123. Chapter 123: Principles

Si Xueyi changed her tone, then watched him with a smile. In truth, she was a woman of queenly stature, but she chose to feign cuteness, sensing it might be more effective.

Yuan Qianlü looked at her with some embarrassment; her eyes seemed to shimmer with light.

"The truth is..."

Yuan Qianlü poured everything out in one breath. None of this was a secret, and since Si Xueyi wanted to know, he told her everything exactly as it was. Even the Prince would have no objection to this.

"So, it was your Prince who saved her?" This little girl always managed to thrive wherever she went.

"In principle, one could say so." Yuan Qianlü nodded.

"Alright, I am tired! I need to rest. If you don't mind, bring some food for this prisoner."

"Understood." Just as Yuan Qianlü turned to leave, she added, "Oh, right, I want to bathe. Is there hot water? And perhaps some undergarments?"

"I... I shall call a maidservant."

Yuan Qianlü felt truly awkward. Si Xueyi spoke so candidly right in front of him, without the slightest inhibition. She was just like the Princess Consort—both left him speechless and unable to respond.

Watching Yuan Qianlü flee in a panic, Si Xueyi wanted to laugh. Was she really that terrifying? He looked as if he had seen a ghost. She shook her head.

Before long, a matronly woman arrived with water, filling the basins one by one. Ordinarily, there were no women here, but after Si Nuosang’s arrival, many things became inconvenient, so they had specifically hired a woman. Yuan Qianlü had sent her to care for Si Xueyi, preferring to keep his distance from such a woman; he was no match for her and would only end up at a disadvantage.

Xuanyuan Juesi had not anticipated Si Xueyi’s arrival, which, to him, was nothing short of a nightmare. He absolutely could not let her meet Si Nuosang. Because Si Xueyi would surely take Si Nuosang away, and such a departure—though the nature of it was unclear—would be a matter of a lifetime. He could not allow that to happen, so he had no choice but to apologize in his heart.

He would never let the two of them meet. Thus, he ordered Yuan Qianlü to keep Si Xueyi under strict control.

"Yes, Your Highness."

"Be extremely careful. She is very clever. Do not fall for her schemes."

"Yes, Your Highness."

Yuan Qianlü had not expected the Prince to go so far as to prevent the meeting. The motive was clear: he wanted to ensure they never met again, yet he dared not kill Si Xueyi. Perhaps he feared the consequences—that Si Nuosang might learn the truth. If Si Nuosang discovered they had killed Si Xueyi, everything would change, and she would never be with Xuanyuan Juesi.

Yuan Qianlü felt for the Prince; his position had always been difficult, but now it was even more precarious.

"Yuan Qianlü, you are the only one I can trust right now. I do not want them to meet. You had best find a place and take Si Xueyi there."

Xuanyuan Juesi rarely showed vulnerability, but he was terrified that Si Nuosang might vanish from his life forever. He was so afraid that he had even resorted to imprisoning Si Xueyi.

"Your Highness, is this truly wise? Si Xueyi has done nothing wrong."

"Am I the Prince, or are you? You will do exactly as I say."

"But this is wrong. What if... what if the Princess Consort finds out?"

"That is my concern. Besides, she has more trouble on her hands than I do. They are convinced that the gem she carries is the one they are searching for."

"Your Highness, you know everything. Why must it come to this?" Yuan Qianlü watched the Prince’s descent into such extremes and truly could not understand.

"Why? When you fall in love with someone who does not love you back, you will understand." Xuanyuan Juesi did not rebuke him, simply looking at him with those words.

"Is that so? I truly do not know. But I shall strive to carry out your orders, Your Highness. I only wish for your happiness."

"Thank you." Though their relationship was that of superior and subordinate, the bond between them went far deeper.

In the following days, the Emperor’s reinforcements arrived. Before they reached the city, Liangcheng had already returned to calm. Xuanyuan Juesi had made an example of a few stubborn agitators, imposing heavy punishments before banishing them from the city. While he did not take their lives, forcing them to leave their homes was cruel indeed.

If the Yan Kingdom truly existed, how could it allow its people to suffer such things? They would rather die than leave their ancestral homes. Xuanyuan Juesi knew he was being ruthless, but there was no other way. With the internal troubles resolved and the external refugees dispersed by the arriving reinforcements, Liangcheng regained its former prosperity.

The Emperor seemed very satisfied with Xuanyuan Juesi’s handling of the city, both regarding the refugees and foreign interference. The matter of the gunpowder from before also seemed to have a conclusion: it was likely funded by the Tiannan Dynasty to keep the Xuanyuan Dynasty in constant turmoil. The markings on the gunpowder even bore the seal of the Tiannan Dynasty. Of course, Xuanyuan Juesi had known this all along, but he kept his silence.

Yuan Qianlü knew this as well. Having served by the Prince’s side for so long, he understood what kind of man his master was—knowing all, planning all. Yet, only in the matter of Si Nuosang did he lose his composure. Perhaps the Princess Consort was the only one capable of shaking the Prince. In a way, that was good; at least the Prince would learn that not everything could be orchestrated.

Because of the success of this mission, the Emperor allowed Xuanyuan Juesi to return early, sending General Li Ming, the Guardian of the Pass, to take over the defense of Liangcheng.

"Your Highness, the Emperor has sent me to take over the affairs of Liangcheng. You may now return to the capital." The General presented the imperial decree. Xuanyuan Juesi accepted it, looking at it with satisfaction. The Emperor was indeed a clever man; did he think this was an act of kindness? Far from it.

"Your Highness, the Emperor is recalling us early. It seems he is very pleased."

"Hmph, you underestimate the Emperor. If I stay here longer, my foundation will naturally grow stronger, and he will have even less power over me. By recalling me just as I have settled in, he forces me to start over. That is the Emperor’s true intent. How, then, are we to be his match?"

Xuanyuan Juesi sneered, and Yuan Qianlü nodded. He had not realized there was such a hidden agenda; he had truly thought the Emperor was acting out of sudden kindness. It was merely to prevent the Prince from consolidating power.

"By the way, what is the status of Si Xueyi?"