Her Entire Court Reborn with Her in the Modern World

Chapter 144: Chapter 143: True Colors Revealed, Changying’s Courtiers

Xu Zhao Yu’s heart almost stopped beating in an instant, a cold sweat breaking out on her back. This was the first time Xu Yunfan had looked at her with such an expression. It was as if he had seen right through her, sending shivers down her spine.

Xu Zhao Yu’s hands trembled, and she forced a smile. "Yunfan, you’re finally back! Mom, Dad, and I were worried sick!"

"Yunfan!" Old Madam Xu was overjoyed. She stepped forward to look him over, tears falling from her eyes. "Thank goodness you’re alright and in one piece. Quick... go change your clothes!"

Xu Yunfan shook his head. "I just rushed back to check on you all. I have to go back soon."

"Why do you still have to go back?" Old Madam Xu asked anxiously. "Isn’t it over? You’ve earned merits; you should be resting."

Xu Yunfan’s gaze sharpened. "Mom, this is my duty!"

Seeing his flash of anger, Old Madam Xu fell silent.

Xu Zhao Yu spoke up, "Since you are fine, Yunfan, we can rest easy. Mom, let Yun—"

Her words were cut off by Xu Yunfan. "Zhao Yu, what did you mean by what you just said?"

Xu Zhao Yu froze, her palms beginning to sweat. "What are you referring to..."

"First, you weren’t at the scene, and second, you don’t know the specific details of what happened." Xu Yunfan stared at her, his voice harsh. "On what grounds do you assume Changying’s actions were definitely negative? Is this how an elder should behave?"

Xu Zhao Yu stood there as if struck by lightning. She took two steps back, her eyes trembling as she looked at him in disbelief. "Yunfan..."

Among her three brothers, Xu Yunfan doted on her the most and had never spoken a harsh word to her. Today’s words were no less than a knife twisting in her heart! And to think it was all for Shi Changying, who had been brought back to the Xu Family less than two months ago. On what grounds did she deserve this?

"Yunfan, what are you doing?" Old Madam Xu grew anxious and quickly supported Xu Zhao Yu. "Zhao Yu has a heart condition, you know this. Are you trying to give her a heart attack and send her to the hospital?"

"What did I do? I’m asking about facts!" Xu Yunfan was also full of anger. "Do you know what happened today? You have no idea, yet you sit here arbitrarily slandering Changying. What kind of nonsense is this?"

Tears welled up in Xu Zhao Yu’s eyes. "Yunfan, I didn’t, I really didn’t..."

She had only heard that Shi Changying ran off to Shisong Village, but what kind of place was that? It was the epicenter of the flood. Even if a little girl running over there didn’t cause more trouble, she would still be completely useless. Was she making assumptions? She was merely making a logical deduction!

"Let me make this clear. Changying does have a strange temper, but I have no right to judge her, as my own temper isn’t great either," Xu Yunfan said flatly. "Today, she saved my comrade. I owe her a life. The situation was so critical at the time that I had even prepared myself for the possibility of not bringing them back. So, never let me hear that kind of talk again!"

Xu Zhao Yu’s lips trembled violently, all the color draining from her face.

Old Madam Xu was also utterly stunned, her mouth hanging wide open. "She..."

Xu Yunfan said impassively, "I still have things to do. I’m leaving."

He had arrived silently and left just as abruptly.

The door closed, blocking out the biting wind, but Xu Zhao Yu still felt freezing cold all over.

"Mom, I misspoke. Yunfan... he must despise me now." She clutched Old Madam Xu’s clothes tightly, crying her heart out this time. "But I didn’t mean to. I didn’t maliciously assume the worst of Changying, I..."

Old Madam Xu’s expression was complicated. She sighed and said, "Zhao Yu, don’t be sad. You should get some rest first. Your brother is just stubborn. We’ll talk about this once he’s in a better mood."

For some reason, Xu Zhao Yu’s heart was racing with panic. She wiped her tears and sniffled. "Will Yunfan really forgive me?"

"Who hasn’t misspoken in a moment of carelessness? Besides, you didn’t do it on purpose," Old Madam Xu coaxed. "Alright, Zhao Yu, go upstairs and rest."

Xu Zhao Yu responded softly, her eyes dark and gloomy.

The rain cleared, leaving a sky full of stars.

Inside the temporarily constructed room, Shi Changying ate another plate of hot steamed buns brought over by a kind older woman.

"Your Majesty!" Ning Liuyu hugged Shi Changying again, her voice choking with sobs. "I thought it was a dream. I thought I would never see you again once I woke up."

Shi Changying stayed silent for a moment before raising her hand and patting her on the back. "It is not a dream, A Yu. It’s me. I am here."

"Right, it’s not a dream, it’s real!" Ning Liuyu wiped away her tears. "I really shouldn’t be crying in front of Your Majesty all the time."

Shi Changying paused before saying, "A Yu, actually... even if you hadn’t recognized me, I was planning to come and ask you."

Ning Liuyu froze for a moment, then quickly caught on. "Is it because of the medicine I gave Your Majesty?"

Shi Changying said, "The exact same smell, and the medicine took effect incredibly fast. It made me think of you."

Those words made Ning Liuyu’s heart tremble fiercely.

The Empress had countless talented individuals by her side, never lacking capable ministers willing to serve her. They fought and schemed in front of her, all just to have her gaze linger on them for a moment longer.

Ning Liuyu said dazedly, "I thought Your Majesty... had already forgotten."

"I remember. I remember everything." Shi Changying raised her hand and rested it on Ning Liuyu’s shoulder, asking softly, "But how did you recognize me, A Yu?"

Ning Liuyu wiped her tears. "I am afraid Your Majesty might get mad at me for saying this, but it is because only you would eat steamed buns like that."

Shi Changying slowly looked up. "Hmm?"

"You’ve probably forgotten this matter. At that time, your Inner Strength was depleted, and you ordered someone to prepare a hundred steamed buns for you first," Ning Liuyu said. "I was practicing Alchemy on the side and watched you eat all those buns, not leaving a single one behind."

Shi Changying massaged her temples.

She really had forgotten. After all, she had eaten like that more than once.

"I was startled at the time, afraid you would make yourself sick from eating too much," Ning Liuyu continued. "Then you told me that the Inner Strength you cultivated was extremely unique, allowing you to temporarily replenish your depleted Inner Strength by consuming food."

Shi Changying nodded. "That is indeed the case. I get to enjoy good food while cultivating."

"Actually, I wasn’t entirely certain." Ning Liuyu rubbed her nose sheepishly. "But in that moment, my emotions overwhelmed me, and I couldn’t hold back. If it really wasn’t Your Majesty, the worst that could happen was that you would push me away, and I wouldn’t lose anything."

But what if she had bet right?

Shi Changying fell silent.

For a moment, she didn’t know whether being recognized for eating too much was more embarrassing, or if her tone-deafness was more of a blow. Well, there wasn’t much difference between the two anyway.

Thinking of this, Shi Changying unlocked her phone and created a group chat, inviting Qingyuan, Xie Qingshi, and Ning Liuyu.

After making the group, she changed the chat’s name to "A Close-Knit Family."

Shi Changying was very satisfied. She said, "A Yu, I’ve created a group chat. You can contact me anytime through it."

Ning Liuyu was still wondering why the two of them needed a group chat when a message popped up on her phone.

[Only I am the first]: If there’s anything from now on, the four of us will talk about it in this group.