Chapter 291: Hold It Steady, Don’t Drop It

"Then what is it you want me to do for you?" Chu Lingyi forced the words out through clenched teeth.

Xiao Jingming was used to having her under his thumb. He figured that while she might hate him, her love for him was surely stronger. A smug smile crept onto his face before he quickly suppressed it, raising a hand to gently stroke her cheek.

"I just wanted to come see you. As long as you’re doing well, I’ll be content. I don’t need you to do anything for me."

After he spoke, a hesitant look crossed his face. "But this is the Empress’s territory, after all. I can’t stay with you forever."

He said with deep emotion, "You are the only one I truly love, but I have to leave for now. When I have rallied my forces and conquered the realm, I will offer you the world itself as a bride price and make you my wife."

The next moment, he suddenly embraced Chu Lingyi, crying out in anguish, "The thought of being apart from you is unbearable, Lingyi. It’s agony."

Chu Lingyi remained numb as he clung to her, a cold, sarcastic smile touching her lips. "The thought of leaving me is unbearable? You personally watched them break my leg and throw me into a tiger’s cage. How have you managed to live so well until now?"

Xiao Jingming’s expression froze. "That... that was all Father and Big Brother’s decision. I was against it! When I saw you were hurt, I was the one whose heart ached the most. I wish it had been me instead..."

Chu Lingyi angrily cut him off. "Your heart ached? The one whose heart ached the most was my brother!"

Xiao Jingming even retorted, "This is all because of your brother. If he had accepted my father’s invitation and pledged his loyalty to us sooner, you would never have had to suffer."

He shifted the blame without hesitation, acting as if he were completely justified.

Chu Lingyi took a deep breath and closed her eyes, unwilling to look at him.

’It was hard to imagine that she had once given her heart to such a hypocritical, hideous man.’

’I was so blind!’

"Lingyi, don’t be angry. I really know I was wrong. It will never happen again. From now on, I’ll let you make all the decisions for me, alright?"

’Did he think he was wrong? He wasn’t wrong about anything. He was a hypocritical, selfish scumbag, incapable of being wrong.’

’*She* was the one who was wrong. Wrong for being so blind as to see him as a good person, for giving him her heart, for hurting herself, and for nearly getting her brother hurt as well.’

"Say no more."

Chu Lingyi opened her eyes, her expression a calm mask hiding a storm of emotions. "What do you want me to do for you?"

Xiao Jingming stared at her expression. This woman he could always so easily manipulate had suddenly become unreadable to him.

He continued his insincere act. "Lingyi, what nonsense are you talking about? I just wanted to come see you. I don’t need you to do anything."

Chu Lingyi replied, "Well, you’ve seen me now. You can leave."

But Xiao Jingming had come with a purpose, so how could he possibly leave?

"We’ve only just been reunited, and you’re already trying to send me away?"

When they were deeply in love, they couldn’t bear to be apart for a moment, every second an eternity of longing.

After their love was broken, every glance was filled with hatred, every moment steeped in disgust.

"For the sake of the love we once shared, I can help you one last time. If you won’t say what you want, then forget it."

Seeing the cold indifference in Chu Lingyi’s eyes, Xiao Jingming knew he couldn’t win back her heart just yet. But the fact that she was willing to help him one last time proved to him that she still loved him.

"Lingyi, don’t worry. I will definitely come back for you. I’ll make up for everything I owe you and make sure you live a good life."

Chu Lingyi just watched him, saying nothing.

Xiao Jingming knew that more sweet talk would be useless. After a moment’s hesitation, he asked tentatively, "Can you take me to where the Empress lives? She confiscated something of my father’s, and I’d like to look for it."

He then added with feigned thoughtfulness, "Can you help me? If it’s too much trouble, just forget it. I won’t blame you."

’He won’t blame me? Am I supposed to be grateful?’

"Alright."

Chu Lingyi agreed.

Then she slowly got to her feet, and as if a thought had just occurred to her, she asked, "Do you need a weapon for self-defense? I happen to have a saber from one of the Silver Armor Guards."

Xiao Jingming’s eyes lit up. "That would be perfect. Where is it?"

Leaning on her crutch, Chu Lingyi said, "Don’t move. I’ll get it."

She walked slowly to the side, opened a cabinet, and took out a saber. Holding it by the hilt, she offered the sheathed weapon to Xiao Jingming. "Here."

Xiao Jingming quickly reached out to take it, but he found he couldn’t pull it away.

He looked up, confused. "Lingyi?"

For reasons unknown, a faint smile touched Chu Lingyi’s lips. "Hold it steady now. Don’t drop it."

Xiao Jingming was momentarily dazzled by her smile and tightened his grip instinctively. But in the very next instant, there was a sudden tug on the weapon, and a cold light flashed before his eyes.

"AAAAH—"

A bloodcurdling scream tore through the air.

Leaning on her crutch with one hand and holding the saber in the other, Chu Lingyi opened the door. She saw the Silver Armor Guards standing there and wondered how long they had been outside, and how much they had heard.

"Please inform Her Majesty that the fugitive Xiao Jingming is here."

Chu Lingyi wasn’t capable of killing—not yet. But she had now taken revenge for her broken leg with her own hands.

A moment later, Xiao Jingming, who had fainted from the pain, was dragged from the room. Another Silver Armor Guard followed, dragging a severed leg.

Watching the one-legged Xiao Jingming being dragged away, leaving a trail of blood in his wake, Chu Lingyi let out a long sigh of relief. From now on, there would be nothing between them.

No love, and no more hatred.

Xiao Li was exhausted from her journey back. She washed up and went straight to bed.

When she awoke, Hong Yue came in to attend to her. "Your Majesty," she reported, "General Yang reports that Chu Lingyi cut off Xiao Jingming’s leg. He lost too much blood and has died from his wounds."

’Died from his wounds, indeed.’

"Understood."

A head peeked out from behind a screen. "Your Majesty, may I come in?"

Xiao Li glanced over but said nothing.

Wang Wanqing immediately bounced into the room and joined Hong Yue in helping Xiao Li get dressed.

"Your Majesty is finally back! I missed you so much."

Xiao Li gave her a lazy, sidelong glance. "Speak properly."

Wang Wanqing pouted. "But I am speaking properly."

’Her Majesty was off at war, so I couldn’t see her for over ten days. Instead, I had to deal with that bunch of annoying old men every day. It was driving me mad!’

After freshening up, Xiao Li went to have her meal. As Wang Wanqing and Hong Yue were setting out the dishes, Xiao Li stopped her. "Sit down. Tell me what you’ve accomplished these past few days."

At this, Wang Wanqing immediately perked up.

She began chattering away like a small child who, after acing an exam, proudly explains their reasoning for every answer.

Xiao Li nodded in approval as she heard how Wang Wanqing had applied the Silver Armor Army’s system of ranks and responsibilities to the soldiers’ education.

Soldiers of a higher rank managed those of the rank below them, with regular evaluations and clearly assigned responsibilities.

It was a bit of an over-engineered solution just for teaching literacy, but Xiao Li had been intending to implement such a system anyway and simply hadn’t had the time. For Wang Wanqing to use education as a starting point was a commendable small achievement.

"Resourceful and practical. Not bad."

Wang Wanqing’s face instantly bloomed into a radiant smile. ’Her Majesty praised me! I’m so happy!’

Of course, after taking credit for her own work, she didn’t forget to mention Jiang Zhou, who was on the verge of collapsing from being overworked.

Although he was a hostage being held here, credit had to be given where it was due—his abilities were quite impressive.

’Her Majesty is short on staff. It would be a pity not to make use of someone who just fell into our laps.’