Molancheng was the only oasis city in the desert.
To the boundless desert, this prosperous city was like a glittering pearl. For thousands of years, the people of Molan had lived here generation after generation. The Molan people were hardworking, passionate, brave, and fearless. Over a decade ago, a turmoil struck the Molan royal family, during which the king, queen, princess, and prince all perished. The king's younger brother inherited the throne, reorganized the kingdom, and saved the entire city at a critical moment. The people were grateful and held deep affection for the new king, and so more than a decade passed peacefully.
Over a decade ago, everything was calm, and the old king was gradually forgotten. If anyone occasionally mentioned him, it was only to sigh at the whims of fate.
However, more than a decade later, the supposedly deceased Molan princess—Princess September—suddenly reappeared in Molan with her forces. Not only that, she unveiled a shocking conspiracy: the turmoil in Molan years ago was not caused by roaming rebels but by the new king, who, in his bid for the throne, murdered his own siblings—the king, queen, and the young prince. The young princess had narrowly escaped death.
Over the years, Princess September had been hiding and evading capture, even traveling far to the Yan Kingdom to avoid assassination and gather strength. She waited for the day when she would be powerful enough to confront her enemy, return to this land, and reveal the truth.
Logically, as soon as Princess September set foot on Molan soil, she should have been hunted down. The new king had never given up searching for her all these years, and such a reckless return would have allowed him to silence her before she even entered the city. But this time, the new king not only failed to do so but even allowed Princess September to storm into the city and expose the secret to the world. The reason was simple: Princess September did not return alone. She had indeed gained the strength to rival her enemy because she had secured the support of the Yan Emperor.
Molan and the Great Yan Kingdom had coexisted peacefully for many years without interfering in each other's affairs, but in terms of national power, Molan was far inferior to Yan. Every year, Molan even sent tributes to Yan. By gaining the Yan Emperor's support, Princess September effectively brought Yan's intervention into Molan's political affairs, with the Yan Emperor choosing to back her.
The new king, of course, refused to yield. After all these years, he would not let his efforts go to waste for someone else. He immediately declared that this so-called Princess September was an impostor. But the Yan Emperor was not merely making empty claims; he even lent Princess September a troop of soldiers—the formidable Jinwu Army, known for its countless kills. The new king's forces were no match for them, and he was captured and imprisoned.
Princess September then revealed her extreme ruthlessness. Without hesitation, she ordered the execution of everyone connected to the new king—including his consorts, young children, household servants, and loyal ministers. The entire Molan city was purged, and the streets ran red with blood.Although it was known that the Princess September was genuine under the edict of the Yan Emperor, her actions immediately caused an uproar in Molan City. The common people did not speak openly, but privately they understood each other's thoughts—this Princess September was cold-hearted and ruthless. Even if she had deep-seated hatred, her merciless killing was simply too brutal. After all, the new king had been on the throne for many years without committing any heinous acts. Moreover, he was skilled at deception and deeply loved by the people. In the hearts of the commoners, the internal strife and bloodshed among the royal family felt distant and unreal. To them, the new king was a decent ruler, while this unfamiliar princess made them worry about their future.
It was also rumored that Princess September was adept at using poison and mistreated the palace servants. Anyone who displeased her would be poisoned to death. In just over a month since she moved into the palace, many servants had already been killed.
Thus, the name "Poisonous Consort" quietly spread through the streets and markets.
"Your Highness, what those people outside are saying is utterly outrageous," Haitang said.
Haitang had accompanied Situ Jiuyue to Molan. During their time at the Duke's residence, Haitang had learned much about poison-making from Situ Jiuyue. Seeing her talent, Situ Jiuyue was willing to teach her a few things. Haitang thought that by learning more, she would have a skill to rely on in the future. If anyone tried to harm Xue Zhao or Xue Huaiyuan again, they would not be defenseless. Moreover, Molan had many poisonous substances not found in Northern Yan, so Haitang followed Situ Jiuyue back to learn more.
It was precisely because she had been by Situ Jiuyue's side all along that Haitang clearly understood her predicament. She said, "Those people know nothing. It was clearly the palace servants who tried to harm you, but when you exposed them, they turned around and accused you of being cruel and vicious."
