Chapter 120: Xuanyang Was Just Passing By?

Having her big move thwarted was frustrating, but seeing Liu Xueyin lying there, Xiao Li suddenly felt it was all worth it.

’After all that, the female lead still ended up in my hands.’

"Ugh..."

Liu Xueyin slowly woke up. She glanced blankly around the carriage, but when she saw Xiao Li, her body trembled violently, and she instantly curled into a ball.

Xiao Li lazily leaned against a bolster pillow, sipping the tea Lan Yue had brewed and enjoying the hand massage Lan Yue was giving her.

Sensing that Liu Xueyin was awake, she looked up, her gaze fixed on the other woman. Her smile was eerie and cold. "Liu Xueyin," she drawled, "it’s been a while."

Curled into a ball, Xue Zhi still managed a defiant retort. "My name is Xue Zhi, not Liu Xueyin. You have the wrong person, Princess."

Xiao Li’s lips curled into a smirk. "Then why are you trembling?"

Xiao Li patted Lan Yue, dismissing her. She casually drew a dagger from her belt and walked toward Xue Zhi. Without a word, she stabbed downward, but the blade stopped just an instant before it pierced Liu Xueyin’s skin.

Xiao Li wasn’t angry. On the contrary, her smile grew even wider.

"Tsk, tsk. Yes, this is it. I’d recognize you even if you were reduced to ash."

She tapped the tip of the dagger against Liu Xueyin’s chest, right over her heart.

"Whether you’re Liu Xueyin or Xue Zhi is irrelevant. And it doesn’t matter whether you remember me. All that’s important is that I’ve confirmed you’re the one I’m looking for."

She slowly rose to her feet. "Don’t worry. I won’t kill you this time."

’If killing Liu Xueyin just makes her disappear, it’ll be a pain to find her again. Besides, killing her won’t get me out of this world. I might as well keep her captive and slowly figure out a way to break free.’

’Anyway, I’ve already killed her once, so half my anger has dissipated. For now, I can tolerate her.’

「In the palace」

The Emperor had finally uncovered the truth about Chen Pingting’s drugging incident. Shock gave way to vexation. Chen Pingting had to be punished. What she had done was simply outrageous.

But he also knew the Empress Dowager would surely protect Chen Pingting. However, what had happened to Princess Consort Hui was too preposterous. There had to be consequences.

Just as he was mulling over how to handle the aftermath, news arrived from outside the palace. Prince Yanping and Prince Chen had brawled in the street, resulting in mutual injuries. The wanted fugitive Po Feng had died at the scene, and Princess Xuanyang had been passing by.

’Wait... what the hell was that?’

’Prince Yanping and Prince Chen, brawling?’

The Emperor recalled that this Xue Zhi was Princess Chen. Xuanyang had also mentioned that Prince Chen was searching for his princess consort. If those two were to fight, it wouldn’t be surprising.

’After all, Prince Yanping had claimed today that Xue Zhi was his concubine. A fight over a stolen wife... that was reason enough to fight.’

’But how did the wanted fugitive Po Feng die? Who killed him?’

’And Princess Xuanyang was just "passing by"?’

’How exactly does Xuanyang just "pass by"?’

’Knowing her disposition, was she *really* just passing by?’

"Investigate! Get to the bottom of this for me!"

Although there were some twists, Prince Yanping’s identity was ultimately confirmed. Unlike Prince Chen’s status as a rebel, Prince Yanping had no crimes to his name, and he had been attacked by Prince Chen. When the Patrol Camp reported to the palace, the Emperor immediately summoned him.

Prince Yanping entered wearing a hat, but his appearance was too peculiar. His eyebrows were gone, and even the nape of his neck was completely smooth. The Emperor didn’t notice the problem at first glance, but he felt something was off.

"Prince Yanping, you’re... Are you Prince Yanping?"

Xiao Jingzhao’s expression was one of utter humiliation, but he still had to explain. "I... accidentally ate something that caused all my hair to fall out..."

With that, he removed his hat.

The sight was an assault on the Emperor’s eyes.

"Pfft... BWAHAHA... Prince Yanping, you... How did you end up like this?"

Xiao Jingzhao stared at him, expressionless, as he laughed. The Emperor coughed awkwardly, trying to stifle his mirth. "Ahem. Well... I’ll have the Imperial Physician take a look at you. This must be treated."

"Don’t worry. You’re still young. Your hair will grow back."

