Chapter 1B: [cont...]
Xiao Wan had been in prison for five days and the marks it left on her were clearly visible. Her once beautiful face was now mottled black and blue with patches of swollen skin all over, courtesy of her fellow inmates. Her hair emitted a horrid stench when she moved and it lingered in the air between them. She looked nothing like the eldest daughter of a high house who would spend money like it grew on trees. There was absolutely nothing left of her aristocratic bearing.
He didn’t think the always beautifully dressed and vain Xiao Wan would look this filthy. He covered his nose with his hand and took several steps back. There was a scornful look in his eyes. “Fever? You think I would do such a foolish thing for you?”
“Shumo be careful not to hurt our baby.” Xiao Wan watched as he nearly tripped on a rock while retreating from her. Although he spoke his words clearly, she knew she must have heard wrong. Afterall how could Shumo speak to her in such a tone? He must not want to make me worried by admitting it. Shumo is so considerate.
Xiao Wan looked at his belly with an incredibly tender expression, like it was the only treasure in the world. Ji Shumo’s eyes flashed with malice when he saw her gaze. It filled him with hate and disgust. He spoke maliciously when he said, “You are so naive. You really think this baby is yours?”
Her body was frozen, stunned by his words. He walked over to her and after laughing lightly whispered, “Xiao Wan ah… Xiao Wan how can I possibly be pregnant with your child? How can you be worthy of me - a stupid fool like you. You’re just a hedonistic idiotic buffoon with rich parents. You are not worthy to be my wife and master!”
Bile rose in his throat when he remembered the year and all the things he did to in order to get closer to her and gain her trust. He rubbed his nose and stepped away from her again in disgust.
No it couldn’t be! Shumo for me, he knelt outside for five whole days pleading for help. How could the child not be mine? She was most definitely his beloved wife!
“Do you think it’s a joke? ‘Cause I’m not joking.”
It was then that a young woman in a fancy dress stepped next to Ji Shumo. The woman caught sight of Xiao Wan and gave her smile. She leaned over and draped her arms on his waist before kissing him and declaring, “The child in Shumo’s belly came from me so naturally his love belongs to me as well!”
“From Princess?” Xiao Wan whispered. “Yours, Chu Muqing?” she looked towards her old friend the Third Imperial Princess Chu Muqing.
Xiao Wan had met her a year ago. Back then Chu Muqing was the unfavored third princess, but somehow they hit off really well and became fast friends. She did not expect that that same woman would one day turn herself into a national hero. Not only that, she even gained the Empress’ recognition and was conferred the title of Crown Princess.
Seeing Xiao Wan’s confused expression made Chu Muqing laugh. “Xiao Wan.... it’s gotten to this point and you still haven’t figured it out? The Xiao House being accused of treason and the matter with my eldest sister. Think back to the battle. Back then I specifically requested permission to go out. Then I completely and perfectly defeated the enemy troops. Not only did I win the people’s hearts, I also got Mother Empress’ approval and became the Crown Princess.”
Xiao Wan shivered and looked at Chu Muqing. Speaking with confidence she said, “The one that leaked information about our troops, it was you. Why? Why would you entrap the Xiao House like that? Why frame my mother that way?”
“Why? Because your House supports my sister Chu Shiyu. Because your mother despises and looks down on me. Because the Xiao House has a daughter as stupid as you!”
That bitch always scolding me for being too calculating and scheming, too short-sighted and not a good person. Makes my blood boil! She wanted to kill her so badly! It was because of her that she lost favor with Mother Empress to begin with. You won’t support my bid for the throne? Fine then I’ll destroy the one you support, destroy your precious daughter, and destroy your precious house!
“Xiao Wan, your role in the Ministry of War is to maintain the records. Every single piece of military intelligence has to pass through your hands.” Chu Muqing looked down at Ji Shumo nestled in her arms. Then raised her head to look at Xiao Wan. The meaning of that action was clear.
Xiao Wan thought back to the last month and half and how she had spent day and night at the office becoming a crazy workaholic because of the conflict with the south. At that time Ji Shumo would often bring her nourishing medicinal soup. She thought he was incredibly considerate to do so in person.
Normally the office of the Ministry of War was off limits, especially so those places that held confidential information. Even the Emperor needed the Empress’ permission to enter. However despite this, Ji Shumo was allowed to constantly enter and leave at will. The guards recognized that he was Xiao Wan’s husband and had been stunned that he was given this kind of permission. Who was Xiao Wan? Though she was only a small clerk, her name was well known throughout the military as she was the favored daughter of Xiao Yurong, the head of Military Affairs.
Chu Muqing used Xiao Wan’s desire to pamper and spoil Ji Shumo to gain entrance to those confidential places in order to steal as much information as possible. In addition to that, Ji Shumo also planted incriminating evidence to frame Xiao Yurong as a traitor.
“Shumo, why… why would you do such a thing. Was I not good to you? Why betray me?”
Ji Shumo smiled condescendingly at her words. It was as though she asked a really stupid question.
