After Rebirth, She Becomes the Revenge Queen
Chapter 166 - 165: I Will Never Regret

Chapter 166: Chapter 165: I Will Never Regret

Yongping pursed her lips tightly and said nothing more.

Xu Yin stepped in front of her: "You do have a certain awareness. But since you believe that I married you for Prince Rong’s Mansion and not for you, then why did you repeatedly approach me when I still had a fiancée, constantly criticizing her in front of me, and repeatedly hinting that Prince Rong’s Mansion could give me everything the Liang Family couldn’t offer? Isn’t that despicable?"

Yongping’s face turned pale: "How can you say that about me!"

"Isn’t this what you brought upon yourself?"

Xu Yin’s eyes were cold as ice, "I married you for the advantages of Prince Rong’s Mansion, so what value do you have left? It was you who saw yourself as a tool, willingly believing that you were my stepping stone for career advancement, what can’t I say?

"She is dead now, she will never know how you spoke ill of her behind her back in front of her fiancé, saying she was rude, volatile, lacking manners, and in every way inferior to you.

"She also wouldn’t know that you targeted the Liang Family to snatch her fiancé. Despite knowing that she had painfully lost two elder brothers and that the Liang Family only had two young men remaining, you still cried and implored your father to recommend Liang Chen as a commander to the palace.

"You knew the Northwest war was perilous, with so many veterans already dead, that if Liang Chen went, his chances of survival were slim.

"You understood that whether Liang Chen lived or died, the Liang Family would never stand up to Prince Rong’s Mansion again.

"Liang Ning could no longer stand against you or retaliate. Even after having her love taken by you, she still had to consider her family and could do nothing but watch as I married you.

"From the beginning, you flaunted the benefits of Prince Rong’s Mansion to me. Look at how successful you are, shouldn’t you be happy?

"Everything you did was to turn me into that opportunist, wasn’t it? Weren’t you doing all this to secure me?

"Did you think it was to win my heart?

"You wouldn’t think that after meticulously exploiting a person’s weaknesses, reducing them to leverage in your hands, they would fall in love with you, would you?"

"Xu Yin!"

Yongping screamed in rage, eyes wide open!

"Now it seems, apart from coming from a good family, you truly have nothing else to offer! How dare you try to suppress me with power and status while wanting to win me over? How could you wish for the best of both worlds?"

Xu Yin sneered, then snatched the cloak from her hands and walked out of the courtyard without looking back.

"Xu Yin!"

Yongping cried out desperately, but no matter how loud her voice, how could it bring him back?

...

The incense trip was set for the afternoon of the fourteenth. Mrs. Ning was unavailable and gave Fu Zhen a silver note to go by herself.

Early in the morning, Su Xinger sent someone, saying that with the Crown Prince’s coming-of-age ceremony approaching, the Emperor would ask Liang Chen and Pei Zhan to discuss matters in the afternoon, and Prince Rong would also be there, so they could only head to the mountains at night, thus Su Xinger and Fu Zhen went ahead to the temple.

Since Xu Yin happened to be serving as Assistant Minister at the Ministry of Rites, and because the current Minister of Rites was also holding a position at the Chamberlain’s Office, Xu Yin, as the Vice Minister, was overseeing the Ministry’s affairs. The Crown Prince’s coming-of-age ceremony required Xu Yin to take charge, and Fu Zhen, wanting to learn about the ceremony details, replied to Su Xinger to meet her outside the city gate to share a carriage.

A court session was held every three days.

As dawn’s light shone into the courtyard, Lian Rong brought tea into the study.

Xu Yin was still leaning on the bed, sleeping in his clothes.

Lian Rong paused at the door, then quietly stepped forward to cover him with a garment.

Xu Yin awoke, frowned upon seeing him, and pinched the bridge of his nose as he sat up: "What time is it?"

"Almost mid-morning." Lian Rong handed over the tea, observing his expression: "Did master argue with the Commandery Princess again last night?"

Xu Yin, looking displeased, accepted the tea and rinsed his mouth before speaking indifferently: "Only a petty man and a woman are difficult to maintain."

