Chapter 6 – Love and Hate

He Zhiyu’s sleeve was once again tugged by her fingers…

Princess Yun’an, Li Yingxi, was the only daughter of Prince Duan.

When Princess Duan gave birth, she was left with chronic illness and passed away when Li Yingxi was only two years old. By the time Li Yingxi turned eight, Prince Duan too had died of illness. Before his death, he entrusted his only daughter to the late emperor. Thus, when her mourning period ended, the late emperor personally sent people to bring Li Yingxi into the palace. From then on, she was raised there.

During the late emperor’s lifetime, he treated Li Yingxi as if she were his own daughter. Before his passing, he even reminded the new emperor, Li Shen, to take good care of her. For this reason, Princess Yun’an, Li Yingxi, was considered by all to be of equally noble standing.

But unlike Princess Pingyang, Li Wu, Li Yingxi was universally praised as a gentle and graceful lady.

As such, her conduct was measured, respectful, and always within the bounds of propriety.

That was why, when Li Yingxi stopped the Marquis of Xuanping’s carriage so abruptly in the street, Li Wu found it amusing, while He Zhiyu could only frown deeply.

Especially since Li Wu was sitting inside the carriage.

He didn’t need to turn around to know she was most certainly wearing a look of delighted amusement at this scene.

But he had never had much to do with Princess Yun’an.

He could not think of a reason why Li Yingxi would stop his carriage.

Standing outside, Li Yingxi did not know what He Zhiyu was thinking, but she was aware her behavior was sudden and improper for someone of her station. Still, she had no other way to see him at that moment.

“Lord He.”

Li Yingxi steadied herself and asked, “May I have a word with you in private?”

Inside the carriage, Li Wu, who had purposely shifted into a corner, now moved to sit on the same side as He Zhiyu.

Every word from Li Yingxi fell into her ears.

Though she said nothing, her eyes fixed intently on the side of He Zhiyu’s face. When Li Yingxi asked for a private talk, Li Wu lifted her hand. At once, He Zhiyu’s sleeve was tugged again by her fingers—this time even more tightly than before.

He Zhiyu felt it, but his face remained calm, betraying nothing.

He didn’t even glance at Li Wu out of the corner of his eye.

Instead, he replied politely to Li Yingxi: “If Princess Yun’an has something to say, you may speak directly.”

His tone was courteous, even gentle.

Li Wu immediately noticed the difference between the way he spoke to Li Yingxi and how he spoke to her. She wasn’t surprised—He Zhiyu bore resentment toward her, but he had no reason to treat Li Yingxi poorly.

Turning this over in her mind, Li Wu released his sleeve and smiled at him with her bright, beautiful eyes.

He Zhiyu continued calmly: “Or does Princess Yun’an feel it is inconvenient to say?”

It was indeed inconvenient.

Li Yingxi bit her lip in hesitation, troubled by his words.

“…Very well.”

After a moment’s struggle, she took a deep breath and ordered those nearby to step back.

She remained by the carriage, cheeks flushed, lowering her eyes as she softly said, “Lord He, I know… you were hurt by my imperial sister in the past, and that is why you now act out of resentment against her.”

“I—I…”

She faltered, cheeks burning, but forced herself to continue.

“Lord He, I can help you. Let’s join hands.”

“I don’t like her arrogance and willfulness either.”

Once she spoke the words, she dared not look at He Zhiyu’s face or gauge his reaction, only hoping he would agree. She never imagined every word would fall, unfiltered, into Li Wu’s ears.

Hearing this, Li Wu almost burst out laughing.

She smiled silently. Even though the mockery was directed at her, she felt no anger at all.

He Zhiyu quickly stole a glance at Li Wu.

She was smiling brilliantly, utterly unconcerned by Li Yingxi’s ridiculous words.

But still—Li Yingxi called her “imperial sister.”

A younger sister wanting to side with an outsider against her… what was there to smile about?

He Zhiyu had long known Li Wu was carefree and heartless.

Yet at this moment, seeing her like this, he still felt a surge of displeasure. That displeasure left him more agitated.

“Princess Yun’an, you are mistaken.” He Zhiyu reined in his emotions and said solemnly, “How could I ever harbor such intentions toward the Princess? Please do not hold such thoughts again.”

Li Yingxi looked up in shock.

She stared at him in disbelief. “But everyone else says so…”

“When three men say there’s a tiger, people will believe it. Rumors can sound like truth, but they cannot be trusted.”

He Zhiyu said, “Princess Yun’an, you have misunderstood.”

A misunderstanding?

Li Yingxi was utterly confused by his words.

So it wasn’t like the rumors spreading through the capital?

But then why did he support the marriage alliance so strongly, forcing her imperial sister to marry into the Tatars?

“Please return, Your Highness.”

He Zhiyu spoke lightly. “I still have business. Excuse me.” With his words, the curtain fell.

“…Oh.”

Li Yingxi stepped back blankly, two paces away.

She stood there, watching the Marquis of Xuanping’s carriage roll away, further and further, until it disappeared.

---

The carriage continued toward the Princess’s residence.

Inside was silence.

Li Wu leaned slightly, her eyes roving over He Zhiyu at close range.

Her lips curved, her gaze full of sly amusement.

“When did Lord He and Yun’an become so close?” she drawled. “I wonder if I ruined your good moment? Had I not been here, perhaps you could have stayed with Yun’an a while longer? No matter—it’s of no concern. You can always find another time to have a good, long talk with her.”

Her words dripped with sarcasm.

He Zhiyu lowered his eyes to the book in his hands. “I am not familiar with Princess Yun’an.”

“Is that so?”

Li Wu chuckled softly. “Because you’re not familiar, she specially came to ask you how to conspire against me?”

He Zhiyu said, “I would not dare.”

