Second Brother Zhao patted Zhao Jin's head. "Why are you thinking about such things at such a young age? You should stay home and embroider your dowry—that's the proper thing to do. Honestly, my future brother-in-law is too irresponsible. He should discipline you properly instead of letting you run wild every day."
Zhao Jin pursed her lips, about to retort, when a servant rushed in, his face pale with panic. "Young Masters, it's terrible! A group of officers is outside, here to arrest people!"
Old Master Zhao wasn’t home—he had left early in the morning—so only the two young masters were present. Second Brother Zhao grew anxious. "What officers? Arrest who?"
Big Brother Zhao, more composed, cut him off and addressed the servant. "What exactly is happening?"
The servant looked on the verge of tears, stammering, "I-I don’t know! Those officers are fierce, shouting about arresting the culprits behind the assassination attempt on His Majesty. Young Master, what should we do?"
"Assassination attempt?" Zhao Jin stood up in shock. "But His Majesty was... gravely ill, wasn’t he? How did it turn into an assassination? And why come to our residence? Are they suggesting our family would harm His Majesty? This is absurd!"
"Little sister, don’t make a scene," Big Brother Zhao frowned. "This is serious. If officers are here, they must have heard something. Second Brother, take care of our sister. I’ll go out and see." He lifted the hem of his robe to leave, but before he could step out, chaotic footsteps echoed in the courtyard. A swarm of officers flooded in, blocking all exits and surrounding the three siblings.
Big Brother Zhao spoke coldly, "Gentlemen, may I ask what crime our household has committed to warrant such a disturbance?"
"Young Master Zhao," the leading officer sneered. "Your Zhao family conspired to poison His Majesty. The evidence is irrefutable. This is a heinous crime, unforgivable. Take them away!"
"What nonsense!" Zhao Jin snapped, resisting as officers moved to seize her. "How could our family harm His Majesty? What evidence? Don’t spout baseless accusations! Our Zhao family has upheld loyalty and righteousness for generations—we won’t tolerate such slander!"
The officer scoffed. Big Brother Zhao stopped Zhao Jin’s resistance with a hand and whispered, "Little sister, stay calm. Don’t fight back. There’s more to this. Until the truth comes out, don’t cause trouble."
Zhao Jin obeyed, though reluctantly, and withdrew. But Second Brother Zhao wouldn’t stand for it. "If you don’t explain clearly, you’re not taking us anywhere! Our Zhao family isn’t powerless—we won’t endure this defamation!"
"Young Miss Zhao wants evidence, does she?" The officer’s patience seemed to wear thin, his expression oddly twisted. "Do you recall the two ginseng roots your family sent to the palace a few days ago? The miracle healer Xia personally examined them—they were laced with poison. His Majesty drank medicine brewed with those ginseng slices and was poisoned. How vicious of your family to send such poison into the palace, plotting against His Majesty! And you dare claim innocence?"Zhao Jin was stunned. Second Brother Zhao looked at her strangely and asked, "Little sister... what's going on?" He naturally knew what had happened—Zhao Jin had asked him to help steal those two ginseng roots. Although precious, these ginseng roots weren't irreplaceable for the Zhao family. At the time, Second Brother Zhao had only heard Zhao Jin say it was to help a friend. Being warm-hearted by nature, he had agreed without hesitation. But now, what did the officers' words mean? Second Brother Zhao would never believe his little sister could truly be a criminal who plotted against the Emperor. Yet how had all this come to pass?
Big Brother Zhao noticed the odd expressions on Zhao Jin and Second Brother Zhao's faces and understood somewhat. He turned a stern gaze toward Zhao Jin and demanded, "Jin'er, what is the meaning of this?"
Snapped back to attention by her elder brother's grave tone, Zhao Jin shook her head. "No, Big Brother, that day Ying'er asked me for two ginseng roots to nourish His Majesty's health. I thought since we have plenty of ginseng back home, I... I stole them out. But I absolutely didn't poison anything! This definitely wasn't my doing—I would never harm His Majesty! Besides, what reason would I have to poison the Emperor?" By the last sentence, Zhao Jin had regained some clarity and directed these words at the head officer.
