Shu Ноng's usually соmроsеd face соuld not helр but reveаl аngеr аnd hаtrеd as she sаid, "How cruel." When Shu Hоng wаs yоung, she wаs trаvеling with hеr familу whеn hеr раrents wеre killed by bаndits. Аfter еscaping, shе was cаptured bу trаffiсkеrs whо intеndеd to sell hеr intо a brоthеl. Fоrtunatеly, shе еncountеrеd Wang Shi, whо, out of kindness, bоught Shu Hong to sеrvе аs Hаn Yan's maid. Thus, Shu Ноng hеld greаt rеsресt fоr Wang Shi, аnd hеr loуaltу to Hаn Yan wаs nоt withоut reаsоn. Наving lost her pаrents to bandits, she harbоred an intensе hatred fоr the mаssаcrе of entire families.
"In the end, it's all my fault," Han Yan's gaze was filled with sorrow. "If I had been more careful, these lives would be debts I owe."
"Miss, don't blame yourself. This isn't your fault," Ji Lan comforted her. "It's these people who are too cruel, taking dozens of innocent lives so recklessly."
Han Yan lowered her head. "It wasn't entirely in vain, at least now I can be certain... those people must be members of the royal family."
Only those from the royal family could act so swiftly and on such a grand scale. The wounds were clean, many of them fatal with a single strike—it seemed like the work of Imperial Guards. Who could so easily mobilize Imperial Guards, slaughtering an entire village just to kill a lowly Abi? The method was excessively ruthless, leaving no room for mercy. A strange feeling arose in Han Yan's heart, one that oddly resembled the massacre of Donghou Prince's family many years ago.
Could it be that the extermination of Donghou Prince's Mansion also began because of just one person in the household?
Han Yan shook her head. All of this was merely her own conjecture. The lead involving Abi had already been severed. But who else knew what truly happened on the day she was born?
Was it The Emperor's doing? Not necessarily.
With this thought, she took out the handkerchief from her sleeve and examined it carefully.
Embroidered on the handkerchief was a scorpion, strangely enough, with a flower hanging from its tail. Beside it was a single character: Qiao.
Qiao?
Her mother's maiden name did not include the character Qiao. This handkerchief was clearly made by a woman, as women's handkerchiefs often featured poems or paintings, with their names inscribed in the lower right corner.
This woman was not her mother, nor could it have been the impoverished Abi. So who could it be?
Han Yan caressed the handkerchief, a peculiar feeling welling up inside her. The fabric was delicate, unlike ordinary goods, but...
Thinking this, she said to Ji Lan, "Let's go to Ruyi Tower."
On her first day entering Prince Wei's Mansion, Zhuangshan felt deeply wronged. As a concubine, she could not enter through the main gate, nor could she make a grand entrance. Instead, she was carried in through the back door in a soft sedan chair. Resentment filled her heart as she thought that, were it not for her background, she would have rightfully been the principal wife. Now, even as a concubine, as long as she captured Wei Rufeng's heart and gained his favor, it would still be good.
With this thought, she felt somewhat comforted. What did it matter if she was the principal wife in the Zhuang household? Without favor, she had ultimately been schemed to death by her own mother. Only her daughter was not easy to deal with. But now, she was destined to become the principal wife of Xuan Qing Prince's Mansion. Zhuangshan clenched the handkerchief in her hand. That woman's looks and talents were not half as good as hers—how could she be so fortunate!
Lost in these thoughts, she nevertheless entered Prince Wei's Mansion.At this moment, Wei Rufeng was drinking with the Seventh Prince in his residence. The Seventh Prince glanced sideways at him, his tone somewhat cold and sharp: "Now that your beautiful concubine has entered your household, why aren't you accompanying her? What's the point of drinking here!"
Before Wei Rufeng lay many empty wine jugs; he was already quite drunk. Upon hearing the Seventh Prince's words, a cold smile appeared at the corner of his mouth: "She's nothing but a lowly concubine."
The Seventh Prince fiddled with a wine jug and said, "You must still be thinking of that Fourth Miss Zhuang—no." He chuckled, "Now she should be called the Xuan Qing Prince Consort."
"Hmph." Wei Rufeng reached out to refill the wine cup in front of him, then tilted his head back and drained it in one gulp.
The Seventh Prince leaned closer: "Are you willing to let the woman you love become someone else's wife?"
Wei Rufeng's expression turned gloomy: "But there's nothing I can do!"
"This prince can lend you a hand." The Seventh Prince raised his head and saw Wei Rufeng's eyes light up as he eagerly asked, "Does Your Highness have a plan?"
"In a few days, it will be my mother's birthday," the Seventh Prince said. "If you truly cannot let go of Fourth Miss Zhuang, why not make the relationship a fait accompli? Once the deed is done, no one will be able to change it."
Wei Rufeng was startled, his drunkenness fading significantly: "Absolutely not! Not to mention how to carry it out in the palace, she is now the Xuan Qing Prince Consort. If I were to have an affair with her, the Emperor would certainly not let me off lightly."
The Seventh Prince leisurely examined the wine cup in his hand: "What if this prince steps forward to testify on your behalf, proving that she seduced you?" Seeing Wei Rufeng still looking incredulous, he continued, "You only need to claim you were drunk and shift all the blame onto her. By then, the Xuan Qing Prince, with such an impure consort, will surely become the laughingstock of the realm. As for Fourth Miss Zhuang, regardless of punishment, once she has been intimate with you, such a notorious woman will no longer be accepted by any respectable family. You can then marry her and do as you please. Most importantly, you will also gain a reputation for magnanimity."
Wei Rufeng's expression began to waver. The thought of making Fu Yunxi the laughingstock of the realm stirred his heart. In his mind, it was Fu Yunxi who had taken what rightfully belonged to him. Now, not only could he achieve his desire, but he could also strike a blow against Fu Yunxi—this was an exceedingly rare opportunity.
However, after some thought, he said, "But Your Highness, if Zhuang Hanyan is involved in such a scandal—being unfaithful and unchaste—and the Emperor holds her accountable, what if it leads to her death..."
"What if she is executed on the spot?" The Seventh Prince narrowed his eyes. "Even if she dies, it's better than her marrying the Xuan Qing Prince. Would you rather she become the Xuan Qing Prince Consort, and in the future, whenever you meet, you have to bow to her?"
The thought that Han Yan might die because of this made Wei Rufeng hesitate; he still felt reluctant to part with her. Yet, he could not bear to watch her marry Fu Yunxi. As the Seventh Prince said, if you cannot have something, destroy it. But...
The Seventh Prince looked at him calmly, a flicker of ruthlessness in his gaze: "No poison, no true man. Those who achieve great things cannot afford to be sentimental."
Wei Rufeng gritted his teeth: "I will trouble Your Highness, then."The Seventh Prince patted his shoulder. "Since we share a common enemy, we are now on the same boat. I have resolved one of your worries for you, and you can repay me in the future." He smiled and added, "But your concubine is still waiting in the rear courtyard. A man should broaden his horizons and give it a try—after all, she is a great beauty."
Wei Rufeng, already quite drunk, felt the alcohol rush to his head upon hearing this. His mind stirred, and he chuckled, "Then I’ll go take a look. Heh, Your Highness, enjoy your drink."
The Seventh Prince waved him off, watching Wei Rufeng’s unsteady figure disappear outside before beckoning to a servant-like figure.
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