The Sovereign – Chapter 70

Volume Four: Opulent Splendor Like a Dream, Waters Flow East

Using Retreat As a Means of Advancing

Unexpectedly using these palace intrigue tactics as pure as fire-refined gold

She actually didn’t dodge??

Huo Xiao was dumbfounded, standing frozen in place, feeling only a tingling pain in the palm that had delivered the slap. Looking again at Liu Qianxun’s ice-cold face, it was as if a flower had bloomed, with the handprint clearly visible.

All the eunuchs and palace maids were shocked, their mouths agape, feeling that Liu Qianxun’s gaze could twist off Huo Xiao’s head in the next second. Chen Qing’s face turned pale, her fists clenched with the urge to punch someone. Her thin lips trembled; this was truly a case of beyond endurance. Liu Qianxun had taken a slap for her!

“Side Consort Xiao! You’re going too far!” Chen Qing felt an overwhelming anger. There’s a saying, “when beating a dog, one must consider its owner”, meaning to show respect to someone’s master even when dealing with their subordinates. Slapping her was one thing, but how dare she lay hands on such a beautiful woman.

“How dare you!” Mu Jin raised her hand, eyes flashing with killing intent, completely disregarding whether she would expose her martial arts skills. When had Liu Qianxun ever suffered such humiliation? The entire Shura Sect looked up to her; except for the Sect Leader, everyone revered her. To be reduced to this state today was intolerable.

Mu Jin’s inner force burst forth, energy surging, which Liu Qianxun noticed. She coldly commanded: “Mu Jin!”

This stern rebuke awakened her, and Mu Jin reluctantly lowered her hand. The eunuchs and palace maids weren’t wrong; Mu Jin had been brimming with murderous intent, ready to twist off this side consort’s head and throw it in the river to feed the fish.

“You, why didn’t you dodge, are you sick…” Huo Xiao stammered guiltily, realizing she had caused trouble. Although she wanted to teach her a lesson, she hadn’t meant to hit so hard. If the Emperor saw such an obvious handprint, she would surely be held accountable.

Liu Qianxun nonchalantly wiped her cheek, raising an inscrutable smile, “Is Side Consort Xiao satisfied now? Not content with troubling Sister Jin’er, you have to find ways to torment me every day, determined not to rest. Aren’t you tired?”

“You…”

Liu Qianxun spoke each word deliberately for Li Yue to hear, intending to inform her that recently, Side Consort Xiao had not only offended Yun Jin but had also repeatedly caused trouble for her.

Li Yue could naturally deduce what had happened from Huo Xiao’s behavior and Liu Qianxun’s words, but she still performed a greeting first, “This humble one pays respects to Side Consort Xiao and County Princess.”

“Lord Yue, you must uphold justice for this lowly one.” Chen Qing began to act coquettishly upon seeing Li Yue, who gave her a white-eyed look before turning to Huo Xiao and saying, “Side Consort Xiao, this is the Imperial Palace, not the Wise King’s Mansion. If idle gossip reaches the ears of the Empress Dowager and the Emperor, it may cause misunderstandings. It’s better to let bygones be bygones.”

Huo Xiao naturally knew Li Yue’s status as the person who spent the most time accompanying the Emperor daily. Her words and actions often represented the Emperor’s will, and the weight of her words and her position were beyond anyone’s reach. She certainly didn’t dare to offend her carelessly. “Hehe, Lord Yue, ben fei (self-reference used by imperial concubines) was just joking with Elder Sister the County Princess. I didn’t mean to cause any misunderstanding. Elder Sister, please don’t take it to heart. Ben fei will take her leave now; please, carry on.” She left reluctantly, only hoping that Li Yue wouldn’t gossip about this.

“Chen Qing, how are you protecting the County Princess? The Emperor assigned you to accompany her to prevent her from suffering any grievances.” Li Yue’s face instantly turned cold as she reprimanded Chen Qing, who replied pitifully, “It’s unjust, Yueyue! The Side Consort was originally going to hit me, who knew that the County Princess…”

“It was my own carelessness. Don’t blame Chief Guard Chen.” Liu Qianxun held a silk handkerchief, gently caressing the spot where she was hit, which was still faintly painful. She wouldn’t have taken this slap for no reason; Huo Xiao’s words and actions would surely make her pay the price.

