Chapter 58: Eavesdrop

Chapter 58: Eavesdropping

Qiao Wan eventually followed Si Li to the rear hall.

Surrounded by pavilions and small gazebos, water flowed in ponds below. The rear hall was encircled by water, accessible only by winding pathways built over the ponds.

Si Li led Qiao Wan to a small pavilion by the water, adjacent to the rear hall. Inside, there were wooden tables and chairs, a warm stove, and hot tea.

Si Li turned and respectfully said, "Please wait here, Miss Qiao."

Qiao Wan looked around at the empty surroundings. "Where are they?"

"The Prince and Master Wen will arrive shortly," Si Li replied before departing.

Qiao Wan frowned, puzzled by Mu Chi's intentions.

She thought they had already made things clear between them.

But then she recalled what had happened earlier in the banquet hall. If such incidents occurred more often, more people might question her background.

Perhaps Madam Qin was right—settling matters quickly wouldn't be so bad. Once she was a married woman with a child, Wujiu, Mu Chi, that madman, was after all a crown prince of a nation. He wouldn't truly stay in Jiuyuan City to be her secret lover.

With these thoughts, Qiao Wan felt a sudden sense of calm. She decided that after leaving the rear hall, she would discuss the matter with Madam Qin.

As she pondered, a voice called "Miss Qiao" from outside the pavilion.

Qiao Wan snapped back to attention and turned to see seven or eight maids approaching, carrying delicate, familiar-looking pastries.

Qiao Wan was taken aback.

The maids curtsied to Qiao Wan. "Miss Qiao, these pastries were freshly made by chefs from Li Kingdom. We brought them to help pass the time and satisfy your cravings."

With that, they arranged the pastries on the round wooden table and quietly withdrew.

Qiao Wan looked at the pastries—there were eight plates in total.

Steamed chestnut cakes, plum blossom fragrant biscuits, *fuling* cakes…

Most were her favorites.

Qiao Wan's eyes lit up. If there was anything she missed from Lingjing, pastries would definitely be high on the list.

But just as she picked one up, Qiao Wan paused. Aside from Yicui, no one else in Jiuyuan City knew her preferences.

The next moment, she stiffened. In fact, there was one other person who knew. Back in Lingjing, she had half-commanded, half-pleaded with Mu Chi to remember all the things she liked. At the time, he had gently agreed, but his eyes had turned cold the moment he looked away.

Qiao Wan pursed her lips, stared at the pastry in her hand, and after a long moment, put it back. She had lost her appetite for sweets.

She waited for what seemed an eternity. Just as she grew impatient and considered leaving, Si Li hurried over. "Miss Qiao, please follow me."

Qiao Wan frowned unhappily and followed him toward the rear hall.

When they reached a door, Si Li stopped. "The Prince and Master Wen are inside. You may enter, Miss Qiao."

With that, he hurried away again, with no intention of accompanying her inside.

Qiao Wan glanced at his retreating figure, a sense of unease growing within her.

She quietly entered the hall, only then realizing that the rear hall was divided into an outer and an inner room. The outer room was vast, seemingly for entertaining guests, while the inner room was more private, likely for discussing affairs.

Finding the outer room empty, Qiao Wan moved toward the inner room. But just as her hand touched the doorframe, she suddenly heard two familiar voices speaking in unison from within:

"Your humble official pays respects to the Crown Prince."

"Your humble subject pays respects to the Crown Prince."

Qiao Wan's hand, which had been about to push the door open, froze. Through the narrow crack, she saw Prefect Qin's profile, and beside him, a tall, elegant figure in white.

Qiao Wan's hand hovered for a long moment before she slowly withdrew it.

*

From the moment Wen Xubai and Qin He entered, Mu Chi's gaze had been fixed on the sachet hanging from Wen Xubai's waist. His fingers unconsciously traced the web between his thumb and index finger on his right hand.

The handwriting was so similar, yet his was carved into his flesh, deeper and more permanent. Still, he felt…

Like a crude imitation facing an authentic original.

But soon, it wouldn't be.

"Young Master?" Si Li called softly, perhaps noticing his prolonged silence.

Mu Chi looked at the two kneeling before him. "Rise."

As they stood, the sachet at Wen Xubai's waist swayed slightly, making Mu Chi's throat tighten. He lowered his gaze and asked knowingly, "I merely came to rest for a while due to fatigue. What brings you two here?"

Qin He stepped forward first, cupping his hands respectfully. "Your Highness, this humble official has a request."

"Oh?"