Big Brother Zhao frowned at her, but now wasn't the time to reprimand his younger sister. Moreover, he knew Zhao Jin would never be the one to administer poison. Their Zhao family had always prioritized self-preservation and remained loyal to the Emperor's faction. Although recent developments in Zhao Jin's relationship with Jiang Xin Zhi had made them consider aligning with the Thirteenth Prince, they hadn't openly shown this stance. Besides, while their family held respectable status among the capital's military officials, they were far from prominent—at best, they were mediocre. Who would view them as significant enough to target? Considering this, Big Brother Zhao addressed the head officer, "My younger sister would never commit such an act. There must be some misunderstanding here."
The head officer ignored Big Brother Zhao's words and simply waved his hand. "Apologies, Young Master Zhao, but this isn't the time for negotiations. There's no room for discussion. We're merely following orders—save your explanations for the prison cell." With that, he barked at his subordinates, "Take them away!"
The Zhao family, wary of openly defying higher orders and risking even greater charges, dared not resist outright. Though furious, Second Brother Zhao and Zhao Jin swallowed their anger and allowed themselves to be taken away with Big Brother Zhao. Before leaving, Big Brother Zhao shot a meaningful glance at a house servant—a longtime attendant who silently stepped aside. As the officers began sealing the entire residence, the servant quietly slipped away.
...
News of the Zhao family's seizure reached Jiang Xin Zhi's ears almost instantly. These past few days, he had been overwhelmed dealing with Jiang Ruan's affairs, never expecting the Zhao family to face disaster at such a time. Shock quickly gave way to outrage, and he blurted out almost without thinking, "This is a frame-up! There's no way this could be true!"Zhao Guang looked at Jiang Xin Zhi with a grave expression. As fellow military officers and sharing the same surname, Zhao Guang held considerable goodwill toward Zhao Jin's family. Big Brother Zhao and Second Brother Zhao were also outstanding among the younger generation. As for the girl Jiang Xin Zhi had taken a liking to, Zhao Guang was very fond of her as well. He felt Zhao Jin lacked the haughty airs typical of noble young ladies, instead possessing the straightforward and decisive demeanor of a military family's daughter. He was extremely satisfied with this future granddaughter-in-law. Who could have expected such a sudden turn of events? Zhao Guang said to Jiang Xin Zhi, "Xin Zhi, though your feelings for the Zhao family's girl run deep, you must not act rashly now. These are troubled times, and it's clear someone has conspired to frame the Zhao family. There may be further traps—don't plunge yourself into danger."
Having served in court for many years, Zhao Guang was no reckless warrior. He understood these matters well and immediately recognized that the Zhao family's predicament must have deeper causes, likely connected to palace intrigues. Thus, he felt compelled to caution Jiang Xin Zhi.
Jiang Xin Zhi was no fool either and suspected there might be further schemes at play. However, he seemed to have inherited the Zhao family's protective nature—Zhao Jin was now his future wife, and what kind of man would he be if he couldn't protect his own woman? He had already made up his mind, so he didn't respond to Zhao Guang's advice. Just as he was lost in thought, Zhao Yuanping hurried in. He glanced at Jiang Xin Zhi and pulled a letter from his sleeve, handing it to him. Zhao Guang asked, "From whom?"
Zhao Yuanping smiled. "Your nephew's son-in-law."
That Xiao Shao would send a letter to Jiang Xin Zhi at this moment—Zhao Guang grew excited. Could it be news about Jiang Ruan? He urged, "Open it quickly! Is there news about A Ruan?"
Jiang Xin Zhi swiftly unfolded the letter and read it. After finishing, he said, "No, it only discusses the Zhao family's situation."
Zhao Yuanping mused, "Oh? What does the prince suggest?"
"He advises us not to act rashly and to wait," Jiang Xin Zhi replied.
...
In the palace, Dong Yinger had just left Cining Palace. Ever since Xia Qing's visit that day, when it was diagnosed that the Emperor had actually died from poisoning, Dong Yinger naturally couldn't escape suspicion. The accusatory gazes she faced that day were nearly enough to break a person, and Dong Yinger did indeed break down. Poison had been discovered in the Emperor's medicinal soup in the Medicinal Cuisine Kitchen—traced back to two old ginseng roots. And the source of those roots? Zhao Jin.
