In the afternoon, the spring sun shone brightly.
Several carriages of the Jiang family, under the silent “escort” of the Princess Royal’s guards, rumbled toward the Shangshu Mansion in the eastern part of the city.
Jiang Shian and Jiang Heng, father and son, sat in the same carriage. Inside, the silence was so heavy it was almost suffocating.
“Father.” Jiang Heng could not suppress the anger burning in his chest. “Why did you agree to let the Princess Royal foist those two slave girls into our household? In the future, both of us will need to attend court sessions. Leaving Xin’er alone in the inner quarters—won’t she be at their mercy, twisted and crushed as they please?”
Jiang Shian had been resting with his eyes closed, but at these words, he frowned.
He had always valued his eldest son, believing him quick-witted and shrewd, much like himself.
But everything that had happened today at the Princess Royal’s residence—and even this very speech—carried a short-sightedness and stupidity that disgusted him.
He slowly opened his eyes, casting a heavy, somber gaze at Jiang Heng. Before he could speak, Jiang Heng had already instinctively lowered his gaze.
“Your son knows his mistake,” he said in a low voice.
“What is the mistake?” Jiang Shian’s tone was flat, yet it carried an invisible pressure.
Jiang Heng’s jaw tightened. It took him a long moment before he reluctantly spoke: “I should not have spoken recklessly about the Princess Royal. As a man, I also should not wallow excessively in trivial household matters, wasting my energy.”
These were all lessons Jiang Shian had taught him in the past, but the moment he thought of Jiang Wanxin’s pale face as she fainted in his arms, his heart ached, and he could not help adding:
“But Father! That Yun Zhao is a venomous snake! The way she humiliated Xin’er today…”
“These are all trivial details.” Jiang Shian shot him a cold glare. “Heng’er, remember this. When a man acts, he must decide and act decisively. Once you strike, you must uproot the weeds and eliminate all traces—leave no future trouble.”
Jiang Heng was startled, then a glimmer of light burst into his eyes. He said urgently, “Father, then your son will immediately…”
“Too late.” Jiang Shian cut him off. “Just now, before all the assembled guests, I personally acknowledged her return to the clan. If anything were to happen to her, what would those nobles and dignitaries think? What would the three princes think? Do you still want to keep our official reputations?”
Jiang Heng felt as if a bucket of cold water had been dumped over his head. “Father is right. But that jade pendant…”
Jiang Shian’s eyes were deep and dark: “The value of the pendant lies in the fact that it was bestowed by the Grand Empress Dowager back then. Now that Xin’er, under the guidance of your Aunt Mei, has gained the favor of the Eastern Palace and the Empress Dowager, that pendant… let it stay with A-Zhao for now!”
Jiang Heng lowered his head slightly, his gaze flickering. Jiang Shian did not know this, but he was well aware that the Crown Prince seemed to care greatly about the jade pendant on Yun Zhao… Perhaps it was because another jade pendant was on Prince Qin.
Jiang Shian’s tone softened slightly, carrying a hint of earnest advice: “I know you care about Xin’er. But you are both grown now. Many matters—you, as the elder brother, should not overstep your bounds.”
He was subtly reminding Jiang Heng to keep his distance from Jiang Wanxin.
Jiang Heng understood, but he did not quite agree: “Father worries too much. Although I have known since childhood that Xin’er is the daughter of your old friend, we grew up together, and our bond is extraordinary. I have always cherished Xin’er as my own sister.”
A vein on Jiang Shian’s temple twitched slightly, and a deep wariness flashed in his eyes!
“In any case… observe the rules strictly, and do not make any missteps.” He spoke in a low voice, weighing every word. “Before the beginning of next month, be cautious in all matters.”
At the latter half of the sentence, a glimmer of light flashed in Jiang Heng’s eyes: “Yes, your son understands!”
The beginning of next month was the Buddha’s Birthday at Biyun Temple. As long as Xin’er could obtain the opportunity of the first incense offering and receive Master Wenkong’s fortune-telling, then Xin’er’s marriage contract with the Crown Prince would be set in stone!
In another carriage, Jiang Wanxin and Yun Zhao sat at opposite ends, a silent standoff spreading through the compartment.
Yun Zhao’s fingertip hooked the silk cord of the jade pendant, idly toying with it in her palm.
Jiang Wanxin’s gaze, ever since boarding the carriage, seemed pulled by an invisible thread, fixed firmly on that jade pendant.
“Elder Sister, this jade pendant of yours… why does it seem to carry a trace of blood-red?”
“This pendant was originally pure and clean.” Yun Zhao raised her eyes to meet Jiang Wanxin’s gaze, which could not hide its jealousy and longing.
“It’s just that some days ago, I happened to have a dream. In the dream, many people wanted to snatch it away. Fortunately, an old immortal guided me, saying that if I did not wish for this jade to fall into other hands, I needed to bind it with blood, making it recognize its master.”
She deliberately drew out the words “bind it with blood” slowly and softly, watching as the greed in Jiang Wanxin’s eyes suddenly froze, turning into a trace of disbelief and suspicion, before she leisurely added:
“Now it has recognized me as its master. No matter how others scheme and strain, it will all be in vain.”
