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墨書 Inktalez
The frost and mist of dawn had yet to dissipate when Liu Ruyi was helped to sit up by Zhang Yue. The copper mirror reflected the dark circles under her eyes; she had only slept for two hours last night before being awakened by Yuan Yingwu—confirmation had come that the secret line of the Zhenguo Grand General had verified the matter of the armory's iron tokens, and a politically charged impeachment was about to unfold.
"Miss, the Liu Residence has sent a message saying that the Second Miss is gravely ill and wishes to see you," Zhang Yue said, holding a gilded hand warmer, her tone laced with caution.
Liu Ruyi paused, gripping the hairpin in her hand as memories of the iron token found in the armory and Liu Rumeng's fleetingly fierce gaze from last night flooded back. Having lived two lives, she understood her legitimate sister's methods all too well—outwardly delicate like a dodder flower, yet inwardly as venomous as a viper. In her previous life, it was Liu Rumeng who had inadvertently mentioned the Duke's Residence's arms dealings in front of the Emperor, igniting his suspicion and wrath.
"Prepare the carriage," Liu Ruyi commanded, forcefully inserting a hairpin into her cloud-like hair, the jade tip glinting coldly in the morning light. "Tell Niu Peng to bring ten shadow guards disguised as bearers and take the back alleys."
The bluestone slabs at the back door of Liu Residence were coated with thin ice, and even in cotton shoes, Liu Ruyi felt a bone-chilling cold. After passing through three moon gate doors, she heard a suppressed cough coming from within a side room. Pushing open the door revealed Liu Rumeng wrapped in a fox fur coat on the couch, an unusual flush on her face. Yet upon seeing Liu Ruyi, her fingers tightened around her handkerchief.
"Sister..." Her voice was hoarse, but her eyes sparkled with calculation. "I fear I may not live much longer..."
Liu Ruyi gestured for Zhang Yue to close the door and cast her gaze over the untouched medicine bowl on the table. "Sister, why go through such trouble? If you want to talk about something, just say it directly."
Liu Rumeng suddenly sat up, her fur coat slipping to reveal an exquisite crimson silk dress—the same style gifted by the Crown Princess yesterday. "You are indeed clever. Then I will speak plainly—this morning, the Zhenguo Grand General submitted a memorial accusing the Crown Prince of embezzling military supplies. The Emperor has ordered a thorough investigation of the Eastern Palace's storerooms."
"Oh?" Liu Ruyi fiddled with her armor. "What does this have to do with you?"
"Because I hold the key to those storerooms," Liu Rumeng said, pulling out a gilded key from beneath her pillow. The words "Eastern Palace" were prominently engraved on it. "In my previous life, after the Crown Prince ascended to the throne, he had me safeguard this batch of keys. Now I am merely employing old tricks to make him believe I am still a pawn he can control."
Liu Ruyi's heart jolted as she finally understood why Madam Zhou Yan had sought out Liu Rumeng last night—the Crown Prince Faction must have known about her rebirth long ago to risk entrusting such an important item to a 'discarded piece.' But she maintained her composure on the surface. "What do you want?"
Liu Rumeng suddenly smiled—a smile reminiscent of when she had attempted to assassinate Liu Ruyi in her past life. "I need you to help me with two things. First, take an impression of this key's pattern and deliver it to the Zhenguo Grand General; second, speak favorably for me before the Emperor and say that my marriage exchange was meant to help you infiltrate Li Ming’s circle and investigate Qi Wang Party’s movements."
"Absurd!" Liu Ruyi slammed her hand on the table, causing her armor to scrape against its surface with an ear-piercing sound. "Do you think that with such small favors you can make me help you clear your sins? In my previous life, you caused my mother’s death by withholding medicine; I haven’t settled that score with you yet!"
At the mention of Bai Jieqiong, a flicker of panic crossed Liu Rumeng's eyes but was quickly replaced by cold determination. "So what? If you kill me now, are you not afraid that my hidden connections outside will present evidence of Duke's Residence colluding with Zhenguo Grand General to the Emperor?"
Suddenly, there was a sound of snapping branches outside; Liu Ruyi turned to look and saw a gray crane perched on a plum tree—it was one of Zhenguo Grand General’s carrier pigeons. A thought struck her as she chuckled lightly. "Fine, I agree. But first tell me what is truly behind the Crown Prince’s private forging of weapons."
