My Mother Was Murdered… So I Seduced the Emperor’s Sister for Ultimate Revenge!
Chapter 17 - Leaving the Princess’s Manor to Explore the Capital

Chapter 17: Leaving the Princess’s Manor to Explore the Capital, Yan Xiaoyi Following? Shake Him Off!

Li Yunrui gazed at the child standing before her.

“Changsheng, you’ve grown taller again.”

Her voice was soft, carrying a trace of imperceptible emotion.

Li Changsheng lifted his eyes slightly to look at the woman who was, in name, his mother, and in reality, his adoptive guardian.

Today, Li Yunrui wore a lavender palace gown embroidered with intricate silver cloud patterns. The fabric shimmered with every movement, exuding an air of regal elegance.

Her raven-black hair was loosely tied up, a few strands cascading beside her snow-white neck, accentuating her flawless complexion and breathtaking beauty.

Her phoenix eyes, usually sharp and cold, now held a rare warmth.

Sunlight filtered through the courtyard foliage, casting dappled shadows over her, enveloping her in a dreamy, enchanting glow.

She was devastatingly beautiful, yet there was an approachable tenderness about her.

This is my mother.

Li Changsheng repeated the thought silently in his heart.

This was the woman who had saved him from certain death years ago.

This was the woman who had given him six years of safety and care.

The weight of this debt was as immense as a mountain.

Their years together, every shared moment, had long seeped into his bones and blood.

Li Yunrui treated him no differently than if he were her own son.

Her affection and indulgence were not entirely an act.

He could feel the genuine warmth in her.

“Mother.”

Li Changsheng spoke, his voice clear, carrying the softness of a child yet underscored by a steadiness beyond his years.

He reached out a small hand, gently grasping Li Yunrui’s fingers as they brushed his cheek.

Her fingers were cool but soft.

“Mother must take care of herself too.”

A child’s innocent voice, speaking words as considerate as an adult’s.

Li Yunrui paused briefly, then the warmth in her eyes deepened.

She turned her hand, enveloping his tiny fingers in her palm.

“Our Changsheng is growing up. He knows how to care for his mother now.”

Her tone was touched with pride.

Nearby, Lin Wan’er watched, her face breaking into a happy smile.

She stepped to Li Changsheng’s other side, mimicking her mother by lightly tugging his sleeve.

“Big brother is the best.”

Simple words, brimming with dependence and adoration.

The courtyard was bathed in warmth and harmony.

Sunlight spilled generously, the breeze gentle.

Li Yunrui released Li Changsheng’s hand, her gaze settling on his upright posture.

“Changsheng, you always sit like this, are you imitating martial arts masters?”

Her tone was playful, teasing.

“Would you like me to find you a master to teach you real martial arts?”

A flicker of anticipation passed through her eyes.

If this child could learn martial arts, he might gain another means of protecting himself in the future.

Li Changsheng shook his head.

“No need, Mother.”

His reply was firm.

He had his own plans.

The mysterious Eternal Life Technique bestowed by his Sign-In System was far more profound and powerful than any martial arts of this world.

He needed no outside instruction.

All he needed was time, to silently accumulate strength through daily sign-ins.

“I just like sitting quietly.”

He added, his expression unreadable.

Li Yunrui didn’t press further.

This child had always been deep-thinking, unlike ordinary children.

She had long grown accustomed to his peculiarities.

“Fine, as you wish.”

She smiled indulgently.

“But won’t you get bored staying in the courtyard all the time? Would you like to go out?”

Li Changsheng’s eyes brightened slightly.

He did want to see the outside world.

To see the capital of Qing, the heart of future storms.

“I’d like that.”

He nodded, tilting his small face up to look at her.

“Mother, I want to go out.”

Seeing the rare childlike eagerness in his eyes, Li Yunrui’s heart softened.

“Very well. I’ll have servants accompany you.”

She agreed readily.

“Be careful.”

She added, a note of caution in her voice.

Li Changsheng obediently assented.

Soon, maidservants escorted him out of the courtyard.

Lin Wan’er wanted to follow but was held back by Li Yunrui.

As Li Changsheng’s small figure disappeared beyond the courtyard gates, the warmth in Li Yunrui’s smile faded, replaced by an inscrutable depth.

She paced slowly to the stone table in the courtyard and sat down.

Her fingertips tapped absently against the cold surface.

Ye Qingmei…

That woman’s shadow surfaced in her mind once more.

Brilliant, radiant, yet dead before her time.

Who killed her?

The answer was obvious.

The Emperor.

The man who stood above all, controlling the fate of the entire Qing Kingdom.

And Changsheng’s biological father.

A cold smirk curled Li Yunrui’s lips.

What perfect irony.

She was raising the son of her enemy.

And this child was destined, one day, to stand against his own father.

A father and son locked in mortal strife.

It seemed an inescapable fate for the imperial family.

The Emperor’s heart was colder than the stone beneath her fingers.

For power, he would sacrifice anything, even kinship.

What would Changsheng do if he learned the truth?

Li Yunrui’s gaze turned distant, unfathomable.

She could not let anything happen to Changsheng.

Not just because of their deepening bond.

But because this child was a crucial piece in her future plans.

She needed him alive, strong, and capable.

Resolve flashed in her eyes.

“Summon someone.”

Her voice regained its usual cool authority.

A shadowy figure materialized soundlessly behind her.

“Call for Yan Xiaoyi.”

“At once.”

The figure vanished as swiftly as it had appeared.

Before long, a tall, broad-shouldered young man with a longbow strapped to his back entered the courtyard.

His expression was stern, his gaze sharp as an eagle’s.

This was Yan Xiaoyi, a ninth-rank archer.

“Your Highness.”

He knelt on one knee, voice steady.

“Rise.”

Li Yunrui spoke coolly.

“From this moment, you will follow Changsheng in secret. Protect him.”

“Wherever he goes, whomever he meets, report to me immediately.”

“Remember, you must remain unseen. Do not let him detect you.”

“Understood.”

Yan Xiaoyi accepted without question.

“Go.”

Li Yunrui waved a dismissive hand.

Yan Xiaoyi vanished like a ghost.

Alone in the courtyard, Li Yunrui lifted the long-cold teacup from the table and took a sip.

The tea was bitter, just like her heart.

The bustling streets of the capital teemed with life.

Vendors hawked their wares, carriages rumbled over cobblestones, and the air hummed with chatter.

Shops lined both sides of the road, teahouses, taverns, silk merchants, cosmetic stalls, pawnshops, banks, everything one could imagine.

The scent of food mingled with the sweetness of perfumes and the earthiness of medicinal herbs.

This was the heart of the Qing Empire.

The center of power, the pinnacle of prosperity.

Li Changsheng, dressed in a finely tailored brocade coat, walked through the crowd.

Though small, his steps were measured, his eyes curious as they took in the sights.

Memories of his past life overlapped with the scene before him, creating a surreal sensation.

Two maidservants from the princess’s manor followed at a careful distance, watching over him.

But Li Changsheng knew, another pair of eyes lurked in the shadows.

From the moment he left the manor, that gaze had trailed him.

Hidden, yet razor-sharp.

Did Li Yunrui send someone?

Most likely.

The corner of his lips quirked imperceptibly.

It seemed his “mother” took his safety very seriously.

Still, being watched was… uncomfortable.

He had no intention of letting someone monitor his every move.

Then let’s shake him off.

…