“I, the Princess, bestow a cup of wine upon the daughters of the Xue family. Kneel and drink it, and this matter shall be settled. But as for whether the Fourth Miss Xue or the Fifth Miss Xue drinks it, perhaps the two young masters of the Xue family should decide?”
In the Princess’s estate, amidst the waterside pavilions and galleries, a stifling sense of suffocation filled the air at Princess Huayang’s command.
Faced with a choice between two, the answer was decided in an instant.
“Mingzhu is frail; she cannot drink wine.”
The two brothers, Xue Yan and Xue Yulang, shielded Xue Mingzhu behind them, their eyes boring into Xue Ning with silent pressure.
Standing under the scorching sun, Xue Ning felt as if she had fallen into an ice cellar.
A maid of the Princess had fallen into the water. The fault lay with her older cousin, Xue Mingzhu, yet it was Xue Ning who was expected to bear the consequences.
Xue Ning’s face turned deathly pale.
“Eldest Brother, Second Brother, this wine is poisoned! I saw it just now from behind the rockery—a maid slipped Qingsigu into the wine!”
Qingsigu was a legendary and peerless poison. It was said that the victim would not die immediately; instead, they would gradually lose their seven emotions and six desires, their joys, angers, sorrows, and delights. By the time they died, they would have become nothing more than a cold, emotionless puppet.
Princess Huayang’s gaze deepened, but she offered a cold sneer without a hint of guilt. “What a joke! As a dignified member of the imperial family, would I openly violate the law and poison the daughter of a court official? If you are too cowardly to drink, then say so. For the Xue family to be so lacking in accountability is truly laughable!”
The second brother, Xue Yulang, glanced at the wine cup and sniffed it. He shook his head at Xue Yan to indicate it was not poisoned, then lowered his voice, rebuking Xue Ning with disgust.
“You would go so far as to lie just to escape responsibility? It is but a single cup of wine. Mingzhu was implicated because of you, yet instead of feeling remorse, you splash dirty water on her and even dare to slander the Princess?”
A sharp pain pierced Xue Ning’s heart. She trembled and struggled, but her two elder brothers forced her down onto the green bricks. The hard surface bit into her knees.
“It wasn’t me! Brothers, believe me, the wine really is poisoned. Don’t make me drink it…”
Xue Yan frowned as he noticed the Princess’s growing impatience. Princess Huayang was notoriously arrogant and domineering in the capital, and she was deeply favored by the Emperor. He absolutely could not allow the entire Xue family to fall into danger because of Xue Ning!
“Xue Ning, drink it. If you do, I will not inform Mother of today’s incident, and you won’t be punished when we return home.”
Xue Yan felt that by saying this, he was already showing Xue Ning great mercy. After all, in the past, Xue Ning cared most about how her mother perceived her, desperate for the family’s recognition.
Xue Yulang, meanwhile, held the wine cup and pressed it against Xue Ning’s lips. “Eldest Brother, why waste more words on her? Make her drink it quickly.”
“No… no…”
Xue Ning was no match for the strength of her two brothers.
The cup of poisoned wine went down her throat, sharp and bitter.
Seeing that Xue Ning had consumed the wine, the Princess let out a cold snort and led her retinue away.
Xue Ning lay slumped on the ground. Though the green bricks were scorching from the sun, she felt a bone-chilling cold throughout her body, and her head throbbed with an excruciating ache.
Xue Yulang frowned with impatience, assuming an air of condescension as he reached out to check her pulse.
“Xue Ning, I told you there was no poison. The Princess is already gone; what are you still pretending for? Are you trying to feign illness again to compete with Mingzhu for favor? I’m sick of these tricks even if you aren’t!”
Xue Mingzhu glanced at Xue Ning. As she lowered her eyes, the corners of her lips curled up slightly. Xue Ning did not miss her look of triumph, yet when Mingzhu spoke, her tone was filled with concern.
“Ningning, let me help you up. Don’t be angry with me; let’s just say it was my fault.”
Xue Yulang said angrily, “Mingzhu, what fault do you have? Nothing good ever happens when we bring Xue Ning out. She is truly a jinx. If she wants to lie here and pretend to be sick, let her! We’re leaving!”
Xue Mingzhu followed the second brother with a “helpless” expression, while the eldest brother spoke in a heavy voice.
“Xue Ning, do not throw a tantrum. We will wait for you in the carriage for the time it takes an incense stick to burn. If you do not come out by then, you can walk back to the estate yourself.”
After finishing his piece, Xue Yan also departed.
The entire pavilion was left with only Xue Ning, lying miserably and helplessly on the ground.
She discovered that not only could she not move her body, but she could not even form an expression on her face or speak a word. It felt as if countless silk threads were burrowing into her brain, the pain causing tears to stream down her face.
The suffocating agony brought her to the brink of death, and her thoughts began to drift…
Why did they treat her like this? She was their biological sister, while their cousin had only been raised by their mother!
Why did they always believe the cousin unconditionally, protecting her every single time while never once believing her?
They had been so good to her when she was little, but everything changed the moment their cousin arrived…
She had once been the darling of the family. But when she was five, she had been pushed into a lake. Her third brother died trying to save her, and Xue Mingzhu, in her own attempt to save him, had developed a chronic illness that left her frail. Since then, the entire family had hated Xue Ning.
All the love and affection that should have belonged to a daughter and a younger sister was poured entirely onto Xue Mingzhu.
Even though Xue Ning had worked so hard, like a sinner seeking atonement, smiling and being kind to everyone in the family in her desperate longing for their affection, it was ultimately in vain. In their eyes, she was not worth a single finger of Xue Mingzhu’s.
“Miss!”
Xue Ning didn’t know how much time had passed, but when she opened her eyes again, the voice of her maid, Rendong, was in her ear.
Rendong was using a handkerchief to wipe the sweat from Xue Ning’s brow and fanning her. Only when she saw her wake up did she let out a sigh of relief, her eyes red.
“On such a hot day, how could the Eldest Young Master and the others leave you here all alone?”
“I’m fine. Don’t worry.”
As soon as Xue Ning spoke, she realized her voice was terribly hoarse.
She knew she had been poisoned by Qingsigu. She likely had less than a year of life remaining. She was dying.
Xue Ning did not become hysterical. For the first time, she understood that there was no sorrow greater than the death of the heart; she didn’t even have the desire to confide in anyone.
Her heart was like dead ashes. Her mind was filled only with one thought: what must she do to survive?
Supported by Rendong, she walked along the winding gallery until they finally reached the end.
The Princess’s estate was full of carved beams and painted rafters, but Xue Ning’s eyes were hollow and numb, devoid of any interest in the scenery. Other daughters of noble families attending the banquet whispered among themselves as they saw her looking so soul-shattered.
At the stables outside the estate.
Rendong looked panicked. “Miss, why is the carriage gone? Where did the Eldest Young Master and the others go? I’ll go look around!”
Xue Ning stopped her. “No need to look. They have already left.”