“Want some, Senior Sister?”
Before Fu Yu could gather her thoughts, she heard the excited voice of the maid beside her: “Your Highness, shall we begin digging?”
Fu Yu kept her gaze fixed on Qing Yao: “Dig for what?”
The maid replied, “For the live burial, of course.”
Fu Yu turned to the maid in horror. What was this about? What kind of deep-seated grudge did this princess hold against Qing Yao?
“Dig… dig…” Fu Yu wanted to say “dig my foot,” but she was so agitated that her lips trembled uncontrollably.
The maid grew even more excited: “What are you all waiting for? Her Highness said ‘dig’!”
The guards responded in unison: “Yes!”
Then, with synchronized movements, they picked up their shovels and began tossing soil into the pit.
The princess had many guards, and with each of them shoveling just once, Qing Yao was immediately covered in dust and grime.
Fu Yu was terrified, her pure and pristine senior sister! “Quick, quick, quick…” Stop it!
The maid interpreted: “Her Highness says to hurry up. Why are you dawdling?”
The guards sped up their work, layering soil into the pit like a blanket.
Fu Yu cried out, “Stop, stop, stop…” Stop this!
The maid glanced at her princess, who seemed so excited about finally getting her revenge that she was stuttering, and instantly understood her intention. She instructed the guards, “Make sure the soil is spread evenly.” The princess usually enjoyed planting peonies and would personally handle the soil preparation. She was very particular about whether the soil was evenly distributed when planting flowers, so it made sense that she would be just as meticulous when burying someone.
The guards shoveled with even greater vigor.
Fu Yu felt suffocated. That was her senior sister! Her senior sister! In her panic, she leaped into the pit with a thud.
Once inside, Fu Yu grabbed Qing Yao’s arm: “Senior Sister, are you alright?”
Qing Yao lifted her cool, clear eyes and looked at her, a flicker of confusion passing through them. She pulled her arm away and took a step back.
Everyone above the pit was stunned. The guards halted their shoveling in shock, and the maid screamed in terror, “The princess has fallen in! Hurry and pull her out!”
Then, the guards jumped into the pit one after another, like dumplings dropping into boiling water, trying to lift the princess out together.
But the princess pointed at Qing Yao and shouted, “Get her out first! Her first!”
The guards exchanged puzzled glances but complied.
Once both women were rescued from the pit, the maid hurriedly brushed the soil off the princess, while the princess, in turn, rushed to brush the soil off Qing Yao.
The three women stood in a row, dusting themselves off, leaving the circle of guards utterly bewildered.
How strange. Had the princess been possessed? Why was she suddenly treating Qing Yao like this? Or had she thought of another way to torment her?
The latter seemed more plausible.
After finishing her dusting, the maid saw her own princess brushing soil off Qing Yao and thought she must be hallucinating. This was truly a sight she never expected to see. No, it couldn’t be, the princess must be hitting Qing Yao. “Your Highness, you’re hitting her too lightly. Should we fetch a sword to cut her instead?”
Fu Yu stopped and turned to look at the maid. Only then did she remember that she was now some random princess, living under someone else’s identity. Every move she made must seem utterly bizarre to them.
Until she figured things out, she needed to maintain the princess’s persona and act accordingly when the time was right.
She cleared her throat lightly. “Let’s go back. I don’t feel like playing anymore.”
With that, she assumed the princess’s dignified posture and strode forward. The maid quickly followed, instructing the guards behind her, “Tie Qing Yao up and bring her back with us.”
Fu Yu stepped into the carriage and saw Qing Yao about to be led away with her hands bound like a lamb. She had never seen her senior sister in such a wretched state, covered in dust and grime, her white robes turned gray, tied up and utterly disheveled. Yet, no matter how dire her circumstances, Qing Yao’s demeanor remained aloof and solitary, like a plum blossom beneath a layer of cold snow.
Unable to bear seeing her senior sister suffer, Fu Yu turned to Qing Yao just as she entered the carriage and said, “You come up too.”
The maid immediately understood, the princess intended to carry out the torment herself. She quickly pushed Qing Yao into the carriage.
The curtain fell, and the carriage began to move.
They sat on opposite sides of the compartment. Fu Yu watched Qing Yao, while Qing Yao gazed coldly at the carriage door curtain, her eyes distant and icy.
Fu Yu called out inwardly: Xiao Mei, are you there?
Xiao Mei yawned: [What is it?]
Fu Yu asked curiously: Were you sleeping?
[Yes], Xiao Mei replied.
Fu Yu found it strange. How could Xiao Mei sleep? As a system, she only entered a dormant state when her host was resting. Sleep was a biological function, how did Xiao Mei have it?
[It’s odd], Xiao Mei said. [I keep feeling that the aura of this jade is making me drowsy.]
Fu Yu: …A smart system like you can get sleepy? Are you turning into a living being?
