Chapter 19

Yaoying went dumb for a moment.

After leaving Pingkang Square, Xie Qing calmly told her that the young man who climbed out of the window in distress was the Zheng family’s third son.

Yaoying didn’t remember Zheng Jing’s face and didn’t recognize him at that time. She only thought he was a scholar on his first visit to this place of fireworks who heard the noisy people outside the wine shop and thought they were officials who came to make trouble, so he tried to escape by jumping out of the window in embarrassment and happened to fall right in front of her.

Thinking back to the Zheng Jing at that time covered in dirt looking ashamed and unable to show his face, Yaoying could not help but smile.

Who would have thought that the shy and mediocre Zheng Jing would have a meteoric rise later on, becoming a powerful Prime Minister with courage bold enough to take a tablet board and smack the child emperor in the mouth?

She leaned back a little, laughing and shaking, making the room’s candlelight seem to instantly brighten up a few points.

Li Zhongqian immediately frowned in alertness, “What are you laughing at?”

Yaoying waved her hand, her tone perfunctory: “Nothing.”

Li Zhongqian’s long and narrow phoenix eyes faintly raised, suddenly stepping forward and grabbing her shoulders, interrogating her, “Little seventh, have you seen Zheng Jing? What did he say to you? What the hell are you laughing at?”

Yaoying smiled but did not say anything, her cheeks slightly flushed.

She didn’t dare to tell him about bumping into Zheng Jing during a visit to the brothels, otherwise what would she do if he hammered Zheng Jing to death in a fit of rage?

Li Zhongqian’s face was gloomy, thinking of a possibility, the undercurrents in his eyes surging turbulently.

”Do you like Zheng Jing?”

Seeing her like this, could it be that she and Zheng Jing had a love affair?

Yaoying was stunned and hastily explained, “I’ve only seen him a few times….”

Li Zhongqian’s voice was cold: “So, you really have seen him? How many times have you seen him? What did Zheng san1 say to you?”

Yaoying couldn’t help but give him a blank look. She put away her smile and pushed him away: “I’ve seen him a few times, but I’ve never talked to him.”

He had already taken the initiative to settle the marriage, why did he care about this?

She hadn’t even lost her temper yet, why was he mad?

Li Zhongqian was silent for a long time, knowing that he had overreacted, and unhappily released his hand.

He sighed and reached out to help Yaoying tidy up the shawl that had slipped off her shoulder, moving carefully and with a fawning touch.

Yaoying hmphed lightly with a stern face and pulled the shawl away from him.

Li Zhongqian smiled bitterly, holding the shawl tightly, his voice heavy: “Little seventh, remember, don’t be like aniang….”

Don’t impulsively invest your entire heart for the momentary flutter of youth, like a moth to a flame, only to have all your hopes and efforts rendered futile.

Even if you like a person, you have to protect yourself. Be a little selfish, a little cold.

Do not foolishly fall headfirst into it.

Yaoying was stunned.

Li Zhongqian smiled and did not continue.

In fact, he did not need to be so nervous. Little seventh had never been like Noble Consort Xie.

But he still couldn’t help but worry.

Yaoying sighed and gently held Li Zhongqian’s stiffened hand.

”Elder brother, don’t worry.”

She suddenly understood why Li Zhongqian had been unwilling to take a wife.

He seemed boorish and rough, but he was actually sensitive at heart.

When he was born, Li De and Noble Consort Xie were at their most loving. He witnessed the strife between Tang shi and Noble Consort Xie, witnessed Noble Consort Xie sober up from her fantasy, disappointed until her heart finally turned to ashes, witnessed the Xie family go from its peak to its destruction.

After experiencing so much, he did not care about anything anymore.

……

The two siblings had a small disagreement. Li Zhongqian knew he was in the wrong and promised Yaoying not to mention the Zheng family’s affairs.

Yaoying was relieved.

Since the time she knew she was Li Xuanzhen’s sister, she had observed carefully and found that some things were the same as what she knew: Tang shi died before she was born, Li De posthumously named Tang shi empress after he ascended the throne, none of the Li family princesses had a title, only Zhu Luyun had been titled Fukang, and Li Xuanzhen and Zhu Luyun were really hopelessly entangled.

But there were some things that were different: for example, Li De was crowned emperor two years earlier than in his previous life, and he already had three more sons and two daughters in this life than in his previous life…..

Yaoying herself was also a variable.

Now, she just wanted to find out the entanglement between Tang shi and Noble Consort Xie. She didn’t want the issues stemming from her transmigration to involve unrelated people.

……

Eastern Palace.

Li Xuanzhen did not sleep all night. After returning to the Eastern Palace, the attendant reported that the Crown Princess Zheng Biyu had waited until midnight last night.

He rubbed his brow, knowing that Zheng Biyu must have prepared a bellyfull of words of admonishment. Not wanting to go over to listen to his wife’s lecture, he turned around and went to the study.

Wei Ming organized the information from this period into a memorandum and asked Li Xuanzhen to read it.

Li Xuanzhen glanced quickly over, and halfway through, he frowned: “What’s the matter with Du Sinan?”

Du Sinan was a rare talent. He had instructed the Eastern Palace ministers, having them find ways to recruit Du Sinan. It had been several months, how come there was no news?

Wei Ming replied expressionlessly, “Your Highness, word in the capital is that Du Sinan had already casted himself under the Second Prince.”

Li Xuanzhen smiled: “Du Sinan would not cast himself under Li Zhongqian. Send someone to invite him again….”

He pondered for a moment.

”No, don’t send anyone. I will personally invite him as a sign of solemnity.”

Wei Ming’s eyebrows jumped and his face showed difficulty: “Your Highness, Du Sinan may not have cast himself under the Second Prince…. but there is another rumor in the capital…. related to the Seventh Princess.”

Li Xuanzhen did not speak.

Wei Ming looked at him and continued, “Word has it that the Seventh Princess admires Du Sinan’s talent and pays him a visit every now and then. Du Sinan was flattered and had fallen under the Seventh Princess’s pomegranate skirt.”

Li Xuanzhen slowly raised his eyes, his phoenix eyes slender, with empty eyes.

Wei Ming said, “Your Highness, if Du Sinan is really a minister under the Seventh Princess’s skirt, he is bound to be a big trouble to us. He cannot be kept.”

Li Xuanzhen asked indifferently, “Is the information true?”

Wei Ming nodded his head.

Li Xuanzhen didn’t say anything and lowered his head to continue reading the documents.

Wei Ming was not in a hurry. He bowed and retreated outside the screen.

A few moments later, he saw Li Xuanzhen summon a secret guard.

A plain command came out of the quiet study: “Kill.”

A simple word, harsh and cold.

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Chapter Title Explanation: The title is a phrase (of sorts) for men in power who fall so deeply for a woman that the woman controls them aka ‘under their skirt’. 

Ramblings: Every chapter, I want to comment so bad but I know everything I say will be so spoilery so I have to restrain myself. However, I’m happy to add that the novel picks up from this point on. Also, please consider dropping a review or adding to your reading list on NU, it helps to get the novel out there!

1 san: three/third in Chinese. In this case, short for sanlang.