Silver candles burned with fragrant incense, their curling blue smoke mingling with the exotic scent that seemed to linger even in this secluded courtyard of the capital. A woman in red robes reclined lazily on a daybed, idly toying with a small bronze bell in her hand. The distant sound of temple bells revealed this to be a monastery, where the incense from the halls blended seamlessly with that of her chamber, making it impossible to distinguish one from the other.
At this moment, a figure in gray suddenly burst in without even knocking. The red-clad woman started in surprise before rising angrily. "How dare you!"
"Yuan Chuan begs forgiveness," the gray-clad man hastily apologized, but then urgency overtook him again. "Please pardon this intrusion, but the matter is dire. Holy Maiden, is the Imperial Edict we took from Jiang Ruan still in your possession?"
With such a critical situation unfolding, Qi Man naturally wanted to deliver that edict to Xuan Li first. Yet after searching everywhere, the edict was nowhere to be found. Anxiety mounting, Yuan Chuan immediately thought of Dan Zhen. Dan Zhen, who rarely interacted with outsiders and had always been obedient, wasn't the type to act under others' orders even in this place. Before Qi Man could come demanding answers, Yuan Chuan rushed to question Dan Zhen directly.
"Yes," Dan Zhen admitted without hesitation.
Yuan Chuan relaxed slightly. "Then where is the edict now? At this moment—"
"I burned it." Dan Zhen cut him off before he could finish. Yuan Chuan froze, his face stiffening behind his wooden mask. The usually composed man stood speechless for a long moment before finally asking, "Holy Maiden... are you serious?"
"Yuan Chuan, since when have you become so long-winded?" Dan Zhen frowned at him.
After a moment's thought, Yuan Chuan decided against explaining further. Even if he told Dan Zhen the gravity of the situation, she likely wouldn't grasp its severity. Now that another edict had surfaced, the contents of the one Jiang Ruan had held would remain forever unknown. Xuan Li would undoubtedly want answers, but if he learned Dan Zhen had burned it to ashes—given their already tenuous alliance—who knew how he might retaliate against her? The only option now was to find Qi Man first and explain. At least Qi Man and Dan Zhen were both royalty from the Southern Borderlands, bound together against Xuan Li's schemes. She wouldn't side against her own.
With this in mind, Yuan Chuan hesitated only briefly before forcing a bitter smile under Dan Zhen's questioning gaze. "It's nothing major. This subordinate will handle it. Please rest assured, Holy Maiden, but do take extra care for your safety in the coming days."
Dan Zhen gave a soft hum of dismissal, and Yuan Chuan turned to leave. Yet before he could reach Qi Man, Xuan Li had already found her first.
Qi Man studied the young man before her. This famed prince of the Da Jin Dynasty had enjoyed widespread admiration since youth—his talents and temperament impeccable, at least on the surface. Even the Emperor seemed to hold him in high regard. Yet when the Imperial Decree of Succession was revealed, his name was conspicuously absent, shocking all who knew the truth.But if it wasn't Xuan Li, then was it that greenhorn Xuan Pei, still a mere boy? Such words might fool others, but deceiving Qi Man wasn't so easy. Only she knew what schemes truly occupied that emperor's heart. While this empire indeed bore the Xuan surname, the one who should have ascended the throne was originally the Hongxi Crown Prince—and by rights, it should now be the Hongxi Crown Prince's son occupying the imperial seat.
The world believed the Hongxi Crown Prince's son had perished in that war long ago, but Qi Man knew—he still lived. She hated the Hongxi Crown Prince, hated Xiang Xiaoyuan even more, despised the current emperor most of all, but her deepest loathing was reserved for the Hongxi Crown Prince's son. That vile woman and the Hongxi Crown Prince had actually spawned their bastard offspring. She wanted Xiang Xiaoyuan's flesh and blood to die horribly.
The Hongxi Crown Prince had been a clever man—he would have taken great care to protect his son's life. Qi Man had concealed her identity in the Da Jin Dynasty, completely altering her appearance, even stooping to become an unfavored minor concubine in a minister's household. For decades she preserved her life amidst the petty jealousies and harem intrigues, until finally she found Xiao Shao. That's why she manipulated matters concerning the old Jinying Wang and his wife, even exploiting the conflict between the emperor and the Brocade Hero King Manor.
Unfortunately, Xiao Shao's true identity remained undiscovered—he too still lived. Yet Qi Man found this acceptable. Let everything Xiao Shao believed be overturned, let the world he inhabited prove entirely false. Not everyone could bear such truth, especially when losing everything overnight while being branded a traitorous subject.
