Chapter 42: The Double-Agent Spy
Jiang Lili saw Hou Xiaoxiao’s message and thoughtfully gave her some advice.
[Jiang Lili: The Empress Dowager invited you for tea? Xiaoxiao, you’re really making it big now! Is the Empress Dowager discussing something important? I think the second outfit looks more reliable.]
[Vice Monitor (Zhou Jushan): The second outfit, the bamboo green dress. The Empress Dowager finds green to be the most pleasing and comfortable color.]
[Vice Monitor (Zhou Jushan): For accessories, choose an emerald silver hairpin, and for the scent, I suggest a fruity fragrance. For the gift, pick something related to Buddhism—hand-copied Buddhist scriptures would be a cost-effective choice.]
Jiang Lili was amazed by the Vice Monitor’s detailed guide, truly impressed by how professional and considerate he was in understanding people’s preferences.
[Hou Xiaoxiao (Princess of Jin): Lord Zhou, you really are a walking encyclopedia!]
[Vice Monitor (Zhou Jushan): Damn it, if you call me Lord Zhou again, I’ll leave the group (crying emoji).]
After finishing her workout for the day, Jiang Lili saw that Xin Che had just come out of the ledger room. He handed her a small piece of paper, no bigger than the size of a palm.
“What’s this? Is this what you’re sending to my aunt in the palace?”
Xin Che nodded. “Curious? You can open it and take a look.”
Jiang Lili unfolded the paper, only to find that it wasn’t written on, but instead, a drawing was sketched on it.
The picture showed a young woman riding a horse with great poise, while three children, from tallest to shortest, were leaning over the fence of the training ground, gazing longingly. The tallest boy appeared to be deep in thought, seemingly studying the woman’s impressive horsemanship. It must have been Xin Che, the eldest brother.
The boy beside him was tugging at a little girl who was trying to climb over the fence, her expression innocent but stubborn. With his simple and honest demeanor, this boy could only be the second brother, Xin Cheng.
The little girl, with her arms flailing in the air like a mischievous little devil, looked like a troublemaker. This was undoubtedly the independent and headstrong third sister.
Jiang Lili raised an eyebrow as she looked at the humorous drawing.
The woman on the horse, exuding elegance and strength, was none other than Xin Che’s aunt, Consort Ying.
With just a few strokes, the artist had brought the scene to life, showing remarkable skill. Using a drawing instead of written words not only conveyed the message but also avoided many potential complications. It was truly a clever approach.
Jiang Lili speculated that the scene depicted a shared memory between Consort Ying and her nephews and niece.
She rolled the drawing up and tucked it into her sleeve. “I’ll make sure to deliver this.”
Then, she turned to communicate with the Vice Monitor to choose an appropriate time to send the picture, perhaps in the form of a red envelope.
“Thank you.”
Xin Che casually tucked a stray lock of Jiang Lili’s hair behind her ear, his voice low. “Finished with your training? As a reward, I’ll teach you that lock-picking trick you were so curious about yesterday.”
Jiang Lili’s eyes lit up at the thought of finally learning how to pick locks. She clapped her hands, excited. “Great!”
This skill would definitely be useful wherever she went!
However, the lock-picking process, though it seemed simple and quick, required considerable effort. First, one had to understand the structure of various locks.
After being “enlightened” (and somewhat frustrated) by the knowledge, Jiang Lili slept soundly that night.
But her good friend Hou Xiaoxiao was wide awake.
…
At the Prince of Jin’s manor, Hou Xiaoxiao was undergoing a late-night etiquette training session with her governess.
“Straighten your back!”
“Your expression is too exaggerated!”
“Lower your chin!”
Hou Xiaoxiao, half asleep, was struggling but had no choice but to make a last-ditch effort.
She was a lucky one, born into privilege: her father was the Minister of Justice, and her mother was the daughter of a General. She had been doted on since childhood.
She had never really studied etiquette, as she was used to walking arrogantly through life. Known as one of the two notorious women in the capital, the other was Jiang Lili, spoiled by her stepmother.
When two notorious women crossed paths, they were either best friends or bitter rivals.
Unfortunately, the original owner and Jiang Lili were bitter rivals, constantly at odds, the type of people who would fight as soon as they met.
At one of the annual Hundred Flowers Banquets, the two slapped each other’s faces, causing a commotion that drew the attention of the Empress Dowager, who had to step in to stop them.
Prince of Jin, the emperor’s third son, was a handsome and charismatic figure, and with the crown prince position unassigned, his future prospects were promising.
