Chapter 114: Words Are Deadlier Than a Blade, a Strike to the Heart

The Empress Dowager was hosting a banquet, which meant everyone would be attending. Even the Consorts who rarely made public appearances would probably be invited. If she refused to leave her residence again, the Emperor and the Empress Dowager would not tolerate it any further.

’It’s freezing... Wouldn’t it be better if everyone just stayed home and hibernated for the winter?’

Life is hard. The wicked woman sighed.

It was a rare occasion for her to go out. The Prince Yanping and his sister would definitely seize this opportunity to get their revenge.

With Lou Yan around, the Palace Attendants were under his control, so he would never let those two lay a fatal hand on her. After all, he was still hoping to come and claim a reward from her.

’As for the open scheming and plotting... we’ll see who’s crying by the end of it.’

Her only headache now was figuring out how to kidnap Liu Xueyin without alerting anyone.

’When you’re stirring up trouble, you have to be sneaky about it, of course.’

’Especially when dealing with the heroine. You always have to guard against all the rabid male sidekicks she has. They’re easy enough to handle one-on-one, but I’m afraid of accidentally stirring up a hornet’s nest. That would be a true disaster.’

Money makes the world go ’round. Xiao Jingzhao was surrounded by people he had brought from his fiefdom, Yanping, so they weren’t easy to bribe. But making some inquiries wasn’t difficult.

Unexpectedly, while they managed to find out that Jia Ruo had been pulling out her maid’s hair to make herself a wig, not a shred of information about this Xue Zhi could be found.

It just went to show how highly Xiao Jingzhao regarded her.

There was no way to get Liu Xueyin to come out, and no way to go in and grab her.

Xiao Jingzhao’s men were no slouches. They had only suffered so badly at Fuyun Building that day because there weren’t many of them and she had Jia Ruo as a hostage. If it had been an all-out fight based on martial arts alone, the outcome would have been far from certain.

Besides, if she were to just storm in and seize someone, the resulting commotion would not be something the Emperor could simply ignore.

Xiao Li sighed in resignation. "This can’t be rushed."

’As long as I know where she is, a little delay doesn’t matter. The right opportunity is something you have to wait for.’

She had just about given up on that plan when, upon entering the palace, she saw Liu Xueyin sitting right next to Xiao Jingzhao, introduced as his concubine.

Xiao Li: "..."

’This makes me look like a joke.’

’Seriously, did they absolutely have to attend this banquet?’

’Are they taking everyone else for fools? The Princess Chen was a frequent sight in the palace. Does wearing a veil now mean a crowd of people won’t recognize her?’

’Is that veil some kind of Cultivation Magic Artifact?’

Xiao Jingyi winked at her. "Imperial Sister, you’re finally here."

The Emperor’s expression was a clear warning. "Xuanyang, come and take your seat. Now."

Xiao Li chuckled. ’At least there are two people here who get it.’

The Empress Dowager’s generation had not yet arrived. Xiao Li’s gaze swept across the room. Seated to the left of the throne was a more mature-looking couple—clearly the Nanqi King and the Nan Qi Princess. Behind them sat another woman with two children, who must be the Nanqi King’s concubine and his son and daughter.

Next in line after the Nanqi King were Xiao Jingzhao and his concubine, Xue Zhi, followed by Xiao Jingyi.

The seats on the right were empty, but Xiao Li’s own seat was third in the row. The two spots ahead of her were clearly for two of the senior Consorts. Behind her were two little princesses; the older one sat with her birth mother, while the younger one had obviously lost her mother and sat all alone at her table.

When they saw Xiao Li’s gaze land on them, they immediately flashed ingratiating smiles. "Imperial Sister."

’I don’t see Jia Ruo, though. She’s probably with her birth mother.’

Xiao Li walked to her own seat. Just as she was about to sit down, Xiao Jingzhao spoke from across the way. "Xuanyang, it’s been many years. Aren’t you even going to greet your brother?"

Xiao Li calmly sat down, adjusted her lapels, and settled into a perfect posture. Only then did she look up, feigning surprise as if she had just noticed his expression. "Were you speaking to me?"

Xiao Jingzhao’s eyes were filled with malice, but he forced a hypocritical smile. "Who else? This prince doesn’t have many sisters. Not so many that I would fail to recognize one."

Xiao Li smiled. "Of course. A sister as devastatingly beautiful as me is impossible to forget. You, on the other hand, Second Brother, look much more weathered than before. It seems you’ve even grown wrinkles at the corners of your eyes. I didn’t recognize you for a moment. Second Brother, you mustn’t blame me."

Xiao Jingyi gripped his wine cup, hiding the upward curl of his lips. ’The show is starting.’

Xiao Jingzhao hadn’t expected Xiao Li to be so shameless as to praise herself, let alone attack his appearance. But her killing blow was yet to come.