“This humble one is at fault for not arranging palace matters well, causing the County Princess to suffer grievance. I will return and accept punishment from the master.”

“No, Li Yue, don’t tell the Emperor about this matter.”

“County Princess, you’ve been bullied right to your face. With your excellent martial skills, you still had to consider palace etiquette. This humble one knows you don’t want to cause trouble, but Side Consort Xiao is overbearing and bullies palace people. If we don’t teach her a lesson, it’s hard to quell the hatred in our hearts!” Even Li Yue was feeling indignant on Liu Qianxun’s behalf. The Emperor treasured her like a precious jewel, yet she was innocently slapped. If the Emperor knew about the slap Liu Qianxun took, she would be so distressed.

“The Emperor is burdened with state affairs. Let’s not disturb her with these trifles. Listen to me, alright?” Liu Qianxun’s gaze was earnest, sincere to the point that Li Yue couldn’t bear to refuse. Although still indignant, she could only nod in agreement.

“Thank you, but I’m not in a state to see the Wise Consort now. I’ll return to Qixia Palace first. May I trouble Chief Guard Chen to inform Elder Sister Yun Jin that I’m feeling unwell and unable to leave the palace.” With that, she nodded slightly to the two and walked away calmly.

Specks of the setting sun adorned her silhouette, her figure intertwining with the tree shadows, resembling an otherworldly fairy. Worldly matters always seemed trivial in her presence, and ordinary people appeared even more vulgar, just like Huo Xiao and her ilk.

“Tsk tsk, truly a beauty with a kind heart.” Chen Qing couldn’t help but praise. Li Yue shot a glance at her, “Shut up. How dare you fawn over the County Princess?” She then turned and left.

“Ai ai ai, I wasn’t doing that! You’re wrongly accusing me again.” Chen Qing shrugged and hurried to catch up.

Li Yue turned back and gave her a sidelong glance, saying, “Aren’t you going in the wrong direction? You should be guarding the County Princess.”

“Ah, that’s right. Wait, I’ll find you next time!” Chen Qing rushed off like a gust of wind to catch up with Liu Qianxun.

“Dummy!” Li Yue’s clear lips curled as she covered her mouth to stifle a laugh.

Along the way, Mu Jin remained sulky and silent, swinging her arms to sweep at nearby shrubs and kicking pebbles irritably, like a child. Why couldn’t she shake off this anger? The more she thought about it, the more infuriating it became. Seeing those red handprints on Liu Qianxun’s face made her want to kill someone.

Back in the palace, Liu Qianxun immediately went to her chambers and stood before the dressing mirror. Beneath her jade-white snow-like skin, handprints of varying depths were visible. This peerless face that had captivated so many was now marred with imperfections.

How could she face others like this? Liu Qianxun’s brows furrowed slightly, her eyes as deep as autumn waters. She applied powder and rouge, trying to conceal the marks on her face. However, the redness was too deep; even the thickest makeup couldn’t hide it completely.

“Ai.” Liu Qianxun let out a soft sigh.

“Elder Sister Xun’er!” Bai Ruoxi’s voice floated from afar, rushing in like the wind. “Will you allow Ye Ming to go out of the palace with me?”

Liu Qianxun quickly turned to the side, avoiding Bai Ruoxi’s gaze and covering her face with a silk handkerchief. “If you have the exit token, taking her out wouldn’t be impossible. As long as she agrees, it’s fine.”

“Really!” Bai Ruoxi was so happy she was dancing with joy. “Recently, that Side Consort has made the palace a complete mess. I don’t want to see her; it’s better to go out for a while.” Bai Ruoxi, like Liu Qianxun, was an external County Princess, ranking below the Side Consort. Even if she wanted to teach her a lesson, she couldn’t openly offend her. She had thought about playing tricks on Side Consort Xiao but was stopped by Ye Ming. It’s all because Ye Ming is too proper and doesn’t like these small maneuvers. Actually, when dealing with petty people, one should use some little tricks.

“It’s fine, go out and have fun.” Liu Qianxun kept her body slightly turned, not looking directly at her.

Ye Ming walked in from outside, her face grave. She had just heard that Liu Qianxun was hit by the side consort. Although she had suppressed her anger, it was still evident in her expression.

“County Princess Xiao, please wait for me outside. I need to speak with the County Princess for a moment.”

