Chapter 6

Chapter 6

My gaze fell subtly on Xu Qingqing, who stood there with an air of detached indifference.

She was the granddaughter of the late Prince of Jiangxia. She had traveled thousands of miles to the capital to present Imperial Father with a highly detailed and precise map. Along with the map, she had brought the Prince of Jiangxia’s royal seal.

Without that seal, anyone attempting to take over the princedom would lack the legitimate authority to do so. The Prince of Jiangxia’s sons had been fighting a bloody, internecine war to seize the throne for themselves. Ultimately, Imperial Father intervened. With a single imperial decree, he carved Jiangxia into five pieces, replacing the single princedom with five Dukes of the State, each governing their own territory.

In doing so, Imperial Father resolved the Jiangxia problem, eliminating any future concerns. In his delight, he granted Xu Qingqing the title of Commandery Princess and permitted her to live in the palace. She studied alongside me and enjoyed all the same privileges.

At first, I was truly grateful to Xu Qingqing. Because of her, Imperial Father was constantly beaming, claiming she had prevented a bloody war and allowed the court to neutralize the threat of a Jiangxia rebellion without shedding a single drop of blood.

I genuinely treated her like a sister. I took care of her every need-her food, her clothes, her travel, and her social engagements.

That lasted until the day I casually asked, “How is your mother faring these days?”

Xu Qingqing burst into tears and ran away.

Later, Song Tingye and Song Jingxi came looking for me in a fury.

“How can you be so cruel?” Song Tingye demanded. “Just because you were born into high status, you look down on those of low birth? Qingqing treats you like her own sister, yet you chose to rip open her old wounds. You’re despicable.”

Song Tingye grew more enraged as he spoke, eventually striking me across the face with a hard slap.

The blow landed.

He was stunned.

I was stunned too.

He had never laid a hand on me before. In the past, if I had so much as a minor bump or bruise, he would be more worried than I was.

That day, I clutched my face in a daze, the world around me falling silent. Song Tingye leaned down to coax me, his voice a mix of urgency and frustration. He even slapped himself twice, hard, admitting he was wrong and promising it would never happen again.

It was only much later that I learned Xu Qingqing’s mother had been a Yangzhou thin horse whom her father had purchased and kept as a mistress. Later, her father died from consuming Five Mineral Powder. Because his death was so disgraceful, the Prince of Jiangxia struck him from the family records. Her mother then abandoned her and fled in secret.

Her parents were Xu Qingqing’s greatest pain; no one dared mention them. Once, I had felt guilty for my unintentional mistake and tried my best to compensate her. But now, I understood.

The one who deserved pity was the original Xu Qingqing-not this thief who had stolen her life and her name!

In this life, I will settle both debts together.

Xu Qingqing’s eyes widened and reddened, her face a mask of pitiful vulnerability that would move anyone to compassion. “Sister Zhaohua, I only happened to have some realizations regarding Buddhist philosophy, so I shared a few words with Bianshan. If you don’t like it, I simply won’t speak to him again.”

“Impudent!”

I moved swiftly, delivering several sharp slaps to Xu Qingqing’s face.

“You can speak to whomever you please! Is Bianshan some dog of mine? Would you really stop speaking to him just because I forbid it? Or are you trying to slander me by implying I have some private entanglement with him? Do you have any idea that a woman’s reputation is everything? By saying such things, you clearly want me dead. To think I treated you like a sister-is this how you repay me?”

My movements were too fast for them to track. By the time Song Tingye reacted and tried to grab my hand, I had already slapped Xu Qingqing multiple times.

Furious, Song Tingye shoved me away violently and struck me across the face. My cheek swelled instantly, and a trickle of blood leaked from the corner of my mouth.

I glared at him with pure hatred.

At that moment, a cheerful System notification rang out in my mind:

[Affection Points +1. Current Affection Points: 90.]