The room grew quiet again, the three of them sitting together in the soft glow of lantern light, each lost in their own thoughts about the day that had just passed.
Han-Yun finally broke the silence, curiosity flickering in his eyes. "Why do you suddenly ask, My Lady?"
Yu Xiao met his gaze, her expression unreadable. "I want to know," she replied softly, an undercurrent of resolve in her tone.
For a brief moment, Han-Yun fixed his gaze on Han-Qing, eyebrows raised in silent question. Han-Qing swallowed, his jaw tensing as he managed only a slight nod. In a heartbeat, Han-Yun cleared his throat and turned his attention back to her.
"Lan Qingwe is the current mistress and ruler of Qingyu Palace, one of the five major subordinate palaces under the supreme Beiming Palace," Han-Yun explained, his tone even but his brows drawn together in concentration.
Yu Xiao's lips curled in a faint, skeptical smile. "That's it?"
Han-Yun shook his head, lips pressed together. "Not only that, she was born into a collateral branch of the ancient Xue clan." He leaned forward, voice lowering. "She is the only daughter of the late Lan Tianhan, former lord of Qingyu Palace, and a legendary Saint-Realm sword cultivator known as the 'Jade Frost Sword Immortal.'"
Yu Xiao's smile faded. She drew in a quiet breath, her fingers drumming absently on the tabletop. "But what concerns me is this: if she truly is such a formidable figure, then why did she insult me in front of so many cultivating disciples?"
Both Han-Yun and Han-Qing stared at her, eyes wide, genuine shock crossing their faces.
"Princess Lan Qingwe insulted you?!" they recited together, voices rising in disbelief.
Yu Xiao glanced away, shoulders tensing. "..."
Han-Qing let out a low whistle, shaking his head. "No wonder Young Master is mad."
"That's right!" Han-Yun agreed, his brows furrowing deeper. "Earlier, we planned to report to him, but we chose to retreat." He leaned in, concern etching his features. "How did Princess Lan Qingwe insult you, My Lady?" Han-Qing added, voice gentle.
Yu Xiao brushed the dust from the table with a sigh, then rested her elbow on its surface and propped her face on her palm, eyes clouded with frustration.
"You know what? She's technically my aunt, I suppose," Yu Xiao said, her mouth twisting wryly. "But she acted like a schoolkid."
Han-Qing and Han-Yun exchanged glances, both at a loss for words. "..."
Yu Xiao's eyes flashed with indignation. She sat up a little straighter, hands moving animatedly as she spoke. "I just can't understand why she suddenly approached me and humiliated me in front of everyone, accusing me of consorting with Xue Wuya—which isn't true!" she blurted, her voice trembling with a mix of anger and disbelief.
Han-Qing coughed awkwardly, a small smile twitching at the corner of his mouth. "Talking about consorting... that might be impossible."
Yu Xiao's head snapped up, suspicion flashing across her face as she straightened in her seat. "What do you mean?"
Han-Qing hesitated, glancing at Han-Yun for support before replying, "Princess Lan Qingwe is the childhood betrothal of Young Master Xue Wuya."
Yu Xiao's eyes widened, a look of stunned realization passing over her face. She leaned forward, incredulous. "What? Why didn't you tell me earlier?"
Han-Qing glanced around nervously, then lowered his voice, his expression growing solemn. "My Lady, we shouldn't tell you about this; gossiping like this could be punishable. But since you've asked, we feel you deserve to know—as you must be aware of the situation." He hesitated, worry flickering in his eyes as he spoke.
Yu Xiao nodded reluctantly, her brows knitting together in clear doubt. "Alright," she muttered, her lips pressing into a thin line. "Who knows? That Xue Wuya is really putting me at risk! I almost met my funeral three times today, and he's still keeping secrets from me." She let out an exasperated sigh, her fingers tapping restlessly on the table. "At the very least, he should tell me—even if it's just a vague explanation—so I know what I'm dealing with."
The twins leaned forward, curiosity and concern etched on their faces as they peered intently at her.
"You're mad, My Lady?" Han-Yun ventured, his eyes searching her expression and his voice tinged with uncertainty.
Yu Xiao shook her head, a small, rueful smile tugging at her lips. "There's no reason to be angry," she said, her tone steady but edged with disappointment. She glanced down, fiddling absently with the sleeve of her robe. "My concern is that, at least, Xue Wuya should be open with me. What's wrong with sharing secrets with me?" Her gaze flickered up, a hint of hurt in her eyes. "He shouldn't be worried. I'm not the kind of person who goes around blurting out everything I know. Besides, I despise gossip—you know that."
