The Unlucky Sap No. 016

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[Our junior sister put that beautifully. One look at how furious the Eldest Princess is, and you know she caught every implication, whether she was supposed to or not. Junior Sister was mocking her! But what the Eldest Princess thinks doesn't matter. What matters is His Majesty's and His Highness the Crown Prince's reactions! Look at them—their smiles are impossible to hide. Those corners of their mouths are harder to keep down than an AK!]

Wen Que had a lot of strange ways of putting things, and Ming Xi found them somewhat confusing. Still, she could piece together the gist: she didn't quite understand, yet somehow she did.

Ming Xi turned to look at the emperor and the Crown Prince. Seeing the encouragement and approval in their eyes, and hearing Wen Que muttering fiercely in her defense, she felt completely at ease.

"Thank you for your kind offer, Fellow Daoist He."

With those words, Ming Xi firmly declined He Xueyi's offer.

He Xueyi had never been eager to get tangled up in this affair. If she had known the Eldest Princess was so fixated on Ming Xi, she would never have waded into these muddy waters. Perhaps, as Ming Xi had said, she had still been clinging to a shred of hope for this bond of blood and kinship?

He Xueyi gave up, but the Eldest Princess did not. She was about to say more when the emperor stopped her.

"Enough. Know when to stop! I've already given you what you asked for. Surely I still have the right to decide what I give to someone else?"

Those were harsh words. Even the witless Eldest Princess understood that His Majesty was angry. Then a gentle wash of spiritual energy from He Xueyi passed over her, and she finally calmed down. Only then did she remember what Consort Luo had told her before she left.

Cold sweat broke out all over the Eldest Princess.

In the Eldest Princess's eyes, Consort Luo was the cleverest man in the world. Whatever he said had to be right.

Of course, Consort Luo knew the emperor disliked him. For years he had kept his tail between his legs and maintained such a low profile it was as though he did not exist. That was why the emperor could still tolerate him.

But he was always urging the Eldest Princess to charge into the fray ahead of him, while taking his full share of the benefits.

Just like this time.

Officially, Consort Luo had found He Xueyi and brought her back. In truth, He Xueyi had sought him out and revealed who she was. Consort Luo's thoughts had twisted through eighteen turns on the spot, and he had arranged everything. That was how all the earlier scenes had come about.

Still watching from the sidelines, Wen Que propped up her cheek. Rather than watching the Eldest Princess, she was studying He Xueyi. Plenty of people had scrutinized He Xueyi, openly or otherwise, and she had long since grown used to all sorts of looks. But someone as blatant as Wen Que was a first.

That direct gaze had a clarity that made He Xueyi feel she had nowhere to hide. Though she believed she had done nothing to be ashamed of, she could not help wanting to look away.

The emperor's firm stance brought the matter to a close. No matter how unwilling the Eldest Princess was, she could only leave dejectedly with He Xueyi supporting her. Her resentful gaze clung to Ming Xi until the very end.

Ming Xi almost laughed.

"Junior Sister, what are you laughing at?"

Ming Xi glanced at Wen Que's curious face. Right. They could hear Wen Que's thoughts, but Wen Que had no idea what they were thinking. Judging by how worried she was about them, she probably didn't know they cared far less than she imagined.

Neither her second senior sister nor Ming Xi herself was as fragile as Wen Que thought.

So where had Wen Que gotten that mistaken impression?

"Wen Jiujiu."

"Huh?"

"What kind of person do you think I am?"

"Eh?" Wen Que looked utterly bewildered. She had never expected Ming Xi to ask that.

[Was Junior Sister hit harder by this than I thought? She looks fine on the outside, but has she started doubting herself? Has she lost all her confidence?]

[No way. That Demon Prince who used to PUA Junior Sister has already been flapped away by the butterfly's wings. With Junior Sister's proud, confident character, she shouldn't start doubting herself that easily, right?]

Ming Xi: Pee-you-what? And what butterfly's wings?

For a moment, Ming Xi could not work out what Wen Que meant. She nearly let Wen Que's chaotic thoughts lead her astray.

Ming Xi coughed lightly. "I mean, do you think I'm rather stupid?"

"No, no! Absolutely not!" Wen Que waved her hands repeatedly. Her spoken words and her inner voice rang out together, nearly deafening Ming Xi.

[You could call anyone stupid, but not Junior Sister!]

"Junior Sister, don't ever think that way. You're the best junior sister on Endless Peak in the Heavenly Sun Sect! No one can deny your intelligence or your talent. Have some confidence!"

"Whenever you feel unsure of yourself, just look at me. Don't worry, I'll always be behind you!"

"Bringing up the rear!"

Ming Xi: "..." There was really no need.

Ming Xi had deliberately been vague, hoping to guide Wen Que into revealing more. There was no need to make her question too explicit.

"Third Senior Sister, what do you think would have happened if I hadn't seen Wen Yan's true nature, had let him deceive me, and had kept him by my side?"

"Ah?" Wen Que had no idea that Ming Xi and the others could hear her thoughts and already knew all sorts of things they should and shouldn't. She assumed Ming Xi had been shaken and had begun having doubts, which was why she had asked.

Still, Wen Que thought this was the perfect chance to talk things through with Ming Xi. Junior Sister's lovestruck foolishness had only just begun to ease; she couldn't let it flare up again. If Wen Que wasn't there next time, who knew who could drag her stubborn, single-minded junior sister back?

Ming Xi had thought she was quite calm. But hearing Wen Que's thoughts call her "lovestruck," "stubborn," and "single-minded"—not a kind word among them—made her laugh in exasperation.

Outwardly, though, she kept up her melancholy expression. Her faint smile looked heartrending.

At least, it broke Wen Que's heart.

[Damn that wretch. How dare he treat my junior sister like this? Next time I see him, I'll tear him to shreds with my words.]

"Junior Sister, you really liked that Wen Yan, didn't you?"

Ming Xi had not liked Wen Yan that much, though she had admired his looks and personality. She nodded with a mournful expression.

"But if you truly like someone, even if you can't devote yourself to them completely or put them first every moment, shouldn't you at least do more than just say it? Shouldn't you actually do something?"

Ming Xi agreed, but she said, "Hadn't we simply known each other too briefly for him to have a chance? And I really am stronger than Wen Yan. Was it so wrong for me to protect him a little more?"

"That may be true, but Junior Sister, do you really think Wen Yan is weaker than you?"

Wen Que knew Ming Xi's tastes. Her junior sister liked pretty, gentle, obedient boys, and Wen Yan had certainly seemed that way at first. Playing the pig to eat the tiger for someone he liked would have been understandable. But Wen Yan had harbored ulterior motives from the start and had only wanted to use Ming Xi, and that—