CH 35

Abandoned Empress 10

Xin Lan was momentarily stunned by these words, and the alcohol went to her head, making her feel slightly intoxicated.

“You’re right. If Yan Yan didn’t enter officialdom or the palace, we wouldn’t have a chance to meet. I wouldn’t have the opportunity to get to know such an extraordinary woman like you.”

Xin Lan wanted to raise her cup, but she realized that she had already finished her drink.

Indeed, Qu Zhi’an was a rare extraordinary woman of this era, and Xin Lan admired her greatly. If Qu Zhi’an could completely stand on her side, Xin Lan would admire her even more.

Qu Zhi’an revealed a slightly dazed smile, her clear gaze replaced by a misty one.

“What should we do in the future…”

Xin Lan heard Qu Zhi’an murmur these words while looking at Qu Zhi’an, who was sitting on a stool with her head supported.

“Yan Yan…”

“Yes?”

“Never mind, it’s nothing.”

Xin Lan hesitated for a moment but decided not to speak.

In reality, Xin Lan wasn’t sure what exactly she was hesitating about. She could actually achieve her goals without relying on Qu Zhi’an. However, with Qu Zhi’an’s assistance, she could better target the Emperor’s vulnerabilities. If she kept Qu Zhi’an in the dark, they would inevitably end up in opposing positions, or at best, Qu Zhi’an would disregard her actions.

“It’s fine if you have something to say. Aren’t we friends?”

Qu Zhi’an raised her gaze, a smile on her face.

Xin Lan paused for a moment and shook her head.

She couldn’t just tell someone that she wanted to rebel, could she?

In the end, she still didn’t trust Qu Zhi’an enough.

It was understandable that she wanted to eliminate the Emperor, and Qu Zhi’an shared her disdain for his actions. However, this desire alone wasn’t enough to support her actions.

Xin Lan knew that Qu Zhi’an subjectively wanted to help her, perhaps even hoped that she could accomplish it.

But when it came to involving herself personally in the act, Xin Lan hesitated.

If one day Qu Zhi’an achieved great success, perhaps she could still help Xin Lan by pushing Wu Yanqing down and welcoming a new person. Qu Zhi’an might even lead the kneeling ceremony below.

Xin Lan wanted more than just this, but she also felt that there was nothing wrong with this approach, so she hesitated and didn’t speak up.

Qu Zhi’an looked at Xin Lan, and silence fell between them for a moment.

In fact, they both had the same thoughts. Qu Zhi’an really wanted to help Xin Lan, but what made her hesitate was precisely what Xin Lan had in mind.

After all, this could determine the course of their future lives. Taking different paths might lead to drastic changes.

Qu Zhi’an didn’t regret entering officialdom; she truly didn’t regret it. She only regretted encountering such an Emperor.

If the Emperor hadn’t deliberately set them up, they might have still met each other.

It could only be said that the Emperor had brought this trouble upon himself.

A jar of Autumn Dew wasn’t enough to make Qu Zhi’an drunk. However, if she continued to delve deeper into this problem and unravel it, she felt a headache coming on. Yet, if she put this problem aside and refrained from thinking about it, she couldn’t help but ponder over it.

The best solution would be to be aware of it in her heart but pretend not to know. However, she feared that she couldn’t resist getting involved and didn’t want to leave Xin Lan alone to handle everything.

Qu Zhi’an supported her head and looked at the woman in front of her. With her exquisite appearance and rosy cheeks flushed from the effects of alcohol, her captivating allure made it impossible for anyone to resist being enchanted.

Originally possessing a cold and sharp temperament, she had a face as beautiful as spring flowers. However, upon closer inspection, one would first notice not her face, but rather her eyes that contained icy and resolute stars.

It is said that she is as enchanting as a red, alluring dewdrop, causing heartbreak over the clouds and mountains.

How could someone bear to repeatedly harm such a delicate and beautiful woman, who should be cherished and loved deeply in their heart?

Xin Lan said she was an extraordinary woman, and indeed she was among the few women in the world with such courage.

The two remained silent, and an inevitable awkwardness permeated the atmosphere.

Xin Lan swayed as she stood up, gazing at Qu Zhi’an’s face.

“Now that the wine is finished tonight, I won’t bother you any longer.”

“It’s already late at night, and you’ve been drinking. It might not be convenient for you to return to the palace at this hour. There are other rooms in my small courtyard. If you wish to stay, feel free to rest here.”

Qu Zhi’an didn’t know how Xin Lan had come here, but she was worried that Xin Lan might encounter trouble if she went back to the palace after drinking.

“No need.”

Xin Lan was somewhat intoxicated, but not to the point of being unable to walk. It would be more noticeable if she returned in the morning rather than sneaking back at night.

As Xin Lan walked to the door, preparing to push it open, she heard Qu Zhi’an’s voice from behind.

“If… if I decide to turn back, will we still be friends?”

If they were to walk different paths, would they still be friends who could drink together like they did now?

“We’ll be friends, not enemies. Although we may not be able to collaborate on everything due to different paths, there are still matters where closeness or distance matters. If I ever need your help in the future, I will bring two liang1 of wine and come to bother you.”

Xin Lan made her words clear, clearly drawing that line.

If the two were not allies, then Xin Lan naturally couldn’t interact with her so freely.

Qu Zhi’an felt a mixture of three parts disappointment, three parts grievances, mixed with three parts intoxication and one part annoyance, resulting in a complete bitterness.