She looked at Xue Zhi beside him. "Why is this young lady hiding her face? Is she too ugly to be seen?"

"She looks quite young. Could she be your daughter, Second Brother?" She then sighed with feigned emotion. "It really has been many years. Things are not what they used to be. To think Second Brother’s daughter is already all grown up."

Sometimes, words are more lethal than a blade. A strike straight to the heart!

Age isn’t just a sore spot for women. Men with their heads in the clouds over love can’t stand to hear about it either.

Seeing Xiao Li playing dumb and spouting nonsense, Xiao Jingzhao’s desire to kill her intensified, but for now, he had to restrain himself.

"Xuanyang, what nonsense are you spouting? This is my concubine, Xue Zhi."

Xiao Li clicked her tongue and shook her head. "Second Brother, robbing the cradle. Aren’t you ashamed?"

SLAM!

Enraged, Xiao Jingzhao slammed his palm on the table. The sharp pain helped him momentarily suppress his impulse. He looked at the Emperor. "Your Majesty, are you not going to control her?"

"Ahem..." The Emperor snapped out of it, struggling to suppress a gloating smile as he put on a show of authority. "Right... Xuanyang, don’t speak so carelessly. Look how angry you’ve made your Second Brother."

Xiao Li leaned back slightly against the armrest and lazily raised her wine cup. "I’m just a bit clumsy with words. Don’t be angry, Second Brother. Let this cup of wine serve as my apology."

With that, she drained the cup in one gulp and turned it upside down.

Her posture showed not a shred of respect; it was pure provocation.

The wine cup in Xiao Jingzhao’s hand was on the verge of shattering, but he couldn’t lash out. He could feel Xue Zhi trembling beside him, clearly terrified of Xiao Li. He had no choice but to swallow his rage and reach out to take her hand, comforting her.

After watching the sparks fly between the two, the Nanqi King, Xiao Jingrong, finally spoke. "It’s been many years, Imperial Sister. You truly have made your eldest brother see you in a new light."

The Nan Qi Princess immediately smoothed things over. "You’ve grown so beautiful, your brother and I almost didn’t recognize you."

They had heard about what happened with Xiao Jingzhao and Jia Ruo. Whether those rumors were true or not, the Xiao Li before them was clearly not someone to be trifled with. Since both the Emperor and Prince Wei seemed to protect her, it was best to stay on her good side.

Especially with her talent for twisting the knife right in one’s sorest spots. Look at how their second brother had just been put in his place. There was no need to invite that kind of trouble for themselves.

’You respect me, I’ll respect you.’

The original owner of this body had no conflicts with the couple, and Xiao Li wasn’t a mad dog who bit everyone on sight.

"Brother, Imperial Sister-in-law."

She greeted them and said nothing more.

Just as the atmosphere was growing a bit strange, a eunuch announced, "Her Majesty, the Empress Dowager, has arrived!"

It wasn’t just the Empress Dowager, of course. Trailing behind her were two senior Consorts, the Empress, and several other Concubines. And naturally, Jia Ruo was among them.

Everyone rose to pay their respects. Xiao Li’s gaze naturally fell on Jia Ruo’s hair. ’Her maid is quite skilled,’ she thought. ’The hairpiece is attached so seamlessly you can’t even see the traces. It’s like her hair was never shorn off at all.’

As for her feet, she was being supported by a maid, so it wasn’t obvious. But no matter how small Xiao Li’s sleeve arrows were, they had still caused two very real injuries. ’So eager to be on her feet after only three days,’ Xiao Li mused. ’Truly, her will is strong even if her body is broken.’

Jia Ruo was looking at her too, and the fury in her eyes instantly blazed to life. ’Xiao Xuanyang, you just wait!’

"Be seated."

The Empress Dowager took her seat, and everyone else returned to their own in order.

The Empress Dowager sat in the center, flanked by the Emperor and the Empress. On the Empress’s side, the first seat below her belonged to Consort Qin, the Nanqi King’s birth mother. The second belonged to Princess Consort Hui, the birth mother of the Prince Yanping and his sister. Jia Ruo was now sitting right next to her mother.

She, who should have been seated behind Xiao Li, was now seated in front of her. She shot Xiao Li a triumphant, contemptuous glance.

’A mere seating arrangement, and she’s this pleased with herself?’

Another hateful gaze fell upon her. Xiao Li glanced over and, unsurprisingly, it was Chen Pingting.

So Chen Pingting had entered the imperial harem after all. With the Empress Dowager’s staunch support, she had been named Consort Jing, a rank below the four highest-ranking consorts. Rumor had it she had already served the Emperor and was currently locked in a heated struggle with several other concubines.

’Youth certainly is full of vigor.’

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