Princess, Have You Fallen for Him?

Bai Yuji's eyes widened. She never would have imagined that the new plan would be this.

She had heard of Yayu.

Starting with Yayu was indeed the best way to drive a wedge between the Qin Family and the Demon Officials.

But...

Boys and girls?

Fortune Beads?

Her gaze gradually darkened. "Great Elder, has our bottom line for taking revenge really sunk so low that we're willing to use children and pregnant women?"

He Xifeng was taken aback. "Princess! Those children and pregnant women are all from the Central Plains. Nanzhao was destroyed because of the people of the Central Plains. This is only a small price for them to pay for their sins. Is even that too much?"

"A small price?"

Bai Yuji was shocked and bewildered. "Since when should innocent children and pregnant women have to pay the price? Even the vicious Gan Kingdom didn't massacre children and pregnant women when they slaughtered Nanzhao all those years ago. If we do this, what claim will we have to decency or shame?"

At her words, He Xifeng grew agitated too. "Decency and shame? We're nothing but Nanzhao survivors whose kingdom was destroyed. In the face of a national and familial vendetta, should we still let the false benevolence of these Central Plains people dictate how we act?

"Princess, let me ask you: those children and pregnant women who weren't killed—where did they go afterward?

"Without men, could those women have survived?

"Do you remember how many corpses lay along the roadside during our flight?

"And the children they captured and raised, only to have them kill our Nanzhao kin who had fled into exile!

"Just because they didn't kill them with their own hands, does that mean they bear no blame?"

"Great Elder, say no more!"

"The Princess is simply kindhearted."

"This matter came upon us suddenly. We should give the Princess time to take it in."

The other elders hurried forward to play peacemaker.

But their words only brought Bai Yuji greater shock.

She could hardly believe her ears. "Everyone, do you really approve of this?"

The elders exchanged glances.

After a long silence,

the Third Elder finally stepped forward. "Princess! You grew up in the Imperial Court and studied the books of the Central Plains people. We understand that you can't accept this right away. But when a whole people has been wiped out, what meaning do good and evil, or morality and justice, still have?

"The Central Plains people are always talking about benevolence and righteousness. But what destroyed Nanzhao—benevolence and righteousness, or blades and swords?"

The Fourth Elder chimed in as well. "That's right, Princess! You needn't lay the blame on us. Remember, it isn't us who are using Central Plains children and pregnant women—it's Yayu's son.

"It wasn't us who treated Central Plains children and pregnant women as commodities, either. It was their own Grand Princess.

"Do you still remember the Prime Minister's Son's Flower Boat?

"Women became playthings, and pregnant women did too.

"Even if we did nothing, these things wouldn't disappear.

"They don't care about their own people. Why should we punish ourselves with the benevolence they use to keep the people ignorant?

"Besides, what have we done?

"We only told Qin Yanying what happened!

"What did we do wrong?"

Bai Yuji: "..."

She admitted that most of what the elders had said was true.

In this whole affair, the Nanzhao Remnants bore the least blame.

But was it right to sacrifice innocent children and pregnant women?

Did she really fail to understand them only because she had received a Central Plains education?

Seeing her fall silent, He Xifeng's tone softened. "Princess! This is a rare chance for Nanzhao to rise again. Think of our kin still hiding in the mountains and forests, living on insects. If we miss this opportunity, how many more years will they have to wait? How many more people will die in the meantime?

"This old woman has been pregnant and raised a child. How could doing something like this not hurt?

"But my children all died in that war.

"I fled with my pregnant daughter-in-law, but in the chaos of war, she lost the baby.

"Later, she married another man. When I went home the year before last, she came to see me.

"She brought a little child with her.

"I asked if she'd had him with her new husband. She said she couldn't have children anymore; the child belonged to the neighbors. The couple had fallen to their deaths while gathering herbs on the mountain, so they took the child in and raised him themselves.

"The little boy was thin, but very clever. When I saw him, I felt as if I were looking at my own grandson.

"I... I don't even know what I'm saying anymore. Princess, can you understand what I mean?"

As she spoke,

she broke down in tears.

Bai Yuji was quick to cry, and tears glimmered at the corners of her eyes. After a long struggle, she gritted her teeth and said, "I don't oppose this plan, but its purpose is only to stir up conflict between the Qin Family and the Demon Officials. The children and pregnant women are only bait. My bottom line is that we do everything we can to keep them safe until the Qin Family arrives!"

"But, Princess..."

"Do as I say!"

"..."

He Xifeng hesitated for a moment, then nodded firmly. "All right! No problem! But, Princess, you'll still need to say a few words to Qin Yanying..."

Bai Yuji felt inexplicably guilty, but she could no longer find a reason to object, so she could only nod. "Don't worry!"

Seeing that Bai Yuji had stopped arguing, the elders all looked relieved.

