Youthful Glory

"Princess, he's gone inside," someone reported to Feng Zhao from nearby.

Hearing this, Feng Zhao couldn't help but curl the corners of her lips upward.

Excellent. Even the heavens were helping her today.

Originally, when Ming Tan showed no reaction, she had suspected there might be something wrong with the drug. But upon hearing that Zhai Nianci was showing effects, she was quite puzzled—the wine had clearly been drunk by Ming Tan, so why was Zhai Nianci reacting?

She didn't know what had gone wrong in between, but after the initial panic, she thought dealing with Zhai Nianci wouldn't be bad either. Moreover, Zhai Nianci's wits were far easier to handle compared to Ming Tan, who was always slippery and never left the crowd.

But never in her wildest dreams did she expect that just as she was about to let Ming Tan off for the time being, an opportunity would present itself. Without a second thought, she had someone knock Ming Tan unconscious and sent her to keep Zhai Nianci company.

She wanted to see how these two would still flaunt themselves after today, and what face they would have left to live in this world once that lustful man had entered the room!

"Light the fire."

Feng Zhao's eyes gleamed brightly, filled with arrogance and a hint of madness.

She had warned them to wait and see.

If she couldn't have peace, then no one else would either—

At the hour of Wei, the midday sun blazed fiercely. The gatekeeper of the Pingguo Duke's residence, having welcomed guests all morning and finally finding a moment to rest, was about to take a short nap when the sound of gradually slowing hoofbeats came from outside.

Jiang Xu loosened the reins and dismounted.

"May I ask who you are?" The gatekeeper was momentarily overwhelmed by his presence. Recovering, he hurriedly bowed and asked, "The residence is hosting an elegant gathering today, and entry requires an invitation. Could you... please present your invitation?"

Without wasting words, Jiang Xu tossed him a jade token.

The gatekeeper, having read a few books in his time, took the token and, upon seeing the characters "Dingbei" engraved on it, froze. His legs suddenly felt weak. "Prince... Prince Dingbei?" He hastily opened the gate and stepped aside. "This lowly one failed to recognize your esteemed presence. Please forgive my offense! This way, Your Highness, this way!"

Jiang Xu strode straight into the residence.

The gatekeeper wiped the sweat that had just broken out on his forehead and quickly instructed someone to escort the distinguished guest to the polo grounds, while also sending another person to urgently announce inside—Prince Dingbei had arrived!

When Jiang Xu was led to the polo grounds, the atmosphere was at its peak.

Zhang Huaiyu, brimming with energy, personally came forward to greet him, even patting him on the shoulder teasingly. "What a rare honor for Prince Dingbei to grace us with your presence." Remembering something, he added, "But weren't you in Qingzhou? Back so soon—did you finish your business?"

Jiang Xu gave a noncommittal "Hmm," his gaze sweeping across the field.

Zhang Huaiyu raised an eyebrow. "What do you say—care for a match?"

Jiang Xu didn't answer, instead asking in return, "Where is Shu Jingran?"

"I believe that scholar Su invited him for a boat ride to compose poetry. He's been gone for quite a while now. Wait, I'll have someone call him back."

"No need," Jiang Xu pondered briefly. "Where is the Princess Consort?"

"The Princess Consort?" Zhang Huaiyu was surprised by the question and couldn't help but marvel. "Who would've thought you'd be so concerned about your own wife? Marriage really changes a man."

Zhang Huaiyu knew better than to test Jiang Xu's patience. Before Jiang Xu could grow impatient, he answered properly, "But I truly don't know where your little Princess Consort is. Don't worry, let me ask my sister."

But before Zhang Huaiyu could go find Zhang Hanmiao, Zhang Hanmiao came rushing over in a panic.She hadn't met Jiang Xu before and didn't recognize him as Prince Dingbei. Her eyes red with panic, she whispered to Zhang Huaiyu for help: "Second Brother, please help me! Both Consort Dingbei and Yongle County Princess have disappeared!"

No matter how capable she was, she was still just a teenage girl. Faced with such a major incident, it was already remarkable that she hadn't fainted immediately.

Though she had made all necessary arrangements, she was still extremely flustered. Not daring to approach her aunt, she could only turn to her cousin who had always doted on her.

"What did you say?"

Zhang Hanmiao was startled when another man spoke up before her cousin could express surprise. How had he even heard them?

"Say it again."

His voice was icy cold, carrying an unsettling unpredictability that made one's heart race.

Zhang Hanmiao unconsciously swallowed hard and answered shakily: "C-Consort Dingbei and Yongle County Princess have disappeared."

When Yongle County Princess's maid first came to report her mistress missing, Zhang Hanmiao hadn't thought much of it.

That Yongle County Princess, much like Feng Zhao the Commandery Princess, was an extremely unpleasant character—her words always barbed and leaving no room for rebuttal. She might have just wandered off somewhere on her own.

But not long after, there was an unexpected drowning incident by the lake. Even more surprising was that while Consort Dingbei's maid went to rescue the victim, Consort Dingbei herself vanished. Another maid attending the consort had been knocked unconscious and hidden in the grass!

Only then did Zhang Hanmiao panic. She hurriedly suppressed the news to prevent it from spreading while ordering servants to search nearby.

It was said that Consort Dingbei's maid was highly skilled in martial arts. The entire rescue couldn't have taken more than half a quarter-hour. Yet in that brief absence, such a drastic incident occurred—it was impossible not to suspect premeditation!

Meanwhile, the Third Madam of Duke Ping's household was chatting and laughing with a group of noble ladies on their way to watch the new opera by the Fuchun Troupe.

