Chapter 21: The Art of Seduction

As soon as Master Xie boarded the carriage, his face turned thunderous. “So this is the fine daughter you raised! She’s cost me every shred of dignity!”

Madam Zhang’s face was pale, but instinctively she tried to explain. “Master, Jiao’er has always been obedient and sensible. She was only deceived and led astray…”

“Silence!” Master Xie snapped. “From this day on, don’t you ever call her a daughter of the Xie family again!”

When the carriage reached the Xie residence, Madam Zhang was helped down, but Master Xie remained seated, immovable as a mountain.

Her heart tightened. “Master…”

“I still have matters to attend to,” he said coldly, then closed his eyes as if to nap.

The carriage turned back around.

“Madam,” said Momo Liu, her longtime servant, in a low, comforting tone, “the young lady was only momentarily confused. Please don’t grieve too much.”

“Momo Liu,” Madam Zhang asked out of nowhere, “where do you think he’s going?”

The servant’s face changed slightly; she dared not answer.

“He must be going to that wretched woman!” Madam Zhang hissed. “For the sake of his reputation, he cast aside Jiao’er today; such a cruel heart.”

“Madam,” Momo Liu hesitated, then whispered, “Today at the Cui residence, I thought I saw Hongdou and her mother. Both were dressed in fine clothes, seated in the honored section…”

“What?” Madam Zhang’s expression shifted instantly, a spark of energy returning to her. Hongdou was Xie Yao’s dowry maid; how could she be seated among honored guests at the Cui residence?

“Find out everything immediately,” Madam Zhang said coldly. “This matter surely ties back to that little slut Xie Yao!”

—

After the ceremony at the Cui residence, Xie Yao and Xiao Ji left together.

“From now on, Song Wenbo has no future in the imperial examinations,” Xiao Ji said quietly once inside the carriage.

Master Qingshan was a famed scholar of great repute, respected across the empire. For Song Wenbo to make such a humiliating spectacle in front of so many today, even if he sat the exams in the future, his name would never appear on the lists. He was finished.

Xie Yao looked over. “Is His Highness blaming me?”

Both knew well that the incident had been her doing.

“No,” Xiao Ji answered without hesitation. “The Crown Princess is no villain. She must have had her reasons. Besides, I already knew beforehand and did not stop it. So this matter…”

Xie Yao smoothly finished his words, “Was something we did in perfect cooperation, as if made for each other.”

Xiao Ji’s lips moved, but he stopped himself.

Xie Yao smiled warmly. “Thank you for trusting me, Your Highness.”

“No need,” he replied in a low voice. “This is no small matter. Ye Ping’an’s identity will not stay hidden for long. Not only the Xie family, but even the palace will take notice…”

He paused and then added, “Xiao Ning once recommended Song Wenbo to Master Qingshan.”

That was a very private bit of news. If not for Ye Ping’an being his own recommendation, the master would never have told him. Knowing Xiao Ning’s style… Song Wenbo must not be simple either.

Feigning surprise, Xie Yao asked, “Then did I offend Princess He Yi?”

She wasn’t deliberately hiding, but her rebirth was too strange to explain how she knew such secrets.

Xiao Ji gave her a look but didn’t expose her. “You don’t need to fear.”

Xie Yao tilted her head back with a smile, repeating an old phrase, “With Your Highness here, I have nothing to fear.” Cliché or not, it worked.

Xiao Ji: “…”

He shut his mouth altogether, lest she say something even more shameless.

Xie Yao chuckled but didn’t push further.

—-

That day, the capital buzzed with gossip. The farce caused by Song Wenbo, Xie Yujiao, and Madam Song Li at the Cui residence spread like wildfire.

Thanks to Master Xie publicly casting off Yujiao, the brunt of mockery fell on Song Wenbo and Yujiao themselves.

But by the next day, the wind began to shift.

“Crown Princess,” reported Zhuxin as she entered, “now many in the capital are speaking in Song Wenbo’s defense. They say every scholar longs to study under Master Qingshan, and though Song Wenbo’s vanity was unbecoming, it’s understandable. What’s more, those rumors spread for days, and Master Qingshan did not clarify them…”

“As you ordered, I had people watching Nan Feng Hall. These rumors indeed originated there.”

Xiao Ning.

Xie Yao immediately had her answer.

Nan Feng Hall was owned by Xiao Ning. On the surface it was a salon for scholars, but in truth it was her personal harem of followers.

Zhuxin added, “As for Second Young Lady, more rumors are circulating… Life at the Song household is no better. Song Wenbo hasn’t come home these days, and Madam Song torments her more than ever.”

She couldn’t help asking, “Crown Princess, why would Second Young Lady refuse to separate from them? The Song family is no decent place. Does she… like being bullied?”

The last time, outside the Cui residence, the chance was perfect, yet Yujiao would rather die than leave…

“Unless Song Wenbo is some sorcerer who bewitched her?”

That speculation made Xie Yao laugh. She smiled. “Don’t talk nonsense. There are no such demons.”

If anything, she herself was the vengeful ghost here.

“By the way, Cousin arrives tomorrow, right?” she asked.

Zhuxin nodded. “Yes, through the south gate.”

“Good.” Xie Yao’s eyes lit up. “I’ll go greet her personally.”

—-

The next day.

Xie Yao calculated the time and boarded her carriage toward the south gate. But just after leaving Vermilion Bird Street, where the Crown Prince’s residence was located, the carriage suddenly lurched violently.

“Careful, Crown Princess!” Zhuxin and Zhuqing shielded her at once.

“How are you driving?” Zhuxin scolded as she lifted the curtain.

The driver bowed miserably. “Forgive me, Crown Princess, forgive me! I failed in my duty!”

He hadn’t expected another carriage to suddenly cut the corner at such speed.

“Royal Sister-in-law?”

A warm, refined voice came just then.

Xie Yao frowned and turned toward it.

A man of elegant bearing, clad in a deep-blue robe, had leapt down from the opposite carriage. With a gentle smile, he walked closer. “This younger brother greets Royal Sister-in-law.”

The Second Prince, Xiao Hong.

Born to the Noble Consort and full brother to Xiao Ning.

Xie Yao instantly recognized him and inclined her head politely. “Second Prince.”

“Please don’t be upset, Royal Sister-in-law. It was my driver’s recklessness that nearly offended you. I beg you, punish me instead.”

Xiao Hong’s eyes were deep, intense, and fixed upon her.

Xie Yao felt disgust twist in her stomach. This man… was he trying to seduce her?

In the past, she wouldn’t have understood. But recently, after studying ways to charm the Crown Prince herself…

She replied smoothly, “How could I punish Your Highness’s people? But reckless driving on the main street is no small matter. Today it was me, and I, as your sister-in-law, will overlook it. But had it been an innocent commoner injured, that would be a grave fault. As a prince, Second Brother should set the example; your men must be better restrained.”

Xiao Hong’s smile froze, disbelief flickering in his gaze. He was merely being courteous, and she dared to lecture him? He’d really shown her too much respect!