“You should understand that there are some grudges that must be settled, otherwise, the anger cannot dissipate, the resentment cannot be resolved. He has insulted me time and time again, creating a deep hatred between us. Not to mention his grievances with the Xin family, I cannot bear to see him thrive. He clearly rose to that position using the influence of the Xin family, and now he sees the Xin family as an obstacle and wants to eradicate me. I don’t blame him for that, but in our first year of marriage, he drugged me, which indicates that it was not a spur-of-the-moment decision but a premeditated scheme. He has repeatedly demeaned me and even wants to defile my chastity.”

Xin Lan turned around, and her beautiful eyes seemed to be hiding fireworks, scorching the hearts of those who witnessed them.

“He showed me no mercy, so why should I show him kindness? Yan Yan, I know you’re a clever person, and you should understand what I want to do,” Xin Lan paused, “You also know why I haven’t said it out loud. Your concerns are my concerns.”

The advantage of talking to a smart person is that they can understand your unspoken words, but the downside is that they already know what you haven’t expressed yet.

“I’m a decisive person. I like to have clear distinctions in everything I do. If you choose to walk the same path as me, then you won’t have the freedom to change your mind. If you harbor even a trace of hesitation, I won’t be pleased. So, Qu Zhi’an, I hope you carefully consider it.”

She no longer called her “Yan Yan” but addressed her as “Qu Daren”.

Qu Zhi’an felt a bit sad, no, very sad.

The wine clouded her thinking, emotions triumphed over reason, making her feel very wronged.

She wanted to be good friends with this person because they knew each other’s secrets, and she could be herself in front of her.

They had even stayed together in the same bathtub and drank together. How could they say that they wouldn’t associate with each other if they walked different paths?

Indeed, she was the one who asked first, and Xin Lan gave a clear response.

And even though she already knew the answer would be like this, she still wanted to ask.

Xin Lan looked at Qu Zhi’an, who had a troubled and pained expression, feeling somewhat helpless and amused.

Perhaps this was the age-old saying, “loyalty and righteousness are hard to reconcile.” Although Qu Zhi’an may not be particularly loyal to Wu Yanqing, she also never had thoughts of rebellion.

But Xin Lan intended to seize power and overthrow the current ruler. She had to drag that person down from his position and let his taste loss, to experience what it meant to have nothing.

On this path, she absolutely wouldn’t tolerate any allies having regrets.

Qu Zhi’an remained silent without responding, and Xin Lan spoke again.

“Do you know why I came to find you tonight? Because I don’t want to face a formidable enemy in the future. Moreover, as you know, Wu Yanqing sees you as a useful minister and even desires you as a woman. If you could stab him in the back ruthlessly, imagine his shock and how intriguing it would be.”

Xin Lan didn’t hide the satisfaction on her face when speaking about that hypothetical scenario. She openly revealed it to Qu Zhi’an.

“I’m saying all this to let you know that I don’t want you to become my pawn. I’m not afraid even if you tell Wu Yanqing about my intentions.”

“I won’t tell him. You know very well that I would never do such a thing.”

Qu Zhi’an immediately retorted, stating that there was no way she would go and tell the Emperor about such matters.

She could barely protect Xin Lan, so how could she let her situation worsen?

“So,” Xin Lan stared at Qu Zhi’an, her gaze like that of a hunting tiger, approaching with deliberate and unhurried steps, “Have you made up your mind, Yan Yan?”

Her voice softened, calling her by her name with an intimate tone, as if her voice was dipped in honey.

Qu Zhi’an felt even more dizzy, wanting to think but finding her mind wandering aimlessly.

“Do you have the courage to become my ally? I won’t force you, but I also don’t like dragging things out. If you can’t give me an answer tonight, then I will come again tomorrow.”

Xin Lan straightened her posture, her hands hanging at her sides, and a faint smile appeared on her face.

Unlike earlier, she didn’t exude an imposing aura, but rather emitted a gentle and graceful demeanor.

Thanks to the countless trials in various villainous worlds, where she inhabited female hosts, she had acquired a certain softness in her demeanor. Her character was no longer excessively rigid and masculine, but undergoing gradual changes.

After all, female alphas like them didn’t possess those particular organs. They relied on pheromones to conquer omegas.

Thinking of this, she recalled the first time she was in a villainous world, where she wore the host’s shell resembling Concubine Man’s white lotus character. She wanted to intimidate others with her gaze. Although she couldn’t emit pheromones, her aura was the same. However, that person actually thought she was flirting with them, which infuriated her to the point where she beat them up on the spot, teaching them the consequences of misinterpreting her gaze.

This time, before Xin Lan could reach the door and push it open, Qu Zhi’an grabbed her hand.

“Stay here tonight with me. No one will come looking for you in the Cold Palace anyway.”

“Yan Yan, have you made up your mind?”

“I have,” Qu Zhi’an smiled in her eyes, “If you were more gentle in nature and cried to me for support, I probably would have lost my temper long ago.”

“Oh? Are you blaming me for not being able to provide you comfort?”

“But if you were to seek comfort, then you wouldn’t be Miss Xin anymore.”

The smile in Qu Zhi’an’s eyes became even gentler. Xin Lan, who possessed the gaze that could overlook all beings like the king of beasts, no longer appeared fragile and delicate like a pear blossom in the rain. It wasn’t her style.

She happened to love her calm and formidable demeanor, which made others pale in comparison.

“If this Emperor isn’t good, we can switch our loyalty to another Emperor. It’s all the same.”

Qu Zhi’an’s voice was soft, fading away into the night.

She left home to live freely, so why should she endure an Emperor who covets her, causing distress to herself and to her dear Miss Xin?