Ask the Nine Ministers

Chapter 327 Lixiang Night Party
When Li Zhao sneaked into Pear Fragrance Courtyard late at night, Xue Sui was slowly and methodically poking at the charcoal fire in a small red clay stove with a slender fire poker.

The night wind carried a chilly edge, causing the flames on the stove to flicker uneasily.

Ginger tea simmered in a small, rough pottery pot, wisps of white steam rising from the spout, spreading through the cool, small room and blurring half of her profile.

"My secluded bamboo grove isn't enough for you to smash, what right does that good-for-nothing Li Yan have to do with it?"

A voice, tinged with laughter and carrying the crispness of night dew, broke the silence.

Xue Sui's hands, which were tending to the charcoal fire, did not stop...

As if she had already anticipated this uninvited guest, she didn't even raise her eyelids, and simply said, "Your Highness is quick to get information."

The window frames closed silently.

Li Zhaoqi's tall and upright figure stood in the room, his jade belt cinching his waist, his elegance undeniable.

He raised his hand to brush away a speck of dust from his shoulder, his gaze then landing precisely on Xue Sui's wrist, which was casually resting on his lap—

There, the scabs are still there, marks left by the blood oath at Baohua Palace.

Li Zhao walked straight to her and sat down opposite her, his posture relaxed, as if he were in his own study.

"How would you know if I didn't hurry? You've gotten yourself into trouble again?"

He bent his knuckles and picked up her cooled tea from the small table beside the red clay stove, his voice neither too loud nor too soft, as if they were having a casual chat.

"Tea brewed by Ping An himself is always the best."

Xue Sui looked up.

Seeing his half-open collar, the slight movement of his Adam's apple, and the almost imperceptible raising of his eyebrows, he remained silent.

After a while, Li Zhao put down his teacup, his tone somewhat mocking.

"The Empress Dowager, accompanied by the imperial physician, rushed to the Prince of Wei's residence in a great hurry. She heard that the Prince of Wei had been beaten so badly that his skin was torn and he was in a sorry state... When the Empress Dowager saw him, she wept bitterly, saying that she would grind the murderer who had hurt her heart and liver to dust..."

His gaze was fixed on Xue Sui's blinking eyelashes, and the corners of his lips curled up.

“My Master Miaozhen, how dare you!”

The earthenware pot let out a gurgling sound at just the right moment...

The lid was lifted and then fell back down, releasing the delicate aroma of ginger tea...

Even Xue Sui's voice sounded unusually calm, as if he were stating a trivial matter that had nothing to do with him.

"Your Highness is too kind. This humble nun merely taught a lesson to a despicable scoundrel who attempted to kidnap me, in order to protect myself. As for His Highness Prince Wei..."

She looked up, her gaze clear and open.

"In the pitch black, in the slums of the dark market, a place teeming with prostitutes and brothels, a masked thug claims to be the King of Wei. Your Highness, how credible do you think he is? And who could possibly believe him?"

Having said that, Xue Sui picked up the pottery pot.

The scalding hot tea poured from the spout into the rough earthenware teacup in front of Li Zhao. Steam rose from the teacup, and her slender hands kept the water flow steady without the slightest wobbling.

"After the incident, Xiao Zhao went to the Jingzhao Prefecture to report the case. Presumably, the constables of the prefecture are already investigating the scene and trying to find out who the perpetrator was who dared to commit a crime against Master Miaozhen of Shuiyue Nunnery, who was granted an imperial edict by His Majesty and prayed for the royal family."

Li Zhao's smile spread from the corners of his lips.

"Li Yan has no choice but to accept this loss, whether he likes it or not."

He leaned in again and looked at her.

"But this feud is now irreconcilable."

Xue Sui smiled.

He gently pushed the teacup towards Li Zhao.

"If I don't do it, won't he hate me? Last time it was like withered leaves in the snow, next time it's just a different trick. I don't worry about having too much debt, I don't feel itchy from having too many lice."

Li Zhao did not answer, his brows furrowed with a heavy expression.

Xue Sui raised his eyes, "Could it be that Your Highness came so late at night to interrogate me?"

Her voice was calm and even, like a cup of still ginger tea.

"What do you think?" Li Zhao chuckled softly, leaning forward and staring into her eyes.

The flickering lights cast shadows of light and shadow on his cool, aloof features.

The fabric brushed against the table, making a soft rustling sound, and a chilling aura, belonging to him and carrying the scent of plum blossoms after a snowfall, silently approached.

"I'm here to clean up your mess. How do you plan to repay me?"

Xue Sui smiled gently.

“Hasn’t Your Highness long wanted to put a hand on Prince Wei? Isn’t my action exactly what Your Highness wanted? It saves Your Highness the trouble of taking action and avoids offending your brother. I think Your Highness should repay me.”

"Okay," Li Zhao readily agreed.

"I am right here, eight feet tall and weighing over a hundred pounds. Take it if you want..."

So casual and reckless.

If anyone else saw this, who would believe that this was the Crown Prince?
Xue Sui subtly shifted her gaze and lightly touched the rim of her teacup.