Qin He said, "Molan currently bars citizens of Li Kingdom from studying or holding office. Relations between our two nations are frosty, causing many Li merchants and scholars to seek refuge in other countries. The court is unstable, businesses struggle, and in Jiuyuan City alone, the treasury silver has decreased by 500,000 taels compared to previous years…"

Mu Chi listened to Qin He's words, betraying no surprise, only a slight frown of annoyance. His fingers tapped lightly on the armrest of his chair, and after a while, his gaze inadvertently drifted to the door opposite.

He knew Qiao Wan was outside, but he couldn't help wondering: Had she eaten the pastries?

Once, she had excitedly listed a string of pastry names to him, then flashed him an uninhibited smile and said, as if it were natural, "Mu Chi, I love these. You must remember them all."

Back then, he had been greatly irritated by her demands, yet he never imagined he would end up remembering them.

"...I beg Your Highness to speak a word or two to the monarch on this matter," Qin He finally concluded after a lengthy speech.

Mu Chi withdrew his gaze and looked at Qin He, saying slowly, "This is Molan’s internal affair. For me to interfere would be inappropriate."

"Not at all, not at all," Qin He hurriedly replied. "Our monarch has always regarded Great Qi as a friendly ally and superior power. This move was made out of consideration for the longstanding friendship with Great Qi. If Your Highness speaks, the monarch will surely give it proper consideration."

Mu Chi gave a low chuckle and retorted, "So, you’re saying Molan’s actions are the fault of Great Qi and myself?"

"This humble official dare not," Qin He quickly bowed. "It is only that Li Kingdom deceived the world by misrepresenting Princess Zhaoyang’s destiny and broke their promise by sending Princess Changle as a substitute bride, showing disregard for Great Qi’s honor and provoking Your Highness’s displeasure."

The smile on Mu Chi’s lips stiffened at the words "substitute bride." He inexplicably recalled the scene on Yanming Mountain that night—the extravagantly decorated carriage plunging straight down the cliff.

Mu Chi’s grip on the chair arm tightened suddenly, his fingertips turning white from the force. It took him a moment to compose himself. "Since Prefect Qin is aware of the conflict between Great Qi and Li Kingdom, why ask me to advocate for Li Kingdom's people?"

Hearing this, Qin He glanced quickly at Wen Xubai beside him. His usually refined and dignified student had seemed distracted since the banquet, his attention wandering repeatedly.

Left with no choice, Qin He continued, "I heard Your Highness has been searching everywhere for the whereabouts of Princess Changle, the stand-in bride. I wished to lighten Your Highness’s burden and have been making discreet inquiries within Jiuyuan City."

"Oh?" Mu Chi glanced at the closed door and asked, "Princess Changle?"

“Yes,” Qin He nodded. “That Princess Changle is…”

“My Lord.” Wen Xubai suddenly spoke, cutting off Qin He’s remaining words.

Qin He turned in confusion and saw Wen Xubai standing there with downcast eyes, his usually smiling lips pressed tightly together, silent for a long while.

“If Prefect Qin doesn’t wish to speak, then don’t,” Mu Chi said wearily, lowering his gaze to conceal the coldness in his eyes. “Si Li, escort the… guest.” The final word remained unspoken as Qin He gritted his teeth and turned back, exclaiming loudly, “Princess Changle is Qiao Wan of the Gold and Silver Pavilion.”

The hall fell into a profound silence following Qin He’s words.

After a long pause, Mu Chi slowly broke the silence: “Her?”

He looked at Wen Xubai. “How do I remember her as Master Wen’s…” At this, Mu Chi paused, then squeezed out the next three words, one by one: “be-trothed.”

Qin He: “She is not Xu Bai’s…”

“She is.” Qin He’s words were interrupted again. Wen Xubai stood there quietly, his posture straight as pine or bamboo, and repeated, “We have exchanged betrothal pledges. She is my fiancée.”

Mu Chi’s fingertips quivered slightly. A bloodthirsty urge surged within him, but he suppressed it forcefully and said calmly, “Prefect Qin just said she is Princess Changle.”

Wen Xubai fell silent for a long moment before saying, “I know.”

He had guessed it long ago, as early as when he saw the portrait on the notice. Today, upon seeing the handwriting on the sachet so closely resembling the script on Mu Chi’s hand, he was completely certain.

Mu Chi stared at him expressionlessly. “Master Wen knew all along?”

Wen Xubai lowered his gaze without denying it.

Mu Chi pressed further: “Was it before Master Wen and Princess Changle were engaged?”

Wen Xubai clenched his hand tightly, saying nothing.

This time, Mu Chi looked directly toward the door and asked again, clearly and distinctly: “Then was Master Wen’s engagement to Princess Changle also because he knew her identity? Did he reluctantly agree just to use her as a pawn when I came to Jiuyuan, to resolve the rift between Great Qi and the Li Kingdom, so that the Monarch of Molan would revoke the decree and allow citizens of the Li Kingdom to pursue education and official careers?”

