After Being Mistakenly Taken for a Fellow Traveler by Emperor Long Aotian - Chapter 146

Chapter 146: The “Death” of Qingruo

 

Xie Zhengqing had not set foot in Luhua Pavilion for a long time, especially on a rainy day.

 

The sound of his wooden clogs clattered crisply and heavily against the floor. The corridor he walked down was long. At that moment, his heart was anxious, yet he also wished the path would never end.

 

At the corridor’s end, separated by a paper door, was where Qingruo was.

 

Outside the door stood men in black—subordinates of the Ziyi Envoy. They were the ones who had informed him of this matter.

 

They guarded the room, impenetrable, leaving no chance for any butterfly or blossom to escape through the cracks.

 

“Miss Qingruo is inside,” one of them rasped. “General Xie, you may enter.”

 

Xie Zhengqing swallowed hard. Listening to the sound of the rain outside, he murmured softly, “Alright.”

 

The men of the Ziyi Envoy said that Qingruo had not been mistreated. Her attitude was cooperative, overly so—perhaps because she knew escape was impossible. She confessed everything, leaving no detail untold.

 

Her hands were stained with too much filth. When she revealed everything, it marked the arrival of her death. Yet, in return for her contributions, the Ziyi Envoy promised her a swift end.

 

Today was the day of her execution.

 

Xie Zhengqing came to see her one last time.

 

She had words for him, and he had questions for her.

 

The paper door slid open, revealing the woman in her splendid dress. Sitting in the tea room, her back to Xie Zhengqing, she faced a mirror, carefully arranging her hair. Her posture was solemn, her adornment exquisite, as if this day was not her death but the day a celestial maiden descended to earth.

 

Xie Zhengqing silently sat down on the other side of the tea room.

 

“You’ve come,” he heard her say.

 

“I’m here.”

 

The woman continued to face away from him, combing her hair. Xie Zhengqing sat silently behind her, not uttering a word.

 

He felt he had so many questions, yet seeing her, he found himself unable to ask any of them. They were in the same tea room, yet they felt farther apart than when he used to watch her from the tea house.

 

“Has my sentence been passed?” It was the famed courtesan who broke the silence first. Still brushing her long hair, she said, “I heard they will give me a cup of poisoned wine. To be honest, I dislike poisoned wine. It makes one’s face contort hideously, not beautiful at all.”

 

Xie Zhengqing finally asked his question, his voice low: “Why?”

 

He wanted to ask so much more—how much she had stolen or deceived from him, why she had chosen him as her target, whether everything he had seen was real or fake.

 

But in the end, he only asked, “Why?”

 

“Because you, General, are too naïve. Your origins are too privileged.

 

“Someone like you, born into the finest family, was destined for greatness from the moment you took your first breath. Your life has been a path of flowers and success. From your birth, your entire clan paved the way for you. Your father was stern, your mother kind, and even the concubines treated you kindly as the young master.

 

“You attended the best academies, where teachers treated your achievements fairly. You wanted friends, and all your friends, knowing you were the future head of the Xie family, were genuine and kind to you.

 

“You disdained the petty and corrupt civil officials. You thought becoming a general was your greatest rebellion, your way of living for yourself. You believed you had gambled everything and fought hard to achieve your position. Yet, you didn’t see that in Yuzhou, the prefect was someone the Xie family had promoted. The moment you joined the military, you were a deputy general under a just and accommodating leader who valued your advice. And just like that, you ‘climbed’ your way up. Even the army you led was the only one not underfunded or poorly equipped.

 

“You led them to victory after victory.

 

“Thus, you could uphold justice. Whenever you reported a problem within the army, the Xie family and countless others solved it for you. You took all this ‘fairness’ for granted and believed your ‘hard work’ was repaid. But you didn’t know that for most people, fairness is a luxury.

 

“You’ve never known sibling rivalry, never experienced a teacher distorting right and wrong to please another student, never seen corruption within the military. You had the choice to become a general, but most people didn’t.

 

“You’ve never understood what it’s like to be born in the mud, to scrape and claw your way upward even as your feet are torn apart. Even if you finally stand at the top, people like you—those born with privilege—will only ridicule your dirt-stained feet.

 

“Your world is too simple, General Xie. You don’t know that what you were born with—fairness—comes at the cost of others’ lives.

 

“That’s why, from the beginning, you were my target.

 

“Because you and I come from different worlds. And you, with your naïve and privileged benevolence, are the easiest to deceive.”

 

Xie Zhengqing was silent for a long time before finally asking, “Didn’t you say you didn’t want to be a flower swaying on the branch?”

 

“That’s the line that made you care for me, wasn’t it? Because you’re exactly that kind of person, General Xie. You believe everyone should have dreams and the right to grow cleanly and reach great heights. But you didn’t realize—”

 

He heard the clinking of hairpins as the woman finally turned to face him with a radiant smile.

 

“Some people are dirty, and the whole world despises them.”