Dong Yinger was at a loss to defend herself, but at the last moment, someone stepped forward to testify that Zhao Jin had indeed visited Dong Yinger that day, bringing gifts into the palace. The two old ginseng roots were among them, and even the newly appointed Eunuch Chen corroborated this. Even so, Dong Yinger's suspicion wasn't entirely cleared, as Zhao Jin had no apparent motive to harm the Emperor—and if she had, this method would have been far too obvious. Who would poison someone so blatantly?
At the final moment, one of Dong Yinger's maids timidly spoke up: Perhaps the Zhao family's young lady hadn't intended to harm His Majesty—those old ginseng roots had originally been meant for the Xiuyi Consort.Upon hearing this, everyone suddenly understood—it must have been so. Zhao Jin had come to visit Dong Yinger, bringing two old ginseng roots. Unbeknownst to Dong Yinger, the ginseng was poisoned. Instead, she thought such a precious item would be better used for the Emperor. Who could have known that after consuming it, the Emperor would meet his demise? It turned out Zhao Jin had originally intended to harm Dong Yinger but ended up accidentally killing the Emperor instead. Indeed, Zhao Jin had no reason to harm the Emperor, but her motives toward Dong Yinger were questionable. Many women in the imperial harem knew that since Dong Yinger entered the palace, her relationship with Zhao Jin had grown distant. Such estrangement couldn’t have happened without reason—there must have been some conflict between them. And if Zhao Jin harbored resentment over this conflict, it wasn’t impossible for her to want Dong Yinger dead.
However, the matter hadn’t been fully resolved yet. Though the general truth was known, only the Zhao family had been arrested. While Dong Yinger wasn’t the direct culprit in the Emperor’s death, he had still died because of her. With the palace affairs so hectic these past few days, no one had paid her much attention. Yet, everyone secretly speculated that this Imperial Concubine Xiuyi was truly unfortunate—she had just gained favor, only for the Emperor to pass away shortly after. And now, in the aftermath, she was implicated in this incident. Though the crime was committed by the Zhao family’s young lady, Dong Yinger was still dragged into it. Most likely, her fate wouldn’t be favorable either.
Dong Yinger indeed presented a pitiable sight, her sorrowful expression tugging at people’s heartstrings, making her seem utterly innocent. After leaving Cining Palace, she returned to her own chambers. She changed her clothes—having not bathed since the previous day, she appeared quite haggard. Now, with the bathwater prepared, she leisurely reclined into it.
As steam slowly rose, an unexpectedly radiant flush appeared on Dong Yinger’s face. She seemed quite pleased, even wearing a faint smile.
Things had gone even more smoothly than she had imagined. Dong Yinger wasn’t sure whether she felt satisfaction or sorrow, but those emotions were overshadowed. Right now, what she most wanted was to see Zhao Jin’s current state. No matter how much Jiang Xin Zhi liked her, what could he do now? With such a grave crime, not even the gods could save her. They should also taste the bitterness of despair—just as she had when she first entered the palace. Back then, Jiang Ruan had refused to lift a finger to help. Now, Jiang Ruan’s whereabouts were unknown, and if Jiang Xin Zhi tried to wade into these troubled waters, he would only drag himself down. She wondered if he would regret his past decisions. Had he chosen her back then, perhaps today’s circumstances wouldn’t have come to pass. Jiang Xin Zhi was always better suited to clever women.
Lost in her thoughts, Dong Yinger grew increasingly eager to see Zhao Jin immediately and witness her current state. She quickly finished her bath, summoned her maids to dress her, and then said nonchalantly, “To think that after all our friendship, Zhao Jin would harm me like this. Such a situation is truly infuriating. I must confront her and demand an explanation. Come, let’s visit my former sister.”
...In the dungeon, Zhao Jin was locked in the farthest cell. She still had no idea what was happening in the mansion, and these people hadn't confined her together with her eldest and second brothers. Instead, she was isolated in a separate cell. Zhao Jin vaguely sensed something—perhaps in their eyes, she was the mastermind behind the Emperor's assassination, hence this special treatment.
