She Holds the World After Being Reborn-Chapter 16: Using Oneself as Bait, a Vow for Retribution

Chapter 16: Chapter 16: Using Oneself as Bait, a Vow for Retribution

A cup of tea earlier.

The servant girls had all retreated to the side, leaving no one around. Lin Yanran stared at Yan Wanqing’s beautiful face, her gentle and graceful demeanor gradually fading away. She first chuckled scornfully, then sized up Yan Wanqing and said, "Princess, you haven’t stepped outside of your residence for several years, why did you decide to honor the Empress’s plum banquet this year? Or is it not the plum blossoms you’re here to enjoy, but something else?"

She had changed her clothes early today, intending to see the seventh Prince. To her surprise, the seventh Prince followed Yan Wanqing to the Bodhi Tree, chatting and laughing with her, which infuriated Lin Yanran so much that she went back and smashed a lot of things.

After much difficulty, the seventh Prince finally came to call her to the evening feast, but it was to ask her to accompany the young Princess from Qin State while he himself kept his eyes glued to Yan Wanqing, leaving her feeling deeply wronged.

Yan Wanqing glanced at Lin Yanran indifferently, no longer as gentle as before. Suddenly, a string snapped in her mind, and she blurted out, "None of your damn business."

"You!" Lin Yanran’s pretty face turned red with anger, "How can you curse at people, you are the Princess Anping!"

"What’s wrong with being Princess Anping? Do I not eat the five grains or not partake in the cycle of reincarnation?" Yan Wanqing did not indulge the spoiled daughter before her, scoffing, "I know you fancy the seventh Prince, but what can you do? He has no eyes for you."

"Besides, it’s not the first or second day I’ve cursed at someone. If you had asked Lord Lin about the affairs of the Princess in the past years, you wouldn’t have dared to act up in front of me today."

Yan Wanqing was certainly capable of swearing. In the years of fighting battles across the north and south, eating and sleeping exposed to the elements, and indulging in strong liquor and meat, she was more akin to a grassroots woman with a true temperament. She dared to kill people, let alone curse at them.

She had worn Luo skirts for several years, but she hadn’t forgotten the true temperament deep in her bones.

Elegance and grace were for outsiders to see; now she was tired and dropped the act.

"The seventh Prince only sees you as a good teacher, not someone he is fond of. You should have some self-respect!" Lin Yanran retorted with a cold sneer, "Even if he did fancy you, you would never be his legitimate wife. Your status may be noble, but Princess, don’t forget what men dislike the most. After spending so many years in the military camps, who knows if you’re still pure!"

Yan Wanqing’s eyes didn’t show the slightest ripple. In her past life, she had heard such slanders until her ears went numb, even rumors about her having multiple abortions. She used to get angry and feel wronged by such accusations, but now her heart was completely calm. The innocent are clear of guilt, and those who understand her need not say a word, while those who don’t understand her aren’t worth the effort.

"Miss Lin, did you see the maidservant who was with me just now?" Yan Wanqing’s eyes caught sight of Mo Shan, her lips curling into a mischievous smile.

Lin Yanran frowned, "What do you mean?"

"That’s the seventh Prince’s personal maidservant." Yan Wanqing leaned close to her, her breath as sweet as orchids, "Guess why she would follow me?"

"You—!" Lin Yanran, overcome with anger, pushed hard with both hands, and Yan Wanqing used the momentum to tumble directly into the cold stream.

She always took revenge for the smallest grievance and was willing to use herself as bait, even if it meant harming herself to kill a thousand enemies; this was something she had done often on the battlefield.

The process didn’t matter, winning was everything to her, and she relished it.

...

"I didn’t push her! She fell in by herself!" Lin Yanran defended herself against everyone’s stares, unable to come up with an explanation.

Yan Wanqing lay shivering in Mo Shan’s arms, her lips turning purple. She grabbed Mo Shan’s hand, exerted a little force, and said, "It has nothing to do with Miss Lin; I was careless."

Mo Shan was also drenched and cold but insisted on using her inner strength to warm Yan Wanqing.

