Grand Tutor Zhuang! Qing Xia felt her vision immediately darken. This was Zhuang Qing Xia’s father? A father who could sacrifice his own daughter? And she had been constantly worried about implicating this old man who devoted himself to the world, never imagining he had already drawn clear boundaries with this daughter.
Qing Xia suddenly realized that saying anything would be meaningless. Perhaps Zhuang Qing Xia really was a spy sent by Qi An. They had grown up together in the Qi royal palace since childhood, and for Zhuang Qing Xia, a sheltered young lady in the bloom of youth, to fall in love with the handsome and dashing Crown Prince was perfectly reasonable. Their agreement should have been made after Chu Li’s group returned to the Chu Kingdom, because if Qi An had been aware beforehand, he couldn’t have let Chu Li escape from Qi safely. Afterward, to regain control over Southern Chu, Qi An sent someone to make some agreement with Qing Xia, or perhaps promised her something in exchange for intelligence about Southern Chu.
This way, with Zhuang Qing Xia serving as an insider for Great Qi in her capacity as a consort of a nation, her role in Qi’s political situation would be truly immeasurable. Qing Xia sneered inwardly—one could imagine what unpredictable chemical reactions would occur if the White House’s First Lady were actually a Soviet agent. Otherwise, with Qi An’s status as heir to a nation, there would be no possibility he would risk his life for a rescue regardless of the bigger picture. When she went to save Qi An, Qing Xia could sense that Qi An wasn’t the type to act impulsively without considering the overall situation—just look at how he followed her in escape without asking questions, that was proof enough. It seemed that Zhuang Qing Xia must have carried an important mission to be worth Qi An’s desperate efforts.
Unfortunately, though Zhuang Qing Xia was a woman blinded by love, she lacked the ability. Not only did she fail to successfully seduce Chu Li, but she aroused the vigilance of both Chu Li and Grand Tutor Zhuang. It wasn’t until Concubine Dan interfered, Zhuang Qing Xia died suddenly for unknown reasons, she herself arrived and displayed abnormalities—all these things finally confirmed Chu Li’s suspicions. Thus came Chu Li’s subsequent probing and surveillance, even drawing out the Great Qi Crown Prince behind it all, nearly causing great disaster for the Qi Kingdom.
Qing Xia was speechless, feeling everything was utterly absurd. Zhuang Qing Xia, oh Zhuang Qing Xia, if you were still alive, what would you do now? You’d probably truly find a hemp rope and hang yourself! Father suspects you, husband schemes against you, and even that so-called lover might just be using you. Qing Xia slowly raised her head and said with a faint smile, “What makes you certain I’m a spy sent by Qi? Just because of my skills in the fire, or because I exposed Xiang Wei’s true face?”
“Didn’t you release Qi An?”
“What do you think?” Qing Xia suddenly smiled wickedly, coldly leaned forward, and whispered in Chu Li’s ear, “Do you think I could silently break into your dungeon and silently rescue the prisoner? Don’t forget, that night, you were sleeping right beside me.”
Chu Li closed his eyes slightly. Qing Xia appeared leisurely but was actually secretly counting the imperial guards outside. Everything had been laid bare—she no longer hoped that Chu Li would let bygones be bygones and spare Zhuang Qing Xia’s life. There were eight guards outside the door, twenty eunuchs, eight palace maids, and over a hundred Crown Prince’s personal guards behind them. Fighting her way out was completely impossible. It seemed the only option was to use lightning-fast methods to subdue Chu Li, then quietly escape from the imperial palace—that would be the best strategy.
Just as she was thinking of making her move, Chu Li suddenly said sternly, “Are you now thinking about how to knock me unconscious and then escape from the palace?”
Qing Xia was instantly shocked. Her body’s actions were ahead of her mind—her intentions had been seen through, leaving only two ways to recover. One was to give up, the other was to strike immediately, not giving the opponent a chance to turn the tables.
However, just as Qing Xia raised her hand blade, she was suddenly thrown onto the bed by Chu Li. Chu Li’s heavy body pressed tightly on top of Qing Xia, his voice low and hoarse, carrying enormous anger and hysteria as he said viciously, “What do you think you are, to point fingers at this king? Do you think this king will just let you run wild, letting you have your way every time? Do you think this king’s ten years as a puppet were truly worthless, allowing people to manipulate and humiliate me?”
Qing Xia was furious, struggling forcefully but horrified to discover she had no strength at all. A thought flashed through Qing Xia’s mind like lightning, and she immediately raised her eyebrows, saying coldly, “You poisoned me?”
“Indeed clever!” Chu Li snorted coldly, suddenly tearing open Qing Xia’s clothes, exposing her white and smooth shoulders. He extended his tongue and licked wickedly, then sneered, “Qi An has already had you, hasn’t he? How could this king be interested in damaged goods like you? To think you used to claim illness every day, afraid of this king’s favor?”
With a “bang,” Qing Xia’s body was lifted up by Chu Li and thrown to the ground. Guards from outside rushed in, blades unsheathed, cold air pressing. Someone stepped forward to grab Qing Xia’s collar and quickly tied her up tightly.
Chu Li looked at Qing Xia with a cold smile, his brow icy, saying sternly, “You brought all this upon yourself—you can’t blame others. Someone, cast Concubine Lan into the Cold Palace, bestow upon her the name ‘Wanton,’ announce it to the world as a warning to others!”