“Alright, alright, I’ll wait for you. Thank you, Elder Sister Xun’er.” Bai Ruoxi bounced out happily.

Ye Ming took a few steps forward, approaching Liu Qianxun to examine her face. Indeed… the hit was so severe.

“This Huo Xiao is truly courting death!” Even in her anger, Ye Ming’s steady character prevented her from acting rashly.

“It’s not a problem. During this trip outside the palace, can you investigate where the Sect Leader is currently residing? Also, look into Chen Qing’s background.”

“Chen Qing? Is her identity suspicious?”

“I’m not sure, but today she protected me. It could be due to the Emperor’s orders or other reasons. Since I have doubts, we must investigate. She is, after all, a fifth-rank Chief Guard of the Imperial Guards, not a low position.”

Liu Qianxun had never given up on uncovering the identity of Ghost Eye. She couldn’t believe she couldn’t root out a single infiltrator; that would make her seem too incompetent.

“This subordinate understands.”

Ye Ming had always been prudent in her actions. She understood the tasks Liu Qianxun assigned and the intelligence needed. Although driven by emotions when with Bai Ruoxi, she never forgot her mission to assist Liu Qianxun in obtaining useful information within the palace to facilitate their actions. This is why only Ye Ming could become Liu Qianxun’s confidante, and not others.

Having finally dealt with Bai Ruoxi, Liu Qianxun had just let out a sigh when she heard Mu Jin report, “Sister, the Wise Consort and Young Prince Ye have arrived.”

“News truly travels fast in this palace…”

There was no avoiding it now; she had to face them.

Yun Jin hurried in, holding Guo’er’s hand. If it weren’t for Huai Rou’s good relationship with the little eunuch, she wouldn’t have known that Huo Xiao had the audacity to lay hands on Liu Qianxun. Guo’er had never seen his mother so angry, and was immediately frightened into silence, following Yun Jin without daring to make a sound.

“What wind has blown Elder Sister Jin’er here?” Liu Qianxun greeted them with a smile, her slightly reddened cheeks particularly noticeable under the scorching sun.

“Aunt Master!” Guo’er rushed forward. Having not seen her for a few days, he couldn’t help but miss this teacher. Although he didn’t understand why, Guo’er always felt especially close to her.

Liu Qianxun knelt down, gently caressing Guo’er’s face, and said with a doting smile, “What is it? Want to learn new techniques again?”

“Eh, Aunt Master, what happened to your face?” Guo’er tried to reach out and touch, but Liu Qianxun caught his little hand. “You mustn’t touch it, or you’ll smudge Aunt Master’s makeup.”

“What kind of makeup makes your face so red? Don’t try to fool me just because I’m a child. I’ve never seen Mother Consort wear such makeup.”

“You little clever and mischievous child.” Liu Qianxun didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. How could this child be so mature at such a young age? She couldn’t help but feel fond of him.

“Guo’er, go play over there. Mother Consort has something to discuss with your Aunt Master.” Yun Jin’s expression was solemn. She hadn’t smiled since entering Qixia Palace, a stark contrast to her usual smiling appearance, which is as beautifully as a flower.

Guo’er, being very sensible, went to play with the eunuchs and palace maids on the other side. Yun Jin approached Liu Qianxun and examined her face closely. “The hit was so hard. If Elder Imperial Sister sees this, she’ll be heartbroken.”

“And you? Does it pain your heart?” Liu Qianxun’s clear laughter was like a gentle breeze, brushing across one’s heart. Yun Jin looked at her puzzled, and finally unable to contain herself, asked, “Liu Qianxun, why are you so kind to me? I’ve thought of countless possibilities, but you seem so sincere, not like you’re pretending. I really don’t understand.”

Liu Qianxun smiled faintly, her delicate hand making a gesture of invitation. “Let’s go sit in the Guanjing Pavilion.”

A gentle breeze passed by as they walked along the blue stone path, winding their way up. The meandering stairs led directly to the Guanjing Tower, the most beautiful spot in Qixia Palace. From there, one could overlook the beauty of heaven and earth, a quiet and unique place. It was built on Qin Junlan’s orders, modeled after Ziyun Pavilion, to give her a sense of belonging.

From afar, one could observe the Dragon City for a hundred li; nearby, one could see the azure sky and evening glow. In leisure, one could watch the floating clouds unfurling and rolling; in tranquility, one could enjoy a small world of one’s own, carefree and unrestrained.

