Xie Zhaofan, hiding in the shadows, couldn't help but nod at these words.
This Xie Jinyi was truly the same Xie Jinyi. Even though she had fallen for Prince Qin, she hadn't completely lost her judgment because of it.
She was even somewhat curious about how Prince Qin would respond.
Unexpectedly, Prince Qin remained silent for a moment before letting out a soft chuckle.
“This Prince also believes that the dog official deserved to die!”
Xie Zhaofan was momentarily stunned by those words.
She had originally expected Prince Qin to say something about how the laws of the land must not be violated or that the prestige of the Imperial Court could not be challenged, but she hadn't expected him to directly agree with Xie Jinyi.
Xie Jinyi was clearly surprised as well.
However, Prince Qin immediately followed up: “But the fact that he deserved to die is one thing, and the people of Haoyu Hall killing him is another.”
“A nation has its laws, and a household has its rules. If that County Magistrate was guilty, he should naturally have been judged by the law, not executed by people of the martial world according to their own whims. If everyone felt they were acting on behalf of Heaven and could kill as they pleased, wouldn't the world fall into complete chaos?”
His voice was not loud, but it carried the steadiness and determination unique to someone in a high position.
“Martial artists can perform heroic deeds, but they cannot use martial prowess to violate prohibitions. That is the baseline that this Prince will never allow to be crossed.”
Xie Jinyi fell silent.
She had followed her master to travel the world since childhood, witnessing far too much suffering among the common people and seeing many so-called corrupt officials.
Therefore, when she thought about such issues, she mostly stood from the perspective of the commoners and the martial world.
But now that she had returned to the Prime Minister’s residence and become the daughter of the current Prime Minister, her vision and stance were naturally undergoing quiet changes.
For the first time, she realized that Prince Qin’s words were not without merit.
If everyone could bypass the law and kill someone directly just because they believed that person deserved to die, then who would define what true justice was?
The more she thought about it, the more complicated it felt.
Seeing her brow furrowed, Prince Qin felt a twinge of concern. He grasped her hand and spoke softly.
“Jinyi, you need not trouble yourself with these matters. This Prince knows what he is doing, and I know how the people outside evaluate me. It is just that some things are not as they appear.”
“Time will prove everything.”
Xie Jinyi nodded gently, but she didn't entirely let go of the doubts in her heart.
If the law were truly fair and just, why would there still be so many unjust cases and false accusations in this world?
If the Imperial Court could truly protect the commoners under heaven, why were there still so many people living in such hardship?
Some questions were too complex, far beyond what a fifteen-year-old girl could figure out.
Hiding in the shadows, Xie Zhaofan couldn't help but curl her lip. Your position determines your perspective.
Where you stand depends on where you sit—the saying was crude, but it was certainly true at times.
She had no fondness for any feudal era to begin with, nor did she have any interest in judging the rights and wrongs between the Imperial Court and the martial world on anyone’s behalf.
Regardless, these matters were too far removed from her. Her biggest goal right now was to find more attribute points and keep her small life firmly in her own hands.
The conversation between the two soon turned lighthearted again, and Xie Jinyi suddenly mentioned the bronze ornament Xie Zhaofan had delivered today.
“Xie Zhaofan specifically came over today to give me an ornament. She said it was an apology, and her attitude was quite sincere.”
Upon hearing this, the corners of Prince Qin’s lips curled up slightly.
“Has she finally learned to be sensible?”
“I’m not sure, but she has changed a lot recently. I’ve actually become a bit unable to understand her.”
Xie Jinyi shook her head gently.
“Previously, her hostility toward me was extremely deep, and she even wished to oppose me at every turn. But recently, she’s suddenly become very strange, sometimes even making me feel as if she has become a different person.”
“She is just an inconsequential, willful girl. There is no need for you to take her to heart.”
As Prince Qin spoke, he casually tightened his grip on her hand, his tone full of indifference.
Hearing this, Xie Zhaofan nearly couldn't stop herself from laughing out loud.
Well, aren't you something, Prince Qin? Looking down on me now, are you?
Fine, enjoy yourself for now. There will come a time when you regret this.
Moreover, she had to admit that Xie Jinyi was right.
In fact, even she didn't know what she would do next, let alone Xie Jinyi. If someone really could see through her completely, that would be truly ghostly.
Once the two finally ended their tryst and Prince Qin once again left soundlessly, Xie Zhaofan did not immediately return to her room to sleep.
She quietly went to the outer room where Chunxing and Xiahe slept, moved a chair to sit not far away, and silently observed the state of the two little maids.
The room was very quiet, with only the gentle rise and fall of their breathing.
As time passed, Chunxing turned over but did not suddenly wake up in a panic like she had the previous two days.
Xiahe also slept very peacefully throughout. Her complexion gradually returned to normal, and even that lingering fear between her brows had vanished.
After watching for a long time, Xie Zhaofan finally let out a sigh of relief.
It seemed her plan to divert the trouble... actually had some effect?
She turned to look toward the neighboring courtyard, her gaze containing a bit of schadenfreude.
She wondered if Xie Jinyi was sleeping well tonight.
If that bronze ornament really had something eerie about it, then this good sister of hers might have a rather unique "sweet dream" tonight.
Thinking of this, the corners of Xie Zhaofan’s mouth quirked up slightly.
She was even somewhat looking forward to seeing Xie Jinyi again tomorrow morning—to see if the other woman would come looking for her with dark circles under her eyes to settle the score.
As for His Highness Prince Qin? That was none of her business.
Regardless, one of the most dangerous things in this world was probably to actively provoke or harm a woman who was likely the Child of Destiny.
And she had already finished doing exactly that, quite unscrupulously.
...
The next morning, as the sky was just starting to turn fish-belly white, Xie Zhaofan was already awake.
Although she hadn't truly slept soundly all night, she didn't feel much fatigue because her status was always maintained at its peak. Instead, she sat up with a spirited energy and immediately called in Chunxing and Xiahe, who were waiting in the outer room.
She didn't even wait for the two maids to serve her while she washed up before impatiently asking, “Well? Did you have that strange dream again last night?”
Chunxing and Xiahe exchanged a glance, and a look of surviving a calamity-like joy instantly surfaced on their faces as they hurriedly shook their heads.
“No, no! Miss, we slept very well last night. We didn't have any dreams at all.”
“That's right, me too. I slept so deeply that when I woke up this morning, it was almost daybreak.”
As Xiahe spoke, she deliberately glanced toward the direction of her bed, confirming that it was empty and there was nothing abnormal. Only then did she completely breathe a sigh of relief.
Chunxing also hurried to add: “Also, that bronze ornament didn't appear again. We were terrified while sleeping last night, afraid that if we opened our eyes in the middle of the night, it would suddenly be sitting at the head of the bed again. But in the end, we slept until morning and nothing happened.”
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