Chapter 18

Her body reacted even faster than her mind; at the very moment Xiao Wan lunged at her, Wu Ciyun panicked and swiftly dodged to the side.

Xiao Wan missed her target but showed no irritation. Instead, she flopped down on the soft pillow Wu Ciyun had just leaned against, took a deep breath, and said slowly, “You still smell so sweet.”

“…”

Wu Ciyun found it increasingly difficult to maintain her composure. Forcing herself to calm down, she said coldly, “Princess, if you went to all this trouble just to toy with me, then please take your leave.”

“Toy with you?”

Xiao Wan sneered sharply at those words. “You say I’m toying with you, but who’s really playing whom?”

“Wu Ciyun, wasn’t it you who arranged for that pair of pearls to be sent to me on my wedding day? After I poisoned Zhao Xiang to death, wasn’t it you who helped me clean up the mess? If you didn’t care for me, why did you save me? If you didn’t care for me, why not just let me die?”

Her father, the emperor, had married her off to Zhao Xiang to curry favor with Grand Tutor Zhao. Zhao Xiang was plain-looking and temperamental, lacking both talent and virtue, spending his days playing with weapons.

She had thought she could endure it, that life was short and she only needed to get through it.

But Wu Ciyun refused to let her be. On her wedding day, the very pearls were sent again, rekindling a heart that should have been dead inside, burning her day and night without peace.

At first, she thought she could tolerate it, but as the days dragged on, the fire within her blazed hotter, and the sight of Zhao Xiang became unbearable.

She never intended to kill him; she only wanted to cripple him so he wouldn’t be a nuisance. But Zhao Xiang was so inept that she overdosed slightly on the poison, and he died.

Grand Tutor Zhao refused to believe his son had died suddenly and ordered a thorough investigation. Xiao Wan was terrified, but Zhao Xiang’s maid, Liu Niang, helped cover up the incident.

“Liu Niang was once a servant in the Wu household. Wasn’t it you who, fearing I’d suffer, sent her to serve me?”

“Princess, at that time I had been banished to Yunzhou, with nothing but a pair of pearls gifted by the common folk. I only sent them to congratulate you, nothing more.”

“As for Liu Niang…”

Wu Ciyun paused and explained, “Princess, you must be mistaken. When the Wu family was raided, all servants were sold off. I simply don’t have that kind of influence.”

Wu Ciyun vehemently denied Xiao Wan’s accusations, acting so innocent it could make even the system want to call her a hypocrite.

Those pearls were originally a gift from the youngest daughter of the Yunzhou governor to Wu Ciyun, who repackaged them and sent them as a congratulatory gift to Xiao Wan. She didn’t believe Wu Ciyun was so clever as to be unaware this would make Xiao Wan suspicious.

Or more accurately, Wu Ciyun wanted Xiao Wan to overthink so she could manipulate her further.

Xiao Wan bit her lip hard. Seeing Wu Ciyun unmoved, she reached up and undid her jade belt—the golden-threaded phoenix embroidery gracefully fell to the floor.

Wu Ciyun’s brow twitched. She grabbed the cloak on the ground to throw it back, but Xiao Wan tossed it aside.

“Put your clothes back on!”

“I won’t. I came here just for you today.”

Xiao Wan smiled brightly and stepped closer to Wu Ciyun, who instinctively tried to flee. But Xiao Wan, having learned from past lessons, pounced like a starving tiger and blocked her path.

“Master Wu, Brother Ciyun, my dear husband, trust me, I’ll treat you well…”

Xiao Wan grabbed Wu Ciyun’s sleeve and reached to undo her clothes.

Wu Ciyun struggled fiercely and shouted, “Princess! If you keep this up, I’ll have to call for help…”

“Go ahead and call if you can.”

Xiao Wan laughed heartily, raising an eyebrow. “If you dare call, I’ll say you assaulted me.”

Wu Ciyun frowned, warning, “This is the Wu residence!”

Xiao Wan tilted her head and smiled sweetly. “Of course I know that. At worst, our reputations are ruined together. If things really go south, we might as well die together and be lovebirds in the afterlife.”

“Wu Ciyun, I’m telling you, I’m not like those girls who just embroider and play the zither all day. I have strength and means! I don’t care if you’re a meritorious official or a deity, even if you were a woman, today I’m going to sleep with you!”

No matter what, she was determined to make this happen today. As for the consequences, those could be dealt with later.

Xiao Wan lunged at Wu Ciyun again. Panicked, Wu Ciyun dodged awkwardly. They chased each other inside, the clatter of furniture grating sharply on the ears.

Liu Niang stood in the corridor, holding the child and brushing the rosy cheeks, trying hard to ignore the noise.

“You came with Princess Zhao Ning?”

Rong Tan saw a figure holding something in the corridor and approached, finding a woman with a child.

Liu Niang startled at Rong Tan’s voice, clutching the child tightly. “Yes, I’m the princess’s maid.”

“Is this the princess’s child?”

Rong Tan looked down at the sleeping child cradled in Liu Niang’s arms, smiling gently. “What an adorable little one. May I hold him?”

Seeing Rong Tan’s fondness, Liu Niang hesitated briefly but nodded.

Rong Tan, unfamiliar with handling children, was cautious as he took the boy. Watching the peaceful sleeping face, he marveled at the fragility and softness of the tiny life.

