Xin’s gaze fell on the twelve-year-old child beside her, nodding and greeting her.

Su Xin wore clothes that allowed for easy movement, with her neck exposed, so the ornament hanging from her neck naturally caught others’ eyes.

Yue Xingyao had many things she wanted to say, but now was not the right time. Those words seemed lodged in her throat, unable to come out.

Her lips trembled slightly, but she firmly pressed her palms together, suppressing her emotions.

How wonderful, Da Huangjie still wore the item she gave her; it hadn’t been discarded, indicating she hadn’t been forgotten.

Time could wear away many things, at least for Su Xin, it seemed so.

She could no longer clearly remember what this child looked like, but she never forgot Yue Xingyao. Forgetting was impossible, as she was a major figure in this world, the protagonist with a powerful advantage often referred to as a “golden finger”. Moreover, she had Lord Fourteen monitoring her constantly. Since nothing significant had occurred, apart from the confrontation between Yue Xingyao and the Emperor Consort, Su Xin hadn’t watched any footage related to her.

The feelings of compassion had faded because she now knew what the other’s trump card was, so she no longer feared her.

The most terrifying thing is not a known threat, but an unknown fear.

During these years at the border, Su Xin wasn’t just idly passing time. She subjected herself to intense training, mastering both internal martial arts and physical techniques, as well as various combat moves.

In times of peace, she would engage in challenges with others, not as a form of provocation but as a way to establish her credibility and authority.

In this world, everyone inherently admires strength; as long as you are strong enough, people will follow and trust you.

During battles, Su Xin never hesitated to showcase her talents, which led her to accumulate numerous achievements over six years—far more than what she reported to the Emperor. She didn’t want to shine too brightly, even though her younger sisters were not yet a threat. Only the Second Princess was barely of suitable age, but the families of those concubines were not to be underestimated.

With many potential heirs, people naturally began to maneuver for their own family’s advantage. If they could support their own kin, why support someone else’s?

In the military camp, Su Xin learned many things she couldn’t acquire in the dark world she came from. The relentless advance on the battlefield gave her a sense of exhilaration; the power to control others’ lives could indeed be addictive.

However, if she could choose, Su Xin would rather be an assassin than a warrior. She preferred lurking in the shadows, where her targets would be gone before they even noticed or reacted.

Su Xin felt that her influence at the border was nearly solidified. She reached an agreement with Sun Lang, who promised to support her entirely if she wished.

Notably, Jinxiu found love with the deputy general at the border. Jinxiu chose not to return to the capital with Su Xin but remained in the small border town to enjoy a sweet life with the deputy general.

In these six years, Jinxiu had given birth to a son and a daughter, making their family of four incredibly happy and content.

This time when Su Xin returned, Jinxiu was very reluctant to part with her, shedding tears as he said he might never get the chance to serve his master again.

What Su Xin did not know was that as Jinxiu cried, the original host, Yue Xingchen in the system space also felt like crying.

That was her Jinxiu! Understanding, obedient, and caring, Jinxiu had taken care of her for many years!

Yue Xingchen actually felt a sense of anger, similar to being cuckolded. She glared at the screen showing the plain-looking woman who had appeared once or twice, filled with a sense of unwillingness.

Fourteen, noticing her emotions, kindly reminded her.

“Once my host accepted your body, it became hers entirely. She’s generally quite dedicated, focusing on fulfilling your wishes, so she doesn’t care much about romantic attachments. Rest assured, she definitely won’t have any descendants.”

Besides, she might even end up with another woman.

“What!”

Yue Xingchen seemed even more shocked, with Fourteen’s last comment hitting her harder than the previous one.

“Don’t you think it would be strange to see your body sleeping with men?”

“But…”

“Don’t worry about the issue of lineage. My host will definitely find a way to ensure your dynasty’s legitimate bloodline continues.”

With that, Fourteen went silent, busy with other matters.

Su Xin, unaware of what was happening in the system space, bid farewell to Jinxiu and rode back at a steady pace. Since it wasn’t an urgent journey, she didn’t rush back, nor did she take in the scenery along the way.

When Su Xin arrived at the palace, she was dusty from the journey, but she appeared in good spirits.

“Good girl, go back to your palace to rest for a while. Speaking of which, you should move out to live on your own. I’ll have them refurbish the residence, and it should be ready in a few days. So, stay in the palace for now, and spend some time with me to strengthen our mother-daughter bond, and also accompany your Father Consort.”

When the Emperor spoke the last sentence, it was noticeably devoid of emotion, and her tone differed from before.

The Emperor Consort seemed accustomed to such treatment, maintaining a flawless smile on his face without the slightest change.

“Yes.”

“You all find an inn to stay at first. Once my residence is refurbished, you can come over,” Su Xin turned and said to the few people behind her.

“Understood.”

Horses, of course, couldn’t be ridden inside the palace. There were palace attendants specifically assigned to lead them aside, where they would be taken to the stables and well cared for.

