Chapter 23: Stationing Troops

"Madam, good news! The young master has taken a tumble! Even the old madam has injured her back, and the doctor says she will need to be bedridden for quite some time!" She was so delighted she nearly leaped for joy. "Heaven is finally looking out for our mistress!"

"I see," Song Xirui replied with a faint nod.

Heaven had nothing to do with it; she had to rely on herself.

***

In Luo Yun'er's chambers, Su Yun spoke with an apologetic tone: "Yun'er, the affairs of the household now must depend on you."

"My lord, I fear I am incapable of handling such matters," Luo Yun'er said, her expression fraught with difficulty.

The Su family’s situation was as dire as it could possibly be. She had no intention of letting this mess fall onto her shoulders.

Seeing Su Yun's face darken instantly, she added, "My lord, do not be anxious. This is, after all, a matter for the mistress to attend to. I shall go and speak with her; I am certain she will be accommodating."

Su Yun replied skeptically, "Given her temperament, I doubt she will listen to your counsel."

Luo Yun'er rolled her eyes inwardly.

She then offered a gentle, soft smile. "Let me try, my lord. If it is of no use, we can then deliberate on a different course of action."

Song Xirui would, of course, not listen to her; this was merely a pretext to shirk responsibility.

"Very well," Su Yun, who had always been susceptible to gentle persuasion, did not insist further.

However, when Luo Yun'er arrived at Begonia Court, she was informed that Song Xirui was still asleep.

***

Inside the carriage.

Song Xirui’s eyes were cold, her lips pressed tightly together. "General, where exactly are you taking me?"

She had just been preparing to rest when Xiao Yunci had vaulted through her window. Before she could react, he had used his martial arts to whisk her away from the Su residence. She hadn't even had the chance to leave word for Hongdou.

"You will know once we arrive, Madam," Xiao Yunci said in a calm voice.

He omitted the "Su" from her title, which felt peculiar.

Song Xirui cast a side-glance at him, then closed her eyes to rest, ignoring him thereafter.

The carriage traveled for approximately two hours before reaching its destination. Upon disembarking, Xiao Yunci led Song Xirui on a long, winding path until they reached a bronze door.

"Push the door open, Madam, and you shall see what I wished to show you," Xiao Yunci said, his gaze fixed ahead as the corners of his lips curled slightly.

Annoyed by his penchant for mystery, Song Xirui kicked the door open.

The action caused Xiao Yunci’s mouth to twitch. He turned to look at her, yet he was not surprised to see profound shock reflected in her eyes.

"Go on in," he said warmly.

Song Xirui took a stiff step forward and entered.

She looked at Xiao Yunci in disbelief, her fingertips trembling slightly. "You are privately hoarding troops!"

Indeed, the men arranged in squares before her—all sturdy and powerful—were not Xiao Yunci's personal guards, but full-fledged soldiers. After all, no household could afford to keep eight hundred guards!

Xiao Yunci nodded slightly, his voice unperturbed. "Indeed. These are soldiers I have deployed from the border, stationed here on the outskirts of the capital, undergoing intensive training."

This confession left Song Xirui speechless. A chill crept into her heart.

Xiao Yunci had been so candid. This was an enormous liability.

There were no secrets that could not be exposed, unless one were dead. Could it be that Xiao Yunci intended to kill her?

She raised her eyes to look at him.

"You need not worry, Madam; I have no desire to take your life," Xiao Yunci said, reading her thoughts. He spoke with brutal directness: "The Crown Prince has come south to consolidate local power. That in itself is understandable, but his methods are too dark; he simply frames any official who refuses to submit, driving them to their deaths. I merely despise his ways, which is why I have made preparations. If he truly dares to strike at me, he should not blame me for striking back!"

Hearing this, the stone in Song Xirui's heart did not drop. Her gaze rested on the rows of soldiers, her voice tinged with indifference. "General, why tell me all this? You should know that the more one knows, the sooner one dies."

"You are a clever woman," Xiao Yunci said, his eyes burning like torches.

Song Xirui pressed her lips downward, her gaze ice-cold. "I suspect you intend to leverage the influence of the Song family to achieve your goals, which is why you have revealed this monumental secret to me. Now, whether I agree or not is no longer up to me."

Her father possessed significant connections in the south and numerous disciples. If these fell into Xiao Yunci's hands, the Crown Prince would surely suffer a devastating blow!

It seemed Xiao Yunci intended to use the Song family's power to deal with the Crown Prince. What a calculating man!

Xiao Yunci rose and led her to a nearby pavilion, where a maidservant immediately brought them tea. He blew gently on his cup. "So, Madam, do you agree or not?"

As he raised the cup to his lips, the cup was snatched from his hand.

Song Xirui downed the tea in one gulp, her face dark as coal. "Let me go."

Xiao Yunci was not angered; he reached out and poured himself another cup. "Why?"

Song Xirui remained silent. Why? Naturally, it was for the sake of the Song family. She had cooperated with Xiao Yunci only to deal with Su Yun; if things went wrong, it would only implicate the Su family. The Song family, at most, would face some gossip, not total annihilation.

But if Xiao Yunci were to involve the Song family now, it would be difficult for them to extricate themselves. She could not ruin the entire Song family because of her own actions.

"General, you manipulate me at every turn. Do you not find yourself a bit excessive?" Song Xirui did not answer, but instead countered in a grim tone.

Xiao Yunci’s eyes darkened for a moment before he quickly masked it. "I have always been a man of ruthless means; it seems I have caused you a misunderstanding, Madam." He stood up to face the frosty woman. "The Emperor will not allow the Song family to remain neutral, and the Crown Prince certainly will not. The consequence of helping neither side is to die sooner than anyone else. Since that is the case, why not go with the flow and see the matter through?"

"When you first came to me, did you truly know nothing about who I am?"

There were many in the capital who could have helped her besides him. She could have returned home to weep or begged her father to demand a divorce. But she had chosen to break into his estate and present him with the roster; it was certainly no coincidence.

Song Xirui remained coldly silent. She had to return home and deliberate on this matter with her father.

Thinking of this, she bit her lip. "General, let me go first. I will seek out my father, and after we have discussed it, I will give you an answer. How does that sound?"

She would find a way to escape first; the rest could wait.

Xiao Yunci slowly shook his head. "You may take your time to think, but I cannot let you return."

"Why?" Song Xirui’s voice was sharp with interrogation. "Could it be that you intend to lock me up here to force my hand?"

Xiao Yunci shook his head gently. "Madam, I will not keep you here forever, but for now, you cannot leave."

He needed Song Xirui on his side. Whether she wished it or not.

"You!" Song Xirui was so angry she wanted to curse, but she saw Xiao Yunci smiling at her, as immovable as a boulder.

***

At the Su residence.

Hongdou was spinning in circles with anxiety! She had seen with her own eyes her mistress being taken away, and she hadn't even had the chance to leave a message!

Now, she had no choice but to cover for her, pretending the mistress was ill, in the hope of deceiving everyone.

The cousin-in-law had come again and again, which was utterly infuriating!

Just as she was thinking this, Luo Yun'er's voice sounded from outside the door: "The cousin-in-law has not risen yet? Is she ill? Should we send for a doctor to take a look?"