The moment Xiang Yun appeared, Xiang Zhile couldn’t help but recall the night Yan Junnuo died.
That cold sneer remained like chili powder smeared across her eyes, stinging so painfully that tears welled up involuntarily.
In her previous life, she had genuinely admired Xiang Yun from the bottom of her heart.
Being twins, even though he had been raised by Su Shi since childhood, she always believed he would protect her.
Therefore, no matter what happened, no matter how much he favored Xiang Tiange, she would comfort herself thinking that Xiang Tiange was their younger sister, and it was only right for an older brother to dote on his sister.
Until…
Xiang Tiange went crying to him, accusing her of seducing Yan Beimo.
To vent Xiang Tiange’s anger, he personally forced her to drink a bowl of Childlessness Soup, sealed her martial arts, and threw her into Goulanyuan.
There they stood—Xiang Yun, Xiang Tiange, and Yan Beimo—coldly watching as she was violated by a group of foul-smelling, sore-covered beggars in Goulanyuan, reduced to a state neither human nor ghost.
She pleaded desperately, but Xiang Tiange merely buried herself in Yan Beimo’s arms and said she was scared.
He decided her screams were polluting Xiang Tiange’s ears and directly struck her Speechless Blood Point.
If Yan Junnuo hadn’t rushed back post-haste from the border, those three days and nights of nightmare might only have ended with her death.
Yet, at that time, she remained obstinately deluded, thinking Xiang Yun had merely been momentarily bewitched.
When he came to the Regent Manor to apologize, she, nearly recovered, forgave him without hesitation and once again fell for his deceit.
He claimed Yan Junnuo, still unwell, had returned to the frontier to atone for his mistakes and encountered trouble there.
Burdened with guilt toward Yan Junnuo, she followed Xiang Yun to the border without a second thought, infiltrating the enemy camp alone, planning to coordinate from within to help Yan Junnuo redeem himself for the massacre at Goulanyuan.
It was that very incident that cost Yan Junnuo his life.
“Apologize to Father, and I can pretend nothing happened.”
Xiang Yun’s soft yet sinister voice snapped Xiang Zhile back to reality.
“Apologize?” Xiang Zhile let out a cold laugh, her gaze toward him as detached as if he were a stranger.
“Brother, let me ask you: if it were Xiang Tiange returning home today, would you shut the Central Gate and make her wait outside, refusing her entry?”
Without a moment’s thought, Xiang Yun retorted, “What nonsense are you talking? How could Tiange be made to wait outside?”
Suppressing her rising anger, Xiang Zhile smiled faintly. “She can’t, but I can?”
Xiang Yun stated as if it were obvious, “Naturally. Tiange is still young and shouldn’t suffer. You’re different…”
Before he could finish, the surrounding officials began to murmur among themselves.
“I always thought Minister Xiang was a fair man, but hearing his son’s words today, I realize how biased one’s heart can be.”
“Exactly, what does he mean by ‘Tiange is still young and shouldn’t suffer’? Such petty behavior—I wonder who taught him that?”
Nearby, Steward Li frowned deeply, his eyes filled with increased sympathy and confusion as he looked at Xiang Zhile.
Xiang Zhile laughed.
She laughed so hard she clutched her stomach, tears streaming down her face.
“I’m different, yes, indeed different. Xiang Tiange is my younger sister by a year, while I am your twin from the same mother. In theory, you should be on my side.”
“But in reality, you and Xiang Tiange are more like true siblings.”
“Sometimes I really wonder, are we even twins? Otherwise, why is there not even a hint of telepathy between us? When you favor Xiang Tiange, don’t you feel the slightest bit of sorrow?”
Feeling humiliated by Xiang Zhile’s words, Xiang Yun instinctively raised his hand to slap her.
Seeing this, Qiu Si immediately stepped forward to intercept his hand, but Xiang Zhile was faster. Before anyone could see what she did, Xiang Yun was immobilized as if his acupuncture points had been struck, his wrist firmly grasped by her.
“Xiang Zhile, have you had enough?” Xiang Yun, flushed with anger, tried to pull his hand back, but Xiang Zhile’s grip was unexpectedly strong. “If you keep this up, don’t blame me for not holding back as your elder brother.”
“It’s not that I can’t defeat you. I just held back before because I was afraid you’d feel inferior.”
With a cool smile, Xiang Zhile released his hand and gave him a forceful shove, causing Xiang Yun to stumble back several steps.
As Xiang Zhile let go, Xiang Yun immediately felt a dull pain in his wrist, and his gaze toward her held a hint of surprise.
When did this fool become so strong?
Xiang Zhile, still frowning, asked Qiu Si for a handkerchief to wipe her hands.
“Qiu Si, prepare a bath for me as soon as we return. It’s filthy.”
Seeing Xiang Zhile’s “rudeness,” Xiang Xi could no longer remain seated. He put on a stern, fatherly expression. “Xiang Zhile, how dare you show such disrespect to your elder brother? What kind of behavior is this?”
Xiang Zhile glanced at the officials around them who were beginning to sneak away one by one. Her bright fox eyes narrowed sharply, and she smiled cheerfully. “Father, I’m helping you teach your son. No need to thank me.”