The Princess and Her Rough-Rider Khan
Chapter 370 - 369 You’ve been wronged (first update)

Chapter 370: 369 You’ve been wronged (first update)

Li Xianyun’s words gradually calmed the crowd of onlookers. They didn’t trust Li Xianyun and had doubts about the maid, but their Khan was a towering hero of integrity and decisiveness—how could he be someone who confuses right with wrong?

Besides, since Princess Hehui had been married off to the Khitan, apart from the Khan’s extreme favoritism, she hadn’t done anything to harm the nation.

Moreover, Li Xianyun’s harmless appearance was pleasing to the eye. An attractive person always manages to easily evoke warmth in others, gains trust, and receives forgiveness.

The maid hastily cried out, "My lady, Kunlun Mountains are a harsh and cold place where not even birds bother to land. If my mistress were sent there, she would surely never return. Please consider the fact that though my mistress has not contributed much to the Imperial Court, she has indeed suffered for it. Let the Khan be lenient."

Li Xianyun said emotionlessly, "Attempting to assassinate a member of the royal family is a grave offense punishable by the extermination of nine familial generations. Now the Khan has refrained from implicating the Nanwang Mansion and has even spared your mistress’s life. That is already a considerable act of mercy. Do not let your actions cause the loss of this grace."

"Is the princess trying to threaten a mere servant?" the maid countered. "It’s true, as a Han, you must relish seeing the Khitan embroiled in internal strife. A loss for the Khitan, a loss of a good general, does indeed weaken them and is advantageous for both the Houliang and Houtang."

Such words were blatantly seditious.

This maid was quite eloquent, no wonder Ji Xueyuan had chosen her for this task.

Li Xianyun’s voice grew colder.

"The nation has its laws, and the family has its rules. Your mistress sending someone to assassinate a member of the royal family is an enormous crime. Yet, she shows no remorse and sends you to cause trouble in the streets, repaying kindness with hatred. Is this the behavior of a good general who puts her family and country first?"

A terrible reputation was thusly pinned upon Ji Chuchu, and the maid was stunned.

She had not expected Li Xianyun to react so quickly, so articulately, and with such irrefutable logic.

The maid hurried to say, "These acts were my own doing and have no connection to my mistress or the Nanwang Mansion."

"It seems you are not truly devoted to your mistress," Li Xianyun said coldly. "Just now, you demanded I spare your mistress’s life, yet you were arrogant and had many criticisms of my position. Clearly you did not come here seeking my help, but to fan the flames—subjecting your mistress to disdain while undermining the Khan’s decisions, sowing discord between the Khan and his subjects. For a servant to have the audacity to provoke the Emperor’s displeasure, it is hard to believe you are not being instructed by someone."

Wow, the maid’s malignity was now extended to implicate the entire Nanwang Mansion.

The servant’s heart raced, now personally witnessing the clever tongue Li Xianyun was rumored to possess.

Before she could think of a good response, Li Xianyun continued, "Though I am a Han, once a woman marries, she follows her husband and naturally puts the interests of the Khitan first. Do not judge others by your petty standards."

With that, she walked past the servant and left with her entourage.

After Li Xianyun departed, the crowd in front of Ruyi Square dispersed amidst discussions.

Ali stood at the entrance of Ruyi Square, watching Li Xianyun’s carriage move further away.

He had been about to step forward to help, but seeing Li Xianyun deal with the situation effortlessly, as if she were royalty, he realized his aid was unnecessary.

A factory girl, unable to believe it, turned to Ali and asked. "Shopkeeper, was the gentleman really a princess? Did you know all along?"

Ali turned, his face expressionless, and faced the gathering of women behind him.

"No matter what the gentleman’s identity, the gentleman is the gentleman. She gave us work that allows us to live well. She has been good to us, and we must handle our duties properly without being ungrateful."

"Yes," they answered.

The sky today was somewhat gloomy; the autumn wind carried drifting leaves in its chilly embrace.

Youlan looked worriedly at Li Xianyun. "My lord, are you perhaps a little sad?"

Not being able to present as a man anymore, being unable to do what you like, must be heart-wrenching.

Li Xianyun still looked outside, the light falling on her face made her appear even more gentle and beautiful.

She spoke in a very common tone, "The Khitan look down on the Han as weak; the Han disdain the Khitan as barbaric. The mutual hostility between them has been going on for more than a day or two, it’s not worth taking to heart."

Li Xianyun paused, "Now that my identity has been exposed, any actions I take must be cautious and measured. I cannot afford to give those with ulterior motives any loopholes to exploit or handles to grab, and the difficulties we’re going to face in running the medical clinic are going to increase."

No patients were coming for treatment, and she was being viciously edged out and slandered by other medical clinics, all of which were far beyond her expectations. Hence, she needed to return to the palace to adjust and think things over carefully.

However, she was quite philosophical about it; her identity being exposed was just a matter of time. Perhaps it was a blessing in disguise?

Li Xianyun returned to the Khan Palace and, accompanied by Youlan, went straight to the wutong tree.

A few dry yellow leaves had fallen on the hanging chair.

Li Xianyun swept the leaves aside and then sat on the hanging chair with Youlan, her toes lightly touching the ground, setting the chair swinging gently.

The sky was very blue, the trees very tall, and the golden warmth of the sun filtered through the yellowed leaves, making everything look like a precious scroll of exquisite beauty.

Li Xianyun looked up at such beautiful scenery, and her heart gradually calmed down.

After some indeterminate time, Li Xianyun and Youlan heard footsteps and turned their heads to see Yelu Yan arriving with Jinwu.

Yelu Yan always had a knack for getting news quickly, it seemed he already knew what had happened in the West Market.

Youlan hurriedly got off the hanging chair and stood respectfully to the side.

Yelu Yan’s dark eyes were completely focused on Li Xianyun.

When he reached her, Yelu Yan sat beside Li Xianyun, and with a stretch of his long arm, he encircled her in his embrace, "You’ve been wronged."

Youlan and Jinwu exchanged glances and tactfully withdrew.

Li Xianyun looked at the vegetable garden in front of her, where various vegetables were still growing lushly, but their days of unrestrained growth were numbered.

Before the first frost, the vegetables in the garden must be picked or dug up.

"I haven’t been wronged," Li Xianyun said softly.

"Then why do you look so despondent?" Yelu Yan tilted his head to look at her, asking patiently.

Li Xianyun sighed lightly and smiled, "I just think it’s a pity about that whole wardrobe of men’s clothing."

Having known the news, Yelu Yan had been worried all the way. Now that he saw her looking relatively relaxed, he felt somewhat relieved and smiled, "Even if they know your identity, you can still dress as a man to leave the palace. Besides, I wouldn’t want them to see you dressed as a woman either."

She looked especially charming in women’s clothing; even he, who had previously had no interest in women, felt a ripple in his heart when he first saw her, to say nothing of other men.

Li Xianyun looked up at him, "So, you mean to say you’ll still allow me to leave the palace?"

Actually, she was not worried about the difficulties she would meet upon her identity being exposed; after all, the problems she had faced so far on her journey had each been very thorny. In her opinion, winning over the people’s hearts was not a big deal.

What Li Xianyun was most concerned about was whether Yelu Yan had the idea of not wanting her to leave the palace.

In terms of gender roles, the Khitan were even more conservative than the Han.

Even if Yelu Yan was willing, those ministers probably would not be.