The room was dim, all windows tightly shut, a faint light struggling to seep through the Ying Window.
Outside, the patter of light rain fell, drop by drop hitting the bluestone bricks.
Xie Yuzhao was awakened, opening his eyes and instinctively calling out:
"Wei Li."
No one answered.
But Xie Yuzhao did not call again. His throat was painfully itchy, and his entire body felt the same, limbs so weak he could hardly lift his arms. Lifting his gaze, he saw a curtain of sky-blue bed drapes. Beyond a six-panel screen of bluish-green smoke, the furnishings were exquisite, yet upon closer inspection, they seemed somewhat sparse, as if the room had been hastily arranged.
Indeed, it had been hastily arranged.
The surroundings were all too familiar. During the five years of house arrest in the Crown Prince's Residence, he had recalled this place countless times.
So much so that Xie Yuzhao recognized it at a glance—this was Shangshu Fu.
Xie Yuzhao's expression darkened momentarily.
The bedroom was extremely quiet, reminding Xie Yuzhao of the scene he had witnessed after ascending the throne, rushing to Shangshu Fu under cover of night.
The woman he wanted to see was covered in bruises, blood staining her collar, her ten fingers twisted and broken—clearly snapped by force. The young girl who had always loved dressing beautifully was now a sight too horrible to behold, enough to show the immense torment she had endured before death.
In full view of everyone, he bent down, just as he had five years before, gathering the woman's hair to reveal her face, gently wiping the corners of her mouth clean.
Jiang Zemin's face changed imperceptibly.
Xie Yuzhao ordered the woman's body to be taken back to the palace.
The entire Shangshu Fu could only watch, not daring to stop him.
Back when he was critically ill, under the trembling gaze of the young girl, he had promised Jiang Yitang that he would take her away from Shangshu Fu and protect her for life.
He had already broken the latter promise.
He could only fulfill the first.
Having her body prepared for burial, and to the shock of the world, having her interred in the imperial mausoleum, to share a coffin with him after his own passing.
The sound of raindrops hitting the eaves brought Xie Yuzhao back to the present.
A sudden itch in his throat made Xie Yuzhao cough uncontrollably. This discomfort was something he hadn't experienced in many years. The man on the bed trembled violently, but no one came in to check on him for a long time.
This year, he had contracted smallpox. Those close to him had been detained in the palace under the charge of inadequate care by scheming individuals, and he was almost sent alone to Shangshu Fu.
In theory, Jiang Anyu should have come to care for him, but no one had arrived yet, clearly showing Shangshu Fu's current stance.
Unattended, wracked with pain, and facing a sudden, drastic change in status, Xie Yuzhao remained unmoved, his gaze fixed on the door.
He remembered that on the second day after he moved to Shangshu Fu, his little girl would sneak in. In the dim light, her green ruqun had been the only bright spot in the room at that time.
Jiang Yitang sat restlessly by the window, reaching out to catch the rain. A drop landed in her palm—not painful, but a little cold.
Qing Su wiped her shoes on the corridor and, seeing this through the window, exclaimed in a flurry, hurriedly entering the room and pulling the young lady's hand inside:
"Young lady, what are you doing! Exposing yourself to the cold wind and catching rain—if you fall ill, you'll suffer for it later!"
A simple jade hairpin held all her dark tresses in place. Jiang Yitang tilted her head, catching a glimpse of herself in the bronze mirror. At just thirteen this year, her appearance was far more youthful than before, yet a trace of worry lingered between her brows, seeming out of place. She withdrew her hand, not daring to reach for the rain again.
Qing Su looked at her with confusion. "Since yesterday, you've been sitting here looking east. Is something troubling you, miss?"
As soon as she finished speaking, Qing Su suddenly realized something. After glancing around, she lowered her voice as if sneaking about:
"Miss, are you watching Songrong Courtyard?"
Jiang Yitang’s expression changed abruptly. She hadn’t expected Qing Su to notice. Just as she was about to awkwardly explain, Qing Su continued:
"Our Song'an Yuan is so close to Songrong Courtyard, it’s only natural you’d be worried. Everyone knows smallpox is contagious!"
Jiang Yitang fell silent. Qing Su’s thoughts were completely different from her own.
She pursed her lips and buried her face in her hands, lost in inner turmoil. She had worries, but she couldn’t share them with anyone—she had to figure them out on her own.
Qing Su didn’t know what she was thinking. Convinced she had made a valid point, she sighed.
Their miss had little presence in the mansion, and such major matters were not for her to comment on. They could only obey and accept their fate. Qing Su checked the time:
"It’s getting late. I’ll go to the kitchen to fetch dinner. Please don’t sit in the cold wind any longer, miss!"
Jiang Yitang responded with a muffled sound from within her arms.
Song'an Yuan was remote, which meant fewer disturbances and more peace. After finishing her sweeping, the cleaning maid Dong'er, seeing the miss alone, approached to chat:
"Miss, I heard Rongfen Courtyard is still in an uproar."
Jiang Yitang usually kept a low profile and rarely scolded the servants, which was why Dong'er dared to approach her.
