Xu Qiu’er didn’t look at her. “Precisely, you are a concubine. Check if your name is in my father’s will. I hope you all leave by tomorrow, or prepare to collect your corpses.” Her gaze was icy and filled with contempt.
As snowflakes settled on her, she looked at Long Han Jie, her eyes cold.
“Leave!” she called out.
Her voice was hoarse. As she swayed, Gong Sun Jin Yu, standing closest, quickly supported her. She looked at the newcomer who said, “I’m late.”
The narrative continues with further interactions between the characters, exploring their complex relationships and tensions.
Xu Qing’er suddenly burst out in anger, saying, “You just need to not care about those useless people.”
Second Madam thought she could stay unnoticed, so she happily left the palace.
When Second Madam returned to the Xu residence with dozens of brothers, she learned that the house had been sold by Xu Qiu’er, driving her into a rage. Her brothers attempted to cause trouble, but Gonggsun Jinyu easily dispersed them.
In May, a major disaster struck the coast, causing nationwide concern. In a surprising act, Xu Qiu’er donated a million taels of gold, shocking the nation and prompting speculation about the Xu family’s wealth.
Even the Emperor was astonished by Xu Qiu’er’s generosity, as were many others. Her actions garnered widespread praise, leading to a phenomenon known as “Princess Consort fever.” Although some palace concubines outwardly praised her, they envied her wealth and willingness to donate, fearing they would appear petty in comparison.
Xu Qing’er resented Xu Qiu’er, believing their father favored her, and questioned why all family assets were bequeathed to Qiu’er. This discontent led other sisters to voice their grievances and eventually sue Xu Qiu’er.
For a moment, everyone criticized the Xu sisters, including Xu Qing’er in the palace. The common people and scholars, led by Xu Qiu’er, praised her as their Princess Consort.
While drinking tea, Xiao Ju expressed her disdain for Xu Qing’er, convinced she was the one who had harmed her mistress. Xu Qiu’er remained silent, believing that intelligent people should think before speaking.
She glanced out the window and announced, “It’s going to change.”
Xu Qiu’er began getting close to Ye Fei. The Emperor, having previously wronged the Princess Consort, found himself unable to take action against Xu Qiu’er. Her recent donation was purposeful, stemming from feelings for Long Hanjie that evolved from hatred to a desire for complete destruction. However, as the Crown Prince, he was beyond her reach for now. A smile curved Xu Qiu’er’s lips as she lowered her eyes.
Xu Qing’er felt irritation at Xiao Ju’s arrogance; as a mere palace maid, she had no reason to be proud.
Sitting on the warm couch, Xu Qinger ate candied fruits while mulling over the rumors about Xu Qiuer and Hao Li. She guessed everyone in the palace was discussing their situation. Angry at the thought of Hao Li, she threw her snacks to the ground.
Despite Xu Qinger giving her some money, the second wife’s family was spending recklessly. Xu Qinger’s uncles were borrowing silver under her name, with lenders temporarily refraining from pursuing them due to her status as a favored concubine of the crown prince. However, with many to feed, the money was dwindling, leaving the second wife feeling helpless.
“Sister, why don’t you sell that and get some money?” one of her brothers suggested.
The second wife retorted, “Shut up and never mention this again! If it weren’t for your idleness, I wouldn’t be in such a miserable state. Everyone thinks our family has a noble lady bringing glory, but they don’t know my struggles. Qinger clearly doesn’t care about her uncles’ lives, but as the eldest sister, I must take care of them.”
Meanwhile, Xu Qiuer and Ye Fei were playing chess when the emperor entered angrily. Xu Qiuer bowed, “Your Majesty, blessings to you.”
Ye Fei stood up and handed the emperor his court beads. The emperor noticed Xu Qiuer and softened his expression, saying, “Oh, Qiuer is here too.”
Xu Qiuer smiled, “I’m here to keep Her Majesty company.”
The emperor, remembering his previous misunderstanding of Xu Qiuer, softened his tone, “Sit, yes, Qiuer, come and keep Xiao Ju company more often.”
The emperor and Ye Fei dined with Xu Qiuer. Xiao Ju chatted eloquently, but the emperor seemed preoccupied. Xu Qiuer cautiously asked, “What troubles you, Your Majesty? Perhaps I can help.”
The emperor threw the cup Xiao Ju had just handed him. Xu Qiuer and Xiao Ju exchanged glances.
“Tell the crown prince not to meddle in matters that don’t concern him,” the emperor said, referring to the corruption during the Jiangnan flood. The problem was that the culprit was his own brother. The emperor wanted to turn a blind eye, but Long Hanjie was making a big issue of it, causing him great headaches.
Originally, she had not paid attention to Qing Ya, but there were doubts about the whole matter. Of course, it was possible that Xu Qing’er was behind it, but how could it be coincidental that right after Qing Ya gave her the fabric, something went wrong?
It was obvious that someone had inquired about Ye Fei’s preferences and tampered with the blue fabric. She wanted to use the emperor’s hand to eliminate herself.
Hao Li looked directly at Xu Qiu’er and said, “Your speculation is logical, but do you think if Qing Ya really intended to harm you, there would be so many doubts for you to catch? Can the Phoenix Pavilion easily come up with millions of taels of gold? Would Gong Sun Jin Yu help you? You’re not just unintelligent; you’re foolish.” His sarcasm was clear.
Xu Qiu’er stepped back, feeling deeply hurt. Hao Li’s words struck her heart, voicing her inner doubts. How did he know about the Phoenix Pavilion? She felt lost in a misty dream.
Weakly, she raised her head to look at Hao Li, murmuring softly, “Who are you?”
Hao Li stood at the palace gate as the sun hung stubbornly above. His face was caught in the light, alternating between bright and dark, blinding Xu Qiu’er. She stretched out her arms to block her eyes, fearing further damage to her sight.
Hao Li spread his arms, embracing the blazing sun as if they were meant to be one. Xu Qiu’er was mesmerized. He turned to her and said, “I promised someone to protect you, Xu Qiu’er, and I will do as I said.” A confused look appeared in his eyes as he stared at her, lost in thought. With a sorrowful expression, he unexpectedly uttered, “Xin’er…”
Xu Qiu’er felt a chill run through her body. Hugging her arms, she asked in disbelief, “Xu Xin’er?” Panic filled her heart. What did this mean?
She collapsed to the ground, staring blankly into the distance. Xu Xin’er, her sister who had passed away more than ten years ago—how could Hao Li know her? Who was he protecting? Was her sister still alive? Why hadn’t she come to see her? Xu Qiu’er shivered, afraid of knowing the truth.
A hot breath filled her chest, almost unbearably uncomfortable, but she couldn’t find a way to vent it. She mustered her strength to support herself against the wall and walked toward the rosewood bed by the window.
Xu Qiu’er sat down, suppressing the trembling in her legs, her fingernails digging into her flesh until she felt slightly better. She trembled as she spoke: “Ning’er…”
Hearing Xu Qiu’er’s call, Ning’er quickly approached the bed and saw her covered in sweat. Before she could ask what was wrong, Xu Qiu’er interrupted her, feeling she was about to lose control. “Prepare cold water. I want to wash myself.” She no longer had the strength to say more.