Though Zhao Jin usually paid little attention to court affairs, she knew well that anyone involved in matters concerning the life of a nation's ruler would, nine times out of ten, meet a grim end. She was certain the old ginseng couldn't possibly be poisoned, and if the Emperor had died after consuming it, someone must be framing the Zhao family.
Who bore such deep hatred for the Zhaos? As Big Brother Zhao had surmised, the Zhao family was merely average in the capital, neither prominent enough to attract envy nor ostentatious in their conduct. There was no way they could have provoked such a formidable enemy. Zhao Jin's heart faintly pointed to one person—Dong Yinger.
That ginseng had been specially given to Zhao Jin by Dong Yinger, who claimed it was to nourish the Emperor's health. Yet before it could do any good, it became the Emperor's death warrant. Dong Yinger's words that day had initially eased Zhao Jin's heart, making her believe this sister of hers genuinely cared for her, that their past misunderstandings were just youthful folly. Now that time had passed and they were no longer impulsive children, those trivial misunderstandings should have dissipated like smoke.
But Zhao Jin never imagined Dong Yinger could change so utterly. She desperately didn’t want to believe Dong Yinger was behind this, yet the evidence was undeniable. Why would Dong Yinger do such a thing? Zhao Jin felt no anger at the betrayal, only profound disappointment. From the moment Dong Yinger made this choice, the last thread of their past bond had snapped.
Zhao Jin buried her head in her knees. The dungeon was dark and damp, far from comfortable, but having trained in martial arts since childhood, she wasn’t one to complain about physical discomfort. Besides, her mind was too tangled to care about such trivialities.
Soft footsteps echoed slowly through the dungeon, followed by a familiar voice: "Leave us. I have a few words for Miss Zhao."
Hearing this, Zhao Jin jerked her head up. In the flickering torchlight of the dim cell, standing just beyond the iron bars, was Dong Yinger.
The jailer silently pocketed the silver slipped into his sleeve and grinned. "As you wish, Lady Xiuyi. I'll stand guard outside." He cast a glance at Zhao Jin in the cell and shook his head. Everyone knew this Zhao family daughter was a venomous schemer who had tried to harm her childhood sister, dragging the once-favored Dong Yinger into undeserved calamity. Such a woman was truly terrifying.
After the jailer left, Dong Yinger's maids also withdrew, leaving only the two of them in the cell. Zhao Jin stared fixedly at Dong Yinger before finally rasping, "It was you."
"So you’ve figured it out now," Dong Yinger chuckled lightly. "Yes, it was me. But you’re too late to do anything about it.""Why?" Zhao Jin grabbed the prison bars as if she were about to burst out, gritting her teeth as she spoke each word deliberately, "Why?"
"Why?" Dong Yinger tilted her head slightly in thought, "There are too many reasons for that. For myself, and for the Eighth Prince. Only by using your hand to bring down His Majesty, and by using your Zhao family to remove those we wish to remove, can we help the Eighth Prince achieve his grand ambitions. From the very beginning, this plan required someone to be sacrificed. Unfortunately, Zhao Jin, that person is you. Of course, none of these are the most important reasons. The most important thing is—I dislike you. I want you dead. So when it came time to choose the sacrificial pawn, I immediately set my sights on you."
Zhao Jin stared at Dong Yinger in disbelief. The cruelty in her words sent an involuntary shiver down Zhao Jin's spine. The Eighth Prince? This matter was connected to the Eighth Prince? She had never imagined that Dong Yinger was one of his people. Even more unthinkable was that Dong Yinger, in serving the Eighth Prince, would go so far as to betray and frame her. But all her confusion reached its peak with Dong Yinger's final words. What did she mean? Zhao Jin asked, "What exactly have I done to make you hate me so much? Enough to drag my entire Zhao family down with me?"
"Zhao Jin, I've never understood how you could live your life so naively and foolishly," Dong Yinger frowned slightly as she looked at her. "Even when we were young, you were the most carefree among us. You didn’t have to learn etiquette or household management, nor did you need to master the art of diplomacy. If you liked something, you embraced it; if you didn’t, you simply walked away. You loved dancing and swordplay, so your two elder brothers trained with you. I’ve always disliked you. Your father’s official rank was no higher than mine, and your Zhao family was never as illustrious as our Dong family, yet you seemed so much happier than I was. Everything I had, you possessed too—and more besides."