Li Wu gave an exaggerated sigh of mock trouble. “You wouldn’t dare, yet Yun’an says the rumors claim you seek revenge on me.”

“Lord He, if you want to lie, at least do it properly.”

“And I’m no three-year-old child. I’m not so easily fooled as you think.”

He Zhiyu paused in turning a page, then shut the book, raising his eyes to her. With a trace of thought in his expression, he asked, “Would Your Highness trouble Princess Yun’an over today’s matter?”

Li Wu asked in return, “Are you afraid I’ll trouble her?”

He Zhiyu replied evenly, “If Your Highness and Princess Yun’an are at odds, it would put His Majesty in a difficult position.”

“My discord with Yun’an is nothing new,” Li Wu said carelessly. “My brother is well used to it by now.”

He Zhiyu carefully placed the book back in its compartment.

“The Princess was joking. You take her too seriously—it’s inappropriate.”

Li Wu slowly curled her lips again. “So this is what you call ‘not familiar with Yun’an’—defending her so earnestly.”

“But really, if I had wanted to trouble her, I would have done so already, rather than sitting silently. Lord He, you were a Number One Scholar—yet you can’t even see that much?”

“Or do you think…”

“That I am petty and narrow-minded?”

He Zhiyu heard the edge of irritation in her tone.

He looked at her and saw her cold smile, her eyes filled with displeasure. Raising his voice, he ordered the driver to stop the carriage.

“Today’s little banquet at the Princess’s residence—I will enjoy it alone.”

“Lord He, please yourself.”

Li Wu gave him no chance to speak further.

So He Zhiyu could only watch as she alighted from the carriage without a backward glance. She did not pause, striding away swiftly, just as he himself had once stormed out of her flower hall.

He too got down from the carriage.

But just as she had not tried to stop him that day, he now did not go after her.

Standing by the carriage, he watched her receding back, tinged faintly with anger. After a long while, the corners of his lips curved slightly.

They were already close to the Princess’s residence. He ordered his servant Dangui to follow discreetly and make sure she returned safely, then turned back toward his own manor.

He knew she would not cause trouble for Li Yingxi because of this.

What he had said inside the carriage was meant deliberately.

Her reaction—didn’t it mean that, for some reason, however faint, she did care what he thought?

---

Li Wu returned to her residence alone.

Qingzhi, who knew she had gone out to fetch Lord He, saw her return and kept glancing behind her.

But after a long time, she saw no one following.

Perplexed, Qingzhi followed her inside and heard Li Wu instruct, “Lord He won’t be coming today. Tell the kitchen not to prepare so many dishes. And have hot water ready—I will bathe.”

“Yes.”

Qingzhi went to deliver the orders, then returned. Approaching Li Wu, she asked, “Your Highness, why isn’t Lord He coming? Has he resolved to oppose you?”

“No.”

Sitting on the luohan bed, Li Wu smiled. “I left him halfway.”

Qingzhi froze. “Did Lord He upset Your Highness?”

She looked at Li Wu, but saw no trace of displeasure on her face, confused.

Li Wu smiled faintly. “I just wanted to test him.”

Qingzhi poured hot tea and set it beside her. “Test Lord He?”

“Yes.”

Li Wu’s fingers rested on the teacup as she spoke to herself. “I’m beginning to suspect Lord He’s true intentions.”

Would she truly quarrel with him over such a trifling matter? Of course not.

But his question about whether she would trouble Li Yingxi seemed far too deliberate, so she pretended to take offense at once.

Her relationship with Li Yingxi had always been lukewarm.

For Li Yingxi to run to He Zhiyu and say such things was laughably foolish.

But when He Zhiyu said he bore no grudge, that rumors could not be trusted—

Those words could be false, or they could be true.

Perhaps in this world there was such a thing as baseless love and hate.

But between her and He Zhiyu, if he did hate her, it could only have grown from love.

So she would see carefully…

How much of what he now felt for her was love, and how much was hate.

Qingzhi could not quite grasp her meaning.

Just as she frowned in thought, Li Wu asked, “What rumors are spreading in the capital about me lately?”

Qingzhi quickly gathered herself and replied, “There are two. One is that Lord He strongly supports the Jin-Tatar alliance out of a desire for revenge against Your Highness. The other is that General Xi’s return to the capital is also because of the alliance, and that Your Highness went to the frontier back then to find him. They say your relationship with General Xi is unusual. Because of this, people are speculating that Lord He and General Xi might come into conflict over Your Highness.”

“General Xi only returned yesterday and came once to Your Highness’s residence, yet rumors already abound.”

Li Wu tilted her chin thoughtfully. “Someone must be stirring this up behind the scenes.”

Qingzhi was startled. “This…”

“Just as well—I like excitement the most.”

Li Wu set down her cup, eyes glinting, her smile bold and radiant. “But this isn’t enough. It needs to be even livelier.”

The rumors outside would surely reach the palace.

And at this time, if a two-year-old child suddenly appeared at her side—a child with an unknown father yet bearing a strong resemblance to her—then things would become as lively as could be.

Li Wu tapped her fingers lightly on the small table and told Qingzhi: “Tomorrow, you’ll accompany me to take Wanwan into the palace to meet the Empress.”

Just then, a maid came to report the hot water was ready.

Li Wu rose and walked toward the bath, Qingzhi following to serve. She heard Li Wu say, “If anyone asks you about Wanwan, you may openly say she is my child. No need to hide it.”

“Yes, please rest assured, Your Highness. I understand.”

Qingzhi followed her into the bath, smiling as she answered.

Li Wu gave a faint nod.

Thinking of He Zhiyu, her lips curved slightly again.

She truly had not expected…

That after all these years, not only had his looks surpassed the past, but he had also become far more interesting.

Quite intriguing indeed.