24
Yu Shu could tell that Xiao Jingyao was waiting for her on purpose.
To be honest, she didn’t really want to see him. The previous encounters had been accidental, but this time was different—he had deliberately waited here. That alone made her wary; she had a nagging feeling he was up to no good.
But now that they had run into each other, turning around and walking away would only make her look guilty—and that would definitely raise Xiao Jingyao’s suspicions.
Besides, whether she could even walk away was another issue altogether. It was impossible that Xiao Jingyao wasn’t accompanied. Wei Zhuo wouldn’t be far from him, and other hidden guards were surely stationed nearby. With them around, leaving wouldn’t be easy.
Yu Shu quickly assessed the situation. Confronting Xiao Jingyao head-on was clearly unwise—an egg couldn’t win against a rock. She’d only suffer greater losses that way. It was better to stay and see what he wanted.
“Qingli, go on ahead and wait for me. I’ll just have a quick word with him and catch up with you,” Yu Shu said. She had no idea what Xiao Jingyao intended to say, but Qingli’s presence wouldn’t be appropriate. The less she knew, the better.
“Ninth Princess…”
“Go.”
Qingli looked uneasy, but Yu Shu patted her shoulder reassuringly, signaling that she’d be fine and telling her to wait up ahead.
“Ninth Princess, be careful. If anything happens, just call out for me,” Qingli said, casting a wary glance at Xiao Jingyao. Still clearly uneasy, she gave Yu Shu another warning before reluctantly walking away, turning back every few steps to look at them.
Yu Shu watched as Qingli left. The girl chose a spot far enough away that she wouldn’t overhear their conversation, but close enough to keep them in sight. If anything went wrong, she could rush over in an instant.
This girl… she’s really cautious.
Yu Shu shook her head with a soft smile.
“Your maid is quite loyal,” Xiao Jingyao remarked, glancing at Qingli, who was still nervously glancing their way. Her concern was written all over her face—he could easily guess what she was thinking even from a distance.
“What a pity…”
Yu Shu’s smile faded as she turned to look at him, only to see the faint curve of his lips.
“At this distance,” he said slowly, “if I really wanted to do something to you, even if she flew over right away… it would already be too late.”
“Don’t you think so, Ninth Princess of Xijiang?” Xiao Jingyao’s eyes locked on hers, his expression half-amused, half-threatening.
Yu Shu’s heart tightened, her brows drawing together as she fixed Xiao Jingyao with a sharp glare. It was the same face she’d known for years—yet now, just looking at him made her furious.
Yes, barely a quarter of an hour ago, he had sent Wei Zhuo to help her out of a tight spot. But now? All she wanted was to punch him. If their strength weren’t so vastly unequal, if acting on that impulse wouldn’t bring serious consequences, she truly would’ve rushed forward and kicked him a few times—just to vent her anger.
Time slipped by slowly as they stared each other down.
Yu Shu had known Xiao Jingyao for years. She understood his temperament well enough. Curling her lips into a faint, mocking smile, she said, “You don’t need to try scaring me. The fact that you’d say something like that already means you wouldn’t actually do it. Am I wrong?”
In just a short moment, she threw his own words right back at him. After all, they had once been close—intimately so. She knew him well enough to handle a jab or two, and trading barbs with him wasn’t exactly new.
Besides, Xiao Jingyao was an emperor now. If he truly intended to act, he wouldn’t need to say a word—he’d simply do it. Speaking of it would only mean he had no such intentions.
More importantly, this was the residence of Princess Changping, and today was her birthday banquet. Xiao Jingyao had just sent someone to help Yu Shu; for him to immediately turn around and cause her trouble would be entirely out of character.
And if she were to make a scene—one loud enough for everyone to hear and see—it would quickly escalate into a public spectacle. No smart person would let that happen.
And Xiao Jingyao was nothing if not smart.
Yu Shu was betting on it.
And she won the bet.
Xiao Jingyao, as it turned out, had no real intention of making things difficult for her. That comment earlier had merely been a test. He hadn’t expected her to react like a bristling cat, every hair standing on end, ready to pounce at any moment.
It was… rather amusing.
But was this amusing behavior genuine, or just a clever act? Day after day, she kept finding ways to get close to him—who was behind her, pulling the strings?
