Chapter 9: Love Rival

Qingzhui nodded and smiled, saying, "Of course, Your Highness, please." As she spoke, she led the way. Qiu Shuiman followed her out. With the Mid-Autumn Festival approaching, the weather was pleasant, and the Yin Prince’s Mansion was filled with blooming osmanthus flowers, their fragrance refreshing and intoxicating.

Although it was night, the Yin Prince’s Mansion was brightly lit. The multi-eaved towers and the carved beams and painted walls—the ingenious ancient architecture—made Qiu Shuiman feel that everything was truly real.

Passing by a courtyard, the sound of things being smashed and a woman’s crying and wailing reached them. Qiu Shuiman paused to listen; it seemed to be coming from a room not far away.

"Qingzhui, what is that sound?" Qiu Shuiman turned to look at Qingzhui.

Qingzhui’s expression changed as she replied, "That is the woodshed. Someone who committed a mistake is locked inside. Without the Prince’s order, no one is allowed to go near it. We should leave."

Qiu Shuiman was very interested in things that piqued her curiosity. She gave Qingzhui a sly smile and said, "I’ll just take a look; the Prince won’t know." With that, she lifted her skirt and walked toward the woodshed.

Qingzhui stamped her foot and hurried to follow behind. When Qiu Shuiman arrived at the door of the woodshed, she saw it was tightly locked. A faint candlelight from within illuminated a slender figure. The person seemed to be in a rage, constantly throwing things inside while muttering indignantly, "You all bully me, you all bully me. Jue-gege, how could you treat me like this?"

Jue-gege? Hearing the woman’s form of address, a thought struck Qiu Shuiman. Could the "Jue-gege" she spoke of be Xiao Jue?

Qiu Shuiman pushed the door open a crack and saw that the person inside was wearing men’s clothing, which wrapped around her petite frame; she looked nothing like a man.

"Who is it?" Hearing the sound of the door being pushed, Qiu Xiangxue walked over. Through the gap, she saw a woman’s beautiful and elegant face reflected before her eyes. "It’s you? You didn’t die?" Qiu Xiangxue couldn't help but step back, looking at her as if she were seeing a ghost.

Qiu Shuiman looked at her appearance. Although she was wearing men’s clothes, she couldn't hide her feminine affectations; the person before her was clearly a woman disguised as a man.

"Does the young lady wish for me to die so much?" Although Qiu Shuiman did not know this woman, a woman’s intuition was always accurate—this woman was exceptionally hostile toward her.

Qiu Xiangxue glared at her with hatred and cursed, "Don't think that just because you married my Jue-gege, you can win his heart. He is mine. I advise you to leave him, otherwise, I will certainly not be polite to you."

Qiu Shuiman understood now; this woman liked Xiao Jue and was therefore jealous of her. How wronged she was! Qiu Shuiman couldn't help but smile and ask, "How will you be impolite to me?"

Qiu Xiangxue replied loudly, "I can't kill you today, but once I get out, I will definitely kill you."

Qiu Shuiman’s whole body shuddered. Could it be that she had fallen ill today because of her? Qiu Shuiman recalled that not long after she drank that bowl of medicine, she had an episode. Could the medicine have been poisoned?

"Young lady, I did not marry Xiao Jue of my own volition. I didn't know you liked him. Rest assured, I will not fight you for him. If I could, I would also like to leave the Prince’s Mansion." Qiu Shuiman did not want to make enemies, and furthermore, she had no such feelings for Xiao Jue. Her relationship with him was merely a misunderstanding, nothing more.

"So that’s how it is. I didn't know that this was the plan you had in mind." Unbeknownst to them, Xiao Jue appeared behind Qiu Shuiman, his face icy.

Qiu Shuiman shivered, secretly cursing her luck. She turned around to meet Xiao Jue’s cold, murderous gaze. "Your Highness, everything I said is the truth. Rather than letting this young lady misunderstand, it would be better if you gave me a letter of divorce or sent me to a nunnery. I will certainly not interfere in the relationship between you two."

"Qiu Shuiman!" Xiao Jue roared, looking at her with eyes like flames. "Do you want to leave the Prince’s Mansion to go find your lover?" Xiao Jue stepped closer and closer to her. Qiu Shuiman kept her head down and did not move, but she could feel the biting cold aura emanating from him.

"Qiu Yehen, is it him?" Xiao Jue’s icy voice rang in Qiu Shuiman’s ear.

Hearing this name, Qiu Shuiman’s heart suddenly stirred, and a clear voice echoed in her mind: "Ye-gege, only Ye-gege is the best to Man'er. Man'er doesn't want to leave Ye-gege."