The Emperor seemed to have much to say to her daughter, who had just returned. After all, as an emperor, although she wasn’t particularly diligent, she wasn’t entirely incompetent either. She was reasonably upright and honest, and naturally, she was concerned about the situation at the borders of her country.

Yue Xingyao watched Su Xin walk away, her fingers moving slightly beneath her sleeves, and she bowed her head a little.

The Emperor Consort said nothing, merely turning his head to glance at Yue Xingyao, his eyes showing a complex expression that eventually settled into calmness.

He knew that whatever he said now, his daughter wouldn’t heed. He felt some comfort, knowing she was talented, demonstrating extraordinary ability and judgment beyond her years. Yet, it was also unfortunate, for a daughter like this was destined not to be controlled like a puppet in his hand.

The Emperor Consort chose not to say much, especially regarding advice. This child was very stubborn, so he opted to quietly observe how things would unfold, wondering how chaotic it might become.

The Emperor and Su Xin engaged in a lively conversation, learning much about the border situation, and was so pleased that she invited Su Xin to stay for dinner, displaying a deep mother-daughter bond.

When Su Xin returned in the evening, she noticed someone standing at the entrance to her courtyard.

Even though no lamps were lit and the person stood in a rather hidden spot, her senses were incredibly sharp, and she also had Fourteen to alert her.

It was Yue Xingyao.

What was this child doing out here at night instead of staying in her own palace? Yet here she was, crouching at the entrance of Su Xin’s small courtyard.

“Huangjie,” she called.

The stars weren’t very bright tonight, leaving Yue Xingyao’s face shrouded in darkness, with only her eyes emitting a faint glow.

“It’s so dark out here. What are you doing here without any attendants? It’s dangerous,” Su Xin remarked.

Su Xin carried a slight scent of alcohol. The Emperor had kept her for a few drinks, and she was the type who got tipsy easily, although she handled her liquor very well.

Back at the military camp, because she looked fair and clean and seemed like she couldn’t drink, people would try to get her drunk. Su Xin would turn red and her eyes would grow misty after just one drink, appearing inebriated, but her actual capacity for alcohol was quite high, and she rarely got drunk.

The outcome was often that, despite her flushed cheeks, Su Xin could continue drinking cup after cup and end up being the last one seated at the table.

“What danger could there possibly be in this palace? I came out by myself to find you, so I didn’t bring anyone along. Huangjie, are you drunk?”

“No, I just had a couple of casual drinks with Mother Emperor. Since you’re here, come in and sit.”

Su Xin pushed open the door to her courtyard, stepping into the place she hadn’t visited in six years. It felt like coming home, after all, this was where she had grown up.

The flowers and plants in the courtyard were in a state of neglect, shrouded in darkness, and barely visible. Su Xin walked over, crouched among the pots, and touched the leaves of the plants.

No lights were lit; only the faint starlight provided illumination.

Yue Xingyao followed Su Xin into the courtyard and closed the door behind them.

“Huangjie, why didn’t you bring back the person you took with you back then?”

Yue Xingyao was, of course, referring to Jinxiu.

“Are you talking about Jinxiu? He’s married now and living in a small town at the border, with a son and a daughter.”

It’s a very happy life, and Su Xin sincerely wished him well.

However, Su Xin still found the idea of men giving birth just as terrifying as women giving birth. It was quite an ordeal for Jinxiu; hot water was brought in basin after basin, and Su Xin watched as the deputy general paced anxiously nearby, looking as if she wanted to bang her head against a wall. It made her think the world was truly amazing.

“I see… So, Huangjie, doesn’t that mean you have no one to serve you now?” Yue Xingyao asked.

“Yes, but it shouldn’t be a problem. It’s only for a few days. Father Consort will probably assign some palace attendants to temporarily take care of my daily needs. I’ll be moving out in a few days anyway, and then I’ll recruit my own attendants. After all, in the camp, I didn’t have anyone serving me either, so I’m used to being self-sufficient.”

Speaking of which, it’s quite an eye-opener. Just like men have their own ways of self-relief, the women in the camp do too. After all, with ten days to half a month of continuous training, some of the sisters inevitably get pent up and find ways to relieve themselves.

Su Xin wasn’t particularly keen on this biological aspect. Not that she couldn’t accept it—it’s human nature, after all—but she was just not used to it. She was always rather indifferent in that regard, without any special cravings, and was very resistant to having someone else’s parts inside her body. The idea of her own entering someone else’s body was more acceptable.

When Su Xin spoke of self-sufficiency, she wasn’t talking about that aspect; she meant taking care of her own daily life—washing her own clothes and having meals prepared by others.

Among a group of rough women, there weren’t many who could cook. If they had to cook for themselves, would it even be edible?

Even Sun Lang, who appeared relatively refined, made food that was incredibly unpalatable, comparable to biochemical weapons.

