"I’ve been awaiting you for so ti, Miss Yan. This way, please."
The mont Yan Ruxue stepped out of her carriage, the Shopkeeper of the Drunken Immortal Tower imdiately ca forward to greet her with a beaming smile. She then quickly led Yan Ruxue to a rear courtyard of the tower.
The rear courtyard was enclosed by a bamboo fence. Inside, so common fruits and vegetables were growing. In the center stood a bamboo building that looked quite elegant.
"Miss Yan, the Princess is already waiting for you in the bamboo house."
The Shopkeeper of the Drunken Immortal Tower bowed to Yan Ruxue.
"Thank you for your trouble, Shopkeeper."
Yan Ruxue nodded, then led her maid, Chunyan, into the courtyard and walked toward the bamboo house.
Upon reaching the bamboo house, Chunyan knocked on the door on behalf of her mistress.
Soon, the sound of footsteps ca from inside the room.
The door opened, and an exceptionally beautiful woman appeared before Chunyan.
Looking at this woman, Chunyan couldn’t help but stare, taken aback.
It was the first ti she had ever seen a woman as beautiful as her own mistress.
"I am Qin Mujiu. It is an honor to et Miss Yan."
Qin Siyao bowed to Yan Ruxue, appearing extrely respectful and cordial.
It was as if Qin Siyao had known Yan Ruxue for a long ti, had admired her from afar, and was now finally eting her in person.
"You are too kind, Princess."
Yan Ruxue also bowed in return, her every movent graceful and dignified.
"It is I, Ruxue, who should be paying respects to Princess Qingyang. You must be weary from your long journey, Princess. As the host, I should have been the one to invite you to a banquet, but you invited instead. If word of this were to get out, I fear people would say I lack propriety."
"Nonsense, Sister Ruxue... Please, co in. I, Mujiu, have already prepared the dishes. I was just waiting for you, Sister."
As she spoke, Qin Siyao cordially took Yan Ruxue’s arm and then gestured for the maids to withdraw.
Seeing that the other woman intended for them to be alone, Yan Ruxue also nodded at Chunyan.
Chunyan understood her mistress’s aning and could only withdraw outside and close the door.
"Please, have a seat, Sister Ruxue." Qin Siyao guided Yan Ruxue to sit on a cushion, then sat down in front of her. "I’ve heard of your great na, Sister Ruxue, even back in the Qin Kingdom."
"The Princess flatters . I have no great na to speak of." Yan Ruxue picked up her teacup and took a delicate sip. "But speaking of which, is there a particular reason the Princess sought out today?"
"Well... this is a bit difficult to say..." A faint blush appeared on Qin Siyao’s cheeks, and her eyes showed a hint of apprehension. "If I were to say it... will you promise not to be angry, Sister Ruxue?"
Yan Ruxue nodded. "Please speak freely, Princess."
"Then... I shall be direct."
Qin Siyao organized her thoughts before speaking.
"Two hundred years ago, the ancestors of the Qin Kingdom and the Zhou Kingdom were the closest of friends. The two kingdoms arranged a marriage alliance between their children to secure generations of goodwill.
"However, after that, both the Qin and Zhou Kingdoms encountered their own troubles. Each kingdom was too preoccupied to deal with anything else, so the matter was naturally dropped.
"Now, Brother Your Majesty believes we should fulfill this promise. Otherwise, if the powerful Qin Kingdom were seen as looking down on the Zhou Kingdom, it would lead to gossip."
As she spoke, Qin Siyao sighed, a look of guilt on her face. "But I also know that you, Sister Ruxue, are now engaged to His Majesty, and the two of you will soon hold your wedding ceremony.
"I kept telling Brother Your Majesty that this was not right, but he is stubborn. I couldn’t change his mind, so I had no choice but to co."
Qin Siyao looked up, her clear eyes full of sincerity. "So, the reason I invited you here today, Sister Ruxue, was to ask you not to be angry.
"Even if, in the end, I enter the palace to serve His Majesty alongside you, Sister Ruxue.
"I would still wish to acknowledge you as my elder sister and would never compete with you for His Majesty’s favor.
"Would that be acceptable to you, Sister Ruxue?"
Hearing Qin Siyao’s words, the corners of Yan Ruxue’s mouth curled up slightly. Her eyes softened, and her every move seed to exude the magnanimity of a principal wife:
"An agreent between two kingdoms is no child’s play. Everyone knows that the Qin Kingdom grows stronger by the day.
