Wang Qingyao felt so nauseated she could barely stand it.
She forced a fake smile and said indifferently, "Kill or spare Tian Yu, it's up to you. I don't care. Oh, actually, killing him would be better. To be honest, I really dislike him."
Grand Tutor Wei stared at her in shock.
"You actually don't care about Tian Yu's life or death!" he exclaimed, clearly taken aback. "I never imagined you could be so heartless and cruel."
Wang Qingyao almost laughed in exasperation. "Are you out of your mind? Tian Yu has no quarrel with you, yet you'd kill him just to manipulate me. And then you blame me for being heartless and cruel? Heh, that's hilarious."
"Aren't you afraid I'll tell Prince Ding'an that you attempted suicide for Tian Yu?"
"Go ahead."
Wang Qingyao saw no point in listening to his nonsense any longer. She cast a contemptuous glance at Grand Tutor Wei and turned to leave.
After a few steps, she suddenly turned back, scrutinized Grand Tutor Wei from head to toe, and then smiled mysteriously. "Grand Tutor Wei, why are you so invested in a melodramatic novel I wrote? Is it because I wrote something I shouldn't have?"
Grand Tutor Wei watched her, his face ashen.
"Let me guess," Wang Qingyao tapped her temple with her index finger, feigning innocent contemplation. "Hmm... is the death of Empress Xiaoxian related to you?"
Grand Tutor Wei's expression changed drastically. He glared at Wang Qingyao, his voice laced with suppressed fury. "What do you know?"
Wang Qingyao giggled. "I don't know anything. I'm just guessing. But judging by your reaction, I seem to have guessed correctly."
Grand Tutor Wei roared with anger and raised his hand to strike her. Wang Qingyao, far too nimble to be hit, darted behind Zhenzhu the moment he moved.
Zhenzhu shielded Wang Qingyao, her eyes hardening, her killing intent surging.
Grand Tutor Wei could obviously tell that Zhenzhu was a skilled martial artist, and he stood little chance against her.
He slowly lowered his raised hand. Zhenzhu kept her gaze fixed on him, protecting Wang Qingyao, as she slowly retreated backward out of the bamboo grove.
Grand Tutor Wei gnashed his teeth in frustration. It was the first time he had been so powerless against a woman.
Killing Tian Yu was a last resort, a punishment for Wang Qingyao. He wouldn't want to bear the burden of another life unless absolutely necessary.
But now, with Wang Qingyao being so unyielding, he had no choice but to be ruthless.
Moreover, Wang Qingyao herself was a liability. It would be better to eliminate her along with Tian Yu.
***
Once out of Grand Tutor Wei's sight, Xiao Yun pulled Wang Qingyao's wrist and led her to the inner courtyard, asking in a low voice, "How did it go?"
Wang Qingyao gestured for him to be quiet. "We'll talk about it later."
She had been distracted during the banquet, clearly preoccupied.
Xiao Yun understood. So there was a secret after all. He couldn't quite describe how he felt about it.
After the banquet, Wang Qingyao finally figured out how to trick Xiao Yun. She rallied her spirits and, before leaving, found Fang Zheng and spoke a few words to him.
"Earlier, Madam Huang kept pestering me to tell her whether Sister Yun's baby would be a boy or a girl, insisting I give a definitive answer. I said it was a girl, and only then did she back off. I suspect she's planning something."
Fang Zheng cupped his fists towards her. "Thank you, Princess. I will certainly be vigilant."
Back at Prince Ding'an's mansion, both Xiao Yun and Wang Qingyao were unusually quiet.
Yinzhu pulled Zhenzhu aside. "Why are the Princess and the Prince acting so strangely?"
Wang Qingyao and Xiao Yun didn't speak in front of Zhenzhu, so she knew a little. However, she hadn't heard what Grand Tutor Wei had said, so she couldn't be sure what they were arguing about.
"Perhaps they're just tired," Zhenzhu said.
Yinzhu didn't think so. In the past, Wang Qingyao would still excitedly recount her day for hours after returning from an outing.
But she couldn't ask, which was frustrating.
"Sister Zhenzhu," Yinzhu eagerly pulled Zhenzhu closer. "I've learned so many new moves recently. Shall we spar?"
In one move, Yinzhu was completely defeated.
Yinzhu wailed, "I could hold my own for about ten moves against Jin Tiao!"
Zhenzhu smiled. "Jin Tiao was going easy on you. I'm showing you the reality."
"Hey, Sister Zhenzhu," Yinzhu leaned in and asked, "Who's stronger, you or Jin Tiao?"
Zhenzhu: "He's stronger, he's stronger."
Yinzhu mumbled, "Then I'll keep learning from him."
After washing up, Wang Qingyao lay on the bed, staring blankly at the canopy. When Xiao Yun also lay down, the scent of soap from his body wafted over her. In the darkness, she slowly began to speak.
"Your Highness, there's actually something I haven't told you. It's not that I deliberately kept it from you. I told you before that I've forgotten everything about this world, and I only remember things from that other world. So, I truly had no idea about this matter."
As she spoke, her eyes remained fixed on the canopy.
She knew this matter was different from all the others. Even if she could absolve herself, Xiao Yun would still have reservations.
But she had to say it. Grand Tutor Wei wished for her death. If she didn't tell him, he would find an opportunity to tell Xiao Yun, and he would embellish the story, making it far worse than if she told him herself.
This was damage control, she thought.
There were some things she could conceal, but when it came to company interests and her boss's reputation, she couldn't. She had to have professional ethics, she had to be sincere.
After all, she couldn't just resign and leave.
She intended to grow old in Prince Ding'an's mansion.