What I Deserved!

Bai Yuji had never felt so exhausted.

She looked at He Xifeng and said in a low voice, "We should avenge Luo Qing! We should avenge Nanzhao even more! But if we attribute all evil to our enemies, I'll only feel that we're base and twisted.

"We've already achieved our goal this time. Even if we keep pressing the attack, we won't gain any more benefits. The key now should be to use the impact of this incident to establish Nanzhao's authority among the various states, not to vent our anger and resentment.

"Do you... understand what I mean?"

He Xifeng was at a loss for words for a long while before she could only concede quietly, "The princess is right! It's just that, Princess, you've still been influenced by the so-called morality of the Central Plains..."

Bai Yuji was getting angry. "Great Elder, are you trying to lecture me?"

"I wouldn't dare!"

He Xifeng hurriedly denied it. This was the first time she had felt anger from Bai Yuji.

There was no point in saying more. She had no confidence she could win an argument with Bai Yuji.

But she felt that the princess's outlook seemed to have undergone a subtle change.

If it were allowed to continue, the consequences would likely be very serious.

She took a deep breath and asked, "Princess, has Qin Muye already realized that this matter is connected to us?"

"How do you know?"

"He didn't say a single word to you just now."

"..."

"This man truly keeps his cards close to his chest. No wonder the princess feels so guilty."

"Great Elder!"

Bai Yuji's voice was edged with anger. "If we don't blame our enemies for the despicable things, then do we have no grounds to seek revenge?"

He Xifeng sighed. "Princess, do you still remember what I said before about Qin Muye?"

"I remember! What about it?"

Bai Yuji was terribly irritated, but she could still recall what He Xifeng had suspected.

She had said Qin Muye was exceptionally skilled at exploiting other people's sympathy. He seemed innocent and vulnerable, but in truth, he was the most cold-blooded and selfish person in the world.

Otherwise, he wouldn't have cooperated with Nanzhao's plans so readily, putting Qin Kaijiang's life in danger just to stay alive.

She had also said that Bai Yuji was slowly falling into the trap he had carefully laid.

He Xifeng said gravely, "Today, he spoke coldly to you, yet he didn't stand up for Qin Yanying—not even a single word. Even now, do you still think I'm maliciously judging him?"

Bai Yuji: "..."

He Xifeng bowed deeply to Bai Yuji. "If you don't believe me, you can wait and see. This case is no small matter. A cold-blooded person like him will only hide like a turtle in its shell and keep protecting himself! The princess is kindhearted, but that also makes it easy for others to deceive and mislead you. With a great vengeance before you, you must stay clearheaded! I'll take my leave!"

Then her body turned into a swarm of ants, which crawled out through the window.

Bai Yuji took several deep breaths.

Yet her vision still kept going dark.

She felt as if two utterly different, powerful forces were tearing at her heart like mad.

And she had no idea which one she ought to give in to.

The hatred of a people wiped out, of a race extinguished, had constantly urged her to do things she believed were wrong.

But someone had told her that the reason she thought those things were wrong was that she had been taught by her enemies.

She blamed herself, blaming herself for not being firm enough.

Yet she also felt helpless and miserable at the disappointed, contemptuous look in her enemy's son's eyes.

Disappointment, contempt—were they really just tactics of his?

Who was in the wrong in this matter?

Bai Yuji's thoughts were a tangled mess. She felt utterly exhausted, pulled the covers over her head, and soon drifted into a hazy sleep.

She felt as if she had slept for a long time.

But when she opened her eyes, the sky was still bright.

She glanced at the sun. It had only just begun to sink in the west. By her reckoning, she had slept for about an hour.

She rubbed her aching temples and got up to leave her room. Seeing that the doors and windows of Qin Muye's room were open, she went over and peered inside, but couldn't see anyone.

Where had he gone?

Her heart gave a little jolt. She feared Qin Muye might do something foolish.

She hurried out of the courtyard and grabbed a maid. "Where's the young general?"

The maid quickly replied, "Young Madam! The young general went out."

"When?"

"An hour ago!"

"Where did he go?"

"I-I don't know! The young general looked so grim that we didn't dare ask."

"..."

Bai Yuji forced herself to calm down and hurried toward the mansion gates.

During the day, Qin Muye had at least been able to persuade Chen Sui not to act rashly.

Whether he was cold-blooded or not, that at least meant he had kept his head.

If she were in his place, the most likely thing she would do was ask someone for help.

But at a time like this, how many people would be willing to lend the Qin Family a hand?

Bai Yuji could think of only one name.

Li Xingluo!

The Imperial Princess Mansion.

Bai Yuji lifted the curtain of her carriage window but didn't see Qin Muye.

She jumped down from the carriage and strode up to the gate, cupping her hands. "This humble woman..."

She had only just begun to speak.

The gatekeeper smiled and returned her salute. "You must be the confidante of the Heir to the Marquis of Southern Suppression. Have you come to the Imperial Princess Mansion today to offer your advice?"

"I wouldn't presume to offer advice. I simply couldn't find the heir in his residence, so I came to look for him."

"If you couldn't find the heir, why look for him at the Imperial Princess Mansion? The heir and the Imperial Princess don't seem to have any particular ties."

