FID – Chapter 1018

 Chapter 1018: If There’s a Next Life, Don’t Be Born in the Saintess Tribe

Since all Xue Honglian wanted were some simple dishes and wine, the food was served quickly.

  After finishing, he paid the bill and left, without exchanging a single word with anyone around him. Completely unremarkable.

  When he left, Liu Yusheng, Feng Qingbai, and the others had just begun their meal.

  After that first glance, none of them looked in Xue Honglian’s direction again, behaving as if they didn’t know him at all.

  It wasn’t until after their meal, when they checked into an inn, that Liu Yusheng eagerly asked, “Feng Qingbai, how did Honglian end up in Mo City? Isn’t it a place only the royal family can enter? Without a royal pass, the city guards wouldn’t have let him in, right?”

  “The questions you’re asking, I can’t answer for now. I’ll answer you after I meet him tomorrow, okay?”

  “You arranged to meet Xue Honglian? How did you arrange it? Where are you meeting?”

  Feng Qingbai smiled slightly. “There’s something called internal voice transmission. But Shengsheng, being overly concerned about another man in front of your own man can easily create disharmony.”

  Liu Yusheng, “…”

  She shot him a playful glare, in a very good mood.

  She hadn’t expected to run into Honglian as soon as they arrived in Mo City. Now they could bring him along to search for Miaojiang.

  Later, recalling how Feng Qingbai hadn’t allowed her to greet Xue Honglian in the hall, and how Honglian had pretended not to recognize them, Liu Yusheng instinctively lowered her voice. “Could it be that someone is watching us?”

  Feng Qingbai nodded. “Ever since we entered the city, we’ve been under surveillance.”

  Liu Yusheng frowned, surprised at how thorough Xiliang’s precautions against foreign nations were.

  Before she could think further, she suddenly lost her balance—and the man scooped her up horizontally in his arms.

  “Rest a while first. Once you wake up, we’ll tour Mo City.”

  No argument was accepted—he made that abundantly clear, even silencing her mouth.

  Meanwhile, Xue Honglian was already sitting in the carriage back to the Saintess Village.

  Throughout the ride, the girl kept glancing at him countless times, finally nudging him with her hand. “You seem in a good mood. Did you find some money?”

  Xue Honglian raised his brow slightly, a bit surprised.

  “I can tell. I have ‘fiery eyes,’” she said confidently and for some reason, even when he didn’t speak, she could somehow guess what he was thinking.

  Qian Yi pouted proudly, lifting her chin. This was what she called ‘a meeting of minds,’ but he stubbornly refused to admit it. “You left and came back, your mood suddenly brightened, your eyes shone more than usual, and your steps got lighter. I could tell immediately. Come on, tell me, what did you do when you left earlier?”

  Qian Yi also glanced at the man.

  “I found some silver,” the man said, his words casual and unconcerned.

  Qian Yi’s mouth twitched. So perfunctory! Couldn’t he come up with a slightly more convincing reason?

Finding silver… even if it were tens of thousands, he wouldn’t be that happy.

  Didn’t he know she could see through it? He was wealthy. Earlier when paying for their purchases, he’d tossed out silver notes.

  In his coat was an entire thick stack. He had every right to treat money like dirt.

  Knowing the girl’s nature and not wanting to be further pestered, Xue Honglian deliberately changed the topic. He asked Qian Yi, “How’s the situation at the station?”

  Qian Yi paused, then said, “When I arrived at the station, the envoy wasn’t there. I waited over an hour for him to return. I don’t know if something happened, but his expression wasn’t very good. He said he’d head to the village in a few days. I imagine nothing serious occurred.”

  At first, Qian Yi’s eyebrows danced in excitement, but when she heard the last sentence, her small face instantly fell. “He’s still coming to the village?”

  Qian Yi was puzzled. “Of course he has to. He was originally here to select girls for the palace. If he doesn’t come, how could he report back?”

  ”…” Qian Yi regretted it. She shouldn’t have only stolen the golden silkworm; she should have taken the envoy down with her as well. That way, even if he wanted to go to the village, he wouldn’t have been able to.

“Qian Yi, this is our clan’s duty,” the girl said gently, reaching out to ruffle her hair.

  Qian Yi turned her head, her eyes red with anger. “Bullshit duty!”

  An old, decrepit man, just because he was the emperor, could do whatever he pleased? Could he casually destroy other people’s lives?

  Why must the women of the Saintess Tribe serve as nothing more than the emperor’s sacrificial vessels? Aren’t they human?

Why, from birth, are they destined to be sent to the emperor’s bed just to prolong his life?

And he takes at least two every year? Doesn’t he fear the backlash?!

  Looking out the window, Qian Yi’s eyes were even redder, but stubbornly, she refused to shed tears.

  Each year, two new girls are taken into the palace, replacing the old ones. What happens to the old ones in such a place?

They are trapped within the four palace walls, reduced to empty shells, enduring humiliation and degradation, waiting to die.

  This is the fate of a Saintess!

  “Qian Yi, if there’s a next life, don’t be born into the Saintess Tribe,” Qian Yi said, gazing out the window, tears welling in her eyes before she forced them back down.

  The atmosphere in the carriage shifted abruptly, from playful to heavy and oppressive.

  Xue Honglian hadn’t spoken a word the entire time, his expression remaining calm and unreadable.

  Fate—everything is predetermined.

  Those whose paths are plotted aren’t only the women of the Saintess Tribe.

  Back in the village, Qian Yi’s mood had yet to recover.

  Once she entered her home and set down the piles of packages, she had intended to lie on the bed, to soothe herself but the man caught her before she could.

  “Extract the poison. Give it to me before morning,” he said, placing a tiny medicine bottle, no bigger than two fingers, in front of her.

  Qian Yi gloomily took the medicine bottle. “You didn’t go out earlier just to buy this bottle, did you?”

  The man didn’t answer, turning and walking away.

  He seemed to have come just to grab her, and all for that tiny bit of snake venom.

  Her mood was so bad, and he didn’t even bother to comfort her. They were supposedly partners. He’s completely unqualified.

  In a huff, Qian Yi snorted behind him. “I’m in a bad mood now, I can’t extract the venom. I’ll do it when I feel better!”

  “If the bottle isn’t full by the hour of Chen, I’ll extract it myself.”

  “…!” Qian Yi nearly lost it. Fantastic! Always resorting to threats!

And yet she had no choice but to comply! If he really came to extract it himself, what would happen to her precious snake and to her own life?

  Puffed up with anger, she summoned the snakes, placed the bottle on the table, and commanded her pets, “Go, line up and spit!”

  She was so furious that her face stayed dark all through dinner, yet in a way, it allowed her to forget the oppressive, frustrating feelings from earlier.

  Meanwhile, in Mo City, after a short midday rest, Feng Qingbai took Liu Yusheng out of the inn and began exploring the city.

  Knowing that someone was surely watching them, Liu Yusheng relaxed and let the man guide her through the streets, focusing instead on the local customs and scenery.

  They wandered alley to alley, commenting on various sights and buildings, fully immersing themselves in the role of tourists.

  When they passed a local bookstore, he casually picked up a map of Mo City and paid for it.

  The thrill Liu Yusheng felt in that moment made her feel like a spy. It was exciting and dangerous.