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Chapter 83: Eighty-Three Treasures

Seeing the concubine's silence, Xu Zhen broke it with a summary, "In any case, Little Chun isn't the type to care about such mundane things. You don’t need to bother. Instead, please tell me about the Xun family; I have urgent matters."

The concubine looked at her but didn't ask why. Even if she did, Xu Zhen couldn't reveal the truth about the antidote, as it was too bizarre and could trigger an alarm from the system. She couldn't even explain much to Little Beggar.

Thinking about this, Xu Zhen was tempted to check the system, but with the concubine still present, she dared not be too bold.

The steam rising from the tea on the table diminished as the tea cooled.

The servant had left long ago, and they poured their own tea as they continued talking, each having another cup.

Finally, the concubine spoke slowly, "I don't know much, just bits of information from the former emperor... What I can tell you for certain is that the Xun family did not commit treason."

Xu Zhen was not surprised by this.

She said, "I expected that. I want to clear their name, but aside from conclusions, I need evidence. The previous emperor who could provide it is dead. Do you have any evidence?"

The concubine shook her head and continued, "I know the head of the Xun family injured a prince from a major tribe on the battlefield back then, which was exploited by the malicious. The former emperor, already wary of the Xun family's power, allowed the rumors to spread unchallenged."

Xu Zhen had heard similar accounts from Xun Qianchun and nodded.

The concubine added, "The ones who submitted the report were the Li family."

"What?" Xu Zhen's eyes widened in shock. This was something she had never anticipated. "The Li family? Are you sure? The family of Li Sanlang? They're so powerful, how could they—"

The favored concubine interrupted her, "Both the Li family and the Xun family are from military backgrounds. It’s not surprising they would want to frame each other. Besides, do you remember the Li family's grandmother, Princess Gubba? She was the one communicating with the Hu Kingdom."

Xu Zhen recalled Princess Gubba, the princess from Xianbei who married into the Li family, becoming the matriarch after marrying Li Taiwei. Xu Zhen had met her in Jiangling with Little Beggar, who had explained her identity to Xu Zhen.

Xu Zhen never would have imagined that it was the Li family who framed the Xun family! The family of Li Sanlang... People's hearts are indeed hard to fathom. Without the concubine's revelations, she could never have suspected the Li family, even if she thought the sky was the limit.

She let out a slow sigh.

The concubine added, "They wanted to distance themselves and took advantage of the former emperor's rage to eliminate a competitor."

Xu Zhen frowned but remained silent.

As the sun set and the sounds of battle gradually faded, the two continued their conversation in the tent. Having discussed the past, they moved on to the words of the former emperor and the poison affecting Little Beggar.

That poison was the most compelling evidence. Little Beggar's mother had been deceived by a trusted princess and brought home incriminating items that became evidence against the Xun family.

As a result, Hu Jiamu was devastated. She administered a potion to her children that would prevent them from trusting others for life, unless they killed the person who betrayed them.

Xu Zhen was deeply moved. Little Beggar had told her many things, but not everything, as much of it was misinformation from her mother. The concubine's words brought clarity to Xu Zhen.

Now that she understood the beginning and the end, Xu Zhen was eager to know if there was any evidence.

"Evidence? I have none," the concubine said softly. "If I did, I would have used my position to clear the Xun family's name two years ago. But the dead emperor refused to testify. I tried everything, but could only learn this much. At least I took him down, which was some consolation."

Xu Zhen shook her head, "That's not much of a consolation."

The concubine replied, "Considering how the world condemned the Xun family, it was satisfying."

Xu Zhen explained, "People need a chance to know the truth."

The concubine laughed, "The ignorant masses wouldn’t believe it even if told. They might have forgotten about the Xun family already. If the Li family hadn't declared independence, I would have obliterated them."

Xu Zhen didn't respond.

The concubine looked at Xu Zhen, "You're not biased towards the Li family just because you taught their students, are you?"

Xu Zhen replied, "Whoever did wrong should bear the consequences. I don’t seek revenge based on personal preferences."

The concubine laughed again.

As the battle continued outside, someone came to report the situation. Xu Zhen dismissed them, finally having a plan after learning so much. She knew she needed to visit the Li family to speak with Princess Gubba or Li Taiwei. If they confessed, she could secure the antidote.

Xu Zhen changed into lighter attire and prepared to leave.

The concubine stood and asked, "Where are you going?"

Xu Zhen, not planning to turn back, realized it was Little Beggar's sister's friend asking. She turned and replied politely, "I’m going to see the Li family."

The concubine curiously asked, "Do you think they’ll listen to you?"

Xu Zhen smiled, "If I speak sincerely, they will." Standing by the door, she suddenly missed Little Beggar and asked, "By the way, how is my Little Chun in Chang'an these days?"

Since opening its gates, Chang'an had been flooded with various characters, some eyeing the land and others wishing for chaos. It was an unstable time in Chang'an.

The concubine didn’t immediately respond.

Xu Zhen paused, "Haven’t you seen Little Chun recently? That’s understandable. I’ll go to the Li family first..."

The concubine's voice was cold and calm, "She succumbed to the poison."

Xu Zhen stared at the concubine, lips pressed tight.

Initially, she didn’t understand, but as the words sank in, her mind went blank. She whispered, "Poisoned... what do you mean poisoned? She succumbed long ago, yet she was with me every day."

The concubine explained, "She used medication to suppress it, but now she can't control herself and fled to the North."

Xu Zhen's mind was in chaos, as if something had been ripped from her heart.

With the system in hand and knowledge of the original storyline, she knew how painful the poison's effects were. Little Beggar... just endured it?

How could she endure for so long? She must have suffered greatly.

Xu Zhen's mind was muddled, and she felt dizzy. She wasn’t sure what to do, stumbling a few steps to the door. The cold wind on her face reminded her of her purpose.

It was okay; she had anticipated this day.

And the antidote would soon be within reach.

Xu Zhen hurried to the stables, grabbed a pony, and raced toward the Li family camp.

She had no martial skills and little experience riding, but at that moment, she felt neither pain nor fatigue, only focused on obtaining the antidote.

Inside the tent, the concubine watched Xu Zhen's retreating figure and chuckled softly, murmuring to herself, "You can rest assured about your sister... Her judgment is better than your mother’s."

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Author's Note: See you tomorrow!! I'll be adding more tomorrow!!! Sorry for the slow pace. I thought two lines would suffice to explain the truth, but the concubine turned out to be quite talkative. Spoiler alert: tomorrow they’ll get the antidote and head to Qinglong Mountain to find Little Beggar, and they'll have a heartfelt reunion.