Chapter 56: Chapter 56: Phoenix Seeking Phoenix

’If I hadn’t lived my past life and didn’t know what kind of person he was, I really would have been fooled by him.’

Liang Wan had no interest in watching his hypocritical act. She cut straight to the point. "If I’m not mistaken, Feng Qingyue was the one who asked for that Assistant Teacher position on your behalf, wasn’t she?"

Having his heartfelt speech so abruptly cut short, not to mention with the mention of Feng Qingyue, Cui Hao forced an unnatural smile. "She did help with an introduction, but it’s not like I asked her to. In fact, I didn’t even know she felt that way about me—"

Liang Wan nodded. ’Right, this is what he’s good at—always acting in his own best interest while playing the innocent victim.’

"Cui Hao, you can’t be so greedy. You can’t have your cake and eat it too! You wanted Chun’er, so I let you have her. You wanted Feng Qingyue, so I stepped aside.

Now you can finally be with them openly, yet you’re back to pestering me. Aren’t you afraid I’ll tell Feng Qingyue?"

His expression faltered for a moment, but then he shook his head. "I’m not afraid. There has only ever been you in my heart! You have to know, the reason I’ve worked so hard to enter officialdom is for you!"

Liang Wan glanced at him, finding his words laughable. "For you?"

"Of course. To be worthy of you."

Liang Wan shook her head again and again. ’He must have said the exact same thing to Feng Qingyue when he used me as a stepping stone!’

’How pitiful. He’d caused me to lose my virtue and be scorned by everyone, yet I still treated him as a benefactor. It’s truly laughable!’

"In your dreams!"

Liang Wan hadn’t even opened her mouth before Qiuxi beat her to the punch with a sharp retort.

Qiuxi strode forward two steps and pointed at Cui Hao, her patience worn thin. "Chun’er is pregnant, and not only do you completely ignore her, you have the gall to come here and pester my lady? How dare you talk about being ’worthy’?"

Surprise flashed in Cui Hao’s eyes. It seemed he hadn’t expected them to have already met Chun’er, let alone know she was pregnant.

Liang Wan pulled back Qiuxi, who was standing protectively in front of her. "Go on ahead and wait for me. I have a few words to say to him alone."

"My lady?" Qiuxi asked, confused.

"Go on."

Qiuxi had no choice but to leave, looking back reluctantly every few steps.

Cui Hao’s face lit up. "I knew you still cared about me!"

Liang Wan lowered her head, a cold glint flashing in her eyes, but her voice was soft and gentle. "You’re not angry that I drugged your ginger soup?"

Cui Hao sighed. "There must be some misunderstanding between us. That’s precisely why I’ve come looking for you over and over."

’A misunderstanding? What a joke!’

Liang Wan slowly raised her head. "Yes, I agree there’s been some misunderstanding between us. However—" She paused, her tone laced with regret. "There are too many people around right now. It’s rather inconvenient."

Cui Hao followed her gaze around them. There were indeed quite a few people coming and going. He suddenly proposed, "Why don’t we meet here later tonight?"

Liang Wan gazed into his alluring eyes and gave a faint, almost imperceptible smile. "Alright."

The day wore on into evening. When it was time for the newlyweds to perform their ceremony, the main hall was packed several rows deep with festive, bustling onlookers.

Liang Wan simply stood on the periphery, watching with a smile.

After the ceremony, the bride was escorted to the bridal chamber, while Liang Cheng and Liang Zhang busied themselves with toasting and entertaining the guests.

As the last of the sunset’s red glow faded from the sky, thunderous laughter filled the courtyard. The drinking was in full swing. It was hard to tell if everyone was flushed from the wine or simply reflecting the fiery red lanterns overhead, but they were all red in the face and staggering about.

Obliged by courtesy, Liang Wan also had some wine at the banquet. After a few cups, her head felt fuzzy. Her gaze swept discreetly across the crowd, pausing deliberately on Cui Hao’s face.

Figuring the time was about right, Liang Wan claimed to be flushed and dizzy from the wine, saying she wanted to go to the courtyard for some fresh air to cool off. Qiuxi couldn’t dissuade her and could only accompany her.

Little did they know, a certain gaze had been fixed on them the entire time.

In the April courtyard, the evening breeze was soft. A quiet, faint fragrance from the garden willows and flowers drifted on the damp air near the pond.

Upon reaching the long corridor where they had been during the day, Liang Wan let go of Qiuxi. She glanced back cautiously, then turned her gaze forward again and instructed, "You wait for me here!"