A cold breeze swept past, causing the child to wrinkle his nose and sneeze. Rong Tan quickly wrapped him more snugly.

“The child can’t bear the cold. Let me take you both to the warm pavilion nearby to rest.”

Liu Niang hesitated but, worried the child might catch cold, agreed. “Thank you, sir.”

“Rong... um…”

Wu Ciyun faintly heard Rong Tan’s voice. Just as she was about to call out, Xiao Wan clamped her mouth shut, forcing her to listen to Rong Tan’s footsteps fading away.

Bastard!

Rong Tan, a useless troublemaker!

A few years ago, Wu Ciyun could still wrestle with Xiao Wan, but her health had declined over the years. After such a long chase just now, she was winded.

Xiao Wan pinned her down, seeing Wu Ciyun’s unsteady breath, smiled sweetly. “Brother Ciyun, don’t hide anymore. Let’s enjoy ourselves together, shall we?”

She had longed for this face for six years; ever since Wu Ciyun first entered the court, she had admired her. How could there be anyone so in tune with her heart?

Wu Ciyun closed her eyes, struggling to steady her breath. After a long moment, she opened them, meeting Xiao Wan’s gaze with a calm expression.

Seeing Wu Ciyun cease struggling, Xiao Wan thought she had relented and leaned in to kiss her. Instead, Wu Ciyun suddenly gripped her chin.

“Enjoy?”

Wu Ciyun looked at Xiao Wan with a half-smile. “Princess, bringing a child out to find a lover to ‘enjoy’ yourself—your idea of pleasure is rather unique.”

Xiao Wan froze, instinctively wanting to explain, but faced with Wu Ciyun’s cold gaze, she said nothing about her true intentions.

“If you truly want pleasure, I must ask you to leave.”

Wu Ciyun distanced herself without emotion. “If you have other matters, I’m willing to listen.”

“...Grand Tutor Zhao has started to suspect me.”

Xiao Wan pressed her lips together and finally revealed the truth. “He must have found something. He even suspects a connection between me and the imperial uncle. Recently, under the pretense of investigating assassins, they ransacked my courtyard. Sending messages to you these days has become extremely difficult.”

Though a princess, her unscrupulous father was dead, and her maternal family was merely a group of bureaucrats, no match for Grand Tutor Zhao’s overwhelming power at court.

If Grand Tutor Zhao discovered she had killed Zhao Xiang, the consequences would be disastrous.

“I brought the child to see you for one reason: I hope you will show him mercy. If anything happens to me, I beg you to protect his life…”

She did want to share tender moments with Wu Ciyun, but in her heart was a calculation—to bind Wu Ciyun and herself firmly together through this.

Wu Ciyun’s brows twitched slightly. Calmly, she said, “That child is the only flesh and blood of the Zhao family. Grand Tutor Zhao won’t harm him.”

Xiao Wan hesitated, biting her lip and whispering, “Qi’er is not Zhao Xiang’s child…”

Zhao Xiang was ugly and foolish. If the child were his, there was a high chance he would be a dimwitted runt. She had taken other measures.

Wu Ciyun caught the implication and was momentarily stunned, her eyes flickering with thoughtful consideration.

“Princess, I have a way to keep you and the child safe.”

She paused, then added, “But on one condition: that we steer clear of each other from now on.”

Xiao Wan was stunned, tears silently gathering in her eyes. Wu Ciyun ignored her, stood up, adjusted her clothes, and went to the writing desk to pen a letter and seal it.

Finally, she handed the letter to Xiao Wan, speaking gently, “Take this letter to Grand Tutor Zhao and say you’re uncertain and can only seek his help.”

Xiao Wan took the letter and quickly read it, hesitating. “Will this really work?”

“Try it and you’ll know.”

Wu Ciyun leaned close and tempted her, “Princess, power must be held in your own hands. Think carefully. Though Grand Tutor Zhao commands the army, he is old and may not have many days left. Your son is the Zhao family’s only bloodline. He must be used well.”

Xiao Wan gazed blankly at Wu Ciyun’s face so near. It took her a moment to realize what Wu Ciyun had just said.

Reflecting deeply, she murmured, “You’re right…”

Relying on others was never secure; true peace came from holding real power.

If she had true authority, she would no longer tremble in fear, able to get whatever she wanted with ease.

Xiao Wan stood calmly, donned her outer garments, tidied her disheveled hairpins, and then turned to look deeply into Wu Ciyun’s eyes.

Wu Ciyun instantly became wary, instinctively stepping back, afraid Xiao Wan might suddenly pounce on her again.

Liu Niang played with Qi’er in the warm pavilion for a while and, estimating the time, decided to remind Xiao Wan.

“Princess, the time is nearly right…”

Before Liu Niang finished, the door opened. Xiao Wan was already fully dressed and said calmly, “Where is Qi’er?”

“He’s here.”

Rong Tan reluctantly handed the sleeping child to Xiao Wan, speaking gently, “He was just playing and got tired. He’s low on energy now.”

Xiao Wan glanced at Rong Tan and frowned. “Who are you?”

“I’m the steward of the residence,” Rong Tan explained.

Xiao Wan ignored him, cradled the child, and approached Wu Ciyun, motioning for the child to look at her. Softly, she said, “Come, recognize your future father.”

Rong Tan: “??”

System: [?!]

Wu Ciyun: “…”