Unexpectedly, Xiao Shao had won over the Brocade-clad Guards. Qi Man's hatred burned venomously, but gradually she came to understand—rather than alerting her prey now, wouldn't it be more painful to let Xiao Shao gain everything before losing it all? What she hadn't anticipated was Xiao Shao staying with Jiang Ruan. Jiang Ruan was a calculating woman—back in the minister's household, she'd watched the concubines' battles as an outsider, steadily advancing to her current position. Were it not for her connection to Xiao Shao, Qi Man might have actually admired Jiang Ruan's ruthless nature.
The emperor had originally intended to establish Xiao Shao, yet somehow Xuan Pei ended up chosen instead. Qi Man had no intention of revealing Xiao Shao's identity to Xuan Li. When Xuan Li came demanding explanations, she merely smiled and said, "Your Highness seeks the wrong person for accountability. We could only obtain one Imperial Edict—the palace version wasn't our doing."
"Where is that edict?" Xuan Li asked coldly. Xuan Pei's edict had already humiliated him, making him the laughingstock of the entire Da Jin court. Even those who'd pledged allegiance now regarded him with strange looks. Increasing numbers were defecting to Xuan Pei's side, as if Xuan Pei's legitimate claim to succession automatically paved a glorious path forward. Now Xuan Li only wanted to understand how this had happened.
Qi Man's expression flickered briefly before she curved her lips in a smile. "That edict actually matters little. What Your Highness should be asking about now is the Princess of Great Peace. Deep down, you know we've been deceived—the princess orchestrated this deliberately. And she succeeded."Since Xuan Pei still held an Imperial Edict in his hands, Jiang Ruan's act of sneaking out of the palace with another edict was almost certainly a diversion. It made people lower their guard against Xuan Pei in the palace, only to deliver a fatal blow to Xuan Li at the height of his triumph, leaving him utterly humiliated. This was Jiang Ruan's scheme—planned from the very beginning. She had been the bait, solely to draw Xuan Li's complete attention.
Xuan Li's expression flickered uncertainly before he suddenly flung aside the curtain and strode away. Only after he had left did Qi Man's face gradually darken. She, too, abruptly threw on her outer robe and turned to leave.
Jiang Ruan sat leisurely at the low table by the couch, reading a book with apparent ease. The table obscured her body from the chest down, concealing her gradually swelling belly. Though her loose robes hid much, her face had grown noticeably fuller. Her daily pretense of reading here was just that—a pretense—while her mind dwelled on other matters.
Today, she had barely flipped two pages when the door was suddenly thrown open. Jiang Ruan looked up to see the mute maid's panicked face, followed by Xuan Li's dark expression.
Xuan Li had actually come. Jiang Ruan was momentarily startled, then understanding dawned. It seemed the plan had unfolded, and Xuan Li was here to demand answers. Confined in this unfamiliar place all this time, she had been cut off from any news of the outside world. Now, seeing Xuan Li's expression at this moment, it was clear—success. The corners of her lips curled involuntarily, and a flicker of joy flashed in her eyes.
To Xuan Li, that joy was like a glaring taunt, mocking his folly. Step by step, he advanced toward Jiang Ruan, his movements laden with oppressive force, like a predator closing in on its prey. He reached her table, planted his hands on its surface, and leaned down to glare at her. Suddenly, he let out a cold laugh. "The Princess Consort seems to be doing quite well. You've even put on some weight these days."
"A Buddhist sanctuary is an excellent place for self-cultivation," Jiang Ruan replied with a smile. "With a peaceful heart, everything naturally falls into place."
A trace of wariness flashed in Xuan Li's eyes. "You know where this is?"
"Not hard to guess," Jiang Ruan said, still smiling. "But even if I guessed, I couldn't leave. Isn't that something Your Highness understands better than I do?"
Xuan Li watched her, his expression shifting unpredictably. Among all the women he had encountered in his life, this one was the most cunning and troublesome. This place was Qi Man's stronghold—impossible for anyone to find. The mere fact that Jiang Ruan could deduce it was a temple was suspicious enough. Who knew if she had managed to send word to Xiao Shao's people? Though Qi Man had sworn otherwise, was Jiang Ruan truly someone so easily dealt with?
But today, he had not come for this. Xuan Li glared at Jiang Ruan and sneered, "That Imperial Edict—you deliberately lured me with it, didn't you?"
