Wei Shao had a tradition of storming off whenever he and Xiao Qiao quarreled. Xiao Qiao was used to this behavior by now. He left after delivering his final words, and Xiao Qiao’s legs were so weak she had no strength left. She leaned against the wall, slowly sliding down to sit on the floor.
The palm that had struck his face still tingled, as if countless needles were pricking it, accompanied by a lingering dull pain. It felt just like the sensation in her heart at that moment.
She felt suffocated, so constricted that she could barely breathe.
Moments earlier, she had indeed lost control of her emotions and slapped him. But Wei Shao had retaliated with an equally harsh slap, completely waking her from her delusions.
In the past, when their love was at its peak, she had optimistically fantasized that even if Wei Shao couldn’t let go of his hatred for the Qiao family, her presence might somewhat temper his actions. Or at least, not now. Their relationship was so intimate now! It could even be called passionate love.
Yet she never imagined that he would plot to eliminate her brother-in-law, who posed no real threat to him, behind her back.
In the future, if his feelings for her cooled, what wouldn’t he be capable of doing?
Xiao Qiao’s mind couldn’t help but conjure up the image of Su E’huang subjected to nose mutilation. Although she hadn’t witnessed it personally, she could imagine the scene.
Xiao Qiao shuddered, quickly banishing the terrifying image from her mind. Don’t think about it anymore, she told herself repeatedly. Now, she should focus on finding a way to resolve the Lingbi crisis.
From now on, she would do what needed to be done and never harbor any illusions about Wei Shao again.
Finally composing herself, she slowly stood up, supporting herself against the wall. Her gaze swept across the study, eventually moving towards the large desk in the center.
Da Qiao’s letter mentioned that Marquis Yan must have misunderstood Bi Zhi, leading to Yang Xin’s attack. Bi Zhi had already sent a letter to Marquis Yan, hoping to clear up the misunderstanding and resolve the conflict.
Da Qiao said she hadn’t wanted her sister to know about this. But if Xiao Qiao had seen her letter, it meant Marquis Yan hadn’t accepted Bi Zhi’s attempt at reconciliation.
She hoped her sister could help from the sidelines. This was their last hope for a peaceful resolution.
Since the Wei and Qiao families were now connected by marriage, and Xiao Qiao had previously expressed her love for Wei Shao to Da Qiao, her elder sister believed that Wei Shao must have let go of the hatred between the two families. That’s why she thought there must be some misunderstanding leading to Yang Xin’s attack.
Da Qiao couldn’t be blamed for thinking this way. Even Xiao Qiao herself had found it hard to believe when she first heard the news.
…
Xiao Qiao went behind Wei Shao’s large desk and searched through a pile of fallen bamboo slips on the floor, then looked through the remaining slips and silk scrolls on the desktop.
They were all reports and military intelligence from various regions, not what she was looking for.
She searched every place in the study where letters might be kept and even found the first letter she had written to Da Qiao. It had been hidden in the middle of a stack of war reports.
But she couldn’t find the item she was looking for.
She scanned the study once more, her gaze falling on the wastepaper basket beside the large desk. She quickly went over, rummaged through it, and finally pulled out an unopened letter tube.
Xiao Qiao opened the tube, took out the contents, and unfolded it for a glance.
At last, she had found the letter from Bi Zhi.
…
In his office at the government compound, Gongsun Yang was drafting documents, his brush flying across the paper. An attendant rushed in, announcing that the Lady had arrived.
Gongsun Yang was startled. He quickly put down his brush and rose to greet her. As he looked up, he saw a flash of cherry-purple at the doorway – the Lady had already entered. He hurried forward, concealing his surprise, and bowed deeply, saying, “I wasn’t aware of your visit, Lady. Please forgive my failure to welcome you properly.”
He had more to say, namely “What brings you here?” The Lady’s sudden appearance outside the palace surely meant she had some purpose.
Xiao Qiao smiled and said, “Please don’t stand on ceremony, Sir. I’ve come because there’s a matter I wish to discuss.”
As Gongsun Yang offered her a seat, he said, “If the Lady had any instructions, you could have sent someone to summon me. How could I allow you to trouble yourself by coming here?”
Xiao Qiao sat down and went straight to the point: “To be frank, I’ve come to seek your advice on the situation in Lingbi.”
Gongsun Yang was taken aback.
Xiao Qiao produced the letter she had brought.
“This is a letter from Bi Zhi to the Lord.”
Gongsun Yang was surprised again. He quickly accepted it, unfolded it, and read it carefully, then fell into deep thought.
Xiao Qiao said, “Bi Zhi’s intentions are clearly stated in the letter. He has no desire to be the Lord’s enemy, nor does he wish to contend for Xuzhou. He’s merely holding Lingbi to maintain a foothold in these chaotic times. To show his sincerity, he’s willing to return Xiao. Yet Yang Xin, following the Lord’s orders, has once again raised an army to attack. It’s not that my brother-in-law fears him, but this war seems so inexplicable, and he doesn’t want to put me in a difficult position between the two sides. I know you have great foresight, Sir. You must understand better than I whether Lingbi is worth the Lord’s efforts to seize it at this critical moment. I implore you to consider the bigger picture and advise the Lord not to persist in this course of action, which may lead to greater losses. I don’t mean to threaten, but Bi Zhi’s abilities are well-known. If he’s truly pushed into a corner and resolves to fight to the bitter end, no one can predict the future of Xuzhou.”
Xiao Qiao finished speaking and gazed at Gongsun Yang.
