Chapter Fifty-Three: Confirmed, It Was Her

Seeing the growing confusion in Xiao Yi’s questioning gaze, Xue Fanzhi clenched the fist hidden within her sleeve and only managed to suppress her anger by lowering her head. Forcing a smile, she asked, “Your Highness Ninth, do you like dogs?”

Xiao Yi replied with puzzlement, “Of course I do, why? I even have one! Haha, his name is Fortune. How’s that for a name, isn’t it nice?!”

Xue Fanzhi naturally knew Xiao Yi had a dog named Fortune. The Fourth Princess was afraid of dogs. Though she never actually encountered Fortune, she simply couldn’t bear for Xiao Yi to keep him, so she falsely accused him of being bitten. The emperor doted on the Fourth Princess and, in his anger, ordered Xiao Yi to surrender Fortune.

Xiao Yi was no child; harboring ambitions for the throne, he couldn’t afford to fall out with the emperor over a dog. So, he personally strangled Fortune at home, cooked him, and sent the dog meat to the Fourth Princess.

Lady Hua Rui, the Fourth Princess’s mother, sensed Xiao Yi’s ruthlessness and warned her daughter not to provoke him again. The princess, however, thought Xiao Yi spineless and let him off, often telling the emperor how cowardly he was, which left the emperor completely unwary of him.

After Xiao Yi ascended the throne, he soon found a pretext to have the Fourth Princess strangled. At the time, Xue Fanzhi tried to persuade him that, after all, they were siblings, and that she was just a girl—did it really have to end in such fratricidal tragedy? But Xiao Yi told her plainly: he hated the Fourth Princess, hated her every day and night, and it was all for Fortune—he had to avenge his dog.

Fortune was of immense significance to Xiao Yi—perhaps even more so than she herself was. Xue Fanzhi couldn’t help but recall what Wen Xian told her before she died: for the sake of the realm, Xiao Yi would never kill Wen Xian, as that was the great aspiration of his life.

Xiao Yi could seek vengeance for Fortune, but he could not avenge her.

The more she thought about it, the worse Xue Fanzhi felt, and before she knew it, she blurted out, “So, did Your Highness bring Fortune’s eyes out with you?”

That would explain your dog’s-eye view of people.

Xiao Yi was speechless.

This impudent girl had not only grown sharper, she now dared to insult him?!

Suddenly Xiao Yi laughed, asking, “Aren’t you afraid I’ll turn against you and dismiss you as my retainer?”

Xue Fanzhi pressed her lips together and said nothing.

Xiao Yi raised an eyebrow. “Very well, since Lady Xue Eight is so principled, I shall take my leave!”

“Wait!” Xue Fanzhi reached out to catch him.

Xiao Yi’s gaze flickered. “I haven’t left yet, you know!”

Seeing how close she had come to grabbing his sleeve, and noticing Xiao Yi’s smug expression, Xue Fanzhi realized she’d been played by this scoundrel yet again.

Of course, he never did anything without personal gain. If he had helped her until now, it must be that she still had something worth his while—perhaps his reward would double in the end. Then why should she be bashful or awkward?

Suddenly, Xue Fanzhi realized that though she could have been the master, her temperament always left her in the role of the underling.

From now on, she would not play the underling for anyone.

She shook off her embarrassment, lifted her head, and said, “Your Highness came to advise me about Qin Jianyu, didn’t you? Besides Lady Kong, what else do you know? Since you’ve come to warn me, what is it you seek in return?”

He only wished you a life of clarity, free from deceit.

Xiao Yi said softly in his heart.

Xue Fanzhi’s question was rather blunt. He chuckled, “And what does Lady Xue Eight think I want?”

Of course, Xue Fanzhi was at a loss.

At first, when Xiao Yi warned her, she had thought it was out of kindness, a friendly reminder to be wary of Qin Jianyu, which she would heed.

But then Xiao Yi came in person. The matter suddenly felt dire, at least important enough for Xiao Yi to take it seriously. So perhaps he had other motives?

