In her previous life, Xu An had become one of the Emperor's fierce generals.
Qiao Xi had coordinated with him on multiple occasions and knew him to be a man who valued loyalty above all else.
Believing that Cao Ying had disguised herself as a eunuch and remained in the palace by sheer misfortune, and fearing that her identity would be exposed and she would be dealt with by the Emperor, Xu An swore to serve the Emperor with unwavering loyalty.
His sole purpose was that on the day the truth came to light, he could trade his military merits with the Emperor for the lives of Cao Ying and her daughter.
Qiao Xi had learned that Xu An was being deceived and used by Cao Ying and her daughter the night before the victory banquet. She had intended to find an opportunity to tell Xu An the truth.
But she had died first.
Qiao Xi let out a self-deprecating laugh and was the first to leap out the window.
She was certain Xu An would follow—he cared about his stepmother and stepsister, but even more so about the whereabouts of his biological sister.
Seeing that Qiao Xi's martial skills far surpassed his own, Xu An abandoned the thought of calling for help. After a moment's hesitation, he followed.
He had the self-awareness to know that even if he called for people, they wouldn't be able to catch her, and he might miss out on news of his sister.
Qiao Xi stopped at a dilapidated temple outside the city.
After her rebirth, while plotting her revenge, she had thought of Xu An.
In this life, she absolutely could not let Xu An become a pillar of support for the Emperor.
"How did she die?"
Xu An recognized that the corpse was indeed his stepsister who had gone missing years ago.
When his stepmother had been in the Xu family, she had treated him and his sister well, so he had come to regard them as family.
Moreover, his father had searched for his stepmother and her daughter until his dying breath. Over the years, while searching for his sister, he had never given up searching for his stepmother and stepsister either. The person he had searched for all these years was now a corpse. He demanded angrily, "Did you kill her?"
"Yes, I killed her."
Qiao Xi turned around. "If you knew what those mother and daughter did to your sister, you would kill her too."
She then pulled a portrait from her bosom and handed it to Xu An. "This is a portrait of the Empress."
The portrait bore a three-part resemblance to the portrait of Xu Ling'er.
Xu An was shocked. "What exactly is going on?"
"After the Empress passed away, the palace gained several women who bore a resemblance to her. These women did not enter the palace through normal selection—they were secretly abducted and brought in.
They would never be conferred titles, nor would they ever appear before others. Your sister was one such woman, abducted by Cao Ying to curry favor with the Emperor."
Qiao Xi lowered her voice. "Xu Ling'er bore a three-part resemblance to the Empress in appearance, but her voice was worlds apart. Her screams when she was forced angered the Emperor, so Cao Ying poisoned her voice and rendered her mute.
Though these women served as substitutes for the Empress, they received no pity from the Emperor. They were wantonly abused and tormented, and were never permitted to bear children.
When your sister became pregnant, it was Bixiang who personally struck her belly again and again until the child was lost, because she harbored a grudge against your sister for having once prevented them from entering the Xu family."
In her previous life, she had only known that Cao Ying and her daughter had harmed Xu An's sister. The matter of the Empress's substitutes was something she had only learned through secret investigation after her rebirth.
"She is dead now—you can say whatever you like."
Xu An's voice trembled.
In truth, he already half-believed her. Back then, when his father had wanted to marry his stepmother, his sister had indeed objected, because she felt the stepmother's origins were unclear.
His sister's voice had also been somewhat hoarse and deep—a lingering aftereffect of a cold she had once caught.
Qiao Xi crouched down and pulled a jade cicada from around Bixiang's neck. "Do you recognize this?"
Xu An's face turned pale. "My sister's jade cicada—how is it in Bixiang's possession?"
When Bixiang had left with her stepmother, the jade cicada had still been on his sister. Now that it appeared in Bixiang's possession, Xu An was seventy percent convinced of Qiao Xi's words.
But he still asked, "Aside from this, do you have any other evidence?"
"Yes. The Governor of Liangzhou and Ji Chuan, the Military Commissioner of Jiangnan—both of your superiors are people in the know."
Otherwise, how do you think Cao Ying and her daughter ended up in the imperial palace? Your father was the governor of Liangzhou back then—why couldn't he find his own wife in his own territory, and instead fell from his horse and died while searching for her?"
Qiao Xi sat down before the Buddha statue in the ruined temple and looked at Xu An. "You can go find the governor right now to verify whether what I've said is true.
Xu An, if after verifying you still want to save your sister, come find me here. I'll only wait for you for one hour."
