Perhaps because she had seen Shu Xuanqing and the Third Prince, Xie Yongze, during the day, Su Niao dreamed again that night of her previous life.
Back then, Su Xuan had already framed her and made her notorious throughout the capital. After Xie Qinglan confined her to a private estate, Su Xuan still refused to let her go. She used a member of the Imperial Guard to falsely accuse Su Niao of having an illicit affair.
Just as Su Niao reached a dead end with nowhere left to turn, her biological father and brother unexpectedly found her. Only then did she learn that she was actually the daughter who had been kidnapped years ago from the Great General’s Manor.
The Great General’s Manor held considerable status, and as the long-lost daughter they had finally recovered, Su Niao was cherished by both her father and brother. At the time, however, she had already begun to lose herself to obsession. Driven by a desperate determination to surpass Su Xuan, she stubbornly insisted on marrying another prince.
Her brother, Shu Xuanqing, pitied her. Using his tremendous military achievements and the life-saving favor he had once done for the Third Prince as bargaining chips, he secured a marriage between her and Xie Yongze.
Yet not long after their marriage, rumors spread throughout the capital.
People said that the Third Prince found Su Niao’s reputation disgraceful and had never once touched her. Instead, he admired Ye Linlang, the famed female general.
From the celebrated “greatest beauty in the capital,” Su Niao became a twice-married abandoned wife left alone in an empty chamber. Filled with resentment, she went to catch them in the act. Instead, a newly promoted deputy general under Ye Linlang’s command captured and imprisoned her. That deputy was incredibly audacious. Not only did he stop her from confronting them, but he also claimed that the Third Prince and General Ye were deeply in love and destined for one another. As for Su Niao, he said her reputation was terrible, that she was frivolous and disgraceful, and even advised her to withdraw voluntarily.
Su Niao nearly lost her mind with rage. Afterward, she secretly used her brother’s men to abduct the deputy who had dared to speak to her that way. She tortured and humiliated him relentlessly. Yet she never could have imagined that the deputy she abused in her madness, using the cruelest and most degrading methods she could think of, was actually the Eldest Prince.
The man was Xie Chenyan. After being severely wounded on the battlefield, he had lost his memory and wandered in obscurity. During that period, Ye Linlang had recruited him into the Yunzhou army.
When Ye Linlang later returned to the capital, she promoted him and brought him with her. But only a few days after arriving in the capital, he fell into Su Niao’s hands. Then, after enduring her torture and humiliation, Xie Chenyan regained his memories. He returned to the imperial palace and soon afterward became Crown Prince.
Soon after, the Emperor abdicated due to illness and passed the throne to Xie Chenyan.
The man whom Su Niao had once tortured and humiliated became the new emperor of Great Qi.
As for her husband, the Third Prince, he divorced her on the grounds that she had nearly caused the future emperor’s death. Afterward, he confined her to a remote estate. He allowed servants to bring her food, but only enough for her to survive.
By then, the biological father and brother who had still been willing to protect her had already fallen on the battlefield. No one remained to support her. On the final day of her previous life, a palace matron pushed open the gate of her lonely courtyard. She also brought a cup of imperial wine bestowed by the new emperor. After a single cup went down, it felt as though her insides were burning.
In her dream, Su Niao sobbed. One moment she cried that it hurt. The next, she called out, “Brother…”
Lichun, her personal maid, hurried over and shook her awake. “Miss, Miss! Did you have a nightmare?”
Su Niao abruptly opened her eyes. After steadying herself, she slowly shook her head. “I’m fine.”
But the moment she recalled the unbelievably foolish things she’d done in that dream, as though possessed, she couldn’t help grinding her teeth in frustration. Why was she the cannon fodder?
After staring blankly into space for a while, she said to Lichun, “Hurry and finish packing. We’ll leave for the estate as soon as possible.”
No one knew why she was rushing to leave the capital for the Yunzhou estate.
Only she knew the reason. She was going there for revenge. At present, Xie Chenyan, the dog emperor who had poisoned her to death in her previous life, was still wandering the countryside around Yunzhou with no memories, no power, and no support.
People like Su Xuan weren’t going anywhere. She could deal with them slowly later. But this man was different. If she didn’t get her revenge while he was still vulnerable, she might never get the chance again.
