The Lu Wangfei the old lady had been eagerly awaiting never arrived.
After two days and nights of weeping, the womenfolk had exhausted their last shred of hope, moving like lost souls as they temporarily ceased their lamentations.
Xu Ao, his eyes shockingly bloodshot, silently hoisted the still-unconscious elderly master onto his back and led the way.
Then…
Sang Zhixia found herself inexplicably pelted with rotten eggs.
“Treacherous scum selling out our country!”
“Shameless spies!”
“If not for the Xu family colluding with the enemy, how could our great Da Chu have suffered defeat and territorial concessions? This is all the fault of these traitors!”
“May the Xu family parasites perish!”
The commoners lining the streets were furious, bombarding them with rotten eggs and wilted vegetable leaves.
Sang Zhixia barely dodged in time to avoid a rotten egg splattering across her face, her inner composure utterly shattered.
What had she done to deserve this?
To be implicated and paraded through the streets like a criminal!
What exactly had she done wrong?!
Sang Zhixia struggled to evade the projectiles all the way. Amid the distraught cries of the Xu family, she finally emerged from the city gates covered in filth and disgrace, spotting in the distance an extravagantly decorated carriage adorned with fragmented gold leaf.
A large character “Sang” was emblazoned on the carriage.
Sang Zhixia narrowed her eyes for a closer look, snapping the vegetable stalk in her hand with a crisp crack.
I knew it: while I struggle under this burden, someone must be stepping on my shoulders to enjoy their peaceful life!
The carriage curtain lifted. The coachman prostrated himself on the ground, using his back as a stepping stool. A delicate, jade-like hand emerged from behind the curtain, holding onto a maid’s hand as its owner stepped down using the coachman as a footstool.
Her legitimate elder sister, who had forced her into this substitute marriage, appeared dressed in priceless Liuguang Jin silk and adorned with invaluable jewelry, descending like a celestial fairy.
The servants accompanying her distributed silver to dismiss the escorting officers. The fairy-like beauty, tears glistening in her eyes, said, “Third Sister, you’ve suffered.”
Sang Zhixia threw the crushed vegetable leaves to the ground, forcing a sarcastic smile. “Did Eldest Sister come specifically to see me, or to see someone else?”
Though her words pointed toward Xu Ao, Sang Bingrou didn’t even glance at her former fiancé, focusing solely on Sang Zhixia. “What nonsense are you speaking, Third Sister? Of course I came to see you.”
“I heard you’ve been implicated this time, exiled to the northwest with a lifelong ban from returning to the capital. We sisters may never meet again—how could I bear not to see you?”
Her words dripped with tender affection, as if genuinely concerned about her substitute-married younger sister.
But Sang Zhixia, observing how Sang Bingrou always kept her distance, standing three steps away, felt only a cold sneer rising within her.
You harm someone and still enjoy watching the spectacle, huh?
Fine.
I’ll oblige you.
She suddenly lunged forward excitedly, grabbing Sang Bingrou’s hands. Just as Sang Bingrou nearly shouted “How dare you!”, Sang Zhixia forcefully yanked two jade bracelets from her wrists.
“I knew Eldest Sister wouldn’t abandon me to my fate!”
Snap!
With a swift slide of her sleeves and a tug of her hands, the bracelets were off!
Sang Bingrou’s face flushed with anger, ready to erupt.
But Sang Zhixia preempted her, throwing her arms around Sang Bingrou’s shoulders. “Eldest Sister is truly kind-hearted.”
As she spoke, her hands swiftly slid down to Sang Bingrou’s waist, snatching every accessible jade button and pouch!
“You…”
“Eldest Sister!”
Sang Zhixia swiftly stuffed the loot into her waistband, then delivered a bone-crushing bear hug—one arm clamping Sang Bingrou’s waist, the other hand rapidly patting her down.
Her sleeves now bulging with loot, Sang Zhixia smiled at Sang Bingrou’s rapidly changing expression. “With so many people watching, Eldest Sister, you mustn’t lose your temper.”
“Since you’re already here, you’d better not scream. Wouldn’t it ruin your gentle and virtuous image, wasting your special trip to see me?”
Her words were sweet but her actions ruthless. She thoroughly stripped Sang Bingrou of all her gold and silver ornaments from head to waist, stopping only when satisfied. Turning around, she noticed Xu Ao, who had been several steps away, had somehow moved to her side.
With his tall frame and imposing stature, his sideways position perfectly blocked the prying eyes from afar.
No one noticed her taking advantage here.
Sang Zhixia thought for a moment, then boldly reached out and snatched the bulging pouch from the waist of Sang Bingrou’s personal maid.