Xu An felt as though thunder had exploded in his heart, but he didn't move. "What do you want to cooperate with me on?"
Qiao Xi didn't answer him, only took out an Incense Seal and lit it. "When this burns out, exactly one hour will have passed."
Xu An stamped his foot, activated his Qinggong, and ran off.
The governor's residence was in the center of the city. Even using Qinggong, a round trip would take half an hour, and he still had to infiltrate the residence to verify—there was no spare time to waste.
Qiao Xi's eyes were deep and dark.
Concern makes one rash. If Xu An could remain calm, he would understand that from the moment he went to verify with the governor, he already had no way back.
"Princess Consort?"
Lou Xin's voice sounded outside the door. "The brothers have already infiltrated the east and west gates of Liangzhou in batches. What should we do next?"
Qiao Xi glanced at the Incense Seal on the ground and pulled down her face covering. "Wait."
"Can we really take Liangzhou tonight?"
Lou Xin had fought many battles of varying sizes alongside Su Heting, but wanting to capture a city guarded by fifty thousand troops with only five thousand men—he found it somewhat absurd.
And somewhat child's play.
Especially since it was already past midnight, and dawn would break before long. Once it was light, the Liangzhou soldiers on the city walls would discover the brothers lying in ambush.
He wanted to ask a few more questions, but saw Qiao Xi lower her eyes.
Her expression was somewhat similar to the clay statue behind her—except the Bodhisattva's downcast eyes were compassionate, while he sensed a murderous aura from Qiao Xi.
Lou Xin quietly retreated back to the doorway.
When the Incense Seal burned out, Qiao Xi put her face covering back on. Xu An rushed in, trailing the smell of blood.
"Can you really help me save my sister?"
Qiao Xi stood up. "Yes."
"What do I need to do?"
Xu An's eyes were bloodshot.
He had verified it.
Everything was as Qiao Xi had said.
His stepmother hadn't disappeared back then—she had left willingly. She killed his father because she didn't want to be found by him.
The two superiors he had respected and trusted were both accomplices.
Qiao Xi glanced at the blood on him. "You've already done it. However, you still need to help me…"
After hearing Qiao Xi's words, Xu An was greatly alarmed. "You want to seize Liangzhou? Don't you know that's no different from rebellion—your entire family will be executed."
The Qiao family had only her left. What was there to fear?
Qiao Xi said nothing, quietly watching Xu An.
Xu An saw stubbornness in her eyes, but—"If I follow you in rebellion, won't that make my sister's situation even more difficult?"
"In fact, my people have already rescued your sister from the imperial palace. But her condition is poor, and getting her out of the capital is no easy task. For now, we can only arrange her in a hidden place in the capital, and wait for the storm to pass before figuring out how to bring her to Liangzhou."
After Xu Ling'er suffered a miscarriage, she had received no care or recovery, and developed gynecological ailments. Her health was poor, and coupled with her unyielding temperament, she was soon abandoned by the Emperor.
Cao Ying wouldn't care about a discarded pawn. Only Bixiang would be idle enough to go cause trouble for Xu Ling'er.
After Bixiang left the palace with her, it wasn't that difficult for Qiao Xi's people to rescue Xu Ling'er, whom no one paid any attention to.
Qiao Xi's words shocked and delighted Xu An, but he still hesitated.
Qiao Xi said, "You've already killed the governor of Liangzhou. You have no choice."
Xu An's body trembled, and he finally reacted. "You set me up."
The news Qiao Xi brought was too shocking, battering his brain. He hadn't been able to think much at all—he'd covered his face and kidnapped the prefect for interrogation.
When he learned the truth, fury and hatred surged together. On top of that, the prefect had recognized him, so he'd had no choice but to strike first and kill the man.
Now it seemed all of this had been within this woman's expectations.
Qiao Xi didn't deny it, but she also wouldn't take on blame that wasn't hers, earning Xu An's resentment for nothing.
"If I hadn't appeared today, and you learned your father and sister were murdered, would you seek revenge?"
Xu An knew in his heart: he would!
"If you knew your sister was suffering in the palace, would you save her?"
He would!
"If I hadn't told you the truth today, and one day Cao Ying and her daughter killed your sister, then appeared before you, deceiving you with past affection and asking for your help—would you have treated them with wholehearted devotion?"
He would! He would! He would!
By then, he'd be a fool deceived by his enemies. And worst of all, he wouldn't have been able to rescue his sister in time.
"So, Xu An—what are you still waiting for?"