Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Bandits murdered and plundered. Not a single person from the Li Family Merchant Caravan survived.

The prefectural government was ordered to suppress them. They struck at the heart of the bandits’ lair, and the mountain stronghold ran red with blood.

At the time, it was an event that shook all of Yongzhou.

This was because the one who ordered Magistrate Li to immediately dispatch troops for the suppression was the younger sister of the current Imperial Consort Yao.

I still remember that day-the scene of them following the markers I had left into the mountains, coordinating from within and without to wash the stronghold in blood.

It was also on that day that I first realized that Lan Guan, who would call me “Yinyin” with such a pitiful, aggrieved expression, was even more ruthless and wicked than I was.

When it came to silencing the Li Family Merchant Caravan, he was as efficient as a man slaughtering dogs.

His blood-stained eyes, framed by thick lashes, still looked so clean and pure.

During that year of the Great Famine, he must have grown accustomed to such carnage in the bandit camp.

Later, when I suffered from hysteria and would lose control in a frenzy, he would even grab a tenant farmer from the manor and push them toward me to kill.

Fortunately, Huaihua retained her reason and stopped him.

After the Li family collapsed, I fell ill.

Aside from my two maternal uncles, my eldest and second aunts, as well as the cousin who was a few years older than me, were all dead as well.

It couldn’t be helped. I wanted all of the Li family’s businesses and assets, so they had to die.

Lan Guan was the one who did the deed.

He tied them onto a boat and then set it ablaze.

To the outside world, it was said that the bandits had sought revenge against the Li family.

Second Miss Yao even stepped forward to question Magistrate Li, demanding to know why the bandits hadn’t been completely wiped out.

Magistrate Li broke into a cold sweat.

That was because that year, news arrived from the capital that Imperial Consort Yao had passed away suddenly.

Far away in Yongzhou, Second Miss Yao was to enter the palace to take her sister’s place and serve her imperial brother-in-law.

Yao Jingnian knew everything about me.

She watched as I wiped out the Li family and swallowed their businesses, only asking me one thing: “Little White, you said you were willing to act as Feng Xuan as a retainer of Lord Mengchang, storing grain against future famine so that I might sleep soundly. Does that still hold true?”

“Of course it does.”

“Good. From this day forward, we shall become sworn sisters. You are now the sworn sister of Yao Jingnian.”

After the news of Imperial Consort Yao’s death arrived, Yao Jingnian seemed to change all at once.

Her phoenix eyes, which she loved to squint, became exceptionally deep.

She said, “My sister’s death was suspicious.”

That year at the manor, as I sat with her at the edge of the fields, we both carried knots in our hearts that could not be untied.

She asked, “Little White, do you know who taught me those sword techniques I use for self-defense?”

“Who?”

“Xie Xuan of the Pingyuan General’s Mansion. Remember his name, because I was supposed to marry him.”

“We were so close. We were childhood friends who grew up together. My original plan for returning to the capital was to arrange our marriage.”

“How could my sister suddenly die? And why do they suddenly want me to enter the palace?”

“I don’t want to go. The one I want to marry is Xie Xuan. We had a promise-once he married me, he would take me to Saibei to see the lonely smoke of the desert and the sun setting over the long river. He promised I would be the only one in his life.”

“But my father says the Thirteenth Prince is only seven years old. He is my nephew. If I don’t enter the palace to raise him, it will be difficult for him to survive to adulthood.”

“Little White, do you know? The Emperor is twenty years older than me. He’s nearly the same age as my father.”

“Our Yao Family isn’t actually as glorious as you imagine.”

Yao Jingnian gazed into the distance, a smile hooking the corner of her mouth. “That is also why I am willing to help you. If I had married Xie Xuan, I would naturally sleep soundly. But if I enter the palace, I can only look far ahead and plan every step with care.”

“The Yao Family has power and influence, but we don’t actually have many private industries. My father is the Head of the Six Ministries, and his most frequent saying is that a tall tree attracts the wind.”

“But you see, no one can block the wind that is meant to come. So, Little White, from now on, store grain in Yongzhou for my sake. If I ever reach the top in the future, I will be your greatest benefactor.”