"Yet, the Sovereign of Qin has not disdained the Zhou Kingdom, nor has he forgotten the agreent of his ancestors. This is sothing that earns the respect of the entire world.
"What is so wrong with the two of us entering the palace together to serve His Majesty?
"As for the distinction of ’sisters,’ I do not mind. Everything will be decided by His Majesty."
"Thank you for your understanding, Sister Ruxue. I would never be presumptuous. If I enter the palace, I will listen to you in all matters." Qin Siyao seed to let out a huge sigh of relief and quickly raised her wine cup. "I propose a toast to you, Sister."
"You are too serious, Little Sister Mujiu."
Yan Ruxue also raised her wine cup in return.
The two wine cups clinked together, sending faint ripples across the surface of the wine.
Qin Siyao truly seed to adore Yan Ruxue. She constantly chatted about interesting anecdotes from her ti in the Qin Kingdom and even rembered every one of Yan Ruxue’s poems and songs clearly, just like an ardent admirer.
But to all of this, Yan Ruxue rely offered gentle nods and a faint smile.
An hour later, Yan Ruxue took her leave from Qin Siyao.
Qin Siyao saw Yan Ruxue to her carriage and waved goodbye, watching until the carriage vanished into the distance. Only then did Qin Siyao lower her gaze, her display of respect perfect to the last detail.
Inside the carriage, just as Xiao Chun was formulating the words to ask her mistress what she and the Eldest Princess of Qin had talked about,
Xiao Chun felt her eyelids grow heavier and heavier, until she finally slumped to one side, fast asleep.
At the sa ti, a graceful figure in green flew into the carriage. "Sister..."
"Yes." Yan Ruxue nodded and asked her younger sister, "She is the Sovereign of Qin, isn’t she?"
"She is."
Xiao Qing replied. While Yan Ruxue had been talking with the so-called Eldest Princess of Qin, Xiao Qing had been hidden in the courtyard, listening.
"Qin Siyao’s other identity is the Eldest Princess, Qin Mujiu.
’But what on earth does this Sovereign of Qin want to do?
’Is she really willing to be the lesser wife?
’No! Even if she agrees to be the lesser wife, it’s unacceptable!
’I, your little sister, won’t allow it!’"
"Who knows?" Yan Ruxue shook her head with a smile. "This woman is certainly interesting."
Xiao Qing’s eyes narrowed, revealing a murderous glint. "Sister, I’ll go kill her!"
"Silly girl..." Yan Ruxue reached out a slender hand and gently tapped her sister’s brow with her soft fingertip. "This mortal world isn’t just about fighting and killing. Besides, you wouldn’t be able to kill her."
’Huh?’ Xiao Qing was stunned. ’I’m in the Immortal Realm, and I can’t kill a re Mortal World Monarch?’
Yan Ruxue didn’t explain to her sister, only offering a slight smile. From beginning to end, she remained perfectly composed:
"There’s no rush. I’ll have so fun with this Little Sister Qin and see what the legendary Ancient Sacred Body truly intends to do."
After Yan Ruxue left, Qin Siyao did not imdiately return to the Envoy’s Mansion.
She returned to the bamboo house in the courtyard and had her maid stand guard outside the door.
Qin Siyao poured herself a cup of wine and spoke to the empty room, "Since the Sect Leader of the Wanjian Sect has arrived, why not sit down and have a drink?"
Just as Qin Siyao’s words fell, a woman in a long dress, cradling a longsword, appeared sitting on the windowsill of the bamboo house.
"To be able to discover my presence... the legendary Sovereign of Qin is truly extraordinary," Jiang Qingyi said coldly.
Qin Siyao smiled faintly. "Sect Leader, you flatter . However, I never would have expected that the Sect Leader of the Wanjian Sect would personally serve as the National Master in the Zhou Kingdom. And living in the rear palace, no less. How strange."
"That is none of your concern." Jiang Qingyi’s frigid Sword Intent felt as if it could unsheathe itself at any mont.
"Indeed, what the Sect Leader does is her own business. But... can you truly deal with the Lord of the Four Seas by yourself?"
"What do you an?" Jiang Qingyi’s eyes narrowed.
Qin Siyao simply smiled, filled a clean cup on the table with wine, and looked at the woman on the windowsill.
"How about we make a deal?"
...
...
[I’m out of the hospital. It went pretty smoothly, but my stomach hurts a bit since they had to make an incision.
Sigh, lesson learned. Once I’ve recovered, I’m going to get serious about losing weight and exercising.
Your health truly is your greatest asset...]
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