Getting Revenge Is Not As Easy As Everyone Thinks

Of course Xiao Yue did not plan to just sit around and curse Long Zhao Xue from far away, hoping that he would suddenly fall down and die. It's just that Third Madam Chun Ya had made it very difficult for her to even find an excuse to meet up with Long Zhao Xue. Based on the information she gathered so far, Chun Ya committed suicide out of jealousy. 

Her suicide attempt failed, and her husband had not visited her even once. He instead spent most of his time by the Second Madam's side, caring for her. It sure looked like the Third Madam was no longer necessary! Xiao Yue could not come up with any excuse to meet up with Long Zhao Xue and generate any kind of exchange to get back on his good side. 

All she could do was wait. Wait like a pouty young wife, hoping that the husband will come to seek her favor. 

Then again this man was the strongest general in Hong Kingdom. A serial womanizer. He could have anyone he wanted so why waste time on the Third Madam?

It had come to this point, and dawdling was not going to solve anything. If Long Zhao Xue was not planning to come to her, then Xiao Yue must take the initiative to go and visit him.

When Long Zhao Xue came back three days later, Xiao Yue thus went to pay him a visit in Second Madam's manor.

Second Madam was a very humble person, in both demeanor and speech. She did not talk much, did not demand much, and it also reflected on her choice of decoration all over the manor. Her residence maintained simplicity through and through. Her maids on the other hand were extremely arrogant and paid a lot of attention to standing and favoritism. Being the least favored wife at the moment, Xiao Yue's visit was seen as a desperate attempt to win over the husband. Most women would be humiliated to the bones, but Xiao Yue could not care less. She simply wanted to take a good look at her prey, learn whatever she could about the person, and use it against him later on.

The maids led Xiao Yue to the study. Yu Fen waited outside, fully agitated that she could not provide her Young Lady further emotional support. She had told her Young Lady over and over again how she was supposed to behave in front of her husband, what to and not to say. She could only hope that Xiao Yue remembered all that!

Xiao Yue waited for almost an hour before someone finally showed up. The man was tall and dressed all in black with a thick silver belt around his waist. The silver belt was engraved with intricate symbols. This was the Hong Kingdom palace official uniform. He had this commanding aura around him. Xiao Yue could imagine him leading the war from one place to another, bringing his army to victory. Only one thing disturbed Xiao Yue. He wore an engraved silver mask with a cold facial expression. Xiao Yue was speechless.

" Uh, Husband?" she called, a little unsure.

"Hello, Third Madam." came the answer.

Long Zhao Xue gestured for her to sit, while he himself took a seat.

They sat next to each other on the divan and stared at each other. Or better said Xiao Yue stared at the masked general and it was unclear what he was doing.

The meeting was beyond awkward. Xiao Yue's mind went blank. She could not remember the apologetic speech that she rehearsed the night before with Yu Fen. She could only start at the silver mask incessantly.

"Apologies," the man said. "I have yet to recover. I do not want to let you see me the way I am right now."

'Oh. Did he injure his face?'

A tiny bit of schadenfreude crept into Xiao Yue's heart. She could barely stop herself from grinning. Then she remembered her little speech from last night. After clearing her throat, she thus said what she needed to say.

"I... I also apologize. Husband, my behavior has been nothing but troublesome, not only to the Long household but also to my own family. I hope we can forget my folly and start anew."

The man paused, then stretched out his hand and Xiao Yue took it. The hand was cold. He must have come from the outside.

"Don't worry about it, Third Madam. Let's forget everything that happened that night and get along with each other."

"U-un."

That was it.

Quick and easy.

When Yu Fen later asked her how it went, Xiao Yue did not lie when she said that it went well. While the maids cheered and celebrated late into the night, Xiao Yue could not help but feel that something was amiss. It was too easy, too quick. It was almost as if Long Zhao Xue wanted her to leave as soon as possible. She did.

The First Madam as the main wife was in charge of the whole household management, including the two other wives. Every day she was quite busy, even without her husband around. 

The Second Madam has only one thing to do now : take care of herself and her unborn baby. Additionally at night tending to her husband when her husband was at home. Xiao Yue had nothing to do other than scheming her own plans, which amounted to nothing at that point. 

How to kill someone who you did not meet often? Yes, to meet Long Zhao Xue she had to go to Second Madam's manor, and too many eyes were watching her. 

Other than that one time to 'reconcile', Xiao Yue never actively sought Long Zhao Xue anymore. 

Not that the latter was around. 

He left for another mission the very next morning. 

A few more letters came from her father to ask about things. Fed up, Xiao Yue replied one time that things were going exceedingly well and they already reconciled. No more letters came from her father afterward, so Xiao Yue assumed that the problem had been solved.

Winter ended and spring quickly came. Long Zhao Xue was barely home. He neither visited nor summoned Xiao Yue.

In front of her own manor, Xiao Yue was given a huge patch of land. Since she had nothing to do, she decided to plant some medicinal herbs and tea leaves. Back at her tribe, she was in charge of tending to her mother's little medicinal farm so she knew a thing or two about plants.

She worked hard to gather the plant seeds she wanted and planted them one whole day from morning until afternoon. Yu Fen and other maids and servants were also actively involved in the Third Madam's new hobby.

The garden only lasted for two days, because on the third day it was destroyed by an overly active puppy.