She Holds the World After Being Reborn
Chapter 165: Mysterious and Unpredictable

Chapter 165: Chapter 165: Mysterious and Unpredictable

"The reason I’ve been reluctant to show myself is also because of this person." Yan Jing’s eyes still held a deep wariness when he spoke of Song Huaxu, "He’s simply too inscrutable. I couldn’t confidently reveal myself before I thoroughly understood what he intended to do."

Yan Wanqing thought of what Zhang Lanyi had previously said, that Song Huaxu had once gone to Governor’s Office Pass.

Could it be that Yan Jing had told her this news?

"So have you figured out what he wants to do now?" Yan Wanqing asked.

Yan Jing nodded gravely, "I should be about right, because of a woman."

"Who?" Yan Lingzhen suddenly leaned in with her little head, asking curiously.

Yan Jing continued, "The mother of Seventh Prince Xiao Hongshen, a palace maid from the Imperial Palace of Dawei."

"How could a palace maid be involved with a master,... with him?" Yan Wanqing didn’t understand.

"This maid originally came from an ordinary family in the Jiangnan Water Town. During the year of the Emperor’s selection, she was called to the palace, and after failing to be chosen, she became a palace maid. Later, due to a mix-up by Yin Changyang, she was graced by the Emperor and thus bore the Seventh Prince."

Yan Wanqing knew this too; Yan Jing was telling her what she already knew.

Yan Jing then added, "Before entering the palace, this woman had once saved Song Huaxu’s life, so she owed him a debt of gratitude. By the time Song Huaxu wanted to repay that debt, the woman had already met her tragic end. It was too late. After that, Song Huaxu disappeared for many years. He must have been by your side for these years, teaching you."

Yan Wanqing nodded, the sequence of events was finally piecing together.

"So the person behind Xiao Hongshen is Song Huaxu." If it were him, Yan Wanqing was not at all surprised as to why she didn’t scheme against Xiao Hongshen in the previous life.

Her ability to disguise was taught by Song Huaxu, and that aged face had been etched deeply into her memory for years.

It was not until tonight, when she saw that unfamiliar face, that Yan Wanqing truly realized she had never seen through Song Huaxu.

Or rather, who really had?

A hermit of high attainment who emerged from seclusion to teach nearly all the members of the Imperial Family, including the Crown Prince, becoming the master of most.

In the end, it was all for the sake of preparing the way for Xiao Hongshen.

Yan Wanqing let out a light chuckle.

No wonder in her previous life, when Xiao Hongshen ascended to the throne, no one in the Imperial Court dared to object.

That was because the person standing behind Xiao Hongshen was Song Huaxu.

"In a game of strategy, really no one could match him," Yan Wanqing remarked.

Yan Jing knew what Yan Wanqing meant, he sighed, feeling a little ashamed, "Although we come from the same lineage, he’s the eldest disciple of our sect, and no one knows exactly when he joined. All we know is that he comes and goes without a trace, and his ways are unfathomable."

"If he’s the opponent, then Uncle, you can’t follow me to the battlefield," Yan Wanqing said with a thoughtful look, "I have other concerns."

Yan Jing understood immediately, "You mean the Yan Family people and..."

Yan Wanqing nodded.

Someone needed to stay behind to keep watch, to protect her mother and her sisters, and to safeguard Zhang Lanyi, who seemed secure within the deep palace but was actually in a place of churning waves.

"Without me, you’re no match for him," Yan Jing sighed.

"If he truly wanted to kill me, he could have taken my life tonight," Yan Wanqing asserted confidently, "I don’t believe he doesn’t know who I am; after all, he taught me my martial arts techniques."

Each move was dangerously unrelenting, yet he still had not taken her life.

Otherwise, according to the way he and Yan Jing fought, her life wouldn’t have been enough for Song Huaxu to take, even ten times over.

So it could only mean that Song Huaxu must have had other thoughts in mind.