Thinking of how Xie Chenyan had helped Ye Linlang target her in her previous life, mocking and ridiculing her at every turn, then becoming emperor. Then, after she had knelt and begged for forgiveness, he assured her that he would not hold her past humiliation of him against her. Only to immediately have Xie Yongze divorce her before ultimately poisoning her to death.
A hypocrite who never kept his word. The hatred of being poisoned was irreconcilable.
Three days later, a sizable convoy departed the capital and headed straight for Yunzhou.
Yunzhou was less than a two-day journey from the capital. By noon the following day, Su Niao entered Yunzhou City.
The long streets were bustling with activity. Street vendors called out their wares while crowds of pedestrians brushed shoulders passing one another.
Dressed in luxurious silk robes, Su Niao walked down the street with her maid Lichun at her side. A veiled hat concealed her features as she looked around.
The translucent gauze did not obstruct her vision, but it shielded her from strangers’ gazes and spared her the kind of attention she found irritating.
Just then, a ragged figure suddenly stumbled into her legs, seemingly pushed by someone. The moment he regained his footing, he began apologizing frantically before trying to flee.
However, before he could escape, Lichun grabbed him. After seizing him by the collar, she immediately slapped him across the face. “Hand it over.”
Seeing no escape, the beggar trembled and produced the money pouch he had snatched in the brief instant of impact. Only then did the onlookers realize he was a thief. But just as everyone assumed he would be released after returning the stolen purse, the finely dressed young lady beneath the veil coldly spoke: “Your filthy hands ruined my skirt.”
She looked down at him. “How do you intend to compensate me for that?”
A dark handprint stained the elaborate, luxurious hem of her skirt.
The beggar dropped to his knees with a thud, repeatedly kowtowing and begging for mercy, insisting that he could never afford to compensate her.
Then the crowd heard the young lady, her pleasant voice cutting through the air as she let out a cold laugh. “That’s it? A simple ‘I can’t pay’ settles everything?”
As she spoke, she raised a hand. A riding whip was coiled in her grasp. With a flick of her wrist, it cracked through the air and lashed across the thief’s arm with a sharp smack.
Su Niao had noticed this beggar earlier. Back at the city gates, when Lichun had been handing out alms to several child beggars, this very man had snatched away quite a few of their copper coins. Now he had followed them all the way here, waiting for an opportunity to steal.
A bloody welt instantly appeared on the beggar’s arm. He screamed in pain.
The crowd watched as the noble young lady, still unsatisfied, raised her whip to strike again. Just then, a hand shot out from the side and seized the whip. The movement was so fast that even the guards standing several paces behind Su Niao failed to react in time.
By the time the guards rushed forward, the tall man had already released the whip and stepped back.
In a calm voice, he said, “He is still young, and he stole only to fill his stomach. You are a generous young lady. Why resort to such harsh measures?”
Su Niao began to think the man’s voice sounded strangely familiar when the murmurs of the surrounding crowd interrupted her thoughts.
“One should be merciful when possible.”
“So richly dressed, yet utterly heartless. Tsk, tsk.”
Su Niao paid the foolish bystanders no attention. With a mocking laugh, she turned to the man who had intervened. “You say he’s pitiful and ask me to forgive him?”
“Fine. Then compensate me on his behalf.” She lightly lifted the damaged skirt.
“This is Cloud Mist Silk.”
“It’s worth fifty taels of silver.” The surroundings instantly fell silent.
Through the thin veil, Su Niao could not see the man’s expression clearly. When he failed to respond, she let out a mocking laugh.
“How easy it is to be generous with other people’s money. Yet when it’s time to pay the price yourself, suddenly you have nothing to say.”
“What a hypocritical commoner.” Her red lips parted as she spoke with utter disdain. Then she kicked the thief aside and continued walking. She had more important matters to attend to and couldn’t be bothered wasting time on ignorant fools.
In her previous life, Su Niao had once accidentally overheard Ye Linlang describing how she first met Xie Chenyan.
It had happened at noon during the Ghost Festival. The amnesiac Eldest Prince had been trying to buy blood ginseng to obtain medicine for his aunt. The only blood ginseng in Yunzhou Prefecture had already been purchased by Ye Linlang. Afterward, she met the desperate prince seeking the medicine. She shared some blood ginseng with him, and from that moment on, the two became acquainted. It was already nearing noon.
Not wanting to waste any more time, Su Niao headed straight for Zixia Hall, the largest pharmacy in Yunzhou. Upon entering, she immediately had Lichun step forward and specifically request blood ginseng.