The smile on Jiang Wanxin’s face stiffened slightly, then she used her embroidered handkerchief to cover the corner of her mouth, forcing a smile:
“Elder Sister really knows how to tell jokes. Even if this item was bestowed by the Grand Empress Dowager, in the end it is just a piece of jade. There is no such thing as recognizing a master.”
Whenever it concerned something that belonged to Madam Su, Jiang Wanxin wanted it.
That set of coral hair ornaments, famous throughout the capital, which she could never find—fine, let it go! After all, in the eyes of outsiders, the coral earrings she wore today were from Madam Su’s collection. But only today did she learn that before Yun Zhao had been abandoned back then, Madam Su had actually placed such a precious jade pendant on her, close to her body!
Her gaze shifted, and suddenly she adopted a look of concern: “Speaking of which, if the family that took in my elder sister is still around, why not inform Father? Our Jiang family will surely bring them to the capital in grand style!”
Yun Zhao lifted her eyes, staring straight at her: “No need. They’re all dead.”
Jiang Wanxin’s breath caught, and a flicker of panic flashed through her eyes.
She remembered that day when Jiang Heng returned from Qingzhou, gently stroking her hair and soothing her: “Don’t be afraid, Xin’er. From now on… no one will ever make you wake from nightmares in the middle of the night again.”
Yun Zhao watched her subtle change in expression and continued: “Doesn’t my sister want to know how they died?”
Jiang Wanxin’s lashes trembled violently, and she instinctively avoided Yun Zhao’s gaze.
“They were murdered.” Yun Zhao spoke slowly, each word deliberate, uttering chilling words:
“My little junior sister had just turned five. Her small body was split in two by a single blade. She didn’t die right away—she kept crying out, ‘Senior sister, it hurts so much.'”
Jiang Wanxin’s face turned deathly pale, and she forced a stiff smile: “E-Elder sister, don’t frighten me. Such nonsense shouldn’t be spoken carelessly…”
“Why should my sister be alarmed?” Yun Zhao curled her lips into a cold, mocking smile. “As the saying goes, ‘A clear conscience never fears a knock at the door.'”
Just then, the carriage gave a violent jolt and suddenly came to a halt!
Jiang Wanxin’s face drained of color, and she let out a piercing scream!
From not far away, Jiang Heng heard the sound and pounded on the carriage door: “Open up! Yun Zhao! Are you bullying Xin’er again?”
Yun Zhao rose and strode quickly toward the door.
Standing outside, Jiang Heng assumed the one rushing out would be the wronged Jiang Wanxin, so he braced himself with all his strength, raising his hands to support the carriage.
Yun Zhao flung open the door and caught sight of Jiang Heng’s handsome face flushed red as he strained to hold up the carriage. Without the slightest hesitation, she planted her foot squarely on his taut back!
“Ah—!”
A frail scholar like him—how could he withstand that? He collapsed to his knees on the spot, screaming in agony!
Yun Zhao unhurriedly stepped down from his back, landing steadily on the ground: “Many thanks, elder brother.”
Jiang Heng felt a searing, dull pain across his back. He didn’t need to look to know that this savage woman had surely left it bruised and purple.
He was both humiliated and furious, but he couldn’t spare the energy to argue with Yun Zhao—his heart was entirely focused on Jiang Wanxin, who was still in the carriage.
“Xin’er!” he called urgently.
Jiang Wanxin reached out, lightly resting her hand on his promptly offered arm, and descended from the carriage with graceful elegance, her voice timid: “Elder brother…”
“She didn’t do anything to you, did she?” Jiang Heng asked anxiously, looking her over from head to toe.
Jiang Wanxin shook her head, her gaze darting timidly toward Yun Zhao, looking every bit the picture of someone bullied yet afraid to speak up.
Meanwhile, Yun Zhao’s attention was drawn to a small yellow dog whimpering in the coachman’s hands.
Seeing Yun Zhao’s gaze, the coachman quickly forced a smile: “This filthy beast—no need to let it offend your noble eyes. I’ll take care of it right away…”
But Yun Zhao reached out directly: “Give it to me.”
She gently stroked the little yellow dog’s back, a cold laugh forming in her heart: In this world, even dogs have more conscience than people!
She’d rather save a dog than spare another glance at that pair of siblings behind her!
Seeing her ignore him, Jiang Heng’s fury burned even hotter, and he demanded harshly: “What exactly did you do to Xin’er?!”
Yun Zhao paid him no heed.
The young woman’s back was ramrod straight, her steps steady, as she walked directly toward the gates of the Shangshu Mansion—that symbol of the Jiang family’s power.
What did she intend to do?
She would personally sever Jiang Wanxin’s dreams of becoming the Eastern Palace’s consort. She would bring Jiang Shian and Jiang Heng, that hypocritical father-and-son pair, to utter ruin!
She would make the entire Jiang family kneel before her, regretting everything they had done! Forcing them to confess every sin they had committed!
The more they cared about something, the more she would take it away!
The more they valued something, the more she would smash it to pieces before their very eyes!
What happened today at the Princess Royal’s residence was merely the beginning!