Chapter 22: Rui'er's Gift

Taking the porcelain bottle handed over by Concubine Rou, Yan Ziyu opened it and was met with a thick, pungent odor. Before she could deliberate, the concubine threatened her with Rui'er, forcing her to submit to her control.

"Your Highness, why don't you first tell me what the terms of this deal are?" Yan Ziyu did not immediately consume the contents of the bottle. Instead, she clutched it tightly and pressed again for the details of the transaction.

She was now almost certain that the deal Concubine Rou was proposing was far from simple; otherwise, there would have been no need for such a laborious and risky scheme. Yet, what could possibly drive the calculating and deep-minded Concubine Rou to take such a risk to bargain with her? Yan Ziyu felt it was worth her effort to investigate, as this might be the golden opportunity she needed to get a grip on the concubine.

"The matter is quite simple. I want you to return to the General’s Mansion and retrieve something for me. Once you deliver it, I will naturally provide you with the antidote." Concubine Rou did not shy away. Since she had decided to use Yan Ziyu for this task, she had to disclose some information. Whether the girl was clever enough to uncover the machinations behind the scenes, however, was another matter. A cold, sinister glint flashed in the concubine’s eyes at the thought.

Retrieve something from the General’s Mansion?

"What is it? And why choose me?" Yan Ziyu frowned slightly. Was it really necessary to go to such lengths just to retrieve an item from the mansion? With Concubine Rou’s status and authority, a single word from her could have commanded General Yan to send it over; why bother with such complexity? Unless...

Recalling the concubine's earlier words, Yan Ziyu felt as though she had brushed against the edge of a long-hidden secret. She was both shocked and filled with a sense of impending danger.

"Retrieving something from the mansion is not difficult, but shouldn't Your Highness tell me what it is and where it is kept? Otherwise, how am I supposed to find it in such a vast estate? If I take the wrong thing or get discovered, that would be unfortunate. My life may be worthless, but it would be a shame if I were to implicate you in the process." Yan Ziyu toyed with the bottle, looking up at the concubine with a sharp, piercing gaze.

Concubine Rou swept a cold, blade-like glare at her. "Are you threatening me?"

"I would not dare," Yan Ziyu replied, her composure unshaken, a faint, cold smile playing on her lips.

*This woman must be eliminated,* Concubine Rou thought, a murderous intent flickering in her eyes. Once this matter was concluded, Yan Ziyu could not be allowed to live.

About an hour later, Concubine Rou departed the room with her maid, Ziyun, leaving behind an empty white jade bottle on the table.

***

"Your Highness, this Princess Xiao is truly not what the rumors suggest. I find her quite formidable; you must be careful," Ziyun said with a hint of worry after they left.

Concubine Rou nodded, agreeing with her maid. "Have someone keep a close watch on her. I don't trust her either. To have endured and stayed silent for so many years—her cunning should not be underestimated."

"Your Highness, I don't understand. She is merely a pawn; why are you so wary of her?" Ziyun finally voiced the question that had been bothering her.

"Some things cannot be judged by appearances. Do you really believe Yan Ziyu is as simple as she seems? If she were, she would have died countless times by now. Just watch; if I am not mistaken, yesterday's banquet was merely the prelude. The real spectacle is yet to come." Concubine Rou’s expression was filled with disdain and mockery, yet her eyes betrayed a glimmer of caution. Her demeanor was incredibly complex.

***

The next morning, Yan Ziyu reunited with Rui'er and Ali. According to Qiuhe, after Yan Ziyu had fainted in the hall the previous night, the Emperor had intended to punish her severely. It was the Prince of the Chiyang Kingdom and General Chen who had interceded, sparing her from the penalty. Throughout it all, Long Xiaoyan had remained silent, watching coldly like a spectator at a play.

"Your Highness..." Qiuhe hesitated for a long time before calling out.