Wen Xubai suddenly looked up, meeting Mu Chi’s gaze directly, but ultimately, his eyes dimmed. “Initially, that was the reason…”

Outside the door, in the outer room.

Qiao Wan slowly took a few steps back, then stood still quietly, gazing at the closed door before her, her expression unnervingly calm.

It seemed unnecessary to hear the rest.

She finally understood why Wen Xubai, who had previously shown no interest in marriage, had suddenly agreed.

She also finally realized why Mu Chi had asked her to come here today.

He had pressed Wen Xubai word by word, just hoping Wen Xubai would say those words.

He wanted her to see with her own eyes that the person she thought she could commit her life to had been hiding the truth from the very beginning.

He wanted her to hear these brutal truths with her own ears.

He was utterly vicious. If he was unhappy, he would destroy everything she had.

Perhaps he resented her for what she said that day about his vengeance, or perhaps from the very beginning, he never intended to let her go, even though now there were no ties between them.

“…I have written a letter. I trouble Master Wen to deliver it to the postal station.” Mu Chi’s voice came from the hall.

Qiao Wan recollected herself. Hearing footsteps approaching the door, she panicked momentarily, but before she could avoid them, the door was opened from inside.

A figure in white appeared at the doorway, holding a letter, his posture still tall and elegant. But his gentle face turned pale with shock upon seeing her. After a moment, he said softly, “Wan Niang…”

Qiao Wan looked at Wen Xubai frozen in the doorway. For some reason, she suddenly recalled the day of the palace coup. That time and now were so similar—she and Jing Lan had nearly married too.

But now, even after hearing Wen Xubai’s words, she felt little blame, nothing like the fear and anxiety of those days. It was as if her heart could no longer be stirred, only finding it absurd.

From the main seat, Mu Chi looked at the two figures at the door. He had known Qiao Wan was there, but when he saw her clearly, his hand still clenched unconsciously.

Qiao Wan was wearing white—a color she rarely wore. Now, dressed in white, standing face to face with Wen Xubai, they looked like a matched pair.

So dazzling.

It made his own attire today seem all the more ridiculous.

“Master Wen should hurry along,” Mu Chi couldn’t help but speak, his voice dark.

Qiao Wan looked at the letter in Wen Xubai’s hand, laughed softly after a moment, and stepped aside. “You have matters to attend to. Go ahead.”

Wen Xubai’s lips moved as he stared at her blankly. “I’ll first deliver the letter…”

“Alright.” Before he could finish, Qiao Wan interrupted him. She smiled in response. “We can talk when you return.”

Wen Xubai paused slightly, then finally nodded and managed a strained smile before walking away slowly.

Qiao Wan remained standing at the door, her expression calm. She even smiled at Qin He when he came out.

Qin He gave her a complicated look, nodded, and left.

Only the two of them remained in the room. The smile on Qiao Wan’s lips gradually faded. She watched as Mu Chi stepped closer to her, one step at a time. Her throat clenched, and the next moment she suddenly raised her hand—a crisp slap rang out.

Mu Chi’s head tilted slightly.

He raised his hand and rubbed his cheek with the back of it, his voice soft. “Did the princess hear everything?”

Qiao Wan looked blankly at her own hand, then came to her senses and glared at him. “Are you finally satisfied?”

Mu Chi looked at her slightly trembling eyelashes, his gaze darkening. “What does the princess mean?”

Qiao Wan laughed mockingly. “You called me here intentionally just to make me witness this, didn’t you?”

“Was what I said that day not the truth? Did you have to get back at me like this—”

“You think it’s because of what you said that day?” Mu Chi abruptly interrupted her.

Qiao Wan pressed her lips together and said nothing.

Mu Chi looked at her stubborn expression and suddenly laughed after a long moment. “Qiao Wan, whose child is Chu Wujiu?”

Author’s Note:

Originally planned to write until the dog kneels, but alas, I can’t keep going (shamelessly lights a cigarette.jpg

PS: Sorry, the character “Wan” on the sachet in the previous chapter should have been “Wan” (宛). Not sure why, but the edited draft reverted to the initial version, causing a big mix-up. It doesn’t affect the plot much (since Wen Xubai had already guessed the female lead’s identity when he saw the notice back then).

PS: Apologies, the character "Wan" on the sachet in the previous chapter should have been "Wan" (宛). Not sure why, but the edited draft reverted to the original version, creating significant confusion. Fortunately, it doesn't impact the plot much (since Wen Xubai had already deduced the female lead's identity upon seeing the notice earlier).