Jiang Ruan laughed softly.
That laughter instantly struck at Xuan Li's most humiliated fury. He abruptly reached out and seized her slender, pale neck in his large, powerful hand. Slowly, his grip tightened, as if he could snap her delicate throat in his palm. Xuan Li narrowed his eyes, his gaze lingering on her stunningly beautiful face.It was strange. Jiang Ruan was a peculiar woman. He had encountered countless women in his life, yet every time he met Jiang Ruan, a peculiar feeling would arise in his heart. That feeling was probably something Xuan Li could sense a little as well—it was possessiveness.
He had seen countless beauties, even the Southern Border Sacred Maiden, Dan Zhen, was a peerless beauty capable of toppling cities. Yet in Xuan Li's eyes, she was merely a fool with a pretty face. But Jiang Ruan was different. This woman was cunning, scheming, independent, ruthless, and blessed with such a stunning face. Standing beside him, she would make a perfect match. This woman was qualified to stand shoulder to shoulder with him. Xuan Li's gaze grew somewhat dazed and infatuated as his hands tightened around Jiang Ruan's neck, almost pressing his face against hers.
Jiang Ruan, choked to the point of suffocation, slowly closed her eyes. Startled, Xuan Li immediately released his grip—Jiang Ruan was still useful to him, needed for a trade with Xiao Shao. She absolutely couldn’t die now. The moment he let go, Jiang Ruan clutched her throat and coughed violently. Yet Xuan Li suddenly remembered Jiang Ruan's identity—she was the consort of Brocade Hero King Manor, Xiao Shao's woman. Clever as she was, she had opposed him from the very beginning. She was a calamity!
"Your Highness must have misunderstood." After gasping for breath for a long while, Jiang Ruan finally managed to speak. She was still uncomfortable, retching slightly before continuing, "That Imperial Edict was real."
"What?" Xuan Li frowned.
Jiang Ruan smiled faintly. Though her face was pale from Xuan Li's assault, her words were clear and articulate. "Your Highness, I'm talking about that Imperial Edict—the one in my hands. It was real from the start. When I took it out of the palace, I wasn’t planning to use it as bait. I intended to take it away with me." Watching Xuan Li's stunned expression, she continued, "But do you know why I took it? Because that edict was an Imperial Decree of Succession, and the name on it wasn’t the Thirteenth Prince, Xuan Pei. That’s why I had to take it away."
"Why would there be two edicts?" Xuan Li said coldly. "You're lying to me."
"I have no reason to lie. Before that, His Majesty hadn’t made a final decision. Someone as shrewd as him would naturally prepare two edicts, entrusting both to a loyal confidant. The political landscape could change overnight. If anything went wrong, one could be destroyed while the other was proclaimed to the world. Eighth Prince, His Majesty is your father. Given your deep bond, you must know his temperament well."
Xuan Li's heart wavered with suspicion. He knew Jiang Ruan often enjoyed spinning lies, but the Emperor was indeed that kind of person—paranoid by nature and always leaving room for maneuver. Preparing two edicts was something he would absolutely do. But if Jiang Ruan was telling the truth, then whose name was on the other decree...?
He glared at Jiang Ruan, his tone menacing. "Whose name was on the other decree?"
Jiang Ruan met his gaze and smiled. "Yours, Your Highness."Her words were light as a feather, yet they struck Xuan Li's heart like a heavy weight. How could it be him? How could it be him? If it was him, then all this time he had kept his own Imperial Edict, giving Xuan Pei the chance to seize the initiative for nothing. This was all Jiang Ruan's doing on purpose!
"I didn't do it on purpose," Jiang Ruan said, as if reading his thoughts. She continued, "Grand Tutor Liu and the Thirteenth Prince already had a teacher-student bond. For such a scholar, perhaps only emotions could move him. Grand Tutor Liu was naturally the Thirteenth Prince's man and would help him. I originally intended to take the other Imperial Edict back to my residence to destroy it. Just as you thought, if both edicts were revealed, the world would be thrown into chaos. The only solution was to burn one and keep the other—burning the path to the throne, leaving the royal path. But I never expected someone to abduct me halfway. After arriving here, I slowly pieced it together and guessed that the mastermind behind it was you. Since fate has played its hand to achieve my goal, why not go along with it? So I said nothing. Now, seeing Your Highness in this state, I understand—that decree has already been issued, hasn't it?"