"This..."

Bai Yuji hesitated. "The heir isn't here?"

"Of course not!"

The gatekeeper sighed, but deliberately cast a glance to one side.

Bai Yuji followed his gaze and saw a narrow alley. Judging by its direction, it led to the inner river. The street along the river was lined with the mansions of nobles, whose back gates all faced the lovely scenery along the embankment.

She immediately understood what the gatekeeper meant, thanked him, and hurried into the alley.

She passed through the alley and ran to the back gate of the Imperial Princess Mansion. Sure enough, she saw the familiar figure.

The weather was bitterly cold in early winter.

It was especially cold by the river.

That man stood in front of the gate, wrapped in a robe, his lower legs trembling slightly.

"Qin Muye!"

"..."

Qin Muye glanced back at her, then turned his gaze away without saying a word.

He had come here only to make his position clear.

After all, the puppet master was one thing, and the Qin Family another.

With only Li Xingluo's help, it would probably be difficult to get Qin Yanying acquitted. Although no one in the Capital City was willing to befriend the Qin Family, making it difficult for Li Xingluo to work with him, he still had to make his position known.

He would leave once he received a reply.

Until then, he didn't want to see Bai Yuji.

Of course, he didn't want to see her at home, either.

Right now, all he wanted was to get Qin Yanying out as soon as possible. Everything else was a headache just to think about.

"Are you cold?"

"You don't have to worry about me."

"It's freezing, and you're not in good health!"

"What does that have to do with you?"

"You..."

Bai Yuji didn't know what she could say. She could only take off her cloak and drape it over his shoulders.

Qin Muye didn't refuse or say anything. He just stood there quietly.

After waiting a while longer,

Bai Yuji couldn't hold back. "The Imperial Princess is truly rude. Why make you wait so long? I'll go ask her what she thinks she's doing!"

As she spoke, she was about to knock on the gate.

But before her knuckles could fall, the gate opened on its own.

Pu Mingzhu stepped out. She smiled faintly at Bai Yuji, then walked up to Qin Muye, bowed, and sighed. "Why put yourself through this, heir?"

Qin Muye only smiled. "Auntie Pu has finally agreed to see me. What did the Imperial Princess say?"

Pu Mingzhu replied helplessly, "The Imperial Princess naturally sympathizes with General Qin's plight. It's just that the situation in the capital is quite complicated. The Imperial Princess and the Crown Prince have been at odds for many years, and countless eyes are watching her. I hope the heir understands."

"I understand!"

"Then... please go back, heir?"

Pu Mingzhu made a gesture inviting him to leave, but with a highly discreet movement, she slipped a handkerchief into Qin Muye's sleeve.

Qin Muye's eyes flashed, then he put on a look of disappointment. "I'll take my leave!"

With that,

He put on an indignant air and left in a huff.

Only after getting into the carriage did he take out the handkerchief. On it was a line of neat, imposing writing:

Heir, don't worry. The key to sentencing in this case lies with the Department of Case Review and the presiding judge. The court is rife with officials currying favor with Demon Officials, and the Court of State Ceremonial is especially bad. There is some hope only if the case is moved out of the Court of State Ceremonial. I'll do my best to make the necessary arrangements. Heir, wait and see. If you find a way to change the situation, please be sure that we work together with all our strength.

"Phew..."

Qin Muye let out a breath of relief, feeling more and more that Li Xingluo was reliable.

Moving the case out of the Court of State Ceremonial was exactly what he had in mind.

The biggest problem with the case right now was that the Court of State Ceremonial was conducting private interrogations.

As long as they could move it out and hold a public trial, they would have won half the battle.

Of course, it wouldn't be easy.

But since she had suggested this plan, it meant she already had some confidence in it.

Whatever happened, he absolutely couldn't end up in the Court of State Ceremonial's jail. The Demon Officials there were too powerful; there was no way he could have a decent life.

If he had to be locked up, it would be in the Brocade Guard's jail.

Those were all his own people.

And with the strapping commander Chen Sui there to send him cannon fodder, he could treat it as a stay-at-home quarantine.

"Qin Muye."

"Hmm!"

Qin Muye's smile faded. He tucked the handkerchief back into his robes, then took off the cloak and handed it to her. "Thanks!"

Bai Yuji: "..."

She suddenly felt a little aggrieved.

I didn't come all this way just to hear you politely say thanks.

Qin Muye saw that her eyes were a little red. He felt both exasperated and absurdly amused, but in the end, he still spoke. "If you have something to say, just say it."

Bai Yuji's eyes lit up, then dimmed again.

Whatever the case, the plan had only been carried out with her approval.

However complicated the process was, it couldn't change how this story began or how it ended.

After a moment of silence, she smiled bitterly. "I deserved it!"

The atmosphere fell silent again.

When the carriage stopped at the Southern Pacification Mansion, she saw Qin Muye about to get down and hesitated before tugging at his sleeve.

Qin Muye asked, "Is there something else?"

Bai Yuji's lips moved. "I'll brew you some medicine to ward off the cold later. You... don't refuse to drink it!"

Qin Muye: "..."