Lian Rong nodded slightly: "The Commandery Princess’s temper is something she’s had for ages, although normally master treats it calmly, but these past few days it seems you’ve been a bit irritable."

Xu Yin took a deep breath, slowly said: "Don’t you find her increasingly foolish?"

Lian Rong sighed softly: "Women often have their idiosyncrasies."

Xu Yin gazed ahead: "Even so, there are some who act whimsical yet remain clever and graceful."

His gaze landed on the battered helmet hanging on the wall.

"She would never do that. She never did such foolish things, never spoke such foolish words. The most foolish thing she ever did was to trust me wholeheartedly."

Xu Yin’s eyes grew deep: "Thinking back now, I was in too much of a hurry then, I underestimated the resilience of the Liang Family’s descendants.

"Who could have imagined, that Liang Chen would actually return later? Moreover, winning so many battles, reclaiming so many cities, forcing himself back into the ranks of the nobility with his blood and flesh.

"To this day, the Liang Family has never been aggressive towards me."

Lian Rong was silent: "Could master be remorseful about that night?"

Xu Yin sat silently for a while, then withdrew his gaze: "No. I will never regret it. I took a life, but I also got what I wanted, didn’t I?"

Lian Rong nodded deeply.

Xu Yin continued: "Once the Crown Prince’s coming-of-age ceremony is over, Minister Lin will retire, and the position of Minister of Rites will be mine. These past six years, my path has been very smooth, why should I have any regrets?"

Lian Rong nodded: "The last two times when His Majesty intended to promote you, or feared that there were those in the court who might question your qualifications, rising with Prince Rong’s Mansion’s backing. In the past two years, after overseeing several national celebrations and proposing many good strategies in governance, with magnificent achievements, your talents have been clearly seen by all.

"Currently, the court needs talent as never before; taking the seat of the Minister of Rites should convince the people of the world."

Xu Yin was unmoved by this flattery and said, "At this crucial moment, make sure to sever any unnecessary official ties with Prince Rong’s Mansion.

"I’m just the son-in-law of Prince Rong’s Mansion, not its subordinate. While casual closeness in etiquette is fine, do not forget that my goal is the Chamberlain’s Office.

"Once our involvement with the Mansion becomes too close, this path will become difficult."

"I assure you, I’ll not make a mistake." Lian Rong obeyed, and further asked, "Then regarding this incense burning trip, how should master decide?"

Xu Yin’s eyes turned steely: "Did she ask you to inquire?"

Lian Rong replied: "Before the Commandery Princess left, she instructed me. I dare not defy the madam’s orders."

Xu Yin frowned, deep in thought.

Just then, someone outside announced: "An envoy from the government office has arrived with a message, the Emperor has decreed, with the grand ceremony approaching, the master is summoned to the palace in the afternoon for discussions."

Lian Rong opened the curtain: "Did they say what it concerns?"

"The envoy did not say. But mentioned that the Prince and several Great Generals would attend."

Lian Rong returned to the room: "Looks like it involves ceremony defense issues."

Xu Yin pondered a bit, then asked: "Is He Qunying still drilling soldiers in the camp lately?"

"Yes, after killing his wife, he was demoted from Deputy General to Centurion and is still training in the Capital Camp."

Xu Yin furrowed his brow: "As this is a ceremonial event of the royal family, the Prince, being the chief of the Office of Clan Affairs, will surely be appointed as the Commander of Defense. Let’s take this opportunity to give He Qunying some backing.

"—You go make arrangements; enter the mountain at night."

Lian Rong agreed.

Xu Yin took a sip of tea, then suddenly called to the retreating figure: "I’ve heard that Fu Jun’s ex-wife recently opened a restaurant in the capital city?"

"Indeed. And it has been receiving good reviews. After all, she’s the only daughter of a former Imperial Merchant. She has quite the knack for business."

Xu Yin raised an eyebrow: "Go buy some of their signature dishes, then pick out some bracelets or jade pendants at the Jade Store to take up the mountain with us."