Gongsun Yang rose from his seat, one hand behind his back, the other stroking his beard. He paced back and forth several times, then suddenly looked at Xiao Qiao and said, “If the Lady doesn’t wish the Lord to be at odds with Bi Zhi, why not persuade the Lord yourself? Your words would surely carry more weight with him than mine.”
“Since I’ve come to seek your help, Sir Gongsun, I’ll speak frankly. You must know much about why I married the Lord in the first place. I came to foster good relations, and although I’ve tried my best, I’ve fallen short in some respects. To be honest, just this morning, I angered the Lord over the Lingbi affair, and he stormed off. Yang Xin’s attack on Bi Zhi stems from the private grudge between our two families, but it’s not solely about that – it also concerns the Lord’s greater plans for the realm. Now that Bi Zhi has sent a letter seeking reconciliation and hoping to clear up any misunderstandings, the Lord has ignored it, not even bothering to read it. Such behavior is far from rational. He can’t let go of the hatred between our families, and now that I’ve angered him, I doubt he’d listen to anything more I have to say on the matter. That’s why I’ve come to you, Sir, asking you to explain the pros and cons to the Lord and analyze the situation for him. Whether or not this can prevent conflict, I’ll be deeply grateful.”
Xiao Qiao rose from her seat and walked to face Gongsun Yang. She stopped and bowed deeply to him. Flustered, Gongsun Yang quickly supported her with both hands and returned the bow, saying, “The Lady’s courtesy is too great!”
After a moment of contemplation, he said, “To be frank, my thoughts align with yours, Lady. The Lord’s decision to have Yang Xin attack Bi Zhi at this time is indeed unreasonable. I’ve advised him against it once before but to no avail. Now that we have Bi Zhi’s letter, and you’ve honored me with your visit, I shall do my utmost to try once more. If I succeed, it will not only alleviate your concerns but also prevent unnecessary complications.”
Xiao Qiao thanked him again deeply, saying, “When you see the Lord, you may tell him directly that I came here and that I passed Bi Zhi’s letter to you.”
Gongsun Yang nodded in agreement.
Just then, the sound of hurried footsteps approached from outside, and a tall figure in dark clothes strode in. The newcomer was startled to see Xiao Qiao, his face immediately turning cold, his sword-like eyebrows furrowing deeply. He remained silent, standing by the door, arrogantly turning his face away, presenting only half his profile to her.
It was none other than Lord Wei Shao, who had just received two slaps from Xiao Qiao moments ago.
Looking at the right half of his handsome face turned towards her, perhaps due to his thick skin, the marks left by her slaps had already faded, leaving no trace.
Xiao Qiao gave Gongsun Yang a final bow of gratitude, saying, “I’ll trouble you with this matter, Sir.” She then passed by Wei Shao and left.
Gongsun Yang moved to see her out.
Xiao Qiao asked him to stay.
Wei Shao turned his head, staring at Xiao Qiao’s retreating figure. When Gongsun Yang returned and bowed to him, he coldly asked, “What was she doing here?” His face wore an expression of disgust.
Gongsun Yang simply invited Wei Shao to sit down and first inquired about the purpose of his visit.
“It’s been nearly a month since Yang Xin attacked Lingbi. Is there any new information?” Wei Shao asked, his brows furrowed and face impatiently.
“There have been no urgent reports. I assume they’re still in a stalemate.”
With Yang Xin’s force of 100,000 men, plus Xue An’s Xuzhou army, such a formidable army still couldn’t take Lingbi. While it couldn’t be called a defeat, it was certainly embarrassing enough.
Wei Shao’s face darkened. After a moment of silence, he coughed, shifted in his seat, and coldly asked again, “What did she come here for earlier?”
Gongsun Yang then replied, “As it happens, the Lady also came about the Lingbi situation. She just passed on a letter from Bi Zhi to me, saying it was originally addressed to you, my Lord, but since you wouldn’t accept it, she brought it to me instead.”
Wei Shao’s palm slammed down on the desk with a loud “bang,” causing the writing brush, ink, and inkstone to jump slightly. “How dare she!” he exclaimed.
Gongsun Yang hurriedly stood up to apologize: “It was my presumption! Please forgive me, my Lord!”
“I’m not talking about you!” Wei Shao said angrily. “How dare that woman be so bold! To meddle with my letters without permission!”
…
Xiao Qiao left the government compound and returned directly to the palace.
A month ago, she had planned to leave, and although her trip had been postponed at the last minute, her luggage had already been packed and mostly left untouched. Spring Maiden and the other servants had just finished packing the daily necessities, clothes, and miscellaneous items she had been using these past days.
When Xiao Qiao returned, Spring Maiden came forward anxiously and asked, “My Lady, are you leaving? Won’t you wait to depart with the Lord?”
Xiao Qiao replied coldly, “He intends to stay here and wait for Yang Xin to take Lingbi. I can’t wait any longer. I’m leaving first.” She then ordered the trunks and boxes to be carried out and loaded onto the carriage. She got in and sat down.
Jia Si, feeling uneasy, wiped the sweat from his brow and approached the carriage window. Steeling himself, he began to advise, “My Lady, perhaps you should wait…”
He had barely opened his mouth when he saw Xiao Qiao’s face appear in the window, her eyes fixed on him. He immediately closed his mouth, embarrassed.
Xiao Qiao said coolly, “If General Jia is unwilling to escort me, I can call for someone else.”
Jia Si hurriedly replied, “How could you say such a thing, My Lady? I’ve already selected the men. We’re at your command and ready to set out immediately.”
Xiao Qiao closed the window and sat back.
Jia Si had no choice but to give the order to prepare for departure.
Just before setting out, he secretly dispatched a subordinate, ordering him to quickly find the Lord and relay the message that the Lady had already left for Yuyang.