The shopkeeper hesitated at first because the blood ginseng was the pharmacy’s prized treasure. But the moment he saw the banknotes in the maid’s hand, he immediately broke into a broad smile. Respectfully ushering them into the inner hall, he carefully brought out the valuable blood ginseng, a thumb-thick root worth a considerable fortune.
Su Niao ordered it packed away. Only then did she finally relax. She intended to prevent Ye Linlang and Xie Chenyan from ever becoming acquainted. And before the lost prince could be discovered and restored to his rightful identity, she intended to get rid of him.
In her previous life, he had poisoned her to death with a cup of wine. If she waited until he returned to the capital and became Crown Prince, revenge would become impossible.
Sure enough, not long afterward, a voice was heard outside requesting blood ginseng. It belonged to a woman.
Su Niao guessed it was Ye Linlang.
After the shopkeeper told her the blood ginseng had already been sold, Ye Linlang didn’t insist and soon left with her people.
Su Niao calmly sipped her tea without any hurry. Then she heard that just after Ye Linlang departed, someone else entered the pharmacy.
Again, the newcomer asked for blood ginseng.
The shopkeeper laughed helplessly and once more explained that the blood ginseng had been sold only moments earlier.
As the man began asking who had purchased it, Su Niao quietly rose with Lichun and her guards and headed out.
Meanwhile, Lichun unhurriedly closed the lid of the blood-ginseng box as they walked.
Su Niao gracefully made her way toward the exit.
The next instant, a figure stepped directly into her path. The man hesitated for a moment, but in the end, he still spoke.
“Forgive my presumption, Miss, but would you be willing to sell me a portion of the blood ginseng? I only need some of the root fibers.”
Su Niao immediately recognized the voice. It was the same man who had stopped her from beating the thief on the street earlier. So this was the Eldest Prince, Xie Chenyan, who, even after losing his memories, remained upright, noble-minded, and fond of standing up for the weak?
After a pause, Su Niao lifted the gauze veil before her face and casually looked at him. Then her gaze met a pair of clear, phoenix-shaped eyes.
At that same moment, Chen Yan finally saw what the young noblewoman looked like. More clearly and vividly than during their previous encounter in the carriage.
The face revealed beneath the veil was stunningly beautiful. Dark arched brows, catlike eyes, a delicate nose, and rosy lips. She looked like a flower bud just beginning to bloom beneath bright yet gentle sunlight, dazzling and radiant.
Remembering the fear and fury he’d seen in those catlike eyes when he pinned her down in the carriage, Chen Yan lowered his gaze and cupped his hands politely.
“A member of my family is gravely ill. I had no choice but to seek medicine so abruptly. I hope Miss will forgive my offense.”
Those clear phoenix eyes lowered, leaving only his cold, handsome profile. Though dressed like an ordinary commoner, his tall, upright bearing and restrained, imposing presence made it obvious at a glance that he was anything but ordinary.
Su Niao remembered the previous life. She remembered Xie Chenyan’s eyes reddening with humiliation and rage as she toyed with and tormented him. She remembered the cold authority he carried after ascending the throne.
Then she smiled. “So it’s you.”
The Eldest Prince, Xie Chenyan. Oh, right. For now, he was merely the commoner Chen Yan.
“Earlier on the street, I was the one who offended you first. If Miss is willing to sell me some of the blood-ginseng fibers, I will apologize properly and compensate you.”
Su Niao withdrew her gaze and continued walking. “Sorry. Not for sale.”
The noble young lady’s attitude clearly showed she didn’t think much of him.
Chen Yan hurried after her and lowered his voice. “My elder at home is seriously ill. I beg Miss not to hold our previous disagreement against me. If you are willing to sell me some of the blood ginseng, you may vent your anger on me however you wish.”
At last, the young lady slowed her steps. “You really want it that badly?”
Su Niao turned and looked at him. Chen Yan cupped his hands in respect.
Su Niao smiled. “That works too. I happen to be short of a servant. If you serve as my attendant for a month and obey my every command, I will sell you some ginseng roots. How about that?”
As expected, she held a grudge and wanted to humiliate him to vent her anger.
Chen Yan nodded. “Deal.”
Su Niao tilted her chin, and Lichun immediately plucked off the rootlets of the blood ginseng. “Ten taels of silver.”