Zhao Jin paused, then stared at Dong Yinger as if she were a madwoman. "You hate me for something like this? You despise me for this?" If that were truly the case, then Dong Yinger was utterly insane. Besides, when they were young, the bond between them had seemed genuine. Dong Yinger had never shown the slightest hint of dissatisfaction. Even now, Zhao Jin had believed their childhood friendship had been sincere—that it was only after Dong Yinger entered the palace that she became this unrecognizable stranger. But if Dong Yinger had secretly harbored jealousy toward her since childhood, then her ability to conceal her true feelings was truly terrifying.
"Of course not," Dong Yinger chuckled softly. "Such trivial matters are beneath my notice. But Zhao Jin, it seems you’ve forgotten what I once told you about Jiang Xin Zhi."
Zhao Jin froze, then suddenly understood. She gasped aloud, "You love him!""Of course I love him. I fell for him the moment I first laid eyes on him," Dong Yinger said. "He saved me at the palace banquet, and my heart was so taken that I went to see him personally. I was the one who loved him first! I made the first move! How is it that you ended up with him in the end? Zhao Jin, do you know how much I hated you when I found out it was you?" Dong Yinger glared at Zhao Jin. She was dressed in plain white mourning clothes for the Emperor, her makeup subdued and elegant. But now, with her eyes wide and her face contorted with rage, she looked like a vengeful ghost.
"How can you force matters of the heart?" Zhao Jin looked at her in disbelief. "You actually hate me over this?"
"This is what you owe me!" Dong Yinger's earlier calm had completely vanished as she shouted back. After a pause, she continued, "When he went missing at the border, everyone said he had defected to the enemy, but I refused to believe it. My parents forced me to enter the palace at that time—I didn’t want to go, I loved him. But they locked me up in the mansion, confined me. I couldn’t leave. Later, Jiang Ruan came to see me. You know, I’ve always treated Jiang Ruan well. I thought we were friends." Dong Yinger murmured, "But do you know how she answered me?"
Dong Yinger's gaze grew distant, as if she had returned to that day when the radiantly beautiful young girl had looked at her coldly, her cruel words shattering all her hopes. Jiang Ruan had said, "Why should I help you?"
She had said, "My elder brother has no interest in you. Whether you like him or not has nothing to do with him."
Dong Yinger screamed madly at Zhao Jin in the prison cell, "I knelt and begged her, knelt and begged her, but she still refused to save me!"
"Entering the palace at my age would ruin the rest of my life. I treated her as a friend—how did she repay me?" Dong Yinger laughed bitterly. "From that day on, I saw everything clearly. What friendship? What bonds? All lies, worthless as straw!"
"Ruan Meimei saved you out of kindness. If she hadn’t, you still couldn’t blame her. Not everyone in this world exists for you—why should they revolve around you?" Zhao Jin looked at her with pity.
"Not blame her? Then who should I blame?" Dong Yinger stared fixedly at Zhao Jin before suddenly bursting into a chilling laugh. "Ah, I forgot—I should blame you too! Zhao Jin, you knew I liked him! You knew it all along! And what did you do? You stole my place while I was in the palace! Anyone could stand by Jiang Xin Zhi’s side—anyone but you!"
"'Stole your place'?" Zhao Jin laughed instead of growing angry. She was usually carefree and tolerant toward those she knew well, but Dong Yinger’s words had crossed a line, and she couldn’t hold back. "You liked him—did you ever tell him so? If not, that’s your fault. If you did and he still didn’t choose you, then he simply didn’t like you. What does that have to do with me? You accuse me of stealing your place? What did you ever do for him? I was the one who went to the border and rescued him from the enemy’s hands. Of course, feelings aren’t about who did more, but you must understand—Jiang Xin Zhi chose me. I didn’t force him; he made that choice himself. He has me in his heart, and I have him in mine. Love is between two people. What right do you have to say I wronged you? What right do you have to accuse him?"
"Shut up!" Dong Yinger roared, whether from shame, anger, or something else. She had no rebuttal to Zhao Jin’s words. Indeed, love was between two people—Jiang Xin Zhi loved Zhao Jin, not her. Dong Yinger understood this better than anyone, yet she refused to accept it.