Liu Rumeng stared into her eyes as if assessing for deceit. "Three years ago during the northwest war turmoil, under the pretext of 'defending the throne,' he secretly diverted border troops but suffered a disastrous defeat due to insufficient weapons. To cover this up, he ordered Zhou Yan to set up secret furnaces near Duke's Residence’s armory using inferior iron materials in place of quality steel for military use, resulting in tens of thousands of soldiers perishing on the battlefield..."
Before she could finish speaking, an arrow suddenly flew in through the window and struck squarely into the nanmu pillar where Liu Rumeng had just been leaning. Instinctively, Liu Ruyi lunged forward and pushed her down onto the ground but heard Liu Rumeng whisper in her ear: "Sister, this time it was I who saved your life."
Outside came sounds of clashing swords; Zhang Yue burst through the door covered in blood. "Miss! It’s assassins from Crown Prince's Mansion!"
Liu Ruyi helped Liu Rumeng hide behind a screen and felt her fingers brush against a jade pendant at Liu Rumeng’s waist—it was precisely what she had stolen from Li Ming in her previous life as a gift for the Crown Prince. Suddenly she recalled Yuan Yingwu’s words: “Every reborn person thinks they can rewrite their fate but does not realize they are already ensnared in an even larger game.”
"If you want to live, come with me," Liu Ruyi said as she tore off part of Liu Rumeng’s skirt hem and dipped it in blood to draw an arrow on the wall. "Use the secret passage; it leads to Duke's Residence’s hidden stake."
"Why are you saving me?" Liu Rumeng clutched at an abrasion on her abdomen; for once there was genuine panic in her eyes.
"Because you are still useful," Liu Ruyi tucked away the impression of key patterns into her clothing. "Remember this: tomorrow at three quarters past si hour, bring this to Cien Temple; someone from Zhenguo Grand General will meet you there."
After Liu Rumeng was taken away by shadow guards, Liu Ruyi realized that her sleeve had already soaked through with blood. Zhang Yue wanted to help her into the carriage but was firmly rejected: "To the palace; I must see His Majesty."
In the Qianqing Palace, the Emperor reclined on the dragon throne, holding the impeachment letter from the Grand General of Zhenguo against the Crown Prince. Liu Ruyi knelt on the steps, listening to her heartbeat echo in the vast hall.
“Liu Ruyi,” the Emperor’s voice was weary, “do you know why I summoned you?”
“I have heard that the Grand General of Zhenguo has accused the Crown Prince of embezzling military supplies, and I came to report something,” she said, taking out a blood-stained rubbing from her sleeve. “This is the pattern of the key to the Eastern Palace's storeroom. Last night, I was attacked at Liu Residence, and the weapon used by the assassin is identical to those privately forged by Zhou Yan.”
The Emperor suddenly sat up, and the letter fell to the ground with a loud thud. “Are you saying that the Crown Prince has been privately forging weapons under the name of Duke's Residence?”
Liu Ruyi prostrated herself until her forehead touched the ground, her nails nearly digging into her palms. “I dare not speak recklessly, but my mother fell gravely ill yesterday, and the medicine she took is identical to that given to Liu Rumeng by Madam Zhou Yan. I venture to guess that the Crown Prince Faction intends to pin the assassination of the Grand General of Zhenguo, embezzlement at Duke's Residence, and military defeats in the northwest on me and my sister to eliminate future threats.”
Suddenly, hurried footsteps were heard outside the hall. The Minister of Justice burst in, holding a list from the Eastern Palace’s storeroom. “Your Majesty! Thirty thousand inferior weapons were found in the Crown Prince’s storeroom, along with a written confession from Zhou Yan stating that everything was done at the Crown Prince's behest!”
Liu Ruyi closed her eyes, hearing the Emperor's furious roar and the distant sound of bells and drums. She knew that this storm stirred up by two reborn souls had finally reached its critical turning point.
At dusk, a carriage from Duke's Residence entered Zhuque Street. Liu Ruyi gazed at the hurried passersby outside her window and suddenly recalled a secret report she received that morning—Li Ming had quarreled with someone at Drunken Flower Pavilion last night and was impeached by the Censorate for “corrupting morals.” It seemed Liu Rumeng was right; the Crown Prince Faction was cleaning up all potential loose ends, including her future Chancellor husband.
“Miss, you’re bleeding!” Zhang Yue’s exclamation broke her thoughts. Liu Ruyi then realized that she had been too agitated during her audience with the Emperor, causing an old wound on her abdomen to reopen. She pressed down on it but suddenly smiled—what was this little pain? Compared to being stabbed in the heart by a dagger in her previous life, it was nothing.
