Chapter 21: A Deathbed Rally to Torment Her?
Looking back now, Li Qinghe must have thought her a complete fool back then.
Li Qingheâs hand, still covering her face, froze in mid-air. She couldn’t lower it, nor could she keep it there. Finally, when she thought Li Xuanyue wasn’t looking, she let it fall.
Her heart burned with humiliation.
What on earth was wrong with Li Xuanyue today? Why did she keep tearing her down, humiliating her time and time again?
Was she really dying? Was this a final burst of energy, a deathbed rally just to torment her?
Li Qinghe was so furious that her nails dug into her palms, drawing blood.
“Since you’ve prepared gifts for my consorts, you can’t be stingy with me, your older sister, who is gravely ill,” Li Xuanyue said faintly.
To demand things with such righteous audacityâperhaps only she was capable of it.
And yet, Li Qinghe, who had been on the losing end of the exchange, could find no reason to counter. She could only submit.
“I hear you have countless rare treasures. Given the relationship between us, ten or eight pieces wouldn’t be too many for me. Just send whatever you see fit.”
Anyone who didn’t know better would have thought the “rare treasures” Li Xuanyue spoke of were common cabbages, to be given away so casually.
These were items difficult to find in the world, yet from Li Xuanyue’s mouth, they sounded worthless.
Li Qinghe’s face was a mask of utter humiliation.
“Sister, I only have three or four rare treasures in total. They can’t compare to your palace, where such things are everywhere,” she said through gritted teeth.
Telling her to send ten or eight piecesâwhy didn’t she just go and rob her?
Li Qinghe was about to go mad from Li Xuanyue’s shameless demand.
Li Xuanyue, however, acted as if she couldn’t understand the hidden meaning in Li Qinghe’s words, putting on a troubled expression.
“Is that so? Well then, just send however many you have.”
She adopted a look that said, I’m being very generous and easy-going; I won’t hold it against you. “In any case, it’s a token of your sincerity. Your sister won’t be angry with you.”
Li Qinghe nearly coughed up blood from anger at Li Xuanyue’s words. If Ruyue hadn’t been there to support her, she might have collapsed to the ground in a fit of rage.
Li Xuanyue acted as if she hadn’t seen her humiliated expression. After all, a large portion of the items in Li Qinghe’s palace were things she had given her in the first place. Now that she no longer wanted to associate with her, it was only natural to take them back.
She had no desire for Li Qinghe to continue using her gifts to put on a front, giving them to others and disgusting her in the process.
That would only serve as a constant reminder of how foolish she had been in her past life.
“Xiao Han, I’ll leave this matter to you.”
Seeing Li Xuanyue’s serious demeanor, a jolt of alarm shot through Li Qinghe’s heart.
“Sister!”
She wanted to say more, but Li Xuanyue gave her no opportunity, cutting her off directly.
“Say no more, Qinghe. I know the bond between us is deep. Since you can’t produce ten or eight rare treasures, you will surely make up for it with other things. Your kind intentions are very comforting to me.”
“Rest assured, in a year, on the day the new Beast Sovereign is chosen, I will be sure to recommend you to the Empress Mother.”
The corner of Li Qinghe’s mouth twitched violently. Did she want Li Xuanyue’s recommendation?
She didn’t need it at all.
In her eyes, whether Li Xuanyue lived for another half a year or not was irrelevant. When the time came, the matter of choosing the new sovereign would naturally fall to her.
Who needed her misplaced kindness?
But she couldn’t say these words to Li Xuanyue’s face.
Helpless, she could only grit her teeth and swallow this bitter pill.
Although the verbal battle ended with Li Qinghe’s defeat, it allowed Zhong He and the others to witness Li Xuanyue’s sharp and stern side.
Before her, Li Qinghe had no room to even retort. Instead, she had been completely outmaneuvered by Li Xuanyue.
It was truly an eye-opening experience.
“Please, be seated. Don’t just stand there.”
In order to dominate Li Qinghe with her presence, Li Xuanyue hadn’t had a chance to attend to Zhong He and the others. Now that Li Qinghe had left, there was naturally no reason to continue ignoring them.
“Thank you, Princess!”
Zhong He had not forgotten the proper etiquette. After bowing, he took a seat to the side.
“I just received a message from the Empress Mother. She said that the families of the five consorts will arrive in the Phoenix Clan the day after tomorrow to visit you.”
Li Xuanyue picked up the tea on the table, took a sip, and spoke in a light tone. “I suppose… they are afraid I haven’t been treating you well.”
The previous incidents were clear for all to see. It was no wonder they were worried. If it were her, marrying her own son to a woman with a notorious reputation, she would probably be even more worried than they were.
Zhong He frowned but said nothing.
“When the time comes, I may need you to help me put on a show.”
A strange look crossed Zhong Heâs face as he looked at Li Xuanyue.
She was the grand princess of the Phoenix Clan. There would be countless people willing to act for her. Why would she come to them?
Wasn’t it a bit redundant?
Although Zhong He didn’t say this aloud, Li Xuanyue could easily read the expression on his face.
“Although I am the princess of the Phoenix Clan, there are few people around me whom I can trust.”
Li Xuanyue was showing her vulnerable side to Zhong He.
Only by doing so could she quickly gain his trust.
This was the most reliable method she could think of at the moment.
A flicker of surprise crossed Zhong Heâs eyes.
“From what just happened, you should be able to see that my situation in the Phoenix Clan is not as the rumors claim, where I get whatever I wish for.”
Li Xuanyue dismissed everyone else. “Everything is merely the deliberate work of someone with ulterior motives.”
And as for who this “someone” was, Zhong He had a fairly good idea.
His eyes darkened slightly.
What he hadn’t expected was for Li Xuanyue to reveal her most vulnerable side to him.
Previously, rumors had circulated that she was tyrannical, unreasonable, cruel, and enjoyed abusing her consorts and attendants to vent her anger.
But in the three months since Zhong He had married into the Phoenix Clan, apart from their wedding night when he and the other consorts had put on a show for the princess, they had had no further interaction. There was certainly no talk of the princess abusing her consorts.
From this, it was clear that most of the rumors were false.
It was also possible that someone was deliberately spreading them to ruin the princess’s reputation.
“Then… what does the princess need this subject to do?”
He hesitated for a few seconds before finally speaking.
Zhong He was not one to help for free. He had his own considerations in agreeing.
He currently had no position in the Crane Clan, but his mother couldn’t suffer on the outside forever. He had to find a suitable time and reason to place her in a safe and reliable location.
And this place had to be personally arranged for him by Li Xuanyue in private.
That way, even if his father came looking for trouble, he would have no reason to find fault with him.
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