Chapter 298: Calmly Going Mad

Chapter 298: Composed Fury

Instead, it was the stern-faced, sharp-eyed old maidservant standing beside Empress Dowager Xie who fixed Grand Tutor Qin with a piercing glare, speaking in an icy tone like a ghoulish specter. "Is Grand Tutor Qin questioning Your Grace?"

Grand Tutor Qin’s hand, which had been stroking his beard, paused. "I wouldn’t dare!"

"This old man was merely curious."

"It is widely known that Your Grace has long resided in Changning Palace, devoted to Buddhist practice by the flickering light of an old lamp, removed from worldly matters and averse to festivities."

"Yet today, you have honored the Qin estate with your sudden presence—a great honor for our house."

Grand Tutor Qin knew well that if Empress Dowager Xie had left the palace, it meant the Emperor had permitted it.

He could look down on Empress Dowager Xie, but he could not defy the Emperor.

Thus, he would show her due respect.

The old maidservant beside Empress Dowager Xie stiffly retorted, "If you know it’s a great honor, then receive it with proper reverence."

Grand Tutor Qin was fuming inwardly, unable to speak for a long while.

From beginning to end, Empress Dowager Xie did not acknowledge him.

After the maidservant served tea, Empress Dowager Xie stopped toying with her jade bracelet and instead idly played with the teacup lid. As if her hand had slipped, the lid snapped back onto the cup with a sharp, ringing sound, making the guests flinch.

"Does the Qin estate not welcome Us?" Empress Dowager Xie lifted her eyes and asked slowly.

"We are the Empress Dowager of Daqian. For Grand Tutor Qin to question Us—is that not defying his place?"

Empress Dowager Xie extended a finger, pointing at the guests one by one like the King of Hell tallying souls, before finally landing on Xiang Rongyue. "Whose daughter are you?"

Xiang Rongyue, shedding her earlier arrogance, performed a proper curtsy. "I am Xiang Rongyue, daughter of Minister Xiang of the Ministry of Revenue."

"You’re quite pleasing to the eye," Empress Dowager Xie spoke unhurriedly. "Then tell me—has Grand Tutor Qin defied his place?"

Xiang Rongyue’s face instantly paled.

On one side was Empress Dowager Xie, on the other, Grand Tutor Qin. She—

Her father had said that Grand Tutor Qin stood second only to the Emperor...

Xiang Rongyue trembled uncontrollably. "In my ignorant view, Grand Tutor Qin is fervently loyal and would never dare defy his place."

Fervently loyal?

The words "fervently loyal" were like a serrated blade twisting into Empress Dowager Xie’s heart.

Xiang Rongyue’s mother knelt on the ground. "Your Grace, my daughter is young—"

"Oh?" Empress Dowager Xie raised an eyebrow. "She is young, but what of you?"

"Do you believe Grand Tutor Qin has defied his place?"

Madame Xiang: "...”

Grand Tutor Qin suppressed his fury. "Your Grace, please be just. This old man means no disrespect whatsoever."

He could not allow the mother and daughter of the Xiang family to be humiliated at Qin’s banquet—otherwise, he would have no excuse to give to Minister Xiang.

Empress Dowager Xie lowered her eyes slightly, her tone composed but her voice unfathomable. "Is that so?"

"Grand Tutor Qin, I see Xiang Rongyue is quite close to you, and you're very protective of the Xiang mother and daughter. This shows there's a natural connection between the Qin and Xiang families. What if I propose a match?"

At the mention of "proposing a match," Princess Qingyu got chills.

The last time Empress Dowager Xie proposed a match, it was for two women to marry one man.

What about this time?

Would it be to make Xiang Rongyue a second wife to Grand Tutor Qin?

Grand Tutor Qin could easily be Xiang Rongyue's grandfather.

Princess Qingyu shivered and hunched her shoulders slightly, trying to lower her presence. She was truly afraid of Empress Dowager Xie, whose actions were erratic yet backed by the Emperor's support.

"Qing Yu, why are you standing so far away? Come closer."

To Princess Qingyu, Empress Dowager Xie's voice was like the grim reaper calling her name. Looking pale, Princess Qingyu moved to stand beside Empress Dowager Xie.

"Qing Yu, were you reading late into the night again?"