Xuan Li watched as the woman before him spoke with a smile, utterly unbothered by her current predicament. She even spoke to him as if they were old friends, laying out her plans without reservation. Yet her words only made his heart feel as though it were stuffed with cotton. Gritting his teeth, he thought to himself—back then, Qi Man had only assured him that the Imperial Edict was genuine, so he hadn't thought much of it. Who knew things would turn out like this? Jiang Ruan had played her hand brilliantly—was this his own doing? What kind of joke was this!
His expression darkened abruptly, a stark contrast to his usual gentle and refined demeanor, even twisting into something almost ugly. He snarled, "So what? The Imperial Edict is still in our hands. As long as we produce it, Xuan Pei is no legitimate heir. This empire is mine—it has always been mine!"
"Your Highness may be disappointed," Jiang Ruan said, looking at him with pity—though that pity seemed tinged with mocking amusement. "That edict no longer exists."
Xuan Li's heart lurched. He grabbed her chin, his voice low and deliberate. "What did you say?"
Jiang Ruan tilted her head slightly, her bewitching eyes carrying a hint of innocence, as if puzzled. "Didn't the princess of the Southern Borderlands tell you? That edict—it was burned by the Southern Border Sacred Maiden." She lowered her lashes. "Back then, the Holy Maiden probably thought it was the Thirteenth Prince's Imperial Decree of Succession. Since it was meant to be burned anyway, she likely wanted to earn your favor and took it upon herself to do it. But..." Jiang Ruan smiled faintly. "What she burned... was Your Highness's Imperial Decree of Succession."
What she burned... was Your Highness's Imperial Decree of Succession.
Jiang Ruan's words echoed in his ears, distant yet close, filling his mind with that single sentence over and over. Suddenly, his chest tightened violently, as if all the blood in his body had frozen. Though it was the warm bloom of spring, it felt like the dead of winter. He knew Jiang Ruan wouldn't lie about something like this—her smile was one of genuine delight. That edict... was truly gone.He let go of Jiang Ruan's hand in a daze, turned around, and staggered toward the door. Just as he stepped outside, he suddenly felt a sweet taste in his throat, and a mouthful of blood sprayed onto the bluestone path before him. Yet he seemed completely unaware, continuing to walk forward.
Jiang Ruan sat back in her original position, a faint cramp beginning to twist in her abdomen. Xuan Li had gripped her too tightly, and it had indeed disturbed her pregnancy. She had just endured a performance with Xuan Li—the Imperial Edict naturally did not bear his name but instead decreed the throne to Xiao Shao. However, by telling Xuan Li it was his Imperial Decree of Succession, she knew his pride would make the blow ten times more devastating. More importantly, by claiming the edict had been burned by the Southern Border Sacred Maiden, Xuan Li would surely seek revenge. During her confinement, Jiang Ruan had pieced together clues: Qi Man and Dan Zhen’s relationship was far from harmonious. When Dan Zhen burned the edict, Qi Man had no time to intervene, but she would have learned of it afterward. Yet Qi Man never came to confront her, acting as if nothing had happened. Why? Perhaps Qi Man also knew that if trouble arose, Xuan Li would target Dan Zhen.
The Southern Borderlands had a former dynasty princess and a current Holy Maiden—their relationship was inherently delicate. Moreover, given Dan Zhen’s temperament, she might not even acknowledge the princess who had contributed to the Southern Borderlands' downfall. Qi Man, on the other hand, was skilled in patience and concealment. It was possible that allowing the edict to burn had been Qi Man’s deliberate ploy.
The alliance between the Southern Borderlands and Xuan Li had to be shattered. If Xuan Li’s hand could punish Dan Zhen, all the better. But... Jiang Ruan clutched her stomach as large beads of sweat rolled down her forehead. Fear crept into her heart. In both her past and present life, she had been Pei Er’s mother, but Pei Er was not her biological child. This was her first pregnancy, her first child. In the palace, she had witnessed countless concubines lose their children in various ways. While some fell victim to schemes, it also proved how fragile a child could be.
Now, her abdomen twisted in agony. She bit her lip hard, nearly fainting from the pain, torn between calling for help or enduring it. If she called out, her pregnancy would be exposed. If she didn’t, and she miscarried... she would never forgive herself.
At that moment, the mute maid hurried in, closing the door behind her. She carried a food basket, the kind used for daily meals, and lifted the lid to reveal a bowl inside.
The maid rushed to Jiang Ruan’s side, helping her up and pressing the bowl into her hands. “Drink it quickly,” she whispered.