Blood ginseng was precious, and given that she was intentionally making things difficult for him, selling a handful of rootlets for ten taels wasn’t surprising, except that Chen Yan didn’t have that much money on him right now. A few days ago in the capital, he was nearly spotted by the infamous Imperial Guards, which wasted the trip and earned him nothing. Right now, he only had five taels of silver on him.
Seeing his expression, Su Niao caught on immediately. “What, short on cash?”
Chen Yan grunted in affirmation. “I don’t have enough silver. I can only offer five taels.”
Su Niao immediately turned to walk away, but Chen Yan caught up with her and said in a low voice, “I will serve as your servant for three months, and I will pay back the remaining five taels within that time.”
Su Niao thought about it for a moment. “Fair enough.”
Chen Yan instantly looked toward the ginseng roots, but Su Niao remarked, “Of course, the item will only be given to you three months later. Otherwise, if an unruly rogue like you takes the roots and runs off, where would I even go to find you?”
Unruly Rogue Chen Yan sighed, promising earnestly, “I will not run. It’s just that my family member is gravely ill, so I beg Young Lady to show mercy.”
He then heard the noble young lady sneer. “Your promise isn’t worth a single copper. Now escort me to Jining County.”
Jining County in Yunzhou Prefecture? Chen Yan’s home was in Jining County, so it was right on his way.
Su Niao seemed to suddenly show a stroke of mercy. “How about this: escort me safely to Jining County first. Once I arrive home and settle down, I will give you the ginseng roots so you can go back and save a life.”
Suddenly, she was easy to reason with? Chen Yan looked up at the veiled hat, unable to see the noble lady’s expression. He nodded. “Thank you, Miss.”
A moment later, Su Niao returned to the carriage after purchasing a mountain of goods from the street.
Having officially become a “servant,” Chen Yan loaded the items onto the carriage, then walked to the front to drive it, while several guards followed on horseback to protect the rear.
Just then, Chen Yan saw the young lady walk up to him and tilt her chin. “Kneel.”
Chen Yan frowned slightly and looked at her.
Su Niao sneered coldly. “If you don’t kneel for me to step on, how am I supposed to get into the carriage?”
The young girl’s eyes were filled with malice. “Don’t tell me you don’t even know how to be a servant?”
A sturdy stool sat beside the carriage frame, yet she deliberately demanded he kneel—an obvious attempt to humiliate him over their previous run-in.
Glancing at the delicate young lady who barely reached his chin even with her veiled hat on, Chen Yan paused for a moment. He then dropped to one knee, keeping the other leg bent to support himself.
His aunt was waiting for the blood ginseng to save her life. Since he had agreed to serve as a servant in exchange for the medicine, he was willing to swallow his pride.
Su Niao had originally intended for him to bow down on all fours, but she worried that pushing him too hard would make him refuse, ruining her plan altogether. Thus, she refrained from causing further trouble and stepped directly onto his thigh.
However, a thigh was no stool. Su Niao clearly lacked experience; wanting to vent her anger, she pressed down and ground her foot harshly… only to slip when she exerted force. Lichun reached out to support her but failed to catch her in time, watching helplessly as her young lady gasped and tumbled down, knocking the kneeling rustic straight to the ground.
Instinctively, Chen Yan reached out to catch her, only to get a face full of the young lady’s intricate sleeves. With his vision obstructed, he couldn’t rashly place his hands on her, so he could only fall backward, using the momentum to shield her as best he could, only to feel a soft, springy, fragrant sensation against his face.
Su Niao’s veiled hat fell off. Sensing something amiss, she dazed out and looked down, her eyes meeting Chen Yan’s, whose gaze had momentarily frozen before shifting away instantly.
Without warning, Su Niao raised her hand and slapped him across the face.
*Slap!*
She scrambled up, gritting her teeth.
The slap, accompanied by a breath of sweet fragrance, turned Chen Yan’s head to the side. As he raised his eyes, he caught sight of the angry noble lady hurrying into the carriage, the tips of her ears flushed bright red.
He recalled the moment right before… his face had ended up pressed directly beneath her chest, a touch entirely different from their previous encounter inside the carriage. Though unintentional, it was indeed improper.
Pressing his tongue against the inside of his cheek, Chen Yan remained expressionless. Without saying a word, he climbed onto the carriage, snapped the reins, and cracked the whip. “Hyahh…”