Mine now!
Seeing her glance over, Xu Ao silently walked away without a word.
Sang Bingrou was utterly enraged.
“Sang Zhixia, do you think…”
“Think what?”
Sang Zhixia lazily brushed her fingertips and sneered, “You dared to come here, yet you’re afraid I’d directly rob you?”
“Don’t forget who caused me this suffering.”
If not for this damned substitute marriage, would she be here playing the robber?!
A flash of intense malice crossed Sang Bingrou’s eyes.
She leaned close to Sang Zhixia’s ear and whispered softly, “I underestimated Xu Ao’s feelings for you. Had I not prepared in advance, you might have really escaped with the Divorce Letter.”
Sang Zhixia was baffled by her words and instinctively glanced toward Xu Ao’s direction.
“What feelings?”
Besides yelling at her and harming her, what good intentions could he possibly have?!
Annoyance flickered in Sang Bingrou’s bright eyes as she whispered in Sang Zhixia’s ear, “It’s one thing for Xu Ao to be blind himself, but you shouldn’t harbor improper delusions about Prince Rui.”
“Daring to flaunt your worthless self before Prince Rui, even seducing him into wanting to take you as a concubine—you should have expected this outcome long ago!”
“You only deserve to die in the northwest with Xu Ao!”
These words triggered a vague memory from the original host, instantly igniting Sang Zhixia’s suppressed anger.
Sang Bingrou was someone with clear ambitions focused solely on power.
When the Xu family declined, she immediately set her sights on the position of Rui Wangfei.
But the original host, though timid, was exceptionally beautiful. Prince Rui wanted to take her as a concubine after one glance.
Though the original host had no say and never entered Prince Rui’s mansion, for this reason alone, Sang Bingrou—fully aware the Xu family faced imminent disaster—still forced her to marry into it after drugging her.
And had the audacity to bribe a eunuch to tear up her Divorce Letter!
Not even Rui Wangfei yet, but already guarding against potential rivals for favor.
This person’s ruthless nature was truly remarkable.
Sang Zhixia pressed her tongue against her palate, malice swelling her courage.
She suddenly raised her voice, “Elder sister, rest assured! I know your heart belongs only to Xu Ao. Prince Rui misunderstood your feelings and insisted on marrying you as his Wangfei, forcing you and Xu Ao to part in tears.”
“When you become Rui Wangfei, I’ll help you take good care of Xu Ao! Xu Ao will remember you came specially to see him off!”
“Sang Zhixia, you…”
“I promise I’ll keep my word! I’ll never let your beloved suffer! Prince Rui is a good man too—live well with him. Xu Ao understands your feelings, he won’t blame you!”
Sang Zhixia shouted at the top of her lungs, then turned and ran.
Her words achieved excellent effect.
Not far away, the miserable Xu family members turned their heads one after another, their tear-streaked faces filled with astonishment.
The commoners who had followed to watch the excitement slapped their thighs and exclaimed, “I knew it! I always wondered how the eldest daughter of the Sang family, who was so deeply in love with Xu Shizi, ended up being replaced by a lesser-born sister. So it was Prince Rui meddling in between!”
Sang Zhixia nodded vigorously: “Exactly! Exactly!”
That’s right!
That’s exactly what happened!
Sang Bingrou found herself unable to explain despite having countless mouths, and under the weight of being unable to defend herself, she could only shoot Sang Zhixia a fierce glare before fleeing into the carriage with a livid face.
As the Sang family’s carriage quickly departed, Sang Zhixia weighed the object in her sleeve and sneered coldly.
You filthy thing, dare to challenge me?
With such wild rumors suddenly spreading, let’s see how you explain to Prince Rui about having another beloved and how you’ll remain as Rui Wangfei!
Having driven away Sang Bingrou and finally vented her pent-up anger, she reluctantly joined the Xu family’s exile procession, where the first thing she noticed was Xu Ao’s unusually pale complexion.
Out of humanitarian concern, she asked, “Are you alright?”
Xu Ao replied expressionlessly, “There was no deep affection between her and me.”
The statement came out of nowhere.
Sang Zhixia blinked in confusion: “Huh?”
What does this have to do with me?
But Xu Ao fell silent again.
He hoisted the still-unconscious Old Master onto his back and strode forward. Sang Zhixia clicked her tongue but said nothing more, beginning the arduous trek northwest under the scorching sun.
Yet she never expected that on the very first day of this three-thousand-li journey on foot, she would be forced to experience a real-life version of the tribulations of exile.
These damned feudal classes are so troublesome!