How could Jiang Xin Zhi be like this? Stirring up her heart only to leave without responsibility, flying off with his lover—what did that make her? If not for him, she would never have broken off her engagement, never entered the palace. Would her life have been different then? Anything would have been better than this—outwardly splendid, but inside, nothing but rotting black mud, long since decayed and foul!Dong Yinger was simply unwilling to accept that Jiang Xin Zhi could continue living his own life after ruining hers. People are always like this—once they fall into the mire, they wish for those around them to sink alongside them. It’s always better than suffering alone. She knew she shouldn’t hate Zhao Jin, shouldn’t hate Jiang Xin Zhi, but she had to sustain her life with this immense hatred. Without it, she would perish...
Dong Yinger sneered coldly at Zhao Jin: "Oh? You seem quite pleased with yourself. I wonder what schemes Jiang Xin Zhi will come up with to rescue you now that you’re imprisoned. But that’s exactly what I want to see. This isn’t over. Aren’t you two supposed to be bound by love stronger than gold? Doesn’t adversity reveal true feelings? This time, I truly hope you get your wish—dragging Jiang Xin Zhi down with you. That would delight me."
"What are you planning?" Zhao Jin asked warily.
"Planning?" Dong Yinger chuckled softly. "Zhao Jin, you owe me. And you will repay me. This time, I won’t hold back." With that, she ignored Zhao Jin’s questioning and slowly walked out of the cell.
Just as Dong Yinger stepped out, she saw Lin Zixiang and Wen Feifei hurrying over with baskets, likely also coming to visit Zhao Jin. Wen Feifei immediately greeted her upon seeing her: "Yinger."
Lin Zixiang, however, tugged at Wen Feifei’s sleeve and glared at her, saying nothing to Dong Yinger. Lin Zixiang was someone whose emotions were always written plainly on her face. Even after all these years, her temperament hadn’t changed in the slightest. Seeing this, Dong Yinger smiled faintly and took the initiative: "Zixiang, Feifei."
"What are you doing here?" Lin Zixiang asked coldly. She had an almost instinctive intuition about people, able to discern their nature at a glance. Some hearts were as clear as glass, which was why many children could instantly sense hostility. Lin Zixiang’s mind was pure, her likes and dislikes as straightforward as a child’s. Once she decided Dong Yinger was now a villain, she refused to believe her visit to Zhao Jin could be for good.
"I came to see Zhao Jin," Dong Yinger replied without hesitation. "I never imagined the Zhao family would face such a situation. It saddens me deeply."
Lin Zixiang snorted. "Hypocrite."
Wen Feifei quickly pinched Lin Zixiang’s arm. Since her marriage, she rarely had the chance to go out, let alone enter the palace, so she was unaware of how strained Dong Yinger’s relationship with the others had become. She assumed there was some misunderstanding and that Lin Zixiang, as usual, was being too blunt. Smiling apologetically at Dong Yinger, she said, "In that case, we’ll go in first."
Lin Zixiang shook off Wen Feifei’s hand and strode inside without another word. Wen Feifei gave Dong Yinger an apologetic smile, which Dong Yinger dismissed with a wave before leaving with her maids. Wen Feifei stood there, a puzzled expression on her face. Though she didn’t know what had happened, she couldn’t shake the feeling that Dong Yinger had changed entirely—as if she had become a stranger. Her features were the same, yet not a trace of her former self remained, replaced by an inexplicable gloom.Shaking her head, Wen Feifei dismissed the strange thoughts in her mind and hurriedly followed inside. Just as she reached the last cell where Zhao Jin was being held alone, she heard Lin Zixiang's astonished voice, "What did you say?"
Wen Feifei froze in surprise and curiously stepped closer, only to hear Zhao Jin's weary voice reply, "I never expected her to hate me this much, nor to resort to such cruel methods. My death doesn't matter, but I can't drag my family into this."
"What are you planning to do?" Lin Zixiang asked gravely.
Zhao Jin let out a bitter laugh. "At this point, I think I understand the situation. I don't know how my parents are faring now. Zixiang, when you get out, please inquire for me. If there's truly no other way... then this crime will have to be mine alone to bear."
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