And then there was Long Hanjie. Xu Qiu’er thought she had never loved or hated anyone before, but now she had found someone she wanted to tear apart. Long Hanjie—why did she hate him so much? Would she let him be happy with Xu Qing’er? He liked Xu Qing’er? Fine, I’ll let you be together and see if you can be happy after hurting me.
Lost in thought, she crushed an object in her hand, fragments piercing her skin and causing blood to drip onto the floor. Xiao Ju cried out, bringing Xu Qiu’er back to her senses. She looked at her hand, realizing what had happened, and let Xiao Ju tend to her wounds. Strangely, she felt no pain at all.
She who had always been afraid of pain, how could she feel nothing? Then she realized: this little pain was nothing. She would make them understand true pain. Xu Qiu’er sat in the chair and suddenly burst into bright, radiant laughter.
But Xiao Ju was terrified, her heart trembling. Something was wrong with her mistress – she seemed unhinged, laughing in a way that made her fear for what would happen when they entered the palace.
The Third Miss would eventually enter the palace, and her strategy regarding the Crown Prince was truly brilliant. Xu Qiu’er began frequently traveling between the Chancellor’s residence and the palace, dedicating herself to learning etiquette, following opera performers to master the Empress Dowager’s favorite operas. The Xu residence had never been so quiet, and no one knew what Xu Qiu’er was planning.
Xu Qiu’er quickly won the favor of the Empress Dowager and the Emperor. Though the Empress still disliked her, it didn’t matter. Qiu’er would enter the palace early each day to pay respects to the Empress Dowager, sometimes encountering Long Hanjie, her demeanor perfectly natural.
Neither the Empress Dowager nor the Emperor knew what had happened between Xu Qiu’er and Long Hanjie. Long Hanjie wouldn’t be foolish enough to speak, and Xu Qiu’er wouldn’t either, so naturally, no one knew. Long Hanjie was surprised.
He had expected Xu Qiu’er to cry and make a scene, but she calmly paid her respects to the Old Buddha and the Emperor. Increasingly, he heard discussions about her in the imperial court.