All the personal guards responded in unison, kneeling before Chu Li in perfect formation. Qing Xia collapsed on the ground, her whole body weak, looking coldly at this icy man, indifference etched around her eyes and brows. Yesterday, she had still pitied him for being abandoned and betrayed by his mother; today she had become his prisoner. Must life always be so capricious to appear extraordinarily brilliant?
“Drag her away!”
At Chu Li’s command, Qing Xia was immediately pulled up by the guards. Having been poisoned with residual toxins still in her system, and now being schemed against by Chu Li again, her body staggered and she immediately collapsed weakly. Several personal guards showed no expression and were about to drag her out.
“Let go of me!” A clear, cold voice suddenly rang out. Qing Xia’s eyes were sharp and fierce as she raised her head abruptly, supported herself against the wall to stand, and said sternly, “Anyone who dares touch me again, I’ll bite my tongue and kill myself.”
Her ruthless gaze swept over these wolf-like soldiers. She sneered, straightened her body, and walked ahead out of Lan Pavilion Hall.
“Chu Li!” Standing at the doorway, Qing Xia suddenly turned back, gave Chu Li a cold smile, and said sternly, “Since Grand Tutor Zhuang could report me, he has already severed our father-daughter relationship. For an enemy spy, why did you go to such elaborate lengths to test and observe? A white silk rope or a cup of poisoned wine—wouldn’t that be clean and efficient, saving much trouble?”
As soon as she finished speaking, Qing Xia never looked back at Chu Li again and walked out.
Outside, pitch darkness prevailed. In the thick night, the demons and monsters in someone’s heart moved quietly through the darkness.
Why such elaborate schemes? In the empty great hall, Chu Li smiled bitterly, “I just wanted to know, but I guessed wrong.”
The so-called Cold Palace was not just the remote and dilapidated place of imagination. When you truly stood before it, you could understand what real desolation meant, and couldn’t even imagine how such an incongruous place could exist within this magnificent palace complex. Qing Xia stood before the shabby wooden gate, looking at the weed-filled courtyard, then turned back to glance at the long procession of over two hundred people following behind, and couldn’t help but sigh. It seemed Chu Li had truly grown cautious, wanting to imprison her here completely.
Perhaps he had always been this kind of person. Otherwise, he couldn’t have hidden in Great Qi for ten years without being discovered, then fled thousands of miles back to his country to immediately rise to high position. How could such a person be simple?
And she could complete perfect sniper assassination and rescue operations, but when it came to political scheming and manipulating hearts, how could she be a match for such a man?
With a “bang,” the door slammed shut heavily. Qing Xia stood in the desolate courtyard, feeling all strength instantly drained from her body. Forcing herself to walk from Lan Pavilion Hall to this Cold Palace at Qianqing Four Quarters had exhausted all her energy. Qing Xia leaned against the decrepit wooden door, silently counting the seven or eight layers of guard soldiers outside, her brow gradually furrowing.
She had never imagined falling into such a predicament. Imperial Physician Sun must have done something to her body—now she couldn’t summon any strength, let alone escape from this heavily surrounded cage. The night wind blew coolly on Qing Xia’s body. She suddenly remembered the last night she executed a mission in the 21st century—Tokyo’s sky was polluted, nothing like these stars. Qing Xia raised her head, looking at the bright lights filling the sky, feeling thoughts rise like seawater in her heart.
After death, was there really another world? Modern science had so firmly denied it, but Qing Xia could no longer be certain of her beliefs. If there was, where was Zhuang Qing Xia now? Seeing her current situation, would she feel sad and hurt? After all, the one truly abandoned was her.
Just like she herself had once been abandoned by her country.
Moonlight like water made everything appear hazy. “Your Highness!” A guard completely shrouded in black armor suddenly walked into the great hall with ringing steps. All the palace lamps in the hall had been extinguished; only in the corner beside the soft couch burned a small tallow candle, appearing dim and desolate.
Chu Li sat in Lan Pavilion Hall’s bedroom. Here, full of soft cushions and sandbags, it bore no resemblance to a woman’s boudoir. Chu Li’s brow relaxed slightly as he leaned slowly on the soft couch, eyes closed, with broken traces and scenes from the past constantly flashing before his eyes.
“Ming Yuan,” Chu Li kept his eyes closed, his voice carrying indescribable weariness. Without looking up, he said slowly to the black-armored guard kneeling before him, “Tell me, did I do wrong?”
“Your Highness is brilliant and mighty. Everything you do is guided by the heavens—there is never right or wrong. Even wrong becomes right.” The soldier’s answer carried the iron-blooded spirit of a military man. Chu Li smiled faintly, slowly shook his head, and let out a mocking snort—whether mocking the soldier or himself was unclear.
“Ming Yuan, how long have you followed me?”
“Reporting to Your Highness, three years!”
“Three years? So long already.” Chu Li frowned slightly, as if trying hard to remember something. “Right, at that time I wandered daily in Great Qi’s official brothels, even paid to keep several courtesans, one of whom included your sister who was sold into the establishment. You couldn’t bear it and secretly hid in the brothel wanting to assassinate me. You were discovered by my attendants, beaten severely, then dragged behind horses through the streets, right?”