Yu Xiao released a slow breath, her expression firm as she gestured toward the cloak. "So, you must return that cloak to Xue Wuya," she said, her voice resolute. She looked between the twins, a tired but insistent glint in her eyes. "It's better if you two are the ones to hand it over to him."
"Yes," Han-Yun replied, his voice steady as he gave a respectful nod. Beside him, Han-Qing managed only a quiet "Mmm..." while nodding as well, his agreement silent but sincere.
After a short pause, Yu Xiao stood up, straightening her posture and smoothing her robe as she regained her composure. With a sudden burst of energy, she planted her hands firmly on the table, making her intentions clear.
"Anyway, I, your Master, plan to go to the market tomorrow." She extended her hands toward the twins, palms wide open and a mischievous glint in her eyes. "Give me some spirit stones, so I can buy the things I'm fond of."
The twins exchanged glances, lips parting in surprise. Their brows arched as reluctant smiles tugged at their mouths, betraying a mix of resignation and amusement.
"But... you can't go alone!" Han-Yun objected, concern flashing across his face as he leaned forward slightly.
Yu Xiao shot Han-Yun a pointed look, her chin lifting defiantly. "Who said I can't go alone? You underestimate me." She crossed her arms, a faint smirk playing at the corners of her lips. "Perhaps I didn't deal with Princess Lan Qingwe yesterday because of my foundation state, but that doesn't mean I'm weak. Real strength doesn't rely on spiritual powers." Her gaze grew steely, eyes narrowing with conviction. "If she tried to face me without a cultivation spell, well, I wouldn't hesitate." She uncrossed her arms and let out a sharp breath, her voice turning cold. "Why should I deliver my life to death for her nonsense resentment?"
Han-Qing offered a reassuring smile, dipping his head in a respectful bow. "We believe in you, My Lady," he said, warmth in his voice.
Meanwhile, Yu Xiao wiggled her fingers expectantly, her eyes glinting with playful impatience as she continued to wait for the twins to hand over the spirit stones.
Unfortunately, when Han-Yun reached into his cloth pouch and rummaged around, his expression shifted from confident to sheepish. He upended the pouch onto his palm, revealing only six spirit stones. A faint blush crept onto his cheeks as he glanced apologetically at Yu Xiao.
"What's wrong?" she asked, narrowing her eyes as she studied Han-Yun's face.
Han-Yun's eyes widened in mild panic. He quickly returned the remaining spirit stones to his cloth pouch and tucked it behind his back, attempting an innocent smile.
"My Lady, rest assured," he said hastily, a nervous edge to his voice. "Tomorrow I will give you plenty of spirit stones. Han-Qing and I need to leave early before you wake up and bring your wish." He offered a reassuring nod, though his glance darted anxiously between Yu Xiao and Han-Qing.
For a moment, Yu Xiao let her hand fall, her posture relaxing as she nodded in quick acceptance.
"Fine, then I will see you tomorrow. Make sure you keep your promise," she said, fixing the twins with a pointed look and a faint, playful smile.
"We promise!" the twins replied in unison, straightening up and giving her an earnest salute, determination shining in their eyes.
Yu Xiao straightened and dusted off her sleeves, her tone turning gentle but firm. "Then, I should leave now. You two rest well." She gave them both a meaningful glance, her expression leaving no room for argument. "Don't come to my quarters; we should meet in the courtyard." With that, she offered a brief nod before turning to go.
After spending only a short while in the servants' quarters, Yu Xiao made her way back to her own rooms, relief softening her features as she slipped inside. She shrugged off her cloak, letting her shoulders relax, and carefully hung it on the cloak hanger, exhaling a quiet sigh as the weight of the day eased from her frame.
She summoned her spatial ring, and with a flicker of light, a variety of elegant robes appeared before her, accompanied by intricate headdresses and a delicate face veil. Yu Xiao's eyes swept over the collection, a small, satisfied smile curving her lips as she reached for her chosen attire.
"Tomorrow, I'll be going out alone, so I need a face veil that can conceal my face. Which one is better?" she muttered, her finger tapping thoughtfully against her lips as she studied the options before her.
Right away, she selected a hanfu in a delicate blend of light green and white, pairing it with a simple white face veil. "This one should be better," she murmured, picking up the garments and examining them carefully, her eyes narrowing in thoughtful approval.
There were plenty of headdresses to choose from, but she selected only a single jade hairpin for her hair ornament. "Simple is beautiful," she murmured, setting it apart from the rest.
Once she had chosen her outfit, she gathered the pieces into her glowing palm, merging them with a gentle glow before returning them to her spatial ring.
Later, she climbed onto her bed and settled in, letting her body sink into the soft bedding as she finally allowed herself to rest.
Soon, sleep claimed her, and the quiet of her room deepened into the hush of midnight.