“Elder Sister~”

This call filled Yun Jin’s heart with warmth, but she still hadn’t heard the answer she wanted to know. “Why are you so kind to me and Guo’er?”

“Then why do you protect me?” Liu Qianxun countered, her eyes like a deep, unfathomable lake.

“I…” Yun Jin didn’t know how to respond for a moment.

“Because you have a kind heart, and because I am someone the Emperor favors.” Liu Qianxun’s lips curved slightly, suddenly leaning closer to Yun Jin, slightly lowering her head to meet her gaze. “You, towards the Emperor…”

Yun Jin’s pupils contracted slightly, her fingers tightly interlocked. Had her feelings been seen through? She felt guilty, thinking Liu Qianxun was about to reveal her deepest secret. Unexpectedly, Liu Qianxun changed the subject, “Your respect for the Emperor makes it natural for you to be kind to me.”

Yun Jin’s tense heart instantly relaxed. She shook her head helplessly, “You haven’t directly answered my question. Liu Qianxun, I don’t even know where you came from or why you became Mother Consort’s adopted daughter. I’ve never felt my heart in chaos like tangled hemp before, but you always leave my thoughts unsettled. I can’t explain why, yet I clearly don’t dislike you either.” Yun Jin’s emotions towards Liu Qianxun were indescribable. She felt jealous, yet wanted to be close to her. She could understand why Qin Junlan was attracted to her, but couldn’t comprehend her own emotions.

“Yun Jin, Huo Xiao is a foolish person, so she can’t harm you. But if she gains a strategist or if the Wise King takes another cunning side consort in the future, you will be bullied. You’re too kind; your tolerance will become your shackles.”

“What are you trying to say?” Yun Jin found it increasingly difficult to understand Liu Qianxun’s words.

Liu Qianxun gently placed her hands on Yun Jin’s shoulders, with tender affection, “You only need to believe that I have no ill intentions towards you. As long as I’m in the palace, I won’t allow anyone to bully or harm you.”

“I know your martial arts are formidable, but this is still…” Yun Jin’s words trailed off midway. Suddenly remembering Liu Qianxun’s skills, she had a moment of sudden enlightenment, instantly understanding everything. Shocked, she asked, “Could it be… you deliberately let Huo Xiao hit you? Intentionally putting yourself at a disadvantage to push her to the the eye of the storm?”

“Dealing with her doesn’t require my intervention,” Liu Qianxun’s cold words were like the biting wind of deep winter, instilling fear in one’s heart.

“My worries about you were truly unnecessary. I’ve never dared to underestimate you.” Yun Jin looked at her in disbelief, unable to fathom how someone who had never lived in the palace could employ strategies and tactics as natural as floating clouds and flowing water.

“Not unnecessary. I’m happy that Elder Sister cares about me.”

Yun Jin sighed softly. She didn’t understand Liu Qianxun and no longer wanted to try. Liu Qianxun indeed harbored no ill intentions or ulterior motives towards her. Perhaps she had overthought things. “The Empress Dowager holds deep misgivings against you. You must be cautious.”

Liu Qianxun nodded slightly, her smile unwavering.

“Does your face still hurt?” Yun Jin’s genuine concern ultimately outweighed her doubts. Seeing the red handprints on Liu Qianxun’s face, she felt an inexplicable ache in her heart.

“It’s nothing. The injuries I’ve sustained during martial arts training were a hundred times more painful than this,” Liu Qianxun said nonchalantly. Yun Jin truly didn’t know what could possibly concern this seemingly invincible woman.

“By the way, on the eighth day of the month, I’m going to the loquat forest. Would you like to join me to visit Mother Consort outside the palace?” Yun Jin finally mentioned what Liu Qianxun had been waiting to hear. She had already learned that Yun Jin always went to the loquat forest on the eighth day of each month. If she remembered correctly, the eighth was the day her mother had met with misfortune years ago.

“The day after tomorrow is the eighth. Xun’er misses mother dearly and couldn’t ask for more than to leave the palace. I’m grateful for Elder Sister’s help.”

Yi Qingyu must have treated this day as her mother’s death anniversary, which is why she arranged for Yun Jin to leave the palace every year at this time. It was truly a case of painstaking effort and good intentions.

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