Xue Zining stood outside the Lin manor, seeing only white, as if enveloped by a vast expanse of whiteness…
“Your Majesty, do you still wish to enter?” Xue Yan asked thoughtfully, standing beside her.
“Today, I am merely an ordinary mourner.” With that, she strode in.
Not many people had come to pay their respects. Xue Zining’s gaze fell upon Grand Tutor Lin, who stood there.
“Grand Tutor Lin, please accept my condolences!” She stepped forward and said in a low voice.
Grand Tutor Lin did not turn his head, nor did he greet her. He merely stared blankly at the coffin in the mourning hall.
She stood beside Grand Tutor Lin from afternoon until dusk.
At some point, a hoarse voice broke the silence, “Your Majesty, do you know what Yan Zhi said in the end?”
Xue Zining started, “What did he say?”
Grand Tutor Lin let out a long sigh. “Yan Zhi said that his father must assist the Empress diligently, and that one day I will see every inch of the desolate lands belong to the Empress.”
Xue Zining’s body stiffened.
Grand Tutor Lin gave a bitter smile. “Until his last breath, he didn’t say a single word to me, his father. His heart was entirely with you…”
“Grand Tutor Lin, you have raised a good son. He is excellent…”
Grand Tutor Lin turned and looked at her, his eyes filled with grief. “This was Yan Zhi’s dying wish. I, his father, will do my best to help him fulfill it. Your Majesty, it is time for you to act.”
Xue Zining looked up, seeing the sky ablaze with a bloody red. After a long pause, she said, “It will be soon.”
“This old minister hopes to live to see that day in the near future,” Grand Tutor Lin said respectfully, bowing his head.
Xue Zining turned and left the Lin manor.
As she was about to board her carriage, she suddenly spotted Regent Xue Wenjie’s carriage. She lowered her head, letting his carriage pass by.
She alighted from her carriage. Xue Yan, behind her, asked, “Your Majesty, what is wrong?”
“Follow it and see,” she said, already starting to follow.
Xue Yan quickly followed. “Your Majesty, you haven’t brought Feng Yin. It’s very dangerous to follow the Regent like this.”
“It’s nothing. As long as he doesn’t discover us.”
Xue Zining followed Xue Wenjie’s carriage to a place, and as she looked up, she saw the large characters above: Huan Chun Tower.
Seeing that she intended to enter, Xue Yan quickly stopped her and whispered, “Your Majesty, this is a brothel.”
“I know perfectly well where this is.” With that, Xue Zining went around to the back of Huan Chun Tower.
If the front entrance was impassable, surely the back door could be used?
Xue Yan had never known that the Empress possessed such agile climbing skills.
Fortunately, there were very few people in the backyard. When Xue Zining landed, no one was there.
Xue Yan also flew into the courtyard.
“Miss Qiao Qiao always rejects the Regent. If the Regent gets angry, wouldn’t he level this Huan Chun Tower?”
“You don’t understand. This is playing hard to get. Besides, Miss Qiao Qiao is still a maiden. To obtain Miss Qiao Qiao’s first night, even if it’s the Regent, what can he do? He can’t force Miss Qiao Qiao, can he?”
“That’s true…”
The two maids who were talking left.
Xue Zining and Xue Yan emerged. Xue Yan whispered, “Your Majesty, let’s leave here quickly!”
“Since we’ve come, why not go and see the rumored Miss Qiao Qiao?”
To have the Regent so smitten that he would come to Huan Chun Tower regardless, one could only imagine she possessed a beautiful face.
“Your Majesty, you are a woman now. If you are seen, you will be thrown out.” Xue Yan didn’t understand where the Empress’s enthusiasm came from, insisting on seeing Miss Qiao Qiao.
“Xue Yan, go steal two sets of clothes,” Xue Zining said.
Xue Yan: “…”
Steal?
In the end, under Xue Zining’s forceful persuasion, Xue Yan stole two sets of clothes.
Xue Zining picked up the clothes and couldn’t help but gasp. “Xue Yan, are these stale?”
“Your Majesty, Xue Yan could only find these two sets.” She had hoped the Empress would retreat in the face of difficulty.
Yet, Xue Zining merely wrinkled her nose and put them on.
Xue Yan, suppressing the urge to vomit, also put on the clothes.
Climbing through the window into the corridor, they saw people gathering below.
Xue Yan grabbed a man who looked like a scholar and asked, “What happened? Why is everyone going downstairs?”
The man excitedly said, “Miss Qiao Qiao is about to choose a guest for her first night.”
Saying this, he ran downstairs.
“Your Majesty, Miss Qiao Qiao’s first night is about to begin.”
“Then what are we waiting for?” Xue Zining said, and went downstairs.
A platform had already been set up downstairs. Xue Zining looked around but could not find the Regent.
“Miss Qiao Qiao, Miss Qiao Qiao…” Someone in the crowd shouted this, and everyone followed suit.
Soon, the madam emerged, her smile reaching her eyes. “Esteemed guests, please be patient. Qiao Qiao will be out shortly.”
“Miss Qiao Qiao…”
The shouts from the crowd grew louder and louder.
“Your Majesty, look at the second floor.” Xue Yan pointed to a corner on the second floor.
Xue Zining looked up. A temporary structure had been erected on the second floor, and she saw someone by Xue Wenjie’s side.
“Miss Qiao Qiao is out…”
Amidst the echoing voices, a woman in a brightly colored dress slowly appeared.
She wore a veil, and her features were unclear, but her every movement was captivating.
Xue Zining, seeing that Xue Wenjie, who had been reluctant to appear, was now also seated on the second floor.
Although she couldn’t see his expression from afar, she could tell he was very angry.
Xue Wenjie looked down vigilantly. Afraid of being discovered, Xue Zining quickly withdrew her gaze.
The madam stepped onto the stage and said, “Thank you all for your affection for Qiao Qiao. Tonight is not only Qiao Qiao’s first night, but also when Qiao Qiao will choose her beloved for a night of pleasure.”
The crowd below cheered.
Suddenly, the madam shifted her tone. “Tonight, if anyone can catch Qiao Qiao’s eye, they can also spend the night with Qiao Qiao.”
The cheers from the crowd became even more enthusiastic.
“Miss Qiao Qiao.” Someone in the crowd began throwing banknotes and silver onto the stage.
Everyone followed suit.
In an instant, a tall pile of banknotes and silver had accumulated on the stage. The madam’s mouth could barely close from smiling at the scene.
However, the madam’s smile soon faltered, for she saw Xue Wenjie on the second floor.
She went behind the scenes and saw Qiao Qiao, who was preparing to play the zither. “Qiao Qiao, that’s enough. The Regent is determined to have you this time. You’ve refused him many times. If you choose someone else this time, I’m afraid…”
The woman called Qiao Qiao looked up. Her face was exquisitely beautiful, and her eyes, like clear springs, were deeply moving. “Mama, you promised me. The choice of who to spend my first night with is mine.”
The madam sighed. If she had known it would attract the Regent, she would never have agreed to Qiao Qiao’s condition.
“Mama, don’t worry. I have a way to appease the Regent,” Qiao Qiao said with a smile.
The madam breathed a sigh of relief. “You said it yourself.”
Qiao Qiao nodded, and a flicker of something unusual flashed in her lowered gaze.