Chapter 9: Loathing People Like Ghosts, Nine Demons and One Nightmare

Xiao Li let out a chuckle, casting a meaningful glance at Liu Xueyin beside her. "Do not blame me, Imperial Brother. Today, Imperial Sister-in-law specifically sought me out to beg me to reconcile with the Consort. I thought this was also Imperial Brother's intention, so I thought I would ask."

A reaction finally appeared on Prince Chen's face; he lowered his eyes to glance at his Princess Consort, his gaze carrying the chill of ice and the edge of a blade.

Lu Yanzhi's expression changed instantly as well, but he restrained himself and did not dare look at Liu Xueyin. He knew exactly why Liu Xueyin had sought out Princess Xuanyang, but at this moment, he could not defend her.

"I didn't!" Liu Xueyin protested sharply, but after those three words, she had nothing more to say, merely maintaining an air of having grievances she couldn't voice.

Prince Chen frowned. "If you didn't, then why did you go to find Xuanyang?"

"Princess Xuanyang." Liu Xueyin looked at Xiao Li accusingly. "You cannot slander me like this!"

Lacking the patience to listen to Liu Xueyin's meaningless defense, Xiao Li continued with great sentimentality, "I was originally very firm about seeking a divorce, but Imperial Sister-in-law used herself as an example to persuade me, which deeply moved me."

His Highness Prince Wei was a very qualified hype-man: "Oh? What did she say?"

Xiao Li: "Imperial Sister-in-law said that although there are frictions and misunderstandings in her relationship with Imperial Brother, becoming husband and wife is a rare destiny, and we must understand and tolerate one another."

Prince Wei: "Imperial Sister-in-law is right."

Xiao Li: "She also said that Lu Yanzhi is a rare and wonderful man, and that I must cherish him."

Prince Wei hesitated. "Ah, that's a bit of a stretch..." Lu Yanzhi's current reputation was not good at all.

Once Xiao Li finished speaking, everyone turned to look at Liu Xueyin, and Prince Chen's gaze was even more freezing and terrifying.

Liu Xueyin looked aggrieved and panicked, appearing stifled as if she wanted to argue but found herself unable to speak.

Lu Yanzhi merely cast a glance, his heart aching as if being twisted. His hands clenched tightly as he said indignantly, "This is a matter between us; what does it have to do with the Princess Consort of Chen?"

Xiao Li nodded in agreement. "I also think it has nothing to do with her, but I feel she has a point."

She leaned back against her chair, looking down at Lu Yanzhi with eyes full of malice, yet the words she spoke were filled with infinite affection: "That this Princess could become husband and wife with the Consort, and still harbor such devoted admiration for you, must be a destiny I earnestly prayed for in my past life."

"Previously, this Princess was simply too heartbroken and spoke nonsense in a moment of impulse. Having calmed down over the past few days, I have come to understand. Even if the Consort does not like me for the time being, it does not matter. As the saying goes, 'sincerity can move even metal and stone.' As long as I treat him with sincerity and perseverance, one day I will be able to pry open the Consort's cold heart."

She meant "pry open" quite literally!

To the members of the Lu family, Xiao Li's "sincere confession" sounded nothing short of horrifying.

Grand Secretary Lu's gaze was as sharp as a knife, falling unreservedly upon Xiao Li. "The Princess's words are gold; how can you treat such a matter so lightly?"

Xiao Li: "A matter of life and death cannot be decided impulsively. This is what I call thinking twice before acting."

The Emperor clapped his hands. "Xuanyang is right!"

Lu Yanzhi gritted his teeth hard, his eyes burning with hatred. "Yanzhi severed all romantic feelings long ago. I will never fall for the Princess in this lifetime."

Xiao Li: "It's fine if I fall. It can't get any worse than it already is."

Madam Lu was so angry her vision blurred, and in her impulse, she made a disastrous move. "Yanzhi is impotent; he cannot perform the rites of the Zhou Duke with the Princess."

To get rid of her, she was willing to personally spread rumors that her own son was impotent; it was truly difficult for her.

"Enough!" The Emperor barked with a dark face. Did the Lu family take him, the Emperor, for a mere decoration?