Xiao Mei didn’t argue and yawned again: [Why did you call me? To ask about the current situation?]
Fu Yu: Yes, I’ve entered a new scenario without knowing the plot. What’s going on?
Xiao Mei: [This is truly unexpected. I didn’t expect you to be sucked into the Fusheng Jade. The jade contains all of Qing Yao’s past. The time you’ve fallen into is 300 years ago in the mortal realm, back when Qing Yao hadn’t yet entered the cultivation world…]
Under Xiao Mei’s explanation, Fu Yu finally understood her current identity. She was Princess Zhao Hua of the Shang Kingdom, known for her eccentric personality, volatile temper, and disregard for human life. Not only was she a difficult princess, but she was also a sadistic one, with methods of torture more brutal than those of the imperial prison.
Meanwhile, Qing Yao was the daughter of a fourth-rank official, renowned for her stunning beauty and icy demeanor. She was the shared dream lover of both men and women in the capital of the Shang Kingdom.
Zhao Hua had been jealous of Qing Yao since childhood. As the princess, she should have been the most dazzling noble lady in the capital. Yet, wherever she went, the moment Qing Yao appeared, all other women’s radiance would be overshadowed. Qing Yao was like a full moon, on nights when she was present, the stars were destined to fade, including Zhao Hua.
Even Zhao Hua’s intended consort had fallen for Qing Yao, even risking execution to beg the emperor not to force the marriage.
Having been spoiled since childhood, Zhao Hua couldn’t endure such humiliation. So, she devised a plan to lure Qing Yao into a bamboo grove and capture her.
Zhao Hua’s subsequent actions grew even more extreme. Imprisonment and flogging weren’t enough to satisfy her. After Qing Yao’s mother passed away, Zhao Hua even had her coffin exhumed in front of Qing Yao and boiled the corpse on the spot.
That was the first time in Qing Yao’s life she felt the urge to kill.
So that’s how it was.
Now that Fu Yu understood the situation, she felt like giving up.
Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad to stay trapped in the Fusheng Jade as a princess. After all, she’d have fine food, luxurious clothes, and a noble status, surely better than being the youngest junior disciple of the Guiyu Sect.
She recalled the words of the jade’s spirit: Plant the seed of love in Qing Yao’s heart.
With such deep hatred, how could love possibly take root?
Suddenly, Fu Yu remembered something: I think I just called her ‘senior sister’ earlier. Did I give myself away?
Xiao Mei: [Zhao Hua and Qing Yao had both become disciples of the Recluse of Qingcheng to study martial arts, so they could be considered fellow disciples. Calling her “elder sister” wasn’t inappropriate.]
Fu Yu glanced at Qing Yao. It wasn’t yet the time for digging up graves and boiling corpses, so Qing Yao probably didn’t hate her that much yet. Perhaps if she started making changes now, there might still be hope to avoid the whole “seed-planting” incident.
She picked up the teapot from the small table, poured a cup, and pushed it toward Qing Yao. “Are you thirsty? Have some tea.”
Seeing that Qing Yao ignored her, she gave an awkward smile and pushed the cup closer. “No need to stand on ceremony. You must be parched after being in that pit for so long.”
Qing Yao glanced at her and said expressionlessly, “Princess, this is wine.”
Fu Yu choked back her words, thinking to herself: This princess is truly twisted, carrying wine with her everywhere and even storing it in a teapot.
Xiao Mei: [Qing Yao is allergic to wine.]
Oh dear…
Fu Yu forced an awkward laugh. “If you won’t drink, then have something to eat.”
There was a plate of walnut cakes on the small table, which Fu Yu pushed toward her.
Qing Yao looked at the walnut cakes, then at Fu Yu, but remained silent.
Xiao Mei: [These aren’t walnut cakes. These are Forgetfulness Cakes, eating them can arouse desire.]
Oh no…
Xiao Mei: [Before Zhao Hua came here, she had arranged to meet her prospective consort. It’s just a pity that the carefully prepared Forgetfulness Cakes never had a chance to be used.]
Fu Yu was so embarrassed she wanted to dig her fingers into something. She forced a calm smile. “Not eating? Then, elder sister, would you like to close your eyes and rest for a while?” As she spoke, she picked up a thin quilt placed beside the cushion and offered it. “Early spring is still chilly.”
Qing Yao looked at her again. The more amiable this princess appeared, the more vicious her tricks became. “Princess, it’s currently autumn.”
Autumn? Fu Yu looked out the window at the trees and grass.
Xiao Mei: [The Kingdom of Shang is located in the south, where most trees remain evergreen all year round.]
Oh…
Qing Yao found it strange. Why was this journey into the Fusheng Jade so different from previous experiences, especially this segment of “Past Resentment”? Most puzzling was this princess, who had once nearly driven her to commit murder, now acting so bizarrely.
She decided to wait and see what exactly the princess was planning.