The Birth Of A Villainess

Somewhere inside the Palace.

Several servants bowed their heads when a couple of court officials walked past them. Their hands trembled while they carried the trays of fruits and refreshments that they intended to bring to the emperor.

Although it wasn't rare to see court officials walking by since they're inside the imperial palace, the servants still couldn't stop looking in awe and envy.

They were amazed by the fact that they could meet all these people while most couldn't have the luck to be around the court officials. On the other side, they couldn't stop feeling bitter and envy these men since they stayed at a higher position that no servant could ever hope to have in this lifetime.

"Brother, what's with imperial father? He hasn't been looking good and he didn't even listen to the words of the court officials?" Prince Zhou asked Yu Fangzhu. After the explosion in the Tianli cave, the Chu empire sent their envoy to demand answers.

Yu Fangzhu sighed, "I heard imperial father is having trouble sleeping these days because of the envoy that the Chu empire sent. It was probably because of that. That's why he isn't in the mood to listen to what the officials are saying."

"Ah, that's right. I almost forgot that they're in the Capital!" Prince Zhou suddenly said as if he had just remembered something important. "I'm sure father is also devastated with what happened to the empress." He whispered and looked around him to see if anyone heard him.

After what Empress Qin Wei did to their father, Prince Zhou found it quite interesting to see that she actually had some effect on Emperor Yun. Everyone knows that the emperor has a thousand beauties in the palace thus, no one really believed that his feelings towards the empress were real and sincere. Who doesn't know that the emperor favors a lot of concubines over the empress? And yet, soon after he found out that the empress was cheating on him, Emperor Yun got mad for a while and got depressed in the end.

He couldn't even listen to the words of his people!

Yu Fangzhu nodded and didn't say anything. Emperor Yun wrote an imperial order that no one should utter a word about the Empress or what she had done. If one was caught talking about it, they will be sent to the scaffold and have their heads cut off. Emperor Yin's intention was clearly not to protect the Empress but to protect his own reputation. No man would want his wife to cheat on him and have rumors of that circulating across the empire.

Seeing that they're about to separate since both had some places to go, Yu Fangzhu said, "Brother, I'll go on ahead of you now."

"Alright, I also have to meet Virtuous Concubine Ran."

After separating, Yu Fangzhu was on his way to his carriage and planned to go back to his residence to see know what happened to his guest.

He lifted the curtain to the carriage and entered it without a care in the world. However, just after he took two steps inside, he could no longer take another step forward nor sit down.

With his eyes staring in front of him, Yu Fangzhu didn't know what to say after seeing another person sitting inside his carriage.

This person was a beautiful man. His obsidian eyes contained mirth inside it and his lips tilted upward when their eyes met.

Then, Yu Fangzhu heard him say, "Good morning, Your Highness."

If it was anyone else who would shamelessly enter his carriage and greet him like this, Yu Fangzhu would definitely call the palace guards and throw him to prison. He won't ever proceed with a trial and execute that person.

However, the person who was in front of him was not just anyone…

It was the Duke of Xin, Qu Xing Xu.

"What's wrong? Please, come in and comfortably sit down." Qu Xing Xu invited him as if he owned the carriage.

Yu Fangzhu hesitated a little bit but since he couldn't show his fear for this man, he decided to sit as well. But instead of looking like the owner of the carriage, he looked like he was the one who was forced to sit before his superior.

"Why is the duke sitting in my carriage?" Yu Fangzhu asked and looked cautiously at Qu Xing Xu.

Qu Xing Xu chuckled and replied, "I forgot I left my carriage in front of Hong Pei Lou and wanted to crash in someone else's carriage and ask them to let me have a free ride. But I didn't know that it was your carriage. I should thank his highness for being too kind to help me."

After hearing that, Yu Fangzhu didn't have a good expression as he didn't believe that Qu Xing Xu conveniently forgot his carriage. Who does that anyway? As for not knowing whose carriage it was, Yu Fangzhu knew that it was a lie.

"Then, I will ask my men to get you a new carriage. This carriage would be too low in your standard and it is better to get a new one." Yu Fangzhu politely offered. He still has that humble aura around him that makes people simply trust him after only talking with them for a few hours.

Laughing lightly, Qu Xing Xu shook his head and pat his on the shoulder, "His highness need not be so humble. I also don't want to trouble you so why not just share the same carriage?"

Share the same carriage? Yu Fangzhu certainly didn't want to share a carriage with him! Not because the space inside the carriage was small but because he didn't want to be in the same place with Qu Xing Xu! With what happened last night, the duke must have something in his mind.

Yu Fangzhu didn't know what Qu Xing Xu was planning and he didn't want to know either!

But could he tell the duke that he doesn't want to share at all?

Seeing the prince was having trouble deciding, Qu Xing Xu decided for him and knocked the ceiling of the carriage before calling out to the driver, "Go to Hong Pei Lou!"

The driver said yes and changed the direction of the carriage to the road where it will lead them to Hong Pei Lou. He didn't realize that the person who said this was not the prince.

Satisfied with the driver's actions, Qu Xing Xu smilingly said, "Such a good driver. You must reward them with a few silvers for his quick response."

"It is the driver's fortune to be praised by you." Yu Fangzhu looked away from him to hide his uneasiness.

Since Qu Xing Xu wanted a free ride to Hong Pei Lou, Yu Fangzhu might just have to hold on until they arrived at that place so he could get away from him. A few minutes with him shouldn't be too hard, Yu Fangzhu thought to himself.

However, Qu Xing Xu had to ruin his fantasy as he said, "Once we arrive, I ask the prince to drink with me as my thanks for your help." Stopping Yu Fangzhu from declining, he added, "Your Highness shouldn't refuse as I have to repay you for what you did."

Suddenly, Yu Fangzhu shuddered. Qu Xing Xu's last words seemed to weigh nothing but it was dripped with menace.