Chapter 70

It was late into the night by the time everyone finally parted ways outside the restaurant.

Pei Qianhuo left for the capital, brimming with hope and excitement, while Yun Yaoyao and the others returned to the Princess Commandery Residence.

As soon as they arrived, Yun Yaoyao keenly noticed that Du Luoling’s attitude toward her had undergone a complete change. She was still warm and considerate, but now deliberately kept her distance.

It seemed the tyrant’s plan was going extremely smoothly~

^ω^

That night, Yun Yaoyao and Tu Shanjin were in the same room, exchanging information about what had happened during the day.

“Du Luoling took the initiative to form an alliance with me.” Tu Shanjin recounted every detail of his conversation with Du Luoling.

Rewind to earlier that day, in the pavilion in the courtyard.

After Du Luoling handed the sachet to Tu Shanjin and the two of them discussed how to cooperate for mutual benefit, she gradually opened her heart.

“You’ve only been transported to this world for less than half a year, right? How do you feel? Happy or oppressed?”

Tu Shanjin’s eyes were deep and indifferent as she tossed the question back. “You’ve been here for thirteen years. You should understand how I feel.”

Du Luoling carefully studied the other woman’s expression, only to discover that she was as expressionless as a block of wood. There was simply no way to tell what she was feeling.

Du Luoling sighed. Fine. The difference between an ordinary person and one chosen by the heavens was obvious from their skill at controlling their expressions alone. No wonder the system had chosen her instead of herself.

She gathered her fox-fur cloak around her and saw that the other woman clearly had no intention of speaking further. But Du Luoling felt as if a cat were scratching at her heart. The more she wanted to talk to her, the more she felt compelled to keep the conversation going, so she began chatting here and there.

“To be honest, before I transmigrated, I really did imagine what I would do if I ever crossed into another world.”

“I thought I could rely on modern knowledge to make a name for myself in ancient times. Maybe start a business and become the richest person in the country, invent gunpowder and conquer the world, or even disguise myself as a man, sit for the imperial examination, and become an official…”

“But after actually coming here, I realized that feudal ancient society really is a place that eats people alive! The hierarchy is rigid, the lives of the poor at the bottom are worthless, servants can be beaten or killed at will for making mistakes, and people can even be bought and sold like objects…”

“Women are expected to obediently remain at home, learn music, chess, calligraphy, painting, and needlework, all so they can find a good husband and marry him later. If your own status isn’t high enough, you have to watch your husband take different women while fighting them for his favor and frantically bearing children to compete with theirs.”

Once she started complaining about ancient times, Du Luoling seemed to have an endless supply of grievances. She could have transformed into a full-blown chatterbox.

When the other woman failed to react, Du Luoling grew dissatisfied. “Couldn’t you at least give me some kind of response? Complaining without an audience cuts the fun in half!”

Tu Shanjin gave an insincere nod. “Mm. Exactly.”

Only then did Du Luoling contentedly continue her tirade.

“The Du family has a lot of children and even more women. To be honest, when I was fifteen, I nearly died because of a scheme set up by one of my father’s mistresses. Family intrigue is truly brutal—favoritism, backstabbing, blades hidden behind smiles… It brings back nothing but tears!”

“So once I had grown strong enough to stand on my own, I immediately left the Du family and went to Puyang County to lie low.”

“Actually, I was lucky enough to transmigrate into a pretty good identity. At least my status is respectable, and I have enough food and clothing. If I’d ended up in a poor family…” Du Luoling shook her head and clicked her tongue.

Something seemed to occur to her, and her expression turned anguished. Without caring whether the other woman was listening, she continued talking to herself.

“Most importantly, ancient times don’t have toilets, air-conditioning, refrigerators, cars, or phones! I can’t binge-watch shows, scroll through short videos, watch my idol dance, read novels, or share handsome men with my best friend. That’s more painful than killing me!”

Her anguished howl startled Tu Shanjin badly. She shot Du Luoling a cold look, her lips pursing in displeasure.

So noisy. She was just like Niu Xiu’er.

Yun Yaoyao talked a lot too, but she never got on his nerves. Instead, she often made him feel peaceful and content, as if the years were passing in tranquil beauty.

Tu Shanjin thought that this must be the difference between a person and the Book of Life and Death.

At that moment, Du Luoling was both aggrieved and on the verge of tears. She continued muttering to herself.

“It’s been thirteen years. I wonder if my idol has gained weight…”

“And the night before I transmigrated, the number-one paparazzo teased a huge scoop, saying that a celebrity with millions of followers was about to be exposed for a major scandal. I was so curious that my best friend and I stayed up guessing who it was until three in the morning. Who would’ve thought that the moment I closed and opened my eyes, I’d transmigrate before I could even find out what happened!”

“I was completely numb at the time! I cursed those paparazzi who love teasing scandals in advance, wishing they’d transmigrate too—and end up as poor commoners!”