At that moment,

He Xifeng suddenly asked, "By the way, Princess, after the Puppet Assembly, Luo Qing came to see this old woman out of the blue and said a lot of excited things. At the gates of the Southern Pacification Mansion, did you and Qin..."

She didn't finish, seeming a little cautious.

At the gates of the Southern Pacification Mansion?

Bai Yuji thought for a moment. "Did he tell you that Qin Muye and I went from pretending to be a couple to actually becoming one?"

He Xifeng lowered her voice. "This old woman doesn't believe him, of course. I was only asking the Princess."

For no reason, a wave of irritation rose in Bai Yuji's heart. She waved her hand. "Great Elder, are you trying to remind me not to get too close to Qin Muye?"

"This old woman wouldn't dare!"

"If I'm to control Qin Muye, I naturally have to put on a show. He's already lost his head over me. Yesterday, he even said he wanted to marry me. Do you think such a small sacrifice is worth it?"

"It's certainly worth it!"

He Xifeng bowed respectfully, but still spoke in a low voice. "Still, the Princess must be careful!"

"Careful of what?"

"Careful that Qin Muye tricks you."

"He'd trick me?"

"This man is timid and twisted, but actually extremely perceptive. Just look at how he extorted Shen Jin. He's quite crafty, and his grasp of the situation and human nature far surpasses that of his peers.

"Last time the Princess came back, you said that he and his father had a poor relationship, and that he even harbored resentment toward him.

"Although that was more or less confirmed when we looked into it, the more I think about it, the less right it seems. Could he have realized that the Princess is softhearted and responds better to gentleness than force, and deliberately acted that way?"

"That can't be..."

Bai Yuji instinctively tried to object.

But He Xifeng interrupted her. "Princess! Does he often act vulnerable in front of you?"

Bai Yuji: "..."

She suddenly shuddered.

That was exactly what he did.

Although she felt Qin Muye's vulnerability was more likely genuine,

the reason the Nanzhao Remnants had survived until now was in no small part thanks to the Great Elder's ability to read people.

Could he really be...

Seeing her silence, He Xifeng's tone grew even more somber. "I only want to warn the Princess not to fall into a villain's trap and get caught up in it herself.

"Given Qin Muye's behavior, he may well be that calculating.

"If so, he dragged the entire Qin Family down with him just to stay alive.

"Someone so heartless must be utterly cold-blooded.

"Of course, the Princess is clever. You'll surely stay on your guard against him at all times."

Bai Yuji felt completely unsettled. She could only nod. "Don't worry. I know what I'm doing."

Night had fallen.

But Qin Muye was still awake.

Just now, he had immersed himself in controlling the puppet and spent a long time at the Imperial Princess Mansion discussing the future of the Gan Kingdom with Li Xingluo.

He still hadn't expressed much of a preference, only emphasizing one point: the reason the Gan Kingdom's ministers disagreed over the Demon Officials was that their military strength was insufficient. As long as the human race had enough military power to overwhelm the various vassal states and the demons beyond the borders, every problem would vanish. The key to strengthening the military lay in modernizing its weapons.

Li Xingluo agreed strongly with the first half, but reserved judgment on the second. Still, she readily promised that Qin Muye could make full use of his talents and that she would do everything she could to support him.

Qin Muye didn't keep making promises, either. After all, he possessed the Thread-Crafter and Craftsman Heart techniques, and had acquired the Gongshu Clan's knowledge. He already had plenty of clever ideas, but they still hadn't been put into practice. He didn't yet have the confidence to make grand claims.

Their long conversation had achieved its purpose. The Imperial Princess's political leanings were indeed clear: she wanted to abolish the Demon Officials. Even regarding the rumors today, her attitude was simply to let them run their course.

"Phew!"

Qin Muye let out a breath. Whether judged by his fate or his position, he had to cling tightly to this powerful ally.

But...

He sat up in bed.

A moment ago, he had tested the Divergent Path fate skill. With Bai Yuji in mind, he had taken a step toward her room, and immediately felt that something was wrong. Then an idea came to him: his destination lay to the southeast.

He pushed open the window and looked. Bai Yuji indeed wasn't in her room.

Was the Nanzhao Remnants' hideout to the southeast?

There seemed to be a Ghost Market over there...

Qin Muye was getting annoyed. Those people were like resentment given flesh. Every time Bai Yuji came back, they filled her up with another load of negative energy.

He cursed under his breath and climbed out the window.

"Thump!"

"Thump!"

At the same moment, another figure climbed in through a different window.

The two stared at each other.

"Were you waiting for me again?"

"I couldn't sleep. I wanted to talk with you."

"Why climb through the window? Couldn't you knock?"

"I was afraid you wouldn't let me in."

"..."

Looking at him, so cautious and yet so hopeful, Bai Yuji felt her thoughts descend into chaos.

Could someone really act this way?