The woman in leopard print robes snorted coldly and said: “Wusi Mei’er disregarded the people of Nanjiang, incited rebellion, plotted treason, and caused chaos everywhere – her crimes were unforgivable. Even if His Majesty hadn’t acted, I would have taken her life! As for Ousi Lanya,” Hongshi Wuxian’s eyes flickered slightly as she looked coldly at Crown Prince Qi who had been sitting silently at the head table, saying icily: “She was bewitched by traitors, became mentally deranged, and deserved to die. She was no longer a member of our Wuxian clan!”
“Ousi Lanya is dead?” A clear, cold voice suddenly rang out. Everyone turned to look, seeing Qing Xia with cold eyes, chin slightly raised, her features refined. Though her beauty wasn’t absolutely stunning, she possessed a crisp, heroic temperament emanating from her very bones. Qing Xia’s reputation had spread throughout the land. Previously everyone had to sneak glances at her, but now they could openly stare. For a moment, sighs of understanding continued, with everyone silently thinking: No wonder, no wonder, so that’s how it is.
Hongshi Wuxian turned to examine Qing Xia from top to bottom, then nodded: “Yes, last month at Mengyun Ridge, she was killed by Eagle Group assassins. Now her head hangs on the Dream Stone of Mengyun Ridge.”
“What?” The man surnamed Wang raised his eyebrows with interest: “Does Princess Minrui have something to say?”
Qing Xia shook her head indifferently, saying softly: “Nothing. She died well.”
The Qi delegation immediately showed slight anger, with several generals following Qi’an looking at Qing Xia with cold, forest-like gazes, their disgust clearly evident.
At this moment, the King of Qin laughed heartily, smoothing things over: “All who come from afar are guests. Everyone here is my guest. Past grievances and enmities, for my sake, should be set aside temporarily. I very much hope not to see anyone’s blood spilled on Xianyang’s streets.”
“Father Emperor speaks truly,” Fourth Prince Qin Zhiye suddenly said in a deep voice: “Three days ago I received intelligence that the northern Xiongnu have been moving frequently. The Xiongnu King’s seventh son, Guli A’shu, killed his own father and declared himself king. He commands eleven Xiongnu tribes and has now faintly become the master of the grasslands, dominating the north – we must guard against him. Though the Xiongnu are a great threat to our northern frontier and a common enemy of Great Qin and Xichuan, once the northern barrier is destroyed and all Central Plains culture withers, they become a public enemy of our heartland. The only plan now is for the four kingdoms to unite, with all vassal state rulers providing full support, to resist foreign aggression and prevent Chinese culture from being destroyed in one stroke.”
The vassal rulers were all moved by these words, though the other three kingdoms showed no great surprise, obviously having already received the news. Yan Hui sighed: “Fourth Prince speaks truly. This A’shu is tenacious by nature. For seven years he herded horses at Xunlie Plateau, finally relying on a group of horse bandits to raise an army that swept forward unstoppably. While the other princes fought for years, in the end this outsider of Shuoshang bloodline took over the magpie’s nest – truly remarkable.”
Qi and Chu kingdoms felt no immediate pain, so they didn’t speak. Instead, some northern tribal chiefs cried out in distress, clearly having all suffered under this man named A’shu.
“Speaking of which, Princess Minrui once lived in the north and held the position of Xichuan female general. Do you have any knowledge of A’shu?”
Qing Xia sat beside Qin Zhiyan, seemingly not hearing their words, attending to serving Qin Zhiyan food and pouring wine, her expression calm and unchanged. Hearing the man surnamed Wang’s words, she slowly raised her head, frowned with clear impatience, and said in a deep voice: “Are you an idiot?”
Once these words were spoken, everyone was shocked – no one expected her to say such things in such circumstances. In the world’s eyes, Zhuang Qingxia was after all the daughter of the great scholar Zhuang Dianru. Unlike southern barbarians, she should be well-educated and versed in sage teachings. Seeing her now with sharp eyes and raised eyebrows, they couldn’t help but be somewhat surprised.
The man surnamed Wang was slightly stunned, then said: “What did you say??”
Qing Xia raised her jade cup, lightly touched it to her lips for just a taste, her willow-leaf eyebrows sweeping coldly as she snorted: “Can’t you understand what I’m saying? I’m insulting you.”
The man flew into a rage. The Wang clan had once been a great Southern Chu family. Though they couldn’t compare to the eight great houses, they had operated in the Guilin region for many years and were faintly a powerful local clan. Two years ago, when Chu Li conducted a great purge of the clans, the Wang family feared disaster and secretly fled with family and possessions to Eastern Qi. Unfortunately word leaked out, and Chu Li sent troops to annihilate them completely. This man named Wang Tingsong was the eldest son, sent ahead as the family’s advance guard and settled in Eastern Qi a month earlier, thus escaping disaster. Afterward he joined Crown Prince Qi’s household. Qi’an bringing him here – his intentions were obvious.
Qing Xia sneered, playing with her jade cup in one hand while supporting her chin on the long table with the other, looking at him with amusement as she said coldly: “I insult you to teach you proper conduct. Today on Great Qin’s territory, during the Great Emperor’s sixtieth birthday celebration, with Emperor Chu, Crown Prince Qi’an, General Yan Hui, various princes, ministers, and vassal kings all present – you actually ask such a question of me, a mere woman? Unable to distinguish priorities, completely clueless about the situation, with no sense of hierarchy or respect for rulers – this is the great crime of disrespect. Moreover, what is your status? You’re merely a staff member under Crown Prince Qi. The Crown Prince hasn’t even spoken, yet you presume to take the lead, repeatedly showing off your authority. Do you really think this Taihe Hall is your family’s backyard?”
