"Since she was a royal consort, she should rightfully be interred in the imperial mausoleum. Find an appropriate time to give her a proper burial," the man said calmly. "And announce to the world the truth about the Nation-destroying enchantress."
Jiang Ruan felt as if struck by lightning, staring fixedly at the cold yet strikingly handsome man. She had thought the grievances of this life would never be vindicated, yet at the last moment, hope emerged from despair. This man's words were the final warmth she received in the cruel existence of this lifetime, the only solace born in her direst straits.
Her eyes suddenly widened as she called out, "Xiao Shao!"
...
"Xiao Shao!" Jiang Ruan's eyes flew open as she jolted awake from the bed.
The oil lamp cast ink-like shadows, and the burning charcoal in the room felt especially warm in winter. A concerned voice reached her, "You're awake?"
Jiang Ruan looked up to see the coldly handsome man from her dream now sitting by her bedside. He too seemed just awakened by her, a trace of tension in his gaze, yet his eyes were deep as ink, irresistibly drawing her in.
"You..." Jiang Ruan was momentarily dazed. The harrowing past had merely been a dream—like a lifetime's illusion where she witnessed the fates of various people. Seeing Xiao Shao now felt like reuniting after an eternity.
Noticing Jiang Ruan sitting motionless on the bed, Xiao Shao assumed she was still unwell and rose to fetch her water. "Are you thirsty? You've been unconscious for over ten days—have some water." Just as he stood, Jiang Ruan grabbed his hand. Xiao Shao turned back, concerned, and sat down beside her again. "What's wrong?"
His voice was gentle and reassuring, offering a sudden sense of reality after the nightmare's horrors. Jiang Ruan reached out tentatively, making Xiao Shao frown. Her fingers brushed his collar, as if confirming his tangible existence. After pausing there, she suddenly wrapped both arms around Xiao Shao's neck and clung to him tightly.
Even now, Jiang Ruan's actions were startling. Xiao Shao froze momentarily before hesitantly meeting her gaze. With her face buried against his neck and her grip unyielding, he finally raised a hand to pat her back softly, murmuring, "A Ruan?"
"Xiao Shao," Jiang Ruan's voice was strained, as though suppressing intense emotion, and her words were peculiar: "I didn't understand before—why it had to be you. Now I do." Her voice faded to near inaudibility. "So you were there all along."
There are no coincidences in fate. In her past life, she and Xiao Shao had seemed unrelated, yet this lifetime was marked by constant entanglement. She had dismissed it as mere chance—until the dream, like a fleeting illusion, replayed scenes from before. Certain truths abruptly crystallized in her mind. In her past life, it was Xiao Shao who avenged her and ensured her proper burial. Was this why, in this life, they shared this unshakable bond?
Does karma truly exist? Or does it not?
Xiao Shao lowered his gaze, concealing the turbulence within. Jiang Ruan didn't see the storm in his eyes. Yet his touch remained tender, gently patting her back as if he would always stand by her side this way.
Before long, warmth trickled against his neck—she was crying.Xiao Shao's heart skipped a beat as he slowly steadied Jiang Ruan's shoulders with one hand and lifted her chin with the other. The face that had always been radiant with smiles was now streaked with tears, a large droplet hanging precariously from her chin, glistening and trembling like her current expression.
"You..." Xiao Shao was momentarily stunned by her expression and was about to speak when the woman before him suddenly lunged forward. A warm, soft sensation pressed against his lips.
His body stiffened, and Xiao Shao frowned. Jiang Ruan's actions today were highly unusual. He tried to pull away, but she clung to him even tighter, as if afraid he might flee. For some reason, his heart softened inexplicably.
After only a moment's hesitation, his kiss landed gently on her lips, as light as a dragonfly's touch.
It felt like witnessing spring flowers blooming in the dead of winter or peach blossoms covering a thousand miles of frozen wilderness—beautiful and intoxicating. The door was suddenly flung open, and Qi Feng and Xia Qing froze at the sight before them. Xiao Shao reacted swiftly, pulling Jiang Ruan's head against his chest while shooting an annoyed glare at the intruders. Xia Qing's face turned crimson instantly, and he scratched his head sheepishly. "Third Brother, I just came to check on Third Sister-in-law. You two carry on, carry on!" With that, he tugged at Qi Feng, who withdrew his gloomy gaze and forced a smile. "Fifth Brother and I will go see Master first." Then he closed the door, and the two left together.