She knew how important Yan Wanqing was to Xiao Hongshen, and she dared not be careless.

As people gradually gathered, Yan Wanqing was shivering intensely, her small face deathly pale. She forcefully pinched the base of her thumb to keep herself alert, then in front of everyone, she coughed up a mouthful of fresh blood.

Everyone: "!!!"

"The Princess is spitting blood!"

In the instant Yan Wanqing spat blood, Lin Yanran was completely overwhelmed.

Jealousy had made her lose her reason, and so she had pushed, just a push!

Just one push!

Who knew this woman was so frail that a mere push would send her into the creek.

Just soaked in some cold water, and she actually coughed up blood!

Is she made of paper? Lin Yanran simply couldn’t bear to think about it, feeling a chill spreading throughout her body. fгeewёbnoѵel.cσm

Yan Wanqing’s whole body was shaking as she stretched out her hand to press down on Mo Shan, "Don’t waste your inner strength... cough cough, I’ll be fine after a hot bath."

Mo Shan trembled slightly but did not heed Yan Wanqing’s words, continuing to channel his inner strength, his gaze towards Lin Yanran growing increasingly unfriendly.

Lin Yanran grew angry under that stare, "You, a mere servant, how dare you look at me like that! You wretch, do not look at me this way!" She removed her jewelry to throw at Yan Wanqing and Mo Shan.

A glint of murderous intent flashed in Mo Shan’s eyes, thinking how could this daughter of the Lin official be so foolish!

In the public eye, she behaved so outrageously, so unabashed!

Just as he was about to knock this foolish woman out with a pebble, there were surprised cries that the Crown Prince and the Seventh Prince had arrived, and Mo Shan quickly put on an obedient expression.

As for Yan Wanqing nestled in his arms, having perceived that fleeting murderous intent, the depth in her eyes became even more profound.

"What’s going on here!" Xiao Hongshen strode over and asked with a stern face.

Lin Yanran sobbed and whimpered, approaching with a face like rain-washed pear blossoms, "Your Highness, the Seventh Prince... I really don’t know what happened. The Commandery Princess just fell into the water, it really has nothing to do with me."

"Stop crying and tell me clearly what happened," Xiao Hongshen softened his tone.

Lin Yanran explained to him in a soft and delicate voice.

Yan Wanqing, shivering with cold, couldn’t help but roll her eyes inwardly. Xiao Hongshen was even less reliable than Mo Shan; at least Mo Shan tried to warm her with his inner strength, while Xiao Hongshen just stood there eagerly listening to Lin Yanran’s grievances. By the time she finished, Yan Wanqing expected to have fainted from the cold.

As she was thinking this, suddenly, a cloak warmed with body heat descended from above, enveloping her completely.

"I have come." The low, clear male voice sounded, pushing Mo Shan aside, and then Yan Wanqing was lifted into a warm and broad embrace.

It was actually the Crown Prince, Xiao Pingfeng!

In full view of everyone, he picked her up...

Yan Wanqing’s heart beat chaotically as the chill from the water and the breeze made her suddenly remember the night before when he pinched her waist and said in a frivolous tone, "Your waist is really slender."

Her face flushed like a spreading sunset.

Xiao Pingfeng noticed the pale face in his arms turning bright red and thought she had caught a chill, calling out with a deep voice, "Summon the Imperial Physician."

Carrying Yan Wanqing, he strode away, "I’ll leave this matter to you, Seventh Brother."

Xiao Hongshen watched as Yan Wanqing was carried off, his hand beneath the cloak clenched into a fist.

This should have been his opportunity!

While Lin Yanran was still crying, he frowned sternly, "Mo Shan, come here and tell us what exactly happened."

Mo Shan recounted the events honestly, and as he heard that Lin Yanran had pushed Yan Wanqing into the water, Xiao Hongshen’s gaze grew even darker.

"Is that so?"

Lin Yanran, terrified under his gaze, took two steps back, only to be struck to the ground by her father, who had hurried over from the crowd!

"Fiend! Utterly disgraceful!" Lin’s father scolded loudly.