“You’ll be moving out in a few days?” Yue Xingyao couldn’t help but raise her voice. Although she knew the Emperor had mentioned this before, hearing it directly from Su Xin still made her feel a bit downcast.

“I’m already grown up. It’s really not appropriate to keep living with the harem. Mother Emperor has already arranged my title, and in three days, I should be able to move into my new residence.”

“Can I come visit you?”

“If you can leave the palace conveniently, although… I might not have much time to host you.”

The two fell into silence, standing in the courtyard without moving into the room.

The wicker chairs in the courtyard were still there. Although palace attendants cleaned daily, they inevitably grew weary and slacked off a bit, so when Su Xin approached, she noticed a thin layer of dust covering them.

“Come sit here. Isn’t it tiring to keep standing?”

Su Xin casually brushed off the dust and plopped down onto the wicker chair.

Yue Xingyao felt a pang of grievance rising in her heart, though she didn’t know why. She knew she wasn’t entitled to feel this way.

She walked over and sat beside Su Xin.

“Huangjie, the red string around your neck seems to have worn out and lost its luster. How about I replace it for you?”

“No need, I’ve gotten used to wearing this. Although it might have gotten a bit small over the years, I might need to take it off and wear it on my wrist or keep it by my side. It’s been my companion for six years, and it’s been stained with quite a bit of enemy blood.”

Su Xin raised her hand to touch the wooden bead on her neck. It had turned dull and inconspicuous, incomparable to its once-new appearance several years ago.

“I’ve always worn the one you gave me.”

Yue Xingyao pulled out the jade bead from her clothing. Its edges had become smoother and more polished, clearly showing it had been cherished and protected over time.

The six-year gap between them was evident at this moment, plunging them into an awkward silence, unsure of what to say.

As time progressed, the gap between them expanded not just in age, but also in experience and thoughts.

Yue Xingyao hung her head, mouth open but unsure of what to say. She had so much she wanted to express to the person beside her—like sharing the longing she felt over the years, recounting trivial events that happened, or listening to stories from Su Xin’s side.

Yet, when these words reached her lips, she didn’t know how to voice them.

“Wu Meimei…”

As always, it was Su Xin who broke the silence first.

“Hmm?”

Yue Xingyao looked up at Su Xin.

The words Su Xin wanted to say were swallowed back down. Why, after all these years, did the child still look at her with those eyes?

“It’s getting late. You should go back and rest early so Father Consort won’t worry about you.”

“No rush, I can stay here a little longer… Father Consort won’t scold me.”

“Xingyao…”

Su Xin sighed helplessly.

“You’ve always been a smart child. I saw that when you were young. If you remember what I told you back then, you should understand what I meant.”

“I don’t understand!”

Yue Xingyao shook her head.

She had always thought that deceiving oneself was a foolish thing, yet today, she was doing just that.

There was no need to regard her as so important. She was just someone who could talk to her during childhood. She hadn’t been particularly kind to Yue Xingyao, nor had Yue Xingyao been especially good to her. That’s what Yue Xingyao told herself, but she couldn’t help caring.

It was a strange, inexplicable desire to be close, as if just the thought of this person standing against her, disliking her, or no longer being close to her, caused a suffocating pain. It might sound melodramatic, but it was genuinely how she felt.

If she hadn’t met her, what kind of person would she have become?

“You understand, don’t you? Tell me, what do you want?”

“You tell me what you want, Da Huangjie. Can you please tell me clearly what you want?”

Yue Xingyao’s voice trembled uncontrollably.

Why did it feel like a prophecy, as if foreseeing their future confrontations?

What makes you say we are destined to reach a point of no return?

“Now, I can tell you clearly, I want that position. I will be the one sitting on that throne. Do you understand?”

“I understand, but why do you believe that… We’re clearly so far apart in age, aren’t we? You can do many things now, but I’m still a child, stuck in this palace, unable to go anywhere.”

From Yue Xingyao’s perspective, she couldn’t comprehend why Su Xin was distancing herself.

If it were up to Yue Xingyao, she would never choose to do that. She wouldn’t distance herself; instead, she would draw closer to strengthen their relationship, because that way, it would be easier to act when the time was right. The closer you are, the more you know, right? Then it’s more convenient to stab when the time comes.

Yue Xingyao never considered herself a good person, not since she began to hear stories of righteousness.

“Because you’re the Emperor Consort’s daughter.”

In the end, this was the only reason Su Xin could give. She couldn’t possibly say it was because Yue Xingyao was so formidable that her client died twice, leading to such despair that this deal had to be made.

Su Xin regarded the child before her as a formidable character to be wary of because they were protected by the world’s rules. Su Xin couldn’t act recklessly. If she did anything that caused harm to this world or led Yue Xingyao to take negative actions, she might be forcibly expelled from this world, which would mean mission failure.

“What if I don’t want to fight for that position?”

“What did you say?”

This development was unexpected!

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