“You!”
“What about me?” Qing Xia sat in her seat, her gaze lightly sweeping over him as she said indifferently: “You’d better remember your own position. You are no longer the eldest son of Southern Chu’s Wang clan. After the Wang family was reduced to ashes, you’re nothing but a servant in the Crown Prince’s household. At all times and places, your actions must match your status and abilities. Today’s gathering includes nobles from all kingdoms – should everyone listen to the words of a mere servant like you?”
Wang Tingsong’s face turned red as a pig’s liver, yet he couldn’t find a single word of rebuttal. After all, he had indeed entered the hall today as a staff member of Crown Prince Qi. Without Qi’an speaking, he had no right to open his mouth.
“Miss Zhuang is indeed eloquent,” Qi’an slightly raised his head, his voice low: “No wonder you could persuade the King of Qin to approve your marriage to Prince Xuan. With your former husband still alive and no divorce papers, you presumptuously remarried another – truly a wonder of our age. Your Majesty of Qin, I have one thing I don’t understand – does Great Qin’s proximity to the north mean it has adopted northern customs? If so, then the so-called orthodox Han lineage is nothing but nonsense.”
The King of Qin’s expression darkened and he was about to speak when Qing Xia suddenly laughed lightly, declaring loudly: “Indeed, what kind of servants, what kind of master.”
Qi’an frowned, saying in a deep voice: “What does Miss Zhuang mean by this?”
“People in their seventies and eighties are naturally forgetful with age, but it’s pitiful that Your Highness is so young yet already has such poor memory.”
Qi’an’s mouth curved in a slanted smile, his eyes looking deeply at Qing Xia as he said indifferently: “I don’t know what the young lady means by this?”
Qing Xia sneered, slowly stood up, and said with raised head: “Since Your Highness’s memory is so poor, I’ll personally tell you. Two months ago at White Deer Plains, how confidently the Crown Prince declared that I was not the real Zhuang Qingxia, nearly going to war with Prince Xuan over this! At that time you were so self-assured and confident, eloquent in your certainty that I was not the real Zhuang Qingxia, falsely accusing me of killing and impersonating her with ulterior motives. Prince Xuan protected me while you repeatedly sowed discord, causing Qin-Chu enmity – I still haven’t settled that score with you. How is it that today you’re so certain I am the real Zhuang Qingxia, a consort of Southern Chu? Whether I am or am not doesn’t matter in the Crown Prince’s eyes – what matters is whether you can use this as a reason to sow discord? A dignified heir to a kingdom conducting himself so viciously, without a gentleman’s magnanimity, going back on his word, turning ruthless – how are you different from a despicable villain?”
Though Qi’an was usually low-key, when had he ever been publicly humiliated like this? His expression immediately turned cold, and his attendants angrily shouted: “How dare you! To insult the Crown Prince!”
“I’m insulting him precisely!” Qing Xia roared, her eyes sharp as swords, her voice turning cold and tone icy, obviously extremely angry.
“Girl!” the King of Qin lightly scolded: “Don’t speak nonsense, quickly apologize to Crown Prince Qi.”
Qing Xia turned toward the King of Qin, tears suddenly rolling down in large drops as she said sadly: “Your Majesty, this person, this person – he broke his promises and was ungrateful and heartless. I endured in silence for years, sacrificing my life, yet was ultimately abandoned without mercy. I, I wish I could…”
At this point she was sobbing uncontrollably. The King of Qin quickly said to nearby servants: “Someone come, quickly help Princess Minrui go rest.”
Several palace maids rushed forward to support the swaying Qing Xia. Qin Zhiyan stood up, wanting to personally help her, but was pushed away by Qing Xia. Half-covering her face, Qing Xia followed the maids out, appearing to cry very sorrowfully. The hall was filled with noisy discussion as everyone whispered to each other, all gazes fixed on Crown Prince Qi’s dark expression.
Outside, palace lanterns flickered as Qing Xia was brought to a side hall. Once the door closed, her tears immediately stopped and her previously grief-stricken expression vanished without a trace.
Qi’an, you can’t blame me – only blame yourself for being too meddlesome, too evil-minded, and repeatedly pressing me hard. From now on, live with the reputation of being a heartless, ungrateful betrayer.
Having seen Chu Zheng, many previously incomprehensible things now had explanations. Between Zhuang Qingxia and Qi’an, there may have truly been childhood affection, but given Qi’an’s character, he would absolutely never abandon his great enterprise for her. His initial willingness to risk danger rescuing the imprisoned Zhuang Qingxia in the capital was likely because she held evidence of Qi’an’s communications with Chu Zheng. Back then, to deceive Chu Li, Chu Zheng pretended to be mediocre and lived reclusively in the palace’s plum grove. With Zhuang Qingxia in the palace, she must have played an important role as intermediary. Though she had never met Chu Zheng face-to-face, she definitely passed messages. When in Penglai Valley, according to Chu Li, this Qi’an had conspired with Chu Zheng at Shangdang to kill his third and fourth brothers’ carriages, eliminating two princes who could compete for the crown prince position in one stroke. Chu Zheng also thereby gained control of the sea salt trade from Eastern Qi to difficult regions.