Liang Wan headed toward the rockery alone. Just before she reached it, she veered onto another small path. At the very end of it, she ducked down and hid among a cluster of flowers.

A moment later, a figure did indeed head in her direction.

Liang Wan suddenly stood up, stretching out an arm to block the person’s path.

Caught completely off guard by someone emerging from the bushes, the newcomer almost cried out. Fortunately, Liang Wan was prepared and clamped a hand over her mouth. "Where are you going?"

Liang Jiao, who had gone rigid, recognized Liang Wan and violently shook off her hand. She retorted stubbornly, "I should be the one asking what you’re doing hiding here so furtively!"

"Waiting for you."

Liang Wan didn’t miss the feigned composure in her bright eyes. "Stop pretending. I know where you’re going. I’m just not sure if this is supposed to be ’Phoenix Seeking Phoenix,’ or ’Meng Jiangnu’?"

"You—" Liang Jiao was furious.

Liang Wan scoffed. "Are you the only one allowed to spy on people? Am I not allowed to pry into your business?"

Liang Jiao’s desire to find Wang Tingyue was no mere whim; she had only been testing her that day.

Liang Jiao’s expression turned ugly. "Are you going to call for people to drag me back?!"

Liang Wan lowered her gaze, a sneer on her lips. "If I were going to, I would have done it long ago. Why wait until now?"

Liang Jiao’s expression eased slightly. "Then why are you cornering me here? What new trick are you trying to pull?"

Liang Wan’s playful expression vanished. "You were the one who suggested to Auntie that she invite Cui Hao, weren’t you? You’re really something else. To create a diversion so you could leave the manor, you were willing to frame me and throw me out as a target?"

Liang Jiao bit her lip and turned away, not denying it. "You framed me first! First with the marriage, and then—"

First the marriage arrangement, then the truth of her parentage. One could only imagine the turmoil Liang Jiao had endured these past few days. Better to leave this place sooner rather than later than to live in constant fear.

She glared at Liang Wan with hatred. "Everything that’s happened to me is your fault! Liang Wan, you are truly cruel!"

In the moonlight, Liang Wan could see that her eyes were bloodshot.

Liang Wan had no intention of getting entangled with her. Besides, so what if it was deliberate? As she’d told herself before, she would now stop at nothing to achieve her goals.

Liang Wan held out her hand. "Here. Take this and go find him."

Liang Jiao curled her lip in disdain, but when she saw the small wooden token in her hand, her expression grew wary. "What is this?"

Liang Wan frowned. "Do you plan on letting Wang Tingyue serve in the army for the rest of his life?"

Liang Jiao’s eyes widened. She took the token with a trembling hand, her expression a mixture of delight and suspicion. "Where did you get this?"

Liang Wan understood her concern and didn’t hide the truth. "Don’t worry, I asked the Empress for it. I’m leaving now."

Liang Jiao watched her turn to leave, but after taking two steps, Liang Wan paused and looked back. "When you use this order, just say that General Wuwei took pity on you and requested it on your behalf."

General Wuwei was Mrs. Zhang’s cousin, and also Liang Jiao’s biological father.

Liang Jiao’s eyes glinted with suspicion. "Why are you helping me?"

Liang Wan smiled, her eyes narrowing. "You’re wrong. I’m not helping you, I’m helping Wang Tingyue. I’ve known him far longer than you have!"

Before Liang Jiao could fly into a rage, Liang Wan’s smile vanished. "This time, I’m really leaving."

"Wait!"

Liang Wan frowned, looking somewhat exasperated. "What is it? Still don’t trust me?"

Liang Jiao shook her head and said awkwardly, "Even if you were helping him, I don’t want to owe you anything. Be careful tonight."

Liang Wan was slightly taken aback, then she broke into a faint smile.

Bathed in moonlight, Liang Wan slowly walked back alone.

’Actually, it wasn’t surprising at all that Liang Jiao would go looking for Wang Tingyue. After all, in their past life, she had been willing to die with him.’

’Everything—entering the palace to serve the emperor, angering Mrs. Zhang, revealing her parentage—was just a matter of giving her a push at the right moment.’

Liang Wan raised her head to the cold, clear moonlight.

’A beautiful woman by his side, a future to look forward to.’

’Wang Tingyue, with this, we truly owe each other nothing.’

Liang Wan continued walking. She had told herself before: this was a road she was destined to walk alone, all the way to the end.

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