By the time Jiang Ruan heard the voices, she had already regained her senses. Now buried in Xiao Shao's embrace, the crisp, clean scent of the man filled her nostrils, and for a moment, she didn't dare lift her head to meet his gaze. In her earlier surge of emotion, she had acted so improperly. It had been nothing but impulse—she had no idea what Xiao Shao must be thinking now.
"Do you plan to suffocate yourself?" Xiao Shao almost laughed as he pulled the ostrich-like Jiang Ruan out of his arms. Her cheeks burned, but she feigned composure. "Where is this? What happened to me?"
Xiao Shao seemed amused by her demeanor and reached out to pat her head. "This is Mount Canaan, where I studied under my master. You were poisoned with incense as a child, and the toxin was recently drawn out. I brought you up the mountain for treatment."
"Incense poison?" Jiang Ruan was taken aback. "You mean when I was a child?"
"Yes." A cold glint flashed in Xiao Shao's eyes. "It was no ordinary poison."
"I see." Jiang Ruan smiled faintly. "After I defeated my stepmother, I once heard her say that to eliminate my mother and me when I was young, she had my fourth sister—now Imperial Concubine Jiang—poison me. But later, when I was sent to the manor, the poison was cut off."
This was the first time she had voluntarily shared her past with Xiao Shao, and he gave her a surprised glance. When he heard Jiang Dan's name, his brow furrowed again. "Your mother once raised Jiang Dan."
"Unfortunately, she raised a wolf," Jiang Ruan said coolly. "Out of fear of Xia Yan's threats, she initially only wanted my mother dead. But later, afraid I might steal her favor, she poisoned me too. Perhaps it wasn't just about favor—maybe she was paving the way for the future.In her past life, Jiang Dan, a mere concubine-born daughter, had eventually become a first-rank Imperial Mandate lady. It was clear she had been scheming for a long time. Perhaps even Jiang Ruan's poisoning had been part of some conspiracy—who could say?
"Leave this to me," Xiao Shao said firmly. "Focus on recovering.""No need," Jiang Ruan spoke up. Xiao Shao paused in his movements as Jiang Ruan smiled at him. "I want to handle this matter myself. I know who that person is."
"Who?" Xiao Shao asked.
"The one I should deal with." Jiang Ruan lowered her gaze. "I was careless. But I'll be more careful from now on." She raised her eyes to smile at Xiao Shao again. Though the smile was faint, something about it felt different. Xiao Shao keenly sensed that something had subtly changed between them. His heart skipped a beat as he watched her silently.
...
In the imperial palace, within the consorts' quarters, a woman clad in luxurious robes appeared utterly at ease. The chamber was filled with cozy warmth, with wisps of incense curling upward. Exquisite jade artifacts were casually placed on the shelves, clearly indicating the mistress's favored status. Jiang Dan slowly picked up a preserved plum from the crystal dish and placed it in her mouth, then turned to the gray-robed figure before her. "I did as you asked, but why exactly did you want me to say those things?"
The gray-robed figure's long cloak draped all the way to their feet, and their hood obscured nearly half their face, revealing only a beautiful chin. Their voice was slow and eerie: "Those who know too much only invite greater trouble. Does the Noble Consort truly wish to know?"
Jiang Dan's fingers froze mid-motion as she plucked another plum, a flicker of tension flashing imperceptibly across her face. She was intelligent enough to grasp the implication behind those words. Unlike Jiang Susu, she never insisted on controlling others or placing herself in the highest position. Before anything else, she had always known how to bide her time and when to retreat. The deeper meaning in this person's words was truly thought-provoking. Moreover, Jiang Susu had an intuition—the person before her was no ordinary individual. She immediately laughed lightly and said, "Why you wanted me to say those things doesn't concern me, as long as your goal is achieved. Earlier, you claimed that if I spoke as instructed, Jiang Ruan would no longer exist in this world. Yet there's been no news of her for so long—could it be you've failed?"