These thoughts might be the reason why he didn’t wholeheartedly help Xiao Hongshen seize the throne.

The Emperor had long become a puppet under Song Huaxu’s control, obediently compliant with just an elixir, to say nothing of how many sons of officials in the court were his disciples.

"If he wished it, the whole of Dawei would be at his disposal," Yan Wanqing realized profoundly.

Yan Jing nodded after listening, "You really do see clearly, so now we need to figure out what exactly Song Huaxu is thinking, what his ultimate goal is."

"It’s certainly not as simple as just pushing Xiao Hongshen onto the throne," Yan Wanqing felt as if she were surrounded by a tangled mess, becoming more perplexed the more she thought about it.

Song Huaxu, her master.

Just how many moves had this enigmatic man made in Dawei?

What did each move signify?

"That’s why you must stay in the Capital City, watching his every move, so I can lead the troops on the front lines with peace of mind,"

Seeing that Yan Jing had no objections, Yan Wanqing also breathed a sigh of relief.

Originally she was worried about what to do with the Capital City when she went to the front lines, but now having an uncle around suddenly didn’t seem like a bad thing.

Yet, there was another matter.

It was somewhat difficult for her to bring up.

Considering that her fifth and sixth sisters were still here, Yan Wanqing didn’t find it appropriate to speak directly and could only keep it to herself, waiting for the right moment to ask.

"As for the two of you, stay peacefully by mother’s side," Yan Wanqing declared definitively.

Yan Lingzhen felt a rush of urgency upon hearing this, clearly having previously arranged with her elder sister to head north together; she also wanted to travel.

Seeing the weary look on Yan Wanqing’s face, Yan Lingzhen bit her lip and swallowed her words.

"It’s late tonight, everyone should go rest early," Yan Wanqing said, enduring the pain in her body.

Seeing this, everyone dispersed; indeed, too much had happened tonight.

It was only after everyone had left that Yan Lingzhen brought her medical chest over to the desk.

"Before you sleep, sister, let Xiaoliu give you a couple of acupuncture needles, or else you’re definitely going to suffer tonight,"

Yan Wanqing was a compliant patient.

She always heeded Yan Lingzhen’s words.

So she obediently lay down on the bed, and Yan Lingzhen began to administer the acupuncture with eyes puffy from lack of sleep.

By the time the session was over, Yan Lingzhen was sweating profusely, and dawn was slowly breaking.

Yan Wanqing drifted off into a heavy sleep.

Seeing this, Yan Lingzhen didn’t hesitate; she climbed straight into the bed and, holding her sister’s arm, also fell asleep.

Her sister’s body was fragrant.

Staying by her sister’s side felt particularly comforting.

Yan Lingzhen thought to herself.

It was a peace of mind she had never experienced before.

Some could sleep while others couldn’t find rest.

Xiao Hongshen’s wound on his chest was unbearable, and the area Li Chengyuan had treated was already starting to fester and stink, but all of this was concealed beneath the bandages, unknown to anyone else.

Xiao Hongshen lay in bed, sweating coldly, alternately feeling feverish and then as cold as ice throughout his body.

Li Chengyuan sat in a chair beside him and had almost not slept the entire night.

When dawn came, she stood up to change the water, but someone knocked her out from behind.

Song Huaxu emerged from the darkness, devoid of any compassion as he dumped Li Chengyuan onto the floor and walked towards Xiao Hongshen on the bed.

At this point, Xiao Hongshen’s face had already turned a slight shade of blue.

"Foolish woman," Song Huaxu cursed outright.

With a raise of his hand, the clothes on Xiao Hongshen’s chest turned to dust, revealing the festering wound.

Song Huaxu tore open the sutured wound, sprinkled it with medicinal powder, stuffed a medicinal pill into Xiao Hongshen’s mouth, and pressed down on the wound with his inner strength. The wound actually started to close at a visible speed, turning into a new, tender wound.