“Once we return home, please request a leave for me, saying I need to recuperate from a cold.” She leaned against the carriage wall, her fingertips tracing over a jade pendant hidden in her sleeve. “Also, send some healing ointment to Liu Rumeng and let her know that I have resolved Li Ming’s matter.”
Zhang Yue’s eyes widened. “Miss, why would you help her?”
“Because we are like grasshoppers tied together on a string.” Liu Ruyi looked at the darkening sky and recalled Liu Rumeng’s complex expression before she left. “Moreover, I want her to see for herself that when she thinks she has everything under control, she is merely a pawn on my chessboard.”
Late at night, Yuan Yingwu returned covered in snow, his armor still stained with dried blood. Liu Ruyi forced herself to sit up and saw the jade pendant granted by the Grand General of Zhenguo pinned on his shoulder; a sudden pang shot through her heart.
“You’ve worked hard.” She helped him remove his cloak and felt a hidden letter inside. “What did His Majesty say?”
Yuan Yingwu gently pressed her back onto the couch and tucked her in. “His Majesty has ordered me to take over command of Capital Garrison starting today and thoroughly investigate any remaining supporters of the Crown Prince. As for Liu Rumeng…” He paused for a moment; a hint of pity flashed in his eyes. “The Grand General of Zhenguo has taken her under his wing and conferred upon her the title of ‘Virtuous Princess.’ She will move into Princess Mansion tomorrow.”
Liu Ruyi stared at the tassels hanging from above as memories flooded back of Liu Rumeng being conferred as ‘Virtuous Princess’ in her past life—unbeknownst to her that it was merely a pawn used by the Grand General to counterbalance the Crown Prince. Suddenly gripping Yuan Yingwu’s hand tightly, she whispered, “What do you think she would feel if she knew that Li Ming’s success in passing his exams was due to your secret intervention?”
Yuan Yingwu raised an eyebrow. “You knew all along?”
“On my second day after rebirth, I went to read Li Ming’s essays,” Liu Ruyi chuckled lightly. “With such poor quality, he wouldn’t even pass local examinations, let alone imperial ones. But I’m more curious about why you chose to help him.”
“Because I want Liu Rumeng to believe that her ‘prophet’ is useful.” Yuan Yingwu leaned down and kissed her forehead gently. “Just like how I made Fan Jiao Jiao deliberately engage in an affair at Green Water Pavilion; it was actually meant to mislead the Crown Prince Faction into thinking our backyard was on fire so they would lower their guard.”
Liu Ruyi suddenly recalled Fan Jiao Jiao’s resentful gaze when she was sent away; everything had been part of an intricate scheme within schemes. Looking at her husband before her now felt both familiar and strange; yet an unprecedented sense of security surged within her—because she knew that no matter how many plots lay ahead, they would fight side by side.
“Let’s sleep; tomorrow we must attend Liu Rumeng’s coronation ceremony.” Yuan Yingwu blew out the candlelight with a teasing tone in his voice. “Virtuous Princess—what an ironic title.”
In darkness, Liu Ruyi curled up a corner of her mouth. She knew that Liu Rumeng’s title as ‘Virtuous Princess’ wouldn’t last long because she had already instructed Zhang Yue to hide evidence of the true Crown Prince’s weapon forging within Liu Rumeng’s Princess Mansion—just as she had hidden evidence in Duke's Residence in her previous life.
Outside, a crescent moon climbed over the eaves. Liu Ruyi closed her eyes as two images surfaced in her mind: In her past life, Liu Rumeng stood on the execution platform with eyes full of resentment; in this life, she received a golden book during her coronation ceremony with a facade of insincere smiles plastered across her face. The wheel of fate had turned through two lifetimes and finally reached this moment on an entirely different trajectory.
This time, she no longer faced the abyss alone; instead, the two of them joined hands, turning the abyss into a stepping stone. She suddenly understood that the meaning of rebirth was not revenge, but rather the courage to reshuffle the cards and forge a brand new path after seeing the truth of fate.
Snow began to fall again. But this time, Liu Ruyi was no longer afraid of the cold. For she knew that, in places unseen by her, Yuan Yingwu had already laid out a web of traps, and all she needed to do was wait patiently for the prey to be ensnared.
In the Twinborn Chess Game, victory would eventually come. And this time, she and Yuan Yingwu would surely be the final winners.
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