Back in the palace, Jiang Dan had met this gray-robed figure through Ye Li. The figure had dismissed Ye Li and spoken to her about Jiang Ruan. Strangely, they seemed to understand Jiang Dan's deep-seated wariness of Jiang Ruan perfectly and proposed a collaboration to make Jiang Ruan vanish from the world. Given Jiang Dan's cautious nature, she shouldn't have agreed so rashly to the gray-robed figure's demands. But now that Jiang Ruan had become the Princess of Brocade Glory and appeared to enjoy Xiao Shao's favor, it filled Jiang Dan with unease. If she could eliminate Jiang Ruan early, it would be for the best. Besides, this scheme didn't require her to take any risks—just a few words would suffice. Though she didn't understand the gray-robed figure's methods, it was clear Jiang Ruan had unwittingly provoked someone formidable, a development Jiang Dan was more than happy to witness.
"Your doubts are unnecessary," the gray-robed figure said. "If you don't trust me, the Noble Consort is free to act on her own."
Jiang Dan's expression tightened momentarily before she smiled again. "Of course I trust you. I await your good news, and when all is accomplished, I shall be sure to thank you properly.""The one you should thank is yourself, Lady Zhaoyi." The gray-clad man suddenly laughed. Though his expression couldn't be seen, the faint amusement in his voice sent chills down one's spine. He continued, "If not for your schemes many years ago, today's events wouldn't have gone so smoothly. So we owe it all to your careful planning from years past."
Each word seemed to strike Jiang Dan like a hammer blow. She trembled, as if her deepest secret had been exposed, nearly collapsing into her chair. She had thought only Xia Yan and Jiang Ruan knew about this matter—Xia Yan was dead and no longer a threat, leaving only Jiang Ruan to guard against. Yet this mysterious stranger seemed to have known all along. How had he found out? And what did he want?
Forcing composure, she said, "I don't know what you're talking about."
The gray-clad man slowly stood, his voice carrying an odd note: "There's no need for such concern, Lady Zhaoyi. Our goals align—we both want her gone. In that, you and I are no different. As for the rest, I've no interest in interfering. Why trouble yourself with needless worry?"
"You have a grudge against her?" Jiang Dan ventured.
"Truthfully, I bear no hatred toward the Princess of Great Peace." His reply made Jiang Dan's heart clench, but then she heard him add, "But she stands in someone's way, and so she must disappear."
His answer made Jiang Dan exhale in quiet relief. Suppressing her doubts, she managed a smile. "Regardless, I'll await your good news."
...
The scenery of Mount Canaan was entirely different from the capital—devoid of urban bustle, it resembled a paradise untouched by the mortal world. When Jiang Ruan awoke to find herself in this breathtaking place, even someone as indifferent to surroundings as her was startled by its beauty. It seemed isolated from worldly affairs, a place where merely stepping foot could cleanse one's soul of impurities.
It was at Green Willow Villa that Jiang Ruan met Xiao Shao's master, Mr. Yaqi. The elderly man carried an air of transcendent grace, unlike the pretentious Void Taoist Priest. Mr. Yaqi possessed a truly otherworldly demeanor—gentle in temperament, his wisdom evident even through a single game of chess with Jiang Ruan, revealing his profound insight. Xia Qing, having failed to identify the poison in Jiang Ruan's system, had been tirelessly studying medical texts from Mount Canaan's old pavilion these days, seeking to remedy his inadequacies. He remained secluded there, unseen.
With Xiao Shao and Qi Feng out hunting, only Jiang Ruan and Mr. Yaqi remained in the vast Green Willow Villa. As the chess pieces gleamed, Mr. Yaqi placed a black stone and suddenly remarked, "A-Shao is deeply concerned about you."
Jiang Ruan looked up at him. Mr. Yaqi smiled faintly. "Child, focus on the game." His expression remained utterly composed. Finding no hidden meaning, Jiang Ruan selected a black stone from the porcelain jar and placed it. "I know," she replied."Do you like Ah Shao, girl?" Mr. Yaqi asked. The question was somewhat strange coming from an elder to a junior, especially since he was Xiao Shao's mentor. Jiang Ruan didn't wish to conceal anything from this wise old man before her and answered almost without hesitation: "I do."
(End of Chapter)
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