Xiao Jingyao studied Yu Shu carefully. A purple veil concealed most of her face, hiding her true appearance. Only her eyes were visible—dark and round like grapes, lined with soft pink at the corners, their tails tilted upward just slightly, giving her a seductive, foxlike charm. Her gaze flitted back and forth, lively and quick, always scheming something.
“I saw you push Yang Jinhui into the water just now. This is the Princess Changping’s residence—you’re not afraid of bringing trouble down on yourself?”
He was genuinely curious: when she fought back against Yang Jinhui, had she known he was watching from the lakeside pavilion? Was that why she had acted so boldly—to catch his attention?
Anyone else, even if they sensed Yang Jinhui’s intentions and had the means to retaliate, would likely have held back. Considering today’s occasion and Yang Jinhui’s status, they’d have chosen to smooth things over rather than escalate. No one else would have caused such a scene.
Yu Shu hadn’t expected Xiao Jingyao to wait here this long just to ask her that. She couldn’t quite figure out what he was getting at. After all, he had been standing right there in the pavilion when she retaliated—surely he’d seen everything clearly?
No, that couldn’t be the issue. He wasn’t questioning what he saw—he was suspicious of something else entirely.
What could he possibly be suspicious of? That she had ulterior motives? That she did it on purpose?
Whatever it was, Yu Shu thought Xiao Jingyao was being ridiculous. Ever since becoming emperor, he’d grown increasingly paranoid—just like her late father. Always thinking everyone around him was hiding something, that no one’s intentions were pure.
“What exactly are you implying?” Yu Shu shot back, narrowing her eyes.
Xiao Jingyao froze for a moment. Something about her tone and expression struck a familiar chord. Someone else had once looked at him like that—narrowed eyes, demanding an explanation after hearing something she didn’t like.
But he quickly pushed the thought away. That person was gone. And this girl… she was just a poor imitation.
“You’ve got quite the nerve,” he scoffed coldly.
Yu Shu raised an eyebrow. “Of course I do. Hasn’t anyone told you? I’ve always been bold.”
I’ve always been bold!
Xiao Jingyao’s temples throbbed as a voice echoed in his mind. A vision flickered before his eyes—a woman in a flowing red dress, whip in hand, grinning with smug defiance.
“Hasn’t anyone told you? I’ve always been bold. Don’t even think about stopping me!”
“You—” Xiao Jingyao’s brows furrowed deeply, his dark eyes fixed on Yu Shu. Suddenly, he stepped forward and reached out, as if to grab her.
Caught off guard by the abrupt movement, Yu Shu flinched. Thankfully, her reflexes were quick, and she instinctively stepped back—but not quick enough. Xiao Jingyao’s hand shot out and clamped down hard on her shoulder.
“Ah—what are you doing? Let go!” she cried out, wincing from the pain.
The strain in her voice made it clear just how much it hurt.
But Xiao Jingyao showed no sign of easing his grip. His hand remained firmly locked around her shoulder, his fingers like an iron vice. Yu Shu’s brows knitted in pain, but he didn’t loosen his hold in the slightest.
“What exactly do you want? Let me go!” Yu Shu struggled, but it was useless. Xiao Jingyao was like a fierce eagle, and she a helpless chick caught in his claws—completely overpowered.
“Who are you, really?” he demanded coldly, his voice sharp, though the hand at his side trembled ever so slightly.
“You don’t know who I am?” Yu Shu snapped through clenched teeth, pain and fury flashing in her eyes. “I’m the Ninth Princess of Xijiang! Let go of me right now, or you’ll regret it!”
Xiao Jingyao’s dark eyes bore into her, unwavering. Slowly, he raised his other hand, reaching toward the veil that concealed her face.
Yu Shu realized what he intended and panicked. She jerked up her free arm to shield her face, clutching the veil tightly and refusing to let it slip—not giving him even the slightest chance to tear it away.
“I’m warning you—don’t you dare! In Xijiang, there’s a rule: any man who removes a maiden’s veil must marry her. I’m a diplomatic bride, promised to the Emperor of Daxia. Are you trying to steal his woman? Or are you declaring war on Xijiang?”
**