Situ Jiuyue narrowed her eyes and said, "My dear uncle was skilled at winning people's hearts. Over the years, he nurtured many loyal followers in the palace. Now that he is dead, there are plenty who seek revenge for him. Countless people want to take my life. This is only the beginning; there will be more to endure in the future."
Hearing this, Haitang sighed silently in her heart. Indeed, the palace was fraught with hidden dangers. Fortunately, Situ Jiuyue was clever and, after years of traveling far and wide, had developed an intuition for danger. Whenever she sensed it, she immediately became vigilant, avoiding many unforeseen disasters.
However... she had been away from Molan for too long. The people of Molan were suspicious and unfamiliar with this suddenly appeared princess, making it easy for malicious rumors about her to be believed. While this was partly the result of the new king's remnants, Situ Jiuyue herself was not entirely blameless.
For one, she had not grown up in the palace and did not trust the people there. She was accustomed to being solitary, with a cold and aloof temperament. Her interest in poison-making and even keeping poisonous pets made others fearful and unwilling to approach her. She had crafted an icy image for herself.
Haitang said, "In that case, you are bearing too much hardship, Princess. You have many enemies. Once the Imperial Guards leave, you will be the only one facing the real danger."Haitang was merely a maid without the strength to truss a chicken, and more often than not, she couldn’t be of much help. There truly was no one around Situ Jiuyue whom she could trust.
“If only the young master were here,” Haitang murmured. Xue Zhao had always been resourceful, and Situ Jiuyue’s temperament was cold and unyielding. Since the common people didn’t trust her, she couldn’t be bothered to deal with them, even going so far as to deliberately worsen her notorious reputation. Xue Zhao, on the other hand, handled matters with a gentle approach. Perhaps a few words of persuasion from him could improve the current situation.
When Situ Jiuyue heard Xue Zhao’s name, her expression faltered slightly.
When she left, she hadn’t told Xue Zhao, only confiding her plans to Ji Heng, who arranged the personnel for her return to Molan. Situ Jiuyue didn’t inform Xue Zhao because she knew what she was returning to Molan to do—it wasn’t a triumphant homecoming. Put nicely, she was going to clear her name; put bluntly, she was going back to kill.
Although she had told Xue Zhao many times about the lives she had taken in the past, he had never truly witnessed her killing. She understood that the ruthlessness and coldness ingrained in her bones might frighten him, and she didn’t want him to see that side of her. Thus, she preferred to return alone.
Moreover, despite thorough preparations, there was no guarantee of absolute safety or the absence of danger. Those people might not be able to harm her, but Xue Zhao, with his mobility issues, would be an easy target. The incident where they had threatened Ji Heng by targeting Jiang Li was still vivid in her memory, and Situ Jiuyue had no intention of repeating that mistake.
Most importantly, she didn’t know how to face Xue Zhao.
Xue Zhao was a good young man—sunny, kind-hearted, and sincere at his core. Often, Situ Jiuyue found herself drawn to his openness and brightness, unable to resist getting closer to him. But what to do after drawing near, and how close to get—she had no answers in her heart.
As she prepared to return to Molan to inherit the city as its princess and become its royal heir, she became even more aware of this. In the end, she and Xue Zhao were from two different worlds. Before, when they were all together, the boundaries were blurred, allowing her to temporarily set aside these thoughts. But when faced with reality, she could no longer avoid them.
So Situ Jiuyue made a decision: to cut ties cleanly and end it here. She would return to Molan to become its princess, and Xue Zhao would remain as he always had been—a gentle young man. The past was nothing more than a beautiful encounter; all feasts must come to an end, and it was best left as a memory.
She gazed distractedly at the distant sky.
A maid outside announced, “Princess, Lord Suojing requests an audience.”
Situ Jiuyue withdrew her gaze, and in an instant, all traces of melancholy vanished. She turned, her expression calm, and said, “Let him wait. I will be there shortly.”
Haitang glanced at Situ Jiuyue with concern. She knew full well the intentions of the visitor. The waters of Molan were scaldingly treacherous, not something to be waded through lightly.
Could Situ… hold on?
No one knew.
(End of Chapter)
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