Midway, someone suddenly exclaimed, "Oh dear!" pointing toward the southeast corner. "There's smoke over there—could it be a fire?"

The group hurried closer to investigate.

"Fi—fire!"

"Fire! There's a fire!"

Servants had already noticed and were running about in panic to spread the alarm. The Third Madam immediately stopped one to question: "Where's the fire?"

"The Jade Garden, Third Madam! A room in the Jade Garden is on fire! And... someone saw Marquis Jiangyang heading that way."

Hearing this, the Third Madam paled dramatically.

The Jade Garden wasn't far from the lake but belonged to the inner quarters where outside guests shouldn't enter. The Third Madam seemed to recall something, her face turning ashen.

The Jade Garden had once housed a concubine from their third branch. That concubine had committed adultery with a steward and secretly installed a small gate in a remote corner of the garden leading to the outer quarters.

After the incident came to light, the concubine was sold off and the steward beaten to death. The Jade Garden had since remained uninhabited, only used occasionally to accommodate distant relatives visiting the estate.

Someone saw Marquis Jiangyang heading there...

She immediately sent someone to inform the Duchess Ping while organizing others to fetch water and fight the fire.

Actually, when discovered, the fire wasn't particularly large. Yet the flames seemed strangely concentrated—not burning the main building but encircling it from all sides, creating a terrifying spectacle.

By the time the noble ladies approached, the fire had been mostly contained. Servants were systematically extinguishing the remaining flames, though thick smoke still billowed, making people cough.

"Help!"

"Someone save this Marquis!""Help! Help!"

……

Everyone's expressions suddenly changed—there was actually a man and a woman calling for help inside the main room? This! Presumably, those inside could only see the thick smoke and didn’t realize the fire hadn’t yet reached the main house, hence their panic.

Third Madam’s face also shifted repeatedly, fearing others might misunderstand that the Pingguo Duke’s inner residence was in disarray. She hurriedly explained, "Though this Jade Garden belongs to the inner courtyard, it’s usually uninhabited. Moreover, due to certain reasons, there’s a small door here leading to the outer courtyard." She pointed to the previously sealed door in a secluded corner. "This one. It’s always been sealed, but it looks like someone forced it open from the outside."

Everyone understood.

Had they snuck into someone else’s inner courtyard for an illicit affair? The man seemed to be Marquis Jiangyang—but who was the woman?

Someone in the crowd murmured, "Earlier by the lake, it seemed people were looking for Consort Dingbei and Yongle County Princess."

For a moment, everyone exchanged glances.

Those two?

Surely not?

Just as the servants were dousing the remaining flames with water and Pingguo Duke’s Madam rushed over, while the crowd whispered among themselves, a black figure suddenly moved like a shadow, crossing into the garden at a speed no one could react to.

Jiang Xu’s expression was indifferent. Though thick smoke swirled around him, it seemed to have no effect as he stepped onto the porch and kicked open the main door of Jade Garden.

Inside, the lingering scent of an aphrodisiac still hung in the air.

Marquis Jiangyang’s robes were half-undone, as if he’d been terrified by the sudden fire, cowering under a table.

When the door burst open, he crawled out from beneath it. But as he shakily rose to his feet, Jiang Xu’s gaze flicked to a huddled female figure in the corner. Without even sparing her a glance, he reached out, seized Marquis Jiangyang, and then clamped a hand around his throat.

"Let… let go… let go…"

Marquis Jiangyang’s face gradually paled, his eyes bulging slightly, his expression twisted in agony. His voice grew fragmented, his breath weakening.

Jiang Xu stared coldly at the figure in the corner—her clothes disheveled, her body curled into a ball. His grip tightened slightly, and a faint crack of bone sounded. Marquis Jiangyang’s face froze, his body going limp. Jiang Xu tossed the lifeless figure aside as if discarding something filthy.

He had intended to walk toward the huddled form in the corner, but before taking a step, he suddenly noticed something. His unspoken question quickly became, "Where is my Consort?"

Standing at the foot of the porch outside, Ming Tan swayed slightly, wanting to say, "I’m here." But whether from shock or something else, she couldn’t speak for a long moment.

Yet Jiang Xu seemed to sense it, instinctively turning his head.

The late afternoon sunlight slanted westward, casting a glow on her jade-white brocade skirt and her slightly disheveled, dust-streaked face, as if outlining her in a soft, gentle light. From afar, she looked pitifully delicate.

Step by step, he descended the porch and stopped before Ming Tan, looking down at her.

The fire had been extinguished, and the crowd had now entered the courtyard. Pingguo Duke’s Madam sent maids into the main room, while Zhai Nianci’s maid, frantic with worry, also hurried inside.

"County Princess! County Princess, what’s happened to you!"

The crowd exchanged startled glances.

So it really was Yongle County Princess.

The maids sent by Pingguo Duke’s Madam entered the room and immediately noticed Marquis Jiangyang lying on the floor. One couldn’t help but scream, "Ah—! M-Marquis Jiangyang! The Marquis is dead!"

Hearing this, the crowd, standing three zhang away, cast uneasy glances toward the grim reaper in the courtyard.Ming Tan was also stunned for a moment, her throat feeling somewhat dry as she raised her eyes to look at Jiang Xu.

Marquis Jiangyang had enjoyed considerable imperial favor. How were they to explain his death before so many witnesses to the Emperor?

As if sensing her concerns, Jiang Xu instinctively reached out, his rough fingertips brushing away the dust on her face, and said indifferently, "Dead is dead. What can they do to me?"