Xiao Wan’s heart was shaken but she was unwilling to give up. “These past few years… have you really never loved me at?”
“Love you?” Ji Shumo snorted like it was a funny joke. “I married you because you were convenient and easy to take advantage of. Honestly you’re even more stupid than Xie Chuchen. Thanks to your money I was able to revive my Ji family House. You’re completely idiotic and spoiled by your rich family. How could you possibly be worthy of my love?!”
His words were like a knife, painfully cutting her heart out. “And mother? Did you kill her?” Mother lived her life for this nation. That at her death she’d be suspected of treason… Xiao Wan oh Xiao Wan… how could you possibly be this stupid? She stumbled nearly collapsing under the heavy weight of the realization.
Seeing this Chu Muqing stabbed her with even more cold truths. “I managed to poison your mother with an insidious and slow acting poison that would only take full effect during her interrogation, making it look like she committed suicide to escape. Xiao Yurong was a really smart person that Mother Empress trusted. Any credibility she had vanished when she committed suicide. The only way to interpret her suicide is that the Xiao House colluded with the enemy to sell the nation out so that Chu Shiyu would have enough military strength to usurp the throne.”
Upon hearing this Xiao Wan wanted to tear the Empress to pieces. She understood now the trickery involved. “With just those few bits of evidence, Her majesty was willing to condemn my mother, the Xiao House and the First Imperial Princess? How foolish of her!”
“It wasn’t just documentary evidence, there were also testimonials.”
Xiao Wan watched as Chu Muqing glanced down at Ji Shumo as she said this. The gesture made Xiao Wan’s stomach drop. She could guess what she was intimating. Chu Muqing continued with a smile.
“Aside from Shumo’s testimonial, there were the witnessed interactions between Eldest Sister and the Xiao House. Witnesses say they heard conversations between the two about building ties with outside nations -- all for their own self interests of course. Besides your younger sister also testified. I only had to promise her reprieve from death and she was more than willing to sell you lot out. She testified in front of Mother Empress that Xiao Yurong was working under the direct orders of Chu Shiyu the entire time. Mother Emperor sentenced the entire Xiao House to death. Your younger sister was lucky to be spared.”
[notes]
Chu Muqing’s words echoed in Xiao Wan’s mind like a sharp sword piercing her heart, cutting it to bits before drawing blood. Her body was stiff and she felt like she was drowning. Although she wanted to speak she was unable to make a single sound. They did this deliberately, deliberately stood there and told me the truth to sink me into despair, so I won’t know peace even in death.
“Now the Xiao name will be synonymous with betrayal, the infamy remembered throughout history. I bet Xiao Yurong died never expecting the house she painstakingly built up and guarded would be destroyed by her own daughters!”
Chu Muqing laughed when she saw Xiao Wan burst into tears. “Xiao Wan, in this life, the person I’m most grateful to is you. Thanks to you I was able to get rid of the three people standing in my way. I was able to get everything my heart wanted. Now I will send you on your way. Try not to be so stupid in your next life eh.”
[notes]
Xia Wan stared at Ji Shumo with red rimmed eyes. “Ji Shumo! You are my husband! We live and die together! If I die you’re coming with me!”
The beautiful teenager took three steps back and shook his head at her. He looked at her with limpid eyes, as dazzling and bright as a full moon, yet as cold as ice.
“Don’t think that I'm as stupid and desperate as Xie Chuchen, to kneel so foolishly in front of the Ministry of Justice just to save your ass. Don't forget you already gave me the marriage document. You and I are separate individuals with nothing to do with each other anymore! Don't try to drag me down with you!”
Argh!!! Yes I was foolish enough to do that! Damn it!! She had wanted to save him because she trusted him, but in the end it was all a deception on his part to get the document from her. She felt an intense pain grip her stomach and a fishiness rose to her throat. She coughed violently and a mouthful of blood came out. Looking down at her hand she could see the strands of blood stuck on her palm. She couldn’t help but shiver.
She led the wolf into her home. She was responsible for her mother’s death and the downfall of the entire Xiao House. She had single-mindedly pursued Ji Shumo. She ignored her figure, gave up her self-respect, and spent god knows how much money for three years in her pursuit of him. At last she thought she'd finally won his heart.
She remembered how she couldn’t sleep the night the Ji House gave their assent to the marriage. Then on the wedding day, because she didn’t want Ji Shumo to feel slighted, she had personally gone out to greet him when he was only a third of a mile away from the residence. She was dressed gaily in a festive outfit. The wedding had an impressive guest list comprised of high ranking officials, nobilities, and military officials. Needless to say it was an extravagant affair, bustling with noise and merriment.
She remembered the day she found out about the pregnancy; she was so happy preparing for the baby, thinking about how to raise it.
Finally she remembered when the military officers surrounded the Xiao House. She was so nervous and only thought about protecting Ji Shumo. She told the officers he was not her husband, that he was innocent and that they should release him.
As it turned out everything Ji Shumo did was for his own interests. To think she’d gone so far for someone else, thinking he had reciprocated her love. She finally understood it was all just pretend, like playing dress up.