 

“You liked me only because I’m someone you’ve never encountered before in your life. You’ve seen too many noble ladies and pitied someone like me.”

 

The woman turned back again, continuing to adorn herself with meticulous care. It was as if she were painting a portrait of a beauty.

 

“It’s hard enough for a man to escape the mud on his feet. How much harder for a woman?

 

“Even if a woman marries a high official, she becomes someone else’s wife or concubine, never herself. Men can achieve high ranks and still be remembered for their merits, no matter their origins. But women are never afforded such opportunities.

 

“So, working for Xiliang alone? That was far from enough.”

 

“Wolfish ambition,” he murmured.

 

“Ambition?” She raised her chin proudly. Even though her back was to him, Xie Zhengqing could feel her stubborn radiance. “Yes, ambition. What’s so surprising about a lowly courtesan having ambition?”

 

Silence stretched out.

 

“You’ve deceived so many people in your life,” Xie Zhengqing finally said. “Why, as death nears, won’t you turn to your brother for help and plead your case? Only my father and I know about this. Rest assured, my father has promised Zhou Xun to keep it a secret.”

 

Qingruo froze briefly, then smiled sweetly. “Because even bad people want to do one good deed.”

 

The sound of rain continued outside. After a long pause, there was a knock on the paper door.

 

A tray was brought in. On it sat a pot of poisoned wine.

 

The woman picked up the pot, glanced at Xie Zhengqing, and smiled brilliantly. “General Xie, after I drink this, could you leave? I’ve heard that poisoned wine contorts the face. I don’t want anyone to see my unsightly death. You’re a good person, so you’ll agree, won’t you?”

 

Xie Zhengqing stood. Listening to the rain outside, he quietly replied, “Alright.”

 

He turned to leave.

 

“Qingruo.”

 

Before pushing open the paper door, Qingruo heard his voice again.

 

“Today, I’ve finally come to know you,” he said. “I’m the first person in the world to truly know you, aren’t I?”

 

Not a celestial maiden, not a spy, not a courtesan.

 

But the life of an unfortunate soul.

 

Qingruo did not respond. She sat like a lady in a painting, unmoving, until the paper door closed.

 

“Young General Xie, you’re so easy to deceive. Don’t trust people so readily in the future. If I were you, I’d stay here to personally confirm the traitor’s death.” She smiled faintly, picking up the wine pot. “I truly hate you.”

 

Even until the end, he said words that sounded like, “Nice to meet you. It’s been a pleasure knowing you.”

 

She drank all the wine in one gulp.

 

…

 

Xie Zhengqing leaned against the window, listening to the rain throughout the night. By dawn, no more sounds came from within.

 

Qingruo was dead, along with her ambitions and her past.

 

Behind the paper door, he saw Qingruo’s corpse. Even in death, she curled into a ball, her face buried against the ground—perhaps unwilling to let others see her contorted expression after death. After all, in life, she had been a beauty capable of toppling nations.

 

A woman who had once used her beauty to manipulate the tides of power.

 

He watched as Qingruo’s body was examined and then carried away. Wrapped in burial cloth, she appeared pale and small, no longer like a beauty, but rather like a lost little girl. Xie Zhengqing didn’t know if she had cried before her death.

 

In any case, it was all over now.

 

Everything was over.

 

In the lower level of Luhuanong, in a private room, the head of the Xie family bowed deeply to Zhou Xun.

 

“Thank you, Lord Zhou, for granting my son this opportunity.”

 

“Wasn’t it Lord Xie who sought out this opportunity?” Zhou Xun replied. “I initially thought it would be Xie himself coming to me, but to my surprise, it was you.”

 

The Xie family patriarch laughed heartily, his weathered face calm and untroubled. “The boy was raised too kindly by his mother. I hope that after this, he will grow through experience and hardship. Let it be a trial he overcomes. After all, there’s nothing truly lost.”

 

His tone was casual, treating the matter as a trifling affair.

 

“I’ve heard that you’re currently arranging a marriage for Xie in the capital,” Zhou Xun noted.

 

“The granddaughter of Grand Scholar Gu is a fine young lady—pure, kind, and fond of charity work at the temple. They’ll make a great pair, perfectly matched,” the patriarch replied, sipping his tea. “By the way, about that courtesan’s body…”

 

“She harbored too many secrets, so we had no choice but to burn it,” Zhou Xun said with a faint smile.

 

The patriarch nodded, reassured, and smiled. “Good.”

 

Knowing the courtesan was truly gone, he felt it was as though all issues had been resolved—a broad and bright future lay ahead. “I imagine the boy will now grow into a more capable head of the family.”

 

After exchanging a few more words, Zhou Xun and the Xie patriarch parted ways.

 

—

 

The rain continued to fall as Zhou Xun stood under an umbrella at the entrance to an alley.

 

The alley was lively, lined with stalls and a market. Across the street was a residential house.

 

A man in gray stood beside him. After a long while, a clean-shaven young man emerged from the house. Holding a fan, he smacked his servant on the head, scolding him for buying poor-quality fruit.