Xiao Jingzhao’s head was so shiny and ridiculous that the Emperor’s anger and frustration dissolved into laughter. He then patiently listened to the prince recount the night’s events.

Xiao Jingzhao refused to mention Xue Zhi’s identity. He only said that on his way back to his manor, Prince Chen had attacked him without provocation. Their men had fought, and then Princess Xuanyang had passed by. Po Feng had tried to assassinate her, and then the Patrol Camp arrived and arrested them.

The Emperor knew he was trying to conceal Xue Zhi’s identity and didn’t press the matter, but one thing made him extremely curious.

"Xuanyang just... passed by?"

Xiao Jingzhao looked up. "What does Your Majesty mean?"

The Emperor looked skeptical. "I mean, she just watched? She didn’t do anything?"

’...’ ’The Emperor really knows that viper well.’

The wound on his arm still throbbed. Thinking of what Xuanyang had done, Xiao Jingzhao wished he could subject her to death by a thousand cuts. He wanted nothing more than to expose her vicious true nature to the world, but Xue Zhi was her captive.

Even if he told the truth, the Emperor might not punish her, but that malicious woman would certainly take it out on Xue Zhi.

"She came closer to watch the spectacle and made a lot of snide remarks. Then she was attacked by Po Feng..."

’Even this toned-down version of events still painted a clear picture of Xiao Li’s depravity.’

The corner of the Emperor’s eye twitched. ’What can I say?’ he thought. ’My dear sister always finds herself in the middle of the most... eventful situations.’

Leaving the male lead and the second male lead for the Emperor to handle, Xiao Li wasn’t the least bit worried they would rat her out. In high spirits, she took the female lead with her to the mountain villa.

The roads were rough, and it took a bumpy three hours to get there.

By the time Xiao Li stepped out of the carriage, her whole body was stiff.

’Transportation in ancient times really was unbearable.’

Jingtai Mountain Villa was something Xiao Li had fleeced from the Emperor. She had already swept the place clean, inside and out, twice over, and had hired all-new maintenance staff. For now, at least, no one should be able to get their hooks in here.

’After all, it has been over two months, and the Emperor still hasn’t discovered I’m hiding a man here.’

As for the "lucky" man Xiao Li was keeping in a gilded cage, he was currently disheveled and filthy, his face pale with exhaustion.

Cen An was the disciple of the Divine Doctor. He liked treating illnesses, he liked medicinal herbs, but he liked his freedom even more!

The first month hadn’t been so bad. Though he was a prisoner, his days were leisurely, and he was given anything he asked for.

But after a month of rest, the next month was hell mode. A steady stream of patients was brought in, carried in unconscious and carried out the same way. He was responsible for diagnosis, prescription, and treatment.

Then came bulk deliveries of medicinal herbs, with orders to develop various medicines—primarily anesthetics and golden sore medicine for sword wounds and other life-threatening injuries.

Worried he might get exhausted, she had even assigned him ten assistants, both men and women, all of whom were incredibly eager to learn.

Treating patients, grinding herbs, and compounding medicines... He was a prisoner here, yet he’d somehow been forced to run what felt like a full-scale apothecary workshop.

’Enslavement. Exploitation. She wouldn’t even let him take a single step out of this infirmary. It was inhumane, utterly devoid of any humanity!’

It wasn’t that Cen An hadn’t thought of escaping. But when Xiao Li had captured him, she had left him with a warning: "Cen An, I won’t take your life, and I won’t keep you locked up for too long. But if you escape before I decide to let you go, the next time we meet, I will kill you."

Cen An didn’t know he had ruined Xiao Li’s plans by saving Lu Yanzhi, nor did he know she was wary of his medical skills becoming the female lead’s trump card. But from her calm words, he could sense her resolve and conviction. She meant every word, and she was absolutely certain she could kill him.

Cen An was a prodigy with immense medical talent. From the age of fifteen, he had often ventured alone into forested mountains and snowy plains to gather rare herbs and exotic flowers. He had a powerful sixth sense for danger, and every time he saw the princess, he felt that danger radiating from her.

His instincts screamed at him not to make an enemy of her.

And yet, this compromise had nearly driven him into the ground.

In a daze, he heard someone outside call for the Princess. Cen An looked up, and his numb, hollow eyes filled with an excitement so intense it brought him to the verge of tears. ’Am I finally being set free?’