If so, what could they be?

She couldn’t guess.

She shook her head. “I really don’t know—otherwise, I wouldn’t be asking Your Highness!”

Xiao Yi realized that the implication was she thought he never did anything without profit—was he really that sort of person? Had he not shown her enough sincerity? He couldn’t help but think his only reason for coming was simply that he missed her.

Well, that was Xue Fanzhi—she could never sense when others cared for her.

But how to answer her? If he claimed to be entirely selfless, wishing only for her well-being, she would never believe it.

Xiao Yi tapped the table with his finger. “Pour me another cup of tea and I’ll tell you.”

Nothing easier.

Xue Fanzhi was about to fetch the tea when thunder rumbled outside. She frowned—on such a cold day, the water must have gone tepid.

With cold water, the tea would lose its flavor.

Xue Fanzhi sighed to herself. “Will Your Highness wait? I’ll go boil some water.”

Xiao Yi made a gesture of acquiescence.

Xue Fanzhi stood up, tidied her skirt, and carried out the little copper kettle.

As soon as she left, Xiao Yi rose and surveyed Xue Fanzhi’s bedchamber: from the painting desk, to the embroidery frame… finally to the bed.

The quilt was folded neatly, the silk gleaming with a pearly luster under the candlelight.

His Azhi had always loved sky blue. Their mattress had also been this sky blue. He had always found it too cold, wanting to use orange—the color of the sun. Azhi disliked it and he would have to coax her for ages before she would agree to change it.

Later…

Well, later, as a grown man, he ceased to care what kind of bedding he slept on.

From the time he fell ill to his rebirth, it had been seven or eight days since he had last embraced Azhi. If only he really were a youth again—he missed her terribly now.

Xiao Yi licked his lips and slowly approached Xue Fanzhi’s bed. He was just about to touch the mattress when, with a loud clatter at the door, he spun around in fright—only to see Xue Fanzhi returning, scrutinizing him with a probing gaze.

“Why have you come back? You gave me quite a scare!”

“If one acts with a clear conscience, there’s no fear of ghosts at the door. My maid is watching the water, so I thought I’d check if Your Highness needed anything. Who would have thought I’d find you sneaking about?” Xue Fanzhi demanded, “What exactly are you doing?” Her tone suggested she was interrogating a deviant.

Xiao Yi coughed into his fist, embarrassed. “There seemed to be a mosquito on your bed.”

Xue Fanzhi raised an eyebrow. “Oh? Did you kill it?”

Both her voice and her look seemed to say, “Go on, keep pretending!”

Xiao Yi was speechless.

“No, truly, I saw a mosquito, but it got away!”

Xue Fanzhi laughed. “How odd. I often hear my uncle say that on rainy days, mosquitoes’ wings get wet so they can’t fly, so there aren’t any mosquitoes about. I have never noticed a mosquito in my room either. How is it that Your Highness alone can see one?”

“Really!” Xiao Yi thought, Do I have no dignity left? Must she insist on arguing about this mosquito? He retorted, “And is your uncle’s word law? Just because he says there are none, does that make it so? Can you be certain there are no mosquitoes in this room?”

Xue Fanzhi nodded. “I can.”

As she spoke, she walked to the foot of the bed, where a crane-shaped incense burner stood. “I keep mosquito-repellent herbs here. I mixed them myself—they’re very effective. My room has never had mosquitoes. If Your Highness doubts it, take some back and see if you still have mosquitoes.”

Yes, it was because Xue Fanzhi never fit in with other girls, preferring instead to quietly tinker with odd things, that people called her a fool.

Xiao Yi had used this very incense herb in his past life—it really did repel mosquitoes.

Why did this wretched girl always have to expose him? Would it kill her not to?

Seeing Xiao Yi’s aggrieved look, Xue Fanzhi smirked, “So, what exactly was Your Highness doing just now?”

Why had he ever thought she had grown clever, or suspected she was a changed person? No—she was undeniably, infuriatingly, Xue Fanzhi.