Dong'er was a cleaning maid, often overlooked, but she and her friends often gathered to gossip, so she knew a bit about all sorts of news in the mansion.
Rongfen Courtyard was the old madam’s residence.
Jiang Yitang knew why the old madam was making a fuss.
Sheng Shang had ordered the Crown Prince to move into Shangshu Fu, citing Jiang Anyu’s exceptional medical skills—in other words, he wanted Jiang Anyu to care for and look after the Crown Prince.
But Jiang Anyu was the old madam’s youngest son, and she had always doted on him. Years ago, when Jiang Anyu accidentally injured his legs and had to resign from Tai Hospital and return home, the old madam had since wished to keep him under her watchful eye every day, ensuring no further mishaps.
Now, having her beloved youngest son care for the Crown Prince, who had smallpox, was no different from tearing out the old madam’s heart.
Jiang Yitang knew that no matter how her father, Jiang Ze Min, tried to persuade her, the old madam refused to let Jiang Anyu tend to the Crown Prince. She even accused Jiang Ze Min of forcing her to her death. In the end, Jiang Ze Min had no choice but to reluctantly compromise.
Dong'er was used to the miss’s silence. Remembering something, she spoke with a hint of sympathy:
"I heard Laoye ordered Qiuhua to deliver meals to that person, but today I heard that Qiuhua is afraid of getting infected. She just leaves the food box at the door every time and doesn’t dare go inside."
Jiang Yitang’s expression shifted slightly.
She knew that Xie Yuzhao was currently too weak to even get out of bed. If the meals were only left at the door, he wouldn’t be able to reach them!
In the end, Jiang Yitang couldn’t hold back. She stood up and started heading out. Dong'er stared in surprise:
"Miss, where are you going?"
Jiang Yitang pressed her lips together and whispered, "I’m going out for a while."
"It's almost dinnertime, Miss. Would you like me to accompany you?"
Jiang Yitang declined Dong'er, saying she would return soon. Taking the oil-paper umbrella, she stepped into the rain.
Dong'er watched her mistress's retreating figure and stamped her foot anxiously:
"Oh, why is Miss dressed so lightly!"
But since her mistress forbade her from following, Dong'er could only fret helplessly. After a moment's thought, she went to boil a pot of hot water so Jiang Yitang could warm up upon her return.
Truthfully, Jiang Yitang hadn't fully decided what to do. As she left Song'an Yuan, only one thought occupied her mind:
Would Xie Yuzhao starve to death?
A shiver ran down her spine.
Jiang Yitang had experienced hunger during punishments—that clawing, gnawing sensation that left her weak and listless. To die of starvation must be excruciatingly painful.
She dared not dwell on it further and silently quickened her pace.
Enveloped in misty rain and focused on her hurried journey, she failed to notice the figure approaching until they collided. Jiang Yitang stumbled backward several steps. Immediately, an irritated voice rang out from the other side:
"Who is it? So blind?!"
Hearing that voice, Jiang Yitang felt as if her blood had frozen in an instant.
Her mind flashed back to her previous life—being forcibly fed poison, vividly feeling the agony as her internal organs were ravaged, as if scorched by fire or sliced by blades, the pain wracking her entire body with tremors.
The oil-paper umbrella had long since fallen. Jiang Yitang stood alone in the rain, drenched and bedraggled like a soaked chicken.
On the other side, Jiang Shuangyuan was surrounded by maidservants fussing over her, ensuring she wasn't bruised or hurt before they collectively sighed in relief.
Jiang Shuangyuan pushed them aside and stepped forward. When she saw Jiang Yitang, she frowned in displeasure:
"Jiang Yitang, have you gone mad? Why are you running around like this?"
The collision had caught her off guard, and a few raindrops had splattered onto her shoulder. Jiang Shuangyuan rolled her eyes: "Do you know this is my new dress? I've only worn it for a day. How unlucky."
After speaking, she was surprised to see Jiang Yitang standing motionless.
Jiang Yitang was timid. In the past, upon seeing her, she wouldn't dare bump into her—she'd even hide far away to avoid her.
If avoidance was impossible, she would quickly lower her head and call her "Second Sister."
Today, it seemed the sun had risen from the west.
Suspicious, Jiang Shuangyuan glanced in the direction Jiang Yitang had come from: "Jiang Yitang, where are you going?"
The Shangshu Fu dared not neglect the Crown Prince. Although the household was somewhat cowardly, they also feared being held responsible if anything happened to the Crown Prince while he was there. Thus, they specially selected a quiet courtyard suitable for recuperation. Songrong Courtyard was secluded and tranquil, with ample space and elegant scenery, leaving no room for criticism.
Precisely because of its seclusion, Jiang Yitang's presence here seemed suspicious.
Jiang Yitang lowered her head, clenching her hands tightly inside her sleeves, suppressing her emotions with all her might.
The maidservant Fengling, seeing this, reached out and pushed Jiang Yitang:
"San Gu Niang, our Miss is asking you a question."
The legitimate lineage was haughty, and even the maidservants serving in their courtyard considered themselves superior. Knowing that the mistress and her daughter disliked San Gu Niang, Fengling naturally treated Jiang Yitang without courtesy.