Hearing this, Princess Qingyu felt a wave of shame wash over her, she thought.

"With the wedding coming up, you shouldn't push yourself too hard."

"Qing Yu, tell me, who in the Qin family should I match Xiang Rongyue with?"

"Grand Tutor Qin?" Princess Qingyu blurted out.

Complete silence!

After Princess Qingyu's words, only the sound of flowing water and rustling leaves could be heard.

Empress Dowager Xie: ...

Qing Yu truly lived up to being a princess who had hundreds of lovers—she'd seen everything.

Even Empress Dowager Xie hadn't been crazy enough to consider matching teenage Xiang Rongyue with someone decades her senior like Grand Tutor Qin.

Realizing too late that she'd been speaking without thinking, Princess Qingyu quickly added, "Your Majesty, I spoke without thinking. Please don't take it seriously."

"After all, this concerns Xiang Rongyue's life. Maybe we should ask her opinion."

The priority now was to pass the buck.

Empress Dowager Xie seemed genuinely pleased. "Qing Yu has learned some sense."

"That makes sense."

"Miss Xiang, you choose."

Xiang Rongyue burst into tears. "I don't—"

"Not choosing?" Empress Dowager Xie interjected. "If you won't choose, then we'll follow Qingyu's suggestion."

"Grand Tutor Qin is highly placed and powerful, and the Qin family is prestigious and noble. By any standard, this would not disgrace you."

"I choose Qin Erlang," Xiang Rongyue blurted, ignoring her mother's attempts to stop her.

Empress Dowager Xie gave a satisfied curl of her lips. "I knew the Xiang and Qin families were fated."

"Today, I will arrange a marriage between the Xiang family's eldest daughter and Qin Silang."

Qin Silang: ...

There was no room for refusal.

Princess Qingyu gave a dry chuckle, she thought—she had known all along.

No one could stop Empress Dowager Xie from playing matchmaker.

Xiang Rongyue chose Qin Erlang, but Empress Dowager Xie decreed Qin Silang.

Making sure nobody got what they wanted.

Still, not being paired with Grand Tutor Qin was already an act of mercy from Empress Dowager Xie.

It seemed her remark about Xiang Rongyue's appearance being to her liking wasn't false.

Xiang Rongyue went deathly pale and collapsed to the ground.

Lu Mingchao, unnoticed among the guests, watched Empress Dowager Xie from afar.

Empress Dowager Xie was like a cracked porcelain vase—the cracks silently spreading, gradually eroding its once flawless surface until they covered it entirely, a shocking sight.

Empress Dowager Xie was slipping calmly into madness.

And allowing herself to sink deeper into self-destruction.

She understood why Empress Dowager Xie would act so recklessly against Xiang Rongyue.

Not because of the dispute outside the court's Treasure Pavilion, but because of that clan-destroying massacre.

Xiang Rongyue had driven Jingyi's birth mother—Xie Yan's elder sister—to her death.

After Xie Yan's elder sister was divorced by her husband's family, she had intended to follow Empress Dowager Xie's instructions to raise Jingyi well and avoid further pointless bloodshed for the Xie family.

If even one could survive, it would be enough.

But Xiang Rongyue wouldn't leave her alone, humiliating and tormenting the helpless Xie family's eldest daughter until she drove her mad.

Even threatening to throw her into the beggars' den.

With the last shreds of her sanity, she hid Jingyi safely before smashing her head against the petition drum and dying.

All because the Xie family's eldest aunt had rejected Xiang Rongyue's cousin when she was still unmarried.

She had only recently learned this.

Yongming Grand Princess, when she heard about their argument, told her this old story.

The Grand Princess said Xiang Rongyue would come to a bad end.

She thought it was just an angry outburst, never expecting Empress Dowager Xie would act herself.

After Xiang Rongyue's marriage talks with Pei Jian fell through, she developed feelings for Qin Erlang and secretly promised herself to him.

Xiang Rongyue was Qin Erlang's sweetheart, yet now she was betrothed to Qin Silang.

Xiang Rongyue was done for!

From her throne, Empress Dowager Xie's gaze was as sharp as a blade, staring straight at Xiang Rongyue.

It was so chilling that it made one's heart tremble involuntarily.

Xiang Rongyue was dead.