Both of the notorious women were fiercely competing for the Prince’s favor, and in the end, Hou Xiaoxiao secured the position of Princess of Jin.
However, no one knew that beneath Prince of Jin’s handsome exterior lay a man of bad character. After marrying his legitimate wife, he brought in so many concubines and mistresses that they could easily host a Mahjong game with eight tables.
The original owner was constantly irritated by the presence of these concubines and mistresses and blamed it all on Jiang Lili. She didn’t particularly like Prince of Jin either; she just wanted to compete with Jiang Lili for everything.
She believed Jiang Lili had known about Prince of Jin’s promiscuous nature all along and had deliberately pushed her to compete for him, leading her to marry into the chaotic and troubled back garden of the Prince’s manor.
This was especially true since Jiang Lili often made sarcastic remarks about Prince of Jin’s infidelities afterward.
The original owner was unhappy in Prince of Jin’s household and would often use her status as the Princess to make life difficult for Jiang Lili. When she found out that Jiang Lili had become engaged to the stunning and exceptional Prince of the Marquis family, she became so furious that she fell ill.
To everyone’s eyes, Jiang Lili and Hou Xiaoxiao were sworn enemies.
Not to mention, Jiang Lili had married the Marquis’ Prince, Xin Che, whom Hou Xiaoxiao had admired since childhood.
However, things changed when the Marquis family became incredibly successful in battle, to the point where her grandfather, the General of the Imperial Cavalry, was nearly “out of work.” A series of other events also unfolded.
Hou Xiaoxiao came to despise the entire Marquis household.
When the Marquis family was exiled, the original owner couldn’t contain her joy and celebrated so excessively that she fainted. That was when Hou Xiaoxiao took over.
At one point, Hou Xiaoxiao even wondered if the original owner had died from happiness.
“Where are you spaced out? What will we do when the Empress Dowager sees you tomorrow?”
The governess hit Hou Xiaoxiao on the head with a bamboo stick, and Hou Xiaoxiao immediately straightened up.
…
The next day, Hou Xiaoxiao entered the palace with grace.
The gift she prepared for the Empress Dowager was a lamp, but cleverly, once the candle inside was lit, the Buddhist scriptures above the lamp would project onto the desk.
The Buddhist scriptures were handwritten by her maidservants—oh no, by her concubines. Hou Xiaoxiao’s handwriting was so awful that it could be compared to a dog’s scribbles; it was truly unbearable to look at.
In the original owner’s eyes, these concubines were the biggest obstacle, but from Hou Xiaoxiao’s perspective, as someone who specialized in human resources management, the original owner simply didn’t know how to utilize people.
Fighting over petty things like an old, rotten cucumber wasn’t worth it. If anyone wanted to climb into someone’s bed, they could go ahead. As long as she held the most power in the back courtyard, that was all that mattered.
Just look at how clever her gift to the Empress Dowager was.
She only needed to give orders, and the concubines would carry them out—two concubines with similar handwriting copied the Buddhist scriptures, and one skilled handmaid was responsible for making the lamp.
“The Princess is thoughtful. This lamp is something I truly like,” the Empress Dowager said, holding Hou Xiaoxiao’s hand, smiling from ear to ear.
“I could tell long ago that Princess of Jin is much more reliable than that girl from the Jiang family.”
In the past, as soon as anyone mentioned Jiang Lili, Hou Xiaoxiao would flare up.
Now, knowing she needed to maintain her image of hating Jiang Lili, she replied, “Your Majesty flatters me. I would never dare to compare myself to the young lady of the Jiang family.”
The Empress Dowager, seeing Hou Xiaoxiao’s unresolved bitterness, felt pleased in her heart. “I know you despise Jiang Lili and the Marquis of Zhaoping family. There’s an opportunity now. It’s up to you whether you can seize it.”
Though Hou Xiaoxiao was confused, she still replied, “This servant is all ears, Your Majesty.”
After leaving the Empress Dowager’s palace, Hou Xiaoxiao was in a daze. The Empress Dowager wanted her to mobilize the people from the Miao tribe to k*ll the Marquis family?
Oh no—she had become a double agent.
This time, the Empress Dowager and the Emperor urged her to rush to Qinglin Mountain. They used swift horses, continuously changing steeds along the way, and she was expected to reach Linzhou in three days.
*
On the third day in the morning, the exiled party was ready to set out after a brief rest.
This time, the tables had turned.
The guards, eager to please, all scrambled to help the Marquis family onto the carts, each vying to show their loyalty.
**TN
Hey guys, Happy New Year! ╰(▔∀▔)╯May the New Year bring you happiness, peace, and prosperity.