Jiang Ruan froze, momentarily stunned that the maid could speak, but her attention snapped to the medicine in the bowl. A chill ran through her as memories surfaced—palace concubines forcing saffron down women’s throats. She eyed the maid warily. “What is this?”
“Prenatal medicine,” the maid urged, her voice tense. “Hurry and drink. We don’t know when they’ll arrive.”Jiang Ruan glanced at the mute maid. The anxiety on the servant's face didn't seem feigned. Over these past days, the maid hadn't shown anything unusual and had never spoken. Jiang Ruan had assumed she was a mute servant Xuan Li's people had found to attend to her. She had always deliberately kept things hidden from the mute maid, but now, upon closer reflection, it seemed the maid had never done anything to harm her. In fact, there were many times when she had inadvertently helped Jiang Ruan.
Jiang Ruan steeled her heart. She wasn’t one to easily trust others, but for the sake of the child in her womb, she also had an intuition. Without another word, she downed the bowl of medicine in one go.
She wasn’t sure how much time had passed before the pain in her abdomen gradually eased. The mute maid had already cleared the dishes and laid out the remaining dishes one by one, then personally helped her up to sit in a chair. Jiang Ruan asked, “Were you sent by Xiao Shao?”
The mute maid froze for a moment, then shook her head.
Jiang Ruan could now tell that the medicine was indeed prenatal medicine. The mute maid must have long noticed her pregnancy. It made sense—no matter how well she tried to hide it, someone who lived with her day and night would inevitably notice something unusual. Those spies lurking in the courtyard were another matter, but sharing the same room made it difficult to conceal perfectly. Yet the mute maid claimed she wasn’t sent by Xiao Shao. If she wasn’t Xiao Shao’s person, why would she help her like this?
“Then who are you?” Jiang Ruan asked suspiciously.
While standing beside Jiang Ruan to serve her more food, the mute maid turned her back to the window and leaned in, speaking in a voice only the two of them could hear: “Xuan Li destroyed my entire family. I want revenge.”
Jiang Ruan was momentarily stunned—she hadn’t expected this reason at all. She asked, “What deep hatred do you have against him?”
The mute maid replied, “My father worked for Xuan Li. When the matter was exposed, Xuan Li, to protect himself and prevent anyone from tracing it back to him, ordered the slaughter of my entire family—ninety-three lives. I was away at the time and narrowly escaped. I will make him pay for those ninety-three lives. Over the years, I’ve spent all my family’s wealth just to seek an opportunity.”
Jiang Ruan frowned. “Then how did you end up here?”
“I disguised myself among Xuan Li’s servants, pretending to be mute. When I heard the steward was recruiting people to serve an important person, I was chosen. A mute is easier to handle—that was my plan from the start. By pretending to be mute, I might find a chance to uncover Xuan Li’s secrets. Heaven has eyes—I finally got this opportunity.”
Jiang Ruan understood. She had thought this person was sent by Xiao Shao, but it turned out she was someone with a vendetta against Xuan Li. As the saying goes, vengeance is a dish best served cold—Xuan Li had brought this upon himself, and now retribution was at hand. It was an unexpected advantage for her. Thinking of the mute maid’s tragic past, she couldn’t help but sigh. Xuan Li had always been outwardly amiable but inwardly ruthless—massacring entire families wasn’t his first time. Remembering something, Jiang Ruan asked, “Then why did you help me?”
“The enemy of my enemy is my friend. Whoever has a grudge against Xuan Li, I will help them,” the mute maid said. “Now I’m all alone. Though I’ve tried my best to seek an opportunity, I don’t know if I’ll succeed in the end. I know you’re the consort of Jinying Wang. The Brocade Hero King Manor holds great influence, and you are capable. Otherwise, Xuan Li wouldn’t fear you so much, even going so far as to imprison you like this. I know you must have a way to deal with him.”
Lost in thought, Jiang Ruan said, “So then, are you going to help me?”"This place is too far from the capital," the mute maid said. "Prince Xiao won't be able to find us here, and there are guards everywhere. I can't send any messages out. But now that you're with child, if others find out, they'll have an even greater hold over Prince Xiao. I want to help you, so I'll do my best to find an opportunity. Once there's a chance, I'll help you escape. But you must promise me that if you do escape, you'll avenge my family. Alone, I'm too weak to accomplish this, but you can. Kill Xuan Li."
Jiang Ruan was silent for a moment before replying, "Agreed. It's a deal."
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