Even the imperial physician had said Lu Yanzhi was fine; now they dared to use this to make excuses.

"It is better to tear down ten temples than to destroy one marriage. This matter was originally the Consort's fault against Xuanyang. Since Xuanyang has changed her mind today, then from now on, you two shall live your lives well together."

At this moment, the Emperor knew how to wield his strength and majesty as an Emperor.

Seeing that the matter was settled, the Empress Dowager also hurried to play matchmaker. "After all this commotion, it is time for this to end. Let us not make a laughingstock of ourselves before the people of the world. It just so happens that among my dowry, there is a pair of Mandarin Duck and Lily mirrors; I shall bestow them upon you both."

Even the Empress, who had always had a very low presence, spoke up to bestow two items in congratulation. The matter was now set in stone.

The Lu family's expressions were extremely unsightly. They never expected that after the Princess caused such a scene, she would actually go back on her word in the end.

And then there was the Princess Consort of Chen...

The Lu family sat down in frustration; this banquet was not easy to swallow.

As for Lu Yanzhi, his hatred was so intense that he didn't eat a single bite of food, and the wine cup in his hand was nearly crushed by his grip.

Seeing this, Xiao Li ate even more happily.

"Lu Yanzhi, you let a guard humiliate me, and yet you thought you could escape from my hands? Heh."

Lu Yanzhi suddenly looked at Xiao Li, his eyes filled with unmasked shock.

"You..." She actually knew. She knew.

"Is this your revenge?"

Xiao Li curled her lips. "What do you think, Lord Consort?"

What she wanted to do was to take revenge on Lu Yanzhi, not to fulfill his wishes. This marriage could only be ended by her, not by letting him have his way!

***

"Brother Yanzhi, I didn't say those things. I went to beg her to let you go. How could I push you into a fire pit?"

"The Princess must have taken a dislike to me and targeted you on purpose. Brother Yanzhi, it's all my fault for causing you harm..."

Listening to the aggrieved sobs and the gentle, soft tones of comfort coming from around the corner, Xiao Li sneered in her heart.

Although she wanted to call her "shameless," she had to admit that Liu Xueyin was telling the truth.

However, it wasn't that Xiao Li disliked her; it was that she disliked both of them.

Besides, this was the Imperial Palace. Did they think this was the middle of nowhere? Weren't they afraid that if Prince Chen found out, he would torture her both physically and mentally?

Xiao Li turned around with a cold laugh, only to suddenly see a tall, imposing figure standing before her. She didn't know how long he had been standing there; a pair of wicked, cold eyes were staring straight at her.

The smile froze on her face, and her heart thudded twice in fright.

Looking closely, this was the eunuch she had seen that day, the one who was somewhat excessively handsome.

With his naturally delicate features, he looked even more cold and sinister in the night, especially those eyes—they were like a lurking beast, making one's heart go numb.

"Do you need something?"

Once Xiao Li spoke, the man slowly lowered his eyes. "Princess, His Majesty requests your presence."

"Oh."

Xiao Li took two steps forward, but then, thinking of something, she suddenly stopped and turned back. "What is your name?"

The other party had his eyes half-lidded; Xiao Li could only see the upward curve of a wicked, cold eye corner. "To answer the Princess, this servant is Lou Yan."

"Oh, which 'Yan'?"

"As loathsome as a ghost; one of the nine demons, the one known as Yan."

Xiao Li paused for a moment. "Then that is quite a unique name."

Not only was the person sinister, but the name was also full of hostility.

Lou Yan... it shouldn't be an obscure name, yet he had never appeared in the books Xiao Li had read.

That made sense. The stories Xiao Li had read were primarily from Liu Xueyin's perspective, telling the tale of her love and hate entanglements with the male and supporting leads, experiencing the life of the original Xuanyang Princess.

Both were trapped in the cycles of love and hate; whether they were happy or driven to madness, it was all for the sake of men.

The male lead's struggle for the throne was only briefly mentioned; how could the author bother to write in detail about a eunuch who might have died along with the late Emperor?

Liu Xueyin and Prince Chen were a classic case of "marriage before love" and "deep, agonizing romance." Back then, she had cried her eyes out reading it, but now, she couldn't stand it at all.

(End of Chapter)