141 What Should She Do

The Ugly Consort Brought as Dowry

When night fell, the entire General’s Residence was ablaze with lanterns, every corner filled with a festive air. Servants hurried back and forth as the grand banquet held that evening was to bid farewell to Yun Qixiao and Xiao Chenxue. With Feng Xilou there as well, the gathering was even livelier.

Yun Qixiao had asked whether she wished to appear before the guests. After some thought, she decided against it. Half a year had already passed—why burden him with any more concern for her?

Since he already believed her dead, perhaps this was the best way for the two of them to bring everything to an end.

Outside her courtyard, songs and dances filled the residence with merriment. Within her small corner of the estate, however, there was only profound quiet. That was precisely why she had chosen the most secluded courtyard in which to live.

She found herself growing more and more fond of tranquility.

She turned the pages of a book, paying no attention to anything happening outside. When she had left with Feng Yihan, she had deliberately brought all her books with her. The thick stack was enough to help her endure every long, difficult hour.

She knew perfectly well that, with her abilities as they stood, she was nowhere near capable of standing on her own. But she had to keep moving forward. Whether the road ahead led into the clouds or down into the depths of hell, she could not shrink back in fear.

She had already chosen this path.

A soft knock sounded at the door. Yun Xueyan rose to open it and was momentarily startled.

“Second Brother, shouldn’t you be in the front hall? What brings you here?”

She stepped aside to let Yun Qixiao enter, then closed the door behind him.

“Xueyan… are you truly unwilling to see Chancellor Feng? He… has been deeply dispirited because of you.” Yun Qixiao drew a long breath, an helpless smile gathering at the corners of his lips. “Even if you do not wish to see Prince Xiao, what about Chancellor Feng? Are you going to keep hiding the truth from him and let him go on like this?”

He had been seated in the front hall, watching the lonely sorrow in Feng Xilou’s eyes. He held a wine jug in one hand and a cup in the other, drinking without pause.

He said nothing, merely narrowing his phoenix eyes as he gazed at everything before him, yet his eyes were empty and desolate.

To an outsider, he appeared to be savoring his wine with elegant composure. But Yun Qixiao knew that Feng Xilou was only using it to conceal his pain.

“Let him remain unaware. Wouldn’t it be better for him to believe that I’m dead? It hurts now, but I believe that, in time, some woman will be able to heal the illness in his heart.” Yun Xueyan gave a faint smile, deliberately ignoring the mention of Prince Xiao. The grief that threatened to break free could only be forced back down. “Second Brother, you should return first. So many people are in the front hall seeing you and Sister-in-law off. It would not be right for the host to leave so suddenly.”

Yun Qixiao stared at her for a long while. Then, with a deep sigh, he turned and walked toward the door.

“All right.”

But just as he stepped outside, he suddenly turned back.

“I forgot to tell you—after that incident, Yin’er miscarried. She will never be able to bear children again. Prince Xiao divorced her and sent her back to the Grand Tutor’s residence.”

“And then?” she asked calmly, neither angered nor upset. Her voice remained even.

“She went mad.”

Looking at Yun Xueyan’s tranquil, expressionless face, Yun Qixiao turned and walked away, reaching out to pull the door shut.

“Xueyan, I’ll go back first. As for Yin’er… what she did brought this upon herself. Whether she’s gone mad or not is her own affair.”

Once the door had closed again, Yun Xueyan picked up the book from the table. Her thoughts, however, were in utter turmoil.

Yun Xiyin had gone mad? What was she supposed to do about her now? After everything Yun Xiyin had done to her, could she simply abandon all thoughts of revenge because the woman had lost her mind?

Her eyes remained fixed on the book, but she could not take in a single word. At last, she closed it, rose, and walked out of the courtyard. She needed the cold wind to clear her head.

A Note to Readers:

The system malfunctioned just now and caused some repetition. It has been corrected.