Li Zhao stared at her earlobe, which was so close to his own. The delicate curve of her earlobe was almost transparent under the warm yellow light, like fine porcelain, making her look delicate and pitiful. Her cheeks also had a faint blush.

"Your complexion is better than before, and your hair..."

He suddenly slowed his speech and with a slight flick of his wrist, lifted her hood.

Xue Sui frowned slightly, his voice tinged with dissatisfaction.

"What are you doing?" "What's the rush? I don't mind, I'm just checking if your hair has grown long enough..."

Every word was gentle, like a compassionate whisper.

The air seemed to freeze for a moment.

Xue Sui met his unfathomable gaze.

Slowly, the corners of her lips turned up slightly.

"What's so interesting about a bald head? Is Your Highness tired of the beautiful women in the palace and looking for some simple and peaceful scenery?"

"What a silver tongue." Li Zhao leaned back, picked up the warm ginger tea with his slender fingers, took a sip, changed his tone, and concealed the teasing glint in his eyes.

"How do you intend to quell Empress Dowager Chengqing's anger?"

Xue Sui did not answer immediately.

She picked up the fire tongs again and stirred the fire.

The charcoal glowed a brighter red, casting a warm hue on her cheeks.

"Calm down what? An old woman fiercely protective of her child, and a spoiled, good-for-nothing prince. No matter how much they cry, they dare not make a scene in public. If the news gets out, it will be a disgrace to the royal family. His Majesty already dislikes Prince Wei; if he knew that he was harassing women in the slums of the ghost market, he would probably be even more disgusted..."

Li Zhao's eyes narrowed slightly, a faint smile flashing across his face.

Unexpectedly, Xue Sui suddenly raised his eyes and looked directly at him.

"Besides, isn't His Highness the Crown Prince here?"

Li Zhao was taken aback.

He gently touched her with his fingertips, a smile in his eyes.

"As you wished, before the Empress Dowager arrived at the Prince of Wei's residence, I had someone send a majestic rooster to the Prince of Wei. I also instructed him to rest well, replenish his strength, and not miss the wedding night."

Those words were all warnings.

If Li Yan wants to save face, he should know how to keep his mouth shut and avoid causing any more trouble that might alert the Empress Dowager.

Xue Sui did not expect him to be so straightforward.

He chuckled softly.

"Then the wedding ceremony at the Prince of Wei's residence will probably have to be postponed again...?"

"At this crucial moment, any further delay would only arouse suspicion. I suspect the bridal sedan chair will still be carried, but as for the wedding ceremony..."

Li Zhao paused, the curve of his lips becoming somewhat ambiguous and malicious.

"To cover up the scandal, the Prince of Wei's mansion might just have that rooster perform the wedding ceremony?"

Xue Sui paused slightly as he poked at the fire.

A rooster stands in for the groom during the wedding ceremony?
If things were to turn out this way, the Xue family would likely become the laughingstock of the entire capital.

She could almost picture Xue Yue'e's expression when she lifted her veil and saw a big red rooster, as well as Xue Qingzhi's ashen face.

"Your Highness is quite ruthless."

“How can anyone be as ruthless as Ping An?” Li Zhao stared intently at her. “Powdered insects? A sack over her head? He’s targeting her face and abdomen… He’s deliberately trying to ruin her chance to be the groom.”

Xue Sui lowered his eyes and fiddled with the fire tongs, his smile as indifferent as water.

Li Zhao stared intently at her.

Having known him for so long, he rarely saw a bright and cheerful smile on Xue Sui's face.

"Ping An, you should smile more. You look very beautiful when you smile."

The evaluation was given in a flat tone, making it impossible to tell whether it was praise or criticism.

Xue Sui pretended not to hear.

Seeing this, Li Zhao frowned slightly. "Why did the Empress Dowager summon you to the Jiaofang Palace?"

Xue Sui retorted, "Does Your Highness not know?"

Li Zhao knew that the Empress had summoned her to examine her pulse, but what the two of them discussed in the palace remained unknown to others.

"Did Mother make things difficult for you?"

"Your Highness is too kind. Her Majesty the Empress has been unwell and restless lately, and has summoned the nun to the palace..."

"Xue Ping'an," Li Zhao interrupted somewhat displeased, "I dislike hearing about the poor, and I dislike hearing about nuns. Why do you keep repeating this?"

Xue Sui: "..."

She stared at Li Zhao's serious expression and couldn't help but smile.

"Her Majesty the Empress summoned me to the palace merely to examine my pulse and ask about my condition, and to exchange a few words of conversation. There was nothing difficult about it..."

His tone was relaxed, yet there was a subtle, almost imperceptible, hesitation.

“A mother’s love for her son is profound. If Your Highness has any spare time, you might as well visit the Empress’s Palace more often, chat with her, and perhaps put on a cloak… When Her Majesty is at ease and happy, her health will naturally improve.”

Li Zhao raised an eyebrow slightly, a hint of admiration flashing in his eyes.

He liked to see her calm demeanor concealing a sharp edge, like a cold blade in its sheath, serene when drawn but sure to draw blood when unsheathed.

He possesses profound wisdom yet remains composed in his demeanor...

There will never be another woman in the world as insightful as her.

(End of this chapter)