“And my best friend… That hopeless lovesick fool who never listens to advice. I wonder which man has conned her out of the last pair of pants she owns by now…”

“This godforsaken ancient world—whoever wants to come here can have it! Mom, Dad, I miss you so much! Waaaaah…”

Du Luoling finally broke down completely and began bawling.

These secrets had been bottled up inside her for more than a decade. She had never dared tell anyone. Night after night, she could only let those memories echo through her mind, turning them into the motivation that kept her going.

Only after meeting someone else who had transmigrated did she finally dare to release everything.

The guards stationed at the entrance to the courtyard heard the loud, frog-like sobbing. Thinking that their princess had gone looking for trouble and gotten beaten up instead, they immediately rushed over.

But when they got closer, they discovered that the princess was merely feeling wronged and asking for comfort. The guards hurriedly retreated.

Unfortunately, Tu Shanjin was not a transmigrator and could not understand her pain.

Instead, she was busy wondering what toilets and air-conditioning were, what a “bestie” was, and who these paparazzi were. Were they some new species born from the love between dogs and humans?

Tu Shanjin grew increasingly curious about the world Du Luoling came from.

After crying for quite some time, Du Luoling gradually calmed down. Sniffling, she asked curiously, “Yun Yaoyao, I haven’t asked what you did in the modern world yet. Were you a female CEO?”

“Do you miss your parents? You…”

Before she could finish, Tu Shanjin interrupted her, her gaze dark and profound.

“I’m an orphan.”

The single sentence cut off every question Du Luoling had been about to ask.

“Ah? Oh… Um…”

When people grew awkward, they tended to start fidgeting. Du Luoling awkwardly brushed back her hair, then took out a handkerchief and wiped her hands before finally taking a sip of tea.

With an apologetic expression, she said, “I’m sorry. I didn’t know…”

“It’s nothing. I got used to it a long time ago.”

The more indifferent the other woman acted, the more regretful Du Luoling felt. How could she have asked about someone else’s private affairs so casually?

No wonder Yun Yaoyao always seemed so aloof and taciturn in private, never smiling or joking. So it was because of her family circumstances.

After exchanging a few more words, Du Luoling hurriedly left the courtyard.

When Yun Yaoyao heard this, she burst out laughing.

“One sentence, and you made Du Luoling feel guilty all night. Your skill at deceiving people really is becoming more and more masterful.”

Tu Shanjin’s lips curved slightly. “When you’re away from home, you have to create your own identity. You taught me that.”

Suddenly ​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‍meeting Tu Shanjin’s teasing, heated gaze, Yun Yaoyao froze and turned her head away uncomfortably.

What had gotten into the tyrant lately? It was one thing that he had stopped referring to himself as “I, the Emperor,” but now he had also started looking at her with a smile for no reason.

Yun Yaoyao grumbled inwardly, “Could it be that when we kissed on the boat, I went a little too far and sucked all the rationality out of him, leaving him with a lovesick brain…?”

“What did you say?” Tu Shanjin hadn’t heard him clearly.

“Nothing.” Yun Yaoyao changed the subject and began telling him about what she had experienced outside that day.

When she mentioned the rumors, Tu Shanjin’s expression darkened. “I haven’t even gone after him yet, and he dares to strike first by smearing your name.”

Yun Yaoyao caught the implication. “You found Tushan Ze’s weakness?”

Tu Shanjin nodded. “I intercepted some letters. The clues point to him. The capture of General Ning and the loss of two cities have something to do with him.”

“Infighting is one thing, but he actually went so far as to collude with the Xiongnu and become a traitor. I clearly overestimated his moral limits.” Yun Yaoyao shook her head.

“I’ll continue investigating. If it proves true, I’ll personally execute him for treason.” A murderous glint flashed in Tu Shanjin’s eyes.

“Good.”

Yun Yaoyao walked over to the screen, slipped off her outer robe, and hung it there, leaving herself dressed only in a white undergarment.

“As for the rumors, you’ve already come up with a way to deal with them?” Tu Shanjin’s words sounded like a question, but his tone was certain.

Yun Yaoyao lay down comfortably on the bed, placed her hands behind her neck, and crossed her legs, looking quite pleased with herself. Even the tip of her foot was bobbing up and down.

“Truly, the Roc Consort knows me best!”

Tu Shanjin silently averted his gaze.

Though what he loved was her soul, whenever he saw her using his body to make such image-shattering gestures, it felt as though he were watching an unbearably annoying version of himself. His feelings inevitably became a tangled mixture of love and exasperation.

Yun Yaoyao sat up on the bed and excitedly explained her plan.

“Tushan Ze’s move was indeed ruthless, but there’s one thing he failed to anticipate: you and I have switched bodies. We’re bound together by fate—when one prospers, we both prosper; when one suffers, we both suffer.”

“It’s difficult to prove your innocence in a situation like this. As long as the people’s attention remains focused on you, it’ll be nearly impossible to clear your name.”

“So I’m not going to prove anything.”

“Not prove anything?” Tu Shanjin looked slightly surprised.

“That’s right. I’m going to fight fire with fire.”

“Use magic to defeat magic!” Yun Yaoyao flashed a mischievous smile.