The push snapped Jiang Yitang back to reality. Keeping her head bowed, she forced out her words:
"A few days ago, I lost my kite near the back gate. With the rain today, I wanted to go look for it."
Jiang Yitang wasn't lying. In her previous life, around this time, she had indeed lost a kite near the back gate. However, the kite's string had snapped, and it had landed in a locust tree. Even on tiptoe, she couldn't reach it, so she had to give up.
Hearing this reason, Jiang Shuangyuan immediately showed a look of disdain.
A mere kite was worth her making a special trip?
Half-believing and half-doubting, Jiang Shuangyuan glanced back in the direction of Songrong Courtyard and snorted lightly, "I hope that's really the case. I'm just afraid some people have ambitions too high for their station, deluding themselves into attempting things beyond their capabilities."
Jiang Yitang remained silent.
Jiang Shuangyuan detested this attitude of hers and muttered under her breath:
"Truly the offspring of that seductress, always pretending to be pitiful!"
In Jiang Yitang's mind flashed the pale face of her concubine mother before her death, her body finally falling into the well and retrieved bloated and pallid. She clenched her handkerchet tightly, bit by bit.
Seeing her mistress's expression, Fengling's heart skipped a beat. The atmosphere in the manor had been tense lately, and causing trouble now would be unwise.
Fengling hurriedly said, "Miss, the Madam is still waiting for you to dine."
Jiang Shuangyuan paused, realizing they were still in front of Songrong Courtyard. She glanced at the raindrops on her shoulders, feeling irritable:
"Consider yourself lucky."
With that, Jiang Yitang was pushed aside by Jiang Shuangyuan's maid. Fengling's words carried a hint of dissatisfaction: "San Gu Niang, please don't block the way. Don't delay our miss and the Madam's mealtime."
Jiang Yitang staggered, nearly falling by the roadside, but Jiang Shuangyuan and her entourage paid her no mind, carefully escorting Jiang Shuangyuan away.
Jiang Yitang stood still, motionlessly watching Jiang Shuangyuan's retreating figure.
Just now, she had used all her strength to prevent herself from showing any abnormality—that was the person who had taken her life in her previous existence!
Jiang Yitang bit her lip hard, forcing herself to regain focus.
She suddenly realized: if she didn't go save Xie Yuzhao, how would she avenge her past life in this lifetime?
With only herself, what could she do against Jiang Shuangyuan and Jiang Zemin?
Not only would she be unable to take revenge, but in this life she might even remain at the mercy of Jiang Shuangyuan and her mother.
Jiang Yitang bent down to pick up the oil-paper umbrella from the ground. Soaked through, the umbrella was useless now, but she couldn't just leave it there.
As daylight faded, unable to light the lanterns along the path in the rain, Jiang Yitang approached Songrong Courtyard in the gathering darkness.
She remembered something.
Jiang Shuangyuan's courtyard wasn't here. To go to the main courtyard to dine with her legal mother, why would she pass by this way?
Looking at the plaque of Songrong Courtyard before her, Jiang Yitang recalled Jiang Shuangyuan's resentful words from her past life: "If only I had gone in back then!"
So, Jiang Shuangyuan had come looking for Xie Yuzhao.
She just hadn't dared to enter.
Jiang Yitang reached out and pushed open the gate of Songrong Courtyard. Entering the courtyard, she found it just as in her past life—no one was willing to guard this place.
Her father had been busy these days with the disputes in Rongfen Courtyard, her legal mother preoccupied with mediating between the two, while those below, fearing for their lives, secretly disobeyed orders. For a time, no one paid attention to this detail.
It was absurd—a crown prince of a nation, yet no one bothered to check on him.
Jiang Yitang bent to pick up the food box under the eaves. A pain shot through her ankle, and she realized she had sprained her foot at some point.
Once noticed, the pain began to surge through her.
Perhaps because her death in the previous life had been so brutal, Jiang Yitang was especially sensitive to pain in this life. Her face paled slightly, but she endured the pain, nearly stumbling as she pushed open the door.
Hearing the noise, Xie Yuzhao weakly lifted his head.
On the second day since he awoke, a lamp finally lit the room. Someone carrying a food box stepped past the screen.
Their eyes met.
Xie Yuzhao abruptly closed his eyes.
Xie Yuzhao heard the footsteps approaching. She set down the food box, weakly knelt and leaned over his bedside, trembling as she grasped his sleeve, her voice quivering: "Xie Yuzhao, I'll save you. In return, protect me from now on, alright?"
She was still wearing the same cyan ruqun.
In her previous life, when Jiang Yitang came, she hadn't been this disheveled, nor had she borne any injuries.
For a fleeting moment, Xie Yuzhao seemed to glimpse the tragic death of the woman from his past life. The emotions he had suppressed since his return surged forth abruptly.
The candlelight beyond the screen flickered, and Xie Yuzhao closed his eyes.
The room fell into silence for a long while before Xie Yuzhao finally stirred. Revealing the clothes stained with blood and pus, he gently took Jiang Yitang's hand and lowered his gaze:
"Alright."