Yan Ziyu, who was feeding Rui'er porridge, looked up. "Qiuhe, if you have something to say, just say it."

Qiuhe bit her lower lip, struggling to speak.

"Mother, Sister Qiuhe's face is all red, and her neck was bitten by bugs!" Rui'er, who had been burying his face in his porridge, suddenly looked up. He held a red bean bun in his hand, looking at Yan Ziyu with innocent eyes.

Only then did Yan Ziyu notice that Qiuhe was wearing a high-collared dress despite the summer heat. Frowning, she asked, "Qiuhe, what happened to your neck?"

Qiuhe instinctively shrunk back, tears streaming down her face as she sobbed, unable to speak. Yan Ziyu set down the bowl, wiped her hands, and walked over to the girl. Suddenly, she grabbed Qiuhe’s left arm and rolled up her sleeve, revealing bruises and congealed blood—signs of recent abuse.

"Who did this?" Yan Ziyu’s voice turned icy and deep.

Qiuhe only continued to weep in silence. Just as Yan Ziyu’s anger began to flare, Rui'er ran over and tugged at her hem, his soft, melodic voice chiming in, "I know... Mother, Rui'er knows... Rui'er knows!"

Yan Ziyu picked him up, puzzled. "Rui'er, what do you know?"

"I just know! If Mother doesn't believe me, I'll be angry! Hmph!" Sensing the doubt in Yan Ziyu’s voice, the boy puffed out his cheeks and turned his head away in a fit of pique.

***

Yan Ziyu felt helpless. Why was this little bun causing trouble at such a time?

"Be good, Rui'er. Go play with Ali, and I’ll practice martial arts with you later, okay?" She kissed his chubby cheek and tried to put him down, but the boy clung to her neck like a monkey, refusing to let go, emitting little whimpering sounds.

"Mother is mean... you don't believe Rui'er, I don't want to be friends with Mother anymore..."

"No, Rui'er won't let go..."

Yan Ziyu was at her wit's end. Just as she was about to scold him, she realized that Rui'er was never this unruly; why was he acting so strangely today?

"Mother was wrong. Rui'er, please be the bigger person and forgive me. Now, won't you tell Mother what you know?" Yan Ziyu had never been a patient person, but whenever she faced Rui'er, her patience and tenderness expanded infinitely at the sight of his innocent face. Perhaps this was the power of blood connection.

"Mother must not doubt Rui'er again, or I really will be angry," Rui'er said, wrinkling his nose with the air of a little adult.

"Rui'er..." Yan Ziyu pinched his bottom, urging him to get to the point.

The boy stuck out his tongue, wrapped his arms tightly around her neck, and glanced at the weeping Qiuhe. "Sister Qiuhe has a smell on her. It’s the same smell as the steward’s son. It's stinky, and I don't like it. I like the way Sister Qiuhe used to smell—all flowery."

A smell?

Yan Ziyu sniffed the air, but she couldn't detect anything. However, seeing Rui'er’s conviction, she knew he wasn't lying. More importantly, when Qiuhe heard this, she shivered violently and looked up in disbelief. This confirmed the truth of Rui'er’s claim. But how could he smell something she couldn't?

"Rui'er, what smell? Why can't Mother smell it? Are you teasing me again?" Yan Ziyu was confident in her own acute senses and found it hard to believe that Rui'er could perceive something she couldn't.

Hearing this, Rui'er became indignant, his face scrunching up like a bun. "I'm not lying! Everyone has a different smell. Others can't smell it, but only I can!" he declared confidently.

Astonished, Yan Ziyu conducted several tests with Ziyi and others, confirming that Rui'er indeed possessed this extraordinary talent. After cautioning him to keep it a secret, she had Ziyi take him away, leaving only the tear-streaked and troubled Qiuhe standing before her.

"Tell me," Yan Ziyu said, her eyes cold as she reached out to wipe the tears from Qiuhe's face, "what exactly happened?"