 

“Master doesn’t like sour green tangerines. Every time he eats one, he complains about the bitterness,” the servant protested, aggrieved.

 

The young man glared at him, exasperated. “I don’t like them, but my sister does!”

 

As the two bickered and walked closer, the man in gray stepped slightly aside. As the young man passed by, they brushed shoulders.

 

At the entrance to the alley, the young man paused, as if sensing something, and turned back.

 

The alley was crowded with people coming and going, but no one lingered there anymore.

 

Li Gonggong, on his day off, scratched his head. He had always been slow to notice things, but in that moment, it felt as if sunlight had slipped away from his shoulder. His servant’s chatter brought him back. “Master, look at these tangerines…”

 

“I told you not to call me Gonggong in public! Call me Young Master Li!” he snapped, instantly forgetting the odd feeling.

 

The tangerines were indeed sour. Li Gonggong peeled one and tasted it, his mouth twisting at the bitter tang.

 

After eating so many sour tangerines over the years, he didn’t know why this one felt particularly sour.

 

So sour that tears inexplicably streamed down his face.

 

—

 

Outside the city, in the secret base of the Ziyi Division.

 

Zhou Xun and the man in gray stood at the entrance of a dark chamber. From this moment on, the man in gray would work for Jingguo in secrecy until deemed trustworthy enough to return to Xiliang, where they would live out their days in deep cover.

 

Until then, they would atone, never seeing sunlight again.

 

“The Red Lotus Sect has been eradicated. We’ve captured significant leverage over Xiliang, and Jingguo’s agreement to support the First Prince’s ascension means he’s now under our control. What you provided about Xiliang was invaluable.”

 

“We caught some peripheral agents from Beiwei, but the ‘General’ escaped. She’s too cautious. However, we’ve managed to identify many of her associates. Among them was a military report—critical to our frontlines.”

 

“Xie only told you about the ‘lightning raid.’ Beyond that, he was tight-lipped and disclosed nothing crucial. The Ministry of War official who actually leaked information—his body was found in his mansion yesterday. Someone cleaned up the loose ends thoroughly. It’s unclear whether it was Beiwei or another party.”

 

“Madam Lu woke up. She’s recovering well. Both Lu Bin and His Majesty now know everything she’s done. She’s been a great help. We owe her much.”

 

Evening wind brushed their robes, lifting the fabric into the air.

 

“As for your brother…”

 

“My brother’s always been a fool,” the gray-clad figure said with a smile. “When we were kids, I used to bully him all the time and make him take the blame for things. I’d even pick green tangerines on purpose and trick him, saying, ‘This is my favorite. I saved it for you.’ He’d grimace but still eat them. I knew he hated sour things. That’s why, even if I deceive him now, he won’t notice.”

 

Zhou Xun paused before replying, “I’ll tell him that you’ve settled in Xiliang, married a wealthy farmer, and now have many acres of fertile land and a vast tangerine orchard. He used to worry about wars between Jingguo and other nations. Now that the First Prince of Xiliang is under our thumb, he won’t have to worry anymore.”

 

“Yes. Though it’s strange—the First Prince has been wary of our Emperor ever since his last visit to the capital. He says our Emperor pretends to be mad but is secretly shrewd and cunning, and he warned me to tread carefully. It seems the First Prince might be right. After all, he never expected the Emperor to uncover his hideout in the brothel.”

 

Zhou Xun: … You’re overthinking it.

 

He chose not to correct her, though. For now, Xiliang likely viewed the Emperor as increasingly fearsome.

 

“The Xie patriarch sent people to inspect your body. The deception was convincing. He had originally planned to eliminate you.”

 

“I was merely a trial for them, a trial with no chance of reunion,” the gray-clad figure said with a smile. “I understand that… Lord Zhou, thank you. From the moment I first saw you, I knew only someone like you could understand us. When the mission failed and I saw you walk in, I was ready to crush the poison capsule in my teeth and die. But I didn’t. Looking back now, it was the best decision.”

 

Zhou Xun hesitated, then smiled faintly. “Is that your declaration of allegiance?”

 

The figure continued, “If not for the Emperor, I might have fallen for you. Lord Zhou, you are a beacon of hope for the unfortunate.”

 

Zhou Xun coughed. The figure added, “When I paraded as the ‘Heavenly Maiden,’ all the men’s gazes were on me. But I also saw you and the Emperor. Only the Emperor’s gaze was fixed on you. People like us always think we’re clever, but in truth, the Emperor is the one who outsmarts us all.”

 

Zhou Xun paused, then chuckled softly.

 

“No, he’s not clever. He’s just… more naive. That’s all.”

 

The gray-clad figure bowed deeply, then, led by guards, entered the dark chamber. Zhou Xun remained at the entrance, gazing at the breeze outside.

 

He stared at it for a long time before finally raising his hand.

 

In his palm was a slip of paper—discovered, half-burnt, in the Beiwei spies’ hideout.

 

The handwriting was unmistakably familiar.